Rising Conquest Degree
Even after teasing her once, Lee Hye-ri kept provoking me, sending selfies that deliberately flaunted her body along with messages. Was she trying to rile me up?
She was getting bolder. The texts were packed with intent to tease me. Unfortunately for her, I wasn't the kind of guy who fell for such obvious tactics.
Every time, her responses came flying back.
Lee Hye-ri fired back with garbled rage-typing and fury-filled messages. Definitely entertaining. Cocky, sure, but if I thought of it as cute whining from a bratty little sister, it was tolerable.
I skimmed her latest texts, closed my eyes, and sat cross-legged. Before handing her the sword manual, I'd reviewed Cheonryu Swordsmanship—now I replayed it in my mind. The intricacies, memorized like a textbook, surfaced vividly. In my visualization, I wielded a sword, flowing this way and that. Dodging enemy strikes with twists and deflections, toppling foes—like Geom-seong himself.
Just like the real Sword Saint's Cheonryu Swordsmanship, each swing conjured water-like flows. I couldn't quite reach its ultimate essence, but I deflected most attacks effortlessly. I'd fought alongside Geom-seong, peeking over his shoulder—that experience made teaching Hye-ri straightforward.
But.
'Operating it with a spear is trickier than expected.'
I'd run simulations for days, wielding a spear through Cheonryu Swordsmanship. No matter what, the spear snagged midway, movements dulled, motions grew awkward. That was why she couldn't fully embrace it with her spear.
I'd known from the start. Right now, as a spear user, she couldn't master Cheonryu Swordsmanship properly. But I'd given her the manual anyway—for one reason: to familiarize her with its essence.
Cheonryu Swordsmanship was the most demanding sword art in the hunter world. No one masters it overnight. Let alone with a spear?
'Footwork, max range, effective distance—all different from a sword.'
Even talents struggled to attempt it; even with talent, it demanded bone-grinding effort. Originally, it was sword arts for subduing foes with a sword.
Unless she ditched the spear—which she wouldn't, knowing her stubborn nature—I needed a solution.
'Got it. I see the problem.'
Thanks to thousands of mental reps, I'd cracked the spear's core issue. The answer: omission. Unlike a sword, wielding a longer, heavier spear meant ruthlessly cutting unnecessary postures and motions.
'Skip this, extend the spear thrust, spin without retracting...'
I reran the sim with revised forms.
'Perfect.'
The spear flowed seamlessly. Now, to test deflection. I rented a practice robot at the training center.
Cheonryu Spear Arts (Adapted)
Whirrr!
I faced the sword-wielding D-rank practice robot at max power. It swung wide.
Whoosh!
The blade soared skyward.
"Good."
Clean verdict.
I headed to Lee Hye-ri's house again. Still obnoxiously flashy. Two stories merged into one towering height, magically expanded far beyond a normal home—massive enough to question if one girl really needed all this space.
Stepping inside after opening the front door, I frowned at Hye-ri standing before me.
"What're you doing?"
"Wh-what do you mean! Since you don't seem to know your student properly, I'm showing you!"
She'd dressed just like in those photos: tank top and leggings. These were even more revealing, exposing up to her navel. She was dead set on teasing me.
Hard to believe this was the same girl who'd shrieked about not stripping in front of me not long ago.
"Too casual for your own house, isn't it?"
"Hmph! Other girls train like this too!"
"Where? The gym?"
"Yeah!"
True. I'd seen it at the training center—female hunters in similar gear, bodies honed to perfection. Of course, a truckload of them still wouldn't match Hye-ri.
'Admit it, and her ego skyrockets.'
Already tough to teach; any higher, and it'd be impossible. Stubborn or not, she needed to be obedient under my guidance. Time for some taming. Her conquest degree was low anyway...
Plus 21%? Last check was minus 8%. That was after showing her my skill gap and proving my teaching creds. Just a week later, up to plus 21?
'Thanks to Cheonryu Swordsmanship.'
She'd feel it each time she awakened more. The tutor's awesomeness. I got it—I amazed even myself.
Today, showing her spear deflection would spike it again.
"Punishment later. First, show me your progress."
"Don't worry. I'll show you proper."
Gritting her teeth, spear in hand—like her battle-ready outfit, hopefully her skills matched.
We went until her training clothes and leggings were sweat-soaked. Not once did she deflect my attacks.
"Ugh! Again..."
Stuck at the same spot. The exact snag from my sims. That blockage prevented perfect deflection. Wounds accumulated with each rep. Her persistence deserved praise, but failure was failure.
I'd predicted this.
'Success would've been the anomaly.'
Sword arts ill-suited for spear users. Her pulling it off would've been a miracle—or poor learning.
"Good job."
"Good my ass. Failed again. Do I really have no talent?"
Biting her lip, she glared desperately. All that bravado hid her limit.
'Already at the edge, huh.'
Before me, she'd heard it endlessly: no tank talent. Even her sole believer couldn't spark growth—natural anxiety. Three weeks meant nothing; pent-up pressure exploding.
Time for results. Not words—action, proof.
"No, you're brimming with talent. That's why you failed. Because you're executing it perfectly."
Mastering Geom-seong's technique in mere three weeks? Brilliant talent. Astonishingly so.
"...Failed because of talent?"
"Yeah. Cheonryu Swordsmanship has tricky points for spear users. Now I'll show you the adapted forms to fix them."
"..."
"Hand over the spear. Any will do."
She offered a practice spear from the living room wall.
"Spears are heavier and longer than swords. Movements inevitably slow."
Her face screamed duh.
"So reduce motion count. To two-thirds of the manual's."
"But..."
"Yeah, you can't intuit what to cut or how much. Natural—even veteran swordsmen can't explain easily."
This was instinct. Battlefield-honed sense, grasped only by those who'd danced with death weapon-in-hand.
"Come at me."
I beckoned, spear ready. Red-eyed, she bit her lip and charged.
Hummingbird-fast thrust. S-rank dealer supernova speed. Real fight? My chest pierced.
But practice. Cheonryu Swordsmanship—no, Cheonryu Spear Arts now? Time to reveal the tank-making secret technique.
I swung. Light form. But heavy power at the tip. Destructive current defied gravity, surging skyward.
Whoosh!
Her spear followed my lead upward.
"Huh?"
Limp voice. Clang. Spear rolling on the floor.
Silence. Then her fervent gaze. Hope flickering through red-rimmed eyes.
"How's that?"
"H-how... wha..."
Mouth flapping like a fish, she gasped.
"How'd you do that? Just now!"
"Wanna learn?"
"Yes!"
Eyes sparkling. She'd found the key to shatter her wall.
"I'll teach you. But first, how about changing clothes?"
"H-hmph! Teacher got embarrassed, huh? Told you—my body's pretty decent..."
"Nah, your spear trajectory twisted and shredded it."
"...Pardon?"
Riiip!
Her tank top tore, fluttering to the floor. Massive breasts jiggled, defying gravity no more.
"..."
Brain blank, she stared down blankly. Admiring her vividly pink nipples for three seconds.
"Kyaaaaah!!!"
She shrieked, covering up.
"Why scream? You'll be stripped for punishment soon anyway."
"U-ugh... Pervert teacher!"
No longer "pervert bastard." Progress?
Even amid the mishap, conquest rose. Proof of skill's impact.
"Change quick. Then I'll teach."
"Y-you'll pay later!"
She bolted to her room, tear-glazed eyes glaring back. Never seen "revenge later" threats this cute. Girl version, anyway.
She returned.
"Now fully wrapped up."
Wrist-covering rash guard.
"That'll rip soon... Never mind."
"It. Will. Not. Rip."
Venom in her eyes, enunciating each word.
"Training starts. I'll show forms—practice and counter."
"Got it."
Too bad her resolve didn't pan out.
"Ugh..."
Everything but chest and hips shredded. Failed Cheonryu Spear Arts counters.
Should've done better.
"Training ends. Punishment time."
"I-in this state?"
"Yeah. Just like that."