Hero Academy (4-18)
In that moment of absolute crisis, Armonia provided the solution.
Use Status Ailment Removal!
What? Status Ailment Removal?
Just try it—you'll see!
Okay!
Without a shred of doubt in Armonia's words, I immediately cast status ailment recovery magic on the monstrous creature lunging toward Seong Sua.
Using recovery magic on undead would ignite them in white flames, burning them to ash.
But the effect on this status-afflicted monster was entirely different.
"—__—!!"
"_____—!!"
Though it retained a humanoid form, the creature hit with status ailment removal let out the wail of the damned and began thrashing wildly.
Realizing one hit wasn't enough, I unleashed a barrage. Only then did the monster collapse, its inner spark of life extinguished, signaling its death.
"Whew... crisis averted... Ah! Seong Sua!"
I didn't even have time to catch my breath before turning to where Seong Sua had been.
She was collapsing from the attack.
"Haaah!!"
"Instructor Seong Sua!"
What followed was straightforward.
Now that I'd figured out how to handle the monsters, the afflicted thugs were no match for me.
"What the hell? They were fighting fine a second ago—why are they dropping like this?!"
"Take out that archer first! If we get him—urk!"
The monsters were neutralized by status ailment removal, and the thugs fell one by one with movements even clumsier than my training dummies.
After dispatching them all, I checked their conditions and asked Armonia.
Armonia, how'd you know their weakness?
It appeared in the Disposition window.
Disposition window?
I could tell because those monsters were created from the thugs we fought earlier, sacrificed for the purpose.
They weren't random summons—they were the thugs transformed.
The Disposition window stayed visible even after transformation, revealing the weakness.
The status Armonia had spotted was Magic Infection.
Magic Infection
Magic has invaded the body.
Physical abilities surge dramatically, but the self is lost.
Resistible with antimagic and physical resistance, but once infected, incurable.
Status ailment removal can dispel it, but the infected dies.
In simple terms...
Like jiangshi? Status removal peels off the talisman?
Similar. Those black needles from earlier likely induce Magic Infection.
Too easy... almost anticlimactic.
Status ailment removal... who would've thought to use it on monsters?
Considering it first appeared at the embassy... it'd take a while to discover the weakness.
With heavy casualties until then...
I'd figured it out thanks to Armonia spotting it in the Disposition window, but ordinary people without that insight would suffer greatly.
At least ability users resisted infection easily—the monsters had only targeted the powerless thugs.
Now that we know how to handle the monsters, it's manageable. Time to check on Seong Sua...
I checked her immediately.
Confirming her status fully, I let out a sigh of relief.
She's okay. No life-threatening injuries. Time to heal her...
Check the thugs' belongings first? They might have potions.
Good idea.
Seong Sua had no idea I had healing skills.
Using a potion would be easier to explain.
Got one. Let's heal her quick.
Heal your arm first, Suho...
Oh... right, I'm hurt too.
Armonia was more worried about my arm than Seong Sua's wounds.
In my concern for her, I'd forgotten the pain entirely.
I roughly healed my arm wound, then poured potion generously on Seong Sua's back.
As I focused solely on her injury, Armonia messaged me.
Suho, that's just stopped the bleeding. Heal the wound properly with Enel...
No, don't.
...?
Stopping the bleeding is enough.
Looking at the scars riddling my arm, I smiled.
This is plenty.
With that, I lavishly poured potion on Seong Sua's back.
I'd killed most of the thugs but spared a few.
Simple reason.
Dream Intrusion to extract what they're up to.
Sound judgment.
I was pretty sure it was the Church, but solid evidence was key.
The downside? That female thug from earlier.
She tried injecting that kid with weird drugs... total psycho bitch.
She created that monster too. Dangerous woman.
From the start, she'd bombarded Seong Sua and me, then turned her fallen comrades into monsters while rolling around.
But my magic trap redirected her status elsewhere—she'd vanished.
I didn't think she'd fled.
Reason...
Moon Jua
[Martial Arts], [Psychopath], [Anger Management Disorder], [Incarnation of Vengeance]...
A woman whose Disposition screamed psycho wouldn't just run when the odds turned.
Probably got shunted elsewhere when the trap triggered...
From the others' reactions, she seemed the leader—likely knew the most.
If she has a goal, she wouldn't leave the building. With the Disposition confirmed, we'll spot her fast next time.
I'll stay cautious too.
Moon Jua seemed psycho enough to out-crazy most.
With the situation sorted, I began scanning the thugs slowly.
And then... grope, grope.
To confirm they were all women, I gave each breast a squeeze.
As I did, Armonia chimed in.
...Did you spare them on purpose because they're women?
Yeah. Too much?
Wondering if it was excessive for fellow women, I asked Armonia.
Her response was clear-cut.
I won't interfere. They tried to kill you. I recommend showing them hell instead.
Ooh... cool with that?
I don't understand the question. They're your enemies. Pity we lack a torture specialist on the ship.
...
Armonia always spoke calmly and expressionlessly, but thorns sharp as stakes laced her words.
To her, women's rights meant nothing—ship family safety did.
Someone threatening me? Gender irrelevant.
Even if a child were among them, she'd bat an eye at nothing.
If I showed mercy, she'd probably sic Lena on them.
And Lena would comply instantly...
First, check these women's faces.
Five in total.
I'd spared them based on names in their Dispositions suggesting female.
Draping my perception-blocking cloak, I checked their faces.
All women, as expected. But... all average.
Not ugly, but utterly ordinary—you'd pass them on the street without a glance.
No need to waste seed raping them.
I scrapped the idea of keeping them for sex and summoned Beatrice to extract info via Dream Intrusion.
I could've done it myself, but the area wasn't fully safe.
And Beatrice wasn't alone.
"Master, your wounds..."
"I'm fine. Don't worry too much."
"..."
Lena, summoned alongside, eyed my injuries with pity.
Armonia had suggested pre-summoning Lena post-incident; I agreed.
With the perception-blocking cloak on, Seong Sua or others won't notice.
"Good. Beatrice, handle it."
"Got it, nyang."
Beatrice began Dream Intrusion.
After touring their dreams and compiling intel, she reported.
"These are just assassin scum, nyang."
"..."
Group name: Underground Viper.
True to the name, they took dirty jobs.
But beyond the name, the women knew little via Dream Intrusion.
No client info, monster origins, or core location—just followed orders from above.
Still, Beatrice's intel set our next target.
"That Moon Jua chick knows everything, nyang."
"Moon Jua..."
The woman who'd hammered Seong Sua and me, then vanished via trap.
"She's the leader?"
"Yep, nyang."
"Alright. Then these... kill 'em."
I decided to off the female thugs.
Killing in sleep felt a tad pitiful, but Beatrice's rundown of their lives killed any guilt.
Murder, fraud, rape... utter trash.
They'd done horrors fitting monsters.
Spared only for intel—no qualms now.
After slaying the rest, I turned to the recumbent Seong Sua.
Honestly, I felt bad.
Trying to save her had cornered her instead.
But I'd succeeded, and her current status was my golden opportunity.
"Lena, Beatrice."
"I'll Dream Intrude. Keep watch—hide and stand by in case she wakes suddenly."
"Understood."
"Got it, nyang."
Handing security to them, I dove into Seong Sua's dream.
Holding Seong Sua close in her dream, I muttered inwardly.
Sigh... too bad.
Learn anything?
Less info than hoped.
Info... sort of.
In her dream, I'd glimpsed Seong Sua's past.
Independent her whole life, she'd relied on one person—and it shattered everything.
Cho Kang-hyun seemed even worse married to her.
Their marriage would've been her final lifeline snapped.
My manipulation was simple: show her a future married to me.
She showed no rejection to me as husband in the dream.
Then, stimulating her aroused state, as I moved to insert my erection into her precious hole...
Too much stimulation—she woke.
Her antimagic likely played a role.
As Armonia said, Seong Sua's antimagic contributed.
I woke from Dream Intrusion erect, facing her.
Awkwardness hung between us, but I steadied her after catching her fall.
My erection subsided quickly, and I explained—mostly lies.
"They suddenly weakened, so I barely scraped by."
The monsters collapsed; I exploited the gap to take down the thugs.
"A few escaped."
Pure fabrication, but Seong Sua nodded, believing implicitly.
"Lucky. Seemed like an experiment gone wrong."
They'd said "experiment," leaving no room for doubt.
But she noticed something odd, checking herself.
"I was injured earlier. How'd I heal...?"
"The ones I took down had potions. Lucky."
"Really lucky. You healed with those too, Instructor Seong Suho?"
I awkwardly pulled my arm back, smiling sheepishly.
"Ah, yeah. Sure."
"..."
She'd trusted me fully until now, but eyed me suspiciously, approaching.
"Instructor Seong Sua?"
"Let me see your arm."
"..."
As I backed away awkwardly, she lunged, yanking up my sleeve.
"Kgh!"
"...What is this?"
Bleeding stopped, but gruesome scars riddled it.
Staring long, she prompted my surrender.
"Potions ran out. But bleeding stopped, so don't worry..."
"Why didn't you heal first?!"
Her voice boomed, echoing—but no anger.
Worry.
"I got hurt too, but you use a bow! You know better how vital arms are...!"
"Wasn't the time for that."
"...Pardon?"
Her scolding softened; she listened intently.
Gazing down, I smiled bitterly.
"With you hurt like that, think I'd stay clear-headed?"
"Instructor Seong Suho..."
Blushing suddenly, she lowered her eyelids, slowly leaning in.
Instinct, arousal, or both—I knew what she wanted.
Excited, I leaned toward her.
30 cm...
Almost.
20 cm...
Lips touch, game's over.
10 cm...
A woman offering lips opens her heart.
5 cm...
The moment she gives everything.
Riiing!
"Hah?!"
"..."
Her lips, inches away, were swept off by the hurricane ringtone.
She fumbled for her smart watch.
"H-hello?"
Finally connecting. Sua, you okay?
"Y-yes, Yeriel? W-we're fine."
Good.
I turned, glaring at her smart watch amid the call, vowing revenge.
Yeriel... I'll restore your real body someday and fuck you proper.
...