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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 59
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59. A Dreadful Sparring Match
***
"The sparring match begins."
The match started with Kali's voice.
Several students left with others for their own matches, but nearly half of them remained, watching Gerard and David's sparring match.
Naturally, Cheonseong was among them.
"..."
As David and I faced each other, everyone raised their hands and called out names.
When David's name was called first, a strange sense of unease settled deep in my heart.
'He didn't have to step forward.'
When it came to sparring, I was more confident than David. Just from our conversation this morning, I could tell David was worried about the match.
I also believed it was naturally my place to crush Gerard, who had been disrespecting us.
However. David was now facing Gerard in a match before me.
And now...
—! —!
David's face, as he moved rapidly across the ground, was one I had never seen before.
His expression had changed so much that he was unrecognizable from the usually playful David who took things lightly. His face was cold and hardened.
And David's speed was faster than I expected.
"...He's really fast."
"Yeah. What's his ability?"
Even as I heard other students' voices, David's entire body, rapidly closing the distance with Gerard, was imbued with a sky-blue light. I knew it was David's ability.
'Precision Enhancement.'
When I first heard about it, I thought it was a truly excellent ability, with much room for application.
But David, as he said, could only enhance his own body for now. He was charging forward, using his body as a weapon.
Just a few seconds later, he completely closed the distance with Gerard.
—! —! —! —!
Suddenly, a fierce gust of wind erupted. It was a strong wind that abruptly began to surge from Gerard's body.
'Blessing of Wind.'
I remembered it was a rare ability Gerard possessed.
...And how annoying it must feel for David.
David, momentarily faltering in the strong wind, launched himself forward again as if unable to stop. Unconsciously, my eyes narrowed.
'This isn't good.'
David still didn't properly understand Gerard's ability. The same must be true for the other students present.
To me, David seemed to be rushing into Gerard too hastily.
"Tsk."
At that moment, with a small click of Gerard's tongue.
It happened.
*Thud!*
David, who had leaped high, lost his balance as if caught in the strong wind, and was swept away by the wind, collapsing onto the ground.
As David had leaped with all his might, the impact of his fall to the ground was considerable.
"..."
As David, who had rolled miserably on the ground, righted himself, I immediately sensed from that one encounter... that this sparring match would be anything but easy for David.
'A compatibility issue...'
David, who couldn't yet properly utilize his ability, could only enhance his own body. Without any weapons, David was entirely a close-range combatant.
But Gerard manipulated the wind, creating strong gusts as if to protect himself.
This meant it would be easy for David to stumble with just one step, or for Gerard to use the wind to evade attacks just as they were about to land.
...The overwhelming advantages and disadvantages of their compatibility were clear.
"Hey. David, what are you doing, not coming quickly? You fell once... What, you can't come?"
Suddenly, Gerard taunted, moving his mouth, and David's expression hardened even further as he pushed off the ground. At that sight, my heart involuntarily sank.
'He fell for the taunt.'
Gerard's pathetic taunt was having a huge effect on David.
Indeed, David had hardly experienced sparring before, and as he said he was nervous... even that was unfamiliar to him.
And so...
The sparring continued.
A truly miserable and dreadful match, one that was unbearable to watch...
...
The wind blowing through the space continued to grow fiercer.
The wind, which had been raging around Gerard, gradually expanded its range. As if to demonstrate how accustomed he was to manipulating wind, Gerard began to control it with even greater precision.
*Whoosh!*
The wind seemed to converge into one spot, then enveloped David's entire body. As a result, David began to struggle even taking a few steps.
Yet, David's expression remained unchanged from the start.
His face was cold and hardened, and even as blood trickled from his tightly pressed lips, David continued to try and advance.
How long had it been since this sparring match began?
I couldn't tell, but to me, having watched the entire match, it felt like an eternity.
"...It's really a shame."
"Their abilities seem to be counter-compatible."
"Shouldn't David just give up?"
"I can't watch this match anymore."
Various voices came from other students. As the students who had been watching the match began to leave one by one, only about a quarter of the initial number remained to watch David and Gerard's match.
That's because the match... had been one-sided from beginning to end.
Even when David launched himself forward, his attacks never reached Gerard.
His fists and kicks couldn't even brush Gerard's clothing, and he would often lose his balance or be helplessly pushed back by the strong winds.
And each time, Gerard would speak to David mockingly.
"...That's why mediocre abilities just don't cut it."
Just like now.
"....."
I tried to keep watching the match rationally, but I wasn't succeeding.
As I let out suppressed breaths, I struggled to control the strong emotions that kept rising within me.
I felt so angry watching it that I wanted to barge into the match right away.
"..."
Throughout watching the match, I felt nothing but helplessness. To simply watch David, who I could call my only friend in the class, suffer at the hands of that human trash... it was more agonizing than I could have imagined.
And it had already been going on for tens of minutes.
When did it start? The sharp pain I felt from my fingernails digging into my clenched fists was no longer noticeable.
—!
David leaped through the wind again... and even as he advanced as if this time would be different, my gaze remained fixed on Gerard's hand.
He brought his thumb and forefinger together, flicking them.
*Click!*
A distinct sound rang out.
*Bang!*
The air that had gathered directly in front of David exploded, creating a strange impact sound.
"Cough!"
David tumbled across the ground as if directly hit. I blankly clenched and unclenched my numb hands, trying to calm my breathing.
...It was hard to watch.
It felt too difficult... as if just controlling my emotions had already pushed me to my limit.
'That piece of trash...'
Compatibility, difference in power. I could understand all of that.
And I knew the outcome of this match was already decided.
This sparring match was different from the helplessness I felt watching Leonhardt reach level 3 in an instant during the last match.
No matter what David did, he couldn't win against Gerard.
David was in an even bleaker situation than I was back then. A structure had already been established where the outcome would never be overturned as long as Gerard didn't let his guard down.
"Tsk. Even after tumbling around so many times, he still doesn't seem to understand the difference in our levels."
Gerard's sneering voice continued to make me angry, but... I could endure even that.
*Rustle.*
"Haa... haa..."
As David, who had been panting heavily, prepared to leap towards Gerard once more, I was suddenly overwhelmed by the urge to stop him.
And seeing the contempt in Gerard's eyes as he looked at David... my emotions continued to boil over.
What angered me most right now was that Gerard could end the match, yet he wasn't.
Because of that, David kept launching himself at Gerard as if challenging him, only to tumble miserably on the ground and fall repeatedly.
"..."
Why wouldn't Gerard end the match, even though he could finish David?
A little thought was all it took to understand.
The gazes of the surrounding students watching the match, Kali the instructor, and even me.
Gerard wanted to show everyone.
His superiority.
And the vast difference in their levels. And even more so, to continue humiliating David...
"..."
Suddenly, I tasted metallic blood.
Had I been biting my lip so hard that it split without realizing it? A belated pain also registered in my tightly clenched hands.
A sharp, stinging pain. The pain I thought had disappeared at some point was now felt again.
...With a sigh at that sensation, my gaze involuntarily shifted elsewhere.
To Kali, the instructor observing this sparring match.
Gerard wasn't ending the match. And David wasn't giving up either.
In that case, the only one who could end the match was her.
*Whoosh!*
As a massive gust of wind swept through again, scattering her hair... I could see Kali's state.
"..."
...The moment I saw her, my body felt as if it had frozen.
Kali's gaze was extremely cold.
From her tightly pressed lips, it was as if I could plainly see how angry she was.
'...Then why?'
Why wasn't she ending this match?
Anyone could see that the outcome of the match was decided, and it was right to end it.
The match wasn't benefiting David in any way. It was merely a brutal sparring session, like a process of his self-esteem completely crumbling.
'So please...'
I wanted Kali to end this match.
I wanted her to call an end to the match and let David rest now.
...But seeing no sign of Kali stopping the match, I lowered my head again.
And once more, I took in the match.
*Boom!*
As the swirling wind gathered at a single point and exploded, David's body was sent flying high into the air.
*Thud!*
David's appearance, having rolled heavily on the ground due to the significant fall, was utterly dreadful.
There wasn't a single uninjured spot on him; his entire body was covered in wounds.
And the time it took for David to stand up again... had significantly increased compared to the beginning.
He struggled to place his hands on his knees. As he tried to raise his upper body, I felt a deep sense of pity.
"You... can stop now."
The words slipped out unconsciously.
He didn't have to keep getting up like that. He could stop this meaningless sparring match.
Just then.
My words from this morning came to mind without thinking.
—You grow by sparring and getting beaten.
Words I had casually uttered. Words I had even said based on myself...
But then, David's reply to my words also came to mind.
—Yeah. As you said, I need to get thoroughly beaten today and grow a bit.
And belatedly, I understood David.
Why he was so recklessly trying to get up and continue this sparring match...
"..."
Even as I drew a sharp breath. The weight of my own words belatedly dawned on me.
*Rustle.*
Just as David painstakingly managed to fully stand up.
*Click!*
...At the sound of hands meeting, I unconsciously blinked blankly.
*Boom!*
Without fail, the concentrated wind in front of David's eyes exploded violently, and David's head was sharply flung back by the impact.
In that instant.
My body moved faster than I thought.
—! —! —! —!
My vision was instantly engulfed in a blue light, and I launched myself forward in a flash.
At the same time, I could see.
A crimson saturation filled my vision.
And amidst it, Kali lightly caught David.
"..."
Immediately after, seeing Kali holding the now completely unconscious David... I had to stop blankly in front of her.
"Enough."
Following Kali's cold words that echoed...
I found myself asking blankly.
"Why... did you only stop the match now?"
I simply couldn't hold back the words.
She could have ended it much earlier. To me, it didn't seem like a match that benefited David.
And just a moment ago, David's condition was extremely dangerous.
It was an extreme crisis where he nearly slammed his head into the ground.
"That's because... I realized Gerard was holding back."
At Kali's cold reply to my question... I couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh.
'Holding back...'
Then, my head blankly turned.
I saw the piece of trash casually standing there.
"Yeah. I held back on my own, so be grateful~ I was being considerate, you know."
At those words, I didn't look at the trash.
I looked at Kali.
"...Can I apply for a match right away?"
I simply couldn't endure it any longer.
If I didn't do something about that piece of trash currently in my sight...
The endless emotions filling my heart... felt as if they would explode.