Chapter 134
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 134
Chapter Title: Lesson 28. Flower Viewing of Ruin - 1
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Ban Yu-won had learned through his grinding session with Shati that trying to get something for free always backfired.
Or more precisely, since he couldn't get it for free, he'd suffered immensely trying to cook it up just right, one bite at a time.
"Huuu... Kyahaha, satisfied now?"
Shati said, her face pale and drained.
"If you squeeze me any harder, all you'll get is tears, snot, and..."
"Shati, stop. That's enough."
Outside the Academy, in a suitable dungeon.
Concerned that a monster summon might trigger some unexpected incident, they'd entered the dungeon to secure the area before performing the summoning magic—and sure enough, it had been a disaster beyond imagination.
"So, any results?"
"Yeah, some... but nothing comes easy, huh."
The biggest issue was that Shati couldn't fully grasp what her magic was summoning.
Thankfully, nothing strong enough to take on Shati, Mira, and Ban Yu-won at once had appeared, but each summon brought monsters with bizarre traits that demanded mental preparation.
It hadn't been the fun time Ban Yu-won had hoped for, summoning monsters and absorbing their concepts on the spot.
"At least we got something... Kyahat, it's been ages since I summoned without holding back. Makes me nostalgic for the days I trained to control monsters..."
"Come here, Shati. Let me pet your head."
"Miraaa!"
The magic also consumed a ton of mana and mental energy.
Ban Yu-won could replenish her mana, but mental fatigue was another story—no fix short of resting in Eden or chowing down on an elixir jam.
Having paid dearly for her bold promise to her junior, the student council president now lay slumped against Mira, utterly spent—a clear testament to how brutally summoning drained the mind.
"Here, Senior—have a spoonful."
"Oh? Is this the elixir jam Mira's always bragging about...? Ooooo!"
In the end, Ban Yu-won fed Shati a spoonful of the 'Extremity Elixir Jam' he'd made in Room 30.
Most effective on the first taste, with stellar results but risky if overused, it wasn't for daily consumption even among Rebellion members—instead reserved for occasional sharing, like now.
Naturally, all the club members had gotten a taste. The video compiling their reactions had gone viral.
"Kyahahahaha! Fully revived!"
Shati's reaction was no different.
Savoring the jam one moment, she bolted upright the next—her pupils brimming with a starry glow, no exaggeration.
"Potions I've had my whole life can't compare! And you've been hogging this, Mira? I'm hurt, sob."
Meanwhile, Mira—who'd been steadily receiving shares from Ban Yu-won since their contract (a sort of company perk)—scoffed and shoved her revived friend's forehead.
"You think you're me? Jealous? Contract with Yu-won yourself."
"Urk, proposing to the Evil One...!"
As the two bantered playfully, Ban Yu-won reviewed the notable concepts from their grind, checking their depths.
In some ways, it met expectations; in others, it was disappointing enough to sigh.
Kill (殺):37
Blood (血):18
Evil (惡):8
Ominous (凶):6
Corruption (墮落):5
Death (死):1.7
Monsters from the special dimension [Demon Realm] typically carried these vicious concepts, which empowered them—but extracting them as pure concepts yielded low depths, making collection a nightmare.
Plus, even identical concepts varied in fine details—as proven by collecting Ominous and Evil from Demon Realm monsters.
Their depths were decent, but compared to those stolen from the Immutable Puppeteer constellation, their luminosity and potency fell short.
'Still, since the base comes from a constellation's authority, they're fine as supplements.'
Growing a concept was easier than acquiring it initially.
With a solid base, layering on lesser ones posed no issue.
'But...'
While collecting Ominous and Evil for his main goal, Ban Yu-won noted something about the tag-alongs.
First, the most common: Kill (殺) and Blood (血).
Coincidentally, the Executioner's Longsword had both from the start.
Demon Sword (魔劍):200
Murder (殺人):94
Blood Poison (血毒):75
Severing (斬截):50
Resonance (共鳴):35
This was the Executioner's Longsword's current concepts.
He'd once infused it with Melt (融) or Skewer (串), but they'd been absorbed, leaving these core ones.
Key among them: Murder (殺人) and Blood Poison (血毒).
Murder grew steadily when killing humans (including Tower NPCs) with the sword, boosting its power and killing intent against them as it leveled.
Blood Poison drew Ban Yu-won's blood to coat the blade, amplifying power—a unique trait he'd never found elsewhere despite countless concepts across dimensions.
'To think it started with Demon Realm monster concepts... No wonder the Executioner's Longsword is an exceptional artifact.'
Even with Ban Yu-won's concept mastery steadily deepening them, using an Earth-made item from a lower dimension this long proved its extraordinary origins.
'I could reinforce it with Blood and Kill, but... later. Maybe a better combo exists. Corruption's unique too, but no immediate use—stashing it in the Code Core.'
Another standout: Death (死).
Rare even among monsters; even combined with what he'd gained from the World Giant's suicide in his solo exploration, it barely hit 2.7 depth.
That rarity made it special—but also hard to wield.
He lacked confidence to bestow and control it on objects, and pondered the best use...
Most efficient might be unleashing it like language magic to attack foes, but that felt wasteful.
'Ah, can't I research this in the Orb's space?!'
"Yu-won, it's night now... Still stuff to do in Ronica? Or..."
"Hm?"
As his genius idea struck, Mira approached, glanced slyly, and took his hand gently.
She leaned to whisper in his ear.
"Just us... going to a bar or something."
Her pointed fairy ears burned bright red.
Bold with Lucelle around, but pure maiden otherwise.
Too bad Ban Yu-won wasn't alone.
"Wow, ditching me so smoothly. Friendship vanishes before guys, huh? Even our Mira!"
"Shati, you..."
"Nah, let's head back today."
He wasn't immune to the invite, but weekday boozing felt off.
Plus, Light shared his room.
Above all, with special activities this week, he needed focus.
"Next time, on a day off."
"...Promise."
"Yeah. Oh, could you help next time too, Shati Senior?"
"Huh? Sure, anytime it fits my schedule? Just us next time, no Mira—kidding, Evil One joke! Kyahahat!"
Watching the tireless student council president tease Mira and guffaw, Ban Yu-won pondered quietly.
She claimed poor control over summons, but from a full day observing... maybe not.
His concept farming might even hone her skills simultaneously—but unsure, he decided to mull it solo rather than raise hopes.
This week featured team-based special activities.
Not enough staff—even including associate professors—to assign one per first-year team.
So most groups bundled several teams under one supervisor for shared-dimension quests.
Rebellion, of course, skipped that—Yumina as their lead.
"Alright, we're heading to 'Urha,' a planet in dimension F-138."
Thursday after classes, in the doorless classroom.
Rebellion members previewed tomorrow's destination.
"Recalled dimension grades? Dimensions linked via Union Net through Babel Tower, ranked by mana density. Ten ruled by the Ten Families are S-rank, then A to C downward."
The Special Class crew under Lucein Ortima all S-rank? Pathetic, Ban Yu-won snorted inwardly.
But mana density undeniably shaped average power levels.
"F-138 is the 138th lowest in F-rank—seventh from top. F-ranks are so similar they're just numbered for convenience."
"Obsession with mana shows even in grading."
Simply put, F-138 was a pathetically weak lower dimension.
Not discrimination via special admission; first-year activities were always this easy.
"No challenges. Simple extermination—no wave, just clear a monster swarm in one Urha nation. It's spring there, flowers blooming—think of it as flower viewing."
"Last school-wide activity sounded easy too, till we hit dimension pirates."
"If that happens again, I'll throttle the principal myself."
Members fell silent before Yumina's beaming, casual threat.
Oh, and Earth's mana-less status made it unranked 'outside grade.'
"What about you all?"
Curious about his lower-dimension teammates' origins (sans himself), Ban Yu-won asked.
"No idea. Don't care about external labels."
"Me... D-13. Besides our 'star,' plenty built mana civs—formed alliances against alien invasions. ...Though infighting happened."
Unlike Dokgo Yeon's disgust-laced denial, Light smiled wryly and explained honestly.
He'd always had broad interdimensional knowledge, so knowing his rank made sense.
"Dimensions aren't single stars each. Universe is vast."
Earth was just one planet in the Milky Way's Solar System.
Imagining vast universes in other students' homes dizzied him.
"No, Ban Yu-won. One universe."
Yumina cut in as his eyes spun.
"Really?"
"Yes. No one maps it fully, but the principal concludes it's one vast space containing all dimensions. You'll learn in second-semester liberal arts... but a quick preview?"
She extended a hand, forming a mana sphere.
"This is the universe. Likely one whole originally. Then it shattered—'dimensional walls' formed, barriers beyond physical distance."
She gestured; cracks spiderwebbed the sphere, splitting into dozens, hundreds of pieces.
Visually one orb, yet a hundred fragments.
Ban Yu-won asked.
"Each piece a dimension, separated by walls?"
"Exactly. Walls form at mana density shifts, creating higher/lower divides."
Like hot and cold water not mixing due to density; high/low-mana dimensions split similarly.
Unlike water eventually blending, walls prevented mana dimensions from ever merging.
"Split one into many, never to reunite..."
—Somehow...
Ban Yu-won sensed something artificial, familiar in those walls.
Unaware, Yumina continued.
"Walls don't fully block mana flow—hence mana arising in null dimensions. Dimensional travel stems from wall-crossing research."
Mostly cribbed from Babel Tower, she added.
"Simple, right? No need to see other dimensions as distant—they're just neighbors over a tough wall."
"Puts it plainly."
"Yes. Especially for you, climbing Babel Tower—the origin of dimension-transcending power."
Her eyes sparkled softly.
"Meaningless divide. You've already leaped it. Upper-dimension students hate you for 'stealing' their perceived privilege."
Not granted by anyone, nor exclusive—
Truly foolish, lamentable.
Ban Yu-won wondered at Yumina's arrogant smile.
"Professor Yumina, may I ask your birth dimension?"
"Hm, that..."
Expecting it?
She winked playfully.
"When we're alone."
Ban Yu-won felt he'd heard the answer.
Rebellion members, overhearing, soured instantly.