Common Skill
Common Skill
My consciousness slowly returned on the cold floor.
"Ugh..."
I raised my creaking body.
The ceiling felt close.
The pleasant pressure that had been weighing on my chest was gone.
"Ah, ah."
A low, deep voice flowed out.
"I'm back."
After a brief moment of reflection, I looked down and a miserable sight entered my eyes.
The dress I had desperately torn off while gasping with pleasure was lying soaked and sticky on the floor.
"...Thank goodness."
The first time I became like this, I transformed while wearing a dress and it got torn to shreds.
Thinking about how I wasted 200,000 won back then still makes me want to cry tears of blood.
This time, I was smart enough to throw off my clothes right before being consumed by instinct.
'Yunha... come inside me... please...'
At that moment, memories from last night came flooding back - me crawling on the floor, spreading my legs toward the illusionary version of myself, begging.
"Gguueugh..."
I covered my face with both hands and rolled on the floor.
A suicidal level of shame washed over me.
***
Get a grip.
This is all because of the trait.
There's no way I'm a pervert, right?
After barely collecting myself, I picked up the damp clothing with my fingers and headed to the bathroom.
In the mirror, the now-familiar Geum Tae-yang greeted me.
Swallowing a heavy sigh, I filled the sink with water and carefully rinsed the liquids from the clothing.
The sight of this huge man standing in front of a small sink, carefully hand-washing a dress and underwear - I couldn't help but laugh bitterly, but this was a matter of survival.
***
Returning to the room, I hung the laundry to dry and turned on my phone.
"Should I recalculate my money first?"
I should have done this before transforming yesterday.
With slight regret, I opened the calculator app.
After repayment, the remaining balance was 260,000 won, plus two days' worth of single room...
"Was 1,970,000 won."
Haneul Company was 4,740,000 won yesterday, so...
"6,970,000 won."
I checked the banking app.
Fortunately, I was right.
27 days left until the next repayment date, and the shortfall is
"3,190,000 won."
...Not enough.
But unlike before, my mind was at ease.
The shortfall can be quickly made up by doing a few personal broadcasts when I become Wolha again.
The real problem isn't the repayment money now...
I opened my Status Window.
[Trait: Yin-Yang Person]
Beneath the text, instead of the familiar moon, the sun was blazing.
I'll have to go to the dungeon to get rid of this again.
It took about two weeks last time, so it should be similar this time too, right?
I also remembered the advice Kim Ha-yeon had given me.
If you go to Dungeon 2nd Floor, your income will be at least 5 times that of the First Layer.
I have Lee Yul for the party, and Lee Yul bought me equipment, so I can definitely go to the 2nd Floor.
...Huh?
Somehow I feel like I've become a kept man?
***
Turning my gaze away from the uncomfortable truth, I rummaged through the drawer and pulled out a hoodie.
It's so cool not having to wear a bra!
Honestly, it was suffocating...
After roughly putting on clothes, I went straight to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.
I gathered all the remaining ingredients and shoved them into my mouth haphazardly.
"Now I feel like I might live."
Chewing and swallowing the food, I picked up my phone.
Should I go to the dungeon with Lee Yul?
But asking to go suddenly on the same day is a bit rude, isn't it?
[I've finished all my business. Can we go to the dungeon tomorrow?]
As I was about to eat more rice, my phone rang immediately.
"...This kid doesn't sleep in."
I answered the call.
"Hello."
"Yunha-ssi! Have you finally finished all your business?!"
A voice so bright it made my ears ring.
It was Lee Yul.
"Yeah, I'm mostly done."
"Really? That's great!"
After celebrating for a moment, Lee Yul suddenly spoke cautiously.
"Then, are you busy today by any chance?"
"Today? No, I don't have anything special to do."
"Then would you like to come to an academy with me? For the Common Skill!"
Ah, that?
It sounds tempting but...
"How much does that cost?"
"Hmm... about 5 million won per month."
"5 million?!"
Crazy.
The money I earned by shaking my ass through all that hardship yesterday was 4.74 million won?
"Th-that might be difficult."
"Ah, a trial! Let's just go try it out together first.
I'll talk to the teacher in advance."
Lee Yul's voice became even brighter.
"And you should try on the equipment too!
We need to check if the size fits."
...Equipment.
"Alright. Send me the address."
"Yes!"
Lee Yul's laughter leaked through the receiver.
I hung up and quickly finished my meal.
Lying on the bed, I checked the time.
I still had plenty of time before the appointment.
Absentmindedly, I opened Gom TV on my phone.
Scrolling through the screen, I naturally looked for Suyeon's channel.
[Offline]
"..."
Confirming that the broadcast was off, a strange sense of disappointment washed over me.
...Wait.
When I was a woman, I didn't even look at or think about Suyeon's broadcasts.
Now that I'm back to being a man, are my forgotten instincts resurfacing?
The memory of dumping about 1 million won at once on Suyeon's broadcast came to mind.
I threw my phone on the bed and pulled at my hair.
"Isn't the money I have now already insufficient?"
***
In front of the building at the meeting place.
From a distance, Lee Yul in a cherry blossom-colored knit and white long skirt waved her hand.
"Yunha-ssi! Over here!"
Without the robe I saw every day, she gave off the atmosphere of a rich family's young lady.
"Ugh!"
My heart beat heavily once.
For a moment, cold energy surged up from my lower abdomen.
Get a grip, Kang Yunha.
You can suppress this much, can't you?
Suppressing the cold energy as I had done before, I approached Lee Yul.
"You're early."
"Hehe, early... Here, take this!"
Lee Yul handed me two large boxes she had placed beside her.
A familiar logo was embossed on the wrapping paper surface.
Sign Co.
A leading domestic Hunter equipment specialty brand.
"This is light armor, and this is a gauntlet!"
Lee Yul took out a gauntlet from another paper bag.
Short spikes were densely embedded in the knuckle part.
"Since Yunha-ssi fights with fists, I specially ordered it."
"This is..."
"Try it on!"
Lee Yul's eyes sparkled as she handed me the light armor.
When I roughly put the equipment over my clothes, it fit my body perfectly.
She kept eyeing me and got something like this...
I also put on the gauntlet.
When I made a fist, the spikes on the knuckles protruded, baring their teeth.
"How is it?"
"...Good."
The corners of my mouth lifted on their own.
Lee Yul smiled along with me.
"Thank you. I'll use it well."
"Yes!"
But I immediately straightened my expression.
"But... don't do things like this from now on."
Lee Yul's smile stopped.
"...Was it a bother?"
She looked up at me with an expression that seemed like she might cry any moment.
"Ah, no, it's not that! What I mean is..."
Scratching my head, I desperately squeezed out the words.
"I don't want to be in a state where I'm one-sidedly indebted to you."
"..."
"Right! I'll buy you equipment later. Let's call it even!"
Instantly, Lee Yul's eyes sparkled again.
"...So you're saying you'll gift me equipment?"
"To make it even!"
"That's the same thing.
We must go equipment shopping together later!
Promise!"
Lee Yul extended her pinky finger.
"...This is?"
"A promise!"
"So particular..."
I carefully hooked my pinky finger.
"We promised, right?"
Lee Yul smiled brightly.
I felt like I'd been thoroughly tricked.
***
As we entered the academy building, a middle-aged man was waiting for us at the end of the hallway.
With his arms crossed, he looked at us with a disinterested expression.
"This person?"
"Yes, Teacher! The trial course for today!"
The man looked me up and down and said one thing.
"The equipment is good. What's your grade?"
"E-grade."
The man's eyebrows rose slightly.
"An E-grade wants to learn a Common Skill?"
"He's going to go to the lower layers with me!"
Lee Yul retorted on my behalf.
The man sighed and turned his head.
"Come in."
***
Inside the classroom, it was just me and Lee Yul.
Only the two of us.
Do they normally have classes with such small numbers?
"What we'll learn today is sensory enhancement."
The instructor stood in front of the blackboard.
"Even low-grade Hunters who only roam the 1st Layer should be using their traits.
When you activate your trait, you've felt something squirming inside, right?"
Lee Yul and I nodded simultaneously.
"Twisting that power and activating it in a special direction - that's what a skill is."
The instructor scribbled something on the blackboard.
"Each individual's trait has different skills they can learn, but sensory enhancement is the basics of basics.
I haven't seen anyone among those I've taught who completely lacked aptitude."
Lee Yul took notes on the instructor's words.
"This skill is a technique to detect presences outside your field of vision.
If you master this, you'll need to pay much less attention to your rear."
I also picked up a pen and took notes as best I could.
"Honestly, you don't need it in the lower layers,
but if you go below the 3rd Floor, you can pretty much consider yourself dead without this."
3rd Floor.
The floor with the fire-wreathed dog that pierced through my stomach.
"Up to the 2nd Floor, you just need to hunt monsters, but from the 3rd Floor onward, it's a maze.
Plus, monsters can suddenly jump out from places you've already passed.
That's why this is essential if you want to go to the 3rd Floor."
The instructor's explanation continued.
The strength of power when activating the skill, the direction it moves, and how to bring it outside the body.
Lee Yul answered the instructor's surprise questions without hesitation.
The problem was me.
"Activate your trait but contain it within your body and divide the layers.
Then use that to create a circuit."
...What is he saying?
The instructor's explanation sounded like alien language to my ears.
I was holding a pen and trying to take notes of what the instructor was saying, but I couldn't understand it at all.
"Alright, let's try some practice now."
The instructor got up from his seat.
Lee Yul closed her eyes and began to concentrate.
"...It's not working."
Lee Yul opened her eyes with a dejected expression.
"Your direction is right, if you keep at it, you'll be able to learn it soon.
The problem is..."
"Haat!"
My hand cut through the air, creating a threatening sonic boom.
But there was no sign of my trait activating.
"What exactly did you listen to in the previous theory class?"
"...Honestly, I didn't really understand what was being said."
"This is going to take a long time..."
Practice continued like that for a while.
Lee Yul succeeded occasionally, but I couldn't get the hang of it at all.
***
"That's enough, we'll stop here for today."
With the instructor's dismissal, the two of us left the academy.
"Was it difficult?"
Lee Yul asked cautiously while watching my expression.
"...Yeah."
"I only just managed to get the hang of it this time too!
If Yunha-ssi takes a few classes like I did, you'll be able to get the hang of it too!"
This seems hopeless though?
"Do you know how long it usually takes to learn a skill?"
"Huh? Ah, when I had my consultation, they said it usually takes about a month to learn.
Occasionally, very occasionally!
They said there are people who can't learn it even after spending time and give up, but..."
That sounds like people like me, doesn't it?
"...I'm sorry."
"No, it's not your fault.
Let's part for today and meet in front of the dungeon tomorrow."
"Yes... see you tomorrow."
Lee Yul bowed her head and turned away.
I stood there blankly watching her, then suddenly remembered.
Couldn't I learn this in my Wolha state?
***
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[Dungeon Gallery]
Title: Do you really need to learn skills?
I formed a new party on the 2nd Floor and the leader said I should learn at least some Common Skills
Anonymous: Honestly don't need them on the 2nd Floor
Anonymous: But if you're going below the 3rd Floor, it's essential
Anonymous: Parties won't take someone without sensory enhancement unless they have a really strong trait
Anonymous: Like Park Su-hyeon lol
Anonymous: Park Su-hyeon: If your head hurts, suspect your body is weak
Anonymous: lol... I also just want to become a high-rank Hunter through trait carry...
Author: Guess I need to prepare in advance, how much does it usually cost to learn at an academy?
Anonymous: Good places are 5 million or more per month, shabby places are around 3 million
Author: Why such a big difference? Guess I'll go for the 3 million one
Anonymous: No no, if you go to a shabby place, you might not learn at all or it could take disgustingly long
Anonymous: There are people who spent 15 million and barely learned
Author: Whoa that could happen too thanks sensei
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