Chapter 16

Buzz.

Buzz.

[Wow, how on earth did he win? Does that even make sense?]

[This is the first time I’ve seen a noble family descendant lose to a regular student in a one-on-one match.]

Everyone was astonished by the result.

But since they couldn’t know the details, they seemed confused.

‘With two layers of Illusory Dream Art Formulas, almost nothing would have been visible from the outside.’

Cheong Haram, who had fainted, opened her eyes after Choi Dowon’s simple treatment. Then, with a dazed face as if her spirit had been broken, she silently returned to her seat.

“I didn’t call a stop, but your hand was excessive. Point deduction.”

It was Choi Dowon finding fault again, but even he clearly seemed unable to understand what had happened.

Buzz.

[Did he use some underhanded trick or something? It’s suspicious. It’s impossible by common sense.]

[Well, who knows. A win is a win. The result is everything.]

[Not everything, but the whole thing.]

[……I’ll just shut up now.]

Amidst gazes mixed half with surprise and half with doubt, I leisurely returned to my seat.

Looking solely at the result, it was a sufficient achievement, but somehow it didn’t feel satisfying.

‘I had to use everything I had just to barely win.’

Two of the three Phantom Wood Hungry Ghosts I had prepared were Spirit Dismissed, and Earth Rat, the Colony Shikigami, was also not in good condition.

Considering the effort and resources that went into making them, the loss was immense.

‘And I was also short on Spiritual Power.’

With a complicated heart, I gazed at the clear-colored prayer beads adorning my wrist.

‘Appraisal.’

Ding.

【Bari Jade Bracelet】

▶Each bead stores a fixed amount of Spiritual Power, which the wearer can draw out and use at will.

▶Remaining Charge (1/8)

The Bari Jade Bracelet, which I had discreetly taken from among the Cursed Tools Cheong Soha sent along with the Spiritual Elixirs, thinking it was a perfect fit for me.

I had charged all eight beads and entered the match, but ended up using all but one of them.

Even with thorough preparation, it was a dangerously close fight.

‘To struggle this much against just the current Cheong Haram…’

Cheong Haram was a sufficiently talented individual, but her approach was relatively clear and easy to counter. Also, her Level wasn’t that high yet.

However, the enemies I might have to face in the future were not of this level.

‘I’m woefully inadequate.’

Bihyeong, who would soon cause the Yeongwoldo Incident during the first semester comprehensive exam, possessed strength enough to handle Cheong Haram with just one hand.

‘Of course, the comprehensive exam only takes place after all midterm evaluations are over.’

But it’s only a matter of a few weeks.

Can I truly become strong enough to survive on Yeongwoldo, the final stage of Story Chapter 1, within that time?

Can I save and bring along all the necessary main and supporting characters?

‘I need to work harder.’

While I was lost in thought, the faculty, having restored the dueling ground’s foundation, resumed the matches.

After the match between Cheong Haram and me, relatively predictable results followed.

Thus, all second-years finished their matches, and finally, the matches for the first-years, who could be called the protagonists of Exorcism Academy Part 1, began.

‘As expected, the original work’s supporting characters stand out.’

The protagonist, Yoo Haon, and Baek Eunseo, who always stands by his side.

And Hwang Wooseop from another of the Three Great Noble Families, the Hwang Family, and Yohan, an exchange student from America.

Finally, even Cheong Joohwa, who had been deliberately lying low in Class B.

Han Seoa, who is also deeply connected to me, was one of the main first-years as well, but, true to the original setting, she did not participate in the Comprehensive Combat Training class.

“It took a while. This is the last one. First-years, come out starting from the top-ranked students and choose a second-year opponent you like.”

After all the lengthy matches ended, the final stage of the Comprehensive Combat Training midterm evaluation, the inter-grade battles, finally began.

“…I would like to spar with Senior Hwang Jihak.”

Amidst everyone engaging in fiery matches. Surprisingly, no one chose me, an easy target.

The reason was simple.

“Um, excuse me. Senior Cheong Haram? If you don’t mind…?”

“…Ha.”

Because a first-year A-Rank student who chose Cheong Haram, who had been looking unwell the whole time, literally got wrecked.

Buzz. Buzz.

[What the! I thought she wasn’t feeling well?]

[Wow… it didn’t even take three minutes.]

[As expected, the upper ranks of the second-years are on a different level. How on earth did that guy win earlier? I heard he was completely trash last year.]

Cheong Haram, who easily ended the match, finished her evaluation early and returned to the dormitory, citing her poor condition.

The fact that Cheong Joohwa, who missed her chance to face her, was disappointed was just a bonus.

[I thought about trying to face him since he’s D-Rank, but I guess I should just give up.]

[Right. With points on the line, gambling is a bit much.]

Unintentionally re-evaluated, and being from a D-Rank class to begin with, even a win wouldn’t look impressive. Because of that, the students seemed to consider choosing me a choice with no gain.

But there was one person who didn’t care about such things.

It was Baek Eunseo.

“You there, come down.”

No wonder the feeling of her gaze on me felt prickly.

In a somewhat anticipated situation, I let out a sigh, rose from my seat, and headed towards the dueling ground.

The students focused their gaze once more on the suddenly interesting match.

However, having already made my decision, I lightly betrayed everyone’s expectations.

“I forfeit.”

“What did you say?”

Baek Eunseo looked at me as if it was absurd, and Professor Choi Dowon was the same.

“Forfeit?”

“Yes.”

The reason was simple.

‘The compatibility is just too bad.’

If we actually fought, I might be able to struggle somehow, but with the cards I currently hold, the hardest to face here is the Martial Faction Baek Family.

As mentioned, the fight with Cheong Haram heavily consumed my Shikigami. If I were to face Baek Eunseo in this state, there was a risk of losing even the other Shikigami I had saved.

‘Of course, I still have a trump card left, but this isn’t the time to waste resources here.’

Shikigami aren’t something that can be produced indefinitely. They must be preserved as much as possible until the endpoint of Story Chapter 1, which is coming soon.

At my firm answer, Professor Yoolies, the Barrier-responsible professor standing nearby, opened his mouth with a regretful expression.

“Are you serious? Since you’ve already been through an intense battle, some consideration will be given, but a significant amount of points will be deducted.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Huh? That’s not how it works!”

Baek Eunseo got angry, but whether I forfeited or not wasn’t something she could interfere with.

In the end, Baek Eunseo had no choice but to choose another opponent and proceed with her match.

“The winner is Baek Eunseo. Next, Shin Hyeonmin. Come out and choose your opponent.”

And finally, the person I had been paying attention to all along was called.

Shin Hyeonmin, a student who barely made it into A-Rank but maintained the lowest rank within it.

Boldly choosing a lower-ranked second-year A-Rank student, he pushed his opponent from the start in an instant, breaking everyone’s expectations and seizing victory.

“Match over. The winner is Shin Hyeonmin.”

“Wow, when I glanced at you last time, you weren’t this good. Did you really improve? What kind of training have you been doing?”

Originally, in such matches, it’s not very common for a first-year to defeat a second-year. At best, it’s a result that occurs when a top-ranked first-year chooses a similarly matched opponent.

Witnessing that, I became convinced.

‘As expected, this one has changed.’

One of the three other sacrificial lambs who became Bihyeong’s sacrifices, excluding the original Han Kangyoon.

Seeing Shin Hyeonmin’s performance, as if heralding the beginning of the incident, made my chest feel heavy.

After the Comprehensive Combat Training midterm evaluation ended, I spent the busiest time since I fell into this world.

‘Sigh, I’m dying.’

I had to take midterm evaluations for other elective courses, mark the remaining sacrifices touched by Bihyeong, and somehow increase my own lacking combat strength.

‘It’s been so long since I lived this busily.’

Although I complained, actually earning evaluation scores wasn’t very difficult.

With my Intracranial Spell Repository Trait, allowing me to recall knowledge of all Cursed Techniques used in the game, I could find appropriate solutions in most situations.

Also, there was progress in understanding the state of the potential sacrifices.

Shin Hyeonmin from first-year A-Rank, and Choi Ilmok from second-year D-Rank, the same as me.

‘And James, who is in the position of a professor who should protect students but has taken Bihyeong’s hand.’

I had clearly confirmed that those three had already made contact with Bihyeong.

There was still one remaining person to take my place, but as the investigation scope was gradually narrowing, it seemed I could identify them soon.

However, not everything was going well. The third item was exactly that.

‘There’s actually no progress in enhancing my own combat strength.’

To be honest, it couldn’t be helped. My knowledge was already overflowing, and I had consumed all the Spiritual Elixirs Cheong Soha gave that I could use.

All that remained was Shikigami production, but the types and numbers of Shikigami I could create until the Yeongwoldo Incident occurs were limited.

Therefore, I sought answers elsewhere.

“That’s not the feeling. Ah, how should I explain this?”

“No, let’s stop. This seems wrong anyway.”

I tried learning the techniques of Cheong Joohwa, who possesses the greatest talent in Art Formulas, by utilizing one-on-one exchange classes, but there was no particular achievement.

It was a method I simply couldn’t follow.

‘This is troublesome.’

Preparations are proceeding steadily.

But I can’t be sure if this will be enough.

Because Yoo Haon’s Unidentified Trait, Demon Breaker, which was originally supposed to Bloom through the Yeongwoldo Incident, doesn’t exist now.

A situation lacking something by 2%.

I found that clue in the Forbidden Arts Studies class, which I hadn’t even considered.

“Now, everyone, show me what color your beads have changed to. We’ll check consistently whenever there’s a test or at the end of each semester.”

A bead held in each student’s hand.

What this was, was none other than the Stone of Forbidden Karma.

‘Appraisal.’

Ding.

【Stone of Forbidden Karma】

▶A mineral that reacts to the weight of sin. The more one touches upon Forbidden Techniques and deeply accumulates karmic retribution, the more intense the color it emits upon contact.

Simply put, that’s it.

In the Exorcism Academy game, there exists a kind of ‘sin’ value.

The structure is such that the deeper one delves into Forbidden Arts, or the more terrible sins one commits, the higher this value becomes.

‘The higher the value, the more the subject’s mind falls into a state of corruption.’

Also, in return, one gains high resistance and aptitude for Curse-Type and various Forbidden Arts.

“Since everyone has diligently learned and touched upon Forbidden Techniques for two months, if you do well, you might have a very pale yellow, right~?”

“You saying that makes us feel like we’ve committed a crime or something…….”

“Well, actually, anyone whose color has changed even a little bit immediately needs treatment.”

Therefore, it seemed that in Forbidden Arts Studies class, they regularly checked the students’ mental state using the Stone of Forbidden Karma.

“Professor, what color are you?”

“Huhu. That’s a good question. I’m a yellow that’s starting to take on an orange hue. Despite how I look, I am a Forbidden Arts Studies professor after all.”

“Wow…… then what’s the most dangerous color?”

“Hmm. Based only on what I’ve personally seen, it would be a deep red.”

“What did that person do?”

“They overturned an entire state in America with a Forbidden Art using the hearts of 10,000 people. Beyond that, there’s talk of indigo or purple, but I’ve never actually seen it~”

Hearing that, I secretly broke out in a cold sweat.

That’s because the color of the stone I was holding was…

‘…Why is it like this again?’

A deep black, not red, indigo, or purple.