Chapter 28

Chapter 28: [Knight Soul] Is This Really That Hard? (4)

Halkenburg.

The old knight, who had lived for nearly three hundred years, was literally a born powerhouse. 

That was not- simply because he had obtained the ‘Rune’s Blessing’ alone, without anyone’s help.

He was a rare case where combat intelligence capable of building systematic techniques on its own and developing them at the same time, enough to create high-level martial theory─── overlapped with a bizarrely high aptitude for Runes.

Innate talent. 

Soul Power Operation built upon an unprecedented basic aptitude for Runes added on top of that. 

His combat skill was constructed on the premise of that fact.

That was why.

Sssss───.

‘…Hmm. It is a combat method that assumes fighting an enemy bare-handed. It does not seem like a combat style that would be widely used.’

The first confrontation. 

Before even a few seconds passed in that silence, Halkenburg saw the basic stance Ju Seo-jin had taken and immediately read traces of systematic technique from it.

‘…It is not assuming a situation where one swings a sword or blunt weapon, then is forced into close range and ends up engaging in hand-to-hand combat with the opponent. That kind of stance only comes out when bare-handed fighting is assumed from the very beginning.’

It did not suit this world, which was filled with techniques designed around beings such as knights and mages, with Soul Power Operation added to them. 

Still, that did not mean its degree of completion itself seemed lacking.

‘According to the prophecy, even if the One Who Reclaims the Light loses his memories, specific knowledge or experience may remain intact, was it? Taking that into account, this is not impossible to understand. …Interesting.’

Grin-

‘Not bad. Not bad at all, truly. Talent like this… how long has it been? It is naturally higher than Trinex, that patient fool- and perhaps, it may even be equal to Proudt……’

In an old era. 

When the world had been filled with chaos for another reason- he might also be an existence comparable to the great talents who had received Halkenburg’s teachings, back when he had been called a Transcendent in the war of conquest.

‘That is something I can gradually learn from now on, is it not? Brat, do not disappoint me. I do have some expectations for you.’

With a strange smile on his lips, Halkenburg beckoned to Ju Seo-jin once more and curved his eyes. It was about time for a small taste.

‘Brat. Shall I see how you react? Let us begin lightly by testing your basic reaction abili───’

Tap-

One step. 

The moment Ju Seo-jin casually stepped forward… Halkenburg’s two eyes slowly widened in the slowed flow of time.

────.

‘……What?’

In that instant- Ju Seo-jin’s body tilted from side to side as if he had lost his center of gravity, and at the same time─── he suddenly moved, without the slightest warning, sliding forward as if exploding from the ground.

‘BANG───’ went the sound of air tearing. 

As if falling sideways, and as if sliding, he dug into Halkenburg’s blind spot with nimble movement so fast that even his form looked blurred.

What that meant was clear.

Virtual Energy.

What was mostly called Soul Power in [Knight Soul].

It was not mobility that could ever be displayed without it.

Nor did it belong to the skill of some brat he had assumed would not even reach the tips of his toes yet.

Dissonance.

A sensation he had not felt in several decades. An existence barely worth regarding as an ‘enemy’ and responding to. 

Before that- Halkenburg’s body entered a combat state without passing through thought─── and then, with a massive shockwave, dust rose like ripples.

──────!

It was a clash.

***

Gaming Martial Arts.

The essence of modern martial arts, created by modifying existing combat sports and weapon arts in order to perform superior movements in Virtual Reality Games.

In the beginning, when Gaming Martial Arts first appeared, led by Korea and then in places like China and Japan… most reactions were closer to mocking the very concept.

No one accepted it as a truly practical combat sport or martial art the way they did now.

Rather───

It was the exact opposite.

Ridicule.

How impressive could something called Gaming Martial Arts be, at best? 

There was no shortage of opinions that treated it as laughable.

Its beginning took place somewhere no one recognized. 

Those who taught it, and those who inherited it. 

None of them drew anyone’s attention.

Even so, time continued to pass, and Gaming Martial Arts slowly spread its roots across the foundation.

A technique, by nature, was a method or ability for accomplishing a certain purpose in the most efficient and effective way.

Therefore.

Old martial arts were both self-defense arts according to the historical background of their era, and killing arts at the same time.

Pulling them into the realm of popular sports that spectators could watch and enjoy was the origin of modern martial arts.

Techniques that had been self-defense arts willing to kill in order to protect one’s own body, and killing arts meant to harm others, gradually disappeared, and in the end, became lost.

However, Gaming Martial Arts consisted solely of systematic techniques meant to bring down enemies quickly and purely.

In Virtual Reality Games, there was no need to restrict the possibility of inflicting physical disability or taking lives.

Because, naturally, none of it was really happening in the real world.

It was only natural that the possibility of crippling someone or ending an opponent’s life did not need to be considered at all.

That was why───

The fact that techniques focused on killing, which could never be permitted in modern society, found an opportunity to revive was literally thanks to ‘Virtual Reality Games.’

The killing techniques that had been lost and vanished in the modern era did not miss that opportunity. 

They revived, underwent repeated refinement and derivation, and were reborn as something completely new.

They created a new point of arrival that belonged to a different realm from old-era combat sport athletes or masters of weapon arts, while surpassing them.

And───

***

Among Gaming Martial Arts, ‘Larkranz Style’ was a high-level combat art recognized for both its tradition and practicality─── and its Virtual Energy Operation method was an advanced technique whose external leakage was strictly forbidden.

***

Drip, drip-

The conclusion was reached in an instant.

On the Training Ground, amid the dust spreading like ripples across the surface of water. 

Victory and defeat were clearly revealed.

The one standing was Halkenburg… and Ju Seo-jin lay collapsed on the ground, sprawled face down.

“……….”

“Haa, haa-”

A brief exchange that had lasted less than even a few seconds. 

The result drawn from it was Ju Seo-jin’s complete defeat. 

No matter how one looked at it, there was not the slightest room for that to change.

-?

-????????

-What is this..? What just happened??

-What the hell..?

-Fuck.. This is complete bullshit, right???????? Tell me it is, fuck;;

-Fuck; did I see that right??; Is this real??????

-No way.. did he land effective hits on that Halkenburg..? Not just one, but two?????;;

-I’m shaking. I’m seriously shaking. Holy shit, I’m trembling;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

And yet- no one laughed at Ju Seo-jin, who had fallen on the Training Ground.

Rather, on the contrary, they were shocked by the result of what Ju Seo-jin had just shown.

Swipe-

The same was true.

There was no laughter in Halkenburg’s eyes. 

Even his face, which had consistently carried a frivolous air, had stiffened.

Strangely.

With his left hand clutching his side, Halkenburg wiped away a single line of fresh blood running down his cheek with his right hand- and spoke in a cold tone.

“……What was that?”

His voice was filled with emotional wavering, like someone who had witnessed something that absolutely could not happen.

With pure doubt, Halkenburg continued.

“……At first, I thought it was hand-to-hand combat premised on both fighters fighting empty-handed. It did not seem focused on killing in close combat, either. It did not look like anything remarkable.”

Larkranz Style was- fundamentally closer to a fighting art that assumed unarmed combat and combined boxing · wrestling, giving it versatile responsiveness. In [Limitless War], that had to be all it was.

However, that only belonged to the realm of ordinary fighting arts without Virtual Energy added in. 

A killing technique refined on the premise that the artificial force known as Virtual Energy existed was another story.

There was a reason Larkranz Style held such high status as Gaming Martial Arts in [Eternal Saga].

But───

“……Until that moment, there was unquestionably no method of operation in your Soul Power at all. Not even a slight, extremely faint sign, habit, or tendency could be felt. It should have been nothing more than an unusual-looking fighting art.”

That only applied to those who had formally inherited Larkranz Style through the proper route.

Ju Seo-jin was not an inheritor of Larkranz Style, and in fact- he had never even learned Gaming Martial Arts.

“Brat. …I will ask once more. What happened? What was that? Were you learning something like that from the beginning? Or-”

As Halkenburg asked once more… Ju Seo-jin coughed, “Cough, cough-” from the floor of the Training Ground, then trembled as he barely managed to stand and answered.

“Not particularly. I didn’t learn how to use Virtual Energy… no, Soul Power. I didn’t even know anything like that.”

“What?”

“I only guessed. The fighting art… the movement called Larkranz Style felt as if something was ‘missing.’ Ever since I first saw it and copied it, there was a sense of wrongness I kept feeling……”

“…….”

“I just- tried to supplement that in my own way. It felt like this was the right way to do it.”

And then───

“So. What do you think?”

“……About what?”

“The bet. Once to the side. And on the right cheek… though it was only a slight scratch, I still made a wound, didn’t I?”

“…….”

Ju Seo-jin muttered expressionlessly.

“If I managed to land even a single attack… you said you would grant what I wanted on your name. I doubt you have already forgotten.”

“…….”

“That. It seems enough to count as successfully landing an attack… does it not?”

“Ha… hahahat……”

And then. 

At that moment, Halkenburg broke through his stiff expression, which had been so rigid it looked cold… and began to grin strangely, stretching his lips wide. 

Gradually, louder. 

A laugh filled with madness spread out.

“…Heh. Enough? You are wrong, brat. It is beyond that. This cannot be ended with the simple words that you succeeded in landing an attack.”

At the same time, thick excitement filled Halkenburg’s eyes, and his voice began growing louder and louder.

“One thing. I said I would grant what you wanted. I shall correct that. I, Halkenburg, shall pass everything I have to you. In exchange───”

Heh-

“I too must demand one more thing from you. Originally, this was a binding curse this old man had to break while staking his life on it- but there is no reason for that now.”

The next moment.

“Any time is fine. If possible, in the near future- gather as many Knight Souls as possible… inherit everything I have, and kill one bastard for me.”

“……?”

“Kill the great dragon dwelling beyond the Primordial Paradise… and bring me one shameful secret of this old man that originated from the former king.”

“Shameful secret…?”

“Yes.”

With a bizarre smile spread across his whole face, Halkenburg continued.

“The oath document proving my- Halkenburg’s ‘Non-Aggression Alliance.’ If you simply bring that to me, I can resolve this entire situation. …I promise.”

Heh-

“If you do that- before long, you will see something truly entertaining. …My disciple.”

***

At the same time.

-???????????????????

-Wait fuck.. the Larkranz Style Virtual Energy Operation method really was leaked??? Fucking shit lolololol.

-?? What?? Wasn’t Halkenburg’s Non-Aggression Alliance oath document a MacGuffin?? That was an actually existing item???

-The Non-Aggression Alliance oath document was a fucking real item?? Wasn’t it just DLC foreshadowing?? What is this???

-What the hell.. Doesn’t this mean Larkranz Style <<< even had its Virtual Energy Operation method exposed..? Am I the only one who heard it that way..??;

-└Nope lol. I heard it exactly the same way lolololololol. He definitely said he even filled in and pieced together the Virtual Energy Operation method, yeah lol.

-Those bastards who stubbornly ran their mouths saying the Virtual Energy Operation method wasn’t leaked because it was a core technique.. they need to get beaten, right?? Yeah?? Lololololololol.

-Legendary lololololololololololololololololololol.

…The streaming window. 

The viewers who had been watching all of it began spitting out their own reactions, boiling over for various reasons.