Chapter 27
Ambulances swarmed the academy!
What had been a routine ‘midterm exam’ every year turned into a chaotic scene this time. Reporters were blocked by security guards.
Breaking News: Mysterious magic circles and an academy explosion!
Exclusive: Ten first-year midterm groups have vanished?!
Parents flocking to the academy Among them, the Vice President of the Superhuman Association…
A concerned parent representative says, “We asked for detailed explanations, but they evaded our questions. We won’t hesitate to take legal action!”
Headline: Anonymous insider leaks! “This disaster was caused by one person!” When asked why the news was concealed…
Why have the professors gone silent? The rise of a ‘new kind of magic’?
The academy remains tight-lipped on all inquiries.
What on earth is happening at the academy?
“It’s noisier than I expected.”
How long has it been since the midterms ended, yet the outside world is still buzzing with midterm gossip.
The midterms where ten groups disbanded. Never in history had there been a class with such disastrous results, leaving the reporters in shock.
Some astute journalists even targeted me as their focus.
Reexamining ‘Baekho’ Park Min-ji’s bizarre acts! The past incident where she single-handedly dismantled eight midterm groups…
Could it be the Swordmaster again?
“…She single-handedly dismantled eight groups. Indeed, the Swordmaster is different…”
Baekho Park Min-ji.
It’s a rational suspicion to compare my sister’s past with mine and question whether I am the culprit behind the disaster in this midterm.
“Who’s this journalist? They’re sharp.”
That aside, did my sister really slice through eight groups? All by herself?
Well, our first encounter was anything but ordinary.
A swordsman with a blade of pure sharpness hidden within their soul.
A person born solely for the sword, someone who could draw their weapon at any moment, with such talent that even during the Empire’s era, it would have been unparalleled. If I had to compare, it’d be close to a Sword Saint.
“Phew~ Mother was right. There’s no ordinary person in this family. No wonder I have high hopes for my brother too.”
There were many other stories, but they were about other rookies who, like me, were also under the spotlight.
Why did the world’s best safety, Titan, send his son to the Korean Academy? Was it because of ‘Yggdrasil’?
Paewong Kang Man-hee: “Titan’s son? My son isn’t to be underestimated!”
Is the Recluse of Jinryong finally emerging?
The hidden secret weapon of Jinryong Clan, the whereabouts of ‘Jin Yuri,’ becomes a focal point.
I feel it once again, but the people here seem intensely interested in superhumans. It’s a part I still can’t understand. Why are they so fascinated with a place that merely teaches children?
“Tsk.”
But it’s true that the unusually loud commotion surrounding this year’s midterms is partly my fault. In fact, the story that followed the midterm the most was the ‘mysterious magic circle’ that appeared above the academy that day.
Yes. That was mine.
The sins that are inevitable for humans.
Pride, Envy, Sloth, Wrath, Greed, Gluttony, Lust.
Here, they are known as the Seven Deadly Sins.
In a world where I alone could reimagine these sins into my own ‘truth,’ I created a unique magic that only I could wield.
Apocalypse
“Well, it is the Apocalypse for now…”
Can I really call it the Apocalypse?
To be honest, the Apocalypse caught in that photo is so rudimentary that it’s embarrassing to call it the real Apocalypse.
It was merely a slight taste.
If I had to quantify it, perhaps one percent?
Even with just that, it was enough to disarm Cho Mi-jung and Group 16.
When I say disarm, I don’t mean it figuratively, but literally.
Armor, weapons… All their equipped gear was swallowed by the Apocalypse, leaving not a trace behind. On top of that, half the sports field was erased, and part of a building was demolished.
It was only thanks to the belated activation of the academy’s grand magical defense barrier that the already ‘eroded’ field and building weren’t completely obliterated.
All this was caused by a mere one percent of the Apocalypse’s power.
So how did the people react?
Of course, they went wild.
But if I had to pick one thing, it was the shift in perception, I suppose? The gaze upon me changed drastically, with articles, interviews, and various forms of attention all focusing on me.
All the negative rumors that had plagued me endlessly—like being incompetent, worthless, a disappointment, or even broken—disappeared in an instant.
In their place, the word ‘genius’ emerged.
Or rather, it might be more accurate to say that I reclaimed my status.
“Here, a genius. There, a genius. Whether here or in the Empire, people really love that word. Thanks to it, the burdensome label that had clung to me finally vanished. Hail to the power.”
I knew it would turn out this way.
Once again, I must emphasize that the Apocalypse is an extraordinary magic.
It’s a magic that only I can wield and interpret, a magic beyond all norms.
It defies logic, ignores defenses, has infinite coordinates, cannot be calculated, and its form is impossible to predict.
It’s so enigmatic that even its properties can’t be clearly defined.
Once it begins its erosion, whatever it touches—no matter what it is—disappears without a trace, as if its very ‘existence’ is eradicated. And this mysterious magic appeared above the academy.
Even the professors present at the time witnessed it firsthand.
If you’re a scholar or a magician, it’s only natural to be consumed by a thirst for knowledge when faced with such a phenomenon. No joke, as soon as the battle ended, they all rushed to their labs.
To decipher the Apocalypse.
But within a week—or maybe even just a few days—they all came to me.
Naturally, they had all tried to analyze it and failed, only to suck their thumbs and come to me in desperation.
“It’s fundamentally impossible to decode ‘unique magic.’”
I gave them a vague explanation, saying that it was a magic I created to overcome my ‘Mana Void.’
With this single response, I no longer had to explain how I overcame the Mana Void or what this magic truly was.
Accompanied by the title of ‘genius.’
That was my aim.
Not the attention, but the fame of being called a genius.
Once you’re labeled a genius, people stop trying to understand you. They simply accept that you’re different from them, and if something incomprehensible happens, they’ll just shrug it off with, ‘Well, they’re a genius.’
Someone once said:
“Become famous first. Then, even if you take a dump, people will applaud you.”
It’s true. I’ve experienced it myself.
Back in the Empire, I did countless bizarre things.
For example, challenging knights to duels every day as a magician and getting beaten up, or spending years half-naked, claiming I could feel the natural mana.
These actions, which would normally get a person ridiculed as a madman, were met with praise and applause simply because I did them.
What I aimed for wasn’t the embarrassing adulation. I’m not trying to play the hero now.
What I needed was understanding.
Understanding that didn’t require me to explain the results I achieved.
I’m too busy moving forward to bother with explanations.
That’s the real reason I unleashed the Apocalypse.
I turned off the pad and tossed it onto the sofa, just as the clubroom door opened.
Meri and Junu had arrived.
“Ki-hyuk! The grades are out!! I ranked 9th!! I’m 9th!!”
“Tear it up. Now.”
“Junu, haha, ranked 3rd! He said he’d be 2nd, but he’s 3rd! He boasted he’d be 2nd, but… haha.”
“…Training.”
Meri was joyfully skipping around, while Junu, without a word, stripped off his shirt and began loading weights onto the barbell.
I accepted the report card that Meri had playfully thrown at me.
“It seems I’ve started off on the right foot.”
I smiled.
It was a refreshing first step.
Academy 1st Year Midterm Exams (Individual Evaluation)
1st Place - Park Ki-hyuk (Group 20)
2nd Place - Jin Yuri (Group 1)
3rd Place - Han Junu (Group 20)
…
…
9th Place - Sheikh Merhem (Group 20)
…
…
The tension that had been wound tight finally released. With the announcement of grades, marking the official end of the midterms, the academy’s atmosphere slackened like a stretched rubber band.
“I want to play. I’m already playing, but I want to play even harder.”
“Leader, can you cover for me in class? I’m not in the mood to study today.”
“Yeon-hee, do you know this guy? What?! We’re in the same club!! Introduce me! Please!!”
“Hehe. My life’s ruined. Hehe, let’s enjoy it. How about a drink? Yes??”
Those who scored well felt relieved.
Those who scored poorly gave up.
All sorts of excuses were used to justify a series of lethargic days.
The burning passion for knowledge that once filled their eyes was now long gone. Instead, they were eager to find something exciting to break the monotony of daily life.
Ordinarily, this would be the time when professors would step in and reignite the students’ lost enthusiasm, but unfortunately, even the professors weren’t in great shape.
Thanks to the Apocalypse that Park Ki-hyuk had demonstrated.
“…I really don’t understand. How is this formula supposed to connect?”
“Damn it! It was supposed to merge! Why isn’t it working?! Why isn’t it working!!”
“…No choice. I’ll have to ask Ki-hyuk. Assistant, what class is he in?”
Professors, at their core, are magicians before they are educators.
When faced with the mystery of the Apocalypse, they were too excited to focus on their students. Some even felt like skipping classes to focus solely on their research. So, it was a relief if they even showed up for lectures.
Inadvertently, Park Ki-hyuk’s Apocalypse threw the academy’s atmosphere into disarray.
But the real culprit behind all this chaos, Park Ki-hyuk, was nowhere to be found at the academy.
“I have a question. When is our group doing community service? I thought we’d do it after midterms, but no one’s said anything.”
“Co… community service?”
“That’s right. We might’ve skipped it earlier in the semester because we were busy, but we need to start now. If we don’t, our schedule will get messed up.”
“Th… that’s true?”
“Surely…”
“Ki-hyuk… you do have a plan, right? Please say you do.”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…We’re dead!!”
At the Korean Academy, a significant amount of community service is mandatory as part of basic superhuman education.
If you don’t complete the required service hours, you could be held back a year.
Thus, most group leaders usually secured community service opportunities in advance, but with Park Ki-hyuk being utterly antisocial, it was no surprise he hadn’t arranged anything.
But it was fine.
Because even if he didn’t know, his mother surely did.
“Oh, you knew about the community service? How precious. Let’s see, there’s no way my son who only knows about training would know, so the princess must’ve told you. So, do you have a plan? No? I thought as much. It’s okay, it’s okay.”
“Mom’s here for you.”
Kim Yeon-hee, a veteran parent who sent all her children to the academy, and even ensured they all graduated as top students.
Veteran parents always have a plan.
The plan had already been perfectly laid out.
Thus, Park Ki-hyuk and his group headed to the place Kim Yeon-hee had recommended for their community service.
And where they arrived was…
Hanbit Orphanage
“I did that.”
“Huh?”
“Don’t lie!!”
“I’m serious. Look here. See? Doesn’t it match?”
I held up my phone with my right hand and displayed the magic circle with my left.
The children, alternating between the magic circle in the article and the one hovering in the air, were utterly captivated, their eyes sparkling with curiosity. They were really quite cute.
After staring back and forth between the article and the magic circle for some time, the children huddled together, whispering. Their eyes seemed even larger, perhaps because their heads were small, making it seem like all you could see were their eyes.
“It matches.”
“Yeah, no matter how I look at it, it’s the same.”
“Is it really true? Did you really do this, brother?”
“It can’t be! Don’t you know how to read? It says ‘magic’ here. But… isn’t this guy a warrior!”
“That’s right! Brother, you suit ‘Raaahhh!’ better than magic!”
“Yeah! Yeah! Raaahhh!!”
Raaahhh? What does that even mean…
Does it mean I’m strong and intense? Indeed, kids do have a unique way of thinking.
“You rascals, can’t warriors use magic? Come to think of it, wasn’t the question itself wrong? What made you think I’m a warrior?”
“Because you’re big.”
“Yeah. You’re huge, bro!”
“If you’re big, are you automatically a warrior?”
“Yup!!”
“Well… okay.”
So, being big automatically makes you a warrior.
They were so confident that it was almost embarrassing for me.
“Of course, that’s right.”
“Brother, are you dumb?”
“…From Raaahhh to dumb, huh?”
I chuckled quietly.
They were adorable.
The innocent lack of logic, the sparkling eyes, the chattering lips.
But more than anything, I found it endearing how these kids, even in tough circumstances, could laugh so purely, and I couldn’t help but smile.
It’s been a while since I felt so healed.
“Alright, I’ll show you some magic. Come here.”
“Me! Me! Show me first!”
“Hehe. I’m first!”
“Then I’m second.”
“Yikes, third…”
“There’s no need to line up. Just look up there. Look at the sky.”
The magic circle floating on the left rose into the air. The black magic circle ascended into the clear sky.
As the children’s eyes fixed on it, the letters in the circle began to wriggle.
They moved.
They aligned.
And then.
The moment they exploded.
Boom! Boom!!
“Wow!!”
What appeared was.
A display of multicolored fireworks.
A fireworks show under the bright sun.
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