I Became the Academy’s Hidden Skill Master – Chapter 26

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Shio
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“What?”

“I don’t waste my time with losers who’ve already lost to me.”

His words were nothing short of outright scorn directed at the defeated students. Upon hearing this, Bellos seriously wondered if he’d misheard.

‘A commoner, talking back to me?’

He felt like he was losing his mind, experiencing one unimaginable event after another at Mirinae—things that would never happen in Skeria.

Normally, a commoner would be overwhelmed with gratitude just to be spoken to by the Crown Prince; a deep bow wouldn’t even suffice.

‘What? You can’t even…?’

This was the first time he had ever heard such lowly language laced with blatant disregard for him.

He, always hailed as a genius, the new star destined to illuminate Skeria.

Treated like this?

“Hah! You’ve grown arrogant after just one victory, commoner! This is what happens when the incompetent gain undeserved fame! That kind of attitude…”

Bellos intended to reprimand Lee Seok-Hyun’s lack of etiquette right then and there, to educate him and reassert the dignity of nobles.

It was already outrageous enough that a commoner like Woo Do-Hyun was ranked first among the first years, and now this guy was acting up too.

‘Everyone else must feel the same way. He said that right to my face.’

Bellos believed he had delivered a scathing remark that everyone would agree with, but…

“Bellos, are you not going to spar then? Because I’m really eager to.”

“Yeah, step aside. We’re all academy students. What’s the big deal about a commoner? What’s wrong with those Skeria guys?”

Contrary to his expectations, the other students voiced their opposition.

Woo Do-Hyun couldn’t wait for a proper match, and Mijuran had already witnessed Lee Seok-Hyun’s skills during their encounter with Ungbak.

‘He must be incredibly strong, no doubt.’

The reason they had entered the academy was, of course, to grow.

And with such an opportunity for growth right in front of them, a few harsh words didn’t matter at all.

They were actually more concerned that Lee Seok-Hyun might be offended by Bellos’s attitude and leave the training ground.

“Seok-Hyun, as you know, I was the first to ask for a spar. So, it’s only right that I go first.”

“Then me next.”

“Me too! Me too!”

“Me too!”

Despite facing rejection once, the unwavering line of students eager to spar with Lee Seok-Hyun left Bellos bewildered.

The thought of missing out on this golden opportunity—a spar with the sole survivor of the first class—began to overwhelm him.

He couldn’t bear the idea of falling behind the others.

“Well, if you’re that desperate, you should show some sincerity, right?”

What? You’d spar if we do?

Bellos’s ears perked up at Lee Seok-Hyun’s words, sensing he might accept a spar in exchange for something.

From those who kept pleading despite being called “pathetic” to Lee Seok-Hyun, who entertained their pleas.

Unable to comprehend this situation—one he’d never encountered before—Bellos struggled to grasp the reality unfolding before him.

“I’ll do whatever it takes. I know I’m lacking compared to you, but I can offer a fresh perspective on swordsmanship.”

“Me too! Me too! If you come to Mudanad, I promise you the best treatment! I swear!”

And so it began.

With Woo Do-Hyun and Mijuran leading the charge, students began offering tributes to Lee Seok-Hyun, one after another, as if caught in an irresistible current. Feeling the pressure of this unstoppable force, Bellos made his decision.

“You’re all mistaken. I’m second in line.”

Sparring with Lee Seok-Hyun.

It was an opportunity so tempting that even someone as prideful as Bellos couldn’t resist.

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To think they’d go this far for just one spar…’

Even after being insulted and called “pathetic,” they were still eager to spar, readily offering tributes for the chance.

Lee Seok-Hyun found their desperation both amusing and concerning.

‘Was it always like this?’

He could roughly gauge the students’ tendencies, having enrolled in the academy multiple times while playing “Final Destiny,” but there were still gaps in his knowledge.

This was a route he hadn’t explored often, so his information was limited.

‘But if I fight them, they’ll figure me out.’

If he engaged in a normal spar, it wouldn’t take long for them to realize he couldn’t use his main skill, which could put him at a disadvantage later in the story.

He could try to pass off his [Spider] title as his main skill, but that was only a temporary solution.

‘Besides, it’s a growth-type title, not strong enough to be considered a main skill yet.’

The [Spider] title had potential, but its growth came with limitations. As a first-leg title, it was closer to a low-rank sub-skill in its current state. Expecting dramatic power or overwhelming strength from it at this stage was unrealistic.

That was why he found their enthusiasm so burdensome.

While pondering a way out of this situation,

‘Ah, that’s it!’

The perfect solution dawned on him.

“Alright, I understand your enthusiasm. Let’s spar, but I’d prefer to do it barehanded.”

“Barehanded?”

“Yes, no skills. And if we use weapons, they should be replicas. I’ll spar under these conditions.”

“Why?”

The students reacted sharply, realizing this wasn’t the sparring they had hoped for.

‘We’ve come this far, and now he’s complicating things?’ That seemed to be the general sentiment.

“You lost to me even when I was holding back, and you were at full strength. Don’t you remember that? Woo Do-Hyun, what did you have left when you were about to collapse at the end?”

“…My bare hands?”

“Exactly. You closed your eyes and gave up because you couldn’t even lift your sword. That’s not good. It’s because you neglected physical training and lacked stamina.”

He conveniently glossed over the fact that it was natural to be exhausted after fighting all day, instead emphasizing their lack of physical conditioning.

If someone else had said those words, they might have questioned the logic, but…

‘I’m different.’

These words carried significant weight coming from the victor of the survival game.

He hadn’t used any skills to secure his victory, proving his point.

“That’s why you need to focus on barehanded combat and prepare for situations where you can’t use anything else. Don’t you want to get stronger? Then you should follow my lead.”

Because I was the final survivor.

He left those words unspoken.

The students were already convinced, their eyes shining with admiration as they lined up without a word of protest.

“Alright, I’ll be waiting at the training grounds, so come in one by one.”

With those words, Lee Seok-Hyun headed toward the training grounds.

He couldn’t help but smile, watching the students, completely swayed by his words, abandon their initial intentions and obediently join the line.

‘This is too easy.’

It was a simple pleasure.

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Gainad finished his work and immediately headed to the training grounds.

As expected, he found students diligently honing their skills.

‘Some things never change.’

He couldn’t help but admire their dedication. Despite being given time to rest, they were already pushing themselves.

While it worried him to see them overexerting themselves, he couldn’t deny that this relentless pursuit of self-improvement was the essence of the academy.

Recognizing one’s shortcomings and striving to improve—that was the true value of education.

‘Perhaps I should offer some guidance… hm?’

As Gainad observed the students, ready to provide feedback, he noticed a peculiar sight.

‘Are they standing in line?’

He couldn’t tell from afar, but as he got closer, it became clear.

Students were patiently waiting in a long line to enter the training grounds.

With over a hundred training areas available at Mirinae Academy, waiting in line was a rare occurrence unless something major was happening.

And he soon discovered the reason.

‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’

The entire line was formed solely for the chance to spar with Lee Seok-hyun.

To his surprise, not a single student seemed to be there for any other reason. They all waited patiently, with serious expressions, for their turn to face him.

Judging by the number of students nursing injuries nearby, Lee Seok-hyun had already sparred with over ten people.

Yet, he showed no signs of fatigue, effortlessly handling each opponent.

‘He’s toying with them.’

While a tense, serious atmosphere pervaded the line outside, the atmosphere inside the training grounds seemed surprisingly relaxed.

That was because, despite their best efforts, the students were completely outmatched.

“You can’t approach me like that. Didn’t you see what happened to the last guy? When I move left, you need to move left as well, maintaining a circular distance. Understand?”

Don’t rush into my range before you were ready.

Lee Seok-hyun effortlessly countered his opponents while showering them with advice, the kind a professor would offer.

Even those with the advantage of longer reach were swiftly disarmed, and those charging like wild boars were skillfully evaded like a seasoned matador.

‘He never takes more than three steps back.’

The students might not have noticed, but Gainad, watching from above, could see it clearly.

No matter how aggressively they attacked, Lee Seok-hyun remained calm and composed, efficiently maintaining his optimal range. It was the epitome of controlled movement.

What was even more astonishing was that he did all this instinctively, without any guidance.

A mere first-year at Mirinae Academy.

“Seriously, who swings a sword like that? You’re just like Woo Do-hyun. Learn to abandon your sword when you’re too close! What are you going to do when I break your fingers like this?”

“Aaaagh! Aaaaah! Let go! Let go! I surrender! I surrender!”

Woo Do-hyun, resting in the corner, watched the spar and instinctively rubbed his fingers, his head bowed.

It seemed he’d fallen victim to the same tactic.

Witnessing that scene, Gainad couldn’t hold back his laughter.

“Pfft.”

“…?”

Perhaps he’d laughed too loudly. The attention of every student in the training ground immediately shifted toward him.

Gainad decided to seize the opportunity and made his way to the front of the line.

“I commend your dedication to training. However, I see room for improvement.”

His plan was perfect. He would guide and correct Lee Seok-hyun during the spar, ultimately winning him over to the martial arts department.

Gainad, envisioning a bright future, was about to approach Lee Seok-hyun when…

“Professor Gainad, I apologize, but…you have to wait in line.”

Bellos, who had been pushed to the back of the line, spoke up, stopping him in his tracks.

His words resonated with the other students, their eyes reflecting their disapproval of Gainad’s attempt to cut in line.

“…”

Thump, thump, thump.

Gainad, recognizing their sentiment, nodded and quietly joined the back of the line.

Thus, a bizarre scene unfolded—a professor waiting in line to spar with a first-year student.

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[Shio here~!

Seok-Hyun is actually a madman.]