[The pride of Korea, Bae Ji-seong, gets a thumbs up!]
[Bae Ji-seong, the monstrous rookie after 8 years, wow!]
[You don’t know our fastest wizard, Bae Ji-seong?]
[NoName’s commentary is so funny, I feel like I’m losing my mind, lol.]
[From today, I withdraw my support for Bae Ji-seong.]
[I didn’t know NoName was like this. What’s up, lol?]
[Choi Woo-joo’s commentary looks like he’s about to pass out, look! LMAO.]
—
[What the heck, I was wondering why Bae Ji-seong is such a supernova, but… whew.]
(Screen shot of the interschool competition)
He’s only just turned 8; he’s just an ordinary 2nd grader! Are you kidding me? LOL
I thought a 2nd grader was going to beat a 3rd grader; did you all go insane?
—
[Comments]
– Whoa, the wizard received a ‘high praise’ from NoName! How disrespectful!
– Not a super rookie that appeared after 8 years but one who popped out of the womb 8 years ago! LOL
└ What even is this? LOL
└ Ji-seong is envy-worthy for getting praise from NoName.
– How could a 2nd grader beat a 3rd grader? Oof, my head…!
└ For real, can we hear something sensible? Ugh…!
– Honestly, the casting was a bit speedy. LOL
└ NoName doesn’t give compliments for nothing, lol. They’re top-notch for their age group.
—
[Live Update from the Gukbap Restaurant]
Everyone jumps every time NoName’s voice comes on, accidentally turning back to the TV.
Some elders are confused wondering why they’re doing participant interviews in the middle of a match, lol.
—
[Comments]
– NoName’s voice is a total attention grabber.
– Some still think NoName is a participant, lol.
– Who would’ve guessed they’d call him as a guest commentator?
– It’s cute to see the gradually genuine voice.
└ Looks like I’m not the only one noticing that! LOL
—
NoName’s commentary kicked off with a bang.
Even if they try to be articulate, given enough time, their natural voice pops out.
A little kid’s short tongue clearly hits differently.
Before I knew it, Yoon Geon announced the final scene of the 2nd graders’ duel.
—
“I’ll complete the 2-Circle Aqua Nimbus magic circle! Whoa… wow! Song Ha-neul, Song Ha-neul, Song Ha-neul! With a dazzling finish, Sephiron Academy takes the first victory!”
“Yay, that’s how it ends!”
“We conclude the match!”
“Wow, Ryu Ji-yeon managed to take a chance, but the magic circle was executed just in time and hit right on target. NoName, would you like to add something?”
“It seems like Cha Do-yoon’s screen play made a significant impact. Reflecting back on the last moment, Song Ha-neul, Cha Do-yoon, and Ryu Ji-yeon from the opposing team were in a straight line. Thanks to that, Cha Do-yoon was able to obstruct Ryu Ji-yeon’s sight until the last moment. They did win by a hair, but I’d like to give a round of applause to the player who made that pivotal difference.”
“Thank you for the brilliant commentary! We’ll see you again after the interviews!”
—
The 2nd graders’ match ended with Sephiron Academy taking the win after a fierce game lasting about 19 minutes.
Ryu Ji-yeon from Altair felt regret for not reaching the magic circle.
She exited the training arena, sobbing and supported by her teachers.
Will that kid strengthen from today’s experience or will her spirit shatter as is?
—
The casters and commentators snapped me out of my pondering.
I removed my headset and lowered my head slightly.
“Great job!”
“Oh no, you too, NoName! You’ve worked hard. It’s tough since it’s your first time, right?”
“I can still manage. Did I say anything super unnecessary during the commentary?”
“No, no, no! You could talk as much as you want! Looking at the PD and the writers, they seem to want you to say more, haha. Am I right, everyone?”
The Sports Department’s Nam Hyunmin PD just smiled at Yoon Geon’s point.
He flipped a pad on the table, showing:
[Q Twish Academy Competition surpasses terrestrial broadcasting in real-time ratings to rank 2nd.]
Seems they are not too far behind rank 1 at KBS.
Staff members’ faces lit up with encouraging results.
—
There was no long break to be had.
From the list of 3rd graders, familiar names started popping up already.
“Oh, 3rd graders! They must all be friends with NoName then?”
“Yes, we’re all in the same class.”
“Please keep the fun commentary going for this match!”
“Is NoName’s chair height okay? There’s nothing higher than this.”
“It’s fine. Thanks for noticing.”
“We start broadcasting in 5 seconds! Everyone, get ready!”
—
With the PD’s cue, I checked my outfit and straightened up.
The production team tried their best to get me the tallest chair, but I still couldn’t match the height of the commentators.
“You are watching the Seoul Regional Academy Competition 3rd-grade match with NoName! We’re also having a chat event through our app; we’ll be giving away a tumbler signed by NoName through a lottery, so please participate!”
“I hear NoName’s signature is hard to get, right?”
“Her signature is famous for being complicated and cute! A cat drawing.”
“Is there a reason why you made it like that?”
I sighed lightly and smiled.
“I guess I should’ve made it simpler. I somewhat regret it.”
“Haha, with such flair, I think the fans will feel an extraordinary depth of emotion. Let’s start by introducing the Altair Academy roster!”
With each new grade, members sometimes cycled out.
In just a year, duel skills can change, and sometimes people miss out due to health or condition issues.
This year, Seo Yu-na and Ma Ji-hye participated for the second consecutive year at Sephiron Academy.
—
“NoName has pointed out Seo Yu-na as the key player for Sephiron Academy. I’d like to hear the opinion of her classmate, NoName.”
“Last year, Seo Yu-na showcased weaponry mainly focused on aura, but this year, she has equipped herself with a new elemental magic armament called Hwa-gye-mado.”
“That seems to match her image well!”
“In particular, the elemental magic is focused on contact with the opponent, so she must satisfy quite a tricky condition to lead the match smoothly.”
“If they can just make contact, they’ll be strong. But will Altair Academy let that happen easily? Let’s start right now!”
—
The academy competition isn’t everything in life.
But at the moment they step into the training arena, the students’ mindset unites in a single focus.
On this day of all days, they’re ready to risk it all for victory.
The mana barrier that provides safety paradoxically leads students to take greater risks.
When the destructive instincts are unleashed, human movement becomes extremely simplistic.
The reason we train and simulate duels often is to learn how to control that instinct.
In that sense, we can predict what sort of maneuvers students will undertake.
—
Ma Ji-hye’s aura barrier was depleted to below 10%, leading to her elimination.
Seo Yu-na, who entered as a substitute, was sent back into the training arena.
Taking advantage of this brief window, I added my previously prepared commentary.
“What I think while watching the elementary division matches is that students often get overly excited.”
“Overly excited, you say?”
“Since they are kids, they have no fear and can easily be ruled by their emotions. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. The instincts etched into our genes allow us to use our bodies efficiently.”
“But encountering an opponent who utilizes emotions could be dangerous.”
“That’s the very point. I might be able to say this because I’m close with Seo Yu-na, but frankly speaking, it’s hard to say that her performance was too great in the beginning, right?”
“Altair side has dealt very well with that.”
“This kid is smart and all, but she also gets quite angry. She has high standards for herself. But did you know that people’s qualities can be interpreted differently? Being angry and impatient means she’s driven and passionate. Saying that might sound biased, but I hope you’ll pay attention to how Seo Yu-na turns her weaknesses into strengths in this match.”
—
The match resumed.
The balance-breaking Yoon Si-hoo now advanced to 4th grade, while the match among 3rd graders remained tight.
Captain Seo Yu-na donned thin gloves and summoned a crimson aura.
While Seo Yu-na blocked the front, Go Kyung-won started casting spells.
In elementary division, where casting speed is slower, this was a very orthodox operation.
—
[Cast: Ignis Spera]
Seo Yu-na plunged her hand into the magic circle, bringing forth a sphere of blazing flames.
In no time, the gloves clashed hard, transferring the fire to her other hand.
—
The transmission of magic.
The quick method of copying magic cast by another student.
The waves of her red hair and the wildly dancing flames left behind a horizontal afterimage.
In the blink of an eye, Seo Yu-na reached the Altair students and threw a punch.
BOOM-!
—
Surrounding her fist with magical mana, she forcibly dispelled the spell.
The Ignis Spera burst like a balloon, releasing a hot gust of wind.
But the opponent wasn’t just going to sit still and take it.
—
Crafting a large amount of foul water, they quenched the gust of wind.
Seo Yu-na jumped in without a second thought into the swirling fog.
She must be aware that Altair has laid a blatant trap.
—
[Cast: Nubilus Strike]
Sure enough, countless magical orbs rained down on her like shooting stars.
BAM-!
A colossal magic circle spun above the sky.
Seo Yu-na curled up like a hedgehog in place.
With every impact of the small and large magical orbs hitting her back, her face squished.
—
[Cast: Ignis Spe-]
CACKLE-!
Go Kyung-won’s spell was interrupted midway; his attempt to save her ultimately failed.
Seo Yu-na began running away from the showering magical orbs.
A suicide mission putting Go Kyung-won at risk.
A perfect opportunity to take out both at once.
—
With piercing gazes, the Altair students revised the magic circle to augment its size and power.
Yet Seo Yu-na’s intent was different.
“Pass it to me!”
Her voice boomed throughout the training arena.
Go Kyung-won tossed the incomplete magic circle like a spinning disc.
The duel began plunging into a state of chaos.
—
Choi Woo-joo, realizing the boys’ and girls’ intentions, sprang up.
“Wait, are you attempting to take the completed magic circle, Seo Yu-na?”
Seeing Seo Yu-na’s growth in real-time lightened my mood as I grabbed the mic.
“Attempting to dismantle another spell inside a magical field they set up themselves would be a daunting task for 3rd graders! They struck the fault perfectly!”
—
[Cast: Ignis Spera]
[Combined casting: Isothermal Expansion]
WHOOSH-!
Double casting isn’t easy for Seo Yu-na.
However, casting the Isothermal Expansion magic beforehand while completing just one side of the Ignis Spera is doable.
What began as a soccer ball-sized fireball steadily increased in size, becoming the size of a gym ball.
A finishing blow created by pooling both their mana.
She launched the fireball from her spot without taking a running start.
No need to struggle aiming; mana tends to follow the path already created.
The fireball glided along the thin magic thread laid by the Altair students, leading to a massive explosion.
KA-BOOM-!
It wasn’t particularly efficient or powerful but was strong enough to dampen the kids’ spirit.
The residual mana barrier allowed Seo Yu-na to finish the match with a few cat punches.
Seo Yu-na looked all around the arena, failing to spot me.
So she raised her hand like she was saying “anyone look!” and twirled around 360 degrees while hopping.
“What’s that ceremony, Seo Yu-na? Next time, please prepare a cooler pose!”
—
*
After wrapping up the exhausting morning commentary for the elementary division, I had lunch with my academy friends whom I hadn’t seen in a week.
The lively atmosphere of the restaurant made our voices naturally louder.
“Yuna, you were so funny on TV, right?”
“No Name, did I look weird even to you? Ahhh, what do I do, what do I do! I don’t know!”
“Your hair was a mess like a witch anyway, wasn’t it fitting?”
“Hey, do you want to get beaten up, Go Kyung-won?”
“Hey, we don’t disturb others while eating, you know!”
SMACK-
Yuna gave Kyung-won a hard tap on the back.
Rice spewed from his mouth.
“Did NoName do well during commentary? How was it? What’s different from up there?”
“Well, if I had to say what was different—”
“Let’s see your reaction! What will people find if they search for you on Naver?”
The kids were slowly drifting into mischievous territory.
They asked me, and then cleanly ignored my answer.
“Oooh, people are saying NoName spoke beautifully! But what’s your life philosophy?”
“Maybe it’s just a lesson life teaches?”
“NoName often says things like that.”
HA-HA-HA, “What’s this, Seo Yu-na’s highlight thumbnail! Let’s watch this!”
“Ah, no! Don’t watch!”
Ignoring the children’s petty bickering, I suckled on a yogurt drink.
‘But speaking beautifully…’
I had already planned to throw off the tight leash and muzzle before heading into the middle school division commentary.
