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Chapter 330

“Tsuh.”

As I entered my third year, I ran into Darius, who was in a different class now. The moment our eyes met, he clicked his tongue with a displeased expression. What’s with this guy? Is he picking a fight just because we haven’t seen each other in a while?

“Stop jabbering.”

From his eyes, I could sense annoyance rather than anything else.

Ah, I get it. He’s worked his butt off, but rumors are swirling about someone else reaching a higher realm before him—he’s not too happy about that.

After all, he used to like Baek In-hwa back in the day, so he might still have some lingering feelings of resentment about that.

“If you’re so upset, why don’t you just step up to Master, huh?”

“Damn it.”

His face twisted into an ugly grimace. It might seem like I’m starting a fight, but this is just how conversations go with Darius. Alright, I think we’ve communicated perfectly.

Feeling pleased with myself, Darius suddenly pulled a dagger from his waist and aimed it at Yeon-woo. Now that’s a provocative move! Who does this guy think he is?

“If you’re that skilled, at least share some tips.”

“Oh, so you want to receive teachings from Master Yeon-woo? Not a bad idea.”

Honestly, I never expected Darius would be the first to ask for help. Well, it’s not unusual among close friends, but he’s definitely not one to usually ask others for support.

Since there’s no real reason not to help out, I did. Raising the levels of ordinary folks to reduce casualties has merit, but there’s nothing quite as impactful as making already strong individuals even stronger.

In that sense, I’m looking forward to Namgung Seong’s request, but Darius isn’t a slouch either.

“Alright, follow me. I’ll put you through the wringer.”

“If it helps me level up, I’m all in.”

*

To Yeon-woo, the nearby gate held little significance. She had collected nearly everything she could, and while there were still some items left, they wouldn’t provide her with anything more than a boost at this point.

The rest could wait until someone special came along, or simply leave them for others to find and take.

Within Yeon-woo’s field of vision, the black and red blades danced through the air. A dazzling flurry. But every swing was meticulously calculated, not just flailing about.

She pressed her opponent into a corner based on thorough planning, ensuring they couldn’t escape.

It fit well with the style of daggers Darius was using. Blood loss and battle. Wounds would fester and the magical weapons would ensure that even a little cut could become overwhelmingly burdensome.

However, that tactic worked only against opponents of equal or lesser strength. If your opponent is as powerful as Namgung Seong…

“Like this.”

A relentless series of strikes required a mindful distribution of breath and power, focusing not on one-hit kills but rather on accumulating attacks.

Darius had to be deterred from thinking that giving up a limb meant giving him an opportunity. The moment you show even a small weakness, he’ll stab you dozens of times.

Without a secured number of strikes, the flurry would end, and your breath would cease. Just like now.

As Yeon-woo muttered that, she lightly swung her blade. The incoming “blood loss” was deflected, leaving behind only the “battle” she had already initiated, failing to heed the laws of inertia.

This led to a collapse in her blockade, leaving Darius wide open and completely defenseless.

Just as she was about to bring her blade to Darius’s neck, he unexpectedly slid to one side.

It wasn’t a frantic movement. With Yeon-woo’s eyes, it was something she could easily follow. Yet, she chose not to. If she had been an expert, she wouldn’t have been able to chase him. Fighting while restricting her power would help with coaching.

Suddenly, Darius, having circled around, struck for her back and neck with two daggers. Not bad at all. Yeon-woo thought as she leaned forward and kicked behind her towards Darius.

In a flurry, Darius barely managed to block the kick, stumbling back with a sound like “thud,” clicking his tongue in disappointment.

“Tsk.”

“Are you really out to kill me?”

“Training should be done as if it were real.”

When you say that, it feels like it’s not just for that reason… Yeon-woo thought, massaging her chin.

“Hey, haven’t you been slacking on your martial arts?”

“…Hmm, maybe you’re right about that.”

“It wouldn’t be a bad idea to consider that someone like me could cut the thread, but it’s also one of your strengths. Back when you went behind me, you could’ve lowered your stance and taken me down using the blind spot.”

No matter how much of an Aura Expert you are, moving in a blind spot can only lead to panic.

But if you maintain your calm, moments like this present huge opportunities, allowing you to escape unscathed.

However, if Darius were to lower his body, trip her, and ensnare her with his agile form?

If he could only secure a mount position, the daggers would undoubtedly hold a massive advantage.

“Of course, being skilled with the sword is your strength as well, but don’t get too fixated on it. You’re not deceiving your opponents with just a sword, are you?”

“…That’s true.”

Darius nodded seriously. I can see why he might have neglected his martial arts.

He probably slacked off on martial arts while evolving the sword techniques he learned at Black Raven into his own style. Balancing martial arts and swordsmanship while inducing simultaneous evolution will surely become tougher from here on out.

“I can advise you on what you lack in fighting, but since I have no expertise in dagger techniques, I can’t advise you too much… But I’ll tell you the most important thing.”

“The most important thing? What’s that?”

“It’s something I heard a lot before I became a Master; they say you need something to pursue.”

“Something to pursue…?”

At Yeon-woo’s words, Darius trailed off as if he had no clue what she meant. It’s not easy to grasp the idea of needing something to pursue out of the blue.

“Simply put, think about what you want to imbue in your sword. I saw someone master it thanks to that insight.”

“…You’re saying something incredibly difficult in such simple terms.”

Smart kid, huh? But what can I say? I heard the same thing myself. I may not have anything to demonstrate like Raymond, but I figure Darius, being bright, can comprehend it with just words.

“Shall we give it another go while keeping that in mind? Let’s use Elemental Mana this time too.”

“Alright! This time, I won’t hold back.”

“Sure~ I won’t go easy on the weak~”

*

“Things aren’t going as well as I thought.”

“What do you mean?”

As Yeon-woo lay sprawled on the dormitory floor, Nea, sitting on the sofa, asked that. Around her, the children were using her thighs as pillows.

Whenever she used a tool to clean out the kids’ ears, they would giggle and squirm from the ticklish sensation.

“I was thinking about trying to help the other kids level up, but it’s not going too well.”

“You might not have a talent for teaching after all.”

“No, I don’t think that’s it…”

In reality, I received praise from the teachers regarding the direction of my advice. Friends and juniors were visibly growing without any issues.

“I’ve been contemplating how to bring even one person up to Master level, but I just cannot manage it.”

“That’s your greed talking.”

“Is that really it…?”

No matter how much of a Master you are, I guess it’s impossible to elevate someone else to that realm with mere advice. I guess that’s why Raymond and Yuri probably focused more on guiding the direction rather than offering direct advice.

“I just wanted to raise their potential a little, you know.”

“Phew, alright, Tae-oh’s turn is up.”

Yeon-woo’s sigh of disappointment faded into Nea’s voice, which had breezed past Tae-oh’s ears.

The quiet sound of the ear cleaning tool accompanied by Shar’s cheerful laughter filled the room. Yeon-woo lay there in a daze for a moment.

“Alright, Shar’s done. Next up, come on up!”

At Nea’s voice, Yeon-woo finally lifted her head, seeing Nea beckoning her over.

Like in a trance, Yeon-woo approached Nea and laid her head on her lap. The soft feel of her thighs brushed against her cheek, making her senses tingle. Without realizing it, she lowered her hands.

“It’s great that you’re diligent, but remember that too much effort can be counterproductive. You’re not living someone else’s life; each person has their own life to lead.”

Nea spoke gently as she cleaned Yeon-woo’s ears. Her golden hair, woven like silk, draped over Yeon-woo’s face like a curtain, causing an overwhelming ticklish feeling all over.

“I know what you’re worrying about. You promised to show us a beautiful world, didn’t you?”

“…Who told you that? Ah, I can guess.”

“How reckless of you to think leaving was the only option because the world is less beautiful than expected?”

“…So what am I supposed to do? This is all I know how to do.”

As Yeon-woo sulked, Nea chuckled softly, her laughter so endearing it made Yeon-woo blush.

“What a foolish girl. Even a fool like you looks adorable; what is someone supposed to do in this situation…?”

With love evident in her voice, Yeon-woo instinctively shrank her legs. Ugh, this situation is just too stimulating!

After listening to Nea’s soothing ASMR (including ear cleaning) for dozens of minutes, Yeon-woo became all limp and rolled around on the floor. After pleading not to overdo it, she finally managed to escape.

Without needing to exert effort, everything had already fallen into place. There was no turning back. The die had been cast, and the Rubicon had been crossed.

In the summer of the third year, the day to wage war against Saturday was drawing near.

(To be continued in the next episode)

 

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