00730 A Flower Blooming Amidst Blood
Lee Yoo-jung stood silently. Slowly lifting her head, her gaunt face emerged through strands of tousled hair. Her eyes, tinged with a faint reddish hue, fixed steadily on her opponent before her.
With her left hand resting at her waist, she slightly lifted her clothing with her right, revealing a vivid scarlet mark on her abdomen. A radiant aura flared forth, and from it, a somewhat short katana materialized. Ha Seung-yoon, in response, lifted her skirt slightly and drew two daggers from her thighs. A chilling, pale ice-blue light emanated from the blades, exuding a biting cold.
Like a silent agreement, the two women drew their weapons and faced each other. Suddenly, an eerie tension swept through the arena.
At first, I intended to stop them no matter what. This fight would bring Yoo-jung no advantage whatsoever. The perspective of someone like me, who possesses the “Third Eye,” differs from that of an ordinary user. Given the difference in class and experience, anyone would assume Yoo-jung had the upper hand. But the user data revealed by the “Third Eye” told a different story.
<Player Status: Ha Seung-yoon (2nd Year)>
Class: Normal Mercenary (Expert)
Strength: 84
Endurance: 82
Agility: 90 (+2)
Stamina: 88
Mana: 92 (+2)
Luck: 78
Special Ability (1/1):
Potential Abilities (4/4):
Dual Dagger Mastery (Rank: A Plus)
Close-Quarters Combat (Rank: A Minus)
Frenzied Assault Activation (Rank: S Zero)
Sword-Body Unity (Rank: C Plus)
<Player Status: Lee Yoo-jung (4th Year)>
Class: Gladiator of the Dawn (Rare, Expert)
Strength: 83
Endurance: 79
Agility: 92 (+2)
Stamina: 84
Mana: 90
Luck: 88
Special Ability (1/1):
Potential Abilities (3/4):
Dual Dagger Mastery (Rank: B Plus)
Cat Clan Martial Arts (Rank: B Zero)
Close-Quarters Combat (Rank: C Plus)
–
Aside from luck, Yoo-jung’s only clear advantage was agility. Strength, endurance, stamina, mana, and even special and potential abilities were all overwhelmingly superior in Seung-yoon’s favor. “Heart Soaked in Blood” might be useful in a real bloodbath, but in a sparring match, it was practically useless. Though Yoo-jung possessed the impressive “Cat Clan Martial Arts,” the combination of Seung-yoon’s “Clairvoyance” and “Sword-Body Unity” was more than enough to counter it. Even in terms of skill, Yoo-jung was no match.
Was this just pride? Or was Yoo-jung here to vent her frustrations on someone she thought weaker? I had no idea what she was thinking, but her defeat was as clear as day. That’s why I was determined not to allow this fight to proceed. Yoo-jung’s pride was fragile—could she accept defeat gracefully? Especially with an audience watching every move?
“Wait—”
Just as I was about to shout, I hesitated and closed my mouth.
I wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was just a gut feeling. But suddenly, an unusual energy filled the air. Yoo-jung’s eyes held a strange, solemn resolve. Her expression was one of deep contemplation, carrying a complex emotion that words couldn’t capture.
No, it almost seemed like her tension was mixed with hesitation.
Whatever it was, one thing was certain: she wasn’t here out of pride or to take out her anger. She wasn’t careless or reckless. Seeing this, I felt even more uncertain. What exactly was she planning?
Ko Yeon-joo glanced at me subtly, as if sensing something was off about letting this continue. The thought “Should I really allow this?” flashed through my mind, but in the end, I closed my eyes gently. It was a signal to proceed.
—Start!
At Ko Yeon-joo’s signal, one woman burst forward explosively.
Tap, tap, tap, tap!
The sound of rapid footsteps echoed through the arena, red hair flying wildly. Yoo-jung swung both arms wide, seizing the initiative. But Seung-yoon remained composed, lowering her stance slightly and raising both hands. A clash of bluish and reddish auras marked the true beginning of the battle.
A light explosion followed, and Seung-yoon’s body slid backward. She had defended the opening strike well, maintaining perfect posture.
Yoo-jung seemed to have anticipated this. Her eyes darkened as she charged forward relentlessly. Seung-yoon appeared to want to create distance, stepping back repeatedly, while Yoo-jung pressed the attack, closing the gap swiftly.
Yoo-jung’s speed was faster as she closed in. At the moment she entered striking range, she suddenly accelerated explosively, twisting her waist sharply and swinging her katana with the momentum of her spin. At that instant, a meaningful smile spread across Seung-yoon’s lips.
Thwack.
A kick.
Yoo-jung’s body wavered before completing her turn. Seung-yoon had caught her off guard with a sudden leg sweep. She followed up with a kick to the abdomen, but Yoo-jung staggered back quickly, retreating with surprising speed. Seung-yoon’s eyes flickered with curiosity at this unexpected move.
I clicked my tongue. That was the only move Yoo-jung had to gamble on, and it had already been read. Her intent to attack more decisively was good, but her range of movement was too wide. Seung-yoon must have noticed Yoo-jung’s plan to circle right as she closed in. That’s why she reacted so calmly. In the end, it was an unnecessary motion.
Frowning, Yoo-jung barely regained her stance and charged again, as if determined never to back down.
This time, Seung-yoon held her ground. Raising her twin daggers overhead, she met Yoo-jung head-on, and the two launched into a dazzling flurry of blows.
Yoo-jung was clearly giving it her all. This was a completely different fight from when she faced Ahn Hyun. She attacked fiercely without a hint of hesitation, her white and red sword flashes multiplying into dozens, dancing brilliantly.
But Seung-yoon was even more impressive. Calmly watching ahead, she blocked every flashing strike without hesitation. It was as if she could see every attack coming. Meanwhile, she subtly closed the distance, likely having taken note of Yoo-jung’s unusual earlier movement.
As time passed, Seung-yoon’s waist gradually bent forward, while Yoo-jung’s bent backward in the same direction. The tide was turning. After that skirmish, the momentum had completely shifted. Yoo-jung bit her lip tightly—she must have felt it too.
Then—
“Hiyah!”
“Hah!”
Their shouts overlapped.
Seung-yoon’s straightforward, powerful thrust collided with Yoo-jung’s sweeping counterattack, which arced sharply. Their decisive strikes met midair, and both fell back simultaneously. I sighed deeply. Not just me—Nam Da-eun and Heo Jun-young wore similar expressions. They all recognized the clear turning point.
Seung-yoon was the epitome of precision. Even while retreating, she maintained perfect posture and unwavering focus. Her feet were already preparing for the next move. Yoo-jung, on the other hand, lost her balance and staggered again. For a mercenary to be pushed back in close combat meant she was simply outmatched overall. Not wanting to miss the chance, Seung-yoon quickly recovered and lowered her stance, charging forward like a hawk.
Yoo-jung’s eyes widened in alarm as she hurriedly raised both hands. Seung-yoon made her first large, sweeping strike with her daggers. Having realized she dominated nearly every aspect, she no longer intended to probe. The icy blades descended in a straight line, as if to split Yoo-jung’s skull.
For a moment, Yoo-jung froze, but reflexively stepped back and crossed her katanas in defense.
Clang!
A clear metallic ring sounded as Seung-yoon’s daggers met Yoo-jung’s katanas, sparks flying fiercely. But it was brief. The difference between a well-executed attack and a barely successful block was inevitable.
Moments later, Seung-yoon pressed down hard, forcing Yoo-jung’s katana down. Yoo-jung groaned, refusing to yield, but the situation was grim. Seung-yoon’s taller stature gave her leverage, and the point of contact slowly slid downward, bending Yoo-jung’s knees helplessly.
As they struggled, with Yoo-jung’s knees bent more than halfway, Seung-yoon suddenly pushed both arms outward and launched a surprise front kick.
“…!”
Startled, Yoo-jung bounced back, but Seung-yoon charged forward, ramming her shoulder hard into Yoo-jung. The efficient body blow made Yoo-jung cry out and fly backward, scraping the ground with her back as she slid. Though she scrambled to her feet quickly, Seung-yoon was already close.
With a light movement, the tip of Seung-yoon’s dagger caught Yoo-jung’s katana. The clear, ringing clang echoed as the sword slipped from Yoo-jung’s grasp and shot upward into the air.
The thrust transformed into a bluish light, shooting straight forward, and Lee Yoo-jung squeezed her eyes shut. The dagger stopped precisely just before her philtrum. Slowly, she opened her eyes, wearing a dazed expression.
And just like that, the match was over. Ha Seung-yoon had demonstrated overwhelming skill and claimed victory.
“Enough.”
Ko Yeon-ju seemed to share the same thought and announced the end of the event. Yoo-jung suddenly lifted her head.
“Uh, unnie! Wait—”
“User Ha Seung-yoon. Rank C. Both players performed well.”
I cut her off and immediately announced the ranking. Yoo-jung looked back at me with a desperate expression, but I slowly shook my head—there was no point in continuing.
Though the fight hadn’t lasted long, sweat gleamed on Yoo-jung’s forehead. In contrast, Ha Seung-yoon’s breathing remained steady and composed. The difference between them was that clear.
After a moment, applause broke out from all around. There was a slight murmur of surprise at the result, but the clapping was for both players’ efforts. Of course, the winner and loser would take it differently.
Ha Seung-yoon smiled warmly and bowed politely. Yoo-jung, on the other hand, suddenly slumped to the floor. Her eyes were vacant, trembling in a way that made it impossible to tell if she was laughing or crying. The applause quieted somewhat.
“Ha… ha ha…”
Between ragged breaths came a hollow laugh. She looked almost dazed, as if she couldn’t believe what had just happened. Some clan members watched her with a smug expression.
…It was an open secret that Yoo-jung’s reputation within the clan wasn’t good. To put it bluntly, she was often called a “spoiled brat who acts on a whim and thinks she’s stronger than she really is.” Many clan members disliked her, whether openly or quietly. The difference was clear compared to Ahn Hyun. When Ahn Hyun messed up, at least a few people defended him. Yoo-jung, however…
Regardless of the backstory, the outcome was as expected. A rare-class user in her fourth year was soundly defeated by a general-class user in her second year. I stared quietly at the center of the arena.
Suddenly, a thought struck me: maybe Yoo-jung knew this all along.
No, she couldn’t not know. Having fought directly, she must have felt at various points that she was outmatched.
‘Ah.’
At that moment, the expression Yoo-jung had worn earlier flashed through my mind.
A face deep in thought, hesitant.
Though I couldn’t be certain, I felt I understood why Yoo-jung had come here. She must have sensed something from her fight with Ahn Hyun.
She came to confirm it—wanted to see for herself, clearly and precisely.
After the rank drop incident, she was already under scrutiny.
Winning was expected; losing would be strange.
She had given her all but was consistently outmatched.
If she lost here, it would shatter the pride she valued more than her own life.
Yet Yoo-jung chose to endure all that and keep fighting. As a last resort to turn around her entire situation.
Yes. User Lee Yoo-jung came here to test herself. And by losing, she faced the harsh truth: it wasn’t her who was strong, but the mercenary.
Was my guess right?
“What… what is this…?”
Suddenly stopping her bitter laughter, Yoo-jung raised a trembling hand to cover her face.
“I really tried so hard… really, really… but…”
She couldn’t finish her sentence, slowly bowing her head as her shoulders began to shake faintly. Eventually, she broke down, letting out a soft sob—not a loud cry, but a quiet, trembling sound.
Her face was hidden behind her hand.
“Sniff… sob…”
Yet tears streamed down her cheeks, slipping past her chin and falling drop by drop.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
ㅇ<-<….