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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 100
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"Leonhart. Isn't that student in the park Han Cheonsung?"
"Han Cheonsung?"
At Yumia's sudden words, Leonhart blankly turned his head and looked towards the park.
A park bench was visible in the distance. The vague outlines of two students could be seen. Along with the black student uniform, symbolizing a C-class student, and characteristic black hair. Though it was their back, it certainly looked like Han Cheonsung.
"He seems to be with another girl right now."
"…Probably a student from the same class."
Even as he replied, strong curiosity welled up within him.
Today, a strange rumor about Han Cheonsung swept through the A-class lecture hall.
An unbelievable rumor that Han Cheonsung had found a clue about a skill. Other students unanimously voiced their disbelief, and I, too, had thought the rumor about the skill was baseless.
Because no matter how outstanding Han Cheonsung's talent was, finding a clue to a skill at Attribute Level 4 was logically incomprehensible.
But.
Afterward, from Instructor Avalanche, who entered the lecture hall, I heard the truth about the rumor.
"—The rumor you heard is true. Han Cheonsung has apparently found a clue to a skill. I myself only believed it after hearing it directly from Instructor Kali."
Because the instructor himself had revealed that the baseless rumor… was true.
Even looking at Han Cheonsung in the distance, his mind was troubled.
While I was currently in the stage of grasping clues for the next level, Han Cheonsung had already surpassed my expectations by far and stood ahead.
"Leonhart. Since we've coincidentally seen Han Cheonsung like this, should we just go and ask him directly?"
When Yumia showed curiosity, his heart wavered greatly.
But he soon shook his head.
"We might just be bothering them unnecessarily."
"We'll know that once we go and talk. If we're bothering them, we can just leave again, so wouldn't a brief chat be fine? Honestly, I still can't believe it. Is it really possible to find a clue to a skill at Attribute Level 4…?"
Even Yumia, who had been indifferent to Han Cheonsung, now showed such great interest.
…And I, too, felt a strong desire to confirm it with my own eyes.
He felt a great deal of doubt as to whether Han Cheonsung was truly achieving such astonishing growth, and if it was even possible.
"Leonhart. You're curious too, aren't you? Let's just go and have a chat."
*Grab.*
As Yumia grabbed his arm and led him, he couldn't refuse.
…
"Han Cheonsung. Hello?"
When Yumia greeted him brightly for a change, Han Cheonsung, whose gaze met hers, blinked and then spoke.
"…Oh. Yumia, Leonhart is with you too. What brings you two to the park?"
"Well, we happened to see you while passing by."
As I replied, Han Cheonsung looked at me with a look of wonder.
My words might sound funny, but it was the truth. Yumia had spotted Han Cheonsung while we were walking, and now we were approaching to talk to him.
*Click.*
Just then, Yumia smiled brightly and took a step closer.
"So, Han Cheonsung. Who is the student you're with right now? Could you introduce them first, if possible?"
"Alright. Well, she's not from the same class as me. She's a student I met during C-class Attribute training. Her name is Carite."
As he said that, Han Cheonsung carefully pointed to the female student, and a woman with sky-blue hair cautiously looked at us, as if hiding behind Han Cheonsung's back.
For a moment, the sight itself struck me as odd.
"It's just that Carite is a bit shy…"
As Han Cheonsung awkwardly spoke for her, I replied casually.
"No, it's fine. It's understandable since we approached so suddenly."
'Carite.'
As I etched the woman's name into my memory, I cautiously spoke.
"Han Cheonsung. I'm sorry, but could we talk for a moment?"
"Now…?"
"Yes, now. There's something I really need to confirm. It'll only take a moment."
Even as I spoke, I couldn't help but cast an apologetic glance at Carite.
I didn't know why she was with Han Cheonsung right now, but I was definitely interrupting them.
Fortunately, Carite reacted to my gaze.
"…Han Cheonsung. It's fine for me. You can talk."
"Are you really sure?"
"Yes. It's fine."
"…Alright then."
Having received that answer, I looked directly at Yumia.
As I met her gaze with a somewhat desperate plea, Yumia suddenly burst out laughing, as if in disbelief.
"Haa. I really know what you're hoping for. So, Leonhart, don't look at me like that."
"Thank you. Then, I'll ask for a small favor."
"Alright. But in return, I'll hear about it directly from you. You understand that, right?"
"Yes. I'll make time."
As Yumia naturally approached Carite, we then, somewhat inadvertently, split into two groups.
Because I wanted to talk with Han Cheonsung, it was arranged that Yumia would spend a short time with the female student named Carite.
*Click.*
As Yumia and Carite slowly walked away with light footsteps, I turned my gaze directly to Han Cheonsung.
"Leonhart. What exactly is it you want to talk about?"
Despite his calm question, I found it rather strange.
'He doesn't seem that different.'
I had expected Han Cheonsung to have made immense progress since he was rumored to have found a clue to a skill. But looking closely, there was no significant change visible on the surface.
"It's about the rumor concerning you right now."
"A rumor about me?"
Seeing Han Cheonsung frown, I got straight to the point.
"It's not a bad rumor, but a somewhat unbelievable one. Since we've met like this, I wanted to hear a definitive answer directly from you. I'll be blunt. The rumor that you've found a clue to a skill. Is it true?"
Even though I already knew the answer, I deliberately asked about the truth.
It was such an unbelievable fact that I couldn't help but ask.
"If even you've heard rumors about me… well, to answer your question, yes. The rumor is true."
Han Cheonsung's calm admission momentarily left me speechless.
'It was true.'
Thinking blankly, I unconsciously clenched my hands.
I wanted to ask how he found a clue to the skill, if it was even possible, but I couldn't bring myself to speak.
"So you came to find me to confirm that rumor?"
"…Not exactly to find you. It's true we met purely by chance. But I really wanted to confirm the rumor somehow. Still, thank you for answering…"
As I answered, I felt as if my mind was floating.
Experiencing the truth firsthand, the shock felt different.
It was as if my heart had suddenly become empty. The words I'd heard in the past suddenly echoed in my ears.
"—Kid. No matter how high your Attribute turns out to be, your talent is definitely that of a genius. A truly rare talent, at that. But there aren't just one or two geniuses in this world. You mustn't become complacent."
My master's voice, who used to speak to me out of habit. I thought I hadn't been complacent back then.
Because I viewed myself from a position befitting my strength and didn't discriminate against others.
…But.
It felt as if my master's words were finally resonating in my heart now.
I naturally thought that I wasn't the only genius in this world.
So, there were indeed beings superior to me. Now that I was experiencing it, the feeling was completely different.
"Leonhart? Why are you suddenly staring blankly like that?"
At Han Cheonsung's words, a hollow laugh escaped me. But that was only for a moment before I shook my head.
"It's just… I'm a little surprised. Han Cheonsung, I knew your talent was outstanding, but even so, I never imagined it would be so astonishing that you could already grasp a skill. Anyway, congratulations."
Even as I offered congratulations, my empty heart remained unfulfilled.
And I took in Han Cheonsung, who stood before me.
With a Common Attribute, he was radiating such brilliant light, illuminating his presence. This led me to even consider an impossible scenario.
'What if...'
If Han Cheonsung had been granted a higher Attribute instead of Common, then… how much stronger light could Han Cheonsung radiate than he did now?
"I appreciate you saying that, but it feels strange to hear you talk about talent. For the word 'talent' to come from your mouth."
"…Is that strange?"
"Strange? It's very strange. After all, the reason I even found a clue to a skill is, if you think about it, all thanks to you."
At his subsequent words, my thoughts seemed to halt.
'The clue to getting a skill was in me?'
I unconsciously opened my mouth.
"Han Cheonsung. What do you mean by that?"
"I felt a lot during my duel with you. And among those feelings, a strong thought came to me: I can't stay like this. Looking back, that thought became a major catalyst for me to realize a skill."
Listening to the words that flowed from his mouth, my mind was simply blank.
And the duel Han Cheonsung was referring to… I couldn't count how many times I had recalled that moment.
If I had been more careful,
If I had assessed the situation more calmly,
If I had been a little more wary of Han Cheonsung…
Thinking of that duel, I had felt so much regret.
It was a duel I could have easily won, and it made me re-examine my entire mindset.
But.
…Han Cheonsung seemed to have interpreted that duel in a completely different way.
"—I felt that I couldn't stay like this."
I couldn't fully understand what Han Cheonsung's words meant.
But I instinctively understood the broader meaning of his words.
"…Han Cheonsung. You saw what came next."
"Next?"
"Yes. While I was constantly regretting our last duel, you were looking… at what came next."
Even as I spoke, a completely different thought came to mind.
Perhaps Han Cheonsung also thought about how to win the last duel, just like me. But I could be sure that he didn't regret it as much as I did.
Compared to my dwelling on the past with regret, Han Cheonsung probably faced what came next.
He thought of himself becoming stronger, himself having progressed even further, and poured all his efforts into it.
"..."
As I thought, a causeless laugh escaped me.
'Different.'
He was definitely different from me.
Compared to my regretting and reflecting on the parts I needed to improve and my mindset, Han Cheonsung's way of thinking was fundamentally different.
"Haa."
I let out a deep sigh and nodded.
The dense emotions that had swelled in my chest vanished emptily, as if scattered by the wind, and freshness filled the void.
"…I think I've seen the path I need to take, thanks to you."
As I spoke, it felt as though I had seen the path of how I should become stronger.
***
*Thud. Click.*
The footsteps of the two different people slowly faded into the distance.
Watching Leonhart and Yumia walk away, Cheonsung's mind was, on the contrary, complicated.
His recent conversation with Leonhart.
That guy kept spouting absurdities, then suddenly looked as if he'd had an epiphany.
'He saw the path he needed to take, thanks to me?'
No matter how many times he thought about what that nonsense could possibly mean, he couldn't figure it out.
Leonhart was the protagonist of this world. Therefore, he shouldn't be seeing his path forward in Cheonsung.
He had to go his own way…
"…Han Cheonsung?"
"Oh. Carite."
"You were friendly with A-class students too, Han Cheonsung."
Seeing Carite relax only after the two had disappeared, I awkwardly nodded.
"Not that… friendly."
He felt that there were almost no A-class students he could understand anymore.
He even felt that Yumia, who treated him brusquely, might be easier to understand than Leonhart and Glesia…
It truly felt that way.