Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Library (1)
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While Sin Bihyeong was gaining insight into the essence of goblins,
Mina was also deep into her enthusiastic training.
"Hoo. This is tough."
Divine Breeze Fan.
She was trying to make use of the fan he'd gifted her.
Taking breaks here and there, she'd been expending her vital energy to wield the Divine Breeze Fan,
but it wasn't easy to handle.
"It's simple enough for attacks, but I can't use it for anything else."
Of course it was.
To grant buffs, she had to let its energy settle into the target's 'body.'
'...I want to be helpful to Bihyeong.'
The moment that thought crossed her mind, she recalled how he'd looked in the yokai's domain.
Broad shoulders and towering height.
A nonchalant expression even with that massive heavy weapon slung on his back that looked like it weighed a ton.
So... how incredible was that body of his?
Gulp.
She swallowed dryly without realizing it.
Images of Bihyeong's 'body' flooded her mind unbidden.
Then, suddenly.
Whoosh─!
Wind started from the fan, lingered at her fingertips, then seeped into her body.
She could feel differentiated effects settling into her flesh, based on the attributes of the spells she'd infused.
"Ah!"
But Mina couldn't simply rejoice.
"Hah... Why does thinking of Bihyeong's body make this work...?"
Wasn't this too obvious?
That thought bubbled up naturally.
"Ugh... That's enough for today."
She fanned her flushed face and stepped out of the shower.
Her reflection stared back from the large bathroom mirror.
Taut lines without an ounce of excess fat, delicate shoulders.
And a glamorous figure to contrast.
Yet her expression in the mirror wasn't bright.
"...Why won't time pass?"
It had been a week since weapon selection.
Normally, full classes started after about two weeks.
'...I won't see Bihyeong until then.'
The thought slipped in unbidden, startling Mina so much she flailed her arms.
"Hiek!?"
What's wrong with me!?
Just thinking of Bihyeong made her heart race.
Her blood pumped faster, and being near him made her tense up with cold sweat.
This was all new to her.
"...Am I really this easy?"
No?
During orientation, she'd brushed off Golden Taeyang's advances and other boys' approaches without a second thought.
"Agh... I'm going crazy."
Mina stumbled out of the bathroom and flopped onto her bed.
She buried her face in the pillow and kicked her legs for a good while before lifting her head to check her phone.
"Wonder if results are out?"
A week had passed; she wanted to know how many had passed.
She opened Eta with that in mind.
[Are this year's top and vice-top freshmen dating?]
Such a post caught her eye.
"Wh-what!?"
Her eyes went wide, but her finger had already tapped it.
—Yeah, they're dating.
> └But if they were, wouldn't they have left the dorms together by now?
>
└Fr, I've never seen them on a date?
>
└Even if not dating, one of them has a crush for sure. Agree?
>
—If you're reading this, hit them up now. Don't settle for proximity and cry when someone real snatches them.
>
└How would Nangong-hyung know?
>
└I didn't wanna know either.
>
└Ah......
"Wh-what is this?"
Seniors from other years must've seen her and Bihyeong together and started this...
And strangely, she didn't hate it.
'...Agh.'
Her heart pounded.
'...Should I ask to meet up?'
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ For the past week,
Sin Bihyeong had focused solely on mastering the Goblin Cap.
'Goblin Cap.'
His blood heated up.
The moment he drew out the cap's power swimming through his veins, the world visible to his eyes changed.
Spirit Realm.
He now walked a space where even one step had been a struggle before.
One step, two steps.
With each step, a crushing sensation assaulted him, as if his very existence was compressing.
He endured.
Three steps, four.
By the sixth step,
'Ngh...'
Sensation left his hands.
Looking down, his shoulders and below were fading, blending translucently with the surroundings.
This was the penalty.
The price of reaching a realm he wasn't yet ready for.
Even after reaching Hierarchy Rank 2 and strengthening his body,
the Spirit Realm was beyond most high-rank exorcists.
Sin Bihyeong was still insufficient to face the world's essence.
Yet he took another step.
He'd learned through training that his translucent shoulders recovered with rest.
So focus on pushing limits.
'Demon Combat Technique.'
Not rooting outward, but wrapping roots inward around his flesh.
To keep his form from vanishing, to withstand the pressure crushing his existence.
Seven steps, then eight.
"Arghhh!!"
Sin Bihyeong finally reached his target point.
"Elder! Did you succeed!?"
Releasing the cap and emerging, Eoduk bounced excitedly.
Sweat-soaked, Sin Bihyeong collapsed.
Still, an irrepressible smile played on his lips.
"Yeah. Nailed it."
Perfect.
Now he had the conditions to infiltrate the library.
"Just need to grab that cultivation method now."
"But Elder, what's so special about that cultivation method to get you this excited?"
Eoduk couldn't fathom it.
How could a mere cultivation method suppress a yokai's nature?
Especially when the Elder's caliber surpassed any yokai he'd seen.
Sin Bihyeong smiled at the innocent question.
"The one I'm getting is special."
Obtainable early-game, useful straight to the ending.
Because it was a 'growth-type' cultivation method.
"And not just any growth-type."
"...?"
"I can directly choose the 'abilities' I want."
"...Pardon? Is that possible?"
Eoduk's eyes bulged.
"My knowledge of exorcists is limited, but I know cultivation methods don't work that way!"
"Yeah. Ordinary ones have limits."
But the one he'd get was created via the library's 'anomaly'.
"The anomaly living in the library is a special breed."
Ridge Crossing Academy's library gathered forbidden tomes from across the nation—and the world.
And each was an anomaly.
"The library anomaly is their collective. The type that kidnaps people into book contents."
"Th-that sounds dangerous!"
"It's fine. As long as you don't mess with the 'whole' library anomaly."
A collective was just things gathered together.
Flip the idea: pick only what you want to craft book contents.
'The first guy to exploit this was a real weirdo.'
Not interested in endings.
Just joy in exploring the academy library and uncovering its anomaly.
After hundreds of playthroughs, that veteran posted about discovering a hidden piece.
'That hidden piece alone lets even total newbies reach near-ending.'
Before, reaching mid-game got newbies veteran pats like 'You've got talent, keep going.'
A monumental discovery.
'...Come to think, Mina doesn't have a cultivation method either?'
Thinking of his future one brought her to mind.
Future party member(?), so might as well look out for her.
No entry limits or acquisition caps.
Better together.
Sin Bihyeong grabbed his phone with that thought—and saw it flashing.
[Mina]
"Talk about timing."
Speak of the devil.
"Hello?"
—B-Bihyeong?
He answered to a trembling voice.
Sick?
"Something wrong?"
—N-no... Just... finished training.
"Oh? Same here."
—Really?
"Yeah. Was about to call you anyway; got something to say."
Thud!
A crash from the phone.
She okay?
"Hello? Mina, you alright?"
—Y-yeah? F-fine. Just tripped...
"No sprain?"
—...No. Tough as nails since kid days.
"Good."
—A-anyway, Bihyeong, what'd you wanna say?
"Oh, that? Free this weekend?"
—Free?
"Got a place I need you to come with."
Another crash from the phone.
...What now?
"...You sure you're okay? Don't push if you're not."
—N-no! Totally fine! So, what time, where!?
Her voice oddly fired up.
Unaware why, Sin Bihyeong gave details on time and place.
—Got it! See you!
Call ended.
"Hm. Future party strength up one more."
Sin Bihyeong nodded contentedly,
while Eoduk stared blankly before blurting,
"Elder, no interest in women?"
"What?"
What was that?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Time flew to the weekend.
Sin Bihyeong left the dorm at the promised time.
"Moon's out."
Obviously.
It was 11 p.m., when they'd agreed to meet.
She'd made a weird 'Hieeek...!' at first, but the plan stuck.
"Ah, Bihyeong!"
Phone in hand, walking, he spotted Mina in the academy's separate park.
...Why so dressed up?
"...Bihyeong?"
Mina tilted her head at his tracksuit.
Why?
"Mina?"
"Uh, so... Bihyeong? What are we doing exactly?"
She finally clocked it.
Oh, not a date.
Seeing her shoulders slump, Sin Bihyeong realized she'd misunderstood.
'Thought it was a fun outing.'
But people usually met daytime for that, not night?
'Anyway. My bad.'
He hadn't explained properly.
Scratching his head, he apologized.
"Sorry. Should've explained better."
"N-no! I'm fine."
"Next time, outing. Whatever you want."
Mina's face flushed beet red.
That mad?
'But once she hears today's gains, no sulking.'
Pulling his ace like a card, he explained the task and rewards.
As expected, Mina's eyes widened in shock.
"...Something like that in the academy?"
"Yeah. Wanna change into comfy clothes? Heading into an anomaly domain."
"Got it."
Mina dashed back to the dorm, returned in casuals.
Finally, they headed to the library together.
"Sneaking into the library disciplinary offense, right?"
"......"
"Bihyeong?"
Pretend not to hear. Or just didn't.
Easier that way.
'No catch, no crime.'
Making her accomplice felt iffy, but yeah. No catch, done.
Trained Goblin Cap for this.
'Cap works on anyone I touch.'
Learned via Eoduk in practice.
Sin Bihyeong strode confidently, Mina followed.
Soon, library neared.
"From here."
"...Using that bloodline from before?"
"Yeah. Mind if I?"
He scooped her up by shoulders and calves.
Princess carry; Mina panicked visibly.
"B-Bihyeong?"
"Quick trip. Hang on."
Donned the cap.
Fwoosh.
Blue flames formed small horns, body shifted to translucent spirit world.
He stepped.
One, two.
Willpower pushing, reached seven.
Foot on library door: success.
'Good. One more...'
Then, in spirit realm, unseen foreign objects appeared.
'...Wait, spells?'
Sensors guarding the library.
Spells inside.
'Disguised as machines, but I see: Heavenly General form.'
Earthly General always pairs.
Matching spell nearby.
'Where.'
Scanning translucent spirit, spotted Earthly General.
Inside the library.
'Damn!'
Eight steps planned to dodge sensors into library.
But this'd alert Earthly General.
'What now?'
Cold sweat trickled down his cheek.
"Bihyeong."
Mina wiped it gently with his sleeve.
"I'll help."
Pulled out fan, fanned lightly.
Ting─.
Bell rang; wind settled on his body.
Wood energy soothed his weary frame.
Spirit realm pressure fatigue eased instantly.
'This lets three more steps.'
Max.
Judged so, then
Ting─.
Bell again; fire energy seeped in.
Fwoosh!
Flames fed on wood energy like kindling, exploding propulsion through his body.
Bam!
One step leaped farther than before.
One, two, three.
Long-jumping, he bypassed library entry, even Earthly General's range.
Thud!
Released cap; Sin Bihyeong sprawled.
Mina hugged tight, no harm.
'Bringing Mina was genius!'
He grinned unwittingly.
Library infiltrated.
'One step from hidden piece!'
Wait up—coming!