Chapter 102
Chapter 102: Rumors (2)
Why did they send this suddenly?
Kim Hyun-tae read the news to figure out Hwang Joon-ho’s intentions.
[Introducing the parties enrolled in Hero Academy’s 3rd session…….]
[1. Red Hole – James Kang’s Party]
[2. Dice…….]
[……]
[……]
“There’s Red Hole and Dice……. Did any juniors from our guild get in?”
Hero Academy was recruiting only a small number of Rank 4 parties.
When Kim Hyun-tae’s party was at Rank 4, these support programs didn’t exist, so they couldn’t participate.
He thought that if the timing had been right, they would have surely passed.
“They weren’t too shabby.”
From Kim Hyun-tae’s memory, Keroes’ party that entered Hero Academy had been a bunch of competent juniors.
Kim Hyun-tae flipped through the rest of the list and sent a reply to Hwang Joon-ho.
[Kim Hyun-tae: What’s the big deal about Hero Academy?]
[Hwang Joon-ho: Did you see that guild called Sweet Fun at the end?]
[Kim Hyun-tae: No.]
[Hwang Joon-ho: That’s the guild Yoo Ji-han is in.]
“……?!”
Upon reading the reply, Kim Hyun-tae’s expression darkened.
He soon scrutinized the list of successful candidates and saw that indeed, under Sweet Fun, “Yoo Ji-han’s party” was listed.
[Kim Hyun-tae: Are you sure that’s the same Yoo Ji-han?]
[Hwang Joon-ho: Information confirmed through the management department.]
“Ha!”
Now, that changes everything.
Kim Hyun-tae quickly accessed the internet to look up Sweet Fun.
“Looks like they’ve leveled up.”
The search results included an interview they had after advancing to Rank 4.
Kim Hyun-tae scoffed while reading it.
After being expelled from their party, it seemed they immediately joined another guild and continued their activities.
Even a rotten fish can swim, having spent years in a Rank 2 party, they could surely rise to Rank 4.
“Thinking it’s a good thing, huh.”
In the interview article, Yoo Ji-han was smiling, caught in a snapshot.
When they were in the same party, he rarely got to see that expression, thanks to wearing a mask or hood most of the time.
“Tsk! Has Hero Academy’s standards dropped? They’re taking in scrubs like him.”
He clicked his tongue, shaking his head.
What good did it do for the competition to be fierce if they’ve got defective heroes among those who passed?
‘That face really bothers me.’
After Yoo Ji-han left, Kim Hyun-tae’s party had been going through a transitional phase since the addition of the new member, Kim Kang-woo.
The synergy among party members wasn’t as smooth as before.
The time taken for monster hunts had increased a bit…….
Kim Hyun-tae viewed this as still being in the adjustment stage.
Yet the guy who left the party seemed so happy.
“……Not liking this.”
Kim Hyun-tae began fiddling with his mobile phone, contacting the management department.
—What can I do for you?
“Hey. There are kids from our guild who got into Hero Academy this year, right? Tell them to come see me immediately.”
*
At Hero Academy’s training center.
Upon arriving at the personal training room, Yoo Ji-han’s party began their training.
[Wind Arrow]
Standing at a distance from Min Yu-ri, Kim Si-hu summoned Wind Arrows.
Nine arrows he could summon at once floated in the air.
“I’m starting!”
“Got it!”
Min Yu-ri, situated opposite Kim Si-hu, scanned the approaching Wind Arrows with her eyes and nocked three Magic Arrows onto her bowstring.
[Multi Shot]
Fwoosh!
As she released her hand, each arrow split into exactly three parts.
In total, nine arrows were shot forward.
All arrows flew in varying curved paths, each targeting different Wind Arrows.
Pababababam—!
The nine pairs of arrows collided quickly, distorting their shapes drastically.
However, some of Min Yu-ri’s Magic Arrows pierced through the Wind Arrows and kept advancing.
Thanks to the bow made from monster materials, the arrows had added physical force.
“Impressive.”
“Chirp chirp.”
Yoo Ji-han quietly watched the two in the workshop alongside Chilla.
Though Yoo Ji-han had always thought highly of Kim Si-hu’s magic control,
the way Min Yu-ri handled her arrows as a ranged dealer was also quite extraordinary.
‘Her attacks hardly ever miss.’
After several battles, Yoo Ji-han knew Min Yu-ri never made minor mistakes in the field.
But to be able to shoot down flying attack magic with her arrows was entirely new to him.
After launching Magic Arrows from her bow, she could still control them as long as the distance wasn’t too far.
Yoo Ji-han raised his internal evaluation of her a notch.
‘She could have been a great mage too.’
Shaping and controlling magic into desired forms is one of the talents required by magic-type heroes, like Kim Si-hu.
And Min Yu-ri had already become adept at refining the form of the arrows she shot.
According to her, that whole process is polished by a skill called Shape Change.
Rather than just learning skills defined and created by previous heroes, it was like what mages do when they create unique magic.
It made Yoo Ji-han feel a tinge of regret that she chose to be an archer instead of a mage.
“I think we could get something fun out of applying Shape Change.”
“Still a bit…….”
At this point, there was a limit to changing the shape of Magic Arrows Min Yu-ri had shot far away.
Depending on the distance, she could only alter them into simple shapes, like small rectangles or squiggly circles.
In a department store, that alone could target the weakness of a monstrous flower.
But what if she could change an arrow into a gigantic cannonball or a net to ensnare enemies?
The possibilities for diverse attacks and support using her imagination would skyrocket.
“I’ll work harder moving forward.”
“That’d be great.”
As she declared with determination, Yoo Ji-han smiled.
About an hour later.
As Min Yu-ri leaned against Chilla’s belly to rest, Yoo Ji-han approached a breathing Kim Si-hu.
“Next up is my turn, right?”
“Yup! Have you thought about the suggestions?”
“Hm.”
Yoo Ji-han slowly nodded his head.
After making a contract with the wind spirit, he was stabilizing his magic operation.
So far, Kim Si-hu had only taught Yoo Ji-han basic magic tuned to his style, but this time he proposed something major.
That was to become a mage.
‘Spirit mage, huh….’
Spirit mages differ a lot from ordinary mages.
They focus more on creating unique magic using spirits rather than widely known public spells, concentrating on maximizing the power of their spirits.
Most spirit mages alive today, including the famous Yoon Do-ha, fall into this category.
This is the type of spirit mage people generally think of when they hear “spirit master.”
‘Honestly, I wish Ji-han would become a mage.’
If Yoo Ji-han became a mage, it would mean losing the only warrior in the party.
However, Kim Si-hu thought he could still play a front-line role just like before.
It would just be a change in how he attacked the enemy.
But.
“Now’s not the time to become a mage.”
“Spirit mages are fundamentally different from ordinary mages. I could provide a lot of assistance!”
“I’ve already made my decision.”
However, Yoo Ji-han rejected Kim Si-hu’s proposal.
Kim Si-hu respected his choice but felt a bit worried.
‘This won’t be easy.’
While there have been instances of warriors forming contracts with spirits in the past, very few had made a name for themselves beyond ordinary spirit masters.
There’s hardly anything more challenging than pioneering a new path rather than walking along one that’s already been paved.
But he didn’t stubbornly refuse the proposal without a reason.
“I plan to focus on learning buffs going forward.”
“Buffs?”
Kim Si-hu questioned Yoo Ji-han’s intent to learn buffs.
It was like using the Haste magic he learned, which would reduce effectiveness when used on others but could be directly applied to himself.
It wasn’t a bad choice.
However, it wasn’t exactly an outstanding one either.
There were plenty of more effective spells than average buffs in the world.
There was something inadequate about using the unique conditions of being a spirit master that way.
“Do you remember the spell you used on me when we fought the barbarian?”
“I vaguely remember……. No way?!”
“You’re thinking correctly.”
Yoo Ji-han recalled the magic Kim Si-hu had used during the fight with the barbarian.
‘I can’t forget that day.’
The day he first felt he could accomplish anything in life.
He could never shake off that feeling.
‘That’s a reduced effect, huh.’
The magic Kim Si-hu had used back then clearly resembled a buff.
Generally, buffs would have reduced effectiveness when used on others, yet Yoo Ji-han had easily defeated the barbarians with that reduced performance buff.
What if he could utilize that magic directly?
It was hard to even imagine what would happen.
“Can I teach you a spell that I can’t even use myself……?”
Kim Si-hu’s voice was filled with uncertainty.
At that time, he only had a feeling of having done something but didn’t know how to use the magic at all.
“You will understand that magic someday.”
The fact that Kim Si-hu used such powerful magic to swiftly subdue the barbarian wouldn’t change even as time passed.
Though it might be impossible now, Yoo Ji-han firmly believed that someday Kim Si-hu would replicate that magic.
“Let me know when that time comes.”
“I’ll figure something out.”
At the end, Kim Si-hu replied with a seriously earnest face.
*
After four hours of training, on their way out of the training center.
Yoo Ji-han’s party was passing by the entrance of the training center.
“Senior Yoo Ji-han.”
“……?”
At that moment, someone called out to Yoo Ji-han.
Familiar yet slightly unfamiliar faces.
They were juniors, fellow heroes who had passed the entrance exam for Hero Academy’s third session and had joined Keroes after Yoo Ji-han.
“Oh……. Is it you guys? Long time no see?”
Yoo Ji-han awkwardly greeted them.
He recognized their faces after passing the entrance exam, but they had never introduced themselves properly.
“I’m sorry for the late introduction. I’m Bae Tae-jun from Bae Tae-jun’s Party.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Yoo Ji-han, and these are my party members.”
“Pleasure to meet you.”
The Bae Tae-jun party bowed their heads first to Yoo Ji-han’s party.
The juniors from Keroes previously had a dismissive air, but these ones seemed a bit different.
“Looking forward to working with you.”
“Same here, looking forward to it.”
“By the way, I heard rumors in Keroes that Ji-han-senpai entered Hero Academy.”
“Oh, really?”
Yoo Ji-han felt a bit complicated upon realizing that the rumors had spread that far.
‘Park Joong-seob, the Guild Master, or Kim Hyun-tae probably knows by now.’
He couldn’t tell what their reactions would be to his story.
However, Yoo Ji-han thought this wasn’t bad news at all.
It meant he was showing that he was doing well after being expelled from Keroes.
“But, senpai, are you free right now?”
“Free? What’s up?”
“As a fellow hero and junior from Hero Academy, I want to ask you for some guidance.”
Bae Tae-jun looked at Yoo Ji-han, lifting one corner of his mouth into a smile.
