Chapter 82

Lee Han looked at the burning puppy with a wronged expression. However, the burning puppy had already fled to a distant place.

The White Tiger Tower students observed this and muttered with an expression of "I knew it would be like this."

Lee Han felt rather annoyed.

"Cheer up, Wodanaz! A person's character isn't determined by being afraid of a puppy!"

"You're right, Mr. Wodanaz of the Wodanaz family!"

Even though friends from other towers cheered him on, his mood didn't improve.

'Either they have a temper so bad they want to kill me, or they're undead. I guess I have to think they all ran away.'

With this sad realization, Lee Han put his hand into his coat pocket and rustled it. The burning puppy barked fiercely.

"?"

The Lightning Step professor wondered what Lee Han was doing.

Surprisingly, what Lee Han took out was a sweet potato. Gai Nando, who was about to step forward unconsciously, was held back by his friends.

"Come here."

Lee Han wiggled his fingers and shook the sweet potato. The burning puppy stopped barking, sniffed the sweet potato, and slowly approached.

'Not bad.'

The Lightning Step professor smiled.

In fact, the lesson was about how to endure a temperamental burning puppy, not about how to lure it with a sweet potato...

But it was a good idea.

Instead of being stubborn or obstinate in response to the monster's reaction, he flexibly figured out what the monster wanted.

This was the first step in taming a monster.

The young man of the Wodanaz family knew this well even without being taught. Seeing him act like that...

Thud!

When the burning puppy, distracted by the sweet potato, turned its gaze, Lee Han quickly pounced and hugged it.

Then he lay down to prevent it from escaping.

"I've got it."

"......"

The Lightning Step professor was flabbergasted.

Hey!

- Bark! Growl! Bark! Bark! Squeak... Pant, pant, pant.

At first, the puppy barked in surprise, but within a few seconds, it surrendered to fear. It quickly became as gentle as a lamb and looked up at Lee Han.

Lee Han, lying on the ground, scratched the puppy's belly. The puppy panted and wagged its tail.

Although it was a bit different from the intimate taming the Lightning Step professor had in mind, it was still taming.

...Using fear and deception, though.

"Professor, look. We've become friends."

"Yeah, good job. Keep hugging it for a while."

Lafadelle of the White Tiger Tower, who was still on the dirt floor, looked at Lee Han hugging the burning puppy with a horrified expression.

He was really a ruthless guy.

And he came from a noble family, not a knight family!

Could he have such dark magic abilities because he was so ruthless?

* * *

"Yawn."

How much time had passed?

Someone yawned, and a few students followed suit.

Only then did the Lightning Step professor realize something was off.

'The time has passed, hasn't it?'

In fact, the fire resistance potions prepared by the Lightning Step professor had different durations.

This was to prevent students from predicting and preparing in advance.

But it shouldn't have taken this long, no matter what.

'What...'

The Lightning Step professor looked closely at Lee Han.

And he realized.

Surprisingly, the potion's effect had ended a while ago. There was no sign of fire resistance in his body.

Lee Han was just...

Emitting magic power from his entire body to repel the burning puppy's flames.

Even when the puppy panted and spat out flames, they didn't reach Lee Han but fell to the ground and dissipated.

It wasn't a defensive barrier or another spell, but just pure magic power emission to block the flames.

This was a technique of a swordsman, not a mage.

'What a brute!'

The Lightning Step professor's gaze was misunderstood by Lee Han.

'Professor, don't I need to survive too?'

Lee Han had something to say too.

After all, hugging a burning puppy relying on a single potion was a dangerous thing to do.

With his instincts, Lee Han had to protect himself in his own way.

Of course, his method was so unconventional that no one else could follow it...

Lee Han hadn't realized that the fire resistance potion had ended. He thought that even if he protected himself with magic power, he would feel the heat once the potion's effect ended.

'But petting this puppy gives me a strange feeling.'

A kind of grand delusion.

He felt a confidence that he could use fire element magic a bit better.

It was similar to the confidence he gained after almost dying to Professor Vlad and feeling he could handle the beads better.

The latter had a basis, but the former didn't.

'...Is this a trap?'

Lee Han stared at the puppy. The burning puppy wagged its tail and panted.

Lee Han seriously wondered if the puppy was using deception to get revenge for being tricked by the sweet potato.

"The potion ended a while ago."

"Really? Are you sure?"

Surprised, Lee Han came to his senses. The Lightning Step professor thought to himself:

'Next time, I have to bring something he can't block with magic power.'

Unaware that he had dug his own grave, Lee Han asked the Lightning Step professor:

"Professor, can the burning puppy use hypnosis?"

"...Did you drink instead of taking the fire resistance potion?"

* * *

After hearing Lee Han's explanation, the Lightning Step professor said nonchalantly:

"That's not hypnosis or deception; it's that your understanding of the fire element has actually improved."

"Haha. Really?"

Lee Han answered in a way that clearly showed he didn't believe it. The Lightning Step professor almost hit him but stopped.

"It's true. You're learning basic elemental magic, right? What's important when using basic elemental magic? Familiarity with the element, right?"

When using basic elemental magic, the key was how vividly and strongly one could imagine the element.

Students who grew up in hot and scorching places had an affinity for the fire element.

Students who grew up by the sea had an affinity for the water element.

Depending on their upbringing, there were such differences.

Conversely, continuous exposure to a specific element could increase one's understanding of it.

"Theory is important, but as a mage, don't lose your intuition. Wodanaz, your understanding of the fire element has actually improved."

Lee Han, who listened half-believing, thought it wasn't a bad thing.

Just by hugging and enduring the burning puppy, his understanding of the fire element had improved.

"But seeing how much it improved, it seems you have a talent for the fire element?"

"Huh? I have a talent for the water element."

Lee Han answered, puzzled. It was usually difficult to have talents for opposing elements.

The Lightning Step professor replied as if explaining something obvious:

"If you didn't have a talent for the fire element, you wouldn't have gained such an understanding just by petting the burning puppy for a few minutes."

"!"

Thinking about it, Lee Han hadn't had many opportunities to test his talent for the fire element.

Professor Garcia had warned him it was dangerous, and he had almost died a few times outside when he used it incorrectly...

Wait?

'Maybe I do have a talent for the fire element?'

The experience of his anger towards the professor burning fiercely might have turned into a talent for the fire element.

Maybe he just got used to the water element because Professor Vlad kept tormenting him...

"Wodanaz, don't define your limits. It's better to try things yourself and gain insights."

"Thank you."

"You'll learn how to use the fire resistance potion next time. I'll prepare a monster suitable for you."

"Thank you... Wait a moment. Professor! Professor!"

Lee Han desperately called out to the Lightning Step professor, but he coldly walked past the students being beaten by the burning puppies.

* * *

Evening.

Lee Han was sewing diligently with Nillia. Other friends were also sitting and sewing.

Everyone's clothes and coat corners had burn holes from the burning puppies.

Nillia looked at the fabrics Lee Han had bought outside with a moved expression.

It was like the expression an old craftsman would have when looking at his apprentice.

"You have a good eye, Wodanaz. You bought well...!"

"It's all thanks to your teaching."

"Strong, durable, and water-resistant. That's right. The fabric for a coat should be like this."

"By the way, we need to prepare for camping."

To complete the task given by the skeleton principal, they had to cross the lake. They might have to spend a night there if they were unlucky.

"I! I know camping well!"

At Lee Han's words, Nillia excitedly raised her hand.

The students of the Blue Dragon Tower all exclaimed in admiration as they looked at Nillia.

Seeing Nillia's long ears perk up, Lee Han suddenly felt a pang of sympathy.

'The Black Turtle Tower guys are too stingy with their praise.'

Such a kind friend...

"What do we need to prepare, Nillia? A camping tent?"

"It's fine. Just one coat is enough."

"Oh. Then a camping blanket to lay on the ground?"

"It's fine. Just one coat is enough."

"...Do we need a blanket at least?"

"It's fine. Just one coat is enough."

Nillia was excited to share the wisdom of the Shadow Patrol with her friends.

The wisdom of being able to sleep in a cold ravine with just one coat was something her friends needed.

However, the students of the Blue Dragon Tower's faces were darkening.

Unable to bear it, Lee Han interjected:

"Nillia was joking, so don't misunderstand."

"H... Ha! It was a joke! Hahaha!"

"I thought it was 100% a joke!"

Nillia looked at Lee Han as if he was saying something strange.

"It wasn't a joke? We only need one coat... Mmm."

Yonner quickly covered Nillia's mouth.

There were minor issues, but the friends finished mending their clothes and preparing.

The new dark cloaks and masks would protect them in case of emergencies.

Ratford said with a pleased expression:

"You all look like excellent thieves."

"Haha. It's not that serious."

"Feeling a bit embarrassed."

The students of the Blue Dragon Tower didn't know how to react to Ratford's praise.

Is it that cool?

"It's time. Let's go."

Lee Han and his friends stood up.

Tonight, they would raid Professor Thunder Step's laboratory!

* * *

The students were divided into two groups.

Those who had been out at night several times and those who had never been out at night.

Lee Han was naturally in the former group. Now, he could walk around the school at night without any hesitation.

It felt as natural as taking a walk.

"Mr. Wodanaz of the Wodanaz family. Do you know how to open the door of the Octagonal Tower?"

Lee Han nodded.

Physical locks were Ratford's job.

Magical locks were Lee Han's job.

'I've already checked.'

Since he frequently entered and exited the Octagonal Tower for classes, it was easy to check the lock on the main door of the first floor. Ratford had already made a fake key.

"Follow quietly."

Lee Han told his friends and approached the main door of the Octagonal Tower with Ratford.

The friends cautiously followed behind.

"!"

Surprisingly, there was a large hole in the main door of the Octagonal Tower. It looked like something large had rammed into it.

The students were amazed.

"You prepared it in advance! Impressive!"

"...What is this?"

"???"

Lee Han's puzzled voice surprised the students present.