As expected, the power of 101 was overwhelming.
At first, I intended to block head-on. But the moment my spear clashed with Gong Chan-ho’s, I immediately changed my mind and had no choice but to deflect it at an angle.
Even after redirecting it with the principle of “Ihwa Jeopmok,” it was still this intense. If I had tried to block it straight on until the end, I might have been crushed outright. No, I definitely would have been.
Calming the throbbing pain in my wrist that felt like it was about to shatter, I calmly fixed my gaze on Gong Chan-ho. At least, by a hair’s breadth, I managed to save myself.
“Ho~ Look who it is. Isn’t this another Instructor Suhyeon?”
“Another Suhyeon,” he said, and when I glanced back at the sound, my heart skipped a beat. Maybe because he was still in his second year, he did look a bit youthful.
But the man sitting on the ground, staring blankly up at me, definitely had the face of the Jin Suhyeon I remembered.
After locking eyes for a brief moment, I released the sword I had grabbed from Jin Suhyeon with my left hand and turned my gaze forward again. I couldn’t afford to focus all my attention on Jin Suhyeon right now; Gong Chan-ho’s momentum was growing ominously.
“I came after a trainee reported something. They said something big was happening on the training ground.”
At that, Gong Chan-ho let out a sigh, then sneered with a lazy smirk.
“That’s hilarious! A report? We were just sparring!”
“Anyone who saw that last strike wouldn’t think it was sparring.”
I said with absolute certainty, having taken the full brunt of his Surama spear.
But Gong Chan-ho just shrugged and twisted the corner of his mouth.
“Sure, maybe it looked a bit excessive. But if the users want to show how they really fight, is that wrong? Besides, isn’t the authority over training supposed to lie with the training instructors? Can a special instructor just boss people around?”
“I heard there was a bit of a quarrel between you two.”
“Quarrel? That’s none of your business, is it? And this was a sparring match agreed upon by both parties, with a clear educational purpose. So, what are you going to do? This is clearly interference with training. In-ter-fer-ence. Got it?”
“…Hmm.”
Gong Chan-ho emphasized the words “interference with training” sharply. I quietly sighed. It wasn’t that I had nothing to say—I just didn’t want to argue. There were plenty of witnesses around anyway, and if interference with training became an issue, I was confident I could win.
Whether he knew it or not, Gong Chan-ho lifted the Surama spear stuck in the ground, twirling its tip teasingly in front of me as he smirked.
“You know, once, some big shot aimed a sword at me because I ‘slightly’ interfered during training. What do you think I should have done then?”
“Simple. If you feel wronged, file a formal complaint.”
“Heh! A complaint, huh? Well, that’s one way. But I don’t think it’s a good one. I’m not some little girl who tattles over petty things. Also, I’m not under the chief instructor’s command.”
“Nonsense.”
His words weren’t worth listening to, so I dismissed them lightly.
Then, after a moment, Gong Chan-ho slowly, very slowly, sheathed the Surama spear on his shoulder.
“…Nonsense, huh? Then how about this.”
The moment he said that, his expression changed completely. The sly, cocky face from moments ago turned into a sharp glare, like a child who just spotted a delicious treat.
He continued.
“Without that rookie here, would you take his place?”
I hesitated for a moment, but quickly understood what he meant.
“You mean sparring?”
“Of course. It’s just sparring.”
He answered immediately.
“Ah, well, if you don’t want to, fine. Then I’ll just drop this matter. Take that rookie and get out of here.”
He smiled slyly, his usual provocative tone dripping from his words.
But inside, I smiled too. Because I welcomed Gong Chan-ho’s offer.
Honestly, if I wanted to play it safe, this would be the perfect moment to end things.
But my body was itching too much for that. This was a rare opportunity. Besides, since raising my stamina to 100 points, I hadn’t once properly used that strength.
And the opponent was none other than Gong Chan-ho.
Gong Chan-ho. Strength level 101, unmatched in the world, hailed as the strongest user by all. The invincible figure I saw during the first round was still deeply etched in my mind. Though from what I saw last time, he seemed a bit different from two years ago…
Anyway, since he also reached strength 101, Gong Chan-ho would definitely be a worthy opponent now.
That thought suddenly sparked a strong desire in me to test myself against him.
Yeah. You could call it greed. What more needs to be said?
Without any preparation, a tense excitement already filled me. Still, I calmly steadied myself, holding onto the glory of Victoria. It was a silent permission.
“Alright. That’s it. Hahahahahaha!”
Gong Chan-ho laughed hoarsely, pointed his spear at me, and slowly advanced. I watched his steps with a mix of tension and anticipation.
One step.
Two steps.
“Here I go!”
On the third step, Gong Chan-ho forcefully pushed off the ground and thrust his spear straight at me.
Should I dodge? Or sidestep and slip inside?
There wasn’t much time to think. I quickly lowered my body. A sharp gust of wind brushed past the top of my head.
I was about to sweep his ankle with a low kick, but suddenly felt a sharp sting at the crown of my head. I stopped the kick and immediately jumped backward.
Bang!
The Surama spear slammed vertically into the ground right before me. Did he change the trajectory mid-thrust to strike downward? The dust kicked up was no joke. Truly the power of a strength 101 user.
After exchanging that attack and evasion, Gong Chan-ho and I quickly stepped back to widen the distance. Then, I noticed a few strands of hair fluttering down from the sky.
“Ha!”
No time to gather my thoughts. Gong Chan-ho had already regained his stance and let out a strange battle cry as he charged forward again.
This time, it was just a simple thrust, but the spear’s tip sliced through the air with a fierce roar, carrying an undeniable force. His movements were like a wild beast.
I quickly raised my sword and activated the principle of Ihwa Jeopmok, tilting sharply to one side to meet the spear’s direction.
Clang!
With a crisp metallic clash, sparks flew from the joint. Our arms bounced off each other in opposite directions. The spear grazed the blade again. But the sensation of my grip tearing apart remained. Even after dispersing most of the impact and redirecting some of it, the leftover force was still enough to deliver that much power.
Swish!
At that moment, the spear I thought had passed me suddenly twisted at a strange angle and struck again. Was it a stab? A slash? Or a downward strike? I couldn’t tell.
I inwardly admired the move. Even the most skilled users would be thrown off by the recoil after each attack. Yet, despite bouncing back his strikes the same way, Gong Chan-ho pressed on without hesitation, launching a relentless barrage.
Whoosh!
It was a slash. Instead of stepping back, I leaned my upper body far back to dodge.
But Gong Chan-ho’s assault didn’t end there. Like a spinning waterwheel, he twisted the spear’s angle again and struck immediately. Each miss only seemed to fuel him, making his next attack even stronger.
In the end, I decided to jump back once more.
As I tumbled backward to create distance, Gong Chan-ho suddenly grinned. Seeing that, I grinned back. No, I actually laughed.
Then, the grinning Gong Chan-ho suddenly turned serious and stared at me.
“You’re laughing? Laughing now, Kim Suhyeon?”
What a joke. He can laugh, but I can’t?
“Why? Am I not allowed to laugh?”
“Not exactly. But it’s pitiful to see you pretending to be calm. Heh!”
“Huh? Pretending to be calm? When did I do that?”
“Isn’t it obvious? In the last two exchanges, you were on the back foot the whole time. Just dodging! Ha! Well, I’ll give you credit for running away!”
…Is he an idiot?
Watching Gong Chan-ho laugh heartily, I couldn’t help but snort. His provocation was obvious, and those two skirmishes were just a warm-up. We hadn’t even started the real fight yet. Someone like Gong Chan-ho would know that perfectly well.
Anyway.
Even if I’m not completely satisfied, I can say he’s passed the test. Gong Chan-ho’s skills are definitely solid, not just a fluke from the first round.
It’s a bit disappointing that most of his moves focus on offense, but since this is just a probing match, I can’t judge him too harshly. Neither of us has revealed our full strength yet… huh? What’s this? Why is he suddenly breathing so heavily?
Suddenly fixated on the strange phenomenon before me, I studied Gong Chan-ho closely. His face radiated calm confidence, yet his shoulders twitched slightly. Quietly sharpening my hearing, I even caught the sound of his labored breathing.
Was he already exhausted? Had he drained his stamina in the fight against Jin Su-hyun? Or… could it be that he had truly given his all in the previous battle?
No, that couldn’t be it. Since Suramachang hadn’t yet revealed its true form, it was hard to believe he’d expended everything. But if that earlier fight was the best he could muster within the limits of his user information…
I tilted my head in puzzlement. Still, I dismissed the thought and summoned all the magical power I could muster. This confirmed that Gong Chan-ho’s fundamentals weren’t bad at all. Now, it was time to test his peerless skill.
Goooooo…
Kukukuku…!
The energy that had been drifting around like a wisp of cloud suddenly shifted, swirling violently like a storm. At that moment, Gong Chan-ho, who had been quietly steadying his breath, took a startled step back, his face suddenly tense.
“What… what is that?”
“…?”
“You… you haven’t been using your magic until now?”
“No. I have.”
He definitely had. Every time he dodged my strikes, he used the principle of grafting energy. He just hadn’t unleashed his full power.
The smirk that had been plastered on Gong Chan-ho’s face twisted into something strange. I wasn’t sure why he was so curious, but either way, there was no need to hold back any longer. The probing phase was over—I would strike first.
How far could he go? And how long could he hold out?
With those thoughts, I bent my knees deeply and pushed off the ground hard, charging straight at Gong Chan-ho.
Even as his face contorted in effort, his eyes widened, reading my sword’s movement, preparing to respond. But less than a second later, his expression turned desperate. I swung Victoria’s Glory left and right, targeting the gaps in his defense with precision.
In the end, Gong Chan-ho decided to stab, raising his spear horizontally to strike. But having learned from our earlier clashes never to meet his weapon head-on, I immediately pulled my sword back. His spear sliced through empty air.
“Coward!”
Gong Chan-ho spat out a rough curse and retreated. Standing still meant certain follow-up strikes.
But I wasn’t about to just watch. He was probably trying to create enough distance to wield his spear freely, so I pressed forward without giving him an inch. If his strength surpassed mine, my agility more than made up for it.
The distance between us was now less than a meter. We were both well within striking range.
A breeze brushed past us. As we advanced and retreated, our eyes locked. I pictured Gong Chan-ho’s next move in my mind. He’d surely expect me to come straight at him, and the moment I did, he’d counterattack—most likely with a sweeping strike at an angle.
Decision made, the instant Gong Chan-ho blinked, I planted my feet twice and slid in, not straight on but curving sharply to the right in a crescent arc.
“Got you!”
He shouted, inhaling deeply as he swung Suramachang horizontally with all his might. He was aiming for a counterattack. The spear’s arc, aimed at my waist, carried the terrifying force of a bomb about to explode. Any direct hit would shatter bones beyond repair.
But that was only if I let it land. This wasn’t a probing fight anymore—I had no intention of taking that blow. Anticipating his move, I swung my left arm hard into the inside of his elbow.
“Ugh?!”
His arm jerked upward, and the spear lost its trajectory, flying wildly into the sky. Seizing the moment, I swung Victoria’s Glory.
In that split second, my heart pounded as I stared ahead. I’d turned his own counterattack against him. If I were in his shoes, I’d be helpless. So a flicker of hope stirred inside me—how would Gong Chan-ho evade this?
Then it happened.
Just as Victoria’s Glory was about to slice through his head, Gong Chan-ho’s face went blank. No sign of reaction. He just stared vacantly at the incoming blade from the corner of his eye. A strange feeling washed over me. Half in disbelief, I reflexively twisted my sword halfway around.
Shaaak!
The sound, like a sharp slap, echoed powerfully through the empty air. Gong Chan-ho’s head snapped to the side.
“Argh!”
He staggered back, letting out a strangled scream, and I stopped in my tracks, dumbfounded.
“Kim Su-hyun…! You…! You…!”
He seemed to come to his senses, grinding his teeth with a flushed right cheek swollen from the blow. The mark of the blade and a few streaks of blood dripped from the cut.
“What… what was that? Why did you get hit?”
“What did you say? You bastard! Are you seriously mocking me to the end?”
“No. Did you really give it your all?”
“Kim Su-hyuuuuuun!”
Thinking I was provoking him, Gong Chan-ho roared and charged like a madman. Though his doubts hadn’t fully faded, I met his assault once again.
And the result? Exactly as expected—no, exactly as I had doubted.
Clearly frustrated, Gong Chan-ho swung Suramachang wildly, pressing me hard. I dodged each strike, then slipped in again in the same crescent arc. He quickly swung his spear sideways, but I spun around it, avoiding the attack. Then I kicked his exposed chest.
Thud!
The kick sent Gong Chan-ho sprawling, rolling awkwardly on the ground.
“Ugh… cough!”
He clutched his chest, coughing hard from the impact. Then, suddenly, he lifted his head and met my gaze with a dazed expression. His dark eyes flickered side to side, as if unable to believe what was happening.
“……”
And only then did I realize.
Within the limits of his user information, Gong Chan-ho had been fighting at full strength from the very start.
“What… is this?”
A sudden wave of crushing disappointment washed over me.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Compared to the first round… well, Su-hyun has gotten terrifyingly strong, but Gong Chan-ho has weakened quite a bit too. Plus, he’s become pretty pathetic. I’ll explain that more in the solution section rather than here. :)
One thing I can say for sure: no matter what, Gong Chan-ho can’t beat Kim Su-hyun now. If this were Gong Chan-ho at his prime in the first round… maybe 10-20% chance? Maybe one win in ten fights. Haha.