The Demon Lord of the Swordsmanship Family – Episode 36
The Academy holds two exams each semester – the midterms and the finals.
This is rather self-explanatory content, really. Not just the Academy, but anyone who has gone through elementary, middle, and high school knows this as common knowledge.
The first midterm exam of the first semester was already experienced in the form of the ‘Coin Strife.’
The rule was simple: fight other groups, and steal their coins. When the exam was over, scores were divided according to the number of coins collected. Within this straightforward rule, the students had to prove not only their individual abilities but also how well they could blend with their group.
Some astute individuals might already have realized it. Yes, the midterm exam we previously took was, in fact, an evaluation of individual abilities.
It’s only been three months since we started here. How much can you bond in such a short period of time? Is it even possible to build team chemistry among strangers?
That’s sheer nonsense. It’s like asking for cooked rice when the grains haven’t even ripened yet.
Even if the team leader had given orders, how could we execute a proper plan when we didn’t even know if we had the skills to back it up? It’s impossible, that’s for certain.
The professors surely know this, as evidenced by the fact that only individual rankings were announced after the midterm exams.
However, the final exam I’m about to talk about is the complete opposite in nature to the midterms.
Traditionally, the Academy’s final exams were unified across all grades, regardless of semester or year.
The method was as simple as it gets: Gate Raid.
First and second-year students faced a Level 4 Gate.
Third-year students tackled a Level 5 Gate.
Graduating fourth-year students were assigned a Level 6 Gate.
Each grade had to clear the Gate assigned to them. The key point here was not “hunting” or “gathering,” but “clearing” it – the boss must be completely eliminated.
Preparations, logistics, hunting routes, base setup, and rest schedules—all were meticulously scrutinized by the professors from the beginning until the final clear.
What the professors aimed for was clear: they were verifying the captain’s leadership skills. After all, raids are the situations where a captain’s command capability is laid bare without embellishments.
By the way, the reason I was so intensely frequenting the Gates was largely due to the finals.
Our group only had three members. With fewer members, we were much freer in terms of preparations—such as logistics. Even stuffing supplies carelessly would provide ample freedom and excess, without the need to worry about rationing materials.
However, these advantages came hand-in-hand with disadvantages in terms of combat fatigue – we were absolutely outmatched.
That’s why I trained Mary and Jun-woo to be all-rounders capable of playing multiple roles. Having one person take up multiple roles allows for efficient distribution of fatigue during combat.
Under this intent, I created the “Triangle Formation.”
However!
And again!
Despite all this preparation, one piece of paper passed to me by Jin Yu-ri shattered all my arrangements.
“Our group will work with your group…”
“Uh-huh.”
“Moreover, we’re not going for a Level 4, but a Level 5 Gate.”
“Well, you’re good at magic and you sure understand fast.”
I was confused.
What was actually going on here?
Calmly, I asked myself why this situation was unfolding. The conclusion I reached was…
“…Are we excluded from the evaluation?”
“You caught on, huh? Yes, our group has been deemed to have surpassed the level of first-year students, so we’ve been excluded from the evaluation.”
“Instead, we’re going to take an exam at the third-year level.”
“You get it, right?”
“Seeing that you understand, tell me this: since our two groups are now combined, if the same rule applies to others… well, the students whose groups have been dismantled might be given another chance?”
Snap. Snap. Snap.
“Wow… I’m genuinely impressed. It really is pleasant to communicate with someone who gets it. You seem more and more charming the more I see you—tempting, I must say.”
This scrap of paper clearly illustrated a strategy.
By hyping up the Sword Masters and Dragonkin and subtly excluding them from the actual competition, the final exams became a mere performance, with no bearing on the actual grades.
If this was favoritism, it was a cleverly crafted one. The third-year level test was introduced to suppress any negative talk.
And the important aspect of this was how it subtly extended an olive branch to the so-called “ghosts,” those who had their groups disbanded. This is a well-known issue as Cheon Su-man often gets complaints from the parents of those left behind.
Of course, no one would say it outright. They would cleverly introduce the matter subtly.
Let’s give the ghosts another chance.
Without forcing them, Cheon Su-man the fox would cleverly make sure the right things happen.
There’s no doubt about it.
Through this, Cheon Su-man achieved the desired result without forcing anything, purely on principle.
Honestly, it’s deceitful politics, but based on my experience operating the Black Tower, such manipulations are necessary when leading a group. It’s about reducing risks.
While I was lost in these thoughts, Jun-woo and Mary had already finished their sparring and returned from the training mat. Due to the structure, sealed with reinforced glass, they’d just noticed Jin Yu-ri at that moment.
I explained the bizarre circumstance to them.
“…Seriously? If that’s the case, why not scrap the midterm results altogether?”
“Changing grades that have already been settled is impossible, even for the Dean.”
“Isn’t all of this just too convoluted? And why are you suddenly talking down to me?”
“If our ages are the same, why shouldn’t I speak casually? In foreign countries, people use informal speech all the time.”
“But we are in Korea. The Land of Etiquette. Show some respect.”
“Alright. But your skin is so nice. What skincare do you use?”
“Tch. Our family lineage… wait a minute, you spoke casually again!”
“Ugh, this is why smart people annoy me.”
“Ki-hyuk! I don’t like her!”
“Ki-hyuk! I don’t like her!”
“Why are you mimicking her?”
“Because it’s fun. Hee~.”
“Don’t smile at me!”
Mary, despite her cold exterior, had a surprisingly soft heart. And Jin Yu-ri, despite her gentle appearance, had a fiery temperament.
When these two met, it was quite fun. Although, it was one-sided with Mary often being on the receiving end, there was no malice from Jin Yu-ri. Instead, Jin was friendly to a fault, which left Mary unable to distance herself.
“Here, this is so much fun! I really like it!”
“Ki-hyuk, do you intend to let such an impolite woman join our club?”
“I was going to consider your thoughts first.”
“No! Absolutely no!”
“Ah, why~.”
“What about Jun-woo?”
“Jun-woo will oppose as well, right?”
“I….”
Right then, Jin Yu-ri handed something to Jun-woo.
“What is this?”
“Specialized vitality potion from the Dragonkin family. Drink it.”
Was this bribery? Oddly enough, it was not a mystical elixir but an ordinary potion, and she was urging him to drink it.
As we looked at her in confusion, Jin Yu-ri smiled broadly and walked back to the sparring arena.
And then, Han Jun-woo was easily swayed by Jin Yu-ri’s next move.
“Drink it and then come fight. If I win, you join my group, but if you win, I’ll leave peacefully. Deal?”
Han Jun-woo smirked and gulped down the vitality potion in one go.
“Deal.”
That day, our club gained a new member.
Jin Yu-ri was indeed an interesting character in more ways than one.
……
…
…
Wait.
“Thinking about it now, what exactly does her joining have to do with the final exams?”
This was a real mess.
She was certainly an interesting person in more ways than one.
With a smirk, I drifted off to sleep.
—
Three days later.
After three days of Jin Yu-ri withholding the final exam schedule and showing it privately to Park Ki-hyuk, the official exam schedule was finally announced.
“Well, it’s a raid as expected. We’ll stick to our original plan.”
“Quiet. ‘Teams 1 and 20. These teams have consistently shown excellent performance since enrollment. It has been decided by the professors that additional competition is unnecessary. Unusually, they will take the third-year exam.'”
“It looks like Teams 1 and 20 are being merged and sent to a Level 5 Gate?”
“Dragonkin and Sword Masters together? Wauw, I can’t handle it.”
But this announcement also came with a notable exception.
…Due to the special circumstances, for this test only, combining teams is permitted. However, the head professor must grant approval…
Combining teams? Can we add members to our groups?
Then, might we?
After the shocking and disheartening midterms, the spirits – students who had previously seen their groups dismantled – wandered through the Academy with dispirited faces. But hope flickered in their eyes once again.
They immediately approached their professors, and the result?
It was indeed a surprise!
Exceptionally, for this test only, even the disbanded spirits were allowed to partake in the exams. However, they needed the approval of a team leader, but was that really an issue? It was a change from the impossible to the possible.
Of course, this unprecedented situation wasn’t without criticism. Several professors who valued principles fiercely debated with the Dean.
However, just as spilled water cannot be recollected, once the announcement was made, it was too late to retract.
Due to these overlapping issues and complications, even though final exams typically receive low attention, this year’s first-year finals became the loudest and most talked-about among the Academy’s history.
—
Meanwhile, we, upon the announcement of the final exams, had fled the unnecessarily noisy Academy to the Gate – where bl**d, sweat, tears, passion, and madness filled the air.
The only difference from our usual Gate outings was that we weren’t three this time.
“Those are Team 1?”
“Hmm, it’s our first time seeing others fight. For some reason, I feel strange. Strangely, I don’t know why.”
“Boring.”
“I understand your unease, but bear with it. Observing others can also be an educational experience.”
Selecting teammates was entirely the team leader’s right, and naturally, the chosen team reflected the leader’s character. For example, Team Leader Henry, son of the Titan, favored traditional tank-heavy formations.
So, what about Team Leader Jin Yu-ri’s team?
Her goals were clear.
“Go on. Block it.”
A wall abruptly appeared before the screaming troll mounted on a rhinoceros and its pursuing horde. Instantly, a fortress formed. And then, the golems rose.
“Exploration team, if you see any strange situations, report. Sun-il, set up obstacles just in case.”
Fog spreads. Snow white as ice.
Ice Fog
A control magic that lowers the temperature of the air to freezing point, trapping the opponent.
The troll’s natural regenerative abilities and superior physique might seem invincible, but the story changes when “spirits” are involved.
“Let’s go, spirits.”
Water turns to ice. Added with lightning.
A perfect trap was thus formed.
“Preparations complete, now set up the attack teams.”
Suddenly, the sky fills with magic.
“Wall down.”
The stone wall blocking the way disintegrates into sand and collapses.
The charging troll horde rushes wildly forward, disappearing into the Ice Fog, their figures obscured by the white haze for a moment.
“Boom.”
Magic barrages ignited.
The pinnacle of Korean magecraft. The lineage of the Dragonkin continued in the magical talent.
Jin Yu-ri’s goal was clear.
By magic, through magic, for magic.
A combat unit that solely relied on magic.
The Magic Legion
This was the identity of Team 1.
