Swordsmanship Training # 1
Swordsmanship Training # 1
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「Main Quest : Omen」
「Quest Complete」
「Assault-Type F-rank Gate Destroyed」
「Reward : 2,500 Coin」
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"Kyah!"
The quest is complete!
"Two thousand five hundred coin, easy honey!"
I didn't destroy the gate myself, but apparently it cleared anyway. Must be because I went to the scene and killed the monster myself. All that running around was worth it.
I've gained a hell of a lot this time.
The coin, obviously. The title of first main-quest clear.
And the realm of Sword Aura Projection, to boot.
"Heh heh heh."
Strictly speaking, it's more like I've just become able to use a skill that was already there, but what man born into this world wouldn't be thrilled to use something like a sword aura?
I can say for a fact: none.
I'll hone this skill properly from now on and become a superhuman as strong as Si-hoo.
I can already High Jump with magic power, so if I increase my mana capacity and get a better feel for combat, I should be able to bounce around and fight too.
With that, I'll hunt monsters, earn loads of coin, raise my stats, and become a powerhouse.
"Right."
I couldn't just tell Si-hoo this great news. I pulled out my phone and called Leona immediately.
I have a sacred duty to inform Archangel Leona of my achievements. When you think about it, isn't she the one who made this realm possible by giving me meal tickets?
If she hadn't given me those tickets.
"...I'd be dead by now."
A being who does not know of the dream-space known as a buffet cannot possibly survive until the weekend. I've come to understand, with perfect clarity, what a human needs. What a human needs is six feet of earth—or, to put it simply, a buffet seat.
Anyway.
—Rrrring.
The call went through.
—Hello? What is it? Kim Geun-cheol? What in the world possessed you to call me in the middle of the night?
Leona picked up.
"Hey, Leona? It's like this. Something super important came up. You got a minute?"
—Well, I certainly have time to talk. More importantly, Kim Geun-cheol. Have you eaten?
Have I eaten?
—Surely you aren't going hungry tonight like a third-world child because the meal tickets are all you have? I saw the news the other day, how homeless people swarm restaurant dumpsters at closing time to scavenge discarded food—
"Hey! I'm not some homeless dude! I get a stipend for meals!"
—Wha, whaaat?!
Leona suddenly sounded startled.
—Eh? Eh?
Why?
—A sti, stipend?! A stipend...! Sniff! I can't stand this! I can't take it anymore! Give me your address right now! I'll send you a late-night meal! Eat it and cheer up!
Sniffling noises started coming through the receiver!
"Hey! What the hell are you talking about! Just how pitiful do you imagine I am! I'm not that pitiful, damn it!"
—The way you're trying to act tough makes it even sadder...! Just give me your address already, Kim Geun-cheol! I'm sending food! Butler! Please send a meal to the address I'm about to give you! Enough food for a starving child to eat his fill until Christmas!
What in the world is happening...!
All I wanted was to show off my sword aura!
—Wait for it! Emergency responders are on their way! Don't starve to death, just sit tight and wait! Any movement at all and you'll burn off the last of your precious calories...! Sniff!
"Leona. I was wrong. Forgive me."
Isn't she just enjoying herself right now?
—Anyway. What did you call about?
"Are you mad that I called?"
—Just get to the point. I'm dying of exhaustion here. That said, the food is already ordered, so eat every last bite and send me a photo.
Why!
This is going nowhere.
Let's just get to the point.
"No, never mind that. I wanted to brag a little."
—Brag?
"Yeah. I've reached the realm of Sword Aura Projection."
—Sword, what?
"I said I can use a sword aura now."
—What? You can use a sword aura? Ha, ha. If you're bullshitting me, expect a meal-ticket bombing run. Don't you dare try to bullshit me!
I can't figure out why the offer of meal tickets is so terrifying.
"It's not bullshit, it's real! I'll show you at school on Monday!"
—I'll be looking forward to it. But, was that all?
"Yeah. I told you, I called to brag."
—Well, if that's everything...
I finished the call with Leona and hung up. That woman is terrifying. To toy with a person so skillfully. So this is what a young noble lady is like, huh?
—Swish.
Anyway, I sat down in front of my computer and searched the news.
"Hooh."
Today's incident was already up. It wasn't huge news, though. Nationwide, the number of gates that appeared just today was enormous.
"Missing persons."
That was the thing to keep an eye on.
That girl, the one with the blonde hair and red eyes whose name I don't know.
If something had happened to her, there'd be an article.
"Nope."
That's a relief.
I was just about to turn in a little early.
—Ding-dong.
The doorbell rang.
"Yeah, coming."
I opened the door.
"Enjoy your meal."
The delivery guy handed me the food and left. Wait. Leona actually sent me a late-night snack? But I never even told her my address?
"Oh my god! What is this...! Fire Tribe-style Bossam! You can tell at a glance, this is fifty thousand won worth of food!"
Insane!
She heard me say I was starving and ordered Fire Tribe immediately! And I never even said I was starving in the first place!
"Sniff...!"
For some reason, tears welled up.
If I had a mom.
This is definitely what it would feel like.
"I have a mom...!"
I'm so frustrated I could die!
I know a mother's heart too! I know it! I don't need Archangel Leona to spell it out!
* * *
I ended up devouring every last scrap like an animal and sent her a photo. Leona seemed deeply satisfied by it.
Anyway.
It's Monday.
"Heh heh heh."
The familiar school commute. Walking alongside Si-hoo, I couldn't stop grinning.
"Geun-cheol. Are you that happy?"
"Obviously."
Thinking about showing off my sword aura to the others put me in an incredible mood. How old am I right now? I'm a military-graduate high-schooler, damn it. An age where you love bragging to your friends.
"Si-hoo. Just you watch. My sword aura's gonna make you lose your mind."
"Hahahah, I'd love to see that."
Chatting like that, I walked into the classroom and spotted Leona. She must've gotten here earlier than us today.
Wait, why the hell is she glowing so much...!
"Gahk! Please stop flashbanging me first thing in the morning!"
"Seriously, stop being so dramatic. More importantly, a photo of you bowing to an empty plate? What, are you being bullied? You're making me look like a bad guy!"
"That was my way of expressing my feelings. I ate well."
"Huh...? Geun-cheol? What are you two talking about?"
Si-hoo looked puzzled. I'd knocked on his door back then to share the Bossam, but there was no answer. I figured he was asleep, so I ate it all myself.
"I'll tell you later. Just how much of an angel is Leona? Her name's supposedly in the freaking Bible."
"Bible, my ass!"
"Huh? It's solid fact? It's actually in there?"
"Don't talk like an old geezer with your 'solid fact' nonsense!"
"Old geezer... Anyway, Leona, do you know why Christianity and Islam split? It's because of disagreements over the section where your name appears."
"Oh my god, seriously, cut the crap and just show me the sword aura!"
Fine.
—Fwaaa!
I instantly drew my beloved sword and took my stance. I've familiarized myself with the sensation to some extent. I spent all of Sunday shut up in my room practicing nothing but mana manipulation.
And then.
"Sword Enchantment!"
The moment I shouted the skill name and channeled my fighting spirit.
—Fwoooosh!
Just like last time, a blue sword aura enveloped my blade!
"No way, Geun-cheol?! It's the real thing?!"
"My goodness! You had more skill than I gave you credit for! I thought poverty and screaming were your only two assets!"
"Who's a two-trick pony! Anyway, you saw it, right? This strength of mine."
—Swoosh.
I immediately extinguished the aura.
"I'm not sure about your stamina with it, but manifesting it at all is impressive. That normally requires some dedicated training."
Leona spoke, her hand held to her mouth as if genuinely surprised. It is impressive, to be sure.
"Heh heh heh, training? I don't need any of that... I have 'talent.'"
"Hmph. Talent, my ass. The way I see it, you're going to milk this for the entire day."
"How'd you know?"
"You're in the palm of my hand."
"Kyah! Can't beat being in the palm of your hand!"
Anyway, bragging feels fantastic!
"Bwahahahaha!"
As I was laughing like that.
"..."
Leona was looking at me with a strange expression.
"What, why?"
"A reason you have no choice but to work hard... *sniff*, no! It's nothing!"
What is she on about, seriously.
"Anyway, everyone shall feel the bitter sting of my—"
"Hah!"
"What? No, you—Ryu Cheon-hwi!"
Suddenly, Ryu Cheon-hwi stood there, arms crossed with a dissatisfied look, glaring at me and scoffing!
"Rejoicing over a pathetic excuse for a sword aura. It's so laughable, just so laughable, it makes me sigh."
"What's that, bastard? Are you belittling someone's hard work?"
"Belittling a monkey who rejoices while calling a cheap party trick a sword aura is no crime."
"Hooh... this son of a bitch?"
Shall I mess with him a little?
"So you're saying you can handle a real sword aura?"
Ryu answered with a smirk.
"Heh."
Ryu Cheon-hwi smirked.
"I'll show you."
"Ooh."
—Fwoooosh!
In an instant, a blue sword aura surrounded Ryu Cheon-hwi's blade. At an output level incomparable to my own. The aura blazed outward, then seemed to suddenly compress, coating the blade itself.
This bastard is the real deal!
He's genuinely in the realm of Sword Aura Projection!
"This is what a sword aura is. Calling a puff of magic smoke that could be blown out like a candle a 'sword aura.' What you did is nothing but a sideshow performance for circus entertainment."
Scathing criticism!
"Ha. So this bastard had a reason for acting so cocky, huh?"
"Heh."
Look at this asshole grinning.
"With that level of aura, I guess I'm no match for you."
"It took you this long to realize it—your discernment is as pitiful as that circus sword aura of yours. Well, it was an entertaining show. In that it was laughable, anyway. Consider the admission fee paid with my meal tickets."
Having said his piece, Ryu Cheon-hwi sat down.
Look at the way this bastard talks, seriously.
"Si-hoo. This guy cracks me up to no end, I swear."
"Heh, heheh... yeah, I suppose so. But Geun-cheol, more importantly, what happened with you and Leona?"
"Ah, about that."
—Clack.
At that moment, Instructor Lee So-ra entered.
We'll save the story for later.
"Good morning. First, a round of applause for Kim Geun-cheol, who has learned to use a sword aura."
"Wait, you saw that?!"
When did she see it!
—Clap clap clap clap clap!
—Clap clap clap clap clap!
—Clap clap clap clap clap!
Listening to the applause, I took my seat.
* * *
First period was Instructor Lee So-ra's Mana Application class, and second period is Instructor Maikes's theory class.
"Among the S-rank monsterkin, there is one known as the Void Princess."
Instructor Maikes, standing at the podium, tapped his laptop, bringing up a black screen on the large monitor.
"Are there any cadets familiar with her?"
—Rustle.
—Rustle.
—Rustle.
Everyone raised their hand.
What's that about?
"Hahaha. You all know her, I see. As expected of the monsterkin who enjoys such immense popularity, to the point of having a fan club."
A monsterkin is popular?
And has a fan club?
They said Void Princess, what, is she pretty or something?
"Then, we'll proceed with the lesson while looking at the materials."
—Flick.
The screen lit up.
"Oh."
I was impressed.
A beautiful, sexy woman with long golden hair appeared on the screen.
A figure boasting overwhelming volume.
Dressed in a gothic dress, this bombshell was erupting with crimson eye-glow, her expression steeped in madness, wildly unleashing what looked like some kind of magic.
"What the. Instructor? That's a monsterkin? Not a cosplayer?"
"Mmmm? Cadet? You don't know the Void Princess?"
"No. That's not a monsterkin, that's just a gorgeous lady. Isn't she a model or something?"
"That's precisely it!!!"
Instructor Maikes shouted at the top of his lungs.
"That is the peculiarity of the S-rank monsterkin, Void Princess! The monsterkin, an intelligent species from another world, all possess alien-like appearances! But the Void Princess alone shares an identical outward form with a human!"
"Ah... is that so?"
Why is his energy so high?
Don't tell me this guy is a fan of that monsterkin?
Still, it's pretty damn fascinating that a monsterkin like that exists.
"Hmm."
I looked at the Void Princess on the screen once more... my eyes involuntarily drifted to her chest area.
Whoa, but seriously, how are those things so huge?
"I've taken a liking to her."
"Geun-cheol?"
I'm going to become a Void Princess fan.