Possessor #2 Just Wants to Fangirl Chapter 90

“Please continue the sparring in my place.”

“Yes, Professor.”

Professor Ban left things to the TA, then headed to his office with Yeon Sora. He tried maintaining as calm an expression as possible, but the corners of his mouth rose involuntarily.

‘I almost missed this.’

Academy faculty were broadly divided into two categories.

Field-focused professors and research-focused professors.

Professor Ban, who taught <Fundamentals of Skill Usage>, belonged to the latter.

His only interest was research.

To him, academy classes were equivalent exchange for securing research funding, and cadets were precious lab rats to validate research results.

He felt no guilt whatsoever about thinking this way.

Because this was a mutually beneficial relationship.

Though completely uninterested in nurturing future generations, Professor Ban did his utmost to strengthen the cadets he supervised. However, under the premise of validating research results.

Professor Ban and other research-focused professors called this mutually beneficial relationship the ‘faculty advisor policy.’

‘As expected, checking was the right choice.’

Professor Ban barely suppressed a hum threatening to escape.

His research field was the ‘talent ceiling.’

He researched individuals called geniuses to explore methods of overcoming ‘walls blocking growth.’

To Professor Ban like that, Yeon Sora was the ultimate research subject. Because she was talent who’d demonstrated a calamity-class skill on her first awakening day.

Seeing her smile arrogantly at the entrance ceremony had sent shivers down his spine. He’d glimpsed infinite possibility in Yeon Sora’s smile confidently demanding everyone kneel before her.

Professor Ban poured out a month’s salary secretly collecting information about Yeon Sora, but… the results weren’t good.

Yeon Sora’s basic stats were abysmal. But the bigger problem was researcher Cheon Ari’s ‘mana instability’ memo.

‘What a shame.’

Professor Ban, who’d researched only geniuses for ten years, knew well.

Half the cadets showing excessive early potential rapidly lost that talent. Because many types burned out their talent early with unstable mana operation.

It would become certain once mana stabilized, but Yeon Sora’s talent had high probability of extinction.

This was clear even from classes. Because Yeon Sora’s concentration was so dismal she couldn’t even draw basic formulas using skill boards.

What reignited interest that had been fading was news of the sparring accident.

— Paralyzed the heart of a cadet wearing a barrier bracelet? That Yeon Sora? With a general skill?

It was hard to readily believe that Yeon Sora, who was far below average… had achieved such a feat. The skill manifestation speed and accuracy even exceeded imagination.

With calamity-class potential, the result should have been death, not Paralysis, but regardless, there was need to observe again.

Professor Ban watched Yeon Sora carefully again, but… she still showed no interest in classes.

‘Does she only show it in actual combat?’

Professor Ban decided to confirm the sparring between Baek Hyeonjung and Yeon Sora with his own two eyes.

To create an environment as similar as possible to the first incident, he had them use both ‘Paralysis’ and ‘Incapacitation’ skills, and even sent someone to provoke Baek Hyeonjung separately.

To avoid needless controversy, he expressed a professor’s troubled position, and informed Baek Hyeonjung about the unfairness of special treatment and objection procedures so the sparring wouldn’t be cancelled.

The sparring was successfully arranged.

And this was the result.

“Professor Ban Yohun? Professor?”

After entering the office, Yeon Sora saw the nameplate on the desk and asked a question-mark-filled question. She’d clearly just learned the professor’s name, but he didn’t feel offended.

Yeon Sora looked clueless.

“Did my skill power increase? I reported the level-up to the administration office though?”

“No, there’s no problem with the paperwork.”

“Then why…?”

“I have something to briefly check. Have you ever undergone power testing with Professor Joo?”

“No.”

Professor Ban clicked his tongue inwardly.

‘Professor Joo, I didn’t see you that way, but you’re clever?’

Power testing proceeds at the homeroom professor’s judgment.

Professor Joo had skipped it.

Because conducting tests leaves records somewhere.

He’d been trying to hide what an attractive research subject Yeon Sora was.

‘I almost got fooled too.’

In fact, numerous research-focused professors who’d secretly obtained Yeon Sora’s information had lost interest. Because their purpose wasn’t raising strong cadets.

Growing strong through one’s own talent was meaningless. It only became meaningful when they grew strong through the professors’ experiments.

Calamity-class talent, abysmal stats, unstable mana.

Yeon Sora had high probability of not responding to experiments.

However… checking was definitely the right choice.

‘It was a jackpot, wasn’t it?’

The barrier bracelet Professor Ban had placed on Baek Hyeonjung.

It was an item he’d personally modified. It had defensive efficacy equivalent to wearing three A-grade barriers simultaneously.

Yeon Sora’s Incapacitation skill broke through that barrier and hit the target. Strong enough to cause mental delirium at that…

Of course, only Professor Ban knew this fact. To the cadets and TAs, the Incapacitation skill had just gone in a bit strongly.

‘This is driving me crazy.’

The researcher’s blood flowing inside Professor Ban boiled over.

There had been several cases of breaking common sense ‘walls’ with unique skills until now. But Yeon Sora had shattered three A-grade barriers with a general skill.

Destroying the common sense ‘wall’ with a standardized skill.

A first-time-witnessed case.

“Professor?”

“Ah, it’s nothing serious. Cadet Yeon Sora, your skill manifestation seems unstable, so I just wanted to briefly check. May I conduct a simple test?”

“What kind of test?”

Much as he wanted to immediately drag her to the lab and conduct various tests… doing that would leave records.

Thanks to Professor Joo’s deception, other researchers still didn’t know Yeon Sora’s true value.

Professor Ban also needed to check in a form that left no records. There was only one method.

“Please cast Paralysis skill on me.”

* * *

Yeon Sora seemed flustered by the unusual request.

“Use Paralyze skill on you, Professor? Right now?”

As she swept back her hair looking troubled, her pink hair swished, further highlighting her beautiful features.

An illusion arose as if the office had instantly become a photo shoot location, but—

‘As expected, completely unconscious!’

Professor Ban analyzed even this situation with a thorough researcher’s gaze.

Yeon Sora was completely unconscious of what effects her appearance produced. The same context as being unconscious of how overwhelming her talent was compared to ordinary people.

Inside her, there were no ‘walls.’ That’s why she lightly crossed the ‘walls’ all humans perceived.

Professor Ban had to somehow discover that ‘wall’s’ identity.

“Don’t worry and cast the skill. I may look like this, but I’m a professor. I even rose to Rank 10 when I was active.”

Professor Ban had also once been praised as a genius. But talent that came faster than others was blocked just as quickly.

Despairing over the ‘wall,’ he declared retirement at the young age of 23. The following 10 years, he devoted himself solely to researching the ‘wall.’

Though long retired from active duty, he was also a genius. There was no concern about losing to a mere freshman. He’d reassured Yeon Sora like that, but she hadn’t been worrying about the professor.

“That’s not it—my mana ran out. I can only cast skills after drinking a potion, but should I use my personally owned potion?”

“No, of, of course I’ll provide it.”

Professor Ban gladly provided a mana potion, and Yeon Sora accepted and drank it without any hesitation.

Providing potions when this side requested was correct. But any ordinary cadet would have shown some consideration.

Yeon Sora showed no such signs. That made it more thrilling.

‘As expected, she’s different!’

To Professor Ban’s eyes, all of Yeon Sora’s actions already looked like keys to solving the ‘wall’s’ secret.

“Then I’ll start, alright?”

“Yes, start whenever.”

The moment Yeon Sora used Paralysis skill—

Fwaaash—

Professor Ban deployed a blue barrier.

Detecting and responding to the opponent’s mana in 0.001 seconds wasn’t difficult.

Thuuud—

A dull shock was felt on the barrier.

The barrier he’d used for years was like Professor Ban’s own skin. He could gauge the opponent’s power even without using measuring devices.

And Yeon Sora’s power was… decent.

‘What?’

Heavy, but not bad for a freshman level.

The barrier didn’t even crack. Far from sufficient to call calamity-class talent or genius.

Professor Ban suppressed disappointment while interpreting these results.

‘Maybe the compatibility doesn’t match.’

Skills opposite to one’s attribute have power halved.

For example, if a Flame Mage uses ice attribute skills, they get shaved ice instead of ice chunks.

Yeon Sora’s attribute hadn’t been disclosed, but judging by the skills she used, she was a Flame Mage.

Flame magic shouldn’t have bad compatibility with Paralysis though…

‘There’s some other reason.’

This was something to clarify through experiments.

Professor Ban organized the situation like that and proceeded to the next stage.

“Then shall we try Incapacitation skill this time?”

“I need another potion though?”

“Yes, here it is.”

After Yeon Sora recharged her mana, she immediately cast the next skill.

This time too, Professor Ban deployed his barrier precisely the moment the skill was cast, but an unbelievable thing happened.

Whoooosh—

His barrier melted away.

It didn’t crack or shatter.

It crumbled away without form in an instant.

‘This can’t be…’

This was the first time a barrier collapsed so helplessly.

Moreover—

‘Slowing down?’

All movements visible in his field of vision were slowing.

Researcher Professor Ban knew the reason.

The same principle as one’s life flashing before one’s eyes.

His brain, detecting danger, was desperately processing massive amounts of information to regain control.

Because of the high information volume, an illusion of time slowing relatively occurred.

‘No impact on survival.’

Yeon Sora had used Incapacitation skill.

His life wouldn’t be threatened.

But control of his body was different.

An irresistible enormous will seized Professor Ban’s body.

Strength drained from his legs.

Thud—

Professor Ban knelt before Yeon Sora.

His body was pledging obedience to her. There were no choices besides submission.

Even in this situation, Professor Ban trembled.

‘This is it!’

The ultimate stage Incapacitation skill could achieve.

He was experiencing it directly.

He was feeling with his whole body the power he’d only encountered in theory.

Yeon Sora’s will was now seeping into his consciousness.

— How about setting it down now? Then you’ll be comfortable…

As if whispering in a sweet voice.

But Professor Ban resisted.

‘I can’t give this up!’

Researchers never walk easy paths.

Professor Ban compared skill formulas even in this situation.

Paralysis skill and Incapacitation skill.

The proportional relationship between attributes and compatibility.

There was only one answer.

‘Aggression.’

The two skills had different attack formula systems.

As expected, a compatibility issue.

Paralysis skill didn’t match Yeon Sora’s attributes.

That had halved the power.

But then…

An even more absurd interpretation emerged.

The ability Yeon Sora revealed on her first awakening day.

It had the worst compatibility.

She’d produced calamity-class destructive power.

Even with the worst compatibility.

Meaning her true potential wasn’t something like calamity-class.

‘It really existed!’

His chest swelled.

Because Professor Ban had finally found the unicorn he’d desperately searched for over 10 years.

Yeon Sora was a human in whom the ‘talent ceiling’ didn’t exist at all.

A unique existence in this world.

‘I absolutely can’t let her go! No matter what!’

With that thought as his last, Professor Ban lost consciousness.