Chapter 8
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: First Tournament (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks to the Mana Manual's mana recovery, I avoided passing out.
Instead, I couldn't even twitch a finger.
My whole body was trembling so badly it was indescribable.
Still, my mood was through the roof.
"…"
"…"
Yoon Ji-yeon had been sitting on the floor staring at me silently for a while now.
She sat there with her legs tucked up like a deflated little girl.
"What? You really don't want to hand it over?"
"…Ugh… Fine. I'll give you the grimoire."
She stood up and grabbed my head.
At that moment, my body jolted as mana flooded into me in an instant.
Top-tier magic.
Mana Heal.
Who would've thought I'd actually experience it firsthand.
You don't even get a chance at something like Mana Heal unless you're an S-Rank Hunter.
My body returned to normal like a miracle.
No, it actually felt a bit better than before.
"Ah, wait. Instead."
"?"
She smirked and spoke.
"I never said which grimoire, did I?"
"Wow. You're petty."
"What??? Pet… petty? Wow, what the hell is this kid saying? Do you know how many people died for just one grimoire?"
I knew full well.
Expedition teams had been wiped out just trying to obtain one.
Even the Yoon Family probably couldn't get one without sacrifices.
No wonder she was flustered.
A grimoire was a family heirloom.
Not something you hand over lightly.
…I never planned on taking it anyway.
Acquiring skills too easily makes it harder to get the next ones.
Once you taste the easy path, you keep chasing it.
True growth comes from the brutal, grueling, agonizing road to new heights.
"Forget it. I don't need the grimoire."
"Really?!?"
Yoon Ji-yeon rushed over in surprise and grabbed my hand.
I gently pulled away.
"Yeah. I wasn't planning on taking it anyway."
I'd already gotten my reward.
Yoon Ji-yeon's look of utter despair.
That was something I'd savor for a long time.
"Wow… You're such a good kid. If I handed over a grimoire, it would've ruined my reputation as family head."
"…Instead."
Of course, I wasn't refusing everything.
Something that might be even better for me.
"The key. Give it to me."
"The key?"
"Yes. The key to the Blue Room. And the password too."
Honestly, just getting this would be enough.
No, better than a grimoire.
Building 1, Room 1305.
The academy lets you rent a study room if you form a study group.
This place was currently unused.
I'd often used it for lunch breaks or after-school self-study.
A bit dusty, but the quiet made up for it.
I spread out my textbooks for review and lit the lantern.
Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.
In the silent room, only my pencil sounds echoed.
So far, I had five usable skills.
Fire, Fireball, Flame, Fire Spear, Ignition.
Honestly, compared to my past life, this was insane progress.
Stats rise quickly early on, but having 30 mana already was straight-up crazy growth.
Still, it wasn't enough.
Without magic from other attributes or advanced skills, I'd remain a mediocre hunter.
The first tournament was only three days away.
To not just pass but score high in a globally watched event, I had to cut sleep.
And cadets in the top 30% or higher got special privileges from the officer academy.
Weekend off-campus passes, outing rights.
Might seem trivial to others, but not to me.
I pulled out the blue key from my pocket.
The 'Blue Room Key,' sustained by Yoon Ji-yeon's mana.
To go there, I absolutely need an outing pass.
This was the key to a hidden dungeon Yoon Ji-yeon had found.
I wasn't sure if I could clear it with my power, but I had to try.
It hid absurd treasures.
Of course, Yoon Ji-yeon's reaction to the key was lukewarm.
-Whaaat~~? The Blue Room? There's nothing there. That's why I just abandoned it. You sure that's okay? No thanks from me~
She said that, but even she hadn't unraveled its secrets.
And for good reason—the secret was uncovered long after she was sealed away.
The year I turned 31.
It rocked the world for a while.
Creeeak—.
Just then, the study room door opened.
I startled and shoved the key into my inner pocket.
The hallway light silhouetted the intruder, hiding their face in shadow.
"…Who's there?"
Surprisingly, the mystery student spoke first.
I answered cautiously.
"And who are you?"
This was a study room no one came to.
Someone showing up meant the future had changed.
Caused by my actions? What went wrong?
Is this the butterfly effect?
Thud, thud.
Cadet boots echoed as the girl slowly entered.
Her blonde hair fluttered in the breeze from the window.
Was "exuding luxury" the right phrase?
Flashy accessories, an expensive-looking bow.
Gleaming gold jewelry, flawless pale skin.
One glance showed how pampered she was.
When she finally stepped into the lantern light, I recognized her instantly.
And she said coldly,
"…Get out."
"What?"
She looked down at me like I was a bug.
Her name: Irina Delebayne.
Sole heir to Sonic Enterprises, rivaling for world's top two conglomerates.
"I said get out."
"Sorry, but I was here first."
"…So?"
Sonic Enterprises was also the biggest investor in this, the First Hunter Officer Academy.
Why would Irina, who should be studying in the best room with her entourage, come to this dump?
Haa…
Either way, tangling with her spelled headaches.
I stood and headed for the door.
"Hey, you."
As I gripped the doorknob, Irina spoke.
I glanced back, and she continued.
"If you're from a famous family, an ability awakener, trained assassin from a specialist agency, or have insane skills, you can stay."
What nonsense.
Her precise classification of people was mildly impressive.
"I'm ordinary."
No sooner had I finished than Irina whipped her head away.
"Then scram. You reek of commoner."
Unbelievable.
I left the room before my anger boiled over.
Tournament day dawned.
It lasted three days total.
Day one: written exam.
When the tournament written exam approached, even planes couldn't fly nearby.
It was crucial, but the easiest of the three tests.
Easy, easy.
Problems I'd seen dozens of times.
[13. Which of the following is the ingredient list for the lowest-grade potion recipe?]
[20g Life Herb Root, 10g Blue Sea Cucumber, 100ml Water.]
[15. What is the protocol if a teammate suffers severe injuries during a dungeon raid?]
[First, separate from the teammate and eliminate hazards. Then check their body.]
[38. Explain the penalty regulations for teammates or civilians committing illegal acts inside a dungeon.]
[If they resist restraint, execute.]
[58. Correctly describe the weaknesses and Guide methods for the 'Ogre' species.]
[Fixed pattern attacks, Achilles tendon, fire-attribute skills.]
[75. Among the final 100 Heroes, this person is from Korea's Yoon Family and revered as a legendary mage. What is their name?]
[Yoon Ji-yeon.]
[100. This skill, named 'Blessing of the Archangel,' is an advanced healing spell that can even regenerate severed limbs. What is its name?]
[Symbol.]
Scribble scribble.
All 100 questions were essay-style.
The insane difficulty came from having to write full answers.
Subjects were integrated too, so anything could come up.
You needed perfect knowledge of every topic to solve them.
Scribble scribble scribble—.
Cadets solved at terrifying speeds.
Geniuses, as expected.
Some struggled, but time was plenty.
Failing written? Unthinkable for these cadets.
550 elite cadets selected worldwide for the First Hunter Officer Academy.
At age 10, they were recognized as hunter material.
That year, they completed training at nationally approved 'Hunter Elite Education Institutions,' passed apprentice hunter programs, then entered here.
Every institution had a dropout system.
These survivors were world-class elites.
Thwack!
20 minutes in, I set down my pen.
A few cadets glanced my way.
Honestly, aside from magic, no one could beat me on written exams.
…3 hours left. Should I nap?
Never slept during an exam in my past life.
Probably no cadet in academy history had dozed off mid-exam.
I faceplanted on the desk and slept.
Day two.
Physical fitness test.
Three main parts.
20km run, repeat jumps, burpee test.
First tournament focused on stamina over strength.
Arguably the most vital for hunters.
No worries for me there.
Full marks in everything but mana, so I was relaxed.
Ah-young, stuck to my side, trembled.
"…I can do it, right? I can, yeah? It's possible?"
"…You've trained hard."
A month supervising her fitness training.
Her stamina was already passing level.
Our special sessions transformed her.
Top-tier among female cadets now.
No reason to fear.
Smack!
I lightly smacked her back.
Ah-young jumped and looked up.
"Relax. You got this."
Tensing up weakens your true strength.
Sometimes a physical nudge helps loosen up.
"C Platoon, prepare!"
No need to tense anyway.
Fitness tests were easy for surviving cadets, like the written.
"Y-yeah! Thanks."
Ah-young clenched her fists.
The starting flare shot into the sky.
The 20km run began.
1st: 15:30 Kang Tae-hyun
2nd: 17:21 Mitsuda
3rd: 19:01 Lee Jae-yeol
...
15th: 23:22 Yoon Ah-young
"Hoo…"
Just a warm-up breathlessness.
Didn't overdo it to save energy for tomorrow.
20km in 15:30.
Mitsuda at 17 minutes was a monster too.
Yoon Ah-young passed.
Ah-young passed fitness with flying colors, as she'd hoped.
Spotting me from afar as she caught her breath, she grinned and thumbs-upped.
I grinned back and thumbs-upped.
Day three.
Not exaggeration to say everything led to today.
First tournament.
Huge meaning for cadets.
"Got any calming pills? Just one."
"How do I look? Okay?"
"Finally, fuck…"
C Platoon waiting room.
Lined up in two rows facing the entrance.
Cadets would enter soon.
Even in the waiting room, the roaring crowd was crystal clear.
Cadets wore combat gear with personal weapons.
Tournament rules: only two water bottles and weapon allowed.
Everything else scavenged from the 'dungeon.'
8 years.
From age 10 till now.
38 including past life.
Even I, rarely nervous, felt a tremor.
Do well. I'm not the old me anymore.
I knew this tournament's challenges.
Just solve without mistakes.
-C Platoon, enter.
C Platoon filed into the arena on cue.
Boom boom! Bang!
Fireworks lit the clear sky.
"Woooaaah—!!"
"Waaaah—!!"
Cadets entered; crowd stood and cheered as one.
Packed stands.
Broadcast cameras everywhere.
Famous guild scouts, defense ministry reps from every nation.
"C Platoon is entering now. Give them a big round of applause!"
The world's festival.
The first tournament had just begun.
(To be continued next time)