NOVEL WEB Chapter 734
Na-me had been in Fort Worth Athlete Village for a week.
A breeze of change had begun to sweep among the athletes.
“Coach, look at that person running on the track. It’s NoName.”
“Wow, they’re really diligent since the morning.”
“Don’t you think we’ve been focusing too much on strength training lately? I feel we should start incorporating some cardio.”
“Our schedule is already packed. If you want to add that, you’ll have to take it from your free time.”
“Alright, let’s do that.”
At the Morning Dining Room.
“How long are you going to train?”
“As long as I feel like it!”
“Are you conscious of the NoName athlete right now?”
At the training area.
“The training arena is packed. Should we wait in Room 2?”
“Forget it. I saw NoName go in earlier. They won’t come out until lunchtime.”
“Seriously, do they do full training every day? That’s insane stamina.”
Even at the training arena, her name was being mentioned.
Na-me’s face was way too easy to find anywhere at any time.
“Do you know where NoName is?”
“Probably on the track, in the training area, or in the training arena.”
No matter who you asked in Fort Worth Athlete Village, the same answer came back.
“I checked all three places, but they weren’t there?”
“Then maybe… they’re in the gym or the Power Analysis Room?”
In fact, the gym was one of the places NoName often frequented.
“I heard there are a lot more people lately, so they might not be coming as often.”
“Honestly, it’s hard to resist seeing an elementary school student deadlift 300kg. Everyone goes just to see that.”
“Okay, thanks. I’ll check the Power Analysis Room, and if they aren’t there, I’ll have to look tomorrow.”
“Are you planning to challenge them to a duel? That little one probably won’t accept unless it’s a public duel.”
“Yeah, that’s why I’m going to make it public.”
“You’ve got confidence in you. I support that!”
Surprisingly, Na-me was the kind of person who would accept duels from anyone.
The training schedule of a former champion was brutal, but the intimidation factor stemming from her appearance was noticeably less.
“Who do you think you are to be so good?” Those filled with competitiveness challenged Na-me.
Of course, all outcomes were always the same.
They would end up with the crushing realization of “Wow, I really underestimated you…” and end up stuck as an embarrassing State of Failure in a public duel video.
Creeeak—
The door of the Power Analysis Room, filled with high-tech gear, creaked open.
Most coaching staff would download the data gathered in the training arena and take it back to the accommodation for analysis.
However, a small girl quietly sat in one corner, catching everyone’s eyes.
She sat politely on a big chair with her knees tucked up.
Her legs were thinner than an adult’s forearm, and her skin was unusually pale for an Asian.
Her long twin ponytails reached down to the floor, and her large eyes reflected the LED screen’s light, causing them to shine even brighter.
Click-clack—
With her slender fingers moving the mouse, it was clear to everyone who she was.
“NoName…”
A genius mage who had earned worldwide fame.
This was the first time the boy had encountered Na-me up close.
First impression? A cute and pretty girl who looked fragile enough to trigger protector instincts.
Swoosh—
Finally, Na-me’s unyielding gaze landed on the boy.
Just as her gaze was about to return to the screen, the boy opened his mouth first.
“I see you usually do your analysis here? Everyone else tends to do it back at the accommodation.”
Na-me slowly nodded her head.
“Yeah, it’s more comfortable this way. I haven’t seen them yet.”
“Excuse me?”
“A mind reader, I mean.”
Na-me lightly tapped her temple.
The boy pondered her words, then suddenly burst into a soft laugh.
As it turned out, she didn’t have any coaches.
She was the only athlete who planned all her analyses and training schedules herself.
This was unprecedented in the National Exchange Tournament.
“Why? Are you thinking of challenging me to a duel?”
Although she had just said she didn’t have any powers, Na-me accurately pierced through the boy’s thoughts.
“Yes. Are you available? I’ll adjust to a time that suits you.”
“Waaah. My back is a bit stiff, though.”
“Or if you’d prefer, next week or the week after would also work for me.”
Hastily—
Na-me started silently gathering her things and putting them in her bag as she walked past the boy.
“What are you doing?”
“?”
“We’re going to have a duel right now. If it gets any later, it’s going to be my bedtime.”
“What? Right now?”
“I’ll make a reservation just in case. There shouldn’t be too many people at this time, though.”
The boy followed behind Na-me.
‘She trained all day, but can she really be at normal condition?’
As doubts brewed inside him, an unintentional competitive spirit flickered back to life.
It was also a fact that he felt a bit insulted.
‘Is she underestimating me?’
Before he realized it, he found himself facing Na-me with swords in hand.
As the countdown began from 30 seconds, Na-me’s eyes turned icy.
“…!”
The boy instinctively froze.
Although Na-me appeared to be standing still, every small movement sent prickles of alertness through him.
His pinky finger twitched.
Na-me’s gaze locked onto him.
He lightly twisted his left ankle.
Na-me’s eyes similarly focused on him.
Her match didn’t begin with a ten-second head start; it started much earlier than that…
‘Was it really like that from way before…?’
Every action was information for Na-me.
She didn’t miss the boy’s slightest hand gestures, footwork, or even his breathing.
Every time he adjusted his stance, Na-me correspondingly shifted her weight.
The boy couldn’t even begin to imagine what intentions lay behind those actions.
A creeping fear settled in: Na-me knows things about his body that he doesn’t even know.
With the countdown ticking down for ten seconds, and the fierce spinning closing in, the duel began with Na-me emitting a sharp aura as she swiftly found a gap in the boy’s defenses.
And—
[Casting: Terenus-]
The boy had purposely chosen a spell that took longer to create.
“Ugh?”
However, Na-me cast the same spell just by ‘watching’ him.
[Casting: Terenus Achillea]
In fact, Na-me’s casting was far quicker.
An enormous amount of earth surrounded the boy.
‘This wasn’t part of the plan. I need to prepare…!’
To shake off the heavy mass of mana, he pumped up his aura into his calves.
At that moment.
Screeeech!
His movements perfectly aligned with Na-me’s calculations.
The spell countering Na-me’s Terenus magic was way too lightweight.
‘Seriously, bluffing!’
Before he knew it, Na-me dashed forward.
He desperately tried to raise the weighty tent of his aura that had firmly rooted into the ground.
Boom!
A blow so strong it blurred his consciousness followed.
The boy’s vision darkened, narrowing drastically.
The moment the first plan fell apart, every other tactic the boy had concocted crumbled into disarray.
The raw fight progressed uncontrollably.
Instincts gradually consumed reason, making Na-me appear more and more immense in his sight.
“Huff, huff… HUFF! HUFF!”
Just as he was resigning himself to being trampled to death by a giant while clutching his pounding heart—
Beeeeep—
The highly anticipated end-of-match buzzer rang.
“Good job! I’m headed off to bed now. Hehe, the loser cleans up the arena!”
With those final words, Na-me hopped away from the training arena.
“What the heck… how did I fight?”
[Time: 15:00]
Fifteen minutes of memory had been completely erased.
All he retained was the notion that he was fervently flinging spells and swinging his spear.
The results displayed on the scoreboard were even more unbelievable.
[NoName (Republic of Korea)] [96% | 93%]
[Sven Karl Hilmar (Iceland)] [☠9% (Total Destruction) | 80%]
Even the thought that he fought well felt like a delusion.
Looking back at the replay, he was sure all his terrible habits would surface.
* * *
“Hwaaaah!”
Thud—
That wasn’t a sound made by me.
It was the scream of my muscles.
So, I buried my face into the pillow to keep my mouth shut.
“Ugh… I overdid it today. This doesn’t feel like just muscle soreness.”
That was the thought I had the moment I lay on the bed.
I felt feverish, unable to move even a finger.
While I would recover quickly after sleeping, I thought I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep due to the pain.
“I heard Border Collies can go out for a walk twenty times a day…”
So, I thought I could do twenty duels too.
But the reality was that after a few half sessions, my body quickly gave out.
“Uggghh…”
I barely mustered enough strength to crawl into the medical capsule.
[▶Initiating Dreaming Mode.]
Though it would have a bit less effect since this was the second time today.
Sighing in a room full of mirrors.
My limbs were still sore, and my body felt cold.
As a last resort, I decided to go with the treatment plan offered by the medical capsule.
[▶Vital Recovery Mode – Deep Tension Release]
[▶Do not disconnect from VR during use.]
[▶1:59:59]
With two hours remaining, I decided it was time to start a broadcast.
After all, I wouldn’t have my muscle soreness and coldness relieved right away anyway.
* * *
[NoName]
[Just Chatting – Live Broadcast Amidst Chaos]
[Broadcasting Time – 0:00:05]
[Number of Viewers – 1,496]
“Hello, hello.”
-???
-Waaah!
-Shin Na-me-chan!!!
-Hontasra!
-Special meal is insane! LOL
-I’m on my honeymoon first night, but screw that and watch Na-me’s broadcast!
-(Chat deleted)
└ Are they really crazy? LOL
└ Even as a concept, this is a bit much LOL
-Na-me, your teaser has been released, and it looked amazing! Hehe
-How’s the training going?
-NoName! Explain the One Punch Incident!
“Teaser? Shall we watch it together?”
-Here we go!
-NoName just makes life like a movie, LOL
-I felt cringed, but I survived because of Na-me
-When’s Part 2 coming out? Wait, is it really the end of Part 1…?
[Prove your Name | 2054 Texas National Exchange Tournament]
[View Count 6.91 million · 3 days ago]
The video was eight minutes long, neither too long nor too short.
A butterfly scattering golden aura flew beautifully against the Texas backdrop.
Participants of the National Exchange Tournament swarmed through the plains, deserts, and cities to catch the butterfly.
In the process, cooperation and conflict occurred.
Misunderstandings and confrontations.
In the end, the butterfly barely escaped the chaotic scene.
It flew into an iron cage where not a speck of light could enter.
And finally—
BAM!
The Arabesque Knot shattered the iron bars.
It was time for me to make my grand entrance, cloaked in golden aura.
-Kyaa!
-Savage (cuteness)
-So, cats are savage, huh?
-Na-me is stronger than a polar bear with a gun, you know?
-That damn polar bear with a gun, LOL
Honestly, I felt a bit childish watching that.
But since the viewers liked it, I couldn’t help but chuckle along.
[‘Watermelon Lover’ donated 10,000 won!]
-If Na-me isn’t in the National Exchange Tournament, I won’t acknowledge it. Downvote!
-Downvote!
-For real, a champion hasn’t shown up, LOL
-This year could be a no-brainer, huh?
“Please don’t say things like that! Personally, I hope the status of the National Exchange Tournament rises above last year. That way, it’ll look even cooler when I dethrone the champion next year. So, please support the finalists with all your might, even after I leave.”
-Agreed!
-Training the tough nerds is impressive, LOL
-Did you hear that? Your master said so!
-Na-me-sia doesn’t belittle others. Na-me-sia respects others.
I hesitated to describe why I started the live broadcast.
There was no need to worry people unnecessarily.
“Well, how about we do something fun since it’s been a while?”
As a professional streamer, I had no intention of simply filling the broadcast time.
“I did this once last year and got a pretty good reaction.”
The viewers’ curiosity heightened.
-???
-What is it!
-Hurry, hurry!
-Evil Na-me!!!
-I can’t wait!
-Don’t tell me Resonance? Wagal?
-If it’s that LOL…!
I held back my words for a moment, letting the anticipation brew before I finally revealed,
“It’s a viewer coaching content! But I’ll be coaching you guys. Do you remember?”