Lunchtime on the rooftop.
“Heheh. I never thought I’d end up on the rooftop with a heartthrob. It feels like I’ve become a supporting character in a youth manga.”
“Jinsung… I didn’t bring you here just to chat about trivial things.”
Fetch growled openly at Park Jinsung.
Fortunately, there were no squadron members eating on the rooftop.
Whizz!
The stark rooftop floor and the parade ground visible beyond the fence emitted a strangely similar atmosphere. Both places gave off the feeling of being momentarily isolated from the world.
“What… Because of deputy?”
“That’s right. Give her up, Jinsung.”
“Eh?”
The rooftop is a place that could be considered a privilege for the main characters in youth manga.
If it weren’t for a special case like Kim Seyun and Byun Kiyoung, Park Jinsung would not have visited it much either.
“Eeh?”
But to have been brought to the rooftop by a heartthrob, and then, out of the blue, to be told to give up on a girl? And not just any girl, but the top heroine in the manga?
“Seyun is not suitable for you.”
“Eeeeh??”
To give up when he never even had anything, how could he possibly give up??
“I think the strength you possess, Jinsung, is quite extraordinary. However, Seyun should not be close to people like you.”
“Heheh. Maybe there’s some misunderstanding because deputy always teases me. But you know what?”
“Be quiet!”
Fetch’s handsome face turned red.
“…Oh.”
“There is a way elites do things. You can’t make her happy by sticking to your methods, Jinsung.”
“Haha. Since when does Sergeant Fetch get to discuss Seyun’s happiness?”
“Jinsung…?”
Park Jinsung finally realized what was bothering Fetch.
“I should have understood when you started talking about talent.”
This person is not a villain like Kim Iljeong or Kang Jinno. Rather, he is more akin to a good person.
It’s just that their ways of thinking are different.
The two showed a crucial difference in their patterns of thought when making decisions.
‘Indeed, Sergeant Fetch thinks talent comes before people.’
‘Indeed, Jinsung thinks people come before talent.’
Park Jinsung frowned slightly and said,
“Do you think there are ranks in souls, Sergeant Fetch?”
“Of course.”
“…Then what about people who are relatively lower in rank? Are they supposed to grovel all their lives?”
“Noblesse oblige. With high social status and power comes corresponding moral responsibility. The elites should take care of those people.”
“…That’s not enough.”
“……”
This time, it was Fetch’s brow that slightly furrowed.
“There are no ranks in souls. Systems like the Global Soul Whatever with long, pretentious names and inflated grades have no right to talk about the future.”
Even an F-grade Edeya could someday possess S-grade combat power.
Must a B-grade in combat always lose to an A-grade? There’s no such rule. Depending on the circumstances, a B-grade might just win.
In truth, no one knows.
What happens between people cannot be definitively determined by anyone.
‘I will definitely overcome.’
Park Jinsung believed that as an F-grade, he would grow stronger and eventually control the S-grade killing intent. In doing so, his dagger had already shown progress, rising to a D-grade.
Perhaps he might grow beyond the control of the killing intent and achieve even more.
‘I am the only one who can brand myself. I won’t let others mark their territory on me.’
Do not limit the unknown with those shallow thoughts coming from that narrow mind.
The future should not be determined by a petty grading system.
“Sergeant Fetch, it’s clear what you’re thinking. Don’t arbitrarily limit Deputy.”
“People with insufficient talent like Jinsung can’t refine Seyun. Seyun will only be reborn as a gem through the hands of other elites.”
“…Are you disregarding the potential for growth in a soul?”
“You knew, didn’t you? You knew yet you let her depend on mere armor?”
“Hmph. Deputy has the right to do as she pleases. Whether she wants to be a knight or pursue flower arranging, that’s entirely up to Deputy.”
“Talent is determined at birth, Jinsung. Seyun was chosen to become the greatest knight.”
“Heheh. It’s clear I can never agree with Fetch.”
“Did you just realize that? I knew it from the moment I saw you on video.”
Fetch was what you might call a benevolent noble. But as a noble, he never believed in the power of commoners.
“I’ll declare it in advance, Fetch. There are no ranks in souls.”
“Now you don’t even attach a rank to your name. Fine. Take your position.”
“It doesn’t matter since I’ll be promoted to sergeant soon anyway.”
“Jinsung… as I said before, you are strong. But it’s an imperfect strength. It’s hard to compare with the strength of those full of talent.”
“Hmph! [Dagger!]”
Like Kim Seyun, Park Jinsung snorted as he summoned his dagger.
[Bloodsucking Dagger]
Global Soul Grade System: D⁺⁺⁺ (F↑)
It absorbs blood from the target, allowing the owner to move forcibly.
As long as the minimum conditions for operation are met, it can act continuously.
Overall Combat Ability: B
The bright red blade moved over his hand as if ready to steal blood at any moment.
“Still, I like that you’re quick-witted, Jinsung.”
“Check it out with that great elite pride of yours.”
Park Jinsung lowered his stance and charged at Fetch with a movement pattern similar to a snake.
It was a movement reliant solely on strength and reflexes.
Simple yet decisive in method, there was no better way to test an opponent.
Swoosh!
The dagger initially targeted Fetch’s abdomen, then switched to the ribs, and in a flash, it spun towards the artery under the armpit.
“Jinsung…”
Fetch watched the dagger intently until,
“Are you playing with me right now?”
Clash!
He blocked the incoming dagger at the armpit by striking down Park Jinsung’s wrist.
“……”
Park Jinsung’s face hardened slightly as he created a distance of four steps from Fetch.
“Where did that energy you showed last time go? Did you really think you could beat me without showing even that much?”
This brief attack had significant implications.
“You’re fast…”
Among all the zombie squadron members, Park Jinsung’s physical ability was clearly in the top tier. Except for Ahn Sungho, it was nearly impossible to match him.
The overall speed utilizing kinetic energy.
The quick reflexes aiding the swift attacks of the dagger.
And even the dynamic visual acuity to catch it all.
“To think you’d even turn the blade of the dagger backward. If you thought that would defeat me…”
“Ouch.”
“You’ll be the one dying, Jinsung.”
In almost every aspect, Bratislava Fetch was overpowering, equal to or even surpassing Park Jinsung’s physique.
“Hehe. I didn’t know you trained so hard. Did your face underestimate your body? You don’t look that sturdy on the outside.”
“I’ve never really done weight training either. Never felt the need.”
Park Jinsung had been training since he escaped his uncle and aunt’s house. A robust physique was the driving force that enabled him to endure a brutal life of bullying.
“Ugh. Fetch, you really are annoying.”
Absolute talent that dismissively overlooked even prolonged effort.
Fetch, who had never done weight training, was still superior to Park Jinsung, who was currently engaged in it.
“Let’s hurry it up, Jinsung. We both need to eat, don’t we?”
“Do you also have a talent for provocation? It really grinds my gears.”
It was unknown what Edeya Fetch possessed, but so far, there had been no sign of him using any Edeya. It was a declaration that even without an Edeya, the current Park Jinsung was no match for him.
Swoosh!
Park Jinsung attempted another attack.
He had already acknowledged that he couldn’t guarantee a win in a physical fight.
Therefore, he had to keep the physical grappling at bay and just swing the dagger unilaterally.
Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash!
Park Jinsung targeted only the relatively sturdy parts of Fetch. Even as Fetch raised his arms to guard, Park was intent on burning through the guard itself.
“Are you finally feeling up to it?”
“I’ve decided to secretly ask the school nurse for treatment!”
Since Park Jinsung was the only one who had drawn his Edeya, a direct strike would end it.
“…To think a D-grade could deliver B-grade firepower. I can understand why Seyun was momentarily fooled.”
Slash!
As soon as Park Jinsung’s dagger grazed Fetch’s clothing, it thrust just below the neck.
“You’ll be fine if you go to the nurse quickly. Just fall gracefully.”
“Haha. Unfortunately, there’s no need for that.”
Clang!
Fetch summoned a sword and deflected Park Jinsung’s dagger.
“…Tch. The mood has changed.”
It was just a plain longsword without any pattern.
Clumsy blade, clumsy handle, clumsy cross-guard.
There was probably no other sword that fit so well with being featureless. It was so unremarkable that it paradoxically captured all attention.
“Now it’s my turn, Jinsung.”
Fetch lowered his stance and charged at Park Jinsung with a movement pattern similar to a snake.
A movement reliant solely on strength and reflexes.
It was an attack method perfectly mirroring what Park Jinsung had shown him.
Swoosh!
The nondescript two-handed sword targeted Park Jinsung’s abdomen, then switched to the ribs, and quickly aimed at the artery under the armpit.
“Argh!”
The two-handed sword didn’t stop at the armpit like Park Jinsung’s dagger. When the armpit was blocked by the dagger, it immediately sliced horizontally across Park Jinsung’s ribs.
“Is it already the endgame?”
“Damn!”
Park Jinsung nearly threw himself to dodge. Instead of tumbling awkwardly, he barely managed to avoid being sliced.
Scrape!
However, the 15-centimeter tear in his combat uniform proved Fetch’s talent was a notch above.
“That’s why I told you to end it quickly, Jinsung.”
“It would have been best to win with just the dagger… Too bad.”
Csik!
The corners of Park Jinsung’s mouth turned up, not at all resembling someone who felt regret.
“Hm? Jinsung?”
“…Heh, heh.”
As soon as Park Jinsung became aware of his killing intent, an unbearable nausea surged from deep within his core.
This nausea provided Park Jinsung with vitality and strength, but it also forced upon him a murderous intent that was hard to call human.
[Partial Killing Intent, Venomously Forceful Aura]
Those with sensitive perceptions would lose their fighting spirit in response to the owner’s murderous aura.
The killing intent that had infiltrated Park Jinsung’s right arm and eyes emitted a sticky, dark energy.
“The aura is much denser than last time…”
“To mimic my movement and advance it by one level. Isn’t that a bit too vicious?”
“What’s really vicious is the aura that Jinsung is emitting.”
“How much talent must one have to be so arrogant?”
“Ha! Arrogant, you say.”
Whirl! Thud!
Fetch spun his featureless two-handed sword and then stylishly planted it into the ground.
[Caladbolg]
Global Soul Grade System: A⁺
*It is the magical sword of Fergus from Irish legend. Forged in the land of fairies, its name means ‘immense greed’ or ‘that which can swallow anything’.
It completely embodies the movements of any opponent the owner has dueled with, making them its own. However, this is limited only to the physical capabilities that the owner can execute.
*Absolute Talent: ?
Overall Combat Capability: A⁺ ~ ?
‘…Someone whose compatibility with me isn’t so great.’
The text visible only to Park Jinsung revealed why the two-handed sword appeared nondescript.
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