Chapter 15 – Rule 8. The Leader Maintains Dignity Even at Exchange Meetings (4)

 

 

 

In Academy City, famous strong individuals are given appropriate ‘nicknames.’

 

A prime example is Oh Baek-seo, the military representative and strongest person at Ahsung High School, a peerless genius. Her nickname is ‘Daehan Butterfly.’

 

Mayeon High School is no exception. Separate from the student council president who represents the school’s military strength, the Disciplinary Committee Leader, Lee Jae-ho, also has a nickname. His is ‘Rock Cloud General’.

 

Ahn Woo-jin was feeling dizzy at the thought of arm-wrestling against someone with a nickname. However, he couldn’t back down.

 

“The match will be decided in a single round.”

 

The host, Shin Ga-yeon, placed both her hands over the clasped hands of Ahn Woo-jin and Lee Jae-ho.

 

“If you attempt any technique other than physical enhancement through magical power, such as a ‘Magic Formula,’ you will be immediately disqualified. Please keep this in mind.”

 

A magic formula refers to techniques derived from developing one’s unique abilities. This had nothing to do with Woo-jin, who had no unique abilities.

 

“The table is made of the hardest known magic stone, reinforced with magical coating, so don’t worry about it breaking unless you intend to destroy it.”

 

Woo-jin and Jae-ho flinched.

 

Their plan to discreetly break the table to nullify the match if they thought they were going to lose was shattered.

 

“That doesn’t matter! Who cares about the table; it won’t affect our match!”

 

“Even if the table broke, the match would continue.”

 

Since the table wasn’t going to break, the two, showing off a gladiator’s mindset, bluffed.

 

“You both have strong competitive spirits.”

 

Host Ga-yeon nodded, adjusting her glasses.

 

Jae-ho, grinding his teeth, shouted impatiently.

 

“Hurry up and start the match, vice leader!”

 

There was no retreat. Only moving forward remained.

 

“It’s a ‘match,’ sir, not a ‘duel.’”

 

“Whatever…!”

 

“Alright then, get ready.”

 

Woo-jin and Jae-ho focused on their clasped hands.

 

Their honor as disciplinary committee leaders was at stake.

 

“Begin!”

 

As soon as Ga-yeon shouted and removed her hands, the veins on Woo-jin and Jae-ho’s arms bulged.

 

Thud! They poured their magical power into strengthening their bodies, putting all their strength into their arms.

 

“Ugh…!”

 

“Argh…!”

 

The two let out grunts as the intense struggle for dominance began.

 

Rumble…!

 

The ground began to shake.

 

“What’s happening, an earthquake?”

 

“It feels like the air is trembling….”

 

The students murmured.

 

Rumble…!

 

The table, dishes, and glassware began to tremble and then shatter in succession, starting from the arm-wrestling match.

 

Clang!

 

“Ah!”

 

“Did the glass break!?”

 

“The dishes too!?”

 

Glassware and dishes around the two disciplinary committee leaders shattered like dominoes.

 

“Argh…!”

 

“Ugh…!”

 

Woo-jin and Jae-ho, eyes wide open, continued their power struggle.

 

Rumble! The magical power they poured into their bodies clashed violently, creating powerful shockwaves and a fierce wind. Their hair and clothes fluttered incessantly like flags in a storm.

 

Stage props toppled over, their remnants swept away by the magical shockwaves from the arm-wrestling match.

 

Amidst the chaos, Woo-jin and Jae-ho continued to arm-wrestle with all their might.

 

“Ahsung High’s Disciplinary Committee Leader isn’t being pushed back at all!”

 

“Our leader isn’t losing against the Rock Cloud General!”

 

“Amazing….”

 

The students were left speechless.

 

‘What is this guy!? He’s not budging at all…!?’

 

Jae-ho was astounded by Woo-jin’s unyielding arm. The collision of magical power was equally intense. Despite the clash, Woo-jin wasn’t being pushed back at all.

 

The arm strength and density of magical power. This was hardly something one would expect from someone at the fourth Level.

 

Did he deceive about his Level? No.

 

Those with unique abilities can instinctively identify others with unique abilities, confirming it later when they don’t use their abilities.

 

However, Woo-jin gave off not even a trace of that feeling. This man certainly hadn’t reached the fifth Level.

 

‘How can this be the fourth Level…!?’

 

Jae-ho recalled Woo-jin’s match against Shindo-rim.

 

Woo-jin’s mastery of magical power was at an artistic Level. Particularly, condensing lightning magic into a shockwave was an extraordinary technique. In such refined skill, Jae-ho judged Woo-jin to be superior.

 

However, in terms of the density or quantity of magical power, Jae-ho believed he was superior. Generally, the higher the Level, the more superior the magical power. The gap of even one Level is enormous.

 

But Woo-jin was different. He seemed to mock that common sense.

 

How could his magical power be so exceptional that he didn’t falter against someone a Level higher? Jae-ho was in utter disbelief.

 

‘One thing is certain…!’

 

Jae-ho’s initial doubt about Woo-jin transformed into certainty.

 

‘This guy isn’t just any strong fourth-Level. He’s a monster in the making…!’

 

Suddenly, images of heroes from fairy tales came to Jae-ho’s mind.

 

The historical heroes who led the Golden Ram Hunt.

 

The ‘Argonauts,’ who reached the eighth Tier among humans.

 

Jae-ho liked the history of the Argonauts and memorized their chronicles in detail.

 

So he knew. The Argonauts took a very long time to reach the fifth Level, but they had already distinguished themselves at the fourth Level.

 

The more exceptional the unique ability, the more time and effort it took to awaken that ability. The conditions for achievement were stringent.

 

For someone with overwhelming talent like Oh Baek-seo, the required time and effort were significantly reduced. However, Woo-jin didn’t seem any less talented than Baek-seo.

 

If Woo-jin was this capable at the fourth Level, there was a high possibility he had talent surpassing even Baek-seo.

 

‘This guy will reach the fifth Level soon.’

 

Having achieved this much at the fourth Level, Woo-jin’s talent would undoubtedly break through the barrier to the fifth Level.

 

‘If this guy is of Argonaut caliber….’

 

A hero’s rank.

 

Woo-jin might become a titan who could turn Academy City upside down.

 

Rumble!

 

“The ground…!”

 

“Everyone, get away!”

 

As the magical power waves spread in all directions, the ground began to crumble. The disciplinary committee members all ran away.

 

Crash! As the stage floor shattered and sank, Woo-jin and Jae-ho were startled but quickly composed themselves and continued their arm-wrestling.

 

Boom!

 

The aftermath of the arm-wrestling caused a storm, scattering the debris of the stage floor everywhere. Before long, the banquet hall was left with only Woo-jin and Jae-ho, who were fiercely arm-wrestling, and their vice-leader.

 

“Grrr!”

 

Jae-ho’s arm started to move backward.

 

‘No, this can’t happen…!’

 

Jae-ho strained his muscles, veins bulging in his neck.

 

“Ugh…!”

 

Slowly, their arms returned to the center of the table.

 

Crack!

 

“Ugh…!”

 

Magical power waves continued to crash around them, shaking the air. Baek-seo and Ga-yeon, who were nearby, had to draw their weapons and take defensive stances to withstand the magical impact.

 

“Incredible….”

 

“Is this truly an arm-wrestling match…!”

 

The disciplinary committee members watched from a distance, swallowing hard as they observed the arm-wrestling match.

 

They couldn’t imagine what fate would befall them if they got close to those two. Even when fourth Levels clashed, or even most fifth Levels, the intensity wouldn’t be this high. This was a showdown that only top-tier fifth Levels could produce.

 

Yet one of them was the fourth-Level Woo-jin. It was unbelievable.

 

“Hey, Ahn Woo-jin! You’re starting to look tired, aren’t you? Why don’t you stop this pointless struggle and give up? Huh!?”

 

Jae-ho provoked, sweating profusely.

 

“Don’t be ridiculous…. Lee Jae-ho, do you even realize how your neck veins are about to burst…!?”

 

“That’s just my natural condition…! Even a slight exertion makes my veins pop…! That’s what happens when you have so little body fat!”

 

“Don’t you remember almost losing just now?”

 

“I was just taking it easy because a funny thought crossed my mind…! In the end, you couldn’t overpower my arm, could you!?”

 

“Utter nonsense…!”

 

Woo-jin and Jae-ho forced smiles.

 

‘Just give in already!’

 

‘Let me win!’

 

Both were inwardly desperate, wanting to cry.

 

‘This won’t do.’

 

Woo-jin thought.

 

He needed a decisive blow.

 

If he lost here, his honor as the disciplinary committee leader would be utterly destroyed. His brain treated this recognition as a matter of life and death, making his thoughts flash rapidly.

 

“!”

 

From the flash of thoughts, Woo-jin recalled a piece of game knowledge.

 

─ ‘Even attending the exchange meeting is all due to the student council president’s orders.’

 

The reason Jae-ho was attending this exchange meeting.
It was because of the student council president’s orders.

 

The student council president was Jae-ho’s older sister.

 

And.

 

‘That’s right. This guy is a siscon!’

 

Jae-ho, being a siscon, couldn’t refuse his sister’s orders and attended this event.

 

An idea struck Woo-jin.

 

He voiced his thought without any filter.

 

“Lee Jae-ho, you’re here because the student council president told you to, right!?”

 

Due to the intense waves from the arm-wrestling, Woo-jin had to raise his voice.

 

“So what if I am!?”

 

“You’re the student council president’s little brother…! What, you have to follow everything your sister says? Even if it means holding an exchange meeting with us, whom you dislike?”

 

Woo-jin laughed derisively.

 

“Are you a siscon?”

 

As expected, Jae-ho’s face flushed red.

 

Jae-ho had often been insulted as a siscon but had never imagined hearing it directly from Woo-jin.

 

He snapped.

 

“What…! How dare you…! Ugh!”

 

Jae-ho couldn’t continue his words.

 

In the moment he lost his cool and got distracted, Woo-jin seized the opportunity and exerted more force into his arm.

 

Jae-ho’s arm, having lost its pace, began to move backward.

 

“Grrr…! You despicable bastard…!”

 

Jae-ho couldn’t afford to lose either.

 

“Then you… Aren’t you ashamed to be a leader, overshadowed by Oh Baek-seo!?”
“What…?”

 

“At least prove you’re more capable than Oh Baek-seo to become the leader…! Don’t you think you’re a disgrace to Ahsung High School!?”

 

Jae-ho targeted Woo-jin’s weakness.

 

He believed there must be a reason why Woo-jin became the leader, but that was the only attack he could think of at the moment.

 

“Oh Baek-seo must feel disappointed…! Having to serve under someone weaker than herself! I have constantly proven my strength to be proud of my position in our disciplinary committee! Unlike you!”

 

“So what…!”

 

Jae-ho continued to shout.

 

“Look at our vice-leader! Such an intelligent and skilled individual supporting me! That’s proof of my capabilities!”

 

“Ridiculous! Do you think I’ve done nothing!? And our vice-leader is no less intelligent! Even compared to yours!”

 

“What!? Hah!”

 

Fueled by the adrenaline, both felt a fierce competitive spirit.

 

Eventually, Woo-jin’s remark caused a cross-shaped vein to pop up on Jae-ho’s forehead.

 

“Are you saying our vice-leader is less intelligent than yours!?”

 

“You know our vice-leader’s reputation very well…!”

 

The student council presidents, noticing the escalating argument, wore troubled expressions.

 

They realized things had gone wrong as the two leaders snarled at each other.

 

The disciplinary committee members watched with bated breath, munching on popcorn, completely engrossed in the showdown.

 

In front of this spectacle, both disciplinary committees felt united as if sitting together in a movie theater.

 

“Hah! Our vice-leader is wise and smart! And she looks great in glasses! She is the best, with both beauty and brains! Do you think your vice-leader can match ours!?”

 

“Our vice-leader is also a complete package, with both beauty and brains…!”

 

“Our vice-leader is the best supporter…!”

 

“Our vice-leader is the undisputed strongest in Ahsung High…!”

 

The argument between the two leaders turned into a boasting match about their vice-leaders.

 

Gradually, the expressions of the two vice-leaders began to change.

 

Shin Ga-yeon’s face turned bright red, as if radiating heat.

 

Oh Baek-seo tried to maintain a gentle smile but couldn’t stop the corners of her mouth from twitching. Even she couldn’t control her expression.

 

The leaders’ bickering was causing their vice-leaders significant embarrassment and discomfort.

 

Finally, the inevitable happened.

 

“Our Ga-yeon is…!”

 

“Stop it already!!!”

 

Boom!!

 

“Ugh!”

 

A suddenly enlarged hammer struck Jae-ho, sending him flying. The hammer, infused with magical power, was incredibly powerful.

 

Jae-ho’s body flew through the air, hitting the ground hard and rolling until he finally crashed into a wall, coming to a stop.

 

Though he had strengthened his body with magic, preventing severe injuries, the psychological damage was considerable.

 

Jae-ho, bewildered, looked blankly at the stage.

 

“Huff, huff…!”

 

Ga-yeon, holding the large hammer, stood with a face red as a ripe apple, catching her breath.

 

Her patience, usually calm and composed, had reached its limit.