Chapter 10.2 (Continued)

 

Park Sung-tae.

 

A third-year student at Ahsung High, known for his high grades among the gathered prodigies.

 

His face showed no trace of the challenger’s bravado.

 

Only shock filled his expression.

 

“Damn it….”

 

Park Sung-tae propped himself up on the ground.

 

His body refused to move as he willed it.

 

He had endured multiple shocks and electric attacks, enough to knock anyone unconscious.

 

Yet, Sung-tae struggled to rise.

 

There was another reason he had challenged Woo-jin. This duel wasn’t just about gaining meaningful combat experience.

 

Sung-tae had always considered himself a genius.

 

He believed that his outstanding talent had allowed him to achieve high grades even within Ahsung High School.

 

However, the spotlight always shone on his juniors.

 

Especially on Oh Baek-seo, an unparalleled genius, and Ahn Woo-jin, who had surpassed him to become the Disciplinary Committee Leader.

 

He acknowledged the difference in talent.

 

But Sung-tae wasn’t willing to accept being considered mediocre.
He had resolved to use another genius as experience points to rise above.

 

Only then…

 

‘I must defeat him to prove myself….’

 

He wanted to show the audience that his belief in his own talent was not misplaced.

 

Sung-tae managed to stand up and took his sword again. Whoosh! The flames responded to his call once more.

 

“He’s pretty tough….”

 

“Does he really need to go this far, though? Doesn’t seem like it.”

 

“The Disciplinary Committee Leader is amazing, isn’t he? Sindo-rim doesn’t stand a chance.”

 

“I didn’t expect it to be this bad…. How is his mana control like that…?”

 

The audience started praising Ahn Woo-jin.

 

Their interest in Sindo-rim waned rapidly as his identity was revealed and the duel turned one-sided.

 

But Sung-tae focused solely on Ahn Woo-jin.

 

He couldn’t hear the murmurs of the audience with the towering wall right in front of him.

 

Click, clack.

 

Woo-jin walked forward.

 

His steps were resolute.

 

Sindo-rim instinctively held his breath.

 

“If you’re my senior, I should have shown more respect.”

 

Woo-jin spoke in a monotone voice.

 

“I’ll stop holding back now. Let’s finish this quickly.”

 

“……!”

 

Sung-tae’s eyes widened.

 

“You mean, you haven’t been serious at all…?”

 

“Unfortunately, senior, you’re not an opponent worth my serious effort.”

 

“Grr…!”

 

Park Sung-tae gritted his teeth.

 

“Don’t be ridiculous!”

 

Sung-tae charged at Woo-jin again with a fierce cry.

 

Thud!

 

What followed was the expected conclusion.

 

Sung-tae’s sword strike was effortlessly deflected, and the electrified three-section staff plunged into his body.

 

Teal arcs flashed through the air, accompanied by five rapid, dull impacts. Crackle! The lightning mana enhanced the strikes with greater force.

 

‘What…?’

 

Sung-tae couldn’t comprehend what was happening.

 

The audience watched in shock, mouths agape.

 

Bang!

 

With a final swing of Woo-jin’s three-section staff, a booming sound echoed as Sung-tae was sent flying out of the arena.

 

Whoosh! The wind pressure spread. As his hat threatened to fly off, Woo-jin caught it and put it back on.

 

Crash! Sung-tae hit the wall and collapsed, unconscious.

 

For a moment, silence filled the arena. Woo-jin stood quietly, watching Sung-tae.

 

“D-d-d-d-duel over…!”

 

The referee’s shout broke the silence.

 

“The winner is Disciplinary Committee Leader Ahn Woo-jin!”

 

Students who had been in a daze started clapping one by one.

 

Healers administered basic healing magic to Sung-tae and carried him away on a stretcher.

 

Rumble. Woo-jin wiped the blood off the three-section staff with a handkerchief, retracted the metal rods, and reattached it to his belt. Adjusting his hat, he extended his hand to the referee.

 

“Um…? Would you like to say a few words…?”

 

Woo-jin took the microphone from the referee without responding.

 

He spoke towards the camera filming the duel.

 

“I hereby declare: any student who issues another challenge to the Disciplinary Committee will be severely punished according to school regulations. Please take note.”

 

Woo-jin’s voice was solemn.

 

After delivering his warning, he returned the microphone to the referee and stepped off the arena.

 

The referee and audience watched his back in stunned silence.

 

“Goodness… he’s something else.”

 

In the audience, Lee Se-Ah smiled brightly.

 

She had known he was strong, being the Disciplinary Committee Leader and the one who single-handedly quelled the subway incident….

 

But she hadn’t expected this level of power.

 

Watching the duel, she felt a constant chill.

 

Considering his mana level and combat sense, Woo-jin had long surpassed the typical fourth rank.

 

Though he didn’t possess a unique ability to qualify for the fifth rank, evaluating Woo-jin’s strength solely based on rank was misleading.

 

Se-Ah’s desire to have Woo-jin grew stronger.
If she could recruit him, he would undoubtedly become a formidable ally.

 

“Yesong, why aren’t you going to your boyfriend candidate?”

 

“I’ve always disliked that senior. I was fooled by the mask. He’s out of the running….”

 

Woo-jin left the arena with Vice President Oh Baek-seo and Officer Ha Ye-song.

 

At this moment.

 

In front of the city’s big names who were watching, Woo-jin established himself as an ‘unknown powerhouse.’

 

…

 

A woman watched the duel between Woo-jin and Sindo-rim on Jtube.

 

It was a video she had replayed countless times.

 

She paused the video and enlarged the screen, gently caressing Woo-jin’s cheek with her finger. The screen moved with her finger’s motion.

 

The sensation under her fingertip was that of the hard screen, not Woo-jin’s soft skin.

 

“He’s gotten so strong, Woo-jin. This much….”

 

Kim Dalbi smiled contentedly, continuing to gaze at Woo-jin.