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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Leopard and Water Buffalo - 2
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Lee Hyun-wook looked back on his past life dozens of times a day.
Each time, he felt only one emotion: regret.
'This life, I have to become a true genius.'
In other words, he had been called a 'genius' in his past life as well.
'Though I was nothing more than a failed genius…'
He loosened his shoulders and dredged up a man's voice from the memories of his past life.
'Lee Hyun-wook! You pathetic fool, have you no shame? With that insane talent of yours, just how many years have you wasted until now?'
The voice that berated him so belonged to the man who would later be called the 'Sword Saint,'
Choi Young-jun, currently a Sergeant.
'Have you ever stopped to think how many lives you could have saved if you'd just gotten your act together?'
His voice was a rebuke, but the meaning behind it was a considerable compliment.
'Lee Hyun-wook, to be honest… you're much better than me. I mean it.'
Better than the Sword Saint… at the time, Lee Hyun-wook hadn't believed it. He thought it was just exaggerated encouragement.
But Choi Young-jun's expression had always been serious.
'So, get your act together, even if it's late, and do everything you can… and protect us. Somehow. You have the talent for it.'
An innate sense specialized for combat. The Sword Saint Choi Young-jun called that talent the 'warrior's heart.'
A primal genius that doesn't easily reveal itself in the current era, where one doesn't need to take another's life to protect oneself and one's family… he said something like that was latent in Lee Hyun-wook's DNA.
'I think he was probably right…'
But even if you have something like that, it's useless if you don't use it properly. This Lee Hyun-wook had let that talent rot for quite a long time under the stigma of being an F-rank,
and he had failed miserably.
'But not this life.'
He once again pulled out the past as regret and mulled it over.
A collapsing city, fallen comrades, a powerless end…
'I will grow in every aspect and make sure something like that never happens again.'
*Beep-*
As the signal sounded, indicating one minute until the start of the duel, Lee Hyun-wook raised his head and faced his opponent.
"Heh heh, Corporal Lee Hyun-wook? Are you really going to be okay?"
A muscular giant stood holding a plastic training greatsword.
The Barbarian, Lee Won-seok. He had already placed his right foot forward, his center of gravity shifted significantly to his upper body.
'That stance… it means he's going to charge.'
It was the ready stance of a predator stalking its prey.
However, he had chosen his target poorly. Very poorly.
Lee Hyun-wook was also a predator.
And a seasoned one at that.
'His elbow is raised, and his shoulder is tense. A big slash will come at the same time he charges.'
His innate sense and considerable combat experience pinpointed the enemy's intention.
Whether he knew it or not, Lee Won-seok was smirking as he swung the training sword in his right hand back and forth.
In contrast, Lee Hyun-wook was empty-handed.
According to the rules of duel training, only plastic training weapons could be used, and there wasn't a suitable weapon for Lee Hyun-wook, so he had simply entered the combat box bare-handed.
"I didn't really intend for this, but we've drawn quite a crowd. Hahaha…"
Even though Lee Hyun-wook didn't reply, Lee Won-seok chattered on by himself.
When Lee Hyun-wook looked around, he saw that, just as Lee Won-seok had said, quite a few spectators had gathered.
Not only soldiers from his own company but also plenty from the adjacent one had gathered, looking to be at least thirty men.
They were gathered in small groups, betting on how many minutes it would take for the Private First Class to beat the Corporal to a pulp.
'"Didn't intend for this," my ass…'
Contrary to the man's words, this situation was very much intentional. It seemed they had plotted to humiliate Lee Hyun-wook and spread rumors far and wide to gather spectators.
After all, in the tediousness of military life, a duel like this was a special spectacle.
Especially a showdown between a promising junior and an incompetent senior—it was quite an interesting issue.
"Still, I'll try to go easy on you. It would be too pathetic to get beaten up badly by your junior, wouldn't it?"
*Beep- Beep- Beep-*
The signal now blared urgently. Lee Won-seok smiled thinly. His face was full of confidence.
*Ding!*
The bell announcing the start of the duel rang, and the magical barrier blocking the center disappeared.
Lee Hyun-wook relaxed his body, subtly pulling his right foot back, and,
"Waaaargh!"
Lee Won-seok charged forward ferociously, like a brown bear.
'As expected.'
It was just as he had predicted.
Without making any particular move, Lee Hyun-wook simply extended his right hand forward slightly and sensed the 'small piece of metal.'
And he pulled it in the opposite direction of the man's movement.
And then…
"...Ugh?"
The man charging straight ahead flinched for a moment.
It was because he felt a resistance as if someone had grabbed and pulled on his trouser leg.
"Ugh! Wha-what the!"
The metal zipper on his combat boot. Lee Hyun-wook had only applied 2,558g of force to that small point, but even with the same weight, the effect varies drastically depending on where the force is concentrated.
'I might not be able to push him back or stop him, but I can throw him off balance.'
And in a fight, a loss of balance meant a fatal 'opening' had appeared. Lee Hyun-wook pushed off the metal floor of the arena, using the rebound to surge forward.
*Crack!*
His left fist, a quick jab, struck Lee Won-seok squarely in the face, snapping his head back violently.
"Keuk! You son of a bitch!"
The man spat a curse and swung his training greatsword in a wide vertical arc.
*Whoosh!*
It was a rather unrefined strike, and one with far too much power behind it.
Lee Hyun-wook ducked, easily avoiding it.
'Just as I thought, he's the type to rely on strength alone. I just need to watch out for one unpredictable move.'
*Whoosh- Whoosh-*
The attacks Lee Won-seok unleashed only cut through empty air. And that kind of reckless movement inevitably exposed openings. Lee Hyun-wook waited for that timing.
'Now.'
The moment the wide-arcing attack missed, he ducked his head and dove toward the man's lower body.
"...Huh?"
He grabbed the man's left leg with both hands and pulled, using his 'Metal Control' to push the metal zipper on the right combat boot outward. His balance crumbled once again…
"Ugh!"
Both of his tree-trunk-thick legs were lifted into the air at the same time.
*Thud!*
With a heavy sound, the massive body fell backward.
It was a perfectly timed single leg takedown.
But Lee Hyun-wook didn't bother to get on top of him; instead, he quickly backed away to create distance. If he got caught by that giant, he might not be able to move an inch.
But even that alone was enough to make cheers mixed with astonishment erupt from all sides.
"Whoa!"
"Huh? N-No way!"
"What was that? How did he do that?"
It was a scene no one had anticipated.
"Keuk, you bastard… I think the floor of this combat box is too slippery."
Lee Won-seok shouted as if to make sure everyone heard, then sprang to his feet. A single fall hadn't done any damage to him.
However, his face was beginning to flush red.
'Shit, to get taken down like this by a mere F-rank…'
A sense of humiliation welled up from taking a hit from an opponent he thought he would easily defeat. In other words, it was anger. He panted, readjusting his grip on the training greatsword.
"Hmph, I was going to go easy on you since you're my senior, but…"
A vein popped on his forehead.
*Crrunch-*
And the training greatsword he was holding buckled. It was the Barbarian's unique 'Body Enhancement' skill.
"…now you've pissed me off. I'm going to have to half-kill you."
An even more ferocious assault began.
***
Lee Hyun-wook's attack had landed at the start of the fight, but after that, Lee Won-seok had the upper hand.
*Whoosh! Whoosh!*
"Whoa, whoa, if even one of those lands properly, he's out."
"He's dodging well, but he's no match for him…"
With the mood reversed, smiles returned to the faces of Oh Sang-guk and Gwak Jin-cheol.
"See? What did I tell you?"
"Right, phew… I guess I was worried for nothing."
When the takedown followed the facial strike, Gwak Jin-cheol had let out an involuntary yelp.
He'd wondered if it was possible, and seeing Lee Hyun-wook land an effective attack right before his eyes was certainly surprising.
But it seemed that was as far as it would go.
"The way I see it, this will be over in a minute. One hit and he's out cold."
Oh Sang-guk predicted smugly, crossing his arms.
It was then that someone approached them from behind.
"Hey, Oh Sang-guk."
"...Huh? Salutations! Good work, sir."
It was Master Sergeant Kang Seong-chun, the duty officer for the day. And beside him was a middle-aged man with the rank of 'Warrant Officer' dressed in a black combat uniform…
"Gasp! Look over there!"
For some reason, the gazes of the soldiers watching the duel training began to turn toward them one by one. Then, they started murmuring as if they had spotted a celebrity.
"Isn't that the Black Tiger Unit's insignia?"
"Huh? It is! It's the Black Tiger Unit!"
The black tiger-shaped unit insignia attached to the Warrant Officer's combat uniform; everyone was reacting to it.
Black Tiger. The name signified the most elite special forces unit under the A.M.T.
"Oh Sang-guk, what's with the crowd?"
"Ah… it's duel training, sir. Won-seok is in there, so I guess it's drawn quite a bit of interest."
Oh Sang-guk answered Master Sergeant Kang Seong-chun's question with a sour look. He had ordered Lee Won-seok to beat him to a pulp, but with an officer present, he wouldn't be able to push it that far.
However…
"Oh! Won-seok is? Perfect!"
For some reason, Kang Seong-chun looked somewhat excited.
"Sir, that big guy over there is the Barbarian I was telling you about. The one who tore a goblin apart on his first mission. He's not on Sergeant Choi Young-jun's level, but he's a promising prospect."
"Hmm, is that so?"
"Yes, sir. Just watch. I'm sure you'll find him interesting."
Warrant Officer Cheon Myeong-ho of the Black Tiger Unit crossed his arms, looking intrigued.
*Whoosh! Whoosh!*
The situation was still a one-sided assault by Lee Won-seok. His opponent was busy just trying to dodge his powerful attacks.
"The kid's got some serious power! What do you think, sir? Looks like quite the catch, doesn't he?"
"Hmm… the Barbarian used the 'Brawl' skill."
"Looks like he's about to tear the air itself apart, doesn't it?"
"...What good is it if he only tears the air?"
"That guy, even if his batting average is low, he's a home run hitter. He'll hit a grand slam soon enough."
Kang Seong-chun chattered excitedly, and Cheon Myeong-ho's lips curled into a slight smile. He gave a rather meaningful smirk and placed a hand on Kang Seong-chun's shoulder. Then he shook his head and sighed.
"Ha, Seong-chun…"
"Yes, sir? What is it?"
"This is why you're still a C-rank."
"...Sir?"
At the sudden remark, Kang Seong-chun's eyes widened.
"Sir, why are you rebuking me all of a sudden?"
"Take a look. That big guy is about to get his ass handed to him."
"No, what do you mean by…"
Kang Seong-chun wasn't the only one surprised by those words. Oh Sang-guk and Gwak Jin-cheol, standing beside him, instinctively turned their heads. No matter if he was an officer from the Black Tiger Unit, his judgment was utterly incomprehensible.
"Excuse me, sir, but… Private First Class Lee Won-seok's opponent is an F-rank Player."
Oh Sang-guk was so flustered that he blurted it out before he could stop himself.
He worried he might have been rude, but the Warrant Officer simply watched the duel with a benevolent expression, answering without even looking at Oh Sang-guk.
"Don't look at the superficial display of power, but at the overall movement. The flow of the battle."
The flow of the battle… in truth, the three of them didn't even know what that word meant.
In any case, they observed the situation again. Lee Won-seok was still pressing forward aggressively, and Lee Hyun-wook was busy dodging bare-handed.
Nothing seemed to have changed at all.
"Where on earth…"
As the three men wore puzzled expressions, the Warrant Officer let out a soft chuckle.
"To put it simply, they're in completely different leagues."
"Yes, they are. One's an F-rank and the other is a D-rank who might soon become a C-rank."
"No, not that kind of rank."
"Then what kind of league do you mean?"
Cheon Myeong-ho's eyes were now scanning the F-rank soldier, Lee Hyun-wook. As if he found it very amusing.
"The league of talent."
*THWACK!*
At the heavy sound, everyone turned their heads.
Lee Won-seok, who had at some point thrown away his training sword and clenched his fists, had swung his right hand, and Lee Hyun-wook had blocked it with a guard.
But the force was so immense that even though he blocked it, his body seemed to lift off the ground for a moment.
"Whoa!"
"Damn, what is that power?"
Exclamations of awe erupted from all around.
"Sir, look at that. Even if he dodges well, if he gets hit by one or two of those by chance, he's done for."
"Seong-chun, open your eyes and look again. If a home run hitter can't hit a home run, he eventually strikes out."
"Hmm…"
*CRACK!*
This time, an even louder sound echoed.
"...Huh?"
This time, it was the F-rank Corporal's attack. An 'outside leg kick' he threw while circling to the right had landed.
The next moment, the Barbarian's leg wobbled.
"What… was that just a kick? The sound was like…"
"For a second, I thought the wall of the arena shattered."
If even the onlookers felt such a sense of dissonance, the one who was hit directly…
"Keuk, sh-shit! Wh-what was that?"
…felt a sense of fear.
'Why does a simple kick hurt so much?'
Lee Won-seok unconsciously took a step back.
The moment the leg kick, which flew in like a whip from the right, landed, all the strength drained from his leg. It felt as if it had been carved out by a blade, blood gushing out.
'This is an F-rank's attack?'
As he failed to hide his confusion, Lee Hyun-wook stepped in again. Lee Won-seok, flustered, faltered.
But even that, in Lee Hyun-wook's eyes, was an 'opening.'
'He's open again. He doesn't know how to defend against kicks.'
Lee Hyun-wook aimed for the same spot once more.
*CRA-ACK!*
"Agh!"
Finally, a raw scream burst out.
Lee Won-seok reflexively swung both his fists, *whoosh*, *whoosh*, but Lee Hyun-wook retreated and dodged them lightly.
'As expected, his movements are too predictable.'
Moreover, now that his leg had taken effective damage, his movements had become much duller.
- Mana (25/30)
Meanwhile, Lee Hyun-wook's 'Mana' was decreasing. In other words, he was using a skill.
'An attack using Rigid Body. It's impossible to withstand it with a bare body.'
He had imbued his right leg with the Rigid Body skill he had just acquired and thrown the leg kick.
'It must hurt like being hit with a block of iron.'
Lee Hyun-wook smiled as he looked into Lee Won-seok's eyes.
At first, they had held the spirit of a fierce beast, but that had soon changed to the madness of an enraged ape.
But now, it was as if…
'He has the eyes of a frightened deer.'
*Step- Step-*
Now, Lee Hyun-wook walked straight forward, without even bothering with footwork.
And yet…
"Uh, ugh…"
Lee Won-seok, the massive Barbarian, could only limp backward.
"…"
The training ground fell silent at the unexpected turn of events.
Amidst the silence, only the voice of the Black Tiger Unit's Warrant Officer echoed softly.
"If a leopard tried to fight a water buffalo with strength alone, it would obviously be crushed…"
He smiled, raising his index finger to point at Lee Hyun-wook.
"…but in the end, the leopard devours the water buffalo. The difference in strength doesn't matter in their fight."
In Cheon Myeong-ho's eyes, he saw a single leopard, suppressing its age and setting out on a hunt.