Climbing the Tower with Multidimensional Avatars - Chapter 78

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 78. Galaxy Martial God Hall – First Ranking Tournament (2)

The year-end class placement exam, also known as the Ranking Tournament, was approaching once again.
As the Vice Principal convened a faculty meeting ahead of the placement exam, Kim Do-hwa took her seat as the Director of Martial Arts Affairs.
At an ordinary school, class placement would have been determined through faculty discussion, considering academic achievement in the curriculum, relationships between students, and personality traits.
But this was a Martial Arts Specialized School.
Martial arts meant combat ability, and unlike academic subjects where performance wasn’t immediately visible during lessons, martial prowess could be compared at a glance.
One could visually see that while you couldn’t lift a certain weight, the student beside you could, or that they could leap distances in a single bound that you couldn’t manage.
For this reason, the school conducted tests in the form of a Ranking Tournament, attempting to group students of similar ability into the same class to encourage competition.
When the skill gap within a single class became too pronounced, students frequently abandoned their efforts toward competition and growth.
One teacher released a deep sigh.
“Sigh, whenever this season arrives, everyone’s nerves become so frayed that managing the students becomes incredibly difficult.”
The sighing teacher was responsible for the sixth grade.
“The sixth grade Ranking Tournament is essentially a battle over which middle school they’ll be assigned to.”
While Elementary School admitted all direct lineage children capable of learning martial arts, middle school divided students into First Middle School and Second Middle School based on their grades—their cultivation level.
Since most students were aware of the clear difference in resources between the two middle schools, the final Ranking Tournament served as both a last opportunity to prove one’s ability and an entrance examination.
Even those assigned to Second Middle School received support incomparable to most other Martial Arts Specialized Schools.
However, compared to First Middle School, it fell somewhat short, so the heightened tension was unavoidable.
“Every year around this time, the middle-tier classes become absolutely cutthroat.”
Those clearly in the upper or lower tiers either accepted their future and focused on self-cultivation, or gave up entirely.
However, students whose cultivation level wavered between First and Second Middle School could neither remain entirely optimistic nor simply surrender.
“Even though we tell them that school placement depends on cultivation level regardless of ranking, they focus only on the ranking battle, honestly.”
“Still, it’s true that even with slightly lower cultivation, if students show decent results in the Ranking Tournament, we do advance them to First Middle School.”
“That’s… true enough.”
From the clan’s perspective, dividing into First and Second Middle School was meant to separate the wheat from the chaff, but it was natural to want to invest in children who showed promise even if they fell slightly short.
After all, direct lineage children were few in number.
“Then, regarding the sixth grade Ranking Tournament preparations…”
More than half of the faculty meeting time was devoted to the sixth grade exam.
It was unavoidable, as it was the most fiercely contested and generated the most incidents.
The meeting topics then progressed sequentially through fifth grade and fourth grade before finally reaching the first grade Ranking Tournament.
“Let me see. Class 1 has seven students confirmed as second-tier? Three students reaching second-tier in just one year—truly impressive, Teacher Kim Do-hwa.”
Upon receiving the praise, Kim Do-hwa shook her head.
“Not at all. The children worked hard; I did nothing particularly noteworthy. Actually, Class 2’s achievements have been more remarkable.”
Class 2 was classified with fifty-six students.
They were divided into A, B, and C subclasses, and roughly half of those who had only formed their dantian had reached third-tier cultivation.
And most notably, one student had even reached second-tier cultivation in just one year.
The teacher of the class that had produced a second-tier student spoke bashfully.
“I’m merely fortunate with the children’s talent; I haven’t done anything particularly special. When they reach second grade, Teacher Kim Do-hwa will teach them well.”
If someone was second-rate at seven years old, they were guaranteed to be in Class 1 by second grade.
Kim Do-hwa had taken on the role of second-grade Class 1 homeroom teacher precisely because of Cheon So-yeon, a true martial prodigy.
After all, excluding the Principal and Vice Principal, she was the strongest and most experienced martial arts instructor in the school.
“I understand. Actually, there’s something I need to mention regarding one student in our class.”
Kim Do-hwa pulled up Cheon Ji-woo’s profile on the display.
“This student mistakenly took a medicinal elixir and currently has his inner energy sealed.”
Some teachers expressed sympathy at the news of the sealed inner energy, while others clicked their tongues disapprovingly.
“Before the sealing, we confirmed he had reached second-rate level, and his physical fitness assessment shows comprehensive fifth-place performance in the class. Since this is the first time a ranking tournament will be held with inner energy sealed, I’d like to hear your opinions.”
Reactions to Kim Do-hwa’s words were sharply divided.
“This child was already second-rate from entrance. Isn’t this level of ability sufficient to enter Class 1?”
Among first-graders, there were only eight students currently at second-rate level, including Cheon Ji-woo.
Even without any growth since entrance, that meant ranking eighth at minimum.
Since the minimum class size was fifteen students, it meant he definitely had the ability to belong to Class 1.
“Well, if training has been neglected, it’s not uncommon for one’s level to decline. It’s been about half a year since his inner energy was sealed—surely his level hasn’t dropped by now? Looking at this profile, he wasn’t even evaluated as having dull talent.”
In childhood, levels of attainment were somewhat fluid.
Just as with swimming or riding a bicycle, some skills learned young become reflexive in adulthood, while others don’t.
Martial arts involving qi control revealed one’s true ability immediately if one lost even slight sensitivity.
“Isn’t this the child parasitizing next to that true martial prodigy? A rotten apple shouldn’t be kept in the same box. Separating him entirely would be better for Cheon So-yeon too….”
Crash!
Kim Do-hwa struck the table forcefully.
“Watch your words. That language is far too harsh.”
As Kim Do-hwa released her aura and pressed down with her presence, the teacher who had spoken out of turn went pale and lowered his head.
“I-I apologize.”
“Going forward, if you ever speak that way about students again, you should be prepared for the consequences. Remember that we are teachers, not evaluators of children.”
“…I will remember that.”
Kim Do-hwa slowly withdrew her aura as she spoke.
“Please share your opinions again, everyone. This is my first time encountering a case where a student’s inner energy was sealed due to health issues, and I’d like to leave meeting minutes that can serve as precedent for similar situations in the future.”
The teachers carefully offered their individual opinions.
The view that his confirmed attainment of second-rate level should be taken into consideration was a minority opinion.
The consensus concluded that Cheon Ji-woo would participate in the ranking tournament as scheduled—considering that maintaining one’s physical condition was a fundamental martial artist’s responsibility, that the possibility of his skill dulling and level declining couldn’t be ruled out, and that fairness issues were at stake.
A proposal was made to exempt him from the ranking tournament entirely and assign him to a lower class if his physical condition was poor, but Kim Do-hwa rejected it, stating that only his inner energy was restricted—he could fight sufficiently without it.
The Vice Principal closed the meeting minutes and spoke.
“Then we’ll conclude today’s meeting here. Sixth-grade homeroom teachers, please be especially careful during the ranking tournament, and don’t hesitate to request assistance from other grade teachers. Teacher Kim Do-hwa, please also pay special attention to student Cheon Ji-woo.”
Kim Do-hwa sighed and stood from her seat.

* * *

Cheon So-yeon’s expression grew serious.
If she made even a small mistake, she might end up in a different class from Cheon Ji-woo.
Despite being born with the Heavenly Martial Body, Cheon Ji-woo was a martial artist far ahead of his peers, yet he showed no concern whatsoever.
He seemed almost indifferent to others, and based on his past-life experiences, he appeared to have transcended life and death itself.
Yet Cheon Ji-woo wasn’t someone who completely disregarded others.
To those close to him, he opened his heart and showed consideration.
When needed, he asked for help and gave it without hesitation.
He was simply someone who walked his own path without caring whether others surpassed him or fell behind.
Rather than a martial artist filled with competitive spirit and pride, he possessed the temperament of a monk engaged in wall-gazing meditation.
In Cheon So-yeon’s view, Cheon Ji-woo would have been far better suited to be born into Shaolin than the Cheon Family Clan.
That’s why Cheon So-yeon found comfort in Cheon Ji-woo.
Her parents loved her, but they couldn’t help but harbor great expectations for Cheon So-yeon, who was born with the Heavenly Martial Body.
Cheon So-yeon harbored no resentment toward her parents.
They worried that their expectations might burden her and tried their best to hide it, and Cheon So-yeon was well aware of this.
She loved her parents and wanted to meet their expectations, but her past-life memories made her hesitant and afraid.
That’s why Cheon Ji-woo was a place of peace and refuge for her.
He regarded the fact that she possessed the Heavenly Martial Body as merely a unique trait and accepted her as she was.
It was an attitude her parents, who were martial artists through and through, could never take. That was the nature of the Heavenly Martial Body.
But if she were to grow distant from this sanctuary, it simply couldn’t happen.
Therefore, Cheon So-yeon desperately hoped to be in the same class as Cheon Ji-woo.
There was no way she could hide her abilities and deliberately lower her ranking alongside Cheon Ji-woo.
It wasn’t a matter of pride as a martial artist.
It was simply that doing so would put Cheon Ji-woo in a difficult position.
If she deliberately concealed her abilities and lowered her grades, the school would view Cheon Ji-woo as an obstacle to her advancement.
So it wasn’t she who had to move down—it was Cheon Ji-woo who had to move up.
To achieve this, Cheon So-yeon used the excuse of a stomachache during afternoon martial arts class and slipped out using concealment techniques.
“As the saying goes, ‘Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated in a hundred battles.’ You must understand your opponent to plan for the future.”
Having slipped out, Cheon So-yeon began to spy on the martial arts training of Class 2 and Class 3.
Kim Do-hwa assessed Cheon Ji-woo’s abilities as mid-to-late second rank, but his true strength was late-stage second rank.
If his body could keep up, he could ascend to first rank at any moment.
Even with his inner energy sealed, his physical abilities ranked fifth in the class.
With seven second-rank martial artists in Class 1, he possessed a complete second-rank body despite being unable to use his inner energy.
Therefore, children who had merely formed their dantian were no match for him.
But facing second-rank opponents would be somewhat difficult.
Including herself, there were seven confirmed second-rank children, excluding Cheon Ji-woo.
If she made a fuss, Class 1 could maintain its full capacity of twenty students.
Then Cheon Ji-woo had to rank within the top thirteen among third-rank martial artists without using his inner energy.
Class 1 had fourteen third-rank students, Class 2 had twenty-seven, and Class 3 had twelve—a total of fifty-three, meaning he had to rank within the top thirteen.
“The ones to watch are Cheon Myeong-tae, Cheon Ji-ho, and Cheon Jo-seo from Class 2-A, and from Class 2-B….”
Cheon So-yeon recorded the aptitude, level, and habits of children who might enter Class 1 next year.
Besides Class 1, there were a total of eleven other formidable competitors, with the most notable being Cheon Jo-seo from Class 2 and Cheon Gu-young from Class 3.
Both had reached the late third-rate realm, and they were the ones who had recorded the highest aptitude evaluations before enrollment.
It seemed certain that Cheon Jo-seo and Cheon Gu-young would advance to Class 1 next year.

* * *

I was receiving training from Siu as usual when Cheon So-yeon whispered something to her, and the two of them murmured back and forth in hushed tones.
I couldn’t hear what they were saying since they used sound transmission, but they kept shaking their heads and then nodding in agreement.
Then, as Cheon So-yeon gazed at me with earnest eyes, Siu let out a light sigh.
“Understood. I’ll do that until the ranking tournament.”
“Really?! Thank you so much!”
Whatever the request was, it seemed Siu had agreed to grant Cheon So-yeon’s wish.
Well, when we’re in different classes next year, Cheon So-yeon should make other friends too.
If she only sticks with me, her social circle will become too narrow.
As I was thinking this, Cheon So-yeon handed me a practice sword with determined eyes.
“From now until right before the ranking tournament, we’re doing real combat training together every day!”
“What?!”
When I looked at Siu, she nodded silently in agreement.
“Building your body is the priority right now, but practical combat training will still be helpful.”
“Ji-woo, you absolutely have to enter Class 1 with me next year!”

(To be continued in the next chapter)

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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