episode_0015

There wasn’t much need for a long explanation about the ranking matches. One could simply imagine them as ranked games or competitive matches in an online game.

Cheongsong Academy was fundamentally an educational institution for cultivating the nation’s top Awakened individuals.

Compared to an ordinary high school or university, the competitive nature here was undeniably much more pronounced.

Students who climbed to the highest positions within the four ranking tables, divided by year from first to fourth, received numerous benefits.

For instance, the quality of dormitory facilities, scholarships for excellent grades, or free usage passes for the academy’s equipment crafting and repair facilities.

If one were to ask if this might lead to accusations of discriminatory treatment, the answer was unequivocally no.

While it was called a school or academy, ultimately, this place that cultivated the strongest individuals was an Awakened Academy.

It was rather stranger to criticize the prevailing meritocracy as something unusual.

Of course, among them, the one who had ascended to the top position was none other than myself. I could proudly declare that I was Lee Hyunjin, the beloved disciple of the Grand Sorceress, the Ice Empress.

Number one, maintaining the lead with an overwhelming score difference among the hundreds of first-year students—now second-year students—of Cheongsong Academy’s 9th cohort!

…It would be wonderful if I could say that, wouldn’t it?

Unfortunately, I hadn’t quite reached that level. To be more precise, there were a few others who were just as skilled as I was.

The frog in the well [a proverb about someone with a narrow perspective] had considerable power even outside, but… the presence of other geniuses somewhat dampened my momentum.

‘When I was constantly training under Master, I thought I was the strongest for my age. The world really is vast, isn’t it?’

To cut a long story short, yes. If I were to explain the current second-year academy ranking table, going down from first place, it was as follows:

* 1st Place: Lee Hyunjin (1123 points) * 2nd Place: Cheon Soyul (1110 points) * 3rd Place: Kim Yijun (998 points) * 4th Place: Baek Ayun (972 points) * 5th Place: Kanzaki Rie (931 points)

Basically, the hundreds of students in a single year were generally spread out evenly from 300 to 900 points. Occasionally, there were even some in the 200s.

As you can see, I, in first place, and Cheon Soyul, in second, maintained a quite overwhelming gap with those below us. A thousand points carried significant weight.

As I briefly gazed up at the arena’s central monitor, I noticed a curious fact.

‘Come to think of it, both first and second place are magic-users, and both third and fourth place are melee-users, huh?’

It might have been a coincidence, but it wasn’t a bad feeling. After all, wasn’t it definitive proof that we mages were superior to those uncivilized melee types?

Of course, if I ever uttered such words in front of Kim Yijun or Baek Ayun, I’d likely get stabbed. Or punched, at the very least…

Anyway.

Fifth place was Kanzaki, an exchange student from Japan, and below her, the names of other top-ranked students continued. Jinseong’s name was also visible around the top 20…

That was just because he approached ranking matches half-heartedly. He was like the embodiment of apathy.

I started to worry if a match would be found quickly. It wasn’t a big deal, but perhaps it was a minor struggle for those at the very top.

Sometimes, if I tried to do a ranking match, I’d have to wait over 30 minutes, depending on the circumstances.

The academy’s AI, which managed the ranking matches, must have been in deep contemplation about who to pair me with. It needed to be at least someone in the top 10, but how often did their schedules align with mine?

One might suggest that since I came with Cheon Soyul, I could just face her. However, unfortunately, my last ranking match opponent had been her.

And according to the ranking match rules, I couldn’t face an opponent I had already competed against for up to three more matches.

In the end, it meant I was fated to wait. Until someone came during the fourth period, when today’s ranking matches would continue, which was roughly three hours away?

I shook my head, lightly touching my forehead, and mumbled softly.

“Who could understand the loneliness of first place, huh.”

As I muttered this monologue-like comment, classmates from my year passing by shot me annoyed glances, as if I were insufferable. But, well, it was a minor matter.

Feeling both idle and bored, I was about to move, thinking I should get a warm coffee from the cafe just ahead and wait.

A flash!

“Oh.”

With a faint hum, my body began to be enveloped in a beam of light. I turned my head to see the monitor, which informed me that my match had been found.

[Left: Lee Hyunjin (1123 points) vs Right: Kim Yijun (998 points)]

“Oh…”

A gasp, quite different in meaning from my previous one, escaped my lips. Of all opponents, it had to be Kim Yijun. This was quite a coincidence.

…Yes, it really was inconvenient. Of all times, when I had a late-night snack bet with Cheon Soyul, my matched opponent turned out to be Kim Yijun. This was troubling.

It wasn’t entirely embarrassing, but… Kim Yijun, whose reputation as the Sword Saint’s disciple was certainly not hollow, was exceptionally skilled at countering mages.

In other words, he had a favorable matchup. For instance, even if Baek Ayun, in fourth place, could simply beat Kim Yijun with her fists, she wouldn’t stand a chance against me, right?

I was letting out a slightly ambiguous, bitter laugh when, in the distance, Cheon Soyul, who had been impatiently waiting for her own match to be found, just like me, checked the monitor screen and subtly glanced back at me.

And the moment our gazes met precisely.

A snicker.

Cheon Soyul openly burst into mockery. She covered her mouth, as if she was about to enjoy a good show, already certain of my defeat.

I couldn’t help but feel a vein throb on my forehead. No, that woman.

“Hey, it hasn’t even star—”

It was the moment I was about to yell something at the utterly despicable woman.

A brilliant flash!

The light flashed even more intensely, engulfing me and Kim Yijun, who must have been somewhere else in this vast arena, all at once.

*****

*Thump, rumblerumble…*

*Boom!*

From a vast sea of lava, as flames surged upward, the vents opened wide, launching fireballs into the sky. It was a space where loud explosions frequently made one’s ears throb.

“…Hmm.”

The searing heat from the magma and the fiercely hot ground was making my entire body swelter.

And of course, sweat was trickling down stickily. Goodness, how long had it even been since I arrived in this dungeon?

I looked up at the sky, blackened by the incessantly rising flames and volcanic ash. It was, as expected, not a very healthy environment.

*Clang!*

It was then that a sharp metallic clang, an alien sound in this volcanic region, reached my ears.

I suddenly turned my head toward the direction of the sound, and there stood a male student, his entire body emanating a faint golden glow.

Kim Yijun, disciple of the Sword Saint, the strongest man in current South Korea. The prodigy with the next-generation’s strongest talent, who would soon inherit the Golden Sword.

*Hiss…*

Of course, that was merely a tale limited to the sword. I slowly gathered chilling cold around me and approached him.

It was I who broke the silence first.

“It’s been a while for this, too.”

It was a short remark. A bit disorganized, and Kim Yijun, seeming quite displeased, quirked an eyebrow and retorted.

“What do you mean? Seeing my face after a month? Or, properly clashing swords with me on the battlefield of a ranking match?”

“Both. Though, if I had to specify, I placed slightly more significance on the latter.”

“…So, you were also looking forward to a duel with me, then.”

No, I hadn’t specifically said that much…

“Hmm.”

For a moment, I almost retorted without a filter, but he likely had his pride, so I decided against making meaningless provocations.

I generally restrained myself from unintentional provocations. Deliberately throwing out malicious provocations was, of course, a different story.

As I merely nodded heavily with a firm expression, Kim Yijun, perhaps pleased by this, softened his sharp gaze.

He began to take a stance, gathering a stronger golden light into his right hand, which held his sword.

“…You know, don’t you? If I defeat you today, even without considering the rank difference, I, too, will rise into the 1000-point range.”

I, too, fully felt the frost beginning to envelop my body, and with a cold breath, returned a brief retort.

“So?”

“It means I, too, will reach the position you and Cheon Soyul are aiming for.”

“Hmm.”

Kim Yijun replied energetically, twisting his mouth into a smirk. I, however, was merely thinking that his peculiar way of speaking never changed.

It seemed he was anticipating being the third among the second-years to achieve the 1000-point mark.

“That’s unfortunate, then.”

That wish would not be granted. Not when he had encountered me, of all people.

I, without bothering to hide my sneer, summoned a large ice spear in one hand.

Kim Yijun, knowing the implications of that weapon, immediately hardened his expression and, at the same time, swiftly swung the sword he held.

*Whoosh!* Along with the sound of slicing wind, a golden sword energy flew toward me.

But I didn’t panic. While a little caution was necessary, he wasn’t an opponent to warrant panicking and sacrificing my own advantage.

*Clang-crash!*

“…Wh-what?!”

I parried Kim Yijun’s sword energy by tilting my ice spear diagonally, and Kim Yijun, eyes wide open, let out a cry of shock.

He seemed to think I wouldn’t be able to deflect physical sword energy with a similar counter, but that, too, was his miscalculation.

The last time I faced Kim Yijun in a ranking match was before last year’s summer vacation.

Needless to say, back then, I was still an incomplete mage, a mere mediocre practitioner who hadn’t yet reached a proper level.

My theoretical understanding was virtually perfect, but I lacked practical experience. I couldn’t skillfully wield a mage’s techniques against melee opponents.

Nevertheless, I had succeeded in pushing Kim Yijun’s stamina to its absolute limit, and ultimately, winning by a hair’s breadth was something to be proud of.

Given that, Kim Yijun must have been left with lingering regret. It felt within his grasp, like if he just tried a little harder, he could win. He must have dedicated himself to training with such thoughts.

As such, it wasn’t unreasonable for him to expect revenge on this ranking match battlefield, encountering me after such a long time. He must have been confident on his end.

*Crack! Crackle-crackle-crackle!*

If only I hadn’t spent my time after our last ranking match mastering anti-melee combat magic to mend the scratch on my pride.

He certainly would have stood a chance of beating me at least once.

“…W-what is this.”

I swung my arm once, and accordingly, sharp-tipped, frozen blades began to generate one by one from behind my shoulder.

The most crucial tenet for dealing with melee opponents: Do not allow them to approach.

“Hah.”

Given the nature of this volcanic zone as a battlefield, I couldn’t drag out the fight. Compared to Kim Yijun, who had ample stamina, I was clearly at a disadvantage.

I lightly adjusted my breathing, then immediately extended my arm toward Kim Yijun. I channeled the mana within my body to my fingertips, activating a magic circle.

With that, I unleashed dozens of ice blades that I had pre-generated, all at once.

*Swish!*

The ice blades slicing through the air were utterly menacing. At the very least, there was no bluff in the mana I had infused into them.

I saw Kim Yijun clench his teeth.

“…Gah!”

He must have been flustered by the sudden counterattack, but he couldn’t possibly stand still. Kim Yijun gripped his sword tighter and channeled his ki.

Golden fragments rose into the air. The Sword Saint’s secret sword art, now turned into intangible sword energy, scattered in all directions to block my ice blades.

“I wonder how long he can keep deflecting them.”

And I didn’t stop summoning second and third waves of ice blades for even a single moment.

Just as I said, to keep Kim Yijun, that Swordsman, trapped indefinitely within a prison of blades.

“Hahaha!”

“Ugh…!”

I burst into loud laughter.

Kim Yijun groaned.

And my sole objective was to win the ranking match bet against Cheon Soyul.

Today was a day I longed to see her buying late-night snacks with a humiliated expression.