Chapter 54

Bruce successfully stole something from a fellow trainee and was about to leave after messing around with Carsein a bit.

However, a laugh could be heard coming from behind.

Driven by that unsettling laughter, Bruce immediately turned around and asked Carsein,

“What the hell? Why are you laughing? Are you finding my sincere advice amusing?”

He thought he had gone mad. Such an oddball!

But Carsein didn’t even blink and fired back,

“Advice? Sincere advice? You’re the one who’s off their rocker.”

“What the heck are you talking about? Are you crazy?”

“You’re the one who got into the Knight Order illegitimately. What advice can you give? If you weren’t above me, I’d be lower than you.”

“What?!”

“You got promoted through cheating, feeding your opponents drugs to win by default. How can someone who rose like that talk about fair tests?”

Bruce’s eyes nearly popped out as if struck by lightning. No one knew this at the time.

“Damn it! Where did you get such nonsense? I joined the 1st Knight Order fairly!”

“Why don’t you recall? You proposed a friendly competition to two friends who were supposed to compete with you, but you secretly spiked their drinks with cold medicine. And for the other two, you challenged them to a duel and put diarrhea medicine in their water bottles before they could retaliate. Isn’t that right?”

“This bastard is making up absurd lies! Did you see this yourself, you non-existent person?!”

Despite his vehement denial, this accusation was true. No one knew how Carsein found out.

Or perhaps, there was someone who knew this level of detail.

Carsein spoke as if he had been there, recounting the scene as if he had witnessed it all.

Thinking he couldn’t let his face be taken advantage of anymore, Bruce, who had lost his composure, slowly approached Carsein.

“It won’t do. You dare insult a senior like this? Anyway, since the first lady is pushing for you, you’ll pass. Let’s teach you a lesson now.”

The sound of his fist ready to strike was obvious.

“How dare you spout such nonsense to a senior like me? I won’t let you get away with this.”

It was unilateral violence, starting with punishment.

***

Ding!

Bruce is approaching Carsein to attack him.

If caught, you’ll fall and receive one-sided beatings! Be careful!

Creating a Tsukuru game usually involves choices and objects in a story-driven format.

If you tried to force a fighting game into this, it would be difficult.

So, this game adopts a mini-game format where the player must dodge punches and kicks based on a UI that changes, showing a smaller dot of Carsein dodging Bruce’s attacks.

But I already know this mini-game window won’t appear here.

The status window, which started as a game, doesn’t provide perfect game systems.

For example, during the Snow Festival, we saw this.

That mini-game required pure hand movements without gauge control. It had its advantages too.

In any case, this experience taught me that the game system wouldn’t apply here.

This means no help from the system in this fight.

But I’m not completely clueless.

“Even as an apprentice knight, Bruce is the weakest. I should be able to beat him like I did in the game.”

Statistically, Bruce is truly the worst. He wasn’t just lucky to catch up momentarily.

Though Carsein is weak, he’s a suitable opponent given their stat difference. Even though both are tired from running, the other side clearly underestimates me.

In summary, it’s a decent match.

I slowly observed Bruce’s approach, keeping my distance.

My eyes moved quickly.

‘He’s left-handed.’

Not just his left hand, but his entire body is tilted to the left.

He balances on his left foot and walks with a wider stride on his left side. Even his stance heavily favors his left side.

This information will be useful.

Waiting for Bruce to fully enter, in this brief moment, I recalled another old memory.

“Ugh!”

“Because of this habit, your movements are predictable. Minhyuk.”

“No way, how did you know that?”

“Start with small movements. Even if it’s not your hands or feet, unique habits always show in battle.”

A significantly lopsided movement.

This was a crucial clue.

Predicting a large movement from left to right like this.

“Ha! This punk is trying to run away like a mouse? Let’s see if you can dodge this too. This, this, this!”

His fists flew several times.

I knew Bruce’s body was leaning left. So, I managed to dodge all of them.

Of course, this state isn’t sustainable.

“Minhyuk, what would you do if you had no weapon?”

“Obviously, avoid being in that situation.”

“But that situation might happen. What would you do then?”

“Hmm…”

I couldn’t answer then.

But now, I understood.

“Having no weapon is a weakness. If the opponent underestimates me, it works in my favor. They’re less cautious.”

Her voice echoed in my head.

Why it worked this way, I didn’t know.

“Oh, dodging? Dodging?”

As my actions shifted more towards evading rather than dodging, Bruce seemed confident he could land a decisive blow and pressed harder.

Of course, it’s different from the noblemen I saw in the hall during the royal audience.

A punch like that would hurt badly. Since I could see the test, I knew it was different from those younglings. The key was to dodge or evade slightly while backing away.

But this was decisive.

Cornered with nowhere to dodge, he swung his fist forcefully.

But when his right fist, mixed with overconfidence and carelessness, came instead of his left, it was slow, weak, and clumsy.

I didn’t miss this opening.

Bruce’s fist, which should have hit me, brushed past my clothes.

The recoil from the large movement suddenly stopped his body.

This sealed his fate.

His broken body created a huge opening.

I dashed in like a bullet.

The incoming force couldn’t be controlled, and I charged forward.

Thud.

Bruce’s heavy body crashed into the ground.

“Gwah!”

Bruce, who confidently rushed at me, fell with a groan, crouching and crawling on the ground.

Clutching his hit spots, Bruce moaned in pain.

Ding!

You’ve knocked down Bruce!

You didn’t take a single hit!

Bruce’s spirit is completely crushed and won’t rise again!

[1] “Why did you act so cocky?”

[2] “You were the one who attacked first.”

[3] “What makes you think you’re a senior? We’re barely months apart.”

After clearing the mini-game, these choices appeared.

Any choice would fit, but this seems the most provocative now.

“Why did you act so cocky?”

“You, this punk…”

As I shook off dust, Bruce glared at me.

He probably had many things to say. But his perfect defeat, losing despite the clear rank difference, was humiliating.

Like the choices hinted, Bruce couldn’t attack me either verbally or physically.

‘Let it go.’

Enough bait has been laid.

Bruce’s temporary confusion and pain won’t last long. Provoking further or continuing revenge isn’t wise.

Then, I’d only get to eat humble pie.

I brushed off my hands and left without saying more.

On my way out, I noticed Arina’s expensive towel in Carsein’s pouch.

“…”

In reality, I never got back what the first lady gave me. Same now. I see no reason to reclaim it.

Yet, old memories flooded my mind.

The dojo I went to for protection. The skills I learned there.

How I personally brought down a similar scoundrel.

And someone watching from the shadows.

It felt no different.

‘Then, I couldn’t say it. Now, I’ll say it straight.’

You made me this way.

***

“…”

At the same time.

Arina, leaving the training hall to return to the Duke’s House, suddenly stopped.

She expected excessive training. She even told Carsein to stop, but he ignored her.

Stubborn as he is, she thought it could happen.

Still, such continuous training shouldn’t continue. She wanted to step in.

But unexpectedly, he addressed her as the first lady and used polite language. When she tried to stop him, he said she made things harder for him.

She meant well. She wanted to give him a little.

To hear such words made her feel bad.

…Yes, she felt bad.

She wanted to laugh at him, rolling around in the training hall.

But…

“Arina, if you meet Carsein today, don’t lose your temper even if you hear harsh words.”

“That child had every right to be upset. Let him be for now. Understand, my daughter?”

Hearing her mother’s sad voice, her pace slowed.

“Huff… Yes. Mother is right. I’m here to ease Carsein’s mood.”

Arina turned and headed back to the training hall.