[End of Match] [Winner: Spring Class, Lee Ha-Yul] [Thank you for your efforts]
The announcement ringing from the ceiling caused me to stop swinging my staff without hesitation.
The loud drumming that had been echoing for a while stopped.
“Ugh...”
A pained groan echoed through the silence.
It was the groan of a cadet who had been repeatedly beaten with my staff throughout the sparring session. His face was clearly bruised. Especially his arms, which he could barely lift, were drooping. It was no surprise considering how his shoulders, which had to support his arms, looked.
The cadet staggered.
Just moments ago, I had raised him with quick blows from the staff, but now there was no such help. His body, which had been swaying, started to tip over.
Thud! He finally fell forward, his face hitting the ground.
[Hmph]
With this, it’s 3-0. The practical test ended without much trouble.
I shrugged my shoulders and placed the battered staff against the wall, heading out of the sparring hall.
[Feeling? Satisfying]
As the door closed, the pendant clicked on its own. I gently caressed the necklace with a strange expression on my face.
"Satisfying... hmm... well, it does make sense."
I paused briefly, but there was no reason to deny the feeling. My chest felt a little lighter. It was like gulping down carbonated water.
‘What was his name again... League... or something? Not really a name to remember, so I’ll just forget about it.’
League... or whatever. Our only connection was a shoulder bump during the freshman welcome ceremony. Since then, I haven’t really seen him.
‘I didn’t really plan on revenge, but I guess it worked out to settle it now.’
I didn’t intend to avenge that incident. I was more surprised than angry at the time, and though I was a little upset, it wasn’t something I held a grudge over enough to chase him down and beat him.
But then, we ended up facing each other in the sparring hall.
What could I do? The situation pushed me into it, so I just repaid the debt.
It made my chest feel a little more at ease. I understood why some people find relief by hitting the mat.
‘Still, I should refrain from using violence as a stress-reliever like that.’
There are other healthier ways to deal with stress, and hitting people is not the best method.
And honestly, I’d be much happier just being held by someone and getting petted.
No need to resort to violent means.
Having sorted my thoughts, I quickened my pace.
The practical test was over. Because of that, the halls of the Combat Building were filled with cadets who had completed their tests and were heading out.
I walked in the opposite direction and headed inward.
The test had just ended, but I had some time left, so I decided to practice briefly before heading back.
[Lee Ha-Yul, confirmed] [Renting Combat Room 2-32]
The mechanical sound accompanied the opening of the door. As I stepped inside, the door automatically closed behind me.
Standing in the center of the room, I checked my right arm.
My white arm was smooth, without a single mark.
The outer skin that had been torn due to a circuit manipulation error and the swollen traces of blood had all healed by the time I left the sparring hall.
I moved my hand around and aimed it forward.
The pain from the twisting circuits flared. I focused my arm, applying force to twist the circuits and control them.
The shape of the circuit was that of the magical strike technique. Once I stabilized the formation, I released the magical power I had been holding back.
The magic flowed according to the shape of the circuit and transformed into a spell.
‘Ah.’
The spell was released. The white slash flew through the air, scattering in the sky.
The pain radiating from my arm almost brought tears to my eyes.
I glanced at the ground, noticing that my right arm, severed below the elbow, was lying there.
‘Failure... It hurts.’
I changed the method slightly, and this is the result. I guess I should be thankful it’s just a severed limb.
The reason I stuck with the magical strike technique was that if I had tried using a magic bullet and it exploded, my arm would have shattered into dozens of pieces, making the regeneration process a hassle.
I sighed deeply, using my prosthetic left arm to pick up the severed right arm and press the cut edges together.
‘Homogenization, Taesan.’
Then, I activated my enhancement ability. The properties of the magical energy shifted close to clay, and immense strength coursed through my body.
As Taesan manifested, my natural healing power began to mend the severed arm. The cut edges fused, and steam began to rise.
‘Homogenization, Healing Rhythm.’
Though it would heal quickly on its own, there was a risk that the curse would drain my life force and forcibly accelerate the healing process.
Thus, I simultaneously activated Elia’s unique ability and practiced. The light that focused on rapid regeneration gathered at the cut edges, hastening the healing process.
‘Done.’
To avoid any mistakes, I adjusted the arm, making sure the alignment was perfect. After a short while, the arm had reattached without leaving a scar.
I waved the newly attached arm around for a bit to confirm everything was fine, then let out a sigh of relief.
‘The technique for the fifth attempt... It's still tough to learn from scratch.’
I made a subtle expression and moved my hand around.
The fifth attempt involved using the body’s circuits for a mad wizard technique.
I tried to mimic it with magical affinity, but it was hard to replicate since I had never observed the original technique directly.
The magic I had used during my sparring with Katsuki Yusei had been the least damaging and most effective spell so far.
Despite Ariel's scolding, I had been training little by little. It was starting to show results. It was a technique I was reluctant to give up since I could see progress.
But there were still many failures, so using it in real combat was unrealistic.
Of course, it was shocking that I was even attempting to replicate such a technique without an artifact, just with simple magical manipulation...
‘...It would be great if I could observe the original technique.’
That was the conclusion I reached.
One of my strengths was overwhelming information collection through observation and sensing, and imitation through my expansion ability.
If I had the original to use as a reference, I could drastically increase my mastery in a much shorter time.
Normally, I wouldn’t think this weakly, but having experienced immense growth at the Tower of Growth, it was hard not to feel a sense of regret.
At the Tower of Growth, I met the second attempt.
Though the soul wasn’t involved, was it because the body was still mine? The second attempt’s technique was particularly easy to mimic.
In that process, I had died dozens of times, endured insults, but Ariel had explained that it wasn’t intentional.
Normally, I should have felt drastically reduced pain, but my senses were so sharp that even with the pain lowered, I still felt it normally.
In the end, it was my fault.
Ariel blamed herself, but honestly, how could anyone predict and respond to everything?
...I’m still annoyed at the Tower’s owner, but I haven’t heard the full story from her yet, so I’m holding back.
Anyway, if that logic applies to other attempts... If I could summon a different attempt from the Tower of Growth...
I could become drastically stronger by fighting that attempt.
‘The Tower’s owner probably summoned the second attempt for that reason. So, I might meet another attempt in the future.’
If that happens, I’m ready to welcome it.
It might hurt, but I wouldn’t act like a fool, kicking away an opportunity to get stronger just because I’m afraid of pain.
‘...Though, I’ll probably get sliced up with little resistance when I meet some of the later attempts.’
How painful or hard it is doesn’t matter that much.
...
After a bit of movement, I left the room.
Thanks to that, I had greatly improved my Taesan and Healing Rhythm abilities.
[Senior Lee Ji-Yeon, Hello]
“Junior? Good to see you. How did the practical go... for me?”
As I rubbed my sore right arm and headed out of the Combat Building, I bumped into Lee Ji-Yeon.
Though I had already detected her position, our paths just happened to cross.
Lee Ji-Yeon, who had been talking with her friends, looked up at me and smiled at my greeting, but her face stiffened slightly.
[?]
Her expression made my body tense. I quickly checked for any signs of Taesan, but as expected, it was completely erased.
Since Baek Arin caught me using it, I’ve been very careful to erase any traces.
...Then what is it?
“Lee Ha-Yul, Junior.”
[Yes, yes]
Her voice, firm and resolute, made my body stiffen. I tried to step back as she walked toward me.
Updated from freewёbnoνel.com.
Thunk- But I was immediately backed into a wall. There was nowhere to escape.
A dark shadow loomed over me. Lee Ji-Yeon stood before me, her expression still firm as she reached for me.
“Just a moment, excuse me.”
[What?]
She gently lifted my chin with one hand. Though it was a considerate touch, it was also a forceful gesture that blocked any chance of refusal, making my body freeze.
Her green eyes meticulously observed my complexion.
“Did you get hurt badly just now?”
How did she know I had just been moving around? I suppressed the trembling corners of my mouth and shook my head.
[Ah? No]
“...Really?”
[Yes, the injuries from the practical are all healed now, right?]
“No, not from the practical, I mean when you were training alone just now.”
[...Ah? No...]
Lee Ji-Yeon’s eyes narrowed slightly. Her gaze was so intense.
I flicked my tongue, tapping her fingers, which were gently pressing on my cheek, but they didn’t loosen.
Instead, she pressed her hand more firmly against my cheek, drawing nearer, her warm breath and the sound of her heartbeat growing louder.
“...Ji-Yeon? Isn’t this a bit too embarrassing out here?”
Luckily, help arrived from one of the female cadets who had been talking with Lee Ji-Yeon.
She looked at both of us, her expression a mix of confusion and curiosity, alternating between us.
“...Yeah, I guess so...”
Lee Ji-Yeon, who had been glaring down at me, nodded, and pulled her hand away from my cheek, stepping back.
The shadow over me dissipated. Finally, the pressure around me eased, and I sighed in relief.
Then, Lee Ji-Yeon suddenly grabbed my hand.
“Junior, could you spare a moment?”
[What? Uh... Okay]
Upon hearing my answer, Lee Ji-Yeon turned, glancing at her friends with a stunned expression, her body stiffening.
But it was only brief, and she soon spoke with a determined expression.
“...I have some work to attend to, so I’ll skip this time. You guys go ahead.”
“Okay, take care of it...?”
“Yeah, thanks.”
With a nod, Lee Ji-Yeon quickly turned her back on her confused friends and walked away. I followed her behind, still holding her hand.
...The wings of the sky gently wrapped around Lee Ji-Yeon’s waist.
...
Lee Ji-Yeon took me to the mansion.
We headed for the garden, full of vibrant flowers in full bloom.
On the way, she stopped by a café to get me a warm glass of milk, chatting briefly before bringing me here.
I quietly followed her, knowing this was where we were heading from the start.
Once in the garden, Lee Ji-Yeon briefly looked around before sitting on a bench and gently guiding me to sit on her lap.
The soft sensation supporting my bottom made me blink.
[Senior?]
“Just a moment.”
Not understanding what was happening, I obediently tilted my head as Lee Ji-Yeon suddenly reached into my shirt, placing her palm on my stomach.
The warmth of her palm as she gently rubbed my belly sent a shiver through my body.
It wasn’t just warm; it was a rich energy pouring into me, making my body tremble.
Still struggling to adapt, I shivered for a moment before feeling a sense of fullness as my belly grew warm and content.
My body naturally relaxed. It felt like lying down in a warm bed after having a full meal.
Lee Ji-Yeon didn’t hesitate to lift me in her arms, holding me gently as I slackened.
It wasn’t the first time I had experienced this. I had been given vitality like this in the dungeon before.
‘If she was going to give me vitality, she could have just told me...’
I had a small complaint, but I didn’t voice it.
Actually, now that I think about it, I don’t really understand why she’s giving me vitality.
But unlike when I take vitality on my own, receiving it from Lee Ji-Yeon filled me with an unusual sense of satisfaction and contentment.
After a brief moment, the infusion of energy stopped. Her hand fell away from my stomach. My belly now felt strangely full.
I had just been using a lot of energy, so the fullness was even more pronounced.
“Whew...”
Lee Ji-Yeon sighed and corrected my posture, gently patting my back.
Her hands tapped my back in a steady rhythm, almost like they matched the beat of my heartbeat.
Eventually, a small burp escaped my lips. Embarrassment flushed my face, but strangely, a sense of satisfaction washed over me, and my already-diminishing rationality slipped away.
“Do you have any plans?”
[No... Nothing...]
“Then, take a short nap.”
Did she sense my exhaustion? Lee Ji-Yeon pulled my head toward her chest.
“You know, after getting injured and receiving vitality, sleepiness comes naturally. There’s nothing strange about it. You can sleep.”
[I’m not hurt...]
“...Sigh, let me do it this time. But don’t hold back your sleepiness. Rest. I’ll stay by your side.”
Her hands, which had been patting my back, slowly moved downward.
She gently patted my bottom, just like she did in the dungeon, rhythmically.
The affectionate touch made my rationality slip even further.
All sounds other than my heartbeat faded away.
‘Good...’
[Happiness]
The pain and stress from training melted away like honey.
Truly, being held like this is much more satisfying than hitting and breaking things...
“...Where did you get hurt this time... Really, I can’t take my eyes off you...”
I vaguely heard the words, and my consciousness gradually faded.
***
[Player Adjustment System: Affection] Lee Ha-Yul → Lee Ji-Yeon
●●●●●●●○○○ (74→76/100)
“Affection” “Rock” “Reliability” “Comfort”