Chapter 389: Destructive Gale

The next day.

A senior scholarship student from the Hye-seong Group came to see us and delivered the points.

Now, Seo Ye-in had a total of 380,000 points.

That should be more than enough to be competitive at the auction.

The scholarship senior added a word with a hint of lingering regret,

“I hope they’re used well. We worked hard to save those up. It would hurt if they were wasted on something random.”

“I’ll bid carefully.”

“Well, technically, it’s out of our hands now.”

After all, Hye-seong Group had already paid the price for those points.

He added that he was just saying that and we didn’t need to take it too seriously.

I thought that was the end of it, but then he reached into his inventory again and pulled out a plain white book with nothing written on it.

It was a blank skill book.

“Take this too.”

“I didn’t think you’d get one overnight.”

“Got lucky. It had just gone up for sale. If I’d been a bit later, another club might’ve snatched it up.”

“That’s really lucky. Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. Alright, I’m off.”

That was all the senior said before leaving.

Even for the Hye-seong Group’s Future Strategy Office, I had expected it would take some time to acquire a powerful item like a blank skill book.

And with Hardship still on a 3-day cooldown…

I had planned to spend a few days just doing regular training with Seo Ye-in, as usual.

But with the sudden arrival of the skill book—

“This actually works out even better.”

I immediately began the skill creation process.

I flipped open the first page and infused it with mana.

Following my will, the blank page was filled with letters.

Once one page was complete, I turned to the next, and then the next, with no hesitation.

“……”

Seo Ye-in silently watched the whole process from beside me.

Her eyes sparkled with wonder.

She was clearly fascinated by how a skill was created and also excited that the skill would be hers.

After a while—

I held a newly completed skill book in my hands.

[Skill Book – Destructive Gale]

“……!”

Her gray eyes sparkled even brighter.

Seo Ye-in reached out eagerly, clearly wanting to learn the skill right away. But I pulled the skill book away behind me.

“You need the housekeeper’s permission first. We made a promise, remember?”

“Forgiveness is easier than permission.”

“You sure talk a lot for someone who’s not getting it. Still no.”

She wouldn’t be punished even if she skipped permission, but there was no need to cause trouble over something avoidable.

As Seo Ye-in kept reaching for the skill book, I guarded it while contacting Ahn Jeong-mi.

After a few rings, her image appeared in the crystal orb, and she bowed politely.

– Young Miss, Kim Ho-nim.

“We’ve received the points and the blank skill book.”

– I’m glad. When are you planning to start the skill creation?

“Actually, it’s already done.”

– …That was fast.

“I had already decided what to make in advance.”

At that moment, Seo Ye-in spoke curtly from beside me.

“I want to learn it.”

– Young miss, we still need to go through more internal discussions—

“Permission.”

– While the general consensus is positive, for a final conclusion—

“I want to learn it.”

– …I’ll take care of the rest myself.

Faced with her persistent demand, Ahn Jeong-mi raised the white flag first.

Even as a team leader and a buttler, she was still just an employee. One who couldn’t defy the chairman’s granddaughter.

Especially when the decision was nearly finalized anyway.

She turned to me for final confirmation.

– Kim Ho-nim, is the created skill exactly the same as the one you proposed?

“Not a single word is different.”

– Then I trust you. Thank you, as always.

After exchanging a few more words with Ahn Jeong-mi, I ended the call.

Seo Ye-in reached out her hand again. Subtly, but definitely.

Now that we had permission, I placed the skill book in her hand.

“Go ahead and learn it.”

“Okay.”

A burst of radiant light flared as the skill book dissolved into Seo Ye-in’s body.

Fwoosh!

“……”

Seo Ye-in stared into empty space for a moment, as if checking a notification message.

Then she looked down at her hands and feet and tilted her head in confusion. It seemed she had no idea how to use the skill.

I gave her a subtle hint.

“What’s in the skill’s name?”

“Destruction.”

“Besides that.”

“Gale.”

A moment later, an exclamation mark popped up over Seo Ye-in’s head.

She must have realized that, as the name suggested, it had something to do with wind.

And Seo Ye-in happened to have a very fitting skill called Feather Step.

She took a few light steps forward, and a faint turbulence began to swirl around her.

Whoooosh—

Then she activated the skill, though her expression remained slightly uncertain.

It looked like something had happened, but she wasn’t exactly sure what.

Still, it was a decent first step, so I suggested:

“Let’s give it a proper spin now.”

“Vroom vroom.”

Soon, we headed to the training center and stood facing each other at the center of the room.

“Let me demonstrate first.”

[Activated ‘Copy-Skill’.]

[The target’s skill ‘Destructive Gale (F)’ has been registered to slot.]

▷ Copy – Skills [3/3]

1. Thief’s Step (B)

2. Destructive Gale (F+)

3. Ice Wall (B)

I unintentionally left the trait slot empty and used up a skill slot instead.

Still, it was a useful enough skill to justify taking up a spot.

And as Seo Ye-in leveled up, it would only become more effective.

Next, I operated the training terminal and set up the wooden dummies.

Each one held a crude slingshot.

Leaving them on standby, I summoned a swirling wind and activated [Destructive Gale].

Whoooosh—

The swirling wind began to concentrate around me.

“The longer you charge it, the stronger it gets. And while charging—”

Just then, the wooden dummies aimed their slingshots and launched stones at me.

But the stones bounced off helplessly against the compressed wind.

“—your defense goes up like this.”

“A defensive skill.”

Of course, what was flying at us now were just little stones, but powerful ranged attacks like Cha Hyeon-joo’s magic arrows would still need to be deflected, just as before.

Even so, it was clear that this would make Feather Step’s turbulence much more solid.

Whoooosh—

Even as I explained, the wind kept compressing around me.

Once I felt it was enough, I stretched my hand forward.

“And once it’s fully charged—”

The compressed wind burst forward all at once,

Booooom—!

And obliterated the wooden dummies that had been tirelessly launching stones.

“You can release one powerful strike.”

“An ultimate move.”

“One more thing. At the very end, it also enhances projectiles.”

“Even better.”

That meant that when she unleashed the wind blast, her magic bullets would hit even harder.

Seo Ye-in’s eyes sparkled.

Need both a defensive skill and an ultimate move?

Then just make a skill that handles both at once.

The downside is… it’s hard to use.

Wind-type skills were generally difficult to begin with.

On top of that, Destructive Gale requires you to control the flow, hold it in place, and compress it.

And all of that has to happen during a chaotic battle.

It was a high-difficulty skill to manage and a tough one to rank up, but if anyone could do it, it’d be the genius sloth.

I said to Seo Ye-in,

“Want to try it yourself now? Just the compression phase for starters.”

“Mhmm.”

Seo Ye-in stepped up with great enthusiasm.

As she activated Feather Step, faint turbulence began to swirl around her, and she slowly began compressing it together.

Whooosh—

But when the wooden dummies fired their stones, her concentration wavered slightly.

The partially compressed air dispersed in an instant.

I spoke casually.

“Let’s keep going.”

“Let’s do it.”

Seo Ye-in gave a small nod and focused again.

Winds swept through the training room again and again.

The goal was to reach C-rank within a month.

That way, she could use it in the tournament.

***

Blood Cult Headquarters.

Blood Brain began to speak with two middle-aged men before him.

“As I mentioned previously, it’s now certain that the Blood Wind Sword is at Dragon Slayer Academy.”

“So in the end, Elder Heo managed to make his life count.”

Technically, he hadn’t even been a proper meat shield against the previous Grand Guardian, but no one brought that up.

Nor did anyone seem to mourn him.

Blood Brain gave a faint smile before getting to the point.

“I hear Dragon Slayer Academy will be hosting a martial arts tournament soon. They’re also planning to invite several distinguished guests from outside.”

“It won’t be easy to notice if one of our school’s elders is among those guests.”

“That’s right. Which is why I must ask the two of you for a difficult favor.”

To infiltrate Dungeon Island and retrieve the Blood Wind Sword during the tournament.

The two men each gave their response.

“You can consider it as good as done.”

“With just me alone it would be enough, but with Elder Baek joining in, failure is out of the question.”

Blood Brain continued with a calm smile.

“It’s not that I underestimate your skills, but there’s something I must caution you about.”

“What has you so concerned?”

“Most of the guests will be formidable in their own right. According to some rumors, even the Sword Queen is said to be coming to see her disciple.”

Not only that, but elders from various sects and magic towers, as well as executive-level members of guilds, would be setting foot on Dungeon Island to watch the tournament.

Each of them likely possessed martial strength on par with the two elders if not more, given their superior numbers.

If discovered, they would have to risk their lives on the spot.

Even so, the middle-aged man smiled leisurely.

“I completely understand your concern. But isn’t that exactly why you’re entrusting this mission to us?”

A moment later, a sly purple gleam flashed in the middle-aged man’s eyes.

The mark of Soul Enchantment Arts being activated.

His true identity was that of the current Illusion Demon.

No matter how strong a warrior might be, defenses against mental attacks were generally weak.

And if their opponents were nothing more than greenhorn students, extracting the rest of the information would be as easy as flipping one’s hand.

“Just wait patiently. We’ll return with the Blood Wind Sword in no time.”

The two elders were fully confident of success.