Chapter 2: Gaon (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 2: Gaon (2)
The instructor's detached voice was my salvation.
“Your attention, please.”
“Yes, sir!”
I answered louder than anyone.
Never in my life had I been so desperate to pay attention.
“Hmph…”
She shifted in her seat, as if to say she would back down for now.
The instructor who walked up to the podium brushed back his shaggy hair and took the microphone.
His eyes held a hint of exhaustion.
“Yes… I am Instructor Do Han-seong, and I will be in charge of Class B here at Gaon for the next year. It's a pleasure to meet you.”
He cleared his throat once and slowly looked around.
“It's the first day… but there isn't much to say, really. The very fact that you're all here at Gaon is proof enough of your outstanding heroic qualities.”
Do Han-seong. The name wasn't unfamiliar. Ten years had passed, so I didn't remember everything, but I felt he'd been a fairly important character.
“Yes, anyway, today is the first day. Holding a theory class right from the start is…”
Do Han-seong trailed off, then gave a wry smile upon seeing the students' pleading eyes.
“…not happening, of course. We have something else to do today.”
The students erupted in cheers.
He turned his head, the cheers echoing behind him.
Then, he gestured at the classroom's blackboard. It split open, revealing a massive room prepared behind it.
“Whoa…”
So this is what it was like?
Even though this was the world of a game I'd developed, seeing it with my own eyes made me gasp in awe. The back of the seemingly small classroom instantly opened up, revealing a vast, dome-shaped space.
The ceiling soared so high you could see the sky, and the interior resembled an indoor stadium.
“Let's go.”
The instructor led us into the space.
Inside, where clear light poured down, many students were already gathered.
It seemed that not just Class B, but all the classes with new students had been brought together.
With one hand in his pocket, Instructor Do Han-seong continued his explanation nonchalantly.
“From Class A to J, you will all be training here. Today, you will have time to choose your weapons.”
Indeed, students from other classes were already selecting their gear. We followed suit, lining up and sitting in the seats prepared on one side of the space.
“You can either choose the same type of weapon you've used until now, or you can pick something completely different to match a recently awakened talent. It's up to you.”
Do Han-seong looked over us and continued slowly.
“However, you must remember this. Unlike before, you are all here to become heroes. I hope you will remember the weight of that responsibility.”
At that short remark, the students swallowed nervously. It was clearly a call to be responsible.
“The method is simple.”
The instructor pointed to a panel installed on one side. Next to it was a separate weapon storage room with a glass wall.
He demonstrated by placing his hand on the tag.
“Place your hand on this panel for identity verification. A notification will sound once it's complete, and then you can go inside and choose your weapon. As long as you're verified, multiple people can enter at once, so please proceed quickly.”
Do Han-seong looked up at the front row.
“Shall we have a demonstration? The student in the middle of the front row. Would you come up?”
He gestured precisely toward the protagonist sitting in the middle. The chosen protagonist, Seong Si-woo, rose from his seat and walked forward.
I watched, my heart pounding.
Please…
This was a tense moment. I didn't know what he would choose. In the original story, this is where he decides on the weapon he'll use from now on. And that choice would drastically alter the difficulty of the story to come.
What weapon should he choose?
To be honest, it didn't really matter. With any weapon, you could power through anything as long as you decked yourself out with top-tier gear and divine skills. It was a world where you could rely on your items, so to speak.
However…
Seong Si-woo's hand reached for the tag, and a sound signaled the completion.
He entered the weapon storage room as the transparent glass door opened and walked slowly past the displayed weapons.
Just please don't pick a sword.
You might find that strange. In any game or work of fiction, swordsmanship is the basic martial art. But it's different here. Swords have a short range and practically no initiative, and their performance isn't heavily influenced by the grade of the equipment or the swordsmanship style.
It's purely about physical ability. A merciless weapon whose performance and potential are determined solely by the user's talent.
He wandered around for a few laps before coming to a stop at a certain spot.
Where Seong Si-woo stood, daggers were laid out on the first display shelf, and great swords on the second.
God fucking dammit.
With a confident expression, he picked up the great sword before him and raised it high.
Well, look at him.
He looked thrilled, completely oblivious to the fact that I was dying inside.
“Hah…”
I brought my hands together and covered my eyes.
It couldn't be helped. It wasn't like I hadn't considered this possibility, so I had made some preparations.
And who knows? Maybe the protagonist is a ridiculously talented genius.
Instructor Do Han-seong gestured with a bored look in his eyes.
“Alright, come on out. Next.”
*
What is the best weapon?
It's a constant debate. There are countless types of weapons, and every user has a different style, so finding a single right answer is difficult. Some say the sword is supreme, while others insist on the bow. In truth, both could be right, and both could be wrong.
And I, too, had spent the last ten years agonizing over this question in order to survive, and I had come to a conclusion of my own.
Before me was a long spear, its sharp blade pointing upward. I had chosen it for its long reach and its versatility in switching between offense and defense.
Normally, I would have grabbed it without a second thought, but now, the situation had changed.
Should I change my mind now?
The fact that my regression was gone threw all my plans into disarray, but the weight of the spear, a feeling I'd grown accustomed to over the past ten years, was already ingrained in my fingertips.
In the end, I stopped hesitating and reached for the spear.
There's no turning back. This is the best choice. I just have to do my absolute best.
My hand was stopped.
And blocked.
Someone's hand had stopped the spear, preventing me from lifting it.
“No.”
I looked up at the familiar voice and saw Cheon Yeo-wool. She was smiling brightly, her hand clamped around the spear's shaft.
“The spear is a no-go.”
Her words left me with a strange expression. I was just about to get annoyed by her constant, nonsensical remarks. I tried to wrench the spear free, shaking off her hand.
Or rather, I tried to.
What is this strength…?
Baffled that it wouldn't budge no matter how hard I tried, I lost the will to fight and finally asked in a low voice, “Why?”
For the record, it's not that I'm weak. I'm really, truly, absolutely not.
Cheon Yeo-wool was still smiling brightly.
“Just because. It seems dangerous. Just listen to your big sis, okay?”
“What ‘big sis’…”
I was about to retort, dumbfounded, but when she tightened her grip slightly, the words died in my throat.
“Okay?”
Right, whoever's stronger gets to be the 'big sis'.
I was seriously starting to doubt if this was even Cheon Yeo-wool.
Unable to let go or pull the spear away, I could only stand there.
So this is what it feels like to be stuck between a rock and a hard place. The useless thought crossed my mind.
Just then, the clear, fresh scent of flowers wafted in from somewhere.
“Why don't you let him do as he pleases?”
Turning my head slightly, I saw a woman with flowing blue hair approaching.
A mysterious aura surrounded her, a blend of cool, sky-blue and the scent of flowers. Her presence was so striking that every eye in the room turned to her.
"I believe that trus— I mean, trusting a friend can sometimes be the greatest form of protection."
Yu Hana…?
She looked at me, gave a radiant smile, and waved elegantly, hidden from the people behind her. As if she were happy to see me.
What's with her now? Seriously.
She glanced at my spear, caught tight in Cheon Yeo-wool's grip, then covered her mouth with her hand and smiled faintly.
“And… pfft, ‘big sis’? Are you crazy?"
An old hag, maybe.
Her added words were spoken in a low voice, audible only to me and Cheon Yeo-wool.
Cheon Yeo-wool's smile seemed to crack, just a little.
“Besides, you're breaking the rules. You know that? This is trespassing.”
Yu Hana looked at Cheon Yeo-wool, still smiling.
The smile on her lips was gentle, but her eyes flashed sharply.
“Who made those rules? I couldn't care less about them.”
Still holding the spear with one hand, Cheon Yeo-wool idly fiddled with her nails on the other as she replied.
They were both smiling as they spoke, so the atmosphere seemed peaceful at a glance, but anyone as close as I was could tell.
What is this war of nerves…?
Neither of them was to be trifled with.
Were they on bad terms? I didn't think so, but then why…
Cheon Yeo-wool glared daggers at Yu Hana.
It was only then that I noticed her grip on the spear shaft had loosened.
I didn't miss the opening and this time, I decisively pulled the spear free.
“!”
Startled, Cheon Yeo-wool reached out again, but she was a moment too late.
I held the spear lightly and raised my head.
I felt confused in so many ways.
But ever since things went so wrong, I'd given up any hope that things would be resolved easily.
“I don't know why you tried to stop me…”
I said, looking at Cheon Yeo-wool.
Still, it's been ten years. A path I've contemplated and refined for a whole decade.
Whatever the context, whatever the reason, I am certain that no one understands this choice better than I do.
“I'll handle it myself.”
You all just need to accept my support and grow strong. Even without my regression, nothing changes.
Cheon Yeo-wool's gaze lingered on the spear shaft. Her fingertips hovered in the air for a moment before slowly falling to her side.
With her head lowered, her eyes wavered and her lips trembled slightly.
Her expression was strangely wistful. She hesitated as if to say something, but ultimately closed her mouth.
“I'm going.”
That was settled.
As I turned to leave, my eyes fell on Yu Hana.
She stood there, staring at the spot I had just left, her hands covering her mouth.
Her cheeks were flushed, her fingertips trembled slightly, and a suppressed breath escaped her lips as an undeniable smile spread across her face.
The blush on her face and her trembling breaths were even strangely sensual.
I did my best to pretend I hadn't seen, turning my head nonchalantly as I walked away.
There's not a single normal person here.
That was my conclusion.