Chapter 71: Yang Energy (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 71: Yang Energy (1)
A heavy fatigue weighed on me.
I slowly opened my eyes and sat up in bed.
Then, I quickly checked...
“Ah.”
It was a good morning.
Truly.
Really, nothing was wrong.
I let out an unconscious sigh.
Thankfully, the worst-case scenario hadn't come to pass.
Before going to sleep, I'd taken the precaution of suppressing the yang energy in my body.
The heat that had spread throughout my body felt noticeably more subdued than yesterday.
“It's only temporary, though...”
I'd only suppressed it for the time being; I would need to regulate it properly soon.
Right now, my situation was like a volcano that could erupt at any moment.
I got out of bed and started to stretch.
This morning was a little more relaxed.
I'd woken up early as usual, but there was no morning workout with Yu Hana.
That was because she had started her seclusion training in the Yu Family's secret armory.
When I turned on my watch, a message that had arrived earlier caught my eye.
[OnE]: Hae-in, hello? By the time you see this, I hope it means you've woken up safely.
[OnE]: When you wake up and see this, please contact me at this number.
When I saw the message and called, her attendant was the one who answered.
She said that Yu Hana had gone straight into training the moment her treatment was finished.
‘Fast.’
Compared to the original story, this was much sooner than I expected. Perhaps she'd found a clue to her growth during the decisive battle with the Apostle.
This was a good sign. I didn't know how long it would take, but I truly hoped she would achieve some satisfactory growth.
I closed the watch.
Now, it was time to attend class for the first time in a while.
I left the dormitory a little later than usual and walked slowly.
The sensation of walking across campus in the calm morning air felt new.
It was only now, after the Apostle subjugation, that the reality of returning to daily life truly sank in.
The time was exactly 9 a.m.
I opened the classroom door. I slowly scanned the room.
As always, the classroom was filled with the students' fresh, vibrant atmosphere.
But amidst that familiar backdrop, unfamiliar faces flickered past my eyes.
‘Huh?’
Two people.
Yoon Chae-ha.
And Joo Seo-jun.
Joo Seo-jun was easy to spot, chatting energetically with other students in the front row.
He looked quite natural, playfully tapping his classmate's shoulder.
Yoon Chae-ha, on the other hand, was in the corner by the back door, a seat slightly away from the window.
She was slumped over her desk there.
I couldn't see her face, but her long, golden hair made it clear it was her.
I smiled to myself.
As expected, the personality I'd set for her hasn't gone anywhere.
I slowly came to a stop behind her.
In that instant, Yoon Chae-ha's shoulders seemed to tremble slightly.
“!”
She suddenly sat up and turned her head toward me. Our eyes met.
I gave a small smile and a slight wave.
“Long time no see.”
Today, instead of my usual seat by the window, I headed for the one next to Yoon Chae-ha, in the back by the door.
“You picked Class B?”
It seemed the supplementary classes for the transfer students from Carlos were over.
Now, it was time for them to be assigned to their respective classes as official members of Gaon.
They would have been able to choose their desired class and major based on their grades.
No one could have beaten her, not with the purpose she had. She probably took first place.
“Yeah.”
It was a short reply.
Immediately after, she expressionlessly held up a single finger.
Her attitude was strangely dry, but it was an unmistakable boast.
“First place.”
Yoon Chae-ha stared at me for a moment, scanned me from head to toe, and then asked quietly.
“Your body... are you okay?”
“For now.”
I answered nonchalantly. Yoon Chae-ha hesitated for a moment, then let out a small sigh.
“I was going to visit you in the hospital.”
“Hm?”
“After I heard you'd been hospitalized.”
She added, averting her gaze slightly.
“They said you were seriously injured because of some incident, but even the professors didn't seem to know anything. I finally managed to find the hospital and get there, but...”
Just then, I felt a powerful gaze from somewhere.
A distinct sensation prickled the back of my neck.
I slowly turned my head.
My usual spot, the corner seat by the window.
Cheon Yeo-wool was sitting there.
A devastated expression.
She was looking at me as if she'd lost her entire world.
‘Why is she sitting there...?’
With that kind of look on her face.
But it couldn't be helped. If I sat next to Cheon Yeo-wool now, I would become more conscious of her than necessary.
Completely against my will. It would just be an unavoidable physiological reaction caused by my yang energy.
Yoon Chae-ha must have followed my gaze, because she leaned in close and whispered quietly.
“She's the one who, on the first floor, stopped me.”
‘I figured.’
It was strange that she was the one to stop her, but someone had to.
The floor I was hospitalized on was where all the injured personnel from various groups were being treated.
The details of the battle with the Apostle were still classified, so even if it hadn't been Cheon Yeo-wool, she would have been stopped by security.
Yoon Chae-ha continued, her brow furrowed.
“But if I was the type to be stopped just because someone tried, I wouldn't have gone in the first place.”
Then she added in a low voice.
“So I teleported somewhere on the top floor.”
‘What?’
I take back what I said about her being stopped by security.
“The problem was, that place also had... an illusion barrier where you could become eternally lost if you let your guard down for a second. In the end, I couldn't get in.”
Yoon Chae-ha wore an expression that suggested her pride had been wounded.
She crossed her arms, stared intently at my face, and whispered in a low voice.
“What happened?”
A direct question.
It was understandable. Almost no information about this incident had been properly released.
“Um... you'll find out soon.”
It was a bit awkward for me to say it myself.
Besides, I figured the Association would make an announcement soon enough.
They wouldn't reveal everything exactly as it happened, so it was cleaner for me to align with their story.
Yoon Chae-ha looked like she was about to press me for more, but when I shook my head, she sealed her lips.
In the brief moment of silence that followed.
The classroom door opened and the instructor walked in.
A familiar gait. A relaxed demeanor.
A face I hadn't seen in a while.
It was Instructor Do Han-seong.
The students' murmuring naturally died down, and all eyes turned to the front.
His gaze swept over the classroom once before meeting mine.
“Good to see you, everyone... Oh.”
The instructor, who had been speaking, paused for a moment.
Then he broke into a smile and spoke with emphasis.
“It's been a while, Student Jung Hae-in. I was very worried, but I'm glad to see you've recovered safely.”
At his words, the students' gazes turned back to me.
They all had surprised looks on their faces.
Instructor Do Han-seong observed the atmosphere for a moment before clapping his hands lightly to draw their attention.
“Before we begin class, I have an announcement.”
The students naturally began to focus.
He seemed unusually, strangely excited.
“Finally, at long last, in two weeks' time. The official Exchange Match will be held.”
Instructor Do Han-seong continued slowly.
“This Exchange Match will consist of individual matches and a team battle.”
His head turned, and his gaze stopped on certain individuals.
“I see two of you here in Class B as well. Yes, yes.”
Joo Seo-jun grinned and raised his hand in a wave.
Instructor Do Han-seong nodded and returned to the main topic.
“First, the individual matches are simple. It's a tournament between all participants in the Place of Exchange. The important point here is that the matches will take place regardless of affiliation.”
A low murmur spread through the students at his words.
“In other words, whether you're from Gaon or Carlos, any student who has changed their affiliation to the Place of Exchange will compete without exception. Even if you currently belong to the same academy.”
That's right.
The core of the Exchange Match wasn't a simple test of skill.
It was about which academy, Gaon or Carlos, possessed the superior educational infrastructure.
Showing that off was the main objective.
That's why even students from the same academy would end up fighting each other.
Because the performance shown in those matches would be directly converted into the educational achievements of the two academies.
In short, the goal of the individual matches was singular: to determine who was number one.
“......”
Beside me, Yoon Chae-ha showed no particular reaction.
Instructor Do Han-seong spoke again.
“And second, the team battle. For the team battle, the transfer students will form teams with students from their respective new schools. Details regarding team composition will be announced soon.”
The instructor continued, one corner of his mouth lifting slightly.
“And the specific details of the team battle... are a secret.”
But there are no secrets in this world.
Well, there are, but not for me, at least.
‘The team battle...’
There wasn't anything special I needed to prepare.
This time, there would be no Mine attack, no unexpected variables.
The instructor casually dismissed the students' reactions and spoke as if dusting his hands.
“Well then, let's begin the lesson.”
He had seemed slightly excited just moments ago while explaining the Exchange Match, but as soon as class started, the instructor's mood rapidly soured.
And the students felt just as gloomy.
“Wake me up when it's over...”
The moment class began, Yoon Chae-ha buried her face in her desk.
I let out a soft sigh.
“Ah.”
“Regarding the progenitor of swordsmanship, opinions in academia are still divided, and in ancient texts—”
The instructor's explanation continued calmly.
I thought attending class after so long would be fun.
As expected, it wasn't.
-Vmm.
My watch vibrated lightly.
[1000_y]: Aren't you going to come over here?
[1000_y]: How could you do this to me ㅠㅠ
Two messages.
It was Cheon Yeo-wool.
“....”
It was obvious she was still watching me.
Without a word, I quietly closed my watch.