I Became the Only Non-mage in the Academy

At the sight of the Heavenly Demon…

I felt a bit relieved.

But I didn’t let my guard down. As far as I knew, she was the most capricious woman in the Brigade of Eternal Heaven. One wrong move, and I could be dead.

[Conceptual Stat Energy of Defying Heaven increased by 2.]

A part of the Mine, Tak Yoon-il’s, corpse, was absorbed by me. Feeling a significant recovery in my Energy of Defying Heaven, I looked at Black Heaven and conversed through Nyeom.

‘Black Heaven.’

-Understood. I’ll get ready.

Black Heaven spoke with a stern expression.

I might have to use the last resort I had been saving…

Another ability of the Black Heavenly Demon Sword, hidden within.

I looked at the woman.

She had an elegant aura, wearing a Chinese traditional dress with a black background and red lines. She seemed to blend naturally with her surroundings.

She was capable of it.

She was, after all, a villain of the Brigade of Eternal Heaven.

And belonging to the Brigade of Eternal Heaven meant she was at least a formidable opponent. Moreover, she was a case specialized in combat, possibly on par with or stronger than Mine-ized Tak Yoon-il.

“Heavenly Demon?”

Kim Seo-hyun reacted first. He didn’t possess the martial vein of the Heavenly Demon.

“Yes, Heavenly Demon. Not a fake or a false entity’s creation, but the real one.”

The woman spoke in a calm manner.

She looked at me with a playful glint in her eyes.

“Oh, I haven’t introduced myself. I am a member of the Brigade of Eternal Heaven… Just call me Witch Maiden for convenience. Yes, that’s right. I belong to what they call villains.”

Kim Seo-hyun silently raised her Winter Sword. Park Woon-hyuk was panting, pouring a potion onto his stomach. He had been injured while getting a hit from Tak Yoon-il.

I handed him a potion from my subspace.

“What’s this?”

“It’s better than what you’re using, so use this.”

“Thanks.”

Park Woon-hyuk drank half of the potion I gave him and applied the rest to his wounded area.

I stepped forward.

“So you came to kill us?”

“At first, I planned to…”

The Witch Maiden looked at me.

“But my mind changed because of you.”

“Isn’t the Brigade of Eternal Heaven supposed to obey the leader’s commands?”

“I’m a bit different, so it’s fine. But you, you seem to know quite a bit about the Brigade of Eternal Heaven. Not many people do.”

“I’ve heard bits and pieces here and there. Anyway, that’s not what’s important right now.”

“Right.”

The Witch Maiden looked at me again.

“You’re a descendant of the Heavenly Demon. Or, is it even funny to say that now? Anyway, I’ll let you go here.”

“…”

I was puzzled but spoke calmly.

“There are two things I want to ask.”

“What are they?”

“First, is there any other Mine or villain here besides you? Or someone acting under someone else’s orders?”

“No. Ah, there are some people in front of the cave, but I’ve knocked them out. They should wake up in a couple of hours. What’s the second question?”

“I’ll send the kids away first, then I’ll tell you.”

“Seo-ha!”

“……”

Kim Seo-hyun and Park Woon-hyuk’s expressions hardened.

In truth, our current strength was insufficient to handle this entity.

‘What should I do?’

The hidden power of the Black Heavenly Demon Sword could be a way out. However, I was reluctant to use it due to severe side effects.

“Then send them away first.”

“Fine. I only wish to talk with you.”

Witch Maiden nodded agreeably.

Park Woon-hyuk and two members of the Cheonryu Guild went outside.

They could immediately contact the outside world. If I could buy time here, rescue would soon arrive.

Kim Seo-hyun looked at me.

“Don’t worry. I’m confident I can escape on my own.”

“…I’ll come back as soon as possible.”

After Kim Seo-hyun left, I turned to Witch Maiden.

“So, what’s the second thing you wanted to ask?”

“Are you related to the Heavenly Demon?”

“If you mean related, then yes. If not, then no. It’s just my one-sided admiration for her.”

Witch Maiden spoke up to that point and then glanced behind her.

“There’s much more I’d like to ask, but…”

I started to sense movements around us.

“It seems nuisances are piling up. I could stop them, but some might die, and you might hate me for it. I’ll look forward to a private meeting with you next time.”

Witch Maiden chuckled.

“And be careful. There are many villain groups wanting to capture you since the bounty on you has increased. Groups like the Nazi Empire, made up of Mines, the Black Shirt Squad, the Black Flame Wings, and the Phantom Eyes, are watching you.”

“…What?”

Each name belonged to a dangerous villain group.

Why were those beneath the level of the Brigade of Eternal Heaven targeting me?

“If you ever need help, feel free to contact me.”

With those words, Witch Maiden disappeared in a puff of black smoke.

If her words were true, I might need to change my plans. Maybe I shouldn’t go to the Tower of Dreams.

‘Well, anyway.’

It seemed like I had managed to escape for now.

“I’m sorry!”

A staff member from the hospital bowed deeply.

“It’s entirely our fault that we failed to recognize Tak Yoon-il as a Mine. We will treat your injuries caused by the Mine at no cost. And though it might be insufficient, we will provide you with the best compensation we can.”

“Yes.”

We nodded quietly.

Park Woon-hyuk seemed nonchalant. It was fitting for someone from the Sun Guild, but I pondered how to leverage this situation.

“Oh, I almost forgot. Lee Seo-ha. Can I know the source of the potion you gave me earlier?”

“Why the source?”

“It was remarkably effective. The doctor said if it weren’t for that potion, I might have had to stay here for at least two more weeks.”

“…I can’t reveal the source.”

“Then, can you provide the potion itself? I’ll compensate you handsomely.”

“I’ll discuss it. But it’s made from special herbs, so it’s a bit complicated, and I can’t guarantee anything.”

“I’ll cover all the costs of the herbs.”

“…After thinking about it, it might be possible…”

After agreeing to discuss it later, I stepped outside the hospital.

Outside, chaos reigned.

[Is the Cheonryu Guild, one of the top three guilds in South Korea, really okay?]

[Cheonryu, a guild responsible for severely injuring a student of the Korean Hero Academy.]

Reports were rampant that interns from the Korean Hero Academy had sustained injuries while on duty at the Cheonryu Guild.

The practical workers surely faced a real headache.

If they reported that Tak Yoon-il was a Mine, they would face criticism for poor guild member management. If they denied it, the severe injuries would significantly hinder their ability to recruit students into a group called the Goblin Riders.

I stepped outside, retrieved a can of drink from a vending machine, and sat on a bench.

‘Should I check the rewards I’ve earned this time?’

I perused the rewards I received using my talent, Reading(-).

[Calculating achievement details…….]

[You have defeated the Mine, Tak Yoon-il. You earn 10,000p.]

[You survived an encounter with Witch Maiden. An additional reward of 5,000p is granted.]

[You have perfectly completed Main Quest Chapter 4.5. The reward will be further upgraded.]

[Your rank as 'Sword Demon' (S-) has been upgraded to Sword Demon (S). The minus correction disappears, and bonuses to sensation and agility increase.]

[You have made a strong impression on Park Woon-hyuk. A relationship connection is added.]

[Admiration. Initially a rival, then an object of admiration, and finally, he came to admire you. Although he pretends not to, he'll help you through fire and water if you ask.]

‘Admiration, huh.’

Being admired by a man wasn’t exactly pleasant. But if it’s someone like Park Woon-hyuk, it’s acceptable.

I closed the status window and examined my points. A considerable sum had been amassed.

155,800p.

That was the total, including the smaller amounts.

With this much, I could purchase an S-grade talent.contemporary romance

Since S-grade talents were currently beyond my reach, I’ll set that thought aside for now.

“Buying several A-grade talents isn’t a bad idea either.”

Talents like Dexterity, known for their versatility, came to mind.

Alternatively, enhancing the talents and skills I already possessed wouldn’t be a bad move.

“Status window.”

[Name: Lee Seo-ha]

Strength: 28

Agility: 29

Stamina: 27

Skill: 25

Conceptual Stat

Energy of Defying Heaven: 29

◈Talents

-「Reading(-)」, 「Sword Demon(S)」, 「True Heart(A)」, 「Inscrutable Talent(A-)」, 「Dexterity(B+)」

◈Skills

-「Black God Martial Arts(?)」, 「Divine Sight(S)」, 「Black Flash Step(B+)」, 「Soul Sword Technique(B)」, 「Alturn's Arcane Alchemy(B+)」, 「Ikar's Advanced Spirit Energy Control(C+)」, 「Black Shadow Step(C+)」, 「Black Flash Sword Technique(C+)」

◈Physique

-「Heaven Defying Body(S-)」

“Hmm.”

I scrutinized the status window.

My stats had modestly increased, various talents and skills were listed, and the rank of Black Flash Sword Technique had improved.

If I strategically matched combinations and purchased several A-grade talents, I could become a formidable force immediately. The same applied to S-grade talents, although their potential for growth was more promising in the long term.

Then my gaze settled on the Conceptual Stat, Energy of Defying Heaven.

I had increased it to 29 using the Energy of Defying Heaven obtained from defeating Tak Yoon-il.

Conceptual stats offered a bonus feature when they reached 30.

“I guess it’s time to go for it now.”

[Would you like to increase your Conceptual Stat, Energy of Defying Heaven? It will cost 10,000p.]

“……”

I was taken aback by the staggering amount of points required.

But viewed from another perspective, the bonus feature unlocked by reaching Energy of Defying Heaven 30 could be worth more than 10,000p.

I closed my eyes and amplified the Energy of Defying Heaven.

[The concept of 'Retrieval' is added to the Energy of Defying Heaven.]

‘Retrieval?’

Could it be what I was thinking of? Just as a sense of satisfaction began to wash over me, my phone rang.

Woong!

I glanced at the device and hesitated.

White text appeared on a black background on the screen.

-Hello.

‘…There’s never a dull moment.’

I recognized which entity this was. Only one being in this world would hack a phone just to send such a message.

The Electronic Witch.

She had finally taken the bait I had set.

done.co