Foundation League Blockbuster Incoming [Foundation League Power Analyst Hajieun!_1,011 Viewers]

Hajieun felt her chilled hands and steadied her nerves. "Hoo, ha, hoo, ha."

Ever since her savior—heaven itself, Yu Eunha—had taken pity on her, her viewers had exploded from an average of around fifty to over 1,500.

Even now, she'd only put up the waiting screen, and already this many people had gathered.

'I can do this, I can do this.'

"Ebebebebebe, ububububu, aeiou aeiou, ayaeyo, ayaeyo, hello everyone? This is Hajieun. Hello? Ha-ji-Hajieun?"

"Ah…."

Hajieun glanced at the open mic on her stream and quietly hit mute.

Click click

Hajieun cleared her throat and hurriedly went live. "Hello everyone! This is Hajieun!"

"Ah, yes! I checked, and Yu Eunha-nim is officially on the Foundation League roster…."

Before Hajieun could finish, the impatient donations cut her off.

Most junior mages put their names on the Foundation League roster if they qualified—just in case strong ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠rivals dropped out or the field was weak. It was tradition, so being on the list didn't confirm they'd actually show.

"Ah, right. Yeah, the roster isn't set in stone…."

But Hajieun, who'd offered up strawberry tarts and fresh fruit cakes as tribute, had the info they craved.

"So, wanna know?"

Of course, she wasn't giving it away for free.

Sensing the chat fracturing, Hajieun quickly pivoted. "Anyway, it's blowing up cuz Isara and Eunha-nim are matched up."

Sure enough, Seoul and Gyeonggi were plastered with Magic Tower Alliance posters hyping the Eunha-Isara rivalry.

Everyone was jaded from getting burned, furious now. The chat, hyped for Isara vs Eunha, ignited over the Korean Magic Tower Alliance's scams instead.

The pity party looped back to Hajieun.

Hajieun's eyes sparkled as she squealed. "Aigo~ EunhaLover oppa donated a million wooon!! Aing! Kyu! Thank you~!"

Hajieun cleared her throat and sat down. "Alright, everyone. A message from my savior and heaven, Yu Eunha-nim."

"The signpost of the era shall change in the Foundation League."

"Don't break—flee instead. The top spot is mine."

Mimicking Yu Eunha's archaic tone, Hajieun cleared her throat and glanced at the chat—scrolling dozens of times faster than usual.

Articles will be everywhere by tomorrow.

*

In a darkened training ground in Seoul, after all students from Bless Academy had gone home, one girl remained, stretching alone.

Legs stretched straight in a split, she took slow deep breaths, then lifted her lower body into the air from that position.

Balancing in a handstand on both arms, eyes closed, the girl finally raised one hand off the ground too.

In the silence filled only with her breathing, a small noise echoed.

Clink—

The girl, focused on her breath, lifted her head toward the sound.

"You're here, Seong Jiho?"

"Ah, yeah. Did I interrupt?"

"Nah. Perfect timing."

She tumbled lightly back to her feet. Her toned, flexible body—mature beyond her years—gleamed under the dim lights.

"Coming to see me right before Foundation League…."

She pulled her waist-length hair into a tight ponytail and grinned.

"Must be about Yu Eunha, right?"

"…Yeah."

Isara's eyes narrowed.

"Hehe, here to share intel? I know you're not that nice."

"I'm not telling you—just like I didn't tell her about you."

"……."

Isara's eyes chilled.

"That's creepy. Acting like you know all about me."

"How could I not? The star shining brightest from the top, Lady Isara."

"……."

Isara's lips twitched up coldly. Her icy gaze clashed with the forced smile, giving an eerie vibe.

"Don't say that in front of the media. Got it?"

"Ten years as a clown. I know better than you."

"True. They even broadcast your birth."

"……."

Isara plopped down on the floor with a grumble. "If you're here to poke, mission accomplished~. But~ young master, isn't your magic deck not even fully optimized yet~? Why bother coming all this way?"

Seong Jiho approached with an awkward look.

"My lie backfired, so I came. Had Hunter build ready, but switched last minute."

"Huh?"

Seong Jiho sighed and stood behind the seated Isara.

Isara shook her head. "Seong Jiho~, you know it's two days before the tourney, right?"

"Yeah, finalized mine yesterday."

"What?"

"Going Executioner build."

Isara tilted her head. "You hate fighting mages. Still doing it?"

"Yeah. Hunter's a dead end."

Seong Jiho plucked a single hair from Isara's head.

"Ow!"

As Isara glared, he held up the white-rooted strand. "Time to dye. Roots are showing white."

"……."

Isara snatched it and tucked it regretfully into her ponytail. "Mind your business. White or black hair."

"That's why you dye—to avoid the teasing. Do it before it comes up."

"Hey! You're… making me self-conscious for no reason!"

"Then, I'm out~"

Seong Jiho waved and left the training ground.

Isara furrowed her brow, muttering. "Tch, switching from Hunter to Executioner two days before? That make sense?"

Dismissing it as nonsense, she quickly realized why and smirked.

"Ahh… he met her and got crushed?"

She knew Seong Jiho had sparred Eunha for practice. Must've been a huge shock to switch builds.

In that case.

In Isara's mind, a sim battle unfolded between Seong Jiho and Yu Eunha.

Eunha's Battle Mage, so he'd prep Executioner. Hunter should've countered that matchup….

Imagined Eunha, wrapped in Stella Maris, dismantled Jiho's defenses and counters effortlessly.

"Mm~"

The conclusion was simple.

"Even mighty Seong Jiho couldn't block Executioner with Hunter~?"

Hunter builds, heavy on defense and counters, always held matchup advantage over Executioner.

So Executioners usually targeted Pioneers or fellow Executioners, not tricky Hunters.

Even with matchup advantage, he lost….

Meditating on the floor, Isara frowned.

But that can't be all.

The math didn't add up.

"Nah, not that."

No reason to switch to Executioner if Hunter couldn't defend. Better invest more in defense/counter or optimize point gains.

Switching loses the matchup edge.

Isara's eyes hardened as the sim shifted.

"What if Eunha wasn't Executioner, but Pioneer…."

If Pioneer Eunha's point acquisition outpaced Hunter impossibly, ditching Hunter made sense.

"Jiho'd think anything but 1st is pointless. So he'd switch to a 1st-place shot, risks be damned."

Isara smiled faintly and stretched.

"Was that the situation…?"

Probably. Her guesses never missed so far.

"Ahh, can't wait."

Feeling a thrill, Isara raised her fist.

"Guide star. How strong have you gotten? My level? Or just a bit behind?"

A voice from her lost half-brother echoed faintly.

"……."

Isara scratched her head suddenly.

"Ah, gotta get those roots dyed."