Living Easily at the Academy Without Mana – Chapter 9

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Lord Fourth
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*Whoooosh—*

9 PM. A dim clearing. Three daggers swam through the night sky like fish.

As if I were a conductor, I controlled the swarm of daggers with my will.

It was Gram’s Gift, [Fission].

In the game, the total number of daggers Cheon Woojin controlled from Gram was thirteen.

In contrast, the number of daggers I could currently control was only three. It seemed only a part of the Gift had been unlocked. But this was actually better for me.

“If I had thirteen from the start, it would be hard to handle.”

Even if an item’s performance is outstanding, actually utilizing it is another matter entirely.

It’s similar to how a person who has never played the piano in their life wouldn’t be able to play just because they were gifted a high-end piano.

Likewise, if I, a beginner, had been given thirteen daggers, it would have only added to my confusion.

Even Cheon Woojin himself had trouble handling more than two at first.

The reason Gram was given the cold shoulder was precisely due to this difficulty in utilization.

But I was handling the three daggers, which even Cheon Woojin found difficult, with ease and without any trouble.

This was the result of the talent, ‘Prodigy in the Art of Flying Blades’, taking effect.

As long as it was an object flying by my will, even without touching my body, I could handle it more skillfully than anyone else.

“I can just increase the number gradually.”

As a test, I shot one dagger towards a nearby tree. The dagger, infused with Gram’s mana and my own Ki, flew like a beam of light and embedded itself into the tree up to the hilt.

“…Wow.”

My eyes widened. I had expected it to be strong, but this was beyond my imagination.

“With this, I could even hold my own at Eternity.”

My Ki was low, so it would be impossible to maintain this level of power continuously, but it was perfect to use as an ace in the hole.

If I landed a shot on an unsuspecting opponent, anyone would be flustered.

Moreover, that wasn’t the only gain.

[You have handled a flying blade without physical contact. Due to this amazing experience, the Prodigy in the Art of Flying Blades has embodied a new trait!]

▶Trait: Sword Control via Ki
─A trait embodied by the Prodigy in the Art of Flying Blades after handling a flying blade without physical contact.
*The ability to handle objects without physical contact is greatly increased, and Ki consumption is reduced by 15%.

In an instant, handling the flying blades became much easier. It was a feeling of relief, like taking off sandbags after running with them on.

On top of that, the text said Ki consumption was reduced by 15%. This was the most important part.

It meant a path had opened up for me to utilize my small amount of Ki to the fullest.

“The Art of Flying Blades was the answer.”

Smiling with satisfaction at the results, I played with the flying blades for a while. Then I checked my smartphone and saw it was already midnight.

“Haaahm~”

Sleepiness was washing over me; it seemed I would get a good night’s sleep tonight.

***

Located at the rear of Eternity, there was a wild mountain called the ‘Field’.

Various demonic beasts inhabited this vast mountainous region.

These were not virtual or doll-like creatures from the simulation chamber, but real demonic beasts.

And today was the day for a practical session in this Field, teeming with demonic beasts.

Of course, since these were demonic beasts managed by Eternity, there were no major threats, which made the session possible, but demonic beasts were still demonic beasts. It was a dangerous activity where carelessness could lead directly to injury.

Eternity was the only place in the world that would make newly enrolled freshmen undergo such a practical.

It made sense, considering Eternity’s educational policy…

[A superhuman is a being who hunts demonic beasts. Therefore, they must always be prepared to face them.]

…was this kind of practical-oriented approach.

“Since it’s the first day, we will conduct a self-directed practical at the entrance.”

Ha Jin-woo handed out silver bracelets to the cadets gathered at the entrance of the Field.

“If anything happens, infuse mana into that bracelet. A signal will be sent to me. That is all. The practical begins now.”

After finishing his words, Ha Jin-woo slipped into a cabin located at the back.

It seemed he was planning to let them do a self-directed practical while he went inside to rest.

Anyway, as the practical began, the cadets formed groups of three to five.

Today’s assignment was to collect the carcasses of demonic creatures and submit them to a designated location.

Demonic creatures were underdeveloped demonic beasts, in other words, beings of a lower tier than demonic beasts. Even I, in my current state, could easily hunt demonic creatures.

No, I was confident I could do better than the other cadets when it came to clearing trash mobs.

I had three of Gram’s flying blades, after all. Combined with my experience, hunting demonic creatures would be a piece of cake.

It should have been, but…

“There! It’s a demonic creature!”

*Tatadadak!*

The cadets dashed off as if flying the moment a demonic creature was spotted. I just stood there and watched, helpless.

It made sense. No matter how much I had gained from the Black Humpback’s essence, I couldn’t keep up with the running speed of cadets who had been training their bodies for over 10 years since they were young.

Even if I went, it was often the case that the hunt was already over, or the creature had already been caught.

Moreover, there weren’t many demonic creatures at the entrance of the Field, so it was first come, first served.

And when I tried to find them myself, they were nowhere to be seen.

“At this rate, I’m really not going to catch a single one.”

What’s the point of being able to hunt demonic creatures if I don’t even get the chance to hunt them?

Stuck between a rock and a hard place, my face crumpled like a piece of scrap paper, my last place finish already sealed.

What’s the point of calling it a practical if you release such a pitiful amount of demonic creatures? At least let us watch. Should I just go clear out a dungeon?

“…A dungeon?”

As I grumbled to myself, my eyes widened.

“That’s right, a dungeon! Wow, why didn’t I think of that?”

Cursing my own dullness, I quickly spread out the map of the Field.

I meticulously scanned the terrain up to the 500m entrance mark, comparing it with my memory. And then.

“There it is!”

At the point where the entrance area ended. It was a bit ambiguous as it was right on the 500m mark, but anyway, there was a dungeon. And it was a place overflowing with demonic creatures.

The Lair of the Hexagonal Horned Serpent.

A place where the Grade 5 demonic beast, the Hexagonal Horned Serpent with its six horns, and swarms of its underdeveloped offspring gathered.

Of course, since the demonic beast known as the Hexagonal Horned Serpent existed there, it was a dangerous place.

I had no intention of hunting the serpent itself. My plan was to just snatch a few of its young and get out.

That was my initial thought. But human greed knows no bounds.

Thinking of hunting a few demonic creatures made me think of the Hexagonal Horned Serpent, and thinking of the serpent made its horns dance before my eyes.

‘Ah, if I decoct and drink that, the effects are amazing.’

It didn’t have the body-enhancing effects of the Black Humpback’s essence, but the horn of the Hexagonal Horned Serpent had an even better effect. It raised one’s resistance to poison.

In a world where poison-using demonic beasts and superhumans existed, poison resistance was an essential ability to protect my body.

‘It also had the ability to deflect curses, I think?’

Of course, since the Hexagonal Horned Serpent was a venomous snake, eating its horn raw would be a one-way ticket to the afterlife.

To safely neutralize the poison, a few expensive ingredients were needed. But those were things I couldn’t obtain with my current abilities.

‘Tsk, forget about hunting it, the ingredients are the problem.’

As I was smacking my lips in disappointment, someone approached me from the side.

“Hey.”

A cadet with a perfectly ironed, spotless white uniform, creased in every corner. It was Nikolai.

‘Ah, right. There’s him.’

It was obvious he had come to pick a fight, but a smile formed on my face. It felt like I had met a savior in a difficult situation.

After all, Nikolai was a ‘nuclear spoon'(?) with more than enough ability to procure the ingredients I wanted.

His father was an executive of the Superhuman Association, after all.

Of course, Nikolai wasn’t the cooperative type to do things just because I asked, but handling him was easier than taking candy from a baby.

It was obvious what this guy wanted.

“You want to compete to see who can catch more demonic creatures?”

“…Yes.”

When I stated his business first, Nikolai was flustered at having been preempted. I just nodded, unconcerned.

“Alright.”

“I thought you’d back out. You’ve got more guts than I thought.”

If Nikolai had come just a minute earlier, I would have backed out.

But now that I had found the Lair of the Hexagonal Horned Serpent, there was no reason to.

Why would I, when it was a match I was guaranteed to win? I had to take him for all he was worth.

“It’s no fun just doing it normally, so how about the loser grants the winner one wish?”

“Hmph, fine.”

Nikolai, showing his confidence with an immediate reply, proudly went off to hunt demonic creatures. Seeing his fighting spirit, I felt a little sorry.

This was a match Nikolai could never win, no matter how many demonic creatures he swept up at the entrance.

However, it seemed to look different to others.

“Nikolai is very competitive, so getting involved with him can be tiring.”

It was Amelia, who had approached me at some point. The way she looked at Nikolai wasn’t exactly friendly, so it seemed she had been burned by him before.

Well, for me, it was actually a good thing that Nikolai was acting this way.

‘It makes it easier to openly exploit him’

What better pretext is there than a bet?

“But will you be okay?”

“With what?”

“You haven’t caught a single one yet.”

Amelia said, looking at my sector, which was marked with a blue circle.

Not a single demonic creature carcass was piled up there.

It made sense, since I hadn’t caught a single one yet.

On the other hand, Nikolai’s sector had a pile of carcasses that numbered over ten, even at a rough estimate.

In the entrance area where demonic creatures were scarce, closing that ten-creature gap was no easy task.

I would have to run my feet off for the remaining time, and even then, it might not be enough. So it was no wonder Amelia was asking if I’d be okay. But.

“This is more than enough.”

At my relaxed demeanor, Amelia shook her head as if giving up on understanding.

Of course, my relaxation was more than justified.

Just by taking out a few of the Hexagonal Horned Serpent’s young, the bet was an easy win.

‘By the way, I should probably form a party.’

The serpent’s young were one thing, but to hunt the serpent itself, I couldn’t do it alone.

No matter how well I knew the strategy, the Hexagonal Horned Serpent was still a Grade 5 demonic beast.

I’d need to form a party to have a chance. No, honestly, even with a party, we might not be able to.

The Grade 5 Hexagonal Horned Serpent was on a completely different level from the Grade 2 Direwolves we had seen before.

It would take 50 Grade 2 demonic beasts to match one Grade 3, and 50 Grade 3s to match one Grade 4…

A Grade 5 demonic beast was a monster that couldn’t be defeated even if all the lower-grade beasts ganged up on it.

The Hexagonal Horned Serpent was precisely that kind of Grade 5 demonic beast.

To think that a party of mere first-year cadets could hunt such a creature?

‘That’s ridiculous.’

But ironically, our class was the one where that ridiculous notion became possible.

Here, there were plenty of cadets who, despite being first-years, were not at a first-year level, and there was also me to lead them.

Of course, even so, a Grade 5 demonic beast was still not an easy opponent, but since this was the Field, we could at least try to make it work.

That’s because the demonic beasts in the Field were managed by Eternity and had restrictions placed on them.

Among them, the Hexagonal Horned Serpent was bound in such a way that it could only move half of its body. Besides, I had my own expertise when it came to the Hexagonal Horned Serpent.

‘I’m a master at hunting that thing.’

I had tried to hunt it a total of four times, after all. I knew everything from its weaknesses and characteristics to the strategy for defeating it.

‘If things look bad, I can just run.’

The boss was bound so that it couldn’t leave the boss room anyway. By the way…

‘Who should I take with me?’

The thought of taking Amelia crossed my mind for a moment, but I shook my head.

A warrior position to block in the front is much more convenient than a mage who pelts from the back. That way, I can comfortably chip away with my daggers from behind.

‘Let’s see…’

The cadets were busy hunting demonic creatures in groups of three to five.

Finding a cadet among them who was skilled enough to withstand the Hexagonal Horned Serpent’s attacks and also had nothing better to do than enter a dungeon wasn’t that easy…

“Easy.”

Just then, a cadet with no team and nothing to do caught my eye.

A female cadet leaning against a tree in the shade while everyone else was busy hunting.

‘Well, she must be bored.’

She was at a level where a truckload of these demonic creatures would seem boring.

Honestly, in terms of both skill and position, there was no one more suitable to take to a dungeon than her. Without a second thought, I walked straight towards her.

“Eun Gaye.”

“…?”

Eun Gaye, who was looking around for any demonic creatures, looked up at me.

“Bored? Let’s go to a dungeon.”

“…A dungeon? Where’s a dungeon around here?”

“I found one. There’s one at the very edge.”

“Hmm, really? Then of course, I’ll go.”

Eun Gaye’s eyes sparkled with a mix of suspicion and anticipation, showing her interest.

‘Got one, at least.’

Eun Gaye’s ‘Gravity’ boasted insane destructive power, but it was also excellent for defense. With a little help from me, she was more than capable of facing the Hexagonal Horned Serpent.

However, the place was overflowing with demonic creatures that could be called its royal guard, so just the two of us wouldn’t be enough to break through and hunt the serpent.

‘I need to bring one more person.’

Of course, I already had someone in mind.

A cadet who could sufficiently cover Eun Gaye’s weaknesses and also face the Hexagonal Horned Serpent alone.

‘Cheon Woojin.’

I turned my head to see Cheon Woojin hunting a demonic creature.

His sword swung, and a tail of blue mana followed like an afterimage. Then, a beast-type demonic creature was split diagonally.

“Wow, that’s amazing.”

Even if it was a low-grade demonic creature, to cut it down in one blow. As expected of Cheon Woojin. Being a natural talent, he was different from the start.

“You’re going to take him too?”

“Yeah, three is better than two.”

I was answering Eun Gaye’s question when my eyes met with Cheon Woojin’s, who had finished his hunt.

I smiled and waved. Unlike someone else, Cheon Woojin smiled back. He really is a good guy.

As I walked towards him, Cheon Woojin looked at me with curious eyes.

“…Lee Haesol.”

“Nice to meet you. Is this the first time we’re talking?”

“Yeah, nice to meet you too.”

After a brief greeting, I got straight to the point.

“I found a dungeon. Let’s go together.”

“A dungeon?”

Cheon Woojin’s eyes widened, as if the suggestion was unexpected.

“Are we allowed to go in?”

“What does it matter? There was no rule against it.”

“If we can go, then I’d love to.”

Cheon Woojin agreed immediately without a moment’s hesitation. It made sense. Cheon Woojin was a model student who followed the rules more than anyone, but paradoxically, when it came to things that could test his strength like this, he had the boldness to completely ignore such rules.

Anyway, just like that, me, Eun Gaye, and Cheon Woojin. The 3-person dungeon raiding party, no, the *bus*, was complete.

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Hi Lord Fourth here!
As always if you find some mistakes or inconsistencies let me know about it on the dedicated channel on discord.