Chapter 33

Chapter 33

I Became the Only Non-mage in the Academy.

Episode 33: Invasion (2)

Time flew by quickly.

The time to meet Seolhwa Ryeon again was drawing near.

‘The problem lies elsewhere.’

I looked ahead.

Professor Song Ra-hee was speaking in front of us.

“Last weekend, Professor Han Bi-yeon, who is in charge of alchemy classes, was attacked. The attacker was identified as a Mine.”

‘Isn’t it Seolhwa Ryeon?’

If it was confirmed to be a Mine, it was highly likely to be a self-made plot.

But it might not be.

Mines possessed great strength but lost their restraint in return. The story changed in extreme cases, but impulsive Mines could attack Han Bi-yeon.

“That’s why we’re prohibiting outings this week. The Korean Hero School was ultimately created to nurture heroes. As students, you all need to be protected.”

Song Ra-hee looked straight at me after saying that.

“Have a nice weekend, everyone. Hell starts next week.”

Song Ra-hee left with a witch-like laugh.

“Oh, I really hate practical exams.”

“At least we can handle them. It’s the top students who get matched with Lee Seo-ha who are really pitiful.”

Someone’s comment made those around them flinch.

Hong Yu-hwa was glaring at me.

Kim Seo-hyun was looking at me with eyes that said he wanted to fight.

Ershil was looking at me with very wary eyes.

‘Well, Ershil is extremely incompatible with me.’

If Ershil really exerted her power, she could beat Kim Seo-hyun, but her main strength lay in illusion.

Heaven Defying Body was one of the stronger powers against that.

On the other hand, I should never be matched with Kim Ara.

Kim Ara could withstand my Energy of Defying Heaven and had the toughness and physical strength to crush me in close combat.

Kim Seo-hyun was also a nuisance. Martial arts were usually weak to area attacks, but this guy didn’t have that weakness.

He inherited a thousand years of martial arts history, possessing no weaknesses, only strengths.

Kim Ara was the second person I least wanted to fight after him.

‘I’d prefer a wizard, though.’

As I contemplated this, I noticed a blond boy just outside the door.

…So, this guy was here as well.

“Ha, you’re the famous top student?”

His voice was brimming with confidence.

It had an easy, carefree tone.

“What’s this, a guy from another class here?”

“No rule says students from other classes can’t come here.”

Park Woon-hyuk growled, but the blond boy replied calmly.

There was something special about him.

Though he ranked 7th, his strength wasn’t the reason.

Inside the Tower of Trials, he had faced and defeated what he would call his natural enemy.

Then he ‘prayed’ for the fallen being.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Saint Royalrose. I’m a paladin from Heaven (天國).”

He also happened to be the third person I found most troublesome.

…Analysis.

▼

[Name: Saint Royalrose]

Strength: 25

Agility: 25

Stamina: 25

Talent: 15

Special Stats

Divinity: 25

◈ Talents

“Radiant Being (A+)”, “Dawn Sword (A)”, “Light Wheel (A)”, “Black and White Judgment (B)”, “Self-Intoxication (B-)”

◈ Skills

“Twilight End (A+)”, “Spectrum Sword Technique (A)”

◈ Physique

“Divine Body (B)”

Most of his stats stood at 25.

Regarding talents, they largely proclaimed, “I am a paladin.”

His skill, the Spectrum Sword Technique, was a method of manipulating light with his blade.

I felt the urge to question how a paladin could master martial arts, but this was a unique sword technique developed in Heaven.

‘He’s really a handful.’

Having him on your team was reassuring, but facing him as an opponent was more troublesome than anyone else.

His nickname was Holy Roach.

Because he was so persistent, like a cockroach, no matter how much you beat him down.

“Nice to meet you.”

I accepted the handshake he extended. Saint grinned in response.

“I can sense that you are a being similar to me.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Do you also find the world to be boring?”

“No, there’s a whole world of interesting things out there.”

Our conversation was going nowhere.

It was as if we were speaking parallel to the horizon.

Such was the nature of Saint Royalrose’s character.

Divinity was usually about believing in oneself and gaining power by devoting that belief to a deity.

Therefore, they often had a very strong sense of self.

Among them, Saint Royalrose was particularly peculiar.

He was a human who lived in self-glory due to his high ego.

“Don’t you hate a world where there are few unique beings like me? I see, you thought so too.”

Saint was humming and nodding.

Damn it.

Listen to what people say…

“Then let me tell you this. Next week, during the practical exam and mock battle evaluation, I will choose you.”

“I see.”

I had guessed it when Saint came here.

That self-righteous guy didn’t care about others but paid attention to the especially special ones.

“Sorry, but I’m first?”

A blazing voice spoke.

With her red hair thrown back and a haughty expression, Hong Yu-hwa spoke.

“The granddaughter of the owner of the Red Tower, right?”

“Yes. I’m first, so you’re second. It’s a shame, but it’s a prior engagement.”

“But haven’t you always lost to the top student until now? Ah, the loser, right? This time, I’ll go first.”

“Sorry, but I’m the first.”

While Hong Yu-hwa and Saint were having their confrontation, Kim Seo-hyun appeared and said.

“I also want to fight Lee Seo-ha. I’ve been losing continuously.”

Kim Seo-hyun emphasized the fact that he’d been losing while looking at Hong Yu-hwa with his usual relaxed expression.

Hong Yu-hwa glared at Kim Seo-hyun with her haughty eyes.

“Ah, I have no choice but to yield this time.”

Park Woon-hyuk spoke from behind with an arrogant expression.

He seemed somewhat relieved.

What about my opinion…?

The practical evaluation began.

The place where the practical evaluation was conducted resembled a huge circular dome.

On the way there, I witnessed a strange scene.

“Seolhwa Ryeon. Why did you try to go outside on the weekend?”

“I had an important, sob, appointment,”

Seolhwa Ryeon said this while almost sobbing.

Her expression seemed to resent the world, which made Seo Woo-ju, the instructor, momentarily wonder if he had interrupted an important appointment.

“Rules are rules. I will deduct 5 points from Seolhwa Ryeon as a penalty.”

Watching this scene, I thought,

…Was she really trying to escape?

Perhaps Seolhwa Ryeon’s feelings toward the elder were not as ordinary as I had thought.

Approaching Seolhwa Ryeon, who was kneeling in the corner and sobbing, I decided to tell a kind lie.

“What, huh, is it?”

“…A man wearing a mask earlier had something to tell you.”

“What, what?! Really?!”

Seolhwa Ryeon’s expression changed drastically, from sobbing to brightness.

I awkwardly nodded and handed over a phone number I had prepared earlier using Nyeom.

“A, a number?”

“Yeah. The man in the mask said to contact him here.”

“Re, really? Did he, the elder… say that?”

“…Yeah.”

After saying that, I quickly walked toward the site of the practical evaluation.

The practical evaluation was an opportunity, a chance to be appraised as a hero, and performing well there can lead to better prospects.

At the Korean Hero School, students were generally talented, but those with exceptional talents often hailed from socially prominent families, like Hong Yu-hwa, the granddaughter of the Red Tower’s owner, Park Woon-hyuk from a renowned chaebol family, or Ershil from an English family with the title of Earl.

Catching their eye could ease one’s future, so everyone gave their utmost effort.

That’s why the site for the practical evaluation was abuzz.

Some watched others nervously while others meditated quietly to calm their minds.

I leisurely put a cookie in my mouth.

“Attention, everyone! The practical evaluation will now commence.”

Instructor Seo Woo-ju called for the students’ attention.

“Students displayed on the electronic board over there will fight in order. We’ll start with the higher-ranked individuals. Student Lee Seo-ha, please come forward.”

Responding to Seo Woo-ju’s call, I stepped forward.

“Excluding the top student of the grade, everyone can nominate their opponent for their mock battle. If you choose someone with a favorable matchup, you get minus points, and choosing an unfavorable target earns you plus points. This also applies to the rankings.”

However, the top student of the grade always had to be perfect, so they were randomly assigned an opponent within the top 10.

Everyone swallowed nervously and watched the electronic board.

Clearly, today’s mock battles would be the highlight.

The board started to rotate.

The names of the first nine students who had cleared the Tower of Trials passed by.

Then a name appeared on the electronic board.

[Lee Seo-ha vs Saint Royalrose]

Tsk.

Got an annoying one.

Saint, smiling brightly, made the sign of the cross with one hand and prayed.

Skyscraper.

Towering buildings rose high, creating a scene like a forest.

At the top of the tallest tower stood a being.

The man’s appearance was bizarre.

He was over 5 meters tall, with bat-like wings on his back.

One of the Seven Evils, the Vicious Abomination, stood atop the tower, looking down at the city below.

“It’s impossible to observe from here too. Peculiar. Did the Emperor leave a star behind?”

The Vicious Abomination wondered, then shook his head.

It didn’t really matter anyway.

The Emperor would soon have to come to him with all the stars.

If he didn’t bring all of them, that was fine too. It would be an opportunity to kill the Emperor.

The Vicious Abomination stretched his hand towards the sky.

A cloudless sky.

It began to distort.

Creeeeak.

As if space itself were warping.

Crackle, crackle, crackle.

The sky started to shatter like breaking glass.

People passing by looked up at the sky with dazed expressions.

The action of the Vicious Abomination was simple.

He merely exerted power.

This act tore and destroyed space.

“First, let’s start lightly… hmm?”

Something caught his transcendental senses.

He turned his head. Then, an arrow whizzed by.

He traced the trajectory of the arrow.

An artificial island in the East Sea housed the Korean Hero School.

The distance was well over 500 km.

Atop the highest tower there…

A man aimed a bow at him.

He was one of the Emperor’s stars.

To him, who wielded the space-penetrating Celestial Time, range was of no consequence.

The Vicious Abomination laughed with a wide grin and leaped into the air, kicking off the void.