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[Chapter 161]
[Those Who Oppose Noh Eun-ha (5)]
Day 3 of the comprehensive division tournament main event.
People who watched the morning matches were slowly returning to their seats to watch the afternoon matches.
Though they might be tired after 3 days of non-stop competition.
Nevertheless, people's eyes were still sparkling.
This year's competition had quite a lot to see, and as the finals approached, those with formidable skills came up and showed amazing performances that drew admiration.
"Is Noh Eun-ha's match last?"
"Damn it, why do they put <Quick-witted >'s match at the end?"
"It can't be helped. Actually, if you just watch that, you've seen the whole competition. So the academy probably put <Quick-witted >'s turn at the end."
"Who's the opponent for the afternoon match?"
"Mok Min-ho. Last year's champion."
"Today should be quite interesting."
"Was it only interesting today? Yesterday and the day before were interesting too."
The afternoon matches began.
While enthusiastically cheering for the students coming up on stage, people discussed the competitors for the last match tonight.
As <Quick-witted > Noh Eun-ha's name was now well known even to the general public.
Mok Min-ho's name was also surprisingly well known.
And soon after─.
"─Huh, that guy is quite handsome."
"He looks just like a young master from a rich family."
The curtain rose on the last match of day 3.
People focused on Mok Min-ho and Noh Eun-ha who came up on stage.
The cheers for the two only lasted for a moment.
""""..."""""
They closed their mouths along with the two waiting for the match to start.
They were overwhelmed by the atmosphere as if the two were competing in spirit.
At the same time, in their hearts they were looking forward to seeing what kind of performance Noh Eun-ha's opponent would show in this match.
Day 1 and Day 2.
The opponents who faced Noh Eun-ha each showed surprising skills as they faced him.
Hoshimiya Kaede showed her skills as a ranger proficient in both long and short range along with the divine skill of avoiding Eun-ha's attacks with her eyes closed.
Jin Pa-rang attacked passionately, even pushing Eun-ha to the point of using an artifact.
Then what about─.
─What kind of performance will he show?
What kind of performance would Mok Min-ho show while facing Noh Eun-ha?
As everyone held expectations, the match began.
To this, Noh Eun-ha─.
""""─He's using a different sword?""""
People who were focusing on Mok Min-ho soon couldn't hide their puzzlement seeing the sword Eun-ha drew from its scabbard.
Until now, Noh Eun-ha had used the sword worn on his left side.
But this time he took out Maengoseu, the sword worn on his right side with a hilt and blade shaped like the character for mountain (山).
""""Noh Eun-ha took out a different sword.""""
Though people didn't notice.
Soon after, scouts whispered and their questions spread.
To this, people fell into contemplation about why Noh Eun-ha had taken out Maengoseu.
"What's the meaning of that sword?"
"Does it mean Mok Min-ho is a completely different opponent from the kids he met before?"
"Maybe it means <Quick-witted > acknowledges that student's skills."
"Or it could be the opposite."
People tilted their heads while giving various opinions.
Meanwhile, the two clashed swords.
☆
Even if Mok Min-ho hadn't said so.
Eun-ha was going to give Mok Min-ho the authority to lead a sub-party in the party, or perhaps clan, he would create.
Because Mok Min-ho was suitable as someone capable of fighting, responsible, cool-headed, and with leadership.
But Mok Min-ho declared he would prove with his skills that he had the qualifications for that.
It is different being appointed by me versus achieving it himself.
Eun-ha had no reason to refuse.
He had to confirm his growth anyway, and if he fell short of expectations, he could just find another suitable person.
That's why Eun-ha was rather glad that he proposed to directly evaluate his skills.
""..."
Thus the match began.
The two just kept staring at each other while gripping their swords.
The standoff lengthened.
Is he telling me to move first?
Eun-ha smiled slightly.
Until now, the people who had sparred with him all took the initiative as if they had to.
So Eun-ha had been responding to his opponents' attacks with the mindset of facing challengers until now.
But Min-ho was saying with his tightly closed mouth.
Noh Eun-ha, you come first.
─Alright, fine.
I don't know what you're thinking, but I'll go along with it.
Eun-ha readily agreed.
He stepped on the ground.
Thousand Steps
With the intention of seeing how he would deal with the first move.
Eun-ha rushed in recklessly.
Only then did Mok Min-ho show movement.
He narrowed his stance and focused on Eun-ha's sword.
Mana Crusher
Mana Crusher
The two swords clashed with a metallic sound while imbued with mana.
There was no standoff.
Min-ho who stepped back one step quickly cut off the flow of sword clashing with sword, and struck down Eun-ha's sword in one breath.
Crazy Dance
Mok Min-ho's actions are passive.
Eun-ha who grasped his movements from the first exchange twitched his lips and immediately continued to the next attack.
No matter what strategy Mok Min-ho had come into the match with.
Unfortunately, Eun-ha had no intention of obediently going along with his thoughts.
It's not all about strategy.
You need to know how to make me fall for your strategy too.
I won't easily fall for it.
Eun-ha launched continuous attacks on Min-ho as if conveying such a mindset.
Nevertheless, Mok Min-ho only frowned for a moment, and focused on deflecting the incoming sword.
Then Eun-ha realized.
...What's this? Why do I feel like I'm being led?
A match that seemed like they were matching rhythms.
Eun-ha noticed he was being guided by Mok Min-ho after exchanging blows a few times.
He was just swinging his sword moment by moment.
But to Mok Min-ho, each sword swing seemed calculated.
Is this trying to guide me?
Though he didn't know what Mok Min-ho's goal was.
Eun-ha who had fallen for his methods without realizing sneered.
Then Eun-ha rushed in head-on.
Ox Walk
As if breaking Mok Min-ho's expectations.
Eun-ha disappeared from in front of his eyes.
Eun-ha who instantly moved behind him swung his sword.
Was about to swing.
─Blade Hoop
Even though he must have realized Eun-ha had appeared behind him.
Mok Min-ho swung down the sword he was holding high to the ground.
Instantly, mana spread out like ripples centered on Mok Min-ho.
Eun-ha realized then.
Even his using Ox Walk to move behind Mok Min-ho was all within his expectations.
His style has changed.
Was he this defensive before?
Sword strike clashed with sword strike.
Eun-ha no longer advanced forward and retreated.
Then he chuckled while watching Min-ho turn around.
It seemed the battle would be prolonged.
☆
Though it was probably the same for all his friends.
To Mok Min-ho, Noh Eun-ha's existence was a huge wall.
You are always ahead of me.
To his friends, Noh Eun-ha was a milestone, and the path they should advance on.
So their expectations were high, and unlike other students, they who felt Eun-ha's skills up close always tried to train themselves while enduring bone-breaking pain.
Each time, the wall called Noh Eun-ha approached so high and large.
'Teach me that too.'
'Mana Crusher?'
Noh Eun-ha was heaven beyond heaven.
In the end, Mok Min-ho had to acknowledge it.
And Min-ho swallowed his pride and asked Eun-ha for teachings.
By receiving teachings from Noh Eun-ha, he could feel how different a position Noh Eun-ha stood in compared to himself.
At the same time─.
'─Why bother trying when you'll never beat Eun-ha no matter how hard you try?'
'I wanted to become one of the Twelve Zodiac. But coming here and seeing Noh Eun-ha... I realized what a foolish dream I had.'
'You guys are really amazing. Don't you get discouraged being with him? At first I envied you, but thinking about it, you guys seem pitiful too.'
'We in the same year as Noh Eun-ha will be compared to Noh Eun-ha our whole lives. But won't you guys be compared even more since you're next to Eun-ha?'
'It must be tough. You guys are receiving expectations from people around you too.'
Mok Min-ho was also discouraged.
No matter how much he grew, he would live his whole life being compared to Noh Eun-ha.
Students who were afraid of Noh Eun-ha at first, then finally concluded that Noh Eun-ha was an existence they could never reach, and resolved never to defy Noh Eun-ha again.
Unlike students far from Eun-ha.
Mok Min-ho realized such feelings of discouragement the fastest.
Not just him, but all his friends were like that.
Though none of them said it, they were all thinking it inside.
Yeah, that's right.
Being next to you Noh Eun-ha, we become nothing.
Classmates with the unfortunate fate of having to be compared to Noh Eun-ha their whole lives.
Especially the Noh Eun-ha squad who received expectations while also receiving disappointment.
The existence called the Noh Eun-ha squad was actually not a revered class, but a burdensome class.
Nevertheless─.
─Think we'll give up like this?
Mok Min-ho and his friends did not despair until the end.
They whipped themselves and tried to receive Noh Eun-ha's acknowledgement, and also tried to get closer to him.
In a way, the difference between people close to Eun-ha and those acknowledged as the Noh Eun-ha squad may have been whether they were discouraged by the wall called Noh Eun-ha or not.
Vertical Spark
Mok Min-ho gritted his teeth.
He had experienced discouragement many times.
There were many times he wanted to just give up.
But he didn't want to retreat here and be reduced to Noh Eun-ha's supporting role.
That's why he and his friends decided to oppose Noh Eun-ha.
"...Kuk...!"
Third failure.
Mok Min-ho was not disappointed.
He exerted force on his body that was about to fly backwards to stay stuck to the ground.
Then he cast magic again.
Vertical Spark
This was a place to prove his resolve.
Whether to be devoured by Noh Eun-ha like this, or reveal his identity as 'me'.
It was a place with many meanings.
Mok Min-ho gripped his sword.
Winter Blooming Coldly
Yes, come.
Mok Min-ho put strength in his eyes.
The dragon that left Noh Eun-ha's sword was flying towards him again with its mouth open.
Kuooooo!!
The wall called Noh Eun-ha roars.
That wall was so high and sturdy.
It stood in the path he was advancing on, seeming like it wouldn't break no matter how much he pounded on it.
Submit like this.
Or advance.
Mok Min-ho had to decide.
Iron....
Mok Min-ho imbued mana into his sword.
It was the last remaining mana.
Surely, there would be no next time.
No.
This magic can't cut it.
The dragon is closing the distance.
Mok Min-ho shook his head.
He unraveled the magic formula.
Magic was something with 'wishes' contained in it.
The source of the magic called Iron Crusher was also based on some 'wish'.
It was magic originating from the wish to defeat the subordinates of the 4th rank monster Gakgunbong.
In other words, there was a limit to the 'heart' that could be contained.
Can you defeat Noh Eun-ha with a wish to defeat mere subordinates of Gakgunbong?
If you truly want to show your resolve to break Noh Eun-ha's sword─.
─I need to put it in a new frame.
Gather the unraveled magic formula.
There is no form to the magic formula.
Stuff resolve into the unsystematic and crude magic formula.
The resolve to break the wall called Noh Eun-ha.
Create magic while relying solely on emotions full of conviction.
Kuooooo!!
Three steps left.
Embody the conviction.
"...!!"
Two steps left.
Temper the sword with embodied conviction.
Kuooooo!!
One step left.
Release the conviction imbued in the blade.
─The Wall Breaker
This is magic to break one's own world and go out into a bigger world.
Mok Min-ho released all his resolve.
Boom boom boom boom boom!!
Crude magic formula.
The form of the magic was uneven.
But the silver flash became a sharp spear and flew.
Clash of spear and dragon.
The dragon tries to devour the spear.
But only for a moment─.
─Kiiiiiiiik!!
The silver spear did not break.
Finally, it tore the dragon's mouth.
☆
The match was as good as decided.
Eun-ha who had been caught up in Mok Min-ho's flow gradually found his own pace.
Afterwards, Mok Min-ho was helplessly overwhelmed by Noh Eun-ha's magic.
Winter Blooming Coldly
As if testing patience.
People had to watch Mok Min-ho being devoured by the dragon continuously.
Nevertheless, they did not try to leave their seats.
""""..."""""
Noh Eun-ha trying to teach something.
Mok Min-ho trying to overcome something.
It was a battle of will against will.
They unknowingly clenched their fists.
Without realizing, they stomped on the ground, and sometimes cheered for Min-ho who fell to the ground.
And─.
─The Wall Breaker
Fall seven times, stand up eight.
Mok Min-ho who got up no matter how many times he fell squeezed out his last remaining mana and swung down his sword.
At that moment, a deafening sound filled the hall and a silver flash exploded.
Magic that looked like a huge spear.
Sharp beams of light collided with the dragon, and finally tore its mouth.
Kuooo...ooo....
The dragon cried mournfully.
Soon the dragon with its mouth torn vertically disappeared into fragments of mana.
""""...!!!!""""
People felt indescribable excitement seeing that sight.
They all stood up from their seats and shouted cheers.
Though Mok Min-ho collapsed from using up all his internal mana.
This was clearly no different from Mok Min-ho's victory.
They believed so without a doubt.
People shouted loudly not Noh Eun-ha's name, but the name of Mok Min-ho who had lost consciousness.
☆
""""Mok Min-ho! Mok Min-ho! Mok Min...!!""""
The arena was filled with cheers.
People are shouting Mok Min-ho's name.
"Geez..."
Eun-ha smiled bitterly.
Mok Min-ho's last magic.
Then Eun-ha saw his resolve
He had proven his skills.
So Eun-ha felt indescribable emotions, but─.
"─How can you collapse like this? Everyone is calling your name instead of mine, this won't do."
Mok Min-ho, who had used up all his internal mana, happened to lose consciousness and collapse.
So Eun-ha had won, but it was an unsatisfying victory that was hard to call a win.
Nevertheless, he felt good.
"─Well done."
While praising Mok Min-ho.
Eun-ha soon picked up Mok Min-ho who had collapsed on the ground.
"But you're still far off. You may have broken my magic, but my sword is still intact."
People shouting Mok Min-ho's name.
Eun-ha waved to them on Mok Min-ho's behalf.
Self-deprecatingly thinking he didn't expect people who came to see him would chant someone else's name instead.
Somehow Eun-ha had ended up playing second fiddle to Mok Min-ho.