“Why… why does the speed keep increasing?”
The more I try to dodge, the faster the sword strikes.
Petals fall onto the training room floor, but the sound of their landing is a horrific roar that would instill fear even in a ferocious beast.
Kaga-gaga-gang!!!
The floor sparks as it rubs against the metal mass.
“Pro, Professor…?”
“Huh? What’s wrong?”
“Isn’t this supposed to stop…?”
“Huh? I believe Aesha can handle it just fine! Don’t worry!”
Worry or not, it feels like my flesh is being sliced off like a potato…
The smiling face that seems to say I can do this is infuriating, but in reality, my body is narrowly avoiding Yoon Si-woo’s attacks.
I could somewhat understand why the Philia Professor was mistaken.
‘This would be almost impossible without auxiliary dodging!’
Skwak!
A sword just barely missing cuts through the hem of my clothing.
Yoon Si-woo’s gaze remains unchanged, as if he knew I would dodge this.
No… rather, it looks like he’s watching something behind me.
‘What is he looking at?’
Without the time to ponder such thoughts, I continue to evade Yoon Si-woo’s attacks.
Having been able to endure a level of intoxication in the 10% range last time has increased my understanding of Power Release.
This isn’t just a skill; it’s a counterattack that I can unleash with my full power.
Thus, if it’s within the range I can react to, I can manage to block to some extent without using Power Release.
Conversely, it means that Yoon Si-woo’s attacks are all within the range I can dodge.
If there were attacks I couldn’t dodge, I would use Power Release immediately, so I trust that I can at least avoid once.
Boom!
I step forward to deliver a straight kick.
Common sense says if my hand touches the descending sword, it would be severed.
Kwahhhh!!!!
A strangely rapidly increased shockwave from my hand pushes Yoon Si-woo’s sword away.
Immediately after, a punch lands squarely on his jaw, shaking his head and sending him flying.
“Hah…”
Clearly, the attack landed.
But I wasn’t in good shape either.
“Hah… hah.”
I had just expended a fair amount of stamina.
Realizing that deliberately conserving Power Release was mentally exhausting, much more than I had thought.
Moreover, auxiliary dodging makes evasion easier, but it doesn’t enhance stamina or anything.
No matter how much training I’ve had under Philia Professor recently, I can’t surpass the limits of my inherent stamina.
Thud.
“……”
“Again, shall we?”
“You get up from this…? Hehehe…”
That crazy bastard.
I’m certain the sensation from the hit was immense.
It wouldn’t be getting so red if it weren’t.
I can’t understand why he goes to this extent against me.
“Just… let me win once!”
“Sorry.”
Right after, I saw a glimmer in Yoon Si-woo’s eyes.
[External access confirmed]
[Information interpretation]
[Future dismantling]
[Information access authorization requested]
And a status window arises in front of me.
I can feel something from beyond that distant place extending its palm to observe me.
‘……’
Right now, Yoon Si-woo is looking at something.
[Characteristic, anomaly (???) is observing your actions]
What is this?
I don’t know all characteristics, but I’ve never seen this one.
The fact that ‘anomaly’ doesn’t even have a rank marked implies it might either be a high rank or beyond what I can perceive.
Strange, so strange.
What on earth is happening?
.
.
.
.
[Error?]
[Error occurred regarding the cause]
[Request to revoke access authorization]
.
.
.
[Refusal]
.
.
.
[Implementing forced recovery measures]
.
.
.
[Success]
.
.
.
[Access denied]
However, as soon as the words ‘access denied’ came out, the gaze observing me vanished, and Yoon Si-woo grasped his eyes, letting out a faint groan.
‘…… Seriously.’
From one to another, nothing is understood.
But I do know one thing.
This is the perfect opportunity to attack Yoon Si-woo.
I’m not a villain waiting for a hero’s transformation or rest time.
“Huh.”
I kick at Yoon Si-woo’s abdomen, who stands awkwardly.
Kaga-kak!!!
In the meantime, Yoon Si-woo, having regained his senses, blocks the attack with the sword’s blade, but he still seems far from fully alert.
This is a time attack. If I miss it, things will only get harder.
‘If only I had a gun…!’
That would have been great, but I used all the ammo last time catching the monster, so it’s useless now.
But it should still work to trick him.
Click.
“……!”
As the muzzle pointed at Yoon Si-woo, I threw the gun itself at him.
For a moment, Yoon Si-woo’s line of sight concealed.
This was a technique I used similarly against the Bishop.
If someone isn’t intuitively quick, they can’t react or act on judgment.
However, Yoon Si-woo was much faster than I had thought.
Skaaan!!
The sword cuts diagonally.
“Goodbye, thank you.”
Though it was only for a month, I won’t forget the memories we shared.
The moment Yoon Si-woo’s body flinched at those words, I shoved my fist once again into his solar plexus.
[Current intoxication: 10%]
[Physical abilities significantly increase.]
[A mysterious power flows through your heart.]
[An ancient intellect begins to move.]
[Your vision of others becomes clearer.]
[Your skin resists external threats.]
“Power Release.”
Just in time, as I reached that miraculous 10%.
Recalling the sensation of Power Release at my fingertips, I infuse maximum shock into his body.
Kwahhhh!!!!
“Huh… hehehe.”
My head hurts.
My mind is becoming foggy.
The mental stats are barely holding up against the intoxication.
But the weariness from the fight was being overwhelmed by the current intoxication.
The result was like this.
“I won! Right~?”
“Cough… cough.”
As I look at Yoon Si-woo rising from the collapsed debris, I thrust my kick into my shaking line of sight.
Kwahhhh!!!!
“Now it’s time to sleep~!”
“Cough…!!”
And Yoon Si-woo, gripping his sword tightly.
I intuitively realized that Yoon Si-woo’s sword glowed brightly, resembling what I had seen in our previous duel.
But…
“Huh! That’s not allowed!!”
After pinning down the part of his arm trying to swing, I watch the blade of energy flying futilely.
“That hurts! Bad!”
…What am I even saying right now.
I don’t know.
It should be fine somehow.
“You, just…!”
Boom!!
“Aah.”
My body tumbles helplessly from a kicked leg.
I think it’s about time to fall, but Yoon Si-woo stands up again, gripping the sword tightly.
I can see Yoon Si-woo’s wounds engraved on his body healing rapidly.
Must be a characteristic related to recovery.
Anyway, I truly envy someone living a protagonist’s life.
And I lie there with my chin on the floor, pondering.
“So comfortable. Should I just sleep like this? Maybe I can talk later.”
But doing so would only provide more reasons to escalate the situation.
If he’s someone like a protagonist, wouldn’t it be okay to have at least one frustrating person in life?
I will walk my own path.
“It’s not going to be that easy!”
“I’ll end this.”
Now my stamina is truly at its limit.
The wounds that had barely closed earlier began to ache again, and I felt a stinging sensation in my hands and feet.
Therefore, this next attack can be said to be my last desperate act.
[Preparing for a single strike.]
Since I already wasted Power Release earlier, I cannot use any counterattack skills anymore.
Thus, this is a completely separate technique identical to the image of Power Release I can use.
If possible, I thought I might be able to take Yoon Si-woo down with this one blow.
“Heavenly ascent.”
Striking a pose resembling something out of a comic.
As droplets slide down the sword and fall below, I gather my stance, swallowing the tremors and pains of my previous fight while watching Yoon Si-woo.
Commonly referred to as a ‘causal punch.’
I don’t know how exactly to use it, but its impact seems similar in power to Power Release, so I tried to take on a similar stance.
“One energy.”
Since the other side is writing in Chinese characters, I also utter something that sounds impressive in Chinese.
But instinctively, I realized.
In this fight, I was already losing.
The oppressive energy rising around Yoon Si-woo proves that.
In a situation where the predator and prey are clearly defined, a mouse biting a cat with all its might doesn’t change its fate.
Yet I still believe in one variable.
“Falling sky.”
As the impending shock closes in, I extend my arm as far as possible.
Kwahhhh!!!
A colossal shock erupts between us, halting the attack.
“That’s enough.”
Right, Philia Professor held my fist and sword at the same time, ending the duel.
If there’s a cat and a mouse, it’s natural for the mouse to get eaten; but if this mouse is similarly a pet of a human like the cat, the story changes.
At the very least, I believed the master would ensure the mouse didn’t perish.
Though it felt odd to think of myself in the position of the mouse.
“Well, I lived, I suppose.”
However, the voice I heard afterward made me truly sad.
“Although the fight between you two was impressive, unfortunately, I would say Yoon Si-woo was slightly superior.”
“Ah…”
“Geez…”
Hearing those words and seeing Yoon Si-woo smile as he looked at me made me want to hit him, but I no longer had the strength to move, so I lay there, cursing him with my eyes.
“Ugh… bleh…”
“Ah, wait.”
“Uegh…”
“Hey… hey! If you throw up here…”
And then, the previously consumed chocolate erupted from my stomach like a fountain.
