00012 <-- Episode 12: Hunting the Demon (3) -->
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Are there other people in this deep forest besides us? Alita gripped her sword nervously. Then she asked.
“Could it be the enemy?”
Shihan clicked his tongue at the sight of her unintentionally showing a sense of caution.
“Do you think everyone in the world is your enemy?”
“yes.”
It was a firm answer. Of course, from Alita’s perspective, everyone in the world would be a potential enemy. That is, if her identity is revealed.
Shihan shook his head.
“Hey, could it be that the pursuit team came all the way here? I wonder if they’re just stragglers from the Barkelon Territory.”
“Still, it can’t hurt to be careful.”
Without letting her guard down, Alita looked in the direction Shihan had pointed.
“What about the distance?”
“Um, about 300 meters?”
“… … Wait? It’s not 30 meters, it’s 300 meters?”
Alita was terrified. Was that the distance at which she could sense presence?
Shihan shrugged.
“Do you know who I am? Even I used to be a successful person.”
“I know it went well. How many related booklets are there?”
“Huh? The book came out too?”
“There are so many. It would be fun to look them up later when you have the chance.”
“Ugh, I don’t really want to see it… … .”
Even as the two were joking around, the other person was getting closer. When he came within 20 meters, Alita could sense his presence.
Soon, the figure of the opponent appeared between the trees. It was a man in his twenties wearing half plate armor.
“Excuse me, but… … .”
Brown hair, lightly freckled white skin, and dark blue eyes.
He was a young man with typical Terranor Western Slocus race characteristics. His face was just average, and he looked old-fashioned, but his appearance was not particularly memorable.
However, below the neck, it was not typical at all.
He is 2m tall and his shoulders are incredibly wide. His entire body is covered in muscular muscles, which are clearly visible even through his armor.
“Can I ask you for directions?”
When the young man was asking a question to the two people, his eyes suddenly widened.
“uh?”
Alita had a similar expression.
“you are?”
Her opponent was none other than Zenon, the giant knight who had been chasing her on Mount Depilan. Startled, Alita drew her sword.
“Lilstein’s Trackers!”
At the same time, she charged forward with a fierce aura.
“Taaaat!”
***
The sword of the fight flew through the wind. Zenon stepped back in confusion. He had followed the two people’s footsteps all the way to this forest, but he had never expected to come face to face with them like this.
“Oh, wait a minute!”
Zenon tried to show that he had no hostility by waving his hand, but Alita paid no attention to him at all.
In an instant, a series of devastating blows come flying in. Just by looking at them, it’s clear that they have no intention of engaging in any conversation.
‘Ugh, I guess there’s nothing I can do.’
Zeno clicked his tongue and pulled out the sword on his back.
“Hey, up!”
With a loud roar, a spirit of fighting rose up from the giant two-handed sword. Zenon also began to attack while unfolding his fighting sword.
A loud noise echoed through the darkness of the forest as speculation and speculation clashed.
Once Zenon started using his sword in earnest, Alita started to get pushed back.
After all, the difference in skill is significant.
Moreover, Zeno’s swordsmanship was strangely strange, making it extremely difficult for her, who relied on speed, to deal with him.
Alita’s teeth chattered as she frantically dodged the attacks.
‘Hey, what kind of swordsmanship is this?’
Originally, it was common sense for swordsmanship to naturally change the trajectory and strike consecutively, so the ideal swordsmanship was to draw a circle.
But Zeno was different.
Every time the sword misses, it immediately changes angle and moves forward for the next attack, and all of its trajectories are at right angles.
It is about completely ignoring inertia and just continuing the next attack with the strength of your arms and wrists.
Normally, if you handled a sword like that, your wrist would be shattered, but he must be so strong that he swings that heavy sword around like a reed.
Alita gritted her teeth.
‘You’re like an ignorant muscle pig!’
A splendid battle ensues. Zenon continues to push and overwhelm her.
Still, Alita did not fall. It was because Zenon deliberately withdrew his sword at every critical moment.
“I have no intention of fighting!”
Shouting as he deflected Alita’s sword.
“Of course I fully understand why you act that way… … .”
Deliberately giving up even when the opportunity to counterattack comes.
“Can you give me a moment to speak?”
He swings his sword with a purely defensive stance.
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Shihan, who was watching from the side, frowned.
‘That, why… … .’
In fact, he was planning to help Alita right away. But as he looked closer, the situation became strange.
Alita was definitely no match for Zenon.
First of all, there is a big gap between the fighter class and the knight class. Their physical strength, fighting spirit, defense, and even their level as a swordsman are all inferior.
Since Xenon is so large, his speed is somewhat slow, but that is only in the case of full-body movements.
Her hand speed is by no means lower than Alita’s, and her sword speed itself is actually higher.
The large swordsmanship movements are merely a choice to maximize the defensive capabilities of the armor, and the sword speed that comes in between strikes is just as fast as any other swordsman.
And yet Alita bravely continued to fight without any injuries. That means… … .
‘… … That guy, he really doesn’t look like he wants to fight?’
I thought I should subdue him first and listen to what he had to say. Shihan deployed a sleeping device.
He melts into the darkness, wrapping his whole body in speculation. In that state, he silently goes behind Zeno and strikes his side with his palm. This is the same technique he used on Zeno the first time.
Boom!
With a loud noise, Zeno’s large body rose into the air. At the same time, Shihan also flew over the opponent’s head. It was the same scene as before, but Zeno’s response was different.
“also!”
As if he had known this would happen, Zenon twisted his body in the air and detonated the fighting spirit on his full body armor. Then, he immediately crossed his arms and blocked Shihan’s heels that were coming down. The two people in the air were thrown to either side.
“Ugh!”
The fallen Zenon rolled across the ground. As he straightened up and landed, Shihan opened his eyes.
“Huh?”
If things were normal, the opponent would have been buried deep in the ground.
“Did you release the pressure regulator?”
“Wait a minute! Please wait a minute!”
Zeno shouted again, struggling to get up.
“I have no intention of fighting you!”
“Huh! Nonsense!”
Alita flew away as if it was not worth the effort. Now that her opponent had shown an opening, it was the perfect opportunity to take her life.
But the clock stopped her sword.
Taang!
Alita and Shihan’s fighting swords entangle and discharge. Alita, overwhelmed by the force, steps back and frowns.
“What are you doing?”
“Let me just check for a moment.”
As the time came to a halt, Zeno began to catch his breath. Shihan looked at him and asked seriously.
“Hey, how did you know and unlock it just now?”
The pressure gun itself is not exactly a unique fighting technique of Shihan. However, the method of ‘subduing an opponent while satisfying the non-lethal condition’ using the pressure gun is undoubtedly his original usage.
“It was solved too neatly and orthodoxly to be a coincidence.”
Shihan’s gaze became even fiercer.
“As if you knew this technique well.”
This non-lethal pressure device is not known to many of my former colleagues or even within the revolutionary army. It was the method used before I met them.
After reaching the realm, I was able to subdue most opponents without getting hurt even without using such useless techniques. But now that my speculation has hit rock bottom, I am using them.
‘Oh, really, I thought no one would know this… … .’
Shihan glared at Zeno with cold eyes.
“Who are you?”
***
Zeno’s vision became blurred.
‘iced coffee…….’
My heart is pounding with excitement.
‘also…….’
Calmly and carefully examine the opponent. Black hair, black eyes, and that neat face. Memories from 12 years ago rush through my mind.
It was definitely the same face from back then, even though she was a bit older and more mature.
‘iced coffee!’
My mind feels empty. The legendary hero I’ve been dreaming of is truly right before my eyes.
What should I say? What should I open my mouth?
“So I… … .”
Zeno tried to calm his pounding heart.
First of all, I had to ask clearly. Are you the legendary hero, the savior of the other world, Seong Si-han?
At the same time, he wanted to let people know how much he had worshipped him. How precious and valuable the traces and stories he had left behind were to him, and with what heart he had collected and cherished them.
I should also express my gratitude. Thanks to you, I was able to take up the sword, dream of your back and swing the sword, and open my eyes to speculation to become a worthy knight.
My mind is in tangled confusion. My thoughts are racing. A thousand words and ten thousand thoughts are crossing my mind.
I want to confirm it. I want to be recognized. I want to brag.
So he did all of these things at the same time.
“Okay, just wait a minute!”
After waving his hand, Zenon hurriedly searched through his bag. Shihan and Alita looked blank.
‘What? Why are you suddenly searching my bag?’
‘Is that so?’
Zenon took out a neatly folded square piece of cloth from his bag. Shihan and Alita’s blank expressions deepened even more.
“… … ?”
Its true identity was panties. Square men’s panties at that. Zenon suddenly stuck out his hand.
And I asked a question in excitement.
“Are these really your panties?!”
***
Seong Si-han, who fell into this world, Terranor, has experienced many things. He has met all kinds of unimaginable monsters, dealt with all kinds of evil humans, and experienced all kinds of extraordinary things.
So, Shihan was secretly proud of himself.
He’s experienced everything, and there’s little in the world that can surprise him anymore.
But I can confidently say that this was the first time something like this had happened.
I mean, a two-meter tall, muscular giant with a red face, bashfully showing off his men’s underwear.
Shihan looked at Zeno without saying a word.
“… … .”
Zenon also looked at the time limit with moved eyes.
“… … .”
The clock is starting to tick down.
Slowly.
Slowly and steadily.
Slowly, slowly, slowly!
It also began to back away very violently.
Only then did Zenon realize that something was seriously wrong.
“Oh, that’s not it, I… … .”
Shihan didn’t listen. He turned his head resolutely and opened his mouth.
“Alita.”
“yes?”
“Kill him.”
“yes!”
Alita burst into life again. Shihan also glared and raised his spirits.
“I don’t want to get close. Instead, support me with all your might!”
“great!”
“Now, just a moment!”
Zeno waved his hands violently in front of the overflowing life force. Since life and death were at stake in this gesture, it could not help but be violent.
“That was a mistake! That was a mistake, a mistake!”
Shihan shouted as he turned on the twin flames.
“It’s not just words, it’s panties! Alita, kill me.”
Well, that was also a false alarm. Zenon waved his hand in shock. It was a gesture that was used on both Earth and Terranor.
“Surrender! I surrender!”
Of course, I had no intention of accepting the deadline.
“If you want to surrender, you should wave a white flag. Why are you waving someone else’s panties? Kill Alita.”
“Please give me a chance to explain!”
“A pervert doesn’t need another chance. Alita, kill her.”
Alita attacked again with her eyes shining like a cat. Zenon also raised both arms in a panic to block the attack. The fighting sword clashed with the fighting spirit mounted on the armor, creating a loud noise.
She changed the trajectory of her sword and struck again. The blade of the sword flew towards the panties that Zenon was holding by chance.
“This won’t do!”
Xenon wrapped his panties around himself in shock and blocked the attack with his shoulder armor instead. The lightning struck him and he stepped back. He couldn’t overcome the shock.
Alita was amazed. How could she protect men’s underwear so diligently, sacrificing even her own body?
“Wow, you’re really a pervert… … .”
“No!”
Zenon glared as if he was being wronged. However, he made no attempt to pick up his sword again and simply continued to dodge.
Meanwhile, the panties Zenon was holding were slightly turned inside out, revealing a bit of the inside.
Shihan, who was about to throw the Dragon Sword from a distance, tilted his head.
“……uh?”
Suddenly, the deadline blocked her path again.
“Why are you stopping me again?”
“No, I know the situation right now is really strange, but… … .”
With a shocked expression, Shihan pointed at Zeno. To be exact, at the inside of the panties he was holding.
“Can you see the writing over there?”
Alita blinked. When she looked at it, she could see something roughly embroidered. The letters were very small, but since Sword Hire’s eyesight was good enough, she could make out the letters.
However, I couldn’t read it.
“It’s not Austin. I can’t read what it says.”
“I guess so.”
Shihan made an uneasy expression.
“That’s Korean. It says Republic of Korea.”
“Huh?”
Alita blinked. Korean? Republic of Korea?
“I really hate to admit it, but… … .
Shihan’s face hardened.
“Does that really look like my panties?”
***
Shihan decided to listen to Zeno’s story for now. Zeno took a deep breath while sitting by the campfire. Then he asked seriously.
“Are you the savior of the other world, Seong Si-han?”
The longing in his eyes was so obvious that Shihan felt awkward. It had been almost ten years since someone had looked at him like that.
“Well, that’s true, but… … .”
Zenon nodded and muttered to himself.
“I was right… … .”
Shihan absentmindedly touched his face. Only then did he remember that he had released the toilet when he ran to save Alita. Now, it was his original face.
‘Oh, is it really a sphere?’
Zeno asked again.
“Do you not remember me?”
Although he tried hard to look calm, his eyes were filled with anticipation that he couldn’t hide. That’s why Sihan was embarrassed. To be honest, I don’t remember at all.
Zeno’s voice grew louder.
“I am the Zenon you saved! The Zenon of Veran Village!”
Alita asked quietly.
“that’s right?”
“I don’t know. There must have been one or two people I saved.”
At those words, Zeno’s expression turned gloomy. With a body as big as a bear, he slumped his shoulders, like a large dog abandoned by its owner. He looked so pitiful that Shihan’s attitude softened a bit.
“Well, so when and where did that happen? If I know that, I might be able to remember… … .”
Zenon began to speak calmly.
“So… … it happened 12 years ago.”
