Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Night Stroll (1)
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Hey, why are you yelling like that?
"What do you mean?"
Bi-hyeong rubbed his stinging ears with a blank expression.
Whoa. That guy's got some lungs on him.
"H-how did you use that?!"
The professor didn't even think about his volume as he shouted again.
"Did you... know that technique already?"
"Why would you say that? If I knew it, wouldn't I have used it sooner?"
"W-well, that's true..."
The professor looked utterly confused.
"...That technique I just used? Like I said earlier, it's something only I can use in Korea."
"But didn't that Fighting Immortal Maiden lady use it too?"
"I said it might be possible, not that she could definitely do it."
She was someone renowned for having no equal in martial arts or combat.
So he'd figured if she learned it, she could probably pull it off.
Yeah.
If she learned it.
"But you used it without even learning it? What the hell is going on here?"
Bi-hyeong had given a simple explanation of the principle,
but the subtlety embedded within was profoundly advanced.
It was something even the martial artists of the jianghu—who lived and breathed martial arts—couldn't easily grasp.
And yet, he'd replicated it on the first try?
Even if he had talent that only came once every thousand years, this should be impossible.
A bloodline ability?
The thought flashed through his mind for an instant.
...No.
The professor immediately shook his head.
It was a realm no mere bloodline could invade—one infused with a lifetime of profound realization.
Bloodlines might seem omnipotent or cheat-like,
but the professor's view aligned with what he'd told the cadets.
They just changed the starting line. The finish line was equal for all.
Which meant what you could reach came down to endless personal insight and effort.
"This is frustratingly vague. Just explain it clearly already, yeah?"
The professor's voice turned almost pleading, and Bi-hyeong scratched his cheek awkwardly.
Uh... I just saw it and somehow adapted it, you know?
How do I even explain this?
The conclusion was simple enough: it was possible.
Once Bi-hyeong unpacked the mechanism of his bloodline ability, Mimicry, and its effects to some degree,
"What the...?"
The professor's jaw dropped like it was unhinged.
Well, yeah. Mimicry's plenty cheat-like itself.
Its low rank was a minor flaw, but that could grow over time.
It was incomparable to any other bloodline of the same grade that Bi-hyeong knew.
But the professor's shock wasn't for that reason.
"You... what kind of talent do you even have?"
"Pardon?"
Why bring up my talent out of nowhere?
"What are you talking about?"
Bi-hyeong made a face like he'd misheard, and the professor let out a deep sigh.
"Guess you haven't realized it yourself."
"Make it simple for me."
"That Mimicry thing you just did? You said its mechanism lets you 'see' the opponent's technique and 'understand' it, right? I don't get it myself, honestly."
"Yes."
"Idiot. That's where it shows—your talent."
Bi-hyeong still tilted his head, and the professor suddenly felt chills creep up his spine.
He hasn't realized it. What kind of guy is this...?
Bi-hyeong's ability forced 'understanding.'
And then 'mimicked' it.
But this cute top cadet hadn't stopped at mere mimicry.
"To put it grandly, that's the realm of creation. The domain of true artisans."
And,
"What you just pulled off came damn close. Sure, higher-ranking folks do that kind of thing sometimes, but you're not one of them, right?"
His proficiency in close combat, martial arts, spells—everything was lacking.
"And yet, with raw talent alone, you got that close. That's what's insane."
The professor tapped his temple with his index finger.
"Anyway, that strike wasn't from the bloodline—it was your talent. So take pride in it, feel some guilt for stealing my move, and if you're sorry, give up the spirit pill..."
"Your grace is as vast as the heavens, Master."
Bi-hyeong quickly struck an awkward fist salute and bowed at the waist,
and the professor clicked his tongue.
"Tch. Quick with the slick talk."
Haa.
He sighed heavily, scratched the back of his head vigorously, then spoke to Bi-hyeong.
"That bloodline. Use it often from now on."
"...Pardon?"
"Spells, techniques, all kinds of things. Watch them, understand them."
Considering Bi-hyeong's talent, frequent use to build proficiency would be ideal.
That accumulated understanding across countless things would further bloom his 'artisan' talent.
"C'mon. Time to hand over that spirit pill."
As he turned to walk away, the professor's eyes trembled faintly.
The training ground wall, split clean in half.
Looking at it, he sighed again—then grinned refreshingly before long.
"Why's the wall like that? Did some artillery shell hit it or something?"
Yeah.
The professor was denying reality.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Bi-hyeong followed the professor to receive the spirit pill privately,
then stopped by the administrative office to report the half-destroyed training ground wall... and witnessed the professor getting absolutely reamed.
Afterward, they moved to another training ground, where Mi-na's spar with the professor began.
Bi-hyeong sat in the spectator seats, watching slowly while feeling the wooden box in his pocket.
This has to be a good spirit medicine.
It wasn't just trust in the professor—the aura emanating from the box was remarkably dense.
Bi-hyeong immediately opened the box to inspect the unusual spirit pill inside.
This is... a spirit pill?
No. It didn't quite look like one.
For starters, it filled the box like transparent jelly.
21st-century exorcists, huh?
Even martial artists had adapted to the modern age, it seemed.
As Bi-hyeong turned the box this way and that, checking for hidden mechanisms,
a transmission from the professor—still overflowing with composure mid-spar with Mi-na—reached him.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ It's an elixir made by mixing the spirit medicine called Dao-Buddha Holy Water from the jianghu with the spirit herb known as Flame Blood Dawn Grass. Dao-Buddha Holy Water and Flame Blood Dawn Grass.
Both were ingredients Bi-hyeong had never heard of.
Judging by the sheer power of the aura from the elixir,
they didn't seem easy to obtain.
Even with their agreement, the professor casually handing over something like this was impressive.
He's a more and more intriguing guy.
Still, with no ill intent apparent, Bi-hyeong swallowed the elixir gratefully.
Gulp.
The jelly-like texture slid down his throat, melting into liquid as it passed through his esophagus into his stomach, then spreading its energy through his organs.
...Whoa.
Through his organs to his bones, tendons, muscles, and blood.
The circulating energy finally reached his meridians, fully activating his entire body.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [The Pleasure of Gluttony is applied.] [Dao-Buddha Holy Water's effects are fully drawn out.] [Flame Blood Dawn Grass's effects are fully drawn out.] And at that moment,
the effect of the Gluttony Pill he'd eaten before naturally activated.
The energy coursing through his meridians suddenly roared like flames igniting.
That's when Bi-hyeong realized.
Dao-Buddha Holy Water and Flame Blood Dawn Grass were elixirs infused with 'yang energy.'
Whoever eats it might not handle it, so they refined it to tone down the yang power.
He hadn't sensed any yang from the pill itself.
But the Gluttony Pill's effect had yanked out the latent yang from the main ingredients, Dao-Buddha Holy Water and Flame Blood Dawn Grass.
The robust yang energy surged through his meridians before finally settling in his lower dantian.
Boom!
His body jolted as if struck by a massive earthquake.
There was no pain.
It felt refreshing, actually.
Yang-dominant energy doesn't need refining to merge with the sun. It just seeps in naturally, like it belongs.
Like how downstream water can't flow upstream,
even yang energy couldn't resist the sun Bi-hyeong had built with utmost sincerity.
The heavy, fierce flames gradually calmed,
and Bi-hyeong's sun had at least doubled in size from before ingesting the elixir.
A satisfied smile tugged at Bi-hyeong's lips.
So this is what a packed dantian feels like.
His lower belly wasn't bulging, but it felt weighty.
He probably wouldn't get hungry for days without eating.
The Demon Core's demonic power is reacting to the sun too, sucking in ambient natural energy.
Leave it be, or hunt a monstrosity, and balance would restore automatically.
If it pulled ahead, he'd wait; if it lagged, he'd grit his teeth and catch up.
That was Bi-hyeong's lower dantian now.
"You done?"
Bi-hyeong looked up to see Mi-na and the professor.
"Your focus is insane—no room to even talk, so we just stood guard."
"When did your spar with Mi-na end?"
"Eh, about thirty minutes ago?"
So they'd been protecting him since then.
Grateful for the unexpected gesture, he thanked them. Mi-na shook her head, and the professor scratched his cheek awkwardly, changing the subject.
"Let's head back before they say I'm playing favorites."
Watching the professor hurry off, Mi-na and Bi-hyeong shared small smiles.
Soon, the two followed behind him.
A moment later, the original training ground came into view.
But the instant he saw them, Bi-hyeong felt an odd dissonance.
"Is this correct?"
"Yes. You're doing wonderfully."
On the surface, it looked like a model cadet asking questions and a kindly instructor responding.
However,
what was this subtle prickling at his senses?
Goblin Cap.
To uncover the truth, Bi-hyeong secretly summoned the cap and flipped it on.
Whoosh.
His eyes, now in the spirit realm, captured the flow of 'energy' permeating the area.
Bi-hyeong's eyes widened.
Already?
A murky, gloomy aura unlike pure natural energy.
To describe it precisely: the possession of the 'monstrosity' he'd subdued.
It's settled into the cadets' bodies. Just like in the game.
The monstrosity he'd subdued didn't show externally.
Nor did it emit any energy.
Which was why instructors only learned of it after the incident blew up.
If not for my half-demon body, I wouldn't have noticed either.
A faint sense of wrongness.
Even for a half-demon like Bi-hyeong, it was that subtle.
High rank or not, he was probably better at detecting monstrosities.
Made sense the instructors missed it.
Though later, they do prepare countermeasures.
Anyway.
That wasn't the point now.
The villain's already making moves? In a hurry, aren't they?
First day of regular classes, no less.
And yet, it was approaching cadets, following the game's storyline to the letter.
Ding─.
The end-of-class bell rang.
"Well, I think that's enough for today."
Regret showed plainly on the cadets' faces at the instructor's words.
"Haha. Don't look so disappointed, everyone. I'll drop by again next time."
Only then did their expressions relax. The instructor glanced around at them, slowly turned,
and locked eyes with Bi-hyeong—who, unlike the others, watched calmly.
Hm?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Time passed, evening.
All regular classes ended, and Bi-hyeong returned to the dorm, sitting on the sofa.
"......"
Until then, he hadn't said a word.
He'd only gathered everyone from the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons in the dorm.
"...Bi-hyeong? Something wrong?"
Mi-na asked, seeing his serious expression.
Truth be told, she'd felt something off during that regular class too.
She wondered if that's why he was like this.
"Mi-na. You felt it too?"
As expected.
Just like she'd thought, that's what had him like this.
"What's going on?"
"Looks like there's a villain."
Mi-na's heart sank at the words.
Villain.
Beings who abandoned the exorcist's duty to protect people from monstrosities—instead turning the blade on humanity.
The academy taught they were no longer human, akin to monstrosities.
Thus, targets for exorcism.
"...That guy from earlier?"
"Yeah."
"What're you gonna do?"
That's what he was pondering now.
Originally, approach the guy, confirm the monstrosity possession, report to the professors.
Case closed. Easy for him, no casualties for the academy—best outcome.
But things got messy.
I couldn't get close to him. Taking others risks it, and he's already connected to the instructor.
Villains bestowed monstrosity power on cadets for one reason.
To corrupt their minds, monitor them, and invite them to the 'lab.'
That lab. Has to be destroyed.
Leave it, and it'd spiral into an uncontrollable disaster.
Veteran players who thought "maybe I can use it?" left the lab alone—only for it to vanish one day.
The vanished lab devoured the 'Backrooms' monstrosity, then the 'Sinkhole' one too,
emerging as a monster even 9th-rank exorcists couldn't subdue.
Problem is, reporting it lacks credibility.
A cadet accusing an instructor with no trace of monstrosities?
Even as top cadet, the academy wouldn't buy it outright.
After that?
They'd shut down or hide the lab.
Probably never find it again.
The snowball would roll, eventually crashing into his future self as catastrophe.
Bi-hyeong's eyes clouded with regret.
"In the end... no choice?"
With a deep sigh, Bi-hyeong seemed to steel himself, gazing at the Night Parade members with resolve.
"Everyone... wanna go on a 'nighttime stroll'?"
Night Parade of One Hundred Demons.
Not quite a hundred in number,
but the yokai's night outing was about to begin.