Chapter 34

EP.34 End-of-Semester Evaluation (4)

Kim Hyowon instinctively felt her victory.

She had been worried about what to do if she faced a wizard or archer, but fortunately, her opponent was an assassin.

Among them, Do Jae-hyun, who was closer to the warrior class, was in the intermediate class.

He seemed to be momentarily flustered and had difficulty preparing for the battle properly after his sword oxidized due to the special item [Corrosive Powder].

Although he could use [Daggers] as befitting an assassin...

Kim Hyowon's attacks were coming in too quickly for that.

‘I just need to win.’

In the advanced warrior class.

Kim Hyowon, who was at the bottom of the class, needed this end-of-semester evaluation more than anyone else.

With her stats and runes, this evaluation could potentially demote her to the intermediate class if she failed.

Therefore, without hesitation, Kim Hyowon used the special item before the match began.

‘I didn’t break any rules, did I?’

Honestly, it wouldn’t be a problem.

The holder's sparring is almost like a real battle.

Thus, the supervisors would not interfere with any variables, and if someone accused him of being despicable, he could just say it was the effect of his runes.

Modern rune measurement devices can confirm whether a holder has runes but cannot determine which runes they have.

Therefore, if Kim Hyowon said, ‘This is my special rune!’, no one could argue.

Of course, holders who knew about the [Corrosive Powder] would recognize it immediately.

But if things continued like this, Kim Hyowon would win.

It was a fair victory she had earned through proper play.

“What...?!”

However, as Kim Hyowon was about to stab her opponent's shoulder, her sword sliced through the air with a loud whoosh.

Do Jae-hyun had dodged her sword with a sudden movement.

Kim Hyowon, forgetting to follow up with her next attack, marveled at his quick reflexes.

‘What kind of speed is this...’

An incredible speed.

His movements seemed to be assisted by a related rune.

But that wasn't all.

The real surprise began from there.

“Gah...!!”

Kim Hyowon groaned in pain from a sudden blow to her side.

A punch.

A single punch had struck her side.

After Do Jae-hyun's lightning-fast footwork.

A powerful body blow hit Kim Hyowon's right side.

And then a quick jab followed!

Kim Hyowon, hit in the side and face in an instant, endured the sudden pain and tried to distance herself as much as possible.

“Wh... What...”

What was that, exactly?

Kim Hyowon couldn't believe it even after experiencing it firsthand.

It wasn't just a regular attack relying on physical strength.

Clearly, it had penetrated her durability stats and [Flesh Defense] rune.

It was a definite hit that caused pain.

This would be impossible without the assistance of a [Combat] rune.

‘He has a [Combat] rune...?’

Does that even make sense?

No matter how versatile a multi-holder is, there are limits.

[Longsword] and [Dagger] have overlapping areas, and many holders possess both.

There are assassin classes that use [Longsword] runes and warrior classes that use [Dagger] runes.

This is why some academies abroad do not distinguish between warrior and assassin classes.

However, the [Combat] rune is different.

[Combat] is classified as a warrior class but is closer to a special class.

A combat style that involves fighting with bare hands without using weapons.

It is completely different from [Longsword] or [Dagger]...

A completely different main rune.

It was hard to understand how the holder in front of her could possess such a rune.

‘Why not say he has bow or spear runes too?’

Kim Hyowon felt a sense of injustice.

All her efforts to corrode Do Jae-hyun's sword were in vain.

“Your confidence from the start seems to have disappeared?”

Maintaining a slight distance.

Do Jae-hyun, in a guard stance, smiled and said.

Kim Hyowon bit her lip and replied.

“Being a multi-holder, you have everything.”

“To play fair, I had no choice.”

“Is that fair play?”

“Then, using a trick to corrode my sword was fair play, right?”

She was speechless.

To win the match.

She had used a trick to corrode his sword, which was true.

Do Jae-hyun smiled and said.

“You picked the wrong person. Get ready to take a beating today.”

With that, a powerful straight punch from Do Jae-hyun flew towards Kim Hyowon.

The break was over, and the second round began.

* * *

“What an interesting holder.”

A holder who had lost his weapon was beating a warrior-class holder with a sword using bare hands.

A man watching this unusual scene said.

He was Go Yohan, the head of the scouting team of the <Royal> clan, one of the three major clans in South Korea.

“Sometimes there are multi-holders like that. Holders who can handle multiple main runes with different attributes. Isn’t the Seong Nayeon holder of Royal one of them? She can handle wind magic and longswords simultaneously.”

Similarly, the head of the scouting team of the <Judgment of Fire> clan, Jo Kyouhyuk, replied.

The two were casually exploring the academy to find potential recruits for the end-of-semester evaluation.

...Actually, they were being pressured to recruit Do Jae-hyun.

Because of the clan's unruly young ladies.

Go Yohan smiled and responded to his words.

“Nah. The Seong Nayeon holder is completely different. She is a strong A-class holder as a multi-holder, while this guy is a newcomer who just entered the academy.”

“That’s just an example. You’ve always been like that, nitpicking.”

“Your strange examples haven’t changed either, senior.”

Go Yohan and Jo Kyouhyuk.

They had known each other since their academy days and had a senior-junior relationship.

Both had been interested in administrative work in the holder world for a long time and were now the heads of the scouting teams of major clans.

“What do you think, senior?”

Go Yohan nodded towards the arena and asked.

The holder they were most interested in today.

Do Jae-hyun.

Although he had lost his main weapon, the sword, he was beating Kim Hyowon using another rune, [Combat], with his bare hands.

Without using the [Dagger] rune, only with his physical abilities.

It was a one-sided match that was hard to believe they were both C-class holders.

“Hmm. So far, he’s just average.”

“Really?”

“It’s just that the holder Do Jae-hyun has better stats. Kim Hyowon probably knew this and used the corrosive powder. I still can’t find a reason to recruit him as the young ladies insist.”

“Wait, did you come here because the Kang Juyeon holder asked you? I came because the Moon Ga-eun holder kept nagging me.”

“They’re not that bad-looking, but they’re a headache.”

Just as they were talking.

Do Jae-hyun’s combo struck again.

Jab, straight, backstep.

And another straight, a three-punch combo.

It was hard to tell if they were watching a holder sparring or a combat match.

“Still, using [Combat] is unusual. Longsword, dagger, and combat. It’s a rare multi-holder we haven’t seen in a while.”

“That’s true. And it seems he has a speed-related rune as well. He’s worth watching.”

Kim Hyowon wasn’t just taking hits.

She tried to counterattack using her stats and [Longsword], but Do Jae-hyun, with his [Agile Movement] and high speed, easily evaded her attacks.

Even if he allowed a hit occasionally, [Lizard Scales] covered him.

Not only in stats but also in the use of runes...

Do Jae-hyun, who knew his opponent well and applied it to the battle.

Jo Kyouhyuk highly appreciated this.

He definitely had a promising combat sense.

“But... will Kim Hyowon win?”

“Hmm...”

Do Jae-hyun, who was overwhelmingly pushing his opponent.

However, as time passed, he gradually became tired.

Even the two spectators could see this.

On the other hand, Kim Hyowon, despite continuously taking hits, was enduring with her high durability and [Flesh Defense].

And she was managing her stamina with [Endurance].

A rune that helps maintain stamina and allows for prolonged combat.

[Endurance].

This is a common rune that most warriors, who mainly tank in the front, obtain upon awakening.

But Do Jae-hyun, a multi-holder, did not have [Endurance].

This was evident.

He was getting tired much faster than Kim Hyowon.

So, Jo Kyouhyuk predicted Kim Hyowon’s victory.

Unless there was a significant difference in their stats, Do Jae-hyun was just slightly ahead.

“Huh?”

But something strange happened.

While enduring the relentless attacks, Kim Hyowon’s body suddenly began to wobble.

At first, it was just a slight wobble.

But as time passed, her posture completely collapsed.

It was hard to believe that a holder who had been holding up so well was now collapsing.

Go Yohan, seeing this, was surprised and asked.

“What... What’s happening to him?”

“Crazy...”

He didn’t even have time to answer.

As if trying to get a closer look.

Jo Kyouhyuk, with a shocked face, grabbed the railing.

Finally, seeing Kim Hyowon’s body collapse on the ground...

They could confirm what had happened to him.

“Did he use poison too?”

His body, stained black, clearly showed he was in a poisoned state.

It seemed to be another special rune that Do Jae-hyun possessed...

A poison attack.

Kim Hyowon, who had only been blocking physical