Chapter 128: Team Battle

< Chapter 128: Team Battle (3) >

Sunday night.

Having returned home, I thoroughly reviewed the plan for tomorrow’s team battle before lying down in bed.

Wondering what time it was, I checked my phone.

“Hmm?”

There was a message from Yu Hwa.

[If I could, I’d like to kill my past self.]

It was a message loaded with deep meaning.

“...You’ve come to your senses.”

At the barbecue party, she seemed to have lost herself a bit, but now that some stress has been relieved, it seems she has come back to her senses.

She might be in a stage where she’s drowning in regret.

[Have you fallen behind on work?]

The reply came immediately.

[Yes.]

[A lot.]

[Very much.]

[Insanely.]

The response was rapid-fire.

[Are you sitting in the guild master’s office right now?]

[Yes.]

[I feel like dying.]

The price for having 10 hours of free time seemed to be quite hefty.

[...Hang in there.]

That’s all I could say.

[(Emoticon of a bear burning in white flames)]

[Don’t look for me for a while.]

[See you alive.]

Her words sounded like a last will.

Indeed, after that, Yu Hwa didn’t send any more replies.

I silently wished her well.

The current time was 12:27 AM.

It’s my usual bedtime.

Maybe I should sleep now.

I placed my phone on the bedside table and lay down.

“Meow.”

From under the bed, I heard Goldie’s cry.

“Goldie?”

Goldie jumped next to me. When did he come in? He was surely sleeping with Rena and White Tiger.

“Why? Want to sleep with your brother after a long time?”

Goldie cried with a purring sound. Then, he snuggled against me and yawned lightly.

“Alright. Let’s sleep together.”

I embraced Goldie.

I had been feeling guilty for not paying enough attention to Goldie these days.

Feeling my touch, Goldie purred contentedly.

He seemed pleased.

“Oh, you’re so cute.”

Goldie fell asleep quickly.

I too closed my eyes, feeling the warm presence in my embrace.

...Speaking of which, Jia didn’t look too well today.

She insisted she was okay, but no matter how I looked at it, she didn’t seem alright.

Perhaps it’s because she failed to master the ancient magic technique?

I told her that it takes time, but she didn’t seem to believe me.

Is it because Si-yeon succeeded in one go? But that’s just Si-yeon being unusual.

I was surprised.

Even I, having acquired magical talents through the complete embodiment of the Dragon Tribe, couldn’t replicate it upon seeing it once, but she managed to reproduce it flawlessly.

I can’t help but admire the magical talent of a character like Ha Si-yeon.

“Hmm.”

Could it be that Jia feels inferior to Si-yeon?

Recently, she was also dethroned from the rank 1 spot, and Si-yeon’s growth rate is significantly faster than Jia’s. It’s just the right time for her to feel anxious.

Up until now, there was no one among her peers who surpassed Jia, so I thought she might have such feelings.

“It’s inevitable that Jia currently lags in growth rate.”

While Si-yeon has already awakened the “Sanctuary of Ice,” lifting her limits, Jia has yet to awaken “Transcendent Lineage” so she’s still limited.

It’s natural for there to be a difference in growth rate. If that fact is causing her impatience...

“I’m unnecessarily worried.”

Hmm.

It’s probably a needless worry, right?

And even if my concerns turn out to be true, it’s no problem.

“...She said she could master it within a week if all goes well.”

Once Jia awakens Transcendent Lineage, the problem will naturally be resolved.

“Besides, she might regain her confidence in this team battle.”

* * *

Monday.

The first-semester final practical exams have started. Our team’s first match is in the afternoon, so right now we’re watching other teams compete.

“Wow. Amazing. Ha Si-yeon’s team is like a piece of art, isn’t it?”

“Totally. What’s with them?”

The match was between a 5-person team led by Ha Si-yeon and another ordinary 5-person team.

Ha Si-yeon’s team undoubtedly stood out.

“Ha Si-yeon is taking care of the attack alone, and the other four are on defense.”

“The strategy seems simple. But Ha Si-yeon is so strong that they can’t stop her.”

The group match rule is essentially ‘Capture the Flag.’

Each team sets up a base and places a flag they need to defend. The team that finds and captures the opposing team’s flag first wins.

Though the rule sounds simple, the game is more complex than it seems.

The balance of offense and defense, while searching for the flag, is crucial.

Reading the opponent’s strategy and flexibly changing tactics requires both mental and physical abilities.

It’s a profound game in its own right.

“It just seems like Ha Si-yeon is doing everything by herself.”

But in this match, there’s no need for mental strategy.

“Is that what they call the human weapon strategy or something?”

Si-yeon’s physical abilities are off the charts. She searches leisurely on her own, storms into the enemy’s territory, annihilates the defending teams, and seizes the flag.

Simple is best.

The opposing team is completely caught off guard by this straightforward strategy.

“...We have to fight them next. What do we do?”

“Wouldn’t it be better to ignore Ha Si-yeon and go all-in on the attack?”

“Breaking through the four defenders isn’t easy either.”

“True. There’s no need to mention Kim Chul-jin and Choi Ji-hoon have become incredibly strong recently.”

“The other two seem to contribute defensively too.”

“It’s tough.”

Crafty strategies easily crumble once the opponent catches on.

However, a direct clash of strength against strength isn’t easily thwarted.

Kim Chul-jin understood their advantage better than anyone.

...That cunning strategist definitely has a good brain.

I expected something like this, but it seems we might need to adjust our strategy a bit.

Kang Seo-yul perfectly parried Go Taejin’s sword with his dagger and at the same time,

“!”

Kiiiiing-!

He flawlessly deflected the tanker’s shield charge with his longsword.

“Eugh!”

The tanker, completely off balance from the deflection, fell toward Go Taejin.

“Kuk!”

Pushed by the tanker, Go Taejin’s stance wavered.

‘Bingo!’

Kang Seo-yul didn’t miss that opening.

He quickly retracted his dagger and thrust it into Go Taejin’s body.

“Kuk!”

It was a shallow strike.

But he didn’t mind.

‘I never thought I could handle it this easily.’

Kang Seo-yul took a step closer, pressing Go Taejin.

Cling! Clang!

While blocking Kang Seo-yul’s lightning-fast attacks, Go Taejin internally screamed.

‘...They say it’s a 35% stat increase, but it feels more than double!’

The power of Kang Seo-yul, enhanced by the advantage point, was beyond imagination.

And it made sense.

Even with an average C-rank stat, Kang Seo-yul was comparable to higher rankers.

Now, with the advantage point boost, he had achieved B-rank combat power. He was undoubtedly formidable.

‘I can’t hold out much longer!’

Go Taejin gritted his teeth and shouted.

“He’s restrained! Just grab the flag!”

“Got it!”

The other two, who had been waiting for Kang Seo-yul to distance himself from the flag, began to act. At this position, they could snatch it!

“Hey now.”

But Kang Seo-yul wasn’t one to just stand and watch.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Kang Seo-yul summoned his magic.

Whooosh-

“Agh!”

Flames surged, enveloping the flag. The two who were trying to snatch it screamed and retreated.

At that moment.

Crackle!

Sparks erupted from Kang Seo-yul’s body.

‘Electric shock!’

Go Taejin’s eyes widened.

He realized what Kang Seo-yul was about to do.

“You’re too late.”

Kang Seo-yul grinned devilishly.

Kwaang-!

At that moment, a bolt of lightning struck from the sky.

“Aaaaargh!”

That bolt of lightning pierced through the cadet who was casting a spell from afar.

“That makes four.”

Thud-

The cadet who was hit directly by the divine punishment (aka Thunder Bolt) collapsed, emitting smoke.

“...”

“...”

Silence ensued.

Four pairs of eyes trembled.

‘What did we just witness?’

It was a sight that made one doubt their own eyes.

“While dealing with both of us with a sword, he cast both fire and lightning magic simultaneously...?”

“That’s impossible...”

Looking at the astonished group, Kang Seo-yul smiled.

“Why? First time seeing dual casting? Or is it the first time seeing me properly use magic?”

Everyone remained silent.

Perhaps enjoying the silence, Kang Seo-yul’s smile deepened.

“Then you must be seeing this for the first time as well?”

Power began to concentrate around Kang Seo-yul’s body.

Whooosh-

Magic arrows began to rise and float around him.

“Gasp!”

The sound of swallowed breath echoed loudly from all directions.

Astonishment.

Shock.

Such a torrent of emotions poured out.

Likely, those watching this spectacle from beyond their monitors felt the same.

“What is that...”

Arrows imbued with the essence of flames continued to multiply.

“It can’t be...”

Soon, countless magic arrows of Kang Seo-yul filled their view.

But that wasn’t all.

Whooo-

Amidst the intense heat, a whirlwind began.

As if asserting its presence, the wind merged amidst the flaming arrows, coalescing into intangible arrows.

Everyone’s mouths hung open.

“Wi... Wind?”

“Wind attribute!”

It was the first time Kang Seo-yul’s wind magic was revealed to the public. And that meant...

“Tri... Triple... attribute!”

Facing their astonished gazes, Kang Seo-yul smiled.

As if it was too early to be surprised, he smirked confidently.

“It’s not over yet.”

At that moment, flame and wind began to mingle.

Whoosh, Whirling!

The wind fueled the flames,

And the flames intensified the wind.

The intense heat and fierce wind pressure became one.

“What in the world...”

Arrow of Wind and Fire.

The fusion magic showcased by the top ten rankers, ‘Witch of Fire’ and ‘Wind Emperor,’ was reproduced by Kang Seo-yul.

“Fusion magic... all by himself?”

Looking at the dumbfounded cadets, Kang Seo-yul laughed.

“I’ll give you exactly 30 seconds to surrender.”

It was a devilish, sinister smile.

“Change of mind. Make it 5 seconds.”

< Chapter 128: Team Battle (3) >End.