I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City-Chapter 97: Open Your Mouth, Here Comes the Debuff

"I'll kill youuuu!!!"

Would a fishhook lodged in the heart cause such a seizure?

Ok Myungjin, wielding his spear, let out a shriek and leaped into the air.

'This isn't an act.'

If that expression and body language were mere theatrics, it would be more reasonable just to be fooled.

Rohan raised his longsword and blocked the descending spear.

Kaang──!!!

The weapons, imbued with magic, clashed with a metallic clang.

The deafening sound echoed through the area, causing the Iron Turtles below to let out guttural groans.

"You said earlier you didn’t intend to kill me."

"Shut up!"

"Getting rejected is a part of life. No need to throw a tantrum."

"Kraaaah!!! I'll skewer your damn mouth!!!"

Taking Rohan’s remark as mockery rather than comfort, Ok Myungjin looked ready to explode, steam practically rising from his face.

The magic within his spear pulsed with his emotions, growing increasingly volatile.

Paaang!

Chaotic magical energy surged between them, pushing both back.

Ok Myungjin used the Iron Turtles beneath him as stepping stones and landed back in his original position.

Rohan swiftly adjusted his disrupted stance and tightened his grip on his sword.

"Rohan. I’ll help."

Ichinose took a step forward.

But Rohan had already made his decision. Without hesitation, he rejected the offer.

"It's fine. Just wait."

"Ok Myungjin is from a well-known martial family. He probably has some special skills."

"Probably."

"...You do know that subduing him cleanly is harder than just killing him, right? A coordinated attack is the best option here."

"Oh, you've already figured out what I'm going to do?"

"It's because of the instructor's rule about not trying to kill fellow cadets. I can sense your intention."

If Ichinose stepped in, the balance of power would instantly shift, and the situation would be resolved in a flash.

Even so—

Rohan asked her to stay out of it.

"Just this once, let me handle it my way."

"..."

Whether Ichinose had experienced it before or not, human interactions were sometimes no different from those of wild beasts.

There were moments when raw strength alone determined the pecking order.

For those who lived by the sword, missing that moment was not an option.

'Even if I win, it'll be annoying, but if I don't put him in his place now... this guy is going to be a real pain.'

Rohan had seen plenty of people like Ok Myungjin before.

He understood them completely. Which meant he could see where this was headed.

After the practical exam, there was still Academy life to consider.

Even if they ran into each other again on this island, the situation wouldn’t change.

To keep someone like this under control, he needed to establish dominance now—and keep him on a leash.

"I’ll make it up to you somehow. How about that?"

"...You don’t need to make up for anything. Just don’t get hurt."

Rohan smirked and turned his gaze back to his opponent.

Perhaps hearing the conversation between him and Ichinose, a contrasting sentiment filled the air.

"Hey. If you interfere, I'll kill you."

"Uh... Got it!"

Ok Myungjin also made it clear that he wouldn’t accept help from his partner, declaring his intent to handle this alone.

He threw off his outer layer and gripped his spear as if he were about to crush it.

"Huuu..."

He forcibly calmed the explosive rage he had been radiating.

Yet his gaze toward Rohan remained unchanged, filled with a fierce intent to tear him apart.

Rohan lightly jumped down into the Iron Turtle habitat.

Ok Myungjin followed, resting his spear on his shoulder as he landed.

──Gueeeeh!

An Iron Turtle stretched its head out and slowly crawled forward, allowing both Rohan and Ok Myungjin to step onto its shell.

They walked toward each other, using the jagged shells as stepping stones.

Rohan was smiling just to provoke Ok Myungjin.

But his eyes never left the spear, and his mind never stopped calculating.

'I can't let my guard down.'

Despite his foul temper, Ok Myungjin was from a distinguished family in Samhwa Nation.

Just from that one attack earlier, it was clear he had received proper combat training.

Bwoong! Bwooong! Bwoong!

Ok Myungjin's spear spun aggressively around his body.

Just as Ichinose had said, he relied on centrifugal force rather than thrusting.

'His first attack wasn't a stab either, but a downward strike.'

If he weren’t using a standard-issue weapon but his own personal one—

He’d probably be wielding something like a guandao or a naginata.

"Kaaaah!!!"

Ok Myungjin roared as he swung his spear.

Rohan, standing atop the unsteady Iron Turtle, swung his sword like a baseball bat.

──Chaaang! The flat of his blade deflected the spear.

Ok Myungjin absorbed the force and spun his body with it.

The fierce exchange continued.

Clang! Clang! Kaang!

On top of dealing with a platform that moved unpredictably beneath his feet, Rohan focused on deflecting the spear’s attacks with the broad surface of his sword, carefully analyzing the trajectory and movements.

After about ten exchanges, he saw it.

‘The spear technique itself is systematic and excellent. The only problem is... the user is still unpolished.’

Perhaps because things weren’t going as expected and he hadn't been able to overwhelm Rohan from the start, Ok Myungjin’s attacks and expression grew more anxious with each clash.

Tiiing!

For the first time, Rohan cleanly blocked the spear shaft, as if he had predicted the move.

Both of them could feel the stark difference in their grips—one side growing more confident, the other increasingly uncertain.

"Did you skip dinner yesterday? Your spear feels weak as hell."

"You damn bastard who’s only good at blocking...! All talk and nothing else!"

A vein popped on Ok Myungjin’s forehead.

Rohan chuckled at his transparent display of emotion.

‘What an honest bastard.’

Ok Myungjin suddenly kicked off the Iron Turtle’s shell, widening the gap between them as he landed on the ground below.

It was a distance where his spear couldn’t reach unless he threw it.

And yet, he began channeling magic, his entire body glowing with energy in a way different from before.

‘A skill?’

The odds were extremely high.

Should he close the distance or wait and observe? Either choice had its pros and cons.

Rohan tensed his thighs, ready to spring forward at any moment, keeping a close eye on his opponent.

"Uoooorah!!!"

A bizarre battle cry.

Ok Myungjin’s body grew larger, and an oriental-style armor, the kind seen in historical dramas, materialized over him.

Even his spear was affected by the skill, taking on a semi-transparent shape resembling a guandao.

‘Right, he’s that general’s grandson or whatever.’

Seeing a skill like this, his bloodline really must be the real deal.

Rohan decided to close the distance and kicked off the turtle’s shell.

Ok Myungjin, now towering over two meters tall, raised his spear high above his head.

The way he left his waist and lower body wide open showed how much faith he had in his durability.

"Kahahaha!!! Die!!!"

"You crazy bastard. I told you, cadets aren’t supposed to kill each other."

A guillotine-like downward swing.

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Rohan gripped his sword with both hands. The blade turned red-hot, radiating heat that warped the air around it.

[One Slash – Flame Severance (一劍 - 炎切)]

The moment Rohan’s sword and the spear met—

Ok Myungjin’s supposedly overpowering strike was sent spinning into the sky.

"!!!"

Even through the helmet, his startled expression was obvious.

Rohan immediately closed the distance with the now unarmed Ok Myungjin and released a surge of magic.

‘Weakness Infliction.’

[A weakness to physical attacks has been applied to the target.]

"W-What did you just do?!"

Panicked by the strange sensation, Ok Myungjin attempted to use his armored body as a weapon.

His fists were as large as pot lids, but aside from spear techniques, he was utterly incompetent.

"You're about to lose some teeth. Clench them tight."

Rohan tilted his sword sideways and slammed it against Ok Myungjin’s helmet.

Diiiing!

A beautiful ringing sound, like striking a massive bell.

"Ugh!"

On the verge of losing consciousness, Ok Myungjin’s eyes began to unfocus.

Even his legs trembled uncontrollably.

[A debuff has been applied to the target.]

"!"

A notification he had never seen before. But his surprise only lasted for an instant.

‘This is it!’

A function that had emerged after his transcendence.

It was clear now. A golden opportunity.

[When attacking a target with a weakness applied, there is a low chance of inflicting a debuff. The debuff level shares the same rank as Weakness Infliction.]

A variety of debuffs appeared in Rohan’s mind like a selection menu.

He chose the most fitting one.

‘Blindness.’

The effect took hold immediately.

"M-My eyes...!?"

The shock snapped Ok Myungjin back to full consciousness.

In a voice laced with fear, he groped at his face.

Rohan couldn’t suppress the laughter bubbling up [N O V E L I G H T] at the undeniable effectiveness.

"What the hell are you doing in the middle of a fight?"

Flipping his sword, Rohan drove the pommel straight into Ok Myungjin’s gut.

The strike pierced through the thick armor and landed cleanly.

"Kaahk─!"

The massive figure collapsed, clutching his stomach, knees hitting the ground.

"..."

If he swung his sword now, he could take his head clean off.

But he didn’t.

Instead, Rohan planted his sword into the ground, letting it stand upright.

No need to make Juyeon mad.

"That stung, huh?"

Clenching his empty hand into a solid fist, he let it cut through the air.

And sent Ok Myungjin’s jaw flying to the side.

"Guheok!"

As the heavy impact dulled his consciousness, Ok Myungjin felt his vision returning, freeing him from true terror.

And then, he saw it.

Forced to look, he found himself gazing up at an elegant figure standing above him.

"I-Ichinose-nim...!"

He gathered the last of his strength to call out to her.

But not even a fraction of her attention was on him.

For once, Ichinose’s eyes, usually half-lidded, were fully open—

And they were fixed solely on Rohan, filled with undeniable amazement.