Namgung Mir (1)
Prunel Academy. Third-floor building. Inside the A-class classroom.
It had been about five days since Choi Siwoo consumed the Yin-Yang Pill. The vibrant spring blossoms were fading, giving way to the blessing of summer heat that hummed in the air. Warm sunlight filtered through the gaps in the windows, heralding the approach of summer.
Jegalrin, who had been sketching a 4th-order composite conduction magic circle on the blackboard, paused what she was doing. More than half the cadets weren't paying attention to the lesson. The reason? A single cadet in the corner.
The male students, harboring ugly emotions of anger and jealousy, sulked with handkerchiefs stuffed in their mouths. The female students pretended otherwise but stole glances, swallowing their embarrassed feelings. It was a downright awkward situation.
...Haa, these kids...
Realizing there was no point continuing the class, Jegalrin let out a quiet sigh. Recent back-to-back major incidents had already prevented proper lessons. The theory exam scope had been reduced, and she hadn't assigned papers or the myriad tasks that could torment the cadets in various ways.
I'm so disappointed. For her, who longed to hear the children's screams, it was truly regrettable.
What should I do... But she couldn't lash out at the source of the problem. Jegalrin pondered whether to make a 'pop!' with wind magic.
Maybe I can let it slide for one day. Even she had frozen upon first sight.
Beyond the gazes was a boy staring indifferently at the blackboard. Rippling black hair. Obsidian eyes like jewels. An appearance so perfect it seemed sculpted by the gods themselves. The center of attention was none other than Cadet Choi Siwoo.
What on earth happened...
He had always been rated highly for his looks, but now he far surpassed that. His captivating beauty made one suspect succubus blood. She wondered if he'd acquired a related skill, but Jegalrin shook her head. The surface was just that—skin-deep.
With explosive growth came the expansion of his vessel. The vast total capacity, like an ocean within, sent chills down her spine.
The unmistakable form of awakening.
Jegalrin speculated that Choi Siwoo now possessed at least B-rank strength... no, approaching A-rank hero level. Normally impossible. No matter the talent, how could one skip the process and achieve results alone?
What magic did he pull off...
Perhaps he'd grasped the essence of the legendary 'complete transformation' from myths. As she pondered, the end-of-class bell rang, and Jegalrin clapped lightly.
"Everyone, good work. That concludes today's lesson."
Jegalrin watched from the doorway as female cadets swarmed Choi Siwoo. He looked flustered, struggling to escape. She chuckled softly, deciding to mention her father's proposal when the chance arose.
A marriage meeting, huh... What an absurd idea. Utterly rude too. He'd sent a one-sided message to bring it up without proper etiquette.
He'd never felt like a real father anyway... What is he thinking... Maybe he'd seen potential in the news footage. Or perhaps he just didn't want to hand her over. She had no way of knowing.
She didn't dwell on it. They weren't close enough for strange incidents. Instead, she'd use this as a chance to seriously discuss her beloved little sister.
* * *
"Ugh, fuck."
Why were the kids such pains in the ass today? Fleeing like he was being chased, Choi Siwoo finally slumped into a chair to catch his breath.
He'd already suffered through Song Junho and Ohana's fussing that morning, and upon entering the classroom, the reactions were off the charts. Just a month ago, guys who wouldn't even talk to him were now clinging with "Got time today?", "Seeing anyone?", "Wanna hang out after class?" He hated it.
He'd yelled at them to fuck off, but they just squealed "Kyaa~ So forceful!" and loved it more, so he gave up and kept running. Choi Siwoo figured it was all hype and would die down in a few days.
That was just his thought, though. No one knew if it would actually happen.
Truth be told, signs had been there from the start. Choi Siwoo was bound to be popular. The initial rumors of unfair admission had only held it back. With his reputation and looks now boosted, it would be weirder if people didn't approach.
Master. Didn't I tell you? We should get a perception-lowering necklace. You're obviously headed for headaches.
"That's going too far, Kay. What, am I some harem protagonist that I need countermeasures?"
Anyway, no time to dawdle. Checking his watch, Choi Siwoo stood right on time. A towering skyscraper gleamed blindingly. It screamed mega-corporation—the headquarters of the top-10 guild, Namgung Mir.
Namgung Mir... Run by those who thickly inherited dragon blood for generations, it lived up to its top-10 moniker with massive capital, elite heroes, and world-renowned might.
Already prestigious, its stock soared after safely resolving the recent SS-rank breakout.
......
Shaking off complicated thoughts, Choi Siwoo entered. Past the automatic doors, a receptionist eyed him.
Stepping to the counter, he cut straight to it. "Hello. I'm Choi Siwoo, who emailed recently."
"……"
"Um, excuse me?"
"Ah! Y-yes! Um... one moment."
The receptionist, who had been staring blankly, hurriedly typed. Her freckled face flushed red. Moments later, stiffening, she swallowed dryly.
"A-are you really Choi Siwoo in person?"
"Yes."
"O-one moment."
Glancing around, she quietly pressed a buzzer under the desk. Thinking she was sneaky, but...
Doesn't matter. Yeah, it didn't. He'd never expected easy access anyway.
Soon, firm footsteps approached with two suited men. One muscled like a brute with a bull mask, the other snake-masked. The brute towered over 190cm, muscles bulging under his suit. The snake was average build but exuded venomous sharpness.
"Choi Siwoo...? That you?"
"Yes, it's me."
"Whoa, the hero of that incident? A real young cadet. Nice to mee—"
"—Hey. No private chit-chat, remember?"
"Ah, damn... so strict."
Rebuked by the snake, the brute shrugged. Turning helplessly, he beckoned Choi Siwoo. "Follow us."
"……"
* * *
Ten minutes later, they entered a vast, barren room—no interior, no furniture. The door creaked shut and locked with a click.
Cracking his knuckles, the brute spoke lowly. "Young hero. You noticed from the start, right...?"
"Yeah... pretty blatant. So?"
"Haha! Sorry about that. Bear with us."
Whoosh! Cutting him off, the brute twisted his body. Ominous mana surged along his arm with a sharp whoosh.
"We needed at least this check!"
Boom! The floor cratered like a massive hammer strike. Power from advanced mana manifestation.
Choi Siwoo dodged lightly, nodding appraisingly.
"Got time to slack?"
With a chilling voice, the snake flanked him from behind, swinging both arms. Snake-like curves left wriggling afterimages with a hiss.
Choi Siwoo poured strength into his right hand. Crack! Stone spread along his arm, swelling into a perfect shield.
Stone Skin (Lv.25) activated!
Additional Trait: Rock Boulder activated!
Clang! Sparks scattered through the air. Absorbing the impact silently, Choi Siwoo eyed the two who had him pincered.
...What to do.
Obviously, neither was at full power. It was a test, after all—no need.
As he thought, the brute charged. Gripping dual axes, he infused otherworldly power, cleaving like he could split a mountain.
X-Strike. A skill drawing warrior attention. Solid power, high popularity, but hard to learn.
Choi Siwoo pivoted on his axis with leg strength. Boom! Dodging by a paper's width, he slammed a lightning-fast fist into the brute's gut.
Splat! "Gahk!"
The suit tore, steel-like muscles convulsing. Bruised purple, the brute knelt, hacking.
Pure physical force, no technique. Choi Siwoo's punches alone outdid most skills now.
Suddenly, shadow loomed above. Seizing the chance, the snake infused mana into his hands. A massive serpent manifested along his body.
Snap. "...?! What?!"
Stunned snake. The boy had casually swatted his strike. Even at half-power, it crippled most on graze. Should've debuffed poison at least...
Brushed off like that...?
Vision flipped. Choi Siwoo grabbed his collar like lightning, slamming him down.
Boom! His form went limp.
Dusting his hands, Choi Siwoo eyed the sprawled pair. "So... continue?"
Realizing he wasn't easy, they stood seriously. Weapons gleamed with serious mana.
Coming for real... Choi Siwoo resolved to use a bit more power.
Then—
"Stop!"
All three looked up at the voice. On the second-floor railing, an orange-haired girl overlooked them, presence unknown till now.
"Mask uncles! That's enough."
"Oh, what? Backup already?"
"Not a kid! Anyway, yeah."
Ahem! Clearing her throat, the girl glanced at Choi Siwoo. "The Guild Master wants to see you."
The brute sighed "Ah, really?" and swiftly removed his mask. "Would've been nicer sooner. Kid, your fists pack a wallop. Gonna need balm for a while."
Snake unmasked too. "Agreed. Heard you were 17... unbelievable strength. Makes me want to refine my weaknesses."
"……"
Silence gripped him. He'd known from the start, but... reunions stirred more emotions than expected. Especially after death.
"Kang Him-chan, Ye Dong-tak..."
"Hm? You know our names? Prepared kid."
Laughing heartily, Kang Him-chan clapped Choi Siwoo's shoulder, pouting at the railing. "More than that, 'uncles'? We're barely early 20s, orange kid!"
"Hmph. That age is uncle territory."
Descending nimbly, the girl stared at Choi Siwoo. Her face reddened. Coughing awkwardly, she fidgeted her fingers, averting eyes.
"Sorry for the test. Sensitive matter, so... if you want to file a complaint—"
"—No. It's fine."
Swallowing tangled feelings, Choi Siwoo extended a hand. "Choi Siwoo."
"Ah... Ryu Chae-hwa. Nice to meet you, oppa."
The girl's innocent smile began painfully stirring Choi Siwoo's heart.