[Chapter 209]
[Unwavering (2)]
The mutual wariness between the Korean, Chinese, and Japanese people was short-lived.
After the subjugation operation ended, they had no reason to be entangled in work.
The Korea-China-Japan summit that was about to begin was a matter for the leaders and officials of each country, not for the players.
So while the leaders were in meetings, the players were having fun at the beach in front of the hotel.
"Look at this. There are many pretty ones. I'll give this one specially to oppa."
"It's pretty. Thank you, I'll keep it well so I don't lose it."
"I'll give one to each of the unnies too!"
Ha Baek-ryeon was playing with a bright face as if she had never been depressed.
It was like there were two Ariels.
Eun-ha, sitting on the sand watching her, was satisfied looking at the seashell she gave him.
It's not trash disposal...
Why is Baek-ryeon giving this to me?
Since last night.
Ha Baek-ryeon seemed to have removed some of the walls in dealing with Eun-ha.
The fact that she was calling him oppa was evidence of this.
Anyway, Eun-ha decided to cherish the pink seashell.
"Oh my, what's this, what's this. Did something happen between you two last night?"
"Suspicious. Clan Lord, tell us honestly. We'll keep it a secret."
"You two with the loosest lips say you'll keep it a secret? This is ridiculous..."
"Oh my, we can keep secrets well, you know?"
"That's right, we leak in other ways."
Just then, the twins approached from behind.
They giggled and hung on Eun-ha's neck.
Eun-ha frowned.
His good mood flew away.
Regardless, the twins immediately lay down under the parasol.
The two swung their legs.
"Clan Lord, what should we do now that we've come to the sea?"
"I untied my bikini! There's oil over there. Clan Lord, do it well for us."
"These girls..."
They giggle among themselves.
Eun-ha sighed seeing them untie their bikini straps and expose their backs on their own.
He wanted to throw them into the sea in that state.
But there were many eyes watching.
He couldn't make a scene in front of the Chinese and Japanese people.
Eun-ha reluctantly rummaged through his bag and took out a beach towel.
"Why are you covering our backs with this?"
"That's right, hiding our pretty backs..."
"You should play pranks while considering the situation. Don't you see other people are here?"
""..."
"Our clan members might be used to it, but how do you think those people will think seeing your behavior so far?"
Considering them.
Eun-ha didn't say the next words.
But they seemed to understand the sincere advice he gave.
They looked straight at Eun-ha without playing pranks.
Soon they grinned and─
"─Ah, we shouldn't do this. Are you trying to make us serious?"
"Then from now on, should we only show it to the C-l-a-n L-o-r-d?"
"Don't be cheeky."
"Unnie, what should I do? I think I'm going to fall for him."
"Little sister, human hearts can't be resolved with reason originally. Just go for it."
"Unnie too?"
"Why are you asking the obvious?"
"These girls really."
"Ah! How can you hit our backs!"
"Why are you hitting our butts!?"
Eun-ha's advice backfired.
Realizing his mistake, Eun-ha just decided to hit the twins.
He hit the twins' backs covered with white beach towels.
He accidentally hit their butts too.
"I was a fool to worry about you. Do whatever you want."
"Ow, where are you going?"
"Hit us more..."
Soon Eun-ha clicked his tongue.
Hitting the twins was useless.
Rather, they begged to be hit more.
In the end, Eun-ha chose to leave the place.
Getting up from his seat, he thought about going to Bae Su-bin who was practicing magic on the water surface.
It was then.
"Huh?"
"Papa?"
While walking on the beach.
Lao Chen was coming from the front.
He seemed to be approaching him, not just passing by.
Eun-ha stopped walking.
Lao Chen also stopped a few steps away.
"I am, Lao Chen."
"..."
Clumsy Korean.
Eun-ha was inwardly surprised.
Chinese people generally tended to value their own language more.
So when communicating with Koreans, Japanese people often used English, which was once a common language, or clumsy Korean.
But Chinese people showed a stronger tendency to try to communicate in Chinese even when they came to Korea.
But Lao Chen abandoned Chinese and spoke in Korean.
And what he said was─
"─Please, have, a match, with me."
"..."
Asking for a match.
Lao Chen spoke awkwardly and suddenly bowed his head.
Eun-ha frowned at the bald head shining in the sunlight.
It didn't seem to be a new form of harassment.
This is troublesome.
How annoying...
Considering Lao Chen's personality, he had predicted that he would challenge him to a match soon.
But the method was beyond expectations.
Eun-ha thought he would request a match in a childish way like last time.
If so, he was planning to refuse the match while embarrassing Lao Chen.
But he didn't expect Lao Chen to bow his head and request a match as if asking for teachings.
""""...."""
He could feel people's gazes.
Korea, China, Japan.
They were watching.
He couldn't refuse when Lao Chen was politely requesting a match with his head bowed.
"Alright. Let's have a match."
In the end, Eun-ha had to accept Lao Chen's match proposal.
☆
After confirming Noh Eun-ha's skills.
Lao Chen acknowledged that his skills didn't match up to Noh Eun-ha's.
So he couldn't rudely request a match like before.
Requesting a match from a strong person means asking to be taught.
So he requested politely.
Fortunately, Noh Eun-ha accepted the request this time.
That's how their match was arranged on the beach.
"The match rules are simple. Considering both of your safety, mana can only be used when it's not considered an attack. Please don't infuse mana into devices."
""""...."""
There were people in Pandora Clan who could speak Japanese and Chinese fluently.
They spoke to the people who gathered after hearing news of the match.
Lao Chen nodded too.
"Then we'll start the match when the beach ball hits the ground."
The little Fairy in a swimsuit.
Ha Baek-ryeon threw the ball following instructions from the Japanese-Korean ranger.
Lao Chen, holding his device while wearing a swimsuit, looked at Noh Eun-ha who was in the same state.
Thud
The beach ball fell on the sand.
Lao Chen moved immediately.
First strike wins.
That was the core element of Lao Chen's fighting style.
"Woooah!!"
Human prejudice is scary.
People tended to think that he, who looked big and fleshy on the outside, would fight pursuing power rather than speed.
That was far from the truth.
He valued speed.
And he often used a method of aiming for weak points by using their misunderstanding.
Everything was just to deceive the opponent.
Unlike his appearance, he was intelligent and knew how to move nimbly.
Wubo
But Lao Chen's tactics were of course useless against Noh Eun-ha.
His axe cut through the air.
Noh Eun-ha's figure had disappeared.
I expected this much!
Lao Chen wasn't flustered.
The day before, he had closely observed him fighting Kraken.
He knew that he used mysterious footwork to move as if doing short-range teleportation.
At the same time─
"─As a national representative player, it would be a problem if I didn't face you with full power."
Noh Eun-ha was also a speed-type player like himself.
Lao Chen didn't understand what Noh Eun-ha was saying, but he grinned.
He appeared behind him holding two swords.
"Heave-ho!"
After cutting through the air, he took a step forward and turned his body.
The first attack was blocked by the sword.
But that was enough.
Even if Lao Chen couldn't land an effective hit, he continuously swung the axes in both hands to push him back.
Noh Eun-ha also attacked while blocking his axes.
I've figured out the weakness of that footwork.
Not only do you need considerable mana control to move through space, but you must also take a step forward to activate that magic.
So I'll distract Noh Eun-ha's attention to prevent him from designating a position to move with magic.
At the same time, I'll push him with continuous attacks to prevent him from stepping forward.
"You're quite good?"
Noh Eun-ha seemed to have seen through Lao Chen's thoughts.
He raised the corners of his mouth.
It was at that moment.
"But I'm not unable to move backwards. I just haven't been using it because there was no need."
"...!!"
Lao Chen doubted his eyes.
Noh Eun-ha's figure disappeared.
The surprise was brief.
As expected of someone he acknowledged.
He burst into laughter.
Then he swung his axe following his animal instincts.
"One."
"...!!"
Noh Eun-ha was definitely there.
But Lao Chen not only failed to attack, he also lost his axe to his meng gu shou.
What an incredibly hard sword.
The axe got stuck in the guard of the meng gu shou shaped like a mountain.
Noh Eun-ha skillfully twisted his hand to neutralize Lao Chen's axe.
"Damn it."
Lao Chen distanced himself.
If he had been hit from the front, he wouldn't have lost the axe.
But there was nothing he could do when he suddenly appeared from the side and bent his joint in a way that made it difficult to move.
He corrected his posture.
Then he asked the twins who were watching the match.
"Referee."
""Yes, what is it?""
"Even if we can't infuse mana into weapons, is it possible to infuse mana to transform devices?"
""It's okay if it's to adjust blade length.""
"I see, that's what you mean?"
As soon as he heard that.
Lao Chen dashed across the ground.
He closed the distance in an instant.
He swung the axe in his right hand to attack Noh Eun-ha's sword.
"...!"
At the same time, he twisted his right foot.
Lao Chen quickly turned to the side and made a motion to swing the axe that went behind his shoulder.
Noh Eun-ha tried to defend.
You've fallen for it.
Lao Chen smiled with satisfaction.
He infused mana into the axe.
The axe instantly elongated and became a polearm.
Noh Eun-ha's eyes widened.
He was surprised too.
Furthermore─
─You didn't think of this!
One hand was empty.
Lao Chen slightly turned his body and quickly caught the polearm with his other hand.
He had considered even Noh Eun-ha's sword deflecting it.
He immediately tried to attack by twisting the opposite side.
Noh Eun-ha was already inside the polearm's range.
He can't move his feet.
The moment he moves wrong, he'll be cut by the polearm's blade.
In the end, Noh Eun-ha's choices were to spread a barrier to defend or stay still in place.
There wasn't much he could do in a match where you can't kill the opponent.
Either way was Noh Eun-ha's defeat.
...What?
But Noh Eun-ha exceeded expectations.
He jumped from his spot.
And he fearlessly stepped on the polearm's blade.
"The last attack was unexpected, but I won anyway, right?"
"..."
What happened after that was.
Noh Eun-ha stepped hard on the polearm's blade to shake his center of gravity, and also used the polearm as a springboard to quickly jump behind Lao Chen.
He checked the polearm with his meng gu shou, and aimed his one-handed sword at his neck.
That was the end.
"...I lost."
...I lost.
There was no way out.
Lao Chen dropped the polearm in his hand.
☆
Although Lao Chen caught him off guard, it wasn't very difficult.
Eun-ha could clearly see the trajectory of Lao Chen's swinging axe.
No matter how fast a person is, they can't be faster than Magoo.
After making a spirit beast contract with Kang.
He had become able to see even Magoo's movements with his eyes.
So Eun-ha ended the match more easily than expected.
I guess I've gotten stronger.
Meanwhile, he viscerally felt his growth while matching with Lao Chen.
Surely his previous life self wouldn't have been able to beat Lao Chen.
He would have struggled after falling for the trap he intelligently set, and wouldn't have been able to keep up with his speed properly.
"Thank you."
Then Lao Chen held out his hand.
He said something in Chinese.
It was Chinese that Eun-ha knew.
The twins often said that in Chinese.
Eun-ha grasped his hand.
"Xie xie."
Although the pronunciation was awkward.
Lao Chen was greatly pleased hearing Eun-ha's words.
He hugged Eun-ha tightly.
What is he doing?
The sensation of being buried in a man's chest wearing a swimsuit was extremely unpleasant.
Eun-ha frowned as he was caught by muscular arms.
Regardless, Lao Chen shouted something loudly.
Hearing that sound, the Chinese people all applauded at once.
"What are they saying?"
Eun-ha barely escaped from Lao Chen's embrace.
But he put his arm around Eun-ha's neck, looking disappointed.
Eun-ha asked the twins, feeling burdened by Lao Chen.
Then the twins answered─
"─He says from today, he and the Clan Lord are like brothers? Ah, he's the younger brother. The Clan Lord is the older brother."
"He's happy saying he finally found his brother in this far country. Um, congratulations Clan Lord. Including your younger sister and older sister, and Pa-rang oppa, you're the older brother, so now you have a younger brother too."
"Ugh..."
Are all Chinese people like this?
No, it must be just Lao Chen.
Eun-ha made a blank face.
"Are you hurt anywhere?"
"Do I look like someone who would get hurt? Look, I'm fine."
"Hmm... You are."
Just then, Ha Baek-ryeon approached.
Eun-ha felt good seeing her worry about him.
So he grabbed Ha Baek-ryeon's wrist to show her directly that his body was fine.
Ha Baek-ryeon roughly looked over Eun-ha's body and withdrew her hand.
It was then─
"─How did you think of jumping up to avoid there? How much have you fought to not panic even in that situation..."
"Oh, Hikitani."
"It's Hikigaya."
"Right, Hikigaya."
Hikigaya Hayato approached.
He seemed quite surprised after watching Eun-ha's match.
Eun-ha chuckled.
"Why, are you going to ask for a match too? Then shall we have a match betting devices like last time?"
"I'll decline. Do you know how much scolding I got from my grandfather after that? As a rule, you shouldn't fight battles you'll lose."
"You know well. You shouldn't fight losing battles from the start. You've grown."
"...It's frustrating, but I can't retort when you speak so condescendingly."
Hikigaya sighed.
After that, players impressed by Eun-ha and Lao Chen's match began to request matches one after another.
Players who came out to enjoy a break suddenly started having matches on the beach, creating an unusual scene.
"I'm Tang Xiaoxiao, navigator of the Sichuan Tang family! I challenge you to a match, Hoshimiya Kaede!"
A Korea-China-Japan competition began.
The beach heated up with the fervor they were creating.
☆
"Phew..."
Seven Star General
Hoshimiya Kaede caught her breath after finishing the match with her.
She was quite a formidable opponent.
The enemy pushed her using secret techniques.
If Tang Xiaoxiao had used poison too, she would have lost.
There really are many strong people in the world.
But still... weaker than Noh Eun-ha.
Thanks to rolling under Noh Eun-ha all this time.
Kaede was barely able to win against
She learned what she lacked while fighting a national representative-level player.
Bae Su-bin also won in a match against a Chinese person called Xiao Lang...
If I had lost, Bae Su-bin would have teased me terribly.
Her strength was completely drained from one match.
Kaede watched Bae Su-bin and Lao Chen having a match on the water surface and turned her back.
She was covered in sand dust.
Her skin was also getting tanned.
She wanted to go back to the hotel, wash up cleanly, and just rest.
Kaede returned to the hotel.
"Ah."
"Oh my. Hello?"
"...Hello, Kaguya-sama."
Just then, Kaede happened to meet Kaguya, who was returning to her room after finishing a meeting.
Kaguya greeted her first.
Kaede was inwardly displeased.
Although Eun-ha and Kaguya were acquainted, she had no acquaintance with her at all.
But Kaguya spoke to her unhesitatingly even though it was their first meeting.
"I heard you're a Japanese-Korean? Somehow, I had that feeling when I first saw you."
"My grandfather was Japanese."
"Ah, your grandfather was Japanese. May I ask your grandfather's name?"
It was a strange question.
Hoshimiya Kaede answered her while feeling puzzled.
Then Kaguya's eyes changed.
"As I thought... My guess was right. You were a person from the Hoshinomiya family."