Prologue Story

It was Min-hee’s turn next.

Min-hee created magic bullets with the gun she had materialized.

However, since she had only recently evolved her skills, her movements were still stiff, and the efficiency was poor.

Min-hee’s opponent was Senior Seo Minseong.

Senior Seo Minseong’s magic was akin to a downgraded version of the weapon materialization magic that Min-hee was still developing.

Unlike Min-hee, who created physical objects, his magic specialized in the light attribute, compressing the attribute into weapons.

The weapon he primarily materialized was a sword, which he used to spread light by throwing or swinging it.

Looking again, it seemed more like light-shaping magic rather than materialization magic.

If his movements could be described in one word, they would be “golden radiance.”

In-ha’s eyes sparkled.

Unfortunately for Min-hee, her magic had no effect on him at all.

Every attack she threw dispersed helplessly.

Min-hee frowned deeply, clearly feeling frustrated.

Yoo-jung unnie still had no sub-magic.

She mainly attacked by throwing ice shards.

Her opponent, after a round of battles, was once again Senior Kim Yoora.

Why wasn’t Senior Ji-hyun stepping in?

When I asked Senior Ji-hyun why, he answered that he wanted to first assess everyone’s overall skills.

But what did that have to do with him not stepping in?

Senior Kim Yoora instantly turned Yoo-jung unnie’s ice into powder with her magic.

Now, only Han-soo and Hyun-ho were left.

First, Hyun-ho and Chunho oppa faced each other.

By the time it was Hyun-ho’s turn, more than an hour had passed since the sparring began.

Hyun-ho used water, while Chunho oppa used wind and lightning.

Chunho oppa’s main magic was wind.

With a whirlwind, Chunho oppa shattered Hyun-ho’s magic in an instant.

Despite being flustered, Hyun-ho responded calmly.

Wind and water were fundamentally equal in terms of attributes.

Hyun-ho maintained a composed defense and offense.

Though he didn’t manage to win.

Finally, it was Han-soo versus Senior Yoo Seojun.

To be honest, based on their magic alone, it was hard to predict how their battle would go.

At least that’s what I thought.

But since Han-soo’s magic was wood-based, I figured it wouldn’t be easily cut by sword strikes.

Contrary to my expectations, Han-soo responded to his senior’s attacks with remarkable composure and flexibility.

He wove tree trunks to block the sword, then immediately turned them into counterattacks.

Using flower magic, he even bound senior Yoo Seojun’s feet.

The wood and flowers absorbed senior Yoo Seojun’s magic power, weakening his strength while amplifying Han-soo’s.

It was magic that didn’t work on me because of the barrier, but in truth, Han-soo’s magic had the best balance among us.

“Wow…”

Once again, I watched Han-soo fight, completely mesmerized.

I was convinced that Han-soo’s fighting style suited me best.

I clenched my fist tightly.

I knew my friends were catching up to me.

Even so, I still thought I was a step ahead of them.

But I was wrong.

Han-soo and In-ha—those two were exceptionally gifted, even among us.

‘You have talent!’

Now, I also believed those words my master once said to me.

I had talent.

And because I believed in it, I wanted to stand on equal footing with my friends.

I thought I was working hard.

But my friends were just as determined.

I clenched my fist tightly and looked at Han-soo and In-ha standing side by side.

The two of them, who usually bickered endlessly, somehow looked like perfectly fitting puzzle pieces.

I needed to work harder.

To stand on equal ground with my friends, I had to try even harder.

Not just improving my skills, but I had to desperately refine the defense I thought I was good at.

At the same time, I needed to balance it enough to spar effectively.

I finally understood how the protagonists in comics felt during secret training arcs.

Meanwhile, In-ha and Han-soo had started bickering again.

I didn’t bother stopping them this time.

With Han-soo’s turn as the finale, the sparring session to assess our skills ended.

Senior Ji-hyun stepped forward in front of us.

“With this sparring session, I’ve got a rough idea of your combat styles and skills.”

Hearing that, I, who had been lost in thought, In-ha and Han-soo, who had been arguing, and Min-hee and Yoo-jung unnie, who had been upset, as well as In-ho oppa and Hyun-ho, who had been comforting them, all turned to look at Senior Ji-hyun.

“First, Eun-ha. I know you’re a defense-type magician, but you’re too indecisive.

As a magician, you need to discard the idea that you can avoid combat forever.

It’s fine to defend and wait for an opening, but you don’t know how to properly exploit that opening.

You lack a decisive strike.

Even though you can apply magic so freely, you have so few offensive spells.

You need to fix that.”

Senior Ji-hyun spoke with an unusually serious expression.

He was absolutely right, so I could only lower my head.

“On the other hand, Kang In-ha, you focus too much on offense.

I get that you’re good at attacking.

Offense can sometimes be the best defense.

But you need to learn the basics of defense.

Not just dodging, but actual defense techniques.

And relying solely on frontal attacks isn’t good either.

You need to dodge when necessary and utilize the terrain for your attacks.

You can’t do any of that right now.”

“……”

In-ha silently nodded.

“Han-soo and Hyun-ho seem to have the best balance.

Cheong In-ho, you’ve got decent balance too, but both your offensive and defensive capabilities are too weak.

Min-hee, you’re unstable overall, and your power is all over the place.”

This time, Senior Ji-hyun, shedding his usual doting nature, offered harsh advice to his younger sister Min-hee.

Min-hee bit her lip.

“Han Yoo-jung, you weren’t bad.

Well…you all have just started learning how to fight, and you’ve only sparred a few times.

So, it’s natural to be clumsy.

Be disappointed, but don’t feel discouraged.”

Be disappointed, but don’t feel discouraged.

What good advice.

But I let out a slightly awkward laugh.

Did he really think elementary school students could fully grasp that?

At that moment, Senior Ji-hyun suddenly turned to me.

Startled, I stiffened.

“From now on, during training, Eun-ha, you’re forbidden from running away.

Focus solely on frontal attacks to the point of exhaustion.

Hey, prepare fields where she has no place to hide.

You’ll start with attack training and then move on to proper sparring.

Only use the unique magic you’ve created for your attacks. Got it?”

I hesitated but nodded earnestly.

Then, Senior Ji-hyun smiled briefly.

“That’s it for today.”

As soon as those words left his mouth, the tense atmosphere around us shifted.

The somewhat rigid demeanor of the seniors softened to their usual gentle selves.

Especially Senior Ji-hyun.

But I still couldn’t help but flinch slightly, stealing glances at him.

It had been a long time since Senior Ji-hyun felt this intimidating.

But I realized something.

He only seemed kind because Min-hee was around.

In truth, Senior Ji-hyun’s real personality was cold and calculating.

Once the training was over, everyone started chatting as usual.

Yoo-jung unnie and In-ho oppa reflected on the day’s sparring with admiration.

“Wow, the seniors were really amazing. Don’t you think?”

“Yeah. Honestly, they must have gone easy on us, right?”

“Of course. To them, we’re probably just fledglings. Ugh, so frustrating.”

On the other hand, Min-hee still seemed upset, fuming a bit.

Chunho oppa approached her from behind and patted her head.

“Don’t be too frustrated.

You’re only weak because you’re still young.

When your body fully matures, your magic capacity will increase.

You might even grow stronger than us.”

Chunho oppa’s reassurance brightened Min-hee’s expression.

“Really?!”

“Yeah. You’re all incredible already.

Especially In-ha and Han-soo—you two stood out the most.

You seem to have the greatest combat talent among everyone here.”

At Chunho oppa’s words, In-ha and Han-soo glanced at each other.

Then, almost in sync, they turned their heads away.

How adorable~.

Min-hee smiled and agreed with Chunho oppa.

“True. In-ha and Han-soo are amazing just by looking at them.

Eun-ha, on the other hand, is impressive with magic but only ever runs away.”

“Offense just doesn’t suit me…”

I mumbled, lowering my head.

Chunho oppa chuckled playfully.

“Then you’re in big trouble, Eun-ha.

That guy, Ji-hyun, is incredibly strict about these things.

You’ll be forced to focus solely on attacking from now on.

Whatever he comes up with will be beyond your imagination.”

“……”

I couldn’t hide my uneasy expression.

I mean, seriously, attacking just doesn’t suit me…

But Senior Ji-hyun was completely right.

Even if I waited for an opening while dodging, I still needed to land a proper strike.

Actually, I did have an attack that could render my opponent “unable to fight.”

It was one of my unique magic techniques.

But it was so dangerous that I didn’t want to use it unless absolutely necessary.

“Well, you guys should head out now.”

Chunho oppa straightened up.

Min-hee looked up at him curiously.

“What about you?”

“We still have things to do here.

You guys go on ahead.”

“Okay. Let’s hurry up and go! Unnie, oppa, too.”

“Yeah.”

We said our goodbyes and left the area.

Unlike when we entered, I left alongside Yoo-jung unnie and In-ho oppa.

Just before leaving, I glanced back at Senior Ji-hyun.

He was engaged in a serious conversation with the other seniors.

“……”

The gaze Senior Ji-hyun had shown earlier replayed in my mind.

I unconsciously fiddled with the ring hidden inside my collar.

The door to the training room closed.

☆

“……That’s what I said, but still.”

Yoo Chunho, watching the kids leave after closing the door, approached Joo Ji-hyun, who had been discussing the sparring with the juniors.

“Isn’t this generation going to produce a monster?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying!”

The one who raised her voice was Kim Yoora, the next vice president of the high school.

“For goodness’ sake, they’re only in the third grade of elementary school!

They’re just 10 years old.

I thought it was strange when I heard we were supposed to mentor them, but I never expected this!

I’d occasionally guessed Min-hee had talent since I saw her sometimes, but this is just absurd!

I thought at most Min-hee would do well, but this is on a completely different level!”

Kim Yoora glanced toward the door.

Yoo Chunho, usually full of mischief, erased his playful expression and nodded in agreement.

“In terms of combat sense, In-ha and Han-soo definitely stood out.

Of course, those two are impressive.

But the most remarkable one is… Eun-ha, right?”

“Ah, yes.”

Joo Ji-hyun nodded solemnly, his gaze steady.

He smiled slightly.

“Eun-ha doesn’t seem particularly gifted in combat, but her application of magic is unbelievably free for a 10-year-old.

She could easily hold her own against middle schoolers.”

“Her magic capacity is no joke either, right?

Her indecisive attacks seem to be a matter of personality, and that’s something training can fix.

Even without offensive power, that barrier alone is already overpowered.

I was pretty serious when I attacked her, but in the end, I couldn’t break it.”

“That’s true.

To think a 10-year-old is already using D-rank level magic.

And it’s darkness magic, no less—the most difficult attribute to control.”

Yoo Seojun shook his head slowly.

“There are plenty of people who only manage to use D-rank magic after they get to high school.

Seriously… It’s not for us to say, but that’s a truly incredible talent.

She’s undoubtedly a genius.

I know it’s risky to judge too soon since she’s still young, but to have come this far at her age…”

“Absolutely.”

Joo Ji-hyun agreed, though his feelings were complicated.

Being a genius in this world was both a blessing and a curse.

Recalling a certain memory, Joo Ji-hyun let out a sigh.

“When she used D-rank magic earlier, did you see it?

I couldn’t believe my eyes.

Min-hee once mentioned that Eun-ha’s magic control was incredibly precise.

I just brushed it off, thinking it was typical since women tend to have finer control on average.

But no, it’s not just that.”

“Control? What about her control?”

“That ‘Profoundi Flos (Abyssal Flower)’ spell.

Usually, when someone casts a spell beyond their limits… the form becomes sloppy, right?

D-rank magic at her age, and it’s darkness magic too.

It must’ve been overwhelming.

But… there was none of that with her.

No leaking magic, no distorted shape, no flaws whatsoever.”

Kim Yoora’s expression froze.

After a moment of thought, Kim Yoora turned on the virtual device and pulled up a recording.

A screen descended, and a video appeared.

As she manipulated the remote, the moment Eun-ha had cast her spell magic came into view.

Kim Yoora zoomed in on the section where the spell was shown.

Back then, she had been too captivated to notice the completed form of the magic in detail.

A clear, pristine black chrysanthemum bloomed right in front of her in the video.

Kim Yoora’s eyes widened.

“It’s true…”

Her eyes trembled as she stared at the astonishingly precise magic.

How could this be possible?

Others seemed to share Kim Yoora’s sentiment.

Yoo Seojun muttered in a subdued tone.

“She succeeded in a spell that would barely work even if you used all your magic…

By using just the right amount of magic and manipulating it with pinpoint precision to cast D-rank magic?

Could this be merely a matter of control?”

“Rewind it a bit more. No, let me do it.”

Joo Ji-hyun took the remote from Kim Yoora and rewound the footage.

The video showed Eun-ha creating a barrier to defend against Kim Yoora’s magic.

The barrier was colorless and transparent, making its presence hard to detect.

But Joo Ji-hyun’s eyes gleamed with intrigue as he watched.

“Look at this.

She didn’t just block your magic. She ‘redirected’ it.”

“Redirected it?!”

Startled, Kim Yoora snatched the remote back and replayed the footage.

The gray powder collided with Eun-ha’s barrier and was blocked.

At the time, they didn’t yet know that Eun-ha’s spell was “barrier magic.”

“And look closely.

She’s altering the barrier’s attributes to match your magic.”

Joo Ji-hyun pressed a button, and a magic analysis graph appeared.

Kim Yoora stared at it with a dazed expression.

The footage played again.

Kim Yoora had first used explosion magic.

At that moment, the barrier’s attribute was ice.

Not just a basic attribute shift—it simply “adopted” the attribute.

When the powder turned into iron fragments, the barrier shifted to fire.

When Kim Yoora infused lightning into her magic, Eun-ha changed the attribute to water.

Not stopping there, she adjusted the barrier’s thickness and number of layers to counter Kim Yoora’s magic.

Kim Yoora’s eyes grew round with astonishment.

“Could she have mastered all elemental magic?!”

“She’s simultaneously using water and fire attributes?”

“And even attempting advanced attribute transformations on top of that.

More than anything, she’s highly sensitive to changes in magic.

Matching the attributes of attacks and tweaking the barrier as needed—it’s incredible.”

Joo Ji-hyun chuckled softly, a faint hint of bitterness in his gaze.

“She’s going to become an extraordinary magician. That girl.”

Everyone present fell silent.