Chapter 24

One of the major turning points in the Soul World and an episode that determines the overall difficulty: the Academy’s collapse.

Demons have been painstakingly plotting the Academy’s downfall for quite some time, part of which involves a colorless magic circle.

The colorless magic circle appears to be nothing more than an elaborate pattern. Even if stumbled upon, it’s easy to overlook.

Only one person, the protagonist, can instantly decipher the colorless magic circle.

‘It was a setup where I was said to have received a special eye from the gods.’

This allows for advance knowledge of an item’s grade and effects.

But it won’t just inform you freely; you need to have some information to grasp it properly.

By now, even if the colorless magic circle is found, you might only know it’s the demons’ doing, but pinpointing its purpose would be difficult.

‘Its main uses are communication disruption and magic manifestation.’

Normally, these would be the magic spells entirely blocked by the monument. The erection of the monument was primarily for this reason.

Thus, the demons first disable the monument. After that, a frenzy ensues.

To prevent this as much as possible, the magic circles installed throughout the Academy need to be destroyed.

‘I wonder if Luna has noticed?’

From the look on her stiff face when she checked the clock, I’m half convinced.

From now on, she will probably be rushing around searching for colorless magic circles. But it won’t be easy to find them.

Particularly, one of the magic circles is installed in a completely unexpected location. That’s been discussed quite a bit.

“Combat, including boxing and wrestling, is about technique, but it’s optimized to improve overall ‘movement.’ If a street fight breaks out, having these two would be great.”

Anyway, let’s put the magic circle aside.

Kara, who decided to teach me the basics of combat and wrestling, started with the theory.

Meanwhile, Luna was focused on her swordsmanship right next to us. True to her earlier words, she refused to learn.

However, she couldn’t help but occasionally steal glances at us, which was unavoidable.

“It might be hard to understand even with this explanation. Let me give you an example. Suppose someone threw a punch at you like this.”

Kara slowly extended her fist toward me. Without thinking, I stepped back.

Even when hunting in the wilderness, if an opponent attacked, I would create distance to evade. It’s the safest way.

Kara’s fist stopped right in front of my nose.

Having hunted various sized beasts and monsters, I had become adept at judging distance.

Kara seemed satisfied with my reaction, smiling and nodding.

“You can evade well by judging distance like that. That’s a method too. But you can’t keep avoiding forever, right? Now it’s your turn to throw a punch. Oh right, it should be slow like mine.”

She seemed particularly impressed by my earlier act of throwing a weapon; it was evident from her cautious choice of words.

I extended my fist slowly to comply with her request.

In response, instead of retreating like I did, Kara evaded by making a slight movement of her head.

“And from here, BAM!”

Then she slowly brought her fist to my side and shouted.

A counterattack executed immediately after evasion. Commonly referred to as a counter.

“What do you think? Do you understand?”

“Shit.”

“You can just nod for this kind of thing. If you don’t understand, shake your head side to side.”

I nodded in acknowledgment, fully comprehending.

Kara beamed at my response, her voice filled with excitement as she continued explaining.

“Combine this with the movement of your feet—your footwork or stepping technique. It seems simple but mastering it will be tough.”

As she mentioned, those things aren’t even classified as ‘skills’ in the Soul World.

They’re the basics, and the degree of proficiency varies by player.

Combat mainly supports those foundational techniques, so naturally, the basics will differ from person to person.

“It requires consistent practice to do this instinctively. You might learn quickly. I noticed you did well during our duel.”

“Shit.”

“That’s a thank you, right? Now that you’ve grasped the principles, let’s dig deeper.”

Kara taught me combat with sincerity, despite being my duel partner.

However, she emphasized defense and evasion first, rather than attacks like punches or kicks.

She would only be teaching the very basics anyway, so defense takes priority or whatever.

Moreover, since I had already completed the physical training, it was possible to teach only the techniques.

“You’d be better off using a weapon whenever possible. Don’t stubbornly insist on bare-handed techniques like a weirdo. People don’t use weapons for no reason.”

She was worried I might pick up some odd sense of logic.

As she said, unless I aimed toward becoming a martial artist, using a weapon is preferable.

‘After all, combat is merely a tool when a fight breaks out.’

In the Soul World, the player’s skills are of utmost importance due to the uncomfortable controls.

Even if one gains various techniques, they must be utilized appropriately for an easier clear.

My efforts to acquire skills aimed to broaden my options. That would make things more comfortable.

Since this was reality, individual prowess mattered even more than techniques.

“Using your waist… that’s it. Well done. I can’t stress enough how crucial your waist and feet are. Shall we delve into an advanced technique?”

Seeing that I was starting to grasp it, Kara fetched a training sword.

*Whoosh!*

She thrust it towards my face at high speed.

It was an attack that came without a warning, but I evaded it with quick reflexes.

If it were the past, I might have backed away instead; now, I merely shifted my face.

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Bang!*

As Kara swung the sword recklessly or aimed for thrusts, I smoothly dodged her attacks.

Utilizing what I had learned, and moving my feet lightly.

Finally, adding in my wilderness instinct, I dodged all her attacks effortlessly.

“Wow! You’re really good! Is it because you lived in the wilderness?”

After ten minutes of striking with her sword, Kara genuinely expressed her admiration. Her deep green eyes sparkled.

It was only natural for her to be impressed since I was applying what she taught me directly.

Honestly, it wasn’t that difficult. Living in the wild had engrained evasion in me.

What Kara taught me was a form of ‘efficiency.’ Not only evasion, allowing for immediate counterattacks as well.

That alone would be a big advantage for me. I must repay her later.

“While there’s still room for improvement, we’ll move past this as it’s an advanced process. Now, what’s left are the offensive techniques… ”

Trailing off, Kara glanced towards Luna.

Luna seemed occupied as if she had forgotten when she was paying attention to us, focused intently on her personal training.

She was repetitively bringing down her training sword, and from the perspiration rolling down her face, it appeared she had been at it for quite a while.

“Requesting her help feels a bit awkward. Hmm… ”

Kara, seemingly not wanting to disrupt her concentration, looked around.

Then, as if she spotted a good hunting target—not so much a target—she excitedly shouted.

“You there, with the blonde hair!”

Her voice echoed loudly, as if it were meant to bounce off the walls.

“Blonde? Isn’t that you?”

“Well, maybe?”

“Is it me? Why is that person calling me? There wouldn’t be a reason to call me, right?”

At Kara’s shout, Luna and the other blondes turned to look. There should be just a few blonds, after all.

Realizing her mistake late, Kara displayed a sheepish expression.

She certainly had her goofy moments. If that’s a charm, then it certainly is.

Kara briefly looked away from her embarrassment before correcting herself and shouting.

“Sivar’s protector!”

“….”

The expression of the designated blonde stiffened slightly at those words.

Elvin, who had just entered the training hall at the perfect moment, seemed to have caught Kara’s eye while passing by.

As the gazes of the surrounding people were drawn toward him, he walked over to our side.

He definitely wore an expression that showed dissatisfaction. However, he didn’t ignore us, which implied he wasn’t being reckless.

“…What’s the matter?”

Elvin approached, giving me a brief glance before inquiring about the business.

I, too, couldn’t grasp why Kara called him. She claimed to be teaching combat techniques, but why did she need Elvin?

“Nothing else, just thought to ask for some help. I’ve been teaching him combat.”

“Combat?”

Elvin wore a bewildered look upon hearing that she was teaching combat.

Then, as he looked at me, there was an indescribable feeling in his demeanor.

“You do know that such things typically require two skilled individuals, right? You’re a noble, so you know basic combat well too.”

“…I do know, but wouldn’t it be better to ask Luna?”

“I don’t know. She’s never learned combat—let alone grappling.”

At that, Elvin’s eyes widened and he looked at Luna. Luna turned her head away, trying to act oblivious.

Elvin made a look of surprise and muttered under his breath.

“That’s unexpected. Top of the class, yet she doesn’t know basic combat…”

“It’s likely she has skills that make up for that. So will you help?”

“…As I’m her protector, I suppose I can’t refuse to help.”

Elvin reluctantly accepted. It seems difficult to wiggle out of this one, even if I manage to slip out of lunch.

Anyway, now that an excellent assistant(?) has joined us, Kara handed some mitts to Elvin that she had somehow procured.

Elvin seemed somewhat bemused by the bizarre turn of events as he slipped on the mitts. Things definitely progressed as if it were a snake sliding through boulders.

“First, I’ll teach you the most basic punch. Grip your fist like this.”

Kara displayed her tightly clenched fist.

Simply positioning her fist was enough to convey a sense of a steel-like firmness.

I stared at her well-trained fist, slowly curling my own into a fist.

My hands felt relatively large, making my simple fist look enormous.

“Wow. If I got hit by that, I’d be done for. Definitely different from her face.”

“It’s a relief I didn’t get hit by it.”

Her fist was so impressive that even Kara was astounded. Elvin, who had paired up with me previously, seemed relieved.

‘Come to think of it, I haven’t really made a fist much.’

When living in the woods, I typically used stone axes or spears, and I never fought bare-handed with clenched fists.

Using magic was far more effective than throwing punches. I might just show that during a spar with Kara.

“Watch closely. When throwing a punch, rotating your waist and shoulders is key. Like this.”

*Thud!*

Kara spun both her waist and shoulders, unleashing a powerful punch.

At the same moment, Elvin’s arm, which had brought the mitt close to his face, shot back with a hook.

It seems he tried to pull back his arm to absorb the impact, but judging by his crumpled expression, it didn’t go as planned.

“You can throw a strong punch like this or tap lightly as a jab. Watch closely.”

“Could you go a bit softer?”

“Got it.”

Kara complied with Elvin’s request, striking the mitt more slowly than before.

She lightly tapped a few times, then again delivered a strong punch, twisting her waist.

It looked exceptionally easy, as she was clearly an expert in this field.

“That covers the majority of punches. Each style has different fighting methods, but using your waist and shoulders is universal.”

“What sort of fighting technique do the Tartars teach?”

“Yours doesn’t differ much. It’s just practical combat training.”

That isn’t incorrect. Though there are some differences in approach.

Tartar is a rather harsh land, so their martial arts mainly focus on practical experience.

Each warrior specializes in battle and knows how to utilize their own techniques effectively.

‘That’s why they’re classified in the high-level section.’

It’s not just the level but also a nonsensical pattern.

Fighting not only monsters but also other people can be immensely challenging.

Especially, Kara’s father—the king of Tartar… let’s just not go there. Running away would be the best option.

“Alright. How about you take a swing now? Just like I did earlier.”

“Am I supposed to wear the mitts?”

“I don’t want to fuss about taking them off and on. Just do it. You are her protector too.”

“Hmm…”

Elvin reluctantly accepted her request, looking rather displeased.

“Is this correct?” was evident on his face as it seems he still hasn’t fully grasped it.

Even in the game, one had to go through many events to rebuild strength, so struggling now is beneficial.

‘Twist your waist and shoulder…’

Before I struck the mitt, I mimicked what Kara had previously demonstrated.

Although it felt strange to think while moving my body, I executed the motions mechanically after using pure instinct until now.

Though it seemed easy, it was indeed easy for Kara as she demonstrated it; doing it myself felt awkward.

‘I’ll just swing my fist.’

In any case, I’m a rookie who hasn’t even polished my basics. So it’s fine to mess up, right?

I glanced at the mitt positioned next to Elvin’s head and pulled my arm back.

Then, smoothly rotating my waist and shoulders, I slammed my fist into the mitt.

“Uh, wait. I said go easy on it…”

Kara shouted in panic from behind, but it was already too late.

Still, considering I held back my strength, it shouldn’t lead to any issues.

*BAM!*

The mitt I struck exploded with an ear-piercing sound.

*Thud!*

Before I realized, Elvin’s arm flew backward, making ominous sounds.

It all happened so fast that even Elvin didn’t understand what had transpired.

Dangling—dangling—

“…Huh?”

Elvin blinked as he stared at his right arm.

His arm dangled, swinging like a pendulum clock.

Just from that one hit, Elvin’s arm was dislocated. Even though I had tried to control my strength.

“…What?”

“Why is it out?”

He still seemed confused and couldn’t grasp the situation.

*****

With Elvin’s shoulder dislocated by Sivar’s punch, he was promptly transported to the hospital.

His expression during transport was one of complete shock and astonishment.

However, given how cleanly it was dislocated, reinserting would probably be straightforward.

That said, depending on his condition, there’s a chance he might miss the upcoming duel. That would be somewhat critical.

“Sigh.”

Luna let out a deep sigh. Sivar had caused two accidents today alone.

Both incidents stemmed from a lack of communication and speaking up beforehand.

It was a moment of realization that being able to communicate to some extent is different than truly understanding each other.

‘Still, it seems he knows he’s at fault.’

She observed Sivar, who stood there in a daze.

Although he maintained a blank expression, his bright red eyes rolled around curiously. He was clearly sensing something.

It looked like he recognized what he’d done wrong. That in itself was a giant leap forward.

“Don’t feel too guilty. Accidents like this are pretty normal. Got it?”

Just then, Kara patted Sivar on the shoulder to comfort him.

Luna frowned at the sight. What if her actions instilled incorrect notions in him?

It was important to prevent him from recklessly using his power carelessly.

If he’s not careful, he could swing it around under the guise of ‘accident.’

“Kara, you need to apologize first. Before it’s an accident, someone got hurt.”

“Oh, that’s true. Did you hear?”

“…”

Sivar only stood there staring blankly. He looked like he didn’t fully understand.

Seeing his expression, Kara rolled her eyes in disbelief and asked softly.

“You don’t know what an apology is, do you?”

Sivar shook his head. Fortunately, that was not the case.

“Then you can apologize later. As long as you understand what you did wrong.”

Sivar nodded in acknowledgment. Luna smiled satisfactorily at his reaction.

It seems Ellie educated him well. There’s a long way to go, but this already counts as great progress…

“Alright, that’s good. I can see you struggle to control your strength, so I’ll help you moving forward.”

“…?”

Something felt off. Luna blinked and looked at Kara.

That statement implies she would continue being with Sivar going forward.

“Hey. Class president… no, Luna.”

Just then, while Luna was feeling flustered, Kara broke her gaze from Sivar and looked at her.

She revealed a grin, showing her bright white teeth, and made a request.

“Can I also be his protector?”

“…?”

“It’ll be convenient if I can help with his training too. We’ll probably stick together a lot from here on out.”

Those words made Luna’s mind spin in circles.

A combination of a savage and a wilderness dweller. If it fits, it really does fit.

But Kara’s behavior style is the issue. The moment she feels insulted, she resorts to violence.

If Sivar were to adopt Kara’s way of behaving…

‘That absolutely can’t happen!’

That would be a disaster. After seeing Sivar’s strength just moments ago, I couldn’t help but think such thoughts.

The moment Sivar swung his fist out of rage for being insulted, it wasn’t mere violence, it was murder.

As I’ve mentioned several times, violence shouldn’t be taken lightly.

This wasn’t the wilderness where the law of the jungle applies, but ‘civilization.’

“It’s not going to work.”

“Oh? Why not?”

“Kara, you use violence far too easily. Think about Sivar following that behavior.”

“…”

Kara scratched her cheek, not without some sense of indignation.

Yet she couldn’t help but make excuses, seeming a bit defensive.

“I don’t like using my strength either. After all, they insulted me first.”

“Just because someone insults you doesn’t mean you should respond with a fist.”

“How strict you are. But when I think about it…”

Kara accepted it somewhat but then grinned, generating an uneasy anticipation from me.

It was then that Kara threw out a poignant remark that floored Luna.

“Why should I need your permission?”

“What?”

“I just need to get the dean’s approval.”

“…”

Luna’s mouth dropped open. It was a statement that pierced through the core matter.

The person designated as Sivar’s protector was Dean Rod. If he gives his consent, Kara can indeed become a protector.

Moreover, if she uses training as a pretext for it like today, Rod would likely permit it eagerly.

“Take me to the dean during the weekend. Got it? Until then, I’ll teach him diligently.”

“…”

Kara patted Luna’s shoulder, who had gone rigid as a stone, then walked back to Sivar.

After a brief stir of confusion, the training didn’t cease. Kara returned to teaching Sivar again.

Luna, observing the scene absentmindedly, felt as though matters were growing only more complicated.

‘…What a mess.’

She usually kept her distance from foul language, but now she couldn’t help but feel the urge to curse internally.

‘Nothing is going right.’

This time, she truly had no choice but to utter such thoughts.

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