[TS] Became a Peach Saint – Chapter 334

“We barely escaped.”

“Did it!”

“Beep!”

Despite Teacher Hwang clinging and insisting that I shouldn’t move in this condition, I managed to shake them off and step outside, where familiar faces greeted me.

The grassy field we use outside of academy lectures. It’s where we eat, chat, and hang out so often that it’s practically become our hideout.

There, I see the trio, their swords laid out, deep in conversation.

“I thought I heard Sahan’s voice.”

“Guess I need to clean my ears. It’s just the sword’s hum.”

“Maybe Sahan and I are just too compatible?”

Kim Chan-yong rubs his cheek against Sahan’s scabbard.

“Hey, what are you guys up to?”

As I wave and approach, the trio’s eyes lock onto me.

“This isn’t a place for snot-nosed brats.”

“Daechul, want to eat bell peppers through your nostrils?”

“Ah, it’s Han Ga-eul.”

Shin Yong, who had been on guard, quickly nods in agreement.

“Ga-eul, what happened to you? You look incredibly young?”

At Noa’s question, the other two nod in agreement.

It’s almost strange that they’re not more curious about my appearance.

“I got cursed by some weird kid while playing outside.”

“Curses? Aren’t those used by dark mages?”

“Really? They didn’t look like a dark mage to me.”

Seeing the trio’s scabbards glinting, it seems they’re quite pleased with them.

“This isn’t a big deal, so no need to worry too much. By the way, does the weapon suit your hand?”

“I’m going to be with Sahan forever.”

Kim Chan-yong hugs Sahan’s scabbard tightly.

“I respect your preferences, but the sword guy is a bit intense.”

Shin Yong nods at my words.

“Still, there’s enough space in the scabbard.”

“What do you know, huh?”

“I saw it while showering.”

“Mine’s a mammoth, a mammoth!”

“Must’ve been the Ice Age.”

Shin Yong and Kim Chan-yong bicker.

It’s a familiar sight.

Noa, unfamiliar with such conversations, awkwardly smiles.

“Guys, you’re making Noa uncomfortable.”

Noa waves her hands.

“No, no, Ga-eul. I’m fine. I like these conversations too.”

Despite her words, she doesn’t seem immune at all.

“Really? Are you a baguette?”

“Huh? Well, um… Haha…”

The bickering Shin Yong and Kim Chan-yong’s gazes drift towards Noa’s lower half.

“Tyrannosaurus.”

“At that size, it’s more like a Brachiosaurus.”

“What kind of dinosaur is a Brachio?”

“You know, the one with the super long neck, like a giraffe.”

“Ah!”

Looking at Noa, her face is beet red.

With her smooth, aristocratic looks, it seems both sides have their strengths.

Being in the same party as me, the academy’s bottom rank, already proves her abilities.

“Brachio-something sounds like an intercontinental ballistic…”

“Isn’t that missile-level?”

“Maybe a strategic bomber?”

“It’s a laser annihilation cannon.”

“Hey, stop it…”

Noa’s face is turning red as if it’s about to explode.

She must be really clueless. I think we should stop teasing her.

“Umm, laser. Laser.”

As the Three Companions squeeze through the space where they’re sitting, they gradually shift to make room.

There’s a big tree behind this spot, perfect for leaning back against.

“Yong, because of you, Ga-eul got obsessed with something weird again.”

“Why is it my fault?”

Light, or photons, have zero mass.

But they do have energy. The fact that light is affected by gravity is proof of that.

Even though it has zero mass, the fact that it has energy can be quickly derived using the theory of special relativity.

The momentum of a photon is inversely proportional to its wavelength. The shorter the wavelength, the greater the energy.

Because it has energy, when photons are concentrated, pressure is generated. That’s called radiation pressure.

That’s why the famous optical tweezers can exist.

“Is she a mad scientist or something?”

“She’s always been weird.”

The most important thing in creating a laser as an optical weapon is the light source.

The destructive power of a laser is determined by its focusing ability. Next, you need a material to focus the light, a focusing lens.

“She’s going to cause trouble. Someone stop her.”

“How do we stop her?”

“Maybe make her angry.”

“Easy.”

To weaponize a laser, you’d need a lot of power. Literally, you need an energy source.

For a power supply, you could use batteries, for example.

But there’s an ultimate energy source that surpasses all energy on Earth and could be used universally across the cosmos.

That is…

“Nuclear fusion.”

“Hey, we’re in big trouble. Hurry up and do something.”

“Han Ga-eul, did you know that praising water before drinking it makes you healthier?”

The source of solar energy, nuclear fusion, dwarfs nuclear fission.

Even the incredibly powerful energy released by nuclear fission is nothing compared to nuclear fusion.

Typically, nuclear fusion is seven times more efficient than nuclear fission, and fusion bombs have dozens of times the power of atomic bombs.

For this reason, modern science considers nuclear fusion the ultimate energy source.

For the light source, you can use the light emitted from high-temperature plasma.

Even a simple plasma cutter can cause flash burns to the naked eye.

It’s literally a burn to the eyeballs.

So, what if instead of relying on optical pulses for a laser, we used nuclear fusion energy?

Couldn’t we really call it an annihilation cannon, as Shin Yong said?

“It’s not working. Anything else?”

“Han Ga-eul, do you know why the Earth is flat?”

“Hey, is your brain flat? Don’t really piss me off.”

“See, it worked. Just press the seizure button for science nerds.”

“Oh.”

“Oh.”

While pondering over which magic to research and develop, suddenly…

Kim Chan-yong and Noa clap their hands.

“What are the advantages of lasers?”

“We’re screwed.”

“It’s the straight-line trajectory and the fact that it’s unavoidable. Literally, it’s the speed of light.”

“Are there no disadvantages?”

“Of course, only Noa would ask that.”

“The advantage is that it’s easy to hit because it goes straight, but that’s also a disadvantage. Didn’t you just hear Shin Yong’s brain flattening? Unlike ballistic missiles that are fired in a curved trajectory, lasers have a clear range limitation due to the Earth’s curvature. That’s why the Earth is round, genius.”

“I wish all the science geeks would trip and fall while walking.”

“But thanks to you, I’ve got something to research. The next magic is optical magic, a visual annihilation cannon. If it hits, you melt and die; if it misses, your eyeballs melt and you go blind.”

As they announce the new magic research plan, Kim Chan-yong nudges Shin Yong.

“Hurry up, I told you. This guy’s really gone crazy, what do we do?”

“I did my best. And Han Ga-eul was already crazy to begin with.”

“That’s true.”

My heart is pounding.

A pleasant sense of elevation.

What will future me be doing?

As I stand up and raise my hand, I feel a gentle breeze.

“Ah, I really want to do nuclear fusion.”

“You’re insane.”

The breeze brushing through my hair whispers.

“Do nuclear fusion quickly.”

“The strongest weapon in human history, the hydrogen bomb! The ultimate energy, nuclear fusion!”

“That’s our Supporter for you.”

“Yong, don’t give up.”

“Just give up. It’s easier if you give up.”

The wildflowers and grass whisper.

“Have a dream.”

“Look at those eyes. They’re completely gone.”

“This body is a great mage! You guys can go sword fight with mammoths and brachiosauruses.”

“Ugh. I imagined it.”

“Ah, crap. Don’t imagine it.”

“Ga-eul seems like a physical mage, though?”

“Go!”

The Earth whispers in my ear.

“Dreams are wonderful.”

“Dad, when I grow up, I want to be a nuclear fusion bomb!”

Rumble──!

**《Mara Papiyas cheers for the dream of magic.》**

The bright world turns dark in an instant.

“Dad, you’re the best!”

**《Mara Papiyas smiles.》**

Ding!

[The apocalypse is accelerating.]

At that moment, a loud siren begins to blare throughout the academy.

【An immeasurable high-energy reaction has been detected. All cadets are requested to evacuate to the designated shelters immediately upon hearing this broadcast.】

“How is your future aspiration to be a nuclear fusion bomb?”

“What’s going on? Why is the sky like this all of a sudden?”

“Guys, let’s evacuate quickly.”

When I come to my senses, the beautiful Earth is crumbling.

“Ah! Stop, stop!”

As I shout at the sky, the darkening sky clears up as if nothing happened.

“Everything’s broken. Don’t just laugh.”

**《Mara Papiyas feels disappointed.》**

Rumble─

“Ah! Okay, I get it. I really get it.”

The sky clears up again.

Today, the Earth is still…

I protected it.

I am the Saint of Justice, protecting humanity.

“What do our little fluffballs want to be when they grow up?”

Baekseol and Danpung peek out from my embrace.

“Ball!”

“Our rabbit’s future dream is a ball, huh? What about you, Danpung?”

“Pee-pee-pee-it!”

“Our squirrel’s future dream is to be the king of acorns.”

“Pee-it.”

“Both are good! If you’re a rabbit or a squirrel, you should have such ambitions.”

“Great!”

“Peet!”

***

This place, where goblins live peacefully, always has clear air flowing whenever you visit.

Unknown wild grasses grow around the path, and fluffy clouds drift across the sky.

Thanks to that, my steps naturally feel lighter.

In the center of the village, under a large tree, as always, Grandfather is sitting, leaning against it, smoking a cigarette.

Seeing the liquor table in front of him, it seems he was having a drink.

“Grandfather!!”

As I run towards him, waving my hand, Grandfather’s gaze turns to me.

The grandfather, who was expressionlessly smoking, smiles and opens his arms to welcome me.

“Has our puppy come?”

“Yep!”

As I approach Grandfather, he looks at me with a strange expression.

“Hmm? Is it just my imagination?”

“Huh?! Grandfather, I’ve gotten smaller!”

“Oh, now that I look, you have.”

“How could you only notice now!”

Grandfather slips his hand under my armpit and lifts me up.

“Oh my, you’re so light. You might fly away in a breeze.”

“Huh?”

“You need to eat more. By the way, Geum-ah just fried some yugwa and gangjeong.”

“……”

Grandfather, sitting me on his knee, waves a piece of yugwa in front of my mouth.

The sweet scent of syrup fills my nose. It’s hard to refuse something given by Grandfather, who dotes on me.

I feel like my blood sugar is going to spike.