A red pencil floating in front of my eyes came to mind.
Magic power being drained like oil from a gas station.
Air and light constricting, distorting my vision.
-Woong!
Teleport.
The vanished pencil reappeared and fell on the bed behind me.
"Phew…"
I exhaled the breath I'd been holding and wiped off the sweat flowing like rain.
Turning around, I looked at Hwangdo standing behind me.
"Was it a success?"
"Kyaaak! Little Brother is the best!"
Hwangdo exaggeratedly clung to me. Cheek to cheek, a soft sensation came rushing in.
"Why are you making such a fuss over just moving a pencil?"
"It's not just that. You really have talent, Little Brother! Ah, how exciting! This is what tutoring feels like~!"
Rubbing against me.
It felt good, but the skinship was too much.
I pushed Hwangdo away by the shoulders, and even that made her laugh gleefully.
"Now we just need to make improvements."
Adjusting the coordinates' accuracy, reducing the magic power consumption, and increasing the calculation speed.
If my skills reached that level, assuming I knew the starting and destination coordinates, I could move anywhere in the world at will.
Of course, unlike Hwangdo, I couldn't use it as freely as if it were my own home.
Hwangdo's magic power was irregular.
'It's nonsensical to use spatial magic for blinking.'
To have that much surplus magic power, one must be inherently different.
Like gaining magic power just by breathing.
If magic power was likened to oil, it was impossible to replicate what she did without embedding a gene in the body.
'And they are capable of that… these peaches.'
The more I learned, the more I realized how little I knew. Could I even reach their level if I smashed my status window and broke my magic circuit right now?
And if the person targeting me was someone even Cheondo struggled against…
When would I ever escape this dog-like predicament?
"Little Brother?"
Noticing my gaze, Hwangdo patted my shoulder worriedly.
"Are you worried about something?"
"No. Let's wrap up. Now I can take Siba to kindergarten without my sister."
"Yep, with Little Brother's talent, you'll catch up with me soon!"
"Kekeke, just wait. I'll beat you soon."
Checking the time, it was already 1 AM. I gestured, and Hwangdo nodded, then transformed herself.
Her dark red hair fluttered as if caught in the wind.
"Today's magic practice ended early."
Cheondo, wearing an oversized coat, warmed up and started a conversation.
"Well… they say I have talent."
"Talent is overflowing. You're working hard, too."
Cheondo snapped her fingers. Suddenly, the space in front of us changed into a training room.
Amazed by her overwhelming skill, I chuckled.
"But I'm not sure."
"About what?"
"Ah… that thing."
Talent that was easily acquired denied the effort put in.
But paradoxically, even more effort was needed to rise to a position worthy of that talent.
How long would that take? I have been thinking about it a lot recently.
"Do you feel lost?"
"If that's the case… yes."
Cheondo looked at me nonchalantly.
Too silly a worry, I thought bitterly, about to close my mouth when she spoke again.
"Take off your clothes."
…Clothes?
I brought my hands to my chest and looked at Cheondo with a meaningful gaze.
"You haven't picked up something weird from Hwangdo, have you…? Like doing strange things…"
"What are you talking about? If I say take them off, take them off."
Half in shock, I slowly took off my shirt. Cheondo's face changed to a disgusted look.
"So why did you tell me to take them off?"
"Look at this."
Cheondo took out a mirror hanging in the corner of the training room and handed it to me.
"The proof of your hard work is etched into your body."
I frowned as I looked at my body.
Due to the recent intense training, my body was covered in unidentifiable scars.
Burns and cuts, traces of magic circuit overload from fighting entities like Saibi and Ents.
The marks of magic circuit overload protruding like veins were grotesquely visible.
'When did I get hurt this much?'
It was astonishing.
After what happened in Purgatory, I was aware that I had developed a habit of ignoring pain, but I didn't realize it had gotten to this extent.
"You have a natural talent for regeneration and healing."
Thanks to the power granted by the World Tree. I had been using that power effectively.
"Even so, you ended up like this. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"Yes, well, I guess you mean I'm making enough effort, right?"
Cheondo smiled as she spoke.
"No? I meant you should work harder. And act up, do whatever you want. You like to show off, don't you?"
That was true.
Thinking about it, I could take it lightly.
Lately, I had been living so busily that I thought I was experiencing a bit of a reality check.
I scratched my cheek and laughed easily.
"I can't disappoint our master."
With that thought, I got into position.
Cheondo, with an inscrutable look, then drew her sword made of leaves.
It was three days before the test, in the early hours of the morning.
A massive pressure overwhelmed the opponent.
"Ugh, ugh."
The student, gritting his teeth, tried to withstand the crushing pressure but soon realized it was too much and shouted.
"I lost, I've lost!"
"Thank you for the match."
"Yes, yes."
Adjusting my mask, I stepped off the stage, and exclamations erupted from around.
-How many wins is that now?
-The exam is just a few days away. Why…
The gathering stares and the jealousy that came with them.
Some mocked me, saying I was showing off my moves before the tournament, but they were grossly mistaken.
'They're the ones with few cards in hand, not me.'
Magic. Sword. Fist.
I had more than three methods of attack at my disposal.
I looked around at the students from behind my mask. Some averted their gaze from me.
-Crazy talented jerk.
So, I had reached the point where I heard such things.
There was nothing much to say. Without talent, I would have died long ago.
Still, the jealousy was annoying.
Glancing around again, my eyes met with a familiar face.
'Lim Jonghyun.'
The nobleman who always burnt with rivalry towards Jung Siwoo.
His passionate eyes, strangely, were now focused on me.
'Why is he acting like that?'
It wasn't without reason.
I was aware that his attitude changed somewhat since Jung Siwoo put Lim Jonghyun and me on the same level at the last drinking session.
Now that I was openly sparring like a madman, he was finally showing interest.
Well… it wasn't my concern.
"Good job."
Returning to the terraced seats, Jin Dallae gently spoke to me.
I nodded, leaned back in my seat, using the backrest as a bed, and closed my eyes. Sleepiness was creeping in.
"Did you stay up all night again?"
"Yeah."
"Aren't you overdoing it… What if you collapse?"
"If I collapse, the master will force-feed me a potion."
Jin Dallae blinked in surprise.
It wasn't an exaggeration. Really, I had been near death and forced awake by gulping down potions.
"Are you being… tortured?"
It was similar.
I heard I have to live like this for nearly a year.
Not long after, I was even advised that I should train by myself if my master wasn't around. What could I say? I accepted my fate while saying, 'Yes, master.'
"The body isn't built overnight. What can I do?"
"Your master seems very strict."
Jin Dallae sighed briefly, then took something out of her pocket and handed it to me.
"Here, have this."
A small candy wrapped in plastic. Looking closely with my dim eyes, I saw a flower drawn on it.
Jin Dallae's Flower.
"Next, Jin Dallae!"
"Oh, it's my turn. I'll be back."
Jin Dallae grabbed her wand and ran off to the arena.
I unwrapped the candy and rolled it in my mouth.
These days, even candies taste like wood.
I hated myself for suddenly thinking of what a knot taste would be like.
-Tap, tap.
As I drifted into sleep, I sensed movement beside me.
Lifting my eyes, I met Sansuyu's gaze as she approached in Jin Dallae's absence.
"Ah."
Sansuyu, excited like a puppy climbing over the seats, froze in place.
Her body stiffened as if she was caught in a game of statues.
"What are you doing?"
"Practicing stealth swordsmanship… crawling?"
I was shocked that she still used such language.
"…Please make jokes that sound like jokes. Are you still on that weird website?"
"Huh?"
I asked, expecting a negative response.
But Sansuyu, seemingly proud of herself, sat up from her crouched position, puffed out her chest, and spoke. Her large chest bounced along with her tie.
"I became a moderator there."
Oh God, help me.
Images of various disgusting photos flashed before my eyes.
I wanted to respect people's tastes, but this world was insane.
Not just ordinary photos, but incomprehensibly repulsive ones were circulating.
Title: If I like the photo, I'll go to sleep
Author: ArboretumMVP
(Photo of an old tree's knot)
Sleep well~
-Nature fetishist ㄷㄷ
-Damn, now it's just blatant craziness. At least bring a driftwood or something
└ ?
└ Report this
└ ?
└ Pedo freak, disgusting
-Crazy.. Psychopath.
└ For real, rather than a knot, it's about Jesus' nail holes…
└ Better jerk off to a water bottle.
└ What about a floor wank?
└ Whether it's wood or water bottles or Jesus, there are no normal people here, damn, all set to devour everything.
My first impression when I visited the site was:
'…Apocalypse.'
That place was a den of madness where no human should dwell.
Sansuyu, still unaware of the severity, tilted her head in confusion. It was infuriating.
"You're still on that site?"
"Everyone's nice."
"Nice? Where is it?"
"Swordsmanship Gallery."
…I should remember 'Swordsmanship Gallery.'
I couldn't just stand by and watch the once innocent and oblivious Sansuyu become corrupted.
Swallowing a sigh internally, Sansuyu asked me with an innocent face as if she had done nothing wrong.
"Siwon."
"Shiheon."
Pff - Sansuyu stuck out her tongue.
"…Shiheon."
"Don't use that site anymore."
"But I get bored."
"There's plenty else to do. Comics, movies, swordsmanship videos on MyTube, but why that site?"
"My master is there. And friends, too."
Friends on that site, why?
I looked at her in disbelief, and Sansuyu showed me a comment on her phone.
-[Admin] Let's not use such words.
-Who's 'us'? Who are you?
-[Admin]… Friends?
-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Stop talking nonsenseㅡㅡ
"Anyone can see they're mocking you."
"Mocking… who?"
It seemed Sansuyu was becoming the main target of ridicule.
It was typical of Sansuyu to show no signs of being hurt, but it seemed necessary to cut off her internet access.
"Still, don't do it."
"…Shiheon doesn't train with me anymore."
When I firmly stated my opinion, Sansuyu pouted. It felt like she was blaming me for her situation.
Was she resorting to the internet because reality was boring? The real problem was that I was her only friend.
"Make some other friends."
"Who? Oh right. Shiheon… my secretary wants to bring you over."
"Me? Why me all of a sudden?"
Sansuyu smoothly changed the subject, then brought her index finger to her lips, pondering, and then spoke as if she'd realized something.
"To socialize?"
"…The secretary wants to socialize with me?"
What was that all about?
I was baffled by this out-of-the-blue statement.
It seemed like there was a significant misunderstanding.