Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Extreme Yin Body (1)
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"Alright, starting today, we're doing training here after school."
"H-Here...?"
"This is the cafeteria. What kind of training do you do in a cafeteria?"
Ryu Jia nodded in agreement, and Fuyuno Tsubaki looked at me with curious eyes.
In response to their puzzled gazes, I stated the obvious first.
"We've come to the cafeteria, so we should eat first."
"Whoa! Food! What's on the menu today? Seafood fried rice? Ham fried rice? Kimchi cheese fried rice?! Veggie fried rice?!!"
"...Rice?"
Unlike Ryu Jia, who was hooked on my cooking, Fuyuno Tsubaki tilted her head since she'd never seen me cook before, still eyeing me with confusion.
It didn't take long for the wonder and surprise to replace the bewilderment in those blue-gray eyes.
"There, all done. Special oyster sauce seafood fried rice today—dig in."
"Yes! Thanks for the meal!"
"Wow..."
While Ryu Jia shoveled it down like it was routine, Fuyuno Tsubaki stared at me in shock, mouth half-open.
This was fuel for the real ordeal ahead, so I urged her to eat up quickly.
"Don't just gawk like an idiot—eat before it gets cold and loses its flavor. It's etiquette to eat fresh off the pan."
"O-Oh, right! Thanks for the meal, Yang Woo-bin!"
"Mm."
Startled by my words, Fuyuno Tsubaki grabbed a spoon with trembling hands, scooped up some fried rice, and popped it into her open mouth.
"Mmm?!!"
The moment she chewed once, her body jolted like she'd been struck by lightning. Her eyes widened as she stared at me.
She chewed diligently—nom nom nom—swallowed, then said in a shaky voice,
"I-It’s... really delicious...!"
Her genuine awe made my lips twitch into a grin despite myself.
I smiled while wiping the frying pan and told Fuyuno Tsubaki,
"Then clean your plate—no grains left behind."
"Got it, Yang Woo-bin!"
As if she'd do it anyway without me saying, Fuyuno Tsubaki devoured her fried rice just like Ryu Jia beside her.
Watching them eat so heartily filled me with satisfaction as the cook.
"Haaah... Hit the spot again today."
"Thanks for the meal..."
"President, now that we've eaten, grant me one request."
I turned to Ryu Jia, who'd polished off her fried rice in record time.
"Request? What request?"
"Buy me a big block of ice. I need it."
"Huh? Ice? For what, training or something? Hmm... But I'm not your servant. You can't just ask and expect me to—"
She'd quieted down a bit, but with Fuyuno Tsubaki there, Ryu Jia started trying to assert dominance again.
"I'll make you bingsu."
"Bingsu! Be right back! I'll pick toppings myself!"
But at my follow-up, her furrowed brow and tough act melted away. Ryu Jia grinned and dashed off for ice and toppings.
"Got it! Ice was easy, but toppings were tough—couldn't decide, so I grabbed everything in sight! Heh heh."
She returned in three minutes.
A massive ice block like a concrete slab piled high with toppings covered the kitchen table.
"Thanks. Time to make bingsu."
"Whoa! You got a machine for that?"
"Nope. Shaving it by hand."
With that, I set a bowl underneath and brought my kitchen knife to the ice with my right hand.
Kagagagagak—!
"Whoa, damn..."
"Ooh..."
My knife skills shaved the ice block in seconds. Ice shavings flew, leaving Ryu Jia and Fuyuno Tsubaki gaping in awe.
"Done. Toppings are whatever you bought, President—tossed 'em on evenly. Enjoy."
"Thanks! Appreciate it, rookie!"
I handed over the knife-shaved bingsu in a blink. Ryu Jia snatched the bowl and spoon, blissfully digging in.
But Fuyuno Tsubaki, though handed her bowl, didn't eat with the same gusto.
"U-Um, Yang Woo-bin... I don't have a spoon..."
She hadn't gotten one from me.
But I didn't hand her one.
"No, that's exactly what I gave you."
"Huh? What do you...?"
"Eat the bingsu without using your hands. That's your training."
Because I'd intentionally only given her the bowl.
To advance to Jincheon Class after midterms, Fuyuno Tsubaki needed basic control over her power.
This no-hands bingsu challenge was essential training—a key to handling the mana of her unsealed Extreme Yin Body via the Dragon Burst Ring.
A genius method no ordinary regressor hero could dream up—truly brilliant.
I closed my eyes, inwardly admiring my own ingenuity, when the silence felt off.
What? Why so quiet? Not even Ryu Jia's eating sounds.
I opened my eyes. First thing I saw: Ryu Jia, spoon paused mid-scoop, mouth agape, staring at me in disgust.
"Whoa... I've been called a thug plenty, but this is next level..."
"Pardon?"
Unable to grasp her reaction, just as I wondered if I'd messed up, I spotted gray hair nodding resolutely beside her.
I turned slightly. Fuyuno Tsubaki had her hands on the table, mouth open wide, about to dunk her face into the bingsu bowl.
"Aaaah..."
"Wh-Whoa?! Hey, what the hell are you doing?!"
I snatched her bowl away in genuine shock.
She lifted her head from the aborted dive and fixed me with determined eyes.
"I-I can do anything Yang Woo-bin asks...!"
"What?"
"I can eat from the bowl without hands, like a dog! It's embarrassing... but if that's what Yang Woo-bin wants...!"
Her eyes blazed with dog-like loyalty, declaring she'd abandon human dignity for me.
"No, what are you talking about?! I don't want that!"
Her bizarre devotion flustered me, so I yelled in panic.
"Whoa... Should've known from the 'precious lackey' talk. Training a peer like a pet dog... I'm no slouch in thug vibes myself, but you take the cake, rookie. Wanna be Dragon Burst president instead?"
"No way! What the hell?!"
"Pet dog..."
"Fuyuno Tsubaki, why aren't you against it?!"
Ryu Jia stuck out her tongue in utter revulsion, while Fuyuno Tsubaki blushed shyly, murmuring "pet dog." My sanity was fraying.
After the chaotic misunderstanding fest settled, I finally cleared it up.
"So, rookie, what you're saying is... this precious lackey has cold manipulation powers, and you're training her to awaken it?"
"Yes. How many times do I have to explain?"
"Fine, that makes sense, but your explanation sucked, kid."
Ryu Jia was right; I had no retort.
I'd phrased it ambiguously enough to mislead.
But still, if it seemed weird, just ask. Wasn't face-planting into bingsu the weirder part?
Even so, Fuyuno Tsubaki's compliance wasn't normal.
Obeying without question was great for training her, but there were limits.
I worried she'd say, "If you told me to die, I would." So I turned to her.
"Um..."
"Hnnngh...!"
But seeing her eyes squeezed shut, lips tucked in, cheeks puffed out in that bizarre expression as she strained—my words died.
Talking now would just disrupt her focus. I'd speak once she got on track. I resolved and shut my mouth.
"Huuuugh...!"
"Mm... We're done eating. I'm off to bed. See you tomorrow, rookie and precious lackey."
"Sure, night."
About 30 minutes later, bored-of-cafeteria Ryu Jia said goodbye and left.
Alone with Fuyuno Tsubaki in the cafeteria much longer, but she couldn't budge even a single ice chip until the bingsu melted five times over into water.
"Hey, rookie, is this really working?"
Her lack of progress persisted even after six days.
It was the day before the midterm evaluation.