Chapter 98
Chapter 98
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: Midterm Exams (1)
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The anonymous forum on El Academy's Every Day board was always overflowing with chatter about other cadets.
The targets of those posts were usually the hot-topic figures, like when someone hit a lucky break—people would post threads mixed with jealousy or memes.
📰 Hot Thread Who do you think will win this tournament? [21 replies] 📰 Hot Thread Man, I studied my ass off... If only I'd made it to class [1 reply] 📰 Hot Thread Quit betting on the tournament and level up your own skills [7 replies] Today's hot gossip was all about the midterm tournament.
And lately, one guy in particular was getting more mentions.
📰 Breaking Thread [Hot] So how much do you think that guy's rank will jump this time? — Anonymous He's 152nd right now. Saw him in training last time and he was crushing everyone? Gotta hit top 30 at least, right? — Anonymous I thought Mask Guy was just some cringey psycho concept, but turns out he's a legit crazy strong one. — Anonymous ↳ Reply Lmao yeah, 152nd trash. — OP ↳ Reply So you fought him? — Anonymous ↳ Reply No need, it's obvious lmao. Boosted a few water rockets around him, big deal. — Anonymous Look at this dude seething with inferiority. Probably got wrecked in sparring, lol pity. — Anonymous ↳ Reply You? ↳ Reply lol — Anonymous 23rd. Scared? — Anonymous If you're 23rd, I'm Jeong Si-woo, punk. — Anonymous Videos lately make him look on par with the top ranks? — Anonymous ↳ Reply Hype bubble incoming. If he's that strong, why's he 152nd? — Anonymous ↳ Reply Dunno, enlightenment maybe. — Anonymous ↳ Reply Enlightenment lmao. What, did he pull a fountain of youth? — Anonymous That dude got wrecked hard. — Anonymous ↳ Reply ?? Rumors say he's handsome tho. — Anonymous Fr??? Then why wear that mismatched mask? Just die, edgelords. — Anonymous Lmaoooooooo Rankings were absolute when it came to skill.
No matter how much buzz Mask Guy was getting lately, he still couldn't compare to the true elites in the Elite Class like Jeong Si-woo or Cornus.
Predicting winners based on prior rankings wasn't unique to the academy.
The cadets' guesses for the midterm tournament were converging on one person.
📰 Breaking Thread [Hot!] No way lol, how's anyone beating the academy top spot? — Anonymous Azalea aside since she's a mage. Cornus, Im Jong-hyun, and a few others are strong, sure. — Anonymous But have you ever fought Si-woo? Anyone who's crossed swords with him knows why he's top dog. Even pro hunters tip their hats— what do these freshmen know lol. — Anonymous True, but why so salty? — Anonymous ↳ Reply Got stomped by Si-woo apparently. — Anonymous Im Jong-hyun's been grinding tho, could happen. — Anonymous ↳ Reply Fr, guy's in god form. Si-woo hospitalized him last time, so possible. — Anonymous Personally rooting for Cornus to win. — Anonymous ↳ Reply Buffalo bitch pfft — Anonymous ↳ Reply She's hot af lol. Anyone in academy beating Cornus? — Anonymous ↳ Reply Tits insane. Past H cup? — Anonymous ↳ Reply You guys see her as a slut? I think Cornus has a real shot at winning. — Anonymous Perverted creeps, you're getting tracked. Posts overflowed with all sorts of predictions, guesses, and baseless hate.
But not a single one predicted the masked man as the winner.
Of course not. Who'd bet on 152nd taking the crown?
Talk about Lee Si-heon was just "his rank's gonna skyrocket" or "lucky break, jealous" stuff.
And so midterm exam day arrived.
Cadets poured into the academy's main gate like a flood.
In the center, the Elite Class stuck together, strutting boldly.
"Jeong Si-woo."
Im Jong-hyun was burning with his usual fighting spirit.
"Yeah?"
"You study at all?"
"Eh... I was grinding tournament prep, so not really."
Jeong Si-woo scratched the back of his head with a wry smile.
But he couldn't shake the tension from his face.
Ahead of those guys.
"......"
Cornus walked gracefully at a distance.
No one knew what she was thinking, but her aura screamed seriousness.
Azalea flipped through her notebook as she walked, followed by Lee Se-young and the rest of the Elite Class cadets.
If there were spotlights, they'd shine on these future stars.
The path they tread was practically a cradle of worldly attention.
And down below that stage.
In an unnoticed sidewalk corner, a man watched them.
"Ah. Forgot my textbook."
The eyes behind the mask looked fierce.
With heavy dark circles, he half-lidded his eyes, weaving through the cadets.
"Whatever... I memorized it all anyway."
The exam had begun.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ -Tick. Tock.
The exam room was dead silent.
Only the second hand ticking, pen nibs scratching paper, and occasional irritated breaths broke the quiet.
Question 1. The above is a magic circle. Prove dimensionally the magic it produces and its reaction upon activation. Answer: Problems you couldn't answer without studying.
The physics from my old world were opposites in logic and theory—took forever to learn.
'Top of the written exams, huh.'
Stuff linked to my previous world didn't need much time.
Like math or foreign languages.
I already knew it all without studying.
The real hang-ups were the new subjects.
'Magic, analytical mechanics, arborimancy...'
Others learned this stuff steadily over 9+ years; I crammed it short-term. Ate up time.
Of course, it was fun and insightful, but not enough for standout scores.
But I had study hacks from childhood.
-How long you pulling this, bro?
-Sis, academy exams like college are battles of who lasts longest glued to the chair.
-Got it, but... it's 4 AM. Sleep, you got class tomorrow. Yeah?
-You sleep first. Lemme finish this.
-You didn't sleep last night either.
When focus peaks, sleep vanishes.
Minimal sleep? Potions covered it.
The infamous potion study method.
YouTube's for masochists. Week in, you go insane.
Let me study way more.
And it built capability.
Mastered space magic theory, optimized wind spells, slashed mana costs.
-Heh.
I read the text slowly, filling answers.
Mix memorized canon with my unique twists. Best way to squeeze grades from picky profs.
'Reminds me of college...'
Even holing up, I never missed top rank.
No plans to now.
-Scratch scratch.
Solved everything: steps, calculations, proofs.
Glanced at clock—plenty time left. Handed in early.
Now for practicals.
Practicals were sword demos or high-level spells. Mimicking others' swordplay? Easy for me.
I looped the academy grounds, sat on a bench, checked phone.
[Prelim Brackets Released? 1:00 PM] Tournament prelims in two days. Catch up on sleep till then.
What to do meantime...?
Leaned back on bench, soaked sun.
Flipped through contacts, messaged someone who popped to mind.
-Riiing... Click.
[Hello?]
Familiar voice after one ring.
Lee Se-young.
"Hello."
[What's up? You calling me now? I always call you.]
Her voice was husky, like she just woke.
Heard last time on call during study: casework flipping her schedule.
[You're not asking for a favor, are you?]
"Nah, just thought of you. What do you take me for?"
[Pervert trash human.]
"...Hang up?"
[No.]
Haha, I laughed heartily; giggles poked from phone.
[Thought you were sulking after I confessed then ghosted. Cute you called. But isn't it exam time?]
"Just finished, chilling now."
[Dude it's barely noon, already done? You didn't guess, right?]
"Bet my life: top written scores mine."
Half gamble, but bluff confident here.
[For real? Oh yeah, what underwear today? Pick for me quick.]
"Black."
[You love black... Like with stockings last time. That male romance thing real?]
Truth: she looks good in anything.
Black's safest.
Chatted a bit; she excitedly vented case woes.
I enjoyed listening—chill way to kill time.
"So when can you come?"
[Your MT trip. Can tag as temp instructor.]
"Ah."
Post-exam trip.
Obvious I left time for her; wry chuckle.
[Anyway, call after exams... Don't make me wait or die.]
"Yeah, will do."
[Oh, tournament: crush 'em all. Hanging up?]
"Yep."
-Click.
Pocketed phone, checked time.
Prelim brackets dropping now.
⚙ TOURNAMENT BRACKETS ⚙ El Academy Tournament Preliminary Brackets Lee Si-heon, Ho Yeon-jeong, Shin Jeong-hwan, Lee Seok-ho, Jeong Man-woo, Bead H Group
Top H Group to advance to tournament.
Mostly unknowns... Faces I'd brush past in life. Wait, last one's familiar.
The ever-mysterious girl, veiled head to toe. Bead.
'Nice.'
Good chance to gauge her strength.
Training revealed zilch.
Checked mine, scanned known names.
Cornus in A. Azalea, Im Jong-hyun in C. Semis earliest meetup.
Fastest main bracket clash...
"Huh."
Hold up.
Scrolling names, I yelped.
Jeong Si-woo, Im Hyeok-jun, Jeong Sang-su, Shin Yeong-woo, Ji-man, Choi Young G Group
"Oh damn."
Jeong Si-woo in G.
Assuming smooth mains advance, my first round opponent: this guy.