Chapter 43

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Contrary to my concerns, Professor Grossman did not say much.

She just told me that it was much faster than expected, and she advised me not to be conceited, saying that it was relative because I had nothing piled up.

And unlike the other two, she told me that I needed to practice repetitively, and ordered me to practice monotonously, such as placing a piece of wood in the shape of a person, continuously stabbing and cutting at the vital points.

The only difference from the last time was that she ordered me to repeat it in a slow manner.

She then went on to set up cameras in places, saying that she had to check my movements, but to be honest, I wondered what the point of such behavior was.

[With the guidance of an excellent master, the growth rate of dagger mastery is slightly increased!]

.. Of course, because of the notification popping up in front of me from time to time like this, I just kept my mouth shut and swung my dagger as she told me to.

Strangely, in this part, it seemed to follow the original story.

In fact, in the original story, the easiest and surest way to practice mastery skills was to take a class from your own advisor.

[ Dagger Mastery (Growth / Beginner: 0.24 %) ]

It went up a lot.

I stuck out my tongue a little.

Although the amount of experience required from introductory to beginner was small, it was not an amount that could be just raised in a day or two.

Even in the original story, it took at least a week of practice to get out of the introductory stage.

Probably it was because of the battle with Jin Ye-Seul or the effect of the Concentration Awakening Potion.

However, such a fluke was not something that could always be hoped for, so I had to diligently raise my proficiency from now on.

‘I have to practice archery, too.’

There wasn’t enough time, but there was too much to do.

I let out a small sigh, but I did not stop the training that Professor Grossman had given me.

Before the festival day came, I had to prepare everything I could.

And that day would probably be the one that would deviate the most from the original story.

“.... .”

For a moment, my head became complicated, and I shook my head quickly as if to shake it off right away.

Now was the time to move my body rather than worry.

As if possessed by something, I cleared my mind and started moving my body.

* * *

It was surprisingly quick until Friday.

In the meantime, I had a time when there was nothing special, such as training under Professor Grossman’s guidance and attending classes diligently.

In the case of Choi Hyun-Woo and Han Soo-Young, they seemed to have a tough time keeping up with their respective classes.

Jin Ye-Seul was still quietly doing her acting, but lately, I had been seeing her strangely hanging out with other students.

Today was a day with only morning classes.

Choi Hyun-Woo and Han Soo-Young went back to the dormitory first, saying they were going to take a break, and Jin Ye-Seul also went off somewhere by herself.

Of course, it’s convenient to be alone here, too, but.... .

Once again, there are only three people I know in the same class.

I just realized that fact.

Even then, it was ambiguous to call Jin Ye-Seul a friend.

“.... .”

I quickly returned to the dormitory, passing my classmates who were laughing and chatting with close friends.

Then I dialed one of the few numbers saved on the phone.

“Is it possible?”

[Well, no problem.. .]

The person on the other end was Lee Myung-Joon.

Even though it was a sudden call, he gladly agreed to my request.

[As you know, I’ve been busy for a while. I think I can spare a little time tomorrow morning. Will that be okay?]

“That’s enough. No, thank you for giving me that much.”

He gave a small chuckle at my answer.

[What are you thankful for? I should be more grateful for the.. Anyway, you want me to watch your training early tomorrow morning, right?]

“Yes.”

As I answered, I glanced at the status window that had appeared in the air.

[Designated Confirmation Acquisition Right ― Arts (Consumable, Bonded, Rare)]

[You can acquire a definite art of a specified opponent. After one use, it will be consumed and disappear.

― Can only be used against opponents with a fixed favorability.

― It can be used only with the consent of the other party.

― If the acquired art is a growth-type skill, it will be created with the lowest rank.

― In the case of arts that require specific conditions, the selection is not possible.]

My purpose was to acquire one of Lee Myung-Joon’s arts.

It had been a long time since the necessary conditions were met, so it didn’t take anything.

[Okay. Then see you tomorrow.]

“Yes. thank you.”

I replied and hung up the phone.

Designated Acquisition Rights.

There were three people I could use this on: Choi Hyun-Woo, Han Soo-Young, and Lee Myung-Joon.

Who should I use this on out of them?

In fact, this had been one of my biggest concerns lately.

Representatively speaking, such as Choi Hyun-Woo’s sixth sense, or Han Soo-Young’s breathing method that can restore mana just by breathing.

Both were arts that were more than worth getting my hands on.

However, I chose Lee Myung-jun’s art.

It was because he had an art called Electricity Storage.

‘Electricity Storage.’

[Note: ‘??’- ‘蓄電'(Japanese) which means ‘Storage of Electricity(or Energy)’]

Lee Myung-Joon’s unique ability, Electricity Storage, was literally the ability to collect and store electricity.

Thanks to this ability, he was able to fight for a long time by minimizing the consumption of his power while adopting the ignorant fighting method of fighting with lightning all over his body.

I operated my cell phone and looked at the explanation of Electricity Storage that appeared in the setting book.

[Electricity Storage]

[You can store extra mana, energy, and strength flowing inside the body.

At this time, it can change into various forms depending on the nature of the owner.]

No matter how much I thought about it, it was the ability I needed the most right now.

With that in mind, I glanced at the tank containing the Mandragora.

The tank, which was full before, was now only about half full.

I carefully lifted up the guy, who was shaking his roots while looking this way, and put him into the bowl.

“Hmm.. .”

And the branch of the World Tree, which woke up from dormancy, began to absorb the water dissolved with Mandragora’s energy remaining in the tank.

[The branch of the World Tree consumes a small amount of nutrients!]

[You can feel the energy springing up in your body. Your mind is temporarily cleared.]

[The energy that has exceeded the limit that the body can accept is circling in the body.]

[The remaining energy is lost naturally.]

“Hmm.”

The branch of the World Tree, which had sucked up all the remaining water in the tank, wriggled as if it had a will.

It looked as if it was satisfied.

As I looked down at the branches of the World Tree, I remembered the information about the guy that had changed as soon as it woke up from its dormant state

[Effect][Active]

― Part of the World Tree can be extracted from the body. Currently, that’s a bit lacking.

―You can absorb the energy of a target that comes into contact with a branch of the World Tree. However, if the opponent’s overall stats are significantly higher, the energy may be taken away. For targets with an absolute advantage, energy can be absorbed unconditionally. You can share energy with the connected person.

— ???

— ???

‘I thought it might be possible, but I didn’t know it was really an ability to absorb.’

To be honest, it was surprising, but that was all.

I had roughly expected it when I fought the member of the Thorns Cross Society a few days ago.

In the future, there will be less wobbling around due to the lack of mana.

To be honest, I had never had a big setback due to my lack of mana, but I definitely felt the strain if I moved Henir’s Shadow for a long time or kept the status window on for a long time.

The stronger the ability, the higher the amount of mana required, so the fact that I now had the ability to absorb that was honestly an unexpected gain.

“Whew.. .”

I got up, grabbed the empty tank, and headed to the bathroom.

In the tank, there was also a bowl containing Mandragora.

‘I have to go to Cass Lyle today and make a Purification Potion, and tomorrow morning, learn the art from Lee Myung-Joon.. .’

And attack Isabelle Gaudi’s dungeon.

As it was the place I had been waiting for even before I entered the academy here, I decided to take everything I could.

Purification Potion, Henir’s Shadow, Branch of the World Tree. To be honest, it was a piece of cake when there was even Nidhogg’s fang....

“Aya.”

As I was cleaning the inside of the tank, thinking blankly, I lowered my head at the pain I felt in my ankles.

There, Mandragora that I had placed next to me was kicking me with its leg-like roots.

I was surprised that it hurt unexpectedly.

“No, I’m cleaning your house right now.”

I soothed him and began to take out the filters, water plants, and heaters that were in the tank one by one.

All the while, he kept kicking me.

‘Is he angry because I woke him up from a good night’s sleep? Or was it that he was surprised that when he woke up, the branch of the World Tree was sucking up water.’

Then, while taking out the gravel laid under the tank, I found something unexpected.

“Huh? what’s this.”

“.... !”

Something like an amber.

It was definitely a spirit stone obtained by catching the old tree in the simulated dungeon.

“Why the hell is this here.. .”

After muttering like that, I turned my head, thinking no way.

Then Mandragora, who had been kicking me a while ago, fell down in a stiff posture, like an ordinary plant root.

No matter who looked at it, he was pretending not to know.

“..Huh?”

* * *

After finishing my business in the dormitory, I headed straight to the alchemy club.

As Cass Lyle said, there were many people who only listed their names, and this time, he was alone in the alchemy club.

He was sitting in his seat, reading a book, and raised his hand when he saw me.

“You are early, you are here.”

He changed his words in the middle, closed the book, and got up from his seat.

When I looked closely, I saw that it was the very book he had given me the other day.

Come to think of it, I had looked at it once and never opened it again.

“Come on, put this on.”

“Oh, yes.”

Cass Lyle handed me a white gown.

As I was handed the gown and looked at his face, a sudden surge of displeasure and disgust began to rise.

At this point, I could be sure that my assumptions were correct.

This feeling was due to the branches of the World Tree.

I’ll have to take action later.

I asked, deliberately avoiding eye contact with Cass Lyle.

“Are there any dangerous ingredients?”

“No, it’s just that if the solution gets on your clothes, it won’t come off.”

Cass Lyle wore the gown with skillful hands.

“If it’s dangerous, you need to use all kinds of tools, starting with safety glasses and gloves, but the Purification Potion doesn’t have any of those ingredients. You just have to be careful of the fire. The process of distillation and refining is also fast.”

“I see.”

“Speaking of which, how much do you need?”

In response to his question, I roughly told him the expected amount.

“About three bottles.. .”

“There’s a lot.”

Cass Lyle muttered like that but didn’t ask me how I would use it in detail.

The purification potion, as its name suggests, was meant to purify evil energy, and could not cause any harm to humans.

“So let’s start with preparing the ingredients.”

That was then.

The door to the club room swung open, and someone stepped in with a natural gait.

To my surprise, that person was Alice Blesbuck, my homeroom professor.

“Huh?”

When she found me, she opened her eyes wide and looked at Cass Lyle as if asking for an explanation.

Then he let out a small sigh, passing her gaze as if he was familiar with it.

“Professor Blesbuck. I told you about it. He’s a new student in the club. His name is Yoo Ji-Hyuk.”

“N, no. Of course, I know his name. He’s a student in my class.”

Professor Blesbuck stuttered and replied.

At those words, Cass Lyle looked at me.

I made an expression as if what was the problem.

“You never asked, so I thought you knew. I knew that the professor in charge here is Professor Blesbuck.”

“Re, really?”historical

She blushed as if embarrassed.

Apparently, she didn’t even know that I had joined the alchemy club.

Then she saw me and Cass Lyle’s outfit, and her eyes lit up a little.

“Are you trying to make some kind of reagent?”

“Yes. The junior needed something here, so I’m trying to guide and help him.”

At that, Professor Blesbuck said with a smile.

“Oh, then can I help? Now that I’m here, I can give you two some guidance, as, I’m the professor in charge, so of course I have to be next to you during practice.”

“Well, professor.. .”

“Thank you.”

I smiled slightly with Cass Lyle next to me, who looked troubled.

In the original story, she was always the person who was fun to tease.

Thinking of old memories again, I looked at her with a look of knowing nothing.

“So what are you going to make? It isn’t dangerous or anything like that, right?”

“Of course not. I asked for a purification potion.”

“Uh.. ?”

Her expression was disturbed by my words.

As I mentioned earlier, the purification potion does no harm to humans.

It was only to purify the evil.

Yes, such as undead beings.

And Alice Blesbuck was a being with half the blood of a vampire, who could be called such an undead aristocrat.

Of course, the purifying potion wouldn’t do any harm to her even if she drank it, but It was indisputable that she was reluctant to do so.

“Thank you so much for your help, Professor.”

She tried to smile at my thanks.

“Uh .. Ye, yes.”