episode_0026

Chapter 26 – Treasure Hunt

As I was holed up in the private training room, training as usual, the door opened and Sara appeared. “Long time no see!” “You came today?” “Sorry, sorry. I’ve been busy.” “Even last week?”

I could understand if it were exam period, but busy even after exams ended? Even if she were grading herself, given Sara’s superhuman physical abilities, she should have been able to finish in a few hours. When I asked with a puzzled look, she gave an awkward laugh and spouted an excuse.

“Ahahaha… Last week, I had a date with Professor Verdan, that’s why. You understand, right? I have to get married before I turn thirty, don’t I?” “I’m not really blaming you. I’m not that unreasonable. But it seems to have gone well? Another date, then.”

In the game, Professor Verdan seemed to have died before the second-year story even began and before their relationship properly started, but at this rate, they might become a couple much faster than that. When I hinted at it, Sara grinned and thanked me.

“That’s right. Now that you mention it, you told me, didn’t you? To stop acting reserved. When I just acted normally, he seemed to like it more. Thank you.” “See? My words were right, weren’t they? Honestly, Professor Verdan must have been a little worried, right? Everything else was fine, but you acted too much like an old lady. You’ll have to repay this debt someday, you know?”

“I know, you brat. I came to repay my debt anyway.” “Huh? You came to repay it?” “Yes. Follow me. There’s somewhere we need to go.”

Sara gestured outside with her chin, then led the way out of the private training room. As I stood there blankly, she shouted. “What are you doing? I said hurry up!” “Ah, yes!”

Only then did I snap out of it, shoved all my belongings into my spatial pouch, and followed her. Leaving the training building, passing the central fountain, and putting several buildings behind us, we arrived at the academy’s convenience store. Perhaps because it was the weekend, the store was quiet with no students inside.

“Professor? Why here….” “I was thinking, I probably won’t be able to come often to teach you Fist-Leg Art from now on. Plus, I’m not even a master in that area, so it’s a bit much for me. So I’m going to introduce you to someone who can teach you instead.”

“Someone to teach… me?” “Yes. Let’s go inside.” I stared at Sara’s receding back, then raised my head to look at the convenience store.

‘No way….’ I know the person who is here. A promising knight who was once highly anticipated, but lost his lover 10 years ago, wandered from place to place for revenge, and eventually settled at the academy. Kwon Seong, Cain Klaus. If my guess is correct, I will be able to receive training in Fist-Leg Art from Kwon Seong from now on.

With my lips curled up in anticipation, I scurried after Sara’s heels and entered the convenience store. Inside, it was ordinary. Various goods were displayed, and at the counter, a man with disheveled hair was chewing noisily on dried squid legs and reading a magazine.

Sara walked straight to the counter. “Long time no see.” “…What is it?” “I have a favor to ask.” “A favor?” “Yeah. I was hoping you could teach this kid here some Fist-Leg Art.”

Only then did the man’s head shift from the magazine to Sara, then to me. I couldn’t meet his eyes because they were hidden by his hair, but a chilling sensation radiated from him. I could tell he was not in a good mood. “Why me?” “Why, indeed. You remember that debt you owe me, right? Think of this as repaying it.” “……”

The chain of debt is endless. To repay the debt he owed her, Sara was passing that responsibility onto Kwon Seong, who owed her a debt. Kwon Seong remained silent for a long time.

“I’m not asking you to pass on all your techniques. Just teach him the basics and some applied techniques.” “State the exact scope.” “Hmm… At least to graduate, he’ll need to reach a level where he can use hardened energy, right? Yeah. About that much.”

Sara spoke shamelessly as if it were obvious. Hardened energy wasn’t just some random name; it was something one might not achieve even after a lifetime of training, so there was no way Kwon Seong would accept such an unreasonable offer. He stared blankly at Sara for a moment, then firmly narrowed the conditions.

“I’ll only teach him until the end of this semester. Nothing more is possible.” “Great! Then I’ll leave him to you!” “What?” “Ruan. You listen well too. He might be a bit lacking in social skills, but he’ll teach you properly. Well then, I’m off! See you next time!”

Sara, who accepted the offer as if she’d been waiting for it, finished her farewells and disappeared before there was any chance to correct her. *Crunch!* The magazine clenched in Kwon Seong’s hand, realizing he had been tricked by Sara, was crumpled horribly.

A moment later, he rose from his seat. “Follow me.” “Ah, yes! Master-nim!” “…Don’t call me by such a title. Call me Cain.” “Yes. Understood.”

I had tried to create a title to reduce the distance between us, but it failed. ‘It would be nice to become his official disciple.’ Clicking my tongue in disappointment, I followed Cain to an empty lot separately prepared at the back of the convenience store.

Cain removed what looked like restraints from his wrists and ankles, then threw them to me. “Catch.” “U-ugh!” I snatched them, but couldn’t withstand the load on my arms and dropped them.

However, the restraint-like objects that fell to the ground landed silently on the surface, making my reaction moot. ‘What the hell is this?’ My strength was nearing 50, and I had become strong enough to easily lift a 200kg barbell, but this was utterly beyond my control. As I rubbed my forearm, Cain, who had picked up the restraints, spoke.

“These are called Gravity Rings. They adjust their weight according to the user’s physical abilities. From now on, wear these every day.” “Huh? Even normally?” “Yes. Even when you sleep. Don’t worry about your bed breaking. Magic is incorporated, so it only affects the user’s body.” “Hmph…”

I stared blankly down at the Gravity Rings. If I wore these, even walking would consume as much stamina as sprinting at full power. What’s more, as I got stronger, the weight would increase, so it wouldn’t get any easier. I would have to live as if I were dead until the first semester’s summer vacation began.

“Don’t want to do it? Then give up. I don’t care.” A tiny glimmer of hope sparkled in Cain’s dead fish-like eyes, as if he actually wanted me to give up. I shook my head. “…No. I’ll do it.”

Immediately, I sat down on the floor and began to put on the Gravity Rings. With each one added, a formidable pressure pulled my body toward the ground. Even just sitting still, my muscles swelled to their limit. Finally, with all of them on, I tried to stand up. “Kuaaaagh!”

This was a level of pain similar to when I performed Sara’s training method for four hours. If I relaxed even for a moment, I felt like I would immediately collapse. As I gritted my teeth and endured, Cain indifferently surveyed the empty lot. “Then, first, run 100 laps around the lot.” “Huh?”

“It’s not that wide here. You’ll be done quickly. Finish it by noon. The full transmission of techniques will come after that.” This damn demon bastard! Profanities rose to my tongue, but I swallowed them down with a dry gulp. Emotional appeals were useless on Kwon Seong. I tried to persuade him logically.

“Cain-nim. Excuse me, but could you please reduce the number of laps?” “Reason?” “I wore the Gravity Rings for the first time today. How about we lower the intensity of the training until I adapt? If I overdo it like this, something might go wrong with my body.”

“No, it’s the opposite. To adapt, you should move for longer. Now, run around the lot. Begin.” Cain denied it at a speed that made me doubt if he had even considered it, then pointed at the lot. Ultimately, I had no choice but to obey this absurd physical abuse.

─3 hours later “Huuuuuh…” 100 laps, finally done. Feeling half in a daze, I touched the starting line and collapsed onto the ground.

*Thump! Thump!* My heartbeat pounded loudly. My heart worked furiously to quickly supply blood throughout my body. I was worried it might burst.

At this moment, where even the cold dirt dirtying my face felt welcome, Cain, who had been enjoying snacks and drinks and reading a magazine at the counter, approached. “Good. You’ve finished all the laps. Now it’s lunchtime, so get something to eat and come back here by 1 PM.” He turned around, leaving only those words.

I heard him say, “What should I have for today’s menu?” and almost had a seizure. I stumbled to my feet. ‘I have to eat.’ If I skipped a meal now just to rest, I wouldn’t be able to last until dinner. Judging by this situation, he wouldn’t make me do normal training in the afternoon either. Every time I moved my body, my whole body screamed and terrible muscle pain erupted, but I ignored it all and headed for the cafeteria.

Today’s lunch was feast noodles.

* “Hmpf!” My two hands moved alternately, rushing towards Cain’s vital points. It was a rather plausible attack. This was my own martial art, a combination of the basics I learned from Sara, a martial art I glimpsed on Earth, and the Friuli family’s Fist-Leg Art.

However, with this patchwork martial art clumsily stitched together, I couldn’t even graze Cain’s collar. He yawned widely as if bored, avoiding all attacks with only movements of his waist and head, without even moving his feet. When I attacked, sweeping at his feet out of defiance, he kicked my shin as if I were being impudent.

*Thwack!* “Kuaaaagh!” It was clearly an insignificant kick, yet I felt a pain as if the bones in my shin were being pulverized. With what little rationality I had left, I managed to stop myself from cleaning the lot with my back, but I couldn’t help but collapse, clutching my shin.

“The sparring ends here. I roughly know your level.” “Ugh… And how was it?” “Terrible. Stitching together techniques from various places like a rag was counterproductive. It’s natural, since you didn’t even understand half the techniques and arbitrarily modified them.”

I became speechless. I thought the movements flowed naturally for me, but it seemed I was wrong. Come to think of it, I definitely felt like I could reach him, but my body moved a beat too late.

“First, we need to correct your stance. Forget everything you’ve learned so far. From now on, you will train primarily with what I teach you. Understood?” “Yes!” “And I will only supervise your training on Saturdays. On Sundays, you are to practice what I’ve taught you on your own. Also, starting next week, come early and finish your 100 laps around the lot. By the way, if you slack off, I won’t teach you again, so keep that in mind. Now, assume the basic stance you learned from Sara Kaiman.”

Before coming to the store, I was supposed to learn applied techniques that moved beyond the basics, but somehow, I was back to mastering the fundamentals. ‘Still, it’s not bad.’ Because now, I was starting to feel a premonition that I could truly become strong.

After overcoming all these trials, just how strong would I be able to become? Just thinking about that made my motivation surge. As I assumed the basic stance, Kwon Seong used a stick he had brought from somewhere to correct my entire body. He sat on a chair placed beside him and opened his magazine.

“Good. Maintain that stance for one hour.” “One hour?” “Yes. If you move even a little, time will be added.” …My motivation might be slightly broken.