Why Is Everyone in This Dating Sim Trying to Kill Me?!

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Translator: Vine

Chapter Title: Personal Combat Training (4)

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"Go, Kang Poppi! Bite!"

*Crack.*

'That damn mutt, calling *me*...!'

Though Kang Do-hee's veins bulged on her forehead at being called a dog, her body honestly followed his command, unleashing a punch.

*CRASH—!*

She successfully landed a punch on Instructor Hong Jina's abdomen, where she was completely unprepared.

'I can't believe that actually worked...'

"—I'll handle that boar instructor first. Before she uses a specific weapon, I'll hide it in my subspace, stall for time, and trick her. Then, when she reaches for that weapon, that's your cue to step in."

When she first heard his strategy, all she felt was absurdity.

Honestly, she thought it was an impossible plan.

Instructor Hong Jina had a bizarre fighting style, laying out her weapons on the floor and switching between them.

Since her attack patterns changed randomly, the response methods also had to change, and even gauging the distance was difficult.

If they tried to exploit gaps between weapons, the switching was too fast, making even that difficult.

For Kang Do-hee, who truly shined in close quarters, she was a formidable opponent, like a natural predator.

'But to predict which weapon the instructor would use and put it into subspace... That's just ridiculous.'

*Pfft—*

A laugh escaped her without her knowing.

He's truly insane.

Having watched Jin Yu-ha's movements from beginning to end from behind, she understood.

That every one of his movements was meticulously planned.

Even amidst the chaotic clash of swords, he discerned that the instructor's next weapon would be a greatsword, and subtly positioned his body to obscure that spot, making Instructor Hong Jina mistakenly believe, 'The greatsword is there.'

On top of that, the sheer audacity of discreetly storing the weapon in subspace and then continuing his attack as if nothing happened.

What was astonishing was that all of this happened in the midst of combat.

'...That mutt, he's getting stronger and stronger. His growth is visible.'

He's different from a week ago, from a day ago; he grows by the day.

She distinctly remembered there being an unignorable gap when she first saw him, but somehow, Jin Yu-ha had already caught up right behind her.

Yet, what filled Kang Do-hee's chest was not negative emotions like inferiority or jealousy, but a competitive spirit.

"[Now! You have to press the attack while that boar instructor is flustered! She couldn't have prepared, so there must still be lingering damage!]"

A pressing voice came through the earpiece plugged into her ear.

"Right, if that mutt, a guy, did this much, then it'd be a disgrace for me, a woman, to just stand around twiddling my thumbs."

Kang Do-hee twisted her lips into a grin.

*WHOOSH—!!!*

As she put power into her thigh and kicked off, a fierce rushing sound erupted from her toes.

*WHOOSH-WHOOSH-WHOOSH!*

Blazing red mana enveloped her entire body, and her hair swayed as if caught in a strong wind.

Frenzy

Kang Do-hee's presence instantly swelled in volume.

Hong Jina, who had taken a direct hit to the abdomen, was grimacing and clutching her stomach.

Feeling a sudden surge of heat, she lifted her head.

Since Kang Do-hee's skill was something she had never seen before, surprise flickered across Hong Jina's face.

'...Flames?'

But regardless of that emotion, her hand moved to find the next weapon.

However.

Her hand once again swiped at empty air.

'That damn rat...!'

*Whoosh—*

Jin Yu-ha had somehow moved beside her, thrown away the greatsword, and stored the spear she was about to grab into his subspace!

"It was there, but now it isn't?"

Jin Yu-ha spread his hands wide and said in a provoking tone.

"Again with these tricks..."

Hong Jina gnashed her teeth and tried to grab Jin Yu-ha, but. Jin Yu-ha deftly pulled back and said,

"Do you have time to worry about me? Even for an instructor like you, you shouldn't let your guard down against Frenzy, should you?"

*SWISHHH!*

'Oh, crap!'

Hong Jina's eyes widened in surprise, and she twisted her body sideways.

Kang Do-hee's flying kick, unleashed with her body's momentum, grazed her cheek.

*Pshhhk!*

A red gash appeared on her cheek, as if cut by a sharp blade, and blood splattered.

'Me, I... I let myself get attacked twice...?'

*THUD!*

Hong Jina raised her arm to block Kang Do-hee's continuous attacks.

She let out a groan at the heavy, amplified attack power.

"Kh!"

Speed and destructive power far exceeding her expectations.

'...A weapon!'

As her hand swiped at empty air again, Hong Jina wore an utterly bewildered expression.

'How on earth did it come to this...?'

She felt as if the common sense she had accumulated over the years was being shattered in real-time.

'It wasn't even like this when I checked their sparring during the last class...!'

She knew that Kang Do-hee had made quite a name for herself as 'The Fighting Dog' even before entering the academy.

She also thought Jin Yu-ha possessed considerable skill, as he had been causing noisy issues since the beginning of the semester.

After watching Kang Do-hee and Jin Yu-ha spar last time, she had definitely nodded, acknowledging their qualifications.

But among all those who had entered Velvet Academy, how many such individuals had there been?

No matter if they made a name for themselves outside, or showed exceptional abilities among students, ultimately, they were still just students. First-years, at that.

It was normal for them to feel the difference in class and tuck their tails in the face of her Weapon Manifestation.

Yet, these two acted as if such a difference in class didn't matter.

Jin Yu-ha, who preemptively snatched away weapons she intended to use as if he could read her mind, or Kang Do-hee, who unleashed attacks that even she, an instructor, couldn't disregard.

They complemented and linked with each other as if they were one body.

Weren't they attacking her as if she were a monster?

"...What on earth are these kids?!"

The composure vanished from Hong Jina's face, replaced by a cry of astonishment.

* * *

*WHOOSH—*

Kang Do-hee's Frenzy blazed, unleashing attacks with dazzling speed.

Fist and foot, foot and fist clashed, continuing the fierce battle.

*CRASH—!*

*THWACK!*

*THUD!*

As the battle continued, Kang Do-hee's speed grew faster and faster, her body striking fiercely as if it had become a swirling flame.

And as I repeatedly disarmed Hong Jina, she seemed to have given up on wielding weapons and faced Kang Do-hee with her bare fists.

'Poppi, using Frenzy, can't be ignored even by an instructor. That's officially one of Velvet Academy's strongest techniques.'

As Kang Do-hee launched her dazzling attacks, Hong Jina's attention naturally shifted to her.

'Even so, it'll be difficult for Kang Do-hee to win right now.'

There was a fundamental physical difference, a disparity in stats, so the moment Frenzy ended, Hong Jina's counterattack would begin.

And succumbing to that counterattack, utterly helpless, was the expected outcome.

Of course, there was no absolute need to defeat Hong Jina here and now.

But...

'If I gave up just because the situation was difficult, Instructor Baek Seol-hee wouldn't let it slide. And we need the experience of winning against an opponent stronger than us.'

"—When facing a difficult opponent, hide your sword."

I recalled Instructor Baek Seol-hee's voice inwardly, lowering my gaze.

A fatal blow should always be silent.

I heightened my concentration.

Erasing my presence.

Silently.

To make it seem as if only those two were fighting in this space.

Without any distracting thoughts, I waited for the moment a weakness would be revealed, imbuing my fingertips with precision.

*Slide.*

I slid Moonlight back into its sheath.

The sheath enveloped the sword with a smooth, gliding motion.

*Tap.*

I lightly placed my hand on the hilt.

*CRASH—!!!*

Kang Do-hee unleashed a punch, exploding with mana.

Hong Jina, not backing down, extended her own fist.

Fist met fist, creating a ripple in the air.

And at that moment.

*WHIP—*

Her other hand, not extended, moved nimbly, catching my eye.

A hidden dagger in Hong Jina's hand reflected the light, piercing my eyes.

That was her hidden trump card.

'The easiest moment to let your guard down is the very moment your opponent reveals their trump card...'

Silent mana seeped into the sword without a sound.

*Shhhwwing—*

Moonlight, which I had sheathed, was drawn out at an incredibly slow speed, as if frozen in time.

Iaijutsu.

In an instant, the sluggish speed accelerated, and Moonlight shot forth with the speed of lightning.

──────────────

The sword tip silently sliced horizontally through the air.

"!"

And belatedly, Hong Jina's mouth fell open in a horrified expression.

* * *

*Whoosh—*

*Whoosh—*

Kang Do-hee and Hong Jina.

Their forms blurred, and they were teleported out of the training arena.

Kang Do-hee, pierced by the dagger Hong Jina had thrown.

And Hong Jina, cut by Jin Yu-ha's sword.

Both wore bewildered expressions.

No, were they the only two with such expressions?

Everyone in the training arena had their gaze fixed on one spot.

A man standing in the middle of it all, a blue sword drawn, surrounded by all sorts of weapons stuck in the ground like a soldiers' graveyard.

"..."

A heavy silence settled over the training arena.

For the first time since Velvet Academy's founding, an instructor had been defeated by a first-year student.