Chapter 229

At some point, there began to be many new philosophy students joining the weightlifting club at Korea University.

These weren’t beginners to exercise, but rather seasoned individuals who had likely been involved in the field for several years.

There were many causes to describe this phenomenon, but there was one core event that stood out.

[32341 Regular Admission Student Korea University Philosophy Department Success ^^]

In the regular admission process, with 50% based on written exams and 50% on practical interviews, an average score of 2.6 grades managed to get accepted unexpectedly.

An article that created a sensation on a community forum seven years ago eventually made its way to mainstream news, garnering interest from many parents and private education-related individuals.

The physique of a certain Kim, attending a typical high school and not an academy, was astonishing.

Standing at 1.96 meters and weighing 115 kg.

One could almost think he should be entering the physical education department instead of the philosophy department, as this muscle giant left a strong impression on people.

– The tone of the philosophy department interviews has changed.

– It reflects the latest philosophical trends.

In reality, Nietzsche’s theories, which emphasize the body, have been re-evaluated and have surged to prominence in the academic world. Those studying aura also began to appear more frequently.

As the incident grew uncontrollably large, the individual involved offered a belated explanation.

He stated that entering was probably due to the admissions officers valuing the fact that he had contributed to saving lives during the Bafwadai Bridge explosion incident in high school.

The famous Kim, who had been featured in the news a couple of times during that period, was a well-known figure who definitively broke the stereotype that those who handle aura are weak and sickly.

To gain public favor from the government, and to emphasize academia as a practical exercise, Kim’s acceptance was a planned occurrence.

He wrote the community post simply because he wanted attention.

However, this explanation did not spread widely.

Even the philosophy professors at Korea University felt no need to change the tone that had formed this way.

After all, the students needed to focus on properly shaping their bodies for graduation exams before they become fourth-years, so wasn’t it beneficial for accomplished individuals to enroll beforehand?

The speculations of admission experts eventually became reality and contributed greatly to the creation of the current wild philosophy department.

“I thought there were many guys around here, so it turns out everyone here is from the weightlifting club.”

“Not everyone, but most.”

After the symbolic logic class ended, I glanced sideways at the line of men following me and asked.

The symbolic logic course is a major subject that only opens in the second semester.

Upon Ban So Wol expressing her desire to take it early during the summer semester, male students from the philosophy department all submitted course opening requests together to help her.

The goddess of the philosophy department, the hope of the weightlifting club.

Ban So Wol’s popularity, being called by both sides, exceeded imagination.

“Is that Namya unnie really strong? Have you heard of the ‘three major lifts’?”

“Isn’t that weight training?”

“Yes! The three major lifts refer to the squat, bench press, and deadlift.”

Contrary to its name, the Korea University weightlifting club is not a club that merely lifts weights but rather a bodybuilding and fitness club.

Since I hadn’t yet completed my mission of getting numbers, I moved with them to the weightlifting club’s dedicated gym.

“Our So Wol can lift 360 in the three major lifts even without aura. To a degree that’s almost unparalleled relative to her body weight!”

A male student excitedly explained Ban So Wol’s accomplishments as if they were his own.

“Namya is still young and probably isn’t interested in such things.”

“Early education is important!”

“Namya, let’s ignore what that guy said.”

We reached a steep staircase going up.

I grabbed her hand tightly to ensure that So Wol, who might not see ahead, didn’t stumble.

But my worry was likely unnecessary.

She was already deploying her aura and properly watching her feet.

“Handling aura seems quite natural for you.”

“Yeah? Oh, I just got used to it over time.”

“The fatigue must be something else.”

Some people mistakenly believe that if you can handle aura well, even the blind can see ahead.

This is a misunderstanding, as there is a significant penalty while deploying aura.

It’s akin to trying to remember the decimals of pi in your head while simultaneously holding your breath underwater.

The effort of assigning aura to sensory organs restricts thought, and prolonged use places considerable strain on the aura heart.

“By the way, I’m wondering what you meant earlier about arm wrestling?”

She hesitated right before entering the gym.

Ban So Wol turned her head stiffly towards me, her gentle face slightly contorting.

“It was heavy.”

She spoke in a subdued voice.

“…?”

“Do you really believe a human can lift a mountain?”

* * *

BANG-!

The 140 kg deadlift barbell struck the floor, creating a crisp sound.

“Wow, 345!”

“Huh… It’s not going well today.”

“If you push too hard, you could get hurt, so let’s stop here for today.”

“If So Wol becomes even more famous here, what will happen?”

Namya captured Ban So Wol’s figure in a promotional video for Korea University.

While the club members were organizing the plates, she sat down next to Namya and wiped her sweat.

“Unnie, you did a great job. Here’s a towel.”

“Hmph. Thank you, I’ll use it well.”

Namya was focused on pressing the camera button with her small hands, making sure the video was being recorded properly.

“Have you tried the exercise equipment here?”

“I can’t even lift a 10 kg empty bar.”

“Of course! At your age, you should actually avoid strenuous muscle training.”

“So Wol unnie, do you happen to know Shin Yeon Ho?”

“Shin Yeon Ho…? Who is that?”

“Oh, you don’t know?”

Namya’s face stiffened.

I had thought at least they knew each other, but Ban So Wol seemed to have no memory of him.

“They said you faced him in the quarterfinals at the National Martial Arts Tournament.”

“Quarterfinals… quarterfinals… Oh! I think I remember. Namya, can you play a video on V-Tube?”

“Sure. Huh?”

Ban So Wol has severe visual impairment.

She can barely see in front of her, so asking for a video?

“I can remember the scene just from the sound.”

“Oh, okay.”

Almost falling into the trap of prejudice, Namya quickly located the fourth match of the quarterfinals from the 2049 National Martial Arts Tournament.

[Who could have expected this! The dark horses of the second-year high school students meet on the narrow bridge! Shin Yeon Ho from Seoul Altear Academy! And Ban So Wol from Busan Aspen Academy! No matter who wins, this match will be remembered as legendary!]

“The commentator was really hyped up back then. It must have been tough for him since we were the last match.”

The two nervous seventeen-year-olds stood facing each other in the brightly moonlit training hall.

“The previous match took a lot of time, so there might not have been time to greet. They probably started right away?”

The person who instantly brought the highly praised genius Shin Yeon Ho of Altear Academy to despair was Ban So Wol.

Despite starting with the greatest penalty of visual impairment, she dominated the quarterfinals and semifinals, setting a record by reaching the finals, the first from the second-year high school students in eight years.

Naturally, she was the first visually impaired person to achieve such a feat in the nation’s history.

Thus, every one of her accomplishments was always labeled as ‘the first’.

“In hindsight, I think the semifinal might have been tougher to face. This person has good stamina, so even in a prolonged battle, I wasn’t pushed.”

Ban So Wol uses a dense aura imbued with the essence of ‘heaviness’.

This stemmed from her being a late-onset visually impaired individual.

One day during her middle school years, she suddenly realized she couldn’t see out of her right eye after washing her face.

At first, she thought someone had poisoned the tap water.

But the hospital informed her it was a rare genetic disease due to a mutation, and they predicted she would lose sight in her other eye as well.

It was a harsh punishment for a teenage girl to accept.

Even with modern science’s help, while she could live well inside the house, it was common for her to bump into people and fall over outside.

A storm had struck her previously calm life.

Realizing that crying alone wouldn’t change anything, Ban So Wol decided to change.

A tree with deep roots does not sway even in a typhoon.

A heavy rock remains in its place for thousands of years.

If she firmly established herself, the world would automatically clear away.

Ban So Wol continuously reflected on thoughts that were difficult for a middle school student to entertain.

“Do not demand that the events of the world occur as you wish; rather, wish for events to happen as they actually occur.”

Unmoved heart.

The teachings of Mencius and Zeno became the foundation of Ban So Wol.

Aura is like a three-year-old child who endlessly asks ‘why?’

– Why do you think a heavy rock will last forever? What if rain or snow falls and weathering occurs? Do you still prefer heavy things?

– How should comparisons between weightless things be made? Is love heavier than hate?

When one is fully prepared to answer all questions, the aura exhibits superhuman strength.

[Ban So Wol! Ban So Wol! She pushes Shin Yeon Ho away after the brawl! It looks like it’s her self-repelling magic from the 2nd circle! Is this her first use of magic? The moment that was mentioned, she disappeared from the screen! Above Shin Yeon Ho! Right above him!]

Heavy does not simply mean slow or dull.

Doesn’t the moon and the earth orbit at speeds unimaginable?

‘Heaviness’ is ‘inertia.’

Thus, as long as one is correctly on the path of ‘reason’ and ‘righteousness,’ the brilliance of ‘heaviness’ is maximized.

Ban So Wol directly countered participants’ thoughts that she cannot deploy her aura if her feet are not on the ground.

Ban So Wol jumped far higher than Shin Yeon Ho, who was floating in the air, twisting her body midair.

Despite being in an environment infused with heavy aura, she could move faster than anyone.

The aura converged on her heel and struck Shin Yeon Ho’s back.

In the blink of an eye, a large groove was carved into the training hall floor, and a cloud of dust billowed up.

With the barrier dropping below 1%, the shock could not be fully absorbed, and Shin Yeon Ho fainted.

[Ban So Wol! Ban So Wol! Ban So Wol! Ban So Wol has done it! Ban So Wol has accomplished this! The last ember of Aspen Academy still remains!]

Though there was a somewhat biased commentary in favor of Ban So Wol, Namya nodded in acknowledgment.

By this point, the audience had all supported her wholeheartedly, wondering just how far she could go.

“It’s a shame you lost after reaching the finals.”

“But it’s okay. Honestly, it wouldn’t have been surprising if I had been eliminated at any time since the preliminaries.”

In a split second, a judgment can overturn the outcome of a match.

Ban So Wol had been displaying her finest efforts throughout the match, grounded in her own philosophy.

Even though she lost in the finals, her philosophy of heaviness remained intact.

Ultimately, it was because she was lacking in every respect.

However, when Namya entered the classroom, and their aura overlapped by chance, it was the first time she felt her philosophy shake.

“It’s infinitely light, yet infinitely heavy.”

These two concepts cannot coexist.

While there can be moderation, there cannot be a mix.

It was challenging to explain in words, but this was the best way to convey it as naturally as possible.

“Shall we try that arm-wrestling match? Using aura too.”

Just then, Namya proposed first.

Ban So Wol’s face brightened.

She wanted to confirm one more thing up close.

The essence of that aura.

“If I win, will you share your number?”

“I can tell you my number right now. Is that good enough?”

“I’m not going to use it, it’s for Shin Yeon Ho.”

“Why for him?”

Namya omitted her answer and crouched on the floor.

She wouldn’t be using the desk, indicating that she intended to give it her all.

Ban So Wol smiled.

She also gathered her long hair into a ponytail.

“Alright. Let’s see what Namya’s skills are like.”

Ban So Wol’s arms, just pumped up from the three major lifts, were bulging with muscles.

‘I’ll gauge her skills and let her win suitably.’

The soft small hand met the rough, calloused hand.

When using aura, Ban So Wol had already defeated even the weightlifting club president in arm wrestling.

Her aura displays the highest efficiency when applying one-directional force.

Soon, a dull gray energy began to rise. In the gaps, Namya’s golden aura sparkled.

“Wow! You can already handle aura this well?”

Is she a pure genius?

It felt so clear that I could almost sense warmth.

Ban So Wol displayed an astonished expression, revealing her sunken gray eyes.

Whoooosh-!

The two girls’ arms trembled.

As the shockwave generated by their strong-willed auras met, some strands of hair fluttered.

Ban So Wol was astounded by Namya’s unexpectedly powerful strength.

‘This power isn’t something that just skill can achieve… Could she be at the stage of building her own worldview already?’

It is said that children with excellent mana sensitivity have elevated mental ages.

However, it should be reasonable to only a year or two.

I could clearly see Namya struggling to push her arm over.

Such a being was truly standing right before her.

THUD-!

Ban So Wol’s hand finally touched the floor first.

“I lost…! You’re amazing, how did you have this aura—”

“Let’s do it again.”

Just as Ban So Wol was about to lavish her with praise, Namya abruptly interrupted her with a fierce voice.

“You went easy on me…”

“That’s—”

“This time, let’s do it left-handed. Absolutely no mercy.”

“Alright. I’ll accept your opinion.”

She was a child full of competitive spirit.

It was commendable that Namya didn’t graciously accept the win, but above all, it was adorable.

Swoosh—

The gray aura swirled like a soaring dragon, wrapping around Ban So Wol’s left arm entirely.

“Try to grab me.”

Usually, an unskilled person wouldn’t be able to penetrate a barrier made of aura.

This was the reason Ban So Wol wasn’t fully exerting herself against me.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have even been able to grasp or proceed with the arm wrestling.

THUD—

‘But what is this?’

She felt the softness of skin again.

“What… how…?”

Identical in size and feeling to before, the sensation expanded from her fingertips to cover her whole palm.

“If you go easy on me, it could end badly, unnie. I could get hurt this time.”

“You.”

“Do it properly.”

Namya’s aura was originally golden, wasn’t it?

Aura can be identified by feeling its color.

Right now, what Ban So Wol felt was a dark red aura, as if imbued with blood.

Zzzzzt—!

“Strong energy?”

Their auras generated a repulsion against each other.

As she forced her way to keep it maintained, small sparks flew around her hand.

“In three seconds. I’ll start after three seconds.”

Ban So Wol counted silently to three.

Three.

Namya’s hand held tight began to carry weight.

It was the same heaviness she had felt when they first met.

Two.

Now, it felt as though Ban So Wol’s hand might be pushed back.

Against the dragon-shaped aura of Ban So Wol, Namya’s aura began to take form.

The dark red energy boiled and dozens of large and small mouths sprouted.

One.

The sharply transformed aura likely indicated the teeth within the mouths.

Terrifying teeth clashed and shredded the gray dragon apart.

Even as Ban So Wol continuously injected her aura to maintain its shape, it was being absorbed at a much faster rate.

And then, unexpectedly, Ban So Wol felt an overwhelming sense of hunger.

“What on earth!”

SHUAAAH—!

A hazy mist erupted like fog.

In an instant, a tremendous force crushed her arm.

Ban So Wol’s muscles bulged to their limit as her tendons stood out clearly on her wrist.

At that moment, it felt like she was pushing against a concrete wall rather than engaging in arm wrestling.

She extended her senses, feeling Namya’s face in detail with precision.

“…!”

[Appetite: Erisiton]

There, the girl who had never smiled was watching lovingly with an ecstasy-filled expression, drooling transparent saliva from the corners of her mouth.

“You’ll get eaten if you keep that up.”