Hero Academy (4-17)
As the brown light faded, I hurriedly scanned my surroundings.
'Seong Sua!'
Without a thought for my own dangerous situation, I immediately fixed my gaze on where Seong Sua had been, straining my eyes.
And then, gradually coming into view—a woman staring piercingly at me from afar, letting out a sigh of relief.
The moment I spotted Seong Sua, I exhaled in relief right along with her.
'Phew...'
[This is not the time to relax.]
'Ah!'
After confirming Seong Sua was safe, I quickly swept my eyes around to assess the situation.
The monstrous creature charging at me like a bullet was unchanged, but the number of thugs had noticeably dwindled.
I figured the Magic Trap activation had teleported some of them into the dungeon-ified Evrika building somewhere.
Even the remaining thugs weren't in normal shape.
"Urk... D-detox us! Clear this status ailment!"
"Healers first for the sleep-afflicted ones!"
"Damn it, the sleep one's our healer!"
They'd been in full panic earlier; now it was utter chaos.
The thugs flailed about, various status ailments hobbling them as they scrambled for healers.
A golden opportunity.
What had been a crisis moments ago had swung back in our favor.
But first, something worried me.
'Seong Sua might have a status ailment too! She needs healing!'
[I've checked Seong Sua! Prioritize the enemy charging at you, Suho!]
Only after Armonia's shout did my mind snap back, the monstrous creature now right in front of me coming into focus.
"———!!"
"Shit!"
The distance had closed too much; firing an arrow now would likely backfire.
I shouted through comms.
'No arrow—bullet!'
[Got it!]
A bullet materialized in my right palm with Armonia's reply.
But simultaneously, the creature was upon me.
Instinctively, I raised my arm to block its attack.
Krunch!
"Gah! What the hell!"
The creature didn't swipe—it chomped down hard on my raised left arm, meant for defense.
Pain exploded from the unexpected bite, leaving me unable to react properly. Then, a distant shout reached me.
"Instructor Seong Su-ho!!"
This wasn't good.
Even if the tide had turned, getting dragged along at their pace risked squandering our hard-won advantage.
Gritting through the agony, I thrust my right arm toward the creature's forehead, still gnawing my left, and opened my mouth.
"Let's see you tank this, you bastard!"
Bang!
"———!"
The bullet lodged in its forehead; the creature clutched it with both hands and tumbled backward.
Watching it writhe, I ground my teeth.
'Took a point-blank shot and it's still alive? Insane!'
I'd half-expected it, though.
It had shrugged off stronger arrows before; no way a basic Snap Bean would kill it...
No chest weak spot like before, and close-range attacks weren't working.
Should I call Lena? As I pondered desperately—
[Suho! I've found their weakness!]
The moment Seong Sua saw Seong Su-ho's arm bitten by the monstrous creature, she poured all her focus there and began casting.
"Instructor Seong Su-ho!"
"Eyes elsewhere?!"
"Ngh!"
But her spell was interrupted by the thugs blocking her.
"That side's done! Just kill this bitch!"
"Outta my way!"
Seong Sua spat harsh words at the obstructing thugs, unleashing a barrage of magic.
Her target wasn't them.
It was the creature latched onto Seong Su-ho beyond.
But her spells veered unwanted.
Whoosh-boom!
Her flame-infused wind was canceled by two thugs, exploding loudly.
"Ngh! Move!"
"We'll cover here—finish her quick!"
"Can't hold long—hurry!"
The thugs, frenzied like addicts, desperately blocked Seong Sua from aiding Seong Su-ho.
Their skills were far below hers; they'd ambushed Seong Su-ho for an edge.
But the creature's intrusion and the thugs' adept PvP pinned her down.
'The gimmick helped, but I'm not at full strength!'
Seong Sua hadn't fallen to lethal gimmicks like poison or sleep, but she had a status ailment.
Fortunately, it was one that barely affected her normally.
But that minor hindrance was a major threat now.
It clouded her mind, slowed her judgment.
Even her rational combat sense faltered under the ailment and worry for Seong Su-ho, leading to risky calls.
'Save Instructor Seong Su-ho first!'
Prioritizing him over herself, she mobilized all her mana, charging the two thugs despite the danger.
'Disrupt over damage—create an opening!'
She planned earth-shaking sustained magic for gaps, then wind to blast them away.
She should've broken through easily...
But as she cast, surging bloodflow disrupted her focus; her mana scattered instantly.
"Ngh!"
"Now! She's afflicted too!"
Worst-case scenario.
Yet Seong Sua charged on, one thought driving her.
'At least... at least save Instructor Seong Su-ho!'
Without her, he wouldn't be here.
Without her, no reason to risk rescuing others.
Yet because of her—her—his life hung by a thread.
Not just saving a comrade.
'Him, of all people!'
Slash!
"Krha!"
"Got her!"
A red spiral of liquid trailed a blade across her back, fixated on frontal breakthrough.
Excruciating pain should've followed.
But her pounding bloodflow erased it; her brain fixated on one thing.
'Save him!'
Yet willpower couldn't overcome flesh.
Stab!
"Haaaaah!!"
"Caught!"
A long rapier pierced her shoulder; pent-up pain exploded into her brain.
Seong Sua screamed, mingled with agony, consciousness fading as she collapsed.
'My fault. If I weren't here...'
Regret for her existence welled with tears; she passed out.
Seong Sua's dazed eyes opened to people crowding around, showering her with praise.
(Sua's so kind!)
(Top of the class this time too!)
(Amazing!)
Tall figures loomed—much taller than her.
A fleeting oddity, but glancing in the mirror, Seong Sua just tilted her head.
Her adult self had regressed to childhood.
Yet no suspicion arose.
Only voices filled her ears.
And the adults morphed into kids.
(Sua! Play with me!)
(No! She's playing with me!)
Kids bickered over her, gender no barrier to her popularity.
Seong Sua smiled warmly.
"Let's all play together."
She grew amid praise and attention, even discovering magic talent for Hero Academy entry.
Top admission.
Others might envy, but not her—crowds always surrounded her, filling her void.
Occasional misread kindness caused issues, but she handled it gracefully.
Subtly manipulating hearts was her skill.
Yet one lack persisted.
"Dad... Mom..."
Family.
Orphanage "family" weren't real.
Relations plugged her black-hole void, but imperfectly—it sucked back in.
Then... she found someone to fill it.
A top entrant she admired from afar confessed.
'He'll fill me completely!'
Excitement peaked.
Conviction she'd met her missing piece.
But... Cho Kang-hyun only widened the hole.
Post-graduation personality shift: meetings restrained, silence boring.
Yet she persisted.
'I must be messing up. I need to try harder!'
Effort for universal love now fixated on one man.
She styled, changed, strove for his tastes.
But...
'Am I... not enough?'
Cho Kang-hyun gave despair to her reward-always life.
No effort pierced him.
He drifted further.
Despair became hell.
Years poured into him isolated her.
Popularity waned from neglect.
The hope-giver left her alone.
As loneliness wore her, she met a man.
(New assistant instructor Seong Su-ho. Nice to meet you.)
New assistant.
'Similar name?'
Interest faded; another faker.
'This one's just pretending too...'
Men feigning interest for favor...
Exhausted, quitting after a semester...
She understood assistants.
Women's interest, superiors' disdain.
So she was kind to Seong Su-ho initially.
Hoping he'd last her term.
But different.
Her eye saw true effort—not for acclaim like hers.
Just giving his best.
'This one's good! Be nice.'
Joy at a comrade to banish loneliness.
Then VR family sim, disguised date outing.
And the clincher.
Lifeline from one man in peril.
(What?! You shot that?)
(Later... Instructor Seong Sua, you okay?)
Cho Seo-hyun on phone with Seong Su-ho.
Seong Sua felt suppressed feelings toward him evaporate.
Incidents with him unearthed deep-buried emotions.
And their end...
"Hm?"
Sudden sunlight woke Seong Sua; she looked around.
A normal home sofa.
But sunlight gilded the interior warmly, cozy beyond worldly.
Mere presence brought happiness.
Feeling it eyes-closed, someone sat beside; sofa dipped.
Her eyes opened; he whispered softly.
"Ah... asleep? Sorry for waking you."
"Ah!"
His voice alone welled tears; she hugged him fiercely.
"Wh-what? What's wrong!?"
"No... just... just..."
There was a reason.
For sobbing in his arms—but she couldn't recall.
His presence soothed; she clung instinctively.
He stroked her hair, smiling.
"Bad dream?"
"Y... yeah..."
She deflected; he smiled.
"Must've been rough. Your speech changed."
"...?"
"Reminds me of old times. Nice."
He gently pulled back, gazing fondly.
"Feels like pre-marriage."
"...Pardon?"
Mind blank, she looked up.
Chaos resolved to one thought.
'R-right. We... got married? No, we did.'
She sorted it unconsciously.
Mind numb, Seong Su-ho laid her on the sofa, hands roaming her body.
Not innocent massage.
Lewd caresses heated her.
"Hah... ngh... w-wait."
"Wanna feel fresh now?"
"Th-this... haa!"
No refusal escaped.
Body and heart welcomed his touch.
Brain melted; lower belly burned.
Bathed in it, she begged, clinging.
Time passed.
His hands withdrew; she refocused on herself.
"!?"
Nude, sweat-slick thighs spread, inviting his lower body.
His member poised at her swollen entrance.
Fear flooded inwardly, but pleasure dominated, opening wide.
Seong Su-ho looked down.
"Then, in I go."
"N... ngh."
Her consent; he pressed between her legs.
As his tip met her cherished slit...
"Hnnngh!"
Seong Sua shuddered convulsively, eyes snapping open, breathing ragged.
"Wh... where...?"
Panting, she secured vision, scanning.
Cozy sunlight and living room gone; musty poison stench, monster-flesh-buried building interior.
Checked her body.
'Th-this...'
Sweat-drenched, wrapped in a blanket.
But one sensation dominated.
'Hnnngh! Hah... hah... so hot.'
Her womb throbbed wildly.
Yet amid the heat, a thought surfaced.
'Right! Instructor Seong Su-ho!'
The dream man.
Her protector.
The one she failed to protect.
As she rallied to look around—
Twitch, twitch...
A sound nearby.
"Hm?"
Alert to rustling, she peered cautiously.
There...
"Ah..."
"Ah."
A man gazed worriedly with sleepy eyes.
He smiled.
"Instructor Seong Sua, you okay?"
Seeing Seong Su-ho, she lunged, hugging tight.
"Instructor Seong Su-ho!"
"Whoa!"
She sobbed his name repeatedly.
After long in his arms, she snapped to, checking him frantically.
"You okay? Any injuries?!"
"Uh... I... Instructor Seong Sua... um..."
"You were badly hurt! Need healing... huh?"
Focused on his body, her gaze drifted lower.
His erection strained his pants, seeking wounds.
Normal her would've flinched away.
But her eyes stuck.
Blushing, after seconds, she realized her lewdness, startling back.
"S-sorry! Just checking wounds! Kyaa!"
Tripping backward—
Grab!
Seong Su-ho caught her fall, cradling her.
But context irrelevant.
Recalling her shame, she babbled, struggling free.
"I-Instructor Seong Su-ho... n-not on purpose..."
"Relieved."
"...Pardon?"
I whispered in her ear, holding her.
"You're awake. Truly relieved, Instructor Seong Sua."
"Ah..."
Her recent arousal eased in his arms, tasting dream satisfaction faintly.
She thought, nestled.
'Yes... I'm... happy now.'
True happiness found, Seong Sua.
Holding Seong Sua, I hummed inwardly.
'Nice... feels good.'
[Any info from the dream?]
'Yeah... some past stuff. Roughly her thing with Cho Kang-hyun...'
Until moments ago, I'd swum her dream, probing deep.
But her antimagic made it tough.
Early on, I gleaned decently; later, low mana let her pace dominate.
Ironically, her dream had gaps for me.
No—spaces made for me.
Using her ailment as pretext, I'd tried acts in-dream.
But...
'No experience yet—woke on insertion attempt.'
[Lucky the compatible ailment. Good match.]
'Who'd imagine ailments like that?'
Glancing her trait window, I smiled faintly.
[Heat LV 10]
Fresh, vibrant smile's owner—total opposite trait.
From my Magic Trap mishap on her.
Her antimagic and later healer fix made it minor.
Hindsight.
Holding her sobbing form, I reflected.
'Sorry...'
[Unpredictable outcome. Not your fault, Suho.]
'Still... Seong Sua almost got hurt.'
I'd assumed individual-targeted Magic Trap.
But sustained combo made it AoE.
Some thugs teleported away; most afflicted, neutralized.
Issue: Creature's antimagic and tough hide ignored it.
[Or Magic Infection trap ineffective on it.]
'Yeah... Ah! Armonia!'
[Yes.]
'Her [Heat]—can I inflict on others?'
She had [Heat] active.
Discovering it meant I could wield it? Hope surged.
Armonia's reply dashed it.
[Hers is negative trait from ailment affliction, not inflictable skill. You can only catch Heat yourself.]
'Damn... Lethal for cool me—useless then.'
[You act heated normally anyway...]
'Normally? What?'
[...No comment.]
'...'
Do I seem perpetually heated? Hurt...'
[Check alchemy list if needed?]
'Oh, right. Later when free.'
Aphrodisiacs or such probably listed.
'Anyway...'
Her Heat wasn't priority.
'...Next ones vulnerable too?'
[Likely.]
The creature's...
'Thought it basic skill; now reason to level fast.'
We'd found the weakness.