Professor Bae Seo-jin couldn’t shake off the feeling that the levels of her students were dropping day by day.
Although it wasn’t to the point where quality was severely compromised by the underground transmission of tips and tricks among seniors and juniors, if they wanted to benefit from this advantage, the output should have been better.
Hearing her concerns, I made a simple suggestion. I would expose the weaknesses of the wands created by the students, but all I needed was an opportunity to duel with them.
Being the smart person she was, Professor Bae played along.
She delegated the wand demonstration to me and instead provided a chance for them to redeem their grades.
From the start, Professor Bae intended to give the students good grades, but by instilling a sense of crisis in them, she aimed to create an unforgettable class experience.
That devious plan was truly professor-like.
Completely oblivious, the students assumed they were going to be bombarded with Cs and Ds and were frantically repairing and improving their wands, grateful for the second chance.
“Na-me, what are you doing?”
“I need a witness. With so many high-ranking students around, it would be a disaster if they tried to retaliate later.”
“Come on, they’re just kids! What retaliation? You don’t have to worry. They’re all nice.”
Students from the Theory of Magic Department were of even wealthier backgrounds than the music majors.
In my past life, many had challenged me to duels, and those I defeated would always stir up trouble using their titles like Duke or Count.
It’s better to have more safety measures.
[NoName]
[Just Chatting – Korea University Dojo Punching]
[Broadcasting Time – 0:02:39]
[Number of Viewers – 4910]
By the way, the broadcast itself was also a problem.
I had no suitable content other than games, making it awkward to face the viewers.
I was never particularly good with words.
Sometimes I envied streamers who could chat with strangers on the spot.
Putting it off just once or twice would have been fine, but seeing people waiting anxiously for a broadcast was pitiful.
I’m bored, so I guess I’ll turn on the stream. But I have no material for it. Guess I’ll put it off for later.
It felt like a stream of consciousness, perfectly intertwined like rock-paper-scissors.
“What’s the surefire way to win at rock-paper-scissors?”
– Starting off the stream with rock-paper-scissors, LOL
– It’s way too chaotic…
– Where am I? Na-me?
– I’m so cold… A world without Na-me is freezing…
– Teacher, please don’t end the live streamㅠㅠㅠ Teacher, please don’t end the live streamㅠㅠㅠ
“Huh? This is our school gym?”
“Korea University? Who are those people?”
“So, what’s the way to win?!!!! Tell me before you leave!!!!!”
“Um… this is the Korea University Kim Woong Advanced Gymnasium. It’s a state-of-the-art facility built with a donation of 15 billion won from a guy named Kim Woong. All the walls, ceilings, and floors are treated with barrier mana.”
– So how do we win at rock-paper-scissors?!
– When you say ‘rock-paper,’ just hold out scissors, and when you say ‘scissors!’, show a cloth. That gives you a psychological advantage.
└ Are you a genius?
└ Right? They instinctively throw a fist, LOL
– Teacher, I think I’ve seen you around Korea University more lately!
– Are you saying you actually enrolled?
“I don’t really know if I should say this, but it’s not like I enrolled; I just got picked as a public relations ambassador for Korea University today. It was quite sudden, but they asked me to film promotional videos, so I’m experiencing various classes.”
Are they still not ready over there?
A male student, confidently holding up a wand with an emergency restoration scroll, was immediately pulled away by a female student by his hair.
Elder siblings were scolding him, saying he shouldn’t take the initiative when there were so many improvements needed.
As expected, the students from the Theory of Magic Department were dedicated even when it came to catching a rabbit.
[‘HanhwaAutumnBaseballWish’ donated 1,000 won!]
– Wow…! Does that mean all those people are students from the Theory of Magic Department?
“Right. I’ve heard there are double majors, but the department is the same.”
– Wow
– Korea University Theory of Magic Department ㄷㄷㄷㄷ
– Is there really a department that guarantees a starting salary of 100,000,000 won right after graduation?
– But is there a Korea University public relations event?
└ For real, LOL
└ So we actually didn’t know about Korea University, huh? LOL
– Wow, I never knew Korea University was like this!!! I definitely have to apply!!!
– We, the king gods, just didn’t know which is why we didn’t go, LOL
– They all look super smart
└ Is that a compliment or an insult?
└ Of course, it’s an insult
– Academy top 1’s ㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷ
“Oh, it looks like it’s about to start. You viewers are the judges. Please pay close attention.”
One team completed a soldering-like task and was heading to the professor for final confirmation.
– ???
– What are they trying to do?
– Please explain what you’re doing. LOL
– Last time, they didn’t end up catching a serpent while riding a mountain!
└ That was a natural monument, wasn’t it?
– Na-me, I’m already terrified of what you might do…
– Teacher, please refrain.
└ Teacher (waddling)
└ Teacher (dancing)
– Seriously, Na-me… you’re so cute…
└ Crazy… crazy…
“Do you know about magic duels? Fighting while enveloped in barriers.”
– ㅔ
– If you don’t know that, you’re a spy.
– Speaking of which, the Academy Competition isn’t far off this year.
└ It’s October, there’s plenty of time…
– Please don’t tell me it’s what I think it is, Na-me?
– I only knew how to use magic tooㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
– Even with barriers, if someone swings a fist at my face, it’s terrifying.
– These days, how do they make it like water defense/magic defense?
└ No, that’s a gaming term, LOL
└ LOL, it’s pretty intuitive, physical resistance, magical resistance
└ Maybe 3:7?
└ Wow, things have gotten so much better… back in my day, it was 1:9, and I had to fight only with my fists…
└ At 1:9, magic wouldn’t work at all, LOL. Were you living in a barbaric age?
“The rules are simple. As part of the class on wand structure and understanding, your seniors each made their wands. The representative of each team will use that to duel with me.”
[‘2DisLife’ donated 10,000 won!]
– Na-me, that doesn’t make sense. How will the Theory of Magic students beat that in a magic duel? LOL
– I bet there’s a guaranteed winner from the Academy Competition in there somewhere; I’ll stake my level 300 Wagal account on it.
– For real, each of them must have been the representative of their academy. LOL
– What the heck is the Academy Competition?
└ If you don’t know this, just how not into it are you?
– So what will Na-me use to fight?
“Common rules are that only magic below the 2nd circle can be used, and of course, as we’re evaluating the wands, the duel will be hands-free (using only the wand), so the casting will be done via the wand only.”
In fact, dueling with just those toy wands already comes with significant penalties.
“My wand? This one, I don’t think I’ve shown it before.”
It was a Swiss-made Light Transmutation Circle Inscriber gifted to me by Professor Cheon for my birthday.
It’s a very expensive item with a price tag of 30 million won.
As I pulled it out in front of the broadcast camera, the chat surged with double the speed.
– Wow…!
– Looks like a luxury brand at first glance, right?
– If it’s about the item advantage, I’ll admit it, LOL
– But is it even possible to make a wand after just two months of class?
└ That’s why they keep bragging about the Theory of Magic Department at Korea University.
People watching from a distance widened their eyes in awe.
It was indeed a product that was a bit much for kids to use.
Unlike popular luxury brands like Omega or Rolex that frequently release kids’ editions, this was more suited for professionals.
Especially since the ‘Memory’ series sacrifices convenience for additional features, it played a significant role.
[‘HomeWreckerEomJun-yong’ donated 1,000 won!]
– This is insane; an IWC Schaffhausen ㄷㄷ, but who bought it for you?
[‘Dinosaur Jungle’ donated 3,000 won!]
– Is it possible it was bought in Switzerland…?
– ??????????
– Why suddenly Switzerland?
– Don’t you know about the Great Generation’s classified documents?
– Oh my God, no way…
– Were you already preparing the groundwork?
– But it seems pretty believable…
– What is Korea doing right now?
– If I got that for free, I’d go to Switzerland too, LOL
– Please don’t tell me you’re actually going? No way right? You’ll stay on the Asia server, right?
“Oh, it seems like we’re ready to start now. Enjoy the match.”
[‘FarFetchedWish’ donated 20,000 won!]
– Please tell us who gave it to you before you go! No seriously, please tell us, Teacher!
—
Korea University’s Altair Academy’s second-best graduate, Shin Yeon-ho.
The one who led the Theory of Magic Department to victory in the Academy Competition against Sephiron Academy during middle school.
He had such excellent academic performance that, at the urging of his parents and teachers, he switched majors to the Theory of Magic Department.
However, unable to give up on his dream of dueling, he secretly participated in the National Martial Arts Championship and made a remarkable run to the quarterfinals despite being only a sophomore in high school, crushing the seniors.
He reached the quarterfinals in a competition he entered with no preparation at all.
Not only did he possess talent in handling magic, but he also excelled in utilizing aura against students from the Philosophy Department, making him one of the strongest within the Theory of Magic Department when it came to one-on-one duels.
When the professor proposed changing the evaluation method to wand-based dueling, Shin Yeon-ho was the first to smile.
‘As expected, you little one, you’re from the same league as me.’
It was unfortunate that his fellow students could not understand the joy and thrill that can only be felt in the fierce battle of wits.
Although they weren’t from the same academy, he planned to teach those who would eventually enroll in Korea University what dueling was all about.
That was, until she suddenly turned on her personal broadcast.
“Other than hands-free, can we go completely free-rule? Casting and direct hits are allowed.”
“Hey! Don’t say something so dangerous!”
A girl. An elementary school student. Eight years old. A victim of terror.
And a child receiving national attention.
Who in their right mind would throw a punch at her in front of thousands of people watching?
“Why not?”
Na-me’s innocent expression of complete ignorance caused veins to bulge in Shin Yeon-ho’s forehead.
“You can go with a free rule. I’ll just use this wand to attack.”
“I’m honestly fine with you using your fist.”
“Please, Na-me, just talk sense…! Are you trying to bury me here?”
With fists? Just the act of feigning a shoulder strike would guarantee that the next day headlines would be sensational.
Several titles from the media popped up in Shin Yeon-ho’s mind.
“Korea University student throwing furious punches at an 8-year-old girl. Is getting good grades a free pass at Korea University?”
“Is the elite’s character education in jeopardy? The reckless actions of the OO Clan’s offspring continue.”
Given that we live in an era where the pen is mightier than the sword, caution was necessary.
Meanwhile, Na-me looked a tad disappointed, smacking her lips.
While the professor explained the rules of the duel to other students in the auditorium, Na-me and Yeon-ho entered the waiting room to wrap their bodies in barriers.
The waiting room was darker than the auditorium.
Instead of bright LED fluorescent lights, a soft red light greeted them.
In the center of the room stood a large crystal sphere, about the size of an adult’s body.
Sometimes it appeared transparent like a diamond, and other times it seemed to shine with a reddish hue, as the two of them placed their right hands on either side.
[Access Approved: Professor Bae Seo-jin of the Theory of Magic Department]
[Average Output: 5000kE]
[Small Particle: Magical Particle = 2 : 8]
As high-density energy slowly enveloped their bodies, Na-me quietly closed her eyes and meditated.
Seeing her cute demeanor, Yeon-ho smiled and said.
“Who’s the strongest in your grade? Are you the best in your grade, Na-me?”
“Huh?”
“During duels, there are rank lists, right?”
“The Theory of Magic Department only has duel classes starting from 4th grade.”
Na-me replied with an indifferent expression. There was hardly any emotion in her voice.
“… So has today’s duel been your very first?”
“I guess you could say that.”
“Hey! What are you planning?! If you don’t know the theory of barriers, how are you going to fight later!?”
After the smaller Na-me finished her barrier infusion first, she was loosening up her wrists and ankles.
What was she, some sort of fight-loving student? It turned out today was her first ever duel.
Yeon-ho grabbed the back of his neck in disbelief.
Na-me’s cold gaze fell upon him as he looked at her.
“I guess you didn’t watch my stream. If you had subscribed, I would have been nice about it, but of course, you didn’t, did you?”
If he had ever tuned into her Wagal broadcasts even once, he wouldn’t have reacted as he was now.
“Well, I hope your wand works well.”
Na-me stepped out of the waiting room first.
Maybe due to the dim red lighting of the waiting area, the elongated shadows of the girl danced ominously in crimson light.
