I Become a Mafia in the Academy

Chapter 125

No, wasn't our atmosphere fine? Didn't we handle the challenge letter well?

Coming out of nowhere and requesting a sparring match.

It was too sudden.

"I asked Grandfather. I wanted to spar with you, but he said he wouldn't allow it. So he told me a way."

"A way?"

Then Choi Yeon suddenly changed her expression and furrowed her brows.

"I don't take orders from someone weaker than me! If you beat me in a sparring match, I'll join your club!"

Then she returned to her original expression.

"He said you should say that."

"Your grandfather?"

"Yeah."

...I wondered whose idea it was, but it seems it came from the Sword Saint's head.

It looked like she was mimicking Choi Seonho's expression just now.

She is certainly a talent that any club would covet.

There's no way a man of Sword Saint's caliber wouldn't know his granddaughter's talent, so he might have planned to promote Choi Yeon's growth by arranging a sparring match with me.

'That cunning old man...'

The terrifying part of this plan is that it's also a great benefit for me.

Not only for the upcoming promotion, but also considering future events, having Choi Yeon's strength join us would exert influence just by being there.

It was truly an offer I couldn't refuse.

I have no choice.

"Shall we do it?"

I also had something I wanted to test.

The newly acquired 'Billy the Kid's Shotgun'.

Sword and shotgun.

Since it's come to this, shall we see who has the strongest close combat weapon?

* * *

Renting the sparring ground was not difficult.

Because Ji Soohyun was in charge of the sparring room today.

Ji Soohyun, who was quietly standing guard and looking around with a bored expression, came to us with a bright smile as soon as she saw us.

"What's going on with our club members and the top student getting along in the sparring room?"

Even before we opened our mouths, Ji Soohyun looked at our expressions and smirked.

"Ah~ I see. Wow. The advisor instructor is working hard on duty and even prepared an event like this. Was today Teacher's Day?"

"...We just want to use the sparring ground."

"The sparring ground? Of course, of course. We should let you use it. How about it, with the other kids? Or just you and Choi Yeon?"

"Just Choi Yeon and I will spar. The other kids will probably watch."

"Really? That's too bad. There's fun in watching a melee. One-on-one... is it for the midterm exam preparation?"

Muttering while adjusting the console, Ji Soohyun.

Jinwoo, who had been quiet, suddenly asked in surprise.

"Midterm exam? What does that have to do with this?"

Seah sighed and shook her head.

"Didn't you study before entering the academy? After the midterm exam, the rankings are determined, and the scores change according to the rankings."

"What?! There's such a thing? I really didn't know!"

"Anyway... but with your skills, Jinwoo, you should easily get into the top 20, so don't worry too much."

As Seah said, the kids in 'Familia' had enough skills to be in the upper ranks through mentor classes and other experiences, so there was no need to worry.

The issue was who would take the first place.

In fact, even if you scored on all other exams, you could aim for the academy's first place.

"...That idiot. Okay, the field setup is done, so you can start as soon as you enter. How about the unique armament, training use? Or using your own?"

"Please let us use our own. Choi Yeon, you're okay with that, right?"

"Yeah. I brought mine too."

"Alright. Let's use our unique armaments for the sparring match."

At the same time, the door to the sparring ground opens.

And.

"Oh, Instructor. I have something to ask."

"Hmm? What is it?"

Before entering the sparring room, a weapon not yet registered with the academy.

I take out 'Billy the Kid's Shotgun'.

"This hasn't been registered as a unique armament with the academy yet. Is it okay to use it?"

As far as I remember, duplicate registration is allowed, but with all that happened today, I forgot to register it.

She looked at me as if she was amazed.

"You really like those old guns, don't you? Last time you brought a Thompson submachine gun, and now a shotgun that could be in a Western movie?"

"You use guns too, Instructor."

"Mine is not a 'gun', it's a 'staff' substitute, so it's fine. And are you comparing these old guns to an automatic pistol?"

"...This is an artifact, though."

"Anyway... as expected of someone wealthy, I'll turn a blind eye for today, so use it. Register it officially tomorrow."

"Thank you."

She probably allowed it because she thought it would be more fun, but it's fine if it benefits me.

After entering, I stand facing Choi Yeon at each end of the sparring ground.

-Are you ready?

A voice comes through the speaker.

Glancing outside, I see Ji Soohyun and the other kids watching us with popcorn, which I don't know where they got from.

I don't know why, but I get annoyed when I see people with popcorn during a sparring match.

"Yes."

"I'm ready too."

Responding to her words, I look at Choi Yeon in front of me while holding the shotgun.

As expected, she brought a new sword, not the broken one I saw in the dungeon.

It was clearly not an ordinary sword, as a blue aura was rippling around it.

I closely observe her in preparation for the collision that will occur at the start.

Her leg muscles tensed as if ready to charge at any moment, and her hands gripping the sword tightly.

And.

-Start.

Bang!

As soon as the start signal sounded, Choi Yeon charged at me like a bullet, swinging her sword diagonally.

"Because it's you, I'll go all out."

"-Crazy!"

Was it because of the many events we've been through?

I barely dodged by rolling to the side as she charged at me with a speed far exceeding my expectations.

However, Choi Yeon quickly pursued and attacked again.

With a thud, she kicked off the ground.

But.

"It'll hurt if you get hit properly!"

This is what I was waiting for.

I aimed the shotgun at Choi Yeon and pulled the trigger with aura-infused weapon.

Boom!

A tremendous shockwave surged, and the barrel made a loud noise.

The recoil alone was enough to push my body backward.

But as expected of Choi Yeon, she reacted to the attack and blocked it with the flat of her sword in an instant.

But.

"Ugh?!"

Her body was also lifted into the air and sent flying backward.

"Ha ha!"

The destructive power beyond imagination naturally brings a smile to my face.

Yeah! A gun should be this explosive!

Quickly adjusting my stance, I check Choi Yeon's condition after she was pushed back.

Her sword, vibrating with a ziiing sound, was greatly fluctuating.

Her body, too, was trembling on both legs, staggering.

The aura that was rippling around her had mostly disappeared. Still, she was standing.

"Impressive."

In that short time, she had concentrated all her aura to the front to block it.

Judgment, output, control.

If even one of these had been lacking, it would have been an act that would have led to collapse.

I thought it would end with one shot, but to think she would withstand it.

"I was surprised."

"It wouldn't have just ended at the level of surprising a normal person."

"No, I was really surprised. My head is still ringing."

Was that why she didn't immediately counterattack?

Shaking her head to lessen the impact, she immediately lowered her body, preparing to charge at me.

"Still, I feel like I understand something."

"Really?"

The second assault follows.

As I pulled the trigger towards her again, Choi Yeon, as if she predicted it, leaped up and raised her sword.

"Duality."

Her signature technique and one of the techniques of the Cheongcheon Sword Family, Duality.

A technique that enhances cutting power by vibrating the aura around the sword, capable of cutting through even a mage's shield in an instant.

But it's a technique with a clear flaw.

As I deflected the sword coming at me by bending my left elbow, the path of the sword, which was falling in a straight line, shifted sideways and headed towards the innocent ground.

Then, an elbow aimed at Choi Yeon's face.

In response, she dodged it with a movement akin to a feat, bending backward, and then kicked her foot up, sending the shotgun flying into the air.

"Dangerous gun removed."

"You think so?"

I have more than one gun, you know?

Immediately extending my right arm, I pulled Tommy out of the cube and pulled the trigger towards her.

The basic technique of weapon swapping using a subspace artifact.

It was a technique often used in game play as well.

Choi Yeon, confirming Tommy being drawn from the air, rolled back, reinforced with aura, and crouched to minimize the hit area.

──! / ──! / ──! / ──! / ──! / ──! / ──! / ──! / ──! / ──! / ──! / ──! / ──! / ──! / ──! /

The sound of a typewriter echoing continuously.

However, as expected, Tommy couldn't penetrate her defense that was strengthened by her body.

Yet, it was visible that the aura was continuously being chipped away every time she was hit by bullets.

It seemed she couldn't move because she was focusing on defense.

Meanwhile, I leisurely retrieved the shotgun that was floating in the air.

"If you stay like that, you'll turn into a beehive."

Tommy was stored back into the cube.

After bending the retrieved shotgun to blow away the residual aura left in the chamber, I loaded it with new aura to complete the reload.

And immediately followed by two more shots.

─Boom! ─Boom!

Choi Yeon, checking the shotgun through the gaps between her arms, rolled her body to try and dodge the shots, but.

"Ugh!"

Some of the scattered fragments pierced her defense.

This is what a shotgun is all about.

"Smoke."

Kikiik───

Even amidst this, she thrust her sword towards the ground, drawing out sword energy.

It scraped the ground at a ferocious speed, and at the same time, thick smoke began to fill the surroundings.

One of the techniques of the Cheongcheon Sword Family, Smoke.

By rubbing the aura-infused sword against the ground, it creates artificial smoke, a technique developed by swordsmen who primarily engage in close combat to approach mages who rely on ranged attacks.

A troublesome technique that makes it hard to even detect the enemy due to the scattered aura.

Moreover, even at this moment, she showed no signs of fear, making it extremely difficult to pinpoint her location in this state.

But.

"Even if you infuse it with aura, it's still just smoke."

I've had some training in handling aura too.

I immediately infused aura into my feet.

And slammed them hard into the ground.

Boom─────!

By stomping with a heavy foot, a massive gust of wind was generated, blowing the surrounding smoke towards the outer part of the sparring ground.

This is one of the ways to counter Smoke.

Pushing away the smoke itself with stronger force.

But it seemed like even that brief moment was enough time for the swordsman of the Cheongcheon Sword Family to reach the mage, as Choi Yeon's figure could be seen shooting out from within the dispersing smoke.

"Got you."

"Not yet."

Did you think I wouldn't anticipate your approach?

Once again, I burst aura through my feet touching the ground.

An application from when I caught the kobold.

As if dynamite had been detonated underground, starting from my feet, the sparring ground began to shake.

Her attack movements faltered in response.

"Ugh!"

With such strong fighting spirit, Choi Yeon, as if she couldn't give up, tried to land a hit on me even while her balance was off, twisting her wrist to thrust her sword at me.

But it was shallow.

Dodging the sword by bending my body, I spun the shotgun around and gripped the barrel with both hands.

"A shotgun isn't just a weapon for shooting.

It's also a great weapon as a club.

Above all, relics in this world have incredibly sturdy durability.

The silver ornament on the buttstock glimmers brightly.

"──This is going to hurt even if you block it."

Then, my arm swung in a clean arc, executing a full swing.

With a dull sound, her body soared upwards.

"Home run."

The feel is fantastic.