Episode 4: Train to the Academy (2)
The room door opened again and a female student walked in.
Although she is a beauty comparable to a calligrapher, it seems difficult to even say a word to her because of her cold and strict appearance.
Her light brown hair was tied neatly, and she wore an armband on her arm that said ‘Student Guidance’.
Outside the door, a large, nobleman with a long coat and a friendly, smiling schoolgirl were seated, all of whom had the same armbands on their arms.
‘You’ve been involved with the leader group from the beginning.’
Student leadership department.
It is a student group that manages security inside and outside of Yongsal Academy.
Traditionally, first-year students enter the train early, are introduced to basic instructions, and are immediately assigned to the train.
Just like right now.
This train to Yongsal Academy, where energetic young people from all over flock, is an excellent stage for the leadership to gain experience.
And Shin Byung-chul appears to be on the verge of becoming the leader of the team, and we’ll soon find out why.
The female student glared at Shin Byeong-cheol and held out her hand.
“Give it back. It’s something you shouldn’t have.”
But Shin Byeong-cheol seemed to have no intention of giving up the item.
He kept a playful expression on his face and kept glancing over the girl’s shoulder.
They will be racking their brains to figure out how to secure an escape route.
The schoolgirl asked.
“What’s funny?”
“No, I just think you’re a bit too obsessed. If you have a pretty face but act tired, you won’t be popular with the boys—ugh!”
– Phagec!
A short electrical current struck Shin Byeong-cheol.
[Zap] is a simple lightning magic.
‘Brain attribute wizards are rare.’
If possible, I was planning to just watch without getting involved, but this would be a different story.
Since the [Copy-Skill] slot is empty, should I sneak in and grab one?
Shin Byeong-cheol finished his calculations in the brief moment he was struck by lightning.
And then I apologized to the calligrapher in my heart.
‘sorry.’
Shin Byeong-cheol trembled as if he had fallen into a mild paralysis, and barely managed to hold on to the guest room table as he tried to fall to the side.
My whole body weight was on it, so the recoil from the table hitting my elbows.
– chin!
‘now.’
The homemade cookies I was slowly eating fell out of my hands and rolled on the floor.
There the train jerked slightly and moved further away from me.
It’s too late now.
Food that has fallen to the ground and been gone for more than three seconds is no longer edible.
‘The pretext has been created.’
Now all you have to do is find the right time to intervene.
Shin Byeong-cheol staggered and got up, freeing his paralyzed body.
My hands slowly move to my back pocket.
“Ah~ This is getting tricky. I’m not confident in a head-on fight… … .”
“It seems you have no intention of handing it over easily. I will subdue you.”
The schoolgirl wore a dark-colored glove on one hand.
It looks like a fairly high-quality artifact, with golden embroidery and topaz stones embedded here and there.
As he snapped his fingers, the glove began to emit electricity along with an intense light.
The crackling electricity took the shape of a small hummingbird and shot out, aiming for Shin Byeong-cheol.
[Hummingbird]
– Crackle!!
However, the hummingbird did not cause any harm to Shin Byeong-cheol.
Because I was blocked by my outstretched hand while flying.
A tiny burst of electricity occurred in my palm, and sparks flew.
I can confirm this after seeing it in person.
‘It looks like a D-class, but it’s an E-class.’
I shook off my itchy hands.
The female student frowned slightly at the unexpected intruder.
He stares at my face for a moment, as if trying to recall memories, then tilts his head slightly.
“Was there a pack? I didn’t see it on the list of people to watch out for.”
“It’s not a group. Something came up out of nowhere.”
“What do you want to do?”
“My cookies.”
“……yes?”
I pointed to the half-baked homemade cookies still floating around on the floor.
“It’s because of you guys that I failed. It’s something you can’t buy with money.”
“Are you going to interfere in the leadership event just for cookies?”
“It’s just a cookie, but it’s frustrating for someone who enjoys eating it.”
The schoolgirl looked like she was going to see any ridiculous guy.
At the same time, he thought that what I said had some truth to it, so he took his time and did not act right away.
Then, one of the three leaders who had been watching from behind entered the room.
He looks ready to draw the golden sword from his waist at any moment.
“You’re nitpicking. Why don’t you step aside when I’m talking to you nicely? Otherwise, I’ll give you a hot taste instead of cookies.”
“I hope you think carefully before you act.”
Go Hyun-woo slowly got up from his seat.
“If he were planning to draw his sword, he wouldn’t just sit back and watch.”
“… … .”
The prince’s gaze was fixed on Go Hyeon-woo.
After confirming that he was wearing his uniform, his gaze shifted to the scabbard in his hand.
A smirk spread across his face as he realized that it was actually a cheap iron sword.
“What if I just watch?”
“… … .”
The nobleman smiled fiercely, and Go Hyeon-woo glared at each other with a calm expression.
The problem that started with Shin Byeong-cheol stealing something is about to spread to a fight between two unmanned people via cookies,
“Just a moment.”
A female student raised her hand to mediate.
And he looks at me with a half-doubtful expression, asking if this will work.
“I’ll send you a dessert coupon for the student cafeteria. Is this okay?”
“Well, let’s do that.”
“Then please stop bothering me and step back.”
I pretended to think for a moment and then went back to my seat.
When I winked at him, Go Hyun-woo stepped back with a slightly uneasy expression.
Some of the leaders looked at me strangely because I backed down so meekly compared to how eagerly I had stepped forward.
‘I already got what I wanted.’
[Use ‘Copy-Skill’.]
[Register the target’s skill ‘Hummingbird (E)’ to the slot.]
▷Copy-Skill [1/1]
1. Hummingbird (E)
The skill is [Hummingbird] and the characteristic is [Elemental Resistance].
To get other skills or traits, you need to increase the slots or overwrite existing slots.
“!”
Shin Byeong-cheol, who had been waiting for an opportunity, leapt forward as if he thought this was the moment.
He tried to escape through the gap, twisting his body like a mollusk, but a hummingbird made of lightning flew out from the schoolgirl’s fingertips again.
– Crackle!
“Ugh!”
Shin Byeong-cheol falls down so violently that it makes people frown.
Add to that the forward momentum and I ended up banging my head against the half-open cabin door.
‘Ouch, that’s going to hurt.’
Didn’t a big bump appear on the head of the radish?
Shin Byeong-cheol was left writhing on the floor, paralyzed from the shock of hitting his head hard and from the hummingbird.
The female student sat down with one knee bent and started rummaging through Shin Byeong-cheol’s arms.
What came out of it was, surprisingly, a whole bunch of lush, flowing hair!
“He stole the station attendant’s wig. It was too much of a prank.”
“oh my…….”
“Oh my… … .”
Go Hyun-woo and I looked down at Shin Byeong-cheol, who was crawling on the floor, with pity.
Now that I look at it, it looks like the leaders were chasing after them.
Byeong-cheol was a bad guy.
How could you commit such an inhumane act as stealing a bald man’s wig?
The four-member leadership team retrieved the wigs that had been slightly burned by the lightning magic and put them in a zipper bag.
Before leaving, the female student nodded to Shin Byeong-cheol, who was still in a state of confusion.
“I’ll warn you in advance. Shin Byeong-cheol is someone our leadership team is keeping a close eye on. If possible, try not to get involved. If you cause trouble at school, we won’t let you off easy.”
“That’s for me to decide. You go ahead and take a look.”
“joy.”
The schoolgirl glared at me with a displeased look and turned away.
Before leaving, the nobleman said something to Go Hyeon-woo.
“You, remember.”
“It’s the same.”
And he closed the door and went out.
“… … .”
“Ah, ah, oh my, it’s a sack… … .”
After the leader of the group, Injo, left, Shin Byeong-cheol got up, groaning.
Every time I move, static electricity crackles and my body sways to the beat.
Isn’t that a cheap price to pay for stealing a bald man’s wig?
Go Hyun-woo, who was watching from the side, smiled bitterly.
“They say there’s a powerful armed group called the Student Guidance Club at Yongsal Academy. I guess they’re the ones.”
“Ugh, that’s right. They only pick the best of the elites, so they can’t be weak. Did you see the guy who sent me the hummingbird? Do you know who he is?
“I don’t know much because my knowledge is limited. Could you please teach me?”
“Hint. Mr. Song.”
Immediately, Go Hyun-woo’s eyes narrowed.
“If you’re from the Song clan… …. Are you referring to the Song clan, the lords of the Topaz Tower?”
“That’s right. That’s the Song family. And she’s Song Cheon-hye, the granddaughter of Lord Ure Song Kyung-wook.”
“Wow, you seem like an extraordinary young lady, the granddaughter of the Thunder Lord. You’ve greatly expanded your horizons today.”
Go Hyun-woo let out a soft exclamation of admiration.
The Thunder Lord is the pinnacle of countless heroes who control lightning.
It is a title given only to the strongest one.
It’s called ‘Tal S-class’ among players.
It goes without saying that he is one of the strongest characters in the entire world of
“The three people waiting behind are all friends who play the same song. The big guy is Jo Byeok, and the girl who was smiling brightly is Han Somi. They are the disciples of the King of Fist and the Sword Master, respectively.”
“What is the identity of that man who looks like a prince?”
“Geumjo-han. He is the only son of the Golden Lotus, and as you can see, he is unlucky. He seems to have the skills to enter the leadership team through chin-ups, but he is still inferior to the three above.”
“Wow. Are all the people like that gathered in the leadership group?”
Shin Byeong-cheol’s expression became strange at that question.
He answered in a relatively ambiguous manner.
“Uh… … . That’s true, but this year is a bit unusual. I heard that not only the leadership, but the overall level of the freshmen has greatly improved? Our guild seniors also had a lot to say about this year’s class.”
Shin Byeong-cheol finally relaxed his body by swinging his arms around as if he was doing morning exercises, as if the paralysis had completely disappeared.
“Anyway, it was nice meeting you guys. If I see you later, I’ll pretend to know you. Well, thanks!”
And then it disappeared out of the room like the wind.
“Haha, you really are a crazy guy. Isn’t that right, Brother Kim?”
“I know.”
I turned my gaze to the calligrapher who had been quietly watching us.
“I’m sorry. The cookies were delicious.”
“I’ll do it again.”
“really?”
“huh.”
I was suddenly promised cookies.
The calligrapher, feeling increasingly tired again, finished speaking and slumped down on the table.
And then it stopped moving.
“… … .”
“… … .”
Perhaps because a storm has passed, the quiet afternoon atmosphere in the guest room is pleasant.
Go Hyun-woo and I just looked out the window without saying much.
After a while, Go Hyun-woo opened his mouth.
“By the way, Brother Kim, can I ask you something?”
“What is it?”
“Are you really interfering because of the snacks?”
“… … .”
“I agree that I get upset when my snack time is interrupted… … . But somehow it seems like there’s some hidden twist to it.”
‘You’re quicker than I thought.’
He looks like a young man who lives a proper life, but he is quite intelligent.
It was an unexpected side of Go Hyun-woo.
I began to explain, feeling a little refreshed.
The biggest reason was to achieve the conditions for [Copy-Skill], but even leaving that out, there was a reason.
“Since he is such a rare brain magician, I just wanted to take a quick look at his skills.”
“Hmm… … But didn’t all Kim Hyung do was take a handout from Song So-jo?”
All I did was get in the middle of it, take the hummingbird, and leave, but isn’t that enough to show my skills?
I asked back.
“How much do you know about the magic called Hummingbird?”
“I just saw it for the first time.”
“So what did it look like at first sight?”
“Umm… … .”
Go Hyun-woo closed his eyes for a moment and fell into thought.
It seems like he’s recalling the scenes he saw.
“It’s so fast that it’s hard to follow with your eyes, and it seems like a technique that focuses on controlling the enemy, such as paralyzing or stiffening them, rather than inflicting damage on them.”
“You were half right.”
“What about the other half?”
“Look carefully.”
I made a hummingbird on the palm of my hand.
It is as big as a fly, so it is comparable to Song Cheon-hye’s hummingbird.
Since the mana power plant, [Core], has not been created yet, even low-level magic cannot be properly implemented.
Still, this size should be enough to show just the movement.
A hummingbird flew above my hand.
It follows my manipulations, drawing a figure 8 in the air or moving irregularly in a zigzag pattern.
“It’s called a hummingbird because it resembles the flight of a hummingbird.”
“If that’s the kind of movement you’re going for, it’ll be quite difficult to deal with.”
“The performance varies greatly depending on the skill of the caster.”
Go Hyun-woo tilted his head as if he still didn’t understand.
“But what does that have to do with Song So-jo’s skills?”
“Think about it the other way around. What if the movements of the hummingbird changed depending on the skill of the caster?”
“… … Ah! I guess I can gauge a hummingbird’s skills by its movements.”
“yes.”
If Song Cheon-hye was a truly skilled magician, there should have been some change in the Hummingbird’s movements the moment it sensed my intrusion.
For example, it flew around my hand, or fell back for a moment and then flew back again.
But Song Cheon-hye’s hummingbird landed right on my palm.
It was evidence of magical control, or lack of practical experience.
“Wow, Song So-jeo’s one move contained so much information.”
‘That’s not all.’
From what I could tell from my own experience, it was an E-class, but it was so powerful that it could practically be considered a D-class.
Either you have learned a powerful trait that assists your magic, or you have an enormous amount of innate magical power.
Either way, it means there is high potential.
‘The granddaughter of the Thunder Lord. She is definitely worthy of her name.’
I added Song Cheon-hye’s name to the list of heroes to recruit someday.
While I was thinking like that, Go Hyun-woo nodded and smiled happily.
“It hasn’t been that long since I met Brother Kim, but I’ve learned a lot. It can’t be anything other than fate.”
“It’s a coincidence. I can teach you this much.”
“Brother Kim, you really are a great distributor. You chose your first friend well, so I guess my taste isn’t bad either. Haha.”
It was Go Hyun-woo who interpreted everything positively.
Go Hyun-woo’s expression suddenly changed to a serious one.
“If you ever need any help, just let me know. I’ll do my best to help.”
“Really? Well, since we’re on the subject,”
He said to pull out the bull’s horn in one go.
I sat up from my seat.
“Come with me and we’ll go somewhere.”
Just to pick up one hidden piece and eat it.
The supporters eat it all
