Magic Academy's Genius Blinker - Chapter 296

Chapter 296

League of Spirit (9)

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[Victory! Marun White]

[Defeat! Black Circus]

Jo Yerin, who had collapsed to the floor, stared blankly at the holographic screen floating in the air.

[Victory]

Why?

Why was this word, which should be familiar to her as a player, so unfamiliar?

And so welcome?

What was the reason?

“Heh, hehe.”

They did it.

They really did it.

Even though the opponent wasn’t very strong, a weak team just like them, it didn’t matter.

In the final moment, the battle began under Jo Yerin’s leadership, and the tide turned according to her strategy, leading to a come-from-behind victory.

That was what mattered.

What would have happened if they had followed the team’s clumsy strategy until the end, as usual?

They would have undoubtedly lost.

‘We won! We won!’

She wanted to shout and jump around with joy, but the opponent team’s sour faces made her self-conscious, so she couldn’t.

It was the limit of her timid personality.

“Hey! You…”

As Jo Yerin clenched her fist in solitary celebration, her teammates approached, fuming.

“What were you doing back there? You suddenly rushed in, and we almost lost!”

“What would have happened if it weren’t for us?”

“Sigh, we managed to win because we stepped in on time, but we almost lost because of you…”

Even though they won, these guys are still blaming others.

And it’s ridiculous how they’re trying to subtly take credit for themselves.

She suddenly felt ashamed of having been bullied by these guys all this time.

What was there to fear about being kicked out of such a pathetic team?

She would rather give up League of Spirit than play while being harassed by such incompetent guys.

“So what?”

“…This bitch.”

“What would you have done if it weren’t for me? Were you going to timidly wait around, lose the guardian, and get thrashed by the enemy team’s buffs until you were wiped out?”

“What do you mean, wait around? We were waiting for the right timing!”

“Yeah, right. You guys were always the ones ‘waiting for the right timing’ and rushing in. And you always lost. Am I wrong?”

“You crazy bitch, that’s…”

“But what about me? I entered at the ‘right timing’ and fought, and we won, right?”

“Don’t be ridiculous! We wouldn’t have won if we hadn’t helped!”

That was absurd.

“Of course you should help. You guys were just fumbling around like idiots, so I had to step in and set the table. You should have eaten properly.”

“You really want to die…?”

Thud!

Unable to hold back any longer, a female teammate grabbed Jo Yerin by the collar and lifted her up.

Due to the size difference, the petite Jo Yerin’s feet were quickly lifted off the ground, and facing that fierce gaze up close, she almost felt scared, but she stared back directly into her eyes.

“Then go ahead and keep screwing up in the next match. I won’t help you. I don’t care if we lose here. I can just go back to the Magic Warrior Department, study hard, and succeed. But what about you guys? Didn’t you come in as a major in League of Spirit?”

“This really…”

Of course, Jo Yerin’s words weren’t entirely correct.

They weren’t genuinely committed to the sport of League of Spirit; they were merely infiltrating this place under the orders of the ‘Cult Leader’.

Even now, many Dark Mages were taking root throughout the magical world, and among them, these individuals were tasked with becoming key figures as students of Stella.

The idea of Stella’s representative League of Spirit team was proposed by Professor Laydin, and as a result, they were risking their lives to conceal their identities as Dark Mages and participate in League of Spirit.

But there was a problem.

One of the five members originally planned had an unexpected accident and couldn’t join.

They had no choice but to include a human mage…

‘Who knew she would be such a stumbling block…’

When they couldn’t refute her, Jo Yerin, almost certain, smirked and forcefully pushed away the arm that was grabbing her collar.

She almost fell when she misstepped on the floor, but she managed to regain her balance and avoid a major mishap.

“So, do well from now on. If you don’t want to see me deliberately throw the game, listen to me.”

After saying that, Jo Yerin quickly left the arena, walked down a deserted corridor, leaned against a pillar, and exhaled the breath she had been holding.

“Phew…”

She thought she was going to die from her heart racing.

It was even more thrilling, scary, and tense than the moment they won the game…

And there was an overwhelming sense of exhilaration.

She clenched both fists tightly and trembled all over.

How ridiculous they looked, unable to say anything and just standing there.

She felt incredibly good, as if she had repaid all the debts of being ignored until now.

It was all thanks to Baek Yu-seol.

‘Yes, I can’t be satisfied with just this.’

In any case, her teammates seemed to want to win as well, and although she had said she could return to the Magic Warrior Department, she also had no intention of losing since she was serious about League of Spirit.

The next match, and the one after that.

She would seize victory in all of them and advance to the finals.

‘Definitely!’

As Baek Yu-seol had anticipated, while Jo Yerin’s Marun White team was experiencing consecutive victories.

[Next Match]

[Emerald Stella VS Flame]

The team representing Stella and a team composed of the most renowned students from the Magic Warrior Department, though lacking uniqueness in name, were set to face off.

This was a highly intriguing match, even though it wasn’t the finals, and professional players and League of Spirit association members had come from afar to watch.

“Gayurin, it seems like some officials from the MLCC (Major League Championship) are also paying attention to this tournament.”

At her coach’s words, Gayurin scoffed.

“The opponent isn’t even a major team. It’s ridiculous.”

“They might not be a major team, but they could be considered named players.”

There’s a saying that named players are determined not only by skill but also by popularity.

This is half true and half false.

To become a popular player, one needed to be skilled.

However, there were very rare instances where a player’s popularity surpassed their skill, such as when those who had gained fame in other fields, like the Flame team, participated in League of Spirit matches.

“It seems like some reporters have already infiltrated…”

“It’s absurd. Doesn’t Stella care about security?”

“This isn’t exactly confidential, so it seems Stella has deliberately allowed their entry.”

If the issue of prestigious students increased, it would be beneficial for Stella as well.

“Seriously…”

Gayurin pretended to be bewildered on the outside but was laughing inwardly.

‘This is actually a good thing, isn’t it?’

It was quite annoying that the clueless magic warriors looked down on League of Spirit, but if those students were famous enough to become the center of attention, wouldn’t it be good for her career?

Flame, Ma Yuseong, Hae Wonryang, Aiselle.

The members were all from renowned bloodlines and families, hailed as geniuses of the century who had learned magic, so the fact that they were beginners wasn’t very important.

If she could win against them, her reputation would undoubtedly skyrocket.

Moreover, she had heard that they had been practicing League of Spirit quite diligently, and they were currently on a winning streak.

Although she had a few losses earlier due to condition issues, it was fine now.

She was planning to exert maximum concentration in the next match.

“It’s truly a stage made for me.”

“Even so, don’t let your guard down. Although they haven’t received professional training, the title of ‘genius’ in Stella, where only geniuses gather, isn’t something just anyone can have. Especially since those kids are S-class…”

“I know that much, Coach.”

Gayurin, not even looking at the coach, stared at herself in the mirror and said.

“I admit it. Those guys are more impressive than I thought.”

“…Alright.”

“I’ve already prepared countermeasures and strategies suitable for dealing with them. Do you understand? There’s no problem at all.”

“I know.”

Gayurin was not only remarkable for her combat prowess but also for her exceptional ability to devise strategies, which had earned her the title of the best rookie of her time.

It wasn’t that they doubted her, but given the opponents, it was natural to be concerned.

‘She’ll… do well on her own.’

No matter what, the opponents were beginners, and Gayurin was an amateur close to being a professional.

There was no way she would lose.

[Emerald Stella VS Flame]

The match began.

The number of spectators who came was in the hundreds, approaching thousands, and considering that most of them were not ordinary people but professional players or those involved in the League of Spirit industry, it was an astonishing fact.

“Oh, Player Lauron, you’re here too?”

“Director Baker, it’s been a while. It’s a break period until the post-season, and it’s also my role to scout new talent.”

Not all League of Spirit players from magic warrior backgrounds were people who had run away from battle out of fear.

Director Baker and Player Lauron were well-known professionals in the industry, but they had suffered major injuries that prevented them from fighting any longer, so they had no choice but to work in League of Spirit.

Although injured, they couldn’t forget about the battle.

Therefore, upon hearing that promising magic warrior students were competing, they couldn’t resist and came a long way to watch.

“The start is ordinary.”

As Player Lauron naturally took a seat next to him, Director Baker nodded and stroked his beard.

People around them gradually moved away.

With Player Lauron, the top player from the current strongest team, and Director Baker, the coach of a team considered his rival, sitting there, who would dare to linger nearby?

“There are hardly any teams that do crazy things from the start.”

Both the Flame team and Gayurin’s team didn’t employ any gambling strategies from the beginning.

It was a bit dull since unique teams meeting would create unique situations, which would have been quite entertaining.

“That student… was it Baek Yu-seol? His item build is unusual.”

“Was it said that he can only use one spell, Blink? It would be fun to have him on the team for entertainment, but he’s not suitable as a first-team player.”

“That’s true. Ultimately, being able to use only one spell means his strategy is limited, and it’s easy for the opposing team to counter.”

“That student might be able to put up a fight against amateurs, but he’ll never become a pro.”

Obvious magic was ultimately thoroughly analyzed by scientific analysis, and no matter how unique an item Baek Yu-seol brought, the way to counter it was simple.

“Baek Yu-seol and the opposing team’s player Alia have met in the top lane.”

Player Alia was a second-year student this year and had a League of Spirit career of a whopping five years.

She was highly skilled in one-on-one combat, and Gayurin trusted her to handle the top lane, so Baek Yu-seol would undoubtedly feel some pressure.

Moreover, in the early stages where proper items hadn’t emerged, Baek Yu-seol had no attack power, so if Alia openly pressured him, he would have no way to respond.

Nevertheless, people watched Baek Yu-seol’s response with wide eyes.

He used only one spell, Blink, not only in League of Spirit but also in reality.

Despite this, as a student, he had accumulated numerous victories against Dark Mages, standing shoulder to shoulder with other children who were called geniuses among geniuses.

“…Oh?”

Director Baker let out an exclamation.

Player Alia, with incredible timing, received backup from her team’s jungler, pressuring Baek Yu-seol from both front and back.

“He’s dead.”

Player Lauron seemed to see the situation three seconds into the future.

Baek Yu-seol would use Blink to try to escape to the rear, but Player Alia would accurately catch the delay and kill him with her spell.

“Huh?”

“Oh? What!”

However, in the next moment, something astonishing happened.

Instead of retreating to the rear, Baek Yu-seol didn’t even use Blink and charged directly at Alia.

Alia, who had been casting a spell with high attack power and long range, predicting his Blink, hastily canceled it and retreated.

However, as if waiting for the spell to be canceled, Baek Yu-seol immediately Blinked next to Alia, scattered something on the ground, and rolled to the side.

Beep-beep-beep-boom!!

‘Adhesive Bomb!’

With no movement spells and no shield learned in the early stages, Alia was directly hit by the grenade and was sent flying backward.

“Crazy! He wasted resources by buying such a useless item in the early stages?”

“Goodness. So Baek Yu-seol isn’t wearing a robe at all right now!”

Only then did Player Lauron belatedly check Baek Yu-seol’s item build.

“…I have to take back what I said earlier.”

“There was a madman. A completely crazy one at that.”

He had no shield spell and no ranged spell to counter the enemy’s attacks.

Therefore, purchasing a ‘defensive robe’ item, which included defense, should have been more essential for him than any other player…

Baek Yu-seol wasn’t wearing any defensive items.

In other words, his body was as fragile as paper, meaning he could die from being hit by basic spells a few times!

“Even so, to give up a defensive robe and buy a consumable item like a grenade…”

“But that crazy decision was correct.”

Hit by the adhesive grenade, Alia couldn’t even move properly, and after a few slashes from Baek Yu-seol’s sword, she died.

[First blood!]

[Blood flows through the arena.]

Alia’s decision to cast a powerful spell, trusting in the backup from her team’s jungler, was undoubtedly correct.

Anyone would have done the same, given that the opponent was the weak early-game Baek Yu-seol.

Even a professional player would have done the same.

But who could have guessed that he would deliberately go in without any defensive gear, carrying a grenade, aiming for that very moment?

“…Truly, a student who easily overturns my common sense.”

Director Baker felt ashamed of the words he had just spoken.

He had said that because Baek Yu-seol could only use one spell, his strategy would be limited, making it impossible for him to be a professional player.

‘I was wrong.’

It was quite the opposite.

He could only use one spell, but his ability to create unconventional situations at will… made the ‘seemingly obvious’ aspect terrifying.

Because he only had one spell, it was impossible to think of any variables, no matter how hard one tried.

[Casualty occurred!]

Eventually, the jungler also couldn’t withstand Baek Yu-seol’s elusive movements and the onslaught of consumable items and died.

He had invested in consumable items, even forgoing defensive gear in the early stages, and he smoothly returned to base, having gained more than enough benefit.

Seeing this, the players stuck out their tongues and thought.

‘If that guy comes to the professional scene…’

‘He’s going to get a lot of flak.’

There was no way he wouldn’t get criticized by the opposing team for playing so annoyingly.

End of Chapter