Chapter 189

Chapter 189

Having completed the exam, Se-Hoon was back in his living room.

He was currently watching his large TV, which showed a broadcast of a battle in a destroyed city.

Boom!

A youthful blond’s blue sword clashed against the murky gray blade of a muscular, stern middle-aged man. The clash distorted space momentarily, splitting the ground beneath them and sending shockwaves in all directions.

It was a fierce battle as if one natural disaster was clashing with another.

「Oh! Jake Myers has once again successfully countered Professor Kasar's attack! It's challenging to believe that I’m watching the first-year college-wide exam!」

The cheerful voice of the youngest professor in the Department of Martial Arts, Lan Fang, resounded from the TV, providing commentary on the individuals who swung their swords at each other again.

Boom! Bang!!

Kasar's heavy sword strike seemed to tear through space, flinging Jake backward after a fierce struggle.

Slash!

But just before crashing into a building, Jake swung his Luminescent Sword, slicing through the wall to land inside. Now hidden within the building, he started his ascent by breaking through the ceiling.

He was strategically trying to evade his opponent by using the building's interior. However, it was a move that made Se-Hoon click his tongue.

“Tsk, tsk. You should always think about who your opponent is first before coming up with strategies.”

Proving him right, Kasar looked up at the ten-story building Jake entered and tightly gripped his sword, Ashen Smoke. Giving Jake no time to breathe, the sword turned hazy and transformed into smoke, which Kasar then powerfully swung toward the building.

Boom!

Spreading out into hundreds of swords made of gray smoke, they all slammed into the building, collapsing it.

“Ahh!”

Not expecting the entire building to be demolished, Jake screamed and scrambled to escape.

Catching sight of him, Kasar's eyes gleamed and he kicked off the ground.

Boom!!!

Their swords clashed in midair, flinging Jake back once again. And Kasar, not letting up, relentlessly hounded him.

「Professor Kasar is pouring down a relentless series of attacks without a moment to breathe! And yet, Jake Myers is holding up remarkably well! He’s truly impressive!」

With no context, Jake was simply being overwhelmed. However, once one understood the exam's purpose, it became commendable, just as Lan Fang's commentary suggested.

If I recall correctly, the exam was supposed to be about collecting points while avoiding Kasar's detection by hiding throughout the city.

For their college-wide exam, Aqar Quf wanted to test a candidate's response to an overwhelmingly powerful enemy on the battlefield. By those rules, if Kasar spotted Jake even once, Jake would immediately be taken out. Yet Jake had persevered for more than five minutes.

Kwang-Soo must’ve had this in mind the whole time...

Like Kwang-Soo, Kasar was an S-rank hero; even if he didn't go all out, someone at Jake's level would clearly struggle to hold out. However, thanks to Kwang-Soo's exam, Jake was able to learn enough to respond to the onslaught of attacks, allowing him to survive this long.

Otherwise, Jake would likely have faced elimination without managing to leave a significant impact.

Isn't this almost like cheating?

Grumbling to himself, Se-Hoon re-evaluated Jake's skill level.

He’s likely roughly on par with the past Aria.

Based on the feats he had managed to perform so far, Jake seemed more than capable.

Standing up again, Jake could be seen covered in dust, but his eyes were sparkling, matching his Luminescent Sword which was shining bluer than ever. At the sight on the screen, Se-Hoon smirked.

What great publicity.

Moreover, Jake was barely holding his own against an S-rank opponent, while Se-Hoon had navigated through an exam designed by a Perfect One; it was obvious which would garner higher marks.

Concluding that there was no need to worry, Se-Hoon switched the channel to watch Ur's college-wide exam.

Boom!!

In stark contrast to the previous city battle exam, Ur's exam took place in a forest. For their exam, the students had to fight alongside automatons, each tasked with aiding their respective partner student.

The objective was straightforward: eliminate the other students by destroying their automaton. To achieve victory, strategic thinking and effective usage of automatons were key.

And excelling at that, one person stood out among them all.

Caw-!

A crow with silver wings was soaring through the forest, accompanied by an automaton clad in full silver armor, rampaging fiercely.

「Wh-what are you doing?!」

「This isn't fair at all!」

The pair quickly destroyed the automatons of anyone in their way, sending them all straight to the safe zone. It was a massacre.

And of course, the black-haired girl casually strolling through the forest, Erika, was the one orchestrating it all.

「No other words can describe the situation better than 'massacre.’ It seems the exam will soon come to an end.」

Watching through the screen, Se-Hoon agreed with the Department of Spell’s Professor Lan Fei’s commentary.

To think she already managed to perfectly copy the techniques from the Spirit Bone Armor. No wonder they don’t stand a chance.

Recalling back to when he made the Spirit Bone Armor for Erika's crow, Se-Hoon remembered how he had used Erika's primary skill, Ghost Armor, as inspiration.

With her proficiency in it back then, he had fully expected her to eventually adapt it into combat-oriented enhancement spells this round too. And looking at the automaton, she had indeed done so.

Bang!

The other students, regular and transfer alike, had their automatons shattered in just a single hit, while Erika's automaton remained unscathed, merely shuttering slightly from the impact.

Watching her effortless rampage, Se-Hoon stroked his chin.

She's doing well, but... it’s lacking a dramatic flair.

Erika’s techniques and skills were impressive, but... the exam was rather straightforward and lacked spectacle.

Comparing the three college-wide exams, his performance, where he had basically defied the rules, made Se-Hoon smile.

I guess I'm ahead for the college-wide exams.

Certain of his victory and earning of the year-wide honor student position, Se-Hoon smiled contentedly.

Ding-dong-

So, this is what she was planning to do during the exam.

Although Se-Hoon didn't fully understand the mechanism, it was clear that if Amir had cleared the labyrinth first, the barrier would have been applied to him.

“That’s all I prepared.”

“Hmm. Alright.”

With this much confirmed, Se-Hoon had gained a rough idea of how things would unfold. He glanced at the jewel box.

“Starting today, we are bound by a contract that requires us to regularly exchange information. Got it?”

“...Understood.”

“Good. You may leave now.”

Standing, Amir bowed respectfully.

“Thank you very much.”

Se-Hoon had knowingly fallen into the Dream Demon's trap, safeguarding his position. Se-Hoon had also forged a contract with him, guaranteeing his unassailable position. Amir knew it was all meant to turn him into Se-Hoon’s double agent, but it had saved his life and presented an opportunity.

“Save your thanks for later. It means nothing if things don't go well.”

“Understood. I'll see you later, then.”

Seeing Amir out, Se-Hoon looked again at the jewel box.

She’ll strike once she sees an opening.

And while he could create that needed opening right now, it would likely come off as too contrived. So Se-Hoon decided to sit back and wait.

An opportunity will come someday, for sure.

Even though he still didn't fully trust divination magic, reaching this far gave him some confidence. Leaning back on the sofa, he turned his gaze to the white tower visible outside the window.

The main deciding factor will be what kind of bizarre test that old man has prepared...

***

Late at night, the lights were still on in the chairman's office inside the Marduk mansion. Here, Ludwig was reviewing the first-semester exam reports.

“Many students showing rapid improvements this year.”

Among the third-years, there were Sung-Ha and Lea; the second-years had Luize; and the first-years had Jake and Erika. Compared to the start of the semester, they all showed astonishing progress, with their momentum showing no signs of waning. They all had the promise of a bright future.

Ludwig then read the report on Se-Hoon, the brightest rising star among them all, who had demonstrated the most significant growth.

“He replicated the control authority of the labyrinth... Haha.”

Though it seemed like anyone could just use the replicated control authority if they managed to copy it in the first place, reality was a different story. The control authority only allowed one to move through the labyrinth, not bypass the gates.

In other words, Se-Hoon's skip to the finish line was the result of managing to perform the thousands of calculations required for each gate instantaneously.

“This kid is quite peculiar, indeed. He's clumsy at activating his abilities yet adept at the calculation process needed upon activation.”

“It's probably because he understands the control authority intuitively. If given the right opportunity, he could become so much more proficient with spatial magic...”

“Easy for you to say. Some people never get that opportunity, no matter how hard they try.”

Ludwig smiled at the curt remark by the voice from the white hole.

“Well, isn’t there a clear difference between impossible and improbable?”

“Of course. But let's change the subject.”

The voice became unusually serious.

“Are you really going to go through with it?”

“...”

“Revealing your research results to the world will have significant repercussions, especially considering how the Ten Evils might react.”

Ludwig remained silent, just staring at the white hole.

“You might think so. But I disagree,” he said after a moment.

“What?”

“The world is already in turmoil. A small ripple won't make any difference.”

Ludwig smiled slightly.

“It might even speed things up a bit.”

“So, you're determined to go through with it.”

“If you really don’t agree with this decision, I won’t do it.”

A brief silence fell. Then, it was broken by the voice from the white hole, much calmer this time.

“Do as you wish. But make sure you can handle the aftermath.”

Click!

Leaving behind that warning, the white hole closed, turning into a golden keyhole that then melted away.

“...”

Ludwig sat in silence. Then, after a few minutes, he rose and headed to the window behind his seat. He stared out at the mansion's garden and the tall white tower reaching into the sky, a sight that remained unchanged from when he first built Babel.

“I can handle the aftermath with ease,” he quietly murmured to himself.

Right now, it was imperative to nurture the momentum created by one student. Reaffirming his resolve, he reached out his hand.

Woong-

In the distance, the Tower of Heroes began to tremble faintly. Golden energy then slowly descended from the cloud-covered summit, spreading across the campus grounds.

Rumble!

Feeling the immense presence within the massive vibration that shook Babel, Ludwig twisted his right hand sharply.

Crash-

Accompanying the sound of something shattering, the sky turned a golden hue. The scenery of Babel had become otherworldly like they had crossed into another realm.

Gazing at the sight beyond the window, Ludwig withdrew his hand and smiled.

“Good luck on your last exam, everyone.”