J1 MBS Tournament
I felt like I could fly as I settled into the athlete waiting area. The J1-grade tournament, Yeouido's MBS Tournament, was just over an hour away. I waved my nameplate reading [Special Invite: Yu Eunha].
"Special invite means I start from the quarterfinals, right?"
Monica nodded at my question. "Yeah, four from prelims, four J2 league winners—eight total for the main bracket."
She closed her strategy notebook leisurely. "But anyway, I've checked all of Seong Jiho's plays. All that's left is winning and heading to Challenger League, yeah?"
I frowned at the calendar. "How long till Challenger League then?"
"Hmm, about three months. It's always end of year."
I tilted my head at her words. Three whole months until the December Challenger League. "That's plenty of time, isn't it? Tournaments every month or so."
Monica grinned slyly at my comment. "Challenger's not a tourney—it's survival. Needs time."
"Survival?"
"Win this and I'll tell ya. Lose and Challenger's off the table~."
I shrugged and grabbed a cookie. "Got it then."
"Think you can take it easy again, kiddo?"
Recalling Isara and Eunbyeol's magic, I replied, "Isara or Eunbyeol might be risky, but Seong Jiho's a breeze."
From the footage, typical standing mage type. Like that Baek Seongjin from the J2 high league finals—flail around, whine about fouls, then lose.
"Yeah, ran sims a bunch—win rate's the same every time. He can't beat me."
Monica furrowed her brow at my confident words. "One catch though."
"What's that?"
"He's seen your magic already. Probably studied hard, so don't get cocky, kiddo."
I beamed at that. "You say that, but I've never let my guard down once."
"Yeah yeah~ I know our kiddo's all talk by now~"
"All talk? What do you mean?"
Monica just giggled without answering.
*
Seong Jiho reined in his nerves. The monitor in the athlete lounge showed Yu Eunha vs. Park Namseong in the MBS quarters.
Seong Jiho sighed at the casters' words. "Ah... finished without a single spell."
From start to finish, Yu Eunha wrapped it up with casting hold alone, striding back to the lounge like it was nothing. Even her exit screamed dominance.
Would've bumped win rate if I'd seen one or two more spells.
He'd expected a stomp, but not this bad. Seong Jiho jotted notes on her patterns regretfully.
[Ranged magic: close distance to counter effectively]
[Favors dodging enemy attacks then closing in over preemptive strikes]
[Senses danger, prioritizes creating ~2m gap first]
[Essence type? Kinda feels like it?]
[Impossible to break casting hold—better go firepower]
[Generous with advice to foe, creates brief openings]
Seong Jiho reread his dense notes and closed his eyes.
"Imagery training?"
"Yeah. 10 matches: 9 losses, 1 win."
His academy teacher Kang Hyeokwoo tasted bitterness. "Even Isara was tough, but this monster's worse. Junior league's brutal this year."
"......"
Seong Jiho shrugged off his master's words, eyes still shut. "Eh, whatever. More strong Korean mages is good. Plenty of grindstone opponents."
He frowned—sim glitch? "Mixes feints often, but no record of her falling for 'em..."
Eyes narrowing, he scribbled more. "This one's got habits."
The boy nodded after rereading his tattered notes. "11-9, 2 wins...?"
Seong Jiho's eyes sparkled like he'd found something.
*
Yeouido / White Coat / Tournament / (Weak)* / (J1)**
* Ether Density: Stable [Weak–Stable–Unstable–Collapse–Disaster]
** Event Grade: Junior 1st (Win Points: 100)
Everyone's got a solid plan—until they get hit.
Smack!
I cracked Seong Jiho across the head hard and leaped back. A sharp rock spike erupted where I'd stood.
"Not bad at all, Seong Jiho."
He was definitely no ordinary standing mage. Wove control spells between projections to make dodging hell, spawned floor attacks every time he created space.
[2-level Projection]
Stone Shower - !
But too little practice against variables.
Kagagang!
I tanked the spell full-body and closed in; Seong Jiho frantically canceled casting.
"Too late..."
"Didn't expect me to tank and rush?"
Smack!
My jab sent him flying through the air.
"If tanking deals more damage, why dodge?"
Yu Eunha – 500pt
Seong Jiho – 320pt
"Calculated points on a first-time spell in that split second?"
"Why not? Ether's visible to me."
Seong Jiho looked dumbfounded. "You can calculate that?"
"Can't you see ether?"
"I can, but seeing it doesn't mean..."
"Tch, everyone's so damn lazy."
As I cocked my fist, a sudden blast rang out.
My vision flipped in an instant.
"......!"
Flying back, I vaguely sensed I'd been hit by something.