I Became The Only Healer In The Academy [EN]: Chapter 76

76

Just before the final academy tournament began.

Originally, the tournament would have been held in a separately rented venue, but with spectatorship canceled, it was held at the academy, just like last time.

Seonghyun, Inhwan, and Sangyeon were waiting in the waiting room, and soon after, their homeroom teacher entered.

“Here are the rules for this tournament.”

Unlike the tournament against the 2nd graders, there were no separate instructions for the tournament against the 3rd graders.

“If the first tournament focused on identifying the opponent’s leader, the second on everyone’s cooperation, and the third on completing a specific mission, the rules for this tournament are very simple.”

The homeroom teacher took out a piece of paper with three numbers written on it, instead of a map, and placed it on the table, saying,

“It’s a captain’s match.”

“A captain’s match?”

“Do we have to choose a captain again this time?”

To Sangyeon and Inhwan’s questions, the homeroom teacher shook his head and answered.

“No. This time, it will all be 1:1 battles.”

“1:1?”

“Yes. Write your names here on the paper in order, and compete in that order. The opponent will also compete in a pre-determined order.”

“Then isn’t it not much different from the tournament we had with the 2nd graders?”

To Seonghyun’s question, the homeroom teacher shook his head again and answered.

“That’s not true. If the first person defeats the opponent’s first person, they will proceed to fight the second opponent. Of course, there’s no break in between.”

It was a very simple rule.

A pure battle of strength, without having to guess anything or bring anything.

“If you defeat all three of the opponents, you win. Simple, right?”

“It is simple.”

“Write your order here and hand it to the person waiting in front, and that’s the signal that you’re ready. The match will start as soon as the opponent hands over their list as well.”

The homeroom teacher left the room, leaving the pen next to the paper.

“How should we decide the order? Any thoughts?”

To Seonghyun’s question, Inhwan and Sangyeon answered simultaneously.

“You’re last.”

“…Why?”

To Seonghyun’s question, Inhwan shrugged and answered.

“I just have a feeling. It feels like you’ll win if you go out.”

“I agree.”

It wasn’t that Inhwan and Sangyeon were underestimating the 3rd graders.

They just knew very well that Seonghyun was at an absurd level.

‘Too fast…’

That was the thought that both of them had in common.

The speed at which Seonghyun was growing was at a level that couldn’t be understood with common sense.

If they were asked if Seonghyun’s ability was an amazing ability when they first met him, they would have answered yes, of course.

However, if they were asked if that Seonghyun had tremendous power, they couldn’t answer yes to that question.

But now, they could answer yes to the second question without any hesitation.

Especially when they met him two days after returning from Japan, he had a completely different aura than before.

They wondered if they were mistaken.

Inhwan and Sangyeon were academy students, but they didn’t have the eye to see people well enough to notice that the opponent had become stronger.

But when the flood occurred at the amusement park, the power that Seonghyun showed at that time was so different from before.

“Then who will go first?”

“I’ll go.”

“I’ll do it.”

Inhwan and Sangyeon answered at the same time, and they looked at each other and said again at the same time.

“I said I’m going?”

“I’m going.”

“…”

It seemed like they would get restless if they didn’t bicker for even a day.

“Just play rock-paper-scissors.”

“Yeah. Let’s just do rock-paper-scissors simply.”

“Good. Men are fists.”

Seeing Sangyeon clenching his fist and preparing to throw it, Inhwan smiled and threw scissors.

“…”

“Pathetic. Can’t you trust your team?”

“Y-you son of a…”

Seeing Inhwan seething, Sangyeon gave a bitter smile and then grabbed the pen and confidently wrote his name in the first box before handing the pen to Inhwan.

“Well, the second is fine too.”

That’s how the order was decided, and Seonghyun got up from his seat with the paper in his hand and said.

“Let’s go.”

When they left the room, there was someone waiting as the homeroom teacher had said.

“Are you all ready?”

“Yes. Here’s the order.”

The man who received the paper put it into the device behind him and said.

“As with the previous matches, today’s tournament will be broadcast to the academy students. Then, good luck. Just go straight this way.”

“Yes.”

Now in the familiar tournament arena, Seonghyun, Inhwan, and Sangyeon went straight ahead as the guide said.

“You can handle them one by one, right?”

“If we lose, Seonghyun, you’ll win for us~”

“I’ll take care of everything and come back, so decide what to eat for lunch today.”

At the same time as Sangyeon’s confident answer, an announcement was made to start the final academy tournament.

“From now on, the participants in the academy national tournament will be determined. The rules are simple.”

The broadcast briefly explained the rules of today’s tournament.

“Then, let’s begin.”

The space where today’s tournament would be held felt like a colosseum.

The three of them, located in the stands of the colosseum-like arena, waited for the broadcast to continue.

“We will announce the names according to the order selected by each representative. First, 1st grade representative Gu Sangyeon, 3rd grade representative Kim Jinhyeok.”

After the announcement, the door leading to the center of the arena opened.

“I’m going.”

Sangyeon slowly headed for the door.

A short hallway where nothing but his footsteps could be heard awaited him.

After passing through that hallway, a 3rd grader who appeared to be his opponent was waiting.

“You shouldn’t make your senior wait, should you? You need some discipline.”

“Is someone a senior just because they’re in a higher grade? The stronger person is the senior.”

“…I guess you’re hopeless.”

Jinhyuk frowned and stared at Sangyeon, who shrugged lightly as he replied.

“Now, we will begin. Once the outcome of the battle is determined, the second member of each team should come out immediately.”

The broadcast announced the start, but neither of them moved.

‘With Kim Jinhyuk’s ability… the situation isn’t good.’

Sangyeon recalled what Seongwook had told him.

Jinhyuk’s ability, like Sangyeon’s, was specialized for close combat.

It could paralyze a part of the target’s body for a certain period once grabbed.

These were the known facts, and Seongwook had also told him something else.

If the grabbed area is grabbed again, the entire body would be paralyzed, not just that part.

Fortunately, the ability only worked if bare skin was grabbed.

‘I just need to avoid getting grabbed.’

“Aren’t you coming? Should I go first?”

Jinhyuk’s expression was full of confidence.

It seemed like he wasn’t even considering the possibility of losing.

“Do as you please.”

Sangyeon finished his reply and began to tear off the jacket he was wearing.

“…? What are you doing…”

Sangyeon gave a light smile to Jinhyuk’s question and began to wrap his fists with the cloth.

Even his face.

“…What are you?”

Jinhyuk’s ability itself had tremendous value, but this weakness meant he wasn’t very effective against hunters.

Of course, that was only true for those who knew his weakness.

“Why? Are you flustered?”

“…Cocky bastard. Don’t think you can win just by doing that. After all, you can’t use Berserk either.”

“…”

Due to the nature of their abilities, Sangyeon couldn’t use Berserk either.

Since it wasn’t an ability that inflicted wounds.

No more words were needed, and Sangyeon immediately rushed at Jinhyuk.

He thought that wrapping himself in cloth would save him from danger a few times, but if the fight dragged on, it would be disadvantageous for him, so he planned to end it quickly.

“The plan to cover your body was good, but…”

For Jinhyuk, victory in battle was guaranteed as long as he grabbed his opponent.

That’s why, for the three years at the academy, as well as from the moment he unlocked his ability, he had only trained to grab his opponents.

In other words, when it came to close combat, there were few in the academy who could match his understanding of the opponent’s psychology, movements, and speed.

“Kugh…!”

Jinhyuk was easily dodging Sangyeon’s attacks.

Perhaps because he hadn’t gone Berserk yet, he was being pushed back by Jinhyuk in terms of physical abilities.

‘I need to go Berserk somehow…’

Since the opponent was only trying to grab him without attacking, there was no way to go Berserk.

‘Tch… I need to change my strategy.’

This competition was 1:1.

However, that wasn’t the whole story.

The person who wins this battle will face the next opponent in succession.

‘There’s no chance of winning.’

To go Berserk, the only option was to injure himself, but there was no way the opponent would just stand by and watch.

Since that was the case, he had to look at the entire competition rather than just the battle in front of him.

To make it as easy as possible for Inhwan to face Jinhyuk.

The method was to drain the opponent’s stamina as much as possible.

“Why are you just standing there blankly? Have you already hit a wall?”

From the moment he changed his plan, Sangyeon’s movements changed completely.

From trying to land effective hits, he made it difficult for the opponent to move, forcing him to move as little as possible.

And by showing slight openings, he induced the opponent to attack, thereby starting to wear down his stamina.

“…What is he trying to do?”

Jinhyuk looked at Sangyeon with a confused expression.

His movements had completely changed, and unlike the beginning, he seemed to be trying to prolong the battle as much as possible.

“You’ll have to figure that out for yourself.”

The battle between Sangyeon and Jinhyuk continued for a full 30 minutes.

It proceeded without any significant attacks, with only exchanges that could be seen as boring.

“Huff… Huff…”

“Hoo…”

The heavy breathing of both could be heard, and at first glance, they both seemed quite exhausted.

Seonghyun, who had been watching the entire battle from the beginning, muttered with a surprised expression.

“Sangyeon is doing it smartly?”

“Huh? Why?”

“Sangyeon can’t use Berserk right now. The opponent’s fighting style doesn’t inflict wounds. That’s why he’s leaving it to you.”

“…Ah…”

Only then did Inhwan seem to grasp Sangyeon’s intention.

Realizing that he had no chance of winning, his goal was to make it as easy as possible for Inhwan to fight.

“It’ll be over soon. Get ready.”

“It’s over?”

Inhwan, who had looked back at Seonghyun at Seonghyun’s words, checked the arena at the broadcast that was being heard.

“The second student representing the 1st grade, please enter the arena immediately.”

Sangyeon had forfeited first.

“…”

Soon, the door leading to the arena opened, and Inhwan entered through that door.

Up ahead, Sangyeon, who was exhausted, was walking over.

“That much should be easy for you, right?”

“Yeah. Thanks. Get some rest.”

At Inhwan’s unusually determined voice, Sangyeon chuckled and patted Inhwan’s shoulder a couple of times before walking towards Seonghyun.

Inhwan, who arrived at the arena, looked at Jinhyuk, who was catching his breath.

“Seeing how the first one was, the next one is obvious without even looking…”

Before Jinhyuk could finish speaking, Inhwan immediately used his ability.

‘Ignition [ability to create and manipulate fire].’

“This bastard…!”

Jinhyuk barely dodged by throwing himself to the side and tried to counterattack, but with his body already a little tired, it was a bit too much to handle Inhwan.

With the second use of Ignition, Jinhyuk eventually collapsed on the spot, and soon the second opponent from the 3rd grade entered.