New Skill # 5
New Skill # 5
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[Mana Shield]
(Skill Rank : F)
(Lv.1)
-A skill that creates a protective plate made of magic power. It defends against enemy attacks with a small shield that moves according to your will.
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The description was simple.
"Exactly what I was doing earlier."
But now that I had the skill.
"Mana Shield."
ㅡFwoosh.
It felt like I could manipulate it more smoothly. Forming shapes still felt a little difficult, but at least the sense of controlling this protective plate was better than before.
"Heh heh heh."
Whatever the case, it was a new skill. That fact put me in an extremely good mood. If I had my way, I'd want to scream while doing burpees right here, but I'm an adult. Gotta hold it in.
Wait.
But what about my other skills.
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[Weapon Enchantment]
(Skill Rank : F)
(Lv.3)
[War Cry]
(Skill Rank : F)
(Lv.2)
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Just as I thought.
My skill levels had gone up. The first skill I got, Weapon Enchantment, was up to level 3. And War Cry, which I got next, had reached level 2.
"Not that I can really feel it, though."
Or can I?
Can I?
Lately, wrapping magic power around my sword is something I do really easily. And I'm using it in real combat without any issues, aren't I? When you think about it, I am slowly getting stronger.
"Geun-cheol!"
A voice broke my thoughts.
It was Si-hoo.
"Oh, Si-hoo, you're out!"
"Let's go! Grocery shopping!"
Excited Si-hoo was jumping around in front of me. Originally, high school kids are overflowing with energy before mealtime—it's the law.
"Hurry! I'll guide you! Follow me!"
"Yeah!"
No need to discuss.
Just like that, Si-hoo and I sprinted to a nearby supermarket. You could call it a form of cardio. As soon as we arrived, we grabbed a cart and started advancing.
"Geun-cheol, first, let's skip the stuff in your fridge and buy other ingredients."
"That's the plan. Then we'll cook together. But, Si-hoo, have you decided what to make?"
"I want to make spicy braised chicken."
"This guy knows what's up! Let's go, hurry!"
Spicy braised chicken is the real deal!
ㅡFwoosh!
I immediately pushed the cart and swept up the ingredients. Ah, from now on if Si-hoo and I make dinner together like this, I won't have a worry.
"Efficient shopping!"
"Geun-cheol, I'm so excited...!"
"Me too! Let's go back fast!"
After efficiently finishing our shopping, we grabbed the grocery bags and ran back to the dorm.
"Si-hoo, let's cook quickly."
"Ah, Geun-cheol, you sit down. Today I'm doing it."
"I just want to eat fast. Let's do it together."
"Heh, if you say so."
If we both make it, it comes out faster.
Anyway, as we were taking out the ingredients, Si-hoo spoke.
"Geun-cheol, you have to keep training your cooking from now on."
"Training? Can't I just whip something up?"
"No."
Si-hoo shook his head.
"Think about it. You buy all these ingredients, and then you leave them lying around. You don't practice cooking. Then what happens?"
"The food doesn't taste good?"
"You get lazy and stop cooking altogether."
Oh.
He has a point.
"Then what would Leona say?"
Leona?
"K-Kim Geun-cheol, you! I told you to eat properly!"
"That's exactly it!"
When I said that while imitating Leona, Si-hoo snapped his fingers.
"If you make Leona worry again, huh? Then she'll nag you and all that."
"I would feel sorry for Leona."
"Right. So you need to cook properly. Starting today, let's make proper meals every single day and eat."
"Let's do it."
Cooking isn't actually difficult in the first place.
Just follow the recipe step by step. If you start throwing in stuff that isn't in the recipe to create your own flavor, or just toss in things because you think they'll taste good, that's when shit goes wrong.
In that sense, I was an iron man.
An iron man who does exactly as he's told.
"Let's start, Geun-cheol."
"Okay."
We immediately set up the pot, washed the vegetables and chicken. Then we quickly chopped and prepped everything.
"Geun-cheol? It says to soak the chicken in milk?"
"Nah. Real man style. I don't bother removing the gamey smell. I'll just handle it with pepper."
"Seems like we're deviating from the recipe a bit... Ah, Geun-cheol. Should we soak the glass noodles?"
"I absolutely hate glass noodles."
No, seriously, why would anyone put glass noodles in spicy braised chicken? I cannot understand it. I want to enjoy the natural taste of the chicken, but then those slimy, chewy glass noodles tag along—ugh.
Suffering.
"No glass noodles. Instead, let's put in more potatoes."
"Is that okay? Ah, Geun-cheol. When you cut the potatoes, try to cut them round, not angular. They'll fall apart."
"Who cares about that, man? When the potato starch mixes into the spicy braised chicken broth, it gets even tastier, Si-hoo."
ㅡChop chop chop.
I swiftly cut the potatoes.
"Real men handle the prep roughly like this."
"I-is that so?"
"Anyway, Si-hoo. Make the sauce and put some water on."
"Yeah."
And so, Si-hoo and I made spicy braised chicken.
About thirty minutes later.
"That was delicious!"
We devoured it, freaking delicious.
See? If you just follow the recipe, it's always delicious. If there's someone who can't cook, put a hand on your heart and think: did you follow the recipe exactly?
* * *
Saturday.
Volunteer day with Leona. Today too, I woke up early in the morning and came with Leona to an orphanage under the Kainus Family to do volunteer work.
You could say the format is: play with the kids for a bit in the morning, then do the work after.
"Mana Shield!"
ㅡFwoosh!
The moment I created a shield out of magic power and wrapped it around my body.
"Whoooooa! I can't believe thiiiiis!"
"What is thaaaat!"
"Aaaaaagh! Waaaaaagh! Geun-cheol is way too extreme!"
The kids erupted into cheers, extremely impressed.
"You see how great I am?"
Seeing the kids bouncing around happily lifted my mood.
"So greataaaaah!"
"Fantastic! This is fantastic!"
"The discs are floating around! The discs are floating around and around! The discs are floating, I tell you!! Waaaaaagh!!!"
Yes.
Isn't that the pure, innocent smile of children?
When I was a little squirt, if I felt good, I would have done things like randomly windmill my arms, or scream and twist my whole body—just not even once.
Expressing your emotions in an extreme way.
That's a kid's privilege, I guess.
Anyway, as I was playing with them like that.
"Kim Geun-cheol, you're really good at playing with them."
Leona came over and said a word.
"The kids really like you, you know. With you there, I can't tell you apart from the kids. You're really blending in and playing well with them."
Can't tell us apart?
I immediately put on a stern, solemn, and serious face and said:
"Are you saying I'm that cute? Like a child?"
"Shut up! Who said you could say that with a Moai statue face!"
"But you said I was cute!"
"I said I can't tell you apart from the kids, when did I say that! Cut the crap!"
Seeing Leona shouting all prissily made my mood better on its own. As expected, an angel. Just looking at her makes me feel good.
It was that moment.
"Hey, Geun-cheol!"
"Oh, what's up?"
"Are you seriously dating Leona?!"
"What?"
Dating?
As I was about to answer something.
"It's, it's not like that!"
Leona yelled with a face turned bright red.
"Who said we're dating! Whoever said we're dating, come forward!"
"Aack! Boss Leona is mad!"
"No, Geun-cheol. But it seriously seems like you're dating?"
Is this what they call a child's curiosity?
"Oh my, I said it's not like that."
The moment I answered with a laugh.
"Liar! Don't lie!"
"It's a lie! Lie!"
"The hero is lying!"
"Waaaaaaaaagh! The hero is lying! Waaaaaah! Waaaaaagh!"
"If heroes lie, then who am I supposed to trust now?! Mom?! Or Dad?! But Mom and Dad both said they'd come back after I sleep ten nights! But now I don't know how many hundreds of nights I've slept!"
The kids suddenly went berserk!
But I think one of these kids has some issues!
"Go out! Go out! Go out!"
"Go out! Go out! Go out!"
"Go out! Go out! Go out!"
What the hell is this!
"H-Heok...!"
I need to take some kind of measure!
"Who keeps doing that! I said we're not dating! If you don't be quiet, you're gonna get in trouble!"
"Right! Leona is like a mother to me!"
"He said mom again, again!"
"It's similar!"
"I am not your mom!"
Not a mom.
She isn't?
"...!"
The moment I looked at Leona with a wistful face.
"What's with that wistful expression! What's with that wistful look! Aagh! Anyway! It's time to eat now! Kim Geun-cheol, hurry up and follow me!"
"Eek!"
ㅡGrab!
Leona grabbed my wrist...!
"The liar is running away!"
"Aagh...!"
And so, leaving behind the scene of the kids frantically telling us to go out, I was dragged away by Leona.
"Hoo. Seriously. Kids really like that kind of thing."
When we arrived at the cafeteria, Leona said that.
"They're just kids saying whatever."
"Right. Ah, but Kim Geun-cheol?"
"Hm? What?"
"You've got nothing to do tomorrow, right? Come see me tomorrow."
Tomorrow?
"Huh?"
But I'd made plans to go to Yu-ri's dojo tomorrow.
"How come you're reacting like you have a prior engagement?"
As I was choosing my words, Leona folded her arms and spoke with a face that said she couldn't understand.
"I know you don't have anything, so come out in the morning, Kim Geun-cheol. There's a place we need to go together. You're free from tomorrow morning, right?"
"Well, Leona. About that..."
"Yeah?"
"I've got plans to meet up with Yu-ri tomorrow. So I don't think I can come out tomorrow."
"Wh-whaaaaaaat?!"
In an instant, Leona's eyes went wide and she screamed.
"You bastard!"
"What?! No! Leona, what the!"
"What did you say?! Why are you meeting with Woo Yu-ri! Are you two dating?!"
No, what, she's talking just like those kids earlier!
"What are you talking about! It's nothing like that!"
"Then what is it!"
"The thing is..."
I immediately explained the situation to Leona. While we were sparring with swords, Yu-ri told me to come to her dojo, so we made plans to go together on Sunday.
"Hmm... So you're going to the dojo together?"
"Yeah. She's probably gonna teach me something. Dating? What dating?"
There isn't even a hint of that.
"Honestly, I'm a little curious what a superhuman dojo looks like. I'll go and then tell you about it later."
"Well... if that's the case, then. You'll be going to learn swordsmanship diligently and come back?"
"Heh heh heh, that's right."
Honestly, if I go to a dojo, right?
I'll get to spar with the masters there and stuff.
It's proper to receive some instruction and come back.
"Wow, if I just learn a little more, I might get uncontrollably strong and end up the mightiest in the whole setting."
"Don't bullshit me, seriously. 'Mightiest in the whole setting' my ass. Tsk."
Leona, with her arms folded, laughed.
"So, I can't go tomorrow. If there's somewhere you need to go, let's go together next time."
"I guess so. You've got a prior engagement, so there's no helping it. But still, Kim Geun-cheol?"
"What?"
"Get up. We'll eat somewhere else."
"What? Why? The food's about to come out."
"I suddenly want to eat something else. I'll buy, so let's go."
"Sure, then. Thanks."
But.
"But what are we going to eat?"
"Asura Jjamppong."
Huh?
"U-uh, Leona...? Did I do something wrong?"
In that instant, a chill ran down my spine and goosebumps rose on both my arms.
"I just feel like eating it. Let's go together."
"Cut me some slack! Just a little! Why are you doing this!"
"Stop talking and follow me!"
"Aagh!"
Leona, who had slipped up beside me, grabbed my wrist!
No way!
"Mana Shield! Mana Shield! Mana Shieeeeeld!"
"Yeah. Mana Shield, cancel."
ㅡTap.
The shield I created shattered into pieces with a single flick of Leona's finger!
"My, my Mana Shield...!"
"Come on, let's go."
Aagh!