Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Baek Seo-yeon watched the scene before her and unconsciously reached a conclusion.

Seo Hyun-woo had certainly told her not to give up.

There hadn't been the slightest intention to belittle or look down on her.

But wasn't the reality laid before her far too bleak?

'Effort alone isn't enough to beat the President. The gap starts at innate talent. No matter how good an environment I grew up in, no matter how lucky I've been, I can't chase that talent.'

Baek Seo-yeon watched Jin Se-hee's flames gradually shrink and shook her head.

The other Department Heads were probably thinking the exact same thing.

That was why, after losing to Seo Hyun-woo a few times, they never requested a Rank Battle again.

'The President's copy ability has exceptional versatility. He can use an ally's abilities to suit the situation. On top of that, he can even use techniques related to those abilities. His mana capacity is on a completely different level from mine or the Department Heads'. How is it even possible to have talent like that?'

A thought suddenly occurred to Baek Seo-yeon.

Did Seo Hyun-woo really need to maintain his Student Council President position at Miterich?

It would be far more beneficial for him to graduate from Miterich quickly and work as an active Hunter.

But Seo Hyun-woo absolutely refused to give up the Student Council President seat.

'The President has circumstances he can't talk about. There's a reason he has to maintain the Student Council President position. What on earth could it be?'

Baek Seo-yeon turned her gaze toward Seo Hyun-woo, lost in thought.

He was releasing a massive volume of flames without so much as a change in expression.

But the feeling seemed slightly different from when he had fought her in their Training Battle.

'Could he be trying to completely crush the Attribute Department's Department Head this time around? To make an example for the other Department Heads?'

***

"Guh......"

Jin Se-hee gradually backed away while wrapping her entire body in flames.

But the strength and volume of her flames were woefully insufficient to block Seo Hyun-woo's.

She already knew this was the only outcome she could face, yet she simply couldn't stand by and do nothing.

"You requested a Rank Battle against me with only that level of ability?"

Seo Hyun-woo spoke coldly as he advanced step by step.

He harbored no ill feelings toward Jin Se-hee.

He simply couldn't understand this situation and was curious why she had requested the Rank Battle.

"......Is that all?"

"What?"

"As I thought—you're not acting like the President at all."

Jin Se-hee widened her eyes and drew out the mana within her body.

Her flames surged with renewed ferocity, beginning to push back Seo Hyun-woo's.

But Seo Hyun-woo showed no reaction, merely watching Jin Se-hee's actions.

"What are you trying to say?"

"The old President would have tried to end the fight quickly. He wouldn't have left an opening like this."

Jin Se-hee slowly advanced, steadily increasing the volume of her flames.

At the same time, Seo Hyun-woo's flames shrank in size, their color fading.

Yet Seo Hyun-woo didn't retreat a single step, nor did he show the slightest hint of alarm.

"So that's why you requested a Rank Battle? Because I looked weaker than before?"

"......I don't think you're weak. I just think you've gotten softer."

"Softer, huh...... You're quite the character. What's so great about a foul temper?"

"It's because you have the power and the authority that you can pull that kind of crap. That's why the Department Heads can't say a word against you. And that's exactly what gives meaning to taking you down."

Hearing that, Seo Hyun-woo seemed to think for a moment before letting out a dry laugh.

Hadn't Jin Se-hee been feeling a kind of awe toward the original Seo Hyun-woo?

A wall she had to overcome, an enemy who suppressed her, an authoritarian who led with nothing but arrogance and brute force.

Perhaps that was exactly why she had grown more obsessed with the original Seo Hyun-woo, and those feelings had developed into love.

"Now I understand. You don't simply like bad guys."

"What's that supposed to mean, all of a sudden?"

"You want to grow stronger, but you're also searching for someone stronger than you. In a word, you thrive on the survival of the fittest."

Seo Hyun-woo refined the mana within his body and took a step forward.

The flames that had been dying down instantly surged back to life, erupting violently.

Jin Se-hee instinctively retreated and assessed Seo Hyun-woo's condition.

"What nonsense."

"I don't think your way of thinking is wrong. In a world like this, you have no choice but to grow stronger to survive. I can understand that to some extent."

Seo Hyun-woo expended even more mana as he closed in on Jin Se-hee.

At the same time, his flames blazed with greater intensity, swallowing Jin Se-hee's in an instant.

Jin Se-hee created more flames to counter them, but she couldn't possibly hold back the onslaught.

"But knowing that, you should have made the wiser choice. If you didn't have the confidence to beat me, you shouldn't have requested a Rank Battle."

"I haven't lost yet!"

"You will soon."

The moment he finished speaking, Seo Hyun-woo lightly swept his right hand.

Crimson flames erupted endlessly from his body, surging upward.

Jin Se-hee's flames had already been completely pushed aside, leaving her directly exposed to Seo Hyun-woo's.

"Aghh......"

"This is what happens when you let petty emotions control you. Power and authority, you said? Fine. I'll give you exactly what you wanted."

"Kuh......"

Jin Se-hee dropped to one knee, feeling a searing pain as if her skin were being burned away.

In this state, she couldn't even neutralize the flames, let alone mount a counterattack.

The Barrier System would prevent actual injuries, but the pain itself would continue to torment her.

"You got the situation you so desperately wanted. Do you feel something now?"

"I...... guh......"

"You still have the strength to talk? You'd be better off using that time to surrender."

Seo Hyun-woo intensified the firepower of his flames and glared at Jin Se-hee.

Jin Se-hee let out anguished cries but endured the heat with everything she had.

Her pride wouldn't let her surrender so easily.

She had started this herself, so didn't she owe it to herself to see it through to the end?

"Huu...... huu......"

"Going to hold out to the bitter end? If that's how you want to play it, I see no reason to hold back any longer."

Seo Hyun-woo turned his back and slowly walked away.

But Jin Se-hee couldn't even see his retreating figure.

The flames—no longer merely red but a deep crimson—had already consumed her entire field of vision.

They were truly beautiful flames, but they carried a different meaning as well.

"Lost again. How many more times do I have to lose before I can reach you......"

***

"Get a hold of yourself."

"......"

"Hey, Jin Se-hee."

"......Mm?"

Jin Se-hee came to her senses belatedly at the sound of a hazy voice.

She spotted Min Ha-young looking down at her and immediately sat herself upright.

"What the hell did you say to the President?"

"What happened while I was out?"

"The President was dead serious. He told everyone not to look after you."

"......"

Hearing that, Jin Se-hee hung her head and couldn't say a word.

The fact that she had provoked Seo Hyun-woo was undeniable.

On top of that, hadn't she goaded him further by bringing up power and authority?

"He said, 'Why bother looking after someone that weak?' So the Vice President and Jae-yeon already left. As for the Security Department Head...... ah, forget it."

Min Ha-young set a water bottle down beside Jin Se-hee and crouched next to her.

Jin Se-hee remained perfectly still and slowly opened her mouth.

"......Then why are you here? You'd be better off following the President's orders."

"Me? Well...... I never really listened to the President anyway. I just do what I want."

"You could end up on his bad side for that."

"That's why I came discreetly. Even if he finds out, what's he going to do? At worst, he'll nitpick about work stuff."

Min Ha-young said that while absently glancing outside the training room.

In truth, she didn't particularly want to get on Seo Hyun-woo's bad side.

If things went sour between her and Seo Hyun-woo, she would be the one at a disadvantage.

"I doubt you came because you were worried about me...... You're curious about what I said to the President?"

"Isn't that a bit harsh? You and Da-jeong are the only Department Heads I'm actually close with, you know?"

"Then I don't need to tell you what we talked about."

"Oh, come on. If you're going to bring it up, see it through. So what did you say that made the President so angry?"

Jin Se-hee recalled her conversation with Seo Hyun-woo and cracked a faint smile.

She had the feeling she might have been briefly mistaken.

Seo Hyun-woo was still overwhelming, and when it came to competition, hadn't he retained his former self entirely?

"I provoked him a little. Told him 'Is that all you've got?'"

"......You're quietly insane too, aren't you. No matter how much the President has changed, the fundamentals haven't. You saw it yourself that time."

"Maybe that's why I get along with you, at least a little. We're both out of our minds."

"You want to fight me? You lose once and completely lose it."

Min Ha-young furrowed her brows and examined Jin Se-hee's condition.

The face that was always rigid was now brimming with laughter.

She looked nothing like someone who had just lost a Rank Battle.

"What would be the point of fighting you? There's no meaning in winning."

"Oh, of course. I'm just a mere Department Head, and the President is the strongest in school. Is becoming Student Council President really what you want that badly?"

"Who knows. I'm not so sure anymore."

Jin Se-hee stood up fully and lightly stretched, moving her body this way and that.

The tangled mess in her heart finally felt lighter.

She was starting to think she should reclaim her Department Head position and keep watching Seo Hyun-woo a little longer.

"Thanks for looking after me, but I need to get going."

"Going to Rank Battle the Secretaries?"

"I can't leave the Department Head seat empty for long. You'll see me at today's closing meeting. Oh wait—you don't attend meetings."

"Yeah. Go on then. I'm the only idiot who came to check on you."

Min Ha-young lazily waved at the departing Jin Se-hee and let out a sigh.

She didn't look nearly as bad off as expected.

And seeing how fixated she was on the Department Head position, it seemed she still hadn't given up on the Student Council President seat.

'Does she really have the confidence to deal with the aftermath? The President won't be happy about it. Well, she'll figure it out.'

***

Inside the Student Council conference room that same day.

Predictably, Min Ha-young and Lee Da-jeong did not attend the closing meeting.

On top of that, even An Jung-hoon, the Special Department's Department Head, was absent.

However, Jin Se-hee—who had been demoted just that morning—was calmly seated in her chair.

"......Before we begin the closing meeting, there's something I need to address."

Seo Hyun-woo opened his mouth first without so much as a glance at Jin Se-hee.

Baek Seo-yeon already knew the details, and Choi Jae-yeon had found out unintentionally.

That meant only Jin Se-hee and Yoo Si-eun were still unaware.

"Effective today, the current Special Department's Department Head, An Jung-hoon, has been demoted to Full Member. The reason is so he can graduate from Miterich early and care for his child."

"......"

"Hah......"

"Hm?"

"I'm not quite sure I understand. Could you explain in more detail?"

Yoo Si-eun raised a question on everyone's behalf.

Seo Hyun-woo seemed to deliberate briefly before deciding to just say it outright.

"To put it bluntly, people would say he jumped the gun. The Special Department's Department Head got involved with a female student at Miterich, and she got pregnant. The two of them are trying to graduate from Miterich as quickly as possible to take responsibility for the child. One of the Special Department's two Secretaries will be inheriting the Department Head position."