Chapter 152

Chapter 152 “Are you actually suggesting... we make a bet?” Seon-Woo was unable to believe his ears so he had to ask for confirmation. “Yes. We should each stake something we want from the other,” Se-Hoon confirmed, nodding. “I guess there’s something you want from me?” Although his facial expression didn't show it, Se-Hoon could see the considerable wariness filing Seon-Woo's eyes. “No, I haven't thought of something yet. As I said before, this will just be a small wager, meaning we can determine the stakes as the situation unfolds.” “So... if I think what you ask for isn't trivial, I can refuse at any time?” “That's correct.” Se-Hoon was well aware that no one would accept a bet with heavy conditions right off the bat in such a situation. And that was especially true for someone from the Special Operations Division, who always had to be cautious with every word they said. In fact, it would be foolish to try and forcibly trap him with a bet. The goal for now is to pique his interest. Having often done such a thing, Se-Hoon patiently waited for an answer. And as he expected, after contemplating it, Seon-Woo asked, “How do you plan to proceed with the bet?” “Well, I'll first watch the kite-flying training you mentioned and will decide after that.” “Alright. Please wait a moment, then,” Seon-Woo said, heading up to the training ground. Seeing Se-Hoon watching Seon-Woo’s back, Kwang-Soo apprehensively asked, “What are you thinking?” “You heard it all. It's just a small bet.” “Don’t say such nonsense.” At Kwang-Soo’s glare, Se-Hoon glanced at him. “It’s really as it sounds. Well, to be honest, it’s also to get closer to him.” “With that guy?” Kwang-Soo asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise. Se-Hoon calmly nodded. “He's an investigator from the Special Operations Division. Being close to him could be beneficial in many ways for me in the future.” “Hmm. But since that guy's mindset is so rigid, getting close might be a headache...” “The difficulty will just depend on how I want to use him anyway.” Before the regression, Se-Hoon had avoided Seon-Woo like the plague as he hadn’t had a proper backer, but now, with Ludwig as his supporter, things were different. Taken aback by Se-Hoon’s confident words, Kwang-Soo only recovered a second later. He shrugged his shoulders. “Do what you want then, I guess. Just don’t underestimate him too much.” Glancing toward Seon-Woo, who was examining his bow on the training ground, Kwang-Soo warned, “He’ll definitely reach S-rank within five years.” It wasn’t just he had a good chance, but that he definitely would. However, Se-Hoon already knew that. “I’m already aware of that.” How could he not know, having been tormented for months by the very man himself after he became an S-rank? If it's now, it should be possible to get close to him. Compared to his tormentor, Seon-Woo was still just a novice. At this level, there were still several gaps that even his current self could exploit. “I’m ready. Both of you, please come up.” While Kwang-Soo had been thinking Se-Hoon’s unwavering confidence was odd, Seon-Woo had finally finished preparing. Heading over, Se-Hoon naturally noticed the fist-sized green cubes scattered at intervals around the edges of the training ground. Initially, he didn’t understand their purpose, but it didn’t take long for him to figure it out. Ah ha, so that’s what kite-flying means. Having roughly grasped the training method, Se-Hoon smirked. When they arrived in front of Seon-Woo, he wasted no time. Holding a bow in one hand, he began, “Before I start explaining, let me give you a brief demonstration.” Snap! Whirr- When he lightly snapped, the green cubes placed at the edge of the training ground promptly flickered and opened, releasing green winds that scattered in all directions. Soon, they all came together and merged into a massive wind barrier that surrounded the training ground. Whoosh! The howling winds around them formed a mystical sight; it felt like they were standing at the center of a whirlpool. Turning back to Seon-Woo, Se-Hoon watched as he picked up an arrow from the quiver on the ground and nocked it on his bowstring. “Hmm...” Observing their surroundings, Seon-Woo drew the bow and aimed the arrow at the wind barrier surrounding them. Twang! Releasing the string, the arrow shot straight toward the wind barrier. Normally, one would expect the arrow to either pierce through or be deflected. However, the arrow suddenly turned. Whoosh! Circling the training ground, the arrow maneuvered freely, riding the current of the wind barrier. It resembled a kite flying in the wind. “Kite-flying is a training method to hone your ability to observe the movements of the winds and control arrows by linking them with your mana,” Seon-Woo explained. Demonstrating further, Seon-Woo subtly flicked his fingers and the arrow changed direction sharply. Whoosh! Like a fish swimming in water, the arrow navigated the wind barrier erratically. “Normally, we practice with regular arrows, but since you don’t have any prior experience in archery, I've prepared special arrows for you. These arrows will move as you desire once you connect them with your mana.” As Kwang-Soo slowly counted down, Se-Hoon and Seon-Woo took their stances and aimed at the wind barrier. “Two...” Surrounded by the ever-swirling winds, Seon-Woo momentarily reflected on his initial plan for how he was going to handle the duel. I was planning to go easy on him... but it seems I need to teach him a proper lesson. Confidence in one’s abilities was fine, but when it turned into arrogance, it could choke oneself. As an active-duty hero, Seon-Woo decided to give his junior a hard-learned lesson and began infusing his arrow with mana. Whirr- Seeing the swirling wind lightly enveloped his arrow, Seon-Woo drew his arm back and focused on the wind barrier. “One...” With only the final signal left, the two reached the peak of their concentration. “Start!” Twang! The two arrows shot into the wind barrier. Then, without hesitation, both arrows raced towards each other. Seon-Woo’s eyes narrowed at the sight. He’s trying to knock me out immediately. This was no longer just overconfidence; it was suspicious. Wondering if Se-Hoon had some hidden strategy, Seon-Woo immediately activated his skill. Swallow’s Zephyr Boom-! A burst of wind erupted from his arrow. The faint yet distinct wind permeated various parts of the barrier, causing it to shake violently in all directions. Swallow’s Zephyr was a skill that altered the surrounding atmosphere with a small amount of wind. Thus, when injected into the wind barrier, the wind barrier surged with much greater intensity, causing the movement of its winds to become highly erratic. As a result, Se-Hoon's arrow, which had been moving relatively straight, began to wobble precariously; it looked like it would be bounced out at any second. “Ugh...” The previously predicted flow of the wind had completely changed, and the new gust was no joke. Whoosh! While Se-Hoon’s arrow was trying to hold on amidst the sudden surge, Seon-Woo’s arrow, encased in a fierce wind, shot closer at high speed. Simultaneously, the wind surge arrived, destabilizing Se-Hoon’s arrow even more. The way it looked, it felt like his arrow would bounce out without even facing Seon-Woo’s. Confident in his victory, Seon-Woo added a final acceleration to put Se-Hoon out of his misery. Here it comes...! Having been observing the situation intently, Se-Hoon flicked his fingers, causing his arrow to twist like a pretzel. Whirr! Seeing the barely stable arrow suddenly twist, Seon-Woo’s eyebrows shot up in shock. Is that... At first glance, it looked like a desperate attempt to hold on, but his instinct told him it wasn’t something to be taken lightly. Listening to it, Seon-Woo, forgetting he was facing a much younger student, activated his unique skill, Enhanced Vision. Woong-! Blue ripples spread through his dark blue eyes, expanding his vision to encompass the entire training ground. Now, he could clearly see the changes occurring in Se-Hoon’s body and his arrow. I see. He’s trying to twist the flow of the winds like I did...! Anticipating his move, it seemed Se-Hoon had prepared a counter. And Seon-Woo couldn’t help but be impressed by how the earlier arrogance was probably a tactic to provoke such a situation. For a second, he even considered just letting it slide, but it was just for a second. The tougher the challenges he faces, the stronger he becomes. In the end, there were still four rounds left. Deciding to show Se-Hoon a new level, he applied a slight variation to his arrow. Swallow’s Piercing Zephyr Sprang! Seon-Woo’s arrow accelerated forward like a swallow piercing through the wind. He had decided to crush Se-Hoon’s counter head-on with overwhelming speed and power. With the new burst of speed, the two arrows collided before Se-Hoon could even react... supposedly. Got him!!! Se-Hoon’s eyes gleamed and he released his hold on the twisted arrow. Mortal Combat Techniques: Swallow Hunt Clang! A metallic sound echoed throughout the training ground, and an arrow was helplessly bounced out. Thunk- Seon-Woo stared at the broken arrow on the floor, his eyes wide in disbelief. What... how...? The moment Seon-Woo’s arrow had come closer, Se-Hoon’s arrow, twisted to its limit, unfurled and struck Seon-Woo’s to send it out. The intuitiveness of the bizarre, battle-impractical maneuver not typical of an ordinary arrow was shocking to Seon-Woo. He was aiming for the moment of contact from the start... He was certain Se-Hoon had aimed to reduce the variables and had already prepared to counter accordingly since the beginning. Finding his ability to read the winds’ flow and anticipate his opponent’s response beyond impressive, Seon-Woo turned to Se-Hoon. “It seems... we didn’t need five rounds after all,” commented Se-Hoon with a smirk upon meeting his eyes. “...” Grit-