Episode 96. Overheating (1)

After the secret trip(?) with Professor Elisha.

Since my suspension period wasn’t over yet and I had plenty of time, I decided to focus on mastering my newly learned technique, ‘Ash Fire.’

Maybe because it was a new technique I hadn’t practiced in a while.

I trained day and night, almost forgetting to eat or sleep, and finally succeeded in enveloping not just my sword but also my fists with Ash Fire.

Of course, since Ash Fire itself is a technique that puts a lot of strain on the body’s energy, my entire energy system was in tatters, but I managed to fix it with the ‘Blessing of Resurrection.’

While I was training hard, repeating death and resurrection since the early morning.

*Beep.*

[Candidate ‘Yuren Helios,’ ‘Berald Ryu’ access confirmed.]

Yuren and Berald entered the training grounds after class.

“Ah, Dale. You’re already here.”

“Yeah.”

“Hmm. Brother, have you been here since this morning? No matter how important training is, overdoing it will ruin your body. You should take it easy.”

Berald stroked his chin with a worried expression.

Even though he wasn’t from the main family, Berald was still a member of the ‘Ryu’ family, so he had his own private training grounds. However, ever since we formed a party together to explore the ruins, he often came to Yuren’s private training grounds to train together.

“Don’t worry, I’m fine.”

I chuckled and waved my hand.

There’s an old saying in the Republic, ‘Too much is as bad as too little,’ but that didn’t apply to me.

‘The guy who taught me that in my past life was none other than this guy, Berald.’

A memory from my past life suddenly flashed before my eyes.

– Brother, are you having a hard time?


– *Huff! Huff!* I, I’m dying… I’m really dying!


– Hahaha! Don’t worry, brother!


– O-okay, let’s stop here for today, right?


– If you’re so tired you’re about to die, just die and come back to life and do it again!


– You crazy bastard.


– Come on! The ‘Undying Ghost’ can’t whine like this, can he? Get up already!


– Aaah! S-stop! Aaah!

Hmm.

Thinking about it again still pisses me off.

What? ‘Overdoing it will ruin your body, so take it easy’?

Is that something YOU should be saying?

“Why are you looking at me like you want to tear me apart? Did I say something wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

I smiled brightly and approached Berald.

“By the way, today’s our sparring day, right?”

“Y-yeah, but…”

“Hahaha.”

“Maybe I’ll just do some personal training today…”

“Where do you think you’re going?”

I grabbed Berald’s shoulder as he tried to turn away.

“Come on, let’s not waste time. Quickly change into your training clothes and come back.”

“Ugh. Fine.”

“Ah, it’s okay if you get all tattered.”

“No! Why are you suddenly like this, brother!”

I pushed Berald, who was making a pitiful face, into the changing room.

As I was smirking in anticipation of the upcoming revenge(?), Yuren cautiously approached me.

“Dale, are you really okay?”

“Huh?”

“You look really tired.”

“Do I?”

“Yeah. You have dark circles, and your face looks pale.”

Yuren stroked my cheek with a worried expression.

‘Ugh, it’s kind of creepy when Yuren does this.’

If it were ‘Yurina,’ maybe, but having a blond pretty boy stare at me with those deep eyes and stroke my cheek wasn’t exactly a pleasant experience.

“I’m fine.”

“But looking at your training grounds access times, it seems like you’re here almost all day. Are you getting enough sleep?”

“Well…”

To be honest, I hadn’t slept more than 2 hours a day for the past few days.

“I’m getting enough sleep, so don’t worry.”

“You’re lying. Yesterday’s exit record was at 3 a.m.”

Yuren narrowed his eyes and was about to press further when.

“Brother! I’m done changing!”

Berald came out of the changing room in his training clothes.

I quickly approached Berald.

“Great. Shall we start right away?”

“Hoho. I won’t lose as easily as last time!”

Berald clenched his fists and shouted with a strong voice.

I smirked and nodded, standing in front of him.

“Sigh. I really can’t stop you…”

Yuren sighed and walked toward the wall of the training grounds.

“Then I’ll start the countdown.”

As I touched the magical tool on the wall, numbers appeared in the air.

[Duel starting in 5 seconds.]

“Hoo.”

Berald took a deep breath.

His muscles tensed up, and the Holy Mark on his body began to glow.

[4 seconds.]

He clenched his fists tightly.

[3 seconds.]

He pulled his waist back and lowered his stance.

[2 seconds.]

His gaze was fixed straight on his opponent.

[1 second.]

He stomped his foot and charged!

*Boom!*

“Hyaaap!”

The sound of his shout echoed loudly through the training grounds.

Berald’s fist, enveloped in a deep earthy aura, tore through the air as it swung toward me.

*Bang!*

I deflected Berald’s fiercely swung fist with my palm and swept my leg low, aiming for his knee.

Berald Martial Arts.

Leaf Sweep.

A threatening kick aimed at the empty lower body.

“I won’t fall for the same trick twice!”

Perhaps remembering the last time he was kicked and rolled on the ground, Berald stomped his foot and jumped high into the air.

As he rose, Berald clasped his hands together and swung them down like a hammer.

*Whoosh!*

A fist with enough force to crush steel like paper aimed for the top of my head.

“Hoh.”

I smirked and twisted my body slightly to dodge the fist.

Then, I drove my knee upward.

*Thud!*

My sharp knee struck Berald’s solar plexus.

“Huff!”

Just before the knee hit, Berald pulled back his fist and used his thick forearm as a shield to protect his vital spot.

“Your movements have improved a lot.”

I let out a short exclamation at Berald’s fluid offense and defense.

I thought Berald had grown a lot during the last ruin exploration, but now he had improved to a level that made that time seem embarrassing.

‘Was this how Professor Elisha felt when she saw me?’

His growth speed was beyond surprising—it was almost awe-inspiring.

“Hehe. Did you think I just let you beat me up all the time for no reason? I can see your movements clearly now.”

“Oh really?”

I smirked and asked, and Berald grinned.

“This time, I’ll use the technique I learned from you!”

Berald clenched his fist and pulled his arm back like drawing a bowstring.

“Hyaaaap!”

Berald let out a rough shout and stomped his foot.

The earthy aura gathered around his fist, releasing a terrifying amount of magical power.

“Mountain Crusher!!!”

*Boom!*

Berald stomped the ground fiercely and threw his punch.

The surrounding air was torn apart, and a loud roar echoed.

‘He can see my movements clearly, huh.’

In the past, I wouldn’t have dared to take this head-on.

‘Well then.’

*Whoosh!*

The Ash Fire enveloped my fist as I charged toward Berald’s terrifyingly powerful punch.

“Huh…?!”

Berald’s eyes widened.

I twisted my lips into a smirk and swung my fist toward his incoming punch.

‘Mountain Crusher.’

*Kwaaaaaaang!*

Fist clashed with fist.

The Burning Ash Fire swallowed Berald’s earthy aura and sent him flying.

“Kuhuk!”

*Boom!*

Berald’s massive 2-meter frame was sent flying like a pebble and crashed into the training grounds wall.

*Beep beep beep!*

[Warning.]

[The shock absorption barrier has malfunctioned. Please stop the duel.]

A warning alarm sounded, and red lights flashed inside the training grounds.

“Still see my movements clearly?”

“Kuhuk… I, I was wrong… brother.”

Berald slumped to the ground weakly and hung his head.

The impact must have been quite strong.

Drool dripped from Berald’s mouth as he hung his head.

‘Did I hit him too hard?’

I felt a moment of pity, but then I remembered Berald’s past misdeeds(?), and the pity quickly vanished.

“Dale, that…”

Yuren, who had been watching the duel, looked at me with wide eyes.

I shrugged and looked back at Yuren.

“How is it? Does it suit me better now?”

“D-did you change your fighting style because of what I said before?”

“It’s more like I gained enlightenment rather than changing my style. Thanks to you… I mean, Yuren. Thank you.”

“Enlightenment… Dale… because of me… Hehe, ehehe.”

Yuren’s face turned red as he grinned widely.

“So, that unique aura color… did you gain that because of the enlightenment too?”

“Yep, that’s right.”

“R-really?”

Yuren couldn’t contain his joy, clenching his fists and bouncing on his feet.

I swallowed a chuckle and asked.

“Since I gained enlightenment thanks to you, do you need anything?”

“Huh? Need anything?”

“Yeah. It’d be awkward to just take it for free.”

If it weren’t for Yuren’s advice, I probably wouldn’t have mastered ‘Ash Fire.’

“I don’t need anything… no, wait.”

Yuren, who was about to decline, suddenly stopped.

“Then… can you praise me?”

“…Praise?”

“Y-yeah! While patting my head!”

Yuren nodded eagerly, his eyes sparkling.

I looked at him with a dumbfounded expression, but Yuren’s gaze was deadly serious.

“Sigh. Well, if that’s what you want.”

I sighed and placed my hand on Yuren’s head.

*Pat pat.*

As I stroked his head (which was awkward since it was Yuren), I spoke.

“Good job, Yuren.”

“…Yurina.”

“Huh?”

“Call me Yurina.”

“…But.”

I glanced over and saw Berald drooling and passed out.

I sighed and nodded.

“Good job, Yurina.”

“…Yeah!”

Yuren… no, Yurina nodded with a bright smile.

I swallowed a dry laugh and removed my hand from Yurina’s head.

“Ah…”

Yurina let out a somewhat disappointed sigh.

Just as I was about to put my hand back on her head.

“…Huh?”

*Sway.*

My vision flipped.

*Thud!*

The hard training grounds floor rose up and slapped my cheek.

No.

It wasn’t the floor that rose.

‘Did I… collapse?’

In my confused mind, I heard Yurina’s voice.

“Dale! What, what’s wrong?! Are you okay? Dale!!!”

“I-I’m… fine…”

Before I could finish my sentence.

A feeling of sinking into a deep abyss and my consciousness flickered into darkness.