Chapter 349
Chapter 349
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 350
Chapter Title: Seojun's Challenge
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After the first midterm exam schedule wrapped up, the wizard academy buzzed with even more energy than usual.
This lively atmosphere was largely due to the Abyss Exploration exam.
While it had triggered trauma in a few students, the test—designed for therapeutic purposes—had produced positive outcomes for most.
And then.
「The Revived 'Abyss Exploration' Exam—Bottom Scorer: 'Kim Sunwoo'」
「Most Top Students at Wizard Academy Record Lowest Scores... Fairness Controversy」
「Martial God Tournament Favorite, 'Kim Sunwoo', Dead Last in First Midterm?」
News of the exam results spread through the media, sparking a massive uproar.
The idea of promising top performers tanking a specific exam was prime headline material.
But then a follow-up article flipped the narrative.
'Kim Sunwoo Last Place Controversy: Turns Out, Abyss Exploration's Bottom Scorers Are All Top-Rank Students...'
It came out that wizards like Jin Cheonwoo—who had made names for themselves worldwide—had also come in dead last on the Abyss Exploration exam.
And with that, the public's attention shifted toward me for entirely different reasons.
[Comments]
[kroniil2** : I knew about this. That's why I figured Lee Seojun would come last lol [Agree: 1411 Disagree: 232]]
[jungll** : I thought Lee Seojun would be last too. Kim Sunwoo being last is a bit surprising. [Agree: 242 Disagree: 112]]
[kim442** : I told you guys, right? Kim Sunwoo is way better than Lee Seojun lol. Just wait three years. Kim Sunwoo's era is coming. [Agree: 512 Disagree: 723]]
[gak9982** : Who even are you lol? There are definitely a lot of toxic fans among Kim Sunwoo stans. Kids like you are why his haters are growing. [Agree: 288 Disagree: 12]]
[konpe** : Yup, Kim Sunwoo overall 3rd place lol. Come beat Yoo Ara first [Agree: 521 Disagree: 126]]
[mari** : You guys are clueless lol. Anyone can see Kim Sunwoo is way better than Lee Seojun; face aside [Agree: 275 Disagree: 286]]
[yang654** : The exam is kinda weird lol. Being last gets you high marks? [Agree: 812 Disagree: 24]]
[hana86** : Top 10 certified lol. Last place pride is hilarious lol [Agree: 22 Disagree: 0]]
As a result, fights between Lee Seojun fans and my fans were breaking out nonstop across various communities.
From the comments, it seemed my fans were catching a lot of flak for whatever shady stuff they'd been up to.
Poor things.
[You have achieved the 'Head of the Toxic Fandom' accomplishment.]
[As a reward, you gain 5,000 points.]
I was scrolling through the article on my smart student handbook when a grotesque screech echoed from up ahead.
—Kreeeeeaargh!
I looked up to see a group of students battling a summoned doll, a gargoyle.
1:1 Monster Subjugation class.
As the name implied, it was a lesson where students dueled summoned monster dolls one-on-one to sharpen their combat instincts.
“Haaap!”
Among them were the third-year top elites, Lee Seojun and Yoo Ara.
The results were a foregone conclusion.
Lee Seojun in first, Yoo Ara in second.
But right then.
Pffft!
“Lee Seojun!”
The instructor's shout rang out.
A small gasp rippled through the students watching the live training.
“…Huh? What?”
I stared in shock at the completely unexpected scene.
What the hell was going on?
“Urk…”
Lee Seojun clutched his wrist.
His sword lay dropped on the black floor, triggering the safety system and unsummoning the monster.
“You okay?”
The instructor rushed into the training area. Lee Seojun bit his lip briefly before nodding faintly.
“Yeah, I'm fine.”
The instructor checked his wrist and said,
“Good, no deep cuts. Still, head to the infirmary just in case.”
“…Okay.”
Lee Seojun nodded faintly again and trudged out of the training area.
I blankly watched the door he exited through.
What was up with him?
“Wow. First time seeing Lee Seojun get hurt in training.”
“Yeah. But hasn't he been spacing out a lot lately?”
I overheard whispers from nearby.
Lee Seojun spacing out lately.
Come to think of it, maybe he had been.
“Slump maybe?”
“Slump?”
“You know, yesterday during reinforcement specialty training, his sword aura was unstable too.”
I chimed in.
“Sword aura was unstable?”
The student next to me shrugged and nodded at my question.
“Yeah… So Instructor Jang Ancheol even said something. Asked if he was off his game.”
“Really?”
If Jang Ancheol had commented, then something was definitely wrong.
Unstable sword aura…
Now that I thought about it, something like this happened in the original story too.
Lee Seojun's slump.
It had occurred quite a while after graduation, though.
KABOOM!
Right then, a massive explosion boomed right in front of me.
I turned to see a gargoyle engulfed in flames.
Yoo Ara stood tall and proud before it.
Waaah—
A brief cheer erupted from the students.
“Yoo Ara's gotten even stronger lately.”
“Something changed in her eyes after the Abyss Exploration exam. Like she had an epiphany?”
As the student beside me said, Yoo Ara's skills had improved since the Abyss Exploration exam.
I'd worried constant failures might break her spirit, but lately, even her gaze was different.
“Hmm…”
I blankly stared back at the door Lee Seojun had left through.
Late at night, in the wizard academy's multipurpose training hall.
With midterms over, the now-deserted magic training ground echoed as Lee Seojun swung his sword through the air in solo practice.
Swoosh!
Radiant sword aura burst forth.
With a fluid swing, the light mana scattered beautifully, slicing the doll apart.
He spun his body once and seamlessly chained into the next form, flowing like water.
Right then.
A voice echoed in his mind.
—This child is the beginning of all the changes to come.
—But someday, this child will die too.
Hummm…
Lee Seojun's sword aura began trembling unstably.
He gritted his teeth and refocused, but it soon fizzled out.
Lee Seojun froze, face hardening.
“Rumor's true, huh.”
Then he heard a voice directed at him.
He turned to see Kim Sunwoo leaning against the wall by the training hall door.
“Heard rumors you couldn't even manifest sword aura properly these days.”
Lee Seojun stared silently at Kim Sunwoo before asking,
“How long you been there?”
“Uh… About two minutes ago?”
Two minutes ago.
Despite it not being a short time, he hadn't sensed a thing.
Lee Seojun inwardly felt his own inadequacy once more.
“What's the cause?”
Kim Sunwoo asked.
“Cause?”
“The reason for your dip in form. It wouldn't happen without reason. Looks psychological to me. Right?”
Psychological issue.
Probably. If he had to name the exact cause…
“Pressure, I guess.”
The pressure of needing to grow stronger than now to overcome the countless obstacles blocking his path.
“Pressure, huh…”
Kim Sunwoo stroked his chin, deep in thought.
Lee Seojun watched him silently.
Somehow, he seemed more serious about it than the person involved.
Then Kim Sunwoo met Lee Seojun's eyes directly.
“Saw something in the Abyss Exploration unconsciousness, huh.”
Lee Seojun felt a flicker of surprise at the question.
He gave a faint smile before replying.
“Yeah. Met past Jin Cheonwoo.”
“Jin Cheonwoo?”
When Kim Sunwoo looked puzzled, Lee Seojun chuckled.
“You get all serious whenever Jin Cheonwoo comes up.”
“…Ahem. Do I?”
Kim Sunwoo scratched his head awkwardly.
“So, what happened with Jin Cheonwoo?”
“Hm. I can tell you, but could you do me a favor first?”
“Favor? Sure, I can handle that.”
Kim Sunwoo shrugged. Lee Seojun smiled faintly.
“You know what the favor is?”
“With your personality, it's probably not over the top. So, what'd Jin Cheonwoo say?”
At Kim Sunwoo's question, Lee Seojun replied casually.
“Said my future self dies. Seems like Jin Cheonwoo was trying to prepare for it through Kim Changhyeon.”
“…I see.”
Kim Sunwoo nodded as if he'd already known.
“So, what's the favor?”
“Nothing big. Just spar with me.”
“Sparring? Sure, that much—”
“No.
“Not sparring. For real, full power, both of us going all out.”
Surprised by the unexpected request, astonishment crossed Kim Sunwoo's face.
He eyed Lee Seojun thoughtfully before speaking.
“You can't even manifest sword aura properly right now. How do you expect a real fight? And you're tired from training.”
Lee Seojun channeled mana into his sword.
Sword aura flared out in light.
But it soon trembled unstably.
“That's why I want to fight. Feels like I need new motivation.”
Feeling the sincerity, Kim Sunwoo looked at him with complex eyes and sighed deeply.
“…In your current state, it'd be over in seconds against me.”
Blatant provocation.
Maybe consideration to draw out his full power. But at those words, Lee Seojun felt fighting spirit surge after a long time.
“Guess we'll see.”
“It's gonna be way different from last year's leader exam. You could get seriously hurt.”
Last year's leader exam.
The day he'd first clashed one-on-one with Kim Sunwoo.
He'd led overall but had briefly felt anger thinking Kim Sunwoo had held back.
“Guess we'll see on that too. And win or lose doesn't matter.”
Kim Sunwoo smiled faintly.
A pure, joyful smile.
Lee Seojun stared at him, feeling baffled.
Acting so relaxed against him.
It almost felt like facing Chairman Kim Jincheol, whose family he resembled.
“Fine. Come at me then. But it's cramped here—disadvantageous for me—so outdoors.”
“Sure.”
The two left the training hall and climbed a quiet mountain devoid of people.
Reaching a spacious clearing, Kim Sunwoo looked up at the night sky.
Eyes thoughtful, he spoke.
“Shall we start right away?”
At Kim Sunwoo's words, Lee Seojun immediately assumed a stance.
Kim Sunwoo lowered into position too.
As tension built from the inexplicable pressure, Kim Sunwoo surged mana and rapid-fired neutral orbs.
Bang!
Powerful mana pulsed from the spell manifested in mere seconds. But instead of dodging, Lee Seojun charged straight through.
He knew he couldn't win without closing the distance on Kim Sunwoo.
Using light sword aura, he cleaved the orbs in half.
BOOM!
Simultaneously, Lee Seojun's body flashed and vanished. Moments later, he reappeared before Kim Sunwoo.
But Kim Sunwoo didn't panic, calmly dodging the swung sword with steady eyes.
Whoosh!
Lee Seojun didn't falter either, chaining into the next move.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
A storm of sword strikes from Lee Seojun's hand.
Kim Sunwoo's body began accumulating minor cuts from the assault.
Kim Sunwoo grimaced briefly, then leaped back high to escape, feeling the pressure.
And Lee Seojun read that movement. A habit he'd learned from long observation of Kim Sunwoo's fights.
‘Now!’
Lee Seojun poured all his mana, launching skyward toward airborne Kim Sunwoo.
Right now, even Kim Sunwoo couldn't…
Right then.
Kim Sunwoo's form vanished before his eyes.
The technique he'd seen once before: Instant Acceleration.
“..!”
A powerful impact exploded against Lee Seojun's back simultaneously.
“Urk!”
Losing balance, Lee Seojun quickly righted himself.
As he spun for a counterattack, a single magic orb appeared before his eyes.
Lee Seojun's body froze like stone.
“Told you. In your state, it'd end in seconds.”
“…Insane. What did I just see?”
A student out for a nighttime stroll gaped in shock.
Right before his eyes unfolded a rare scene: a duel between Lee Seojun, the academy's top prospect, and Kim Sunwoo.
“Whoa… What is this?”
At first, he'd thought it was just friends chatting.
But the atmosphere felt off, so he looked closer and saw Lee Seojun gripping his sword.
Anyone could tell a fight was imminent.
Maybe sparring? He whipped out his smart student handbook to record video.
A Lee Seojun vs. Kim Sunwoo matchup would be a huge spectacle.
And as expected, their spar began.
Time passed, and horror filled the student's eyes as he watched.
This wasn't mere sparring.
It was 'real combat' fought with injury on the line.
The video captured their battle from start to finish.
Lee Seojun's fierce onslaught. But Kim Sunwoo parrying lightly and seizing victory in an instant.
“…Kim Sunwoo is a cut above Lee Seojun?”