I Escaped the Exile Story Only To Find It Was a Regret Trope

23 – 4# S-Class Promotion Exam (3)

Since there were five participants in the tournament,

it was inevitable that one would get a bye.

Coincidentally, it was none other than Hyunwoo who advanced by default.

Thinking that luck was barely on his side, Hyunwoo was calmly assessing the current situation.

Although Hyunwoo usually displayed a very arrogant demeanor,

Today, he was trying his best to restrain that attitude.

This was because the S-Class promotion exam was an important event.

Based on the original work, if the first year was the prologue, the S-Class promotion exam could be considered the main story.

In other words, if he didn’t get promoted to S-Class, he wouldn’t even break even.

In the first round, Kangdoo Lim and Narae Yeon were eliminated, and now only three remained, including Baek Yushin and himself.

Since he advanced by default in the beginning, this time he would definitely have to fight.

But no matter who the opponent was, Hyunwoo was confident. He hadn’t been idle for the past year.

Especially after absorbing Baek Yushin’s fortuitous encounter, Hyunwoo had become astonishingly strong, even to himself.

It wasn’t mere arrogance, but confidence based on a cold assessment of his achievements.

Although he wanted to settle things with Baek Yushin, unfortunately, his wish was not granted.

Instead of Baek Yushin, he had to fight a guy named Shim Hojun. Clicking his tongue in disappointment,

Hyunwoo recalled the information he had gathered about Shim Hojun in preparation for the promotion exam.

Shim Hojun.

A genius who ranked among the top ten in the third-year A-Class.

His main weapon was a dagger, and he specialized in ambushing from the shadows, an assassin type.

In other words, as long as he didn’t get caught off guard, it would be a very favorable fight for him.

Coincidentally, while his opponent fought from the shadows, he was the type to dispel darkness.

Perhaps because he knew he had the upper hand in terms of compatibility, Hyunwoo shrugged his shoulders and walked into the arena.

There was no trace of anguish or fear in his steps. It was as if he had already secured victory.

On the other hand, Shim Hojun, who was facing Hyunwoo, was visibly nervous. He sighed and said,

“Of all things, why did it have to be an opponent with such good compatibility?”

With green hair and dark circles under his eyes, he looked like he could collapse at any moment.

Moreover, his arms and legs were so thin, and he was so short that he could be mistaken for a middle school student.

One concerning point was that he was not a character from the original work, so there was no information about him.

But as long as he didn’t let his guard down, he could easily win this fight.

‘I’ll give it my all, but I’ll save my full power for later.’

Although Hyunwoo had already completed his awakening, the people at the academy didn’t know that.

Because Hyunwoo had thoroughly hidden it. The trump card must always be kept in reserve.

Of course, the S-class promotion exam is that important. Originally, it was intended to be used in the S-class promotion exam.

But now, his thoughts have changed. Since Shim Hojun has an advantageous affinity, he would win without using the bloom.

Then, in the finals, he would use the bloom against Baek Yushin. That was Hyunwoo’s strategy.

“Senior, I’ll take the initiative!”

Hyunwoo reached out with a smile. At the same time, a scorching flame began to blaze from his hand.

Like the mouth of a dragon spewing fire, the flames from his hand quickly engulfed the arena.

Seeing this, Shim Hojun frowned. His ability as an awakened one was shadow concealment.

Shadows. In other words, the basic ability to hide in the darkness. The problem was that his opponent was an awakened one of the flame type.

Naturally, the first thing humanity artificially illuminated the darkness with was flames.

As the arena was covered in flames, the places where Shim Hojun could hide disappeared in an instant.

Except for one.

However, not realizing this fact yet, he continued to press Shim Hojun.

Aside from his rough edges, Hyunwoo was certainly one of the strong ones in the academy.

Especially the firepower that came from freely manipulating flames was acknowledged even by Selena.

Controlling the flames with both hands, he created a wall of fire with one hand to prevent close approach.

With the other hand’s flames, he covered the entire arena, slowly tightening the noose around his opponent.

It’s a level of control that’s hard to believe for a second-year student. As expected, he is the brother of the head of the disciplinary committee.

‘Got you!’

Like an anaconda slowly tightening its grip, Hyunwoo’s eyes shone as he clenched his fist tightly.

Then, the flames that had been slowly closing in suddenly engulfed Shim Hojun.

Thanks to the flames surrounding him, Shim Hojun couldn’t break through the encirclement and escape.

In the end, he was completely reduced to ashes by the flames. At least, on the surface.

“Ugh…?!”

At the moment he was certain of his victory, Hyunwoo was shocked by the tremendous impact from his back.

Slowly, he forcibly turned his head, stiffened by pain. Thanks to this, Hyunwoo could see.

Shim Hojun, whom he thought he had completely subdued with flames, had completely caught him from behind.

“How…?!”

“Even if flames surround everything, shadows don’t completely disappear.”

“…No way!!”

It was only then that Hyunwoo understood the current situation. From the beginning, the reason why Shim Hojun kept running away.

At first, he thought it was to find an opportunity to ambush. But that wasn’t it.

He kept moving without rest until the shadow made of flames reached him.

Hyunwoo, who hadn’t grasped that far, was just intoxicated with victory and kept igniting flames.

As a result, he allowed such a counterattack. In immense pain, Hyunwoo barely managed to hold himself up.

‘I can’t end it like this! I need to use blooming quickly…!!’

Desperately holding onto his gradually fading consciousness, Hyunwoo tried to use blooming somehow.

If he could use blooming, if he could just use blooming.

That guy would be nothing more than a snack!

However, Hyunwoo never got to use blooming.

Hojun, seeing Hyunwoo staggering but still holding onto consciousness, finished him off.

“You were too careless, junior.”

Thud!

With that one word.

Hyunwoo lost consciousness.

* * *

Hyunwoo, who had lost consciousness, was carried out of the arena on a stretcher.

That’s the scary part. Those who leave the arena now can’t come back.

That meant they were automatically disqualified from the S-class promotion test.

Yushin, who had been watching their duel from the audience, lit up his eyes. His ability wasn’t much, but.

The opponent was surprisingly very skilled. How much had he honed his skills to become like that?

It wasn’t just that, his movements reminded him of a thief comrade he once fought alongside.

Of course, compared to the thief comrade he fought with, his skills and abilities were still lacking.

[I’ll take care of my share.]

[Let me tell you in advance, my life comes first?]

[I have a reason I must return!!!]

How should I put it? That guy always said one thing and did another.

He always said it was enough to take care of his own share, but surprisingly, he had a lot of affection.

When Yushin was a hero, to be precise. When he was persecuted as an incompetent hero.

The first thief Yushin recruited as a companion. The reason was quite a spectacle.

[Originally, when a fool grows, you can eat more.]

[But you might not get anything at all.]

[You brat, how dare you talk back to an adult?]

At that time, it passed like that, but thinking back now.

Seeing himself being despised and ignored by everyone, he couldn’t just let it go.

In fact, the first one to welcome Yushin back after he was exiled was that very thief.

Recalling memories of that guy after a long time, Yushin slowly stood up.

Because now it was his turn. Different in personality and appearance, but a similar feeling.

‘I felt nostalgic after a long time.’

“Well then, let’s decide right away.”

A student will be chosen to be promoted to Class S through this fight. It will be either Shim Hojun or Baek Yushin.

However, Shim Hojun, who had been staring at Baek Yushin in the arena for a while, sighed and said.

“I forfeit.”

“Suddenly?”

“To be honest, it’s a miracle that I made it this far.”

Hojun continued in a dragging voice. Originally an assassin type, he was weak in direct confrontation.

If it were someone like Hyunwoo who pushes with firepower, he would somehow find a gap and stab.

But it was very difficult against someone like Yushin who fully utilizes his skills. Hojun sighed.

“I’ve fought several times in my head, and every time it ended in my defeat.”

Hojun had analyzed all of Baek Yushin’s movements in the first round, the fight between Im Gangdu and Baek Yushin.

The conclusion he reached was, he couldn’t win. Speed was one thing, but more than anything, the skills were no joke.

So instead, he decided to show all his skills in front of the principal.

That was Hojun’s judgment, and he could easily show everything he had.

Having achieved his initial goal.

There was no reason to bother fighting.

However, if there was one thing Hojun didn’t expect.

‘Forfeit?’

The opponent was a troublemaker.