I Became the Academy’s Kibitz Villain

The moment Taejo unveiled what could be called his ultimate technique, ‘Iron Blood King,’ my heart sank.

‘He didn’t have such a technique before, did he?’

The concept behind Armored Taejo was akin to that of an Iron Man.

Witnessing such a gigantic form, resembling either a mecha or an armored monarch, was a first for me.

This was true both as a reader of the original novel and as a villain who had lived in this world for half a year.

“Yoon Iseon seems a bit flustered, huh?”

Gunggi and Doul watched the TV with tense expressions.

“It would be problematic if the new recruit lost there.”

“Putting aside the billion won for a moment, if she loses there, doesn’t that mean she’s not S-class?”

Feeling anxious was unavoidable, not because they’re the ones fighting, nor because they provided Yoon Iseon with magical power, but because they’re watching her fight solely with her own combat abilities.

“Even if she has awakened, if she turns out to be less than Taejo…”

“Then Yoon Iseon would become an S-Class Reader.”

“Hmm. How far is it from here to Sajik Stadium?”

I turned on the app and immediately checked the straight-line distance on the map.

10km.

It’s not too far.

If I interfered in the middle, I could easily wreak havoc.

“If Yoon Iseon loses… my billion won will just vanish cleanly.”

But.

“There won’t be such an occasion.”

I was certain.

“Yoon Iseon has been preparing her best for today over the past week. Yumir and I have been by her side every day helping her. Even if Armored Taejo has brought out such a new skill, she can surely overcome it.”

“Even seeing her face?”

Doul pointed at the TV screen, where Yoon Iseon’s face clearly showed ‘panic.’

“That’s not acting; that’s real panic.”

“……I haven’t trained her to freeze up at the sight of a Mecha King.”

“Then why is she panicking?”

“Hehe. I think I know.”

Gunggi smirked slightly, lifting her hanbok.

“Their concepts overlap.”

“What?”

“Their concepts?”

“Yes. The concept Yoon Iseon was about to change to, her battle outfit, bridal attire, so, the attire of a court princess or queen’s bridal gown, right?”

“……Could it be?”

I felt my mouth go dry.

“Is she panicking because her concept overlaps with Armored Taejo’s, thinking they might roll out as a couple concept…?”

“Could be. There are ability users like that, aren’t there? Those who can’t stand overlapping concepts.”

“Such a character. Hehe.”

Yoon Iseon getting flustered and panicking over her ‘bride in traditional wedding attire’ outfit concept, shaking the foundation of her S-class identity and battle style.

“Wow, he’s firing a laser. The way it shoots out in gold from the royal robe, it almost looks like a Gold Dragon breathing out, doesn’t it?”

“…The real Breath is miles apart though. Well, still, it’s acknowledged as an S-class technique.”

And she’s flustered in front of Armored Taejo’s massive mana condensation bombardment?

“…….”

“Are you nervous?”

“Honestly, I am a bit nervous.”

I never thought I’d be this tense, not fighting myself but watching the ability user I trained fight.

“I wish I could telepathically tell her. If she wins, I’ll give her a ride on my bike-”

Whoosh.

Around Yoon Iseon, nine fox tails flared to life.

“Oh. Seems like she’s got her mind set.”

“Is she prepared to overlap concepts? Is that it?”

“No, that’s not it…”

Within the nine tails of the gumiho, resembling lotus flowers, Yoon Iseon reappeared in a mature form, just like her previous transformation.

The attire, however, was a new form entirely different from what she had prepared.

“…So it’s not a bride concept, but a celestial maiden concept.”

“Given that the gumiho aspect is retained, it’s as if the gumiho has become a celestial being…?”

The battle outfit, now entirely in soft pink, seemed a bit plain, but the celestial maiden’s veil wrapped around her arms and the nine flaming tails fluttering behind her were so striking that it didn’t seem odd at all.

“Hehe, I’m saying this because I feel like I get along well with her.”

“You’re a bird.”

“I mean in terms of personality, personality.”

Gunggi giggled, pointing at Yoon Iseon.

“Did she, like, have a brain freeze earlier, changing her outfit concept on the spot like that?”

“…Nah, can’t be.”

In my head, someone was speaking.

Staging one’s crisis…

Was staging a crisis because of deciding on a skin…?

“……Accepted.”

Rather than sticking with the prepared battle outfit skin and rolling out as a couple concept with Armored Taejo, this was better.

“Quick-witted, isn’t she?”

“Planning to compliment her like that later?”

“No.”

After she wins, I’d naturally tell her.

“She’s beautiful.”

Just as I felt.

---

Flare.

Yoon Iseon brought her hands together.

Inserting each hand into the sleeve of the opposite arm, she placed her hands on her abdomen and lightly hopped off the ground.

Whoosh.

The flaming tails still flickered, and the translucent veil behind her arms fluttered.

[Impressive. To think, she would awaken.]

Taejo began to clap towards Yoon Iseon, who had risen to the same height he had flown at before.

[There have been S-classes who overwhelmed me, but you’re the first to awaken in a duel with me.]

“Look here.”

Yoon Iseon, with an expressionless face, stretched her hands upwards.

“I’m 3 years older than you, so I’m your noona, you know?”

[…….]

“And I’m not planning to drag this out.”

Yoon Iseon spread her arms to the sides.

“Bloom.”

Soon, the nine tails spread out like a fan, each creating a foxfire at its tip.

“Scatter Blast.”

Whoosh!

From the tips of the nine tails, countless sparks burst forth, taking on the form of small foxes and starting to run through the air.

There were almost dozens of them, and their speed was like that of light.

Boom!

The foxes, engulfed in flames, reached Armored Taejo’s body and exploded upon contact.

As before, it caused a pink explosion, but this time the color was deeper, and the explosion more intense.

[…Ugh.]

Armored Taejo emerged from the smoke, his outer armor scorched.

Especially the shoulder area, which received concentrated attacks, even had holes in it.

[That’s scorching.]

“It’s not just ‘scorching,’ is it?”

Near the hole, the steel atoms, recombined through mana, turned to dust due to the explosion of the foxfire.

She dealt clear damage to Taejo, who had created the giant armor.

[Could it be, a clean hit——! Awakened Yoon Iseon! She has successfully attacked Taejo!!]

Whoa——!!

Cheers erupted.

The cheers from men were louder.

“Damn, I knew I could trust her!!”

“Exactly, it’s Yoon Iseon! Yeah! As if Ray Huang could compare to Korea’s pride!”

“Oooohhhhh!!”

Perhaps the cause of the cheers was Yoon Iseon’s successful counterattack after being overwhelmingly outmatched.

It’s definitely not because what was previously a ‘gulp’ has now openly turned into something worth smacking lips for.

Probably.

“Heh, hehe. Yes, this is what makes a battle exciting!”

The body of the Iron Blood King turned to dust again.

Amid the rising dust, Armored Taejo emerged, shedding his steel suit to reveal a white suit, fluttering as he posed.

“Full power deployment!”

“This is the real deal.”

At the same height.

“Come forth, Iron Dragon! Inhabit my legs, join me!”

“Burn up.”

The two ability users are gathering their power for a full-force attack against each other.

Everyone held their breath.

Both the spectators and the commentators, everyone watching through the TV monitors, observe the two’s ‘preparation.’

Reality was not a fighting game.

Reality was not a manga.

In a duel to beat the opponent, it’s crucial to win by any means necessary.

But.

The era of superpowers had arrived.

Reality had now taken on a romantic hue.

Kyaoooo——!!

Dust converged, transforming into a majestic silver dragon.

With eyes gleaming sharply, it circles around Taejo, coiling and then soaring into the sky with him.

Higher than Yoon Iseon.

As if asserting his dominance, Taejo flew higher with the steel dragon.

“Even if you’re S-class!! I’ll prove that I am stronger than you!!”

Taejo leapt off the dragon’s head.

Simultaneously, the crimson magical power gathering in his right leg began to glow brightly.

“Uoooooo——!”

With a mighty shout, Taejo dove towards Yoon Iseon.

Stretching his legs imbued with magical power, he rushed towards Yoon Iseon like a comet plummeting from the sky.

The steel dragon followed Taejo, opening its maw wide in an attempt to engulf Yoon Iseon.

“Burn up.”

Yoon Iseon spoke calmly, then brought her hands in front of her chest.

Whoosh.

A small foxfire burst forth.

This foxfire, though smaller than any before, began to sparkle with a crown-like halo around it.

It resembled the sun itself.

“It’s over.”

The nine tails behind her stretch forward, forming a circle, and Yoon Iseon flicked the sun-like burning foxfire into the circle formed by the nine tails.

“Corona Blaster.”

Boom——!!

An overwhelming bombardment of firepower erupts, similar to, or even more overwhelming than, the flying fists Taejo launched in the form of the Iron Blood King.

The beam of flames, burning in a light pink hue, flew towards Taejo instantly.

Kiiiiak!!

The steel dragon melted away in an instant.

The intense heat melted it so completely that it turned into gas without leaving even a trace of dust behind; the steel dragon was consumed by flames instantly.

Kikikik!

But from within, from inside the bombardment, a sound was heard.

The sound of magic clashing against magic.

Just as Yoon Iseon had done before, Taejo breaks through Yoon Iseon’s bombardment.

Sssss.

The moment the bombardment ceased, Yoon Iseon’s tails dissipated like mist.

Her celestial maiden-like attire reverted to its original form, and Yoon Iseon began to fall gradually towards the ground.

At the same time, Taejo emerged from the dwindling smoke of the bombardment.

Instead of falling towards the now smaller Yoon Iseon, who was covered in foxfire—

“Oh.”

He flew towards the space where Yoon Iseon was before she began to fall.

“This…!”

In front of him was—

“Ah, sh*t.”

The remnants of foxfire, fluttering like embers.

Boom——!!

A giant explosion occurred in the sky.

Thud.

Someone fell onto the scorched mound, spread-eagled.

The remaining embers of the foxfire acted like a cushion, catching someone.

And the one who gently landed in the middle of the stadium was—

“…….”

A small girl, shining brilliantly in light pink.

On this day,

Korea welcomed its 8th active S-class.