noveldrama
Chapter 188
Chapter 188
The live broadcast of the Academy Festival surpassed ten million viewers in an instant, a number unprecedented in the history of Awakened combat.
This figure only accounted for the official streams provided by the national associations. Including TV broadcasts and other mediums, the total viewership would be even higher.
Given these numbers, it was no exaggeration to say that the entire world’s attention was on the Academy right now.
- Murmurs, murmurs.
“To think they’d actually fight….”
“Ninomiya versus Seo Yujin? Unbelievable.”
What had captured the world’s focus was the once-in-a-lifetime prospect of a battle between S-Class Awakened.
After all, when would such an event ever occur?
S-Class Awakened were strategic assets to their nations. For them to fight one another would require nothing short of a third world war. Apart from someone like Kong, they couldn’t even leave their countries freely.
And yet, here they were, fighting.
Not just any pair, but Seo Yujin, the rising star of Korea, and Ninomiya Aika, the strongest in the world.
No one could resist this spectacle, and the viewership numbers kept climbing—especially in Korea and Japan.
“There’s been endless debate over whether Korea or Japan is the strongest….”
“Well, today, we’ll find out. The final verdict of this endless Gold Cup rivalry.”
The two nations had long endured this rivalry.
Korea, thanks to Chairwoman Seol Hayeon, had become the undisputed strongest country for Awakened. Free from gate-related chaos, it had developed into a powerhouse far ahead of nations plagued by villain activity.
Japan, on the other hand, boasted the single most powerful Awakened in the world: Ninomiya Aika.
No matter how strong the Awakened of Korea—or the entire world—might be, they seemed unable to match her.
As a result, the global audience had turned this rivalry into a sport, endlessly debating who was superior: Korea or Japan.
But now, the representatives of both nations were about to settle the matter in a one-on-one fight.
Popcorn in hand, the world tuned in.
[Awakened Minor Gallery Forum]
Post Title: I’m betting on Hypnosis Guy for the motherland. Let’s gooooo!!!
(Image of a loudly screaming green frog)
“Prepare the booze and women. It’s time for our heroes to bring home the yen.”
- “I hate betting addicts, but this time, I agree.”
- “Yeah, putting patriotic money on 20:1 odds? Respect.”
- “OP, if you lose and end up pouring drinks and serving as the entertainment, I’m all for it. LOL.”
- “Same here. ‘This guy just said upvote?!’”
Koreans, however, were less optimistic.
To be precise, they didn’t expect Yujin to win.
No matter how impressive he was, he was still a freshman. A rookie who had only just finished his midterms.
Even the most ardent nationalists hesitated to predict a victory.
And the Japanese?
[Thread: Let’s Talk About Aika-chan]
(Screenshot from the Academy broadcast with subtitles)
“Our Aika-chan just got her marriage flag set. LOL.”
73
“So our gorilla’s finally getting married, huh?”
78
“Is it confirmed that Yujin’s gonna win?”
81
“Not exactly, but Aika-chan throwing the match seems pretty much guaranteed.”
83
“Ah.”
The Japanese audience had started a different kind of patriotic betting.
After all, what had Aika said earlier?
"If you beat me, everything I have will be yours."
Wasn’t that practically selling herself on the spot?
The Japanese reaction? Utter delight.
“Thank you, Seo Yujin, for taking this ‘problematic leftover inventory’ off our hands.”
“Congratulations on becoming the strongest in the world. As a reward, take our country’s treasure.”
These posts flooded the internet.
No one doubted that Yujin would win—or, rather, that Aika would let him win.
If Yujin saw these posts, he’d probably be horrified, shouting, “Was it that obvious?!”
- Hehehe.
“How should I lose so it looks like I had no choice but to let my student win?”
In truth, Aika fully intended to lose.
After all, Kong had made it clear:
"Yujin plans to confess to you only after defeating you. So, do him a favor and lose."
“At this rate, Yujin will start dating Seol Hayeon before he even confesses to you.”
“She’s an old lady, though?”
“Whether she’s 32 or 60, it’s all the same—ow!!!”
“Wanna die? What part of me looks like an old lady to you? Seriously. Die.”
“I’m still in my early thirties! That’s practically the same as being in my twenties!”
For once, Aika decided to follow Kong’s advice, shaken by the comparison to Seol Hayeon.
“Alright, I’ll make my entrance as flashy as possible. That way, my student’s victory will seem all the more impressive!”
- Hummmm…
And so began Aika’s first intentional loss in her life.
The moment she arrived, she unleashed her overwhelming presence, spreading her aura across the arena.
It wasn’t just for show—it was to reinforce her image as the strongest.
“My god, I knew she was strong, but this is insane!”
“How is Seo Yujin just standing there?! If I faced that head-on, I’d probably wet myself.”
“As expected of an S-Class….”
“….”
“Ah. I can see her panties.”
Of course, Yujin was the exception, preoccupied with subtle glimpses.
- Fidget, fidget.
“He’s probably seeing everything from that angle. Well, student, if you win, everything will be yours, right? Let’s do our best, hmm?”
Aika, for her part, was just as subtly playful, showing off in her own way.
Even in a moment as serious as this, their dynamic was undeniable—truly made for each other.
But it didn’t last.
Both of them began to adjust their postures, growing serious.
This match mattered to them both.
“Well… what’s the plan? Straight to the sparring arena?”
“That magic circle, it was creaky even during my entrance exam.”
“Well then, there’s no other choice.”
- Click.
“We’ll just fight for real without it.”
Yujin drew the katana strapped to his back.
The safety mechanism meant to protect students during intense battles—the illusionary magic circle—wouldn’t be used.
“Are you sure? If I make a mistake…”
“It’s fine. I’ll make sure my beautiful mentor doesn’t get a single scratch.”
“…?”
A smile spread across Aika’s lips.
It wasn’t just Yujin’s constant flirting—it was his unwavering belief that he could truly win.
That, more than anything, made her heart race.
“Right now, I’m just indulging my student’s feelings… but if he actually defeats me….”
- Blush.
“…I might really fall for him.?”
Even now, she clung to her pride, pretending it wasn’t love—“I’m not into him, but if he likes me, what can I do?”
“Alright, then. Let’s set the rules.”
- Slash.
“Step beyond this line, and you lose.”
With a single swing, Aika’s blade carved a circular boundary, roughly ten meters in diameter.
It was about the same size as a kendo ring, a nod to her school days.
For Awakened, however, this space was far too small.
Their superhuman abilities required room to move freely, and even the designated sparring arena was much larger than this.
“Fair enough. If we fought all over the place, the facility wouldn’t survive.”
“And since we both wield swords, there’s no need to keep excessive distance.”
Both agreed without issue.
It was, after all, a reasonable arrangement—for Yujin as the acting Chair, and for Aika as an unparalleled kendo genius.
For the spectators, however, it was awe-inspiring.
“So, for S-Class Awakened like Seo Yujin and Ninomiya Aika, distance doesn’t even matter, huh?”
“Watching them up close, testing each other’s skills at this range… now this is a fight.”
“Honestly, the cadet matches were child’s play, but this? This looks promising.”
[Awakened Minor Gallery Forum]
Post Title: They’re fighting in that tiny space?
(Screenshot of the live broadcast)
“Is there even room to swing a sword there? At that distance, won’t they just hit each other immediately? If they take two steps back, they’re out of bounds.”
- “The first one to swing wins, huh? Deeply symbolic.”
- “Bro, what?”
- “But seriously, this is nuts.”
Despite doubts from casual viewers, the experts knew better.
“Then let’s begin, my dear student.”
“Yes, let’s wait for the announcers to count us in.”
“No, I’ll give you three moves. Start whenever you’re ready.”
- Smirk.
“…No take-backs?”
And with that, the match between Seo Yujin and Ninomiya Aika began.
Thirty minutes later…
- Screeech!!!
“Kyahhhh!!!”
“Master!! You’re… oh, crap!!”
- BOOOOM!!!
[Thread: Let’s Talk About Aika-chan]
(Screenshot from the Academy broadcast)
“Well, looks like Yujin has no choice but to take responsibility now.”
248
“You know you can’t return opened goods, Yujin!”
274
“32-year-old pre-owned item just exploded on the battlefield. LOL.”
296
“…Wait. Is Yujin serious?”