Last Girl Standing
[Sepiron put up a tremendous fight, but Alteer has come back even stronger than last year! Trading flashiness for destructive wide-area magic—I'm sure the viewers had a feast for the eyes.]
"It was a match where we were just a bit behind in skill, experience—everything. Allowing that wide-area spell to cast was our biggest blunder. If we'd interrupted it midway, we could've turned the tide with our mana advantage."
I laced my fingers together, expressing my regret. Last year it was barrier magic, but this year Alteer's joker card was wide-area spells, huh.
Of course, the students struggled to counter the wide-area magic, but it wasn't decisive in the outcome. It was hard to deny that Sepiron Academy was simply outmatched in raw skill.
"Once a wide-area magic circle activates, you can't think about dodging—you have to focus on blocking it. Right, Father?"
"Ahem. Indeed. For laminar flow magic, you calculate the boundary layer based on the given Reynolds number, then integrate the displacement thickness and momentum thickness to—"
"Hold on, stop right there. Sure, you could counter it that way, but at our level, we'd minimize barrier damage by finding the spot where mana output is weakest."
Obviously, disrupting a spell is way harder than casting one. It's like multiplying small numbers is easy, but prime factorizing a big one? Nightmare.
With Professor Cheon dropping pro terms, the viewers plunged into collective confusion, spamming dazed emotes. Was this mirror therapy? I'd better hold back from now on.
"Nami."
I was about to end the stream and stuff my pocket gadgets into my bag when Professor Cheon called my name.
"Yes? What is it?"
"No, nothing. I won't say much. I just want you safe and unscathed out there. Remember, winning or losing isn't what matters."
"I won't worry you."
"If you get in danger, I'll stop the match immediately. So judge wisely before it comes to that, okay? Alright?"
Professor Cheon straightened my shirt collar, fussing over my appearance. His eyes brimmed with indescribable worry. My chest tightened at being cared for like this.
I'm too old to crave this kind of affection anymore.
And there was a woman watching the scene with a frown.
"Aigoo, look at him doting on his precious daughter like she's the apple of his eye. Nami, don't mind us—go fight without pressure!"
Principal Gu On-yu had climbed up to the stands and patted my back, shoving me toward the arena.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Professor Cheon flashed a sharp glare, irritation flaring, but the principal shrugged nonchalantly.
"Overprotecting her is a problem too. Who knows? She might even take one out."
"The best scenario is our girl never stepping in at all. Has Sepiron Academy sunk this low, Principal Gu On-yu?"
If the seniors ahead all won, I wouldn't play—and that's what Professor Cheon wanted.
"Why take it out on me? The middle schoolers lost everything, and our elementary won 3-2. Nami, ignore us and go! Fighting!"
With Principal Gu On-yu's cheer kicking it off, cheers erupted from Sepiron's stands.
"NoName! Don't back down—show 'em everything! You're the best in game! Fight without fear!"
Seo Maru, on editing duty, waved her support stick wildly.
"Nami! Win big! If you lose, we'll tease you forever—brace yourself!"
My academy friends bounced in place, trying to keep me in sight longer.
I watched Professor Cheon and Principal Gu On-yu till the end, then turned and descended the stairs. With each step, my heart pounded in rhythm.
"Hoo..."
I entered the long underground tunnel. The concrete ceiling blotted out the blue sky. Dim lights from fixtures cast an eerie glow. Excitement and fear swirled, my head throbbing. But it was a feeling all too familiar.
Footsteps echoed softly in the dark tunnel. The crowd's roar that had deafened my ears was absent here—dead quiet.
At the tunnel's end, nine shadows waited. I ran to join them, filling the last spot.
Then a man in an orange vest passed us with a radio.
"Looks like everyone's here. This is E6 on standby. A3, request handover of participants."
The man pocketed the radio and turned to us.
"Kids, too bright? I'll drop the shutter a sec."
His face emerged into the crimson light—someone I knew well.
"Shin Yeon-ho...?"
"Sepiron spotting me first? Kinda hurts, underclassmen."
The volunteer for the academy tournament was Korea University Theoretical Magic senior Shin Yeon-ho. Seeing him here sparked joy; I greeted him.
"No way, Senior Shin Yeon-ho? Whoa, insane."
"Wow..."
"What brings you here?"
"What else? Unpaid volunteer work. But why are the third-years so frosty? Not like the first- and second-years."
"..."
Alteer's students exchanged glances but stayed silent. When one peeked at me, I stuck out my tongue and pulled a goofy face.
Keep your eyes down. Back in the day, you couldn't even stand before me.
Shin Yeon-ho brushed it off and offered senior wisdom.
"I won't tell you to fight careful and not get hurt. This is a duel to injure each other—what would be the point? Once it starts, go all out, no regrets for life. Sepiron underclassmen too."
"Yes, sir."
The replies came staggered.
"And my favorite Alteer underclassmen."
"Yes."
"This is your last chance."
"Last chance?"
"Your last shot at beating her."
Shin Yeon-ho pointed straight at me.
"She's not human like us. Mark my words—if you lose today, you'll never win."
"...?"
He flashed me a knowing smile. Hah, look at this guy. Having faced me, he acknowledged my skill—to a degree. But that wasn't nearly enough.
I gathered our deflated Sepiron seniors.
"Nami..."
"Sorry, we tried..."
"Seniors, no matter what, you're the pride of our academy."
In grade-based tournaments, you face the same opponents till graduation. Beaten down by endless losses, they anticipated defeat before it began.
"Still, Hwang Joo-young's the strongest among us..."
"I don't know much about this Hwang Joo-young. You all trained just as hard to make the team, right?"
"Yeah."
"Doesn't matter how many times you've lost to Alteer. The one laughing last wins. So let's win this year. And that alumni bro? I've hit him—he's frailer than he looks."
"Pfft! Ah, sorry..."
"Nah, trash talk before a match is fair game."
Shin Yeon-ho laughed good-naturedly and waved it off. But Alteer's kids glared murderously.
"Our underclassmen grow by watching seniors more than teachers. So like you said, set an example. If legs go, crawl on arms; if all limbs gone, bite with teeth—"
"Whoa, NoName, stop stop! We filming a gore flick? No need for that brutality! I just said give it your all...!"
Shin Yeon-ho yelled, cutting my pep talk. Sly as ever, already trying to sap Sepiron's morale.
"Anyway, I won't forgive easy losses. The second you give up, I'll be truly disappointed in you seniors."
"Won't happen. We've been at this years. Hell, we'll win so you don't have to fight—promise here!"
"Make our cute kid fight? No way. Let's win this year!"
"Azaraza, fighting!"
"Sepiron invincible! Sepiron eternal!"
Radio crackled, shutter rose. Two from Sepiron, two from Alteer climbed to the arena; the rest headed to benches via the side hall.
"Waaaaaaah!"
This passion, this vibe. Hope the seniors keep it to the end. For life, not just the match.
"Haa... haa... haaaargh! These Sepiron bastards piss me off to the end! Fuck, I need to pee!"
Lee Min-young screeched, venting rage. Her glossy brown hair was a mess. Soot smeared her face, ruining her makeup. Smudged eyeliner made her look like a vengeful ghost on the jumbotron.
"Real zombies or what? Extra vicious this year."
Tall-as-a-pole Park Jun-yong had taken less damage.
"You just chill in the back! Frontline for a lady like me?"
"Then learn magic instead of aura."
"Piss off. Hurry and mop up the last ones."
Crunch—Lee Min-young gnawed her already-bitten nails, thinking.
She'll keep her promise to erase that kid, right?
First meeting Nami, pride blinded her. But when otaku trash touched Nami and it blew up, worry hit—even her sanity returned from its trip.
"What? Bring your last shrimp friend too. I'll end you all at once."
"Ah... ahh..."
Lee Min-young menaced the Sepiron girl with a furious voice. The girl's eyes shook anxiously.
A year passed, and they'd forgotten: they were Alteer's predators. The ones who loved fighting—and hit dirty. With aura barriers, getting hurt in duels was harder. Yet three prior Sepiron kids were stretchered out unconscious. One arm twisted freakishly, mosaicked by AI observer.
If they were dumb, fine—but like all academy kids, their brains were elite gifts from parents.
"Hurry up, bitch! No sunscreen and you're making me wait? Ref, isn't stalling a rule break?"
"Shut it. Mouth itchy? Suck a candy."
Their aggression stemmed from nerves. How to handle NoName. Full power on a 7-year-old kid? No pride. But slacking? Shin Yeon-ho's warning echoed.
Especially after Jo Soo-yeon and Lee Jae-hwan ditched to dodge blame.
"Swap with otaku trash?"
"Nah. Mess perfect score, Soo-yeon'll bitch."
"So what?"
"See her skill first. Cocky mouth means confidence, right?"
As she spoke, the shutter rose. Blue flames sparked in Lee Min-young's eyes. Her aura surged to her legs, kicking the frozen girl's head without mercy.
KWAANG!
The girl's body flew dozens of meters, slamming the arena wall. Overkill, considering her remaining barrier.
"..."
Match resumes the instant Nami enters. Lee Min-young's move wasn't fair play—but not against rules.
"Now it's just you, NoName?"
The coldly observing Nami halted, dropping to her knees.
"What's she doing?"
"Dunno? Scared now?"
"Huh?"
Nami clasped hands, suddenly solemn, praying. The murmuring crowd fell silent at her oddity.
"El mabven sutra yekatirium. El las vestial saleantirumone. Dra est asha subur kimoshant."
First two lines rune chants; last an unintelligible tongue in strange cadence.
Simplified Cast: Demon King's Horn
A magic circle formed around her, brighter light than ever shooting skyward. Lee Min-young and Park Jun-yong lowered stances, drawing wands.
The circle shrank, settling butterfly-like atop Nami's head. She lowered arms, rising slowly.
"If you really wanted to win, you should've stopped me standing up first, brats."
Nami, descending alone to halt middle school's wipeout, spat the words.