The Genius Tamer of the Academy

Chapter 185

It was the first match.

Yoon Haul swallowed nervously at the sound of cheers echoing from the other side.

The opponent standing before her was the top student of the sixth grade, Walter Martin.

With a robust build that would have suited a swordsman as much as a mage, and a fierce look in his eyes.

Walter Martin, who was nearing graduation, was highly confident in his own victory.

At the very least, he wouldn’t expect to lose to some third-year theology student.

Most people believed that Walter Martin would win this match.

Even her close friends probably thought the same. In fact, that’s why Yoon Haul wasn’t nervous.

This was a match where even losing would still maintain her dignity.

Just endure as long as possible.

Muttering to herself, Yoon Haul stepped forward.

They sized each other up, gauging the timing to strike. This kind of sparring was unfamiliar to Yoon Haul.

Walter Martin smirked and opened his mouth.

“Shouldn’t you be at home making prophecies? Why’d you bother coming here, little third-year?”

The size difference only made the “little” insult sting that much more.

Yoon Haul gritted her teeth and glared at Walter Martin.

Walter Martin met her glare with a smile.

“Sorry, sorry. Didn’t mean to provoke you. I’m just curious. It’s my first time seeing someone from the Theology Department in a duel.”

True to his words, he didn’t seem to be intentionally provoking her.

Just by the way he was casually joking around, it was clear how little he saw her as a threat.

Walter Martin nodded openly at Yoon Haul.

“I’ll give you the first move. Go ahead, try attacking first.”

His way of showing some consideration to his junior who was three years younger.

Yoon Haul smiled slightly as she raised her staff.

“Thank you.”

Holding her artifact, which was shaped like a staff, Yoon Haul took step after step toward Walter Martin.

Walter Martin merely watched, his expression completely relaxed.

What Yoon Haul wielded was a morphing artifact.

While typical mages use staffs alone or carry separate swords, this one allowed for both types of attacks.

Of course, its performance was a lower-grade version compared to regular staffs.

It was nothing more than a self-defense tool that highly skilled mages wouldn’t even consider using. An artifact that could be a sharp sword one moment and a spell-casting staff the next.

Yoon Haul, not being a mage, could employ unorthodox attacks.

That was the wildcard.

Recalling the words Han Siha once told her, Yoon Haul gripped her staff.

Han Siha, though grumbling, had shared practical tips for real combat.

‘How do you think a mage would attack?’

‘They’d use magic.’

‘What about a swordsman?’

‘A swordsman… well, they’d obviously use a sword, right?’

Han Siha smiled as he asked her.

‘Then what about a prophet?’

At that question, Yoon Haul hesitated for a moment.

A weapon that a prophet might use.

Yoon Haul couldn’t immediately answer that question.

Seeing her struggle, Han Siha smirked.

‘That’s your weapon.’

‘What?’

‘Not knowing what you’re going to do. That’s your weapon.’

An opponent mage wouldn’t know how a prophet would attack.

‘So, the first move will just be a probe. Do whatever you feel like.’

Cast a spell, thrust with the sword, apply a debuff…

‘It doesn’t matter what you do.’

Because you’re good at everything.

Han Siha had said that with certainty.

Even from a distance far from the audience seats, Yoon Haul turned her head slightly, looking for where Han Siha might be.

With so many people seated at such a far distance.

Yoon Haul spotted Han Siha immediately.

‘Because you’re good at everything.’

For some reason, those words echoed in her ears.

Yoon Haul smiled unconsciously.

“Because I’m good at everything.”

So,

“Come at me.”

* * *

Unconventional attacks.

That was the wildcard.

Yoon Haul smiled brightly as she found the perfect timing.

“When are you going to attack? Even if you try to surprise me, your moves are all too predictable, so don’t try too hard.”

“My moves… might not be as predictable as you think.”

With those words, Yoon Haul suddenly swung her sword.

Clang—.

“Hup!”

Walter Martin twisted his body awkwardly to avoid getting slashed on the shoulder by the sharp blade.

He immediately cast an Air Shield to block Yoon Haul’s attack safely, but his panting figure revealed everything.

Just now, Walter Martin had been caught off guard.

Yoon Haul seized that fleeting moment and closed the distance instantly.

Bang—.

This time, it wasn’t a sword but the staff.

Yoon Haul, freely manipulating the morphing artifact, launched a fireball, forcing Walter Martin into a panicked defense.

Had he been a second slower, he would have taken a direct hit from the fireball.

Two hits now.

“What… what is this…?”

Though the attacks hadn’t landed any decisive critical blows, they were enough to rattle Walter Martin.

Han Siha, observing the match, widened his eyes.

“What’s up with her? Why is she so good?”

Adela, sitting next to Han Siha, felt just as uneasy.

They both watched the duel nervously, as if they had left a child alone by the water’s edge.

Of course, if a truly dangerous situation arose, the duel would be forcibly stopped, but Yoon Haul was not used to such combat, so they couldn’t help but worry.

Han Siha bit his lower lip as he watched the duel unfold.

Bang—.

With a deafening crash, Yoon Haul leapt forward, breaking through the dust.

It seemed that Walter Martin was more accustomed to swordsmanship than magic, as some of his magical power was wrapped around his artifact as a shield.

However, Walter Martin, true to his reputation as the top student of the sixth grade, wouldn’t go down easily this time.

A spark flickered in his eyes, and at the same moment, he lunged forward with precision.

The top student of the Magic Department.

Proving his rank, Walter Martin’s magic attacks carried overwhelming force.

“Agh!”

Yoon Haul was met with a massive amount of magic, enough to fling her straight out of the arena.

Walter Martin was famous not only for his hard work but also for his undeniable talent.

“Ah… Ugh…”

The duel continued in a tense balance, with neither side giving an inch.

Han Siha watched, letting out an inexplicable sigh.

“…What’s wrong?”

“Ugh…”

He was deeply engrossed.

“Yes! Good job!”

Every time Yoon Haul’s attack landed, Han Siha flinched as if it were his own.

Adela chuckled, finding it amusing.

Apparently, despite her efforts in one-on-one tutoring, she felt proud to see Yoon Haul doing well in the duel.

Adela, who had been calmly watching Yoon Haul’s duel…

Soon found herself getting overly invested as well.

“No! Yoon Haul! Not like that!”

Adela started to shout advice that Yoon Haul, of course, couldn’t hear.

“You should be attacking! Why are you just dodging?!”

Han Siha chimed in.

“Hey, she needs to dodge first. If she gets hit even once, Haul’s done for.”

“How is she going to win a duel just by running away like an idiot?”

“It’s her first time, it’s fine. She’s doing well.”

“Ugh! It’s so frustrating.”

“Wooow! Yoon Haul’s doing great, great!”

Adela and Han Siha bickered like overzealous parents at their child’s game, while Seymour clicked his tongue and muttered from behind.

Lee Han was nowhere to be seen, leaving Seymour sitting alone, feeling a bit lonely.

“This is so annoying to watch.”

Sniff.

Seymour wiped his nose as he watched the duel nearing its end.

Though she had the upper hand in the early stages, as the match dragged on, Yoon Haul began to struggle.

It was all she could do to block Walter Martin’s relentless attacks, and finally, Yoon Haul conceded defeat.

She held on for quite a long time.

Yoon Haul ended the duel without pushing herself too hard and waved toward the audience.

A third-year from the Theology Department had managed to hold her own against the top sixth-year student from the Magic Department for quite some time.

The audience buzzed with excitement at the incredible duel.

“Impressive.”

“Is she really from the Theology Department?”

“…She really put up a good fight.”

There was speculation that she could have won if her opponent hadn’t been the top sixth-year student.

But of course, some didn’t care about such speculations. After all, Yoon Haul was now making her way out of the arena.

“Hey, get up already.”

Han Siha and Adela hurried out of the stands, making a fuss.

“Where’s Yoon Haul? Is she hurt?”

“Ah, seriously!”

“Oh, there she is. Hey, Yoon Haul!”

Damn.

“…This is seriously so annoying.”

Seymour grumbled as he sluggishly moved away.

* * *

“Fabian Den Edwin! Han Siha! The winner of this duel is Han Siha!”

“Wooooooah!”

“Kyaaa! Han Siha, you’re amazing!”

Fabian from the Necromancy Department versus Han Siha from the Magic Department.

Students had been keenly interested, wondering if this would be a reenactment of the famous Necromancy-Magic clash.

But as soon as the duel began, the excitement turned to stunned silence.

I mean…

There had to be some back-and-forth for it to be called a proper duel.

It was over in ten seconds.

That’s how long it took Han Siha to knock Fabian down.

“Gueee…”

Han Siha, who had once given Fabian a lift during group assignments, had been someone Fabian used to despise.

But seeing him after so long, Fabian felt a tiny bit of fondness.

“He’s still such a jerk…”

Fabian left the arena, sniffling, while Han Siha stretched as if he’d just finished a morning walk and returned to his spot.

Adela had gone down to prepare for her next duel, so waiting for Han Siha in the stands were Yoon Haul and Seymour.

Yoon Haul bounced on her feet to greet Han Siha.

“Wow… That was incredible!”

Yoon Haul’s eyes sparkled almost overwhelmingly.

“You’re seriously so cool.”

“I could take down Fabian in ten seconds, too, you know?”

“Be quiet, Seymour.”

“Yeah… Ugh, am I catching a cold…?”

Seymour sniffled again and sat back down.

Despite breezing through the first duel, the tournament was just beginning.

The competition continued for several hours without pause.

From the initial forty participants, the numbers dwindled to twenty, then ten, and finally five…

Thanks to favorable matchups, Han Siha had made it this far.

Adela, who faced off against the top sixth-year student, was eliminated midway, and Lee Han was still in the arena.

Professors, who had expected most survivors to be fifth or sixth-year students, were surprised to find two third-years still in the running.

Solia and Adela had also lasted until just before the finals, so they had held on for quite some time.

“Who’s the next matchup…?”

The top sixth-year student, Walter Martin, who had defeated Yoon Haul and Adela.

And Lee Han, the ace of the Academy.

Han Siha, not particularly eager to face either of them, anxiously waited for the matchups to be announced.

Depending on who he faced next, it would determine whether he could make it to the semifinals.

He hadn’t been aiming for first place anyway, so Han Siha’s goal was just to make it this far.

“Please… just give me a decent draw.”

Before long, the results were posted.

And then.

Han Siha raised his eyebrows as he looked at the matchup.

[Marcel Sylvester Edwin]

That name was lined up next to his own.