What It Means to Build Up
I stared blankly as I lifted the red ball into the air.
Yu Eunha the mage advances automatically to the quarterfinals. Walkover victory.
As I stepped down from the stage amid the announcer's congratulations, the crowd split between those sighing in disappointment and those cheering happily.
"Ah, we should've met in the round of 16."
"Jackpot, then we'll crush 'em in the quarters."
I flashed the red ball with a pale smile and plopped down in the spectator seats reserved for players.
"Getting a walkover means you're out of the player zone."
"Heh, talk about luck, kiddo. If you'd gone today, you might've lost."
I grinned and nodded. "Luck hath always favored me, you know."
"Let's see, in that case..." Monica showed me a chart scribbled in her notebook, chuckling. "Next up in the quarters, you'll face Eunbyeol."
"Ah." I pouted. "Of all people, it had to be her."
"Right? Our little one's got some real luck. Objectively, she's an easy matchup, though?"
"......"
I scowled at the chart, studying it intently. As I pondered my matchup with Eunbyeol from my seat, a familiar pair sat down right in front of us—Eunbyeol's parents.
"How've you been? I'm Eun Gu-seon, Star's dad."
"Hi, I'm Hong Ran, her mom. I hear you're close with our Star."
Their words hit me like a punch to the gut.
"...My apologies for last time."
My gruff response drew shakes of their heads from the couple.
"No need. We heard you recommended private lessons for her. We're grateful, actually."
"Exactly. We were so out of the loop on all this."
I was about to snap that they'd even looked into that when her father, Gu-seon, adjusted his glasses and spoke.
"We parents should've done our homework. Got too complacent with the fancy academy name."
"Yeah, poor Star, going through all that."
Caught off guard, I sank back into my seat. Few adults truly listen to a seven-year-old. Learning from a child's words? That's a mark of real character.
They're not what I thought.
As I marveled, Monica whispered, "Mr. Eun Gu-seon runs the company that makes the stadium's ether collectors. They basically monopolize the market in Korea."
"......"
Suddenly, wisdom gleamed behind his glasses.
Figures. I pegged them as clueless parents, but nope—not even close.
People are always more complicated than that. As I reflected on my hasty judgment—
Winner: Kim Jae-ho the mage.
—the second match ended. I yawned hugely.
"More boring than I thought."
The matches dragged on, monotonous and sluggish.
"Monica, are mage tournaments always this dull? They looked way flashier on TV."
"Ahaha~"
"Players come out, fire off a few spells, hit and win, miss and lose."
"That's the gist."
Monica explained the tournament's simple rules.
"See those lines down there?"
"Center line and out-of-bounds."
"Right. Cross the out-of-bounds and you're disqualified. But why the center line?"
"...Penalty if you cross it?"
Monica snickered at my guess.
"Take a closer look at the ether."
"Hm..."
Focusing on the court, I spotted irregular patterns in the ether distribution—mirrored perfectly across the center line like a decal.
"No way."
"Yep. Those spots where the players stand like posts? Right under the ether collectors, highest concentration."
"So they're staking their ground there to cast spells."
"Exactly. And here's the thing." Monica added a quick note. "Junior league's for green apprentice mages. Limited spells, so it all boils down to TP—who racks up more."
"TP?"
"Technical Points. Spell stability, casting speed, ether efficiency. Those three."
She flipped open her notebook to show me the breakdown.
1. Spell Stability – Base score
2. Casting Speed – Bonus score
3. Ether Efficiency – Final score x1.1~1.5 multiplier
"They score each spell on these. Lower leagues? TP's everything—spell variety's so restricted."
I felt Eunbyeol's parents perk up in front of us.
"So that's why it feels more like a demo than a fight."
"Bingo. Junior league's usually like that."
"Hmm. Makes me think amateur league's more exciting, then."
"Hehe, same here. Way more dynamic, better to watch."
As Monica wrapped up, a buzzer blared.
Beep—
Match 3: Seok Dong-seop the mage vs. Eunbyeol the mage.
The massive scoreboard lit up right after.
Busan Dynamic Tournament
Yeongdo / Blue Coat / Tournament / (Stable)* / (J3)**
* Ether Density: Stable [Weak–Stable–Unstable–Collapse–Catastrophe]
** Event Grade: Junior 3rd Class (Junior Points +10~1)
"Alright, let's see what strategy Eunbyeol pulls out."
*
The match went badly for her.
I frowned, checking her condition. Half-lidded eyes, blood trickling from a torn forehead.
She's in rough shape.
Glazed eyes meant overtaxing her magic. Her parents fidgeted anxiously in front.
"Oh god, Star, forfeit already."
"Sniff, she didn't have to push this far..."
Monica watched with an odd expression.
"It's over. Gotta respect the grit, but it ain't enough."
She just smiled at me.
"Hehe, your scheduler spilled some fun intel."
"What? Spill it."
"Yeah, she might actually win this..."
"What? Eunbyeol wins? How?"
Her parents whipped around at my words. Monica cleared her throat under our stares.
"W-Well, Eunbyeol's teacher is Kang Yejeong, the Karmic Fire mage. Think her style..."
Monica sketched in her notebook after a pause.
"Most spells are one-and-done, but some chain effects."
"Chain effects?"
"Like zapping someone soaked in water?"
"...Electrocution amps up."
Gu-seon beat me to it; I glanced at him as Monica continued.
"Same with piling ice on someone frostbitten?"
"Hurts more?"
"Hehe, not done yet. You can weave in ambient ether too."
"Huh?"
She drew a figure surrounded by ether waves.
"Mages draw ether naturally."
I snapped my fingers. "Right, assimilate ambient ether into your element."
"Yep. Once enough cold-attuned ether builds..."
"Boom—massive spell?"
Monica grinned at her opponent. Frost rimed the steam around him, sparkling.
"Ether attribute collapse. New chaining tech—Yejeong's specialty."
Right on cue, Eunbyeol's clear voice rang out.
1-level Control
"Snow, accumulate—Nix Accumula!"
⟨ ❄ SNOW ACCUMULATION ❄ ⟩
Crackcraaaack—
Something shredded amid a boy's scream.
"Wha?! What the—aaagh!"
Gigantic snow crystals radiated from Dong-seop.
"Hoo..."
They glittered under the lights. Snow fell in the chilled arena.
"Whoa, it's snowing."
"No way that's a 1-level spell."
"Control magic's tricky like that."
"That's attribute collapse? Pro league stuff."
The crowd gawked at the gentle flakes from the ceiling—too tender for a ten-year-old's work.
*
Hours later, I clutched my red ball back in my seat.
"...Eunbyeol was wiped, so she forfeited."
"Ahaha! You're feasting on tournament day, huh?"
My cheeks burned.
"You're in the semis already."
"Ow! What can I do? Walkover and forfeit weren't my call!"
I sighed, standing. The high chair made little view difference sitting or not. Feeling my annoying little body, I clicked my tongue.
"Let's go."
"Why? Skip the rest?"
"Three matches is plenty. Kid stuff."
"Hm, sure?"
Stretching, I said, "Visited Eunbyeol in medical after. Wanna train now."
"Yeah, if that's what you want." Monica called someone, nodded. "Haesin Tower's got an empty training ground nearby. Meet there."
"Perfect."
We headed to the arena's medical bay for Eunbyeol.
*
A silver-haired teen who looked about fifteen sparkled with excitement outside the Busan stadium.
"Heh~ That's the noise, huh?"
He grinned innocently, tousling his hair.
"Prism Board blew it up, so I checked. Just a brat? Whatever."
His transparently clear yellow eyes fixed on Yu Eunha. His lips curled wide.
"Ether sync's high, though. Waste to just kill. Stuff and mount her."
Perfect for a battle slave a while. His grin widened.
For once, a worthy prey.