The Support Ate it All
Chapter 46: 3rd Week Duel Battles (1)

Every freshman who entered the Dragon Slayer Academy had likely been hailed as a prodigy or a genius at least once in their lives.

Yet after just two weeks of enrollment.

They had ample time to realize that there’s always a higher mountain.

The placement test’s duel battles divided them into classes by 300-point scores, and even within these score ranges, there were winners and losers.

Even in strategy battles where each thought they had given their best, a glance at the rankings revealed layers of superior competitors above them.

Then came the [strong enemy] in the second week’s strategy battles.

Only a few, like myself and Seo Ye-in, managed to face and defeat the beheader goblin head-on, while the majority were too busy fleeing.

For many, being chased by creatures they once scoffed at, like goblins, was an entirely new and humiliating experience.

It was terrifying, yes, but also deeply frustrating.

This was also precisely what the Dragon Slayer Academy had intended.

Get stronger if you’re upset.

Provoked by this, students started frequenting the training center more, acquired new equipment and skills, or sought advice from club seniors to foster their own growth.

However, moving forward without clear guidance inevitably had its limitations.

Can the teachers solve this issue entirely?

While it’s true that each teacher possessed skills comparable to an A-rank professional, their expertise was confined to specific classes.

A warrior couldn’t teach magic nor could an archer coach in hand-to-hand combat.

Another major problem was the lack of time for a teacher to manage dozens of students alone.

Hence, the Dragon Slayer Academy implemented a mentoring system.

This involved inviting top third-year students or graduates to provide a kind of customized lectures.

Although it was unlikely to be one-on-one, it certainly wouldn’t reach a ratio of one to several dozen.

Lee Soo-dok continued to explain while pointing at the [Mentoring Application Form].

“Opinions on mentoring will vary. It’s a personal choice whether to apply or not. Only those interested should fill out and submit the application.”

There are many cases where the sect or family you belong to does not allow you to receive instruction from outsiders, and there are also quite a few who prefer to train on their own.

Therefore, mentoring wasn’t a forced thing and the participation rate in the first round of mentoring wasn’t particularly high.

Yet the students would gradually come to realize the widening gap between those who received mentoring and those who didn’t.

It’s a loss not to participate.

Certain skills and traits could be acquired or honed more easily through mentoring.

As someone who still lacks a lot of skills, it would be beneficial to get at least one.

There are quests to complete, too.

Moreover, even if there was nothing new to learn, mentoring-related quests were too valuable to miss.

Their rewards were as substantial as those from the regular duel and strategy battles.

It was advantageous to follow the trend in many ways.

“The deadline for applications is the end of this week. If you’re still undecisive, it won’t be too late to participate in this week’s duel battles before making your decision. The rules this time are quite appropriate.”

Lee Soo-dok smoothly transitioned to introducing this week’s duel battles.

MAP: [Random]

RULE: [Deathmatch] [2vs2] [10-minute limit]

Amidst the familiar settings, one new rule stood out.

2 versus 2.

“Cooperation is as important as it was last week. However, this week, the objective is different.”

In the previous strategy battle, the objective was “to destroy the totem” so there were those who had engaged in combat with the goblin beheader and those who had not.

However, this time, the goal was to defeat the opponents, so the students had to cooperate well for that.

Their opponents were two students of comparable skill levels to their own.

“As you engage in 2-on-2 battles, you might uncover weaknesses that don’t show up in 1-on-1 fights. Identifying and addressing these weaknesses is also a beneficial aspect of mentoring. Take this week to think it over carefully.”

Following Lee Soo-dok’s advice, most students seemed inclined to at least dip their toes into this week’s duel battles before making a decision.

And some people, including me, were already filling out the application form without hesitation.

The question that appeared on the A4 sheet in front of me was a mere single sentence.

As I wrote down my answer beneath it, the text would magically disappear, making way for the next question to emerge.

The nature of the questions was also adapted based on my previous responses.

Q: Please write down your class’s main category.

(Examples: Warrior, Ranger, Rogue, Caster, etc.)

A: Caster.

Q: What is your tendency as a Caster?

(Examples: Offensive, Defensive, Supportive, Versatile, Yet to be determined)

A: Versatile.

Q: What is your position within the party?

(Examples: Vanguard, Midguard, Rearguard)

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Q: What percentage of your skills and traits are utility-type?

A: Very high.

Q: What is your top priority in battle?

A: To anger the opponent.

…….

Roughly speaking, it felt akin to a psychological test.

In the way it meticulously diagnosed a student’s inclinations and played a significant role in connecting them with the most suitable mentor.

I finished filling out the application in no time and submitted it as soon as the class ended.

“……”

Lee Soo-dok gave me a perplexed look for a moment.

He always acted as if he had some matter to discuss with me, though I could never understand why.

However, since there were many other students submitting their forms, he quickly looked away.

When I returned to my seat, Go Hyeon-woo asked me as if he had been watching him.

“Kim-hyung, did you already apply for mentoring?”

“The sooner you decide, the better. What about you?”

“I’m not yet convinced. I think I need to look into it more and think about it.”

“I can make it easier for you. Just apply.”

Go Hyeon-woo’s eyebrows shot up at my swift conclusion.

“Are you that confident, Kim-hyung?”

“Yes, you won’t regret it.”

“Could you explain?”

“If you apply, you’ll get a mentor from the top ranks of the third-year students or a graduate, which for you means being taught by an experienced senior. When else will you get such an opportunity?”

“…….!”

Originally, warriors tend to be closed off to others so they do not carelessly share their martial arts skills, but if you use mentoring as an excuse, you can gently break down that wall.

Even just engaging in conversations about martial arts or friendly sparring could be incredibly beneficial.

“Indeed, if that’s the case, I must definitely participate. Thank you for the advice.”

Go Hyeon-woo nodded his head in agreement and then smoothly proceeded to fill out the application form.

Warriors, martial artists, swordsmen…

Meanwhile, Seo Ye-in lay sprawled across the desk, turning her face just enough to watch us out of the corner of her eye.

Her face was already full of annoyance, so I felt like I had already heard the answer before I even asked.

“Not doing it?”

“Mhm.”

“Why?”

“It’s troublesome; I’m sleepy…”

I thought as much.

The importance of mentoring was even greater for Seo Ye-in as she still had many skills and traits to learn.

Yet, I chose not to press the issue further.

Despite Seo Ye-in’s apparent lack of enthusiasm for just about everything, she secretly possessed a strong competitive spirit.

I think she might come to realize that on her own during this week’s duel battles.

If not, I could always try persuading her then.

“By the way, Kim-hyung.”

Go Hyeon-woo asked while diligently filling out his application form.

“Who are you planning to team up with for this week’s duel battles? If you haven’t decided yet…”

“How about we team up this time? How’s your [Core] coming along?”

I had assigned him the task of reaching a C-rank [Core] by this week.

It was important to ensure we wouldn’t be at a disadvantage in the event of a magical battle.

Go Hyeon-woo smiled awkwardly.

“I’m ashamed to say it but I’m not there yet.”

“I’d prefer to have it completed first, but how much longer do you think it will take?”

“By Wednesday. No, I’ll make sure it’s done by tomorrow.”

“Alright, I can wait a day.”

Spending a day practicing [Wind Force] would be a good way to pass the time.

I was also close to reaching C-rank myself.

But then, Seo Ye-in, who had been resting her cheek on the desk, suddenly asked me.

“Can’t you do it with me too?”

However, since Go Hyeon-woo was the first to bring up the subject, I looked at him seeking his opinion through my eyes.

Go Hyeon-woo, in turn, shifted his gaze to me and asked,

“We need to participate in at least four duel battles this week, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct. Four times.”

The number of mandatory matches had increased by one compared to the first week of duel battles.

This is a semi-coercive gesture on the part of Dragon Slayer Academy to help students who are considering applying for mentoring.

Since it’s a duo game, perhaps one out of the four might not go as planned?

That could ignite a newfound desire for improvement, especially with a great system like mentoring in place.

In any case, we were obliged to participate in a total of four matches.

Go Hyeon-woo suggested,

“How about if Miss Seo and I each team up with Kim-hyung for two matches?”

“Okay.”

“What do you think, Kim-hyung?”

The two people who reached an agreement looked at me at the same time.

After all, it would all come to naught if I were to object.

From my perspective, it was an offer without any downside.

However, I decided to add one condition.

“I don’t mind teaming up for two matches each, but for the rest, try playing with different opponents.”

Participating in a couple of matches with unfamiliar students would also serve to build some experience in that area.

Seo Ye-in and Go Hyeon-woo nodded in agreement.

“All right.”

“It’s fortunate that we’ve reached a smooth agreement. Let’s all meet tomorrow then.”

Go Hyeon-woo left to submit the application to the teacher’s office.

He seemed likely to spend the rest of the day in the special cultivation room, focusing solely on [Core] practice until tomorrow.

I asked Seo Ye-in.

“Shall we head out as well?”

“Mhmm.”

***

On the first day of the first week, the arena was almost deserted, but today it was bustling with students.

The main reason was the introduction of the 2-on-2 battles which added many variables.

While individual skills were one thing, the combined strength of two students couldn’t be accurately gauged until they actually faced off in battle.

With the prospect of facing four matches anyway, the strategy was to charge head-on, win or lose, and then adjust the plan accordingly from then on.

As Seo Ye-in and I took turns scanning our student IDs the terminal began its search for suitable opponents.

[Seo Ye-in 691 points]

[Kim Ho 386 points]

For matches involving more than two students, the system would match participants based on the average score of the team.

Given that the average score between Seo Ye-in and myself was around 539 points, our opponents were likely to be two individuals with a similar combined score.

After a while, the name and score were displayed in the notification window.

I laughed because it was a name I remembered.

I’m seeing her here again.

I was amused by the strange ways of fate.

We then made our way to the arena using the teleportation circle.

Our surroundings changed and we were greeted by a fierce wind.

The grassland around us was alive with wind blowing incessantly in all directions.

“……!”

Far across from us, a girl with red hair and a boy covered in armor were casting their gaze in our direction; the girl’s eyes were burning with an intense fervor.

[Kim Ho 386 points, Seo Ye-in 691 points]

vs

[Baek Jun-seok 388 points, Hong Yeon-hwa 690 points]

A promising member of the <Magic Tower Association>, one of the four major powers.

A fire mage affiliated with the Ruby Magic Tower.

…and the very same girl who suffered a humiliating loss to me in the duel battle back in the placement test.

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