## Chapter 348 – The First Dream (3)
<Aaron's Parallel Story Episode 19>
***
The confrontation with a kid who is said to be one of the most powerful in Niflheim. Sragin’s eyes shone with anticipation and passion.
“Is that what you want? To minimize the differences in physical and technical skills, and compete only with combat prowess?”
“Yes.”
Same level. Same stats. If you want, even the same skills. In that situation, he will overwhelmingly crush his opponent and make him feel the difference in skills. It was a technique that Lidygion often used when facing his apprentices. He never dodged a fight. Sragin could never forget that impact.
A life filled with victories. The first heart-wrenching defeat he experienced. From there, what Sragin gained was despair and a bit of excitement.
“All the members of Niflheim’s Group 1 are monsters.”
“Oh? Does that mean you’ve fought against all of them?”
“Although it may not seem like it, I was considered a promising rookie.”
Sragin smiled. His confrontation didn’t end with Lidygion. Whether it was because they recognized his tenacity or because other members were unoccupied at the time, he was also able to face Lidygion’s comrades under the same conditions.
“You’re the last one left.”
“Ah, so you’ve fought against Siris, Yurnet, and Nihaku too.”
“Yes, they were all amazing. Truly inspiring.”
Weapon prowess is the foundation of heroes. Although not at Lidygion’s level, they had all reached an extraordinary level with their weapons. Yurnet was a bit different because of her magic.
‘Is he more impressive than I thought?’
Aaron was even more surprised by Sragin. All the members of Group 1 allowed him to face them. It meant they saw enough potential in him.
“So, why did you come here? You could have stayed with them.”
Sragin’s mouth twisted.
“To become stronger.”
“Let me guess. Everyone opposed you coming here, right?”
Sragin didn’t respond. He only unsheathed his sword in silence. The tip of the sword glowed blue.
“I ask for a lesson.”
“How aggressive.”
Sragin lunged. Dust and leaves scattered violently. Amidst it all, his figure shot forward explosively.
“……?!”
Aaron couldn’t follow his speed with his eyes. A lightning-like attack flashed amidst the shadows.
“Ouch!”
The kid staggered as he deflected the blow. Immediately after, Sragin’s sword curved. A quick side cut.
“Hey, hey! Calm down!”
Clang!
The kid barely blocked by spinning the shaft of his spear. His stance was already off-balance. At first glance, the next blow would be the last. However, Sragin stopped his attack.
“…….”
Sragin lowered his sword. The kid took a few seconds to regain his stance.
“Wow, young people grow up fast these days. You’re strong, very strong.”
“… What’s going on?”
Sragin’s voice turned cold.
“Did I see wrong? Your stance collapsed after two attacks.”
“What can I do if you’re strong? You’re doing well, you know?”
Sragin’s eyebrows furrowed.
“The Group 1 heroes gave their best. That’s why I respected them. Are you different?”
“Different? What are you talking about?”
“Pretending to be weak, playing with me.”
The kid placed the spear shaft on his shoulder.
“I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”
“Am I wrong? If I had launched another blow, you would have lost. Was it a ploy to deceive me? Or could I not recognize the difference in skills?”
Aaron also agreed with that perspective. The kid’s stance, which barely deflected two attacks, was completely collapsed. Even as an outside observer, Aaron saw the situation that way. If Sragin had continued his attack, the outcome of the confrontation would have been clear. He felt something strange and stopped his attack. It couldn’t be like that. It couldn’t be that the weapon prowess of a legendary Group 1 member was so poor.
“It’s said that you’ve trained for thousands, no, tens of thousands of years in this place. So, undoubtedly, your spear skill should have reached the pinnacle.”
Sragin said with displeasure.
“Show me the pinnacle of spear skill.”
“The pinnacle of spear skill? You’re wrong.”
The kid scratched his head.
“My spear skills are, at most, at the initial level of intermediate.”
“……Lie.”
“Why do you think it’s a lie?”
“Training for tens of thousands of years and only being at the initial level of intermediate? I’m at the middle level of intermediate.”
“Wow, did I exaggerate too much? The truth is that my weapon skills are at the basic level. Only the skills are at the intermediate level, but my actual skill is below that.”
Sragin gritted his teeth. Aaron was also perplexed.
‘Intermediate spear skill?’ After training for tens of thousands of years? If one put in that much effort… shedding blood and sweat… wasn’t one supposed to be able to overcome the limits of talent?
Aaron knew he lacked talent. That’s why he came here, to overcome that lack of talent with effort. He couldn’t keep up with a genius. He would only walk in parallel lines. Therefore, to surpass a genius, he had to take a different path. When a genius puts in effort for one day, you must put in effort for ten days, or even a month. With that belief, he came here. Even his brother had guaranteed it. The kid in front of him was the proof of that belief.
“Is what you say true?”
Aaron couldn’t help but intervene. The belief that with effort, anything can be achieved. That belief was about to crumble.
“Ah, why would I lie? I categorically state that my weapon skills are at the initial level of intermediate. And my actual skill is at the basic level.”
“During all those years, haven’t you trained with the spear?”
The kid nodded at Aaron’s words.
“Yes, of course. I was piercing and swinging all day.”
“So… you’re only at the initial level of intermediate?”
“Yes. I guess that’s the limit of my talent.”
“That’s enough.”
Sragin’s voice rose. He was completely enraged.
“Do you think I’ll believe you?”
“Why don’t you test it? As you did before. To compete purely with skills. The result is that I lost.”
“…….”
“The conditions are the same as with the Group 1 members. The stats are similar. We only fight with skills. Whatever you want…”
Before the kid finished speaking, Sragin lunged at him.
“Wow, you’re impatient.”
Clang!
The spear shaft and the sword clashed.
“Ouch!”
The moment of blocking was incorrect. The kid had to take several steps back. Sragin didn’t waste any time and launched a powerful upward blow.
Thud!
A dull sound. The spear flew through the air. The kid, who lost his weapon, fell to the ground. At the same time, Sragin’s sword touched the kid’s neck.
“I lost, I lost.”
“Is this… the best of you?”
Sragin’s eyes showed contempt.
“With only these skills… do you dare to put yourself on the same level as those guys?”
“I’m sorry. I guess my skills are that bad.”
“Now you know.”
Sragin said coldly.
“Die.”
The sword advanced towards the kid’s neck.
“Wait, what are you doing?”
Aaron ran towards them, but it was too late. The kid’s neck began to bleed…
“……?”
Aaron and Sragin were stunned. The kid, who was sitting on the ground, suddenly disappeared. There was no prior indication. No one could react.
“Wow, that was close.”
Sragin looked to his side. Not far away, the kid, leaning over, yawned.
“Young people these days have no manners.”
Sragin didn’t say anything. Filled with anger, he lunged at the kid and attacked him fiercely.
“Let’s see, your name is Sragin. From Niflheim. A three-star born. Growth and talent, decent.”
The kid appeared to Sragin’s right and murmured.
“……!”
The sword barely grazed the kid’s neck. But before that, the kid disappeared again.
“Your personality is a disaster, but that’s inevitable. Your comrades probably spoiled you too much.”
Swish!
A quick cut grazed the kid’s figure. But there was no one there.
“What’s going on? What the hell is this?”
Sragin frowned and swung his sword. To the right. To the left. In front. Behind. Again in front. To the right. Further to the right. The kid’s body appeared and disappeared instantly. Sragin’s sword danced in all directions. But he couldn’t touch the kid.
‘He’s not dodging with movements.’
Aaron, from afar, could understand it. That movement of the kid wasn’t a quick displacement using leg strength or body rebound, commonly known as movement steps. He wasn’t moving so fast that he couldn’t be seen. It was literally pure teleportation.
It was like magic. There was no prior movement. There was no tremor or sound in the air during the displacement process. Completely silent. It seemed as if he were breaking space itself and emerging from it.
“It could be accepted that your personality is bad. Let’s see, then, according to my comrades, your limit is… around 100th place in Niflheim.”
“Grr!”
The enraged Sragin couldn’t reach him. The kid danced between the spaces, mocking him. He couldn’t even imagine what the principle of that movement was.
“Do you understand the meaning of limit now?”
The kid smiled.
“If you work tirelessly, you’re lucky, you get miraculous opportunities like breathing, and your Master cares for you with dedication, you’ll only reach 100th place. That’s your absolute limit.”
“Shut up!”
“You know it, right? When you fought against them, you realized. You can’t keep up with them.”
Sragin’s eyes were full of veins.
His sword technique was no longer visible. He was swinging his sword randomly, letting his emotions take over.
“You know it, right? There’s always someone better. Why are you putting in so much effort? You should be satisfied with your place. Even being number 100 in Niflheim, you won’t be mistreated anywhere.”
“……!”
“When you heard about me, you thought it was your opportunity, right? There’s a kid who broke the limit with effort! Then I can do it too. More or less like that, right? You’re having a foolish illusion.”
The kid mocked him.
“If I put in effort, I’ll break the limit! If I put in effort, I can achieve anything! My desire to be strong is unbreakable!”
Aaron lowered his head. The kid wasn’t just talking to Sragin.
“Don’t underestimate the world.”
The kid’s gaze turned to Aaron.
“An ant is still an ant, even after a thousand years. A rabbit will never be able to fly, no matter how much it trains, and a deer will never swim to the depths of the sea, no matter how much it practices.”
“…….”
“Know your limits.”
Sragin shouted in despair.
“Then… kill me!”
Sragin, drenched in sweat, shouted as he staggered.
“I’m not a rabbit! Fight me properly! With your contemptible intermediate-level skill, try to beat me!”
“Ah, don’t you understand? My weapon skills are terrible. I don’t want to fight a battle I’m going to lose.”
“Grr!”
“By now, you know, right? My power doesn’t come from skills. It’s also talent. Even if you put in effort for a thousand or ten thousand years, you’ll never catch up to me.”
“Kraaa!”
Sragin screamed as he lunged at the kid.
“Ha.”
The kid sighed. Then he extended his spear.
“…….”
Aaron couldn’t understand what happened. Suddenly, Sragin was on the ground.
The kid looked at him and said.
“I didn’t kill him.”
“Really… it’s not skill?”
“Yes.”
“That power… did you gain it with effort?”
“No.”
The kid looked at Aaron.
“You can’t gain anything with effort. That’s just a self-justification of losers.”
“But, even with talent, if you don’t put in effort…”
“Don’t get confused. That’s not effort. It’s training.”
“What’s the difference?”
“The difference is big. Training guarantees results, but effort is useless. In short, if there are results, it’s training. If there are no results, it’s effort. Do you understand? It’s simple.”
Aaron felt like he had been hit on the head.
“It’s curious, right? Even doing the same thing, when a genius does it, it’s training, and when an inept person does it, it’s effort. Winners always say that losers didn’t put in enough effort, but that’s just a mockery. Is there enough or insufficient in something as useless as effort?”
“……I.”
Aaron gritted his teeth. If he didn’t, he felt he would collapse before he even started.
“I don’t believe it.”
“Oh.”
“The effort of an inept person also has meaning.”
“Well, yes. If he puts in enough effort, he can become mediocre. But did you come here to be mediocre?”
“…….”
“You wanted to surpass geniuses.”
Aaron closed his eyes tightly. He couldn’t refute it. If he had been satisfied with making up for his lack of talent, he wouldn’t have come this far, forcing his way.
“You came this far because you wanted to cross an insurmountable limit, right? I know more or less your story. I do my task. I listen to the news from outside.”
“…….”
“So why do you think your Master sent you here?”
“My brother…”
“It’s because you were being annoying, right? If you had accepted your shortcomings and been satisfied with your place, he wouldn’t have sent you here. He wanted you to recognize your limit.”
“…….”
“You worked hard, right? You put in twice as much effort as the others. You did your best. But it didn’t work. Sometimes, it’s important to give up cleanly.”
The kid approached Aaron. Then, with a mocking smile, he said.
“Actually, you don’t need to be strong, do you?”
“…….”
“Without you, would Taonier not function? Would it disappear without you? No, it functions well without you.”
It was true. In the Taonier Lobby, Aaron was a replacement. The only irreplaceable one was Han Israt. Definitely not Aaron.
“It seems you were also recommended as an instructor. It would have been more useful for the Lobby than insisting on being strong.”
“That’s…”
“Your Master has also changed. He’s become too sentimental. He used to know when to cut ties.”
The kid nodded as if he had understood something.
“Ah, he wanted you to understand it naturally so as not to hurt your feelings. He sent you here so you could understand it for yourself. They appreciated you more than you thought.”
“I…”
“Aaron Delcut.”
The kid looked at Aaron. Although he seemed younger, Aaron couldn’t move under that gaze.
“First, resolve the contradictions within you. If you don’t…”
The kid said as if he were issuing a sentence.
“You won’t get anything from me.”
The kid turned around, and his figure vanished like a bubble. Aaron lowered his head, unable to say a word.