Chapter 26 (2/2)
”We shall go straight to your Job related training, next.” (Agnes)
But, before that, she added a condition.
”You are not allowed to use your Magic Power.” (Agnes)
[Stabbing (remaining number of attempts: ꝏ/ꝏ)]
Learn the Thrust!
Difficulty: Basic
When successful: N/A
When unsuccessful: N/A
*Cooperation possible (up to 6 people)
Seol surveyed his new surroundings. There were only two things visible on the flat plain he was standing on - a scarecrow with a target draped over it, and a spear lying next to it on the ground.
Seeing that weapon, Seol suddenly felt quite happy. He felt like he had missed it. His heart even began beating faster.
The spear was around 1.5 metres long, making it a short spear. Seol joyfully studied the weapon's sleek and smoothly flowing shaft and its pointy tip reflecting the bright sunlight in an X. He then carefully picked it up.
Every hair on his body stood up; his shoulders tightened.
'Learn to thrust, huh.' (Seol)
Seol got into a suitable spot in front of the scarecrow and while standing a bit awkwardly, grasped the spear's shaft with both of his hands. Then, he thrust forward with some power.
The spear tip pierced the target and sunk in deeply.
He missed the bullseye by a little bit. Seol pulled the spear out and tilted his head this way and that, his expression showing the level of dissatisfaction he was feeling at the moment.
Next, he held the spear with only the right hand and attempted to stab the target. He tried this three times, but the results were all bad. Not only was the depth of penetration shallower than before, his aim each time was off by a lot.
'This isn't right.' (Seol)
Seol desperately combed through his memories.
Normally, a person would start forgetting the dream he had as soon as waking up in the morning. But, there would be some parts that remained stuck in the memory. A scene so shocking, or a scene that kept on repeating itself, would not be forgotten and be firmly imprinted into one's brain.
More importantly, though, didn't he experience those things? He wasn't simply a spectator watching those events happen. In the dream, that was.
There was also a reason why he chose this training mission first - he was drawn to it.
The Seol of the dream always carried around a spear, and he utilised stabbing the most. The number of enemies that fell from a single stab piercing into their exposed gaps was too numerous to count. So, his body should be able to remember it.
'Don't just rely on my arm strength, but…. That feeling, it was of me moving my entire body.' (Seol)
He changed his posture. He strengthened his right hand and grasped the lower part of the spear tighter. The spear shaft came to rest ever so slightly on the palm of his left hand, before he lightly grasped it without much strength. The spear tip seemed to waver a little. In this state, Seol took aim at the target.
'….Not yet.' (Seol)
Something didn't feel right. He looked down, and found his right foot slightly out in front, pointing to his flanks. He repositioned the foot by pulling it back and glared at the scarecrow.
After a bout of silence that was neither long or short, he kicked the ground, hard.
His left foot shot out first. And then, the right arm followed next and stuck close by, stretching the left arm forward. Accompanying the sensation of his right arm shoving away, Seol thrusted his spear forward.
Swis.h.!.+
The whistle cutting through the air sounded crisp and clear.
Just before the spear struck the target, the back of his left hand facing the ground spun half way up and pointed towards the sky. The spear tip spun as well, and it accurately struck the middle of the target.
A satisfyingly heavy feeling was transmitted through his hands. Confirming that the spear had penetrated much deeper than before, an equally deep smile formed on Seol's face as well.
[Job related ability, 'Basic Spearmans.h.i.+p - Thrust (lowest)' has been generated.] [Your Innate ability, 'Future Vision' is responding to the creation of the new ability!] [Job related ability 'Basic Spearmans.h.i.+p - Thrust (lowest)' has evolved into 'Basic Spearmans.h.i.+p - Thrust (upper intermediate)'!] [Please confirm through the Status Window.]
As the message cascaded down, the surroundings changed. The scarecrow disappeared, and the spear in his hands also dissipated away.
”….Huh?”
D*mn it, Seol mused wistfully and took a look at the plaza of the Neutral Zone. He wanted to feel that sensation for a bit longer, actually.
'And I haven't done anything yet, too….' (Seol)
Seol opened and clenched his fists several times, still left wanting for more, before falling deeply into a thought.
What if he used that thrust against the skeleton that attacked him by jumping in the air?
At that time, Seol chose to defend himself. No matter how many times he dissected his choice of action, he was far too lackadaisical. The skeleton simply knocked Seol's steel bar away and left him defenseless.
'If I stabbed back at that time….' (Seol)
Eventually, though, Seol shook his head. Since the monster was airborne, it wouldn't have been able to dodge the thrust, but he still had to consider the possibility that he might miss his target as well.
Also, even if he succeeded in landing a blow with the thrust, what would happen if the axe swinging down didn't sway and continued on the trajectory to split his head open?
'Relying only on the simple thrust isn't the answer.' (Seol)
The basics of spearmans.h.i.+p was to prey on the opponent's openings in defense. But if there were none, then he'd have to make one.
So, back in that situation against the skeleton, how should he go about making that opening?
The answer was obvious; the monster had shown him what to do already.
'I gotta do the same. Knock the axe away first and then stab the skeleton.' (Seol)
Reorganising his thoughts as thus, Seol swept his gaze across the noticeboard. And indeed, his slow-moving eyes found the parchment he was looking for.
[Swatting (remaining number of attempts: ꝏ/ꝏ)]
Learn the Strike!
Difficulty: Basic
When successful: N/A
When unsuccessful: N/A
*Cooperation possible (up to 6 people)
Seol ripped that paper up in half right away.
Even though his Job had been set, Seol's daily life hadn't changed. He got addicted to the joy that the new training regime provided him with, and concentrated on that like a madman.
Seol's morning routine looked like this:
As soon as he opened his eyes, he drank a vial of the special Competence. After breakfast, he ran on the track as the light after-meal exercise.
Most of the time, he ran alone, but there were times when he ran together with Yi Surl-Ah as well.
She couldn't hide her shock, though. She was able to run past Seol like it was nothing the first time they ran together, but from some time onwards, he didn't fall behind her. And eventually, he even managed to overtake her today.
'T, that's impossible!' (Yi Surl-Ah)
They must've done 10 laps or so already. No matter how hard she pushed, the distance between the two was widening instead of diminis.h.i.+ng.
In the end, her physical limits arrived first.
”O, orabeo-nim!!” (Yi Surl-Ah)
Hearing her pitiful cry, Seol turned his body around to face her.
”A, aren't you tired yet?” (Yi Surl-Ah)
”Hmm, dunno. Maybe? If it's too much, why don't you rest for a bit?” (Seol)
He replied to her with a nonplussed expression on his face while lightly running on the spot. He was obviously implying that he had lots of leeway here, and that he'd been simply matching her pace. Yi Surl-Ah bit her lower lips.
She managed to finish the laps, but only after a considerable time later. She panted heavily for a while, before asking him with an disbelieving expression.
”H, how did you do it?” (Yi Surl-Ah)
”Mm?” (Seol)
”It, it has only been two months…. But, you're faster than me….” (Yi Surl-Ah)
”Oh, that?” (Seol)
Seol told her about the Competence. Since he heard that it could also be purchased from the regular stores, he figured that Yi Surl-Ah should also be able to enjoy its effects. Not as good as the VIP store's version, but still.
After hearing the explanation, Yi Surl-Ah's expression was frozen in a daze. It seemed that she didn't even know of Competence's existence until now.
When he advised her to buy one even if she didn't want to spend her Survival Points, she squeezed her eyes shut. Her cheeks reddened gradually, then, out of the blue, she lifted her clenched fists up high towards the sky and shouted out.
”No doping!! Absolutely not!”
< 26.=”” the=”” hidden=”” potential=”” revealing=”” itself=”” (3)=””> Fin.