I Became an Illegal Cheat User – Chapter 98

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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The record displayed 1 minute 32 seconds, 1st place.

I nodded in satisfaction.

Practicing Sky Steps paid off.

Of course, there were other ways to secure first place. I could have blown up the entire forest with bombs, bulldozed through monsters and trees with Atlas Armor and Aegis, or controlled firearms with telekinesis to clear a path, as I had done at the outpost.

There were numerous possibilities.

I chose Sky Steps for its simplicity and efficiency. It was the fastest way to reach the destination without causing damage to the arena.

‘Still, it’s a bit of a shame.’

I could have achieved a much faster time by obliterating the forest, but I didn’t want a repeat of the forced antidote incident with Kang Chul-soo.

The mere thought of that taste made my tongue curl.

I shuddered, suppressing the horrific memory, and used telekinesis to retrieve the flag I had knocked over.

As I grasped the flag, a bright light engulfed me, and the scenery shifted. I was back in the arena.

The crowd roared with cheers and applause.

I bowed my head in gratitude and glanced towards the VIP seats.

Saintess Gloria was watching me with an intrigued expression, slowly clapping.

Sword Saint Lee Jung-baek, however, glared at me with undisguised anger.

‘Well, I’m screwed.’

I had anticipated this ever since Lee Seo-yeon showed interest in me, started using guns, and her affection level increased.

Lee Jung-baek, fiercely protective of his daughter, would undoubtedly be furious.

Despite my mental preparation, I couldn’t help but feel intimidated. After all, I was facing the wrath of a Transcendent.

Even without killing intent, his furious gaze sent shivers down my spine, making me feel like prey before a predator.

I maintained a calm facade, suppressing my trembling, and continued to acknowledge the cheering crowd.

Once I had sufficiently thanked the audience, a staff member approached, guiding me out of the arena.

I followed the staff member to the waiting room for ranks 1 through 20. As soon as the door closed, I retrieved an elixir juice from my inventory.

I slumped into the frontmost of the twenty chairs, popped the cap, and chugged the contents. I tossed the empty bottle into my still-open inventory and sighed.

“That Lee Jung-baek is seriously…”

How could a Transcendent direct such fury at a student?

“Honestly, I’m only able to withstand it because it’s me.”

Anyone else would have crumbled under the pressure, trembling on the floor.

Or maybe it’s because it’s me? I wondered.

I considered my accomplishments and nodded. Yes, that was a possibility. But another thought occurred to me.

Maybe he would have glared at anyone, regardless of their strength? Somehow, that seemed more likely.

I sighed.

The thought of future encounters with Sword Saint Lee Jung-baek was exhausting.

Despite having Infinite Stamina activated, I felt a wave of fatigue.

I shook my head, retrieved a Golden Apple, and took a bite as I watched the matches being broadcast on the TV.

The current broadcast featured the main characters: Lee Seo-yeon, Arthur, Asuka, and Noah, all navigating the forest, eliminating monsters and searching for the destination.

‘If I hadn’t had Clairvoyance, I would still be running like them.’

I mused, feeling grateful for the skill.

‘I wonder who will reach the destination first.’

I took a large bite of the apple and observed their progress.

Lee Seo-yeon, true to her talent, expertly dispatched nearby monsters with her sword and distant ones with her gun.

She moved nimbly through the trees, her sharp eyes scanning for the destination.

Arthur also cut down approaching monsters with her sword, but her approach was different.

Instead of agility, she relied on brute force, clad in mana armor, crashing through trees.

Asuka, unlike the other two, avoided the monsters altogether, leaping through the trees like a squirrel.

She deflected projectiles with her ironwood sword, imbued with sword energy. It seemed she was still unable to wield a real sword.

That was fine. I would meet with Gloria during the break and ask her for the Dragon Blood Elixir.

‘I have to keep my promise.’

I remembered my promise to Asuka in the training grounds. It was time to fulfill it.

I finished the apple and turned my attention to Noah’s broadcast.

He was incinerating everything in his path.

Noah wasn’t just using his fists, his entire body was engulfed in holy flames.

Monsters and trees turned to ash the moment they touched him. He was like a walking, or rather, running sun.

The broadcast shifted to other students.

Park Ga-ram flying through the air, scouting the forest.

Im Da-hee, wreathed in lightning, bulldozing through monsters and trees.

Park Sung-woo, thanks to my guidance, using his hidden sword technique properly instead of drawing his sword.

As I observed my classmates, my smartwatch chimed.

[Time Attack Record]

[Lee Yu-jin: 1 minute 32 seconds – 1st Place]

[Arthur Pendragon: 4 minutes 32 seconds – 2nd Place]

[Lee Seo-yeon: 4 minutes 34 seconds – 3rd Place]

[ — : — : — ]

Arthur and Lee Seo-yeon had reached the destination, separated by a mere two seconds.

Should I console her?

Lee Seo-yeon had placed third in the entrance exam by a narrow margin.

Now, once again, she was in third place, just two seconds behind. Even her usually stoic demeanor might falter at this repeated setback.

As I considered how to comfort her, the waiting room door burst open.

“Lee Yu-jin!”

“Lee Yu-jin.”

Arthur and Lee Seo-yeon entered.

‘She doesn’t seem discouraged at all.’

Contrary to my expectations, Lee Seo-yeon’s expression was her usual impassive, yet warm when directed at me.

Relieved, I discarded my prepared consolations and greeted them with a smile.

“Good work, both of you.”

I retrieved two elixir juices from my inventory and handed them to the two who sat down on either side of me.

“Thanks, Lee Yu-jin. I’ll enjoy this.”

“Thanks, I’ll drink it well.”

Apparently thirsty, they immediately began drinking.

“The juice you give me is always delicious, Lee Yu-jin.”

“I enjoyed that.”

Arthur and Lee Seo-yeon emptied their bottles and stored them in their respective subspace items.

Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, they each took one of my hands. I sighed softly at the warm, soft feeling of their hands in mine.

Their fingers intertwined with mine.

I wasn’t planning on pulling away.

I had grown accustomed to this since the internship. And perhaps because I had developed feelings for them, and Asuka, I found myself unable to refuse their advances.

The door opened again.

“Hey! Not again! Why am I always left out?!”

“Haha, the atmosphere is lively as always.”

Asuka and Noah entered.

Asuka pouted at the sight of Arthur and Lee Seo-yeon holding my hands and rushed over, attempting to hug me from behind.

However, footsteps approaching from the hallway stopped her.

She made a dejected sound and sat down next to Lee Seo-yeon.

Unlike the other two, she seemed too shy for such open displays of affection.

Noah, with his usual cheerful demeanor, sat next to Arthur.

Just as the footsteps reached the door, Arthur, who had been in her female form, shifted back to her male disguise.

She had revealed her true appearance to the main characters but maintained her disguise around other classmates.

Arthur…

“Shouldn’t you unclasp our hands now that you’re back in your male form?”

“Ah, right.”

Before Arthur could release my hands, the other classmates entered the waiting room.

They stared at Arthur, in male form, and Lee Seo-yeon holding my hands with bewildered expressions.

I sighed and closed my eyes.

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The vice-principal’s voice echoed,

“We will now begin the second match.”

He snapped his fingers, and HP bracelets materialized before each student.

I immediately recognized the nature of the next event, but I remained cautious. It was possible for things to deviate from the game.

‘Better to be prepared.’

I thought, opening my inventory and readying my weapons.

“Everyone, put on your bracelets.”

I fastened the bracelet around my wrist.

An HP bar appeared on the bracelet’s surface.

My smartwatch chimed.

Everyone checked the notification.

The notification confirmed my suspicions. It was a free-for-all.

“As you all know, this match is a free-for-all.”

The vice-principal announced, rising into the air.

Once he reached a sufficient height, he drew a starter pistol from his subspace item.

“Give it your all.”

Bang!

The starter pistol fired.

At the same time…

“Oh, shit.”

Every eye in the arena turned to me.

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