Academy’S Gumiho Is A Magical Genius [EN]: Chapter 52

Academy Gumiho is a Magical Genius – Episode 52

Academy Gumiho is a Magical Genius 52

Teacher (2)

Seo Yerin’s eyes sparkled as she watched me teach Lee Ji right beside her. The curriculum was specifically tailored, derived from analyzing each individual’s needs.

Of course, the students didn’t all seem to think so.

The thought that she could receive that personalized attention too made her look at me with bright eyes, a stark contrast to her usual taciturn expression.

It was a lot of pressure.

I was grateful that she was so looking forward to the training I’d created, but pressure was still pressure.

‘How much she must have craved guidance…’

What was the point of being born into a good family and under the tutelage of a great grandfather?

All she had were basic spear techniques.

As my thoughts drifted this way, my feelings of pity for her and suspicion towards her grandfather grew, rather than feeling burdened.

No, why would he leave such a talented kid to stagnate like this?

‘I understand the grandfather’s desire for her to reach enlightenment through her own efforts.’

I couldn’t understand her grandfather’s reasoning.

With this kind of talent, she could have soared if he had given her adequate support. I felt genuinely sorry for Seo Yerin.

Look at her now.

If I had a fox tail, it was as if she had a puppy tail. If she were a beastman, the tail behind her back might be spinning like a propeller.

That’s how happy she looked.

“First of all, before we start teaching, can you show me your spear techniques?”

“…Seoga Spear Style?”

“Show it to me from beginning to end. Is there a rule that you can’t demonstrate it in front of someone outside the family?”

Shaking her head, she quickly adjusted her spear.

She intended to show me with action rather than words.

Whirly.

Swinging the spear with considerable force, she showed off a highly complete spear technique. Not bad.

It wasn’t bad, but it was too straightforward and monotonous.

There was no personal flair in her spear technique at all.

I mentioned that to her first after she finished the demonstration.

“Let’s put some color into your spear technique first.”

“…Color?”

“Yes, the color of your spear technique.”

There are as many different kinds of martial arts as there are personalities and tendencies.

However, the spear technique that Seo Yerin learned was close to colorless and odorless.

It was so bland that she couldn’t express her personality or strengths at all.

I was amazed that she had the same potential as the main character even after learning this spear technique. So if I give her a little push here, she will soar.

“Let’s add what people often call the ‘subtle principle’ [a deeper understanding or essence of a technique].”

“Teacher! You said it wouldn’t work for me!”

“You haven’t even laid the foundation, what ‘subtle principle’ are you talking about? Go swing your axe.”

Lee Ji, sweating profusely, was carrying a huge double-edged axe on his shoulder.

The small stature and the huge axe made him look like a dwarf.

I even thought that there might have been a dwarf among his distant ancestors.

“You’re being too hard on me, Teacher!”

“Shut up and train. If you keep doing that, I won’t teach you anything next class.”

“Ahaha! Axe swinging is really fun!”

When I threatened Lee Ji, who kept complaining, with the class as collateral, he listened to me right away. He’s a good kid, but he’s so annoying when he does that.

After confirming that Lee Ji had re-entered training, I evaluated Seo Yerin’s spear technique.

It was called Seoga Spear Style.

Overall, it was a smooth spear technique.

The posture of the spear technique flowed very flexibly, and the transition between attack and defense was seamless. Movement like flowing water.

The problem is that it’s too basic.

“With this kind of spear technique, Flow (流), Change (變), Illusion (幻), or Quickness (快) would be good.”

“Flow…? Illusion…?”

“It sounds strange when you read it together like that. Don’t read it together.”

I closed my eyes for a moment and recalled the sensation I felt at my fingertips.

Various spear techniques that I have learned.

I started to pick out the ones that Seo Yerin could learn.

“You said you were a support position, right?”

“…Yes.”

Come to think of it, I had a disagreement with her over a healing book when I ran into her in the library. What kind of subtle principle of spear technique would suit a supporter?

“You don’t happen to have the belief that the best supporter can eliminate all the enemies so that allies don’t get hurt, do you?”

“…Yes?”

“Ah, it’s okay if you don’t.”

I asked because there are occasionally students who have such strange beliefs.

I glossed over the words and roughly figured out what to teach.

“First of all, I can teach you Change Spear Technique (變槍術) and Severance Spear Technique (絶槍術). If it doesn’t fit, I can teach you other spear techniques later.”

“Change Spear…? And Severance Spear…?”

“A spearman doesn’t know this? Well, you might not know if you haven’t learned various spear techniques. Change Spear Technique is a spear technique that freely converts between offense and defense and wields it in a versatile way. Severance Spear Technique is a spear technique that cuts off the opponent or the flow of attack and can assist in the role of supporter.”

The words are grandiose, but it’s not that difficult to practice.

Seo Yerin, who has a talent comparable to the main character, will be able to learn it easily.

So, I plan to teach her the subtle principles of Change Spear Technique and Severance Spear Technique, along with the spear techniques containing those subtle principles.

“I’ll show you right away. Can you lend me your spear for a moment?”

“…Here.”

“Okay, thank you.”

The plastic spear made of synthetic resin that I saw yesterday.

It looks very weak when you read it like this, but this is equipment made by Chilseong with excellent magic conductivity.

So if you infuse magic into this spear—

—Shuk!

The spear blade becomes sharp and the spear tip becomes pointed in an instant.

The synthetic resin spear that can no longer be regarded as training equipment.

I entrusted my body to the cool sensation that I couldn’t feel from ordinary plastic and swung my arm greatly.

Whirly, as I swung the spear greatly with magic infused, the cool spear tip drew a wheel. Then I shook the spear greatly and pulled the spear shaft to hold it short.

Immediately pull the spear inward to defend once.

Wheeik!

Turn the spear outward greatly to take a posture of attack and counterattack at the same time.

In this way, I skillfully switched between offense and defense and wielded it erratically.

Seo Yerin, who was watching the scene.

“Wow…”

She exclaimed.

A spear technique that is as cunning and sly as a snake, drawing out the opponent’s reaction.

It must have been the advanced martial art she had been so eager for.

If Noh Yura had the ability to read people’s minds like me at this time, she would have been very surprised.

Like Seo Yerin’s thought, this spear technique contains a subtle principle like a cunning snake.

So the name is Sabok Honchang Method (巳復混槍法) [Snake Returns, Mixed Spear Method].

A very excellent eye.

However, I, who had no way of knowing her thoughts, immediately unfolded a spear technique with the subtle principle of Severance Spear (絶槍).

—Hoo-oong!

The spear cut through the wind.

After that, I continued the posture by wielding the spear strongly and concisely.

Overall, the softness was reduced, but more strength and neatness were revealed in the spear technique.

As I was demonstrating the spear technique in front of Seo Yerin, the eyes of the students looking at me began to change little by little.

The eyes that were spewing suspicion were all sparkling when it was time to teach Seong Yeonhwa.

* * *

“Don’t you have anything to teach me?!”

“You’re already half done. What if I intervene for nothing and the martial arts you’ve built up so far falter.”

“Ah, don’t do that! I want a technique! Please teach me a technique!”

Lee Ji and Seo Yerin had something to teach for sure.

They both clearly showed what they lacked.

The problem was Seong Yeonhwa.

I was confident when I first made a plan to teach her.

My major is not magic, but swordsmanship.

I have learned all kinds of swordsmanship and skills, including swordsmanship that I created myself since I was young.

There were plenty of techniques and knowledge that I could teach to juniors walking the path of martial arts (武道) [the martial way].

…But, I didn’t know she would be so much better than I expected.

‘She has already reached the pinnacle, and it has been a long time since she reached the realm of divine sword union and the harmony of the three treasures.’

The realm of pinnacle (絕頂) [the highest level] where you can handle sword energy in earnest and be recognized as a martial artist.

The realm of unity where a person becomes a sword and a sword becomes a person and handles the sword like one’s own limbs, divine sword union (身劍合一) [body and sword as one].

Harmony of the three treasures (三花聚顶) [three flowers gathering at the crown] where the three yangs head for the inner garden and begin to be aware of the harmony of essence, energy, and spirit.

Seong Yeonhwa was already a full-fledged martial artist and a player.

I didn’t need to help her.

It would be fortunate if I didn’t get in the way.

“You know it too. You’re already walking your own path of swordsmanship. It’s not right for me to intervene more than necessary.”

“Then please intervene appropriately!”

“Ha, how can you not concede a word?”

I sighed and grabbed my head.

Yes, as she said, if I intervene within a reasonable range, there are mountains of things I can teach.

But there was no guarantee that it would be helpful to Seong Yeonhwa.

In that sense, teaching swordsmanship was premature.

It might be useful for gaining various experiences and enlightenment later. Learning now, when you are firmly paving your own way, could be detrimental.

Then the only thing I can help with now is…

That is to help her reach a higher level.

“Then, shall I push you to reach the realm of Five Energies Uniting at the Origin (五气朝元)?”

Five Energies Uniting at the Origin.

The next stage of the Harmony of the Three Treasures that Seong Yeonhwa has reached, the realm where essence, energy, and spirit (精氣身) are united and one’s power can always be perfectly exerted.

Even if the body is sick, the harmony of essence (精) and energy (氣) allows you to always show the best power. The opposite is also true.

If magic power is insufficient, balance is achieved through the harmony of energy and spirit, and if mental strength is insufficient, balance is achieved through the harmony of essence and spirit.

A realm where those without talent can only stare blankly at the sky and suck their fingers, that is the Five Energies Uniting at the Origin.

And she was now moving towards that realm.

“Really? Is that possible?!”

“I can help.”

“Isn’t that a realm where a lot of elixirs are needed?”

“That’s the shortcut. If you use the orthodox method, you don’t necessarily need an elixir.”

Occasionally, there are martial artists who make such a mistake.

If you have an excellent elixir, it’s not unreasonable to raise your level by leaps and bounds.

But that’s only possible at a low level, and the stronger the martial artist, the less effective the elixir is.

In simple terms, they say that the drug doesn’t work.

“If you’re a martial artist like you, it’s not good to rely on elixirs. Rather, it’s more effective to achieve it with your own strength.”

“Then what should I do?”

Seong Yeonhwa asked.

The answer to that is simple.

“You’ll achieve enlightenment.”

“…Enlightenment.”

“It’s not ‘enlightenment’ [깨달음], it’s ‘enlightenment’ [개달음]. There’s a ‘ㄹ’ batchim [final consonant] in the middle.”

“Yes, that’s why I said ‘enlightenment’.”

“…”

Her clumsy Korean has been bothering me since earlier.

Normally, I would have thought that it could be because she was a foreigner, but Isabel and Isis, who are also foreigners, are using Korean very well.

I don’t really want to compare, but I keep comparing.

She’s from China, so she looks the most Korean of the three international students. Yet she’s the worst at Korean.

What nonsense is this?

‘I have to teach her Korean too.’

Let’s postpone this story for now.

Korean can be taught slowly by giving homework.

Today, I’m busy explaining the curriculum for the future.

“So, how do you get ‘enlightenment’?”

“…Enlightenment is not something you do, it’s something you achieve. Very naturally.”

“Okay, Teacher!”

“…Don’t call me Teacher.”

The word ‘teacher’ is still awkward, but the expression ‘Teacher’ is even more awkward.

However, Seong Yeonhwa seems to be hooked on the word ‘Teacher’.

Despite my words, she called me Teacher.

Okay, do whatever you want.

“Then Teacher, what should I do first?”

“First of all, the first step is to start with meditation.”

“I’m good at meditation! My dad made me do it since I was little!”

Seong Yeonhwa immediately sat cross-legged after hearing my words.

Looking at her posture, she must have meditated often since she was young.

As expected, the successor of a prestigious martial arts family.

Yeonhwa seems to be able to do well on her own.

She’s clumsy in her speech, but she’s a model student.

As I looked at her with satisfaction, I felt a hand poking my back from behind.

It was Isis and Isabel, who use magic instead of weapons, unlike other students.

They were curious about what kind of training I would suggest to them.

“Teacher, what kind of training are we doing?”

“You know we’re magicians, right? The framework of the training should be different from those guys.”

“Of course, I’ve prepared your curriculum too.”

As I made such a boast, I could feel them looking forward to it.

Well, it’s not a curriculum that’s great enough to look forward to.

Well, I’m sure it’ll work out.

“Now, go ahead and use magic.”

I said with my arms wide open.

“You guys can just have me take a look, so hurry up.”

“…Yes?”

“What?”

They look at me with bewildered eyes.

No, I can give you real-time feedback on magic just by looking at it with my eyes?