At Stella Academy, the League of Spirits team trains under professional coaches, a structured medical system, and expert strategists in a cutting-edge environment. Known for producing top players worldwide, Stella Academy’s support for its athletes is nearly unparalleled, with only royal-backed teams like *Team Phoenix* of the Adolevit Kingdom and *Emperor Goldens* of the Skalven Empire as close competitors.

“Have you gathered the information?”

This question came from *Gayurin*, a second-year Rios professional major at Stella. Unlike the magic warriors who are divided into classes from F to S, the magic students in Rios have no official classes, as there’s no need to separate them by ranks. But if such rankings did exist, Gayurin would unquestionably be at the top of the S-Class.

For the Rios team, Gayurin was considered a genius, much like how Mayuseong and Aizel were regarded among the magic warriors.

“Ah, Pulleim’s team?”

A weary coach who’d just returned placed the report down.

“Yeah, I analyzed them.”

“Tell me.”

Though Gayurin’s curt tone almost made the coach frown, he held back his reaction.

“They’re unusual. Very unique and interesting to watch.”

“Are they a threat to me?”

With a narrowed gaze, Gayurin took the report handed to her.

“Not at all. Just unique, nothing you can’t handle. Want to see for yourself?”

“Sure. I trust my own judgment more than yours.”

The report detailed the strategies, combat capabilities, movement patterns, spell selection, item builds, and meta tactics of *Pulleim’s team*.

Gayurin first examined Pulleim. Her spell choices, aligned with her affinity for light and plant magic, were nothing exceptional; many Rios players used even rarer types of magic.

“Baek Yuseol’s style is a bit unique…”

“Our strategy team is already working on a counter. They said it would only take thirty minutes to create an item build that counters him perfectly. He’s too easy to exploit.”

It was true. Baek Yuseol always relied on nearby monsters. He needed to strike ten times with his sword to trigger his item’s effects, which was practically impossible against an opponent who wouldn’t stand still for him.

Since he lacked spells to restrict an opponent’s movement, his reliance on items was a glaring weakness that could easily be countered with terrain control magic or a simple blink ability.

“Baek Yuseol isn’t the main concern. The real problem is… well, as you probably guessed, it’s Mayuseong.”

Occupying the central lane, Mayuseong showed formidable defensive and offensive capabilities, resembling an amateur pro player.

His item build was standard, but he’d adopted techniques currently popular among top players and adapted them into his unique style.

Still, that was his limit.

While he showed potential to become a strong player, he was still developing. Even their recent victory over the 12th Level AI had only been possible thanks to Baek Yuseol’s high-risk tactics.

“They’re hardly worth worrying about.”

“Maybe, but don’t underestimate them. There’s something unsettling about this team, especially this Baek Yuseol.”

“I’ll handle it myself.”

Cutting off her coach, Gayurin entered her training room.

The coach sighed and shook his head.

“It might be for the best if Pulleim’s team actually defeats Gayurin…”

Undefeated, Gayurin had never experienced a loss, earning her a reputation as an unparalleled genius among teenage amateur players.

This worried her coach.

She’d never known the fear of defeat.

“As if that’s likely.”

The idea of Pulleim’s team defeating Gayurin seemed absurd, regardless of his sentiments. Their skills weren’t even close to matching hers.

“What am I thinking?”

The coach tossed the report aside, convinced he’d never need to review it again.

Saturday concluded with Pulleim’s team practicing five matches against the 12th Level AI, ending with a record of two wins and three losses. The last three matches were spent experimenting with different item builds, strategies, and approaches rather than focusing on serious teamwork, ultimately resulting in losses.

Monday came without practice on Sunday, as Baek Yuseol had advocated for rest over the weekend—a suggestion Pulleim quickly agreed with, eager for a Sunday nap.

As the class started on Monday, the professor opened with a question.

“Do you know how humans move? Through muscle contractions, requiring oxygen and nutrients.”

This common knowledge left Baek Yuseol bored. While the professor spoke, he doodled in his notebook, having long abandoned any interest in studies.

In his notes were Rios strategies and item builds he’d learned from old Korean players, as well as future episode predictions and information on the *Twelve Crescent Moons*.

The professor struck the board, drawing attention.

“Now, here’s a question. Do skeletons and zombies undergo the same metabolic processes?”

Skeletons and zombies, being dead, lack any functioning systems, yet they somehow move. A strange paradox, indeed.

“The answer lies in black magic. Necromancers use dark magic to simulate muscle and nerve functions, replicating bodily structures with dark mana. Though remarkable, we as mages shouldn’t praise such practices.”

Glancing at his students, the professor lowered his voice.

“Nevertheless, their techniques were worth emulating. Simulating bodily functions with mana was beyond the imagination of contemporary mages.”

With a yawn, Baek Yuseol tuned out the familiar lecture.

Dark mana could accomplish many things that conventional magic could not. While attempts to steal these techniques failed, they did lead to new magical advancements.

*Ding-dong~*

The bell marked the end of class. Baek Yuseol packed his notes and quickly exited the lecture hall.

“Oh, right, for next time, make sure to review this part!” the professor hurriedly assigned homework as students streamed out. Gathering his materials, the professor rushed after Baek Yuseol.

“Cadet Baek Yuseol, a moment, please.”

“Yes? What is it?”

Knowing the professor was affiliated with dark mages, Baek Yuseol’s response came out coldly.

“Ahem, well… Professor Reidin has a favor to ask of you.”

“Oh…”

In exchange for helping Anella transfer into Stella, Baek Yuseol had agreed to do one favor for Professor Reidin—a legal oath he couldn’t break.

A legal oath was akin to a real-world contract; breaking it would bring disgrace or penalties for a mage.

“Understood. But I won’t do anything extreme. I’m not here to perform dirty deeds for a student transfer.”

“Of course, Professor Reidin is aware. Surely you don’t doubt his judgment?”

The professor seemed loyal to Reidin, though that meant little to Baek Yuseol.

“Highly doubt it, actually.”

The professor’s face froze momentarily before he regained his composure with a cough.

“Anyway, here’s the request. Please see to it.”

Handing him a note, the professor vanished down the corridor. Baek Yuseol glanced around, then opened the note.

[Ensure that ‘Maorun White Team’ advances as the representative team in the League of Spirits intramural preliminaries.]

A typical student wouldn’t consider fulfilling such a request, but Reidin likely saw Baek Yuseol as capable of influencing the intramural match scores however he wanted.

“Maorun White…?”

The name rang a bell.

They were a team of dark mages who’d been defeated by Pulleim in the original story. He vaguely recalled the encounter, but the specifics were hazy.

“No problem.”

Had it been a more uncomfortable request, he would’ve refused, but promoting a team destined to lose to Pulleim posed no issue.

Besides, Baek Yuseol had confidence in his ability to fix a match, a skill he’d honed in his younger days.

Raising a team of dark mages didn’t sit well with him, but fulfilling Reidin’s “favor” was critical.

This wasn’t only for Anella’s transfer. Baek Yuseol doubted Reidin could truly secure Anella’s place at Stella.

In the original story, Reidin had only managed to secure transfers for other dark mages, not ordinary students.

And if he failed? That would work out fine too. Since Baek Yuseol had technically fulfilled the “favor,” Reidin would owe him in return.

Poor Anella would have to wait, but she’d be safe under the protection of Jelliel’s Starcloud Trading or Hwaserin’s Sky Blossom Sanctuary.

“If anything, she could start next year as my junior.”

Imagining Anella happy to start school a year younger, Baek Yuseol smiled.