[{"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-74":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},1319819,1753,"Chapter 74","i-became-the-academy-s-final-boss-chapter-74",74,"\u003Cp>Chapter 74\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I examined Park Min-seo, who had collapsed on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, I wanted to kill this guy right now—but I couldn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just because of the barrier, but because I remembered that cameras had been installed before the practical exam began, to record the test.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To think I’d forgotten about the cameras because I got too focused on the fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Phew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I forced down my frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to the protective spell the instructors cast before the test, there wasn’t a single visible wound on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that strike just now…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The attack Park Min-seo had unleashed a moment ago—no matter how much stronger he had become—was something far beyond his ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging from the faint demonic energy I’d felt just before his attack, it was certain that some kind of ability had been involved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…The problem was that the energy had been too faint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So faint, in fact, that even a high-ranked hero wouldn’t have noticed it unless they were fully focused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for me, I’d seen so many Demons and my body was sensitive to demonic energy, so I could detect such sensations more sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sorted through the tangled thoughts running through my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t pinpoint what his ability was exactly, but from this battle, I could at least make a reasonable guess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most likely, his power was related to the power of the soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That alien sensation that had set off my instincts just before he attacked—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t something driven purely by magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I had to compare it, it was similar to Helena’s Dragon Fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A type of pressure born from manifesting one’s very existence and rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, right before the strike, Park Min-seo’s eyes had turned pale gray.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eyes changing color when invoking a special power—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I already knew of such a case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That explained the strike Park Min-seo had unleashed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, becoming a Demon meant that one’s soul had been corrupted and subjugated through a contract with a devil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in Park Min-seo’s case, it seemed similar—yet different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had indeed formed a contract with a devil, but instead of his soul being corrupted by demonic power, it was as if he had granted space within himself to the devil’s servant, allowing them to coexist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And when his emotions surged or his rage neared its breaking point, that granted soul would take control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that soul—the one possessing his body—was likely the Storm Sword, a martial warrior from another realm said to have been slain by a devil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A bitter taste filled my mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had hoped Park Min-seo’s case might offer a clue to escaping the predetermined bad ending.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But to apply his case to myself… I would have to let the Final Boss, the ultimate devil, descend upon my own body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would that even succeed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That part was beyond the scope of the game—I couldn’t know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, a loud explosion echoed from somewhere nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blast was powerful enough to rival the collision between me and Park Min-seo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned my gaze toward the source of the explosion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was where Park Siwoo and Dan Chun-woo had begun their duel earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wondered who had won.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the thick cloud of dust, a familiar figure came into view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dan Chun-woo, with his hair tied tightly in a bun, was panting heavily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And on the ground lay Park Siwoo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swallowed hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No way… I had suspected it, but to think that “no way” had actually happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging from his exhausted state, it hadn’t been an easy victory—but what mattered was that he had won.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason I’d thought Dan Chun-woo might win was because, after his duel with the Sword Empress, his demeanor had changed somewhat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just his attitude—something deeper. It was as if he’d achieved a kind of enlightenment; the wild aura around him had noticeably stabilized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be that the Sword Empress had done some kind of mental reformation on him back then?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t too surprised, though.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything so far had deviated from the original game anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever the cause, what mattered was that Dan Chun-woo’s transformation had already begun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, as he steadied his breathing, Dan Chun-woo’s eyes met mine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He muttered something under his breath when he saw me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did he just say?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I focused my vision to read his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Next is you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…Did I do something wrong?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After defeating Park Siwoo, Dan Chun-woo gasped for breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t injured, but his stamina was nearly depleted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he steadied himself, his gaze fell upon the fallen Park Siwoo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had almost lost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just a few weeks ago, it would have definitely been his defeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially that Star Sword Summon—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even knowing the technique, it was nearly impossible to counter it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, in the end, he had won.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dan Chun-woo slowly closed his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason he had been able to win this time—embarrassing as it was—was because he had cast aside his arrogance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After watching Yoo Sung-woo’s duel with the Sword Empress, he had resolved never again to underestimate or belittle anyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, he accepted and acknowledged his own shortcomings and weakness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The feelings of inferiority he had never faced before—along with the crushing despair that told him he could never win—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had fought through them, refusing to let himself sink into darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ironically, it was his own self-awareness—the same pride that once led him to indulgence—that had allowed him to hold firm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a man born of the Swordmaster’s bloodline, despair did not suit him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would grow, and keep growing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps that was why he now found himself eagerly anticipating the duel against Yoo Sung-woo, the final match assigned at the end of the practical exam.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even before he had time to recover his stamina, the next duel had already begun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Clever. He used a lot of energy in the beginning—so he plans to recover in between, huh.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dan Chun-woo swiftly defeated his opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It hadn’t seemed that difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although he had expended much of his strength, the other cadets had also consumed a great deal of energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In such a state, there were few students who could withstand even a single strike from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After taking down his opponent, Dan Chun-woo focused entirely on resting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many other cadets were taking similar approaches to the test.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Helena, Yoo Sung-woo, and others—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had all cleverly designed their strategy: how to balance recovery and combat through several rounds of duels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But that only applies when you’re fighting weaker opponents.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the duels kept going like this, they were bound to face each other eventually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The exam was reaching its final stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only about ten cadets still had stamina left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them, two drew the most attention from everyone—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dan Chun-woo and Yoo Sung-woo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dan Chun-woo, waiting for his turn against Yoo Sung-woo, was savoring the tension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His fighting spirit was boiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just one more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he took down this last opponent, he could finally face Yoo Sung-woo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As that long wait was about to end and the next duel was about to begin—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yoo Sung-woo raised his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll forfeit here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Reason?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My stamina’s run out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood. Step out of the arena.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Instructor Kang Jae-seok’s approval, Yoo Sung-woo left the stage without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dan Chun-woo’s face instantly twisted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Out of stamina?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What nonsense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having watched Yoo Sung-woo’s duel with the Sword Empress, Dan Chun-woo knew full well what Yoo Sung-woo’s true ability was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had never once gone all out here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, now he claimed his stamina was gone? Impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What is he thinking?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dan Chun-woo couldn’t fathom it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if this was just a midterm exam for freshmen, every duel was recorded and sent to various Guilds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, these duels served as a self-introduction to the Guilds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So to hide his strength all this time, only to forfeit at the end?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a single assumption formed in Dan Chun-woo’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Could it be… he suffered internal injuries during his duel with his sister?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If one sustained internal injuries, their blood and energy pathways would become twisted, making it difficult to circulate magic and causing excruciating pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike external wounds, internal injuries had no simple cure and required long-term rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, there was a method known as Balmosesu, a high-level technique that used true energy to heal internal damage—but expecting such advanced treatment inside the Academy was unrealistic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Balmosesu required deep mastery over mana control; a careless attempt could cause serious backlash even to the one performing it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dan Chun-woo hadn’t seen Yoo Sung-woo’s duel with Park Min-seo because he had been focused on his match against Park Siwoo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, a certain puzzle began fitting together in his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That bastard Park Min-seo… was a Demon, wasn’t he?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t seen the fight, but he had heard the massive explosion during his duel with Park Siwoo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Yoo Sung-woo had fought a Demon-level opponent while still suffering untreated internal injuries—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then it was incredible that he’d endured this far at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, even in that state, he’d continued dueling other cadets and winning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was sheer willpower—beyond human limits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I can’t possibly defeat someone like that.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His misunderstanding only deepened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All duels had ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Above the gathered cadets, a massive ranking board appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【1. Dan Chun-woo 2. Yoo Sung-woo 3. Park Min-seo 4. Helena ……】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, Dan Chun-woo’s name gleamed proudly at the top.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After my forfeit, he had continued to fight—and won every single match.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that result was… surprising.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Park Min-seo in third place?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, in the in-game version, barring any major deviations, Helena was supposed to take third in the duel rankings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But instead, it was Park Min-seo’s name that appeared there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After losing to me, he seemed to have gone through some kind of awakening, winning fight after fight with fierce momentum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if he had reached enlightenment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a result, in his duel against Helena, she had suffered a crushing defeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Helena’s expression as she looked up at the rankings was dark and heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I… comfort her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I started to approach her, a familiar voice called from behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Planning to comfort Helena? You should be worrying about yourself instead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I mean, comforting her right now will do her no good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But still…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I understood what he meant by that, but I didn’t get the part about me worrying about myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you even realize that sometimes you look at others like they’re children stranded on the shore?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had I really been looking at them that way?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, I couldn’t relate to what he was saying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, I did get concerned whenever things strayed from the game’s original story—but still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at them like helpless kids?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Helena and Park Siwoo aren’t five-year-old children. Stop coddling them so much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stared blankly at Dan Chun-woo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of all people, hearing him say something like that was honestly unexpected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s with that look?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re one to talk. Didn’t you get kicked out because you were being coddled?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That comment sounds extremely unpleasant.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He frowned, visibly annoyed—but didn’t draw his sword or throw a punch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had intentionally provoked him, half expecting a reaction. Maybe he really had changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, he tossed something at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I caught it and looked down at what he’d thrown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the—this looked like some kind of fancy red ginseng supplement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s a pseudo-elixir containing extract from Mandragora.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you giving me this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Compensation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he turned and walked away calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stared blankly at the supplement in my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compensation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he hadn’t even hit me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell was that guy thinking?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did he get hit in the head too hard during his duel with Park Siwoo?\u003C\u002Fp>",1961,"2026-06-05T19:04:26.866Z",1,"novelbin.me","5e6de813882ac30098310dea3ec5fb7758c87ad007e2d283bb40f113d248fe36","i-became-the-academy-s-final-boss-chapter-127","i-became-the-academy-s-final-boss-chapter-126",137,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-became-the-academy-s-final-boss-cover.jpg"]