I Became An Academy Spearman - Chapter 43

I Became An Academy Spearman — Chapter 43. The King of Weapons (15)

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“This is the end of the sparring.” Instructor Avalanche’s voice called out, clear as day. Strange, how he did not declare a victor.

Leonhard began to lower his sword, which was pointed at Han Seong’s neck, with a smile. He had executed his first travel through the void to end the battle victoriously, and without injury to the other party. He had exceeded even his personal expectations for the fight.

Han Seong also sketched a faint smile. “I guess it’s a draw after all.”

Leonhard blinked at Han Seong’s incoherent words.

“…Draw?”

He had clearly won the fight.

When he surrounded his body with the Heavenly First Sword aura, he was able to move at an unimaginable speed from one point in time to another, and because of that his sword ended up near Han Seong’s neck.

There had been no need to hurt him, and he had shown he did not have to.

He had no intention of bragging about the outcome of the fight, but Han Seong’s statement made no sense.

“What the hell do you mean, Han Seong?” he asked, unable to keep the credulity from his voice.

“Don’t you see my spear?” Han Seong slowly lowered his gaze at his own question. Confused, Leonhard couldn’t understand right away as he likewise lowered his gaze to the spear.

The spear was pointed at the center of his chest. It had stopped an inch away.

“When…?”

Han Seong slowly withdrew his spear. He smiled at the dumbfounded Leonhard. Then he said something completely unexpected.

“Leonhard, do you know why snakes are scary?”

“Snakes?”

“Yes. When they hide in the bushes to attack by surprise. Or they attack when you least expect it. They’re very scary. But if a snake is found in a plain or where there are no bushes, they are not so scary.”

Leonhard frowned.

He understood exactly what Han Seong wanted to say.

…Now that I think about it.

Since the beginning of the fight, Han Seong had tried his best to stay on the offensive. But he simply didn’t pay attention to his behavior.

His body was overloaded as if he was on fire. And he had an unusual look.

At the same time, he started to think to the time he had rushed over with the First Heavenly Sword.

Perhaps… Han Seong had moved his spear at the same speed. The speed had been the same the entire fight, with certain lapses.

It was a very ridiculous guess. It suddenly came to his mind.

He could have stopped me.

That was when he made the connection to Han Seong’s words. The entire attack series had looked like the build up to a surprise attack, moving his spear like a snake in and out of the grass. However, every attack he had initiated was part of the build up – each attack biting at him as if it was the real thing only for the hidden attack to be the actual bite.

But…

No way. That didn’t make sense.

“I had a vague feeling that you were coming towards me.” At that moment, he heard the words directly from the cadet’s mouth. Han Seong shook his head with a smile at his puzzled look. “But I didn’t dare to extend the spear.”

“I can’t believe you wouldn’t have. If you had extended the spear at that time, the fight would have ended differently…” Leonhard replied dumbfounded.

Because Han Seong’s words meant that he could have won, but he didn’t. Surely he would have hit him if he had extended the spear. He couldn’t deny that he was off guard at that moment.

“It ended the way it did. You’re right. But it wasn’t that easy.” He could endure the way Han Seong connected the words together, even though he felt as if he had been punched by him in the face.

It was amazing that Han Seong had raised the level of his attribute. Not only did his physical ability increase, but also the mana wrapped around his spear. Even his wit reached a greater depth. It was as if Han Seong had by leveling up become another person.

And although his own attribute also rose to Level 3, he could not relax in the slightest. He too fought with almost all his might.

Of course, he never imagined that he could lose this fight. He did not belittle Han Seong, who had fought well. But he had never doubted the imminence of his own victory.

Because he had been confident in the power he had.

“Leonhard.” He focused again on Han’s face. “You would have died if I had speared you. It’s the same as you would have stabbed me with your sword. So I could not extend the spear. No matter how many instructors were watching, I wasn’t sure they would break up the fight in time.”

A bitter smile escaped him as Han Seong explained in detail.

He felt empty. It was as if all his thoughts were distorted. With this explanation, he had to admit that Han Seong had truly exceeded his expectations.

“How on earth… could you react at the speed of First Heavenly Sword?”

“It’s not that I reacted. I just…” Han paused, clearly reluctant to tell, “… guessed.”

“A guess?”

“Yes. I know it seems weird… but… I just had a hunch.”