I got into school for nothing - Chapter 187
The next morning, before 5 AM, Ban Yuwon woke up and carefully left his bed, heading for the living room so as not to wake Rucell, who was still breathing softly in her sleep.
The house was quiet, everyone seeming to still be asleep, but from the garden outside, the consistent sound of wind being sliced and faint shouts could be heard, as if Ban Yumi was training.
‘Now it truly feels like I’m back.’
Even though he had become a student at Union Academy, even with monsters appearing on Earth, and even with the secret circumstances surrounding his family...
His older sister still woke up early to swing her wooden sword in the garden.
That sight offered a small comfort to Ban Yuwon's anxious heart.
“Alright, then...”
He quickly washed his face and boiled water.
He brewed black tea, poured it into a fancy mug, and added thirteen sugar cubes.
He turned on the smartphone he was holding for the first time in months, rather than his Mirror, and connected to the internet.
What he wanted to investigate was the story about myths and scriptures he had heard from Grandfather Ban yesterday.
‘It’s hard to accept that all myths have vanished. Furthermore, it shouldn’t be possible to tamper with information already present in people’s minds...’
Moreover, religion had profoundly influenced Earth’s cultural development.
The history of humanity was, in essence, the history of religion.
Names, places, even games are often influenced by Greek or Norse mythology, aren't they?
Are they all broken? Are even those who encountered them being controlled?
No way—
“They are.”
An hour later, Ban Yuwon set down his empty teacup with a sigh.
Almost all religious scriptures and various myth-related books that had gained widespread recognition were converted into unreadable characters, just as Grandfather Ban's Bible had been.
Videos wouldn't play, games wouldn't run, and comics were distorted as if their colors had bled.
Fortunately, traditions, customs, and names influenced by religion remained intact — yet there was no way to explain how they were connected to religion.
People's memories remained undisturbed, but they were unable to convey what they knew to others.
Whether they tried to speak or write, their words transformed into a language even they couldn't understand, enough to truly evoke the biblical tale of the Tower of Babel collapsing and people losing their ability to communicate.
‘It’s clear that the Tower of Babel is involved in this.’
Having reached that conclusion without difficulty, Ban Yuwon finally checked the reactions of various religious communities.
With scriptures corrupted and doctrines impossible to utter, evangelism became impossible, and even worship services couldn't be properly held.
Though never an official stance, among those deeply religious, not a few asserted that dimensional evolution was the work of demons, indiscriminately cursing the Ban family and others who had risen to prominence thanks to it.
Meanwhile, in response to this terrible calamity that emerged with Earth's transformation, even radical factions appeared, claiming that this was merely the suppression of false gods by a 'true god' who had finally revealed himself with dimensional evolution.
“Haa...”
Only about three months had passed since dimensional evolution occurred.
It was far too short a time for believers of religions boasting thousands of years of history to accept this new reality.
Even Ban Yuwon, the new master of the Tower of Babel, who was uniquely unaffected by this, couldn't understand why it was happening.
Would he find out if he conquered the Tower?
Until then — it would be best to remain silent about the connection between this tragedy on Earth and the Tower of Babel, if possible.
“Ban Yuwon.”
“What?”
Just then, Ban Yumi suddenly appeared behind him and spoke.
Ban Yuwon, who had been reading her movements through the operation of his Giwon Sword, replied naturally, but at his reaction, Ban Yumi's eyes narrowed.
“Since when did you get such good instincts?”
“You’ve seen all the videos I’m in, haven’t you? I learned martial arts from a girl who popped out of Murim. Cool, huh?”
“Right, speaking of her.”
Ban Yumi smoothly leaned her face close to his and said.
“Didn’t she ask for something in return for teaching you martial arts?”
“What?”
“...Like your body?”
Ban Yuwon poked his ear, but Rucell had cleaned it thoroughly last night, so nothing came out, and it felt refreshingly clear.
He glared at his sister, his eyes narrowed, and said.
“Ban Yumi, are you reading erotic novels these days?”
“No, you jerk! It’s weird, isn’t it? That’s clearly an advanced technique! There’s no way she’d just teach it to a classmate!”
“What are you talking about? Didn’t you see the videos? She taught martial arts to the other classmates too.”
To Rucell, martial arts for Murim heretics, those with beast blood — martial arts likely sharing roots with the Gwoeyeonggong Ban Yuwon learned.
To As Light, military spear-fighting and, later, even combat spear-fighting.
Even though Ban Yuwon explained it kindly, his sister's reaction didn't change.
“It’s a different feeling. What she taught them wasn’t something she had personally mastered, but what she taught you... yes, it felt like you were her direct disciple!”
“Good eye.”
It was an undeniable truth that Hyunsingong was the foundation of Dokgo Yeon's martial arts.
And not just Hyunsingong.
Dokgo Yeon not only firmly instilled in him the essence of the sword but also, under the guise of daily sparring, hammered all sorts of sword techniques she herself had mastered into Ban Yuwon's body.
Every single one of those movements was conceptualized, now completely integrated into Ban Yuwon's Giwon Sword.
In essence, the term 'direct disciple' wasn't wrong at all.
“Like you said, it does feel like I’m her direct disciple. I actually don’t know why she was so good to me to that extent, but...”
“So didn’t she ask for your body as payment?!”
“What could she possibly lack?!”
Unable to tolerate his sister's nonsense so early in the morning, Ban Yuwon shouted, but she, in turn, pointed to her eyes and exclaimed, as if frustrated that Ban Yuwon couldn't even understand this.
“The way that woman looks at you! Those strange cross-shaped eyes of hers are incredibly lewd!”
“You, who’s never even dated once, sure talk a lot.”
“Ugh...!”
Ban Yumi, struck in her weak point, fell silent.
Ban Yuwon let out a deep sigh at her reaction and stood up.
“Just spar. You only brought it up because you wanted to, didn’t you?”
“You’re just disgustingly quick to catch on...”
“Well, faster than you, at least.”
Of course, how could he not know when she was approaching with a wooden sword in each hand?
Ban Yuwon took the wooden sword his sister offered and headed to the garden with her.
“I’m going all out.”
“When have you ever joked around with a sword?”
“You’ve never tried to kill me before, though.”
Well, of course, you shouldn't try to kill your family.
“But now, I feel like I *can* kill you.”
“Hey!”
“Here I come!”
Ban Yumi thrust her wooden sword straight, as if truly intent on killing him, brimming with personal spite!
He had long known her talents were outstanding, ever since she won an Olympic gold medal as an active high school student, but he never imagined she would have grown even faster after Earth's cataclysm...!
“Huh?”
Dodging her sword, which flew in a somewhat familiar trajectory, Ban Yuwon blinked.
“This is Dokgo Yeon’s sword art?”
“I learned it from the videos you uploaded.”
“You’re joking... right?”
Of course, since the videos recorded the activities of the Rebellion members, there must have been scenes of Dokgo Yeon wielding her sword.
But it wasn't as if she filmed the videos to serve as a textbook, intending to teach others her sword art; at best, it would have been footage of her sparring with other members or swinging her sword while ascending the Tower...
And she learned sword art just by watching that?
If Dokgo Yeon's sword art was that easy to learn, Ban Yuwon wouldn't have had to get beaten up so much to learn it!
“No joke. I worked with the single-minded goal of completely mastering it to beat you someday, and it worked out. Besides, unlike fencing or kendo, 'it has good synergy with mana.'”
“—Hah!”
The sword, familiar in feel, flew at him again, but within it, he sensed a scorching heat that seemed ready to explode at any moment.
Indeed, Ban Yuwon now finally realized why Ban Yumi's growth had been so rapid.
The perfect 'form' of the sword that Dokgo Yeon had taught Ban Yuwon.
Ban Yumi had succeeded in the absurd feat of mastering it by merely watching videos and then imbuing it with her own intent.
While it certainly couldn't compare to building it from the realm of nothingness, Ban Yumi's talent, starting from form and completing a plausible martial art, was extraordinary.
‘It’s not just her sword art. She was skilled in mana manipulation from the start, and — that unique Authority of hers is just too overpowered.’
The heat that transferred to him as he parried her wooden sword threatened to incinerate not only his own wooden sword but also Ban Yuwon's very body.
Of course, the concept of 'Adamant' that he had obtained from facing the Constellation's avatar was automatically fending off this much, but it was quite unusual that he had to use his unique concept in a mere wooden sword sparring match.
‘Unquenchable Flame.’ Honestly, considering that Authority alone, it wouldn't be strange if my sister were chosen by Union.’
Rucell's unique concept, the Wildness Furnace, born from Ban Yuwon twisting a Constellation's Authority and adding countless aspects of Wildness.
A power similar to, or even greater than, the concept that grants its owner immense strength, stamina, and infinite growth potential, was burning within Ban Yumi's body.
The literal Unquenchable Flame was continuously producing energy, strengthening Ban Yumi even at this very moment.
“The age limit for Union admission is up to 20, so it’s a shame.”
“I know what you’re thinking, but I have no intention of becoming your junior anyway?!”
“I thought it might be fun, though.”
“Eek...!”
As he spoke teasingly, the sword Ban Yumi swung grew even faster.
She was truly aiming only for his fatal weak points!
“If you’re embarrassed, you can just say so.”
“Stop dodging and stand still, I can’t kill you otherwise!”
“Seriously.”
Ban Yuwon parried his sister's sword, sparring with her for about 30 minutes.
Although she had already reached an independent martial arts realm by adapting and developing Dokgo Yeon's sword art in her own way, it was undeniable that its foundation was Dokgo Yeon's style, and it was impossible for her to win a battle of wits against Ban Yuwon, who had already perfected the harmony of Yugi and Giwon Sword.
She deserved commendation simply for relentlessly pressing him and continuously swinging her sword in search of an opening, without backing down against the absolute powerhouse that was Ban Yuwon.
[The depth of Giwon Sword increases by 2.]
“Hee-eek, hue-eek...”
“That was a good spar. A genius is a genius, after all.”
Ban Yuwon said, looking at Ban Yumi who, unable to land a proper strike on him, had thrown her wooden sword to the ground and was trying to catch her breath.
He wasn't mocking her; rather, by sparring against Ban Yumi's sword art, imbued with her natural sense, Ban Yuwon had, for the first time in a while, been able to collect high-quality sword art concepts.
The result was a +2 increase in Giwon Sword's depth.
To grow this much from just one sparring session was truly remarkable.
“What are you, your movements are creepy...!”
“I’m reading every situation and movement and responding accordingly. It’s just my style, I can’t help it. My talent for the sword is lacking, so I had to compensate in other areas.”
“Lacking talent, my ass...!”
Regardless of abilities, ultimately, it was oneself who wielded the sword.
Just as Ban Yuwon gained something from Ban Yumi's sword, Ban Yumi too was able to glean much from Ban Yuwon's peerlessly elegant sword art.
“You, let’s take a break and go another round. I won’t lose so spiritlessly next time.”
“While I appreciate the offer, I can’t right now.”
“Why! ...Oh.”
“Yuwon, Senior Brother.”
Rucell, who had by now come out to the garden, handed Ban Yuwon a cold, damp towel.
“You were cool, Yuwon.”
“Thanks.”
“You too, Senior Brother. Dinner is ready, so wipe off your sweat and come straight in.”
“Ah, uh, thanks.”
Rucell, who had even handed a towel to Ban Yumi, smiled brightly and went inside.
Wiping her sweat with the towel she received, she was enveloped in a strange sense of defeat.
“Her... Is she always like that? She’s completely a Confucian girl...!”
“No, actually, she wasn’t that much. Just, like, feeding me...”
“Feeding you?! She’s a slave!”
Well, she *is* a slave.
However, after defeating the Constellation on Jeda, for several days, whenever she wasn't with Ban Yuwon, she was training by her mother's side.
Perhaps she picked up those newlywed-like behaviors then...!
“Ban Yuwon...”
Before long, Ban Yumi had picked up her wooden sword again.
Her two eyes held 70% rage and 30% an unnamable feeling akin to envy.
“Draw your sword.”
“No, I’m going to eat.”
“Then just take one hit!”
“You’re really being clingy now, seriously. How did you manage to live without me, all bored?”
“With the single-minded thought of killing you!”
“Anyone listening would think I killed your parents...”
***
At 7:30 AM, with the breakfast spread Rucell had prepared with all her skill before them, the entire Ban family was frozen in place.
Of course, it was because of Rucell.
“Yuwon, ah~.”
“Are you really going to do this? Rucell, think carefully, it’s two months. Are you going to do this every meal for the next two months? Are you really going to do this, feeling all these gazes relentlessly pouring down on us right now?”
“Heh-heh, ah~.”
“...Ah~.”
It seemed this was what she had desired.
In the face of Rucell, whose will was as unyielding as steel before anyone, Ban Yuwon finally conceded.
As she carefully fed him, Rucell asked with a smile that suggested she couldn't be any happier.
“Is it delicious?”
“Yeah...”
“I'll completely master Korean cuisine over these two months. Then, even when we return to the Academy, I'll be able to make meals perfectly suited to Yuwon's taste, won't I?”
Watching the slave dictate her master's actions, his family slowly began to grasp how the relationship between the two had formed.
So, that must be that kind of play...
—Snap!
Seeing Ban Yumi's chopsticks break, Ban Juseok said.
“Daughter, your chopsticks broke.”
“Be quiet, Dad.”
Crack, Ban Yumi replied, grinding the chopsticks into powder.
Ban Juseok turned to his wife, his eyes brimming with tears.
“Honey, hasn’t our daughter been a bit cold to me since yesterday?”
“She’s acting like this because you don’t even know why.”
“You’re all so mean, really...”
Next to the sniffling Ban Juseok, Grandfather Ban, who had been gracefully deboning a croaker with his chopsticks, suddenly spoke.
“Didn’t you say there was a press conference today, Yumi?”
“...Right, Gramps. Are you joining in? We’d be grateful if you did.”
“An old man constantly poking his nose into the affairs of the young will only cause things to go wrong, not right. I cannot intrude upon a place where our Won must shine.”
Hearing that, Ban Yuwon tilted his head and asked.
“Are you also part of a guild, Gramps?”
“For now, I’m an honorary advisor.”
Indeed, when someone pushes so openly and explicitly, there’s nothing to say.
He nodded in admiration at his grandfather's subtle lesson, which demonstrated how power should be used, when suddenly the doorbell rang from the entrance.
“What is it, this early in the morning? Did you order a package?”
“Nothing’s supposed to be coming... Is it the housekeeper’s day, honey?”
“No?”
“Ah.”
Ban Yumi snapped her second pair of newly received chopsticks and slapped her forehead.
“That crazy bitch, there’s a limit to how much you can rush...”
“Who is it?”
“The Vice-Guild Master.”
Ban Yumi, who had replied briefly, stood up and looked at Rucell.
“Rucell, guard your husband well.”
“A woman, then?”
“Basically, consider them all enemies.”
“Seems like there are only women in your guild.”
How were they having a conversation with so few words?
As Ban Yuwon found it strange, the front door finally opened and guests entered.
“Wow, incredible. He's even more handsome in person...! Oh, and she's prettier in person too... Damn it.”
“Good morning, unnie! *Gasp*, are your family members here today too?! This is ruined, what do I do! I'm so sorry, and during breakfast time too!”
“I apologize for the commotion so early in the morning. I’ll just intrude briefly for guild matters.”
“Uh, uh? Hey, hey, hey!”
Three of them, no less.
Comments