A Path of Her Own

Jo Youchan threw a punch.

Thud.

The lightning wreathed around his fist fizzled out, lifeless. The shockwave was shallow, the attack range cramped and narrow.

"That's not it. Again."

"Yes, sir!"

Before Jo Youchan could fire off Heavenly Exploding Strike a second time, I activated the skill.

I switched on Spirit Eyes. Level 3 now, no less — Lee Yeonhwa had cleared the 20th floor, and the skill had jumped two levels with her.

Oh, this is nice.

Things I couldn't see at Level 1 were starting to come into view. I could see the mana flowing through Jo Youchan's body.

Just like in the Special Training Room, more information unfurled itself. The text that had been black flushed red.

"The essence of Heavenly Exploding Strike is sound waves. You can detonate it wider than that. Don't lose the image of thunder."

"Yes, sir!"

He fired it off again.

BOOM—!

"That's it!"

"Grawr!"

Rangi chimed in with an approving bark, as if to say he'd done well. Jo Youchan trembled, a shiver of growth running through him — then bowed deeply at the waist.

"Thank you, Master!"

"Good. Keep striving."

"Yes, sir!"

The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠look in Jo Youchan's eyes as he stared at me grew even hotter.

Ugh. That's a lot of pressure.

"Let's wrap this up and get out. Finish off the dokkaebi."

"Yes, sir!"

"Get him, Rangi!"

"Grawr!"

Rangi lunged in and sank his teeth into the dokkaebi's skull. Crunch. Crunch. This wasn't mere physical force — a spirit's attack carried natural energy in its own right.

"That's it, good boy!"

"That little guy's pretty fierce, isn't he?"

Cute and fierce. That just made him even cuter. The writhing dokkaebi vanished.

There was no reward from the Team function. Same for the Master Marks. It was a repeat clear of the 21st floor.

"Shame there's no Master Clear reward."

"Yeonhwa will catch up soon. She got an SS-Rank Clear on the 20th floor. Let's just wait a bit. Grab the mana stones and head out."

"Woof."

"Aww, you brought a mana stone? Good boy, good boy!"

We exited the Tower, took the elevator, and went down to the Special Training Room. The folks from Support Team 3 welcomed us in.

"Hyeonseok, you're back."

"Yes, Team Leader."

Lee Yeonhwa stood beyond the glass partition with her eyes closed. Judging by the school uniform, she'd come straight here after class. What a good kid.

"Honestly, I've lost count of how many times I've been blown away. Where the hell do you keep picking up talents like these?"

"Beats me. Lucky with people, I guess? Meeting you pretty much proves it, Team Leader."

"Haha! Look at our consultant, talking like a real working adult!"

I walked over to the microphone.

I could see the thread of mana connecting the closed-eyed Lee Yeonhwa to the fox.

Hmm.

The text was red.

Hmmm…

That's not how you do Spirit Arts.

I switched on the mic.

"Don't greet me. Keep concentrating and listen."

Lee Yeonhwa flinched. The mana thread wavered.

"It's not about commanding spirits or giving them orders. It's communion. Approach it more lightly. You're already good at playing with the fox, right? Try treating the mana thread like a toy and play with it."

The furrow in Lee Yeonhwa's brow smoothed out. The mana thread grew more natural, and the bored fox perked up at the change. It started bouncing around, chasing the lazily swaying tip of the thread.

"That's it."

Lee Yeonhwa smiled, flushed with a sense of accomplishment.

I dropped the tip and switched off the mic. Backseat coaching was always better in small doses. That way the person on the receiving end didn't get as defensive.

The Team Leader came up behind me.

"Thanks to you, we're bursting at the seams with results."

"You're always helping me out like this. I should be the one thanking you."

"Finding talent, that's your eye, I'll give you that. But how the hell did you reel her in?"

"Reel who in?"

"How'd you get Jeonjoodang's youngest daughter to join Advance?"

I just grinned, saying nothing.

This was before Lee Yeonhwa achieved an SS-Rank Clear on the 20th floor. It had happened that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠same afternoon.

Sunlight poured across the wooden floor. Lee Yeonhwa's mother sat kneeling, and Lee Yeonhwa lay with her head in her mother's lap. The fox was nestled against Lee Yeonhwa's legs. She chattered away, her face glowing with happiness.

"…So the tiger formed a contract with Master."

"I see."

Her mother stroked Lee Yeonhwa's hair as she talked.

"The spirits are so very cute."

"Are they?"

"New spirits appear in front of me every single day. Mother, you—"

"There's no one around."

"…Heh. You can't see it, Mom, but there's a turtle up in the air over there? It always swims over with other spirits riding on its back."

"I see."

A child's happiness was a mother's happiness. These past few days had been very happy ones for her — because, for the first time in a long while, Lee Yeonhwa's face had been blooming with smiles.

"My baby."

"Yeah?"

But the world could never be only happiness.

"Instructor Do's position has become quite difficult."

"…What?"

"The clan elders are going to try to use you as leverage to pressure Instructor Do."

Lee Yeonhwa sat up from her mother's lap. The fox tumbled over sideways.

"Kyeeeng."

"What do you mean?"

Her mother explained the situation.

"…I don't get it. Why would it work out that way?"

"It's adult politics. I hope the day you understand it never comes."

"Does Master know?"

"He probably does. He's a wise man."

Lee Yeonhwa's pupils trembled.

"…Then why is he helping me?"

"That's something you'll feel better than Mom ever could."

Lee Yeonhwa was confused. Master had known Jeonjoodang would harbor ulterior motives — and he'd still helped her?

Because she was Seohyeon's friend? Because she had that much talent? Or had he simply taken a liking to her?

Whichever it was, there was no denying she'd received more grace than she could have imagined. She felt like a shameless little brat.

"…I don't want to leave it like that."

"Baby."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Yeah."

"Do you want to become a spirit summoner?"

"Yeah. But if it hurts Master—"

"Mom has never seen you as happy as you've been these past few days."

Her mother didn't let her say another word.

"If you pursue a path that breaks from the clan's traditions, they won't sit still."

That was what a martial clan was. An organization whose power came from accumulated history and tradition — and one bound by those very things in equal measure.

"If you truly want that path, it might be better to throw off the shackles."

But it would be a terrifying decision at such a young age.

"After that, Mom will help however she can."

"…"

Lee Yeonhwa thought.

If I fail, Master gets hurt?

But she was doing well, wasn't she? She didn't have any grand achievements like an SS-Rank Clear the way the other disciples did yet… but he had said she had talent. He'd been sure of it.

But it'll take a long time.

Lee Yeonhwa knew that talent took a long time to bloom. Even her eldest brother had devoted his entire childhood to training. Before she got there, harm would come to Master. She'd only just set foot on the path of a spirit summoner.

…

She didn't want to leave it like that.

The clan felt filthy. She had abandoned the martial arts the clan had force-fed her. She had opened the natural energy channels the clan had failed at. She had been recognized for the talent the clan had ignored.

The moment she stepped outside the frame the clan had locked her in, something in Lee Yeonhwa's thinking shifted.

Now… I don't think I'd be happy even if the clan recognized me.

She had a feeling that was true. It was a change as complete as a reed snapping in the wind.

What am I even doing this for?

The first question she'd ever asked herself after breaking free of rote education. The answer came immediately.

The cute spirits. The fox, the tiger, the thrill of growth. The joy of being told she had talent.

Not a single one of those things had anything to do with the clan.

"Baby."

Her mother stroked Lee Yeonhwa's hair.

Hearing those words, Lee Yeonhwa made her decision.

I'm going independent.

She was already earning more than enough for living expenses. Repeat clears of the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠tenth-floor range were more than enough to live well. She didn't want to be a burden to Master, and she no longer felt any need to stay with the clan.

Lee Yeonhwa resolved on a dramatic runaway, and went straight to Advance Guild. She wasn't exactly welcomed with open arms, of course.

"Please, Guild Master!"

"……"

Jo Paldeok scanned Lee Yeonhwa's profile with a blank expression.

A deadweight just walked in.

A talentless Low Floor Hunter stuck on the 20th floor. Specs that would never get her into Advance.

But that was fine. She was being taught by Hyeonseok, after all. This was the same Hyeonseok who'd already produced three SS-Ranks. He'd make even a talentless kid like this into a functional hunter.

The problem is…

Jeonjoodang's youngest daughter. Politically, she was a very delicate child. Well, it seemed like they'd half-abandoned her over there too.

If she goes independent, it should be fine, right?

If she went independent, they wouldn't be able to complain much. But it would still be awkward.

…But she's Hyeonseok's disciple.

This kid herself didn't matter much. But he couldn't disappoint Hyeonseok. Wasn't he the guild's greatest lucky charm?

Think of her as a wart on a gold nugget.

Jo Paldeok stamped his seal with a sour feeling in his chest.

"I'll work as hard as I can!"

At that point, nobody knew. Not the mother who had worried. Not Jo Paldeok, who had treated her as a wart. Not the clan elders who had been waiting for her to fail. Not even Lee Yeonhwa herself, who had shouted that she would work hard.

"Huh?"

"Kyeheng!"

She'd thought it would take far longer. But when she did as Master had said, the 20th floor had been far too easy.

"Third Elder, what's got you in such a good mood that you're throwing another drinking party?"

"Come now, just sit down first."

"The Patriarch is arriving."

The elders assembled, and the Patriarch took his seat.

"Patriarch. Have you heard?"

"Heard what."

"That Yeonhwa child, of all things, says she wants to become a spirit summoner!"

The Patriarch furrowed his brow.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Hah, haha!"

Some found it a bolt from the blue. Others let out incredulous laughs.

"Tsk. So the martial instruction failed after all."

"Wasn't that entirely predictable?"

"But of all things to flee to, spirit arts? What a foolish child!"

The Patriarch cleared his throat.

"Third Elder. Even if things went according to plan, you seem a bit too pleased. She is still my daughter."

"Ah, ahem! A slip of the tongue."

But the Patriarch didn't press the matter too deeply. He didn't seem to have any great affection for a talentless child himself.

"Yeonhwa's failure is unfortunate. Rather than dwell on it, we should do what we need to do."

"Agreed. Then, as for when to send the letter of protest to Advance Guild…"

Knock knock.

Mid-conversation, one of the clan's instructors came in with news.

"I thought you should know this immediately…"

"What is it?"

"The Hunter Management Association just made an announcement. A new SS-Rank hunter."

"What? Another one?"

"Heavens, is that even possible?"

"Don't tell me this is Instructor Do's again…?"

The instructor nodded.

"It is."

"…One cannot deny he is a true prodigy."

"Advance Guild again, was it?"

"Well… yes, it is Advance Guild…"

The instructor didn't know what to do with himself. The elders just smacked their lips.

"Indeed, this is not a matter to be discussed lightly. We must plan thoroughly and forge a firm alliance with Instructor Do."

"He is absolutely not someone we can afford to make an enemy of. That would bring great calamity down the line."

The gathering that had been all idle laughter grew considerably more serious.

"We'll have no choice but to apply pressure with a legitimate pretext at first, but down the line, Jeonjoodang will have to offer something of equal value."

"The Yeonhwa child's role may become important in the long term."

It was a heavy meeting, but energy flowed through the conversation. A consecutive record of producing SS-Ranks. Through this, everyone was greatly anticipating a bright future for the clan.

The Patriarch listened with satisfaction, tilting his cup. Then he looked at the instructor and cocked his head.

"Hmm, what are you still doing here? Shouldn't you be going?"

"W-well, there's still something I need to report…"

"Out with it, then. We're in an important meeting."

Even so, the instructor hesitated.

"I said speak."

"……The new SS-Rank spirit summoner is Lady Lee Yeonhwa."

"…Hmm?"

"W-what?"

The elders all froze in shock. Lee Yeonhwa? That Yeonhwa?

Soon, every elder and the Patriarch pulled out the phones they'd turned off and checked the article.

"No, this… how is this possible?"

"That dullard actually…?"

"Did you just say spirit summoner?"

"Yes."

"Hah, so it wasn't nonsense after all!?"

"Wait. Th-then what happens to our plan?"

Nobody could answer. Until moments ago, they'd been so happily counting their unhatched chickens. The sense of loss was beyond words.

And that wasn't all. Jeonjoodang's honor? As an educational institution, Jeonjoodang had been made to look utterly ridiculous.

"…Fine. This is a good thing."

"Patriarch?"

"The situation has gone beyond our expectations, but think again."

Jeonjoodang, a clan that wielded natural energy — and such a clan had produced an SS-Rank spirit summoner!

"What a beautiful picture this paints."

"Oho!"

And it wasn't just a picture. SS-Rank hunters were recognized worldwide. That would naturally become Jeonjoodang's influence.

The reality was that a child they'd discarded had grown under another instructor. But people never cared about the details. What you put in a headline, what you put on the front page, and what you left out — that alone was enough to distort perception however you liked.

"If we throw money at it and get the articles written right, we could even frame it as a cooperative relationship."

"That's not difficult."

"After all, the one who produced such a talent is our Jeonjoodang!"

This way was good. That way was good.

"I'll pour money into the broadcasting stations."

"We'll promote the SS-Rank Clear under Jeonjoodang's name in a big way!"

"Um…"

But the instructor once again cut the mood off at the knees.

"I apologize for saying this, but the SS-Rank achievement did not come out under Jeonjoodang's name."

"What? Don't tell me that idiot forgot to write her affiliation?"

"Good grief. Send someone first thing tomorrow morning to get it corrected!"

Once again, the instructor opened his mouth with great difficulty.

"Well… the affiliation was recorded under Advance Guild's name."

"Huh? What does that mean?"

"We contacted headquarters and cross-referenced. Lady Yeonhwa withdrew from Jeonjoodang and joined Advance Guild."

Silence settled over the hall.

The Patriarch's voice was trembling, ever so slightly.