Chapter 18
‘You… No…’
A muffled voice, as if she were drowning. The unstoppable violence had gone beyond anger and humiliation, leading to a feeling of utter powerlessness.
Sehyun shook her head, trying to dispel the memories.
“I didn’t think you’d actually show up. Impressive.”
She instantly recognized the owner of the sarcastic voice. It would be strange if she didn’t. There was only one person who would come to this secluded place at this hour.
She turned her head, and sure enough, Jooho was slowly walking in. Sehyun casually looked away and pointed forward with her chin instead of replying.
Jooho’s eyebrow raised at her gesture, which meant “Get up here without any fuss.”
But it was only for a moment. He stepped onto the sparring ring with a smile and stood facing Sehyun.
“Did you sleep well?”
His tone was gentle. Sehyun kept her mouth shut and looked up at Jooho.
“I didn’t. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I was too excited to sleep.”
“You’re crazy.”
“You’re so eloquent now. Why did you just take it back then? It would have been more fun if you had talked back like this before. Don’t you think?”
“Why are you alone? I thought you’d drag your whole audience here.”
Sehyun asked, looking around.
“It would be troublesome if someone intervened.”
“…”
“There’s nothing more boring than being interrupted.”
Jooho said with a gentle smile, but his eyes gleamed with madness. Sehyun looked at him with a disgusted expression.
She had expected it.
This bastard was capable of doing something like this.
It was better this way.
“Why did you come alone then? Don’t tell me you have a death wish? Or are you planning to report me later?”
Jooho asked with a mocking smile, as if he had seen through her.
“Stop bragging about your long tongue and let’s start. If you don’t, I will.”
Sehyun spread her legs slightly and lowered her stance. Flower petals started to appear in the air.
She hadn’t told anyone about today’s spar, preparing for this moment.
The others would find it strange if she used Hyeryeon’s skill.
A sinister smile spread across Jooho’s lips as he saw the flower petals floating in the air.
“Ha, such petty tricks…”
But he couldn’t finish his sentence.
The flower petals surged towards him like a wave.
The petals, which he thought he could easily brush away, were spinning rapidly.
Slice!
Jooho flinched as he swatted the petals away with his hand. Beads of blood welled up from the multiple cuts on the back of his hand.
“Ha…”
Jooho’s lips twisted.
They weren’t just for distraction, they were weapons.
He had underestimated her because she was an F-grade, but she had this trick up her sleeve.
“Annoying…!”
The petals that were touching Jooho shattered in an instant, no longer able to inflict any more cuts.
Sehyun’s brows furrowed as she watched.
He had to be a Physical Enhancement type, of all things.
One of the things she had learned from today’s sparring sessions was that she couldn’t acquire Physical Enhancement skills. There was an F-grade Guard who could make his body as hard as rock, and she hadn’t gained any skills from sparring with him, even when she made physical contact.
Her new hypothesis was that she could only acquire skills that manifested externally, not skills that changed personal attributes.
It was a shame, but he was an A-grade, so he must have other skills besides this one. She had to draw out another skill.
Sehyun summoned the minimum number of petals to avoid straining her stamina. She couldn’t control them delicately yet, but she could direct some of them towards Jooho’s face.
While Jooho’s vision was obscured by the petals, Sehyun used ‘Jump’ to quickly close the distance.
The petals danced chaotically, distracting his vision.
“Sehyun, what are you doing?”
However, Jooho’s gaze was fixed on Sehyun through the chaotic petals. As if he could sense her movements even with his eyes closed.
Sehyun flinched and twisted her body to dodge.
Thud!
But she couldn’t avoid it completely. Jooho’s fist grazed her arm. However, the impact was more than just a graze. Sehyun grabbed her numb arm and managed to step back.
If a graze was this powerful, what would happen if she got hit directly?
Sehyun gritted her teeth and looked ahead.
As her mind was momentarily distracted by the pain, the flower petals in the air melted away.
She was about to summon the skill again when,
“You’re going to summon those annoying things again?”
“…!”
Jooho, who had been standing far away a moment ago, was right in front of her in a blink of an eye. Sehyun gasped in surprise.
“You still don’t get it?”
“…”
“What your mistake was?”
Jooho’s fist shot towards Sehyun. She tried to dodge quickly, but Jooho was faster.
He grabbed the back of Sehyun’s neck with one hand and raised the other.
Sehyun tried to dodge, but his grip was too strong.
“How dare you underestimate me.”
Slap!
Her mouth filled with blood.
“Know your place, Sehyun.”
Slap!
Jooho’s hand slapped her cheek.
“Your place!”
Slap!
He slapped her again.
Sehyun’s face turned red, and her cheek swelled up. Jooho’s eyes gleamed with madness as he watched. A sinister smile spread across his face.
“Heh, hehe, heh.”
Jooho chuckled, his shoulders shaking.
“I love it when you’re like this. When you can’t do anything you want.”
Kim Sehyun, who had always excelled at everything since she was young.
Kim Sehyun, who grew up in a loving family, showered with affection from her parents.
Kim Sehyun, who was praised for two things when she did one thing well.
Kim Sehyun, who was good at everything, from studying to sports, and was praised by her own parents.
You had no idea.
That I used to beat you every night you were praised.
That I would lock myself in my room, grinding my teeth and calling your name.
When misfortune struck you, who seemed destined for endless brilliance, when you were entrusted to our family, carrying the weight of your sorrow, I finally saw the heavens. The heavens that gave me a chance.
“Ha, haha… Haha!”
Jooho burst into laughter and slapped Sehyun’s cheeks repeatedly.
“It’s been so long. This is what I call a good feeling! Huh?”
Jooho then kicked Sehyun’s body, sending her flying.
He chuckled, looking at her pathetic figure sprawled on the floor.
“Beautiful, Sehyun. You’re… Heh, heh. So beautiful like that.”
Jooho walked towards Sehyun, chuckling softly.
He looked down at her, who was lying there with her eyes closed. He ran a hand through his hair.
“You called me out so bravely, only to end up like this? I’m disappointed.”
“…”
“I was so excited, thinking you might have a hidden move. But all you did was play with flowers and collapse? Did you want to play with flowers with me that badly? Too bad, I don’t think I can play with you anymore.”
“…”
“You shouldn’t have acknowledged me. Then you could have lived comfortably for at least a month. Huh?”
Jooho raised his foot.
“Kim Sehyun, who suffered an unfortunate accident during sparring.”
“…”
“They say there’s nothing they can do about accidents that happen during sparring without weapons.”
Jooho grinned menacingly and stomped on Sehyun’s arm. He was about to crush it when,
Thud!
It was a faint reaction.
…Thud?
Jooho stopped, startled by the strange sound.
His foot, which had been crushing Sehyun’s arm, was slightly repelled by something.
He looked down in disbelief, and Sehyun, who had been lying limply, had retracted her arm and moved away.
“I thought I was going to die for real.”
Sehyun muttered softly. Jooho stared at her with a dumbfounded expression.
“What… How are you still conscious?”
Jooho asked in disbelief.
He had slapped her dozens of times. He hadn’t held back either. He had hit her mercilessly, without any mercy, and she was still conscious?
He was an A-grade. Not just an A-grade from the Guard training center, but a real A-grade.
He had called an A-grade Guard to his mansion and had his abilities confirmed.
He, an A-grade, had hit her with full force, and she was still conscious?
Jooho stared at her in disbelief.
Sehyun wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand and straightened her back.
“Remember what I used to tell you when we were kids?”
“…”
“Use your brain.”
“…”
Sehyun pointed her chin towards the notice board next to the sparring ring. Jooho’s face contorted as he strained his eyes to read the notice.
Notice
…
-
Sparring Level Adjustment
-Mode 1: Same-level sparring.
-Mode 2: Adjusts the physical and skill levels of Guards of different grades to be similar. Applied based on the lower grade.
However, only applicable within the sparring ring. Not applicable outside the sparring ring.
…
“You…”
Jooho gritted his teeth.
Same level? That meant he was an F-grade while standing here.
“I’m a filthy F-grade…!”
He was furious, but what enraged him even more was that she knew this beforehand and had lured him here. To fight him on equal footing.
He felt like his head would explode with anger. But something tugged at his mind.
He felt like he was missing something important…
Meanwhile, Sehyun, confirming that her arm was fine, let out a sigh of relief and looked down at the floor. She spoke, answering a question he hadn’t asked.
“That eccentric researcher made this.”
“…”
“That researcher, he made this so that Guards of different grades wouldn’t get hurt during sparring. So unnecessarily kind-hearted. They’re people whose job is to fight.”
Sehyun, despite her words, smiled faintly.
Jooho’s face hardened at the mention of the eccentric researcher.
The eccentric researcher, also known as the genius researcher.
He was more famous as one half of a genius researcher couple. A tragic couple who had lost their lives in an unfortunate accident.
“I can’t just collapse here on the sparring ring that my dad made with such a kind heart.”
“…”
“I have to do something. Don’t you think?”
“…”
“So let’s start again.”
Skill: Recoil (Unavailable) → Changed to Recoil.
Reconfiguring settings.
Recoil Level 1
…With your skill that has become mine.
Ah, so her family were famous