### The Demon Lord of the Swordsmanship Family, Chapter 25
This is a conversation that took place before the midterms began.
“Wait a minute. Did I hear that right? Let me summarize… This classroom is too cramped. So it’s noisy. Therefore, we should cut the group size by half. Hmm… Ki-hyuk, are you out of your mind? You’re eliminating the group for such a reason?”
“Doesn’t it sound fun? Right, Jun-woo?”
“Totally agree. Sounds hilarious. I’m in.”
“Seriously, careless Jun-woo. You’ve been way too influenced by Ki-hyuk.”
Merhem tried to put a stop to it until the very end, but with only three members in the group, the majority rule had already made the decision.
“…This is hopeless. Am I the only sane one here? I’m so confused.”
“Give it up, Mary. It’s already been spilled.”
“It hasn’t been spilled yet!”
“Okay, okay. Now, let’s pick our targets. First, Group 14. They seem to talk a lot. If we smash them at the beginning, the rumors will spread like wildfire.”
“I don’t like Group 11. Too many of them.”
“Valid point. Noted for Group 11. What’s next?”
“Group 9. They are decent.”
“Decent? I don’t see it. Anyway, they have skills, so I guess it could be a worthy fight. Okay, noted for Group 9 too.”
“You all are wrong. All of you!”
“So, Mary, no opinion from you?”
“…Huh, Group 6. They’re just unlucky.”
“Isn’t that the one for proxy attendance?”
“I think I’ve heard of that. They were caught proxy attending at the Gate and were warned, right? Can’t let such a violation slide. Well done, Mary.”
Once they identified their prey, the next step was to decide on the tactic.
“Let’s wrap it up. First, I’ll charge in. Maybe three or four? If I smash them overwhelmingly, the attention within the Academy will naturally shift to me. And the vigilance will grow.”
“Is that when Jun-woo and I get our time?”
“Yep, throw down a challenge to anyone you see fit. There won’t be any fools that will match you in group combat since I’ll be behind you. Right now, there are hardly any who can beat you one-on-one. You’ll be able to hunt comfortably. What do you think of the stage I set?”
“Sounds fun.”
“Hmm, hmm. I concede. It does sound fun.”
“But I want to go head-to-head too.”
“You’re still a ways off. How about one round first?”
“Deal. Bring it on.”
“Oh, you combat lights.”
People often believe that Park Ki-hyuk’s antics were impulsive due to his nasty personality, but in fact, everything—from hunting to choosing the order—was meticulously planned out beforehand.
“Here they come!”
“Blocked…!!”
A group blocks Han Jun-woo’s path.
A wall, like one of the human barriers, has completely sealed off the front. But the opponent is Han Jun-woo.
With dazzling footwork and skilled body shifts, along with the dancer’s innate control of the enigmatic senses, the human barrier crumbled to dust.
“d*mn it! Missed.”
“Run! Now!!”
As the first defense line fell like a house of cards, magic started to rain down.
Even during midterm season, direct attacks are impossible in unofficial duels.
However, one could say that as long as you don’t make direct attacks, anything is fair game.
The ground dips, walls rise, illusions torment the mind. They were determined to destabilize his balance by erasing the friction on the ground—various methods and crowd control techniques bombarded him.
Yet…
Han Jun-woo’s speed didn’t slow down one bit.
Magic obstructing his path? Just run before it finishes casting!
Things messing with his mind? Compared to what Ki-hyuk had done to him, this was child’s play.
He’s the child of a dancer.
Having inherited the bl**d of a dancer, he controlled not just himself but others, and even the sensations within the space—why would he be bothered by these mere distractions?
In the blink of an eye, he pierced through the second defense line and finally saw his target.
“Ugh! Just a little longer, hold them off!”
During the midterm period, there’s practically one escape method.
Hiding in safety zones.
Classrooms, libraries, dorms, etc.—hiding in a few designated safe areas.
Once you step into these safety zones, you can avoid challenges and be free from duels.
In other words, you can protect your coins.
Thus, the bottom tiers, lacking confidence in their skills, would scramble to raid the classrooms all day, and at night, resort to sneaking off to the dorms to avoid issues—just like Group 8’s leader running with the protection of his group.
Currently, the leader of Group 8 had four coins left in his pocket.
You must wager at least five coins. If it’s fewer than that? It’s his last chance.
To keep the group alive, he must run!
Of course, there was the option to gather all members for a last-ditch effort. Just like how a rat will bite a cat when cornered—it’s a method often used.
But the opponent is way too tough.
Their enemy was Group 20.
Park Ki-hyuk’s group known as the disaster.
When the moment arrives and all group members dash to avoid Han Jun-woo one-on-one, the ultimate weapon, the human disaster Park Ki-hyuk makes his entrance.
It’s like trying to dodge a wolf only to run into a tiger.
Absolutely avoid at all costs! Must block him! Must run away!
The leader of Group 8 bites down hard and sprints.
He hears his comrades’ screams behind him but doesn’t look back. With a singular focus, he pounds toward the classroom door.
Ten steps, eight steps, six steps.
Almost there.
Just one more step, please, just one more step.
He leaped toward the classroom door as if flying.
But…
That last step, a fleeting moment of suspension in the air.
Just as his foot was about to touch the classroom door.
A chill ran down his back, and the leader of Group 8’s body jerked backward.
“Ahhhh!”
He tumbled into the hallway.
Han Jun-woo loomed over him.
“Gotcha.”
Meanwhile, at the Academy’s second athletic field.
Amid the crowd, Merhem is in a duel.
Bang!
“Ahhh!”
Bang!
“Down you go!”
Bang!
“Gah, gah! Hiding behind a shield—how dirty!”
Merhem watched her opponent with disdain as he tired himself out, slamming down his shield.
‘Seriously, pathetic.’
She hated to admit it, but Merhem knew.
Among her friends, she was the weakest.
The obliviously careless Jun-woo managed to survive purely because of his skill.
Park Ki-hyuk? No need to say much. He’s Park Ki-hyuk.
With such people around, even Merhem sometimes felt her own abilities weren’t impressive.
Truth is…
It’s a huge misjudgment.
Boom!!
With Merhem’s shield charge, the man was flung back like a car crash, the bizarre impact sound made everyone hold their breath.
The silence of impact was so overwhelming that the man finally fainted upon hitting the wall.
Swallow.
As tension filled the air, Merhem tossed her hair back.
Then, waving a mace almost her own size, she called out.
“Next!”
Group 20 was notorious.
Ever since she dismantled the seventh group, she was considered the academy’s worst villain.
In a good light, Merhem looked human in this group; in a bad light, she seemed rather easy.
An 80 percent win rate is easy? What kind of nonsense is that?
Just watch.
Han Jun-woo had an undefeated record. A 100 percent win rate.
His power controlling the senses of a “dancer” is truly overpowered when it comes to one-on-one situations. If Ki-hyuk guarantees it, that settles it.
However, as mentioned before, Park Ki-hyuk meant ruin upon capture, so no need to dwell on that.
For this reason, anyone with a grudge against Group 20 was flocking to Merhem.
Even the girl in front of her, staring resolutely, was there for revenge after being mopped up by Han Jun-woo a few days ago while trying to escape Park Ki-hyuk.
Merhem couldn’t understand her line of thought.
Thinking about it was absurd.
Why are you taking your anger out here after getting hit somewhere else?
At first, her pride was hurt by such a situation. It was proof of being disregarded.
“I’m not the type to be treated this way!”
She might have ignored people, but she had never been ignored in her life. As a princess, she was always the one looking down on others.
But her first friends turned out to be Han Jun-woo and Park Ki-hyuk.
Is this what relative inferiority feels like?
Something hot surged from deep within Merhem’s chest.
‘The more I think about it, the angrier I get!’
The most primal human instinct.
Anger.
That’s right.
Merhem also had a hot warrior’s heart, comparable to Han Jun-woo or Park Ki-hyuk.
In an instant, the air in the duel ring changed.
Merhem threw away her shield and stepped forward.
“I’m furious now.”
Spells charged from all directions.
“I’m warning you.”
For a moment, various augmenting spell formations surrounded her.
“If you know what’s good for you, run.”
Merhem’s mace smashed into the ground.
Though she wouldn’t admit it, the one really taking out their anger here may indeed be Merhem…
Given this situation, the most awkward ones were the professors.
“Is this even possible? Seven groups have already vanished! We need to act immediately.”
“Professor Park, the news is late. It’s actually eight groups. I heard just a moment ago that Group 8 has been disbanded.”
“Those crazy kids!”
“Park Ki-hyuk, Park Ki-hyuk. Always causing trouble even back in clubs, and now he’s turned the Academy upside down. Ugh, I can’t stand it.”
“What on earth is the Sword Master family doing? Don’t they learn about decorum? Park Su-hyeok, Park Min-ji, Park Ki-hyuk—they’ve turned the Academy into a complete mess.”
“This is no time to be idle. Is everyone just going to stand by? If we let this go, over half the students could end up as ghosts.”
Ghosts.
A slang term referring to students who have lost their groups.
Students whose groups disband can’t participate in classes where grades are assigned by groups.
A prime example would be the beneficial class, “Understanding and Utilizing Positioning,” which Park Ki-hyuk attends.
The issue is that due to the emphasis on cooperation and command in the Korean Academy, such classes take up quite a significant portion of their training, leading to students wandering the Academy without participating in these sessions, thus being labeled as ghosts.
“I personally don’t like Park Ki-hyuk’s solo performance either. But there’s no justification for intervention. Group 20 earned those coins through legitimate duels.”
“Exactly. The midterms are purely students’ exams. There’s no justification for professors to meddle.”
“How can you say that? We can still revise the rules even now…”
“Professor Han, let’s be honest. They can duel. They earn coins. What’s so complicated about that? We first need to deal with Yggdrasil, can you take responsibility for that?”
“Are we just supposed to stand by and watch? Can you handle the uproar from parents if over half the groups are wiped out?”
“Professor Han!”
“What!!”
The professors were sharply divided on both sides.
While shouting happened regularly among the professors, it didn’t lead anywhere fruitful. It was just a place for them to vent their frustrations about the unbearable reality.
However, amid them, there was one person unusually quiet.
“Speaking of which, Professor Hwang is quite silent. Why aren’t you saying anything? You must hold a stronger grudge against Park Ki-hyuk than anyone here.”
“It is true I have feelings about it, but they are not personal. I feel resentment for the way Park Ki-hyuk has undermined the authority of professors. If he adheres to the rules, I see no reason to say anything.”
“Oh, Professor Hwang is quite magnanimous.”
“Such a kind person.”
“You’re too kind in your assessment.”
“That aside…”
The professors’ attention dispersed as they lost interest.
Once again, each professor resumed voicing their opinions.
Do they even realize that Hwang Jun-yeop’s eyes gleamed mischievously?
In the dark night sky.
Inside a pitch-black dorm room, the leader of Group 16, Choi Mi-jung, lay on her bed, pondering while holding a vial.
“This potion known as ‘Cocktail’ amplifies strength, endurance, physical activation, mana recovery and control, and even magic resistance. With this, your group might just stand a chance against disaster.”
“What? Trickery? Ha ha. Student Choi Mi-jung, I’m Hwang Jun-yeop. Would I stoop so low as to play tricks on mere youngsters like you? To be truthful, this potion was sent by the vice president of the Association, your father. They say he bought it from the ‘Black Market.’ If you don’t believe me, feel free to call.”
“Anyway, I’ve delivered it. Whether you use it or not is up to you. But whether your group can survive this weekend without it… is in doubt, isn’t it?”
I’m not forcing you.
Be the hero who stops the disaster…
Or end up swept away by it and become a ghost.
The choice is yours.
On this sleepless night, Choi Mi-jung’s room stayed lit long into the night.
