TRPM 252

chapter 252

When I arrived at the usual open field, I first looked at the people gathered there.

Yeon Mirae, who wanted to develop swordsmanship to register in the database and earn points.

Sophia, who seemed to want to develop some kind of skill for a similar purpose, though exactly what kind of skill was unclear.

And then Lee Ha-eun, Elena, and Elliot, who were just following along to train.

“It’s better to help them one by one first.”

I could have used the dolls to train two people at a time, but for now, I decided to handle them individually.

“You three, train on your own. I’ll help Yeon Mirae and Sophia first.”

“Got it! Sarang! Let’s train!”

Boom!

“The wind flows well here since it’s a forest, so it’s a good environment for training wind spirit techniques.”

“Alright, let’s start with push-ups first…”

The children began training on one side of the field.

Lee Ha-eun was practicing sending aura and mana through her body to Sarang. Elena was practicing moving spirits more delicately. Elliot was doing physical training.

“Shall we get started too?”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

Yeon Mirae and Sophia nodded, looking nervous.

“First, Yeon Mirae. You said you want to create a sword technique, right? One that will be registered in the Awakened Database.”

“That’s right.”

“Since your goal is to earn fees, I’ll teach you the know-how to create a sword technique that can easily generate usage fees first.”

To earn a lot in usage fees, you need to make a sword technique that many people will use.

But if the technique is too advanced, it will be difficult for anyone who isn’t seriously studying swordsmanship to use.

This means the technique should be at a low enough level, but at the same time, it needs to be effective.

Naturally, it’s difficult to create a technique that satisfies both conditions.

“But as long as those two conditions are met, earning usage fees becomes easy.”

“A technique that satisfies those conditions… just thinking about it sounds hard.”

A technique that is low-level but effective. Normally, higher-level swordsmanship implies more power and effectiveness, so it sounds contradictory.

However…

“When I say you only need to satisfy those two conditions, it also means you can ignore all other conditions.”

“Huh?”

“You can ignore things like versatility. For example, sword techniques effective against orcs will naturally differ from those effective against wolves, right?”

“Well… human-type and beast-type monsters require different strategies, so the techniques effective against them would differ, yes.”

“And sword techniques effective against orcs will differ from those effective against goblins.”

“Of course.”

It’s obvious. Just as fighting human-type and beast-type monsters differs, even human-type monsters require different strategies depending on their size and fighting style. Naturally, the sword techniques to fight them will differ as well.

“A sword technique designed solely to fight goblins, or one designed to fight orcs… would be considered lower-level compared to techniques meant to fight all monsters in the world, right?”

“….”

Yeon Mirae closed her eyes for a moment, deep in thought.

Then, as if reaching a conclusion, she nodded.

“A sword technique that allows even a non-Awakened to kill orcs, or a technique that allows even a non-Awakened to defeat a group of goblins… I think I can make it.”

“Good. Give it a try.”

Yeon Mirae went to one side of the field, drew her sword, and began swinging.

‘She’s creating a virtual opponent and starting a sparring session against it.’

Based on the many monsters she had hunted so far, she was simulating virtual monsters to create the sword technique best suited for defeating them.

‘Yeon Mirae is fine for now…’

There was no need for me to intervene until she had laid the foundation for her sword technique. I then turned to Sophia.

“Sophia, what kind of technique are you planning to create?”

From what I know, Sophia had learned a wide variety of skills.

It may sound random, but most of the techniques she learned were already at a fairly advanced level. She could hold a sword and take down an ordinary aura user, and her hand-to-hand combat was also impressive.

Especially due to her assassin training, her stealth and dagger skills were particularly excellent.

So what kind of technique would she try to create and register in the database?

“Actually, I’m not trying to create a technique. I want to reproduce one.”

“Reproduce?”

“Yes. I want to reproduce the techniques of the organization I observed on the Moon and Mars.”

“The organization’s techniques are outstanding. Especially the ones using scientific technology and rituals—they’re so advanced that no Earth organization can match them.”

I agree. Even knowing much about the organization now, the level of technology they use across Earth, the Moon, and Mars is astonishing. And their speed is unreal. According to Sophia, their spacecraft can travel between Earth and Mars in just a few days.

Of course, that depends on the distance between Earth and Mars, but still…

“What’s the point of reproducing such techniques?”

“I can release into the world techniques that only the organization or former members of Oracle currently have exclusive access to.”

Ah, that makes sense.

“Indeed, that alone makes it worth reproducing the techniques and registering them in the Awakened Database.”

If the organization’s techniques are released into the world, methods to counter them can be developed.

Moreover, the main reason I haven’t completely wiped out the organization is that their headquarters is on Mars.

Even I can’t easily reach Mars. But if their technology becomes public, companies or nations could potentially develop spacecraft capable of reaching Mars more quickly.

“All sounds good, but can you actually reproduce those techniques?”

“I’ve memorized all the theories whenever I had the chance. I’ll start by reproducing the simpler ones first.”

Of course, scientific technology requires facilities, so that’s a challenge for now, but Oracle’s techniques aren’t only science-based.

I couldn’t really help Sophia with her skill development—or rather, skill reproduction.

Her goal was to reproduce the organization’s techniques so that others could figure out countermeasures.

Given that goal, it was more important to faithfully replicate the organization’s techniques than to make them better.

So it was better to leave everything to Sophia, who had memorized all the theories. I then went to where Lee Ha-eun, Elena, and Elliot were training.

“304…! 305…! Oh, are you done helping the older girls? Is it our turn now?”

Elliot was the first to notice me approaching. He stopped his push-ups, stood up, and his eyes sparkled.

The other two also stopped and turned to look at me.

“Yeah, it’s your turn.”

“Ooooh…!”

Elliot’s excitement was unusually high. Or maybe he’s always like this? Anyway, he seemed genuinely happy to be training with me.

“Right now I’m just observing your training, but if we continue like this, eventually we might have a proper sparring match…!”

“….”

Ah. The ultimate goal was to spar with me again. That makes sense. Since sparring under the pretext of training can happen, it’s fine if they’re following diligently. I’ll consider doing a light sparring session at the end.

“Who should I start with…?”

“Me! Start with me!”

Before I could finish speaking, Elliot raised his hand. Alright, we’ll start with you.

“Elliot. Do you usually only do physical training?”

“A healthy body hosts a healthy mind (Mens sana in corpore sano). Likewise, a healthy body hosts healthy mana, right? That’s why I do physical training!”

Elliot quoted a famous saying. Not wrong. Even non-Aura users at specialized schools are trained physically, so it makes sense.

“I also refine swordsmanship learned from Arthur, but most of my time is spent on physical training!”

“Not bad. Physical training doesn’t happen overnight.”

It really isn’t bad. If Elliot were an Aura user, steady physical training and refining swordsmanship would suffice.

But Elliot isn’t an Aura user; he’s a magic swordsman. He strengthens his body with magic, interferes with opponents’ movements with magic, and strikes deadly blows with his sword.

‘Until now I’ve let it be, but Elliot needs a change in swordsmanship.’

Arthur taught him flashy sword techniques for hunting monsters. They aren’t bad, but to combine magic and swordsmanship, he needs a technique suitable for a magic swordsman.

While the database has techniques for magic swordsmen, few have reached high levels, so we can’t assume those techniques are exceptional.

Then… I’ll have to create it myself.

I primarily use swords, but I can imitate magic using internal energy. I’ve studied magic extensively to mimic it, so I can create sword techniques suited for a magic swordsman.

This will take time, so I’ll tell Elliot to wait.

“Wow… A sword technique just for me? Really just for me?!”

Elliot visibly rejoiced. That’s such a big deal to him?

“…Because if it’s by Mr. Gunwoo… no, the Artist, for me, its value is beyond measure.”

Elena said that, as if reading my thoughts. Aren’t you reading my mind too well these days?

“Anyway, Elliot, train as usual.”

“Got it!”

“Next is Elena…”

I looked at Elena, who uses wind spirit techniques. Hmm…

“Pass.”

“Why?!”

Because I’m not very knowledgeable about spirit techniques. While I’ve observed and analyzed her enough to mimic spirit techniques, I still don’t understand them better than Elena herself.

“Ugh… why only me…”

“Sorry. But if I give advice, try to balance the amount of spirit power you use with the amount you absorb from nature.”

“Easier said than done.”

Elena sighed and began her personal training. I felt sorry but turned to Lee Ha-eun, who was looking at me eagerly.

“Gunwoo, me?! Me?!”

“Hmm… well.”

Honestly, the hardest to advise here is Lee Ha-eun. She’s a great mage, far stronger than me as a magician. I’ve been helping her study with knowledge from before my regression, but that’s nearing its limits.

As I pondered what to teach her…

Huff…

“Huh?”

Suddenly, I noticed Sarang, Ha-eun’s familiar.

I quickly calculated a possibility in my mind. I concluded that Ha-eun could handle it, so I said:

“…Ha-eun.”

“Yes?”

“Do you want to try making a special move?”

“Huh? A special move?”

Yes. A special move called Union (合體).