I’m Not Even Nervous
"*Sigh*, huff…."
I repeated the cycle of inhalation and exhalation, observing my inner body. I could feel the unstable flow of mana, dragged here and there by the movement of my pulse and blood. If things continued this way, there would inevitably be setbacks in operating my mana. This phenomenon applied to everyone else, too. Usually, people stabilized their mana by weaving a ring around their heart or condensing it in the dantian below the navel. Before, I didn't need to do that because the amount of mana I possessed was so small, but now, I had to choose.
'Hmm….'
However, both methods had their pros and cons, making it difficult to choose lightly. Simply put, the ring was superior in explosive power, while the dantian was superior in stability.
'……Must I really choose between the two?'
The thought suddenly occurred to me. As I repeated my breathing and moved my mana freely, the overall flow of mana felt as clear as if I could grasp it in my hand. If I could perfectly control this flow of mana and circulate it throughout my entire body—if I could stabilize the mana while simultaneously gaining high explosive power—what would be completed would be the most perfect mana flow.
'Let's do it.'
I began to move my mana. Just as I would when operating the Ilshin Pacheon-gong, I gathered mana at the crown of my head, then slowly spread it along the connected blood vessels and nerves. I didn't move in a rush. I grasped the junctions of the vessels and nerves, carving out a new path. It was similar to the process of sketching the outline of a masterpiece. However, there were no second chances in this work. I had to draw the perfect line in a single attempt.
"Haa…."
My exhaled breath trembled. The amount of sweat pouring down was significant. Touching the nerves was impossible with a light mindset. In a way, it was an insane act. If someone had seen me, they surely would have been horrified and stopped me. But Kim Ilshin continued the work without hesitation. To him, only his growth, which would be achieved alongside the progress of the work, was important.
The work was only finished after the sun rose the next day. Only then could I open my eyes, which had been closed. My body and mind were in a state of near-exhaustion. For over a dozen hours, I had to maintain perfect concentration without a single lapse. It was a difficult task even for someone like me, who possessed [Regeneration (A)] and [Impeccable Mind (S)]. But even in such a state, the reason laughter kept leaking out was likely due to the satisfaction derived from the result.
The completed form resembled an electrical circuit. It drew a circle by connecting major organs like the brain and heart with the blood vessels and nerves between them. It was a form that maximized efficiency to the limit by trimming away all unnecessary flows. At the same time, by weaving the connecting paths in straight lines, it could produce faster and more explosive power. Also, because it wasn't trapped in a single form, free transformation was possible. If necessary, I could weave a ring in my chest to use it.
Hummm-
Kim Ilshin circulated mana through the circuit. It drew a circle, repeating rising and falling. As the circulation continued, the power of the mana overlapped endlessly, forming a single principle. It was called the Cheonji Myowon-gong. It was a mental cultivation method that only Kim Ilshin, who possessed a mana circuit, could use.
'I'm looking forward to this….'
My body was in a state where it wouldn't be strange if I collapsed right now, but I couldn't bear not to test it. I stood up and took a stance. Thinking of the aftermath, I raised only a handful of mana and operated the Ilshin Pacheon-gong. A small amount of mana raced along the newly established circuit. The speed was noticeably faster. Consequently, the increased destructive power was incomparable to before.
Boom.
The trajectory of my fist as I stepped forward with a heavy stomp. At the end of it, the power of Pacheon (Heaven-Shattering) was loaded.
KWA-A-ANG—!!
The wall that took the full force of the punch collapsed as if it were exploding. Beyond the wall, which had crumbled without a trace, I could see the streets at dawn as the day was breaking.
BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!!
"Student Kim Ilshin! What is this again!"
From behind, I heard the voice of the dormitory supervisor, Ahn Young-soon, filled with rage. It didn't seem like she would let it slide easily this time.
'……I should have held back a little.'
Regret now was of no use.
A week passed. Life during that time was a repetition of training and more training. Except for the time I spent attending classes, I devoted almost all of my time to training. I would wake up early in the morning, practice mana, do physical conditioning and sword training, and then go to school. And after classes, I would do physical conditioning and sword training again. It was a repetitive life without a moment of rest, but Kim Ilshin didn't find it difficult at all. He was simply happy that he could grow every day.
What grew most noticeably were my stamina and swordsmanship. Now, I could endure the hellish training with Hwang "Hercules" Deok-bae to some extent. Even though I tried to avoid it as much as possible, I gave up and trained with him every day because of his tenacity in following me wherever I went to drag me along.
'Did he say he had a duty to enlighten a colleague who was trying to stray from the path of muscle? ……Crazy bastard.'
Still, now I could even practice swordsmanship after finishing the conditioning. That alone was a huge growth. For sword training, I trained equally in fast sword techniques, Ilshin Pacheon-gong, and the Cheonryu Sword, focusing on the basics. Thanks to that, I had mastered the Cheonryu Sword enough to use it in actual combat, and I had become accustomed to loading the essence of fast sword techniques into the Ilshin Pacheon-gong.
'Shall I head out now?'
I checked the time and went outside. The place I headed to was not the training hall or a lecture room, but somewhere else. Today was the day I was going to handle the request I had asked Joo Chae-rin for permission for last time. Tied to my waist was the Hyeonwol (Crescent Moon Sword), a beautiful sword with a blue glow on its blade. It wasn't that low-quality iron sword from last time. It was a sword she had given me, saying that I couldn't even cut straw with that iron sword. After completing the assignment, she showed infinite favor toward Kim Ilshin. Enough to willingly lend me such a famous sword.
I took the tram and arrived at the Request Management Office in no time. Since it was the time when everyone would be attending classes, there was no one there except for the staff. I pulled a number ticket, went straight to the reception desk, and submitted the documents I had prepared in advance. They were documents containing my grades and past history, along with the request application form.
'The request content is to investigate the criminal activities of the Black Tiger Gang and, if it's related to recent missing person cases, to wipe them out. The requester is the Gangnam Police Station, and the difficulty is… medium?'
Choi Sang-il, the receptionist who was indifferently examining the documents, frowned and looked at the two documents alternately. Soon, he glanced up at Kim Ilshin and said with a deep sigh.
"Student, did you read the precautions properly before coming? ……Ugh."
He continued, nervously fluttering the documents. "You can't take this request. Your grades aren't good enough, and you have no experience… What on earth were you thinking when you came here?"
His gaze and tone were as if I were pathetic. There was no need to confront him.
"I think it would be better for you to check the bottom of the document."
"Check what? What could possibly be here…."
Choi Sang-il's eyes, which had reached the bottom of the document, widened. He had finally discovered Joo Chae-rin's permission stamp.
"No, what is this…."
It was rare for an academy teacher to give out a permission stamp. It happened less than once or twice a year. It wasn't something a student with Kim Ilshin's grades and appearance would bring. However, no matter how many times he checked, it was indeed Joo Chae-rin's stamp.
"Can I take the request?"
"Y-yes, okay…."
Flustered, Choi Sang-il quickly finished processing the documents. With just one permission stamp, the entire process went smoothly.
"It would be better for you to read carefully next time."
Confirming that the request had been successfully accepted, Kim Ilshin left only those words and turned his back without hesitation. Choi Sang-il stared blankly at his retreating figure. But as time passed and his confusion subsided, his anger flared up. Being ignored by Kim Ilshin, whom he had looked down upon for so long, was a major blow to his pride.
'That rude bastard….'
Just then, another staff member who had approached Choi Sang-il said as if it were fascinating. "Wow, isn't this the first time Teacher Joo Chae-rin has stamped a permission? His grades aren't good…. Ah! This student is that one. The one who completed Teacher Joo Chae-rin's assignment this time. I heard people say it was just a coincidence, but is there something to him?"
He retorted, bristling. "What do you mean there's something to him! Teacher Joo Chae-rin just did something strange. Just you wait, he'll be back completely wiped out in no time."
If that happened, he would punish him on the grounds that he had forced a request that didn't match his level. That was what he vowed.
When carrying out a request to wipe out the Black Tiger Gang, there is an order.
1. Track the movements of the Black Tiger Gang and secure evidence proving they are the masterminds behind the missing person cases.
2. Follow the traces to secure the location of the Black Tiger Gang's base.
3. Wipe them out.
However, for Kim Ilshin, who already knew the contents of the request, the processes of 1 and 2 were unnecessary. He headed straight to the Black Tiger Gang's base. The place he arrived at was the Crown Club, located in the center of the bustling Gangnam district. Thanks to the fact that the Cosmo Academy was located in Hanam City, I was able to arrive quickly. Due to the nature of a club, it doesn't open during the day. So, I would be able to prevent citizens from getting caught up in the battle that would unfold later.
Click.
Turning the doorknob, I could feel that it was locked from the inside. It meant there were people inside. I broke the doorknob with a grip loaded with mana and pulled. Beyond the opened door, a dark and long hallway was revealed. Kim Ilshin stepped into it without hesitation. Even though he was about to face a real battle where his life was on the line, his heart was calm. It wasn't due to external factors like [Impeccable Mind (S)], but simply because of his confidence in his own skills.
'I'm not even nervous.'
His steps were relentless.