LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 297
[Global Buzz Surrounds the ‘Birth Festival’ at Shio-ram]
Every year, Shio-ram holds the festival known as the Birth Festival.
While the interval between events may feel short, it doesn’t lessen the excitement.
[Getter is about to explode] [72]
(A picture of a packed New York Gate Terminal)
(A holographic display showing the number of people waiting)
Is that number for real? How many zeros are there?
[Comments]
– Wow, how many people is that? LOL
– Terminal staff’s doomsday has arrived.
– How do you get permission to enter Shio-ram?
└(Author) You a criminal or something?
└Catching offenders in the gray zone.
Naturally, discussions about Shio-ram and the Birth Festival flooded the community.
So much so that by the early morning, simply posting about entering Shio-ram caused a flood of comments.
[Shio-ram, Entrance]
[Got an autograph from a patrolling superhuman?]
[Getting restaurant recommendations]
[Too many people at the gate]
[It’s annoying to watch those who got in broadcast live.]
As the time to officially enter Shio-ram approached, posts surged even more.
Shio-ram granted entrance to a good number of people, but the evaluation was strict, so compared to the global population, it wasn’t a lot.
[School Drone Up!]
Thanks to that, the vast majority had to watch the Birth Festival online, filled with envy and jealousy, as the drone broadcasted the event.
[Broadcast of Shio-ram Scenery Compilation]
[Two hours before the opening ceremony, cadet parade gif]
[Watching the Birth Festival from the living room with family since early morning…?]
Viewers enjoyed the leisurely streamed videos.
It wasn’t even time for the opening ceremony yet. Rather than enjoying the event, they were casually watching the broadcast.
– It’s a streaming drone, right?
It was.
Drone 32 captured the majestic mansion.
Just a scenic view, I thought, when unexpectedly, some people emerged from the mansion.
Also.
[……]
I did not expect to see Lee Ha-yul’s face, who had not been seen in a while, filling the camera’s view.
[?]
[Wow]
[Wow]
[Wow]
Drone 32’s stream momentarily froze.
…
…
…
[Who just appeared?]
[Anyone see 32’s stream?]
[Who is that? Name me quick, please!]
[Why is everyone suddenly freaking out?]
[Wow]
[My brain’s fried.]
The community erupted in flames.
The viewers of Drone 32, jolted awake, were ablaze, while those in other rooms puzzled over the bombshell.
[Why is everyone suddenly freaking out?]
Did a street brawl break out among superhumans??? What was that speed yesterday?
[Comments]
-(Link)
└(Author) What is all this freakout about?
└Wow
└LOL
[尊嚴 Collection of the Special Admission Student][5,351]
(Front-facing shot of Lee Ha-yul)
(Lee Ha-yul awkwardly scratching his cheek – gif)
Wow
[Comments]
-??????
-Wow
-Wow
-Fck, I can’t even speak.
The buzz centered around the special admission student.
While everyone was shoving it aside for now, it was a topic that could ignite fiercely at any moment.
It’s natural that cadets attract attention at the Birth Festival, but this year, the spotlight was particularly on the special admission student.
The bombshell that was about to explode during the opening ceremony was hastened by the drone spying on Lee Ha-yul early on.
[Transformation Comparison of That Person][3,261]
(Lee Ha-yul entering the first semester tournament arena – photo)
(Lee Ha-yul looking awkward coming out of the mansion – photo)
His hair color changed. And he’s wide awake.
Above all, his appearance transcended to a stunning degree.
[Comments]
-Wow, his eyes are unbelievably pretty.
-He went from black hair to white.
└Looks like he underwent molting.
└Saying it like that makes it sound cute, LOL.
-He was pretty before, but now it’s beyond reason?
└What the hell happened during that time…
└It seems he evolved two or three times.
└If he alone took down that dual-headed dragon, he must be packed with experience points.
It’s not surprising that the hot topic would be the special admission student bombshell.
The ferocious ignition of interest was due to the transformation in Lee Ha-yul’s appearance, which surpassed expectations.
Ha-yul had previously received admiration for his looks.
But now, when Lee Ha-yul revealed himself, it was beyond what anyone could have imagined.
[Breaking) The Special Admission Student is on the move to the opening ceremony]
[But a lot of people came out of the mansion?]
[Mostly girls;; Fck, LOL]
[Gop-hwa, Changhae’s heir comes out together]
[Wow]
The trivial bombshells were flamboyantly overshadowed by the Lee Ha-yul revelations that lit up the community.
[Suddenly skinship between two people in the street…][1,354]
(Baek Ahrin placing her hand on Lee Ha-yul’s cheek – photo)
(Lee Ha-yul holding Baek Ahrin’s hand, igniting Gop-hwa – photo)
What are they doing in the middle of the street???
[Comments]
-Ugh, suddenly feeling terrible.
-What’s going on? They seem really close.
└Fck, get your hands off him right now!
└Why do you look like you’re going crazy like a horror story? LOL
└The next day, the author received an invitation from xx family…
-Did they want to roast him just for touching his cheek? That’s brutal.
└Looks warm, though?
└For real, he seems to be enjoying it from the looks of his face.
└Is that Gop-hwa? He looks totally different.
└People are saying Lee Ha-yul and Gop-hwa are oddly matched, so it’s well-known.
[Suddenly a chase is happening between two people in the street…][1,261]
(Baek Ahrin running away with Hong Yeon-hwa fiercely chasing – gif)
Wow.
[Comments]
-Gasp
-Gasp
-Wow, they’re so fast! LOL
-This is Gop-hwa, LOL.
The discourse on Lee Ha-yul showed no signs of cooling off, continuing through the opening ceremony.
[World’s Happiest Girl]
(Lee Ha-yul dressed in Gop-hwa clan traditional garb – photo)
(Hong Yeon-hwa lined up during the opening ceremony – photo)
(Hong Yeon-hwa patting Lee Ha-yul’s head during the ceremony – photo)
This person, yes.
[Comments]
-Fck, what if the lucky one was the opposite?
└Gop-hwa’s heir’s foresight… I respect it.
└Even back then, she was incredibly beautiful…
└I’m the ‘God’ of bribery, LOL.
-The Taesan heir is also glancing at ‘that person’ from a distance; what is this???
└How did he not see that?
└Two close friends fighting over one guy? I need to grab some popcorn right now. LOL
└Seriously, LOL.
-If your spouse looks like that, you wouldn’t leave the house! LOL
[Opening Ceremony, Cadet Oath][5,167]
(Lee Ha-yul awkwardly touching a necklace – gif)
He still seems unable to speak.
Instead, the necklace speaks for him, yes.
[Comments]
-Is he closing his eyes again? His eyes must not have recovered yet?
└He was awake just a second ago, though?
-When he looks at Hong Yeon-hwa, he’s awake, yes.
└Oh!
└Oh!
└Something romantic!
└He seems to be awake when seeing other people too? Like the tall girl with yellow hair who came just now.
└What?
[Opening Ceremony Highlights, Magic Ray Scene Compilation]
(Students radiating magic from the outer rim – video)
(A giant white light beam shooting up from the center of the auditorium – video)
Wow, that magic is incredible!
[Comments]
-The colors are really beautiful.
-Fck, why is it so huge?
└Isn’t this somewhat suggestive…?
└?
-Just look at the differences compared to other cadets; it’s thicker than a building! LOL
└That’s a level of intimidation!
-But when is this going to end?
└Right? It’s not stopping!
└How much magic is that?
└For sure, hundreds of times that of other cadets, yes.
└This makes no sense! LOL
Even after the opening ceremony finished, the buzz didn’t abate.
Even though the thrilling visuals began in earnest after the ceremony, and the excitement fell a bit, the shock of the drone footage was such that the flame of interest flickered on like Gop-hwa.
-I can’t see Lee Ha-yul.
└He must be wearing an invisibility cloak from the stress of attention.
└That’s a shame.
└With that kind of looks, it’s only natural to feel a lot of pressure with all the attention.
But a flame without kindle will eventually die out on its own.
Even on the first and second days, many searched different streams but could not see Lee Ha-yul.
As the initial blaze died, so did the fervor.
There was still a powerful amount of heat left, but compared to the opening ceremony, it had diminished greatly.
[Breaking News) Growth Tower Stream Starts in 10 Minutes]
The new kindling came on the third day with the Tower admission.
The Tower of Growth, the absolute symbol of Shio-ram, showcasing the competing cadets. Where could you find a spectacle like this?
In fact, the highest viewership day also occurs at the Tower admission point on the third day.
Additionally, there was significant interest in what actions and achievements Lee Ha-yul would show.
[Why Hasn’t There Been a Special Admission Student Until Now?][8,162]
(The barrier spread across the Rock Mountain – photo)
(Cadets being oxidized by magic pouring down from the barrier – gif)
(The barrier multiplying in real-time – gif)
There hadn’t been a talent like this in a hundred years, LOL.
[Comments]
-What is that, isn’t it the Taesan heir?
└Yeah, that’s not it; that’s a magic workshop, LOL.
└Isn’t that a defensive facility?
└That’s right.
└???
-Wow, they installed that defense facility ahead of time? The scale is insane!
└No, this only went up after they entered.
└???
The streaming of the Tower admission began.
Rather than discussions of appearances, the topics quickly shifted toward Lee Ha-yul’s abilities after the Tower began.
Thanks to Lee Ha-yul’s deliberately displayed show of strength.
[Majesty of ‘Demon King’s Castle’ Rising above the Rock Mountain]
(The castle rising atop Rock Mountain – photo)
(The barrier rising on the ridges of Rock Mountain in sequence – gif)
[Comments]
-Demon King’s Castle is so cool! LOL
└But looking at it, it’s quite similar.
[Demon King’s ‘Legion’ Appears, OMG]
(Golems and spirits clashing with cadets emerging from the barrier – gif)
(Cadets caught in the elemental outburst – gif)
[Comments]
-Deploying the workshop, firing magic, using spirits and golems, where is all that magic coming from?
└Didn’t you see the opening ceremony? Their magic capacity is fundamentally different.
-Those elementals are so cute!
└Oh!
└Did something just explode with that headbutt?
SDVIMVFoanVzY1YwSVhjamMzUkt1Uk0xRFNxUmY0QVVrMFJmam5TM3NyNUFWa2xvNzZ2aitidWU3RDZ0Tkp5Ug
[Demon King’s ‘Commander’ Appeared, OMG]
(Golem infused with the elemental spirit – gif)
(Golem spewing Gop-hwa – gif)
Gop-hwa’s commander-golem, OMG!
[Comments]
-What even is that?
-Wow, that’s intense!
-That’s downright terrifying, I might pee myself!
-How isn’t the Gop-hwa getting melted? How are they intertwined?
└That’s a good question.
News about Lee Ha-yul’s prowess had already leaked across the world. The moment he took down the dual-headed spirit marked the proof of his capabilities.
Consequently, expectations for Lee Ha-yul’s power were high, but what he revealed far exceeded those expectations.
[Wasn’t the Special Admission Student just good at martial arts?]
[I counted the spirits, golems, and elementals.]
[All those elementals are mid-tier!?!]
[??? How are those golems moving if they have no core?]
[Golems are endlessly multiplying, fck, LOL.]
[? One cadet just got kidnapped!]
Not only was his power well-known, but also his single-handed domination of the battlefield left everyone in awe.
Although superhumans are rare, those with the capability to wage war alone are even rarer.
[? One cadet just got kidnapped!]
One cadet is currently being kidnapped by an elemental.
[Comments]
-That cadet was one that came out of the mansion with Lee Ha-yul this morning, right?
└Gasp
└Gasp
└Fck, get your hands off him!
[Emergency Report) Hero Party Begins Invasion of Demon King’s Castle]
(The first barrier shattering – photo)
The united forces initiate a full assault.
[Comments]
-This is thrilling! LOL
└Three major families’ party launches! OMG!
[Breaking News) Hero Party Engages with the ‘Demon King’]
[Why is the Demon King so white?]
[Wow, 3 versus 1 and not losing ground.]
[? Why is the kidnapped cadet asking for Lee Ha-yul’s help?]
There’s so much going on during the Tower session. As the cadets burst forth in their radiant battles, countless iconic scenes unfold.
But this Tower session is different.
With dopamine-inducing iconic scenes streaming in succession, the viewership surged dramatically.
[Breaking) Match Ends… but Right After, ‘Event Boss’ Summoned] [9,800]
(A boss creature in a helmet – photo)
(The scene of cadets collapsing under the barrage of high-level magic – gif)
Looks like the Tower Master summoned another weird thing.
Cadets are getting taken out in the wake of a barrage of high-level magic, OMG!
[Lee Ha-yul Blasting the Boss with Magic – gif]
[Lee Ha-yul engaging the boss in a brawl – gif]
[Magic clashing all around – gif]
[Lee Ha-yul landing a punch on the boss’s jaw – gif]
[Finishing off the boss with a flame blade – gif]
That’s how a special admission student rolls, OMG!
[Comments]
-??? That’s not a human?
└Could be a monster of human standards.
└Or maybe one of the older mages the headmaster talked about.
└Oh!
-What’s with the barrage of high-level magic?
└With an attack like that, an entire city block could vanish, fck, LOL.
└But a special admission student takes it down, OMG!
└This is insane!
-Why is he still in school?
└He’s still growing, yes.
└That’s pretty scary, LOL.
└Right? He’s only in first year after all.
On top of that, after the formal match ended, Lee Ha-yul’s fierce battle with the boss sparked even further flames.
[Master of the Tower – “There’s a Reason I Am Master”]
Did he find and place a full bet before I could even reach him? That would be impossible without certainty.
He must have been confident that he’d break through his limits.
[Past post questioning the Special Admission Student’s qualifications – photo]
(The grand Tower of Growth – photo)
The pillar sustaining the world… I respect you.
[Comments]
-But how did he manage to find and bring him in? Didn’t he come from an orphanage?
└They say he was just a civilian. Rumor has it he met him before his awakening.
-Does the Tower Master look like a loser?
└(Bows… emoticon)
└(Bows… emoticon)
└(I respect you… emoticon)
[These guys can’t even focus][1,523]
Right now, people are still talking about the special admission student being just a first year or whatever, but what’s important is
He’s not just a “first year,” but has actually been awakened for a year now.
While other cadets are just starting out, dealing with the expensive elixirs, practicing magic, and laying the foundation,
Lee Ha-yul was just chilling, eating baby food, napping, and sucking on a pacifier.
So, having stayed put in his childhood, he only started running from year one.
The thing is, this is chaotic.
While everyone else has been preparing for over a decade, as soon as Lee Ha-yul started to run, he not only surpassed them but widened the gap immensely.
The support he received from the headmaster was nonsensical when you think about it.
Why has there been an empty position for “Special Admission Student” for 100 years?
Because Lee Ha-yul’s caliber is the only reason he wouldn’t award it to anyone else.
And this is probably the first time in 120 years of Shio-ram’s history that someone with such potential appeared.
[Comments]
-Just a year after awakening, I’m stunned after seeing this!
└Awakening is somewhat late. If he had awakened earlier, it could have been even more extreme.
└Heard that there’s rumor of talent being too good that it awakened later.
Thus, right after the Tower admission, as time passed even after the schedule was over.
By the morning of the fourth day, the buzz around Lee Ha-yul reached a fever pitch as his next itinerary was revealed.
[Birth Festival Day 4 Schedule][12,229]
(Fourth-day comprehensive schedule – photo)
(Fourth-day street performance schedule – photo)
(Fourth-day official event schedule – photo)
…
(Drag Queen Competition Notice – photo)
(List of cadets participating in the drag queen contest)
▼
51…
52…
53-First-Year Ipchun Class Lee Ha-yul
54…
55…
(Zoom-in on the list of participants)
?
[Comments]
-?
-Wow