Academy’s Drunk Fighter

“Mmm…”
It was only much later that I finally woke up—and by then, it was already dark outside.

Following the flickering light spilling in from somewhere, I found the silhouette of someone tinkering with something inside.
Scholar’s back was to me, hunched over some machine, flames flickering and metallic sounds ringing out through the workshop.
It didn’t seem like he noticed I’d gotten up.
He didn’t seem like a bad guy by nature, and it’s not like he’d kicked me out or anything...

Now that I think about it, falling asleep like that wasn’t a great decision.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized I’d been treating him a little too casually, just based on what I remembered from the game.
Maybe it was because I’d only been surrounded by good people up until now.

He didn’t seem like he intended to harm me—but if he had been a shitty person with bad intentions...
My small hand came into view.
“...”

Just because my behavior wasn’t ladylike didn’t change the fact that this was the body of a girl.
Other people might feel differently, but I had to be careful about how I acted.
Sure, if someone liked small bodies like this, they’d be a fucked-up person anyway...

Still, no harm in being cautious.
There was no reason to interrupt Scholar while he was working so hard, so I opened the door to his workshop and stepped outside.
The moon was already floating high in the sky.

“There are some buildings still ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) lit up, huh?”
The time was 9 p.m.
I had no idea how long I’d slept, but the fatigue and damage transferred to my body from the bracelet probably dragged me into a deep sleep.

Even so, the reputation of Central Academy held true—several buildings still had lights on despite the late hour.
Unfortunately, most of them belonged to people working as assistants to professors.
It probably wasn’t an unpaid slave job like in real-life universities, but the workload was still no joke.
The game never really explained why those people took on assistant roles.

Maybe it didn’t need to—or the devs were just lazy.
Honestly, it was probably just irrelevant information from a player’s perspective, so they didn’t bother writing it in.
And as for the other lit buildings…

“The training room?”
If it’s lit up at this hour, someone must be using it. But who trains this late?
I’ve never liked exercise, so I wouldn’t know.

So I stepped into the training room, and saw two figures inside.
That red-haired person—that’s definitely Professor Philia.
And the one across from her was none other than... Yoon Siwoo?

“Well then. I’m coming.”
Before I could even fully register their presence, Yoon Siwoo lunged at Philia with his sword drawn.
 

****
“Haaah.”
Lately, things had been growing more complicated. More frustrating.

The cause of it all was none other than that girl—Esha.
The more he tried to get closer, the more the world seemed to conspire to push them apart.
“What am I supposed to do?”

At times like this, swinging a sword always helped.
To clear his mind, he trained.
Sweat away the stress and anxiety.
Think again with a clearer head—and maybe a better answer would come to him.

[Virtual Simulation: Level 10]
He maxed out the virtual simulation in the training room.
It was the Academy’s highest-grade hologram combat AI—designed to replicate the best movements Yoon Siwoo himself could perform.

Shhhk.
Across from him, a robot with the same height and build took a stance, holding a sword identical to his.
There would be no real impact, but the simulation provided minimal sensory feedback.

At Level 10, getting hit even once meant immediate “death.”
Which meant what he needed was…
“Perfection.”

[Begin!]
Whoosh!
The enemy sword thrust forward in a flash, slicing through the air and reaching Siwoo’s eyes in an instant.

But with just a single tilt of his head, Yoon Siwoo dodged the blow—and from that close range, he launched his own thrust.
Whip!
But the Level 10 AI wasn’t something that would crumble in a single hit.

It prioritized the optimal counteractions Yoon Siwoo himself could execute.
“Two-handed swords?”
A smaller sword in the AI’s other hand curved toward him in response.

An AI wielding both a longsword and a dagger in each hand.
Whereas Siwoo focused his strength into just one sword.
Break through with power.

Before the AI’s off-hand could strike, he aimed directly for its head.
A sharp clash echoed—steel grinding against steel—as the AI’s longsword met Siwoo’s blade.
Kagagagak!!

Even though it was only an AI, the simulation felt eerily real—the resistance in the sword was almost indistinguishable from fighting a real opponent.
“Too weak.”
No way one arm could overpower the strength of both of his.

He felt the AI’s left-hand dagger closing in on his head—but before it could reach, he forced the longsword down with raw power and crushed the AI’s skull.
Crunch!
The Level 10 AI shattered all too easily.

He’d been putting off finishing this level for a while, but now that it was done, he wiped the sweat from his brow with a faint sigh.
There probably were higher levels that could be developed—but anything beyond this entered the realm of real combat AI with actual kill protocols, so the Academy couldn’t risk deploying them casually.
Even a world-class institution couldn’t just ignore inter-city agreements like that.

“So what do I even do now…”
But Siwoo had come here just to clear his head through training—and yet he still felt a gnawing thirst inside.
“You’re pretty impressive.”

That voice from behind made him turn his head.
Red ponytail.
Slightly tanned skin.
Always dressed in sporty gear whenever she showed up at the Academy.
It was Professor Philia.

“Professor?”
“The fact that thing broke... hmm, that’s a first since mine.
Well, I did say that this batch has a lot of incredible kids, so I figured someone else would break it eventually...”
She looked at Yoon Siwoo and smiled brightly.

“You really are amazing! Especially that arm—it's compressed for real combat...!!” “Ah... yes.”
Siwoo, unsettled by the way she started massaging his arm a little too enthusiastically, quickly pulled it away behind his back.
“So, there aren’t any more combat simulators left to train with in here, right?” “Ah, yeah... looks like it.” “Hmm... alright then, why don’t you try sparring with me? We haven’t had a proper fight, have we?”

And just like that, a sudden duel request from the professor.
To be honest, Yoon Siwoo wasn’t entirely sure how to gauge her strength.
He knew the professors were strong—but he still didn’t know the full extent of his own power.

“Then... I’d like to formally request a spar.” “Ha! Good! But you won’t beat me unless you go all-out, you know?” “...Yes.”
Then a thought flashed through Yoon Siwoo’s mind.
What would happen if he even managed to defeat his professor?

“Step in whenever you’re ready, okay?
Ah—and I guess I should add a penalty, huh.”
She lazily tossed a ragged old piece of clothing over herself and casually waved her hand with a smug grin.
Then, without hesitation, she wrapped a strip of cloth around her eyes, completely blinding herself.

He’d known she wasn’t one for ceremony or formality, but this was on another level.
For some reason, Siwoo suddenly really wanted to win this fight.
“Then I’m going in.”

He started off with just a probing attack.
[Trait – Tree of Genesis (EX) begins exploring the path of the Great Ones.]
Through that gaze—he observed the woman standing before him.
Her next movement.
The ripple effect it would cause.
The direction he should take in response.

[It is the flood, the spark from the cigarette that becomes a pillar of flame burning the world. The one who silences the sea’s scream. The one who stands still upon the surface. The justice of the empti—]
[Passive – movement attempts to track the target’s behavior?]
“Urk...”

Rummmbbbble...
And what Siwoo saw—
Was the infinite branching paths behind her smiling face.

And at the end of every single one of them—was his defeat.
No—his trait hadn’t even managed to fully understand the professor’s movements.
Maybe that was just a sign of how incomplete he was.
But up until now, that ability had never failed him.

This is ridiculous.
At least for now, the difference in level between him and his opponent wasn’t something he could bridge by any means.
It shocked him.

But that didn’t mean he was going to give up.
Winning doesn’t come from ability alone.
The only thing he could trust—was himself.

And so, even knowing the path was impossible, he swung his sword.
KWA-GWA-GWANG!!!
The shockwave from the swing split the air, smashing into the wall of the training room with a thunderous boom.

“Tch. Don’t worry about that? I’ll fix it later anyway.” “...!”
But the professor was holding his sword—casually—by the tip.
With just one hand.

In that moment, Siwoo remembered the moves of the AI he fought earlier.
He lifted his leg and spun it midair, using it to pry his sword free.
Then, instantly, he moved into her blind spot to go for her back.
No cheesy “Die!” villain line.
No murderous intent.

Just a clean, focused thrust aiming for a vital strike.
BWAAM!!
“Guh...!”

“Nice try! Too bad I could hear the sound of air movement—just a bit.”
This insane professor had used only the sound of air displacement to catch the blade—between her shoulder and ribs—
and landed a punch on him.
A light jab, almost playful.

But the power behind it was anything but light.
Even someone like Siwoo, who prided himself on how solid his body was, couldn’t stop the spit from flying out of his mouth.
“Nggh... yeah, first-years still have a way to go.”

He tried again and again, keeping his movements silent—but she blocked every one and countered cleanly.
This was the gap between a professor and a student.
Only now did he realize how arrogant it had been to think he could beat her.

And then, as if satisfied, the professor took off the blindfold—her grin brightening like she’d just had a great idea.
“Oh, Yoon Siwoo! How about you spar with her next?”
“Guh... huh? With who...?”

Still rubbing his aching stomach, Siwoo turned around—
And saw a familiar face.
She was standing there with a look on her face that said, I just heard something I really, really wasn’t supposed to.