Ch.228223 – Iron Man

I lost. And in such a helpless way.

Shin Yeon-ho didn’t want to bring up the handicap now.

Honestly, just by adjusting the friction coefficient to make someone fall, he could have reduced any second-grade elementary student to tears.

But what was this?

He clumsily dropped his wand on the floor.

Focusing only on the mana particle shield, he hadn’t even anticipated NoName launching an attack.

Setting everything else aside, he absolutely shouldn’t have broken the rule he himself had so confidently established.

‘Please…’

What kind of insults were probably flooding NoName’s stream right now?

He desperately wished she would at least explain properly, but his feelings apparently weren’t conveyed to NoName.

After all, she was slowly examining other groups’ wands with Professor Bae Seo-jin, evaluating them.

“Oh, you added a variable resistor to the Wheatstone bridge circuit formula?”

“Yeah. Since sensitivity relatively increases as you go from quarter bridge to half bridge to full bridge, it can solve accuracy issues.”

“That’s impressively creative thinking. This group deserves a good grade too, Professor, don’t you think?”

“I’ll take that into consideration. Well done, Group 2.”

“Yes!”

That’s right.

There was no duel to be found anywhere—she was simply checking if they had made proper improvements.

“Why aren’t we dueling?” Shin Yeon-ho asked incredulously.

NoName just shrugged her shoulders.

“I never said I would duel with everyone here.”

“What are you talking about? You said if we want good grades, we should verify through dueling—”

“That was just my suggestion because your group claimed to have made the best one. Did you seriously think I was going to fight eight elementary students in succession?”

“No, but—!”

“I’m human too. You of all people should know how exhausting even one duel can be.”

His words caught in his throat.

What made it worse was that everything she said was true, which only made him feel more frustrated.

The chat was scrolling down one character at a time.

Even though Yeon-ho didn’t watch streams much, he could guess what those characters meant.

Probably alternating between “L” and “OL.”

“Please spare me! I’m begging you, NoName! I mean, Ms. NoName!”

Eventually, Shin Yeon-ho went so far as to bow deeply before NoName.

His group members just held their foreheads, as if they couldn’t bear to watch.

* * *

One thing I noticed about Korea University students is that they all seem somewhat lacking and awkward, but they’re incredibly quick-witted and have great sense.

Having never worked in an office before, I wasn’t sure if this comparison was accurate, but I imagined they must be like new employees who beat hundreds-to-one odds to get hired.

Their flashes of creativity and knowledge often surprised me, making me understand why they’re called Korea’s finest talents.

“It was just a joke.”

“A joke… well, I suppose you’re at an age for pranks… but if you do it twice, I don’t think my heart will survive…”

Shin Yeon-ho and my stream viewers reached an amicable agreement.

He performed a “grand apology” according to Twissy streaming culture, doing a handstand while offering sincere words of apology.

When viewers asked who had given him the portable resonance generator, he refused to answer.

I didn’t want to tell them it was Professor Cheon, as that might encourage teenage viewers to become “parent wallet breakers.”

I still can’t forget the feelings of deprivation and alienation I felt in my previous life when North Face and Canada Goose padded jackets were trending among the popular kids.

“I can’t stop this from making internet news.”

“What?”

“There are journalists who regularly watch my streams. They sometimes offer me entertainment show appearances too.”

“Hey! What am I supposed to do?”

“What can you do? Just deal with it. You’re the one who hit me, why are you complaining to me?”

“Aaaaargh! My social reputation!”

I feel a bit sorry for him.

But it was fun.

Neither Shin Yeon-ho nor I fought with our full strength, but I got to experience that freedom from the past again.

The problem is that my body is too weak.

When I did that back kick earlier, I must have twisted my leg too much because my hip joint feels really stiff now.

Even with just 1-2 circle magic, my mana was depleted in chunks, and I couldn’t achieve perfection in each spell.

The wide-area magic “Eye of the Storm” that I cast with great determination was embarrassingly poor.

I clenched my fist and made a resolution.

‘Getting stronger comes first.’

Without the shortcuts I used in my previous life, using only my own strength.

Modern magic had many complications during casting, but in exchange, there were treasures cultivated by countless scholars.

It shouldn’t be too difficult to become much stronger than before.

I just hope this peacefulness lasts a long time.

“Sigh…”

Next to me, Shin Yeon-ho was checking the main internet portal, alternately searching his name and school name.

As if that would show up so quickly.

It was quite pitiful seeing him sighing so deeply.

“Should I grant you a wish?”

“Will you really grant it if I tell you?”

He took the bait so easily.

“You know business is about exchange, right?”

My VTube revenue had been a bit slow lately.

That’s not good.

After all, Seo Yu-na’s family’s livelihood depends on it.

* * *

[NoName Official]

<Community Post>

[Hello, this is Maru, NoName’s VTube editor.

First, I sincerely thank everyone who supports NoName.

As subscribers know, several of our main games have been suspended, making our broadcast schedule and video uploads irregular.

NoName is working hard to develop various content beyond just two games, and is also planning IRL broadcasts.

While everyone appearing unblurred in videos has given prior permission, please remember they are ordinary people.

Also, secondary creation is limited to VTube and VTube Shorts videos, and we remind you that using footage of ordinary people may result in lawsuits for privacy violations.

Thank you.]

<Shorts>

[Losing to an 8-year-old~♡ So pathetic~♡ Hurry up and do your grand apology~♡][Views: 1.46M]

[Best Comments]

-Do you have two VTube editors? [Likes: 3.4K]

└ (NoName Official): It’s just me. [Likes: 2.1K]

└ For a moment I thought the person who posted the notice and the person who posted the shorts were different people lol

-Teacher Ma and the Loser kidㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ [Likes: 2.7K]

└ I actually feel bad for him being immortalized like thisㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

└ If this was planned, it’s a genius move

└ How did you even think to capture this momentㅋㅋㅋㅋ You’re evil

-Yeon-ho, you better pay double taxes

└ No, you should pay off the national debt too

└ This is so funnyㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

└ National debtㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

└ The country’s struggling these daysㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-He’s not exactly super handsome, but with his physique, brains, and warm vibe, I can’t help but feel butterflies

└ He gives web drama lead vibesㅋㅋㅋㅋ

└ Just an apex predator, that’s all

└ Sigh… he’s too perfect to even hate… I’m tired of saying pay taxes, just turn yourself in and go to jail

└ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-If he comes to my gym, I’ll smash him with a dumbbell

└ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ You should just stop working out

└ But isn’t that a trained body? He has abs?

└ I’m his classmate at Altair Academy, and he’s never worked out except jogging and push-ups. He’s actually lost muscle since high school.

└ Arrest them all. No, send a special prosecutor.

* * *

The next day, I reviewed the video footage.

Somehow, the crude and embarrassing projects made by Korea University students ended up being captured.

Along with scenes of the professor and me criticizing them harshly.

Wasn’t the original purpose of the promotional video to showcase the university’s excellence?

Why show these embarrassing flaws instead?

But the PR team staff said it was fine. Apparently, these days, showing human aspects resonates better with the public.

“What does it matter? It’s Korea University after all.”

Maybe they really don’t care that much.

Since the footage had become much longer than expected, we decided to visit just one more class.

Thanks to Shin Yeon-ho’s earnest request, our next destination was naturally determined.

[Symbolic Logic (113.227) – Department of Philosophy]

The Philosophy Department’s curriculum is quite unique.

For those who fulfill all graduation requirements by their third year, the entire fourth year consists of mandatory 16-credit courses in the first semester and 17-credit courses in the second semester.

As a result, students with schedules as busy as those in law or medicine showed remarkable attendance even during summer sessions.

“In the Philosophy Department’s Symbolic Logic major course, there’s a student named Ban So-wol from Aspen Academy. She has long brown curly hair, is about 165cm tall, with an oval face and fair skin.”

Shin Yeon-ho, who had insisted on following me to school despite it being a day off, described her appearance in front of Humanities Building 7.

“Are you asking me to get her number for you?”

His comma-shaped hair bobbed up and down.

He should really use some hair wax to fix that.

“Do you like her?”

“…! No, no, it’s not like that…”

“Wouldn’t it be more meaningful if you got her number yourself? Why ask me to do it?”

“You’ll understand when you get there…”

He said with a gloomy expression.

At the time, I couldn’t even guess what he was trying to say, but…

Creeeeak-

As I carefully opened the back door of the small lecture hall, a wave of heat immediately hit me, carried by the fan’s breeze.

I had given the Philosophy professor a heads-up, but the students apparently didn’t know yet.

After staring at each other in bewilderment for a while, one student who recognized me suddenly started giving enthusiastic applause.

“Eureka!”

When I say enthusiastic, I mean it literally.

His palms made explosive sounds.

Only then did the other male students also half-rise from their integrated desks, welcoming me.

“Hello… everyone?”

I cautiously began.

Men, men, men.

Why are there so many men? I thought the Philosophy Department had a 1:1 gender ratio.

While the young male professor cleared his throat, a large man with tanned skin waved at me, showing his neat teeth.

Where are the philosophical men? All I see are beast-like iron men.

The man tried to offer me a handshake but suddenly pulled his hand back.

“We just came from playing soccer, so we’re still a bit sweaty.”

I thought I’d come to an all-boys high school, not a university.

‘Ha… haha…’ I laughed awkwardly and responded appropriately.

Belatedly, the Philosophy professor, who looked frail compared to his students, came and introduced me.

From the front, I could see clearly.

It’s not that there are many men.

It’s that there are only men.

Except for one person.

“Everyone here probably knows her, but NoName has come to experience the Symbolic Logic class for a day. We really welcome you. As for seating… you can sit anywhere you like. Is there somewhere you’d prefer?”

At the front row where three desks were connected, two seats were already taken.

At the far right, a muscular man similar to the one I saw earlier was busily typing.

And in the middle, a woman with narrowed, unfocused eyes was smiling brightly, clearly looking at me.

She was the only female in this class.

“Ah! Would you like to sit next to Ban So-wol? Is that okay with you, So-wol?”

“Yes, that’s fine with me. NoName, want to sit here?”

The beautiful woman, who was tapping her finger on the desk, was spreading the fragrance of shampoo in the sweaty classroom.

Through the translucent window, I could see Shin Yeon-ho’s face looking at me with concern.

Ah… so that’s why he couldn’t approach her easily.

This woman has an impressive number of bodyguards.

If someone were to mess with her, they’d likely end up with their spine folded in half by the Philosophy Department men.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Yes, nice to meet you too.”

Ban So-wol, with her neat model student image, sat with a straight back, attentively listening to the lecture.

As the professor wrote logical symbols on the blackboard, the man next to her began typing busily.

Meanwhile, So-wol kept her gaze fixed on the blackboard while continuously stroking the back of my hand on the desk, as if petting a puppy.

“Your hands are pretty.”

She whispered softly.

“Ah, yes… thank you.”

Well, that’s natural since I’m young.

Suddenly, her palm pressed against my hand, firmly interlocking our fingers.

“…?”

“Want to arm wrestle with me later?”

“What…?”

Ban So-wol smiled with a soft “heheh.”

Is she really a muscle-obsessed woman?