The Emotional Rollercoaster of a Rat
"He’s a smart one, isn't he?"
Cho Heun wore an expression of utter disbelief. "Ghost Rat meat is one of the most famous delicacies on Bukhwang Mountain. The meat is tender and rich in nutrients; many adventurers and mercenaries eat it as a staple. I’ve been eating it for a very long time, and I’ve never had a single problem. You can rest easy and eat up."
Bukjin hesitated for a moment before ultimately declining. This world was far too dangerous. He had no desire to die from some nameless plague he’d contracted without even knowing it. Besides, his Storage app was currently packed with countless ingredients, and he even had the Peach Blossom Liquor he’d bought from the Ten-Thousand-Guest Inn. Since all of his supplies were guaranteed to be clean, he saw no reason to take unnecessary risks.
Once everyone had finished their respective meals, the students began treating their wounds. In truth, they hadn't just hunted the Ghost Rat swarm today; they had also fended off a pack of Gale Dogs during their journey. Every student except Bukjin was covered in various nicks and scratches. Groans of pain escaped their lips the moment they unraveled their temporary bandages. Fortunately, they all carried Gold Ointment, which was effective at dulling pain and accelerating recovery. Within two days, their wounds would heal without leaving so much as a scar.
"Haha, Senior Han! Let me help you with that."
Feeling a sudden whim, Bukjin approached Han Bul-bu and began demonstrating the healing properties of the Water-attribute Mystic Energy he had awakened. As Bukjin channeled his energy, Han Bul-bu’s wounds began to vanish at a visible rate.
"Hm? Can the Water-attribute energy you possess really heal wounds that quickly?" Cho Heun asked, sounding mystified.
Bukjin replied, "I discovered it by chance after awakening my energy yesterday."
Ban Oe-min also spoke up, sounding impressed. "Generally, among the Five Element attributes, Wood and Water possess certain healing properties. However, that effect usually only manifests when the energy is combined with a specific martial art. Furthermore, Water-attribute warriors who have mastered such specialized techniques are extremely rare. It is truly my first time seeing someone heal using raw, primitive energy like Student Im. Your Water energy is very peculiar. It’s likely a Mutant Attribute—a special variation based on the Water element."
Bukjin’s eyes sparkled at those words. 'A special Mutant Attribute?' It was a term he was hearing for the first time.
"Senior, you awakened your Mystic Energy? You didn't tell us something that huge happened? Hurry up and come heal my wounds too!" Baek Geum-un said excitedly.
"Um... well, sure."
Bukjin let out a sly, somewhat sinister smile. "But my skills are still lacking, so I can't project my energy outward yet. What should I do? I’ll have to touch you directly to heal you. Where are you hurt?"
Baek Geum-un stared blankly at the scratch on her thigh for a moment before turning away in silence. Bukjin then turned his gaze toward Ak Hong-hyang. The elegant and reserved girl gave a small smile, but she naturally crossed her arms over her chest to hide her wounds.
"I don't need treatment," she said firmly.
At that moment, Ban Oe-min spoke up. "I happen to know a simple Water-attribute secret art. It is called Water Ring. Originally, it’s just a basic technique used by Water-attribute warriors to wash their bodies. Since your energy inherently possesses healing properties, combining it with this technique might produce unexpected results."
Having said his piece, Ban Oe-min demonstrated the Water Ring. As he raised his hand, a pale blue ring of light rose from his palm and began to encircle his body. Soon, a watery mist enveloped him; when it cleared, all the dust and grime on his clothes had vanished.
After the demonstration, Ban Oe-min explained the details of the secret art to Bukjin.
'So the first-year Grade Dean is a warrior who awakened Water-attribute energy!'
Just as Ban Oe-min had said, Water Ring was an incredibly simple technique. It only cost 200MB of data to generate the app on Bukjin’s smartphone.
New App Detected: Water Ring (Secret Art)
Data Required for Download: 200MB
Proceed with download?
After installing the app, Bukjin ran it for about fifteen minutes before he was able to master it perfectly. Channeling his Mystic Energy, he raised his hand. A blue ring of light floated above his palm and flew toward Baek Geum-un.
"Ah...!"
A small moan escaped Baek Geum-un’s lips. The grime and dust on her body were washed away, and her various wounds were instantly half-healed.
"How does it feel?" Bukjin asked.
"The effect is faster than the divine healing arts performed by the priests at the Temple! Throw a few more rings at me. Hurry!" Baek Geum-un said, her face lighting up with joy.
"Hm? Feel it more carefully. Are there any side effects?"
Baek Geum-un replied with absolute certainty, "There are definitely no problems at all."
"Is that so? Then I can rest easy."
Bukjin cast the spell again, creating another blue ring of light. But this time, the ring didn't fly toward Baek Geum-un; it flew toward Ak Hong-hyang. Ak Hong-hyang’s face flushed red in surprise. She hugged her arms tightly and gritted her teeth, refusing to make a sound. Her expression was... a bit peculiar. However, the wounds on her body vanished rapidly until she was completely healed.
"T-That’s enough. S-Stop... I’m fine... now..." Ak Hong-hyang said, her face crimson as her body trembled slightly.
Watching her strange reaction, Bukjin rubbed the bridge of his nose. 'What’s going on? Her expression was a little...'
At that moment, Ban Oe-min, who had been watching the whole scene, spoke up in shock. "When Teacher Cho Heun said Student Bukjin was an unprecedented genius, I was half-skeptical, but seeing you now, you’re even more incredible than I heard! Water Ring is a simple spell, but it took me at least ten days to reach the level of proficiency you just showed!"
Bukjin smiled and turned his head to reply. However, he found himself locking eyes with Baek Geum-un, who was glaring at him with a murderous expression.
"Hm? Why... why are you looking at me like that?"
"You jerk! You only treated me first to test if there were any side effects, didn't you?!"
"Well, it’s because you have such strong physical abilities that I figured it wouldn't matter much even if something went wrong, right?"
"I don't care about that! Just heal me properly. Right. Now!"
"A-Alright, I get it."
Bukjin quickly manifested another ring of light and tossed it to Baek Geum-un. A look of satisfaction finally crossed her face.
"Ahhh! This feels so good! It’s not just healing the wounds; I feel like my whole body is gaining strength. My Mystic Energy feels more vigorous too. It’s like I just woke up from a perfect night's sleep! This is so amazing!"
The night deepened. Soon, the four students retreated into their respective tents and fell asleep. Cho Heun and Ban Oe-min remained outside to stand guard.
The first night on Bukhwang Mountain passed quickly.
The next day, Bukjin was awoken by a sharp, angry "squeak-squeak" sound of a rat. When he stepped out of his tent, he was greeted by a shocking sight.
"Huh? That sounds like a rat squeaking."
Bukjin had spent a long time facing off against the Ghost Rat Boss just yesterday, so the sound was very familiar. When he turned his gaze...
The muscular Ghost Rat Boss was tied hand and foot to a rock, struggling desperately. This rat was the King of the Ghost Rat den on Bukhwang Mountain. His plan for revenge, which had only just begun, had vanished like smoke. The fate awaiting him was either being roasted over a fire or boiled in a pot. This was certain, as Ban Oe-min was currently by the river, meticulously sharpening a kitchen knife.
"What happened here?" Bukjin asked in surprise.
Ban Oe-min replied without even turning his head. "This fellow, who appears to be the leader of the Ghost Rats, was circling our camp last night, keeping watch. It was obvious he didn't have good intentions, so I captured him alive. It’s perfect, since we needed something for breakfast. He has a solid, muscular body, so the texture should be excellent. If we dry the meat into jerky, we won't have to worry about food for the next few days."
"Squeak! Squeak-squeak!"
Hearing those words, the Ghost Rat Boss was overcome with terror and struggled even more violently. However, he was bound by a specialized Mystic Seal Rope, something even a warrior with the strength of a thousand pounds would find difficult to break. Furthermore, the rope had the effect of suppressing a magical beast's mana; it was a product specifically designed for capturing monsters.
"Wait, can you understand what we’re saying?" Bukjin leaned down, looking at the Ghost Rat Boss with a surprised face.
"Squeak! Squeak!"
The Ghost Rat Boss nodded his head vigorously, looking as if he were about to burst into tears.
"He really understands?" Bukjin was stunned. It seemed this was no ordinary magical beast.
"Try smiling," Bukjin said.
After a moment of hesitation, the Ghost Rat Boss forced a smile onto his face. It was a remarkably vivid expression.
"Now cry," Bukjin commanded.
The Ghost Rat Boss cast aside his pride and began to shed thick tears.
'Whoa! He’s a smart one, isn't he?' Bukjin began to feel genuinely intrigued.
"Show me a nervous expression. Um... like the face you’d make while waiting for your wife to give birth."
A look of intense anxiety appeared on the Ghost Rat Boss’s face.
"Your wife finally gave birth. It’s a son."
This time, the Ghost Rat Boss looked overjoyed.
"But your wife bled out and died..."
A look of profound sorrow washed over the rat’s face.
"But your newborn son is a genius. He’s calling you 'Daddy'."
The Ghost Rat Boss looked happy again.
"But your son is a mutant, and his butt is attached to the top of his head."
The Ghost Rat Boss looked miserable.
"You won the lottery and gained ten million pieces of fruit..."
The rat looked delighted once more.
"Your son died."
He burst into tears again.
"Your wife came back to life...!"
The Ghost Rat Boss stared blankly for a moment, his limbs began to twitch, and then he started foaming at the mouth. The more Bukjin watched, the more he realized what a fascinating creature this was.
'Are all the magical beasts in this world this intelligent?'