The sand pillar that Na-me had used as a stepping stone collapsed with a whoosh, and the turbulent mana settled down.
The spectators who had been watching turned their gazes to the scoreboard.
The match time had stopped at 28 minutes and 49 seconds.
More than half of that time was a game led by Na-me alone.
The parents who had attended the competition every year knew all too well.
How overwhelmingly present the four from Altair Academy had been over the past few years.
But the seat of the top predator was always up for grabs.
Out of nowhere, a kid named Oh Deok-jae, who no one had ever heard of, suddenly appeared, showcasing an unapproachable talent known as triple casting, firmly engraving his identity onto the audience.
‘It’s about time the late bloomers started to rise.’
Principal Gu On-yu believed that even the students who had been comfortably at the top could no longer afford to be complacent.
The top ranks of the elementary division were different from those of the middle school division, and the top ranks of the middle school were different from those of the high school. No one understood this better than her.
‘But how could I compete against all these kids…?’
A deep sense of unease crept into her heart.
Kids who had shown off their innate talents since birth, and kids who had blossomed their talents through diligent effort.
Na-me trampled everyone indiscriminately.
Those tiny fists that seemed like they would feel fluffy no matter how much they swung left terrifying craters all over the training arena, showcasing a brain that no one dared to rival, as she dismantled all kinds of magic, ten or twenty types at once.
“I won…”
“Did you really win?”
“How did you do it all by yourself… huh?”
Na-me’s friends were astonished beyond words.
“Na-me was right.”
Yoon Si-hoo murmured softly.
He had always known she was strong.
But the question of ‘how much’ still lingered.
She would often say that the whole class wouldn’t even be a handful for her, but no one truly believed those words seriously.
“Ahh!”
Suddenly, Lee Ha-ru screamed.
“What do I do! Am I going to get killed by Na-me when we go back to the academy later?”
Lee Ha-ru’s eyes trembled uncontrollably. She had an instinct about the incoming retribution.
“I… I don’t know anything…!”
“Honestly, aren’t we a bit past the age of playing house? Hmm hmm.”
“It’s okay, Ha-ru.”
Yuna comforted her with a pat on the shoulder.
It was touching that a friend who had once been a rival was the most trustworthy here… Just as Ha-ru was about to shed a tear, Yuna’s lips curled into a mischievous smile.
“If you faint all at once, it won’t hurt much.”
“Hey! Of course you’d say that!”
The surprise emotions faded, leaving only the joy of victory.
In particular, the loudest cheers erupted from the middle school division, who had been forced to suffer a humiliating defeat.
“Waaahhh!”
“NoName! NoName! NoName! NoName! NoName!”
“This kid is really crazy! No… Wahhh… Wahhh!”
“Did you see NoName using magic? It’s super fast!”
“Was the last part like watching a game?”
“Is his arm okay? How can he bend it like that…?”
“I’ve never seen Jo Soo-yeon scream like that.”
In such a short moment, so many battles had unfolded that no one could clearly remember how Na-me had fought.
Regardless, the fact that Na-me had achieved victory became a reason for the students of Sephiron Academy to celebrate.
And as soon as the match ended, someone rushed down below the training arena faster than anyone else.
A man crossed the dark tunnel. The sound of his shoes clicking grew louder in quick succession.
“Um, excuse me, but this area is restricted to outsiders! Could you please return to the audience seats?”
A competition staff member tried to intervene late, but upon seeing his face, they inhaled sharply.
He stood at about 180 centimeters, with neatly combed hair that was a mix of white and black, nearly gray.
For a moment, a mix of kindness and intimidation radiated from his stern expression, and the man introduced himself under the lights.
“I am Na-me’s father. Is there any way I could pass through?”
Professor Cheon Kyu-jin had his gaze fixed on the training arena beyond the shutters.
The embarrassed staff member managed to obtain permission from the operating headquarters through their radio.
As the old iron door creaked open, the staff member tentatively spoke to him.
“I envy you. Your daughter has become the star of this year’s competition.”
The Academy Competition is an event that countless clans in Korea watch and the world pays attention to.
However, Professor Cheon frowned, seemingly unhappy about the fact.
“You’re upset that your daughter got hurt.”
As substitution time approached, the man took off his orange vest and placed it on the floor.
At that moment, Professor Cheon’s eyes flickered ominously.
“I won’t let this matter slide. The organizing committee that carelessly passed through interference magic without examination, the students who cast it. Every single one of them.”
“They should be held accountable for their mistakes. I hope you enjoy your time here.”
Eeeek…
Na-me appeared in the sight of the autumn sunlight.
She wore the happiest smile of a child more than ever.
—
“But, oppa, you’re unexpectedly weak in close combat, huh.”
Oh Deok-jae lay sprawling on the floor, desperately suppressing a laugh. Why is this person smiling so unpleasantly? I shouldn’t have struck up a conversation.
“Actually, the only exercise I’ve done is weightlifting. These are just fashion muscles. Sigh… When I got onto the arena, I never thought it would lead to an aura battle. Congratulations on your victory.”
“It was a magnificent match.”
“By the way, my back really hurts… I absolutely shouldn’t participate in the competition next year. I couldn’t even enjoy delivery food because of preparing for the tournament; it really has been a joyless life.”
“Well, that’s each person’s freedom. I’ll participate again next year, so if you change your mind, come along. But you’d have to compete in the high school division to meet each other, would they allow that…”
“Hahaha! You’re quite the odd child, aren’t you?”
He stood up without needing support from the medical staff and returned to the formation of Altair Academy.
From the moment he entered the training arena, rounds of applause erupted even more than before, regardless of Sephiron or Altair.
“Na-me.”
A familiar voice that I heard every day.
I turned my head and answered with a wide smile.
“Yes, Professor Cheon.”
His expression was quite complex.
Would he scold me right away, or would he congratulate me for my victory?
But the human heart is not as easy to read.
“Let’s go home later and eat something delicious.”
“Huh? Why are you suddenly talking about food here? You’re definitely a true Korean!”
“I just thought you might be hungry.”
“Right, I’m hungry. So please make sure it’s something expensive.”
Professor Cheon nodded with a gentle smile.
Well, there would still be plenty of time for explanations.
Since my body was small, even a small dose of sleeping pills had a strong effect, so I had to do first aid.
In fact, the part that warmed my heart the most from Professor Cheon’s words was that I had a home to return to.
Someone was waiting for me in the world I would live in from now on.
So, I also had to muster up more strength to live on.
“Na-me, could you explain that magic and aura to me?”
Did I exert myself too much?
In the end, I drew suspicion from Professor Cheon first.
He only knew that I had developed the Unique Magic called Demon King’s Horn, but he had no idea about the substance.
In such moments, I must never panic and respond smoothly like water.
“The Demon King’s Horn is something I researched with my company. Could you share some mana with me for a moment?”
Professor Cheon extended his hand, and I placed mine over it.
[Cast: Circuit Reconstruction]
Two Aura Hearts formed a single cycle.
By the way, Professor Cheon’s mana capacity was really vast. The systolic state of his Aura Heart seemed to be about five times mine.
[Minor Cast: Demon King’s Horn]
“Honestly, casting by hand ultimately sends electrical signals from the brain, right? So we thought, what if we find the underutilized areas in our brains and connect them to a new mana perception organ? Wouldn’t that allow anyone to double cast?”
I put my hands in my skirt pocket and closed my eyes.
[Cast: Light]
I cast magic, continuing to vary colors.
Suddenly, horns burst forth from my head, shining in bright and vivid shades of red, yellow, green, blue, purple…
“Waaaaaah!”
“…!”
Suddenly, a thunderous roar erupted, shaking the ground with a thud.
We had completely forgotten that we were in the center of the training arena.
Since it wasn’t magic cast with my mana, I could not reverse it now.
In a panic, I hurriedly tried to cover the horns with my hands.
“Uuuuu…”
A woozy sound filled the air.
“What… what is it?”
I lowered my hands.
“Waaaaah!”
I raised my hands again.
“Ahhhh…”
The atmosphere was filled with clear disappointment, placing me in a tough spot.
“Maybe… people think what you’re doing is a ceremony, huh? You don’t have to feel embarrassed about it.”
“No one holds a ceremony like this…!”
A drone camera buzzed around me like a pesky fly.
“From now on, Na-me, the path you take will be the path others follow. So no matter what others say, I hope you will always boldly present your opinions.”
Professor Cheon said as he patted my shoulder.
Well, if that’s what you want, I should do it.
While sneakily checking the lens, I eventually sighed deeply and formed a peace sign with my fingers.
Since I had come this far, I might as well drain every bit of attention.
—
As Lee Jae-hwan’s ‘Barrier of Redwood’ magic was deemed an unapproved spell, the organizers decided to impose joint responsibility, resulting in forfeiture for Altair Academy from the middle school 1st to 3rd grade.
“NoName, your cost performance is insane! You scored three victories at once!”
Seo Maru, the editor, patted him on the head as if proud.
“We have to go for an interview later, so my hair is getting messy.”
“Oh, sorry…”
No surprises happened in high school.
Both grades suffered defeat in sequence, leading to a score of 6 to 4, ultimately resulting in Sephiron Academy’s victory.
Sephiron received a half victory, while Altair received a half defeat.
Sephiron was still evaluated as not having surpassed Altair’s capabilities, while Altair’s long-standing record of seven consecutive wins was shattered by just one middle school student.
While the high school matches were underway, I, Yoon Si-hoo, who was also the son of the Green Party’s representative, was summoned to the operating committee.
“So, what did they say? Did he admit all his mistakes?”
“No, it’s a bit complicated. That senior insists he submitted everything with the sleep effect completely eliminated to the committee. So the committee claimed that as long as it was accurately recorded, the magic would cast as per the pre-registration inside the arena, and he said he simply wrote the circuit formula as usual.”
“This is already nonsense…! He’s dodging responsibility, isn’t he?”
“However, the original data submitted did indeed show that the formula was removed.”
“Really? So what’s going back on?”
“Perhaps someone made a mistake while transferring the rune data, or… for now, it seems they are generally concluding it was just a staff error. Even if errors occurred, casting outside regulations means the senior is not entirely blameless either.”
“That’s quite unsettling…”
“Oh, it’s my turn now. Wait here. Please queue up my personal broadcast in the meantime. And grab me a takoyaki from the stall over there, along with some green grape ade from the booth next door.”
“Hey! How much do you think you’re milking me?”
I got on stage and expertly grabbed the microphone.
On the other side, interviews were still ongoing, but reporters started flocking toward me.
While there was a stampede below, I felt a slight pang of guilt as I monopolized the wide table.
Still, today, there were no worries about the interview.
I could simply say it was all thanks to the Demon King’s Horn.
Just like this.
“As an 8-year-old participant, I have defeated five 3rd graders in middle school consecutively! NoName, could you share your thoughts?”
“Ah, I think I was able to do it comfortably thanks to the Demon King’s Horn.”
“Oooh…”
Initially, the reporters were intrigued.
“Participant Lee Min-young manifested her aura externally, how did you deal with that? May I ask what you were thinking at that moment?”
“I also handled it well using the Demon King’s Horn.”
“You’re aware that you set a new record by casting 2nd circle magic in just 1.32 seconds at this year’s Academy Competition? Could you share your secrets about your high-speed casting, NoName?”
“That too, if I’m with the Demon King’s Horn…”
“During the duel, you used the dismantle spell particularly often—”
“The Demon King’s Horn—”
Most of my responses could be attributed to the Demon King’s Horn, making it all wonderfully convenient.
Of course, no one would completely believe it, but that’s the power of marketing.
Repetitive claims easily imprint on people’s minds.
At this point, wouldn’t everyone be curious enough to give it a try?
Our primary goal was to capitalize on the ‘Halloween Special’ on October 31st.
“Only 149,000 won for 24-hour use! An instruction manual will be provided for those who haven’t professionally studied magic, so once you learn the tricks, you’ll be able to use it without any burden!”
I could never say the embarrassing line that Baek Ho-chan insisted on, “You too can become like NoName.”
I had to maintain at least a bit of pride. I didn’t want to become a monster consumed by capitalism.
