The Support Ate it All

One of the three skills I acquired as a special perk from the reincarnation quest was [Amplification].

It had the effect of raising the rank of a designated skill for the duration it was active.

For instance, my current F-rank [Amplification] could raise a skill’s rank by two levels for one minute.

An E-rank would become a C-rank, and a C-rank would turn into an A-rank.

The skill was powerful enough to warrant its one-hour cooldown time, despite being active for only a minute.

Swoosh!!

Contrary to moments before when Go Hyeon-woo was relentlessly pushed back each time their weapons clashed, he now stood his ground steadfastly, like a steel tower.

The sword sheath he gripped was swathed in a swirling blue energy.

This was only possible because the rank of his [Core] had risen from E to C.

Rather than just defend he now launched into an aggressive offense.

Han So-mi looked to be momentarily flustered by the sudden surge in Go Hyeon-woo’s momentum. However, she quickly regained her composure and dodged each of the incoming attacks before striking back.

The exchange between the two became much faster and more intense.

So much so that you couldn’t even see their movements if you didn’t concentrate.

Impressive.

Although one might expect Go Hyeon-woo to struggle with the sudden surge in mana, he adeptly managed it as if it had always been his own.

Like a fish that had found water.

I wish I could see his swordsmanship a bit more too.

[Duration 00:00:16]

That was probably asking for too much.

No matter what I wanted to see, there were limits with just one minute.

And it seemed likely that the outcome would be decided even before the duration ended.

Crack

“Damn!”

Go Hyeon-woo, in the midst of fighting, looked down abruptly.

His sword sheath had developed web-like cracks.

The very small crack that appeared while blocking Han So-mi’s blow continued to grow and eventually became like this.

Soon, the iron sword, along with a final cracking sound, broke in two along with its sheath.

If the material had been just a bit better, it might have withstood the attacks without cracking.

This was the limit of a cheap iron sword.

I’ve seen enough for now.

It had been quite an insightful time.

I uncapped the [Dark Ice Crystal] and poured its contents into my mouth in one go.

“Wha-!!”

Han So-mi was shocked at this scene.

She closed the distance in a flash and grabbed my hand, but the dark blue crystals had already vanished into my stomach.

Her face turned deathly pale.

“You, you ate that… If you eat it…”

What happens if you eat it?

At first, it feels as refreshing as gulping down a glass of ice.

But gradually, that coolness turns into a bone-chilling cold.

A sensation of everything inside, starting with the inner organs, freezing.

[‘Freezing’ status ailment is applied.]

For beginners first starting <Dragon Slayer Academy>, this Dark Ice Crystal is extremely deadly.

Even a piece as small as a fingernail can turn someone into an ice statue in an instant.

Of course, I’m an exception.

I possessed the S-rank [Elemental Resistance] after all.

[‘Freezing’ status ailment is removed.]

[‘Freezing’ status ailment is applied.]

[‘Freezing’ status ailment is removed.]

…….

The dark ice crystals continued to emit cold air, but it was immediately neutralized as if it were nothing.

While the chilling effect that harms players faded away, the immense energy contained in the crystal remained undiminished.

This energy accumulated steadily within my body.

The difference between poison and elixir is just a thin line.

If one could control the side effects of the poison, wouldn’t it become an elixir?

If the [Purgatory Lava] had appeared instead of the [Dark Ice Crystal], my body would have similarly tamed the flames and made them my own.

From the start, my confidence in [Elemental Resistance] led me to seek out this hidden piece.

“……”

“……”

Han So-mi’s face remained deathly pale.

She must have had some idea about the true nature of this dark ice crystal.

At the very least, she knew it was a dangerous item that students should neither possess nor consume.

So she must have expected me to freeze or collapse.

But as I just stood there, her complexion slowly returned to normal.

She asked me while carefully examining my face.

“…Are you okay?”

“Cough…!”

The moment Han So-mi asked if I was okay, I clutched my throat with both hands and contorted my face in agony.

Then I began to tremble violently, bending my body more and more.

“Kim-hyung!”

“Uh, Uh, I’ll go call the others right away!”

Just as Han So-mi was about to kick off from her spot to leave,

I returned to a relaxed expression and a normal posture as if nothing had happened.

“…that was just an act.”

“Ah!!”

“Hahaha. Kim-hyung, that’s too much of a prank.”

Han So-mi who realized that she had been fooled pointed her finger at me angrily, while Go Hyeon-woo burst into laughter.

I showed Han So-mi the empty bottle, shaking it.

“I don’t know what you thought it was, but this isn’t it, right? Didn’t you see it wrong?”

“…Is that so?”

[‘Freezing’ status ailment is removed.]

[‘Freezing’ status abnormality is applied.]

……

……

Even now at this very moment, a battle was still raging inside my body, but there was no need to divulge that fact to the others.

Han So-mi took the empty bottle from me and examined it closely.

However, since every last crumb of its contents had already entered my stomach, her effort was in vain.

“It can’t be; it was definitely that item.”

“I’m telling you, you saw it wrong.”

There seemed to be no clear evidence so I maintained my stance to the end.

Han So-mi had a very suspicious expression but there’s only so much one can do with suspicion alone.

She eventually had no choice but to pout her lips and to let us go.

“Both of you return to your cabin. Don’t ever use this again. Don’t even come near it!”

“Alright. Sorry for the trouble we caused. Here, drink this on your way.”

I casually offered her a [Vitamin Drink (E)] that came from the slot machine.

As per the description, it was good for skin care.

Han So-mi quickly snatched the vitamin drink from my hand.

“I don’t care; I’ll tell Cheon Hye about all of this.”

“Let’s go.”

“Miss Han, it was a good match. Until next time, then.”

Even as we left, Go Hyeon-woo courteously showed his respect.

As I was walking, I felt a stinging sensation in the back of my head and looked back to see Han So-mi still glaring at us.

When our eyes met, she tried hard to muster a scary expression while narrowing her eyes… but it didn’t quite work out.

She just looked cute.

* * *

“Do you think Miss Han was convinced?”

“No way. It was blatant deception; if she was convinced, she’d be a fool.”

“Then she will probably confront us again soon.”

“Absolutely. Even if Han So-mi lets it slide, the disciplinary committee won’t stay quiet.”

“Was it worth it, though?”

He meant whether the risk of friction with the disciplinary committee and the possibility of receiving demerit points at the start of the semester was worth it.

“Well, even if you call it friction, nobody got hurt, and it’s not like this will turn them completely against us. Compared to what we gained, it’s a minor issue.”

“Hmm… There’s some logic to that. Miss Han didn’t seem too upset either. So, what was the real nature of that glass bottle?”

“It’s a long story, but to put it simply, it’s like an elixir. Eating it builds up mana.”

I opened my palm to show him.

A handful of mana swirled and then vanished above my hand.

Go Hyeon-woo nodded in agreement.

“Indeed, if the only cost of this Elixir is minor friction, then it’s a profitable deal. I feel satisfaction in having helped Kim-hyung.”

“Normally, we wouldn’t even cross paths with the disciplinary committee, let alone have a conflict. But this time, we were just unlucky. Still, thanks to you holding her down, we managed well.”

“Haha… For me, it was like killing two birds with one stone. I got to help Kim-hyung and also got a glimpse of the swordsmanship of the Sword Marquis. Plus, thanks to Kim-hyung’s help, I could fight evenly with Miss Han until the end.”

Thanks to the [Amplification] that enhanced his core rank, he managed to exchange blows for nearly a minute with an opponent who would have defeated him quickly otherwise.

There was a lot to be gained just by reliving that battle.

Go Hyeon-woo clenched and unclenched his fists as if he had a lingering feeling of that overflowing power, and then asked me cautiously.

“If it’s not too much to ask… could I witness Kim-hyung’s technique again?”

“Not now. It’s a skill with limitations, so I can’t use it that frequently.”

There was also a one-hour cooldown in effect, and even if there wasn’t, I had no intention of revealing my full capabilities so carelessly.

Offering more serious support is something I’ll consider after we’ve built up more trust.

Go Hyeon-woo looked to be disappointed but he nodded his head in understanding.

“It can’t be helped then. I expected that since it was such a powerful technique, there would definitely be some limitations.”

“It’s not just for today. There will be other opportunities to use it in the future. Also,”

I handed over the [Mana 2%(D)] that had luckily dropped from the slot machine.

“This also came out. It’s your share.”

“…!”

As Go Hyeon-woo examined the item description, his eyes widened in surprise.

[Mana 2% (D)]

▷ Contains condensed mana.

▷ Slightly increases maximum mana when consumed.

“I’m not sure if I should accept such a valuable item.”

“I’ve received a lot of help from you, and you lent me 1 silver coin earlier. It’s only fair to give you this in return.”

“Still… Compared to 1 silver coin, this seems too generous.”

If Go Hyeon-woo hadn’t lent his strength, the plan with the slot machine would have fallen apart as soon as we ran into Han So-mi.

Since I was able to drink the [Dark Ice Crystal] giving him such item was not at all regrettable.

However, Go Hyeon-woo seemed hesitant to accept it.

I playfully tapped his shoulder.

“Just take it. If it bothers you that much, buy me a meal sometime.”

“That seems fair to my conscience. I think I saw a snack corner on the way here. How about I buy some snacks from there?”

“Sounds good to me.”

With light steps, we headed towards the snack corner.

***

When we returned, Seo Ye-in was still lying face down on the table, wandering in dreamland.

As we started to open the snacks we picked up from the snack corner, she finally began to stir from her sleep.

Her eyes were half-open, but she was still half-asleep.

“You’re awake.”

“Would you like some, Miss Seo?”

“…Yeah.”

Her slender, pale hand briefly fumbled among the snacks before picking up a stick-shaped one.

Seo Ye-in brought it to her mouth and started nibbling at it, starting from the tip.

As I watched her eat more and more, I realized that she preferred light over just sweet.

It wasn’t a mistake that her homemade cookies lacked sugar; it was purely her taste preference.

“Ooh, what are these sweets made of? They have a truly unique flavor.”

On the other hand, Go Hyeon-woo would put any snack in his mouth regardless of whether it was light, sweet, spicy, or salty.

He popped them into his mouth without hesitation, savoring each one and exclaiming in delight.

“Is it that good?”

“Since my sect is deep in the mountains, we rarely get a chance to try such things. Now and then, gifts from my master’s close friends were all we got.”

“Yeah, it can’t be helped for a sect deep in the mountains.”

I pushed the snack bag toward him.

Go Hyeon-woo, who was savoring a chicken leg-shaped snack, suddenly looked out the window and asked,

“How much longer until we arrive?”

“Almost there, I think?”

The reason I answered that way was because everything outside the window was blue.

A lake so vast it reminded one of the sea.

The train had been crossing the middle of this enormous lake for some time.

Looking out the window, it almost seemed as though the train was running on water, but in reality, it was traveling on tracks laid shallowly on the water’s surface.

I pointed toward an island with only a vague outline visible in front of us.

“We just need to get there, so it won’t be long.”

“Indeed, we should arrive in no more than a quarter of an hour.”

The huge lake and the island at its center.

A strange island made up of countless dungeons, called “Dungeon Island”, was the final stop of this train.

In the past, Dungeon Island was a lawless zone swarming with all sorts of criminals.

From the perspective of someone fleeing, they just need to select and hide in a dungeon with a moderate level of danger.

On the other hand, those in pursuit had to first figure out which dungeon the escaping fugitive was hiding in, and even if they were lucky to find it, a complicated chase awaited them inside the dungeon.

Therefore, it was a place that was abandoned as a lawless area for a long time.

Then one day, the first hero and dragon slayer set foot on this Dungeon Island.

He swept away all the criminals without leaving any behind.

He conquered the dungeons completely.

He founded a city and established an academy.

This was the Dragon Slayer Academy.

The once blurry image of Dungeon Island gradually became clearer.

As the land neared, the train slowed down, and by the time the blue view outside the window transformed into well-paved roads, the train finally came to a complete stop.

Go Hyeon-woo had been reveling in his own snack festival among the bags of snacks until then.

When it was time to leave, he gathered the bags together and crushed them into one bundle, even though he still had quite a bit of snacks left.

He tossed the combined mass lightly into a trash bin and declared,

“We’ve arrived. Let’s get up.”

Seo Ye-in, who had been dozing off and on, stretched herself in her seat.

Her clothes are all messed up, likely because she slept against the table or wall.

I couldn’t help myself and tugged at her clothes to straighten them out.

Upon disembarking from the train, we were surrounded by a bustling crowd of students.

A red-haired female student’s wand sparked with a small flame.

A palm-sized cat was perched on the shoulder of a timid-looking girl.

It was swiping at the continuously passing students with tiny ‘meow punches’.

Everyone’s individuality was so pronounced that finding someone ordinary seemed like a more difficult task.

The presence of so many distinctly unique students in one place only added to the sense of chaos.

“First years! First years, this way!”

“Don’t come this way! Don’t follow the upperclassmen!”

“Hey, grab that one!”

Senior students wearing disciplinary committee armbands were waving their batons and shouting at the top of their lungs.

Because the second-and third-year students and freshmen had different destinations, the seniors stopped the freshmen who were attempting to follow them and guided them in a specific direction.

Having been to the island more than once, I could navigate Dungeon Island with my eyes closed.

Following the disciplinary committee member’s directions led to a large auditorium where the entrance ceremony would be held.

The three of us were simply following the student ahead, focusing only on the back of their head.

However, along the way someone blocked our path.

“……”

Song Cheon-hye crossed her arms and glared at me with an expression that screamed, “I’ve caught you red-handed!”

Sparks of faint electricity crackled from the glove she wore on one of her hands as if she was putting on a show of force.

Ninety-nine out of a hundred, she must have come to confront me because of the incident that happened at the slot machine earlier.

Though there was no concrete evidence on her side,

It seemed neat from my perspective to tie up loose ends here and now.

“Please, follow me for a moment.”

“Do I have to accompany you as well?”

When Go Hyeon-woo asked, Song Cheon-hye shifted her gaze to him.

“I heard you sparred with So-mi.”

“Upon hearing that she was the disciple of the sword marquis, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of rivalry.”

“Next time, I would appreciate it if you could discern the time and place more appropriately. If a similar incident occurs again, I won’t let it slide so easily.”

“I’ll bear that in mind.”

It seems this time she chose not to make an issue out of the fact that he helped me.

That’s good.

I waved lightly at Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in.

“Don’t worry, go ahead without me.”

“I understand. We’ll save you a seat. Miss Seo.”

“……”

Seo Ye-in, with her sleepy eyes that made it hard to guess her thoughts, alternated her gaze between me and Song Cheon-hye.

When Go Hyeon-woo urged her, she nodded her head slightly and then headed towards the auditorium with him.

As I watched the two of them walk away, Song Cheon-hye also started to move.

“This way.”

“Let’s go.”