Chapter 32

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 32

Chapter Title: Academy's Summer Vacation (1)

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The principal, whom I'd thought was just a strange old man, started walking away briskly from the lake inside the Global Academy grounds.

I got up from my spot and decided to head back to the dormitory first.

Just like how I'd slowly read through Lee Sian's memories after possessing him, I needed to recall Yoo Sian's final moments...

No, what he'd been up to before I possessed him.

I pulled out the smartphone provided by the Global Academy and checked the date and the pile of alarms. That's when I remembered today was the last day of the practical exam.

"I blew off the exam and just wandered where my feet took me, ending up here."

I'd approached the old man squatting by the lake, rocking his body like he had dementia, and struck up a conversation. That grandfather had lent me the power to see into the lower world for a bit.

Through that, I possessed Lee Sian and lived for a few days in a zombie apocalypse world before coming back.

'But why did he give me the power to see the lower world?'

Q Class students did tend to disclose their quests to receive the academy's support.

My Tutorial Quest was to find a possession target with at least 95% compatibility. Since I couldn't find one in this world, maybe the principal stepped in? I had definitely glimpsed an enormous variety of people instantly as I descended through the layers.

But why had he come to this lake in the first place?

A string of questions led to more questions, but one thing was certain: the quest was cleared.

"Not just one, but several."

"But why did I lose one skill?"

I used the new Lower World Possession Return, so that's how I got back here, right?

I started examining the skills again.

"Ah, so everything's bundled in here."

I'd thought it was weird to get possession and return as separate skills.

Maybe because Lower World Possession is a skill that transcends layers? It makes sense since it lets you return from transcending layers.

And now there's a clear re-possession option.

The compatibility requirement dropped to 75%, which is pretty low, but considering Lee Sian had grown to only 30%, it doesn't seem easy.

Does that mean Lee Sian, who was once 95% compatible, has grown that much?

That's when I noticed my level and combat power, which I'd ignored while checking skills.

Level 1, combat power 99.

Lee Sian's combat power was around 600 the last time I checked.

No wonder compatibility dropped with such a big gap.

I also checked Self-Establishment, which had some slight changes.

"Maximum assimilation rate. That's why I was able to stay."

Numerically, it was 100%. Yoo Sian became 100% Lee Sian.

To survive with Na-eun, he fought with everything he had and defeated that absurd opponent.

Hm. But looking at it after the possession ended, it still seems inefficient.

If I'd just quietly endured for 5 days and come back, that would've been fine.

Likewise, the volcanic love for Na-eun felt cooled now.

There's affection, but not love? It's like stepping back and viewing it from a distance.

The first time I met Na-eun and had sex was just to clear the quest to raise assimilation rate.

"Argh. But now that I'm broken up with Seo-yeon, no need to feel guilty."

Yeah. What's the problem with Lee Sian loving and sleeping with Kim Na-eun?

"Tch."

I clicked my tongue and checked the last skill, Survival Rules.

A strange skill listing survival necessities, with mental power as the only resource consumed.

Maybe due to the layer difference, this is all the skills obtainable from below, but aside from Composure, I couldn't use any.

I'd checked this before returning, so I already knew I couldn't use all abilities.

And at the end, when I resolved to fight the evolved zombie, the added Survival Rule: Savior.

Indomitable will seems exactly what Yoo Sian needs right now. Is there no way to bring even that back?

On the way back to the Global Academy dormitory, I turned toward the cafeteria.

I wasn't particularly hungry, but I suddenly craved a ton of meat.

To move my body intensely, stamina replenishment is essential.

The Global Academy cafeteria is basically self-service.

Cooks with cooking-related skills stand by around the clock, making whatever you order on the spot.

I went to one such cook-filled station and said to the chef,

"Meat, please."

"Not raw, dripping blood, right? We get requests like that sometimes. What'll it be?"

Were there Q Class students with quests like that?

At least not in our first-year Q Class.

So I placed a firm order.

"Grill two pork and two beef portions. Lots of veggies on the side."

"Got it. I'll give you that proper char flavor."

The chef grabbed finely portioned meat from the fridge, lightly oiled the griddle, and laid on the meat.

Sizzle...

"Ooooh..."

Maybe because Lee Sian's memories and sensations lingered, the aroma was on another level compared to the gochujang chicken breast I'd been eating.

Pepper, salt, herbs in some chaotic order, and when the chef splashed a spoonful of wine onto the grill mid-cook, flames erupted on the meat.

Grilling meat however your hands move and still getting top-tier flavor—that's the cooking skill.

A short wait later, perfectly grilled meat chunks were plated, with a heaping bowl of salad on the side.

"Thanks for the meal."

One hand meat, one hand fresh veggies.

I sat in the cafeteria indulging in a luxury unimaginable in the zombie apocalypse world.

Slicing and eating the meat with a knife was insanely good.

Worlds apart in ingredients from the gochujang chicken breast I'd eaten out of love for Na-eun.

But I might not finish all this? I impulsively ordered for four, and it's really four portions.

With salad, I can eat ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a bit more, but my stomach might burst.

Still, let's eat.

"Ugh... my stomach hurts."

Thinking of the chef who cooked for me, I barely finished, but my belly feels like it's going to explode.

I'd always moderately controlled my diet for daily training, keeping my body ready to move anytime.

'To others, I'd look like I binged right after exams and collapsed, huh?'

With vacation starting, some at Global Academy would loosen up.

There'd be students who quickly mastered enough skills to survive in Utopia and skipped extra study, or those aiming higher but relaxing now that the semester ended.

I aimed higher, but this overeating state was unavoidable.

'Exams are over, so maybe rest just for today?'

Memories of possessing Lee Sian and flirting with Na-eun lingered, but calling it a full rest in a zombie apocalypse world felt off.

Of course, lying in bed with your lover watching movies and having sex is sweet rest.

Damn. Seo-yeon pops up again.

Before the ability sealing procedure, before my life flipped, that's how we spent time.

"Being down in the lower world might actually be more relaxing."

But I still have no extra possession slots.

I could remove Lee Sian from the slot, raise compatibility back to 95%, and use Lower World Possession, but that'd require fully unlocking all Survival Rules first.

Wouldn't that take too long to grow? Could I keep holding onto Lee Sian's Survival Rules after removing him from the slot? Could Yoo Sian even digest it?

It wasn't an overwhelmingly powerful skill, but passive-focused with only mental power cost—nothing bad about mulling it over.

And to possess stronger targets, I need to get stronger myself, so no emptying the slot for now.

'Yoo Sian, I need to make you stronger.'

Then I can possess strong targets and take their skills.

That's how to grow. My body wasn't back to normal from overeating, but my mind sharpened.

"But why no new quest?"

I muttered softly. Shouldn't I get a quest after finishing the Tutorial Quest and returning?

Rubbing my belly, I entered the dormitory.

For now, sleep until the bloat goes down.

"Is Sian okay? I heard he didn't even get treatment after the sparring match. Look at his face—he's completely wrecked in just a few days. Is his stomach hurting bad now? He's been rubbing it nonstop."

Kim Seo-yeon muttered while watching Yoo Sian enter the boys' dorm through binoculars from afar.

Her friend Roina Naen, standing beside her, slowly shook her head at Kim Seo-yeon's stalker-like behavior.

"Why do you keep listening to that guy? Can't sleep a night without hearing Yoo Sian's voice?"

Roina Naen knew Kim Seo-yeon had fallen for a friend's coaxing and told her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠boyfriend they should break up.

"Maya said Sian has no deficiencies... He had a girlfriend like me, a guaranteed successful life outside, then suddenly ends up here. For Sian's growth, creating deficiencies and fulfilling them with desire is key, and the more I listened to Maya, the more it kinda made sense..."

Roina Naen gave Kim Seo-yeon a dubious look.

Deficiencies breed desire for growth. Not wrong, but wouldn't Yoo Sian's deficiencies twist his desires weirdly?

Maya, the pro at stringing guys along, had apparently swept naive Seo-yeon, with her limited love experience of just one guy, right into it, Roina Naen thought.

So she gave practical advice.

"Seo-yeon, what fills the void of a missing girlfriend? Obviously, another girl."

"Don't say that. You want me mad for real? I trust Sian."

Hearing that, Seo-yeon lowered the binoculars and glared at Naen like she wanted to kill her.

"Yeah, ex-girlfriend."

"Hey! We just broke up temporarily! I clearly said 'let's break up for a bit'!!!"