Graduation Exam (2)
Kwon I-hyeon looked at the boy before him with a slightly tense expression. Han Do-hoon. The top student among the current graduates of the Awakened Academy. Among all the students participating in the graduation exam, he was the one drawing the most attention from the various guilds. He glared at Kwon I-hyeon with sharp eyes. What radiated from that gaze was unmistakably jealousy. Even he, the top-ranked student, had failed to catch the attention of a Guardian Star, yet Kwon I-hyeon—someone he had always considered inferior—had succeeded.
“What makes me inferior to Kwon I-hyeon?” At the root of that jealousy lay a deep-seated sense of superiority, the belief that he was better than Kwon I-hyeon. Yusoha would have scoffed and told him to compare things that were actually comparable, but unfortunately, he remained unaware of that fact. After all, it had been Han Do-hoon who stood frozen in shock at the training center, unable to even think of retrieving the swords he had cut down while Yusoha effortlessly sliced through the approaching swordsmen’s blades.
Despite having shown a disgraceful display unworthy of the title of top student, he continued to stare at Kwon I-hyeon with displeasure, never once reflecting on his own shortcomings. Kwon I-hyeon understood perfectly well why Han Do-hoon was acting this way. The jealousy pouring from his eyes was impossible to hide. “Then why don’t you do better?”
She forced her tension-stiffened face to move, drawing a mocking smile at the corner of her lips. Perhaps because she had never been one to sneer at others, the expression didn’t form properly. Still, it seemed to be enough. Han Do-hoon’s eyebrows twitched as he met Kwon I-hyeon’s awkward smirk.
Kwon I-hyeon knew that in terms of pure skill, she fell short of Han Do-hoon. That was precisely why she aimed to provoke him into losing his composure. After all, rankings didn’t matter much in the graduation exam. What mattered was how well she showcased herself to the scouts gathered here. Kwon I-hyeon wanted to display her best self and prove her worth to Yusoha once more.
The two gripped their swords and each took a step forward. Mana infused their blades, and the scouts’ eyes began to gleam. “Han Do-hoon has the edge in mana control. Still… it’s too early to tell. Kwon I-hyeon is the student Yusoha has her eye on. There must be something different about her.”
The mana-infused swords began to clash. Compared to the endlessly calm Kwon I-hyeon, Han Do-hoon’s swordplay carried an unmistakable hint of impatience. “Han Do-hoon seems to lack composure… In a real battle, Kwon I-hyeon would likely show a better performance. But if we’re talking potential…”
With thoughts like these running through their minds, the scouts began scoring the clash between Han Do-hoon and Kwon I-hyeon. Yusoha, watching the scene, felt the same. “Just as expected.” “Indeed.” “Kwon I-hyeon stays calm and knows what her goal is. Han Do-hoon, on the other hand, lacks composure and panics too easily when faced with the unexpected. Well, panic can improve with real combat experience, but by then Kwon I-hyeon will probably have pulled far ahead.” “Are there many students her age who show that level of composure?” “Almost none. Don’t you remember how the students at the training center looked completely out of it when they faced me? They were desperately trying to reach me no matter what. Other students just can’t do that. The Awakened Academy coddles its students too much. They explain how to handle unexpected situations in words, but can something like that really be taught through words alone?” “Hmm… I suppose you’re right.” “What was your world like?” “In the place I lived, you died if you lacked that kind of composure. Well, not when I was her age, but much later, when I was already working as a knight.” “Ah.” “That’s why my standards seem a bit different.” “If we use your world as the standard, doesn’t Earth look too pathetic…?” “It can’t be helped… Still, lately I’ve been trying to lower my standards to match Earth’s level.” “Anyway, Kwon I-hyeon only needs a little polishing to be immediately useful in the field. But Han Do-hoon… hmm, he’s ambiguous.” “I see. By the way, Soha.” “Yeah?” “You seem to have some complaints about the academy… Is that right?” “Of course I do. Ah, it looks like it’s about to end.”
Yusoha rarely avoided a question, but she dodged Eclipse’s inquiry with clear reluctance. Eclipse looked slightly puzzled but didn’t press the matter, turning his gaze back to the arena. The match was nearing its end. Kwon I-hyeon’s sword pressed Han Do-hoon with increasing sharpness. Relying on her composure, she relentlessly exploited her opponent’s growing agitation, and before long Han Do-hoon’s swordplay began to falter. The dignified bearing he usually displayed as the top student was nowhere to be seen. Even with victory in sight, Kwon I-hyeon never abandoned her calm, continuing to drive Han Do-hoon back.
“See? My eye for people is pretty good.” “……I have no choice but to admit that.” Both the members of Hwanryeong Team 2 and Kwon I-hyeon herself proved that Yusoha had an excellent eye for talent. “Of course, I can’t properly judge anyone above my own level.” “That’s true for everyone else too, so it’s fine. No, the fact that so few people can even accurately judge those below their own level makes it a skill in itself.” “……Really?” “Really. You can take pride in it. The people of Hwanryeong Team 2 aren’t just skilled—they have outstanding mindsets as well.” “Hehe.”
Yusoha rarely let out such a carefree laugh. Eclipse couldn’t help but feel surprised at an expression he had never seen from her before. Realizing this herself, she quickly suppressed the smile and tried to compose her face, but it was already far too late. “Ahem. Anyway, it’s almost over.” As she spoke, Yusoha’s cheeks were faintly flushed. “Get a grip.” She slapped her own face a couple of times. Lately, she had been feeling that she wasn’t showing her usual self. Where had her usual cool-headedness gone, leaving only this carefree side? She hardened her expression and focused once more on the arena.
Cornered, Han Do-hoon tried desperately to push Kwon I-hyeon back, but her calm swordsmanship blocked his every attempt. When he swung his sword at her in a frenzied attack, she instantly created a sheet of ice beneath his feet. Han Do-hoon lost his balance and staggered. Kwon I-hyeon didn’t miss the opening. Her sword stopped just short of his neck.
The first match ended with Kwon I-hyeon’s victory. Yet as he watched the scene, Eclipse turned to Yusoha with a puzzled expression. “Hmm? Doesn’t something seem off?” “What does?” “Those two. Why aren’t they summoning their Guardian Stars?” “Ah, that… The scouts need to observe various situations to make their judgments. How they fight with a Guardian Star, and how they fight without one.” “So right now they’re fighting without summoning their Guardian Stars?” “Yeah. How much of their innate ability they have without a Guardian Star is also one of the scouts’ evaluation criteria.” “……I see. But isn’t it rare to fight without a Guardian Star in actual combat?” “That’s true, but… well, they’re still students, after all.” “True.” “Their mana reserves probably aren’t enough to materialize a Guardian Star from the start. They wouldn’t even be able to fight properly. Most other Guardian Stars are the same. The amount of mana they consume is no joke.” “Hmm? But you never seemed like that.” “I’m an exception. I was born with a large mana reserve to begin with… and more importantly, even when you materialize, the mana consumption isn’t that high. I’m not sure why.” “Understood.”
Eclipse nodded in understanding, his gaze falling on the joyful Kwon I-hyeon and the disbelieving Han Do-hoon. “Shall we get up for a moment? There’s still some time before the next match……”
—WEEEEEEEE—
The moment Yusoha spoke, a loud alarm suddenly blared throughout the entire arena. “……What? What’s going on?” Yusoha turned to a nearby scout, trying to grasp the situation. “I-I don’t really know either……” Right after, an urgent voice echoed through the arena.
—A sudden gate erosion has occurred! Please evacuate to the shelters immediately!
“Huh?” A gate erosion? For a moment, Yusoha couldn’t process what was happening. Gate erosion was a phenomenon where a gate’s core, left unattended for too long, accumulated enough power to erode the surrounding terrain. But how could something like that happen near the Awakened Academy? There hadn’t even been a report of a gate appearing. “……What the hell is going on?”
Chaos began to fill the arena. Yusoha decided she needed to assess the situation and called out to Eclipse. “Eclipse! We need to check what’s happening!” “Understood. I’ll prepare.”
The two quickly exited the arena and looked toward the place where the mana waves felt especially intense. “……That’s……” Their eyes landed on the coastline at the very edge of the Awakened Academy. “The sea…… Could it be that it was too deep for detection……?” As Yusoha muttered in confusion, as if confirming her words, all sorts of monsters began pouring out from the sea.