02. Rank
02. Rank
"...What the hell are you doing?"
The Instructor glared at Sasha.
"Ehehe. Go easy on me. A race's honor is important, right~?"
"..."
She's grinning like an idiot... Did she really kill Tweed? Just because he was embarrassing?
Whoa, what the fuck.
"What a monstrous bitch."
"I didn't kill him. Looks like he just passed out."
"Still, though. Turning your friend into that."
"I said he's not my friend?"
"Uh... right."
Sasha shot me a scary glare before flashing another bright smile and flying over to Tweed, who was sprawled out like a corpse. And then,
"Ah... the shame of the Demon Race. Why not just kill yourself?"
She smirked and kicked the unconscious Tweed, sending him flying to the corner of the training ground with a bang.
"...Instructor, is that okay?"
"..."
The Instructor stood there thinking for a moment before finally nodding.
"It's fine. It wasn't an official duel anyway, and Rihana had the win in the bag."
"...Isn't that a bit too lax?"
This is ridiculous. Does this woman even take her job seriously?
"And that guy's a total asshole. You gonna let that slide? Isn't teamwork important or something?"
"Hearing you talk about teamwork is hilarious."
"What? What's that supposed to mean?"
"..."
The Instructor stared at me blankly before sighing.
"Well, yeah. If you got that, you wouldn't be Ryu Si-hwan. Whatever. Don't worry about it."
...What the hell kind of reaction is that?
"Did she take a bribe or something? Like 10,000 gold. Bet she's doing this to buy Luna from her family."
I whispered to Bari, but,
"I can hear everything, you idiot."
Busted.
Her hearing's way too damn good for no reason...
"Ah~. Isn't that too much? Butt in like that all of a sudden."
"Sorry, sorry~."
Rihana with her sulky expression and Sasha with her dumb bright smile were walking over from the training ground.
The two of them looked like a perfect lily duo.
Like they'd been hanging out for ten years. Even though it'd only been a day.
No sign of Tweed wherever she'd dumped his ass.
But she knocks out Tweed for the honor of her race, and she's fine chatting it up with Rihana, a Beastkin (Outer Race)? She talked to me, a Human, without a care too.
As I was thinking that, Sasha bounced over with bouncy steps.
"Wow~ That was seriously impressive, Bari-gun."
"...Who's Bari-gun?"
"You were super fast, right? Not even comparable to a scrub like Tweed. How about it, wanna join the Demon Race?"
"I'll pass."
"Where do you get off slyly trying to scout him, you little shit."
"Little shit? To a 『Demon』-nim, no less. Go on, try it. 'Hello, Demon-nim~.'"
"Fuck off."
"Wow, that's harsh. Is that how you treat a 『Demon』?"
She said that and laughed ahaha while patting Bari's shoulder a couple times before walking off.
It didn't match her icy expression from earlier at all.
What the hell is her deal? Can't pin her down. Real split personality?
Squish.
"Hey, Human boy."
Suddenly, something soft hit the back of my head.
Then arms wrapping around from over my shoulders like a hug.
Her bronze skin bound my body.
"We're up against each other next, right? How about it? Doesn't playing hot and heavy with your big sis sound exciting?"
"Hot and heavy my ass. You're heavy, so get off."
"Oh my?"
Rihana tightened her grip.
If I were naked, it'd hurt, but luckily I had the Suit on.
"Hey. I said you're heavy."
"Look at you, saying that to a lady."
"Lady my ass."
"You're unpopular, right? Yeah?"
"Popularity's worthless anyway."
Just stating facts, and suddenly Rihana burst out laughing, slapping my back bang bang.
"Ahaha! Yeah, that figures. Knew it."
"..."
I glared at her sullenly, but she didn't give a shit.
She laughed even harder, looking at me with weird eyes.
How rude can you get?
"Bari, can we beat her?"
"If that's all she's got."
"Hmm."
Bari's cautious answer.
Guess it's that resource issue again.
If we had enough, we wouldn't even be worrying.
"Hmm? You planning to beat me? That can't be all you've got~."
She purred like a cat and winked, baring her sharp claws.
"I've got some seriously amazing moves. Wanna get shredded, nya?"
"Don't be cringey."
"What? I'm trying to set the mood here. Our little Human doesn't get girls at all."
"Why the fuck would I need to?"
"Yeah yeah, got it. Of course you wouldn't~."
She kept giggling.
When the hell did we get this chummy?
"But doesn't our Human boy have anything?"
"Huh?"
"No, like, earlier it was just this doll fighting. Not using that weird Artifact?"
She poked at the Suit I was wearing, questioning.
Like asking if I don't fight myself. Well... Can I even win fighting directly?
If I show off and lose, it'd be embarrassing.
"Bari fighting is the same as me fighting."
"Hmm. So basically you're nothing, huh? So Human."
"What the fuck."
"But it's okay. I actually like our Human boy quite a bit!"
This chick's weird too.
Why's no one in this class normal? Was Eleonore the only fairy-like one?
"Honestly, if you think that far's normal, then the one feeling the rest are abnormal is the real abnormal one."
"What?"
"Just kidding."
Even Bari's getting weird.
"Next, Sasha, Pantre, come out."
The next round started before we knew it.
All first rounds were done, second round beginning.
Sasha and Pantre.
『Demon』 and 『Elf』.
Sasha advanced right away since the Dwarf Gundogan forfeited.
Wonder if that 『Elf』 will forfeit too.
They say Dwarf and Elf combat power's about equal.
"Wow, who's gonna win? Normally Sasha, but that Pantre Elf wasn't a pushover either."
Rihana had coiled right up next to me.
"Why are you next to me?"
"Oh? Too much having a beauty beside you? Hoho."
"No, we're not friends."
"Oh my god."
She opened her mouth wide in mock surprise,
"You don't have friends, right?"
"Why does that come up?"
"'Cause you seem like the type."
"Why the hell does that come up?"
"Ahaha. Can't answer 'cause it's true, huh?"
"I said, why the hell does that come up?"
"Fine fine, sorry."
"..."
No sorry vibe at all, but I felt pathetic pushing it, so I dropped it.
"Hey, doll."
"...It's Bari."
"Yeah, doll."
"..."
Bari's given up too.
"That guy seems like a total pain in the ass at home, right?"
What the fuck is this tiger bitch whispering right next to me.
"...Sometimes?"
"Hey, why agree?"
"Right? You've got it rough. Guys with no friends who've never dated always reek of that weird overconfidence."
Talking shit right in front of me.
"Bari, focus on the fight ahead."
"Shall we?"
"Oh my? Isn't that too much? Forcing it like..."
"Shut up. Better watch too, right? Oh, you're gonna lose anyway, so whatever."
"Heh... Human boy, can't let that slide."
"Yeah. We win."
"Ha! Really?"
She'd been playful the whole time, but finally hardened her expression.
"If you're gonna talk that big, guess I've no choice. Don't blame sis if a leg or two breaks, okay?"
"You're the one."
After that, Rihana didn't talk to me.
Peace at last.
"Begin."
The duel started before we knew it.
The 『Elf』 Pantre didn't forfeit.
"Forgive my rudeness, but I can't let that arrogant Human scum slide. I must win."
Human scum's me, huh.
"Uh-huh. Beat me? Gonna be tough~."
Sasha was pure nonchalance.
Even as Pantre shouted 'Accept' and flames wrapped his body, no reaction.
Just her bright, cheerful smile.
Thought maybe she switches to that icy mode in fights, but looking now, nah.
Maybe it's Tweed-exclusive?
"Eleonore-nim!"
Flame-wrapped Pantre suddenly looked to the sky in prayer pose.
"Watch over us!! This Pantre will avenge you!!!"
What a fucking retard.
Treating someone who's not dead like he is.
And way too distracted.
"Hey, that's not cool."
Pffft!
"Guh...!"
Sudden change.
The body-melting flames extinguished in an instant, and massive blood sprayed from his whole body.
A Human would be dead already.
Good thing he's an 『Elf』, clinging to consciousness.
Clothes shredded, skin slashed hundreds of places, total mess for Pantre.
As his body crumpled, Sasha appeared beside him.
"Doing that obvious distraction, what am I supposed to do? Huh?"
Then she raised her hand—
Tap.
"Haa... Did you all drink poison or something?"
"Ah."
"Why make me repeat myself?"
Just as she was finishing, Yu Ina cut in.
"E...hehehe."
"Sasha, you're disqualified. Any complaints?"
Back to her dumb face, Sasha stuck out her tongue a bit and scratched her head.
"Got carried away. Sorry~."
Pantre who could've melted a Terminator in one go.
And Sasha who overwhelmingly wrecked him, disqualified for foul play(?).
Opponent Pantre was combat-ineffective from the start, so disqualified too.
In the end, just Rihana and me left.
"Oh my, Human boy! It's the finals for us!!"
Thanks to that, Rihana who'd been quiet started fussing again, pounding my shoulder.
"Yeah? Then I'm 1st, you're 2nd."
"Ha... Our Human boy's so consistent. Sis is getting annoyed, hoho."
Yeah. I'm already annoyed.
"Rihana, Ryu Si-hwan, come out."
"Yessir! No mercy."
"Yeah. Me neither."
Gonna punch her in the gut.
"Oh... Sihwan-nim... When did you get those tastes... How indecent."
"...What?"
Smack.
"Warning you once more: if your opponent's combat-ineffective, don't do anything. Repeat it, and you'll get it from me."
She was seriously pissed, using harsh language.
But knowing her ditzy side from yesterday, not scary at all.
"Bari, I'll fight this time."
"Huh?"
"She keeps teasing. Gotta smack her once."
"...Sihwan-nim's gonna get hit... No, hit way more, I think."
"This is the world. Can't live under protection forever."
"...If I may, it's just a spar, doesn't need that serious a line."
"...Shut up."
Anyway, I stepped forward.
Helmet that was retracted while watching deployed again.
First fight wearing the power Suit Bari made.
No, my first real-world fight.
Fought tons in VR, but thinking about actual reality, pretty tense.
"Oh my, Human boy stepping up this time?"
Rihana stood far off, stretching her limbs.
As expected of a physical Beastkin, her body lines were artistic.
Exposed abs had clear abs etched in.
"Yeah. You're plenty with me."
"...Sihwan-nim, the aggro... please."
Bari's worry from behind.
Before I could reply, Rihana spoke.
"...Human boy, what's with that tone? Sis is really getting pissed?"
She looked super mad, face all scrunched like a true bitch.
But she's on about tone too. Chief Instructor, Yu Ina...
Does my speech bug them that much?
"Begin."
Boom!
No sooner than Yu Ina's words, Rihana charged.
Straight on.
"Let's see our Human boy take a hit."
Could block with arms raised.
Bare body, no way, but I've got the goddamn power Suit on.
Should block fine.
"I'll avoid vitals."
She closed distance in a flash, one foot planted, other leg extended straight.
Hit my crossed arms right at my gut.
"Guh!"
Yeah, delusion.
Thought I could block? Huge fucking mistake.
Pain beyond imagination, couldn't even speak.
Data in my vision dazed my mind.
One kick, 237 tons.
Earlier 100 tons shocked me. Is this a living being?!
"Oh my. You withstood it?"
Still, I blocked.
Got pushed back hard,
But blocked.
"...Fuck... said... avoid vitals."
Problem is, blocking's meaningless.
Feels like puking blood any second, head spinning.
Blocked with arms and it's this bad—direct hit would KO in one.
This the race gap?
Even with power Suit, this shit.
"Why? Gut's not a vital, right? Oh, for Humans it is."
Fight mode maybe,
Her tone was ice cold.
"But crying over that when you provoked me? Sis is even more pissed now?"