Chapter 247 – One Cadet, Three Nationals (2)

I know someone, so if they perform well, I might be able to send them back. That thought was short-lived.

– Drip, drip.

Blood runs down the sword’s blade and drips off. Soo-yeon’s face is slightly contorted. She tries to judge the situation as calmly as possible, but her expression reveals that she can hardly believe the present moment.

It’s understandable since she allowed a single cadet to attack.

Mugung’s weapon, the Mistletoe, can transform into any type of weapon. It can be used as a staff, a sword, or a bow, depending on the circumstances. The versatility of this weapon is its greatest advantage. For someone like me, who can draw above-average strength from any weapon, it’s a perfect fit.

I draw the sword and push away.

As the distance between us grows, Soo-yeon finally regains her composure and grips the sword in her right hand tightly. We have a brief moment to wait for the other nationals to arrive. I’m the first to speak.

“Are you going to do more?”

With a single swing of the sword, a long bloodstain appeared on the tree.

“It seems there’s nothing to gain from this.”

The jet-black sword melted and spun around my hand. As the lengthy, clay-like substance regained its staff form, Soo-yeon’s lips twisted in a smirk.

“Soo-yeon!”

Saku and Prajna, who had been following us belatedly, appeared at the edge of our field of vision. As Saku approached and caught sight of Soo-yeon, her eyes widened in surprise.

“Ah? Soo-yeon, are you hurt? What should we do…”

“Don’t make a fuss. It’s just a shallow wound.”

The atmosphere was entirely different from when we first met.

“…Huh, you.”
“Yes?”
“Are you an academy student as well?”

Still in disbelief, she doubted her own eyes. Soo-yeon took a potion from her pocket, sprinkled it on the wound, and held it in her mouth.

“No.”

She corrected her words.

“What is your true identity?”

As the camera rolled, Saku was taken aback by Soo-yeon’s words.

“Oh my… Soo-yeon, your words are quite harsh!”
“Ah… Are they? I apologize.”

Since Saku didn’t get involved in the battle, it was almost as if she was declaring war against the two national figures.

“But considering the current situation, my words aren’t that strange, right? So, um… It’s not an insult. It’s admiration, admiration.”

Even so, what was her true identity?

“It seems like you’re overdoing it.”
“Think about it. Am I the weird one… Or, do you want to check the internet once this ordeal is over?”

A cadet who had only recently been ranked 152nd was now facing two prominent national figures. To others, she would appear as someone merely concealing her true abilities.

Glancing at the camera capturing us, an article may have already been published by now.

“152nd. I heard that’s your rank at El Academy? Saku mentioned it to me before.”

No one could possibly know the path of my growth.
It was an extraordinarily peculiar journey, with one fateful encounter leading to another.

I momentarily averted my gaze.
Banya’s eyes upon me seemed unusual.

– I find it unpleasant.

The national tree of India.
She was the woman who, before participating in the trials, briefly met my eyes and cursed at me.

She has been glaring at me with burning eyes ever since. Her eyes, adorned with tattoos on her eyelids, narrow in disgust as she looks at me, yet I cannot fathom why.
Baobab is no different. Lately, there are many people seeking me out for reasons unknown to me.

“…Nevertheless,”

Interrupting herself, Soo-yeon, who had placed a long white sword at her waist, spoke to me with a faint smile.

“It seems Korea has gained a promising talent… That’s a good thing. Have you decided on a guild to join? If not, you could join me—”
“I think I’ll head to Do-won’s direction.”
“Aha, of course… Since he mentioned you were his disciple. That makes sense.”

Her eyes briefly lower and gaze upon my staff.

“So, you’re saying that’s not the full extent of your abilities?”

A voice that cools ever so slightly.

Being Mugung’s granddaughter, does she know the history between those two who had once been at each other’s throats? Whether their relationship persists to this day, I cannot say. Heaven, having succeeded Heavenly Demon, is still part of the Hunter Association as a mercenary group at this very moment.

She speaks as if to say this isn’t the issue at hand.

“Will you continue?”

Facing three adversaries of such caliber would be burdensome even for me.

Above all, I currently lack the power of healing. More than half of my combat prowess depends on my healing abilities.

The reason I was able to achieve numerous victories against S-class hunters with greater experience than me was, in part, thanks to this power.

Above all, the options at my disposal were severely limited unless faced with a life-or-death situation. My abilities were just too potent.

There were far too many watchful eyes.

*Whoosh.*

Prajna discreetly lifts her clothing, revealing a tattoo that extends from her forearm, past her elbow, and into her armpit. The tattoo emits a magical glow.

As I prepare to raise my staff, Soo-yeon intervenes.

“Let’s not fight. Both of you.”

Soo-yeon addresses Saku and Prajna.

“I never wanted to fight in the first place. Soo-yeon, you kept saying it was already too late!”
“Regardless.”
“…”

Prajna appears somewhat displeased with Soo-yeon’s gaze, but she soon lowers her clothing, concealing the tattoo once more.

“We’ll settle this later. One-on-one, if possible.”
“Uh… Yeah, sure. That works.”
“I hope to witness your true abilities then.”

The dungeon’s environment is no different, and many obstacles arise when attempting to harness power here. After all, a woodman’s true skill emerges immediately after woodification.

But why do they feel the need to compete against me?

‘I don’t think I’ve done anything particularly noteworthy yet.’

Granted, this is arguably less significant compared to Jung Si-woo.

That guy stirs up trouble wherever he goes. He’s like Conan of the Hunter world, and you might wonder why he hasn’t gone mad while listening to Si-woo’s stories.

I retrieved the staff. After exchanging a few glances, an awkward silence ensued.

“Ah, the nursing statue! Have you met the nursing statue?”

The atmosphere lightened, beginning with Saku’s uniquely clumsy and adorable Korean.

The eyes visible beneath the fox mask always sparkle.

Well, there’s no need to fight anymore.

There’s only about ten hours left. There’s no need for bloodshed.

“Do you want to go grab a bite to eat? There’s nursing food, too.”

Soo-yeon’s eyes widened at my suggestion.

“Yes…? Ah…”
“Looking at you, it seems like you need to rest a bit.”
“…This, you made it like this?”
“Wasn’t it somewhat like this before? Anyway, what will you do?”

Soo-yeon rolls her eyes with a troubled expression. After checking the two team members around her, she faintly smiled when she saw Saku’s sparkling eyes.

“…People watching the selection will be a bit confused. We were just fighting, and now we’re eating together.”

* * * * * * * *

It’s extraordinary.

Everyone who saw the Forest Keeper Selection Tournament today must have doubted their eyes.

—
-Never Portal search term real-time ranking
1. Lee Si-heon – 464↑
2. Forest Keeper Selection Tournament – 1↓
3. Day 6 of the Forest Keeper Selection Tournament
4. Cadet Lee Si-heon 459 ↑
5. L Academy Lee Si-heon
6. Recent updates on the selection

7. Baobab – 3↓
8. Kim Soo-yeon – 4↓
9. Trial Results
10. Marronnier
11. Lee Si-heon Team Disbanded
12. Seoul Academy
—

When facing Marronnier, such a situation seemed plausible.
It was natural to be pushed back when engaging in a power struggle with Baobab.

However, from the moment Lee Si-heon physically emerged unscathed from the dungeon he had entered with Baobab, something felt off.
It was a moment when the spectators’ expectations were shattered.

—

– It’s not that Lee Si-heon is strong, it’s because he needs to conserve his magical energy. Isn’t the skill gap between humans and national trees a given?
(Lee Si-heon, who comes out unscathed after the fight with Baobab)
So, how would you explain this?

[Comment 61]
-ㅇㅇ (52.12): But does this make sense logically?
└ㅇㅇ : The situation is so absurd, I have to ask again, haha
└ㅇㅇ (52.12): Seriously, who would have thought Lee Si-heon would emerge from there?
└Passerby: Then why did you think he was going to lose?

Yes (52.12): Of course it’s obvious!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Acting: Haha, I believed it from the beginning.
Yes: This guy seemed so happy when he was finally getting his break a while ago.

– This time, Lee Si-heon broke everyone’s expectations and things were predicted to go well

(Picture of him wearing a crown)

[Comments: 57]
– Yes (24.162): How did you expect it? Hahaha
Mujin: Crabs became rich hahaha
-ㅁ: Give us some lottery numbers
-Player: This guy must be at least a Toto manager. I’ve seen it.

—

There are no coincidences twice.
Since he survived twice against Kukmok, no one can deny his skills anymore.
The reevaluation of Lee Si-heon was more than justified, and his stock price began to rise in an instant.

Occasional jackpots that he’d hit.

El Academy sent out a monster.

Once, the academy had been regarded as a toothless tiger, but this became a valuable opportunity to remind everyone that it was, in fact, the world’s finest institution.

A perplexing reputation started to follow the academy’s executives.

The individual who had ranked 152nd not long ago was now participating in the selection process for the forest keepers. In truth, the instructors found the situation baffling, as they were merely following orders from above.

Some people openly referred to him as a “parachute,” implying he had been given an undeserved opportunity.

Rumors circulated subtly, suggesting that having a good connection like Do-won was what got him the position.

─Personally, I believe Lee Si-heon is indeed a genius.

When a prodigy first appears in the world, most people tend to dismiss their achievements.

─I heard that Si-woo Jung and Si-heon Lee once passed the midterm exam together. It seems he’s just a skillful fighter.

Many aspects of his past accomplishments are now being reevaluated.

But there were also innumerable people who regarded it with disdain. However, it was evident that perceptions were slowly shifting.

A skilled individual emerging to the surface. What could be more entertaining than observing their progress? The consensus was to watch lightheartedly in the community.

[Lee Si-heon, impressive performance against three national contenders. Among the opponents is Korea’s national representative Kim Soo-yeon…]

Until today.

─ What is this?
─ Did I see that correctly?
─ It’s the 6th day, so it seems like the three of them are just exhausted. But even taking that into account…

Articles gushing forth like champagne.

It was preposterous for a single trainee to nonchalantly counterattack and battle against three national representatives. Following the heated fervor came a chilling coldness akin to frost.

And the blossoming doubt. Naturally, the organizers wouldn’t have planned a spectacle for such a prestigious global event. Structurally, it would have been impossible.

Does this make any sense?

Nonetheless, there was no avoiding the emergence of such thoughts.

The national representative is bested by a mere college student. Three of them, no less. It’s beyond comprehension. Although Saku didn’t participate in the fight, the combatants from Korea and India are verifiable monsters.

An occurrence utterly defying common sense.

—I just stood there in a daze for five minutes after taking a spoonful of rice.

Impossible.

I faced Marronnier and Bao. Even those who once playfully claimed that Lee Si-heon was the strongest have fallen silent. All I could do was write perplexed words, growing increasingly frustrated at my inability to assess the potential of these men.

And soon, another topic to set the community ablaze emerged.

—Seems like Plum is heading in this direction too, huh?
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As the old man scrolled through the words displayed on the computer screen, he raised his somber eyes.

“Yes, this youngster is your disciple…”

Wrinkled hands. A hundred monotonous yet solid longswords hung on the office walls, barely noticed in their arrangement. The title of the Association President, inscribed on the nameplate, seemed so natural to him that being addressed by it had become dull.

The eyes harboring the deep abyss of Mugung rolled.

Beyond the desk, they lay upon the woman draped in an immense dragon robe.

“My disciple… The little one I saw back then has grown up so much.”

The woman standing before Mugung, Cheondo, stared intently at him. Though it was a non-lethal match, her disciple had defeated the granddaughter of the Sword Saint. Her disciple had won. It was her disciple. Though she felt a little excited, like a child, her face had hardened like stone.

“However,”

Mugung resumed speaking.

“…You seem familiar, as if I’ve seen you somewhere before.”

At first glance, he hadn’t realized. This body. He couldn’t be certain, but there was a feeling of having encountered her somewhere before. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say he felt it fleetingly, rather than having seen her directly.

A somewhat lowered neck. He licked his parched lips while gazing at Lee Si-heon’s masked visage displayed on the computer screen.