Chapter 204: End of a Semester 4
“I’ll head out first,”
“Yup, good luck,” I replied, giving her a thumbs-up.
Seo subtly smiled, her usual cool demeanor cracking just enough to show a hint of appreciation.
I watched her walk toward the stage with that calm, almost emotionless expression she always had.
It was reassuring to see her in perfect condition today, especially since she was about to face Kagami.
As Seo’s figure receded into the distance waiting for his opponent before she proceeded to go up the stage, I felt a tap on my shoulder.
“What about mine?” Kagami’s voice broke through my thoughts.
I turned to see him standing behind me, his face twisted into a dejected pout, his usual bravado taking a hit.
He looked at me expectantly, as if I’d forgotten something important.
“What? You want me to kiss you or something?”
“At least wish me luck, man! I’m about to fight the strongest in our department.”
“Well, you were the one who chose the match in the first place.”
“Haha, you got me there.” He chuckled, scratching the back of his head.
With a final glance at the metal gauntlets he wore, he adjusted them, making sure everything was perfectly in place.
Then, with a sharp crack, he stretched his neck from side to side, the sound echoing like the calm before the storm.
“You know, even though I’ll probably lose, I can’t help but feel excited… No, scratch that—I feel like I can win.”
I smiled at his confidence. Kagami was always full of surprises, and his unwavering determination had earned him respect, even among stronger opponents. “The future can be pretty unpredictable. Who knows? You might have a chance.”
“Hahaha, thanks, man.”
With those words, he turned toward the stage, walking side by side with Seo as their names were called out over the loudspeaker.
The crowd buzzed with anticipation, the energy palpable in the air.
“[Seo Gyeoul – Knight Department Rank 1] VS [Kagami Kento – Knight Department Rank 5],” the announcer’s voice boomed across the arena, and the audience roared in response.
All eyes were on the two of them now.
As they ascended the stage, the contrast between them couldn’t have been more stark.
Seo, with her icy composure, the embodiment of precision and skill, and Kagami, brimming with fiery energy, his every movement exuding the thrill of the fight.
It was a match that no one would want to miss.
Hearing the cheers and excitement from the crowd, it was clear that the fan favorite in the match was Kagami.
It took me by surprise, considering Seo was the top-ranked student, her reputation preceding her in almost every corner of the academy.
But then again, people tend to root for the underdog more than the champion, and this case was no different.
The crowd was drawn to Kagami’s relentless energy, his fiery spirit that never seemed to dim, even in the face of overwhelming odds.
Despite all that cheering, though, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Kagami didn’t stand much of a chance.
Sure, he’d grown significantly stronger since the first semester, especially with the addition of his new celestial martial arts.
His growth had been impressive, no doubt—his strikes faster, his movements sharper.
But Seo… Seo wasn’t the type to stay stagnant. She had also grown stronger.
Although I couldn’t confirm her exact stats since we weren’t in a party, I’d seen enough during our last few practice and training matches to know that she had become significantly faster, more precise, and more deadly.
Every move she made seemed to carry an added weight, an underlying intensity that hadn’t been there before.
The match hadn’t started yet, but I could already sense the tension building. Kagami, ever the optimist, looked like he was ready to charge headfirst into a storm.
And Seo, with her calm, collected demeanor, looked like she was ready to weather it without breaking a sweat.
But as the crowd roared louder, my mind drifted.
My eyes scanned the audience, searching through the sea of faces for one in particular.
The robed figure I’d encountered earlier—the girl who claimed to know me, who spoke in that playful yet unsettling tone.
She had said she was here to watch the matches, or more specifically, my match.
Why? I still didn’t know, and that made her presence even more concerning.
If she was here, it meant one thing—she must have broken out of her tower.
The realization hit me like a cold splash of water.
If she escaped, then the Emperor or Snow should’ve already been alerted by now.
They would’ve noticed her absence.
There’s no way someone like her could just slip away unnoticed without the entire empire being on high alert.
And yet, here she was.
Letting someone like her—essentially a walking human bomb—roam freely without a care in the world was incredibly dangerous.
Personality quirks aside, the beings that are overly protective of her, those loyal to her to the point of fanaticism, could cause untold chaos for the academy alone.
If some random person so much as bumped into her or even looked at her the wrong way… things could escalate quickly.
[Bad End No. 80: Legion.]
One of the few bad endings in the game that was similar to the bad end of the epilogues.
‘Should I go look for her?’
The idea crossed my mind, but the timing was all wrong.
My match with Rose was coming up right after Seo and Kagami’s.
There would be no time for me to go searching through the sea of people in the colosseum.
And even if I did have the time, if that woman really wanted to hide, there would be only a select few who could track her down.
With the sheer number of people gathered for the Grand Festival, finding her would be close to impossible.
The chances were slim, and I couldn’t afford to waste my energy on a wild goose chase.
Sigh….
She did say she was here to watch the matches.
That meant she wasn’t planning anything… at least, not immediately.
If that was true, maybe I didn’t need to panic just yet.
Maybe she really was just here for the festival, curious about the spectacle like everyone else.
I could only hope.
…..
“Hoo—!” Kagami exhaled, releasing the nervous tension that had built up in his chest. His eyes locked onto Seo with a steely focus, every muscle in his body primed for the battle ahead.
Slowly, he assumed his stance, cutting off the noise and distraction from the roaring crowd around him.
He could no longer hear their cheers or feel the eyes of the audience on him.
At this moment, the world faded into nothingness, and only one person remained in his sight—Seo.
It was as if time itself had slowed down, and all that mattered was the opponent in front of him.
“Please don’t hold back against me, Miss Seo,” Kagami said, his voice steady but filled with determination.
Seo blinked, tilting her head slightly, a look of mild confusion crossing her face.
To her, the notion of holding back in any match seemed absurd. Why would he even say that?
For Seo, every duel, every encounter was to be taken with the utmost seriousness, as it was the way of her family—the Gyeoul household, renowned for their unwavering respect for battle.
Even a casual sparring match was treated with honor and intensity.
“…Okay,” she responded, her tone flat but resolute.
Kagami didn’t flinch.
He knew who he was up against. Seo Gyeoul was not just any opponent—she hailed from one of the highest martial families, where power, prestige, and tradition intertwined.
Every movement she made, every spell she cast, reflected the intense discipline ingrained in her from a young age.
This wasn’t just a fight for her; it was a way of life, a responsibility to uphold the legacy of her family.
And Kagami, knowing that he stood before someone of such stature, couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of pride.
For Kagami, this match meant more than just a victory or defeat. It was a rare and prestigious opportunity.
Coming from a martial family himself, Kagami understood all too well the significance of facing Seo in battle.
In the Eastern Empire, where martial prowess was the highest measure of respect and honor, his clan held its own, but dueling someone from the Gyeoul family was an honor few could dream of.
A single fight against Seo wasn’t just a personal challenge—it was a chance to elevate his entire family.
A good showing in this match, even in defeat, could bring immense prestige.
The respect and recognition his clan could gain just by stepping into the arena with Seo were immeasurable.
Winning would be even better, of course, but even a close battle would be enough to set his family on a path to new heights within the Empire’s elite.
If Kagami managed to pull off a victory, his clan could very well ascend above the top three martial families of the Eastern Empire, standing alongside—or even surpassing—the prestigious Gyeoul clan.
It was an enticing thought, one that carried the hopes and ambitions of generations.
The weight of that possibility pressed down on Kagami, but it fueled him too.
He was determined to seize this opportunity, no matter how slim the chances.
