Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Intertwining Stories - 1
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“Ugh!”
Tae-jin’s knees buckled from the blow that struck his entire body. He hadn't even had time to dodge. The trait activated immediately.
[Frail (Lv7.0) activated.]
[Physical defense drastically reduced. Entering a dangerous state.]
[Penalty: Extreme pain for 3 minutes.]
“Ugggh…!”
The metallic scent of blood spread.
Tae-jin swallowed the coppery taste of blood, straightened his knees, and looked at Choi Seok-min with a shaky gaze.
His trembling legs felt like they would give way any second, but he gritted his teeth and endured.
He didn't want to show the pathetic sight of collapsing after a single blow.
He wasn't the old Han Tae-jin anymore.
Then…
[Limit Break trait has leveled up to 3.]
[Stat enhancement effect increased.]
[Limit Break (Lv3) activated.]
[Mind and body have reached their limit, but the will to overcome remains.]
[Effect: Strength, Endurance, and Magic Power increased by 1.]
Following the Frail trait, the Limit Break trait activated.
Until now, the Frail trait had always followed Limit Break.
But this time, the order was reversed.
This was a subsequent activation triggered by Tae-jin’s strong 'will.'
‘Good…!’
A faint vitality flowed through his body, which felt like it was about to crumble like a collapsing tower.
And a dim light flickered in his eyes, which had been on the verge of fading.
He clenched his jaw and flexed his aching muscles.
“Oh…”
Choi Seok-min let out a small gasp of admiration.
He had definitely become stronger.
The old Tae-jin would have been sent flying out of the sparring arena by that single blow.
But he had endured, and was even preparing to counterattack.
“Magic Arrow.”
Tae-jin drew his bowstring.
“Initial Shot.”
He activated the skill and released the arrow.
*Whoosh!* A sharp whistling sound pierced the air, and the arrow, stronger than before, flew towards Choi Seok-min, cutting through the resistance.
And then, a surge.
Tae-jin coughed up blood, his internal injuries not yet fully healed.
“Magic Guard.”
Even though he had gotten stronger, he was still just a fledgling.
The arrow’s trajectory was clearly visible.
However, Choi Seok-min chose to meet the attack head-on instead of dodging.
—*Boom!*
A loud explosion followed.
His aiming time had been short.
He had fired the arrow almost immediately after drawing the bowstring.
But the power and accuracy were perfect. The arrow struck the center of the Magic Guard with a heavy impact, and Choi Seok-min’s confusion grew.
‘What happened to him in just a few days?’
With this level of skill, he had reached a level just below the promising Baek Seok-hwa.
But then…
—*Whoosh!*
—*Crash!*
Another Magic Arrow flew in and struck the Magic Guard. With an explosive sound, Choi Seok-min’s body recoiled slightly.
“Ugh, what is this?”
He stared in surprise beyond the Magic Guard and saw Han Tae-jin, who should have been exhausted by now, preparing another shot with blood smeared on his lips.
His eyes were unfocused, and his arms were visibly shaking.
But the power of his Magic Arrows was becoming even more pronounced.
Then…
—*Whoosh!*
This time, the arrow flew with a heavy whooshing sound, not a sharp whistle.
Spinning rapidly, it tore through the air like a miniature vortex.
—*Crash!*
“Huh?”
—*Crack!*
The arrow struck the Magic Guard again with a loud explosion.
And a small crack appeared in the center of the Magic Guard.
It was a tiny crack, invisible to the other cadets, but it was definitely there.
‘W-what is this?’
He was bewildered.
The arrow shouldn't have had enough destructive power to cause a crack.
However…
Three consecutive hits to the dead center, without a single miss, had created the crack.
His accuracy rivaled that of a seasoned hunter.
A chill ran down Choi Seok-min’s spine.
It was beyond a transformation; it felt like he had become a different person.
And he was certain.
The change and growth that had come over Tae-jin wasn't a fleeting midsummer night's dream.
“Wh-what the? What’s wrong with Han Tae-jin?”
“Professor! Han Tae-jin’s condition is strange!”
“Are his eyes rolling back?!”
What?
Choi Seok-min quickly dispelled his Magic Guard and looked at Tae-jin.
He saw Tae-jin, enveloped in a red magic wind, preparing another shot.
And…
He saw that Tae-jin’s pupils had disappeared.
This was dangerous.
He wasn't just exhausted; he had entered a trance-like state, a state that could endanger his life as a hunter.
He had entered 'Overheat.'
“Stop, Cadet Han Tae-jin. That’s enough for today.”
He tried to intervene, but Tae-jin poured even more magic power into his Magic Arrow.
Of course, the power of the arrow was weakened due to his depleted magic power.
Choi Seok-min raised his voice, holding out his hand.
“Stop! Cadet Han Tae-jin!”
“...One… more… left…”
—*Whoosh!*
“Huh?!”
The arrow flew towards him before he could cast Magic Guard, forcing Choi Seok-min to quickly dodge.
It was a close call.
He would have been hit if he had been even a little slower.
—*Bang!*
The arrow struck the wall of the sparring arena.
The remaining magic power dissipated and evaporated.
If this continued, Tae-jin might lose consciousness. Choi Seok-min channeled magic power into his legs.
He had to restrain him, even by force.
“Lightning Speed.”
Purple magic power surged from his legs.
It was a different level of concentration than before.
—*Whoosh!*
Choi Seok-min vanished in an instant.
He reappeared behind Han Tae-jin.
He was about to strike the back of Tae-jin’s neck with a sharpened hand…
—*Swish!*
His chop only sliced through empty air.
Tae-jin had disappeared.
‘…No way!’
Lightning Speed, a movement skill rivaling teleportation, was too fast for a cadet to follow.
Even among the academy’s professors, few could dodge that blow.
Yet, as if he had anticipated it, Tae-jin vanished, and Choi Seok-min froze, his hand still extended after slicing through the air.
‘How could he…!’
Tae-jin’s disappearance was beyond unexpected; it was shocking.
Moreover, he couldn't sense even a trace of his magic power.
He had vanished as if he had truly 'evaporated.'
Even a veteran like him couldn't help but be bewildered.
'Where are you…! Han Tae-jin!'
But soon, Choi Seok-min realized how foolish his thoughts had been.
“…”
He saw Han Tae-jin lying unconscious on the floor, not evaporated, but simply collapsed.
[Frail (Lv7.0) activated.]
[Magic power in the dantian is depleted, and physical and mental exhaustion has surpassed the limit. Entering a critical state.]
[Penalty: Coma for 48 hours.]
[Penalty: Strength, Stamina, Endurance, and Magic Power decreased by 2 each.]
Han Tae-jin, who had pushed himself beyond his limits to the point where his body and mind couldn't handle it, had finally fallen into a coma.
And the result was a severe penalty.
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《Cadet Han Tae-jin! Stop!》
《One… more… left…》
On the top floor of the academy's main building…
Numerous professors gathered in the faculty meeting room, watching a video and reacting in various ways.
Some with admiration.
Some with awe.
Some with disbelief.
Some with suspicion.
Some with worry.
Some with bewilderment.
A variety of reactions converged on the screen, and Principal Kim Ki-hwan looked at Professor Choi Seok-min, one of the protagonists in the video.
“You’re saying the cadet in the video is Han Tae-jin?”
“Yes. He’s grown even stronger than he was during the last practical test. It’s only been a few days.”
“That’s quite peculiar.”
Not only Kim Ki-hwan but also the professors in charge of the graduating class tilted their heads in confusion.
Cadet Han Tae-jin.
He had the lowest grades in theory, alchemy, and general education, and he was infamous for being a student without motivation or ambition.
Yet, about two weeks ago, he suddenly started showing enthusiasm in his eyes, and now he had bewildered Professor Choi Seok-min, a former A-rank hunter, in a sparring match.
The professors gathered in the faculty meeting room were experienced educators.
Even to them, Cadet Han Tae-jin's growth was unprecedented.
It was practically unheard of.
It felt like he was possessed.
Following Principal Kim Ki-hwan, the eyes in the meeting room turned to Professor Ella, his homeroom teacher.
“Professor Perna Ella?”
“Y-yes.”
“What is Cadet Han Tae-jin’s current condition?”
“Ah, he’s hospitalized at the National Hunter Hospital, and they say he’s out of danger. He’ll probably need about two days to recover.”
“Is that so?”
Overheat.
A trance-like state where one loses control of themselves.
It occasionally happened to seasoned hunters, but it had never occurred in a cadet before.
Why?
Because Overheat only happened in real-life raids, where one faced the fear and terror of death.
While the pressure of sparring with a professor might have been significant, it shouldn't have been enough to trigger Overheat.
That’s why the questions lingered.
Principal Kim Ki-hwan stroked his beard, watching Tae-jin in the video, and then turned his gaze back to Ella.
“As his homeroom teacher, how do you assess Cadet Han Tae-jin’s current growth?”
“Ah… w-well, I interviewed him, but I didn’t find anything unusual.”
“Hmm, any motivation that might have sparked his enthusiasm?”
“Well… haha, not really…”
Ella chuckled awkwardly and brushed off the question.
It was embarrassing as his homeroom teacher.
Despite his sudden growth spurt starting two weeks ago, she hadn't yet found any reason or motivation for it.
“Is there a possibility… that he’s hiding something…? Like… dabbling in dark magic?”
Dark Magic.
Artificially refined magic power, not naturally awakened magic. It provided a temporary boost in power, but repeated use led to addiction like a drug, and eventually, one’s mind would be consumed, turning them into a monster. It was forbidden magic.
There had been cases in the academy's history, which is why Kim Ki-hwan asked the question.
“That’s highly unlikely, but I’m not ruling out the possibility completely.”
“I see. Please keep a close eye on Cadet Han Tae-jin for the time being. Considering he even went into Overheat, this growth spurt might lead to a fatal flaw for him.”
“Ah, yes.”
Ella replied emphatically, nodding at the principal’s words.
And then she smiled subtly.
The principal’s order to 'keep a close eye' sounded like 'stalk' to her, a perfect excuse to ease her guilty conscience.
Yes, this was just a homeroom teacher’s ‘concerned observation’ for her student.
Moreover, since the principal himself had ordered her to keep an eye on him, she was simply diligently carrying out his instructions.
All she needed to do was find out what had changed in Tae-jin and why he had stopped stalking her.
‘Yes! He might be in danger, so as his homeroom teacher, I should at least make a ‘home visit’!’
If she could examine Tae-jin's house, she might be able to figure out what had triggered his transformation.
Ella’s lips twitched for a while.
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Meanwhile…
Han-Na, armed with sunglasses, a mask, and a hat, was heading somewhere.
Tae-jin was hospitalized.
The other cluster of magic power she had sensed at Tae-jin's house would surely visit his hospital room.
So, she planned to stake out the area near the ward and follow anyone suspicious.
'It must be one of the graduating class students.'
Han-Na sat on a bench near the ward, conducting her stakeout (?).
And during her wait, the image of Tae-jin entering Overheat kept replaying in her mind.
He looked cool.
Annoyingly, she found that image quite appealing.
Knowing the usually frail and pathetic Han Tae-jin, his sudden transformation came as a refreshing shock.
A surprising charm.
Just like how people's attention is naturally drawn to someone insignificant who suddenly undergoes a complete makeover.
That's why she was even more annoyed.
She was also somewhat resentful that his transformation began when he stopped stalking her.
'What the...'
Six hours had passed.
Even as the night sky deepened and the crescent moon rose, no one showed up.
'...What? Why isn’t anyone coming?'
If it was one of the graduating class students, there was no way they wouldn't know Tae-jin was hospitalized here.
Or could it be that it wasn't a student?
'But it couldn’t be a hunter either, could it?'
Her curiosity grew.
Who could it be?
Han-Na stood up abruptly.
It seemed unlikely that it was one of her classmates. To satisfy her curiosity, she would have to enter the tiger's den herself.
With that thought, Han-Na headed straight for Tae-jin's house.