Chapter 149: 2nd Semester (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 149: 2nd Semester (3)
When the breathtaking kiss ended, Yu Hana gasped for air and buried her lips in the nape of my neck.
—Peck.
The searing touch was enough to make my head spin.
A few minutes passed like that.
After pressing her lips to my neck a few more times, as if to mark her territory, she finally pulled away from me.
I tried to stop her, but she was the one to break away first.
Then, she took a few steps back and stood in the center of the training ground.
“Hah… hah…”
“Hoo…”
Her cheeks were still flushed red, and her blue eyes shone with a deep intensity.
Yu Hana raised the Dongbaek Sword and looked straight at me.
“Everything I’ve gained… I want to show it all to you,” she whispered.
Her expression was filled with resolve.
For a swordmaster to reveal all their forms is no different from baring their naked body.
It could be seen as the most primal, most sensual form of seduction.
—Shing.
In the end, I could only watch, with no chance to reply, as she drew her sword.
The moment Yu Hana gripped the Dongbaek Sword, the very air around her shifted.
The red camellia petals scattered on the floor began to float as if brought back to life.
Soon, her dance began.
A sword dance.
A dance that perfectly unified the grace of the Butterfly Sword Dance I had taught her with the sharpness of the Azure Cloud Sword she inherited from her father.
Every one of her movements was painted with a coquettish and sensual allure.
I held my breath and watched it all.
It was completely different from when I’d watched her through the glass wall.
My heart pounded with every glance.
I knew, too.
How hard she must have worked to attain this level of swordsmanship.
The bone-grinding effort she must have poured into it. I could feel it all.
Finally, Yu Hana’s last form unfolded.
As she raised her sword, the thousands, tens of thousands of petals that filled the room converged at its tip.
A red sword qi, formed from the petals, became a single massive blade and sliced through the air.
『Supreme Chaos Blossoms』
It was a unique realm she had achieved. Though she was only at the threshold, she had finally forged a path of her own.
—Chwaaaaaaak!
After all the petals vanished, she calmly sheathed her sword.
Only silence remained in the training ground.
Yu Hana, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily, slowly lifted her head.
Our eyes met.
“I did well, didn’t I?” Yu Hana whispered quietly.
“You did.”
I had to admit it. It was more beautiful than any sword dance I had ever known.
At that, as if she’d been waiting, she beamed and opened her arms wide to me.
“Then hold me.”
I swallowed dryly and slowly approached her.
—Peck.
And… I held her fiercely.
*
“Ah… what is this.”
The next morning, the first thing that hit me when I opened my eyes was an excruciatingly stiff body.
I’d slept fitfully.
My whole body ached.
I hadn’t slept well at all.
The reason was simple.
I’d had sleep paralysis.
In my dream, someone was on top of me.
In the pitch-black darkness, a weight—soft and warm, yet inescapable—pressed down on my body.
No matter how I tried to move, my body wouldn't budge, as if it were pinned down.
I tried to open my eyes, but it was as if I were blindfolded. I tried to scream, but no sound came out.
I couldn’t remember much.
It had been years since I’d last experienced sleep paralysis.
“Hah…”
I massaged my stiff neck and sat up in bed.
I sometimes had nightmares like this when I was exhausted.
Between the unfamiliar environment and the recent increase in my training intensity, it seemed the inevitable had finally happened.
Still, aside from that, the penthouse’s amenities were top-notch.
The bed was as soft as a cloud, and there was even a huge, state-of-the-art kitchen. At this rate, I might even start cooking more often…
The moment I opened the bathroom door and stepped inside, I stopped in my tracks.
What in the world is this?
The space looked like it had been made by knocking down the walls of an entire room.
It was a bathroom with a view of the entire Gaon campus through a floor-to-ceiling window.
In the corner, there was even a whirlpool tub with a giant mirror mounted on the wall.
Everything was beyond my imagination.
Why was there a whirlpool tub, anyway? It was absurdly large for one person.
Well… in conclusion, it was the kind of place that motivated you to climb the rankings.
A hell of a motivator.
After washing up, I entered the dressing room.
Among the empty hangers that could hold dozens of outfits, my few articles of clothing hung there forlornly.
I picked out the most familiar one, the dress shirt I always wore.
Then, I opened the door for my first day of the 2nd Semester.
And just as I stepped into the hallway, the door to the room next to mine also opened.
It was Yohan.
“Hey,” I said, waving with a smile.
But the moment he saw me, he scowled as if he’d just bitten into a bug.
“Tsk.”
—Slam!
He clicked his tongue and went back inside, shutting the door.
A complete dismissal.
I stared at the closed door and muttered to myself.
We’re going to be seeing a lot of each other. Aren’t you just making things harder for yourself?
But I didn’t say it out loud.
Besides.
“You’ll be late.”
If he didn’t come out, he’d be late anyway.
I checked the time and realized I’d woken up later than usual because of the sleep paralysis.
I broke into a run.
Cutting through the crisp morning air, I left the penthouse complex and headed for Gaon’s main grounds.
The campus was immaculate, having been thoroughly maintained over the break.
—Whirrrr.
In the distance, a few silver magitech drones flew across the sky.
They were scanning the entire campus with their blue sensors.
The drones automatically patrolled designated areas, acting as sentinels that could detect Dungeon Breaks or newly formed Gates.
I’d probably be seeing these guys an annoying number of times during the 2nd Semester.
Unlike the 1st semester, which focused on teaching the basic knowledge and theory of being a hero, the 2nd semester would be more focused on practical training and field assignments.
It was the official start of Unit activities and dispatch missions.
And, in the original story, it was right around this time that the Mines’ attacks began in earnest.
After running for a while, the Gaon Central Hall came into view.
Before entering, I checked the time. Thankfully, I wasn’t late yet.
The hall was already packed with students.
The event hadn’t started yet.
Gaon has the system of a university, but in moments like these, it feels like a high school.
An opening ceremony? Seriously?
Still, relieved that I’d made it on time, I squeezed into a reasonably empty spot.
There were many faces I hadn’t seen in a while.
—The 2nd Semester opening ceremony will begin shortly.
The hall quieted down with the announcement, and the speeches soon began.
The congratulatory address was given by the top student of the 1st semester, Kang A-rin.
“Next, we will have a congratulatory address from the top student of the first-year class, Kang A-rin.”
At the host’s words, all eyes turned to the stage.
Kang A-rin slowly rose from her seat and walked onto the stage.
Her expression and posture were perfect, without a hint of hesitation.
It was nice to see her after so long.
Kang A-rin had also been busy all break, so we hadn’t been able to meet.
Of course, unlike with Yoon Chae-ha, we had kept in touch.
A short, powerful speech followed.
She gave a light bow and descended from the stage with ease.
With that, the ceremony concluded, and the students began to disperse to their respective classrooms.
I blended into the crowd and headed for the lecture hall where Class B was located.
It had been a while since I was in a classroom.
As usual, I headed for my designated seat in the very back.
But today, only Yoon Chae-ha was there.
Cheon Yeo-wool hadn’t arrived yet.
She was always the first one here.
“……”
I was 100% sure.
It was because of yesterday.
Yu Hana had really done a number on her.
I quietly walked over to the seat next to Yoon Chae-ha and sat down, greeting her softly.
“Good morning.”
“Yeah.”
Yoon Chae-ha replied with a nod.
The very moment I sat down and put my bag on the floor…
—Scrape.
Yoon Chae-ha’s chair slid silently from its spot toward me.
Her hip pressed perfectly against mine.
“…”
Thinking she’d been subtle, she pretended not to notice, staring straight ahead.
“You have to take care of me. Are you going to disobey Lord Bulgaram?”
She was even being brazen about it.
Before I could say anything, a familiar voice called out to me.
“Well, well, if it isn’t the Successor.”
Yoon Sang-hyeok spotted me and approached with a bright smile.
“Successor of what,” I said, smiling back at him.
To be honest, I’d been aware of him for a bit. I could feel the other students’ eyes glancing my way.
They all looked like they were dying to ask me something.
Yoon Sang-hyeok’s eyes widened when he saw Yoon Chae-ha and me.
“But… you two seem to have gotten closer, huh?”
His gaze shifted to Yoon Chae-ha, who was leaning against my shoulder, stuck to my side.
I shifted awkwardly, but Yoon Chae-ha showed no intention of moving away.
Seeing this, Yoon Sang-hyeok gave another meaningful smile before heading to his own seat.
“Later.”
It was at that exact moment.
—Creeak.
The back door of the classroom opened very quietly.
It was Cheon Yeo-wool.
But she didn’t have her usual sparkle.
Her eyes were sunken as if she hadn’t slept a wink all night, and she even had dark circles under them.
Her cheeks were an unnatural shade of red.
“Are you okay?” I asked, concerned.
A wave of heat was radiating from her body.
“Yeah…”
“Your voice is completely shot. Did you catch a cold?”
Her voice was so hoarse it was almost a metallic rasp.
“I’m fine… I just didn’t sleep well, so I’m not feeling my best…”
But Yoon Chae-ha just glanced at Cheon Yeo-wool and clicked her tongue.
“You must have been sooo sick. Groaning and moaning all through the night. I thought a ghost had shown up or something…”
At those words, Cheon Yeo-wool’s shoulders flinched.
She shot a sharp glare at Yoon Chae-ha, then managed to force out in a hoarse voice, “Be quiet…”
—Thud.
With that, Cheon Yeo-wool slammed her head down onto her desk.
