Spatial perception is one of my unique abilities that can be classified as active, at least among my other skills.
I still haven’t expanded my versatility, the jack of all trades, and my affinity for mana that brings me closer to magic.
The other two abilities are just passive traits that are always active.
Although spatial perception has a passive nature, the fact that I can control it makes it somewhat comparable to active skills.
On the first day, I almost died because I couldn’t control it.
The wide-spread spatial perception flooded my brain with information that I couldn’t handle, almost causing my head to explode.
I didn’t know how to sort the information I was receiving, nor did I know how to trim it down.
To make matters worse, my spatial perception worked so damned well back then that I was bombarded with an absurd amount of information.
Even now, recalling that day makes me break out in a cold sweat. Had I failed to control it then, I’d have been toast.
– …
My thinking slowed down. There was just too much information to process. My mind was being stuffed with all sorts of things.
Processing was sluggish, which made my thoughts sluggish as well. It felt like the world was slowing down along with me.
Danger. In that moment, I instinctively controlled my spatial perception.
“Reduce.”
I pulled in my wildly expanding spatial perception, narrowing it down to a manageable range.
“Classify.”
I set criteria for the observed data. I prevent unnecessary information from flooding in. I cut off deep, unnecessary details about space, body, mana, spells, and the insides of machinery.
I fine-tuned the observable space.
I folded the space and filtered the incoming information.
Manipulating it was tough. Everything that had been suppressed until now was running amok, making it hard to control.
But slowly, I regained control. I wasn’t the same person I had been on that first day.
After all the time I’ve spent handling spatial perception since then, my level of skill was completely different from that day.
I had blocked the expansion and distinguished the data being collected too.
My head was spinning. Even during the adjustment process, information was coming in. Completely useless information flooding in.
In that moment, I heard a pop—a loud sound erupting from my body.
Suddenly, my nose tingled. Breathing became difficult. As I touched my nose, bright red blood came out.
“Great, a nosebleed.”
I didn’t have a nosebleed on the first day… or did I?
In an instant, my head went blank. I tried to recall that day. On the first day, when my spatial perception unleashed…
…what was it like? The memories were hazy, like a thick fog.
“Finally done… Aah! Ha-yul!?”
While I was dazed, controlling my spatial perception, a scream came from nearby.
Curious, I pulled the information from that direction and saw Hong Yeon-hwa with a ghostly white face. Her attractive red hair flowed beautifully.
It was the first time I’d properly seen her face in five days. Only five days, yet it felt like ages.
“What?! Why?! What happened?!”
Hong Yeon-hwa rushed over, panicking as she checked me out. Her overly dramatic reaction drew attention from those around us.
I could hear whispers, their astonishment at her behavior. I quickly wiped my nose.
Such an overreaction for just a nosebleed.
With a mixed feeling of annoyance and something more, I shook my head as if to say it was nothing.
Then, I felt a tickling sensation in one eye. Even with it closed, I could feel something sloshing around inside.
And then it dripped.
Blood started flowing from my eye, a stream tracing down my cheek.
“Huh?”
“Ah.”
Hong Yeon-hwa, who had been trying to grab a tissue, froze mid-action.
But it didn’t stop there. The other eye began to itch, and blood flowed from it too. Two red trails were now drawn on my face.
Hong Yeon-hwa gasped.
Her expression was as if the world had crumbled down.
.
.
.
There was a bit of commotion.
Mostly, it was just the nearby Elia and Baek Ahrin, students with healing abilities, coming to investigate the commotion and Hong Yeon-hwa witnessing the catastrophe.
Before long, our first-year professors arrived to check on my condition.
Teonil Arban, known as a master of complex magic and my professor from the spring semester, examined my face from all angles and made a diagnosis.
“The cause seems to be the excessive use of your ability. It appeared there were issues with your abilities during the trial; is that correct?”
– Nods
“I find it strange that the Tower of Growth couldn’t catch the sudden change in your abilities… Nevertheless, make sure to rest. Try to refrain from using your abilities for a while.”
I nodded in response to Teonil’s diagnosis.
The other students had already dispersed long ago.
I had just come out of the Tower of Growth; while my physical exhaustion and injuries were gone, my mental fatigue lingered.
The agitated crowd around me was kindly dispersed by Professor Riana.
“Well, I think it’s best if you rest this week, Lee Ha-yul?”
Riana sighed deeply while we both listened to the diagnosis.
I nodded, pretending to be attentive. Riana continued with a frown.
“Let’s talk about what happened during the trial later. Don’t worry; nothing has been leaked.”
That was what I wanted to hear. I heaved a sigh of relief and nodded vigorously.
Gop-hwa, Chang-hae, and Taesan had all been used in that trial.
First, I had consumed Gop-hwa, then I operated Taesan.
However, halfway through, my usage of Taesan was discovered, leading to a complete mess regarding our relationships.
It was a bit scary considering how things went in the game, but receiving Riana’s assurance put my mind at ease.
Seeing my expression change, Riana chuckled and reached out her hand. Her gentle touch grazed my hair.
It was a familiar gesture. At first, I found it awkward, but now I didn’t pay much attention to it. Honestly, it felt good even though it was awkward.
“…”
As she caressed my hair, a strange gaze shot my way.
The owner of that gaze was Professor Atra. She was staring at me with a complicated expression.
Despite not being my first-year professor, Atra was my subject instructor and had been observing the trials with me.
Curious, I tilted my head at Atra and a thought crossed my mind.
“Oh, feedback?”
Atra must have intuitively grasped that I had been fighting tirelessly for five days. She must have a plethora of insights to offer.
I straightened my posture. It was a sign that I was listening.
Atra fell silent for a moment before speaking.
“…Good…”
“Good?”
Atra’s words were filled with hesitation. There was a hint of uncertainty. It made me uneasy.
“Was it that messy?”
Despite my spatial perception being all over the place, I thought I had fought quite well.
It was true that compared to those with clearer spatial perception, my movements had many flaws.
If my spatial perception had been intact, I would have earned double the points I did.
To Atra, who had seen my movements only using spatial perception, did I really look that disorganized during the trial?
I felt a cold sweat form as I waited for her to continue.
“…You did well.”
I stood there, mouth agape at the unexpected praise.
“While you need to improve your perception abilities, it was a good choice to immediately devise a countermeasure and act despite the circumstances.”
Praise? It didn’t last long. Maybe she was being considerate of my condition, but it was only a few words.
Even so, it was still surprising.
Despite the trouble I caused her last time, I knew Atra was a good person, but I had never received such compliments before.
Seeing my expression, Atra awkwardly turned her head away, and her gaze met that of Riana, who wore a peculiar smile.
A peculiar expression… or rather, a sly smirk.
“…What’s with that face?”
“Nothing in particular.”
As Riana retorted, she turned her gaze to me and extended one hand. In her palm lay my smartwatch.
I eagerly accepted the smartwatch. In that brief moment, I regained my composure.
“Lee Ha-yul, you should head in now. Get some proper rest over the weekend, and we’ll meet again next week.”
I exchanged farewells with the smiling Riana and the indifferent nod from Atra before turning to leave.
.
.
.
I returned to the dormitory.
‘Feels like it’s been ages.’
Throwing my uniform into the laundry basket and changing into fresh clothes made me feel oddly out of place.
It had only been five days since I’d left, but I was struck by a sense of nostalgia.
I had often left the dorm, so it felt even more pronounced.
I usually attended lectures in the morning and took classes from Professor Atra in the afternoon, then looked for the library or personal training rooms afterward.
After changing clothes, I sat on my bed. The soft fabric enveloped and cradled me. But a massive temptation began to knock at my reason.
It beckoned me to lie down, to just fall asleep right here…
‘…But I shouldn’t sleep.’
My physical wounds had healed, but mental fatigue still lingered.
If it were just that, I wouldn’t have minded. Sure, I was tired, but that wasn’t a reason to waste time.
However, after leaving the tower, my spatial perception hit me with a surprise attack. Out of nowhere, it went haywire and launched a powerful mental barrage against me.
With Hong Yeon-hwa right in front of me and eyes all around, I tried to pretend I was calm, but it was kind of dangerous.
I felt like I might faint at any moment. The temptation of the bed was making me feel even dizzier.
While my progress compared to the first day was extraordinary… I was still weary.
‘…Just a quick nap.’
After a moment of contemplation, I nodded to myself.
I’d just take a brief nap and then wake up to review my plans.
With that rationalization, I tidied up my things. I hesitated with the Essence Egg, finally placing it on the bedside shelf.
After washing up, I got into comfortable clothes and flopped onto the bed. The soft sensation enveloped my entire being.
My consciousness sank. I recalled the sleep methods Professor Riana had taught me and let my awareness drift off.
*
Not even a minute had passed after lying on the bed when Lee Ha-yul fell into a deep sleep, breathing evenly.
Curled up under thick blankets, only part of his face remained visible.
Amid the silent tranquility.
Even though there was no disturbance, the Essence Egg began to tremble.
– Ding!
Following that, a quiet alarm resonated through the still bedroom.
[The Essence Egg is reading the owner’s intentions.]
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