It was a spar meant to gauge Kang Hanbyeol’s abilities.
It would be a shame to end it right away.
So even though I had plenty of chances to knock him down, I deliberately waited and let him regain his stance.
He had probably noticed, too.
I didn’t know what the people watching the spar thought, but once you crossed swords, you had no choice but to realize the difference in skill.
‘Now this is what a protagonist should be.’
Even so, Kang Hanbyeol did not give up on a spar whose outcome had already been decided, and clung to it fiercely until the very end.
For my part, I was simply pleased.
That fighting spirit that would not go out, that tenacity that would not break, that indomitable will.
Because it would become the strength that encouraged us through the countless hardships to come.
He was the kind of talent my past life had admired, and the kind my present life had so desperately wanted.
‘He’s getting stronger and stronger.’
Meanwhile, Kang Hanbyeol was growing rapidly as he fought me.
Before I knew it, he had begun reading my moves, and his responses were becoming more skillful.
At first, he had been unable to keep up with the speed I produced at full power, but gradually, he even started catching up.
Moreover.
‘…I got pushed back?’
The Ultramarine Sword, having collided with Kang Hanbyeol’s blade, was knocked back behind my shoulder.
I had lost in a contest of strength.
For an instant, my stance collapsed.
Crackle!
My evasion instinct activated.
Entrusting my body to the Gift’s urging, I dodged the attack that followed.
The fact that I had lost in strength meant that a change had occurred in Kang Hanbyeol’s muscle power.
After composing myself from the surprise, I brought up his status window in my field of vision.
‘His physical stats went up.’
Was it because his body had broken through its limits?
Even so, the rate of growth was steep.
It was more reasonable to assume that the effect of a skill had activated.
I brought up Kang Hanbyeol’s skill window as well, and I was able to understand the reason.
He had gained some sort of realization during battle and learned a new skill.
[Competitive Spirit Lv 1]
◆ Skill Classification
―Conditional Activation Type
◆ Detailed Effects
―When HP falls below 20%, all physical abilities increase by 5%.
A stat-boosting skill, Competitive Spirit.
In the game, it was a skill obtained during the battle with Do Seungwoo.
After confirming Kang Hanbyeol’s change, I raised the corners of my mouth.
‘He’s beyond my expectations.’
Kang Hanbyeol’s growth made me proud.
But I had no intention of letting myself be beaten like this.
I didn’t know what would happen in the future, but at least right now, I didn’t want to lose.
The results of five years had not been in vain.
Most of all, Yeon Haneul was watching.
‘If I’m losing in strength….’
Then I just had to compete with agility.
With swift movements and dexterous hands.
Even faster.
──!!
To finally bring the spar to an end, I swung the Ultramarine Sword.
At the same time, Kang Hanbyeol’s sword moved as well.
But before his blade could reach me, my sword reached his neck first.
At that point, the spar was over.
“I win.”
“…I lost.”
The moment the blade of the Ultramarine Sword touched his neck, Kang Hanbyeol, who had frozen in an awkward posture, obediently admitted defeat.
When I withdrew the Ultramarine Sword from him, his tense, stiff expression finally relaxed.
Without either of us needing to go first, we clasped hands and shook.
“You’re seriously strong! Thanks to you, I feel like I learned something! That was fun! Let’s do it again next time!”
“I learned something too. You’re pretty good yourself, Hanbyeol. Yeah, if we get the chance, let’s spar again.”
Kang Hanbyeol’s skills were more than enough to pass.
He would be worth raising from here on, and I wouldn’t have to worry about him in battle.
“Good work, both of you! You fought well!”
“Yeah, you were both amazing. I feel bad saying this after taking on the role of referee, but it was hard to follow you with my eyes.”
“If either of you is hurt, please tell me. I’ll heal you.”
“Kang Hanbyeol! Fight me next time! When are you free!?”
By then, the people who had been watching the fight approached us and offered words of praise.
While greeting them warmly, I checked Kang Hanbyeol’s status window again.
A blue message appeared before my eyes.
[Personal Information]
Name: Kang Hanbyeol (Male · 17 years old) (1st Run)
Alias: Disciple of the Fighting Demon
Affiliation: Geumgang Academy
[Owned Gift]
Resonance Hands
[Physical Abilities]
Stamina: 60
Strength: 60
Endurance: 60
Agility: 60
Mana: 60
Luck: 60
Remaining Points: 0
Kang Hanbyeol’s status window, with all physical abilities fixed at 60.
It was identical to Kang Hanbyeol’s status window when first starting the game.
Therefore, how to raise him was entirely up to the player.
In this world, it was up to me.
That was when it happened.
“Here, good work.”
“Ah, Haneul. Thanks, I’ll drink it well.”
While everyone gathered around Kang Hanbyeol and chatted noisily.
Yeon Haneul quietly approached and handed me cool water and a towel.
Since I had been thirsty anyway, I drained the water in the plastic bottle in one go and wiped away the sweat running down my face with the towel.
The fluffy, soft towel smelled fragrant.
It was Yeon Haneul’s scent.
“I think I understand why you wanted to befriend him. He fights well.”
“Right? Get along with him from now on.”
“Yeah, I’ll try as much as I can.”
“By the way, Haneul.”
“What?”
“So I won.”
“….”
“Are you going to let me touch your tail now?”
“…You heard that?”
“There’s no way I wouldn’t have.”
Even if I had been focused on the fight, there was no way I would fail to hear Yeon Haneul’s voice.
Strangely, her voice naturally reached my ears.
Whether I was conscious of it or not.
I looked down at her as she flinched and let out a chuckle.
Then, as I quietly reached out, trying to move my hand behind her back.
“No.”
“Why?”
With her gaze fixed forward, Yeon Haneul smacked my hand away behind her back.
“Don’t tell me you’re trying to go back on it. Seriously, no taking back what you gave. That’s cheap.”
“Who said anything? That’s not it….”
“Then?”
“There are people here right now…. So don’t do it here… Do it somewhere else, when it’s just the two of us.”
“If you put it that way…. Fine, you promised, okay?”
Honestly, I didn’t care even if other people were around.
It didn’t matter to me either way.
But in consideration of Yeon Haneul, I decided to put it off until later.
‘No, wait. Maybe that’s not it.’
Now that I thought about it, if it was just the two of us, I could touch it to my heart’s content.
Because no one would interrupt.
Whether Yeon Haneul got embarrassed then or not, I would touch it until I was satisfied.
* * *
Midterms were still a long way off, but preparation had to be done in advance.
If one let their guard down thinking it was still the beginning of the semester, there was a chance of being pressed for time later.
Even if one started studying in a panic then, the results would not be impressive.
One had to constantly preview and review.
There was no time to be complacent.
‘I have to make up for it in the midterms.’
Because she had stumbled on the entrance exam, she had entered Geumgang Academy with poor grades, far from being the top of her system.
As a result, she had suffered the humiliation of being mocked by the people of her family who had always looked at her with displeasure.
‘Just you wait. I’ll make sure they can never say that again after the midterms.’
The Little Griffin of the Magical Min Family, Min Arin.
For her, it was a great blow to her pride.
Her pride would not allow it.
That was why, ever since she had moved into the dormitory, she had not missed a single day of visiting the library on campus.
She was staking everything on the midterms coming in a month.
“It should be around here somewhere….”
In order to find materials needed for class.
Min Arin looked around the bookshelf in the area the librarian had told her about.
“Ah, here it is. First, this one… Should I borrow that one too?”
Her yellow eyes swept over the books lined up on the shelves.
Having found the books she wanted, Min Arin decided to head to the counter.
It was then that she met Yeon Haneul.
“Ah.”
Between the bookshelves.
The two, who happened to run into each other where there was no one else, came to a stop on the spot.
An awkward air flowed between them.
“….”
On both Min Arin’s and Yeon Haneul’s faces, there was an uncomfortable look.
Even so, since they ate together, they couldn’t just ignore each other and pass by.
Since the path was straight, they couldn’t change directions either.
In the end, they had to exchange greetings.
‘Did she come here to study too?’
In that situation, what stirred Min Arin awake was her sense of rivalry toward Yeon Haneul.
Her gaze did not miss the book Yeon Haneul was holding in her arms.
It seemed Yeon Haneul had probably come to the library to prepare for the exam as well.
Once her thoughts reached that point, she felt inexplicably displeased.
She couldn’t treat Yeon Haneul kindly.
“Hi.”
“Yeah, hi….”
“Why are you here?”
“Just, there was a book I wanted to read…. And a book I need for class….”
“Ah, really? Me too.”
Min Arin, who had spoken first, had an attitude closer to snapping at her.
On Yeon Haneul’s face, as she reluctantly answered, there was wariness.
At her reaction, as though she found Min Arin difficult to deal with, the corners of Min Arin’s mouth twitched.
If one thought about it, the girl before her was one of the main culprits who had wounded her pride.
Getting under the skin of that culprit filled Min Arin with a strange sense of victory.
It felt as though she were recovering the pride she had lost.
“Anyway, work hard. I’ll get going. See you next time.”
“Yeah, you too. Next time….”
“Oh, right.”
“….”
“From next time, it’d be better to come borrow books with Gyeonu. He’ll need them too. Since we’re in the same class, I should look after him.”
“….”
“From what I can tell, he seems like the type who needs someone to take careful care of him from the side. So if I don’t look after him, who will?”
Yeon Haneul’s eyelids trembled.
She couldn’t say a word.
Therefore, Min Arin had won.
Suppressing the thrill in her heart, Min Arin passed by the girl with her head lowered.
‘Ah, how refreshing.’
Her steps as she left the library were light.
The night breeze was cool, putting her in a good mood as well.
A hum slipped out of her without her realizing it.
With that much excitement in her heart, Min Arin walked along the path toward the dormitory.
That was why.
‘As soon as I get back, I’ll eat dinner, wash up, and then start midterm prepa— huh?’
Whoosh!
She was poor at detecting presences.
Only after hearing the sound belatedly did Min Arin turn her head, and shock spread across her face.
A massive iron hammer was flying toward her.
Thud! Craaack!
“….”
That iron hammer grazed right past her side and knocked down a tree.
Min Arin’s gaze moved to the tree that had collapsed as if crushed, leaving only its stump behind, then slowly turned toward the direction from which the iron hammer had flown.
The figure walking out beneath the lights illuminating the darkening night sky was someone she knew.
White and blue hair that stood out even in the darkness.
Eerie red eyes reminiscent of a monster’s.
It was Yeon Haneul, whom she had parted from in the library just moments ago.
“Come back.”
“Ah….”
Yeon Haneul stretched her hand in Min Arin’s direction.
That alone made her flinch.
At that moment, the iron hammer that had fallen behind her suddenly floated into the air.
The iron hammer flew into Yeon Haneul’s hand, brushing past the flinching girl.
Only then did Min Arin realize the situation and try to protest.
“What do you think you’re— eek!”
Whoosh! Thud! Craaack!
Yeon Haneul launched the iron hammer.
Once again, a tree snapped with a crack.
“Are you cra—!”
Whoosh! Thud! Craaack!
Again.
The iron hammer passed by Min Arin’s side, delivering the sound of the air vibrating.
It continued over and over.
“Kyaaaah!”
Faced with the sudden situation, Min Arin simply couldn’t come to her senses.
She knew she had to block it.
But when she saw the huge, heavy iron hammer flying at her, filling her vision as though it would flatten her, she couldn’t regain her composure.
Her casting failed again and again.
She was overwhelmed by visual violence.
—W-wait…!
—It’s going to hurt a lot.
During the entrance exam.
The nightmare of that day, when she had taken Yeon Haneul’s iron hammer head-on, awakened.
With her legs trembling uncontrollably, Min Arin eventually sank down where she stood.
At some point, the threat posed by the iron hammer had ended.
“Ah….”
With a devastated expression, Min Arin looked up at Yeon Haneul.
The girl who had walked over step by step was wearing a gentle smile.
But to Min Arin’s eyes, it only looked terrifying.
In a soft tone, Yeon Haneul opened her mouth.
“Sorry, my hand slipped.”
“….”
That… was her hand slipping?
Min Arin’s eyes widened.
Red light shining in her eyes entered her vision.
At that moment, her body shrank back on its own.
In that situation, Yeon Haneul bent slightly at the waist and whispered to her.
“Don’t mess with me. I still want to try getting along with you, so why do you keep doing that?”
“Ah….”
“And don’t flirt with Gyeonu. Got it?”
“Y-yeah….”
If she answered wrong, she might die.
Goosebumps rose over Min Arin from an indescribable fear, and she immediately nodded as her instincts told her to.
As though satisfied with that, Yeon Haneul straightened up.
Her face was extremely bright.
“Yeah, then let’s get along from now on. See you tomorrow.”
“Y-yeah….”
“Oh, right.”
“If you tell Gyeonu, you know what’ll happen, right?”
“….”
Nod, nod.
Min Arin nodded hard toward Yeon Haneul as she turned away.
Soon, Yeon Haneul walked far off and disappeared from her sight.
“Phew….”
Only then could Min Arin let out a sigh of relief.
Immediately afterward, she flinched.
“Why did I….”
Why did I listen to her?
I got scared? Me, Min Arin?
Me? Meeeeee?
Min Arin’s face twisted.
I Became the Childhood Friend of the Mid-Boss