Chapter 31: Instructor Ryu, That’s Not a Rod.
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 31: Instructor Ryu, That’s Not a Rod.
The moment I stepped into the weapon supply room, I was greeted by a vast array of melee weapons.
Starting with swords categorized by length, there were sabers, spears, axes, and more. It was called a supply room, but it was essentially a department store.
There are even chains... and this is... what do you call it... a halberd?
There were blunt weapons, and the knuckles came in all sorts of shapes.
The greatswords do look pretty cool...
Since Min-su used a sword, I tried to avoid overlapping weapon types as much as possible. If your weapon overlaps with the protagonist's, the chances of preempting a good weapon when one drops decrease.
However, it didn't seem like Min-su would use a greatsword, and it reminded me of a manga I’d enjoyed in the real world.
Though it’s not quite as big as that one.
There were even street-style weapons like hammers and crowbars; they looked mundane, but their quality was top-tier. Even without a deep knowledge of weaponry, you could tell just by looking that these were high-quality items. It proved that even though it was "standard issue," the supplies provided by Victory Academy were on another level.
"But where is she? Instructor Ryu?"
I had come because she said everything was ready, but Hye-mi was nowhere to be seen. Honestly, it didn't seem like I needed much help choosing a weapon anyway. Couldn't I just swing a few around and pick the one that felt right in my hand?
"Oh... not bad..."
Large-scale weapons definitely had a certain coolness to them. It reminded me of being a kid, wandering through the toy aisle even though I knew my parents wouldn't buy me anything.
I guess I'll just look around for a bit.
The weapon supply room, which didn't look that large from the outside, seemed endless no matter how much I walked. The further in I went, the more complex and unique the items became. From chakrams to shurikens, daggers, and even large crosses—every weapon you could imagine was there.
At some point, firearms began to appear, though they weren't as diverse as the melee weapons. There were likely many restrictions on using guns inside Gates. Besides, Awakeners with extreme physical abilities could be faster than bullets and capable of much more powerful attacks. There was a reason bows were often preferred over guns as long-range weapons.
Wow... they even have something like this...
I never thought I’d see what people on the internet called a "magical girl wand" in real life. It was quite surprising. I hadn't expected the range of weapons supplied to a mere cadet to be this broad.
"Were you having fun looking around?"
"Oh, Instructor, you're here."
"I'm sorry. Some paperwork came up that I had to clear."
"No, it's fine. I lost track of time looking at all the weapons."
That was the honest truth. I was just killing time while waiting, but it was surprisingly entertaining. I might have even wished Ryu Hye-mi hadn't shown up so soon.
"Did you find anything you particularly liked?"
"No, there are so many that I'm having trouble deciding."
"Then shall we start with the aptitude test?"
When Victory Academy provides weapons, they prioritize the cadet's choice. However, they also offer recommendations based on an instructor's judgment or aptitude tests if a more suitable weapon is found.
"Please come this way and stand still."
Where Ryu Hye-mi led me, there was a large cylinder. Based on visuals alone, it wouldn't have been strange to see a person preserved in formalin inside it.
"Yes, ma'am."
I couldn't hide my reluctant expression, and Instructor Ryu Hye-mi let out a small laugh.
"It looks a bit intimidating, doesn't it? But it's cutting-edge technology. It can analyze your entire body's muscular development and your range of motion."
Simply put, it was meant to thoroughly analyze a cadet's body to find a customized weapon. Even though Awakeners had bodies far superior to ordinary people, everyone had different areas of specialization.
"Just wait here for a moment."
As soon as I stepped into the cylinder, I heard a whirring sound. Machines that looked like something out of Iron Man popped out and began emitting bright lights. It wasn't painful to the eyes, so it was bearable, and honestly, it was kind of fun.
I've felt like I'm at an amusement park since a while ago.
It felt like a movie experience—playing with various movie props and occasionally reenacting scenes.
Hm?
I didn't think it would take long, so I was looking around, but something felt off. I expected it to scan from top to bottom and then produce the results. But wasn't the machine just spinning around one spot?
Wait, why is it focusing there?
I glanced down and saw it was obsessively scanning my crotch. At first, only one unit was stuck there emitting light, but as time passed, more machines gathered. Eventually, every single machine was clustered around my dick. Dumbfounded, I looked over at Ryu Hye-mi.
"Uh, no, wh-why is it doing this? J-just a moment!"
I hoped for a solution, but I was immediately betrayed. With a look of sheer panic, she fumbled with the controls, but nothing changed.
"I'm trying to override it, but are you perhaps using a skill right now?"
"Huh? A skill?"
"This machine doesn't just measure physical ability; it can also detect subtle traces of skills. I think that's why it's glitching..."
She spoke so fast I almost couldn't catch it.
A skill?
It wasn't as if I didn't have a hunch. Among the skills I received as quest rewards, there were two I couldn't identify because of the question marks. I just hadn't had a way to check them until now.
But maybe I can now.
The description for the Witch's Blessing said it allowed me to "see clearly." If that was the case, I might be able to read the hidden skills. I had nothing to lose, so I immediately opened my skill window.
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Due to the Witch's Blessing, you see unclear things clearly.
.
.
.
Correctly identifying skills [???] and [???].
[???] > Self-Pillar (F~S) :: The bigger, longer, and thicker the weapon you hold, the stronger you become. The weapon is also enhanced. (Always-Active)
[???] > Level Up! (!_!) :: Increases the rank of a sub-skill by one. Use carefully!
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Was it because the skill ranks were all weird that I couldn't read them...?
They weren't normal skill ranks. An F~S rank meant the performance changed depending on what weapon I held. "Level Up" was exactly what it sounded like.
But then, why the hell is it doing this here...
Why was the machine investigating my dick? Even if it was an "Always-Active" type, the condition was that I had to be holding a weapon for it to trigger. Right now, I wasn't holding any weapon; I was bare-handed.
Wait, no way.
An absolutely absurd possibility occurred to me. The skill didn't define the scope of what a "weapon" was. And the machine could read skills. As the pieces of the puzzle began to fit together, a conclusion I didn't even want to consider was reached.
"Cadet Baek Tae-yang, is there... some kind of trigger in your pants that activates a skill?"
There was. A very hard and thick trigger. At least three times the strength of others. A trigger with a curve that even pants couldn't hide.
"Based on what's coming up now, it seems like there's a rod there. How strange, this has never happened before!"
Of course it hadn't. What kind of skill would recognize a cock as a weapon? No wonder my crotch was glowing in that department store battle video. It was glowing because it was functioning as a weapon.
Is it like... a meat club?
There was no one to ask. Even the instructor in charge of research couldn't figure out the skill right now.
Would she even believe me if I told her?
If I pulled down my pants and said, "This is the cause," would she actually believe me?
"I don't think the machine can identify it any further. May I examine it directly?"
"Um... uh... ah..."
It was awkward to refuse and difficult to accept. Why did Ryu Hye-mi and Su-jin overlap so strangely in my mind? The situations were too similar.
"It'll be over in a second!"
With a confident expression, Ryu Hye-mi strode toward me. She was in front of me in an instant and crouched down on her knees. It was incredibly embarrassing as she stared intently at the exact spot where the machines had gathered.
"Hmm... it really is strange... It looks normal on the surface... and the location where it glowed back then..."
I wonder if there's some secret in your groin...
It was painful listening to Ryu Hye-mi mutter to herself. Does this woman know everything and is doing this on purpose?
"C-could I perhaps touch it?"
"Touch what?"
"Your... groin..."
Her voice was barely a whisper, but I heard it clearly. This woman wanted to investigate the "rod" further for the sake of her research. Seeing her face turn red, she seemed to have a rough idea of what it was.
"It's definitely a special skill! I have to see it with my own eyes and investigate. This could be an opportunity. A thesis could be published under Cadet Baek Tae-yang's name!"
Ryu Hye-mi was ready to reach out if I just gave her permission. Her face showed she was prepared to cast aside her shame for the sake of research.
"Instructor Ryu Hye-mi."
"Yes! Cadet Baek Tae-yang! Are you giving me permission?"
"That's not a rod."
"Pardon? Then... what is it...?"
She spoke as if she were flustered, but her gaze was still fixed on my lower body. She probably wanted to deny the truth, but it was time to tell her cruelly.
"You already knew. That's my cock."
"Is... is that the skill?"
"....Yes...."
I thought she would surely give up at this point. In fact, she should have. But curiosity makes people do strange things.
"I... I want to see it... Would that be okay...?"
An instructor was looking up at her cadet piteously, saying she wanted to see his dick.
"...."
Without a word, I lowered my zipper. If it were an average-sized cock, it would have popped out just by lowering the zipper. But a monster among monsters only reveals itself once the buckle is undone as well.
"Eek!"
Because her face was so close, she got slapped on the cheek by the cock as it sprung out. Her expression—simultaneously panicked and stunned—was a masterpiece.
"Can... can I... t-touch... t-this...?"
I probably couldn't go all the way and have sex today. But until then?
An unexpected opportunity had arrived.