Winning Streak (1)

It had only been yesterday. Sophia had opened a Bronze Box, scored a ring so good she couldn't help herself, and posted a full-blown flex thread about it.

Her own account was serving a one-week ban, so she'd borrowed her friend Dohoyo's and uploaded the post from there. Downvotes and comments piled up in seconds.

A few of those comments stuck with me. Some guy under the handle RealMan214 had asked if she was from some backwater Outer-Space A-League and promised to kill her on sight if they ever met.

So that was RealMan. Looking at him now, he definitely lived ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up to the name.

"SexyNewbie!! Pull out your minion right now!! No!! Come out yourself!!! Let's go one round!!!!"

"Hieeek!"

Terrified, Sophia grabbed my sleeve and trembled. I'd heard women develop feelings for the man they lean on in a crisis. Bond Rank C really was something else.

Source: my own brain, of course.

"Don't worry, Sophia. You've got a pretty face, a huge chest, and a great body — the nickname SexyNewbie suits you perfectly."

"Umm. That was not even slightly comforting, but… thanks. I feel better because of you, Yohan."

"Please call me the Expert of the Female Heart."

"Bullshit. Absolute bullshit!"

Did she have to hate it that much? My pure soul took critical damage.

"You useless fat-blob SexyNewbie! You muscle-less ugly hag! Send out a minion already!"

Twitch.

A vein bulged on Sophia's forehead. She was as furious as when she chewed me out. Honestly, I was a little mad too. Sophia's chest was useless? Excuse me?

"How dare you call her boo—"

Cheonsol clamped a hand over my mouth. She pressed her chest — not as big as Sophia's, but with undeniable presence — against my back and whispered.

"This lady has just saved your life once."

"…Thanks."

If I'd started bragging about Sophia's chest to RealMan, it was obvious where that rage would have gone next.

"Really, thank you."

I pulled Cheonsol into a proper hug. Sophia stopped mid-rant and kept sneaking glances at us.

"Hug me too."

"Honestly. You're impossible."

Sophia hugged me tight. I'd expected a half-hearted squeeze and release, but she went all in. Those soft breasts stayed pressed against me for a full five seconds before she let go.

"KRAAAAAAAAH!!!!"

Watching our flirting, RealMan fully blackened and let out a howl. If he could have, he looked ready to smash through the barrier separating us.

Time to make him angrier. Getting under people's skin was always fun.

"Sophia, do you remember that post you made last time?"

"This lady was curious about that as well. What on earth could make him this furious?"

"Uh? Uh, uh. I remember, but… Cheonsol, it's better if you don't know. I, uh, acted a little immature."

"Everyone makes mistakes. Even if Master were a goddess herself. To lose one's temper over a single slip — that man is small of heart."

Even with Cheonsol taking her side, Sophia couldn't manage a smile. Meanwhile I had to bite my lip and clench my abs just to keep from laughing.

This was the Goddess of Chaos herself, running two accounts ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠just to flex. Bring the Buddha over and even he'd lose his temper looking at Sophia.

Unaware of the full story, Cheonsol drew her sword.

"I shall go crush that man's minion."

"Mm-hmm. Go get 'em. Fighting. Yohan, you say it too!"

"Fighting!"

"Cheonsol?"

RealMan frowned.

"I've heard that name somewhere. Doesn't matter! Don't send the girl — send the guy with the ring!"

"And why would I?"

Sophia put on a haughty act. Chin tilted up like that, she was still ridiculously pretty.

"Quit talking back and send him out! Or the Dog King will tear that girl to shreds!"

"And if I send Yohan, what changes?"

"The Dog King will rip that Yohan bastard limb from limb and use him as feed!"

"Not even worth engaging. Cheonsol. Win."

"Yes."

I could only see her back, but I still flinched. Her aura was far more vicious than when she'd faced me. If killing intent alone could cut people down, the Dog King and RealMan would already be in dozens of pieces.

"Winner takes one item from the loser."

"Fine."

Sophia added one more line.

"We're going to win anyway."

"Grit."

The lunatic made a grinding sound with his mouth instead of actually grinding his teeth. Did you have to be a little off to become a god?

"Start the battle already!"

Sophia and I were moved to the coaching seats. After always being the one out there fighting, watching from the sidelines felt fresh. The clash of auras between the Dog King and Cheonsol, plus the sand whipping through the Colosseum, cranked the tension sky-high.

"Dog King! Stop testing the waters! Tear that bitch apart!"

"Kwang-kwang!"

A furry mass with a dog's head, wearing nothing but underwear, barked adorably. Still not cute in the slightest. Looks really were everything for any living creature.

Just look at Cheonsol, red light blazing from her eyes. If an undead did that, I'd smash its skull — but because it was Cheonsol, it looked gorgeous.

"Though this lady lost to the Mad Demon, she is not so weak as to be ignored. Dog-head. And dog-head's master. I shall make you pay the price of your arrogance."

"Cheonsol! Attack before Barkbark gets close!"

She'd been practicing giving orders, and right out of the gate she was demanding a technique. Good, obedient adult that she was, Cheonsol followed Sophia's command.

"Bloodstream Wave."

Crimson sword-ki surged like a rolling tide and crashed toward the Dog King. RealMan roared with laughter.

"A technique fit for a girl! Dog King! Giantification!"

"KWAAA!!"

The Dog King's bulk swelled threefold. A creature that had already stood two meters tall hit six, looking like a walking building. Arms and legs thickened like ancient tree trunks. Cheonsol's Bloodstream Wave sliced across its shin — and only barely nicked the skin.

"KWAA!!"

"Cheonsol! Giantification has a time limit! Hold out and it'll shrink and get weaker!"

"Sophia, please place your trust in me."

"…Cut Barkbark's legs first!"

"As commanded."

Like David ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠charging Goliath, Cheonsol surged forward with fearless courage. The Dog King swung an arm and came up with nothing but sand.

"Kwang?"

The Dog King panicked and searched for Cheonsol — but she was already under its legs. She flicked her feet like a dancing courtesan.

"Blood Dance."

Her slender blade carved into the Dog King's Achilles tendon. The hide was too tough to sever in one stroke. Having locked onto her position, the Dog King stomped, trying to crush her flat.

The earth thundered. Sand dust billowed. The vibration didn't reach the coaching seats, but I could picture it perfectly. A low-tier minion like Kim the Dwarf would have lost his balance, fallen, and been stomped to death.

But Cheonsol, the one-piece dress Sophia had given her fluttering around her, simply dodged. She spun like a figure skater without ever losing her balance.

"Far too ponderous to stop this lady's dance."

Cheonsol bounced as if springs were fixed to her feet.

"A dance is mere diversion for dealing with the weak. How dare one who cannot even draw out my true strength insult my Master?"

With every rotation, her slender blade scored the Dog King's ankle.

"Keng! Keng-eng!"

Strike after strike on the same spot finally punched through the hide and carved into the soft flesh beneath. The Dog King whimpered pitifully, but it couldn't stop Cheonsol.

"Receive the punishment for scorning this lady and insulting my Master! Master, a SexyNewbie?! She would never claim so shameful a moniker!"

"Uh…"

Sophia buried her face in my shoulder and mumbled.

"I can never tell Cheonsol. Not for the rest of my life…"

"Hang in there."

I patted her shoulder. Then her back. That texture — bra. I preferred bare skin, but I couldn't strip her right here, so I endured.

"Blood Mist."

With its Achilles tendon shredded, the Dog King crashed to the ground. Blood sprayed — but it never soaked into the sand. The Vampir who commanded blood spread the droplets wide and wove them into a crimson fog.

The low-hanging mist wrapped the Dog King's massive frame. It tried to push itself up on its arms, but Cheonsol was faster.

"Blood Flame."

The same technique she'd used in our first battle. She converted blood into a fire-attribute medium and burned the enemy alive.

The Dog King's fur went up all at once, and the smell of roasting meat filled the air.

"A lot of people think all Koreans eat dog meat. We don't. Even grandpas and grandmas in the twenty-second century don't eat dog."

"Yohan? What are you talking about?"

What I meant was: the fight was over.

"A tedious battle."

Using her racial ability to wipe the blood from her slender blade, Cheonsol returned. I immediately threw up a double thumbs-up.

"That was seriously cool!"

"How cool, exactly?"

"Cool enough to make me want to have sex!"

"Wh-what?!"

The charismatic swordswoman transformed into a bashful maiden in an instant. Ah — but I'd already taken her virginity, so maiden wasn't quite right, was it?

"What manner of words are those?! Have you no sense of shame?!"

"I know it well. But I wanted you to know my true feelings."

"Kh…"

"How could this be…"

I'd gotten so absorbed in teasing Cheonsol that I'd forgotten about RealMan. The muscular giant was pounding the ground, howling in frustration.

"My minion… lost to a girl like that…"

Give me a break.

"Sophia. Enough with the theatrics — tell him to hand over the item."

"Obviously!"