Among the majority of the great magic families, the most likely candidate to enter Geumgang Academy as the top-ranked freshman was believed to be Min A-rin of the Magecraft Min Family.
Her abilities were outstanding, and those regarded as her rivals all possessed noticeable shortcomings.
First was Yong Hae-rang of the Chivalric Yong Family. While he excelled in physical combat, he was clearly lacking when it came to strategy and intellect.
Second was Nam Yu-ri of the Transmutation Nam Family. According to rumors, she possessed talent across a wide range of disciplines, but her unpredictable personality made it unlikely for her to become valedictorian.
Third was Cha Eun-sol of the Cycle Cha Family, who fell into a similar category as Nam Yu-ri.
She was said to possess talent far surpassing that of any spirit contractor currently alive, yet she was equally infamous for her laziness.
Unless she experienced a drastic change of heart, there was no reason to believe she would put forth her full effort to claim first place.
Lastly, there was Do-gyeon-woo of the Divine Sword Do Family, whose true capabilities remained uncertain.
A rabbit and a lion cub.
With such contradictory nicknames, doubts about his actual strength were inevitable.
How much could a person truly change?
Even if the rumors were true, in an examination designed to assess overall aptitude, a swordsman was at a clear disadvantage compared to a mage.
The advantage lay unmistakably with Min A-rin.
For that reason, members of the magic families had confidently predicted that Min A-rin would claim the top spot upon admission.
However, their expectations were wrong.
She did not become the valedictorian.
“She didn’t come, did she? Was she not invited to the Noble Assembly? She should be from the same magic lineage as us…”
“She isn’t even from a magic noble family, and she’s backed by the Seven-Colored Witch and the Divine Sword Do Family.”
“That does make inviting her rather awkward.”
“….”
The disciple of the Seven-Colored Witch, Yeon-ha-neul.
Defying all expectations, the title of top-ranked freshman was given to her.
Worse still, since they belonged to the same magic lineage, Min A-rin lost even the top position within the magic division.
She did not even make it into the top ten of the entrance rankings.
“….”
The Noble Assembly hosted by the Magecraft Min Family.
Under normal circumstances, it would have been an occasion to praise Min A-rin and elevate the pride of the magic families.
Instead, the atmosphere of the banquet hall was dull and subdued.
People whispered cautiously, holding their tongues as they gauged Min A-rin’s mood.
“…This is suffocating.”
Min A-rin herself was far from pleased, though she knew exactly where she stood.
She felt ashamed of how she had carried herself with such confidence, as though her position as valedictorian was already assured.
No, it was humiliating.
Just imagining how those present might be judging her made her throat tighten with shame.
It was difficult to maintain her composure.
Her pride, her sense of self, was wounded.
If this gathering had not been hosted by her own family, she would have made an excuse and stayed away.
“If you ever need my help in the future, don’t hesitate to ask. I’ll make sure to help you then. I look forward to working with you.”
“Ah… thank you, senior. I hope I can be of help to you as well.”
At least one saving grace was that those who approached her were not tactless.
They refrained from saying anything unnecessary that might upset her.
Even so, Min A-rin’s feelings remained tangled.
“Even their consideration feels uncomfortable…”
She knew it was an ungrateful thought.
But with her towering pride, Min A-rin found it unsettling to be treated gently.
It made her feel as though she were standing beneath others when she should have been above them.
As though they were looking down on her.
“Are they offering kind words to my face while mocking me behind my back?”
At times, paranoid thoughts crept in.
Unable to face herself honestly, she began to doubt the goodwill of others.
She knew she should not think this way, yet having lived her life flaunting her prestige, it was not a habit easily broken.
Especially here, where she attended as a representative of her family, and where every word and action could be interpreted politically.
“I wonder what they’re doing right now… I just want this to end so I can go back.”
Without realizing it, her thoughts drifted to the people who brought her comfort.
Do-gyeon-woo and his friends.
“Dinner… I probably won’t be able to eat with them tonight.”
At first, she approached Do-gyeon-woo merely to provoke Yeon-ha-neul.
It had been nothing more than an emotional outlet.
That was why she had spent time with them not as Min A-rin of the Magecraft Min Family, but as Min A-rin, a classmate of Do-gyeon-woo.
Yet somewhere along the way, she had grown comfortable around them without even noticing.
So much so that she naturally began to think of them as friends.
Everyone except Yeon-ha-neul.
“I guess I’ll have to eat here. I won’t be able to eat more than bird feed anyway, with all these eyes on me…”
It was strange to realize she genuinely liked them.
Pushing those thoughts aside, she resolved to focus on her role.
That was when it happened.
“Oh my, A-rin! I’m a bit late, aren’t I? I’m sorry, the traffic was awful on the way here.”
“….”
The crowd suddenly split into two.
A beautifully dressed female student walked forward, her heels clicking crisply against the floor.
Students who appeared to be her attendants followed close behind.
“You’ll understand with your generous heart, won’t you? Just like how you generously gave up the valedictorian title.”
“Yang Ji-hui…”
Including the Magecraft Min Family.
The Mystic Yang Family, one of the Five Great Magic Families.
Yang Ji-hui, a direct descendant of that family.
She and Min A-rin had known each other since childhood, bound by a long-standing and unpleasant rivalry.
Min A-rin ground her teeth at Yang Ji-hui’s blatant provocation.
Seeing her reaction, Yang Ji-hui curled her lips into a smirk and continued.
“Still, I’m happy we get to attend the same academy. Now we can clearly compete to see who’s better. Or is it not you I should be competing with, but that Yeon-ha-neul instead?”
“Hah. As if she even knows who you are. With your skills, Yang Ji-hui, you wouldn’t stand a chance against me, let alone her.”
Flushed with anger at the provocation, Min A-rin sneered back, glaring with yellow eyes.
Yang Ji-hui irritated her to no end.
At the same time, she was angry with herself.
“This is so irritating.”
At herself for being looked down upon by Yang Ji-hui.
At herself for standing here in shame, having failed to become valedictorian.
Her pride burned.
An emotion that did not suit Min A-rin ignited within her.
Inferiority.
That feeling slowly began to gnaw at her heart.
* * *
Because she could not disobey her family’s orders, and because it sounded entertaining above all else.
Nam Yu-ri attended the Noble Assembly hosted by the Transmutation Nam Family on a whim.
What awaited her, however, was not an exhilarating experience that made her feel alive, but the responsibility of acting as the representative for first-year alchemy students, along with endless, tedious pleasantries.
“…This is boring.”
Initially intrigued, Nam Yu-ri quickly grew tired of the repetitive, stimulus-free routine.
She had reached the limit of her patience.
Since her family’s command was merely to attend the assembly, she decided to act however she pleased.
Slipping away from the third-year representative who had been guiding her, she surrendered herself to whatever her mood demanded in each moment.
Eating food that looked delicious, tasting alcohol, ignoring hierarchy to strike up conversations with oddly interesting students, or suddenly exposing embarrassing secrets of rival families that students held grudges against.
“The music feels a bit dull. Do you mind if I play something for a moment?”
She even snatched a violin from the orchestra performing in one corner of the hall.
Nam Yu-ri pressed the violin against her cheek and drew the bow with dynamic flair.
Ttanttara.
“….”
Nam Yu-ri possessed a deep understanding of music.
Not only music, but alchemy, herbalism, chemistry, art, magic, and more.
She had been designed to possess talent in countless fields.
Playing the violin was hardly a challenge for her.
After hearing a piece only once, she rearranged it and delivered a performance far beyond expectations.
“Ah, that was fun. Here you go. Thanks for letting me use your violin.”
“Ah…”
The people nearby, along with the orchestra, were utterly captivated by her performance.
The musician who received the violin back stood in a daze.
The shock that such fantastical sounds had come from his own instrument refused to fade.
And as he slowly came back to his senses, he realized the gap in talent.
Even if he lived his entire life, he would never be able to produce sounds like hers.
Despair washed over him.
From a mere student who aspired to be a hunter, he came to understand his own limits, and his passion for music was extinguished.
“Maybe… I should look for another path…”
What was nothing more than casual entertainment for Nam Yu-ri was a talent others could never attain, no matter how hard they tried.
Once again, without realizing it, she shattered someone’s dream.
The English word “Demonic,” meaning both genius and devilish.
To some, she was a genius.
To others, she was a demon.
Meanwhile, the third-year representative hurried to stop her rampage.
“Got you.”
“Huh? You caught me? Does that mean I’m ‘it’ now?”
“Do I look like I’m joking right now?”
“….”
“I told you to behave yourself. You’re supposed to become the first-year representative.”
Grabbing her firmly by one shoulder to stop her from escaping, the third-year representative scolded her sharply, his expression tense with suppressed anger.
Startled by his reaction, Nam Yu-ri lowered her head deeply.
Her grey hair fell forward, obscuring her face.
“You really have no sense of awareness at all… Do you even understand what this gathering means?”
“….”
“You know this is your debut. This is your first time stepping into the world and engaging in official external activities. And yet you’re acting without any sense of decorum. Do you think that’s acceptable? You’re the first-year representative. When you reach your third year, you’ll be someone who represents the collective will of everyone here. Do you understand? No matter how much you think your faction will take care of everything for you…”
The third-year representative seized the opportunity and did not stop lecturing.
She intended to use this moment to firmly establish the hierarchy between herself and Nam Yu-ri.
Contrary to her expectations, however, Nam Yu-ri had never been listening to her in the first place.
“Ah, this is tedious.”
For now, the other girl was still the third-year representative.
Nam Yu-ri merely pretended to listen in front of others.
And so, when the third-year representative grew agitated and was about to cross a line—
“So don’t cause trouble and just do as I say. I’m doing this for your own good. Come on, hurry up. We don’t have much time left, and we still need to go greet the others…”
“Are you ordering me around right now?”
Nam Yu-ri reacted instantly.
When she lifted her head, her violet eyes gleamed with a chilling light.
“I asked if you’re ordering me.”
“….”
“And who do you think you are? Are you the family head or something?”
Her tone was youthful, yet razor-sharp.
Startled by Nam Yu-ri’s overwhelming presence, the representative finally realized she had made a mistake.
The difference of two years did not determine hierarchy between them.
What truly defined rank was how much favour one received within the family.
And by that standard, Nam Yu-ri stood far above the representative.
No, not just her.
No one in their generation received treatment equal to Nam Yu-ri.
The artificial girl, Nam Yu-ri.
Because Nam Yu-ri had shown her formal respect, and because she had relied too heavily on the fact that she was the third-year representative, the girl had forgotten reality.
Trembling with unease, she cautiously opened her mouth.
“F-fine. If you don’t want to, then don’t.”
“….”
“Yu-ri, you just need to be the face of it all. I’ll take care of what needs to be done, along with the second-year representative and your faction. You can just… relax. As long as you don’t cause trouble for the family.”
“Really? Got it.”
Her pride was bruised, but it could not be helped.
Nam Yu-ri was dangerous.
Recalling the many unsettling stories surrounding Nam Yu-ri, the third-year representative swallowed her pride and chose to step back.
Meanwhile, Nam Yu-ri broke into a radiant smile, as though nothing had happened.
“Then that means I can go have fun, right? Thanks! I look forward to working with you.”
“Y-yeah… sure….”
It was a warning.
Never cross the line again.
* * *
The bison hunt began.
Since the gathering’s purpose was unity, everyone formed parties of their own to face the beasts.
I, too, joined the hunt alongside Do Si-eun and the triplets.
[You have encountered a monster.]
[Tear Bison (Rank 01) x 1]
Resembling a massive wild ox, the Tear Bison was a monster covered in black hide.
I faced the creature, which was crying tears with an enraged expression.
Mooooo!
“Up close, its muscles really are no joke.”
I hadn’t realized it from the side.
Its neck and foreleg muscles were so developed that when viewed from the front, it created the illusion that it filled my entire field of vision.
Its long, massive horns were equally intimidating.
The beast pawed at the ground, then lowered its horns and charged straight at me.
“No need to panic.”
Among Rank 1 monsters, it was considered relatively strong.
But it was still no match for me.
There was no reason to be frightened by its momentum.
I stayed calm and measured the distance between us.
And when it entered the range, I had envisioned <Beast King Style Attack Form, Second Stance>
Lion’s Claw Scar
With a single step, I kicked off the ground, slipped past its horns, and drove my navy blade deep into its flank.
Unable to stop its own momentum, the beast’s body split in half against my sword.
Mooooo…
It staggered past me before collapsing heavily onto the ground.
Its side, disintegrating into mana, was torn wide open.
I collected the fallen mana stone and glanced around.
“Everyone’s working hard.”
Though we were in parties, only Rank 1 bison inhabited the area.
So, we kept our distance from one another and acted independently.
That was only possible because we all had the ability to defeat Rank 1 monsters without overexerting ourselves.
No Hyo-won’s party nearby was following the same approach.
Mooooo!
No Hyo-won stood facing a Tear Bison.
Gripping her greatsword, she kicked off the ground to meet its reckless charge.
The mana within her body clashed with the mana in the air, igniting into flames.
Whoosh!
Crimson fire flared midair.
Moments later, it wrapped itself around her greatsword.
<Crimson Flow Attack Form, First Stance>
Sacred Bird Fireblade
No Hyo-won brought the flaming greatsword down on the beast’s neck.
The crimson flames transferred to its body, incinerating the corpse.
“So that’s Crimson Flame.”
Just as the Divine Sword Do Family had Azure Thunder.
The Crimson No Family possessed Crimson Flame.
Having only seen it in games before, witnessing Crimson Flame in reality for the first time, I paused to admire the embers dancing around her.
Then, the opposite side of my vision flashed.
Crackle!
Blue lightning erupted.
The sign of Azure Thunder.
I turned my gaze toward Do Seung-woo, who was unleashing it in the distance.
<Beast King Style Attack Form, Fourth Stance>
Lion’s Ash Pierce
With his party providing cover.
Do Seung-woo delivered a decisive strike to a Rank 2 monster, the Sweat Bison.
His sword pierced through the air, stabbed straight into the creature’s eye, and shattered its brain with Azure Thunder.
Mooooo…
The Sweat Bison collapsed to its knees before Do Seung-woo.
It was the first Rank 2 monster to be slain since the unity gathering began.
“He’s gotten more stable with Azure Thunder compared to the evaluation match. Still nowhere near my level, though.”
Since Do Si-eun and I had awakened Azure Thunder at twelve and fourteen, respectively, it felt less impressive.
But awakening it at sixteen, as Do Seung-woo had, was still considered fast.
If I hadn’t regained memories of my past life, he likely would have been evaluated as the family’s most promising prospect after Do Si-eun.
I watched him quietly.
“Our eyes met.”
Perhaps he sensed my gaze, because Do Seung-woo turned his head toward me.
We stared at each other for a moment, until he turned away first.
That was when the triplets butted in.
“Do-gyeon-woo, did you see those twin guys hanging around Do Seung-woo earlier?”
“They made eye contact with us.”
“They were smiling at us. With their eyes, they were looking down on us like, ‘We killed a Rank 2 first.’”
“Do Seung-woo’s lackeys.”
“Aren’t you, our lackey?”
“It’s different! We’re the lackeys of someone the Divine Sword Do Family actually has expectations for!”
“That puts us above them!”
“And yet they dare look down on us? Those guys with names that sound like they were made up on the spot!”
“What are their names, anyway?”
“We overheard them earlier, and they were super weird.”
“Don’t laugh when you hear this!”
“Kim Il-sik, Kim I-sik, and Kim Sam-sik!”
“Don’t those sound like names meant for disposable side characters?”
“Their parents must’ve been so lazy when naming them!”
“Uh… yeah… sure….”
Woo Geum-dong, Woo Eun-dong, Woo Dong-dong.
In my opinion, the triplets’ names weren’t much different.
Gold, Silver, Bronze.
They sounded like names parents might slap together without much thought.
“Well, at least they’re easy to remember. Gold, Silver, Bronze.”
Still, I couldn’t bring myself to criticize the triplets’ names.
Even if the triplets had wronged me at times, their parents had always treated me well.
I couldn’t insult them.
“Anyway! We need to show them that we can take down a Rank 2 monster too!”
“This is a competition we can’t lose!”
“Do-gyeon-woo, you stay there! As your lackeys, we’ll lure a Rank 2 monster over!”
The triplets burned with enthusiasm.
Working together flawlessly, they cleared out the surrounding bison.
And then—
“I-it’s here! A Rank 2!”
“Do-gyeon-woo! Hurry up and come over! Let’s fight it!”
“We’ll show them what we can do!”
As the number of Tear Bison decreased, a Sweat Bison appeared.
As if they had been waiting for this, the triplets rushed forward and swung their swords.
Mooooo!
But a Rank 2 monster was more than they could easily handle.
They adopted a strategy of wearing it down through three-person coordination, yet fatigue gradually slowed their movements.
“Hey! We said Help us already!”
“Why are you just standing there watching?!”
“Hurry up and get over here! Please!”
Whether the triplets shouted or not.
I simply stood there and watched them fight.
After finishing her own battle, Do Si-eun approached me and tilted her head.
“Aren’t you going to help them?”
“I will, but I want to watch a bit longer. They’re exaggerating. Even without me, the three of them are strong enough to finish it.”
“Hmm… I guess you’re right. Their swords are shaking a lot, but they’re still covering and blocking the right points. Their coordination is excellent.”
“Their teamwork really is impressive, right?”
“Yeah. It’s like watching hyenas hunt… no, more like lionesses working together.”
Lions are social animals, and their groups are called prides.
And within a pride, it’s usually the lionesses who hunt.
The triplets had trained under me for five years and learned the tactics of lionesses.
They were still mutts at heart, but vicious ones now.
If they truly committed to their coordination, defeating even a strong Rank 2 monster like the Sweat Bison was not impossible.
In fact, the beast was already dying.
Its body staggered heavily.
“About time I stepped in.”
I had seen enough of the triplets’ coordination.
Satisfied with their performance, I joined the battle.
Crackle!
Azure Thunder gathered along my navy blade.
The Sweat Bison noticed me.
[You have encountered a monster.]
[Sweat Bison (Rank 02) x 1]
<Beast King Style Attack Form, Fifth Stance>
Lion’s Fierce Assault
The moment the message appeared, I slashed diagonally with a sword crackling with blue lightning.
Azure Thunder struck.
The combined force of blade and lightning severed the last thread of life the monster possessed.
“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?!”
“You didn’t come when we called you, so why show up when it’s about to die?!”
“We almost killed it ourselves!”
Ignoring the triplets’ protests.
I picked up the fallen mana stone.
Then I replied as though it were obvious.
“Shouldn’t you give the finishing blow to the carrot owner? I’m the one who gets the last hit.”
“…Wow.”
“Do-gyeon-woo’s personality…”
“He’s seriously insane…”
What’s wrong with my personality?
I honestly don’t get it.
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