J2 Gyeongju Ancient Capital Tournament
Junior mages and aspiring mages frequently used the Junior Mage Mini Bulletin Board. Day after day, posts about one person kept popping up. Considering the board usually only saw one or two posts a day, this was pretty high interest.
*
I lightly dodged the flying ice chunk, mixed in a feint, then struck. The boy raised his staff to block my punch, but my kick sent him staggering back. The out-of-bounds line was in range. I pulled up ether once more, planted my foot, and launched into a flying dropkick.
"No way! This is a magic tournament!"
"No questions asked!"
The boy, yelling indignantly, tumbled out of bounds. Faint announcer voices drifted from outside the arena.
I nodded to the 2-level mage I'd sent flying out of bounds. The boy looked bitter enough to cry.
"Hey! This is a magic tournament!"
"This is magic too. Know you not Battle Mage?"
"Not that! Argh! This is cheating!"
I bowed to the referee and crowd, then headed to the waiting area. Scattered applause rose from the sparse audience.
Only after securing the win did I check the bracket.
No Hong Jiyeon or Isara. Eunbyeol must've dropped to that guy in quarters.
I'd heard Eunbyeol had grown a lot lately. Under North Sea Mage Park Seongwoong's guidance, she'd become a promising dark horse.
But only quarters in J2? If you're gonna do it, at least make finals to keep up with me.
As I scanned the bracket, Monica draped a towel over my head.
"Good job, kiddo. Feels more like I'm your boxing coach than magic master, though."
I grinned and shadowboxed.
"Hits like a 2-level spell, doesn't it?"
"Sure did. Kid panicked when points dropped."
I chuckled.
"No mage copes as flexibly as Hong Jiyeon, you see."
"Yeah~ Guess they weren't prepped for her archetype."
Monica pointed at Eunbyeol on the bracket.
"Oh! Saw her match yesterday—such a shame. Just needs more polish."
"Is that so?"
She pondered, then said,
"Yeah, she won the last J2 Sangun Tournament. Bad luck this time—opponent had crazy freeze resist."
"A win? That girl?"
"Yep, Eunbyeol's no pushover lately. Might hit promotion wars this year."
Isara or Seong Jiho's level, with Eunbyeol.
"......"
Hard to picture. Ambiguous.
No, her ether control rivals mine. Good master and...
She might become a real nuisance.
I wiped my face with the towel and smirked.
"Challenger League awaits, doesn't it?"
Monica nodded and handed me papers.
"? What's this, pray tell?"
"3-level test application."
"Can't climb odd levels by tourney results like 2-level..?"
She wagged a finger.
"Odds by test, evens by tourney."
She held up three fingers.
"So 3-level is junior graduation. 5-level means high-rank mage."
"Hm, a proper milestone then."
"Yep. Fail 3-level test, no promotion war quals."
"......"
Staring at the form full of my info, it hit me.
"Come to think, I know not my resident number nor address."
"I do, it's fine."
"......"
I eyed her dubiously; she pouted.
"I'm your guardian on paper? That hurts."
"Hm..."
She fidgeted her fingers at my look.
"This master's a 7-level mage, y'know? No schemes here."
"True enough."
Monica placed a hand on my shoulder, a bit servile.
"Just open Foundation often."
"That's your Starry Sky addiction..."
"New every time? Abyss pals have wild thoughts—fun chatting. Paradise for me."
She shoved me.
"C'mon, training ground. Ether issue solved now?"
"Indeed. Heh heh, infinite ether training ground time!"
*
The massive Bundang Training Ground, 30 years old and battered, echoed with magic training sounds today. If apartments nearby, complaints would've exploded from the vibrations and noise.
BOOM—
I caught my breath, clenched my fist. Monica cast protective magic amid the shattered earth and concrete.
6-level Survival
Guardian, protect us! AQUA SENTINEL
My fist ached against the massive guardian shield.
"Urk?!"
A stinging tingle shot up my arm, numbing my whole right arm.
"Argh, 5-level limit, isn't it?!"
I grumbled at Monica for using 6-level defense.
"No! 5-level couldn't block, had to!"
Exhausted, she squatted on broken concrete.
"Magic links! Stack buffs! Blink dodge! Bend my punch path! Exploit gaps to make me flee! Endless options, no?!"
"Argh! That's cuz you're weird! How calculate variables instantly?!"
Monica sighed, sweating buckets.
"Aigoo, what hell post-retirement."
"Hmph, post-meal exercise level."
She waved and backed off.
"Teacher needs a break~"
"You rested 6 hours ago, slacker."
"Hey! Machines rest after 6 hours too!"
As I opened my mouth to retort humans beat machines, she yelled,
"And kiddo! Fingertips discoloring! Ether addiction's no joke?"
"Oops... This body's so frail."
"Whoa~"
At her reaction, I smacked my lips awkwardly.
"Rest matters for tomorrow. Gotta smash 3-level test Battle Mage style."
I grumbled and plopped down.
"Abyssorium one-shots, why so annoying? Pure strength games over."
She gave a look of disbelief.
"You think I made you Battle Mage for pure strength fun?"
"Wasn't it..?"
She smacked her forehead.
"Still no sense? Casting hold's the basics of body ether use, kiddo."
"So what...!"
My brow furrowed.
Max ether control for solid basics?
Seeing my face, she nodded.
"Right. Folks skip it, but low levels let you feel ether clearest, strongest. Mages who max control and use then..."
"Achieve greatness!"
"Greatness? School name?"
"...Means huge success."
"Yep! 7-level gates built at low levels."
She grinned wickedly.
"Heh heh, just watch—our kiddo'll shake the world."
Her left eye gleamed sinister red.
Atmosphere screams world-conquering villain...
I stood and resumed casting hold.
"If master says, must obey."
"Eh...?"
"Resuming training."
"...Go easy!"
*
Next day. Yongsan Arena in Seoul for 3-level tests. More people than expected—rumors of famous Isara's test.
"Hm, I'm out of interest, eh?"
"Public knows only Isara this time."
"Right. Yu Eunha, long time no see?"
Familiar voice; I turned. Red-haired Hong Jiyeon grinned.