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

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Translator: Vine

Chapter Title: Duel (6)

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And a week passed.

It was the day of Lee Yuri and Jin Yuha's public duel. The murmuring of the crowd filled the vast auditorium.

"Hey, do we really have to watch this match? We should've just rested."

"...Yeah, I know. They say there aren't even semifinals. It's straight to the finals."

"What...!? Why?"

"Because it's a clown show. The winner's already decided anyway, so what's the point of trying hard here? We'd just get beaten up by those bitches and become a spectacle. So two teams apparently just forfeited."

"True, I only came because I was curious about how amazing Cheonhwa and the Fighting Dog are. I'm not really interested in the duel's outcome."

As if to prove that point, despite it being a public duel, there were sparse gaps in the audience. Since attending the duel wasn't mandatory, many had gathered amongst themselves to rest and recover from the fatigue of the three weeks of basic training.

Nevertheless, the remaining one-third were people curious about the power of Cheonhwa and the Fighting Dog. And those curious about the rumored male quota.

Huu—

Lee Yuri calmed her racing heart with a deep breath.

'Jin Yuha is coming out there, right?'

They had focused on their individual training during that time, even eating separately, so she hadn't even seen his face for the past week.

She was well aware of the rumors circulating about Jin Yuha. The current situation where he, the quota student, was ignored, and all attention was focused solely on the special admission students.

She didn't like this situation.

'That's why my role is important.'

The man she was about to face. It was important to prove herself to Jin Yuha, but at the same time, she wanted to show everyone else too.

How amazing he truly was.

'I can't let myself be overshadowed by the Fighting Dog and Cheonhwa either.'

Of course, she knew their power was restricted, but as people who had already shown outstanding performance before, cold sweat seeped from Lee Yuri's hands at the thought of having to block them.

Just then.

"The public duel will now begin!"

The signal announcing the duel between Jin Yuha's party and Lee Yuri's party rang out.

* * *

I stepped onto the dueling arena, checking my skills. I possessed a total of four skills.

[One-Strike Severance], [Iai], [Sword Dance], [Waning Moon]

Among them, One-Strike Severance was convenient to use, but it wouldn't work on Lee Yuri. Waning Moon's efficiency was maximized at night, so it wasn't suitable for the current situation.

Ultimately, the most powerful and fastest skill I possessed was

'Iai.'

It was the very skill that had finished off the Blood Goblin with a single strike.

'If I use Iai, with a bit of luck, I might be able to take Lee Yuri out in one go.'

However, there was a restriction to the skill, if you could call it that. After using Iai, I absolutely had to re-sheathe my sword. That process wasn't fast, and during it, I'd be defenseless.

In our party, which lacked a tank, even if I managed to land a lucky hit on Lee Yuri with that skill, I'd be taken out by the opposing party's spearman dealer.

'And Lee Yuri has two decent supporters and one healer providing focused care. This skill is a gamble. If it doesn't land, I'm out. Best to discard it.'

As I sorted out my thoughts, my party and Lee Yuri's party stepped onto the dueling arena. She didn't smile even when she saw me, instead glaring at us with a consistently serious expression.

Her face, which I hadn't seen in a while, seemed a little thinner.

'Tsk, since we haven't been eating together, did she just fill up on water again?'

Next time, I definitely need to treat Lee Yuri to a full velvet course meal.

"Duel start!"

With the referee's voice,

Thwack—

I pushed off with my feet and charged straight towards Lee Yuri.

Among my various skills, the one I chose for my first attack was.

"Sword Dance."

Swish—

As if hand and sword were one, the tip of the blade drew a smooth line in the air. The sword's gleam melted into the air in a graceful curve, enveloping Lee Yuri like a gentle breeze.

In response, she raised her shield, attempting to block my sword.

Clang—!

Clang—!

Clang—!

Sword and shield clashed, producing sharp metallic sounds. She seemed to be trying to deflect my sword with her shield, but I didn't let her. Instead, I lashed out even more fiercely, hammering her shield.

Sword Dance.

Not a single-hit skill, but a sustained one. This skill could continue as long as my mana held out.

Clang—!

Clang…!

Clang...…!

As the sustained skill continued against an opponent capable of receiving my blows, the flow of my swinging sword gradually appeared to slow down. It felt as if I was gradually becoming immersed in the sword, like when one closes their eyes and draws a straight line alone.

Suddenly, a realization dawned in that elongated moment.

The mana enveloping the sword, and the flow of mana guiding it. It felt like I was beginning to understand what a 'skill' truly was.

'Ah, so skills aren't just automatically used by consuming mana.'

Skills, like sword mastery or physical enhancements, were something I had suddenly acquired. This was similar in nature. When I used a skill, my body simply followed the compulsory flow of that mana.

Could I truly call this my own strength?

'...No, this is wrong.'

This was like being a puppet on strings, being dragged along by the sword.

'I need to pull this technique with my own will.'

I observed the mana's flow and movement, gradually infusing my will as I swung the sword.

*

Lee Yuri, who had been blocking Jin Yuha's sword with her shield, found herself entranced by a peculiar sensation.

At first, it was just a sword that poured out flashy attacks. But then, at some point, his sword began to change subtly. Smooth, agile, flamboyant, and beautiful. It seemed to embody a flower, or perhaps resemble mournfully falling autumn leaves. Could a sword, whose purpose was to spill blood, be this beautiful? She knew that deadly poison lurked within that beauty.

The dance-like movements made her resent her own shield for blocking his sword. She simply wanted to gaze upon this sword. Thoughts of elevating Jin Yuha, or blocking Kang Dohui and Cheonhwa, gradually faded, and she felt as if she was being enchanted by the sword.

[Captain!!!]

Had it not been for the voice that reached her ears then, she might have continued dancing with him indefinitely.

'Oh, snap!'

Lee Yuri felt ashamed that she had momentarily been mesmerized by his sword and lost her focus.

'I need to use Taunt...!'

Otherwise, Cheonhwa and the Fighting Dog might sweep away all of her party members at any moment.

Lee Yuri then pulled out a short dagger and began tapping her shield.

However,

Clack—! Thunk!

Clack—! Thunk!

Clack—! Thunk!

The sound of her tapping the shield in rhythm with herself. As his Sword Dance accelerated, the blade began to move even more dazzlingly. When Lee Yuri's dagger tapped her shield, Jin Yuha's sword simultaneously tapped her shield.

Indeed, the discordant notes disrupting the mana's flow were a hindrance.

"...Even so."

Lee Yuri bit her lip tightly.

Clack—! Thunk!

"It's useless!!"

Lee Yuri drew up even more mana and activated her Taunt skill.

* * *

"Whoa... What is that? Why is his sword so pretty?"

"Damn, that's sexy as hell."

"Wow—. It's beautiful."

The women who had been waiting for Cheonhwa and the Fighting Dog's performance gasped in admiration from the stands, watching Jin Yuha's sword. However, those who had initially been offering various comments on Jin Yuha's sword soon fell silent.

"..."

Even breaths subsided, as if dead, and a heavy silence filled the dueling arena. Everyone watching was mesmerized. The sword, which had initially been merely flamboyant, gradually began to change its form. The change wasn't dramatic, but it was profound enough to capture the students' gazes.

Like the wind,

Like water.

So natural and fluid. While everyone else was engaged in their own frantic battles, it felt as if only that man's time was flowing slowly. There was a beauty there that captivated gazes and made faces flush.

"Hmph. Haa—!"

Eventually, a female student who had been holding her breath broke the silence, exhaling. Instantly, all eyes turned to her.

"Huh, oh!?"

She blushed, pondering what to say about breaking the atmosphere, then suddenly spoke as if she had realized something.

"Hey, wait a minute. Didn't they say he was a quota student?"

And that single remark, thrown by the student, caused ripples like a stone dropped into a calm lake. Distrust quickly spread among those nearby.

"Holy crap, I completely forgot for a second. He *is* a quota student, right?"

"...If *that's* a quota student, then what am I?"

"Uh... I don't think he's someone to ignore. I don't know much about swords, but isn't that something just anyone can't do?"

"Ignore *that*? Please, stop talking nonsense."

"Can *you* block that?"

"Uh, no... I can't. How could anyone block something like that? That tank isn't ordinary!"

"Why on earth did *he* get in as a quota student?"

As Lee Yuri intended, Jin Yuha's sword delivered a shock to those attending the duel. Even someone unfamiliar with swords could sense that Jin Yuha's swordsmanship was extraordinary. After all, most of them had gone through rough hunter lives. At least once or twice, they had seen swords wielded by party members or during their hunter lives.

Movements like scattering flower petals, filling the dueling arena so beautifully, they had never seen or heard of such a thing before. Absurd, hollow laughs erupted here and there.

"They said we only needed to watch out for Kang Dohui and Cheonhwa."

"Who's the bastard who spread the false rumor that he was nothing special?"

"Holy moly. This is insane. Cheonhwa and the Fighting Dog are completely overshadowed, aren't they? He's the only one you can see. And he's damn handsome too."

Students who didn't use swords could at least feel that his swordsmanship was incredible, and were astonished upon belatedly realizing that Jin Yuha was a quota student.

"...It's impossible."

Among those who wielded swords, the high-level practitioners, and the instructors who still didn't know Jin Yuha, felt something far beyond mere astonishment.

Dismay.

Disbelief.

Shock.

A stark difference in class. Or perhaps it was a sword that allowed them to indirectly experience the unfathomable depth of his potential. No one here could do what that man was doing.

'It's not just a flashy sword. That's...! That's a quota student? What on earth is he doing?!'

It was then, as a female student who wielded a sword trembled, sensing a fragment of his true skill.

"...Hey! Look! Look over there!"

Her friend next to her nudged her arm.

"Huh? Oh, where?"

She turned her gaze. Kang Dohui was visible.

She was displaying divine skill, living up to her name. She was fighting the spearman right next to her, with her eyes completely closed.

'Huh? But why...?'

Contrary to expectations, perhaps the special admission students' restrictions were quite significant? Of course, abandoning her sight and unleashing punches and kicks was impressive, but their battle was evenly matched, truly unfitting for the words that usually described her.

'It looks like Kang Dohui is actually being pushed back a bit...? But what about Cheonhwa...?'

"Over there! Look that way!"

Her friend pointed with a finger. While everyone was captivated by Jin Yuha's sword, Cheonhwa was seen subduing the healers and supporters with her fists.

"Huh? Why isn't she using magic again...? What's with the punching!?"

Suddenly, Lee Yuri realized that the skills coming her way had stopped.

With a flustered expression, she whirled around. There, Cheonhwa was finishing off three supporters and healers with a bright smile.

"Huh, when did... Cheonhwa get there...!"

At that moment, Jin Yuha's voice clearly pierced Lee Yuri's ears.

"Mission accomplished."