Yeonmuje (6): The Terrifying Junior
Yeonhui, stationed at the commentary booth, couldn't hide her astonishment.
The Seong Hyun-jin she knew looked nothing like the one now standing in the arena—they seemed like entirely different people. The Seong Hyun-jin in her mind was a somewhat eccentric but kind underclassman, good-hearted and affectionate if not purely innocent. Yet the underclassman who had ascended to the stage radiated a ferocious killing intent, his razor-sharp fury on full display. A cruel edge sharpened the expression on his somewhat cute face. His aura was so lethal that Aiel Northwood, who had been brashly talking back just moments ago, had gone deathly pale and fallen utterly silent.
……Junior.
Yeonhui's eyes widened in circles. As if entranced by something, she murmured, “To think he had this side to him too... He's beyond my expectations...”
“……Pardon? Yeonhui sunbae-nim, what was that?”
“Oh, nothing. More than that, the atmosphere's been tense right before the match even starts. Did something happen?”
“Ah... yes. It does seem that way.”
Monica nodded with a faintly flustered look, picking up on Yeonhui's words.
“With that kind of presence, it's no wonder the 35th freshman class is called the golden generation!”
As Monica said, Seong Hyun-jin's aura was so intense it dominated the vast Starry Stadium entirely. Monica in the booth wasn't the only one feeling it—even those in the waiting rooms flinched in shock.
“Was that them just now?”
“Who's putting out that kind of...”
fierce killing intent? Amid the first-years in the waiting room all startling at the prickling sensation on their skin, Serena watching via the broadcast screen understood. Why Seong Hyun-jin was so enraged, why he'd drunk the spiked alcohol in her place and climbed up there with that expression.
Aiel oppa pulled some dirty trick...
No matter what it took, Aiel had wanted to crush her in the Yeonmuje. She didn't know what he stood to gain from it, but...
...He blocked it in advance?
Somehow he'd known and intervened beforehand. Seong Hyun-jin had snatched the tampered drink meant for Aiel Northwood, downed it himself, and deliberately matched up against him. If the sudden change in bracket format was for that reason, then Seong Hyun-jin 'happening' to face Aiel now made perfect sense. Though she had no idea how he'd pulled it off.
Why?
Why had Seong Hyun-jin stepped in for her sake? At first, even Serena was puzzled. If he'd known, wouldn't it have been enough to just tell her, the person involved? But the reason he hadn't was obvious with just a moment's thought.
For my sake...?
Come what may, Serena and Aiel were from the same family. He'd clearly worried that if she laid a hand on him, she'd face backlash from the clan.
“……”
So why had Seong Hyun-jin gone so far for her? In truth, the reason didn't matter.
“Seong Hyun-jin...”
What mattered was that Serena was deeply moved by his actions. Seong Hyun-jin had acted, raged for her sake. She couldn't help but feel joy at that fact. For her, who'd never experienced anyone going this far for her besides her parents, it hit all the harder.
#
“……A mere first-year with that kind of presence?”
“Did he survive some brushes with death or something?”
The students watching the match couldn't hold back their admiration—Seong Hyun-jin's displayed aura was that impressive.
“What're you doing? Get ready for the match.”
Aiel, overwhelmed by his presence, finally snapped back to his senses at Seong Hyun-jin's words. Right up until stepping into the arena, he'd seen him as some half-baked failure. Not that he'd underestimated his skill. After all, he was the undisputed runner-up of the entrance exam. Aiel just hadn't been afraid to face him. Even if his opponent ranked higher, Aiel had confidence in his victory.
But now, things were different. Facing Seong Hyun-jin head-on, Aiel felt like he was staring down a monster.
“...Hah, d-did you... hide your true skill?”
He barely managed to spit out the words straight, but there was no fixing his trembling voice. Seong Hyun-jin sneered at the sight.
“Why're you shaking like that?”
Seong Hyun-jin gripped his sword in a reverse hold.
“You gonna be able to cast properly like this?”
“……!”
“...Are both combatants ready?”
At the Yeonmuje referee's question, Seong Hyun-jin nodded lightly. Aiel couldn't deny it outright, nor affirm it. He'd chosen to stand there of his own will, but the opponent before him terrified him too much. The referee took it as affirmation, swallowed dryly, and warned Seong Hyun-jin.
“Seong Hyun-jin, do not kill your opponent.”
“I know.”
It was obvious common sense not worth stating, but the atmosphere was so murderous that the referee had to say it anyway.
“...Begin!”
The instant the match started, Aiel began casting. Power from his contracted wood spirit flowed out, forming the spell in a mere instant. One word was all it took. Just finish that one-word cast.
Tak!
What the hell was happening? Aiel couldn't comprehend. “!!” Before he could even utter a single word, Seong Hyun-jin was right in front of him. Just as Aiel had activated his magic the moment the signal sounded, so had Seong Hyun-jin moved at the exact same instant. It was simply too fast for Aiel's eyes to follow.
By the time Aiel registered him, Seong Hyun-jin was already swinging.
“Spirit Exorcism Sword, First Form.”
“Bind—.”
The moment Aiel hastily started casting, the reverse-held sword bent fluidly. Its sharp edge aimed straight for his lower jaw.
「Gui Strike Kill (鬼殺)」
Craaack────!
Aiel barely dodged by cutting his cast and ducking his head at the last second. The right choice—if he hadn't, his jaw would've been severed. Covered in goosebumps, Aiel shot back at Seong Hyun-jin.
“A-Are you trying to kill me!?”
“Kill you?”
Seong Hyun-jin replied coldly.
“No one dies from a severed jaw.”
Aiel, horrified yet seeing an opening now that he'd dodged the reverse swing—which couldn't chain into another attack right away—tried to capitalize. His judgment was spot-on. Seong Hyun-jin needed time to recover his sword. But that didn't mean he'd let Aiel off easy.
“Rise up... Gah?!”
The instant Aiel began casting, Seong Hyun-jin's free left hand seized his face.
Kwaaaang!!
He slammed him straight into the ground, interrupting the cast again.
“Kuhk!”
The impact jolted through his body. Aiel gritted his teeth against the pain that felt like it would shatter him, refusing to suffer this humiliation from a half-breed. He had to cast, recite that one-word incantation, and create a counter chance.
“!!”
But as if reading his every move, Seong Hyun-jin gave no quarter. The blade flashed before the grounded Aiel's eyes.
Kaang!!
Aiel rolled aside desperately, and Seong Hyun-jin's sword stabbed the arena floor instead.
“Kuh...!”
Having barely saved his life, Aiel tried to start casting again. But Seong Hyun-jin pursued relentlessly, determined not to allow it.
This... this half-breed...!
Just one word—that's all he needed, yet Seong Hyun-jin wouldn't let him speak it. No matter how masterful Aiel was at compressed casting, even a single word required focus to manifest the image into a spell. Too busy dodging attacks, Aiel couldn't cast at all. Spirit magic boasted far greater power than basic spirit arts once activated, but this was its fatal flaw.
With no choice, Aiel decided to abandon magic temporarily, use basic spirit arts he could invoke with thought alone to create distance.
Drdrdrk!!
As Seong Hyun-jin lunged again, thick wooden roots erupted from the ground. Realizing it was Aiel's spirit art, Seong Hyun-jin clicked his tongue. To counter spirit power, you needed spirit power of your own. Only those in ineffable realms could bypass that, but Seong Hyun-jin's incomplete body hadn't reached that yet.
“...Fine, no helping it.”
Black smoke rose from the sharp sword tip.
“I've decided not to forgive you, so we'll go all the way.”
Chaos power coiled around the blade. Seong Hyun-jin wound his sword arm inward deeply. Seeing it, Aiel flinched once more in shock.
The pitch-black spirit power, like deepest night. It could be dark or poison affinity, but Aiel instinctively knew it wasn't.
Chaos...!?
Chaos spirit. Famous for nullifying other spirit powers, yet so rare it was hardly ever contracted, let alone encountered. Aiel couldn't hide his shock that Seong Hyun-jin had one. With a chaos spirit that canceled spirit power, even if Aiel cast his magic, it'd just get nullified.
Then why block the casting so hard...?
He'd assumed Seong Hyun-jin pressured him nonstop because magic activation would disadvantage him. But no.
Seong Hyun-jin didn't care if the magic fired at all.
......No way.
Only then did Aiel grasp Seong Hyun-jin's intent. He simply refused to give any leeway. To deliver a perfect victory over Aiel, a defeat so utter it'd make him look pathetic.
That's what Seong Hyun-jin intended to show in this match. The steep price for insulting his friend.
Seong Hyun-jin assumed his stance.
Tak!
Right foot forward, left stretched back. He unleashed his wound arm in one explosive motion.
Whoosh!!
The contracted inner arm muscles expanded, loading heavy force into his sword-gripping hand.
“Soul Severing Sword, Second Form.”
That power transferred straight to the blade.
「Ghost Soul Annihilation (鬼魂殲)」
Splaaat─────────!
The sharp, mighty slash severed every root. The chaos swung alongside devoured Aiel Northwood's wood spirit power entirely. The roots, risen to protect their contractor, crumbled to dust, and chaos overwhelmed Aiel's body, stripping even his momentary spirit control.
“Wh-what... is...”
With the root wall gone, Aiel faced him again.
“Aiel Northwood.”
The monster that now inspired only terror.
“Try it one more time. That fancy compressed casting of yours.”
“Y-You monster...!!”
Aiel had no focus left for magic. He couldn't even draw spirit power anymore, making casting impossible. Anyone could see the match was decided. Yet Aiel clung on through sheer stubborn pride in his noble blood, refusing to yield.
But that defiance lasted only an instant.
Shlick!!
He failed to respond to the follow-up slash, taking it full on his body.
“Kahak...!”
The blade sliced keenly at his shoulder blade. Crimson blood poured from Aiel's shoulder and nape.
Injuries were routine in Yeonmuje, but blood dripping like that was rare.
Yet neither referee nor crowd stopped or condemned Seong Hyun-jin. Anyone could tell he had no intent to kill. If he did, Aiel would've been dead long ago—everyone knew it.
Seong Hyun-jin didn't stop after slashing the shoulder.
Thud!
Thump!!
He charged, kicking Aiel's gut to send him tumbling. Then, as he raised his sword for the opposite shoulder—
“Ahem, Seong Hyun-jin.”
The referee intervened. At the call, Seong Hyun-jin halted. Looking at him as if to ask why, the referee pointed at Aiel.
“The match is decided. That's enough.”
Turning his gaze, Seong Hyun-jin saw Aiel with palms up in surrender.
“Kuhk, heuk...... I-I lost. I admit defeat... stop... please, just stop......”
Aiel's plea grew faint, then he passed out. At that, Seong Hyun-jin sheathed his sword.
Turning to the referee, who cleared his throat lightly and declared,
“Combat Department Runner-Up Representative Seong Hyun-jin versus Magic Department Top Representative Aiel Northwood! The winner is Seong Hyun-jin!”
Seong Hyun-jin sheathed his sword and took a deep breath. He scanned the hushed crowd, tense from watching breathlessly.
And then—
“““Waaaaaaaaah!!”””
Cheers erupted from all directions.