Black Badger

One wrong move, and I'd end up in the hospital for the long haul.

That was the thought that hit me the moment I blocked the third attack.

Yoon didn't go easy on me at all. He didn't use his favorite guns or bombs, so he probably wasn't at full strength either. Still, I was stunned by the sharp killing intent he directed at me.

If I hadn't parried that last attack with my sword, my artery would have been sliced open.

This guy knew far too well how to end the life of a humanoid being.

Clang!

The fourth clash.

When I sparred with the mushroom, we'd gone at it for 34 exchanges, but just four rounds in, my muscles already screamed.

I couldn't keep playing defense like this.

I tensed my muscles, bracing for the next assault.

As I straightened the knee I'd bent while gripping my sword, Yoon appeared right in front of me.

In an instant, he'd erased his killing intent and just stared at me, which made me blink in surprise.

"You still can't cross that line."

He said it while looking at me.

"If you keep this up, you won't regain your full strength."

"Excuse me?"

"Don't hesitate just because your opponent's human."

Yoon flicked the blade he pointed at me.

"You're holding back to avoid killing him, so that's why you can't push past that boundary right now."

But...

Wasn't that the normal way to think?

Shouldn't you try not to kill your opponent?

Even with an augmented body. Like in Mashu Sarin's case, if your body got split in two, you were dead.

And my power wasn't as weak as it used to be anymore.

If I messed up, I could actually kill the other guy, so being cautious was only natural.

Once you held a weapon, getting careful was just common sense for any sane person, right?

I didn't get a chance to voice any of that.

The moment I let my mind wander, my opponent charged.

No, he already exploited the opening.

Ah.

If I didn't block this, it was a fatal wound.

The tip of his sword aimed straight at my heart.

If I didn't deflect it...

It would pierce me.

Kwaaaang!

My arm moved on reflex.

A sword slash I'd unleashed right before his blade could dig into my flesh. I'd forgotten who wielded the sword against me and struck with full force—a strike that no ordinary counter could neutralize, driven by pure survival instinct.

The training hall wall crumbled from the impact.

Panting, I stared at my smoke-obscured vision through the dust cloud.

This was bad.

I'd screwed up.

"Ah."

I flinched at the low voice that came from within the dust cloud.

My hand still throbbed from the shock of that sword slash. My arm muscles ached, and the greatsword's edge was chipped.

It felt like I'd suddenly remembered a technique I'd forgotten.

The smell of blood.

A man emerged from the smoke.

"Now that's more like it."

Yoon spat out a glob of blood.

The wound that had slashed across his throat and ear already healed. His blood-soaked shirt and black hair drew my eyes.

Yoon wiped the blood from his face.

Then he grinned, ruffling his bloodied bangs.

"You know you have to see it through to the end like this to improve, right, old man?"

"Why the sudden change?"

"Next time, I'll come at you with a rifle, so clear your schedule."

Yoon tossed his broken sword to the ground and kicked it away.

Even as he shrugged off his bloodied windbreaker, a satisfied smile lingered on his lips.

A kind of smile I'd never seen from him before.

"Facing half-assed opponents just stagnates your skills."

Hadn't I already graduated from that?

"Book the training hall yourself."

"Book it? Me?"

"Then who?"

"...So next time, you'll be toting a rifle and genuinely trying to kill me?"

"That's how we both get stronger."

Yoon replied in a tone like I asked the obvious.

I stared at him blankly.

His dark eyes met mine. Cool, clear irises. I'd finally succeeded in clipping the hem of this man's clothes. Maybe even nearly taking his head.

Real progress. Solid proof that I steadily reclaimed my old strength.

But strangely, it didn't feel as satisfying as I'd imagined.

If anything, facing my grinning mentor now stirred a different emotion in me...

"Show some respect for your elders."

I muttered, awed by the innate cruelty etched into his nature.

"Respect for elders."

"In an organization, who brings up age?"

Yoon responded as if he'd never called me "old man" before.

He shoved his hands in his pockets and added,

"Don't you know what a cohort system is?"

You bastard.

Just pick one.

I couldn't spit out the scream echoing inside me.

Resigned, I nodded gloomily, my state more worn than before the training.

*

The next day, a message came from the HR Director.

[HR Director: Let's wait a bit! ^^]

It was about Ricardo.

I doubted waiting would change anything...

But I couldn't say that, so I sent a formal reply.

Then I spent the whole day holed up in my cabin without stepping outside. No outings, no gaming. I just lounged on the beanbag, waiting for incoming messages.

Hesi and Tom sent messages congratulating me on my discharge.

They'd both received their schedules too.

Fortunately, with the Center Core territory expansion coming up this year, they both stayed at Center Core.

[Cohort Chat / Hesi: I'm off to E Zone tomorrow. Some repair work.]

[Cohort Chat / Tom: I'm stocking supplies at the Library of Beginnings and checking core devices for the territory expansion.]

Just me on patrol duty.

It looked like I'd eat meals with Jonathan Kudo for a while. Apparently, you shared meals with your patrol partner.

It was obvious this wouldn't be as relaxed as before.

A bit saddened by that, I typed a message, but Tom and Hesi didn't care about my meals.

They still fumed about the kidnappers.

[Cohort Chat / Hesi: A permanent scar, and he only gets 20 years? Does that even make sense?]

[Cohort Chat / Tom: You're really okay, right?]

[Cohort Chat / Me: I told you, teachers...]

[Cohort Chat / Tom: Honestly, I don't fully trust your "I'm fine" anymore.]

[Cohort Chat / Hesi: Yeah, me neither.]

[Cohort Chat / Me: I'm fine. Totally fine.]

[Cohort Chat / Hesi: But does 20 years even make sense? Shouldn't it be life at minimum?]

[Cohort Chat / Me: Calm down. They've already been punished enough.]

Since they're dead.

While I was hospitalized, Spitfire messaged me too.

Eric Airheart, who'd nabbed the culprits faster than anyone.

He sent what seemed like a voice-supported message.

[Spitfire: They weren't all that interesting, anyway. Well, they're not here anymore ^^]

Just as Yoon said, he hadn't gotten any useful info from them.

But the platinum-haired elder vowed to find the mysterious newcomer pulling the strings from the shadows for me. It seemed to have sparked his odd competitive streak. Someone who didn't immediately ping on his radar was a rare find.

Plus, he apparently liked that someone held a grudge against me.

The elder was thrilled at how intriguingly things unfolded, then switched topics at the end.

[Spitfire: By the way, did you open the gift I sent?]

The white box handed over by his blond retainer.

The flowers I'd received then had already wilted. But the white box still sat pristine in my cabin. I'd opened it, just didn't want to take it out.

Inside was a work of art.

[Spitfire: It's the genuine article, of course. With your sensitive condition, take care in storing it.]

I knew that. That was the problem.

A few months ago, the moment I saw the tightly packaged canvas, I'd felt a chill and called Yoon over. My grumbling mentor took one look and recognized it.

He clicked his tongue and told me about the painting.

Since it was a gift from an elder, it wouldn't be a fake—and the info he provided was shocking.

Peter Paul Rubens's "Prometheus Bound."

A masterpiece from the 17th-century Baroque giant.

Why give something like this to me?

[Spitfire: Hang it in a cool spot without sunlight!]

Did this guy not realize my cabin was smaller than one room in his house?

I wanted to donate it to a museum right away, but I lacked the confidence to handle the fallout. For similar reasons, I drove the luxury car Colton gave me.

I couldn't even answer where I'd gotten it.

So the artwork stayed boxed, enshrined in the coolest spot in my cabin.

Still sprawled on the beanbag, I gazed at the box.

I'd once felt nothing about the title the elders gave me, but now hearing the nickname twisted my gut.

Not long ago, the elders held a meeting and assigned me a moniker there.

The One Who Begins to Stir.

Leader of the Titans.

Kyle's nickname was, naturally, Chronos.

Unlike me, who'd turned his back on the Titans.

[Shu: There's a post on the gaming community about Easter eggs in the From series. Want me to share?]

A message from my senior.

I shook off the stray thoughts and moved my fingers.

[Me: Yes! Thanks. I'll check it as soon as I have time.]

[Shu: It's not all the Easter eggs solved, but anyway, look later. How's your body feeling?] 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

I needed to replay From E and try From K.

Games got sidelined by urgent matters. I couldn't cling to games with unknown payoffs forever.

But now I really should play them.

I'd rest just until today.

Answering the flood of "You okay?" messages from my seniors, I fell asleep. Troubled by a chat with a senior who showed no sign of replying.

The day before patrol duty.

I surrendered to sleep, heavy as it was.

Even my dreams felt burdensome that night.

*

"Senior."

The next morning.

Sword at my side, I'd gone to the designated spot and gave a faint smile at the familiar face.

"Long time no see."

Jonathan Kudo looked at me impassively.

My senior stared as if he saw me for the first time.

His face showed no trace of our shared ordeal in that collapsed building. No flicker of recognition you get with someone you know.

Did this guy not even remember my name?

Better not to expect anything.

I smiled wryly and extended my right hand.

"I'm Hildebert Talev, who just passed the promotion exam."

Jonathan Kudo... seemed not to notice my outstretched hand.

He nodded curtly and turned away.

Then he started walking into the bustling street.

"Let's go."