Chapter 74: A Talent That Cannot Be Hidden (8)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 74: A Talent That Cannot Be Hidden (8)
Water Flow Sword Style.
That was the name of the swordsmanship she had just used.
I didn't name it myself; my comrades did, based on its characteristics.
Until she just demonstrated it, the Water Flow Sword Style was a technique only I could use in the entire world.
The reason was simple.
I created it, and I never taught it to anyone.
I tried to teach it to Seo-yeon when she was young, but Han Ju-hee’s disapproval stopped me, so I’ve been the only one to use it ever since.
So how in the world was Seo-yeon using that sword style?
For a moment, the Fake Si-woo who stole my body came to mind, but I quickly erased the thought.
This wasn't a sword style that could be used or taught simply by hijacking my body.
The Water Flow Sword Style was the culmination of all the swordsmanship I had learned and mastered over decades as a Hunter, all rearranged in my own way.
There was a high probability that Fake Si-woo couldn't even handle it himself, let alone teach it to someone else.
All he stole was my body.
If he could peer into the memories in my head, perhaps he could indirectly experience it, but… I doubt it.
Experience isn't something you can master through indirect observation alone.
“Doesn’t that sword style look familiar?”
“Hmm… It does look a bit familiar.”
Shin Yu-jeong and Baek Ji-hoon, who both used swords to some extent, seemed to recognize it slightly, but they couldn't identify it as the Water Flow Sword Style.
Perhaps it was because, while she handled it quite skillfully, it was still a far cry from the way I wielded it.
“A pyrrhic victory.”
Watching Son Seo-yeon reach the end of the dungeon alone, Shin Yu-jeong commented with an indifferent expression.
The four who had been thoroughly beaten by the orcs and goblins were carried away to the infirmary by mechanical arms.
They had met the worst possible end.
It would have been better if they had simply lacked ability or if their teamwork had been off from the start.
Instead, they were doing fine until they started fighting amongst themselves, turning on each other, and ultimately falling apart.
“They’re gonna get so much shit for this.”
“You can say that again.”
One look at Professor Im Cheol-woong’s face was enough to know.
He looked like he was struggling to suppress a rage that had risen to the top of his head.
“…Next, Team 10.”
As if on cue, I stood up and followed my party members toward the armory.
Shin Yu-jeong, the tanker, chose a sword and shield. Baek Ji-hoon, in charge of scouting and melee dealing, picked up two daggers. Hyeon-seok, the archer, grabbed a bow and quiver, and Im Na-eun, befitting a mage, selected a staff.
I just stared at them with a blank expression.
To be honest, I wasn't really looking at them; I was just staring into space.
The shock of seeing Seo-yeon’s swordsmanship hadn't faded.
On top of that, various other questions were popping into my head, making me feel even more confused.
“Hey, aren’t you picking a weapon?”
Shin Yu-jeong pointed to a staff hanging on the armory wall.
A faint, haphazard web of mana was loosely woven around it.
A mage’s weapons are divided into three types: staves, wands, and orbs.
Each weapon has a unique property: amplification, casting speed, or storage.
Amplification, as the name suggests, increases the power of one’s magic. Casting speed accelerates the flow of mana within the body, shortening casting time.
Orbs are similar to the Memorize spell.
They allow you to store a certain number of spells, depending on the orb’s grade, and use them whenever you wish.
The only mage weapons in the armory were staves.
Cheap staves provided for student practice…
Given the quality, they probably had a mana amplification effect that was as good as nothing.
Instead, I picked up a single dagger.
“This is all I need.”
“What, for self-defense?”
“Yeah.”
Suddenly, she frowned slightly and wrapped an arm around my shoulder.
“Hey, your big sis here will block everything for you, so don’t you worry.”
What a cute kid.
Did she think I was grabbing a dagger because I didn't trust her?
“It’s not that I don’t trust you. I’m just preparing for a what-if scenario.”
“Heehee… Right?”
It was honestly surprising.
How her mood could swing so drastically with just a single word from me.
It was clear she thought of me as someone special.
I wasn't sure if it was because of my abilities or because I was the first person she’d had sex with.
Well, either way, it didn't really matter.
Whatever the reason, being considered special by someone is a pleasant feeling in itself.
“If everyone’s ready, let’s go!” Shin Yu-jeong shouted, her face beaming.
It was decided that Shin Yu-jeong would be our party leader.
Me, Im Na-eun, Baek Ji-hoon, and Hyeon-seok.
She was the link that connected the four of us.
Shin Yu-jeong took the lead, opening the door and stepping inside.
The moment we passed through, the damp, humid characteristics of a cave hit us.
“I feel this every time I come here, but the realism is insane.”
Any institution specializing in Hunter training has at least one mock dungeon.
But if you were to pick the best among them, hands down, everyone would choose Korea University’s mock dungeon.
Why?
Because unlike other mock dungeons that are fixed in one form—a forest, a cave, etc.—this one could change its structure into various saved forms just by adjusting the settings.
Thanks to this, Korea University students could experience diverse environments with just a single mock dungeon.
I have no idea how it’s possible.
Only the person who made it would know.
Magic Engineering, a new field of study born from the fusion of magic and science.
The Republic of Korea is known as a leading nation in global Magic Engineering.
This isn't because our country's overall technological prowess is superior, but thanks to the existence of a single genius who happened to be born Korean.
This place was a mock dungeon that the genius had poured his heart and soul into creating.
Its official name is Haetae No. 8.
As you can guess from the name, it was made by the same person who created the identity authenticator, Haetae No. 1.
For reference, the Haetae series goes up to No. 99.
I heard they were preparing something special to commemorate No. 100, but I wonder what it could be.
“Um, just a moment…”
As we reached the first area, Im Na-eun, who had been walking silently beside me, came to a stop.
“I have a few things to prepare before the battle. Could you give me some time?”
“How much?”
“Five minutes should be enough.”
Party leader Shin Yu-jeong thought for a moment before nodding.
“…Alright. Na-eun, you start your preparations right away. The rest of us will wait for five minutes.”
What on earth did she need five minutes for?
As I watched with curiosity, Im Na-eun began to draw a magic circle.
Twenty strokes drawn inside a circle.
The magic circle glowed with a blue light, and the spell was complete.
What appeared was a sphere of flickering red flames—a Fireball.
Why was she suddenly casting a spell?
While I was wondering, a transparent bubble rose from her empty palm.
…It wasn't magic.
Mana had moved, but there was no magic circle.
Then was that Im Na-eun’s trait?
Sensing my gaze, Im Na-eun held out the bubble for me to see.
“I’ll show you something fun. Watch closely, okay?”
A transparent bubble in one hand, a Fireball in the other.
As her separated hands came together, something amazing happened.
The Fireball floating above her right hand slipped right into the bubble in her left.
“This bubble is my trait. If I put magic in here like this, I can take it out and use it immediately whenever I need to.”
“Oh…”
That was a very unique and useful trait.
I didn't know its limits, but if she could store magic in multiple bubbles and unleash them all at once, she could deal an incredible amount of damage in an instant.
Im Na-eun steadily repeated the process, creating five bubbles behind her back.
“Won’t they pop if you touch them by mistake?”
“Hmm… I tested it with the Association’s help last time, and it could easily block an attack from a B-rank Hunter.”
“Huh, really?”
Defensive power that could block a B-rank Hunter’s attack.
For something that looked like a soap bubble, it was remarkably durable.
“Wow… Storing up five Fireballs. Looks like we won’t even get a chance to do anything before it’s over.”
Baek Ji-hoon exclaimed in admiration.
That guy Hyeon-seok didn't say anything, but he had a surprised look on his face, and Shin Yu-jeong was the same.
“…Let’s move out now.”
Shin Yu-jeong finally gave the order to advance.
After a few steps, a fairly large cavern appeared.
An orc standing in the center spotted us and let out a fierce cry.
Kueek!
Its cry was a mixture of killing intent and joy, as if it had been furious and had just found a target to vent its anger on.
“Hah!”
Shin Yu-jeong charged forward to block its path, attempting a contest of strength.
“Ugh… This bastard is pretty strong…!”
They seemed to have similar strength, as neither was pushed back, and they remained locked in a tense stalemate.
But that was only for a moment.
Fwoosh!
An arrow, calmly shot by Hyeon-seok, lodged itself squarely in the orc’s thigh.
His accuracy was quite decent.
A timid personality, but a useful ability as an archer.
I could see why Baek Ji-hoon had picked on him.
Kueeeek!
A roar mixed with pain and rage.
“Ugh, it stinks!”
Shin Yu-jeong’s shield slammed hard into the creature’s chest.
The orc grimaced in considerable pain and staggered back.
It was at that exact moment.
“Release!”
As Im Na-eun uttered the short command, one of the bubbles containing a Fireball vanished with the sound of a soap bubble popping.
The Fireball flew straight ahead and caused a sizable explosion on the orc’s stomach.
BOOM!
A burst of flame engulfed the orc.
Kueeeek! Kuee…!
While the creature thrashed in agony, Baek Ji-hoon circled around behind it and plunged his dagger in without a moment’s hesitation.
Squelch!
With a dagger embedded in its neck, the orc’s body collapsed like a rotten log.
“Good work, everyone.”
“Yeah~ Our teamwork is amazing, isn’t it?”
Huh.
…Why are you guys working so well together without me?
At this rate, am I going to be the only one who doesn't get to do anything…?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Ta-da.
And that’s exactly what happened.
“This is the last one, right?”
“Yeah, three goblins and two orcs.”
“Five special individuals might be a bit tough, but with our teamwork, it shouldn’t be too hard.”
Before I knew it, we were at the final room of the dungeon.
Amazingly, I hadn't done anything noteworthy up to that point.
I wasn't sure if I should say I couldn't do anything, or if I didn't.
This was all Im Na-eun’s fault.
Her ability to store magic in soap bubbles and use it later was incredibly useful.
As long as she prepared beforehand, she could bypass the long casting times that were a chronic problem for mages, so by the time I prepared a spell, the fight was already over.
If I really wanted to, preparing magic as fast as her wouldn't be difficult, but the problem was that doing so would likely get me entangled in all sorts of troublesome matters.
Honestly, I could handle a little trouble, but I was worried it might lead to something I couldn't handle in my current state.
Still, I’d held back well so far.
Now, with the final room ahead, I had no choice but to step up.
“Sorry, I can’t make any more bubbles.”
Her trait, which couldn't be better for a mage, also had a drawback.
There was a limit to the number of bubbles she could create in a day.
In the previous room, she had used her tenth and final bubble.
That meant from now on, she had to cast her spells the old-fashioned way.
“Heheheh.”
I chuckled softly, so no one could hear.
It was my turn now.
“Alright, let’s go. Na-eun’s out of bubbles, so don’t forget that.”
“Okay.”
Baek Ji-hoon replied to her with a cheerful smile.
We finally reached the last room.
Three goblins and two orcs, already in position, glared at us with gleaming eyes.
“Here I go!”
Shin Yu-jeong charged in, blocking two goblins and an orc.
Baek Ji-hoon moved nimbly, drawing the aggro of the remaining two.
“Hmm.”
I took about three seconds to think.
I needed one decisive blow.
Something flashy that would make them remember me after being invisible for so long.
“Ah.”
I’ve got it.
A spell that was not only destructive but also looked incredibly cool.
The moment I decided, the mana in my body began to circulate according to my will.
Mana started to gather above my palm.
Its color was purple.
「Lightning Ball.」
A purple sphere of lightning crackling with energy formed above my palm.
But I wasn't done.
I used my overwhelming mana control to forcibly compress it.
Crackle! Pzzzzzt…!
Lightning-attribute magic is always wide-ranging.
Why?
Because that’s the nature of its mana.
By its very nature, it can't stay still and loves to jump and spark all over the place.
That’s why most high-level mages don't even attempt this kind of compression, but I can do it.
My ability to handle mana itself has long since transcended the normal range.
Pzzt, pzzt-pzzzt.
The Lightning Ball shrank to the size of the large marble candies I used to love as a child.
Then, I layered another type of mana over it.
The mana of wind, which would act as a sort of membrane and handle dispersal.
「Air Ball.」
A constantly swirling wind of a certain radius enveloped the small lightning sphere.
Now, one last thing.
I coated the wind with a thick layer of gently flowing water.
「Water Ball.」
It was complete.
My secret weapon that I had been saving.
Its glorious name was Three-Ball Magic.
I shouted to Shin Yu-jeong and Baek Ji-hoon, who were confronting the enemies at the front.
“Get back, far away.”
As if she had been waiting, Shin Yu-jeong retreated, and seeing this, Baek Ji-hoon also fell back a beat later.
His slightly displeased expression was annoying.
Maybe I should just zap him along with the monsters.
After confirming that the two had moved back, I immediately shot the sphere forward.
The target was the dead center of the monsters they had been leading around.
Once the sphere reached the desired location, I released the controlling forces one by one.
The first to burst was the Air Ball.
The wind trapped in the middle spread out in all directions, scattering the thick barrier of water that surrounded it.
Its range was wide enough to encompass all the orcs and goblins standing there.
Confirming that the water droplets had spread sufficiently, I released the lightning sphere that had been suppressed to its limit.
The lightning energy, packed tightly into a small space, rode the water droplets and spread in all directions with explosive speed.
PZZZZZZZZT!
The chain-like pattern drawn by the purple lightning as it raced through the water droplets was truly a magnificent sight.
As proof, the four people watching blankly had their jaws hanging open, unable to close them.
Kuehik…!
Kirrrk…!
The bodies of the orcs and goblins struck by the lightning were charred black.
In an instant, five lumps of charcoal were created.
“Hmm.”
Looking at this, a better name than Three-Ball Magic came to mind.
The five blackened lumps of charcoal resembled my secret dish, which I had practiced making in my spare time to treat my family on weekends.
Especially the part where they were so burnt it was hard to tell what they originally were.
“Overcook…”
From now on, this spell’s name is Overcook.
Now that I’d named the spell, I figured I had done enough to save face and was sighing in relief internally when a dark shadow fell over me from below.
I looked up to see Shin Yu-jeong running towards me with her arms wide open.
“Oof…!”
Caught off guard by the suddenness of it all, I couldn't withstand the force of her charge, and we ended up tumbling to the ground together.
She hugged me tightly and exclaimed in a voice filled with emotion.
“You really are the best…!”
The rich scent of a woman’s body wafting from her embrace calmed my momentarily excited mind.
I lightly wrapped my arms around her back and closed my eyes with a hint of regret.
If you were going to hug me anyway, you could’ve taken off your armor first…