12. Legion
12. Legion
Chwarak.
Sihwan immediately deployed his Suit and retreated far back.
This time, full deployment even covering his face.
Since the entire Suit was made of Reflexium, at least he wouldn't retire from getting hit by something.
"You're really going all out, huh."
"No way you'd go this far."
"What."
"You trying to suggest public sex right here or something?"
"Ha. Our Sihwan's got a huge misunderstanding going on?"
So-ri laughed haughtily.
"No matter how much it is me, I wouldn't think of fucking you outright in front of everyone. I'm just showing off. My power."
"Bari's stronger."
"Told you? That's just your opinion. Ahh. I hope you weren't too scared~."
As she said that, she gradually ramped up the intensity of her power.
At first, it was just a sense that people were there, but gradually something started to be felt, and eventually, the space itself where they were watching warped and twisted to such a degree that the power's density grew intense.
It felt like the space itself was seasick.
Even her smirking smile became invisible as the space shook, and the ground she stood on caved in entirely.
If he hadn't deployed the Suit, wouldn't he have retired just from the intangible crushing pressure alone?
"Definitely a much stronger power than Jihye-ssi. The Nobling density feels incredibly thick."
"Jihye? Who's that now."
"There is. Someone like that."
Bari stepped forward.
Now that So-ri had revealed her power, she too shifted to combat mode.
Assuming Type 1 Combat Readiness, she summoned 8 Electromagnetic Cannons into the sky above.
Dding.
Woooooong.
"What the hell is that? A toy?"
"A super strong toy. Might blow off a limb or two."
"I've thought this before, but for a doll, you're way too cheeky. No manners taught?"
"Sorry. We get cocky virus around lowly creatures."
"What the hell does that even mean."
"You wouldn't get it? Just say 'oh, okay'."
"Hey. The only one putting up with your attitude is Ryu Si-hwan level."
"Thanks for that."
"You're not on that list, doll."
She casually swung her hand.
An invisible intangible energy shot out, and behind it, a whirlwind formed where the ground's debris and space twisted together.
From So-ri's perspective, not even using Nobling—a gesture that barely qualified as an attack.
Yet its destructive power easily surpassed a ritual chariot's bombardment.
Emitting a bizarre roar, it broke past several times the speed of sound.
The thing that seemed about to pierce Bari right then was offset by a similar attack.
Namely, Bari's hand gesture.
"Like this?"
She perfectly mimicked and demonstrated what So-ri had done.
"Not bad? Then how about this too—"
— ......Hold on. What the hell are you doing right now?
At that moment, Yeonseo's voice echoed through the raid field.
Originally, Soyoung, the vice Chief Instructor and next in line for Chief Instructor, was supposed to oversee it, but she was so dumbfounded by the absurdity that she'd lost her words, so Yeonseo was speaking in her place.
Of course, she was just as flabbergasted.
"What?"
— ...You asking 'cause you don't know? This is a 'mock' raid. Mock. What happens if you blow it all away right at the start!
Her words were spot on.
Though Yeonseo wasn't exactly a true instructor who cared for the trainees' lives and futures, doing it like this could cause problems for the Academy's reputation down the line.
They'd gone to the trouble of setting up this special class, only for it to end the moment it started.
"Yeonseo-ya. This is reality."
— And you're calling that words right now....
"Those blood clots holding out against me for even 0.1 seconds isn't way too hopeful a development? That doesn't match our Academy's motto."
— ....
"Harsh as it may be, reality; bleak as it may be, truth. That's exactly our Academy's motto."
She wasn't wrong.
Considering reality, it wouldn't be strange if they'd all fainted from her presence before it even started.
In fact, you could say So-ri was going easy by not even directly attacking them.
But....
— Do you have to ruin it like this? There's such a thing as moderation.
It was also a fact that she'd wrecked the event.
"Ah. Shut up. I'm doing what I want. It ain't over yet, so be quiet."
— Ha... Do whatever then.
Pissed-off Yeonseo, worried that the Ha Family's honor might take a hit, dismissed all the onlookers and had Sihwan's wife Yuina take charge of treating and managing the trainees.
It was out of old-lady-like concern that with 'that' So-ri inside, they might see something they shouldn't.
"Melodrama over?"
"Yeah, done. Oh, lemme tell you the plan going forward. First, I'll toss you aside roughly, kidnap your master, and keep him for about a week."
"It's a Mock Raid, though."
"Told you. Showing 'reality' is the Academy's goal."
Hee-hee-hit.
She laughed lecherously.
Her ferocious gaze stabbed straight at Sihwan.
"The law of this world is that powerless mongrels like you get fucked nonstop by the strong. If it pisses you off, get stronger."
"Hey. I'm a married man. Husband of Yuina, who you know."
"So what. Shouldn't have provoked me then. You pissed me off too much."
Looks like she wasn't thinking ahead.
Yeonseo, who was watching, let out a deep sigh.
Sending Ina away might've been a brilliant move.
If she'd been there, all hell would've broken loose.
'Even kidnapping for a real week would be trouble.'
When that time came, she'd have to block it even if it meant calling back the Yu Family Head.
One wrong move, and a sudden war between the two families could erupt.
"I see. But oh well. That won't happen."
Thud-kwang—!
The 8 Electromagnetic Cannons fired in unison.
One shot alone could create a mushroom cloud dozens of km wide, and now all 8 at once.
"That the thing? The one that caused the explosion before."
So-ri witnessed the chilling whoosh but laughed leisurely.
Like this was nothing.
"Well, it does look pretty strong. For human toys."
Just before impact, the space in front of her rippled, and the 8 shells got sucked right in.
And immediately, reverse.
The shells flying toward So-ri were now targeting Bari.
"That Nobling too?"
"Knowing changes nothing."
Bari reached out her hand.
Kwa-gwang!
A massive explosion.
Crimson flames split the area around where Bari stood in two, devouring the ground.
"Definitely, those rampaging at the front lines have superior adaptability."
"Just adaptability?"
Dudung!
Suddenly, enormous somethings appeared in droves behind So-ri. Almost instantly, time-wise.
Shapes of all varieties, sizes like they'd ripped a whole cliff from some mountain valley—utterly gigantic.
Gugugugu.
Slowly descending, wrapped in clouds.
It felt like time itself had slowed by dozens of times.
Just that made the ground tremble in fear.
"Stuff like this can't be done with magic. Not even chantless."
With a slashing hand gesture, hundreds of massive boulders came hurtling toward Bari.
The ground exploding, white smoke billowing up.
Combined with the scorching from Bari's Electromagnetic Cannons, it became hell itself.
At this point, wouldn't a mere doll be crushed flat?
Sihwan hoped she was okay. Wearing armor that withstood Noblesse power, she probably wouldn't die.
"That's 'cause your computational power's lacking."
Naturally, Bari wasn't crushed.
Sihwan didn't die either.
In fact, perfectly fine.
Whoosh!
Metal wings flapped once, and the surrounding smoke, flames, dust—all blown away by a circular shockwave.
"Wow. Brutal, brutal. The ground's gone."
"Master, hover for a bit."
"Yeah."
Bari with Metal Wings deployed, Sihwan floating purely on his Suit's thrusters.
'Ah. Should've asked for a Railgun at least.'
Unable to join the fight, Sihwan fell back.
So-ri's gaze followed.
"Tough, huh? You made of the same stuff as that armor?"
"Reflexium? Nah. Not something you can make easily."
"Oh? But you held up well."
"'Cause your attacks are weak."
"...Seriously, are you two a set or what? How do you piss me off so perfectly. Fine. Didn't wanna get called a doll-fucker, so I held back, but I'll fuck you hard too."
"I'll pass."
Dudung!
This time, giant objects appeared above Bari.
Almost the same size and weight as what So-ri had conjured.
But Bari made them purely with magic.
"'Cause I'm a higher species than you."
"Magic?"
"Yeah."
Bari slammed them down mercilessly.
The raid field was now so wrecked it was unrecognizable.
If not for the Nobling expanding the barrier's internal space, the whole city would've been destroyed.
"Got her?"
"...Master, that's practically a resurrection spell."
Chwarararak.
No sooner had she spoken than the massive chunks embedded in the ground crumbled and vanished.
"Yep."
"Guess we need 'Novril' against Noblesse after all."
"That anti-Noblesse new material?"
"Yeah. Used it to catch Jihye-ssi. But dangerous to use on So-ri-ssi."
"Why?"
"Could go easy on Jihye-ssi level, but not with her."
"Ah. 'Cause she might die?"
"No. 'Cause the Tower might collapse."
"I see. That'd be a problem."
"Why you two chattering so much? Pissing me off."
So-ri laughed.
She seemed a bit pissed now.