Chapter 20: Sharing the Good (Part 1)
"Hmm... I'm not sure."
For someone who took so long to speak, it wasn't a particularly impressive statement.
"If he's the one Senpai chose, there must be something special about him..."
But Ralph couldn't see it.
"Still, he uses mana quite effectively. There's no waste in his movements. Seems like he's had good training since he was young. Whose child is he? Seems like he comes from a respectable family?"
That was all Ralph could deduce about Yuri.
Not knowing when Johann and Yuri had met, Ralph judged Yuri solely based on his current state.
"Chuckle."
Johann simply laughed at Ralph's assessment.
"He seems to have inherited your physique, and that's about it."
Johann's taunting tone earned a wry smile from Ralph.
"...Did you figure it out?"
"I'm not a fool. How could I not, when he's openly flailing about in thin air like that? If your grandson had inherited even a fraction of your temperament from your prime, Yuri would have had his head cracked open and rolling on the ground by now."
"Even if you say that..."
"Tsk tsk. How did a softy like him come from someone known as 'the Butcher'?"
"..."
"Wait... Did you suggest this sparring match mainly because of your grandson?"
"Well, partly, I suppose."
"Heh heh."
Johann's laughter deepened Ralph's wry smile.
"That rascal..."
Yuri's ability to evade thus far was partly due to his swift movements.
But fundamentally, it was because his grandson, Nochi, was only delivering "ineffective attacks."
If Nochi had made a "real" attack, the spar would have ended as soon as it began.
But Nochi didn't.
Or rather, he couldn't.
"Hmm, even in a spar, he considers his opponent..."
His only son had a weak and gentle nature, unlike himself.
His martial arts were based on a strong physique, something his son couldn't inherit.
So when his grandson was born, how delighted he had been!
Just like his son, his grandson was born with a gentle disposition.
"Grace, you're lucky. Whether it's your son or your grandson... they're both just like you."
His late wife's gentle nature had captivated him from the start.
He had loved her deeply, and now, his children and grandchildren had inherited her kind spirit. How could he not adore them?
But...
"Even if I wanted him to have determination..."
He didn't wish for his grandson to be as ruthless as he was in his youth.
He simply wished for him to possess some determination.
It was the minimum requirement to survive in the age of swordsmanship.
That's why he gently urged his grandson to spar with Johann's disciple.
He thought maybe a sparring match would ignite some competitiveness in Nochi.
But the disappointing outcome made him sigh involuntarily.
"He still has a long way to go. A long way."
At just 13 years old, his grandson's life was just beginning.
Ralph believed that his grandson would change as he grew older, but he couldn't help feeling disappointed.
Meanwhile, at that moment, Yuri finally noticed something amiss.
"What's this?"
The opponent's attacks were fierce and sharp.
Yet, mixed in with them were attacks that even his own senses couldn't catch up to.
Attacks that he felt would be difficult to dodge.
But for some reason, he could easily evade even those attacks.
"Why? Is he deliberately missing?"
The same situation repeated itself several times.
Yuri continued to evade while observing his opponent's movements.
There was hesitation in his opponent's movements.
It seemed like he was deliberately restraining his strength.
That's when Yuri became certain.
"This guy, he can't attack?"
He was just pretending to attack.
Yuri's lips curled up slightly as he realized this.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Though the attacks were still destructive and threatening, he no longer felt afraid.
After all, those attacks wouldn't reach him anyway.
With a gleam in his eyes, Yuri shouted, "Sensei! Give me a sword too!"
At Johann's mocking laugh, Yuri didn't falter.
Instead, he confidently declared, "Thank you!"
Swiftly grabbing the sword that flew towards him, Yuri widened the distance between himself and Nochi.
"I don't know why you can't attack, but..."
Yuri tightened his grip on the sword.
"I'm grateful if you keep coming at me like this! Because!"
Yuri's determination shot towards Nochi.
"I can still strike even if you can't!"
Closing the distance with agile movements, Yuri leaped up vigorously and swung his sword down.
"Call this 'free victory'!"
Free victory.
Yuri coolly spat out the term mercenaries used to refer to 'victories obtained without effort.'
At this, Johann chuckled.
"You fool. Hmph!"
Yuri didn't hear Johann's mockery.
He was simply confident that his attack would land.
But there were a few things he didn't know.
Firstly, that the boy in front of him, at only 13 years old, was a genius who had been honing his martial arts for almost 10 years.
Secondly, that the person who laid the foundation for his martial arts was none other than the masterful Ralph.
Thirdly, due to his outstanding talent and a great mentor, Nochi's martial arts prowess had already reached the level of a 1st-grade non-official martial artist.
And crucially, lastly.
The reason Johann couldn't help but laugh.
It was because...
"Huh?"
Even though the opponent couldn't hit him directly, it didn't mean he couldn't hit his weapon.
And as if to prove that point, Nochi's wooden spear moved like a snake and clashed against Yuri's wooden sword with a speed far beyond anything before!
Clang!
"…?!"
The moment their weapons collided, Yuri felt a searing pain as if his grip was being torn apart.
"What… What kind of strength is this?!"
Despite delivering a blow with his full weight, Nochi's attack from below effortlessly pushed back Yuri's sword.
It was almost humiliatingly easy.
"Ah…."
In that moment, Yuri had a sinking feeling.
"...Did I lose?"
And that was Yuri's last memory.
Crash!
Nochi's spear knocked Yuri's sword aside, and then, to add insult to injury, struck Yuri's forehead.
Thunk!
The sound of impact echoed, and Yuri's body was sent flying backward.
From his face, no less.
Thud!
Gracefully tumbling through the air, Yuri wobbled for a moment before slumping down like a wet rag.
Seeing this, Nochi dropped his spear, trembling.
"Is… Is he dead?"
Nochi was shocked to realize that he had killed someone.
His face turned pale with horror.
That's when it happened.
"You…!"
Yuri, who had been thought to be dead, suddenly sprung up and lunged at Nochi.
"You… You… You deliberately didn't attack to lull me into complacency, didn't you? That's… That's not fair… You… You considered me a brother… Really… This is… Or rather, from the start, it's unfair… It's not a draw… You, just wait and see…."
Although he was speaking, Yuri's consciousness had already faded.
His words were the unconscious expression of his true feelings.
But Yuri's rambling didn't last long.
Thud!
With a refreshing sound, Yuri's upper body collapsed forward.
Thump!
In the silent arena, the sound of a person falling resonated loudly.
And all eyes turned to the sprawled figure of Yuri.
Ralph blinked incredulously and asked, "Where did you find such an audacious fellow?"
To which Johann, with a serious expression, replied, "He's not my disciple."
"…What?"
"Absolutely not."
"…Who is he then?"
"Anyway, not mine."
"…."
Yohan, who vehemently denied any attachment, approached the unconscious Yuri and sat down beside him.
He turned to Ralph and remarked, "Congratulations, it seems your lad won the first round."
His tone lacked any hint of regret for losing.
It was as if he had expected the outcome.
Likewise, Ralph replied nonchalantly, knowing full well that he would win.
"So, when will the second round begin?"
"Well, since that's the case… let's take it easy for a while."
"Hmm?"
"Hehe, now that we've stirred up the fire, it's time for some tempering."
With that, Yohan gently tapped the back of Yuri's head.
Understanding Yohan's intention, Ralph shrugged.
"Well, suit yourself. Even if we start teaching now, the outcome probably won't change much."
As Yohan listened to Ralph's words, he suddenly stopped tapping Yuri.
A mischievous smile played on his lips.
"Who knows? It might be quite different this time."
With that remark and a mysterious smile, Yohan leisurely left the arena.
---
That afternoon,
Drip-drip-drip-drip.
Yuri woke up to the sound of light rain.
He quietly sat up and looked around.
The feeling of the animal skin he lay on.
The cave-like surroundings.
The slightly darkening sky.
The sound of raindrops hitting leaves and the smell of rain.
As he became aware of his current situation, confusion and frustration crept into his face.
In a moment of unbearable frustration, his face contorted.
"How do you feel? Now that you've lost," a clangy voice from behind said.
It was clear who the owner of that voice was, even without thinking deeply.
And, in fact, it was pointless to care about the owner of the voice.
Because Yuri had realized the source of the overwhelming frustration from a single word thrown by Yohan.
A small sigh escaped Yuri's lips.
"I… lost."
The source of the overwhelming frustration in his chest.
It was nothing other than the feeling of defeat.
Defeat.
A word he had never even considered in his life.
The opponent had trained for years, while Yuri had barely touched mana for just over a month.
And not to mention, this was just the first round of a series of matches!
Nothing could console him.
"I… lost?"
He lost.
He fought someone and lost for the first time.
And it was a complete defeat.
Only that fact dominated Yuri's soul.
Yuri gazed blankly at the falling raindrops.
His silence lingered for a long time.
Yohan silently watched over him without saying a word.
As the raindrops grew thicker, Yuri's tightly closed lips quivered.
"Never again…."
Amidst the heavy rain, Yuri's determined voice echoed.
"I don't want to lose. Ever again."
Yuri's intense gaze shone brightly even in the dimness.
Snickering, Yohan's lips curled up upon hearing the boy's soliloquy.
And so, from the day of Yuri's unforgettable first defeat in his life…
Six months had passed.
As spring faded and the edge of summer approached, the stifling heat began to relent, and the humid breeze shifted slightly cooler. The seasonal transition also found its way to Ralph's home nestled in the foothills of the Cold Barrier Range.
On a somewhat dim afternoon, Ralph stood in the spacious backyard, gazing up at the sky with a slight furrow in his brow.
"Hmm... Looks like it's about to pour," he muttered, his voice tinged with annoyance. But his frustration wasn't about the impending rain.
"It looks like it's going to rain, but where are these two troublemakers hiding?!"
For the past six months, two unexpected guests had overstayed their welcome since arriving in the spring. Yuri and Yohan, who had designated today as the second day of their duel, were nowhere to be found even after ten minutes.
It was their absence that was irksome, not the possibility of rain.
Moochi, noticing the uncomfortable atmosphere, cautiously spoke up, "Shall I go and find them?"
"Forget it. What's the use? If they're any later, we'll consider it a forfeit," Ralph replied, his irritation palpable.
"But Yuri hyung was really looking forward to today... I had high hopes, but..."
"Insuk, do you think the opponent Yuri believed in will win? You should have some confidence in winning too!"
"Do we really have to do that? My father once said that sometimes losing can be winning."
"Tsk, it seems your father taught you some nonsense. Tsk tsk."
"But... I don't particularly want to fight Yuri hyung... Can't we just call it quits, Grandpa?"
Despite his grandson's question, Ralph inwardly sighed.
How had Yuri, of all people, managed to get under his skin? Moochi followed Yuri around like a shadow, as if he were his own older brother.
Moochi naturally disliked confrontation, but since befriending Yuri, he seemed even more reluctant to engage in this particular duel.
Ralph's face briefly softened with a hint of pity as he looked at his grandson.
"Moochi..."
With a superior physique and rapid growth rate, Moochi possessed a talent that could be seen as a blessing by some.
But such talent had distanced Moochi from his peers.
The gaze of children and even adults was always filled with wariness and fear when they looked at him.
Moochi knew he couldn't relate to other kids.
The only exception was Yuri, who treated him not as a monster but as an ordinary child... a family member beyond blood ties.
Even in the context of a duel, Moochi didn't want to fight someone like that.
Despite knowing this, Ralph shook his head resolutely.
"That's not an option."
"But..."
"If you admit defeat before even fighting, it's a big disrespect to the one who's been preparing for today."
"..."
"Have you not seen him? Every night, coming back looking like a ragged mess."
Six months ago, after their first duel, Yohan had told Ralph that they would be in his debt for a while.
But in reality, Yuri and Yohan had spent most of their time deep in the mountains.
They trained in the mountains for most of the day, and every late night, Yohan would carry the exhausted Yuri back.
Every single day without fail.
In truth, Yuri and Yohan had merely slept at Ralph's house.
Witnessing this scene every day for six months, Moochi couldn't say anything in response to his grandfather's words and simply shook his head.
And then, at that moment, Ralph's gaze shifted to one side.
Enjoying the story? Don't forget to rate 5 stars and review in NovelUpdte!