First Form

—Splat!

I lost count of how many times I'd done it. All that remained in my memory was the image of me desperately thrusting away.

—Squeeze… squeeze…

My dick felt a little cold.

Fortunately,

'As expected.'

After doing it with Yu Ryun, I gained a skill. What kind of skill is this?

Recovery. It was the skill I needed most right now.

I couldn't exactly call Yu Ryun every time Seol Hwi rode me into the ground.

"…Hah…"

…First, I needed to deal with the uninvited guest hiding under the blanket.

"Hey."

"…"

"What are you doing."

"…Mmm… I'm cleaning it… with my mouth…"

—Mmph.

Morning cleanup fellatio. Cheonghwa was diligently sucking my dick, which had dried semen and fluid smeared all over it.

"Master's dick… I'll make it clean…"

"I think I'm about ready to finish."

Last time, I'd tried to hold it in too long and ended up spilling a lot. There'd be no point in cleaning if that happened.

"…Ngh!"

—*Gulp gulp gulp.*

Luckily, she took it all.

—*Squeeze!*

After squeezing out the last drop, Cheonghwa spoke to me.

"Master, do you remember the bet we made when you entered the Academy?"

"Mm. I clearly have to grant you one wish. Why?"

"Please make me like that next time too. That is my wish."

Following Cheonghwa's gesture, I turned my head and—

"Huh… um…"

There was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Yu Ryun, passed out from being ridden by me.

"Make you… like that?"

"…Does that mean I don't excite you that much, Master?"

"No, no, that's not it."

'But as a wish goes… that's…'

Anyway, staying still would probably make things worse.

"But Cheonghwa."

"Yes, Master?❤️"

Right now, I decided to enjoy Cheonghwa. If I went later, at least once would be fine, right?

"N—Nggh!!"

**********

"You're late. Did something happen?"

When I got to the training ground past lunchtime, Seol Hwi was looking a little irritated.

"That… Cheonghwa and I had an incident."

"…Yu Cheonghwa, that one's beyond help. Hmm… For some reason my lower abdomen feels sore."

Seol Hwi rubbed her lower abdomen, where some strange pattern was inscribed.

"Anyway. Let's start today's training. You… your master's body is still far too lacking."

"I know. What are you planning to do today?"

"Nothing's changed. If you've stepped onto this ground, abandon all hope, Master!"

"Gwahhh!"

Ah, memories of that early spring day when I'd buried myself in dirt, relying solely on recovery while abusing every limb!

Li la lai cha cha cha!

And so, the Academy entrance ceremony loomed closer. By day I pushed my body to its absolute limit, and by night I savored the skin of Cheonghwa and Yu Ryun.

"Seol Hwi, shouldn't we start teaching the master sword techniques soon?"

"It's about time. The master will pick it up quickly anyway, since it's for the sword. It won't be easy to withstand my attacks like last time with a body that hasn't even properly gripped a sword once."

"Indeed. Master is remarkable."

"…That's practically blind faith. There's still a need for some restraint—"

"Gwahhh!"

Yu Cheonghwa showed her fist.

"…That was an outburst. My apologies."

"It's fine. You seem to need to respect the master a little more."

Watching the farce unfold before my eyes, if it hadn't been about me, I might have laughed.

"Master. How's your body?"

"Status window."

Rough physical training had raised my stamina, strength, and agility. I couldn't expect this growth rate to continue, but at least it looked like I was building a body worthy of calling myself a hunter.

"Not bad. You've grown quite a bit."

"Grown… I think it's still the same as before, from where I'm standing."

"…"

"…Seol Hwi."

"Ah, I didn't expect you'd grow this much from a body worse than an ordinary person's! Truly, my master is amazing. Hmph…"

Cheonghwa glared at me. It was a kindness that she told me not to feel discouraged, but objectively, I was still far behind.

"It's fine even if you don't say that. So, are you going to teach me how to use the sword?"

"There's nothing to teach."

"…Huh?"

*Clack.*

"Pick up the sword. I won't hit you as hard as last time, but… it's better not to expect to take it comfortably."

"…Wait. I thought you were going to teach me?"

"You'll get the hang of it after taking a few hits. Anyway, we have recovery, contracts, and other emergency measures, don't we."

Right. For the past few weeks, I'd been going crazy relying on that recovery alone. Days of feeling my muscles tear apart, repeating the cycle of pain and healing.

"No, are you maybe bad at teaching someone? Have you never tried before?"

"…Actions speak louder than words!"

*Whoosh whoosh whoosh!*

Apparently offended that I'd questioned her technique, she attacked with a flushed face.

"Wahhh!"

The first strike came straight for my shoulder.

I reflexively raised my sword to block.

—*CLANG!*

A jarring vibration, like bone cracking, shot from my fingertips to my elbow.

My shoulder wobbled.

Seol Hwi didn't pause for even a moment and attacked in succession.

This time, my left side.

I twisted my body clumsily, but the sword tip was too quick.

—*Thwack!*

The wooden sword struck my side.

I couldn't breathe. My back bent.

"Still can't do better than this?"

I gritted my teeth, too exhausted to respond.

Seol Hwi paused for a brief moment, then raised the wooden sword above her head again.

This time, from top to bottom—

Fast and heavy.

I reflexively crossed my arms to block.

—*THUD!*

The impact drove both my knees to the ground.

My forearm, which had taken the blow, went numb.

My breathing came in short gasps.

My entire body was drenched in sweat.

Seol Hwi hadn't broken her breath even once during all of that.

"Get up."

I rose from the ground, teeth clenched, barely keeping my balance.

The attacks came again.

Left to right, right to left, bottom to top.

A relentless barrage of consecutive strikes.

I spread all my focus across my arms, wrists, waist, and legs.

Block, dodge, block again.

But if a single attack slipped past, my thigh, shoulder, and knuckles would all get hit in a row.

—* smack!*

—* thwack!*

—*CLANG!!*

—*thwack!*

The pain gnawed at every corner of my consciousness.

I couldn't breathe. My vision blurred.

Eventually, I collapsed onto my back.

Seol Hwi looked down at me quietly.

"Can you keep going?"

Instead of answering, I staggered to my feet.

"You can't learn sword techniques just by talking. You have to carve it into your body."

Seol Hwi raised the wooden sword again.

This time, a horizontal slash aimed at my torso.

I barely blocked it, but—

The recoil pushed me back two or three steps.

Seol Hwi closed the distance instantly.

This time, a thrust.

I twisted my waist to dodge, but the sword tip grazed my side.

The sound of fabric tearing accompanied the pain that felt like blood seeping out.

"Good. You can take that much."

As she said, the recovery skill was working well.

Seol Hwi swung from top to bottom again—

Hard.

I raised the wooden sword vertically to defend, but the recoil made blood burst from my fingertips.

My entire body twisted.

I couldn't catch ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my breath.

But—

I had to get up again.

I asked myself—

Why do I have to keep doing this?

To survive at ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the Academy?

To stand tall as an Awakened One?

To be a worthy master for Cheonghwa, Yu Ryun, and Seol Hwi?

For my parents, who died faceless?

No.

In this moment, there was only Seol Hwi, this sword, and myself.

I stood up again, gripped the sword, steadied my breathing, and looked Seol Hwi straight in the eye.

Seol Hwi smiled slightly.

"Good. Now it begins for real."

The attacks grew even fiercer.

Continuous slashes, thrusts, swings—

A relentless onslaught poured down without mercy.

I increasingly relied on instinct.

My hands, arms, waist, and legs moved faster than consciousness.

Yet again, my thigh and elbow took direct hits.

—*Ting!*

—*Thud!*

I fell, barely got up, got hit again, stood again.

My arms lost feeling.

My waist wobbled.

Every time I drew a breath, it felt like needles were stabbing my chest.

Seol ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Hwi never lowered the intensity of her attacks.

"Don't give up. Only those who endure will gain something."

My consciousness was fading, and before I knew it, only Seol Hwi's sword and my own sword remained.

Repeat.

Repeat again.

Sweat ran down my forehead.

My lips were split.

My arms and legs, my entire body, were covered in bruises and wounds.

I was giving the recovery skill plenty of work.

But in the dozens, hundreds of attacks and defenses, my body was slowly—

Very slowly—remembering something.

Seol Hwi's sword targets my waist.

I gathered my last strength, twisted my waist, and raised the wooden sword to waist height.

In that instant—

The world went quiet.

A deep breath.

All my nerves concentrated in my fingertips.

And then—

My body moved one step ahead of my will, guiding itself.

I could also faintly feel that sensation I'd experienced when using Command — something being forcibly pulled out from within.

I could see how to cut.

And so, along the sword's edge, I cut in a perfectly straight line.

—*WHOOOOSH-GASH!*

The sound of a sharp wind being cleaved.

The remaining vibration in my fingertips.

For the first time, Seol Hwi's sword—

Stopped before me.

**********