Chapter 104
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 104
Chapter Title: Lesson 22. Clubs Are a Waste to Make - 4
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When he'd first heard about it from Mira, Ban Yu-won had only focused on her words about 'growing our numbers.'
Four students might be laughable, but twenty was a force that couldn't be ignored.
And if external allies like Aire and the student council joined in, it became even more formidable.
The point was to build a group with real influence inside the academy. Truth be told, he hadn't placed much hope in the seniors' abilities.
Let's be frank—they'd been attending the academy for over a year, exploring the tower, participating in special activities, and learning from top-tier professors.
The fact that people like that couldn't stand on their own and were leaning on a first-year like him meant he had no great expectations for their future.
But that was an incredibly arrogant and foolish way of thinking.
Ban Yu-won hadn't fully grasped just how severely warped environments and mindsets could suppress human potential.
"......How could they have abilities like this and still be fumbling around all this time?"
"At least the professors never gave them any answers......"
Ban Yu-won scratched his head as he reviewed the memo listing the special admission students' abilities.
Truth be told, from the moment he'd heard about Rock-Senior's ability, he'd thought, Huh, that's pretty good, isn't it?
The paper he held was filled with similar talents.
For instance, there was a second-year senior with the power to manipulate sound.
She could remember various sounds, replicate them perfectly, or amplify them with magic power. But she only used it to mimic monster cries and sow confusion.
The instant Ban Yu-won heard about her ability, he'd thought of sonic weapons, and Dokgo Yeon had sparkled with ideas like, "If we applied it to sound-based arts......!"
Yet the girl herself hadn't developed it properly and had wasted a whole year!
"So, Kshana-senior, how do you handle combat?"
"I use a longsword. Same as you."
"Ah, so you wield a longsword too."
At that point, Ban Yu-won systematically checked all the seniors' main weapons.
Regardless of their abilities, every single one used a longsword.
"How did this happen?"
"You're using one too, aren't you?"
"That's because Dokgo Yeon uses a sword."
"Ugh......!"
When he pressed the seniors for the reason, the answer was simple.
The academy didn't provide guidance on developing their unique abilities.
That alone raised the question, Then why recruit special admission students in the first place? But on second thought, it wasn't the academy's will—it was the tower's.
The top academy in all dimensions runs on such a haphazard system. Well, I figured something was off when they claimed a private asset like Babel Tower as their school emblem.
Anyway, without academy support, they had to develop their unique abilities on their own or pick up other skills. Since they couldn't handle magic, the sword was the easiest option.
The Union Academy library was stocked with all sorts of swordsmanship manuals, and for lower dimension natives like these seniors, even accessing those was a privilege.
"Honestly...... even if we don't graduate, just learning advanced sword techniques is a win."
"And above all, the academy professors traditionally favor the sword. Getting personal instruction from someone like Professor Ryu Cheol-myeong is a pipe dream for us, but we can at least learn from the associate professors."
"I see. So everyone picks up the sword regardless."
"That's true even for non-lower dimension students, Ban Yu-won."
As Ban Yu-won made a strange face upon realizing the academy's reality well after midterms, Misty chimed in from the side.
"Where do you think the professors' sword obsession comes from? Higher dimension folks generally favor swords due to myths, history, and complex reasons. Have you ever seen a melee student here using anything but a sword?"
"Come to think of it, no."
Ban Yu-won let out a sigh and organized his thoughts.
A series of conversations made it clear why special admission students struggled in the academy.
They fell into three rough patterns.
First: They didn't know how to grow their abilities, so they only used what they could figure out or gave up.
Second: They developed well on their own, but their party members—also special admissions—lagged in tower progress, slowing overall growth.
Third: Astonishingly, they didn't even understand why they'd been selected for special admission!
In other words, they hadn't realized their unique abilities!
"The first is understandable, the second is admirable yet pitiful, but the third—what the hell? Don't seniors have status windows?"
"Status windows aren't omnipotent, Yu-won."
"Not omnipotent?!"
Ban Yu-won gasped in shock, and Lucelle chuckled.
"If they were, I wouldn't need to rely on you—I could've solved my core path issue alone. Now that I think about it, it's a relief they're not."
"If status windows were omnipotent, I wouldn't need to struggle with holy swords either."
"......Yeah, that makes sense."
Setting aside Light, whose issue remained unsolved, Lucelle definitely would've stayed incomplete without Ban Yu-won.
At that moment, Ban Yu-won felt a lump in his chest.
He realized that nearly all the special admission students here were in the same boat as Lucelle—unable to resolve their core paths.
No wonder. No amount of time in the academy or a status window would fix it on its own.
As Ban Yu-won mocked his own foolish thoughts, Rock-Senior tilted her head.
"Something feels off about this. Junior, you don't have a status window?"
"Nope."
Ban Yu-won replied calmly.
Beside him, Lucelle, Light, and Dokgo Yeon nodded subtly.
They'd never said it outright, but spending so much time with him had given them plenty of clues that he lacked one.
Especially during the tower intruder incident, when the tower rewarded everyone—even Dokgo Yeon leveled up—while Ban Yu-won just tilted his head.
"No status window means no level system benefits either. How are you getting so strong......?"
"Ah, levels. My ability mimics that. The status window absence is due to my ability overriding it."
"Your ability...... overrides the status window......?"
Rock-Senior stared at him like he was an alien.
Most students except Rebellion members wore similar expressions.
"No wonder he's that strong......"
"Even professors haven't fully analyzed status windows and levels yet, right?"
"What's this ability......?"
"Is he seriously conquering the tower?"
Ban Yu-won panicked at the murmurs.
The idea that lacking a status window made him seem better was absurd.
"No, my ability isn't the point right now. The issue is seniors who don't even know their own unique abilities."
"But how do you discover something not shown on the status window?"
"That's...... tough for me too right now. For those unsure how to grow their abilities, we'll need to analyze together going forward."
But it wasn't impossible.
His recently developed talismans had already shown potential.
For those familiar with talismans infused with his magic power, he could cast spells directly on them...... and thoroughly analyzing their internal concepts wouldn't be hard!
"Leave your unique abilities to me. For today, let's start with a skill check."
Ban Yu-won fiddled with his Student ID, injecting it with magic power.
Stimulating a certain concept within himself, the magic spread instantly, enveloping everyone.
Some resisted his aura, but knowing he meant no harm, they accepted it......
The next moment, they were all inside Classroom 11's training room in the academy's second annex.
Misty reacted strongly, as if her pride as a mage was wounded.
"What? Student ID teleports can cover this large a group?"
"You expanded the teleport range with space control? Just recently, your grasp of space wasn't that deep. Impressive."
"You...... as expected!"
Yumina nailed it immediately.
Meanwhile, Aire glared at him like she wanted to devour him.
Yeah, she probably couldn't do it.
"I had a bit of an enlightenment."
He couldn't reveal it even to Yumina.
In truth, fighting the World Giant alone in the tower had let him collect massive amounts of air pressure concepts, which turned out to hold spatial control traits. Absorbing and converting them had rocketed his Space Control from under 10 straight to 100!
It felt guilty to bask in their admiration for this fluke ability.
"What's this? Why keep showing off your powers?"
"Senior, instead of whining, learn from it. He brags openly because his skills are so amazing everyone admires him anyway."
"Then let's start sparring."
Ban Yu-won glanced at Dokgo Yeon, wondering if she'd step in for him, but she firmly shook her head.
Tsking, he moved to the training room center.
"Rock-Senior first. Pure swordsmanship only—no abilities."
"What? Even so, I've been here four years."
"It's not about winning or losing. I'm curious about the swordsmanship you've learned."
"You won't hold it against me if I win?"
"Of course not."
"Alright."
At his firm assurance, a sly smile crossed Rock-Senior's face.
She should never work with people later.
How is her intent so obvious?
"Hah, I told you not to whine......"
The junior who'd advised him earlier could only lament.
Meanwhile, the two gripped wooden swords and faced off.
"You really, really won't resent me?"
"I said yes."
"Good...... Die!!!"
Pretending to nod contentedly before lunging suddenly—true to her three-plus years climbing the tower (with retirements, sure), Rock-Senior moved fast, her wooden sword's focused energy sharp enough to respect.
But unfortunately, it was all within Ban Yu-won's expectations.
Dokgo Yeon really is a genius.
No need to blend flows to soften the impact.
Ban Yu-won parried her wooden sword with a counter in one motion, then slammed her abdomen hard, pushing her back as he thought.
I've trained with her less than six weeks, yet I beat someone with three years of sword practice this easily.
"Kwehk!"
While Ban Yu-won mused leisurely, Rock-Senior clutched her struck abdomen and dropped to her knees.
Had he hit too hard for a fourth-year? Reflecting, Ban Yu-won recalled his Life stat had reached 520.
A strong body harmonized with advanced technique naturally produced this power.
"I didn't get a good look at your swordsmanship. Again?"
"No way! Not even if I die!"
Rock-Senior retched repeatedly, backing away tearfully.
Another fourth-year stepped forward, kicking her aside.
"You're embarrassing all fourth-years, you bastard."
"Try it yourself! It hurts like hell!"
The next match began immediately.
Luckily, this senior handled the sword far better, so the spar lasted longer—but still couldn't surpass Ban Yu-won.
Nor the next, nor the one after......
Lower years were even weaker, though one third-year guy outperformed him.
More precisely, his raw power overwhelmed technique, pushing Ban Yu-won back.
"Geas, right?"
"Yeah. A self-imposed curse. Restrict one thing, gain another. Equivalent exchange—get it?"
"Perfectly."
Simple yet overwhelmingly powerful among special admissions.
But dragged down by teammates, his tower progress was just above third-year average.
"You didn't need to contract with me."
"If all my comrades are in, how can I sit out? Plus, I was curious about the guy the student council PR chief likes."
"Oh? You're third-year."
"Not a first-year...... I get it after sparring. You're ridiculously strong."
"Haha, you were incredibly strong too."
He seemed to have feelings for Mira.
He tried hiding it, but bitterness and envy showed.
Thinking back, the cafeteria guy too, and even Rock-Senior admired her.
Popular people really are different.
Ban Yu-won even felt moved.
"Is this what they call a school idol......?"
"Yu-won, you're in for it later."
But afterward, all were disappointing.
Some had great abilities, but none excelled at swordsmanship.
It helped refine his own style through exposure, but that was it.
After fifteen full spars.
"Just as I thought."
Dokgo Yeon, who'd only watched, smiled refreshingly—maybe his imagination.
"It's not the practitioners. Swordsmanship from other dimensions is utterly pathetic!"
"That's straight out of an isekai cliché......"
Ban Yu-won had sensed it yesterday during Ryu Cheol-myeong's aura demo.
Ryu Cheol-myeong was a supreme master with centuries of refinement.
If Dokgo Yeon felt lacking in his aura.
If even Ban Yu-won noticed oddities.
What about lesser students?
"I guarantee it. Among this academy's students, unless they have sword-related powers, none wield it better than you, Ban Yu-won. I taught you, after all!"
"What do you think of Japanese styles?"
"What's that?"
Dokgo Yeon trashed otherworldly swordsmanship excitedly but refused to teach the seniors herself.
Thus, starting next week, Ban Yu-won became their direct instructor in Slash, Pierce, and Flow.
Of course, it wouldn't be easy.