Episode 35: Mock Battle

“Shinwoo-ya, are you okay?”

“Yeah, thankfully the president adjusted the power so I’m not seriously injured.”

“By the way president, you seem to have gotten incredibly stronger?”

“Yeah, he was really strong.”

The sight of Ryu Sinwoo returning to his seat and chatting with what appeared to be his friends.

‘He doesn’t seem too discouraged, thankfully.’

“Hey, where’d you get that staff?”

“Trade secret, A-yul-yang.”

‘Speaking of which, Ryu Sinwoo. Ryu Sinwoo was…’

To escape Kang A-yul’s nagging about the staff’s origin… I closed my eyes and carefully recalled Ryu Sinwoo’s role in the original story.

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(From Academy Swordmaster)

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“Ghk!”

Crimson blood flowed from Ryu Sinwoo’s mouth.

“Haa… Hey, don’t waste healing potions on me. You’re not a recovery specialist like Ecclesia anyway – that won’t save me.”

“Senior, please get up… Please!!”

Sakura, standing beside you, grabbed Ryu Sinwoo’s collar as tears streamed down her face.

“Huu… Sorry. I tried to survive till the end. This hurts more than I expected.”

The light in Ryu Sinwoo’s eyes gradually dimmed.

“Why are you looking at me like that? There’s a limit to how long the president’s sister and vice president can hold them off… Leave me here and go fight. Win and come back. No matter what.”

Ryu Sinwoo closed his eyes peacefully, having already accepted his death.

-Clang!

“Ghk, what kind of sword technique speed is this…!”

When you turned your head, you saw Kang A-yul and Yu Eun-ha desperately blocking Mephisto’s attacks.

“Ugh… I’m reaching my limit…!!”

Seong Arin and Sakura lay exhausted after using all their mana to destroy Mephisto’s barrier, with Ecclesia deploying protective walls around them.

Frankly, the situation looked grim.

<Choice>

[……I’ll definitely win and return.]

[Your sacrifice won’t be in vain.]

But you had to stand up.

“That’s the answer I expected from you.”

The light faded from Ryu Sinwoo’s eyes as he collapsed.

Now, you gripped your weapon.

-Kwaaaang!

“Uwaaak?!”

“Damn…!”

A massive shockwave erupted, sending Yu Eun-ha and Kang A-yul crashing beside you, bleeding profusely.

Distracted by them, the black tentacle that had taken his life now loomed before your eyes…

“Eunha, catch this!”

As Kang A-yul threw her last magic sword to Yu Eun-ha, having reached her limit.

-Swish!

Yu Eun-ha caught the sword and severed the black tentacle before it reached you.

“Get up quickly, don’t just kneel there!”

Now, you faced what needed to be cut down.

A giant black serpent with nine heads… no, now only four remained.

-I leave the Academy to you.

For Eve Maitner, the chairwoman who sacrificed her life to complete the barrier preventing this monster from manifesting in the real world.

-Take care of the students. Though not related by blood… including my sister Eunha.

For ‘that person’ who took the monster’s attack in your place and departed to a place of no return, having been reduced to a shell by Yun Seongho’s continuous brainwashing.

[MEPHISTO!!!!]

The black serpent glared at you as you shouted.

<Choice>

[This is the end!]

[Together with everyone, I’ll defeat you!]

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‘That’s how it appeared, and then the boss battle started immediately.’

Having seen this scene too many times, just thinking about it brought back the dubbed voices and visuals.

‘Come to think of it, I really saw that scene a lot.’

Partly because it was unskippable… but this scene occurred right after Yun Se-ah’s death in the original.

If Sakura was chosen as the main heroine, Ryu Sinwoo would die protecting her early in this scene. Otherwise, he’d only lose an arm but survive.

‘Either way, he can’t participate in battles afterward, so not much difference.’

Anyway, having recalled the entire scene unnecessarily, I might as well think about Ryu Sinwoo.

‘Younger brother of Ryu Seong-ho, guild master of Naseon Guild.’

That one sentence summarizes him well. He’s often used when failing to recruit Ryu Seong-ho as an ally… essentially an SSR-grade character serving as the budget version of his UR-grade brother Yun Seongho.

‘He dies protecting Sakura during the final boss battle if she’s chosen as heroine. Otherwise, he survives with just an arm lost.’

Surprisingly, Ryu Sinwoo held significant importance within Academy Swordmaster.

Having lived under constant comparison to his S-Rank Hunter brother Ryu Seong-ho since childhood, Ryu Sinwoo developed rebellious tendencies from excessive attention and jealousy-induced bullying.

While skipping class to secretly observe first-year training, he discovered a student applying acidic solution to Sakura’s practice bow.

During the mock battle, Sakura’s bow shattered powerlessly, and she was brutally beaten unconscious by the hammer-wielding student who’d applied the acid.

Fearing interference would cause problems, Ryu Sinwoo merely watched. Not that he could’ve intervened anyway, since the protagonist carried Sakura to the infirmary.

But seeing students mock the fallen Sakura, perhaps reminded of himself being compared to Ryu Seong-ho, Ryu Sinwoo began secretly protecting Hanae Sakura.

First informing Sakura via note about the acid, then secretly placing a durable bow from his guild in her locker.

Watching Sakura proudly win her rematch using that bow from afar, many players including myself thought something would develop between them.

His first encounter with the protagonist occurred when he mistakenly thought the protagonist was bullying Sakura, leading to a duel request.

‘This battle lets players change outcomes, creating a major branching point.’

Losing locks the Sakura route. Winning grants Sakura’s affection and permission to recruit Ryu Sinwoo.

After investigating Sakura’s bullying case post-duel regardless of outcome, Ryu Sinwoo acknowledges the protagonist and lives up to his reputation as 2nd year’s 4th rank thereafter.

Later joining the protagonist’s club, he serves as a comic relief character.

Though not a frontline tank, he possesses an invincibility skill absorbing all damage for 4-5 seconds before releasing it. Story-wise, he often appears with Kang A-yul to aid the protagonist during critical moments.

‘I wanted to see his skills, hence taking out my staff… but I didn’t expect him to fall in one second.’

Had I fired without power control intending to kill… Ryu Sinwoo would’ve been impaled – a “donut” moment. Though he wouldn’t have died in a mock battle.

Using basic Magic Missile instead of Void Strike was a good choice.

‘Void Strike… might have destroyed the barrier too.’

Even without the staff, it shatters intermediate barriers. With staff-enhanced power…

“Now, Kang A-yul and Lee Seo-yun. Step forward!”

“A-yul-yang, it’s our rematch. Surrender and I’ll make it painless.”

“Haa… Unfortunately, I can’t afford to lose today. I will definitely win.”

Lost in reminiscence, the final mock battle between Kang A-yul and Lee Seo-yun had arrived.

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“Hmm… I thought that last attack would finish it.”

“Sadly for you, today’s my day. Still, your blade’s gotten sharper?”

Though Lee Seo-yun seemed poised to win by a hair, Kang A-yul emerged victorious.

‘<Sword Saint’s Blessing (S)> is truly broken.’

Perhaps remembering last time’s narrow loss in swordsmanship, Kang A-yul faced Lee Seo-yun using pure sword skills without magic blades this time.

Though slightly pressured at first… Kang A-yul’s blade, enhanced by <Sword Saint’s Blessing (S)>, gradually wore down Lee Seo-yun’s defenses.

Finally, by unleashing an enormous magic blade that forced Lee Seo-yun to jump airborne, Kang A-yul bisected both her sword and body mid-air to claim victory.

“After class today, meet me here.”

“………..Understood.”

Watching Kang A-yul whose smile hadn’t faded since victory, I could only hold my head in frustration.