episode_0074

After Elada’s students completed the Hunter Level Exam, a small change occurred at the academy.

As winter slowly approaches, there are various things like street decorations changing and the end-of-the-year atmosphere gradually increasing, but if I were to pick the most representative one, it would probably be the change in students’ major subjects.

His major subject was Hunter Studies.

In fact, it was safe to say that nothing had actually changed, as what had been an ambiguous name such as Ability Development Studies was organized into a new subject called Hunter Studies after completing the grade exam.

Students at the academy spend their days training and taking classes on combat methods and ability development. The major has only nominally changed.

In fact, the existing department, Talent Development Studies itself, still exists. Although it is not a hunter class but a department purely for people who want to develop only their abilities, the day when the class opens will be in the distant future when all fighting has ended and the world has become peaceful.

“Hmm.”

After lunch, I headed to the gym without even having time to spare.

There was about 30 minutes left until the lecture officially started, but inside the gymnasium, which opened with a loud noise, I came across people who were preparing as if it was a natural thing and they had planned it out together.

“You guys arrived quickly.”

“This is a lecture given by the Dean, so how could I be late?”

Although I wasn’t looking at him, I heard his voice and it was Li Jiyuan. The guy was pretending to be indifferent, but I could see some anticipation hidden in his face.

I understand. How could he not be happy that he, too, was selected in a situation where he expected to be pushed to the rear after losing his leg?

In addition, I was the only one selected among the C-class members.

“How are you, Professor? You came early.”

“Yes.”

I nodded lightly.

After showing them my power in person, I could feel that their attitude toward me had changed significantly.

Before, I was polite but found it a bit difficult, but now I feel a sense of awe and have become more sincere.

I thought about restraining them because they felt like they were a bit worshiping me, but I didn’t go out of their way to ask them to change their attitude.

“There’s still some time to get started. Then, let’s talk a little bit.”

“Yes. Professor.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Everyone’s eyes sparkle. As the eyes of six people turned towards me, it felt like a private tutor was in progress and I felt something new.

As usual, I wasn’t very impressed when more than a hundred eyes were focused on me, but when I received the concentrated gaze of a few people on a narrow street, I felt strange.

It felt like there was something attractive inside their eyes that was drawing me in.

“Why did I change my policy like this? I should tell you this first. To put it simply, it is because the external danger to you has increased, and it is much more advantageous to deal with that threat by specializing people with potential as much as possible.”

“I see. Same thing with the strange monk last time.”

In some ways, it can be seen as favoritism for some people as they are taking the same lecture. In fact, several low-level students have personally asked me about this.

However, when I talked about my actual experience in combat, it seemed like no one voiced any complaints after that.

“That windbreaker was incredibly strong. In particular, the way to use this ability was truly tongue-in-cheek.”

“Usually, I thought this ability only enhanced output, but there were other ways to use it. It was surprising.”

“Ah, that… .”

Han Sejun blurts out his words at the end. I guess so. From the perspective of someone who has actually experienced it, it will be something that can be felt firsthand.

The power of his basic ability was strong, and as a wind ability, he used his ability in other ways to make the air density in a certain space shallow and attempted to suffocate him.

“Then, will the lessons that will be held in the future also involve learning about strengthening abilities or mana handling?”

“No.”

“… ?”

A puzzled expression appears on everyone’s faces. The guys guess my intentions with their eyebrows slightly thinning.

They probably thought that the reason I was giving private lessons was to provide them with special training that would further strengthen their abilities.

Based on their judgment, it would be a natural conclusion. Isn’t that what I’ve learned so far?

Use mana to create mana weapons to cut down monsters, and use supernatural abilities to build monsters. That was the most common hunters’ fighting method.

Until now.

But that is not what I am trying to teach.

“Let me ask you this first. Why am I strong? Aside from the trivial story of dragons, what do you think is the reason why they can overwhelm you with their pure combat ability?”

“Uh… .”

When people are asked questions that are difficult to answer, their eyebrows narrow and wrinkles form. Looking at the scene, I lightly folded my arms in satisfaction.

From their perspective, it would just be a case of a strong human being suddenly appearing from the beginning.

It was as if a meteorite had suddenly crashed into the Earth.

Jang A-hyeon raises her hand and opens her mouth.

“Professor, I think that’s because he has accumulated a lot of experience. You said you have been fighting monsters even before you came to Earth.”

“Because it’s experience, there might be something like that. But it is not a direct reason.”

“Maybe it’s because you have more mana than us.”

“No.”

The guys return to their suspicious faces again. My mind seemed to be complicated.

There were probably many reasons that came to mind, but he seemed hesitant because he didn’t know what answer he wanted.

I looked at them for a while, and when I was about to open my mouth because I thought I wouldn’t get an answer, someone raised a hand.

“Professor, don’t you use any unique martial arts?”

“Hoo. Why do you think that?”

“I have seen videos of the professor fighting monsters several times before. There are some unique body movements that can be seen there. At first glance, it seemed like he was just swinging, but it seemed like there was some sort of set movement.”

“Li Jiyuan. That’s the correct answer.”

I nodded with satisfaction. Is it because he is the origin of Chinese movies such as martial arts and action scenes?

I stopped nodding slowly and looked at him again.

“You have never learned systematic combat methods until now. Because it hasn’t been needed until now.”

Yes. I have never taught them proper martial arts until now. The reason is largely due to not knowing information about this world.

Usually, martial arts or martial arts have their own unique distinct movements. There are basic postures and unique distinct movements. For example, in the case of Taekwondo, these are incorporated into Poomsae.

However, most of what Ellada’s hunters learned were some kind of blade techniques. At best, it is a practical skill that focuses on attack and avoidance, and at worst it can be seen as the style of back alley fighting gangs.

This was because there was no need to teach anything else about dealing with monsters.

Once you can store mana, it doesn’t matter which way you swing it. The monsters do not take a defensive stance, nor do they engage in a fierce battle of wits like when sparring with humans.

Just simply swing it. There may be an efficient way to swing it itself, but there is no difference in killing monsters no matter how you swing it or what stance you take.

It didn’t matter as long as they could block or evade the monsters’ attacks during the attack, so that was left to the students’ freedom until now.

Therefore, the weapons and fighting styles used by each student were different.

“But in the future, we will inevitably fight not only monsters but also other beings.”

────.

I hear something faint. A sound that seems not to be heard, but faintly penetrates the ear.

It’s something that tickles my eardrums so delicately that I wonder if it’s okay to call it a sound, or if it’s more accurate to call it a tremor.

The moment it tickles my ears, my legs naturally assume a unique position and I look at them.

Their heartbeats, or rather their unspoken expectations, had risen to a level where they could be heard.

Those reactions anticipating what I would say next.

I narrow my eyes at that sight, then slowly get up from my seat and walk toward the center of the gym.

“That is why I will teach you. My mana practice and arcane swordsmanship.”

I slowly raised my hand, holding an arming sword of an appropriate size.

And slowly, with very slow movements, he began to move slowly, as if it were some kind of performance art rather than swordsmanship.

Slowly lower your hand again. Slowly, like a child learning letters for the first time, holding a blunt pencil and writing words one by one in a notebook.

However, the shape of each sword has its own unique appearance. The slow trajectory was forming some kind of shape.

If you look at the action alone, it may not be a swordsmanship. But everyone I saw had strange expressions.

I was just staring blankly, completely distracted by the slow movements that were like a blind man tracing his way with a cane.

“… … .”

After some more time passed, the arm eventually started to come down.

Actually, it hasn’t been that long. In terms of time, less than 5 minutes would have passed.

However, after I finished, beads of sweat formed on my forehead and started flowing down, so I took out a handkerchief from my inner pocket and lightly wiped my forehead.

I thought that it would be difficult to perform the swordsmanship of a dragon with a human body. Even though they say they wielded it only with pure power without using mana, will they be able to withstand it?

Clap, clap, clap!

But as if my worries were unfounded, everyone applauded passionately.

They were so passionate that the results of just six people’s palms filled this large gymnasium.

“Dae, it’s amazing! Really.”

“Wow… I’m speechless. Ha.”

“Huh.”

After sighing slightly at that sight, I looked at the other side. Everyone was passionate and did not hesitate to express what they saw in the best language they could, but there were individual differences in degree.

One person in particular seemed a little anxious, but I was willing to open my mouth and ease his burden.

“It is basically swordsmanship, but other techniques derived from it will be taught to suit each individual’s physical condition. So there is nothing to worry about.”

“I see… Thank you.”

Li Jiyuan nodded. He doesn’t really use any weapons. As expected of a dragon assistant, his method was to fight using both hands that turned into giant claws.

So it seems like he was a little impatient with swordsmanship.

‘Now that I think about it, my origins are also quite unique.’

Just as the character Elm originally comes from the game world, my swordsmanship also comes from the game’s skills.

Originally, I simply clicked and used the mouse without thinking, but after coming to this world, those sword techniques became systematized and entered my mind.

As was the case in Grand Flash Rain, the character named Elm Northmund reached this world and changed to match the original settings of each skill.

‘It would be nice if I could create magic too.’

According to the setting, in 『Grandis Saga』, new magics can be created by high-ranking magicians over a long period of time. Of course, unfortunately, this is impossible for me.

Unfortunately, my profession is a magic swordsman, and the setting is that some wizards with vague magical talents left the magic tower or association and wandered around as mercenaries.

As a high-ranking magic swordsman, he could feel mana and manipulate the flow of mana, but creating new magic was impossible.

This was because only previously acquired magic could be used literally in the form of skills, and a systematic understanding of the phenomenon called magic was impossible.

I felt a little bit of loss about it. Of course, if someone hears it, they might say it’s a sound that makes their stomach explode from being full, but there is no limit to becoming stronger.

‘It’s a funny situation.’

He shows inaction that may seem like another sky above the sky to others, and he feels ironic about the situation.

That feeling of something overly dull and foolish tickled my heart.

“Dean!”

As I was silently clicking my tongue, a male student asked me something with sparkling eyes.

Han Se-jun, showing the most passionate appearance I have ever seen, stood up from his seat, clasped both hands, and pressed his body towards me.

I felt something disgusting and almost pushed him away for a moment, but his appearance was so serious that I managed to calm my mind and blinked my approval.

“Ji, I have a question. What is the name of that swordsmanship? It’s so cool!”

“You mean the name…? .”

There was silence in the gym for a moment. Unable to overcome the silence, I held my chin for a moment.

“… ?”

As the silence gets longer and longer, question marks appear one by one over the heads of the kids in the gym.

Question marks kept appearing in my mind.

‘Damn, what was that?’

What was it? I’m sure there was a name for the skill, but I can’t remember it.

That’s because in Grandis Saga, no one calls the skill name properly. Most of them placed it on the left side of the mouse and just called it Pyeongta, and the Mana practice method was just called Emhoe.

Even if I had asked while playing the game, I would have had to hover over the mouse cursor to check the name…

First, take a cover-type pendant-type artifact from your inventory and pretend to make a promise to borrow time.

I looked at it with mesmerizing eyes for a moment, nodded slightly, and closed the lid of the pendant with a loud sound.

I prayed out loud in my heart that this action would be seen as a promise to the eyes surrounding me.

Because you can’t set the mood and ruin it at the end.

“Dean?”

“No. Since this is my secret sword technique, I must not mention its name. But, well, since Grandis is destroyed, it’s a meaningless rule.”

He nodded and smiled briefly, vaguely. It was my first time acting like this for a long time, so I felt like my acting skills had faded.

It was something I did every day when I first came to this world. Was it because I was too motivated to bear the burden of being a hero?

And in the end, I slowly blurted out the name that popped into my head.

“The name of the sword technique is Trappist, and the name of the mana practice is luminescence. Those are the names you will learn.”

He stiffened his face and opened his mouth to them.