Student Council Vice President, Jung Yuhyeon. I hardly knew anything about him. All I knew was that he was steeped in a sense of superiority, and that his fighting style centered on ambush tactics in the Weaponry category.
And since he was in the Student Council, he had to be at least Gold rank.
He might have already reached Platinum. Outside these walls, he was probably at least B-rank, maybe even A-rank.
The moment he graduated, mid-tier Clans would be scrambling to recruit him. His superhuman abilities alone were impressive, and there was no comparing his practical battle experience to someone like Park Junwoo. Even Lee Hyunwoo, the protagonist, probably couldn’t match his level yet.
I heard a rumor about the Academy. They said, “You can bring a whole truck of Bronze and Silver folks, but we wouldn’t trade them for a single Gold.” That explained why he flaunted his superiority so boldly.
I was stretching my stiff body when Jung Yuhyeon spoke up.
“You said if I lose, I’d have to drop down to Bronze.”
He smirked when I nodded. It was a rather annoying smile. It made me want to smack him.
“Then, what if you lose, Examiner?”
“If I lose, I assume I just give in and go easy on the promotions, right?”
“No. That’s not enough for me.”
Then what did he want?
“You should apologize to every single student who failed their promotion so far.”
“Yes. If you call yourself an Examiner who cares about the students, you should at least be willing to do that.”
He must have wanted to crush a lower-ranked outsider who didn’t know his place. It didn’t matter that I wasn’t an Academy student.
It made me wonder how someone like him ever became Vice President. There’s always one character , but still.
“Fine. Let’s do it that way.”
“That’s refreshingly straightforward. You may not be that skilled, but your personality—”
I cut him off before he could finish. It wasn’t worth listening to that drivel anymore. I lunged forward, throwing a punch.
Jung Yuhyeon reeled back, clutching his face. He hadn’t even processed what just happened.
“What are you doing, Student Jung Yuhyeon?”
Didn’t he know? Vice President? A preemptive strike usually wins.
“Weren’t we starting the duel?”
When there’s no referee, if two people stand on the practice field after agreeing to fight, that is considered the start. That meant our duel was already underway.
It seemed my blow really landed. I hadn’t expected him to start bleeding from the nose, but there it was. It was coming out of both nostrils. The Vice President who had been bragging moments ago looked pretty pathetic.
He had clearly lost his temper over that unexpected first strike. He had been keeping up appearances before, but now he was cursing and rushing in.
Something glinted from both of his wrists. I dodged on reflex, and a chill grazed my side. If I had been any slower, those daggers would have sunk right into my torso.
“I was going to go easy on you since you’re just a pathetic third-rate superhuman, but you’re not worth it.”
Why was he speaking like some cliched third-rate villain? Even modern villains wouldn’t bother with such outdated lines. He was angry enough to lose it completely after taking a single hit from someone he had looked down on.
I took a breath as I watched him pull out another pair of daggers.
This time, I had to remember that my opponent wasn’t just some Bronze like Lee Hyunwoo. Nor was he someone like Park Junwoo, who still ended up at Bronze after a forced demotion.
He was already recognized as Gold rank, which was impressive. Meanwhile, my Trait was Gatekeeper, specifically “Silver” Gatekeeper. In theory, it shouldn’t have worked on him, since he had already reached Gold.
Target is someone who did not receive promotion from Baek Seojin. Recognized as an examinee.
Without that Trait, I wouldn’t stand a chance.
No matter if Jung Yuhyeon was Gold or B-rank, it didn’t matter. At this moment, he was only an examinee stuck at Bronze, just like Lee Hyunwoo or Park Junwoo striving for Silver.
Another pair of daggers flew toward me, but I dodged them without much effort. They were quick, but not so fast that I couldn’t react. It was a bit like dodging a soccer ball kicked from a distance.
“You dodge like a snake.”
Apparently deciding that throwing daggers wouldn’t work, he reached into his coat. I thought he was going to hurl something my way, but then he dropped two glass vials at his own feet.
Suddenly, dark smoke rose, filling my vision.
It reminded me of thick fog mixed with black paint. I couldn’t see a thing, not even an inch ahead.
I twisted my body in haste, and right then, searing pain throbbed in my side. My hand came away bloody when I touched it. If I hadn’t turned in time, I might have been critically wounded.
I tried to see where the dagger had come from, but there was nothing except swirling black smoke. It didn’t seem close to clearing, either.
“Is that an item made from some monster byproduct?”
Given his Trait, I’d expect him to prepare thoroughly. He was blocking my vision to land a critical strike. Without allies drawing my aggro, this was how he fought. I hated his attitude, but his combat sense was solid. He hadn’t reached Gold by chance.
I realized that I wasn’t hopelessly at a disadvantage.
Ambush tactics are best when your target is clueless and off guard, so you can land a single blow that prevents any resistance. No matter how much he obscured my view, I already knew he was out there somewhere. It wasn’t a perfect ambush.
Behind me again. One clean hit would mean a severe injury. That was a vicious attack, but it missed me entirely.
He was faster than Lee Hyunwoo or Park Junwoo, and it was obvious he belonged in the Student Council. There was no question that he was quick.
He was a turtle compared to the Elder who had beaten me senseless some time ago, though. That Elder’s spear felt like it came from every angle at impossible speeds. I still remembered the moment I got hit. It left me with a sense that dodging an attack wasn’t nearly as difficult.
This black smoke likely wouldn’t last forever. He probably knew he couldn’t drag things out. He was drunk on his own superiority, so he would want to end it before the smoke cleared. Failing to end me while hidden in darkness would be humiliating for an ambush specialist.
“From behind once, my side twice, then my thigh once.”
He was throwing daggers like they were random, but there was a pattern. He wouldn’t suspect that I’d notice.
Another dagger flew toward my side. He probably assumed I’d dodge again, but I didn’t do it this time.
I snatched his wrist, and his whole body came with it. He must have believed that as a Gold, he was toying with a mere Silver Examiner. He looked at me in shock, certain I was in the palm of his hand.
I smashed my fist into his face with all my strength, a bit harder than I had hit Park Junwoo’s ribs before.
Jung Yuhyeon rolled on the ground, clutching his nose. The nosebleed that had stopped was flowing freely again. At the perfect moment, the black smoke he had released began to dissipate.
“Urgh… y-you piece of shit…”
Cursing under his breath, he clutched his dagger and forced himself up.
That was the point where other students would usually admit defeat. They would acknowledge they’d done everything they could, accept their lack of skill, and move on from their failed promotion.
Park Junwoo and a few other thugs didn’t make it that far because I pummeled them first, but that was a separate matter.
“Student Jung Yuhyeon. Are you going to continue?”
I looked at him as he stood there, nose bleeding. As an Examiner, I felt we’d gone far enough, but as a person, I still felt like I owed him more payback.
He had tossed out that parent-related slur earlier, and I hadn’t really paid him back for it.
“Of course! You, I’ll definitely—”
“No, Examiner. Let’s end it here.”
I was about to keep going when someone else’s voice halted my punch.
“Stop it too, Jung Yuhyeon.”
“Who the hell… President?”
President? I turned toward the source of the voice at his mutter.
It was a tall female student and a slightly shorter female student standing beside her. I wasn’t sure how long they’d been watching, but it didn’t look like they had just arrived.
“Hello, Examiner Baek Seojin. This is our first time meeting. I’m Kang Hana, Student Council President.”
“Hi there! I’m Yoo Dasom, the Student Council Treasurer!”
I couldn’t believe we now had the President and Treasurer after the Vice President. Jung Yuhyeon suddenly shouted.
“President! Why are you telling me to stop? I’m not finished—”
“Cut it out, Jung Yuhyeon. You look pathetic.”
“You’re smearing the Student Council’s reputation. Consider this your final warning. Close your mouth.”
She silenced him so fast. Then she turned her stern gaze toward me.
“Examiner Baek Seojin, I’d appreciate it if we could end things here.”
“He says he can still fight.”
“Is that so? Jung Yuhyeon, you really want to keep going?”
He bit his lip, but ultimately backed down.
He was the type to behave around anyone stronger or higher in status.
“That settles it, Examiner.”
“Then what about the condition I mentioned?”
It seemed Kang Hana didn’t know about that part yet.
Jung Yuhyeon shouted, “Wait!” too late. There was no way I’d let him off without settling that score.
“I told him if he lost, he’d drop to Bronze rank.”
“Yes. He said it himself.”
Kang Hana studied me for a moment, then turned her attention to Jung Yuhyeon.
“P-President. This is, um…”
He nodded, much to my surprise. I’d expected him to deny it.
Kang Hana heaved a deep sigh, then spoke in a cold tone.
“Jung Yuhyeon. You’re on probation. Don’t come to the Student Council for a while. Keep your head down.”
“I’ll report this to the Director separately. I’ll have them revoke your rank and drop you to Bronze.”
“That’s it. We’re done here.”
As I watched her shut him down so decisively, I thought, ‘There was a reason she was the Student Council President.’