Chapter 36

EP.36 Fetal Movement (1)

The puzzle pieces, awkwardly scattered, began to fit together bit by bit.

The reason why a charming and skilled person like Kim Chae-eun didn't exist in the original story.

It was because she was to become a victim of indiscriminate killings according to the plan of <Villain> and Ando Kwon at the end-of-term evaluation this semester.

'So that's why Professor Kim Myung-hyun remained unknown.'

If Kim Chae-eun were to die in this incident, Professor Kim Myung-hyun would have retired from the Academy and gone into seclusion.

And after learning the entire story,

He would have sharpened his sword of revenge against <Villain>.

<Villain> is a criminal organization that has committed countless cruel and terrifying acts, and naturally, there are quite a few Holders who live with a vendetta against them.

If the original story had followed its course,

Professor Kim Myung-hyun would have been one of those avengers.

This development was either not covered or appeared much later in the original story, and the probability that I hadn't seen it before I was reincarnated was high.

That's why I couldn't predict it.

I couldn't predict that Kim Chae-eun's opponent would be Ando Kwon.

"Damn it…."

I cursed without realizing it.

At myself for being so complacent and failing to predict this.

In the desperate situation where I had to stop Kim Chae-eun's match immediately.

"What, what's wrong?"

Park Jin-woo, taken aback by my sudden curse, asked.

Looking at him, my eyes fell on the sword attached to his waist.

"Park Jin-woo, lend me your sword."

"What? Again? No, I don't want to. You'll break it like last time."

He was talking about the sword I borrowed to catch Grizzly Drake.

At that time, I poured all my mana into the sword to use [Phantom Heaven Sword] beyond its limits, and the sword couldn't withstand the large amount of mana and high-level skill, shattering into pieces.

Although I immediately compensated him, it seemed he was still upset that his sword had broken, even if only for a moment.

I immediately made a deal.

"I'll buy you something more expensive than that. Or, I'll give you twice the price of it."

"Trying to solve everything with money again. You rich third-generation brat. Forget it. I have plenty of money too."

Was he still mad from last time?

Park Jin-woo's attitude was quite stubborn.

Sighing softly,

I made a new offer he couldn't refuse.

"…I'll spar with you ten times. Whenever you want."

"Damn it. Why ask? I'll give it to you. Do you want it sharpened?"

"Shut up and give it to me, quickly."

After receiving the sword from Park Jin-woo,

I looked down at the examination room filled with tension.

-Both Holders, greet each other and prepare for the match.

The match was already at the starting stage.

I needed to plan quickly.

'I can't just forcibly stop the match.'

Honestly, I wanted to shout at Kim Chae-eun to run away quickly and kill that bastard Ando Kwon myself.

But that could backfire.

Right now, Ando Kwon is just an ordinary sparring partner who hasn't done anything, and if I try to stop the match like a madman, it will only harm Kim Chae-eun.

It was time to act rationally, not emotionally.

'Getting hurt in a few places isn't a problem.'

In all practical sparring matches held at the Academy, it is allowed to inflict some form of injury on the opposing Holder.

There are several reasons for this.

It aligns with the concept of 'practical sparring,' and Holders have a 'durability' stat, so even in rough fights, they can withstand a certain level of damage.

But most importantly,

It's a rule made possible by the presence of supervisors and a holy medical team.

The supervisor, a high-level Holder, can intervene in emergencies, and the holy medical team can treat any injuries the Holder might sustain.

Basic safety measures are in place.

'If I attack a vital point, it's a different story.'

In practical sparring where almost anything is allowed,

There is one thing that is strictly prohibited.

Attacking vital points.

The head, heart, or continuous attacks to the same area.

These fatal attacks can instantly kill the victim before the supervisor or medical team can intervene.

That's why the Academy prohibits such attacks in practical sparring, and Ando Kwon ignored the rules and killed the opposing Holder.

In other words, the moment Ando Kwon targets Kim Chae-eun's vital points,

I need to seize that opportunity.

For that, Kim Chae-eun needs to hold on a bit longer, and I need to cleanly exploit the opening.

'I can do this.'

I gripped the sword Park Jin-woo gave me tightly.

I can, and I must.

I can't let my first friend become a victim in <Villain>'s cruel and indiscriminate murder plan.

-Match, start.

As if to capture the tension,

The supervisor's stern start signal rang out.

* * *

'A perfect target to devour.'

Ando Kwon, looking at the pretty Holder in front of him, felt an intense urge to chop her down with his axe.

He was a criminal with a history of killing ordinary people, having murdered as many as five people.

He used to chop people with his axe even before becoming a Holder, and after his awakening, he became even more ruthless and unhesitant in his killings.

After joining <Villain>, he had been suppressing his desires while operating in the Academy branch.

But after a long time,

A satisfying order came from the upper ranks of the clan.

They would adjust the match to pit him against a Mage-type Holder,

And he was to kill the Holder, regardless of who it was.

This was part of the clan's plan to plunge the Seoul Holder Academy into chaos, a large-scale operation involving several spies who had infiltrated the Academy.

"Kukuku…."

His body was excited at the prospect of tasting blood again after a long time.

Ando Kwon volunteered to be the player in this operation.

He would be caught and become a sacrifice for the clan after the operation, but he didn't care about such a troublesome future.

He just wanted to kill someone.

He just wanted to feel the sweet sensation of murder again.

"Match, start."

"Kukukuku-!!"

As soon as the supervisor's signal was given,

Ando Kwon charged at Kim Chae-eun, raising his axe to strike her head.

His [Axe] rune was already at level 11,

With stats close to B-rank.

Kim Chae-eun, a Mage-type Holder in the intermediate class,

Even if she was close to the advanced class, she was at best a C-rank Holder, and there was no way she could block this attack.

She would have to either dodge the attack at high speed or use a [Mana Shield] to block it.

But to use [Mana Shield], a derivative skill of [Mana Control] proficiently, one would need to be a top student in the advanced class.

Assuming they had similar stats,

It was not easy for a Mage-type Holder to defeat a Warrior-type Holder.

This is the end.

If I catch her off guard and chop off her head,

Blood will splatter everywhere, and the arena will fall into chaos.

Ando Kwon, with that pleasant thought in his mind, swung his axe with all his might.

"…Huh?"

Suddenly, Ando Kwon's movement stopped.

His feet, which were running without hesitation,

Suddenly felt a cold air and began to freeze.

Kim Chae-eun's main rune, [Freezing],

Specifically, the derivative skill [Field Freezing], which freezes the ground and everything on it, was being cast.

"Hehe."

In front of him, Kim Chae-eun was preparing her next spell with a cheerful smile.

'Shit…'

Ando Kwon felt a surge of heat and cursed inwardly.

She was a Holder who might soon advance to the advanced class, and it seemed she wasn't as weak as to die from a single axe strike.

He nodded slightly and his eyes gleamed.

He corrected his mindset.

He would kill her more cruelly, more painfully.

"Kukukuku-!!"

Ando Kwon infused his axe with mana and struck the ground roughly.

[Axe Charging], a derivative skill of [Axe],

A destructive skill that could easily shatter a wall made of mana stones.

Breaking the ice Kim Chae-eun created was no problem.

"Ahh!"

Kim Chae-eun, who was preparing a follow-up spell, looked surprised.

She hadn't expected the ice from [Field Freezing] to break so easily.

Since she hadn't completed [Frozen Fog] yet, she used [Mana Control] to launch a light mana attack at Ando Kwon.

Although the power was weaker compared to rune magic,

It was an attack that could be effective if continued.

"Useless!"

Ando Kwon blocked all the attacks with his body.

He was a typical Warrior-type Holder with high strength and durability.

Although his speed was low, making him somewhat slow, he was a Holder who maximized the use of his [Axe] with superior stats.

To such a Holder, the mana attacks from the common rune [Mana Control] were no threat.

Ando Kwon successfully defended against all the attacks and swung his axe at Kim Chae-eun.

"Die!"

"……!!"

Whoosh-

Ando Kwon's axe, which had closed the distance, sliced through the air.

Kim Chae-eun, who was preparing her spell, released her concentration and used all her strength to dodge the attack.

Considering her speed, it was a miraculous evasion.

It was possible because Kim Chae-eun had a lot of practical experience and could quickly respond to such variables, and Ando Kwon's speed was not high.

'It's over.'

But Ando Kwon was confident.

The next attack would take this Holder's life.

In battles with long-range types, the formula for close-range types to win is to quickly close the distance and land effective hits.

By doing so, they can subdue the long-range type before their magic or shooting can reach.

However, for Warrior-type Holders with low speed and high strength, it's not easy to close the distance, and if they can manage to do so, they get closer to victory.

And Ando Kwon had blocked the Mage-type Holder's attacks twice and sacrificed one of his own attacks to completely close the distance.

'Axe Charging.'

He hadn't infused mana into his previous attack on purpose.

It was a feint to close the distance.

This time, for a sure attack,

Ando Kwon cast [Axe Charging].

Kim Chae-eun had tripped and fallen.

Her posture was broken from hastily dodging the previous attack.

She hadn't even seen Ando Kwon's next attack coming.

A completely defenseless situation.

With a full charge of mana and all his strength,

If this attack lands,

Kim Chae-eun's head would be crushed.

'Kukuku. Finally, finally. How long has it been since I tasted blood!!'

Excitement washed over him at the thought of tasting blood.

His throat trembled as he swallowed, and his hand holding the axe was sweating.

Since he hadn't targeted the attack area yet, the supervisor couldn't predict that anything unusual was about to happen.

If he were to chop Kim Chae-eun's head with his axe,

Everyone would know about his murder,

But by then, it would be too late.

"Really, die…!!"

Ando Kwon's axe, infused with [Axe Charging],

Flew towards Kim Chae-eun's head.

A powerful strike that seemed to crush everything.

Just as it was about to land,

Suddenly, someone

Shouted his name in a loud voice.

-Ando Kwon…!!

Ando Kwon, Ando Kwon, Ando Kwon-!!

His name echoed repeatedly.

And at the same time,

His axe, which had reached just in front of Kim Chae-eun's head,

Stopped.

It couldn't move any further.

'What… what is this?'

Ando Kwon's face was filled with confusion.

He had swung his axe with all his might, but after hearing the sudden shout, his body had stopped.

The axe, which had reached in front of her head,

Wouldn't move at all.

It was as if it had stopped.

Literally, his body had stopped.

And Ando Kwon had a rough idea of what was happening.

'Crazy. Suddenly status abnormality?'

Judging from the symptoms of his body, it was probably the status abnormality 'Fear'.

In a practical sparring match where no one was supposed to interfere,

Just before the lethal attack that no one had noticed,

To suddenly be affected by a status abnormality, fear,

This was impossible unless someone had predicted <Villain>'s entire plan.