Chapter 925
Chapter 925
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 925
Chapter Title: Academy's Savior
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After school today, I headed to the training hall for the first time in a while.
The training hall was a staple of academy life; no student worth their salt skipped out on it. It was the premier spot for running into peers and building the kind of connections that lasted a lifetime.
That was especially true because Ryu Hana—the first-year ace and a playable character—was a permanent fixture there. If you were playing as any other character and spent enough time in the hall, you were practically guaranteed to run into her.
The moment I stepped into the lobby, every eye in the room locked onto me. I wasn't sure if it was just hunter instinct or something more, but they definitely sensed my arrival.
Curious gazes followed me, accompanied by a wave of hushed whispers. I sharpened my hearing to catch the chatter.
"Is that Sung Yu-jin? The guy from Class 1?"
"I heard he’s a rare Spirit User."
"Word on the street is he’s actually stronger than the top-ranked freshman."
"And his family is elite. You’ve heard of the True Spirit Clan, right?"
Since I hadn't been around in a while, everyone was busy sizing me up, including a few second- and third-year students. A few brave souls approached me with questions, and despite the hassle, I played along. With so many eyes on me, I had to be careful about how I carried myself.
"You’re Sung Yu-jin, rank 5 in the enrollment standings, right? I’m Lee Min-joo, rank 66 from Class 2. If you’re free, would you like to train together?"
She was a cute girl with a short bob. The blue stripe on her sleeve identified her as a fellow first-year.
"Sorry, I’ve already got plans for today... but maybe next time? mind if I grab your number?"
I made sure to be polite to everyone who approached me. It pays to keep up a positive reputation.
I walked down the corridor, ignoring the empty rooms. I knew Ryu Hana’s habits; she stuck to three specific training rooms and wouldn't settle for any others unless they were occupied.
The problem was that I couldn't see through the doors... but I had my own ways around that.
Hacking
Accessing training hall reservation system...
To use a training hall, you had to swipe your student ID, which meant every single room assignment was logged in the central system.
In a high-tech world like this, a little hacking goes a long way. ...Found her.
I loitered in the corridor near Ryu Hana’s room, making a few laps to look busy. A few students gave me weird looks before moving on, but I ignored them.
After about fifteen minutes, the door finally hissed open. Out stepped Ryu Hana, her long lavender hair flowing down to her waist, her dark blue eyes as sharp as ever.
She looked clean and professional in her gym clothes. The faint scent of shampoo lingered—she must have just finished showering in the private stall.
"Hey."
She gave a short nod in response to my greeting.
"Hey."
Ryu Hana was the curt, silent type, but unlike Choi Da-yeon, she wasn't the type to ignore someone who spoke to her.
"Not in a hurry to get past me today?" I teased.
Until now, our interactions had been limited to quick greetings. I was playing the long game—keeping her hungry for a spar. Things that come too easily always lose their value.
It worked like a charm. I could see the intensity burning in her eyes.
"Spar with me," she commanded.
"I could... but are you sure? You just finished training. You should rest up and we can do it another time."
"I'm fine. Get in here."
I followed her inside and locked the door behind me. I wanted no interruptions, just like last time.
She gripped a pair of training swords and looked at me. "What’s your weapon?"
"A sword."
I picked up a standard training blade. She nodded, looking satisfied. She knew I was a swordsman at heart.
"I’m going all out. I expect you to do the same."
"That’s going to be difficult."
Her eyebrow twitched in irritation. "...Why? Do you think I’m not good enough?"
"I think you’re lacking. You already know what level I’m at. Honestly, sparring with you doesn't teach me much. Crushing someone beneath my level does nothing to sharpen my blade."
"......"
She couldn't argue. It was a cold, hard fact. There were at least three massive walls between our current abilities, and she could dimly sense the gap. She didn't stand a chance of winning as she was.
"...You're right," she admitted. "This spar only benefits me. It does nothing for you. ...Is there something you want in exchange?"
Ryu Hana was the type to loathe being in debt to someone. And the North Diamond Clan was a powerhouse that rivaled most mega-corporations. If I asked for a hundred million won, it would probably hit my account before I left the room.
"I don't want money. But if I win, you owe me a favor."
"...As long as it isn't something unreasonable."
"It’s reasonable. The inter-class matches are right around the corner, aren't they?"
"......If you're planning something shady, the answer is no."
She was in Class 4 and I was in Class 1. We were destined to face off.
"Hear me out. During the matches, I was planning to move directly to sabotage your class. I could realistically take out your entire team on my own."
"That’s..."
"You know I’m not exaggerating."
"......"
Most freshmen were still green. The top enrollment ranks could hold their own against pro heroes, but anyone below that was a non-factor.
"You want a good grade for your class, but Class 1's victory is already guaranteed. Why? Because I’m there."
It was an arrogant claim, but she couldn't deny its truth.
"...Still, I won't use dirty tricks."
Namgung Hwa-yeon, the Disciplinary Committee head, would have loved that line. In the original game, those two got along famously.
"My condition is simple: when the matches start, both you and I sit them out."
Even without me, Class 1's odds were sky-high. We still had rank 2 Kim Cheon-woo and rank 3 Choi Da-yeon. It would be a tough fight for Class 4 without Ryu Hana, but it was better than having me step onto the field.
"...I don't understand. What’s your angle?"
"It’s for the both of us. It’s not confirmed intel yet, but... an assassin has infiltrated the academy."
Her reaction was minimal. She stayed cool and collected, as if she’d already heard whispers of trouble.
"Shouldn't you report that to the faculty?"
"The faculty might be where the assassin is hiding. Like I said, it’s not confirmed."
"So you want just the two of us to hunt them down?"
"We’re the most likely targets."
"Choi Da-yeon is in your class."
"She’s got her own guards."
Hana pondered the situation for a long moment before giving the answer I expected.
"...Fine. I’ll grant your favor. You must have your reasons. Also, separate from the spar, you can ask for something else. If there really is an assassin, they’ll probably target me anyway."
"Why do you think that?"
"It’s always been that way for me."
"Hmm. In that case... how about you treat me to dinner afterward?"
"......That’s all?"
Her eyes widened in surprise. Everything was going according to plan. I intended to spar with her weekly, claiming rewards for every win. I didn't want to make any crazy sexual demands yet—they would just fail. My goal was to build rapport and normalize the exchange of favors.
"Take it or leave it."
I began to turn away, and she panicked.
"Wait, deal! Dinner is on me. Now, spar!"
"I’m looking forward to it."
I turned back to her, checking her status one last time before we engaged.
Compared to our last meeting, her stamina and endurance had improved. The rest of her stats remained unchanged.
"Let’s begin."
The moment she said the word, we raised our blades in unison. Mana surged from her body as she activated Sword Unity (A) for heightened focus. Spirit Sword (C) flickered to life, her blade gleaming softly with a light that resembled moonlight.
It wasn't a standard sword aura, and in some ways, it was more dangerous. Spirit Sword (C) had the potential to pierce right through the room’s safety barriers for a lethal hit.
She’s playing for keeps.
I wasn't surprised.
A bluish sword aura flared to life on my own blade. Aura was the natural counter to a spirit sword.
"......"
Ryu Hana tensed at the sight of my aura. I smirked as she charged. Her form was flawless, but unfortunately for her, the massive stat gap allowed me to read her every move.
It wasn't just about stats—experience played a huge role, too.
Clang!
Our swords clashed with a resounding ring. I poured my "perfect physical power" into my arm, and she was unable to hold her ground, sent flying backward. She performed a mid-air flip and landed gracefully before charging again.
Right side this time.
I parried effortlessly. She braced herself, managing not to fly as far this time.
Overhead. From behind. Low to the left.
I saw every strike coming and deflected them all. For three minutes, I stood my ground like an immovable wall, batting away her every attempt to break through.
"Hah, ha... haa."
Her ragged breathing was undeniably sexy. Sweat beaded on the tip of her nose, trickling down her face.
It’s been a while—let’s end this.
I stepped forward. She flinched, immediately wary.
Her eyes locked onto mine and then began to waver, her focus drifting. The skill had landed.
She raised her twin blades and swung wildly, but she was too slow—the blades didn't even graze my clothes. Before she could recover, I slipped past her defense and delivered a sharp slash.
"Ugh...?!"
Her gym clothes and the room’s barriers prevented any actual injury, but the pain was very real. She crumpled to the floor briefly before forcing herself back up.
"...I lost. I didn't expect the gap to be this wide. You're even stronger than you were during the entrance exams."
She gave me a complex look—one genius acknowledging another. It was a bit awkward. My real edge likely came from Heavenly Eye (SS), which boosted my senses even when it was dormant.
"......How do you get this strong, this fast?"
"Training is the only answer. Anyway, dinner as promised?"
"I keep my word."
We showered separately—no funny business today. We weren't quite there yet.
I followed her out for my "reward." Since it was too late to head off-campus, I assumed we’d just be getting takeout from the cafeteria. It was the logical choice.
...I’d clearly underestimated Ryu Hana.
She invited me back to her dorm instead. We followed all the official procedures—visitor limit was set to two hours.
They don't let just anyone into the elite dorms... she must have a lot of pull here.
I sat in the living room while she got to work in the kitchen. She moved with surprising efficiency; she clearly had above-average cooking skills.
"It’s done."
I took a seat at the table. It was a solid spread: seaweed soup, fresh kimchi, and five different side dishes. I took a spoonful of the soup.
"Is it good? It’s not bad, right?"
"Yeah, it’s tasty. I didn't peg you for much of a cook."
I gave her a little lip service. To my refined palate, it was decent—not gourmet, but certainly good.
"I haven't cooked in ages, so I was a bit worried... I'm glad you like it."
After dinner, she blocked my path to the exit.
"Wait. When is our next spar?"
"I don't know. You need time to recover."
"...Next week at the latest. I want to track my progress."
"Wednesday works for me. If I win... how about a game night? You down?"
"Games...? Sure."
She gave me a curious, slightly confused frown, but eventually nodded. We parted with a quick goodbye. One day soon, I’d be back in that room to claim her fully.