Chapter 129: Don't Set Rules August returns to the management area, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over him.
The first death was via self-harm.
When they blocked self-harm, he used a magical tool to die instead.
August had instructed that neither the current students nor the transfer students should be allowed to win, but the boy had responded in a way no one could have anticipated.
To be precise, he was systematically ruining the match itself.
It was impossible not to see this for what it was: a protest and an expression of dissatisfaction toward the teachers who had imposed rules on him without consultation.
"Phew... That boy certainly has a fiery temperament."
"They're all like that at that age. He'll grow more dignified once he gains some experience and maturity," one of the teachers remarked.
Is that so? August wondered.
The other teachers still treated Yeon-woo like an ordinary student, but August didn't share that view. He had already proven himself to be extraordinary, and even Derek had evaluated him as having a unique 'singularity.'
August looked at the teachers with a hint of disdain—they acknowledged the boy's ability yet still thought of him as a typical student.
A different approach is needed. There's a high probability he won't even follow orders from the government or official institutions.
Yeon-woo was accustomed to breaking established rules. If he felt he was being treated unfairly, he didn't care if his opponent was a teacher; he would pay them back in kind.
He was currently evaluated as being kind-hearted and caring toward his comrades, but what if his personality changed later? What if he became a bit more selfish, a bit more wicked, a bit more cruel?
It was an extreme thought, but the image of Yeon-woo as an enemy of the state gave August chills.
"Have you restricted Yeon-woo again? That will only make things more advantageous for him," Derek said, standing beside August after arriving late to the exchange meet.
Because Yeon-woo kept dying by using stimulants, the teachers had held a meeting and imposed restrictions to control his behavior.
"To think he'd use the toxicity of stimulants... Should we just confiscate all the medicine?"
"Then how is Yeon-woo supposed to dodge everyone on his own? You don't actually think he's at the level of the 12 Zodiacs, do you? Even we couldn't escape that many people. The moment you confiscate them, this stops being a match and becomes mere bullying."
"But his intention is too obvious! Whether it's stimulants or poison, he's choosing to die the moment it looks like he'll be caught. The match can't proceed like this. Other students are watching; do you intend to let us be humiliated?"
Ultimately, the teachers adjusted the settings so that poison wouldn't affect Yeon-woo and placed a cooldown on the stimulants so they couldn't be used consecutively.
Derek, having arrived late, shook his head as he watched the screen showing Yeon-woo.
"Is something bothering you?" August asked.
"Whether it's the students or the teachers, everyone is being dragged along by Yeon-woo. I suppose that's a talent in itself."
"Do you think this has become more advantageous for Seo Yeon-woo?"
Unlike the other teachers, August didn't believe they had completely thwarted Yeon-woo's intentions. However, he felt they had at least mitigated his ability to ruin the match. Derek disagreed.
"If you want to make use of him, you shouldn't impose rules. Rather, you should remove the rules and let him run free."
"That's paradoxical."
"Aren't there already countless paradoxical mages? Yeon-woo is skilled at twisting and exploiting fixed conditions. It would be better to give him nothing at all."
Indeed, he had exploited the publicly announced rules every single time. August nodded, recalling Yeon-woo's past performances.
"But there's no such thing as a situation without conditions, is there? The opponent's traits, the environment, one's own circumstances... the world is full of differences, and those differences create specific conditions."
"And that is exactly why he is strong."
"...I didn't realize you held Seo Yeon-woo in such high regard, Derek."
"I was the one who mentioned his singularity to Lady Erin. Have you forgotten?"
Derek gave a short, dry laugh. But who could laugh along with him? He wasn't just praising a promising student as a teacher; his nuance suggested he viewed Yeon-woo as an equal.
And since the person offering the praise was Derek—who, while not one of the 12 Zodiacs, possessed skill and experience nearly on par with them—the weight of his words was different.
Ugh, seriously... this is driving me crazy.
As expected of the elite, even when I use stimulants, they adapt almost instantly and keep attacking.
Honestly, I might have been a bit full of myself. I've been taking down monsters, my abilities have been growing without a hitch, and I've been quite the MVP lately.
But as they say, there's no winning against a dogpile. I can't even mount a proper counterattack; I'm just busy running for my life.
The transfer students have clearly been through hell and back. No matter how much chaos I cause, they reorganize their ranks and tighten the perimeter faster than the regular students.
Didn't you guys just meet today? Why is your teamwork so damn good?
I should have taken some recovery potions when August was handing out items. I gave them up because I was trying to stay light enough to keep my speed up.
I figured that since my condition resets to 100% when I respawn, recovery potions were less valuable, but now I'm desperately craving one.
"Die, you insect!"
Did I piss off the Kkanp too much? With a terrifying expression, she's hounding me like a relentless hunting dog.
Clang!
"I don't have a hobby of rubbing bodies with men, you know."
"Shut up! Under-the-Bed!"
"Under-the-Bed?"
I shove back the bastard known as Under-the-Bed, who was closing in for a melee strike, and scatter Counter Magic in all directions.
It's scary how they've already adapted after seeing it a few times. They instantly huddle together to block the magic as a group.
The force that once pushed back a giant gorilla monster no longer works on these people. However, since few can block it alone, the act of gathering together stalls them for a split second.
The moment I fire the Counter Magic, I start sprinting, but sensing a murderous intent from behind, I don't even look back—I just slide to the side.
A chilling shink sound passes right by my ear, and Shizuka, having swung her blade, immediately follows up with another attack.
"I thought we were on good terms!"
"We have never been on good terms."
"Temporary alliance! Temporary alliance!"
"What are you even talking about?"
Shizuka, having apparently forgotten the memories of us fighting together against the Black Dragon during the Tournament, swings her sword relentlessly. Every time she does, I get nicked here and there.
My skin isn't being cut because of the mana barrier, but my clothes are being turned into rags.
A wide swing from Shizuka shreds my shirt, which slides down to reveal my magnificent chest and solid abs.
"Pervert."
"...I'll start by cutting out that tongue of yours."
I scramble away from Shizuka's flurry of strikes, but the bag at my waist gets caught in the crossfire. The stimulants inside are scattered into the air. I snatch one and stab it into my neck.
"H-Hnnngh...!!"
"You think you're the only one who knows how to use accelerators?"
The transfer students laugh at me, picking up the dropped accelerators and stabbing them into their own necks.
"Gah... ack..."
"Cough—urgh..."
"What? What's happening?"
The transfer students who used the accelerators collapse, foaming at the mouth. The crowd panics.
"Didn't your mothers teach you not to pick up and eat just anything? Ahahaha!!"
"I knew he'd do that."
"Works for us."
Only the transfer students had used the poisoned accelerators. The regular students, who had been watching me for a long time, didn't lay a finger on them.
Do you guys love me that much? You know me too well.
Even with purification magic active, the mortality rate is that high? That poison must be incredibly potent. I'm only using it like this because we're in an illusion space; it would be insanely expensive in the real world.
It's great being able to use accelerators without the recoil, but the duration is too short compared to the effect. I need to run as far as I can.
I quickly tap my watch to set a 5-minute timer for the next dose and sprint toward a subway entrance I'd scouted earlier.
Despite using an accelerator, the fast ones catch up quickly and follow me into the entrance.
But is it really okay for you guys to enter in a single file like that?
I stop abruptly and clench my fist.
Until now, I'd focused on the 'pushing' aspect and hadn't fully controlled the Counter Magic, but Frey used to scold me for wasting power like that.
I control my body, concentrating all the force generated by the Counter Magic into my fist.
Don't treat the ground as an enemy. Think of your entire body, from toes to head, as a tool to support the punch.
Frey's original magic, 'Magnum,' is actually closer to a martial art than a spell. Since this world doesn't have things like Wuxia novels, everything is lumped under 'magic,' but Magnum is fundamentally about controlling the body to deliver all its power into a single fist.
There are other elements, like exploding mana within the body to act as a primer, but the magic doesn't even start if you can't perfectly coordinate your body to throw the punch.
Even without using the full Magnum, the physical mechanics of throwing a punch can be applied to other attacks. I condense the power of the Counter Magic into my fist and launch it forward.
K-BOOM!
"Where do you think you're run—?!"
The regular and transfer students streaming down the narrow passage have their mana barriers shattered instantly as their bodies are pierced.
A half-beat later, a shockwave follows the trajectory of the magic. The subway entrance is blown to smithereens, debris flying everywhere.
Damn, that was cool.
It's the kind of one-shot move that any man would fall for. This is why I can't give up on this M-leaning, high-HP tank build.
The fallen students are treated as 'dead' and vanish. The passage has been widened by the magic, but no one dares to step inside.
"Not coming in?"
"..."
The transfer students, who had only seen the uncontrolled version of Counter Magic, turn pale at the unbelievable power and hesitate to move.
Even the enraged Kkanp seems to have calmed down after seeing that display, merely glaring at me. Pauper and Shunya look down at me with slightly fearful eyes.
"You used up all your Counter Magic, didn't you? You don't have any stored up anymore."
Park Yu-jeong squats down, resting her chin on her hands with a sly grin. I look her in the eye and beckon with my finger.
"If you think so, come on in."
"Mmm~ Seeing how confident you are, I'm certain you're out."
Damn girl, her intuition is way too sharp.
However, Park Yu-jeong makes no move to enter. Even though she told them I was out, the image of that destructive power is burned into everyone's minds, and they hesitate to be the first one in.
Except for one person.
"Go, Akito~!"
Park Yu-jeong, still not moving from her spot, cheers for Akito as he trudges down the ruined passage.
Right, you would be that guy. The hero who smashes through any obstacle with protagonist buffs.
But, you know, I'm sorry, but I'm currently struggling just to stay alive.
"Brother! No! Get back!"
"It's poison! Fall back!"
People scramble away in a panic as they see yellow smoke billowing out from behind me.
"What's wrong? You're supposed to catch me, right? Not coming?"
"You crazy bastard..."
That's a bit harsh.
In the field, haven't you seen plenty of criminals who go on a rampage with a 'if I'm going down, you're coming with me' attitude?
I triggered every single poison I received from August right here. The fairly spacious subway station is now filled with the same poison that instantly killed the transfer students who had purification magic.
"Are you planning to commit suicide again?"
"Suiiiicide~? You shouldn't say such things so lightly~"
"..."
"You seem to have forgotten. My body is immune to poison here."
I grin, bringing up the rule August set during the second emergency stop. Unlike you extras, this body is 'Invulnerable to a Hundred Poisons' within this illusion space.
"You cheating bastard!!"
"Do you want to win that badly?!"
"Aah~? If you have a complaint, take it up with the teachers watching over there~ I'm just following the rules~"
As the transfer students throw a fit, the regular students look at them with pitying eyes.
"It's a familiar sight, somehow."
"We were like that too."
Why are you guys looking all nostalgic? You can't catch me either.
"You little shit, just wait until this poison clears. I won't let you off."
"If you're that mad, come in right now."
When I beckon and laugh, one of the transfer students tries to charge in out of rage but is held back by the others.
"Why agonize over it? Just bury him alive."
"Aah~ go ahead and try~ I'll just trust my mana barrier and stay quiet under the ruins~ Go ahead and collapse it~ I'll just take a nap, so you guys have fun digging through the dirt~"
"This guy..."
This should be enough to satisfy August... right? He told me to take them down a peg so they wouldn't get cocky with the teachers, so this should do it.
They're just dumping their chores on me.
Finally, I glance over the transfer student heroines and rivals looking down at me and give them a smirk.
"I heard you guys had a lot of field experience, but you're not all that, are you? What's the point of getting your licenses early and hunting monsters? All of you gathered together can't even catch one guy like me."
I must have really bruised their egos, because everyone's expression hardens except for Pauper and Shunya. The Northern Star, the Kkanp, and Under-the-Bed look particularly stung.
But what are you gonna do? You gonna come in?
I chuckle and step into the yellow smoke, which has already risen to my waist.
"Cough, cough—ugh—it doesn't block the smell?"
The poison won't kill me, but it's hard to breathe because it makes my throat itchy.
About 30 minutes seem to have passed. It's quiet, with only the occasional muffled shouting from outside.
But man, this poison really doesn't dissipate. I picked a great item. Maybe I should buy a few when I get out.
As I'm lost in thought, August appears before me.
"Another emergency stop?"
"No. We've judged that there's no point in continuing further. The exam is over."
Oh hell yes, it's finally over.
With a wave of August's hand, the thick poison mist filling the underground area vanishes. I feel like I can finally breathe.
I follow August out into the fresh air.
"Is it okay to end it so soon?"
"Yes, the objective has been achieved. You did very well."
I thought he'd scold me for ruining it, but he's surprisingly satisfied.
Once I step out of the station, I realize why August is so pleased.
"You guys must have had a hard time. You kept getting played by that guy?"
"I'm telling you, last time he tried to drown us in a cave. He only does the dirtiest tricks."
"Ugh, I really want to punch him. Anyway, let's get along from now on. You worked hard."
"Yeah, yeah. Let's crush that bastard next time."
You guys... look awfully close? Everyone except me.
The regular and transfer students, united by their common enemy, have become best friends and are openly badmouthing me.
If this is how it's going to be... then I'm the only one...
When I look at him, August meets my gaze calmly.
"You did a great job."
"I... I don't think it's good to encourage bullying among students."
"It's fine. They're all adults, and almost no one there would commit such a despicable act—except for you."
"..."
"It ended well."
Did it... really end well?
For everyone except me.
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