Chapter 122: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (7)

Chapter 122: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (7)

To briefly summarize the first match from Cha Hyeon-joo’s perspective.

She chased after me when I snatched the crystal, and after a brief melee battle, she was sent flying by Wind Force.

She then quickly returned and engaged in a second melee but was again sent flying by Wind Force.

She became furious and unleashed a barrage of arrows, but I dodged them all with ease. Much to her frustration.

Eventually, the crystal charging ended which also marked the end of the match.

It hardly felt like a proper battle, so her frustration was understandable.

That’s why she sought me out for a revenge match.

There are still two more matches left for this week’s quota.

For me, as long as I met the quota and cleared the side quest, it didn’t matter who the opponent was.

However, there’s also no reason for me to simply comply with Cha Hyeon-joo’s demands.

So my response was,

“I’d rather not?”

“What?”

I scratched the back of my head with an air of annoyance.

“Whether you’re convinced or not, what does that have to do with me? If you’re not convinced, should you keep challenging me until you are?”

“......!”

“Everyone acts as if they’ve left something in my care. People should have some shame.”

At that, Cha Hyeon-joo began to emit a subtly chilling aura.

“..... It would be better to fight a duel battle.”

Her words implied that if I didn’t accept a rematch, she would challenge me to a fight even if it meant breaking the rules.

Of course, I was not one to be intimidated by such threats.

No matter how we fought, I would win.

So, I responded firmly.

“Try me if you’re so confident. I won’t go easy on you next time.”

“......”

Cha Hyeon-joo continued to glare at me with a chilling demeanor, but inside, it seemed like she was rapidly weighing her options.

Our first encounter might not have been convincing for her, but the result was a perfect game.

I hadn’t allowed a single attack throughout the match.

Without a proper understanding of my abilities, it would be too much of a risk for her to recklessly start a fight.

Realizing this, Cha Hyeon-joo’s intensity softened slightly as she asked.

“Why not just have a match? Is that so difficult?”

“It’s not that it’s difficult, I just don’t feel like doing it. Coming to ask for favors with such a bad attitude doesn’t help.”

“My attitude has always been like this. You must have heard from Shin Byeong-cheol that I have a bad temper.

It seems she was well aware of that.

There was nothing to say when she admitted to her own bad temper.

Cha Hyeon-joo continued the conversation.

“What should I do then? Should I kneel?”

“I really don’t want to see that; if you’re so eager to challenge me,”

I extended one hand.

“Show some sincerity. A duel fee.”

Cha Hyeon-joo looked down at my hand blankly, then let out a disbelieving scoff.

“A duel fee? Who do you think you are to demand a fee?”

“Did I say something unreasonable? Listen to this.”

I explained everything in detail.

“First, I made yesterday’s match private. I could have sold the replay to earn points, but your mentor asked for privacy as a favor, and I granted it.”

“......”

“If I agree to a rematch, that will be kept private too. Then I can’t sell the replay, so I’ll lose out on points again.”

“......”

“Do I have any reason to avoid other matches and go out of my way to fight you at a loss? If there is, tell me.”

“...Fine, what do you want.”

Cha Hyeon-joo was finally overwhelmed by the barrage of facts and she threw up her hands in defeat.

I paused for a moment and then stated my demand.

“A Rank-Up E. Only an item of that caliber would make this worthwhile.”

“Rank-Up E? Are you joking?”

Cha Hyeon-joo’s face contorted in displeasure.

A [Rank-Up] was an item that raised the rank of a skill or trait immediately upon use, without any effort required.

Even at rank E, it held considerable value.

Her disbelief was evident when I asked for such a valuable item in exchange for a rematch.

However, I responded seriously.

“No. I’m completely serious. If you don’t like it, leave it.”

Right about here...

Sssss!

“...an arrow will fly.”

I swiftly grabbed the crystal and kicked off the ground.

The next moment, a thick beam shattered the altar as it passed through and even punched a large hole in the tree behind it.

100%. It was obviously a decoy.

While I made a fruitless detour after not finding the crystal, Cha Hyeon-joo would have had enough time to retrieve the crystal.

But the altar was still intact when I arrived late? It was highly likely a trap.

Seeing that Cha Hyeon-joo used the crystal as bait to snipe me, it seems she didn’t care about charging it at all.

Her intention was simply to bring me down by any means.

Ssss, ssss, sssss!

Beams continued to be fired one after another.

I dodged left and right and skillfully moved my body before briefly glancing towards the sanctuary.

I’ll charge the crystal later.

First, I needed to deal with that unruly archer.

Setting my course toward the source of the incoming arrows, I kicked off the ground.

Thump! Thump!

The distance between me and Cha Hyeon-joo who had been sniping from afar closed in an instant.

“.......!”

Cha Hyeon-joo appeared a bit startled to see me appear so close.

From our previous encounter, she must have guessed I would run straight to the sanctuary as soon as I grabbed the crystal.

But her surprise was fleeting; she quickly regained her composure and fired arrows with even greater intensity.

Sssss, sssss, sssssss!

Five beams flew one after another.

And they actually drew a curve that was not typical of arrows and targeted various parts of my body.

I pretended to twist my body around urgently and desperately.

Thump!

I kicked the ground forcefully again.

And the next moment, I appeared right behind Cha Hyeon-joo.

“.......!”

She immediately spun around before swinging the arrow in her hand like a dagger to counterattack.

Her reaction time is impressive.

But sadly, she was still only at a first-year level.

If you combine Inferno Fist with Overheat and Thief’s Steps, you get a speed that even the Black Death clan leader or Dang Gyu-young can’t keep up with.

And there is no need to say anything now that the rank of Inferno Fist has risen by an additional level.

So Cha Hyeon-joo was quickly overpowered without even managing a few moves against me.

In that state, the wind gathered and compressed in my hand.

Seemingly anticipating what would happen next, Cha Hyeon-joo’s pupils shook from side to side.

“Now, better buckle up tight.”

“Do-Don’t do it, I’m warning you.”

“Off we go~”

Bang!

“You son of a—”

The compressed air exploded, and Cha Hyeon-joo’s body was swiftly carried off into the forest. Her voice echoed in the forest as she receded.

I watched her body shrink to a speck and slowly walked toward the sanctuary.

[Crystal: 1%]

[Crystal: 3%]

.......

I enjoyed the smooth and uninterrupted charging of the crystal.

For a long while, I aimlessly watched the charging level steadily climb on the scoreboard.

......

[Crystal: 68%]

It seems about time for her to arrive....

Whizz—

Sure enough, a bright streak of flame sliced through the sky with a sharp sonic boom.

The flame shot up rapidly toward the airspace above me,

Boom!

And exploded, showering the area with fireballs like a torrential downpour of embers.

I stood still, without moving, right in the midst of the flame bombardment and thought to myself.

Elemental damage.