Scandal

Lucy had chosen Lee Hoyeon as her opponent for the duel, but among the students, there was hardly anyone interested in the details of the duel.

"50,000 won, Lucy will win in 30 seconds."

"I'll bet 100,000 for a 25-second match."

"Wait, this doesn't work like that."

There were even students who placed bets on how quickly Lee Hoyeon would lose the duel.

"Is Lee Hoyeon really that weak? He's in Class A, you know."

"I heard he switched from swordsman to mage just a month ago."

"No way! Why would he do that?"

"Beats me."

Not many students knew that Lee Hoyeon had defeated a level 7 Scrap Golem during the virtual monster training in the morning. Those who witnessed the situation assumed it was just luck, and no one had recognized Lee Hoyeon's mana control skills.

Therefore, no one believed that Lee Hoyeon would win against Lucy, a promising freshman in the first year.

"Lucy may have some killer moves, but Lee Hoyeon seems tough."

"But what's up with Lucy? She's not the type to go after someone like that."

"True. It's weird. Maybe she's got a thing for him?"

The Class A students were discussing the duel between Lucy and Lee Hoyeon.

"I mean, could you blame her? Just look at that face. It's enough to pique anyone's interest."

"Can't argue with that, haha."

"Hey, it's starting. Let's pay attention."

"Oh, this is gonna be fun."

Even the disinterested students became attentive to the duel as it began, as if it had suddenly piqued their curiosity.

The training ground was enclosed by mana barriers to prevent the impact of the duel from affecting the surroundings.

"3, 2, 1. Begin!"

Initially, they were just probing each other, trying to gauge each other's abilities.

"Wow, Lucy is taking it easy on him. She's totally biased because he's good-looking."

"But didn't he switch just a month ago? His mana control doesn't seem bad, though."

"Yeah, it's only been a couple of weeks, max. Why are you blowing it out of proportion?"

"I guess we'll see."

Amidst the conversations, there were also students who analyzed the situation sharply, but once a perception was formed, it was not easily changed. However, as the duel progressed, the reactions of the students gradually turned upside down.

"What? Did you see that just now?"

"He managed to dodge it by pure luck."

Initially, they attributed it to luck.

"Wow, he happened to jump into that narrow gap by sheer luck."

"Hey, no way. I think he saw it coming and dodged."

"Hold on, I saw it too. He had his eyes locked on until the very end."

Even among the Class A students, there were divisions between the top and bottom ranks—Han Soowon and Ha Hyunseung—who had excelled in the entrance exams, started to sway others with their words.

"Come on, he doesn't seem to have any extraordinary physical abilities. How did he see and dodge that?"

"Yeah, it's just… his eyes are amazing."

"Hey, why are his eyes so different now?"

At that moment, someone noticed the transformation in Lee Hoyeon's eyes. His irises, softly shimmering in a golden color, combined with his remarkable appearance, creating a mysterious aura.

"Is it a skill? I've never heard of a skill that makes your eyes shine like that."

"Wow, a skill? But his eyes are so cool… It's like CGI."

Since all the students were focused on watching, it became clear. His evasions weren't just luck; they were deliberate.

"Wow, this is insane."

"Those eyes must be a unique ability. It seems like the power to see through magic or something."

"Yeah, it's unlike any skill I've ever seen. The ability is unbelievable."

As Lee Hoyeon continued to pull off unbelievable evasion moves, the students gradually fell silent, finding it hard to put their thoughts into words.

However, most of them failed to notice that he hadn't used any magic throughout the duel. The only time he used magic was at the beginning, creating a barrier to block the fire arrows. After that, he solely relied on using mana to enhance his physical abilities and strengthen his body.

Only Nam Daeun and Alice, who possessed the ability to see through and understand his tactics to such an extent, realized this.

During the climactic moment when Lee Hoyeon held the dagger to Lucy's throat, the audience fell into complete silence.

"Instructor, please announce the winner."

"Um, yes. The winner is Lee Hoyeon! Both of you can come down."

***

"That is insane. Seriously."

"That's definitely some unique ability. It was like he could see through all the magic."

"I saw it too. In the morning, he even took down a Scrap Golem with fire magic."

After the duel class ended, the classroom was abuzz with discussions about Lee Hoyeon. Although Alice and Nam Daeun showcased impressive skills, the center of attention was Lee Hoyeon. His graceful movements mesmerized the students, and his good looks had enough star quality.

"Not only does he have the looks, but his eyes also sparkle in golden color. When he brought that dagger to Lucy's throat at the end, it felt straight out of a movie."

"I mean, with skills like that, he could easily shake up the top rank for the first-years, right?"

"Hey, watch your words."

"Huh? Uh, yeah…"

In the back, Nam Daeun was half-listening to the conversation.

"Um, we weren't specifically talking about you… Sorry…"

"…"

The apology hung awkwardly in the air, but Nam Daeun couldn't care less, keeping her eyes glued to her phone. Meanwhile, Lee Hoyeon was leaning on his hand, staring blankly at the front of the classroom.

"Hey, go talk to him."

"No way! That intense gaze… I wonder what he's thinking?"

***

Fuck, what's wrong with my eyes? It's scary.

After the duel, in the lively classroom, I was left with a lot on my mind. Fortunately, the golden shimmer in my eyes had faded, and they had returned to their normal state.

This whole concept of unique abilities is insane!

Unique abilities were powers that manifested through an individual's effort and talent, rather than through formalized magic or mana manipulation. Usually, only prodigies awakened their own unique abilities, and most people couldn't manifest them.

I had pretty good unique abilities, fitting for a protagonist.

——–

[Battle Sense]

▶ Unique Ability

▶ Receives adjustments in all actions perceived as "battle."

The higher the level of danger in the "battle," the greater the effect.

——–

It was a talent that demonstrated innate combat sense and intuition in all actions related to battle as a combat-related unique ability.

——–

[Vision Enhancement]

▶ Unique Ability

▶ Concentrate mana into the eyes to maximize visual acuity.

The ability to perceive and distinguish beings or forms infused with mana is greatly amplified.

——–

Unique Ability

One's own unique power. Typically, it's formed by combining talent and different skills, but in my case, it was a combination of my special perks.

The reason I was able to dodge Lucy's attacks with my unbelievable evasive maneuvers in the duel earlier was largely because of Vision Enhancement.

Also, the Mana Sensitivity that I had received as my special perk worked together with my other special perks, resulting in an increased effect… at least, that's what I assumed.

Honestly, I never expected such a perfect synergy, but I guess I lucked out by choosing the mage path.

"Man, that was impressive!"

"Huh? Oh, thanks."

Kim Yeonghan walked up to me and struck up a conversation.

Come to think of it, it was quite amusing. While others couldn't even approach me, partly due to my innate personality, Kim Yeonghan didn't bow down to me, whether it was because of his natural disposition or his face. That might have given him even more confidence.

"That was seriously cool. Your eyes turned golden, like something out of a comic book!"

"You were pretty good too, though."

"Hey, compared to your impact, I'm nothing special. But seriously, what's up with those golden eyes? Everyone went nuts over them. Is it your unique ability?"

Kim Young-han asked with his trademark grin.

"Well, it's a secret."

To be honest, Vision Enhancement wasn't even a true unique ability. But there was no point in going around and revealing what it was or how it worked. It was better to keep the mystery intact, just in case. Who knows what kind of trouble I could get into down the road? I needed a wildcard to protect myself.

"Well, that's a bummer. Anyway, wanna grab dinner together after class? I found this amazing chicken place."

"Sorry, I've already got plans."

A date with a guy? I had no time or energy to waste on that. I swiftly rejected the offer. My hands were already full with my endeavors of charming the ladies. Where would I find the time to have dinner with a guy?

***

"Should I take a break from training today? Maybe it's time to treat myself."

I wasn't feeling my best, and I knew that rest was crucial for my growth.

"Yeah, let's take a break. Today is all about rewarding myself."

With that thought in mind, I stepped out of the dormitory.

Obviously, training was out of the question. Since my room lacked snacks, I figured I'd go shopping instead. Sometimes, you just have to indulge yourself to encourage proper growth.

The shopping area hadn't changed since my last visit two days ago.

Just for the heck of it, I decided to take a leisurely stroll in the park and plopped down on a bench, gazing up at the sky. It still amazed me that this world was nothing more than a game.

After aimlessly wandering around for about thirty minutes, I stumbled upon a cafe with large windows.

Fallen Moon Cafe. It was the place where I had previously met Moon Soorin. As I peered inside, the lady in question was nowhere to be found.

"Should I explore a bit?"

Memories of the game's information came flooding back after encountering Moon Soorin here.

This cafe happened to be her favorite. Since I didn't know when I'd have another opportunity to visit, I decided to go in and check it out. After all, the grocery store and convenience mart weren't going anywhere.

Ding~

"Welcome!"

Inside, the cafe boasted multiple tables and stairs leading up to the second floor. Its charming interior design exuded a feminine atmosphere, appealing to most women.

"I'll have a Claire Rose Latte, please."

"Sure thing!"

I had no clue what Claire Rose was. It was probably a new plant that came out of a dungeon.

"Here's your Claire Rose Latte~"

I received my drink and settled into a cozy corner. The beverage had a faint scent of roses.

Sip.

I slurped from the straw, savoring every drop. At first, it was sweet with a subtle hint of rose lingering in my mouth. Then it transformed into a refreshing minty flavor, before surprising me with a kick of spiciness.

"Hmm, what kind of taste is this I wonder?"

If I had to put it into words, it was like an instant wake-up call… Why would anyone drink this?

Feeling puzzled, I lifted the cup and examined the drink's color. It was a mix of green and white, and even when I stirred it with the straw, the colors remained separate, giving it an intriguing visual appeal.

Ding~

Seemed like a new customer had just arrived. I glanced in that direction. And there she was, Moon Soorin, ordering her coffee.

"Uhuk!"

Seriously? Talk about perfect timing!

After making her payment, Moon Soorin scanned the place for a seat, and our eyes met. Since we made eye contact, I casually nodded, and she made her way towards me.

Huh?