SWNOVELXO Chapter 96
Solvas Umbra.
I never imagined I’d face him right from the start of the international solo exhibition preliminaries.
“If you’re going to match us up, can you at least do it properly?”
Then again, I wonder how many matches can be set up in this cramped forest.
Still, I couldn’t shake off the feeling of injustice.
“His name was definitely Hanon, right?”
Solvas continued speaking.
It was clear he was well aware of my name and everyone participating in the meeting.
“Isn’t it a coincidence that we ended up on the same team so close together? How about we form a team? Since we only need to be in the top 16 for the preliminaries, teaming up might be a good idea.”
Solvas flashed a friendly smile.
What a load of nonsense.
He clearly had plans to stab me in the back.
“Really? I’m more than happy to be on the same team as you, Solvas.”
But honestly, I felt the same way.
Solvas and I exchanged smiles.
He was definitely not the kind of person you could take lightly.
His true intentions had never revealed themselves until now.
But he probably doesn’t know.
That I am the only one who can see right through him.
“That’s great! There are already people in our group who have made early connections. If we team up with them, we should be able to clear without any issues.”
The people he had connected with were merely decoys.
He likely had his real allies somewhere else in this second group.
“First, they eliminate others while lumped together, then he’ll call on his real team to knock out the tired ones.”
This was a method that had genuinely been used right from the beginning of the international solo exhibition preliminaries.
I could say that with certainty.
“That’s a smart strategy. It seems we’ll be able to bypass the preliminaries without wasting much effort.”
“Haha, is that so?”
At that moment, a sound echoed from the bracelets we were wearing.
It meant all students had found their places.
【 3 】
The countdown signaling the start of the preliminaries began.
【 2 】
Solvas and I exchanged smiles as we locked eyes.
【 1 】
And then, we immediately leaned forward.
【 Preliminaries Start 】
Whoosh!
A shadow blade whizzed past from a tree beside my head.
As I stomped my feet into the ground, I activated the Magic Seal beneath me.
Boom!
Like a cannonball, my body shot forward towards Solvas.
His eyes reflected a twist of amusement.
It was proof he never trusted me from the beginning.
If he did his homework, he’d know I’m a potential threat.
So, of course, he wouldn’t just let me fall in the initial moments and bring me along with his decoy team.
Thud!
Solvas stamped his foot down.
Suddenly, a shadow shot up like ink right in front of me.
My vision momentarily darkened.
But without hesitation, my hand sliced towards the shadow.
Clang!
The blade that erupted from the shadow clashed with mine.
There stood Solvas, gripping a shadow sword.
As we collided, we both pulled back.
“You never trusted me from the start, did you?”
“Isn’t it the same for you?”
Before I knew it, my tone had changed.
Solvas flashed a deep, playful smile.
“I’m good at reading people. So, I can tell when someone is overly suspicious.”
“I don’t have long conversations with fortune tellers.”
Despite my provocation, Solvas just laughed, unfazed.
Instead, the shadow beneath him began to twitch.
The Umbra family has had a special technique passed down through generations.
The name of the technique is.
**Night Shadow**
The basis of the Night Shadow originates from the mystique the family has revered for ages.
**Mystique**
**Lily Shadow**
It manipulates a shadow of the lily to reshape it into any form imaginable.
This is the true identity of the Umbra family’s secret technique.
The ranking within the Umbra family is determined by how adept one is at utilizing the Night Shadow.
Handling the Night Shadow is as grueling as dealing with a body one doesn’t possess.
So, even descendants of the Umbra family often can’t handle it properly.
But there is one person in this generation.
Solvas is not like the rest.
He has a natural talent for the Night Shadow.
The shadows he manipulates move freely and can change into anything at his whim.
That’s why Solvas’s combat style is exceedingly unconventional.
Even if you pin him down, you can’t catch his shadows.
Shadows are everywhere and can appear from anywhere.
So, you must remain constantly alert as to where the next attack will come from.
Those who have fought Solvas always feel drained and on edge.
Solvas knows this, so he actively exploits the element of surprise.
He wears opponents down and strikes when they show fatigue.
This is a tactic Solvas often uses.
And sure enough, shadows gathered beneath my feet.
Just before they lunged towards me, I pulled back.
Then, pointed-tip shadows simultaneously cut close to my chin.
I didn’t stop there; I yanked my foot back and thrust it forward.
This time, a short, pointed shadow erupted from where my foot had been and then vanished.
Solvas’s eyebrows twitched as he watched me.
Once again, his shadows targeted me, moving in unison.
It was a classic case of a follow-up attack.
I seamlessly dodged the rising shadows.
Solvas looked at me with strange eyes.
Of course.
It must’ve been an unbelievable sight for him to see me evade every follow-up attack effortlessly.
“……Hanon, how do you perceive my Night Shadow?”
“How could shadows even be perceived?”
I grinned shamelessly.
That made Solvas’s eyebrows twitch yet again.
“Indeed, I’m curious how you did that.”
The guy who usually shows no emotions looked unusually vexed.
Solvas prided himself immensely on his Night Shadow.
It was only natural for him to react this way when all of it was seen through.
The reason I can notice Solvas’s Night Shadow is simple.
‘Because my body is also of mystique.’
Mystique tends to react instinctively to other mystiques.
Ordinarily, people can’t perceive such responses from mystiques.
But my steel body is my very essence.
For regular folks, Solvas’s shadows execute attacks that seem to originate from an angle of ignorance.
But I can fully sense where Solvas’s Night Shadow is moving from.
‘Oh dear.’
Your tricks aren’t going to work on me.
I flashed a grin full of provocation.
“Alright.”
In response to my taunt, Solvas smiled, shaking off his irritation.
“Then, it’ll be about making it impossible for you to dodge, even if you perceive it.”
A chilling aura suddenly emanated from Solvas’s body, spreading through the forest.
My feet froze in place, sensing it.
Boom—
Then, the sound that shouldn’t reach my ears began to echo.
Thud thud thud—
My steel body reacted fiercely.
My vision became unsteady.
As a consequence, a more malicious smile appeared on Solvas’s lips.
<Crack crack crack!>
A towering wave of shadows surged up behind Solvas.
“Ahhh!?”
“What the hell is this!”
“Help! Please!”
Nearby kids were swept away by Solvas’s shadow wave, eliminated in the blink of an eye.
Was that how it felt when a tsunami was approaching, facing it like this?
Somehow, I had become a mere human confronted by a natural disaster.
Solvas spread his arms wide in front of me.
“Try to dodge this, too.”
**Night Shadow**
**Wave Marauder**
What a ruthless guy.
The moment I deemed it dangerous, he unveiled his trump card.
There’s no way to dodge that.
As the wave engulfed trees and nearby terrain, it charged right toward me.
I was swallowed whole by the wave of shadows.
***
Above the shadow wave.
A boy with ash-gray hair styled in a wolf cut stood gracefully.
Solvas Umbra.
One of the six stars, son of shadows.
The secret to the Night Shadow he mastered.
Wave Marauder.
This technique, generating a massive shadow wave, consumes an immense amount of energy.
But with that comes overwhelming power.
Originally, he had no intention of using it.
But upon seeing Hanon directly, he had a change of heart.
He was someone who became famous in just six months at Jerion Academy.
On his first day transferring to Jerion Academy, he’d cursed and maligned after a preceding disaster.
That behavior was indeed close to lunacy.
But afterward, the path he displayed proved what he had claimed.
The foreign students hadn’t encountered his prowess properly yet.
However, Solvas had planted spies within Jerion Academy.
He had heard all about his exploits.
‘It’s unlikely that what’s been revealed is all he’s capable of.’
There were curious gaps in his actions that didn’t quite align.
Surely, there was proof he had been doing something clandestine.
‘There must be some intent behind the activities shown at Jerion Academy.’
The academy wasn’t merely a peaceful establishment.
Having some form of intent means.
There are countless people who are hiding as well.
Solvas had learned of Hanon’s achievements and, having done his research, felt certain.
And today.
Upon directly seeing Hanon, he made his judgment.
In his eyes, there wasn’t an ounce of hesitation facing his opponent.
That reflected either the arrogance of trusting his own skills, or
The fact he had prepared some means to counter.
And Hanon was the latter.
This type is dangerous if not dealt with early.
Solvas never underestimates others.
Even after rising to six stars, he didn’t grow arrogant, constantly doubting his opponent while throwing out tricks, and sometimes acting decisively.
He believed he needed to act decisively against Hanon.
“If a sprout springs up haphazardly, it needs to be crushed.”
If an opponent is formulating their next move, one must destroy it before they even think.
While his original plan had altered, he decided to wipe out all the students under the Wave Marauder.
That was his moment of thought.
Splash—
Then, he heard a sound.
It sounded reminiscent of swimming.
Wondering if he had misheard, he scanned the surroundings.
All there was were the dark shadow waves crashing around.
Splash, splash—
But again, the sound reached his ears.
A bad premonition crossed his mind.
Solvas hurriedly peered into the depths of the shadow wave.
Then he felt something moving within the wave.
In a panic, he turned his head towards the direction of that presence.
Splash!
Solvas spotted someone swimming rapidly through the shadow wave.
It was the breaststroke.
That was, without a doubt, the breaststroke.
Within the shadow wave.
A vivid, red-eyed gaze flickered.
“…Are you out of your mind?”
Solvas muttered, stunned by the sight.
Naturally, it’s obvious.
What kind of crazy person would think about swimming in shadow waves?
Yet there was someone doing just that.
<Splash splash splash splash splash!>
And at a terrifying speed.
Hanon Irey.
Hanon, swept up by the shadow wave, was there.
As Solvas muttered his name, he clenched his fists tightly.
And he realized.
Hanon was a much more dangerous lunatic.