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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Butcher Demoness's Swordplay Class (2)
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After that, the Butcher Demoness's basic swordplay lesson continued.
A deep hum...
I flinched.
The killing intent was something I simply couldn't get used to.
My mental fortitude was being whittled down with each passing moment.
Even though the lesson hadn't been going on for very long,
my arm muscles were spasming and trembling, and my legs felt utterly drained of strength.
After continuous repetition, I no longer leaped backward as I had at first,
but my body still felt the threat to its survival and sent various signals.
Whoosh—
I forcibly restrained my ankles from backing away and brought my sword down.
Naturally, my sword path was a mess.
Far from a perfect straight line, I couldn't even draw a curve connecting two points; my sword wobbled and twisted this way and that, swaying like a struggling worm.
'...Is this really possible?'
At first, I had begun the training with a firm resolve,
but with repeated failures, a weak will began to rear its head within me.
Just then.
Smack—!
"Agh!"
Suddenly, a searing pain flared on my forehead.
I opened my eyes to see Baek Seol-hui standing there, holding a twig with an expressionless face.
"...Did the instructor hit me?"
"Yes, I did."
'What kind of twig was that? It felt like she hit me with a wooden sword... No, that's not what's important right now.'
I rubbed my reddened forehead and glared at Baek Seol-hui.
She, in turn, tilted her head as if asking what the problem was.
"Do you have a question or something?"
...Do I have a question?
Yes.
No, I have many.
I clenched my teeth and opened my mouth.
"Instructor, you clearly said that today's lesson was training to get used to killing intent."
"That's right."
"Then shouldn't you not launch actual attacks?"
"...Why should I?"
Baek Seol-hui asked back, as if she truly didn't understand.
A surge of frustration welled up inside me, but I calmly suppressed it and replied to her.
"...Isn't it confusing? Whether the killing intent you're sending is an illusion, or if a real attack is coming."
Baek Seol-hui nodded at that.
"Yes. Naturally. I did that on purpose."
"...Why?"
"This training is about continuing to wield your sword even amidst killing intent."
"Yes, I know that."
"Alright, then has that explained it?"
"No?"
Baek Seol-hui paused again, then fell silent.
After similar situations repeated a few times, I now vaguely understood what this meant.
It was clear that she was probably thinking something exasperated like, 'You can't understand something so obvious?'
She was probably feeling the suffocating sensation of having to explain why 1+1 equals 2.
'But I'm an Earth transmigrator, so I don't know the common sense of these hunter guys!'
I waited for Baek Seol-hui to speak for a moment.
Eventually, she opened her mouth.
"Wielding a sword amidst killing intent is important. However, that doesn't mean you should ignore all killing intent."
"...Yes."
"That could actually lead to a desensitization to danger."
Aha.
In other words.
If I get too used to killing intent, I might not properly recognize the seriousness of a real crisis, so she's teaching me this way?
'No, wait a minute.'
Suddenly, a hollow laugh escaped me.
"So... Instructor, you'll mix in actual attacks while I'm getting used to the killing intent, meaning I have to distinguish them during my downward strike training and either ignore them or block them?"
She nodded, seemingly satisfied that her explanation had been properly conveyed.
I bit my lip firmly.
"Don't people usually do things like that sequentially?"
"This path is faster, so why bother going the long way?"
Baek Seol-hui replied, frowning.
'...This person, when it comes to swords, is impossible to reason with!'
Now I understood clearly.
Why Baek Seol-hui had earned the fearsome nickname of the Butcher Demoness (屠殺狂女).
And at the same time, why she was recognized by the Chairman and other instructors.
Isn't it the same in the military?
There are always those who do everything by the book, choosing the most efficient and fastest path.
'...An FM instructor.'
Students taught by this instructor would undoubtedly achieve tremendous growth.
Because she's someone who pursues efficiency.
With this method, other instructors might take a year to finish a lesson, but she could probably finish it in three months.
An instructor who, though the most arduous, ensures students achieve results commensurate with their endurance.
Such individuals are usually respected by their fellow instructors and superiors alike.
'Of course, from a student's perspective, there's probably no instructor more dreadful.'
Just then, Baek Seol-hui asked me in a stern voice.
"...Do you have some complaint about this lesson? If so, I'd appreciate it if you told me."
'Hmm, if I voice a complaint here, I'll die.'
"No, I don't."
I bowed my head to her in a neat posture.
"Hmm, just as I thought. Then let's resume training."
'Maybe I should change my registration after all.'
I couldn't help but seriously ponder it.
*
Regardless, I had to properly finish today's lesson.
I closed my eyes again and gripped Moonlight.
'...For now, I can't see a solution.'
Then suddenly, my thoughts turned to the trait, "Intuition", which sent me this sense of crisis.
I paused my sword for a moment and continued to ponder the trait.
As my sword stopped, Baek Seol-hui also halted her killing intent, as if to give me time to think.
'A trait, huh...'
Traits fundamentally represent each character's disposition.
For instance, Gukbap's trait is "Willpower".
Perhaps it was the limit of a natural 3-star.
She only possessed one trait, whereas other characters had around two or three.
However, the "Willpower" trait had quite a good effect.
Because it allowed her not to back down in any disadvantageous situation, or in front of an insurmountable enemy.
If Gukbap had been here, she probably would have handled this training much more easily.
And in Shin Se-hui's case, "Calculation", "Sweet Words, Hidden Daggers", "Dichotomy".
Her traits were primarily specialized in scheming and backstabbing others,
but thanks to the trait "Dichotomy", which separated her allies from non-allies, I could rest easy as long as I was on her side.
Lastly, Kang Do-hee had "Impatience", "Dependence", "Focus".
In Kang Do-hee's case, perhaps because her skills were so overpowered, her traits weren't particularly good, except for "Focus".
Therefore, for her, it was important to give detailed commands to curb her impatience and to be someone she could rely on.
And finally, me. Jin Yu-ha.
'I possess three traits.'
Although they were random traits obtained from a trait recommendation letter,
even so, they wouldn't deviate from Jin Yu-ha's character.
"Perception": The ability to perceive everything within 100 meters.
"Night Vision": The ability to see at night as clearly as during the day.
"Intuition": The ability to be alerted in advance when a boss monster appears.
All of these were focused on perceiving surrounding dangers and protecting oneself.
Perhaps the Jin Yu-ha before I transmigrated was quite the coward.
As I continued to ponder my traits, a thought suddenly struck me.
'Now that I think about it, I can turn Perception on and off, but can't I do the same with Intuition?'
Questions about activating and deactivating traits filled my mind.
'Let's try it first.'
I recalled the sensation of turning Perception on and off, and then tried to recall the sensation of deactivating Intuition.
And then I brought my sword down again.
"Ugh."
Once again, the tingling killing intent began to slowly creep and invade my body.
It was still an unadaptable aura that threatened my instincts, but it was definitely lighter than before.
'It works...!'
And at the same time, I activated Perception.
Even with my eyes closed, the 100 meters in front of me were clearly visible.
And before me, the scene of Baek Seol-hui slowly raising her twig appeared.
Her arm went above her head,
Whoosh—!
the moment the tip of the twig came down towards my forehead.
Flash—
I immediately opened my eyes and swung my sword horizontally.
Snick—
Baek Seol-hui's eyes widened, and she wore a surprised expression.
I had witnessed her expressionless face change several times today.
"...Ha."
She slowly curled the corners of her lips upward.
Thwack—!
"Agh!"
The severed tip of the twig spun in the air before sticking into my head.
"You shouldn't let your guard down until the very end."
Baek Seol-hui said to me in a voice tinged with amusement.
"...Still, you did very well in today's lesson. Honestly, I didn't expect you to keep up this much in just one day."
Baek Seol-hui patted my shoulder, as if pleased with me.
Though it was just a single remark,
a sense of proud satisfaction welled up inside me.
As expected, recognition from someone who does everything by the book was truly special.
Hmm—
She gazed at me for a moment, then spoke.
"Your questions were a bit simple, so I hesitated, but... as expected, there's no need to lower the difficulty."
At her words, my expression stiffened again.
'Hmm. I should definitely change my registration.'
As I was repeating that thought to myself, Baek Seol-hui glanced at me and spoke.
"If you continue to show proper results in class, like today, I intend to grant you a certain benefit soon."
At her words, I narrowed my eyes.
Instructor Baek Seol-hui.
Is she trying to buy me with money now?
No ordinary benefit would be enough to hold me.
As a former Velvet Sura user, I was confident that I wouldn't bat an eye at most forms of currency or rewards.
"What is it?"
I asked her in a stiff voice.
"The sub-space tattoo that was supposed to be given as a reward this time, one of your party members didn't receive it."
'...Khhh!!!'
I bit my lip tightly.
A sub-space tattoo.
It meant that if I took this lesson, she would even engrave one on Gukbap.
It was already a situation where I couldn't help but feel regretful that only Kang Do-hee and Shin Se-hui had received them.
"From now on... please take good care of me..."
I bowed my head deeply, my clenched fists trembling.
…This was too great a reward to refuse.
* * *
After the basic swordplay lesson ended.
I immediately made my way to the dormitory.
Thud, thud, thud.
Having endured the killing intent throughout the entire lesson, my mind was so drained that I was no longer in a state to do anything else.
Creak—
As I opened the door, the dormitory, which had now become my new home, welcomed me.
Various household items necessary for living were neatly arranged,
and perhaps due to the effects of a cleanliness magic tool, a fresh fabric softener scent lingered in the air.
It was a clean room, overall in modern colors of black and white, with blue as an accent.
It was a world of difference from when I first transmigrated.
However, without time to appreciate the room's scenery, I immediately buried my face in the bed as soon as I opened the door.
Plop.
My body sank into the soft duvet.
Haa...
I let out a tired sigh, turned my body, and looked up at the ceiling.
"...Status window."
Ding—♬
My status window, summoned after a long while.
I had checked it once during basic training,
but since there were no particular changes in my stats, I hadn't bothered to check again after that.
Raising stats through training meant it was that grueling.
It wasn't for nothing that I admired Gukbap's growth.
Honestly, I didn't have high expectations even now, but I just felt so wronged by the training.
I squinted my eyes and began to read down the status window.
And then.
My eyes snapped open.
"...Huh!?"