The Support Ate it All

Inside the train, the disciplinary committee members usually formed teams of four, which was the standard party size, but in very special cases they would operate individually.

It seemed that this was one of those very special cases, which was just my luck.

Still, I had no intention of giving up.

Before the fight began, I spoke to Go Hyeon-woo.

“Lend me just one silver coin.”

“Will one silver coin do?”

“One is enough.”

Having more would be pointless.

I caught the silver coin Go Hyeon-woo flicked into the air.

“Leave it to me.”

Watching me insert the coin and pull the lever, Han So-mi spoke in a tone like she was scolding a child.

“Hey guys, you shouldn’t use that, you know~. Students are not allowed to touch it~.”

However, as Han So-mi took a step forward, Go Hyeon-woo also stepped up and blocked her path.

“…?”

“I apologize in advance for any rudeness, but you cannot pass any further.”

“Are you saying you’ll continue to use it?”

“That’s the situation.”

Han So-mi tilted her head slightly in confusion.

She thought Go Hyeon-woo didn’t understand the situation and began to explain carefully.

“If you break the school rules, you could receive demerit points. And helping a student who violates the rules is also subject to demerit points.”

“That doesn’t concern me.”

“Why aren’t you concerned about getting demerit points at the start of the semester?”

“It’s a choice I made. Therefore, it’s only right that I face the consequences.”

“Haaah.”

Han So-mi let out a small sigh.

It was then that she realized she was dealing with someone who couldn’t be reasoned with.

From my perspective, as his ally, it was reassuring, but I could see how it would be extremely frustrating for her.

Just as Han So-mi was about to say something more, Go Hyeon-woo replied in what could be said as formal politeness.

“I’ve heard that Miss Han has been trained in swordsmanship by the Sword Marquis. Would you grant me the opportunity to witness your skill?”

His attitude was polite, but if twisted a bit his words meant something like this:

‘Ah~, if you’re so great, try getting past me with the swordsmanship you learned from the Sword Marquis~.’

Han So-mi seemed to understand the underlying message as she pursed her lips several times before asking.

“…What’s your name?”

“I am Go Hyeon-woo.”

“I don’t particularly like fighting. But my master said that when someone challenges you, you must neither ignore nor avoid them.”

“That’s a wise advice. My own master said something similar.”

Go Hyeon-woo nodded in agreement.

Han So-mi was about to draw her sword but then hesitated.

“That’s right. I shouldn’t be using a sword right now.”

The uniforms at Dragon Slayer Academy are covered with multiple layers of D-rank defensive magic, providing greater protection than armor.

However, Go Hyeon-woo had just recently come down from the mountain, so he was still wearing a martial artist’s clothing. In such attire, engaging in a sword fight against him could lead to serious injuries.

“In cases where a student must be subdued by force…”

While fumbling, she pulled out something else.

It was a short rod made of steel, and when she pressed the attached button,

Click!

The rod extended to three times its length.

It was a three-section baton used for riot control.

“I should use this!”

Though it was somewhat less lethal than a sword, it was more than enough to subdue an opponent.

Especially when wielded by a disciple of a sword marquis, even an iron bar could exhibit some form of swordsmanship.

Go Hyeon-woo smiled at that sight.

“Holding back a bit, are we? Then I can’t go all out either, can I?”

He then unfastened the steel sword from his waist and lifted it, sheath and all.

“I’ll use this. I request a fair match.”

“Alright, let’s go!”

Han So-mi cutely stamped her foot.

She seemed to lightly bounce in place, but in the blink of an eye, she had charged right up to Go Hyeon-woo.

The three-section baton thrust straight for his throat.

Go Hyeon-woo slightly twisted his body to evade, but Han So-mi as if anticipating this, changed the trajectory of her thrust to a sweeping strike.

Again, Go Hyeon-woo lightly stepped back, moving out of the range of the three-section baton.

Han So-mi quickly adjusted her stance and closed the gap with a stabbing attack which was similar to her first move.

However, this time, the tip of the three-section baton was subtly trembling, almost imperceptibly.

As she drew closer, the trembling increased, and the baton seemed to split into three as if by a cloning technique, striking at Go Hyeon-woo from three different directions.

It appeared to split into three due to the attack’s incredible speed.

“…….”

Go Hyeon-woo looked at it carefully, pushed the sheathed sword he was holding into the range of the attack and lightly shook it once.

Ta-da-dan!

Judging by the sounds heard, it seemed he successfully defended, but still, he stepped back half a step, seemingly at a disadvantage.

Han So-mi did not miss that chance and continued to press Go Hyeon-woo aggressively.

Even as he retreated step by step, Go Hyeon-woo flawlessly blocked each attack.

Thud

While I was watching, the slot machine spat out another 500mL water bottle.

I placed the water bottle aside and started the slot machine once again.

That’s the third silver.

I wasn’t particularly interested in the items that were coming out.

They were likely to be duds, and even if not, they were probably just a bunch of not-so-useful stuff.

My focus was solely on the battle between the two.

He’s not falling behind in skill.

Being nearly equal to a disciple of the Sword Marquis meant he had top-tier strength among first-year students.

Just like I anticipated during our first encounter, he was a remarkable talent.

Clang! Clang!

Go Hyeon-woo once again blocked the three-section baton with his sword sheath.

Even though her attack was parried, Han So-mi pressed in deeper, attempting to strike Go Hyeon-woo’s temple with the handle of the baton.

In response, Go Hyeon-woo lightly flicked her wrist with his opposite hand and swung his elbow in a counterattack.

“!!”

At such close range, where their faces almost touched, fists, hands, the three-section baton, the sword sheath, knees, and elbows became entangled in a chaotic dance.

This time, it was Han So-mi who was forced to retreat.

At such extremely close range the melee fight seemed to favor Go Hyeon-woo, who appeared to be one step ahead.

[Lemon] [Apple] [Orange]

Clunk

The fourth silver.

The slot machine spat out another dud.

At least it wasn’t the 500mL water bottle, so perhaps that was slightly better.

[Vitamin Drink (E)]

▷ A beverage rich in various vitamins.

▷ Highly effective for skin care.

Two tries left.

Slot machines are one of the classic games in a casino.

This perception leads players who encounter this hidden event to think it’s all about luck.

They prefer to save their silver for later rather than waste it on uncertain gambling.

But there’s one fact they don’t know.

This slot machine has a “ceiling” that guarantees the highest reward.

The 6th, 30th, and 100th try.

More than 30 tries are nearly impossible unless you have merchant-type skills, and my goal was the ceiling of the 6th try.

The cunning aspect of this 6th try “ceiling” was that players are initially given only 5 silver coins when they start the game.

Simply going all-in would mean they couldn’t reach the ceiling without realizing that they just needed one more silver.

That’s why I had borrowed 1 silver from Go Hyeon-woo in advance.

I pulled the lever of the slot machine for the fifth time.

As I briefly watched the two fiercely clashing with a three-section baton and a sword sheath,

[Mana] [Mana] [7]

Clunk

[Mana 2% (D)]

▷ Contains condensed mana.

▷ Slightly increases maximum mana when consumed.

It’s rare to get two matches.

A drink that slightly increases mana.

Not a jackpot, but it was an unexpected gain.

I guess I was on the luckier side.

Now, the much-anticipated ceiling.

Unlike the previous five tries, I was a bit nervous as I inserted the coin and pulled the lever.

The screen spun rapidly, the images whirring by.

Just don’t land on [Cute Deadly Poison].

There were three types of top rewards, but I couldn’t immediately use [Cute Deadly Poison] if I actually got it.

Meaning I’d have to hand it over to the disciplinary committee, which is the same as wasting my investment of 6 silver coins.

In fact, there was a 1/3 chance of losing the 6 silver coins investment, so ideally, I wanted to avoid that outcome.

However, considering the 2/3 chance of receiving the desired reward and the benefits that came with it, it was worth taking the risk.

Whirrrr—

Soon, the speed of the three fast-moving screens gradually decreased, and the results were displayed one by one.

[Ice] [Ice] [Ice]

That’s it.

Clunk

The item that dropped was a small glass bottle.

Ice crystals the size of star candies were enclosed inside but their pitch-black color gave off an ominous vibe.

[Dark Ice Crystal (C)]

▷ Intensely cold taste.

▷ Exercise extreme caution when consuming.

▷ Warning: You may die!

“You can’t take that with you.”

Han So-mi’s demeanor as she said that was quite different from before.

Until now, she had interacted with us with a pleasant smile, and her sparring with Go Hyeon-woo had felt somewhat friendly. But now, she was as serious as if she were facing a life-or-death situation.

The reason for her reaction was that this [Dark Ice Crystal] was considered a ‘prohibited item’.

By possessing it, I was actively breaking the school rules.

“Hand it over.”

“I’d rather not.”

Han So-mi approached me and extended her hand but I shook my head.

If I had intended to hand it over easily, I wouldn’t have started this in the first place.

And then, as if he was in agreement with me, Go Hyeon-woo stepped forward to block her path.

“…….”

Realizing that words were futile, Han So-mi raised her three-section baton to a ready position.

It was a stance she had adopted numerous times while sparring with Go Hyeon-woo.

However, this time, the air around her seemed to freeze, turning bitterly cold.

She was beginning to ramp up her momentum.

As Han So-mi shifted her feet, her figure blurred and disappeared from my sight.

“!”

Go Hyeon-woo hurriedly lifted his sword sheath, and in a flash of light,

Swoosh!!

“Ugh…!”

Struck by a blow of a different caliber, Go Hyeon-woo’s figure was pushed sideways.

He managed to block the attack, but as a result, a small crack appeared on his sword sheath.

Go Hyeon-woo regained his stance and intensified his energy,

Swoosh!!

and narrowly defended against another strike from Han So-mi.

His [Core] is a bit weak.

While mana continued to surge from Han So-mi’s three-section baton, the mana emanating from Go Hyeon-woo’s sword sheath seemed weak, as if it might extinguish at any moment.

The grade of Go Hyeon-woo’s [Core] was inferior to Han So-mi’s, resulting in a lesser amount of mana available to him.

“Can you hold out any longer?”

“Honestly, it seems difficult.”

Go Hyeon-woo appeared to be acutely aware of his own weakness.

He also realized that his chances of winning were slim.

But I won’t let him give up just yet.

Because there was still more to see.

“Just try for one more minute.”

In times like these, compensating for a teammate’s shortcomings is precisely the role of a support.

[Activate ‘Amplification’]

[The target’s ‘Core’ rank increased. (E->C)]

[Duration 00:00:58]

[Cooldown period 00:59:58]

Soon, the mana flowing from the sword sheath intensified.

Go Hyeon-woo, sensing the power boiling up from his lower abdomen, turned to me with surprised eyes.

I responded with a slight nod of my head.

Just try a little longer.