Trainee Day 1 (1)

I woke up to find Shin-woo still asleep.

He must have been exhausted. Sorry about that…

It was my first time waking up after sleeping in my succubus form.

I looked in the mirror. My face wasn’t swollen in the slightest. Is this the effect of ‘Optimal Physique’?

It seemed this beauty was maintained anytime, anywhere.

I washed up. Since I didn’t have much to wear in my succubus form, I just put on the Nephthra suit. Beside me, Shin-woo stirred and began to wake up.

“You’re up?”

“…Seeing you like this first thing in the morning is giving me a morning wood—ah, ugh, that hurts.”

“Are you okay?”

“Ah… it stings like hell… I think we did it too much yesterday.”

A pang of guilt hit me. I should probably apologize—

“Yesterday—”

“I’m sorry. I got too excited yesterday and just pounded away—no, I mean, I think I was too rough.”

Huh? Why are you apologizing?

“Hmm? What are you talking about?”

“I just got so turned on all of a sudden… I’m sorry.”

“When did you get so turned on?”

“After I came twice and you asked for more? Did you ask me to pound you harder? I think I just lost it from that point on.”

“Ah…”

So he thinks the things he did while hypnotized were his own desires?

What a terrifying skill. I was the one who cast the hypnosis, but he’s the one taking responsibility?

‘Devil’s Whisper,’ huh? It really lives up to the name.

Should I apologize or not? No, he’s my friend. I should at least tell him what happened to him.

So I began to explain.

How I’d recently acquired a hypnosis-related skill, how I’d used it unconsciously, how it made him fuck me like a madman, and how he collapsed the moment I released the skill, which led to our current situation.

“That was hypnosis? I thought I just really wanted to do it. But it’s true, I did want to.”

“The hypnosis might have been stronger because you genuinely wanted it. And, well, my saliva and fluids have an aphrodisiac effect, and they also strengthen the hypnosis.”

“Whoa, hypnosis and an aphrodisiac effect? Isn’t that basically a succubus?”

“Exactly.”

“But the level of that hypnosis skill is insane.”

“It’s high-level?”

“Yeah. You cast it, but I perceived it as something I wanted to do. Normally, hypnosis is… what was it? I learned about this. Anyway, it’s about following the hypnotist’s command. Since you’re obeying someone else’s order, the resistance is high, and it’s hard to pull off.”

“Right. That’s what hypnosis is.”

“But in your case, the target accepts the command as something they want to do, right? That drastically weakens their resistance.”

“If the resistance is weaker…”

“It’s obvious that the hypnosis will take hold more easily, and when it wears off, they often don’t even realize they were hypnotized in the first place.”

“Oh, how do you know so much? You’re not the Choi Shin-woo I knew. Did post-nut clarity turn you into a real sage?”

“I tell you something useful and you give me shit. The guild taught me.”

“The guild? Why would they teach that?”

“Why else? Because there are all sorts of Awakeners out there. You should be careful, too. There are a lot of weird people with weird abilities.”

…Like me, a guy who turns into a succubus to get Essense and convert it into mana?

“…Then, technically, it’s your fault, right? You’re the one who used hypnosis.”

“But it only got stronger because you wanted it, didn’t you? Tsk, whatever. Technically, it is my fault for using the skill. I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. You said you didn’t even do it on purpose, right? Let’s just call it a mishap. Though it was your fault, of course.”

“Ha, fine. I’m sorry.”

“If you’re sorry, then next time we do it, umm, never mind. I’ll tell you then.”

“What? What is it?”

“Anyway, why are you still a girl? Aren’t you going to the guild today?”

“I told you I’m not going today. What about you?”

“I’m going in the afternoon. The raid ended in the early morning yesterday.”

“Really? Then I’m going to go buy some clothes and shoes for this body.”

“Can’t you just wear the combat suit I gave you? Oh, that one.”

“This thing shows everything.”

“That’s what’s good about it.”

“Hey.”

“Sorry, sorry. It does show a lot. Ah, I heard they make underwear and bras out of that same combat suit material.”

“Really? I should buy those, then. This stuff is comfortable.”

*

I bought Nephthra underwear, a bra, and shoes.

Nephthra is a plant that lives in another world inside a gate.

Like a Venus flytrap, it captures passing creatures in its pouch, then secretes digestive fluids like a pitcher plant to dissolve and absorb them.

The Nephthra’s pouch, with its incredible elasticity and toughness, was lined with a magic-infused membrane that could withstand the digestive fluids, making it a superb material.

If you were to rank ‘Useful Monsters,’ it would always be near the top.

Before putting it on, the Nephthra bra was shaped like a crop top, but it became a sports bra when worn.

So, as a man, it would be a crop top (I wouldn’t just wear that, of course, since I’d have the Nephthra suit over it…), and as a woman, it would be a sports bra.

The shoes were shaped like aqua shoes.

The soles needed to be firm, so they were a bit less elastic than the other parts, but thankfully, my male and female feet were similar in size, so I could get by with a single pair.

They were expensive, so I couldn’t buy many…

It was a bit of a burden, but who was I?

A member of the Elemental guild.

This much was fine. I’d earn it all back.

After shopping, I considered going to the guild to train in my spare time, but then I thought about the waste of mana and Essense and decided against it.

Today, I’ll just rest.

*

My trainee period began today.

The trainee period was a time to gain experience in gate raids by being temporarily assigned to various teams.

Naturally, this meant actually entering a gate.

“Hello.”

“Hello. You must be Lee Han-gyeol, starting your trainee period today, correct? Hmm, for today, you’ve been assigned to ‘Nari.’ I’ll show you the way.”

I followed the staff member to another building, which turned out to be the guild’s equipment rental office.

A woman standing in front saw us and ran over.

“Yeeun! Long time no see! Is this him, the one you mentioned?”

“Yes, that’s right. Ah, Lee Han-gyeol-nim. This is Han Na-ri-nim, the leader of Team ‘Nari.’”

“I heard about you from my sister. You just Awakened but you’re already a trainee? Well, it’s better to come sooner rather than later. Nice to meet you! I’m Han Na-ri.”

She had a cute face and a tomboyish smile. Her black hair was tied in two braids that fell over her shoulders. The ends of her hair glowed with a faint red light, like heated iron, and occasionally flickered with embers.

“Yes, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Lee Han-gyeol. Your sister… you said?”

“Ah, the instructor who teaches the flame beginners at Elemental is my older sister. I heard you use the Flame element?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Great! As long as you have firepower, Flame is the best. I use it too. Guess we’ll see each other in the small group, then?”

“A small group? Ah. The one for people who use the same element?”

“Yep. That one. If you join—”

“I think that’s enough introductions for now. Han Na-ri-nim, could you please explain what you’ll be doing today?”

The staff member called ‘Yeeun’ cut her off.

“Alright. Well then, shall we head into the equipment rental office? I’ll explain from there.”

“Then I’ll be on my way. Lee Han-gyeol-nim, good luck.”

“Bye, Yeeun!”

“Goodbye.”

After the staff member left, we entered the equipment rental office.

“First off, Elemental lends out equipment. You can pick out what you want here, take it to the counter, scan your guild ID, and borrow it. You just have to return it after the raid is over.”

The inside looked like a warehouse store.

The equipment was neatly arranged like in a warehouse, but there was a counter at the entrance like a supermarket, and people were bringing gear there.

“What we’re doing today is pretty simple, so we won’t need to borrow much. For personal gear, hmm, I think you’ll only need to borrow a suit? Do you use any weapons?”

“Weapons?”

“Yeah, weapons. You can borrow them here. If you don’t use one, it’s a good idea to learn. You never know what might happen inside. Hey, trainee here. Newbie. Everyone, come over here.”

Han Na-ri, who had been explaining, waved toward the counter, and three people who were standing next to it came over.

“Alright, now that we’re all here, let’s introduce ourselves. I’ll go first. Hello. I’m Han Na-ri, the leader of Team ‘Nari.’ I’m twenty-three, and I use the Flame element.”

“Hello. I’m Lee Han-gyeol, a new trainee. I’m twenty this year, and I use the Flame element. It’s a pleasure to work with you.”

“Hello. I’m Ahn Su-jin, a member of Team ‘Nari.’ I’m twenty-six and I use the Wind element.”

“Hello. I’m Park Yu-seok of Team ‘Nari.’ I’m twenty-seven, and my element is Earth.”

“Hello. I’m Han Na-eun, the youngest of Team ‘Nari.’ I’m eighteen and I use Flame. Nice to meet you.”

A round of applause followed each introduction.

“So that’s three Flame, one Wind, and one Earth. I’ll explain the mission again. We’re going to Gate 14. The environment is a jungle.”

“Ugh, but jungles are so hot—”

Han Na-eun cut in.

“Hey, you’re interrupting the team leader? Just because you’re my sister, you think you can do whatever? We have a trainee here.”

“Yes, my bad.”

Despite her words, the atmosphere wasn’t tense.

“Anyway, what we’ll be doing there is cleaning up the area around the base. As soon as we cross the gate, we’ll be at the guild base. There’s a defensive line surrounding it, and apparently, plants and monsters sometimes cross it. All we have to do is clear them out! Any questions?”

Silence.

“If not, let’s go! Wait, let me grab a few things. Newbie, you follow me!”

*

Gate 14 was located in Gyeonggi Province.

The five of us were crammed into a car. Park Yu-seok was in the driver’s seat, Han Na-ri in the passenger seat, and the rest of us were in the back.

After a few dozen minutes, we arrived at a warehouse-like building.

We went to a guard post and presented our guild IDs. Soon, we were granted entry, and the warehouse door opened.

“No major mana fluctuations detected at present. Good luck, everyone. And return safely.”

Vreee—

Inside was a room made of glass, and in the center of that room was a blue circle. It looked like a calm surface of water floating in mid-air. Our reflections were visible on its surface, distorted whenever ripples, like those from a falling water droplet, spread across it.

As we opened the glass door, I felt the flow of mana.

From somewhere far away, I could hear the sound of flowing water.

It was stronger than any mana I had ever felt before.

The inside of the glass room was filled with that powerful mana.

As I stood there staring blankly, Han Na-ri approached me.

“Amazing, right? Everyone’s like this their first time. This is a gate. A passage to another world. A source of mana. An entrance to an unknown world. And for us, right now—”

Han Na-ri clenched her fist.

“—it’s a land of opportunity. You ready?”

“Yes.”

My heart was pounding.

As if it sensed my excitement, ripples formed on the gate, and the mana hummed with a low thrum.

My first gate. My first time visiting another world.

Just a few more steps, and I’ll finally be an Awakener—

The cheerful Han Na-ri shouted at the top of her lungs.

“Alright, let’s get in there!”