Chapter 74
I examined Park Min-seo, who had collapsed on the ground.
Honestly, I wanted to kill this guy right now—but I couldn’t.
Not just because of the barrier, but because I remembered that cameras had been installed before the practical exam began, to record the test.
To think I’d forgotten about the cameras because I got too focused on the fight.
Phew.
I forced down my frustration.
Thanks to the protective spell the instructors cast before the test, there wasn’t a single visible wound on him.
But that strike just now…
The attack Park Min-seo had unleashed a moment ago—no matter how much stronger he had become—was something far beyond his ability.
Judging from the faint demonic energy I’d felt just before his attack, it was certain that some kind of ability had been involved.
…The problem was that the energy had been too faint.
So faint, in fact, that even a high-ranked hero wouldn’t have noticed it unless they were fully focused.
As for me, I’d seen so many Demons and my body was sensitive to demonic energy, so I could detect such sensations more sharply.
I sorted through the tangled thoughts running through my head.
I couldn’t pinpoint what his ability was exactly, but from this battle, I could at least make a reasonable guess.
Most likely, his power was related to the power of the soul.
That alien sensation that had set off my instincts just before he attacked—
It wasn’t something driven purely by magic.
If I had to compare it, it was similar to Helena’s Dragon Fear.
A type of pressure born from manifesting one’s very existence and rank.
Moreover, right before the strike, Park Min-seo’s eyes had turned pale gray.
Eyes changing color when invoking a special power—
I already knew of such a case.
Lia.
That explained the strike Park Min-seo had unleashed.
Normally, becoming a Demon meant that one’s soul had been corrupted and subjugated through a contract with a devil.
But in Park Min-seo’s case, it seemed similar—yet different.
He had indeed formed a contract with a devil, but instead of his soul being corrupted by demonic power, it was as if he had granted space within himself to the devil’s servant, allowing them to coexist.
And when his emotions surged or his rage neared its breaking point, that granted soul would take control.
And that soul—the one possessing his body—was likely the Storm Sword, a martial warrior from another realm said to have been slain by a devil.
A bitter taste filled my mouth.
I had hoped Park Min-seo’s case might offer a clue to escaping the predetermined bad ending.
But to apply his case to myself… I would have to let the Final Boss, the ultimate devil, descend upon my own body.
Would that even succeed?
That part was beyond the scope of the game—I couldn’t know.
Boom!
Just then, a loud explosion echoed from somewhere nearby.
The blast was powerful enough to rival the collision between me and Park Min-seo.
I turned my gaze toward the source of the explosion.
It was where Park Siwoo and Dan Chun-woo had begun their duel earlier.
I wondered who had won.
Through the thick cloud of dust, a familiar figure came into view.
Dan Chun-woo, with his hair tied tightly in a bun, was panting heavily.
And on the ground lay Park Siwoo.
I swallowed hard.
No way… I had suspected it, but to think that “no way” had actually happened.
Judging from his exhausted state, it hadn’t been an easy victory—but what mattered was that he had won.
The reason I’d thought Dan Chun-woo might win was because, after his duel with the Sword Empress, his demeanor had changed somewhat.
Not just his attitude—something deeper. It was as if he’d achieved a kind of enlightenment; the wild aura around him had noticeably stabilized.
Could it be that the Sword Empress had done some kind of mental reformation on him back then?
I wasn’t too surprised, though.
Everything so far had deviated from the original game anyway.
Whatever the cause, what mattered was that Dan Chun-woo’s transformation had already begun.
At that moment, as he steadied his breathing, Dan Chun-woo’s eyes met mine.
He muttered something under his breath when he saw me.
What did he just say?
I focused my vision to read his lips.
“Next is you?”
…Did I do something wrong?
After defeating Park Siwoo, Dan Chun-woo gasped for breath.
He wasn’t injured, but his stamina was nearly depleted.
As he steadied himself, his gaze fell upon the fallen Park Siwoo.
He had almost lost.
Just a few weeks ago, it would have definitely been his defeat.
Especially that Star Sword Summon—
Even knowing the technique, it was nearly impossible to counter it.
And yet, in the end, he had won.
Dan Chun-woo slowly closed his eyes.
The reason he had been able to win this time—embarrassing as it was—was because he had cast aside his arrogance.
After watching Yoo Sung-woo’s duel with the Sword Empress, he had resolved never again to underestimate or belittle anyone.
Instead, he accepted and acknowledged his own shortcomings and weakness.
The feelings of inferiority he had never faced before—along with the crushing despair that told him he could never win—
He had fought through them, refusing to let himself sink into darkness.
Ironically, it was his own self-awareness—the same pride that once led him to indulgence—that had allowed him to hold firm.
As a man born of the Swordmaster’s bloodline, despair did not suit him.
He would grow, and keep growing.
Perhaps that was why he now found himself eagerly anticipating the duel against Yoo Sung-woo, the final match assigned at the end of the practical exam.
Even before he had time to recover his stamina, the next duel had already begun.
‘Clever. He used a lot of energy in the beginning—so he plans to recover in between, huh.’
Dan Chun-woo swiftly defeated his opponent.
It hadn’t seemed that difficult.
Although he had expended much of his strength, the other cadets had also consumed a great deal of energy.
In such a state, there were few students who could withstand even a single strike from him.
After taking down his opponent, Dan Chun-woo focused entirely on resting.
Many other cadets were taking similar approaches to the test.
Helena, Yoo Sung-woo, and others—
They had all cleverly designed their strategy: how to balance recovery and combat through several rounds of duels.
‘But that only applies when you’re fighting weaker opponents.’
If the duels kept going like this, they were bound to face each other eventually.
The exam was reaching its final stage.
Only about ten cadets still had stamina left.
Among them, two drew the most attention from everyone—
Dan Chun-woo and Yoo Sung-woo.
Dan Chun-woo, waiting for his turn against Yoo Sung-woo, was savoring the tension.
His fighting spirit was boiling.
Just one more.
If he took down this last opponent, he could finally face Yoo Sung-woo.
As that long wait was about to end and the next duel was about to begin—
Yoo Sung-woo raised his hand.
“I’ll forfeit here.”
“Reason?”
“My stamina’s run out.”
“Understood. Step out of the arena.”
At Instructor Kang Jae-seok’s approval, Yoo Sung-woo left the stage without hesitation.
Dan Chun-woo’s face instantly twisted.
‘Out of stamina?’
What nonsense.
Having watched Yoo Sung-woo’s duel with the Sword Empress, Dan Chun-woo knew full well what Yoo Sung-woo’s true ability was.
He had never once gone all out here.
And yet, now he claimed his stamina was gone? Impossible.
‘What is he thinking?’
Dan Chun-woo couldn’t fathom it.
Even if this was just a midterm exam for freshmen, every duel was recorded and sent to various Guilds.
In other words, these duels served as a self-introduction to the Guilds.
So to hide his strength all this time, only to forfeit at the end?
At that moment, a single assumption formed in Dan Chun-woo’s mind.
‘Could it be… he suffered internal injuries during his duel with his sister?’
If one sustained internal injuries, their blood and energy pathways would become twisted, making it difficult to circulate magic and causing excruciating pain.
Unlike external wounds, internal injuries had no simple cure and required long-term rest.
Of course, there was a method known as Balmosesu, a high-level technique that used true energy to heal internal damage—but expecting such advanced treatment inside the Academy was unrealistic.
Balmosesu required deep mastery over mana control; a careless attempt could cause serious backlash even to the one performing it.
Dan Chun-woo hadn’t seen Yoo Sung-woo’s duel with Park Min-seo because he had been focused on his match against Park Siwoo.
Still, a certain puzzle began fitting together in his head.
‘That bastard Park Min-seo… was a Demon, wasn’t he?’
He hadn’t seen the fight, but he had heard the massive explosion during his duel with Park Siwoo.
If Yoo Sung-woo had fought a Demon-level opponent while still suffering untreated internal injuries—
Then it was incredible that he’d endured this far at all.
And yet, even in that state, he’d continued dueling other cadets and winning.
That was sheer willpower—beyond human limits.
‘I can’t possibly defeat someone like that.’
His misunderstanding only deepened.
All duels had ended.
Above the gathered cadets, a massive ranking board appeared.
【1. Dan Chun-woo 2. Yoo Sung-woo 3. Park Min-seo 4. Helena ……】
As expected, Dan Chun-woo’s name gleamed proudly at the top.
After my forfeit, he had continued to fight—and won every single match.
But that result was… surprising.
Park Min-seo in third place?
Originally, in the in-game version, barring any major deviations, Helena was supposed to take third in the duel rankings.
But instead, it was Park Min-seo’s name that appeared there.
After losing to me, he seemed to have gone through some kind of awakening, winning fight after fight with fierce momentum.
It was as if he had reached enlightenment.
As a result, in his duel against Helena, she had suffered a crushing defeat.
Helena’s expression as she looked up at the rankings was dark and heavy.
Should I… comfort her?
Just as I started to approach her, a familiar voice called from behind.
“Planning to comfort Helena? You should be worrying about yourself instead.”
“What?”
“I mean, comforting her right now will do her no good.”
“But still…”
I understood what he meant by that, but I didn’t get the part about me worrying about myself.
“Do you even realize that sometimes you look at others like they’re children stranded on the shore?”
“Me?”
Had I really been looking at them that way?
Honestly, I couldn’t relate to what he was saying.
Sure, I did get concerned whenever things strayed from the game’s original story—but still.
Looking at them like helpless kids?
“Helena and Park Siwoo aren’t five-year-old children. Stop coddling them so much.”
I stared blankly at Dan Chun-woo.
Of all people, hearing him say something like that was honestly unexpected.
“What’s with that look?”
“You’re one to talk. Didn’t you get kicked out because you were being coddled?”
“That comment sounds extremely unpleasant.”
He frowned, visibly annoyed—but didn’t draw his sword or throw a punch.
I had intentionally provoked him, half expecting a reaction. Maybe he really had changed.
Then, he tossed something at me.
I caught it and looked down at what he’d thrown.
What the—this looked like some kind of fancy red ginseng supplement.
“It’s a pseudo-elixir containing extract from Mandragora.”
“Why are you giving me this?”
“Compensation.”
With that, he turned and walked away calmly.
I stared blankly at the supplement in my hand.
Compensation?
But he hadn’t even hit me.
What the hell was that guy thinking?
Did he get hit in the head too hard during his duel with Park Siwoo?