Chapter 179: Lewd Yokai After School (45)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 179: Lewd Yokai After School (45)
"Aaargh!"
Kim Hyun-woo's scream echoed loudly.
"Don't just stand there and take it, move, you idiot!"
Ho-yeon's roar followed. Kim Hyun-woo rolled on the ground, trying to get up, but his entire body ached. He was covered in bruises, and his limbs wouldn't obey him.
This isn't training... she's just beating the shit out of me!
The moment he gritted his teeth and tried to get back into his stance—
-Thwack!
A powerful kick slammed into his side.
"Keuk...!"
Kim Hyun-woo's body flew through the air. He managed to absorb the impact by rolling on the ground, but his mind grew hazy.
"Hah... hah..."
Ho-yeon stood with her arms crossed, clicking her tongue.
"Hey, it's only the second day and you're already like this. At this rate, you won't even last a month."
"Kgh..."
Kim Hyun-woo wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand and glared at her. A faint smile spread across Ho-yeon's lips.
"There, that's the look. Keep holding on like that. Think you can dodge this time?"
Yokai energy swirled around her legs.
-BOOM!
The force erupting from the tip of her foot struck the ground, sending rubble flying. And then, Ho-yeon's form vanished.
Behind me!
Kim Hyun-woo sensed it instinctively, but it was too late.
-Thud!
"Keoheok!"
A kick from behind struck him squarely. His body was sent flying again, crashing into a wall.
-SLAM!
"Slow. You're too damn slow, you idiot."
Ho-yeon twisted Kim Hyun-woo's wrist.
"Gyaaaargh!"
A pained scream erupted. She released his arm and took a step back.
"This is just the beginning. We'll keep going until you collapse."
Kim Hyun-woo gritted his teeth.
Damn it... I have to endure. I can't break down like this.
And so, amidst the grueling training that continued all day, Kim Hyun-woo never collapsed.
During the day, he underwent combat training that doubled as real fighting with Ho-yeon.
At night, he learned how to control his yokai energy directly from the Tiger King.
"Sit."
The Tiger King's deep voice sounded.
Kim Hyun-woo dragged his still-aching body and sat on the floor. The Tiger King looked down at him, his arms crossed.
"From now on, you will learn to handle your unstable spiritual power and yokai energy."
The Tiger King walked over slowly and placed a hand on Kim Hyun-woo's head.
"Meditate and follow my words. Become fully aware of the energies flowing within your body."
Kim Hyun-woo slowly closed his eyes.
The Tiger King's voice penetrated deeper.
"Look to your heart. Two energies exist there. The warm energy of life flowing from your human blood, and the sharp, instinctual energy blooming from your yokai blood."
Kim Hyun-woo's consciousness sank deeper.
In the darkness, he could see his inner self.
Two different energies were swirling around his heart.
One was the warm, stable energy of a human.
The other was the intense, overwhelming flow of yokai energy.
One was a somehow comforting and warm energy, while the other was a dense, heavy, and surging yokai energy.
The two energies repelled each other, clashing fiercely.
"Do you see it?"
Kim Hyun-woo bit his lip hard.
"...What in the world is this?"
"Spiritual power. The energy used by exorcists."
The Tiger King explained slowly.
"The reason you haven't gone berserk and are still sane is because you inherited the spiritual power of the great exorcist, Kim Jin-ho."
Kim Hyun-woo groaned, clutching his chest.
Inside him, the spiritual power and yokai energy were clashing violently.
-RUUUMBLE!
The two energies collided explosively, shaking Kim Hyun-woo's entire body.
"Kugh...!"
As the yokai energy tried to consume him, the spiritual power reacted, forcefully pushing it back.
In response, the yokai energy repelled it even more fiercely.
The two powers continued to clash, and a pain that felt like it would tear his body apart washed over him.
"At this rate...!"
Just as Kim Hyun-woo's sanity was about to waver, the Tiger King reached out his hand.
-FWOOSH!
A powerful pressure emanating from his hand suppressed Kim Hyun-woo's body.
"Foolish boy, do not be greedy."
The Tiger King's voice was firm.
"Your body is still too immature to handle both powers."
Kim Hyun-woo gasped for breath, barely holding onto his consciousness.
"Then... what should I do?"
The Tiger King crossed his arms and looked down at Kim Hyun-woo.
"It is impossible to harmonize an exorcist's spiritual power and yokai energy. The spiritual power will try to purify the yokai energy, and the yokai energy will repel it."
"In that case..."
"Therefore, what you must do is simple."
The Tiger King's eyes glinted sharply.
"Do not try to force the two powers into one. Instead, learn to wield each one separately."
"...!"
Kim Hyun-woo's eyes widened.
"If I can wield the exorcist's energy as it is, and the yokai energy as it is...?"
"Correct. Then you will become a being capable of using the powers of both human and yokai simultaneously."
Kim Hyun-woo quietly clenched his fist.
A being who can wield two powers...
If that were possible, he could gain the power to not be swayed by either exorcists or yokai.
And...
Jin Seo-yun...
He could also obtain the power to crush him. Kim Hyun-woo gritted his teeth.
"I'll do it."
At his words, the Tiger King smiled in satisfaction.
"Good. Then, shall we begin in earnest?"
And so, Kim Hyun-woo's new training began.
*
"Ugh..."
Kim Hyun-woo dragged his exhausted body toward his room. Every muscle in his body seemed to be screaming. It was so painful he could barely walk.
"Working hard, I see."
He looked up at the familiar voice and saw Yoo So-hyun. She was sitting in a corner of the yard, her upper body still wrapped in bandages.
"So-hyun... are you okay to be up?"
Yoo So-hyun chuckled and shook her head.
"My body was getting stiff from just lying around."
"I'm sorry... because of me..."
"Don't be sorry. It was my choice."
Yoo So-hyun said calmly. Her gaze scanned Kim Hyun-woo's condition.
"Training must be tough, huh?"
"Ah... yeah. I feel like I'm going to die."
"Still, you seem to have gotten better than when you first started."
Kim Hyun-woo gave a bitter smile.
"How are you feeling?"
"It's healing slowly. Don't worry."
She looked at Kim Hyun-woo, hesitated for a moment, then spoke.
"What are you planning to do from now on?"
"...I'm going to get revenge..."
"Revenge...? You... don't tell me you're going after the exorcists...!"
"Ah, no! Not the exorcists!"
"Then who?"
"A guy named Jin Seo-yun..."
Kim Hyun-woo's fist trembled.
"He... my mom... and Mi-ho, too..."
Yoo So-hyun listened to him quietly. Rage flickered in Kim Hyun-woo's eyes.
"That bastard... he ruined everything."
"...So that's why you're training like this."
"Yes. As I am now... there's no way I can beat him."
Yoo So-hyun was silent for a moment before asking.
"But is that... really what you want?"
"There's no other way."
His voice was filled with firm resolve.
"Then what about asking your father for help?" she said cautiously.
Kim Hyun-woo bit his lip.
"...If my dad finds out, he'll definitely fall apart."
A complex mix of emotions was evident in his voice.
"My dad cherished my mom more than anyone. If I tell him what happened..."
Kim Hyun-woo couldn't finish his sentence.
Yoo So-hyun sighed and said, "I understand why you think that. But your father isn't just some ordinary person. He was a being known as the Heavenly Demon Annihilator."
Kim Hyun-woo closed his eyes.
"...I know. But..."
He took a slow breath.
"I... want to handle this myself."
"By yourself?"
"Yes. This is my problem to solve."
Yoo So-hyun watched him quietly.
"...I see. But becoming strong isn't just about physical power."
She said, lightly massaging her shoulder.
"You don't have to carry everything on your own."
Kim Hyun-woo bowed his head as if engraving her words in his mind.
His gaze no longer wavered.
"But I... intend to do this my way."
Yoo So-hyun gave a bittersweet smile.
"Alright."
She lightly patted his shoulder.
"But don't be too reckless. At the very least, you need to find allies you can trust."
Kim Hyun-woo slowly raised his head.
"Allies...?"
"Yes."
Yoo So-hyun said firmly.
"If you want to succeed in your revenge, you first need to gather people to your side. Even if you get stronger through training, the moment you leave this place, you could be hunted down just for being a half-yokai. But if you have allies, that's a different story."
Kim Hyun-woo stood still, lost in thought.
"There are many kids out there in the world who were born half-yokai like you and are lost."
Yoo So-hyun looked at him and continued.
"You could bring them together. Because you're in the same situation."
At her words, Kim Hyun-woo quietly clenched his fist.
Other half-yokai like me... Is that possible?
But...
"You can do it."
Yoo So-hyun's words echoed in his ears again. Kim Hyun-woo slowly raised his head.
"...Do you really think it's possible?"
Yoo So-hyun nodded with a determined expression.
"You're Kim Jin-ho's son. And you've decided to fight instead of running away, haven't you?"
At her words, Kim Hyun-woo bit his lip hard.
"Okay."
Kim Hyun-woo closed his eyes, then opened them again.
His gaze was different from before. It was unwavering and resolute.
And...
He vowed to himself.
Jin Seo-yun, I will definitely...
Her words solidified his resolve. Yoo So-hyun smiled slightly and nodded.
"Good. That's your path to survival."
"Thank you, So-hyun."
As Kim Hyun-woo disappeared into his room, a low voice echoed in the quiet space.
"An exorcist, telling him to gather a force of half-yokai? Isn't that asking too much?"
As if she already knew someone was there, Yoo So-hyun calmly looked up at the night sky.
"He needs a distraction, something else to focus on... Right now, he's so consumed by revenge that he can't think straight."
Ho-yeon, who was looking down from the roof with her arms crossed, swung one leg idly and asked nonchalantly, "So you're just going to point him down a path? He doesn't have the skills to handle something like that yet."
"That's why I have to help him," Yoo So-hyun said nonchalantly. Ho-yeon looked down at her with a meaningful smile.
"Hey, you don't happen to like that kid, do you?"
In that instant, Yoo So-hyun's face contorted as she reacted immediately.
"Are you crazy?"
"Ooh~ Judging by that reaction, I'd say there's a little something there."
As Ho-yeon teased her playfully, Yoo So-hyun sighed and shook her head.
"Of course not. I'm just helping him so he doesn't fall apart."
Ho-yeon listened with interest, then leaned back on the roof again.
"True. That kid doesn't have any room for feelings right now."
"Exactly. It's obvious what will happen if we just leave him be."
Yoo So-hyun looked at the door Kim Hyun-woo had disappeared through and added quietly, "I have to show him the right path. That's the best I can do for him right now."
Ho-yeon looked at her and raised one corner of her mouth.
"You're one strange exorcist."
"I suppose I am."
Yoo So-hyun smiled and looked up at the sky again.