novelraw Chapter 42 : Growing Wings (1)
Chapter 42 : Growing Wings (1)
"Mana Shield activate."
Wheeeeeing.
A chunk of mana escaped from my body, forming a translucent rectangular membrane in the air.
'The mana consumption is larger than I expected.'
First, I wanted to check how much defensive power the shield had.
Sling.
I drew the sword from its scabbard.
'About 50 percent power.'
I relaxed my body and swung the sword strike I had repeated countless times today.
Chang!
With a sound like metal hitting metal, the sword stopped right in front of the mana shield.
"Good."
This level of hardness seemed to be above ordinary steel.
'If I wrap this around my hand and strike, it should work well against most demonic beasts or Ma-in.'
For example, if I hit the Cockatrice's mud armor with full force, I might not break it, but at least my hand wouldn't get hurt.
'Let's try it on my fist next.'
I set the coordinates over my fist and activated Mana Shield.
"...It worked."
I felt the mana escaping from my fist wrapping around it.
"As expected."
I smiled at the sensation that could never be known through a monitor.
"So this is what it feels like."
It felt similar to when I first produced a clear sound on a danso flute in elementary school.
'I need to remember this sensation.'
I gripped the sword with my hand after deactivating the shield.
I closed my eyes and recalled the sensation of mana following my will to create a shield.
'I clearly imagine the image of coating the sword with mana.'
Once, twice, three times.
The more I repeatedly recalled the image, the more I felt the mana inside my body responding and flowing into the sword.
And finally.
Woong.
With a faint light, mana rose over the blade.
"I did it!"
For once, even I couldn't help but shout with excitement.
[You've manifested sword energy on day 1 of guidance!]
[Amazing achievement! Those who walk the path of the sword will envy you!]
[Achievement points 500 rewarded!]
The additional reward message made me even more satisfied.
"This is a new record."
Among all my iterations so far, I had never manifested sword energy this quickly.
It was only natural.
'If I hadn't accumulated so many achievement points thanks to the Eye Power skill I received at the beginning, I wouldn't have been able to use this Mana Shield shortcut at this point.'
Therefore, gaining this much power at this point was truly an incredible achievement.
'Without this, when the Ma-in attack, the best I could do would be to barely run away and survive.'
But not anymore.
I will more directly interfere with the Ma-in attack and prevent the deaths of major named characters as much as possible.
The evasion ability gained through Eye Power, the mana capacity gained from the Blue Thornhorn Mushroom, and now the attack and defense power gained from Mana Shield and sword energy.
I've already gained power that a freshman who hasn't even been enrolled for a month wouldn't dare aspire to.
'If I maximize this power, I can definitely change the course of battle.'
Moreover, the few days gained by interfering with Jo Jin-myeong's scheme.
The fact that 'that equipment' would be given to the cadets during that time was also good news.
"Just wait."
A dagger that no one expected was now being sharply forged.
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The next day.
Su-hyeon finished lunch early and went to see Instructor Lee Ho-seung.
"Huh? What's going on?"
Lee Ho-seung asked while picking between his teeth with a toothpick.
"I came because I have something to show you."
"Something to show me? You to me?"
"Yes."
"Hmm."
Lee Ho-seung, looking Su-hyeon up and down, frowned.
"Are you saying you achieved something remarkable overnight?"
Lee Ho-seung worried that Su-hyeon might have gotten carried away because of the praise from yesterday.
"It's true that you absorbed my teachings like a sponge yesterday. But beginners typically improve quickly. If you've seen some results, it's fine to refine them and show me at our next meeting. The sword isn't learned to boast or show off. You're more shallow than you look."
But Su-hyeon dismissed his concern with one sentence.
"It's not that."
"Then what is it?"
"Didn't you say that the first condition for you to acknowledge me was for me to manifest sword energy?"
"Ah, that's right."
"Would you like to see if I qualify for your acknowledgment?"
"...What did you say?"
Lee Ho-seung doubted his ears.
"What do you mean?"
Without explaining further, Su-hyeon spotted a sword nearby.
"May I borrow this for a moment?"
"Huh. This guy."
Lee Ho-seung let out a hollow laugh.
It was behavior that another instructor might have scolded for lacking basics.
But since he himself wasn't the type to care much about such things, he finally nodded with a face that said "let's see what you're trying to do."
"You must have a reason for acting like this."
It was a warning that he'd give him hell if it was something trivial, but Su-hyeon didn't care and drew the sword.
And.
Woong.
Still faintly wavering but with a definite form, sword energy rose over the blade.
"...!"
Lee Ho-seung, who had been watching with a "surely not" mindset, had his mouth fall open.
"...What is this?"
"Sword energy."
"No. Wait. Does this make any sense?"
"Is that all?"
Su-hyeon deliberately feigned ignorance.
"Of course! Even the biggest genius I've ever seen couldn't do this!"
Even Lee Cheong-myeong, the Sword God's youngest son and Lee Yu-jin's uncle, known as the "Sword Warrior," only managed to manifest sword energy after years of training since first holding a sword.
Just for that, the Sword God had held a celebration, saying he had finally found a successor to follow him.
"On my common sense, I can assert that this is absolutely impossible."
"I guess I was lucky."
"Lucky my ass!"
Lee Ho-seung's eyes flickered as if containing flames.
"Su-hyeon. From today on, you're my disciple."
"......"
Su-hyeon thought that was a bit too quick of a change of attitude, even for him.
"Thank you."
"Krgh, this is fate! If our master saw this, he would have put shackles on you to make you his disciple!"
'That old man would definitely do that and more.'
Su-hyeon calmly bowed his head.
"Thank you."
"I should be the one thanking you!"
Lee Ho-seung made a fuss as if he might even bow.
'Did I show it too quickly?'
Su-hyeon slightly regretted it.
Of course, the reason he, who was trying to hide his presence, made such a choice was simple.
'Winning Lee Ho-seung's heart is a tremendous benefit.'
Though he appeared less like a proper teacher than anyone else.
But because of that, Lee Ho-seung was a man ready to pour his passion when he found someone he truly considered worthy of being his beloved disciple.
"Um, about the sword energy, if possible..."
"Ah, of course! I'll keep it tightly hidden and be the only one who knows!"
Lee Ho-seung patted Su-hyeon's shoulder, telling him not to worry.
"Hehehe. When it eventually gets out, your homeroom teacher will be extremely jealous, won't he?"
At the same time.
The instructors, having finished their meals, were engaged in a subtle battle of pride, sharing evaluations of the cadets they were responsible for.
"Jun-seong is indeed a genius."
"Ji-su is remarkable. It's not just about output; her affinity with the ice attribute itself is extraordinary."
"It's reliability rather than flashiness. I was amazed by Yu-jin. I hardly have anything to teach her."
The loudest voices were, of course, from the instructors who would be guiding the top three cadets.
"In-hyeon is no joke, right? If he solves his attack power issue, he could aim for the top spot."
Though it's like substituting a duck for a pheasant, Oh Chang-seong, thinking of Hong In-hyeon who showed as much potential as Su-hyeon, began defending his own.
"Come on. Instructor Oh, aren't you praising him too much? My Seung-yeon is the real deal."
"Sigh. That Park Chang-jun kid could be fine if he just fixed his nature..."
"You're all lucky having Class 1 cadets."
"Haha. The true satisfaction of an instructor is bringing a mid-tier cadet up to the top tier."
The instructors, each adding their own comments, eventually shifted their interest to the most noteworthy combination: Lee Ho-seung and Su-hyeon.
"By the way, I didn't expect Instructor Lee Ho-seung would end up guiding Cadet Jeong Su-hyeon."
"That was unexpected for me too."
"Ah, how do you think I felt?"
Instructor Oh Chang-seong cut in with a hollow laugh.
"I chose that kid after rejecting thirteen others, but I didn't expect he'd reject me."
"It's a shame, but we should respect his direction since it's firm."
Instructor Kim Cheol-han added in a calm tone.
"And Instructor Lee Ho-seung's swordsmanship is the best even within our academy."
Kim Cheol-han, with superhuman patience, suppressed the words 'it's just his personality that's the problem,' as Lee Ho-seung entered his peripheral vision.
"Instructor Lee."
Seeing Lee Ho-seung humming with a grinning face, instructors who normally didn't mix well with him couldn't contain their curiosity.
"Looks like you've had some good news."
"Ah, what good news..."
His words and expression were completely at odds.
"How is Cadet Jeong Su-hyeon?"
"Ah. That kid?"
All the instructors' attention focused on Lee Ho-seung's lips.
He answered with a highly proud smile, as if it was nothing special:
"That bastard is a sword genius."
"?!"
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"He's not coming."
Jo Jin-myeong, who had forcibly changed the patrol schedule due to Su-hyeon's continued interference, carefully began the work of damaging the barrier as he examined the darkened, deserted road.
'That damn bastard.'
Jo Jin-myeong ground his teeth, as if being chased, recalling Su-hyeon's face with his creepy smile getting in the way.
'How did I end up like this?'
A teaching assistant who received one of the best reputations even within the academy, and once a promising talent who graduated with excellent grades and was on the fast track.
His elite course, which had been successful enough to make everyone envious, collapsed during his third year.
During a mission, he was caught in a sudden ambush by a Ma-in organization and was stranded for about two weeks.
'Damn it. I should never have deployed then.'
After a long flight, he was about to be captured by Ma-in and contemplated suicide out of fear of cruel torture.
But the moment "his" eyes turned toward him.
His hand, about to pierce his own throat, refused his brain's command.
'To think there was a Ma-in with such an ability.'
That terrible sensation of his brain being kneaded.
At that moment, Jo Jin-myeong acutely realized that he had become a chess piece for "him."
And he accepted that fate.
Afterward, Jo Jin-myeong miraculously survived, retired from active duty citing post-traumatic stress, and.
Changed his career to become a teaching assistant at the academy, acknowledged for his competent grades, reputation, and abilities at graduation.
It wasn't difficult.
With not a trace of mana detected in his body, and having barely survived after losing colleagues during duty, far from being disciplined or suspected, he was a meritorious person with a medal around his neck.
Having become a perfect spy, he was waiting for the moment to carry out this order.
'We can't win. Everyone will die.'
He didn't even know that the extreme fear and helplessness ingrained in his brain were actually emotions implanted by that being.
Click click click.
Just recalling that moment, his terrified jaw started to click on its own.
He felt like he wanted to vomit his internal organs and die right now, but.
"I have to do it. I must."
Compared to the fear of "his" anger being poured on him, the guilt of selling out the lives of colleagues, teachers, and students was no different from stepping on and killing an ant on the roadside.
'I have nowhere to go back to anyway. If this fact comes to light, it's over anyway.'
In other words.
Since the size of the primal fear "he" gave him was far greater than being imprisoned after all the truth came to light.
For him, betrayal was a desperate choice that didn't even need to be considered.
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"Good work today too!"
Kwon Seung-yeon, having finished weight training together, waved her hand at me with a refreshed face.
"You too."
"Hmm. Are you going to spar with Yu-jin now?"
"No."
I shook my head.
"We decided to postpone until tomorrow. I have something else to do."
"Yu-jin will be disappointed."
"...You think so?"
Heading to the individual training room, I was already wiping my sweat-soaked face with a towel when I ran into Hwang Ji-su, who was filling her tumbler with water.
"......"
"......"
Since we weren't exactly on friendly terms, I was about to pass by lightly when Hwang Ji-su spoke to me.
"What's this? You're alone for once? Where's Yu-jin?"
"We're meeting tomorrow."
"Hmm."
"I need to use the simulation combat."
At those words, Ji-su's eyes sparked with interest.
"Did you power up or something?"
"...Suddenly?"
My eyebrow reacted slightly to the question that pierced the essence with an unexpected jump in logic, and Ji-su's sharp eyes didn't miss it.
"Oh, look at that? Is it true?"
"Well, I did learn something from Instructor Lee Ho-seung."
"Hmm."
I passed by Ji-su, who was slightly tilting her head, and headed to the individual training room I had reserved.
"Then, excuse me."
'She really has good intuition.'
Lying in the capsule, I looked at the screen showing my avatarized self and set up the equipment.
'This should work.'
What I chose was a hwando, a basic equipment known for being light and sturdy.
Hwando is a general term for traditional swords used on the Korean peninsula for a long time.
The hwando before my eyes, which looked like it could have been made during the Joseon era, boasted a blade with a bend between a straight sword and a curved sword, and a simple, sturdy appearance without any flashiness.
As the name "do" suggests, it was a single-edged sword, which I preferred over double-edged swords.
'Let's set the map to a plain field.'
I chose an environment where I could fight head-on without needing to hide.
[Please select your opponent.]
"One-Armed Trainer. Grade B-."
[Warning! This opponent is too strong to fight at your current stage!]
[Lowering the difficulty is recommended.]
"It doesn't matter."
The One-Armed Trainer was a Ma-in so strong that, until just recently, we had barely defeated him by combining the strength of four team members.
But.
This time, I was facing him alone.