Chapter 45 – A cringey kid

Lee's eyes were calm as he watched Shin Jonghak advance.

'He really is a kid, huh?'

Lee had to admit, Shin Jonghak was strong. In terms of pure stats, that guy was probably... 6 or 7? At least a point or two above in pure physical stats.

And Shin Jonghak's fighting style played towards that physical advantage.

Domineering and vicious strikes. Spear thrusts aimed right to the heart, swinging the spear to smack down the opponent, fast flicks of the wrist to cut and debilitate...

That guy relied on speed and force, along with unrelenting pressure to end his opponents in one go.

...But it was a terrible style against Lee.

*CLANG*

Lee sent another one of Shin Jonghak's spear thrusts wide, deliberately not following up. As he did, he smiled and said, "Whoops. Looks like you missed again."

Shin Jonghak gnashed his teeth, audibly cracking as he stomped on the ground and tried rushing forward again.

Just as Lee expected.

Was it because he never had anyone who matched up to him?

Although Shin Jonghak was getting progressively stronger and faster... Maybe from a Gift or an Art?

Lee didn't remember anything at all about this guy, so he didn't know.

But anyway, while Shin Jonghak was 'strong' and 'fast...'

"Is that all?"

...That was it.

Lee deliberately let out a cocky smirk, stealing Shin Jonghak's usual expression to mock him.

Was it because he was so angry that he was at a loss for words? Or did he finally decide to focus?

Either way, Shin Jonghak didn't respond. Instead, he just continued attacking, his strikes becoming faster, sharper...

But they still missed.

And the reason for that was simple.

'He really does lack experience, huh?'

Shin Jonghak's instincts were wrong.

No, against most people, they were probably right.

Shin Jonghak was attacking at the first opening that he saw, trusting his speed and power to see it through, or at least make his opponent flinch, forcing them into a defensive spiral that would let him steal the momentum and crush them.

But Lee's style was meant to fight people who did exactly that.

A slow quagmire, openings that seemed to disappear only to be replaced with a sharp point or the edge of the halberd's head...

Shin Jonghak kept rushing in, only to be forced past Lee, deflected, or stuck in a clash of strength where Lee immediately sent Shin Jonghak flying through the air.

Lee watched as Shin Jonghak started panting, sweat dripping down the guy's entire body and his hands clutching onto his spear hard enough for his hands to turn white.

Seeing that...

"I'm disappointed."

...Lee couldn't help but speak his mind.

Shin Jonghak visibly flinched.

Lee clicked his tongue and said, "Everyone keeps saying that you're Suho's equal. Considering how good he is at the sword, I thought you'd be just as good as him with a spear. So why is it that I'm better than you?"

Gasps echoed through the room.

Nayun let out a strangled sound, as if she didn't know whether to scream or burst out laughing.

Suho... facepalmed.

Hajin sighed.

Rachel actually laughed, joined in with Evandel.

Yeonha giggled for a second before stopping.

And as for Shin Jonghak...

"...What did you just say?"

...He let out a soft and chilling whisper.

But Lee didn't back down. Because he was actually disappointed. "You don't know how to use a spear. You know how to fight, I'll give you that. You're strong and fast too. But in terms of pure technique, you're trash."

It bothered Lee.

Genuinely bothered him.

Although Lee definitely didn't remember much about The Novel's Extra at this point, he remembered that Shin Jonghak was supposed to be good. Someone strong. Skilled.

But this guy?

"...You're a brat." Lee tossed his halberd aside and said, "I don't even need this to beat you."

People gasped.

Shin Jonghak froze. Then his golden eyes flickered red. "You fucking dare?"

Lee shifted lowered his waist into the empty stance of Bajiquan, stepping forward with his left hand held open, leading with his left foot while his right hand and right foot trailed behind. "I should say that to you. Daring to come to Cube with such half-baked spear techniques, are you seeking death?"

Since Shin Jonghak seemed to be playing a young master running high off his prestige and saving face, Lee decided to commit to smacking that face right off him.

The female instructor called out, her eyes wide. "Shin Jonghak, do not-"

He didn't listen.

Of course Shin Jonghak didn't listen.

His mana was crackling, his body reinforced to an extreme level from his anger. Kicking off the ground, he flew forward faster than the eye could see, spear aimed directly at Lee's heart, planning to break through his armor.

Clear killing intent.

But.

The sound of screeching steel. Shin Jonghak's spear scratching along Lee's chest plate as he stepped back with his left foot, tilting just enough to make the spear thrust deflect along the armor instead of pierce through.

And at the same time...

*CRACK*

...Lee's open right palm smashed into Shin Jonghak's chest, knocking the wind out of him through the chest plate and leaving a crack in it.

"Kuh...!?"

Shin Jonghak let out a strangled gasp and instinctively let go of his spear to clutch at his chest.

Lee hooked his left arm over the spear shaft and spun it around his body before holding it in both hands and pressing the tip against Shin Jonghak's neck.

Shin Jonghak froze, his golden eyes widening.

"Cadet Lee." The female instructor called out in warning.

Lee didn't move, just staring into Shin Jonghak's eyes. Then he said, "Today, I fought with pure technique while you used magic power to reinforce your body. You still lost." Lee pulled the spear down and twirled it, holding it back with the point aimed at himself. "Reflect and get stronger. Forget about Suho. At this point, even Hajin can beat you."

"W-What?!" Hajin spoke up. "H-Hey! Don't drag me into this!"

"Hm?" Lee glanced over and said, "You can. He's sloppy. You're cheating, but you at least have the basics down now."

Shin Jonghak glared at Lee. But he slowly calmed down and took his spear back. After that, he spun on his heel and walked off.

The female instructor called out. "Cadet Shin Jonghak! You cannot just-"

"We get three skips! I'm using one!" Shin Jonghak growled and kept walking.

Lee blinked. Then he chuckled. "...He would be the one guy who reads the handbook."

A heavy silence filled the training room, almost stifling.

And then Evandel cheered. "Yay! Daddy won!"

Lee laughed.

===

Back in his dorm, Shin Jonghak laid in his bed and stared at the ceiling. As he did, the words from that bastard echoed in his mind.

*I'm disappointed.*

"Shut up."

*...You're a brat. I don't even need this to beat you.*

"Shut UP."

*Daring to come to Cube with such half-baked spear techniques, are you seeking death?*

"I SAID SHUT UP!"

Shin Jonghak jumped out of bed and ran his hand through his hair, trying to silence that bastard's voice.

But he couldn't.

Because it wasn't mocking.

It wasn't condescending.

It had been sincere.

Shin Jonghak could tell.

Lee Shin... that bastard. He had wanted a proper fight. He had expected a proper fight.

And he found Shin Jonghak lacking.

*Everyone keeps saying that you're Suho's equal. Considering how good he is at the sword, I thought you'd be just as good as him with a spear. So why is it that I'm better than you?*

A genuine sorrow. The sound of someone who had been looking for a rival, thought he found one, only to be disappointed.

It was worse than mockery. It was worse than contempt.

Because it was failing to meet someone's expectation.

Shin Jonghak screamed and tossed his table across the room, letting out ragged breaths.

It didn't make sense.

He was strong.

HE WAS STRONG!

He had to be strong!

His grandfather was Shin Myungchul! The hero who pulled Korea back from the brink during the chaos after the Outcall!

He had to be the best... he couldn't tolerate anyone being above him...!

*Today, I fought with pure technique while you used magic power to reinforce your body. You still lost.*

Shin Jonghak slumped onto the ground, Lee's words echoing in his head.

As they did, flickers of scenes since Cube started played out too.

Nayun letting out a genuine smile and carefree laugh for the first time since Jinyoon's incident.

Yeonha loosening up and being more free, as if a weight had been dropped from her shoulders.

That bastard walking around like none of this mattered...

"...Because it doesn't matter to him, does it?"

Shin Jonghak finally realized it.

Why that bastard bothered him so much.

Lee Shin was the second to the last. Rank 999. A nobody.

...At least, he should be a nobody.

But he wasn't.

A nobody couldn't fight like that. A nobody couldn't keep up with Kim Suho for an hour straight, even if Kim Suho didn't use his magic power. A nobody couldn't have treated Shin Jonghak like a child.

No.

Lee Shin wasn't a nobody.

Shin Jonghak staggered to his feet and let out a bitter laugh. "You fucker..."

He realized it now.

The reason why Lee Shin was like that.

Hadn't it been obvious from the start?

Lee had been looking at Rachel like Shin Jonghak did with Nayun.

And with his 'daughter' too... the one who looked so much like Rachel that even an idiot could realize they were related.

"...You're just here for them."

The minimum qualifications.

Rachel Elizabeth Louise was the future Queen of England. To stand beside her, you at least had to be an alumni from Cube.

Lee was clearly already qualified. But he lacked the titles. The prestige.

Because in this world, no matter how skilled you were, unless you were approved by those in power, you'd always be an outsider.

"...I'm so fucking stupid." Shin Jonghak groaned and then curled up into a ball.

Suddenly, all the actions he did since he met Lee... that guy's blase response to Shin Jonghak...

It was just like a brat shouting at an adult... or at least someone who already had half a foot in the adult world.

Shin Jonghak cringed. He cringed hard. But it was all he could do since he made a fucking fool of himself in front of their entire class.