I Became a Disaster-Class Sorcery Genius

Outing (2)

After dealing with the boss in the rest stop, Kim Dojun climbed the creaking steel stairs to the second floor, where he soon found a small room.

"...."

He entered that room.

"Oh."

After confirming the small three-drawer cabinet sitting atop a dust-covered desk—

Creak.

He opened the drawer and found exactly what he was looking for.

"Found it."

With a satisfied smile, Kim Dojun picked up the item in the first drawer—a ring.

Ding.

And simultaneously, a log window popped up before his eyes.

----
Nameless One's Protective Ring
Grade: High.
Effect: Once a week, perfectly defends against all possessed entities and sorcery attacks, except for 'reverse sorcery,' for three seconds.
----

"Nice."

Kim Dojun looked at the ring, which had the exact same effect as the one he acquired in the Sorcery Killing Technique, and slipped it onto his finger with a smile.

Just as it was in the game, this item would be a huge help from this point on.

A ring that fit neatly on his finger.

Without hesitation, Kim Dojun went ahead and opened the second drawer of the cabinet.

'Money this time.'

Seeing the wads of cash packed inside, he stuffed them into the bag he'd brought along just for this. Right before opening the final third drawer—

"How did you do it?"

"?"

At the sound of a voice behind him, he turned his gaze—there stood Shin Se-yeon.

"What are you talking about?"

"That boss just now. You obliterated it in one shot, didn't you?"

To her question, he looked at her as if she'd seen something bizarre and nonchalantly raised his fist.

"You saw it, didn't you?"

After Kim Dojun's words, there was a brief silence, but then—

"... Well, there's no way you'd tell me anyway."

She sighed deeply as she spoke. Regardless, Kim Dojun, thinking 'What on earth is she talking about?' redirected his attention and promptly opened the third drawer.

"Take this."

"...?"

He tossed her the brooch that had been inside.

Startled but reflexively opening her hands, the brooch landed softly and precisely in Shin Se-yeon's palms.

"What's this...?"

"It'll help you practice astrology. Use it."

What Kim Dojun handed Shin Se-yeon was an item called 'Seasoned One's Brooch'. In the original Sorcery Killing Technique, its effect was to further boost a sorcery that had already reached a certain stage.

In short—

'I don't need this at my current level.'

His rate of advancement was so rapid that there might come a day when he needed it again, but since his main objective was not simply to get stronger but to escape, he intended to help Shin Se-yeon take on the boss role as soon as possible.

'If I need it later, I can just ask her to give it back.'

Thinking that, Kim Dojun stood up.

He called out to Shin Se-yeon, who was blankly staring at the brooch.

"Hey."

"...."

She didn't respond.

Finding this odd, Kim Dojun made a weird face and tapped her shoulder.

"H-huh?"

Only then did she seem to snap out of it. Slightly nodding his head to gesture, he suggested they head out.

Together, as they descended to the first floor to leave the rest stop and headed for the exit—

"!?"

Shin Se-yeon witnessed it.

Something, part of the boss she thought Kim Dojun had just killed, lunged at him from beside Kim Dojun, who was walking ahead.

"Watch out—"

She couldn't help but think: Wasn't it definitely destroyed? As the thought flashed through her mind and as her mouth opened, a sharp tentacle—part of the boss's body—was already flying toward him.

The moment the sharp tentacle struck Kim Dojun's body—

BZZZZ! SHAAAAK—!

"... Huh?"

A massive protective sorcery formation unfolded around him.

Even at a glance, it was extraordinarily complex, with intricate slanted lines and symbols; the protection spell completely charred the tentacle that had attacked him.

At the same time, Shin Se-yeon's eyes widened in shock.

The protective sorcery enveloping Kim Dojun looked so advanced that even an A-rank sorcerer would struggle to imitate it.

'Just how... at his age... has he reached such a level...?'

Amazed, she stared at the protective spell unfurled around Kim Dojun as if dumbfounded.

But Kim Dojun was thinking something entirely different.

'Come to think of it, this was a gimmick here.'

He suddenly recalled that this kind of scene played out when progressing through this sub-quest.

'The reason for this gimmick was probably to immediately demonstrate the effect of the spiritual tool in the game, right?'

With that, Kim Dojun watched the protective sorcery formation manifest and fade around him.

'Definitely performs as advertised.'

He smiled.

####

Inside the returning taxi.

"...."

Shin Se-yeon watched him from the side, contemplating with an endlessly deep expression.

She already knew Kim Dojun was a genius.

From the very start, his display during the entrance test was something even Shin Se-yeon could not hope to imitate.

Yet, even when Kim Dojun had told her he would help her kill her father, she hadn't quite trusted him.

Frankly, in the kind of situation she'd endured, nobody could trust someone like Kim Dojun easily.

'He's hiding so much, too.'

And Kim Dojun really had been.

She still didn't know why he went so far as to coerce her into helping, or what purpose he had in wanting to kill Shin Cheon-gyun.

Furthermore—

'He knew where a spirit zone would appear, and where to find such ridiculous treasures...'

Stealing a glance downward, Shin Se-yeon looked at the brooch Kim Dojun had given her.

It was plain, completely unadorned except for fine engravings—perhaps a bit dull as brooches went.

It might not hold much value as an accessory, but just from the spiritual power flowing within, it was clearly a rare spiritual tool.

'There are dozens of microscopic engravings I've never even seen before.'

Examining the brooch in detail—and realizing she could barely interpret the engravings herself—she once again turned her gaze to Kim Dojun.

'Who... what exactly is he?'

Those were the thoughts swirling in Shin Se-yeon's mind.

Of course, the only reason Kim Dojun stayed silent was because he felt he couldn't explain himself well, so he coolly gave up explaining. Shin Se-yeon, not knowing that, soon let go of such thoughts.

After spending several weeks with him, she already knew he would never reveal his true intentions.

And thanks to this incident, Shin Se-yeon developed a tiny bit of trust in Kim Dojun.

Whether at the Sorcery Institute or just now, she'd seen it up close with her own eyes—

Talent so unusual for his age that he could only be called a 'sorcery genius'.

'I can be sure now—he definitely holds what it takes to achieve my goal.'

After all, her purpose was to kill Shin Cheon-gyun.

As long as he could help her accomplish that, she was willing to do anything—so Shin Se-yeon admitted that he would be a sufficient asset.

'... Well, it's only an acknowledgment of his skills, after all.'

As Shin Se-yeon thought this, watching Kim Dojun—

"I've given it some thought."

Kim Dojun suddenly spoke up.

"About what?"

"Like I said before, when pushed to extremes, humans can draw out 100% of their potential."

"... So?"

"What about a handgun?"

"?"

"Don't you think it'd be good?"

"...?"

"Well, as long as I don't shoot you in the heart or head, you won't die. But just taking a shot around there could really push you to the limit, don't you think?"

"What do you take me for!!"

####

How much time had passed as they chattered away in the taxi on the way back?

"Head inside first. And from Monday on, let's meet at that same spot after school."

"I'm saying it again—the gun is absolutely out of the question!"

He sent Shin Se-yeon, still glaring fiercely as if she absolutely meant it, back into the Sorcery Institute, and then took another taxi—this time to Rodeo Street in Cheonho-dong, Gangdong district.

The moment he got out, a bustling street spread before him.

'According to the Sorcery Killing Technique storyline, at the end of first year, this is the place you visit to stop criminals from carrying out a mass human sacrifice.'

Looking at the street, he recalled that, and headed into one of the alleys off Rodeo Street.

Soon, Kim Dojun stopped.

'Here.'

He stood before a shop that was one of the primary purposes of today's outing—a place to obtain a 'fortuitous encounter'.

A staircase descended to a basement.

Confirming the sign overhead for 'Curios', Kim Dojun descended without hesitation.

"Welcome."

As soon as he reached the bottom of the stairs, the scent of old things hit him, and an elderly man greeted him. Nodding lightly, Kim Dojun scanned his surroundings before making his assessment.

'It looks exactly like the illustration.'

Wrapping up his plain thoughts, he began weaving between the shelves crammed with antiques.

He wandered among the antiques for a while before stopping at one spot.

'Found it.'

He picked up a rod.

A round stick embroidered with lavish gold details from end to end.

'It's annoyingly well-hidden.'

Kim Dojun, holding the rod, unscrewed one end.

Pop—

A slightly crisp sound accompanied the appearance of a pen tip.

At the same time, a log window popped up before Kim Dojun's eyes.

----
Model Student Haram's Pen
Grade: Top.
Effect: Once a month, you may know the answers to ten questions, so long as they are within the realm of knowledge Haram knows.
----

Upon reading the log—

'In the game, "Haram's Pen" raised your written test average rank at the Sorcery Institute by 30%. Guess even this got a reality balance patch; the effect's different.'

He shrugged—well, it wasn't the effect he'd come for anyway.

Observing the faint spiritual power flowing from Haram's Pen, Kim Dojun gave a slight smile and headed to the counter.

"A pen? Did our store have something like that?"

The elderly man looked curiously at the pen Kim Dojun presented him.

"Yes, I found it over there."

Kim Dojun pointed to the shelf in the corner. Turning the pen over in his hands, the old man sounded it out.

"Alright, just give me ten thousand won and take it."

The old man's offer sealed the deal.

"Here you go."

Thus, Kim Dojun acquired his fortuitous encounter for only ten thousand won, leaving the antique shop with a satisfied look.

That night.

After stopping by a few more places aside from the antique shop, Kim Dojun, remembering his promise with Han Soyeon, headed for the promenade.

"You're already here waiting, huh?"

Stepping onto the promenade, he immediately spotted Han Soyeon, who was intensely clenching her fists as if bracing herself for something.

Without hesitation, he approached her.

"Um...!"

Han Soyeon's face was full of determination, ready to utter something important today, finally.

But just as Han Soyeon was about to speak—

"Here, this time it's this."

Kim Dojun handed her a water bottle.

"What is this...?"

Noticing the familiar store logo on the bottle, Han Soyeon's tension faded a little, replaced by puzzlement.

Her face went blank at his next words.

"It's water laced with a large amount of cyanide."

"... Excuse me?"

"Just 10mL, and you'll be able to see your parents in heaven right away."

"...."

She could only gape in astonishment.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】