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[Chapter 162]

[Belonging Nowhere (6)]

Hoshimiya Kaede proved herself to be different from other rangers by using tactics that broke the mold.

Jin Pa-rang entrusted himself to emotions while maintaining some rationality, sometimes showing cunning tricks.

Mok Min-ho broke the wall in his heart and showed unbreakable conviction.

The commonality between those three people was─.

─They struggled to break free from my shadow.

The three of them had gone through numerous experiences and achieved remarkable growth.

Nevertheless, they were overshadowed by the name Noh Eun-ha.

Above all, they were unable to break out of the category of students.

In other words, the three were merely promising talents with anticipated futures, but not enough to be called players for the clan he would create.

They couldn't pull their own weight.

But in this competition, the three showed Eun-ha, and furthermore the people gathered here, that they could be called players without shame.

Not Noh Eun-ha's friends─.

─This is how my companions should naturally be.

They finally proved to Eun-ha that they were sufficient to become companions.

Those who had only chased after his back until now finally stepped onto a similar level as him.

So Eun-ha thought Choi Eun-hyuk would also show him his growth as a player this time.

But─.

─What on earth is he trying to show me?

Eun-ha's expectations were betrayed.

Eun-ha was greatly disappointed.

Because he couldn't find a satisfactory appearance in Choi Eun-hyuk.

"─How long are you going to just chase after my back?"

"...!!"

Choi Eun-hyuk had grown too.

But that was only growth as Choi Eun-hyuk chasing after himself.

It was nothing more than growth as <Sword Empress>'s disciple.

The sword he wielded didn't seem to contain Choi Eun-hyuk's, his own identity.

"─Don't try to become me. Because I'm not you."

So Eun-ha spoke directly to Choi Eun-hyuk with disappointment.

Fortunately, Choi Eun-hyuk seemed to realize too.

And─.

─Yes, you should show this kind of appearance.

What's the use of just receiving my acknowledgement? Do you plan to stay under me forever?

Choi Eun-hyuk 'realized'.

He who had been chasing only the illusion of himself truly met himself existing in his heart.

Whoosh

The sword was already complete.

The body had long since been tempered.

His own and <Sword Empress> Hwang Jin-hee's teachings had all permeated his body.

All that remained was the will to apply them, that is, the will to wield the sword with his own heart.

Therefore─.

─Sword Spirit Type 2

The moment the final condition was met.

Choi Eun-hyuk stepped into the next realm.

Realization expanded his worldview, helping him make higher dimensional magic his own.

Eun-ha raised the corners of his mouth seeing the four swords including the one in Eun-hyuk's hand.

No, he went even further─.

─Sword Spirit Type 3

He created one more sword.

Four swords floating around Choi Eun-hyuk rushed at Eun-ha.

Crazy Dance

Up to three swords was manageable.

But as the number of swords flying simultaneously increased to four, Eun-ha had no choice but to move his hands busily.

Moreover, with Choi Eun-hyuk joining in, Eun-ha had to face five swords.

Ox Walk

Still, it was bearable.

Smiling even as a blade grazed his cheek, he kicked the ground.

His form smiling at the five incoming swords disappeared.

─Still, you're far off.

Choi Eun-hyuk's back was exposed.

Because he swung all his swords at Eun-ha without missing the opportunity.

He let his guard down.

If he had left even one sword around him, the match could have continued longer than now.

Mana Crusher

Eun-ha was satisfied that Choi Eun-hyuk had at least reached a higher realm than before and tried to end the match.

He aimed for Choi Eun-hyuk's defenseless back.

But the one who let his guard down was not Eun-hyuk but himself.

Sword Spirit Exchange

Eun-ha's eyes widened.

Winter Blooming Coldly sliced through Choi Eun-hyuk like cutting through mist.

No, Choi Eun-hyuk's form disappeared.

What he cut was just one of the flying swords.

He had switched places with himself and a sword spirit.

To think he learned this kind of magic too.

Eun-ha who landed after swinging his sword immediately realized the situation and clicked his tongue.

Eun-ha who attacked Choi Eun-hyuk's back ended up entering the domain of swords floating in the air as a reaction.

And there was Choi Eun-hyuk who moved positions along with the swords surrounding him.

Crescent Moon Slash

This time, the one who exposed his back defenseless was Eun-ha himself.

Eun-ha felt joy seeing Eun-hyuk appear behind him.

Choi Eun-hyuk had grown enough to pull his own weight.

However─.

─Winter Blooming Coldly

He was still far from being able to face himself.

Eun-ha drew Winter Blooming Coldly, the sword he hadn't drawn until now.

Eun-ha hidden by a storm of red petals giggled watching Choi Eun-hyuk caught in the storm.

☆

─You finally realized it.

You finally found the sword for yourself.

Choi Eun-hyuk bloomed.

<Sword Empress> Hwang Jin-hee watching from the closest spectator seat couldn't help the smile forming on her lips.

Sword Spirit Type 3

Until now, Choi Eun-hyuk had been unable to go to the next stage from Sword Spirit Type 1.

It wasn't just that magic.

He hadn't been able to embody high-dimensional magic she taught, including Sword Spirit Exchange.

His body and sword were already made long ago.

The problem was that the will encompassing them was just wandering.

During 3 years spent at the academy.

Choi Eun-hyuk had already learned all of Hwang Jin-hee's teachings.

But he didn't have the will to embody them.

Though the core of magic is realizing will, his will was insufficient to implement the magic he learned in reality.

Of course that was natural.

Eun-hyuk, to implement higher dimensional magic than the realm you're stagnating in, you need to show your own will instead of imitating someone else's will.

Though the result of magic being implemented in reality may be the same.

The emotion, that is will, filling the magic formula for that magic was different for each person.

Therefore, there was no way Choi Eun-hyuk could imitate magic imbued with Hwang Jin-hee's will as is.

He needed to remove her will from the magic formula and newly fill it with Choi Eun-hyuk's own will.

S-rank and A-rank players.

There may be many criteria for distinguishing ranks, but if comparing purely on skill, the standard dividing them is ultimately how much they can imbue their own will into magic.

Imbue your own will into magic. Thus make it completely your own magic.

Academy students received such teachings endlessly from when they first entered until the day they became players.

Nevertheless, though it's easy to say, it was extremely difficult to actually practice.

It wasn't something that could be taught by someone in the first place.

Because every human's identity is influenced directly or indirectly by other people.

So the process of reflecting on one's existence alone was no different from an ascetic practice like finding a path in the midst of chaos.

You have to solve it with your own strength.

─Sword Spirit Exchange

Choi Eun-hyuk accomplished that splendidly.

Hwang Jin-hee was satisfied seeing her disciple's appearance wielding a sword wrapped in mana rising like a heat haze.

Not just her, but some players also noticed Choi Eun-hyuk's change.

"Huh, well... Among Noh Eun-ha squad members, <Sword Empress>'s disciple is the first to make Noh Eun-ha draw his second sword."

"Look at those eyes. The kid now knows what he needs to do! Earlier he was floundering around as if lost, but it seems he found the answer."

"I like how clean the sword is. There's no more hesitation visible at the sword tip."

Evaluation of her disciple Choi Eun-hyuk.

Hwang Jin-hee secretly listened.

While her eyes never left the arena.

Now her gaze turned to Noh Eun-ha.

By the way, he's really amazing.

To think he's already reached a realm at that age that others might not reach even if they devoted their whole lives...

Hwang Jin-hee clicked her tongue.

If Eun-hyuk reached a new realm, his opponent Noh Eun-ha had reached an even higher realm.

Honestly, even she couldn't gauge the realm he had reached.

Just what is that child...

He's someone whose identity can't be known.

2 years ago, Noh Eun-ha's sword she saw around this time was already in a completed state.

She thought there was no room left for growth.

But for some reason, 2 years passed and his sword was even more complete than then.

"It's amazing he reached that at that age, and I just can't shake the thought that he'll progress even further from there."

Hwang Jin-hee muttered softly.

Though his talent doesn't look that good on the outside.

How on earth has he already reached a realm that might not be reached even with lifelong effort?

If that guy had been born 50 years ago, he might have been called a living legend.

It's truly the realm of entering divinity.

Right now, he was in a situation where he almost satisfied the conditions to advance there.

If he realizes something, he will surely be able to embody myth.

But─.

"─That won't happen."

She recited while recalling the sensation of her lifespan gradually decreasing.

The end of players who embodied myth was that they collapsed unable to withstand myth, like herself.

That's why living legends never tried to pass down methods of embodying myth to later generations.

They erased myth itself.

It was a realization of will no longer needed in this world.

Therefore, no matter how much Noh Eun-ha grows, he will never be able to embody myth.

From the beginning─.

─Though little by little, the world is gradually welcoming peace.

As heroes are born in chaotic times, gods are born in calamities.

But how could calamities like in the past come to this world now?

She believed without a doubt.

☆

Winter Blooming Coldly

Petals fill the field of vision.

Strong winds push the body back.

Nevertheless─.

─Reverse Flow

Choi Eun-hyuk stepped forward.

He who could now look back at himself created a new dimension of magic by combining his gift <Critical > and Flow.

Going against the flow.

He found the weakness of the magic and stubbornly moved forward.

And finally─.

─Crescent Moon Slash

He broke through the storm of petals.

He swung his sword towards Eun-ha visible through the scattering petals.

At the same time, the swords circling around him flew at Eun-ha at high speed.

Choi Eun-hyuk focused solely on swinging his own sword without being swept up in the joy of making Eun-ha hold two swords.

But as expected, Noh Eun-ha blocked it.

─Winter Blooming Coldly

Maengoseu in Noh Eun-ha's left hand flashed brightly.

A dragon that absorbed magic rushed at Choi Eun-hyuk.

"...Kuk...!!"

The dragon opens its mouth.

Choi Eun-hyuk gathered all his swords and tried to block the magic.

But in the end he gave up on defense and decided to let the attack pass.

Sword Spirit Exchange

Flow

His judgment was quick.

He sacrificed one of the swords floating around and immediately ran past the dragon.

Madness

Mana formed like needles flying in.

Eun-hyuk didn't panic even with magic flying at him head-on.

He entrusted his body to the flow of magic.

Instead of blocking, he let it flow past.

At the same time, he imbued mana into his sword.

Winter Blooming Coldly

Once again, a storm of petals.

Eun-hyuk who had almost closed the distance with Eun-ha clicked his tongue hard.

Nevertheless, he moved forward.

Intuition was telling him.

That Noh Eun-ha would be waiting for him beyond this storm of petals.

Reverse Flow

He steadied his breathing.

It would surely be the final attack.

He leapt into the storm with both hands tightly gripping his sword.

...Don't be deceived.

The captain isn't there.

In the storm of petals.

Eun-hyuk ignored the detection net telling him Noh Eun-ha was elsewhere.

It was probably a diversion tactic.

He entrusted himself to intuition.

One step forward, then another.

He pushed through the petals.

And finally─.

─Flow

Sword Spirit Type 3

Choi Eun-hyuk found Noh Eun-ha.

Eun-hyuk recreated the swords that had been destroyed blocking the petal storm.

Then he shot four swords at him while rushing in at the same time.

Noh Eun-ha was prepared to meet him right in front.

But Choi Eun-hyuk─.

─Sword Spirit Exchange

Exceeded Noh Eun-ha's expectations.

He switched places with one of the swords that advanced faster than himself.

Choi Eun-hyuk who instantly closed the distance now tried to aim for Eun-ha's opening.

Gift <Critical >

Show me, he thought.

Choi Eun-hyuk put strength in his eyes.

He put all his strength into the gift that shows the opponent's weakness.

Please, show me...!

Blue heat haze rippling around Noh Eun-ha.

He kept trying to find pure white light amidst the blue spectacle.

Please show me, he thought.

He earnestly wished.

But─.

─It's not visible!?

Noh Eun-ha had no weaknesses.

Choi Eun-hyuk was shocked that he couldn't find any light from him.

But he didn't let go of his sword.

He didn't want to give up like this.

Even if weaknesses weren't visible, he would just swing his sword believing in what he had trained until now.

Crescent Moon Slash

Burst Counter

Sword clashed with sword.

Immediately after, a violent explosion occurred.

☆

Choi Eun-hyuk didn't give up until the very end.

So Eun-ha gave him Burst Counter out of respect for that.

Boom boom boom!!

Magic that shook the earth's axis.

Eun-ha didn't hold back his strength because he believed Choi Eun-hyuk could withstand the explosion.

And as if proving that─.

"─Huff huff..."

"Well done. Your skills have improved a lot, haven't they?"

When the explosion cleared.

Choi Eun-hyuk was lying on the arena floor covered in ashes.

He was holding a sword broken in half.

Eun-ha approached him and giggled.

"Captain... I really thought I was going to die."

"I believed you could avoid this much. And you did avoid it, right?"

"Tch..."

Thus the comprehensive division tournament ended.

Eun-ha extended his hand to Eun-hyuk who was breathing heavily.

"Get up now. People are preparing to applaud."

"Ah, okay..."

"Congratulations on second place."

Choi Eun-hyuk took Eun-ha's hand with a dazed expression.

Noh Eun-ha put strength in his hand.

Then he stood up from his seat.

The two naturally took a handshake pose.

At that moment─.

""""──!!""""

The sound of applause.

The sound of people cheering.

Sounds that made hearts pound filled the arena.

Choi Eun-hyuk felt something being filled in his heart as he received their cheers.

And feeling such joy, he turned to look at Eun-ha.

"Captain..."

"Huh?"

"No, Eun-ha, you're really amazing! How much training do you have to do to become this strong?"

With a face like all worries had disappeared.

Choi Eun-hyuk smiled brightly.

Eun-ha paused for a moment seeing him.

Then as if it was nothing, he shrugged and answered.

"Try working hard enough to die."

"I'm already working hard enough to die..."

"Really die. Then you'll be able to do this much too."

"Haha... Anyway, congratulations on winning."

Advice that sounded like a joke but felt like the truth.

Choi Eun-hyuk laughed awkwardly.