Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: What is a Monster?
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The day dawned.
Thanks to the events of the previous day, I was quite exhausted, and my body clung to the bed like it refused to get up.
“Haa—”
But I had to get up.
Academy classes were resuming today, after all.
“Urgh.”
With a groan, I dragged myself out of bed.
Bright sunlight streamed through the window, dazzling my eyes.
“…Going back to school at this age is tough.”
Rubbing my eyes, I headed into the bathroom and started washing up roughly.
“Hmm.”
Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I made a satisfied face.
“Impressive.”
It wasn’t the bulky, rugged muscle like Testosterone or Goo Dong-hwan had.
But it had even greater elasticity and firmness, like a sculpted statue.
My strength probably surpassed theirs as well.
“Definitely better than before.”
I’d undergone intense training in the North, honing my body to perfection, but now that it had evolved, it transcended human limits.
It wasn’t just the muscles.
My physical balance, which had been off-kilter, was now perfectly aligned, and my skin had become as smooth as white jade.
As a result, I looked far more handsome than I had on Earth.
Seo Woo-jin did what every man in the world does in the bathroom.
He looked in the mirror and asked himself, ‘This looks pretty good, right?’
Seo Woo-jin nodded, answering his own question, and left the bathroom.
“Still, a wash makes it better.”
Physical fatigue didn’t build up in this body anyway.
I’d just been mentally drained and a bit sluggish, but after the shower, my brain kicked into gear, and my mind cleared up bit by bit.
“What’s today’s class again?”
The original academy curriculum had placed a significant emphasis on theory.
Subjects like theology, history, and pharmacology.
I had no idea why those were necessary, but that’s how it was.
However, after Gerald appeared, the curriculum was completely overhauled.
It shifted to practical training.
Instead of reading a single word, swing the sword once more; instead of studying history, raise skill proficiency.
Combat and survival training focused on real battles.
That became the academy’s ultimate goal.
But that didn’t mean all theory classes were eliminated.
“A lecture on monsters and demonic beasts, right?”
Know your enemy, and you’ll win a hundred battles.
The more I knew about the foes I’d face ahead, the better.
So the academy decided to keep that subject as originally planned.
“Theory, huh…”
Honestly, sitting at a desk in class wasn’t my thing.
Not many people like studying anyway, but for Seo Woo-jin, who’d cut ties with academics long ago, it was especially unbearable.
Still, I acknowledged the need to learn.
Even in the North, that had been the case.
Ailin had taught me a lot about monsters, and it had saved my skin more than once or twice.
Before a war, you needed intel on your opponent.
“Tch, no helping it.”
Seo Woo-jin donned his academy uniform properly and left the room.
“Hey, Woo-jin!”
Just then, Kang Byung-gyu was stepping out of his room and waved happily upon spotting him.
“You looked wiped out—get some good rest?”
“I nearly died.”
Kang Byung-gyu burst into laughter as Seo Woo-jin shook his head dramatically.
“Can’t blame you. You went all the way to the finals in sparring training, got dragged around everywhere after, and capped it off with a showdown against Gye Soo-ji.”
Seo Woo-jin smirked.
If he knew everything that happened yesterday, he wouldn’t be laughing like that…
“You went to the Sky Tower yesterday, right?”
“Huh?”
How’d he know?
He hadn’t told anyone about that.
Seo Woo-jin looked puzzled, and Kang Byung-gyu shrugged.
“Apparently, some folks who went out after sparring saw you heading in. Word spread like wildfire.”
The Sky Tower was a fascinating place even among the heroes.
A building piercing the heavens naturally drew attention.
No other hero had been invited inside, so of course Seo Woo-jin’s visit became big news.
“People love gossip, whether on Earth or here. Universal trait?”
“So? What’s the Sky Tower like inside?”
Kang Byung-gyu asked curiously.
He had a huge interest in it too.
“Maybe you’ll get a chance later.”
There was no reason to go now, but as he grew stronger, he’d probably end up there.
‘Though for different reasons than me.’
Seo Woo-jin decided not to mention meeting the Magic Duke Martes.
If word got out that he’d met both the Sword Sage and the Magic Duke in person, things would get far more annoying than they already were.
“Anyway, let’s hurry. Class is about to start.”
The two left the dormitory and quickened their pace toward the lecture hall.
A few others they ran into joined them, soon forming a boisterous group.
“That’s why yesterday was rough. Soo-ji unnie’s dorm is on the 10th floor, so getting there…”
“Hahaha! Weak lower body, that’s why—weak lower body! How about we train legs together today?”
“Ah, please stop…”
“No way.”
Amid the chattering noise, heading to the lecture hall felt like a throwback to school days.
The subjects and mindset were different, sure.
‘Not bad, though.’
A limited period of peace.
It wasn’t long, but Seo Woo-jin thought occasionally enjoying such ordinary, leisurely times wasn’t so bad.
“Seo Woo-jin!”
Then, a voice called from behind.
Turning around, he saw Gye Soo-ji.
She ran up to the group with an embarrassed expression.
“How’s your body feeling?”
Seo Woo-jin asked with an apologetic look.
Knowing her competitive spirit was fierce, he’d knocked her out.
It seemed like it wouldn’t end otherwise.
Better to avoid escalating the spar and risking injury; knocking her out was cleaner.
But getting hit in the head with the sword sheath and passing out probably wasn’t pleasant.
Sure enough, Gye Soo-ji gave an awkward smile while rubbing the back of her head.
“I’ve got a bit of a bump.”
“…Sorry.”
Even if unavoidable, he still felt bad.
Seo Woo-jin apologized, and Gye Soo-ji waved her hands frantically.
“No, no. I learned a lot too.”
She considered sparring him a stroke of luck.
It was a bit different from real combat, but it gave her a chance to reflect more on her skills and techniques.
“Can I ask for a rematch sometime?”
“Of course. Anytime.”
If anything, Seo Woo-jin wanted to ask her.
The enlarged group soon arrived at the lecture hall.
“Tell us about the Sky Tower? I’m dying to know!”
“M-Me too…”
The hot topic was, predictably, the Sky Tower.
Lee Ji-ah was clinging to his arm and begging, and even the usually quiet Jin Tae-seong looked curious.
‘More so because she’s a mage?’
But Seo Woo-jin still had no intention of spilling details.
Especially not with every hero in the lecture hall hanging on their conversation.
He brushed it off vaguely, which only made Lee Ji-ah more insistent.
“Come on, just tell me! A little, just a bit! I won’t tell anyone, promise—just me!”
‘Tricky.’
Seo Woo-jin looked troubled.
But then, his savior appeared.
“Everyone, take your seats.”
A young man entered through the lecture hall door.
“My name is Jayronin. Starting today, I’ll be handling your theoretical education, heroes.”
He had the look of a scholar or mage, far from a knight.
Dressed in a neat suit.
“I’m a first-class member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, specializing in the history of the Descent Wars and monster ecology.”
Seo Woo-jin nodded.
As expected, the young man was a scholar.
‘I figured a knight would teach this one too.’
Honestly, he’d trust a knight’s lessons more than a scholar’s.
Knights who’d experienced things firsthand would have more accurate info than those buried in books.
‘They must know that…’
The Empire wouldn’t overlook what even Seo Woo-jin thought of.
So there had to be a reason Jayronin was chosen.
Curiosity flickered in Seo Woo-jin’s eyes.
“Then, I’ll skip the rest of my unimportant introduction and begin the lesson.”
Jayronin stepped to the large blackboard and wrote.
[What is a Monster?]
He clapped the chalk dust off his hands and addressed the heroes.
“Does any hero know the answer to this question?”
But no one raised a hand to answer.
They had a rough idea in their heads.
Yet putting it into words proved difficult.
Jayronin nodded as if he’d anticipated it.
“Then, can you distinguish between monsters and demonic beasts?”
“…I know demonic beasts are beasts influenced by demonic energy.”
One hero mustered the courage to reply.
“Correct.”
Jayronin smiled.
“Let’s return to the original question. What is a monster? In truth, opinions remain divided even now.”
They were descendants of the demon king’s kin who survived his ancient descent.
Species corrupted by demonic energy, mutated across generations.
Primal beasts passed down from the dawn of time.
“Countless hypotheses exist. Yet we haven’t established a perfect definition. But you all must know these hypotheses. Do you understand why?”
“Because they’re our enemies?”
“Exactly. Fighting an enemy with no information is dangerous, even for heroes. But what if you have even a little intel?”
Jayronin wrote on the blackboard once more.
[Draycas].
Seo Woo-jin’s eyebrow twitched.
“In the North, there’s a draconic monster called the Draycas. A Ruler-grade beast so powerful that only upper knights or higher can face it.”
‘True enough.’
He recalled the Draycas from the North.
He could take it easily now, but back then, it was pure terror.
“The Draycas is powerful in its own right, but it has an even more dangerous ability.”
“Subordinate monster control.”
He muttered unconsciously.
“Who just answered?”
Jayronin’s eyes locked precisely on Seo Woo-jin.
“…Seo Woo-jin.”
“I see. As expected of someone backed by Sion.”
Jayronin nodded knowingly upon hearing his name.
“So you’ve hunted Draycas before?”
“Yes.”
“At what level?”
Seo Woo-jin hesitated briefly before speaking.
“I don’t remember exactly, but before level 10.”
Jayronin’s eyes widened.