SWNOVELS Chapter 3: Entrance Ceremony (2)
TL/Editor: looloo
Schedule: N/A
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"Huff."
Hong Yuhwa took a deep breath.
Then, she gathered her knees neatly, sat down, and began to steady her breathing. Her very posture was like a portrait.
Her opponent was formidable.
The Magma Lizard, with its high resistance to fire, was a tricky enemy for her.
The battle had lasted around 30 minutes. At the end of that heated fight, she clenched the victory.
The Magma Lizard ultimately succumbed to her 'Crimson Flame,' turning to ashes.
Hong Yuhwa shifted her gaze, confident that at this speed, she would be in the top three at least.
There was no helping her speed.
Because she chose a different path in magic than others, battles like this were bound to be disadvantageous.
With an elegant stride, Hong Yuhwa exited through the portal.
The hall was sparse compared to before, considering around 3000 people had left. Still, something felt odd.
Some kind of bustling movement.
"Hey, what's happening?"
"Ah, the lady is here."
Scouts from her own guild were moving busily.
[Confirmation: Test taker no. 0005, Hong Yuhwa. Exam time 00:31:17.]
The results from the Tower of Trials appeared on her retina.
[Hong Yu-hwa’s record 00:31:17. Rank 4.]
A window popped up in front of her showing the ranking.
But the results were beyond comprehension.
"...4th?"
That couldn't be right.
She couldn't just be, just be in 4th place.
Hong Yuhwa moved her gaze.
To the electronic board right in front of her.
There were records of those who had cleared faster than her.
[Lee Seoha: record 00:01:22, rank 1.]
[Kim Seohyun: record 00:11:55, rank 2.]
[Ersil Merhen: record 00:17:12, rank 3.]
[Hong Yuhwa: record 00:31:17, rank 4.]
“….”
Hong Yuhwa's eyes trembled. The Tower of Trials was fair.
Thirty years of history and the mysteries of this world guaranteed it.
That's why she couldn't believe it. Had someone really passed the trials in just 1 minute 22 seconds? And a new student of the Korea Hero Academy at that?
In this world, countless people exist, as do countless hidden masters. Yu-hwa, remember this and live humbly.
Suddenly, her grandfather's words came to mind.
Clutching her fists.
Hong Yuhwa closed her eyes, biting her lips tightly.
With the name Lee Seoha etched in her mind, Hong Yuhwa turned to leave.
---
Raei Translations
---
"Ugh."
Only when I collapsed onto the bed did I feel like I could live.
Was it because I was too tense?
My body was sore.
'But this is quite something.'
I looked around.
A penthouse exceeding 165 square meters. Inside, there were various essential items such as magic-infused bedding and automated cleaning machines. Was this the room assigned to me?
And it's free. It's so important that I'll say it again.
It's free.
The top student in the grade gets the best room, then the next highest ranked student, and so on. The third, fourth, fifth, they each get a room that's slightly less impressive.
While it's not as luxurious as my penthouse, it's still a fairly nice room.
'It's truly extraordinary.'
Students from all over the world come here, and to them, this might not seem special. But to my eyes, this is an incredibly unusual privilege.
Giving a penthouse to an ordinary student.
Well, it's a good thing for me.
"I wonder what I will get."
I pulled out a dark-colored wooden box, filled with anticipation.
The reward given by the Tower of Trials.
'Could it be the Pill of Moon Spirit, or the Pill of the Sun? Or perhaps the Pill of Heavenly Lord?'
Inside the dark-colored wooden box was a single black pill. It was none of the three I mentioned above.
But I felt even more excited. This was exactly what I needed right now.
Emotion.
───────────────────────────
【Pill of Spiritual Ability (A-)】
Allows the user to awaken their 'Spiritual Ability'.
: Upon consumption, it maximizes the latent potential of the physical body.
: Upon consumption, it awakens the Nyeom (念).
: Upon consumption, magic ability permanently drops by 30%.
───────────────────────────
"Jackpot."
The performance is certain.
Despite being merely a spiritual pill, it has an A grade. It got a minus grade due to the penalty of magic ability decrease.contemporary romance
Ordinarily, this decrease would be significant, but my current magic power is 0. In other words, the penalty exists, but it has no meaning to me.
'I have no intention of learning magic.'
I'm late to the starting line.
There's no one to dispute my top rank in the entrance exam right now, but as time goes by, the chances of people realizing that I have nothing will increase.
So I reject the ordinary route.
'With the Pill of Spiritual Ability, I might need to revise my plan.'
While maximizing latent ability is a good effect, the true power of this spiritual pill is in awakening the Nyeom (念) ability.
'Should I start growing now?'
I earned a whopping 8,000P from this exam.
The store is full of alluring talents and physiques, such as the Dominator of Magic, Sword Heaven, and Heaven's Dance.
Each promises impressive powers if acquired.
Yet, for now, they're all out of reach.
If I could start with these, it would be a different story. But pouring my points into them at this stage would hinder my progress too much.
'I need to secure a talent that's immediately usable, offers great potential, and has strong growth prospects.'
There's one talent the pros always strive for first.
───────────────────────────
【Nimble Hands (B+)】
Enhances the flexibility of your hands and improves your skills.
: Applies additional improvements to all parts of the physical body.
───────────────────────────
The description is straightforward.
But it's among the talents that provide diverse advantages from the get-go and remain useful till the end.
Nimble Hands affects the overall combat and significantly impacts essential pro skills like cooking, alchemy, and blacksmithing.
'I want to give it a small test.'
There's a dartboard on one side of the wall. I toss a dart at it.
Thud!
The dart sails straight and lodges in the center.
'Better than expected?'
I've only thrown a few darts before, but I didn't anticipate this noticeable effect.
Satisfied, I glance at my shopping cart.
'Should I go for it?'
After buying Nimble Hands, I undress and step into the bathroom, which is about the size of my studio apartment.
I get into the bathtub.
I turn on the water and calmly take out the Pill of Spiritual Ability.
Spiritual Ability. It's a spiritual power. While magic leverages the physical forces that construct this world, spiritual ability draws on mental strength.
In the future, Kim Seohyun will awaken to this spiritual ability and develop a resistance against all forms of psychic powers.
'I seem to recall becoming slightly more feminine from that point.'
I suddenly remember a theory a pro gamer suggested, saying that Kim Seohyun is a tomboy. But it seems unlikely.
I pop a black pill into my mouth.
Crunch.
A sweet and sour flavor floods my mouth. The taste of the spiritual pill is fun.
It's like a jelly, fizzy like zero cola with a hint of lemon.
I chew it thoroughly before swallowing since it boosts the pill's effectiveness.
As the spiritual pill settles, I feel something moving inside me, and I black out.
---
Raei Translations
---
"Ugh!"
My stomach lurches, a disgusting smell filling the room. I scramble out of the bathtub, retching.
What on earth is this terrible odor?
Feeling dizzy, I take a look at the bathtub.
The water I was soaking in now has a layer of black liquid floating on top.
Waste.
The Spirit Stone, a spiritual medicine that unlocks potential, often triggers this kind of bodily cleanse. It's somewhat unsettling to think that this was inside me.
I flex my arm.
There's a sense of lightness, a feeling of rebirth. I've mentioned that it feels like being born again, and it truly does. My body feels noticeably lighter, nimbler, full of energy.
"Phew, not too bad."
Standing up to look in the mirror, I notice my skin is a shade paler.
My original appearance wasn't terrible, but after customization, I transformed into an exceptionally attractive man who needs no further tweaking.
"Status."
▼
[Name: Lee Seoha]
Strength: 3, Agility: 5, Stamina: 5, Magic: 0, Spirit: 5, Talent: 5,
◈Talents
-「Talent Reading(-)」「Nimble Hands(B+)」
◈Skills
-None
◈Physique
-「Body Against Heaven(S-)」
My strength went up by 1, while agility and stamina each shot up by 3.
Spirit seems to have gotten a boost from the Spirit Stone.
After all, Nyeom is a power closely linked with mental strength.
Nimble Hands seems to have bumped my talent up to 5.
'......but is my potential merely 3 or 5 even after full activation?'
It feels a bit underwhelming.
If I had given this to someone else, they would have seen an increase of at least 7.
'Well, there are many other ways to get stronger.'
There's no point obsessing over this. I shrug it off and sit down on the bathroom floor.
Closing my eyes, I concentrate.
I'm trying to feel the spiritual power that has taken root within me.
'I think I feel something.'
It's like there's an odd power squirming inside me.
This power responds to my will.
It's a curious and entertaining sensation.
I glance around. A yellow rubber duck catches my eye.
Move, move.
Focusing my Nyeom on the rubber duck, I keep my eyes on it.
Float.
Incredibly, the rubber duck hovers in the air.
This is Spirit Power. It's a fundamental power that exerts physical force through spiritual energy.
Naturally, this is not its only application.
Though it's weak now, as I mature, the Nyeom could unleash unimaginable power.
'I'm feeling a little dizzy.'
5 seconds.
Merely levitating the toy duck for a brief 5 seconds makes me feel light-headed.
I stop making the toy float and slowly regain my breath.
It's unfortunate.
If I had magic power, I could do so much more, but without it, I've hit a wall. It's a shame that my Body Against Heaven prevents me from gaining magic power.
[You have used Nyeom for the first time! As a reward, 1,500P is granted. Furthermore, the magic stat and mental ability have been combined and replaced with the special stat Nyeom (念).]
[With the replacement of the magic stat and mental ability by Nyeom (念), all abilities are enhanced.]
I read the information about Nyeom. The more I read, the more intrigued I become.
...On second thought, I don't think magic is that necessary.
Long live the system.
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