Chapter 31
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: The Approaching Darkness (4)
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Kang Taehyun 2 : Lee Jeongtae 28
That was the betting tally from the thirty spectators allowed to wager.
Just looking at the numbers, it was pathetic.
'Oh. At least two people bet on me.'
I glanced around.
Two figures immediately caught my eye.
"Bro!!! I'm here!!!"
Mitsuda, who had already finished his own match and come to watch, and next to him, Yoon Seo-hyun munching on popcorn with a crunching sound.
Just those two.
I got Mitsuda, but why was that kid here?
When I shot her a glare, Yoon Seo-hyun waved with a handful of popcorn.
I ignored her and stepped into the sparring arena.
The academy's 'sparring' counted as official training.
There were no dedicated sparring classes, but cadets experienced real combat through periodic matches like this.
Most visitors to the First Hunter Officer Academy came specifically to watch these 'duels.'
The colosseum's electronic scoreboard displayed the day's matchups, letting spectators choose which bouts to see.
Fights between high-ranked cadets like Kang Tae-hyun and Lee Jung-tae were always a huge draw.
Not just cadets, but hunter soldiers and even civilians lined up to watch.
Lee Jung-tae was already warming up in the sparring ring.
The dragon tattoo on his back seemed to writhe alive, pulsing with intensity.
For some reason, seeing his boyish face made Tae-hyun break into a grin.
Jung-tae scowled.
"Why the smirk."
"Nothing."
Jung-tae wrapped his hands in bandages.
"Didn't expect a big name from the tournament to accept my challenge. Thanks. Hey."
"...Yeah? You'd do it too, right? The top fighter in the class."
"Oh. So you admit it?"
Jung-tae assumed his stance.
Not a single gap.
At eighteen, Lee Jung-tae was already flawless in raw power.
A prospective S-Rank Hunter, indeed.
-Both players, please prepare.
The electronic chime rang out.
They moved to the center of the ring.
The crowd went wild.
"Lee Jung-tae!!!"
"Crush him!"
"Time to school the show-off."
Word from the tournament had spread to other classes: Tae-hyun was a boastful show-off.
That he'd bragged his way to his ranking.
Tournament details were restricted to instructors and brass, so rumors ran wild.
[Form Change: Bracelet → Sword]
Tae-hyun gripped his sword and took his stance.
Jung-tae thought,
'...Looks solid enough.'
To him, who'd fought countless foes, Tae-hyun's form was perfect.
Jung-tae steadied his breathing in his own stance.
-First-year match #231.
-Begin!
The start signal blared, and Jung-tae closed in on Tae-hyun in an instant.
Tae-hyun flinched and backpedaled.
Bam!
Tae-hyun ate a preemptive strike without countering.
His body launched into the air.
'...Pfft!'
Jung-tae's fist nailed Tae-hyun's right cheek dead-on.
A punch harder than steel, as expected.
Tae-hyun tumbled back, rubbing his stinging cheek.
Ptooey.
He spat blood-mixed saliva.
His body was tough enough to rival Jung-tae's, so it didn't hurt much.
Still, that bomb-like boom from Jung-tae's fist never failed to send chills down his spine.
How fast and powerful did it have to be for friction with the air to sound like an explosion?
"Woooaaahhh!!!"
"Teach him a lesson!"
The crowd roared.
"Huh? He's not that tough. What happened? His stance was perfect."
"...Hmph."
It wasn't that Tae-hyun was weak; Jung-tae was just ridiculously strong.
Tae-hyun regripped his sword.
Flames flickered along the blade.
Whoosh!
Raw firepower filled the arena.
Some spectators gasped in surprise.
"Fuck. All show, no substance?"
"We'll see when it hits."
"...Yeah? Alright. Bring it."
That line implied Tae-hyun's sword would never touch him.
Tae-hyun swung with full force.
Jung-tae met it head-on with his fist.
Clang!!!
Fist met blade, but it rang like metal on metal.
And that was just the start.
Sizzle!
Jung-tae's fist smashed through the flames.
They extinguished in a flash, the pressure slamming straight into Tae-hyun's hands.
His grip trembled.
'Ugh... Brutal. A normal person would've shattered their bones.'
Stronger than any cadet he'd faced.
Yoon Seo-hyun, Mitsuda, Yoon Ah-young, Nero—they wouldn't stand a chance.
By his estimate, pure combat power put Jung-tae on par with Hong Ga-yeon among cadets.
Jung-tae grinned.
"Oh... You took it?"
"What?"
"Most pass out from one hit. So, how you blocking the next?"
Whoosh!
He vanished again.
Speed beyond the eye's tracking.
He circled behind Tae-hyun in a blink, elbow aimed at his head.
That would've knocked him out cold.
'Whoa...!'
Tae-hyun barely ducked, but the follow-up kick to his shin landed true.
Thud!
It didn't hurt, of course.
But his body flew.
Jung-tae wasn't done.
He pursued into the air, pummeling mercilessly.
Bam-bam-bam!!
A normal person would've ruptured internals and vomited blood.
Thump.
Tae-hyun hit the floor spread-eagled, staring at the ceiling.
'As expected.'
Lee Jung-tae was a born martial artist.
Powerful, fast, precise.
But he was still just eighteen.
Raw power barely matched or fell short of a mid-to-low Pigman's attacks.
Tae-hyun pushed to his knees.
He'd taken dozens—thirtysomething?—hits, yet Jung-tae showed no fatigue.
Stamina advantage overwhelming.
"Man~ Feels like pounding a premium sandbag. Nice! You!"
Jung-tae looked thrilled.
Kang Tae-hyun wiped blood from his lip.
He was waiting.
Like a lion coiling to hunt.
"Try blocking this."
Vermilion Bird, Chapter 1.
The first of his four ultimate martial arts Jung-tae had mastered—a barrage of a hundred fists.
Each packed flames, resembling a meteor shower.
Aura.
Overflowing mana spilling from the body.
Burning red aura enveloped Jung-tae.
Spectators oohed and aahed.
Everyone except Yoon Seo-hyun.
'...Compared to that guy, whatever.'
She thought, shoving popcorn in her mouth.
"Bro, don't lose!!!"
Unlike Seo-hyun, Mitsuda cheered passionately.
She slurped her cola.
'...What is with this gorilla.'
Jung-tae, Vermilion Bird active, grinned at Tae-hyun.
"How 'bout it!!! Impressive, right!!!"
"...Impressive."
"No one's ever blocked this. Give it a shot."
Realistically, demanding a first-year block a hundred flaming fists? Jung-tae had no conscience.
Even in simulated sparring, pain was real.
'...Whew. Can I do it?'
Tae-hyun flexed his fingers, casting.
If he could pull off simultaneous casting like Yoon Ji-yeon taught, he might counter the Vermilion Bird.
...He clenched his fist.
'No choice but to try.'
Tae-hyun thrust his hand skyward.
Mana super-compression.
If he tanked this, Jung-tae would have to acknowledge him cleanly.
That Tae-hyun still wasn't his equal.
Fire gathered.
"Ha. Fire again? That's all you got??"
But the flames swelled massively.
Jung-tae's face hardened.
'Mana super-compression...? This no-name already?'
It dwarfed Fireball.
It was like...
'The Sun...!'
Blinding light flooded the arena.
Most spectators shielded their eyes.
Yoon Seo-hyun donned prepared sunglasses, munching away.
Jung-tae eyed the mega-fireball.
"...Crazy bastard. Fine! I acknowledge you. A bit different from the trash I've met. But just a bit!!"
"Thanks. Best compliment I've heard."
Tae-hyun was genuinely pleased.
In his past life, Lee Jung-tae never praised him.
Just scorned, shunned, or bullied him.
Now, he acknowledged Tae-hyun.
As a sparring rival and comrade.
Kang Tae-hyun's Great Fireball reached completion.
Versus Lee Jung-tae's Vermilion Bird.
Skills like these only came out when foes meant to kill.
Jung-tae grinned.
'...Fuck, this is fun. First time my heart's raced since Master!'
The two locked eyes.
Jung-tae moved first.
He charged the Great Fireball.
Confident his Vermilion Bird would shatter it.
"Raaahhh!!!!"
Boom-boom-boom!!!
A hundred fists unleashed in one go.
The fireball crumbled on impact.
Vermilion Bird's power was staggering.
Boom-boom-boom!!!
It became a firebird, shredding the giant orb to bits and swarming Tae-hyun with dozens of flames.
Rumble... Kaboom!
The arena turned to chaos in seconds.
Spectators inside and out gaped in shock.
"Hoo... ha...!"
Even stamina king Lee Jung-tae panted post-skill.
'...Haa... Fucking exhausting.'
He braced hands on knees, catching breath.
Vermilion Bird ranked among his four ultimates—high acquisition difficulty, massive mana drain.
A finisher to crush foes.
But Tae-hyun's toughness tempted a test.
'...Master said never use on people, but...'
It was a sim. No permanent harm.
Jung-tae wiped sweat from his brow.
Then lightning struck.
"?!"
Krackle! Thunk!
It pierced his left shoulder.
Rock shards followed.
Sharpened stones pelted him.
He barely punched them away.
"Fuck! What the...!"
Jung-tae dropped guard, scanning.
Just thick fog.
Then killing intent.
He spun, straight punch.
Clang!
His fist stopped a blade.
Kang Tae-hyun held it.
"Haa... haa..."
"Haa... haa... haa..."
Sword and fist clashed as they panted.
Simultaneous strike.
Three techniques at once.
In a split second, Tae-hyun unleashed three.
But not truly simultaneous.
There were delays.
"Haa... You cheating... bastard... haa... haa..."
"Haa... haa... Simultaneous still out of reach, huh."
Great Fireball to Thunder Spear: 2 seconds.
Thunder Spear to Rock Down: 1 second.
The second Thunder Spear, aimed at his heart, missed.
Tae-hyun stepped back, sheathing his sword.
"...I lose."
He hadn't attacked perfectly simultaneous.
Mana near depleted, no more offense.
Stamina fine; a brawl might win, but he'd tested what he wanted.
No lingering attachment.
Tae-hyun forfeited; Jung-tae stormed over, barking.
"Fuck. Don't pussy out."
He grabbed Tae-hyun's collar.
"Bullshit. Fight's not over. I could do this all day."
"...Me too. But I'm forfeiting."
"What? Who says!"
Jung-tae shoved hard, but Tae-hyun stood firm.
He raised both arms in surrender.
"I forfeit."
-Match #231 ended. Match over.
-Winner: Lee Jung-tae.
"...You bastard...!"
Tae-hyun had mapped Jung-tae's style.
Tested simultaneous casting limits.
And etched himself into Jung-tae's mind.
No more point in sparring.
Better to train on Yoon Ji-yeon's assignment.
Jung-tae ground his teeth in fury.
I slung my jacket over my shoulder and checked ranking points.
'Dropped from 29 to 39...'
Regrettable, but whatever.
Losing to a lower rank drops you hard.
No need to grind rankings now.
First-year ranks fluctuated wildly.
"...Hey. What's your name?"
Changed into sparring gear, Jung-tae approached.
'...This guy's brain is pure muscle.'
He picked opponents by rank, not name.
True story.
I approached my former superior.
His head barely reached my chin, so he looked up.
"Kang Tae-hyun. Class C."
"..."
Jung-tae turned without a word.
No point; he'd forget it quick.
In his past life, it took ten years of hunter life for him to remember.
I watched his back, thinking.
This should motivate him a bit.
Musclehead or not, S-Rank was S-Rank.
A future shield of humanity.
"..."
As I left the arena, the crowd parted subtly.
The vibe felt different from before.
No eye contact, subtle avoidance.
Would this quiet rumors about Class C being trash?
...Probably not.
Their inferiority and pettiness would twist it further.
Then I'd prove them wrong with actions.
Like today.
Heading to the training grounds now.
"Hey."
Someone called; I turned.
An unexpected figure stared back.
(To be continued in the next chapter)