"It's nice to see them so competitive."

"...There's no need for consolation."

'It wasn't meant as consolation,' Yi-Han thought, his words were sincere.

Weren't they competing so fiercely just to do well on the exam?

He mused that the students of the Blue Dragon Tower could learn a thing or two from them.

-Wardanaz. I'm so sleepy. My brain isn't functioning. Maybe a sweet cookie will reignite my desire to study.-

-Wardanaz. Will you give me a cake if I complete my assignment?-

Despite being a business transaction, there were times he wanted to smack the back of his friends' heads for trying to negotiate desserts for their assignments.

Just study already!

"Sh, shall we go in now?" Dolgyu broke the awkward silence. In his heart, he yearned to dash in and smack the back of his friends' heads.

"No."

"Really?"

"?!"

In contrast, Yi-Han and Jijel had no intention of going in just yet.

Why intervene now when they'll tire themselves out fighting?

"Shouldn't we stop them??"

"It's better to intervene when they've fought enough, Dolgyu. There's no point forcing them to stop now with emotions still high."

"I have to agree with Wardanaz this time. Right, Choi. Interrupting in the middle of a fight never ends well."

"...You two aren't thinking of..."

Dolgyu was incredulous.

"Dolgyu. Don't you trust me?"

"Doubting your comrades-in-arms, Choi? I didn't think you were that kind of person."

"So... Sorry. I doubted you guys."

Rustle!

"?"

From the path ahead, the sound of someone moving through the bushes reached their ears.

The trio held their breath, faces tense.

"This is the place, right?"

"Bartreck! We know you're in there! Come out and fight fair! Hand over the book!"

"..."

Seeing three students from the White Tiger emerge, Jijel and Dolgyu sighed heavily.

All of them, really...!

Yi-Han murmured.

"Did the White Tiger students plan to meet here today?"

"Shut up."

"Guess not."

Crash!

With a loud noise, students from the White Tiger tumbled out of the cave.

The late arrivals were startled.

"How did you know!?"

"What about you?!"

"Then let's speak with our swords!"

"That's my line!"

"Blaze forth!"

"Legs, carry me swiftly!"

'Ah, they fight well.'

Yi-Han admired the fierce battle of the White Tiger students.

It was wise to check their tactics in advance, not knowing when he might have to face them.

Although the White Tiger was infamous for its lack of interest in studies, it was still one of the towers in Einroguard that housed some of the empire's finest talents.

Surviving the hellish first year, it was strange if their magic abilities didn't improve.

The combat style of the White Tiger students was a perfect blend of swordsman and mage.

Even simple spells cast on swords, shields, or bodies significantly amplified their strength.

Their swordsmanship was excellent, not just because of their inherent talent, but also due to their solid foundation from knightly families and rigorous training, making them adapt quickly to enhancement spells.

Adapting to physical enhancement magic was notoriously tricky.

Not many could skillfully control their suddenly lightened limbs and newfound strength.

Even veterans who had spent a lifetime on battlefields struggled.

Such magic favored those with a solid foundation built from a young age.

Watching them clash rapidly and dazzlingly, Yi-Han viewed the White Tiger students in a new light.

Why are those who fight so ardently so lackluster in their studies? he wondered.

Caught up in watching the battle, Dolgyu snapped back to reality.

"Yi-Han. When should we go in... Yi-Han? Yi-Han??" Dolgyu exclaimed in surprise, looking around frantically.

Yi-Han, who had been right beside him moments ago, was nowhere to be seen.

"Mo, Moradi. Yi-Han..."

"He just used invisibility magic and went into the cave."

"..."

While the White Tiger students were fiercely battling outside, Yi-Han, unable to just wait, entered the cave.

After all, he was going to take the book later, so there was no harm in taking it now.

A pungent smell assaulted his nose.

'Alchemy?'

A bubbling potion in a cauldron and a book beside it.

Yi-Han quickly identified what they were.

'Fortunately, they weren't planning on a head-on clash with the giant.'

Thinking about it, even the reckless students of the White Tiger wouldn't dare to confront a giant directly.

Yi-Han felt a twinge of remorse for doubting the White Tiger students.

With so many crazed individuals at the magic academy, it was no wonder he had been skeptical of them.

After pocketing the book, Yi-Han examined the cauldron.

He wanted to check how far the potion had progressed.

"!"

Surprised by the high quality of the potion, Yi-Han realized this wasn't a simple concoction. It must have taken several trials to reach this level of completion.

'I better take some, just in case.'

He opened an empty potion bottle and filled it with the concoction.

Bang!

'What's that?'

Startled by the noise, different from the ongoing commotion outside, Yi-Han wondered if more White Tiger students had arrived.

Or else, why the sudden...

"It's a Curare Lizard!"

Bursting out of the cave, Yi-Han realized the commotion had attracted nearby monsters.

"Stay low! A hit from it can be troublesome!"

"Keep it at bay!"

The students, who were just fighting each other, formed a defensive formation, shoulders touching.

A large lizard monster resembling a hefty crocodile, the Curare Lizard.

Its massive weight was a formidable weapon, but more threatening was the paralytic poison it shot from its glands.

Swoosh!

As the students bunched up, the Curare Lizard spat its paralytic poison. A viscous, pulsating mass flew towards them.

The poison splattered on a shield with a thud, causing the White Tiger students' eyes to widen in horror.

"Over here! You damn lizard!"

Dolgyu and Jijel rushed out, surprising the White Tiger students.

What?

"Dolgyu! Why are you here..."

"Focus!"

Yi-Han shouted firmly from behind, dashing forward.

"Wardanaz too?! Why are they... Uh!"

Despite the warning, one curious student stiffened and toppled forward.

The Curare Lizard swung its front leg savagely, trying to drag the paralyzed student away.

"Didn't I tell you to focus!"

"How could you, with them suddenly showing up?!"

Dolgyu, Jijel, and even Wardanaz appearing out of nowhere would unsettle anyone.

However, the Curare Lizard was a real threat. The White Tiger students momentarily forgot why the others were there and focused on the monster.

"Flash forth!"

With a flash of lightning, a bolt of magic surged between the White Tiger students.

However, the Curare Lizard wasn't hit. It wasn't due to its agility, but because Yi-Han's aim had missed from the start.

"Yi-Han?!"

"Wardanaz!! Are you poisoned?!"

Dolgyu, along with the other White Tiger students, gasped in shock and turned around.

It was unbelievable that Yi-Han had missed his magic.

Unless he was poisoned...

"...Even I can miss, you fools. Focus!"

Yi-Han was incredulous.

Being human, Yi-Han was not exempt from making mistakes.

...Of course, he usually didn't, but given that he had stayed up all night crafting a makeshift artifact and then scaling a mountain, a lapse in concentration was inevitable.

'Damn. I never thought I'd experience this firsthand.'

The professors always said, 'Not just a mage's magic, but their will is also crucial in casting.' He was feeling that truth in his bones now.

With his concentration wavering, his magic inevitably became erratic.

'Let's try a different magic than lightning...'

"Bones, bind my foe!"

Yi-Han threw bone fragments, summoning a binding spell.

Even though his initial magic had only managed to grab the lizard's tail, it didn't matter.

"Bones, bind my foe. Bones, bind my foe, bones, bind my foe. Arise, warriors! Bones. Strike!"

The White Tiger students, who initially thought it might be dark magic when he first summoned the bone bind, were now aghast at the frantic barrage of spells.

If proper aiming was difficult, he seemed to decide that sheer quantity would suffice, as bone fragments flew in all directions.

"Dolgyu!"

"I got him out!"

As the barrage of bone fragments rained down, the Curare Lizard was forced to retreat.

Seizing the moment, Dolgyu hoisted his fallen friend onto his back.

Boom! Crash!

"!"

Yi-Han turned towards the sound from behind.

Two more lizards were emerging from the cave he had just escaped. One, amusingly, had a cauldron stuck on its head, indicating chaos inside.

"My potion!!!!"

Bartreck screamed, followed belatedly by Katono.

"No! My book!"

"You're insane!"

Dolgyu grabbed Katono's shoulder, yelling forcefully.

"It was wrong to be so greedy in the first place! Talking about defeating a giant. Seeking honor is a knight's duty, but not to the extent of overreaching. Look at yourselves! I don't know what that book is, but it might be a blessing if the monsters take it!"

Blushing with shame at Dolgyu's heartfelt rebuke, the White Tiger students lowered their heads.

Yi-Han's face also turned a shade redder.

'I already have the book...'

"Choi. Lecturing is fine, but save it for later. We need to retreat!"

Jijel sharply interjected.

Another Curare Lizard had appeared from a different direction.

Given the situation, it wouldn't be surprising if more showed up.

"...Sorry. Dolgyu! Let's retreat! Friends!"

"I was wrong! Let's all get out of here!"

"Good thinking, everyone!"

As the White Tiger students rallied with fiery resolve, Yi-Han, holding back his awkwardness, shouted.

"Yes! Let's all get out of here!"

"Wardanaz...!"

As one student tried to embrace him, Yi-Han gently pushed him away with his hand.

Retreating while surrounded by monsters was more difficult than expected.

They had to keep threatening while moving backwards, as showing even a slight weakness would lead to being caught.

"Gonadaltes, cover them. Sharakan, block the one on the left!"

"What?! Who?!"

"Focus, I said!"

Thwack!

Yi-Han struck the back of a White Tiger student's head with his staff.

It was not the time to be distracted.

"Bones, strike!"

Yi-Han effectively used the skeleton warriors as projectiles.

Though they couldn't move, the summoned skeleton warriors were a mass of bones.

In his tired state, where complex control and aiming were challenging, this sheer volume of attack was extremely useful.

Thud!

-!-

Another attack was blocked by the autonomous shield, causing the lizard to emit a threatening sound.

It seemed quite irritated.

'Thank goodness for the autonomous shield!'

Yi-Han was thankful...not so much to the foresight of the professors, but to his good fortune.

Without the autonomous shield, several more White Tiger students would have fallen.

"Wardanaz."

"?"

"If we send those guys in front to the other side, the lizards will split up too. Wouldn't it be better to quickly go back and call for reinforcements?"

Jijel whispered softly.

The situation, in Jijel's eyes, was not good.

Wardanaz's condition seemed off, and the monsters were relentlessly pursuing them.

A decision had to be made.

If they split up here, the Curare Lizards would likely follow the other White Tiger students instead of pursuing Jijel or Wardanaz.

To the lizards, they were clearly the easier targets.

Jijel didn't care if it seemed ruthless. She decided it was better to quickly go back and call for reinforcements.

'Wait. Wardanaz might refuse due to pride...'

Yi-Han responded immediately.

"A very good idea. Then you persuade Dolgyu."

"...Choi doesn't listen to me. You'd better talk to him."

"Damn."

Yi-Han had no counterargument.

"Split up! Dolgyu! This way! The rest of you, go that way!"

"Split up! Dolgyu! This way! The rest of you, take the other path!"

Following the charismatic calls of the two students, the White Tiger students moved without hesitation.

Dolgyu also moved.

...Towards the White Tiger students.

"Crap! Those damn lizards...!"

"Dolgyu! Come here!"

"I can't break formation!"

Dolgyu, maintaining formation with his friends, missed the timing to break away and moved along with them.

Yi-Han and Jijel sighed.

"We'll rescue them later."

"That guy. We'll save him later."

"...Wait. It seems like the monsters are coming our way."