The academy's training involved months of repetitive learning, with students physically adapting to the flow of the classes.
The basic format included students sparring and providing feedback to one another.
Alternatively, they would simulate real combat by wielding actual weapons.
"Lee Shiheon."
"Yes."
"Why aren't you taking a stance?"
Even at El Academy, renowned as the best in the world, the intensity and variation in training were not markedly different.
The only distinction in the classes we received lay in the individual training rooms and the skilled instructors assigned to each student.
The academy paired the best teachers with the top students, ensuring they received the utmost care available.
"I heard you used martial arts in the match."
"…It was originally swordsmanship. Now, it's magic."
"Having a broad skill set may facilitate dungeon conquests. When forming an expedition, individuals like you, Lee Shiheon, with extensive knowledge, are indispensable."
The instructor, with his fists clenched and maintaining a relaxed posture, narrowed his eyes and glanced at me.
"But now it's the forester selection competition, a period when individual strength is paramount."
"..."
"I believe you're aware of that."
A man reminding me of the current situation while highlighting my hesitancy.
His name was Jeon Yonghyun… I didn't recall him.
How could I, given the sheer number of people in the world? Yet, he was unmistakably someone who had garnered recognition online.
Indeed, I sensed a seasoned dignity emanating from him.
'A-grade. Are these on the same level as the obscure S-grades I encountered in Dowon?'
With more stringent classifications, the number of S-grade hunters had significantly diminished.
Cheonma or Cheondo, or what other warriors referred to as the 'peak state.'
S-grade was determined by the extent to which one approached that state.
S-grade hunters, known for their unparalleled freedom and authority, were notoriously difficult to recruit, even by El Academy.
That's why they assigned us individuals who, while not S-grade, possessed similar or superior experience and talent in education.
Forming connections now could prove beneficial later, whether in securing a job or conquering dungeons.
'Come to think of it… Baekdo, whom I met as a teacher, was S-grade.'
I considered myself fortunate.
Whether it was my luck stat of 10 playing a role in such minor events, it almost seemed like destiny.
Meeting Baekdo was crucial; it endowed me with a power distinctly different from that of a typical academy student.
'And with that…'
What should I do next?
I hesitantly raised my hands, assuming a stance.
"Ready. Let's do it."
I drained my magical power as much as I could, instead enveloping my body with magic that increased its weight.
It felt as though my body was groaning under the weight of heavy sandbags tied all around.
If it's possible to strengthen the body, then weakening it must also be an option.
Training with a weakened body could, in time, refine my senses.
-Combat Type Body.
Up to this point, I had relied solely on my innate abilities.
It's as if my body instinctively knew the correct response in combat situations.
'Cheonma's techniques were particularly useful when I adapted them for my own use.'
When an attack was imminent, I automatically discerned the path to evade.
If an opening presented itself, my fist seemed magnetically drawn to it.
Occasionally, time appeared to slow down, and my body's extraordinary flexibility played a significant role in this.
What if I ignored my body's instincts… Could that lead to greater experience?
The intensity of training had become dull, especially after my time in Dowon.
-Sswaeaaek!
An incoming fist.
My body instinctively turned my head, ready for a counterattack.
Just move gracefully to overpower.
Yet, I forcefully halted that motion.
My body, previously fluid as if buffering, suddenly froze like stone.
I deliberately redirected the trajectory of the punch and my movement in a completely different direction.
My body, now numbed by the overlapping magic and diminished magical power.
Suppressing my nerves, I ended up taking a hit to the cheek.
-Ppeuk!
A loud noise. My bones tingled, my vision spun, and the corners of my mouth lifted.
A familiar pain, now a refreshing stimulation.
Kkok kkok- a slowly awakening pleasant sensation of improving skills that I experienced in Dowon.
If it were someone else, they'd be moving their feet slowly and grunting, but with the agility of a hawk's legs, the thrill of covering that distance instantly was undeniable.
"I guess even this could slightly improve my skills."
"Phew…"
Exhaling a breath mixed with blood, I thought to myself.
The wound in my mouth was healing quickly.
"Who's there?"
Walking in Seoul with a mask on, tiny hands suddenly stretched out from behind and covered my eyes.
"It seems I've been seeing you quite often lately."
"…Shiheon, did you call me out just to say that?"
"Keke."
"Well, if Shiheon calls, I have to come, right?"
It's 4 AM.
Since I wouldn't be sleeping or staying in the dormitory for a while, I left Jin Dallae in charge of the dorm and stepped outside.
The reason I came out to Seoul was to acquire disguise tools.
The clothes at the dormitory were at best casual, with many parts like the face and hair being exposed, so I came to Seoul's artifact market to buy combat clothes.
It's also about concealing my identity and ensuring functionality.
The clothes I was wearing now weren't really a problem. But like in Dowon, it's awkward to keep tearing and exposing them every time.
"Indeed. It would be strange not to have any armor when fighting with Flower."
"That's why I called you."
"Hehe. If we're talking about having wide connections, Byeol is definitely at the top of the list! Just saying!"
Byeol, holding the position of sub-association president, also knew the contacts of various officials.
Since I'd need to keep in touch with her in the future, I memorized the coordinates of Byeol's office.
"But do you have a lot of time? You told me to come when it's convenient, but you contacted me right away."
"…I have to help since it's your request. And with your magic, it's not hard to make some time."
I followed Byeol into a gloomy back alley.
There were no common utility poles around, and it's pitch dark. Wasn't Byeol sleepy at this late hour?
I usually didn't sleep much, so it didn't matter to me, but wasn't this person different?
Peeking through night vision, I saw dark circles under her eyes.
"What?"
Byeol gave me a gentle eye smile.
Her cheeks were softer and jigglier than Sansuyu's.
"Yikes!"
Byeol covered her mouth with both hands as I just looked without saying a word.
"Am I too pretty?"
"Eh…"
As I grabbed my head, Byeol happily stepped back and giggled.
Then she came right next to me and firmly linked arms with me.
"So why."
"No, I was just wondering if you don't sleep at this hour."
"…Have you already forgotten who I am?"
"Sub-association president?"
"No, a gamer."
Ah.
Staying up all night was her specialty.
It seemed the dark circles were not because of busy work.
"Anyway, stick close to me so you don't get lost. I'll explain about this place roughly."
Byeol leaned her head against my shoulder and began explaining as we navigated through the alley, which was surprisingly bustling for its kind.
East Seoul. In Gwangjin, a street for officials.
One of Korea's shady places, only traversed by high-ranking hunters and the wealthy.
"Some artifact makers and artisans are quite stubborn or have unique convictions. It's not that they're weird, but many develop these quirks as they awaken."
"Temperament… Indeed, many live and die by their temperament. It's truly filthy how hard it is to overcome."
"Phuhuhu. So, there are a lot of tricky people… and these strange trees are all in one basket… But they're still humans and need to work to live."
The path we were walking on became increasingly deeper.
Though it was a dark alley, this area was strangely clean.
It wouldn't have been surprising if rats scurried around amidst trash and bugs crawled here.
Beyond being clean, a faint scent of chemical disinfectants, like those found in bathrooms or sterilization rooms, wafted through the air.
It's a pungent yet addictive fragrance.
"Here we are."
Deeper inside. The innermost building.
It appeared dilapidated, with a tattered roof, door, and broken stairs, but the material felt premium to the touch.
"…Wow."
The tenacity of the entire house, from the magic circles engraved throughout, was palpable.
It wasn't practical, but its performance was exceptional.
"Everyone says magic engineering majors are all perverts."
"Agreed."
As I repeated what I had heard online, Byeol nodded several times.
"Only these guys would get excited looking at the barrel of a magic-engineered gun."
"Who gets excited over something like that?"
"Ever seen someone get too intimate with a gun?"
Byeol, making a crude joke, inserted her finger into a circle made with her hand.
Being internet-savvy, she effortlessly made high-caliber jokes.
"What would you think if there was a case of someone disarming the safety and… ending up in the hospital after using a gun for self-pleasure?"
Disarming the gun's safety?
Doing such a thing and ending up in the hospital?
"…That's crazy."
"The person we're meeting today is like that."
"?"
Not just your ordinary crazy person.
Thinking this, I kept my mouth shut.
It's best to be cautious when dealing with a madman. The most dangerous people in the world weren't the strong ones, but those who were mentally unstable.
"Let's go up; it won't be too hard to get a set of clothes since I know them a bit. Oh, and watch your step. It might give out."
-Creak.
The unsettling noise echoed from the stairs as I stepped on them.
The steel bent, feeling like it might break at any moment.
-Click, click.
The stairs sank further with each step as I put more weight on them.
However, they never bent beyond a certain fixed angle.
The design was meticulous.
Despite being much harder and more annoying than engraving magic circles on a normal staircase.
Climbing the shaky stairs, I passed a window patched up with planks and stood in front of the door.
The door was made of a single piece of wood, with bushy branches growing over it.
"Sappan wood?"
"You know it?"
Byeol seemed well-informed about this tree and added an explanation.
Sappan wood has endless uses. Its fruit is edible, and the wood is used for baskets and fences.
"Its flower language is… reflection. Similar to this person's personality. We've only met for business, but unlike me, this person's personal and professional temperaments are the same."
Byeol shrugged her shoulders, crossed her arms, and reached out to the door.
As the door opened, a thick floral scent drifted out.
Enchanting and uplifting, almost addictive.
"Ugh, it smells like sweat."
Byeol apparently didn't feel the same as she quickly opened the door while covering her nose.
Clothes hung on old armor stands and weapons.
And valuable artisanal gems were left without any security.
Inside, a woman with purple hair and a disheveled appearance sat holding a thin needle.
"Who's there?"
Various types of guns were placed beside the woman.
"…I don't usually use guns."
To enhance their power, the cost of bullets skyrocketed, and managing the barrel was challenging.
Maybe it's a quirk.
The woman's hand, not erasing the ink, methodically wrote characters on the handle of a gun.
"Hello, I'm Byeol, we've met before."
"…Ah, that cute kid?"
"Yes, that adorable one."
"Oh, it must be her. What brings you here?"
The woman, putting down her glasses and looking at Byeol, smiled warmly.
A store that only opened at dawn. A place you couldn't enter without connections.
I took a deep breath, assuming the smell was of sweat, as I looked around.
"It's alright."
Many of the artifacts seemed like something I could decently make myself, but not here.
Even the underwear casually strewn on the floor bore diligently engraved magic circles.
There's a reason trustworthy places were considered reliable.
The woman, with sappan wood-colored and purple hair, witch-like in her ethereal demeanor, chatted with Byeol.
"Is that your boyfriend?"
"Hehe, does it look like it?"
Byeol grinned sheepishly.
Unlike her business-like appearance, she was quite honest with her emotions.