Chapter 10

### Chapter 10: 1-on-1 Sparring

At 1 PM, the new students of Class A were lined up in three rows in the sparring arena.

1-on-1 sparring. Also known as one-on-one combat training.

It's a simple class where students pair up and spar with each other.

"The match-ups will be randomly decided on the spot. We won't consider personal strengths or weaknesses. You won't always fight opponents who are advantageous to you. There are few opportunities to safely fight against a disadvantageous opponent, so if you get one, you should be happy."

"Yes, sir!"

Since they are new students, they are all well-disciplined at such times.

"However, I will give a special challenge right to the first person who steps forward for the first sparring match. They will have the right to choose their opponent."

Stepping forward to form relationships with key characters isn't bad, but I'm still unsure of my combat skills. Let's try to get through today's class quietly.

"Can I choose my opponent?!"

"Sure, go ahead, Lucy."

Lucy stood next to the instructor and scanned the students with her eyes. She frowned, turning her head, and then our eyes met.

"I choose Hyoyeon!"

Me? Me?

"Hyoyeon? Why him all of a sudden?"

"But from this morning's class, he seemed to be pretty good."

"He also got praised by Professor Lim Sol, didn't he?"

"Maybe he's just trying to confess? He wants to embarrass you in front of everyone."

"Wow, Lucy, you're surprisingly aggressive?"

She's talking about a public confession.

"Both of you, come to the sparring arena. Bring your weapons."

Since both Lucy and I are mages, carrying weapons we've never used would just weigh us down.

So, I was about to go in unarmed, but I picked up a light dagger and headed to the sparring arena. It might come in handy.

In front of the circular sparring arena, I felt a strong gaze.

Looking up, I saw Lucy staring at me with a smile.

Actually, her glare is kind of cute, but her eyes, which are fixed on me, seem to reflect a fierce predator.

With the two of us, a handsome guy and a beautiful girl, facing off, chaos erupted among the students below who knew nothing about it.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on us.

I had expected this. In the Victoria Academy, where sparring classes are frequent, I thought I would eventually end up sparring with Lucy.

I just didn't expect it to happen so soon.

Lucy is one of the heroines and an incredibly talented individual.

Her younger sister, Rumi, specializes in defensive magic, while Lucy specializes in offensive magic.

Her late-game combat ability is one-sidedly offensive, but her ability to burn enemies with overwhelming firepower on the battlefield is the embodiment of a fierce predator, contrasting with her cute appearance.

Of course, at this point, she is still a strong and promising individual, but I, who have no practical combat experience, am not a match for her.

'I wanted to gain experience by fighting extras first... sigh.'

★ Heroine Status Window

After apologizing yesterday, her affection level rose from 2 to 20.

I don't understand. She doesn't seem angry, so why did she challenge me to a sparring match?

"Are you ready to apologize?"

Lucy spoke first from the opposite side.

"Is apologizing in the sparring arena a new trend?"

"To be honest, I'm not really angry. I saw your state back then, and your apology yesterday seemed sincere."

"Thanks for understanding."

Lucy slightly lifted the corners of her mouth.

"But, if you're sorry, you should pay a price. I'll accept your apology after the sparring match."

It seems she does want to accept my apology, but since I touched her chest, she wants me to receive punishment.

In the mana field of the sparring arena, you don't get physical injuries from attacks.

However, to maintain a sense of realism, the pain is still felt. You can't afford to underperform in a real situation due to pain.

I don't want to get hit by magic... it's going to hurt.

"Is everything set with the mana field, and are you both ready?"

———————-

『A side quest has been transmitted.』

Don't get complacent just because you became friends with Rumi!

Lucy can't be swayed by a few words. How about winning the sparring match overwhelmingly and becoming a bad boy?

- Reward: Slight increase in Lucy's affection

———————-

I was trying to relax before the sparring match, but a quest window suddenly appeared in front of me.

No, can you really become a bad boy by winning the sparring match overwhelmingly? That doesn't seem right.

"Hyoyeon! If you're ready, answer!"

"Ah, yes, sir!"

The instructor's shout snapped me back to reality. Well, there doesn't seem to be a penalty for failing, so I might as well try.

I tried stretching to loosen up, but it didn't help much.

The dagger on my belt hit my thigh with each step, which was quite uncomfortable. I shouldn't have brought it if I wasn't going to use it.

"3, 2, 1. Start!"

Bang!

The barrier that separated us broke, and the sparring match began.

As soon as the start signal sounded, I manifested mana.

Lucy uses fire-element mana. Since I also mainly use fire-element mana, we are evenly matched.

Of course, I can use other elements too. I tried it at the training facility, and it was easy.

But showing multiple elements now would be too conspicuous.

'Excessive attention is too early.'

Lucy manifested her mana in the form of fire arrows. Later, she can easily shoot hundreds or thousands of these arrows.

Swoosh!

About ten fire arrows shot towards me.

I blocked them with a fire wall I had already manifested.

The arrows lost their power upon hitting the wall and disappeared.

A light probing attack.

"Pretty good? I thought you were aiming to be a civil servant in the association after switching to a mage."

"Thanks for the compliment."

Our casting speeds were similar in the recent exchange. The difference was that I used my full strength to block Lucy's fire arrows.

But Lucy still seemed to have plenty of energy left. For her, the exchange was a light probing attack.

She was definitely calmer and more skilled in magic than me, who lacks experience. If I had more experience, I could have used mana constructs to efficiently intercept the fire arrows, but I can't control more than ten magic spells at once yet.

"Let's finish this quickly. There are many people waiting behind us."

Whoosh!

Dozens of fire arrows rose above Lucy's head.

I can't block this. Lucy has used her full strength for this magic.

An overwhelming number of fire arrows. The grandeur of their appearance and the pressure of them flying towards me.

For a moment, I thought about taking a hit to end it, but I can't just take it.

If this could repair my relationship with Lucy, I would take it multiple times, but I don't think apologizing after taking a hit would help improve our relationship.

Really, maybe it's better to be a bad boy as the system suggests.

Yeah, let's try something.

Thump!

As I resolved myself, my heart started beating faster. My body, the 'main character' 'Hyoyeon' in this world, wouldn't let me down.

Thump!

Blood circulated rapidly from deep within my chest, spreading vitality throughout my body.

My authority, [Combat Sense], was rising.

Although it's my first time using it properly, I adapted quickly.

The rising [Combat Sense] gave my body a suitable tension and sharpened my senses.

My mind became clear. [Clear Mind] erased the feeling of giving up and started looking for a way to break through this situation.

My whole body was filled with excitement. I felt better than before the sparring match started.

'I can win. No, I have to win.'

Hyoyeon's talent, [Combat Sense]. In the game, this ability alone creates unbelievable variables. Combined with the special abilities [Mana Sensitivity] and [Clear Mind], it created another variable.

『A unique skill has awakened.』

『Unique Skill: [Awakening] has been acquired.』

———『 Awakening 』—————————

▶ Unique Skill

▶ Focus mana in the eyes to maximize vision.

The ability to recognize and distinguish mana-infused entities or forms is maximized.

——————————————–

"Awakening...?"

"Are you giving up? I thought you were more spirited, but you're boring."

Lucy, who had been looking at me standing still with a puzzled expression, shrugged and shot fire arrows at me.

As the fire arrows flew towards me, I activated [Awakening].

Focusing mana in my eyes, I felt a slight pain.

"Grunt."

The pain in my eyes intensified, and I couldn't help but close and open my eyes.

Buzz-

At the same time, mana became visible, and the moment I recognized the visualization of mana, my field of vision expanded.

It was as if an additional eye had grown on each side of my face, making my field of vision abnormally wide, and I could observe the mana in the air at my will.

Before I could be startled by the sudden change in my field of vision, I had to deal with the incoming fire arrows.

The fire arrows flying towards me.

Buzz-

The moment I focused on the magic, my vision distorted. I understood the principles and structure of the magic flying towards me.

The origin of the magic, the extent of its firepower, and the degree of its destructive power were forcibly imprinted in my mind.

It was too late to counter with magic. I had to dodge.

How should I dodge? As I thought this, the optimal route naturally appeared in my vision.

The fire arrows flying towards me. I could see the path of the magic.

Swoosh.

About 30 red lines appeared. Of these red lines, about 15 were aimed at me, and the remaining 15 blocked my escape route.

But if I could see the path, dodging was easy.

I jumped forward in the direction with the fewest red lines.

Most of the arrows missed me, and now only three red lines remained.

I quickly manifested mana constructs in my left and right hands to counter, and dodged one by turning my head to the left.

"Lucky!"

Fire arrows formed again above Lucy's head.

The fire arrows flying one by one. There were fewer than before, but they were faster because she was more focused on control.

But that wasn't enough. I could see the path.

I slightly crouched to the left to dodge the arrow and gradually focused mana in my feet.

'I see an opening...!'

Again, 20 fire arrows flew towards me. There were fewer than before, but the gaps between the arrows were narrower, trying to prevent me from escaping.

The magic flying towards me. It seemed there were no gaps between the magic, but I could clearly see them. A gap slightly wider than my shoulder width. I had to jump through it.

I used the thrust from the sudden explosion of mana in my feet to jump precisely through the gap in the red lines.

Whoosh!

Lucy's eyes widened at the magical scene, then she bit her lip and used magic again.

But the next magic, and the one after that, I approached Lucy while dodging the magic with minimal movement and defense.

"What, what is this!"

As the distance between me and Lucy closed, she tried to create a barrier to create distance.

But before she could cast the spell, I reached her.

Swish

I placed the dagger I had brought earlier against her neck.

We could have decided the match with magic at close range, but I didn't want to attack Lucy.

And, a dominant victory also requires a performance.

Thud

Lucy's legs seemed to give out, and she collapsed.

Looking outside the sparring arena, the students were staring at me in shock.

Even the spirited instructor had wide eyes.

"Sir, please declare the winner."

"Ah, ah, sure. Winner: Hyoyeon. Both of you, come down."

I won the sparring match, but there was no applause, and the audience wasn't in the right mindset.

Lucy was still sitting on the ground, dazed.

『Quest completed! Lucy's affection increased by 3.』

★ Heroine Status Window

- [Affection: 28]

- [Lust: 5]

- [Hunger: 40]

- [Fatigue: 20]

Her affection increased by 3. But why 28? It was definitely 20 just now, so it increased by 8.

Could I really have become a bad boy by winning the sparring match overwhelmingly?

I approached the dazed Lucy and extended my hand.

"Lucy, are you okay?"

"I, I tried to get revenge, but I got crushed."

"Even though I won, it was really dangerous."

Lucy took my hand, stood up, and dusted off her bottom.

"Phew. So, what's with those cool eyes?"

My eyes? What's so special about my eyes?

I checked my face using the mirror function on my smartwatch.

My eyes were softly glowing with a distinct golden light.