novelraw Chapter 6 : Chapter 6
Chapter 6 : Chapter 6
Chapter 6. The First Plausibility (2)
'I never thought he would show me something like this.'
This was the impression after seeing Choi Yu-seong finish his battle.
Of course, it didn't mean his skills were outstanding.
The battle he just showed was too intense for fighting a lower-grade monster.
The part that surprised Im Seong-cheol was something else.
'He fights very cool-headedly.'
His attitude toward combat wasn't that of the 899th rank.
If the monster Choi Yu-seong fought had been C-Rank or higher instead of E-Rank, one would believe he was an active Player.
That's how rare the battle Choi Yu-seong showed was.
'He isn't a cadet with a naturally cold atmosphere.'
There were people born with cold personalities from the start.
But Choi Yu-seong is not that type.
Because Choi Yu-seong chatting with Cadet Kim Su-hyeok didn't give off that feeling.
Then there was only one possibility left.
'He maintains his cool only during combat.'
It is not an easy task.
Something most people can absolutely not do.
Usually, when engaging in a fight, emotions heighten; it is not common for emotions to settle down.
Thinking that, he liked the cadet walking out from there even more.
"Does he have a sense of purpose...?"
Im Seong-cheol had seen a few people of that type.
And they all had the exact same thing in common.
The first was a sense of purpose.
Because they had a higher goal than the immediate battle, they were always cool-headed.
Having a goal.
One might think it's obvious, but there aren't as many people who have one clearly as one might think.
Furthermore, those who didn't give up for that goal were even fewer.
That is why that cadet named Choi Yu-seong was amazing.
Deciding not to give up with a clear goal at the age of 17 was a rare sight.
Whatever that goal is, it must be more important than anything else to him.
"He's going to be big."
Im Seong-cheol said that and smiled faintly.
He is 899th now, but that rank will definitely go up someday.
He could be certain.
Because the second commonality of that type was that everyone succeeded.
"I should teach him well."
Raising such promising cadets properly would be his job.
Im Seong-cheol thought so and moved toward Choi Yu-seong.
***
"Still, the training was effective."
I reviewed the battle from earlier again.
An opponent I probably wouldn't have lost to even without training.
But I definitely wouldn't have won easily.
I probably would have fought a desperate battle while suffering all sorts of hardships.
'It is truly a relief that the setting allows for open possibilities. Otherwise, things like training would have been meaningless.'
Originally, in this kind of novel, potential is determined from the moment of awakening.
But this world was different.
The condition of the path might differ depending on the quality of talent, but it didn't mean there was no path.
Among the heroes I admired, there was such a person.
A figure who discussed being strong with only a single D-Rank talent.
For reference, he is also a student at this academy.
'I need to meet him once later.'
But it is premature yet.
Even if I meet him now, there is nothing I can really do for him.
It was then.
"Cadet Choi Yu-seong."
Im Seong-cheol called me with a deep voice.
What is going on?
'Did he not like the process?'
That could be it.
A cadet who struggles for 10 minutes with a lower-grade monster; there's no way he'd like it.
He probably intends to lecture me.
I walked toward Im Seong-cheol at his call.
'If he's going to scold me, I wish he'd do it quickly.'
Scolding is sad, but it's okay.
Because he doesn't even scold cadets he has no interest in.
Fortunately, I seem to be within his interest.
I finished preparing to get scolded thinking that, but the words that followed were unexpected.
"Good work. It was a good battle."
"I will refl... Pardon?"
"Cold judgment, a battle that grasped the level of the enemy and yourself, and a clean strike at the very end. Everything was good."
"Ah... Thank you."
I feel good for no reason.
Is it because I was praised when I expected to be scolded? Of course, that might be part of it.
But the reason I felt good was the source of the praise.
'So this is what it feels like to be praised by a hero I admired.'
I felt touched for no reason.
I wanted to keep feeling this mood.
But that thought couldn't last long.
"However, there were many lacking parts. Especially when you turned your body earlier, why did you choose that direction? Looking at the way you fight..."
"......"
Im Seong-cheol's lecture continued like rapid fire.
Points that made my mind go distant just by listening.
Ah, I forgot.
His praise is short and clear, but his lectures are incredibly long.
Still, since they are words for my sake, I should listen...
I succeeded in listening to the pouring lecture for a solid 10 minutes without resting, with my eyes closed.
Whether closing my eyes was rebellion against the Instructor and led to 10 more minutes of scolding is another story.
***
"Everyone, good work."
Finally, with Kim Su-hyeok as the last one, all cadets finished the virtual combat training.
How impressive was Kim Su-hyeok's figure fighting a C-Rank at the age of 17?
It was enough to make Instructor Im Seong-cheol's eyes widen, who is famous for not showing emotions well.
"Some will be regretful they couldn't show everything they have. Others will be angry at their still lacking selves."
At Im Seong-cheol's words, the cadets nodded as if agreeing.
"But there is no need to be discouraged because such regrets and deficiencies exist. Only 3 days have passed out of the 3 years you will spend here."
Im Seong-cheol put strength into his voice as he spoke.
"For the remaining 3 years, you just need to fix what is regrettable and fill in what is lacking. That is what the school and instructors are here for. So follow my words well from now on!"
"Yes!!!"
I was also impressed by Im Seong-cheol's words.
The appearance of making us keenly feel our shortcomings and then saying we can improve if we listen to him.
Is that the qualification of an instructor?
As expected, the hero I admire is on a completely different level.
"Then we will end it here for today. Everyone is dismissed."
As soon as the words of class dismissal fell from Im Seong-cheol's mouth, the cadets quickly started to go their ways.
To think those people will be Players protecting the world later...
I can't really imagine it right now.
"Then should I get going too?"
Just as I stood up to go to the training room.
"Yu-seong!"
"Huh? Kim Su-hyeok?"
From afar, Kim Su-hyeok was waving his hand and approaching.
And next to him... Ha Eun-ha?
Why Ha Eun-ha all of a sudden?
Before I could even harbor such a question, Kim Su-hyeok, who had come in front of me, spoke.
"I watched you fight! It was really amazing?"
"Huh?"
From my perspective, you were more amazing. You were knocking down upper-intermediate ones.
"You even got praised by the Instructor, you were cool. Seeing as there aren't many kids the Instructor praises."
...You heard several times more praise than me.
I felt this last time, but he's teasing me, right? That's right, isn't it?
"Plus, there..."
"Hey, Kim Su-hyeok. Did you forget I'm here?"
While Kim Su-hyeok was continuously making me feel miserable, Ha Eun-ha cut off Kim Su-hyeok's words and poked his side.
It is truly a relief.
I was scared of how much more miserable he would make me, but thanks to Ha Eun-ha, that situation didn't come.
"Ah, right. Sorry. Yu-seong. This is Ha Eun-ha. Eun-ha. This is Choi Yu-seong."
"I know~. I heard a lot from Kim Su-hyeok."
Heard? What on earth did he say?
When I made a curious expression, Ha Eun-ha answered with a playful look.
"He said you're fun to be with even though you haven't met long ago? You be careful. I've never seen him have a girlfriend yet."
"Hey, hey! What are you talking about! I'm not that preference?!"
...I hate that too.
Anyway, the two play really funnily.
A smirk burst out at the appearance of the two exchanging a skit.
Then Ha Eun-ha looked at me as if surprised.
"What the. When I saw you fight earlier, I thought you were some cold-blooded human, but I guess not?"
"Cold-blooded human. I smile more than you think?"
I said that and pulled the corners of my mouth up with my fingers.
Then Ha Eun-ha burst into laughter as if it was funny.
"Kyak-ha-ha-ha! You're a funny kid, aren't you?"
...Was it that funny?
Ha Eun-ha's sense of humor seems a bit difficult for me.
Ha Eun-ha, who stopped the laughter that continued for a while, reached out her hand looking at me.
"Well, anyway! Since Su-hyeok praised you until his mouth wore out, you must not be a bad kid!"
"I, it wasn't until my mouth wore out!"
Kim Su-hyeok retorted something, but it didn't enter my ears.
Only the one part that he praised me slid into my ears.
I thought briefly, 'Can he do that just because we trained together a bit?' but then I thought it was possible.
'Because Kim Su-hyeok has a very lively personality when it comes to human relationships.'
As expected of the protagonist.
However, I don't have that angular of a personality regarding human relationships either.
To the extent that I know how to accept a greeting if offered first.
That is why I grasped Ha Eun-ha's hand who greeted me first.
Then Ha Eun-ha smiled playfully and shook our grasped hands.
"Let's get along well from now on. If a problem occurs, this big sister will solve everything for you!"
Big sister? We're the same age.
Furthermore, although it's not much of a difference, my actual age is a bit older.
But I didn't bother refuting Ha Eun-ha's words.
In the first place, with a personality like that, it's better for mental health to just let it slide.
Just then, Ha Eun-ha shouted "Ah!" as if she remembered something.
"Come to think of it, I have to drop by the Instructor. Sorry! I think I have to get going."
"Then go ahead."
It's probably because of the Magic Bracelet that broke during the training earlier.
Because her Mana Capacity as a Healer position would be hard to withstand with a cadet-use bracelet.
"Okay! Then I'm off~."
Ha Eun-ha disappeared like an arrow with those words.
Her appearance of suddenly appearing and suddenly disappearing was just like a storm.
After Ha Eun-ha left like that, Kim Su-hyeok spoke to me again with a sheepish face.
"Sorry, you were flustered because I introduced her suddenly, right? She's not a bad kid even if she looks like that."
"I know."
"Huh? Ah. Since Eun-ha is famous, that could be."
I don't know her because of that, but it is true that Ha Eun-ha is famous.
The ability of a rare Healer even among Supporters.
On top of that, her Mana Capacity was outstanding.
I was worried about how to make a connection with her, but I was grateful to Kim Su-hyeok.
If I had tried to approach first, I would have been branded as 'the 899th rank who doesn't know his place.'
"Yu-seong."
That thought couldn't last long.
Because Kim Su-hyeok called me, breaking my train of thought.
"Why?"
"You're going to the training room today too, right?"
Kim Su-hyeok's face asking that was full of a bright smile.
...Just how much does he like exercising?
I didn't know when I read it in the novel, but isn't it a sickness at that level?
"I have to go."
But I didn't say I wouldn't go.
Because I am acutely feeling my lack of ability in real-time.
Resting because I am tired is an impossible thing.
Furthermore...
'Because there isn't much time left.'
I remembered again after seeing her.
This weekend.
The first Plausibility occurs.
The Plausibility that was associated, even if indirectly, with the death of the hero I admired, 'Ha Eun-ha'.
I had to eliminate that Plausibility.