Inflict Weakness.
As expected, Joo-yeon’s fingers didn’t bend.
Rohan concentrated his focus and activated the skill.
And then—
“…….”
It felt as though the vessel containing his magical power had shattered.
All of his magical power drained out in an instant.
[Insufficient magical power.]
A notification window appeared before Rohan’s eyes.
He didn’t even have the luxury to feel regret.
Something beyond dizziness flashed through his mind, leaving him dazed.
His vision blurred rapidly.
“Ugh…”
Rohan tried desperately to hold onto his consciousness after his magical power vanished in a single moment, but—
Exhaustion caused by sudden and complete depletion of magical power couldn’t be resisted by sheer willpower.
His consciousness began to fade, slowly but surely.
“!!!”
At the same time, a chilling instinct rippled through Joo-yeon.
The magic flowing through Rohan’s fingers attempted to create a disturbance, triggering a change.
What she sensed was an unsettling discord threatening to disrupt balance.
Am I about to… a student…?
Joo-yeon suppressed the urge to react instinctively and pinned it down with reason and self-control.
She had almost swung Rohan who was still holding her left hand into the ground.
As she monitored Rohan’s condition for any further reactions, she was surprised again.
The sword that had been in Rohan’s grip slipped from his hand, and the strength in his fingers loosened.
His consciousness…!?
Rohan crumpled like a marionette with its strings cut.
As he collapsed toward her, Joo-yeon instinctively caught him in her arms.
Dodging wasn’t an option.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
The alarm signaling two minutes rang out.
Joo-yeon quickly assessed the situation.
Still holding the unconscious Rohan, she stood abruptly.
“I’m taking him to the infirmary. Everyone else, remain here and wait.”
There was no time to worry about appearances.
Her voice cut through the room like a lightning bolt.
..
..
“Huh?”
Rohan opened his eyes to find himself lying on a bed with a thin but warm blanket covering him.
Regaining his senses, he blinked at the pure white ceiling above.
Familiar notification windows popped up, welcoming him back to consciousness.
[Achievement unlocked: “No Magical Power Left Day”.]
[You have received 10P as an achievement reward.]
[Achievement unlocked: “You Survived That?”.]
[You have received 30P as an achievement reward.]
“……”
Without hesitation, Rohan summoned his status window.
Name: Rohan
Health: 98%
Magical Power: 3%
Affiliated Nation: Southern Ruins
Affiliated Organization: Orion Academy
Attributes: [Physical] [Fire]
Status: Exhausted
Remaining Points: 2304P
Wow, if this had been a real battle, I’d be dead for sure.
The moment he saw the status window and the bluish IV fluid connected to one of his arms, he grasped the situation.
Rohan pulled his weakened hand out from under the blanket and covered his face.
He was filled with relief that he had tested it in advance.
He could only hope that improvements in his capabilities and skill levels would provide a breakthrough.
…My condition is wrecked.
So this was what mana exhaustion felt like. It was entirely different from overusing abilities back in his Hunter days.
His entire body drooped like a cotton doll soaked in water.
Even though he knew he should check where he was and what time it was, a profound sense of powerlessness prevented him from making even those simple movements.
He had no idea how long he sat there blankly, having let go of his consciousness.
Suddenly, someone slid open the surrounding curtains with a swish and walked in.
“Are you awake?”
“!”
When Rohan moved his hand away and looked around, Joo-yeon came into view.
She naturally took a seat in the chair next to him.
“It’s mana exhaustion. You used up every last bit without leaving any reserve.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“You did nothing wrong. This will be a good learning experience, so there’s no need to apologize. Just focus on resting.”
Joo-yeon watched the bluish IV fluid drip steadily and continued speaking.
“How’s your body feeling?”
“It’s just… I feel a bit tired.”
“We’re administering an IV that aids recovery, so you can leave once you’ve finished it.”
Joo-yeon placed Rohan’s bag, which she had kept for him, on the desk and handed him his smartphone.
When he turned it on with a word of thanks, he realized that class was already over.
Messages had come in from Ichinose and the Class 1 students.
He wanted to reply to everyone right away, but what mattered most was the time.
“Instructor-nim.”
“Hmm?”
“Do you know how long it will take for this IV to finish?”
“Wait just a moment.”
He heard Joo-yeon step out through the curtains and talk to someone.
She returned quickly and gave Rohan the answer.
“About two hours remain.”
“Phew…”
He could still make it to his part-time job.
When Rohan exhaled in relief at that thought, Joo-yeon sensed his intention and her expression hardened.
“Rohan. This IV isn’t a cure-all. You’re still feeling the aftereffects of exhaustion, so it would be best to rest today.”
“I’ll be fine. My part-time job is practically the same as resting.”
“Hmm…”
Joo-yeon had a lot to say, but she kept quiet, feeling that saying more would cross the line.
Each of them had their own circumstances.
Since it wasn’t a leisurely outing but a job he needed for his livelihood, she couldn’t force him to rest.
She also had many questions about his skills, but there were limits to how much an instructor could pry into someone’s private life.
All she could do was watch as Rohan left the infirmary.
***
“…….”
After finishing her duties at Orion Academy, Joo-yeon went home.
It was the luxurious residence provided by the headmaster when he called her to the Academy City.
She was considering returning it or transferring it to another instructor at some point and moving somewhere else.
Beep, beep, beep!
When she entered her passcode and went inside, the lights were off, and the pitch-black living room greeted her with silence.
Every time she faced this sight, she longed for her cozy home in the Three Nations Alliance.
A place can only be so big before it becomes too big.
The excessively large house was difficult to manage, and without enough furniture to fill it, the sounds echoed.
A place about a quarter of this size would probably be perfect.
Click, clack.
She neatly placed her shoes in the corner of the shoe cabinet.
Joo-yeon then began taking off her suit.
She stripped down to her underwear, put the suit in the washing machine, and went to the bathroom to wash up as usual.
Scrub, scrub.
She tossed her underwear into the laundry basket and began brushing her teeth while looking in the mirror.
It was a must to reflect on the day’s lessons while doing the washing-up routine.
I should have more of those kinds of classes in the future.
Each student was an exceptional talent.
Their brilliance shone even brighter compared to the practical classes she usually conducted.
While all of them were remarkable, three students left a particularly strong impression on Joo-yeon.
Noah Frozenheart, Ichinose Yui…
She believed that if these two students continued to grow steadily, they would easily surpass her capabilities.
The saying that heroes emerge in troubled times seemed as though it was meant for these two dazzling students.
Sssssshhhhhh—!
“Phew…”
Under the stream of cold water pouring from the showerhead, Joo-yeon thought of the final name.
And Rohan.
He was different from what one would call a hero.
She couldn’t even begin to predict how he would grow.
The more Joo-yeon reflected on Rohan’s movements, the more she felt a mix of admiration and bitterness.
His fighting style wasn’t something a new academy student should have displayed, and that pained her.
It wasn’t the result of professional training but rather a combat style honed through sheer experience.
It felt like the desperate flailing of someone struggling to survive. It was rough, savage movements dripping with blood.
And unlike someone like Noah Frozenheart whose abilities were innate, his skills were manufactured.
In just two minutes of sparring, Joo-yeon could see what kind of past Rohan had lived through.
Most importantly …
It was definitely the Blazing Blade.
She hadn’t expected to encounter it so suddenly.
Was it something he had acquired by chance, or had he been born with it?
Even if knowing wouldn’t change or solve anything…
She understood it was still her own immaturity that kept her trapped in the shadows of the past.
And yet, she couldn’t help but wonder.
The feeling of missing her younger sibling still remained.
Whooosh—
“……”
However, Joo-yeon had no desire to press Rohan for answers.
She knew all too well that, as an instructor, questioning a student in such a manner would exert an unimaginable amount of pressure.
“Huh?”
Joo-yeon who was lost in her thoughts suddenly realized that she had stopped moving.
It was, admittedly, a bad habit.
I did something bad to Rohan too.
To a student, even two minutes were incredibly precious, and yet she had let her mind wander.
Such behavior was unbecoming of an instructor.
It was undeniably shameful for someone dedicated to education. She would need to make amends for it herself.
“Hoo!”
After finishing her shower, Joo-yeon used a faint touch of magic to dry her body completely.
She then put on the new underwear she had bought recently.
It felt a bit tight around her hips, and the top wasn’t much better.
Hmm? The size?
She hadn’t slacked off in her training, so weight gain wasn’t the issue.
Nor was it likely that her chest or hips had grown; she wasn’t in a growth phase anymore.
This brand isn’t going to work.
With other brands, this size fit her perfectly, but not this one.
Joo-yeon swapped into a different set of underwear and threw on light clothing before heading to the kitchen.
She grabbed a glass of cold water and picked up her phone.
Joo-yeon carefully reviewed the messages she had saved.
The Spider Lily Bookstore, huh?
She checked the time.
According to the report, Rohan’s part-time job wouldn’t be finished yet.
Next, Joo-yeon opened the Orion Academy instructor manual.
Standing in the kitchen, she reviewed the section on students’ part-time jobs.
The responsibilities and duties of an instructor… Should I drop by for a moment?
Joo-yeon removed the clothes she had been wearing and opened her wardrobe to find something suitable for going out.
She pulled out casual clothes she hadn’t worn in ages and slipped on a pair of sneakers she couldn’t remember the last time she had used.
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