It wasn’t difficult to predict the winner and loser before the duel began.
‘The winner is Yu Hana.’
It wasn’t a hunch—it was a rational judgnt.
She had learned the Fla Butterfly Sword directly from , and had even acquired the unique weapon Dongbaek Sword.
Above all, she had faced death in a decisive battle against an Apostle.
She had absorbed that experience during her secluded training and reached a new level of enlightennt.
Both of them were overflowing with potential, but at this point, the difference in completeness was vast.
And the scene unfolding before my eyes didn’t stray far from expectations.
Yoon Chaeha’s combat style was clear.
Head-on assault.
At the core of it was her magical computation ability.
She simultaneously operated nurous magic circles, stacking firepower to overwhelm her opponent.
“Alo Sum!”
The brief chant burst from her lips, and layers of orange magic circles unfurled around her in concentric formations.
Exactly seven.
Not a single one misaligned in angle or position—a flawless arrangent.
A simultaneous magic deploynt that would be hard to believe coming from a re student.
Her Authority, A Priori, made it possible.
Intuition faster than calculation—the ability to complete magic circles instinctively.
And then, from those circles, fireballs began pouring down like a storm.
–KWAANG!
–KWA-KWA-KWAANG!
The fireballs exploded in rapid succession, shaking the air of the training ground.
‘Good.’
Even I, watching the onslaught, was struck by the word overwhelming.
However—
Even so, Yu Hana didn’t move a single step.
Her fingertips moved with quiet grace.
So smooth was the draw of her blade that the sound of it slipping from its sheath was inaudible.
Her foot subtly shifted. A light step, as if treading on air.
As her body rose and rotated, her sky-blue hair, cascading down to her waist, traced arcs in the air.
Along with that curve, the tip of her sword drew a line.
“First Form, Spring Thunder Blossom.”
The most basic technique of the Fla Butterfly Sword—the one I had taught her first.
In that mont, crimson petals burst from her blade as if scattered into the wind.
Her motion slicing through the air was like a butterfly in flight.
The elegant trajectory of the petals danced forward.
As the petals touched the fireballs, the surface of the flas warped—like water dousing sparks.
The fireballs, robbed of their montum, veered off course, either exploding midair or vanishing like sliding drops.
And then ca a smooth, following step.
“Second Form, Rain of Pear Blossoms.”
The petals that had shredded the fireballs in midair—
Ca cascading down onto Yoon Chaeha.
Like rain.
“......”
Yoon Chaeha’s eyes quietly widened.
The match was already decided.
Without a doubt, Yoon Chaeha’s skills exceeded expectations.
But Yu Hana’s ability far surpassed even that.
I had thought the duel would end quickly, within a few exchanges.
But I hadn’t expected it to be this overwhelming.
Yoon Chaeha didn’t give up.
She hastily summoned several more magic circles.
The orange circles hovering around her began to tint a deep crimson.
Her eyes flared red to match.
A sign that her computational ability was reaching its peak.
“...!”
With a short chant, the floating magic circle began rapidly absorbing the surrounding heat and mana.
The compression was so intense, I could feel the vibration.
And then—
“...What the.”
The energy within my body quietly swayed toward her.
The yang energy that had been excessively overflowing inside was resonating with the magic circle.
Naturally, it drifted out of and flowed toward her.
There was no sense of discomfort. It wasn’t forcibly drawn out.
Like a magnet, my yang energy flowed into her magic circle naturally.
I didn’t feel like I was losing any of it.
If anything, it felt like only the excessive, unnecessary portions were being gently lifted away.
Resonance and amplification.
Yoon Chaeha’s magic circle deepened in color to a dark crimson, its shape sharpening and growing in size.
Yu Hana’s eyes widened in midair.
She imdiately looked at , then turned her gaze back to Yoon Chaeha.
She had sensed it too.
Her movent changed. Like a gust of wind, she closed the distance in an instant.
The tip of her blade stabbed straight toward the core of the magic circle.
–CHING!
A sharp shattering sound echoed through the training ground.
The crimson magic circle that Yoon Chaeha had just finished was shattered into fragnts.
At the sa ti, the flow of heat and yang energy ca to a clean halt.
“Urgh...”
Yoon Chaeha’s knees dropped to the ground with a soft thud.
Her shoulders trembled faintly. Her breathing was rough.
“Huff...”
Yu Hana also let out a short breath.
There had been a variable, but in the end, the result was just as expected.
But there was also an unexpected gain.
“You both did well.”
“Yeah.”
“...”
I carefully approached Yoon Chaeha.
Her eyes were completely dyed red.
“Haa... haah...”
“Hang in there.”
Yoon Chaeha gasped for breath.
I placed my hand on her back. Quietly, I aligned my energy with hers.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
The yang energy within slowly lted into her flow.
My energy was solid, hers was hot and soft.
‘This is...’
Worth sharing.
I began transferring a portion of the elixir energy to her completely.
It had been overflowing within , and I had planned to expel it anyway.
A fortunate opportunity to put it to use.
Beneath my palm, Yoon Chaeha’s breathing gradually evened out.
“Take a deep breath.”
“Huu...”
Perhaps she sensed I was doing sothing—she followed without a word.
As her breath fell in rhythm, her energy began to settle quietly.
Her inhalations and exhalations grew smoother and more balanced.
In tune with that change, the energy within also began to settle calmly.
‘No need to do anything more, really.’
Not even additional tuning seed necessary.
Just like that, while transferring a portion of the elixir’s energy to Yoon Chaeha, I managed to calmly organize the energy within myself as well.
“Yoon Chaeha.”
“...Huh?”
She slowly lifted her head.
I extended my palm toward her.
She must have noticed the new energy spreading within her.
Soaked in sweat, Yoon Chaeha stared at .
–Clack.
She blankly looked at my hand, then hesitantly raised her own and placed it against mine.
“Nice.”
I smiled as I said it.
Leaving Yoon Chaeha’s bewildered expression behind, I stood up from my spot.
Then I walked toward Yu Hana, who was regulating her breath.
“That was perfect.”
I spoke to her naturally.
“Your understanding of the Fla Butterfly Sword... I don’t think I’m even in a position to evaluate it anymore.”
It was true.
That sword technique might as well have been created for her from the start.
So it was inevitable that, at so point, her mastery would surpass mine.
Yu Hana gave a small shake of her head with a soft smile.
“Nope, not yet. I still need your help.”
Humble as always.
Her signature gentle tone made chuckle for no reason.
I gave a brief nod and quietly turned my gaze.
The air inside the training ground was still heated.
Yoon Chaeha had stood up at so point, her eyes glowing red.
Now it truly begins.
“Shall we begin?”
I smiled as I looked at both of them.
Training had only just started.
And the night... still looked long.
***
Late evening. Lights off in the dorm room.
The bed.
–Wriggle.
A figure squird under the blanket.
Soft textures, gentle warmth, and a lingering fragrance. For this mont alone, it was blissful.
–Ding.
Just then, an alert rang from the watch placed next to the pillow.
“Agh...”
It had been so nice just now.
With only her arm sticking out from the blanket, Sion pulled the watch toward her.
This was Jeong Haein’s dorm room.
All the plans Sion had made had gone to waste, and the subject of those plans was still training late into the night with Yu Hana.
At first, she had panicked and tried to leave—but whether it was fortunate or unfortunate...
Apparently, Yoon Chaeha was there too.
Most likely, a deathmatch-style training session was underway.
Sion squinted at the watch.
[1000_y]: Don’t talk to I’m depressed.
That was a ssage from earlier in the day.
[OnE]: Haein suppressed his energy completely.
That ssage had co from Yu Hana during training.
[1000_y]: Really? Already?
[OnE]: Kinda ambiguous, but I think so.
[1000_y]: Wait, how?
The ssage that followed was deeply irritating.
[OnE]: Soone gulped it all down.
“...Ah.”
Sion grasped the situation in an instant.
She had a ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) general idea of the nature of Yoon Chaeha’s magic.
She could guess what had happened.
Like a stray cat stealing a fish.
A storm of curse words flooded the chat window.
Sion quietly fell into thought.
Yu Hana never checks her watch during training.
So that ans—
Sion: Is training over?
[OnE]: Yeah, just wrapped up.
“Ugh...”
She stretched out with a yawn.
Still, she’d gotten a good rest.
Now she just had to leave before the room’s owner ca back.
[1000_y]: Why are you asking?
She’s sharp as ever.
Sion got up from the bed and carefully tidied the blanket.
She also pulled out a can of air freshener she had prepared and sprayed it around the room.
–♫~
A gentle hum spread through the room.
Sion went over to the window and even watered the potted plant.
Everything was ready.
“I’ll be going now~”
With those words, Sion stepped out of the dorm room and walked cheerfully to the end of the railing down the outside corridor.
And without hesitation, she jumped down.
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