novelMonster Wave 1
| ← Ch.427 | Ch.429 → |
The world had lost a hundred capital cities, and to rebuild those cities, they hired from the poll of unemployed. An astronomical amount of money went into the rebuilding efforts, but many wealthy families had invested in hopes of getting larger returns.
For the rebuilding, the governments around the world planned on using mana power generators to decrease air pollution. The generators would supply the electricity. They had acquired most of their mana stones through monster extermination, but now, they knew they had to get them from the Dimensional Battlefield.
Those who went to the Dimensional Battlefield found that mana stones could earn them money, and many no longer feared the battlefield.
The world was changing, transforming, and Guardians was a the center of it all. Guardians itself was changing.
Seven champions had gathered at Guardians HQ. Martial arts masters came from all over to that same HQ. Guardians had even searched for those who had become hermits and nomads. The world didn't spare anything in its effort to train the champions.
There was a state-of-the-art training facility in the building now. There hadn't been any official research on powered people before, but many countries had devoted themselves to that research now. The world was researching how to improve powers, and many famous scientists had come to Guardians HQ.
The powered people were gathered at the training facility, and they all met Junhyuk.
There were 7 champions in a room. In another, there were 22 experts. Some novices had volunteered for training, and they were in yet another room. There were 102 of those there..
Junhyuk wanted to speak to the seven champions first. Looking at them, he said with a smile, "I want to know what you need. First, I invited martial arts masters from around the world to join us. It'll only be for a short while, but many of them are here, and many more are on their way now."
The masters were glad to have a chance to teach the powered people. If they taught the powered people how to fight on the Dimensional Battlefield and how to fight monsters on Earth, they too would become famous. Therefore, most had jumped at the opportunity.
"Before noon, the champions will spar with me. In the afternoon, you'll work with the masters."
"While sparring, can I use all of my powers?"
Junhyuk looked at the one who had just spoken, Aleksei, the Russian, and smiled at him.
"While sparring with me, use everything you have."
Junhyuk wouldn't use his Spatial Slash nor his Spatial Collapse on the champions. He could still kill them with a Wolf Warlord's Claw Sword.
The champions' powers couldn't kill him, so he would train them on how to use their powers more effectively. After each fight, that champion would be healed by Sarang.
Sarang could kill them with her Thunderstorm, so she also had to control her power to prevent that from happening when she participated.
Junhyuk pulled out two Wolf Warlord Claw Swords and said, "Come at me one by one."
The champions looked at each other, and Ling Ling, from China, finally stepped forward. He smiled at her. Ling Ling had become an expert right after him, but she had taken way longer to become a champion, doing so a long time after him. However, he knew how strong she could be.
"Do your best, " Junhyuk said to her.
"Yes, sir!"
—
Junhyuk brought all seven champions to death's door. When he went to the room with the experts, he did the same to them. He did not have time to personally train the novices, but he called Sora privately and trained her.
Junhyuk used the rest of the time to train with Aksha's swordsmanship. Aksha was a legend among legends, and his swordsmanship was superior to nearly all he had seen before.
Aksha had had a style of his own, and Junhyuk was trying to learn it. He had full control of his muscles, but he still found the learning process to be extremely difficult.
Junhyuk did his best, and he knew he couldn't master it in a day. Aksha was a legend after all.
He realized that he couldn't simply practice alone. Junhyuk had faced many enemies, and that had been how he had improved his skills. Training by himself, he got tired and collapsed.
He didn't know how much time had passed, but Sarang rushed to him.
"Are you OK?"
He had forbidden the others from sparring with each other. If they used their powers during mock battles, any of them might die at any moment.
While Junhyuk had decided to train alone, Sarang had gone to train by herself in another room. There, she had contacted Vera and learned magic from her. She hadn't stopped training until she was squatting next to him and poking his cheek.
"How was your visit to your parents'?"
Junhyuk looked at her and answered, "It was nice. Yours?"
Sarang sighed.
"Let's not talk about it. My mother cried the whole time, and my father wanted to keep me from saving the world."
Her parents were worried about her. In fact, they were really worried. Even though she was a hero, she was still their daughter.
"What did you tell your parents?"
"I told them that without me the Earth would be in a danger."
She had added a little drama, but she had told the truth. Sarang had been key in destroying the monster areas. That was a well-known fact around the world.
Her parents were simply worried about her safety.
"You should do something for your parents."
"I know."
Sarang didn't have to worry about money. While destroying the monster areas, she had earned more money than she could spend. The Core Bombs had destroyed the areas, but they still had had to deal with the A-ranked monsters. The reward money from that was still plenty.
Junhyuk got up, looked at her and asked, "Shall we spar?"
"Sure!"
Junhyuk could practice long range engagements while sparring with her. He was learning a new style, and he wanted to try it out.
Sarang knew that, so she stayed away from him and smiled.
"Is this OK?"
"It's up to you."
Junhyuk had the faster speed, but it still wasn't easy to deal with magic from far away. There were also pillars in the room.
Sarang distanced herself further and pulled out her orb.
"It won't be easy for you."
Electric arrows flew out of her orb. She could cast them much faster now than she had ever been able to.
Junhyuk decided to teleport during their mock battle. Sarang was always targeted by assassins with stealth powers, so he wanted to get her ready.
He closed in normally first, without accelerating, and she smirked, casting more electric arrows. Junhyuk tried to block an arrow coming at him, but suddenly, that arrow split in two. He couldn't respond to it. The arrow hit his chest hard, followed immediately by an electric blast. Junhyuk was paralyzed.
Keeping her distance, Sarang cast five more electric arrows at the same time, and they hovered around her orb.
"What!?"
Suddenly, all five arrows slammed against him. After that, he regained his movement, but he still couldn't do anything. Sarang extended her orb, and an enormous amount of electricity gathered around it.
Junhyuk teleported to her, swinging Aksha's sword toward her, and the electricity boomed out. It went everywhere, hitting the pillars around the room, but it eventually all converged on him.
Junhyuk had never seen that magic, so he teleported again. An electric orb was waiting for him like a landmine in front of her.
Junhyuk collapsed, and Sarang cheered loudly.
"Too early to celebrate!"
Aksha's longsword lengthened, touching her neck. She frowned. Junhyuk had a lot of magic defense, which was how he had been able to withstand all of that magic and attack her.
Sarang smacked her lips.
"I thought I could make you crawl with my magic, but you are too much for me."
Junhyuk shortened his sword. He had finished the fight with his lengthened sword, but he had gotten his butt kicked the whole time up to that.
"What was all that?! Are those new powers?"
"I wanted your acceleration, but I learned some other magic, " she said with a smile."Chain Lightning, Lightning Web and Lightning Trap. I combined them, but I still couldn't do anything against your magic resistance."
"When and where did you learn those spells?"
"I've been working hard. I completed that attack just before I came to see you."
Junhyuk knew she hadn't used her new attacks before that sparring session with him. She had nearly won with her magic, and now, she could even trap him.
"Do you have enough mana left?"
The training facility had no mana, so Sarang showed him her bracelet.
"I had to use this. Once all the mana stored in it is used up, I'll go to sister Elise's house and absorb some more. When I go to the Dimensional Battlefield, even if its empty, I can fill it up really fast."
"I need to ask Gongon for more bracelets like that one."
"You should. Magic uses more mana than non-magic powers."
Junhyuk needed mana to accelerate. After gaining the living spirit, he could absorb more mana faster. Sarang couldn't absorb mana like he could.
"You've improved."
Junhyuk patted her head, and her eyes brightened. She had used the spells she had been working on in that day's sparring session. Her spells had been a success, and she had wanted to be complimented by him.
| ← Ch. 427 | Ch. 429 → |