Chapter 32
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Lesson 8. This Technique is Mine - 2
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“No intention of telling you.”
It was Ban Yu-won's swift declaration the moment he grasped why people were approaching him.
A way to film inside the tower? All he had to do was combine concepts appropriately to create a camera infused with ghost (鬼) and demon (魔) essences.
But if he made them for others, wouldn't that erase the advantage of the channel occupied by Rebellion?
'Moreover, there's no specific crafting technique—ultimately, I'd have to make them myself. How many people would even ask, and why should I craft one for each?'
So he firmly declared to those approaching him.
The Rebellion Channel would remain one-of-a-kind from now on!
He was convinced this would quell the peak of his unwanted popularity, which had irked Dokgo Yeon, Light, and Lucelle.
Convinced, that is.
“I just want to be friends with you... If you don't like it, just say so.”
“Huh? Uh... It's not that I hate it, but we're basically strangers.”
“That's why we should get to know each other now! Oh, you have a Mirror? Let's exchange codes. Gotta save it properly as Yuri, right?”
“The student council is always waiting for talents like you. I'm Graham—we'll meet again someday.”
The people didn't back off.
As Ban Yu-won hesitated, thinking this isn't it, dozens of new codes registered on his Mirror.
All this happened in the short time it took to eat breakfast.
Only then did Ban Yu-won conclude they weren't after a mere 'camera for filming inside the tower'—they wanted something more fundamental.
Himself.
“Must be nice being so popular, Ban.”
“B-but... we're friends, right...?”
With Light glaring from the side and Lucelle asking anxiously.
Only Dokgo Yeon watched him with an intrigued expression.
Or perhaps she was eyeing the jam jar in his hand.
“Frankly, compared to your other abilities, I didn't think it was anything special... But seeing people flock like this, the items you create must be exceptional. Can you protect it?”
“Protect? No need. Student disputes are strictly forbidden—what are they gonna do, attack me?”
“But you do go outside.”
Ban Yu-won froze at Dokgo Yeon's sharp point.
“You're right.”
Many students had connections outside.
Even among upperclassmen, some obtained外出 permits like him.
If attacked beyond the academy's watchful eyes, he couldn't fend it off.
“What a headache right off the bat. Gotta be careful for a while.”
At least commuting between dungeon and school wouldn't draw interference—small mercies.
He muttered with a sour face, spreading jam on the water cracker Dokgo Yeon offered.
For the record, these water crackers were snacks he'd generously provided.
He had to supply elixir jam daily to himself and the rest of Class 11, but there was no guarantee suitable accompaniments would always appear, so crackers it was.
“Ban Yu-won, the jam's already down to half.”
“It's fine. I've already talked to the fruit shop—secured enough for new batches.”
“Tell me when the time comes; I'll personally escort you.”
With Dokgo Yeon tagging along, it'd be invincible.
Ban Yu-won finished his offering to the jam-loving Dokgo Yeon, who turned unusually sweet before it, then shared with Light and Lucelle before sighing and biting into his share.
That's when Light, munching a jam-smeared cracker, tapped Ban Yu-won's wrist.
“Ban, your device... the Mirror.”
“Oh? Ah.”
His Mirror was flashing with a new message.
It was from Yumina, with whom he'd personally exchanged codes.
He hoped for a sweet rendezvous invite, but reality was grim.
Seeing wrinkles form on his brow, Light tilted his head.
“Bad news?”
“We've got an extra lecture to attend.”
“What?”
The academy's curriculum resembled Korean universities.
Once set before term, it didn't change mid-semester.
Except for lectures by full professors.
They could admit desired students anytime during term.
Class 11's new one was Professor Xenon's 'Babylon and Constellations'—normally for 4th-years and above. The ominous vibe hit from the title.
“Ban Yu-won, did you...”
“No evidence left. Cut the 4th-room footage right when the elite monsters died.”
“Then that woman...”
“Nah. Academy found out. Professor Yumina says the Chancellor, as the tower's proxy, knows most tower happenings...”
“Creepy.”
“Tell me about it.”
But if discovered without a word, nothing to be done.
Ban Yu-won and the group huddled, scanning Yumina's syllabus overview.
“Codes of conduct to better draw constellation sponsorships, mindsets for smarter constellation contracts, useful knowledge and prep to avoid constellation wrath, even methods to smoothly switch constellations.”
“Am I the only one reading this as a con artist's playbook?”
Dokgo Yeon nodded sharply at Ban Yu-won's quip.
“Coincidence—me too.”
“Could pass as a guide to seducing rational beings. Perfectly covers hopping to a better one at the end...”
“What's this?”
Lucelle, perusing the syllabus, fixated on a bold, glowing hologram section—key to the course.
“Mock Constellation Battle...?”
“Students fighting? Against 4th-years and up...? Ban, do we really have to take this?”
“No opt-out, apparently.”
A place that loved puppeteering people anyway.
Ban Yu-won had resigned the moment the syllabus arrived.
“Tuesday afternoons.”
“Tomorrow? And tomorrow's...”
“Yep.”
Light eyed him oddly.
Ban Yu-won shrugged, sipping unlimited carbonated water from the cafeteria—now palatable with infused sweetness.
“The day I throw down with that ridiculously huge bastard.”
“Perfect timing... Ahem. Then one-on-one tutoring today. Light, play with the beast.”
Dokgo Yeon smiled whitely.
Was it imagination, or were her eyes sharpened for revenge?
He'd planned post-class dungeon clears to deepen concepts, but her smile made him scrap it all.
His second week at the academy didn't feel peaceful either.
A day later, Tuesday arrived, forcing Ban Yu-won to admit he was now the academy's undisputed top star.
His intranet video channel was subscribed by every Mirror-owning student, it seemed.
The external channel, hitting 1 million subs just three days ago on Saturday, now surpassed 2 million, barreling toward 3.
“Those things.”
“I saw. That's really 4th-room?”
“Fake. How could they.”
“A human without regeneration? Lowly beast. Why let trash like that strut?”
His fame showed in the gym for 'Integrated Combat Practice'—real combat class.
A barrage of prejudices, jeers, and curses from Class 1, the special class freshmen!
Ban Yu-won savored it, eyes closed, ears perked.
“In our world, they say lifespan extends with every insult.”
“You'll live forever.”
Dokgo Yeon snarked beside him.
Light, displeased, glared around, grinding teeth.
“Cowards yapping from behind—lowly scum. Ban, don't lose to trash like them.”
“Ban, f-fight... ing.”
Lucelle tugged his sleeve gently, cheering.
Proud of bonding with these two, he smiled—until Dokgo Yeon doused it.
“One outing together over the weekend, and you're thick as thieves. Like that outfit Ban gifted so much?”
“...Jealous?”
“Ho.”
Lucelle had changed!
A woman who could yelp yet land a solid verbal jab!
“Sunday beating not enough?”
“You'll keep hitting anyway.”
“Lucelle, provoke moderately. The payback's split three ways, remember?”
Yesterday, pre-sparring one-on-one 'tutoring' targeted only him.
Unfairly thrashed, but now he suspected ire over his solo outing with Lucelle Saturday.
He'd clearly explained it as date to resolve her emotional depth—yet why the rolling? Unclear, but concepts grew, so fine.
Then.
“Alright, class starts.”
“...?”
The apparent professor gathered Class 1 and 11.
Not last week's Associate Professor Parell.
“Ah, I'm the new instructor. Associate Professor Entel.”
“What about Associate Professor Parell?”
“Fired. Guess why.”
Gazes locked on Ban Yu-won.
He shrugged like a Western politician dodging a reporter.
“Want to jump in, but first... Heard it's official sparring today—correct?”
“Yes.”
Irecto stepped forward assertively, glaring at Ban Yu-won extra.
Ban Yu-won advanced without hesitation.
Entel, nodding at Irecto, widened eyes at Ban Yu-won.
“Oh, Ban Yu-won? Watching your videos. Talented.”
“Thanks.”
“Hah, manipulated crap...”
“Now, Irecto—don't suspect classmates on hunches. Another mistake means minus points.”
“...”
Fortunately, Entel favored Ban Yu-won.
Yumina's doing or video merits—either way, no biased ruling.
“Heard school's official channel live-streams. Both agree?”
“Live-stream, no faking... Ahem, agree.”
“Agree.”
Drones rose; virtual ring formed; same rules as Dokgo Yeon vs. Ortima.
Ends on incapacity or surrender signal.
No targeting vitals overtly, but injuries are own responsibility.
'Harsh conditions.'
They disliked lethal student fights, but half-crippling? Fair game.
Ban Yu-won gripped Executioner's Longsword, entered ring.
Facing off, Irecto spoke oddly.
“Afraid?”
“What?”
What? Not expecting 'Thrilled...! Just order it!' or something.
As Ban Yu-won paused, Irecto continued.
“Scared? Surrender fine. But...”
“Not crawling between your legs barking, right?”
Irecto shut up.
Instead, pale steam surged from his body.
Spot on, apparently.
“No way, right? You're not some psycho spouting third-rate novel lines for real...?”
“Hah! Wonder how long you can yap.”
“You started talking first? Memory issues?”
Irecto raised fist.
Rock-thick scales swelled massively.
Curiously, concepts like earth (土), rock (巖) gathered.
Steam from fist knuckles darkened.
No joke—a literal rock giant race.
“Associate Professor Entel, start quick!”
Irecto bellowed, enraged—his rehearsed line stolen worst-way.
Entel eyed him pityingly, declared.
“Spar begins!”
“Die!”
Boom―!
Not an explosion—just Irecto kicking off.
Hurling house-sized body, smashing enlarged fist down—simple, brutal!
Yet pressure from charging mass, full-force punch maximized his strengths.
“Hoo.”
Ban Yu-won silently raised Executioner's Longsword against it.
And...
The sword splendidly deflected the fist, slapping Irecto's cheek.
―Boom!
Irecto cratered the floor.
Ban Yu-won sidestepped leisurely, boot-kicked his rear, distanced.
You have successfully counterattacked by fully utilizing the opponent's power. The depth of Counter (反) has reached 21.
The popup was immensely satisfying.
Worth yesterday's ordeal blocking Dokgo Yeon's ferocious assaults.
'Ways to beat that brute aren't many, but simplest is the Counter (反) essence from the tower.'
Watching his growth up close, her advice was spot-on.
'But you waste time reading foes pre-tech. Half-baked. True mastery: wield essence against any first-timer or technique.'
She reset his budding arrogance post-Counter gain with spot-on logic.
'Special training now. I'll attack with varying speed, form, intent via wooden sword. Block once, that brute won't touch you.'
She even tutored one-on-one ideally for Counter practice!
...Or maybe just wanted to pummel him max.
Effect undeniable: yesterday alone boosted Counter to 20.
Flow grew far more from her overwhelming force—grim consolation.
'Eh, Counter and Flow intertwined; joint growth natural.'
Snapping from reverie, Ban Yu-won raised sword, glaring.
Irecto, risen straight, trembled toward him.
“Y-you... dared...!”
“Sorry, cut the chatter—charge already?”
“Graaaah!”
Foolish.
After one hit, try different approach, no?
Yet same stance, fist raised, charging identically.
'Wait... not quite?'
Focusing on raised right fist, left quietly powered up—subtle, hard to spot bare-eyed.
But All-Reading Eyes caught 'Monstrous Strength (怪力)' crimson concept condensing in left.
'Hard reading higher foes' internal shifts before. From peeking during Lucelle date? Or Dokgo Yeon training yesterday?'
Didn't matter.
Just joy at his growth.
“Die!”
“Hoo.”
Ban Yu-won angled sword to feint deflect right, then at clash, flowed it aside (流).
Irecto's force twisted, balance crumbled.
In that split-second left fist waver, Ban Yu-won's sword pierced down (貫), exploding his power reverse (反)!
“Gaaaaah!”
Irecto screamed tearfully.
You have excellently dispersed the opponent's power with the vibration contained in the sword. The depth of Wave (波) has reached 23.
Makes sense.
His thrust held Wave (波) power too.
Sword's waves amplified counter, scattered fist-force chaotically—perfect.
“I-I'll kill you...!”
“Stop! Spar over! Irecto, combat incapacity!”
Entel panicked at mangled, sword-pierced left fist, called end—but enraged giant heard naught.
“Diiiie!”
“Irecto, expulsion-level! Ban Yu-won, evade!”
Gym fogged by his steam.
Shockingly, intact right hand amassed volcano (火山) and monstrous strength (怪力)!
Yet Ban Yu-won didn't retreat.
Dokgo Yeon's wooden sword yesterday dwarfed it—heavier, huger, hotter, scarier.
'Dokgo Yeon was right.'
Counter (反) best vs. brute force.
Simplest.
Ban Yu-won raised sword.
Magic-rich waves flowed along blade; severing (斬截) power blazed gold in response.
Blood Poison (血毒), feeding on his blood, amplified further.
Minimal setup vs. savage giant complete.
Eye the foe.
Ignore trivia concepts.
Two keys:
Where he aims.
Where his power pools.
'Got it.'
Sword extended.
Blade's wave shot ahead, nudging fist's path slightly.
Gap created.
Surging sword exploited it—like plucking fruit from branch end.
―Slash
Severed right arm from elbow down.
“Gaaaaaaaah!”
Giant writhed, howling horrifically.
But Ban Yu-won had no time for it.
Would you like to steal Life (生), Body (肉體), Giant (巨人), Volcano (火山), and Monstrous Strength (怪力) from Irecto's arm?
He'd found something far more intriguing.