Chapter 40 : Swordsmanship Training #7 - No Kidding, I’m an Extra

"Oh, I'm so sleepy. Really." Maybe it was because I worked hard yesterday? As the theory class went on, drowsiness slowly crept over me. The theory class mostly covered the history since the first large-scale Gate opened during the Dimension War, battle strength between various factions, and the relationships of power. It encompassed everything a hero must know. There's so much to memorize. Nevertheless, lunchtime inevitably arrived. "Kyaa! Si Hu! Let's go eat!" "Hold on. Before that, we have lunchtime training today." Si Hu spoke with a firm expression. "What! Training before eating?" "Just for about 20 minutes. We can eat afterward, right?" "Well, alright. I was planning to head to the school store today anyway." "Heh, the school store sounds good. Are we betting on the meal today?" "Of course." The classmates who had been sitting in the classroom gradually started to leave. Now it was just Si Hu and me. —Swoosh. I drew the sword that had been propped up beside the desk and took the stance Si Hu had taught me. "Wow. Geun Cheol, your stance is better than yesterday." "I practiced continuously in my room. I even trained in the nude to increase efficiency." "Wha-what?! In the nude?!" "Yeah, I mean, I was alone anyway." "What does that have to do with anything?!" Si Hu's face turned red as he yelled. He clearly doesn't understand the advantages of training in the nude: there's no need to change out of clothes when you shower right after. "Geun Cheol, please...!" "Anyway, let's move on. Shall we try the next move?" "Yeah, go ahead." I swiftly shifted my stance, stepping forward and raising the sword to execute a downward slash. —Whoosh! The blade fell gracefully, like a guillotine. "Nice. You're holding your stance well." "Hehehe, I've practiced a lot." "But you still need more practice." Of course. In any case, I received feedback on my stance and listened to Si Hu's explanations about swordsmanship. "Geun Cheol, modern hero swordsmanship is inspired by medieval civilian swordsmanship." "Why borrow from civilian swordsmanship? Didn't they usually fight in armor during medieval times?" I'm not entirely sure, but when I think medieval, I think armor. Is there a reason to take inspiration from civilian swordsmanship? "That's fine. In real battles, you never fight without wrapping your sword in aura. To inflict damage on monsters, you must envelop the sword in aura, and whether it's armor or shells, it becomes meaningless once aura is involved." "Ah, so to a hero wielding a sword, everything in this world is considered 'civilian' attire?" "Exactly, Geun Cheol. You're quick to understand." "Hehe, I do have a rather sharp mind." "That confidence of yours. Anyway, modern hero swordsmanship is based on fighting with the sword enveloped in aura. Always keep that in mind." "Got it." As we continued, 20 minutes flew by. Well, this is good. A diligent student utilizes lunchtime efficiently. "Then Si Hu! Let's go eat!" "Let's go!" With that, Si Hu and I headed towards the school store. Today, I'll have spicy beef soup and Zero Cola for the meal bet. I'll also add a hot bar to supplement protein. But even with meal coupons, considering the future, I might need to get a part-time job. —Step. As we approached the store at that moment. "Huh?" I witnessed a peculiar scene. "Isn't that Ryu Cheon-hwi?" "Hmm? It is." Ryu Cheon-hwi was standing at the vending machine in front of the store with his arms crossed, glaring at it. Then, as if displeased, he swiped his card against the machine. —Beep. He got a drink. And that drink was. "Ryu, Ryu Cheon-hwi! Did you just get a cola?!" "Uhk?! N-No way! Were you following me, you Taliban terrorist?!" Startled, Ryu Cheon-hwi hastily shoved the cola into his pocket, trying to change the subject. Naturally, it doesn't work on me! "Terrorist, huh! You got a cola, didn't you?!" "S-So what if I did...!" His face turned bright red. He looks like a beet, not just red. "Hehe, it must have been delicious, huh? The cola." "Don't talk nonsense! I was merely engaging in bomb disposal!" Bomb disposal, my foot! "Hehahahaha!" Si Hu burst into laughter, clutching his stomach at such an absurd excuse. "Si Hu! Are you mocking me?! Fine! Then let's test our skills right here!" "N-No! Cheon-hwi, I'm laughing because it was funny, not because I'm mocking you!" "What did you say!!!" "Hey, hey. Ryu Cheon-hwi." —Swish. "Enough. Let's just drink the cola." I went right up to him and bought a cola from the machine. —Clunk. "So, I was doing bomb disposal...!" "Sure. Whatever." I opened the cola. And took a sip. —Gulp. "Ah! This taste, right? What are you waiting for? Drink it already." "I can't possibly consume an explosive...!" "Then why buy one?" "I can't leave hazardous materials unattended! Ugh!" His embarrassment peaked, and he began to turn away. Hold on. If he likes cola, he might like this too. "Hey. Ryu Cheon-hwi. Hang on." "What is it!" "Si Hu. Hold Ryu Cheon-hwi for a moment." "Okay." Leaving it to Si Hu, I entered the store. I grabbed three meal bets, paid, and microwaved them for 1 minute and 20 seconds. —Beep. Beep. Beep. That completed a supreme dish. I brought out the heated package. "Hey. Let's eat these." "Ah, Geun Cheol. I'll pay." "It's today's lesson fee. Hey, Ryu Cheon-hwi. Here, take one too." I offered him one of the meal bets. "Hah! What is this explosion now? It looks like a plastic bomb!" "What’s wrong with your eyes?" As expected, the response wasn’t great. "I'm not some beggar looking for handouts. Do you think I’d accept such a thing from the likes of you? I’d rather use a beggar’s bucket!" "Hehehe, you’re full of crap." —Tear. I opened the meal bet and began eating. Crispy, fried bread. Sauce. And beautifully blended mixed meat. I took a big bite, relishing the burst of flavors and juices in my mouth. This is a true delicacy. "This is a real explosion of flavors... a taste explosion. Ryu Cheon-hwi. Are you sure you’re not going to eat? It’s on par with cola." "On par with cola...!" Interest started to flicker across his face. "If you’re not eating, just go away. You’re interrupting my enjoyment." "Shut up, you Taliban punk!" —Whoosh! Ryu Cheon-hwi snatched the meal bet from my hands aggressively. "If you wanted me to inspect a bomb, just say so! The Ryu Group handles explosives too!" And with that, he turned away, muttering nonsense as he walked off. "Look at that guy, he's a natural comedian." He really knows how to utilize explosive-themed jokes skillfully. "Seems like Cheon-hwi actually wanted to eat it." "He does have a bit of a cheap taste palette." "But Geun Cheol, you seem to have great social skills. Like a capybara." "It's just that Ryu Cheon-hwi is easygoing." —... I watched Ryu Cheon-hwi’s retreating back. Though he’s a bit spoiled from a rich family, the fact that he gave me meal tickets shows he's fundamentally a decent guy. Wanting to be friends with someone like that is only natural, isn’t it? Especially since meal tickets kinda enhance goodwill. * * * The long-awaited end of the school day. "Si Hu, see you later." "Having two mentors… Do your best, Geun Cheol. As your first mentor, I won't forgive you if you mess up." He's a little miffed. "I got it, man. I’ll do my best, so don’t worry. Oh, are we hitting the gym after this?" "No, I’ll rest today." "Heh, suit yourself." After bidding farewell to Si Hu, I turned to Leona. "Kim Geun Cheol? Just a word, make sure to have dinner no matter what. Don’t starve somewhere." "Are you my mom?" She's showing motherly concern. "Well, more like a godmother than a mother." A godmother, huh... It does kind of feel that way. "But 'godmother' sounds a bit distant. How about 'aunt' to make it feel closer?" "Aunt my foot!!! That makes me sound old!!!" "With your fluent Korean, you're perfect for a rustic soup restaurant aunt." "My noble appearance is not suited for a soup restaurant aunt! Hmph! Kim Geun Cheol, just focus on your sword training!" "Yes, ma'am." After finishing up with friends. "Hey, you seem to have more friends than I thought?" Yuri sidled up next to me. "I’m the kind of person who’s a corpse without friends. But Yuri, where are we doing this?" "Yuri... Aren’t you too casual with my name?" She looked at me. "Hehe, you call me Kim Geun Cheol, so why worry about things like that? Should I give you a nickname instead?" "What nickname are you thinking of?" "Milkri, because you're 'Yuri'." "Do you want to die, you jerk?" "Oh." "Maybe you suggested it as a joke, but that's a nickname I’ve heard all my life." "Is that so?" I thought it was a clever nickname but it seems like there were many who beat me to it! I should apologize. "Hey! I’m sorry! Just let it go this once!" "It's not something worth apologizing for... this isn’t a big deal..." Is it okay? "Call me whatever you want. Let's head to the training ground. It's more convenient there." "Alright." Looks like today I’ll be going to the training ground with Yuri. I usually went with Si Hu or alone, so this is a first. —Click. Together we entered the training area. Immediately turning on the kiosk, we set it to the personal training option and withdrew two practice swords. —Whoosh. The same training sword used in matches. "Here." "Thanks." I tossed one to Milkri and grabbed one myself. She deftly wrapped her sword in a force field as soon as she grabbed it. "Okay, from today we’ll have a simple lesson. Follow along, alright? I believe when I teach, I must do it properly." "Don’t worry. Like I said, I have reasons to get stronger." "..." Milkri looked at me curiously. "Yeah, that’s right. Stand in front." "Sure." "It's my opinion that you need to eliminate your fear of attacks first. Do you agree?" "Absolutely, I agree." "Heh, good understanding. If you’re going to be whining and making a fuss, we should fix that first... you." "Yeah." "From now on, don’t blink, not once. Keep your eyes wide open and your mouth shut." "B-" Just as I was about to agree, —Swish! Suddenly, Milkri’s sword came rushing towards my face! "Whoa! What the heck!!!" "Hey! I told you to be quiet!" "What the heck is this all of a sudden?!" "Training has started!" Ah. So it’s like that? "I won’t hit you, so stay still. From now on, I’ll be repeatedly stopping the sword in front of your eyes. If you blink, you lose points. Keep your eyes on the blade the whole time. You need to build nerves first, so that’s what this training is for." Got it. So I just stand still and watch the blade come flying at me. Since I won’t get hit, there’s no need to scream. And don’t blink either. "Okay. I understand. Start. I’ll be serious about it." "The look in your eyes is promising. Ready, Kim Geun Cheol? Here I come." "Bring it on!" —Whoosh! The sword wrapped in a green aura flew straight toward my eyes. I had to stifle a scream, focusing intently on the fast-approaching, green flash. "Hnnng...!" Even though I knew it wouldn't hit me, it's going to take some time to get used to this!