*
Chapter 225: Preparing for the Vote.
*
There was immense pain in the Martial Artist Guild, but it was worth it.
*
“Huheeek… heuk.”
“Ugh-ooohk!”
Hyeji and Elcia were half-conscious.
In contrast, thanks to multiple stamina transitions, I was still standing strong.
I was filled with delight at the fact that I could satisfy them and still be upright.
[Must you struggle so hard to win!]
‘Winning? There’s no victory or defeat here. It’s just love.’
But Piece’s critique didn’t stop.
[Plus, why not just use tools?]
‘Oh! Who uses tools in sacred acts of sex! Such blasphemous talk!’
What is sex?
It’s a dialogue of love that bodies can share and an emotional exchange with the partner.
It’s not an act of victory or defeat.
There’s no winning or losing when sharing love.
Besides, do you think relying solely on tools to try and win here?
That’s no longer an act of love.
It’s just a sport.
[Just look at the guy who used doping before and is talking big now!]
‘What are you saying? Doping is legal!’
By the way, doping is now legal.
Of course, drugs are still illegal.
Only some hormone-related drugs are allowed.
That alone has led to significant societal changes.
In many ways, actually.
The catalyst was the Olympics.
At the point when numerous Awakeners appeared.
Olympics conducted by ordinary people no longer stimulated anyone.
Instead, Hunter broadcasts became far more stimulating, with betting on who lives and dies in this crazy world.
Naturally, interest in the Olympics would fall.
So, a rule emerged to revive the Olympics before its lifeline snapped.
That is, who could take drugs better and withstand them.
By breaking the limits of human ability through doping, the Olympics began to draw interest again.
Though the average lifespan of athletes did drop a bit.
[What’s a little about dying in your 30s!]
‘Right? Who told us to live life like a candle and not like fireworks?’
Also, bodybuilding showcased the limits of the human body.
There were broadcasts exploring the changes when hormones were administered.
Recently, some men even ingested female hormones and became what’s called a “Boy’s Love” Virtual YouTuber.
Anyway, doping is completely legal now.
In fact, you could argue doping in sex isn’t a problem at all.
[Considering that Gates and Hunters exist, it’s not surprising to have doping be legal!]
‘…Don’t poke at the essence of the story, damn it.’
Anyway.
Besides, it’s said that the more you continually switch between magical power and stamina, the total amount of magical power gradually increases.
Which means no more squeezing every day.
I finally became the protagonist of a Harem story.
[Kim Shinwoo, finally a person.]
‘Finally a protagonist, you damn dog.’
However, what I overlooked was.
“Heehee. So weak! This is the level of you and me.”
“……”
“……”
That provoking was not a good idea.
At that moment, Hyeji, who had been trembling, began to rise.
“Ahh. I understand.”
“H-Hyeji?”
And finally.
“I have no reason not to kill.”
“Mother.”
Hyeji awakened.
But that wasn’t the end.
“My husband is a god.”
“…All of a sudden?”
Before I knew it, Elcia had risen and sat up.
Then she too blurted out.
“And today, I’m going to kill the god.”
“Oh, damn.”
They completed their awakening.
[These days, even Demon Kings don’t give Hero Awakening events; how foolish!]
‘Damn it, I didn’t read web novels lately, I didn’t know the trends.’
Thus began the second round.
“Recite a haiku.”
“Call me Kratos!”
Fortunately, Hyeji and Elcia fainted again.
But this time, I also collapsed, caught between them.
That night, I realized.
The road of the protagonist is still long and arduous.
[Idiot bastard.]
‘Shut up.’
*
Not much time was left until voting day.
Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, none of the other candidates had withdrawn yet.
It was quite beneficial for me.
[Isn’t it bad for you to lose votes?]
‘Instead of a single vote, dispersing votes from those who dislike me is more effective.’
And with this many candidates, there’s a rule activated in the Academy.
That is.
Toto.
Just like the crazy betting addicts, they also hold Toto on who will win, not just from fights.
The odds are assigned based on the likelihood of candidates winning.
[Is this a damn Hunter Academy or a Toto Academy!]
‘Just think of it as slapping a Hunter skin on it.’
This time, they used the Academy app to select a candidate for betting.
But a slightly different situation unfolded this time.
“Shinwoo, this is kind of strange for you.”
“Right? I didn’t think of this at all.”
“Though they say I’m your partner, I never would’ve imagined this.”
“I feel weird saying this too, but why is your winning chance the highest?”
The fact that my odds were significantly low meant, in other words, my chance of winning was high.
Of course, I didn’t expect this.
Kim Shinwoo Law.
The crackdown on drug users and animal enthusiasts.
And the rapid rise in rankings.
All of these factors contributed to my high evaluation.
It seems the AI set my odds high.
‘After all, the only one who recognizes my value is the AI.’
[Isn’t the AI broken? How can someone like you be highly rated? It’s not fitting for a story at all.]
‘Shut your mouth, you damn girl.’
Still, it wouldn’t have been possible without the heroines, so I expressed my gratitude.
“It’s all thanks to you guys. Thank you.”
“If you’re thankful, repay me tonight.”
“Today, I’m definitely going to kill the god!”
“Damn.”
I shouldn’t have said that.
Anyway, things weren’t looking too bad right now.
Moreover, the opinions of second-year students were largely tilted towards me.
One could argue that it was only natural.
Although I proposed an early graduation promise.
Above all, the heroines had worked hard in this process.
“Shinwoo, I got the addresses of almost all the second-year brats. I told them that if they don’t vote properly, democracy will pay them a visit.”
“Husband! I stealthily took the students’ mobile phones so they’d go all-in for you!”
“If you don’t vote for him, I’ll register you on the blacklist!”
“…Is this really normal promotion? What’s the difference between you guys and gangsters?”
Most professors and staff who had voting rights were excluded.
It was obvious they wouldn’t vote for me.
It was just a matter of how many votes I could draw from the first and third years.
Everything seemed to be going smoothly up to this point.
But on voting day.
An incident occurred that seemed to mock all my previous efforts.
The Chief posted a notice through the Academy app on voting day.
At first, I thought it was just a simple slander against me.
But upon checking the content, it was something I couldn’t just laugh off.
【If you don’t vote for Kim Shinwoo, cash will be awarded on the spot.】
Those who showed whom they voted for would receive a substantial amount of cash directly from the waiting Chief at the polling station.
“A damn pig is trying to block Shinwoo? Does he really want to die? Should I go kill him?”
“Sis! Let’s sell that pig to a ham factory! We can make some nice money by weight!”
“The amount is significant. Some even want to give up their Toto bets.”
“…Is the Academy filled with idiots, the Chief and the students?”
Surprisingly, the Academy voting isn’t a secret vote but also isn’t public.
Even if you show others who you voted for right before putting it in the ballot box, it wouldn’t be considered cheating.
Since once you’ve stamped it, it can’t be changed anyway.
So, bribing a famous person in the Academy is also a form of promotion.
Just revealing who you voted for can be effective.
And bribing that person is also seen as a skill.
[What the hell is this… Academy?]
‘Again, weaklings can’t survive here.’
Moreover, the Chief’s promise didn’t dangerously violate election law.
While you could say pushing specific candidates was forceful, excluding just one is considered lenient.
Plus, the money he promised isn’t from the Academy’s operational funds but purely from the Chief’s personal savings.
That too has no fault.
“Sigh. I can’t even buy votes with Kher’s money; this is difficult.”
“Why the hell! Don’t you treat my money like your own!”
In the meantime, the odds seemed to be updated in real-time, as my odds began to hit a peak.
In other words, it mirrored that my chance of winning had drastically dropped.
‘Isn’t this like Terra Coin? My winning chance just tanked.’
[Pureness is different, Terra!!!]
‘That’s not that Terra, you damn girl.’
Anyway, quite a troublesome situation.
“Shinwoo, are you okay? If this goes wrong, you might not become the Student Council President.”
“Stealing votes is quite difficult for me too.”
“I’m sorry. It seems the extent of what I can do is exceeded.”
“I don’t know. Just let it be, damn it.”
In the midst of the heroines’ anxieties.
The voting finally began.
*
