Climbing the Tower with Multidimensional Avatars - Chapter 48
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 48. Galaxy Martial God Hall – Clubs (3)
The sixth-year club presidents gathered here, along with the teachers waiting in the Staff Room, all tensed at Cheon So-yeon’s murderous aura.
The oppressive presence she was displaying now far exceeded what a mere second-rate martial artist could produce.
Without even channeling inner energy, she dominated the entire space with pure intent alone—like a supreme hegemon had descended upon this place.
Wasn’t the technique of manipulating intent beyond inner energy something only Hwagyeong could manage?
Could the Heavenly Martial Constitution even do something like this?
Now I understood why the Cheon Family Clan valued the Heavenly Martial Constitution so highly.
The teachers in the Staff Room exchanged glances, uncertain whether they should suppress Cheon So-yeon or leave her be.
From the look in their eyes, none of them seemed confident they could restrain her without injury if she truly lost control.
Someone even whispered that they should call the Principal.
While everyone stood frozen in tension, I alone moved.
Whether Cheon So-yeon had deliberately shielded me from the backlash of her intent, or whether I’d simply lost my fear after dying several times, I could move freely enough.
I approached Cheon So-yeon and flicked her forehead.
“Ow!”
In that instant, the overwhelming aura she’d been radiating scattered, and Cheon So-yeon clutched her forehead where the flick had landed.
“Whatever you’re imagining, that’s not it.”
At my words, Cheon So-yeon flinched.
“…It’s not?”
Since Cheon So-yeon had also received a hint from Teacher Riven, she must have sensed something was wrong when I didn’t show up and came to the Staff Room.
Cheon So-yeon deeply disliked being treated specially because of her Heavenly Martial Constitution or situations where others suffered because of her.
Or rather, for some reason, she seemed to fear it.
As if she viewed her constitution not as a blessing but as a curse.
I sighed softly and spoke.
“Well, it’s not entirely unrelated, but there was no coercion involved. How many teachers are here anyway? You think a student could just run wild as they please?”
At my words, Cheon So-yeon hesitated briefly, then—just to be safe—fixed the club presidents with a cold, warning gaze once more.
The club presidents flinched at the stare of Cheon So-yeon, who was a head or two shorter than them.
I flicked Cheon So-yeon’s forehead again.
“Ow! Hmph.”
“Look, I wanted to handle this quietly if possible, but since you’re here now, you should know too. Teacher, is it alright if So-yeon listens in as well?”
When I asked Kim Do-hwa for permission, she nodded with a bewildered expression.
“Y-yes.”
“Let’s go inside.”
I led Cheon So-yeon into the Counseling Room.
Kim Do-hwa glanced around the Staff Room, gave the other teachers a meaningful look, then closed the door and sat across from us.
I spoke to Cheon So-yeon, who sat beside me.
“Just as Teacher Riven tipped you off, those club presidents want to recruit you into their clubs. So they tried to seduce me—your friend—to naturally get to you as well. Then they started bickering among themselves about who approached me first, cutting in line and all that, which led to this situation.”
“Ah… because of me.”
I let out a chuckle watching Cheon So-yeon’s dejected expression.
“Who said it’s because of you? It’s thanks to you. Thanks to you, I’m getting generous funding too.”
I wasn’t being coerced, and I would have needed to join a club anyway, so receiving ample support was nothing but beneficial for me.
Despite what I said, Cheon So-yeon still looked troubled.
“There are four solutions to the current problem.”
“Didn’t you say there were three before?”
At Kim Do-hwa’s point, I shrugged my shoulders.
“That was when So-yeon didn’t know about the current situation.”
I counted off on my fingers as I spoke.
“First solution. So-yeon, you declare that you won’t join the same club as me.”
This was the newly emerged solution from just moments ago.
The seniors outside didn’t want me—they wanted Cheon So-yeon.
The only reason they approached me was because the parent who provided information about Cheon So-yeon warned them not to burden her, so if Cheon So-yeon and I joined different clubs, most of the problems would be resolved.
Kim Do-hwa looked surprised at my words.
“That means you won’t receive the benefits offered to you either?”
The club president would have no reason to guarantee me benefits.
In fact, they’d hope I wouldn’t join their club.
Of course, if I chose this option, I could simply select a different club after Cheon So-yeon joined hers.
Once Cheon So-yeon chose her club, I’d just be an ordinary first-year student.
“I don’t mind losing such trivial extra benefits.”
I couldn’t claim it didn’t sting, but it wasn’t as though my regular club funding would disappear.
“Besides, if only I received extra benefits separately, that would cause gossip later on.”
Kim Do-hwa murmured “That’s true” and nodded, regarding me with admiration.
Forgoing offered benefits wasn’t an easy decision, regardless of gossip.
“…I’m not fond of being in a different club from you.”
Cheon So-yeon timidly expressed her dissatisfaction with my solution.
But she said she’d follow along if I truly wanted it.
“There’s another solution. Second solution. We auction off the benefits entirely.”
What each club wanted was the additional funding generated by Cheon So-yeon’s enrollment—the scraps, so to speak.
The problem here was that disputes arose between clubs vying for those scraps.
If we conducted a fair auction and calculated the portion meant for me against the scraps, then withdrew the bid, clubs would withdraw of their own accord, reducing the likelihood of conflict.
“Unlike the first solution, that’s a greedy approach.”
Exactly. The auction item is ‘my enrollment,’ so if the bidding price rises, I become the greatest beneficiary.
“You’re not worried about gossip?”
“Overwhelming profit allows one to ignore such gossip. You’ll protect me anyway, won’t you, Teacher?”
At my shameless answer, Kim Do-hwa seemed to withdraw the admiring gaze she’d held moments before.
“Third solution. Attach myself to the strongest one.”
Whether I receive additional support or not doesn’t matter.
For martial artists, strength is how one proves one’s worth.
Hold an impromptu tournament and join the club of whoever wins.
“You’re right—that’s definitely the approach that won’t invite gossip and seems most convincing to the students.”
Though there might be no whispers behind closed doors, dissatisfaction could still linger.
But we live in the martial world.
If that were a problem, they shouldn’t have enrolled in a martial arts specialized school.
They should have either withdrawn or transferred elsewhere.
“However, the second and third solutions have a significant flaw.”
“What is it?”
At Kim Do-hwa’s question, I turned my gaze toward Cheon So-yeon.
“If Cheon So-yeon hadn’t witnessed the current situation, it might be different, but the seniors outside right now are bound to be seething with frustration.”
At my words, Cheon So-yeon subtly averted her eyes. I’d struck a nerve.
“Ultimately, whether she joins the club or not—Cheon So-yeon’s own will should be the most important factor, shouldn’t it?”
Cheon So-yeon doesn’t exist to satisfy someone else’s greed.
And I’m not merely an accessory to Cheon So-yeon either.
What should take priority here is our will—hers and mine.
Everything else is trivial and inconsequential.
That’s why I’d asked her to keep it secret, but the moment had already passed.
Kim Do-hwa, absorbed in mediating between the clubs, seemed to have forgotten—she looked at us with a sudden realization.
“Then what’s the final solution?”
At her question, I smiled brightly and spoke.
“The fourth solution will be revealed in sixty seconds!”
“Is this really the time for jokes?”
“Ahahaha! You seemed so tense, I thought I’d lighten the mood.”
I laughed cheerfully and unveiled the fourth solution.
* * *
When Teacher Kim Do-hwa, Cheon So-yeon, and I stepped out of the Counseling Room, the teachers and the young club presidents watched us with palpable tension.
Kim Do-hwa exhaled deeply, glanced at Cheon So-yeon and me, then spoke.
“After discussing various matters, we’ve decided that both Cheon So-yeon and Cheon Ji-woo will not join any of the clubs here.”
The students—and even the teachers—were taken aback by Kim Do-hwa’s declaration.
“Pardon? But club activities are….”
“I understand. In reality, it’s merely a recommendation, though in most cases it’s practically mandatory. Club activities allow students to learn various things and develop autonomy and social skills.”
This school’s morning classes were essentially private tutoring for learning efficiency, leaving little time for students to develop social skills.
The school had chosen club activities as a remedy, which is why they provided support as if dangling bait to those who participated.
“Instead of joining existing clubs, these two will create a new club and participate in it.”
“Create a new club?!”
The club presidents murmured among themselves.
“The club will be called the Elixir Club, and its purpose is to study and create elixirs for diverse martial cultivation. I intend to serve as the faculty advisor personally.”
All forty-one existing clubs had activities related to martial cultivation, so there was no club dedicated to elixirs.
Creating elixirs was too difficult for students, and the school couldn’t justify the financial burden. However, with Cheon So-yeon’s enrollment came a substantial additional budget, making it feasible to establish a small elixir-focused club without strain.
Of course, given the expensive materials involved in elixir crafting, membership would be limited.
In truth, even without membership restrictions, I doubted there would be any new recruits.
Without personally crafting elixirs, the basic elixirs provided to direct descendants were more than sufficient for most.
Consuming elixirs indiscriminately wasn’t beneficial.
Dosages were determined by age and cultivation level.
I needed more because I had to consume them across my main body and clones, and Cheon So-yeon was at a level far beyond normal support, making the standard-issue elixirs insufficient.
I leveraged this point to propose the creation of a club that would legitimately benefit Cheon So-yeon, and after careful consideration, Kim Do-hwa agreed.
Final approval required the Principal’s seal, but given the Cheon Family’s clear intent to support Cheon So-yeon and the fact that this resolved disputes and friction between clubs, the Principal would certainly approve.
Additionally, using “diverse martial cultivation” as the club’s stated purpose, I planned to legitimately secure support for various martial arts.
Since I’d already mastered Light Steps, I should start learning from the Spear Arts Club.
Though I have companions when climbing The Tower, so I don’t feel the same urgency as with Light Steps, I genuinely need proper long-range attack capabilities.
“So Cheon So-yeon will be the club president, and Cheon Ji-woo will be the vice president.”
At Kim Do-hwa’s words, Gorilla Number Two—Cheon Jeon-il, the Sword Arts Club president—raised his hand.
“I object!”
Right, he’d suddenly become like a dog chasing chickens, so his resistance made sense.
As for that, I’d use a straightforward approach….
“Even without additional support, our club needs Cheon So-yeon as a junior member!”
What?
I looked at Cheon Jeon-il in surprise.
His eyes sparkled with excitement and competitive spirit.
“Our club’s purpose is to hone our sword skills through mutual refinement! We’d be honored if a talented junior like Cheon So-yeon would join us! We don’t need any additional support!”
Cheon Jeon-il seemed genuinely captivated by the overwhelming intent Cheon So-yeon had demonstrated.
However, he wasn’t the only senior with such thoughts.
“The same goes for our Martial Arts Club!”
“And our Spear Arts Club…!”
The clubs focused on auxiliary martial arts like Light Steps and Spear Techniques remained silent, while only the six club presidents specializing in primary martial arts coveted Cheon So-yeon’s abilities.
Kim Do-hwa responded to that.
(To be continued in the next chapter)
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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