Chapter 25. Self-Development (4)

Puff!

A box suddenly appeared before him, catching Eun-Ho’s attention. Roughly the size of a forearm, it had a translucent, shimmering surface, just like the mystery boxes or rewards.

However, this one also radiated a faint, ominous red glow—perhaps because it was a loot obtained after defeating an enemy.

“It’s the first time I’ve gotten something after killing a monster,” Eun-Ho muttered.

Then, he gently lifted the lid. Inside laid a solitary, weighty object that was rough and earthy, filling the entire container. It resembled a massive seed.

[Drosera’s Seed]

- It seems like it would sprout if planted in soil.

- It grows normally only in hot, humid places with very high oxygen levels, so handle it with care. The more it grows, the more it resembles the appearance of surrounding lifeforms.

- If boiled and consumed together with a part of a specific lifeform, you can transform into that lifeform. However, only the appearance can be replicated, and the effect lasts up to one hour.

Transform into that lifeform? So, grow it or eat it and turn into something else?

He laughed quietly, more at himself than at the absurd item. The idea of duplicating a creature’s appearance wasn’t as shocking as the fact that he was already figuring out how to use it.

Might come in handy in an emergency. Like if I were being hunted by people. Not that that’s ever actually going to happen.

For now, he stored the Seed away in his inventory and took a deep breath.

“Check course objectives.”

[Course Objectives]

1. Eliminate Rooted Enemies (1/100)

2. Eliminate Moving Enemies (0/50)

3. Eliminate Winged Enemies (0/10)

Still a long way to go.

The numbers made him sigh.

The rooted enemies must be the carnivorous plant called Drosera. And as for the moving enemies, those might be it.

Eun-Ho pointed at the massive bug that had just been swallowed by Drosera. It all made sense now. Those very insects, devouring the plant’s roots and stems, were undeniably its natural enemies. At the same time, in this desolate patch, the only creatures moving were the grotesquely oversized bugs, crawling and skittering through the silence.

“The real problem’s the flying ones.”

The

(0/10)

beside the winged enemies in the course objective made his chest tighten, albeit not from confusion, because he knew exactly what they were.

There was only one kind of creature that ever flew around him and they always came in swarms.

Bzzz—!

The sound had been echoing in the cave since the moment he stepped in. It wasn’t from a generator but their wings.

“How am I supposed to fight a swarm like that? If I touch one, I’m toast—or a walking beehive.”

Buzzz—

Not far off, he spotted a massive hive which was a home to hundreds, or maybe even thousands of giant bees.

The beehive was nestled in the rocks. It was a colossal hexagonal structure, fused into the canyon wall like a natural fortress. Bees hovered around it like sentries, their gossamer wings buzzing so fast they stirred the air into gusts.

Buzz! Buzz. Buzz. Buzz!

Despite the gale of wings, the air smelled faintly sweet. A sickly-sweet scent of honey drifted toward him even from here. Besides, smaller bugs kept crawling or flying toward the hive, lured by the scent.

Splat!

“Did that bee just use its antennae like horns?”

Weren’t bees supposed to sting once and die?

Eun-Ho remembered watching a documentary as a kid, thinking how tragic it was for bees to be like tiny suicide bombers. However, these bees didn’t mess around. They speared intruders with steel-like antennae, skewered them, and tore them apart with numbers. It was absolute chaos.

Even a single bee packed a punch, but

en masse

, they were a nightmare. Just watching from afar gave him chills.

Then, he wondered,

Why would those insects come at all, knowing they were going to die? These bugs are throwing themselves at certain death, all for a taste of honey?

The ground was littered with insect corpses.

Is it really the honey? Hmm...

Even without light, the honey shimmered in rainbow hues, looking absurdly valuable.

What should I do?

Then, he remembered what the system message said earlier.

[Upon completing the Beginner Swordsmanship Class, you will unlock a unique Swordsmanship skill and acquire the title, Swordsman.]

[Note: In the trial version, you may return at any time, but you will forfeit any completion rewards.]

The system gave him two options. Option one was to walk away with no extra rewards, just survival. Option two was to risk everything, complete the course objective, and earn the system’s reward.

Eun-Ho smirked. “Nope. I’ll go with option three: grab what I want and bail.”

There was no rule that said he had to stick to the official loot.

Rustle.

Eun-Ho lifted the torn carcass of a worker bee, its yellow-and-black fuzz clinging to the husk like the ragged remnants of a costume. He had found it while foraging for insect shells to deceive the Drosera.

It was far from whole, but enough to cover himself.

Bzzzz—

The deafening buzz sliced through the forest, pulling his gaze back to the hive. It was a place dripping with honey, and something far less sweet—a hive of honey and bodily fluids.

***

The lecture hall was eerily empty, and not a single trace of the student remained.

In the pitch-dark room, the assistant instructor stood still as stone, eyes locked on a translucent panel only visible to him.

[Subject: Lee Eun-Ho (Evaluation: Pending)]

- Physical ability: ( )

- Intelligence: ( )

- Charm: ( )

It felt strange, stalling out on the very first category. When it came to pure swordsmanship, Eun-Ho was average and he knew it. That was exactly what he deserved.

“

Haaa...

This is difficult.”

The assistant instructor had evaluated countless trainees over an unfathomable span of time. Besides, most had fallen into predictable patterns.

Roughly seventy percent of them were diehard warriors, people who had devoted their lives to the sword. Another twenty percent of them were natural-born predators—ambitious, ruthless types who got a thrill out of trampling others to climb higher. The rest were just clueless souls who had stumbled in by mistake. Then, there was Eun-Ho.

The assistant instructor remembered what Eun-Ho said earlier.

“Go on then. Try copying this as well.”

He was an absurdly talented user of the system—borderline unprecedented.

“I can make the skill proficiency go up.”

Without missing anything, he spotted even the smallest clues, processed them, and put them to use. His relentless drive to improve bordered on obsession.

“Your right leg. You used it really well.”

𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

He wasn’t rigid like most. He thought on his feet and outside the box.

“He’s truly remarkable. With ten years of training, he could maybe even make it into the beginner’s class.”

That was why the assistant instructor had tossed him in the beginner’s class casually, just to watch and learn.

With Eun-Ho’s physical stats, just staying alive around these giant creatures would keep him plenty busy. However, survival wasn’t the true objective. There was only one point: showing Eun-Ho that the enemies he would face in the future wouldn’t be soft-skinned humans.

“

Hmm...

He should be returning by now.”

The assistant instructor checked the time again. Eun-Ho was late, but not worryingly so.

He assumed that Eun-Ho was probably stuck near the Drosera area. That thing alone could trap someone for hours. Still, with his instincts and determination, Eun-Ho wouldn’t die so easily.

Tap. Tap.

As the assistant instructor finalized the evaluation screen the stone door screeched open, and Eun-Ho stumbled in, practically collapsing through the entrance.

“

Haaa...

” he gasped.

“You’re late.”

Eun-Ho was a mess—cuts and scrapes covering every inch of his skin. Dust and dirt clung so thickly that his eyes, nose, and mouth barely broke through the grime. He looked like he had spent a decade on a battlefield.

To make matters worse, a greasy sheen of insect saliva coated him, adding a slick, unsettling layer to his battered appearance.

“Good job. Just watching would’ve been hard with your current stat.”

“What?” Eun-Ho raised an eyebrow at the oddly gentle comment. “Who said I was just watching?”

The confidence in his tone made the assistant instructor freeze.

“You don’t mean—”

Tap!

The assistant instructor’s fingers flew over the panel, pulling up the real-time status board.

[Course Objectives – Eun-Ho Lee]

1. Eliminate Rooted Enemies (1/100)

2. Eliminate Moving Enemies (0/50)

3. Eliminate Winged Enemies (0/10)

“Incredible...”

It was just one word, but it carried the full weight of his astonishment. The assistant instructor was truly shocked.

“I didn’t think you would be able to take down a Drosera.”

“It was just one. So not a big deal,” Eun-Ho replied.

Just one? That’s a monster that typically takes a full team of official instructors to bring down. And he, who had barely passed the intro swordsmanship class, had killed one?,

the assistant instructor thought.

“Plus, I couldn’t get any bees.”

The assistant instructor couldn’t believe what he heard. “You mean you even tried to take on the giant bees? Those are monsters we hunt in full company squads!”

“Well not hunt, but something like that,” Eun-Ho said and shrugged.

Does this kid even realize what he’s saying?

the assistant thought.

“Even with a full team, they take weeks to bring down. How in the world were you—”

“You're telling me the company sends teams for them?” Eun-Ho asked, incredulous.

“Of course. Unless your idea of fun is being skewered by thousands of steel-tipped stingers, attacking them alone is committing suicide. If soloing them was possible, their honey wouldn’t be so valuable.”

“Wait. Is that why that honey is that valuable?”

“Yeah, that honey’s incredibly valuable. Just one chunk could throw an entire restructuring process off balance.”

At that, Eun-Ho smirked and muttered under his breath with a casual nod, “Guess I’ll be heading back soon.”

He made it sound like he was going to some kind of a corner store.

“And who says you can?”

“Tell me how to go back.”

The assistant instructor narrowed his eyes, but Eun-Ho didn’t give up. “If there’s a course satisfaction survey or something, I’ll give you a perfect score.”

“

Haaa...

”

A dry, incredulous laugh slipped out. He thought Eun-Ho was unbelievably arrogant. He had never met a trainee this bold or this persistent. However, rules were rules.

Even offering him a trial class had been a violation. If the higher-ups found out Eun-Ho had killed a Drosera and even claimed a reward, it could mean disciplinary action. Therefore, it would have been only right to refuse outright, saying it was beyond his authority.

“... Here. I’ll grant you an audit pass.”

Instead, he gave Eun-Ho the last remaining audit pass he had been holding onto just in case.

“An audit pass?”

[An audit pass to the Beginner Swordsmanship Class has been issued to Subject Lee Eun-Ho.]

The assistant instructor acted out of curiosity, holding onto a faint hope that something unexpected would unfold.

Then Eun-Ho lifted the corners of his mouth in a satisfied smirk. The assistant instructor expected a thank you for cooperating, but instead, Eun-Ho asked, “What’s your name?”

“My name?”

It was an odd question, coming out of nowhere. Seemingly simple, yet one that he couldn’t answer. The assistant instructor remained silent.

Perhaps understanding the silence, Eun-Ho waited a few beats, then said again, “You know that carnivorous plant from earlier.”

“Drosera?”

“If you plant it in soil, they say it starts to resemble the life forms around it as it grows, right?” Eun-Ho asked without a hint of hesitation.

His clear eyes reflected a quiet curiosity—the kind only found in those who forged their own path without leaving ruins in its wake.

“Yeah, that’s true.”

“It’s not because it wants to, is it?”

“Well...”

“Just like you.”

Eun-Ho’s words slipped past the assistant instructor’s shell and struck something deeper down to the bone. He even trembled.

He, who had weathered ages beyond counting, was unsettled by a candidate who hadn’t even lived a full lifetime.

“You should at least have a name.”

It was the kind of moment that took the words right out of him.

Bzzzz—!

Just as he felt the pressure to say something, a thunderous sound crashed through his ears. He told himself the trembling was just from the noise and nothing more.

“I guess the door didn’t close properly.”

The assistant instructor made up an excuse to move toward the door.

Only then did Eun-Ho seem to notice the noise. Jolting in surprise, he spun around and bolted without wasting a second.

“Anyway, I’m out! Acceleration!”

Zoom—!

“

Huh?

”

By the time the assistant instructor came to his senses, Eun-Ho was gone. He had activated a skill, blitzed down the hall, flung open the door, and vanished like smoke.

Something about the way he ran was so frantic and so sudden that it felt off.

Clack!

Did facing an overwhelming enemy leave him with trauma? I mean, that wouldn’t be too surprising.

Even if Eun-Ho had managed to take down the Drosera by luck, standing before the sheer presence of that giant bee had probably shown him just how small and powerless he really was.

“Sector 13, huh? What a fascinating one I’ve found.”

The assistant instructor allowed himself a faint smile. It had been a long time since he felt a twinge of genuine curiosity.

Baaaam—!

Suddenly, the stone door he had sealed collapsed like a sand wall swept away by a tidal wave, followed by a roar so deep and violent, it felt like being thrown into a meat grinder.

Bzzzzz—!

“What the hell?!”

From the crumbling doorway, a flood of giant bees surged into the room. Obviously, those monsters had no business being here.

“The hive’s defenders? Why the hell are they here?!”

Wait a second. Giant bees. The hive. The honey...

Then he remembered the conversation he had with Eun-Ho just a while ago.

“Wait. Is that why that honey is that valuable?”

“Yeah, that honey’s incredibly valuable. Just one chunk could throw an entire restructuring process off balance.”

Then, the image of Eun-Ho’s disheveled appearance flashed through the assistant’s mind—the greasy sheen on his skin, like something sticky had clung to him.

Bzzzzz—!

Baaam! Baaaam! Thud!

The furious bees charged not toward the thief who stole from their hive, but toward the assistant instructor who looked

exactly

like him.

“

Ugh!

You son of a bitch!”