Chapter 154: Student Council Election (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 154: Student Council Election (4)
Sion’s face froze ice-cold.
“Checking...?”
It was a casual remark Kang Geomma had tossed out before the duel. Yet, its aftermath left Sion’s expression stiffening with resolve.
‘...Could my secret have leaked already?’
That was impossible. After all, she had never manifested it—not even by mistake—since entering the Academy.
Then why were Sion’s pupils shaking so violently? It was likely because of Kang Geomma’s pitch-black eyes.
Those opaque eyes, so difficult to read, felt as if they were peering right through her instead.
After a brief moment of swirling thoughts, Sion brightened. She wiped away her sour expression and put on a radiant smile.
‘There’s no way he knows.’
This was a power she had hidden for a day like today—no, solely for today.
What he just did was merely an attempt to intimidate her. Once she convinced herself of this, Sion’s face brightened considerably.
Her opponent was none other than the Sashimi Sword Saint. He was probably thinking he had already won this fight. That was actually better.
‘The more careless you get, the sharper my hidden dagger will become.’
Fufu. Sion laughed silently. Then, she wore a friendly smile on her lips.
She was someone who always wore a mask. In class, in the student council, and even in her family. She was a master at hiding her true face.
“Oh my~ Look at you, why are you being so scary? And even if everyone knows how strong you are, asking your senior if you can ‘check’ her? Really, checking!”
Sion spoke with an abominable smile. Kang Geomma merely stared at her, offering no reply.
“But I’m glad you don’t plan on ending it in one go. It would be quite embarrassing for me as your senior to lose too easily, after all.”
“…….”
“Anyway, please go easy on me~ I’d really appreciate it if you let me win. But saying that will probably make you try even harder, right?”
Sion spun around. She slightly turned her head to glance back.
Kang Geomma had already looked away from her. Only then did Sion’s face distort hideously, like a wrathful demon.
Rage surged within her, threatening to burst the veins in her neck. Fueled by murderous intent, her eyes blazed like fire.
‘That lowly special admission bastard dares to...’
Sion muttered curses under her breath for a long moment before storming off.
* * *
Several staff members from the Academy and the Association entered the annex. Standing at a distance, they scanned the cadets.
The solemn voice of the senior instructor quieted the atmosphere. After confirming that all the candidates had gathered, the senior instructor spoke.
“It seems everyone is here.”
After that brief remark, a concise explanation of the duel rules followed. Since they had already been notified via email beforehand, the candidates merely nodded half-heartedly.
“Then, we will begin immediately.”
Right after, the first two contestants, Den Range and Abdul Samhan, stepped onto the sparring stage and faced each other.
[Cadets, please stand in your respective positions and summon your armaments.]
[We will now begin the duel between Candidate No. 2, Den Range, and Candidate No. 5, Abdul Samhan.]
Boom!
Den stomped his foot. A thunderous roar erupted, and the impact shattered the ground like a sheet of glass.
Closing the distance in an instant, Den swung his greatsword with one hand. One clash, two clashes, three clashes. No. 5 barely managed to withstand a few strikes, but anything beyond that was impossible.
Although No. 5 was a fellow member of the student council, there was no hesitation in Den’s strikes. If anything, it felt somewhat excessive.
The massive blade hacked No. 5’s limbs to pieces. A pinkish fluid gushed from the severed surfaces. Steam rose from the sparring stage like a shimmering haze.
[The first duel has concluded.]
Amidst the brutal carnage, a mechanical voice dispassionately announced the result.
[Winner: Candidate No. 2, Den Range. Congratulations.]
The subspace barrier lifted. Den strode over to No. 5 and extended his hand.
“Good fight.”
Grinning, Den bared his teeth. No. 5, face pale, shook his hand.
“Manager Seong, what on earth is going on here...?”
Supervisor Ha spoke, utterly dumbfounded. Manager Seong, sitting next to her, wore a similar expression.
Calling it a “good fight” after beating his opponent to a pulp. He was so blatantly deceitful that it almost made one wonder, ‘Wait, was it actually a good fight?’
Manager Seong forced himself to speak.
“It’s probably a way to establish dominance. This isn’t just a simple spar; it’s a duel for the student council election. It means merely defeating the opponent isn’t the end. He’s showing off his overwhelming power to the spectators, while also embracing the opponent he just clashed weapons with... I think he’s trying to project that kind of nuance...”
“...Still, that’s a bit much.”
Supervisor Ha’s face began to darken. Manager Seong quickly changed the subject.
“Now is not the time to worry about others. Supervisor Ha, you’re the last one up in this duel. I know you’re tense and keyed up, but try to relax a bit.”
“...Yes, sir.”
“The Association’s prestige is on the line here. Who knows? If you do well, the higher-ups might give you a hefty bonus this month.”
“…….”
Supervisor Ha’s expression remained grim. After trying to coax and comfort her, Manager Seong let out a deep sigh.
Though she was usually gentle, she was exceptionally sensitive to the smell of blood. Her scrunched-up nose was proof of that.
‘...Supervisor Ha. Given her past, it’s only natural she’d react this way.’
While Manager Seong looked at Supervisor Ha with pity, the next two duelists stepped onto the stage.
[We will now begin the duel between Candidate No. 4, Jin Ga-ram, and Candidate No. 6, Leon von Reinhardt.]
Leon’s straight sword flashed. The brilliant gleam of the blade pierced No. 4’s eyes, followed immediately by a cold sensation thrusting against his Adam’s apple.
Slash!
The crimson line drawn across Ga-ram’s neck gradually deepened. His fingers twitched. Before he could even register the pain, No. 4’s head fell, his eyes still wide open.
[Winner: Candidate No. 6, Leon von Reinhardt. Congratulations.]
The second duel was far more one-sided. Unlike the first match, which had at least seen three exchanges, this one ended in a single strike.
Leon’s swordplay carried elegance and respect for his opponent. It was a stark contrast to Den, who had savagely hacked his opponent to pieces.
It granted nothing but peaceful rest to the opponent. It was the royal road, stripped of all unnecessary flourishes.
Watching the duel, Den ground his teeth so hard they threatened to shatter. His jaw clenched so hard the muscles flared. This was because Leon had instantly erased his own presence.
Absurd power and a sword speed bordering on artistry. Even compared to a few days ago, he had grown noticeably faster. It was an incomprehensible rate of growth.
Brilliant blue eyes looked down at No. 4, who had collapsed opposite him. Leon did not offer a handshake like Den. He merely stared—or more precisely, observed.
Meeting his gaze while slumped on the ground, No. 4’s lips trembled. It would have been better if Leon had mocked him like Den did.
But that look was simply the gaze one would cast upon a roadkilled wild animal. It was exactly that level of indifference.
Leon averted his eyes from No. 4. As if his interest had completely waned, his blue eyes sank into a deep calm.
As Leon stepped off the sparring stage with measured strides, the mechanical voice spoke.
[We will now begin the third duel. Candidate No. 3, Ray Sion, and Candidate No. 7, Kang Geomma, please step onto the sparring stage.]
The mechanical voice announced the third match.
* * *
Sion stood facing Kang Geomma. She quietly measured him up with a steady gaze.
The aura Kang Geomma exuded was somewhat unusual. To use a metaphor, it was like a sword heavily rusted with blood.
Indeed, they had only exchanged glances, yet she felt as if the scent of blood was wafting to the tip of her nose. Just how much blood had he stained his hands with?
‘What does that matter now?’
Sion smiled faintly. Her cold, ringed eyes narrowed. Behind that thin glint of light lurked a pitch-black malice.
[Cadets, please stand in your respective positions and summon your armaments.]
Sion drew two daggers. Her reflection was cast upon the blades, where the steel patterns spread like centipedes.
Normally, she wouldn’t even be able to clash blades before being sliced apart by his sashimi knife. Sion knew this, and it was the outcome everyone in the arena expected. Yet, she showed no signs of resignation.
‘As long as I have this armament...’
Sion sneered as she looked at her daggers. Watching her, Kang Geomma’s expression was peculiar.
He was unsure. He couldn’t tell for certain whether this woman was a villain or not. He had suspected her at first because her eyes were hollow, but seeing her now, he was genuinely confused.
He couldn’t detect whether she was hiding her power exceptionally well or if she was simply weak. He had stayed on guard because of what Ryozo said, but now it felt somewhat pointless.
‘Well, I’ll find out once we start.’
Kang Geomma drew a single Daixo sashimi knife.
[We will now begin the duel between Candidate No. 3, Ray Sion, and Candidate No. 7, Kang Geomma.]
The moment the duel began, Sion started sprinting in a zigzag pattern with all her might. She stomped her feet, alternating between left and right steps.
Her initial step was by no means fast, but as she continued to stomp, her footwork accelerated. Eventually, she reached a speed where sound could no longer keep up with her movements.
Watching the duel, Den’s eyes widened. He muttered:
“Did Sion have a blessing like that?”
“In my opinion, it’s not Sion’s own ability, but rather that dagger-shaped armament. It’s because of that.”
Kim Woo-jin, sitting nearby, replied nonchalantly. Den’s eyebrows furrowed sharply, but he quickly focused back on Sion. It didn’t take him long to recognize what that armament was.
The anti-personnel armament, Return to Heaven. An armament that increased the user’s speed the more they stomped their feet.
Attack power, reach, durability—it excelled in none of these, but it allowed the user to unleash a speed transcending human limits ‘just once.’
However, Return to Heaven was an item that could not be obtained through normal channels. This was because it was a ‘doping-type’ armament rather than the ‘enhancement-type’ armaments commonly distributed on the market.
While typical armaments assisted one’s innate physical body and blessing, doping-type armaments operated on the opposite concept. Their mechanism artificially pushed the user’s limits.
Consequently, it carried a fatal risk of causing permanent brain damage if things went wrong. On top of that, it was highly volatile, usable only once per battle.
Yet, Sion was using such an armament in this duel. Furthermore, judging by the color of the blades, they were clearly coated in poison.
He knew she was persistent, but this was on another level. To coat her weapons in poison while taking on a risk that pushed her to the brink.
It wasn’t even a violation of the duel rules. After all, would the organizers have ever imagined a cadet coming up with such an idea? Den shook his head and muttered:
“...Crazy bitch.”
Sion’s afterimages multiplied one by one until there were dozens of them. Sion was now recreating the exact scene Kang Geomma had shown against Nox.
Even as her mind was being eaten away bit by bit by the armament, a deep smile spread across Sion’s lips.
Kang Geomma stood there blankly, offering no real response. Well, of course. She had staked her money, mind, and physical health on this—he must be utterly shocked.
Clang!
Dozens of afterimages lunged at Kang Geomma from all directions. It looked as if Kang Geomma was trapped inside a giant soap bubble.
From amidst the blur of figures, Sion launched a surprise attack. Her face was distorted, blood vessels bulging here and there. The sole emotion filling her was pure ecstasy. She screamed at the back of Kang Geomma’s head:
“Die! You lowly special adm—!”
Without even turning around, Kang Geomma swung his sashimi knife vertically upward. The tip of the blade pierced under Sion’s chin and exited through the crown of her head.
Squelch—
Simultaneously, the afterimages that had enclosed Kang Geomma like a sphere popped like bubbles. The light in Sion’s eyes, which had been distorted like a demon’s, turned cloudy and white.
[The third duel has concluded.]
Kang Geomma pulled the blade straight out of her skull. Thud. Sion collapsed like a doll with its strings cut.
[Winner: Candidate No. 7, Kang Geomma. Congratulations.]