Chapter 116
Chapter 116
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: Suspicious Growth
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I was looking down at the tree with an utterly baffled gaze when it looked back at me and spoke.
“Ong-ae.”
[Gretel feels hunger.]
Meanwhile, Jeonghyeon was reviewing footage of that day’s exam on the monitor.
Compressed mana. And magic orbs released in perfect form.
What he was watching was none other than Kim Sunwoo’s evaluation test video.
The footage had already leaked online, racking up 500,000 views.
The reactions were, as expected, split between Lee Seojun and Kim Sunwoo.
“Something’s off.”
Jeonghyeon sank deep into thought as he watched the video.
The growth rate was too fast—insanely so. If it had been like Lee Seojun or Yoo Ara, showing monstrous potential from the start, that would’ve been one thing.
But this kind of explosive late-blooming growth? He’d never seen anything like it in all his years.
Of course, there were cases of late talent awakenings leading to tremendous growth.
But Kim Sunwoo had surpassed even that.
And though he couldn’t be certain, it seemed like the magic orb had briefly shimmered silver just before release.
“...Is there some hidden secret?”
A secret...
Could Kim Sunwoo be the one who killed Jang Ye?
“...No.”
Reports said Jang Ye’s wounds came from light-attribute manifestation orbs.
Kim Sunwoo handled orbs, but neutral-attribute ones.
For reference, neither light nor neutral attributes were easy to wield.
Light was something only the innately gifted could handle, and neutral was equally demanding—impossible to train through accumulation, relying purely on imagination, making it advanced magic.
Of course, dual-attribute wizards weren’t nonexistent.
A tiny minority could wield dual attributes.
But mastering two difficult ones fluently? Extremely rare.
Wizards typically specialized in one of the four magic lineages and honed a primary attribute for efficiency in form and imagination.
Yet an 18-year-old student wielding dual attributes?
It was hard to swallow.
“...That said, Kim Sunwoo’s current skill is hard to believe too.”
Compressed manifestation at 18.
Plus that insane score jump.
“Definitely suspicious.”
Jeonghyeon pulled a rectangular communication magic tool from his pocket.
This device was untraceable, commonly used in crimes.
He turned on the screen to find a new message.
[Jeonghyeon, any issues with the mission?]
The sender was Cheonha.
Jeonghyeon typed a reply.
[2nd Year Class A, Kim Sunwoo. Keep an eye on him.]
[89 people have become your fans.]
[You’ve earned 3,000 points as a reward.]
Friday morning.
I opened my eyes to see a message floating there.
“Fans?”
It took a moment to process, but I quickly figured it out.
Obviously from yesterday’s public ranking evaluation.
The test video must’ve leaked like last time, drawing attention with the “bottom-feeder’s rebellion” angle.
This kind of buzz was never bad—as long as it wasn’t from the main villains.
“Yawn.”
I stretched hugely and headed to the bathroom. After a quick wash and dry, I changed into my uniform.
My smart student handbook had a few mystery messages.
From students pretending to be friendly.
More than usual, but nothing new, so I ignored them.
A glance sideways showed the tree... er, Gretel, sprawled flat on the floor, sleeping.
Familiars should normally dispel and vanish once the summoner’s mana supply cuts off, but this one stubbornly stuck around.
Even funnier: it wasn’t linked to my mana.
Yesterday, when it signaled hunger, I splashed it with water. It gurgled happily, fell asleep, and stayed that way.
“It’s not dead, right?”
I approached Gretel. Up close, it breathed shallowly, like a person sleeping.
Barely audible, but snoring too. Seemed alive and well.
A summon tree full of mysteries, but I’d leave it be for now.
I’d figure out how to use it later.
“Yawn.”
I headed out for breakfast.
Walking to the cafeteria, I felt sidelong glances.
I knew it was from the public test, but today felt excessive.
“Sunbae?”
Then Choi Seoyoon’s voice. I turned to see her and Song Seung-ah approaching.
“Heading to the cafeteria?”
“Yeah. You too, Sunbae?”
“Yep.”
“Ooh~ Then let’s eat together.”
Choi Seoyoon smiled. Song Seung-ah watched us, then stopped.
“Uh, uh? Oh right. I just remembered something...”
With that, she vanished somewhere. Choi Seoyoon frowned at her retreating back.
“What’s with her lately? Did she eat something weird?”
“Yeah. That’s not like her at all.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Choi Seoyoon whipped around to me.
“Just said it without thinking.”
After breakfast with Kim Sunwoo, Choi Seoyoon opened the door to 1st Year Class A.
As usual, many eyes turned to her.
“Seoyoon! You ate with Kim Sunwoo Sunbae today?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah. We ran into each other.”
“Ooh...”
The students gave her odd looks. Envy-tinged.
“What’s that about all of a sudden?”
“Well, that sunbae’s super hot right now.”
Choi Seoyoon tilted her head.
Kim Sunwoo Sunbae was hot?
Well, the magic he showed yesterday was impressive, so maybe.
“So, what’s Kim Sunwoo Sunbae’s real skill level? You’re close, so you’d know.”
Choi Seoyoon tilted her head again.
“Huh? Real skill?”
When she didn’t get it, another student who’d been quietly watching approached.
“Ugh, they’re on about that again. Seoyoon, just ignore them.”
“Hey, why tell her to ignore?”
As the two bickered, Choi Seoyoon asked.
“What rumor?”
“Nothing big. Just the buzz about Kim Sunwoo Sunbae going around school.”
“Rumor?”
“School community was lit up last night—didn’t you see? It’s like a new cult.”
...New cult?
She’d been focused on training last night, so no clue.
“What is it?”
“People claiming Kim Sunwoo Sunbae’s been hiding his power, and his true strength beats Lee Seojun Sunbae’s. Total nonsense.”
“Huh?”
“Magic Law... Article 12, Clause 5. Make sure to check this...”
Today’s first class was theory: “Law Studies.”
Students grumbled at the boring lecture from the start, but it quieted fast.
The law teacher’s latent trait, “Sleep Induction,” knocked them out.
Thus, in Class A, everyone except Lee Seojun and Yoo Ara was face-down asleep.
...Not quite.
Unlike first semester, a few stayed awake.
Lee Hyunjoo, Park Inhwan, Yoon Hayoung.
They listened without dozing, unlike before.
I could guess why.
Their mana control had improved over the semester, building natural resistance to the trait.
Proof: I wasn’t asleep either.
“Next... illegal magic tools and possession crimes...”
Still, unlike me borrowing an outsider’s boon, their pure talent growth was impressive.
Oh, and Shin Youngjun snoring away in the corner? Not the teacher’s trait—just him.
“...Communication jamming magic tools are Class 1 illegals. Possession carries 50+ years imprisonment...”
Bored with the lecture, I gazed out the window.
Students training on the field, Jeonghyeon directing training ground setup on empty land.
The usual peaceful magic academy scene.
Wish these calm days lasted, but the world’s not normal, so no.
With upcoming incidents and terrorism, need preparations.
“...Disguise magic tools like the Persona Mask can cause massive societal chaos, so they’re Class 1 illegals.”
I turned back to the teacher to actually listen.
“For reference, with disguise tools... even lending your face to someone makes you an accomplice, punishable...”
Fitting for law class, talk turned to illegal magic tools.
Illegal magic tools...
This world has a few designated by the Association.
Most infamous: the “Persona Mask,” which alters appearance.
It’s tricky to use, but master it, and it’s hugely advantageous later.
Perfect disguise means you can rampage without identity leaks.
But it has restrictions.
Using the outsider’s boon, I searched for the disguise tool.
［Persona Mask (Relic)］
Type: Mask
Description: Changes appearance.
［Effects］
►Appearance Storage
Stores another’s appearance.
►Appearance Change
Transforms into stored appearance.
*Max duration: 7 days
( Auto-reverts after. )
*Reuse cooldown: 24 hours
►Appearance Revert
Returns to original face.
Price: 100,000 points
Relic-grade, so pricey.
Only one in existence? No, relatively cheap for a relic.
Still, 100k points stings a bit.
Could buy with cash anyway, which almost makes points feel wasteful.
But cash? Class 1 illegal—no legit channels.
Probably pops up at underground auctions sometimes.
Another limit: must store someone else’s appearance.
Biggest reason it’s Class 1 illegal.
Can’t create appearances—just borrow others’.
Jaun used this to infiltrate Pioneer’s Night.
But for me, whose face to steal?
Can’t just approach a stranger: “Illegal, but mind lending your face?”
Killing like Jaun for it? Too much.
“Hmm.”
Still, find a good way, and this could yield big gains.
Outsider’s “New Profile Add” isn’t one-time either.
Worth pondering.
Ring ring ring~
Class-end bell rang.
“That’s it for today. Good work...”
As the teacher left, students stirred awake one by one.
“Yawn. Slept great.”
“Law class always makes me sleepy.”
“Me too.”
“Hey, what’s next?”
“Specialty class.”
“Nice.”
As the room buzzed back to life—
“Hey! Test results are out!”
A student shouted.
“For real?”
“Check now!”
All whipped out smart handbooks in sync.
Ranking eval was simple, but high-stakes for grades.
Not just raw scores—destructive power quantified directly, shaking overall rankings wildly.
Why I tanked to last with a zero first semester.
［Grade Info］
[2-Semester Basic Eval Grades]
[Kim Sunwoo][2nd Year Class A]
[Overall 20th]
[Achieved ‘Top 20 Overall Grades’ milestone.]
[Earned 5,000 points reward.]
20th.
Top ranks are packed tight, yet I surged up.
Exact score hidden, but jumping 8 spots to top 20 means high marks.
Still, top 20 in one semester.
Even I admit rapid rise.
Top-heavy now, so climbing harder ahead.
“Yawn. Kim Sunwoo, what rank?”
As I quietly checked, Shin Youngjun yawned over.
“20th.”