110

Chapter 110 — The Rival Who Changed

The morning after the second round, the Association headquarters felt different.

The National A-Rank Evaluation had already become the most watched Awakener event in the country since the awakening era began. Every major news channel was discussing the remaining competitors, guild representatives were negotiating behind closed doors, and even ordinary Awakeners were gathering around screens in cafeterias and training halls to analyze every battle.

For Subin, however, the most noticeable difference was that people no longer stopped talking when he walked past.

They simply talked about him openly.

“That’s Subin Vans.”

“He defeated Jae-hyun in the first round.”

“And Ji Soo-ah yesterday.”

“He's only been an Awakener for a short time, right?”

“I heard he was originally B-rank.”

“He's terrifying.”

Subin heard all of it as he walked toward the training area with Simple Edge hanging at his waist.

He didn't react.

Fame was simply another environmental change.

He had learned that environments could be adapted to.

The training hall was already occupied.

Kang Min-seok was swinging his axe against a reinforced training pillar while Han Yerin watched from nearby. Choi Ara sat on a bench with a tablet in her hand, reviewing recordings from the previous day's matches.

Min-seok noticed Subin first.

“You're late.”

Subin glanced at the clock.

“I'm three minutes early.”

“Exactly. You're late for me.”

Subin shook his head and walked toward the practice area.

Yerin smiled.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

Ara looked up from her tablet.

“I've watched your match against Soo-ah six times.”

Subin stopped.

“Why?”

“Because I wanted to understand how you noticed her positioning.”

“You watched it six times?”

“Yes.”

Min-seok lowered his axe.

“She's obsessed.”

Ara ignored him.

“You weren't actually watching her attacks. You were watching her feet.”

“Mostly.”

“And you recognized that she was gradually controlling your movement.”

“Yes.”

Ara tapped her tablet.

“That's different from your usual fighting style.”

Subin considered that.

“It is.”

Yerin looked at him.

“Because you're usually the one controlling the fight.”

Subin nodded.

“Against monsters, their choices are usually limited by instinct and physical ability. Humans can intentionally create bad information.”

Min-seok grinned.

“So you're finally admitting we're troublesome?”

“You always were.”

Min-seok laughed.

Yerin smiled.

The atmosphere was relaxed, but it didn't last long.

The main training hall doors opened.

Lee Jae-hyun entered.

Unlike his usual appearance, he wasn't accompanied by guild members.

He walked alone.

His expression was calm.

He looked at Subin.

“Can we talk?”

Min-seok immediately became attentive.

Subin nodded.

“Sure.”

They walked toward the quieter side of the hall.

Jae-hyun stopped several meters away.

“I changed my training.”

Subin looked at him.

“Why?”

“Because I realized something after our fight.”

Jae-hyun folded his arms.

“I spent too much time trying to predict you.”

Subin remained silent.

“You don't have a fixed rhythm,” Jae-hyun continued. “Your techniques are consistent, but your decisions aren't. You don't always choose the most efficient movement. Sometimes you deliberately choose something less efficient because it creates a better position later.”

“That sounds correct.”

“It was frustrating.”

Subin smiled slightly.

Jae-hyun looked at him seriously.

“So I stopped trying to predict your next attack.”

“What are you doing instead?”

“I'm building a style that doesn't require prediction.”

That answer caught Subin's attention.

Jae-hyun's eyes sharpened.

“I've spent years developing my swordsmanship around control. Distance. Position. Pressure. Against most opponents, it works because they eventually respond to the pressure the way I expect.”

He looked down at his hand.

“You didn't.”

Subin nodded.

“So I changed the foundation.”

“From control to adaptability?”

“Yes.”

Subin smiled.

“That will make you stronger.”

Jae-hyun looked surprised.

“You're not worried?”

“Should I be?”

Jae-hyun laughed quietly.

“You really don't know how to encourage people normally.”

“I wasn't trying to encourage you.”

“That makes it worse.”

The tension between them eased slightly.

Then Jae-hyun said, “I want another fight.”

“After the evaluation?”

“Before.”

Subin looked toward the training hall.

“You mean now?”

“Yes.”

Before Subin could answer, Min-seok's voice came from behind them.

“Absolutely not.”

Both men turned.

Min-seok walked toward them.

“The Association has rules against unofficial combat between evaluation participants while the tournament is ongoing.”

Jae-hyun frowned.

“I know.”

“Then why did you ask?”

“I wanted to see whether he would accept.”

Min-seok looked at Subin.

“Don't.”

Subin raised an eyebrow.

“Why?”

“Because if you two fight now, one of you will get injured, and then the tournament becomes boring.”

Ara laughed from behind them.

Yerin approached as well.

“She has a point.”

Subin looked at Jae-hyun.

“After the tournament.”

Jae-hyun nodded.

“Fine.”

He walked away.

Min-seok watched him leave.

“He's becoming less annoying.”

“That's unfortunate,” Ara said.

Yerin laughed.

Subin looked at her.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

She smiled.

“Let's train.”

The four of them moved into the practice area.

For the next few hours, there was no dungeon, no monster, and no large-scale battle.

Instead, Subin experienced something that had become increasingly unfamiliar to him.

Normal training with people.

Yerin practiced spear combinations against Subin's sword.

Min-seok focused on breaking defensive formations.

Ara worked on reducing the delay between spell activation and movement.

Subin corrected small mistakes when they asked.

In return, they exposed weaknesses in his understanding of human combat.

Yerin was particularly effective.

Whenever Subin became too focused on the sword, she attacked his body position rather than his weapon.

“Your left foot.”

Subin adjusted.

“Again.”

He moved.

Her spear came immediately.

He blocked.

“You're watching my spear too much.”

Subin looked at her.

“I'm watching your body.”

“No. You're watching the weapon because you know that's where the attack ends.”

She shifted her stance.

“Watch where the decision begins.”

Subin became still.

That sentence reminded him of something.

Intent behind intent.

The lesson Seo Jin-ho had given him.

But Yerin was explaining it differently.

The decision didn't begin when the weapon moved.

It began before movement.

Subin looked at her shoulders.

Her hips.

Her feet.

Her breathing.

Then he understood something else.

Human combat was not merely about predicting physical movement.

It was about recognizing when someone had already committed to a decision.

The difference was subtle.

But important.

“Again,” Subin said.

Yerin smiled.

“Now you're paying attention.”

They resumed.

This time Subin avoided the first thrust.

Yerin changed the angle.

He stepped inward.

Her spear swept around.

He redirected it.

She rotated the weapon and struck again.

Subin moved backward.

Neither attacked decisively.

They were testing each other.

After several exchanges, Yerin lowered her spear.

“You've improved.”

“So have you.”

“Not enough.”

Subin looked at her.

“You're already ranked first.”

“That doesn't mean I'm satisfied.”

“Good.”

She smiled.

“You always say that.”

“Because it's true.”

For a moment, they simply looked at each other.

Ara noticed.

Min-seok noticed.

Neither said anything.

Eventually Ara cleared her throat.

“Should we continue?”

Yerin stepped back.

“Yes.”

Min-seok grinned.

“Very professional.”

Yerin gave him a sharp look.

“Don't start.”

The afternoon passed quickly.

Then the Association announced the semifinal brackets.

Everyone gathered in the main conference hall.

Director Kang stood before a large display.

“Four competitors remain.”

Their names appeared.

Han Yerin

Kang Min-seok

Subin Vans

Lee Jae-hyun

The room became quiet.

Director Kang continued.

“The semifinal matches will be conducted tomorrow.”

The first pairing appeared.

Han Yerin vs Kang Min-seok

Then the second.

Subin Vans vs Lee Jae-hyun

Min-seok looked at Yerin.

Yerin looked back.

“You're going to lose.”

Min-seok laughed.

“That's confident.”

“You lost to me before.”

“That was months ago.”

“Exactly.”

Min-seok lifted his axe.

“I've improved.”

“So have I.”

They both smiled.

Subin watched them.

Then Jae-hyun spoke beside him.

“Tomorrow.”

“Yes.”

“No excuses.”

“I don't make excuses.”

“I know.”

The conference ended.

Most people left.

Subin remained seated for a moment.

Yerin approached.

“Are you nervous?”

“No.”

“Not even a little?”

“No.”

She sat beside him.

“I am.”

Subin looked at her.

“Why?”

“Because Min-seok has become much stronger.”

“You can beat him.”

“I know.”

“Then why are you nervous?”

Yerin smiled.

“Because knowing you can win doesn't mean you stop caring about the result.”

Subin thought about that.

It was different from his usual mindset.

For him, fights were mostly measurements.

Growth.

Understanding.

Progress.

But for Yerin, this mattered personally.

She wanted to win.

Not because she feared losing her position.

Not because of money or fame.

Because she had spent years building herself into the strongest spear user in the country.

Subin understood.

“That feeling is useful.”

Yerin laughed softly.

“You really turn everything into training.”

“Maybe.”

She looked at him.

“Then I'll give you something to train against.”

“What?”

She leaned slightly closer.

“If we both reach the final, don't hold back.”

Subin looked directly into her eyes.

“I won't.”

“Good.”

She stood.

“And if I win?”

“You'll win.”

“No. I mean, what will you do?”

Subin considered it.

“Train harder.”

She smiled.

“That's exactly what I expected.”

She began walking away.

Then stopped.

“Subin.”

He looked at her.

“Have dinner with me after tomorrow's matches?”

There was no teasing in her voice this time.

It was a simple invitation.

Subin smiled.

“Of course.”

Yerin's expression softened.

“Good.”

She left.

Subin remained alone in the conference hall.

For several seconds, he simply sat there.

Then he heard footsteps.

Jae-hyun entered.

“You're getting distracted.”

Subin looked at him.

“By what?”

Jae-hyun smiled.

“Nothing.”

He walked past.

“See you tomorrow.”

The next morning arrived quickly.

The National A-Rank Evaluation arena was packed beyond capacity.

The semifinal attracted even more attention than the previous rounds.

Two of the country's strongest A-rankers would fight first.

Then Subin would face Jae-hyun for the second time.

The announcer's voice echoed through the arena.

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the semifinal stage!”

The crowd erupted.

Yerin and Min-seok entered from opposite sides.

Yerin carried her spear.

Min-seok carried his massive axe.

They stood facing each other.

The arena barrier activated.

Subin watched from the waiting area.

Ara stood beside him.

“Who do you think will win?”

“Yerin.”

“Why?”

“She adapts faster.”

Ara smiled.

“You didn't even hesitate.”

“No.”

“What about Min-seok?”

“He's stronger than before.”

“That isn't what I asked.”

Subin looked at the arena.

“Yerin will win.”

The signal sounded.

Min-seok attacked immediately.

The semifinal had begun.

And for the first time since the evaluation started, Subin realized something.

He wasn't only interested in who would win.

He wanted to see Yerin succeed.

That small difference surprised him more than any system notification ever had.

Because for the first time, another person's victory mattered to him almost as much as his own.