The Academy's Savior
“…Seong Yujin is strong.”
“I know. He’s my son.”
Seong Ha-ri continued without missing a beat.
“And there are plenty of people stronger than Yujin.”
Her expression was deadly serious. She showed not the slightest intention of backing down.
Yet having Seong Ha-ri participate in a mere Academy Korea-Japan exchange match was absurd on its face. The moment she set foot in Japan, the media would erupt. The articles they would write were predictable: they would tear Ha-ri down while elevating Japan.
Of course, what truly worried Kang Jiyoung was not Japan’s reaction, but Seong Ha-ri’s reaction to Japan’s antics. The principal was already anxious about a woman who caused incidents at the drop of a hat.
“Principal Kang Jiyoung.”
Choi Jeonghwa, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. Dressed in a blue velvet one-piece and crossing her legs with arrogant poise, she showed not a hint of intimidation even with Kang Jiyoung sitting across from her.
“We’ve already decided to go to Japan. If the principal refuses, we’ll simply go privately. There are any number of ways to get there.”
“I already told you. The government and the Hero Association will never permit it.”
“Do you really think she cares about that?”
Choi Jeonghwa jerked her chin toward Seong Ha-ri.
“…….”
Kang Jiyoung had no rebuttal. Seong Ha-ri was the type who did exactly what she said she would. The principal’s mind raced. If she rejected their proposal outright and sent them away… the two women would simply spend their own money and follow the students to the Japanese Academy. She was nearly one hundred percent certain of it.
In that case, it would be better to…
Sending them along with the exchange-match students might actually be the safer option.
“…Very well. I will review your proposal positively. However, since I am yielding this far, the two of you will have to grant me a few requests of my own.”
Seong Ha-ri’s atmosphere lightened noticeably.
“As long as the requests aren’t too unreasonable, I’ll listen.”
“First of all…”
KRAAAANG!
A thunderclap shook the principal’s office, flooding the interior with white light. Every pair of eyes snapped toward the windows—toward the arena. The place was opened only for special events; right now the first-years were taking their practical exams.
KRAAAAAAAAAANG!
Lightning struck again.
Kang Jiyoung watched the bolts raining from the sky, then slowly turned her gaze to Seong Ha-ri.
“…Why are you looking at me? I didn’t do anything.”
“I know you didn’t. But someone connected to you almost certainly did. And I’m not particularly blaming anyone.”
“Yujin? A mage dropped that lightning?”
“There is no first-year mage capable of calling down lightning of that magnitude.”
“My Yujin really is amazing, isn’t he?”
Seong Ha-ri grinned from ear to ear. Even the slightest praise for her son instantly improved her mood. She knew full well she was far too soft on him… yet she couldn’t help it. Hearing her son complimented made the corners of her mouth rise in a pure spinal reflex.
KRAANG-KRAANG-KRAANG-KRAANG-KRAAAAAANG!
Lightning crashed down in rapid succession. The world beyond the windows flashed repeatedly.
Kang Jiyoung narrowed her eyes and asked,
“Even for someone off the charts, there are limits… Exactly how did you raise that son of yours? As an educator, I truly want to know.”
“Raise him…? I thought I raised him pretty normally… Though Yujin is stronger than I expected. Has he grown that much already…?”
Seong Ha-ri tilted her head, looking genuinely puzzled.
KRAANG-KRAANG-KRAANG-KRAANG-KRAAAAAANG!
Struck by successive bolts of lightning, Ma Jinbae toppled forward.
It had taken only ten seconds from the start of the one-on-one spar. I had originally planned to finish him with a single strike… but the bastard’s body was tougher than expected, so he tanked the first bolt easily. When he tanked the second as well, I simply dropped seven consecutive lightning strikes on him.
“Stop!”
The proctor intervened. He quickly gestured to the waiting staff, who carried the unconscious Ma Jinbae off to the medical room. Even though he had blacked out, he wouldn’t have any real injuries. This arena was equipped with an Aurora Simulator, after all.
“Seong Yujin. Return to the waiting room.”
“Yes.”
My next match was an hour away. Back in the waiting room, I watched the following bouts on the installed monitors.
Lee Si-eun vs. Bae Seona.
Bae Seona was a mage from Class 1-4. She mainly used fire-attribute magic and had entered the academy ranked 54th.
She was smiling with complete confidence against Lee Si-eun. Clearly she had done her homework. Energy-control abilities were generally regarded as a lesser version of magecraft, so she was probably already counting her victory.
That would be true against an ordinary energy controller.
The proctor blew the whistle, signaling the start of the spar.
Bae Seona moved by the book. She first opened distance while casting, then attacked the moment the cast finished without the slightest hesitation. She didn’t stand still after the attack either—she immediately began casting the next spell.
Lee Si-eun simply gestured toward the incoming fireball. The fireball’s trajectory reversed and flew straight back at Bae Seona. Caught off guard, Bae Seona failed to react in time. That was her fatal mistake. She took her own fireball full-on, and immediately afterward Lee Si-eun’s lightning bolt slammed into her.
The fight ended so easily it was almost boring.
Bae Seona’s carelessness played a big part. Still, even if she hadn’t been careless, Lee Si-eun would have won.
A mage like Bae Seona simply could not beat Lee Si-eun. If she had been a more experienced mage it might have been a different story, but she wasn’t.
Looking at this, I don’t need to worry about Lee Si-eun at all.
My next opponent was Kim Cheonwoo.
I glanced around. The arena was packed with first-years. Every single one of them was watching this match. Rank 2 versus Rank 5 at entrance— a big match you didn’t get to see every day.
Kim Cheonwoo gripped his greatsword in both hands and leveled it at me.
“I already know I can’t beat you. Even so, I’ll give it everything I have. I’ll face this spar with my full power. So please do the same for me.”
“Sure, whatever.”
BEEEEEEEEEP!
The whistle screamed.
I aimed the RPG-7 I was holding at Kim Cheonwoo and pulled the trigger. The rocket roared out trailing fire. Kim Cheonwoo turned his greatsword sideways and charged straight through it.
KRAAAAAAAAAANG!
An explosion bloomed. Kim Cheonwoo burst through the smoke and swung his greatsword at me. Blade energy coated the massive weapon as it carved through empty air with a heavy whoosh. The wide motion left a clear opening. I slipped straight into it.
Charna
Remaining stacks: 6
The faster I end the spar, the more I stand out and the higher my score climbs.
I had no intention of dragging this out. The spear in my hand shot in a straight line toward Kim Cheonwoo’s solar plexus—then his body suddenly spun. The rotation was far too fast. If I stayed on this path I would be the one sliced by the greatsword. I hastily pulled back.
It wasn’t a sudden spin. He anticipated I would close in… and started rotating his body from the very beginning.
I clicked my tongue. Kim Cheonwoo had prepared a countermeasure specifically for Charna.
He knew I use Charna often. Not exactly surprising—I’ve used it plenty during practicals.
At close range, Charna was nearly impossible to dodge. The greater the skill gap, the more impossible it became. But if the opponent knew it was coming and prepared for it, the story changed. Kim Cheonwoo’s response to Charna had been excellent. He deserved praise.
But what are you going to do about the second and third times?
Charna
Remaining stacks: 5
I closed the opened distance again with Charna. In the slowed world, Kim Cheonwoo’s eyes trembled—he had reacted to Charna. His greatsword quivered minutely as it swung toward me.
Charna
Remaining stacks: 4
I slipped past the greatsword by a hair’s breadth and drove my spear into Kim Cheonwoo’s throat. He staggered from the impact and collapsed to the ground.
“…You don’t even give me time to go all-out.”
“So you’re not accepting the loss?”
“The opposite. I lost. I’ll admit that with my current self I can’t beat you easily. But next time will be different.”
Kim Cheonwoo’s eyes blazed. Honestly, it was a real pain in the ass. When a guy clung like this it just irritated me. If Kim Cheonwoo hadn’t held value as a weapon against the Great Demon, I would have crushed him thoroughly.
“…Work hard.”
My final, third sparring opponent was Ryu Hana, the top-ranked student at entrance.
I had expected it, so it wasn’t surprising in the least.
Since Rank 2 Kim Cheonwoo went down so easily, of course Rank 1 Ryu Hana would step up.
Even before the spar began, Ryu Hana already held dual swords in both hands and had assumed a full combat stance. That meant she intended to go all-out from the very first second.
I won’t charge in with Charna.
Just as Kim Cheonwoo had, Ryu Hana would have prepared countermeasures for Charna. There was no reason to move the way my opponent wanted.
The tense air of the arena became a breeze that flowed past. Ryu Hana’s soft purple hair fluttered, and sand dust rose from the packed earth of the arena floor.
“Draw your sword. I know your real weapon isn’t a rocket launcher or a spear—it’s a blade.”
“Hmm. I feel like I can beat someone of your level without drawing a sword.”
“You… I’ll make you regret those words.”
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
The whistle screamed. Ryu Hana and I moved in opposite directions. I fled backward; she stayed rooted in place.
As expected, she was ready for Charna.
Ryu Hana flinched in surprise and belatedly gave chase.
While running, I hurled a spear at her.
CLANG!
She knocked the spear aside with her dual blades, yet still frowned. Her legs faltered for a moment. The lightning energy contained in the spear had traveled through her body.
Her muscles must have jumped from the lightning energy.
She clenched her teeth and stuck right on my heels.
I kept throwing spears while retreating. This time Ryu Hana didn’t try to block them—she simply sidestepped.
Quick judgment.
All I had to do was throw two or three spears in rapid succession so she couldn’t dodge.
The more lightning energy she absorbed, the slower her movements became. And every spear in my hands eventually disappeared.
“Draw your sword.”
Ryu Hana said.
“I already told you I can win without drawing it.”
“…You’ll pay the price for looking down on me.”
“I didn’t look down on you. You’re the one who looked down on me.”
Snap!
I flicked my fingers. For an instant Lightning Flash flared and vanished. Immediately afterward, every spear I had thrown—scattered across the arena—rose into the air under magnetic force and flew at Ryu Hana all at once.
“What?!”
Ryu Hana panicked and began dancing. She barely managed to dodge or deflect the spears streaking toward her.
I kept flicking my fingers, laying down a rhythm for her dance.
Snap! Snap-snap! Snap-snap-snap!
With each sound, Lightning Flash flared and twelve spears moved as if alive, attacking Ryu Hana relentlessly.
This actually works.
Even I was surprised after doing it. In the past, controlling magnetic force had been quite difficult.
Because I have more mana now? Or simply because I’ve grown?
Deciding she couldn’t continue like this, Ryu Hana abandoned defense and charged straight at me.
“You’re the source of the power! If I just take you down…!”
“You think those legs slowed by lightning energy can take me down quickly? Absolutely not.”
THWACK!
Five spears slammed into Ryu Hana’s back.
That was the end.
She couldn’t withstand the impact and toppled over.
Judging the match decided, the proctor stepped in.
Lying on the ground, Ryu Hana bit her lip hard and glared up at me.
“For me to lose like this… it’s impossible…!”
“Heh. Try harder next time.”