Why Did I Have to Enroll - Chapter 3

 Lesson 1. This is Your Status Window - 3

'This must be the boss room, right?'

Ban Yu-won thought as he looked at the iron door blocking his path.

Until now, there had been few forks in the road, just a long cave path, but now an artificial door appeared.

Even if it wasn't necessarily a boss room, it was natural to think that there must be something significant beyond it.

[Life  13

Body 11.5

Soul 300

All-Seeing Eyes 100

All-Hearing Ears 100

All-Speaking Lips 100]

Ban Yu-won accessed his internal code.

The blind goblins all uniformly had Life  0.2, Body 0.1, and Demon 0.1.

Starting from the first high school student he encountered to all the blind goblins he had faced until reaching this point, Ban Yu-won had somehow (to describe it in detail would bring tears) defeated them all and absorbed their language concepts completely. His current state could truly be described as remarkable progress.

Now he could clearly feel the increased strength just by clenching his fist.

Specifically, about a 20% increase.

Based on this, he speculated that while the basic physical strength followed the Body attribute, the concept of Life  seemed to further amplify the overall status.

'The problem is that even with this improvement, I still can't face a blind goblin one-on-one.'

Seriously, if it weren't for his unique ability to understand and speak the goblins' language, Ban Yu-won would have long since died and fallen.

The only hope lay in the club in his hand, possessing Blunt Weapon 15 and Demon 1.5.

Unlike himself, who still felt somewhat lacking even after devouring 15 goblins whole, the change in the club was evident.

As the Blunt Weapon attribute increased, the club became heavier, and as the Demon attribute grew, its originally brown color gradually darkened.

He could clearly feel the weapon transforming with each finishing blow he dealt to the goblins.

'Perhaps the essence of my ability lies more in crafting and evolving objects rather than my own growth?'

Though a somewhat hasty thought crossed his mind, he quickly shook it off.

It's too early to draw conclusions when he had only just realized the Babylonia Code.

'More importantly... what should I do?'

Ban Yu-won pondered, facing the door before him.

Honestly, he really didn't want to enter.

If he had to go in, he'd prefer to defeat ten more goblins... or even twenty if he was being greedy, to secure more concepts before entering.

The problem was that this cave wasn't very large, and with few branching paths, the chances of encountering other goblins if he turned back now were slim.

An even bigger issue was that thirst and hunger were starting to torment him.

If he wandered for hours just to catch one or two more goblins, he could say goodbye to passing the practical evaluation.

'...Let's go in.'

The deliberation was long, but the decision was made in an instant.

He'd rather not joke about facing these monsters head-on, but when both his reason and instinct united to claim 'this is the most advantageous,' what could he do?

He opened the door.

What awaited him inside was a massive monster.

"The intruder... has finally arrived."

This is wrong.

Ban Yu-won sensed it the moment he saw the creature.

It was about one and a half times larger than the blind goblins he had encountered so far.

"You... were watching?"

"One doesn't need sight to know."

True to the name of the blind goblin lair, its eyes were sightless, but to Ban Yu-won, whether the creature could see or not seemed irrelevant.

Above all, the weapon in its hand was menacing.

A long, single-edged blade with a sharply honed edge.

Its tip was pointed precisely at Ban Yu-won, demonstrating the creature's excellent spatial awareness.

"I was getting bored waiting so long. It took you quite a while to deal with those bugs."

Even its tone suggested it knew what had happened outside the room.

Instantly realizing he couldn't win against this creature in a fight, Ban Yu-won quickly scanned the not-so-spacious room for a 'core,' but all he could find was a small door visible behind the monster's back.

The core must be in that room. It's a universal truth that you have to defeat the boss to claim the reward.

Damn it!

"Not coming? Of course. A coward who mimicked my kin's speech and stabbed them in the back wouldn't dare to face me head-on."

The creature slightly bent its knees.

It's coming.

The moment he sensed this and raised his club—

—CLANG!

With a terrible clash, searing pain shot through every part of his body where he had exerted force: his grip, forearm, and waist.

Just one collision with the creature's blade, and Ban Yu-won felt a shock that nearly knocked him unconscious.

"...You blocked it?"

"Kuh, huk..."

The creature was surprised.

Ban Yu-won was grateful for that.

He needed time to suppress the urge to vomit and regain his grip on the club that was about to slip from his hand.

He had been prepared for death since suddenly falling into this place, but his resolve had been inadequate.

The unprecedented pain he experienced for the first time in his life shrank his spirit.

'This won't work, there's no answer. Even a miracle won't let me win.'

He wanted to run away. He had to run away.

Such thoughts seemed to echo repeatedly in his mind.

But his body moved in the opposite direction.

The club he instinctively raised again collided with the incoming blade as if drawn to it, creating another shock and thunderous sound.

"Impressive."

The blind goblin swordsman nodded in admiration, still maintaining his composure.

"I thought you were just a coward, but you're talented... and above all, your weapon is excellent. Where did you get such a sturdy club?"

From your kin, you idiot.

If he could, he would have spat those words out, but right now, even the energy spent on speaking was precious.

Instead, he moved his body, blocking the creature's incoming blade.

―Clang!

Though they had collided only three times, fatigue as if he had been beaten for three hours already dominated his body.

His body growing numb, his grip aching.

Nevertheless, he never let go of the club.

Certain that death would come the moment he released it, he desperately clung to it and moved his body relying on instinct.

He was dumbfounded at how he had already adapted to this unreasonable situation.

"Indeed, it's not a coincidence."

'This bastard...!'

After successfully blocking the creature's blade, whose trajectory he couldn't even see, relying purely on innate senses, he realized.

His innate combat sense wasn't that bad.

However, without sufficient practical experience and strength to back it up, he would eventually, after luckily blocking the creature's attacks a few times, be split in half and die the moment his strength gave out.

―Clang! Claaang!

While blocking the successive sword strikes, there was a cracking sound of joints twisting.

If it had been him before entering the dungeon, his bones would have already broken and scattered.

―Kagagak!

"Kuk...!"

Thanks to his somewhat toughened body, he was enduring, but the clash with the creature was rapidly depleting his physical durability.

"I wonder how many more times you can block."

'What should I do? How?'

Ignoring the signals his deteriorating body was sending, he desperately racked his brain.

Before entering the room, he had considered various scenarios of what might be waiting for him inside and thought of corresponding response strategies.

Among them was, of course, the possibility of encountering a single entity far superior to Ban Yu-won himself.

'There's absolutely no answer at this rate. Then...!'

He had no choice but to try the idea that had occurred to him earlier, come what may.

Clang! Once again, the blunt weapon and the sharp weapon (銳器) collided.

Aware of his approaching limit, Ban Yu-won focused his mind on the weapon barely held in his hand.

And from it, he extracted only the Magic.

[1.5 of Demon is separated into 0.75 of Magic and 0.75 of Spirit (鬼). You absorb 0.75 of Magic.]

His desperate will and concentration skipped all the intermediate steps needed to manifest the ability and quickly produced the result.

He absorbed into his body the essence of pure energy, the concept, created by separating all other malevolent energies.

The change that occurred the next moment was more shocking than he had expected.

[You become aware of Magic.]

"Hm?!"

For a moment, a dazzling golden energy burst forth from Ban Yu-won, and though it couldn't see, the goblin seemed to sense something, perceptibly retreating in confusion.

Perhaps this was an opportunity that would never come again in this battle, yet Ban Yu-won couldn't attack the creature.

He was too busy focusing on the changes he felt within his body.

[You newly realize the language concept within your body. You currently possess 10.75 Magic Power. The activated magic power circulates through your body, strengthening your physical power.]

[You have realized and learned to use magic power during the practical evaluation! For someone from a lower dimension where even mana wasn't prevalent, this is a considerable achievement. A slight bonus point is added to your evaluation!]

One was the notification window for his own abilities, the other was the academy's notification window.

The funny thing was that the bonus points were much less compared to when he had created a weak artifact earlier...

Right now, Ban Yu-won was feeling an exhilaration incomparable to before.

His mind, his body, was not only completely recovering but also qualitatively changing compared to just moments ago.

By the colorless, transparent energy flowing through his veins.

'I had this kind of power within me all along?'

It was mind-blowing.

How had he lived until now without feeling this brilliant energy?

But perhaps it was because Ban Yu-won had not been able to find the right language to express it.

Ban Yu-won succeeded in isolating the 'ma'  and fully recognizing its mystery, and the concept within his body was finally activated by that stimulus!

"No way... did you realize magic power during combat?"

Meanwhile, the goblin facing him had realized what change had occurred in him and was wearing an expression of disbelief.

"So you were that weak because you couldn't even handle magic power. But even so, you're just at the level of an ordinary human. You can't surpass me with that!"

Clang! The blunt weapon and the sharp blade clashed again.

The only thing that had changed compared to just moments ago was the magic power, but the difference was enormous.

It was much more bearable now.

However, as the goblin had said, this level was not enough to defeat it.

After all, Ban Yu-won was a novice who had never properly wielded a weapon before, let alone surpassed the goblin in physical abilities.

"You're growing quickly, human. But my blade will sever your neck before you surpass me!"

"Shut up, monster!"

But perhaps because he had partially realized the true nature of his abilities, even as Ban Yu-won's body repeatedly clashed with the goblin, his brain was fiercely rotating, devising the next strategy.

'Is it possible to extract just the concept of bluntness, that is, 'blunt', from the blunt weapon?'

Ban Yu-won had extracted concepts from 14 clubs so far.

Each time, a message like this appeared.

[As you have secured ownership of the object, it is possible to absorb the language concept of the object. Would you like to absorb Blunt Weapon 1?]

To absorb the concept of an object, you must secure ownership of the object.

Probably, you'd have to either kill the original owner of the object or purchase it for a fair price.

That's why Ban Yu-won couldn't absorb the concept of the blade in that goblin's hand.

But what if it's just about bestowing a different concept on that sharp weapon?

[Bestowing Blunt Weapon 1 on the object at hand. The object will now possess Blunt Weapon 2.]

This was the message that appeared earlier when bestowing a concept on an object.

In other words, if it's just about bestowing a concept on an object, you don't necessarily need to have ownership!

And from here on is Ban Yu-won's inference.

What would happen if you bestowed the concept of bluntness on a weapon that is clearly sharp?

If it simultaneously holds two opposing properties, wouldn't the concepts cancel each other out...!

"Do you have the leisure to think of other things?"

A sharp blade falling vertically, aiming for his head.

Even while instinctively realizing that he should dodge or deflect that attack, Ban Yu-won deliberately raised his club to block the attack head-on.

"Urgh!"

"Hmph, has even your once-decent judgment become dull?"

"What's becoming dull is not my judgment, but...!"

No matter how much his magic power had been activated, taking this brutal impact head-on was not a very wise choice.

Ban Yu-won coughed up blood and reached out to grab the creature's blade.

And he divided the concept embedded in his weapon, 15 Blunt Weapon, into 7.5 Blunt and 7.5 Weapon.

"Your weapon!"

The goblin, thinking he was trying to steal its weapon, shouted in anger.

"I'll tear your hand apart!"

The moment Ban Yu-won transferred all 7.5 Blunt he had extracted from the club to the creature's sharp weapon through his hand.

Even though the goblin swung its blade mercilessly intending to chop off his hand, Ban Yu-won's hand was merely pushed away, unharmed.

"...What?"

"It worked."

Ban Yu-won grinned.

In fact, he thought it would be a great success if he only managed to nullify the blade's sharpness.

But the result was far more than just that.

Bluntness and sharpness.

As a result of the fierce collision between these two opposing concepts, the blade in the creature's hand had become something that was once a blade, now crumpled miserably.

To think it would even give him the realization that one should never take the bestowing of concepts lightly, what a generous gift.

...Just as he thought that.

[The remaining concepts of Spirit 0.75 and Weapon 7.5 in the club are automatically synthesized.]

"Huh?"

A change that Ban Yu-won had never expected occurred alongside.

The club that was left with only residual concepts after removing the 'Magic' from 'Demon' and the 'Blunt' from 'Blunt Weapon'.

...No, the club that he thought only had residuals left underwent an amazing evolution!

[Due to an incredible compatibility with the base object, a transcendent synthesis ignoring the depth of concepts has occurred, completing Spirit Weapon (鬼器) 5. The tightly combined concept seems difficult to separate again.]

Who could have imagined that such a miracle would occur by removing 'Magic'  and 'Blunt'?

Spirit Weapon, in other words, a vessel for spirits.

His club, which had shed unnecessary concepts, had evolved into a ghost-possessed weapon!

[An artifact that has no physical form yet can affect reality, obeys its master, and moves freely, the 'Goblin Club', has been born.]

The club, now free from his hand, was floating around as a mass of pale smoke.

Ban Yu-won just stared at it in amazement.

It was clear that even the Academy hadn't foreseen this situation.

Because the moment the Goblin Club was completed, a flood of messages appeared.

[You have created a higher-level artifact never before discovered during the exam. An incredible achievement! You pass the special selection regardless of the content of the practical evaluation! The professor of the Artifact Creation Department who received the report is eagerly waiting for the examinee!]

[The inventory function, which is only provided to students who have achieved special accomplishments, is being granted to the examinee in advance by unanimous decision of the Academy faculty!]

[Would you like to move to the Union Academy dormitory right away?]

With his excellent language comprehension, Ban Yu-won instantly grasped the situation.

His body also regained its composure along with it.

Move to the dormitory right away?

If it had been himself just a little while ago, he would have nodded without any hesitation at the mention of being able to move to a safe place.

But how about now? He had obtained a ghostly object called the Goblin Club, and all that was in front of him was a blind goblin sitting dumbfounded, having lost its blade.

"...I'll finish the exam before I go."

Ban Yu-won replied with a rather resolute voice, then looked down at the goblin and ordered the Goblin Club.

"Kill it."

True to the description that it obeys its master, the Goblin Club immediately responded to his command.

Whoosh!

Thwack!