Calm Before the Storm
The Broad Academy was packed with a massive crowd of spectators. The Class Annihilation Match was one of the academy’s long-standing traditional practical exams. Its fame came from a single, simple reason: it offered a chance to witness the full combat strength of the prestigious Broad Academy in one go. For guilds constantly scouting high-potential new talent, the event was practically a gold mine brimming with gems. Even the academy itself opened the matches to outside observers, hoping to showcase its students’ abilities to various organizations and give them a leg up in their futures.
Because of these characteristics, the Class Annihilation Match had always drawn intense public interest. This year, however, the excitement had reached an entirely new level.
A female broadcaster shouted into her microphone with visible enthusiasm.
As the reporter’s words suggested, it was no exaggeration to say that the overwhelming attention this year’s event was receiving came almost entirely because of Yoo Heeyeon. People were dying to know what the daughter of Yoo Hanbeom looked like—the man who had led the Artemis Guild, widely regarded as the undisputed number one in the country, for over a decade.
Yoo Heeyeon had appeared in the media before, but never in the midst of a fierce, all-out battle. Even so, the public’s expectations were enormous.
Across internet forums, live streams, and every other media outlet, countless posts and comments speculated wildly about how strong Yoo Hanbeom’s daughter truly was. It was only natural. After all, Yoo Hanbeom had never once disappointed the public. His overwhelming power could only be described as monstrous. So just how strong was his daughter?
A girl born with vast wealth and authority, the daughter of a Unique-grade mage who possessed absolute power. The expectations placed on her were nothing short of colossal.
And then there was this.
Bonus points. When a lower-ranked class defeated a higher-ranked one, they received a massive amount of additional points on their practical exam. For example, if F-class beat B-class, they would gain an enormous score boost. Conversely, the higher class would suffer a heavy penalty for losing. It was only logical. After all, the match pitted entire groups of students with completely different overall levels against each other.
Lee Hyunseung was checking the public reaction in real time from inside Broad Academy.
Well, it’s not an unreasonable way to think.
In the entire history of Broad Academy, A-class and F-class had never faced each other. The most unfair matchup ever recorded was between B-class and F-class. Back then, the F-class representative had been openly disrespected by the B-class representative and chose them as an opponent out of spite. The result was a crushing defeat. The F-class of that time couldn’t eliminate even a single B-class student and suffered total humiliation.
But we’re different.
At least now, there were quite a few useful members in F-class. Some had been unfairly placed in F-class simply because they didn’t know how to properly use their powers or because of certain flaws. In other words, their raw combat ability wasn’t bad at all—they had simply been graded unfairly.
Jeong Eunseo, Kim Yuri, and Lee Hyunseung himself. None of the three belonged in F-class by any reasonable standard.
Even so, the disadvantage was undeniable.
If it were one-on-one, it might be different, but this is a team battle.
No one knew what kind of mission would appear in the representative selection round. It could be a group free-for-all or a territory capture match. Whatever format it took, F-class would still be at a disadvantage. Not every F-class student possessed Lee Hyunseung’s level of ability, while A-class students generally maintained a very high average level of strength.
Still, it wasn’t all bad news.
“Goddamn it…”
In a corner of the F-class area, a man muttered with clear irritation. It was Han Seonggil, the one who possessed the Berserker trait.
After the rampage he had caused at the academy last time, Han Seonggil had received appropriate punishment. Originally he should have faced something far harsher than suspension, but at Lee Hyunseung’s request, his penalty was reduced to being demoted to F-class, along with one hundred hours of community service and a fine. On top of that, at Lee Hyunseung’s strong insistence, Han Seonggil had personally apologized to Ryu Namgi.
Some resentment likely remained between them, but on the surface, everything had been resolved. He had even come to the class and bowed his head in apology. It was probably more out of fear of harsher punishment—and fear of Lee Hyunseung—than genuine remorse, but it was still a hundred times better than no apology at all.
The reason Lee Hyunseung had maneuvered to have Han Seonggil demoted to F-class was simple.
He’s useful.
He was a crazy bastard who could go off the rails at any moment, but in terms of pure combat power, he didn’t fall behind even A-class students. If handled properly, he could become a valuable human resource—not just for this Class Annihilation Match, but for the future as well.
Of course, the gazes of the other F-class students toward Han Seonggil were far from friendly.
“Fuck… I already apologized, but they’re still glaring at me like that.”
Han Seonggil shouted as if sharing the same space with F-class wounded his pride. Ryu Namgi, who had once been beaten by him, flinched at the sound.
Step. Step. Step.
Lee Hyunseung quietly walked toward him.
Gulp.
At the sound of Lee Hyunseung’s footsteps, Han Seonggil unconsciously swallowed.
I’m nervous…? Fuck…
Han Seonggil was clearly tense. He had used his Berserker trait and still been overwhelmingly crushed in their last fight. Most of his memories from that time were gone because he had lost his mind, but his body still remembered the terror.
His body began to tremble uncontrollably.
It was the primal survival instinct that every human—and every animal—possessed.
When Lee Hyunseung silently stared at him, Han Seonggil glared back and snapped.
“What, you think staring at me is gonna make me scared? I already apologized, didn’t I? What the hell do you want now?”
Despite his words, his hands were shaking slightly. Watching him, Lee Hyunseung thought to himself.
He already knows he can’t beat me.
Han Seonggil had learned it with his body. He knew he could never win against Lee Hyunseung. In that case, there was no need to crush him with force right now. Creatures like this one would bite their owner’s hand if you only ever used the whip.
Last time he had used the whip. This time, it was time to offer the carrot.
Lee Hyunseung leaned close to Han Seonggil’s ear and whispered softly.
“Listen, Han Seonggil. You’ll be participating in the Annihilation Match with us. You were demoted because of that unfortunate incident, but you’re one of us now. And conveniently, when you join, the numbers match A-class perfectly, so they’ve already agreed not to raise any objections.”
“I don’t give a shit about that. You want me to go out there as an F-class member? Why the hell should I?”
Han Seonggil stubbornly puffed out his chest, but Lee Hyunseung made an offer he couldn’t refuse.
“If you show significant results in this match, I’ll teach you how to control your Berserker trait.”
The Berserker trait. The more life-threatening the battle, the stronger it made you—but in the end, it drove you so insane that you couldn’t tell friend from foe. It was a double-edged sword. Han Seonggil had always considered his trait both a blessing and a curse. It granted him immense power, but it also made him attack his own allies.
“Don’t talk bullshit. There’s no way something like that exists. Do I look like an idiot to you?”
Even as his arms trembled faintly, Han Seonggil spoke aggressively. It showed just how fierce his personality was. Even in front of someone who had nearly killed him, he still said whatever he wanted. That was Han Seonggil.
This guy really runs his mouth even when he’s scared shitless.
In front of the disbelieving Han Seonggil, Lee Hyunseung placed a crystal orb-shaped artifact on the table.
Truth Detection Orb
Reveals [TRUE] or [FALSE] when the user speaks of their own free will. Cannot be used as legal evidence due to possibility of tampering.
Lee Hyunseung channeled mana into the orb and murmured.
“I know a method to stabilize the Berserker trait.”
[TRUE]
The orb emitted a faint vibration, then displayed a single word.
When the Truth Detection Orb displayed [TRUE], Han Seonggil stared at Lee Hyunseung with a completely stunned expression.
“Just what… is the method?”
Hook, line, and sinker.
A berserk madman who could serve as the perfect joker card in the Class Annihilation Match. A magnificent shield capable of completely changing the flow of the battle had just been acquired.