Chapter 267 (1/2)

However, I was the one who was surprised. I thought he could only shoot from a distance, but the melee fighting skills he hid were better than expected.

“I want to see more of your skills.”

Blue magic power swirled around Leslie. The blue magic power left an afterimage and started spinning at a faster rate. Additionally, the Ether Blade in Leslie’s hand became sharper. The stones and pebbles in Leslie’s surroundings were slowly sucked to him. The force became stronger as if the N and S poles of a magnet were meeting and pulling with a tremendous attraction.

“I’m going to show you the true power of the Maschenny-Style Melee Combat.”

It was only then that I realized the black hole-like phenomenon was occurring due to Leslie’s blue magic power. I realized this was the true face of the Maschenny-Style Melee Combat. My body gradually moved toward Leslie like I was being sucked into a black hole. I held on with my legs, but dust rose as I was dragged forward.

...Amazing. I wouldn’t fall at this level, but I could only engage in close-range combat. The Maschenny-Style Melee Combat was like this. It was to force an enemy to fight in close combat. It was a type of taunting skill. If this was taught to Lim Changyong, Kim Cheol, and Park Jangsoo, then we would be able to achieve great results in the last event of the competition, PvP.

I told Leslie, “I will also do my best.”

I quickly canceled Rising Sun and wind appeared around my legs. My hand pulled the wind around me and created a vacuum. It was only then that I felt the pulling sensation on my body stop.

There was a funny expression on Leslie’s face. The great wind and blue magic power caused a frenzy. It was as if two typhoons were colliding.

“Kyaack!”

“Kuock!”

“Ack!”

There were cries from the group around us, but Leslie and I just smiled at each other. We would rush forward the moment one of us showed the slightest gap. It was at this time...

“......!”

“......!”

Leslie turned around at a sudden attack. The wild gusts of wind stopped and the thick dust subsided. At the same time, someone’s footsteps were heard through the dust. I used the wind to remove all the dust.

The one who attacked was Park Muyeol. “It is time to rest. Let’s smoke a cigarette.”

Leslie and I smiled as we made eye contact with each other. It was so ridiculous that we laughed. We shrugged at the same time.

* * *

Park Muyeol, Leslie, and I entered the small lounge of the training ground.

The three of us dragged out chairs and sat at the table.

It was Park Muyeol who broke the silence first.

He took out a cigarette and gave it to me.

Where did he get this?

“Here.”

I received the cigarette without saying a word.

“You?”

“Thank you.”

Park Muyeol encouraged Leslie to smoke and Leslie nodded in thanks.

It was up to me to light them.

It could be ignited with a lighter, but the cigarettes burning with the sun energy was delicious.

I raised my index finger, let out a spark of the sun, and lit the two people’s cigarettes in turn.

Smoke rose from the two cigarettes while I finally lit my cigarette and took in a deep breath.

“Sigh.”

Silence once again descended.

The three of us didn’t talk as we smoked the cigarettes.

Leslie spoke first, “Based on your fighting method, you aren’t from the Parta Principality. Where did you learn that combat style?”

“I learned it when I was a kid. I don’t know exactly where I learned it. It is an old memory.”

“Hmm. I see.”

Once again, it was silent.

Park Muyeol alternated looking between me and Leslie.

This time, I opened my mouth first, “Can you teach the Maschenny-style to my friends outside?”

“Where are you going to use it?”

“Let’s just say it is a showdown of national pride.”

“National pride...”

Leslie looked at the burning end of his cigarette with deep eyes.

The smoke from his mouth and nose remained in the air, unable to escape.

“I was once a soldier fighting in the Frontier Border Guards of the Parta Principality. At that time, the Parta Principality experienced many wars. Inside and outside, it was a battleground.”

I looked into Leslie’s eyes.

Now he was showing his inner self.

“It happened one day. At the time, the Orca Kingdom invaded and captured all my colleagues in the Frontier Border Guards. However, the Parta Principality couldn’t afford to go to war so they turned away from my colleagues.”

Leslie stared into the air and continued speaking as he recalled that time, “I decided to leave the Parta Principality. I attacked the border guards of the Orca Kingdom and rescued my captured companions. I fled with them and came here. Of course, our families were also with us.”

The story behind it was probably as I guessed.

Perhaps...

“In the process, my wife and daughter died.”

“......”

“Aidan treated us as spies from the Parta Principality, and set up my wife and daughter as targets for target practice, killing the both of them.”

I stared into Leslie’s eyes while Park Muyeol slowly closed his eyes and listened.

“The moment when my life was in danger, Aren’s wife, Sarah, led the resistance and saved me. Thus, I became one of the resistance. Then I came all the way here.”

Leslie paused for a moment before stepping on the cigarette to put it out.

“However, I also failed to protect Sarah.”

I was still silent, wondering what exactly he wanted to say.

“It is important to protect the pride of your nation. However, I think it is more important to protect your loved ones. I want to use my Maschenny-style Melee Combat skill to protect loved ones, not the nation.”

I smiled happily.

He was a good person, just as I expected.

Somehow, there were many similarities with me so I felt a deep sense of kinship.

It was probably the same for Leslie.

Come to think of it, we were speaking casually without honorifics.

Leslie chuckled.

“...This is why my blood is boiling. It has been a long time since I’ve seen the eyes of a man who has loved their loved ones.”

Leslie looked at me and then Park Muyeol.

After that, he stood up. “I will start the training right away. It doesn’t matter if I take command, right?”

I shrugged.

Park Muyeol gave a small nod.

He went out like this and Park Muyeol scoffed.

“Bah. You have strange friends.”