Midterms (3): That's Not What We Asked For...
The chat window exploded in confusion.
But Do-gyeol remained utterly calm.
'Once you've done it once, twice is easy.'
Having fully crossed over to the other side of the wall, Do-gyeol placed his hand on the next one.
"What's that? Sounds scary," Do-gyeol muttered softly at the chat's fussing.
"Don't bring weird real-world logic here."
"No, I mean normal people's logic. This is sorcerer logic."
At the same moment, in the control room.
The lollipop dropped from Pi Yu-jun's mouth as he watched the monitors.
'...That crazy psycho bastard.'
Look at Do-gyeol on the screen. No intention of solving the maze at all. Just plowing straight toward the exit.
Hit a blocked wall? Slip right through.
Another blocked wall? Through here too.
'Unbelievable.'
No, it was beyond unbelievable—his common sense had ascended to the heavens.
Reading environmental yeong-ryeok, distributing power for efficient paths. That was the intent of this midterm evaluation.
'But this guy's ignoring the terrain itself?'
Grasping terrain via yeong-ryeok manipulation? Building navigation with environmental yeong-ryeok? Controlling and suppressing output?
None of that mattered to him. Or more precisely, it was the ultimate fusion of all those elements?
'A feat impossible without insane fundamental understanding of sorcery.'
The monitor still showed Do-gyeol ghosting through walls like a specter.
A moment later, at the exit waiting room.
The door burst open, and Do-gyeol popped out.
Not a drop of sweat on his face. The kids already there gaped, eyes bulging.
"You're here already?"
"Wait, isn't it one at a time? Next starts after the previous exits?"
"How long since the last one came out? And he's breathing steady?"
The speed alone was shocking, but he looked untouched by the effort. This test demanded such high focus it exhausted even elites.
"Everyone's running the maze, sweating buckets, breaths wrecked—and he looks fine?"
"Sure, if you used nae-hoheup, but the time's insane."
Then Kang Hak spoke up.
"Got it. Couldn't find the path, gave up and came back?"
"Huh? How do you exit by going back?"
Kang Hak's brow furrowed at Do-gyeol's innocent retort.
"Or did you cheat with talismans again? Told you that shit won't work on me."
"Cheat?"
"No point explaining. You'll see when results drop—how fucking stupid you were."
Kang Hak was certain. Blasting walls with talismans for a straight shot? Deductions for sure.
'I'm definitely first this time.'
*
Days later, midterm results day.
Pi Yu-jun stood at the podium, tapping the stack of score sheets.
"First, perfect written exam scores."
The kids swallowed dryly.
"Two of you."
Who? Do-gyeol wondered.
'Gotta be me and Seo Tae-yun.'
His lips twitched upward—then froze.
"Yun Ga-eun, Baek Seo-rin. Applause."
Clap clap clap. Polite claps echoed in the classroom.
"Whew! Those iffy problems were right after all! Thought I bombed!"
Yun Ga-eun's face lit up with relief and joy.
Do-gyeol's, meanwhile, sprouted question marks.
'...What the hell?'
Bombed? After all that research whining?!
He'd been played. Totally played. The urban legend of crybabies topping the ranks—manifesting right here!
'Wait, then where's Seo Tae-yun?'
Do-gyeol's eyes darted to him.
"Seo Tae-yun. Smart guy like you, why half-ass the exam? Step it up next time."
"Yes."
Seo Tae-yun replied flatly. Do-gyeol's jaw hit the floor.
'Step it up?! STEP IT UPPPP?!'
No need to hear more. Bad score!
'That "half-assed" line wasn't elite arrogance?!'
If he really half-assed it, say so straight! After all my work!
'Too damn honest for no reason!!'
Do-gyeol's vision blurred. Tears of despair welled; betrayal streamed down.
As the chat mocked on, Pi Yu-jun moved to the next item.
"Next, practical exam rankings."
The classroom hushed. This was the main event they'd waited for.
'Yeah, this is it! I've got hope here.'
Do-gyeol's eyes sparkled anew.
Pi Yu-jun's lips parted.
"First place, Do-gyeol."
"Yes!!"
Do-gyeol's reflexive shout poured ice water over the room, silencing it.
Kang Hak broke the quiet.
"Ah, for real!"
He slammed his desk, standing.
"What's the criteria this time? Looks like you pulled the same time-attack stunt as me—deduct points equally, right?!"
Pi Yu-jun smirked at the protest.
"I get why you're pissed. Hard to believe without seeing it yourself."
With that, the classroom screen lit up.
Do-gyeol's practical footage began playing.
From the start, he acted weird: hand on wall, off, on again.
"See! He's exploding—!"
Kang Hak's words cut off.
No explosion—Do-gyeol's hand simply slid through the wall.
The video continued straight to the exit.
"...?"
The kids' souls fled their eyes. Utterly incomprehensible at their level.
"See?"
Pi Yu-jun turned off the screen.
"No physical destruction. He even restored them himself after passing."
"Th-that possible?"
"Do-gyeol! What the hell did you do?!"
The kids couldn't shake their bewilderment.
"The pinnacle of yeong-ryeok manipulation," Pi Yu-jun said, rolling his lollipop, eyeing Do-gyeol.
"Theory we cover before finals—and a kid pulls it off early. Didn't see that coming."
"We learn that?"
"Practice and we can do it too?"
Pi Yu-jun couldn't answer lightly. Obviously no.
'Even controlling your own yeong-ryeok, reshaping structures like that? Rare few.'
Not reachable with just lectures and practice.
But no need to set limits.
"Break the limits you set for yourself, and nothing's impossible."
The kids' eyes blazed with fervor.
Amid it, only Baek Seo-rin's held a different glint.
Thump thump. Her heartbeat rang clearer than usual.
Chewing through rules and frames others set, establishing his own standards—Do-gyeol's talent.
'A method I'd never dream of, even in death... Do-gyeol treats frames like they don't exist.'
Then Do-gyeol boldly shot up his hand.
"Teacher! So what's first-place perk?"
"Perk?"
Pi Yu-jun tilted his head.
"Did I say that?"
"Huh? No perk? But surely..."
Do-gyeol glanced at Yun Ga-eun; she frantically waved no.
Pi Yu-jun eyed Do-gyeol.
'Perk, huh.'
Originally planned: solo field mission for first place. Safe requests only, for experience.
'But after that incident, first-years' field assignments are fully halted.'
Pi Yu-jun changed tack.
"Current team assignments hold steady through midterms—no changes."
Meant to reshuffle, but Team 1 barely used their prior perk.
"Dismissed. Oh, Do-gyeol—follow me."
Do-gyeol's eyes lit up again.
'Oh! Separate perk call?'
His beaming face vanished from the room; Team 4 kids sighed.
"Damn, got hopes up for reshuffle."
"Yeah. Hey, our Min-je's locked in dead last now?"
"Jo Min-je's real last—reshuffle for balance?"
"Eternal last, demote to Do-ryeong Class?"
"Hey!"
Jo Min-je clenched his fists. Mockery disguised as jokes darkened his eyes.
Ignoring the noise, Baek Seo-rin approached.
Stopped at Yun Ga-eun's desk.
"Ga-eun-ah."
"Huh? Yeah, Seo-rin-ah. What's up?"
Yun Ga-eun blinked wide. Baek Seo-rin initiating? Rare.
"Nothing big. Just curious."
"About?"
"Do-gyeol's on your team. What does he like?"
"...Gyeol?"
Yun Ga-eun blinked, recalling Do-gyeol devouring sausages in the cafeteria last time.
"Sausage?"
"...Sausage?"
Baek Seo-rin's echo froze Yun Ga-eun's face. Then her ears flushed red.
"Why?"
Baek Seo-rin asked puzzled; Yun Ga-eun gestured to borrow an ear, whispering secretively.
"...What?"
Baek Seo-rin's eyes flew wide hearing it.
"You sure? Not mistaken?"
"Circumstantial evidence says yes!"
"But recently, he was totally heart-eyes next to some girl?"
Yun Ga-eun tilted her head.
"Gyeol with a girl? No way."
Then it hit—Seo Tae-yun's words.
'Me and Do-gyeol didn't do anything weird like you're thinking.'
Her brain spun. Then Yun Ga-eun's face exploded crimson.
"What do I do!"
She clapped hands over her face, bolting from the classroom—
Bam!
—headbutted the wall, ears redder, vanishing.
"...What's with her?"