Chapter 58
Chapter 58
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: 12. The Unreachable Thing
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hansu had grown frighteningly accustomed to the sub-magic he had created himself. Minhee, too, had used her memory to manifest the simplest structured magic tool in just a few weeks.
It was around the time autumn had fully ripened. That's when I, Inha, Hansu, Minhee, and Hyunho—the five of us—received a summons. And not just any summons! It was an official one from the high school division's student council president. Joo Je-hyeon oppa, that is.
The method of summoning was a bit informal, though. We headed to the designated spot together, all wearing puzzled expressions.
"Oppa issuing an official summons? What's going on?"
We all shook our heads. I started feeling a little uneasy. Ah, Joo Je-hyeon oppa—I thought he was finally relaxing a bit. But in situations like this, he really was a hard person to read.
And for good reason. That Joo Je-hyeon oppa was someone who could be unbelievably gentle with Minhee or a few of the boys, but turn colder than anyone if the situation called for it. An official summons from him? It was natural to feel anxious. I hadn't even imagined we'd ever be called officially.
My unease was followed by curiosity. Why summon us all of a sudden? Truth be told, I wasn't that tense. Because, after all, it was Joo Je-hyeon oppa who had called us. It was a bit contradictory, sure.
"But where did he say to go?"
"To High School Division Training Room 5, dummy."
As I mulled over various theories, Hyunho said something with a screw loose. I couldn't help but chuckle. The anxiety swirling in my chest shrank a little more.
We passed through a warp gate to the high school division. It took over 15 minutes to walk to Training Room 5. We even debated using teleportation.
The High School Division Training Room 5 building we soon arrived at felt strangely familiar. Minhee let out an "Ah" in recognition.
"Ah, it's the place oppa uses a lot."
"Yeah?"
"You guys came here once before too. Remember, when we were going to give Eunhee unnie a cheering gift..."
A cheering gift? As I continued tilting my head, Inha and Hansu nodded as if they got it right away.
"Back in first year, before the rank exam? When Eunhee unnie was about to hit B-rank..."
"Right."
Only then did it click for me. But that was two years ago already... so it wasn't weird that it didn't come to mind immediately. These guys were just special cases. Yeah, that's right...
We opened the door to the training room. A narrow hallway appeared right away. Seeing it like this, it definitely felt familiar.
We walked down the hallway and opened the door at the end. As the doorknob turned and the door swung open, familiar faces came into view. Eh? Before we could even make eye contact with Joo Je-hyeon oppa, we widened our eyes in surprise.
"Yujeong unnie! Inho oppa!"
Minhee was the first to run over to them with a delighted expression. Yujeong unnie's gentle eyes rounded wide as she saw us. They were the two who had been in Class I with us back in first year. They smiled warmly at us too.
"You guys are here too. I had a feeling."
"Had a feeling?"
Following Minhee, we approached them as well. Hansu looked puzzled, and Inho oppa answered with a laugh.
"Didn't you hear from the teachers? The high school division seniors are overseeing combat training. The elementary and middle school seniors aren't reliable enough yet, so the high school ones are taking over."
Inho oppa explained calmly. He had matured a lot since we hadn't seen him much lately. It was a clear difference from before.
At Inho oppa's words, Hansu muttered with a reluctant expression.
"That's... Je-hyeon hyung's group?"
We all felt awkward at once and shifted our gazes behind Inho oppa and Yujeong unnie. There stood Joo Je-hyeon oppa and all the current high school student council members. There was Cheonho oppa waving with a big grin, Yoo Seojun who they said was close to them, and seniors we'd never met. New ones from middle school, ones who had rotated in last year. A total of five.
But even those two were recent additions to the ranks, so we knew their faces and names well. Definitely... Kim Yura and Seo Minseong. Plus, Seo Minseong senior was the next student council president, and Kim Yura senior the next vice president. Impossible not to know.
"Oppa. You're sparring with us? I heard it was combat training in sparring format?"
At Minhee's question, Joo Je-hyeon oppa smiled gently but muttered with a hint of annoyance.
"Uh... yeah. Sorry about that, but I've got a rough idea of your skills now."
His words made me feel a bit uncomfortable, but I knew there was no helping it. Honestly, I wasn't worried about him knowing our skills. Really, at this point, no. Over the three years we'd known each other, that was the time we'd shared. In those three years, he was no one who'd betray our trust.
However, we still hadn't honestly told Joo Je-hyeon oppa about our skills up to now. If there was any worry or unease, it was guilt over that.
As for the two we were meeting for the first time, it felt a little tricky. Minhee tilted her head again at Joo Je-hyeon oppa's response.
"But why the student council president himself?"
"Well, it's decided by the high school division, so it goes to the student council first. And Je-hyeon grabbed it right away when he heard he'd be teaching you guys."
"He's busy though..."
As soon as Cheonho oppa finished, Kim Yura senior sighed. But Joo Je-hyeon oppa didn't care.
"For that reason, we're busy too, so we'll guide sparring training three times a week, two to three hours a day. Any complaints?"
"Nope. None."
Minhee shook her head, and so did the rest of us. Even if it was short, having Joo Je-hyeon oppa guide us was an honor. Then Joo Je-hyeon oppa pointed at Yujeong unnie and Inho oppa beside us.
"These two will train with you. First time for them too, just like you. Though... you seem to know each other."
We nodded. At that moment, Seo Minseong senior beside Joo Je-hyeon oppa stepped forward and greeted us.
"Pleased to meet you."
He gave a gentle smile.
"Don't be too nervous. You probably didn't know, but around middle school level, you often pair with high schoolers for spars or combat training. It's called mentoring. You get it now in elementary, so you skip it in middle."
Whoa, really? News to me. Joo Je-hyeon oppa nodded at that, a soft smile spreading warmly.
"My mentor senior was Eunhee senior."
...Ah.
For a split second, my breath caught. I'm the only one here who knows Joo Je-hyeon oppa's feelings.
His eyes said it. I still think of her fondly. I love her...
I clenched my lowered fist. Good grief, it's been over a year and a half since Eunhee unnie started dating Seonghu oppa. Meaning Joo Je-hyeon oppa's been pining for her at least two years.
No, I heard he got rejected four times, so maybe even before... Aah, thinking of "that guy," I smiled faintly at him.
You're just as stubborn as me.
Just then, our eyes met. He looked at me with a strange gaze for a moment, then gave a playful chuckle. He ruffled my hair roughly. Ah, why does this oppa love ruffling kids' hair so much? I'm wearing it up right now.
"But you're progressing faster than expected? I didn't think you'd need guidance this soon..."
"Right? We got ours around fifth year? Ah, we were special cases stacked on top."
Cheonho oppa laughed and continued.
"Plus, you begged for it instead of getting it from high schoolers, so you learned from Seonghu senior and Eunhee senior."
I blinked at that. Come to think of it, when Joo Je-hyeon oppa was in fifth year, Eunhee unnie would've been a first-year middle schooler. Just a two-year gap—normally, they wouldn't pair as mentor-mentee.
Begged, though? About to mutter how cute, I suddenly felt uneasy. Wait, no way, from back then...? Nah, probably not. Yeah. Better for my mental health to think that.
Joo Je-hyeon oppa awkwardly scratched his cheek and turned his head at Cheonho oppa's words. His face was a bit red—he seemed embarrassed.
"Uh, yeah... Anyway, Kang Jeonghyeon teacher contacted me about that. Looks like she's one of your guidance teachers too? Makes sense, private tutors are assigned."
Classic subject change. But Kang Jeonghyeon teacher? Who's that?
Cheonho oppa giggled at Joo Je-hyeon oppa. Then, seeing our puzzled faces, he whispered in our ears, misunderstanding.
"You didn't know? Actually, our guidance teacher was Kang Jeonghyeon teacher too."
"You guys sit over there. We'll get ready."
At Joo Je-hyeon oppa's following words, Cheonho oppa followed him to the virtual setup area. I watched them with a dazed expression. No, everyone except a few was dazed. Even so, I don't know who Kang Jeonghyeon teacher is?
"She's my guidance teacher."
"Huh?"
Among the only ones unmoved, Inha quietly spoke up from her and Minhee.
"Kang Jeonghyeon, my guidance teacher. I told you last time, forgot?"
"Oh? You guys forgot the name?"
At that, I searched my memory. Come to think of it, Inha mentioned her guidance teacher's name once. But she never said it again after, so... yeah, forgot.
"Oh, right. Inha's guidance teacher uses fire magic, right? That black fire."
"Yeah. She says it's called Black Flame."
"Black Flame..."
A weird feeling hit me, and I fiddled with my hair. Feels like middle school syndrome. Black Flame Dragon... Yeah, definitely.
For reference, Yujeong unnie's guidance teacher is Yoo Min teacher, and Inho oppa's is our master, Jeongmina teacher. We were shocked mid-conversation when we found out. They also know I call Jeongmina teacher "master" like a friend would. But I asked them not to say it in front of her since I'm embarrassed. Inho oppa, who knows her well like me, laughed out loud at that.
"You guys, gather over here now. We'll decide the order for combat training one by one—sparring."
As we chatted, Joo Je-hyeon oppa called us once preparations were done. We stopped talking and headed right over.
"Yes!"
Before full training, we were sparring with the seniors first. We'd heard it was sparring training, but hearing it'd be one-on-one right away made me tense. The order was decided by drawing lots, simply. And unluckily, I drew first. My opponent was even Kim Yura senior, someone I'd never spoken to. I hesitated as I looked at her. She raised an eyebrow.
"Anyway, let's get in quick. I'll check your skills first."
"Yes."
I answered politely and entered the glass room with her. As soon as we did, the virtual device activated, changing the surroundings. It turned into a city full of skyscrapers. Just no people except us. I stood facing her silently.
The previous scene was gone. Even the wall with the window now just reflected the building. But I'm a magician who mains illusions—I pierced the virtual and saw the truth. I could see my friends. Their lip movements saying "fighting."
I looked around again. Illusion and reality overlapped. Believe the illusion, and it's a city of skyscrapers; believe reality, and it's just a plain square room. I decided to use both. A illusion magician must sometimes believe their own illusion and know how to use the real parts too.
A sound echoed from around us. The countdown. I was about to move when her words made me freeze.
"Move when it starts. Dodge or attack."
I stopped my foot. Beep, beep, beeep—! I bolted right away.
"Where!"
She created powder-like stuff from her hand. I'd seen her magic in the student ID data. Powder magic? Turns mana into powder, infuses attributes for attacks or turns things to powder.
I "believed" the inner illusion first and entered the building. Then used light magic to fly up the stairs at high speed.
Even blocked by walls, I could see the color of the pursuing mana. If it's just mana color, I can see through without x-ray magic.
I erased my presence using a barrier around me. Then, levitating, I used the non-illusion advantage. Teleported to a building actually less than 5m away, but looking like 50m.
I'm a defensive magician specializing in mid/long range. Same as always. Dodge first, wait for an opening.
I vividly tracked the mana color with my "eyes." Then Joo Je-hyeon oppa's voice came.
"Time limit 20 minutes. Ah, set it the same inside and out."
The short limit felt endlessly long to me. I deployed illusion magic.
I'd grown somewhat used to attacks via illusion magic now. But maintaining brain influence constantly was tiring. Honestly, attribute magic attacks were still easier for me.
I set the magic origin away from me and activated. Spread light-attribute mana orbs—strong against her—using illusion. Then shot light from multiple directions.
My attribute magic already had solid attack power. Next, text magic.
『Light Auto-Tracking Barrage. Limit 1 minute.』
First attack done. But no way a top-10 high school senior would go down to this. Hitting once would be amazing. No thought of winning. Buy time dodging? Or...
Then something boomed outside the window, exploding toward me. I instinctively sensed the mana danger. Fire-attribute powder—explodes on touch! I deployed a barrier over my barrier. The powder hitting exploded.
Boom! Kwaboom!
Feeling part of my barrier turn to powder, I grimaced.
"...Good. There you are."
The whisper from far away sounded right by my ear. I spread mana with inherent illusion effect. "Doesn't notice me," I wrote in text. For battle-mismatched me, dodging, defending, and striking openings is my best tactic. So, what attack? Attribute or illusion?
She flew straight and landed in my building. I used float magic to muffle footsteps and flew out. Windows were shattered to bits or crumbled like sand from her last attack. Nicely realistic virtual space.
"Where!"
But she sensed and attacked me precisely. I changed trajectory to dodge. The ground below looked dizzyingly far, but I reminded myself it was virtual and eyed Kim Yura senior puzzled. How? I hid perfectly with barrier?
I recalled the moment. I'd flown right past her to escape.
'Ah, got it. Vibration!'
Powder scatters in slight wind. Even without, she felt the vibration from my flight. Actually, she hadn't targeted perfectly.
"Kid. Listen, this is sparring training. Hiding's fine, but dodging without proper attacks is pointless. I mean, attack for real."
True. I faced her again. She still couldn't see me.
I scanned her up and down. Face looks super fierce. Personality seems tough too.
I activated illusion magic right away. Black butterflies fluttered one, two, around. Dark-attribute butterflies.
"Hoo?"
The butterflies scattered purple powder. That purple would show her countless illusions. Hypnosis on sight, dream plunge on touch.
I took out my illusion pen to control. Illusion-made dedicated pen. Holding it links to text magic automatically. This one's illusion story pen.
『Kim Yura saw the black butterflies scatter like torn paper scraps.』
Using butterflies as medium let me control illusions easily without entering. Her pupils clouded. Sign of falling into illusion. Illusion magic falls easy without immunity—even small mana. Believe what you see, done.
『The black powder scattered toward her. Felt terrifyingly dangerous.』
Then nearby butterflies exploded. From her spread powder. Fire-attribute, ignited by her magic, boom. I retreated further from blast radius. My magic speed tied to writing, slow, but imagination supplemented—enough.
『...In the end, Kim Yura found Yoo Eunha. The kid Yoo Eunha looked at her timidly.』
While she was trapped, I prepped magic. Strongest in my limit: "spell magic."
Wrote up to there, started new text. Supplemented next illusion with imagination. Focused, wrote spell name. Repeated 『Enhance』 many times. Only D-rank I can use. Dark magic issue, but fine. She's C-rank magician.
I chanted.
"Scatter in darkness, become countless petals scattering darkness."
Dark-purple petal-like mana fluttered, gathering into huge bud of countless petals. Feeling completion, I shouted spell name.
"Bloom. Profundi flos (Deep Flower)."
Most used spell languages: Latin, English. Korean, hanja plenty too. Translating works fine.
But original names pack more power. Experts don't need. But I'm talent-blessed-yet-nothing-else elementary kid. Magic activated instantly. Dark petals bloomed before her, attacking another spot in illusion.
"Discerpe (Scatter)."
Petals flew at my words, enveloping her. Threatening mana filled my view. My mana drained scarily. Panting, I watched her.
D-rank magic, amplified over ten times, name written direct. If this fails, I truly can't beat her. Offense-wise.
Result came.
"Kyaa! What?!"
Girlier scream than expected. Attack broke her illusion too.
Post-magic, she coughed. Her uniformed barrier-torn a bit. I clutched my pounding heart. Her skin singed slightly from magic, but that's it. Even amplified, D-rank vs C-rank magician no good.
I hid again. Still, attacked without tiring. Next, barrier domain for offense. Built barrier area, added illusion/text for lightning strikes, storms. But not much effect.
"Ugh, annoying. Because you're not frontal attack type like me?"
I unscathed; she pretty ragged (but no intent to injure, her mana far stronger, so just shock, no wounds). Time passed. When 5 minutes left, she went all out.
Mana powder swirled everywhere. I barrier-defended. Mana chunked away instantly. Explosions around, barrier parts powdered, chipped. She pinpointed me multiple times via powder attacks, focused fire. I thickened inner barriers, layered, changed types/attributes via text to endure. Illusion hints to myself, to her—lowered her attack, boosted my defense. Visible defense results.
Time up, draw.
"Crazy! Couldn't suppress her!"
She stormed out half-irritated. I cautiously followed, eyeing her. Minhee rushed me as I exited.
"You, what was that earlier? Eh? Teleport that far? That magic, Deep Flower! D-rank dark magic oppa was amazed by? It was D-rank?"
"You didn't know that? Smart head, but memorize spell names?"
"Hehe."
"Perfect."
I startled at the sudden voice, looked up. Joo Je-hyeon oppa.
Perfect? What? As I puzzled, he smiled down with impassive eyes. He plopped before me, ruffling my hair with both hands. Ah, seriously, oppa!
"You're a perfect defensive magician. Confirmed, kid."
"J-Je-hyeon oppa. Hair, hair..."
"Got it, got it. I'll fix it. Next?"
Joo Je-hyeon oppa finally released my hair, stood. Then Inha and Cheonho oppa raised hands.
"Me."
"Me! Inha, good luck."
Ah, I was finger-combing my hair, turned to Inha.
"Inha, fighting!"
"Yeah."
Inha smiled shyly. Smile just for me.
"That was awesome just now. I'll fight well too."
Smiling at me, Inha turned expressionless. Cheonho oppa and Inha entered. Meanwhile, Kim Yura senior slumped irritably nearby.
"Couldn't suppress. An elementary third-year. She's 10! Six-year gap!"
"Yeah. Add mana and experience, she'd be amazing. Spells started high-level. Watch recording later. How freely she uses... No elementary kid does that."
"Really?"
"Yeah. She has tons of spells. See more yourself. We watched, but couldn't pinpoint types confidently."
"That much?"
I listened anxiously to the first-year seniors. Joo Je-hyeon oppa patted my head again.
"You did great."
"So cool!"
Minhee grinned. Hansu glanced thoughtfully; Hyunho beamed. Then a senior we rarely saw—Joo Je-hyeon and Cheonho oppa's friend, Yoo Seojun senior—laughed and spoke. Meanwhile, Joo Je-hyeon oppa sat me before him, actually combing my hair neat.
"Je-hyeon, you really like this kid? First time seeing you this nice to a girl besides Minhee. First time playing around like that."
"Well, she's cute to keep around."
"...Je-hyeon hyung. Get away from Eunha now."
Hansu, pensive, glared instantly.
"What?"
"Move quick?"
Joo Je-hyeon oppa eyed Hansu absurdly. I watched Joo Je-hyeon oppa teasing laughingly and Hansu growling, then focused on screen. Inha's spar already starting.
========== Afterword ==========
Paper books Vols 1 & 2 pre-orders ended! Blog sales closed; Aladin from 14th is regular sales. Regular doesn't include bookmark/postcard. Other bookstores around next weekend or after.
Thanks everyone who bought! Will prep Vol 3 hard!
+Fixed typo by Silunes-nim. Thanks. It's Inho, not Yujeong ㅠㅠ
+++
Thanks for comments: Elskai-nim, MaleG-nim, RuMia-nim, Baekwolheukrang-nim, Haneulchong-nim, osy0-nim, gksmf6040-nim, Teichia-nim, dhdbsrud0525-nim, Kaienellia-nim, bulebird-nim, Mintaehyun-nim, Seluniel-nim, bulebird-nim, LuciaSti-nim!!