Seo Yerin's eyes sparkled with belief.
It was always like that with Lee Ji-han, and the fact that Seo Yerin now had the same look in her eyes suggested something significant to me.
'Regardless of our master-disciple relationship, at least in terms of teaching, she will learn my spear techniques.'
She is not the type to refuse teachings.
If there's something to learn, she will learn it.
Even though she is dedicated to spear techniques, the fact that she dabbles in healing magic is proof of that.
Seo Yerin is a student thirsty for knowledge.
I don't know much about Lee Ji-han's family background, but since Seo Yerin is a main character, I have some understanding of her background.
'Granddaughter of the Divine Spear, a self-made prodigy with combat prowess rivaling the protagonist.'
Despite being born into a prestigious family, she only received basic education.
The family's philosophy is to achieve everything through one's own efforts.
If you can't achieve it, you can't learn or gain anything.
That's why she is obsessed with teaching and learning, and she is fanatical about her studies and grades at Seven Stars Academy. Eve mentioned that from admission to graduation, she consistently ranked within the top four in both written and practical exams.
"I thought it would be interesting to have a study bug character. But somehow, she turned into a monster excelling in both academics and martial arts. No matter how I think about it, it seems like a balance issue, so I removed her communication skills, and she became a somewhat strange character."
In the novel, she possesses talent and combat prowess equal to the protagonist.
That alone speaks volumes about how remarkable Seo Yerin is.
The protagonist is the center of the novel. The core of the scenario that drives all events and incidents.
Having the power to be equated with such a protagonist is of immense value beyond greatness. Teaching her is an incredible stroke of luck.
Thinking about it, I should have done this earlier.
Why did I insist on becoming stronger myself?
'Even if I'm not the protagonist, I could have nurtured talented and righteous students.'
I recalled why I had to shoulder this responsibility.
If the protagonist were at the center of the scenario, too many innocent people would die.
Then, even if it's not me, I could have nurtured another hero.
There was no need to lament over a dying body and unusable skills.
If I pass on all the skills I've learned, even if it's difficult to defeat the final boss alone, other villains can be dealt with.
'The problem is time and effort.'
Nurturing a hero to replace the protagonist is no easy task.
They need the combat prowess to push Kyle into a corner and the corresponding sense of responsibility and morality. It's definitely not something that can be done in a short time.
But if it's possible, it should be done.
Princess Maker, no, Hero Maker.
It seems like it will be a long-term project.
Well, for those who can't even deploy a combined attack formation, they would need to aim for post-graduation to develop a sense of responsibility and decent skills.
"Do you think you can keep up with my teachings?"
"...Yes."
She's been short with her words since earlier.
I know she's naturally reserved in conversations, but this isn't the attitude to have towards an elder.
Still, it's better than before, so as an adult, I should endure.
I patted Seo Yerin's shoulder and boasted that I would teach her everything I could.
Then, she couldn't hide her subtle joy.
I wonder how long that joy will last.
'A week... no, even a day might be tough.'
My training methods will be quite different from the usual.
Since I need to teach my techniques systematically from the basics, it will be on a completely different level from the training she's had so far.
If she trains all day, I'm sure her current joy will turn into anger.
Seo Yerin, unaware of my thoughts, looked up at me with an excited tone and expression.
"Then... should I call you Master from now on?"
"Uh, Master is a bit... Can't we use another title?"
"...Huh? Usually, if someone teaches you their techniques... they're called Master."
"No need for honorifics, just speak as usual."
She's right, but I don't particularly like the title 'Master.'
It feels like a title that someone like me shouldn't have.
As I scratched my head and felt burdened, Seo Yerin tilted her head in confusion, and Lee Ji-han, who overheard our conversation from afar, chimed in.
"Finally, you've become the teacher's disciple. Oh, sorry, you dislike that title. You've become the teacher's student!"
"...Teacher?"
"Yeah, the teacher prefers to be called 'Teacher' rather than 'Master.'"
Seo Yerin looked up at me with a face that seemed to ask if she really had to call me that.
The look in her eyes that seemed to find it bothersome must be my imagination, right?
Though doubtful, I nodded in affirmation.
"Alright... Then from now on, I'll call you... Teacher."
"Then you're now a fellow disciple. Ah, it's such a pity. If both of us had formed a master-disciple relationship with the teacher, you would have been my junior sister."
"But... that's not the case."
"That's why it's a pity. It would have been fun if you were my junior sister. Ah, but if the senior brother is weaker than the junior sister, the hierarchy would be messed up."
"...You're noisy."
"What did you say?"
Seo Yerin started bickering with Lee Ji-han.
Cute, kids really grow through fighting.
...Did the teacher feel this way watching me and Eve grow up?
Lost in a strange nostalgia, reminiscing about the past.
There was a subtle presence.
Earlier, it was quite, no, completely different from the squirrel.
'...Something's off.'
Even with my intuition honed on the battlefield, even with high-level senses, I couldn't detect it.
A presence that entered the sixth sense, capturing the essence of all things beyond comprehension.
─Whoosh!
I felt the wind.
Since it's right below the intersection of a canyon and a valley, it's natural for the wind to blow through, but this feels a bit off.
The wind felt less in one spot.
As if someone was standing against the wind.
"...There it is."
"Teacher? What did you just say?"
"Step back, all of you."
I walked behind the students.
Where the wind was blowing, where something was standing.
I moved towards that spot.
Those kids are like lottery tickets with a guaranteed win in the distant future.
So, until the time is ripe, my role is to prevent the lottery tickets from being scratched.
'Until that day comes, my role is to teach the students and twist and block the scenario's progression.'
What needs to be done is no different from before.
Being exploited as a teaching assistant by the professor, spending every dawn studying magic.
Skillfully playing politics between the family and the guild, twisting the scenario to block the protagonist's intervention.
Only one goal has been added.
Teaching the students.
To have them reduce the predetermined sacrifices as much as possible.
It would be great if they could defeat the final boss, too.
I don't expect much from them.
Just that much is enough.
The rest is for the adults to handle.
Trudging forward, I thought.
The one right in front isn't a big problem.
The real issue is the one hiding somewhere, possibly just eavesdropping.
This is a means to effectively threaten such a person if they are hiding.
I chose to remove my gloves as that means.
Removing the gloves is a kind of ritualistic act. It's like shedding a layer of something greater.
Swish, I took off the black leather gloves.
['Ordinary Black Gloves' have been removed.]
[As the gloves are removed, the suppressed energy is released all at once!]
[Due to the released energy, the purple fox's eyes naturally rise.]
['Fox Fire' illuminates the darkness with purple flames!]
As the purple flames flared up like lanterns, it was as if a spotlight had been cast.
The tail in front of the brilliantly burning flames began to sway gracefully. The tail, swaying without its owner's knowledge, seemed quite excited.
That's not a spotlight.
***
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew.
The students, startled by the sudden phenomenon without any warning, gripped their weapons. Thinking it might be a ghostly phenomenon from the mysterious realm, Lee Ji-han was drenched in sweat.
Lee Ji-han stared straight ahead with trembling eyes.
Because he felt that the center of the gust right in front of him was where the person causing the wind was.
With a heart full of tension, he stared ahead.
The cause was surprisingly trivial.
"...T-Teacher?"
The teacher who had bestowed knowledge upon him, the guiding teacher, was at the center of the gust. It didn't seem like he had caused it intentionally, but it appeared that a large amount of magical power had been released, causing an updraft.
Whatever it was, it had nothing to do with ghosts, which made Lee Ji-han's legs go weak.
"Hey, Teacher! Even if it's courage training, isn't this event a bit too much?"
"..."
"Uh... Teacher? Are you ignoring me?"
"Hey, if you're stupid, just stay still. Does that look like an event to you?"
"What are you talking about? That's obviously an event..."
As Lee Ji-han repeatedly asked with no answer, Isabelle, sensing something ominous, tapped Lee Ji-han's shoulder.
At the same time, a smell that numbed the nose spread.
Sniff, sniff!
The nauseating smell of blood crept into their noses.
The intense smell of blood, as if someone had ripped out a liver from a corpse and taken a big bite, resonated all around. The smell that struck their olfactory senses made them look up in shock.
─Whoosh!
The wind blew again.
But unlike the previous gust, it blew bleakly.
A strange wind that eerily brushed against their skin.
At its center was a man.
The man's face was familiar to the students.
Of course, it was their guiding teacher, Baek Seung-woo.
It would be strange not to recognize him.
But his appearance was quite different from usual.
The sickly and weak decadent impression had sharpened like a needle.
His eyes, still containing a brilliant light like rubies, now emitted a purple glow like amethyst.
The students' eyes widened at the sudden change.
They were greatly flustered by the sudden change in appearance.
While all the students were staring blankly at Baek Seung-woo, Seo Yerin and Seong Yeon-hwa glared.
The two, being particularly sensitive among the group, could objectively grasp Baek Seung-woo's change. His change wasn't just a slight alteration in appearance.
The entire temperament representing a person had changed.
It was believable that he had become a completely different person.
Baek Seung-woo, who had revealed his tail, was in a completely different state than usual.
Staring blankly at that figure, Seo Yerin murmured.
"...Gumiho."
The bloodlines of the Thousand Fox Hundred Families are often called demi-humans, but strictly speaking, that's incorrect. They are a race above demi-humans.
The more tails a fox has, the closer it becomes to a phantom species called the Fantasy Race.
Eventually, upon reaching Gumiho, it is said to be promoted to a Supreme Race or Absolute Race, comparable to dragons or high elves.
Though it's just a legend.
Even an Imoogi showed a clear difference in level compared to an ordinary human.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, flames erupted behind him.
The nine-tailed flames of curse, [Fox Fire], scattering curses using souls as fuel.
The cursed flames cleared the pitch-black darkness that could only rely on moonlight and flashlights.
Thus, the appearance of the opponent was revealed.
Looking up at the face, it wasn't visible.
Not because it was too dark to see the features, but because the face itself was covered in shadow.
It didn't seem like a mask.
Nor did it seem like the person had any intention of removing it.
"...Then we must burn it."
[Pyrokinesis]
Flames flickered in the air, swaying like tails behind him.
The flames were composed of higher density and magical power than ordinary fire magic. Isabelle, deeply versed in magic, looked up at the air.
"...The difficulty of the spell is intermediate, no, closer to upper-intermediate. The original form is almost gone."
In her eyes, the magic floating in the air looked like a rag.
A magic focused solely on power and efficiency. There was no minimal safety device to protect the caster within.
He's crazy, absolutely crazy.
Isabelle, who had lived madly for magic after sending her fiancé away, couldn't even gauge how crazy he was.
After all, such magic is completely that of a suicidal maniac.
Whoosh──!!
A massive fireball with physical force.
With this size and mass, it would have the same force as a boulder of the same size. Baek Seung-woo threw it without any hesitation.
─Boom!
The fireball slammed into the ground.
A deafening roar and dust, similar to a landslide, spread all around. An attack that would turn ordinary wild animals into pulp and make lower-tier monsters lose their limbs.
Moreover, since it was a fireball made of flames.
Sparks flew to the surrounding grass, causing burns.
Sniff, sniff!
here was no smell of burning flesh.
This means that the opponent either defended against the magic.
Step, step!
Or that there was no flesh to burn.
A shadow was approaching us through the crimson smoke.
The guy was literally a 'shadow.'
***
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