After sleeping as much as he needed, when he woke up and came to the kitchen, a meal
(breakfast by feeling) prepared by the angel was producing steam on the table.
The angel herself wasn't there, but he wasn't surprised since she said that meeting her
at all was a strange thing in itself and there won't be many times to meet her in the
future.
"It's delicious."
Now that he became alone, he was touched at something very trivial. Moreover, it
wasn't empty words when he said it was delicious. He felt sorry but it was definitely
more delicious than his mother's food. The meal was nutritiously balanced and at the
same time tasty, so it was a perfect meal.
"And if she earns a lot of money, then she'll be number one wife material."
Who married angels? Other angels, as expected, right? – While thinking trivial things
like that, he was about to wash the dishes, when the dishes disappeared silently. It
seemed that washing dishes was a service.
Yu IlHan washed up and clothed himself while feeling as if he was seduced by the
angel, and when he was about to wear his socks to go to college, he remembered that
there was nothing he could do there and stopped.
"Well, then."
What to do now.
The answer revealed itself soon. Didn't the angel say to train his body? Although the
cells would not age, they were still active, so if he trained, the result will be reflected
on his body.
He honestly didn't like moving his body. He had no athletic ability, and he had no good
memories in regards to things related to sports.
In his middle school athletic meet relay, the baton slipped from his hands and the
baton ended up touching the PE teacher's wig rather than the next player. – There was
one such good…. good memory!
However, to use that as an excuse like a little child and avoid training, the situation
was too serious.
Won't monsters appear in just 10 years? I can't practice mana like the rest of humanity
so I need to do whatever I can do to raise my strength.
'Going to the gym, eh…'
After deciding, Yu IlHan stood up and sighed. He decided to train his body, so it was
now time to research materials on how to efficiently train.
After investing half a day to look up how to train the muscles, whisking away the
lunch(by feeling) on the table, he left. The district gym was open as if it was obvious,
and numerous workout machines greeted Yu IlHan.
"Fuu."
Yu IlHan, who now slightly, just slightly, had motivation sighed and approached the
bike which would burn his body fat.
It was the beginning of Yu IlHan's body modification.
Yu IlHan went to the gym without complaining at all.
For 3 years.
[Are you really a modern person? How can you do the same thing everyday for 3
years?]
It was to the point that the angel showed up and asked him.
"But I need to do it, though."
[You do.]
"That's why I'm doing it. It's not much different from studying for 3 years in high
school."
[...]
The angel looked at Yu IlHan as if looking at a monster.
As the angel said, he didn't age, but Yu IlHan's body, after consuming sufficient
nutrition and doing exercises too much, was developed to the point that he looked like
a health trainer that appeared on TVs. Well, it was quite obvious since he didn't study
at all and trained all day.
[You aren't an ordinary person. Although, I knew that when you had the concealment
technique which could hide you from God's sight.]
"Don't make it my fault!"
And he went to the gym for 2 more years. The period of time the angel promised him
was 10 years so he had 5 years left now. At this point, he was sick and tired of going to
the gym every day.
"I have to learn some martial arts and some weaponry right?"
[There's no one to teach you though?]
Although she said that there won't be many meeting in the future, she showed herself
quite frequently and perhaps she got used to Yu IlHan but she was not polite with him
anymore. If one didn't consider the feathery wings on her back, then she was just a
beautiful big sister, so he didn't feel bad at all about her attitude
"I don't know why, but internet and electricity is still working so I will study by myself
by looking at some videos on y*utube or something."
[Well, time stopped after all.]
"You're keep going to using that excuse right?"
[Yup.]
Yu IlHan stopped staring at the angel and heaved out a sigh.
"If you recommend me one, then what would it be?"
[Vale Tudo and spearmanship. Well, I don't think there will be much records about
training in the spear so, train the basics until you die.]
"I said one!"
[Isn't there 5 years? Just get the basics down for both.]
And what? Vale Tudo was a systematic martial art in the first place?! Yu IlHan, who
was about to complain to the angel, changed his mind when he saw her serious face.
It wasn't like she was teasing him. She advised him with the martial arts that would
actually help when the earth experienced the Great Cataclysm.
Then he had no choice. If it was the angel's recommendation, he had to follow. Yu IlHan
muttered to himself in his heart and woke his body up.
The light body movements. His changed body made him feel the time.
At first, he was really sad and lonely, but when he lived for a while, he now got used to
it. Isn't human adaptation ability amazing?
Eating and sleeping was solved and there was something he had to do every day.
Moreover, there was an angel that chatted with him from time to time. Other than the
moments he thought of his mother, and became sad, it was doable.
'I need to endure for 5 years. Just 5 years. Let's endure until then.'
With that thought, Yu IlHan sat his grown body in front of the computer. He thought
that Vale Tudo and spearmanship were difficult to learn just from the internet, but he
had 5 years. He just thought that it was possible for him to do it if it was just getting
the basics down.
The first 2 years were a continuation of trial and error. He did train his body but to Yu
IlHan, who hadn't fought with other people before, Vale Tudo was like a girlfriend to
him. It only existed inside monitors.
In contrast, there was some progress in spearmanship. Yu IlHan, who didn't know the
'm' of martial arts, used a long wooden stick instead of a spear to repeat motions of
stabbing, swinging and blocking. But when it became 1 year and 2 years, his spear had
some weight. Yu IlHan gained some enlightenment.
'Martial arts in the end is the same as studying.'
Even something undoable would become doable when repeated a lot. That belief led
him higher. It was the same for studying, training his body, and now, it was the same
for spearmanship.
Then wouldn't Vale Tudo be the same? Yu IlHan, who barely succeeded grabbing the
edge of martial arts, started looking for books and videos more enthusiastically and
got more absorbed in training Vale Tudo and spearmanship.
When he decided that he would do it, there was some progress. In the first place, Vale Tudo was basically a practical fighting technique to kill the enemy without any rules
whatsoever. While researching into other martial arts books and videos, and putting
effort to learn it with his body, Yu IlHan slowly, very slowly, felt like he had grabbed
something.
Spearmanship too – He started considering the body movement that rather than just
stabbing and swinging.
Pre-attack movement, post-attack movement. Movement to enhance attack power. His
steps improved, and his spear phases developed and his eye direction developed. It
was a positive change that occurred while learning Vale Tudo.
Yu IlHan's muscles, which developed unilaterally, developed in a more battle-oriented
way due to the martial arts training. It was to the point that when 8 years passed since
he was left out, the angel was shocked after seeing him.
[You didn't eat some strange drug right?]
"What are you taking my efforts as?!"
[Such a surprising human. Or are all humans like this?]
"Leave me alone."
The problem Yu IlHan had was that he had no opponents. He had to fight with others
to know how much his techniques worked, what was wrong, and what should be fixed.
How much longer does he have to practice on sandbags and beanbags?
On the 9th year of being left out and 4th year of training martial art, Yu IlHan thought
that. It was something he could think of since he was more and more confident in his
techniques. Fighting with others – If it was the him from 9 years ago, he would be
scared senseless and run away. Or call the police.
[You know?]
With those words, the angel pointed to herself. Yu IlHan asked in doubt
"You want me to hit you? Angel-noona?"
[Even though I might look like this, I'm an envoy of God and a higher existence. So I'm
unimaginably stronger than you think.]
"You know what Vale Tudo is, right?"
Vale Tudo was literally merciless practical combat. It was a combat technique that made one wonder if it was not about incapacitating the opponent but killing the
opponent. Of course, he was only on his 4th year, but Yu IlHan knew how lethal of an
effect it would have if he used it on humans.
[Fuu. It was me who told you to practice that. Don't worry and come at me.]
"Is it really okay? You won't say otherwise later right?"
[Of course.]
The angel smacked her uselessly large chests and assured him. Yu IlHan looked at her
and after resolutely deciding his heart, he went at the angel with wide eyes.
"Eat my fist containing the resentment of 9 year of isolation! Diiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeee!"
[Fuu.]
And he got beaten up miserably. The angel was a Vale Tudo star.
[You know now? You can consider me a fighting opponent as you want. It's the biggest
service since the birth of angels!]
"No....!"
After getting beaten up and getting bruises all over his body, Yu IlHan rejected with all
his might, but unfortunately he didn't have the rights to refuse. It was because the
angel truly wanted to help him survive after the Great Cataclysm after seeing him train
seriously for 9 years.
From Yu IlHan's view, it wasn't very welcome, but even if he wanted to run away, he
couldn't run away from that angel.
Fighting with the angel made his techniques truly rise rapidly. He didn't want to admit
it, but his growth was too distinct. I want to stop feeling this pain and hit that woman
no matter what it takes! – since this was his objective for moving his body.
The angel was proud and Yu IlHan was in pain. His techniques in Vale Tudo and
spearmanship increased.
Until the promised 10 years came.
Yu IlHan took a shower, shaved himself, and looked at his figure on the mirror. His
body was strong to the point that he would be able to fight with a wolf due to training
his body for 10 years, but his face was still the college freshman from 10 years ago. so
there was a strange disharmony.
"It would be good if I was a bit taller."
[Wouldn't you grow after the Great Cataclysm? Your face is a bit disappointing but
your body figure is fine so if you grow a bit taller... Hmhm. It might not be half bad.]
"What was that about my face!?"
He looked at the mirror. Eyes that were not big at all, loose eyebrows, nose that wasn't
high at all, slightly pale lips, and even more pale skin. Hmm. he couldn't deny that he
had a face that lacked vitality.
But this was his own face. A unique face in the world.
[You engraved that much techniques into your body, so you will be able to confront
low class monsters without difficulty. If so, you will level up smoothly too. So you will
be able to handle mana soon.]
The angel said. She was slightly disappointed as she was preparing for a farewell, but
Yu IlHan asked back since there was something that he had a question about.
"How can I kill those monsters? I thought you said you can't kill them without mana."
[That's about high class monsters made up entirely of a higher system of energy, low
class monsters can be killed by guns or spears or knives easily, though?]
"You deceived me angeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeellllllllllll!"
[Fufuu. I didn't lie. You just didn't ask for details!]
The angel proudly held out her chest and blabbed. This woman, was a naughty woman
who boasted sexual appeal whenever she could – Even with a messy mind, Yu IlHan
thought of these things.
His rage was boiling, but it calmed down after some time passed. In the end, it was a
deceit for him to grow stronger. She put in effort to fill the gap of not being able to
handle mana.
When he thought of it like that, he couldn't get angry and instead, all the energy left
his body.
"Ordinary college life would be impossible, right?"
[Of course. The majority of society will be paralyzed. And a period where fighting
ability rather than academic ability will be needed will come.]
"Phew..."
[When a dropout appeared at first, I thought the skies were collapsing, but due to your effort, I didn't have to worry much. You worked hard until now. You will do well in the
future.]
The time came. It was the same time as 10 years ago. Of course, Yu IlHan himself
couldn't tell the time so the angel told him.
Yu IlHan purposely moved to the same place. The grassy plaza inside the college
campus. It was a scene he hadn't seen for 10 years but there was no difference.
"Thank you for everything until now, angel-noona."
[Wow.]
It was the first time he said thank you. The angel also didn't seem to think that she
would receive thanks and was flustered for a bit, but in the end, she laughed and
flapped her wings and came to his side.
[It was quite a fun 10 years thanks to you too.]
"Will I be able to see you again?"
[Well, that will depend on you.]
The angel spoke until there, and hesitated for a bit before adding another line.
[My name is Lita.]
"Lita."
Yu IlHan kept muttering her name as if he didn't want to forget it. The angel, Lita,
watched such a figure in satisfaction before flapping her wings again.
[I have to go. Time on Earth will resume soon, and the people will come back.]
"Have a safe trip, Lita-noona."
The two bid their farewells. Lita slowly flew up to the sky and Yu IlHan tried his best
to suppress his disappointment due to the farewell with Lita, and the excitement of
going back to his ordinary life from 10 years ago, and closed his eyes.
Nothing happened.
"..."
Yu IlHan opened his eyes. He could see Lita in panic in the air.
"...Care to explain?"
Yu IlHan said with a quiet voice. Lita slowly came down to the ground and laughed
cutely with a 'teehee'. And spoke.
[I think there was a mistake.]
"Hey you crazy XXXXXXXX!"
[Perhaps due to stopping the time or some other reason, there seems to be a slight
deviation in the time axis. It's alright. It won't be much so if you endure 10 or 20 more
years...]
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh."
It's that f*cking time again! Yu IlHan went on a rampage while rolling on the grass
square. It was because he knew that he would be beaten up if he went against the
angel.
Like that, Yu IlHan, who calmed down after putting grass all over his body, muttered
while looking at the resentful blue sky.
"Good. It's just 10 or 20 years. I will wait no problem."
Humans are animals of adaptation. He did well until now so he would do well in the
future – The positive attitude, which was his only good trait about him, but became
one of many now, persuaded himself.
However, even after 10 years and 20 years, humanity didn't come back.
And when 50 years passed, Yu IlHan stopped counting time.
——————
Author's notes
In truth, Lita lives together.
Vale Tudo – A Brazilian martial arts. As the origin of mixed martial arts, it's a battle
without rules.