Chapter 54 : Chapter 54
Chapter 54
A few days had passed since Angel said he’d find a method.
In the meantime, I diligently practiced wrapping Chemforce around projectiles.
Niche Core Studies class came around again.
Today’s lesson was also held at the training grounds.
Having received the key to the private training area from Angel, I arrived first to wait for him.
Soon, the door burst open, and Angel appeared, carrying stacks of documents and various items, with a paper coffee cup in his mouth.
His bangs were tied up, revealing his pretty eyes, but dark circles hung down to his chin, as if he hadn’t slept.
Yet his expression looked happy.
“Sigrin!”
“Instructor, should I help with your things?”
“No need. Let’s start training. You did your homework, right? Knowing your personality, I’m sure you worked hard, so I won’t check.”
Angel opened a case, revealing various types of bullets.
“What are these?”
“I dug deeper into when you first wrapped Chemforce during your fight with Luca. He swung his mirror sword pretty fast, and you successfully wrapped Chemforce around it. Why do you think that was?”
“…No way.”
“Yes, exactly. Chemforce is highly reactive to luminescent objects. Didn’t you instinctively hold the object toward the sun when wrapping Chemforce?”
“You’re right. I did.”
“These are light bullets based on that principle.”
Snap!
When Angel snapped his fingers, the bullets began emitting light.
White light bullets,
Green light bullets,
Red light bullets,
Blue light bullets.
“To monitor the Eye Core’s overheating, we’ll attach a patch to your eyelid.”
Angel placed a patch on my left eye, where my core was, and handed me the light bullets and a stopwatch.
“We’ll measure the speed at which Chemforce wraps around each color bullet. Your average wrapping time was 3–4 seconds, right?”
“Yes.”
“We’ll time how long it takes Chemforce to reach each bullet color. Stop the watch the moment you feel it touch the object, not when it fully wraps it.”
“Understood.”
I measured the wrapping speed for each bullet color.
The results showed that Chemforce reached the white light bullet fastest. The green, red, and blue bullets had similar wrapping times, but the green bullet kept the core’s temperature most stable.
This meant white light bullets were the fastest, and green light bullets consumed the least energy.
Angel gathered the green and white light bullets.
“Since you’re unlikely to engage in direct attacks, let’s use an airsoft gun instead of a firearm with explosive powder. It’s slower and has less recoil, making it easier for you to handle.”
“Isn’t that a toy gun?”
“The goal is to wrap Chemforce around the opponent’s core, so it doesn’t matter much. It’s safer anyway.”
Angel opened another case, pulled out an airsoft gun, and loaded it with bullets.
“Now, shoot at me.”
“What?”
“It’s just an airsoft gun, so it’s safe.”
Angel put on goggles and moved far away from me.
“Aim for a headshot! As you know, my core is in my brain!”
…He seems awfully excited.
It was an airsoft gun modeled after an assault rifle. I shouldered it and pulled the trigger.
Whoosh!
As the bullet’s light entered my vision, green energy wrapped around it.
The bullet drew a clear, glowing line as it advanced.
Glimmering fragments sparked around the line, looking like fireworks.
Mesmerized, I tracked the light’s path with my eyes, letting out a gasp of awe.
It’s beautiful.
Sadly, it didn’t hit Instructor Angel’s head, falling to the ground like a shooting star, losing its light.
I pressed the trigger for a burst shot.
Pop-pop-pop!
In burst mode, Chemforce wrapped around only one out of every three shots, which was disappointing, but it was something.
After six shots, a bullet reached Angel’s core.
“…!!”
Angel, his forehead red from the hit, felt his core suddenly activate strongly.
He looked up at me.
I was smiling brightly, shouldering the gun.
My visible teeth gleamed.
“It worked!”
✦ ✦ ✦
I spent the rest of the time practicing shooting.
It was great, but Chemforce often didn’t wrap properly in burst shots. The more I used the ability, the worse my accuracy got.
“Tch…”
Angel sighed, jotting down my records.
“Is something wrong?”
“Just thinking about how to improve your accuracy.”
“…Instructor, you seem more invested in this than I am.”
“Of course. You’re my first Eye Core user, Sigrin.”
“Instructor Angel…”
I was touched, my eyes sparkling.
“…By the way, why are you wearing sunglasses?”
At some point, Angel had put on sunglasses.
The training ground’s open ceiling let sunlight in, but it didn’t seem bright enough to need them.
“My eye color is unusually bright, so I’m sensitive to glare.”
Angel lowered his sunglasses to show me his eyes.
They were indeed a clear, icy lake-like color.
“But I have better night vision than others.”
“Oh, I heard people with bright eye colors are more sensitive to light.”
Wait a second.
A brilliant idea suddenly hit me.
“Instructor, is there an Etherib that makes eye color brighter?”
“…”
Angel stared at me, dumbfounded.
“Uh… Did I say something wrong? I thought it might help.”
He covered his mouth with his hand, the corners of his lips twitching upward.
“Why didn’t I think of that sooner?”
He jumped up and started gathering his things.
“I happen to have an Etherib called ‘Cat’s Eye’ that enhances night vision. It’s a Brain Core Etherib, but I can modify it for you to use.”
He began scribbling formulas on a blank paper to convert the Brain Core Etherib into a general one.
“Let’s test it now. Hold on.”
He excitedly opened the door.
“I hope it works. If it does, we can dig into the exact principles.”
“I… see!”
“Do you have more time?”
“Of course…!”
Ugh, I want to rest!
But seeing Angel so excited about my progress, I couldn’t bring myself to say it.
…In conclusion, ‘Cat’s Eye’ was quite effective.
I was exhausted, bleeding from both nostrils, before I could escape Angel’s training.
✦ ✦ ✦
With the airsoft gun, I could use two abilities:
‘Grow-Grow Core’ and ‘Wither-Wither Core.’
They were familiar techniques, but using them with a weapon felt like learning new skills.
I always carried the airsoft gun, practicing the techniques.
Today’s target is Bilha.
Bilha’s large core made him perfect for practice. I got his permission with ice cream as payment.
Hiding in the bushes, I watched Bilha chop firewood.
Chop! Chop!
His Dantian Core, vivid in size and color, sat prominently.
It even had a ring around it—had his skill improved?
But was it supposed to form that easily?
I wasn’t sure.
‘Cat’s Eye.’
I activated the ability from the Etherib.
Suddenly, the colors around me became more vivid.
My green eyes glowed a bright fluorescent color, like dew on leaves sparkling in the morning sun.
Click.
Aiming at Bilha’s core, I pulled the trigger.
Bang!
A glowing light bullet burst from the muzzle.
A bright, clear line shot forward.
The bullet hit Bilha’s dantian directly.
Thud.
“…”
Bilha stopped chopping and looked at the light bullet at his feet.
Then he turned toward the bushes.
Rustle, rustle.
That white-haired guy.
Clicking his tongue, he went back to chopping firewood.