Chapter 16

Chapter 16

I Became the Only Non-mage in the Academy.

Episode 16: Ershil (4)

Heaven Defying Body contradicted all principles.

Supernatural powers, magic, sword energy, defensive martial arts… A force that nullified everything triggered by magical power or related phenomena.

The powers and laws existing in this world could not withstand the Heaven Defying Body.

However, this did not mean that Heaven Defying Body was omnipotent.

From the stage called ‘Superior,’ one could not solve everything with the energy of Heaven Defying Body.

Those who had reached the realm called Superior dyed the world with laws drawn from their own mental images.

Black Energy.

A power designed to drag them to death.

Concentrating the energy of Heaven Defying Body in one place, I agitated it from within.

Dark, negative energy gathered in the grasp of my hand. The snake struggled.

Ershil’s magical threads started to break.

Kim Ara could not move for a while. It had not been long since she awakened her power, and the source power was difficult to handle.

But it did not matter.

It was already over.

I stirred up Nyeom within me and filled my legs with the energy of Heaven Defying Body.

I leaped with all my strength.

The shadow snake twisted its body. But my body had already touched the snake. My hand reached the snake.

Thud.

A light sound rang out. But the contained power was not light.

The Black Energy, formed of Heaven Defying Body, pierced through everything in the shadow snake and entered its insides.

An explosion started from within. The Heaven Defying Body reversed everything. As if it alone was the correct answer, it did not allow other mana.

That’s why it was called Heaven Defying Body.

-Kieeeeeek!

The shadow snake screamed. Kim Ara and Ershil entered combat mode.

But I just stood there. Because this was the snake’s final phase.

I knew that the shadow snake’s reaction was an action it took just before its last breath.

“That’s ridiculous.”

I looked at the snake.

It was just a single strike.

Though I expected it, seeing it directly was a different feeling.

-Kieeek! Kiek!

The shadow snake, twisting and screaming, began to collapse as it spat out black blood.

It was a momentary rebound.

Thud!

The shadow snake collapsed, kicking up dust everywhere.

I looked at the snake with a sense of warmth.

The grade that emerged when I appraised the scale earlier was D-grade.

With that, if I skinned the snake and crafted armor, I might achieve a C-grade.

Moreover, the shadow snake possessed an inner elixir.

I couldn’t use it, but I could trade it for something more valuable.

And most importantly, there was the main reward.

[Main Quest Chapter. 1.5: Shadow Snake Subjugation Complete!]

[A reward of 5,000P will be awarded.]

[Subjugating the shadow snake with a single strike! Achieving an unbelievable record! The reward is upgraded!]

[An additional 2,000P will be awarded!]

[5,000P exclusive writing rights are awarded!]

I gazed at the reward window with satisfaction. The points were truly gratifying, especially since the supply of points had been quite slow recently.

[15,500P]

‘……?’

I hesitated while checking my points. The amount was significantly more than I had anticipated. Where did all these points come from?

I would have to investigate this later.

I examined the exclusive writing rights for Skills. I was content with this reward as well.

“It was taking too long to master the movement technique, but this should suffice for now.”

Status window.

▼

[Name: Lee Seo-ha]

Strength: 3

Agility: 5

Stamina: 6

Spirit: 5

Skill: 5

Concept Stats

Heaven Defying: 2

◈Talents

-「Reading(-)」, 「Unfathomable Talent(A-)」, 「Dexterity (B+)」

◈Skills

-「Black God Martial Arts(?)」, 「Ikar’s Advanced Spirit Control Technique(C)」, 「Black Flash Sword Technique(D)」

◈Physique

-「Heaven Defying Body(S-)」

Since the last time I checked it, various additions had appeared in the status window.

I focused on the Skills section, on ‘Black God Martial Arts(?)’. The rank column was marked with a question mark.

“This is…”

Such a rank did exist in Epic World. The Thousand-Year Martial Vein that Kim Seo-hyun was mastering.

And it belonged to a character equivalent to a ‘mid-boss’.

I looked at it for a while before turning away.

Because I felt someone’s gaze.

“…What was that power just now?”

Ershil’s eyes were strange. Her pupils trembled, but the emotion I read was different.

‘Defeating that snake with one blow… Indeed, as expected of the top student.’ I hadn’t expected this reaction.

A look close to astonishment.

It seemed like a reaction from someone somewhat understanding my power.

‘Did Melanie tell her?’

Was there some kind of network or community among transcendent beings? I knew the dimension Melanie lived in was separate from that of Cheonma.

“It’s my power. More importantly, Ershil, could you help me move this?”

“Ew, it’s quite dirty…”

But if Ershil wouldn’t do it, either Kim Ara or I would have to carry it. I looked at the shadow snake.

Indeed, the shadow snake vomiting black blood was not visually appealing.

“Then it can’t be helped.”

I broke the gemstone given by the instructor.

“Oh? Are you calling the instructors?”

“Yes. Since the shadow snake can be used for various materials anyway, it’s better to share some and get help.”

Ershil looked quite regretful at my words.

“Then I’ll deduct from my share. I didn’t do much anyway.”

“I too…”

Ershil and Kim Ara said.

I shook my head. Things like this needed to be clear.

“I’ll deduct from my share. I’m the one who called them.”

“Really?”

Ershil’s lips faintly rose.

That made sense. Monsters that had awakened the shadow attribute were used in magical potions. They were rare and hard to come by.

I smiled at Ershil and Kim Ara.

‘I haven’t even begun to fully utilize them yet.’

With this, I had cleared my conscience.

Ershil and Kim Ara were characters who would provide benefits from goodwill. Clearing things up with them in advance could be useful later.

The price of the snake’s body might be high now, but compared to the future, it was like giving away a fingernail to obtain a bone.

When that time came, it would be too late for regrets.

As I thought this far, it became noisy above. It seemed the instructor had finally arrived.

I sighed inwardly.

-Hmm?

I summoned the Black Heavenly Demon Sword with Nyeom. The sword came to my hand as per my will.

I used Nyeom to dissect the snake’s body. The Heaven Defying energy had been long exhausted after using Black Energy just once.

‘The center core is quite far away.’

I went to where the center core was and pierced the snake’s skin with the Black Heavenly Demon Sword.

Swish swish.

Black blood poured out with each cut into the snake’s body.

“Ugh.”

Ershil made a disgusted noise at the sight of the blood. I had forgotten she didn’t like this kind of thing. I reluctantly endured the smell of blood and used Nyeom to extract the inner elixir.

‘Phew.’

-That’s not what that power is meant for.

I ignored the Black Heavenly Demon Sword’s words. It was right to use it efficiently, depending on the user.

I cleaned the blood off the core and placed it in a wooden box I had brought earlier.

“It’s unbelievable…”

Seo Woo-ju murmured as he looked at the shadow snake’s corpse.

The snake, now dead and bleeding black blood, was grotesque in itself.

“How did you catch it?”

“Kim Ara held off the shadow snake in front, Ershil restricted its movements, and I killed it,” I explained.

Seo Woo-ju looked at Kim Ara and Ershil. They both nodded, confirming the story in a relaxed atmosphere.

‘Hmm.’

Seo Woo-ju observed the shadow snake, from its size to the cold magic felt in its dead blood.

Each aspect was extraordinary.

Even if he had fought this monster, even at his best, he might have lost 5 out of 10 times.

‘To catch such a monster with just a makeshift team…’

Even if a team were formed from the most honored students since the establishment of the Korean Hero Academy, it would have been nearly impossible.

“So, how many points can we expect to receive?”

“Of course, a perfect score,”

Ershil replied to this question.

The assistant instructor added,

“Especially this shadow snake. It could have become an Imugi soon. Reporting this to the principal might get you some valuable items.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

The assistant instructor, an expert in monster ecology, seemed trustworthy. Still, it would have been best to hand the corpse over to the professor for a thorough examination first.

Seo Woo-ju, the instructor, relayed this to Lee Seo-ha and his group.

“Alright. Oh, do any of the assistant instructors need these scales?”

“You’re selling them?”

“Yes, we plan to sell them, but we’re quite tired. We wanted to ask for help in moving it.”

“…I see. I’ll talk to the professor of monster ecology. There’s an excellent graduate student who can preserve the corpse completely.”

“Ah, then I can give a few scales to them.”

“…Giving some to the professor isn’t a bad idea either.”

“…”

Lee Seo-ha looked at Seo Woo-ju incredulously for a moment before asking,

“So, how many points do we get for this exam?”

“The monster exam is a comprehensive evaluation,”

Seo Woo-ju pondered for a moment. What they had shown was well beyond the passing score he had in mind.

“Out of a perfect 10, it’s 30 points.”

Seo Woo-ju said with a smirk.