Ch.212Chapter 8. Thorough Aftercare (3)

Espers are volatile creatures.

Even the slightest mental disturbance can trigger a rampage, and that rampage transforms them into demons.

But does an esper’s rampage always lead in a negative direction?

Not necessarily.

Humans can also rampage in productive and constructive ways.

The most representative example is “awakening.”

A state where one transcends their limits and advances to a higher level.

Well, to put it extremely, it’s like when my mana rank increases in the status window where I view myself.

That’s what’s happening now.

Yoon Yi-seon has begun pushing her limits on the very first day of training.

‘I doubt it’s because of the date invitation.’

If that were the case, her fan devotion would be truly remarkable.

Personally, I’d like to think it’s because I demonstrated and taught her well.

That’s my personal wish as Yoon Yi-seon’s trainer, but if the results are good and there are no issues with the process, it’s all-right.

[…….]

I observed Yoon Yi-seon’s transformation from beside her.

An awakening doesn’t necessarily mean some dramatic change.

Hair turning blonde is an awakening, lightning crackling around you is an awakening, and hair growing down to your toes is an awakening.

What about Yoon Yi-seon?

While teaching her the goblin fire technique, I indirectly explained the principles behind how Ymir and I transform.

The physical body as the foundation.

The black flame mana surrounding it as the “suit.”

I didn’t explain it directly because I wanted her to realize it herself, but….

‘I didn’t expect her to change like this.’

Whoosh.

As the pink flames subsided, Yoon Yi-seon slowly opened her eyes and looked up at me.

From a slightly lower angle than before.

“…Huh?”

[Are you conscious?]

“What’s happening…?”

[Mana manifests an esper’s earnest desires. That’s your true desire and aspiration.]

“Uh, uhh….”

Yoon Yi-seon’s face turned bright red.

The academy training uniform that had fit her perfectly now looked like three-quarter sleeves and pants.

The uniform remained the same.

Only Yoon Yi-seon’s arms and legs had elongated.

[You’ve instantly become a noona.]

“Ah, uh…. This is, I mean…!”

[Calm down. When the transformation wears off, you’ll return to normal.]

“!!”

Perhaps regaining her senses at the mention of returning to normal, Yoon Yi-seon swallowed hard and nodded.

For a moment, her limbs extending beyond the training uniform almost wavered like mist, but she took a deep breath and firmly maintained her physical form.

Her body transformed by mana.

“…What happened to me?”

[It’s the result of your desire, your aspiration, and your longing combined.]

“Could you explain it more simply?”

[This is the S-rank appearance you wanted. Look.]

I pointed to the mirror on the gym wall.

[Your wish was to become a glamorous beauty noona standing 170cm tall.]

“…….”

Yoon Yi-seon gaped at her reflection in the mirror, then covered her face with her hands as she realized her current reality.

“…You’re saying this is how I wanted to look when I became S-rank?”

[Yes.]

“This?”

[That’s right. Don’t deny it. If you deny it, beyond the transformation wearing off, you might turn into something strange.]

“…I don’t want to deny it, but…”

Yoon Yi-seon awkwardly examined her hands and feet.

“No matter how I look at it, these feel like my hands and feet, but are you saying they’re illusions made of mana?”

[Yes. Not illusions, but more like mana-hands and mana-feet with physical substance.]

I reached out and grabbed her wrist.

[Don’t you feel something strange here?]

“…….”

[What’s wrong?]

“Ah, no. Um, I only feel your grip, Goblin-nim….”

I was holding the sleeve of her training uniform, the part that would have been her wrist originally, but Yoon Yi-seon only registered it as a tactile sensation.

[Good instinct. If you had thought it strange, your mana concentration would have dispersed.]

“From what you keep saying, I’m guessing the transformation will wear off the moment I find it strange?”

[Correct. This is ultimately a transformation using mana. If your mana runs out or if your mental conviction that constitutes this body wavers, the transformation will immediately wear off.]

I reached for her other arm.

[Remember well the parts extending beyond your training uniform sleeves. These are your weak points in this transformed state. Remember each spot I’m touching.]

“Uh, yes….”

I pressed firmly on all the areas below her sleeves and pant cuffs, clearly showing her where her weak points were.

[If you take significant damage here, you might start thinking: Did my wrist break? This isn’t my real wrist. If you think that way, your transformation will immediately wear off.]

“…….”

[Your fingers seem slightly longer too. Your body proportions have completely changed, so you’ll need to adapt quickly after transforming. It probably feels like alternating between driving a sedan and an SUV….]

“Are there any other changes besides those areas?”

Yoon Yi-seon fidgeted with her lips as she pointed to herself.

“I can’t really tell just by looking….”

[…….]

This woman.

Is she perhaps thinking what I think she’s thinking?

If my intuition is correct—no, there’s no need to assume.

[Well. Have your thighs gotten slimmer?]

I boldly grabbed above her knee, over her training pants.

[Perhaps to maintain a more balanced body, your thighs definitely seem to have slimmed down. They looked good before too, but now they’re more proportionally balanced.]

“You can tell all that just by looking?”

[Think of me as a professional fitness trainer.]

If all fitness trainers made physical contact like this, they’d all be sued for sexual harassment, but if the woman gives permission, you can approach without ulterior motives.

I have no ulterior motives.

If anyone has ulterior motives, it’s Yoon Yi-seon.

[Your pelvis seems unchanged.]

“Uugh….”

[Since your pelvic line was already well-defined, it seems no correction was needed there. Your waist appears longer. Mana probably settled between your vertebrae, slightly extending each joint.]

“Is that okay though?”

[Yes. It’s not a forced physical change from external factors, but a pure transformation using your own mana and strength.]

Her height suddenly increased by over 20cm, but the current Yoon Yi-seon is simply the embodiment of an S-rank esper.

[Why? Do you feel like you’ve become a demon?]

“…N-no, not really.”

[You don’t seem to have considered it at all.]

“Well, um. Now that you mention it, I’m a bit worried. This isn’t becoming a demon, right?”

[If you had become a demon, your skin color would change first, and tentacle-like tails would sprout from your back.]

“Eeek…!”

Yoon Yi-seon recoiled in horror, but there was nothing behind her back.

“Huh?”

[Even if you created a tail with your ability, it would be hard to consider it part of the human body. Your perception still thinks of a tail as something you consciously manifest.]

She’s become noona Yoon Yi-seon, but becoming beast-person Yoon Yi-seon is something she can toggle on and off like a switch.

[Want to try bringing it out?]

“…Just a moment, then.”

Whoosh.

“Wow.”

Like a lotus blooming, pink tails spread out behind her.

The tails, wide enough to cover her entire body, made her look completely like a gumiho—

[Is this a side effect?]

“Ah!”

Fox ears sprouted on top of her head.

Rather elongated fox ears with tufts of fur inside—Yoon Yi-seon trembled from head to toe at the sight.

“T-this wasn’t intentional!”

[It’s like an instinct that comes with manifesting nine tails, making you more ‘gumiho-like.’ It can’t be helped. This can’t be changed.]

A gumiho noona with fox ears and fox tails.

And mana pouches each larger than her head.

‘The original protagonist didn’t care much because she was female, but there was a reason all the men fell for her in the original work.’

Originally, she would have gained this form after awakening to S-rank during a crisis following her interview with the original protagonist, but now she transformed out of an even more desperate desire.

[Now that you’ve awakened in transformed state, shall we continue our date?]

“…Continue?”

[Yes.]

I moved a good distance away from Yoon Yi-seon and brought my hands together as if in prayer.

Flutter.

[Is this somewhat similar?]

I created a mana form behind my back.

Not as beautiful as Yoon Yi-seon’s, but the angular black branches resembled mechanical arms.

Four angular branches that wiggled like octopus tentacles.

[If you’ve transformed with your ability, you need to learn a new combat style to match. But before that, you need to get accustomed to that body.]

“…….”

[What? Why? What is it?]

Isn’t it natural that a date with your trainer is actually training?

“…My expectations—”

[I’m joking.]

Clap.

I clapped my hands and extended the branches behind my back to turn off the gym lights.

Despite the considerable distance, the branches stretched out and exerted physical influence.

[I don’t intend to make you run before you’ve even learned to crawl.]

“…Then?”

[Just focus on maintaining that form as much as possible for now. Try to keep the transformation from wearing off.]

I pointed outside the gym.

[Let’s go for a light drive.]

Beep.

Outside, a car I had waiting was ready, and I opened the passenger door, gesturing inside.

[Get in.]

“…Excuse me.”

Yoon Yi-seon sat in the passenger seat, and I took the driver’s seat and immediately grabbed the steering wheel.

“Where are we going?”

[A 24-hour outlet mall.]

“…Why?”

[Well.]

I gave Yoon Yi-seon a quick once-over with my eyes.

[You need clothes that actually fit. It must be a bit uncomfortable, right?]

“…….”

Yoon Yi-seon tried to fasten her seatbelt, then blushed and turned her face toward the window.