< Chapter 130: Chaos (1) >
“…Really. I never thought you’d abandon the flag and both of you would go on the offensive.”
Chul-jin stood in front of the flag, scratching the back of his head.
“Isn’t that too bold? If we had sent just one person on the offensive, we would’ve lost instantly.”
At a glance, it may seem like a high-risk move.
But it’s a strategy derived from thorough calculation.
“Chul-jin, I was sure you’d come with an all-in defense strategy.”
I replied, twirling my dagger nonchalantly.
“….”
Chul-jin looked at me with a serious expression. His eyes were asking for an explanation.
“It’s a simple elimination method. No matter how your team divides its members, be it 4 to 1 or 2 to 3, you can’t face both Jia and me simultaneously. One side will surely lose.”
Chul-jin must have realized this on the first day. He felt it after seeing my fusion magic, and after the second and third matches, he must’ve been convinced.
“So, what should we do?”
Dividing the team means one side will surely lose. With that, we can’t be sure of victory.
Hence,
“Focus on attacking one person intensely. There’s no other way.”
The only strategy Kim Chul-jin could choose was this.
The next step was even simpler.
“All that’s left is whether to choose offense or defense….”
I met the gaze of five pairs of eyes staring at me and chuckled.
“Given your aversion to variables, you wouldn’t choose offense. So the only option left is….”
I said, looking at Chul-jin scratching his cheek.
“An all-in defense strategy. Wait for either Jia or me to attack. That’s the only way.”
Silence ensued.
Chul-jin shook his head vigorously.
“Wow~ I feel like Sun Wukong playing on the palm of Buddha.”
He gave a wistful smile.
“Chul-jin, you tend to simplify your thoughts in unexpected situations. You should be careful.”
“…Right. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Chul-jin laughed bitterly.
“Well, enough with the chitchat.”
I summoned my magical power.
“Let’s get started.”
Magical arrows swirled around me.
“Seo-yul.”
Kim Chul-jin looked at me with a peculiar gaze.
“It’s not much of a repayment, but I’ll tell you one of your weaknesses.”
“…My weakness?”
Kim Chul-jin raised one corner of his mouth.
“You tend to over-plan. You need a reason for every action, from one to ten, and always try to lay traps in advance.”
Suddenly, Choi Ji-hoon stepped forward in front of Kim Chul-jin.
“Such meticulous planning can easily fall apart with just one minor variable. Be careful.”
…He hit the nail on the head with that fact.
Kim Chul-jin crouched and shouted.
“Ji-hoon! The Arena of Severance!”
“…What?”
My eyes widened at his words.
“Is there a need to say the skill’s name?”
“Eh, it’s just for the vibe.”
The Arena of Severance.
Choi Ji-hoon’s attribute, an evolved skill of the Magical Armor.
Its effect is to trap the opponent in an isolated arena, not for defense but to restrain the opponent, an offensive skill.
…He already evolved it? At this time?
“Kang Seo-yul. I’ll make you realize that the goddess of fortune doesn’t smile more than 31 times. Today, you will be defeated by me.”
Power surged from Choi Ji-hoon’s body. It was extraordinarily fierce.
Judging by the movement of the magic, it really seems to be the ‘Arena of Severance’.
Is there a way to dodge it?
No. If that is the ‘Arena of Severance’ I know, there’s no way to block its activation.
In this case, I’ll be tied down by Choi Ji-hoon, and Jia, left alone, will have to face the remaining four people by herself.
“Jia, just hold on for exactly 3 minutes.”
There was no other way.
“What do you mean….”
Jia, who was unfamiliar with the Arena of Severance, looked confused.
“There’s no time to explain. Somehow…”
Just then, there was an explosion of magical power.
“Seo… Seo-yul!”
“…!”
At the same time, that power engulfed me.
And in the next moment, I found myself standing in an unknown place, surrounded by walls of blue magic.
The Arena of Severance had completely isolated Choi Ji-hoon and me. I sighed softly.
“I didn’t expect this.”
“I suppose. After all, I never told Si-yeon about this skill.”
Choi Ji-hoon smirked. His face seemed more masculine than when I first saw him. It felt like his unfounded confidence had faded.
You could tell just by his expression. This guy, Choi Ji-hoon, has grown immensely, both physically and mentally. The intricately designed magical armor he wore was proof of his growth.
“You’ve been training hard lately, haven’t you?”
“Hmph.”
Well, the character named Choi Ji-hoon always had high growth potential.
In the original story, due to his twisted nature, he went astray and didn’t grow properly.
But now, under Kim Chul-jin’s guidance, he’s steadily growing.
I wonder what caused this change in his mindset.
“Today, I will surely win.”
His eyes, burning with the passion to defeat me, glinted with competitiveness. I met his gaze and casually asked,
“Are you still hung up on those 30 consecutive losses to me?”
“…”
He had mentioned something about the goddess of fortune earlier.
He might be harboring feelings of defeat.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Even though he said that his eyebrows twitched. It looked like I hit the mark.
“I think you might be jealous since Si-yeon keeps hanging out with me lately.”
“…”
This time, he didn’t reply. However, the fierce glare in his eyes screamed, ‘I’m not in a good mood.’ It seemed I had struck a chord again.
“Do you hate me?”
“Yes, I do.”
Although he stated it bluntly, there was no hint of hatred or animosity in Choi Ji-hoon’s eyes.
All I could sense were pure ambition, competitiveness, and other positive emotions.
“Okay, got it.”
I think I understand why Choi Ji-hoon has grown so rapidly. It’s quite a complex transformation.
In the original work, Choi Ji-hoon harbored feelings of inferiority towards the overpowered protagonist, Kang Seo-yul, who possessed an S-class status window.
He despaired in the face of overwhelming talent and was jealous of the fact that Ha Si-yeon was taken away from him.
This explosive emotion turned him into a character resembling a typical troublemaker.
He consistently clashed with the protagonist and became a thorn in the hero’s side.
Their conflict persisted until Choi Ji-hoon learned about Kang Seo-yul’s past (related to biological experiments).
After discovering the protagonist’s unfortunate history, he slowly starts to repent.
He significantly grows as he overcomes the trauma from his past.
In the end, the original character Choi Ji-hoon stands by the protagonist’s side and faces off against the demon, concluding his saga.
What about now?
The current me is not overwhelmingly powerful enough to make Choi Ji-hoon feel inferior.
From the early stages, a unique relationship was formed when he learned about my (Kang Seo-yul’s) past.
This event probably served as a moment for him to reflect upon himself.
His jealousy concerning Si-yeon also changed a bit.
In the original, Ha Si-yeon harbored feelings close to ‘love’ for the protagonist, but now, the emotion Si-yeon holds for me is closer to ‘admiration’ or ‘respect’.
Choi Ji-hoon probably senses this as well.
Therefore, his jealousy isn’t that intense. It’s closer to feelings of being slighted.
The result of all these changes is the matured Choi Ji-hoon we see now.
All the negative emotions have vanished, and clashing with me accelerated his growth. He has found his path.
He has become strong enough to use the ‘Arena of Severance’ in such a short period. This is undoubtedly a positive change.
With these thoughts, a peculiar joy overwhelmed me. I couldn’t help but smile, thinking about the beneficial changes brought about by the butterfly’s flap.
“Why are you laughing?”
Could Choi Ji-hoon have disliked my smile? His eyes sharpened.
“It’s nothing. Let’s get started.”
I was worried about Jia outside, facing four by herself. I need to end this as soon as possible.
“I’ll finish this in 2 minutes.”
“Nonsense. My defense is impeccable. No matter how skilled you are…”
“That’s your perspective.”
I gathered my magic.
Because Si-yeon is nearby, the ‘Resonance’ has been activated.
In addition to the advantage buff, the power of Resonance granted me a one-rank increase in magic.
“Welcome. It’s your first time experiencing A-rank magic, right?”
My current magic power is close to A-rank.
Choi Ji-hoon’s pupils slowly dilated.
Numerous magic arrows floated around.
Each magic arrow held a different property.
Among them were arrows shimmering in white light.
Arrows that burn the magic created using the spirit’s blaze. Although these arrows have the worst cost-effectiveness and I haven’t used them much until now, that doesn’t matter to me at this moment.
“Here I go.”
A-rank magic.
Affinity to the fire element.
The blaze of the spirit.
The magical talent acquired through the full embodiment of the dragon race.
Ancient magic that was learned from Rena.
My current magic far surpasses what a mere cadet can handle.
“Try and block it with your magic armor.”
Dozens of magic arrows filled the sky.
* * *
Meanwhile, outside the “Ring of Severance”, Shin Jia and Ha Si-yeon were clashing.
Clang!
While Ha Si-yeon was trying to approach by blocking the continuous arrows coming her way,
Squeak!
Shin Jia was attempting to suppress Ha Si-yeon’s advance and somehow inflict damage on her.
“Si-yeon! Don’t overdo it!”
“I know!”
Under normal circumstances, it would have been a close battle, but currently, Shin Jia was under the effect of the advantage buff.
Naturally, Ha Si-yeon was the one being pushed back.
She couldn’t even approach properly. If this battle situation continued, Ha Si-yeon would be defeated within 3 minutes.
That is if this had been a 1:1 battle.
“Aren’t you focusing too much on Si-yeon?”
“Damn!”
Taking advantage of Shin Jia’s focus on Ha Si-yeon, Kim Chul-jin rushed into Shin Jia’s side.
Kim Chul-jin’s sword shimmered with magic.
“Dodge!”
Shin Jia concentrated her magic on her feet.
Pop!
With an explosive burst of magic, she shot backward like a bullet.
In an instant, Shin Jia, who escaped from the encirclement, let out a heavy breath.
The dodging technique, which uses an explosive release of magic to escape from a position, is effective, but it consumes too much magic.
‘Handling all four of them is…’
Not even two minutes had passed, and she was already out of breath.
“Si-yeon! Don’t give her a chance to rest!”
“Yes! I know!”
“Damn…”
Shin Jia bit her lip.
Including Kim Chul-jin, the other three were a problem, but the real issue was Ha Si-yeon.
‘She’s become stronger in the meantime…’
She had evolved one step further than when we fought last week.
Probably because she succeeded in learning the ancient magic operation technique from Rena on Sunday.
‘And I still haven’t mastered it…’
A suppressed sense of inferiority began to creep up on her.
‘Besides, Si-yeon isn’t even giving her all…’
Moreover, Ha Si-yeon hadn’t even summoned her “Ice Empress” technique.
She’s probably saving it to face Kang Seo-yul. Though she understood, it was inevitable that her pride was hurt.
Vroom-!
Power surged in Shin Jia’s arrow, the strong energy she learned from Kang Seo-yul.
Squeak!
Three arrows soared almost simultaneously.
Two of them targeted the two cadets focused on backup from a distance, while the remaining one was aimed at Kim Chul-jin.
“Damn!”
Kim Chul-jin clicked his tongue.
The two cadets, who weren’t yet skilled in handling magic, wouldn’t be able to withstand this attack.
If both of them are eliminated, Shin Jia’s escape route will significantly widen. This couldn’t be allowed.
‘I have no choice…’
Moreover, at this rate, there’s a high likelihood that we won’t be able to deal with Shin Jia before Kang Seo-yul arrives. We have to settle the score before that.
‘I wanted to save it for when Seo-yul appears.’
“Si-yeon!”
“I know!”
Frost began to form on Ha Si-yeon’s body.
Sizzle-
Soon, that frost turned into ice, and the ice transformed into armor
Ice Empress.
An advanced awakening skill of the Sanctuary of Ice.
Ha Si-yeon’s ultimate move revealed itself.
Clang! Ping!
The arrows headed for the two cadets were blocked by Ha Si-yeon’s ‘Ice Wings’.
“…Damn.”
Shin Jia gritted her teeth.
Could she stop Ha Si-yeon, who had now summoned the Ice Empress, in this situation?
With Kim Chul-jin looking for an opportunity and the other two blocking her escape route?
‘It’s impossible.’
The answer was NO.
“Si-yeon! Engage her directly! I’ll block her escape route!”
“Understood!”
With her distinctive skate-like boots, Ha Si-yeon slid across the icy ground.
No matter how many times you see it, her agility was astonishing as she quickly charged towards Shin Jia.
Ping, Ting!
The arrows, shot like lightning, were deflected by ice walls that were quickly formed in their path. The distance between the two was rapidly closing.
‘At this rate…’
Ha Si-yeon was approaching from the front, and the remaining three were blocking the retreat.
The way out of this situation…
‘Is nonexistent.’
All Shin Jia could do now was to buy some time.
Squeak! Squeal!
Desperately, Shin Jia fired arrows.
She drained all of her remaining magic, firing shots in rapid succession.
This barrage successfully halted Ha Si-yeon’s approach.
“Argh!”
Not only did it stop her, but one of the arrows managed to pierce through Ha Si-yeon’s ice armor, embedding into her left arm.
“Damn it.”
The subsequent arrows made Ha Si-yeon abandon her approach.
“Jia… aren’t you focusing too much on just me?”
An attack fully concentrated on Ha Si-yeon.
Kim Chul-jin didn’t miss that opportunity.
“Chul-jin! Now!”
Even as she clutched her wounded left arm, Ha Si-yeon shouted.
“!”
Suddenly close, Kim Chul-jin swung his sword at Shin Jia’s back. The timing was impeccable.
“See you later then!”
Kim Chul-jin was certain of his victory.
This attack was bound to hit.
‘I can’t dodge it.’
Shin Jia also acknowledged her impending defeat.
There was no way to avoid this attack.
‘I’m sorry, ancestor.’
The words of Kang Seo-yul, asking her to hold on for just three minutes, flashed in her mind. It was pathetic.
She couldn’t believe she couldn’t even withstand three minutes.
‘What if Si-yeon and I had swapped teams?’
If she had been in Ha Si-yeon’s position, could she have beaten Ha Si-yeon, who had received the advantage buff?
‘It’s impossible.’
Ha Si-yeon had the Ice Empress.
She would have surely held on for at least three minutes.
‘Pathetic.’
Shin Jia, trembling with her own worthlessness, quietly closed her eyes.
That’s when it happened.
KWAAAANG!
“!”
“!”
A loud explosion echoed from outside the arena.
Along with the sound came a fierce gust of wind. The aftermath of an explosion.
“Damn!”
“What, what’s that!”
The aftermath was like a typhoon.
“Ugh!”
Because of that storm, Kim Chul-jin, now drained of strength, barely missed Shin Jia’s back with his sword.
KWAAAANG!
A second explosion.
This time, an even fiercer wind blew.
“Whoa!”
Everyone was scattered by the gust, flying into the sky.
“Damn it.”
Thud!
After being tossed about 10 meters in the air, Shin Jia landed, taking a low stance against the wind.
‘What the hell happened?’
She thought, shielding herself from the wind with both hands.
‘The magical barrier of the arena has been broken.’
The atmosphere was tense.
It was clear that something had happened.
Suddenly, a sharp smell hit her nostrils.
‘Is this… the smell of blood?’
A strong scent of blood was carried by the wind.
This wasn’t the smell of just one or two people’s blood. At least a dozen must have died.
Which meant…
“…Terrorism?”
Someone had caused a terrorist attack at this military academy?
Shin Jia’s pupils trembled with shock.
“Just listen quietly.”
It was then that she heard someone’s voice.
“!”
An unfamiliar male voice.
Hearing it, Shin Jia’s shoulders jolted in surprise.
“Who, who are you…”
She looked around, but no one was there.
“Stay calm. Don’t make a fuss.”
“Ah!”
Suddenly, a shadow leaped out, covering Shin Jia’s mouth.
“We’re short on time, so I’ll get straight to the point.”
The shadow slowly took on a human form.
“Where is Kang Seo-yul?”
From the eyes of the shadow, now known as Hermit, a gleam emanated.
< Chapter 130: Chaos (1) > End.
