Martial God and Magica.

One academy filled only with close-combat specialists.

The other, with nothing but magic specialists.

Two schools with concepts so blatantly opposite that it almost seemed intentional.

As I watched the two teams glare at the tournament board, my mind drifted back to last summer break.

On our way out of the theater, our squad stumbled upon two groups of students locked in a tense standoff, glaring daggers at each other as if they might erupt into violence at any second.

They were hunter trainees from Martial God and Magica.

That was when Jin Cheongryong and Ao showed up, broke up the fight, and sent everyone home.

Jin Cheongryong had scolded his academy’s students, asking if they truly intended to spill blood outside of a dungeon or sparring hall.

Which, of course, implied that within the dungeon or training arena, spilling blood was perfectly acceptable.

The thought of watching the two academies clash again made me excited already.

The next morning.

After finishing breakfast, our squad stopped near the outer edge of the outdoor training ground on our way back to the dorms.

Down below, I saw TV crews, vehicles plastered with station logos, and cameras everywhere.

“I’m going to pretend to fight and smash all those recording devices to pieces.”

Meiling crossed her arms as she spoke.

“M-Meiling!?” Lumina gasped, staring at her.

Meiling just snorted, “They’re treating us like zoo animals.”

“She’s not wrong,” I said, watching the busy broadcast staff setting up their equipment.

“But why would HAUT even allow something like this?” Lumina muttered.

“To pull in more investments, and to raise HAUT’s recognition,” I answered.

“And what do we get out of it?”

Meiling glared at me like I was on the HAUT executive board.

“We didn’t pay a single cent to attend, did we? Considering the faculty, the robots, the facilities in the main building… we’ve already gotten ridiculous benefits.”

“……”

Meiling shut her mouth.

I turned back toward the training grounds.

The setup that had been arranged for 1-on-1 duels yesterday had been modified for today’s 4-on-4 battles.

The space was larger, and the teams’ starting positions were spread farther apart.

There was also equipment that hadn’t been there before.

“Yein, what’s that?” Seoyui pointed to the electronic boards installed behind each team’s starting area.

“Machines that display HP.”

“HP?”

“Yes. Remember how the announcement said the team that finishes with the most HP left will get a bye in the next round?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s probably why they set those up—to make things clear. Plus, in team battles it’d be hard for Abel alone to keep track of everyone’s condition.”

“How does a machine even read HP?” Meiling asked.

“Don’t tell me it’s using the same kind of lens you have, Yein?” Lumina tilted her head.

I shook my head, “It works by reading mana waves. You know how awakened people can withstand impacts and status effects thanks to mana?”

“Yeah.” Lumina nodded.

“Well, not just items—awakened themselves give off mana waves. Those waves shift depending on HP. The machine reads that fluctuation and displays it on the board.”

“So basically, you don’t even need your lens to measure HP?” Meiling said.

“No.” I looked at her, “The machine can only read how much your HP has dropped compared to normal—it can’t calculate exact numbers. That’s why it uses colors instead. Green means above 70%, yellow is 40–60%, and red is 30% or below.”

“Wow. As expected of you, Yein. You really know the details,” Lumina said with admiration.

“I saw news about those devices being in development a while back. Never actually saw one in use, so I bet HAUT is testing them here.”

“Interesting. So this spar has that kind of significance too,” Seoyui murmured.

Just then, an announcement came through the outdoor speakers.

[All candidates, please gather in front of the dormitory by 8:00 a.m. I repeat, all candidates are to gather in front of the dormitory by 8:00 a.m. That is all.]

It was Jang Jinseong’s voice.

We left the training ground and returned to the dorms.

A little while later, everyone gathered out front, and Jang Jinseong stepped outside.

“Today, you will be participating in team battles from morning until afternoon. Afterward, there will be theory classes and an introduction to tomorrow’s final HAUT schedule.”

At the words “final schedule,” the students’ expressions shifted.

I felt my own facial muscles twitch.

A survival match inside the dungeon, no doubt.

Once that was over, the training program would officially end.

Friday, the final day, was reserved for the graduation ceremony, awards, and meetings with investors.

“You now have one hour to warm up however you like. You may use any of the training facilities, including the outdoor field. Return here by 9:00 a.m. sharp. See you in an hour.”

The first to move were Martial God and Magica.

Martial God sprinted to the training field.

Magica headed into the main building—probably to use the stamina-training rooms inside.

“So, what do we do?” Maria’s voice came from nearby.

“Hmm. Should we have another strategy meeting in the dorm?” Rio said with a wry smile.

That smile made sense, considering who their first opponents were.

“Toby, what about us?”

“There’s something I’ve been wanting to practice. Let’s head to the range where we did mana-bullet target drills last time.”

Toby led his teammates toward the main building.

Their opponents, Ucheon, would be up against Crystal.

After watching Iris crush Ao yesterday, they must feel hopeless.

Ao, the leader of Martial God’s team, had been utterly defeated. That alone proved Iris was the strongest candidate in HAUT this year.

Of course, I had defeated Iris once—but only because I caught her off guard.

I was nowhere near strong.

A single clean hit would kill me.

That was the reality of Nam Yein—the body I was stuck in.

So today’s battle would have to be left to the other three again.

“Let’s go too,” Jang Taeil said, leading his squad toward the cafeteria.

They were our first opponents.

The blind grudge they’d held against us after Seoyui’s sacrifice had already faded.

Which meant today’s match wouldn’t be for revenge, but for a serious victory.

“Yein, shouldn’t we do something too?” Lumina asked once the others were gone, leaving only us behind.

“Yeah. We should.”

I looked around at my teammates.

“Let’s head to the store.”

“The store??” Lumina’s eyes widened.

“Why there?” Seoyui asked.

“Because no one will be there right now. And before moving around too much, we should recharge on fluids and sugar.”

“…So basically, you just want snacks?” Meiling narrowed her eyes at me.

“You could put it that way,” I said.

The three of them gave me looks of disbelief.

“It’s fine.” I smiled, “We’re going to win anyway. Just think about our level and the dungeons we’ve trained in for HAUT.”

The corners of Lumina’s and Meiling’s eyes twitched, their faces tightening.

It was the look of someone recalling a bad memory.

“Mm. If Yein says so, then that must be how it’ll be,” Seoyui said with a nod.

“Right. Let’s go to the store.”

“Yeah. You two are fine with that, right?”

“Ah… Y-Yeah.” Lumina nodded.

“Well, I also agree we’re going to win anyway,” Meiling muttered, snorting lightly.

We headed to the store.

There, we spent an hour snacking.

9 a.m.

We gathered once more in front of the dorms.

The Martial God Academy kids were sweaty, probably from warming up the whole time.

In contrast, the Magica team stood calm and composed.

Even Zen, who was usually reckless and loud, had a settled expression—as if his mindset for this sparring match was completely different.

Or maybe Rune gave him hell, I thought.

That was when Jang Jinseong and Abel appeared before us.

“Good morning, everyone. Sleep well? Eat well?” Abel greeted us with a smile.

“Today’s sparring will be supervised by me and Executive Committee Member Jang Jinseong. Alright then, let’s head to the training ground.”

The two of them led us forward.

“Ah.”

“Look over there…”

A few students whispered among themselves.

Around the dueling arena below, new seating had been set up—seats that hadn’t been there before.

When I saw who was sitting in those chairs, the corners of my mouth rose.

Famous figures of Latessai had gathered.

Naturally, the executive committee chair, Riyu Homar, was there.

So were the bosses of the two corporate giants of Latessai’s world: Crystal and Forward.

Crystal’s president, Ahn Hyunggi—the father of Iris and Eleanor.

And Oh Seongcheon, the youngest son of the former head of Forward, who had claimed victory in the war and risen as the company’s new leader.

Seeing the two of them in person made my skin prickle.

No matter which scenario one played, those two were unavoidable.

And they always forced the player to make a crucial choice.

HAUT was an event tied directly to those choices.

Among the investors seated in the front row was another familiar face.

Porter’s president, his hair and beard pure white, sat alongside Ahn Hyunggi and Oh Seongcheon.

I recalled a tiny line of text from the game’s setting.

The four front-row seats were reserved for HAUT’s top three investors, with the final seat belonging to the executive chair, Riyu Homar.

“Ah! They’re coming!”

“Get ready!”

Reporters and cameramen, here for coverage, spotted us and moved busily.

As Abel and Jang Jinseong led us forward, the massive lenses swung toward us like cannons.

We walked through a storm of shutter clicks and blinding flashes, finally reaching the seats opposite the investors’.

“Alright, Martial God and Magica, step forward. Everyone else, sit with your teams.” Abel said with his usual smile.

“Ugh…”

Lumina’s face went pale, and she let out a groan.

“What’s wrong with you? Why are you so nervous? It’s not even our turn yet,” Meiling scolded.

“But looking at the faces of the ones walking out there now, I… I can’t help but feel it, too… Ugh.”

Lumina clutched her stomach.

She was clearly even more nervous because this was on TV.

Not that she was the only one.

Even the normally energetic Rio and Maria kept their mouths shut, their eyes darting nervously.

But the only one who looked like a corpse was Lumina.

“Seriously, you’re such a coward. Straighten your back!”

“Eek!”

Meiling smacked Lumina square on the back.

“Ow! Meiling…”

“I hit you so it would hurt.” Meiling grinned slyly as Lumina pouted in pain.

I turned away from them and focused on the front.

Martial God and Magica were receiving instructions from Abel on the rules and cautions for the team spar.

“The spar ends if every member of a team’s HP indicator turns red, or if the opposing team surrenders. Everything else follows the same rules as the individual matches. Any questions?”

Neither Martial God nor Magica spoke.

“Then, does anyone want to use an item?”

Again, silence.

“Alright. Equip your skill gems. Once the HP indicators are confirmed, you’ll head up immediately.”

I watched the students slotting gems into their skill slots.

Both teams moved to their positions. Soon, the boards behind each team lit up.

Four green lights on each.

With the HP indicators working properly, Abel and Jang Jinseong exchanged nods.

Abel stepped between the two teams, cleared his throat, and spoke.

“Ahem! Then, we will now begin the HAUT team sparring matches. The first round is Martial God Academy versus Magica Academy. Victory is achieved when all members of the opposing team’s HP indicators turn red, or when you force a surrender. Please remember, if the fight becomes too dangerous or overheated, either I or Member Jang Jinseong will stop it.”

His tone was a little stiff—probably because of the cameras.

But the smile on his lips was unmistakable.

He was looking forward to this, too.

The long-standing rivalry between Martial God and Magica.

“Then, the first team spar begins now!” Abel shouted, stepping back.

The first to move, of course, was Martial God Academy.

All four members charged straight at the Magica team—

And suddenly froze in place, feet stuck to the ground.

“Wha—!”

“What is this!?”

In front of them stood a large-framed girl holding a shield.

It was Magica’s member, Nia Estel.

Beneath her feet glowed a violet-ringed magic circle.

Exactly.

I nodded.

Nia’s ability:

A gravity field.

(End of Chapter)