This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 544

One of the characteristics of human beings is their love for ‘comparison.’

‘…It’s not exactly a good habit, though.’

That’s true, as comparing oneself to others can indeed be a driving force for wanting to improve, but if one is not careful, it can lead to a loss of self-esteem.

If we were to speak in terms of probability, the latter outcome would overwhelmingly outweigh the former.

Thus, it can’t be regarded as a good habit… but what if the comparison doesn’t include oneself? If it’s simply comparing two other subjects that have nothing to do with me?

There’s nothing more interesting or enjoyable than that.

You know those topics, right?

Like, who would win in a fight between a tiger and a lion? Or if soccer players from different eras played in the same time period, who would have dazzled more?

‘Well, obviously, the tiger would crush the lion.’

In any case, nothing draws you into debates like those, and even now, many people are likely deeply engrossed in such discussions.

Just like the aforementioned tiger and lion, heroes rarely have an occasion to fight each other, and yet people compare them.

If OO and XX were to fight, OO would obviously win, right?

What are you talking about? Just based on their talents, OO could never be XX’s match.

Debates like this have been ongoing ever since humans were given the power of talent, and as such, the number of those heatedly participating in the discussions—acting as if they were the protagonists—is enormous.

However… Korea seems to have drifted slightly away from such an atmosphere, and the reason is simple.

Korea has always had an overwhelming number one hero in every generation.

Even if you want to compare two different subjects, one could easily destroy all debate with the line, ‘Well, this person is the strongest.’

Especially during Chae-rim’s generation, this trend was even more pronounced because her presence was simply too overpowering.

It’s no wonder Chae-rim was dubbed the strongest.

Because of that, for several years, there wasn’t even any buzz about such comparisons… but things were different recently.

The reason is simple.

Unlike Chae-rim’s era, where her overwhelming presence left no room for comparison, the current generation is represented not by one, but two names.

That alone provides ample material for comparison, and to top it off, the two have walked completely different paths.

Let’s just say, the two individuals widely recognized as the faces of the current generation are none other than Yoonseo and the senior.

In hindsight, that might have been obvious.

Many have similar standings, but none have achieved what these two have.

One didn’t get much attention in the industry until after graduating high school, only to suddenly pass the qualification exam with flying colors as if she had awakened overnight, while the other had been a near-invincible player since childhood, grabbing industry attention and was even acknowledged for her role in taking down a notoriously cruel villain during her candidate days, thus becoming one of the few special exam passers in decades.

For those who have been thirsting for comparison, there’s no more lipsmacking pair than the senior and Yoonseo.

Adding to that, post Yoonseo’s success in the special exam, Chae-rim’s interview established her as Chae-rim’s prized disciple in the mind of the public, ensuring she’d receive close attention early in her career. Meanwhile, the senior, despite her impressive feats, hadn’t gained as much recognition until a business trip to Japan slowly began garnering her attention.

This disparity likely made a stronger impression on the audience.

‘Moreover, their fanbases are completely different too…’

While Yoonseo tends to be more popular among younger individuals, the senior attracts support from older fans due to her polite demeanor displayed during her activities.

With their paths and fan bases so fundamentally divergent, it’s practically unavoidable for them to be compared against each other.

But that’s not all.

There’s even a story that can be called a narrative between the senior and Yoonseo.

When Yoonseo had just passed her special exam and was soaking in the limelight, someone leaked her simulated sparring scores in the community, which revealed that her only recorded loss during her candidate days was against the senior.

There was already enough material for comparison, but the presence of what could qualify as a story made it unbearable for those who’ve had to endure the harsh era of the current Association Chairman and Chae-rim.

Naturally, they couldn’t stand it, and there was even a time when articles comparing Yoonseo and the senior flooded all the various communities.

Thanks to that, a term for the act of comparing the two was even born—can you imagine how fervently it was discussed?

Of course, as enjoyable as that may have been, over time, one would inevitably tire of it, and considering the amount of time that has passed now, the momentum has significantly waned… but the tendency to place the two on the same level and compare them still persists, with people occasionally peeking into communities related to the Association or heroes with a mindset of ‘Wonder if something happened today…’.

In simple terms, articles pondering who would win in a fight between the two are still floating around.

Some even post those just to spark fires in the community, but there have been those claiming to be insiders or experts who wrote detailed analyses comparing the strengths of both.

And every time, it typically concludes with a statement that if they were to ever engage in a fight, who would win would highly depend on the day’s weather or the battleground conditions.

‘Well…’

That’s not entirely wrong.

It’s not entirely wrong, because on a rainy day, Yoonseo or during a fight near a water source like a lake or the ocean, she would theoretically be close to invincible.

In contrast, the senior tends to perform better in environments that can amplify sound, like indoors or tunnels.

Given that their preferred environments are completely different, the conjecture that outcomes would vary based on conditions isn’t completely unfounded either…

Still, if it were up to me, I’d side with the senior.

That’s because, purely in terms of talent manipulation, the senior clearly excels over Yoonseo.

Of course, while the outcome of a fight among Awakened is never determined by just that, the crucial factor remains how well they adhere to the basics, don’t you think?

While I can’t speak for everyone, that’s how I see it, which is why I would normally support the senior—but this time, I couldn’t.

That’s because it seemed like something resembling an epiphany had genuinely taken root in Yoonseo, considering her level had seen a significant surge since I last observed her.

On the other hand, while the senior had improved as expected given her dedication to training, she simply wasn’t reaching the level of Yoonseo’s current growth.

Honestly, that fact alone was enough to leave one confused, and to add to that, Yoonseo wasn’t even employing the new attack options she had just acquired.

‘There’s still a lot to refine, but…’

Even so, her destructive potential was substantial, so if Yoonseo managed to buy some time and utilized that… the senior would have found herself in quite the bind.

Right now, Yoonseo was blocking her attacks using sound waves, but she wouldn’t be able to lean on that forever.

Even as an uninvolved observer, the straightforward conclusion I had in mind would not have escaped Yoonseo, the very person engaged in the sparring. The reason she wasn’t attempting that approach was likely because it didn’t fit the sparring context.

Amidst this, anyone peering from behind the transparent wall, who enjoys comparing the two, would have likely been blown away witnessing this scene unfolding before them.

“Hmm… As fun as watching is, isn’t it about time to intervene? For the sake of both of them, that is.”

With the familiar sound of clicking heels resonating, a voice as familiar as the sound itself flowed into my ears.