Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: The Heroine Saves the World
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"Let's head inside first."
Kang Han took the lead, stepping into the training ground.
Even as everyone filed in behind him one by one, the lounge area felt not just spacious but downright vast, with echoes bouncing off the walls from their voices.
"Damn, it's huge."
Jang Su-ho muttered, his eyes darting around like he didn't know where to look.
"To think the day would come when our guild gets a training ground this nice."
Lee Yu-eul was practically buzzing with excitement, unable to hide her emotion.
"Those rooms all seem to be sub-spaces."
Han Ji-seong pointed out the array of specialized training areas connected by transparent doors in every color imaginable.
"I did commission the sub-space expansion work..."
Is Seong Yona seriously not even trying to hide who she is?
Not just anyone could create a constantly accessible, large-scale sub-space like this.
If regular D-rank Awakeners had that kind of ability, Seoul's real estate prices would've tanked ages ago.
You could take a tiny plot of land and expand it endlessly with a sub-space.
"Shall we take a slow tour around?"
I stood in the center of the lounge, right by the entrance, and surveyed the new training ground.
"The sub-space partition walls are all glass, so you can see everything inside from here."
It was the perfect layout for keeping an eye on any potential issues.
No more incidents like Han Ji-seong holing up in a back room, tinkering alone until he nearly lost control.
This was especially crucial for the Justice Guild, where everyone's abilities were still unstable.
"From the outside, it looked kinda like pizza slices, but inside it's way bigger and more square!"
Lee Yu-eul exclaimed after opening the door to the basic physical training room.
"This is straight out of Harry Potter or something."
Stepping inside, the sub-space felt even more expansive.
"Beats the Association's training ground."
"Yeah. No need to watch our backs here."
The twins chimed in, probably recalling their last visit to the Association.
Those Titan Guild bastards.
Thinking about how much Lee Yu-chan suffered that day, I couldn't muster anything nice to say.
And it reminded me why I'd hired Seong Yona to build this training ground in the first place.
"Why watch out for anyone? This is all Justice Guild territory."
At my words, everyone seemed lost in thought for a moment.
One thing they all had in common: their shoulders, tense like they were visiting someone else's guild up until now, finally relaxed.
And so, we began our full tour of the new training ground.
"Starting from the right: guild leader's lightning utilization training room, Lee Yu-chan's archery training room, basic physical training room, combat simulation room, and then the mana recovery room that doubles as a focused meditation space, perfect for Han Ji-seong and Jang Su-ho."
I didn't bother explaining to the guild members, but I'd splurged a bit more on two rooms in particular.
The first was Kang Han's training room.
To absorb S-rank lightning without damaging the surroundings.
And the second was the simulation training room, which took up the most space.
It looked empty now, but controlling the device by the door could transform the space beyond into caves, glaciers, jungles—any dungeon environment.
"Whoa, it's got everything we need."
"But unnie, what's that door over there?"
Lee Yu-eul pointed to the door on the left side of the entrance.
"That's Han Ji-seong's dedicated research lab."
"I get my own research room in the training ground?"
Han Ji-seong looked at me in surprise.
"Yep. Sleep in your room upstairs, but do your research down here. You know why."
I wasn't going to watch him collapse and lie there powerlessly spiraling out of control again.
"It might feel intrusive without much privacy, but that's the trade-off. At least it's not fully transparent like the others—I had it done in semi-opaque glass."
"...Thanks."
Han Ji-seong averted his eyes a bit awkwardly and gazed at his new lab.
He'd looked like a frozen ice sculpture at first, face muscles and all, but after spending time together, I could tell he was pretty thrilled about having a lab.
"And this lounge is designed to aid stamina recovery, so after training, take a quick break here before heading upstairs."
I settled into the plush, oversized sofa I'd specially picked out.
Prime spot with a clear view of every training room.
This was my reserved seat from now on.
"Time to start training right away."
Kang Han said, shrugging off his jacket.
Spurred by him, the other guild members began stretching or heading to their preferred rooms.
Oh, right.
Almost forgot.
"Don't forget to come out for heals from me now and then!"
"Huh? We're not gonna get hurt training though?"
Lee Yu-eul's eyes went wide, like 'You want us training so hard we actually get injured?'
"You don't have to get hurt to need a heal. Keep training with low stamina and you'll get hurt— this is preventive."
Plus, I needed practice with my healing skills too.
The system's hint had been straightforward.
Practice physical healing and dark purification—a lot.
Rack up proficiency to escape that shitty 'Beginner I' level.
In other words, this training ground was for the entire Justice Guild.
Including me.
"Ahh, this is the life."
I grabbed a fluffy cushion and blanket, fully reclining into my spot.
Meanwhile, the guild members were busy adapting to the new facilities.
Kang Han, Lee Yu-chan, and Han Ji-seong headed to their personal rooms, while Jang Su-ho and Lee Yu-eul went to the basic physical training room with its heavy equipment.
"Real gym rats, these guys."
Yeah, train hard and get strong fast, everyone.
The road ahead was long, kids.
"Guess I'll catch a quick nap."
The aftermath of guiding Han Ji-seong yesterday still lingered—my bones felt chilled and achy.
I pulled the blanket higher and suddenly thought of Seong Yona.
'Looks like she started out half-assing it but got way too into it and ended up creating a masterpiece without realizing.'
If she'd delivered sub-spaces this insanely good for the price on other jobs, she'd be famous already.
Finding an ability user named 'Gu A-ri' had been a nightmare at first.
Had to scour the internet top to bottom.
"Now I owe her one."
With that image of Seong Yona's terrified face fresh in my mind, I drifted off to sleep.
Pzzt, pzzt, boom! Kwang!
Loud explosions kept bursting from Kang Han's training room.
Even muffled by the training ground's heavy soundproofing, it was this intense—what must it be like for his eardrums?
Nah.
S-ranks probably have tough eardrums too.
Every time he incinerated and detonated virtual monsters spawned by the sub-space with lightning, Kang Han's brown hair whipped around, golden waves flickering in his green eyes.
He used to only fire straight-line attacks before, but now the lightning flowed fluidly along his sturdy arms' movements.
'That face and back are pure fanservice.'
Lotto aside, Kang Han's handsome face and killer body were fueling my motivation these days.
He wasn't the only one fired up about training.
Lee Yu-chan's obsession with training outstripped everyone else's.
Before I half-jokingly nagged him, 'Keep that up and you won't grow any taller!' like a curse, he'd pulled all-nighters shooting arrows several times.
'What grudges is that little guy holding onto?'
I'd freaked out seeing his fingers torn up, bowstring stained red with blood.
After a few days of moderation, he was now nailing moving targets dead center every shot.
Skill reawakening was still at [Possible], but at this rate, it wouldn't be long.
The whole guild practically lived in the training ground like that.
"Why, huff, do I, heave, have to do this too?"
Fuck, this is brutal.
My legs shook stepping on the endless stair machine Jang Su-ho called the 'Stairway to Heaven.'
"I could just, huff, practice heals, heave, without this...!"
Keep this up and I'll ascend to heaven before stopping the apocalypse.
I tried to bail, but cold fingers suddenly gripped my collar.
"Didn't you tell me the same thing, Nayeo-ju-ssi? Mages need stamina too. Healers included."
The height and raw strength gap was too much—I flailed but couldn't break free.
"Work out hard to stay healthy, Nayeo-ju-ssi."
This guy's just dragging me down because he doesn't want to suffer alone.
Payback for me nagging him into cardio!
"Just ten more minutes."
Han Ji-seong's long white fingers mercilessly hit the +10 button.
"I could just buy stamina-boosting items..."
"Nayeo-ju-ssi."
"Fine, fine. Got it."
Easy for you to say.
I'm exercising because it's unfair!
Definitely not because Han Ji-seong's glare scared me!
"Fuuuuck..."
I started climbing toward heaven again.
Ahh, I can see Mom and Dad.
Then, my phone, shoved aside in a corner, started ringing.
Trrrrrrr— Trrrrrrr—
"Whoops, phone's ringing!"
I slammed the machine to a stop and grabbed it, feeling Han Ji-seong's glare.
Whatever.
Phone's ringing.
"Now, who could be calling me~?"
Right now, I'd even happily pick up Yu Myeong-hwa's persistent recruitment pitch from Camellia Guild.
"Let's see, caller ID..."
"This is an important call."
It was from Jeong Je-hwa, the Maestro Guild's guild leader.