Chapter 35 : Adventure Level 25 (2)

The Dueling system wasn’t bound by location.
If desired, a duel could happen right on the spot, but the System itself also prepared artificial spaces.
So, it was possible to suddenly start a duel right there while eating, just like now.

[Do Yugeon vs Nam Taehwan]
[Location—Training Ground Basic 1]
[Non-Lethal Mode]
[No Item Restriction]
[No Skill Restriction]
[Party Member Spectating Allowed]
[Interference During Duel Prohibited]
[Moving to Space]

A series of messages popped up in front of Do Yugeon, and then he and the Flame Mage vanished with a “pop.”
There was no special effect.
No magic circles, white smoke, flashes of light, or anything like that—they literally just disappeared, which felt odd.
The System has no sense. Things like this should have some effects.

Putting down my chopsticks and wiping my mouth with a napkin, I looked around and noticed an ordinary person with a surprised expression.
It’s understandable to be surprised when people suddenly vanish.
For me, with login access, this kind of thing is routine, but ordinary people can’t log in or level up, so this might be their first time seeing it.
I pressed the bell to call a waiter.
“Could I get a plate? I’ll be away from the table for a bit, but I’ll be back to eat, so please don’t clear it.”

I received the plate and put a reasonable amount of chicken on it to eat while spectating.
Starting a duel while eating is their choice, but I wish they’d think things through more.
What were they going to do if they fought a round and came back to find their table cleared? Why just teleport first?
Do Yugeon might be like that, but the Flame Mage is an adult.
I worry Yugeon might pick up unnecessary habits.

Following the spectator permission, I moved to the training ground—the two were stretching.
I moved to a suitable corner spot.
Looking around, there wasn’t really anywhere to sit.
Spectating is in the System, but there are no spectator seats in the space.
Well, the System’s work is always like this.
I squatted down roughly.
If I’d known, I would have brought a chair.

“Now that the young lady is here too, let’s see your skills.”
The Flame Mage faced Do Yugeon at a moderate distance and aimed his sword.
It was a common F-Grade sword.
Someone planning an Explorer Business wouldn’t only have that item, so he likely had no intention of using high-grade items against a middle schooler.

[Do Yugeon vs Nam Taehwan]

The number 5 appeared in the middle of the training ground.
The count went down, decreasing one by one.
[Start]

“Here I come!”
Do Yugeon charged.
The Flame Mage, quickly backpedaling, opened the hand not holding the sword and muttered.
Flames surged violently, forming a fireball above his palm.
Embers flickered around.
It was larger and more brilliant than the fireball he showed at the offline meeting before last.

My skills are practically non-existent, so I often forget, but active skills have levels.
Meaning they get stronger the more you use them and become proficient.
The mana pattern changes accordingly, so the fireball I copied would be a low-level one, likely weaker than the Flame Mage’s.
I did ask someone I know to copy a high-level Freeze Enchantment to strengthen my Mana Barrier, but I didn’t do that for Fireball.
In the first place, just throwing raw mana is more versatile.
But seeing it right in front of me is tempting.
A real mage should have that kind of flashiness.
Just flinging mana invisible to others might be powerful, but it doesn’t look cool.

The fireball flew.
Yugeon lightly twisted his body to evade it.
The fireball flew past and hit the ground behind him, erupting in flames several meters wide.
Whoa, strong.
I picked up a piece of chicken and ate it.
It’s gotten a bit cold.

“Good dodge!”
“This much is basic!”
“Then how about this!”

From the now close distance, the Flame Mage threw another fireball.
However, the fireball wasn’t aimed at Do Yugeon but at the ground near him.
The fireball exploded.
Startled, Yugeon dodged beforehand, but the blast wave washed over him.
Seeing that, I flinched and stood up.
I know it’s safe because of the Non-Lethal Mode, but experiencing it directly startled my heart.

While Yugeon staggered from the impact, the Flame Mage, having closed the distance unnoticed, thrust his sword.
A stable thrust met a sword strike made from a compromised stance.
Naturally, he should have been stabbed.
But Do Yugeon’s strike overturned the disadvantageous situation and knocked the Flame Mage’s sword away.
In that brief moment, Do Yugeon took a step, briefly corrected his posture, and aimed a clean strike at the Flame Mage’s neck.
Surprised, the Flame Mage pulled back.
The sword grazed his neck narrowly.

Just as Do Yugeon stepped forward to deliver a follow-up strike, the Flame Mage grinned.
“Fireball.”
A fireball struck the ground beneath Do Yugeon’s feet and exploded.
The explosion hit him directly.
Do Yugeon was engulfed in flames and thrown to the ground.
The Flame Mage was also caught in his own flames, but perhaps because he wasn’t hit directly and Do Yugeon took the brunt of it, he stood there unharmed.

[Nam Taehwan Wins]

The system window appeared in the middle of the training ground.
He lost to this?
Looking at Do Yugeon lying on the ground, there were no signs of fire or burnt clothes.
He didn’t seem injured.
Natural for Non-Lethal Mode.

The Flame Mage laughed.
“Hahaha! Impressive. I didn’t expect to be pushed back like this by someone with no PvP experience.”
“That Fireball is cheating. How many times can you use it?”
He sounds fine.
“That’s a trade secret.”

Reaching for the chicken, I saw the plate was empty.
I only ate one piece—it can’t be empty.
I scanned the floor.
Pieces of chicken were scattered there.
I must have dropped them all when I jumped up startled when Do Yugeon got hit by the fireball. Hmm.
I squatted down and tentatively picked one up with my chopsticks.
No dust or anything seemed stuck to it.

Spaces created for duels vary, but they are usually clean.
According to Explorer Federation research, they are generated free of dust and bacteria.
This place was the same.
Although it’s a training ground, it wasn’t covered in dirt or sand—the floor was paved with something resembling marble, and it looked very clean even to the eye.
Meaning, putting chicken on the plate and throwing chicken on the floor here were hygienically similar outcomes.
Though where shoes had touched was a different story.
But clean is clean, yet eating it just feels iffy.
The best thing would be to throw it away and get new chicken, but that’s too much trouble.

While subtly watching the two talking, I used magic to gather the chicken pieces.
Then I approached the Flame Mage.
“The victor deserves chicken.”
I held the plate up high.
“Oh. Chicken is good.”

The Flame Mage picked up a piece of chicken and ate it.
He ate with relish. Hmm.
“Is it good?”
“It is. This place is tasty.”

I thought watching someone else eat it might dispel my reluctance, but it didn’t really work.
I don’t want to eat something that fell on the floor.
I should throw it away and get new ones.
“Give me some too.”
Do Yugeon spoke while still lying down, perhaps unable to get up due to the effects of Non-Lethal Mode.
I shook my head.
“It’s not good for your health.”
“You were eating it just fine earlier—what are you talking about?”
That’s my prerogative.

I left the space and got new chicken.
When I returned, Do Yugeon was up and moving his body around.
The duration of immobility in Non-Lethal Mode varies greatly depending on the situation, but it seemed to wear off quickly this time.
“I was surprised when you aimed for my neck. New duelists usually hesitate to swing their swords freely. Doesn’t it bother you?”
“It’s non-lethal anyway. What’s there to hesitate about?”
“You adapt quickly. Youth really is great. Not that I’m old enough to say that. Hahaha!”

I went to my corner spot.
I placed the sauce container conveniently beside me.
I forgot the sauce earlier, so I made sure to bring it this time.
I dipped a piece of chicken in honey mustard and took a bite.
This place uses homemade sauce, so it has a unique feel.
There’s a subtle tang at the end, probably from mustard.
Then isn’t it honey-mustard-mustard? I thought about it for a second, then stopped.
As long as it’s tasty.

Do Yugeon seemed finished stretching and aimed his sword.
[Do Yugeon vs Nam Taehwan]
The count started, and the “Start” system window appeared.
Do Yugeon silently charged at the Flame Mage.
Before he took more than a few steps, a fireball flew toward his feet.
Faster magic use than before.
The Flame Mage didn’t seem inclined to go easy.
He should know how to lose gracefully like an adult.
Is he trying to demoralize someone?

However, Do Yugeon hadn’t started the rematch without a plan. When the fireball came, he didn’t dodge but instead moved closer.
His sword swung, and the fireball split in two.
The mana pattern broke, and the fireball dissipated into mana instead of exploding.
What the. How did he do that?
Do Yugeon himself looked surprised, as if startled by his own action.
“This works?”
What do you mean, “this works”? Does that mean you were planning to just take the hit if it exploded?

He mentioned wanting to try cutting magic once before, but I didn’t indulge him because it was dangerous, yet here he is trying it in this situation.
The Flame Mage, equally surprised, spoke.
“Impressive, but the duel’s still on.”
A fireball flew.
Do Yugeon cleanly cut it apart.
“Seems like I’ve won without needing to do more.”
“You never know. The internet consensus that swordsmen beat mages up close isn’t actually true. Let’s see if that earlier strike was luck or not!”

This time, the Flame Mage charged at Do Yugeon instead.
As the sword strike came, Do Yugeon parried it.
The Flame Mage exploited that brief opening.
A fireball formed in his empty hand and aimed at Do Yugeon.
Being magic at point-blank range, neither would likely emerge unscathed if it exploded.
Yet he used it, meaning he must have another card up his sleeve to ensure his own safety.
The most likely possibility was an item.
Is it fun to win against a penniless middle schooler using item advantage?

Do Yugeon forced his sword around and cut the fireball.
In the process, his stance broke significantly.
The Flame Mage dropped his own sword and slammed his body into Do Yugeon.
“Ugh!”
Do Yugeon, whose stance was already broken, fell backward.
The Flame Mage, falling with him, drew a dagger from under his clothes and swung it several times.

[Nam Taehwan Wins]

What the.
The Flame Mage got up, and Do Yugeon shouted.
“That’s cheating!”
“What is? This?”
The Flame Mage waved the dagger. It was a common F-Grade dagger.
“Not that. Using a fireball at close range relying on items—where’s the fairness in that?”
My thoughts exactly.
“Ah, that. Hahaha!”
The Flame Mage shook his head.
“There are items like that, true. But I’m not wearing one right now.”
“Then just now?”
“That was obviously psychological warfare. Whether I have the item or not, I just need to make you believe I do. That’s real combat. Hahaha!”
Is he a con artist?

After that, there were two more duels.
Do Yugeon lost them all.
No matter how you looked at it, Do Yugeon had overwhelming swordsmanship skills and could even cut fireballs, but he kept losing due to petty tricks.
This was clearly a difference in experience.
The Flame Mage himself said he was preparing an Explorer Business, so he must have diligently practiced the Dueling system, which had only been updated about two months ago.
For Do Yugeon, since I didn’t engage him in duels, today was his first experience.
A natural defeat.

Still, it feels a bit off.
The Flame Mage is weak, yet Yugeon couldn’t beat him.
It seems I might need to help Do Yugeon gain some experience.
Since I don’t want to cross swords with him, should I talk to the Security Team Leader and find a suitable opponent?
But actually finding one might just interfere with his studies unnecessarily.
I need to think about this a bit.

We finished eating and parted ways with the Flame Mage.
It was probably best to head home, but feeling subtly unsatisfied, we decided to take a walk to aid digestion and went out onto the street.
After walking a bit, a thought occurred to me.
“Instead of walking, should we just go to a café?”
“We haven’t walked much yet.”
He pointed behind us.
Looking back, I could see the chicken place we just left.
We really hadn’t walked much.
So what.
“My legs got tired from walking.”
“Getting tired already is clearly a lack of exercise. Shouldn’t we walk more?”
He makes pointless sense.

Since logging in, I mostly fly around, so I really haven’t walked much.
Though lately, I walk a lot commuting to and from school.
And Mom subtly pressures me, so I tend to walk around at home too.
“Anyway, we ate, so we need coffee too.”
“We just drank coffee.”
We did drink vending machine coffee at the chicken place.
Roughly a few minutes ago.
“That was that—this is this.”

He seems down because he kept losing today, not really playing along with me.
I grabbed his arm and led him.
There was a Starbucks right in front, but I glanced at it and walked past.
I expected him to ask why, but he just let himself be dragged along with an expression of resignation.
What’s with that face?
We walked a bit, turned into an alley, went a little further, and saw a neighborhood café in a corner.
The location choice was exquisite—perfect for deterring customers.
It felt like a building owner opened a café as a hobby but couldn’t be bothered with customers, so they deliberately chose a building in a lousy location.

Yu Mina recommended it before we parted ways today, saying I should check it out if I went to a café.
Something about the coffee being good.
And apparently, it’s empty too.
I don’t know much about coffee taste, but since she recommended it, I should go.
Once I get home, I definitely won’t feel like seeking out a place like this, so I should check it out while I’m out anyway.

Entering the café, there was no one inside except the owner.
Wow, no customers.
I sat down roughly.
What kind of menu do they have here?
Looking at the menu, which didn’t even have cake, I suddenly felt a strong pulse of mana.
What was that? Was I mistaken?
The scale was so large it made me uncertain.