Chapter 172
Chapter 172
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 172
Chapter Title: Morning Training
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Seo Woojin opened his eyes.
It had been a while since he slept in his own bed at the dorm, and thanks to that, he felt quite refreshed.
He got up, took a quick shower, and changed clothes.
Academy uniform.
This was something else he hadn’t worn in a long time.
“Guess it’s about time to head out.”
There was still plenty of time before breakfast.
Even so, he left his room early to join the morning training.
“I wonder if everyone’s gathered.”
He had seen a few yesterday, but there were still more he hadn’t met.
‘Elemental Sorcerer’ Jin Taeseong.
‘Dual Blader’ Yoo Hongseol.
‘Explorer’ Kang Byungyu.
‘Alchemist’ Park Minseong.
And the last to join, ‘Spear Master’ Kim Woo-ram.
He was curious how much they had all grown in the meantime.
Savoring the rare leisure, Seo Woojin hummed a tune as he headed to the training grounds.
It was a bit of a walk from the dorms, so it took some time.
After a few minutes, the training grounds—smashed yesterday—came into view.
‘Looks like they’re all here.’
He sensed nine presences.
Seo Woojin quickened his pace and entered the training grounds.
“Uncle!”
The first to spot him, as expected, was Lee Jia.
She shot her hand up high and waved enthusiastically in greeting.
“Long time no see, everyone.”
Seo Woojin smiled at Lee Jia before greeting the group.
“Hey, where the hell you been? You’re impossible to track down.”
Kang Byungyu approached with a joyful expression.
“Long time no see.”
Yoo Hongseol welcomed him with a smile.
The shy Jin Taeseong gave a slight bow, while the polar opposite, Park Minseong, grinned ear to ear.
And then,
“You gonna say hi or what?”
Seo Woojin smacked the sulky-faced Kim Woo-ram on the head.
“Ow!”
Caught off guard by the strike, Kim Woo-ram clutched his head and dropped to a crouch.
He must have put a bit too much force into it, annoyed as he was.
Of course, Seo Woojin ignored Kim Woo-ram entirely and started catching up with the others.
Fortunately, having heard from those he’d met yesterday first, no one repeated Lee Jia’s earlier questions.
They just asked simple things like how he’d been.
Seo Woojin answered with a smile, then clapped his hands sharply.
“We can chat more later. Let’s start training for now.”
He was curious about their stories, but right now, what mattered was ‘how much they had grown.’
“So, how should we do the spars?”
Kang Byungyu asked.
Normally, they paired up with others at similar levels for practice.
Only Kim Woo-ram trained alone in the corner.
“Hmm…”
Seo Woojin pondered briefly, then grinned.
“Time’s short, so why not all rush me at once.”
The heroes’ eyes blazed with fervor as they stared at Seo Woojin.
‘Not bad.’
Seo Woojin looked pleased.
The combat classes had all made impressive strides, no question.
Jin Taeseong stood out especially.
He’d always had strong magic skills, but now they were even better.
Spells triggered precisely from the rear struck at Seo Woojin’s openings, targeting blind spots.
If it were anyone else, they wouldn’t have blocked them easily—the power was that intense.
The non-combat classes performed admirably too.
Kang Byungyu used his ‘Explorer’ skills to find gaps, letting Park Minseong hurl ‘abnormal status potions’ to exploit them.
Solid teamwork.
All but one.
Everyone except Kim Woo-ram.
‘He’s the problem.’
His skill had improved.
Thanks to the ‘summoning stone’ from Seo Woojin, he’d leveled up a ton, and his skill usage was sharper.
But that was it.
His teamwork with the others was nonexistent—he rampaged solo, got in the way casually, and nearly speared Yoo Hongseol in the shoulder.
He sorely lacked battle sense.
‘And he’s a lone wolf.’
With Seo Woojin around, overwhelming force kept him in line.
But away, he’d reverted to ignoring everyone, it seemed.
Flinch.
Kim Woo-ram shrank under Seo Woojin’s displeased gaze.
He seemed to realize something was wrong.
“Come here.”
Seo Woojin beckoned, and Kim Woo-ram approached slowly.
“W-what?”
“What’ve you been up to?”
“…I leveled up a lot, and I thought a ton about skill usage like you said.”
“What level?”
“44.”
It was a big jump.
Last he’d checked, Kim Woo-ram was 29—a huge leap.
But Seo Woojin didn’t want just a high-level kid.
“Did you train with the others?”
Seo Woojin asked, but Kim Woo-ram hemmed and hawed, unable to answer.
“I told you before I left to get along with everyone, right?”
It wasn’t just about being friendly.
He’d hoped they’d fight together, gain real combat experience, build bonds.
Yet Kim Woo-ram hadn’t followed through at all.
“Morning training ends here.”
Some looked disappointed, but Seo Woojin apologized with an expression and eyed Kim Woo-ram.
“You, with me.”
Kim Woo-ram’s face went pale.
* * *
A flashy elder, a beauty unmatched in the mortal world, an eerie corpse, a sturdy knight, a clown mocking the world, a ferocious beast, a blind mage.
A vast chamber with seven statues, each bearing distinct forms.
The Lion crossed it, holding something in his hand.
Thud. Thud.
Heavy footsteps echoed everywhere.
With each statue passed, the Lion’s face grew sterner.
After clearing all seven, a massive altar appeared.
The Lion stared at the one standing blankly before it.
Baek Siwoo.
“Kill it.”
The Lion tossed what he held at Baek Siwoo’s feet.
Grrrrowl—
A demonic beast.
But not a normal one.
Small in size, yet the demonic energy within was immense.
“It’s 250 years old. It’ll help your growth.”
The Lion knew the heroes’ growth method intimately.
As enemies, he’d studied it obsessively.
He knew the method they called ‘bus-ing.’
Offering living sacrifices to grow heroes.
The stronger and more monsters or demonic beasts killed, the faster they grew.
So the Lion used the same tactic.
He couldn’t just sit and wait for Baek Siwoo to grow.
But the sacrifices he brought dwarfed anything from the Empire or other kingdoms in caliber.
Demonic beasts submitted to the Lion and Apostles by nature.
Left with only instincts, they bared bellies to greater demonic energy.
Procuring beasts to level Baek Siwoo was effortless.
This one came from Demon Realm Orman.
A monster that had ruled a region there for 250 years.
No apostle-level foe would dare challenge it.
“Kill it.”
The Lion pinned the destructive demonic beast’s head underfoot to immobilize it, then repeated to Baek Siwoo.
Then,
Shing—
A sword drawn.
A treasure of the Empire, bestowed by the Emperor himself.
Not comparable to ‘Karaniel,’ but a famed blade second to none.
“Kill this, and can I beat Seo Woojin?”
Baek Siwoo asked, sword in hand.
The name Seo Woojin made the Lion’s brow twitch.
The one who dared sever his arm.
He’d barely escaped, but his hatred had only deepened.
“Not yet.”
The Lion tamped down boiling rage to answer.
“Killing a few like this won’t get you close.”
That foe had stepped into the transcendent realm.
Baek Siwoo needed at least level 100 to contend.
He was barely 80 now.
Despite daily sacrifices like this, the road was long.
“Then it’s pointless.”
Baek Siwoo snorted dismissively.
Why stain his blade if victory was impossible? his face said.
“I said ‘yet.’”
Baek Siwoo paused mid-sheathing and eyed the Lion.
Whites gone, eyes pitch black and gleaming.
Thanks to the Lion, Baek Siwoo was fully consumed by demonic energy.
The pure youth was gone; only hatred and craving remained—an embodiment of evil.
“Explain.”
Baek Siwoo stared the Lion down.
“Level is just the baseline. Reach the goal, and you’ll evolve to the next stage.”
“Evolve?”
Baek Siwoo tilted his head; the Lion smiled.
A rare expression.
“The rulers of Pandemonium. Seven gems hold their power.”
The Lion gestured behind.
The seven statues he’d just passed stood there.
“I’ll give you their legacy. Absorb them all, and you’ll be the greatest king ever.”
“King, huh…”
Baek Siwoo sneered.
“Sounds nice, but if it’s that great, why not take it yourself?”
He knew the Lion’s greed.
To sideline the descending Demon King, crown himself anew, seize power.
A greedy bastard handing over the Demon King’s legacy?
Hard to buy.
But the Lion, anticipating the question, answered without hesitation.
“I can’t use them.”
“…What?”
“No apostle can absorb those gems.”
It wasn’t mere faith in the Demon Kings holding them back.
They literally couldn’t utilize them.
Touch them, and the gems devoured you instead.
“But you’re different.”
Not of this world.
And a hero.
“You can claim it all.”
The Lion was certain.
Otherwise, he’d never have started this.
“Trust me, follow me. I’ll remake you into a new being.”
Demonic whispers tickled his ears.
“Don’t care about that. As long as I can take Seo Woojin’s head.”
Baek Siwoo swung his sword.
Crackle—!
Black lightning engulfed the ruler-class demonic beast, charring it black.
One strike, and it crumbled to ash, life extinguished.
Flash—!
Bright light erupted.
A level up.
“Yes, I’ll make you a new kind of king no one has ever seen.”
The Lion watched the dazzling light, lips curling.
‘And the final king will be me.’
Baek Siwoo couldn’t read his inner thoughts.