Chapter 39: Playground = Battlefield

After a long time, my supervisor called.

Han Ji-soo called me to the Association's underground training facility and abruptly pointed at a barbell with truck tire-sized plates, saying.

"Try lifting this."

"You suddenly called me to lift a barbell? Senior, isn't this unreasonable?"

"It's training that pays 20,000 won per hour."

"You should've said that earlier."

Lift-

I lifted the barbell with both hands as Han Ji-soo said. She watched and recorded it on her tablet PC.

"Easily succeeded with 500kg. Your body is definitely different from other D-rank heroes."

"I'm exceptional when it comes to physical ability."

"Then, do 20 laps running between here and that cone."

"Too easy."

Pitter-patter-

I ran the laps as Han Ji-soo said, not sure why she's doing these tests. But since she said she'd pay, I decided to follow without question.

"Physical abilities are definitely outstanding."

"What should I do next?"

"I need to check directly. Wait a moment."

Press press-

Saying that, Han Ji-soo started touching my body. She checked my muscle rigidity, touching them in detail. Meanwhile, I stood stiff while thinking internally.

'W-what is this? Is, is this okay?'

I never thought I'd be subject to workplace harassment, but I won't report it since it doesn't feel bad.

Just as my body started feeling ticklish and strange emotions began rising, Han Ji-soo stopped touching and said.

"You're definitely different. You have a special body."

"Well, I know that much..."

"But you're just physically tough."

Han Ji-soo said this while poking my body with her finger.

"Ow-!"

It was pain I hadn't felt in a while. Why did she suddenly poke me? She showed me her finger and said.

"No matter how tough your body is, you're still vulnerable to sharp weapons with small surface areas. You stopped the villain's terrorism recently, right?"

"Yeah, I performed like crazy. I didn't let anyone get hurt."

"I wanted to praise you for that."

However.

"How long are you planning to only use your fists?"

"Huh?"

"Don't you want to try other weapons?"

"Hmm..."

Other weapons… Of course I've thought about it. Using weapons would be more efficient than bare hands. It would be easier when dealing with villains and monsters.

But.

"I don't know how to use anything besides fists?"

How do you swing a sword, how do you shoot a gun, and how do you thrust a spear?

"I've lived my whole life with just my fists?"

"..."

Han Ji-soo closed her mouth at that.

"...Come to think of it, you're right. Most awakened train with weapons suited to their abilities from age 13. So I thought you'd have weapons you could use too."

She seems confused since someone like me is a first. My supervisor can be quite ditzy sometimes. Han Ji-soo looked at me like I was hopeless and said.

"...It's better to have weapons you can use to pass the C-rank promotion test."

"Bare hands won't work?"

"It's difficult. There's a chance of injury too."

She looked worried, but the fact she's mentioning the C-rank test means I must have met the performance requirements for promotion. All that hard work as a gate closer paid off.

'...Weapons.'

Hmm.

I need to think about this. So, I decided to consider what weapon would suit me best with the dragons when I get home.

I just thought they might give me the answer.

***

After returning home, I asked the dragons.

"Kids, what weapon should Dad use?"

Hwaryeon shouted as if it was obvious.

"Fists of course! Fighting bare-handed is real fighting!"

"Why do you think that?"

"Because only weak people use weapons!"

Weak people use weapons to hide their weakness. Hwaryeon told me to fight bare-handed, saying this. A tough answer fitting for Hwaryeon.

"Dad wouldn't know how to use weapons anyway! Just fight bare-handed! You're tough!"

"...Come to think of it, that's true."

In RPGs, sometimes you suffer from allocating stats wrong. Like if someone with high HP stats like me suddenly starts putting points in agility for daggers? You'd just become a useless mixed build. I patted Hwaryeon's head for giving a smarter answer than expected.

"Hwaryeon, you've gotten quite smart?"

"Hmph, I was always smart! And don't touch my head!"

Graaah-!

Hwaryeon roared while pushing my hand away. Then, she grabbed my pushed-away hand and put it back on her head.

"Hmph."

"..."

Seems she just wants to do things her way. Thinking 'that's how she is,' I asked Suryeon who was quietly watching.

"Suryeon, what do you think?"

"For once, Hwaryeon unnie is right. Dad's too late to learn weapons. You should've learned when you’re young. They say adults learn slower."

"...I'm not that old yet."

"Dad, you are."

That hurts. Suryeon started dismissing adults' learning ability. She must think she'll never become an adult.

'Just wait until you grow up.'

I won't forget today. I quietly kept it in mind. Then Choryeon, gently pulled my sleeve and asked.

"Father, aren't we going outside today?"

"Ah, that?"

After going out last time, I made a promise with the dragons.

Thirty minutes a day.

Unless something happens, we agreed to go out together during the perception interference magic's duration. Meaning I need to take them out for 30 minutes each day.

"It's not like walking dogs."

"Dad, did you just call me a dog?!"

"No, it's just a saying."

"I'm not a dog! I'm a dragon!"

Bang-!

Hwaryeon body-slammed me after saying that. Lately she's been getting physical with me, probably feeling restless. It must be from staying home at such an active young age.

"Let's get ready to go out. You haven't forgotten what I told you, right?"

The dragons chorused like a frog choir.

"Don't answer if strangers talk to you!"

"Run away if strangers follow you."

"If strangers try to touch you, shout 'No! I don't want to! Stop!'"

Safety education is important. After confirming they understood well, I headed to the playground with them. They followed me humming happily, like baby ducks following their parent.

***

Red Dragon Lee Hwaryeon. She preferred dopamine-inducing equipment like slides and spinners.

"Spin it like this! Ride it like this! Waaah!!"

Spin spin-

On the spinning merry-go-round.

Hwaryeon raised her hands to the sky and shouted:

"Hahaha! This is fun!"

Hwaryeon enjoyed coming to the playground every time. The cramped room had no space to run, but at the playground she could run freely, and the sand was soft on her legs. And the fun equipment was perfect for enjoying quick speeds.

"Dragons approve! Human playgrounds are fun!"

Hwaryeon gave a thumbs up to the still-spinning merry-go-round. Then, she turned to check what the others were doing.

"Suryeon's riding that super slow swing! And Choryeon's playing with Dad again!"

Hmph.

A dragon not being alone and playing with Dad is so lame. Think some of us don't know how to play together?

"Hmph, Choryeon's so weak! I'm strong so I'll play alone!"

Hwaryeon puffed her cheeks like a pufferfish and headed back to the merry-go-round. But the merry-go-round that should be spinning was completely stopped. Hwaryeon felt that something was wrong.

"I left it spinning with my power? Why did it stop?"

Strange!

Hwaryeon checked the equipment carefully, wondering if it was broken. Though she couldn't tell what was what, she decided there was no problem.

"It must be my imagination!"

Time to ride again.

Hwaryeon climbed onto the merry-go-round. Just then, she sensed five children standing quietly at the playground entrance. They were the ones who secretly stopped the merry-go-round. They were so weak that Hwaryeon hadn't even sensed them.

"What's this, there are footprints in the sand! Who are they to be in my playground!?"

I don't like this. How dare they enter my playground without permission?

Hwaryeon got off the merry-go-round and walked toward the children. Though they were scared for a moment, they didn't run and faced Hwaryeon.

"Who are you?! Who are you to be in my playground? Get out now!"

"...We’ve never seen you around here. Which group are you from? I'm from Bong Kindergarten."

"Heh, asking about my affiliation?"

Proudly-

Hwaryeon put her hands on her hips and declared.

"You'll be shocked to hear my affiliation! I'm a dragon! My affiliation is dragon!"

How about that! I'm superior right?

Hwaryeon proudly revealed that she was a dragon. However, the children's expressions weren't good.

"Ah, that kind of roleplay...?"

"Red hair too. Must've lost too much blood from an injury..."

"Hey, I really am a dragon! Both Dad and you guys! Want to die!?"

Take this-

Hwaryeon exploded in anger and threw a punch at the boy who looked like their leader, with short hair gelled up.

Thud-!

"Aaah-!"

The boy fell to the ground with a nosebleed from her punch. Hwaryeon looked down at him and proudly declared.

"Don't disrespect dragons! And this is my territory! Get out now!"

The remaining children, having lost their leader, shouted in agitation.

"Hey, Mingu got hit!"

"L-let's avenge the boss!"

"Why is this your territory! Let's fight!"

"This means war!"

Waaah-!

The children charged at Hwaryeon while shouting. Hwaryeon smiled, feeling dopamine in her head.

"Come at me, humans!"

Hwaryeon clenched her fists to respond. She thought that fists were an excellent means of communication.

And so, the children's playground instantly transformed into a battlefield.