The cabin door opened again and a female student walked in.
She was a beauty comparable to Seo Ye-in, but her cold and stern appearance made her seem unapproachable as if it would be difficult to even strike up a conversation with her.
Her light brown hair was neatly tied up, and she wore an armband that read “disciplinary committee”.
Outside the door, a large man, a noble-looking young man, and a smiling female student took their positions beside her and they were all wearing similar armbands.
I’ve gotten involved with the disciplinary committee right from the start.
The disciplinary committee.
This student organization manages the law and order within and outside of Dragon Slayer Academy.
Traditionally, first-year council members are admitted early. They get acquainted with the basic guidelines and are then immediately deployed onto the train.
Just like now.
This is because the train heading to Dragon Slayer Academy, attracting vigorous youths from all over, serves as an excellent stage for the new council member to gain experience.
And it seemed that Shin Byeong-cheol was about to become a part of that experience, the reason for which would soon become apparent.
The female student glared at Shin Byeong-cheol and extended her hand.
“Please give it back. That’s something you shouldn’t have.”
However, Shin Byeong-cheol didn’t seem inclined to give up the item.
He maintained a playful expression, while his eyes kept darting over the girl’s shoulder, likely plotting a possible escape route.
The female student asked him,
“What’s so funny?”
“Nothing, just thinking you’re a bit too clingy. With such a pretty face but acting so strict, you won’t be popular with the boys—ugh!”
Fzzt!
A brief electric current struck Shin Byeong-cheol.
It was the simple lightning magic spell, [Zap].
Lightning attribute mages are rare.
Initially, my plan was to avoid getting involved and just observe, but this development changed the scenario.
Since my [Copy-Skill] slot was empty, perhaps this was an opportunity to intervene and acquire a new skill?
In the brief moment when Shin Byeong-cheol was hit by the lightning, I finished my calculations.
And first, I apologized to Seo Ye-in in my mind.
Sorry.
Shin Byeong-cheol seemed to have fallen into a mild state of paralysis, trembling as he nearly fell sideways but managed to stay upright by leaning on the cabin’s table.
The full weight of his body bore down, so when he leaned on the table, the recoil hit my elbow.
Thud!
Now.
The handmade cookie I was slowly enjoying “slipped” from my hand and rolled across the floor.
When the train jerked slightly, the cookie rolled further away from me.
It was too late now.
Any food that falls on the ground and stays for more than three seconds is no longer edible.
I’ve created a pretext.
Now, all that was left was to find the right moment to step in.
Shin Byeong-cheol struggled to his feet, shaking off the paralysis that had gripped his body.
His hand subtly moved towards the back pocket of his pants.
“Ah, this is getting tricky. I’m not confident in a head-to-head fight…”
“It seems you have no intention of surrendering willingly. I will have to subdue you.”
The female student slipped a dark-blue glove onto one hand.
It appears to be a fairly high-quality artifact as it is embroidered with golden embroidery and has topaz studded here and there.
As she flicked her finger, the glove began to emit a strong light and electrical currents.
The crackling electricity took the form of a small hummingbird and darted towards Shin Byeong-cheol.
[Hummingbird]
Fzzzt!
However, the Hummingbird failed to inflict any damage on Shin Byeong-cheol.
It was intercepted mid-flight by my outstretched hand.
A small explosion of electricity erupted from my palm and sparks were sent flying around the place.
Feeling the impact firsthand, I was certain.
It looks like a D-rank, but it’s E-rank.
I shook the tingling sensation from my hand.
The female student slightly furrowed her brows at the unexpected interference.
She stared at my face for a moment, as if trying to recall something, then slightly tilted her head.
“Are you in cahoots with him? I haven’t seen you on the watch list.”
“Not really. Just had some unexpected business to attend to.”
“What business?”
“My cookie.”
“…Excuse me?”
I pointed to the half-eaten homemade cookie still rolling back and forth on the floor.
“It fell because of you guys. That’s something you can’t buy even with money.”
“You’re interrupting the disciplinary committee’s club actions over a mere cookie?”
“It might just be a cookie, but to someone who was enjoying it, it’s quite annoying.”
The female student looked at me as if I were an illogical guy.
However, she seemed to find some reason in my words and hesitated before taking any immediate action.
Meanwhile, the noble young man of the disciplinary committee entered the cabin.
He looked ready to draw the golden sword at his hip at any moment.
“You’re picking a pointless quarrel. Why don’t you step aside while you’re being asked nicely? If not, you’ll taste something much hotter than a cookie.”
“I advise you to think carefully and act wisely.”
Go Hyeon-woo slowly stood up from his seat.
“If you intend to draw your sword, know that you won’t be the only one taking action.”
“…….”
The gaze of the young nobleman was fixated on Go Hyeon-woo.
Upon noticing he was dressed in martial arts clothing, the noble’s eyes shifted to the sword sheath in his hand.
Realizing it was a cheap iron sword, a sneer spread across his face.
“What if I draw it? What will you do?”
“…….”
The nobleman, with a fierce smirk, and Go Hyeon-woo, maintaining a calm demeanor, stared each other down.
Just as the problem that began with Shin Byeong-cheol’s stolen item, moving through the cookie issue, was about to escalate into a fight between two warriors,
“Hold on a moment.”
The female student raised her hand to intervene.
Then, with a somewhat skeptical look, she turned to me and asked,
“How about I send you a dessert coupon from the student cafeteria? Would that settle this?”
“Well, that works for me.”
“Then please stop causing trouble and step back.”
I pretended to think about it for a moment, then returned to my seat and sat down.
Upon receiving my cue, Go Hyeon-woo reluctantly stepped back as well.
Compared to my bold approach, my easy withdrawal left some members of the disciplinary committee looking at me with suspicion.
I’ve already got what I wanted.
[Activate the ‘Copy-Skill’]
[Registering the target’s skill ‘Hummingbird (E)’ into the slot.]
▷Copy-Skill[1/1]
1. Hummingbird (E)
The skill stored was [Hummingbird], and the trait was [Elemental Resistance].
To acquire other skills or traits, I must either expand the slot or overwrite an existing one.
“!”
Shin Byeong-cheol, who was looking for an opportunity, seemed to think that this was the moment and lunged forward.
He twisted his body like a mollusk, trying to slip through the gap, but a lightning-formed hummingbird shot from the female student’s fingertips.
Crackling!
“Ugh!”
Shin Byeong-cheol fell in such an unsightly manner that made onlookers cringe.
His forward momentum added to the impact, causing him to smack his head against the half-open cabin door with a loud bang.
Ouch, that must have hurt.
Did a large bump form on his buzz-cut head by now?
After the collision and the paralyzing effect of the Hummingbird, Shin Byeong-cheol could only writhe on the floor.
The female student then bent one knee to the ground and rummaged through Shin Byeong-cheol’s possessions.
Surprisingly, she pulled out a rich cluster of shiny, flowing hair!
“He stole the station attendant’s wig. What a ridiculous prank.”
“Ah, dear…”
“Oh, wow…”
Go Hyeon-woo and I looked down at Shin Byeong-cheol who was crawling on the floor with pity.
Now that I think about it, it made sense why the disciplinary committee was after him.
Byeong-cheol was a bad guy.
I mean, how could he commit such an inhumane act as stealing a bald man’s wig?
The four disciplinary committee members swiftly recovered the slightly scorched wig by the lightning spell and placed it in a zipper bag.
Before leaving, the female student pointed at Shin Byeong-cheol, who was still in a daze.
“I’ll give you a heads-up. Shin Byeong-cheol is under our disciplinary committee’s close watch. Try to avoid getting involved with him. If you cause any trouble at school, we won’t let it slide.”
“That’s for me to decide. Take care on your way.”
“Hmph.”
With a disgruntled look, the female student glared sharply at me and then turned away.
Just before leaving, the nobleman said something to Go Hyeon-woo.
“I will remember this.”
“Likewise.”
And then he closed the door behind him.
“……”
“Ow, ow, oww my goodness, my aching body……”
After the disciplinary committee’s members left, Shin Byeong-cheol groaned as he struggled to get up.
Static electricity crackled with each movement, causing his body to jerk in response.
Still, isn’t that a cheap price to pay for stealing a bald man’s wig?
Go Hyeon-woo, who was watching from the side, smiled bitterly.
“So, it’s true that Dragon Slayer Academy has a powerful force called the disciplinary committee. Those must be them.”
“Urgh, yeah. They only select the elite of the elite, so they’re bound to be strong. Did you see the one who used the Hummingbird on me? Know who she is?”
“My knowledge is limited, I must admit. Could you enlighten me?”
“A hint. It’s the Song family.”
Immediately, Go Hyeon-woo’s eyes narrowed.
“The Song family… You mean the family that heads the Topaz Magic Tower?”
“Exactly. That’s the Song family. And she’s none other than Song Cheon-hye, the granddaughter of the Thunder Lord, Song Kyung-wook.”
“Ah, I felt that she was no ordinary girl, but the granddaughter of the Thunder Lord? Today has indeed broadened my horizons.”
Go Hyeon-woo murmured in admiration.
The Thunder Lord was the pinnacle of many heroes who wielded lightning.
This was a title bestowed only on the strongest.
So much so that he was called “beyond S-class” among players.
It goes without saying that he is one of the strongest characters in the entire world of <Dragon Slayer Academy>.
“The three who were standing right by her side are also not to be underestimated. The big guy is Jo Byeok, and the smiling girl is Han Somi. They’re disciples of the Fist King and Sword Marquis, respectively.”
“And what about the identity of that noble-looking guy?”
“Geum Jo-han. He’s the only son of the Golden Lotus master, but as you’ve seen, he’s quite the lucky bastard. He seems to have just enough “skill” to scrape into the disciplinary committee, but he pales in comparison to the other three.”
“That’s impressive. Is the disciplinary committee club filled with such people?”
At that question, Shin Byeong-chul’s expression became strange.
He answered in a somewhat vague manner.
“Uhh… Yes, that’s true, but this year is a bit unusual. I heard that not just the disciplinary committee but the overall level of new students has skyrocketed. Even our club seniors have been talking a lot about this year’s new students.”
Shin Byeong-cheol seemed to have finally completely recovered from his paralysis and warmed up his body by stretching his arms around like he was doing morning exercises.
“Anyway, it was nice meeting you guys. Remember to say hi if we see each other again. Take care!”
With that, he vanished out of the room like the wind.
“Heh, quite a lively fellow, isn’t he? Don’t you think so, Kim-hyung?”
“Indeed.”
I quietly turned my gaze to Seo Ye-in, who had been silently watching us.
“Sorry. The cookie was really tasty.”
“I’ll make more.”
“Really?”
“Mhm.”
I had inadvertently received a promise for cookies.
Seo Ye-in seemed to be slowly getting tired again, and after saying that, she slumped down on the table.
And she became motionless.
“……..”
“……..”
Perhaps due to the whirlwind of events that had just swept through, the quiet atmosphere of the afternoon’s parlor was quite pleasant.
Go Hyeon-woo and I were just looking out the window without saying anything.
After a while, Go Hyeon-woo broke the silence.
“By the way, Kim-hyung, may I ask you something?”
“What is it?”
“Did you really get involved just for the sake of the cookie?”
“…”
“I agree that getting your snack time interrupted angers you… but it seemed like there might be more to the story.”
He’s sharper than I thought.
Despite his appearance of a well-mannered young man, his mind was quite astute.
It was an unexpected side of Go Hyeon-woo that I had seen.
Feeling somewhat refreshed by this revelation, I began to explain.
The primary reason was to meet the conditions of the [Copy-Skill], but even excluding that, there was another reason.
“It’s rare to see a lightning-attribute mage, so I just wanted to casually check out her abilities.”
“Hmm… But all Kim-hyung did was to counter Miss Song’s move, right?”
All I had done was to interrupt in the middle, catch the Hummingbird spell, and then leave. This was hardly enough to assess someone’s capabilities.
I asked him back.
“How much do you know about the Hummingbird spell?”
“I saw it for the first time just now.”
“So, what did you think of it at first glance?”
“Hmm…”
Go Hyeon-woo closed his eyes for a moment and was lost in thought.
He seemed to be recalling the scenes he had witnessed.
“It’s extremely fast, hard to follow with the eye, and the technique seems more focused on controlling the enemy, like causing paralysis or stiffness, rather than inflicting damage.”
“You’re half right.”
“What’s the other half?”
“Watch closely.”
I created a hummingbird on my palm.
It was the size of a fly so it was different from Song Cheon-hye’s hummingbird.
Since the mana power source, the [Core], has not yet been created, I couldn’t properly manifest even low-level spells.
Still, this size was enough to demonstrate its movements.
The hummingbird took flight from my hand.
Following my control, it formed a figure 8 in the air and moved irregularly in a zigzag pattern.
“It’s called a hummingbird because it was made to imitate the flight of a hummingbird.”
“Indeed, such movements would be quite tricky to counter.”
“The performance varies greatly depending on the practitioner’s skill level.”
Go Hyeon-woo tilted his head, still not quite understanding.
“But what does that have to do with Miss Song’s abilities?”
“Think of it in reverse. If the hummingbird’s movements change depending on the skill of the practitioner…”
“…Ah! Then one could gauge skill level by the hummingbird’s movements.”
“Exactly.”
If Song Cheon-hye had been a truly skilled mage, there should have been some change in the hummingbird’s movement the moment I intervened.
For instance, it could have flown around my hand, or it could have retreated briefly before flying again.
However, Song Cheon-hye’s hummingbird had plunged straight into my palm.
This was evidence of either poor control of magic or a lack of experience in actual combat.
“So much information was contained in Miss Song’s single move.”
But that’s not all.
From what I had personally discerned, although it was E-rank, it was so powerful that it could actually be considered a D-rank.
Either she had learned a powerful trait to assist her magic, or she was born with an enormous amount of magical power.
Either way, it indicated high potential.
The granddaughter of the Thunder Lord. She certainly lives up to her name.
I added Song Cheon-hye’s name to my list of heroes to be recruited someday.
While I was pondering this, Go Hyeon-woo nodded his head and smiled pleasantly.
“It hasn’t been long since I met Kim-hung, but I’ve learned so much. It must be fate.”
“There’s no need to call it fate. I can teach you at least this much.”
“Kim-hyung is indeed generous. I think I chose well for my first friend. My judgment isn’t too bad, it seems. Haha.”
Go Hyeon-woo was someone who always interpreted things positively.
Suddenly, Go Hyeon-woo’s expression turned serious.
“If you ever need my help, just let me know. I’ll do my best to help you.”
“Really? Well, since it’s come up.”
There’s a saying, “Strike while the iron is hot”.
I stood up from my seat.
“Let’s go somewhere together.”
Just to pick up one hidden piece.
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