I Became a Veteran Heroine in a Harem Story

‘To think things would turn out like this.’

Among the students who were summoned was Erich. After all, Erich was the most talented individual among the first-year students, excluding Kiina.

He glanced at the surrounding students who were stirring in bewilderment and smiled bitterly.

‘This is ridiculous. I, I have to learn from that girl?!’

Franz, a third-year and essentially the second-in-command among students as the student council vice president, was also there. Unlike Erich who showed interest, Franz was in despair.

The fact that he had been summoned by Kiina itself was a shock. And learning something from her, who was younger and of a lower year, was even more so.

“What, what is she trying to do?”

“Still, I’m curious. What could it be that even the academy’s upper echelons are going this far?”

But there were many other reactions as well. Some were afraid while others seemed to hold expectations.

If there was one thing in common among these students showing various reactions, it was their interest in the new secret technique Kiina promised to pass on.

Especially, most of those present had already learned from family traditions or by inviting masters from established schools beforehand.

“There are many necessary conditions, but there is one that is most important and essential. Since the soul technique tends to put strong strain on the entire body, it cannot be endured without mastering body strengthening.”

Soon, Kiina pointed at someone among the stirring students. It was a student at the leftmost of the first row.

When the indicated student came forward awkwardly, Kiina immediately extended her hand.

“From now on, I will use the most basic technique, the soul fusion technique, on everyone. It forcibly mixes and unifies our mana.”

“If such a thing is possible, the burden would be enormous. Like trying to attach the same poles of magnets.”

“You need to be able to withstand that pain, that repulsion, to gain the corresponding benefit.”

She responded to someone’s nervous statement as if asking what the problem was. The student facing her didn’t know what would happen next, and with trembling eyes, painfully raised a hand to grasp hers.

“If you can’t endure this, it’s impossible to even get a taste of it.”

Kiina, holding hands with the opponent, let her power flow. The students, and even the instructors, watched the scene with tense eyes.

“Kugh?! Aaaaargh!!!”

And the result was immediately evident.

The male student, with eyes wide open, began to bend his entire body while screaming loudly as if hit by a knife.

When Kiina immediately let go of his hand, the student, who was strongly repelled, staggered and fell to the ground.

“…Next.”

In that state where everyone was shocked and at a loss for words, Kiina didn’t even glance at the person writhing on the ground and looked at the next opponent.

It was at this moment that they realized what kind of ordeal they were facing.

“Kugh?! St-stop! Stooop!!”

The harsh test continues. Students screamed or struggled wildly due to the repulsion and pain they were experiencing for the first time. Those who could endure even a little, or say to stop, were considered to be among the upper ranks.

“Senior Ross just barely… couldn’t even last 5 seconds.”

“Is this really possible?!”

Seeing a large second-year student who had approached with snorting breaths now begging to stop, the remaining students stirred greatly.

No one had passed. Moreover, the pain and flowing tears of those in the previous order approached the remaining ones as fear.

‘It is possible. It must be possible, that’s why she’s standing there enduring it right now.’

Erich, unlike others, trembled at the sight. Because there was someone who continued to hold her position alone while others failed to overcome the repulsion and fell.

‘How on earth are you enduring this?’

Kiina was holding out steadily, facing those being tested without blinking an eye or changing her expression, even though her face had turned a bit pale and she was sweating.

No matter how accustomed one might be, familiarity doesn’t eliminate pain. The pain she was enduring must have been beyond imagination.

“Next.”

“Eek!”

The next in order was Franz. Also trembling in fear, he forcibly dragged his legs forward, feeling the gazes directed at him.

He wanted to give up right away, but even that was impossible due to his position as vice president.

“My expectations are high. As the vice president, I think you’ll endure the pain with a spirit of dignity.”

“You, you dare…”

Kiina, who had wiped her hand with a handkerchief, extended her hand to him with a smirk. Franz grimaced, realizing that the smile was close to a sneer, but it was impossible to escape from this place.

This was a session created by the academy chancellor’s order. A mere vice president couldn’t deny it.

“Kugh!?”

As soon as he grasped her hand, pain swept through his entire body. It was a terrible agony, as if a strong shock was being applied to every nerve in his body.

This was how it felt even though Kiina, who could be said to have caught an opportunity, didn’t particularly make it harder.

‘I, I must endure. Endure…!’

Franz tried to clench his teeth and somehow bear it for the sake of his pride. Of course, he couldn’t help his legs crumpling and his waist bending involuntarily.

Without realizing it, Franz, with his legs trembling like a puppy that needs to relieve itself, was showing the top of his head to Kiina, his junior, as if bowing.

“Aaagh! Stooop!!!”

But that was his limit. Unable to endure until the end, he screamed with a face that had turned bright red and fell on his buttocks.

The fortunate thing for Franz was that since everyone had the same reaction, he received less ridicule or glares from others.

Of course, the feeling of intense shame was inevitable as Kiina’s gaze looked down at him like she was viewing a worthless weakling.

“It’s painful, but because our bodies are protected by mana, the damage to the body is minimized. In the end, what’s important is the mental strength to endure it. Just bear it. That’s all.”

Now less than half remained. However, the number of people who passed was 0. Kiina, whose manner of speech had reverted to her original style because she was tired too, snorted as if she had expected this and looked at the remaining students.

“Next, Erich, it’s your turn.”

Kiina, without taking a break, designated the next opponent. That opponent was none other than Erich, who stood before her with a hardened face.

“To think I’d be holding the hand I couldn’t hold then, like this now.”

“Don’t say unnecessary things.”

“You’ve become quite sharp. Even for you, I guess you must be a bit tired.”

With their hands held together, Erich whispered in a voice only audible to them. At this, Kiina frowned. She couldn’t deceive his penetrating gaze.

“Kuk.”

As if to shut him up, a strong repulsion immediately engulfed both of their bodies.

‘Still, it’s less painful than being stabbed in the stomach with a knife, right?’

However, Erich endured. His body may have been tingling and his head may have gone white, but he didn’t fall away screaming like the others.

“Even the academy upper echelons, filled with masters, acknowledged it… if it’s a secret technique worth that much, its value is enormous. Moreover, you’re the only one who can pass it on.”

He forcibly straightened his tongue, which was trying to twist from the pain, and opened his mouth to whisper with squinted eyes. In his eyes, he could see Kiina’s eyes trembling slightly.

Even she isn’t a perfect superhuman. It’s natural for fatigue to accumulate.

“You get to create your own faction. Not a faction given to you by others like the year representative and year council, but one you created yourself… like that…”

“I’m not fond of a faction that smells of immaturity. It would inevitably be weak and can only be swayed by surroundings. The probability of that faction hindering me seems greater than the probability of it helping.”

“Khuh, but once you create them, they’ll be your strength for life… can you give that up?”

Erich strained his voice. The hands they were holding together gradually tightened, and the intensity of the pain also increased.

The two people holding hands had gradually moved closer without realizing it, to the extent that they were now facing each other nose to nose.

“Since I didn’t take your hand, are you now saying you’ll come under me?”

“Rather than dividing top and bottom… I think I always make the best move. To beat you, I must learn this technique…”

Erich’s eyes wavered. A drop of sweat flowing down Kiina’s reddened cheek, along her jaw, fell below, as if in slow motion.

‘Oh my.’

His gaze naturally lowered, and feeling his composure breaking, he let go of her hand and was repelled.

While the others around were stirring, Kiina clicked her tongue as she confirmed that her black underwear was faintly visible through her sweat-soaked shirt.

“Let’s take a short break before continuing.”

She picked up and put on the coat she had taken off as if nothing had happened. To her, it was just a minor possession issue.