Chapter 154 – Student Council Election (4)

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Translated by Jinmu

Read only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Shion’s face stiffened coldly.

“Confirm…?”

It was a single casual remark Kang Geom-ma had tossed out before the competition. Yet because of its aftereffect, Shion’s complexion grew resolute.

‘…Could it be that the secret has already leaked out?’

It was impossible. After all, ever since entering the academy, she had never once manifested it, not even by mistake.

Then why were Shion’s pupils trembling this badly. It was probably because of those pitch-black eyes of Kang Geom-ma’s.

Those opaque eyes, so hard to read thoughts from, instead seemed to be piercing straight through her.

After sinking into all sorts of thoughts for a moment, Shion brightened. She erased her sour expression and put on a bright smile.

‘There’s no way he noticed.’

It was power she had hidden away for a day like this, no, solely for today.

That just now had merely been intimidation. Once that thought solidified, Shion’s face grew much brighter.

Wasn’t her opponent the Sashimi Sword Saint himself. He was probably thinking inwardly that this fight was already won. All the better.

‘The more careless you become, the sharper my dagger will be.’

Hehe, Shion laughed soundlessly. Then she held a friendly smile at the corners of her mouth.

She was someone who always wore a mask in daily life too. In class, in the student council, even in her family. She was fully adept at hiding her true face.

“Oh my~ honestly~ why would you say something so scary. And no matter how everyone knows you’re strong, what do you mean, confirm, to a senior, confirm!”

Shion said it with a sickening smile. Kang Geom-ma only stared straight at her and did not respond.

“Still, I’m glad you don’t plan to end it in one blow. If I go down too easily, it’d be a terrible loss of face for me as your senior, wouldn’t it.”

“……”

“Anyway, go easy on me~ if possible, I’d really like it if you lost to me. Though if I say something like that, you’ll probably just get even stricter, right?”

Shion turned around in a little spin. She only slightly turned her head and glanced back behind her.

There was Kang Geom-ma, who had already withdrawn his gaze from her. Only then did Shion’s smug expression crumple viciously all at once.

She felt as if the veins in her neck would bulge with rising rage. With killing intent as firewood, her eyes blazed fiercely.

‘That lowborn special-admission bastard dares to treat me like…’

Shion muttered curses in that spot for a long while before stomping away.

* * *

A few academy staff and Association employees entered the annex. They stood at some distance and swept their eyes over the cadets.

At the stern voice of the senior instructor, the atmosphere settled down. After confirming that every candidate had arrived, the senior instructor spoke.

“Looks like everyone’s here.”

After that concise remark, a brief explanation of the competition rules followed. Since the candidates had already been notified in advance by email, they only nodded without their souls in it.

“Then we’ll begin at once.”

Right after that, the first two participants stepped up onto the training platform and faced each other. Den Range and Abdul Samhan.

[Cadets, please take your positions and draw your weapons.]

[We will now begin the competition between Candidate No. 2 Den Range and Candidate No. 5 Abdul Samhan.]

Kwaaang!

Den kicked off the ground. An explosive boom burst out, and from the shock, the surface cracked like glass.

Den, having closed the distance in an instant, swung his greatsword with one hand. One exchange, two exchanges, three exchanges. No. 5 barely endured several attacks, but any more than that was impossible.

Though No. 5 was a fellow member of the student council, there was not the slightest hesitation in Den’s hands as he struck his opponent. If anything, it felt somewhat excessive.

The huge blade chopped No. 5’s limbs into pieces. Something pink poured out in streams from the severed ends. Steam rose from the training platform’s surface in wavering heat.

[The first competition has ended.]

Amid that brutal carnage, the mechanical voice coldly announced the result.

[The winner is Candidate No. 2 Den Range. Congratulations.]

The subspace curtain was lifted. Den strode right up to No. 5 and held out his hand.

“That was a good match.”

Grin. Den bared his teeth as he smiled. No. 5 clasped his hand with a pale face.

“Manager Seong, just what kind of situation is this…?”

Assistant Manager Ha said it as though she found it absurd. Manager Seong, who was seated beside her, wore a similar expression.

He had turned the guy into mush and then called it a good match. Because he was being that openly duplicitous, it almost made you wonder, Was it really a good match?

Manager Seong forced himself to speak.

“It’s probably a kind of opening show of force. This isn’t just a spar, after all, it’s a competition for the student council election. It means that merely overpowering the opponent isn’t the end of it. He’s probably trying to show the spectators how dramatic he can be, while also giving off the nuance of embracing even the opponent whose weapon he crossed with…”

“…Even so, that’s really too much.”

Assistant Manager Ha’s complexion began to darken. Manager Seong quickly changed the subject.

“Now’s not the time to worry about others. Assistant Manager Ha, you’re the last participant in this competition. I get that you’re worked up because you’re nervous, but still, relax a little.”

“…Yes.”

“This concerns the Association’s prestige too, after all. Who knows? If you do well here, maybe the higher-ups will give you a hefty bonus this month.”

“……”

Assistant Manager Ha’s expression was still not good. Manager Seong, who had been coaxing and soothing her, let out a deep sigh.

Usually she was soft and gentle, but she reacted with particular sensitivity to the smell of blood. The way she wrinkled her nose was proof enough of that.

‘…Assistant Manager Ha, this girl. Considering her past, that’s probably why she’s even more like this.’

While Manager Seong looked at Assistant Manager Ha with sympathetic eyes, the two participants of the second match stepped onto the stage.

[We will now begin the competition between Candidate No. 4 Jin Garam and Candidate No. 6 Leon van Reinhardt.]

Leon’s straight sword flashed. The sword light rang out and pierced No. 4’s vision, then a cold sensation drove into his Adam’s apple.

Sgeong!

The scarlet line drawn across Garam’s neck gradually deepened. Twitch. Fingers trembling. Before he could even feel pain, No. 4’s head fell with its eyes still open.

[The winner is Candidate No. 6 Leon van Reinhardt. Congratulations.]

The second match had been far more one-sided. Unlike the first match, where at least three exchanges of offense and defense had taken place, this one was over in a single move.

Leon’s sword carried elegance and respect toward his opponent. It showed a clear difference from Den, who had savagely chopped his opponent to pieces.

It offered only repose to the opponent. Everything else extraneous had been stripped away from that royal path of the sword.

At that, Den, who had been watching the spar, ground his teeth hard enough to shatter them. The veins stood out along his jaw. That was because Leon had erased Den’s presence in an instant.

Absurd power and a sword speed close to artistry. Even compared to a few days ago, it had become noticeably faster. It was a rate of growth that was hard to understand.

His vivid blue eyes looked down at No. 4, who had sunk to the other side. He did not offer a handshake like Den had. Leon merely stared. More precisely, he observed.

No. 4, sitting collapsed as he endured that gaze, trembled at the lips. It might have been different if it had at least been deception like Den’s.

That was simply the look in the eyes of someone staring at roadkill. Exactly that level of indifference.

Leon took his eyes off No. 4. As if all interest had utterly cooled, his blue eyes sank deeply.

And just as Leon strode down from the training platform.

[We will now begin the third competition. Candidate No. 3 Rei Shion and Candidate No. 7 Kang Geom-ma, please come up onto the training platform.]

The mechanical voice announced the third match.

* * *

Shion stood facing Kang Geom-ma. With a steady gaze, she carefully sized up her opponent.

The aura Kang Geom-ma gave off was somehow unusual. If she had to compare it, it was like a blade rusted over with blood.

In fact, they had only exchanged glances, yet it felt as though the scent of blood was drifting to the tip of her nose. Just how much blood had stained his hands.

‘What does that matter now.’

Shion smiled faintly. A cold ring-eyed look hung on her eyes. Beyond her narrowed gaze lurked pitch-black malice.

[Cadets, please take your positions and draw your weapons.]

Shion drew two daggers. Her own figure reflected in the blades, over which a metallic pattern spread like centipedes.

Ordinarily, she would not even be able to cross blades before being sliced apart by Sashimi. Shion herself knew that, and everyone present expected the same scene. But she did not look resigned.

‘If I have only this armament…’

Shion let out a mocking laugh as she looked at the daggers. Kang Geom-ma’s expression as he watched her was strange.

He was doubtful. He could not tell for sure whether this woman was a villain or not. At first, because her eyes had looked empty, he had been suspicious, but now that he looked again, it was strangely hard to tell.

It was impossible to sense whether she had hidden her power well or whether it was simply shallow. He had stayed wary because of what Ryozo had said, but somehow it all felt pointless.

‘Well, I’ll know once I see it.’

Kang Geom-ma drew a single Daiso Sashimi blade.

[We will now begin the competition between Candidate No. 3 Rei Shion and Candidate No. 7 Kang Geom-ma.]

At the same time the spar began, Shion started running in a zigzag with all her strength. She alternated between left and right stepping strikes.

Her very first footing was by no means fast, but the more she stepped, the more her footwork accelerated. Eventually, it reached the point where sound itself could no longer keep up with Shion’s figure.

Den, who had been watching the spar, opened his eyes wide. He muttered.

“Did Shion have a blessing like that?”

“From what I can see, it’s not Shion’s own ability, but that dagger-shaped armament. Because of that.”

Kim Woo-jin, seated nearby, answered indifferently. Den’s eyebrow bent sharply, but he soon turned his gaze back to Shion. And it was not difficult for him to realize what that armament was.

The anti-personnel armament Revolving Heaven. An armament that increased the user’s speed the more they stamped their feet.

Attack power, reach, durability. None of those were outstanding, but it was an armament made to draw out superhuman speed exactly once.

But Revolving Heaven was not something that could be obtained through normal channels. That was because it was not a strengthening-type armament circulated on the market, but a doping-type armament.

Ordinarily, armaments were meant to assist one’s innate body and blessing. Doping-type armaments were the opposite concept. Their mechanism artificially pulled up the user’s limits.

As a result, they carried the fatal risk of permanently damaging the brain if used carelessly. And on top of that, they could only be used once in battle, making them consumable.

Yet Shion was using just such an armament in this competition. And judging by the color of the blade, it was obvious that poison had been applied as well.

He had known she was tenacious, but the level of it was dizzying. To drive herself into such a risk and even coat the weapon with poison.

It was not even a violation of the competition rules. To begin with, could the organizers possibly had imagined that a cadet would think this way. Den clicked his tongue and muttered.

“…Crazy bitch.”

One by one, the afterimages of Shion’s figure increased, until now there were dozens of them. Shion was reproducing exactly the same scene Kang Geom-ma had shown against Nox before.

While the armament steadily gnawed away at her mind, a deep smile rose to Shion’s lips.

Kang Geom-ma was just standing there blankly without any real response. Well, she had staked all her money, mind, and stamina on this, so he was probably shocked.

Kaang!

Dozens of afterimages charged at Kang Geom-ma from every direction. It was like a scene of Kang Geom-ma being trapped inside a giant soap bubble.

From the gaps between the figures, Shion launched a surprise attack. Her face was distorted, bloodshot all over. Yet the emotion filling it to the brim was joy. She shouted at the back of Kang Geom-ma’s head.

“Die! You lowborn special-admission…!”

Without even turning around, Kang Geom-ma slashed Sashimi straight upward. The blade tip stabbed under Shion’s chin, then passed out through the crown of her head.

Thuck.

At the same time, the figures surrounding Kang Geom-ma like a sphere burst apart like bubbles. The light in Shion’s eyes, twisted like an evil spirit’s, turned cloudy white.

[The third competition has ended.]

Kang Geom-ma drew out the blade that had pierced her skull in one long pull. Splatter. Shion collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.

[The winner is Candidate No. 7 Kang Geom-ma. Congratulations.]