Episode 476. Im Sol (2)

Alice’s match was surprisingly overwhelming.

Of course, if Kang Hyorin had gone all out from the start, it might have been a bit more even, but she underestimated Alice and didn’t give it her all.

So, what about Nam Daeun?

Even in the original story, Nam Daeun was stronger than Alice, but the current Alice had healed her congenital mana deficiency much faster and had grown tremendously with Chiron’s help.

Of course, Nam Daeun also started training quickly with Lee Hoyeon’s help. But whether she grew more than Alice, who had overcome her deficiency, was uncertain.

‘But Daeun doesn’t seem to be in good condition.’

Lee Hoyeon frowned as he looked at Nam Daeun’s face.

It was obvious she looked tired, and her condition seemed poor.

Fortunately, the hand holding the sword and the eyes looking at her opponent still held vitality.

Ttiring-

Just before Nam Daeun’s match began.

Lee Hoyeon’s smartwatch rang.

• Irene: Come to think of it, I had something to tell you. They said to tell you to run because the last member of the Wild Gladiators has appeared. They mentioned a huge storm is coming?

“… What’s this all of a sudden?”

Lee Hoyeon frowned at Irene’s message.

What is this random nonsense? Chiron usually spouts nonsense, but did she just relay his nonsense?

Bbi-i-i-

Just then, the starting signal rang, and Lee Hoyeon stopped pondering and put his smartwatch in his pocket.

Nam Daeun, standing in the center of the training ground, closed her eyes.

The swordsmanship professor opposite her stood still, waiting for Nam Daeun to move.

‘You’re letting Da-eun-yang have the first move, huh.’

‘As a professor, I’d yield that much. But no matter how I look at it, you seem tired. What did you all do together?’

‘Baby daddy, I’ll tell you after all the matches are over.’

‘Hmm….’

Rebecca turned her head forward as she answered Lee Hoyeon.

Honestly, she was curious about what happened. Not just Nam Daeun, but Rebecca, Scarlet, and Liliana also looked unwell.

But Rebecca was right. The starting signal had rung, so she needed to focus on the match.

Besides, her own match was right after Nam Daeun’s. She’d have to get ready to head to the waiting room soon.

Nam Daeun seemed to be taking a deep breath.

A tense moment.

Just as the audience held their breath, waiting for the two to move.

Just slightly.

Nam Daeun’s lips curled upwards.

Simultaneously, Nam Daeun’s sword moved cleanly in a horizontal slash.

‘… Huh?’

Lee Hoyeon’s eyes widened.

Spatial Rend.

It was an attack utilizing Nam Daeun’s [Space Domination], leaping over the distance. It was her signature move, so he knew it the moment he saw the mana move.

Lee Hoyeon dazedly watched Nam Daeun’s sword.

For a moment, he felt an illusion as if the swordsmanship professor’s body was cut in two.

Seureureuk-

Lee Hoyeon immediately figured out the reason for the illusion. The massive dome-shaped magic circle forming the training ground had been split in two and fallen with just one horizontal slash.

It felt like the entire space had been severed. The entire protective system collapsed.

Teolseok.

The swordsmanship professor, holding a greatsword, collapsed immediately, and Lee Hoyeon’s eyes widened as he shot up from his seat.

‘… What the.’

What just happened? The magic circle crumbled powerlessly like a sandcastle.

[Ah, Ahh! T-The match is over! Student Nam Daeun! Defeats the professor who taught her with a single attack!]

The medical team and mages trying to check the professor’s condition went up to the training ground, and only when the announcer, who belatedly grasped the situation, shouted to hype up the mood did the audience finally start clapping.

Wa-a-a-!

Teolseok.

Afterward, Nam Daeun also collapsed as if her strength had given out.

‘… She looked like she was smiling.’

The medical team, who had come up to check the swordsmanship professor’s condition, naturally checked on Nam Daeun too. Their eyes widened, and they urgently spoke into their radios.

Lee Hoyeon blinked as he saw Baek Ahyoung, who had been waiting with the medical team, rush out.

‘An unexpected situation really happened.’

‘I never thought Nam Daeun would cause an incident, not me.’

[Ah. Ah… We apologize. Due to the intense match, the training ground’s magic circle requires inspection. The final match will proceed after a short break….]

‘Baby daddy. Let’s go quickly. We need to check on Daeun.’

‘Yes. We have to.’

Coincidentally, his own match was postponed.

Lee Hoyeon left the audience seats immediately and headed towards the medical team.

• Emergency Medical Team.

Baek Ahyoung finished administering first aid to Nam Daeun, who had been transported as an emergency patient, and let out a sigh of relief. This is why it’s important to prepare for unforeseen situations. If Baek Ahyoung hadn’t been there, Nam Daeun might have had to be hospitalized for a long time.

Baek Ahyoung praised herself for diligently studying the emergency preparedness manual and examined Nam Daeun’s body.

‘Fractures and muscle tears… ligaments were strained, and there were internal injuries too.’

‘It must have been difficult to move. What on earth happened?’

‘I’m sorry…’

Baek Ahyoung frowned as she looked at Nam Daeun lying on the bed. Although it wasn’t obvious, Baek Ahyoung could see it. Nam Daeun’s body was overloaded. She must have pushed herself incredibly hard.

‘… If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s understandable, but if you need any help, please tell me anytime.’

‘Student Daeun. I can help you not just as an academy representative, but personally too.’

‘Yes… I understand. Saint-nim.’

Baek Ahyoung looked at the girl with worried eyes. It seemed clear she had her reasons, but Baek Ahyoung didn’t want to force her to reveal something she didn’t want to talk about.

‘Rest for now. I’ll come back a little later.’

‘Thank you.’

Baek Ahyoung tidied up her documents and came outside.

‘It hurts….’

Left alone, Nam Daeun mumbled, squirming on the bed. The pain hit her as soon as the match ended. It lessened a bit after Baek Ahyoung’s treatment, but it still hurt.

What was she thinking? To try and fight a match after going through something like that. She couldn’t understand her actions from just moments ago.

‘But it felt refreshing.’

Kku-uk.

She clenched and unclenched her fist. She found herself missing the feeling she had then.

Nam Daeun smiled and let her body relax onto the bed. Just as she wondered if she could feel that sensation again, a familiar voice reached her ears.

‘Is the patient in here? Ah, yes.’

‘Hoyeon?’

‘I came because I was worried. Daeun-ah. Are you okay?’

‘Yeah… I’m sorry. I made you worry.’

‘No, you don’t need to apologize to me. Thanks to that, I got a break too.’

Repairing the training ground’s magic circle wasn’t Lee Hoyeon’s job. Lee Hoyeon entered the medical area and checked on Nam Daeun’s condition. Seeing her smile comfortably, however, put him at ease.

‘Hoyeon-ah. Is the swordsmanship professor okay?’

‘Yeah. They said his life isn’t in danger.’

‘… That’s a relief. I’ll have to apologize later for sure.’

‘Still, it’s fortunate you weren’t injured. Daeun-yang.’

‘It was super cool!’

Lee Hoyeon stepped back slightly as he saw Scarlet and Liliana clinging to Nam Daeun. Then, he quietly spoke to Rebecca, who was beside him.

‘Rebecca-ssi.’

‘Hm?’

‘What happened? It doesn’t look like a surprise party at all.’

Lee Hoyeon’s expression hardened. The situation felt too strange to hear about after the match. It was clear there was some reason behind it. If they tried to hide it again, he was determined to find out, even if he had to read their status windows.

Rebecca saw Lee Hoyeon’s expression and gave a wry smile.

‘Hmm… I was going to tell you after everything was over to avoid interfering with baby daddy’s match, but hiding it now might just make you more curious.’

‘As expected, Rebecca-ssi knows me well.’

‘I figured as much, so I prepared something. I’ll show you.’

Rebecca deployed a rune barrier. Nam Daeun, Scarlet, and Liliana too. They quietly watched Rebecca unleash her magic. Inside the rune barrier, Rebecca’s perspective unfolded.

‘What is this?’

‘Since the opponent seemed dangerous, I used a portion of my mana to save what I saw. I intended to show it to baby daddy.’

Rebecca displayed the fragments of memory she had witnessed. It was recorded from the middle of the fight, and since it showed Rebecca’s perspective directly, it was quite chaotic. However, the moment Lee Hoyeon saw the video, his jaw dropped.

‘….’

The man in the video was emitting demonic energy with glowing red eyes. Lee Hoyeon recognized the man, who wore a neat black tuxedo and had a relaxed expression. He had been defeated by this man countless times, and killed him countless times.

‘…… The Demon King?’

Lee Hoyeon muttered unconsciously. The final boss of the original work. The Demon King, with his glowing red demonic eyes, stood before Rebecca.

‘No, he’s slightly different.’

He was the Demon King, but not the Demon King. For the Demon King to appear in the human world, the world had to fall to the brink of chaos and despair. Pitch-black skies, air difficult to breathe. Unresistable fear and despair. Only then would the Demon King descend. That’s why he is the Demon King.

‘Besides… he’s weak.’

Of course, Lucifer in Rebecca’s memory was strong. However, the Demon King he remembered… was incomparably stronger than this. An opponent who seemed absolutely impossible to defeat. That was the nature of the Demon King.

Lee Hoyeon focused on the video, his lips sealed. The battle seemed long, but Rebecca’s memory was disjointed. Perhaps her concentration wavered at some point.

‘He keeps calling Liliana’s name.’

‘… I don’t know him.’

‘Yeah. That makes sense. He’s probably an apostle from the Underworld, like Chiron or Albedo.’

Only then did Lee Hoyeon understand the meaning of Irene’s message. That the ‘last one’ had appeared. It meant the last scoundrel mentioned in the Underworld’s contract had shown up. That meant this man was Lucifer. The Demon King he knew was Lucifer, one of the scoundrels on the contract.

In the original work, the Demon King appeared much later. If Lucifer became the Demon King in the meantime, it wouldn’t be strange for him to be the successor now.

‘… Then who is the current Demon King?’

If he had met Lucifer himself, he could have gotten more information, but Rebecca’s fragmented memory wasn’t enough. Lee Hoyeon clenched his fist tightly. To think something like this happened while he was hanging out with Baek Ahyoung.

‘I should have been there… I’m sorry. I never imagined something like this would happen.’

‘It’s alright. It was a sudden accident. But thanks to Daeun-yang and Irene-nim, we were saved.’

‘Irene?’

‘Yes. Irene-nim, who came to deliver a message to Hoyeon-nim, saved us.’

‘Ah….’

It felt strange that she was with Irene, so that was the reason. He’d definitely have to thank Irene later.

[In a moment. The final match between student Lee Hoyeon and Professor Im Sol is scheduled to begin. We wonder if the reversal where student Nam Daeun defeated the swordsmanship professor will happen again. Please look forward to it!]

Just then, the announcer’s voice echoed. It was an announcement that the match would start soon.

‘Hoyeon-ah. Hurry and go. It’s an important match.’

‘… Yeah. Let’s talk about this incident again after the match.’

‘Still, it’s fortunate no one was seriously hurt.’

‘Actually, I am a little injured. I can still taste blood in my mouth.’

‘My whole body hurts too.’

‘If you’re hurt, rest with the medical team. What if something serious happens?’

‘Aww. But I have to watch baby daddy’s match.’

‘… Don’t push yourself too hard.’

Although he wanted to hear the details, as Nam Daeun said, the match against Im Sol was incredibly important. Still, he was grateful that everyone was relatively unharmed. Lee Hoyeon patted the lying Nam Daeun’s head, received everyone’s cheers, and left the infirmary.

He was supposed to be in the waiting room, but since he’d stopped by Nam Daeun’s, he had to head straight to the training ground. Lee Hoyeon approached the training ground and went up to the announcer guarding the waiting room area.

‘It’s Lee Hoyeon.’

‘Ah, student Lee Hoyeon. Professor Im Sol is waiting in the training ground.’

Wa-a-a-

Just before entering the training ground’s magic circle, where the audience meets the participants. A huge roar erupted. Lee Hoyeon’s [Clear Mind] was reducing his tension, but his heart was still pounding.

Teobeok. Teobeok.

He slowly walked up to the training ground. In the center of the spherical training ground, which was quite spacious compared to viewing it from the audience seats. A familiar face stood there.

‘It’s been a while, Professor Sol-i.’

‘Isn’t it the student’s place to be earlier than the professor?’

‘… Right. Especially since you dressed up like this.’

Lee Hoyeon smiled as he looked at Im Sol’s outfit. Not her usual pink t-shirt and sweatpants, but a white tee and jeans. Even a beige trench coat. That must be her way of showing respect.

‘Why did you arrive right on time for the match? I was hoping to chat in the waiting room.’

‘It’s a woman’s intuition. I had a feeling today would be an important match, so I prepared a little.’

Lee Hoyeon smiled at Im Sol’s words. He himself intended to settle things today, so it seemed her intuition was spot on.

‘Still, you arrived earlier than me. Waiting here in the training ground.’

‘Actually, I came up early because I heard the magic circle was broken.’

‘They asked me to make it much sturdier this time.’

‘No wonder.’

So that was why she was waiting in the training ground. It seemed she had helped repair the magic circle. Lee Hoyeon looked around, licking his lips. Sounds from outside couldn’t be heard inside the magic circle, but he could see them. Among the audience cheering enthusiastically, he saw familiar faces. Lucy and Lumi sitting side-by-side. And Irene and Alice were visible in the participant seats. Scarlet, Rebecca, and Liliana were still sitting in the seats he had occupied earlier. In the student council area below, Moon Surin. With the medical team, Baek Ahyoung and Nam Daeun were standing.

‘They’re all watching.’

The fact that the women he liked were watching the final stage of his plan to conquer Im Sol gave him a strange feeling.

Bbi-i-i-i-

The starting signal sounded. Im Sol raised the corners of her lips. She could tell just by looking at her student’s expression. He, too, intended to see this through to the end today. Lee Hoyeon, the genius mage. She couldn’t even imagine what kind of magic her student would use to entertain her.

‘I heard it’s an unspoken rule for professors to yield the first move to students… Do you need that?’

‘No way.’

He had no intention of leaving anything unresolved. If Im Sol was to be satisfied, he had to fight fairly.

‘Then I’ll go first.’

Hwa-a-a-k-

Im Sol snapped her fingers, twisting the flow of mana. An inexplicable, wondrous casting speed. Dozens of blue magic circles instantly appeared around Im Sol.

Duguen. Duguen. Duguen.

Lee Hoyeon’s heart pounded rapidly. His [Combat Sense] activated quickly. His senses sharpened drastically, awakening his body from his toes up, and vitality began to surge through him. Had his heart ever burned this intensely before? Every cell in his body sent out a danger signal. A signal to flee immediately. It screamed that Im Sol before him was more dangerous than anyone he had ever faced.

Lee Hoyeon calmed his racing heart with [Clear Mind]. If he couldn’t escape, he had to turn that fear into fighting spirit. He drew up his mana. The mana filling his entire body stimulated him, and the overflowing mana slowly enveloped the training ground.

Pa-a-a-k-

Simultaneously, a distinct aura of mana manifested behind Lee Hoyeon. A massive mana flare, comparable to Im Sol’s magic circles. Lee Hoyeon smiled and opened his mouth.

‘I’m going all out. Sol-ah.’

‘No informal speech allowed until you win.’

Im Sol and Lee Hoyeon smiled, and at the same time, their magic clashed, erupting a heavy roar in the training ground.