Acquired the Scam Rune in the Academy

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Park Jin-woo lightly brushed off the flames clinging to his shoulder.

‘Ow, this really itches.’

One of the biggest weaknesses of damage dealer warrior-type Holders.

Being weak against attribute magic attacks.

This also applied to Park Jin-woo.

As a damage dealer warrior-type Holder focused on speed, he was vulnerable on the defensive side despite possessing exceptional agility and powerful attack skills.

The reason he could easily defeat Koo Myeong-hoon’s [Flame] was…

‘His fire resistance must be quite high.’

Park Jin-woo’s special ability stat.

Because his fire resistance reached 6.

Unlike normal ability stats, fire resistance is a special stat that can only be increased through specific situations.

Since the conditions for acquiring it are unspecified…

If you can raise the stat, the effect is significant.

Thanks to this, despite Park Jin-woo’s fire resistance being only 6, he could easily defeat Koo Myeong-hoon’s unskilled [Flame].

Park Jin-woo obtained this fire resistance stat about a month ago.

‘That bastard Do Jae-hyun.’

Thinking about his only friend Do Jae-hyun, Park Jin-woo gritted his teeth.

Although Do Jae-hyun is a Holder focused on physical attacks, he can freely utilize magic attacks and is a skilled multi-holder.

Among his attribute magic runes, the most difficult is…

[Fiery Flames].

His high-level fire attribute magic attacks flew indiscriminately regardless of direction or situation, and their intensity was by no means negligible.

So whenever Park Jin-woo sparred with Do Jae-hyun, he was always helpless against these [Fiery Flames].contemporary romance

Even if he managed to dodge them out of luck, having to constantly watch out for Do Jae-hyun’s magic attacks was still annoying.

‘…I didn’t know it would even create a rune.’

But from taking Do Jae-hyun’s high-level fire attacks and still charging at him everyday…

At some point, he became accustomed to fire attribute attacks that had been unfamiliar.

And in the midst of intense sparring…

Park Jin-woo finally succeeded in acquiring a rune based on this special situation.

[Your body is endlessly heating up! Your flesh is becoming so hot that you can’t tell whether it’s skin or metal anymore. Flames are crackling all over your body.]

[Acquired new rune ‘Burning Skin’.]

[Due to the rune’s nature, you gain +1 to fire resistance.]

[Fire resistance activated in Holder information.]

Runes are usually acquired upon ‘Holder Awakening’, but they can also be obtained after awakening through special insights and various experiences.

A prime example is [Magic Control] learned by many at the academy.

Warrior-type classes also commonly acquire runes like [Three-Stage Sword Technique] and [Physical Defense].

[Burning Skin] was another example of such a post-awakening rune acquisition.

From taking Do Jae-hyun’s high-level fire attacks so often, he developed resistance and naturally acquired a related rune.

Park Jin-woo originally had the talent to gain [Burning Skin], and Do Jae-hyun simply sped up the process.

Anyway, by acquiring fire resistance-related runes/stats and raising them while sparring with Do Jae-hyun…

Koo Myeong-hoon’s [Flame] had now become just irritating.

Park Jin-woo smiled slyly at Koo Myeong-hoon.

“Senior, time to clench your teeth.”

The senior whose nonsensical logic ruined the circle’s atmosphere.

It was time to discipline that poor head of his.

“Run.”

“W-What?”

Koo Myeong-hoon shouted in surprise.

But there was no time to respond.

Fierce energy gathered in Park Jin-woo’s sword.

The ultimate skill of his main epic-grade rune [Peerless Pleasure Sword].

[Meteor Beheading]

As the rune’s name suggests, an extreme physical attack skill that slashes the opponent 17 times at a speed that cannot be chased.

Although it uses some magic, its core is the ultimate sword skill.

Swish- Slash-!!

Just as Koo Myeong-hoon tried to do something…

Park Jin-woo’s sword had already reached his shoulder.

The following 17 beheading strikes.

The ‘slashes’ at a speed invisible to the eye pierced through Koo Myeong-hoon’s high endurance, causing intense lacerations and blood sprays.

“Guah…!!”

[Physical Defense] was useless.

The ultimate skill [Meteor Beheading] had the effect of ignoring a portion of the target’s endurance.

The moment the situation allowed Park Jin-woo to use [Meteor Beheading] after dismantling all of Koo Myeong-hoon’s desperate attacks…

Victory already belonged to Park Jin-woo.

Bang-!

“Spar over. Park Jin-woo wins. Senior Yoo Ah-ram, please heal senior Koo Myeong-hoon.”

“Okay!”

A signal flare rang from the 2nd floor.

Do Jae-hyun and Yoon Ji-ah in the center, who had been refereeing.

The two signaled the end of the spar in agreement.

And Yoo Ah-ram, the only recovery-type class of the 2nd year, came down into the arena to heal Koo Myeong-hoon.

It was a truly instant spar.

Koo Myeong-hoon, whose whole body was battered from the intense high-speed attacks.

He looked at Park Jin-woo in disbelief.

“No way. How could a C-grade Holder…”

His face was a complex mix of emotions.

That he lost, that the spar ended so quickly.

And… that Park Jin-woo had used an ‘ultimate skill’.

His expression was of total disbelief.

Park Jin-woo snickered and replied.

“I told you, senior. A 1 year difference in experience isn’t that big of a deal. Occasionally there are talented newbies who defy seniors’ expectations, right?”

Koo Myeong-hoon did have higher stats.

He was a quite skilled 2nd year warrior-type Holder, and had recently become a B-grade Holder after going through threshold.

But Park Jin-woo was also a C-grade Holder right at the B-grade threshold.

Their stat difference was at most 5, 7 at best.

And that extent of difference…

Could be fully covered by Park Jin-woo’s various epic and rare grade rune setups, the rune levels he raised much faster than others thanks to [Effort of the Seeker], and the battle sense built up from diverse experiences.

Koo Myeong-hoon, who started out careless from the beginning.

It was a fight he could never win.

Park Jin-woo sheathed his sword and spoke to Koo Myeong-hoon.

“I’ll say this in advance, but our club president is at least twice as strong as me. Get what I mean?”

“…….”

At those words, Koo Myeong-hoon’s expression instantly soured, like he just ate something nasty.

The face of someone whose pride was greatly hurt.

He understood better than anyone that Park Jin-woo was throwing his own words back at him.

***

Ippotranslation

***

The bustling arena quieted down.

Park Jin-woo’s display of power just now.

His overwhelming suppression of Koo Myeong-hoon was so shocking that even the members who had been watching with interest froze.

‘He didn’t hold back his strength at all….’

I knew Park Jin-woo would win.

As someone who has sparred with Park Jin-woo countless times, I know his skills better than anyone.

Although he didn’t learn [Wave Sword Technique] from Professor Tak Won-ho like in the original work, bringing forward the acquisition timing of [Peerless Pleasure Sword] greatly upgraded his standards… and he completely focused his combat concept on speed.

That depth couldn’t be measured simply by Holder rank.

By now he’s probably much stronger than the original work at this point.

No matter how skilled a 2nd year Koo Myeong-hoon was, there’s no way he could beat the exponentially buffed protagonist.

‘I didn’t know he had fire resistance too….’

When he flicked away Koo Myeong-hoon’s [Flame] like it was specks of dust, even I was surprised.

When did he awaken that special rune?

It seems [Burning Skin] developed much earlier than expected from taking so many of my [Fiery Flames].

Damn protagonist buffs.

Just when I think I’ve pulled ahead, Park Jin-woo races to catch up again.

“The 1st years this time are… really amazing.”

Yoon Ji-ah, who had been refereeing the spar with me, murmured.

Her gaze was fixed on the sword stuck in the center of the mist arena.

The outcome of this spar must have been quite shocking to her.

I scratched my head with a bitter feeling.

“He’s a bit strong. It wasn’t a careless challenge.”

Yoon Ji-ah’s gaze turned to me again.

“But didn’t Holder Do Jae-hyun also defeat a berserk B-grade Holder?”

“Ah, that’s because Moon Ga-eun helped—”

As I was about to recite the excuse I’d repeated for days…

I just chuckled sheepishly and nodded my head.

“Yes. I gathered some capable members, in case we have to fight villains. It’d be dangerous with weak ones, right?”

“So true.”

As if agreeing, Yoon Ji-ah also smiled.

Then she continued apologetically.

“I’ll take responsibility for Koo Myeong-hoon. As a friend who’s blindly trusted me since Flame Dance… I think I failed to make rational judgements about this issue because of that.”

“No, it was a spar all the members agreed on, and Senior Yoon Ji-ah has much more experience, so you were right.”

I waved my hand signaling it was fine.

‘Koo Myeong-hoon is just your fanboy….’

Yoon Ji-ah was also a victim in a way.

Despite not even wanting the vice president position, let alone president, she ended up indirectly damaging her image because of one fanboy.

But she was still important to our circle.

She’s a key figure in Kang Juyeon’s growth, and her experience as a former president will be a great asset in operating our <Anti-Villain> circle going forward.

“Also… I wonder if he’ll stay in the circle.”

I glanced toward the center of the training ground for a moment.

Koo Myeong-hoon getting his severely wounded shoulder treated.

He was still glaring at Park Jin-woo resentfully.

A stance absolutely unwilling to accept his loss.

‘…It’d be good if he quietly withdraws from the circle.’

He was the main culprit in causing turmoil, and had thoroughly embarrassed himself this time, so normal circle activities would be difficult.

Normally he’d leave on his own.

But because he’s Yoon Ji-ah’s fanboy, who knows how he’ll act.

He might cling onto the circle with all his might….

Thinking that far, I also steeled my resolve.

As circle president, I should also consider directly dismissing Koo Myeong-hoon.

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