Chapter 117
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 117
Chapter Title: Lesson 24. Where's a Freshman Like You? - 5
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Wednesday, second period. The second session of Aura Combat Studies.
Last week, Ryu Cheol-myeong had poked at Dokgo Yeon only to take an attack from Lucine Ortima, whom he'd thought was an ally. Learning from that lesson, he narrowed his target this time.
Naturally, that target was Ban Yu-won.
"I hear you're exposing videos about the academy on external networks? No one has the right to restrict a student's free activities. But if you're stepping up to represent the academy, you need at least the bare minimum qualifications. Therefore, starting today, I'll personally pair up with student Ban Yu-won for intensive training."
Ooh, sounds forceful, but it's a pretty plausible excuse.
As Ban Yu-won thought that, Ryu Cheol-myeong flashed a look that said he wouldn't let him slip away this time.
"Rejoice, student Ban Yu-won. I've never personally tutored a lower dimension student one-on-one before."
"What an honor."
Ban Yu-won chuckled and happily stepped onto the stage Ryu Cheol-myeong wanted.
"The rest of you, gather close and watch. Aura Combat Studies can't be learned without feeling aura firsthand."
Word had it that Ryu Cheol-myeong's Aura Combat Studies class had a notorious reputation from the start.
He'd call out the student who was slowest to make progress—like he was doing now—and subject them to "special training" under the guise of helping them sense aura, which really just meant beating the tar out of them.
And for the other students, he'd claim it was most efficient to feel aura up close, turning it into a spectacle where they crowded around like zoo visitors gawking at a monkey.
The magic circle enclosing this space could heal minor injuries instantly, and since he always picked students without backing or the will to fight back, Ryu Cheol-myeong had no worries about repercussions.
Moreover—everyone participating in the class, except the target themselves, would gang up on them.
This is all for education. You're especially lucky to receive direct sword instruction from Ryu Cheol-myeong himself.
'Actually, I am lucky.'
Ban Yu-won faced Ryu Cheol-myeong, who gripped a wooden greatsword, and thought so sincerely.
Whether his level was low or whatever, that only meant the depth of Ryu Cheol-myeong's swordsmanship was shallow. No one could deny the weight of the years he'd spent honing his blade.
His profound inner energy, the countless experiences piled up.
How much could one learn by observing all that up close, flaunted so proudly?
"This is a spar to elevate your swordsmanship realm, so no magic allowed."
"Understood. From now on, only the sword."
Ban Yu-won grinned in response, and Ryu Cheol-myeong let out a hut of laughter.
"I control this space, student Ban Yu-won. When I ban magic, it means you can't use it here anymore. So don't even think about trying during training."
"Yes, I never planned to use it from the start. Why would I waste a chance to learn the sword from Professor Ryu Cheol-myeong on magic?"
Ban Yu-won smiled brightly.
Ryu Cheol-myeong couldn't shake a nagging unease at Ban Yu-won's confident demeanor. No way did he look like someone about to get pummeled.
Still, it was true he controlled the space and could block magic if he wanted. And he wasn't some lowlife thug who could slap Ban Yu-won just for having an annoying face. So, without another word, he leveled his wooden sword at Ban Yu-won.
Ban Yu-won inwardly sneered as he watched Ryu Cheol-myeong ignite his deep crimson aura.
'The magic professors who granted you control of this space are on my side, you idiot.'
Ryu Cheol-myeong, with no knowledge of magic, could never comprehend it even in death.
The protective spell Ban Yu-won had shown in the first class was just a visible bait to fool him.
The real one was a protective ritual that redirected all physical damage across the entire space—something Ryu Cheol-myeong could never detect.
And it had been applied to every Rebellion member upon entering, with higher admin privileges than his, no less.
"Begin! Don't forget to feel the aura with your soul!"
—Thwack! Thud thud!
Of course, the "training" was one-sided.
Even a wooden sword infused with aura became a lethal weapon, so Ryu Cheol-myeong stripped away the killing intent, leaving only blunt force.
Ban Yu-won wouldn't die from sword cuts... but his whole body took a thorough beating instead. The other Rebellion members watching couldn't suppress their murderous urges toward Ryu Cheol-myeong amid the merciless thrashing.
"That pest..."
Dokgo Yeon muttered through gritted teeth, her hand drifting to the hilt of her shortsword.
As Light placed his hand over hers to calm her.
"Easy. Ban said he'd be fine. And he is holding up."
"I know. I know he's strong enough not to fall for that moron's tricks. But it can't feel good getting slapped around, pain or no pain."
"Dokgo Yeon, you..."
As Light sensed her hand trembling faintly on the hilt.
"You really treasure Ban as a friend...!"
"...What's with you, As Light? You obsessed with the word 'friend' lately?"
"Master...!"
While As Light and Dokgo Yeon bantered in a way that was starting to feel familiar, Lucelle stared intently at Ban Yu-won. He was slowly starting to move in response to Ryu Cheol-myeong's wooden sword strikes.
In her eyes, Ban Yu-won's reaction speed to Ryu Cheol-myeong's movements was gradually quickening.
'If used right, this space is a training ground far more efficient than the academy annex's facilities. You can take all the hits you want!'
That was what Ban Yu-won had told her before class, as she'd plotted a boycott thinking they'd clash with Ryu Cheol-myeong again. He'd assured her he'd draw all the aggro himself.
'The stronger the enemy, the more damage—the faster my abilities grow. And we can redirect it all back into the space... When else would we use such an expensive setup?'
Obviously, installing and maintaining it was exorbitantly pricey.
That was why they couldn't apply it to every training room.
Ban Yu-won had laughed that he'd monopolize the perks while taking this class, but Lucelle still felt uneasy.
Yet watching his reactions improve in real time... it seemed he was right.
"Hmm?"
Of course, around then, Ryu Cheol-myeong noticed something off too.
Ban Yu-won should have collapsed ages ago, even with him holding back. But he was enduring.
The impacts felt solid, and Ban Yu-won's pained expressions were convincing. No way was he using some defensive magic this time.
Which meant he was genuinely tanking the pain.
'His durability is unbelievable. Well, if he's that weak, at least his toughness makes up for it.'
But something was wrong.
There was no usual thrill of punishing a disliked student.
And strangely... Ban Yu-won seemed to be reading his movements more and more.
Impossible.
The gap in their years of experience was vast.
That pest, reading my moves?
'Ridiculous.'
He was just so battered his strength was failing, movements slipping—and coincidentally dodging by chance.
Even so, this misunderstanding was killing the fun.
Irritated that his opponent wouldn't drop, Ryu Cheol-myeong sped up and amplified the aura in his blade.
—Vrrrrm
At his level, he could infuse aura with various intents.
Emphasize cutting power, or remove it entirely for pure impact.
Or keep damage the same but induce excruciating agony on hit.
Aura, as soul power, transcended the flesh, defying all physical laws.
Master it, and you'd unlock omnipotence!
'I'll crush him in maximum agony. Make sure he never dares show his face before me again!'
The students gasped at the ominous, blazing aura.
Even those who couldn't wield aura could sense the cold, terrifying intent radiating from it!
Dokgo Yeon, meanwhile, felt uneasy seeing Ban Yu-won's eyes gleam as he faced it.
"No way..."
"W-Why? Can't he take it? Should I go? F-For Ban, I could take the hits instead...!"
"Where's the guy who told me to stay calm? No, it's not that. I'm not worried about Ban Yu-won right now... it's..."
Ban Yu-won was deeply sensing the aura battering his body with all his abilities, contemplating.
Dokgo Yeon's description of aura as refined inner energy finally clicked after hundreds, thousands of exposures through his own body.
'Aura is just like martial arts.'
Compress inner energy into a rigid qi vessel, infuse it with unique intent.
Thus, every person's aura differed, shaped by their martial arts.
Now he understood why there was no rush to learn aura.
It came naturally as you handled more inner energy efficiently—and more importantly, it embodied your personal martial way, your will.
'I haven't forged my own sword yet.'
Ryu Cheol-myeong's aura was incomplete because its vast vessel held crude intent.
Aura wasn't some abstract "soul power"—it was a realm of the martial way for those who'd truly comprehended the "sword" over long years.
'But I learned good stuff from this guy.'
How to compress qi.
How to wield it more easily.
Surface-level aura manipulation knowledge, but invaluable right now.
Ban Yu-won had no intention of perfecting his martial way here.
He just wanted to troll this dumb, sleazy, perverted old man.
"Feel the aura? Do you sense it, student Ban Yu-won?"
"Y-Yes..."
"...What?"
Thanks to the thorough beating from Ryu Cheol-myeong, he'd finalized his aura's form. Time to show it.
—Vmm
"...Aura?"
"Isn't that aura?"
"Sword aura... It's aura! That's aura!"
The students gaped and clamored at the aura surging from Ban Yu-won's sword.
Even Special Class students who usually ignored him couldn't grit their teeth and pretend otherwise when aura—the domain of senior swordsmen—was right there.
"My god! How is a first-year wielding aura...!"
"He's not even from the martial world! Impossible! No way...!"
"I-I heard Dokgo Yeon was teaching him. Damn it, aura?!"
Aura apparently held massive significance for swordsmen.
Ban Yu-won inwardly burst out laughing. He halted his swings like the uproarious students, then politely bowed to the dazed Ryu Cheol-myeong staring at him.
"Thank you so much, Professor Ryu Cheol-myeong. Thanks to you, I grasped aura—from not even knowing the concept—in such a short time!"
"N-No, I..."
He knew.
If getting beaten with aura awakened it, every academy student would wield it.
Only two explanations for this.
One: Ban Yu-won had aura all along.
Two: He was a ridiculous genius who stole and mastered Ryu Cheol-myeong's aura handling in moments.
Both absurd.
Both impossible for trash from a magic-less lower dimension.
But Ryu Cheol-myeong still had enough reason to stifle his impulsive shout.
"I congratulate you... on awakening your aura, student Ban Yu-won."
He forced out insincere words.
"I'm a bit tired from manifesting it. May I end training and rest now?"
"...Yes."
Ryu Cheol-myeong nodded with a soulless expression.
Ban Yu-won thanked him with a faint smile to the end, bowed politely, and returned to his seat.
"...Erase it."
Dokgo Yeon glared at him like he'd stolen her cocoa, whining.
"Erase the very memory of learning such pathetic aura from your brain!"
"H-Hey, wait. Memories don't vanish just 'cause you hit me! Wait!"
"Erase it, erase it! I won't tolerate that—erase it!"
Dokgo Yeon started thwacking Ban Yu-won's head with her fists.
As Light blinked at the sight, then quietly turned to Lucelle.
"Lucelle, what do you call that?"
"Disciple possessiveness."
As Light nodded in instant understanding at her curt assessment.
Ryu Cheol-myeong surely hadn't intended it, but this was the moment he dealt the biggest blow to Dokgo Yeon since taking this class.