Chapter 34: Then Let's Begin the Corporal Punishment

"One more."

"Nngh…."

"One more."

"Hngh…!"

"One more!"

"Hnnngh!!!"

The sounds alone made it seem like they were doing something perverse, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Lee Hye-ri gritted her teeth, special-made barbell hoisted across her shoulders. The classic squat. But the weight she was handling was absurd by normal human standards. The bar alone weighed a pure 150kg. It looked ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠impossible for those slender arms to lift something like that.

But that's hunters for you. You can't judge them by human norms. To fight monsters in gates and survive, they had to distance themselves from the ordinary.

Of course, even so, the barbell was a bit heavy for her with only B-rank Strength. I'd deliberately chosen an overload. This was already her 20th set. Twenty sets of squats with that monster weight. A number that far exceeded ordinary human limits.

It was all to build her stamina.

Next to Lee Hye-ri's stats were her adaptation levels to my Growth Assistance skill. Muscle Growth aiding Strength growth was S-rank, and Super Recovery for Stamina was A-rank. That meant rapid growth in those areas.

Unfortunately, Mana Abundance for Mana and Quick Wit for Intelligence were only D and B respectively.

'I'm aiming to make her a tank anyway.'

It was a shame, but no big deal. Even with slightly lacking Mana and Intelligence, she'd have no issues filling the tank role.

What was more regrettable was that Hye-ri only had one S-rank perk. Still, I should be grateful they didn't overlap. Her Strength growth would boost mine to S-rank too.

"Five more sets. Give up midway, and it's punishment."

"Punishment… I won't give up. No way."

True to her initial promise of absolute obedience, Hye-ri followed my curriculum without complaint. What she was doing now was a tenacity-building training test. Completing it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠would naturally boost her Strength and Stamina.

"Alright, one!"

"Hnnngh…."

I glanced around the room. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠This was Hye-ri's house, where I gave her lessons. For a single woman, it was ridiculously spacious, packed with every training tool imaginable.

I'd originally planned to use a training center. They had private rooms for rent, stocked with all the gear.

But Hye-ri freaked out at the idea.

"How could I show that kind of training to others? Come to my place!"

"We need space for weights and running."

"I've got that covered. Not rich, but plenty of space and equipment. The house has protection magic, soundproofing, everything."

Hanging magic on a house already set it far from ordinary, but I didn't nitpick. I knew roughly what S-rank hunters like her brother earned. Even a single B-rank protection spell cost over 100 million won.

'It's all covered in A-rank spells.'

Her brother Lee Kang-san's protective touch, no doubt. A-rank facility protection, security, soundproofing and dust-proofing, insulation—you name it.

A house on prime Seoul land like this? Tens of billions must've gone into those spells.

That's why I came here for lessons.

"Hnnngh…."

Hye-ri's body trembled violently. I grabbed the barbell she was holding.

"That's enough."

The moment I racked it, she collapsed. Soaked in sweat. Her pale skin glistened. The tank top clung transparently, outlining her nude bra blatantly.

"Hah, hah."

"Too bad. Failure."

"I-I can do it."

"Nope. Fail."

"But…."

"Look at your hands."

I pointed. Her fingers spasmed uncontrollably.

"Lifting more with those would be an accident waiting to happen."

"…."

From the moment I met Hye-ri, I'd pondered how to teach her. Just teaching wouldn't cut it. She had to follow me wholeheartedly. Ideally, max conquest level for limited access to her skills.

'An S-rank skill.'

S-rank wasn't ordinary. Even A-rank got respect in the hunter world. Limited or not, using an S-rank skill….

'Versatile applications.'

Bluffing against Daesung, say. Or requesting the association lift my restrictions once she hit S-rank. Or recruiting talent.

So I couldn't just focus on teaching.

'Make her fully conquered, dependent on me.'

And reduce her reliance on her brother. Redirect that brotherly admiration to me.

'It's possible.'

Claim that S-rank skill as my own. And it started with….

"Then let's begin the corporal punishment."

Punishment disguised as training.

"Pick one."

"Y-You're really doing it?"

"Think I'd show fakes?"

"Ugh… Barbarian."

"Talk all you want. I'm doing this to make you a real tank."

"P-Proven method, right?"

"Of course."

Proven many times. How'd I know? I'd raised a tank in my old party. Weak-willed coward. Back then, as Shadow Mask, I had published books on dungeon conquest theories and student development. That's when I learned taking hits boosted Stamina and Strength fast—while training that frail guy.

Too sparse data and too brutal for papers, rejected at planning….

'Hye-ri's different.'

Desperate. Ready to do anything to become a tank.

For a woman like that, I'd go all out.

"Tested many times. It worked."

"Who?"

"Can't say. They insisted on secrecy."

"…Ugh."

She glared, skeptical. Whatever. She'd come to me, pride and stubbornness tossed aside. Rank and money meant nothing here—she was utterly beneath me in these lessons.

"Choose quick. Time's ticking."

"…Weak point."

"Weak point? That's the hardest."

"Th-Then! Something else!"

Hye-ri backpedaled frantically.

"L-Laceration?"

"Got it."

I pulled a leather whip from my prepped bag. The SM-play kind.

"…?"

Disgust filled her eyes at the sight.

"Wh-what's this?"

"What else? A whip."

"Who doesn't know that? Why this…."

"Tool for laceration resistance training punishment."

Her cold gaze turned icy.

"Are you insane? A whip? So burns are candle wax?"

"You know your stuff. Experienced?"

"Y-You're crazy!"

"Impacts are with this palm, FYI."

She seemed to get it, so I told her.

"Then what's weak point?"

"Secret. Figure it out yourself—for the fun."

"You're serious… right?"

Cracks formed on her face. Furrowed brow said it all.

"Yes. Again, all effective. That guy became a successful tank."

Not Lee Kang-san level, but from talentless to human? Huge leap.

I nodded, reminiscing.

"C-Can I believe you? No ulterior motives…."

"None. I already showed you last time. Not some perv thing for you."

She bit her lip, then squeezed her eyes shut.

"M-Make it hurt as little as possible, please."

Tears welled in her tightly shut eyes.

"You failed the goal and you're picky."

"…."

I gagged her. A ring gag with a hole. She stared in shock.

"Mmph?!"

"Can't have noise bothering neighbors."

"Mmmph! Mmph! Mmmph!"

Protesting the soundproofing, probably.

"Can't hear you."

Deaf, my bad. Then cuffed her arms.

"Necessary for smooth punishment."

I gripped the whip. Lashed her sweat-slick chest.

Snap!

"Gmmph!!"

Her blue tank top heaved. Again.

Snap!

"Hngmph!"

Each lash made her body jolt.

"No overreacting. Doesn't hurt that much. Punishment's just starting. Follow along slow."

The leather whip caressed her body everywhere. Wouldn't hurt much.

Paang!

"Hngm!"

I tuned the wrist snap for minimal pain. She must be baffled. Lewd looks aside, no pain at all? Shocking.

That was the point. Start too hard, she'd break from agony. Needed endurance for training.

Soft start. But punishment must register.

Relaxed now, thinking it painless.

Snap!

"Nnghnnngh!!"

Whip cracked her ass; her back arched straight.

"Tense up, stay alert. That's the goal."

I looked down, explaining. Tears from the burn, she glared daggers.

"Glare all you want, changes nothing. Endure. That's a tank's basics."

Whip again.

Paang!

"Hnggrngh!"