Chapter 140
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 140
Chapter Title: Something's Off About the Newbie's Skills (3)
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Gliding across the ice like we were skating, So Ye-seo—who'd been running neck-and-neck beside me—suddenly tossed out a question.
"By the way, you said you were Senior Cheon Da-eun's disciple, right?"
At her words, I scratched my head and answered with a touch of embarrassment.
"Ah... former disciple. Back during the Straggler Reorganization Exam, I got a ton of help from the instructor."
"You, the Straggler Exam?"
Her eyes went wide like a rabbit's.
The word "Straggler" must've hit her hard.
It was two ranks below the D-rank hunter ID I carried now.
Hunters branded as Stragglers were infamous across the entire hunter world—utterly useless in rifts.
"Then this skill too... you picked it up back then?"
"Yeah. Nearly died, but managed to awaken at the last second."
"I see... Awakening after staring death in the face... That's super rare. You're impressive."
She seemed genuinely awed.
And so, we dashed along the ice path, chatting about this and that—academy gossip, hunter tales, stories about Cheon Da-eun noona.
Unlike our awkward first encounter, we'd gotten pretty chummy in no time.
Just as we broke through the second sector, she flashed a mischievous grin and hit me with another question.
"But hey, for a 'former disciple,' you two seem awfully tight. Casually calling your senior 'noona' and all."
Caught off guard by her playful jab, I let out an awkward laugh.
"Ah... well... we're just that close."
"Hee~ Really? Just close?"
Half teasing, half suspicious.
So Ye-seo stared right into my face with a curious glint.
Her gaze sparked a random thought.
'Do I really have to keep it hidden?'
Normally, my physical fling with Cheon Da-eun—an academy instructor no less—was a total secret, not to be breathed a word of.
But this wasn't the academy.
And she didn't strike me as the type to blab about her senior's private life.
'Even if she did... as long as I get to her first...'
Maybe dropping a sly hint would stir her curiosity—and her lust—even better.
Averting her eyes, I opened up like a boy spilling a secret, a little shyly.
"Truth is... we're more than just close."
"Huh? Then what?"
"The instructor and me... we're... kinda special."
I trailed off on purpose.
My vague answer made her eyes sparkle even brighter with curiosity.
She didn't press, but her face said everything.
"Special how? What kind? Spill!"
Like a gossip-loving girl, her eyes lit up as questions came flooding out.
At first, it was light stuff: "When'd you get close?" "How'd it happen?"
I answered, subtly weaving in traces of pleasure essence.
Not dating, but definitely flirty.
Just getting to know each other.
Then her questions started inching toward spicier territory.
"You two ever gone on a date?"
"Yeah, a few times... used training as an excuse to head out."
"No way! Then, held hands?"
"Uh... yeah, that much."
"Wh-what about k-kissing?"
Her cheeks had gone pink before I knew it.
Savoring the sight, I ramped up the essence.
Then, like confessing some huge secret, I whispered softly right in her ear.
"Y-yeah... we have..."
My admission turned her face beet red, like it might burst.
She was sucking up my essence like a sponge guzzling water.
Her curiosity about her senior's personal life ran deep.
Or maybe some hidden desire she didn't even know about.
My pleasure essence was dulling her cognition bit by bit.
She barely knew what she was asking anymore—just instinctively craving something more thrilling, more intimate.
Finally, her question tiptoed into forbidden ground.
"Th-then... more than kissing...?"
Her voice shook; her eyes glazed with pleasure. Instead of a straight yes, I went sly.
"This is top secret, just for the team leader."
I leaned in closer to her ear and whispered.
"Truth is, I wanted to, so I've been practicing."
"Pr-practicing?"
Whatever flashed through her mind, her face burned hotter.
"Yeah, practicing."
I pointed at Cheon Da-eun's doll, silently forging the ice path ahead of us.
"With that doll."
"Th-that doll?"
Her eyes bulged in disbelief.
Then realization hit—she gawked back and forth between me and the doll, horrified.
"N-no way... you... is that even allowed?"
Playing it cool, I replied.
"Why not? No legal issues. It's a doll. And noona gave the okay."
"She... okayed it. I see. You and senior... doing that..."
I'd hoped for a more impulsive, instinct-driven reaction, but it wasn't as explosive as I'd wanted.
Face flushed like she'd remembered something, So Ye-seo shook her head and snapped back to her senses.
"Haha, don't worry! Your secret's safe with me!"
"Thanks, team leader. Feels kinda relieving to tell you."
Couldn't let it end there.
Had to grab some leverage somehow.
"Mind if I hit you up for advice on this later? As noona's junior, you probably know her way better than I do."
"Me?"
"Yeah. Stuff like what she likes... tougher for me to figure out than you. Next big day with noona, wanna plan something special. But if it's too much trouble, no biggie."
Sly offer she couldn't easily turn down.
Pretext of her being the junior, solid excuse of relationship advice.
And right on cue, So Ye-seo couldn't say no.
"Y-yeah...! Sure! Anytime! Whatever I can do to help!"
Exploiting a good person's kindness didn't feel great...
But I snuck a glance at her body.
Hidden by her petite frame, but the suit hugged perky breasts and surprisingly toned legs.
Thighs taut from racing the ice path, flowing from a slim waist into smooth, shapely hips.
This'd make me plenty happy in other ways.
An hour and a half on the ice path.
As we killed time with idle chit-chat, we finally ran into the rest of the third sector team.
In a wide clearing, at its center, five or six hunters struggled to clear a massive spiderweb clump.
Sticky threads clung to their bodies, gumming up every move.
Drenched in sweat, exhaustion plain on their faces.
A guy spotted us gliding in on the ice and yelled first.
"Team leader!"
"Nick~ You guys working hard?"
"Y-yeah, took you forever. Why the weird ice skate path? And who's with you?"
"Sorry we're late. Introductions. Our new team member's starting today. Kang Ihyeon."
I hopped off the smooth ice and gave them a light bow.
"Hey, new guy Kang Ihyeon here. This is a doll I made."
"Doll?"
At my words, the team—mid-web wrestle—snapped their gazes to Cheon Da-eun's doll beside me.
All of them looked floored.
So Ye-seo beamed like it was her achievement.
"This guy's got doll creation skills. That's his work next to him—casts ice magic too!"
"Damn... looks like a real person."
"I thought the same at first! But check this out!"
On cue, I ordered the clone.
She extended a hand, cool air wafting around, chilling the sweat beading on their foreheads.
The refreshment drew rough curses mixed with gasps of awe.
"Oh, fuck, that's cool!"
"What the hell? A doll using real skills? Insane!"
In this hellish grind, even fetching an iced Americano skyrockets favor.
Showing off a power that directly eased their misery? Explosive reactions inevitable.
Nick—the guy called first—eyed me greedily and told So Ye-seo.
"Team leader, this newbie's coming to squad one."
But the other squad leaders weren't having it.
Three jumped in to block him right away.
"Hey, that's low."
"Nick senior always snags the good ones!"
"Dude, know your place?"
Leading the charge: squad two's leader, Chloe Riard.
Red ponytail, copper skin, freckles adding charm—a bubbly, athletic third-year type.
"Place my ass. Nick senior! That's bullshit! You always poach the good newbies! Squad two's turn this time!"
"Yeah, senior. Squad three's short-staffed—you know we suffer."
"Hey, squad one's got the heaviest load!"
Beside her, squad three's Han Yulim stood arms crossed, glaring coldly at Nick. Long jet-black hair. Sharp eyes. Total opposite of Chloe—icy and haughty.
Nick seemed highest-ranked, probably vice-leader.
Last, squad four's leader timidly squeezed in, awkward expression on his shaggy-haired, naive-looking face.
"E-everyone, calm down... no fighting... we do rock-paper-scissors fair..."
"Gyeong-in oppa, shut it!"
"S-sorry, carry on..."
The two girls barked in unison; squad four's leader folded instantly.
This sudden chaos threw me for a loop.
Never expected popularity just from cooling them off.
'Air conditioning really invincible divinity?'
So Ye-seo stepped in to sort the mess.
"Everyone, calm down."
She wedged between them, arms out like a referee.
"Kang Ihyeon's still green, doesn't know the ropes. I'll keep him close and train him personally for now. Got it?"
But her words— from someone way shorter than the team—carried zero authority.
The leaders brushed her off.
"Team leader, butt out."
"We'll sort it ourselves."
Just then, So Ye-seo's smile vanished.
She puffed her cheeks like a blowfish.
And unleashed a barrage of massive soap bubbles from her body.
Whoooosh—
No time to dodge—they got neatly trapped inside. Their flailing looked comical through the bubbles.
Only squad four's leader dodged, scratching his cheek with a friendly grin.
He pulled a cloth from his pocket and wiped his glasses.
"Haha... Never crawl to the team leader like that. Newbie, don't freak— this is daily life in team five. Plenty of decent folks among the squad."
"...Uh, yeah."
Somehow.
This team was a total shitshow.