Chapter 57
Chapter 57
Translator: Penny
Episode 57: The Final [1]
Episode 57: The Finals (1)
The smell of blood was seeping from every pore of my body, so I needed to get rid of it immediately.
I soaked in the bathtub, using more shampoo and body wash than usual to saturate my skin with a strong lavender scent. After dousing myself with deodorant and perfume, even someone with an exceptionally keen sense of smell wouldn't be able to detect the blood.
"Still... when am I going to clean all this up?"
After showering, I returned to my room to find bloodstains splattered everywhere. It was a stroke of luck I'd avoided the bed when I cut myself.
Whoosh!
First, I filled the bathtub with water. Using psychokinesis, I drew the water to soften the dried blood, making it easier to remove. The moment the crusts turned pliable again...
Whoosh!
Using psychokinesis, I gathered the blood splattered on the wall into a single mass. After forming a black sphere, I set the output to its lowest setting, gently scraping the area like I was using a vacuum cleaner. As I moved, dust and debris were drawn in, effectively cleaning the area as well.
Soon, I had a floating mass of blood that looked to be well over 20 liters—enough to fill 13 or 14 large water bottles. It seemed impossible to dispose of this much blood without being noticed.
Pop
"How strange... it looks like a water droplet, like it would burst if I touched it."
The sight of crimson blood, with countless "wrist-like" fragments suspended inside, was utterly grotesque—and there was so much of it.
If Eve or anyone else saw this... wouldn't they think I'd gone mad and try to restrain me?
I absolutely must not get caught.
Back when I used to get hurt, scabs would form as the wounds healed.
When I was little, I found it fun to pick at them, even when blood gushed out. I was obsessed with picking scabs.
Self-harm offered a satisfaction far greater than picking scabs. If I got caught, I'd definitely be stopped, so I needed to handle this perfectly, making it a flawless crime.
"First... let's gather everything."
Using psychokinesis, I compressed the pooled blood and severed arms. Pure water began to evaporate as steam.
The remaining residue and flesh fragments were compressed into pieces the size of my finger. Looking at them now, they resembled ruby-like gemstones. They're quite beautiful.
Clang!
I tossed the blood fragments into the trash can and glanced at the mirror.
...
The reflection was truly a perfect replica of Yun Se-a.
No, her hair is slightly lighter.
In the original story, Yun Se-a's hair was a deep purple. But now, my hair was a pale lavender.
Was this a suggestion that I was becoming increasingly different from the Yun Se-a of the original story? Or was it simply that recent events had been so overwhelming that my hair was turning white from stress?
If it's the latter, my birth mother would probably approve.
She was the kind of person who refused to acknowledge her own child, born from her womb, simply because their hair wasn't white, and who locked herself away in her room. As for eye color, colored contacts could easily fix that... She might actually like this.
Not that I'd ever consider going back there, even if my life depended on it.
For a moment, I considered smashing the mirror reflecting this woman's face, but I knew the dormitory cleaner would be annoyed. So I decided to let it slide this time.
After all, the main source of this tension was... Seo Jian.
"...Haa, this is terrifying."
Between the nightmares I'd had last night and the mere sight of Seo Jian's face making me want to panic, maybe a timeline where she became Student Council President wouldn't be so bad after all?
Slap!
"Bullshit."
The burning sensation on my cheek suggested that blow had landed with considerable force. Through the mirror, I could see my arm and face twisted grotesquely out of shape.
Crack, pop...!
As my body snapped back into its original form with grotesque sounds, a sudden thought struck me.
"...Wait a minute."
I might have just found a way to deal with Seo Jian.
In the player waiting room, the room was unusually quiet, perhaps due to Kang A-yul's unexpected defeat.
On the glittering screen, the faces of countless spectators who had come to watch today's finals were visible.
Lee Seo-yun, Hong Biyeon, and Ryu Shin-woo were all present, and most of the first-year students had also come to support, except for Na Yubin.
It's nice and quiet.
Until the finals, the Student Council Members had been attentive, providing water, towels, and checking on my physical condition, which made things comfortable.
Whether this consideration was because the Student Council Members had initially expected a rematch between Kang A-yul and me, I couldn't say for sure. But thanks to their thoughtfulness, only Kang A-yul and I remained in the player waiting room.
"Then, I'll be off."
I made sure to pack my staff and all the necessary equipment. With the Broadcasting Club Cadets soon announcing the start of the match, I prepared to head out, planning to warm up lightly in the practice area.
"Hey."
As I finished preparing with daggers in both hands, Kang A-yul spoke up, his tone tinged with concern.
"Um, thanks for carrying me to bed yesterday."
"Don't mention it. You helped me out back then too, Miss Ayul."
"Be careful. There's really something going on."
"I know."
"Then... well, I'll trust you to handle it."
Seeing Kang A-yul so visibly anxious made me want to tease him. Just moments ago, I had been trembling with fear at Seo Jian's strength, but his playful banter seemed to ease my anxiety, even if only slightly.
"You're going to win, right?"
"Of course."
After watching Kang A-yul ascend to the spectator stands, I strode resolutely toward the practice hall.
Buzz
"No one's here. It's nice and quiet."
The practice hall contained only a single scarecrow dummy, designed for cadets to test the power of their magic.
Since the competition was a one-on-one battle, there was no need to summon monsters. I could also review the scores recorded by other cadets in the practice arena to gauge the effectiveness of my new technique and identify areas for improvement.
1st Place: 8956
2nd Place: 8848
3rd Place: 4576
4th Place: 3698
5th Place: 3556
6th Place: 2478
7th Place: 2214
8th Place: 2210
9th Place: 1982
10th Place: 1558
The top score... must be Void at 70% output. The rest are hard to say.
I'll worry about the details later. First, let's test this new technique.
Whoosh...!
I channeled a massive surge of psychokinesis into my right leg.
"Ugh..."
The sheer amount of psychokinesis enveloping my leg made it feel like it was about to snap, but it was manageable. In actual combat, this state would only need to be maintained for a brief moment anyway.
Thwack!
I leaped swiftly into the air, spinning my body as fast as possible to maximize my acceleration.
Faster, just a little more, a little more!
As I whirled around, I realized the scarecrow was already right in front of me. Without hesitation, I swung my leg with all my might, as if the pain didn't matter.
A searing pain shot through my leg as an earth-shattering shockwave erupted.
KABOOOOOOOOOM!
Unable to withstand the recoil, I was swept backward by the shockwave, hurtling through the air. As I flew, I caught a glimpse of the damage:
9999
This could actually be useful in close combat.
The possibility of subduing Seo Jian.
"Alright, everyone's been waiting for this, right?! Today's the final day and the highlight of the Student Council President Election! The two strongest cadets at Raon Academy will clash in a fierce battle for the position of Student Council President!"
Uwaaaaaaaahhhh!!!
The arena erupted in thunderous cheers.
"Chairman, may you have a good match!"
"...Likewise."
While some of us were losing sleep and working ourselves ragged because of you, you look as fresh as if you'd slept like a log.
"Now, let's review the matchups so far... Cadet Yun Se-a has secured swift victories in under 2-3 minutes in every match except for her duel against Cadet Seong Arin in the round of 128. There were also some wins by default, of course."
"In contrast, Cadet Seo Jian has faced numerous grueling battles, hasn't she? But I have no doubt that these life-or-death moments have forged her into a formidable opponent!"
I couldn't care less about what the commentators were saying.
Thump-thump
The tension was palpable, as if the duel were about to begin.
"Cadets, please enter your respective barriers."
"Yes!"
"Yes."
As the announcer finished speaking, Seo Jian and I slowly moved to our positions.
Soon, the barrier fully materialized, and three lights began to blink.
Beep
The red light illuminated. Seo Jian and I shifted into combat stances.
Beep
The yellow light lit up. An overwhelming surge of mana overflowed from Seo Jian's body. Statistically, she should be B+, but I couldn't shake the ominous feeling that she was at least A Rank. Was this just my imagination?
BEEP!
As the green light flashed on, the red and yellow lights simultaneously turned green.
Our bodies had long since left our starting positions...
KWAHHHHH!
With a tremendous shockwave, the final match began.