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I found her waiting in the player waiting area, and her greeting was enthusiastic.

Hey, Hoyeon! Great job in your match!

Thanks, I came to root for you.

Though I expressed my support, there was no denying the challenge Lucy faced. Alices potential as a swordmage could rival even Nam Daeuns if she could overcome her mana deficiency. Her talent as a swordmage made her a versatile competitor in one-on-one battles. Nonetheless, I wanted to support Lucy without showing any doubts.

Lucy responded with determination, Thanks. Ill give it my all!

Yeah, the match is starting soon. Ill head to the waiting room. We can have lunch together later.

Sure thing!

Heroine Status Window

[Lucy]

[Affection: 88]

[Lust: 40]

[Appetite: 30]

[Fatigue: 35]

Current Status: Even if I lose this time, I have to do better next time!

Her current status indicated that even if she loses this time, she understands the need to do better next time. Its a bittersweet feeling, but she seems to grasp the difference.

I waved goodbye to her with a reassuring smile.

***

I had a feeling, but its still a bit disappointing

Lucy unfortunately lost her match, but the match itself was quite impressive. She displayed her overwhelming firepower. Alice handled it exceptionally well, but Lucys performance was outstanding, so her scores should reflect that.

Nam Daeuns match, which followed, was predictably a swift victory for her. She defeated her opponent within the first 3 seconds, leaving the opponent wondering what happened.

[The match is over! The winner is Class As Nam Daeun! Participants will have a break for lunch, and to ensure everyone can relax and eat, well be on break until 1:30. We kindly request the audience to enjoy their lunch and return to their seats at 1:30!]

With Nam Daeuns match concluding, the semifinal matchups were set: Lee Hoyeon vs. Kim Younghan and Alice vs. Nam Daeun. Since I planned to have lunch with Lucy, I sent her a message and made my way to her waiting room.

Lucy, Im here.

Come on in!

As I opened the door, I was pleasantly surprised to see Lumi in the waiting room as well.

Lumi, youre here too?

It seemed they were both waiting for me to have lunch together.

Hoyeon, you were so cool!

Thanks.

Lumi, you didnt say I was cool. Are you ignoring me because I lost? Lucy pouted at Lumi.

Hoyeon greeted me in the arena, but you didnt, Lucy

Oops, my bad. I forgot.

Small details matter, as always. Its amazing how I built my image over such trivial things.

Alright, lets not worry about it. Where should we go for lunch?

Lucy suggested, The student cafeteria is too crowded. Lets eat outside!

Im fine with that.

We had a fair amount of time since lunch also served as a break for the main event participants.

Great, lets have lunch outside. Itll be a nice change.

We were all in high spirits, ready to enjoy our meal and some relaxing time together.

***

The twin sisters and I returned after enjoying lunch outside. Lucy appeared somewhat concerned about her defeat, so both Lumi and I made an effort to uplift her spirits. We decided to wait together in the waiting room until my match was set to begin.

Make sure to make it to the grand final and get revenge for me, okay?!

Dont worry.

Hoyeon, you can definitely win!

I engaged in conversation with the twins, which helped relieve the tension. Of course, the chance of facing Alice in the grand final was nearly non-existent, so I likely wouldnt have the opportunity to exact revenge, but still.

[A semifinal match will commence shortly. Spectators, please take your seats.]

Its about to start. Ill head to the player waiting area now.

Yeah, fight hard! Well be watching closely!

Hoyeon, do your best!

You bet.

With the support of Lucy and Lumi, I proceeded to the player waiting area. I had a peculiar feeling, knowing that I would be up against Kim Younghan.

Student Lee Hoyeon, please prepare to enter the arena.

Yes, I understand.

As we approached the semifinals, every single match held significance, and efforts were made to minimize any impact on the players condition. Following the guidance of the courteous staff, I entered the arena.

[Class A, Lee Hoyeon, and Class A, Kim Younghans duel will commence shortly!]

Hey, handsome. The moment I stepped onto the arena, Kim Younghan, who had been waiting, greeted me.

Why do you keep calling me handsome lately?

My friend Lee Hoyeon has gone too far, so Im feeling a bit disappointed.

Whatever. I wont go easy on you, so be prepared.

It was the semifinals, and I couldnt afford to make any careless mistakes. I drew upon my mana while Kim Younghan grinned, raising his crimson thorned sword.

Scary.

[5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Begin!]

As the match commenced, my Battle Sense tingled.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

What the Surprisingly strong, isnt he?

My Battle Sense warned me that Kim Younghan was a much more dangerous opponent than Do Jinhyuk.

Kim Younghan approached me, wielding his signature thorned sword with crimson spikes.

Vision Enhancement.

Bang!

I deflected his sword with Cotton Guard and put some distance between us. Without using Acceleration, he was quicker than me. However, thanks to Vision Enhancement helping me predict the trajectory of his sword, I could effectively counter his attacks.

Kim Younghan continued to close in on me. Even when I blocked his sword strikes and launched counterattacks, he persistently pressed forward with one-sided assaults, seemingly ignoring his own safety.

Bam!

Using Fireball and Cotton Guard to gain some respite, I distanced myself from him.

Why are you coming at me so aggressively?

I want to witness your true abilities. You havent even used the skills you used against Do Jinhyuk.

I havent had the right opportunities.

Acceleration and Spiral werent skills I could freely employ. Due to my limited mana, I could only use them once or twice in a match, so I had to choose the right moments.

I see Kim Younghan raised his sword again. Despite his multiple wounds, he showed no signs of giving up.

Now its time to end this. As he rushed towards me once more, we traded blows.

Easily avoiding his attacks, I cast Fireball at him as he retreated. With the distance between us, I had the upper hand, and I couldnt afford to let this opportunity slip. However, just before I launched the Fireball, my Battle Sense abruptly sent a warning signal.

My heart pounded even harder than when facing two ogres at once, and I felt intense unease. Unable to explain this sensation, I relied on my intuition and swiftly moved to the right.

Swish!

Simultaneously, a gruesome sound assailed my ears, and something grazed my cheek.

Wow no one has ever dodged this from the beginning. Youre a true monster. Kim Younghan lay on the ground, gaping at me in astonishment. And where I had been standing just moments ago, crimson spikes, each over 3 meters long, had abruptly sprouted.

What is this? My cheek burned. As I wiped it with the back of my hand, red liquid smeared off. Blood?

Of course, being inside the mana field, I didnt actually get hurt. Its just a nifty contraption to give you a taste of pain and sharpen your combat instincts. But one thing was certain; it was an attack sharp enough to inflict wounds. It sent shivers down my spine. If my reaction had been even a tad slower, Id probably have lost, no doubt about it. And with those spikes piercing through me, the safety mechanism definitely kicked in.

My killer move failing like this, Kim Younghan sighed with genuine disappointment.

Hey, youre not supposed to reveal this in the semifinal. You almost gave me a heart attack!

I know, right? But how do I deal with you being so strong? I have to win this first to make it to the grand final, you know.

Unbelievable. The spikes towering behind me were clearly beyond a students level.

The ability to exert such physical force in an instant was unheard of. Whats more, it bypassed my Vision Enhancement and Mana Sensitivity, so it looked like an inborn talent rather than a mana-based skill. I didnt expect him to be hiding such a deadly secret weapon.

Haa, I wanted to end this 1v1 showdown with Rookie Kim Younghans surprise win You spoiled the fun.

Well, even if you defeated me and made it to the grand final without using this secret move, you wouldnt stand a chance against Nam Daeun.

In the original story, Nam Daeun emerged as the winner, so Kim Younghans plan was already a lost cause. Her ability was Spatial Domination. The surrounding space was already her domain. There was no way shed miss the summoning of such massive thorns.

It stings my pride, but anyway, since this flopped, Im throwing in the towel. Judge! Im forfeiting!

Kim Younghan accepted his defeat with a cool demeanor. Perhaps those colossal thorns werent his final trick, and he might not have wanted to reveal his abilities.

[Announcement! Kim Younghan, who failed to execute a surprise comeback, forfeits. The winner is Class As Lee Hoyeon! Please, give them a round of applause!]

As the mana barrier dissipated, I strolled over to Kim Younghan, who was chuckling to himself.

Hey, youre not going to sulk just because you lost, are you?

Well, of course! I have to get close to you, Mr. Handsome, and pick up any remaining fans.

Luckily, Kim Younghan appeared unfazed.

Youve just had a match, but youre about to be mobbed by a bunch of adoring fans.

Kim Younghan was reasonably good-looking, and now that hed unveiled his secret ability, the fan club was sure to come rushing in.

Well, I guess its a nice problem to have when youre choosing your future workplace.

A bit of a white lie. Nobody knew yet, but Kim Younghan was the heir to a prominent guild. He enrolled at the academy to prove himself without relying on his guilds reputation, which was kind of a challenge.

Right. Thanks for the hard-fought match.

You too. Now that youve defeated me and moved on, make sure to go all the way.

Sure thing. Ill give it my best shot.

Kim Younghan turned and headed down to the arena, while I waved and greeted the audience before exiting the arena.

***

Such a shame. However, that last surprise move was truly impressive, Im Sol commented, a smile of admiration gracing his face as he watched Lee Hoyeons match.

Youre right. How did he manage to evade that? Young master

What did you say?

Oh, nothing. I mean, it was incredible how he dodged that attack, Lee Hoyeon. Ill be back in a moment. Im heading to the restroom, Min Yeji said as she tidied her seat and left the spectator area. She checked her smartwatch and found Kim Younghan waiting at the designated location.

Young master, you did well. Im truly sorry it didnt work out. I cant believe that last move got blocked.

Indeed Did you witness it too, Yeji? Hoyeon is a monster. You mentioned that youre in contact with him regarding recruitment, right? Hows that going? Kim Younghan spoke with a more serious tone than usual.

Oh well, its progressing well. But it appears he has no intentions of affiliating with any guild. Hes not even in touch with other guilds. But Ive managed to establish this connection~

Of course, Im well aware of your abilities. Thats why youre bringing home such a substantial paycheck. In any case, keep giving your best effort. If you succeed in bringing Hoyeon in, its not just a dream for the Iron Blood Guild to become number one in Korea.

Kim Younghan didnt show it outwardly, but he had already been designated as the successor to the Iron Blood Guild. He had hoped to win the 1v1 duel this time and proudly announce it, but regrettably, this plan had failed.

Yes, certainly. By the way, young master, you and Lee Hoyeon seem quite close. Did you become friends in advance because you wanted to recruit him? Quite impressive~

If Lee Hoyeon joined the Iron Blood Guild, hed be welcomed, but there was no need to befriend him for that reason, he thought.

Not really. Hoyeon is just a friend. Hes an interesting person.

***

After the match, I made my way back to the waiting room, eager to catch the showdown between Alice and Nam Daeun. The medical team had worked their magic, fully restoring my physical and mana, ensuring I was in optimal shape for my next battle.

As I popped open a canned drink from the beverages prepared in the waiting room, a system window appeared before my eyes.

-

[Subquest Received]

[First Place in the Practical Exam!]

[Youre already the top scorer in the theoretical exam! Now, set your sights on the number one spot in the practical exam!]

[Reward: Increase the affection of all heroines by 1 Point]

Huh? The sudden appearance of this subquest demanded my attention, and there was no way I could afford to overlook it.