Chapter 89
Chapter 89
Academy’s Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Chapter 89
"So, what exactly is this performance evaluation?"
Seo Ye-rin and I arrived at the training hall.
Before we could even reminisce about our first meeting here, the stiff, chilling sensation of the sword at my throat from that day flashed in my mind. I quickly tried to lighten the heavy atmosphere.
"L-Log cutting..."
"Log chopping."
"T-Teacher... That day... I'm truly sorry...!"
"Hey now."
What was she even saying?
'That day'?
"We've never met here. Got it?"
"Y-Yes?! Oh, right! Understood..."
Having grasped the situation from our conversation, Seo Ye-rin replied in a trembling voice.
From now on, we had never met in this place.
So that chilling sensation of the sword at my throat that day never happened either.
...Wait, a sword at my throat?
Me, of all people, imagining something like that. Must've been fatigue playing tricks on me.
Anyway.
"Martial arts performance evaluation is log chopping? Are they serious?"
Was Professor Namgung Seong-jin heading out for some meeting on the day of the eval?
Otherwise, there's no way he'd set something this insane.
"How thick are the logs? Actually, is that really all there is to it?"
"What do you mean...?"
"No matter what methods you use, as long as you chop the log, you're good?"
If it's just chopping a log, that's ridiculously easy.
Unless the logs for the test are made from world trees or something, I wouldn't even need skills or traitsjust infuse some mana into a blade, and it's done.
It'd slice like tofu or cake, right?
When I asked her, Seo Ye-rin shook her head firmly in denial.
"N-No... They said to just swing the weapon they provide to chop it."
"Without mana?"
"Yes... Without mana."
Of course.
Chopping a mere log is a parlor trick if you borrow the power of mana or skills.
But if those are all banned, it's a different story.
"Chopping a log with just the academy's mass-produced weapons. Not a single student can sense the grain yet."
It's not impossible.
But it won't be easy.
To cut a log with a plain iron weapon, you have to precisely target the softest, weakest grain in the wood's structurethe toughest part of objects like trees or stones.
Stronger kids might smash it like with an axe.
But that's not what the martial arts professor wants.
"By the way, what's the grading criteria?"
"Criteria...? Well... it's based on the number..."
"Number?"
What kind of performance evaluation has a 'number'?
Maybe you can retake it if you fail?
"What does that mean?"
"The fewer swings... the higher the grade."
According to her, it went like this.
Pick a weapon like an axe, sword, or spear.
Swing it to split the log in half: one swing for Grade 1.
Two to three swings for Grade 2.
Four to ten for Grade 3.
And so onthe more swings, the lower the grade.
Man, what a headache for the students.
"Mana use completely forbidden? No [Body Enhancement] either?"
"Yes... If caught, it's zero points."
"...Namgung Seong-jin must be dead set on this."
Listening to Seo Ye-rin's explanation, the intent behind Namgung Seong-jin's evaluation sent chills down my spine.
That guy plans to cull the first-years before they've even finished half the year. Sort the kids who haven't figured out their talents or passions yetdivide raw gems from polished jewels.
And raise them to his tastes.
"Hah, so that's why everyone makes such a fuss about Chilseong."
Yeah, this method would be effective.
Better to polish surefire raw talent than teach a bunch of uncertaintiesfor the higher-ups, it's great PR too.
But if they do that.
What about the others?
'What a joke.'
But considering efficiency, that's the rational choice. You've always prioritized efficiency yourself.
A cold voice recited in my mind.
Tamamo chuckled at my words.
It contradicted the efficiency I usually valued. Criticizing the academy for chasing efficiency while I did the same myselfwhat a ridiculous hypocrisy.
Even I thought so.
'But this is different.'
I value efficiency because I've once reached the pinnacle of nothingness. I don't force it on others.
Especially not on budding students.
You don't blather about efficiency to kids just starting out, claiming to know what they're good at.
I'm not that arrogant.
I just have more experience and knowledge than most.
Guiding my six students under me was just playing to their habits, weaknesses, and strengths I gleaned from talks with Eve.
So it grated on me to see less experienced fools, drunk on age and appearances, sorting gems from rocks under the guise of efficiency.
Those types wouldn't last a year on the battlefield I knewthey'd crumble. And they think they can judge young seeds' talents with a simple test?
Ah, seriously.
This pisses me off so much.
This is why the top always screws things up.
Acting like their way is the only right one no different from the world I came from...
"...Teacher! T-Teacher!"
"Ah, sorry. Got lost in thought. Where were we?"
"The part about grades based on the number of swings..."
Right, yeah.
We were there.
I kept a poker face, burying my recent thoughts in the back of my mind. Not a topic for a mere TA like me.
So I'd shelve it for now.
"Yeah, up to there. So you want tips for Grade 1?"
"N-No. If possible, I'd like to learn... the essence."
The essence, huh.
Hah, this girl's got high standards.
How'd she even know I could teach that? I looked down at the cheeky kid, wondering.
Could Seo Ye-rin really aim for Grade 1?
If I asked myself.
'...Not quite yet.'
Seo Ye-rin has innate talent and skill beyond her years.
But that's not enough to chop a thick log with just an iron sword and no mana.
What Namgung Seong-jin and the higher-ups want to see in this test is talent for wielding intentthe totality of will, everything a martial artist is about.
That's it.
"You want me to teach you intent?"
"N-No. If possible, everything."
"What a greedy student."
That's beyond a featit's a miracle.
Few in the world can even learn it, let alone teach it. And here she was, asking me to play that role.
I'd pegged her as quiet and clumsy, nothing special.
Turns out she's slyer than I thought.
"Even if she's greedy... isn't it the teacher's duty to guide such a student?"
"True enough."
"You won't say you can't teach me, right...?"
"Shouldn't the proper response be 'Can I teach that?'"
Intent, or mind.
The realm every spear or sword user aims for.
Infusing purpose and thought into one's energy and form.
Easy to say, but like most realms.
Handling intent is far harder than it sounds.
For a mage, it's around midway between [Domain] and [Sanctuary]. Realms vary wildly by discipline, so not a perfect comparison.
But roughly that level.
Anyway, Seo Ye-rin was asking me to lead her to that tough realm.
"...Um, you can't teach it, can you?"
"No, I can teach it just fine."
"Phew... That's a relief."
Unlike Seo Ye-rin, who relaxed at my confirmation, my expression turned grave.
Anyone would think something huge was wrong, but it wasn't that serious.
I just couldn't comprehend it.
"You're way too impatient, you know."
"Huh? I-Is it that obvious?"
"You're wearing it on your sleeve. Hard not to notice."
I knew she had a fiercer desire to grow stronger than most. Her background, her setup.
I knew it shaped the current Seo Ye-rin.
That's why I asked.
"Normal martial artists barely touch the peak before their forties or fifties. But you're at that threshold before twenty. Why the rush?"
"Can't I... just skip it...?"
"No, you need to understand this. Intent is too early for your level."
Everything has its proper time.
Even though I've mastered all mid-tier spells and created, refined PyrokinesisI still hold off on high-tier magic for the same reason.
If Seo Ye-rin learned intent now, she'd double in strength.
If I reached for high-tier, grand magic, or beyond to colossal spells or sanctuary, I'd multiply too.
But towers built in haste crumble all too easily.
"You want to build a castle that sways in the breeze?"
Studying martial arts is like piling up a mountain fortress.
If you want shortcuts to build it fast, wrong guy.
What I pursue is an impregnable iron fortress.
One that stands firm against any assault or disaster.
"So tell me."
I wanted to know.
Not because she's a side character or heroine with some sense of purpose.
Why this person craves teaching so badly.
I wanted that answer.
"Um... Do you know my grandfather?"
"Divine Spear, you mean. Hard not to, with the rumors."
"Th-That famous?! I've never even mentioned it...?"
Tell me about it.
Gossip spreads like wildfire here.
"So, what about your grandfather?"
"...Someday, I want to surpass him."
"Why, want to brag? 'Look how great my granddaughter is'?"
"N-No, not that. I just... want to prove it."
Prove what, exactly.
No words came out.
The moment I realized it felt familiar.
My mouth felt sealed with iron.
"I want to get strong. Every time I grip the spear, swing it, I feel alive. But before getting strong, I want to be a granddaughter he's proud of. I want to prove it. Take his place and say, 'Your granddaughter grew this big. I reached here without your help...' Proudly."
"..."
First time hearing her talk so much.
Surprising, but my focus was on her words themselves.
It drew a hollow laugh.
"Hah, really."
Thump-thump. My heart pounded.
I clutched my head with my right hand to calm it.
Eve, you bastard.
You even took this as inspiration?
Doesn't miss a trick.
Now I got why Seo Ye-rin only appeared in year 2 of the original. Why she's bad with words.
I felt like I understood it all.
This scene too.
Familiar composition.
Familiar lines.
But positions swapped.
'This... is totally me.'
The clueless days trailing my master with my sword.
Then leading battalions alone on the battlefield.
The exact words I'd spat at my master and teacher back then.
The line that forced mepositively or negativelyto grow, now echoed from a novel girl.
Eve, you evil bastard.
'No way out after hearing that.'
Once I heard it.
Seriously.
No choice but to teach her from the ground up.
"Fine. I'll teach you from the basics."
How to grip the spear, swing it.
Posture, gaze, mindset.
The essence of the spear passed to me by those who taught me.
"But in return."
Walk a different path from me.
Unlike how I lost master, love, and teacher after saying that.
You show a different way.
Prove those words weren't wrong.
I wanted to spell it all out.
But for now, a few words would do.
No pointshe wouldn't get it and would just look at me weird.
"Serve me."
Master-disciple bond.
Clear lord-vassal hierarchy.
Any form is fine.
Just learn from me.
"Don't betray me. Guard my back."
Girl or student.
Doesn't matter.
If you're a true martial artist striving for the realm.
Prove it to me.
And if you're truly worthy of those cursed words.
"In return, I'll teach you everything."
If you prove it, I'll pass on decades of my martial knowledge.
And the spear art of Seo Ye-rin's grandfather, Divine Spear's modelthat old man's original.
I'll teach it to you myself.
If your words were inspired by me.
Don't disappoint.
That's all I wanted.