Chapter 99
Chapter 99
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 99
Chapter Title: Midterms (2)
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How long had it been since she'd been so passionately absorbed in something?
Azalea excelled at it. To the point where she'd schemed revenge over years since childhood.
Though that led to her clumsiness in relationships.
Her accumulated achievements weren't sullied by that.
"Dalrae, you're going to get busier and busier."
She'd lived for a while excluding all pleasures.
There comes a time when everything must change, even if it means staking it all.
For her, that time was now.
When she heard she had to shoulder the company and the family. When she met that thorn in her eye and poured out her heart.
After that, Azalea could confidently say she'd found her path clearly.
"I need to stand out in this exam. Otherwise, I can't even start... Forget the person on your mind for now, just focus."
"Leading a single family isn't that easy. You've got to step up, right?"
"The Forest Keeper Selection Tournament."
Just the first semester. Not even a fortnight had passed a few times.
To some, it was a stage they could always make up for later.
But Azalea, like the others, had something riding on this match too.
-Ring~
[Unknown Number] <010-842x-xxxx> A call right before the preliminary round.
Azalea sighed and answered it.
Soon, a hoarse voice flowed out.
[......]
"Why did you call."
[...I came to watch today.]
Azalea's mother, Jin Yeo-hee.
Ever since breaking free from the brainwashing, she'd been repeatedly apologizing to her daughter.
Without excuses like it couldn't be helped. Just repeating "I'm sorry."
Because she knew well it was something unforgivable.
No matter how things turned out, her father wasn't coming back.
"Watch or don't... I'm hanging up."
Azalea tossed her phone into the athlete's basket.
She tucked a wand at her waist. And exhaled deeply.
"Once this is over."
After this exam ends, she'll have a bit of leeway.
Plenty of things to do, plenty to talk about.
Not dark topics this time, but something bright and pink-tinged...
No, it was practically a blitzkrieg of a story.
Azalea recalled the faces of certain women in her mind.
"That Lee Si-heon guy... Should I try asking him to meet?"
Guys who, hearing something somewhere, thought they'd stick to him just by seeing his potential.
No weird ones could attach to him.
...Of course.
Azalea's thoughts were possible only because she didn't know Lee Si-heon's face had been revealed.
"If he enters the Forest Keeper Selection Tournament, I won't see him for a while..."
So she had to seduce him honestly before then.
It was a form of obsession, but she wasn't aware of it.
"Group B. Azalea."
The waiting room door opened. Her heels clicked as she moved.
The gazes of the cadets in the stands turned to her. Azalea glanced sideways to check the audience.
In that dim corner, hiding... her mother.
Don't think about it. Azalea tore her eyes from Jin Yeo-hee, assumed her stance, and gripped her wand tightly.
"It starts in 10 seconds. Get ready."
Just a midterms tournament, after all. A type of exam done as an event.
But ever since it was revealed a few years ago that it was referenced for selecting Forest Keeper candidates...... It was treated behind the scenes as a match with considerable influence.
This match too would catch the eyes of guild administrators or the observing World Tree devotees.
Meaning a good performance here could boost chances of being picked for the selection tournament.
The point of the match was one thing.
Not win or lose, but revealing one's potential without holding back.
"Good match."
"Good match."
After exchanging greetings and parting, Azalea looked at her opponent.
Ranked 19th. A Elite Class mage she'd met once before...
She too seemed to have prepared hard for this tournament, staring at Azalea with a tense expression.
"My rank... 6th."
Even if she wins, it'll be as expected.
Azalea gestured.
-Start!
No sooner had the referee's words fallen.
"...Dearus."
A light green wind-wrapped deer-shaped spirit rose behind her back.
Azalea fully absorbed the mana emanating from the spirit as her own.
And with that- she drew a glowing blade from her wand.
One sword swing.
-Boom!
"...Huff!"
That alone manipulated the surroundings in an instant.
The cadet chanting a spell tumbled outward.
-Beep!
The whistle deciding victory.
Looking at the cadet who lost without uttering a word, Azalea sheathed the wand-sword hybrid back at her waist.
-Ooh......
The cadets couldn't close their mouths at the unfamiliar sight.
Until now, cadets' view of Azalea was unified.
A mage specialized in long-range, no talent in close combat.
So everyone predicted she couldn't win in such a match.
But because she always shattered expectations.
She earned a spot among the academy's prodigies.
"Good work."
"G-good work."
After the match.
Azalea grabbed her wand and quickened her pace to another arena.
Arena 6, where Group H was matching.
One reason she finished her match so quickly was to watch Lee Si-heon's match.
They should meet often in places like this.
As she approached, hiding her sly intentions, she spotted someone in the stands.
A woman gripping a wooden sword, fresh from battle, staring blankly at the arena.
Sweat dripped from under her bright yellow hair.
"Cornus...?"
Not someone unfamiliar.
She was one of those summoned before to rescue Lee Si-heon, dragged to a dungeon by spatial magic.
Cornus blinked her large eyes at the arena.
What brought the young lady of the Cornerus Family here?
Come to think of it, some guild admins seemed to be in the stands too.
She could instinctively tell who they were interested in.
The one recently tangled with top hunter Baek Do, involved in all sorts of incidents.
Yet shrouded in mystery with no info on his skills, attending this academy.
Azalea stared at the arena in bewilderment.
Her pupils dilated.
-Bang!
A harsh gunshot echoed loudly through the arena.
*****
The tournament crowning the midterms was prime entertainment for others.
Showing off all the fruits of their hard training. How could it not be fun?
Standing in the vast arena, looking around, a smirk escaped me.
"Were you that curious about me?"
Well, I'm the guy tangled with Baek Do and living with her. Normal to go crazy with curiosity.
Right now, ironically, the guy hailed for smashing an ent was ranked 152nd.
"Azalea and Cornus probably finished by now."
Looking up, Cornus had apparently ended early and was watching me from her seat.
I waved once.
"...!"
Noticing my gaze, she waved both hands right away.
Her dazed expression contrasted with her beaming wave.
"Anyway."
The problem was the opponent.
This arena was more crowded than others.
Of course, less than Jeong Si-woo's spot. But with cameramen around, it was clear some officials were aware of me.
Plenty of instructors and guild execs, evaluating me in various postures.
Maybe even someone picking Forest Keeper candidates among them.
"Why'd it have to be you as opponent."
I checked the wooden spear's condition and spoke to my foe.
"Puhihihi. How'd it end up like this."
A woman with an odd laugh, inscrutable intentions.
Records said mage, but nothing in her hands.
Thought maybe a small wand, but no.
Her outfit so simple, hard to believe she came to fight.
"Doesn't matter."
Either way, same goal: aim for the win.
-Prepare.
The signal fell.
I stepped forward, sharpening my senses without laxity.
-Start.
Flashes popped. Whistles rattled my eardrums.
My whole body sharpened like needles.
"Suck."
Held my breath.
The ghostly sensation that surged at battle's start.
Fragments of effort built up slowly rose as skill.
In my sight, a trajectory piercing my brow appeared.
-Bang!
Gunpowder blast stung my ears.
White smoke rose on my vision's horizon.
Instinctively dodging, a sharpened bullet grazed past my cheek, spinning.
-Whoosh!
The aftermath wind battered my body.
"What the..."
Absurd, I forgot it was a match and asked her.
Bead lowered her pistol in one hand and smiled coldly.
"Puhihihi. Surprised? You dodged it."
Shocked badly.
Of course, guns were common weapons in this world too.
But a cadet prepping for academy with cold weapons and magic from childhood.
Who'd think she'd use guns, ineffective against ents or beasts?
-Click.
Slide racking chilled me; I twisted away.
"It's registered. Even if it hits, just a bruise."
-Bang!
Detonator burst.
A mana-infused shot.
The rising heat signaled it wasn't easily dodged.
Instinctively raised hand to cast.
-Ping!
An impromptu spell shaking nearby air to alter trajectory. Deployment speed no normal cadet could match.
Looking at my torn cadet combat uniform, I self-mocked.
"Wow..."
Magic did nothing.
"Trait-infused or artifact-enhanced attack."
...Definitely not ordinary.
Bead's style differed vastly from past cadets.
Most scraps were close brawls.
Meaning few long-range specialists.
Even those trying distance got shot down by my intercepts, wilting.
Why hide her means until now?
"Testing me?"
Time to dig into her background.
"But I don't think I'll lose..."
-Bang! Bang!
Dodging bullets warmed my body nicely.
Speed increasing, but still reactable.
"Not coming?"
Bead's taunt. Laugh escaped in absurdity.
"You're dead today."
-Click.
Reload timing.
Short moment, amplified speed with mana.
Stepped forward; ground dented, body lunged.
Toward my shooting form, reloaded Bead fired.
-Bang! Bang!
Impacts thudded my body.
Shoulder and spots throbbed with precise hits.
But... worth it.
-Bang!
Inferring from earlier load, seven rounds.
Last one whizzed harmlessly by my ear.
Distance closed in a flash.
Bead backstepped with a smile.
Gleaming muzzle aimed at my brow.
"Fast."
Tightening trigger. Chamber sound from barrel.
Thought it was the last shot.
Bluffed the initial load?
Her overlooking words grated; I replied in twisted tone.
"Why so cocky."
Didn't know how she nullified magic, but at this range, any trick visible.
Wind pressure increase.
Gravity manipulation.
Scatter mana nearby to interfere casting. Freeze the slide.
Lock barrel and slide rigid with ice.
Force fire... detonator blows her gun, not my head.
I was warrior and mage.
Knew well where precision firearms fail...
"You're dead."
Close, pulled fist back. Air trembled near mana-charged knuckles.
Woman or not, about to slam one to vent frustration.
"Ah."
Bead, sensing shift while firing, raised hand.
"I lose. I surrender."
Sudden surrender.
Absurd, I halted my fist.
"......"
"Puhihihi."
-Beep!
Whistle echoed. Her smug laughing face irked.
I rolled up my sleeve, checked bullet hits.
No bruises, but...
Mental scars remained.
"Wow, you're insanely strong. Crazy... Ow, why hit! I surrendered!"
"Just annoying."
Flicked her forehead; I laughed hollowly watching.
Anyway, one win down.