I Installed a Dating App and These Otherworld Virgins Became Obsessed With Me. 55

## Chapter 55 – 55. Back to That Place

#55. Back to That Place

For humanity, gates were both a disaster and a blessing.

New territories, of course, as well as various resources including iron ore and rare earth elements, and a massive amount of magic stones.

This was why so many countries didn’t completely close the gates, even with the constant loss of life.

And there was a rare reward that came out when the gate’s boss or core was destroyed.

“This is…”

What appeared from the box was a sword boasting a beautiful, blue-tinged blade.

Compared to the straight sword I was currently using, the size and shape were similar, but there were differences in the overall design.

Especially, the magic stone attached to the pommel was particularly eye-catching.

“It’s an artificial artifact, ‘Gillemium’.”

Thanks to the magic revolution that occurred in Europe in the past, humanity was able to utilize the magic power contained within magic stones, and the collective term for the tools created as a result was magic tools.

Compared to such magic tools, artifacts could only be obtained from gates or boss-level monsters, so they were very expensive and their numbers were very small.

Lamenting this, several magic engineers and blacksmiths joined hands and created the first artificial artifact in human history, about 100 years ago.

Of course, its performance was somewhat inferior to that of ordinary artifacts, but it was also true that it had far superior performance compared to existing magic tools.

“Originally, it was an item stored in the family’s vault, but as you know, no one in our family uses a sword. I heard from Hye-na that you used both swordsmanship and magic in the gate, do you like it?”
“…”

As I grabbed the sword hilt, the excellent grip, incomparable to the straight sword I had been using, welcomed me.

It was a little heavier than the straight sword, but not to the point of being burdensome.

Rather, this level of weight was to my taste.

“Looks like you like it.”

Choi Young-ok watched Kang Hyun-woo, who was busy examining the sword, with a satisfied smile.

If she put that sword up for auction right now, it would easily exceed tens of billions of won.

Nevertheless, Choi Young-ok didn’t think it was a waste at all.

Rather, she was willing to give him even more expensive things if she could repay him for saving her granddaughter.

Nevertheless, the reason she decided to give Gillemium to Kang Hyun-woo was because his talent for swordsmanship was too good to waste.

It was virtually impossible for a 2-circle mage to stand at the front line in a B-grade gate.

He had done what even C-grade warrior-type hunters would struggle with.

Even if the burden on the front line was less because it wasn’t a normal party, this was an achievement comparable to him reaching the 2nd circle in just two weeks.

Showing that much talent in both swordsmanship and magic was very unusual.

In the first place, even if one had talent, it was an extremely arrogant act to build up skills while doing another.

With ordinary talent, one would only become a failure who was neither one thing nor the other.

But Kang Hyun-woo had not only achieved the feat of reaching the 2nd circle in a short period of time, but now he was showing talent and skill as a swordsman.

A 2-circle mage alone would not be able to catch a C-grade monster, and conversely, a swordsman of a similar level would not be able to handle a C-grade monster alone.

Nevertheless, the reason he could hunt C-grade monsters alone was because magic and swordsmanship had a synergistic effect.

It was safe to say that he had already taken the first step as a magic swordsman.

“Thanks to the magic stone embedded in the pommel, Gillemium will play the role of a medium better than most wands. In addition, the blade made of mithril is sharp and hard enough to cut the bones of monsters above C-grade. Looking at its performance as a sword, it is not inferior to most famous swords.”

However, magic swordsmen were virtually a dead profession.

Trying to do both swordsmanship and magic at the same time with ordinary talent was not much different from digging one’s own grave.

Therefore, in accordance with the trend of the times that emphasized choice and concentration, proper magic swordsmen naturally disappeared.

“Hyun-woo.”

There was something she had to tell him, who was trying to walk a thorny path.

Even if it was meddling, she had to tell him in order to repay even a little of the favor she had received.

“Becoming a magic swordsman is a very difficult path.”

Finding a master of magic and a master of swordsmanship was not easy, but it was not impossible.

However, finding a master as a magic swordsman was close to impossible.

First of all, there was no one in the country who had reached a high level as a magic swordsman. In addition, magic swordsmen overseas had built their own closed society, so it would be difficult for him, who had no connections, to obtain even proper information, let alone a master.

In that case, Kang Hyun-woo would have to become a magic swordsman by reaching the level of combining magic and swordsmanship alone without a proper master, but she could say with certainty that it was impossible.

“Even if you dedicate your whole life to magic, only a very few reach the 6th circle. The same goes for swordsmanship. There’s a reason why those who can use Kanggi (Aura Blade) are treated well.”

Choi Young-ok wanted to stop him.

She wanted to tell him how important choice and concentration were.

To put it a little exaggeratedly, he was born with the talent to become a great mage and the talent to become a sword master.

She didn’t want him to waste his talent.

Even if he gave up magic and became a swordsman.

Regardless of such sincere concerns, Kang Hyun-woo’s expression didn’t change after hearing everything.

“…I’m going to be a mage?”

What is this grandma talking about?

Why would I, being crazy, choose a job that only middle schoolers with chuunibyou want to do?

Mages have the huge backing of the Magic Tower, while swordsmen and magic swordsmen don’t have that.

‘There’s a huge company called the Magic Tower, why would I be crazy.’

If you package it nicely, it’s Dokgoda, but in reality, it’s just a jobless bum whose only affiliation is the Hunter Association.

“Is that really true?”
“I’m a mage to the bone.”

Swordsmanship is just for self-defense.

As I said before, my fate is definitely not to comfortably cast magic from behind.

Whether it’s the underground dungeon or this gate incident, I’m learning swordsmanship because I think I need to be able to handle the front line to some extent on my own, but I’m not thinking beyond that.

Of course, if I could draw out sword energy like the director, I would seriously consider it, but well?

Choi Young-ok had an unmistakable smile on her face at Kang Hyun-woo’s reaction.

In fact, whether he walked the path of a mage, the path of a swordsman, or even declared that he would stubbornly walk the path of a magic swordsman, Choi Young-ok was going to support Kang Hyun-woo.

In the end, nothing is as important as one’s own thoughts.

However, apart from such thoughts, she couldn’t help but feel good at the confident voice of her prospective grandson-in-law, who confidently aimed to be a mage.

“Hyun-woo, can you wait a moment?”

It was also a grandmother’s heart that wanted to give something more to that admirable grandson-in-law.

***

Now that the hectic banquet at the Seongbuk Choi family was a story from a week ago, I was still swinging my sword at the dojang today.

A lot had happened in the past week.

The media, which had been spitting out articles about isolated gates almost every day, had become quiet.

I didn’t know why, but I cautiously guessed that the upper echelons, including the Seongbuk Choi family, had intervened.

As the news was quiet, the public’s interest naturally subsided, and the week I spent in that fierce gate felt like nothing.

I did everything I could to survive, and it felt a little bittersweet, but more than that, I was worried that Choi Hye-na hadn’t contacted me at all for the past week.

-I’m pregnant, so take responsibility.

When did she suddenly attack me with pregnancy and make me freak out, and now she’s been quiet for a week, so I’m worried for no reason.

But I didn’t have the courage to contact her, so I was waiting for her to contact me.

Thanks to that, it was a complicated week, but I felt relatively comfortable when I was swinging my sword or meditating like now.

So, I naturally spent the past week focusing on magic and swordsmanship training.

Clang!

“Your wrist is getting stiff again.”

As time passed, not only did my stamina and muscles increase, but the time it took to swing 10,000 times also shortened.

Of course, I had to do both cutting and stabbing, so in reality, it took a little over 6 hours for 30,000 times, now.

Thanks to that, my hands were a mess with blisters.

Instead, I think it’s easier to hold the sword than before because calluses formed as the blisters burst.

In addition, as my stamina increased, I was able to concentrate much better during meditation.

Although I didn’t find a clue to the 3rd circle, my overall skill seemed to have increased almost twice as much compared to when I escaped from the gate.

‘At this rate…’

I was confident that I could easily deal with the Lizard Warrior, the gatekeeper of the first floor of the underground dungeon.

As I became confident, I smiled without realizing it.

Just like in a game, when your character gets stronger, you get motivated to play the game hard, the same was true in reality.

“…Did I push you too hard? You’re the first guy I’ve seen smile while training.”
“It’s because my master is so pretty.”

Jeon Seo-ha sighed deeply inside at the sight of Kang Hyun-woo swinging his wooden sword with a smile.

It was clear that he had outstanding talent, but overall, he was a strange guy, which was the evaluation Jeon Seo-ha had made after watching Kang Hyun-woo for the past week.

No matter how much I hit him, he immediately calls me master, so it’s just my arm that hurts if I hit him more.

“30,000 times done! Can I go now?”

Jeon Seo-ha just waved her hand roughly instead of answering.

Kang Hyun-woo, who had become accustomed to her indifferent reaction after experiencing it for a week, didn’t say anything more and quickly headed to the locker room.

He changed his clothes and came out, but Jeon Seo-ha was still leaning against the corner of the dojang, spacing out.

She was always like that except when she was teaching him.

She didn’t seem to use her phone or have any hobbies like others.

She was just guarding the dojang aimlessly.

She didn’t seem to have any intention of attracting students by handing out flyers.

Kang Hyun-woo, who had been watching Jeon Seo-ha for a week, felt a sense of kinship with her.

He saw his past in Jeon Seo-ha’s eyes.

It was the appearance of someone who was living without any particular goals or desires for life, just breathing because they were alive.

I had never had a private conversation with her, but it was an undeniable fact that I had grown fond of her in the past week.

“Anyone would think you’re an abandoned dog locked in a shelter.”

Jeon Seo-ha looked up at Kang Hyun-woo.

Jeon Seo-ha’s lifeless eyes, seen up close, stimulated Kang Hyun-woo, his past.

“Take it.”
“…?”

Something wrapped in paper fell on Jeon Seo-ha, who was looking at Kang Hyun-woo with eyes that said, “Why aren’t you leaving and still lingering around?”

It was jerky for beasts.

It was also jerky from a relatively high-end brand that was sold in department stores, not cheap stuff.

“I thought you didn’t eat well, so I bought it.”
“I don’t need it.”
“I can’t get a refund, so throw it away if you don’t want to eat it.”

With those words, Kang Hyun-woo turned around.

Jeon Seo-ha, who was left alone, stared intently at the jerky.

It smelled good.

“…You’re doing useless things.”

Jeon Seo-ha, who had been extremely taciturn except when she was teaching him, rarely looked at the jerky and muttered to herself.

It was mainly about her impressions of Kang Hyun-woo and the jerky.

Nevertheless, the dojang that Kang Hyun-woo left was so quiet that her muttering couldn’t fill it at all.

It was strange.

It had already been a week since he registered at the dojang, but she had never felt like this before.

Frowning at the strange feeling, Jeon Seo-ha quietly brought the jerky to her mouth.

Crunch-

It was salty and delicious.

***

I hurried home and took out the sword that I had neatly stored in my inventory as usual.

‘Wow, look at that color.’

It was the artificial artifact, Gillemium, that Choi Young-ok had given me as a reward a week ago.

[Information about the newly acquired item is being collected]
[Gillemium]
[Grade: Epic]
[The effect of swordsmanship is increased]
[The power of swordsmanship is increased]
[Cutting power is increased]
[Contains a weak exorcism aura]
[The power of magic is increased]
[Magic casting speed is decreased]

I see it every day, but I don’t get tired of it.

It was always new.

I didn’t know if I was such a war maniac, but when I held Gillemium, I felt like fighting.

To be honest, I didn’t think I would receive something so expensive, even if it was a reward.

I didn’t know how big of a merit it was to be able to use magic like using a wand while swinging a sword, but I could tell.

This is the power of items.

“You’re dead.”

[Name: Iris Remeria Baiart Peledia
Age: 524 years old
Race: High Elf
Affiliation: EB-17
Occupation: Archmage
Disposition: Saintly Ruler, Non-killing, Devotion, Vegetarianism······]

[Would you like to re-match?]
[Y/N]

Right now, my head was filled with only one thought.

Let’s get rid of that crappy lizard and go see Iris as soon as possible.