<240 - Wrong Idea>
“To challenge in a duel, a minimum of 5 participants is required. Gather more people.”
Deadcat and Oknodie, who were about to face off, found themselves confronted with a difficult reality. They brought Sing and Hestia, but it wasn’t enough to start the duel!
“I’ll join.”
Isabel volunteered to fill the numbers, but Oknodie firmly rejected it.
“Hmm, no!”
“Why not? We’re short on people. Wouldn’t it be better to have me instead of a stranger?”
“Isabel could get seriously hurt.”
“What about Hestia and Sing?”
“The two have the physicals to get hurt less in case of danger. Isabel, not so much!”
She knew there was a skill gap, but hearing it straight out in front of her struck a bitter chord. I really can only help this child with cooking.
“Hey, is there anyone who wants to challenge?”
As I subtly encouraged the onlookers, they all shook their heads with pale faces and ran off. Even as a senior in the upper class, being denied was too much, so there was no way the lower class would comply.
“Ah. President of the Paper Company! How about a game of dodgeball?”
“With Deadcat? Me? In a personal duel?”
“Yep!”
“Among the second years, she’s in the TOP 3 for viciousness? No way!”
The second-year seniors became too intimidated to even approach, especially with the club president drawing that line.
“Go find someone.”
“Don’t you have anyone to bring, senior?”
Deadcat seemed to be recalling someone as her tail fluttered.
“Weak.”
“Hmm. Then it can’t be helped. Isabel, can you bring just one more person?”
“I’ll try. I happen to know a fool with nothing to do.”
*
“Is that fool me?”
“Of course. The one who spent all day standing in line everywhere because they didn’t even think about which event to participate in yesterday and today.”
“Who’s the one saying that? The person who jumped in to help Oknodie and spent all day hunting down delinquents?”
When Son Ohchun said something unkind, Isabel shot back.
“So, you’re not gonna help?”
“Who said I wouldn’t? I just said something because you kept poking.”
Son Ohchun gladly accepted the request. He also felt a bit nervous. Isabel was denied. So, what about him?
“Uncle Ohchun, you’re too weak, it’s a problem!”
Hearing similar comments would drop the dignity of the Monkey Humanoid to the ground, leaving him in shock for days. But the anxiety kept looming, as if foreseeing something would happen.
Son Ohchun already felt his inadequacy.
– Son Ohchun has innate bravery. Until now, he had been reigning as a strong individual by effectively utilizing his racial traits. But that’s where it ends.
His mana sensitivity isn’t that great. His resilience and strength might be good enough to overpower those who have hastily learned mana, but not enough to match the true elites of the Academy’s upper class. And he lacks any amazing techniques to cover for that, leaving him with no choice but to rely on instinctual primality in fights.
The professors had been watching his efforts. And they assessed him coldly.
– You are a lower-quality version of Hestia.
– The instincts of a battle-hardened war veteran. The berserk rage of a Berserker class. It boasts superiority over the power gained from unleashing wildness.
– Find a reason for you to remain in the upper class, despite Hestia being present.
If he doesn’t, he’ll be dropped from the upper class as early as the second semester or at the latest, by the first semester of the second year.
Son Ohchun felt considerable pressure. Outwardly, he might look like a carefree slacker, idly picking at banana bunches in the forest, but in secret, he’s training in conditions akin to his hometown.
Yet, he couldn’t shake off the feeling that he was unworthy.
He believed he could escape the shadow of being Hestia’s lower-quality version. He helped Isabel by gathering information about Oknodie and assisted in subduing and detaining delinquents alongside Jezel. Yet, he was merely ignoring the real issues he faced.
Then Isabel offered him another opportunity.
“Hestia. Sing.”
Powerhouses who would never lose in physical competition in the upper classes.
“Hmm. Uugh.”
Oknodie saw Son Ohchun and fell deep in thought, like a sports coach deciding whether to put in a benchwarmer or not. Isabel and Son Ohchun tensed up.
“Uncle Ohchun should be fine!”
“Is that the conclusion after all that thinking?”
With the tension released, I lightly laughed but was unexpectedly tackled.
“That won’t work.”
“Hestia?”
“Don’t you feel it, Oknodie? It’s risky to face that senior.”
Son Ohchun’s skill was insufficient to join this. Hestia’s frank remark made Sing glance at him and then look away. The attitude that implies he’s not even worth mentioning. Son Ohchun felt the reality.
He indeed was lacking. Oknodie was probably just being protective out of sentiment.
“Are you just going to be a bother?”
“I’m sorry for saying this to someone who came to help, but I’m more worried about them being a hindrance.”
Afraid they might get hurt. Even Son Ohchun, who prided himself on being stronger than most aspiring knight students, felt his pride bruised.
“Hey, mouse. Just be honest. If this is from pity, then that’s more demoralizing.”
“It was ambiguous, to be honest.”
A direct answer. His chest chilled. The feeling of being denied by someone with the greatest talent. It felt like being told he’d made it this far, and now it’s over.
“But I think it will be okay!”
“Eh? Are you teasing an adult?”
“Uwaah, it hurts!”
As I spun my fist around his temple, he let out a sound of discomfort. Hestia, who had been watching with a complex expression, likely decided it couldn’t be helped if Oknodie thought that way and extended her hand first.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean any ill; I hope you don’t take it negatively.”
“I know. I’ll do my best to not get in the way, so don’t worry about me.”
Second-year Deadcat. First-year Oknodie, Hestia, Sing, Son Ohchun. The five-person application for a dodgeball duel had been completed.
“Everyone, step inside the lines.”
“What’s this…?”
“60 seconds. While you’re in the white lines, you score points for every second based on the area you occupy. If a ball hits you and falls to the ground or is caught by another person, that person is immediately disqualified and sent out, ending the score calculation.”
The court was a chaotic mess of white lines with various-sized areas drawn on it. Naturally, the smaller the area, the higher the points.
“Would you like to go first, senior?”
“I’ll pass.”
Deadcat walked straight to the center of the court. Conquering the smallest area right in the middle against four opponents made Son Ohchun feel a strong sense of unease.
“Does she think she can win even being surrounded in the smallest spot?”
Hestia seemed uncomfortable too, frowning. Sing had already placed a hand on his sword’s scabbard a while ago. I wondered if he even understood what dodgeball was…
“Don’t underestimate it. If you’ve claimed high-scoring territory, our goal is to quickly knock that person out. Isn’t that right?”
“Oh, the swordman here is surprisingly tactical?”
“I’ll stand in a position where my sword can reach him.”
“…Are you actually thinking strategically?”
“Didn’t I tell you not to underestimate?”
With a fearful glare, Sing pointedly asked the instructor.
“Is there a rule against cutting with weapons?”
“Nope.”
“What if I step out of the area?”
“That’s also an immediate disqualification and exit.”
“What about if the weapon goes out of the zone?”
“As long as contact doesn’t happen with the floor of other areas, it’s not a disqualification. Contact includes abilities and weapons connected to your body.”
In other words, as long as the sword doesn’t touch the ground, you can swing it all around in the opponent’s nearby area.
“…This feels wrong.”
Unlike Sing, who chose to stay close to Deadcat, Hestia positioned herself in the middle area. Son Ohchun also carefully took his position, slightly off to the side and ready to encircle. Oknodie cheerfully climbed into the last position, forming a triangle.
━━━
[Dodgeball Duel]
◇ Points per second status
Deadcat 10 points
Sing 9 points
Hestia 5 points
Son Ohchun 5 points
Oknodie 4 points
━━━
“The ball will be given to the challenger with the lowest score.”
Up to this point, Son Ohchun thought. The only one worth being wary of was Deadcat. He believed he didn’t have to worry about Oknodie, who had received help. It was a very reasonable thought. And Oknodie was a child who broke all reason.
“Can I choose the type of ball?”
“Sure.”
“Then give me the hardest one!”
“이게…?”
Instead of the bouncy ball that squishes when pressed, he was actually calling for a firm ball that fits perfectly in the palm of your hand. Everyone thought that until a brutal ball design came up, leaving even the confidently challenging second-year Deadcat raised in confusion.
“Hey, mouse.”
“Yes?”
“Is that a dodgeball? That certainly looks like a steel ball that could take down a city wall.”
“No way, Uncle Ohchun!”
“Right? It doesn’t look like it has any bounce and appears to be a regular dodgeball?”
“It’s a Blue Metal Ball, denser than steel with a high mana conductivity!”
Looks like instead of protecting Deadcat from Oknodie, he was going to have to protect Deadcat from Oknodie!
