Chapter 481

The schedule for the day is conducted exactly like the actual National Exchange Tournament.

An outdoor large screen was playing videos from last year’s National Exchange Tournament, showing their sincere commitment to the reconstruction.

Instead of a meal, I took calorie pills and moved to the training hall.

This is because it requires a procedure called ‘steeping.’

During the three weeks of the tournament, participants need to compete up to eight times, which makes it difficult to recover mana and aura.

Thus, all participants immerse themselves in a specially processed high-concentration magic spring just before the match to replenish their depleted mana and aura.

It’s not painful; I’ve heard it feels like taking an ice-cold bath in Lake Alaska.

In the changing room, I changed my clothes and wrapped a white towel around my head.

According to TreeWiki, it surprisingly makes you sweat a lot.

[No Entry Except for Authorized Personnel]

When I went to the magic replenishment room in the basement of the stadium, many representatives from national teams were gathered there.

The facility looked just like a public bathhouse.

But everyone was dressed in elegant suits, and I alone was wearing a brown spa outfit, which felt a bit out of place.

“Nona-me athlete has arrived!”

“Oooh!”

“Nona-me athlete, come this way!”

“She’s much smaller than I expected.”

“However, according to international evaluations…”

“Eek, so cute…!”

The coaching staff listed precautions just before entering the magic spring.

“If you feel tightness in your chest or difficulty breathing, do not hesitate to tell us immediately. Please slowly immerse your hands and feet before going in.”

I glanced at the bath.

It doesn’t seem that dangerous, does it?

It looked no different from the puddles commonly seen during the rainy season in my previous life.

“Wow, Nona-me-noma-nomeniim!”

A girl with long hair, who was already in the magic spring, walked through the water with flowing movements.

She was a girl with a sweet yet overall cute appearance resembling a puppy.

“Hello.”

“Cough! Oh, I’m sorry, water went up my nose. You’re so, so cute in person!”

Love Kim rubbed her sharp nose and smiled sweetly.

Weren’t both of her parents battle mages?

From just her looks, she surprisingly didn’t seem to be cut out for a combat specialty.

“Ugh, it’s cold.”

I dipped just my big toe into the magic spring.

“Shall I hold your hand?”

“It’s okay.”

“Oh, don’t be so modest, heehee.”

Love Kim quickly stood up.

“You’re… a bit tall, aren’t you?”

“Pardon? Haha! I’m a bit taller than others. Just a tiny bit?”

With a strong build of 177cm, a baby-like face sat on top.

But it did not give off a sense of imbalance. She was simply pretty, perhaps.

Her broad shoulders, inverted-triangle back, and muscular arms definitely gave off the vibe that she was a magic duel athlete.

Emika had put on quite a bit of muscle right before her matches too.

“Hey, Love Kim athlete! Make sure to immerse yourself properly up to your neck!”

At the coaches’ shouts, Love Kim quickly dunked herself up to her nose.

Ignoring the cautions, I climbed up the stairs and entered the bath immediately.

The water wasn’t too deep, and it was just right as I stood straight.

“Namae!”

Plop—

Turning my head, Love Kim poked my left cheek with her finger.

“Kyaahaha! So cute…! Your skin is all soft like a baby!”

“I’m still quite young.”

“Then can I speak informally with you, Namae?”

“Yes, as you wish.”

“Touching this feels like I could get addicted to it. Hehe, so soft and squishy.”

“Your skin is nice too, Love.”

I pulled her hand away and said.

“No, my skin turns red easily; I have a few freckles under my eyes. I like Nema’s mochi-like cheeks more. Wow, this is like mochi-ride-of-huda, have you ever eaten mochi-ride-of-huda, Namae?”

“I’m not quite sure what that is.”

Once again, her hand squished my cheek.

I wondered if she was a bit clueless, or if she was doing it on purpose despite knowing.

Fortunately, the general manager of the national team, William Robinson, approached us and swatted away the giant flies.

“Welcome to the training camp. I am William Robinson, GM of the Korean national team. Since we’re steeping, let’s skip the handshake.”

“I’m Nona-me. I’m not officially joined yet, though.”

“Of course, if you’re a player, you should have that kind of spirit. I really like your first impression.”

“You don’t seem to have any hard feelings about me potentially ruining your joint training plan?”

William Robinson turned his gaze from the documents to me.

“What’s wrong with a capable player coming back from a month-long break?”

“Uhm.”

“As long as Nona-me is genuinely a capable player. The truth will soon be revealed.”

Looks like he’s really set on being prepared for today’s duel.

Love Kim cheerfully told me about the training she underwent over the past month.

“Good thing you arrived late, Namae. The training was really hell, I mean, torture… But at least our coaches are sharp, so that’s one good thing.”

“Is that so?”

“I know everything about you now. What primary hand and foot you use, your average casting speed, accuracy, aura equilibrium, and even your tactical decision-making preferences. Just to mention one, Namae—you only cast with your left hand when holding a sword, right? Because it’s always more efficient.”

“You’ve prepared quite thoroughly. Knowing the enemy is important, but you shouldn’t get too caught up in it.”

“I can do that. Honestly, in terms of objective strength, I’m ahead of you, Namae. So by minimizing variables one by one, it’s beneficial to my win rate.”

“How did you assess your objective strength?”

“What do you mean by that? Of course, it’s Aura Heart… Didn’t you know that basic one? After the duel, I’ll teach you everything my sister taught me.”

“Hmph, first, you need to beat me. I wish you luck.”

Another friend of mine is oblivious of their own height.

Where do they find all these interesting kids to send down here?

I almost want to create a nonexistent deity to express my gratitude.

Love Kim finished steeping and came out.

The magic replenishment room was quiet with all the coaches having left.

So this is what it means to be cared for from head to toe.

I couldn’t live like that; it felt unbearably burdensome.

As time passed, sweat began to drip down my face.

The mana filled my aura heart, causing my body to heat up.

I circulated mana to the seven sections of my aura heart, steadily storing energy.

After an hour,

Two hours,

After two hours and fifty minutes, a new sight opened up before me.

It was as if the magic of the Demon Lord’s horn was vividly visible.

The replenishment room door opened, and Love Kim returned from lunch.

“You’re still here? What are you going to do if you overcharge! Wait a moment; I’ll call the coaches.”

So meddlesome.

Anyway, the excess mana will be eaten away by the erosion, so it doesn’t matter.

I stepped out of the bath and squeezed out the water my hair absorbed.

My fingers and toes had gotten wrinkly.

[Arrogance: Hibirisu]

I tried to manipulate the erosive aura, but indeed, Hibirisu’s did not activate.

Surely, the main body remains inside me, so has the initiative gone over there?

This quantum-mechanical unknown presence is truly perplexing.

“It’s okay, Love. I’m used to overcharging, you know.”

* * *

Unlike Love Kim, who devoured Nutella, bananas, and honey rice cakes, I skipped lunch.

It’s personally difficult for me to concentrate if my stomach feels heavy during a fight.

“The duel starts today and will be best out of three rounds. Nona-me.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“We will not revoke your national representative qualification, but if you lose this match, you must follow our training without complaint. Do you understand?”

“I don’t mind what conditions you add to that.”

“And Love Kim. If you win this match, the rental period for the signed artifact will not be until the National Exchange Tournament, but until you reach adulthood. Regardless of future results.”

“Yes! That’s amazing! The one and only limited edition made by Levieth…!”

“Oh, that was mentioned in the article earlier—”

“Nona-me!”

General Manager shouted loudly.

“Yes?”

“Let’s cut down on the talk and get serious about the match. When dueling, think of the opponent as a person who’s sold out their country! Practice like it’s combat! Combat like it’s practice!”

“GM, that’s too much! Am I Yi Wan Yong?”

“Haha…”

Love Kim had no clue.

That was returned because the UK refused to make it.

Before entering the training hall, she patted my shoulder and posed in a fighting stance.

“Let’s have a good duel! Just because I think Namae is younger doesn’t mean I’ll go easy on you!”

“I was going to give you a little leeway, but if you keep this up, I can’t.”

“Kyaahaha! So cute!”

“Ugh, stop pinching my cheeks. Isn’t that a foul before we even begin fighting?”

I’ll just endure it. She’s a good kid.

It’s not that she lacks manners; she’s simply a bit clueless.

“15 minutes, 10 minutes break, 15 minutes, with a no-hands rule. If there are no objections, please head to your designated spots.”

Love Kim went to Area A, and I walked about 50 paces to settle in Area B.

It was about the distance between first and second base in baseball.

Suddenly, a cover in the floor opened, and a barrier crystal protruded upwards.

I placed my hands on the barrier to charge it.

One by one, officials from the tournament audience gathered in the stands.

Among them was Principal Park Tae-Seok, from the Busan Aspen Academy, whom I previously met.

The crystal buried itself back underground.

Love Kim was warming up her aura heart.

The blood-red mana surged violently within her abdomen.

What kind of material is contained in that aura? How strong can it be?

What expression would she make when that child who thought of herself as a genius is helplessly trampled?

Anticipation for the upcoming duel soaked into my breath, and I exhaled in ecstasy.

“Ah, I’m going crazy.”

* * *

During the 10-second countdown, for 5 seconds, Noma was standing still, not moving at all.

Occasionally, children not used to dueling get so nervous that they can’t hear the beep.

But even Love didn’t think Noma would be that kind of person.

“How dare you start warming up so late in front of me? Noma, is this real? Oh, I didn’t notice when watching it on broadcast, but experiencing it, it feels frustrating…!”

Love Kim gritted her teeth.

She had heard from the trainers multiple times how crucial the battle in the early stages was.

She was expecting a fierce competition on equal footing.

However, Noma’s provocation, giving a handicap from the start, threw all her plans into disarray.

The innocent and pure expression on Noma’s face, as if she knew nothing, ignited inner rage.

“Yes, this is a duel. Duel, duel, duel.”

Since I have a handicap, I must decisively win, and that too, overwhelmingly.

[2]

[1]

[Unique Magic: Rozeus Panthera]

Vweeeng—!

I shot a scarlet mana beam towards Noma.

The grassfield burned black along the beam’s path, crackling with flames.

[Cast: Total Reflection]

With a simple total reflection spell, Noma deflected the beam back 180 degrees.

But that was exactly the intended opening of Rozeus Panthera.

Absorbing the mana of the total reflection magic circle, Noma increased the beam’s power by twofold, absorbing it within her body.

The absorbed mana was expelled through her hands and feet, creating a powerful localized barrier.

[Delayed Cast: @*@#&*%]

[Delayed Cast: @##@$##]

Love secretly trapped two spells and dashed in for close combat.

“Raaahh!”

The scarlet mana wrapped around her hand transformed into weapons as the situation demanded.

With a spiked mace in her right hand, she mercilessly swung towards Noma’s head.

Kwahh–!

Noma’s body was pushed back significantly as she crossed her arms in an X to defend.

It wasn’t as significant as I expected but evidently caused meaningful damage to the barrier.

Love rushed forward, maintaining a 5m distance.

Then, Noma’s body, which had been pushed back, strangely twisted and sprang forward as if defying the laws of physics.

[Manifestation: Neodymium]

[Cast: Magnetization – Rozeus Panthera]

An unprecedented situation unfolded where the unique magic magic circle became a powerful magnet.

“This is insane…! What the hell is this!”

It was enough to elicit swearing.

The two girls’ bodies were gradually pulled towards the center.

[Cast: Forging – Lance]

Noma pulled out a sharp and long spear from the ground.

A smile that couldn’t be hidden appeared on the small girl’s lips.

“If you don’t dodge, you’ll get hurt?”