Ch.74Episode 15. Building Trust (2)

After school, individual training time.

Today, there was a special guest.

“Today, we have a special instructor who’s here for free.”

I pointed at Lee Bangsil, who had been following me around and pestering me all day.

I deliberately emphasized the word “free.”

From what I know, inviting an S-class hero for a lecture costs at least a thousand. But thanks to my connections, they could hear her for free.

You should know how lucky you are.

“What?! Why should I…!”

“You weren’t planning to leave until I bought you ten tubs of ice cream anyway, right?”

“Well, that’s…”

…What? Were you really planning to stay?

I barely held back a sigh as I watched Lee Bangsil fumble for words.

“…Besides, being a good senior who personally offers guidance to talented juniors. How does that sound? Doesn’t it have a nice ring to it?”

I whispered in her ear, covering my mouth with my hand.

“You’re really unnecessarily good with words.”

Of course. I need to persuade you with flattery you’d like, or you wouldn’t agree so easily.

I can’t be the only sucker here.

“Sigh. Well… I was planning to stay in Seoul today anyway. I’ll do it specially for you. But buy me dinner?”

“So you’ll eat ten tubs of mint chocolate in one day?”

You’d get a stomachache.

“As if I’d eat them all, dummy! Send the rest as gift cards!”

“Yes~.”

“Ugh… so annoying!”

Lee Bangsil shook her head vigorously in disgust before stepping forward.

Soon, her expression changed. Standing before the five students, she lifted her chin.

Though she was short even among women, the pressure emanating from her small frame was by no means weak.

Despite appearing scatterbrained, Lee Bangsil was undeniably an S-class hero representing South Korea. Even among active heroes, many sought to learn from her.

“Haah. As you’ve heard, I’ll be your special instructor today. As you all probably know… I’m Heelak, currently in charge of security in the Gyeongsang region.”

Of the five facing her, only Jung Iyeon brightened her eyes and exclaimed “Ooh!” in admiration. The others just stared intently without saying a word.

“I introduced myself, and you don’t applaud? Do you even want to learn anything?”

They clapped reluctantly. They didn’t seem particularly pleased.

“Ha! Only the instructor from the agency can handle my flames that have merged with darkness after seeping into the abyss!”

I don’t know how she can explain dark transformation so terribly. She really is a middle school syndrome case who doesn’t discriminate.

But in a way, she was right. In three years, even Lee Bangsil wouldn’t be able to handle Gu Yeonhwa.

Because her dark transformation would become the worst calamity to engulf the world.

Of course, that wouldn’t happen in this world.

“Hooh. There’s a spirited one here.”

She’s got middle school syndrome! Point it out!

“This will be quite a good experience for you all. Follow me well.”

In the short time available, the most efficient way to teach heroes was through ‘sparring.’

That’s why I brought Lee Bangsil—to help them develop practical combat sense.

Getting the opportunity to spar with an S-class hero who normally maintains public security wasn’t easy. They were truly fortunate.

“If you can land even one attack on me, it’s your victory.”

Lee Bangsil confidently released her power.

The ground began to tremble. All five tensed up at the subtle vibration.

“Now, who’s coming first?”

Just before they began sparring, I approached them with advice.

“You know that bouncy one’s power is telekinesis, right? Find the gaps in space.”

Unless it’s a technique that forms a completely sealed space like a barrier, there are always gaps.

“Hey! Who are you calling bouncy?!”

Ignoring the shouting one, I continued.

“Watch the direction of her hands carefully. After all, telekinesis works by releasing and projecting power. With your reaction speed, you should be able to dodge. Besides, this is training, so she’ll be much more lenient. She will.”

Telekinesis works by projecting force to hit targets.

This means, logically, if the telekinetic force doesn’t touch your body, you can ‘dodge’ it.

Of course, given the nature of telekinesis, there’s no guarantee it will always follow the direction of her hands.

Power ultimately responds to ‘will.’

Still, these hero candidates with special talents should be able to react to it.

I expected them to dodge at least once or twice.

“That one? Have you already become friends with Heelak? Amazing! Friends with an S-class!”

Jung Iyeon clapped in admiration. If I became friends with that one, I’d die from stress!

“…Not friends. More like a brief unfortunate connection.”

“Unfortunate connection?”

She tilted her head curiously.

“Either way, we just need to de-defeat that woman, right?”

Yu Ari said, twirling kunai around her fingers. Her voice was low and cold, showing genuine hostility.

“Why are you so angry?”

“Just… I don’t like her. Instructor Yujin is a really good person.”

“…What did Heelak do?”

Yeon Muhui asked Yu Ari indifferently.

What an impartial attitude. You don’t use honorifics not just with me but with S-class heroes too.

“That woman spoke badly about the instructor.”

“Hmm… I see. Should we kill her?”

“Even with full power, you couldn’t kill her. At least not ‘now.'”

But you could probably hold Lee Bangsil back.

I patted each of their heads once. Their gazes turned to me as they quietly accepted my touch.

“Good luck.”

“Hmph! So if I win now, that means I’m S-class too!”

Gu Yeonhwa clenched her fists and her eyes sparkled.

Sometimes facing such high tension was quite bewildering.

Still, her determination seemed genuine, so I decided to encourage rather than scold her.

I silently gave her a thumbs up. Gu Yeonhwa smiled and returned the gesture.

“Great!”

Starting with Gu Yeonhwa unleashing her dark transformation, Jung Iyeon summoned her sacred weapon, and Yeon Muhui drew her sword. Bin Yuni scratched her head, looking troubled.

“Bin Yuni.”

“Yes?”

“Are you going to participate?”

Bin Yuni didn’t need to join the sparring.

I built up her physical strength not only so she could resist villains but also to ensure she wouldn’t struggle when continuously using her power during potion development.

“I should try.”

“…Don’t overdo it.”

“I won’t.”

“Lastly, you’ll have to work together to take down that damn villain.”

“Why am I a damn villain!! Yujin!”

“See? Even her voice sounds like a villain’s.”

I pointed at the one shouting at me. Jung Iyeon looked back and forth between me and Lee Bangsil before carefully speaking.

“Even if we cooperate, we’ve never practiced together… will it be okay?”

“Considering your characteristics, Jung Iyeon and Yeon Muhui at the front. Yu Ari on the flank. Gu Yeonhwa at the rear. Bin Yuni isn’t combat-oriented, so I can’t give precise instructions.”

“So I’m the odd one out!”

“…That somehow feels insulting.”

Bin Yuni muttered with a blank face in response to Gu Yeonhwa’s comment.

She sighed, looking down at the practice sword borrowed from the academy.

“Anyway, right now all you have is stamina, so grab onto her pant leg if you have to. Even that will give you a chance to grow.”

“Yes!”

After finishing my advice, I moved away as soon as they responded.

I went to the corner of the training area. I stood there, watching their sparring, ready to intervene if necessary.

“Is the boring conversation over?”

At Lee Bangsil’s words, Jung Iyeon and Yeon Muhui exchanged glances. The two charged forward simultaneously.

Meanwhile, Yu Ari and Gu Yeonhwa deployed their skills from behind.

Yu Ari threw a mix of kunai and daggers.

Lee Bangsil calmly observed the weapons flying in seemingly random directions. She seemed to sense they weren’t thrown carelessly and remained vigilant.

“Black flames sleeping in the abyss, become the spear that descends here to deliver judgment.”

This was practically an incantation. Do you think villains in comics wait for you to finish chanting?

“‘Black Flame Spear’!”

With Gu Yeonhwa’s shout, Yu Ari pulled her arm back toward her body.

A spear of black fire cut between the charging Jung Iyeon and Yeon Muhui, almost reaching Lee Bangsil.

With a small gesture from Lee Bangsil, the spear collapsed.

“It’s impressive heat, but… that’s not enough. Obviously not this either.”

The numerous kunai and daggers targeting her from behind were all caught by telekinesis and dropped to the floor.

“Heat haze…?”

She appeared distorted.

This was a sign that Lee Bangsil had released her power.

When ability users release their power, it manifests in some visible form.

Just as lightning appears when I release my power, a ‘heat haze’ appears when Lee Bangsil releases hers.

“Die, villain.”

Yeon Muhui, three steps ahead of Jung Iyeon, imbued her black blade with a red sword aura.

“Just like a student raised under that rotten instructor…!”

A red flower drawn with sword energy.

‘Hong Yu Hwa Seom.’

“!”

Lee Bangsil retreated for the first time upon seeing the sword energy pouring toward her. This was because the telekinesis protecting her was cut by the sword energy.

Though it didn’t yet have the power to prevent regeneration like Yeonhwaryong’s, it was a considerable threat.

“It feels similar to Yeonhwaryong’s space-cutting power… Are you from the Yeon family?”

“Don’t ask.”

“Answer me, you impudent junior.”

While her attention was momentarily focused on Yeon Muhui, Jung Iyeon stomped the ground hard. Small fragments flew up.

“Haah!”

In the blink of an eye, Jung Iyeon had approached Lee Bangsil and was swinging her sword. The sword emitted a white light.

‘Flash Strike.’

Despite the unrestrained full swing, Jung Iyeon’s sacred weapon didn’t reach Lee Bangsil.

“…You’re fast?”

“Huh? I didn’t feel like I cut anything?”

Lee Bangsil avoided it by separating space, momentarily sending the sacred weapon to a different realm.

It was really close. If Lee Bangsil’s reaction had been slightly slower, or if Jung Iyeon had been a bit faster, she could have cut her side.

Her ability is really unfair.

Until now, she had been able to subdue opponents without much trouble by nullifying their abilities.

But I wonder if she could have won if they had clashed at full power.

“You’re better than I—”

Just as Lee Bangsil thought the attacks were over and began to speak, Yu Ari appeared behind her with a dagger.

It was ‘Shadow Movement.’

“…Right behind me?!”

She swung the dagger with genuine killing intent. Unfortunately, the dagger only grazed her clothes.

Nevertheless, Yu Ari didn’t give up and tried to forcibly change the dagger’s trajectory. But before she could, Lee Bangsil delivered a powerful blow to Yu Ari’s upper abdomen.

Her body bent instantly, and without a chance to resist, she was slammed into the boundary wall of the training area.

“Kugh…!”

Yu Ari groaned as she got up. Despite what must have been considerable pain, she stubbornly rose to her feet.

“Ah, sorry. You appeared so suddenly I couldn’t control my strength.”

Heat haze appeared around Lee Bangsil’s hand.

It seemed she had used telekinesis in addition to physical force to send her flying.

“Phew.”

She regulated her breathing while clutching near her solar plexus. Staggering, she wiped blood from her mouth with the back of her hand.

“It’s not over yet…!”

“…You’re better than I expected.”

Lee Bangsil caught Bin Yuni’s sword with telekinesis as she charged in a beat late.

“The association only saw you as troublemakers, but you’re actually gems.”

“Ngh!”

“You’re that genius alchemist, right? The one who developed potions since high school.”

“W-well, who knows about that?”

Bin Yuni struggled to break free, but her sword remained immobile as if stuck somewhere.

“This isn’t the end, right? Let’s continue!”

Lee Bangsil shouted, looking around at them. In response, the special class students regrouped and charged again.