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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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Lee Seong-hyun’s talent was… unremarkable.
His Unique Skill was subpar, his other skills mediocre. But…
‘…he was a genius.’
A combat genius.
He had an instinctive grasp of the flow of battle.
But his abilities were limited.
No matter how cleverly he strategized, one meteor from Han Yuri or a blast of Eternal Snow from Lee Seol could end it all.
Then he’d acquired Lightning God.
A weapon for the weak.
A source of power.
“What is… that…?”
“I never imagined Lee Seong-hyun could move like that…”
Lee Seong-hyun was using Lightning God to evade Lee Seol’s attacks.
Lee Seol’s monstrous skill activation speed.
Her versatility.
‘Honestly, she’s better at that than I am.’
She was her polar opposite. But Han Yuri thought,
‘Lee Seong-hyun isn’t bad either.’
Lightning God.
A skill that could shatter the mind and spirit.
“Professor Jeong, can you even see that…?”
“W-well…”
Even the A-rank professors could only follow the faint afterimages.
Monsters.
Lee Seong-hyun, with his incredible speed, was a monster.
But Lee Seol, keeping pace with him, was just as monstrous.
As Lee Seong-hyun accelerated, Lee Seol’s ice vines grew faster, keeping pace.
A clash of titans.
This was beyond…
“…a student-level spar.”
One professor muttered.
The others nodded silently in agreement.
Then, Lee Seong-hyun accelerated one last time, and…
…it was over.
For a single instant, Lee Seong-hyun’s sword had touched Lee Seol’s palm.
“I-it’s over…?”
“Well, well…”
The match had been decided in a single moment.
The professors chuckled, with a mixture of surprise and admiration in their eyes.
Some were clearly impressed, wanting him as their own disciple.
Others congratulated Irena on her choice.
But Han Yuri knew.
Lee Seol had held back.
She blamed herself for Lee Seong-hyun being trapped in the dungeon.
This was her chance to repay her debt.
That’s why she’d approached him.
To gain leverage.
‘It’s underhanded, but… it’s my way.’
Lee Seong-hyun had fought well.
Impressively so.
But Lee Seol was in a league of her own.
Absolute Zero.
A power that seemed to freeze time itself.
Han Yuri had deliberately omitted those videos.
She’d wanted him to despair, to give up.
She looked towards the arena.
A celebratory atmosphere.
In contrast, Lee Seong-hyun looked devastated.
“H-Hyeon-ah, why are you crying?”
He was weeping.
Head bowed, tears streaming down his face.
An expression of profound sorrow.
She didn’t know why he was crying. But…
‘…if it eased the hatred in your heart, even a little…’
…it was enough.
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The disciple appointment ceremony.
Today, Irena’s disciple would finally be announced.
Reporters and guild representatives flocked to the Academy.
The students didn’t know who it would be, but the reporters had already received the press release.
Perhaps that’s why they were scrambling for the best spots.
Reporter Kim was typing on his laptop when his friend, Reporter Choi, sat down beside him.
“Has it started yet?”
“Can’t you see?”
Reporter Kim continued typing, ignoring his friend.
Reporter Choi nudged him.
“Dude, why so glum? Something wrong?”
“I don’t know why I’m stuck covering some rookie’s disciple appointment ceremony. This isn’t even news.”
“You’ve been chasing Rankers for so long you’ve lost your touch.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Reporter Choi set up his camera.
“You know about the Baekho Guild’s downfall, right?”
“Who doesn’t?”
“Lee Seong-hyun brought them down.”
“What?! Is that confirmed?”
Reporter Kim’s jaw dropped. Reporter Choi grinned.
“Everyone who’s anyone knows it. Lee Seong-hyun has a close friend, Shin Su-yeon. Kim Seong-ho messed with her. A week later, everything went to hell. Kim Seong-ho, the Baekho Guild, everything.”
“How could a 20-year-old kid with no backing…”
“No backing?”
Reporter Choi chuckled and showed him three photos.
Lee Seol, Han Yuri, and Irena.
“The Academy and the Association simultaneously tore into the Baekho Guild. You know what that means, right?”
Even the oblivious Reporter Kim finally understood.
“So, the recent emission-type dungeon incident was related?”
“Yep. Rumor has it Han Yuri went ballistic at the scene, and even the retired Irena used her abilities. I don’t have all the details.”
“Insane…”
Reporter Kim finally understood why so many people were here for a simple disciple appointment ceremony.
And how out of touch he’d become.
“We will now begin the disciple appointment ceremony.”
A spark of excitement ignited in Reporter Kim’s eyes.
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Irena’s office.
She’d called me here before the ceremony.
I didn’t bother knocking. I just walked in.
“No knock?”
“I knocked with my heart.”
“Ha… fine.”
I sat down, and she poured me some Aether Tea.
Then, with a serious expression, she said,
“I called you here to discuss the ceremony.”
“…”
“There’s usually a part where family members or relatives present flowers and offer congratulations. But…”
She hesitated, then took my hand.
“According to the family registry you submitted, both your parents are deceased. And you don’t seem to have any siblings… Do you have any other relatives?”
“No.”
“Cousins are fine, too. Or even distant relatives…”
“No. No one.”
My voice was sharper than I intended.
Irena flinched.
“I don’t care about family congratulations. Just proceed with the ceremony.”
“Alright…”
The people on the registry were just stand-ins.
My real family would be watching from above, congratulating me.
I knew they would.
I changed the subject before Irena could dwell on it any further.
“Professor, can I ask you a favor related to our contract?”
The contract.
The agreement we’d made in the hospital room.
Irena’s expression turned serious.
“What is it?”
“Open the Hall of Challenges.”
“…”
The Hall of Challenges had been closed since Yeon Hyo-joo’s death.
I’d thought it would reopen eventually, but…
‘It’s been almost a month. What the hell?’
Irena looked apologetic.
“I’m sorry. That’s beyond my authority.”
“Even as acting principal?”
“Yes. For the Hall of Challenges, I need the approval of the entire faculty. Especially when it’s a matter of student safety.”
She explained why it was so difficult to reopen the Hall.
“We haven’t been able to determine the exact cause of Yeon Hyo-joo’s death.”
“Wasn’t it a transporter malfunction?”
“We couldn’t confirm it. The transporter artifact connected to that area was completely destroyed. We’re still investigating whether it was an isolated incident or a systemic problem. That’s why we’re postponing the reopening.”
She seemed optimistic, though.
“We’re currently inspecting all the transporters. Once that’s done, the other professors will likely change their minds. So please be patient.”
“Alright.”
“Thank you for understanding. We should get going. It’s almost time for the ceremony.”
“Okay.”
As I stood up, I noticed a small bottle on a shelf.
It was filled with white capsules.
“Is that medicine?”
“No, it’s just vitamins.”
“You’re at that age, huh…?”
“What was that?”
“Nothing.”
She quickly put the bottle in a drawer.
“Let’s go.”
“Okay.”
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All the first-year students were gathered in the auditorium for the disciple appointment ceremony.
A sense of anticipation hung in the air.
That feeling of hoping against hope, even when you know it’s unlikely.
“I’m betting on Lee Seol.”
“Nah, Han Yuri’s more likely, even though she’s D-rank.”
“I doubt they’d choose Han Yuri. She’s too much of a bitch.”
The popular choices were Han Yuri and Lee Seol.
The two most prominent students in our year.
Han Yuri nudged me, smirking.
“Are you offended that no one’s considering you?”
“Not at all.”
“Liar. It’s written all over your face.”
Han Yuri’s people-reading skills were clearly malfunctioning.
“Seong-hyun’s definitely a strong contender… These guys have no vision.”
“Look at her, defending her friend.”
“Yuri, you should support him. Maybe he’ll buy us drinks later!”
Their conversation made me chuckle.
Ten minutes later, Irena walked onto the stage.
“We will now begin the disciple appointment ceremony.”
A hush fell over the auditorium.
A palpable tension.
Some fidgeted nervously, others bounced their legs.
Secretly hoping it would be them.
“Lee Seong-hyun of Class 1-A, please come forward.”
A ripple of murmurs went through the crowd.
“What? Lee Seong-hyun? Well, if it’s him…”
“Unexpected, but I can see it.”
It was a surprise, but no one questioned Irena’s choice.
‘Guess beating up Kim Seong-ho paid off.’
Thanks to that, I walked onto the stage without a single objection.
Click, click.
Camera shutters clicked from all directions.
I stood on the stage, and Irena, with a complex expression, stood before me.
“I hereby appoint you as my disciple.”
She placed a ring on my right index finger.
A silver ring, the same color as her hair.
A symbol of my new status.
She clasped my hand, her eyes filled with a distant longing.
Again. She was seeing Lee Seong-yul in me.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
Tears filled with a complex mix of emotions.
“You know you’ll be the laughingstock of the Academy if you cry here, right?”
“…I’m not crying.”
She looked up at the ceiling, blinking back the tears, then gave me a bright smile.
“You’ve come this far.”
“We have.”
A short sentence, but filled with meaning.
When I first met Irena, I never imagined I’d become her disciple.
I hadn’t even thought we’d get along.
She wanted me to stop, I wanted to move forward.
We were incompatible.
In the end, she’d cursed me.
But now…
‘…she was supporting me.’
Helping me move forward safely, helping me reach greater heights.
She gave me a warm smile, the most beautiful smile I’d ever seen, and hugged me tightly.
“I look forward to working with you.”
Today, I became her disciple.
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Nice.