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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Duel (3)
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"Alright, let the duel begin. Everyone, equip your gear."
The space where we were dueling was the same place where the joint training had taken place.
In this space, even if you get hurt, you don't sustain actual injuries.
And if you suffer a fatal blow, you're immediately teleported out of the training ground.
The chairperson of Velvet Academy, a figure of global authority in magic.
It was set up as a space designed by the Demon Empress.
'As expected, the chairperson's authority feels too much like a cheat code.'
I'll probably only see her at the entrance ceremony. The game begins with her entrance ceremony speech, Velvetus.
I caressed Moonlight at my hip, checking the status of my party members.
'First, Kang Do-hee is her usual self. Shin Se-hee drank yesterday, so she'd be sober. As for the quota members…'
Even after we had all finished equipping our gear and stepped onto the training ground, our opponents were still slowly getting ready, whispering among themselves.
I activated my Sense ability and eavesdropped on their conversation.
The opposing team was a mix of four women and one man.
A tank, a melee damage dealer, a ranged damage dealer, and two healers.
It was a fairly ideal composition.
"...Is it really true that they're weaker than us? Even so, it's still the Mad Dog and Cheon-hwa, right?"
As the timid-looking damage dealer spoke, the archer, who seemed to be their party leader, hardened her expression.
"...She said this is our last chance. If we don't win this time, we'll never be able to beat the Mad Dog and Cheon-hwa."
"Heh. They say it's not just a leash they've put on them, but they've pulled out their fangs entirely."
The narrow-eyed tank said with a sneer.
"...Just like that guy."
The four women then glanced sideways at the man standing awkwardly behind them, clicking their tongues.
The male student's face turned pale.
It seemed he had suffered quite a bit while training with them.
"Uhm, uhm—"
The male student called out to them, his voice trembling.
They turned their heads, annoyance etched on their faces.
"What is it?"
"...Uh."
"Ugh, just speak properly. It's so frustrating, I could die."
"At least that quota guy is handsome enough to be eye candy. Why do we have to deal with this kind of guy?"
The narrow-eyed one snapped, clearly annoyed.
"Hey, you. Watch your mouth."
"It's fine. If he came here, he should expect it anyway. It's not like he didn't know what kind of place this was."
"Th-that person, you have to be careful."
The male student pointed at me, warning them.
'...I don't remember, but was he one of the guys I beat up that night?'
I tilted my head.
But the four women scoffed at him.
"Heh."
"We all know that good-looking guy is a male quota member, you know?"
"Careful? Careful of what? You just worry about yourself. Don't go clinging to our ankles again like during training."
Those who were giving the male student a hard time.
The party leader didn't particularly stop the atmosphere and spoke.
"First, putting that quota member aside, there's no harm in being careful with Cheon-hwa and the Mad Dog. You draw the Mad Dog's attention. I'll ambush from behind."
She nocked an arrow to her bowstring and spoke to the narrow-eyed woman.
"Heh. Leave it to me."
The narrow-eyed woman, her shield dangling from her wrist, stepped onto the training ground. She raised both hands as if she had no intention of fighting immediately.
With her long, slit eyes, she gave a smirk and walked past me.
And her destination was Kang Do-hee.
"Yoo-hoo~. Mad Dog! I'm a fan! You know me, right? I'm B-rank Hunter Yoon Se-ra. Last time, we—"
She bowed slightly to Kang Do-hee and extended her hand.
"I don't know you."
Kang Do-hee cut her off with a cold voice.
The woman paused for a moment, then continued in a cheerful voice.
"Ah, well, that can happen! Anyway! We've met today as opponents for a duel, but since we'll be fellow students going forward, I look forward to working with you! Party Leader Kang Do-hee!"
At her words, Kang Do-hee let out a scoffing laugh, as if dumbfounded.
"Sorry, but I'm not the party leader."
"What...? What do you mean—?"
Creak—
Their party leader drew her bowstring, aiming at Kang Do-hee.
[Kang Do-hee, let's land the first blow right away and start. They're looking for an opening to ambush.]
At my command, Kang Do-hee immediately ducked down.
And magic gathered in her tightly clenched fist.
Whoosh—!
While the narrow-eyed one wore a bewildered expression.
Kang Do-hee's fist shot towards her jaw.
Thwack—!!!
She was hit in the jaw, falling backward and flying all the way to her opponents' side.
Thud!
"You goddamn cowards! That's dirty…!"
She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with her hand and glared at Kang Do-hee.
"Bullshit. The duel already started. Did you think we came here to chat? Right, Party Leader?"
Kang Do-hee smirked and turned her head towards me.
"Right. Why are they so stupid?"
Whoosh—!
"This is an ambush too."
Slash—!
I lightly sliced the arrow flying towards Kang Do-hee with my sword.
"...A quota member as party leader!? Ha, damn it. Was the Mad Dog a bitch in heat too?"
The narrow-eyed one got up, spitting on the ground in disgust.
Then she turned her head and shouted to her party members.
"Hey, I just got hit, and that bitch is really nothing! We can just take her down together!"
The narrow-eyed one raised her shield, and her party members formed a line behind her.
My eyes turned cold.
I knew this was a world where men were weak and useless.
And that the Hunter profession was particularly harsh on men.
Since it was a profession that involved risking one's life fighting monsters and demons, men, who were born inherently fragile, didn't really have a place in it. I understood all of that.
I understood.
But even so.
From the very beginning, they only watched Kang Do-hee and Shin Se-hee, completely disregarding me.
'...As expected, this is a bit much.'
I infused Moonlight with magic.
'This feels unpleasant.'
Then I spoke in a low voice.
[We're going with the plan. Shin Se-hee, you don't need power. Just maximize the area of effect.]
[...Ah, alright!]
Her reply came a beat late.
But as if she had already prepared, a sphere of fire immediately appeared above her head.
Fwoosh—
A colossal sphere of fire blazing in mid-air.
"Hyaah!"
As Shin Se-hee extended both hands, the sphere of fire scattered, and a rain of fire began to pour down on the enemies' heads.
Sizzle-sizzle—!!
Currently, Shin Se-hee and Kang Do-hee's magic was restricted, putting them in a similar state to regular students.
Ultimately, I was the key to winning this duel.
[Kang Do-hee. Now, draw their attention and circle around to the back.]
Kang Do-hee swiftly launched herself, beginning to circle widely around to the back.
"Wh-what?! You said they were weaker!"
The opponents were flustered and bewildered by the widespread rain of fire pouring down on their heads.
"Hey! This is nothing! It's fine to just take the hit!"
The narrow-eyed one quickly realized that Shin Se-hee's magic only looked powerful but actually caused no damage, and she shouted.
"Huh!? You're right? It's not hot!"
"Hey, hey! Mad Dog!"
They belatedly spotted Kang Do-hee, who had begun circling around to the back, and turned their heads in her direction.
Taking advantage of their distraction.
Whoosh!
I kicked off the ground and lunged forward.
'As expected, being a party leader isn't bad.'
Only those who achieved high scores among the prospective students could become party leaders.
Even as everyone else was flustered, the archer didn't miss me.
She swiftly nocked three arrows simultaneously and aimed them at me.
Whizzz—!
Three magic-infused arrows shot towards me.
—Clang—! Clang! Clang!
As I batted away the incoming arrows with the tip of my sword.
Thud-thud—! Thud!
The arrows didn't lose their force; they simply changed direction and embedded themselves in the ground.
Her eyes were wide with shock, as if she hadn't expected even this.
Even in her shock, she seemed to try to use another skill.
But.
"One-Blade Severance."
I had already been gathering magic and preparing the skill from the moment I kicked off the ground towards her.
A single horizontal swing of the sword.
Whoosh—!
"If an archer, a damage dealer, is immobilized…"
The magic-infused sword strike shot towards the opponent.
"Kuh!"
She raised her bow with a flustered expression, trying to block my attack.
Slash—!
"Do you think that'll work?"
The woman's bow, which had tried to block, was split in half.
Whoosh—
"...Im-impossible."
With a dazed expression, she was immediately teleported out of the training ground.
"P-Party Leader!!!!"
"Party Leader!?"
With their party leader defeated while they were distracted by Kang Do-hee, the party members' eyes widened as if they would tear.
I immediately spun my body, aiming for their backs.
Swish—!
They raised their shields and daggers with a look of realization, but it was too late.
It was already too late.
Because the tip of my sword had already grazed their necks.
Whoosh—
Whoosh—
Following their party leader, the damage dealer and tank were instantly teleported out of the training ground.
They could only stare at the training ground, their mouths agape with empty expressions.
Kang Do-hee, who had circled to the back, had already subdued the two healers.
The duel ended in an instant.
* * *
"Th-this is im-impossible!!! S-Senior! What in the world is that guy!?"
The opposing instructor said, pointing at Jin Yu-ha, her mouth agape.
"A male quota member."
Baek Seol-hee scoffed, arms crossed.
"This is fraud, isn't it!!!"
It was fraud.
Truly.
Cheon-hwa and the Mad Dog weren't the problem.
Putting leashes on them wasn't an issue at all.
Rather, the one who should have been leashed wasn't even muzzled, let alone leashed.
"...Ha, insane. Is that a man? No, a male quota member, you say?"
She gasped, as if dumbfounded by her own words.
Perhaps the students hadn't properly grasped the boy's power.
They would probably think they lost because they were distracted by Cheon-hwa and the Mad Dog, and let their guard down.
However, to her, the instructor, it was clearly visible.
"...Isn't that just a monster!?"
"Refrain from such reckless remarks about my student."
Baek Seol-hee said in a cold, subdued voice.
"...Wh-what did you say!? M-my student?"
Baek Seol-hee wore a faint smile and nodded.
"This is the child I will personally teach. Don't covet him."
"...Insane."
She stared at Baek Seol-hee, her mouth agape.
She couldn't even guess how many more times she would have to be surprised today.