First Day of Enrollment (2)
Pi Yu-jun already knew. Do-gyeol's bizarre antics, staying alone in the Yeonmu-jang. Though imperfect, that momentary output must have surpassed anyone in this classroom. And that wasn't all. In Training Ground 3, the guy had pulled in the surrounding environmental yeong-ryeok like it was his own. Coincidence? Or talent? He wanted to confirm it. That's why he'd applied this brutal pressure from the very first lesson.
'And a perfect excuse had come up just in time.'
But Do-gyeol was holding out. No, he was sucking up the released yeong-ryeok like a fish in water.
'Guess it wasn't a fluke.'
He'd confirmed the guy could do it at will, whenever he wanted. But the truly astonishing part wasn't the act itself. Every sorcerer's yeong-ryeok had its own unique wavelength and properties—like a fingerprint. Absorbing someone else's carelessly usually triggered a rejection reaction.
'Even diluted to minimize danger...'
If there'd been even a hint of trouble during absorption, he planned to intervene immediately. The goal was education, not killing.
Yet Do-gyeol's expression was serene. His complexion was even improving, as if a weight had been lifted from his chest.
'And he's even controlling the flow.'
He was circulating the absorbed yeong-ryeok through his entire body. Not yet on the level of those prestigious family prodigies, but far more adept than the rest who couldn't even handle basic yeong-ryeok manipulation. Was this really the guy who'd shut the door and stumbled in during the first trial? Like someone who'd never ridden a bike suddenly mastering a unicycle with ease.
The test was over. Pushing further would just waste time.
Whoosh!
Pi Yu-jun lightly swung his arm, and the yeong-ryeok filling the classroom vanished in an instant.
"Urk!"
"Guh! Keuk!"
"Gah! *Cough cough*!"
Vomiting sounds erupted here and there. Some collapsed onto desks from hyperventilation; others had already passed out. Even Kang Hak and Baek Seo-rin looked drained. Nae-hoheup was grueling, gnawing at both stamina and mental fortitude.
But Do-gyeol was fine. His eyes, red-rimmed just moments ago, now sparkled with vigor.
'What the hell. The chat was freaking out about him dying, but he's totally unfazed?'
One guy puking his guts out behind the bleachers muttered at the sight.
"What the fuck is with that dude? He's fine? Weren't they saying he couldn't even imprint a talisman earlier?"
"Maybe he was just holding his breath?"
"If that's holding your breath, imagine his lung capacity. He could dive in Jeju and farm haenam oysters."
At that moment, Pi Yu-jun spoke up.
"You all felt it, right? That's real yeong-ryeok manipulation. Combat's nothing like practice."
Aha! So this was the yeong-ryeok manipulation lesson?
By the time Do-gyeol realized it, the fainted students had regained consciousness thanks to Pi Yu-jun and were listening to his voice.
"That nae-hoheup you learned outside? No way sitting comfy on a cushion meditating is the same as breathing with a knife to your throat."
The students fell silent as clamped clams. They'd all felt their usually smooth yeong-ryeok circulation stuttering under that pressure—how could they argue?
"The terror you felt today is why you can't dismiss yeong-ryeok manipulation as basic. You need to master it far better than now to maintain nae-hoheup without wasting energy when it counts. Don't slack on the fundamentals—practice steadily."
Pi Yu-jun waved his hand. The students flinched reflexively.
"What're you jumping for? Class ends here. You've drained yourselves on nae-hoheup, so head to the Dormitory assignments and crash."
*
The trek to the Dormitory was quite a hike. The vast grounds played a part, but mostly it was the students shuffling like zombies, legs turned to jelly.
"Um..."
A poke on his shoulder made Do-gyeol whip around.
"You're the guy who sat front row earlier, right?"
It was a cute girl with medium-length hair.
She glanced around slyly, then whispered with sparkling eyes.
"You seemed more chill than Kang Hak or Baek Seo-rin back there. You swim or something?"
First time. In this academy, a peer—a girl, no less—approaching Do-gyeol first. With such friendly eyes, too. His lips curled into a grin before he knew it.
"Nah, not swimming. Just trained pretty hard on yeong-ryeok manipulation myself."
"Whoa! So you weren't holding your breath! Then... special admission for yeong-ryeok manipulation?"
"Special admission?"
"Yeah. Like a prodigy in it?"
What the hell.
"Nah, just got an invite outta nowhere. Dunno if that's special."
"Aw, playing coy~ Anyway, nice to meet ya! I'm Yun Ga-eun. What's your name?"
"Do-gyeol."
"Gyeol! Cute name!"
Yun Ga-eun beamed.
"Oh, we're here!"
Following her gaze, Do-gyeol turned to see an elegant hanok building.
*
"This welfare is insane!"
Do-gyeol flopped onto the bed.
"Looked like a hanok from outside."
Sure, the interior was sleek hanok style too. Plush luxury bed, blindingly clean oversized tub.
"Beats a five-star hotel."
The luggage he'd entrusted to the academy was neatly placed in the corner.
"Nice."
As tension melted away, class events resurfaced—mostly thanks to the nonstop chatter in his peripheral vision.
"Got it, got it. Quit the nagging. I'll be careful next time, for real."
Do-gyeol sighed deeply and spoke.
"Look, think about it. First time on a skateboard, skills suck. But every kickflip lands perfect. You gonna go 'could get hurt, better quit'? Nah, you're like 'holy shit this rules!' and keep going."
"Yeah! Hurt bad, regret it. But you stopping midway? And am I an idiot? Felt anything off, I'd spit it right out. But it felt good."
Then a more serious message popped up.
The tone was dead serious. More detailed and brutal than the prior organ transplant analogy. Do-gyeol got it intellectually. Pure concern fueling the nagging. But it hadn't felt dangerous at all to him! If it had, he'd have expelled it like he'd learned!
"So teach me to master it perfectly already. Then I can use it safely."
24-hour maintenance. Back to square one. Manageable awake with focus, but asleep? Game over. Unconscious control was beyond him yet.
"No way! How the hell do you maintain while sleeping...!"
Wait. He might know a way to maintain in sleep.
Do-gyeol's eyes lit up. Prior chat tip: Think it'll kill you if you lose it. And today's lesson: Sorcerers breathe via yeong-ryeok.
'This is why people gotta learn shit.'
His grin stretched ear to ear. Let's see. Something perfect right here.
Rummaging his luggage, duct tape suddenly appeared in Do-gyeol's hand.
"What bullshit. Why would I kidnap anyone. Duct tape's the ultimate when you need it outta nowhere, so I brought it."
Do-gyeol ripped open the duct tape roll.
"I drop yeong-ryeok when I sleep. So tape nose and mouth shut. Nae-hoheup fails asleep? Suffocate and die, or fight to live and restart it. One or the other."
Do-gyeol calmly taped over his nose and mouth.
'Time to sleep.'
How much time passed in slumber?
'Mmph! Mmph!'
Rip!
"Gaaah...! *Cough cough*...!"
Tears welled as he reflexively tore off the tape.
"Hah... hah..."
No good. Can't rip it off like that. Tie hands too. Then even waking, he'd desperately cycle nae-hoheup.
'Let's see who wins, me or you.'
Do-gyeol pressed the tape firm again, wrapping arms tight to his body.
'Never happened, you maniac...'
Do-gyeol seized his scattering yeong-ryeok again and plunged into deep sleep—no, deep training.