Crack…!
“Ghh…”
An immense pain struck my legs instantly, but… it was no big issue.
[HP: 88/100]
“About 12 points taken off roughly.”
Crack, Crack!
As the bizarre sounds rang out and my leg returned to its original position, I reinforced it once again with Psychokinesis.
If I had formally studied celestial magic, things might’ve been different. However, considering Seo Ji-an’s close combat-oriented approach, it was impossible to draw constellations, leading me to also choose close-range combat. For an ad hoc strategy, it was pretty decent.
While observing the leg return to normal, I glanced toward where the dust had risen.
“Never going down from an attack this weak.”
Among the protagonist’s skills—ones that outright transcended fairness—was without a doubt the ultimate skill: <Path to Victory (UR)>.
In the game, it provided knowledge of enemy skill trajectories or slowed down time during critical moments, turning any disadvantage into overwhelming advantage for the protagonist. And if there was a glimmer of possibility, the skill’s insane additional effects made that possibility a reality.
Therefore… if my attack had landed just now and the secondary effect of <Path to Victory (UR)> had triggered…
Snap!
“Haaaaaaaaaah!”
‘Ah, so it means things can turn out like this. Though, was some charm, like a necklace given by a friend for support, tied to his leg?’
The figure of Seo Ji-an, emerging from the smoke, bore no resemblance to someone who had been struck by that powerful attack and instantly sent flying a moment before.
Bang! Bang!
Cross punches aimed at each other’s jaws erupted at once.
Klang-Klang!
With overall stats evenly at B+, Seo Ji-an couldn’t surpass my technique’s output. As expected, he couldn’t withstand the shockwave and rolled along the ground, kicking up dust.
Crack…!
I too adjusted my slightly dislocated jaw while tracking the fast-moving Seo Ji-an through the rising dust.
“Truly relentless.”
Seo Ji-an represented the player, after all.
In the game scenario, while most ordinary people trapped against a wall would either meet death or give up, gamers operating the protagonist from a third-person perspective wouldn’t let go, no matter how many times they were crushed or broken. Eventually, they’d overcome by stepping on the remnants of their broken selves and climbing past that wall.
Maybe it was due to gamer pride or determination. I had tried all kinds of crazy antics to save Yoon Se-ah once, too.
Nevertheless, the reason I brought this up was…
‘After using a technique once, Seo Ji-an almost always devises a counter. It’s really… like someone gaming.’
His movements were utterly bizarre and terrifying.
‘How could growth be this fast? Was <Effort's Sweat Drop (UR)> such an overpowered skill?’
I knew that experiencing life-threatening situations boosted ability levels geometrically, but I never thought growth would be this rapid.
Crash!
“Wha…?!”
And then, sensing an alarming danger while engulfed in smoke, I instinctively twisted my body just in time.
Bam!
“Keuhk…!”
Seo Ji-an’s punch plunged into my abdomen from the opposite side.
Crash! Crash!
“Guh… Guhhhhhh! Aaaaaaagh!”
Now, it seemed like Seo Ji-an had memorized various martial arts techniques. While skillfully deflecting my attacks with minimal effort, he was rapidly striking my undefended parts.
“Ugh, driving me insane!”
The kind of monstrous adaptability that came to mind was from a certain anime where characters turned cones into shared desserts—drawing and manipulating magic circles to respond in any situation.
‘How exactly did they counter that?’
I vaguely recalled overwhelming them with brute force, leaving no room for adaptation, or bombarding them with an overwhelming amount of attacks.
Thinking hard, was there any way I could defeat Seo Ji-an in one decisive blow?
‘Only the Void is viable, but that requires preparation time. I judged that Seo Ji-an wouldn’t pass out even if I used maximum output in close combat and would fight until the end.’
But there was no time to prepare the Void technique. I intentionally chose close-range combat because I judged there was no time to deploy magic.
‘How am I supposed to use magic while getting beaten like this?’
Therefore, I had to resolve this through close-range combat.
‘Dammit, can’t even use the Eye of Hypnosis… The elemental disadvantage is really annoying.’
Focusing on attacking my opponent brought me into the attack range, but unlike the flexible Magician, most of those coming in close range have some degree of defense…
‘Why didn’t I just remove the earrings and fight?’
Although I initially decided not to use remnants from the nightmare I had earlier in the morning, merely the Eye of Hypnosis would have been enough to defeat Seo Ji-an decisively.
The moment I debated whether to dismantle the earrings…
BAM!
“Cough…”
The world suddenly flipped upside down.
“Krrrhhhh….!”
Before I could regain my senses, I found myself firmly embedded in an outer wall. The silhouette of Seo Ji-an leaping in the air for a finishing blow came into view.
‘No time to do anything!’
Attempting to dismantle the earrings would expose me to a direct hit from that attack.
There was no alternative but to strike Seo Ji-an with maximum output!
Instantly harnessing all my strength, I manifested Psychokinesis and deflected the trajectory of Seo Ji-an’s attack.
His kick, which was aimed toward my abdomen, now flew toward the out-of-bound area. To ensure my victory, I launched an additional Psychokinetic sphere in its wake.
‘That’s it!’
However…
‘What?!’
The mana suddenly twisted and went haywire.
‘B-but, my mana control was flawless!’
I had successfully redirected the attack toward the out-of-bound area and even sent an extra Psychokinetic sphere in case of any weak spots…
‘It wasn’t the control; the output was sufficient!’
Though the mana got slightly tangled, it was enough to send Seo Ji-an out of bounds…
‘Why is he still standing perfectly fine there?!’
[“Ah! Cadet Seo Ji-an, managing to stay in play despite receiving Cadet Yoon Se-ah’s blow!!!”]
[“This is truly impressive—despite the direct impact of such a colossal attack and with their health at single digits, Cadet Seo Ji-an is demonstrating an even stronger fighting spirit than at the start of the final!”]
Seo Ji-an stood unshaken by the hit, just in front of the out-of-bound mark, as if declaring he couldn’t defeat the original protagonist even to this extent.
‘…’
Flash!
I, being airborne, couldn’t respond instantly to such a movement…
KAAANG!!!
“…Haaa…!”
I had no idea how many times I’d rolled over. The world was spinning uncontrollably.
Something came up from the back of my throat, and I unintentionally spat it out, revealing an alarming amount of blood around me.
Seo Ji-an slowly approached through the dust, his school uniform tattered and drenched in blood.
But his piercing golden eyes, akin to a predator staring at its prey, and his short white hair reflecting sunlight despite the dust—this girl was steadily walking toward me to deliver a finishing blow.
‘Walking stick…’
I tried to reach into my pocket for the concealed staff, but my judgment was far too naive.
Regaining awareness, I found myself yet again embedded into another wall, my tightly grasped hand bent grotesquely at 360 degrees.
“No…”
Danger, for real.
Regardless of how fast regeneration occurred, I was about to become an endlessly regenerating punching bag as it was.
With overall output, I clearly had the upper hand. How is it that I’m falling like this?
In terms of stats, abilities, weapons—every single aspect—it was clear I had the advantage. I even debated whether I needed to go all-out and decided at the start to hold back due to the upcoming Student Council President election in the third year.
Though Seo Ji-an had initially taken a beating due to the stat disparities, now he relentlessly advanced to fully deplete my health.
As if a harbinger of death, Seo Ji-an slowly approached to take my life, leaving me with few options.
I could barely manage to exhale, lying there sprawled out.
‘Body… too heavy…’
The health bar was roughly at 57%, but the fact that it was still intact despite taking such blows clearly indicated that, at this moment, the statistical difference between me and Seo Ji-an was overwhelming…
‘If I use full power now…’
Breaking the earrings and deploying the Eye of Hypnosis would be enough to handle Seo Ji-an. With his health already at single digits, it would be a smooth win.
But it wasn’t feasible.
I wasn’t in a position to be considering such options freely. The storyline had been skewed from the beginning, and the uncertainty of not being able to fully utilize the hidden pieces I knew.
The regret and self-contempt for squandering the one sure victory due to arrogance and complacency.
And, toward Seo Ji-an walking toward me…
‘…What?’
Fear.
The scene around me transformed into the eerie nightmare I had until dawn.
The once-crowded stands transformed into a garbage dump littered with corpses. And before me, instead of a school uniform, Seo Ji-an walked toward me in full hidden pieces that I had intended to give him.
The blood-stained greatsword seemed ready to decapitate me at any moment, and the hatred in Seo Ji-an’s eyes felt like he was seeing the worst kind of trash.
Definitely an illusion, this should still be the preliminary round of the Student Council President Election…
‘No, stop coming…’
Why does it feel so painfully vivid?
…
…
…
‘I don’t want to die, not like this!’
“Stop approaching!”
KAANG!
I managed to repel Seo Ji-an with Psychokinesis and stood up somehow.
“Huff… Huff…”
How can I resolve this? Can I overcome Seo Ji-an who has attained all the conditions?
‘That’s right, there’s Azathoth.’
“…Azathoth, come out.”
Silence…
“…Azathoth?”
Why isn’t he appearing… Ah.
‘There was no way Azathoth could be available at this point.’
A desperate sensation enveloped me, reminiscent of that time.
In a white void, a black hand slithered toward me like a snake.
When I had been kidnapped by Yoo Eun-ha, I managed to escape by grabbing that hand.
“Z… zin… ri ge!>”
‘Did someone mutter something? Is it just my imagination?’
It seemed I heard a voice as I stared at the reappearing black hand.
Could grabbing this hand help me escape the situation again?
I wanted to grasp that hand, which had gently taken mine back then, and plead to somehow get me out of this situation…
KAANGGG!!!
Unlike before, the black hand tightly throttled my neck instead.
“Kh… keuh….!”
Perhaps due to the excruciating pain and my already battered body, I couldn’t resist, and I could only submit as the black hand tightened its grip…
Soon, my vision began to darken.
The last thing I saw was Seo Ji-an, his body pierced by a black crystal created by my own doing, his head exploding instantly from unidentified attacks, causing his death in a single moment.
