New Skill # 4
New Skill # 4
Joy is overflowing inside me right now. At this rate, I might even pick up a new skill. I was completely new to that, and I still pulled it off!
"I'm basically, uh, a Mana Master! A Sword Master, all of it!"
So I went to brag to my friends.
"Heh heh, Geun-cheol. Come on, stop exaggerating."
"Yeah, cut the crap."
Si-hoo said it with a chuckle, and Yu-ri smirked and threw cold water on me.
"Hey, Yu-ri. How can you throw cold water on me? I did so well just now."
"You call that doing well, you little shit? We've still got a long way to go before we can get worked up over every tiny thing, don't we?"
"Well, yeah, but... you saw my potential, right? It might look tiny, but it's definitely a huge step forward."
If I hone my abilities one by one like this, when a major incident breaks out later, I'll be able to contribute something. I'll be fighting alongside my friends, so I can't afford to hold them back.
Anyway, while I was giggling like an idiot.
"Tch."
Suddenly, Ryu folded his arms and spoke up.
"You're making a spectacle over nothing and acting all high and mighty. Shut your mouth, you Taliban bastard. To see you so pleased with a pitiful trick like that—you are honestly the definition of worthless."
That bastard, daring to say such harsh things about me!
"Hey, Ryu?"
"Do you have something to say?"
I got in his face and spoke. He averted his eyes and retorted as if I was being ridiculous. Come to think of it, this guy really does have it in for me.
"I went to your house and had a meal with your father and mother, and you're throwing words like that at me? Ryuna might scold you for that, you know."
"Shut up! All because you ate one meal...! Wait, what is 'Ryuna'?"
"Your older sister. Shortened to 'Ryuna'."
That's Miss Ryu A-ra.
"That is the most absurdly ridiculous abbreviation I have ever heard! In any case, it's too early for you to be happy over a cheap trick like that!"
Too early to be happy?
This bastard, don't tell me...!
"Hey, Ryu! The way you're running your mouth—"
"What?"
"You're jealous of my shield skill, aren't you! Hah! You childish bastard! Why're you getting worked up over something like that!"
This is a hundred percent on the money.
I said it with a laugh, fully intending to needle him.
"Wha, wha...!"
As expected, Ryu's face started turning bright red, fast.
"Preposterous!"
"Well, Ryu, you might be great with a sword but maybe you're weak with cheap tricks like this. I get it. But if you work hard, you can do it just like me—"
"For the love of—stop talking crap!"
—Fwoosh!
Out of nowhere, the guy struck a stance!
"I'll show you a real shield right now, so cut the bullshit!"
"What? You're gonna show me a skill?!"
"Shut up and watch! Hup!"
The moment Ryu let out a shout!
—Bzzzt!
Something crackled with electricity, and then a small circular shield plate materialized right in front of Ryu's eyes!
"Ohh! A perfect circle!"
The shape was so clean!
I'm something of an armchair expert myself now. I can tell just by the shape how well someone handles magic power. Creating a circle that neat proves Ryu's ability all by itself.
"But, one thing?"
"You're asking for a lot! Hup!"
The moment Ryu let out another shout.
—Fwoosh!
—Fwoosh!
The circular barriers started multiplying.
Two. No, four?
"No way! Eight?!"
While I was gaping in shock, the shield plates began orbiting around Ryu like satellites, protecting him. And they were moving pretty fast, too...!
"Frankly, it would be more comfortable to simply wrap my whole body in a barrier. Well, this has its own advantages, I suppose."
—Boom!
In an instant, the orbiting shield plates burst and fused together into a spherical barrier. So there he was, inside something like a soap bubble, looking at me.
"Now do you understand, Taliban? That's the gap between you and me."
"What the hell! This bastard's already at this level...!"
"Heh, you recognize it at least. So don't get satisfied with some clumsy trick that falls short of even a cheap stunt."
Leaving those words behind, Ryu walked off with a deeply satisfied look on his face. That bastard, his feelings are so transparent every time I see him, it's absolutely hilarious.
"The jerk's skills are the real deal, though."
"That's right, Kim Geun-cheol. Ryu—no, Ryu Cheon-hwi—didn't say a single wrong thing."
"Leona?"
"You did well, but you can't afford to be satisfied with just that."
Leona strode over confidently and came right up beside me. Oh, crap. If this keeps up, I'm about to get another lecture.
Better ask her something!
"Leona! I have a question!"
"What is it?"
"Uh, what's the difference between making those small shield plates and just casting a full-body barrier?"
"Well, isn't it mana efficiency?"
Efficiency?
"With a full-body barrier, you don't have to worry about anything, but it uses up a lot of mana. And because it covers everything, the defense is spread evenly—so it's uniform but weaker. That's a drawback."
"Right."
"But if you miniaturize a shield like this and generate it precisely at the point of impact."
—Fwoosh.
Leona created a shield plate that was literally shaped like a shield. A shield with a cross emblem on it, even.
"It uses less mana, and as Instructor Kawar showed us earlier, you can instantly thicken the plate to block a powerful strike. Of course, the downside is you have to control it manually."
"Ohh."
So this was a skill for veterans. The art of blocking attacks by expending only the exact amount of mana through extreme control.
It would be tough for anyone but a master to use.
"In other words, they specialize in different things."
"Yes."
Leona nodded and went on.
"A hero overflowing with magic power can fight with a barrier up, but a hero with low mana reserves needs to make the most of these miniaturized shields to cover the gap. Whatever works—you just train according to your own traits and style."
"That's exactly what I was thinking. Thanks for the great explanation, Leona."
"Don't mention it. Anyway, you did well, Kim Geun-cheol. Even if you're not book-smart, you're really good at this kind of thing."
"Hey. What do I always say? I'm a practical fighter, a practical fighter."
"Practical fighter, my ass. Fufufu. Stop pretending to be cute!"
"When did I ever pretend to be cute!"
Anyway, Leona looked really happy. She didn't nag me after that, so she must have been in a good mood.
I used class time to practice generating shields. At times like this, I need to raise my proficiency as quickly as possible.
"Geun-cheol. You're still practicing?"
"Yeah, Si-hoo. I'm at it."
"Want me to help?"
"Hurry! What are you waiting for!"
"Stop making such a fuss."
Si-hoo came right over. I proudly showed him my shield. The shape was definitely better than when I first tried.
"Still, you did pretty well for your first day."
"Right?"
"Since we've started, want to practice some more? I'll tap it lightly with my sword, Geun-cheol. Try to block."
"Blocking practice?"
Nice!
"That feels just like real combat. This is exactly the kind of training I like, Si-hoo."
"Just hurry up and do it, Geun-cheol."
"Alright. Hyaap!"
—Fwoosh!
I instantly created a shield in front of my eyes. The shape was a bit off from a rectangle, but this much is decent.
"Try moving it around like a satellite."
"Uh...!"
I concentrated and moved it bit by bit.
"Si-hoo, quick. Attack."
"I'll go slow."
"Come on!"
—Fwoosh!
Si-hoo, gripping his sword, swung it in slow motion. I slowly moved the shield to the point I predicted the hit would land.
—Thunk.
Si-hoo's blade touched my shield.
"Ohh! Nice! Defense successful! Hey, but it takes forever just to block a slow-as-hell sword like that. If we're gonna fight for real, I'll have to block bullets with this, right?"
"Mm, yeah. But honestly, that's an advanced technique. Learning this is... probably practice to get used to creating barriers. In other words, it's a prerequisite skill."
A prerequisite skill?
"Because you have to build the basics with this before you can properly handle a full barrier."
"Ah."
So it's a skill tech tree.
Just like Si-hoo said, before you can make a full-body barrier, you develop the sense by creating and manipulating little shield plates like these.
Isn't that common in games? To learn a certain skill, you have to level up a previous skill to a certain point.
"Got it."
Come to think of it, this does seem harder than a full barrier. Anyway, let's practice some more with this.
* * *
After school.
I sparred with Yu-ri as usual and racked up experience. Yu-ri matches my skill level, trading offense and defense, and then at the end she amps up her effort and crushes me flat. We repeated that kind of sparring.
"Ugh, I'm beat!"
"Get up, dumbass. Where do you think you're lying down?"
"Let me lie down a bit."
"Ah! Shit! You're such a pain! This crazy bastard!"
Yu-ri giggled and tapped my shoe with her toe.
"But I gotta say, it feels pretty good."
"What does? Did you get a bit better?"
"Yeah. Remember when I slaughtered all those Antillery last time? Probably because of that, I've loosened up a bit, I guess? I can really feel it."
"As expected!"
That's right.
I've grown, too.
Even if I don't notice it myself, a teacher notices right away.
"It's all, uh, thanks to your great teaching, Miss Yu-ri. Heh heh heh."
"Bullshit. The way you talk is so damn ridiculous, seriously. Hey, but lately, you and Leona, Kim Geun-cheol."
"Me?"
"Are you two dating?"
What?
"No. Dating? It's not like that."
"No? Lately Leona's been taking care of you like a mom, hasn't she?"
"Well, that's true."
This is less about dating and more because Leona's just good at looking after people. Look at that volunteer spirit of hers. No matter how you look at it, she's an angel.
"So if you're not dating, what, are you her son or something?"
"No! What are you talking about!"
"Heh... whatever you say."
Yu-ri giggled, apparently finding her own joke funny. After laughing for a moment, she spoke up.
"You free on the weekend?"
"Weekend? Saturday's my volunteer day, so that's out. Sunday I haven't made plans yet."
"Then come with me to the dojo."
"What?"
To the dojo?
* * *
And so, after swordsmanship training ended, I headed to the dorm while messaging Si-hoo. We'd said we'd go grocery shopping and cook together today.
"Shield!"
As I was practicing making shield plates on the way back—
—Ding.
[You have acquired a new skill!]
[Mana Shield Lv. 1]
"Ohh!"
New skill get!!!