The Support Ate it All-Chapter 536: Week 16 Rank Reversal (2)

The things that slowly pushed themselves upright were golems.

Including the one I’d loaned to Kwak Ji-cheol back during that duel.

Back then, it took a clean hit from Wind Force and «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» got blown away—but there was no guarantee the same result would happen now.

‘Because the user is different.’

Back then, Kwak Ji-cheol had been a brand-new freshman.

The Mok Jong-hwa in front of me now was a third-year about to graduate.

The level of buffs, Traits, item effects, and everything else applied to those golems would be on an entirely different tier.

And the control gap would be massive, too.

‘Enough to handle three at once and still cast spells.’

Once we’d roughly gauged the enemy’s capability and tendencies, we held a quick strategy huddle.

First, I exchanged a look with Jeong Jin-myeong.

“You handle the turret role.”

“Works for me.”

It was what he always did, so he accepted without hesitation.

Next, I looked at Song Cheon-hye.

“You’ll be more comfortable in close combat.”

“Right.”

“Then it’s decided. You two attack. I’ll hold the golems.”

Song Cheon-hye lifted her brows like she hadn’t expected that.

“You sure? You can leave it to us?”

“Honestly, anyone can attack.”

All of us had primary magic at B+ rank or higher.

We had enough firepower to land meaningful hits even on a third-year.

Then I flicked my eyes toward the golems.

“But not everyone can stop those.”

“......True.”

Most of Song Cheon-hye and Jeong Jin-myeong’s magic would be offense-focused.

Even if they had defensive or utility options, the ranks would be nowhere near high enough to hold back third-year golems.

Meanwhile, I’d raised Wind Force to A+, and if needed I could even use Amplification—so out of the three of us, I was the best fit.

‘And we have to manage HP.’

After the five-minute time limit, the winner would be decided by comparing each side’s HP.

If we wanted a win by decision, we needed to run the match in a way that minimized damage taken.

Of course, it didn’t end with us getting hit less—we also had to stack more damage on the enemy.

So I said a single line to Song Cheon-hye and Jeong Jin-myeong.

“Treat it like a short decisive fight.”

“Because we don’t have much time.”

“Meaning don’t feel things out. Dump everything from the start.”

Looks like they caught my point immediately.

With the team ready and staring forward, the countdown began.

[3]

[2]

[1]

[Start!]

[Kim Ho 100%]

[Song Cheon-hye 100%]

[Jeong Jin-myeong 100%]

vs

[Mok Jong-hwa 100%]

[Time Remaining 04:59]

Mok Jong-hwa immediately stabbed his staff into the ground.

A low murmur of chanting followed, and the magic circle beneath him bled emerald light.

At the same time, all three golems started advancing.

We moved at once.

While Jeong Jin-myeong floated one, then two mana stars above his head, Song Cheon-hye and I stepped toward the golems.

Me—drawing wind in, compressing it.

Her—wrapping electric current around her entire body.

BZZZT,

The distance between both sides shrank fast.

The moment two golems pulled their arms back to swing—

BOOM!

Compressed air detonated, and their huge bodies staggered.

Song Cheon-hye didn’t miss that opening.

She shot forward, zigzagging through even the third golem, and dropped on Mok Jong-hwa like a bolt of lightning.

KRA-KOOM!

But what Song Cheon-hye smashed into was a wall made of dirt, moss, and vines.

A defensive spell had triggered at the perfect timing.

The next instant, a massive earthen hand thrust out, and the golem she’d slipped past kicked at her—yet she barely dodged and pulled back.

She held a measured distance, keeping her current raised, ready to dive back in at any moment.

BZZZT,

Mok Jong-hwa glanced at Song Cheon-hye, then took in Jeong Jin-myeong and me in sequence.

And then, the moment our eyes met—

[‘Using ‘Amplification’.]

[‘Clear Mirror Calm Water’ grade increases. (C→A)]

[‘Using ‘Octopus Arms’.]

[Target is inflicted with ‘Poisoned (A)’.]

[Target is inflicted with ‘Weathering (A)’....... ]

[Target is inflicted with ‘Frozen (A)’....... ]

[Cooldown 01:39:57]

WHIIIIII—

CRACK,

Parts of Mok Jong-hwa’s body froze over, and a razor wind crawled across him like a snake.

Poison stacked on top of that, and his HP started falling in chunks.

[Mok Jong-hwa 97%]

[Mok Jong-hwa 95%]

[Mok Jong-hwa 92%]

Ten consecutive Clear Mirror Calm Water strikes through Octopus Arms.

Normally I would’ve checked how well he could handle debuffs first—but I’d pulled it out early to throw him off.

And sure enough, Mok Jong-hwa looked genuinely rattled.

“......That level of debuffs. When was it?”

There was no way an answer would come, and it didn’t seem like he expected one either.

What mattered wasn’t the cause. It was putting out the fire.

Mok Jong-hwa angled his staff toward the ground, and earth surged up, wrapping him all the way to his chin.

As if the debuffs were being cleansed layer by layer, the speed of his HP loss slowed.

[Mok Jong-hwa 88%]

[Mok Jong-hwa 86%]

[Mok Jong-hwa 85%]

But we weren’t going to just watch.

Focusing on recovery meant he had less room to invest in offense and defense.

RRRRRRUMBLE—

Song Cheon-hye charged, lightning caked over her body.

When a wall of dirt and moss rose, she slammed into it like she’d been waiting for it.

KRA-KRA-KOOM!

The wall collapsed—and the moment it did, Jeong Jin-myeong swung his staff down.

His mana stars split into hundreds of shard-like fragments and poured down.

[Stardust]

KRAAAAAA—!

The golems tried to return to their master, but I pinned two of them in place with Wind Force.

Only one nearby golem moved as it pleased.

“.......”

Instead of using the golems for defense, Mok Jong-hwa shoved them into his Inventory.

Then he faced the falling star shards in what looked like a defenseless state.

KRAAAAAA—!

[Mok Jong-hwa 85%]

[Mok Jong-hwa 84%]

[Mok Jong-hwa 83%]

For taking a strike that looked like a decisive finisher, his HP barely moved.

The 1% ticks were probably the remaining stacks of Clear Mirror Calm Water.

‘Meaning Stardust didn’t hit.’

“!!”

Song Cheon-hye, peering through the thick dust, flinched.

Mok Jong-hwa’s figure had vanished completely.

BOOM!

The next explosion came from behind Jeong Jin-myeong.

Mok Jong-hwa was pulling a golem back out after retrieving it.

‘So you can use ★Blink★.’

A plan to slip the decisive strike, shake off me and Song Cheon-hye, and close in on Jeong Jin-myeong.

Even among turret-type mages, there was a major gap in ability—and with a golem at his side, Mok Jong-hwa must’ve been confident he could finish it quickly.

“Kgh.”

Song Cheon-hye grit her teeth and kicked off the ground, but the distance was too far—she wouldn’t be able to join in quickly.

And the two golems left behind blocked her path.

After clearing the interference, Mok Jong-hwa drove his staff into the ground.

The floor rippled like waves and surged at Jeong Jin-myeong.

The golem matched the timing and slammed down a thick wooden arm.

KRAANG!

[Jeong Jin-myeong 100%]

[Jeong Jin-myeong 99%]

Jeong Jin-myeong barely dodged, but luck wouldn’t keep saving him forever.

As the golem drew back a fist for another strike—

BOOM!

Compressed air detonated, and it staggered.

I’d cut in at the exact timing.

Jeong Jin-myeong’s expression was equal parts relief and surprise at the unexpected assist.

“You...?”

Mok Jong-hwa picked up the question.

“A first-year can use ★Blink★.”

“That’s how it turned out.”

“......I thought it was my best move. In the end, it was a misplay.”

If I’d been the only one who could use ★Blink★, he could’ve erased Jeong Jin-myeong fast and turned the match into a 2v1.

A win by decision would’ve been almost guaranteed.

But now that I’d followed immediately, he’d exposed himself instead.

Because he’d stepped into the middle of enemy lines as a turret mage.

Jeong Jin-myeong and I both knew it.

We exchanged a quick glance—and moved at once.

WHIIIIII—!

Wind spiraled, gathering into one point, while mana stars floated up.

I shoved aside the golem hovering nearby once again.

BOOM!

Mok Jong-hwa responded calmly.

He raised his staff halfway, pulled out a thumbnail-sized emerald orb from a pouch, and recited an incantation.

The staff and orb shone green, and a wall of mixed earth and vine surged up, forming a small fortress.

He’d doubled the spell’s effect with an item.

The next instant, the gathered, compressed wind detonated.

KRAAAANG—!

Part of the earthen fortress collapsed.

Even with Spiral Explosion’s defense-piercing effect, it didn’t punch all the way through.

Worse—it was already repairing, earth knitting together at high speed.

And then—

“It’s here.”

Song Cheon-hye, who had just joined back in, kicked the earthen wall with lightning wrapped around her body.

BZZZT—KRA-KOOM—!

The hole that had started to patch up tore wide open again—and through that gap, the star shards poured down.

KRA-KRA-KRA-KRA—!

[Mok Jong-hwa 81%]

[Mok Jong-hwa 73%]

When Mok Jong-hwa finally emerged, it was pathetic to the point of tragedy.

He was caked in dirt, covered in shallow cuts.

“......You keep breaking my expectations, this year’s first-years.”

In other words, his judgment had been lacking—so a self-mocking smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

But only for a moment. His face hardened as he took us in.

“I said I wanted a match without regrets. Then I should fight my hardest to the end.”

Mok Jong-hwa pulled out a bead the size of a fist, rammed his staff into the floor, and chanted.

FWAAASH—!

A dazzling emerald light filled the circular arena.

The old-tree golems grew slightly larger, and buds formed on every branch.

[Four Seasons - Spring]

Four Seasons.

It progressed in order—spring, summer, autumn, winter—stacking wood-and-earth buffs as it went.

It peaked in autumn, and in winter it flipped into a debuff instead.

‘So he’s planning to settle it before then.’

At Mok Jong-hwa’s gesture, the golems moved in perfect sync.

One targeted Song Cheon-hye, while two reached for Jeong Jin-myeong.

I took position nearby and cast the Wind Force I’d been holding.

BOOM-BOOM!

But maybe because of the [Four Seasons] buff, they didn’t get shoved back like before—only hesitated for a moment.

Then they moved again, fists coming in.

“.......”

Even so, Jeong Jin-myeong stood his ground in silence and kept casting.

Looks like he trusted me to block enough.

‘Of course I will.’

Even if I couldn’t push them away, I could still deflect them.

With Wind Force, the thick wooden fist barely grazed past me.

At the same time, I sent storm clouds at the golem on the other side.

[Puffy-Puffy]

BOOM!

The golem’s leg, which had been swinging in with terrifying force, bounced right off.

Meanwhile, Song Cheon-hye kept dodging the golem’s limbs while hammering Mok Jong-hwa’s earthen wall without pause.

RRRRUMBLE, KRA-KOOM!

She was trying to force him to spend all his capacity on repairs.

And it worked—Mok Jong-hwa could barely cast anything else.

But that state wouldn’t last.

[Four Seasons - Summer]

The buff had entered its second stage.

The buds on the golems bloomed, and their movements became far more nimble and brutal.

Song Cheon-hye stepped aside to avoid a falling wooden fist.

KRAANG!

[Song Cheon-hye 98%]

[Song Cheon-hye 96%]

Even just the shockwave was enough to deal damage.

“......!”

The ones targeting Jeong Jin-myeong had powered up as well.

They swung their arms wide at the same time.

‘Wind Force won’t cut it for this.’

And Puffy-Puffy was still on cooldown.

So I thrust my staff toward the closer golem.

[Grafting Branches]

The wooden arm that had been filling my vision slammed onto the tip of my staff.

I dragged it 그대로—then hurled it straight into the golem on the opposite side.

KRAANG—!

The two golems tangled together and rolled across the ground.

“......What.”

“......!?”

Mok Jong-hwa, and even Song Cheon-hye and Jeong Jin-myeong, froze for a beat with nothing to say.

Even with buffs stacked on third-year golems, I’d tossed them aside like it was nothing.

I, on the other hand, spoke calmly.

“Let’s end it.”

“......!”

Song Cheon-hye hardened her face again, pulled in lightning until it wrapped her whole body, and smashed the earthen wall.

At the same time, the mana stars filling the sky fell all at once.

KRAAAAAA—!

Sensing danger, Mok Jong-hwa snapped his gaze away.

Not at us or the golems—at the far side of the circular arena.

He was planning to ★Blink★ away again.

‘Not twice.’

That kind of cowardly move is my privilege.

I held out the crow tree and formed the trigger word on my tongue.

“[Caw?]”

Mok Jong-hwa flinched in place and looked around.

“I definitely used—”

KRAAAAAAA—!

The mana shards swallowed him whole.