The city outside Hanyang University Hospital buzzed with life, unchanged by the chaos that often lurked beneath the surface and above the sky. University students laughed as they chatted with friends, office workers rushed toward their jobs with half-finished coffee in hand, and most striking of all—hunters walked openly in armor, weapons sheathed at their sides.
Watching them, Joo-Hee couldn't help but marvel in thoughts, 'If this were my old world, people would've stared, thinking they were weirdos or cosplayers. But here... this is just a normal occurence in their daily life to the point that everyone's just gotten so used to it.'
She smiled faintly, her heart lightened by the fact she was finally discharged. As she made her way through the city, she took in the bustle of the streets, the noise, the sheer normalcy of this dangerous, unpredictable world.
Eventually, she arrived at the training center.
The moment she stepped through its doors, however, a heavy fatigue seemed to press down on her, almost spiritual in weight. She sighed deeply, her expression sinking, 'Dang it, I finally arrived. Sigh... this place really suck the life out of me every time I walk in. To think my fantasy of swinging swords and getting good at it would be this exhausting...'
Despite her efforts, the [Basic Swordsmanship] skill had only reached Level 2. She really thought her transmigration would make her some kind of genius in fighting. But... reality strike her hard than ever.
Days of relentless training had led to minimal improvement, and the act of swinging a sword over and over again had become mind-numbingly repetitive. If not for [Healing Touch], her delicate hands would've been blistered beyond repair by now.
"Sigh… should I just give up the sword and focus on magic, instead?" she muttered under her breath. 'No matter how much I try, this body of Joo-Hee just isn't suited for the sword. It is far too delicate and will require years of training to mold it for close-range combat. But…'
Her thoughts darkened. 'But if I soon walk into a dungeon with only magic, and something goes wrong… what then...?' She clenched her fists. 'This world isn't a game and no longer just a novel. A single mistake, and I could die. For real...'
Before she could spiral deeper into anxiety, someone suddenly lunged at her from behind, hugging her shoulders tightly.
"Joo-Hee! Congrats on getting discharged!" a cheerful voice rang out.
Startled, Joo-Hee turned around to see Choi Soo-Ho, a rapier-wielding C-minus rank hunter, and one of the few people she'd become friends with during her time training. Soo-Hee beamed with her usual high energy, her ponytail bouncing with every movement.
Joo-Hee blinked, then let out a small laugh. "Soo-Ho… you really know how to ambush people." Soo-Hee huffed, crossing her arms with a dramatic pout, "Please, it's a greeting, not an ambush. And how many times do I have to tell you—don't call me Soo-Ho. It's Soo-Ah. Soo. Ah. Got it?!"
Joo-Hee chuckled as she reached out and rubbed Soo-Ah's hair playfully like she was petting a golden retriever. "Oh great, so I'm the mood killer now, Ms. Soo-Ah?"
"Exactly!" Soo-Ah winked with a mischievous glint in her eye.
After chatting a bit more, the two headed into the locker room to change. Joo-Hee tucked her belongings into a locker and changed into her training gear, carrying her wooden sword in her right arm.
After a few warm-ups, she got into her usual rhythm—basic stances, swings, cuts, footwork. Again and again, until sweat coated her brow and her arms became used to it. The repetition was dull but necessary. She gritted her teeth and endured it.
Then, unexpectedly, Mr. Kang clapped his hands and raised his voice, "To celebrate Ms. Lee's discharge, let's make today's session a bit more memorable! For the first time, let's have both of our female hunters spar!"
Joo-Hee's expression cracked. 'No. No, no, no. Dang, what the hell are you doing, Mr. Kang?! Do you want me to get hospitalized again?!' Despite the panic racing through her, her body froze as Kang eagerly beckoned her and Soo-Ah to the center mat. Her wooden sword felt twice as heavy now.
Soo-Ah grinned from ear to ear, practically bouncing in place with excitement. "C'mon, Joo-Hee. It's just a friendly match~" Joo-Hee screamed internally as she was ushered onto the mat by Mr. Kang's firm hand on her back. 'Friendly, my ass! You're way stronger than I am. This match is nothing more than a source of enjoyment for you!
The other trainees gathered around to watch, eyes gleaming with anticipation. Even a few trainers leaned in, curious to see how the only two women in the program would fare against each other.
Soo-Ah raised her wooden sword in one hand, her stance relaxed but confident. Joo-Hee lifted her sword skillfully. Every fiber of her being screamed abort mission, but there was no escape now. Without a signal, the match began, with Soo-Ho stepping in with a swift dash.
Soo-Ho's eyes gleamed as he launched a powerful overhead strike, but Jake saw it coming. With a quick twist of his wrist, he deflected the blow and countered with a strike of his own. Soo-Ho barely managed to block, the force of the impact pushing him back.
"Not bad, Joo-Hee," Soo-Ho said, a gleam in her eye as she steadied her stance. "Looks like I don't have to hold back after all. Now—let's fight for real!"
Joo-Hee blinked. 'Wait, what? Are you crazy?!'
Soo-Ho grinned like a warrior eager for battle. She lifted her wooden sword, not like a regular blade, but like a rapier, poised and razor-focused. Her posture exuded calm precision, the kind only a zemi-seasoned duelist could pull off. A chill ran down Joo-Hee's spine.
'This brat… she's getting serious now!' Even without any awakened skills activated, Soo-Ah radiated a palpable battle aura.
Joo-Hee swallowed hard. 'Should I just surrender? That'd be the optimal move right now. I already know I can't win. Even if I trick her like I did with Min-Jae before, that's not going to work. Soo-Ah's too sharp.'
Before she could raise her hand in defeat, Soo-Ah dashed forward with blistering speed. A precise thrust aimed right at her shoulder forced Joo-Hee to block at the last second.
"Crap!" Joo-Hee muttered, stumbling back. 'Is this brat really going all out?! And I'm not even allowed to use any skills for defense!'
The match blurred into a whirlwind of movement. Every strike Soo-Ah delivered carried intent, every block Joo-Hee managed required total focus. She parried desperately, each impact jolting her arms, each footstep calculated for survival.
Despite the onslaught, a strange thrill surged through her as proficiency notifications of her skill, [Basic Swordsmanship], kept popping out. Though her body hurt from each impact, she just decided to grit and bite her lip, ignoring the burn in her legs and arms and using the fight to increase her skill level.
Then it happened.
Soo-Ah's stance changed again—lower, tighter. Her eyes locked onto Joo-Hee's. A final, decisive strike.
A single forward dash. A slash too fast for Joo-Hee to track.
CRACK.
The wooden sword in Joo-Hee's hands split in three sections, the pieces clattering to the floor like broken bones. Her fingers went numb from the force of the blow, the vibration searing through her wrist like a lightning bolt.
Mr. Kang clapped his hands and called out, "Match over! Victory goes to Soo-Ah!"
Joo-Hee dropped to her knees, panting heavily. Her arms ached, her legs trembled, and sweat soaked her shirt. But even then, she smiled, just a little.
[Healing Touch], she muttered under her breath, placing a glowing hand on her side as the warmth of healing magic soothed her battered body.
Soo-Ah approached, not even winded, and smirked. "Thanks for letting me win, Joo-Hee."
Joo-Hee's brow twitched. 'This damn girl… seriously?!'
She shot her an incredulous glare. "Let you win? Are you kidding me?! You sliced my sword like it was made of paper!"
Soo-Ah winked, casually spinning her wooden rapier on one finger. "Still, you didn't give up~ Most people would've tapped out the moment they saw my stance. You have the grit. Keep it up, Joo-Hee~!"
Joo-Hee couldn't tell if she was being praised or mocked. Probably both. Either way, she grunted as she stood, brushing dirt from her clothes.