Starlight Begins from Within the Star

Flying flames from the Superheat Hell wrapped around Kang Euntae like living creatures. After rolling, leaping, and dodging countless times, the final fireball grazed his ear.

"Huff... huff..."

Just as Kang Euntae thought he'd barely escaped the encirclement, a brilliant light rose from beneath his feet. A magic circle hidden in the sand.

"Oh crap, they ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠herded me here on purpose?!"

Boom—

A massive explosion erupted from the ground, cracking his barrier with a sharp sound.

Crack—

Kang Euntae's body flew through the air and slammed into the sandy floor. The lower half of his barrier was massively fractured.

"Urk, I'm still... fine..."

As Kang Euntae tried to stand and recast his protective magic, more spells came flying in, as if this weren't the end. A sudden whirlwind battered him, and he knew it was over.

Black flames like those from the Abyss hurtled toward him.

"When did that happen?! I didn't even sense the casting!"

The 3-level spell struck Kang Euntae dead-on.

"Aaaagh!"

As Kang Euntae rolled on the sandy ground to extinguish the flames, Jiyeon panted heavily and wiped her sweat.

She'd coated Superheat Hell with Ether Control to herd him into position, then distracted him with an Explosion Trap while finishing with Hell Flame.

[Superheat Hell] + [Ether Control] → [Explosion Trap] → [Hell Flame]. A linked combo.

That was it. Jiyeon's build crammed all four spells into one extreme execution combo. Miss even one, and the chain broke—no evasion, mobility, or defense to fall back on.

What kind of lunatic mentor would make a girl under 15 run ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠something like this?

'But it works.'

No matter how laid-back and carefree he seemed, Kang Euntae was top-5 material. For a powerhouse like that to go down without a fight meant the combo was that strong.

'Build survival basics solidly, then forge 100% reliable linked spells on top.'

Her mentor was right. Even Yu Eunha wouldn't escape this easily.

Kang Euntae spat out the sand in his mouth, his face twisted in shock.

"No way. Four spells all linked together? Who the hell runs a crazy build like that?"

Jiyeon stepped in front of the fallen guy.

"Ya still don't get it? In our era... if ya ain't born a genius or reborn..."

She finished casting Superheat Hell again and opened her mouth.

"...ya get eaten alive by those two monsters, ya know."

"Ah..."

Jiyeon and Kang Euntae's gazes turned to the distant dust cloud rising in the air—the spot where Yu Eunha had passed by earlier.

"Those crazy bitches..."

"Thanks fer the praise~"

Countless missiles targeted a single point on his barrier, finally taking Kang Euntae down.

Beep—

His body glowed blue and vanished.

'Third place with this? Maybe even second.'

But after this chaos, the hyenas would swarm soon.

'Gotta bail fast or I'm done.'

Jiyeon laid an explosion trap below her and closed her eyes. No mobility spells, so this brutal method was her only option.

Boom—

Riding the blast's recoil through the air, Jiyeon gritted her teeth against her throbbing legs. Venom filled her dark red eyes.

'I won't lose. Never.'

She had to claim this year's championship. The hype around mage Hong Jiyeon was something she desperately needed.

*

A strange tension hung over the VIP seats.

Eliminated fighter Lee Ye-eun, who'd put up a valiant struggle, sobbed uncontrollably before her coach, eyes bloodshot.

"Teacher... ugh... I thought I'd make top 5 this time... I was so stupid to push too hard..."

"It's okay. You did great, Ye-eun. Plenty of people got to know you, even if just for a bit."

Monica approached the weeping junior mage and offered her hand.

Bursting blood vessels regenerated along Monica's fingertips, and the bruises on her face faded.

"You've got an interview later, so best look your finest, right?"

Lee Ye-eun nodded vigorously.

"M-Monica's magic on me..."

"Hehe, of course! You worked hard."

As the VIP seats warmed with a touching vibe, the door opened and another fighter appeared.

"......"

Silence fell over everyone.

"Byeol."

"Teacher..."

Having heard Eunbyeol's story, Monica simply closed her eyes and looked away. One glimpse of the dejected girl's face, and she'd burst into tears herself.

'Making dropouts pass through the VIP seats? What a demonic route design.'

Probably to milk drama, but it felt too harsh on these underage kids. Forcing exhausted children in front of cameras to squeeze out tears for spectators...

'That's how mages become stars, I guess.'

Monica pretended to stare at the wall while eavesdropping.

"I did good, right...?"

After that brutal fight, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠what mentor would say otherwise?

"Yeah. Couldn't have been better."

Soft applause rippled through the seats.

"All this time... thank you so much... ugh..."

Eunbyeol finally broke, her sobs echoing in the VIP area.

"I owe you... so much... really..."

As tears welled in eyes hearing Eunbyeol's tale, the hologram stage captured Hong Jiyeon and Kang Euntae.

'Korean Foundation League is total chaos.'

The moment Monica's gaze shifted to the stage, Hong Jiyeon and Kang Euntae's battle began. Unlike Eunbyeol and Seong Jiho's bloody slugfest, this one ended fast and clean.

Hong Jiyeon's combo sealed Kang Euntae's crisp defeat. Watching it all, Monica let out a disbelieving chuckle.

"Cramming four spells into one combo? Totally insane! Who cooked up that strategy?"

Monica frantically checked her phone for Hong Jiyeon's mentor.

'Hellfire Mage Kang Jaeho...'

A powerhouse who'd even competed in Olympia, and his profile pic made him look like a total nerd with glasses—extra creepy.

'Someone like that grinds out a nuts build for the ranking wars? Korea's scary as hell...'

Monica clicked her tongue and bit her nails.

'Our Eunha's ranking's gonna drop...'

As Monica shivered, staring at the leaderboard, the updated rankings reflecting the fight appeared.

The Foundation League rankings were a mess. Hong Jiyeon had rocketed up 8 spots to claim first.

"What?! How'd her score jump that much? She only took down two mages!"

Calculating Jiyeon's points, Monica slapped her forehead in realization.

"Aha! Shoving all four spells into one combo must've racked up insane technical points. That's what they were gunning for!"

Survival mode had technical points (TP) like tournaments. Sure, points came from abyssal entities and mages, but TP still measured spell sophistication.

'An all-in TP build. No wonder the base score's sky-high.'

As Monica anxiously tallied Hong Jiyeon's towering first-place score, North Sea Mage Park Seongwoong approached.

Seeing his red-rimmed eyes, Monica narrowed hers.

"Putting on quite the melodrama, huh."

"......"

Park Seongwoong brushed tear stains from his clothes.

"If it sways their parents' hearts even a little, I'll do soap opera or slapstick—whatever it takes."

"......"

Speechless, Monica muttered softly.

"Anyone'd think you're the only mentor with a backstory..."

Park Seongwoong smirked at her.

"And you? You holding up okay?"

"......"

"You know the Foundation League jinx better than anyone."

"Haha... I don't buy into jinxes..."

Seongwoong pointed at Monica's trembling hand.

"This is a tourney for under-15 teens. Kids growing at an astonishing rate every day, grinding their teeth in prep."

"I know. Front-runners by data, but victory's fate. That's your point, right?"

"Yeah. Mages who shine in Junior League almost never win Foundation."

In truth, winners were usually fresh faces or perennial 3rd/4th placers. Hong Jiyeon locking first fit that narrative perfectly.

Monica grinned fiercely.

"But some stars burn bright enough to shatter all that data."

"......"

"My little one's that kind of star. Just watch."

"Hmm."

Park Seongwoong stroked his goatee.

"That star's struggling in third right now, though."

Monica flashed a beaming smile.

"Not a chance. My little one's Foundation League is just getting started."

*

A massive corporation handling over ten thousand fans. If you asked who'd grown the most alongside Yu Eunha this year—not Isara, not Hong Jiyeon, not Eunbyeol—it'd be none other than Hajieun.

"Uwaaaah! Our galaxy lord dropped to third plaaaace!!!"

"Agh. Shoulda picked more trash yesterday! Regret not grabbing more cig butts!"

As everyone laughed at Hajieun's scream, Yu Eunha's wide-area spell rained down on the wasteland.

Wave of Stars, debuting in this tournament, wasn't just a simple ocean summon. A black sea surged to immobilize foes, then bright starlight exploded, sweeping everything away. Incredibly complex and beautiful.

"Whoa, that spell's seriously impressive. How's that a 1-level spell?"

As the black ocean waves filled the wasteland, sweeping low-grade abyssal entities en masse, the MC's voice boomed.

The casters' and commentators' words enlarged the minimap on the hologram stage. Second-place Isara and third-place Yu Eunha drew ever closer.