〈 Chapter 372 〉 Part 1, Chapter 16, Section 7
“Ah.”
Gaeul woke up from a dream. Phoenix was sleeping soundly next to her, and once again, a thin protective barrier had been spread over her body.
“……”
Had the fantasy been too intense? Gaeul could only feel the urge to cherish Phoenix upon seeing her sleep, so she reached out to tidy Phoenix’s disheveled hair.
“Did you wake up?”
Indeed, Phoenix hadn’t been asleep. She had rested her eyes until Gaeul woke up, while Gaeul caressed Phoenix’s hair as they greeted the morning.
“Hey, I had a dream.”
“…Another dream?”
“What do you mean ‘another’?”
“No, it’s nothing. What kind of dream was it?”
Phoenix asked with an innocent face. Gaeul remembered every detail of the dream and hesitated about whether to recount it all.
“Can I tell you everything from start to finish?”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“It started with a light bird kiss and then some chest rubbing. Then we moved on, and I begged you to turn me into a guy. You transformed instantly into a male form and… you know…”
“……”
Truly, an astonishing dream. But Gaeul’s dream didn’t stop there.
“And after that, I got on top and started moving my hips. In the middle, I got tired and stopped. But then in the dream, I tasted the pain of losing my virginity—it felt terrible—but eventually, it became okay. Then we switched back to missionary position, and this time, you were female but with a male part, penetrating me. Your breasts jiggling looked really beautiful. Then you went back to hugging and touching my chest while continuing…”
“You should have limits even in your wet dreams.”
“It’s not over yet. After all that, you said you wanted to serve me and asked if there was anything else I wanted. So I made a request—could I try this time? It reminded me of what I felt when I fought Garura while transforming into Seung-hyeong. You frowned deeply but finally agreed. So I worked hard, using tentacles and also transforming into a man to penetrate you. Then, when my magic power ran out and I turned back into a woman, you transformed into a man again and forcefully took me. That’s how it ended.”
“……”
My mind was clouded. This detailed and headache-inducing dream seemed like a future scenario somewhere, making it even more terrifying.
“Hey, wanna give it a try…?”
“I politely decline.”
I firmly closed the front of Gaeul’s unbuttoned shirt. Though Gaeul showed no resistance to my touch, she shyly covered her mouth with her hand, seemingly more embarrassed than before.
“Ah…”
“What is it now?”
“You wore this shirt in my dream.”
“To be honest, stop making excuses with dreams; you’re just fantasizing right now, aren’t you?”
“No, it was real. …But can I confess something honestly?”
“What now?”
As much as I wanted to complain, I couldn’t. Although it felt strange hearing about all those acts in her dream, the root cause of this frustration was because I kept rejecting physical intimacy with Gaeul.
“You look sexier as a woman than as a man. The size remains the same, but what was it called… partial monster transformation or something, huh…”
“Futanari?”
“Ah, yes! That’s what it was.”
“…Your version of me in your dreams is truly impressive.”
Indeed, in the dream, I shared countless intimate moments with Gaeul. In the dream world, I’ve already done who-knows-what with how many heroines, starting from Harang.
“It’s Baek Cheonghwa’s fault.”
Because the protagonist, Baek Cheonghwa, sleeps around with one girl after another without restraint, even I, who’ve regained his body, and everyone else affected by him, are influenced. My self-restraint makes these desires spill over in dreams. Truly, a deity of lust worthy of being a rival to the interdimensional spirit.
“Once the route is set, though, it’s pure devotion…”
Some perverted player would sow their seeds everywhere before choosing a personal route, delaying the decision until the end. Eventually, they faced a game-over ending where they were cursed by sixteen heroines for infidelity. However, once the protagonist chooses a single route, he cuts off all previous relationships and focuses solely on that heroine.
And Gaeul resembles such a protagonist. Though she had multiple relationships in the past—albeit forced for survival—once she found true love, she devoted herself entirely to the protagonist: a story of pure romantic fidelity.
“I owe you apologies in so many ways.”
“Do you feel guilty enough to make up for what happened in my dream right now?”
“No, that’s not possible.”
If I were to focus on only one person, I wouldn’t lose to anyone. After covering Gaeul warmly with the blanket, I rose from the bed.
“Shall we eat breakfast?”
“No, I need to check something. I might not come back today, so don’t look for me.”
“Not going to sleep with some other woman, are you?”
“Why are you suspicious? That’s not it.”
I approached Gaeul, flicked her forehead, and unfurled my wings to ascend through the hole in the ceiling.
“Groom yourself and greet your parents while they’re still alive.”
“…Understood. Didn’t expect to hear this lecture from you.”
“Of course.”
Ending of Gaeul’s Route.
After overcoming countless adversities, Gaeul continues her life as an actress. And at that moment, she discovers her true talent, ascending to become a great actress. The protagonist becomes Gaeul’s manager.
“Then, I’ll be going.”
“Yeah, see you.”
With Gaeul waving goodbye in just a white shirt, I flew towards the sky.
Destination: New Seoul.
[Do you have a moment?]
The goddess’s call.
“Take responsibility.”
“For what?”
“Because of Phoenix Sir, I can’t study at all anymore.”
“Why is that your fault?”
The goddess glared coldly at me. While I did provide the reason for her anger, I didn’t think I deserved all the blame.
“Why bring it up during dinner?”
“When else can I talk to my parents?”
“That’s true.”
“There’s still plenty of vacation left, but now I can’t study at home because I feel awkward. The cram school is noisy with all sorts of disturbances. There’s nowhere quiet to study.”
The goddess claimed that after I told Yuna all the truths, she questioned her parents about the truth during dinner.
– Mom, am I an alien?
– Who told you that? Stop saying weird things and focus on studying… Wait, why don’t you hang out with friends? You’ve been studying nonstop during the break.
– When I was brought in a capsule from the West Sea shore, wasn’t I registered as your daughter? Mom and Dad, you’re not my biological parents, right? I always thought something was off during science experiments. The blood type I inherited doesn’t match yours.
– ……Let’s discuss this privately.
“My mom and dad talked and said that they both fell into the sea intending to die due to depression from infertility, but coincidentally, I was there. They said, even though they couldn’t bear me physically, they raised me with their hearts.”
“So what did you say?”
“Does anything change? I’ve lived under their care for 16 years. Nothing changes now. We ordered chicken and ate together.”
“……”
The goddess has been bold since childhood. But even she had her irritating side.
“So I’m fine, but my parents keep worrying too much. Since coming home after dinner, I’ve been studying in my room, but I can clearly hear my parents talking. It’s impossible to concentrate. And… what they do at night.”
“Ahh. That’s a symptom of early hero awakening.”
It’s the process of the body adapting to drastically heightened senses. Hearing range expands significantly, for instance.
“It’ll settle down in three days, so don’t worry too much.”
“The goddess, solving one problem set can take three days.”
“If you miss that set and a variation of its problems appears on the college entrance exam, will you take responsibility? Or if plans delayed during those three days affect the materials studied three days before the exam, will you take responsibility?”
“……”
Defeated. I admitted my loss. I’ve defeated monsters carrying nuclear bombs, but I couldn’t beat the exam-created monster.
“So, how can I assist you? Should I create a quiet space in New Seoul?”
“Yes.”
“Just wait a moment. I’ll find a suitable building for you.”
I pressed the magical gear to check if Yoon Yuhwa had any appropriate properties available. But Yuna suddenly extended her hand and grabbed my wrist.
“Why go through all the trouble?”
“……?”
“Just cast a barrier, won’t that do?”
“Barrier…? Wha-, no, what are you talking about? Haha.”
I tried to dodge the question, but it was too late. With a serious expression, Yuna skillfully handled the magical gear I gave her earlier and pulled out all her prepared materials. She already knew everything and contacted me.
All recent events—like the sudden chaos in Haewundae D Island, the triple-barrier breakthrough in the Caspian Sea, the quadruple barrier during the Nuclearian raid—all these incidents invisible to ordinary people happening somewhere on Earth, causing complete silence within despite external chaos. Was the term “barrier” correct? People online joked, “Kukku, a barrier?”
“That’s correct. Let’s call it a barrier.”
“Then this should work.”
Yuna firmly held both my hands and smiled broadly.
“Could you put up a barrier around my room? I’ll study there.”
“No.”
Would she really use a barrier strong enough to withstand a nuclear explosion just for studying? Is Yuna crazy or something?
“Are you really that desperate to study?”
“Phoenix Sir, if my parents allowed, I would’ve bought this immediately.”
Yuna pulled out a small study room from her magical gear. It was tiny, less than two pyeong, resembling a chest with a lock that could trap someone inside.
“Wow… really…”
Impressive in every way. Now I understood why she endured all the hardships on the path of a hero with such determination.
“So, Phoenix Sir, will you install a barrier at my house?”
“Hmm….”
Installing a barrier isn’t difficult. But is there a way to guide Yuna onto the path of a superhuman through this?
Ah.
A good idea came to mind. I showed Yuna footage from the Nuclearian raid.
“Is this the ‘Vacant Battlefield’?”
“What’s that?”
“They call it that in the hero community.”
“…Not wrong, but watch carefully.”
I pointed to the battlefield where nuclear bomb-level explosions were detonating. It was a video of four SS-rank special ability users, including myself, wreaking havoc. I opened another screen and displayed satellite images of Pyongyang at the time.
“Quiet, isn’t it? The barrier effect is excellent, right?”
“Yes, so now you’ll install it, right? Heehee.”
“Yes, I’ll install it, but are you interested in trying this?”
I made a tempting offer to Yuna.
“This is a basic barrier that all SS-ranks can cast. You have the talent for it.”
“Ah.”
Yuna clapped her hands and her eyes widened.
“When I reach SS-rank, I’ll be able to cast barriers anywhere I want! If I receive mana from other spirits, I can layer them! Wow! Seven layers of soundproofing! I’ll be able to block noise and study anytime, anywhere!”
“……”
The ultimate power exclusive to Yuinah, the seven-layered barrier. Goddess Yuinah used it after the final battle to protect the universe from the interdimensional god’s desperate attacks.
And cafeteria Yuinah wanted to use this divine power for studying. I grew fearful of Yuna.
“Yuna.”
“Yes.”
“…Let’s aim for SSS+ fire attribute first before talking about that, alright?”
“Ah.”
I scanned Yuna up and down. Her body harbored SSS+-rank fire attribute mana, but Yuna ignored it completely in favor of studying.
“Hmm, let me think… Hmm.”
Yuna hesitantly clasped her hands and pleaded with me.
“…Could you teach me a little? Ability enhancement courses are too expensive to ask my parents for.”
“Online courses? Why bother when the number one tutor in this world is right here?”
“Oh.”
Yuna clapped her hands happily.
“Then, could you tutor me? Ah, the fee—”
“Free.”
I cut straight to the point.
“Free.”
Yuna has already given me so much. And Yuna blinked her eyes and smiled blushingly. That radiant smile was truly divine.
“Then, please take care of me, Teacher Phoenix!”
And thus began the tutoring.
August 18th. I spent the entire day teaching Yuna how to use her mana.
