"Ah..."
Watching as his shield, once bravely held against the lightning, now seemed incapable, Jo Gunwoo sighed softly. His eyes, which had been examining the surface of the shield, darkened for a moment. The boy, feeling the worn-out parts of the shield, reluctantly raised his hand.
"I surrender."
With a calm tone, Ruth, engaged in a pure contest of strength between shield and lightning, laughed heartily. Sihyun couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment.
If only the shield had held out a little longer, Baek Geonu could have endured much more. He didn't seem exhausted, nor did he appear strained, unlike someone who had pushed their body too far.
Although the Tanking skill Guard could boost the shield's durability, it didn't render the shield invincible. Watching Geonu, who had endured so much with that shield, Kang Sihyun set aside his regret and clapped lightly.
"You've got the best Tanking skills in this school."
"Thank you."
With a nod of his head, Geonu, who had instantly become the top tank in the school, expressed his gratitude. His expression, usually devoid of emotion, brightened when Ruth offered him a new shield.
Whether it was the praise or the new shield that pleased him more, his face lit up slightly as he left the arena with his worn-out shield. Wiping sweat from his brow, Geonu returned to the spectator seats and wrapped a towel he had brought around his neck. Holding each end of the soft towel, he wiped his face and took a deep breath.
"...It's hot."
Glancing over, Geonu suddenly looked at Sihyun. Confirming that his image was reflected in Geonu's eyes for a brief moment, Sihyun opened his mouth and shared his honest impression of the duel they had just witnessed.
"You did well."
"Yeah."
"Yeah?"
At Geonu's straightforward and immediate response, Sihyun blinked. As Geonu, who usually responded with indifference, revealed a brighter side, Sihyun, momentarily surprised by the change, looked at him expectantly.
"Why don't you cheer for me, Sihyun?"
Seo Woo, who was sitting next to him, suddenly spoke up.
"Huh?"
"I feel like you cheer for everyone else, but I haven't received it yet. It's my turn next."
Looking at Seo Woo, who pointed at himself with his finger, as if indicating that he was waiting for encouragement, Sihyun looked at him as if he had been entrusted with something. His calm eyes seemed to hold a subtle sense of anticipation. If it had been just a casual exchange before leaving, he would have naturally done it, but since the other party asked him to do it first, he couldn't find the words.
As Sihyun struggled to speak, Seo Woo's eyes narrowed. Before he could retort, Sihyun quickly managed to speak up.
"Do well and come back."
"Yeah."
Finally satisfied, Seo Woo, with a faint smile, reached out and lightly stroked Sihyun's black hair. After glancing at the neatly arranged hair, he nodded once and rose from his seat. It was his turn to prepare.
Meanwhile, as the referee teacher conversed with Ruth, his attention shifted to Seo Woo, who was about to enter the arena. It was then that something unexpected came out of the teacher's mouth instead of calling the boy's name.
"Just a moment, Ruth. Recover your mana before you go in."
"Hmm?"
"...."
Seo Woo's expression momentarily stiffened at the mention of Ruth recovering mana right before his turn. Witnessing this rare sight, Sihyun observed his face. Like an artwork that remains intact even when creased, Seo Woo's face wasn't much different from that.
Looking somewhat dismayed as he turned away from me, Seo Woo glanced at the disappointed expression of the referee teacher.
"...Just unlucky, I guess."
Leaning back against the backrest again, Seo Woo muttered as if lamenting. Sihyun watched Ruth, who was drinking a blue liquid.
Mana potion.
It was said that only 'Mari,' a manufacturing-type Awakener known as Eve's disciple, could create such a potion, each bottle costing billions. It was rumored that three bottles were distributed to awakening schools worldwide every year, and what Ruth was drinking now was likely one of those three bottles.
Having witnessed a healer teacher consuming a bottle during the placement exam, Sihyun stared incredulously at Ruth, who emptied a bottle cleanly.
Considering he hadn't recovered any mana all this time and had faced over forty opponents, it was unclear how high his skill proficiency was or how much mana he possessed in total.
Did he have a mana sea inside him or something?
Seeing him in awe, Ruth said he'd become a 'shoulder relaxed' like him. Seo Woo, who had endured a longer waiting time than others, entered the arena. Standing with a sword in hand, as soon as the horn sounded, he rushed towards Ruth.
The descending sword strokes were clean. With each step Seo Woo took forward, Ruth's steps retreated. The attack flowed smoothly as if to say there would be no time to prepare. The flow was good, but Ruth's skills were still lacking.
Every time Ruth narrowly dodged the sword as if teasing, he flicked his fingers. The sky darkened. Sensing the impending lightning strike, Seo Woo quickly backed away.
Thud! Thud!
Bright light followed Seo Woo's footsteps on the sand. The weather, which had been sunny, turned ominously cloudy. Every time lightning veered off its course and struck down, Seo Woo, who had stepped back, swung his sword wide while stepping back.
The platinum-colored energy that lingered on the sword shot out.
Kugung!
The ground trembled slightly, leaving a long, shallow mark on the field. Ruth, who buffed himself to avoid damage, pounded the golden-worn ground of the field.
"Kid, is this your school?"
"I trusted that you'd take care of the compensation."
Smirking at Ruth as he naturally attributed the traces of my attack to him, Seo Woo chuckled. Muttering that he'd see every crazy one of them, Ruth came up close to Seo Woo. Just as the boy's sword grazed his golden hair, Seo Woo was about to step back.
Zap!
Without warning of a finger snap or the sky crying, four lightning bolts suddenly poured down, pinning Seo Woo's movements to the ground. With no apparent way to escape without using the flight buff, he emitted a bewildered laugh at the lights that remained intact without dissipating.
Losing his grip on reliance to the lightning surrounding him, Seo Woo's sword tip tapped the ground.
"Isn't this four skills?"
"It's the same skill. It's just different applications. Originally, Zeus' lightning only has three skills."
Three?
Listening intently to their conversation, Sihyun's eyes widened. So far, Ruth's lightning-related skills seemed to be at least five, yet he said three. Wondering how on earth that person managed it, he frowned, and then Ruth spoke up.
Kururung!
"So, what are you going to do now?"
Speaking as if suggesting they continue playing, Seo Woo raised his head. Above his head, there was a lightning bolt that seemed to pause before striking down, as if reminding him that the thunderous sound he heard earlier wasn't an illusion. Staring at it hanging in the air, Seo Woo shook his head in disbelief.
"I surrender. As expected, it's no use."
"If you're capable of aerial attacks at your age, that's remarkable. Do they call it Ganggi in Korea?"
"The concept's a bit different. If you can wield it on a sword, it's Gungi, or Ganggi. If you can throw it, it's Oora."
"That's it."
Above their heads, lightning lingered as a strangely serene conversation unfolded. After Seowoo smiled lightly and asked, "Could you tidy this up a bit?" Ruth, who had just finished using his skill with difficulty, pondered something seriously, rubbing his chin. Seowoo, whose eyes momentarily clouded with suspicion at the sudden silence, waited for Ruth's words.
"I hate to say it... but if I take all of Class A to the IRS, it wouldn't be appropriate, would it?"
"Well, I doubt there'd be anyone willing to go in the first place, but give it a try to convince them."
"You..."
"I'm in a set with Sihyun."
"Click!"
What's that supposed to mean?
Sihyun, who had been witnessing Ruth's scouting scenes for the third time and coughed awkwardly, narrowed his eyes. He hadn't realized until today that he could swallow saliva and still feel dry.
As he coughed to the point his eyes teared up, Seowoo's platinum eyes turned in his direction.
Seowoo lightly smiled in response to their exchanged glances and headed towards the auditorium at the teacher's instruction to leave. Ruth looked at him as if the idea of being in a set was intriguing.
'What does that little guy mean by "set," I wonder.'
With a glance that seemed to contain a question like that, Sihyun cleared his throat, feeling a lump in his throat.
'Would I have coughed if I knew?'
The unanswered words only echoed in his mind.
While the teacher finished calling out names as they tidied up the arena, Sihyun, who rose slowly from his seat, confirmed Ruth, who was wearing the most malicious smile he had seen so far.
With just his expression, he seemed like a ferocious beast, ready to chew, tear, taste, and enjoy me to his heart's content.
Taking a slow step forward as he swallowed his breath, Sihyun had already copied teleportation and lightning skills in advance. However, it seemed unlikely that it would have a significant effect. Although he copied it, thinking it was a good skill based on seeing Ruth use it, upon closer inspection, it was merely a skill to summon lightning to a designated location. He was a monster who could freely manipulate such a simple skill and apply it in various ways.
Feeling like he had wasted a copy chance, Sihyun scratched his nails as he scanned the man who was waiting for me like a Grim Reaper.
With a mana capacity as massive as that of a Triple Awakener.
And overwhelmingly high proficiency compared to mine.
Basic abilities such as strength and reflexes, speed, were also top-notch.
He excelled in minute control and application of abilities without missing a beat. How could I possibly defeat someone who surpassed me in every aspect like this?
Just my luck.
For a person to show humanity, they must lack something, and Ruth lacked nothing but humanity and normal thinking. He just fought like a sea wave, holding a pink staff in hand, ready to surrender with a mindset to hold the pink staff tightly and enter the arena. A mixture of green and tan eyes focused on Sihyun's staff.
"What's that, kid? Wasn't that supposed to be for practice?"
"...It's just my staff."
"Huh. You use such a flashy thing. Just by standing there, you look like a magical girl. Or maybe..."
Pink princess?
Emphasizing with air quotes, Ruth looked at Sihyun, who tightened his grip on the staff. He had intended to keep it moderate just a moment ago, but suddenly, he felt like hitting him once and starting. Narrowing his eyes, he tightened his grip on the staff.
It was at that moment they were waiting for the horn to sound.
Suddenly, a black dot appeared in the sky, and from the dot, a black curtain-like veil began to envelop the arena.
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