Chapter 150
Chapter 151
In the match of the academy rivalry, everything is allowed. As long as you don’t kill, you can do whatever you want, that’s the stance of the academies.
What does that mean, you ask? It means that in racing-type matches, mages are more advantageous than aura users.
After all, a race is about running from the starting point to the finish line. Let’s consider that, on average, aura users are faster than mages. Inevitably, the aura user takes off, with the mages chasing behind.
That’s where the problem arises. Compared to aura users, mages are overflowing with ways to control their opponents from a distance. All sorts of spells are shot at the fleeing aura users, creating a bizarre sport where the aura users desperately dodge while trying to run.
And the match unfolding before Yeon-woo was no different. A 4 km relay race, where four participants run 1 km each. Surprisingly, there was a terrible rule allowing the yet-to-run members to hamper other teams however they wished.
That’s why Yeon-woo wanted to participate in the relay. As for running, sure, but if it involves interfering with others’ runs, isn’t it rare to find someone as capable as her?
“But my arm ended up getting wrecked.”
Instead, Park Seong-in, who had once sparred with Je Gal Seong-ryong, took Yeon-woo’s place in the relay. Known as one of the best combat mages, even if Park Seong-in isn’t as fast as Yeon-woo in running, he could disrupt other groups even better than her.
On the 1 km track, whirlwinds stirred, lightning struck, and flames erupted. Aura users, despite their fear, jumped into the erupting magic. They protected themselves with aura while engaging in psychological warfare with the disruptors.
– Whoa!! Changhae’s Celine player charges forward, undeterred by the downpour of magic!! Does she know no fear, that player!!
– Oh no, it seems that attitude has struck a nerve with the mages’ pride! Even the Spirit Masters of the Verdant Academy are concentrating their fire over there!
– Harmony’s Im Yu-bin should quickly aim for a swap with the next runner! Yes, she’s off! Oh, can you not see!? Her smaller physique proves advantageous!!
Regardless of all that, it was undeniably a popular event. While it might look like one-sided bullying against the aura users, it was largely due to the unfavorable match-ups this year. Out of the five academies, two specialized in mages, and the audience must have expected such scenes.
– Ah, Changhae’s Elliot player crosses the finish line first! Following closely are Harmony and Liberty, crossing one after another! The remaining two academies… will likely finish just like this?
– This is a common sight in matches involving Verdant and Wisdom Academies. They don’t even run, just interfere.
Just as Kim Jeong-hwan said, the Verdant and Wisdom Academies amicably declared a withdrawal. The academy rivalry was a fight for pride, yet also a festival meant for enjoyment.
Since the real pride battles happen in the later rounds, many students approach the first half with a mindset to just have fun.
“This is going to be so exciting.”
Yeon-woo’s murmuring drew all the attention in the waiting room at once. With looks of disbelief, once they confirmed who said it, they scattered with a ‘well, of course.’ Yeon-woo felt wronged.
“But it’s a pity. Despite rigorous training, we ended up basically last.”
“It just means that the mages at the Magic Tower and the Spirit Masters of Daesurim are that exceptional.”
The first runner in the relay, Seong-ryong, said this as he entered the waiting room. Yeon-woo greeted the four entering.
“Good job. It’s unfortunate. I brought some snacks, so eat up.”
“You! Where did you go to get hurt, causing me this trouble, you brat!”
“Sorry, sorry, I had my own unavoidable circumstances.”
Discontent, Park Seong-in strode over, grabbed a portion from the mountain of snacks, and headed to a corner of the waiting room to munch. Tossing him a drink, he expertly caught it and enjoyed it. When stressed, sweets are the best, indeed.
Of course, Kim Yoo-min, who came along, was also munching snacks nearby. Shar, who had been busy inspecting something inside Yeon-woo just moments ago, and Tae-oh, who had woken up briefly only to doze off again, were sitting beside Yeon-woo, nibbling away.
Naturally, it was inevitable that the surrounding female students were flocking to Yeon-woo. They were busy feeding him this and that, playing with his hair, and such.
Thanks to that, the morale of the team was recharged, and tensions eased. This is why mascots are important.
‘I wonder how long this peace will last.’
Thinking of the monsters lurking outside the academy, Yeon-woo sighed quietly so that others wouldn’t hear.
Kim Yoo-min was keeping a sidelong glance at Yeon-woo.
*
‘Found you, Tae-oh?’
[Uh-huh.]
Tae-oh shook his head. Although Yeon-woo hid how severely the children were hurt, that didn’t mean he hid everything that happened. The only beings he could openly confide in and collaborate with were his two children.
Strictly speaking, Tae-oh didn’t fully understand that Yeon-woo had regressed; he was just going along with it, so to speak.
Regardless, what truly mattered now was the search for the Gloomy Monster. The ominous purple mana that caught his eye. Since spirits are, after all, almost a part of nature, they can perceive mana in the same way Yeon-woo does, so he hoped to locate the Gloomy Monster from far away with him.
The problem was that even before regression, the Gloomy Monster could be described as a guerrilla. One strike, then retreat. A monster who is both the strongest and the coldest. Considering how the Demon King’s Great Warriors often fall into death due to pride, the Gloomy Monster was quite the exceptional case.
‘It’s impossible to pin down.’
The incident during the invasion left traces behind, yet the subsequent actions were entirely different. He had thought the Demon Cult was a mad group bent on killing, but the lack of murder incidents thereafter was equally perplexing. There hadn’t been any missing person reports in recent days.
‘If only there would be some trace left behind, it would be easier. But I can’t find anything…’
If even Tae-oh’s shadow couldn’t find it, it meant that it was truly erasing all traces perfectly and hiding itself. Since the purple mana that used to flow out of the body was no longer felt, perhaps the imbalance between the body and mana, which had grown as he ascended to mastery, was being resolved.
“What are you thinking so hard about?”
“Gah!”
Na Yang-ho, who was infusing divine art into Yeon-woo’s left arm, poked his forearm. Since he wasn’t even regulating the pain, it sent a sharp agony coursing through, jolting his brain.
“Stop the theatrics. But what’s going on? No matter how much of an awakener you are, this speed is nonsensical.”
“Is recovery that fast?”
“Yeah. I thought even after using divine art it would be uncomfortable to move for at least five days, but at this rate, you’ll be back to normal by the day after tomorrow.”
“Looks like Shar’s efforts to boost your mana recovery paid off.”
“You did the same thing when you got hurt before, didn’t you? Yet this time it’s even faster, so I’m saying it. The Crescent Moon Stigmata shouldn’t have that kind of ability; it’s strange.”
Yeon-woo’s lips twitched at those words. He had mentioned receiving the stigmata from Lunaria, but he hadn’t revealed the inexplicably divine stigmata. What should he say? Explaining seemed tiresome.
“Yang-ho, do you happen to know how to figure out the stigmata’s abilities?”
“Huh? Just ask the deity you contracted with, and they’ll tell you. Besides, the Crescent Moon’s stigmata is already well-known, right?”
“No, that…”
As Yeon-woo fumbled for words, Na Yang-ho glared intensely at him. Yeon-woo, fearing he’d get poked again, nervously hid his left arm from Na Yang-ho, smiling awkwardly.
“Show it to me.”
“P-please forgive my arm!”
“Not that, you have another stigmata! Show it to me!”
“Gyaah! Yang-ho, you’re trying to strip a student!”
“Don’t say things that’ll get misunderstood if someone else hears it, quickly take it off!!”
“I was joking, but when you say it like that, it sounds real! Fine, fine, let go. I’ll take it off myself!”
After a scuffle to protect his left arm, ultimately, Yeon-woo had no choice but to surrender. He tried to resist using his aura to not lose, but the power of a saintess was too strong.
Though one could misinterpret her title as a saintess, Na Yang-ho wasn’t the type who would only heal from the sidelines. She could perform excellently on the front lines as a warrior, even without divine art.
‘Before regression, I had smashed an A-rank hunter who was hitting on her…’
Of course, that A-rank hunter didn’t die. She was the kind of saintess who could revive the dead if they had just recently died. After that incident, the number of people approaching Na Yang-ho had noticeably decreased, so it was indeed a case of good being good.
As Yeon-woo glanced at the hefty combat hammer set in a corner of Yang-ho’s room, he tugged at his jacket. Na Yang-ho’s eyes squinted sharply.
“Could you please not take off your clothes with such modest and shy gestures? You make it sound like I’m going to do something.”
“Isn’t there a suggestive nuance to it?”
“This is my workplace, not a motel.”
Hearing the word ‘motel’ from the beautiful Yang-ho filled Yeon-woo with a sense of mischief. Deciding to stop joking around, he shrugged off his dress shirt. The silver crescent moon, covering about a quarter of his back, caught his eye first.
“It’s on my left forearm.”
“Really?”
Upon hearing Yeon-woo’s words, Na Yang-ho examined his left arm. A light-colored lizard that looked more like a sticker than a tattoo settled on Yeon-woo’s forearm.
As Na Yang-ho stared at the stigmata intently, he suddenly covered it with his palm. The sudden cold touch made Yeon-woo jump, but Na Yang-ho seemed completely unconcerned.
‘Anyone seeing this might genuinely misunderstand.’
Oblivious to Yeon-woo’s thoughts, Na Yang-ho spoke in a serious tone.
“It might sting a bit, so bear with it.”
As he spoke, Na Yang-ho picked up a glinting scalpel.
“What the??”
(To be continued…)
