Chapter 72
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Academy (23)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The dean's secretary opened the academy's treasure vault. Now it was time to receive their artifacts.
"You can each pick one."
Hundreds of artifacts were displayed on endless rows of shelves.
These were treasures the academy had steadily accumulated over time. Some had been donated, while many were handmade by talented cadets.
Since they were routinely given out as rewards to cadets, there weren't any incredibly rare items left. Still, plenty of useful ones remained.
"Oh..."
Si-woo watched as Helena walked straight toward one without hesitation.
She picked out a pair of earrings embedded with a blue gem. The description said it boosted mental resistance.
'Well, for a regressor, the mind is the most important thing.'
The secretary spoke to Amelia, who was looking at it enviously.
"Cadet Amelia, the dean recommended an artifact for you. Would you like to see it?"
"Uh... sure."
She recommended a necklace with a sparkling purple gem.
The description explained it acted as a curse ward. It absorbed curses directed at the user and purified them.
As Amelia picked up the necklace, she could feel the curse energy being drawn into it.
'That should hold for about a week.'
Checking its capacity, it seemed able to absorb roughly a week's worth of curses. The purification time matched the absorption period.
In simple terms, it was an artifact that let her sleep peacefully one day out of every two.
Its efficiency would drop as her curse grew stronger, but it was excellent for emergencies.
Amelia seemed pleased too, cradling the necklace carefully.
Both nodded in satisfaction. Si-woo turned away, having seen them happy with their choices.
As he pondered what might be useful, Helena picked up a bracelet.
"What about this? It reduces weight by 99%, so it'd be super convenient."
[Subspace Bracelet]
It was a bracelet granting a subspace the size of a small room. But it was useless to him with his inventory.
"It's nice, but... anything else?"
The next item she recommended was a ring with some shattered fragment embedded in it.
"It's made from a cintamani shard. It boosts all stats."
[Shattered Cintamani Ring]
- Increases health recovery speed.
- Increases elemental resistance.
- All stats +5. (Applies up to 59 max.)
Trying it on experimentally, the stat boost proved more useful than expected. At 60 stats, one reached 6-star, peak master level. It was handy right up to that point.
But for him, already first-rate after recovering his realm, it was iffy.
'Stats... they probably won't apply in other worlds anyway?'
Most gear linked to the status window, making it awkward for him. He needed equipment that worked unchanged across worlds.
One of Helena's recommendations caught his eye. An artifact whose power was inherent, not reliant on system buffs.
[Sylph's Ring]
- Blink usable 1x per day.
- Wind Barrier usable 5x per day.
- Wind Barrier auto-activates in emergencies.
Blink was teleportation magic to anywhere in sight. He recalled seeing it in the [Shop] for 1,000 karma once.
'Hmm... if I buy the skill from the shop too, I could chain two.'
It seemed useful for ambushes or decisive strikes. The wind barrier for unexpected attacks looked solid too.
Seeing Helena nod approvingly, he had no reason to hesitate.
"I'll take this one."
"You'll enter the training sanctuary in two days, so please prepare accordingly."
With the secretary's words, the rewards for resolving the rift incident wrapped up. All that remained was heading to the training sanctuary in two days to consume the spirit medicines.
Si-woo glanced back at Amelia and Helena following him, then checked the time.
4 p.m. An awkward hour. Parting ways now felt regrettable.
"Wanna grab dinner together?"
Helena looked apologetic.
"Sorry, I've got an appointment soon. Rain check?"
"No worries, next time. Amelia?"
Amelia beamed and nodded eagerly, her head bobbing like a puppy's tail.
"I'd love to!"
The moment Helena left, she threw herself at him. She was more reserved around others, but alone, her affection overflowed.
She hooked her arm through his, pressing her whole body close. Her soft breasts provided a fantastic sensation.
"Heehee... Let's go!"
"Sure."
They headed to the academy cafeteria.
The food was pricey, but the quality was top-notch. Better than eating out at most places.
'Soon it'll be free here too.'
Once the secretary processed his admin stuff, he'd get A-rank perks. Meals rivaling high-end restaurants for free, plus bigger dorms.
"Hardly anyone here?"
"Yeah... weird, right?"
With classes suspended and the timing off, the cafeteria was empty.
"Picnic in the park with takeout?"
"Picnic? Yay!"
It was only a 10-minute walk, but sure, a picnic.
Amelia eyed the menu carefully and chose aqua tonkatsu.
As an A-rank, she could get the over-50,000-won fried set for free. Yet she picked the C-rank aqua tonkatsu.
"Aqua tonkatsu? Is it good?"
"Yep. Tangy and delicious."
Amelia seemed to love tangy flavors.
'Maybe because it's her wake-up taste...?'
Tonkatsu being tangy was off-putting yet intriguing.
With her staring expectantly, he ordered it anyway.
Watching them pack it up, a fresh lemon tang wafted pleasantly.
'Might be better than I thought...'
Humming happily, Amelia headed with him to the park inside the academy grounds.
Perfect weather for a sunny stroll.
"No one around?"
"Yeah... such great napping weather outside..."
They found a spot and unpacked.
"Oh...?"
Fresh veggies and golden-fried tonkatsu atop sauce looked vibrant even visually.
"How do you eat it?"
She pondered seriously, then gestured enthusiastically. Her breasts jiggled with the motion.
"Veggies and tonkatsu together... dip in sauce or mix it up... yeah."
"Haha, got it."
Her cuteness drew a chuckle.
He decided to dip. Shredded lettuce and cutlet into the brownish sauce.
Amelia watched intently, full of anticipation. He popped it in his mouth.
"Oh... not bad."
"Right? Tasty, huh?"
"Yeah, the lettuce? Pairs great with the tonkatsu. Delicious."
The fresh tonkatsu's tang cut the oiliness, blending crisply with veggies.
'Come to think of it, tonkatsu sauce is sweet-tangy anyway.'
Watching Amelia devour her rice happily, he finished his meal before he knew it.
"I'll toss the trash. Wait here."
"Huh? Come with."
"Nah, be right back."
He planned to inventory it en route to skip the hassle. He stopped Amelia from following and walked off.
A short way away, he stowed the trash for later. Returning, he found her dozing off, head nodding.
"Back..."
"Sleepy, Amelia?"
"Mmm... full and sleepy now..."
Her nodding slowed as she hugged her knees, resting her breasts atop them. She grinned sleepily and leaned her head on him.
Like a cute creature nesting happily.
"Just a bit... don't go anywhere..."
Watching her was entertaining, but she really fell asleep. Her mumbling stopped.
Only soft breathing echoed. She dozed off in the middle of the park like it was home.
'Good grief.'
Out like a light after eating. Curious about her huge breasts' secret, but this seemed it.
Her blissful sleeping face made waking her tough.
'Might as well train.'
Leaving her asleep, he closed his eyes. With the sanctuary entry soon, he needed to ponder the next realm beforehand.
He could wield sword energy skillfully now. But peak realm eluded him. Like drifting on a vast ocean.
He felt stronger, but vaguely. This uncertainty was new and frustrating.
'Hmm...'
Checking around, aside from sleeping Amelia, the area was deserted.
He slipped the new Sylph's Ring onto his index finger. Aiming across the pond, he willed a blink.
Flash.
An instant later, he was on the other side. Amelia slept visible across the water.
'Nice.'
Brainstorming blink combos, he nodded. Testing wind barrier, it resembled Han So-young's.
Usable as footing to walk midair briefly.
Satisfied, he drew a sword from inventory.
The hilt's chill steadied his mind.
'Hoo...'
Fists had punchy appeal, but sword felt more natural.
Swoosh swoosh.
He traced a cross in the air. Simple horizontal and vertical slashes.
'Hm...'
Lost in thought mid-swing.
Peak realm.
Beyond freely wielding sword energy—extending or even projecting it. Overcoming distance to strike foes.
'Sword energy is concentration... extend that? Does that even make sense?'
Swinging endlessly, frustration only grew.
A voice came from behind.
"Whoa... that's not how you use a sword."
Whoosh.
He spun reflexively, on guard. A woman in her early twenties stood with hands behind her back.
"Want me to show you?"