Bets Aren't Something You Make Lightly (2)
Kim Joo-hyuk essentially had no weapons he couldn't wield.
Of course, among the weapons he could use, there were some he handled with exceptional proficiency, but at the end of the day, there was nothing he truly couldn't manage.
Why?
Three hundred years ago, he hadn't been in a position to be picky.
The world Kim Joo-hyuk had lived in back then was one half-destroyed by monsters, where anything with even a somewhat sharp edge was treated as a weapon.
From sickles to trowels, anything that could inflict a wound had become a weapon in that era. That was why Kim Joo-hyuk had no weapons he couldn't use.
And especially, the sword and blade were among the ones he wielded most frequently.
Shrieeeeeek! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
The students watching Kim Joo-hyuk had their mouths hanging open.
And who could blame them?
The 120 monsters that had seemed utterly impossible for one person to handle alone were dwindling away the moment Kim Joo-hyuk grabbed the blade and stepped out.
Kim Joo-hyuk's blade moved slowly, slicing along a diagonal line.
Compared to Yoo So-yeon, it lacked mana and speed.
Yet the monsters around him seemed drawn inexorably toward the blade, closing in before their heads were severed in an instant, flying through the air.
It was a bizarre swordsmanship, almost as if the weapon itself had some magnetic pull. Every swing claimed several monsters that practically walked into their own deaths.
But the students admiring this eerie display from within the barrier—and Kim I-gun, who had lent him the weapon—knew the truth.
What the hell... is that...?!
The blade in Kim Joo-hyuk's hand was nothing more than a cheap standard-issue iron blade handed out by Valhalla.
"...Fucking insane."
A gruff curse slipped from Oh Se-hyeok's lips as he watched, while Yoo So-yeon's eyes followed Kim Joo-hyuk without so much as a blink.
But among them, Choi Ah-rin, standing at the farthest edge, wore an expression like she was utterly entranced by Kim Joo-hyuk himself.
"...".
Regardless of whether the students were watching him intently or not, Kim Joo-hyuk continued snapping the necks of the monsters swarming him while lost in thought.
At first glance, I thought they were pretty well-made, but as expected from fakes, they're subpar.
82
They do feel somewhat lifelike, but the movements are too mechanical.
71
Easy to predict, which makes swinging the blade a breeze.
The eerie swordsmanship all the students perceived—as if the monsters were magnetically pulled to the weapon—was simply Kim Joo-hyuk swinging where the monsters would move next.
Yes, to Kim Joo-hyuk, the blade he wielded now was just that: adequate at best.
52
This body's so shitty I can't even use proper martial arts, and it's getting tiring.
30
Starting today, once I'm back in the dorm, time to seriously train in martial arts.
18
Anyway, I've gotta track those down too.
0
As his blade pierced the neck of the last orc, the monster corpses littering the ground vanished. Kim Joo-hyuk turned his gaze to Kim I-gun.
"...".
Kim I-gun stared back at him blankly, speechless. The students behind him did the same, but Kim Joo-hyuk flashed a grin like he couldn't care less.
"You gonna keep your promise and let me into the Constellation Room?"
With that, he sheathed the blade.
"Since it's your first class and you're all tired, head back to the dorms and rest up today."
4 p.m.
As the first class at Valhalla ended and everyone rose from their seats, Kim Joo-hyuk stretched with an exhausted groan.
No, seriously, why the hell are classes this long?
Come to think of it, Kim Joo-hyuk had never properly attended school.
Three hundred years ago, when he'd lived a long life, going to school was a luxury only for the somewhat wealthy. For bottom-feeders like him, it was nonexistent.
Sure, he'd personally taken disciples and taught them, but that was as the master. Being on the receiving end felt entirely different.
Gotta grab what I can and bail ASAP.
Anyway, for someone like Kim Joo-hyuk who'd never set foot in a school, the classes were boring aside from the bits of info he'd gleaned.
...The stuff on constellations wasn't half bad, though.
Constellations.
In truth, Kim Joo-hyuk hadn't known much about them until now.
He'd only even learned the term after reincarnating, when it popped up in the system window as "Constellation Room".
There weren't even constellations back when I was alive, so what was I supposed to know?
Not a single one, or anything like them.
Whatever, now I know, so that's that.
Kim Joo-hyuk mentally summarized the constellation info from class as he stood.
1. Constellations are what you call those who achieved great feats and ascended to godhood.
2. Most constellations contract with contractors through their sacred relics, granting them special powers.
3. Valhalla in Korea ranks third worldwide for the number of constellation sacred relics it holds.
That was the only useful takeaway from today's lesson.
Everything else—basic weapon handling, practical ways to kill monsters—was just noise from instructors he dismissed as glorified janitors. It didn't stick.
Alright, first things first: head to the dorm and start seriously training martial arts.
"Um,"
As he thought that and rose in the now-empty classroom, a voice drew his gaze.
"?"
There stood Choi Ah-rin.
Valhalla main building, first floor—teachers' lounge.
"...You've definitely had a rough go of it."
"Honestly, less 'rough' and more 'I stuck my neck out for nothing'."
At Combat Instructor Lee Sang-cheol's words, Kim I-gun—the teacher from the first-day homeroom—sighed and scratched his head.
"No, but seriously, no matter how I look at it, that kid really a high schooler?"
Recalling Kim Joo-hyuk's display earlier, he vented. Lee Sang-cheol, who'd been listening quietly, scratched his head in response.
"Well, honestly, he's a bit... peculiar for an ordinary high schooler."
"Peculiar? That's an understatement. I spawned 120 monsters in the combat training room just to put him in his place on day one. And then..."
"He wiped them all out? A high schooler who hasn't even encountered real monsters yet?"
"Exactly!"
Lee Sang-cheol stroked his chin at Kim I-gun's aggrieved expression.
"Kim Joo-hyuk is indeed a bit of an enigma. From what I saw in his records, there's no way he should have that kind of physical prowess."
"No special notes or anything?"
"Not just no notes—he's an orphan."
"...An orphan?"
"Yeah, from some no-name orphanage in a high-risk zone."
"You don't think... forged identity?"
Lee Sang-cheol shook his head at Kim I-gun's suggestion.
"Nah."
"...I see."
"Exactly. If he'd forged his way into Valhalla for some scheme, he'd have something to show for it. You think someone pulling that off would make such a flashy entrance?"
Kim I-gun pondered briefly before nodding.
"...Fair point."
No one infiltrating Valhalla via forgery would draw that much attention.
"Plus, the background check's already done."
That sealed it for Kim I-gun. No red flags after a full investigation meant Kim Joo-hyuk's records were legit.
"More importantly, he wants into the Constellation Room?"
"Yes."
"Constellation Room... He'd get access naturally after first semester anyway. Well, since you made the promise... I can ask the principal to let him down to basement level 1, at least."
"Thank you, truly."
"No big deal. It's not hard—just letting him in a bit early to a place everyone can eventually visit. Basement 5, the 'complete restricted zone', is another story, though."
—Besides, since I brought you here, you take responsibility.
Kim I-gun let out a relieved sigh at Lee Sang-cheol's trailing words, then grimaced tiredly.
"Still, the next year worries me."
"Because of Kim Joo-hyuk?"
"That too, but my class already has three kids from the five great families, excluding him. Controlling even one is a nightmare..."
"Eh, don't stress too much. The class next to yours has that Ventrek family exchange student."
"...Oof, that's rough."
Kim I-gun nodded unwittingly in sympathy.
The Ventrek family.
This British clan was like Korea's five great families, boasting a guardian constellation and ancient lineage.
If that were all, both men would have shrugged it off.
The issue was their overwhelming power, thanks to their guardian constellation—practically dominating Britain at this point.
And their direct and branch descendants carried an arrogance that crossed lines.
"The one in the neighboring class is Rockdil Ventrek, right?"
"Huh? You didn't even know a Ventrek exchange student arrived until just now, but you know his name? How?"
"Ah... I had a hunch, and yep..."
"What's up?"
"Rumors about that guy aren't great. You know that too, right?"
"I'm not exactly plugged into gossip."
"Ah..."
"I do know he got sent here from some British private academy for causing trouble. Details are fuzzy."
After a moment's thought,
"At least he's not in my class. Small mercies."
Kim I-gun sighed, ending the chat with a grumble.
And the next day.
"Kim Joo-hyuk, don't you crave power? If you kneel before me, I shall bestow my blessing—"
"What the fuck is this retard spouting now?"
Kim Joo-hyuk ran into Rockdil Ventrek.