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chapter 208 – First Sight(4)

“Is it possible to deliver?”

“Yes.” Lee Manwoo, who checked then ten artifacts Kang Shin-hyuk had prepared, let out a sigh.

“This level deserves a bonus. You’ve improved your skills again, but how did you improve sofast?”

“Where’d all of this come from? We just finished.” Lee Na-hee sounded a bit upset as she responded. She wasn’t very happy with the idea that Kang Shin-hyuk was hiding too many things from his partner.

“I will also accept the next request. Are there many people looking for artifacts these days?”

“Tons. As the number of gates increases, the number of new awakenings does as well. You’ve heard of the new superhuman training center to beestablished?”

“Yes, I heard.” No one knew when they would awaken. Those who did so during childhood were treated as elites by the time they attended a superhuman school like Shinyoung, as they had their whole life to learn and accumulate skills systematically. That was what the superhuman training center was for: to educate superhumans in the most urgent common sense combat methods over a short period of six months. However, as gates exploded in occurrence after the previous raid, the number of awakened people increased as a result. The original training center couldn’t handle all these people, so a new one had to be established. That would explain why Shin Eunah was so busy, as all those new superhumans neededteachers.

“But we’re dealing with high-ranking guilds, so don’t rushit.”

“Yes, our brand will be going premium. I have to make a high-end logo.” Lee Na-hee seemed to be thinking about the brand’s logo these days. It was something Kang Shin-hyuk had never thoughtof.

“It’ll be a year or so until I graduate, so we must firmly establish our brand’s position.”

“Can I get your autograph?”

“How about K&L? Its official name is K&LWorks…”

“My name in front…?” Kang Shin-hyuk snorted, but Lee Manwoo looked a little surprised.

“Na-hee, you…”

“Oh, what is it? You’re still there, grandpa? Let’s work quickly.” Lee Na-hee beckoned for her grandfather to go away, her face subtly red, but it was Kang Shin-hyuk who stood up.

“Oh, I’ll go early today too. There is a call for the Wyvern Knights. Teacher, let’s leavetogether.”

“…Do I have togo?”

“Yes.” Lee Na-hee pouted, but Shin-hyuk didn’t notice as he packed his bag. Then, Lee Na-hee put on her jacket and rebuttoned the shirt she hadreleased.

“Then, I want to go seeEllie.”

“Are you going to fight withus?”

“Then, I’ll play with Karen.”

“That…”

“Let’s hurry!” Lee Na-hee grabbed his hand and started to run, leaving Lee Manwoo laughing alone as he saw them off.

***

As soon as he arrived, he expected Eleanor would start dueling with him as usual, but today there was a man he hadn’t seen in a while in the center of the outdoor battleground. Overwhelming size, a muscular body. He swung his greatsword with all hisstrength.

“Douglas Payne?”

“Kang Shin-hyuk.”

“What is it? Are you crazy about training these days?” Shin-hyuk tilted his head as he watched Douglas go through a bunch of sword forms.

“I’m here for the retirementceremony.”

“You did it a whileago?”

“Not retiring from the captain, but from the Knights.” Douglas Payne pointed behind him, towards the third years lined up.

“Oh, noway.”

“All third years will be retiring from the Wyvern Knights today.”

“Still, senior, the second semester…”

“It’s already in December.” It really was. After completing Halo’s quest, he had repeated several small dimensional quests and shifted back and forth between the earth and other worlds, so he had forgotten even the passage of time.

“There are quite a few clubs that hold retirement ceremonies before the second semester. We delayed our retirement ceremony to this time to hold a special ceremony.”

“Special ceremony…” It didn’t seem like the hall was crowded with anyone except for the third-years,though.

“So, what are youdoing?”

“Dueling.”

“Ah, I see. How sneaky.” Kang Shin-hyuk nodded, his face resolved.

“After we go, you will be the main pillar of the knights. The final test is to see if we can entrust it to you. It’s not sneaky.”

“So do I have to fight too?”

“Your turn is later. For the captain, in order…”

“I’m ready.” Eleanor walked out from the other side of the hall, spear in hand. She raised her hand to greet Kang Shin-hyuk happily, but soon looked confused as she noticed Lee Na-hee.

“Na-hee?”

“Oh, I followed him because I was bored. Can I look around?” At that, the members who were waiting around began to gossip.

“Wow, they openly go together. It looks like they really aredating.”

“Na-hee hasn’t denied it. Don’t they go well together?”

“If the captain became MissShinyoung…”

“Now, I’m pissed off.”

“Shh, shh.” Eleanor looked back at the members then lifted herspear.

“Let’s do it quickly. All at once.”

“But thevice-captain…”

“Everyone, hurry up.” Douglas Payne’s eyes shone. No matter how badly he was beaten, it was futile to try and fight more than ten third-years at once. However, he wanted to see how far her limits were. He thought it important to know her abilities if he were to protecther.

“Okay, then. Everyone get ready.”

“No, are you really going to fight?”

“I don’t want to bully a child…” Given Eleanor’s height alone, it seemed like grown-ups were gearing up to harass a child. Hearing that, a fire began to burn in Eleanor’s eyes. Kang Shin-hyuk could tell that those around her were dead now. He took a seat near Lee Na-hee andsmiled.

“It was a good provocation against our senior Eleanor.”

“Our Ellie is very strong.”

“She’s not just strong; she’s ahigh-ranker.”

“They don’t know.” Lee Na-hee had grasped Eleanor’s true abilities while working with Masked Bacchus. A superhuman experienced a dramatic increase in combat power when their rank rose, even if it was only by one, which meant that their probability of winning against Eleanor, who had been hiding her abilities, was practically zero.

‘It seems that she has no intention of properly revealing her rank, but she has power beyond it.’ The fight began. At that moment, Eleanor stepped forward and quickly swept her spear, throwing down two third-years. They hardly knew what hit them as they were pushed hard to the side.

“Why would you say she’s a child?”

“Shh!”

“Oh, another one is flying.” One of their senior’s swords was knocked away by the spear, and Eleanor quickly moved to evade Douglas’s greatsword. She used his huge body as a shield to break the line of sight with the others, turning around him and lashing out with herspear.

“Kaah!”

“Kaahk!”

“Wow, we’re like extras.”

“That’s how it is when you fight the captain.” In an instant, only seven remained out of twelve. The remaining fighters exchanged a glance and then got into battle formation to push on Eleanor.

“It’s not a boss raid.”

“It would’ve been effective had it been one.” If they besieged her from all directions and rushed at once, their chances of winning would have slightly increased, but as it was, they were taken down one by one. Despite being third-years belonging to the Wyvern Knights, the strongest of the Knights Department, they couldn’t even grasp the path of Eleanor’s spear.

“Are they so weak?”

“Senior is too strong.” Eventually, only Douglas remained. Now that no one else was left, he strengthened his whole body with magic.

“Douglas.”

“I haven’t been still. Of course, you seem to be stronger as well…”

“…I had a good partner.” Eleanor pointed her spear at him. Douglas nodded in satisfaction, not even thinking of asking who her good opponent was. The greatsword in his hand trembled as magic was concentrated into it. Kang Shin-hyuk sat forward, interested in whether that was histrait.

“Eleanor R. Algiers, I will leave it to you for one year. I will come back to you in ayear.”

“No, I don’t need it.”

“This is my confession to you!”

“I don’t need it!” The greatsword and spear collided with a great roar. However, Douglas’s sword was still insufficient to penetrate [Crab Volg].

“…After all, she is a wonderfulwoman.”

“…!” Eleanor’s spear slammed into Douglas’s face, and she was annoyed to see he had a happy smile despite his attack being completely blocked. The members stood up and clapped as they watched Douglas pass out. With that, it seemed like the retirement ceremony was over.”

“It’s reallysilly.”

“Oh, I have to test the vice-captain too! Wake up, everyone!”

“Let’s take a look, now…” The wyvern knights would develop under a reliable captain and vice-captain. The third-years retired with ease, trusting in their juniors.

It was now early December.