Chapter 7
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: How to Screw Over the Novel's Protagonist
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"Did I lose...?"
A faint glow emanated from the chains wrapping around my entire body.
My dagger had stopped just short of Lee Seong-hyeon's throat.
'So I can't dodge this one after all.'
Lee Seong-hyeon's ultimate skill, Chain of Judgment.
The ability Ashte supposedly used to slay a god.
It could seal an opponent's movements regardless of any conditions—but only three times in a lifetime, a fatal drawback.
'Who would've thought he'd use it here.'
Even in victory, Lee Seong-hyeon wore a sour expression.
The mere fact that he'd burned one of his cheat key uses had to sting.
'Wasting one of his three lifetime cheats on a nobody like me? Yeah, that'd piss him off.'
As the Dark Screen lifted, the audience stands erupted in murmurs.
"Is he insane? How many skills does that guy even have?!"
"This is gonna make the news, right?!"
"Should I get an autograph now?"
"The world's so damn unfair."
In the end, things were playing out just like in [Awakening to SSS Hunter Academy].
"Si... Si-woo actually did pretty well, though..."
Ah, minus the one side character cheering for me.
'More importantly, when do these chains come off?'
I glanced at the proctor while thinking that.
The proctor finally snapped out of it, fiddling with the electronic device in his hand.
"Lee Seong-hyeon, victor. Return... to your positions."
As I moved to leave the arena at his command, I felt Lee Seong-hyeon's gaze on me.
Sharp and displeased, like daggers.
'You win with your cheat key and still look that salty?'
Lee Seong-hyeon's eyes, fixed on me, flashed golden.
"Tch."
He stared at me for a moment, then clicked his tongue and vanished from view.
'His voyeurism's getting worse.'
Couldn't believe he'd lost to a single page of a skillbook, huh?
Stew on that and stay mad.
'Now, let's check my harvest.'
I'd come close to victory, but it didn't matter.
Beating Lee Seong-hyeon wasn't the goal from the start.
I shifted my gaze to where the professors sat.
I didn't need the other professors' attention.
Just Professor Sin So-ah—the future top authority on skill usage in [Awakening to SSS Hunter Academy].
She was the one I needed.
She must have noticed my linked skills during the match.
I'd made sure of it.
'Even if she's not certain, I've piqued her interest.'
Right now, I was exactly what Professor Sin So-ah needed.
She'd surely test me soon enough.
All I had to do was bite when she dangled the bait.
Look at that.
Professor Sin So-ah's eyes were gleaming in my direction.
'That worked. And the most important part...'
"The skill Lee Seong-hyeon used doesn't seem like a common type."
"What about the other one?"
"You mean Kim Si-woo?"
"Yes. His use of a secondary weapon was interesting, and even with just one skill, his counters were impressive..."
The graders' conversation drifted over.
'That worked too.'
Every part of the original plan had succeeded.
Admission was a given, unwanted attention avoided.
While drawing exactly the interest I wanted.
Look.
They definitely knew I existed now.
"Are you mad, Professor Kim? You want to admit a one-page skillbook holder to Seoul Hunter Academy?"
"Just spitballing. We can't let students like that drag down the academy's prestige."
?
How does it twist into that?
'Stick to the rules for once. Enough with that elitist bullshit.'
In that instant, the arena's atmosphere shifted dramatically.
The air grew heavy, like a storm brewing.
A hush fell over the entire testing ground.
Then, the silence shattered with the click of camera shutters.
"I... isn't that Chairman Kang Young-ho?!"
"The Kang Young-ho from Inferno Clan?"
"He came for Lee Seong-hyeon?"
"Insane. First S-rank hunter I've ever seen!"
"Dude, take pics!"
A man radiating towering presence despite his age.
Chairman Kang Young-ho had arrived.
'Here comes my insurance.'
Kang Young-ho approached the graders from behind their seats.
"Long time no see."
"Chairman Kang? What brings you here...?"
"Can't I check out the sprouts who might join Inferno Clan myself?"
"Hahaha... As expected of you."
The professors who'd trashed me earlier were now fawning over Chairman Kang Young-ho.
Quite the sight.
"So, what do you think?"
"Pardon?"
"Of that match just now."
"Ah, you saw it. I figured the name hadn't leaked yet, but you'd already scouted him. Your eye is unmatched, Chairman."
"Scouted... I'm just keeping an eye out. So, what was it like? I'm quite curious about the result."
"The result? As you know, admission of course. At least five skillbook pages— a once-in-a-generation genius."
The chairman looked puzzled at the grader's words.
"Five skillbook pages? Who are you talking about?"
"Lee Seong-hyeon, right?"
Kang Young-ho pointed straight at me.
"I meant that one."
"Kim Si-woo? He's only got one page, so we were going to reject—"
"Strange. I was under the impression that Seoul Hunter Academy, backed by Inferno Clan, doesn't judge practical exams by skillbook pages."
"But we've never admitted anyone with just one page before..."
Kang Young-ho narrowed his eyes slightly, cutting him off.
"Hmm..."
The grader seemed to realize his mistake, swallowing hard.
Kang Young-ho leaned down, gripping the grader's shoulder.
"If I'm mistaken, do correct me."
Insurance with solid performance.
"Hwa-yeon, did you see that?!"
'Father himself came here? What the hell does that guy have...?'
"Hwa-yeon?"
'He's never shown the slightest interest in me before. But he came all this way just for that loser? What makes him so special...?'
"Kang. Hwa. Yeon."
"Oh, sorry. Just thinking for a sec."
Kang Hwa-yeon had stayed to watch the remaining matches at Baek A-rin's urging.
Baek A-rin, heir to the major clan Snow Mountain Clan.
Unlike her demeanor with others, she showed her true self around friends.
They were classmates at the hunter-specialized school—and Hwa-yeon's only friend.
"See? Told you it was worth sticking around. I had a feeling something divine was about to happen."
"Yeah..."
Baek A-rin sighed under her breath.
"He stood out that much, so the big clans are probably fighting over him already. No hidden gems lurking anywhere..."
Baek A-rin, stuck building her own faction amid brilliant siblings to inherit Snow Mountain Clan.
Hwa-yeon knew the situation, but her mind was elsewhere.
She frowned at Baek A-rin.
"What do you think?"
"Huh? About what...?"
"About Kim Si-woo."
Baek A-rin blinked in confusion at the question.
"Why him?"
It was a natural response.
This was the birth of a once-in-a-generation genius—why fixate elsewhere?
"Just... bugs me a bit. What'd you think?"
"Well... he only used one skill, so probably just the one page."
"Maybe he was holding back?"
Baek A-rin gave her an odd look.
"Why would he?"
"..."
Hwa-yeon fidgeted with her lips.
She knew it too.
Kim Si-woo's skillbook was definitely just one page.
Yet something still nagged at her.
'His movements don't make sense. He was already moving before seeing the attacks. Is that even possible? Precognition or something?'
"Kim Si-woo does give off a vibe like there's more to him..."
"What kind of vibe?!"
Baek A-rin laughed at her eager follow-up.
"Eh... like he just slams in hard? Probably just my imagination. What can a one-skill guy do? Why so surprised?"
"No, it's..."
Seeing Hwa-yeon's serious face, Baek A-rin asked,
"Why care so much about a guy like that?"
"Just... bugs me."
Grades were posted that day on a massive hologram billboard out front, like a wanted poster.
Naturally, crowds of students gathered, checking each other out—a total spectacle.
'One minute till reveal...'
Releasing rankings and grades like this?
Brutal.
Even thinking that, I kept staring at the board. It updated.
Cheers and groans mixed in the air.
I was in the cheering camp.
"Fuck yeah!"
The acceptance certificate on screen showed my grade and rank.
E-grade admission.
Honestly, a bit underwhelming for the effort.
But flipping a sure rejection? Good enough.
'Still, last place out of a thousand? Come on.'
And...
Top overall: Kang Hwa-yeon.
Runner-up: Lee Seong-hyeon, naturally.
Originally, he'd have taken first, but...
'Pushed that far by me? He should be grateful for second.'
Lee Seong-hyeon acts cool but craves showing off his strength.
His plans must be in shambles.
'What now? Can't regress without the queen killing you.'
His regression only works penalty-free on queen-induced death.
No way he'd grind to that point just to spite me.
Spotting his sour face in the distance, my appetite was already whetted.
Above all...
Tutorial Complete
The second page of the skillbook unlocks.
I couldn't stop grinning.