[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-became-the-academy-s-final-boss":3,"chapter-i-became-the-academy-s-final-boss-i-became-the-academy-s-final-boss-chapter-16":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","I Became the Academy’s Final Boss",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1319735,1753,"Chapter 16","i-became-the-academy-s-final-boss-chapter-16",16,"\u003Cp>Chapter 16\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as class ended, Park Siwoo came running toward me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it because he had passed the Student Council interview?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression looked noticeably brighter than usual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you going straight to the interview?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I still have a bit of time left, so I thought I’d rest for a while in the dorm before going.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you’re nervous, want me to come with you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned at his words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was he, some girl who needed a friend to go to the bathroom with? Why go together for an interview?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing my sour expression, he scratched his head awkwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, who knows? Maybe if I go with you, the president might look more favorably on you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“More like she’ll think worse of me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Considering Yoo Iseo’s personality, trying to appeal through personal connections would only backfire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At my words, he gave me that friendly smile of his.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come on, the president and the others are all really nice people. Besides, she already knows we’re friends.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Idiot. Being nice and keeping things professional are two different matters. You’ve got to separate public and private.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that, he nodded as if he understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, if you put it that way. Then good luck with the interview. You remember everything I told you yesterday, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving Park Siwoo behind, I exited the classroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I spent the remaining time doing some light exercise in the gym.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the interview was coming up, I at least needed to get my body warmed up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a round of training, I caught my breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint heat rose from my body, and beads of sweat formed on my forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That pleasant, tingling sensation told me my condition was at its peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I checked the time, only thirty minutes remained before the interview.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I returned to the dorm, washed up, and headed straight for the Student Council room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knock, knock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a light tap on the door, the massive double doors of the Student Council room slowly swung open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cadet Yoo Sung-woo, here for today’s interview? You’re early.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, thank you for having me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one who greeted me as the doors opened was a girl who didn’t look eighteen in the slightest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her height barely reached my chest—just lowering my head a little let me see the crown of her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not for the academy uniform and the black nametag symbolizing her position in the Student Council, I would’ve mistaken her for a middle schooler who had just graduated elementary school.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked up at me with a pleased smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You look way more handsome in person than in the picture. I heard you’re friends with Siwoo, who had his interview yesterday? I thought you’d come together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s an interview, after all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Siwoo told me about you. You’re more mature than I expected. Iseo’s going to like you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘She heard that from Siwoo?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That comment caught my attention, but I simply nodded at her words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I hope so.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had a very bright personality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though we’d only exchanged a few words, I could sense from her light tone that she was considerate and trying to ease any tension I might have had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder Yoo Iseo trusted her the most.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which also meant—she would be the first to be eliminated by Berid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girl standing before me, Seo Da-hee, was the signal flare that would ignite Yoo Iseo’s corruption.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I followed her into the Student Council room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, familiar faces came into view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yoo Iseo, in her neat uniform and short black hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The vice president standing quietly a step behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Park Siwoo, who clearly didn’t know how to handle the solemn atmosphere here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he saw me, he waved awkwardly with a stiff smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So much for “good luck with the interview.” Yeah, right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He must’ve blabbed all about me despite my warnings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t help but think—maybe his earlier suggestion to come together wasn’t his own idea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps the Student Council had used him to gauge my attitude in advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the most prominent seat on the sofa, she crossed her legs elegantly and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Welcome. You’re early for the interview.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hello. I’m freshman Yoo Sung-woo.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I bowed politely to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe it seemed excessive, but it was my way of showing respect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn’t just the president in the setting—she was also an active hero who had entered the field far earlier than any other cadet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her hero rank was mid-high, equivalent to the Academy’s instructors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So for a normal cadet, this level of formality was only natural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s no need to be so stiff. We’re only a year apart, after all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though her words sounded kind, her expression remained cold and unreadable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve been hearing a lot about you lately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What kind of things?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They say you injured an instructor during orientation and had an argument with Instructor Kang Jae-seok during the weapon selection.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That was…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I could finish, she rose from her seat and walked toward me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Click, click.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her high heels struck the floor, producing a clear, crisp sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I didn’t bring that up to scold you. Honestly, I don’t care what kind of rumors surround you or what your past is. As long as you’re not a Demon, isn’t that what really matters?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her cold blue eyes pierced right through me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was she trying to provoke me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hid my thoughts behind a wry smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s a relief to hear.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t it? Well, let’s call that our icebreaker. Shall we begin the interview properly?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was supposed to be an icebreaker?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anything, the atmosphere had just gotten even stiffer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know what kind of work our Student Council does?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Managing academy operations and cadet affairs, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course I knew the real answer, but I pretended ignorance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yoo Iseo nodded and began to explain in detail what I already knew—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That the Student Council’s hidden role was the eradication of Demons, and that their selection process was therefore extremely strict.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pretended to be surprised at her words, putting on an appropriate reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yoo Iseo, still wearing that cold expression, continued speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could you risk your life to fight against Demons for the sake of the cadets? Demons are like a virus. The day may come when you’ll have to kill your own friends and teachers with your own hands.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That doesn’t matter to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that so? Then let’s begin the interview. You must already know the format from Siwoo, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So she not only knew that we were friends but also what he told me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, it wasn’t just Berid who had informed me about the interview yesterday.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Park Siwoo had also called me right after his interview to explain what it was like.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I nodded cautiously, she nodded as well and continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then there’s no need to explain it again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, rough mana began to surge from her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blue energy flared around Yoo Iseo, and her jet-black hair started to turn pure white.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now then, become a hero and protect the citizens.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she said that, a spear of lightning formed behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The azure thunderbolt, wrapped in electric energy, fell straight toward Park Siwoo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A hero’s duty is to protect civilians. The more one has to protect, the fiercer their battles become.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her lightning spear struck, marking the beginning of the interview.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having already activated the Asura Divine Art to warm up my body, I immediately threw myself toward Park Siwoo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yoo Iseo had given me enough time to prepare for combat, so blocking the attack wasn’t difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Park Siwoo was flung back by my shove, and the lightning spear that had targeted him smashed harmlessly into a wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I couldn’t afford to let my guard down just because I blocked one attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was clear she wouldn’t be giving me any more leeway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I quickly activated the Asura Divine Art again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mana began surging through my body in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Yoo Iseo turned into lightning and shot toward the little senior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was her next target Seo Da-hee?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To change targets right after aiming for Park Siwoo—cowardly and cunning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That only meant she wasn’t holding back anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The distance between me and the little senior was quite far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if I ran now, I couldn’t reach her before Yoo Iseo did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But that doesn’t mean I don’t have a way.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flames erupted from me and spread out, blocking the space between the two of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, the lightning-clad Yoo Iseo hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t miss that opening—I launched myself toward her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving a trail of fire in my wake, my fist flew straight at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a crack of air, a sonic boom exploded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No impact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she turned into lightning, her speed became extreme, and she ignored physical damage entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I feigned confusion and pulled back slightly—but that had been intentional.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I already knew this from playing the game, though the character Yoo Sung-woo wasn’t supposed to know that much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The test continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lightning spears constantly targeted Park Siwoo and the little senior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I lost focus for even a second, she appeared before me, forcing close combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The difficulty was far higher than what I had seen while playing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘As expected, facing her without the Demon’s Power is rough.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To think this was her fighting while holding back her strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I did my best to fend off her attacks, and soon she released her lightning form, floating in the air with her blue eyes gleaming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The rumors about you were so varied I wasn’t sure what to believe, but this level of skill places you among the top of the freshmen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haa… How long do I have to hold out?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Until reinforcements from the heroes arrive, of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So basically, she was planning to toy with me until she felt satisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But what if I subdue the Demon before they get here? Wouldn’t that make waiting unnecessary?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I said, catching my breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At my audacious question, her eyes finally flickered with emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her face remained as cold as ever, though.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re right. But do you really think that’s possible?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once again, she turned into lightning and appeared right before my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even faster than before—her speed had increased dramatically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My provocation had worked perfectly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her lightning-forged sword sliced through the Student Council room again and again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yoo Iseo was more susceptible to taunts than I had expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swung my fist, the one strike I had prepared specifically for her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her sword of lightning clashed with my fist midair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thunder and fire collided, bursting into a dazzling explosion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A long battle against her would be disadvantageous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The longer the fight went on, the more the electricity-induced stiffness built up in my body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then I saw it—behind her, countless lightning spears gathering together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cluster of lightning spears converged into a single orb, like a hedgehog of pure electricity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This crazy—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This attack could be dangerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She planned to pin me down in close combat and then finish the test with a wide-area blast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that bomb, made from dozens of lightning spears, hit, it would be game over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tried to shake her off, but she clung to me relentlessly, refusing to let go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a desperate situation—but I gained one certainty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I blocked that attack, I’d pass for sure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if I had to push myself to the limit, I had to stop it here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Intense heat surged from my body as I drove the Asura Divine Art to its extreme.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yoo Iseo groaned at the sudden burst of heat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her lightning form could ignore physical attacks, but not the effects of another natural phenomenon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, she was forced to pull away from me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I instinctively looked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sphere of lightning was descending.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I cursed under my breath and pushed the Asura Divine Art to its absolute limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mana spun through my veins so rapidly it felt like my blood would ignite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the mana coursed through my body at incredible speed, infernal flames began to surge and spread outward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flames whirled around me, forming a dome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an application of Purgatory, the secret art of the Asura Divine Art, which condensed and rapidly spun the flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From nearby came faint groans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was a side effect of my imperfect mastery of the technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I focused as hard as I could, keeping the heat from harming others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The overexertion made my head feel like it would burst.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, the sphere of lightning and my infernal barrier collided.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At once, the orb of lightning exploded, launching countless thunderbolts in every direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ghh—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The barrage of electric spears hammered against my barrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lightning poured down like torrential rain, clashing with my flames to create a massive storm of energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The impact sent a metallic taste of blood into my mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, I clenched my teeth and endured the bombardment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know how much time had passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The heat overwhelmed my senses, making my mind hazy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It became difficult to even think.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the ringing in my ears, I barely heard Yoo Iseo’s voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice, faint and tinged with disbelief, reached me through the haze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This freshman… is a tough one.”\u003C\u002Fp>",2215,"2026-06-05T19:04:26.586Z",1,"novelbin.me","94e8614065b20e896e2f38c7265641ae4ca56f2c9954c3e8d7d37e4be0e32cbc","i-became-the-academy-s-final-boss-chapter-17","i-became-the-academy-s-final-boss-chapter-15",137,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-became-the-academy-s-final-boss-cover.jpg"]