Swordsmanship Sparring (2) (Illustration Spoiler Warning)
68 losses, 2 wins, 1 draw. For someone who'd boldly challenged her, it was a ridiculously pathetic outcome that left me speechless.
When I finally scored my first point in the ninth round, I thought I'd pass the sparring quickly and move on to the next stage of training. But in the end, as you can see, I spent the entire three hours getting thoroughly dominated by Eunyoung noona like a total idiot.
Looking back, that ninth round was probably the last chance I had. The final opportunity to beat her before she fully regained her combat instincts. I'd targeted the gaps in her movements while her body was still loosening up and snagged one win, thinking it was a solid start.
After that, though, I racked up over twenty losses in nearly an hour straight. In hindsight, it made perfect sense. No matter how long she'd been out of action, an S-rank hunter didn't earn that title by rolling dice.
A few clashes of swords were all it took for her battle sense to sharpen far quicker than mine ever could.
After getting crushed so badly, I realized I couldn't keep this up. Instead of recklessly swinging my sword with full inner energy, I deliberately held back, conserving it and relying as much as possible on pure swordplay with my body alone.
Naturally, holding back meant my strikes lost power, and she must've thought I was getting tired—her own swordplay lightened up too, treating me like a weakened foe.
Once she got used to my feeble attacks, I unleashed a burst of pent-up inner energy in one shot, deflecting her sword and stabbing into the momentary opening that created. That was my second victory. A feat made possible by the fact that my inner energy was invisible to the naked eye.
"...You used your head for once."
After she said that, Eunyoung noona's attacks entered a whole new league.
Even though we were using training greatswords, each clash put serious strain on my arms. Her strikes came faster, heavier, targeting me relentlessly.
I couldn't even block her greatsword when she came at me with pure aggression. A couple of swings, and my grip would weaken first.
Sometimes she'd flick my greatsword skyward, or shove the blade I'd raised to block right back into me, forcing me to cut myself.
It was like facing a berserker's frenzy up close.
This time, it took nearly 30 points of concessions before I figured out how to cope. Each round ended in under a minute, and with exhaustion setting in, my brain wasn't turning over quickly either.
Then, out of nowhere, advice came from an unexpected source.
Haah, I'm dying here. How the hell do I even block that?
"With Master's physical abilities, evasion seems more feasible than blocking."
...Ah.
I hadn't exactly been hoping for Esila's input, but her advice became a ray of light in the deadlock.
Plus, it didn't seem like Eunyoung noona had wanted me to block her strikes head-on from the start.
The first time I dodged instead of clashing, a faint smile flickered across her face.
Focusing purely on evasion definitely opened paths. No matter how heavy or powerful her downward strikes, the instant they missed, an opening appeared.
Of course, those gaps were so brief—less than half a second—that counterattacking in that window wasn't easy.
So I swung my sword mid-dodge, minimizing the time to reach her opening.
In the final round, our attacks landed simultaneously for a double-down draw, barely securing my one tie.
After scraping together those 3 points, the grueling three-and-a-half-hour mock battle finally ended.
First attack: exploiting advantages.
Second: using inner energy strategically.
Third: analyzing the situation.
In earning those three points, I'd gained at least three lessons from Eunyoung noona—ones I discovered myself, embedding them deep in my mind rather than just being told or shown.
Not to mention the basics of sword handling, like efficient movement and impact absorption.
It was top-tier one-on-one instruction, far surpassing any teacher at a hunter training academy.
No wonder Hyeun had rocketed to A-rank at an absurd pace. With private lessons like this, failing to grow would've been the real anomaly.
"Did the auntie's tutoring help, son?"
"Yeah. It was real, practical knowledge that sinks into your bones."
"Good to hear. Then let's schedule the next lesson in about three weeks. We'll up the difficulty—aim for 5 points that time?"
"Haha, ha... "
All I could muster in response to her casual preview of the next session was a hollow laugh.
Meanwhile, on a certain island near New Guinea in Indonesia.
The Do Kyung Group researchers had dove into full-scale analysis the day after arriving.
"...You're saying this monster was taken down by the young lady, Eunbyeol, and three A-rank hunters total?"
Senior researcher Yang Seolhwa's question earned a quiet nod from Do Sihee.
"...That's how it went."
"It's still hard to believe, no matter how I look at it. And five of the six severed tentacles were shredded by sword strikes—looks like the work of one person. Plus, that final eye stab? Definitely a greatsword user."
"Yeah, well. Pretty much."
"Is it really an A-rank? Feels like at least A+ or even S-rank."
No point telling a researcher this convinced that it was a C-rank—they'd never buy it. Do Sihee stuck to her initial fib about the remaining hunter being A-rank.
"I thought so too, but what can you do when they claim to be A-rank? Unless you're forming a party, asking hunters' ranks is rude, so I didn't pry."
"So the acquaintance who came with you was a solo hunter."
"...Something like that."
Whether he was truly a solo or just happened to be alone that day she met him, she didn't know. But since she'd committed to the lie, Do Sihee played dumb to the end.
Spilling half-baked guesses could risk someone pinpointing Kim Sungcheol's identity.
"You still won't reveal that person's identity?"
"Sorry, I promised. Trust is everything among hunters, right?"
"...Understood. If that's how you feel, Miss, no choice."
Having been asked by Kim Sungcheol not to investigate him, she stonewalled any identifying details.
As a result, the researchers pegged the other hunter as "an A+ or S-rank greatsword wielder from some foundation."
Do Sihee inwardly sighed in relief at their speculation, far off the mark.
"Master, considering your afternoon schedule, shall we head off the island soon?"
"Yeah. Can't stay cooped up here forever. ...Though I'll have to come back tomorrow morning for the progress report."
"Helicopter or sailing yacht for transport?"
"Sea it is. A leisurely cruise, breathing sea air and relaxing, sounds nice."
"...Understood."
Eunbyeol silently thanked her master for the subtle consideration toward her.
Soon, a small sailing yacht departed the Do Kyung Group's island, slowly heading toward New Guinea.
Once the island shrank to a dot astern, Do Sihee casually asked Eunbyeol,
"Eunbyeol."
"Yes, Master."
"You've been dealing with all sorts of hassle because of me lately. Must be building up stress."
"It's no hardship. It's just what a servant does."
"Don't give me that. Think I don't know your old personality?"
"......"
Eunbyeol answered Do Sihee's words with silence.
"No one's around but me in these parts. You can let loose your desires fully."
"When serving Master, I devote myself fully to that."
"I've already checked satellite cams—no ships passing through nearby waters. It's really just you and me, so relax."
"......"
To the steadfastly silent Eunbyeol, Do Sihee called her by her old name.
"You weren't always like this. It's a rare chance to unwind—no need to hold back. Right, Miss Nari?"
"...Since Master insists so kindly, I'll shamelessly indulge."
With that, Eunbyeol—no, Geum Nari—reached behind her back, untying and dropping the top apron of her maid outfit.
She unzipped the maid dress next, and it slid smoothly down her body without catching.
Daggers and potion vials from her skirt clinked against the yacht deck.
"...Hnnngh."
As sea breeze swept over her now-underwear-clad body, Eunbyeol shivered lightly.
Not from the cold, of course.
"...C-Can I... do more?"
Her speech toward Do Sihee had shifted from utmost formality, Geum Nari asking timidly.
"I said release your desires fully, Miss Nari."
"...Yeah."
At those words, Geum Nari reached for her bra, baring her apple-sized, modestly small breasts.
She stripped off her stockings, garter belt, and final panties too, leaving her stark naked—save for the headpiece still perched on her hair.
As she unfurled the sails again, the yacht caught wind and surged forward.
Each gust from behind caressing Geum Nari's bare skin drew intermittent moans of pleasure from her.
Her small nipples atop her breasts hardened in the sea breeze.
From her exposed groin, thick arousal fluid trickled down her thighs.
"Hnn, hnn, hnnngh...!!"
The secret that Geum Nari, the vanished heiress hunter of Geumhyang Group, found ecstasy in feeling nature with her whole body in the wilds—known only to her and her closest friend Do Sihee.
And the fact that she was now playing Do Sihee's exclusive maid, her identity thoroughly hidden.
"Y-You fucking bitch Geum Taehyang!! Like hell I'll ever go back to that shithole house!! Find me if you can, you goddamn whore!!!"