Chapter 162: Skewer (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 162: Skewer (6)
A few days passed without incident.
It would take time for Yu Serin’s detection to search the vast continent anyway.
Gaon Academy had also just begun its second semester in earnest, so nothing much was happening.
In fact, this was how I had designed this period in the original story.
It was a time for the protagonist and his companions, having weathered the major events of the first semester, to catch their breath and build their strength before moving on to the next main story.
A peaceful interlude without any major issues.
Ultimately, this period demanded the protagonist’s growth.
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[Authority: Fragment of Harmony (片鱗)]
① Shatter Evil, Reveal Justice (破邪顯正)
— Destroy that which is evil.
② ???
③ ???
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In the end, I had no choice but to follow that current.
If I had chosen Yoon Chae-ha to replace Seong Si-woo, then it was I who had to play the part of the true protagonist.
Fundamentally, the form of my second expanded Authority would be determined by the path I chose to pursue.
In that case…
‘What path am I pursuing?’
That had been my dilemma throughout the recent break.
I now stood in the deepest part of the Penthouse, in a private underground training room accessible only to the highest-ranking students.
I had reached two possible conclusions.
First, the first path.
I gripped Catastrophe tightly.
Vmm… vmm…
Reborn at the hands of Bulgaram, the jet-black spear began to hum in response to my mana.
I closed my eyes and focused my mana.
And then.
“Ghost Slash.”
I swung the spear hard toward the wall.
Swoosh!!
A jet-black spear aura erupted from the tip, tearing through space itself as it shot toward the wall.
KRA-KRA-KRA-KRA-BOOM!!
The moment the spear aura struck the wall, a deafening roar echoed throughout the training ground, leaving a massive gash in its wake.
Its power was on a completely different level from the spear aura I had used against Yu Serin during the final exams.
Back then, I had used a practice spear.
Now, I had Catastrophe.
This was my first path.
An evolution from the decade-old, outdated plan of simply taking and deflecting enemy attacks on the front lines.
An exceedingly arrogant path, centered on crushing every enemy before me.
To live up to such an arrogant path, I would have to raise my martial prowess to an insane degree.
If my original path was to be a shield for Seong Si-woo and the other main characters…
Now, there was no reason to hold a shield.
The advantage was that this path had a very high floor.
There was no need for complex calculations or coordination with others.
I would just have to pour every resource I possessed, every artifact, and every future opportunity for growth solely into myself.
By reducing my investment in the other kids and single-mindedly devouring everything for my own growth, becoming stronger wouldn't be difficult.
However.
The drawback to this path was clear.
While the floor was high, the ceiling would inevitably be low.
I risked becoming a one-trick pony, relying solely on Jung Hae-in.
I remembered what Bulgaram had said about the value of solidarity.
And… something deep inside me kept screaming.
That the end of this arrogant path would surely not be a good one.
The first method was the growth of the self.
Then what was the second?
I closed my eyes once more, withdrawing the ominous, destructive energy I had poured into Catastrophe.
Then, I roused my mana again.
This time, it wasn't a menacing mana, but a mana meant for harmony.
Five clumps of magical energy bloomed around me.
Slowly, they began to take on human forms.
I would think of these clones not as extensions of myself, but as my actual comrades.
I closed my eyes and concentrated.
There could be no room for even the slightest waver.
‘…’
When the trembling in my outstretched hand finally ceased…
I unleashed the mana of the Fragment, centering it on them.
My mana scattered throughout the training ground like a mist.
It was like… a sort of domain.
As if this entire space was now under my will.
And within that domain, I could feel everything.
Even with my eyes closed, I knew.
The positions of the clones, their next actions.
Everything was as clear as looking at the palm of my hand.
This domain of mine would serve as the ultimate catalyst, binding their disparate powers into one and amplifying their abilities.
At the same time, the power they emitted would flow back to me, making me even stronger.
This was my second method.
The path of a commander, who directs and coordinates from the center of the battlefield, not the front lines.
It was a path I had forged after long deliberation with the Old Man over the break.
The advantage…
Its potential was limitless.
I could bring out the best in all my comrades under my command, allowing their individual strengths to shine without suppressing their unique colors.
Moreover, if the Fragment were to expand in this direction, the potential outcome was something that even I, its creator, couldn't begin to predict.
But the disadvantage…
“Damn…”
I collapsed onto the floor.
At the same moment, the mist-like mana that had dominated the space vanished like a mirage.
Fwoosh…
“Hah…”
A crippling sense of exhaustion washed over me, as if every last drop of mana had been sucked from my body.
I lay on the cold floor of the training ground, gasping for breath as I stared at the ceiling.
To simultaneously tune the Fragment’s mana with my own, shape that power into a domain and spread it across the battlefield, amplify my comrades’ strength, and predict their next moves…
‘Is this even possible?’
It was… an absurd level of mana control.
A realm that was unattainable at my level—perhaps a realm no one in this world could ever realize.
In other words, the floor for this method… was a lack of realism.
It was only possible now because I was in a training ground with no interruptions, dealing with clones that moved exactly as I willed.
A real battlefield would be different.
With attacks flying from all directions, the unpredictable movements of my comrades, and the ever-changing circumstances of battle, maintaining such a sensitive domain would be next to impossible.
Ultimately, I had to choose one of the two.
Would I become a general, leading everyone while tearing our enemies to shreds?
Or would I become a commander, challenging the impossible by coordinating the strength of my comrades and dominating the entire battlefield?
I got to my feet and looked at the massive gash on the training ground wall, which was now slowly repairing itself.
Personal power.
Or the path of harmony.
This choice, I knew, would be my crossroads.
*
As usual, I finished training until my body felt like it would break.
Today, however, it wasn't in the comfortable, private training room of the Penthouse.
It’s good to change training locations every now and then for a change of pace.
So, the place I sought out today was Gaon’s massive Training Hall, used by all students.
And I even had a training partner.
“Good work.”
“Yeah… you too.”
Yu Hana was also drenched in sweat, panting heavily.
During the first semester, she and I had run together every morning, but we hadn't been able to since the second semester began.
It felt like we just sort of drifted apart, with me using the excuse that I was busy.
So, for a change, we decided to train together today.
After our session, Yu Hana and I walked out and down one of Gaon’s corridors.
The coolness of the towel soaked in cold water around my neck was a pleasant relief against my heated body.
It was then that it happened.
The massive digital screens mounted intermittently along the hallway suddenly lit up.
They were the kind of screens you’d see in a subway station, usually displaying the academic calendar or guild promotional videos.
Assuming it was just another guild ad, I was about to walk past it.
However.
— Because… this is Gaon.
A familiar voice caught my ear, and I turned toward the screen.
An image of me, filmed in the library a few days ago, was being broadcast in a very flattering light.
And next to me was Yoon Chae-ha, looking up at me with eyes full of admiration.
‘They’re actually using that picture.’
I thought it was just a concept shot for fun.
But the ad didn't end there.
The screen zoomed in, and Yoon Chae-ha’s face filled the frame.
Then, words she had spoken in her interview—words I hadn't heard—echoed from the speakers throughout the hall.
— Dating…? I’m not sure…
On the screen, Yoon Chae-ha blushed shyly as she continued.
— I think… I probably can…
What the hell is this?
“…”
Apparently, most academies other than Gaon strictly forbid romantic relationships between students.
Or they weren't co-ed to begin with.
But Gaon was different. I’d heard it was due to the founding chairman’s belief that students also grow through love.
This seemed to be one of the interviews meant to showcase that unique strength of Gaon…
But Yu Hana seemed to have a different interpretation.
“Hmph… I see.”
Her eyes flickered between the image of Yoon Chae-ha smiling brightly at me on the screen and the real me, frozen in place.
Yu Hana’s sky-blue eyes turned icy.
She slowly turned her head toward me.
Then, with a radiant smile, she asked.
“I can date too, right?”
Confirming my silence, Yu Hana took another step closer.
“Hm?”
Her finger traced its way down my forearm as she asked again.
It felt like she was demanding…
‘Answer me.’
And I was pretty sure that wasn't just my imagination.