There was a poor freshman in the newspaper department, even with all other children leaving school.
Hwang Jiho was looking at me with a surprised expression.
“Try it.”
It was Hwang Jiho who said that one could get some of the powers of the baron’s eyes, but why did he now look so surprised? I had been skeptical but thought it was an opportunity for the head of the baron to see the skill in person, so he activated the Eye Glow skill without saying a word.
‹Skill ‘Eye Glow’ has been activated.›
Woo-woong—
My vision then changed, with a tingling sensation in my head and eyes. In the changed landscape, Hwang Jiho’s golden eyes were clearly visible.
‘Is Hwang Jiho also activating his Eye Glow skill?’
After a few seconds of seeing each other, both the synergism and the light disappeared from Hwang Jiho’s eyes.
“…That’s a real ‘eye glow.’”
After hearing that, I could tell I was right. It seemed that users could recognize each other while using the said skill.
“Strange. I learned it too quickly. Jo Eushin you have been living a life unrelated to your true family, so why…?”
“What’s the matter?”
“In addition to consuming the Essence of the Fountain where the Baron’s New Treasure appears, there is one more acquisition condition.”
“What?”
I also asked for the Eye Glow skill. Hwang Jiho looked into my eyes as if looking for a clue and said, “One of the conditions for acquiring Eye Glow is to receive the light of the skill for a long period of time.”
Was there such a condition? I didn’t know how long that “long period” was, but I thought I could understand why Hwang Jiho felt shocked.
“Usually, to receive that much attention from us means that you are going to die as prey, or that you will pass on your skills. So, even those who dared to obtain the essence without my permission usually only brighten their eyes at night, or improve their eyesight.”
Hwang Jiho’s gaze then turned to my stomach. “On the deck of Cymopoleia, in the dark, I saw you pierced by the Sangboshimgeumpa, and I thought I would pass on this skill. But that’s weird. It’s been fast. I thought you would get it by the end of your first year at the earliest, three years at the earliest.”
According to Hwang Jiho, I was exposed to the Eye Glow skill on a yearly basis.
‘What are you? How?’
I couldn’t come up with an answer after thinking about it.
“Are there any guesses on the acquisition route of the Eye Glow skill?”
Guess what, it had been a while since I came to this world. Even if the unidentified faction of this world was watching me with the Eye Glow skill the whole time, the timing was just not right. Even if there were, some of the factions within Eungwang High would have noticed.
“I don’t know.”
“Yes…”
It seemed that Hwang Jiho didn’t expect me to give a proper answer, either.
“Let me accompany you to practice your new skill. How were you planning to practice?”
“I made a promise.”
Originally, I was going to do training to deal with the Sangboshimgeumpa.
“I’ll ask.”
“…?”
Hwang Jiho didn’t seem to know who his opponent was. He didn’t seem to care about whether Hwang Jiho came or not, but he decided to ask for his understanding first.
[Me] Hwang Jiho is also coming.
The message was read immediately and a reply soon arrived.
[Baekho] I got it.
Today’s training was likely to be accompanied by two mythological nobles.
* * * *
[Kim Yuri] So Jiho will be late too?
[Kim Yuri] Right before the end of the study, we are going to take the common subject note test, let’s see that together!
[Kim Yuri] 1st place in the note test and 2nd place will decide on the dinner menu tomorrow. Haha!
[Kim Yuri] Then I’ll wait! ^▽^
We exchanged messages with Kim Yuri while traveling to the Union Center on an airboard.
‘The way he looked at school and the children seem to be mentally stable.’
Kim Yuri was evidently anxious about the sealing of Gwanglim and her father’s hospitalization. However, she was able to sleep well and looked still energetic because the others had been around for so long.
‘It’s an unfinished book, but…’
Thinking about what to do during the summer break, the motivation for training increased.
“You have arrived. Go down first!” Hwang Jiho, who was traveling on an airboard side by side, said this.
The airboard he was operating was a version that could be operated manually, unlike general student supplies. The perfect driving skills of increasing the speed of the airboard and then descending and landing were dazzling, but I also couldn’t help but feel a little envious.
While I was thinking, ‘Shall I ask you to borrow it next time?’ my airboard with automatic mode also quietly landed on the ground.
When the airboard was finally folded, a white tiger appeared from beyond the mist of the lake road in the landscape area.
“I didn’t know you were helping Jo Eushin’s training. Why didn’t you say a word? Baekho.”
With only a glimpse of Hwang Jiho, Baekho-gun did not answer and walked towards the boundary of Byeoksa Temple.
“Do you not feel the need to answer? There are a lot of things I don’t even tell you. You didn’t tell me in advance of the mischief that the descendant of the troublemaker played against you. It looks like you still have it in your heart. Hahaha!”
“…”
Baekho didn’t say a word, but strangely, a conversation was taking place. Somehow, I remembered the talkative message room of Jang Nam-wook and Yoo Sang-hoon, who took only a few consonants, and realized that the two were friends. The bizarre conversation between the two mythical nobles continued until Chilsu West arrived at the training room floating on the ceiling.
“It is still here. The seven white tigers in Inwangsan have faded because your power hasn’t reached them for a long time.”
The starry sky at this training ground seemed to have been connected with the power of Baekho. At this, Baekho looked up at the ceiling once and pulled out Baek Ah.
He seemed to be thinking of starting training right away. “Today, I want to try this skill as well.”
Before he could start with his onslaught, Eye Glow was deftly activated. Then, as if expecting Baekho’s reaction, Hwang Jiho, who was leaning against the wall, began to twinkle his eyes.
‹Skill ‘Eye Glow’ has been activated.›
Woo woong—
At the same time as my skill was activated, a white psychic wave drifted around Baekho’s eyes and disappeared. Baekho, who looked lost in thought for a moment, immediately nodded.
“Okay.”
“…You adapt quickly.”
Hwang Jiho made a dissatisfied expression, wondering if it was not fun for Baekho to show no reaction.
Then, suddenly, Hwang Jiho opened his eyes. “Hmm.”
This guy was indeed very ominous.
All of a sudden, a white group of psychics flew around Baekho-gun.
“It’s my family, Yeongho, who temporarily instilled my power.”
At the same time as Baekho’s speech ended, Lee Neungpa took on the shape of a tiger, a member of the shadow family who had neither a soul nor a will. When Baekho was in his realm, he was a member of the family that he could only take out.
‘Are you planning on using that for training? … !’
I knew roughly the power of Yeongho (影虎) that I had seen in the game. The whitish shadow lying meekly at the foot of Baekho could easily tear off a human arm in one bite.
“Jo Eushin, hold on to Yeongho with the light of his eyes and use the Sangboshimgeumpa against me.”
I thought I would at least train separately, but Baekho-gun raised the difficulty of the task even more.
‘… … It’s hard to take Baek Ah and beat it!’
It seemed that my hard work was being seen. Hwang Jiho was behind him, his eyes twinkling with the force of beams from his eyes.
When I grabbed the Sangboshimgeumpa, Baekho and Yeongho rushed towards me.
* * * *
After training, Kim Yuri’s house.
Except for Min Green, who returned home before dinner, the others were studying in the living room.
“Come on! We were just about to take the note test.”
“Huh? You look a little tired.”
As Kwon Lena said, I was indeed very tired. Baekho and his family, Yeongho, attacked me relentlessly, and the damage I took today was so great that I had to use a recovery item.
However, I came this far because I promised to come to the study meeting even if it was late.
‘Thanks to this, I got used to the ringing of the eyes when using the Eye Glow skill, and the mastery of the Sangboshimgeumpa has also risen significantly…’
Baekho was indeed very serious and rigorous in his training.
Hwang Jiho, who continued to watch after training, said this.
—…You act more harshly than when you train with our gang or Shinsoo.
I was glad that my playable character was serious about training, but I felt tired anyway. As I could recall, there was one thing I was concerned about.
‘But Olma is also trained. What kind of training do you do, how do you fight? If I ask you to take a video, will you take it? Or will they allow it if I ask them to watch it in person?’
The sound of an alarm ended the misconceptions.
Beep beep!
With the sound of an alarm signaling the end of the time limit, the screen of the application for testing the note turned off.
“Okay, then I’ll announce the results right away! By the way, the average score of this note test is 70 points based on the Eungwang High predicted by the note test app!” Yuri Kim, who was currently in charge of the Year 1 Class 0 study party, displayed a hologram.
[Jo Euishin – 100 points]
[Han-yi – 100 points]
[Kim Yuri – 95 points]
[Sawol Saeum – 86 points]
[Min Green – 85 points]
[Kwon Lena – 59 points]
[Hwang Jiho – 40 points]
[Maeng Hyo-don – 29 points ]
If you looked at the children’s grades listed, they came out similar to the grades in the midterm exam, except for the fact that Maeng Hyo-don was now a failing store.
“Oh, the vice-captain, that bastard doesn’t study. And yet he gets 100 points.”
“I wanted to aim for 100 points too, but it’s a pity…!”
“Green also participated remotely! I was worried that the time might not be right.”
The children continued their appreciation while looking at the hologram.
“Jiho got 40 points in all the tests last time, so he completely avoided failing points.”
“It’s going to be hard to do that on purpose.”
“Ha ha ha ha ha!”
Hwang Jiho was doing that difficult thing on purpose. While avoiding failure, it was an excellent springboard for the Eungwang High students.
“Then Han and Eushin have the menu options! What do you want to eat?”
“I’m late today, so I’ll hand over the choice to Han.”
Han-yi was evidently delighted with my words and started to choose a sweet menu.
Tomorrow’s dinner would be coconut milk curry and honey garlic tortillas.
With that, I finished the study meeting with a promise that I would come on time and have dinner with them together.
* * * *
The next morning.
I checked the message sent by Sung Siwan last night and went to school early.
[Sung Siwan] I’m currently investigating my grandfather’s days in Eungwang High
[Sung Siwan] I think it will take some time because you have done a lot of this and that… Hehe.
Sung Siwan was currently investigating the clues found in the boss room of the secret passage.
‘I think I’m more motivated because my grandfather appeared.’
However, the former head of the Korean branch said that he did a lot of this and that while he was still at Eungwang High?
Seong Guk-eon, who left a legend in Eungwang, seemed to be his grandfather.
[Sung Siwan] Oh, I plan to check the materials in my grandfather’s library when he gets home over the weekend. Would you like to come too?
[Sung Siwan] Gye Dam is coming, so come when the time is right! Haha.
While I was walking and answering that I would think about it, someone tapped me on the shoulder.
“Hey.” I looked to the side and saw Maeng Hyo-don standing there. I came out an hour earlier than usual, but we met.
“You came early.”
“There were some strange people yesterday. So just a little.”
Although Maeng Hyo-don didn’t express it, it seems that he was concerned about Min Green’s attack yesterday.
We then headed to the first-year building, chatting about bilberry cereal for breakfast and grilled mackerel with the skin.
“Hello! Everyone is here!”
“Wow, everyone came early.”
“Hi.”
It wasn’t promised, but all the children in my class had gone to school early. Except for Min Green and Hwang Jiho, Maeng Hyo-don and I were the last to arrive.
“Sam Yong was in charge, but I came early just in case. Everyone must have thought the same thing!” Kim Yuri said with a bright smile.
All of our classmates were good. I didn’t see any art clubs near the first-grader building yet, but we all decided to wait outside while chatting.
Soon, Hwang Jiho also arrived, and the first-year students from other classes started to show up one by one.
Among them, there was Min Green, who walked in the shade and came all the way here unnoticed.
“Oh, everyone came early…”
The children who were about to say hello to Min Green promptly stopped.
Behind her stood Song Dae-seok, clad in plain clothing.
