Conditions of a Shining Star

Bless Academy had two stars. The unrivaled brightest, Isara, whom everyone acknowledged. And the sparkling one who wouldn't yield to her, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Seong Jiho. Those two were the sole reason Bless Academy was considered prestigious.

After all, it was little more than a small academy with just over ten students and only two coaches.

"......"

Seong Jiho spat out the blood pooling in his mouth and rose from the desert sands. His lungs must have been damaged by the chill—his chest ached relentlessly.

"What a annoying spell, that crystallization business."

At Seong Jiho's words, Eunbyeol, who looked just as battered, furrowed her brow.

"Your Stone Spear is the real pain.... No clue where it's gonna come flying from next—super stealthy or something."

From the way she clutched her side, she'd clearly taken damage to her abdomen. In fact, Eunbyeol was drenched in cold sweat.

Seong Jiho drew a deep breath, biding his time. If he used the spell he'd prepared for Yu Eunha now, the cooldown would throw off his pace.

But if I don't use it, I'll lose.

Eunbyeol was that much of a threat. Her specialty was attribute collapse, so dragging things out would put him at risk.

The ether around us is laced with cold attributes. Gotta end this quick.

Otherwise, he'd just hand over points when her freezing magic suddenly exploded. Finishing his calculations, Seong Jiho swiftly widened the distance.

Moving fast made his lungs burn. But the more it hurt, the tighter he clenched his teeth.

I'm sick of tripping over some rookie who popped up out of nowhere.

There had been a time when Seong Jiho himself was number one in the juniors. Back when Isara, struggling to control her overwhelming ether talent, faltered—and he'd surged ahead.

When he'd dominated every Junior J3 league tournament and been hailed as the emperor of the juniors.

After that glorious year at age seven, it had all been downhill for him.

Pushed down from emperor to crown prince by the genius Isara. Then to third place, out of the spotlight, by the demon Yu Eunha.

Now even that spot was precarious, threatened by new challengers Hong Jiyeon and Eunbyeol.

Losing here might relegate him to a second-year repeater, delaying his pro debut.

"That's why.... I won't back down ever again."

Falling behind made his blood boil now. He'd rather shatter than regret crashing headfirst.

"Watch closely! If you wanna be a shining star! Blocking this is the bare minimum condition!"

"What?"

"I won't hand over a star's spot! That easily!!"

Raw emotions flooded Seong Jiho's image core. His mother threatening him with a kitchen knife. His mother abandoning everything and leaving. Those feelings toward that pitiful, wretched woman projected onto the wasteland.

As casting ended, flowers bloomed in the wasteland.

*

The hologram stage captured the two children's desperate struggle in stark detail. Seong Jiho gasping raggedly, lungs injured. His own daughter coughing up bloody froth, innards damaged.

After a brief standoff, a massive magic circle unfurled around them.

The caster's machine-gun commentary cut off.

At the same moment, the huge magic circle vanished, revealing Seong Jiho's spell.

Cheers erupted from the stands. The audience rose in a standing ovation.

Sharp stone blades covered the wasteland. His daughter desperately dodged with movement magic, getting slashed here and there before finally tumbling to the ground.

Eunbyeol's father could no longer watch and dropped his head.

As Eunbyeol's father's ears rang dully, one line cut through clearly.

"......"

Eunbyeol's father lifted his head, and the rankings appeared before him.

*

Hong Jiyeon scowled at the scorching desert heat. Only purple abyssal blood remained before her.

She'd rushed over at Lee Ye-eun's scream, but the girl had already forfeited and vanished.

"Tch, couldn't stick around for me to snag some points? Forfeited already."

Well, if she'd been that badly hurt, she'd have bailed quick too for the points.

Hong Jiyeon casually cleared the remaining abyssal entities and moved on.

This misjudgment probably dropped me from first....

She bit her lip. Her mouth went dry with anxiety.

In this short tournament allowing only 50 minutes, a single misjudgment tanked your rank.

Especially in the top ranks—such errors were fatal.

Hers had surely plummeted further.

4th? Outside top 5? Maybe even top 10....

She itched to summon the rankings but suppressed the urge.

Everything is heaven's will, got it, Gasna? Ignore the rankings, focus on your pace.

Recalling her master's words, she pressed forward.

Soon, she spotted a junior mage battling a pack of abyssals.

Trailblazer type—Superheat Hell will finish him.

The fireballs dispatched the trailblazer mage in seconds.

"Aaaah! When'd the Executioner get here?!"

Confirming the fallen trailblazer, she waited out the cooldown. Low-grade abyssal packs remained.

Clear those with Superheat Hell too—150 points in a flash. Can make up for the earlier mistake!

As Hong Jiyeon anxiously awaited cooldown,

The incoming water spell swept away the abyssal pack. Her comeback chance gone, rage surged.

Water Jet means Gold Bit only....

A boy emerged from beyond the burning sands.

"Hong Jiyeon! We meet here again!"

Her old regional rival, the water-fire duo guy—blond Kang Euntae.

Euntae, yet blond. Fire tower heir, yet water mage. Annoying punk anyway.

"How's my dad these days?"

Ignoring his jab, she eyed an angle to close distance.

"If you're thinking greedy flames, give it up. I ain't giving up close range. Your magic's like my dad's, so I know all about you."

The guy always yapped too much. Real men should be solid.

Hong Jiyeon took a deep breath, gathering ether.

"Busan barely has mages, so coming to Seoul should've made you greater. Hong Jiyeon."

"......"

"Quit like me and come to Seoul."

Fire rained on the smug Euntae.

"I can dodge this mu—"

The fireballs abruptly changed trajectory, chasing Kang Euntae.

"Huh? Wha—?! You brought 1-level Control here too?!"

Fireballs swarmed Euntae in an instant.

*

"That's why this ain't enough, I tell ya."

Hong Jiyeon bit her lip. Even if ether addiction grayed her hair and blood refluxed in her mouth.

She prepared another spell.

"Nah, Jiyeon, this is plenty. You've maxed Ether Control already."

"Even that slacker Eunbyeol does this much! Ya expect me to settle for this?!"

Tears welled in her bloodshot eyes.

"Master don't get it at all! My goal ain't 5th! I gotta crush Yu Eunha and Isara, those brats!"

At Jiyeon's words, her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠master, Hellfire Mage Kang Jaeho, pinched his brow.

Tower lord of mid-tier Hell Tower, now advisor to Haesin Tower—and Jiyeon's master.

"Master went to Olympia too. Compared to those folks, I ain't shit, right? But why ya say it's enough?!"

"Olympia was...."

Kang Jaeho scratched his head at her words.

"Sit."

Jiyeon plopped grumpily on the arena floor at his command.

"No shortcuts in the magic world. Not even for geniuses."

"......"

"Steady buildup makes you shine one day. No one becomes a star overnight."

"I know. But this ain't gonna cut it."

Hong Jiyeon floated fireballs, pouting.

"Two months left in Foundation League. But my magic cards ain't enough. Isara's prepped 4-level for sure. Yu Eunha's got more than one ace...."

"Overexaggerating, Jiyeon."

"No. Both got 4-level ready."

Kang Jaeho sighed at her firm tone.

Just two or three months to Foundation League. Mastering 4-level in that time? Impossible.

"Fine. Then let's prep one secret plan to match."

Her eyes widened at "secret plan."

"But if you quit ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠midway, plan's off."

She nodded vigorously.

"What is it? Attribute collapse? 4-level? Counter? No way—spell fusion!?"

To her sparkling eyes, Kang Jaeho smiled faintly.

"Even harsher basics."

"Ah...?"

Hong Jiyeon's face fell.