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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: The Start of True Education (3)
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Cha Su-ho's face was one of utter disbelief at Jin Seong-hyeok's claim that electricity was flowing through his own body.
"Electricity? You're saying electricity is flowing through my body?!"
'Yeah.'
"How is that even..."
'Possible? I don't know the reason, but the bottom line is, it is. One of my abilities is electricity.'
Electricity. At that word, Su-ho recalled his first meeting with Jin Seong-hyeok.
Jin Seong-hyeok, locked in battle with a boss-grade monster, had casually snapped his thumb and middle finger. Sparks had erupted from the sky, crashing down right onto the monster's head.
Those sparks... had been electricity?
Reading Su-ho's thoughts, Jin Seong-hyeok replied in a calm voice.
'That's right. Lightning is electricity, too.'
Electricity? Su-ho's jaw dropped wide open.
"Mr. Jin Seong-hyeok... what in the world... who are you?"
'You shouldn't be this shocked already.'
"Don't tell me... there's more?"
'I haven't even shown you half of it yet.'
"What?!"
Su-ho's voice boomed loudly. And that voice ended up spurring on the monsters that had been stealthily approaching, drawn by the scent of blood.
Kiririk, kiririk.
Krrrng, krrrr.
Su-ho backed away as he watched the grotesque monsters closing in on him one by one.
'First things first, I need to deal with those.'
"You're not telling me I have to take them out, are you?"
'Who else is here besides you? Those two pieces of trash don't look like they're planning to help.'
"Mr. Jin, have you forgotten? I'm a Helper. Not a Hunter."
'A Helper who can use my power. Unless you want to get your limbs torn off, that is.'
"Ha."
Su-ho let out a deep sigh and ruffled his hair.
"Mr. Jin, there's no way I can fight monsters like that and win..."
'Shut up and spread your palm again.'
With no choice under Jin's firm tone, Su-ho opened his palm.
'Focus your mind. Feel what's in your palm.'
Su-ho's gaze shifted to his palm. There wasn't a shred of expectation on his face, soaked in doubt.
Jin Seong-hyeok flicked a single finger, conjuring electrical energy from the sky. It was only natural. He was an SSS-grade Hunter, after all.
But Su-ho was different. He was an F-grade Helper—neither SSS-grade nor SS-grade.
No way electricity's gonna come from my hand. As Su-ho muttered under his breath, his eyes suddenly widened.
Huh?!
His palm, held up toward the sky, began to tingle. Like a faint current was running through it.
Pizik, pajijik—.
Something sparked from his palm, jumping up before a spark burst forth.
"M-Mr. Jin Seong-hyeok!! This...!!"
Su-ho stammered, clearly shocked.
'Told you. Electricity runs through your body.'
Jin continued nonchalantly.
'Keep focusing. Imagine gathering electrical energy above your palm.'
Su-ho stared intently at his palm, but all he got were tiny sparks like before.
'Are you even focusing properly?'
"I am... Aaaagh!"
Kwaaaang—!
The monsters weren't about to wait patiently. One that had been drooling at Su-ho while eyeing him charged forward, baring its fangs.
Su-ho barely dodged the attack, tumbling across the dirt ground.
"Huff, huff..."
Before he could calm his racing heart, he had to scramble back to his feet.
The monster advanced, gnashing teeth as big as Su-ho's face, looking ready to devour him on the spot.
The other monsters were eyeing him hungrily in their own bizarre forms.
"Fuck..."
Those two trash Hunters were probably watching from afar. They'd only step in once one of Su-ho's limbs got severed.
And even then, like they were doing him some grand favor.
His regeneration meant he wouldn't die, but that didn't mean he wouldn't feel the pain.
Hell, he might get torn to shreds and die before regeneration could even kick in.
'Get it together.'
Jin Seong-hyeok's cold voice instantly cleared the chaos in Su-ho's mind.
'These monsters have regeneration like you, so they're tricky. You have to kill them in one shot.'
They had regeneration too? Despair washed over Su-ho's face.
'Spread your palm. Focus again.'
"...Didn't you see what happened? I'm not an SSS-grade Hunter like you—there's no way I can do it!"
There was no way. Using a Hunter's ability didn't make sense, and without Jin Seong-hyeok, Su-ho would just be an F-grade Helper, not even A-grade.
'Pathetic.'
That word ignited the emotions Su-ho had been holding back.
"Pathetic? Did you just call me pathetic?"
Su-ho let out a short, bitter laugh.
"Do you, someone as strong as you, Mr. Jin, even know what it's like to start with nothing?! No, you don't. You never will. You've had everything from the start!"
'Isn't that obvious?'
Obvious? Su-ho clicked his tongue in disbelief, and Jin continued.
'We grew up in different environments with different abilities—it's obvious. Hell, claiming to understand someone's heart without living their life would be the real joke.'
Jin had a point. They'd grown up in completely different worlds, with different powers. He could sympathize to some extent, but fully understanding each other's positions? Impossible.
Because they'd never lived it.
'Anyway, I get you. If you don't want to hear that canned bullshit, forget I said it. I'm not in the mood for that crap.'
"I didn't... want to hear that either."
'Good. Then stop whining and spread your palm? No one's gonna save you if you die crying to the monsters.'
It was a cold, harsh judgment. With monsters swarming right in front of him, there was no time for whining. It pissed him off, but he had no choice. Su-ho bit his lip and muttered.
"...Can't you at least say it nicely?"
'Not planning to sweet-talk another guy.'
"Ha."
Su-ho, who'd puffed up his pride only to get nothing back, sighed and opened his palm.
He decided to do what he could right now. Just like before, he focused on his palm. Remembering Jin's words as small sparks began flickering one by one.
"Think of it as gathering energy..."
It was a sensation he'd never felt or tried before, making it hard for Su-ho to visualize.
"Keep it simple, simple."
He needed something more concrete than the abstract idea of "gathering energy."
Like imagining the electrical energies forming a round ball.
"Wait, a ball?"
Su-ho's muttering turned serious as realization struck.
"Yeah. Imagine making a small ball."
Su-ho began focusing fiercely.
Pajik, pajijik.
Soon, the jumping sparks gathered toward the center of his palm. Like a tiny vortex, they swirled in the middle, gradually forming a round shape.
Su-ho shouted in shock.
"M-Mr. Jin Seong-hyeok...!"
'I'm watching. Keep focusing.'
Pasususu, pajijijik—.
His palm stung and tingled. Ironically, the stronger the numbness, the more the energy ball above it took shape.
Krrrng, kiriririk.
Keeping his focus on his palm while staying alert to the approaching monsters was no easy feat. As Su-ho slowly backed away, Jin spoke up.
'You need to kill them in one hit, but that's too small.'
It was fist-sized, but nowhere near enough to take down a house-sized monster.
'Unless it explodes from the inside.'
Su-ho's eyes flashed at Jin's offhand mutter.
"Then make it explode from the inside?"
'What?'
Unlike before, Su-ho stood resolutely before the monster, his expression grimly determined.
'Wait, you...!'
Su-ho curled his lips into a smirk.
"Let's make it pop properly."
Kraaaah—!!
Right on cue, the monster lunged at Su-ho, mouth agape. Staring into its massive maw, Su-ho clenched his fist around the energy ball like he was gripping it tight. Then, as if he'd been waiting, he shoved his hand straight into the monster's mouth.
Kwaduduk.
"Gotcha."
Pain ripped through him as flesh tore and the monster's teeth sank into bone. Agony so intense it felt like his breath would stop hit him, but Su-ho took a deep breath and focused his mind.
In a situation where one twitch could sever his arm, Su-ho swiftly executed the next step.
Gritting his teeth against the pain, he opened his palm. Then, with his fingertips, he pushed the energy ball free from his hand.
With bloodshot eyes rolling, the monster stared down. Su-ho smirked and said.
"Bye."
Kiririk, kkururuk—.
It happened in an instant. The monster's throat split open, and a brilliant flash gleamed from the gap.
Kwyaeeeee—!
A guttural scream erupted, followed by a pop like a balloon bursting. At the same time, something poured down over Su-ho's head.
"Hoo, hu."
Panting heavily, Su-ho slowly raised his head. Sticky liquid coated his eyelids, blurring his vision. Wiping it away with his sleeve revealed dark red blood with a foul stench. The monster's blood.
Covered in the monster's gore, Su-ho's gaze dropped to his feet. There lay the monster, throat exploded, mouth still open in death. Its body had been blasted apart, torso flung far away.
He couldn't believe he'd killed the monster. And not just any monster—this was one even A-grade Hunters feared.
Su-ho stared blankly at the corpse at his feet.
'Congratulations.'
Jin's voice rang out right then.
'You're the first Helper to kill a monster solo.'
But his next words forced Su-ho to tense up again.
'Don't celebrate yet. That's just one.'
Su-ho slowly lifted his head, his eyes reflecting dozens of monsters.