I Became an Illegal Cheat User

18 – Majesty (5)

“…….”

“…….”

Arthur and Noah stood quietly, watching the arena automatically tidy up without saying a word.

But was it boredom that kept them standing outside for the past five minutes?

Without turning his head, Noah spoke, opening his mouth.

“What do you think of the previous match?”

In response to that question, Arthur also looked at the arena and simply answered.

“Impressive.”

A concise response.

But because there was nothing more appropriate than such an answer, Arthur did not bother to add anything else.

Nodding in agreement with Arthur’s words, Noah nodded his head.

“Yes, it was impressive.”

And the interrupted conversation.

Since the two of them were not very talkative, the conversation did not last long, and silence eventually returned.

Just one minute before the match started.

Noah broke the silence again, speaking to Arthur.

“Sir Arthur. Do you know the 9th Punishment Unit?”

“…I know it’s a unit, but I don’t know the details.”

The ‘Round Table,’ a large guild in England and the national defense organization. Arthur, the heir to the ‘Round Table,’ has the authority to access various confidential information.

Therefore, Arthur knows that the ‘9th Punishment Unit’ was created by the Korean Superhuman Association and operates unofficially as a unit for hunting down corrupt individuals.

But Arthur only knows such information and has no idea who the members of that unit are.

Upon hearing Arthur’s response, Noah, who had been watching the arena, turned his head towards Arthur and spoke.

“Then you might not know this. Yoo Jin’s fighting style is similar to that of the 9th Punishment Unit.”

In response to those words, Arthur turned his head to face Noah.

“…Yoo Jin, Chief, fights similarly to the 9th Punishment Unit?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because I saw it myself. The battles of the 9th Punishment Division.”

“….”

Arthur did not say anything about how.

Noah.

The son of Gloria, the first transcendent and high priestess.

He has devout faith and is a person filled with divine power.

However, that is just common knowledge widely known in the world.

The real identity written in confidential information is ‘Inquisitor’.

Under the pretext of a pilgrimage, he traveled around the world when he was young, exterminating heretics, or in other words, the corrupted.

Now that he is in the academy, he no longer goes on pilgrimages, but his direct unit, the ‘Judgment Division’, travels around the world in his place, exterminating evil.

Furthermore, he is called the ‘Saint’ in the Divine Temple and is designated to lead the Divine Temple after the high priestess.

Would such a person just watch?

No, the Inquisitor who eradicates evil would not just watch.

“We fought together, didn’t we?”

If not, one cannot immediately recognize that the unofficial division’s combat style and Iyeojin’s combat style are the same.

While Arthur was thinking that way, Noah turned his head towards the arena, where the match would soon take place.

“And did you know this too? The members of the 9th Punishment Division all have the same commonality?”

“…I don’t know. But according to the information, they are said to be obsessed with hunting down heretics, so maybe it has something to do with heretics.”

“Yes, that’s right. They all have something to do with heretics.”

Noah nodded his head as he spoke.

“Arthur Pendragon, Noah. Come up to the arena.”

After the arena was cleared and the promised 5 minutes had passed, Kang Cheolsu called out their names and ordered them to go up to the arena.

Upon hearing this, Arthur and Noah walked towards the stairs leading to the arena side by side.

And just before climbing the stairs.

Noah glanced back for a moment and spoke.

“The commonality among the members of the 9th Punishment Division. It’s that they have lost what is most precious to them due to the heretics.”

Arthur heard those words and followed Noah’s gaze.

And there, he saw Lee Seyoung, who seemed to be in a difficult situation, looking at Iyeojin.

“…… Hm.”

Arthur finally understood why Noah mentioned Yoo Eujin and the Ninth Punitive Force.

“The sorrow and sense of loss from losing family, lover, or friend… One can never fully comprehend it.”

With Yoo Eujin in his gaze, Noah’s voice, as he calmly spoke, exuded pity.

Then, he turned his head back to the arena, ascending the stairs.

Noah continued his words.

But in his voice this time, there was only anger.

“Therefore, evil must be eradicated.”

It was filled with pure wrath.

Observing Noah’s dual nature as a “saint” and a “heretic judge,” Arthur concluded his understanding of Noah’s words he had heard up until now.

The Supreme Commander, Yoo Eujin, is pitiful and regrettable.

And all the fallen must be killed.

Such a clear and simple conclusion could not be denied.

With that thought, Arthur made a resolution.

To avoid engaging in conversations with Noah whenever possible.

Noah, he was an admirable person.

But at the same time, a tiring person.

&

&

&

The sparring between Arthur and Noah was a spectacle of brilliance in itself.

The flames of divine power blazed from Noah’s fists, the Holy Fire.

The golden magical power flowed from Arthur’s sword.

With every clash of fist and sword, a sound erupted as if a bomb had detonated.

Simultaneously, fragments of golden divine power and magical power burst out in a dazzling display.

Within such splendor, the ruthless sight of targeting each other’s weaknesses with supremely refined technique left everyone speechless.

Around three minutes into the duel, the tide started to lean towards Arthur.

His skill of boosting morale, “Fairy’s Charm,” had been deciphered by Noah.

And with the difference in their abilities, once the tide had shifted, it would be difficult to reverse it.

And so, two more minutes passed, and it became five.

Finally.

– Semifinal Match –

[B]

[02] [Arthur Pendragon] [Victory]

[05] [Noah] [Defeat]

The match ended with Arthur’s ‘victory.’

“As expected, the protagonist of ‘Arena Academy,’ Arthur…”

Whenever I played the game ‘Arena Academy,’ I always thought.

While I, as the player, lead the story, the real chosen protagonist in the actual world is Arthur Pendragon.

It makes sense, though. Players start with randomly assigned stats, skills, talents—everything.

But Arthur begins as if blessed with everything in the world.

Lineage, pedigree, abilities, wealth—nothing he lacks.

In contrast, I have nothing like that at this moment.

Of course, Arthur must have endured rigorous training, faced difficult days to hone himself.

Still, Arthur’s existence seems irrational to me.

But now that the game has become reality, Arthur’s irrationality has transformed from something negative into something positive for me.

“Ah, truly reassuring.”

In the game, Arthur was someone I’d rather not encounter.

But the real Arthur might be an invaluable friend, as comforting as a bowl of hearty stew.

“Grow steadily as the protagonist from now on.”

So, let me handle the fallen, handle the extraterrestrial beings for you.

But I need to win this match.

Hence, for now, what I must do is:

“Instructor, may I replace these consumables?”

It was about replacing consumables.

&

Fortunately, I got permission to replace the consumables.

And on top of that, Kang Cheol-soo allowed me to change weapons.

So, I swapped out flashbangs and some weapons that wouldn’t suit Arthur.

“This match, being a showdown between the chief and the deputy, calls for the introduction of new rules.”

Standing between Arthur and me on the arena, Kang Cheol-su took out a set of new rules and began explaining.

“First, we’ll reduce the sparring time from a maximum of 30 minutes to 10 minutes.”

…The sparring time was a maximum of 30 minutes?

Since all matches ended within 10 minutes, I didn’t even know the maximum time was 30 minutes.

“Second, we limit the use of your talents and skills to two each.”

‘Oh, that’s sweet.’

A very reasonable restriction.

Considering my talents and skills, I only had one of each.

‘Oh, should I consider cheats as talents too?’

Upon careful consideration, cheats seemed to be considered talents as well.

It made sense, given the peculiarities like bullets making sharp turns or exceeding average speeds.

And skills derived from talents should be seen as skills.

If I were to say that my skill, ‘Fleeting Moment,’ was derived from a talent, people probably wouldn’t believe it, so it’s better not to bother.

Nevertheless, there’s no problem.

The number of talents and skills restricted by Kang Cheol-su is two each.

Currently, I have the talent of combining cheats into ‘Sharpshooter’s Keen Eyesight’ and ‘Super Accuracy.’

My skills are ‘Teleportation’ and ‘Fleeting Moment’ derived from Sharpshooter’s Keen Eyesight.

On the other hand, Arthur, who possesses many talents and skills, may find this restriction disadvantageous.

‘Well, his main body is a cheat, so it doesn’t really matter.’

The difference in our abilities is like night and day.

Even without using talents and skills, Arthur can overwhelm me with pure brute force.

Of course, this is a story from a time when there were no cheats, and I wasn’t a veteran.

Still, without cheats, it would be absolutely impossible to beat Arthur, and it would take more than the 10 minutes Kang Cheol-su has restricted, probably an additional 30 minutes.

But now, I have cheats.

While Arthur can use magic, he cannot use Excalibur and the blade.

So, I can win.

Enough to satisfy the quest.

“Third, we lift the restriction on one reload per firearm for Chief Lee Yoo-jin.”

“Oh.”

Really?

“And I grant permission for the use of Arthur’s Pen Dragon’s Blade for only one minute.”

“…Oh.”

…Really?

‘Permission to use Arthur’s Pen Dragon’s Blade?’

Kang Cheol-su, are you trying to kill me?

I stared at Kang Cheol-su, feeling like I was about to scream.

Then, as if telling me not to worry, Kang Cheol-su gestured towards the bench outside the arena.

Looking there, the healer who should be in the infirmary was sitting on the bench, watching us.

“I’ve called the nurse instructor who was in the infirmary, so don’t worry even if your arm or leg gets cut off.”

Why is he talking as if my arm or leg will be cut off already?

I reluctantly nodded, saying that I understood.

But he should understand that it’s inevitable for my expression to be dumbfounded.

“…The new rule ends here. Now, each of you take ten steps back.”

Upon those words, Arthur and I turned our bodies and walked ten steps forward.

And when we turned around again, Kang Cheol-su, who had somehow widened the distance, alternately looked at Arthur and me as he spoke.

“Well, now the match will begin, so get ready.”

As Kang Cheol-su said that, Arthur and I assumed our stances.

Swish.

Arthur drew his sword, raising it above his head.

I took the shotgun from my back.

Ah, this chilly and heavy feeling.

It’s like hearing someone’s voice as if it were an illusion.

‘Be bold and daring.’

Yes.

That’s good.

Let’s win boldly and daringly.

“Match.”

Clang.

“Begin.”