Chapter 19 – 8. Duel (2)
10 minutes before the duel, the audience in the arena.
“There are so many people…”
Hyunwoo Lee muttered as he looked around the crowd of over 100 people.
Although all 21 members of our class, excluding Jung Ji-hoo, gathered together and took their seats, they were a minority in the stands.
“At this scale… I think it’s more than the people who attended the banquet…”
“Huh, that’s right.”
Class president Minho, who was sitting in the front seat, told me. Lee Hyun-woo did not attend the banquet because his academy banquet time overlapped with his fitness routine.
“Namgyu, who do you think will win?”
“I don’t know. How do I know?”
A low-spirited voice came from Lee Hyeonu’s side. He looked at Namgyu’s face. Dense dark circles, saggy body. This guy must have not slept well last night.
Baek Nam-gyu. He was kidnapped by goblins together in the forest, but was saved by Jeong Ji-hoo and Jeon Ji-hye. We became very close because of this incident.
“I thought you’d be lying in your room, but you’re here to see.”
“How can you not see it?
Our class is divided into three groups.
The first is the hard-working type like Jihoo and Minho. Lee Hyun-woo, who keeps growing his body while doing fitness, thinks he belongs to this side.
The second is the kind that enjoys a much more comfortable life than on Earth. They are satisfied with the leisurely life of an aristocrat, which is only seen in movies.
The third is the type suffering from deep depression and lethargy. There are many reasons for this, such as a sudden separation from a loved one and a foundation on the earth that has become obsolete.
Baek Nam-gyu, who was a serious game addict, belongs to the third type.
“Come to think of it, you guys were summoned from the forest?! Then you must have seen Jeong Ji-hoo fighting a monster!!”
Hwang Seung-woo, who was sitting behind Lee Hyun-woo, started talking.
This guy is the representative of our school, and he is the second type of friend who is more than happy to be summoned to this world.
“Yes, but I was too hungry, dizzy, and embarrassed to take a closer look at it.”
“I fainted in the first place… But I can’t imagine Jihoo losing in this duel.”
“That’s right.”
The image of Jung Ji-hoo in their heads is a perfect man. Jeong Ji-hoo has always been an object of respect and envy to them, but he has never been the object of concern.
“Jihuya, Hwa IT Iying !!!!”
Jeon Ji-hye’s lively cheering sound resonated throughout the gymnasium.
* * *
10 minutes before the duel, the royal family only spectators.
“You came to see your sister too.”
“Sister, long time no see.”
“Hello, Amer, Dave. It’s my fiancée’s duel, of course.”
Soniel sat in the seat next to Amer. Leah, standing behind Amer, bowed to Soniel.
Amer muttered Soniel’s words in his heart.
‘I’m a fiancé…’
My father had instructed Soniel to seduce Jung Ji-hoo and Amer to seduce Park Min-ho. Amer failed miserably, and her sister succeeded spectacularly.
Amer was confident. The cheerful and relaxing atmosphere of the banquet, the alcohol that slowly builds up in her body, and her enchanting attribute magic.
In fact, Park Min-ho almost passed. But he came to her senses at some point and left her room, leaving her alone.
After that day, Seong Ah-young’s gaze at her changed. It is clear that she heard what happened that day.
“Amer, my advice is still valid.”
“·······.”
“Park Min-ho is not the person you will end up with. So don’t lower your value by clinging to him.”
“…Who the hell is that person?”
“…I can’t tell you that yet.”
Sonny Elle had a serious expression throughout her life, and Amer was upset and angry at her sister who only caught her floating clouds without knowing her own mind.
“My sister is always like that. She always acts like she knows everything! I don’t know what future lies ahead for her, but I will change that fate!”
“·······.”
‘What kind of expression will Amer make if I tell him that even your appearance is the same as he saw it in the future.’
As long as Soniel stands opposite her, Amer can’t change anything.
It’s all for you Soniel had a plan.
‘I need to help Park Min-ho acquire the attributes to make his mental resistance stronger, and warn Ah-young. And… I’ll have to ask the West.’
My brother Amer, what do you think?
Meanwhile, Dave is puzzled by the nervous war between his older sister and her younger sister that started out of nowhere. The subject… Love…?
His older brother, older sister, and himself fight for the throne, and the second older sister and younger sister fight for love. It’s a family that can’t be reconciled.
Dave asked Leah, who was the most knowledgeable in combat here, to change the chilly atmosphere.
“Leah, who do you think will win this duel?”
Despite the 2nd and 3rd princesses’ quarrels, Leah’s expression did not change. She was wearing a white mask, so it was impossible to read her expression.
“I don’t know. I’ve never seen Jung Ji-hoo train.”
“Still, Kyle is a graduate and Jung Ji-hoo is a freshman, so wouldn’t Kyle win? Besides, Jung Ji-hoo is a wizard and Kyle is a knight.”
“I’ve been to the summoners’ swordsmanship classes several times. Based on what I saw there, I think…”
Leah paused for a moment, then she continued.
“…If the opponent in today’s duel had been Min Hye-rin instead of Jung Ji-hoo, it would have ended with her landslide victory.”
Dave was happy with Leah’s opinion. In the first place, this duel was the result of inducing him to exercise his quickness at a banquet in order to grasp the potential of his mythical attributes.
‘I can see an interesting sight today.’
“From now on, Kyle Byers and Ji-Hoo Jung will fight for their honor!”
Dave’s narrow eyes twitched in anticipation.
* * *
Dueling is one of the traditions of the Empire, and its purpose is to resolve conflicts between nobles and to resolve conflicts.
An anecdote originates from an anecdote that the emperor, who feared that the conflict between the two great nobles would escalate into a civil war in the past and the empire would be devastated, proposed a duel to them.
Since dueling is a tradition, it is not legally binding. You must not intentionally take the life of the other person, and it is impossible to make excessive demands as a winner’s right.
Nobles are not obligated to respond to requests for a duel, nor are they obligated to pay the victor. However, if you ignore the reasonable duel and the cost without reason, you will be dishonored in the aristocratic society.
“You didn’t manage to escape and came out.”
Kyle came up to the arena with a rotten expression and talked to me.
“You’re too mean for freshmen. If you don’t want to get hurt, apologize to me politely and withdraw. Then-“
“Are you going to duel with words?”
I cut him off halfway through.
“Senior, don’t regret it for nothing.”
“Under.”
Time to choose a weapon before the start of the duel. Kyle seems to be wearing his own priestly gauntlets. I also brought a useful wand that I use for magic training.
A good idea came to my mind. A plan that annoys Kyle and helps me too.
After scanning all the weapons hanging on the wall, I picked up a long sword among swords of various lengths.
“… You, what are you doing now?”
Of course he knows that I am an aspiring wizard.
Hiss- hiss-
I waved my sword in the air a few times and responded calmly.
“I thought this would be enough for my seniors.”
Haha!”
His mouth is smiling, but his eyes are not at all happy. I could see tendons growing on Kyle’s forehead. He seems quite upset by my provocation.
“Okay, let’s do it.”
The moderator stood between me and Kyle and explained to the audience the background of the duel, the rules, and the cost of defeat. This is the gymnasium in the second prince’s palace, and the moderator and judge is a knight under the second prince’s command. In the corner of the gymnasium, priests are waiting for treatment.
We duel because we don’t like the other person’s attitude at a banquet, and the price of a duel is the loser’s polite apology to the winner.
‘I’ve come a lot.’
It seems that the commotion in the banquet hall has spread far. People are crowded in the stands.
“After stopping, whahitieeeeeing!!!!”
I hear the sound of wisdom cheering. Looking over there, my classmates were waving at me or clenching their fists. It seems that no one was left out.
“From now on, Kyle Byers and Ji-Hoo Jung will fight for their honor!”
I have to show my cool side to those who come to see me.
At the same time as the moderator announced the start, Kyle took his posture. Sparring boxing stance. His face turned into a serious expression.
In contrast, I let my sword hang loosely. The tip of the sword barely touched the floor.
“······.”
Kyle makes fun of me as a freshman. Also, I am getting more and more annoyed and angry at my cheeky appearance.
This is what I induced. I hoped he would charge me with ignorance. Because there is no opponent as easy as a stupid enemy.
‘I don’t think I’m that stupid.’
Kyle approached me step by step with his guard up.
Woo-woo-woo-
Waves of brown spread across his skin as his gauntlets vibrated.
Kyle has the [Stone] Attribute, and that gauntlet seems to be a secondary weapon that helps his attribute abilities.
My reach, which is the sum of the sword and arm, is longer than his, which is only his arm.
I struck first, swinging my sword at his arm. The sword spun sharply and went in to rip his skin—
Kkang-!
Instead of blood splattering from Kyle’s arms, there was a sound that shouldn’t be heard as metal and flesh met.
This is his attribute ability.
When I heard that Kyle had the [Stone] Attribute, I wondered if he had the ability to create and throw several stones, but it wasn’t.
He can protect his body by strengthening the strength of his skin like a stone.
Kyle threw a jab at me, but I quickly ducked back and dodged it.
His fists, reinforced with attributes, will be almost as menacing as a siege charge. If you get even one direct hit, the duel is over.
Kkang-! Kkang-!
As I step back, the situation repeats itself over and over again.
Thanks to the difference in reach, Kyle’s attack doesn’t reach me. My attacks have no effect on him.
Maybe because I couldn’t do anything, I gained confidence, but Kyle’s face regained a thick mocking smile and a relaxed look.
“What is this? I wonder why you have a sword, but you can’t use magic or boastful attributes?”
I was just nervous
Kyle’s mana gradually gathers on her thighs and strengthens her muscles. It seems that he intends to end the duel without giving me a chance to evade.
I see it with my ‘eyes’.
In fact, I had been using my attributes since the start of the duel.
Concentrates a small amount of magic with the [Heaven] Attribute into my pupils. With that, my two eyes evolve one step.
According to Sonny Elle, she is a perfect top compatibility of her star eyes.
Heaven’s Eye or God’s Eye.
Kyle exploded the mana on his thighs and instantly closed the distance. At that moment, time began to flow slowly for Kyle and the objects around him. No, this is the result of the speed of rotation of my thinking.
The eyes gave me so much information. Kyle’s habits, magic patterns, characteristics of attributes, muscle tremors, gaze, breathing, etc.
Based on the information given, predict his next move.
I couldn’t see the future yet, but I felt like I knew it.
Kyle’s hard fist will fly very slowly towards my left shoulder. I twisted my upper body slightly to avoid the blow and burrowed into his arms.
The duel started and I got close to Kyle for the first time.
I flew it with the thought of making it impossible to avoid, but I was surprised to see me dodging and looking into his slowly widening eyes, I think.
‘The property does not strengthen all skin equally.’
Kyle now also has weaknesses. His Achilles tendon, the back of his knee, his groin and genitals, his armpits, or—
‘Pupil.’
“Fuck!”
Kyle twisted his head with all his might at the terrible sensation digging into his right eyelid. He jumped back as it was and opened up some distance from Jung Ji-hoo.
Kyle hurriedly patted his eyes. Fortunately, I did not feel the strange sensation again.
‘What the hell was that?!’
The guy who had always looked stupid all of a sudden turned into a proficient person.
‘As expected, there was a hidden card!’
He thought, of course, that there must be a corner where Jung Ji-hoo believes. However, it is very disconcerting that it is not a magic or attribute, but a close combat ability.
‘I heard that you are learning magic, but is it false information?’
Kyle desperately calmed his agitation and took a close look at his opponent. You need to be more careful than before.
Jeong Ji-hoo looked disapprovingly at his weakly trembling left hand.
“Tsk.”
He shook his head and smiled at Kyle.
“Senior, thank you for joining me in my experiment.”
“…Experiment…? What are you talking about?”
“Yes. Experiment. An experiment to see how much I can fight against knights if I use my attributes and eyes. Hmm, for now, I’ll have to settle for the level of an inferior graduate, right?”
“…This bastard.”
That’s a provocation. Don’t fall for his provocations. That guy is an opponent you can’t afford to be on your guard against.
The fact that he was a freshman had already been forgotten.
Land-! Follow
After Jeongji put the sword he was holding into the scabbard and threw it randomly to the right.
“Anyway, the experiment is roughly over, so let’s start in earnest now. Surely that’s not everything we’ve seen so far, is it?”
With an arrogant declaration, his body began to glow in azure light. It was the afterglow of magical power.
Wildly swaying mana wraps around the body after stopping. The size and concentration of mana increased endlessly.
I feel an unknown sense of coercion from his magical power.
‘···Crazy. I’ve never seen anything like this at the academy…’
Eventually, a tornado of enormous magical power centered on Jung Ji-hoo was completed. The storm rages as if it would destroy the gymnasium.
As the barrier separating the gymnasium and the audience started to vibrate with numerous ripples, the wizards who managed it became busy.
It felt like a giant was looking down on Kyle, and Kyle lost her mind.
* * *
“That is amazing···.”
Min Hye-rin, watching the duel after Jeong Ji-hoo, admired her elongation.
Truly an overwhelming amount of magic attribute.
Only at this level can you say that you are the man you are targeting.
At that moment, Min Hye-rin realized an unfamiliar sensation she had never felt before.
The [Earth] Attribute that rises from the magical energy deep inside the heart. The violent energy spreads throughout her body along the capillaries, awakening a new sense.
‘······? Suddenly?’
Min Hye-rin watched Jeong Ji-hu’s duel and learned how to handle her own attributes on her own.
No one yet knew what conditions she had met.
