After Arna left the room and a few minutes passed, Kang Tae-hoon returned.
“What the hell were you blabbering about on the phone? What? You want me to teach you how to wield a sword?”
“Yes.”
By the way, the mint chocolate chip ice cream I asked for a while ago isn’t here.
You don’t deserve to eat ice cream.
“You’ve finally lost it. You need to go to a sanatorium, not learn swordsmanship. What the…?”
Kang Tae-hoon looked at me in disbelief.
I pointed to my face with my hand.
“I’m not joking. Can’t you see the seriousness on my face?”
“Serious? Pfft. Are you not plotting something ridiculous again?”
I wonder what kind of image of me as Shin Yoon-seong has formed in Kang Tae-hoon’s mind. It’s clear he doesn’t trust me at all.
To be honest, it’s a little hurtful. We’ve shared so many experiences together.
“But why a sword all of a sudden? Have you completely abandoned the spoon? Are you just going to use it for eating ice cream from now on?”
“Of course not. I will continue to use the spoon. It is my only weapon, after all.”
I swung the hefty spoon lightly.
On the other hand, Kang Tae-hoon still looked confused, frowning as if he didn’t understand.
“So why the sword all of a sudden? You use a spoon, right? What does that have to do with swords?”
Apparently, I need to explain things more thoroughly.
What’s with all the suspicion?
“During this Individual Tactical Assessment, I realized something. I lack the basics.”
“Holy crap, you figured that out fast, didn’t you? Huh?”
Ahem. I cleared my throat.
“Anyway, to build that foundation, I will start by relearning posture and movements.”
“So you’re going to learn swordsmanship to apply those movements to your spoon?”
“Exactly. You’re living up to your reputation as the second best.”
I picked up a wooden practice sword from the corner and handed it to Kang Tae-hoon.
“Alright, you seem to understand. Now, teach me how to wield a sword.”
“…”
Kang Tae-hoon tightened his lips, narrowing his eyes as he stared at the wooden practice sword I was handing him.
And then…
“You sound like a retard.”
He threw a punch at my face.
“Hey! You’re holding it wrong! With your hands crossed like that, how’s any power going to be applied when you swing?”
“Your steps are incorrect! Are you tap dancing or something?”
“Oi. Are you planning to do it right now?”
From the next room, a male’s shouting could continuously be heard. All the way to where Arna was.
“Aaah…!”
Arna had returned to the Sync Room where she first used it. She clung to the wall, eavesdropping on the commotion from the next room.
While tearing a handkerchief in frustration.
“So I don’t even register in your mind, do I?”
After going out of her way to approach him and even offering advice.
Yet, she was treated as if she didn’t exist while he asked Kang Tae-hoon to teach him swordsmanship.
What is this rude behavior?
Totally impolite.
“I can teach better since my skills are superior! I’m the top student! The record holder!”
No matter how many complaints she voiced, none of her words reached Shin Yoon-seong. They were all blocked by the wall.
“Aaaargh…!”
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Unable to contain her frustration, Arna began pounding on the wall with her fists.
“Am I nothing more than a laughingstock to you!?”
So aggravating. It’s absolutely infuriating. This person who manipulates others’ emotions so easily is infuriating.
“Ugh…”
However, she was even more annoyed with herself.
From the start, she could have simply ignored a guy like him. After all, he was just a villain she shouldn’t even engage with.
But, somehow, every time she regained her senses, her gaze was directed toward Shin Yoon-seong. Despite her intentions, her eyes involuntarily followed him.
“Ugh…! What am I thinking now?! Why am I like this!”
Chop! Chop!
Arna violently slapped her cheeks to erase the stray thoughts that had sprouted in her mind.
Afterward, she forcibly put on a bright smile.
“Alright! Since I’ve returned, let’s take on a new challenge!”
If she kept moving, she’d be able to shake off these mixed feelings somehow.
Arna quickly stood in front of the kiosk.
—
Individual Tactical Assessment
: Selected difficulty [S]
: Student information [Combat Division 2nd year, Arna Kristin Dottir]
: Clear record [Fail]
—
“Yama.”
Kang Tae-hoon called out to Shin Yoon-seong who was swinging his spoon alone.
“How about we try a quick sparring session?”
“A sparring match, huh? Good idea.”
Shin Yoon-seong stepped up as if he’d been waiting for it, wielding his enormous spoon.
In contrast, Kang Tae-hoon wielded the practice sword.
“Let’s see how much you’ve improved….”
WHOOSH!
“Hey you retard! You should listen until I finish speaking before charging in!”
A small duel started inside the Sync Room. Shin Yoon-seong freely displayed all the techniques he’d learned so far.
WHOOSH!
Kang Tae-hoon effortlessly parried Shin Yoon-seong’s attacks, moving the wooden sword around casually.
“Hmm.”
The movements were still clumsy.
It couldn’t be helped. Not a single day but just a few hours worth of tuition were involved, and it was impossible to expect perfection.
“Hey! Your shoulders are opening too quickly!”
But he wasn’t about to offer any encouragement. The guy would come crawling to him the moment things went better.
Kang Tae-hoon kept spewing criticism without stopping.
“You’re not putting enough force in your legs! Can’t you see your footing’s all messed up?”
WHOOSH!
“Swinging the spoon once isn’t where it ends, right? Your follow-through is total chaos! What did you learn just now?”
WHOOSH!
“Are you already out of breath? Your upper body is starting to lean forward!”
They’ve only started, and Shin Yoon-seong’s posture has already started to collapse. Of course, it’s expected when you move your body differently than usual.
“That’s enough.”
KICK!
That’ll do for now. Kang Tae-hoon delivered a sweeping kick to Shin Yoon-seong’s abdomen to conclude the sparring.
Shin Yoon-seong collapsed on the floor without even letting out a scream.
“Uh… that kick you just did… it seemed emotional, didn’t it?”
“Pfft. You’re imagining things.”
After the sparring match, Kang Tae-hoon came to a realization. Shin Yoon-seong lacked talent.
Just a common mediocre individual you see anywhere.
In such cases, pouring effort and time will allow for some improvement, but Shin Yoon-seong doesn’t have much time.
Given that there are fewer than seven days until the evaluation renewal.
“Just let yourself get a C. How does that sound?”
“No way. I’m aiming for a B. After all, I’m a man, Shin Yoon-seong.”
“Man, that kid has fixations in the strangest places. What’s the big deal about a grade?”
“Let’s do this once more.”
After finishing his brief rest, Shin Yoon-seong stood up again. Watching this, Kang Tae-hoon clicked his tongue.
“What? You wanna do it again? Do I look like I have all the time in the world?”
“Let’s start.”
“Listen to me, you moron!”
Shin Yoon-seong readied his spoon. However, Kang Tae-hoon extended his hand.
“Hey, forget the spar. Just show me the combo moves we learned earlier.”
Combo moves – combining various stances to form a single action. It’s not just about moving the body; internal magical power is also used.
“Remember?”
“Of course.”
The combo moves currently being demonstrated are among the basic techniques found in the textbook. A counterattack technique used after deflecting the opponent’s strike with force.
CRACK!
Neither wasting time with who should go first, both simultaneously lifted their feet and began an upward diagonal slash as if by a prior agreement.
BAM!
The instant when the spoon and the wooden sword clashed, a shockwave accompanied by a loud noise spread out. Perhaps it was the effect of magical power, but it was on a different scale than the sparring session earlier.
“Hmm!”
In the midst of the clash, Kang Tae-hoon put more weight on the wooden sword. At this rate, Shin Yoon-seong would be overwhelmed by sheer force.
TAP!
But Shin Yoon-seong didn’t just sit there. He didn’t need to unnecessarily continue a strength battle against an opponent’s wish; he twisted his wrist and deflected Kang Tae-hoon’s sword.
“Hmm!”
Taking advantage of the instant their weapons disengaged, Shin Yoon-seong transitioned into the next movement. He twisted his waist and spun his body around while simultaneously concentrating his internal magical power.
WHOOSH!
The physical force generated by the rotational motion of his body combined with the magical power he had gathered in an instant and concentrated into the spoon.
He swung the spoon with all his might.
KABOOM!
It became a powerful strike. At the very least, this one aspect was performed precisely according to what he’d been taught.
Though it was blocked by the wooden sword…
CRACK!
Instantly, a crack formed on the wooden sword. And it didn’t stop there. The cracks spread like tree roots, eventually covering the entire wooden sword.
“Huh!”
Kang Tae-hoon, who was defending, quickly stepped back to create some distance.
CRASH!
Soon, the wooden sword he was holding shattered. If he hadn’t stepped back, that blow would have reached him unrestrained.
“Hoo. How’s that? Did that connect properly?”
“…”
Kang Tae-hoon couldn’t keep quiet any longer. Just moments ago, he was only flailing around like an octopus, but now he’s displaying such power. Kang Tae-hoon had never even imagined a wooden sword breaking.
Not an ordinary wooden sword either. Kang Tae-hoon had infused his own magical power into the sword, yet Shin Yoon-seong shattered it effortlessly.
“This sensation…”
Moreover, this tingling sensation at his fingertips felt oddly familiar.
Very recently, in fact.
“Oi!”
Kang Tae-hoon called out to Shin Yoon-seong with a serious expression.
“Have you eaten anything strange while I was gone?”
“Strange stuff? You mean the Max Spicy Shanghai Burger I had for lunch?”
Nothing particularly suspicious came to mind. Moreover, Shin Yoon-seong’s face revealed that he had no idea what he’d done.
“…”
Where did this power come from?
There’s no way an ordinary body could produce such an impact. Even with usage of magical power, it’s impossible. It’s not the kind of force derived simply from magical power—it’s an alien kind of strength.
Kang Tae-hoon knew better than anyone. He had experienced it himself.
That strength was precisely…
What Lloyd Hintz used during the international assessment.
It was of the same nature as that of the awakening agent.
