Another day had come, and the morning sun once again filtered through the curtains, casting soft, golden rays across the room. She then headed to the hospital's canteen for breakfast and took a shower afterward to prepare for the day.
After stretching, he prepared for another day of practice. His routine included meditation, swordsmanship, and enhancing his healing abilities. He was resolute in making Lee Joo-Hee a vital ally to Sung Jin-Woo, but to achieve that, he needed to push his limits further.
Joo-Hee stepped into the training center, greeted by the familiar hum of energy and the low murmurs of hunters preparing for the next session.
Several of them nodded in her direction, offering casual waves or friendly smiles. They had long since gotten used to her presence as more than just a healer.
Over time, many began asking Joo-Hee to heal them after each session, and as she grew closer to the others, this became a routine.
This frequent use of her healing skills helped her become more comfortable and proficient with them—so much so that the skill was close to leveling up.
She then began her usual routine, positioning herself in a proper sword stance before swinging and slashing through the air to warm up for the upcoming sparring session. With each strike, her focus sharpened.
After the session finally finished, she heard the familiar chime of her system, causing her to momentarily pause mid-swing.
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[Swordmanship was practiced for hours. Proficiency increased by 24% after skill usage.]
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As they finally had time to catch their breath, Joo-Hee wiped the sweat from her forehead and thought, "Whew, that was intense. The hunters of this world are really built differently. Despite being injured, they can still fight with everything they've got..."
Joo-Hee sat in the corner, catching her breath, when she overheard a group nearby gossiping.
"Bro, you better be careful these days. The monsters have been running rampant. Just last week, before I got injured, the Dire Wolf Dungeon in Busan broke. It was really crazy, man."
"Yeah, and I saw online people speculating that a dungeon break might happen in a couple places too. No idea if it's true, but still… can't hurt to stay alert."
Joo-Hee continued to eavesdrop, her expression thoughtful, 'Dungeon break, huh? Then, one of them might happen around this area...'
Her thoughts drifted back as she placed her hand on her chin. 'Hmm... it must be the Golem from the earlier chapters—the one Joo-Hee joined as a healer. But I guess I'll leave it be for now. Jin-Woo can handle it himself. If I arrogantly try to join with my current skills, it would only lead to my death.'
She stood up and stretched, her muscles aching but her spirit undeterred. 'For now, let's focus on training my close-combat skills. Maybe once I'm finally discharged, I can dedicate more time to honing my magic. After all, it's not every day I get to participate in a session like this.'
Joo-Hee waved goodbye to the other hunters and made her way back to the hospital next to the training center.
...
That evening, Jake returned to his room and began his meditation routine. He focused on the flow of mana within him, trying to center himself and prepare for the challenges ahead. The [Basic Meditation] skill had been helpful in improving his mana control, but he knew that mastering it was easier because of Lee Joo-Hee's memories of mana control mastery compared to perfecting his [Basic Swordsmanship] skill.
Suddenly, a notification panel appeared before him.
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[You have gained enough proficiency. Basic Meditation is now level 2]
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The moment Joo-Hee (Jake) received the panel, an immediate surge of unknown knowledge flooded her mind, filling in the gaps in her understanding of basic meditation. It showed her new possibilities for using the skill and more natural methods for activating it.
She exhaled slowly, murmuring to herself, "W-What in the world was that...? Will this happen every time a skill levels up? If so, that's... amazing." Even though the information transfer was minimal, it was precise and far more refined than anything she had previously done. Driven by curiosity, she adjusted her posture into a more polished meditation stance. Closing her eyes, she activated the skill again, this time focusing on the mana pores scattered throughout her body.
She inhaled the ambient mana around her, absorbing it far more efficiently than before. With practiced will, she manipulated the mana, making it more malleable and fluid within her. The newly acquired knowledge was nothing short of a revelation, it opened a path for her to continue improving her proficiency, slowly but surely.
The next morning, Joo-Hee's routine unfolded as usual—scrolling through the internet, taking a quiet walk on the hospital rooftop, eating breakfast, and taking a shower before heading to the training center. The moment she stepped into the center, she could already feel the heavy atmosphere and the exhausting day that lay ahead. With a sigh, she began her warm-up routine.
But as the sparring session kicked off, a wave of relief washed over her when she saw her opponent. Joo-Hee smiled and thought, 'Yes! My sparring partner isn't a fighter! That can only mean one thing—REST! I can finally take it easy today, hehe~' Her sparring partner was one of the supporters who occasionally joined the sessions led by Kang Ho, a D-rank support mage named Min Jae. If it were a battle involving magical abilities, Joo-Hee might have reconsidered her excitement. But since it was purely physical sparring, she was absolutely thrilled.
She was confident she could handle someone like Min Jae. To note, ever since she started participating in these training sessions, not once had she won against any of the injured hunters. This record had made her feel increasingly bitter. But now, facing a support mage, and a male one at that, she felt no guilt.
'The heavens have smiled upon me,' she thought as she gave Min Jae a sweet, confident smile. 'Now I can finally feel the bliss of victory! Little brat, please make way for your big brother here!' Then, Kang Ho's voice boomed across the room, "Lee Joo-Hee and Min Jae, ready yourselves. 3... 2... 1... Fight!"
His sword strikes felt sharper, his movements more fluid. Min-Jae grunted with approval as they clashed, their wooden swords rattling with each hit.
It was Min Jae who made the first move, his wooden sword slicing through the air toward Joo-Hee. She flinched, caught off guard by his sudden aggression, but managed to parry the strike just in time.
That was close... she thought, her eyes narrowing. 'I didn't expect this kid to be so aggressive. I better focus now.'
She countered quickly, adjusting her stance and lightening her strength just enough to let Min Jae's sword slide past her side—he had put too much force into his strike, leaving him momentarily off-balance.
Sensing an opening, Joo-Hee stepped in and aimed a precise slash toward his shoulder to weaken his grip.
But Min Jae ducked low and dashed a short distance back, avoiding the attack. His movement surprised Joo-Hee.
His style resembled that of a short-sword user more than a long-sword one. It was unorthodox—but thrilling.
Not giving him a chance to regain his footing, Joo-Hee charged, her sword angled downward in a stabbing position. She was cautious, making sure to guard her lower body—her known weak point.
As Min Jae turned to face her, he barely had time to react. He swung his sword in desperation, managing to shift the trajectory of her strike.
It wasn't enough to block it completely, but it gave him just enough time to dodge as her blade grazed past.
He stumbled back, caught his breath, and readied his stance again, panting. "Ms. Lee… have you been pent up lately? You're unusually aggressive today."
Joo-Hee gave a playful smile. "Sir Min, didn't anyone tell you it's impolite to call a lady aggressive? I'm just having fun, that's all. Now then, shall we continue?"
She dashed forward, and the two exchanged a flurry of sword strikes. Each clash rang through the air, neither of them willing to back down.
But as the minutes ticked by, the toll of physical exertion began to show, especially for mana-based hunters like them, unused to prolonged physical combat without using abilities.
Joo-Hee, panting heavily, cursed inwardly. 'Tch... I should've ended this earlier. If only I could use my healing skill, I'd definitely win. But Mr. Kang strictly forbids using abilities during sparring...'
Still, she wasn't about to lose. 'Fine. I'll end this with a trick. As long as I win, I don't care about the process.'
She repositioned her wooden sword into a tail guard stance and called out, "Sir Min, I had fun, but I think it's time we end this."
Min Jae, equally winded, nodded. "Likewise. Then let's decide the winner with—"
Before he could finish, Joo-Hee dashed in with sudden speed, her sword slicing through the air in a decisive strike aimed to end the match.
Min Jae blocked the strike just in time, their wooden swords trembling from the force of impact. His arms shook slightly as he held his ground, but he managed to meet her gaze with a sarcastic smile.
'This shrewd healer talks about impoliteness, yet she didn't even let me finish my sentence,' he thought bitterly.
Joo-Hee stared at him for a moment, then tilted her head down and said with an innocent tone, "Sir Min… your fly's open."
"Huh?" Min Jae instinctively looked down, confused. "What—?"
That was her moment.
'You fool,' Joo-Hee grinned inwardly. 'We're wearing pleated trousers. There are no zippers attached to them.'
Taking full advantage of his distraction, she gritted her teeth and pushed with all her strength.
Her shout rang out through the training hall as she forced her sword forward, making Min Jae's grip falter. His wooden sword was knocked from his hands and sent flying.
"You…!" Min Jae cried out, stunned and in disbelief.
Joo-Hee didn't even answer. She just flashed him a cheeky peace sign as Kang Ho's voice echoed across the center.
"Lee Joo-Hee wins!"
Joo-Hee clenched her fist in triumph, barely containing her glee. 'YES!! I finally managed to win one spar~'