We had finished setting up to so extent, so we each queued for a match.
It hadn’t even been a few seconds since the terminal scanned when my opponent’s na appeared on the scoreboard.
[Kim Ho 926 points vs Jeong Jin-myeong 1,041 points]
I’ve fought him before.
Jeong Jin-myeong was the younger brother of Jeong Chong-myeong, the president of the White Magic Club.
During the three-way trap labyrinth match, he had tead up with Shin Byeong-cheol to lower the average score, which led to a match against us.
Now, my score had risen enough that we could get matched one-on-one.
Still, that’s quite a score gap.
Maybe the academic office had widened the matchmaking range.
The rules were pretty unique anyway, and we were going to have practice matches with upperclassn before the tournant regardless.
Thinking as much, I stepped onto the teleportation magic circle, and the marble floor ca into contact with my feet.
Jeong Jin-myeong who was standing on the opposite side spoke.
“I figured you’d make it up here.”
“Based on what?”
“From the very beginning, your vibe wasn’t ordinary. I also found your final exam replay pretty impressive.”
He was probably referring to the match I had with Lee Soo-dok in the control room.
That made enough sense, so I gave a slight nod.
Jeong Jin-myeong was about to say sothing else, but the countdown started first.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
[Kim Ho 100%]
vs
[Jeong Jin-myeong 100%]
Let’s start with a light probe.
I cast Hummingbird twice in quick succession.
Fzzzzzzzt!
Electricity gathered into the shape of a hummingbird and flew toward the opponent at terrifying speed.
“Knew you’d do that.”
It seed Jeong Jin-myeong had studied my tactics through the replays, as he was already casting defensive spells the mont the match started.
Mana ford a rounded shield around him and was further reinforced.
He had combined [Barrier] and [Fortress Wall].
Then, one by one, marble-sized mana stars began to form around him. Their number was steadily increasing.
It was the non-elental spell [Shooting Star].
He fired so at and used others to intercept the Hummingbirds.
Textbook approach.
Of course, I wasn’t the type to be taken down by sothing like that.
I activated Thief’s Step while manipulating the Hummingbirds.
The birds zigzagged to avoid the stars and circled threateningly around Jeong Jin-myeong.
A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.
“…You really do have great control. And your overall skills must be solid too. Makes sense you’ve broken into the 900s. But I still don’t get why you’re not affiliated with any club.”
Even as he spoke, he kept summoning mana stars and launching them at .
But even after I dodged, the stars remained floating in the air.
So he’s got another plan in mind.
I let it go for now and began casting spells of my own.
[Hummingbird]
[Twister]
[Ice Wall]
Multiple hummingbirds and a whirlwind swirled around Jeong Jin-myeong, while walls of ice sprang up at various spots.
Whooosh—
He glanced at it all, then continued with his questions.
“Ever considered joining the White Magic Club?”
“Did your senior ask you to recruit ?”
“Nope. Just curious myself.”
“Planning to be the next club president?”
A confident smile spread across Jeong Jin-myeong’s face.
“I think my potential isn’t any less than my brother’s. I’ll definitely be the president by senior year. Maybe even sooner.”
“With your skills, that sounds plausible. But isn’t it tough to take over a club in your second year?”
“It’s not easy, sure. But ‘we’ are betting that it’s doable.”
Having a capable ally would definitely make it more feasible.
So that’s why he’s been setting the tone for recruiting all along.
Even now, as he kept flinging mana stars, his eyes were still hoping for an answer.
I replied in a flat tone.
“Not really feeling it.”
“As club president, there’s a lot I can offer. And if we start working together now, there’ll be even more.”
“Sorry, but I don’t buy empty promises. If I want sothing, I’ll get it my way.”
Despite the firm rejection, Jeong Jin-myeong didn’t seem offended. He simply nodded quietly.
“You must have your own thoughts. I won’t force you. But know this; I haven’t given up.”
“That’s fair. You never really know how people might feel.”
“Good. Then shall we lay our cards on the table?”
Jeong Jin-myeong pointed his staff sharply at the air.
In response, the countless mana stars floating around began to shatter one by one.
Chae-chae-chaeng!
The stars, each the size of a fist, broke into fragnts the size of fingers and ca raining down.
Just as I thought. This was his aim all along.
He must’ve figured that a couple of shooting stars wouldn’t hit anyway, so he gathered dozens and detonated them all at once.
I tiptoed through the tiny gaps between the falling star shards.
Watching this, Jeong Jin-myeong wore a confident smile.
“You won’t be able to dodge them all with just simple movent.”
Chae-chae-chae-chaeng!
Then he detonated the remaining stars all at once.
The small star fragnts spread out densely in all directions.
Guess it’s my turn now.
Srrrk,
My body blurred for a mont.
While Ghost Dance was active, I slipped out of the star fragnt range and moved between the ice walls I had set up earlier.
Even so, a smile still lingered on Jeong Jin-myeong’s lips.
“Knew you’d do that.”
Then, with a gesture like conducting an orchestra, he moved his staff, and all the scattered star fragnts in the air suddenly rained down toward .
[Stardust]
Whooooooosh—
Of course he analyzed Ghost Dance, too.
He did say he watched the final exam replay.
I never expected to get through this with just Ghost Dance.
That’s why I set up the Ice Walls in advance.
The groundwork’s done.
Now it’s ti to finish the job.
[Tentacle Limbs]
[Ice Wall]
[Ice Wall]
[Ice Wall]
Bang-bang-bang!
The Ice Walls closed in around from all sides—front, back, left, and right—leaving no gaps, and finally, I sealed the top as well.
It was like being inside a thick block of ice.
The mana fragnts rely grazed the outer surface as they passed by.
Only then did the smile fade from Jeong Jin-myeong’s lips, replaced by a hint of confusion.
“…That actually works?”
“It’s an igloo.”
I opened one side of the igloo and launched my counterattack.
I began manipulating the Twister and Hummingbirds I had kept in place from earlier.
Fweeeee—
“……!”
Jeong Jin-myeong realized what was happening and hastily cast an additional barrier, but the compressed air exploded a mont later.
Boom!—
The barrier collapsed instantly.
That’s the defense-ignoring effect of the Spiral Explosion.
Jeong Jin-myeong tried to quickly reinforce his defense, but in that brief opening, the Hummingbirds slipped through.
Fzzzzt—!
[Jeong Jin-myeong: 97%]
The damage wasn’t major, but his entire body was paralyzed.
I pointed at him with the seedling and asked,
“Got anything left?”
“No, I lost.”
Jeong Jin-myeong accepted the result without protest.
He probably hadn’t known I could cast Ice Wall multiple tis or that Spiral Explosion could ignore defenses.
I asked,
“Seed like you had more cards left.”
“Can’t play them all in the first match. I’m not the only one in this thing.”
Jeong Jin-myeong grinned as he spoke.
Playing every card doesn’t guarantee a win, and there was no promise he could’ve figured out what I still had left. So he decided to end it here.
That cold logic…. just like his older brother.
[Kim Ho Win]
vs
[Jeong Jin-myeong Lose]
***
The mont I left the arena, I headed straight for the terminal.
As soon as I scanned my student ID, a new match was assigned exactly three seconds later.
[Kim Ho 971 points]
vs
[Han So-mi 1,108 points]
Only tough opponents today, huh?
Another match with over a 100-point gap.
It was another mont that made the theory about the wide point range settings even more convincing.
In any case, I had to play the match, so I stepped onto the magic circle in front of the stage, and a vast grassland stretched out to the edge of my vision to greet .
Monts later, Han So-mi appeared on the opposite side and waved both hands above her head.
“Hey, heyyy!”
“Nice to see you. First ti we’re eting in a duel battle match, right?”
“Yeah!”
“Looking forward to a good match.”
“ too!”
As Han So-mi bead brightly, the countdown began.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
[Kim Ho 100%]
vs
[Han So-mi 100%]
[Ti remaining: 9:59]
I took a sharp breath and pointed just past Han So-mi’s shoulder.
“Oh no! What is that?!”
“What? What is it?!”
Han So-mi imdiately turned around.
Then, tilting her head, she asked,
“There’s nothing there?”
“Of course there isn’t.”
I pointed just to distract her.
And right after that smoke screen, I cast the Mutual Destruction Eye.
[‘Poison (C)’ status effect has been applied.]
[Han So-mi 99%]
[Han So-mi 98%]
“You tricked !”
Han So-mi’s eyes widened in surprise.
If Song Cheon-hye had seen that, she would’ve groaned, asking how anyone could fall for such a cheap trick.
Not that she has much room to talk.
With the Mutual Destruction Eye successfully applied, the next step was already decided.
Ti to run.
I spun around and took off.
Startled, Han So-mi chased after .
“Ah! Stop right there!”
“I’d rather not.”
“You have to!”
“Nope.”
A tactic of casting the Mutual Destruction Eye whenever possible and running until the ti limit expires.
However, there was a major difference between Han So-mi and my previous opponents.
Movent speed.
The distance was closing at an alarming rate.
I glanced over my shoulder and said,
“Looks like you’ve learned so solid movent technique.”
“My master taught !”
Did she say her master was the Sword Queen?
If it’s a movent technique from an S-rank hero, it’s bound to be good.
In combat, aside from dodging or gaining a better position, there must also be movent technique styles focused purely on speed. Like now.
It seed clear that just sneaking away wouldn’t be enough to shake her off.
Before I knew it, Han So-mi had closed the gap right behind and swung her sword.
As I barely leaned aside to dodge, a second and third strike ca flying in.
Sssshing!
I deflected so with the storm cloud, dodged the rest, and kept retreating.
Then, I cast Wind Force at the approaching Han So-mi.
Boom!
She was sent flying backward.
But after being pushed back only a short distance, she righted herself midair and dropped vertically to the ground.
I let out a dry chuckle.
“You’re using Thousand-Pound Drop.”
“Mhmm!”
“Isn’t that a waste of a slot?”
“It’s just for testing!”
Han So-mi giggled as she replied.
Well, it’s true that skill slots aren’t fixed until the tournant.
She probably plans to try different things and decide later.
She had the skill and room to afford that.
Once again, she closed the gap using her quick movent technique.
As she launched into sharp swordplay, she opened her mouth to speak.
“I have a question!”
“Alright, what are you curious about?”
“The auction’s opening this weekend, right?”
“It is.”
“Are you going with Go Hyeon-woo too?”
Sssshing—!
A blue blade of energy slashed through the air along with the question.
I deflected it, twisting a storm cloud around the sapling as a shield.
“Nothing’s been decided yet.”
“Then I have a request!”
“You want to talk to him for you?”
“Mhmm!”
“Hmmm…”
I deliberately let out a contemplative hum, pretending to think.
For once, even Han So-mi seed to ease up a little and waited for my answer.
The next mont,
[‘Weathering (C)’ status effect has been applied.]
I triggered the mutual destruction eye again and bolted.
“Bleeh!”
“Get back here!”
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