Chapter 15

EP.15 Two Masters (3)

"Your offer is much appreciated... but I'm sorry. I think it will be difficult for me to attend your lectures."

This time, Professor Tak Wonho's expression became peculiar.

He had even arranged a seat for me in a fully booked lecture.

His face clearly showed that he hadn't expected me to refuse.

...Did I hurt his pride?

That wasn't my intention.

"May I ask for the reason?"

Fortunately, he didn't seem displeased.

In response to his genuinely curious question, I tried to phrase my answer in a way that wouldn't hurt his feelings.

"I was fortunate enough to receive an offer to become Professor Kim Myunghyun's exclusive disciple... I thought it would be disrespectful to attend another professor's swordsmanship lectures while being an exclusive disciple of Professor Kim Myunghyun."

At this, Professor Tak Wonho's face was filled with even more surprise.

"Kim Myunghyun has taken you as his exclusive disciple?"

"Yes? Ah, yes. He seems to have seen my hard work favorably."

"Hmm... What a change of heart..."

Is this really so surprising?

An exclusive disciple is an informal relationship where a Holder and a mentor form a teacher-student bond for education.

Typically, this relationship is formed between Holders, not Academy students.

This is because, outside the Academy, Holders have no other opportunities to learn.

However, it is also possible for professors and students within the Academy to form such a relationship.

Since it is not an official relationship, it can be formed and dissolved freely, but it is also a formally recognized relationship in the Holder world.

After the talk about the exclusive disciple, Professor Tak Wonho...

muttered something to himself for a while, and then, as if he had made a decision, said to me,

"You. You clearly said you wanted to learn my swordsmanship, right?"

"Yes? Ah, I did, but..."

"Then come and be my exclusive disciple as well."

"...What?"

I asked back like an idiot, stunned by his absurd suggestion.

Even though I had already said I would become Professor Kim Myunghyun's exclusive disciple, he was still inviting me to be his exclusive disciple?

Of course, it's not impossible.

As mentioned earlier, the exclusive mentor-disciple relationship is free and informal, so one disciple can have multiple masters.

However, this raises ethical issues.

Having a master already, and then taking another master, is a story that goes beyond common sense.

Especially since the field is the same, swordsmanship...

But Professor Tak Wonho laughed as if there were no problem at all.

"I know what you're worried about, but it's fine. I'll talk to Professor Kim Myunghyun."

"Are you well acquainted with him?"

"Haha. We are professors in the same warrior category, so of course we know each other well."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"He and I are also Academy classmates. We have a closer relationship than you might think, so you don't need to worry too much."

Hearing this, I felt reassured.

Since he said he would resolve all the ethical issues...

I just needed to make a choice.

So,

the opportunity to attend the exclusive lectures of Professor Tak Wonho, who is considered the best in swordsmanship, and...

Professor Kim Myunghyun, known for his smooth and graceful swordsmanship.

The chance to attend both of their exclusive lectures?

'F*ck. This is amazing.'

There couldn't be a better situation.

Rune growth to enhance efficiency and mentors to accelerate it.

The synergy effect of these two elements would be beyond imagination.

Professor Tak Wonho asked with a smile,

"What do you think? Has your mind changed?"

"Yes, Professor! I really want to!"

It was the moment when I would have two masters.

* * *

Professor Kim Myunghyun and Professor Tak Wonho.

Becoming the exclusive disciple of both was an excellent choice.

As Professor Tak Wonho had said, there was no need to worry.

Professor Kim Myunghyun readily allowed me to learn from both of them simultaneously.

Thanks to this, I could receive the most luxurious training in [Sword] compared to anyone else.

[Your sword, which cuts through space, becomes even smoother and more flexible. Now you can engrave a rune that contemplates swordsmanship in the rune for handling a sword.]

[You have obtained a new rune.]

[The rune's tendency grants you 1 point in speed.]

[Your sword, which thrusts forward without hesitation, has no hesitation. Now you can engrave a rune that contemplates swordsmanship in the rune for handling a sword.]

[You have obtained a new rune.]

[The rune's tendency grants you 1 point in strength.]

<Rune Information>

◎Name: Flowing Water Sword Technique

◎Grade: Rare (R)

◎Level: 1

◎Engraved Part: Left Wrist

◎Special Effects

: Speed +1

◎Derived Skills

◎Detailed Information

: The smoothness of a sword that cuts through flowing water is contained in this movement. Through this sword technique, you can learn new sword skills.

<Rune Information>

◎Name: Wave Thrusting Sword Technique

◎Grade: Rare (R)

◎Level: 1

◎Engraved Part: Right Wrist

◎Special Effects

: Strength +1

◎Derived Skills

◎Detailed Information

: The destructive power of a sword that thrusts into an unstoppable wave is contained in this movement. Through this sword technique, you can learn new sword skills.

The information window that continuously appeared before my eyes.

This was the information about the new runes I had obtained.

After learning the unique swordsmanship of both professors and gaining insights from it...

new runes related to 'sword techniques' were derived from [Sword].

This was clearly different from the 'artificial rune acquisition' condition for [Rune Hunter].

The hidden pieces (hidden runes) are runes that any Holder can obtain if they meet the required conditions.

However, runes like [Flowing Water Sword Technique] and [Wave Thrusting Sword Technique], or [Mana Control] that I learned in the [Basics of Mana Control] class, are more about the growth and insights of related runes.

Depending on the Holder's talent and the professor's teaching method,

the acquisition conditions and timing can vary.

Therefore, these runes are seen as 'derived runes' rather than 'artificial runes'.

"Finally mastered it..."

Anyway, I successfully mastered both sword techniques.

The [Sword] rune had reached level 5, and the sword technique runes created through the teachings and insights of both professors.

Developing these would undoubtedly become a great power for me in the future.

After all, even in the original story, Park Jin-woo's main skill, [Wave Thrusting Thousand Swords], is a skill derived from the [Wave Thrusting Sword Technique] rune.

"Ugh... You're just like Dad, Joon-ae."

As usual, Kim Chae-eun's voice broke my concentration.

She is the daughter of my master, Professor Kim Myunghyun.

It seems that my performance of [Flowing Water Sword Technique] overlapped with her father.

"Professor's swordsmanship is great. It's smooth and cool."

"Bo-ring. I see it all the time."

"Once you get used to something, you don't realize how precious it is. Being able to learn the unique sword technique of an A-class Holder is a big deal."

"Your nagging is just like Dad's."

Kim Chae-eun, speaking in a sharp tone, looked around the training ground.

It was a bit less crowded than usual, being during a break.

"Where's Park Jin-woo? You two always spar at this time."

Because we often sparred at this time, Kim Chae-eun now knew Park Jin-woo.

We weren't particularly close...

but she knew him as a foolish Holder who always lost to me and kept coming back for more.

"He has some group project today. He's the team leader."

"Ew. Why is he taking that class?"

"You know. He picks classes without much thought."

After the Academy monster incident.

I had sparred with Park Jin-woo over ten more times.

The result was 15 wins and 0 losses.

He had never beaten me.

Perhaps it was to be expected.

I had the special privilege [Sweat of the Seeker], which only the protagonist can have, and unlike Park Jin-woo, who was growing alone, I was receiving specialized training from two top-tier professors.

In terms of stats, rune levels, and rune diversity,

there was no way I could be on the same level as Park Jin-woo.

However, the growth potential of the protagonist itself wasn't completely closed, so our sparring sessions were beneficial to both of us.

Especially, my core stats like strength and speed were over 20.

These were stats that could be considered top-tier even in the intermediate class.

Both of us had risen to a completely D-class level.

"Joon-ae, Joon-ae."

"Yes?"

"Why do you keep training with a sword lately? You're good with daggers too."

"Hmm..."

The [Dagger] was the first rune I obtained when I became a Holder.

Recently, I had been a bit neglectful of the growth of this rune.

While [Sword] was being taught by two top-tier professors, [Dagger] was being taught by a regular professor, so it was inevitable.

Just as each Holder has a main rune, each country has its strengths.

The main fields of the Holder powerhouse, South Korea, are warriors and mages.

To succeed in the assassin field, it would be more feasible to learn in Japan.

Not that there are no S-class assassins in South Korea...

but the Academy lacks educators of that caliber.

"Holder Do Joon-ae! Is the intermediate class Holder Do Joon-ae here?"

While I was having a pointless conversation with Kim Chae-eun,

an Academy staff member came to the training ground looking for me.

It was a familiar face.

The same staff member who had looked for me during the Academy monster incident.

"There you are. Professor Tak Wonho is looking for Holder Do Joon-ae. If you're available, please come now."

Just like last time, this was sent by Professor Tak Wonho.

And seeing this, I immediately had a hunch.

'Finally, it's here.'

The Academy's underground dungeon.

In the current situation where Professor Tak Wonho cannot personally go.

The task of selecting students to tackle the dungeon.

Following the appearance of the Academy monster.

The second key event that drives the story was approaching.