Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Tournament Preparation (3)
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I sparred with Largo for three straight days.
As if in an equal exchange, I grew stronger each day at the cost of pain.
“……”
Hmm, is this right?
Am I really doing this correctly?
I almost wished the system window would shout, *Correct, Transmigrator!* but it remained silent.
Anyway.
The hellish effort paid off.
Mind's Eye and Spirit Affinity both reached level 3.
The rate of increase was starting to slow, but it was still a satisfactory level.
I gained many other things as well.
Largo's aura was so ferocious that I wouldn't feel intimidated even when facing an A-ranker.
Mental fortitude, resilience, guts, and so on.
I could feel that I had grown stronger in many ways.
I still couldn't match Jace, but it was clear I was gradually catching up.
I was on a good roll.
Everything had been going perfectly smoothly so far.
However, my little cutie puffed out her cheeks in displeasure.
“Ugh, I’m so upset…”
She’d get teary-eyed every time I got beaten up.
Even though it was a proper sparring match, she'd glare at Largo disapprovingly.
“It can’t be helped.”
“Still, that’s too much!”
Actually, he was going easy on me.
That boar held back, so it wasn't too serious.
And even then, the water spirit Aruru controlled would heal me completely.
“His condescending lectures are so annoying. And he’s not even that strong.”
“……”
Hmm, is this the dignity of a Hero candidate?
She completely dismisses a top-20 ranker.
It wasn't particularly strange.
Numerically, the difference might be small, but in reality, the gap is enormous.
I could be slightly off, but…
I’d guess a single Hero candidate could defeat everyone from rank 11 to 20 in a row.
If they were to attack together…
You’d need at least three of them, wouldn’t you?
I gazed at Aruru.
This small, delicate girl possessed that much power.
What if she hadn't been here?
The thought alone was terrifying.
I would have been dragged off and tortured several times a day.
A girl who worried about and cared for me as much as my fiancée, Ceria.
I couldn’t find the words to express my gratitude for her thoughtfulness.
My hand moved on its own.
Every time I stroked her head, she would beam and her fox ears would twitch.
At first, I had only hoped for a small connection.
But before I knew it, we had become closer than anyone.
I was lost in thought for a moment.
All I did was cover her food expenses, yet I received so much in return.
Healing me whenever I was injured.
Willingly giving me a well-raised spirit.
Even letting me use her training hall…
No, wait a minute.
Spending my days here was one thing.
But sleeping here too? At this point, isn't this basically living together?
“Hm? What’s wrong?”
“……”
Well, nothing really happened.
When I woke up in the morning and opened my eyes…
I’d just find a fox burying her face in my chest, drooling.
A peaceful life with a pet.
My conscience is clear, but others might find it suspicious, right?
Forget it. I’ll just stop thinking about it.
My fiancée gave her tacit approval, so who cares?
“What do you want to eat today?”
“Hmm, I’m craving something cold and sweet!”
Translation complete.
It meant we were going to clean out the ice cream shop.
Proportionally, my wallet wept tears of sorrow.
How should I procure funds?
I was spending roughly 500,000 won a day.
I'll have to think about it slowly after the tournament is over.
* * *
The next afternoon.
Largo showed up without fail.
As I grew stronger, he raised the difficulty to match.
“Strange. It feels like something important is missing. Your fundamentals seem a bit weak…”
“……”
Here we go again with the nagging.
He never had a single word of praise.
Since he used Jace, who had been at the pinnacle, as his standard, he was extremely strict.
Well, he wasn't wrong.
In a way, he had sharply seen through my circumstances.
I had worked tirelessly.
But the time I was given wasn't that long.
Even if my body remembered…
The software's performance was lacking, so it was bound to be awkward.
I was actually proud of myself.
Despite sparring for four straight days, Largo only felt a slight suspicion.
It seemed I was doing a decent enough job to deceive the eyes of a top-20 ranker.
“Can you go on?”
“Anytime…”
“I refuse.”
“—??”
What was that? He brought it up himself, and now he refuses.
I wondered if he had figured something out.
But soon I was reminded that he was a beast in human skin.
“I mean, it feels like I’m at too much of a disadvantage…”
That was true.
He was essentially giving me free sparring sessions when he should be expensive.
Still, I can't pay you!
I'm already stretched thin covering my little cutie’s food expenses.
“You’re too weak right now to get me motivated. I need to relieve this boredom…”
He slowly turned his head.
Largo’s gaze fell upon Aruru.
I immediately understood what he meant.
A mad dog ready to bite anyone, regardless of who they were.
He exuded a challenging aura, as if he wanted to take on a Hero candidate.
“……”
“……”
He didn't just charge in.
As if respecting a strong opponent, he waited for her acceptance.
I looked at Aruru.
How would she react?
I hoped not, but my hopes were dashed.
The girl smiled faintly, as if she had been waiting for this.
That sealed Largo’s fate.
She must have been looking for a chance to teach him a lesson.
From Aruru’s perspective, he was just a bad guy who hurt me…
“I don’t end things nicely. Are you okay with that?”
“More than okay. It’s what I was hoping for!”
I didn’t stop them.
I decided to just watch the show and reap the benefits.
A battle between high-caliber powerhouses.
Just watching would be a great help.
There was no chance Aruru would lose.
Meaning, Largo would be utterly defeated.
He had helped me quite a bit, but…
I had a lot of pent-up frustration, so I was going to enjoy watching this.
Still, my conscience dictated I should say one thing.
I whispered quietly as I passed Largo.
“You’re a dead man now.”
“—??”
You don't get it?
If you don't, you'll just have to get beaten to a pulp. What can you do?
A characteristic of Beastkin.
Usually cute, but terrifying when angry.
I silently prayed for Largo’s soul.
If my guess was right, he was about to be beaten half to death.
* * *
Largo threw a powerful punch.
That scene alone was like a bear swiping its forepaw at a fox.
As if he intended to go all out from the start.
The fist ki imbued in his punch rippled like a wave.
In contrast, Aruru stood perfectly still.
As if a top-20 ranker’s attack wasn't even worth dodging.
Sure enough.
Largo’s strike came to nothing.
A high-ranking water spirit gently deflected it.
Immediately after, his feet were bound by an earth spirit.
As a wolf-shaped spirit wreathed in flames charged at him…
Largo let out a sharp cry and barely broke free from the restraints.
Just as he turned to face the wolf…
A high-ranking wind spirit created a gale.
The force of it made him lose his balance and sway.
A blazing flame erupted toward his defenseless form.
Offense, defense, support, harassment…
Aruru, befitting the best Spirit User, handled her spirits with efficiency.
“You haven’t fought against a Spirit User much, have you?”
She shot back coolly, as if he were pathetic.
My little cutie… she’s genuinely angry, isn’t she?
To be fair, Largo’s situation was unfortunate.
Spirit Users were the rarest among all classes.
Maybe 1% of the population? It was only natural that he had little experience.
“That’s why I’m trying to experience it now!”
He was singed here and there.
But Largo ignored it and declared his conviction.
What ignorant guts.
How long could he maintain that stubbornness?
That was the main point of interest in this fight.
Largo continued to attack.
He only attempted, never managing to even graze her clothes.
Aruru demonstrated the full might of a one-person army.
Four high-ranking spirits.
Fifteen mid-ranking spirits.
Seventy-nine low-ranking spirits.
Nearly a hundred spirits were all summoned.
A hundred spirits is an army of a million. At least by my calculations.
Considering the pressure Largo must have felt, it was no exaggeration.
You couldn't look down on low-ranking spirits.
When controlled directly by Aruru, they rivaled the power of mid-ranking spirits.
“……”
He was rendered speechless, as if overwhelmed by the presence of the spirits surrounding him.
A combination of fire and wind spirits.
A raging inferno dominated the arena.
Largo tried to escape it.
But the water and earth spirits clung to him tenaciously.
The one-sided development continued.
It was a fight that never should have happened in the first place.
Moreover, that probably wasn't the full extent of Aruru's power.
The only ones who could stand against her were other Hero candidates of the same caliber…
Jace was once among them.
You bastard… just how strong were you?
A genius who reached the pinnacle with swordsmanship alone.
I once again felt a shiver at this body's potential.
“Much trickier than I expected…”
Largo gritted his teeth, as if he could still endure.
As expected of a top-20 ranker, he didn't go down easily.
Sharp blades of wind rushed in from all directions.
Largo’s arms moved strangely, drawing circles.
He deployed an advanced defensive technique used by high-level martial artists.
With it, he perfectly blocked all the attacks.
It was a moment where the fortunes of the two fighters diverged.
“Damn it…”
Largo’s face twisted in misery.
Blocking the high-ranking spirit’s attack was impressive.
But he had wasted a tremendous amount of mana as a price.
On the other hand, Aruru’s condition hadn’t changed at all.
The privilege of a Spirit User.
The spirits do the fighting, so the user doesn't get tired.
Summoning them consumed a fair bit of mana.
But after that, their energy consumption efficiency was top-tier.
Meaning, as long as the spirits were fine, she could repeat the same attack over and over.
It felt almost unfair.
But it wasn't like there was no way to counter it.
If you destroy the spirits, the damage is transferred directly to the Spirit User.
With ultimate moves, secret techniques, and the like…
You'd have to use such major skills multiple times.
But since Largo was a martial artist, his attack power was on the lower side.
His body itself was a weapon.
But it couldn't compare to a real weapon like a sword.
In any case, it was the worst possible matchup.
Spirits lacked a physical form, so the satisfaction of pummelling them was diminished.
He couldn't have been ignorant of that fact.
But his stubborn desire to fight a strong opponent led him to this suffering.
Well, that kind of challenging spirit was probably how he became a top-20 ranker.
Largo threw his fists as if in a last-ditch effort.
He managed to take out a few low-ranking spirits with his struggle, but it was far from enough.
A merciless, simultaneous attack from the spirit army.
In the end, he was even more battered than I had been.
“Want more?”
“Of course. Once a fight has begun, I’ll go until I collapse…”
“Actually, I wasn’t planning on finishing this so soon either.”
“—??”
Leaving behind those meaningful words…
Aruru sent all her spirits back to the spirit realm.
As Largo narrowed his eyes…
A new bear-shaped spirit appeared behind the girl.
Soon, the giant bear was absorbed into the small fox beastkin's body.
Spirit Possession? Should I say it's similar to Body Reinforcement Arts?
A bear, a tiger, a turtle, a phoenix... Ahh, something is suddenly coming to mind!
Anyway.
It seemed she intended to use the spirit’s abilities herself.
“You, don’t tell me…”
As if to confirm his suspicion…
My little cutie raised her tiny fist.
“You were using your fists for nothing. I’ll show you the real deal.”
“—!!”
A remark that completely shattered Largo’s pride.
And he was the second-strongest martial artist in the rankings.
Sure enough.
He started freaking out, as if he was going crazy from the sheer absurdity of it.
“I’m warning you in advance, you should put your guard up.”
“This is utterly ridiculous… You will regret your arrogance!”
Ahh, this guy…
He's genuinely pissed off at a little girl!
I understood how he felt, but…
Aruru was so ridiculously cute that it was impossible to get angry at her.
But he managed it?
Did he have the concept of 'cuteness' castrated from his mind?
To defy the natural order.
I was once again reminded of what a dangerous guy he was.
The two slowly closed the distance.
They gathered their energy as if to settle the match in a single blow.
Hmm, will this be okay?
As exhausted as Largo was…
He should still have enough strength left for a final strike.
His muscles bulged.
His already large frame grew even bigger.
Aruru looked so small in comparison that I was a little worried.
Well, she must have an ace up her sleeve.
I had a good idea of what it was, so I just watched quietly.
Soon, Largo furiously threw a punch.
It carried the force to split a mountain.
But my little cutie… retaliated with a punch that seemed to say, "Hmph!"
“—!!”
Their fists never touched.
A shockwave erupted with a small gap between them.
Largo’s expression was one of pure shock.
As if he had realized too late that something was wrong…
*CRASH!*
*Thud! Ruumble…*
It all happened in an instant.
Largo’s body shot like a bullet and slammed into the wall.
The impact caused cracks to form, threatening to bring it down.
“……”
*Twitch, twitch.*
Largo’s body, collapsed on the floor, twitched as if to insist he was still alive.
But even that soon stopped.
Are you dead? If you're dead, say so.
He had been knocked out so fast he couldn't even let out a scream.
Aruru swung the door wide open.
She grabbed Largo by the leg and dragged him out.
Then, as if tossing out the trash, she casually threw his massive body.
A characteristic of Beastkin.
Innate, monstrous strength.
This was a chance to witness its limits firsthand.
“How was I?”
Ears twitching, head tilting, tail wagging.
She used her ears, head, and tail all at once.
Faced with such an adorable display, I confessed my honest feelings.
“You were the absolute coolest.”
She had mercilessly thrashed Largo, but in front of me, she eagerly wagged her tail.
In the end, that was the only thing that mattered…
“I feel so safe with you around.”
This was also from the heart.
It was a good thing she was an ally; what would it have been like if she were an enemy?
“Uh-huh. I’ll get rid of guys like that for you anytime!”
See? You can count on your big sis!
She puffed out her chest proudly with that kind of attitude.
Stroking the girl's head…
I thought more seriously than ever before.
I had to keep feeding her, even if it meant selling my body…
* * *
A small problem arose.
It was great that Aruru had taught Largo a lesson, but because of it, I had lost my training partner.
“Ugh, what should I do? I did something unnecessary…”
As if she had committed a grave sin.
Her ears and tail drooped as she glanced at me nervously.
In truth, it wasn't that serious of a situation.
My efficiency had been dropping from repeatedly sparring with the same opponent anyway.
‘There’s only so many days you can get beaten up…’
I even thought it turned out for the best.
I had already reached my goal, so I had no regrets.
“It’s fine. I was thinking of stopping soon anyway.”
“Well, that’s a relief, but…”
There were about five days left until the tournament.
I had pushed my body to the limit with sparring until now.
It wouldn't be a bad idea to take it easy for the remaining time to manage my condition.
Just in time, my Spirit Affinity had leveled up.
I could now possess one more low-ranking spirit.
Should I go for a fire spirit?
I’ll spend today taking care of that.
Just as I made up my mind…
A mummy wrapped tightly in bandages suddenly showed up.
“……”
I couldn't mistake that build.
Hmm, this is a bit creepy. He got beaten that badly and he wants to go again?
“I brought a substitute.”
“—??”
Largo hadn't come alone.
Despite injuries that would take four weeks to heal, he had found me a new training partner.
Huh? What in the world?
At this point, he’s not just a reliable helper, he’s a loyal vassal, isn’t he?
I should be touched, but his persistence is just weird