Yeongcheon Style [3]

[Yeongcheon Style Lv.1 trait unlocked.]

[Yeongcheon Style Lv.1]

[You can now use Yeongcheon Style.]

I immediately got up from my seat. My body felt like lead, but the rising excitement wouldn't let me sit still.

"Ugh...!"

Ignoring my screaming muscles, I swung my sword.

The basic movements of Yeongcheon Style flowed seamlessly. Just moments ago, I had been fumbling through transitions, but now everything was different. My stance transitioned as smoothly as water.

Moreover, the sword's tip narrowly missed the wallpaper without slicing through it. Unlike before, I could now perfectly gauge and control the sword's length.

"This is it!"

I finally understood why I'd been failing the basics and why Jin Se-young said I needed talent.

The movements of Yeongcheon Style require adding or removing force continuously. In other words, precise control of power is necessary in the brief moment of a sword swing.

"The timing of releasing and applying force is crucial. This can't be taught by anyone."

It was truly a matter of talent and instinct.

"This is fun!"

I swung the sword until I was exhausted. Suddenly being able to handle Yeongcheon Style after struggling with it for so long was exhilarating.

[Yeongcheon Style Lv.1]

[You can now use Yeongcheon Style.]

Lying down, I looked at the screen displaying the Yeongcheon Style trait. Despite the simple description, the effect was incredible.

"This is only level 1. What happens at higher levels?"

It took 3 points to raise it to level 2.

My hand moved on its own.

[Yeongcheon Style Lv.2]

[You can now use Yeongcheon Style.]

"Something's entering my mind."

I shivered. Information about Yeongcheon Style was being absorbed into my brain.

I learned, or rather, it was imprinted on me, how to use Yeongcheon Style efficiently in various situations.

"If level 2 is like this, what about higher levels?"

Level 3 required 5 points, and level 4 needed 10 points. Conveniently, I had exactly that many points.

[Yeongcheon Style Lv.4]

[You can now use Yeongcheon Style.]

Raising it to level 5 required a whopping 30 points. I couldn't even imagine how many points would be needed for level 6.

"Heh! Jin Se-young will be shocked when she sees my skills tomorrow. She might beg me not to leave."

I couldn't wait to see her reaction.

***

"Hey, Se-young. Spar with me."

I approached Jin Se-young at the Yeongcheon Academy.

"Spar?"

She looked surprised.

I'd never initiated a sparring match with her before. Her Spartan training meant that sparring with her was no exception; it always left me bruised and battered.

"I had an epiphany yesterday. I'm a bit different now."

"An epiphany? Alright."

Jin Se-young didn't seem particularly hopeful.

We distanced ourselves and pointed our wooden swords at each other.

Jin Se-young was a B-rank hunter. Even if I hit her with all my strength, it would feel like a child's punch to her. So I could go all out without worrying about the consequences.

"Huh?!"

Jin Se-young was taken aback by my movements.

It was understandable. My movements today were nothing like yesterday's. If yesterday I was a caterpillar, today I was a butterfly.

I stepped into her blind spot using the hidden footwork of Yeongcheon Style and swung my wooden sword.

Thwack!

She blocked it.

But I didn't stop. Yeongcheon Style's hallmark is its rapid speed and attacks from blind spots. Maintaining the offensive suited me well.

"Ugh...!"

Had it been yesterday, she would have easily parried my attacks. But now, she was stepping back while blocking my strikes.

Her eyes grew more serious. She was now fully committed to the sparring match.

Yeongcheon Style versus Yeongcheon Style.

It was a battle of concentration. One of us would lose focus or fail to keep up with the other's speed.

The moment one of us lost sight of the other's sword, the match would be decided.

Clack! Clack! Clack!

Our wooden swords clashed. We moved around the spacious training room, constantly seeking each other's blind spots.

Physically, she was superior. But I had a slight edge in the basics of Yeongcheon Style. She had only mastered the fundamentals minimally before moving on to the next level as a child.

However, I soon lost my advantage.

I reached my physical limit. The moment I lost sight of her wooden sword, it struck my left shoulder hard.

Whack!

"Ugh!"

"Oh no...?!"

I grabbed my shoulder and fell, surprising Jin Se-young . She quickly threw down her wooden sword and rushed to my side.

"Gotcha. Erogenous Arousal."

[Erogenous Arousal activated. Vitality will be continuously consumed.]

Her body twitched, but she didn't pull her hand away from my shoulder. She gently stroked my now-reddened shoulder.

"I'm sorry. I got carried away. The wound is fine. It might swell a bit, but it won't bruise. Does it hurt a lot?"

"It hurts. But it feels better when you rub it. Could you keep doing it?"

"Really? But wouldn't an ice pack be better?"

"I don't like the cold. Just rub it with your hand."

"Okay."

She reluctantly nodded.

If it had been yesterday, she wouldn't have listened to me so obediently. Today, I proved my talent to Jin Se-young and increased my worth in her eyes.

"Now the tables have turned. Instead of trying to kick me out of Yeongcheon Sword Hall, she needs to keep me."

The genius of Yeongcheon style.

Even I could feel it, so how much more did Jin Se-young?

'Damn, this noona still smells amazing. Her sweat is practically pheromones.'

I wanted to grab her and bury my nose in her neck.

As she rubbed my shoulder, her breaths grew gradually hotter.

"Noona, that's enough."

"R-Really? Maybe I should rub a bit more? Or put on a patch?"

"I'm fine, really. I'm a hunter too, you know."

I couldn't get up right away. I needed a moment since I was slightly aroused.

"Ah! Only two more weeks left here. I liked it, but it's a shame."

"W-wait! What do you mean only two more weeks?!"

"You said it yourself yesterday, noona. That I have no talent."

"T-That was a mistake! You're a genius in Yeongcheon style! Why don't you stay? I'll let you keep using the private training room for free!"

Se-young grabbed my arm with a desperate expression.

I laughed inwardly but kept a slightly clueless look on my face.

In this moment, it was clear who held the upper hand.

"Maybe. But I'm going to be busier, so I can't come every day like now."

"Why suddenly?"

"Noona, I'm a college student too. I need to study, and I need to hunt steadily in dungeons to raise my hunter rank."

To raise one's rank, two things are necessary: skill and achievements. Lacking either means you can't move up.

"Eugene, you've only mastered the basics of Yeongcheon style. To truly learn it, you need to start practicing the advanced techniques."

"I'm not quitting. I just might not be able to come as often. Also, lately…"

I trailed off, looking at her. Blue leggings and a pink tank top. Her figure was always captivating.

"Never mind. Today, I want to train alone. Is that okay?"

"Of course. But isn't it better if I'm with you?"

"Sometimes, it's better to train alone. Yesterday, I had an epiphany while training at home."

"An epiphany?"

"I can't explain it well, but something just clicked. That's why I improved so much today."

I deliberately distanced myself from her.

Looking back, I had been too submissive to Jin Se-young. I had no choice since I was learning from her. But now, things were different.

Her body was heated from arousal, and having witnessed my talent, her mind was probably heated too.

I entered my private training room, shut the door, and stripped off all my clothes, including my underwear. Standing naked in front of the mirrored wall, I admired myself.

"Damn, I look good."

Over the past week, my rigorous training had made my body a bit more muscular. Just the right amount of lean muscle. Another two months at Yeongcheon Sword Hall and I could be one of those fitness model photos circulating online.

"My dick's still impressive."

My large, swinging dick was a point of pride. Even flaccid, it was as thick as a carrot.

"Time to train for real."

Gripping a wooden sword naked, I started practicing the basic moves of Yeongcheon style.

The sense of freedom from being naked felt addicting.

***

"What if Eugene decides to quit? Maybe I was too cold to him..."

Se-young paced nervously around the training room, her mind filled with worries about Eugene leaving.

Despite his assurances that he wasn't quitting, his tone suggested he might in a few days.

"Oh no... Why did I say that yesterday?!"

Had she known Eugene would show such potential today, she would have been kinder.

"If it was ordinary talent, I wouldn't be this anxious…!"

If he just had the talent to learn Yeongcheon style, it wouldn't matter if he quit. Even with talent, without the will, there'd be no progress.

"But Eugene's talent is extraordinary. Even with just the basics, he's better than me."

His sudden improvement in a day was strange, but given her experiences as a hunter, she accepted it quickly.

And most importantly...

"An epiphany..."

Se-young knew about epiphanies. Her father and grandfather always emphasized their importance.

"Is there any way to keep Eugene here?"

If offering a private training room wasn't enough, she could waive the membership fee entirely. Since her father owned the building, it wouldn't be a financial burden.

"But that would make Yeongcheon Sword Academy look cheap."

As a B-rank hunter, Se-young understood hunter psychology.

Hunters, who earn a lot, tend to seek luxury. If something is free, they suspect its quality.

"Eugene might like free stuff now with his low rank, but he'd dislike it once he reaches D-rank."

Se-young inadvertently imagined Eugene abandoning Yeongcheon style for another hunter academy.

With his talent, any academy would welcome him with open arms. He'd succeed as a hunter, and his fame would spotlight the academy he attended.

"Ugh!"

The mere thought was unpleasant.

Despite her desperate brainstorming, no solution came to mind.

"I need to talk to him first and find out what he wants..."

As she opened the door to Eugene's private training room, she hesitated. It had been so long since she had a customer using Yeongcheon Sword Academy that she forgot to knock.

She was about to close the door and knock when she saw Eugene practicing Yeongcheon style through the slightly open door.

"Aah?!"

She almost screamed in surprise. Eugene was practicing the basic techniques stark naked.

His body had started gaining muscle from recent training, looking good, and his large dick swung between his legs.

Even in its flaccid state, it was bigger than her ex-boyfriend's three years ago.