Although Baek Iyeon continued her cutesy act with a hint of a nasal tone, Soohyeok remained unshaken—like a fortress.
"I'm going home to eat. If I'm not careful, I might fail the test in two days."
"No way. You? You studied so hard!"
"Can't get careless. You never know till you see the results."
"Don't say that. Someone like you will definitely pass. I promise. Now, someone like me who just wings it, maybe not. Hehe."
"What nonsense."
Soohyeok lightly feigned a smack on Baek Iyeon's head.
If anything, Iyeon was the type who quietly worked hard.
She liked to go out and have fun, but she paid close attention in class. And when teachers asked about parts Soohyeok hadn't even learned, she'd often answer them right away. That meant she was clearly reviewing at home too. The key to studying well is focus, reviewing, and previewing. She did all that, so there was no way she'd fail.
There was a reason she gave off honor-student vibes.
"You're really not coming?"
With puffed-up cheeks and a pout, Baek Iyeon trailed after Soohyeok as he slung his bag over his shoulder and walked out of the classroom.
"I think I'm actually about to sulk."
"Go ahead."
Honestly, Soohyeok never really understood why a girl like Baek Iyeon stuck to him like this.
"There are tons of guys who like you. Go hang out with them instead of me."
"But I like you, mister."
"Why?"
"Because you're handsome."
Startled by her unexpected answer, Soohyeok stopped in his tracks. Baek Iyeon stepped in front of him with a wide grin and stood on tiptoe.
They weren't quite at eye level, but she was close enough for her breath to feel sweet on his skin.
"Look at your skin. Why is your skin better than mine? You're not even an elf or anything.
You do know I'm a high school girl, right? Honestly, mister, you're kind of cheating. Admit it. Come on, admit."
He knew exactly what the soft feeling on his cheek was.
"Hands off, kid."
Soohyeok gently brushed her arm away from his cheek and strode forward.
"Ah! Mister!"
She tried to follow, but he moved too quickly, and in the end, Baek Iyeon gave up.
She couldn't even see him anymore.
She rushed to the window and opened it to spot his figure fading in the distance and shouted,
"Ugh, what the heck! Using your skills just to run away? That's low!"
No reply came back.
Just a wave of his hand in response.
"Ugh, you jerk."
Baek Iyeon's red lips pouted further.
***
Two days later.
The grueling, painful theory course had finally ended.
The moment the test was over, Soohyeok let out a spontaneous yell:
"I'm freedom!"
It really felt like he'd found freedom.
Studying is tough, no matter the time or place—whether in the past, on the Hwan continent, or now. He could force himself to do it when necessary, but it really wasn't his thing.
In that sense, studying and taking tests was just a way to confirm the results of his efforts.
"You're really that happy?"
Baek Iyeon, who hadn't spoken to him at all since he rejected her invitation two days ago, now approached and asked.
"Yup. It's awesome. Feels great."
"You know you sound kinda like a perv right now, right?"
"So what? You said I was handsome."
Soohyeok answered confidently.
He had a pretty good idea why she said that.
His father, Yang Seung-bon, and his mother, Han Jung-hee, were both good-looking people.
Sure, good-looking parents don't always make good-looking kids, but it's rare not to. So both Soohyeok and his sister Sooah had clearly won the genetic lottery. And to top it off, he'd recently been consistently using technique of sacred earth, which was producing visible improvements in his appearance.
Anyone could see that his skin had cleared up noticeably since his awakening. Even Sooah, who'd still been skeptical, had started grilling him about how to use technique of sacred earth.
So, he didn't feel any need to downplay his looks.
"Wow. Seriously? Don't you get embarrassed?"
"I think excessive humility can be hurtful to others."
He hummed a little tune as he spoke.
His voice and tone were noticeably lighter than usual.
Sure, the test being over helped—but mostly, it was because he felt like he'd done well.
"You must've done well. You look really happy."
Right on cue, Baek Iyeon commented.
"Yeah. I think it went great."
"See? Told you. Just you wait—thirty minutes from now, next to your name, it'll say 'Passed'!"
The theory test results would be out in thirty minutes.
There were fewer than 50 students, and the answers were checked by computer, so it didn't take long.
"Yeah, I think you're right."
Just then, Soohyeok spotted Jin Changhyuk sitting alone, hands clasped, looking very earnest. Naturally, Baek Iyeon followed his gaze.
"Changhyuk oppa seems super desperate. I kind of overheard something the other day—he's got a whole backstory."
"A backstory?"
"Yeah."
Baek Iyeon turned to meet Soohyeok's eyes and answered in her usual bright tone.
"What kind of backstory?"
"I dunno?"
"You just said you heard it."
"I only caught bits and pieces. And besides, there's no reason I should be telling you."
"You could've just said something noble-sounding like 'it's rude to spread other people's business,' instead of being petty."
"Well, I did think that. But then how would you know I'm still mad at you?"
She flashed a sly smile, then looked back at Changhyuk.
"Apparently his family's going through a lot. Like, a lot.
He says he's the one who has to lift them back up."
"Hm… Sounds like me."
Soohyeok muttered under his breath.
His faint interest in Jin Changhyuk had now grown into a slight sense of respect.
Baek Iyeon clearly had heard the story, but she hadn't pried further.
Instead, she acted indifferent, distracted herself, and now busied her hands by tapping away on her phone.
"Iyeon, did you do well on the test?"
"Wanna hang out after class today?"
Male trainees came over and tried to chat with Baek Iyeon now and then, but each time, she responded with a bright, sweet smile:
"I've got plans. I'm busy."
"Then how about next week? Maybe we could see a movie together—"
"I've already seen it."
"But I didn't even say which one…"
"Oh, really? Oops. My bad."
Baek Iyeon gave an awkward laugh, stuck her tongue out, and scratched the back of her head.
That cute act made even the guys who got rejected burst into silly laughter, and the whole situation was amusing.
Watching all this unfold nearby, Soohyeok thought to himself:
'If this were the Hwan continent, she'd have become a gumiho for sure.'
Thanks to her antics, thirty minutes flew by without boredom.
When the test results popped up on the big screen at the front of the classroom—listing the names of all the trainees who'd studied for the past two weeks—everyone's eyes widened as they searched for their names.
Note: The names were all displayed, but no scores were shown—just a simple "Pass" or "Fail" next to each one.
"Number 28, Yang Soohyeok—Pass."
Soohyeok found his name and smiled brightly.
He'd been confident, but seeing it with his own eyes made it feel even better.
He'd also spotted number 19—Baek Iyeon—who had passed as well.
"Ah, damn. Failed again. Four tries now… so embarrassing…"
Number 43, Park Young-sook, had failed again, as expected.
She and five other trainees from her usual group were all marked as failed.
'Birds of a feather… ink stains rub off, after all.'
Recalling the old proverbs, Soohyeok dismissed any further thoughts about them.
Just then—
"I passed! I actually passed!"
A cheer filled the room—Jin Chang-hyuk's voice, rarely heard except on the first day or during quiet study, now rang out loudly.
He immediately grabbed his phone and hurried out of the classroom.
"Guys! I passed the theory test! I'm bringing chicken home! You know me—I'm a beast when it comes to physical stuff! Becoming an Awakener is as good as done now!"
Even overhearing that excited conversation made Soohyeok feel oddly happy.
"See? I knew you'd pass, mister!"
"Yeah, well, I worked hard for it. Effort pays off."
"Hmmph. I didn't work that hard though."
"Must be a genius then."
"Oh my, really? You think so?"
Baek Iyeon giggled, covering her mouth like a mischievous child.
Soohyeok gently ruffled her hair and said,
"I'm heading out first."
"Eh? Really? But today was the last day of theory class!"
"Starting tomorrow it's all practical training. You should go home early and rest. This is where the real stuff begins."
"I know, but… I had plans today."
"Then finish up your plans quickly and head home."
"My plan was with you, though."
"…Nonsense. Keep that up and you're gonna get smacked."
"Really? You'd hit someone this cute?"
She pointed to both of her cheeks with her index fingers, tilted her head, and batted her big eyes at him.
'Cute.'
That was his honest thought—but that didn't mean he had to fall for it.
"I'm really going."
"So cold!"
"Yup~ I know."
Waving his hand, Soohyeok briskly walked away—because nothing was more important than dinner with his family.
***
The next day.
Of the 48 trainees, six had failed the theory test. The remaining 42 gathered again.
The classroom felt slightly emptier, more subdued.
As usual, Soohyeok arrived ten minutes early, took his seat, crossed his arms, and closed his eyes.
A translucent [Force Status] window unfurled before him.
***
[Force Status]
Name: Yang SoohyeokAge: 27Gender: MaleLevel: 3Class: Martial ArtistAlignment: Chaotic NeutralKarma: Past
Stats
Strength: 19Agility: 22Stamina: 26Wisdom: 19Willpower: 39
Note: Karma value is unusually high for age and race.
Body Purification: 38%
Efficiency of internal energy-based skills significantly increased.
Meridians Unlocked: 'Imdok' and 'Yangmaek' channels open.
— Internal energy regeneration and skill efficiency doubled relative to base values.
***
Thanks to steady training even during theory week, his level had increased by one.
His overall stats had also improved slightly, and more bodily impurities had been expelled.
But his growth hadn't just been numeric.
***
[Force Skill Interface]
Activated Skills
A-rank: technique of sacred earth (5 stars) – A foundational internal art based on earth energy. Excellent for building a solid base.NEW A-rank: Paecheol Fist & Palm (3 stars) – A technique that beautifully blends outer force with inner skill.NEW A-rank: Wind-Reversing Kick (2 stars) – A powerful kick strong enough to push back the wind itself.NEW A-rank: Mad Ghost Staff (2 stars) – Wielded like a mad ghost in frenzy.
→ If you see this technique being used, best to clear the area.
Special Passive Skill
Boneless (Mugol) – +20% boost to physical abilities and effectiveness during use.
Leveling up like a true martial god.