After brushing off the unarmed combat instructor by claiming he didn't know anything and sending him away, Do-yoon fell deep into thought in the middle of the corridor.
"A guy who's not even Hecleus's disciple, using his fist art?"
It was utterly incomprehensible. No matter how much he pondered, he couldn't piece together the circumstances.
Part of him wanted to track down this Hwang Bo-jun and demand answers, but the man had already died on the battlefield.
"...I need to meet the Holy King."
He'd gather what information he could for now, but it probably wouldn't yield any real answers.
He could just let it go, chalk it up to the past. Knowing wouldn't bring any benefits, after all.
But the image of Hecleus joyfully embracing his new disciple kept flashing in his mind, making it impossible to move on.
Learning in history class just yesterday that the Fist Emperor had died only made it worse.
That rugged brute grinning with idiotic innocence, pulling his disciple into a tight hug. The scene wouldn't leave his head.
"Who knows when it'll happen."
You couldn't just waltz up to a king whenever you felt like it.
But someday, he'd meet the Holy King and ask. What had happened to his friend?
"And... I'll make his name known."
The techniques the so-called Holy King wielded now? Their true master was Fist Emperor Hecleus. The fist protecting the Alliance was Hecleus's. He'd spread that truth far and wide.
As a comrade, he had to.
"..."
As Do-yoon stood lost in thought, someone approached him from behind.
"Um..."
Come to think of it, there had been one person tailing him while hiding their presence.
Do-yoon turned to check her face. Standing there behind him, fidgeting awkwardly with her hips, was someone entirely unexpected.
"Cadet Han Do-yoon...?"
The girl who had left a deep impression on every male cadet during the mana test. Cadet Sophie.
"Yes. Uh... Cadet Sophie."
"Y-Yes? Oh, uh..."
Was she surprised that he knew her name? Sophie's eyes widened in fluster.
For a moment, his gaze lingered on her mysterious pink irises. But it quickly dropped to her subtly twitching hips.
"...Impressive."
Up close, it was... devastatingly destructive. No red-blooded man could look away.
Right in front of him, her cadet uniform—which should have been slightly loose—clung like leggings, outlining her Y-zone with crystal-clear, neat folds. And between them, plump, axe-like... uh...
"N-No underwear?"
Do-yoon jolted at his own perversion and snapped his eyes back up.
How long had he stared? Sophie's expression hadn't changed, so thankfully it must have been just a split second. He sighed inwardly in relief.
Cute features with a slightly tense look. A face brimming with innocence that stirred a man's protective instincts and sadistic urges.
Snow-white hair and porcelain skin. Pink eyes and a small horn protruding from her forehead, wrapped in cloth—it all gave off an otherworldly mystique.
"...I must have seen wrong."
He couldn't imagine a face like hers boldly going commando. Do-yoon decided not to trust his own eyes.
He didn't have the guts to look down again. That glimpse had been a mistake. Truly.
He forced a calm expression.
"What can I do for you?"
"Why... aren't you in unarmed combat class...?"
"Pardon?"
He was saying "Pardon?" like an idiot more than usual today.
It wasn't a shocking topic, but for her to tail him just to ask? And they had no real connection, so it felt a bit out of the blue.
Still, he should answer.
"Well... I wanted to try something new."
"Ah... I see."
Sophie murmured softly, her disappointment evident.
"Pretty voice too."
It was thin yet sultry in just the right way—like it tickled your ear. Something about this girl was inexplicably sexy, even her voice.
And with that, the conversation stalled.
"...Is that all?"
A brief silence fell. Sophie seemed to have impulsively charged in without a plan for what came next; she looked seriously flustered by the quiet.
She started fidgeting with her fingers, her ear tips flushing red. She must be introverted, struggling in this atmosphere. Do-yoon had no idea what courage had made her follow him.
"Was skipping unarmed combat that disappointing?"
Maybe it was the same curiosity as the instructor's. He could understand it, at least a little.
"Uh... I... um..."
Sophie wiggled her fingers, her pupils shaking as she desperately fished for something to say.
...But why were her hips twitching? It didn't seem like a deliberate tease—just an unconscious habit. This girl oozed sexiness from every pore.
Sensing her gaze fixed on the floor instead of him, Do-yoon's eyes naturally drifted to her lower body again. ...Another accident. Really.
But this time, he didn't dwell on the naughty bits.
Soft and bouncy with feminine allure, yet toned to perfection with a subtle healthy glow.
As a man, sure—but as a martial artist, his eyes kept going back. The more he looked, the more he admired. Perfect body for leg techniques. A natural gift.
⚔ STATUS ⚔⚡ Strength: Level 2💨 Agility: Level 4✨ Mana: Level 3💪 Stamina: Level 1🛡️ Toughness: Level 2Name: Sophie Race: Half-Human · Unicorn / Spiritual Beast Species Affiliation: - Talent: Genius
Innate Traits:
[Blasphemy Punishment] [Pledge of Purity]
Skills:
[Leg Technique Lv. 2 Rate E] [Purification Lv. - Rate B] [Heavenly Bow Illusion Flight Lv. - Rate A]⚔ STATUS ⚔⚡ Strength: Level 5💨 Agility: Level 2✨ Mana: Level 1💪 Stamina: Level 7🛡️ Toughness: Level 4Name: Han Do-yoon Race: Human / Divine Beast Affiliation: - Talent: Genius
Innate Traits:
[Trauma (Satiety Obsession)] [Divine Beast] [Acquired Genius] [First Războinic] [First Guild Master]
Skills:
[Războinic Style Mana Circulation Lv. 1 Rate D] [Hecleus Style - Straight Punch Lv. 1 Rate S] [Javelin Throw Lv. 1 Rate B]⚔ STATUS ⚔⚡ Strength: Level 1💨 Agility: Level 1✨ Mana: Level 2💪 Stamina: Level 2🛡️ Toughness: Level 3Name: Debussy Race: Vampire Affiliation: - Talent: Talented
Innate Traits:
[Weakness Exposure - Silver] [Weakness Exposure - Holy]
Skills:
[Spear Arts Lv. 1 Rate F] [Javelin Throw Lv. 1 Rate F] [Bloodsucking Lv. 1 Rate C]
Do-yoon gazed at Sophie's status window with deep satisfaction.
"As expected."
Outstanding.
According to the instructor, having even one level 3 initial stat marked you as talented enough to be treated well anywhere. Level 4 all but guaranteed top spot at the Cradle.
From what Do-yoon had observed so far, he agreed. Among the cadets he'd seen, Sophie was the only one with a level 4 stat.
Her stats were incomparably higher than her peers'. And she'd generated the [Leg Technique] skill, even reaching level 2—the only cadet he'd seen do so.
"Her strengths shine in Agility. Mana talent is top-notch too. Growth potential is unmatched."
Stamina was a weak point, but that could be trained.
Plus, her two innate skills had high rates.
From class lectures, even among heroes, S-rate skills were rare—treated as near-divine powers, hard to even glimpse.
The next tier, A-rate. If word spread that a freshman like Sophie had an A-rate skill, guilds would swarm her like sharks.
"Purification makes sense."
Do-yoon pulled up details on the A-rate [Heavenly Bow Illusion Flight].
⚙ SKILL DETAILS ⚙[Heavenly Bow Illusion Flight]
(Lv. - Rate A)
The innate power of the illusory spiritual beast, the unicorn. You can travel anywhere in the world where a rainbow appears.
"...?"
Do-yoon doubted his eyes for a moment.
"Anywhere in the world...?"
Drawing on centuries of experience, Do-yoon ran the calculations. And reached a conclusion.
"...Jackpot."
He didn't know the cooldown or costs yet, but no distance limit? Insanely powerful.
The timing constraint was huge. If it were looser, it'd be S-rank for sure.
Even so, this was treasure.
"I'm taking her with me."
He'd already liked her potential; now its value skyrocketed.
Do-yoon resolved to bring Sophie along and raise her.
"But... unicorn?"
Intrigued by the skill description, Do-yoon looked up at her race info.
[Race: Half-Human · Unicorn / Spiritual Beast Species]
"Beastkin, huh?"
Not surprising.
This world had pure and pseudo-beastkin. Pseudo ones looked almost human, with very subtle traits.
"Sophie must be..."
He glanced back at her lower body and forehead. It clicked.
He wasn't sure exactly what unicorns were, but clearly horse-like. Her legs said it all.
And the small horn on her forehead, wrapped in cloth. Some horned horse species, probably.
Do-yoon shifted to her traits. [Pledge of Purity]. [Blasphemy Punishment]. No clue from names alone.
He checked [Blasphemy Punishment] first.
⚙ TRAIT DETAILS ⚙[Blasphemy Punishment]
The innate power of the illusory spiritual beast, the unicorn. Your nature despises blasphemy. All stats increase by 10% when facing non-virgins or non-virgins.
"...?"
Do-yoon doubted his eyes again. The effect was that bizarre.
"What the hell?"
What kind of creature was a unicorn to have such an absurd power?
"But... the effect is excellent."
Conditional 10% to all stats. And generous conditions. If traits had ranks, it'd be A for sure.
"...Gotta look up unicorns soon."
Do-yoon tabled the question for now.
Next trait.
The ominously named [Pledge of Purity].
"..."
After a moment's hesitation, Do-yoon finally pulled up the trait info.