Book 1 Chapter 412

412.

Tap- tap- tap-

The sound of shoes echoed down the hallway leading to the arena.

Joo-en ran into Luke, the winner, in the hallway.

"I saw your match, it was amazing!"

Joo-en winked.

Luke smiled at Joo-en's reaction.

"I worked hard."

"It was more than just hard work. What's your secret?"

"Hellish training, perhaps."

Luke's gaze drifted into the distance.

'I'd heard rumors that Senior Leo's training was brutal… it seems it's no joke.'

"By the way, how long are you going to keep using formal language with me as a classmate?"

"Huh? But you're the daughter of the Southern Archmage, Joo-en."

"We're classmates, what does that have to do with anything?"

Hmph! Joo-en scoffed lightly.

"We've been going to school together for ages, haven't we? We've been close since we enrolled, so it's awkward."

"Then I'll speak casually from now on."

"You should have done that sooner."

Joo-en nodded in satisfaction at Luke's words.

"Do your best."

"Yeah. Obviously, I intend to win."

Joo-en replied with a grin and walked to the end of the hallway.

A moment later.

Standing before the brightly lit arena, Joo-en took a deep breath.

After one deep breath, Joo-en slapped her cheeks.

'Don't get nervous, Joo-en Thorvina. This isn't like you.'

Since her admission, Joo-en had been the undisputed number one in the Magic Department.

However, for the entire first year, she had to concede the top spot.

This was due to Aina Baisdnar, the invincible strongest of the first years.

The great-granddaughter of a Sword Saint who had carried an era.

Her lineage alone was extraordinary.

Furthermore, Joo-en was a conventional mage.

In a 1v1 duel, her elemental magic was disadvantageous against Aina, a knight.

In many ways, this was the biggest match of the exam.

However, few predicted Joo-en's victory.

Aina was that overwhelming.

Joo-en, always confident, felt her palms sweat from nervousness.

Taking a deep breath, she walked towards the entrance.

-Joo-en Thorvina enters! Please greet her with cheers!

Waaaaaah-!

"Miss, fight on!"

"Joo-en, win!"

Cheers erupted from all around.

Among them, particularly enthusiastic cheers came from the senior students of the Magic Department.

These were students affiliated with the Southern Archmage's Tower.

Joo-en smiled at them and headed into the arena.

On the arena, Aina was already standing with her eyes closed, her usual expressionless face.

As she walked towards the arena, Joo-en felt her legs tremble.

When Aina was chosen as her first opponent, Joo-en had confidently declared she would win, but in reality, she couldn't shake off the pressure.

She knew better than anyone that she was at a disadvantage in a 1v1 duel.

She had tried to put on a brave face and act confident.

She had convinced herself she could win, as if engaging in self-hypnosis, and had prepared thoroughly.

But now, facing the reality, her heart felt like it would burst from nervousness.

'I can do it, Joo-en Thorvina. I can do it.'

Joo-en clenched and unclenched her fists and took a deep breath.

It was then that cold sweat ran down her back.

"Joo-en!"

A familiar voice called out.

Turning her head, she saw Cal, the merchant, there.

Cal, who had come to the very front of the audience, shouted with all his might.

"Don't be nervous! You can win!"

"…Senior."

Joo-en smiled slightly.

"No! You will win! You absolutely must win! I bet all the tournament sales on you winning! If you lose, I'm ruined!"

Joo-en's face, which had been touched, turned cold.

Taking a deep breath, Joo-en said.

"You know you'll have to buy me something really expensive if I win, right?"

"Of course!"

Cal gave a thumbs-up and grinned.

Joo-en turned away from Cal and stepped onto the arena.

By then, the nervousness had vanished.

A faint smile played on her lips.

'Right. I can win. I've prepared to win, haven't I?'

Joo-en's brown eyes sparkled.

Creak-

Joo-en stood before Aina.

Aina, who had been listlessly keeping her eyes closed, looked at Joo-en.

The gazes of the two girls met in mid-air.

-Now! The highly anticipated first match! No! Perhaps the biggest match of this tournament!

Runba began the commentary in an excited tone.

-First place in the first-year Knight Department and representative of the year! Aina Baisdnar vs. First place in the Magic Department! Joo-en Thorvina! Well! Whoever wins, it's good for the Summoning Department! Woohoohahaha!

-Runba Tess, who said you could link departmental issues and give biased commentary while commentating?

-Hiiiiiik?!

Halind's chilling voice was heard.

Then, Sedgen, who was eager to step in, quickly grabbed the microphone.

-I cannot let such low-quality, biased commentary go unchecked! It's not elegant! In that sense, I will be the commentator from now on. Everyone, to my elegant commentary…!

-Drag him out.

-Mmph! Mmph! Mmph!

Halind would never tolerate a third-year professor intervening in a first-year event.

After Sedgen was dragged away by the surrounding students, Runba received a warning and was finally able to return to his commentary.

After a brief commotion, Mel approached the arena.

"I hope both of you have a match you won't regret."

Mel, after explaining the rules, stepped back.

Joo-en, with her arms crossed, took a deep breath.

"Harbiden Virsen! Shasha Siehen Rodren! And Luke Elda!"

Her sudden shout silenced the noisy audience for a moment.

"Wait for it!"

Joo-en pointed at Aina with her finger.

"Next is you guys!"

-Oooooh! First-year Joo-en Thorvina! She's suddenly declared war on her rivals!

Runba shouted excitedly at the sudden development.

"I will take the position of year representative! And I will become the next student council president too!"

Joo-en declared confidently and pointed the tip of her wand at Aina.

Cheers erupted from various places as they watched Joo-en's bold declaration.

"Oooooh!"

"Cool!"

"We're rooting for you, Joo-en!"

Aina, at the sudden declaration, looked at Joo-en with her characteristic doll-like face.

Joo-en shouted at her.

"Prepare yourself!"

"I'm not interested."

"What?"

"Whether it's the year representative or the student council position, I have no interest."

Aina drew her sword in a flat voice.

"If you're in the way, I'll just defeat you. That's all."

Joo-en ground her teeth as she watched Aina.

"I hate you, Aina Baisdnar."

Mel placed a coin on his fingertip.

"That attitude of yours, ignoring what everyone else wants!"

Ding-! Whirr!

"That way of speaking, as if you don't care about others!"

The coin spun and cut through the air.

"I really hate it!"

Ting-!

As soon as the coin hit the arena floor, a golden flash surged towards Joo-en.

At that moment.

Whoosh-!

Joo-en's figure disappeared.

'Invisibility magic.'

Aina's sharp senses instantly covered the entire arena.

Aina was well aware that invisibility magic was one of Joo-en's specialties.

And that her invisibility magic was incredibly precise and difficult to counter.

It was hard even for Aina to find Joo-en, who had cast invisibility and vanished.

'But that's only if she casts invisibility beforehand.'

Aina's golden eyes quickly scanned the entire arena.

There was a big difference between knowing and not knowing.

Her sharply honed senses instantly located Joo-en.

Thwack-!

The moment Aina's sword sliced through Joo-en.

Flash-! BOOM-!

A massive explosion occurred.

***

"What do you think of this match?"

Chloe asked Chen Xia.

"It's probably hard for Joo-en to win, isn't it?"

Chen Xia said calmly.

A 1v1 duel between a conventional mage and a knight.

Assuming their skills are equal, the knight class has a significant advantage.

Moreover, Aina was the strongest of the first years.

It was an absolutely unfavorable fight for Joo-en.

Chloe watched the first-year junior putting up a tough fight.

She wasn't a mentee, but being only one year her junior, Chloe was keeping an eye on Joo-en.

'She even challenged me during the entrance exam.'

Chloe knew Joo-en's skills were formidable.

But Chloe also thought it wouldn't be easy for Joo-en to win.

"Leo, what do you think?"

"Considering the objective power levels, Aina's victory is almost certain."

Leo said calmly.

"However, in a 1v1 duel, there are many variables. Especially since Joo-en's mentor is Cal. She wouldn't have neglected preparations against Aina."

"It's true that Joo-en has Cal."

Even if his magical abilities were lacking, Cal was adept at analyzing opponents and devising strategies.

This was the driving force behind Cal's survival so far.

"Cal is indeed specialized in catching opponents off guard."

Chen Xia nodded, recalling Cal.

"Cal isn't the only variable. There's also Aina herself."

"Aina herself?"

Chloe tilted her head.

But Chen Xia nodded as if she understood.

"Indeed, Aina's issue is probably the most critical."

"What do you mean?"

Chloe asked. Chen Xia smiled slyly.

"If she were to look at Joo-en as she is, Aina might find it hard to win."

At Chen Xia's words, Chloe pondered, then her face lit up with realization.

She remembered talking with her close friend Celia about mentees.

'She said she wasn't paying attention to the other first-years at all.'

Joo-en, who had prepared to defeat Aina throughout the first semester, and Aina, who hadn't.

This difference was certainly significant.

At that moment.

Flash-! Bang-!

A huge flash accompanied by a ground-shaking explosion occurred.

The arena was covered in ice.

Chen Xia's expression turned interested.

"What magic is that?"

"It's a fusion of ice magic and explosion magic."

Chloe immediately recognized the type of magic.

'Ice Clone.'

It was one of Chloe's signature spells.

'Three spells. No. Did she fuse four spells?'

Chloe marveled.

Spell fusion.

It was a type of magic enhancement that maximized effects by fusing multiple spells.

Leo chuckled.

'Up to two, you can achieve it with effort.'

But the problem was starting from three.

'From three onwards, it's a realm of talent and sense.'

Leo's limit was also three.

The records of Chloe and Abad, the top students of the second-year Magic Department, were also three.

Chelsea, who lacked talent in fusion magic, could only manage two.

'Well, Chloe, Abad, and Chelsea have potential for development.'

For reference, Luna had fused seven spells.

'She's a magic fanatic and a mana beast, after all.'

Joo-en, as a first-year, had achieved four.

"She seems to be specialized in fusion. I had no idea."

Chloe's eyes sparkled with admiration.

'What will you do, Aina Baisdnar?'

Leo crossed his arms and looked down at the arena.

'If you don't look at your opponent properly, you can't win.'

***

Crack-

Aina brushed off the ice clinging to her body.

Despite being caught in a powerful ice explosion, she didn't seem to have taken much damage.

Aina's senses detected the presence of multiple people.

'All Joo-en Thorvina.'

Thwack-!

Aina readjusted her grip on her sword.

"Is that all?"

"Of course not."

Joo-en replied without showing herself.

"I've prepared a lot to defeat you."

Joo-en ground her teeth.

"This is just a part of it! You can look forward to it."

Joo-en shouted with fierce fighting spirit.

"I'll defeat you with all my might!"