The Third mumbled in disbelief.
“Master, are you serious?”
“Of course.”
Luke nodded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“Receiving protection from someone weaker than myself is simply absurd.”
Isn’t that right? It’s such an obvious statement.
When a weak person steps in to protect a strong one, it’s merely meddling.
And the weak must be protected by the strong.
Moreover, since he was clearly a strong one, he had to protect the Third.
As a master, he would teach the Third that fact as well.
The Third shook his head quietly.
“What can I possibly do when my master is trying to surpass the 5th Circle while I can barely manage the 3rd?”
“Then let’s assume I’m under the influence of some drug. I won’t use any magic except for basic enhancement magic.”
“But the mana residue left after our fight will be quite troublesome.”
“Don’t worry, within this magic, we won’t be identifiable by the remnants.”
“……How can I possibly attack someone as transcendent as my master?”
“I’m also troubled by the fact that I have to attack my beloved disciple.”
With that, the conversation paused for a moment.
“…”
The Third, after a brief silence, slowly took off his bag and spoke to Luke.
“I won’t treat you as a girl.”
At the audacious statement from the Third, Luke shrugged and replied.
“Fine, go on then, try and surprise me.”
The Third gradually loosened his grip on the bag strap.
-Splat!
The moment the bag touched the ground, the Third fiercely rotated his Circle and kicked off the ground to launch himself toward Luke.
As the distance quickly closed, the Third immediately stretched his fist toward Luke’s chin.
However, even with a fist flying toward his face, Luke didn’t show any reaction at all, maintaining the same pose with his hand outstretched.
What is he trying to do?
Saying he wouldn’t use any magic other than basic enhancement means he wouldn’t use a shield either.
But why hasn’t he moved yet?
Could it be that he’s simply going to take one hit?
And what exactly is that pose meant to accomplish?
Well, Luke told him to try and surprise him.
If so, then he had no choice but to show his strength.
At that thought, the Third put more power into his fist just as he was about to attack.
“…”
Luke finally moved.
-Slap!
With a movement reminiscent of a matador, Luke dodged the Third’s attack.
And in the next moment, the Third was collapsing forward, having lost his center of balance.
“!”
The sudden turn of events shocked the Third.
He couldn’t understand at all why he was losing his balance and falling forward.
He was clearly maintaining a solid stance that he couldn’t possibly fall from alone.
‘Could it be that my master broke his promise and used some magic…!’
-Bang!!
In the end, the Third fell awkwardly to the ground.
As he hit the ground, he operated his physical enhancement to bounce back up like a spring.
This was to brace for a follow-up strike.
However, Luke merely resumed his stance slowly, showing no intention of following up on the Third.
“…”
Only after watching Luke slowly regain his stance did the Third finally understand what had happened to him.
‘That hand, that hand must have grabbed my opposite arm and rotated it, disrupting my stance. With the other foot, he stepped forward while hooking my foot to make me lose my balance.’
That was something one could faintly infer by connecting the initial stance Luke took and the one he had just maintained.
One question was answered.
But the Third’s questions did not end there.
‘How on earth?’
The moment he thrust his fist had been merely a heartbeat.
How could such acrobatics be possible?
It was an attack so complex that he could only grasp the movement by slicing fractions of a second.
Moreover, Luke had likely never seen him attack in such a manner before.
Yet, not only did Luke simply evade the attack, he perfectly countered it, identifying the center of the movement and its weakness in an instant, twisting the direction of the force.
This could only happen if there was an overwhelming difference in skill!
Shocked by the absurdity of the situation, the Third thought.
‘Could it be that there is truly an overwhelming gap in martial arts between my master and me?’
Seeing the Third in such great shock, Luke calmly intoned.
“Third, it can’t be helped. This is reality. Even if I don’t use magic, you are still weaker than me.”
No, that can’t be true.
This attack was simply too simple and easy to counter.
The next would certainly be different.
If he approached a bit faster, a bit stronger, a bit more carefully, a bit more solidly…
‘Alright.’
Having somewhat simulated the scenario in his mind, the Third flung off his school blazer and resumed his stance.
Luke, still maintaining his indifferent expression, looked at the Third and said, “Are you going to try again?”
“…Of course.”
He would definitely earn recognition.
—
-Slap, slap.
Rising from the ground, the Third brushed the dust off his clothes.
That made it the 34th time.
Watching the Third’s expression harden, Luke spoke in a quiet, concerned tone.
“Don’t worry too much. I will never blame you for not being able to help me. I’m just worried that you will get seriously hurt. You have such a lovely face.”
“…”
As it was said, the Third had never once been able to surprise Luke.
In all 34 attacks, Luke had countered his every move effortlessly, as if he already knew everything.
Even a fool could see that this being was absolutely unbeatable.
The Third also knew very well that his master would not be disappointed in him for not helping.
Since she always kept her word, that statement was surely true.
If he gave up and went home now, perhaps both of them could reach a happy ending.
But the Third did not want to do that.
Whether it was the desire to be recognized by the master he revered, or the unwillingness to merely watch that master step into danger, or the simple desire to tear “that” apart with his own hands, or simply pure stubbornness from 34 consecutive failures.
He wanted to be recognized by Luke just once.
He felt that if he returned quietly at this point, it would be a loss not only for his master but for himself as well.
Yet Luke looked at the Third, still adjusting his stance, and asked with an exasperated voice.
“Surely, you’re not going to try again?”
“Of course.”
“Hmm.”
While Luke viewed the Third’s ambitious spirit positively, unfortunately, time was limited for him.
Luke did not have the luxury to keep standing here and playing around with the Third forever.
Shaking his head slightly, as if feeling a bit overwhelmed, Luke said, “Third, your stubbornness is really taking up a lot of time. Are you seriously planning to keep repeating this until you can beat me?”
“…….”
The Third remained silent.
If that’s what he was told to do, then of course he was willing.
But Luke’s next words contradicted that idea.
“This is the last chance.”
“Master, but!”
“Enough, that makes it 35 times. There will be no more after this.”
Luke resumed his pose with one hand outstretched and intoned softly.
“I’m quite busy, you see. Since it’s the last time, approach carefully this time.”
“…”
The Third closed his mouth.
When his master spoke so firmly, it meant that she genuinely could not afford to waste any more time.
Indeed, there were many preparations he needed to make before facing “that,” and they had already trained together for 34 times.
As she said, he needed to move very carefully this time.
‘Carefully, carefully…’
The Third thought as he slowly adjusted his stance.
There is no one in the world who is flawless.
Thus, there must be weaknesses even in his master.
If he could just find that, he was sure he could win.
‘But I have already done everything I can do so far.’
A whopping 34 attempts.
He had approached with every kind of striking technique and joint lock, targeting every area including his head, neck, arms, legs, abdomen, waist, and back, but remarkably, all the outcomes were identical.
In the end, there was no angle where Luke had any openings.
At least to the extent of what the Third knew, there had been no technique he could use that Luke couldn’t counter.
Yet, if he rushed in again as before, the same result would just repeat.
‘To defeat my master, I needsomething I can capitalize on, whatever that may be.’
But, what could that be?
What could possibly give him an advantage over his master…?
He was lacking in both magical ability and martial prowess compared to her, based on what just happened.
So what could he possibly excel in?
-Twitch, twitch.
Whether it was the tickling sensation from the gentle breeze or some other psychological factor, her ears twitched slightly.
“…!”
Seeing that, the Third felt as if the scene he had witnessed just hours ago overlapped with Luke’s face.
The way her ears moved uncontrollably with emotion was similar.
After pondering deeply, the Third came to a conclusion.
Perhaps this could be the clue to victory.
