Chapter 6: Misunderstanding (1)
Hajin, who had entered the training hall a moment ago, stood facing the wooden dummies set up for practice. He took a deep breath and chanted the incantation.
"Fireball."
It was a basic fire spell, yet one that possessed considerable destructive power. Simultaneously, a small spark ignited at the tip of Hajin’s outstretched finger, instantly swelling into a fireball the size of an adult’s fist.
The scorching fireball surged toward the nearest wooden dummy with fierce momentum.
*Kwooooong—!*
With a dull thud, the fireball struck the dummy, and the figure was instantly engulfed in flames. Before long, it had been reduced to a handful of ash, leaving no trace of its original form.
"As expected."
Watching the scene before him, Hajin let out a low exclamation of admiration before he could stop himself.
"Even considering it’s wood, the power is significant. Truly, there’s nothing as mindless and powerful as fire magic."
Even a basic Fireball had this much power. What if he were able to use high-level spells like Explosion or Hellfire?
'It’s a shame my current mana level is so low. I’ll need to either craft mana potions or raise my cultivation realm itself.'
Studying how to use high-level magic was fine, but for now, the priority was to check the spells he could realistically use and increase his proficiency.
"Well, that’s enough for attack magic. Next, I should practice defensive magic."
Hajin turned his body toward a new wooden dummy.
"After all, fights aren't decided by offense alone. I don't know what kind of bizarre martial arts might come my way, so I must be thoroughly prepared."
Hajin’s gaze turned serious once more. Fighting against martial artists was a different matter from facing magical beasts inside a Gate; it involved significant variables.
The speed at which they executed footwork was difficult for an ordinary person’s eyes to track, and their various martial arts posed a considerable threat.
Above all, a mage’s greatest weakness was their vulnerability to physical strikes. Naturally, magic for defense was essential.
"The best option would be a spell like Magic Guard, but..."
Magic Guard was a passive spell that formed an invisible barrier of mana around the caster’s body to reduce damage. While it could be considered the most excellent spell, it had a fatal flaw.
'It’s because of the mana.'
Maintaining Magic Guard all day consumed a significant amount of mana, making it far too inefficient in his current situation where he couldn't manipulate mana as freely as he liked.
If he wasn't careful, he might find his mana completely drained when he needed it most. That was not a desirable outcome.
And he wasn't in a situation where he could drink mana recovery potions like water, as he had in his days as a Hunter. In the end, he had to choose and focus.
"I suppose a Shield spell, which can be deployed momentarily only when needed, is better..."
Shield magic was specialized for blocking attacks from a specific direction; it was more mana-efficient than Magic Guard and could block even powerful attacks once or twice. But the problem started now.
"The question is how to train for Shield magic. I need to receive proper attacks to get a feel for it, but..."
Hajin looked around the training hall. The wooden dummies could only attack unilaterally. They were ambiguous as training partners for Shield magic.
"There’s no suitable opponent. Since I’m inside the Demonic Path Academy, I can’t exactly go up to that man called Yang-jun and ask him to hit me..."
He fell into a brief moment of contemplation. How could he effectively train for Shield magic?
Just then, he felt a gaze. It was a sensation as if something were piercing him sharply. As he turned his head, he saw a young woman in the corner of the training hall staring intently at him.
A rather sharp gaze, and an extraordinary aura.
'What is this? I felt like she had been watching me for a while. She must be a martial artist, right?'
Judging by her age, she seemed quite similar to him.
Suddenly, a method crossed Hajin’s mind. Since she was in the training hall at this hour, didn't that mean she was a martial artist too?
'Should I ask her to spar with me for a bit? If she’s a fellow student, she would be the perfect training partner for Shield magic. Of course, I’d have to ask her not to hit too hard...'
Hajin hesitated for a moment before making up his mind. There was no other clear solution. Eventually, he slowly walked toward the woman.
Finding a training partner for Shield magic was the top priority, and the woman who had been keeping a close eye on him from across the room was the most suitable candidate.
Meanwhile, sensing Hajin walking straight toward her, Cheon Ha-rin could not hide her momentary panic.
'Don't tell me he noticed I was spying on him...?'
Spying on someone else’s martial arts training was a significant breach of etiquette. Naturally, being caught would mean suffering considerable shame.
Knowing this, Cheon Ha-rin’s heart began to race. She tried to maintain a composed expression, but her eyelids trembled slightly.
'No, instead, I should use this opportunity to ask about the Ghost Soul Hand.'
Cheon Ha-rin calmed her trembling heart. In the meantime, Hajin stopped a few steps in front of her and, showing proper courtesy, performed a light cupped-fist salute.
"Who might you be? I am student number four hundred, Hajin. If you have a moment to spare..."
Just as Hajin was introducing himself and about to state his business, Cheon Ha-rin cut him off. Her voice was calm, yet strangely sharp.
"I know."
Hajin paused for a moment at the unexpected reply. She knows me?
Cheon Ha-rin stared straight into Hajin’s eyes and said each word with emphasis.
"You’re the disciple of the Ghost Soul Hand."
"Ah, yes, that’s true, but..."
Hajin tried to continue, but Cheon Ha-rin coldly cut him off again, as if to ensure he wouldn't get a single opening. Her chin tilted up slightly.
"The entire Demonic Path Academy knows you’re the disciple of the Ghost Soul Hand. Why bother with an introduction? It’s a waste of time."
Her voice was cold as ice. It was as if Hajin’s very existence was unpleasant to her.
'Huh, her personality is truly awful. Should I not have spoken to her?'
As Hajin looked at her with an incredulous expression, Cheon Ha-rin pressed on with even more vigor.
"Forget it. I don't have business with the likes of you; I came because I was curious about what that old man, the Ghost Soul Hand, has been doing since he retired."
If someone else had heard her, they would have been speechless at her lack of manners. Fortunately, Hajin did not fall into that category. Instead, he felt curious at her tone, which suggested she knew the Ghost Soul Hand personally.
"Are you an acquaintance of the elder?"
"What? Obviously..."
"That’s great. I actually had some questions about the elder!"
"…?"
Hajin was simply happy. Finally, he had found someone he could ask about the Ghost Soul Hand personally.
* * *
Meanwhile, Cheon Ha-rin was so dumbfounded she almost let out a mocking laugh.
'Huh? He’s asking me about the old man Ghost Soul Hand? Is he out of his mind? Isn't he the one who’s been stuck to that old geezer all this time?'
No matter how she looked at it, he must have had some other ulterior motive. Cheon Ha-rin scanned his expression thoroughly to figure out his intentions. However, she couldn't read any hidden agenda.
He had a very blank-looking face.
'I have no idea what he’s thinking. Is he acting on purpose?'
If not, it made no sense. After struggling for a moment to fathom Hajin’s intentions, Cheon Ha-rin eventually gave up and got to the point.
What mattered to her now was not Hajin’s inner thoughts, but how he had become the disciple of the Ghost Soul Hand.
"You, how did you end up becoming that old man’s disciple?"
"Disciple?"
Hajin tilted his head for a moment and answered without much thought.
"Well. The elder just took me in when I was collapsed on the side of the road?"
It was such a calm and simple answer, as if he were saying he ate because he was hungry. And at that moment, Cheon Ha-rin’s expression twisted slightly.
Her eyebrows twitched, and the corners of her mouth trembled as if in a spasm.
'He just... took him in?!'
The position of being the Ghost Soul Hand’s disciple, which she had wanted so desperately but been rejected for, was treated as nothing more than picking up a pebble off the street by a guy who looked like he was lacking something.
It was the moment her pride was truly shattered.
"Right. Since I answered one, I shall ask this time. What kind of person was the elder Ghost Soul Hand?"
The reason Hajin asked this was simple. The Ghost Soul Hand he had heard about through Yang-jun was so deified, like some legendary hero, that it felt completely unreal.
Like, 'The Ghost Soul Hand uses the Art of Shrinking Distance'? Of course, he might have actually used it.
He understood that, but what he needed now was the human side of the Ghost Soul Hand. At the very least, once the perception that he was the Ghost Soul Hand’s disciple was set, he needed to avoid actions that would tarnish his reputation. To avoid unnecessary suspicion, he also needed to know the Ghost Soul Hand well.
At Hajin’s question, Cheon Ha-rin fell silent for a moment. Her gaze wavered complexly. She asked Hajin in return.
"Then, what kind of person was the Ghost Soul Hand you experienced?"
Hajin frowned slightly at her answering a question with a question. Though, on the outside, he maintained a calm expression.
"Hmm, the elder Ghost Soul Hand I experienced was a very kind and thoughtful person. He took care of my meals and treated me warmly, just like a grandfather."
As words like kind, thoughtful, and warm flowed from Hajin’s mouth, Cheon Ha-rin’s expression hardened sharply once again. A sense of inexplicable betrayal also clouded her face.
The greatest assassin of the Heavenly Demonic Cult, the cold-blooded Ghost Soul Hand who seemed to have neither blood nor tears, was kind and thoughtful? That couldn't be.
Because it was a side she knew nothing about, her hands were truly trembling.
*Grind—!*
Her teeth clenched on their own.
'I begged with all my heart for him to take me as a disciple, yet he refused me so heartlessly...'
The things about the Ghost Soul Hand that flowed from Hajin’s mouth pierced Cheon Ha-rin’s heart like a dagger. His firm words that he still had no intention of raising a disciple were still ringing in her ears.
'I thought that applied to everyone, but was it a remark that only applied to me?'
Cheon Ha-rin bit her lip. Listening to Hajin’s story, it was clear that Ghost Soul Hand simply hadn't wanted to take her on as a disciple.
‘Right, he’s already a master who has reached the peak. The old man must have recognized his talent and accepted him. In the end, it’s just because my talent is lacking…….’
Just as she was trying to swallow the bitterness while blaming herself, a different thought suddenly occurred to Cheon Ha-rin. She glared sharply at Hajin and asked.
“But you, did you approach me just to ask such a trivial question?”
Her voice was laced with contempt and irritation. She wanted to shift this anger onto someone else.
To this, Hajin shook his head and replied.
“Oh? No, actually, there was one more thing I wanted to ask of you, which is why I spoke to you.”
“What is it?”
Hajin spoke lightly, as if it were nothing of importance.
“If you don’t mind, I was wondering if you could spar with me briefly. I happen to need a training partner.”
At his words, Cheon Ha-rin stared at Hajin blankly for a moment, as if she were dumbfounded. Then, she asked coldly.
“Why me, of all people?”
Hajin was flustered. He had only asked because they were the only two people in the training hall.
‘Are you blind? We’re the only two here?’ It wasn't as if he could say exactly what was on his mind. In the end, Hajin agonized over how to phrase it before opening his mouth.
“You seem to have mastered quite a bit of martial arts, and you just seemed suitable in many ways……?”
Looking at the sword she was carrying, he thought she would be appropriate for practicing his shield magic. After all, blocking weapons was the core of it.
But at that moment, fury surged into Cheon Ha-rin’s eyes. Her face flushed red, and her clenched fists began to tremble.
‘What? Suitable? Me! The daughter of the Cult Leader and the top student of the Demonic Path Academy, treated like this for such a reason?’
Her pride was shattered. She could not endure the insult of being so blatantly disregarded.
Barely suppressing the rage that threatened to explode at any moment, she glared at Hajin with murderous intent.
“You, I won’t let this slide. Follow me to the sparring arena.”
“……Pardon?”
All of a sudden?
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