episode_0044

The Dandelion Academy’s Dueling Exam is a test that is like a tradition, continuing since the year the academy was first established.

The content of the test itself is, as its name suggests, merely duels conducted between students, but its effects are absolutely not simple.

This is because during the period the test is conducted, the academy permits entry to outsiders.

Although there are those who visit for simple amusement, boredom, or hobbies, this place is the famous Dandelion Academy.

Numerous organizations from various parts of the continent also visit to find new talents to recruit.

There are those who show their skills honed through consistent training by achieving victory, and there are also those who use this as a venue to announce magic or potions they have newly developed, regardless of winning or losing.

It can truly be called a stage for success, where students can fully showcase the skills they have accumulated, not only to other students but also to various organizations outside the academy.

Such a Dueling Exam at the academy is conducted for the academy’s students and naturally lasts for a long period of about a week.

Of course, not all students participate in this exam, but even so, the number was large, making it seem physically impossible for students’ duels to take place, to supervise each one individually, and to accommodate spectators.

In the past, the academy was actually unable to solve the above problem, so it was conducted by first holding small duels in a simplified format, and then separately selecting top-ranked students to show them to the public.

Due to this, minor and major problems occurred, such as some from remote noble families or commoner backgrounds being completely excluded from the exam because they could not properly showcase their skills in the simplified format or because the number of students could not be handled.

However, after the current Magic Tower Lord, Shangri Kshatri, developed Sub-spatial Formation Magic, all these problems were resolved.

This can be called a magic that temporarily creates a space of a certain form and opens a portal through which one can enter and exit that place.

The magic developed by Shangri Kshatri was truly a new innovation in the magic world and was utilized in various ways, and this was also the case at the academy.

However, it also had a drawback: it was a magic that consumed an extreme amount of mana and required complex preliminary preparation, so it could not be used frequently.

Therefore, it is a very high-ranking magic that is permitted for use at the academy only on special days like the Dueling Exam.

Returning to explain the Dueling Exam in detail, students from both sides who will duel all have a Return Magic inscribed on their bodies, which forcibly moves them to a recovery room if they reach a near-death state.

This is to avoid students losing their lives due to duels.

The win or loss of a duel is determined when one side concedes, or when the inscribed Return Magic on their body activates, or when one side is disqualified.

Reasons for disqualification include most forms of cheating, examples being the use of equipment not applied for and inspected beforehand, threats, match-fixing, etc.

Unless there is a special reason, a duel is conducted only once, and there are no rematches.

All these duels are monitored and broadcast in real-time through Observation Magic inscribed at the center of the sub-space, and at the same time, their content is recorded in video format.

This video is used as educational material for the academy’s students or when later raising objections regarding exam results or judgments.

And by summing the results of this exam, the educational curriculum for the corresponding semester is concluded.

The sound of a trumpet announcing the start of the Dueling Exam just now spread widely around the academy as well as within it.

And in various places within the academy, as well as in the commercial areas outside the academy, they began broadcasting the students’ duels happening in real-time to the spectators by playing videos in the air via Observation Magic.

“Oh, oh, like this-?

What tremendous grip strength (hand grip)-!”

“That’s a clean hit from Wooiseok’s attack!”

“That is a technique called Guillotine’s Chalk!”

Thanks to this, the academy and the commercial areas around it were crowded with people there to watch the Dueling Exam and merchants targeting them, and everywhere was filled with sounds of admiration and cheers, and the voices of commentators broadcasting the duels.

“Tang Soo! Tang Soo, I mean. Tang Soo cannot lose!”

The passion and excitement of the spectators were so immense that there were even some who found a portal leading to the sub-space and attempted to intrude during the Dueling Exam.

“Lost? No, gained! The individuality of being one-armed!”

“No, student, the duel is over now, so please be still for a bit.”

“I can still fight! Please release this!”

“Geez, we need to reattach the severed arm quickly, so why are you moving so much.”

“Live! Attach!”

To that extent, the infirmaries and treatment centers were also full of people due to injuries during duels or minor scuffles among spectators.

Of course, during the Dueling Exam period, the academy’s security and public safety were more thorough and strict than on any other day, so no major accidents occurred.

Especially this year, since a terrorist incident occurred from the enrollment ceremony and even a dungeon rampage incident happened, the extent [of security] was strengthened to an excessive degree.

Meanwhile, a considerable number of people held the same single question.

“By the way, when will that duel start…”

“Duel? There are many duels happening, aren’t there? You can see them in the plaza via Observation Magic.”

“Geez, I’m not talking about the duels of nobodies like that, am I?

Are you really asking because you don’t know?

Today is the day we can see *that* Mark Viserys’s duel!”

“Ah~ The one who’s popular these days?”

“Yes! That Mark Viserys who personally eliminated the leader of a terrorist group and even resolved the dungeon rampage incident by himself!”

“Now that you mention it, he’s such a famous person, but the Observation Magic hasn’t captured him even once…”

“Exactly. I came all the way for 8 hours because I was curious about his skills.”

“I heard that Mark Viserys was even designated as an opponent by someone in his first match, right?

Who was it? His name was definitely Ro.. Ro..?”

“It was Ropel something…? I heard he’s from a remote noble family with nothing to boast about.”

“Then conversely, if the opponent is such a nobody, won’t there be nothing to see in the duel and no fun?

It will likely be a situation where one side is overwhelmingly dominant.

In a way, it’s a match that doesn’t matter if you don’t watch.”

“That’s true too.

Still, it’s a bit disappointing that we can’t see the scene of such a pretentious kid getting taught a lesson.”

“If you’re really disappointed, you can just look for the recorded video later, right?”

Although it is the duel of that great Mark Viserys, his opponent is utterly insignificant and lacking.

The result is obvious without even watching, but it was still disappointing not to be able to see the first match, which is being held in public after a long while, with their own eyes.

. . .

“…As you said, I already took action in that sub-space beforehand.

All the requested content should have been applied.”

“I apologize, Master. You must have been busy and troubled… Thank you very much.

Right now, Mark Viserys receives more focus and attention than anyone else during this period, but this duel, right now, was an exception.

This is because Mark used his connections with the academy’s Headmaster Lyum Kitokal and his master, Regulus Serion, to manipulate the dueling space where the match with Ropel would take place this time.

For the Observation Magic, he cut the communication so it could not connect with the Observation Magic at the academy or anywhere else, preventing exposure to unnecessary individuals.

Lastly, he did not forget to break the circuit corresponding to recording in the Observation Magic circle.

Unless one is a Grand Mage of immense skill, it would be impossible to restore that recording.

All of this can be called preliminary preparation to thoroughly and freely crush Ropel Teufel in today’s Dueling Exam.

He committed such acts because he feared that if it were ever revealed that he inflicted unnecessary injury on someone for personal reasons, it might hinder him someday.

Of course, Mark also hesitated a bit because he himself craved the attention and the gazes of countless spectators who looked up to his skills, as well as the approval of important figures.

But what he needed to prioritize now was to educate the person who snatched the woman he was aiming for and wounded his pride, making him understand his place and position.

As for the adoration of the countless spectators, he could feel that plenty through consecutive victories in subsequent matches.

“…Well, fine. If that is the opponent, there is no need for me to go or to watch. Finish it swiftly and certainly.

So as not to tarnish the Serion swordsmanship you use.”

In fact, Regulus Serion also felt dissatisfied with Mark’s actions.

This was because while his strength, his talent, and his skill were all pleasing, the size of his ‘vessel’ (character/capacity) was small, and room for improvement was needed.

However, since he was needed to teach his daughter Seraphina Serion a lesson about reality, he decided to tolerate this small request.

And more than anything, the man in front of him might become the one responsible for the future of the family.

As for his character, what use would it be in the face of overwhelming strength?

“Yes, you do not need to worry, Master.

I will certainly achieve an overwhelming victory and try to change your daughter’s heart as well.”

Mark, leaving his master behind like that, walked towards the portal leading to his dueling space, wearing an unpleasant smile filled with malice.

Unable to even dare imagine what would happen next.