Fresh Cut and Goblin Butchery

"Instructor."

"Yeah."

"Could you lend me a dagger?"

"Why, got someone to stab? Or you planning to off yourself?"

Why were those the options? But looking into Gwangnyeon-i's eyes, it seemed like she'd carelessly lent a weapon to a trainee before and something like that had actually happened. I gave her an awkward glance.

"...My hair's gotten too long, so I wanna cut it."

"Hair? Yourself? ...Yeah, it does look about time."

"I've got confidence I'll cut it well."

"Can't just hand it over. Cut it here and return it."

"If I do it in your room, cleaning up the hair clippings would be a hassle, and they'd get on your clothes too."

"Then what? Just trust you and let you walk off with a dagger in hand?"

"That works too."

"...Bullshit. Let's go to the bathhouse. I'll wait at the entrance—cut it inside and come out."

"Thank you."

At a glance, Gwangnyeon-i seemed prickly and inflexible because of her speech, but that wasn't true at all. Just looking at what happened now, she was using her own break time to accommodate my personal needs. Since I was someone who knew gratitude, I thanked her sincerely. She didn't look particularly pleased by my thanks, though.

Anyway, things were going according to plan—lucky break. If she hadn't brought up the bathhouse, I would've suggested it myself. Perfect coincidence that it came from her mouth first. The bathhouse was just an excuse because it was convenient for undressing or cleaning up hair. Truth was, no one was around at this hour, so nobody would see me cutting my hair.

'Good thing she didn't insist on coming in with me, saying something like "we've seen each other naked anyway, so it doesn't matter."'

At least she trusted I wouldn't suddenly harm myself. Gwangnyeon-i and I headed to the bathhouse entrance.

She handed me the dagger, blade in her grip so the handle faced me—a thoughtful touch.

'Her kindness is so damn hard to get used to...'

I reached out and carefully took the plain, unadorned dagger. It wasn't heavy. I'd gotten used to the weight of a longsword during team training anyway.

"...Go in. Clean up everything before you come out."

"Yes, ma'am."

- Creak...Thud!

The bathhouse was empty except for me. I went deep into a corner and turned on the faucet connected to the outdoor water tank.

- Gurgle, gush, splash!!

Water poured out with a massive racket onto the floor. Gwangnyeon-i was superhuman, so her hearing was sharp. I needed noise like this to distract her. Keeping my voice as low as possible, I murmured,

"...Status Window..."

Was I crazy enough to cut my own hair? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠In a place without mirrors, no less? I'd pay for a professional stylist with actual skills. I manipulated the Status Window and returned to Earth.

*

The hairstyle of my dreams was one that swept my hair up to expose my forehead. It looked refreshing and gave off confident vibes, earning tons of favorable first impressions. But before the body swap, it had been impossible for me. My skull was short-headed—narrow between the eyes and ears, basically a compact cranium. Genetic traits meant most East Asians with that head shape couldn't pull it off. Only the blessed few could.

I'd always envied guys on SNS who rocked exposed foreheads. But thanks to the system, I'd reshaped myself into a long-headed type—more common in Westerners. With my own hands, no less.

So I wanted to style it up right away, but...

"Damn... No wax or spray in Terraforming... What if someone asks how I'm keeping it spiked?"

No good answer for that. So I settled for a neat trim swept to the side. It still looked amazing. Head shape was half the battle with hairstyles.

"I'll find something eventually. Some Terraforming substitute for wax."

They used cow saliva back in the countryside days, right? Something like that had to exist here. I'd keep this style until then.

"Status Window."

- Gurgle, gush, splash!!

The sound of water hitting my ears rang out. Back in Terraforming. I killed some time, waited about five minutes, then exited the bathhouse.

- Creak...Thud!

"...Whoa. Total transformation? You sure you're the same guy?..."

"Thank you. Oh, the bathhouse trash bin's full—I'll empty it. There's a disposal area behind the building, right?"

"Huh? That's staff work, no need, but if you wanna do it, no reason to stop you. Go ahead."

"Returning the dagger here."

I held it out blade-first, just like she'd given it to me. Gwangnyeon-i stared at my hair a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠few times, then took it with a dazed look. She couldn't adjust to my revamped image.

"Uh, yeah. I'm heading back."

"Yes, ma'am."

I confirmed she was gone, then slipped back into the bathhouse. The bin was in the corner. I grabbed it and headed behind the building.

No special reason for emptying it myself. Overly cautious, maybe, but... If Gwangnyeon-i—who knew I'd cut my hair there—happened to check the bin and noticed no clippings...

It'd breed needless suspicion. Slim chance, sure, but a quick chore to eliminate it? Worth it. I'd have loved to bring clippings from the Earth salon, but no way to transport them here.

"No way she'd dig through the dump site. No reason for her to."

I emptied the bin, returned it, then headed to the dorms for rest. Dealing with Lee Kangin and Blanc freaking out over my new cut.

*

- Gulp. The trainee swallowed hard. Tension etched clearly on his face.

- Keeeh!! Keeeh!!

Hesitation brief, resolve set—he swung the blade at the bound goblin Gerard.

Slash!

- Kreeeeh!! Kreaaah!! Krrruuul!!!

The knife sliced across the goblin's chest. Not deep. The trainee panicked at that. Unconscious revulsion had made him pull back subconsciously—shallower than intended.

"Good job."

Brack praised him. Overcoming disgust to cut a living being was passing grade enough. I agreed. Easy start meant less burden for those after.

We were training to get used to it. Slicing monster flesh, killing them. Essential hurdle for combatants.

- Kreeeh!!!

Not deep, but close to the heart. Blood poured disproportionately. Left bound like that, it'd bleed out soon. Wasteful, though.

Lives should be used wisely. Gwangnyeon-i shared my thinking—she had the next trainee stab before it died. Two, three, four—until the end.

Slash!

- Krrruuk!!! Krrk!!

Slash!

- Krrruuk!! Kreaaah!

Slash!

- Krrk...! Grrrul...!

Slash!

- Geh... Gulp...

Slash!

- ...

Cries of "I can't," Gwangnyeon-i smacking them, Brack holding her back, gritted teeth gripping hilts—somehow all six stabbed. Faint breaths finally stopped.

The goblin corpse was brutal. Butchered by six lethal cuts. Eyes dim, more blood outside than in.

Trauma-worthy sight didn't linger. Gwangnyeon-i touched it—poof, gone.

'Her skill, huh...'

Only a blood pool remained where the bound body had sprawled, hinting at its presence.

"I... Is it over now?..."

The seventh trainee—a woman—asked Gwangnyeon-i. Eyes pleading, 'Goblin's dead, so I skip, right?'

No such luck. A bound goblin appeared in her hand.

- Keeeh!!

"Alright, Gerard's dead... This is Gerard 2."

"Eek!..."

The new one was lively. Stabbing practice continued, naturally.

'That skill looks so ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠damn useful every time...'

I opened her skill window again to check.

No size listed for Subspace, but even small, it's utility gold. Top-tier among ability users here—few as it is.

Means I covet it bad. Paired with her combat sense... Covers her stat gap with Brack easy.

Lv 3 adds a 5m blink with 15s cooldown—like a game skill. Dodges lethal hits every 15s, perfect ambushes. Or micro-shifts in grapples for big gains.

'...Wonder if there's a way to learn it?'

Maybe if I finish this novel, it hits the shop.

Slash!

- Kreeeeh!!

"Next!"

Lost in thought, my turn came. Goblin already slashed twice, bleeding.

Eye contact with the bound thing, then drew my blade.

Thud! Thud!

Squelch!

- Krrt!... Rrt!... Gulp...!

I closed in, jammed the knife into its throat. Hit dead center—my aim didn't miss stationary targets.

Tip pierced flesh, stopped at bone. Normally, you'd pull out here...

I slammed my palm into the hilt's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠end without pause.

Crack!

- Geruk...

Snapping bone tickled my palm. Short death rattle, then gone. Half-severed head dangled on the blade.

"Ho... Brutal."

"Thank you."

Shlick.Thud... Roll...

Pulled free; massive head tore remaining skin, tumbled. I wiped the bloody blade as trained and returned to my spot.

Unfriendly stares from other trainees—no bother. Acted for my gain.

Killing experience? More the better. Familiarity cuts hesitation in real fights.

Threat-free chance like this? Grateful, give it my all.