After Returning, My Abilities are Infinite
chapter-18

The End of the Month Examination (3)

– There is nothing special.

The woman looked confused by the words that came through her earpiece.

“Huh?”

-Here’s what we know so far. As a child, he lost his parents in the Great Crack situation. He was entrusted to an orphanage, then enrolled in the Hwayeon Choin Academy as the youngest awakened. No skill, no class – he only had one trait called ‘Excellent Insight’. Even in school, he never had any outstanding appearance.

“Anything else after he reawakened?”

-The only other information about him is the ‘divine power’ he revealed to the Explorer’s Eye hunters.

“It can’t be…” the woman frowned. His ability didn’t smell like Bing’s ability.

It was a strong smell of someone who has been rolled out on the battlefield for decades. What’s more, it seemed like it has not reached its potential yet, and it’s going to be incredibly powerful sooner or later.

The woman placed her hand on her chin thoughtfully.

Her quality is finding out the powers or talents of awakened, and she has never been wrong.

Top ranking first-class hunters such as they are could not be deceived by a cadet, however strong the cadet is.

But what is it with the interesting smell of this ‘ordinary cadet’?

“I’m getting more curious. I’ve never been wrong… Ahh!”

She had never met a subject that piqued her interest like this.

“You said Hwayeon Choin Academy, yeah?”

-Yes.

“I’m going to go crazy if I don’t see it for myself.”

* * *

<Battle Test>

The method of testing was simply a one-on-one duel.

Since the method of choosing pairs was through a random lottery, there was a huge possibility that the partners wouldn’t match, such as Yoo Ji-yeon and Lee Seong-cheol.

The former takes a rear position, while the latter takes the front position.

Even if Yoo Ji-yeon ended up defeated, she could get a high score depending on how she fared against a charge-type opponent.

Obviously, she gets a huge amount of points because she won against the odds.

Some people may say that she just won because Lee Seong-cheol fell down by accident.

However, her talent was clearly visible to those with trained eyes – the faculty of the Department of Magic and the guild officials.

I saw some of them turned away to discuss.

“Wizards are indeed the most versatile.”

Others nodded in agreement. Depending on the magic used, they could play not only of being in the rear but also on the front and the middle.

If I was a scout, Yoo Ji-yeon would definitely get noticed.

“What, is that you Jung Si-woo?” a girl’s voice startled me.

It was Yoo Ji-yeon.

“You were going in next? Then, you have watched me…”

“Uh, yeah,” I answered. “You were good.”

“Huh! I practiced a lot, thanks to you. See you again next time!”

She smiled as she waved at me. I waved my hand in return.

“I couldn’t stay,” she added, “but I know you’ll do well… Fighting!”

Her face looked bright.

It was her unique, bright smile. She went out of the test room after cheering me loudly, and I focused on my own battle test.

Strategies I had thought of in advance, tips from travelers, information from Kim Hyuk-jun I know in advance, and weapons I can use now…

All information was entangled into a single image, and within that image, my battle was repeated many times.

[Even in such an environment, I’m really into it. Scholars who blame their surroundings rather than concentrate should look at you and imitate you…]

And how long have I been in my imagination?

The time has come.

An instructor called me up.

“Cadet Jung Si-woo, come up.”

I slowly got up and stood at the center of the exam room.

The area, which had been messed up with the traces of battle, has been quickly tidied up and arranged.

My opponent, Kim Hyuk-jun, stared at me while standing on the other side.

I stared back. Meanwhile, a number of notifications popped up in front of me.

[You used ‘View Information’]

[Based on the record of the Akashic record, the target information is retrieved.]

.

.

.

[Name: Kin Hyuk-jun]

[He is a promising student in the second year of Hwayeon Choin Academy and the Department of Combat. His strength does not translate to a great deal of power against monsters, but rates very good against other awakened.]

[Class]

[→ Gunner (E)]

[Characteristic]

[→ Eye of Flow (E), Mana Shooter (F), Excellent Shooting Skill (E)]

[Skill]

[→ Step (E), Hawk Eye (E), Continuous Shot (F)]

It was the status window, as I remember.

He was an awakened who uses a firearm, which was unusual. It attracted the attention of some; most dismiss his ability.

Firearms are strong, but it was dependent on equipment, and its limits are very clear.

Of course, it wasn’t the case for Kim Hyuk-jun.

He pushed the limits with his innate abilities and endless efforts until he shut the mouths of critics by his overwhelming skill.

It was still not enough to be considered a strong hunter. Beyond a certain level, only a few rounds of bullets could penetrate monster flesh, rendering him ineffective against them.

However, for awakened people, his strength is something to fear.

Kim Hyuk-jun opened his mouth as he looked at me.

“Jung Si-woo… Reawakened and won first place in the last evaluation?”

“… … .”

“I’m looking forward to our battle,” he said with his unique, expressionless face.

I smiled and bowed to greet him.

He also bowed once, and the two of us stood still at opposite sides.

The instructor raised his hand up.

“Ready… begin!!”

The instant the signal to begin rang out, Kim Hyuk-jun leaped back to increase the distance between us.

It was a wise judgment.

The main ability he knows I have is the Balstaya.

The moment I get closer to attack, bullets would begin flying.

His eyes glowed pale blue. Perhaps, he is now using the Hawk Eye ability.

It was a top-level detection system that predicts the path of attack and discovers the weaknesses of opponents.

[Now, what will you do? There are two ways.]

Okay. I had only two options.

Instead of responding to the traveler, I raised my right hand up.

I didn’t bring the training sword engraved with the blue inscription. In short, everyone saw that I am fighting with my bare hands.

However, I don’t actually have ‘bare’ hands.

On the back of my right hand, there was a dark tattoo in the form of wings.

The traveler who saw it stuck out his tongue.

[Ah, so that was what you’ve looked for so hard… Is that a parasitic artifact? It looks like a leech.]

“It is not parasitic, but reinforced. It’s doesn’t look like a leech at all,” I responded quietly.

It was an artifact that could be obtained by defeating a powerful monster… the Ghost Horse.

It was <Nightmare>.

A mysterious object that sticks to the user’s body, increases the physical power and mana, and creates any weapon desired.

It was a perfect fit for me who can use multiple powers through the Akashic record.

This is infinitely better than carrying various weapons according to the situation.

Kim Hyuk-jun looked confused as he aimed his gun at me.

“Bare hands? I heard you’re an academic, were you really a fighter?”

Of course, I didn’t care a bit about his words. I am deep in thought.

I had two options.

The first one is to face a shooter as a shooter.

With Link, I can borrow the ability of someone superior at shooting over Kim Hyuk-jun. Weapons created through [Nightmare] will also outperform his flimsy training gun.

However…

As I decided, the pattern of wings fluttering from the back of my hand soon transformed into a shape I desired.

“I won’t use bare hands-” I answered Kim Hyuk-jun

Bang!

Before I even finished my words, his gun erupted.

The bullet shot from a training gun was obviously slower and weaker than a normal gun. However, it still flies at a speed that couldn’t be followed by a normal person’s eyes.

[‘Link (E)’ is activated.]

[Search for beings who have built ‘more than a certain bond.’]

.

.

.

[Balstaya Empire’s Brave Knight]

[Rating: E-]

[The story of the valiant knight sung by poets and minstrels begins to dwell in your soul.]

The [Nightmare] wriggled in my hand and turned into a long sword, more robust and sharper than a training sword.

Time seemed to have slowed down momentarily. I can see the gunpowder flying around the barrel, and the bullet rotating as it flew towards my chest.

I prefer the second option…

The only thing that moves is my sword.

It seemed like time had stopped.

I will maximize my sword, the most powerful skill I gained!

I touched the blade of my sword against the incoming bullet.

Tadang!

The bullet was halved.

“Hey!” I heard Kim Hyuk-jun yell.

At the same time, time began to flow again.

The smell of gunpowder was more intense, and the expression of Kim Hyuk-jun was crumpled.

“You…”

His eyes were wide open with shock because he just saw a flying bullet that was cut in half.

He couldn’t believe what just happened and fired again.

Once again, I entered the flow of consciousness state and swung the sword.

Tadang!

One more time, the bullet fell to the ground in two parts.

“What… What are you doing, you!”

Taang, Tadadadadan-!

The next shot is a total of seven bullets.

Perhaps it was his skill, Continuous Shot.

It was a very fast fire, but it couldn’t do anything.

As I watched the attacks, one by one, I wielded my sword again.

[Skill of linked target.]

[‘The Miracle Sword (D)’ is activated.]

With the sword, I drew a smooth curve.

The bullets that touched the line I carved in the air were either driven to the ground, cut in half, or blocked to another direction.

None of them hit me.

“Ahhh…” Kim Hyuk-jun hurried to aim the gun again.

I slowly walked forward.

His finger pulled the trigger in desperation.

Click! Click!

“Huh?!” he looked at the gun in panic.

He had no more bullets.

And there was no time to reload.

As I approached Kim Hyuk-jun, he lowered himself to the ground, so I couldn’t hit his face. He crouched and didn’t stand up while I gently pressed the handle of my sword on his back.

“Cadet Jung Si-woo, that’s enough,” the instructor stated, and the match was over.

[You worried without end just to win like that… what a waste.]

“I didn’t think I could use a link and cut bullets, you know,” I replied bluntly.

I really had not expected that.

[Skill-Acquire the Miracle Sword (E)]

Only

[*Because the spirit level is still low, it is acquired with the grade reduced.]

[‘The Miracle Sword (E)’ and ‘Balstaya Imperial Sword (E)’ synthesizes.]

[Acquire ‘Arrogant Fencing (F)’]

[‘Miracle Sword (E)’ and ‘Balstaya Imperial Sword (E)’ are fused into ‘Arrogant Sword (F).’]

[You have acquired the skill of the legendary grade for the first time.]

[Compensation is given.]

“What?!”

I definitely didn’t expect this one.