Eat The World Tree

Chapter 65: Interpersonal Combat Class

Upon arriving at the academy with Hwangdo’s farewell in my ears, I immediately felt the center of attention.

“Are you okay?”

“That must have been tough.”

Unexpectedly, I even received attention from students I’d never thought would notice me. Not just from the Korean branch, but foreign students occasionally approached me as well.

“Oh, Shiheon?”

“Hi. I saw the news about you.”

This attention might be overwhelming, but considering what happened, it was understandable. It was not even midterm at the academy, yet I had already been involved in three incidents. Naturally, I became the talk of the town. Of course, not all of the talk was positive. Achievements I or others accomplished sometimes became mere gossip fodder.

-He really messed up, didn’t he?

-Hey, he did minimize the damage during the dungeon rampage, right?

-Yep, ranked 152~

-Then try beating him in a fight.

=Possible during the tournament.

It’s probably the same kind of situation Siwoo and others might have experienced. In the past, I would get angry just hearing a single insult, but now I feel indifferent. Who in the world hadn’t been criticized? As long as there wasn’t physical harm, I decided to let it slide.

Jealousy, envy. With these mixed feelings in their eyes, I took a seat, which had collected dust from not being used for a long time. Guseul, sitting next to me, chuckled.

“Siha~ that was a big deal.”

“Don’t remind me. But you didn’t message until the end?”

“Sorry… I was busy.”

Guseul brought her hands together as if praying, still an inscrutable character.

“But your rumor’s huge.”

“Huh?”

“Haven’t you heard?”

I did receive messages from Sooyoung, Siwoo, and other friends. I got many contacts at the last drinking party. I had been too tired and postponed all the messages, but it seemed another rumor sprouted.

“Check out EveryDay. Lots of stories about you.”

“Really?”

“Look at this. It’s an old post, though.”

Guseul tapped her smartphone and showed me the screen.

―Author: Anonymous (Date: 3/xx)

I got caught up in an incident last time. Does anyone know who helped me? He was wearing a mask and was slightly built ??. Can I treat you to a meal as a token of appreciation?

[Comments (12)]

-Anonymous1: Isn’t there only one person in our academy who wears a mask?

└Author: Oh really? Who is it? I’m so grateful ??.

-Anonymous2: So, are you dating? So, are you dating?

-Anonymous3: Why don’t I meet such people?

-Anonymous4: But he looked really ugly.

└Anonymous5: Why bring that up now? Don’t say that about someone kind.

-Soft Sansuyu: The person with the mask is my friend.

└Author: Oh, who?

└Anonymous6: You didn’t set your comment to anonymous. And Sansuyu, stop impersonating. You’ll get caught.

└Soft Sansuyu: What’s an anonymous tag?

What the heck was Sansuyu doing? Her naive side was hilarious.

“Who is this?”

“No idea.”

We exchanged guesses, and I recalled I made a friend because of that incident.

“Sooyoung?”

“Wrong~ To be honest, I don’t know either. Just saw someone like this. Hehehe.”

Turns out, many benefited from my deeds. I was surprised. I remember when I resolved an issue with Cheondo, my anecdote spread online. Rare student or advertisement inquiries using my reputation popped up sometimes.

Guseul’s hearty laughter had me laughing along. Suddenly, she showed another post with a bitter voice.

“But not all comments are positive.”

The screen was filled with envious insults about me. Some questioned why someone with such a low ranking like me was so popular. Others accused me of spending money to boost my image. Below, anonymous users criticized my looks and skills. It was harsh enough to make anyone upset.

But honestly, they were right to some extent.

“I don’t even know why I became famous.”

“Hehehe. So funny.”

After a burst of laughter, Guseul spoke seriously.

“Hey, you need to prove yourself at least once.”

“I’m well aware.”

That opportunity will come in the near future. This place, after all, was the academy. Only one’s abilities could truly prove everything.

-Bang!

A noise from the front. As I locked eyes with Seyeong, dressed in the instructor’s uniform, she flashed a sly smile reminiscent of a fox.

“Alright~ Pay attention. Those studying, lift your heads. Your grades won’t change anyway.”

Having grown closer to the students, Seyeong began the announcement in her signature playful tone.

“Firstly~ um, that recent disturbance has been mostly settled. The details are confidential, so you’ll have to make do with that. But just a note, don’t pry too much into it.”

She sprinkled in some standard information, grabbing the students’ attention. A few glances were directed my way, but I paid them no mind.

“Today’s announcement ends here, but ah, yes. The festival is coming up soon. If you’re planning any shenanigans, prepare properly.”

“What are you implying, instructor?”

Laughter erupted in the class. Was this due to the overlap of high school and university? Seyeong concluded her announcement with some playful comments and exited with a kick to the door.

However, I should get on with my quests soon. I wonder if the blind date Seyeong set up for me is still on? Given the fact I was kidnapped in the middle, should I ask her via a message? As this thought crossed my mind and I reached into my pocket, my phone buzzed.

-Rescuer: The blind date will proceed as planned. Buy a suit.

I guess there was no need. I smirked. By any measure, Seyeong had to be my Rescuer.

“Today, we have an overlap in the Individual Combat class, so you will have lessons with the Japanese students.”

The instructor, Man Sejeok, began explaining while resting his sword on his hand like a baseball bat. We each wore the translation earphones provided and placed our weapons beside us. The students’ swords and staffs formed a line on the grass.

“You can either use the weapons you brought or the practice items provided over there. Of course, only items that have gone through the registration process will be recognized.”

Weapon registration was a process set up to prevent weapons, regardless of the owner’s skills, from having excessive killing power. What the sword was made of, whether the magic circle inscribed on the staff was dangerous, and so forth—only items that had passed the scrutiny of experts were recognized in the process.

The instructor, examining the weapons surrounding the students, stopped at my spot.

“Student Shiheon, I see you’re not prepared with a weapon. Do you need a rental?”

“No, I’m fine.”

He glanced at me skeptically, then took a closer look at my physique and chuckled.

“You’ve bulked up quite a bit.”

“Uh…yeah.”

Upon closer inspection, he was the instructor from when I first sparred with Siwoo, the one who promptly changed the match rules when he realized I had no magic. Compared to back then, I had changed a lot. I had become more physically fit, almost unrecognizably so. Declaring that I wouldn’t use a weapon, I could hear whispers here and there.

-Isn’t he the one not using a weapon?

-Who? Shiheon? He changed it recently, didn’t he? I saw him using his fists during the last dungeon strategy.

-Oh, really? Barehanded fighting is so lame. Hehe.

Honestly, I also thought the same until I saw Baekdo.

How could fists defeat swords? At first, it seemed laughable, but it worked. Training under Cheondo and Baekdo gave me a broader perspective.

-Beep.

[Shiheon: Shin Hyun-sung]

Time passed, and the board displayed my opponent.

The opponent appeared to be a kind-faced Korean. I thought I might be paired with a Japanese student since it was a joint class, but it seems we coincidentally got matched.

“I look forward to our match.”

The student, bowing his head first, caught my attention. From a distance, he glanced over where the students were seated.

As expected from the first match, many students’ gazes were fixed on me.

As if evaluating my abilities. Some rested their chins on their hands, while others observed with intrigued eyes. One could mistake them for arrogance, but that wasn’t necessarily the case. Among them, there were those whose skills were on par with actual professionals.

No matter how much my reputation had fallen recently, a talent was still a talent. Those nurtured by El Academy shouldn’t be underestimated.

“Thank you in advance.”

I also bowed to the opposing student, showing respect.

Normally, during a spar between students, they shouldn’t exert their full strength right from the start. It was an unspoken rule and courtesy. To overpower your opponent from the beginning of a practice match was considered rude. Instead, light exchanges were allowed, slowly increasing intensity as the match progressed. Safety always came first. Emphasis on this safety has been growing recently.

[Beep!]

A single mechanical sound that indicated readiness. The tip of a wooden sword, looking sturdier than the usual ones, was aimed at me. Judging by its slightly imbalanced stance, the technique seemed either immature or minor.

I thrust out one fist and shifted the other towards my pelvis. Maintaining that stance, I subtly shifted my center of gravity.

-Beep beep!

The dual sound echoed as I readied for the opponent.

-Clash!

The student, gripping his sword, charged, wrapping his legs with energy. It was a rather forceful attack, for a start. Nevertheless, his unwavering confidence in his sword wasn’t something a regular student could easily possess.

-Tap!

I had enough time to react to the opponent’s speed, taking the moment to evaluate the situation. As I glanced around, I caught a glimpse of a smartphone camera screen raised by another student.

How should I handle this attack?

-Whirr-

Naturally, as lightly as possible.

Flashiness was but a luxury.

-Swish-

I enveloped my body with a thin layer of energy and took a step back. I wasn’t fast enough to maintain the distance, so the gap quickly closed. The tip of the advancing student’s sword almost pierced me.

While not as agile as Siwoo or Suyu, his movements were swift and sharp.

Right before the sword would pierce my chest, I stood still, relaxed.

‘I’ve really grown.’

The ability to overpower someone with sheer skill…

-Thunk-

Moving forward, laughing at my own arrogance, I twisted my torso, dodged the sword, and tripped him in the process.

In that brief moment, the once confident face of the student crumpled. Taking advantage of his falling momentum, I pushed him further.

-Crash!

The student stumbled. Just as he tried to get up…

“Ugh.”

Seeing my foot aiming right for his collarbone, he quickly raised his hands in surrender.

“Ha, I’ve learned a lesson.”

The match was decided.

The series of events unfolded in a matter of seconds. Many surprised faces of fellow students flashed before my eyes.

“Thank you.”

The first practical lesson after the incident, while seemingly mundane, left quite a stimulating impression.