What the Hell Are You? (3)
Kim Joo-hyuk had figured the annex would be perfectly preserved, of course.
After all, the mana orb he'd set up—one that only reacted to a special detection spell he'd planted just in case—had gone off.
But—
"It's preserved even better than I thought?"
The annex was kept in cleaner condition than even Kim Joo-hyuk had expected.
Of course, they must've put some magic preservation on it...
To be honest, he'd assumed three hundred years would have damaged it at least a little, but he hadn't expected it to be this pristine.
Anyway, the upshot was that the annex was in even better shape than he'd hoped, which put Kim Joo-hyuk in a damn good mood.
"Alright, let's take a look."
Thud! Thud!
Kim Joo-hyuk enthusiastically tapped the door here and there with his shovel to brush off the dirt, soon found the keyhole, and grinned as he gathered his mana in his hand.
Vmmm—
Unlike just a few days ago, when even the tiniest bit of mana use left him exhausted, he could now materialize it to some degree.
"Tch."
But since he could only manage that much, Kim Joo-hyuk clicked his tongue at his body, which was already whining from just a few seconds of mana use. He twisted the materialized mana into threads, braiding them this way and that.
Good.
The mana, now perfectly shaped into a key after all that twisting, slipped straight into the door's keyhole.
Rumble rumble click!
It unlocked the annex door, unopened for three hundred years.
"Hell yeah~!"
Grinning ear to ear, Kim Joo-hyuk shoved aside any fatigue from the mana use and yanked the door open with gusto.
Creeeak—!
The door swung open with an unpleasant screech.
And soon, spotting the items he'd stashed there three hundred years ago, he smiled and hurriedly squeezed inside.
"Oh shit~!"
An exclamation burst out unbidden.
And why not? Right in front of him—Kim Hyeon-oh's eyes—were heaps of gold bars, along with rings and jewels of all sorts.
There were a few usable-looking weapons too, but honestly, forget the cash and gear. What Kim Joo-hyuk was really after was the black stone sitting next to the stacked gold bars.
"Found it...!"
Five black stones, each small enough to fit in one hand.
Storage Stones.
This is why I came for the annex early.
To be frank, his initial reason for seeking it out had been to get some cash.
Kim Joo-hyuk, reincarnated into an orphan's body, needed money.
But after checking his body's condition during Valhalla's entrance exam, he'd realized he needed the Storage Stones in the annex more than immediate funds.
Honestly, only five is a bit disappointing.
He'd scattered them around the annexes as a hedge, infusing each with his mana, and now he felt a twinge of regret—but what was done was done. He shook his head to clear the thought.
I never even imagined I'd need the Storage Stones.
He'd only put them there to help sustain the annex's protective spells longer using their stored mana.
Well, looks like one of the five already got used up for that... so four left?
Honestly, four was plenty for now. And hilariously, his current body couldn't even handle properly using them yet.
I could force it, but...
Even if he did, his body was in such shit shape it wouldn't absorb most of the mana—just waste it.
But if I toughen it up enough to at least take in mana, then absorb a Storage Stone...
Kim Joo-hyuk smirked, no need to overthink it, and experimentally gripped one Storage Stone, drawing out just a bit of its mana.
Shoooo—thud!
Even that tiny pull delivered dense, satisfying mana. He nodded approvingly.
"Storage Stones live up to the hype. Solid performance."
Sure, it was his own mana inside, but for a guy scrambling to fix his body fast, it didn't matter. He pocketed the stone and pondered.
Alright, Storage Stones secured... what about the rest?
He eyed the rings and gold bars piled high, weighing his options.
Hauling it all would be a pain.
Leaving it? Even in this deserted corner of Valhalla grounds, it felt risky. Reburying? Digging again would suck.
"Sigh..."
After agonizing over it, he made up his mind: pocketed some small gems and easy rings, then buried the annex again.
Better than getting caught.
And so, shoveling till nearly dawn, Kim Joo-hyuk fully reburied it.
"Ah, fuck this shit~ Never digging again...!"
Cursing up a storm, he trudged back to the dorm.
In the classroom.
"Tell me."
"Tell me, you little shit, come on~"
"Tell me."
"No more 'please tell me'?"
"Please tell me."
"Nah, fuck that~"
Trading barbs with Choi Ah-rin, now a tiresomely familiar routine, Kim Joo-hyuk closed his eyes wearily.
I'm gonna die...
He was paying the price for last night's manual labor under the moonlight.
Muscle aches everywhere.
Unbelievable.
His body getting sore from "a bit much" shoveling? Kim Joo-hyuk marveled anew, mentally revising his training schedule.
He'd planned body conditioning after raiding the annex anyway.
"Please tell me."
But Choi Ah-rin wouldn't even give him time to think, yapping away.
"Please tell me."
"..."
"Please tell me."
"..."
"Please tell me."
"Why?"
"Tell—?"
Choi Ah-rin, caught off guard by his actual response, clamped her mouth shut mid-word.
Kim Joo-hyuk pressed her again.
"Why ask me to tell you?"
Honestly, at first he hadn't cared. But after a week of her nonstop chatter by his side, he was curious now.
"I just... don't get it?"
Kim Joo-hyuk was damn proud of his packed first week at Valhalla.
Day one: nothing, thanks to his body's state.
From day two: nightly annex raids, sneaking out windows with a shovel—not the front gate—full ninja mode.
What about before nightfall? Researching this world, three hundred years on.
Blessedly, his body's ingrained knowledge made laptops no issue.
Weeks of searches netted tons of info, revealing the five great families were even bigger deals than he'd thought.
"Can't your family just tell you?"
Choi Ah-rin didn't hesitate.
"No. I gotta learn from you."
"Why?"
"'Cause I've never seen anyone wield a glaive better than you."
Kim Joo-hyuk blinked blankly, then chuckled, amused.
"You really think that?"
Nod.
She nodded firmly at his probing tone, no second thoughts.
"What about your dad?"
"...Dad?"
"Yeah. Isn't he the head of the Choi family, who mainly use glaives? Wouldn't he be better than me?"
Choi Ah-rin opened her mouth to reply—but
"Kim Joo-hyuk, to the faculty office."
Unfortunately, their homeroom teacher Kim I-gun's sudden entrance and call cut her off.
"Faculty office?"
Kim Joo-hyuk answered lazily.
Kim I-gun eyed him distastefully but sighed, resigned.
"Yes. About that thing you asked for last time. Don't wanna hear it?"
"Oh, that's good news? Gotta hear it then."
Perking up instantly, he stood and headed for Kim I-gun.
"Ah..."
Choi Ah-rin stared at his back, pouting unconsciously.
But.
"Tomorrow, 6 a.m., training grounds."
"...?"
"Don't wanna? Fine."
His parting words made her eyes widen.
Nod!
She nodded vigorously in response.
In the faculty lounge.
"Next class soon, so I'll make it quick. First, access to the 'Constellation Room' you mentioned? Approved."
"Great news."
Kim Joo-hyuk grinned.
But Kim I-gun's face stayed stern.
"But only down to basement level 1."
"Basement 1?"
"Yes. Regrettably, no basement 2. Got it?"
He drew a firm line.
Kim Joo-hyuk shrugged.
"Whatever, fine."
"?"
"Why the face?"
Caught off guard, Kim I-gun coughed awkwardly.
"No, nothing."
Truth be told, he'd braced for complaints about no basement 2.
...Huh?
Kim Joo-hyuk's easy acceptance left him nonplussed.
"Anyway, pick a day to enter. When?"
"Strike while the iron's hot—today work?"
"No, not today. Tomorrow, maybe."
"Tomorrow it is then."
Kim Joo-hyuk stayed casual.
Watching him, Kim I-gun wondered anew why he wanted in—but shook it off.
Approval was given, even if just basement 1. No need to pry.
Plus, he hated hassle.
"That's all. Head back. We'll do Constellation Room access after tomorrow's classes."
"One question before I go?"
"Shoot."
"If I hypothetically went to basement 2, I wouldn't be a criminal, right?"
"Obviously. But you'd get expelled for it. Though if you did, worry less about expulsion and more about your body."
"Why?"
"Getting near basement 2? The constellations' mana would drive you mad before any expulsion."
Kim Joo-hyuk's face lit up with interest.
"Ah, got it. Heard what I wanted—I'm out."
Grinning hugely, he left the lounge.
"...What the?"
Kim I-gun stared at the empty spot, unease prickling.
And.
"You're Kim Joo-hyuk?"
Heading back to class, Kim Joo-hyuk scowled at the ones blocking his path.
"What the hell are you thugs?"