Episode 71: Yang energy (1)
A heavy sense of fatigue washed over me.
I slowly opened my eyes and sat up in bed.
Then, I quickly checked—
“Ah.”
Good morning.
Really.
Nothing unusual happened.
I unconsciously let out a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, the worst-case scenario hadn’t occurred.
Before going to bed, just in case, I had suppressed some of the yang energy within my body.
The heat that had spread throughout me had definitely subsided compared to yesterday.
“It’s only temporary, though….”
This was merely a temporary suppression; I would have to properly regulate it soon.
Right now, it was like a volcano that could erupt at any moment.
I got out of bed and started stretching.
This morning was a bit more relaxed than usual.
Although I had woken up early as always, I didn’t have my regular morning training with Yu Hana.
That was because she had entered seclusion for intensive training at the Yu family’s private training grounds.
When I turned on my watch, a message that had arrived earlier caught my eye.
[OnE]: Haein, good morning! By the time you read this, I guess that means you’ve woken up, right?
[OnE]: If you see this message, give me a call at this number.
When I called back, the person who answered was her attendant.
Apparently, Yu Hana had gone straight into training as soon as her treatment was finished.
‘That’s fast.’
Compared to the original story, she was moving at a much faster pace.
Perhaps she had grasped the key to her growth during the battle against the Apostle.
This was a good sign.
I didn’t know how long it would take, but I hoped she would achieve satisfying growth.
I closed my watch.
Now, it was time to attend class for the first time in a while.
Leaving the dorm a little later than usual, I walked at a leisurely pace.
The feeling of strolling across campus in the tranquil morning air felt refreshing.
After the Apostle subjugation, the fact that life had returned to normal suddenly felt very real.
At exactly 9 AM, I opened the classroom door and scanned the room.
As always, a lively atmosphere filled the lecture hall, with students chatting and laughing.
But amidst the familiar scene, I spotted a few unfamiliar faces.
‘Huh?’
Two people.
Yoon Chae-ha.
And Joo Seo-jun.
Joo Seo-jun stood out immediately, sitting at the very front, chatting energetically with other students.
He casually tapped his classmates on the shoulders as he joked around, fitting in seamlessly.
Meanwhile, Yoon Chae-ha was seated in the back, near the classroom’s rear door, slightly apart from the window.
She was resting her head on her desk.
Although her face was hidden, the long golden hair unmistakably confirmed her identity.
I smiled to myself.
Her personality, as I had envisioned it, remained unchanged.
I slowly walked over and stopped behind her.
At that moment, her shoulders flinched slightly.
“!”
Suddenly, she sat up and turned her head toward me, our eyes meeting.
I gave her a small smile and waved lightly.
“It’s been a while.”
Today, instead of my usual seat by the window, I headed for the one next to Yoon Chae-ha, near the door at the back.
“You chose Class B?”
The special supplementary classes for the students who had transferred from Kalos seemed to be over.
Now, it was time for them to be officially assigned to their respective classes at Gaon Academy.
Class placements were determined based on grades and preferred major courses.
With her level of determination, there was no way anyone could have beaten her.
She had probably taken the top spot.
“Yeah.”
A short response.
Then, with an expressionless face, she extended her finger straight.
Her tone was oddly dry, but the message was clear—she was boasting.
“First place.”
Yoon Chae-ha stared at me for a moment, her eyes scanning every inch of my body before she quietly asked,
“Are you… okay?”
“For now.”
I answered nonchalantly. Yoon Chae-ha hesitated briefly, then let out a small sigh.
“I was going to visit the hospital.”
“Huh?”
“I heard you were hospitalized.”
She averted her gaze slightly before continuing.
“They said you were seriously injured, but even the professors didn’t seem to know the details. I barely managed to find the hospital and get there, but….”
Just then, I felt an intense gaze from somewhere.
A distinct sensation crawled up the back of my neck.
I slowly turned my head.
The seat by the window—the spot I always sat in.
There sat Cheon Yeoul.
A stunned expression.
She was looking at me as if she had lost the world.
‘Why is she sitting there…?’
And with that expression?
There was nothing I could do.
If I sat next to Cheon Yeoul now, I would inevitably become too conscious of her.
Not intentionally, of course. It was just an unavoidable physiological reaction caused by yang energy.
Yoon Chae-ha seemed to have followed my gaze. She leaned in closer and whispered quietly,
“She was blocking people on the first floor.”
‘Figures.’
It was strange that she was the one doing it, but it had to be done.
On the floor where I was hospitalized, several injured members from different groups were receiving treatment.
Since the battle with the Apostles was classified information, security would have been tight even without Cheon Yeoul’s involvement.
Yoon Chae-ha frowned slightly as she continued.
“But if blocking was enough to stop me, I wouldn’t have even tried.”
Then, in a hushed tone, she added,
“So I teleported somewhere on the top floor.”
‘What?’
I take back what I said about security stopping her.
“The problem was… there was an illusion barrier up there. If you lost focus for even a moment, you could have become a permanent lost soul. In the end, I couldn’t get in.”
Yoon Chae-ha looked slightly frustrated, as if her pride had been wounded.
She crossed her arms and stared at my face before whispering,
“What exactly happened?”
A direct question.
It was understandable. Almost no official information had been released about the incident.
“Hmm… You’ll find out soon enough.”
It was a bit tricky to explain myself.
Besides, the Association would probably make an announcement soon.
They wouldn’t reveal everything, so it was best for me to match their narrative.
Yoon Chae-ha seemed ready to press further, but when I shook my head, she closed her lips.
A brief silence settled between us.
Then, the classroom door swung open, and an instructor walked in.
A familiar stride. A relaxed demeanor.
It had been a while since I last saw him.
Instructor Do Han-seong.
The students’ murmurs naturally died down as all eyes turned toward the front.
His gaze swept across the classroom once before finally meeting mine.
“Nice to see you, students… Oh.”
The instructor, who had been speaking smoothly, suddenly paused. Then, he smiled slightly and continued with emphasis.
“It’s been a while, Jung Haein. I was quite worried, but I’m glad to see you’ve recovered safely.”
With those words, the students’ gazes shifted back to me. Everyone looked surprised.
Do Han-seong, the instructor, observed the atmosphere for a moment before clapping his hands lightly to regain attention.
“Before we begin the lesson, I have an announcement.”
The students naturally focused. Unlike his usual demeanor, he seemed oddly excited.
“Finally, after much anticipation, in two weeks, the official exchange battle will take place.”
Do Han-seong continued in a deliberate tone.
“This exchange battle will be conducted in both individual and team formats.”
His gaze shifted, stopping at a specific individual.
“I see two participants from Class B as well. Yes, yes.”
Joo Seo-jun smiled and casually raised his hand in greeting. Do Han-seong nodded before returning to the main topic.
“First, the individual matches are straightforward. It will be a series of duels among all participants in the exchange event. The key point here is that duels will take place regardless of affiliation.”
A murmur spread among the students.
“In other words, whether you belong to Gaon or Kalos, if you’ve transferred to the exchange program, you will be included in the duels without exception. Even if you currently belong to the same academy.”
That’s right.
The core of the exchange battle isn’t just about evaluating individual skills.
It’s about proving whether Gaon or Kalos possesses the superior educational infrastructure.
That is the true objective.
That’s why even students from the same academy will end up fighting each other.
The performance displayed in these matches will be directly interpreted as a reflection of the academy’s educational success.
“In short, the goal of the individual battles is simple: to determine the top-ranked fighter.”
“……”
Yoon Chae-ha, sitting beside me, showed no particular reaction.
Do Han-seong spoke again.
“And second, the team battles. In the team matches, transferred students from the exchange program will form teams with members from their respective academies. More details about team compositions will be announced soon.”
The instructor’s lips curled slightly in amusement as he continued.
“And as for the specific details of the team battle… that’s a secret.”
But in this world, there are no real secrets.
Well, there are, but at least not from me.
‘Team battle…’
There’s nothing much for me to prepare.
This time, there won’t be an attack from the Demonic humans or any unexpected variables.
Do Han-seong let the students’ reactions wash over him and then clapped the dust off his hands.
“Now then, let’s begin the lesson.”
Just moments ago, he had seemed quite excited while explaining the exchange battle.
But the moment class began, his enthusiasm drained, leaving him looking miserable.
And the students felt the same.
“Wake me up when it’s over….”
As soon as the lesson started, Yoon Chae-ha slumped over her desk.
I let out a quiet sigh.
“Ah.”
“The origins of swordsmanship remain a debated topic in academic circles, and according to ancient texts—”
The instructor’s voice droned on in a calm, steady tone.
I thought that, after such a long time, attending class again might be fun.
But of course, it wasn’t.
-Buzz.
My watch vibrated softly.
[1000_y]: You’re not coming?
[1000_y]: How could you do this to me ã… ã…
Two messages.
It was Cheon Yeoul.
“……”
She was definitely watching me right now.
Without replying, I quietly closed my watch.