BANG!
The short, loud blast vibrated through the eardrums.
Golden shards of energy scattered across the field of vision.
The power extending from the tip of his fist to his shoulder was quite formidable.
Without resisting, Asra was pushed back naturally by Lee Ha-yul’s force.
Shaking off her slightly sore wrist, she stared ahead.
– Hoo…
The author of the push, Lee Ha-yul, did not chase after her and instead stood still.
Gathering his stance with the spear, he took a deep breath and flicked it.
Woosh! The golden spearhead shone ominously with a chilling resonance.
Feeling that aura, Asra hid her unease inside.
It wasn’t just a terrifying aura.
That golden spearhead had showcased wild and powerful prowess throughout the sparring.
When brought down like a blunt weapon, the firm ground sank, and when swung and jabbed, even Asra’s own energy was slashed finely.
Such a powerful aura was… all too familiar and intimate to Asra.
It was the same as what she always carried within her… it was originally her own magic.
‘…Just where does he pick up such things…’
Lee Ha-yul was already gifted with the extraordinary ability to mimic others’ magic and embody their techniques as his own.
But that was the function of the spear, not his technique.
That spear… or rather, the staff that performs spear functions, was an exceptional artifact.
The most noticeable functions were two.
The ability to construct the spearhead with various energies and materials.
The capability to rapidly release the power and magic embedded in the crystal ball.
It was an intuitive and simple function, but it was up to the user to utilize it well.
Lee Ha-yul used those functions exceptionally well.
“That’s it for today.”
– Phew…
Asra’s muttering spread across the sparring arena where the tense atmosphere clashed.
Only then did Lee Ha-yul, who had been maintaining his stance and looking for an opening, ease up, and the intangible pressure that filled the sparring arena faded away.
Lee Ha-yul relaxed his shoulders.
His arms drooped, and the spear tip, which had been aimed at Asra, fell downwards.
Woosh…
The golden spearhead sighed a sweet tone like an instrument, melting away gently.
Noticing this, Asra opened her mouth.
“There’s no point to critique… it’s rather embarrassing to point it out.”
Calmly continuing her words, Asra suddenly chuckled at the mistake in her statement.
There were no blunders to critique anyways. From the start, Lee Ha-yul had made no mistakes in this spar.
What else was disappointing? That became something they had to exchange together, not just her dumping on him.
Of course, in terms of pure combat skills, Asra still held the upper hand, but Lee Ha-yul’s talents were not limited to that.
“I find it hard to give pointers since you don’t handle magic, but can you share your thoughts from the perspective of your opponent?”
“Sure, I’d appreciate that.”
“Well, in that case…”
In this spar, Lee Ha-yul had significantly increased his use of magic.
And Asra was reminded once again why she disliked facing magic users.
A clumsy magician is easy to deal with. There are gaps between spell castings that can be exploited and hit hard.
A skilled and prepared magician, however, is troublesome to face.
Throughout this spar, Lee Ha-yul had been a skilled and prepared magician.
He had always handled magic well before, but after returning from his training trip, his magical prowess showcased a different level.
The various spells unfolded at astonishing speed in just the right places created enough trouble for Asra.
Moreover, Lee Ha-yul was also a warrior whom she could never let her guard down against, making it difficult to seize the advantage by closing the distance like most magicians.
Even if Asra showed her full seriousness, he was a type that was tricky to deal with.
“…Phew.”
“Master?”
But for some reason, as she watched Lee Ha-yul grow so much, her worries weren’t dissipating at all.
Asra, with a complex expression, looked down at Lee Ha-yul, who approached her with a tilt of his head.
It was different from earlier.
To be precise, it should be said that the earlier appearance was different from usual.
The fierce aura that had been scattered around had completely vanished, and the sharp gaze had softened, becoming rounder.
The cool gaze that had been focused on her now sparkled brightly.
The harmless and simple atmosphere that flowed made her feel like she had misinterpreted the earlier behavior.
“Master.”
At that moment.
Lee Ha-yul, who had been absentmindedly tilting his head, suddenly smiled broadly.
“Setting aside the fact that it’s the dungeon in Shio-ram, I’ve also gotten much stronger now. There’s nothing to be worried about!”
And the content of his statement seemed to imply that he knew what worries Asra was harboring.
“…I see. Yes, that’s true…”
She was caught off guard by her student perceiving her worries.
As Asra forced a smile, she reached out and gently petted Lee Ha-yul’s cheek.
With a bashful grin, Lee Ha-yul pushed his cheek against Asra’s hand.
‘Well… this is complicated.’
Such a scene was both endearing and worry-inducing.
Why had Asra forced such tough and overwhelming training on Lee Ha-yul, who had just become a superhuman at the beginning of the semester?
These days, ominous signs were simmering beneath the surface.
She thought it would be unsettling if the Lee Ha-yul she was teaching were to perish.
Wasn’t it to ensure he quickly raised his level to survive on his own in such a time?
That purpose had long since been exceeded.
Now, Lee Ha-yul had become a strong enough individual that even if he were dropped into the Marble Circuit, he would manage to survive on his own.
Beyond that, he had become powerful enough to extend a hand to those in trouble around him.
Yet still, Asra’s worry hadn’t dissipated, even though he had surpassed the level she was concerned about.
‘Is this just me being foolish…’
Lee Ha-yul was planning to enter the dungeon.
Whether in rank, location, or type, just that fact alone filled Asra’s heart with anxiety.
She found it amusing how her own feelings reacted in such a way.
She was even now worrying about Lee Ha-yul’s safety within Shio-ram itself.
…Rationally, she could conclude this, but her heart just couldn’t help itself.
Even now, as Lee Ha-yul insisted she shouldn’t worry, that sentiment still lingered.
In fact, there were points about Lee Ha-yul’s insistence that she couldn’t fully trust.
– Gently…
Just as she was unraveling such complex thoughts, Asra felt a gaze on her body.
A certain desire… a gaze filled with heat.
It was focused intensely on a specific area.
“……”
Before long, Lee Ha-yul was fixated on Asra’s chest right in front of him.
With a slight shift of his body, his gaze seemed magnetically drawn towards her chest.
He was so engrossed that his mouth was almost slightly agape.
Asra’s lips twitched involuntarily at his blatant gaze, as if he had forgotten to manage where he was looking.
“Little one.”
“…I’m not a little one.”
“Hmm.”
At Lee Ha-yul’s pouting response, Asra shrugged her shoulders.
That caused her chest to rise and fall, and Lee Ha-yul’s gaze also bobbed up and down.
Staring back at him, Asra silently opened her arms wide.
Even without words between them, under the universally accepted silent permission, Lee Ha-yul’s eyes sparkled.
Without a moment’s hesitation, he dove into her embrace.
They had just finished sparring.
The warmth of their heated bodies, roughed up from movement, coupled with the sweet scent surrounding Asra filled Lee Ha-yul’s senses.
Feeling fully satisfied, Asra embraced Lee Ha-yul tightly.
“Hehe.”
– Sniff sniff
And it was the same for Asra.
She, too, had moved her body roughly and was emanating a strong scent from her slightly heated body.
Amidst this, as Lee Ha-yul buried his nose into her chest, taking in her sweet scent, it felt… quite embarrassing and shameful.
Yet it was also a strangely blissful act that tinged with an odd sense of forbidden pleasure.
‘…I’m worried.’
Embracing Lee Ha-yul tightly, Asra let out a deep sigh internally.
The worries in Asra’s mind weren’t only about that.
She wouldn’t be entering the dungeon alone.
She had mentioned she would be going in with the heir of Taesan as part of a mentoring class.
Coincidentally, the heirs of the three major clans of this generation were all women.
The heir of Taesan had invited Lee Ha-yul to dinner the other day and had been treated quite generously…
“……”
Were these concerns unwarranted?
Or were they reasonable worries?
Asra couldn’t be certain.
*
Even if Ji-yeon accepted the invitation to enter the dungeon immediately, it couldn’t be done hastily.
Entering the dungeon was not something to take lightly.
Moreover, the dungeon they were entering was a level 2, higher-tiered dungeon.
Both Ji-yeon and Lee Ha-yul had to go in fully prepared.
Also, since it was a trip of one night and two days, they needed to coordinate their schedules with each other.
Thus, the date they settled on for entering the dungeon was the Thursday of the week following their discussion.
The planned schedule was for one night and two days.
They were set to enter on Thursday morning and return around Friday evening, but… it was a fact that variables could arise at any moment.
Even regular travel plans could often hit snags, let alone a dungeon adventure.
They accounted for potential delays within the dungeon, extending their trip to encompass the weekend.
Time flowed and finally, the day of entry arrived.
Arriving at the designated plaza, casting aside the worried looks from the estate, Lee Ha-yul waited.
Not long after, he sensed Ji-yeon approaching.
Ji-yeon was wearing civilian clothes instead of her training outfit.
She hadn’t come equipped with any particular gear.
Dressed in a moderately thick and long black attire.
Wearing gloves to cover her arms, and thick military-like boots on her feet.
Despite having an enormous bag due to the spatial magic cast on her, she carried quite a hefty one as well.
Along with pouches hanging from her belt, resembling hanging fruits, all seemed to be products enhanced by spatial magic.
In many ways, she appeared well-prepared.
In contrast, Lee Ha-yul was relatively lightly dressed.
Thanks to the spatial magic, he didn’t need to burden himself with such excess baggage.
Of course, preparing for the worst-case scenario if the spatial magic broke down, he also carried several pouches filled with survival supplies on his belt.
As Ji-yeon approached calmly from a distance, she frowned upon seeing him.
“Ah, I’m late today. I’m sorry.”
[No need to apologize.]
[I just arrived myself and was just organizing my things.]
He shook his head at Ji-yeon, who looked genuinely apologetic for making him wait.
It was still early, with around 20 minutes left before their scheduled time, so there was no need to say sorry.
Only after he reassured her did Ji-yeon’s face ease, and she suddenly bowed her head to check on him.
“Then I’m relieved. Did you sleep well last night?”
[Yes, I slept soundly.]
He had snuggled up to his master and had a good rest.
Even now, his body was filled with his master’s warmth and scent, making him feel cozy.
His condition was at its peak.
…Although the gaze Seo-yul had directed towards him when leaving the estate had been a bit painful…
“Did you eat before coming?”
[Yes, I had a decent meal.]
“In that case, although it’s a bit early for our meeting, shall we go right away?”
[Yes.]
For regular appointments, they would typically meet and share a meal, but today’s meeting was solely for entering the dungeon.
Since they had each finished their preparations before leaving home, they were able to head straight in.
With a nod exchanged between him and Ji-yeon, they made their way to the dungeon without delay.
The dungeons of Shio-ram were mostly located on the outskirts of the islands.
The dungeon they were heading to was situated near the farthest edge.
“Student Lee Ha-yul, Miss Ji-yeon… Your entry for the day has been confirmed.”
As they arrived a little earlier and checked in with the supervising personnel, they reached the entrance of the dungeon.
As always, the entrance of the dungeon swirled like a vortex.
However, it was immensely larger than any dungeon entrance they had encountered before.
It could likely fit a five-story building inside.
‘Hmm.’
The pulsing sensation was much stronger than before. One could easily imagine even a building being crunched if one had physical strength.
It wasn’t just a feeling. Gently managing her power, Asra could feel the actual flow of vast space reverberating around her.
“I’ll go in first, so please wait a little before following me.”
[Okay, we’ll enter right after you.]
While she was momentarily feeling the space’s flow on her skin, Ji-yeon checked her gear one last time, pulled her gloves up, and stepped forward.
Ji-yeon’s role was that of a front-line fighter.
Particularly, she specialized in blocking enemy attacks, so she took the lead entering the dungeon.
And just as Ji-yeon extended her foot towards the swirling entrance, her body was swept into the vortex and vanished within.
Her presence dispersed completely. She had entered the dungeon.
Standing in her place, after a brief moment, Lee Ha-yul reached out into the swirl as well.
A mysterious vibration of space enveloped him from the top of his head to the tips of his toes.
Then, in an instant.
A distant consciousness gradually resurfaced, and he found himself feeling a completely different sensation on his skin from before.
He switched off his observation for a moment.
Instead, he sensed.
The sound of Ji-yeon’s breathing, heartbeat, the gulping of her saliva, her eyes rolling, and the stirrings of her insides, all blocking his path.
The chirping of birds, the gentle trickle of water below, rocks brushing together as the water flows around them, the cries of monsters, and the sounds of dying…
He was enveloped in a rich magical aura that permeated his skin.
Once he had a feel for the world with his senses, he switched on his observation again.
A map, previously painted in black, was now brimming with azure greens filled with lush foliage.
The dungeon was named “Cold Colored Hills.”
*
[You are entering the level 2 dungeon “Cold Colored Hills.”]
*
A blue forest.
Not only the leaves of the trees, but also the branches and trunks were a flowing blue, forming a dense thicket.
Similarly, a being hidden within the deep blue foliage held its breath.
Deliberately halting its breathing, it even covered its mouth with its hands to prevent any sound from escaping.
“Grrr…”
‘Eek…’
Despite this, the breath almost burst out. The narrow, wide-open eyes trembled uncontrollably.
She tightened the grip of her trembling hands as she pressed her mouth even harder.
A scream could not escape. Not even a tiny exhale could be let out.
If they gave off even a hint of a presence, they would be devoured by that thing.
The imagined future flooded her entire being with dread.
It was almost a good thing.
Thanks to the terror, her body froze, preventing her from leaking any presence.
– Swoosh… THUD!
How long had she been stifling her breath?
A rough breath making noise turned its head.
– THUD! THUD! THUD!
The sound of heavy footsteps pounding the ground gradually faded away.
Even then, she continued to hold her breath.
After the steps vanished into the distance, she stifled her breath for a while longer.
What if it was a ruse? What if she carelessly breathed, and it returned? She held her breath to the limit.
“Phew, haah…”
After a long wait, she finally exhaled the breath she had been holding.
[Did it leave…?]
Breathing heavily, she nodded her head weakly.
– Nod nod
[It’s gone.]
While gasping and trying to catch her breath, she weakly nodded.
– Rustle… THUD!
“Phew…”
From below the ground, it stirred, and a head peeked out.
[I’m alive…!]
[Soy, why does it keep chasing us…?]
[Waaahh… I’m scared…!]
– THUD! THUD! THUD!
More than one head appeared.
Like playing a game of whack-a-mole, heads popped up one after another.
Then limbs sprouted, and they struggled, pulling their bodies up from the ground.
Their form emerged from the dirt.
Two arms and two legs.
Hair sprouting from their scalps, eyes, noses, ears, and mouths.
With no skin or armor, they had smooth, pale white skin.
At a glance, they looked almost human.
But the notable difference was their small size, too small to be considered human.
And.
[Guess we’ll have to move again? They’re going to be prowling around here now.]
[Yep…]
– Flap flap
With wings sprouting from their backs, they weakly dusted themselves off.
A pair of wings glimmering with dim colors emerged.
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