The Cruel History of Group Projects - 7
After wrapping up a vigorous round of sex at the training ground, I handled the cleanup and returned to my studio apartment. Baek Seol-hee was so shaken by the unfamiliar experience that it took her a while to collect herself, but as expected of a former hunter, her recovery was swift.
Her face flushed crimson at the shameless display she'd shown me, and Baek Seol-hee fled the training ground. "See you tomorrow morning, sis!"
"!?"
Baek Seol-hee flinched mid-escape at my shout. She paused, glanced back, hesitated, then waved before disappearing.
I wondered what kind of face she'd show me tomorrow. Carrying that small spark of anticipation, I returned to my place. With my plans mostly finalized, it was time to verify exactly what I'd gained.
When an Awakened gains a new special ability, their physical stats rise along with it. How each person perceives and utilizes that ability differs. Some only understand it by using it in real combat, while others get a vague intuitive sense. This time, it was the latter.
I retrieved the Elf's dagger that sat neatly displayed in the corner of my room. The reason was simple: ordinary kitchen knives couldn't pierce my Rigid Body.
Among everything I currently possessed, this was the only edged weapon capable of cutting through it. I drew the dagger in my right hand and lightly slashed the tip of my finger. After a brief sting, a bead of blood welled up.
If my self-healing ability was working properly, a wound like this should have closed instantly. Yet the injury from the Elf's dagger showed no sign of recovery. After waiting a moment, the bleeding stopped and the cut closed.
I felt my temporarily paralyzed self-healing ability reactivate. 'Roughly ten seconds? Does it reset too?'
I cut my left index finger and timed it. Then, at the nine-second mark, I sliced my middle finger as well.
'It does reset.' The wound on my index finger remained open even after ten seconds. But once ten seconds passed after cutting the middle finger, both wounds vanished cleanly, leaving only faint traces of blood.
"Whew."
I let out a sigh of relief. The new special ability gained from sleeping with Baek Seol-hee seemed to temporarily suppress an opponent's healing power. It would likely give me an edge against high-regeneration monsters like trolls or slimes.
Come to think of it, Ji-ah had said I'd need it. It was safe to assume the opponent appearing on the final day of the workshop possessed powerful regenerative abilities. For now, I needed to report this to Lee Ji-ah.
The thought of telling the woman I wanted as my lover that I'd had sex with someone else left a complicated feeling in my chest. I knew it was necessary, yet I couldn't shake the sense that maybe this wasn't right.
When I dialed Ji-ah, her voice answered after a few rings.
"Hello? Hyun-do?"
"Yeah, it's me. What are you doing right now?"
"I was working on the assignment for a bit."
"Really? Should I call you back later?"
"No, it's fine."
"I have something to tell you."
"You did it, didn't you?"
"...That's right. It seems to temporarily block the healing ability of anyone I injure."
"It's just as I thought. Let's organize the situation. You've now awakened three special abilities, Hyun-do. Rigid Body, self-healing, and healing paralysis. Correct?"
"Yes. I tested it on my own body."
"Did it hurt? Are you okay? Should I come over?"
"No, I only cut my fingertips so it didn't hurt much. The effect wore off after some time. About ten seconds? If I inflict another wound before the ten seconds are up, it seems to reset the duration."
"So it's not something that paralyzes healing with a single strike. And you're taking good care of the Elf's dagger, right? You haven't lost it?"
"Of course. It's safely stored in my room."
"It's not common knowledge, but elf weapons are designed to affect intangible entities. They're effective against formless monsters like ghosts or slimes, so keep that in mind."
"They didn't mention that when I had the engraving modification done?"
"I know because I've experienced it firsthand."
"Understood. In that case, I should carry it with me at all times."
"Try not to let it leave your person if possible. We'll discuss the details tomorrow when we meet."
"Okay. I'll message you the time and place."
"Ji-ah."
"Yes?"
"...Never mind. Keep up the good work on your assignment."
"Thank you. See you tomorrow?"
Beep. Beep.
I set the smartphone down. Ji-ah already knew everything but never mentioned Baek Seol-hee. It was probably proof she didn't want to hear the details.
I'd almost apologized for sleeping with Baek Seol-hee, but I kept my mouth shut. I shouldn't feel guilty toward Ji-ah for having sex with other women. The best repayment I could give her was to survive by any means necessary.
. . . . . .
Several days passed. Nothing particularly unusual happened in my daily life aside from having frequent sex with Baek Seol-hee. I kept the adjusted daily routine I'd created to grow closer to her unchanged.
To summarize my day: morning jog with Baek Seol-hee, classes and academics in the morning and afternoon, workshop preparation and survival planning after lectures, then heading home to wash up and sleep.
The only real change was how Baek Seol-hee's attitude toward me had shifted. When I arrived at our morning jogging spot, she'd deliberately stretch in ways meant to show off her body to me. The sight of her spreading her legs in my direction while warming up made my cock twitch more than once or twice.
While running she'd keep stealing glances at my body and swallowing hard. She probably thought I wouldn't notice, but when someone who used to be perfectly composed suddenly couldn't keep her eyes still, how could I miss it?
After thoroughly feasting her eyes on me, Baek Seol-hee would flush bright red and pick up the pace. She seemed to be trying to burn off her heated body through exercise.
During our one-on-one sparring, she started finishing me off with joint locks again. At first I prepared to roll with the throw, but the next thing I knew I was planting a deep kiss on the training ground floor.
What came after was the real problem. Joint techniques require close body contact by nature. In that position where one person completely dominates the other while pressed together, Baek Seol-hee began making subtle sexual appeals.
She'd grind her hips while mounted on my back, or while applying an armbar she'd bury my arm between her breasts and kiss my fingers. At my age, full of youthful vigor, when the beauty I'd turned into a woman was actively seducing me, there was no way I could hold back.
Our days fell into a pattern of warming each other up during the morning jog, then naturally flowing into sex after sparring.
But today was different. Baek Seol-hee gladly accepted my request for a mock battle with our entire group. The moment we opened the training ground door, an overwhelming pressure hit us.
Baek Seol-hee stood in the center of the training ground, radiating intimidation as she waited. "...Um, Hyun-do? Did something happen between you and the professor? The mood feels pretty heavy."
"I don't know either."
Eva sunbae whispered in my ear, but I genuinely had no idea. The three of us from our group stepped into the same training ground where Baek Seol-hee and I usually sparred one-on-one.
We'd changed into training clothes, but Baek Seol-hee was in full combat gear. The tightly fitted two-button black suit made her look less like a hunter and more like a female bodyguard from a movie.
Not a single inch of skin was exposed, and she wore black leather gloves. I recognized the outfit. From what I'd heard, every thread and button was crafted from gate-sourced materials. It might look like ordinary fabric at first glance, but it was supposedly durable enough to withstand attacks from most Awakened without a scratch.
It had been her trademark look during her active hunter days. The Baek Seol-hee before us now wasn't the noona who showed me her lewd and innocent sides. She was a battle-hardened veteran.
When our eyes met as I entered, Baek Seol-hee withdrew her oppressive aura. Her faintly smiling eyes overflowed with motivation.
'Ah, is this because of me?'
She seemed fully intent on putting us through the wringer. Maybe it was my imagination, but I thought I saw her huff with renewed determination.
The only one in our group who could withstand that motivated pressure was Ji-ah. As if it were nothing, she casually entered the training ground, set her things down, and began stretching.
"Ji-ah, you're really okay with this?"
"Hm? With what?"
"Professor Baek Seol-hee looks like she's gone into full combat mode to thoroughly train us."
"It's fine. We've tried to kill each other before, so this is nothing."
"......Pardon?"
Ji-ah whispered softly and continued warming up. Questions flooded my mind. I wanted to ask what she meant, but confirming things with Baek Seol-hee took priority. I'd ask later.
"Then let's begin. Show me what you've prepared."
"Ah, yes. Understood. Everyone, to your positions!"
When I answered Baek Seol-hee with more formal politeness, she made a slightly discontented face.
'We're not alone. We should keep some professional boundaries, shouldn't we, sis?'
I somehow swallowed the words rising in my throat and picked up the practice axe.
We were utterly destroyed by Baek Seol-hee. You're way too motivated, noona.