Sparring with the Golden-Haired Challenger
'This scene feels familiar somehow.'
Come to think of it, something like this had happened the first day he met Karen. Back then, too, there'd been a guy in front of her house begging her to teach him the sword. And now, it looked like another one had shown up, pleading for her guidance just like before.
"Looks like you've already trained with a sword somewhere else. Go back to your original master."
"No! It has to be you, Karen! I want to learn the sword from the 'Sword Hope', the one hailed as destined to become an S-rank adventurer who'll shine in this era with a single blade!"
From the snippets of conversation growing clearer as he drew closer, this new guy seemed even more persistent than the last one. Karen, though, just looked bored.
"Master."
"Oh. Yuseong, you're here."
He'd planned to wait until their talk ended, but at this rate, it might never wrap up. So he stepped out into view and approached Karen. She was fiddling with the hilt of her wooden sword, her face showing growing annoyance—until she spotted him and lit up like she'd found her savior.
"...Master?"
The guy clinging to Karen froze at the title Yuseong used, his eyebrows twitching. He straightened up and stared back and forth between them in disbelief.
And that's when Yuseong finally got a good look at the man's face.
'Damn, he's annoyingly handsome.'
A strikingly good-looking face, the kind that had probably charmed plenty of women. Soft, flowing golden hair and a distinctive mole under one eye marked this pretty boy. But it wasn't just his looks—the glimpse of toned muscles beneath his clothes screamed seasoned warrior.
"Ka, Karen... Did I hear that wrong? What did this guy just call you?"
"What else? You heard right. I told you, I already have a disciple."
"You mean that wasn't just an excuse?"
The man gawked at Yuseong in shock. But beneath that, Yuseong caught a flicker of jealousy and denial in his eyes. He twisted his own face to match, glaring right back.
"What're you looking at."
"......"
Yuseong usually showed basic courtesy to strangers, but not to some prick sizing him up like merchandise.
The guy flinched at Yuseong's rough tone, took a step back, then turned to Karen again.
"E-even if you really have a disciple, that doesn't change my mind. Like I said, there's no rule saying you can only take one, right?"
"True. But... I only need to raise one. And..."
Karen glanced at Yuseong, then at the blond, her eyes tinged with disappointment.
"You're below my standards from the start."
"...No way!!"
The blond man's face twisted in denial, refusing to accept it.
"You haven't even seen my skills yet!"
"I don't need to. You don't have the talent I look for."
Karen cut him off bluntly, declaring his talent lacking. The words hit like a blow to his pride; the blond trembled, then suddenly whipped around to glare at Yuseong.
"...So. This guy. He met your standards and became your disciple?"
"Yeah."
The sparks flew Yuseong's way. He met the blond's distrustful stare head-on, narrowing his eyes without flinching.
"...I'm Haren, a C-rank adventurer from the Red Hawk Clan. And you?"
Haren introduced himself curtly. Yuseong didn't like his attitude but held his patience and replied.
"Karen's disciple and D-rank adventurer, Yuseong."
"...D-rank?"
At that, subtle contempt crept into Haren's eyes.
"The one Karen chose is just a D-rank adventurer?"
"Got a problem with that?"
Yuseong shot back coldly, dropping any pretense of politeness at the blatant disrespect. Haren, still eyeing him with dissatisfaction, suddenly smirked like he'd thought of something clever.
"Fine, fine. Yuseong, Karen's disciple. Sure, you're just D-rank trash, but since she chose you, your talent must be something special, right?"
Pretending to praise him while slipping in "D-rank trash"—classic Haren. Yuseong toyed with the hilt of his black iron sword, tempted to smash the guy's smug face, when Haren made his pitch.
"Here's a proposal from one swordsman to another. How about a spar?"
"A spar?"
"Yeah. I want to see just how talented you are to catch Karen's eye."
Haren's eyes gleamed with curiosity about Yuseong's skills—and a glance at Karen betrayed his real motive: showing off to her somehow.
Of course...
"Why the hell should I?"
Yuseong had zero reason to agree.
"Get out of my way. I'm here to learn swordsmanship from my master."
".....Tch."
He waved Haren off like a fly. Haren's forced smile cracked, veins bulging on his forehead.
But Karen, who'd been watching the comedy unfold with amusement, suddenly stepped between them.
"Sounds good."
"...Master?"
She grinned like she'd stumbled on something fun, eyeing them both with mischief before swinging open the door to their usual training ground.
"No need for swordsmen to yap when blades will do. I'll lend you the space—have at it."
"......!!"
Haren's face brightened, thinking she'd given him a shot. Yuseong, though, stared at her in disbelief.
"Master?"
He was about to protest her deciding this on her own when she leaned in close, whispering so Haren couldn't hear.
"Sorry for deciding without asking, even if I am your master. But it's too good an opportunity to pass up."
"...Good opportunity?"
How was sparring this clown a good opportunity?
"You'll see once you fight him. And... consider it helping your master out."
"Helping how...?"
"Guys like him show up sometimes, and words don't convince them—they just keep pestering. Showing your skills will shut him down faster than me talking."
"...Hah."
She'd apologized first, and with all he'd owed her, Yuseong couldn't push back hard. Plus, the look on her face when she called it a "good opportunity" made it clear: as his master, she saw real value in this for him.
But even if he went along...
"Do I even stand a chance against him?"
He asked uncertainly. The guy was C-rank. D-rank was the ceiling for average talents, so Haren had to be skilled. And bold enough to seek out Karen meant top-tier sword talent, probably.
'Even Laila was C-rank as an adventurer.'
That, plus never partying with other C-ranks, made them all seem like Laila-level threats in his mind.
"And he's a swordsman. Probably been swinging a blade longer than me."
"Hmm."
"Pure sword skill? He's ahead. ...Ah, is that why the spar?"
Truth be told, he wouldn't mind landing a hit on the smug bastard. But rationally, he felt outmatched.
Was that Karen's angle? Experience against a step-up opponent?
"His sword mastery is higher... Hmm. Maybe?"
"...?"
But Karen just smiled mysteriously at his guess.
"Makes sense. You've only sparred with me, and in real fights, it's been those evil god cultists and such... Yeah, good call setting this up."
"Master?"
"Just give it your all. In my eyes... you've got solid odds."
Her words carried firm trust in him. Yuseong headed to the training ground, where Haren was already warming up.
"Ah! Karen, you're here."
Ignoring Yuseong completely, Haren focused on her.
"Please watch, Karen. Once you see my skills, you'll want me as your disciple."
His confidence stirred a twinge of unease in Yuseong, but he kept it hidden, drawing a wooden sword and loosening up.
His body awakened for battle, senses sharpening, breath steadying. And those honed instincts began sizing up the opponent automatically.
'.....Huh?'
But as he gauged Haren's bloodlust, presence, and muscle twitches...
He tilted his head slightly.
What was this? It felt... weaker than expected.
Sure, no Karen-level pressure or even her old master's aura from Palos, but... this was way weaker.
No, don't relax. Fight hasn't started, and instincts aren't infallible.
"How long have you been wielding a sword?"
Haren asked, confident but wary now that the spar loomed.
He could've lied or dodged, but Yuseong answered straight.
"About a month."
"...What? A month? Then how long under Karen?"
"That too, about a month."
"......."
Haren's face warped strangely at the revelation.
"...You mocking me?"
Thinking it a joke, he snarled.
"It's true."
"Shut up. I was gonna go easy for Karen's sake... but not anymore. I'll unleash everything on you."
Yuseong hadn't expected belief, but being called a liar soured his mood. And this guy's tone was getting rough—had the polite act for Karen been fake?
"Wooden swords only. I'll step in if one yields or takes a wound that stops the fight. Objections?"
"None."
Karen naturally took referee duties, addressing them from the center. Yuseong raised his wooden sword into a stance, glaring at Haren.
She'd said give it his all, so he would—full power.
'Come to think of it, first real swordsman besides Karen.'
Those E-rank punks from his weakling days didn't count as "swordsmen." This was his first proper duel.
And strangely, unease gave way to rising fighting spirit.
"Then... begin!!"
At Karen's signal, Yuseong and Haren exploded forward, charging straight at each other.