Chapter 154 – Student Council Presidential Election (4)

Sion’s face hardened with coldness.

“Confirm…?”

It was just a phrase that Kang Geom-Ma had thrown out emotionlessly before the competition.

However, those words made Sion’s expression tense up.

‘…Could the secret have already leaked?’

Impossible.

Since entering the academy, she hadn’t manifested her power even once—not even by accident.

So why were her pupils trembling like that?

It was probably because of Kang Geom-Ma’s dark eyes.

They were dull, unreadable, yet at the same time, they seemed to see straight through her.

Lost in thought for a moment, Sion quickly composed herself.

She erased the stiffness from her face and put on a bright smile.

‘There’s no way he figured it out.’

She had been hiding her power precisely for a day like this.

No, more accurately, she had been concealing it solely for today.

That statement of his was surely just an attempt at intimidation.

Reaffirming that belief made Sion’s expression more relaxed.

After all, Kang Geom-Ma wasn’t just any opponent—he was the Sashimi saint.

Right now, he was probably convinced that he had already won.

That played in her favor.

‘The more confident you are, the sharper my dagger will be.’

Sion let out a silent laugh.

Then, she curved her lips into a friendly smile.

She always wore a mask.

In class, in the student council, even within her own family.

She had become an expert at hiding her true face.

“My, my~ You’re quite scary when you talk like that. And no matter how strong you are, even if everyone knows it, saying you’re going to ‘confirm’ something with your senior? That’s not very respectful, is it?”

Sion smiled with a feigned sweetness.

Kang Geom-Ma simply looked at her in silence, not bothering to respond.

“But well, at least you said you won’t end this in a single strike. That’s good to hear~ It’d be embarrassing if I lost too easily as your senior.”

“……”

“In any case, try to be considerate~ Actually, if you could let me win, that would really help me out. But if I say that, you’ll probably just get even more serious, right?”

Saying that, Sion spun on her heels.

But before leaving, she glanced back over her shoulder.

Kang Geom-Ma had already looked away from her.

At that moment, Sion’s expression twisted into something grotesque.

Her anger burned in her throat as if about to explode.

Her eyes gleamed with rage, fueled by a deep-seated hatred.

‘That damn special admissions bastard… How dare he…?’

She cursed under her breath for a long while.

Then, seething with fury, she left the area.

* * *

Several academy staff members and Hero Association officials entered the annex building.

From a secluded corner, they observed the gathered cadets.

The commanding voice of the head instructor made the atmosphere tense.

After confirming that all candidates were present, he spoke.

“Looks like everyone’s here.”

After that brief statement, he concisely explained the competition rules.

Since a prior notice had already been sent via email, the candidates only nodded without much interest.

“All right, let’s begin immediately.”

And so, the first round commenced.

Den Range and Abdul Samhan stepped onto the battlefield and faced each other.

[Cadets, please take your positions and unsheathe your weapons.]

[The competition between Candidate #2, Den Range, and Candidate #5, Abdul Samhan, will now begin.]

Boom!

Den stomped the ground.

A thunderous sound echoed throughout the arena, and the surface cracked like shattered glass.

In an instant, he closed the distance and swung his massive sword with one hand.

One strike, two strikes, three strikes.

Candidate #5 managed to hold on for just a few moments, but it was clear he wouldn’t last much longer.

Despite also being a student council member, Den showed no hesitation in attacking him.

In fact, he seemed to be striking with more force than necessary.

The enormous blade of Den’s sword sliced his opponent’s limbs into pieces.

A pinkish liquid gushed out from the wounds, and steam from the hot blood rose from the arena floor.

[The first competition has ended.]

Amidst the brutal scene, the mechanical voice announced the result without emotion.

[Winner: Candidate #2, Den Range. Congratulations.]

The subdimensional battlefield dissipated.

Den approached Candidate #5 and extended his hand.

“That was a good match.”

He smiled widely, showing his teeth.

Candidate #5, his face completely pale, shook his hand with visible discomfort.

“…Supervisor Ha, what the hell just happened?”

Supervisor Ha spoke in disbelief.

Beside her, Section Chief Sung wore the same puzzled expression.

He had left his opponent in pieces and still called it a “good match.”

The lie was so blatant it almost sounded convincing.

Struggling to find an explanation, Sung spoke slowly.

“He’s probably marking his territory. Let’s not forget this isn’t just any duel—it’s a competition within the student council presidential election. It’s not just about defeating the opponent; it’s about making an impact, dominating the scene, and even earning the respect of the opponent… or something like that.”

“…Even so, this was excessive.”

Supervisor Ha’s expression darkened. Sung quickly changed the subject.

“It’s not the time to worry about others. Supervisor Ha, remember, you’re the last to compete. It’s normal to be nervous, but try to relax a bit.”

“…Yes.”

“Besides, this also affects the Association’s reputation. Who knows, if you do well, maybe the higher-ups will give you a nice bonus this month.”

“……”

Even so, Supervisor Ha’s expression didn’t improve.

Sung let out a heavy sigh.

He was usually a laid-back person, but he was extremely sensitive to the scent of blood.

His expression of discomfort was proof of that.

‘Well… considering her past, it makes sense that she reacts like this.’

As Sung glanced at Supervisor Ha with some pity, the next two candidates stepped onto the battlefield.

[The second competition will now begin. Candidate #4, Jin Garam, versus Candidate #6, Leon van Reinhardt.]

Leon’s straight sword gleamed with a sharp light.

In an instant, the glow of his blade blinded Candidate #4’s vision, and a cold metallic edge pressed against his throat.

Slash!

A crimson line appeared on Garam’s neck, slowly deepening.

His fingers twitched slightly, but he didn’t even have time to feel pain.

His head, eyes still wide open, rolled across the floor.

[Winner: Candidate #6, Leon van Reinhardt. Congratulations.]

Unlike the first match, this was completely one-sided.

While the first round had at least three exchanges, this time, everything ended in a single move.

Leon’s swordsmanship was elegant, filled with honor and respect for his opponent.

Unlike Den, who had brutally massacred his rival, Leon’s sword only granted rest to his foes.

It was the true path of a king.

From his seat, Den clenched his teeth so hard that his jaw tensed.

The muscles in his face visibly tightened.

In mere seconds, Leon had completely erased his presence with superior technique.

An absurd level of skill and speed, even compared to just days ago.

His growth rate was ridiculous.

Leon’s intense blue eyes locked onto Candidate #4, who lay on the ground.

But unlike Den, he didn’t extend his hand.

He simply stared.

No—more accurately, he observed.

Candidate #4, still on the floor, trembled under his gaze.

If Leon had at least looked at him with condescension like Den, it would’ve been easier to endure.

But Leon regarded him as if he were nothing more than roadkill.

Nothing but a lifeless piece of waste.

Finally, Leon looked away.

As if he had completely lost interest.

His deep blue eyes turned calm and serene.

Just as Leon was about to leave the arena—

[Now beginning the third competition. Candidate #3, Rey Sion, and Candidate #7, Kang Geom-Ma, please step onto the stage.]

The mechanical voice announced the start of the third match.

***

Sion stood in front of Kang Geom-Ma. With a piercing gaze, she carefully analyzed her opponent.

The aura emanating from Kang Geom-Ma was unlike any other.

If she had to describe it, it would be like a sword rusted by blood.

Even though they had only exchanged glances, she felt as if a faint scent of blood lingered in the air.

How many lives had he taken with his own hands?

‘But does that even matter now?’

Sion let out a faint smile.

Her sharp gaze reflected a cold emptiness.

Beyond her narrowed eyes lay an unfathomable darkness.

[Cadets, please take your positions and unsheathe your weapons.]

Sion drew two daggers.

Her reflection shimmered on the blades, whose metallic patterns spread like the legs of a centipede.

If this were a normal fight, she wouldn’t stand a chance.

She would be sliced apart by the Sashimi Saint without even being able to cross weapons with him.

That was something she knew all too well, and that everyone watching expected to see.

But Sion had no intention of giving up.

‘As long as I have this weapon…’

Looking at her daggers, Sion let out a mocking chuckle.

Kang Geom-Ma watched her with a peculiar expression.

He wasn’t entirely sure.

Was this woman really a villain?

At first, she had seemed empty, which made him suspicious.

But now, he was starting to doubt it.

He couldn’t determine whether she was hiding her power or if she was simply weaker than she seemed.

Despite Ryozo’s warning, his suspicion was beginning to feel pointless.

‘Well, I’ll find out once we start.’

Kang Geom-Ma pulled out his cheap sashimi knife from a low-cost store.

[Now beginning the competition between Candidate #3, Rey Sion, and Candidate #7, Kang Geom-Ma.]

As soon as the duel began, Sion dashed forward at full speed in a zigzag pattern.

She alternated between rapid movements to the left and right.

At first, her pace didn’t seem that fast, but with each direction change, her agility increased drastically.

In no time, her speed had accelerated to the point that sound could no longer keep up with her movements.

Den Range widened his eyes in surprise and muttered.

“Since when does Sion have a blessing like that?”

“From my perspective, that’s not Sion’s own power—it’s the daggers. It’s probably because of them.”

Kim Woo-Jin, seated nearby, responded indifferently.

Den Range furrowed his brow for a moment but soon focused on Sion and her weapon.

It didn’t take him long to realize what it was.

It was Hwecheon, a weapon specialized for duels.

The more the user moved, the faster their speed increased.

It lacked outstanding offensive power, range, or durability.

But it had the ability to push the user to superhuman speeds—one time only.

However, Hwecheon wasn’t a weapon that could be obtained through conventional means.

It wasn’t a standard reinforcement weapon—it was a doping weapon.

Reinforcement weapons typically enhanced the user’s natural abilities.

Doping weapons, on the other hand, forced the body beyond its limits.

Using this type of weapon carried fatal risks, including irreversible brain damage.

Moreover, its effect could only be activated once per battle.

And yet, Sion had chosen to use it in this competition.

On top of that, the color of her daggers’ blades revealed that they were coated in poison.

Den already knew that Sion was persistent, but this exceeded everything he had imagined.

Not only was she putting her own body at risk, but she had also poisoned her weapon.

But technically, she wasn’t breaking any rules.

After all, who in the Association would have imagined that a cadet would go this far?

Den clicked his tongue and muttered to himself.

“…Crazy lunatic.”

Sion’s images began to multiply until they filled the entire arena.

She was replicating the exact same technique that Kang Geom-Ma had used against Knox before.

As her mind gradually eroded under the influence of the weapon, a smile spread across Sion’s lips.

Kang Geom-Ma, for his part, remained motionless in the center of the arena.

Without reacting.

‘He must be stunned. After all, I bet everything I had—money, sanity, endurance.’

Clang!

Dozens of Sion’s illusions lunged at Kang Geom-Ma from all directions.

It looked as if he were trapped inside a giant bubble of illusions.

From within the whirlwind of shadows, Sion launched her surprise attack.

Her face, twisted with tension, reflected a mix of euphoria and madness.

Excitement overwhelmed her as she shouted from behind Kang Geom-Ma.

“Die, you damn bastard…!”

Without even turning, Kang Geom-Ma raised his sashimi knife in a vertical slash.

The tip of the blade pierced through Sion’s chin and exited through her head.

Slash—

At the same time, all of Sion’s illusions burst like bubbles. Her eyes, which had burned with a demonic fury just moments ago, faded into a murky white.

[The third competition has ended.]

Kang Geom-Ma slowly withdrew the blade from her skull.

Plop.

Sion’s body collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.

[Winner: Candidate #7, Kang Geom-Ma. Congratulations.]