Chapter 46

Chapter 46

I Became the Only Non-mage in the Academy.

Episode 46: Kim Seo-hyun (2)

Suwon Station.

It was where I had arranged to meet Kim Seo-hyun.

I put the Black Heavenly Demon Sword in a guitar case and headed to Suwon Station.

-This time, it looks quite good.

‘…I think so too.’

Having no clothes, I bought black jeans and a neat black shirt recommended by the store clerk.

The clerk said the color combination was regrettable, but wearing black clothes to a dungeon was appropriate.

‘Because blood might splatter.’

Arriving at the station, I felt gazes from various places piercing me.

“Wow, what a face.”

“Is he a celebrity? No, that’s just the face and proportions of an actor…”

“He must be short, right? He’s got everything else, so he must be short.”

I continued to the meeting place.

Nearby, a crowd had gathered.

All because of Kim Seo-hyun.

I was concealed at school, but Kim Seo-hyun was very famous outside.

His background alone made him extremely famous, outshining many actors.

Thanks to this, even without being active, his fan club boasted over 100,000 members.

“Ah, sorry. My friend has arrived, so I think I need to go.”

“It’s okay! Oppa, you look cool!”

After a brief impromptu fan meeting, Kim Seo-hyun and I walked to a food alley.

“What do you want to eat?”

“Um, let’s just eat something simple. It’s tough if you’re too full in the dungeon.”

I agreed with Kim Seo-hyun’s opinion.

We ate moderately at a nearby Western restaurant and then headed to the dungeon.

“The Rosé pasta there is delicious.”

“Really? I find it too rich for my taste.”

“…Maybe because I like Western food.”

Kim Seo-hyun laughed awkwardly.

Together, we made our way toward Gwanggyosan.

Gwanggyosan had become a much larger and denser forest than in my previous life.

It was partly due to the Spirit Vein (靈脈) flowing beneath Korea, heavily infused with magic.

“Be careful. There are many beast-type monsters here, and it’s annoying if you get bitten.”

“Okay. Should I cast an invisibility spell?”

“…I’m fine.”

I moved with Silent Step, a skill I had learned in exchange for maintaining the Black Heavenly Demon Sword.

The Heaven Defying Body was really great, but not in this situation.

I couldn’t receive healing, and buffs were useless unless they’re elixirs.

It’s not that buffs didn’t work at all.

However, their efficiency was extremely poor.

The magical power used to buff me could enhance about ten average students.

And it’s not as if buffs were completely effective on me.

They quickly dissipated due to the Energy of Defying Heaven, lasting only a few seconds.

I sprayed a potion designed for emergencies, one that repelled beast-type monsters, on myself.

The potion emitted a strange odor.

“…Are you okay?”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

We started to climb the mountain.

“There seem to be too many people.”

“That’s true.”

Kim Seo-hyun and I ascended the mountain, puzzled. Then, a man halted us on the mountain trail.

“Stop. Climbing is prohibited today.”

“We are students of the Korea Hero School. May we ask what is happening?”

“Oh, you’re students of the Korea Hero School? There’s currently a search operation for an escaped advanced Mine.”

“…An advanced Mine?”

“Yes. So, unless it’s something urgent, I wouldn’t recommend going up the mountain.”

The man didn’t stop us by force.

Being a student of the Korea Hero School meant you were either from a famous family or a monster who had surpassed such backgrounds with sheer talent.

Additionally, we temporarily held the qualifications of a hero.

In fact, most students were capable of handling themselves in many situations.

“We’re not going deep into the mountain. Would it still be dangerous?”

“Not particularly. The reports indicate it has been driven to the edge of the mountain.”

I pulled Kim Seo-hyun aside to converse.

“What do you want to do?”

“…Let’s go in.”

It was a necessary risk.

If we didn’t enter the dungeon today, we would be forced to postpone until next Sunday, which would take up too much time.

Moreover, this area was known for many heroes, and even against an advanced mine, we could probably have held our own.

“That’s true. Shall we go then?”

“Yeah.”

We continued to climb the mountain for nearly 20 minutes.

In the middle, we unavoidably encountered and dealt with beast-type monsters.

Swoosh-.

Kim Seo-hyun skillfully scattered the blood of the beast.

He then looked curiously at Gram, which had the appearance of an old sword.

“This looks like a scam. It seems like a really good sword.”

“That is a really good sword.”

“…Really?”

Kim Seo-hyun appeared disappointed.

During the weapon selection, he had chosen an old sword for his training.

Actually, it was a bit late. Gram didn’t easily break.

“It’s a sword focused on durability. It’s probably the best fit for you.”

“Is it?”

Kim Seo-hyun looked puzzled but soon nodded.

“By the way, Seo-ha, you started learning martial arts this year, right?”

“Yeah, why?”

“No, it’s just that you’re already showing some flair.”

Kim Seo-hyun observed me with interest.

“Whether it’s holding a sword or moving, it’s quite evident. Initially, you seemed like you had just started holding a sword, but now you feel like a mature swordsman.”

His interest reflected his seeker-like nature in martial arts.

‘I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts pestering me for daily sparring sessions later.’

In other character playthroughs, after reaching a certain level, Kim Seo-hyun always asked for more sparring.

“I kind of feel like having a proper clash now.”

“…Maybe later.”

Of course, I didn’t really want to fight Kim Seo-hyun.

He was a monster.

To beat him, I would have had to use everything, and even then, the chances were only half.

Kim Ara was also a monster.

After climbing the mountain for an additional 30 minutes, we arrived at our destination. The location was slightly below the middle of the mountain.

‘Mines probably won’t come here.’

I walked towards a particularly large tree.

“Is this the place?”

“Yeah.”

I closed my eyes and activated my mental imagery.

Click.

With Divine Sight engaged, the structure of mana became visible to me.

I swung the Black Heavenly Demon Sword at a weak point in the structure, the blade lightly enveloped in the Energy of Defying Heaven.

Swoosh-.

Fwoosh.

Instantly, the scenery transformed. An inner path was revealed, with an entrance beneath the base of the tree, large enough to accommodate a person.

“What an intriguing structure.”

“Let’s go in.”

I led Kim Seo-hyun inside.

We descended into a cave-like area. The visibility was poor, yet Divine Sight compensated for the darkness.

Kim Seo-hyun seemed to manage just as well, having mastered techniques for seeing in the dark.

After about ten minutes,

A monster finally materialized.

-Kyek?

It was a giant plant, over two meters tall, ambulating on its roots.

A section resembled a flower split in two, exposing a set of teeth.

This was the man-eating plant, Saracenia.

“Man-eating plants?”

Kim Seo-hyun brandished his sword with a confident smile.

A small flame, shaped like a dragon, danced along the sword’s edge.

Nine Heavens Nine Dragons God Formula (九天九龍神訣).

The flames surged forward and assailed the plant.

The Flame Dragon consumed the Saracenia.

And just like that, it was over.

The Saracenias were reduced to ash, leaving behind mana stones.

I looked at Kim Seo-hyun with a satisfied smile.

Typically, this dungeon was exceedingly challenging. Plant-type monsters moved with an unpredictable flexibility, attacking from unforeseen angles.

They were particularly vulnerable to fire attributes, yet unexpectedly resilient against others.

I observed Kim Seo-hyun, now cloaked in flames shaped like a dragon, as he took the lead in dispatching the army of plant monsters.

Just as I was about to join in,

“Save your strength. I have more mana than I expected, so it’s not too hard for me.”

How could one not admire him?

We proceeded further.

After dispatching more plant monsters and advancing swiftly for another ten minutes,

I halted Kim Seo-hyun.

“Just a moment.”

A wall that appeared to have nothing.

With Divine Sight, I spotted a faint distortion.

“Why is there a wall…”

“It’s a shortcut.”

In the game, it provided experience points, but that wasn’t the case in reality.

There was no need to engage with plant-type monsters unnecessarily.

Bang!

I struck the wall with the Black Heavenly Demon Sword, and the wall crumbled, revealing a hidden path.

“Wow…”

“Let’s go.”

Once inside, we quickly reached a clearing where the boss resided.

The clearing was as large as an average school playground, with a giant man-eating plant in the center, its flower bristling with teeth.

“I’ll take care of this.”

I placed my hand on Kim Seo-hyun’s shoulder, signaling him to stay back.

Squishy.

I noted the unique texture under my fingers.

How to describe it?

It was muscular, yet the skin was soft.

It was the kind of sensation you might get from women who work out regularly.

I struggled to keep my expression neutral.

“You just provide support from behind.”

“…Just support?”

Kim Seo-hyun’s reply came a moment later.

I gave a nod in confirmation.

I drew the Black Heavenly Demon Sword from its guitar case.

Keeeng!

The sword vibrated intensely.

I sensed a piercing aura emanating from it. The power within the sword, Soulbreaker, was manifesting as this aura.

-Didn’t we agree to use it only against formidable opponents?

‘I thought it would be wise to test it beforehand, to learn its use.’

I had been advised against drawing on the Black Heavenly Demon Sword’s power.

Because enhancing this aura could potentially distract from training my physical strength.

There was concern I might neglect my own development.

Originally, I wasn’t meant to tap into this power just yet.

However, my reasoning for using it was simple.

‘I had promised to maintain the sword with an oil-soaked cloth.’

Indeed, it was a ludicrous justification.