Second Life of a Dragon Raising Hunter

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Chapter 27

The dueling ground, which had been partially destroyed from the floor upward due to Park Seong-in’s Level 2 Magic, the Rock Upper, was quickly restored by the surrounding green Mana. It was a barrier imbued with spellwork designed to prevent lethal injuries and restore material.

Naturally, thanks to the barrier, Park Seong-in wasn’t in danger of dying, but the act of constructing a Level 4 spell that would normally take time in just 2 seconds came with the risk of obliterating the two mana routes connected to his Mana Heart, which made Yoo Ha-yeon intervene.

If left unattended, while he wouldn’t die, it was obvious he would become a vegetable.

In that sense, Yoo Ha-yeon’s judgment was spot on. There was no reason to deliberately ruin a talented wizard. Even if the duel had a practical purpose.

The dueling continued afterward. Je Gal Seong-ryong, who had taken Park Seong-in to the infirmary, returned to his original spot.

It appeared to be a near-complete victory, but unexpectedly, he seemed to have sustained injuries in various places, as Seong-ryong was wrapped in several red-stained bandages.

“What happened while I was away?”

“The rest? It just went normally. Thanks to that, it seems the pace has picked up a bit?”

And indeed, it had. The match between Je Gal Seong-ryong and Park Seong-in lasted barely over 5 minutes. Yet, it left an impact that was more than sufficient.

Park Seong-in’s manipulation of Magic and daring choices paired with Je Gal Seong-ryong’s courage and cool judgment likely led other participants in the subsequent duels to conclude that it was better to conclude quickly rather than dragging things out and missing opportunities to showcase their skills.

“Where’s Namgung Seong?”

“Over there.”

Yeon-woo pointed indifferently towards the dueling area. In the light green arena, a hulking Jo In and a girl with a black ponytail were warming up. Namgung Seong and Kim Yoo-min. Both were geniuses anticipated to be at the top of their class.

“Wow.”

It was rare for Seong-ryong to express such awe. I understood. When those two stood side by side, it felt like a slight tingling at the tip of my nose.

The duel commenced at the signal. The two rushed toward each other at full power, exchanging relentless attacks with no hint of retreat. The battle was one of strength and strength, wielding strong swords and strong fists.

However, it wasn’t mere brute force. The reason those two favored close-quarters combat over anything else was their sharp sense of predicting each other’s moves.

Kim Yoo-min, noticing a slight twitch at the tip of the sword, swung her fist, prompting Namgung Seong to twist his blade in response, to which Kim Yoo-min altered her approach, extending her left arm, and Namgung Seong countered with his sword grip slamming down.

It was a fight where movements reacted faster than the brain’s recognition. They made predictions upon predictions. Once there was nothing left to predict, swords and fists clashed.

This process repeated over and over. They knew each other too well. Though this was their first duel, it felt like they were completely in sync.

And the duel ended when Kim Yoo-min’s fist struck Namgung Seong’s face while Namgung Seong’s wooden sword swatted Kim Yoo-min’s side. With both flying in opposite directions, crashing into the spectator stands was perhaps the only fitting conclusion.

Park Seong-in’s Rock Upper had left behind chaos, but even the sheer force of their close-quarters brawl was enough to devastate the dueling ground.

“Crazy brat….”

“Gorilla girl….”

They were taken away on stretchers, exchanging such curses. Watching the bloodied Kim Yoo-min being carried out, Kim Hyun-soo could only shake his head in dismay.

At least it wasn’t lethal, so it could serve to relieve some stress. Yeon-woo intentionally ignored the scene.

The dueling continued afterward. There were many notable matches. Eventually, it was Baek In-hwa’s turn, facing Albert Lyonel.

This concluded the turns for the super rookies of both classes. Yeon-woo let out a sigh of relief without realizing it. Yeah, there was no way such kids would latch onto me.

While Yeon-woo felt at ease, Yoo Ha-yeon and the professor responsible for Class 3 began whispering to each other. An egg placed above them jerked, and Shar spoke to Yeon-woo.

[Indeed. It seems two from Class 3 are absent. Food poisoning, they say?]

‘……?’

At Shar’s words, Yeon-woo turned his head. It was roughly expected that once the duels were nearing their end, all 40 from both sides would be out.

After all, there were plenty who had collapsed from fatigue. There could only be one or two left, and of course, Yeon-woo would be among them.

Looking hurriedly at Class 3’s seating, there was no one sitting. Yeon-woo’s spine tingled as he turned around, finding only Darius Blackraven sitting in the seat of Yeon-woo’s class, grinning menacingly at him.

“I see….”

It seemed the time had finally come for the foreshadowing to be addressed.

*

This past week, the unfortunate connection between Yeon-woo and Darius Blackraven continued without halt.

More than anything, particularly after that weekend clearing the gate where the Doppleganger resided.

The Academy openly claimed to cultivate hunters. As such, it had been mentioned before that students held the freedom to enter gates during their enrollment period.

Student IDs were compatible with Hunter licenses. In other words, the Academy was closely intertwined with the Hunter Guild. Like being able to conduct business at ATMs of different banks.

This meant that even if Yeon-woo did not inform the Academy, his achievements would be shared anyway. No matter how much Yeon-woo tries to hide it, it was meaningless.

Additionally, the achievements of others would serve as an impeccable catalyst in provoking the competitive spirit of the Hunter candidates enrolled at the Academy.

In a past interview, it had been said that a professor raised student performance simply by collecting and announcing achievements once a week.

Thus, that morning, Yoo Ha-yeon had joked in a boring tone during the first period, “Oh, Baek In-hwa and Choi Yeon-woo. They conquered the gate together. Good job. Did they go on a date?”

Darius Blackraven displayed no notable reaction to that, but the flames reflected in his crimson eyes were of an unusual heat.

Yeon-woo’s excuse that ‘this was the first time, and I needed a senior to take me along’ fortunately took some effect, so there was no romance rumored between the two, yet Darius seemed unsatisfied by that fact.

He was nagging at every turn. Should Yeon-woo be carrying a lunch tray, Darius would casually bump shoulders, or he would openly hide Yeon-woo’s belongings.

Most of it was childish antics, so Yeon-woo didn’t pay them much mind. The important things were always carried, and bumping shoulders didn’t knock anyone down.

But it seemed that the God above had no intention of quelling Darius’s jealousy, for he continuously threw trials at Yeon-woo. The source of these trials was Baek In-hwa. More precisely, it was Baek In-hwa’s social interactions, as she had settled in somewhat but didn’t have particularly close friends.

For example, physical training classes or written assignments were mostly conducted in pairs.

For them to investigate the ecology of some monster and give a presentation. In physical training, it could involve warming up with a partner.~

Of course, Yeon-woo didn’t have many friends whom he could be considered particularly close with either. But aside from Darius, he formed amicable relations where simple greetings were exchanged. The only one who seemed like they could become truly close was Jung Yu-jin at best.

However, Baek In-hwa’s social interactions were the epitome of destruction and closure, so whenever she needed a partner, Yeon-woo had to fill that void. Honestly, even Yeon-woo as Darius couldn’t help but feel jealous.

Well, that’s that. Of course, Darius was among the stronger ones amongst the students, but there was no way he could win. Perhaps it would help him in the future if he humbled himself a bit.

As Yeon-woo had ominously predicted, the final duel was set against Darius. What could be done? After all, the original opponents didn’t show up. As Yeon-woo walked to the center of the dueling ground, a voice rang from above.

“It seems a student like Darius would suffice for verification.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of skills the disciple of Professor Yuri will showcase.”

Was that meant to be overheard? I decided not to care too much. Just thinking about the duel was daunting enough; I had no space in my brain for anything else. As I reached the central platform, Darius approached me quietly.

“Given the choice, I’d suggest you forfeit and stay away from Baek In-hwa, you pest.”

Pest, huh…. I’m quite fond of that nickname. It feels nostalgic.

Yeon-woo shrugged nonchalantly. Should I tease this kid a bit?

“What can I do if it’s Baek In-hwa who keeps coming to me? Try to understand me, will you?”

“…If you don’t shut up and forfeit, I can send you to the brink of death.”

“Really sorry… What can I say… It’s because I’m more handsome than you….”

Suddenly stopping in his tracks, Darius unwillingly turned his back and walked towards the dueling zone.

To tease a kid, becoming a kid myself is the best approach. Absolutely.

[Objectively speaking, Dad is better looking.]

‘Isn’t that beauty the sort that could charm your mom in one go?’

[Right now, however. In the last life, Dad was ugly, you know? His skin was coarse and all.]

My apologies, Sister. I should’ve been more attentive to this. How could such a face get to that point?

“What’s taking you so long, Darius? Get up here already.”

“…Yes, I’m coming now.”

Darius, who stood still for a moment to suppress his anger with deep breaths, finally took his place across from Yeon-woo. Yoo Ha-yeon approached.

“What’s your weapon?”

“This one here.”

Yeon-woo raised up the dark wooden sword hanging at his waist. For the record, he had permission from Yuri to use a real sword as well. Naturally, he could transform it into a real sword if needed, but for this duel, he decided to only use the wooden sword.

At a glance, it appeared to be an ordinary wooden sword, but on its surface, a ripple reminiscent of liquid spread outward.

“It seems you’re lucky to have a boss item from the beginning. No problem there. Since it’s something you’ve earned yourself. Just be careful not to use any dangerous abilities, or you’ll be disqualified. It doesn’t look like anything special, though.”

As Yeon-woo nodded, Yoo Ha-yeon approached Darius and asked the same question. Darius raised two short blades, one red and one black. They were about the length that reached his elbow when held by hand.

Their fierce design hinted they were artifacts, yet they were securely sealed within a leather scabbard engraved with protective seals.

By securing it like that, it decreased the cutting power, making it akin to a sturdy training weapon. Those with their own weapons often trained with something like that during duels. The red in his left hand and the black in his right, was it?

Aside from that, he had a holster holding a dagger near his thigh. It appeared to be for throwing.

That’s tricky.

“Everything seems fine. Similarly, if you use any dangerous abilities, you’ll be disqualified. If you understand all the rules and are ready, step onto the platform.”

With that, Yoo Ha-yeon exited the square arena. Yeon-woo stepped onto the green platform that appeared right in front. Darius did the same.

3, 2, 1, Duel Start.

Ping!!

The red short blade shot with a crimson light like a comet’s tail. Yeon-woo adjusted his wrist and easily deflected it. The falling short blade was caught by Darius in an acrobatic stance before he spun and plunged the red short blade down toward Yeon-woo.

Yeon-woo raised his horizontally held sword. For the downward attack, he had to swing upwards before it fully unleashed its power. His response was as smooth as flowing water.

What to watch out for was the subsequent strike from his right hand. Watching the trajectory of the red Mana flowing along the Mana path… what the…

Yeon-woo jumped back sharply. Darius’s right hand, stretched out completely behind him near his back, had dived up from below toward Yeon-woo.

“Holy crap. What’s up with that body? Are you some sort of yoga master?”

“Do you think I’d easily reveal the vision of my clan? If you’re scared, forfeit.”

Darius, sneering, had his right arm return to its original position with a response.

What is this, no need for finesse? I thought I had some endurance myself, but I didn’t even dare to try and mimic such absurdity.

“It’s boring, so I don’t want to.”

Taking the opportunity while they were talking, Yeon-woo wrapped a thin layer around his body. It was a nest he had occasionally discovered while sparring with Kim Yoo-min in the Body Training Room— a ‘just awkward enough’ nest.

The moment he wrapped it, Yeon-woo lunged forward. The defensive wait-and-see approach was a strategy, but Darius’s dual wielding shone in an offensive stance.

He specialized in bizarre and evasive movements that could confuse opponents, striking at vulnerabilities. It could be termed a type of assassination technique passed down through his clan, if memory served.

“Alright, bring it on.”

Swiping his sword wide at the confident Darius, Yeon-woo recalled that Darius typically didn’t clash weapons with opponents.

He preferred dodging and then launching a counterattack. His dual-wielding style isn’t well-suited for weapon clashes.

As expected, Darius managed to evade Yeon-woo’s sword with a narrow margin while leaning back. Darius positioned himself for a bridge, naturally pushing off the ground for a kick.

Yeon-woo leaned back and spun his sword to try another swing. Using the recoil from an awkward kick, Darius performed a backflip as he dodged.

“You’ve got good instincts.”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

Though he answered casually, how should I express it? He was a tricky opponent. It seemed he used less Mana than anticipated.

Namgung Seong tended to fight with his Ki coursing through his entire body, making it easy to read the direction of his attacks. When focused, he could even see the Mana flowing through the body, and if he even stroked the Mana itself, it became clear just by a glance.

On the other hand, what style of assassination had inspired Darius? It seemed he focused more on physical movements than Mana utilization.

So far, the only attacks involving Mana were a few throw attacks and the sudden ones from below. For Yeon-woo, Darius was slightly harder to deal with than Namgung Seong.

…Yet, he wasn’t impossible to handle. Having fought countless traitors in his past life, Yeon-woo found Darius’s type to be confounding, but finally decided to adapt over time.

It felt like there was a considerable risk involved in taking the offensive.

Darius employed an array of fascinating attacks. The way he utilized Mana was truly skillful. Whoever crafted those techniques, they weren’t trivial; he pulled a spare dagger from his holster and held it modestly.

As he did, Darius fixed the dagger with Mana in mid-air and, when several seconds had passed, suddenly fired it toward himself.

Yeon-woo could only be taken aback and defend, and in that very instant, Darius seized the opportunity to continue his assault.

The launching and retrieval of the dagger flowed seamlessly, along with the advancing attack.

‘What’s going on here?’

[It’s tethered by Mana threads in mid-air. It triggers when a specific action occurs, sending the dagger toward him.]

While he was grateful to have figured out there was a trigger, he nearly despaired upon realizing it would be launched with every different motion.

‘Word has it there are many prodigies; Blackraven fits the bill perfectly.’

Yeon-woo raised his head. Darius sat casually in mid-air, as though perched on an invisible stool. His pupils had settled quietly like a calm, resting lake.

‘Elemental Mana, Thread.’

He had categorized his Mana type and established his distinct combat method through that classification, engaging fully without a hint of restraint; before Yeon-woo stood an opponent who might be the most formidable he had faced since entering the Academy.

(To be continued)