Thorny Vines
Midterms were approaching.
With only about two weeks left, the academy grounds, usually bustling with the energy of students, had grown much quieter lately.
The atmosphere from the beginning of the semester—when everyone had been trying to make friends or recruit freshmen into clubs—had vanished as if it had never existed.
People had settled into their own groups, formed stable relationships, and decided to devote themselves to daily life.
And they had likely put off playing around for a while in order to prepare for midterms.
“I’m going to the library to study with Eunbi and Lisa. Do you want to come too?”
We had also started preparing for midterms.
Since our grades were on the line, we had been cutting back on hanging out lately and focusing on studying.
After waiting for Yeon Haneul’s class to end, I headed home with her and received that offer.
My answer was already decided.
“Sure. If there’s anything I don’t know, I can learn it from you, Haneul. I’ll be in your care.”
“I don’t mind if you ask once in a while… but you’re going to say you don’t understand any of it again and ask me to teach you, aren’t you?”
Yeon Haneul narrowed her red eyes at me, as if it was obvious, and pouted.
I calmly shrugged.
“They say explaining things to someone else helps you understand them better, right? So use me.”
“Use you, my foot… Am I your private tutor every exam season?”
“Yes, Teacher Haneul. You know it too. You’re the only one I have.”
From the time we first met until now.
During exam season, I had always gotten help from Yeon Haneul.
As someone who had entered the academy at the top of the class, she was extremely good at studying, and above all, she had an excellent hit rate when it came to predicting what would appear on exams.
Thanks to that, I could study efficiently and usually get grades I was fairly satisfied with.
“Sigh… When are you going to study on your own?”
“I’m going to study with you for the rest of my life. How could I possibly study alone?”
“Are you a baby?”
“Waaah, waaah.”
“Heh, don’t make weird noises.”
“I’ll buy you strawberry milk and dinner as tutoring fees.”
“You won’t put the straw in for me?”
“Of course I’ll put the straw in for you. Should I feed it to you myself while I’m at it? All you have to do is put your mouth on it.”
“Hmm… If Eunbi and Lisa weren’t there, I might have been tempted. But that’s embarrassing, so I’ll drink it myself. And?”
“And…”
“That’s it?”
“I’ll massage your shoulders whenever they get stiff.”
“Good, deal. Just try not doing it.”
“Should I start now?”
“When we get to the library later. Oh, and let’s buy strawberry milk on the way.”
It wasn’t as if I was bad at studying.
It was just that, for some strange reason, the things Yeon Haneul taught me went into my head better.
For both me and her, it ended up being useful study for each other.
We headed straight for the library.
* * *
Thursday, eighth and ninth periods: Endurance Mountain March.
According to the curriculum, until midterms, the class would focus on training the abilities necessary for mountain marching.
So Kang Hanbyeol and I, who were taking the class, went not to the Dimension Hall but to the Cultivation Hall that day as well.
“Today, we’ll proceed with the training you experienced on the first day. The training where you endure inside a field of rubber balls for as long as possible. Of course, I’m not planning to simply rehash the exact same thing.”
“…”
After instructing the students to put on the bracelets being handed out by the assistants, Su Hoguk looked around at everyone and spoke.
We quietly listened to his explanation.
“The rubber balls used in this training will be different colors. Among them, you must let the balls of your assigned color hit your body, avoid balls of other colors, and endure until the time limit.”
“…”
“Everyone, touch your bracelet.”
It was a bracelet that looked like a Gate Watch.
I lightly tapped the disc on the bracelet with my finger.
Then the black disc turned red, and the number “0” appeared.
On the other hand, the disc of the bracelet Kang Hanbyeol was wearing had turned blue.
The number was the same as mine.
“When the training begins, the bracelet will display a color at random. You just need to get hit by the balls that correspond to the displayed color. When you do, the number will increase by 1, and the color will change at random again.”
Conversely, if you were hit by a ball of a color not displayed on the bracelet, the number would decrease.
At that point, the displayed color would remain the same, and the number would not fall below 0.
Su Hoguk explained in a calm tone.
“Dodging isn’t the only answer! Sometimes, blocking something and creating a path forward can also be a method. That is the point of this class. I want you to learn how to get hit well.”
“…”
“I plan to award bonus points based on the tens digit of the number shown on the bracelet you submit after the training. So I hope you all dodge hard and get hit hard.”
Su Hoguk cheerfully stated the purpose.
After hearing the explanation, the students, including Kang Hanbyeol and me, could not help but be flustered.
‘Getting hit is also a method…?’
It wasn’t an entirely wrong lesson.
If the damage was minor, it could actually be advantageous to accept it and allow the opponent’s attack.
It could shorten the process required in battle, or catch the opponent off guard.
By acting boldly even in danger, you could introduce variables.
It wasn’t as if we didn’t understand that principle.
But even if we knew it in our heads, it wasn’t something that could be done with ordinary willpower.
‘And it’s not like we can just get hit by any ball. We have to get hit by specific balls.’
We had to be able to distinguish the balls we needed to avoid from the balls we needed to be hit by.
In a situation where rubber balls were rushing at us, it was a considerably difficult task.
Not only did it require dynamic visual acuity, it also demanded judgment.
‘If I make good use of my evasion instinct, I think I can manage it, at least…’
As for my Gift, I just had to control it.
It wouldn’t be easy, but at my current level, it wasn’t impossible.
When the moment came that I had to be hit, I only needed to resist it for an instant.
Giving up my body to that extent was—
That was when Su Hoguk called out.
“Kang Hanbyeol, Do Gyeonwoo.”
“Yes?”
Having my name suddenly called, I tilted my head in confusion.
Kang Hanbyeol also seemed not to know what was going on.
Su Hoguk approached us and held out some kind of bands.
“You two will, as a special case, undergo the training while wearing these. Put them on your head, chest, both elbows, abdomen, hips, and both knees.”
“…”
Although the bands differed in size and length, their form was similar to the bracelet on my wrist.
Feeling something ominous, I asked cautiously.
“What… are those?”
“They’re artifacts linked to the bracelet. Like this… they’re set to light up in the same color as the bracelet. You are to be hit only on the parts where the lights are on.”
“Why… only us?”
Shouldn’t an instructor treat his students fairly?
I had not wanted this kind of favoritism.
However, Su Hoguk brushed off my question as if it was nothing.
He answered with a faint laugh.
“Because the two of you are exceptionally good at dodging. That’s why I’m taking special measures.”
“…”
“If I train you the same way as the other kids, I think you’ll just learn how to get hit in ways that don’t hurt, or hurt less. I can’t say that’s wrong, but the purpose of this class is, above all, to learn how to ‘get hit well.’ So I have to teach you in a way that fits that purpose.”
“Ah…”
“This is a class you’re paying a lot of money to take. If you’re going to learn anyway, shouldn’t you learn properly and correctly?”
“It’s not my money anyway.”
“Did you not want to become a hunter? Stop talking back and put them on.”
As if saying he would tolerate jokes only up to this point.
Su Hoguk’s expression hardened as he gave the warning.
Wanting to maintain a good relationship with him, I eventually put on the bands.
‘Maybe I shouldn’t have said I’d get Hard Skin. I should’ve just let Kang Hanbyeol get it…’
It was too late to regret it now.
This was the class I had chosen.
I had to endure it through sheer grit and stubbornness.
And so, together with Kang Hanbyeol, I threw myself into grueling training.
* * *
Late at night, Geumgang Academy Library.
With midterms not far away, the lights of the library, illuminating the dark night, showed no sign of going out.
Even though it was nearly midnight, the students were absorbed in studying for their exams.
Min Arin, who had been studying among them, stepped out onto the rooftop.
“…Is no one here?”
When she opened the door and went out, the wind blew.
Holding back her hair as it whipped wildly about, she took in the rooftop.
In the night sky, where not a single star could be seen, only the full moon had lifted its head.
The moonlight shining brightly between the clouds illuminated the rooftop and the surrounding area.
There was no one around besides her, and beyond the railing, the academy grounds spread out below.
She could see buildings lit up within the vast darkness.
“I guess it’s just me.”
She had not come out for fresh air.
Having made her judgment, Min Arin locked the rooftop door behind her and moved to the center.
The sound of her heels rang out, and the hem of her clothes fluttered in the wind.
‘Tonight, with the full moon out, is the right time. I have to finish this quickly before anyone else discovers me.’
On nights when the moon was full, atmospheric mana reached its optimal state.
Its concentration, purity, and various other factors became far superior.
At the same time, its nature also became rougher.
Even so, it could be said to be the appropriate time to activate magic that required vast amounts of mana.
The reason Min Arin had come to the rooftop was not unrelated to that.
She took out the magic book she had brought.
“With this…”
A theoretical text dealing with the elevation of rank, devised by a previous head of the magical Min family.
Inside the thick cover was content that could raise one from the 3rd tier to the 5th tier in a single leap.
‘…I can become 5th tier.’
According to society’s evaluation.
The 1st tier, where one had created a single ring around the heart, was not greatly distinguishable from people who simply knew how to handle mana.
Only at the 2nd tier could one proudly say they had entered the path of magic.
From the 3rd tier onward, one could be evaluated as doing one’s part as a proper mage.
Mages who graduated from high academies generally belonged to the 3rd tier.
The 4th tier was a level that would be welcomed without issue in any party.
And the 5th tier earned society’s respect as someone proficient in a field.
This was precisely why Hong Yena was admired as the Seven-Colored Witch.
Because she could use 5th-tier magic not in just one field, but in seven different fields.
For that reason, to those who pursued magic, the 5th tier held great significance.
‘The theory is perfect.’
Currently, Min Arin remained at the 3rd tier, just on the verge of the 4th.
Through the previous family head’s secret art, she intended to surpass the 4th tier and climb to the 5th.
By doing so, she wanted to prove her excellence to the world.
‘I can do it. It’ll be fine.’
Of course, because she would be skipping two tiers, the magic she was about to perform was dangerous.
To begin with, even if it was theoretically possible, there had never been a successful case in reality.
That was why the theoretical text in Min Arin’s hands had been designated a forbidden book by the family.
If she had not discovered it when she was young, it would have remained asleep in the treasury.
‘Just you watch. I’m Min Arin.’
She was fully aware of the danger.
Even so, desperation, impatience, and anxiety came first.
While suffering from a terrible inferiority complex, this was the only thing she could rely on.
And it was not as if she had no chance of success.
‘With my eyes, I should be able to succeed.’
The Sage’s Eyes, a Gift any mage would envy, capable of grasping nearly every mana phenomenon.
Her eyes, which had allowed her to monopolize the love of her grandfather, the head of the magical Min family, would surely be of help.
Hoo.
Min Arin took pride in the eyes she possessed, in her skill, and in her talent.
Soon, having steadied her heart, she finally activated the magic.
───!!
The magic activated through the magic book as a medium emitted a dazzling light.
Min Arin did not take her eyes off the light, focusing on unfolding the formula.
Her eyes aided her understanding of the phenomenon, lending strength to the completion of the magic.
The three rings entwined around her heart reacted passionately.
It was then that she sensed the anomaly.
‘…What!?’
She could not control the rampaging rings.
The rings that had been firmly connected suddenly began to break apart.
Flustered, Min Arin struggled to grasp the rings that were trying to scatter.
Because of that, her concentration faltered.
The magic that had slipped free from her control began to run wild.
‘No…’
The world shown by the Sage’s Eye had, before she knew it, become riddled with failure.
Every piece of information that entered those yellow eyes led directly to failure.
She could not find even a handful of hope.
Min Arin’s expression twisted severely.
Rustle!
It was then that the grimoire reacted.
From the grimoire, being torn to shreds, thorny vines suddenly sprouted.
The thorny vines wriggled like living creatures, rapidly swelling in force as they rushed toward Min Arin.
“Ah….”
As she looked at the thorny vines filling her vision,
Min Arin, acknowledging her failure, suddenly recalled the first sentence written in the grimoire.
「Arrogance creates magic. It also gives birth to ruin.」
She had been foolishly arrogant.
As her body was devoured by the thorny vines, Min Arin finally understood her place.
* * *
It was hard enough to get hit even when doing it consciously, but getting hit by a rubber ball of a specific color was no easy task.
On top of that, it had to strike a specific part of the body.
After undergoing the training Su Hoguk had recommended, I felt as though my head and body were moving separately.
When I barely managed to suppress my instinct to dodge and tried to get hit in a specific area, I ended up allowing other attacks at the same time.
In the end, the number recorded on my bracelet remained close to zero until class ended.
‘In contrast, Hanbyeol figured out the trick before long….’
Kang Hanbyeol’s learning ability was outstanding.
Thanks to that, I benefited from it in my own way.
‘Good thing I have Sharing Know-How. I think I’ve got a rough sense of it.’
Kang Hanbyeol and I were sharing experiences through the artifact.
That meant the experience he had gained in this class applied to me as well.
In any case, Su Hoguk did not spare him any praise when he quickly showed results.
On the other hand, he gave me advice.
—From what I’ve seen of you so far, you prioritize evasion. I can’t say that’s necessarily bad, but you have a tendency to prioritize dodging even in situations where you don’t need to. In other words, it’s an inefficient habit that only wastes stamina for no reason.
Su Hoguk’s evaluation was something I had already realized while taking the class.
Though it was something influenced by my Gift, I couldn’t deny that I had developed a bad habit.
Since I wanted to fix it if possible, I decided to train from now on as he instructed.
The reason I was wearing mitts right now was also part of that training.
“If you’re saying you’ll be my training partner, I can’t refuse. Do Gyeonu, are you ready? I won’t just be swinging my fists—I’ll be using my legs too, so be careful. Even if you’re wearing protective gear, it’s going to hurt a lot.”
“Phew…. Please go easy on me so it doesn’t hurt.”
“Is it even training if it doesn’t hurt? As a member of the chivalrous Yong family, I have no intention of training half-heartedly!”
The training room inside Chwiok Dormitory.
Having stripped off his shirt and put on gloves, Yong Haerang barked as if I had said something absurd.
Since I had volunteered to be his mitt training partner, I had no choice but to receive the relentless barrage of attacks.
“Don’t you think ending the day with training is worthwhile!? Hyah! Do Gyeonu! Tonight, you and I are going to work up a fierce sweat together!”
“Haerang, I know you’re excited, but could you hit a little softer?”
“After we’re done, we’ll go into the big bath and deepen our friendship as men!”
“I get it, so hit a little softer….”
I had no way of knowing where Yong Haerang’s attacks would come from.
I couldn’t let my guard down for even a moment as I blocked them.
The impact traveling through the mitts made my hands tremble faintly.
The more that happened, the more my instinct to dodge raised its head and asserted its presence.
“Don’t dodge! You won’t die even if you get hit!”
I know that too.
But my body didn’t follow along properly.
My feet kept trying to move backward, and my body showed signs of twisting away.
Directly defying my Gift was different from the way I had been balancing reason and instinct until now.
Even so, I put strength into my legs and tried to hold my body in place.
“Phew…. Time for a short break!”
“Yeah….”
I finally understood why Yong Haerang had taken off his shirt.
By the time one round of training ended, I was sweating buckets.
I took off my sweat-soaked shirt and lay down on the floor just like that.
‘It’s not like I gained nothing.’
As if reminding me that my efforts had not been meaningless, a message appeared before my eyes.
[Your body has broken through its limits.]
[Endurance has increased by 1.]
With this, my Endurance became 57.
After drinking the water Yong Haerang brought over, I sighed inwardly in relief.
It meant the direction of the training was not wrong.
I made up my mind to continue training like this.
It was then that the abnormality occurred.
────!!!
The building suddenly shook as if an earthquake had struck.
At the same time, a wave of mana erupted from somewhere like an explosion.
It was a wave so massive that it could not be carelessly ignored.
“Wh-what is it!?”
Even the people around us noticed that energy.
Lowering their bodies and waiting for the tremor to subside, they began moving in the direction presumed to be the source of the wave.
‘What’s going on?’
Sensing that this was no ordinary sign, I went out to the balcony with Yong Haerang.
And when I looked into the darkness, I doubted my eyes.
Rumble….
While the lights of the buildings brightly illuminated the surrounding darkness,
the lights of the library were slowly going out from the top floor downward.
“….”
No, they weren’t going out.
Something that had sprouted from the library rooftop was covering the outer walls.
Amid the surrounding lights, I could make out a shape writhing like a giant snake.
They were stems of a thorn-covered plant.
They were forming vines.
“Why, of all things….”
The thorny vines blocked out all the lights, and the library sank into darkness.
Now, its shape could only barely be glimpsed by the lights of the nearby buildings.
Unable to take my eyes off the night sky, I found myself at a loss for words.
No matter how I thought about it, that fleeting sight implied only one thing.
Earlier than the flow scheduled in the game, Min Arin’s episode had begun.
I Became the Childhood Friend of the Mid-Boss