Chapter 74: The Tournament How long has it been since I last had a break?
I've been way too busy lately.
Between personal training, team training, tournament prep, teasing the team leaders, my part-time job, studying for exams, and even Frey's assignments—Wygdrasil is enough to drive a man insane.
I've been so busy that I haven't even been able to have sex with Yukina.
She came over to my place for the first time in a while, but she looked so exhausted that we just ended up lying on the sofa, huddled together.
If Yukina, who survived the hellish training of the Geukryu Society, is this tired, the other kids must be at their breaking point.
"Senior Clyde keeps swearing at you."
"Well, I'm doing it specifically to get a rise out of him. The fact that he's swearing means he's pissed, which is the goal."
As I chuckled, she gently stroked my chest with her palm, seemingly enjoying the vibrations from my body against hers.
"The Black Dr... team is out for blood, so be careful."
Ever since I told her that 'Black Dragon' sounded tacky, Yukina has avoided saying the full name as if it grates on her ears.
"The more they target me, the more they lose out. Sorry for telling you to go to the Black team. That senior is annoying, isn't he?"
"It's fine. You sent me there for my own sake. It's annoying when they badmouth you, but I don't care about anything else."
Yukina joined Black Dragon at my suggestion.
The reason was simple: I needed to leech some good magic for her.
The most important thing in a multi-playthrough isn't stats or items. While those don't carry over 100% to the next life, magic transfers over perfectly.
That's why you have to rotate through different choices in each playthrough to systematically collect every spell possible.
You might ask if it matters since people usually stick to a specific build anyway.
And you'd be right. Once you pick a build, you generally only use those specific spells.
However, I can pass the magic I've learned to my allies.
To grow your companions, you need to give them magic that suits their character. The only ways to do that are to teach them what you know directly or to give them items and spellbooks.
Since this is a game world, I can't exactly just command them: "Hey, that senior has a kickass spell, go learn it."
But now, I can influence the characters' choices.
"Did they say they'd teach you the magic?"
"Yeah. They said they'd teach me quite easily, which actually surprised me."
I'm glad it's not something only Akito can learn. I was worried it might be a protagonist-exclusive perk, but it seems that hurdle has been cleared.
With this, Yukina will get even stronger.
As I was wondering if there was any other magic I should get for her, I felt a tickle down by my cock.
Looking down, I met Yukina's eyes before she buried her face back into my chest.
Even though she was embarrassed, her hand didn't stop gently fondling my 'precious' through my pants.
I guess since we've been so busy, you've been feeling frustrated too, huh?
She clearly wanted to do it but was too shy to say it out loud, so she was dropping subtle hints. She was so cute that I just pinned her down right then and there.
"We will now begin the Wygdrasil Tournament."
The tournament officially kicked off with Erin's announcement.
Her breasts are as massive as ever.
I was admiring her chest, which commanded attention even from a distance, when Scarlet gathered the team members.
"We've worked hard, haven't we? There's no need for regrets. Let's show the other teams who we are and who the coolest mages really are!"
As Scarlet spoke with a brilliant smile, the team responded with a thunderous roar.
Gag Duo, when did you two fall for Scarlet too?
I watched the two of them cheering with their hands high in the air with disbelief before turning my head.
She really is in the same league as Akito.
They haven't even been together that long, yet most of the freshmen are already head-over-heels for Scarlet and overflowing with motivation.
If everything had been normal, I would have just let it be, but even though I've been going out every day to tease the seniors and cause chaos, she's managed to keep morale this high.
She really is an incredible woman.
And I'm overflowing with motivation too.
I'm thrilled at the thought of throwing a wrench in the other teams' plans.
The tournament consists of five events where every student in a grade participates (including exams) and about ten events that are grade-independent.
Six of these are reportedly open to the public.
They're even being broadcast live on TV and the internet, so if you embarrass yourself here, it's not just a private shame—it's a public execution.
I only signed up for one public event.
I have to consider Wygdrasil's reputation, after all. I can't just go around smashing everything to pieces.
Of course, there were also many events I avoided because I was scared of Akito and Park Yu-jeong.
"Do your best."
"Who are you talking to?"
"I'm talking to you guys, you idiots. Don't hold us back. If you're going to fail, fail spectacularly and ruin the whole team."
"I can't tell if you want us to win or lose."
Rio shook his head and left to participate in his match.
My match was much later, so for now, I was just spectating.
The Red Team members, led by Scarlet, were cheering, but since most of the matches took place inside an Illusion Space, I wondered if cheering even mattered.
The participants have to actually hear it for it to be a cheer, right?
In the area Wygdrasil provided for each team, several large monitors were set up to show the status of each match.
There were quite a few interesting games.
Some were like escape rooms, others were mental battles like chess, and there were even matches like hide-and-seek where you had to avoid a 'tagger.'
Of course, they were only similar in format; in reality, they were incredibly complex because you had to use every bit of magic at your disposal to win.
Even in the chess-like game, they moved spirits across a set map and engaged in elemental battles. It wasn't just 'water beats fire'; various complex magic theories were applied, so even I didn't fully understand what was going on just by listening.
Plus, instead of a chessboard, they were leading massive armies in a war within the Illusion Space, so it was quite a spectacle.
Maybe because it was a public match, there were even MCs and commentators, and the visual effects were flashy.
The reason they held matches like escape rooms or hide-and-seek was because of 'Zones.'
Zones.
These things are truly tricky.
Monsters are fine because you just have to fight them when they come over the barrier, but a Zone is a specific space where special laws are applied, which is a massive headache.
You know the type—things like 'corruptions' or 'domains' that suddenly appear, and the protagonists have to go inside to resolve them.
They're random, so you never know when or where they'll pop up, and if one appears in a vital location, it has to be dealt with somehow.
They can have irrational laws, and often magic is completely disabled, so quite a few mages end up dying in Zones.
When I was playing the game, I liked them because they offered diverse situations, but now that my life is on the line, I don't want to go anywhere near them.
If a 'Magic Prohibition' law is active, even a 12 Zodiac-class mage becomes a regular person inside a Zone, so strength alone can't solve it.
That's why they have these seemingly childish matches—to prepare for Zones.
I can handle the ones that appeared in the game, but others... I'd rather avoid them.
I spent some time watching the matches and eating, and then it was finally time for me to participate, so I stood up.
"Good luck, Yeon-woo."
"Yeah, thanks. Good luck to you too."
It was a bit disappointing that only one person was cheering for me, but having Angelica's support was enough.
It's still like the Matrix in here.
Seeing the students who had already entered the Illusion Space lying in capsules looked like something out of a sci-fi movie.
"Don't lose on purpose. Everyone is taking this seriously."
"We're childhood friends, can't you be a bit warmer to me?"
Sara frowned the moment she heard the words 'childhood friends.'
"You lunatic, it's only been a few months since you moved in. And even if I'd known you since we were kids, I would never be friends with someone like you."
"Ah, how sad. I'll have to go get some comfort from Yume-san."
"You! Stop hitting on my mom! She already talks about you all the time, and it's so annoying—"
"Yume-san only talks about me? That's good to hear."
Seeing my happy expression, Sara looked like she was about to explode with frustration.
Ignoring Sara's rambling, I climbed into the capsule and entered the Illusion Space.
"Whew—"
I'm impressed every time I come in here.
I looked around the space, which still felt incredibly real.
It was a massive underground-like area that felt like the earth had been hollowed out haphazardly.
There were no light sources or visible sky, yet the space was bright enough to see everything nearby.
I could see the other students participating in this match, and a teacher stepped forward to explain the rules.
The rules weren't much.
Just break through a maze-like dungeon and reach the destination.
Along the way, you could find items to help your progress, and you could either cooperate or compete with others.
"There are no other rules. You can stab someone in the back, or beat them to death. For the record, this won't be shown to the public or your teams, and even we, the exam administrators, won't know what happens. We just give points based on who arrives first."
"..."
He said something so significant so casually.
Seeing the teacher speak as if it were no big deal, the participating students' faces hardened.
"Then... what happens if something goes wrong?"
"If you want to give up, just think 'I forfeit' and you'll be extracted immediately. Other than that, if you die or lose your mind, you'll be forcibly ejected."
"I understand that minimum safety is guaranteed, but isn't this too extreme?"
The teacher smirked at the student who asked the question.
"I think you're misunderstanding something. After you graduate from Wygdrasil, your job will be to deal with monsters, demons, and criminals. And the one thing those three have in common is that they're all total bastards."
"..."
"Let me give you a few pieces of advice. First: don't trust people. Second: people can stab you in the back at any time. Third: sometimes a corpse is more reliable. At least they won't betray you."
I can see why this is private.
Looking at how they operate, Wygdrasil is quite similar to the Geukryu Society.
It feels like they're acting out because they have the safety net of the Illusion Space.
I think it's good to give them a taste of the harsh reality of the world, but the kids are horrified because they're being forced to experience it so bluntly.
At the news that everything happening in the dungeon was private, the students began to eye each other warily with tense expressions.
The teacher spoke cynically, but there was no need to be that tense.
Everyone participating here is a fellow Wygdrasil student.
They have to see each other's faces back in reality, so they aren't going to do anything truly insane for the sake of a single match.
It's not like Park Yu-jeong is here.
Of course, I'm not planning on being kind either.
Black and White teams, get ready to get screwed.
As if satisfied with the students' tense faces, the teacher's lips curled up.
"Your starting positions are random. You might be lucky, or you might not. But the world isn't fair, so just deal with it."
Looking at him now, it seems he's decided to play the villain role on purpose.
Contrary to the teacher's claim of randomness, the destination is the center of the dungeon and the starting positions are always on the outer edge, so the distances are actually quite similar.
Knowing the truth makes it obvious.
Just like during the deserted island exam or the entrance ceremony test, they use words to make the students on edge.
Is it mental strengthening? Or an evaluation? The teachers' provocative words are all intentional.
The teacher, having successfully planted anxiety in the students, clapped twice, and my vision shifted.
Being left alone all of a sudden is a bit creepy.
The path behind me was blocked, and a corridor that felt wider than it did in the game stretched out before me.
This time, I have a mana barrier and I know how to escape the maze, so I have nothing to fear.
The moment it started, I began to run.
Since this isn't a game, the dungeon is much more complex and vast, but I navigated the path using the 'Protagonist's Secret Method'—a trick only the main character would know.
What is the Protagonist's Secret Method?
Hilariously enough, it has absolutely nothing to do with magic.
There are numbers with unknown meanings written at every fork in the road, and by following a specific calculation method from the walkthrough, you can figure out where each path leads.
It's one of those convenient, cliché settings where the protagonist 'just happened' to hear about it in the past and 'just happened' to remember it perfectly. It really highlights the lack of imagination from developers who want to hype up the protagonist but can't think of a good idea, so they just cram something in.
It would have been more convincing to say it was thanks to the protagonist's special mana or traits. Or maybe guidance from his missing father.
They want the protagonist to seem smart, but they lack the ability to write it well, so they throw in these half-baked settings that just kill the immersion.
Well—I can't complain too much since I'm making good use of it.
I remember seeing comments on the walkthrough calling it 'Math Magic' or whatever, but I don't know about all that. Right now, I'm busy screwing over the Black and White teams.
I repeatedly stuffed treasure chests containing pathfinding items into the nets I brought along as I headed toward the center.
I arrived in less than an hour.
It was originally supposed to be a three-hour course, so I must be the first one here.
Looking at the ground for signs of anyone else... honestly, I can't really tell, but anyone arriving later than me is going to have a rough time.
I placed empty treasure chests along the paths leading to the destination and cast spells inside them.
"Kieeeeeek—!!"
"Ah, shit! You startled me! Stop acting up and get in there!"
I shoved the tentacles, which still refused to listen to me, into the treasure chests and struggled to close the lids.
Seriously, Frey taught me such a troublesome spell.
After placing the treasure chests full of tentacles, I wore a satisfied smile.
Gentlemen.
What is the flower of a dungeon?
Is it not the Mimic?
Then, among the many types of Mimics, which is the most magnificent?
A Mimic that wraps itself around a character's body, biting, licking, and doing all sorts of things—that is truly the alpha and the omega.
Welcome, gentlemen.
Welcome to the Ero-Trap Dungeon.
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