EP.36
The Day of the Final Battle was drawing near.
The training ground, typically reserved for just Jin and Altina, was now filled with people.
This was because today marked the duel assessment between Erekaya del Pendragon, perhaps the most famous person in Nineveh, and Altina von Rudel Seryas.
Erekaya del Pendragon, born from the House of Pendragon, is hailed as the greatest genius and masterpiece in history.
Altina von Rudel Seryas, who mastered the unique martial art of the Seryas Count family, “Song of the Heavens,” at a young age.
This duel was between two individuals who, aside from the Chairperson, arguably stood at the pinnacle of strength in Nineveh, not limited to just the first year of high school.
If one were to miss this unprecedented showdown, they might forever regret it, prompting not just Class A but also others to gather to watch this duel.
Well, there were indeed those who hurriedly came just to witness the beautiful duel between two lovely girls rather than the weighty implications of the fight itself.
Of course, before the duel between Erekaya and Altina, there was the duel assessment between Jin and Hugo, which didn’t attract as much interest.
Not many had the peculiar taste to watch two grim-looking men get drenched in sweat on the training ground.
That said, it wasn’t that there was absolutely no interest in the duel assessment that would take place between Jin and Hugo.
To be precise, people were more curious about just how thoroughly Hugo Bright would crush the commoner named Jin.
In Nineveh, discrimination based on social standing is generally prohibited, and casual speech is expected between each other. However, noble students do not truly consider themselves “equal” to commoner students.
Just as one avoids filth out of disgust, commoner students also minimized contact with noble students to avoid unnecessary conflict. Yet, that Jin was quite an exception.
According to rumors, on the very day he entered Nineveh, that Jin slapped Hugo across the face.
At first, rumors circulated that he must have some powerful backer or was hiding incredible abilities, but soon everyone realized that these were mere fabrications.
If he were truly hiding his strength, he wouldn’t end up bedridden after being beaten by an orc.
While Jin was a boastful loudmouth, Hugo was the heir to the well-known Bright family, a martial arts house from the southern part of the Empire.
True to his lineage, Hugo was quite large, and his supernatural ability, Strong Body, jived well with his physical prowess.
With Jin possessing a strength far inferior to that of an orc, and Hugo being ranked within the top five of his first-year class, no one truly considered this duel as a ‘duel’ in the strictest sense.
This was merely one-sided violence and a public execution.
There was no chance that the commoner named Jin could possibly win against Hugo, even in the slightest.
…Well, even if there was a slim chance.
Thud.
As the transparent mana barrier enveloped the training ground, two figures walked in. These were Jin and Hugo, the protagonists of today’s duel.
Hugo stood nearly two meters tall, towering over Jin, whose physique was about average for a Korean. The sight was reminiscent of an ordinary human facing an African elephant.
“Hey, commoner.”
Creak—
Hugo grinned mischievously as he noisily stretched his joints.
“You actually showed up to duel. I thought you’d be too scared to run away.”
“I see no reason to run from someone like you.”
Jin replied lazily, prompting a scoff from Hugo.
“You idiot, you don’t seriously think you can beat me, do you? Every student in Nineveh knows you’re just a big-mouthed brat. You think a guy who got wrecked by an orc could take me down?”
“One thing’s for sure; your obnoxious face is definitely more repulsive than any orc’s.”
“Ugh!”
Among the audience, a sound of someone stifling their laughter echoed through as Jin’s words landed. Indeed, Hugo’s face was far from handsome.
Naturally, Hugo’s expression twisted in response, making his already ugly face appear even more menacing.
“That loudmouth thinks he can joke around.”
As Hugo snarled like a beast toward Jin, Ethan Raven, who served as today’s referee and observer, said nothing in return. He merely spoke to them in a rather businesslike tone.
“Well, it seems both of you are ready, so let’s begin the duel.”
“The rules of the duel are simple. If either of you is incapacitated or shows any intent to forfeit in any manner, the duel will end at that moment.”
“Did you hear that? It’s not too late; you can quickly beg for mercy and surrender. Otherwise, if we fight as is, it would be too unfair for me. Should I give you a handicap instead?”
Despite Hugo’s smirking taunts, Jin did not respond. In fact, he felt no inclination to reply at all.
After all, when there’s a fist nearby, there’s really no need to waste energy on words.
“Then, I will assume both of you are willing to continue the duel. I will start the countdown. Three.”
As the countdown began, Hugo drew upon all his mana to enhance his body. The muscles throughout his body bulged, granting him explosive strength.
“Two.”
It didn’t end there. His supernatural ability, Strong Body, activated. This ability made his physical body harder and stronger than diamond by consuming mana.
Of course, using physical enhancement in conjunction with this ability significantly increased mana consumption, but Hugo had no intention of dragging out the duel.
It would end in ten seconds. In just ten seconds, he would be able to crush the limbs of that loudmouth brat.
“One.”
The distance between them was approximately twenty meters. Although it seemed far, it was merely a distance that Hugo could close in three seconds.
He focused all his strength into his legs. The strategy was simple: as soon as the duel began, he would rush at that commoner, seize his face, and slam it into the ground.
He didn’t intend to kill him. However, that commoner needed to learn the cost of mocking a noble—surely he ought to pay for his insolence.
“Start!”
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Hugo charged toward Jin like an artillery shell. His speed was such that hardly anyone here could perceive his movement.
A ferocious gust of wind swept through. In the blink of an eye, Hugo closed the twenty-meter gap and threw a full-power punch at Jin without mercy.
And—
“…Huh?”
As he regained awareness, Hugo found himself puzzled as to why he was upside down. Why was the sky above him and the ground below? And why was his head pressed into the earth?
“One.”
The voice of Jin echoed in his ears.
At that moment, realization struck him. Just moments ago, not only had Jin evaded his attack, but he had also pulled some sort of trick.
“You, you little bastard!”
Hugo scrambled to get back on his feet. But Jin merely watched him without making any further moves until he regained his posture.
This behavior only served to infuriate Hugo further. It felt as though that commoner was looking down on him.
Once again, Hugo lunged at Jin, throwing a series of punches in a frenzy. However, Jin managed to evade each one by a hair’s breadth.
Not content with merely avoiding them, he countered with a punch, landing it squarely on Hugo’s solar plexus.
Boom!
As Jin’s fist struck Hugo’s solar plexus, Hugo felt a sharp pain that took his breath away.
How could such a seemingly untrained small fist hurt this badly?
Straining through the pain, Hugo unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks toward Jin, each one packed with the power to shatter boulders.
“Hmm.”
Jin maintained a relaxed demeanor as he dodged the onslaught. No, he wasn’t just evading; he was catching Hugo’s fists with his own hands.
“Twice.”
In the next moment, as Jin caught Hugo’s punch, his hand twisted slightly to the side.
“Aaaah!”
At the same time, Hugo’s massive frame was flung through the air, turning in an awkward arc. Even witnessing it, one couldn’t believe such an acrobatic feat was happening.
“Three.”
Taking advantage of Hugo’s vulnerable state midair, Jin landed a solid punch into Hugo’s torso.
KABOOM!
With a sound resembling a cannon blast, Hugo’s body ricocheted and was sent tumbling uncontrollably.
“Four.”
Jin paused momentarily, gazing at Hugo sprawled on the ground.
“You realize now, right? I gave you four chances, and you squandered each one. Your head may not be the sharpest, but I’m sure you understand what I’m saying.”
Jin spoke without a hint of breathlessness. His calm demeanor only served to infuriate Hugo further.
This was absurd. He couldn’t comprehend it. Wasn’t that commoner supposed to be weaker than him? Wasn’t he an inferior being?
So why on earth was this happening? In terms of strength, speed, and power, he was overwhelmingly superior to that commoner—yet why couldn’t he defeat him? Why?
“It’s simple. With your eyes wide open, there’s no way you’re going to land a hit with such a sluggish attack, right?”
“…What?”
“No matter how many times you multiply your physical abilities, it doesn’t matter. If you swing your fists with that kind of glaring opening, you’ll never come close to even grazing my collar, no matter how hard you try. Though, if you had realized that sooner, you wouldn’t have been flailing your fists like that.”
The taunting tone in Jin’s voice, coupled with the light tapping of his head, was laced with mockery. This provocation quickly depleted what little patience Hugo had left.
“Raaaah!”
In an instant, all thoughts of the duel and everything else vanished from Hugo’s mind.
A terrifying amount of mana concentrated throughout his body. The intertwined mana began to create a formidable ripple, eventually converging with devastating force from the ley lines of the earth.
This was a secret technique that brought glory to the House of Count Bright in the southern part of the empire.
Although his master had warned him never to use this technique carelessly against others, such advice was lost in the heat of the moment, eclipsed by his singular desire.
—Wrath of the Earth!
As Hugo struck the ground with his mana-infused fist, a massive shockwave spread out in all directions.
In the aftermath, the entire floor of the training ground began to collapse, shaking violently as if it would soon crumble entirely.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
While the ground trembled as if about to give way and the colossal shockwave bore down on him, Jin’s expression remained unchanged.
He had endured far too much to let the childish techniques of a novice disturb his composure.
“Fool.”
With that derisive remark, Jin concentrated his mana at the tips of his toes, using the Instant Movement Technique to shoot like an arrow toward the oncoming shockwave. It was as if he were desperately seeking death!
Yet, the result of this action was enough to astonish all onlookers present.
“What?”
Incredibly, Jin remained untouched by the colossal shockwave that crashed toward him.
Rather, he surged forward, riding the wave as effortlessly as if surfing the waves at a beach, and dashed straight for Hugo.
“No way!”
As he witnessed this, Hugo screamed in terror. Not only was Jin impervious to the shockwave caused by Wrath of the Earth, but he was also using it to propel himself forward!
That was impossible.
The shockwave from Hugo’s Wrath of the Earth was so volatile that it should have torn apart anyone swept away by it.
So how? How could he remain unaffected by the ‘Wrath of the Earth’?
Was his technique breaking? Overcome with shock, every movement of Hugo’s froze in place.
Though it was merely a fleeting moment, it created an immense opening for Jin.
Soaring through the shockwave, Jin suddenly grasped Hugo’s face. Leaning in close, he whispered in Hugo’s ear, his voice inaudible to others.
“I heard everything you said. You little piece of trash. What was that? Breaking one of my limbs? Slamming my face into the ground?”
This was why early training was crucial for kids. If he had crushed Hugo’s spirit the first time he had seen him, there wouldn’t have been a need for this day.
As Jin felt a tinge of self-reflection, he steadied his resolve.
After all, what was the use of regretting the past? It was far better to ensure that the same mistake didn’t repeat itself, a true educator’s duty.
“Bite down hard. If you don’t want to be eating porridge from tomorrow, that is.”
KABOOM!
With that ominous warning, Jin slammed Hugo’s head into the ground.
