Chapter 54 – Combat Exams (3)

Suho had mulled it over again and again in his head. A question that he couldn't quite resolve, but one he needed to in order to defeat opponents like Lee.

'How do I get past someone with better range and equal skill?'

It was a dilemma that seemed to lack an answer.

Assuming equal skill, the decisive factor was range.

After all, if one person couldn't reach, then they would always lose.

So Suho had brainstormed against Hajin, who was almost exclusively a ranged attacker.

Firearms, projectiles, esoteric ranged weaponry...

It was a worst case scenario match up on both ends, but at different ranges.

When Hajin had range, Suho couldn't approach him. The only times he could was when he moved faster or predicted Hajin's attacks... but that wasn't dealing with him on 'equal skill' then.

Anyone could defeat someone with less skill.

But defeating someone with the same or greater level of skill...

That was what Suho was concerned with. Because that was what he needed to face to reach the end of his swordsmanship and be a real Hero.

When Suho was close, however, even with equal skill, the weapon range advantage became a disadvantage. That was what Suho realized when sparring with Hajin.

No matter the weapon, if its primary purpose was 'at range,' when you were close, its effectiveness dropped to near zero.

The question then became how to close the gap.

But Suho couldn't figure it out.

At least, until he remembered what Lee had casually mentioned.

'If I'm defending an area, you have to trade to reach me.'

It was an off-hand comment. One that sounded like commonsense from Lee... but also one that definitely wasn't commonsense.

After all, who would want to go into a clash expecting to be injured?

But after Suho considered it a bit more... And after rewatching Lee's footage against Jonghak.

He realized the principle of it. What Lee had left out because it was obvious to him.

...There was no saying that a 'trade' had to be an injury.

Just 'contact.'

And so...

Suho blinked, focusing back on the present.

Jonghak's spear was rushing forward towards Suho's heart.

'That guy really likes lethal blows, huh?'

But it was expected.

And the reason why Suho kept his sword pointed at the ground the whole time.

"You crazy bastard-?!" Jonghak's eyes widened as he realized what Suho was planning.

A bluff- No. A game of chicken.

Assuming equal skill, instincts, intuition, speed, reflexes...

There was only one decisive factor: determination.

And Lee had explained it too.

*Moving from a ready stance is faster than moving between steps. And when you advance, you leave a tiny gap to exploit.*

While Suho charged, he had been in a ready stance. His sword, trailing behind him, was free to attack.

But when Jonghak counter-attacked, he had to advance. No, he WAS advancing.

The gap was in that space between Jonghak committing to attack Suho and Suho throwing away defense for his own offense.

Initiative seized by throwing your life on the line to close the gap. A bridge formed from determination and resolve to attack no matter your state of body.

...It went against the swordsmanship his Master taught him.

That swordsmanship was meant to protect. To ensure the opponent's weapon never touched you.

But it was built on an illusory premise. One that Suho had experienced firsthand.

'It is impossible to always be more skilled than your opponent.'

Suho's Gift closed that gap a lot. And it made the number of circumstances where his opponent was more skilled near zero.

But it wasn't zero.

And Suho knew.

In reality, that 'near zero' chance was when Heroes died.

So he had to reduce the near zero TO zero.

Just like Lee did when fighting-

No.

When engaging in battle.

Because Lee did not fight. He ended things.

And so...

Jonghak's spear brushed against Suho's chest.

Suho tilted his chest to the left and swung the sword in his right hand with one motion.

Sparks of mana flew as both Jonghak and Suho were sent backwards, a gash on both their uniforms.

But Jonghak's gash had a thin line of red.

Meanwhile, Suho's gash stopped over his undershirt.

Suho laughed and lowered his sword again. "...This is basically gambling with your life on the line. One mistake and you die. But..." He smiled, feeling invigorated. "...That's just life, isn't it?"

Jonghak gnashed his teeth and took up his stance again. The same as before.

It looked like he was physically pained. Like he was forcibly holding himself back from just rushing forward.

And seeing that, Suho nodded. "That's smart. If you attacked me right now, I could do the same thing you did, you know? In fact..." Suho swung his sword and carved a line in the ground. "You can't cross this line without getting cut in return. Wanna bet if that's true?"

Jonghak stared at Suho.

Suho smiled.

Jonghak stared again. Then he clicked his tongue and raised his hand. "I surrender. This bastard's too crazy."

Suho blinked. Then he laughed and said, "You know what? Fair."

Jonghak shook his head, grumbling under his tongue. "Crazy bastard Lee, infecting other people with his craziness..."

===

While Suho was finishing up his fight with Jonghak, Hajin was facing a fight of his own.

Kim Horak, a muscular cadet that looked straight out of a fighting game with how bulky his body was...

He looked at Hajin and laughed. "Challenging me, when you're Rank 937? You're lucky that we can't refuse. But you're bold too." Horak cracked his neck and said, "Let's see what your puny guns can do."

Hajin smiled. "Who says I need to use guns?"

"Hm? What are you-"

"BEGIN!" The announcer shouted the beginning of the match.

Kim Horak rolled his eyes and then reinforced his body with his mana.

At least, he started to.

But before he could, thin needles pricked into his flesh.

"What?" Kim Horak laughed and said, "Needles? You think-"

Hajin didn't let him finish, throwing more needles at Kim Horak.

Kim Horak rolled his eyes and let Hajin do it, continuing to gather his mana for qi reinforcement.

But then it stopped and shattered, causing him to cough up blood. "What the hell?!"

Hajin smiled.

As for the reason why...

===

[Art]

1. Gun-Fu | Proficiency 35% | Intermediate Rank

2. (New!) Pinpoint Accuracy | Proficiency 50% | Intermediate Rank

<Pinpoint Accuracy>

Through careful observation and understanding of the flow of forces, as well as precise timing, you are able to disrupt any attack through striking or inducing weakpoints within your opponent.

- Repeated attacks at the same location can induce weakness

- Chained attacks can induce a disruptive flow

- Speed and application of Art depends on eyesight, perception, and luck

===

...Well, he realized that physics existed.

Lee's offhand comment about Hajin being not well-read or very smart had pissed Hajin off.

...And then Hajin started studying physics again as well as deep diving into how magic even worked in his setting.

And Hajin realized that he was stupid.

Because...

"You know. It doesn't matter how strong you are. If you move, tension ebbs and wanes. And there will always be one part of your body that is vulnerable in that moment."

...Unless he was fighting a cheat-like character that had a Gift like <Magic Power Body> or something, timing would let him win.

The crowd roared in shock and awe.

Hajin got a flurry of messages saying his SP went up.

And at the same time...

> Luck applies! Your wife Yoo Yeonha overheard your speech and is stunned.

...He got a worrisome message.

'She isn't my wife, dammit!'

"Argh, I'm annoyed now. Forget it." Hajin pulled out his double-barreled sawed off shotguns on his left and right. Then he looked at Kim Horak and said, "Surrender, and we'll do this the easy way."

Kim Horak growled and flexed his body, snapping the needles. At the same time, the blue aura wreathed his body, reinforcing it. "You bastard! I'm going to-"

"Hard way it is."

Hajin moved, stepping forward.

Kim Horak laughed and charged at Hajin, right arm raised for a heavy haymaker.

Hajin just smiled.

A step, grab, pivot, slam onto the ground, and then...

*BANG BANG*

...A pair of point blank shotgun blasts to Kim Horak's groin.

The crowd gasped.

Kim Horak's eyes widened in panic and then relief as his qi reinforcement held.

But Hajin was expecting that.

Before Kim Horak could react, Hajin pulled out his pistols and fired point blank at Kim Horak's eyes.

"YOU CRAZY SON OF A-!"

The qi reinforcement held again, making the bullets fail to cause any damage.

But Hajin just switched weapons again, pulling out meteor hammer from his sleeve. Then he smiled, an expression that people would later say looked eerily similar to Yoo Yeonha's when she was upset. After that, Hajin said, "Would you like to find out just how thorough your qi reinforcement is while I test out my toys on your weakpoints? Or do you want to surrender?"

"I SURRENDER! I SURRENDER!"

"Good boy."

> Luck applies!

> A great deal of the crowd thinks that you and Yoo Yeonha are in an S+M relationship! You have gained a great deal of SP!

> Luck applies!

> Yoo Yeonha is heavily enamored by your actions (though she will never admit it)

> Luck applies!

> You have gained the reputation of 'Sadistic Man of War.'

...You goddamned son of a-!