Chapter : 30
"..."
Lee Se-hun's mouth fell open slightly at the unexpected arrival, while the other cadets stared in outright shock.
"Wh-what?"
"No way, why is that senior...?"
"What the hell is going on?"
To Lee Se-hun, Yeom Seong-ha was nothing more than a mad dog. But to the other cadets, he was different—a promising star who had inherited the intangible cultural treasure known as the Flame Wheel Remnant Blaze Spear, and a future S-rank hero drawing widespread attention.
Above all, by the rankings of the Martial Hall, he possessed strength that placed him among Babel's top ten. To ordinary cadets, he was practically from another world.
"For this class, Aqar Quf Spear Arts Department third-year Yeom Seong-ha will serve as temporary teaching assistant. You all know how famous he is, so treat him with respect."
"..."
Yeom Seong-ha merely nodded curtly in response to Lis's straightforward introduction.
The cadets' eyes lit up at the words. A prodigy with flawless skill, talent, and background—nothing lacking.
Even if they couldn't become close, just leaving a favorable impression could bring massive benefits for their futures.
As every cadet burned with determination to catch Yeom Seong-ha's eye, Lee Se-hun, who had been blankly watching the scene, let out a smirk.
'Must've been pretty desperate.'
He hadn't expected Yeom Seong-ha to come to him on his own like this before he even had a chance to seek him out. It was an unanticipated reaction, but not entirely unreasonable upon reflection.
This wasn't just anything—it was the Flame Flower Clan, his own background, and their signature Flame Wheel Remnant Blaze Spear that he'd declared doomed and then shattered head-on.
Considering what could happen if the technique's counters leaked out, it wouldn't be strange if he showed up in the dead of night wearing a mask.
'If he came to meet me like this, he's probably not hostile.'
Lee Se-hun watched with interest to see how he'd move next, and Yeom Seong-ha, sensing the gaze, turned his head to meet his eyes.
Just as the other cadets began to sense the strange tension between them—
"We're in the middle of class, you idiots."
Bang! Bang!
Lis slammed the lectern, drawing all eyes back to him.
"If only you showed this enthusiasm during study time... Tsk."
Muttering dissatisfaction at the cadets' attitudes, Lis lowered the height of his cart slightly and manipulated the panel on the lectern.
"That'll do for introductions. Before we dive into the practical, let's quickly cover the basics."
Several terms and mana array patterns floated in the air, and Lis began explaining while plopping down atop his cart.
"In artifact creation, the uses of residual mana fall into two broad categories: independent types that absorb or generate mana on their own, and rechargeable types that require external supply."
Independent types had low output but excelled in sustainability, while rechargeables offered high output at the cost of poor longevity.
Each had pros and cons, but in terms of difficulty, independents were far harder.
'Not easy to create a core that absorbs or generates mana, and expanding its scope is even tougher.'
For example, Lee Se-hun's Ink Spider Ring could absorb and store mana, but it didn't qualify as independent.
It drew mana only from the wearer, not from the atmosphere.
"Independents are tricky to make. The method of forming the mana core varies completely based on materials, techniques, and the creator's own mana."
It wasn't something spoon-fed in textbooks—you had to figure it out through personal insight. Unless you had a related skill or prior knowledge, it was no easy feat.
"So you'll start with rechargeables. Even if you already know how, think of it as refining your skills and listen up. TA."
At Lis's call, Yeom Seong-ha stepped forward and slowly moved his hand.
Swish—
A casual sweep through the air left a trail of deep crimson mana in its wake.
The cadets watched wide-eyed as the mana etched itself into the air like a painting preserved forever.
"Fire-attribute mana has high diffusivity and volatility, making it hard to use as fixed residual mana."
Whoosh!
Flames erupted across the densely packed residual mana in the air, mocking Lis's words about difficulty as the form solidified.
Three rings of fire. The 'Flame Wheels' completed in the blink of an eye rotated slowly in place.
"But if you can suppress that diffusivity, it shows exceptional sustainability as residual mana. A prime example is the technique our TA is demonstrating: the Flame Wheel Remnant Blaze Spear."
The Flame Wheels continued burning without further mana input.
The precise mana control of the Flame Wheel Remnant Blaze Spear perfectly preserved the flames, and Yeom Seong-ha was maintaining no fewer than three.
"Whoa..."
"Handling fire-attribute mana like that..."
"I can barely control mine in the forge."
If his spearwork in the Martial Hall had only conveyed raw 'power,' this sight of sustaining Flame Wheels evoked awe as a fire-wielding blacksmith.
Everyone present knew just how wild and violent fire-attribute mana could be.
"Well, since the TA made it look so easy, it might not hit home. Another example would be..."
Lis glanced around at the cadets before locking eyes with Lee Se-hun in the front row.
"Our department top student fits perfectly. Do you possess fire-attribute mana?"
"Yes."
"Then, like the TA, form fire-attribute mana into rings."
A finesse even few second-years could manage. Lis had chosen him expecting even the famed top student would struggle, reinforcing the technique's difficulty.
"Like this?"
A ring of flame formed lightly above Lee Se-hun's hand.
Flame Wheels rising from both palms. Unlike Yeom Seong-ha's, they connected to his hands, but showed no signs of ongoing mana supply.
Different method, but he'd successfully formed and sustained perfect residual mana Flame Wheels.
"..."
"..."
Lis's mouth fell open slightly, and Yeom Seong-ha's eyes twitched.
The classroom atmosphere turned awkward in an instant. Amid it all, only Lee Se-hun gazed at his own Flame Wheels.
'Hm. As expected, it's tough to keep up with this body.'
Forming them was easy thanks to what Mad Dog had taught him in his past life, but sustaining was grueling.
It was only possible due to the 'flow' property from Eternal Spirit Magic and Crimson Lotus; otherwise, they'd have collapsed immediately.
'...Not undeserved as department top.'
Though the example backfired, the cadets' stunned reactions suggested no need to belabor the difficulty.
Lis cleared his throat and continued nonchalantly.
"Well done. You can dispel it now."
"Yes."
"Ahem. Anyway, to sum up this class's theme..."
Gathering attention with another cough, Lis manipulated the panel to float one word in the air.
[Flame Wheel]
"We have a great TA today, so let's make the most of it. Make whatever you want, but stick to fire-attribute mana, rechargeable residual mana, and the Flame Wheel theme."
Lis rose from his cart, smirking at the cadets.
"Due next Thursday. Submit early if you want free time after. Of course, that means you're confident, so I'll grade strictly."
Don't slack off with half-assed work just because you're uninterested. The cadets tensed at Lis's warning but sparkled with excitement.
Last week had constraints under the guise of basics, but not this time. Especially with Yeom Seong-ha watching.
"Explanation's over. Time to head to the forge. I'll show some examples, so move it."
Lis rolled out first on his cart, and Yeom Seong-ha remained silently atop the podium.
"..."
"..."
Cadets rising to leave glanced warily at each other.
They wanted to approach and chat, but his impassive expression and heavy presence held them back.
As the awkward standoff dragged on, one stepped forward boldly.
"Hello, Senior Yeom Seong-ha."
Hans, polite and smiling smoothly.
His demeanor was impeccably clean, hard to believe it was the same guy who'd flinched under Lee Se-hun's gaze moments ago.
"I'm..."
"Get lost."
"...Yes."
He retreated pathetically at the icy rebuff.
Not the moment to chat. Realizing this, cadets filed out one by one, wary of offending him.
When only two remained, Yeom Seong-ha finally spoke.
"Lee Se-hun."
Standing on the podium, gazing silently down.
Lee Se-hun looked up from his seat at the figure like flames on the verge of eruption.
"Why?"
"Who are you?"
A somewhat out-of-left-field question, but it was all Yeom Seong-ha could ask. His weekend digging had only uncovered a tragic family swept up in a disaster.
No renowned mentor, no pre-admission prodigy feats. So how had he dismantled the Flame Wheel Remnant Blaze Spear?
'No clue.'
Too little info for even guesses. So he'd opted to ask directly.
'Still as blunt as ever, jumping straight to the source.'
No probing surroundings or observation—just confronting the person involved. It bordered on reckless, but these moments were crucial when dealing with Yeom Seong-ha.
'He doesn't overthink.'
Any cryptic probing would prompt snap judgment and action, no deliberation.
Vague words marking him as an 'enemy' could lead to dismissal and unprovoked attacks, regardless of protests.
'Less rabid than his mad dog days, but no need to complicate things.'
Yeom Seong-ha's interest wasn't his background anyway. Lee Se-hun opened his mouth slowly.
"I hear proficiency in the Flame Wheel Remnant Blaze Spear is judged by the number of simultaneous Flame Wheels you can maintain... Those earlier were them, right?"
"..."
"You handled three effortlessly, so properly, five... No, knowing you, six."
The current Flame Flower Clan head and near-S-rank A-grade hero Lim Dae-moon sustained eight in the Eight Wheels realm.
Yeom Seong-ha was already catching up to a leader decades ahead.
"What of it? Answer me."
But this was common knowledge. Yeom Seong-ha pressed silently, and Lee Se-hun smiled, continuing.
"You. You once maintained seven, right? Then suddenly, one day, you couldn't."
"...!"
A crack formed on Yeom Seong-ha's stoic face at Lee Se-hun's words.
How did this freshman know something he'd only told one person—never even his clan head?
As shock stalled his thoughts, Lee Se-hun, sensing it, pressed on.
"You'd know from orientation, but I've got a knack for flames. The so-called genius type?"
A bit self-aggrandizing, but necessary to convince a hothead who punched first and thought never.
"Watching your flames in the Martial Hall, something felt off. Plenty of power left, but you couldn't unleash it fully—fizzling out vaguely..."
"..."
"So I pondered the cause and reached that conclusion."
Lee Se-hun looked down at the un-denying Yeom Seong-ha with conviction.
"Your skill was originally higher. You're in a regressed state now."
Others might call it nonsense, but astonishingly, Lee Se-hun spoke pure truth.
All from his past life, straight from Mad Dog Yeom Seong-ha himself.
'Couldn't even manage his original Six Wheels properly during the decline. Others didn't notice the difference, which terrified him more. Had he changed?'
Sensing something wrong, yet alone in it.
This stagnation had trapped him in the Six Wheels realm for years—the twisted origin of everything Mad Dog Yeom Seong-ha had confessed.
'Thought it bullshit back then... But seeing it now, I get it a bit.'
Perhaps bias from foreknowledge, but Lee Se-hun saw clear distortion in Yeom Seong-ha's flames.
Without recognizing and fixing it, growth was impossible.
"...Do you know the cause?"
"Not certain, but... I have a hunch."
"Can you prove it?"
"I can."
Lee Se-hun met Yeom Seong-ha's blazing eyes and smirked faintly.
"But I don't feel like showing for free."
With the hierarchy clear, time to feel him out.
Helping selflessly would just earn a rude "So what?"
"...Name your price."
Desperate enough to accept a stranger's proposal outright? At Yeom Seong-ha's cooperative stance, Lee Se-hun held up two fingers.
"First. Pay fair compensation for all future advice and help."
Frame it as a transaction, not charity.
"Second. Consult me anytime something feels off."
Create a link for variables he might miss.
Yeom Seong-ha eyed the proposal oddly.
'Not bad terms.'
Aimed at collaboration, not exploitation. Given his situation, a huge gain—but something felt off.
Like a pig waddling into the slaughterhouse. Absurd, yet fitting.
"Do it or not? We've got class—decide quick."
"..."
"No answer by the time I leave? Deal's off."
As silent Yeom Seong-ha lingered, Lee Se-hun rose and descended. Passing by toward the door—
"...Fine."
Yeom Seong-ha squeezed out the words.
"If you show proof."
His reluctance plain. Lee Se-hun grinned and pointed to the door.
"Right now."