novelraw Chapter 135 : Chapter 135
Chapter 135 : Chapter 135
Chapter 135: Pain Curse (1)
I like sandwiches.
Because they are easy to eat.
Among them, the Green Onion Cream Sandwich sold at the Zero Academy Central Cafe is the best.
Thanks to the generous amount of green onions, it takes on a completely green hue, so I have no choice but to like it.
But today was a little different.
‘Urgh.’
Thanks to the thick green visual, the filth I wiped endlessly the day before came to mind.
It feels like the stench is still lingering in my nose.
To think I developed a trauma with my favorite menu, damn it.
“What’s wrong, no appetite? You should eat deliciously when I buy it for you.”
“……Stomach is a bit.”
“Wow, this is really the first time I’m seeing your appetite drop like this?”
Do Haru opened her eyes wide and took a big bite of her sandwich.
‘I didn't know I would become like this either.’
I never want to clean again.
But to continue using MacGuffin, I probably have to do it consistently.
‘Life…….’
Shaking my head, I put the sandwich down on the plate.
“What? Really no appetite?”
“Just not really craving sandwiches. Shall we eat something else?”
“What to eat? Go to a Chinese restaurant for Jajangmyeon?”
Jajangmyeon, huh.
Once again, yesterday's scenes came to mind.
“Urgh.”
“Do you happen to have morning sickness?”
Of course not.
It's pure nausea.
“Condition is not good. Was thinking of asking a favor since it's been a while.”
“What favor?”
“This.”
Do Haru took something out from her long training bag.
“……Sword?”
What she took out from the bag with a triumphant expression was a sword.
A very attractive real sword starting from the scabbard engraved with stylish patterns.
“Ordered it right as I returned from Jeju Island. Awesome, right?”
It is awesome, but why suddenly?
Perhaps my expression spoke for me without me realizing, Do Haru explained immediately.
“I got interested in swords recently. Thinking I might try learning it too.”
It wasn't an answer at all.
‘How did she get interested?’
A person suddenly stepping up to do something they didn't used to do.
Is it some kind of signal?
“Nothing happened recently, right? Like meeting someone and breaking up.”
“Nothing like that! It’s not a change of heart or anything, just genuinely curious about swords.”
Strange.
‘No matter how much I think, there's no route for her to use a sword.’
Why would a Phantasmal Beast Summoner who even contracted with a unicorn try to swing a sword?
It was beyond random, almost at the level of delinquency.
Supporting class and Striker class standing at the forefront of the battle line don't match at all.
“Saw someone swinging a sword and got interested.”
“Who?”
“There is someone. Anyway, never mind that.”
Do Haru hugged the sword tightly and said.
With a strangely prim expression.
“Can you teach me the sword a little? You’re the only person around I can ask.”
“Teach you the sword?”
I'm baffled.
Me teaching someone itself is strange, and on top of that, it's Do Haru asking to be taught.
It's a situation hard to see even in a dream.
‘……I am curious though.’
What would happen if Do Haru handles a sword?
Swinging a sword while handling a Phantasmal Beast.
Unexpectedly, the combination might not be bad.
If I discover an unexpected talent, it means learning a new cultivation method just like that.
‘It’s worth checking once.’
To Do Haru sending desperate gazes, I said lightly.
“If it’s just looking over simply, sure.”
“Really? Yay! Shall we go right now? I want to swing this quickly!”
Do Haru making a fuss even before starting?
Wondering if I'm making a mistake, but checking lightly wouldn't be bad.
I might discover an unexpected talent too.
***
‘……Hopeless.’
Came straight to the training ground and started checking.
Stopped her from recklessly taking out the real sword to swing, and put a wooden sword in her hand.
Let her swing it straight like that, but.
‘This is too much.’
Even considering everything, it was too much.
Not even 0.1g of talent was visible.
I clearly instructed her to swing the sword in a straight line.
“L-Like this?”
SWISH-!
Just from the swinging sound, my enthusiasm deflated.
The sword tip drew a parabola in the air.
She was taking a form of throwing a fishing line, not swinging a sword.
Why is the wrist snap like that, and why is the waist bending backward?
“Your wrist is twisted excessively. You should hold the center with your waist. And draw a straight line.”
“How do you hold the center?”
“…….”
Did I agree to help for nothing?
She had no talent beyond imagination.
“No, then look carefully. You mean fix the hand like this?”
“It won't work if the hand is too stiff though?”
“What do you mean won't work? Hey! If you're teaching, be clear!”
Damn it.
I agreed to help for nothing.
“Then just show me once.”
After bickering for a while, Do Haru held out the wooden sword handle towards me.
“Show you?”
“Yeah, no, I really don't understand a thing just by words. Let me see and follow.”
Is she secretly sincere about learning?
It's not wrong either.
Seeing a demonstration and following is the standard.
“Okay well, watch carefully.”
I took the wooden sword and stood in front of the target.
BEEP-
A mechanical sound rang out at that moment.
“What?”
“Ah, just recording it.”
Do Haru pointed her phone at me.
“To watch repeatedly and refer to.”
Nothing particularly strange.
I looked at the target and took a stance.
WHOOSH-!
Swung the sword.
A way of swinging confidently with appropriate force.
THWACK-!
But the wooden sword stopped abruptly as soon as it touched the target.
Besides, the sword trajectory was also twisted. Even though I emphasized straight lines repeatedly.
“Eh?”
Do Haru tilted her head next to the phone camera she held out.
Even to a layman, it seemed something was weird.
I quietly looked at Do Haru once and pointed at the target again.
“……You shouldn't do it like this.”
“Ah, bad example?”
“Something like that.”
“Aha.”
Somehow an ambiguous reaction.
For some reason, my pride is hurt.
‘Damn it.’
Stepped up to teach, can't end it like this.
Plus, she's filming to use as a textbook.
If I end it clumsily like this, I lose face.
‘……Let’s use it.’
Reached a conclusion.
Use a skill.
I grasped the wooden sword again and caught my breath.
In an instant, strength filled both arms.
[Wind Slash]
SLICE-!
With the sound of air being roughly cut, the center of the scarecrow target was cut smoothly.
“……This is it.”
“What?”
“I wanted to see this! How did you do it?”
Why is she so happy?
Do Haru continued making a fuss after taking the sword from me.
“How do you do it? What you just did?”
“So…….”
Momentarily speechless.
There was no way to explain.
Since I don't know either.
Just use a skill. What should I say about this?
"What? Why stop talking? How do I do it?"
“That, well, just give strength sharply and swing whoosh.”
From my mouth, an answer that didn't make sense even to me flowed out.
“Give sharply and whoosh?”
Do Haru looked at me with eyes asking if that was correct.
After that, Do Haru swung the sword for 30 minutes straight.
The result was disastrous.
There was no progress whatsoever.
Do Haru looked back at me while holding the wooden sword, sweating buckets.
Once again, eyes asking if this was correct.
I avoided her gaze.
Pretending not to see was best.
A brief break.
Do Haru sat down on the floor just like that and stretched.
“Guess geniuses can't teach~”
Must be a joke thrown lightly.
But for some reason, a corner of my chest stings.
‘Not a genius or anything.’
It's because of skill reliance.
I swallowed words I couldn't bear to say.
“Or I want to learn at least this. Not that I'll learn from you.”
Do Haru found something on her phone and held it out to me.
A lecture video was playing on the screen.
[Lee Chungwon's Swordsmanship Mastery_Basic Edition]
“Saw it the day before yesterday. Tried practicing alone but it didn't work well.”
The instructor in the video was continuing the explanation with a rhythmical voice.
“Wrapping magic power around the body is relatively easy. But wrapping around a weapon? Have to approach slowly. Slo~wly.”
The instructor showed holding the wooden sword in his hand.
“This looks like a sword? You’re hopeless. This is a hand. Got it? Hand. Your arm. Ah! My hand has become longer~? You get this feeling? Then it works.”
Magic flow naturally covered the sword riding the hand.
Skillful and clean dexterity.
Must be why he's acting as an instructor.
‘Story for kids with magic power.’
A world irrelevant to me for now.
So Do Haru also said she wouldn't learn from me.
Do Haru was concentrating, clenching her teeth while holding the wooden sword.
Magic power wrapping around her hand was visible. But it didn't go beyond that.
Energy hovered at the sword handle part then scattered.
Wrapping around the body is easy, but wrapping around a weapon is hard.
If I had magic power, what would it feel like.
Curious anew, but.
‘Wait.’
There is something similar.
Suddenly remembered, when I wrapped the energy ‘Pain’ flowing in my body around my body.
‘Wrapped it around my legs in the Olle Trail race.’
If I wrap Pain around my body, tremendous explosive power comes out momentarily.
I had certainly experienced that.
The problem is paralysis comes after using it.
The memory of losing sensation in my lower body entirely for several hours was still vivid.
Yet, a question arises.
‘……Doesn't work on weapons?’
As my thoughts reached there, my steps moved naturally.
Magic Power Grass works, human legs work, so why wouldn't a weapon work.
Picked up a wooden sword placed next to me.
Slowly adjusted my breathing.
Pulled up Pain crouching deep inside my body.
The energy itself was quite manageable now.
Since I got used to it to some extent.
Dark energy flowed into my hand riding my arm.
And reached the sword.
At that moment, resistance was felt.
As if drawing a line saying not from here.
The moment I tried to push it in forcefully.
FZZT.
The energy scattered powerlessly.
Simultaneously, a stinging paralysis spread to my arm.
“Ugh, why is this so hard?”
Do Haru lay down with her limbs spread wide.
No magic power, but I sympathize. Had a similar experience.
‘But.’
My gaze naturally stayed on the wooden sword.
What if I try once more?
‘Seems like it might work.’
Just before, it was somewhat ambiguous.
Clearly, the moment it was about to cross the boundary between finger, sword, and hand, the power cut off.
Yes, the boundary was felt.
- This looks like a sword? Hopeless. Ah! My hand has become longer~? You get this thought? Then it works.
Perceiving that boundary might have been the problem.
‘Sensation that the body extended.’
Slowly adjusted my breathing.
This time I didn't try to push it in forcefully.
Because there was no need to distinguish.
Arm and hand, and sword.
Do not divide the boundary.
‘Being conscious is rather poison.’
Closed my eyes and quietly extended the power.
‘…….’
At some moment, the blade part of the wooden sword was dyed darkly.
Don't know from when.
When I opened my eyes again, it was already done.
The amount of Pain wrapped was extremely small.
It seemed not even 1/10 of the total amount I could handle.
But anyway, it filled the weapon.
Successful.
‘……But, so what gets better?’
Does the sword become harder?
Like when wrapped around the body?
If it's to that extent, honestly there's no big meaning.
Since it's merely a small amount.
Just the sword color changes and that's it?
I roughly swung the wooden sword in the air.
‘Hm?’
In an instant, the energy wrapped around the sword disappeared.
Even though there was no sensation of failing control.
‘What?’
And it was that moment.
DING-!
[Curse is activated.]
“Eh?”
Wait.
What just now?
Curse is activated?
Inadvertently raised my gaze.
What was in the direction I swung the sword…… was Do Haru.
[‘Curse of Stomachache’ dwells in the target.]
‘Wait.’
A scene somewhat familiar.
“Ugh.”
Along with the bewildered moan flowing out of Do Haru's mouth.
GURGLE-!
A heavy twisting sound burst out from her stomach.
“W-What is this?”
Do Haru spitting out surprised words, her complexion turned deathly pale.
‘I’m screwed.’
The effect when wrapped around a weapon was curse emission.
Along with an unexpected discovery, I faced a crisis of losing a friend.