Shioram Academy.

Once hailed as the Academy of the Silent Mage during its peak… and now, known as the Tower of Growth, established by Neriel Clydia.

It is also regarded as the world's supreme institution for training superhumans, without any equal.

It is said that every young talent in the world dreams of setting foot in this place.

And within this prestigious academy, under the directive of the headmaster, a cadet had been given blatant special privileges: the status of a special admission student.

For the past 120 years, there had never been a case of such a student. The position had always been regarded as a mere symbol to motivate other cadets.

But now, a student had actually taken that seat.

For the first time in Shioram's history, a student had appeared whom even the headmaster of the Tower of Growth had declared exceptional.

Naturally, the world was abuzz with excitement.

The name "Lee Hayul" spread far and wide.

Special admission student. And following that title: Lee Hayul.

And behind that name came the whispers of his blindness, muteness, frail body, sensory-based unique ability, and orphan status.

Blind, mute, with a weak body. His unique ability was ill-suited for combat.

Not exactly the traits of a hero destined to close dungeons and battle monsters.

Doubts inevitably followed.

[Scotland, Sifnaha: Series of dungeon rampages reported. Unprecedented disaster strikes without warning.]
[Scottish government declares emergency, currently assessing scope and scale of the incident.]
[Heroes save the city from chaos? A cadet from Shioram?]

Despite the doubts, Lee Hayul constantly proved himself.

Stories of his remarkable, almost miraculous, accomplishments circulated within Shioram, impressing staff, while news of his heroic actions at Sifnaha reached the public.

The stories were heard.

But few had witnessed them firsthand.

Rumors floated quietly. News articles with only a few lines, and blurry video clips—censored to protect the privacy of the cadet—circulated.

Even with these, the proof of his qualifications was enough for many. But there were still a few who couldn’t fully believe it. Some remained skeptical.

"What the hell..."

One of those who hadn't been fully convinced muttered under their breath.

Others nearby heard the muttering but didn’t respond. They were having similar thoughts.

The stage where the duel was taking place was far below the audience, to the point that even if three or four adults stacked themselves up, they wouldn't be able to reach it.

— ROAR!

A wave surged. The sheer force of it was enough to easily swallow several people whole as it crashed into the barrier and dissipated.

A spectator seated at the lowest level flinched, recoiling as the wave approached, almost close enough to touch.

The stage had long since turned into a sea, as if a tidal wave had rolled in. The floor was no longer visible; it had become a raging ocean.

— ROAR!

At the center of that ocean, two figures clashed.

A massive whirlpool swirled. Waves shattered and scattered in every direction, and the force of the impact shook the sea.

The whirlpools collided, canceling each other out and dispersing. The sea trembled again as new whirlpools formed and collided repeatedly.

"Wow..." "What in the world..."

No one could keep their mouths shut.

The blue ocean had risen right up to their feet. The waves, fierce enough to crash over them at any moment. The whirlpools, which could crush the bones of ordinary people in an instant.

These images were burned deeply into the minds of everyone sitting in the audience.

On the stage, there were two people engaged in an intense battle.

Baek Ahrin. The heir to the Changhae Family. A rising star who had already earned the reputation of a future leader in her generation.

Everyone knew this. The prestige of the Changhae Family and the information about the heir who would one day inherit it were often mentioned in public broadcasts.

But her opponent... the details about Lee Hayul were scarce.

Most of those present did not know the true extent of Lee Hayul's abilities or strength.

In fact, many of them had come today specifically to witness his power for themselves.

In the end, those who had come with that intention found part of their curiosity satisfied.

After today's performance, even the lingering doubts of the few would likely disappear.

 

"Oh..."

A soft exclamation escaped. Her lips parted unconsciously, almost as if she were about to let out a sigh.

Was that too simplified? Baek Ahrin pondered the expression.

Admiration? Surprise? Shock? Satisfaction? A glimmer of hope? Desperation?

It was too complex to pinpoint exactly, and it didn’t seem necessary to dissect each emotion one by one.

Right now, it felt like all of those emotions were mixed into one.

Baek Ahrin smiled brightly as she watched the scene before her.

The stage had long since been submerged, becoming an ocean.

Her expansion ability, Sea Overflow.

Elemental users rely heavily on their environment. The expansion ability allows one to change the environment itself to be favorable to them.

It consumed a tremendous amount of magic power, but for someone like Baek Ahrin—who had a naturally vast magical capacity and had consumed countless elixirs as if they were daily meals—the cost was bearable.

Because it was an environment tailored to her, Baek Ahrin could stand effortlessly on the water.

— Boom!

But she wasn’t the only one standing on the water.

Some distance away, a small figure rushed through the waves, smashing them apart.

The aura that surrounded the figure shimmered, now clearly tinged with a blue hue, as it devoured the waves and pushed forward, closing the gap.

— Bubble...

Behind Baek Ahrin, Water Mirror Orbs floated into the air.

Before, there had been only a dozen. Now, their numbers had multiplied several times, nearing fifty.

— Bang!

Dozens of water streams sliced through the air. The explosive roar as they cut through the wind was vastly different from before.

Not only had the power increased, but ice particles were now mixed into the streams, making them even harder to block with aura alone.

— Bang!

In response, water streams were fired from the opposite side as well. The Water Mirror Orbs that Lee Hayul had summoned unleashed their own streams.

There were only about ten. The power was weaker, and the quantity was insufficient.

It wasn’t enough to block all of them. Even with water-infused aura, the difference was too much to handle.

At a glance, it seemed as though this exchange would end in Baek Ahrin’s overwhelming victory.

— CRASH!

At a glance, that is.

Behind Lee Hayul, amidst the twenty or so Water Mirror Orbs, complex magical patterns spread through the air.

Parallel casting, used to cast magic simultaneously during battle.

Rapid casting, meant for fast-paced combat situations.

Multi-casting, used to manifest multiple spells at once.

The spells woven together so intricately were backed up by layers of protective measures to prevent disruption or malfunction.

The air was filled with an array of offensive spells, ranging from low-tier to mid-tier.

Dozens of water streams, and the twenty or so from Lee Hayul’s side, along with the countless spells, collided in mid-air.

— BOOM!

The waves rising from the impact shattered into pieces. Lee Hayul didn’t miss the opportunity and surged forward, propelling himself across the sea.

As the distance between them closed, Baek Ahrin made a small gesture with her hand.

— Crrrrack!

The sea beneath Lee Hayul froze solid. The transition from water energy to ice took only an instant.

The frozen sea trapped Lee Hayul’s ankles, and jagged ice spikes shot up, aiming to tear his body apart.

Boom! A mid-tier spell, "Shockwave," exploded from Lee Hayul’s legs, shattering the ice that had held him in place.

Fwoosh! A spear of flame erupted from the air, clashing with the ice spikes rising from below.

Though the fire didn’t completely melt the ice, the now-blunted spikes were unable to hold Lee Hayul in place.

"Quite colorful, isn’t it?"

That was the impression Baek Ahrin got as she watched Lee Hayul, who had briefly paused before rushing forward again.

Red. The fire spirits that circled around him evaporated the water and melted the ice as they burned.

Green. The wind spirits gathered behind him, creating gusts of wind that accelerated his movements.

Blue. The water spirit at his feet allowed him to stand on the ocean and suppressed the power of the incoming waves and water streams.

Brown. The earth spirit skimmed across the floor of the stage, controlling the water and occasionally rising to block incoming attacks.

Fire, water, wind, and earth spirits. While they weren’t directly participating in the battle, they provided indirect support to make the fight smoother.

There were no lightning spirits. Perhaps they were too difficult to control in an environment saturated with water energy?

"Hmph."

Baek Ahrin let out a small laugh. What an impressive array of talents.

The appropriate use of elemental magic, a discipline in which talent was mostly innate.

The martial prowess to mimic the Changhae Family’s techniques and replicate others’ expansion abilities.

The ability to rapidly and intricately cast multiple spells, leaving no openings.

All of this made possible by an exceptional level of magic control.

And, despite being blind, a sensory-based unique ability that allowed him to perceive everything as if he had omniscient sight.

So many talents.

It was something Baek Ahrin had often heard others say about Lee Hayul. And now, she was the one thinking it.

It was a rather amusing turn of events.

No, this entire situation was quite enjoyable. The small glimmer of hope she had seen earlier now felt like it was growing.

And especially that part.

The way the fire spirits melted the ice was a particularly satisfying sight.

Baek Ahrin smiled as she gripped her spear.

The spear forged from pure ice felt cold and unpleasant in her hand.

She drew out the magic power from her core. The immense amount of magic surged through her circuits and into the spear.

Roar! The combination of ice energy and aura caused the spear to swell in size.

The massive spear radiated a fierce energy.

It was an unmistakable signal of an impending decisive blow.

Lee Hayul responded. He pulled his arm back, and the aura surrounding him flared up.

It was a signal acknowledging the challenge.

He could refuse. He could dodge the blow and opt for smaller, continuous attacks.

But even Lee Hayul knew that this would put him at a disadvantage.

A prolonged battle wasn’t in his favor.

Furthermore, if he were to win, he had to consider the next round as well.

If he dragged this out and won with all his strength depleted, it would be bad for both of them.

There was no reason to prolong the fight. So he answered the challenge.

The graceful water energy that Lee Hayul had been manipulating coiled around his forearm like a serpent.

And inside that water energy, ice crystals began to form.

Crack! The ice shattered and mixed with the swirling water energy.

Whirlpool Water Palm. The martial art that utilized water energy for direct combat, now enhanced with ice.

The process was seamless and smooth. He had learned it well.

Baek Ahrin smiled in satisfaction as she pulled her spear back.

The gap between them closed. Aside from the spear Baek Ahrin held, the scene looked almost identical to their initial clash.

"Expansion Ability."

But there was a slight difference. As Lee Hayul rushed forward, he hesitated briefly before unleashing the technique he had coiled around his arm.

The whirlpool, infused with both water and ice energy, tore through the sea as it surged forward.

The power behind it was formidable. The force was so strong that Baek Ahrin’s hair, which had been tied back, was now whipping wildly in the wind.

If the attack hit directly, it would likely cause significant damage, even to Baek Ahrin, who was highly attuned to both water and ice energy.

But Baek Ahrin felt a strange mix of disappointment and relief.

If Lee Hayul had chosen to use the Flame of Fear or Changhae’s abilities—or any of his other techniques—she might not have been able to guarantee her victory.

As the whirlpool approached, Baek Ahrin raised the tip of her spear.

Expansion Ability.

The expansion ability that followed after Sea Overflow. Personally, she found it rather uncomfortable to use.

But still...

"I’m sorry, but I have to win this for our bet."

Baek Ahrin thrust her spear forward.

Expansion Ability.

"Frozen Sea."

A soft whisper. The magic and unique energy expanded.

The magic imbued in the spear, the magic stored within her body, and the water energy filling the surroundings—all of it was converted into ice.

The cold swept through the air.

 

The once turbulent, blue world turned still and white.

The waves that had been crashing moments before froze in place, and even the protective barrier around the audience was covered in frost.

— Crackle...

The cold that crept up her right arm was utterly unpleasant.

Even the expression on her face beneath the mask seemed to twitch.

As the unpleasant sensation surged through her, Baek Ahrin’s gaze instinctively turned forward.

"......!"

Her eyes widened in shock.

Just inches away from her face, a black hand had come to a stop.

It was so close to the area where the Frozen Sea had manifested. It should have frozen over completely, turning white with frost.

But Lee Hayul hadn’t frozen.

He had protected himself from the effects of the Frozen Sea. Only the hand encased in a bracer was visible.

— Phew, phew...

The air was so cold that even his breath was visible, escaping in white clouds.

He was clearly freezing. His outstretched arm trembled violently.

It seemed he had no strength left, as he stood completely still.

But he hadn’t frozen.

He hadn’t succumbed to the ice.

He hadn’t been overtaken by the freezing cold.

If Lee Hayul had a bit more strength left, the outcome might have been different.

"......Heh."

A small laugh escaped her lips. That faint glimmer of hope she had seen earlier now felt much larger.

Her heart, which had been quiet, began to beat rapidly.

The thing nestled in her heart stirred in displeasure. But to Baek Ahrin, that was immensely satisfying.

Baek Ahrin smiled brightly as she reached out and pulled Lee Hayul into a tight embrace. His head was pressed firmly into her chest.

Lee Hayul, who had been wearing a strange expression, was startled and began to struggle.

He squirmed in embarrassment.

There was no discomfort or rejection. Baek Ahrin’s smile deepened as she confirmed this.

It seemed that he had grown comfortable enough to allow such close contact without much resistance.

"It looks like I won."

Lee Hayul, who had been wriggling in her arms, suddenly froze. He squirmed for a moment, then raised his head, brushing his face against her chest.

Though he couldn’t see, it was clear he was silently protesting that she had gone too far.

Baek Ahrin felt a slight pang of guilt. She had deliberately thrown him off before the match even started, using that as an opening to exploit her expansion ability.

"...But I still won, so I’m going to claim my day with you, Hayul. So..."

Baek Ahrin lowered her head. Objectively, it was a cool gesture... but to Baek Ahrin, it was a tender one. Her lips brushed against Lee Hayul’s ear.

"Keep your schedule free tomorrow, alright?"

Her words were a soft whisper, and her warm breath tickled his ear.

Lee Hayul’s body trembled noticeably, and then he gave a small nod.

 

The underground waiting room for the participants.

It had everything one could need. A soft bed and sofa.

A fridge stocked with all kinds of drinks, including alcohol, and a wide array of snacks...

And, floating in mid-air, a hologram that broadcasted the ongoing match.

The match had just ended... showing Baek Ahrin hugging Lee Hayul tightly.

"......That..."

A figure leaning back against the sofa was holding a glass filled with ice.

— Drip.

The ice had melted. The mixture of drink and ice bubbled and evaporated into steam.

"What the fuck is that bitch’s problem."

Hong Yeonhwa, who had been barely holding back her temper to avoid crushing the glass, finally let loose with a string of curses.