Chapter 91
Chapter 91
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: Masked Man (2)
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📰 Life Together with Everyone, El Academy Korea Every Day Anyone from K Class in yesterday's midterm prep lesson? Legend lol 💬 Comments (14) — Anonymous 1 What happened? Am I the only one out of the loop? — Anonymous 2 ↳ Reply Pretty sure they're talking about that guy with the mask. — Anonymous 3 Im Jong-hyun was pretty legendary lol — Anonymous 4 ↳ Reply What are you talking about? Anyone could tell it was that guy. — Anonymous 3 ↳ Reply Fuck, just admit it!!! — Anonymous 5 ↳ Reply Ah lol, gritting his teeth and denying it lololol — Anonymous 6 But isn't that guy watching this too? "Hoo..."
A puff of pure white smoke escaped from Jong-hyun's mouth.
"I don't like it."
Lee Si-heon.
At first, he thought the guy had just gotten famous by a string of coincidences piling up.
'What is it?'
But when it keeps happening, isn't it inevitability?
Lee Si-heon wasn't content with just hiding his skills. True to form, he was at the center of the commotion again this time.
'Why go out of his way... No, why am I even thinking about this crap.'
He was a man he'd had zero interest in, really.
He figured Jeong Si-woo was overrating him, and he firmly believed his own assessment was correct.
'Not so sure now.'
Jong-hyun stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and wiped the sweat from his forehead with a towel.
He re-entered the training room and sat on a strength training machine.
A trivial curiosity was best shaken off.
To achieve his goals, it wouldn't be strange to charge straight ahead without looking back.
'Wait for me, Jeong Si-woo.'
He would surpass the guy he'd been connected to since the military academy, and even his father seemed within reach at a leisurely pace.
Jong-hyun reached for the massive dumbbell.
*****
"Beep-"
Back at the dorm, Shiba wouldn't talk to me.
"Shiba...?"
"Beep."
Shiba lay on the bed, face buried, letting out nothing but cries nonstop.
She must have shifted position once while lying there, leaving a tear stain on one side of the pillow.
"Is the kid having trouble adjusting?"
"They said she's adjusted well."
"Then why..."
"Beep!"
Shiba cried out sharply at Cheondo's words as she wiped the dishes.
"Probably protesting."
"Protesting?"
"Yeah. Her so-called father's always out and about, ignoring her—how could she not be pissed? She's at that age where she wants to monopolize you. Try to understand."
Have I been neglectful toward Shiba?
Not really.
Except for the few times I went out, Shiba was always with me.
On full rest days, we'd spent more than half the time stuck together.
"Daughters always want to be with their dads."
"Is that so."
"Yeah."
Cheondo's words carried a faintly bitter tone.
Given her family history, I didn't pry further.
"Beep!"
No, but Shiba, shouldn't you listen to Daddy a bit?
Her tantrums are getting worse—what am I gonna do?
"Shiba, sulking like that means we can't communicate. Look at Daddy at least."
-Slap!
Does she have eyes on the back of her head? My hand got smacked.
...This calls for some force.
I reached under her armpits and lifted her tiny body.
"Beeep, beeeep!"
Shiba flailed in panic.
Her tiny paws smacked my nose bridge and cheeks.
But once I held her close, she quieted down quick, burying her face in my chest and shedding tears.
"Aigoo, look at that snot. Tissue... Here, blow. Honk."
"Beep... Sniff..."
I wiped her tears and blew her nose for a good while.
After patting her back, her mood lifted, and Shiba wriggled in my arms, spreading her little arms to hug me as tight as she could.
"Daa..."
"Hate being apart from Daddy that much?"
-Nod, nod.
She sure understands words like a champ.
"Daddy'll try his best. Sorry, school's keeping me busy and there's a lot to handle."
"Beep..."
"You can wait for Daddy, right, sweetie?"
Shiba stayed silent a long time before finally nodding.
No helping it, even if my heart burned. In this world, I could die tomorrow to some unknown attack.
Right now Cheondo's protecting the whole academy, but who knows when another incident might pull her away.
"Ready to get started?"
"Yeah."
I set Shiba down, stood, and rolled my neck. I ruffled her droopy head roughly, and she rubbed her cheek against my hand.
Seems her mood's better. Gotta take her to an amusement park later.
"Haaah!"
Stretching made a groan slip out.
After days of grueling training, I felt less "stronger" and more "gonna die."
"Alright, let's begin."
What choice do I have? Strength doesn't grow overnight.
Today's training: magic.
My aptitudes are all over the place, so I need to sharpen as many weapons as possible.
"Before switching bodies, I'll go over what you're lacking, step by step."
Cheondo removed her outer cloth and hung it on a chair, continuing.
"First: mana. The mana cost for techniques is on another level. You know since you've used one."
"Yes."
"Simple fixes won't cut it. Elixirs work, but... getting them now would be tough."
Supply of elixirs has frozen for some reason lately.
Plus, Cheondo and Baekdo pursued pure power in life, so they lack connections there.
If push comes to shove, gacha or World Tree powers might be options.
"And second—"
"Inheriting the Heavenly Demon's power comes first, right?"
"Exactly. Not sure if you'll return to your original world... but that's later."
"Got it."
I nodded, and Cheondo closed her eyes.
A puff of smoke burst, and shy orange-haired Hwangdo came running with arms outstretched like tree branches.
"Oppa~!!"
I caught her leaping body. The soft sensation tempted me briefly, but I held back, grabbing her shoulders and peeling her off.
"Oppa... today."
"Training today, right?"
"Hing."
Not during the day, anyway.
No matter how alluring she's gotten lately, some things are off-limits.
"Got it. Come here. Just take off your top."
I followed her words, removed my dress shirt, and bared my back. She placed her hand near my spine and began dispersing her mana deep into me.
"Heehee, Oppa's back..."
"......"
It tickled down to my bones.
"Oppa’s so amazing. Wasn't like this at first. Face changed a ton."
"The face... I worked hard on it via the status window. It's off now, though."
"Eh, still looks clean? Matches your voice perfectly."
Breaking the status window altered various stats.
Intelligence went from 5 to 6, physical imbalances fixed.
Stuff like flab that shouldn't be there got smoothed out.
Above all, it felt like my body was reshaped pulling only the perks from the status window—like something out of a wuxia novel, experienced firsthand.
"Feels like you've lived diligently."
"Why the creepy praise all of a sudden?"
"Sis always wants to praise Oppa. This area's grown too."
Tap tap—
Hwangdo tapped my crotch with her free hand, and my mana twitched, blood rushing south.
What the hell did she just do?
"It's up."
"...Crazy. What was that—"
"Once you're more used to it, Oppa can do it too. Even to girls? Wanna try... once?"
...That damned tease.
Can't let my guard down around her for a second.
Then—
"Beeep! Beep!"
Shiba, who'd been sulking and watching me, jumped up and smacked Hwangdo's shoulder.
"Beep!"
"Sh-Shiba?"
"Beep! You beep!"
"Ack! Shiba, that hurts. Sorry, sis is sorry..."
Don't touch my daddy!
Whatever threat worked, as Hwangdo snapped to and refocused on probing my mana.
Shiba returned to her spot and sat on my lap. Hwangdo just caressed my back wistfully.
"...Hing."
Who knew she'd back down like this?
To keep Hwangdo in check... need Shiba. Noted.
"No more nonsense... get to work."
"But Oppa needs to learn this, right?"
"No way you're teaching your disciple how to arouse women. Sis, are you not the Heavenly Demon but a Lust Demon? You use lewd arts too?"
"Not magic, just a technique. Blocks pregnancy too! Perfect for Oppa. Probably no one else in the world can. Wait... no, that sage might."
So smug, like she reads my every thought.
"Why use the world's only skill like that."
"'Cause Oppa's got talent like me. And you need it."
"......"
"...Fruits boost mana too."
Hwangdo's words dripped with meaning.
Masterfully twisting it so Cheondo wouldn't catch on.
"Pervert through and through."
"Hehe."
"Not a compliment."
Filling the Tree Encyclopedia is one way to get stronger fast.
But the conditions are brutal, so it's my last resort... Who'd have thought Hwangdo would suggest it.
"Anyway, let's finish this first?"
"Please."
Hwangdo closed her eyes again, focusing on emitting mana.
I took deep breaths to calm down, then drew up my own mana.
"Give it a go."
Wung—
Blue mana rippled around my skin.
It's a mana probe, but I can't slack off.
She pushes mana into my body; I resist to test control. One slip, and circuits or core could break.
Risky, but the payoff's huge. Master gets pupil's mana circuit quality and capacity—best perk ever.
-Wuuung.
But...
'Huh.'
It's tough.
She's coming in hard; I strain but can't push back fully.
Sensation of her mana forcing into my circuits, probing around.
Creepy as hell. I adjusted posture, ramped up focus.
"...?"
'This girl?'
Her mana stretched snake-like inside me, writhing.
I extended mine long to counter.
Boosted output; they tangled, circuits veering slightly.
Should I max output? As I pondered—
"That's enough."
Hwangdo called it.
"Hoo..."
"First time, right? Hurt like hell my first time with Sajin. But Oppa's got great talent!"
Sweat beaded on my forehead before I knew it.
Shiba, head on my thigh, seemed to perk me up a bit.
"Didn't know it'd be this rough."
"Rough check done. Teleport's learnable now. You can do it."
"...Good to hear."
Means I can drop Shiba at daycare without Hwangdo.
Sighing in relief, stroking my chest—Hwangdo, glued to my back, whispered in my ear.
"So, wanna learn that other thing now?"
The magic-like technique to sexually excite men or women.
Tempted to smack her, but a better idea hit.
"Think I could do that thing now too."
"Eh~ Oppa, even for you, teleport maybe, but this ain't one-and-done."
Really?
I jabbed a finger into Hwangdo's thigh. Slowly, gently infused mana, caressing her lower body.
"Pretty sure I did it like this."
"...Told you it won't work, Oppa."
"Hold on."
No reaction... guess it's not easy...
I pumped more mana, recalling the earlier sensation.
"...Huh."
Her skin started trembling. A flustered voice.
-Squeeze.
Twist harder here?
"Hic!"
Hwangdo's sudden hiccup.
Turning, her face was flushed red.
"Oppa... Sis needs the bathroom real quick."
"Huh? Oh, sure, go ahead."
I stared blankly at my finger as she bolted to the kitchen.
'...Did it work?'
Magic.
No... a technique, in my hands.