In the spectator seats of the First Arena, Atra sat in the special section reserved for professors and other important figures, her eyes fixed on the floating hologram in front of her.

▶Ihan: Got it. (5 weeks ago)
▶Ihan: Yes, I’ll return safely. (4 weeks ago)
▶Ihan: I’ll do my best in the finals! (Just now)
▶Ihan: ????‍???? (Just now)

The message history between Ihan and Atra was laid out on the hologram.

Her finger flicked, scrolling through the previous messages before glancing back at the newest one.

The change in tone, from the earliest message to the most recent, was obvious, even through simple text. His previously stiff, formal way of speaking had softened, becoming more playful and affectionate.

Atra chuckled to herself. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling. In fact, the change filled her with a kind of joy she hadn't expected.

Despite his appearance, Ihan had always seemed distant. But now, he acted with more ease, even showing traces of affection and reliance. His dedication to training never wavered, and he approached everything with a desire to learn and improve—a lovable student.

Which master wouldn’t be proud of such a student? Only a fool would take it for granted.

As Atra smiled to herself, someone plopped down heavily in the seat next to her.

"Oh, I’m dying..." A voice, drenched in exhaustion, muttered.

Atra glanced to her side and saw a woman with long black hair flowing down her back, half-lidded green eyes peeking out from under her bangs.

The enormous magical power emanating from her was unmistakable. It was Liana Bellus.

"Weren’t you too busy to attend?" Atra asked, raising an eyebrow.

Liana, a professor who taught spirit magic, had been overwhelmed with work due to the ongoing evaluations. Being responsible for the entire curriculum of spirit magic, Liana had enough to deal with. To add to that, it just so happened that this was the year she was in charge of the evaluations for the midterms as well.

Atra recalled how Liana had been grumbling for weeks about how she couldn’t even indulge in her favorite hobby—drinking.

"I didn’t come because of the evaluations," Liana replied, shaking her head.

Atra turned to her, confusion evident in her gaze, which silently asked, What about all those texts complaining about not being able to drink?

Understanding the silent question, Liana shook her head again.

"It’s because of Ihan. I can’t drink because of him," Liana explained.

Atra blinked in surprise at the sudden mention of Ihan’s name.

"...Why?" she asked.

"Why? You were there. You saw what happened. Just catching a whiff of alcohol makes him react violently," Liana said, recalling the incident that had left them all shaken.

Atra’s face twisted into a grimace. That day... the day she had witnessed Ihan’s intense aversion to alcohol—an event that left a profound impact on her as well.

She understood now.

That incident had affected her deeply, too. Even though she had tried to keep a detached stance, Atra hadn’t been able to touch a cigarette since that day.

If Ihan were to look at her with disgust or nausea now, her heart would probably shatter.

‘Ugh...’

The thought alone made her stomach churn, as though her heart would freeze over and shatter into pieces.

Now she could understand why Liana had given up drinking for the time being.

However, a part of her couldn’t help but feel slightly dissatisfied. She cast a sideways glance at Liana, who was stretching her arms toward the sky, groaning about her exhaustion.

"Wouldn’t it be better to just drink if it’s stressing you out that much?" Atra asked.

"I can’t risk being hated by Ihan," Liana replied, frowning.

"Then just deal with being hated and drink."

"You make it sound so easy..." Liana clicked her tongue in annoyance, but then her expression shifted as if she’d remembered something.

"After the midterms, I’m planning to use the free time before the break to give Ihan some focused lessons in spirit magic. What do you think, as his master?"

"Spirit magic..."

Atra let out a soft hum. She had already heard about Ihan’s affinity for spirits, and it wasn’t just a mediocre talent—it was an extraordinary, multi-elemental affinity.

Liana, who had mastered spirit magic, had said herself that Ihan’s potential in the field was immense. He wasn’t the type to half-heartedly learn something; he had the innate talent to master both martial arts and magic, including spirit magic.

It was the right choice for him to learn it. Even though Atra wasn’t a spirit user herself, she had worked alongside them in the past and knew how effective their abilities could be.

It was definitely the right decision.

So why, then, did Atra feel a slight pang of discontent deep inside?

[The first match of the main tournament will begin shortly. Please welcome Cadets Ihan and Baek Ahrin to the stage.]

Just as Atra’s thoughts lingered on that uneasy feeling, the announcement echoed through the arena.

Both Atra and Liana straightened in their seats, turning their attention to the arena.

Everyone in the special section did the same. No one in this audience was indifferent to the match about to take place.

The same could be said for the general audience as well.

Cadets, their families, heroes, and scouts—everyone was focused on the stage, eagerly waiting to witness the strength of the rising generation.

.
.
.

After a brief waiting period, I walked down the corridor toward the stage, following the broadcast’s instructions.

The dimly lit passage, with its soft overhead lights, contrasted with the bright arena ahead, making the space feel darker than it actually was.

I crossed the boundary between light and shadow, stepping onto the arena floor.

• Waaaahhhh!

The roar of the crowd immediately filled my ears, an overwhelming sound I hadn’t encountered during the preliminaries. The noise almost made me freeze in place, but I forced my legs to keep moving naturally.

As I made my way across the stage, the building practically shook with the noise. Even without using my powers of Observation, I could feel it.

The sensation of thousands of eyes focused on me, like a physical force pressing down.

The deafening roar of the crowd was so intense that I had to adjust my hearing to avoid the ringing in my ears, and the vibrations beneath my feet reminded me of endless aftershocks.

All eyes were on me—peers, upperclassmen I had never even met, and familiar faces like Aiden, Attila, and Elia.

Elia was seated with people I didn’t recognize, likely her family. Sitting quietly on her lap was the stoic child we had met during the Shipnaha incident.

I had heard the child was safe, but seeing him in good health brought me some relief.

I also spotted representatives from associations and clans, scouts seeking promising talents, and even journalists trying to capture every detail for their reports.

It was overwhelming and uncomfortable, but I had grown somewhat used to it. Had this been the beginning of the semester, I would have felt my heart drop into my stomach.

But now, I felt a certain calm before the storm—before the impending battle.

Emotions wouldn’t help me in a fight. While they might aid in unleashing my powers, they were of little use in combat itself.

• Step, step.

As I worked to regulate my emotions, I sensed a familiar presence enter the stage.

With a light grip on her lance and a gentle smile on her face, Baek Ahrin, the successor of the Ocean family and the top student among the first years, appeared on the opposite side of the stage.

The crowd erupted once more in cheers.

Unfazed, Baek Ahrin waved at the audience, her smile calm and composed as if the noise didn’t affect her at all.

She made her way to the center of the stage, stopping a fair distance from me.

[Countdown to the first match of the tournament begins.]

[60, 59, 58...]

57─! 56─! 55─!

As the robotic voice echoed across the arena, the crowd joined in, chanting the countdown in unison.

"Hah-Yul," Ahrin suddenly called out, as we both made our final checks before the match.

"Don’t you think just fighting like this is a bit boring?" She tilted her head.

“?” I wasn’t wearing the Confession Necklace, so I couldn’t hear her thoughts clearly.

Seeing my confusion, Ahrin’s smile widened as she continued.

"How about we make things a bit more interesting with a little bet? Just to spice things up a bit."

A bet?

It wasn’t an unreasonable suggestion. Friends often placed casual bets on the outcome of matches to make them more engaging.

Ahrin still wore that warm, gentle smile—so disarmingly positive that there wasn’t a trace of malice to be found.

‘Activate, Power of Observation.’

I activated my Power of Observation to carefully study her expression.

Observation.

To observe, analyze, and measure phenomena, states, trends, and changes.

I narrowed my focus, increasing the precision of my scan.

I observed Ahrin. I watched her smiling face.

...And saw the mask beneath it.

Behind that warm smile was an utterly emotionless expression.

‘......’

Wearing a mask wasn’t generally considered a good thing. It often implied deception, hiding one’s true intentions.

My perception of Ahrin had always been that of a strategist.

She possessed both intelligence and wisdom, with the ability to manipulate situations without expending much effort. She had a natural talent for predicting future outcomes based on current events.

The way she interacted with me had always been with that mask firmly in place.

But there was something about her behavior that felt... genuine.

Her friendliness, her efforts to grow closer—there was a strange blend of truth and falsehood in them.

It was deeply confusing.

While I pondered this, the countdown dropped below 30.

• Nod.

I nodded in agreement to her proposal, and Ahrin’s smile brightened even more.

"In a match like this, the stakes are usually pretty simple. How about a wish? The winner gets one wish from the loser. What do you think?" she suggested.

• Nod.

“Great! I like it!” She beamed, and the countdown continued to fall.

9─! 8─!

I exhaled slowly, preparing myself for the fight.

7─!

I adjusted my stance, ready to spring into action the moment the countdown hit zero.

6─!

"By the way," Ahrin suddenly said.

5─!

‘Now?’ I blinked, wondering why she was speaking at this moment.

4─!

Ahrin’s gaze softened, and she casually spoke as if it were no big deal.

"If I win..."

3─!

A knowing smile crept across her lips.

2─!

"I’m going to take your entire day."

‘?’

[The match begins!]

With that cryptic statement and a smile, the match began.

A torrent of water shot toward me with deadly speed.

‘...!’

I twisted my body just in time, narrowly avoiding the jet of water. It slammed into the wall behind me with a deafening crash.

Ahrin’s hands moved fluidly, directing the water as if it were an extension of her own body. The jet of water twisted like a whip, lashing out at me with precision.

I leaped, dodging by the slimmest margin, as the water struck the floor and walls, gouging deep scars into the arena’s protective barriers.

The force behind it was far greater than I had anticipated.

“Haha! Now that I’ve secured my terms... I’m going all out!” Ahrin’s laughter rang out as I quickly gathered my magic.

Even as I worked to gather myself, she smiled brightly, clutching her lance tightly in both hands.

With a swift motion, she plunged the tip of her lance into the ground.

• Thud!

The sharp tip sank effortlessly into the earth, burying itself deep into the arena floor.

• Drip... drip...

A single drop of water formed at the tip of her lance, sliding down the shaft before dripping into the ground.

Then.

• Woosh!

A burst of blue erupted from the ground where her lance was embedded. In the blink of an eye, a pool of water had formed at her feet.

A shallow puddle.

But I could feel it. The ominous energy seeping into my skin, the unmistakable release of water energy...

‘No way.’

The motion was familiar, and I knew exactly what technique she was using. That’s why I was so shocked.

• ROOOOAR!

The puddle exploded, sending a cascade of water shooting into the air like an inverted waterfall.

The tiny puddle had become a massive surge of water, enough to engulf several people with ease.

Her unique ability: Ocean.

And its expanded form:

Tidal Wave.

The ground beneath my feet darkened with the shadow of the incoming wave.

And then, the roaring wave rushed toward me.

 

[Player Support System: Affinity]

Ihan → Baek Ahrin ●●●●●○○○○○ (56▷57/100)

"Affection" "Curiosity" "Confusion" "Suspicion" "Unfairness"