I Entered an Academy in a Ruined Game

Chapter 86 : Kim A-yun (1)

I moved with Kim A-yun to the training ground.

"Wouldn't it be safer to meet inside a capsule?"

Kim A-yun worried, but my stance was firm.

"No. This kind of training needs to be done directly in reality."

"But if lightning goes astray..."

"It's fine because I have Mana Shield."

If hit directly, even the shield would melt away in one hit, but.

Otherwise, it was enough to endure while avoiding.

"Okay. I understand."

Kim A-yun nodded without arguing this way or that.

'She lacks her own assertiveness.'

It's like a baby bird following its mother bird.

That also meant her ego was weak from being so inhibited and conscious of others.

'Once her eyes change, she'll become practically honey badger-level.'

Currently, this kind of personality was Kim A-yun's biggest problem.

'Of course, it can't be helped due to her characteristic and background.'

Kim A-yun's characteristic, lightning flash, is an ability with large fluctuations.

That's because the more emotionally agitated she becomes, the greater output she generates.

'That's why she produces a power of 10 sometimes and a power of 100 other times with the same mana.'

And this was the key to developing Kim A-yun's power.

Among all emotions, what would be the strongest?

'Anger.'

Generally, negative emotions are easier and stronger than positive ones.

And if it's anger?

Her anger creates greater power, and greater power leads to a rampage.

But in other words, it means being in a state like a time bomb that could explode at any moment.

And as a result of efforts to prevent such danger, she became this inhibited, extremely unexpressive, timid personality.

'Because she had to suppress her emotions and live in a withdrawn state to avoid hurting others.'

Therefore, what needed to be done now was first to remove all those numerous obsessions and taboos embedded in Kim A-yun's mind.

"Your ability had different outputs each time. What do you think was the difference?"

"......."

Kim A-yun kept her mouth shut, but my words continued.

"From what I've seen, it seemed to vary depending on your emotional state."

"!"

Kim A-yun looked at me like I was a skilled fortune-teller.

"I'm thinking maybe you've hurt someone because of your anger?"

"......How did you...!"

She looked ready to pull out her wallet to pay for the fortune.

"It's a more common thing than you might think."

I spoke as if it were a trivial matter.

"I've seen and heard about it several times around me."

"Really?"

"Of course."

First, make her think 'it's not a big deal,' and.

"But are all those people living withdrawn lives?"

"!"

She needed to know there was another way.

"You're criminalizing emotional agitation itself. But that's not a sin. Rather, it's proof that you're alive."

I looked into Kim A-yun's eyes and continued.

"It's good that you don't want to harm others. But if your growth stagnates because of that, is that the right direction?"

Kim A-yun shook her head.

"So first, I'd like to hear about the things that trouble your mind."

"I......"

Kim A-yun began to share her story with difficulty.

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Kim A-yun's childhood was quite a happy time.

A family-oriented, harmonious parents and an economically sufficient environment.

The girl who grew up without any wrinkles in that environment was a bright and energetic child.

But everything changed from the day her mother was killed by a Ma-in.

It was truly an accident.

A Ma-in that emerged in the city struck the road, and her mother, who was returning home by bus, was killed.

Normally, her father would commute with her mother, but it happened on a day when her father had sudden overtime work and her mother went home first.

After that day, Kim A-yun's father lost his smile.

After entrusting his daughter to her grandmother, he devoted himself obsessively to work.

Because that was the only way he could bear the longing and self-blame.

Therefore, the image of her father that remained in her memory after that day was a bed that was always empty because he was constantly working overtime and going to work early.

Sometimes crying sadly while sharing drinks with her grandmother.

Sometimes silently hugging her and then leaving.

For a young child who had lost her mother, her father was just an object of endless waiting and longing.

So Kim A-yun's days were a repetition of pestering her grandmother while waiting for her father, then falling asleep disappointed.

Thus, deep loneliness always weighed down on Kim A-yun's formative years.

Moreover, the characteristic that awakened when she was in elementary school made her even lonelier.

Electricity would spark whether she was excited from feeling good, watching a funny show, or crying because she missed her father.

Several electrical appliances broke, and even her grandmother had to pass through a few dangerous situations.

Because a child's inherent vivacity and honest expression of emotions were incompatible with her ability.

Under her grandmother's strict overprotection, she had to suppress her mind and emotions in a way unlike a child.

She suppressed her mind, suppressed her loneliness, suppressed her sadness and joy.

The gaze of her peers looking at her was always similar.

A small, cute, but somehow gloomy and quiet child.

Such a child usually becomes marginalized in class or receives unnecessary scorn.

But despite that, there were no students with the guts to bully her, who had a characteristic powerful enough to enter EFAC's Class 1.

Especially after a cadet who mocked her for not having a mother was nearly killed by electric shock.

As the vicious cycle continued, Kim A-yun had no choice but to become a peripheral figure always orbiting outside the class.

"...That's how I came to the academy, and after that, it's as you've seen."

Kim A-yun, who finished her story, had slightly watery eyes, and Su-hyeon handed her a handkerchief.

"Thank you."

A state where just sharing her story alone brought tears.

'That means she's quite bottled up.'

Su-hyeon knew.

If someone could become a lighthouse for her unstable heart to settle, Kim A-yun could shine as a named character as if her current disarray had been a lie.

'...Because that's the scenario.'

But even apart from game and clearing elements, it was also true that Kim A-yun's heart would be too painful without someone's help.

So Su-hyeon spoke with sincerity.

"Kim A-yun."

"Yes?"

"Just smile if you want to smile. Get angry if you want to get angry. Are you afraid someone might get hurt?"

Nod, nod.

Su-hyeon spoke again to Kim A-yun, who was nodding her head dejectedly.

"You can make it so that doesn't happen. If you can control your emotions, if you can compress them inside you, the more abundant your emotions, the more they'll become a weapon that makes you stronger."

"A weapon that makes me stronger?"

Kim A-yun murmured.

She had never heard such affirming words about her feelings, which had always been something to suppress and endure, something criminalized.

"Yes. Just as increasing the density of sword energy creates stronger sword energy, you need to train your mind like that. That's the kind of ability you have, right?"

Su-hyeon laughed with a "hoot."

"Let's change our thinking a bit."

"Okay. But sorry, I know it's frustrating."

Kim A-yun hesitated and said.

"Still, I don't want to hurt anyone."

"It's a question of who you hurt. Do you hurt your colleagues, comrades, friends? Or do you hurt the enemies who hurt them?"

I answered immediately.

"And isn't that why you came to me?"

"...That's right."

"Don't worry, I have the skills to adequately block your ability."

"Su-hyeon, thank you so much."

Finally, something resolute appeared in Kim A-yun's eyes.

"I'll try."

"Good. Let's do it."

The two clasped hands, and.

"Ah!"

Kim A-yun, who had been swept along, was startled and quickly pulled her hand away.

"Did you hate it that much?"

"N-no, that's not it."

Kim A-yun pouted at Su-hyeon's joke.

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While control is important, first came training to draw out maximum output.

"First, let's not think about emotions or anything like that, and start by drawing out all your power without limits, as much as possible."

I said.

"When it comes to human minds, forcing yourself to do something consciously often makes it harder."

And a strong emotion doesn't necessarily have to be anger.

'We're not Super Saiyans.'

Jealousy, ambition, desire for recognition, love, competitiveness, compassion.

Anything can be used as fuel.

"I think this is similar to someone who has never done a tumbling trying tumbling for the first time."

"Tumbling?"

"Yes. The tumbling where your body rotates once in the air."

I said.

"From the perspective of someone who's never done it, fear comes first. What if I get hurt? What if I don't have enough jumping power and fall head-first? Or even if not, what if I land on my back or slip?"

But if psychological safety measures are laid out in advance, the story changes.

"Imagine laying out a soft mattress, preparing a springy floor that can help with the jump, and someone demonstrating for you. What then?"

"...I'd think it's safe for me to do it, that I could do it."

"Exactly."

I snapped my fingers and placed a prepared practice dummy.

"This dummy is neither a person nor a living being, and it even has a self-repair function. You can attack it freely without worry."

As I spoke, I stepped back.

"And I'll step back like this and put up a shield."

In other words.

"Just clench your teeth and shoot."

"Okay."

Kim A-yun stepped forward and extended both hands forward.

Pazzzzzz.

As mana violently rotated to generate lightning, Kim A-yun's hair rose and high-voltage current enveloped her body.

'How many volts is that?'

I needlessly increased the size of my Mana Shield, making it almost like a body bunker.

The electricity that Kim A-yun gathered over time began to struggle, wanting to fly somewhere, and.

"Shoot!"

Kwaaang!

Literally, a lightning bolt struck down, mercilessly destroying the dummy.

"......."

'The power is already enough?'

Or.

Maybe she's angry with me about something?

The next training was to increase control over her characteristic.

"First, let's try creating shapes with small electricity."

"Shapes?"

"Yes. It's good if you can imagine something concrete."

"Like objects?"

"No. Animals would be better. If you can imagine the movement of that animal well, it becomes that much easier to apply it to the movement of mana."

"Aha. I see."

Kim A-yun nodded.

"Anything is fine. What animal can you best visualize?"

"Umm......."

Kim A-yun fell into thought.

'Hwang Ji-su later goes on to make big things like dragons, phoenixes, tigers, and such.'

Of course, she still mainly makes awls or lances right now.

'I should probably give that kid a hint soon too.'

"Um, then......"

Kim A-yun hesitated and looked at me nervously, not sure what she had thought of.

"What? What is it?"

"Can I use a hamster?"

"...There's no reason why not."

"And also a squirrel... and a rabbit."

Villainous Ma-ins being electrocuted and collapsing from lightning-shaped hamsters, squirrels, and rabbits.

"Well, that's..."

"I-is it weird after all?"

"No. The taunt effect would be perfect."