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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 31
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—Elimiang's Grace.
When the earring was suddenly put on him, Cheon Seong's primary emotion was bewilderment.
Because Kali had approached him with such little personal space. However, he already had a grasp of how to activate Elimiang's Grace, thanks to his knowledge from the novel.
The original author was such a lore-dumper that it was impossible *not* to know how to use it.
And the moment he recognized it, he understood.
'This is insane.'
Though he let out a groan at the absurd strain placed on his entire body, his astonishment far outweighed that discomfort.
If yesterday's spar with Leonhardt had granted him rapid growth, then 'Elimiang's Grace,' this magical engineering artifact, promised continuous growth.
It was like it was providing a more concrete path for his future progress.
...He could train by applying an extreme load, pushing his body to its limits. And it would unbelievably push his limits forward.
The ability to quickly reach extreme states, which were difficult to achieve through normal training, held immense significance.
He couldn't even begin to guess how much his training efficiency would increase.
"Han Cheon Seong, student."
"Yes, Instructor."
Even at Kali's call, a smile involuntarily formed on his lips.
...Of course, he wouldn't be able to use this magical engineering artifact entirely as he pleased, but if he maintained a good relationship with Kali, couldn't he use it quite often?
As he looked at her, holding that hope, Kali subtly curled the corners of her lips.
"I'm thinking of helping Han Cheon Seong with your training for a while. What do you think? Are you willing to accept?"
"...Instructor Kali, are you saying you'll personally help?"
"Yes. I intend to help you personally."
At Kali's immediate reply, he found himself staring blankly at her for a moment.
They say good things happen all at once, and that's exactly how it felt right then.
He had wondered how much he'd be able to use this earring today, but if Kali was personally helping him train, time wasn't the crucial factor.
An overwhelming amount of experience, incalculable in value, seemed to shimmer before his eyes.
"For me... if the Instructor would dedicate her time to me, it would be nothing short of boundless honor."
He expressed his gratitude, admitting even to himself that his reply was overly effusive.
His heart truly felt that grateful towards Kali.
"That's enough. No need to flatter me so much. I'm merely curious about Han Cheon Seong's abilities. Rather than dedicating my time, it's more that I *want* to spend my time that way."
While thinking how gracefully she spoke every word, his gaze slowly drifted to the interior of the room.
Though it was Kali's personal training room, its size was far from small.
There looked to be enough space for four or five people to train comfortably at once. As expected of an instructor with a moniker like 'Crimson Dawn.'
The support she received from the academy and the empire felt immense.
"Since I said I'd help you personally, it should be quite beneficial for Han Cheon Seong, shouldn't it?"
"...Ah, yes."
Then Kali said something peculiar, and he wondered what she meant.
"I heard all about your spar with Student Leonhardt yesterday. And it was a duel between sword and spear, wasn't it? So, I think it would be more helpful to re-enact that scenario right now."
As she said that and casually picked up a sword lying nearby, he instinctively swallowed.
'...This spar.'
It seemed it wouldn't be ordinary.
Nevertheless, he immediately nodded.
"I'd be grateful if you did."
"Hmph... It's good to see you still have confidence. Well then, Han Cheon Seong, let's not waste any time and get ready immediately."
Click.
With that, Kali took a light step, and he unslung the spear from his back, following her.
Swish.
The familiar chill of iron flowed from the spear he gripped, tracing along his hand.
And as he settled into his stance on the ground, which felt firmer than other areas, Kali naturally stopped across from him.
She held a longsword in one hand, lightly flexing her wrist, and an indescribable sense of ease radiated from her.
"You can make the first move, like in a spar, or attack in any other way you like. Come at me with everything you've got; you don't need to hold back in the slightest on my account. Han Cheon Seong, you understand what I mean, don't you?"
"Yes, I understand."
A small chuckle escaped him even as he replied immediately.
She was telling him not to worry about her, but he'd intended to do just that from the start.
—Kali Ishtar.
Who was she, after all?
Whether he gave his all or not wasn't even a question when facing her.
She was a name among names in this world. A moniker like 'Crimson Dawn' was bestowed upon barely twenty individuals in the entire empire. In short, she was one of the strongest beings in this world.
It was said that the monsters who had lost their lives to her hand were countless.
There was absolutely no need for him to hesitate in unleashing his full power.
"..."
As he calmly regulated his breathing, he lightly rotated the spear held in both hands, loosening his waist.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The spear continuously spun around him in circles, enveloping his body. It was a sort of stretch, loosening unused muscles, yet he slowly grew tense.
It had barely been a day since he properly wielded a spear, yet holding it brought him an inexplicable sense of comfort.
And at that moment.
He pushed off the ground swiftly.
—!
As he lightly pushed off the ground, he instantly accelerated sharply.
Prelude.
He couldn't unleash his full power from the start; a warm-up was necessary.
He would gradually absorb the heat of the spar into his body, building it up. It was right to unleash his full power only when he had fully embraced that heat.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!!
The trajectory of the spear, thrust forth by his extended hand, was definitely less heated than yesterday.
There was none of the fierce intensity from his struggle with Leonhardt.
Naturally, the spear tip couldn't display the same sharpness it had then.
Just as his spear and Kali's sword tip were about to meet, Kali's sword suddenly bent at a strange angle.
A sudden upward sweeping motion, as if striking from below. The sword tip was aimed precisely at the spear tip.
The moment he thought they would clash.
...!
Screech!
At a tearing sound, completely unlike anything before, he instinctively released his strength and hastily pulled back.
Thrum…!
The force he hadn't managed to dissipate traveled along the spear shaft, striking his entire body with intense power.
"Ugh."
His vision blurred for a moment, and he couldn't move.
In his blurred vision, he saw Kali casually retrieving her sword.
"You're certainly sharp. Your senses are keen."
Despite her gentle tone, he felt a profound chill run down his spine.
'She's on a different... level.'
It was commonly said that an instructor's level couldn't be compared to a student's. No, it was even said that making such a comparison was laughable.
That was common knowledge in this world.
Yet, the feeling he got from facing Kali now was as if even that common knowledge was being shattered.
Kali wasn't even exerting the same pressure she did when looking at him in the classroom. Furthermore, Kali wasn't even properly manifesting her unique ability.
Yet, this was the situation.
Not only could his spear not reach her, but she instantly read the trajectory of his spear and sharply thrust, cutting off the flow itself.
By grazing the spear tip... striking the shaft with her sword instead of the tip.
She instantly nullified his attack, completely breaking the spear's continuous flow.
...She was so far above him that comparing her to Leonhardt, the protagonist, felt laughable.
"Indeed, the spear is powerful. From its range, to its attack speed, to the concentrated force at a single point... Many people underestimate spear techniques, but I don't think that way."
"...Is that so?"
"Yes. That's why I believe Han Cheon Seong's potential for growth is boundless. And right now, you're putting a burden on yourself with Elimiang's Grace, aren't you?"
At her question, posed as if she knew everything, he faltered for a moment.
His breathing was abnormally ragged.
It was true that controlling his breath with each attack was extremely difficult, making his attacks less sharp than yesterday.
And without time to even think, he opened his mouth.
"I apologize, Instructor. If you thought I was being presumptuous—"
"No. Presumptuous? You're trying to train by putting such a burden on yourself, even while facing me, aren't you? I think that mindset is commendable."
As Kali gently shook her head and spoke, he let out a short breath and immediately removed the burden placed on himself.
His breathing became much easier, and his body found a new level of naturalness.
And beyond that, he decided to give himself more leeway. To maximize the power granted by Elimiang's earring.
Thinking about it, he had been incredibly short-sighted.
To impose a handicap upon himself and spar against Kali, of all people, when even giving his absolute all would barely be enough – how foolish was that?
It was a sheer miracle that Kali hadn't looked at him with a stern expression.
"It seems you've deactivated it on your own, without me having to say anything."
"Yes. I've switched its effect to assist me instead."
At his words, Kali slowly smiled and nodded.
"Then, from now on, I'll be using my unique ability. Shall I tell you about it beforehand? I'm curious if Han Cheon Seong will be able to cope even a little."
"I've encountered information about Instructor Kali's unique ability through various channels... so I have some knowledge of it. You don't need to explain it."
"Oh? That's surprising. Han Cheon Seong, have you always been so interested in me?"
Kali asked playfully, with a subtle undertone... but he couldn't laugh at her teasing voice.
She had just declared she would use her unique ability.
That meant hell itself was about to open up before him.
How could he possibly laugh?
Her unique ability had reached an astonishing Level 9.
The ability's name was 'Vibration'.
It belonged to the psychokinetic family and was considered a 'supernatural' unique ability, not restricted by any weapon.
And the precursor of that unique ability slowly began to appear before his eyes.
Vwoooom—!
The sword Kali was holding was slowly vibrating.
Gulp.
Even as he swallowed, he instantly calmed his mind.
He instilled an absolute sense of crisis within himself.
His current mindset was completely different from his spar with Leonhardt.
The mana emanating from his entire body already enveloped the spear shaft, and a faint amount of mana was also manifesting in his arms and legs.
Even so, he couldn't let his guard down in the slightest.
'The moment my spear meets that sword...'
I'll probably die.
He had to approach this spar with the mentality that he would die.