The Ascent Route
Do Gyeonu of the Divine Sword Do Clan.
Rumors about him abounded, but nothing had been clearly confirmed.
He was too young to venture into the world, so until now he had only been active within the Divine Sword Do Clan and had not engaged in any outside activities.
Still, rumors usually had a certain consistency, and through that flow one could grasp at least some part of the truth.
However, none of the rumors surrounding Do Gyeonu possessed even a shred of consistency, making it impossible to discern his true nature.
“Who is that? He seems rather close to the Seven-Colored Witch’s disciple.”
“Ah, then could he be that child? The one who’s known the Seven-Colored Witch’s disciple since they were little. So, um….”
“The child from the Divine Sword Do Clan? His name was….”
“Number 1532 is… Do Gyeonu, apparently.”
“So he was a child of the Divine Sword Do Clan.”
“Then is he that child? The one they call a promising talent of the Divine Sword Do Clan….”
“That’s another child. I think his name was Do Seung-u…. Ah, he’s examinee number 2368.”
“What color is that child’s admission ticket?”
“Blue.”
“Then what color is this child’s admission ticket?”
“As you can see… black.”
“If the Divine Sword Do Clan calls someone a promising talent, doesn’t that mean he has the best abilities among that generation? But now this boy named Do Gyeonu has better results than that promising talent?”
“Well… couldn’t that happen? He may have been considered promising when he was younger, but he could have fallen behind as he grew up. And usually, people who improve by leaps and bounds through effort are called promising talents, aren’t they? If talent is added to that, they become geniuses. A promising talent isn’t exactly a special existence.”
“And they also call children with decent skills but no particular distinguishing traits ‘promising talents’ because there’s nothing else to call them. Maybe number 2368 is one of those cases.”
“If he truly possessed outstanding talent, he would have been known by some distinctive epithet like Do Si-eun of the same clan. Something like Lightning Flower.”
“Enough about the promising talent. So what is the examinee with the black admission ticket being called?”
“Rabbit.”
“Lion brat.”
“Are you insulting me right now?”
“No! They say the Divine Sword Do Clan calls that child a lion brat.”
“What are you talking about? It’s Rabbit.”
“I’m telling you, it’s lion brat.”
“…So which is it?”
“Rabbit.”
“Lion brat.”
“….”
Just as the instructors’ answers conflicted.
Some called Do Gyeonu Rabbit, saying he was a coward who had fallen behind in the Divine Sword Do Clan’s competition.
Others denied that rumor, saying he had been acknowledged by the head of the Divine Sword Do Clan and was called lion brat.
Then others claimed that epithet was meant as an insult, while still others argued that it was praise.
Because of that….
“I said it’s Rabbit.”
“I said it’s lion brat.”
“Lion cub! Lion brat sounds too much like an insult.”
“I heard through my connections that the head of the Divine Sword Do Clan called him lion brat, though?”
“…This is giving me a headache.”
The rumors about Do Gyeonu had no choice but to be extreme and chaotic.
In the end, none of the instructors present knew anything about his talent or abilities.
“It looks like he’s about to open the doors now.”
“….”
That was why the instructors focused on Do Gyeonu, hoping to determine the truth behind the countless rumors.
Through the test of throwing open the iron doors, they would be able to find out at least a portion of it.
They believed so without a doubt.
A moment later.
“…He opened up to the fourth one.”
“Indeed. That’s quite decent, isn’t it? Yong Haerang of the Chivalrous Yong Clan also opened up to the fourth iron door, and the Divine Sword Do Clan is a prestigious swordsmanship clan.”
“It’s good to have a large amount of mana in the body, but since they’re a swordsmanship clan anyway, he probably won’t use techniques that consume a lot of mana….”
“It seems his foundations are solid. The way his muscles respond isn’t bad, either. Looks like he hasn’t neglected his training.”
Do Gyeonu opened the fourth iron door without showing any sign of difficulty.
None of the instructors who glimpsed his ability reacted negatively.
It was then.
[Ruuuumble….]
“….”
The iron doors, which had seemed as though they would not budge, suddenly began to stir.
The instructors, who had been about to watch the other examinees, were startled and could not take their eyes off Do Gyeonu.
“What… am I looking at right now?”
“…Did it move?”
They had not seen wrong.
Every iron door was moving.
The instructors’ eyes widened.
“How did that move?”
“Did he have a large amount of mana in his body?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
“If he had a lot of mana in his body, the fifth iron door would have reacted from the start.”
“Then how on earth….”
The fifth iron door had been designed to open only if one possessed sufficient internal mana.
The instructors could not find any words to explain the sight before them, which denied that principle.
To them, it was incomprehensible.
“….”
That was why the instructors’ gazes naturally turned to Hong Yena, the Seven-Colored Witch.
They assumed she might know something about her disciple’s childhood friend.
“How is that possible?”
“Instructor Hong Yena, do you know anything about that child? I heard he’s very close to your disciple.”
“Come to think of it, I think I heard somewhere that you taught Do Gyeonu magic….”
The instructors questioned Hong Yena even more persistently than before.
As someone who was not managing the exam and had simply been quietly observing from a corner, she could not hide her discomfort.
Her expression was completely different from when she had spoken about Yeon Haneul.
“…I’m not very close with Haneul’s childhood friend, so I don’t really know. I only taught him a tiny bit of magic.”
“….”
Hong Yena tried to keep feigning ignorance.
She wanted to avoid getting involved with him as much as possible.
But the instructors’ eyes did not leave her.
Their gazes seemed to demand that she explain somehow.
‘Sigh, I suppose I have no choice.’
In the end, unable to withstand their stares, she had to offer her own interpretation.
“Still, I think I understand how he was able to open the fifth iron door.”
“What is the reason?”
“You saw the sparks fly just now, right? That was a phenomenon caused when mana with repelling properties clashed.”
“Come to think of it, there was something like that. But why did they clash? There shouldn’t have been any element there that could cause a clash.”
“I know because I briefly taught him, but that child’s mana has a high affinity with the light attribute.”
“Is it all right to say that?”
“It’s not information that needs to be kept confidential.”
“That’s true. Go on.”
“Yes, I’ll continue. And my disciple has an affinity with the dark attribute. But earlier, when Haneul manifested dense internal mana, it seems the remnants of it melted into the atmosphere and remained instead of disappearing.”
“So you’re saying they clashed? But what does that have to do with opening the fifth iron door?”
“From here on, it’s my conjecture….”
Hong Yena deliberately drew out her words.
It was to think about which parts she could say and which parts she should not.
She had to choose her words carefully.
‘If I make one wrong move, Haneul could get dragged into this because of Do Gyeonu.’
To open the fifth iron door, one needed an amount of internal mana that met a certain standard.
Yet the fact that the iron door opened meant either the required standard had been lowered, or Do Gyeonu’s internal mana had increased enough in a short period to meet that standard.
Since increasing one’s internal mana was difficult, naturally it could not be the latter.
Then the standard must have been lowered, which meant….
‘Haneul’s internal mana may have somehow caused the iron door to malfunction.’
She could not ignore that possibility.
If things went wrong, Yeon Haneul and Do Gyeonu might be suspected of committing fraud.
Of course, they most likely had not cheated.
But proving that would involve many troublesome matters.
A misunderstanding could also become a brand.
‘I can’t let a child with such a bright future be labeled as someone who might have cheated on an exam.’
Even though, deep down, she was unhappy about having to defend Do Gyeonu.
To protect Yeon Haneul, Hong Yena had to resolve the instructors’ doubts.
“Perhaps he added propulsion through the explosion caused by the clash.”
“….”
As light and darkness collided, the nature of a Big Bang similar to the one from which the universe had been born in the beginning….
Hong Yena wrapped utterly absurd nonsense in pedantic terms and bewildered the instructors.
‘Huh? But it’s not completely impossible, is it?’
An inspiration even occurred to her midway, but she decided to focus on glossing over the situation at hand.
Fortunately, her efforts worked.
“Hmm, so that’s how it is.”
“That makes sense.”
“The collision of light and darkness… chaos, kaos…. Are you planning to publish a paper on this? If not, I’d like to research it….”
“Light within darkness, darkness within light….”
“Luminous.”
“The brightest light is bound to exist in the darkest place….”
Several instructors muttered her words as though they had realized something.
However, while some seemed to accept it, others raised objections to the exam.
“Is it acceptable to use external factors in a test meant purely to examine magical power? It seems to violate the rules….”
“It was a test where all one had to do was push the iron doors with one’s hands, so wouldn’t it be a stretch to say he violated the rules? It’s not as though that child doped. In a way, that’s also skill. Skill.”
Though she was only an observer of the exam, Hong Yena immediately refuted the objection.
Then the instructors began taking sides or voicing opposing opinions.
A debate broke out among the instructors.
“That will be enough.”
“….”
At that moment, the chief proctor opened his mouth.
The instructors did not go against his words and waited for the chief proctor’s judgment.
“As Instructor Hong Yena says, it is difficult to say the examinee violated the rules. However, before making that judgment, wouldn’t it be best to first check whether there is anything wrong with the iron doors?”
The chief proctor asked in a solemn tone.
Upon hearing his judgment, Hong Yena grew tense inwardly.
“Someone go and check the iron doors.”
“I’ll go.”
The chief proctor ordered one of the instructors.
They did not need to wait long for the result.
[They say there is nothing wrong with the iron doors.]
“I see.”
The instructor who had gone to check the condition of the iron doors reported the result through the screen.
Only then did Hong Yena relax.
Meanwhile, a question circled in her mind.
‘If the iron doors weren’t broken, then how on earth did he open them?’
Was she supposed to believe that, in an instant, his internal mana—if not that, then at least his mana efficiency or density—increased and allowed him to open the door?
That was impossible.
It was not as though the limit on his brain had been released, causing superhuman strength to surge forth.
No way…!
Was that why he had thrown his body straight into danger?
Trusting that would happen?
“Seriously….”
She looked at Do Gyeonu and clicked her tongue.
“Isn’t that guy a complete lunatic?”
She had known him for five years, yet she still did not understand him.
She felt as though she was aging because of Do Gyeonu.
She wanted to live in peace already.
Maybe it would be better to step down from her instructor position now and just go traveling instead.
* * *
There was nothing beyond the iron doors.
Only a wall.
Turning away from that wall, I soon met countless gazes.
‘I can understand how Haneul felt.’
“….”
From the other side of the iron doors I had crossed.
Everyone was staring at me as if they had all agreed to do so.
Their gazes, looking at me with wide eyes and not saying a word, were simply uncomfortable.
‘Stop staring already.’
Was it just my imagination?
Somehow, it felt as though even more gazes were focused on me than had been on Yeon Haneul.
“….”
I decided to pass back through the iron doors and leave quickly.
If I stayed in the exam hall like this, those gazes would not fall away.
To do that, I first needed to receive a passing verdict from the evaluator.
“Evaluator.”
“Ah… yes, examinee.”
“Did I pass?”
“…I had forgotten. Examinee number 1532, five doors, pass. But are you all right? You were caught in that explosion earlier….”
“As you can see, I seem to be fine.”
“Still, if you feel anything wrong with your body, please go to the infirmary and get treated.”
“Yes, thank you.”
I know my body best.
I wasn’t injured anywhere.
Though traces of the explosion had gotten on my clothes, even those were at a level that could be removed with cleansing magic.
After bowing my head to the examiner, I approached Yeon Haneul.
The first thing she did was worry.
“You’re not hurt anywhere, right? Do you know how startled I was earlier? No, if the iron door wouldn’t open, why didn’t you just stop there? Why did you keep trying? What were you going to do if you messed up and caused a mana runaway?”
“I wasn’t planning to go that far, and I was confident I could handle it. Besides, if I’d stopped halfway, I wouldn’t have opened the fifth one.”
“Still, wouldn’t opening just up to the fourth have been enough to pass without any problem?”
“Instead, the number of coins I get after enrollment might have gone down by that much.”
“Good grief, how much difference could there possibly be?”
“The more, the better.”
Not only Geumgang Academy, but also Academy City and nearly every academy in it issued their own currency called coins and used them in various ways.
For example, at Geumgang Academy, coins could be used to purchase goods or services sold within the academy, reserve facilities, or obtain priority in course registration.
So when there was a chance to receive coins, it was better to receive as many as possible.
‘If not now, when else am I going to get coins this easily?’
You could say that was why I’d been trying to enroll with as high a score as possible all this time.
More than anything….
“Haneul, think about it carefully.”
“Hm? About what?”
“If, after you opened the fifth iron door, I only opened up to the fourth, how do you think people would see it?”
“Wow, that guy’s amazing?”
“Objectively speaking, sure. But wouldn’t they compare me to you?”
“Uh, um, so….”
“Wouldn’t I just hear things like, ‘Do Gyeonu opened up to the fourth, but he’s still not as good as Yeon Haneul’?”
“You’re saying you did something dangerous because you didn’t want those people to look down on you?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“…”
Yeon Haneul understood perfectly.
I nodded in satisfaction.
At that, her eyes went flat and cold.
“You don’t seem like it, but you’re secretly childish in some ways. So you like it when people stare at you?”
“It’s better than being looked down on, isn’t it?”
“Good grief….”
Yeon Haneul seemed dumbfounded, but to me, it was an important matter.
‘As if it wasn’t enough that these guys keep calling me a lion cub or a cub lion or whatever, something I can’t tell is an insult or a compliment, you want me to just let it slide? Absolutely not.’
I couldn’t stand being taken lightly.
In order to give them no room to do so, I needed to put on a show of intimidation.
So when the opportunity came, I seized it at once.
“Anyway, since we passed the first exam, let’s go rest somewhere until the second exam starts.”
“Good idea. I wanted to get out of here quickly too.”
There was no longer any reason to stay here.
I decided to leave the testing site with Yeon Haneul.
It was then.
“Do Gyeonu! Gyeonu!”
“…”
Why is he calling me?
From within the distant crowd, Yong Haerang was walking over while calling out to me.
Seeing the heat in his eyes, I felt an ominous premonition.
“I had a great time watching your exam! Your childhood friend was to my liking too, but as expected, you’re more… Huh?”
“Haneul, run.”
“See? You find him burdensome too, don’t you?”
“Hey! Where are you going!? How about we eat together and have a chat!?”
Sorry, but I didn’t hear him.
Before Yong Haerang could chase after us, I quickly left the testing site with Yeon Haneul.
* * *
“The second exam is scheduled for two o’clock, so until then, you may rest freely and come to the designated location.”
“Where should we go?”
“All examinees who passed at this testing site should come to Room 105 of the Dimension Hall. Since you’ll be taking the exam inside an artificial Gate, you must wear these beforehand.”
“Yes, understood.”
The assistant examiner waiting outside the testing site informed us about the second practical exam.
After thanking him, we accepted the items being handed out by the other assistant examiners.
They were the lunch prepared by Geumgang Academy and the artifacts used inside Gates.
‘A Gate Watch and a Screen Choker, huh.’
I already knew how to use the artifacts without needing a separate explanation.
We often used them when holding evaluation matches at the Divine Sword Do Clan.
We simply checked whether the artifacts were operating properly, then turned around on the spot.
“Where should we eat?”
“Good question. Isn’t there somewhere quiet and secluded that would be nice for lunch…? Oh, where are the triplets?”
“They said they’d eat first among themselves and see us at the second exam site.”
“They ran away because they didn’t want to be our drink shuttle.”
“Ah, right. My strawberry milk….”
“If we see a vending machine or a store on the way, let’s buy some there.”
“Okay!”
“Ah, there’s a vending machine over there.”
Just a lunchbox and water felt a bit lacking.
Yeon Haneul and I bought drinks from a vending machine we saw along the way.
Then we decided to find a suitable spot and eat lunch there.
“Doesn’t that place look good?”
“The bench is empty too.”
Everywhere we went, examinees who had finished the first practical exam were occupying spots, so it wasn’t easy to find a place to sit.
Fortunately, one was open.
We quickly ran over and planted ourselves down before anyone else could claim it.
“Wow, it’s pretty.”
“It is.”
It was a prime spot with a view of the lake.
Sitting on the bench, we quietly admired the scenery.
‘It really is incredible.’
There were two more lakes of this size located on the premises.
Realizing just how vast Geumgang Academy was, I gave a bitter smile.
“I’m hungry, so let’s eat.”
“Here, this one’s yours. Chopsticks are here too.”
“Thanks. Ah, I didn’t bring napkins.”
“It’s okay. I have some in my bag.”
We opened our lunchboxes.
The lunchboxes had preservation magic cast on them, and even though some time must have passed since they were made, they were still warm.
“Oh, there’s a lot of meat.”
“You only look for meat.”
“Of course. This is the foundation of eating hearty.”
“Mm… Well, I’ll admit that.”
The meal was generous and solidly composed.
It seemed like we’d be able to take the second practical exam with our stomachs full, without needing to eat anything else.
We went ahead and had lunch.
“Is it that tasty?”
“It suits my taste perfectly.”
“Do you want my meat too?”
“No, it’s okay. You need to eat that and get your strength up too.”
“Still, if you want mine, tell me. Oh, I brought jelly.”
“We can eat it after lunch.”
“This vending machine knows how to do strawberry milk.”
“…You can eat rice and drink that at the same time?”
“Hey. You take a bite, then drink it.”
“Snacking while eating lunch….”
“Strawberry milk isn’t a snack.”
“Then what is it?”
“…Meat?”
“You might as well say it’s a carrot.”
“It’s actually a carrot. My staple food.”
Eating while admiring the lake made it pleasant for both the eyes and the mouth.
Even after finishing lunch, we remained seated on the bench and spent time there.
Then, when there wasn’t much time left before the second exam began.
“Let’s put on the artifacts now.”
I took out the Gate Watch and Screen Choker I’d received from the assistant examiner.
I put them on.
Yeon Haneul, however, ran into difficulty.
She managed to put the Gate Watch on her wrist, but she kept failing to fasten the Screen Choker around her neck.
Yeon Haneul frowned.
“Ugh… My hair keeps getting caught, so I have to do it all over again.”
It couldn’t be helped.
I decided to help Yeon Haneul.
“Give it here. I’ll fasten it for you.”
“Ah… Then please do.”
“Lift your head a bit.”
“Not my head. My. Hair.”
“Same thing.”
Yeon Haneul handed me the Screen Choker.
Holding up her long hair with both hands, she exposed the nape of her neck.
Standing behind her, I naturally saw the fine hairs there.
For some reason, my gaze was drawn to them.
“…”
“What are you doing? Aren’t you going to do it?”
“Ah, right.”
“…What were you thinking just now?”
“About the exam we’ll take later.”
“Liar. You were thinking something weird, weren’t you?”
“Nothing. I just thought the line of your neck was pretty.”
“…”
“I’ll fasten the choker. Stay still.”
“O-okay….”
When my hand touched the nape of Yeon Haneul’s neck, she flinched for an instant.
After waiting for her trembling to stop, I carefully fastened the choker around her snow-white neck from behind.
“Is the length right? Is it too tight?”
“I think… you can tighten it a little more.”
“How about this?”
“…It’s a little snug.”
“Then this?”
“Yeah, I think that’s fine. Thanks.”
“Putting this on you makes me think of Mongsil.”
“…All of a sudden?”
“I used to put Mongsil’s collar on. I wonder if I ever fastened it too tightly…. Now I feel bad for no reason.”
“Hey, could you not talk like you’re putting a collar on me? It feels… It feels kind of good, then suddenly weird.”
“If Mongsil could talk like you, he would’ve said so if it was too tight, right?”
“I’m not a rabbit, okay!?”
“Should I write your name on it too? Yeon Haneul. And on the back, my name and address.”
“Are you going to keep messing with me? I’m going to get mad.”
“Okay, I’ll stop teasing you. So withdraw your mana. I’m sorry.”
As Yeon Haneul manifested the mana inside her body, her hair looked as if it was about to stand on end.
I immediately took my hand away from the nape of her neck.
“Seriously… Do you want to get scolded?”
“Do you want to fasten my choker instead?”
“What? Hm… Not a bad suggestion.”
“You’re really going to do it?”
“Why? You told me to do it first. Turn around.”
“Fine, do whatever you want.”
“I should tighten it hard. So tight you can’t even breathe, so you can’t think about anything else. So you’ll never tease me again.”
“…Are you telling me to die?”
“You should’ve treated me better, then.”
“I did treat you well. Hey, that’s too tight—”
“Now, repeat after me. Pretty, cute, and lovely Haneul.”
“Aren’t you embarrassed saying that with your own mouth…!”
“Pretty, cute, and lovely Haneul.”
“Prettycutelovely….”
“There’s no sincerity in that. Again.”
“Pretty… cute….”
…I feel like my evasion instinct is going to activate.
I wish it would.
“Ah! I feel like I’m about to awaken to something.”
“I feel like… I’m about to close my eyes….”
And so, for quite a while.
After spending time by the lakeside, we went to take the second practical exam.
[You have entered the Gate.]
[Gray: Fog Mountain Climbing Route III]
I Became the Childhood Friend of the Mid-Boss