The day of the mentoring session, which had been arranged with Choi Ji-yeon last time, had arrived.
The meeting place was a casual café.
I never understood why people chose to meet in cafés back in the day, but when I ended up trying to schedule a meeting, I realized there’s no place more neutral than a café.
It’s cool in the summer and warm in the winter. There’s somewhere to sit, and if you get hungry or thirsty, you can just order something to eat or drink.
It’s not hard to find a café, so meeting there and heading out afterward was convenient.
– Jangle jangle.
As I opened the door and stepped inside, a rush of cold air swept over me.
It was summer, and everywhere I went, the air conditioning was blasting. It was definitely a bit muggy outside.
Savoring the coolness, I strode in, unbothered by the pouring gazes around me.
Ji-yeon was sitting by the window on the first floor, where the sunlight streamed in.
If we were going to meet for a long while, she would have booked a private room, but since we’d meet and head out right away, she chose a comfortable spot on the first floor.
I hopped over and plopped down across from her.
Ji-yeon, who had been resting her chin on her hand while watching the scenery outside, turned her head.
Her green eyes were fixed on me.
“You arrived early. Good morning, junior.”
Ji-yeon opened her eyes wide. She seemed slightly flustered and gave a small wave.
[Yes]
[Hello, senior]
I bowed my head and observed Ji-yeon.
This time, Ji-yeon looked in much better spirits. At least she didn’t look like she was on the brink of death like last time.
Now, her complexion was just that of a tired person.
It seemed like she had managed to shake off some of the guilt she was carrying, and her demeanor appeared quite ordinary.
Of course, if I looked more closely, there were hints of her being overly cautious or flinching occasionally, but it was at a level I could easily overlook.
For someone like me, who had zero social skills to bring her awkward turtle state back to life, this was welcomed.
“Junior, is something the matter? You don’t look well…”
Just as I was silently nodding to myself while observing Ji-yeon’s complexion, she was clearly troubled and began to worry about me instead.
What was going on?
Just hearing the word ‘unicorn’ whispered around made it obvious something happened to me.
But Ji-yeon was probably asking why my complexion…
While it sparkled like milk, it was also tinged with darkness.
Why was that…
The corner of my mouth twitched. A strange sensation flickered on my forehead.
I poked at my curiosity, only to find it had manifested in an unexpected direction.
Something that rushed up from within, swallowing my rationality.
Memories I had tried hard to bury… no, an illusion, gently raised its head.
A panorama of memories flowed through my mind.
Laughter that bubbled over, whining like a child throwing a tantrum, tossing and clinging in an endless manner, searching for some damn cow… how uncouth and troublesome those bratty antics were…
The lukewarm gazes of the people around me who were staring at me…
An urge to hang my head appeared.
…
[No]
[I’m fine]
[Nothing happened]
[Nothing]
[Just nothing]
[Really]
“Ah, yes… Understood.”
Seeing my vehement denials and the traffic light of my face colors changing, Ji-yeon nodded her head, looking somewhat dissatisfied.
It seemed she picked up on my internal state, so this topic was dropped.
I felt a tremendous relief.
I had been mercilessly teased since this morning.
This memory was something I never wanted to drag out…
Muttering with a gloomy mindset, I took out the thermos I had brought in the morning, twisted off the lid, and tilted it to my mouth.
The white milk hit my tongue.
Maybe it was the coolness, but it slid down my throat easily.
…
The bizarre educational policies at Shio-ram were also evident in the mentoring system.
From matching seniors and juniors, the cadets were left to figure it out themselves.
There wasn’t really any mediation. So cadets would sometimes act as intermediaries in communities or gatherings they formed separately.
Because of this, during this period, 1st and 2nd-year cadets were bustling around searching for mentors and mentees. That’s why the café was fairly crowded earlier.
Those who found a pair would likely discuss schedules, or like us, already be in the mentoring process, while those who hadn’t found partners would still be wandering, looking for one.
1st years sought out exceptional seniors who could teach them well and provide ample takeaways.
2nd years looked for juniors who followed teachings well and had something to offer them in return.
They would somewhat casually find partners and submit their choices.
Once both accepted the choices, they would then be registered as mentor and mentee.
There weren’t really any set educational guidelines. There were no conditions on what to study.
If you wanted to learn martial arts, you could learn martial arts; if you wanted to learn magic, you could learn magic.
Summoning, metallurgy, alchemy, and other skills were also fine.
It was simply a matter of studying what each wanted to learn and teach.
They only needed to submit reports on the process and results regularly for grades, which were granted generously.
In a way, it was a good system where just showing up would get you credits.
“You want to study Taesan?”
I wanted to study Taesan.
Taesan was a core ability that would help extend my lifespan and strengthen my body.
Among those around me, only Ji-yeon exhibited Taesan, and she was also the most adept at it.
It’d be foolish not to study Taesan with her as a mentor.
“Taesan, huh…”
As I asked, Ji-yeon let out a contemplative hum.
[Is this a rude question?]
[I don’t expect any clan vision or anything]
[I’m just curious about the basic operations of Taesan]
Taesan was a unique ability handed down from the founding ancestor.
Throughout the years, there had been extensive research on the unique ability, accumulating a significant amount of data.
Thanks to that, future generations could easily get started and practice, but it also meant weaknesses and countermeasures could spill out due to information leaks.
Of course, even if the unique abilities from the three great clans had weaknesses, they were absurdly powerful abilities that you couldn’t dodge anyway… Still, it wouldn’t be pleasant for information to leak.
“No, no. It’s not a problem. Just…”
Ji-yeon shook her head, denying it as she glanced down at me.
Her gaze was incredibly complex, evoking a whirlpool of all sorts of emotions and thoughts.
“…Alright, I get it. In fact, most of the basic operations are already known information.”
[Really?]
[Thank you!]
I beamed with gratitude. The operation of vitality was also likely to fall under basic operations, so I should ask her to demonstrate that as well.
Seeing my transformed expression, Ji-yeon flinched, raising a single finger to add, “But I’d like to see your Gop-hwa too.”
[Sure]
[Understood]
That was an expected request. Taesan and Gop-hwa were both unique abilities from the same three great clans, so by exchanging demonstrations, we’d gain insights from one another.
…
With plans set, I rented a nearby training area with Ji-yeon.
“How much do you know about Taesan?” she asked, tapping her toes on the earthy ground.
We were at an outdoor training area to smoothly demonstrate Taesan.
Of course, it wouldn’t matter if it were indoor as well, but we came outside to avoid any potential facility damage.
[I’ve heard of the basics]
“Then, I’ll conduct a demonstration with additional explanations.”
Once she had finished speaking, Ji-yeon’s mana began to move.
The core located near her heart pulsed.
With each pulse, the elemental mana emanated from the core like a geyser.
Ji-yeon’s unique essence amplified with vigor.
The blooming mana formed a mountain range stretching far beyond the horizon, peaks soaring high enough to break through the clouds.
“Phew… Shall we start? Can you perceive it with your sensing ability?”
She let out a deep breath and glanced over at me.
[Yes]
[I can feel it well]
I nodded my head. Even before the engine started, my observational powers had already been studying Ji-yeon meticulously.
Additionally, I sharpened my senses and projected them toward Ji-yeon.
Thanks to that, I could closely feel the awakening process of Taesan.
“Taesan can be broadly categorized into three abilities.”
Ji-yeon began explaining.
“Physical amplifications, dominion over the earth, and manipulation of vitality. First, the physical enhancement… is it too common to need an explanation? If I had to compare, Gop-hwa is somewhat different in nature.”
Ji-yeon nodded her fingers. A fist-sized rock suddenly popped out of the ground next to her feet. Ji-yeon picked it up and held it.
“The physical enhancement of Taesan specializes in defense and sustainability. You could withstand most attacks without a scratch, and even if you got injured, your natural healing would take care of it quickly. It consumes minimal mana, allowing for prolonged maintenance.”
Squeeze… her fingers sank into the stone like pressing tofu.
“Gop-hwa’s strength lies in instantaneous output. The shock released in a moment is superior in Gop-hwa… Oh, I just realized I shouldn’t have explained this to someone who can manifest Gop-hwa.”
[I’m listening attentively.]
“Thanks for that, I really appreciate it,” Ji-yeon said shyly, shrugging her shoulders.
“Next is the manipulation of earth.”
Boom! A mound of dirt next to us quietly erupted. It began to take shape, like a puddle of slime inching closer.
Shortly clustered hair, a slender face, and flowing curves— it resembled Ji-yeon’s form.
“This is the essence of the ability. A property-based ability to control and manipulate what’s within the earth.”
Ji-yeon lightly patted the shoulder of the clay doll that mimicked her.
Though the doll couldn’t capture colors, it was nearly identical to Ji-yeon if you looked closely.
“As a property-based ability, it can also generate.”
She casually crushed the stone and raised one hand.
Mana gathered there, transforming into fine dirt. As she clenched her fist, the dirt spilled like grains of sand between her fingers.
“Of course, it’s usually not permanent, and the efficiency isn’t great. Especially when operating on a larger scale, it’s better to draw from the ground.”
Manipulating the earth.
That was the symbolic ability that sprang to mind when thinking of Taesan.
“Finally, the manipulation of vitality…”
And finally, the section I had been waiting for arrived. I straightened up and focused more intently on Ji-yeon’s explanation.
Seeing my posture, Ji-yeon cautiously observed me.
“Well, it’s a bit hard to explain. It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, but there’s just no proper way to convey it…”
[You don’t need to worry; I didn’t think that.]
“Yes… thank you.”
In response to my answer, Ji-yeon looked somewhat burdened but replied with a mysterious expression.
“Actually, necromancy also relies on the manipulation of vitality. It’s a concept of recognizing vitality and using the earth as a medium to control necromancy… Uhm…”
Ji-yeon fell into thought, pausing her speech.
While she said it was difficult, she seemed genuinely trying to explain it simply.
‘She’s really putting in a lot of effort to teach me.’
Maybe it was her nature to be kind, but she was struggling to provide detailed explanations for things she could have easily glossed over.
Everything she explained so far was spot-on and easy to understand. Plus, she offered crucial information that, despite not needing to be shared, would help with my understanding of Taesan.
Still, I was still clumsy when it came to using Taesan.
Whereas I could familiarize myself with Gop-hwa through meticulous research and guidance from the Gop-hwa clan, with the knowledge I had from Baek Ahrin and the one-on-one guidance I experienced previously, I was on my way to managing it.
If I continued to gather a lot of knowledge about Taesan from Ji-yeon, there might come a time when I could also wield it expertly.
“Well, junior, there’s one method…”
[What’s that method?]
“Uh….”
Ji-yeon hesitated, looking conflicted, and then cautiously checked the surrounding area before speaking.
“Uh… It’s a method where we hold hands to infuse mana and vitality. I learned this from our clan too. The manipulation of vitality can be hard to comprehend through mere explanation until one has recognized it.”
‘That’s true.’
Until I recognized vitality through Taesan, I didn’t have a solid understanding of life force.
While I could vaguely feel something crucial disappearing inside my body, I didn’t know it was vitality.
“Of course, it’s a bit dangerous…”
[I’m in.]
I nodded and extended my hand.
Though I already recognized vitality, it felt awkward to immediately say so, so I decided to follow Ji-yeon’s suggestion.
Furthermore, I intended to observe how the manipulation of vitality would work.
“Uh…”
[?]
In that moment, Ji-yeon blinked, looking flustered.
She took a quick glance at my arm, seeing it was normal rather than mechanical. What was that about?
Staring at my outstretched hand, she seemed quite troubled.
After a moment, Ji-yeon steeled herself and spoke firmly.
“… Junior, you shouldn’t just hold out your hand to others.”
I was caught off guard by the sudden reprimand.
[Wait what?]
I was dumbfounded. She was the one who asked for it.
“Interfering with another person’s body with mana is extremely risky.”
Could my expression have revealed my disbelief? Ji-yeon hesitated but continued.
“If the mana you accept explodes inside, your circuit and core could turn to mush. If you’re lucky, you may end up half-dead; otherwise, you could die instantly.”
[Are you trying to kill me?]
“No? I would never do that, but what if someone else…”
[I trust you, senior.]
Her well-mannered facade snapped as she was momentarily at a loss for words. Ji-yeon blinked as if surprised, having not expected to hear such a thing.
“…Why do you trust me? We’ve only just met.”
[We fought together in China.]
[You’re a good person.]
That wasn’t the only point I wanted to address.
While it was true I found Ji-yeon to be a genuinely good person, my knowledge of the original work supported it.
Admittedly, there might be a situation like Baek Ahrin’s, where she stabbed me in the back in a crucial moment.
I also took precautions in case such an event occurred.
And it might sound arrogant, but if Ji-yeon attempted to insert mana into me and meddle, I could suppress that action swiftly.
Having possession of mana affinity, I could overpower her in basic mana control.
Until the last encounter, I had to some extent demonstrated that level during dueling with my mentor.
Although, if my mentor genuinely put her all into it, I wouldn’t last long against her.
Anyway, it was a mix of that little dash of confidence, a sprinkle of knowledge from the original work, and a few scoops from my own assessment of Ji-yeon.
I just managed to convey that in a roundabout way.
“Well… um! Thank you for trusting me.”
Ji-yeon paused, blinking repeatedly, clearly taken aback. Following that, she subtly glanced at me and cleared her throat with care before cautiously reaching out her hand.
“Then… do you want to hold hands? I’ll infuse external vitality and circulate it through you. Try to feel and recognize it.”
[Okay.]
I grasped Ji-yeon’s hand.
Due to our size difference, it was more accurate to say she held my hand.
Soon, I began to feel the vitality penetrating through me.
…
Ji-yeon slowly opened her eyes, which she had shut for a moment. Light began to fill her once-darkened vision.
Soon, a small, pure white child came into focus. It was Lee Ha-yul, who was holding Ji-yeon’s hand and making an effort to recognize the vitality.
He was utterly motionless. He should have been wriggling a bit, but aside from his slow rise and fall as he breathed, he remained as still as a stone.
The process of recognizing vitality… Truthfully speaking, it was a gamble with little chance of success.
Infusing oneself with life force and mana wouldn’t grant recognition of that vitality to another person; that was quite unrealistic.
If it were possible, there would be countless individuals walking around, recognizing vitality without problem.
This method wasn’t meant for just anyone, but rather for those within the Taesan clan to assist their newly manifesting members.
Because Taesan inherently came with the ability to recognize vitality, even a brief stimulus would rapidly make it accessible.
For anyone else, it was like shooting blanks.
– Remains of Taesan were discovered at the epicenter where the two-headed dragon was laid to rest. This was a testimony from an envoy who was dispatched. Considering his abilities, it must hold water.
For those outside the clan, it was nothing but nonsense.
– That peculiar transfer student… the one created by Ha-yul. Taesan remains were discovered there. Do you understand what that means?
To the Taesan manifestor… this could aid a novice who had just begun the journey.
Ji-yeon gazed at Lee Ha-yul with an intrigued expression.
– [I trust you, senior.]
‘……’
As Ji-yeon stared at Ha-yul, her eyes filled with a sense of guilt.
She felt a bit guilty recognizing how soft and tender Ha-yul’s hand felt…
‘No, first things first…’
Ji-yeon shook her head side to side, trying to clear her mind of unnecessary thoughts. Guilt or whatever; for now, she needed to gently infuse vitality and stimulate his senses.
If he truly possessed Taesan, there might be results.
To infuse vitality, she had to recognize Ha-yul’s vitality…
…?
‘…What is this?’
Ji-yeon’s mouth fell open in shock. The information she sensed through their joined hands felt strange.
To infuse vitality, she must have recognized Ha-yul’s vitality. However, recognizing someone else’s vitality was a cumbersome task.
That’s why it had taken time, and now Ji-yeon was finally able to peer into it.
‘It’s empty.’
It’s empty. There’s nothing. The primal energy essential for life was completely drained.
No, there’s a more accurate term for it.
The vitality had diminished to the point of being almost nonexistent.
As though at any moment, he could slip into death…
‘……’
Ji-yeon’s face turned pale as her shock enveloped her.
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