Chapter 37 : Swordsmanship Training #4 - No Kidding, I’m an Extra

I've been showing restraint even though Woo Yu Ri is in the wrong here! No matter the circumstances, telling someone to quit school is excessive! "Hey! Why should I teach you?! What nonsense are you spewing?!" "Nonsense? Does this sound like nonsense to you?" "What?" "If you've talked that much, of course, you should teach!" "What kind of crap is...!" I'm fired up! When it comes to arguments, if nothing else, that's where I, Kim Geun Cheol, never back down. Honestly, I rarely lose fights, too. The only reason I've had issues here is because this is a world of superhumans. Against ordinary people, I'd easily win. Anyway, it's time for a verbal fight. "If you're skillful enough to tell me to quit school, surely you can teach me something! You said you had complaints, right? Then fix them! With your swordsmanship, teach me!" I shout, staring directly into Woo Yu Ri's eyes to assert dominance! "Why are you looking at me with eyes like that...?" This kid, now that I'm pressing hard, she seems flustered. "Stop spouting nonsense and get lost!" Oh, so she's weak in arguments? She might look tough on the outside, but when I raise my voice, she's thrown off balance. "Do I seem like I'll leave? Rather, I want to learn from you!" "What?!" "Are you saying you'd just leave someone hanging after saying all that? If you're as great as you think, then you should teach me!" "This idiot is spouting nonsense! Don't act smart! Why would I teach you?" "Because I want to learn from you." An utterly ridiculous plea. "Hah!" Woo Yu Ri smirks at me. "I have a goal of becoming stronger than anyone! Therefore, I must learn from you, who looks down on me! Aren't you a skilled warrior! Teach me because you look down on me!" "What, what? Becoming strong? You, with such a crude skill, want to become strong? That's utter nonsense—" "It's not nonsense!" With a fierce gaze, I roar again! Like when I was called by Instructor Lee So Ra alongside Ryu Cheon Hwi...! If it had just been the two of us, I wouldn't have spoken a word, fearing a beating. But here, there's a crowd, and Instructor Lee So Ra is right over there! As long as I have someone to back me up, I have nothing to fear! I'm the kind of person who says whatever I want in these situations! Why hold back when I'm not in danger of getting hit! "It's not nonsense!" "So what!" "I have a reason to become stronger than anyone!" "A, reason to become stronger...?" Woo Yu Ri, flustered, shows interest. "That's right! I have a reason to become strong! That's why I've joined Ares Academy and am giving it my all! But you, you dismissed me and told me to quit school with harsh words! Honestly, it hurt!" "Hey, that's..." Hearing that precise point made, Woo Yu Ri looked flustered. She appeared to be mumbling, perhaps feeling a bit guilty. "So I think I’m due an apology, in the form of swordsmanship training. If I learn from you, I'm sure there will be results. So please, teach me! I'm asking nicely!" Time to shift from scolding to requesting. "W-well." At this moment, I'm being incredibly shameless. But I'm not expecting much help to begin with. Woo Yu Ri... Her name is a bit peculiar, but from what I've seen, her swordsmanship skills are solid. And now, we've established a connection. So. Even if it's like this, if I can find an excuse to ask her to teach me swordsmanship, I might occasionally get some help with it. She's the kind of person who can't help but offer unsolicited advice when frustrated. If I ask this type of person to teach me swordsmanship? Even if she pretends not to like it, she'll be compelled to give advice now and then. That's my plan. "So, are you not going to teach me?" I'm not joking around. I'm seriously intending to train. Be it magic, physical abilities, or swordsmanship. To survive in this world, becoming a strong superhuman is necessary. I aim to reach that goal. Getting any help from an experienced person would be to my advantage. So I'll shamelessly ask. "Ugh...!" The atmosphere relaxes. Woo Yu Ri avoids my gaze, biting her lip. Her face turns red. "Give me an answer." "I-I don't know, you jerk! Why would I teach you swordsmanship?!" "Then at least apologize! You said something hurtful to me, who entered this school with an important mission!" "Screw off! I don't care! What's a weakling like you going on about becoming strong for!" With that, Woo Yu Ri sharply turned her body and leaped off the ring. "Well, we'll see." That nosy person. If I practice my sword clumsily in front of her, do you think she'll stay quiet? With her attitude, she'll come over and give some advice. All I have to do is take it. --- "Phew." Anyway, my turn is over. I, too, stepped down from the ring like Woo Yu Ri. Once off, Instructor Lee So Ra, who had been observing us and taking notes, gave me an odd look, and Leona and Si Hoo approached me. "Oh, Si Hoo. How did your match go?" Did he win? "It was pretty much even. But, Geun Cheol? What was going on with you and Woo Yu Ri? Sounded like you two were arguing a lot." "Yeah, Kim Geun Cheol! Why were you fighting with a classmate again? Can you explain?" They both asked simultaneously, so I calmed them down and explained. "Oh, nothing much. Just a little disagreement. Leona? Who is Woo Yu Ri anyway? She seems a bit feisty." "Kim Geun Cheol, are you trying to gossip about a classmate to me, the Archangel Leona?" "What?" Leona, suddenly crossing her arms, said sternly. "As class president, I can't allow that!" Wow, she's awfully strict! "This calls for some therapy. Kim Geun Cheol, how about coming with me to a place called Leona's Violent Room, a so-called hospital where the doctor's skills are outstanding." "There's no way that's a hospital name, Leona! Anyway, calm down! It's not like I was gossiping. Woo Yu Ri started it, and I just responded." "She started it? Then, I suppose casual gossiping is fine. So, tell me, what’s Woo Yu Ri like?" "Hmm." "Kim Geun Cheol, it seems like you really don't have any information. She's quite famous." "Famous?" Why? "Woo Yu Ri is the heir of the 'Wu' family, who operates a superhuman martial arts dojo." "What?" A superhuman martial arts dojo? "It's the most renowned dojo in Korea. Countless superhumans train there, but why bother telling you? Woo Yu Ri is the eldest daughter of that family, and the daughter of the A-ranked hero, Woo Tae-kyung." Leona briefly explained about Woo Tae-kyung. Woo Tae-kyung. His magic power is said to be at an A-rank level, yet his combat skills are comparable to S-rank heroes. Essentially, it means he's an exceptional warrior who compensates for his lack of mana with sheer skill. "Wow. I had no idea she was someone like that." "So, what happened with Woo Yu Ri?" "Well..." I explained the incident that just happened. "Well, it was my first spar, right? I’m a complete novice, never actually fought a superhuman. So during the spar, given the skill difference, I ended up screaming a bit." "Screaming again, huh? Scream-man!" "Come on! How can I stay silent when a sword is flying at my face?!" This isn't fair! "Anyway, let's skip over that, it's embarrassing. After repeated sparring, maybe she got frustrated and shouted at me. She said with my skills, I'd die somewhere and should quit being a hero." That's an extreme thing to say. "What? Isn't that a bit harsh? Even if Kim Geun Cheol is clueless and screams every moment he gets, there's a line between what should and shouldn't be said." "You're the one who crosses the line the most with what you say!" She's not an archangel, but an archdevil...! Or rather, an Asura with dual facets, it's Leona! "Don't scold me with such a serious face...!" It's emotionally damaging! "Is that what's important to you, Coupon-man Kim Geun Cheol?! Just tell me already!" "Alright... So, after some back and forth, I told her if she had a problem with my skills, she should just teach me herself. And she got annoyed and left, that's all." Upon hearing that, Leona nodded. “Hmm, sounds like typical squabbles between classmates. You two should make up on your own." "Yes, we'll work it out." As the conversation ended— "Geun Cheol?" Si Hoo, who had been quietly listening, called out with a blank expression. "Yeah, Si Hoo?" "You asked her to teach you swordsmanship?" What's this? The atmosphere feels chilly. "Yeah. I said it. Honestly, she's good at fighting. I thought maybe I could learn something from her, um? Si Hoo?" Why does his expression look kind of scary? "Why didn't you talk to me about it?" Oh. "Hey, what's this? Are you upset because I didn’t tell you, my friend?" "I-I’m not really upset..." "Look, it’s not like that. I've already been getting a lot of help from you, Si Hoo. Asking her to teach swordsmanship was more of an impulsive thing." Besides, it's a bit much to keep relying on Si Hoo. Even now, he's helping me with controlling my mana, asking for swordsmanship lessons would be shameless as a friend, don't you think? That's my thinking anyway. But Woo Yu Ri did say some harsh things to me; I felt like I could at least ask her for that much. “Is that so? But still, Geun Cheol, if you want, I can teach you too." "Hehe, thanks. Help me out sometime. Let me get into swordsmanship." Yet, I feel bad always leaning on Si Hoo. I'll have to find a way to charm Woo Yu Ri into it. "Alright! I’ll teach you diligently! So you, weak Geun Cheol, can become a superhuman!" Maybe feeling better, Si Hoo laughed as he spoke. Well then, shall I observe the other students' sparring? "By the way, where did Woo Yu Ri go?" --- For some reason, I wanted to leave the area. A vague sense of embarrassment swirled within me. Woo Yu Ri, who had dashed behind the combat training building, leaned her back against the wall, slumping down. "Hah. Ridiculous guy." I'm astounded. What? I only spoke out of concern. "That weak guy is acting so cocky." Kim Geun Cheol. He doesn’t participate much in class, but he’s conspicuous enough that I knew his name. The guy who screams ridiculously loud, he is. Honestly, it’s a bit pathetic. Heroes should be, well, heroic. They should be bold and good at fighting. Simply put, they need talent. A weak person trying to be a hero would only end up dead on the battlefield. There's no way the weak can endure a fight. Being a hero means putting your life on the line in fights. It should be done seriously. Whether it's monsters, mutants, or villains, they are all adept at killing people. No clumsy fighter could survive a battlefield like that. Like my— Brother. "...Damn it." My heart feels uneasy. What? Want to become strong? Have a reason to be strong? That's nonsense. But those eyes filled with determination... could it be genuine? "Damn it, who does he think he is to ask me to teach swordsmanship?" I'm speechless at the audacity. She knew she wasn't qualified to teach anyone yet. Although she was the heir of the Wu martial arts dojo, she hadn't earned her instructor qualifications. Ever since she was young, her dream was to become an instructor, and she was diligently working towards it. However, she had yet to gain her father's approval. "…" But then. Kim Geun Cheol's earnest face, shouting about needing to become stronger, came back to her mind. It reminded her of her younger self, and she found herself seeing a bit of herself in him. Of course, those sentimental thoughts were brief. "Tsk." Recalling his clumsy stance with a sword, his awkward movements, and the way he reflexively flinched back and squeezed his eyes shut during the clash, made her feel irritated all over again. Is that what a hero trainee should be? No, she couldn't accept it. If she were to correct that sloppy posture and instill the basics, it would require rigorous effort. She wasn't planning to teach anyone per se, but offering some pointers might be doable. She couldn't just let such a mess slide. But before that. "I need to find out more about what kind of person he is." She decided to investigate whether he was even deserving of such guidance. What kind of background does he come from to be so audacious? To dare speak like that to someone like her, heir to a renowned martial arts lineage? There’s a limit to insolence. "I'd like to see who his parents are." Surely it's not something out of a movie, where he wants to grow stronger to avenge his parents or something. "A reason to become strong, my foot. What nonsense," she mumbled with a bemused chuckle.