The Hero Party's Special Training! (3)
After the sparring match, the Hero Party heartily devoured the dinner that Lee Jun-woo had prepared for them.
"Delicious! Food after working hard really is the best! Right, Hare?"
"I-I couldn't eat even when I worked, so I wouldn't know..."
"S-sorry!"
Luna was resting while listening to Hare's sad family history. Coincidentally, Saten, who had been her sparring partner, was sitting right next to her. Luna's eyes sparkled as she questioned Saten.
"Saten! Sorry to interrupt while you're eating, but I have a question!"
"Yes, go ahead and ask."
"If I'm asking, I'm asking! What's with the 'go ahead'!"
"It means I won't answer if the question gets too long."
"Aha!"
So that's what she meant...
Luna roughly understood Saten's intention. Then she organized her thoughts and asked her question.
"Saten, how could we have beaten Uncle? Wasn't there some way?"
"Hmm, a review? In my family, we used to review our chess games too."
"Anyway! Don't use difficult words! How could we have beaten Uncle!?"
Luna was curious. How could they possibly defeat that monster of an uncle?
*Maybe Saten knows!*
That's why she asked Saten, the smartest among the kids. She thought there was no way she could win on her own, even if she died and came back to life. Luna ignored the Holy Sword's question of "Could you really not win even if you died and came back to life?" and said:
"Anyway, Saten! Can't we beat Uncle?"
"No, we can't."
"That was fast! What's the reason!"
"It's simple."
We're weak, and Uncle is strong. Saten spoke after finishing chewing the meat in her mouth.
"Right now, until that Saint sleeping from food coma becomes human, the probability is zero. Excluding the case where you all hug Uncle and die together in a magic explosion."
"...Would that let us win?"
"In that case, only I would survive, so only I would win."
"Hmm, I see."
So there's no way right now. Even though we trained hard, we still can't reach Uncle. Luna was disappointed in herself. However, in one corner of her heart, there was a feeling of pride in Uncle.
*That just means Uncle is that strong! I'm a tiny bit proud! Really just a tiny bit!*
I'll surpass him someday, so it doesn't matter now! Luna's heart suddenly became aloof. However, that aloofness melted away with just one sentence.
"Luna, if you've finished dinner, come out to the yard."
"Hell training! I'll be right out! Uncle, let's go together!"
Dash—
Luna grabbed her wooden sword and immediately followed Uncle. Watching this, Hare quietly muttered:
"Why does Luna like training so much...?"
"I'm not entirely sure, but maybe it's because of Uncle."
"...Uncle?"
Hare's expression turned cold at the mention of Uncle. Saten paid no attention to Hare's gaze and stated her thoughts.
"Yes, if I had to say, there's quite a temperature difference depending on whether Uncle is there or not when Luna trains."
She enjoys training alone too. But when she trains with Uncle, she seems to enjoy it much more. Saying this, Saten pulled up the corners of her mouth with her fingers.
"Look, see? This is Luna's mouth when training alone. And this is Luna's mouth when training with Uncle."
"It's, it's different... the height is different..."
Definitely, she smiles wider when training with Uncle...
Crunch—
Hare bit her nails anxiously.
"Could it be... Luna likes Uncle too...?"
"I don't know about that. I only know there's a difference in Luna's smile."
"..."
Crunch—
Hare continued biting her nails. Perhaps because she'd been too relaxed lately. Having noticed Luna's change, the emotion of jealousy was rising in Hare's heart. Hare whispered while watching Luna in the yard with Uncle:
"...I hope I'm wrong, Luna."
If my thoughts are correct, we can no longer be friends.
*From that moment on, we won't be friends but enemies...*
At Luna's recent appearance of seeming to grow closer to Uncle, Hare felt wary.
Hell training. A punishment given to the child who recorded the lowest performance in training. Unfortunately, Luna, who had been teamed with Estia, ended up receiving that punishment alone. Late evening. In the yard, I spoke to Luna, who was wobbling while holding her wooden sword.
"...To think you'd use your wish that way just because you wanted to train. How absurd, Luna."
"Hehe, what do you mean!"
"It's not a compliment."
"...Really?"
Luna tilted her head as if she didn't understand. I didn't understand Luna tilting her head. Luna, who volunteered for hell training—and alone at that—was a completely incomprehensible existence. I asked the smiling Luna:
"That aside, Luna. Are you really going to do hell training?"
"Yes! I want to train! I love training!"
"Hell training is harder than you think. You might regret it."
"It's okay! All training is good!"
Training is good. Therefore, hell training must be good too. Has this kind of logic circuit been established?
"Haah..."
I let out a sigh.
"Do as you wish. I won't try to persuade you anymore."
"Yes, Uncle! I'll do as I wish!"
She'll definitely regret it. Hell training was hard even for me to endure. For Luna, who was still young, it was highly likely to be overwhelming. However, since Luna was insisting she would absolutely do it:
"Even though you have a chance to escape, if that's your will, I'll show you hell training. Follow me."
"Yes!"
I didn't really have a choice. I led Luna to the bench in the yard. Then I had her sit on the chair. Thud— Luna looked up at me as if asking what this was about.
*...Hell training. If I recall what Aina did to me...*
The first step was this. Recalling past memories, I stepped three paces away from Luna. Then I focused on my body and drew up my mana.
*...It's probably this spell.*
It was long ago, so I don't remember properly, but it must be this spell. The moment I recalled the formula, I activated it toward the ground and confidently declared:
"Rise, four thorns."
Aina used to abbreviate the middle part along with the pronunciation, saying "Rise, four thorns!" However, right now, with Luna watching, I paid maximum attention to pronunciation and chanting as I manifested the magic. At that moment, four giant, sharp thorns as tall as me rose from the empty ground. Luna let out an exclamation of admiration.
"Wow...! How did you do that!? That's amazing, Uncle!"
"It's magic."
"Teach me too—"
"I'll tell you in advance, you can't use it."
"Tch. Actually, it's not that amazing!"
She's being petulant again. Anyway, hell training must proceed. I can't let her sleep late for Luna's growth. I pointed to the sharp part of the thorns and told Luna:
"Luna."
"Yes!"
"Now climb up there."
"...You're telling me to climb on top of thorns? Uncle, are you planning to kill me?"
...She won't die.
"It'll just sting a little."
"Really? Just a teeny tiny sting?"
"...To be honest, if you lose your balance, it'll sting a lot."
"That means it'll hurt!"
"That's why it's called hell training. Now, hurry up and climb, Luna."
"Ugh, uugh..."
She was saying she'd definitely train earlier, so why is she like this now? Luna looked at the thorns and shook her head as if it were impossible. She seemed to think she absolutely couldn't climb up.
*...Can't be helped.*
I climbed up onto the thorns to show Luna. It had been a while, so my toes hurt, but memories from the past came back, allowing me to be immersed in nostalgia.
*'Aina. This hurts quite a bit?'
'That's why it's hell training. Pain is youth! Don't you know, you bastard? If you endure for an hour there, your concentration will improve, and your patience will increase too. Give it a try.'
'...I never said I'd do hell training.'*
Hell training that started forcibly. Standing on top of thorns with the tips of my toes. Something impossible in South Korea, but possible in this world. Hiding my trembling toes, I told Luna:
"Now, come on up, Luna."
"H-how can a person do that!"
"Don't you see me, a person, doing it? Concentrate mana at the tips of your toes and endure for one hour. It's getting late, so hurry up."
"F-fine! But what happens if I fail?"
"...You won't die, and if I see signs of trouble, I'll help you, so don't worry. Of course, the time will reset."
"I-I regret this!"
I told her not to regret it, but Luna immediately entered regret mode.
*There are two more similar training stages after this. What is she planning to do?*
However, contrary to her words of dislike, Luna bravely jumped.
"Ch-challenge...! Ugh, uwaah...!!"
Luna jumped high and attempted to land. The location was the sharp thorns. Luna, with her eyes tightly shut, was about to be pierced by the thorns...
"U-uugh...! Wh-what! I'm alive! Uncle, I succeeded!"
"That's a natural result. From now on, enduring is important, so concentrate."
"Y-yes!"
Snap— Luna entered concentration mode. She put strength into her toes, and her face was scrunched up like a pug, but... she was enduring surprisingly well.
*Since she has mana overflowing in her body to begin with, she should be able to endure for quite a long time.*
Applying that to create "Sword Ki" or strengthen her fists would come later. This hell training was a process to reach that point. It was merely a process to cultivate concentration and develop sensation by concentrating mana in one place. I asked Luna, who was concentrating with a grimace:
"Can you endure it, Luna?"
"D-don't talk to me! Don't touch me either! I'm going to scream!"
"...You're already screaming."
Still, since she's concentrating, I won't bother talking to her. Thinking that, I also took the stance together with Luna. Even though it had been a while since I'd done this training, the feeling of my senses being enhanced was the same.
*...Training together isn't bad either.*
Perhaps Luna thought so too. Though Luna's expression was crumpled, the corners of her mouth were slightly raised, as if she found it fun. When such Luna made eye contact with me, she blushed and shouted like a fierce dog:
"D-don't look! My face looks weird because I'm concentrating!! L-look somewhere else!!"
"Your face was weird normally too."
"Geez! S-so what! What's wrong with my face! Uncle, your beard is weirder!!"
Bark— Bark—
Luna shouted angrily. If the Demon King saw her shouting like that, he'd run away. I chuckled at Luna's appearance.
*To think the Demon King will come visit in this kind of atmosphere...*
In a few days, the moment the Demon King arrives, this atmosphere will scatter like sand. Knowing the dark future, I found that fact a bit regrettable.