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Did I sleep like a baby after that hearty K-homecooked meal? I woke up feeling ridiculously refreshed. Well, todays the big day for the one-on-one Duel finals, so I better get ready in a hurry.

Youre heading out already? Liliana, still putting herself together after a face wash, wandered out of the room, rubbing her eyes.

Yeah. Its the one-on-one duel finals today, so I gotta make an early exit.

Alright Take care.

You too, keep the place in check. With a quick exchange of farewells, I made my exit from the dorm.

Well, well, theres the popular guy~

?

I did a 180 to find Kim Younghan sprinting towards me.

Its been a while. Youve been playing hide and seek with me.

Hey, you ditched me yesterday.

My bad, but Ive been caught up too.

Well, Ive had my hands full lately, and hes been doing his thing at the academy. Were both busy in our own ways.

Did you catch a glimpse of todays one-on-one duel bracket?

No, Im in the dark. Whats up?

I have no clue that the bracket has already announced But seriously, the academy should be on top of this stuff. They should let the participants know first.

Were facing off in the semis, you know?

Really?

Yeah, Im gonna give it my all! Were rivals until the very end, got it? Im going first! And with that, Kim Younghan dashed off. He showed up out of nowhere and disappeared just as quickly, leaving me scratching my head.

Um, what was his power again?

Judging by my memory lapse, it seems like he didnt have any standout abilities. I vaguely remember him swinging a sword in the game, but nothing extraordinary came to mind.

Oh well, Im drawing a blank.

Off I went to Class A to get ready. There seemed to be more people heading towards the 1st-year class than usual today.

Hey, word is the crowd for the first-year combat event is going wild today. All the VIPs are here!

Of course. Weve got Nam Daeun, Alice, and Lee Hoyeon, three all-time greats.

Still, Nam Daeuns gonna clinch first place, right?

Alice has been on fire lately too, you know? And Lee Hoyeon set a new record in practical combat training. We cant overlook them either.

It was pretty amusing to overhear people chatting about my name. As I strolled, the first-year finalists had already gathered. Our homeroom professor, Kim Jinhyuk, locked eyes with me and gave a nod.

Looks like everyones finally here, including Lee Hoyeon. As you all know, its our tradition to unveil the brackets right before the exam starts, so here it is. Kim Jinhyuk distributed the papers to the eight finalists in Class A.

What the heck? If theyre revealing it now, how did Kim Younghan know hed be facing me? When I checked the bracket, I realized that if both of us win our matches, well meet in the semi-finals.

I shot him a puzzled look, and he cheekily waggled his index finger in front of his mouth as if saying, Shh. In response, I raised my middle finger.

Why are you acting all cute?!

The reason I called you all here first is to stress the importance of todays duel. The audience for the first-year duel is through the roof.

On the way here, I overheard other students saying the same, so it looks like its going to be a huge event.

Of course, there are some exceptional students here. No doubt about it. But this is also an opportunity to showcase your abilities. Give it your all, and never give up. Each of your attitudes will be evaluated.

Professor Kim Jinhyuk genuinely seemed to wish us well. He made eye contact with each student, conveying his sincerity.

People can be surprisingly kind.

Now, head to the duel arena and get ready. The finalists have individual waiting rooms, so you can relax there. With that, Professor Kim left the classroom, and the students gradually filed out.

Hoyeon!

Lucy, did you check the bracket?

Lucy, who had also made it to the finals, approached me.

Of course, I did! It looks like the grand final is the only way for us to meet.

Yeah. The competition in your bracket is intense. Lets give it our all.

Absolutely. Lets do this!

I wonder if itll work out. In her bracket, there are both Alice and Nam Daeun, so for Lucy to face me, shell have to beat those two.

Heroine Status Window

[Lucy]

[Affection: 87]

[Lust: 40]

[Appetite: 30]

[Fatigue: 35]

Current Status: Ive been practicing defensive magic I wonder if I can use it well.

She seems to be thinking in her own way.

How about we check out the waiting room? Its probably nice.

Sounds good! Can we hang out later?

Of course. Lucy and I headed to the duel arena together.

***

The waiting rooms were given to us individually, and while they werent ultra-luxurious, they provided a clean and comfy spot to relax. Plus, it was pretty handy to catch real-time glimpses of other peoples duels on the screen linked to the arena.

Should I take a bathroom break?

I recalled seeing a restroom in the corridor earlier. So, I opened the door to my waiting room and stepped outside, but it looked like everyone was fully immersed in their preparations for the finalsthe corridor was deserted.

The waiting rooms were neatly lined up along this long corridor, each with a nameplate on the door. Right next to mine was Alices waiting room.

Nam Daeun is probably making it to the grand final.

Glancing at the bracket, it seemed like Kim Younghan and I would be duking it out in the semi-finals, while Alice and Nam Daeun would be facing off. Lucy would cross paths with Alice before that. If everything goes as predicted, Nam Daeun would likely defeat Alice in their duel, setting up a showdown with me in the grand final.

Then, out of the blue, the door to the room next to mine swung open, and I couldnt help but notice a cascade of flowing blonde hair. As Alice emerged from her waiting room, she turned, and our gazes locked.

Uh Hey, Alice.

Oh, hey. Good morning.

?

It was a casual greeting, no strings attached, yet Alice responded with an unusually warm and friendly tone.

Heroine Status Window

[Alice]

[Affection: 62]

[Lust: 25]

[Appetite: 30]

[Fatigue: 20]

Current Status: Things are getting interesting. I hope we meet in the grand final.

Why has her affection suddenly spiked like this? It was at a solid 35 just a few days ago, and now its all the way up to 62.

Uh, yeah. Give it your all in the duel.

You too. See you in the grand final. Alice replied to my words of encouragement with a friendly smile and strolled down the corridor. The bright smile she directed at me felt rather awkward.

Whats going on? This is weird.

What in the world happened? Did she get jealous, and thats why her affection shot up?

***

I surrender!

[Matchs over! The victor is Student Lee Hoyeon from Class A!]

Nice work.

I picked up a thing or two

My initial opponent in the match happened to be a guy who had secured the 3rd place in Class C. It appeared that hed gotten through the preliminaries with a dose of good fortune. His skills didnt seem quite up to par for someone in the finals.

Nevertheless, he was a respectful fellow, so I engaged in a one-minute match with him. For his level, even a brief bout with me could make a significant difference.

No, Ive picked up something too.

You intentionally prolonged the match. Thanks to you, I feel like Ive gained some insights.

Well, youre welcome.

It felt a tad awkward when he put it that way.

Following the staffs guidance, I exited the arena. The moment I stepped beyond the mana barrier, a resounding cheer filled my ears.

Wow, Hoyeon!

Lee Hoyeon!

Hes so handsome!

When did they start shouting my name like that?

I glanced around, and it seemed like there were at least a few thousand people in the audience seats, all fixated on me.

This is seriously nerve-racking.

The awareness that all these people were witnessing my duel filled me with a peculiar blend of excitement and anxiety. After concluding the match, I returned to the waiting room.

Next up is the 16th match! Lucy vs. Kwak Sangtae!

Oh its Lucys match. I reached for the popcorn provided in the waiting room.

***

Lucy has definitely gotten a lot stronger

She easily clinched her victory in the duel. She had a minor hiccup with her shield magic at one point, but it didnt impact the overall result.

But shes not quite ready to take on Alice.

Theres still a noticeable gap.

Lucy and Lumi were supposed to complement each other, creating a synergy that could yield not just double but triple or even quadruple efficiency when they combined their talents for offense and defense.

Knock, knock, knock.

Whos there?

Its me, Lucy. Can I come in?

Considering the match had just concluded, her swift arrival suggested she didnt want to head to her own waiting room.

What made her rush over like this?

Of course, come on in.

Lucy cautiously entered the waiting room and took a seat on the couch.

Why does she seem so disheartened?

Ugh, Hoyeon, did you watch the duel just now?

Yeah, you did really well.

For some reason, she lacked confidence.

So, what do you think? Can I beat Alice?

I soon realized that her next opponent was Alice.

Heroine Status Window

[Lucy]

[Affection: 87]

[Lust: 40]

[Appetite: 30]

[Fatigue: 35]

Current Status: My defense magic and balance dont match

Well, I could somewhat understand her dilemma. Lucy, who excelled in offensive magic, had been practicing defense magic and seemed to be grappling with it.

Lucy, if youre okay with it, I can offer some advice.

Um, sure. Please. Youre really skilled in magic.

It seems your defense magic during the duel earlier left something to be desired, right?

Yeah I just cant seem to get the hang of it, even with practice.

Naturally, it would be challenging. Lucy had a natural talent for offensive magic. This was a fundamental aspect of the original games design, and it wouldnt change even if she were reborn. Lucy had been approaching it with the wrong mindset. It wasnt about achieving a balance; rather, she shouldnt aim for balance.

Lucy, its actually better for you not to use defense magic.

Dont use it? Lucy seemed a bit puzzled by my bold statement.

Dont get me wrong. I mean it. You have a natural talent for offense. Its better not to give your opponent any openings and focus on your attacks.

Really?

Yes, offense is the best defense. That saying is for your benefit.

Theres no need to focus on defense. Instead, its more suited for Lucy to avoid giving her opponent any openings and concentrate on her attacks.

Offense is the best defense

If you give it your all, good results will follow. Stay strong.

Thanks Offense is the best defense Ill keep that in mind.

After my words, she seemed to regain some energy, and her expression brightened. I watched the remaining matches with Lucy.

***

[Matchs over! The victor is Student Lee Hoyeon from Class A!]

Sol-ah~ you know, neglecting such talent is practically a sin.

What do you expect me to do with him?

Im Sol and Min Yeji sat in the audience seats, watching Lee Hoyeon descend from the arena while exchanging comments.

Well, practically anything he touches turns into cash. Its a real global loss.

And dont forget, you tried to put a bikini on me. No contact allowed, ever.

Student Lee Hoyeon was also curious about my business~ I can reach out to him, right?

No, you cant. Absolutely no contact until I say so.

Im Sol was well aware of Min Yejis hidden agendas, so she was doing everything she could to prevent Lee Hoyeon from falling for her sweet talk, possibly leading to the bikini spectacle.

But hes an adult, he can make his own decisions, right?

The most crucial thing is getting him to help me finish my research work. Its not about money; its about a research paper that could change the world.

Impressive. Can I invest too?

Could you please just quietly watch the match?

Min Yejis insinuations were starting to get on Im Sols nerves. The sharp-minded woman immediately caught on.

Alright, alright, no need to get angry.

Sigh I wonder if Hoyeon realizes the lengths Im going to protect him

Im Sol let out a sigh and turned her attention back to the arena.

But Alice and Nam Daeun? Theyre extraordinary. Even Lee Hoyeon cant measure up to them.

Well, its because theyre those kinds of people.

How can you simply watch those talents and stay idle? There are so many other things to enjoy in the world besides magic.

Just shut up.

Im Sol just wanted to watch Lee Hoyeons matches in peace.