"Congratulations on becoming an E-Rank Hunter."
Jin Seyoung greeted me with a smile as I entered the Shadow Heaven Sword Hall.
Her black ponytail and skin-tight leggings were her usual attire. Jin Seyoung always wore leggings.
Yesterday, I had become an E-Rank Hunter.
The promotion exam was simple: hunting in an F-Rank dungeon with an association staff member. After observing my skills, the staff member approved my promotion in just an hour.
"Thanks, Sis," I replied, moving closer to Jin Seyoung. I naturally wrapped my arm around her waist. As if she had been waiting for it, she pulled me into a hug and kissed me. Our tongues intertwined, exchanging saliva.
My hands instinctively moved toward Jin Seyoung's hips and breasts.
Jin Seyoung took a step back, creating some distance between us.
"Hmm. Not today. Remember what I said on the phone earlier?"
"Too bad. We should have sex every day."
A moment later, Jin Seyoung and I stood facing each other, swords drawn.
It was our usual sparring session, except today we were fully clothed instead of naked as usual.
I glanced at the man standing at the center of the training hall.
A robust man in his early forties stood watching us with his arms crossed. He had bronze skin, wore hiking gear, and had an eyepatch over his left eye.
Jin Woosung.
Hall Master of the Shadow Heaven Sword Hall and Jin Seyoung's father.
According to Jin Seyoung, he was an executive of the Violet Cloud Guild and an A-Rank Hunter known as the "Poison Beast."
I had known about him for a while, but today was the first time we met. Jin Woosung likely knew about me too.
I had unknowingly received his help when selling gold bars to Manager Hwang Minjun last time.
"Begin," he said.
His voice was surprisingly gentle, contrasting sharply with his rough appearance.
Yeongcheon Style Combat Technique: Flying Tiger.
I charged at him head-on with all my might.
I didn't feel any sense of danger. Jin Seyoung was someone I couldn't even touch, even if I gave it my all. I had never once defeated her in a sparring match.
She effortlessly parried my blade.
As a B-Rank Hunter, she was far beyond my capabilities. Having just become an E-Rank Hunter, I couldn't even compete with her physically.
Jin Seyoung always adjusted her level to match mine during our sparring sessions.
This time, I'll get behind her.
I used footwork to circle behind Jin Seyoung. She could have blocked me, but she deliberately let me succeed.
However, if I extended my sword here, she would undoubtedly parry it. Her blade darted toward me like a striking snake.
That's Shadow Snake. I have to evade it.
Blocking with my sword would only cause her blade to coil around mine like a serpent. Without hesitation, I retreated.
Since we both knew the Yeongcheon Style's practical techniques, we couldn't fully utilize its Hidden aspect.
Today's sparring is even more intense. Is it because the Hall Master is watching?
As the sparring continued, I grew increasingly exhausted, while Jin Seyoung remained unfazed. This was a familiar pattern for me.
An opening!
Jin Seyoung's stance revealed a gap a deliberately left opening.
The question is, is this a valid opening or a trap?
The gaps Jin Seyoung presented fell into two categories: valid hits or invalid hits.
A valid hit meant she wouldn't properly defend if the gap was exploited. An invalid hit was a trap. In every sparring match, Jin Seyoung forced this binary choice, training her opponent to accurately discern weaknesses.
Damn it. I'm too exhausted to think straight.
When physically or mentally fatigued, judgment becomes clouded. This is precisely when one must be most cautious.
What practical techniques could she counter with from that stance? One Mind? Empty Night?
More than five practical techniques immediately came to mind.
I couldn't make a decision.
I gave up trying to exploit her weaknesses.
When judgment becomes difficult, it's best to simply concede and wait for the next opportunity. That's one of the things I learned from Jin Seyoung.
She's coming.
Jin Seyoung moved, approaching me with her sword held in reverse grip, the blade concealed behind her back. I clicked my tongue.
Sis intends to end the spar. It's Seogwang.
In critical situations, Jin Seyoung almost always chooses Seogwang, a strike so swift it's practically instantaneous. It's a habit of hers. I braced myself to block it.
Blocking based on the blade's movement will be too late. Watch her shoulder and forearm movements...
Jin Seyoung's sword moved. As if waiting for this moment, I raised my own blade. It wasn't Seogwang.
Her blade passed slowly by mine, or at least that's how it seemed to me.
Was that Empty Night?
The sword stopped just before my throat. I lowered my own blade.
"I lost."
Jin Seyoung lowered her sword at my words and smiled faintly.
"Good work. Your decision to give up that opening earlier was wise."
"..."
I stared at Jin Seyoung with a gaze burning with heat. She smiled awkwardly and shook her head slightly.
Normally, we would immediately transition into sex after sparring. I would use my cock to release the frustration of defeat, and she would inevitably end up writhing beneath me a predetermined order.
If only her father weren't here.
"Good work, Se Young. Yujin definitely has talent for the Yeongcheon Style, just as you said."
Jin Woosung chuckled, patting my shoulder lightly. I forced an awkward smile in return.
"Why don't you spar with Yujin yourself, Dad?"
"You know I'm terrible at gauging my strength."
"She's A-Class."
"Daughter, what was my nickname again?"
"..."
Jin Seyoung fell silent.
Jin Woosung's nickname was Poison Beast a vicious creature. It couldn't have been given without reason.
"But something's odd."
Jin Woosung's gaze sharpened as he looked at me. The kind uncle-like warmth in his eyes vanished, replaced by a piercing glint.
"What do you mean?" I asked, confused. What could be odd? Racking my memory, I couldn't recall making any mistakes.
"Your skills... the Yeongcheon Style techniques are flawless. But you're severely lacking in other areas. Generally, it's impossible for someone's skill to develop exclusively in one area.
It's simply not possible. Yet, no matter what else you lack, your mastery of the Yeongcheon Style is undeniable."
I understood what Jin Woosung was implying. He had seen through me that I had nothing beyond the Yeongcheon Style.
"Is that a problem?"
"Not necessarily. Your talent for the Yeongcheon Style is genuine. It's just that swordsmanship is ultimately just swordsmanship."
"...I've heard that before."
"Oh? From whom? Se Young wouldn't be at that level yet."
"Not a close friend."
"Really?"
It was Baek Sanggi.
Baek Sanggi had said those words to me.
I recently told Jin Seyoung about Baek Sanggi, though I didn't go into detail, speaking only in vague terms. She responded by saying:
Baek Sanggi is the first wall you've ever faced. The emotion you feel toward him is frustration.
No. There's no way a guy like that could be my wall.
I refused to accept Jin Seyoung's words. Even with the physical abilities of a D-Rank Hunter, I could easily defeat someone like him.
"Anyway, Yujin, your Yeongcheon Style is out of balance. We need to fix this somehow."
"...Can't I just stick with the Yeongcheon Style?"
"No."
Jin Woosung's answer was firm and unwavering.
"I've told you before: swordsmanship is just swordsmanship. If you ever face an opponent of equal skill... you'll lose 100% of the time because of that imbalance."
"100%..."
Jin Woosung's judgment was based solely on my Yeongcheon Style, without considering other skills like Acceleration or Full Recovery. Still, his confident and blunt declaration was rather shocking.
"What should I do?"
"I've never heard of a case like this before, so I can't be certain. But I believe there are three possible approaches."
"Three? That's more than I expected."
I felt relieved. It seemed the situation wasn't as hopeless as I'd feared.
"First, you could temporarily abandon the Yeongcheon Style. Live as an ordinary swordsman, focusing on improving your fundamental skills.
The downside is that this would take a considerable amount of time."
Abandon the Yeongcheon Style now?
No way.
How many points did I invest in the Yeongcheon Style?
"What's the second method?"
"Practical combat. Real combat. That's the most reliable way.
Accumulating experience in real battles will naturally eliminate any inconsistencies. The downside is, of course, the danger."
"If that's the case, I've been regularly venturing into dungeons."
"That's not enough. You need to fight opponents of at least similar skill. And ideally, you should engage in practical combat not just against monsters, but also against people."
"..."
I thought of the Pleasure World App.
Among the fictional worlds I've seen, there's one that closely resembles reality. In that world, I can safely experience real combat. Even if I die in battle, my real-world self won't be harmed.
"What's the third method? What's the third method?"
"Mana Awakening. The Yeongcheon Style truly shines in practical combat, and its advanced techniques transcend dimensions.
Above all, with the power of Mana, my skills will undoubtedly improve as well."
My face remained grim.
Mana Awakening isn't something anyone can achieve. Most Hunters naturally awaken their Mana, but there are exceptions.
Professor Park mentioned it last time: 20% of D-Rank Hunters retire at that rank because they fail to awaken their Mana.
I know myself well.
Talent for Mana? There's no way. If I had any, the Potential Potion would have worked properly last time.
But it's too early to give up. I have the Pleasure World App. If I search through creative works, there might be a solution.
In the end, the Pleasure World App was the answer.
I relaxed my serious expression. My true ability wasn't the Yeongcheon Style, but the Pleasure World App itself. The Yeongcheon Style was merely a byproduct I'd obtained through the app.
"But what exactly are advanced techniques?"
"Huh? Se Young didn't teach you?"
"No."
All I knew was that there were advanced techniques that used mana, beyond the practical skills. I didn't know the details. Jin Seyoung had refused to teach me, saying it was too early.
Jin Woosung glanced at Jin Seyoung.
"It's still too early for Yujin. What if teaching her advanced techniques just gets her hopes up for nothing? Since she'll naturally achieve Mana Awakening anyway, I was planning to teach her then."
"It's true that you can't use it without Mana Awakening. But that doesn't mean I shouldn't teach you at all. You need to know what kind of Yeongcheon Style you're learning. Seyeong-ah, you're disqualified as a Master."
"What are you talking about? You've never even been interested in the Shadow Heaven Sword Hall."
"Ahem."
Jin Woosung cleared his throat awkwardly. While he was the owner of the Shadow Heaven Sword Hall, it was actually Jin Seyoung who had established it.
If I hadn't been around, he probably wouldn't have even set foot in the place today.
Having run out of arguments, Jin Woosung turned to me and said solemnly, "If you achieve Mana Awakening, you'll learn the Shadowheaven Qi Art.
This art teaches you how to manipulate Mana in accordance with the Yeongcheon Style.
Once you master it, you'll likely have to choose between two paths based on your natural talent."
"A choice?"
"Yes. Thunderlight and Dark Shadow. No matter how much I explain the theory, you won't understand without Mana Awakening.
Just remember that this is the realm you'll eventually reach. Seeing is believing, so I'll show you directly. Seyeong-ah, hand me the sword."
"Dad, please be careful! Don't go smashing walls again!"
"I'll try my best."
Jin Woosung accepted the sword.
"This is Thunderlight."
Crackling!
Pure white lightning coiled around the blade in Jin Woosung's hand.
"In truth, Thunderlight and Dark Shadow are the only advanced techniques. They're what upgrade your combat skills."
Jin Woosung assumed the Seogwang stance.
"Thunderlight is about speed. Se Young has a natural talent for it."
Jin Woosung swung his sword. A lightning-infused slash flew through the air and struck the wall. With a deafening crash, the wall crumbled, electricity crackling through the debris.
My mouth fell slightly open.
I hadn't seen how Jin Woosung had swung his sword at all. I had only witnessed the lightning-wrapped slash hurtling through the air.
...Insane. Is this the power of Mana?
The saying that Hunters only truly come into their own after achieving Mana Awakening at C-Rank suddenly resonated with me.
"Dark Shadow is Hidden. Even among the disciples of the Yeongcheon Style throughout history, few possessed the talent for Dark Shadow."
A viscous, pitch-black shadow materialized along the blade.
As Jin Woosung swung his sword, a dark slash flew toward the wall. The wall didn't shatter. Instead, the slash pierced through it, continuing its trajectory upward into the sky until it vanished.
"Actually, that's not how you're supposed to use Dark Shadow. Remember that."
"The wall's broken! I told you to take it easy!" Jin Seyoung shouted. Jin Woosung chuckled awkwardly and began to flee outside.
"Seyeong-ah, Dad has an important appointment to get to."
"What are you talking about?! Get back here!"
I left the father-daughter squabble behind and stared at the shattered and cracked walls.
Mana. Mana. Mana. I need to awaken my Mana!
BZZZZ.
My happiness circuits began firing as I imagined my future self.
Hey, hey, hey! Don't touch that woman. Unless you want to die.
...So it's come to this. I have no choice but to draw my sword...
Weep!!
Lightning Cut! I... I cut the lightning!
The ultimate Dark Shadow... is becoming the Dark Shadow myself!
"Kuh...!"
An involuntary exclamation escaped my lips.
I pulled out my smartphone and immediately searched for Mana-related creative works. There were a few, but none of them could actually trigger my Mana Awakening in the real world.
"...Once I reach level 30, new creative works will become available. I have no choice but to pin my hopes on those."