Eat The World Tree

Chapter 22: Double Speak - The Cuckoo Falls (5)

In the afternoon. During the interpersonal combat class.

Sitting in place, watching the competition ground, I looked at the place where swords and magic were flying around.

Thanks to Seyeong’s quick response, I could skip training under the pretext of physical injury.

-Clang! Clang!

The competition ground was in the middle of a duel.

The swords of the students clashed against each other. They quickly moved their feet to maintain distance.

I pressed such sights of the competing students like a picture in my mind.

I pushed this real-feel experience deep within me.

The dense smell of metal brushed against my nose. The exciting sound of kihap.

The heat of rising flames, the graceful posture of flowing water, the sharply formed wind.

Manipulating the magic of the body, I repeated the sword techniques dozens of times in my head.

I couldn’t help but smile.

‘My choice wasn’t wrong.’

So far, my knowledge wasn’t deep, so I hadn’t tried to take away all the sword techniques and magic.

But now that I had some skills, it was possible.

My talent and high potential.

In my eyes, I took in all the sword techniques and magic of the students in this place.

The talent of a genius went beyond the sky, absorbing their qualities just by observing them, like a blank canvas absorbing colors.

Red, blue, yellow,

The unique talents intertwined and mixed together, forming like a black inkstone.

Above it, black ink gradually rose. Even that container couldn’t properly handle the power.

The inspiration brushing against my brain wouldn’t stop.

As I improved mine, my nerves were burning red.

-Swish.

The hot sensation that was felt on my finger. My right index finger reflexively twitched.

Following that pain, the magic flowed, naturally widening the container.

Even the pain of the injury is sublimated into power.

Before I knew it, I understood all the techniques of everyone in this place.

‘Even by my standards.’

It was a rather violent talent.

-Um! Oom!

The rough vibration felt throughout my body.

I slowly lifted my slightly closed eyelids.

-Flutter.

Black magic was rippling on my fingers.

The first ability that I thought was complete.

However, even this was completely destroyed by me a second later.

Looking at the black flames burning around my heart, I murmured.

“Not enough.”

It was still far away.

---

By looking at the slanting shoulder, I read the sword path and swung my sword in reverse.

-Whiz!

Sansuyu blocked the obvious attack.

Just before the swords clashed, I twisted the wrist holding the sword and diverted it.

The twisted sword changed its direction, and the sword dropped from Sansuyu’s wrist with a strike.

“……!”

I felt the light yellow magic of Sansuyu on the surface of my skin.

Sansuyu, who lost her sword, pulled up the magic throughout her body and rapidly attacked my chest.

As I couldn’t beat her speed, I immediately gave up the sword and blocked Sansuyu’s fist with my elbow.

-Bang!

The two magics became entangled and exploded.

The two of us stepped back, retrieving our swords, breathing heavily, and checking on each other’s condition.

“Shall we continue?”

“Continue.”

Sansuyu, breathing heavily with her mouth wide open, prompted her opponent to resume. Despite her superior physical condition, she probably tired first due to the pressure of my swordsmanship.

I adjusted my grip on the sword to Sansuyu’s style. Some emotion flickered in her face at this. Could it be jealousy? It was just a guess; I couldn’t know for sure. She had always been so pure and expressionless.

We closed the distance between us.

“Narrow your stance there,”

I parried her sword.

“Putting in power is good, but your center is slightly off.”

After the clash, I aim at her shin with an extended leg. Sansuyu quickly retreated.

“This time, you went too far.”

With my other hand stretched out, I tapped Sansuyu’s abdomen.

-Boom!

Quickly concentrating power in her abdomen, Sansuyu was pushed back by my force. Though today was the first time we were sparring, it was fun and exhilarating.

“You’ve improved a lot.”

“…What are you?”

Sansuyu looked shocked. It was interesting to see cracks in her usually emotionless face.

“It’s different from last time.”

“I suppose so.”

Abandoning appearances always yielded intense results.

“But I still can’t beat you.”

I sheath my sword and sighed. I wasn’t teasing; under the assumption that I poured out all my power, I was genuinely still weaker than Sansuyu.

My basic ability level was much lower, and the difference in our power was substantial. My sagging shoulders and the fatigue I felt were proof of my exhaustion.

In contrast, Sansuyu, though tired, still shone. She maintained her beautiful posture. She was brimming with energy.

“You. You seem to grow too fast.”

“Hmm?”

“I mean, your growth.”

But Sansuyu still seemed incredulous. She eyed me suspiciously, wiping a bead of sweat.

“Are you… a cheat?”

“No, what are you talking about?”

“Your power is a lie, and your skills are a lie.”

Was that how others saw it? My growth has indeed been exceptionally rapid lately. But calling it cheating, was that something Sansuyu should say?

Who was this woman?

She was the noble Sansuyu, who consumed all sorts of potions and elixirs. Her talent wasn’t vague; Sansuyu perfectly integrated my feedback into her swordsmanship.

Technically, I was superior, but I was gradually losing ground. Sansuyu’s talent was exceptional.

“Good is good, right?”

So, I spoke up.

Whether it’s Sansuyu or me, this match allowed us to cross a threshold.

Sansuyu, looking at me with a blank face, quietly said.

“…Acknowledged.”

“Right?”

Anyway, the match was over.

I think I have grown enough not to fall behind anyone now.

To grow more, I needed to increase my stats, but I didn’t have time for that.

All I could do now was to add allies.

‘Someone with the ability to protect Jin Dallae.’

Jung Siwoo. Sansuyu.

These two were Irregulars, and they would probably easily sweep away any enemy appearing before them.

Lee Seyeong vouched for this.

-The freshman valedictorian and salutatorian? Even compared to active heroes, they are in no way inferior.

They inherently had different outputs, so these two need to be kept close to Jin Dallae.

I could temporarily increase my output, but it quickly overheated. It was questionable how many seconds I could maintain a technique nearing completion.

It was like attaching a cheap cooler to the latest CPU model.

To inflict maximum damage, hit-and-run tactics must be employed. Therefore, it was unreasonable for me to protect Jin Dallae by myself.

‘Complicated.’

“Sion. What are you thinking?”

“It’s Shiheon, not Sion.”

“…Shiheon.”

I turned my head slightly to look at Sansuyu. Her pale yellow eyes blinked.

“Do you know Jin Dallae?”

“Who?”

“Jin Dallae, um… the pink-haired one?”

“Pink… Pinkjang? I think I’ve seen her.”

She flinched.

“Where did you hear that from?”

“On the internet.”

“Where?”

“TreeSide? TreeInSide?”

“Uh… How did you end up on that site?”

“…Jihu showed me a comic. It was in the comments there. They said the pink-haired one is Pinkjang.”

Mr. Secretary…

Just now, my internal evaluation of her secretary plummeted.

“Don’t go on that site.”

“Why?”

“Listen to a friend.”

“Friend…”

Sansuyu seemed to be conflicted, but then she looked at me with a sideways glance.

“…Then how do I experience culture?”

“What?”

“Siwoo said to learn the culture of these days’ kids and sometimes showed me. What do I do if I don’t watch?”

“Uh…”

I pondered with my chin in hand and then pointed toward the outside of the training area.

“Shall we go eat for now?”

“They said not to eat outside.”

“Parents’ words are meant to be broken.”

“Is it?”

In times like these, it was chicken and beer.

We left the training area two hours early and found a nearby pub. The sun was still high, but daytime drinking was the real deal.

As soon as the draft beer and chicken arrived, Sansuyu, who had been watching them, had questions in her eyes.

“Beer.”

“Yeah?”

“I’ve never had it before.”

While I tore a chicken leg myself, I offered it to Sansuyu.

“Do I eat this?”

“Don’t use chopsticks. Use your hands.”

“With hands?”

Sansuyu cautiously ate the chicken leg. She crunched and chewed.

“It’s different from what we eat at home.”

“Food outside is delicious. It’s an unwritten rule. Try the beer, too.”

Sansuyu gulped down the beer and put down the glass, letting out a short cough.

-Snip.

It was a cute, deflating sound.

Sansuyu didn’t seem embarrassed.

I also enjoyed my beer with chicken. The fizziness and pleasant bitterness circulated in my mouth.

“Isn’t happiness simple? It’s beer and chicken.”

“Happiness?”

“Do you feel it?”

“Not sure.”

Sansuyu, with her head down, was staring at the glass in her hand.

Water droplets at the rim fell onto her wrist.

I had seen her several times, but I didn’t know what she was thinking. Whether she felt emotions or she really grew up like that. It was clear that she was from Jin Dallae’s class of people.

If Jin Dallae was too sensitive, Sansuyu was too insensitive.

“Anyway, keep drinking until you know. Okay?”

“Okay…”

“Let me show you how to eat green onion chicken. Put a lot of green onions like this and open your mouth.”

“Aah-”

Sansuyu, with the chicken in her mouth, moved her lips and narrowed her eyes.

It seemed that she felt the spiciness.

“…It stings in the nose. And also the tongue.”

“Ah. That’s called spiciness. It’s part of Korean culture.”

Sansuyu, chewing diligently, wiped a tear with her finger.

“It doesn’t seem bad. Is this culture?”

“Yes. This is culture.”

TreeInSide was a no-go. I visited there once since coming to this world, and that place ruined people.

Someone as pristine as Sansuyu could get tainted with just a little exposure.

The ones born grey could mix with black without showing, but white lost its essence even with a little mix.

-Gulp.

“It hurts.”

-Gulp.

“…It hurts.”

Sansuyu, who was continuously eating the spicy chicken, moaned repeatedly. She seemed addicted to the stimulation.

“Is it good?”

After finishing the meal, I quietly asked Sansuyu.

“Yes.”

Sansuyu still had an expressionless face and nodded. A tiny tear was in the corner of her eye.

Seeing her like that, I lightly uttered.

“So, I have a request-”

When I explained the situation with some metaphors, Sansuyu readily agreed.

A friend’s request must be listened to; she learned that from her secretary.

My internal evaluation of the secretary was rising again.