Chapter 15

“How foolish. Do you really think friend-or-foe distinction would work properly in this situation?”

“He never had that to begin with.”

In a space where their Intermediate-Rank Barrier Techniques were thoroughly intermingled, any ordinary Shikigami would be unable to properly distinguish between enemy and ally even if given an attack command. It was obvious they likely wouldn’t even be able to recognize such an order.

‘But.’

The Phantom Wood Hungry Ghost was, from the very start, an area-of-effect Shikigami specialized in attacks that didn’t discriminate between friend and foe. Therefore, by releasing it away from myself and giving it only the initial command, it could exert its full power.

[Ooooooh…….]

Squelch.

Squelch.

Whoosh!

The Phantom Wood Hungry Ghost, plaintively wailing, merely floated through the air, dragging its hazy form. However, the black mist emanating from its body, as if possessing viscosity, repeatedly seeped and corroded through the chaotically scattered Spiritual Power.

The effects manifested quickly.

“Ugh, ughh….”

The black mist clung to the Art Formula Cheong Haram had deployed for defense, and she let out a pained groan with a disgusted expression.

‘The damage should be starting to set in about now.’

Despite appearances, the Phantom Wood Hungry Ghost was a creature created in an extremely dangerous manner.

It itself was afflicted with a vicious Curse, forever drifting within its own nightmares.

Thus, its eyes were always tightly shut, and it constantly shed tears, submerged in resentment and agony.

The only thing the Phantom Wood Hungry Ghost, living in nightmares, could do in reality was to transmit the very sights it saw to another opponent.

A mass of resentment wishing to share its suffering with someone, anyone, to find even a sliver of relief. That was the very identity of the Shikigami known as Phantom Wood Hungry Ghost.

‘Things like this are rare even in the first part of Exorcism Academy.’

A groundbreaking creation method that amplified risk to draw out power to its limits relative to its grade. It must be quite bewildering for Cheong Haram, who had been learning orthodox Cursed Techniques.

“Ugh! Th-this is. What in the world…….”

Perhaps sensing danger instinctively, Cheong Haram hastily constructed an Art Formula and uttered an Incantation Trigger.

“White Transformation Advancing Channel!”

A versatile Art Formula specialized in repelling impurity. It was fired, aimed at the Phantom Wood Hungry Ghost.

As the Art Formula unfolded, accompanied by a clear light, the black mist scattered slightly, and the Phantom Wood Hungry Ghost’s form vanished.

But.

“It’s not there.”

“Kuh!”

Distracted, Cheong Haram had forgotten something crucial. The Illusory Dream Arts they had both deployed were mixing and spreading phantoms and afterimages all around.

In an instant, the number of Phantom Wood Hungry Ghosts, which had seemed like one, began to multiply. One on the ground. One in the air. One right before her eyes.

It meant what they were seeing was no longer the truth.

Of course, I was also within the range of the illusions. But naturally, I was less affected than Cheong Haram, who was taking the full brunt of it all.

“Looks a bit tough? Want to take a break?”

“Don’t… act so smug!”

Even at her worst, she was the Cheong Family’s rising star and a top-ranking A-Rank student.

Cheong Haram deployed an Art Formula she had prepared for a surprise attack and shouted.

“Release!”

Shwara-rak!

Several yellow Talismans pierced through the illusions and flew towards me. And they began to glow.

“Clear Chain Binding!”

As expected.

While I was in a relatively isolated area away from the chaos, that conversely made me an easy target. Since I was also maintaining a defensive Art, the flow of my Spiritual Power was revealing my location beyond the illusions to her.

Clear Chain Binding, a binding Secret Technique of the Cheong Family.

If caught by it now, with my stats, I wouldn’t be able to break free.

Of course, that’s only if it hits.

Kiiing!

The moment semi-transparent chains shot out from the Talismans fluttering all around, I was no longer present in that spot.

Dig! Dig!

Kreek?

It was Earth Rat, a Shikigami modeled after a mole and a rat, created alongside Fierce Wolf and Bone Bear. True to its appearance, it could move freely underground and possessed the ability to manipulate the ground.

The moment our Barrier Techniques intermingled, I had summoned Earth Rat and already created a sort of tunnel leading beneath the Training Ground.

And, timing it with the incoming attack, I instantly evaded into it.

“I wonder just how long you can hold out.”

Ding.

【Cheong Haram】

▶Level 31

▶Stats

【Stamina : C】

【Spiritual Power : A+】

【Art Formula : B+】

【Mental Fortitude : B-】

Cheong Haram’s Mental Fortitude was B- Rank. It couldn’t be considered a low rank, but conversely, it wasn’t that high either.

Moreover, Cheong Haram had a weakness.

The S-Rank Emotion Devouring Trait. This was referring to its demerit.

‘The moment she loses control of her own emotions, that negative influence is also greatly amplified.’

It was only a little further until victory was assured. I firmly reinforced my mental defense Art and created a new exit to emerge from the tunnel.

Dig! Ddig!

Pababak!

“Y-you… I won’t let you get away with this….”

Cheong Haram, her face pale, glared at me as I revealed myself.

Far from a crushing victory, she seemed to have her pride quite wounded by this situation where she was being manipulated.

A glance confirmed the Phantom Wood Hungry Ghost had already vanished without a trace in the meantime.

‘Its defense is hopeless, as expected.’

It couldn’t be helped, as it was a Shikigami specialized entirely in mental attacks. If it had been a powerful creature with high durability from the start, it would have been impossible for the current me to create it in the first place.

But that wasn’t a problem.

“Phantom Wood Hungry Ghost.”

Whoosh!

[Ooooooh…….]

Because the Phantom Wood Hungry Ghosts I had prepared numbered a total of three.

It was the moment Cheong Haram’s face drained of color.

“What’s going on?”

“It looks like they’re both using the exact same Cursed Technique right now….”

“How does that make sense? One of them is D-Rank?”

Murmurs grew louder from the first-year side, who were intently observing the match to prepare for their own bouts against the second-year seniors.

No one had anticipated the flow would turn out like this.

Judging by the results so far, it was only natural.

The top two students, the valedictorian and salutatorian, had each chosen opponents among the mid-tier A-Rank students and achieved overwhelming victories.

That was the difference between the upper and mid-tiers of A-Rank.

What then of the difference with Han Kangyoon, famously known for barely being average even among D-Rank?

Yohan, an A-Rank first-year and an exchange student from abroad, provided the answer.

“Even if it’s the same technique, one should be overwhelmingly inferior for it to be a draw.”

“Not a draw, a stalemate.”

“What’s the difference…?”

Yohan’s opinion was certainly accurate. Yet, the fact that both had lost control of their Art Formulas meant the difference in their power wasn’t great.

“So, his mastery is superior?”

If there was a possibility, that was the only one.

‘No, before that, that’s the Cheong Family’s Secret Art.’

Baek Eunseo, who had been silently sitting next to Yoo Haon, propped her chin and thought blankly. While other students seemed not to have noticed, as a fellow member of the Three Great Noble Families, she had some knowledge of the opponent’s techniques.

When Baek Eunseo turned her head to look at Cheong Joohwa, Cheong Joohwa stared back blankly for a moment, then shook her head.

‘So it’s not her after all.’

Cheong Joohwa was disowned by her family from the start. There was no way she would have learned the family’s Secret Arts.

‘Suspicious.’

Clicking her tongue softly, Baek Eunseo grumbled to Yoo Haon, who was watching the match with a worried expression beside her.

“I told you not to get involved with that person.”

“…Huh? Why?”

“I don’t know, he’s just not someone you can trust.”

While the students were noisily exchanging their respective opinions, the professors overseeing the test were also focused on it.

“Can you see it?”

Choi Dowon, the professor in charge of Comprehensive Combat Training, asked Yoolies, who had deployed the Barrier over the Training Ground.

“The situation is so chaotic… It’s a bit blurry, but I can manage to see somehow.”

It was completely unexpected from the start that both would deploy Intermediate-Rank Barrier Techniques.

And not with shoddy mastery either. From the perspective of him, the Barrier Technique professor, both were promising talents he coveted.

Even he himself would have barely been able to grasp the situation if not for the Barrier he had deployed before the match.

“Please let me know immediately if a dangerous situation arises.”

“Understood. Ah, but….”

“Is there a problem?”

“No. There is no problem.”

It was just that something felt a bit off.

‘I was told Cheong Haram definitely doesn’t use Shikigami.’

He didn’t know much about Han Kangyoon, but according to Professor Baek Jieun, he had recently changed his style to Shikigami Art. Meaning, all the Shikigami currently sensed within the Barrier must be Han Kangyoon’s.

If so, then could it be…

‘He’s deploying a costly Intermediate-Rank Barrier Technique and, on top of that, summoning several Shikigami in succession all by himself?’

Cheong Haram certainly lived up to her reputation.

She had completely performed Spirit Dismissal on two Phantom Wood Hungry Ghosts and had even intermittently sought opportunities for a comeback since then.

But.

‘It’s not closing.’

The gap with Han Kangyoon, who had been one step ahead since the match began. It simply wouldn’t shrink.

‘Just what is going on?’

Cheong Haram clutched her throbbing head and repeated the question in confusion.

‘…It’s just, something is fundamentally different.’

Despite appearances, Cheong Haram was quite experienced in person-to-person combat. To be reborn as a member of a noble family, she had never shied away from sparring with family members since childhood.

She was confident in the basic principles of combat, in strategy and tactics, and in improvisation.

Therefore, what was happening now was absolutely not due to a lack of experience on Cheong Haram’s part.

“Rending Burst!”

Bang!

“Useless.”

Just now was the same.

A basic Offensive Art, Rending Burst, activated sneakily by mixing in a feint.

It was the Cursed Technique among those Cheong Haram wielded that boasted the fastest deployment speed.

At the very least, it wasn’t a level that could be so easily blocked amidst such chaotic combat.

But this time too, it was perfectly blocked. As if he had predicted in advance that she would use such a technique at this timing.

‘……’

Cheong Haram was no fool. Looking at the flow of the situation, it wasn’t hard to figure out.

‘Is he several moves ahead of me in combat? That Han Kangyoon who was called a dropout?’

Otherwise, it made no sense.

Even when she painstakingly prepared a surefire move, or laid an invisible trap, Han Kangyoon dispelled it in a manner approaching perfection.

It felt like fighting an opponent who had memorized a guide on how to defeat her.

At least in today’s battle, Han Kangyoon was positioned above Cheong Haram’s head.

‘It can’t be.’

Even as she denied that reality, she couldn’t bring herself to say it was false. Because the visible result said otherwise.

Soon, simultaneously with the sensation of her mind turning completely white, Cheong Haram knelt on the cold floor.

Her limit had been reached under the continuous mental attacks of the Phantom Wood Hungry Ghost.

Thud.

‘Ah…….’

The Training Ground floor, looming like a wall before her eyes because she had fallen forward.

That image somehow overlapped with Han Kangyoon, who should be standing in front of her.

‘…I was wrong.’

She had glimpsed insurmountable heights from the family elders several times.

But it was the first time.

That she recognized such a gap from a peer, and an opponent who didn’t even have a respectable background at that.

For the first time in her life, Cheong Haram felt a moment of genuine resignation.

“Ugh! Uwegh!”

The match was decided. The frantic counterattacks Cheong Haram performed while simultaneously maintaining defensive Arts were not something I couldn’t handle.

In the end, unable to endure, Cheong Haram fell forward on the spot and repeatedly dry-heaved.

Her pupils were dull and vacant, and the overflowing self-esteem that had been everywhere in her expression was nowhere to be found.

“S-stop…….”

“What was that?”

“Stop… I said…….”

“Still holding up fine, I see.”

Following my command, the third Phantom Wood Hungry Ghost spewed mist once more.

“Kyaaahk!”

Cheong Haram clutched her head from the assaulting headache and rolled on the ground.

Her appearance, mixed with tears and dust, was a miserable state utterly unbefitting a direct descendant of a noble family.

“H-how… are you fine…….”

That question wasn’t wrong.

Even if I had escaped the concentrated barrage, it was normal for me to be clearly affected as well.

But, if that had seemed like it would be a problem, I obviously wouldn’t have brought out this strategy in the first place.

“This much is no problem.”

Even with the same mental defense Art, I possessed far more diverse and higher-level knowledge compared to Cheong Haram. So of course, I would be deploying an Art perfectly suited against the Phantom Wood Hungry Ghost, wouldn’t I?

Another reason was the influence of my Phantom Body Trait.

‘My soul is housed not in my flesh, but in my shadow.’

Therefore, possessors of the Phantom Body Trait had relatively strong resistance to these kinds of mental or curse-based attacks.

Judging by my considerably grown shadow, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say my mental stat alone was close to A-Rank.

“……I lost.”

Cheong Haram bit her lip hard enough to draw blood and admitted defeat.

The situation was already irreversible. Her mind was already devastated by the Phantom Wood Hungry Ghost’s influence. The emotions dominating her now were probably terror and fear.

But I didn’t accept it and moved the Phantom Wood Hungry Ghost again.

[Ooooooh…….]

Seeping. Seeping.

“S-stop! I clearly said I lost!”

Cheong Haram discarded her dignity and shouted urgently. It was natural she wouldn’t want to suffer that horrific nightmare of her mind feeling torn apart again.

But.

“It doesn’t feel sincere.”

“Kkhuk! What… are you saying.”

I knew.

The fact that winning here once wouldn’t fix this innate temperament.

I even knew that it would rather pointlessly fuel a desire for revenge and complicate matters at crucial junctures.

“Hoo, haa.”

I continuously applied mental attacks until a sense of terror took root in Cheong Haram’s subconscious.

And when Cheong Haram, unable to endure any longer, lost consciousness, I summoned one more Shikigami I had prepared in advance.

[Groo.]

It had a similar appearance to the Phantom Wood Hungry Ghost, but with a much smaller and fainter body.

At my command, it turned into black mist and seeped into Cheong Haram’s mind.

“That should do it.”

Potential variables must be cleared away in advance. Smiling faintly, I called the one remaining Phantom Wood Hungry Ghost back into my shadow.

Immediately after, the Barrier Technique, forcibly maintained by clinging black mist, vanished, and finally the appearance of the Training Ground unfolded before my eyes.

Alongside the disbelieving gazes of the unspecified multitude.