Chapter 285

Nobody in the training hall could easily open their mouths.

The difference in physique between Name and the middle school students was such that even David and Goliath would take a backseat.

At least David was a sturdy young man who could take down lions and bears, but Name appeared to those around her as just a weak child, nothing more, nothing less.

“Ah… no… how…?”

Even Professor Cheon Kyujin, who typically accepted anything about Name with indifference, was shaking his hands.

“Cheon Byeongho! What on earth have you taught Name!”

“I don’t know! That’s her Unique Magic!”

“What? That? Is that Unique Magic? Name?”

Headmaster Ku Weonyu covered his mouth with his hand, looking seriously at Name.

The two Altair students fell without putting up any notable resistance.

In a brief span of three minutes, an unbelievable scene unfolded.

Not only was Name capable of manifesting Aura outside her body, but she also seemed to handle it skillfully.

The instantaneous speed of her double casting was so fast that even active battle mages could not replicate it.

“This is…”

Extremely dangerous.

The emotions Headmaster Ku felt when he first encountered Ham Choroong forty years ago resurfaced.

It held ambiguous meanings.

One indicated that the child wielding such absurd power posed a danger to those around her, and the other was a concern about the possibility of such a child being exposed to a dangerous situation.

“Name won…?”

“What kind of magic is that…?”

“Did she really take down those kids who were so strong earlier?”

“What’s with those horns…”

Her eyes frantically darted back and forth.

Throughout the audience, lost gasps flowed in waves.

The result was shocking, whether one understood magic or not.

“This is unbelievable! She won! The participant No Name from Sephiron took down two seniors who are seven years older than her!”

“I can confidently say that the viewers are witnessing a historic moment! Have you seen a small eight-year-old girl in Korea managing Aura outside her body? I thought it was like the second coming of Jesus!”

“There has never been such an anomaly in the history of the Academy Confrontation! Yes, I assure you! The world may buzz from this evening onwards!”

“The external manifestation of Aura, double casting, and moreover, the advanced 0-circle magic of circuit reconstruction, all while drastically conserving mana, were truly amazing. Even! The participant No Name has hardly used her mana! The remaining durability of the barrier is announced to be 99% for small particles and 96% for large particles, showing a practically perfect game. Is this student really only eight years old? The term genius is no longer enough for her!”

The commentary box was in a similar uproar.

They stood up from their chairs, trying to see Name up close.

On top of that, streaming apps, including Twish, crashed, sending people flocking to the broadcasting.

More than ten million global viewers gathered, even excluding China, Russia, and the Middle East.

Amidst the global attention, she got up with her hands on the ground.

[Spell: Simple Casting]

From the ochre-colored earth emerged an extremely crude-looking great sword.

Its size could very well rival her height.

The two Altair students watched the scene with emotionless expressions.

“Could you even swing something that heavy?”

Joyhwan Benedikt’s granddaughter, Joseon Yeon, instead of getting scared, spoke with a teasing tone, her bright red lips moving.

“Of course.”

With the help of the Demon Lord’s hand, she wielded a great sword that her slender frame could hardly handle.

A long shadow crossed the training hall and fell at their feet.

“Why not promote yourself as a child of Satan to the whole world?”

“Isn’t this the age when seniors enjoy such things? Have you graduated from being a middle schooler?”

“Name, I’m really worried about you, you know. God might smite you for playing around like this.”

“Smite? I was punished by God from the moment I was born for something I never did.”

Kuwung-!

With an unyielding thrust, Name drove the great sword into the cold ground and suddenly frowned.

“Are you saying that being trapped in a capsule is all part of God’s will?”

There was no answer.

The end of the conversation marked the beginning of the clash.

The gazes that intersected in the middle faltered.

A cascade of holy light surged from Lee Jaehwan and Joseon Yeon and split into two different paths.

Dududududu—

Each stomp vibrating on the ground resonated against the outer wall.

Toward the bright line of light, a colossal hand swung the great sword horizontally.

Buwoong—

Though slow, it was anything but light due to its weight.

A fierce wind rushed toward the students, tousling their neatly arranged hair.

Lee Jaehwan, who dove between the gaps of the great sword, concentrated Aura into a single point by overlapping his index and middle fingers and stabbed.

Kagagak-!

Like being stabbed by a massive syringe, gaps opened up that pierced through the great sword and hand.

Joseon Yeon slipped into the perfect crevice created by Lee Jaehwan.

She presented her pale palm to the pre-engraved magic circle, infusing it with mana.

[Spell: Longinus’s Spear]

Kugugugeung-!

The holy spear of light that pierced Jesus Christ,

Pierced through the great sword and the Demon Lord’s hand, striking boldly toward Name.

In a delayed reaction, his hand regenerated, gripping the tip of the spear.

In this tense situation, a taut balance of power was created.

Even upon seeing the sharp blade just inches away, Name didn’t blink an eye.

There was no room to catch her breath.

“What foolishness.”

In that fleeting moment, Name severed the hand gripping the great sword and released a new Aura.

Aura bubbled up from her back as a single wing sprang forth, enveloping her.

The spear of Longinus, which had been diving like a bullet, struck the Aura’s wing with a smack.

Joseon Yeon let go of the spear’s grip and distanced herself from Name, landing on the ground with Lee Jaehwan.

In the renewed gaze they shared, Joseon Yeon wore a more cunning smirk.

“And soon thereafter, blood and water flowed forth. Boom.”

[Chain Casting: Longinus’s Spear – Explosion]

Kwaaaang-!

The overwhelming brightness erupting from the spear tip created a massive explosion that tormented the eyes and eardrums of the audience.

“Those who wish to serve Satan shall suffer divine retribution! Receive God’s punishment! Hahaha!”

Joseon Yeon raised her arms and let out a maniacal laugh.

Peng-!

Perverbeng-!

Following it, a torrent of wine-colored water erupted, meeting the air and causing numerous chain explosions.

The continuing explosions created a serene occurrence, causing Lee Jaehwan to twitch his eyebrows.

“Any reaction yet?”

“… Yeah.”

“Quite resilient. Alright, leave the rest to me.”

“You’re being smug.”

Lee Jaehwan immediately knelt, burying five fingers in the sandy ground.

[Creation: Barrier Establishment]

[General Spell: Redwood Barrier]

A dome enveloped the explosion point.

Mana threads resembling the roots of the sequoia tree erupted from the ground.

Chwaaaak-!

A colossal whip ruthlessly struck down on Name from within the thick blood fog.

As the dome shrank in size, the roots stood densely within the barrier.

“Name!”

“No Name!”

Unlike outside the training hall, voices from the audience rang clear inside.

Name’s name echoed several times from the spectators’ seats.

They were genuinely worried about the child being beaten by the third-year middle school students.

“Don’t resist, just give in. Somehow she’s tougher than Lee Min-young.”

Joseon Yeon scratched her itchy neck with an annoyed voice.

Indeed, the Redwood Barrier and Longinus’s Spear were excessive measures to cast against a young child.

But since they had decided to unleash the magic they had kept hidden, they had to show an overwhelmingly powerful sight.

That was the only way to uphold the dignity of the Green Party’s leader and the Cardinal.

Even if the opponent was an eight-year-old child.

Neither Lee Jaehwan nor Joseon Yeon showed any signs of worry or guilt on their faces.

“What a pity. I was planning to play with her more. Is she unexpectedly weak?”

“I’m exhausted from running around after such a long time. Judge, please open the curtain quickly! What the hell is going on with my head?”

As the two students turned toward the waiting room, they suddenly hesitated.

A frightening killing intent gripped their ankles.

[Spell: Arabesque Knot – Water]

“Kyahhh!”

“Joseon Yeon?”

“Keheh!”

Kudangtang-!

Joseon Yeon, who fell on her backside, was dragged toward the center of the training hall like a magnet.

She gasped for breath, holding her tightening neck as her face turned increasingly red.

Her excessively blood-pumped head felt like it was about to explode.

“Earth gives rest to the dead, gold gives respite to the fleeing, and water gives consciousness to the seducer.”

“Guhhh… you insane…!”

“Is it okay to deceive the public with only an explosive magic using ethylene oxide and propylene, saying it’s divine punishment?”

“Cough! Cough cough! You little demon! Let go of me right now!”

Losing her composure, Joseon Yeon rolled on the ground, attempting to unravel the threads.

Each time she struggled, Name tightened her grip on the threads around Joseon Yeon’s neck, and her resistance slowly ceased.

“Thinking about it again, it’s quite exhausting to face two at once. Let’s do it one by one.”

[Spell: Simple Casting]

[Unique Magic – Esteria Ryu Style 1st Form – Adella]

Once more, she drew a club-shaped sword.

This time, she chose a blade that matched her height.

With her knees bent in a knightly stance, Name captured the magic circle on the tip of the sword, aiming it at Lee Jaehwan’s head.

A serene silence filled the hall, which had descended into chaos.

She took a short step forward and then two steps back.

In time, the sword danced gently along with her movements.

Like a sword dance, her graceful motion captivated everyone’s gaze.

But the beginning and the end of the movement were distinctly clear.

Bang-!

The refreshing sound of hammering on an anvil.

Bang-!

Not fast, but agile.

Bang-!

Not strong, but decisive.

Name’s attacks landed perfectly; if not for sheer power, there was nothing to criticize.

‘Where on earth did she learn to wield a sword…? Wait a minute, a sword…?’

Lee Jaehwan belatedly recognized that this was part of Adella’s preparation process.

He bit his teeth tightly and hurriedly began drafting the barrier spell.

His fingernails scraped against the ground, becoming ragged.

But when Adella’s magic circle clicked into place after a full rotation,

The tidal wave of mana that had circled several times came crashing like a tempest.

[Unique Magic – Esteria Ryu 1st Form]

[Adella – 20 Strikes]

[Break]

Chwajazazajak-!

“How could this be…!”

The root of life he had created was mercilessly severed by the straight sword strike.

The blade, sharpened to the extreme, slipped through the unsteady barrier.

Lee Jaehwan’s eyes widened in shock.

“I can’t accept this. How could she… perform such magic alone…!”

Geniuses may be abundant in this world, but Lee Jaehwan was one of them.

In the academic rankings that fluctuated, he always maintained the top tier.

For what purpose…?

The dream of mages to create their own Unique Magic was achieved by No Name at merely eight years old.

“Then what have I been doing at the academy all this time?”

Jealousy stirred in his heart.

“She’s not human, I guarantee you that. If she loses today, she’ll never win again.”

“Ugh! I can’t lose like this! No way!”

Shuaaa!

Lee Jaehwan, who unleashed all his Aura, propelled himself out of the range of the sword strike.

“…!”

At that moment, while Name’s attention was diverted, Joseon Yeon seized her leg and immobilized her movement.

Stumbling, No Name barely regained her balance.

“Lee Jaehwan! Now’s your chance!”

There wasn’t even a moment to think.

He charged toward the girl who seemed to personify the word ‘talent.’

“Ahhhhh!”

Letting out a desperate scream, he swung his arms back and forth with all his might.

The most crucial magic at that moment was not the strongest magic learned at the academy or the most complex magic taught in the party,

But rather, the magic most familiar to him, learned from searching the Internet since childhood.

[Spell: Ignition]

Fhurrrk—

A flaming ball enveloped his entire body.

Lee Jaehwan’s large particle barrier was being chipped away in real-time.

At this rate, he would be disqualified before reaching Name.

But if he could only deliver a defeat to that child!

A resolute gaze locked with Name’s.

In a confined space, it would be nearly impossible to respond to a reckless self-destructive attack.

Especially, considering his shorter stature.

“That’s awesome. A real man fights like that.”

The last question bloomed in Lee Jaehwan’s mind.

Where on earth did that composure come from, given that everything was constricted?

The answer hovered above her head,

“No, look higher.”

It was in her horns.

Above Name’s head, a 2nd Circle magic circle was being unconsciously drawn.

Due to the collision energy of positive ions, the negative pole heated up, raising the temperature.

Electrons emitted from both horns generated bright sparks,

And the extremely intense mana condensed above her head was released all at once.

[Unique Magic – Demon Lord’s Horn]

[Spell: Arc Discharge]

Parzizizizik-!

“Uuuaaaah!”

Lee Jaehwan let out an unbearable scream.

Name suddenly knocked him down, sending his knees to the floor.

His face smashing against the ground silenced him as if it was a lie.

All Name wanted was for the provided barrier at the tournament to do its job effectively.