Chapter 104
Chapter 104
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 104
Chapter Title: Don't Let Reality Break You
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***
There are ordinary people who, when shown one thing, learn only that one thing. Among them, those with exceptional talent might learn two or three things when taught one.
And occasionally.
People with unbelievable talent perform the remarkable feat of grasping ten things on their own after being taught just one.
Such individuals are commonly called 'geniuses.'
That is why, when one has the opportunity to teach a genius, even the instructor finds themselves driven by a great deal of enthusiasm.
Only those who have taught someone know the joy that comes from a student surpassing one's expectations.
And unfortunately, the more of a genius one was, the harder it was to feel the joy of teaching.
Because they were too exceptional. Their standards for others were inevitably set to their own level. And if they could do something as a matter of course, they would assume others could achieve it to some degree as well.
Most of those called geniuses had this tendency. That was why many of them were often perceived as arrogant and self-centered.
When you understood the reason, it was inevitable. To geniuses, things that astounded others were nothing more than ordinary.
…
"......"
In her life, Kalli had rarely been impressed by anyone.
Even during her academy days, she had been impressed by a select few who garnered attention, but when she looked back, she had already surpassed those she admired.
So, at some point, Kalli came to a realization.
Her power was special even within the category of Uniques, and she, who wielded that power, was far beyond ordinary.
But recently, the frequency of her being impressed had increased.
She was so concerned about someone that she was still in the training hall, even now, so late at night that the academy's own training facilities had closed.
*Rustle.*
On her lap, the unconscious Cheon-seong was breathing softly.
Looking at his peacefully sleeping form, Kalli gave him a complicated look before shaking her head.
"Hah…"
She sighed, but her heart was not at ease.
She believed it was her duty as an instructor to properly look after her cadet, and she thought she hadn't been too late.
But this was the result.
While Cadet Han Cheon-seong wasn't in any serious trouble from losing consciousness, she couldn't shake the feeling that she had pushed him too hard.
'Was it my own greed?'
The more she faced Cadet Han Cheon-seong, the more greed filled her heart.
She told herself dozens of times a day to lower her expectations, but she just couldn't.
Every time they were together, her expectations for Cadet Han Cheon-seong only rose.
*Breathe… breathe…*
The cadet sleeping on her lap had proven himself to her again today. It was as if he had no limits, as if he was constantly trying to show her something more.
...Perhaps that was why her own greed swelled as she watched him.
She wondered just how far he could go, and how much he could develop.
“Just how much more do you have to surprise me before you’re satisfied?”
As she spoke the foolish words, she found she couldn't leave this spot.
Normally, she would be at her residence, having dinner and preparing for the next day, but right now, she didn't want to.
A desire to stay by Cadet Han Cheon-seong's side, just for a little while longer.
A desire to see more of the achievements he would make. She was curious about everything—how his strong will would move forward, how it would manifest.
And if the moment came when that will was about to break, she felt she had to be by his side to keep him from collapsing.
That was why she couldn't just leave the unconscious Cadet Han Cheon-seong and go first. Leaving him in someone else's care also felt wrong…
"...My emotions are all over the place."
She murmured blankly, the feelings she had a few hours ago now seeming like a lie.
Just moments ago, when she had pressed her body against Cadet Han Cheon-seong's, she had felt a strange emotion.
At that time, she had been thinking about how to control him.
He had clearly grasped a clue about the skill, and he was showing her his progress at a frightening pace. His growth was so fast it was incomprehensible to watch from the side.
But at the same time, Cadet Han Cheon-seong was uncontrollable.
He was trying to reach for the next step, even if it meant breaking his own body. As if he had a goal he absolutely had to achieve, his heart was filled with an impatience that she could see.
So today, she had shown him directly.
A part of her power.
Her intention was to show Cadet Han Cheon-seong the way forward while also making him feel a wall of sorts.
She had hoped he would stop for a moment and look at himself.
But… her thoughts had gone in a completely different direction.
"...Hah."
Sighing again, she gently reached out to the sleeping cadet.
*Stroke.*
As she carefully brushed back his disheveled hair, she looked at Han Cheon-seong's face more closely.
...Immense fatigue was etched plainly on his features.
"Even in this state... he didn't say a single word."
If he had let out a pained groan, or shown any sign that his body was under strain, she would have immediately withdrawn her energy. But Cadet Han Cheon-seong had seemed completely immersed in the flow of energy she was showing him.
And that state had lasted for over three hours.
She had continuously monitored his condition, but from the outside, she couldn't tell if the cadet was feeling his limits.
He hadn't shown the slightest sign of distress.
She had remained on edge, and the moment his body showed an abnormality, as if creaking under the strain, she retracted her energy. But by then, Cadet Han Cheon-seong had already pushed past his limits.
He disregarded his own condition in a state of extreme focus.
His body, at its breaking point, must have been screaming in pain. But Cadet Han Cheon-seong had ignored even that.
And most of all, he didn't let it show. That was what made his condition so unsettling.
"Really... who could possibly handle you?"
In her view, even just helping Cadet Han Cheon-seong with his training would be nearly impossible for most instructors.
The problem wasn't the total amount of power, but the uniqueness of his situation itself.
A half-hearted attempt to help would be insufficient to match his intense will, and a more serious attempt would lead him to continue training even if his body broke down.
That was how dangerously immersed Cadet Han Cheon-seong was in his training right now.
“...”
Just imagining another instructor teaching him made her shake her head without thinking.
Even she felt it had been a close call.
If she had noticed the change in him even a fraction of a second later, it might have escalated into something far more dangerous than just exhaustion.
‘And perhaps…’
Her thoughts trailed off, and she let out a sigh.
"In the end, I'm the only one who can accommodate you."
For now, though, a small smile escaped her as she watched him breathe so peacefully.
The cadet was exhausted, and she too felt a considerable amount of fatigue.
But she didn't dislike this situation.
She would sigh with worry for the cadet, but then she would look at his face and a smile would emerge.
"I only showed you once. To think you grasped the principle of circulation... who else could do that?"
She couldn't help but marvel at Han Cheon-seong's talent once more.
She had intended only to convey a momentary feeling, a sense of the flow, but he had seen beyond that.
She thought she was helping him take one step, but he was already taking the next one on his own.
From where their bodies touched, she could clearly feel the flow of mana raging within him.
A strange property of mana, forming a spiral completely different from the circulation she had achieved.
It was truly unbelievable.
His total mana was severely lacking, yet he had managed to induce a change in its very nature.
"It's safe to say that awakening the skill is now just a matter of time, but…"
Worry took precedence.
Now that she couldn't even fathom the scale of his talent, she hoped he wouldn't be too hasty.
It's okay to go slowly. You can reach it.
Cadet Han Cheon-seong had the talent and the will for it.
However, it was hard to tell the order of things: whether his brilliant talent was a manifestation of his strong will, or if his outstanding talent had instilled that strong will in him.
But she wanted to believe it was talent born from a strong will.
There were plenty of people who could harbor a strong will for a moment. But she had never seen anyone who consistently followed through with their will like Cadet Han Cheon-seong.
If you only look forward, you don't realize how exhausted you are, how close you are to your limit…
"..."
As Han Cheon-seong's eyes fluttered open, she erased her thoughts.
"Cadet Han Cheon-seong. It's time... to go back now."
...Even though she wanted to stay with him a little longer, it was time for them to part.
***
*Click.*
As I entered my dorm room, it all felt a bit unreal.
The fact that the end of the day had come, and it was time to face tomorrow.
And the more I acknowledged it, the heavier my heart sank.
"Tomorrow."
It was tomorrow.
In the end, I couldn't complete the skill.
And I didn't think I could, no matter what I did.
In my training with Kalli, I had seen a greater flow and grasped the concept, so I knew I couldn't make the impossible possible.
'Circulation. Spiral. An infinitely connected flow…'
It was a massive achievement.
A high attainment I could never have reached training alone.
But reality did not grant me any more time.
“......”
I bit my lip, yet a suppressed sigh kept escaping.
*Grip.*
My hand, holding the spear I had brought, tightened on its own.
Can I do it, as I am now?
Is it really okay for me to face tomorrow?
As I thought about it, a hollow laugh escaped me.
"Should I consider myself lucky just to have brought a spear?"
The spear in my hand wasn't a training spear from the C-Class facility, but one I had borrowed from Kalli's private training room.
"..."
Looking at the jet-black shaft, I realized just how little leeway I had.
I had almost faced tomorrow's incident without even a spear.
—Cadet Han Cheon-seong. If you train recklessly again today, you'd better be prepared for tomorrow.
Kalli's icy voice as she reluctantly handed me the spear momentarily flashed in my mind.
A bitter smile formed on my lips, and I sighed once more.
"I can't even train right now."
If I pushed myself today and something happened to my body, I wouldn't even be able to be by Karite's side tomorrow.
...So, no more training was possible.
As my thoughts spiraled, my heart continued to sink.
Facing reality was harder and more frightening than I had imagined.
This wasn't the kind of 'reality' where I had to work hard because I was behind other cadets. The heavy 'reality' bearing down on me was completely different.
I know the future of this world, so I have to prepare.
Even if that future might not come to pass, I couldn't afford to spend a single day in complacency.
"...Because I can't let her die."
And this reality was not something I could avoid, nor was it something I could overcome just by changing my mindset.
It was a reality I simply had to face.
'Is it really possible…'
—Can I truly protect Karite?
—Can I stand against an Apostle with my current strength?
—Or can I protect her from those who cooperate with the Apostle?
The questions rose endlessly, shaking my heart before fading away again.
I slowly shook my head. I couldn't afford to have a weak heart now.
"...I can do it."
I said the words as if making a vow to myself.
Though incomplete, I had grasped the concept of the spiral.
...At the very least, I can use much stronger power. I didn't think I would lose consciousness like before.
I've been working hard all this time, I've done my best…
So.
I had to believe I could do it.
"Don't let reality break you."
I continued to shore up my weakening resolve.
Of course I can save Karite. And I'll be able to see her in the future, just like I did yesterday…
I truly wanted to believe that.