Chapter 42

I Am Not a Reincarnator Chapter 42

Secluded Training (3)

Two months had passed.

*Boom!*

A heavy vibration echoed.

A silver arc, like a flash, raced through the desolate interior of the temple.

“Gah!”

Desperately chasing that flash, I raised my spear.

‘Spear Lightning!’

*Crackle!*

A bolt of lightning spread in a fan shape, sweeping the front.

But.

“Don’t you know it’s useless?”

A voice came from right behind me.

Leiak, who had been running towards me, was now standing behind Oh Jin.

“Huh!”

There was no time to think.

I stretched my right arm upwards and bent my wrist.

*Clang!*

As the wire was launched, Oh Jin’s body soared.

“Indeed. You’re quick at running.”

Leiak looked up at Oh Jin, who had moved to near the ceiling using the wire, with a cold sneer.

“But.”

At the same time as he lowered his body slightly.

“You can’t win a battle by just running.”

*Boom!!*

He stomped his foot roughly!

“Damn!”

Oh Jin’s face turned pale.

In mid-air, with his movements restricted, Leiak charged at him like a rocket.

“Time out!”

“Is there such a thing in battle?”

Leiak raised his fist with a smirk.

As he swung his fist at Oh Jin, who was clinging to the ceiling like a bug.

“Of course not.”

*Chirp.*

Oh Jin’s lips curled up.

“...What?”

Leiak’s expression twisted harshly.

*Swish!*

The wire embedded in the ceiling unfolded like a net, entangling him.

“Explosive Lightning!”

*Crackle!*

The intense electricity flowing through the wire exploded in succession.

Leiak’s body trembled.

“You’re using cheap tricks.”

But that was all.

Even after being hit by the destructive lightning, Leiak’s movements didn’t stop.

*Whoosh!*

Leiak lightly drew a line in the air with his hand.

Lightning claws formed along the trajectory and shot towards Oh Jin.

“Huh!”

It was impossible to see and dodge.

Oh Jin took a short breath and spun his body.

He focused the power of the scar on his legs.

*Bang!*

Kicking the ceiling, his body fell quickly.

“Too slow.”

Leiak said coldly, stepping on the blue lightning burning around him.

Landing faster than Oh Jin, he raised his fist.

Their gazes met as Oh Jin fell.

And.

‘Now...!’

Oh Jin raised his spear as he fell.

He already knew from the past two months of training that there was a significant difference in speed.

Then.

‘Falling Lightning!’

Assuming Leiak was ‘faster’ than him, he could predict this action.

*Crackle!!*

A more powerful lightning than two months ago opened its fierce jaws at Leiak.

A blue lightning storm swept the surroundings with a loud noise.

‘Got you!’

The corners of Oh Jin’s mouth curled up.

But.

“...Weak.”

“Gah?!”

Leiak, rising from the lightning, grabbed Oh Jin’s neck.

Pulling his waist back as if throwing a baseball, he swung his arm roughly.

*Bang!!*

“Cough!”

*Thud! Thud! Thud!*

Oh Jin’s body, thrown, bounced on the temple floor like a skipping stone.

An intense pain shook his body.

“Ugh... Damn. I thought I got him this time.”

Oh Jin, who had been slammed to the ground, sighed and got up.

“Haha! You bounce really well, kid. Are you a bouncy ball?”

Haeun appeared with a familiar laugh.

She placed an ice pack on Oh Jin’s head.

“Are you okay, little man?”

“No. It hurts like hell.”

“Come here, you. I’ll make it better for you.”

“Ugh.”

“Huh?”

“Ah, I must have rolled too much on the ground. My stomach suddenly feels bad.”

“You brat.”

Haeun lightly hit his head.

It hurt.

“How much time has passed?”

He asked, rubbing his numb head.

Haeun showed him the screen of her smartphone.

“52 seconds.”

Damn.

Why can’t I last a minute every time?

“Tsk.”

Two months ago.

When he started training, he was shattered in just three seconds. Considering that, this was a significant improvement, but he didn’t expect to be unable to last even a minute after two months of training with the same opponent.

‘He’s really strong.’

Oh Jin sighed deeply, glancing at Leiak.

Even this wasn’t his full strength; he was holding back, yet it was like this.

“Hehe! You’re always getting beaten up, aren’t you?”

Haeun sat down next to him, taunting Oh Jin.

Oh Jin’s eyes narrowed.

“...But why do you always come?”

At first, she came once or twice a week, but now she visits the temple every day, like a daily commute.

She even stayed overnight a few times.

“I came to make sure our Oh Jin eats properly~”

Haeun hummed a tune and opened the lunch box she had prepared.

Inside the square lunch box, rice balls that looked like cursed totems created by ancient demons to wish for the destruction of humanity were piled up.

‘Damn.’

How does she make them look like that?

“Come on~ Try it!”

“...”

He looked at her pleadingly, but it didn’t work.

Oh Jin took a bite of the rice ball Haeun offered.

“Huh? What is this?”

Why is it so delicious?

“Hehe, how is it?”

“It’s good.”

Despite the terrible appearance, it was quite salty and spicy, and it tasted good.

This girl is also making progress.

“Hehe~ Isn’t it? It’s good, right?”

Haeun laughed, raising her nose.

Seeing her shiver, he wanted to tease her, but he held back.

‘Anyway, I’m not sure if there’s any progress in my training.’

Oh Jin frowned, taking another bite of the rice ball.

Over the past two months, his physical abilities had improved, and the levels of Spear Lightning and Falling Lightning had each increased by one, but that was it.

He didn’t feel like he had grown explosively as before.

‘Is training not enough?’

He thought he might need a bigger stimulus.

“Ugh.”

While he was lost in thought.

“...”

Leiak looked down at Oh Jin, who was slowly eating the rice ball, with a deep, dark gaze.

*Whoosh.*

Bega quietly flew to his side.

[So, how was the two months of training?]

Bega asked, crossing her arms and smiling faintly.

“...What do you mean?”

[Hehe. Isn’t it a truly innate talent?]

“...”

Leiak remained silent.

Memories of the past two months flashed through his mind.

Although Oh Jin didn’t seem to be aware of it,

Over the past two months, he had grown to a noticeable degree.

But.

“...I can’t acknowledge it.”

Leiak shook his head, looking displeased.

“While he is skilled at handling the scar, that’s all.”

He didn’t think Oh Jin had the potential to change the fate of the end.

[Is that so?]

Bega gently stroked Leiak’s back, who had transformed into a wolf.

Leiak turned his head away, avoiding her gaze.

[Don’t be hasty. You’ll understand in time.]

“...I don’t understand why you have such a high opinion of this human, Lady Bega.”

[Hehe. It’s my intuition.]

Bega shrugged and looked at Oh Jin.

[This child has... the power to change fate.]

Her gaze towards Oh Jin was filled with firm trust.

“...”

Leiak scratched the temple floor with a sullen expression.

Bega smiled faintly and tickled his chin.

[And, do you know? Being with this child might help you break down your ‘wall’.]

“That...”

[Well, it might be a distant dream, even for me. Anyway, don’t think so negatively.]

Her gentle hand brushed against Leiak’s nose.

“Grr.”

Leiak flicked his ears, looking pleased.

After about ten minutes.

*Thud, thud.*

Leiak walked towards Oh Jin, who had just finished eating the rice ball.

“Human. Is your rest over?”

“Huh? Ah, it’s over.”

Oh Jin got up, drinking the water Haeun had brought.

“...”

Leiak looked at Oh Jin with a thoughtful expression.

“Why?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

“Huh?”

Oh Jin tilted his head, looking at him, but there was no response.

*Crack!*

Leiak transformed back into a werewolf.

“Then. Let’s start the training.”

He said, exuding a fierce aura.

“Wait a moment.”

“Hmm?”

“There’s something I want to ask.”

Oh Jin tapped the floor with the tip of his spear and continued.

“Is there a way to train like a ‘real battle’ instead of just sparring?”

“...What?”

Leiak laughed, finding it absurd.

Not being able to last a minute and asking for a real battle.

“I know it’s an unreasonable request.”

Oh Jin smiled bitterly.

“But I want to experience a training session as close to a real battle as possible.”

No matter how much he tried to focus, the feeling of a real battle was completely different from sparring.

There was always a lingering thought in the back of his mind: “It’s just a sparring session, after all.”

“Hmm.”

Leiak smirked and crossed his arms.

“There is a way.”

“Oh, really?”

Oh Jin’s eyes sparkled.

Then.

[—It’s not possible.]

Bega said urgently.

“Huh? Why?”

Oh Jin looked at her with a puzzled expression.

Leiak turned to Bega and said,

“Isn’t it possible? If Lady Bega uses ‘Sanctuary’.”

[You’re being presumptuous.]

“It was you who said this human has the power to change fate.”

[...]

Bega glared at Leiak, biting her lip.

‘What’s going on?’

It was hard to follow the conversation.

Noticing Oh Jin’s confused expression, Leiak explained further.

“Inside the Sanctuary, it’s possible to manipulate the laws of physics as Lady Bega wishes.”

“...Then.”

“Yes. Even if you die, it means you can ‘instantly resurrect’.”

“What?”

*Chirp.*

Oh Jin’s mouth opened wide.

Even in the Holy Seat, such an impossible thing couldn’t be true.

“Of course. This is only possible because we are in a sanctuary and you are one of Lady Bega’s apostles, like me.”

“Hmm.”

If Bega could create a space where he would instantly resurrect even if he died, as Leiak said.

‘It would be a training session almost identical to a real battle.’

Oh Jin looked at Bega with hopeful eyes.

But.

[It’s not possible.]

Bega shook her head firmly.

“Why?”

[While resurrection from death is possible, the pain and shock of death itself cannot be eliminated.]

“...”

If the pain and shock of death couldn’t be eliminated.

[There’s a risk that your mind will collapse.]

‘That’s why.’

Oh Jin understood why Bega had refused so firmly.

‘But.’

He lightly clenched his fist and looked at Leiak.

Despite drinking the water Haeun had brought, he felt an inexplicable thirst.

“Please, Bega.”

[But.]

“I’ll tell you if I can’t handle it.”

[Ha.]

A deep sigh escaped Bega’s lips.

[If it looks dangerous, I’ll stop it immediately.]

“Got it.”

Oh Jin nodded, smiling.

[It will take some time to prepare. Wait.]

Bega closed her eyes and muttered an incomprehensible incantation.

After about an hour.

*Roar!!!*

The entire temple was bathed in a brilliant silver light.

A mysterious sensation swept over his body.

‘Is this the Sanctuary?’

Oh Jin touched the temple wall, which was emitting a faint light, in amazement.

“Are you ready to experience the real battle you wanted?”

“Sure.”

Oh Jin crouched, gripping his spear.

A cold smirk appeared on Leiak’s lips.

“Then... struggle as much as you can, human.”

*Boom!!*

As the entire temple shook.

“...!!”

—Killer intent exploded.

“Cough! Cough!”

He couldn’t breathe properly.

His vision blurred, and his legs went weak.

Thump, thump.

His heart pounded wildly.

The fear of ‘death’ crept up his spine and invaded his mind.

“Hmph.”

Leiak, who had emitted the killer intent, looked at Oh Jin, who was still dazed, and snorted.

But only for a moment.

“...Hmm?”

Leiak’s eyes narrowed.

“Haa, haa!”

Oh Jin exhaled heavily.

It was difficult to even stand still.

His mind had gone blank from the overwhelming killer intent that had washed over him like a tidal wave.

‘This is...’

Leiak’s true power.

“Haa, haa!”

It was on a different level from the sparring sessions they had done before.

‘This is real.’

Leiak was genuinely trying to ‘kill’ him.

“Haa, haa, haa!”

Cold sweat trickled down.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

His heart beat like a giant drum.

It felt as if a red-hot iron rod had been inserted into his brain.

‘I’m scared.’

An overwhelming fear engulfed him.

The feeling of his blood drying up and sticking to his body.

‘I’m scared, I’m scared, I’m scared.’

But for some reason.

“Haa, haa, haa!”

An uncontrollable tremor.

A maddening thrill.

Heated his senses.

“Haa.”

He extended his tongue and licked his lips.

“What, you’re not coming?”

He looked at Leiak, who was standing still.

“Then.”

Gripping his spear.

He stomped his foot.

“I’ll go first.”

*Clang!*

The wire shot out like a bullet, aiming at Leiak.