abcnovels
Chapter 82
Chapter 82: Academy's Nurse Appearance (4)
Academy's Nurse Appearance (4)
"Alright, let the sparring begin!" As if on cue, Professor Kim Jinhyuk's starting signal rang out, and Han Seoyul lunged at me. Thump! My heart decided to make its presence felt, beating just a tad faster. It seemed my Battle Sense was awake—or at least stirring, slightly.
"Hagh!" Han Seoyul, flaunting his second-year ranking, moved with impressive speed, but…
"Not good enough." Tracking my movements with his eyes was clearly a challenge for him. I blocked his sideways slash aimed at my side with a Cotton Guard while conjuring a small flame right before his very eyes.
"Ugh!" Han Seoyul promptly hopped back, which was a smart move, but little did he know that a magic circle was already in place behind him.
"Chlorination."josei
"…?!"
Scorching flames engulfed him entirely. Han Seoyul, now sporting a crispy look courtesy of the flames, hastily dispelled the fire with a burst of magic and swung his sword to extinguish any lingering sparks. I wasn't about to let up; my relentless assault continued, giving him no room to breathe.
Fwoosh! Anticipating Han Seoyul's every move, I sent flames his way each time he changed direction. Despite his composure in dealing with the fiery onslaught and heat magic from all angles, he was gradually being pushed back. At some point, it seemed he had an epiphany—merely enduring a beating wouldn't cut it. So, he reluctantly allowed a smidge of magic to hit his body and forcefully broke through my offensive.
"He's not half bad."
Among the students, he was fairly formidable. So why the heck was he relegated to the status of an extra?
A sword, propelled by an alarming amount of force, aimed for my shoulder, and I kicked into high gear. With a graceful spin, I dodged the sword and, in a split second, used a force magic I had conjured to strike his vulnerable flank.
"Oof!"
Naturally, his combat instincts hadn't fully awakened, judging by his reactions. But my basic stats were clearly above those of a regular student. Han Seoyul executed a backflip toward the rear. Employing his sword-duplication ability, he hurled four blades in my direction. However, my Cotton Guard effortlessly deflected his full-throttle sword throws.
Time to wrap this up. I still have to face seven more opponents, so I can't afford to dilly-dally.
Woong! I summoned a ring of flames all around us. Dozens of compressed fireballs, each brimming with immense magical power, filled the sparring arena within seconds. Han Seoyul heaved a sigh of surrender as the magic overwhelmed the surroundings.
"Double casting, huh? Well, that's a blow to my self-esteem," Han Seoyul chuckled in disbelief.
"Don't sell yourself short, Senior. You've got some strength in you too."
For an extra, Han Seoyul was remarkably robust. It made me wonder why a character like him had never graced the game's screens before. The likely answer? Because he's a guy. Where would a male character even fit into an adult game like this?
"Thanks. I'm calling it quits. Professor, I forfeit." Han Seoyul, recognizing the fiery ring I'd summoned, decided to throw in the towel. I had put in some effort to give my seniors a good fight, but alas, it seemed all for naught.
"Is it really a shame? You could use this again in the next round, right?"
"Absolutely not."
Professor Kim Jinhyuk saw right through my bullshit.
***
"Did he used to be this strong?"
"He definitely had strength…"
"Even so, double casting, is that something a freshman can master?"
"I'm not sure."
The top-tier freshmen, gathered to watch the sparring matches, were left in awe as they observed Lee Hoyeon. Lower-ranked students, disinterested unless it was their turn, considered the lower ranks as less appealing. Watching novices brawl was entertaining, but in a setting with true skill, the atmosphere shifted. That's why over a hundred students had congregated around the top-tier sparring arena.
"Seriously, he's 6-0 now."
"He's impressively skilled… Hey, did you get that on video?"
"Of course. If you upload anything related to Lee Hoyeon every day, getting 100 recommendations is practically a given."
"Damn, I should start recording too."
For the students, the debate about Lee Hoyeon's abilities had already faded. His domination of his senior classmates played out before their eyes, and they couldn't help but recognize his prowess. With his incredible magical displays and lightning-quick movements, they watched the sparring with the anticipation of witnessing something extraordinary. However, the professors had a different perspective. They had showered praise upon witnessing Nam Daeun and Alice's battles.
"These first-year students are truly remarkable."
"Indeed. We should give these first-years some recognition. How about calling them ‘The Golden Generation'?"
"Not a bad idea~"
"Alice, her mana control is exceptionally elegant."
"It appears her swordsmanship has reached an advanced level already, far exceeding expectations."
Then, as they observed Lee Hoyeon's sparring, silence descended.
"Am I seeing this correctly…?" The middle-aged professor, who had held a teaching position at Victoria Academy for the longest time, muttered.
"The A-Class students are all quite ruthless…"
"Ruthless? That's not the issue." A female professor responded with a puzzled expression.
"You're right. Forget the rumors; this was truly extraordinary."
Among the professors, there were those who suspected that Lee Hoyeon might just be a promotional tool for the academy. This suspicion was especially prevalent among the older professors who had been at the academy for a long time.
These individuals were skeptics who required tangible evidence before believing anything. Even as academy professors, they didn't have direct access to the chairman or the principal, so it was only natural for them to assume that Lee Hoyeon's presence was part of the academy's marketing strategy. Since they had refrained from openly criticizing Lee Hoyeon, this was one of the reasons why Professor Kim Jinhyuk hadn't felt the need to convince them.
"Now, it appears that the bubble of speculation is vanishing completely… Or, on the contrary, might it become even more fervent?"
"The videos are already circulating. Guild scouts will see them, and it won't take long."
One professor monitored EveryDay on his smartwatch, where Lee Hoyeon's video had already claimed the top spot.
"The use of magic circles at such an incredible speed, double casting, and seamless transitions between spells… He truly embodies the epitome of a combat mage."
"He undoubtedly possesses skills for enhancing his body. There are moments when his physical reaction speed increases instantly."
"At this level, isn't he in the state of Awakening?"
Awakening. It's the process through which an ability user surpasses their limits and progresses to the next stage. The treatment and recognition of a hunter can vary significantly depending on whether they've achieved Awakening or not. It's an exceedingly difficult level to attain, to the point where most active hunters never reach it.
"Undoubtedly. Without reaching Awakening, there's no logical explanation for this."
"I wonder how profound the consequences will be… It's sending shivers down my spine."
The professors naturally believed that Lee Hoyeon had reached that level. One of them sighed and took a sip of his coffee.
"I don't know. Let's entrust this matter to Professor Kim Jinhyuk. After all, he is the homeroom teacher."
"…Yes."
As the professors conversed, students from the second year, from 1st to 7th place, all faced defeat at the hands of Lee Hoyeon. For a while now, it seemed as if he was using various magic not as part of a genuine sparring match but as a means to test his own abilities. His level was in a league of its own compared to the other students.
"For the upcoming midterm exam… It might be prudent to prepare the pamphlet for the 1st place in advance."
"…"
The professors' perception of Lee Hoyeon had undergone a complete reversal, and now they were concerned about the storms he might unleash in the future.
"Just as expected, my honey…!"
"Hmm? Saint, what did you say?"
"Oh, it's nothing!" Baek Ahyeong had been closely observing the sparring arena but suddenly lowered her head.
***
In the midst of the boisterous cheers in the sparring arena, a seemingly innocent figure stepped forward.
"Hello, Senior Yoon Hyunkyu."
"You, you… Who are you really?!" Yoon Hyunkyu, who had been sporting a sly grin during the student council meeting, appeared to have hidden it entirely, replaced by a tense expression as he reluctantly stepped into the arena.
"Well, since your ego seems sky-high, I thought I'd have a firsthand experience of just how magnificent your magic skills are. Please, do me the honor."
"You son of a…!" Yoon Hyunkyu couldn't contain his bewilderment at my greeting and fumbled nervously.
"Are you considering throwing in the towel against a junior who's already drained his stamina and mana after beating seven opponents?" I taunted him with a smirk.
"Who said I'm giving up? Come at me!" The unassuming Yoon Hyunkyu began channeling mana within his body. He's a mage, and to top it off, he shares the same fire element as me.
Should I unveil different elemental magic here?
With plenty of onlookers, it wouldn't hurt to flaunt my prowess, showcasing various elemental magics. Displaying my mastery of diverse elemental abilities would undoubtedly create quite a commotion.
No, there's a more prominent stage awaiting.
The midterm exam and the festival. Without a doubt, one of them would offer the perfect opportunity. Since I was destined to be in the spotlight anyway, it made sense to seize the grandest stage. Besides, there was no need to reveal my full strength against an opponent whom I could effortlessly dominate even with the same element.
"Once you're ready, let's begin!" As Professor Kim Jinhyuk gave the signal, Yoon Hyunkyu began crafting a magic circle. Fireball. It might be a basic spell for fire-element mages, but it was both swift and formidable.
Pwoosh! A fiery sphere, belching scorching flames, took shape, and flames erupted.
"You really let your guard down!"
Five fireballs were locked onto me. I effortlessly shielded myself with a Cotton Guard.
"Senior, you're too sluggish. This is how you handle fireballs."
Swoosh, swoosh! Two fireballs were ceaselessly generated around my body. One, two, three, four, five… In just 3 seconds, a total of 24 fireballs blanketed the sparring arena. It was a speed that left Yoon Hyunkyu, who took over 5 seconds for five fireballs, in the dust.
"You better brace yourself. It won't be any fun if it's over too soon."
I unleashed all 24 fireballs on Yoon Hyunkyu at once. Realizing he had no escape, he hastily erected a shield right in front of him. Flame Barrier. A shield crafted from fire elements, naturally resistant to fire-based magic. His judgment seemed spot-on. However…
Pwoosh! My fireballs easily tore through his shield.
"Ugh!"
As my fireballs penetrated the shield, I simultaneously summoned a chain of flames from the ground, ensnaring Yoon Hyunkyu's feet. A fireball whizzed past his head as he stumbled backward.
"Fire element shields can be pierced by fireballs?"
"That just highlights the immense skill gap. Between Lee Hoyeon and that senior."
"Well… I guess he can't really fight."
The students beneath the sparring arena echoed with laughter and mockery. With a flushed face, Yoon Hyunkyu freed himself from my fiery chain and swiftly got back on his feet.
"You, you… I won't let this slide…! You think you can toy with me? I'll show you what happens when you cross paths with the Vice President!" He said angrily.
"Yeah, yeah. Don't give up."
Yoon Hyunkyu, infuriated, unleashed his magic, and I, with a chuckle, began deflecting each of Yoon Hyunkyu's spells one by one.
***
"How…?"
"Now, come on, Senior. Admit it, you're painfully weak."
"I-I'm a sophomore! There's no reason for me to lose to a first-year newbie!"
With magic countering magic out of the picture and facing someone like Yoon Hyunkyu, who was in denial, I approached casually.
"Just stick to kissing up to the Vice President. No need to make a scene."
"Argh!"
I kicked his thigh, charged with mana, and left Yoon Hyunkyu, who was cowered, behind as I turned away.
"I forfeit."
"…Using forfeits like that isn't ideal," Professor Kim Jinhyuk remarked with a less-than-impressed expression. Well, let's give it our best shot during the spar. That's the feeling.
"But earlier, Nam Daeun and Alice also forfeited casually, Professor…"
Professor Kim Jinhyuk is a man too, so maybe he's favoring the pretty ladies. Fortunately, I had a good excuse. "Professor, I think I've sparred too much. My head is starting to hurt. I should go to the infirmary for some rest."
"But you look like you've been in the best condition I've seen in a while."
"…No, that's not true. You can ask the nurse."
"Hey, Teacher Baek Ahyeong isn't as leisurely as you thi—"
Interrupting Kim Jinhyuk's voice, a clear voice echoed through the auditorium, "Student Lee Hoyeon!!! What's going on??!!"
Baek Ahyeong, who had been watching the sparring among the professors for some time, suddenly rushed onto the sparring stage to check my condition.
"Indeed. He's not feeling feel well. He needs some rest, Professor Kim Jinhyuk."
"…Really? To me, he seems perfectly fine…"
"No, he isn't. Are you doubting my eyesight?"
[There is no healer better than Baek Ahyeong, and Korean hunters should be thankful for the fact that a saint is in Korea.]
It's a statement that every active hunter is aware of. Baek Ahyeong widened her eyes and stared at Professor Kim Jinhyuk.
★ Heroine Status Window
[Baek Ahyeong]
[Affection: 88] (+0.2)
[Lust: 80]
[Appetite: 30]
[Fatigue: 35]
Current Status: I, I should take him to the infirmary… And L-Lock the door…!
Even when they see those perverted eyes, no one suspects a thing?
Everyone needs to break free from the image of a saint and face reality, but Baek Ahyeong's established image as a saint was incredibly firm.
"Impressive, she's attending to the wounded right after assuming her post…"
"No wonder she's known as ‘the Saint.' I might just become her biggest fan today."
Those lustful eyes are becoming a person who's willing to sacrifice her body for treatment, so that's impressive.
"They're all blind…"
"Student Lee Hoyeon, you shouldn't talk because your wounds…"
"I didn't have any injuries in the first place…"
"Shh!"
"…Yes, yes. I understand."
Baek Ahyeong and I, that's how we left the auditorium.