Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Coincidence for an NPC (3)
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The moment he took a step forward, Yeomyeong drew in a long breath.
He tightened his grip on the sword, held his breath, and spread mana through the gaps between his blood and muscles.
Crack!
Only after confirming Yeomyeong's movement did the monster stir. It lowered its body like a wild beast, then kicked off the ground with its hind legs and launched itself into the air.
Yeomyeong's sword traced an arc toward the monster. The beast's four front paws and sixteen claws all aimed for his head at once.
In the next instant, the wolf monster's front paw and Yeomyeong's sword grazed past each other.
"Kyaaak!"
But the one that bled was the wolf monster. One of its right front paws came clean off with a thud, spraying blood.
The severed limb flopped on the ground, its breathing growing ragged.
The monster's eyes turned bloodshot. As if entrusting everything to instinct, it bared its fangs and charged at Yeomyeong again.
The iron chain around its neck rattled loudly, and blood sprayed through the air in that moment.
Yeomyeong exhaled.
Hoo—
He didn't bother invoking the Wave Yang Art. It wasn't an enemy worth the effort.
Instead, he focused all his excess mana on his senses, imprinting the creature's form into his mind.
Muscle movements utterly unlike a human's, a repulsive twist to its mana that was eerie beyond words.
There was much to learn from the monster's movements. Insights no ordinary human could provide flashed through his head.
'Pumping mana to forcibly squeeze the heart and blood vessels, relying on regeneration... Not bad.'
The thought had barely finished when Yeomyeong swung his sword. The monster, now right in front of him, clashed its front paw against the blade.
Slash!
This time, its left paw flew off into the air. The monster thrashed wildly with its remaining limbs, not even able to scream.
'No more to learn.'
The tide turned. Yeomyeong gripped the sword with both hands and plunged toward the wolf monster.
Once, he severed the remaining paws. Twice, he slashed its chest longways. On the third, he cut its throat.
"Kyaooo!!"
But it didn't die. Ignoring its fading life, it thrust its maw toward Yeomyeong's neck.
Its gaping jaws and hideous fangs targeted him. But Yeomyeong's blade was just a fraction faster than its teeth.
Stab!
The long sword pierced straight through the roof of its mouth.
Yeomyeong didn't even need to push. The laws of inertia carried the tip right into its brain.
"Kya, kyak, kek..."
With its brain pierced, the monster shuddered for a few seconds. When Yeomyeong pulled the sword from its mouth, its body went limp.
Sheathing his blade, Yeomyeong turned to look at Man Seok-cheol. The man's scarred face was full of bewilderment.
"You had reason to be so confident... Impressive."
"Did I pass the test?"
At Yeomyeong's innocent question, the corner of Man Seok-cheol's mouth twitched up. He eyed him with a look that said, what kind of guy is this?
"Pass? With room to spare. No need for the rest of the tests."
The shock of the test monster being dead was already gone. They could always catch another one.
But talented recruits like this? You didn't find them without heaven's blessing.
"Congratulations, Cheon Yeomyeong. You're now a member of Vanguard Mercenary Corps Team 3."
Man Seok-cheol approached and clapped Yeomyeong on the shoulder. This was the kind of reward that made supervising tests worthwhile.
But in the next moment, a light voice from the entrance ruined his mood.
"Seok-cheol, your eye for people has really dulled."
Man Seok-cheol's eyebrow arched long at the voice. Without even turning, he replied.
"...Vice Captain Kim Mansu, why are you here?"
Vice Captain? Surprised by the unexpected title, Yeomyeong turned to see a burly, muscular middle-aged man leaning against the wall at the entrance, arms crossed.
"Oh, right now I'm not vice captain, I'm an instructor."
"If you're here to talk nonsense, go back."
"No, listen. Seok-cheol, let's talk about that new recruit."
Only then did Man Seok-cheol turn. A horizontal scar twisted across his contorted face.
"What about him?"
"Send that guy to Team 2, not Team 3."
"...Cheon Yeomyeong was assigned to Team 3."
"Come on, man. Team 3 means straight to Manchuria. You really gotta send a talent like that to a monster- and refugee-infested hellhole?"
"To meet the government's quota, we need to send as many members to Manchuria as possible. You know that."
When Man Seok-cheol put it that way, Kim Mansu's eyes narrowed. He glanced back and forth between Yeomyeong and the monster corpse, then let out a deep sigh.
"Just send someone else. You saw it yourself. That new guy's potential. Give him a few years in Team 2, and he'll be a Superhuman easy."
"..."
"We've only got nine Superhumans in the corps right now, including me and the captain. Add one more and we hit double digits? Then we can cross dimensions ourselves, man."
Man Seok-cheol didn't reply. He had no counterargument.
Considering the potential Yeomyeong had shown and how rare Superhumans were, the vice captain was right a hundred times over...
As his dilemma deepened, Cheon Yeomyeong tentatively raised a hand.
"Uh... does my opinion not matter?"
Both men's gazes snapped to him. It was a bold question, but Kim Mansu chuckled and fielded it.
"Of course your opinion matters, new recruit. But what's there to think about?"
He strode over to them and placed a hand on Yeomyeong's shoulder.
"I stake my vice captain authority on this. Join Team 2, and I'll hook you up with martial arts training and elixirs. I guarantee you'll be a Superhuman in three years."
Yeomyeong gave a wry smile at Kim Mansu's confident face.
'He hasn't noticed I'm already a Superhuman.'
He could understand Man Seok-cheol missing it. He hadn't let his mana show during the fight.
But this vice captain... disappointing.
Unlike Man Seok-cheol, he was supposed to be a Superhuman. To touch someone directly after becoming one and not sense if they were or not?
'The vice captain of a mid-tier mercenary corps is only this level...'
Yeomyeong subtly stepped back, slipping out from under Kim Mansu's hand.
"Uh... Vice Captain?"
"No need to be so formal. Just Kim Mansu or Mansu bro is fine."
Hard to gauge the distance with this guy. But you don't spit in a smiling face, so Yeomyeong forced a regretful expression.
"Vice Captain, I appreciate the offer... but sorry."
"...What? Sorry?"
Kim Mansu's eyebrow twitched. He even tilted his head like he'd misheard.
"You're turning down my offer?"
"Yes. I want to go to Manchuria."
Yeomyeong bowed his head to make his refusal clear.
No choice. His plan was to gain real combat experience in the corps, not receive training from some nobody Superhuman.
"Man, do you even know what kind of place Manchuria is—"
"Vice Captain. The recruit's already made up his mind."
As Kim Mansu tried to say more, Man Seok-cheol cut in.
"Don't forget you're on disciplinary duty as a mere instructor right now. Any more is overstepping."
"What? Seok-cheol, you—"
"If I report this to the captain, your next punishment won't be instructor—it'll be janitor. That what you want?"
"..."
"Cheon Yeomyeong, you'll join Team 3 as you wish and head to Manchuria. I'll handle your registration myself. Come on, let's go."
Man Seok-cheol neatly wrapped things up and led Yeomyeong out of the basement.
Kim Mansu watched the two leave with a stunned look, only snapping out of it after they were out of sight.
"Wow, shit, that guy's actually crazy."
The recruit didn't even glance back once—was he really that unbothered?
Kim Mansu let out an incredulous laugh.
Back in his day, if someone offered martial arts and elixirs, he'd have kissed their ass. Talented guys really different?
He pondered giving up, then turned to the wolf monster Yeomyeong had felled.
Severed front paws, a clean brain pierce.
Clean enough to believe a ten-year vet did it.
"Tsk, such a waste... Should I just tail them to Manchuria?"
Muttering something that'd give the captain a heart attack, Kim Mansu chased after the pair out of the basement.
***
Seti opened her eyes while lying in bed. Warm sunlight caressed her cheek over her hazy mind.
She slowly sat up and perched on the edge of the bed.
It felt like just yesterday she'd been hopping cheap motels to dodge the Korean government, but this dorm bed was fluffy like a cloud of cotton candy.
'Woke up too early...'
She stretched big, then checked the clock. 7:30. Still over an hour till orientation.
Tempted to sleep more, she shook her head.
That iron-assed dung hole—no, Mr. Yeomyeong—across the sea in Korea was probably suffering right now, and here she was craving more shut-eye.
She got out of bed and prepared for morning. Quick wash-up, laid out her uniform for orientation...
Finally, she checked her unpacked luggage.
It was light to the point of sparse. Three packs of instant ramen, a burner phone for private contact with Mr. Yeomyeong, and...
A sword wrapped in pristine white cloth.
She carefully lifted it. It was the one Yeomyeong had handed her personally, no one else.
Unwrapping the cloth slightly revealed the sun emblem engraved on the hilt.
The seal of the empire beyond the dimensional gate, now gone. Proof it wasn't from Earth.
Seti traced the emblem with her finger, recalling the moment Yeomyeong gave it to her.
—This... it's a sword from beyond the dimensional gate, right? Why give it to me?
—Seti, when you get to the academy, look for someone with a sword just like this.
—Can I ask why?
—My family's enemy might be at the academy. The only clue to track him... is that he uses a sword just like this.
His eyes had been coldly sunken as he said it, handing her the blade.
That look alone was enough for Seti. She gladly accepted it and promised to hunt down the enemy at the academy.
The problem? Finding a student using the exact same sword wouldn't be easy.
Plenty of people used swords, and above all, students rarely flaunted signature weapons instead of standard issue.
'First finish orientation, then methodically check by grade...'
As she formed her plan, the dorm door opened and a guest entered.
A girl with sparkling blonde hair, like molten gold had been poured over her.
Seti knew the face. No, everyone at the academy would.
She was the student the Holy Sword itself had brought to the academy.
Dragging a huge duffel bag with grunts, she was clearly assigned to this room.
'Of all people, my roommate...'
Seti, who'd planned a discreet school life, swallowed a sigh.
Rooming with a celebrity. Things were messed up from the start.
But in the next moment, she plastered on a business smile.
They'd be together a year, maybe three. No need to ruin first impressions.
She stowed the sword in her bag, stood, and approached the blonde girl.
"Hi? I'm Hong Seti, your roommate."
"Hek, huff, um, h-hello, hi."
Blushing on her pale face, likely from the bag's weight.
"You look like you could use a hand. Want help?"
"R-Really? You'd do that?"
The moment the girl agreed, Seti hoisted the bag. Heavy for most, but nothing for a Superhuman.
Seti easily moved it beside the bed and smiled at the girl.
"Anything else to move? I can help."
"No, no. This is it. Thanks so much."
That ended the greetings. The girl fussed awkwardly with her spot, and Seti saw no need to chat more.
About ten minutes later, the now-unpacked blonde turned to Seti.
"Um, Hong? You're... from Korea, right?"
"Yeah, came from Korea."
"Ah, thought so. Fellow countrywoman. I'm Korean too."
"...You're Korean?"
"Well, born there, but immigrated to Australia as a baby, so basically Aussie."
Liar. Seti saw through it instantly. Not her sharp eyes, but the girl's awful poker face.
Shifty eyes, trembling voice.
'...Never lied in her life?'
Seti didn't call her out.
Whatever reason for faking Korean, it didn't hurt her, so whatever.
But when the girl introduced herself, Seti couldn't help narrowing her eyes.
"Oh, Seti. I forgot to introduce myself. I'm... Miri. Soe Miri."
"...Soe as in the surname?"
"Yeah, uh... weird, right?"
Of course it's weird. Not Kim or Lee, and meeting two Soes in under a week normal?
Seti barely swallowed her thoughts and shook her head.
"No, just curious 'cause it's unique."
"R-Right? Pretty unique surname. My dad's kinda famous for it. Ha, ha..."
Amid the awkward laughter, Soe Miri broke into a cold sweat.
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