I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City

26 – Overwhelming Power -2-

Before we spar, I will set one condition.

Ju-yeon, after saying he would reveal the condition during the afternoon class, continued the theory lesson with precision.

Within Class 1, many speculations and predictions circulated.

As soon as the afternoon class began,

Ju-yeon appeared in the gymnasium, dressed as usual in his formal attire.

Feeling the unusually intense gazes from everyone, he showed a plain smile.

“Did everyone have a good lunch?”

“Yes!”

They answered energetically, but no cadet had the luxury of eating to their fill.

Lunch was just enough to replenish the energy needed for the practical class.

“Sit down.”

As Juyeon’s voice resonated clearly in the spacious gymnasium,

the cadets sat down with their weapons in hand. Rohan had grabbed a standard-issue sword from the wall.

“You all seem to be looking forward to this sparring session. It seems your focus is better than during the practical classes I usually prepare diligently.”

Juyeon knew it was his own kind of joke.

The cadets of Class 1 listened to the instructor’s voice with gentle smiles.

“Before we get to the main point…”

Juyeon placed the black training journal he was holding on the chair.

“I had lunch with the instructors in charge of other classes and exchanged opinions. I want to explain a bit about that.”

Rohan quietly watched her.

He felt that Juyeon was fulfilling her responsibilities as an instructor with utmost sincerity and effort, and now there was no way to repay her other than to focus.

“Some instructors say that sparring between cadets is the best training. However, since the founding philosophy of Orion Academy is to cultivate forces to counter monsters, there is still much debate about this training method.”

The cadets roughly understood what she was trying to say.

Given her past actions, Juyeon seemed to be concerned about the conflicts arising from sparring.

Juyeon’s practical classes focused on the efficient use of magic, assuming long-term battles.

Or when facing a group of monsters with massive bodies, they had been trained to avoid tangled attacks through implicit turns or formations.

It was all considered rational and professional.

“This instructor believes that killing monsters and dealing with people are fundamentally different, but there was a consensus on the efficiency of sparring classes after exchanging opinions with other instructors.”

The next words were probably the decisive ones.

All the cadets listening felt it.

“Like Instructor Carrot said… there are trash among humans who are no different from monsters. When you delve into the affairs of the world, you can’t avoid encountering such beings.”

Having power inevitably entangles you in various incidents.

No further explanation was needed, so Juyeon took a step to start the class.

“I will now explain the condition I mentioned earlier. You can consider this a simple game between this instructor and the cadets.”

Noah’s tail curled into a question mark shape.

Many cadets had similarly puzzled expressions.

“I will not use any weapons, nor will I attack. The instructor will stand in place and only use the index and middle fingers of the left hand.”

Watching Juyeon conduct the class, one could guess that he was right-handed.

There was a hypothesis that he was ambidextrous, but at the point of using only two fingers, it seemed meaningless.

“Due to time constraints, each cadet will be given 2 minutes. Any attack is allowed. If you can push the instructor back one step or make him use anything other than the index and middle fingers, the instructor loses. In other words, Class 1 wins.”

Juyeon emphasized that it was the victory of the class, not an individual.

“If the instructor loses… hmm, I can’t think of anything suitable. I’ll buy something delicious for Class 1.”

Noah, who had been listening, raised her hand.

When Juyeon looked over, the girl moved her round ears and asked,

“What if we lose?”

That might be the point.

Juyeon raised the corners of her mouth as if she had been waiting.

“Not just Noah Frozenheart, but Class 1 should also strive to master theory as well as practice.”

“Th-theory classes…?”

Despite the soft condition, Noah stammered in surprise.

His tail lost strength and stuck to the gym floor.

“Is it too difficult a condition? Just make an effort. I won’t expect detailed results like scores.”

“…”

“Maybe you’ll achieve the condition and get to take only the delicious things. It’s okay to eat enough to bankrupt the instructor.”

At the instructor’s words, who promised to treat them with joy, Noah tapped the floor with his tail.

He glanced at Ichinose, who was sitting next to him and concentrating, and continued speaking confidently.

“Even if I lose to the instructor, don’t you think I’ll rationalize it and slack off just because you told me to make an effort?”

“I won’t.”

At the assertive voice, Noah’s eyes widened.

Rohan and Ichinose admired Juyeon’s words inwardly, holding back their laughter.

“I don’t want to prepare for the possibility of not keeping it. The condition is vague anyway… Noah, won’t you keep your promise with the instructor?”

“I’ll definitely keep my promise!”

“Then I’ll trust you.”

From Rohan’s perspective, it seemed that Juyeon had already perfectly grasped Noah Frozenheart’s personality and learned how to handle him.

As confidently as Noah had shown, even without any special conditions, Noah would not break his promise to Joo-yeon after losing.

“Alright. Let’s start the class. Who’s going first?”

“Me!”

Noah jumped up from her seat.

The girl who walked out briskly stood in front of the instructor.

“From the moment you attack, you have two minutes. Show your full power.”

“Can I really do whatever I want?”

“Yes. Don’t worry about damaging the gym. If you did, it wouldn’t be Orion Academy.”

Joo-yeon watched Noah with her right hand in her pocket.

Noah was already smiling innocently, as if she was having fun, while rotating her shoulders.

“You know, I think I already understand why my dad told me to go out into the world.”

“Really?”

“My dad isn’t good at teaching. I’m glad I met you, Instructor.”

“Thank you… but I won’t empathize too easily.”

The reason Noah could speak so lightly about the Seolho Grand Festival was because she was his daughter.

“Cadets waiting, move behind the instructor. Secure a safe distance.”

Seeing the first class cadets move in a rush and finish relocating.

Noah, who had finished her warm-up, began to draw out her magic power.

Chuwaaa!!!

A hazy chill flowed out from the girl’s entire body.

The opponent, though not as strong as his father, was still a formidable force beyond estimation.

Noah had no intention of attending the lesson barehanded as usual.

He would give it his all.

“Fimbulvetr.”

Noah Frozenheart’s right index finger.

The ring began to change shape with a creaking sound.

What he held in his hand was an axe made of ice.

Noah twirled the massive axe, which should be held with both hands, with one hand.

“Sss.”

The girl took a short breath.

At the same time, thud! The floor shattered, and Noah disappeared.

Fwoosh!!!

As the pure white cold dissipated in the gust of the clash, the two figures were revealed.

Noah’s menacing axe was caught between the opponent’s fingers.

“Your destructive power has already far surpassed the average cadet. The emission of your magic is particularly excellent.”

“!”

“But it’s not good to take a breath as a prelude to an attack. From your tail to your muscles, it’s too obvious.”

The opponent pointed out leisurely.

Noah continued his kicks, using the axe that wouldn’t budge as a pull-up bar.

“Your ability to respond quickly without panicking is also commendable.”

“Ugh!?”

As Juyeon slightly shook the axe he was holding, Noah’s foot slipped.

Noah let go of the axe, spun around, and landed on the ground.

He summoned his weapon in the form of a ring.

And then summoned it again.

Voom! Voom! Whoosh!

As Juyeon tried to grab the swiftly swung axe with his fingers again,

Noah jumped back and took a stance.

“.”

With the axe on his shoulder, in a low posture like a quadrupedal beast.

Noah’s gaze, fixed on Juyeon, deepened.

His sharp molars became visible.

“You look like a beast.”

Noah didn’t respond to Juyeon’s remark and started growling, freezing the surroundings.

Crack!

The area around Juyeon froze thickly, but the spot where he stood remained unaffected.

Noah, tensing his thighs, kicked the ground and moved.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

He ran around the gymnasium, causing a loud noise.

Although he moved in a simple straight line, his speed was incredible, making it hard for the cadets to catch him with their eyes.

Frost blooms and ice forms where Noah passes.

They tremble and form spikes like awls.

They rained down on Jooyeon like arrows.

Pababababak!!!

A cold wind spreads throughout the gymnasium.

Noah repeatedly charges in, swinging and throwing his axe, never ceasing his attack.

Each time the axe moves, the gymnasium shakes and a loud boom echoes, Kuung! Kuung!

Moving fiercely here and there, perhaps sensing an opportunity.

Noah lands behind Jooyeon and swings the axe roughly.

“Every move is guided by instinct.”

“!!!”

Jooyeon catches the axe swung towards his waist with his fingers.

The sharp blade barely touches his suit.

Noah doesn’t consider this a waste.

It just went according to Jooyeon’s will.

“Eek!”

Noah transforms the axe into a ring shape, swings his fist, and extends his leg.

The impact from the strike shatters the ice, scattering it, but Jooyeon leisurely accepts Noah’s attacks as if playing with a child.

“Your gaze is so focused on the attack point that it’s almost painful. Noah, you need to learn how to use this as a trick.”

“.”

“Should I develop my movements based on intuition, or should I create a system out of it? I need to think about it.”

With Jooyeon’s words coming to an end.

Beep beep beep beep beep!

The alarm rang, signaling that two minutes had passed, and Noah stopped moving.

Jooyeon placed a hand on Noah’s head.

“Noah. Are you satisfied?”

“Yes!!!”

The girl exhaled cold air with a flushed face.

It seemed she was immensely enjoying herself after a long time of running wild.

Seeing her tail swish back and forth, it seemed she preferred this over not being able to push back even a single step.

“I will also work hard on the theory!”

“Excellent.”

A refreshing acceptance of the result. Jooyeon smiled and patted her head.

Then, with magic, he shattered all the ice in the gym into small pieces and cleaned up.

Jooyeon’s gaze turned to the cadets.

“Next.”