episode_0046

The mysteries of dungeons are endless. Even after nearly decades since gates and magic appeared, it’s widely accepted that humanity has yet to grasp even 20% of what lies beyond those otherworlds.

Inside dungeons, countless entities are undeniably threatening… yet, occasionally, very rarely, ‘something’ beneficial to humanity would pop out.

There’s no need to look far. My own Master, Empress of Ice Seol Hayeon, was one such beneficiary.

‘I think she said that was about seven years ago. No, is it eight now?’

Once, a large gate nearing S-rank was created near Russia’s Primorsky Krai.

My Master, who was temporarily staying in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula where the system had collapsed, also headed there…

I remember hearing that she succeeded in destroying the dungeon core beyond the gate through cooperation with Baek Ayun’s grandfather, Gwon Hwang Baek Muyeom.

And what she unintentionally acquired in that process was the unique trait ‘Frozen Core,’ which became central to the Archmage, Empress of Ice.

Originally, Awakened individuals cannot arbitrarily change their innate traits at the time of their awakening, but occasionally, exceptions like her appear.

She’s one of only two individuals in our country with dual traits, alongside Jinyong’s father, the Dragon King.

In other words, Seol Hayeon is an amazing woman to that extent. Such a great and excellent mage is my Master. It feels like a trivial sense of pride is vaguely swelling up.

Well, her original trait was as ambiguous as a chicken rib [something of little value, but still not something to be thrown away], so it didn’t really matter whether she had it or not.

Anyway, what I want to say is that some Awakened individuals sometimes acquire new abilities within dungeons.

The case of Kanzaki Rie, an exchange student from Japan, also aligns with that story.

I haven’t heard the full details, but as a high school student, she was sucked into a gate that appeared on the street, regardless of her will.

A few days later, when she returned to reality after collapsing the dungeon by herself, I heard that dainty black horns had long since settled on her forehead, and a conspicuously swaying tail on her lower back.

They called it the trace of a succubus.

She gained the power of a dream demon.

‘In the end, that incident caught Yang Chan-ho’s eye, leading to her decision to study abroad in Korea.’

Since she had acquired such a peculiar appearance, she had been under a lot of external stress regarding her interpersonal relationships, but after coming to Cheongsong Academy, she had calmed down a lot.

Of course, many unique Awakened individuals gather here in various ways.

While Kanzaki’s case was certainly unusual even among them, I know that at least people no longer openly talked behind her back.

And now, she has actually made that very aspect her most powerful weapon, consistently maintaining a top rank in the ranking matches.

Even if her scores in other areas aren’t that outstanding. Anyway, limited to ranking matches, and limited to male students, she’s practically a Lu Bu.

Without even having to try anything grand, if she just subtly reveals her horns and makes her reddish-purple eyes glow faintly, the situation usually ends.

Even students who try to endure somehow will reach their limit and raise a white flag if Kanzaki gives them one of her alluring smiles…

Unless someone possessed a mental fortitude like mine, there were no male students in this school who could defeat Kanzaki.

From the start, among the top-tier mages, I was truly the only male student.

Conversely, from her perspective, I must be the most bothersome.

Mid-to-high-rank mages don’t matter much. Kanzaki’s ability isn’t something that can be endured just by wearing a mage’s badge.

‘But I’m a different story.’

Still, am I not a disciple of an Archmage? I, Lee Hyunjin, was the one whose mental fortitude alone was acknowledged even by my Master.

For that reason, among the 9th generation students, I was the only male student Kanzaki was vulnerable against.

‘…Well, I have lost a few times in the ranking matches, but.’

Even considering those few losses, my usual win rate was about fifty percent.

My occasional defeats were because Kanzaki would desperately try bold things, like reluctantly exposing her clothes and letting me touch her body.

In any case, for these reasons, Kanzaki and I had been a troublesome, fated connection since our first year.

Both she and I inevitably disliked facing each other in ranking matches.

Kanzaki hated situations where she had to plead with and fawn over strange men, and I found the enchanting aura emanating from her demonic eyes quite unsettling.

“You lost your virginity, didn’t you?”

“…”

And today, I somehow found yet another reason to dislike Kanzaki Rie. I wasn’t particularly happy.

I was so dumbfounded it bordered on absurdity, and I let out a puff of air as I turned to look at her.

“You… you could tell that too?”

Kanzaki shrugged.

“Well, I am a dream demon, after all. Whether a male student has sexual experience or not, even if I inwardly wish to ignore it, I can’t help but perceive it.”

It was an immediate reply.

I overtly rubbed my forearm and pulled my body away from her.

“It’s not a skill I can look upon favorably, even now.”

“Ahahaha.”

Kanzaki let out a fresh laugh, covering her mouth with her sleeve. Soon, she looked at me with narrowed eyes and spoke in a cold voice.

“What use would it be to be seen favorably by Hyunjin-gun? Rest assured? I have no such intentions either.”

Not to be outdone, I clicked my tongue.

“Keep that sentiment going.”

“Of course. I won’t change my mind. Unless Hyunjin-gun is the first to become blinded by desire and crave my affection…”

Kanzaki’s voice became twisted, and her words trailed off. I had no intention of falling for such an obvious provocation, so I remained silent without replying.

When I didn’t speak, Kanzaki didn’t add any more commentary. She began to focus on her reading again, and I turned my head.

‘Sitting with this girl really doesn’t sit well with me, but.’

Even so, Gyeryongsan isn’t that far away.

I’ll just endure the travel time.

With that thought, I closed my eyes, and before long, the bus, having set off with a soft rumble, steadily advanced along the road.

*****

“Team 37: Lee Hyunjin, Kanzaki Rie.”

“?”

“Team 38: Rachel Brehelton, Lim Seohyun. Team 39…”

And in the team drawing that marked the start of the midterm evaluation, I became a team with Kanzaki.

I turned my head to the side, a bewildered question mark hanging over me.

“Huh…?”

Naturally, Kanzaki, who was right next to me since she was in the adjacent seat, was also looking up at Teacher-nim Kim Kyunghun with wide eyes.

Her expression and eyes were uncharacteristically blank. I sighed and pressed a hand to my forehead.

This midterm evaluation is definitely not going to be easy.

*****

Whizzzz! Splat!

“Whimper!”

An ice-covered tree branch, shot forth effortlessly breaking the subsonic barrier like a whip, powerfully struck a monster in the shape of a wolf.

With a death rattle, the monster crumpled and fell.

Clink!

Immediately, a white bracelet, detecting the residual mana flowing from the monster’s corpse, glowed green and calculated the subjugation points.

[Team 37 Lee Hyunjin & Kanzaki Rie: 115(+10)]

The color indicated that the wolf just now was a D-rank monster. The added points were also just a paltry 10.

‘When am I going to get all this done?’

I couldn’t help but feel utterly lamentable. I wouldn’t actually slip from the second-place spot, would I?

Just as I was imagining a grim future, Kanzaki, who had been standing awkwardly behind me, hesitantly approached me.

“Um, well.”

And, uncharacteristically, she spoke to me carefully, with an attitude as if she found me difficult.

“You’ve, um, acquired a new, strange skill…?”

I nodded lightly.

“I mixed it a bit. Nature-based magic usually blends well with any other attribute, so it’s perfect for light experimentation.”

In truth, it was the ‘Plant Manipulation’ ability acquired through a strangely intimate relationship with Ryu Seeun, but there was no need to state that literally.

It was also true that these tree branches she primarily used had unexpectedly harmonized well with my cold-element magic.

“I-I see…”

“Right.”

“…Yes.”

A brief silence fell. Kanzaki mumbled with her lips, looking as if she couldn’t find anything more to say, and I felt equally awkward.

Right. So why was Kanzaki Rie, who had been so brazen and outspoken on the bus, now trying to gauge my mood?

To explain the reason, one must first delve deeper into her abilities.

Kanzaki Rie, the dream demon. Female, twenty years old, her abilities are of the succubus-type.

From what I heard, even among succubi, abilities vary by individual, but in any case, Kanzaki’s powers were strictly ‘human-limited.’

Meaning, they didn’t work on animals or monsters, no matter how male.

What did that fact imply?

It was simple, needless to say.

Kanzaki Rie, partnered with me for this midterm evaluation, could do nothing.

Just nothing. Truly nothing. She was utterly incompetent, a ‘token dream demon 1.’

It wasn’t that she hadn’t learned elemental magic separately… but it wasn’t enough to make a significant contribution to the subjugation competition happening in this mountain.

Even though she maintained a top rank in the ranking matches, there was a clear reason why her overall academic performance was merely in the mid-ranks.

I gave Kanzaki a vague, unreadable look. She was busily looking left and right, searching for monsters.

It seemed she was trying to lighten the burden of two people that I was carrying, even in that way…

In truth, it wasn’t a very helpful action.

My sense of presence detection was more efficient anyway.

‘Well, she probably anticipated it too.’

I quietly licked my lips and averted my gaze from her.

She must have known what kind of grade she would receive in this midterm evaluation.

She just hadn’t anticipated two things: one, that this midterm evaluation would be conducted as a two-person team assignment; and two, that her teammate would be none other than me.

…It meant she was unilaterally indebted to a relationship where we’d amiably smile and sparks would fly whenever our eyes met, even without this.

How could she be comfortable? She probably felt sorry and embarrassed towards me, and perhaps even a bit resentful.

“…Well, don’t be too disheartened.”

As I said, I was equally awkward… It was then that I reluctantly scratched my cheek, about to offer her some words of comfort.

“Anyway, when it comes time to snatch other kids’ bracelets later, your ability will come in handy, there will be a moment when it can be usef, ul…?”

I turned my head and cut off the words I was about to continue.

Kanzaki was gone.

“…What are you doing over there?”

No, to be precise, she was about 20 meters away, tilting her head this way and that, searching for monsters.

I was about to tell her that I was already using my presence detection anyway, and that she shouldn’t waste energy and just rest, when suddenly.

“…!”

Behind Kanzaki, a pair of red eyes flashed for an instant. At the same time, a rather threatening presence was detected by my senses.

A C-rank monster, the Vampire Mantis. With its saw-like legs bent grotesquely, it leaped, aiming for Kanzaki’s back, who hadn’t noticed it yet.

Shriek!

“…Huh…?”

Perhaps surprised by the sudden shadow, Kanzaki, donning a bewildered expression, turned her head blankly without preparing herself.

Thwack!

Immediately, I leaped off the ground and powerfully kicked the Vampire Mantis’s body.

A rough gust of wind surged, and simultaneously, a considerable roar erupted.

Craaaash!

“Yelp…!?”

Startled, Kanzaki recoiled and let out a shrill scream. She raised both arms to cover her face, but the moment that weak guard would have been truly needed never came.

One of Baek Ayun’s specialties, a sudden approach using ‘Blink Step’ and a powerful strike utilizing leg strength.

As I had copied one of her techniques that enhances leg strength, along with its proficiency, its power was undeniably excellent.

Unlike the wolf, the Vampire Mantis fell weakly without even letting out a single cry. Thud!

“…Ah.”

And Kanzaki, who had been staring at the Vampire Mantis with blank eyes for a moment, belatedly came to her senses. She looked back at me with a sense of emptiness.

“Uh, thank you for helping me…”

It was a thank you uttered in a completely deflated voice.

I frowned at her, as if to scold her.

“You know you’ll be in serious trouble if you get caught off guard like that, right?”

“…”

“It’s not like you haven’t learned other magic, is it? If your overall proficiency or mana is lacking, then find an elixir or something and absorb it…”

Above all, it would be best to first recognize that you’re a pure mage, practically soft-bodied, and act accordingly, but that’s what I advised.

It was the most practical advice I could give without hurting her feelings.

However, Kanzaki’s reaction was quite different from what I expected.

“…That’s right.”

She didn’t get angry at me.

Nor did she look dejected.

Instead, she merely let out a faint smile, not avoiding my displeased gaze, and offered a subtle smile with her lips.

Kanzaki bowed her head to me.

“Thank you for the advice. Hyunjin-gun is right.”

“…What?”

“Anything is fine… Yes. First, I’ll need to solve this chronic mana issue.”

Kanzaki lightly stroked her cheek, paying no mind to my slightly bewildered reaction. With her reddish-purple eyes subtly deepened, she added in a low voice.

“…Truly, by any means necessary…”

And why was it?

“…”

At that moment, I couldn’t help but feel a strange chill run down my spine.

Kanzaki’s eyes began to flicker with a dangerous light as she gazed at me.

‘Hmm.’

…Well, she knows her mana is insufficient and says she’ll diligently train from now on.

It’s good that it’s good, isn’t it? What reason would I have to feel ominous?

‘It must be a misunderstanding.’

Thus, I deliberately ignored the significant premonition and turned away. To achieve a top-tier score, I still needed to hunt more monsters.