Chapter 331
Chapter 331
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 332
Chapter Title: Abyss Exploration Exam
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Due to this world's vulnerability to magical terrorism, every country is equipped with a system called "mana detection radars" to prevent potential attacks.
Japan, one of the leading magical nations, was no exception. In the aftermath of the battle with the disaster-grade beast, the kumiho, the Japanese Association dispatched investigators.
Elin and I had no business crossing paths with the Association given our statuses, so we left things to the Abe Clan and descended the mountain.
About thirty minutes after coming down, Elin, Ren, and Gensaku—I all sat on nearby rocks for a short break.
"Phew. This should be far enough that the Association won't catch us."
Elin muttered while blankly staring at the sky.
"Yeah. We shook them off properly."
Ren nodded slightly as well. Then he glanced at Gensaku.
"Still, it's a shame the beast got resealed."
"It's fine. There'll be plenty more chances to reclaim my clan's power."
Ren nodded at Gensaku's words before turning to me.
He stared straight into my eyes with an oddly burdensome gaze and spoke.
"...Master?"
"What is it?"
"I'm sorry."
He bowed his head deeply.
His sudden apology caught me off guard, and I blinked at him in confusion.
"...To be honest, I suspected you might have been lying about your strength. When we first sparred briefly, I didn't get the sense you were that strong."
"Ah."
So that's what this was about—the gap between his first spar with me and how I handled the fox.
From Ren's perspective, it was natural to have doubts.
"My thinking was too narrow. To think you possessed such overwhelming power yet hid it... You could have killed me anytime you wanted...
No, that must be your true strength.
"Composure, insight, restraint... I've learned so much from you, Master. Thank you."
Ren bowed at a perfect ninety degrees once more.
"...Uh, sure."
A brief silence followed.
Still sitting on the rock, I replayed the day's events in my mind.
I'd gained some unexpected information.
Cruas's secret, the disaster-grade beasts' objective, and the meaning behind the "Apostles of Mystery"...
But what puzzled me most was the possibility that Jin Cheon-woo had dragged me into this world.
That brought back an old nagging thought.
'Is this world really just a novel?'
And if it was actually a real parallel dimension...
Then what exactly was the novel I'd read?
"...Hmm."
"Um, Master?"
Lost in thought, I was interrupted by Elin, who had sat down beside me.
"What did you talk about with the disaster-grade beast earlier?"
Her tone was cautious, as if she knew it was a loaded question.
"Just heard some things. Like what Jin Cheon-woo demanded from her."
Ren perked up with interest and looked my way.
Since they'd helped me out, I shared some of the info.
That Jin Cheon-woo had asked about a way to dispose of Cruas. And that the disaster-grade beasts were the Apostles of Mystery.
While explaining what I'd heard, something occurred to me, so I asked.
"By any chance, do you know about the Eternal Seal Technique?"
"...The Eternal Seal Technique?"
Elin blinked. She seemed to think for a moment before speaking.
"Isn't that an ancient spell?"
"Yeah. Apparently, that's what Jin Cheon-woo used on the fox."
Elin stroked her chin.
"I think I read about it once in a book on incantations. It's a spell that vanished about a hundred years ago."
"A hundred years ago?"
"Yeah. From what I recall, it's not a pure incantation or mana-based spell. It requires some kind of qualification."
Qualification...
Some spells do require specific qualifications.
Like the [Rune Binding], which only the Rune Clan can use.
"Hmm..."
That's when Gensaku chimed in.
"I know the qualification needed for the Eternal Seal Technique."
...
Gensaku met my gaze and continued.
"Recognition through a pact with the Mystery."
The next morning, early.
Having wrapped up everything in Japan, I returned to Korea.
Elin headed straight to the Hanseong House after parting with me, while Ren said he'd stick around Japan for more investigating and contact me later.
Gensaku told me to visit anytime if I had questions, since he was intrigued by me.
For reference, the Abe Clan covered for Elin and me, so the incident was closed as a simple "beast subjugation" in Japan.
On my way back to the dorm.
As October approached, the air was thick with autumn vibes.
Trees lining the road like streetlamps, leaves turning red.
Admiring the beautifully decorated path, I heard a voice from behind.
"Kim Seon-woo?"
Turning around, Lee Seo-jun was approaching with a delighted expression.
"Whoa, fancy running into you here. Where've you been?"
Lee Seo-jun looked me up and down and said.
"Got cabin fever from being cooped up at school, so I did some outdoor training. Just heading back now."
"Hmm. I see?"
Lee Seo-jun nodded.
His eyes suggested he didn't quite buy it wholesale.
"Where were you coming from?"
"From my family home. Hit a wall I thought I could break through, but it wasn't easy. So I got some advice from Grandpa."
"A wall..."
Lee Seo-jun was turning nineteen, the age when his "Genius" trait would start shining in full force.
Around this time, his growth was supposed to explode.
The [Genius] trait didn't cost a million points for nothing.
Come to think of it, I'd been feeling stuck lately too.
With future events accelerating, I needed to power up fast, but my mana control had plateaued.
Seemed like I'd reached a point needing an "enlightenment," just like Seo-jun. But those don't come easy.
"Sigh..."
I let out a deep sigh, and Lee Seo-jun stared at me blankly.
"Why the sudden sigh?"
The next day, Monday.
An article popped up from "Oracle," the press outlet covering global magic news.
"Japan's Gifu Prefecture: Seal on disaster-grade beast 'Kumiho' briefly lifted Sunday night at midnight. Fortunately, with aid from the Abe Clan onmyoji and local mages, it was resealed without major incident."
Just one headline article.
It read like a minor mishap, but the content was serious.
A calamity-level disaster beast had rampaged.
Thankfully, it was resealed shortly after breaking free.
Given the recent string of major incidents, it was a miracle.
But Choi Seo-yoon pored over the news repeatedly, deep in thought.
"...Japan."
Normally, she'd have scrolled past.
But having recently overheard something Japan-related, she couldn't ignore it.
Last week at the library, she'd bumped into Kim Seon-woo taking a serious call from Japan.
"...Hmm."
Lost in thought like that.
"...Seo-yoon."
A faint voice called.
"Choi Seo-yoon!"
At the shout, Choi Seo-yoon snapped to attention.
Looking up, the teacher was staring right at her from the front.
Seeing that, Choi Seo-yoon's face stiffened for a moment.
Right, homeroom.
Choi Seo-yoon gave an awkward smile.
"Sorry..."
She slipped her smart student planner into her pocket.
The teacher stared at her before speaking.
"...Well, it's not some random kid—it's you, Seo-yoon. Looks like you've been stressed lately, huh?"
"Why show favoritism to certain students!"
One student shouted loudly.
"Then get first place every exam like Seo-yoon."
The teacher's playful remark left the student speechless.
It was humor, but it landed heavy.
"So harsh. Grade-obsessed..."
"Enough chit-chat. Now for the important stuff."
The teacher smirked and continued.
"The date and events for this semester's first midterm have been set."
"Aw, what? Exams already?"
"I'm swamped with practical assignments as it is."
Homeroom in the third-year classroom.
Grumbles erupted here and there at the homeroom teacher Lee Hee-young's words.
Truth be told, I wasn't voicing it, but with the impending Aporia incident overlapping exams, my head ached a bit too.
"Alright, I know you're all busy with practicals. But it's our final semester—let's prep hard till the end."
"So what's the main event?"
"This first midterm's main event is the all-year group exam."
"...All-year group exam?"
The students looked puzzled.
An all-year group exam.
Like last semester's finals, where all grades took it together.
All-year exams happened yearly, so no one was shocked by that, but they were usually finals, so some seemed thrown off.
But this followed the original plot, so I listened without much thought.
"Yes, from first-years to third-years, all at once. It was slated for finals, but with Taehwi Festival and graduation trip squeezing the schedule, it's moved to this first midterm."
"No way it's the same Annihilation Battle as last year?"
A student raised a hand.
Some eyes turned to me.
"Ah, nothing like Annihilation Battle. Teaming with Kim Seon-woo would be too unfair."
"I still get PTSD thinking about it. That storm magic was no joke..."
PTSD, really?
Regrettably(?), this midterm would indeed be in Annihilation Battle format, like last year.
A team-based combat exam.
And I had confidence.
Against everyone except Lee Seo-jun, I never lost.
Even if facing dozens at once—my mindset stayed the same.
For points, I'd make a flashy show to grab attention.
But then.
"No. This exam's rules are a bit different. It'll be absolute evaluation based on individual performance."
"...Huh?"
Lee Hee-young's unexpected words left me blinking blankly.
"Absolute evaluation?"
What? In the original, this was relative evaluation for sure.
Then Lee Hee-young's gaze turned to me.
"Originally, it was planned as a relative-eval Annihilation Battle. But after last semester's finals raised fairness issues with Annihilation Battle, it was overhauled."
Her looking at me while saying it meant I was the cause.
Some students caught the implication and glanced my way.
Their eyes held envy, fear, awe.
Yoon Ha-young, sitting beside me, peeked over and whispered with a small smile.
"Seon-woo, taking on nearly sixty alone last Annihilation Battle? You crossed a line."
Amid my bewilderment at the sudden rule change.
Lee Hee-young continued.
"This midterm is the 'Abyss Exploration.'"