『. . .If only Han Kang-yoon survives, we can manage somehow. Leave the acquisition of the treasure to him and have everyone else switch to defense and block Guilford.』
In short, she meant to sacrifice her party members to save me, who had the best abilities.
「𝙒𝙚𝙡𝙡, 𝙄 𝙜𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙙𝙤𝙭 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜. . . . . .」
After calmly considering the situation, I decided that there was no need to go that far.
Because the current me was fully capable of facing Guilford head-on.
【Han Kang-yoon】
▶Level 37
▶Ability Scores
【Stamina: C+】
【Spiritual power : B】
【Spellcraft: B-】
【Mental Strength: A-】
▶Traits (5/10)
【Shadow Assimilation(S)】
【Spirit Absorption(A)】
【Challenger(B+)】
【Mental Spellbook(B)】
【Revived Person(B-)】
My level had gone up once again after the incident in Spain, so there wasn’t much difference in our specs.
「𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙎𝙤𝙥𝙝𝙞𝙖 𝙤𝙧 𝙃𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙜 𝙅𝙞-𝙝𝙖𝙠, 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣’𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙚𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧.」
Of course, Guilford is still a formidable opponent despite that.
I hate to say it, but if he were to fight Adrian, Guilford would probably win almost 100% of the time.
However, the same went for me.
No matter how talented Guilford is, he’s not exactly comparable to me, strictly speaking.
That’s because I’m someone who has, in a sense, experienced being near the top of the world.
『What are you doing? Han Kang-yoon! Hurry up and retrieve the treasure and get out of the cave!』
“No, there’s no need for that.”
『What?』
“Let’s catch Guilford here.”
『Are you out of your mind? That’s Guilford! He’s ranked 5th in his grade! He hasn’t lost a single 1-on-1 fight since he became a 2nd year!』
I’ve certainly heard rumors like that.
Guilford, who is good at individual combat, must have been unbeatable for students of a certain level.
However, I took a step forward and replied to Yoon I-hwa.
“I haven’t lost either. Not since I became a 2nd year.”
『This is just crazy! You only have 0 wins and 7 losses in official matches as a 1st year!』
I didn’t know about such trivial information.
Thanks to that, I learned a new fact that I didn’t want to know. It’s a lopsided stat, even though I wasn’t the one who recorded it.
Chirp, chirp.
『Come to your senses. Don’t forget the rule that you have to follow the commander’s orders? We’re on the verge of total elimination right now.』
“If we run away like that, what happens next?”
『What?』
“If we don’t get any points here, we won’t be able to get out of the bottom ranks by the end of the settlement.”
Whether we like it or not, we’re in the bottom ranks, so wouldn’t it be more productive to take a risk than to face the possibility of total elimination?
It seemed that everyone agreed with that idea, as the party members, who had been cowering, began to take up battle positions one by one.
“. . .That’s true. If we just turn back after taking a loss here, the ranking competition is basically over.”
“H-Honestly, I’m not confident. Ah, screw it. I don’t care anymore. Let’s do it if we’re gonna do it!”
“The other two aren’t opponents we can handle. We have the advantage in numbers, so let’s take care of the two of them first and then go after Guilford together.”
At the party members’ opinions, Yoon I-hwa couldn’t argue any further.
『. . .Alright. Then from now on, I’ll think of this as a real battle and command you seriously.』
“Got it.”
The plan was simple.
While I stall for time against Guilford, the rest of the party will take care of the two class B students and join me.
「𝙊𝙛 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚, 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣 𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙩 𝙚𝙭𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙡𝙮.」
To be honest, I was also curious.
How ideal of a battle could I put up against the top-ranking students of the 2nd year class A, who were supporting characters in the original story?
「𝙂𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙩.」
Guilford, who had been silently watching me without backing down an inch, spoke.
“You’re going to fight me?”
“That’s the plan.”
“It seems that Jung Han-sol’s words were true after all.”
When I gave him a questioning look, Guilford replied, his pride slightly hurt.
“I heard that you were going around saying that you could easily beat someone like me.”
No, I don’t remember saying anything like that?
“I didn’t say anything like that. Aren’t you mistaken?”
“Don’t act innocent. You’ll find out the result soon enough anyway.”
“. . . . . . . .”
It seemed that he knew the general situation. Jung Han-sol must have deliberately spread false information to divert attention, not wanting to deal with Guilford and Shin So-ra in the exam.
“I’ll tell you this in advance, but you can’t beat me.”
“I don’t know about that.”
“No, it’s certain.”
Thud.
Guilford slammed the long staff-shaped weapon he was holding into the ground and continued.
“Because the current me is strong enough to not lose even to Sophia.”
“You’re pretty confident.”
“The number of battles I’ve experienced is different from yours. For example. . . . . . . .”
Crash!
Rumble!
As Guilford extended his staff and swept it across the ground, a binding spell that had been secretly prepared unfolded and instantly bound my body.
“You probably didn’t even notice that the match was already over.”
“. . . . . . . .”
“The difference in our abilities is clear. If you don’t want to get hurt, just break your nameplate and surrender. I’m not used to getting my hands dirty.”
He’s certainly skilled. It’s understandable why he’s called the undefeated incarnation of individual combat.
However, I smirked as I looked at Guilford.
At the same time, Guilford’s binding spell, which had been holding its shape firmly, began to crumble.
Thud.
Thud, thud, thud.
Swish.
“. . .How did you.”
Guilford expressed his surprise, but it wasn’t anything special. I had already noticed that he was preparing a binding spell.
“Let me tell you something too.”
“What is it?”
“If you want to stop my movements, you’ll have to bring out at least your prized Fire Serpent’s Golden Thread.”
Fire Serpent’s Golden Thread, the high-grade staff that Guilford inherited from his family.
Staring at it as it hung from Guilford’s waist, I threw a small provocation.
“Oh, you’re making me laugh. This isn’t something I’d use against a mere student.”
“No, don’t hold back and use it.”
If he doesn’t, the match will probably be decided much faster than Guilford thinks.
That’s because.
「. . .𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 1 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙪𝙩𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 17 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙨, 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙞𝙩?」
The time it took me to time attack the battle event with Guilford in the game was exactly that long.
