Early Ranking Battle (3)
“Extra! Extra!”
Rata was dashing around the entire academy today too, shouting her headline cry. Combining her special squirrel beastkin traits with her Abl, she spread the news faster than anyone.
“What's the scoop this time, Rata?”
“That special transfer student from first-year Class F, Han Ijun, is having a ranking match with Rohan from the Leos baronet family!”
“For real? There's no announcement about that yet.”
“The official notice will go up soon, but who am I? Rata, the squirrel reporter faster than any bulletin!”
“So when's it happening?”
“Right after lunch ends!”
Thanks to(?) Rata's efforts, word of the ranking match between me and Rohan spread like wildfire—no student was left in the dark.
Lunch ended, and time for my ranking match with Rohan drew near.
That damn squirrel ran her tail off.
The spectator stands at the First Arena, where the ranking match was set, were packed beyond capacity—overflowing with students. You could say it was total saturation. Credit where due... nah, couldn't really call it that. It was all because of that headline-screaming squirrel hack from morning.
“Have you been waiting?”
I was up on the arena waiting for Rohan when a voice called out. A guy in the crisp academy uniform climbed up.
That's Rohan Leos?
Silver hair, glasses, squinting eyes character.
But I've seen him somewhere... huh?!
Something about his face rang a bell. I squinted, taking another look, and nearly freaked out.
Not that I showed it, of course.
That's Rohan? No way in hell... that can't be Rohan!
According to Itsuki's report, Rohan was a brown-haired, smug-faced typical chaebol heir type. But the Rohan before me was definitely the silver-haired, bespectacled squinter. And I knew that guy well.
The Hero, Cloud Layers!
This game's protagonist is Yujin Keruspal, and the main story follows him earning the hero's mantle after snapping out of it, becoming the demons' nemesis. But calling him the true hero is a stretch. Why? Because the world of Elan Symphonia has a real one.
The Hero Cloud Layers—master of the Gate of Brave, repository of countless holy swords; a specs-busting cheater with holy relic affinity off the charts, piercing the cosmos itself. The emperors founded the empire by slaying two legendary archdemons from the Seven Deadly Sins' origins: Satan the Red Dragon 666 and the Golden Duke LK of Mamon. Cloud took down the remaining five. A monster among monsters.
So why the hell is Cloud masquerading as Rohan?
And more importantly, why is he alive? The empire's founding was a thousand years ago. Cloud, his contemporary, should've been long dead. This is my own scenario—I nailed it down that he died.
I know his face because fans spammed comments demanding it, so I drew it myself.
This is seriously weird.
Something was off. A guy who should've been bones oxidized to dust was playing minion to Apostle Yuda, aiding Muksirok. Impossible to wrap my head around.
Agh! Screw it. Shady or not, if he's helping Apocalypse—even as an act—he's a threat to my yolo life. Can't ignore that.
Whatever his reasons or grand cause, if he's publicly backing Muksirok, he's gotta go.
Hero, my ass. Infinite holy sword spam? I'm the reality-warping liar.
Hero's a broken munchkin? Fine, I'm the liar beyond broken!
“Both are here, so before we start the ranking match, I'll explain the rules. You probably know them, but it's tradition.”
Marcia Raizelin—captain of the Argano Empire's 2nd Knight Order, Master Blade, and Elan Academy's swordsmanship instructor—was officiating and explaining the rules to us.
“Got it?”
“Yes.”
“Of course.”
“Then, we begin the ranking match between first-year Class C rank 9789, Rohan Leos, and first-year Class F rank 12001, Han Ijun.”
““Woooaaah—!””
With Marcia's signal, cheers erupted—not just in the arena, but across the whole academy.
Is this worth cheering for? Ow, my ears...
I rubbed my ringing ears from the roar and eyed Rohan—no, Cloud.
Cloud's Abl is the holy sword repository. He doesn't wield them personally; he missiles them out in overwhelming numbers. But as Rohan now, he'll use magic.
I figured even if he used his Abl, I wouldn't lose. I spoke to Cloud.
“Mind telling me why you challenged me to this ranking match?”
“Curious, that's all. What kind of guy is this Eastern peasant? And the special transfer who beat Yujin?”
What a prick.
I inwardly cursed Cloud as the king of pricks. Curiosity seemed legit, but I doubted that was all.
“Hold up—one sec before we start. Put this on.”
I pulled the mask from my pocket.
◈ Equipment Type: Accessory
◈ On Equip: Agility +4
◈ Effect 1 - Voice Blockade: Prevents others from understanding the wearer's speech.
◈ Effect 2 - Voice Distortion: Wearer's words sound like food names to others.
Yesterday, I summoned Luna and hit the gacha ceiling again. This Silent Mask was the pity reward.
I figured it was pretty damn useful.
Others won't hear my words right.
Perfect synergy with lies. To lie, I have to speak—and even whispering, what if they react and throw a wrench? That was one weakness I'd pondered fixing. Then boom, gacha delivers.
“Hey, check it—the transfer student's wearing something.”
“What is that? Some holy relic mask?”
“Nah, no way a mask like that's a relic. Probably just doesn't wanna spread a cold.”
Students buzzed with guesses as I donned it.
“All set? Then let's get serious.”
Cloud kicked off the match proper by hurling three fireballs at me in a row.
* * * *
Chantless? No-cast?
I stared, dumbfounded, as Cloud fired fireballs without chant or cast.
Hero perks, maybe? But this world isn't some webnovel with instant magic. Even geniuses take ten years minimum for a perfect circle. Chantless/no-cast ain't easy. Not even with protagonist buffs. That 7th-circle grandmage grandpa could only manage twice a day max.
“Salmon steak!”
So that's how it sounds. I yelled “Whoa!” but out came salmon steak.
“Dodging already? Quick reflexes.”
“Rose pasta! (Your attacks were just slow!)”
“Rose pasta? Hungry?”
“Thigh BBQ! (Hungry my ass!) Mushroom soup! (I can use 1st-circle magic!)”
Via Alteration, I temporarily gained a circle for two minutes... well, not really, but magic capability.
“Grandma bossam! (Grease!)”
Damn... grandma bossam? Too far.
I cast Grease under Cloud's feet.
Tomato... egg stir-fry! (Shit, my body... ugh!)
Sudden heavy strain hit my body. From magic without a circle? Normally, you cycle mana through the circle to convert to magicka and release. For me, external mana flowed through veins instead.
And even inner thoughts turn to food names?!
“Strange. I heard all your stats are G. No circles either—how are you casting?”
“Tangerine ade? (Hmph, 'cause I'm a genius?)”
“You were about to say that, right, Ijun?”
“Apple pie? (Huh?)”
About to say? What the—
Cloud started speaking directly into my head via telepathy.
-I know who you are. The one who shaped this world. Developer, in your world's terms?
What?
-Act: Lie. Abl: Alteration. Fun power. I have a proposal.
What is it?
-Die for me, once?
What?!
-Poor phrasing. Not a proposal... just die.
You little shi—
BAM—!
Something crashed from the sky, slamming me. Eeeee—! Ringing in my ears, then black.