The Academy's Deceased Ate It All

Despite the fact that the match with Ahn Do-Hoon was scheduled for the weekend, quite a lot of people came to the match.

Speaking of people on my side, Jin Ye-Seul and Lee Yu-Na, led by Professor Grossman.Ivan Hunt, and Kang Yeon-Kyung, who perhaps came here after hearing a rumor somewhere.And Han Soo-Young and Choi Hyun-Woo, who were supposed to go out with me today, a total of seven.

Quite a few people came from Ahn-Doo-Hoon's side as well.His gang who always followed him.The middle-aged professor who coached us at the beginning of the Academy.And if I counted some of the students I saw for the first time, who appeared to be under the guidance of that professor, there were close to a dozen people.

"Well, then…I'll explain it one more time before we start."

The middle-aged professor, who took on the role of the referee, stood in the middle of the sparring area and looked at me and Ahn Do-Hoon in turn.

"The match will never be stopped unless you admit that you have lost, or unless Professor Grossman and I decide that it is difficult or pointless to continue the match. Is there any objection to this?"

"None."

"Likewise, none."

"Okay, and since the purpose of this match-up is to assess each other's abilities, I will forbid the use of mana except for physical activity. Also, if you repeat more blatant attacks than necessary, we'll sanction that, too. Any objections?"

Again, Ahn Do-Hoon and I shook our heads.He was blatantly keeping me in check by asking me not to use the branches of the World Tree, but frankly speaking, it did not matter.From the beginning, I had accepted this match with the intention of checking my proficiency.

Above all, I was confident that I wouldn't lose the fight against the current An Do-Hoon even with the penalty of not being able to use my skills.

"Finally, this is a matter to be agreed upon by the parties involved in the match, but… How would you fight?"

"We will have no penalties other than what you just said."

Ahn Do-Hoon spoke as such.I nodded in agreement.

"Good. Then, with mutual courtesy and respect... ."

Let's get started.With those words, the professor stepped back, and Ahn Do-Hoon and I raised our weapons.At the same time, I could feel the formation of an intangible curtain that shielded the sparring area and the stands.

"Ji-Hyuk, fighting!"

Han Soo-Young and Jin Ye-Seul from behind shouted my name almost at the same time.I glanced at them, but it was a beat late, so I looked around, and my eyes met with Lee Yu-Na, who was slowly lowering the hand that she had lifted.Choi Hyun-Woo gave a small smile and Professor Grossman looked at me in silence.From Ahn Do-Hoon's side, too, came a series of voices saying, stay strong, don't lose, and knock down a guy like that in one blow.

"A guy like that… ?"

In a chilly voice, Jin Ye-Seul murmured.Lee Yu-Na and Choi Hyun-Woo, who were next to her, were freaked out and took a step back from her, finally focusing their attention on Ahn Do-Hoon, who was standing right in front of me.

"Huu… ."

Lance in one hand.In his other hand, he held a greatsword.The sight of him easily wielding two heavy weapons that would be too heavy for an average person was certainly intimidating.The heavy armor on his body also added more weight to his sense of intimidation.In terms of durability and defense, Ahn Do-Hoon would be ahead of even that Choi Hyun-Woo.Of course, I had no intention of going into his gap like that first.

The easiest way to break the opponent's stance is to make them move on their own.I slowly, flauntingly pointed the arrow on the string at him.

"…… ."

Ahn Do-Hoon did not rush in, but calmly looked at me as if observing me.From that reaction, I could infer that he had achieved some degree of mental growth while hanging out with Choi Hyun-Woo.If it had been him at the beginning, I'm sure he would have rushed right in without measuring back and forth.

"Heup!"

At one point, Ahn Do-Hoon swung his greatsword with a short spirited shout, and lightly deflected the arrow that I shot in a surprise attack.The same was true of the arrows that followed, aiming at joints like the elbows, ankles, and wrists.

Ahn Do-Hoon swung his lance and greatsword freely and anomalously, as if performing acrobatics.I, seeing his form which seemed to have no weight at all, calmly threw the bow I was holding behind me and pulled out the spear.

"Spear?"

Ahn Do-Hoon looked dumbfounded.I could understand.From his point of view, I would have been like an amateur coming at himself, who had been honing his spear technique for half his life.

Immediately afterward, Ahn Do-Hoon lifted his lance while plugging the greatsword into the floor.Determined to go on the offensive, his posture, unlike earlier, was so honest that it was even foolish.I knew very well that it was not because he was underestimating me.

Immediately, holding the lance, he rushed towards me as if being shot.

His appearance reminded me of a siege weapon used to smash down castle gates.The fine grooves on the surface of the lance combined with his unique footwork were such that I could clearly see through Insight that the atmosphere was shaking in the vicinity.Even if I avoid it, if I was within its range, I would be sucked in and crushed.

So, as if to counter him head-on, I began to rotate my spear with both hands while raising it high.

His spear technique and my spear technique existed in perfect opposition.Ahn Do-Hoon's spear is, in simple terms, straightforward, upright, and never backs down.Even if the opponent blocks it, his spear technique is to push the opponent with the intention of crushing them the next moment.

My spear technique, on the other hand, the spear technique used by me of the other world, simply put, is to slowly kill the opponent as if choking them, and then in an instant, cutting off their breath.Slowly, while making up for the lack of physical strength with technique and speed, it peels off the opponent's skin, loosens the muscles, and targets the bones.Or, explicitly targeting only the opponent's vital points, aiming at only one point.This time I chose the former method.

"What!?"

Elasticity and rotation.Soon after, the swinging spear bounced and collided with his lance.And Ahn Do-Hoon looked at me with his eyes wide open, as if he were surprised.

I didn't know if he was surprised because my spear had blocked his thick lance without moving an inch, or because he couldn't hurt me at all.One thing I could tell for sure was that for a moment, his footwork slowed.

Without missing it, I immediately bounced the spear.Then, like a snake, it flowed along the surface of the lance, grazing past the back of his hand.Ahn Do-Hoon quickly turned his hand to block it with the guard, but I could clearly see the red drops of blood flowing down his forearm.

"… Why the hell have you been using a dagger all this time?"

He seemed to have grasped my abilities to some extent with just a single bout.Muttering as if he did not understand, Ahn Do-Hoon looked at me.

"Yeah. Why the hell I did that."

He kicked the spear with his foot, and then took his stance again.He looked at me with his lance aimed at me as if holding me in check, then lifted it high again as if dancing, and slowly began to rotate it.

This time it was my turn to go first.

* * *

"That bast*rd is a pure weapon cheat."[Note: 무기빨 is a gaming slang, which is used when someone wins the game with the equipment, not skills.]

Choi Hyun-Woo unknowingly turned his ear toward the sullen voice he heard.

He thought it was Ahn Do-Hoon's gang, but they were silently watching the match.It was the first time he'd seen them, and seeing that they had different-colored ties, they seemed to be upperclassmen.

"Do-Hoon isn't the type to be pushed around like that. We're going to win too."

"Did he use some kind of invisible trick? Something to weaken him or bind his feet."

"I don't think so. If he had, the professor would have stepped forward."

"Wait a minute. Come to think of it, isn't that him? That World Tree."

"Oh, what? Was it him? The guy that hit the lotto?"

They were looking at the match and nodding their heads with serious faces.

"No wonder… I heard from someone I know that Lee Ye-Eun had been siding with him for a long time, but it was because they were of the same blood."

"He got that from her, too, right? Hey, it's easy to live in this world. What's the point of training with blood and sweat, if he runs to his sister and whines, she would buy him expensive weapons and armor right away."

"That's why you have to unify everything when you fight. Look at that. Does that make sense?"

"Why did we come to see? I came to see a match, not a crazy money spender."

Choi Hyun-Woo, who was listening to them silently, couldn't help but laugh.It was a laugh that came out naturally because it was ridiculous.

‘You really think that while looking at that?'

I can't even see the bottom.Obviously, a few months ago, he had only just barely escaped from being a beginner, but what the hell happened?

‘Maybe then… .'

Margo's Dungeon.At that time, I was able to attain enlightenment while fighting another future self.Maybe it had happened to him, too.Even so, it's too much….

"…… ."

His spear was efficient yet tempered.Calmly it blocked and shed off Ahn Do-Hoon's attacks, hurting him.There was no hesitation or intention of any kind.

Do those who are now biting and being sarcastic to Ji-Hyuk know?

That ever since he and Ahn Do-Hoon went at it with spears, he has not taken a single step backward, let alone got hurt.

He got goosebumps all over his body.The skill in handling the bow he displayed just before was clearly beyond his peers.Above all, he hadn't even drawn his sword yet.Choi Hyun-woo could feel an unknown competitive spirit boiling in his blood.

If he could, he wanted to pull out his sword and face Yoo Ji-Hyuk right now.Fearing that such feelings would be revealed to others, he looked at their battle with his arms tightly crossed.

"Haa, ha… ."

Ahn Do-Hoon caught his breath and swung the lance once in a big way as if scattering it in the air.He rushed in several times to shower him with offense, but not once was he able to pull him into the gap.As if to anger him, he cleverly shed off his offense, leaving only occasional scratches and running away.

This means that the opponent's level is higher than his own.

Ahn Do-Hoon, who had thought up to that point, suddenly stopped moving.His whole body was full of small scratches, and before he knew it, his whole body was wet with blood and sweat.

It was only then that he realized that only his own body had been hurt, and that Yoo Ji-Hyuk had not moved even a single step.

An ominous sound emanated from his molars.

He felt his eyes roll over with anger, but managed to calm it down.In his heart, a flame called passion, fueled by anger, burnt.It had to be his hands, not his tongue, that spewed it out.

Ahn Do-Hoon threw the lance to the side without hesitation.Then he drew his greatsword and faced him in a high guard position.

Then Yoo Ji-Hyuk, too, threw his spear and drew his sword.At that sight, Ahn Do-Hoon let out an involuntary low smile.Using even a sword.Then what will happen this time?

As if answering the question he asked himself, Ahn Do-Hoon swung his greatsword in a short and concise manner.

It was a swing with the power to completely incapacitate the opponent, but Yoo Ji-Hyuk parried it off by swinging his sword in a shorter and more concise manner.Ahn Do-Hoon's smile only deepened.

Taking this as a cue, the two became a lump and entangled with each other.Ironically, the path they were pursuing this time had the same direction and goal, although the starting point was different.

Sword.Slash, strike, swing, hit, crush, and just silence the opponent with overwhelming force.Since the sword and the sword met, the result is only one of the two.Smash, or be smashed.And Ahn Do-Hoon has always been the former.This time it had to be the same.

"Aaaaaaa!!!"

Ahn Do-Hoon let out a spirited shout and put more strength into the hand holding the sword.

Sword collided with sword, and sparks flew with a loud noise.The scratches all over his body gave him an unforgettable feeling of pleasure and made him forget the pain, but the bleeding only got worse every time they got tangled.He had the illusion that the wounds had spread throughout his body because of the heat that seemed to engulf his chest.

No, it wasn't an illusion.The sight of them furiously exchanging blades as if they were winding each other and scattering blood was somewhat maniacal.And the blood belonged to one person.Totally unperturbed by that fact, Ahn Do-Hoon only speeded his movements more and more.

Faster, heavier than ever.To be more than a blow to the opponent, to be a blow that would catch the opponent off-guard.Swinging his sword around just for that, Ahn Do-Hoon felt a dizzying sensation for a moment.

And only when the greatsword in his hand shattered did he recognize that it was not the dizzying sensation of facing what was in front, but the dizzying sensation of being on the verge of falling into an abyss.

"…… ."

Right in front of his neck was Yoo Ji-Hyuk's sword.He raised his hand and tried to push it away, but his grip was too light.

Only then did Ahn Do-Hoon accept the fact that he had been defeated.He had to accept it.No matter how much he did not want to believe it.

"… Ahn Do-Hoon."

After catching his breath, Yoo Ji-Hyuk slowly lowered his sword.Ahn Doo-Hoon did not move until he put the sword he was holding in its sheath.Even though the lance had fallen not far away, he did not think of retrieving it.He didn't want to get any uglier.

"I hope you don't feel offended."

"Say it."

He had nothing to say to himself since he was defeated.Ahn Do-Hoon dropped the handle of the greatsword he was holding in his hand and looked at Yoo Ji-Hyuk.He hesitated for the first time since he came up to the sparring area.

"… for you."

There must be something more suitable than a sword and a spear.

Ahn Do-Hoon, who heard that, did not reply.It was because of his belief that losers should be silent.

It was also because he remembered the face of someone on the other side of his memory who had told him to raise the flag.