Chapter 100
Chapter 100
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 100
Chapter Title: One-on-One Duel (6)
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Nam Da-eun finished her medical check with Baek A-young and lay down on the waiting room sofa.
She reflected on her actions from just moments ago.
'Why did I do that...?'
Showing someone her call with her little sister was something she'd never done in her life.
It had been a sudden whim, and she still couldn't quite figure out why.
Maybe, just maybe, she wanted to lean on someone, even a little.
"Haa..."
In the quiet waiting room enveloped in silence, Nam Da-eun stared at the ceiling, sorting through her thoughts.
'He was a good person.'
He'd been kind at the mart, kind at the vending machine too. That much was certain.
But once the finals were over and the rankings came out, their group would change, and that would be the end of it.
Nam Da-eun felt a twinge of regret.
"First place..."
Of course Lee Ho-yeon wanted first place too. He'd made it to the finals, after all.
But no matter how decent he was, she couldn't yield first place.
To Nam Da-eun, her little sister was more precious than anything.
*
Knock knock knock.
"Come in."
"Excuse meee..."
Baek A-young slipped into my waiting room, glancing around nervously.
"Why are you sneaking in like that, A-young?"
"Well... there's not much time left."
Less than twenty minutes until the finals began.
Sure, we could squeeze in a quick one if we hurried... but I wanted to face the finals in peak condition.
"Just do the medical check for now. No time for anything else."
"Okay..."
As Baek A-young ran through the light checks one by one, she kept stealing glances at me.
Her eyes screamed she wanted something, so I teased her a bit.
"Sigh... feels like my body's a little off."
"W-where?!"
"Nah, false alarm."
"Mmm..."
Baek A-young pouted and resumed the checks.
'She's ridiculous.'
How bad did she want it?
I finished teasing her through the medical check.
"All done. Good luck in the finals."
"Thanks."
Seeing her pouty face as she cheered me on tugged at me a little too.
★ Heroine Status ★ [Baek A-young] Favorability: 87 (+0.4) Libido: 73 Appetite: 30 Fatigue: 35 Current Status: He won't do it after all... "A-young, you're heading to the orphanage this weekend for volunteering, right?"
"Yeah, unless something comes up."
Perfect. Our schedules had been tricky, but we could meet at the orphanage.
"Mind if I tag along?"
"S-sure. But no weird stuff there again."
"Got it. I won't do too many weird things."
"Okay..."
Baek A-young's pout eased at the promise of seeing each other over the weekend.
She didn't even bat an eye at the "not too many" part.
★ Heroine Status ★ [Baek A-young] Favorability: 87 (+0.4) Libido: 73 Appetite: 30 Fatigue: 35 Current Status: Orphanage, yay...! But please no photos... She really hates photos, huh.
Maybe I should stop taking them for real?
Then again, I probably don't need blackmail material anymore.
She's at the level where she'll come begging for it herself.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [The 1st year 1v1 duel finals will begin shortly. Spectators, please take your seats and maintain order.] "I should head to the athlete waiting area now."
"Yeah. Hope you get a good result."
"See you this weekend, A-young."
I said goodbye to Baek A-young and headed to the athlete stands.
[This 1v1 duel is drawing unprecedented attention even for a 1st year match! At the center are two cadets clashing: Nam Da-eun, who's never once lost her practical exam top spot, versus the skyrocketing supernova, Lee Ho-yeon!]
As I waited, listening to the commentator hype our careers in that cringey tone, a staff member approached.
"You can head up now."
"Yep."
The path to the arena was electric with the finals crowd's energy.
I could see Nam Da-eun ascending from the opposite side.
Standing in the arena amid the roaring cheers and booming commentary.
Whoosh—
The mana barrier rose, cutting off the surrounding noise. Nam Da-eun, standing before me, met my eyes.
"Give it your all."
"Yeah. I'll take first for sure."
Nam Da-eun smiled back at my encouragement.
[5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Begin!]
Even after the start signal, neither of us moved.
Nam Da-eun had always taken the initiative in every match so far, but this time she seemed intent on playing it slow.
No choice—I drew up my mana first.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
My heart raced, blood surging through my body.
As I entered combat stance, Nam Da-eun raised her sword.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Wait a second.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
The moment she took her stance, my body grew hotter and hotter.
...This much?
It hit faster than against Felix, heavier than facing the ogre.
My Combat Sense, which I'd thought I'd grown used to, filled me up, demanding more.
Time seemed to slow as my senses sharpened intensely, my entire body priming for battle.
"...Forfeiting would've been the smart call, huh."
Among everyone I'd faced so far, Nam Da-eun was the strongest.
*
'He's strong.'
Nam Da-eun thought as she gazed at Lee Ho-yeon, his eyes dyed gold.
He was on a different level from ordinary cadets.
To win for sure, she'd have to stop holding back.
Decision made, Nam Da-eun channeled mana into her sword.
A skill she'd never revealed anywhere.
[Spatial Domination] It was her unique skill, a direct manifestation of her authority [Spatial Domination].
She spread mana throughout the arena.
Inside this space, distance meant nothing to her anymore.
'Better end it quick.'
Space rippled around Nam Da-eun, purple energy coiling on her sword.
Lee Ho-yeon's jaw dropped at the preparation for 'Spatial Slash,' a move he'd seen countless times in the original game.
'No way she can already do Spatial Slash?'
Nam Da-eun revealed her hidden power.
Reading my Combat Sense's pressure, she wanted to end it fast. She didn't want to drag it out and risk the unexpected.
'So she acknowledges me that much.'
Was this a good thing or bad? Hard to say.
I couldn't even gauge how much she'd been holding back.
Spatial Slash was a mid-to-late story skill.
It appeared around the end of 1st year or start of 2nd, when someone finally snatched her practical top spot. And she already had it.
Lee Ho-yeon slowly lowered his stance, steadying his breath, bracing for the attack.
[Spatial Domination] had absurd effects, but massive mana cost.
Dragging it out favored me.
Meanwhile, fighting mages was Nam Da-eun's specialty. They couldn't handle her speed and power.
But Lee Ho-yeon wasn't your average mage. He used skills like [Spatial Acceleration], showing unnatural agility for a caster, and his shield spells were weirdly sturdy.
To exploit his openings, Nam Da-eun began moving slowly.
Lee Ho-yeon adopted a defensive posture in response.
The moment he fired probing fireballs at her—
Nam Da-eun's sword rushed at him.
Bang—!
Reacting to her instant distance close, Lee Ho-yeon threw up a close guard to block the sword, then counter-fired spells.
Pillars of flame erupted from the ground, explosions burst in the air. Nam Da-eun retreated, readjusting her stance.
Expecting it not to land anyway, Lee Ho-yeon stayed calm and kept casting.
Countless fireballs and flaming spears shot toward Nam Da-eun.
'Not using Spatial Slash yet, huh.'
Nam Da-eun was baiting his thoughts.
Once he was convinced she had no ranged options, she'd finish with Spatial Slash.
But Lee Ho-yeon knew about it.
So he always reserved one double-cast slot for defense.
Nam Da-eun was also flustered by Lee Ho-yeon's tighter-than-expected defense.
'He can double-cast. Why's he only using one spell at a time?'
Shed been probing patiently for victory, but he showed no gaps.
He'd probably figured she had an ace up her sleeve.
Try to close in, and he'd widen the gap with spells. Force it, and his instant accel skills made counterattacks risky.
'No helping it. Gotta break through.'
The longer [Spatial Domination] ran, the fewer chances for Spatial Slash.
Spatial Slash guaranteed victory if landed cleanly.
So she just needed to create an opening.
Unleash an onslaught he couldn't endure without double-casting.
Nam Da-eun cleaved through half the incoming fireballs and plunged into the gap.
Lee Ho-yeon blocked her blink-fast strike and smiled.
Her shift to offense meant she was feeling the pressure.
Of course, his mana was straining too, but she didn't know that.
She was the desperate one. And if she forced her way in like this, he had a trump card.
'Might work... feels like it will.'
Nam Da-eun had been guarding against his 'acceleration' and 'spiral' the whole fight.
That's why she hadn't dived deep like against a normal mage, always wary of counters.
But a skill she'd never seen? She couldn't prepare for that.
Lee Ho-yeon smirked, trading blows with Nam Da-eun.