Training Ground, Why Did It End Up Like This?

"......"

I hung my head in front of the cake, lost in thought.

'I was trying to craft a charismatic character, but this is a total flop.'

My mouth watered, and my brain froze. This young body of mine seemed utterly defenseless against such temptations.

I approached the woman who looked like a broadcaster and took the cake. Fortunately, it was a whole cream cake topped with strawberries—exactly my favorite.

"W-Well, I can't just send away the person who gave me a gift, so I'll answer some questions."

The broadcaster's face lit up at my words.

"By any chance, what do you think of Isara...?"

I furrowed my brow at her question before replying.

"She's decent for a 10-year-old, but her ether control feels a bit unstable. Wave of Stars had a lot of inefficient flows, verily."

With that, I clutched the cake and scurried into the training ground. Even as I did, I shot a warning at the other reporters.

"Don't crowd around like this for interviews. It disrupts training and bothers other citizens, doth it not."

"P-Please, just one more question...!"

I glanced at the polite voice, and a barrage of camera flashes erupted. Unaccustomed to the glare, my eyes squinted—then the question came.

"Your next match is the MBS Tournament, and Seong Jiho's participating too! What do you think?"

Seong Jiho's tournament footage flashed in my mind.

"That kid has no chance of winning, verily."

I dashed inside the training ground. Flashes poured down behind me like rain.

The moment I entered, Monica widened her eyes and shook my shoulders.

"Little one~ Why'd you go and poke the hornet's nest like that?"

"Poke the nest? I just gave an interview."

"Your vibe was way too cold~ The reporters are gonna write you up as the villain~"

I tilted my head.

"Is that a problem?"

I brushed off Monica's hand and explained.

"They act like favors are their right. Those reporters didn't even realize they were disrupting training. If you don't set boundaries early, they become a hassle later."

"Ah..."

"You said I need to build an image, didn't you?"

"Yeah, true..."

Monica had nothing to say, just stared at me. I shed my coat and headed to the inner arena.

"I have no intention of playing the sweet, cute little girl."

"Fair enough... If you've thought it through, kid, then whatever... But..."

Monica clicked her tongue at the utterly demolished inner arena.

"What the hell happened here?"

"It got wrecked during training."

"Wrecked? This place is obliterated. Anyone seeing this would freak."

"...Hmph. If someone had shown proper manners, I'd have done the interview inside."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

'But you lot, who couldn't even eat your rice politely, caused this mess.'

I set the cake on the table and unwrapped it.

"Oh, they even included a fork. Perfect sense, verily."

As I cut the ribbon to slice the cake, a business card fluttered out.

"Hm..."

The back was densely packed with praise for me—mostly gushing over how beautiful and delicate my ether control was.

"This one's to my liking, verily."

I handed the card to Monica and lifted a slice of cake.

"Whoa, this girl's got your number. Strawberry cream cake and raves about your ether control."

"Mmf, tho good."

Monica snickered as I mumbled through a mouthful.

"Where's Alexandr? Wasn't he coming today?"

"Ah, he said 2 o'clock, so soon."

Ten minutes to go.

"Mmm, so sweet!"

As I blissfully devoured the cake, a crack split the arena ceiling. Alexandr burst through.

"Oh! Big sis is here too?"

He shook his silver hair and approached. A fishy whiff of high-concentration ether clung to him. He dropped a massive bag with a grin.

"Check it! Three days' worth! Insane, right? Ether refining efficiency's climbing~"

Monica's eyes bulged.

"What?! Three days from this training ground? For real? That's a day's output?"

She folded her hands, muttering, "72 billion a day..."

"Mm."

I nodded.

"That should suffice, verily."

"Huh?"

"I was thinking of opening the training ground anyway."

Alexandr and Monica gawked.

"Hmm, as expected of a merchant—you see far."

"For real?"

Monica panicked, scanning the area.

"Open this? Uh... here?"

Alexandr and I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠inspected the training ground in unison.

"Mm..."

"Not good? It's all ruined—perfect, no?"

Monica smacked her forehead at Alexandr's words.

"It'd pass! The floor's smashed to bits, pillars cracked—safety inspection fail!"

"Whoa, when'd those cracks happen?"

"Last time sis punched the air and sent a shockwave."

"Oh yeah."

"...Kid, you fire air blasts too?"

I cast a hold and threw a short punch. Compressed air boomed forward in a sonic burst.

"Whoa, I was hinting at essence realm tips, but you're turning Dragon Ball on me..."

"Just a simple punch, verily."

"Sure!"

I eyed the trashed training ground, cake in mouth.

"No helping it—demolish and rebuild?"

"......"

Monica looked dumbfounded.

"Takes under ten minutes to wreck it."

She shook her head frantically as I swung my fists.

"Th-There are mages good at restoration magic!"

"Ah, restoration."

"Then no need to rebuild?"

Monica pouted as Alexandr and I exchanged looks.

"What kinda training do you two do to trash it this bad?"

"Just trained, verily."

Alexandr grinned.

I clapped at Alexandr's spell.

"Oh, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it finally worked! That's the original imagery master's ultimate technique, verily!"

"Yeah, original's 3-level, but Monica consulted!"

He zipped like lightning to the arena center, beckoning me.

"Won't be easy now! Come at me!"

I set down my fork.

Alexandr froze at my spell.

"Wha—wait! That's a 3-level enhancement, right?"

"Mm, wanted to test max output, verily."

He backed away, eyeing my state.

"Wh-whoa, if that hits me, I'm dead—dead!"

"He who seeks life shall die; he who seeks death shall live!"

My fist slammed where he'd stood. BOOM—a massive crater formed, shaking the whole building.

"Gyaah! See?! I'd die—dead if that hits, sis!"

I shook my head.

"You won't die. Mm, I can control the power that much."

"'Can'? That's a guess! My life..."

He was suddenly in my grip, slammed to the floor. BOOM—air tore, training ground quaked.

"Cough!"

Alexandr's kick grazed my head, blocked by my right arm. It throbbed—power felt.

"Mm, you've improved for sure. Would've been disappointed otherwise, verily."

"I was a 5-level mage, y'know! Won't let you win easy today!"

We sparred about five minutes.

CRACK—a pillar supporting the 2nd-floor stands snapped; huge fissure split the floor.

CRRRACK—Monica dry-washed her face.

"Ah... So that's how it got like this..."

*

Hajieun, who'd delivered the cake, clenched her fist and packed up.

"Yeah, the footage came out great."

Hajieun grinned and set her phone on the ground—then reporters approached to buy the video. Even the jerk from earlier.

"Ah, fuck, what a pain, huh?"

The guy from Hyeonseong Daily spat on the ground.

Hajieun awkwardly smiled and handed over her card without retort. He nodded gratefully, offering his own.

"Ah~ damn, no sweet obedience like Isara. Gotta break 'em early."

As disgust rose, another female reporter chimed in.

"Right? We're probably dropping an Isara vs. Yu Eunha comparison column soon."

He smirked.

"Yeah? Hyeonseong Daily's prepping a Yu Eunha special feature too."

Once they left, Hajieun carefully picked up her phone.

"Do they not realize I'm streaming on this? Their mouths are foul."

Hajieun nodded, pondering content use—then BOOM, a massive roar from the training ground.

Even departing reporters froze, staring.

BOOM—huge quake shook the entire facility. The violent scene left all stunned.

"Whoa, insane. Guess that's why a 7-year-old hits 3-level."

Hajieun reacted blankly, staring skyward. Such talent, tainted by malicious articles? Worry gnawed.

"A mage that skilled... what if nasty pieces drop? Her interview attitude's risky too."

Hajieun laughed at the chat.

"Right? No way that'd happen."

So she figured she'd protect her herself—time to post on the community for once.