《The Lowest-Ranked Hero Has Returned》 Chapter 1 - The Snowfield (1) [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 1 - The Snowfield (1) I walk through a life that never ends. A snow-covered wastnd. Footsteps stretched out across the pure white expanse, like brushstrokes on a nk canvas. ¡°Haah, haah.¡± Breath rose, almost choking me. I staggered forward, my steps unsteady in the bone-chilling cold that seemed to freeze my lungs. In the distance, beyond the snowstorm, a faintly flickering me was visible. ¡°I found... it.¡± How long had it been since I began wandering in search of the ''Primordial me''? Hundreds of years? Thousands? No, perhaps tens of thousands of years had already passed. It had been so long that counting the years had lost all meaning. As memories of scouring the continent alone, dragging this wretched, undying body along, shed through my mind. ¡°Haah.¡± I first realized I couldn¡¯t die during a practical training exercise in my third year as a hero cadet. A wild beast had suddenly lunged out from the underbrush and mped its jaws around my neck. My severed head rolled across the ground. I thought, ¡®What a cursed life,¡¯ and closed my eyes. But then... ¡®Why am I alive again?¡¯ Yes. I was alive. I didn¡¯t die. My severed head was back on my shoulders, and my body, torn apart by the beast¡¯s ws, had returned to its original, unscathed state as if nothing had happened. That was when I first understood. Ah. From now on, I wouldn¡¯t even be able to die on my own terms. ¡®Well, considering how things turned out, I wasn¡¯t wrong.¡¯ 472nd out of 472. I graduated at the bottom of my ss at the hero academy and became a lowly mercenary, fighting on the frontlines. When monsters and demons rampaged across the continent, turning it into a wastnd. When war broke out between the heroes of the Empire and those of the Republic. When the ¡®Witch of the Night¡¯ turned half the continent into a frozen wastnd. When I became one of the ¡®Final Five Heroes,¡¯ humanity¡¯sst hope. When I fought the final battle against the Demon God with myrades. When all humanity perished because of the curse the Demon God scattered upon his suicide. I survived. Only I survived. Clinging desperately to this wretched life. Struggling. Scraping by. I survived. ¡°But¡­ it ends now.¡± I trudged through the snowstorm toward the flickering me. The Primordial me. The fire that was said to have shaped the world in ancient times and burned the ¡®Tree of Creation¡¯ that birthed the seven gods. How long had I wandered the continent in search of this mythical relic, not even sure if it truly existed? Then, as I took one step closer to the flickering me... Rumble! The ground shook as something enormous burst through the thickyer of snow. A golem, crafted with intricate mechanical parts. It was an ancient guardian, one of the many I had encountered over the years while chasing remnants of myths across the continent. Whoosh! Crunch! The golem¡¯s arm swung and struck me. My head was crushed, and my body was pulverized. My limbs twisted at unnatural angles, and my innards spilled out, staining the white snow with crimson. Instant death, without a shred of hope. No matter how much of a ''hero'' one was, blessed with superhuman strength by the seven gods, such a grievous wound meant certain death. ¡°Hoo.¡± The shattered and crushed pieces of my body turned to gray ash and scattered over the white snowfield. The holy mark (stigmata) on my left chest glowed. From that point, my crushed body returned to its original form. In the blink of an eye, I was ¡®revived,¡¯ and with a familiar motion, I drew my sword from my waist. With a single stroke, I cut through the raging snowstorm. There was no blinding aura, no earth-shattering roar. Like flowing water, the de slid between the gaps in the golem¡¯s armor and sliced its core in two. Rumble! The ancient guardian, which had protected the sanctuary for countless years, copsed with surprising ease. -p p p! As the golem fell, I heard the sound of apuse. I turned my head toward the direction of the sound. ¡°That was an impressive strike.¡± ¡°¡­Yuren.¡± A young man with radiant golden hair, shining like the sun. His slender figure and androgynous features made it hard to tell whether he was male or female, and he approached me with a faint smile. ¡°You used to struggle so much just to swing a sword.¡± ¡°I learned a lot from you.¡± I chuckled softly and continued. ¡°Maybe now, I¡¯vee closer to mastering the ¡®ultimate¡¯ Sun de than you?¡± ¡°Oh, what¡¯s this? You want to have a go?¡± ¡°Anytime.¡± As I shrugged and teased Yuren... ¡°Hahahah! Bringing down that massive golem with one blow! As expected of you, my brother!¡± A loud, heartyugh echoed as a burly man in a tattered robe approached. He grinned broadly, pping me on the shoulder with a hand asrge as a cauldron lid. ¡°You¡¯ve been using the sword a lottely, but I trust you haven¡¯t forgotten the martial arts I taught you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Berald. I remember everything.¡± How could I forget? The martial arts you patiently taught me without a single harsh word, despite mypleteck of physical coordination. ¡°Hmph. For someone who remembers, you sure don¡¯t use the magic I taught you.¡± Following Berald was a small woman with arge staff. Her wide-brimmed pointed hat and fiery red hair were striking. ¡°Sorry, Senior Sophia. I¡¯m just not...¡± ¡°I know. Your pitiful mana can¡¯t cast proper spells. I was just teasing.¡± ¡°Still, I¡¯ve done a lot of theoretical research. I even solved two of the ¡®Three Great Mysteries of the Archmage¡¯ you used to talk about, except for one.¡± ¡°Oh, please. Do you think magic is all about theory?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± She once said that perfect theory was the essence of magic. I swallowed the words that almost escaped my lips and smiled. Yuren, Berald, and Sophia. As I nced at the faces of therades I had shared countless battlefields with... ¡°...Is your body holding up okay?¡± A voice, warm enough to melt the frozen wastnd, tickled my ears. ¡°Iris.¡± A woman with soft pink hair dressed in a white priestess robe. Even though her eyes were covered by a ck blindfold, her exposed nose, lips, and jawline exuded a breathtaking beauty. With a worried expression, Iris approached and gently ced her hand on the holy mark on my left chest. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t push your body like that.¡± ¡°I¡¯lle back to life soon enough, even if I die.¡± ¡°But you still feel the pain all the same!¡± As always. Iris scolded me with a sorrowful voice. Instead of answering, I gently pulled her close by the waist and kissed her. ¡°Really! You always just brush things off like this!¡± Iris, her cheeks flushed like a peach, scolded me with a huff. With a faint smile, I turned away from her and took another step toward the distant me. ¡°¡­That¡¯s the Primordial me, right?¡± Yuren asked, standing beside me. I gave a slight nod. ¡°We finally found it.¡± ¡°It took a long time.¡± A painfully long time. ¡°Come on! We¡¯re almost there, brother!¡± ¡°What are you waiting for? Get moving!¡± At myrades¡¯ urging, I quickened my pace. After walking for a few more minutes... Fwoosh. In the endless expanse of the snowfield. We stood before the brilliantly burning me. ¡°¡­It¡¯s smaller than I imagined.¡± A small me, barely the size of a fist. But the immeasurable power emanating from it was more than enough to confirm that this was indeed the mythical relic. ¡°Isn¡¯t it amazing? That a me this small contains the power to burn away a holy mark.¡± There was no response. ¡°What do you think will happen when the holy mark is burned away?¡± There was no response. ¡°When that happens, I probably won¡¯te back to life, right?¡± There was no response. ¡°Why is everyone suddenly so...¡± When I turned to where myrades had been standing, all I saw was an empty snowfield. The howling snowstorm. The silence that fell like a curtain. White. A world of pure white. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yes. I knew. I had known all along, but I had forced myself to ignore it. There was no one left in this world to listen to me. ¡°Hah.¡± I let out a dryugh and sat down on a nearby rock, unloading the bundle from my back. A time so long it couldn¡¯t even be counted anymore. In that endless time, during which even my soul had worn thin, I had kept my most precious treasures with me. ¡°Yuren.¡± I drove a worn-out sword into the ground. ¡°You were the greatest hero and swordsman I ever knew.¡± Because of the courage I learned from you. I¡¯m here. ¡°Berald.¡± This time, Iid down a tattered robe. ¡°At first, I thought you were crazy,ing from the magic department but always throwing punches instead of spells. But your theory was right. To reach the pinnacle of martial arts, one must also master magic.¡± Because of the perseverance I learned from you. I¡¯m here. ¡°Senior Sophia.¡± I ced a broken staff on the ground. ¡°Sorry I couldn¡¯t make better use of the magic you worked so hard to teach me.¡± Because of the wisdom I learned from you. I¡¯m here. ¡°And...¡± Thest item left in the bundle. My hand, gripping a ck blindfold, trembled. ¡°Iris.¡± It will never fade away. The memory of those soft lips. The warmth of that tender touch. ¡°Thank you for loving someone like me.¡± Because of the love I learned from you. I¡¯m here. ¡°Hah.¡± I exhaled softly. I grasped the brilliantly burning me with both hands. Slowly, I lifted the me toward the holy mark engraved on my left chest. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I remembered. The ones who had been my only family in a world where I didn¡¯t even know the faces of my parents. The bravestrade. The most steadfast brother. The wisest mentor. And. The kindest lover. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± The emotions that had weighed down my heart. They poured out like a flood. ¡°Ah, ugh.¡± There were so many things I wanted to say. But I couldn¡¯t say a single word. In the snowfield, where no one was left to listen. Only the beast-like wails of my grief were scattered by the swirling snowkes. -Fwoosh! The brilliantly burning me seared the holy mark and seeped into my body. And then. ILL_1 ILL_2 * * * ¡°Dale! Dale Han!¡± A fierce shout rang in my ears. ¡®What?¡¯ Who¡¯s calling my name? ¡°How dare you sleep during my ss? You¡¯ve got some nerve, don¡¯t you?¡± Whoosh! I saw a massive hand, as big as a cauldron lid, slicing through the air. Before my mind could even process it. My body moved on its own. -Snap! I caught the swinging wrist, yanked it toward me, and at the same time, I drove my clenched fist into his sr plexus. As soon as my fist touched his sr plexus, I unleashed the energy within it in an explosive burst. The martial art Berald had taught me flowed out as naturally as water. Boom! Crack! Crunch! With a thunderous crash, the unidentified man flew across the room, smashing through the teacher¡¯s desk before crumpling to the ground. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± And then, silence. I frowned as I looked around at the students who were staring at me, their mouths hanging open in shock. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Where the hell am I now? [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 2 - A Reason to Live (1) [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 2 - A Reason to Live (1) "You¡¯re suspended for a week." "......" "What, got a problem with that?" The middle-aged man, whose wild appearance reminded one of a lion, asked in a low, gruff voice. Lucas Cain. The professor in charge of the third-year warrior department during my days as a hero cadet. He was a renowned hero once known as the ''Bloodthirsty Hound,'' famed for ying hundreds of demons. And today. He was also the man I had knocked out with a punch to the sr plexus as soon as I woke up. "Disrupting ss and assaulting a professor... You should be d you''re only getting suspended." "...Yes." I nodded with a dazed expression as I faced Professor Lucas, who was ring at me with fierce eyes. "Now go back to your dorm and start writing your reflection. I need to finish the rest of... Ugh." Professor Lucas tried to rise from his chair, but his face twisted in pain as he clutched his chest. "Are you okay?" "Mind your own damn business." At Professor Lucas¡¯s harsh retort, I turned and left the office. On my way back to the dormitory. I walked slowly toward my room, passing through the hallway that was usually bustling with students. In the midst of the confusion, I suppose I could consider myself fortunate. Even after all those countless years, the dorm room number where I had lived for four years in the past still lingered in my memory. [Hero cadet ¡®Dale Han.¡¯ Identity confirmed.] Bzzz, click. The door opened with a familiar mechanical sound as I brought the wristwatch close to the tightly shut door. A small bed, a desk, and an old shelf with a few cheap bottles of wine sitting on it. "It¡¯s the same room I used back then." Although my memories of my days as a hero cadet had faded after so much time, I still remembered the appearance of the dorm room where I had lived from the age of 18 to 21. I stepped into the cold, silent room and sat down on the worn bed. "What the hell happened?" After I absorbed the ''Primordial me'' into my body. I thought I could finally put an end to that unbearably long life and closed my eyes. "But now I¡¯m back?" As far as I knew, the Primordial me didn¡¯t have the power to turn back time. After all, the reason I had wandered the continent for hundreds, thousands of years in search of the Primordial me was because there were records stating that it could burn away the blessing of the seven gods... the ''stigma.'' "Wait, does that mean..." I hastily unbuttoned my shirt and looked down at my left chest. The stigma engraved on my left chest. The mark granted by one of the seven gods, the ¡®God of the Forest,¡¯ remained intact, unchanged. "Ah." A chill ran down my spine. I had wandered the continent for so long, seeking the Primordial me with the sole hope of death. And it had all been for nothing? ¡®No, it¡¯s too early to jump to conclusions.¡¯ Strictly speaking, the reason I became a body that couldn¡¯t even take its own life wasn¡¯t because of the stigma granted by the God of the Forest, but because of the ¡®blessing of revival¡¯ contained within that stigma. Every hero possessed a stigma, but only a few heroes had a blessing, which was an even rarer power. ¡®Even if the stigma remains, the blessing might have disappeared.¡¯ Testing it was simple enough. Srrng. I drew the sword lying in the corner of the room and brought it to my neck. Scratching or cutting the skin with a sword wouldn¡¯t be enough to confirm whether the blessing had vanished. Unless it was a fatal wound that could lead to death, the blessing of revival wouldn¡¯t activate. That left me with only one option. Swish. I gripped the sword hilt firmly and shed my neck without hesitation. As the cold de cut into my neck, my head fell to the ground with a thud. Blood spurted out like a fountain, soaking the bed sheets in red. And then. Woooong. A blue light emanated from the stigma on my left chest, and the darkened vision returned to normal. My head, which had rolled across the floor, and the blood-soaked bed sheets returned to their original, untouched state as if nothing had happened. "Heh." A faint chuckle escaped my lips. Nothing had changed. The stigma engraved on my left chest, and the blessing of revival contained within it, were still intact. The end of that unbearably long life hadn¡¯t been a period but a repeat sign. ¡®So, what happened to the Primordial me?¡¯ As I wondered if the Primordial me had disappeared with the return, the thought crossed my mind. "Ugh!" Sssssss! A sharp pain, like being seared with a hot iron, shot through my left chest. When I looked down, I saw a faint me flickering around the stigma on my chest, like a candle me. ¡®What is this now?¡¯ This phenomenon was something I had never experienced in the thousands, tens of thousands of deaths I had endured before. The reason this had suddenly appeared now, when it had never happened before. The answer to that question wasn¡¯t hard to figure out. ¡®Does this mean the Primordial me hasn¡¯t disappeared?¡¯ Although the me was pitifully smallpared to when I first absorbed the Primordial me. At least it seemed the Primordial me itself hadn¡¯t vanished with the return. ¡®Though it doesn¡¯t change the fact that the blessing of revival hasn¡¯t disappeared.¡¯ I clutched my throbbing head and copsed onto the bed. My mind was a tangled mess of thoughts. "A return... huh." I ced my hand on the watch on my left wrist and lightly channeled mana into it. Bzzz. A beam of light shot out from the watch, and a translucent hologram window appeared. [Cadet Information] Name: Dale Han Origin: Republic Grade: 3rd Year Department: Warrior Cadet Overall Evaluation Ranking: 472nd / 472 "It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen this." A bitterugh escaped me as I looked at the overall evaluation ranking at the bottom of the cadet information window. The perpetualst-ce cadet. The worst dunce in the history of the hero academy. ording to Professor Lucas, the undisputed number one cadet for ¡®someone who should never be a hero even after graduation.¡¯ "Whoo." The memory of my time as a cadet left a bitter taste in my mouth. ¡®So exactly when did I return to?¡¯ I closed the hologram window and checked the date on the wristwatch; it was early March, just as the semester had begun. ¡®Then the ss I was in earlier... it must have been Practical Combat Training.¡¯ Practical Combat Training. It was a mandatory ss for all third-year students, regardless of their department, designed to prepare them for ''real'' battles against monsters. ¡®I first manifested the blessing of revival during the midterm evaluation of this ss.¡¯ As I flipped through the dusty album of memories. "...Huh?" Like a bolt of lightning. A memory I had forgotten struck me. "Wait a minute... If it¡¯s the first semester of the third year, during Practical Combat Training, then...¡± Thump thump. My heartbeat echoed in my head as if it were about to burst. Before I could finish my thought, my body moved on its own. Bang! I kicked open the dormitory door with enough force to break it. I squeezed out the little mana I had left to reinforce my body. I ran. It didn¡¯t matter if my legs tore apart. It didn¡¯t matter if my lungs burst. Right now. Nothing mattered more than... Thud, m! I violently threw open the door to the ssroom I had just been kicked out of. ¡°What the...?" "Dale?" The sharp stares of the cadets pierced into me. Ignoring them, I moved forward. To the back of the ssroom. To the seat by the window where the spring breeze gently blew in. "Hmm?" She was there. ¡°Ir¡­ is.¡± There she was, sitting by the window, but something about her seemed unfamiliar. It didn¡¯t take long to figure out the cause of that ¡®unfamiliarity.¡¯ It was the pair of beautiful blue eyes that seemed like they could draw you in, eyes that she no longer had in my memory. "Uh... Are you talking to me?" She looked at me with a bewildered expression, as if she couldn¡¯t fathom why I would suddenly call her name. It was a natural reaction. At this time, she and I weren¡¯t lovers, not even close enough to have had a proper conversation. We wereplete strangers. In fact, when I reunited with Iris ten years after graduation, she didn¡¯t even remember that we had spent an entire year in the same sses during our time as cadets. Well. Why would she have remembered a fool like me who had held thest rank in every ss from the moment we entered until graduation, especially when she had been expected to be a hero representing the Holy Kingdom as the ¡®Saint¡¯? Until now. "......" Without a word, I walked toward her seat. "What are you nning to do to the Saint, you scum!" A female student with navy blue hair tied in a ponytail shot up from her seat. Cami Vedice. A cadet who had been directly dispatched from the Holy Kingdom to guard the Saint during her time as a cadet, and was also being considered as a cadet for the next ''Sword of the Holy Kingdom.'' "Step aside!" She shouted fiercely, trying to draw the sword at her waist. Before she could even unsheathe her sword, I reached out to her. My fingertips touched the wrist holding the sword hilt. "Move." Berald¡¯s Martial Arts. Heavenly Flip. ¡°What the...!¡± Boom! Cami¡¯s body flipped upside down and rolled across the floor. The ssroom filled with screams and shouts. Ignoring all the noise. I stood before her. ¡°...Ah.¡± I remember. I recall. The warmth that grew cold as I held her in my arms. The trembling hand that stroked my cheek, whispering that everything was going to be alright. The smile she forced, just tofort me as I cried. ¡°Ah, ugh.¡± A sob, like a boiling kettle, escaped from between my lips. My heart felt like it was burning, as if the searing pain of the raging emotions had pierced through it. What should I say? What words should I offer? I knew. That she didn¡¯t remember me as I was now. That all the time we had spent together existed only in my memories. But. Even so. The words I had whispered countless times as I walked alone through the snow-covered wastnd filled my throat. There were so many things I wanted to say. But only one thing I needed to say. "I¡¯m d..." That you¡¯re alive. "I¡¯m really... d." In a life where I had only chased after death. I now had a reason to live. *** "Your suspension has been extended to a month." "No." "What do you mean no, you crazy bastard! You barged into the ssroom while on suspension, assaulted a cadet... and the Saint, of all people, and now you say no? Are you out of your mind!" "Assault? That¡¯s a misunderstanding. I didn¡¯ty a finger on the Saint." "What about Cadet Cami then? Go ahead, tell me you didn¡¯ty a finger on her either!" ¡°Cami herself said it, didn¡¯t she? That she tripped and fell by ident." "That¡¯s because she couldn¡¯t admit she couldn¡¯t even draw her sword against you!" "Oh,e on, Professor. How could I possibly prevent Cami Vedice, a cadet for the ''Sword of the Holy Kingdom,'' from drawing her sword?" "Hah. Do you think you can fool me with that pathetic act?" Professor Lucas red at me with sharp eyes, like the hound he was known to be, and continued. "Who the hell are you... really?" "You already know." I shrugged my shoulders and spoke with a calm expression. "I¡¯m Dale. Ranked 472nd out of 472. Lowest-ranked hero cadet, Dale Han." [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 3 - A Reason to Live (2) [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 3 - A Reason to Live (2) Reynald Hero Academy. Five Great Heroes who sealed the Demon God five centuries ago. Among them, Reynald Helios, the party leader and a legendary swordsman, established the academy. Blessed by the Seven Gods, it gathered 18-year-old youths who had awakened the "Stigmata" through four years of education to mold them into genuine heroes. Heroes are individuals so crucial that each one can influence the national strength of a country. Currently, the Empire, the Holy Kingdom, and the Republic, the three powers dividing the continent, admitted anyone who had awakened the Stigmata into the academy without question to secure even one more superior hero. As a result, problems naturally arose. Forcing youths from different nations, statuses, and backgrounds into the narrow confines of the academy led to endless conflicts among them. Eventually, after consultations with various heroes and the three nations, Reynald Hero Academy was dered aplete "neutral zone." In other words, ¡°So, within the academy grounds, no discrimination based on nationality or status is allowed.¡± ¡°¡­So?¡± ¡°Even if Iris is the Holy Kingdom¡¯s Saint, she¡¯s merely a cadet here.¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°A month is too long. Let¡¯s reduce it to about four days.¡± ¡°Hey, you¡­!¡± Professor Lucas, who had been quietly listening, grabbed the back of his neck. ¡°You were originally suspended for a week!¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°But causing an ident during suspension and then asking to reduce it to four days?¡± ¡°When negotiating, you should call strongly, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a crazy person who would cause an ident and then ask to shorten their suspension! And what? Negotiation? Do you think you¡¯re in a position to negotiate with me?¡± Professor Lucas red at me with an expression of disbelief. I smirked slightly and nodded quietly. ¡°Professor Bianca¡¯s birthday ising up, right?¡± Professor Bianca, in charge of the Magic Department. She was rumored to have a bad rtionship with Professor Lucas. ¡°¡­Why are you suddenly talking about Professor Bianca¡¯s birthday?¡± But I knew. I knew that the beast-like Professor Lucas secretly had a crush on Professor Bianca. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know what Professor Bianca would like as a birthday gift?¡± ¡°Hah. Why should I care about that?¡± ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s a pity. If you give her that as a birthday present, she might see even someone she was on bad terms with a little differently.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I saw Professor Lucas¡¯s eyes trembling faintly. Thud. I pushed the chair back and stood up from my seat. ¡°Well¡­ but since you don¡¯t seem particrly interested, I guess there¡¯s nothing I can do. I havemitted a sin, so I will quietly ept my punishment.¡± I bowed my head politely and turned my body to walk out of the professor¡¯s office. ¡°¡­Wait a minute.¡± Professor Lucas¡¯s voice echoed. I turned my body with a faint smile. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°¡°I¡¯ll reduce the suspension period, but there¡¯s a condition.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s something Professor Bianca would like¡­.¡± ¡°No, something else.¡± Professor Lucas continued speaking with sharp eyes as if he could see right through me. ¡°You must participate in tomorrow¡¯s Warrior Department sparring ss and win. That¡¯s the condition.¡± ¡°Hmm. Who will be my sparring partner?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that.¡± A sudden and unexpected sparring proposal. It wasn¡¯t hard to guess why Professor Lucas made such a proposal. ¡®No matter how you think about it, it must not have made sense to him.¡¯ It was a sudden attack, but he, who was known as the "bloodthirsty hound," had been knocked away in disgrace by a fist from a cadet who had just awakened. Cami Vedice, who was ranked high among the cadets and even considered for the next "Sword of the Holy Kingdom," was subdued without even being able to draw her sword. Even though I was an ordinary cadet, a cadet rankedst in the overall rankings managed to do something unbelievable, so it was understandable that Professor Lucas wanted to see it for himself. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re confident, aren¡¯t you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a sparring match, so there¡¯s nothing to worry about, right?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Professor Lucas sighed deeply, crossed his arms, and swallowed his low hum. Maybe he was thinking, ¡°How did this guy change so much in just one day?¡± If that were the case, unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t answer him. I didn¡¯t even know why I had returned. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be going now.¡± ¡°Wait a minute.¡± ¡°Do you have something more to say?¡± ¡°Ahem! Ahem!¡± When I turned my head to look at Professor Lucas, he was coughing unnecessarily and carefully opened his mouth. ¡°So, what exactly is the thing that Professor Bianca would like?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± As expected. Despite his appearance, he was truly a romantic at heart. * * * The next day. I woke up in the morning andy on the bed, staring nkly at the ceiling for a while. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like it was just a fleeting nightmare before death.¡± Had the time I wandered the continent alone chasing the Primordial me been too long? I still couldn¡¯t quite grasp that I had returned. ¡°Phew.¡± I got out of bed, lightly washed my face, and looked into the damp mirror. My hair, dark gray like ash, and green eyes. It was my face as I hadn¡¯t seen it for a long time. ¡®My face hasn¡¯t changed.¡¯ After awakening the Blessing of Revival, I stopped aging naturally, so it was understandable. Staring nkly into the mirror, I quickly changed into my cadet uniform and headed to ss. The uniform clinging tightly to my body still felt somewhat awkward. It was as if I had been given a new life. * * * ¡°Hah, so you really want me to spar with that guy?¡± A cadet with wavy light blonde hair and a slender appearance frowned unpleasantly. Felix O''Dorman. He was in the same Warrior Department as me and ranked within the top 100 among third-year cadets. ¡°Do you have a problem?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not that¡­.¡± Felix, who had been frowning the entire time, straightened up with just a nce from Professor Lucas. ¡°Haa. Understood.¡± Felix let out a deep sigh and picked up a wooden training sword. ¡°Hey, you bastard. Hurry up and draw your sword to finish this quickly.¡± Felix red at me with irritated eyes. He had attended a different ss, so he might not have seen me defeat Professor Lucas or subdue Cami during yesterday¡¯s "Practical Combat Training." Still, since it had be quite a topic, he might have heard about what happened yesterday, but he didn¡¯t seem particrly wary of me. Well. Even if he heard that thest-ce cadet who couldn¡¯t even draw his sword was knocked out by me or that I subdued the next Sword of the Holy Kingdom with one hand, would he easily believe it? ¡°Hey, did you hear what that guy Dale did yesterday?¡± ¡°Oh, that? Isn¡¯t that just a rumor?¡± ¡°No! I saw it myself!¡± Cadets gathered around, curious expressions lighting up their eyes as they heard about my sparring with Felix. ¡®I feel like I¡¯ve be a zoo animal.¡¯ I nced around at the gathered cadets and swallowed a bitter smile. In my past life, during my four years as a cadet, I never received such warm attention. ¡®Well, I did attract some attention back then.¡¯ Not the kind of warm attention like now, but cold as ice. ¡°Huff.¡± I exhaled deeply and gripped the wooden training sword. The feel of the sparring wooden sword after thousands of years felt surprisingly good. It was like holding a childhood toy I hadn¡¯t touched in a long time. ¡°During the spar, the use of magic will be prohibited.¡± ¡°Hah, do you think I can¡¯t win without magic?¡± Felix forced a mocking smile, filled with arrogance. Magic. Also called the Breath of the Gods, it was a power that only heroes who had awakened the Stigmata could wield. ¡°Fortunately, you have no magic to be prohibited, right?¡± Felix shot me a mocking nce filled with ridicule and chuckled, shaking his shoulders. As he said, The magic I possessed was less than 10 percent of the average cadet¡¯s magic. ¡®Having low magic has always been my chronic problem.¡¯ I had even been nicknamed "Rabbit Han" because my magic depleted as quickly as a rabbit mating when I was working as a mercenary. Recalling all the humiliations and hardships I endured because of my insufficient magic, I swallowed a bitter smile. ¡®Now, what should I do?¡¯ I tapped the floor lightly with the end of my wooden training sword, lost in thought. Yesterday, I had acted recklessly without thinking, but now it was different. I had a reason to live. ¡®Then I need to decide how to live now.¡¯ Listening to the tapping sound of the wooden sword on the floor, I was lost in thought. ¡°Hey,e at me.¡± All my life. I had lived chasing behind others. I had walked with my back to them. ¡°Come at me, didn¡¯t you hear me, you bastard?¡± Dale Han, the lowest-ranked hero. Abel that had always followed me. Even after enduring a long mercenary life and honing my skills, when I was chosen as one of the "Final Five Heroes," thest hope of humanity, it remained the same. ¡°Hah, man. Look at this bastard. Are you scared? Huh? Are you scared?¡± I had always been busy chasing after others. Chasing the paths they walked. Following their footsteps. I was just panting, running to catch up. ¡°If you don¡¯te, I¡¯lle to you myself, you bastard.¡± And at the end of that path, in the cold snowy wilderness where no one else remained, I cried out loudly. ¡°Go to hell, you bastard!!!¡± Never having led someone. Never having reached out a hand to someone. That¡¯s how I, ¡°Dale Han,¡± had lived my life. Thud. I lightly dodged Felix¡¯s fiercely swinging sword. My stepping foot was the right foot. Pivoting on it, I spun my body and swung the wooden training sword from below to above. Sun Sword. Kwaang! With a deafening sound that was hard to believe I swung the wooden training sword, Felix¡¯s body was violently knocked back and rolled across the floor. ¡°Gulp, hack, uweeeek!¡± Felix, who was tumbling on the floor, grabbed his stomach where he was hit squarely and vomited. I tapped the floor with the end of my extended wooden sword and spoke. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You said you¡¯de to me first, didn¡¯t you? Noting?¡± There¡¯s nothing I can do. ¡°Then I¡¯lle to you.¡± From now on. I won¡¯t live like that anymore. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 4 - A Reason to Live (3) [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 4 - A Reason to Live (3) Silence fell over the training hall. Professor Lucas, who had proposed the sparring match, and the cadets who had gathered in droves to watch something interesting, all stared in shock at Felix, who was vomiting on the floor of the training hall. Felix O''Dorman. A noble from an Imperial Viscount family, he had awakened the ¡°God of Sea¡¯s¡± Stigmata, a legacy passed down through his family for generations. His personality was insufferably arrogant, and he had little regard for manners, making him unpopr even within the school. But there was one thing everyone acknowledged about him. ¡°Felix lost in swordsmanship?¡± ¡°And... he waspletely outssed?¡± That one thing was his pure swordsmanship, unaided by magic. In ¡°non-magic duels,¡± where magic usage was restricted, Felix ranked within the top 50¡ªno, even the top 30 among the cadets. And yet, Felix had lost. Not just lost, but waspletely outmatched, unable even tond a single proper blow. ¡®What was that swordsmanship just now¡­?¡¯ Professor Lucas¡¯s expression was one of confusion as he recalled the swordsmanship Dale had disyed. As someone nicknamed the "Hound" for his keen observational skills, he could tell. The swordsmanship Dale had just used was unmistakably¡­ ¡®The Sun de?¡¯ The Sun de. The Empire¡¯s strongest¡ªno, the continent¡¯s strongest swordsmanship, created by the legendary hero Reynald Helios, who sealed the Demon God 500 years ago. How could Dale, who wasn¡¯t even from the Helios family, or even the Empire, use it? ¡®No, it¡¯s different.¡¯ As Lucas calmly continued his thoughts, he shook his head. ¡®The basic form looks simr, but it¡¯s not the Sun de I know.¡¯ He could be sure of this because he had recently seen Yuren Helios, the eldest son of the Helios Duke family and the renowned heir of the Sun de, wield the sword himself. The swordsmanship Dale had disyed seemed simr to the Sun de at first nce, but it was definitely different. It was as if someone had meticulously broken down the Sun de and modified it to suit themselves. If it weren¡¯t for his own keen observation, someone else might not have even recognized the simrities between Dale¡¯s swordsmanship and the Sun de. ¡®Even if we assume the resemnce to the Sun de is coincidental... the fact that Dale is capable of swordsmanship at this level is iprehensible.¡¯ There was a reason Dale had consistently rankedst in the overall evaluations for three years since his admission. It wasn¡¯t just because he had significantly less magic than the other cadets, but also because he was such a hopeless klutz that the word "hopeless" seemed too mild. Yet somehow. In just one day, it was as if he had be apletely different person, disying an astonishing level of swordsmanship. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You said you¡¯de to me first, didn¡¯t you? Noting?¡± Before Lucas could dwell further on his confusion, a low voice broke the silence. Tap, tap. Dale tapped the floor with the tip of his wooden sword and took a step forward. ¡°Then I¡¯lle to you.¡± ¡°Damn it¡­.¡± Felix, who had been lying on the floor of the training hall, vomiting, struggled to his feet. ¡°You¡­ you bastard!¡± His face twisted in rage, Felix charged at Dale with a vicious snarl. Once again, they shed. -Thud! ¡°Ugh!¡± And once again, Felix¡¯s sword failed to even touch Dale¡¯s clothes. Felix was sent flying backward and copsed on the ground, his eyes trembling with disbelief. The first time, he could me it on being caught off guard, but this time was different. ¡°How is this possible¡­?¡± The rumors he had heard in passing yesterday suddenly came to mind. The rumor that Dale had knocked out Professor Lucas. The rumor that he had subdued Cami Vedice with one hand. Rumors so outrageous that Felix hadn¡¯t even bothered to pay attention to them. ¡®So those rumors were true?¡¯ Felix shook his head in disbelief, frowning deeply. ¡®No, that¡¯s impossible.¡¯ Even though he had just been knocked down without being able to swing his sword properly, the deep-seated prejudice Felix had built up over the past few years made him deny the reality before him. ¡°¡­Dale Han.¡± Gritting his teeth, Felix gripped his wooden sword so tightly it seemed it might break. ¡°Let¡¯s see how long you can keep this arrogance.¡± The Stigmata on Felix¡¯s left chest began to glow, surrounding his body in a soft blue light. Magic. The divine breath, a power that only those who had awakened the Stigmata could wield, spread throughout his body. ¡°Haaap!¡± Whoosh! Felix swung his sword with an explosive speed that couldn¡¯t bepared to before. ¡°Felix O¡¯Dorman!¡± Professor Lucas, who had been watching the duel, quickly stood up, but it was toote to stop the sword that had already been swung. ¡°Let¡¯s see you block this!¡± As Felix¡¯s fierce shout rang out, Dale calmly watched the wooden sword enveloped in the blue aura. A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips. ¡®Come to think of it, Yuren once said¡­¡¯ He had told me that if I reached the pinnacle of the Sun de, I¡¯d be able to cut through the sky without using magic. ¡®Well, I¡¯m not at the level where I can cut through the sky yet.¡¯ But at least, I might be able to cut through this training sword made of oak. ¡°Ssss.¡± Taking a deep breath, I pulled the sword back toward my shoulder. I slightly lowered my body and focused all my weight on the foot nted firmly on the ground. Like a springpressed to its limit, the force concentrated in my foot exploded upward, channeling all its energy into the de. And then. I shed. Chaaang! With a clear metallic sound that shouldn¡¯t have been possible from a wooden training sword, Felix¡¯s sword, still in his grip, was sliced cleanly in half and fell to the ground. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Felix stared dumbfoundedly at the broken wooden sword. ¡°What¡­ what just happened?¡± There are countless powers that magic can grant, but the most fundamental effect is this: pure physical enhancement. Magic has the miraculous ability to allow even the thinnest branch to drive a nail into iron. ¡®He split my sword in half without using magic?¡¯ With an ordinary wooden training sword? ¡®That¡¯s impossible.¡¯ It was like cutting through a solid iron rod with a twig. No, maybe it was possible to dent an iron rod with a twig if you gave in a hundred times, but how could a non-magical wooden sword slice through a sword imbued with magic? This was impossible, regardless of whether magic was involved. After all, the training sword was nothing more than a wooden club, carved from oak. ¡°What kind of trick did you¡ªugh!¡± Thwack. Before Felix could finish speaking, Dale¡¯s fist shot out like lightning and struck Felix squarely in the jaw. Felix copsed to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± There were no cheers for the victor, no boos for the defeated. In the silence that fell like a curtain, I calmly turned toward Professor Lucas and spoke. ¡°As promised, my suspension will be reduced to four days, right?¡± ¡°¡­Ah, uh, yes.¡± Professor Lucas nodded, still in a daze. Even though he had seen it with his own eyes, he couldn¡¯t understand what had just happened, but I didn¡¯t bother exining. Even if I tried to exin, he wouldn¡¯t be able to understand. ¡°Well then. I¡¯ll see you next week, Professor.¡± I bowed politely and walked out of the training hall. It was lunchtime, so the campus was bustling with cadets moving around. ¡°Four days, huh.¡± Since today was Tuesday, I had about six days, including the weekend. ¡®I have a lot to do.¡¯ Now that I had decided to live a new life, there was a mountain of preparations to make. ¡®I won¡¯t lose anything again.¡¯ Up until now, my life had been filled with loss. I had lost my most precious friend, my brother, my mentor, my lover¡ªeveryone I held dear. I hadn¡¯t been able to protect any of them. I had lost them all. ¡®Even if I can¡¯t choose how this life ends, I can choose how I live it.¡¯ This time, I wouldn¡¯t lose anyone. This time, I would protect them with my own hands. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± With my resolve firmly etched into my heart, I headed back to the dormitory. * * * ¡°I wondered where you were since there was no answer when I knocked on your door, but here you are?¡± As I walked down the hallway back to the dorm, a voice so familiar it hurt reached my ears. ¡°¡­Iris?¡± Had I not poured out enough emotions yesterday? The moment I saw Iris, my chest tightened again, and my eyes welled up with tears. ¡°You¡¯re Dale Han¡­ right?¡± ¡°Ah, yeah.¡± I barely managed to pull myself together and nodded. Iris approached me with graceful, measured steps that almost seemed elegant. Her blue eyes, as if they held the sky itself, came closer. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Her eyes were the only unfamiliar feature on her otherwise familiar face. Seeing her before she had lost her sight to the Demon God¡¯s ¡°curse,¡± my heart pounded as if it had gone haywire. Well, it was no wonder. Even with her eyes covered by a ck blindfold, she had been the most beautiful person I¡¯d ever known. And now, seeing her like this? Her beauty was so overwhelming that the baseless rumors about her being one of the Seven Gods reincarnated in a human form almost seemed believable. ¡°Hmph.¡± Iris, now standing close to me, scrutinized me from head to toe, as if assessing me. Then she looked around. It was lunchtime, and most of the cadets had flocked to the dining hall, leaving the dormitory hallway almost deserted. ¡®Iris.¡¯ As I looked at her, memories of the time we shared together flooded my mind. She had always been warm and kind, embodying the title of ¡°Saint¡± perfectly. She was so gentle that she even hesitated to kill a tiny insect. She would hold my hand every day, asking if I was okay, if I was in pain, despite knowing I woulde back to life in the blink of an eye. The more I thought of her, the more my eyes stung with tears. And then. ¨Cp! A sharp pain snapped my head to the side. ¡°Huh?¡± As I held my stinging cheek, a bewildered sound escaped my lips, and Iris grabbed me roughly by the cor and spoke. ¡°Hey, who do you think you are, talking informally to me? Do you even know who I am?¡± Uh¡­ Excuse me? Iris? ¡°Fine, we¡¯re in the same year, so I¡¯ll let the informal speech slide. But what was that yesterday? Huh? Who do you think you are,ying a hand on my friend, you bastard?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± In my confusion, it wasn¡¯t hard to understand why she was so furious. Honestly, if I thought about it from her perspective, it made perfect sense. To her, I was just another cadet she barely knew, someone she had never even spoken to. I hade out of nowhere, thrown her friend and bodyguard to the ground, and then suddenly started crying in front of her. Anyone¡ªno, even someone who wasn¡¯t just ¡°anyone¡±¡ªwould have been angry. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Yesterday, I just¡­ lost control for a moment. I¡¯ll apologize properly to Camiter.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Iris, who had seemed ready tosh out even more harshly, softened slightly when she heard my sincere apology and let go of my cor. ¡°Well, as long as you apologize, I guess it¡¯s fine.¡± Iris shrugged her shoulders and stepped back from me. ¡°Oh, and you must forget everything that happened today, okay? If you don¡¯t¡­¡± She smiled sweetly. The same gentle smile that had remained so vividly in my memory. In the kindest voice. ¡°I¡¯ll have to kill you?¡± She whispered. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 5 - Laying the Foundation (1) [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 5 - Laying the Foundation (1) Inside the old dormitory room. I sat alone on the bed, absentmindedly rubbing my cheek, which still tingled with lingering pain. ¡°¡­What on earth just happened?¡± Was this how Professor Lucas felt when he saw the changes in me after my return? The massive gap between the gentle and warm-hearted Iris I remembered and the Iris who had grabbed me by the cor and cursed at me was hard to reconcile. ¡®There¡¯s no way my return could have affected Iris.¡¯ There was only one possibility I could think of. ¡°To think I spent so much time with her and didn¡¯t even really know my own lover.¡± I let out a self-deprecating sigh and clicked my tongue softly. Now that I thought about it, Iris had always been gentle and kind, but when dealing with demons or monsters, she could be ruthlessly efficient¡ªenough to make anyone watching flinch. ¡®I thought that was just because she was the Saint of the Seven Stars Church.¡¯ To the followers of the Seven Gods, who belong to the Seven Stars Church, the minions of the Demon God were irredeemable ¡°enemies.¡± So, I had assumed her asional ferocity was simply an expression of her religious devotion. ¡®Turns out she¡¯s always had a fiery temper.¡¯ Realizing things I hadn¡¯t known about her when we were lovers¡ªor rather, things I hadn¡¯t noticed because we were lovers¡ªbrought a mix of emotions. There was the joy of discovering a side of her I hadn¡¯t seen in my previous life, and the bitter realization that, to her now, I was just another stranger not even worth pretending for. And then there was the unease about how I should deal with meeting ¡°otherrades¡± in the future. ¡°Come to think of it, I barely know what they were like as cadets, except for Berald.¡± Yuren, Senior Sophia, and Iris. We all attended the academy around the same time, but the only one I had any real connection with before graduation was Berald. And even with Berald, we only started talking because we were both stuck in remedial sses; it wasn¡¯t until muchter, after graduation, that we became rades.¡± ¡®I guess I should put off meeting them for now.¡¯ As much as I wanted to go see myrades right away, if I let my emotions get the best of me like I did with Iris, I¡¯d end up making a terrible first impression. ¡°Phew. I need to take care of myself first before I can face the others.¡± I took a deep breath and pushed aside my feelings of regret. What mattered now wasn¡¯t reuniting with my oldrades. ¡®First, I need to assess my current state.¡¯ I closed my eyes and slowly drew in my mana. I could feel the tiny amount of mana spreading throughout my body, centered on the Stigmata. ¡°It¡¯s a mess.¡± After spreading my mana to check my body¡¯s condition, I frowned. For someone who was supposedly a Hero Cadet, my body was in poor shape. Sure, I had the basics down to a certain extent, but it was just the level of someone who had been blindly working hard without really knowing what they were doing. My upper and lower body muscles were imbnced, and my core, the most crucial part forbat, was underdeveloped. ¡®I¡¯ll have to start with basic strength and endurance training again.¡¯ Building up my physical body wouldn¡¯t be too difficult, given that I had learned directly from Berald, who had put me through grueling (literally life-threatening) training, all because I¡¯d quickly revive even if I died. ¡®The problem is this pathetic amount of mana.¡¯ In my previous life, I had suffered endlessly because of myck of mana, but now it was even worse¡ªit was significantly lower than it had been before. ¡°Ugh.¡± No matter how skilled I was in swordsmanship or martial arts, there was a limit to how far pure ¡°technique¡± could take me. For Heroes, mana was like a weight ss. When the difference in mana was extreme, there were situations where your attacks wouldn¡¯t evennd, no matter how precise your technique was. What¡¯s the point of skill if your de bounces off an opponent¡¯s vital point because of their superior mana? ¡®Well¡­ it¡¯s not like there are no solutions at all.¡¯ In my previous life, I had fought countless battles against opponents with vastly superior mana, so I had a fewst-resort strategies. But. Ast resort is called ast resort for a reason. To avoid getting into a desperate situation in the first ce, I needed to secure at least a minimum amount of mana. ¡°So, in the end, I need to find a way to increase my mana.¡± Hah. A deep sigh escaped my lips. For Heroes, increasing their mana was a straightforward process. It was all about the seven different breathing techniques associated with the type of Stigmata they possessed. By breathing in the Breath of the Gods and storing it in their Stigmata, Heroes gradually increased their mana. ¡®Sun, Moon, Stars, Sky, Earth, Sea¡­ and.¡¯ Even the Breath of the Forest. I knew all seven types of breathing techniques, but ¡°Ugh, what¡¯s the point of knowing them? No matter how hard I try, my mana doesn¡¯t umte.¡± Whether it was due to sheerck of talent or some other reason, I didn¡¯t know. But unlike others, I couldn¡¯t umte mana through breathing techniques. ¡®Sure, the amount of mana each person umtes varies greatly, but not umting any at all is just too much.¡¯ Thinking back to the countless ways I had struggled to increase my pitiful amount of mana in my previous life already gave me a headache. ¡°Hmm¡­ Still, it¡¯s worth a try, just in case something¡¯s changed.¡± Maybe something had changed after my return. ¡°Ssss.¡± Sitting on the bed, I took a slow, deep breath. Since my Stigmata belonged to the ¡°God of Forest,¡± I started with the Breath of the Forest, which was supposed to be the most effective for increasing my mana. Then I moved on to the Breath of the Sun, Moon, Stars, Sky, Earth, and Sea, in that order. ¡°Haaaah.¡± After finishing all seven breathing techniques, I slowly opened my eyes. And the amount of mana stored in my Stigmata¡­ remained unchanged. ¡°Damn it.¡± Yeah, I should know better than to get my hopes up. ¡®So, I guess I have to give up on increasing my mana through breathing techniques.¡¯ That left only ¡°unconventional¡± methods. There were a few options that came to mind, like special elixirs, rare mystical creatures, or artifacts that could increase mana. But. ¡®Those are hard to get right now.¡¯ As a cadet, there were too many restrictions on where I could go, and even if I did go, there was no guarantee I¡¯d actually obtain any of those things. ¡°Ugh.¡± As I racked my brain, trying to figure out what to do next, I suddenly remembered something from an ancient record I had found in a ruin long ago. ¡°The reason mana was created was the Primordial me, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Here¡¯s how the story goes. In the distant past. The Tree of Creation grew and created the world, and Eight Gods were born. The Eight Gods, born from the Tree of Creation, each began to shape the world ording to their rules. The first god created the Sun. The second god created the Moon. The third god created the Stars. The fourth god created the Sky. The fifth god created the Earth. The sixth god created the Sea. The seventh god created the Forest. But thest, the eighth god¡­ Broke the rules of creation and created the first ¡°me.¡± ¡®That was the Primordial me.¡¯ The Eighth God, who broke the rules and betrayed the other Seven Gods, and burned the Tree of Creation to ashes with the Primordial meter became known as the ¡°Demon God¡±. And from the ashes of the Tree of Creation, mana was born. Mana, also called the Breath of the Gods, is the miraculous power we know today. ¡°¡­The Primordial me.¡± I had confirmed earlier that the Primordial me I absorbed in my previous life hadn¡¯t disappeared with my return. But I had no idea how to actually ¡°control¡± the Primordial me. ¡®Right now, I can¡¯t even sense the spark of the Primordial me.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t attempt to control it if I couldn¡¯t even sense it. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ Yesterday, when I could feel the presence of the Primordial me¡­¡± As I sat on the bed, thinking, my gaze naturally drifted to the sword lying beside it. Damn it. A low curse slipped out from between my lips. I sighed and drew the sword from its sheath. The de that had so cleanly severed my neck the other day touched the nape of my neck once again. ¡®Well, it¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t done this before.¡¯ At this point, death didn¡¯t scare me anymore. -sh! With a familiar motion, I tightened my grip on the sword. The cold sensation of the sharp de slicing through my neck spread through my body. No matter how many times I experienced ¡°death,¡± I could never get used to the feeling of the de cutting into my flesh. Thud, roll. My severed head rolled to the floor. As blood spurted from the stump of my neck, my vision went ck. A few seconds passed. Woooong! The Stigmata on my left chest began to glow, and my cked-out vision returned to normal. ¡°Huuu.¡± I let out a soft sigh and rubbed the nape of my neck. The head that had been rolling on the floor was now back on my shoulders, as if time had been reversed. As I was trying to erase the lingering sensation of the de on my neck like an echo. ¡°Ugh!¡± Ssssss! With a pain that felt like branding iron searing into my left chest and faint mes flickering around the Stigmata, It was a phenomenon I hadn¡¯t experienced in my previous life. ¡®If this is the effect of the Primordial me.¡¯ The faint mes flickering around the Stigmata must be the Primordial me itself. ¡°Hmm.¡± Sitting on the bed, I closed my eyes and slowly regted my breathing, recalling the meditation techniques taught by Senior Sophia. With the sensation of my body floating, I focused all my attention on my left chest. ¡®I can feel it.¡¯ Faint, but. A wild me emitting its presence. ¡®How is it that I managed to sense the Primordial me¡¯s energy, but¡­¡¯ I had no idea what to do next. ¡®It won¡¯t move.¡¯ I poured all my mental effort into trying to move the Primordial me¡¯s energy with my will, but it didn¡¯t even twitch, as if trying to grasp the zing me with my hands. After about 5 minutes of sweating profusely while concentrating, The pain in my left chest vanished as if washed away, and I could no longer feel the Primordial me¡¯s energy. ¡°Tsk.¡± I clicked my tongue lightly and stopped the meditation. ¡®I guess I still can¡¯t control the Primordial me with my will.¡¯ Though I managed to sense the energy, I couldn¡¯t do anything beyond that. ¡°Ugh.¡± As I sat there with a dejected expression, ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Something. A sensation different from before was felt at the Stigmata. ¡®What is this?¡¯ I spread the mana contained within the Stigmata throughout my body again to check. Though it was so small a quantity that it could have been overlooked if I hadn¡¯t focused, ¡°Mana has increased?¡± Before and after I severed my own neck, there was a subtle difference, but the total amount of mana itself felt like it had increased. ¡°Ha.¡± A hollowugh escaped between my lips. ¡°So now¡­¡± My mana automatically increases every time I die? [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 6 - Laying the Foundation (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 6 - Laying the Foundation (2) Swoosh! Thud, roll. Vrrrrm. Three days have passed since I holed myself up in the dorm, repeatedly dying and reviving. Through various experiments, I discovered a few things. First, repeatedly dying and reviving doesn''t infinitely increase my mana. Second, after one revival and mana increase, it takes about six hours to increase again. Third, even though I could die and revive up to four times a day, the amount of mana gained is far greater than what could be umted through conventional "breathing techniques." "Man, this is insane." I looked down at the notebook where I recorded the trials and errors of the past three days, feeling a sense of pride. The mana issue that had shackled me in my previous life... I never imagined I would solve it in such a ludicrous way. ''The method to umte mana is rather... unconventional.'' Four times a day. To increase my mana, I have to take my own life every six hours, no matter how I try to dress it up, this isn''t a normal method. "So, I have to die as soon as I wake up in the morning, then die after lunch, die after dinner, and die onest time before going to bed?" Damn it. Even I think this is crazy. "Well, what choice do I have?" I can''t umte mana using normal methods, so I have no other option. In my previous life, if Iris had caught me doing this, she would''ve beaten me until my back was covered in blood, but now there''s no one left to scold me for being reckless with my life. "...Tsk." I suppressed the urge to reminisce about her scoldings and continued thinking. ''I was worried that using this method would wear out or even erase my stigma.'' Originally, the power of the Primordial me was supposed to consume and erase the stigma. Somehow, even after absorbing the Primordial me, my stigma remained intact, but I couldn''t help but worry that if I continued using the power of the Primordial me, the stigma and the blessing of revival within it might vanish. ''So far, there''s been no change.'' The stigma engraved over my left chest remainedpletely intact, without any signs of wear or disappearance. The blessing of revival within it also revived me from death without any difference from before. "Ha." Thinking about it, the situation was rather amusing. ''I endured so long just to escape death.'' And now, here I am, worrying about the blessing of revival disappearing. I couldn''t help but chuckle to myself. Anyway, the fact that the Primordial me couldn''t erase the "blessing of revival" within my stigma was good news. ''If I can continue to increase my mana like this... I can reach heights far beyond what I achieved in my previous life.'' If that happens... I can protect those I couldn''t protect. I can save those I couldn''t save. I can... Stop losing anyone. "......" Before memories of my past life could resurface, I opened my eyes. "Now then, let''s see..." With a solid foundationid, it was time to secure a powerful weapon. ''A weapon.'' I began sorting through memories of my previous life, looking for anything that might help. ''It can''t be too difficult to obtain or handle.'' Artifacts from ancient times or weapons imbued with divine power... A few artifacts I sought across the continent in my previous life came to mind, but all of them were nearly impossible to obtain at this moment. ''Even if I could get them, I wouldn''t be able to use them properly.'' The more powerful the artifact, the higher the level required to wield it. Right now, aside from the memories in my head, most of my skills had been reset. Even if I managed to get one, I likely wouldn''t be able to use it effectively. ''A weapon I can acquire quickly and that can be an immediate asset.'' One thing came to mind first. ''Stigma Amplifier.'' A potion that forces the stigma to go berserk, granting temporary immense power. For someone like me, whocked mana, it was a godsend. ''Though, calling it a weapon feels a bit off.'' But considering its effect, it''s powerful enough to outss most artifacts, so calling it a weapon isn''t entirely wrong. Of course. The side effects were just as severe as the effects were powerful. Even a single dose would twist your entire body''s blood vessels, and repeated use could melt your insides, potentially leading to death. "Well, that doesn''t matter to me." I nced down at the stigma engraved over my left chest and smirked. "Now that the n is set, it''s time to head out." The ce where the creator of the Stigma Amplifier, whoter yed a crucial role in the war against the demons, resided... That ce is... ''The Reynald Hero Academy.'' Yes. It was the very school I¡¯m currently attending. * * * In the office of the Warrior Department professor. Professor Lucas red at me with a look that said, "What kind of trouble are you nning now?" "You want to meet Professor Jade?" "Yes." Jade Bastian. A professor recognized as the continent''s top expert in stigma research. "Why Jade all of a sudden? He''s a researcher, so there''s no reason for a cadet to seek him out." "I want to consult with him about my future career." "But Professor Jade is in charge of the Magic Department, isn¡¯t he?" "Stigma-rted research isn''t limited by department, right?" "¡­Hmm." Professor Lucas''s eyes darkened. "¡­Career counseling, you say? With Professor Jade?" He looked at me with eyes as sharp as a beast''s. "Do you even know what he''s called around the school?" "Of course. How could I not?" Even after all this time. Who could forget the infamous "Student yer"? "And yet, you still want to meet him?" "Isn''t it just a rumor? The story that Professor Jade killed a student." "A rumor, huh?" Professor Lucas frowned in displeasure. It was hard to believe that someone in the same faculty could react this way, as if students were gossiping about a professor behind his back. But then, it wasn''t surprising. "Two years ago, it was none other than Professor Jade himself who boasted about killing cadet Oscar." "Wasn''t the investigation concluded as an idental incident during an experiment?" "That''s only because the bastard is of ''Bastian'' bloodline!" BANG! Professor Lucas mmed the desk with a frustrated expression. "Even if it truly was an ident, a professor shouldn''t behave like that!" His massive fist trembled as he continued in a voice full of anger. "Do you know what that scumbag did in front of Oscar''s grave? Huh? I heard him clearly insult the deceased student, calling him a ''pathetic bastard''!" "Weren''t you there? Didn''t you punch Professor Jade in the face, and then get suspended for it?" "Well¡­ that, uh, ahem. I was still young back then." "Haha. Anyone would think you were talking about something that happened 20 years ago, Professor." "Shut up, you brat!" Professor Lucas yelled, kicking at my shins. Whoosh. I naturally twisted my body to avoid his kick. "You¡­" Professor Lucas red at me with his characteristic predator-like gaze. "How on earth did you change so much overnight?" "I returned from the future." "Bullshit." No, but seriously. I really dide back, so it''s a bit unfair to dismiss it like that. "You¡­ You didn''t make a pact with a demon or anything, right?" "You know that a hero who has awakened the Stigmata of the Seven Gods cannot be a demon." "¡­Hmph." He swallowed hard, frowning as if utterly confused. If there was one thing I lied to him about¡­ ¡®It''s actually possible for a hero to make a pact with a demon and be one.¡¯ Of course, that''s a story from the future when the demon''s seal weakens. But there''s no need to mention anything here that could cause unnecessary misunderstandings. "Well, I guess¡­ Even during your suspension, there''s no rule against meeting other professors. I''ll write you a referral, so go ahead." "Thank you." "Hmph. Go and die or do whatever you want." Professor Lucas scribbled a referral with a scowl on his face. Taking the referral from him, I turned to leave the office. Click. As I was about to open the door and walk out, "¡­If anything happens,e straight to me." I heard Professor Lucas''s voice behind me, filled with concern. I smiled faintly and nodded. ''Geez.'' He was really different from how he looked. * * * Professor Jade''sb was located in the most secluded corner of the school. The campus was so vast that most cadets probably didn''t even know ab existed in such a hidden ce. -Knock, knock. I knocked on the firmly closed door of theb. -Knock, knock, knock. I tried knocking several times, but there was no answer from inside. -Bang, bang, bang. "Professor Jade. I know you''re inside." This time, I knocked harder on the door. Soon, with a creak, the door slowly opened. A foul stench immediately wafted out as the door opened. Peeking inside through the crack, I saw ab so messy it looked like a haunted house. "Who¡­ are you?" An old man peeked out through the slightly open door. Wrinkled skin and age spots covered his face. His white hair was matted, looking like it hadn''t been washed in days, and he wore a robe so filthy it couldn''t even be used as a rag. He looked just like the Professor Jade I remembered. "I''m Dale Han, a third-year cadet from the Warrior Department." "¡­What do you want?" "I¡¯m interested in your research, Professor. Here, a referral from Professor Lucas." "¡­¡­." Professor Jade took the referral and began to chuckle, his shoulders shaking. "You''re interested in my research?" "Yes, particrly in the potion that affects the Stigmata." "Uh, ha, ha, hahaha!!!" Professor Jade let out a bizarreugh, like a beast corrupted by the blessing of a demon. "Do you¡­ know who I am?" "Yes." "Heh, heh, heh! And you still want to join my research?" Professor Jade burst into madughter, drooling as if he had gone insane. BANG! He violently flung open the door that had been slightly ajar and grabbed me by the cor. With eyes gleaming with madness, he whispered ominously. "You¡­ are going to die." "Oh, really?" Well, try it if you can. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 7 - Laying the Foundation (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 7 - Laying the Foundation (3) Theb was in such disarray that the word "chaos" didn''t quite do it justice. The smell of unknown chemicals and alchemical tools filled the air, unpleasantly assaulting my nostrils. "Do you know what a stigma is?" Professor Jade asked abruptly as he sat on what could barely be called a chair (it was more like a lump of mouldy leather). I looked around theb, searching for a ce to sit, but quickly gave up and responded. "It''s the blessing granted by the Seven Gods, isn''t it?" "...Blessing, you say?" He chuckled. Professor Jadeughed, his shoulders shaking, as if he found something incredibly amusing. "And what about a blessing?" "It''s a special ability that manifests in only a very few who have awakened their stigma." "What do you think is the most significant feature of a blessing?" The most significant feature of a blessing... This question wasn''t difficult to answer. After all, it was something that had been deeply understood over the past several hundred, maybe even thousands of years. "Once manifested, it cannot be removed by any means." "Oh?" Professor Jade''s eyes glimmered with interest. "That''s an unusual answer." "In what way?" "Most people would say that the most significant feature of a blessing is its uniqueness. Unlike stigmata, a blessing manifests differently in each person." "..." I was momentarily at a loss for words. Indeed, as Professor Jade mentioned, most people would likely point out the uniqueness of blessings as their most significant characteristic. After all, not many people would go to great lengths to remove a blessing once they''ve obtained it. "Well, in any case, you''re right that once a blessing is manifested, it neither changes nor disappears." Professor Jade continued his exnation in a low voice, arms crossed. The crazed look of a man who had once drooled andughed maniacally when I first met him was gone, reced by a rather calm demeanor. ''This isn''t like him.'' The Professor Jade I remembered was entric, bizarre, and seemed broken in some way. Why was he suddenly soposed? "Now, let''s get back to the topic of stigmata." He tapped his wrinkled fingers against his left chest. "On average, a stigma awakens around the age of 10, though it can manifest as early as age 3 or aste as 18." This wasmon knowledge. "There''s some variability in which of the Seven Gods'' stigmata you awaken, but it''s generally inherited from your parents, most often the same stigma they have." "Isn''t that something we learn in our first-year general studies?" Why was he exining such basic information in such a long-winded manner? "A trait passed down through gics... A phenomenon that manifests within a specific age range. And once it manifests, it never disappears. Doesn''t that remind you of something?" "Not sure what you''re getting at." Shaking my head, I answered, and Professor Jade spoke again with a serious expression. "Baldness." Excuse me? "In other words, logically speaking, all heroes who awaken a stigma experience something simr to baldness." "What...?" What nonsense was he spouting now? "Why? Isn''t that a fitting analogy?" "I''m not sure if it''s a fitting analogy, but it''s certainly one that would get you punched if people from the Holy Kingdom heard it." If I told Iris what Professor Jade had just said, she would probably have smacked him on the head with a Bible while smiling sweetly. "Really?" Professor Jade shrugged his shoulders and continued with a nonchnt expression. "So, you''re not from the Holy Kingdom, since I''m still in one piece." He gazed at me with calm eyes. "You''re also not from the Empire, where belief in the Seven Gods runs deep, despite our countries'' differences." That left only one possibility. About five hundred years ago. A country founded by "outsiders" who came from another world during the Demon War. A nation where belief in the Seven Gods is rtively weak and where "freedom" is the highest national ideal on the surface. "You''re from the Republic." "..." So all that nonsense was just to figure out where I was from? "It would''ve been simpler if you''d just asked where I''m from." "The mouth is always ready to tell lies, isn''t it?" As expected. This was indeed the entric professor I knew. "By the way, what would you have done if I were from the Holy Kingdom?" "I would have kicked you out immediately. I don''t want to get involved with those Holy Kingdom folks." I suppose that makes sense. From the perspective of the Holy Kingdom, which worships the Seven Gods, Professor Jade''s research into artificially influencing stigmata would be close to sphemy. "There are rumors that the Holy Kingdom pressures the school every year to stop all research on stigmata." Looking at the state of thisb, it was clear that the pressure from the Holy Kingdom wasn''t just a rumor. The only reason Professor Jade hadn''t been expelled from the school, despite the yearly pressure from the Holy Kingdom, was one thing. He was a descendant of Julius Bastian, one of the five legendary heroes who sealed the Demon King and was known as the "Great Sage." "So, you want to participate in the research on potions that affect stigmata?" "Yes." "Sorry, but that''s going to be difficult." "Is it because I''m from the warrior faculty? If that''s the case, you don''t need to worry..." "No, that''s not the reason." "Then why is it difficult?" "The reason is simple." Professor Jade gave his characteristic entric smile and continued. ¡°I don¡¯t have any research funds.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ah, so that was the reason. ¡®Looking at thisb, well¡­ it doesn¡¯t seem like there would be any research funds.¡¯ I sighed deeply as I looked around theb, which was no different from a haunted house. Even so, to think that someone who imed to be the descendant of the ¡®Great Sage¡¯ had fallen so low that they didn¡¯t even have money for research. ¡®The problem is, I don¡¯t have a single penny either.¡¯ How could an orphan candidate like me have any money? I could only attend this school because the Republic was covering my tuition fees. ¡°How much research funding do you need?¡± ¡°Well. It depends on what I¡¯m researching, but I¡¯ll need at least 1 million gold.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± 1 million gold. That was roughly 1 billion won when converted to the old currency unit of the Republic, the ¡®won.¡¯ ¡®Damn it.¡¯ I didn¡¯t expect my n to be stalled by something like this. ¡®I could just give up on the stigma booster.¡¯ But the problem was that Professor Jade¡¯s value wasn¡¯t just in inventing the stigma booster. Jade Bastian. True to his title as the descendant of the ¡®Great Sage,¡¯ he possessed genius intellect, sharp insight, and unparalleled development skills that others couldn¡¯t even hope to imitate. ¡®Although, for some reason, he seems a bit off.¡¯ Considering the things he would create through his research in the future, this situation felt too frustrating. ¡®If things continue like this¡­ will it happen again?¡¯ In my previous life, Professor Jade developed the stigma booster, leading to victory in the war against the demons, only to take his own life shortly thereafter. The exact reason for his suicide was never revealed. But if being stuck in a trashyb without even research funds was one of the reasons¡­ ¡®Humanity would once again lose the descendant of the Great Sage in vain.¡¯ It was too much of a waste to let go of both the stigma booster and Professor Jade. ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to secure the research funds¡­ somehow.¡± ¡°Heh heh heh. How do you n to do that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll use any means necessary.¡± With that, I turned around and walked out of theb. Coming out of the dingyb into the bright sunlight felt like emerging from an underground tunnel. ¡°Sigh.¡± How on earth was I going to gather 1 million gold? ¡®There is a way, but¡­¡¯ None of them were feasible for someone with the status of a candidate. ¡®I can¡¯t just drop out of school to make money.¡¯ If I didn¡¯t graduate, I wouldn¡¯t receive an official hero certificate, meaning I would have to resort to illegal means to hunt demonic beasts for mana stones or collect bounties on demons. ¡®Dropping out is not an option.¡¯ Above all, myrades from my previous life were at this school. I couldn¡¯t drop out if it meant reuniting with them. ¡°Ugh.¡± As I continued pondering on my way back to the dormitory¡­ ¡°Hey, mat! Where are you going?¡± A voice called out from a distance. For the record, ¡°mat¡± was a derogatory nickname for me, who always maintained the lowest rank in theprehensive evaluation every semester. ¡®This voice¡­?¡¯ Turning my head towards the familiar voice, I saw a blond male student grinning at me, with three female students clustered behind her. ¡°¡­¡­¡± What was that guy¡¯s name again? I couldn¡¯t remember. ¡°Hah, look at this guy. When I call, you should run over immediately. What are you doing?¡± The blond male student smirked and motioned for me toe over. Seeing his cocky attitude suddenly brought back an old memory. ¡°Ah, I remember now.¡± Juliet Kang. A fellow candidate from the Republic who used to bully me asionally. I hadpletely forgotten about him since we wouldn¡¯t meet after graduation. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect to run into him again like this.¡¯ A chuckle escaped me at an old acquaintance''s unexpected reunion(?). ¡°¡­Hey. I told you toe here right now, so why are you grinning like that? What? You wanna die?¡± ¡°Juliet, isn¡¯t that the guy who¡¯s always at the bottom of theprehensive evaluation rankings?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he an orphan? Ugh, this school is hopeless. Just because someone has a stigma, they let trash like him in¡­¡± ¡°I think only people with solid backgrounds, like Juliet, should be admitted to this school!¡± As Juliet made a grand statement, the female students behind him squealed in delight. ¡°¡­Sigh.¡± I shook my head and turned away from the ridiculous scene. I didn¡¯t have the time to deal with an idiot like that. I had to find a way to gather 1 million gold as soon as possible¡­ ¡°This bastard. Just because you got lucky in a non-magic duel, you think you¡¯re hot stuff? Huh?¡± Juliet approached me with a menacing expression. ¡°Oh, by the way, I heard you made a move on the Saintess? Tsk tsk. Know your ce, ¡®mat¡¯¡­ Well, I do understand how you feel.¡± Juliet continued in a low voice with a sly smile so the girls behind him couldn¡¯t hear. ¡°Our Saintess¡¯s ¡®blessing pouch¡¯ is, well¡­ it¡¯s a size that no man could ignore, right?¡± He snickered, making obscene gestures in front of his chest. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I froze. My footsteps towards the dormitory came to an abrupt halt. ¡°Wow~ look at him, getting all angry. Ooh~ I¡¯m so scared. What¡¯s with the attitude? What? You wanna hit me?¡± Juliet exaggeratedly pretended to be scared, shaking his body. As I looked at him, I smiled. ¡®Come to think of it¡­¡¯ Another forgotten fact suddenly came to mind. ¡®Juliet Kang¡¯s family was one of the top five conglomerates in the Republic, wasn¡¯t it?¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 8 - Laying the Foundation (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 8 - Laying the Foundation (4) "Juliet!" In the warm afternoon sunlight, I approached my friend, whom I hadn''t seen in a long time, with a cheerful smile as bright as the sunshine. "Sorry, I was lost in thought for a moment, so I didn''t even realize you called me!" "...Huh?" "It''s been a while, my friend! How have you been?" I threw my arm around Juliet''s shoulder in a friendly manner, even as he looked confused. "...Hey." "Sorry to ask right after we meet, but could you lend me 1 million gold? I urgently need some money." "What are you doing?" "Your family is rich, right? Come on, 1 million gold isn''t that much, is it?" Juliet''s face twisted with anger. "You crazy bastard!" "Whoa." Without hesitation, Juliet punched the ''doormat'' who had been spouting nonsense. Even though the punch was thrown without much preparation, the way magic naturally formed around it showed that Juliet had quite a bit of skill. But, well. No matter how skilled, he''s still a rookie. "Wow, causing such a fuss over asking to borrow a few bucks." They say the rich are stingier. -Smack! I lightly grabbed the fist aimed at my philtrum and twisted his wrist with a bit of force. "Ahhh!" A scream of pain burst from Juliet''s lips. Though the magic protected his wrist from breaking, the pain must have been quite intense. "You... you bastard!" Juliet drew the rapier from his waist and charged at me. A halo of light erupted from the sacred mark, fiercely gathering at the sharp tip of the sword. The aura was even stronger than when I sparred with Felix. "Get lost, punk." Berald Martial Arts. Sword Breaking. -ng! I slightly twisted my body to avoid the thrusting sword and brought my hand down on the de''s surface. The magic I instantly condensed in my hand made it harder than steel. "Huh...?" The sword broke like a twig. As Juliet stood frozen in shock, I kicked his legs apart, sending him sprawling like a ser ball. "Arrrghhhhhh!!!" Juliet copsed, clutching his groin and screaming in agony. "Ahhh!" "What are you doing to your senior?!" "Juliet-senpai!" The female cadets who had been huddled together in the distance screamed in horror. I turned to them, a twisted grin spreading across my face. "I need to have a word with my friend... Could you step aside for a moment?" "How can you be a friend of senpai?" "Get away from Juliet-senpai right now!" "I''m going to call a professor right..." "Sigh." Good grief. What a nuisance. "Do you not understand what I''m saying?" I infused a bit of killing intent into my gaze as I spoke. "Get lost." "......!" "Eek!" The female cadets, who had been chattering noisily, froze like frogs in front of a snake. Their faces turned pale, and their legs trembled pathetically. Some were even wetting their skirts in fear. ''What the...'' I hadn''t expected them to wet themselves just from a bit of killing intent, and I felt a surge of confusion. ''Isn''t this a bit of an overreaction for just a little killing intent?'' I began to wonder if these girls were really hero cadets. But, well... maybe it made sense. Judging by their name tags, they seemed like newbies who had just entered the academy, with no practical training or even sparring experience. How could they have ever encountered killing intent before? Especially not the kind formed from thousands, tens of thousands of deaths. ''Dealing with kids is tough.'' I let out a bitter smile as I retracted my killing intent. "Hic... sob." "Waaah!" As soon as I withdrew my killing intent, the cadets burst into tears and ran away. "Well, now that the nuisances are gone." I looked down at Juliet, who was still clutching his groin in pain, and grinned. "Shall we finish our conversation, my friend?" * * * "Y-You want to borrow money?" Having finally recovered from the near-explosive pain, Juliet asked in a trembling voice. "Yes." "H-How much?" The bravado he had shown earlier was gone, and Juliet, now looking pitiful and mismatched with his handsome face, cast his eyes downward. "Didn''t I tell you earlier?" "Y-You don''t mean... really 1 million gold?" "Do you think I was joking?" "S-Stop talking nonsense! How could I lend you 1 million gold?!" Juliet screamed loudly at the amount far beyondmon sense. I grinned and gently waved my clenched fist in front of Juliet. Hmmm. Juliet''s face turned pale. ¡°M-M sorry! I was wrong! Don''t hit me!¡± ¡°Come on, why are you sulking between friends? Who''s hitting whom?¡± I chuckled and lowered my raised fist. Juliet bit his lips and opened his mouth in a soft, muttering voice. ¡°¡­Sorry. I don''t have a million gold, even if it''s me.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Indeed. No matter how much you''re a rich family''s child, a million gold wasn''t easy money toe by. ¡°You might not be able to raise the money, but your father is different, right?¡± ¡°¡­You''re asking me to ask your father for money?¡± Juliet looked at me with an expression of incredulity. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± ¡°Your father cares about you a lot, right?¡± ¡°Still, how will you ask for a million gold?!¡± Juliet shook his head, telling me not to say such nonsense. I looked at Juliet and recalled a memory from a past life. ¡®Juliet Kang.¡¯ Even after a long time, this name came to mind easily, not just because he bullied me. There were many other cadets besides Juliet who frequently bullied me, an orphan and perpetual underdog. ¡®Rather, this guy wasn''t the one who bullied me much.¡¯ When he bullied me, it was only to show off his power by involving junior female cadets behind him. Nheless, there was one reason his name came to mind easily. Because at one time, the name Juliet Kang had shaken the entire school. ¡®He had a very unique hobby.¡¯ It would be about half a yearter when that ¡®hobby¡¯ would be exposed, but he was probably still continuing his hobby activities at this point. What the secretive hobby he was secretly hiding was¡­. ¡°Juliet. Let me see your Hero Watch.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Juliet''s expression turned as pale as it could bepared to earlier. Hero Watch. A trinity cooperative magical device created based on the Republic''s engineering technology, the Empire''s magical alchemy, and the Holy Nation''s magic stone purification technique. Originally called ¡®Composite Multifunctional Clock¡¯, it was called Hero Watch because only people with mana could use it. ¡°Gah, why are you suddenly asking about the Hero Watch?¡± Juliet stared at me with eyes full of suspicion, tightly holding his watch on his wrist. His reaction, which felt pure beyond honesty, made meugh unconsciously. ¡°Why? Is there something inside that you shouldn''t show others?¡± ¡°N-No way there''s such a thing!¡± ¡°Really? Then you can show me.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Juliet took a hesitant step back with a confused expression. The moment he tried to turn around and run away. ¡°Where are you in such a hurry to go?¡± ¡°Aaak!¡± ¡°Baak!¡± I kicked Juliet''s shin as he tried to escape. I took the Hero Watch off his wrist as he fell. ¡°Give it back!¡± ¡°Wait, you bastard.¡± I tried to activate the watch by channeling magic into it, and a lock-shaped pattern appeared. ¡®As expected, he had put a lock on it.¡¯ It''s probably a lock that can''t be unlocked without Juliet''s own magic. ¡®Well, unlocking this kind of lock isn''t easy.¡¯ Among the knowledge I learned from senior Sophia, there was a way to change the nature of magic temporarily. -Diling. Imitating Juliet''s magic, the Hero Watch''s lock was released and a hologram window appeared. Manipting the hologram window to search inside, what I saw was photos of Juliet, who was dressed in women''s clothing, posing flirtatiously. ¡°Ah, damn it, my eyes.¡± Even though Juliet''s original appearance wasn''t bad, so even if he cross-dressed, it wasn''t something I could just not look at. Still, pictures of that hairy man in a fluttering skirt striking all sorts of poses were enough to torment my eyes. ¡°You, you¡­ How¡­.¡± ¡°Let''s see. First, I''ll transfer the photos to my Hero Watch¡­ Okay.¡± After transferring all the photos stored in Juliet''s Hero Watch, I held out the Hero Watch to Juliet, who was trembling with a pale expression. ¡°Can youe up with a million gold?¡± ¡°What are you nning to do with those photos¡­.¡± ¡°Answer.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, ugh.¡± Wetness welled up in Juliet''s eyes. He put his Hero Watch back on his wrist and sobbed, shedding tears. ¡°B-But... no way.¡± ¡°I''ll give you a week. Bring it to me within that time.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± ¡°Come on, why are you whining? I''m not just asking, I''m borrowing, you know? Borrowing. I''ll give it all backter, you bastard.¡± ¡°Can''t you trust a friend?¡± ¡°Huuueeooeong!¡± ¡°Tsk tsk.¡± I looked down at Juliet, who was shedding tears pitifully, and clicked my tongue lightly. ¡®With this, the money problem is solved.¡¯ I hadn''t even expected to raise research funds this easily. ¡°Well, what''s good is good, isn''t it?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± I stretched fully and looked up at the shining sunlight. With the money problem resolved, I felt much lighter. ¡®Come to think of it, I''m a bit hungry.¡¯ I had been running around busily since morning; before I knew it, lunchtime had already passed. ¡®The cafeteria... must be closed already.¡¯ I kicked Juliet, who was still sitting and crying, lightly with my foot. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Ugh, yes?¡± ¡°I''ll give you 500 shilling, so go to the shop and buy two bread and onerge milk.¡± ¡°¡­You can''t buy all that with 500 shilling.¡± Even if the school shop was cheap, you couldn''t buy two bread and one milk for 500 shilling. Depending on the type of bread, it would probably be at least 3 gold, 500 shilling. ¡°So?¡± ¡°Now you want me to give you more money?¡± ¡°N-No! I''ll buy it right away! Just wait a bit!¡± ¡°Ah, wait.¡± I quickly turned around and grabbed Juliet''s shoulder, who was about to run to the shop. ¡°Ugh¡­ Why? Are you going to buy more?¡± ¡°No, I''m not going to buy more.¡± I clicked Juliet''s shoulder, which I held with a grin, lightly. ¡°Leave 5 gold as change.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± For now, I won''t need to worry about money. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 9 - The First Class (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 9 - The First ss (1) After the memorable (?) reunion with Juliet, I focused on quietly fortifying myself during the remaining suspension period. Swish. The moment I woke up in the morning and opened my eyes, I drew the sword ced by my bedside and sliced through my neck. I immediately began meditation, feeling the scorching pain as the primordial fire seared my chest. Though my magic would increase on its own even without meditation, concentrating my mind through this process allowed me to umte far more magic. ''The painsts for about five minutes.'' Within this time frame, I could sense the power of the primordial fire and umte magic. ¡°Sss, huu.¡± I repeated long, deep breaths, focusing on the mental image within me. Whoosh! In my mind, I visualized a vast, seemingly endless me. As I cautiously stepped forward, staring at the fiercely burning fire that looked as though it would devour the world, I reached out toward it. My physical body burned, and my soul zed. I grasped the raging mes. The intensified agony violently tore at my body. The pain was so terrible that an ordinary person would immediately foam at the mouth and lose consciousness upon feeling it. ''It''s okay.'' I can endure it. I can withstand it. Pain is familiar. This kind of pain is nothingpared to the countless deaths I''ve experienced. ''Move.'' I willed it to move, but the massive mes didn''t budge. They simply left a small ember in my palm, the size of a candle me, as if shaking off a bothersome insect clinging to them. I carefully moved my arm so that the ember in my palm wouldn¡¯t go out. ''This is what I managed to bring back this time.'' Though it was a pitifully small amount, considering the intense agony I had felt as my body and soul were incinerated by the raging mes, I was grateful for even this much. I slowly brought the candle me in my palm to my left chest. And then¡ª ¡°Huu.¡± I exhaled deeply and opened my eyes. The pain, which had felt like a red-hot iron branding my chest, had vanished without a trace. ¡°Oh, I umted quite a bit this time.¡± By focusing on creating a mental image and concretizing the act of ''bringing the fire'' through meditation like this, I could umte far more magic than if I merely endured the pain and sweat for five minutes. ''This is simr to the breathing technique.'' I recalled hearing from Yuren that, even with the same breathing technique, the amount of magic umted could vary greatly depending on how well one could visualize and concretize their mental image. Back then, no matter what I did, I couldn¡¯t umte any magic, so I had dismissed it, but now¡ª ¡°So this is what it feels like.¡± Knowing that the amount of magic umted depends on my effort and skill motivated me. ''Though the limit is four times a day.'' I swallowed a bitter smile and sheathed the sword I had used to decapitate myself. Gray ashes, remnants of my ''revival,'' were scattered across the bed sheet. ¡°Cleaning this up every time is a hassle.¡± The blood that sprayed out when I cut my neck would disappear along with the body''s regeneration, so there was no need to wash the bed sheets. However, cleaning up these ashes that remained in ce of the blood was equally troublesome. ''I''ll have to think of another way.'' shing my neck with a sword was simple and caused the least pain, but the blood spraying out and my head rolling off were too messy (though it disappeared quickly), making me feel the need to find a more clean and straightforward method to end my life. ''I need toe up with a cleaner, more concise way to kill myself.'' But for now, I didn¡¯t have the luxury to dwell on new methods of suicide. ¡°Let''s wash up.¡± It was Monday, marking the start of the week and the day I would attend my first ss after returning. * * * Early morning. The hallways were filled with cadets moving to attend their morning sses. ¡°Hey, it''s Dale.¡± ¡°Oh, is he the one from the rumors...?¡± ¡°They say he even beat up Juliet this time.¡± ¡°But wasn''t he ranked deadst in theprehensive evaluation?¡± ¡°That''s why everyone is going crazy! They say he was hiding his power all along.¡± ¡°What, does he think he''s the protagonist of a y?¡± On my way to the "Practical Combat Training" lecture room, I overheard the murmurs of the cadets lined up in the hallway. It seemed the incidents I causedst week had be quite a topic of discussion within the school, as every cadet I passed was talking about me. ''I didn''t want to be this much of a hot topic, though.'' Well, I understand. If I were in their shoes, I¡¯d be curious too if I heard that the lowest-ranked cadet in the school''s history suddenly seemed like apletely different person, beating up everyone around him. ''I don''t want to stand out too much, but...'' That didn¡¯t mean I nned to hide my power and skulk around. In the past. No, at this point, I suppose I should say in the future. I couldn''t remain the "lowest-ranked cadet" if I wanted to help those I once struggled to keep up with. Click. I ignored the whispers around me and opened the door to the ssroom. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The cadets'' gazes focused on me, and an awkward silence settled in. ¡°Haa.¡± Thinking that this kind of atmosphere would continue for a while made me let out a sigh. ¡®Where¡¯s Iris?¡¯ My gaze naturally turned towards the window at the far end. There, I saw Iris looking at me with a glint of interest in her eyes, and next to her, Cami ring at me as if she was ready to kill me on the spot. ¡®I really should apologize to Cami.¡¯ But seeing her like that, I knew that if I spoke to her now, instead of an apology, anothermotion would surely arise. ¡°Ugh.¡± I ignored their stares and sat down in my seat. As I sat down, the awkward silence that had settled in the ssroom began to break, and a murmur started to fill the room again. As I slightly opened my ears to listen, I could tell that most of the murmurs were about me. ¡°Alright, rookies. Stop the chatter and take your seats.¡± Professor Lucas entered the ssroom and opened the door. His gaze scanned the room and eventuallynded on me. ¡°If you fall asleep in my ss one more time, you¡¯ll be flying out of here, so be prepared.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± ¡°As long as you understand.¡± Professor Lucas nodded without saying anything more when I bowed my head properly. Even though it was a fluke, the rumor that a cadet¡¯s punch had sent him flying must have made the rounds among the professors. The fact that he brushed it off with just a simple warning showed Professor Lucas''s character. ¡®The reason I somehow managed to graduate, even if only by a narrow margin, wasrgely thanks to Professor Lucas.¡¯ As I was reminiscing with a satisfied smile, he spoke up again. ¡°Alright, before we begin the lecture, let¡¯s take attendance.¡± As he started calling out names, Professor Lucas wandered around the ssroom. I wondered why he was walking around while taking attendance, and at that moment¡ª ¡°Dale Han.¡± ¡°Here.¡± Swoosh. As he passed by, Professor Lucas discreetly handed me a small white note. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ Tilting my head in curiosity, I unfolded the note. [Remember this! The only reason you got me was because I was caught off guard! If I had been serious, a rookie like you wouldn¡¯t even be worth a punch!] ¡°¡­¡­¡± I take back what I said about him not holding a grudge. ¡®How petty can this guy be?¡¯ When I looked back at Professor Lucas with an exasperated expression, he cleared his throat awkwardly and avoided my gaze. Right. At least he has the decency to feel embarrassed. ¡®He¡¯s quite an amusing guy.¡¯ Suppressing a chuckle, I tucked the note into my left breast pocket. ¡°Alright. Everyone¡¯s here.¡± After finishing attendance, Professor Lucas stood at the podium and looked around at the cadets. ¡°What¡¯s the name of today¡¯s ss?¡± ¡°Practical Combat Training, sir.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. This ss aims to gain experience and knowledge for future real-lifebat against demons or monsters.¡± Professor Lucas nodded and continued his exnation. ¡°Cadet Albert.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, sir!¡± ¡°What do you think is the most important thing in preparing for realbat?¡± After contemting, Albert stood up abruptly and clenched his fist. ¡°I¡­ I think it¡¯s the ¡®courage¡¯ not to be afraid when facing the enemy.¡± ¡°Courage is something you use when you pack your lunch.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Hahaha! What do you think? I heard this joke from Professor Bianca the other day. Pretty funny, right?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yes.¡± Albert sat down with a bewildered expression. Professor Lucas stepped down from the podium and ced a hand the size of a pot lid on Albert¡¯s shoulder, smiling broadly. ¡°Laugh.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°I said,ugh.¡± ¡°Ahahaha!!! Comparing ¡®courage¡¯ to a lunchbox! Professor Bianca sure has a great sense of humor! Ahahaha! Ah, I¡¯mughing so hard my stomach hurts!¡± ¡°Yes, yes. That¡¯s more like it.¡± Professor Lucas nodded in satisfaction, while Albert clutched his stomach, genuinely trembling (probably from tension). ¡°Well, let¡¯s get back to the main point.¡± With measured steps, Professor Lucas returned to the podium and spoke with a serious expression. ¡°The most important thing in realbat isn¡¯t useless courage; it¡¯s ¡®experience.¡¯¡± Even cadets who are terrified at the mere sight of a monster¡¯s eyes will get used to it after they¡¯ve sliced through a few monsters. ¡°And you can never gain realbat experience in a confined ssroom.¡± Thud. The professor lightly tapped the podium and pointed outside the window. ¡°Get out. Today¡¯s ss is an outdoor session.¡± At the mention of an outdoor ss, quiet sighs of resignation could be heard around the ssroom. ¡°And for this session, you¡¯ll be forming teams of three, so feel free to gather your party members. You have 15 minutes.¡± At the mention of a party session, the ssroom buzzed with activity again. Some cadetsughed confidently, while others wore worried expressions and began ncing around nervously. ¡®A party session, huh.¡¯ A party session. It was a word that made me sigh involuntarily. Considering that most people form parties after graduation to officially start their hero activities, it¡¯s a good idea to let the cadets experience party formation during their training. ¡®But every time, I was thest to find party members and had to team up with people I barely knew.¡¯ The atmosphere in those hastily formed parties was nothing short of terrible. ¡®This time¡­.¡¯ I looked around, just in case. ¡°Ugh.¡± As expected. With all the rumors flying around about me, there was no way any cadet would want to team up with me. I was already resigning myself to being thest to form a party and teaming up with someone whose name I didn¡¯t even know when¡ª ¡°Dale.¡± A familiar voice came from behind. ¡°Would you like to team up with us?¡± When I turned around, I saw the saintess smiling warmly at me. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 10 - The First Class (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 10 - The First ss (2) After forming the parties, the cadets were given 30 minutes to prepare. While the exact content of the ss wasn''t disclosed, the professor''s advice¡ª"You''ll be stuck in the mountains for a while"¡ªprompted the cadets to gather outdoor equipment by party. In reality, the necessary gear was nothing more thanfortable clothes, shoes, and a water bottle. Once prepared, the cadets headed to the outdoor training ground adjacent to the school premises. Despite being called a "training ground," it was essentially an entire mountain that had been converted for use, so from the outside, it looked like nothing more than the hill behind the school. "Today''s ss is about ''Demonic demonic beast Tracking.''" Professor Lucas pointed to the mountain as he continued. "There are three demonic beasts currently roaming the training ground. Your task is to track the traces these demonic beasts leave behind and capture them somewhere in the mountains." "D-Demonic beasts?" Albert asked in a frightened voice. Demonic demonic beasts. A term used to describe animals and nts mutated by demonic power, considered alongside demons as one of humanity''s most dangerous "enemies." Their power and abilities varied greatly by individual, but they were generally strong enough to tear apart several people easily. "Why, are you scared?" "N-no! I''m not scared at all!" Despite his words, Albert''s face was stiff with tension. The expressions of the other cadets weren''t much different. In their first and second years, they''d had opportunities to observe demonic beasts from a distance, but this was their first time directly tracking and hunting a wild demonic beast. "I can see your legs trembling; don''t try to lie." Clicking his tongue, Professor Lucas lightly smacked Albert''s stiff head. "Ouch!" Albert yelped, clutching his head in pain. "I''ll say it again, today''s ss is about ''tracking'' the demonic beasts. Not hunting, but tracking." With arms crossed, Professor Lucas continued. "The demonic beasts you''re to capture have had their movements restricted by magical tools. In other words, they can only run away." "Oh." "Phew, I thought¡­" At this, the tension finally lifted from the cadets'' faces. "Well, this is just the first ss. But there will be no mercy from the midterm evaluations onwards, so you''d better start preparing now." "Ugh." With the professor''s continued words, the cadets'' faces darkened again. "In any case, the party that tracks and captures the demonic beasts will receive bonus points, so do your best to find them." "Yes, sir!" The cadets answered energetically, knowing that the overall ranking during their time as cadets would significantly affect their treatment after graduation, making every bonus point worth striving for. "Then, let''s get ready to depar¡ª" "Professor! I have a question!" "Go ahead." "What''s the time limit?" "Oh, right. I forgot to mention that. The time limit is¡­" Professor Lucas'' lips curled into a grin. "There isn''t one." "¡­?" The cadets'' eyes filled with confusion at the professor''s words. "The ss continues until all three demonic beasts are captured, whether it takes hours or days." "D-days?" "Uh¡­ Professor, what about our other sses¡­?" "For practicalbat training, this will be considered a legitimate reason for absence, so focus on this ss without worry." "¡­" Seeing Professor Lucas'' wicked smile, which clearly implied there was no escape, the cadets looked dismayed. "Alright, parties will depart at five-minute intervals!" With Professor Lucas'' heartyughter, the first outdoor ss of their third year began. * * * "Demonic demonic beast tracking, huh." I couldn''t quite recall the details when I was first told to form a party. But now, my memories from my previous life started to return. "We barely managed to capture all three demonic beasts on the third day." Of course, the party I was in didn¡¯t even find the demonic beasts¡¯ shadows, let alone capture them. I remembered struggling in the mountains for three days, nearly starving as we wandered aimlessly. "It''s almost our turn." "Oh, yeah." At Iris''s call, I stood up. "Ugh¡­ Do we really have to team up with this guy, Saintess?" "It''s a party ss. Of course, we have to stick together." "Well, that''s true, but¡­" Cami red at me with clear disapproval. "Why did you even suggest forming a party with such a brute?" I was curious about that, too. "Why did she ask me to be in the same party?" After all, this was the same person who had pped me and cursed me out not long ago. We hadn¡¯t crossed paths or spoken since then, so there was no way the tension had disappeared. "Well¡­ Who knows?" With an enigmatic smile, Iris nced at me. "It''s a secret." "Ugh." "Anyway, if we don''t start soon, the professor will get mad." "Sigh. Alright, I understand." Cami sighed, seemingly resigned, and then sharply turned to face me. "I''ve heard you''ve been hiding your strength?" "Well¡­ I had my reasons." Although I hadn''t been hiding my strength, there was no point in denying the rumors now. It wasn¡¯t like anyone would believe me if I told them I had regressed in time. "Whatever your reasons are, don''t think I''ll go down as easily asst time." Cami grabbed the hilt of her sword and red at me fiercely. Suppressing augh, I nodded. I didn¡¯t n to lose control and act recklessly likest time, but a question naturally arose. ¡®Could I beat Cami if she went all out now?¡¯ Honestly, the reason I was able to overpower her so easily before was mostly because she was caught off guard. At that time, she hadn¡¯t even used her stigma. If we were to fight again with her giving it her all¡­ ¡®I''m not sure.¡¯ Even though I now had a way to umte mana, it had only been a week since I started. I couldn¡¯tpare to her, who had consistently grown stronger through breathing techniques since childhood. Although I could confidently say that my pure skills were beyond what she could ever achieve, that was only in terms of technique. ¡®Honestly, I don¡¯t really know how strong I am right now.¡¯ There were three periods in my past life when I grew significantly. The first was during my rough mercenary life. The second was when I learned fromrades like Yuren, Berald, and Sophia. And thest¡­ ¡®When I wandered the continent, searching for the Primordial me on my own.¡¯ At that time, I had no one topare myself to, so it was hard to gauge the level of my own abilities. But one thing I could be certain of was¡­ ¡®I won¡¯t lose easily.¡¯ No matter how promising Cami Vedice was, having even been considered a cadet for the ''Sword of the Holy Kingdom,'' right now, she was just an inexperienced cadet who hadn''t even faced a proper battle. ¡°What are you hesitating for?¡± ¡°Ah, sorry.¡± ¡°Hmph. Just because it''s a lesson doesn''t mean you should take it lightly. As long as you''re on the same team as me, act as if this is a real battle.¡± With a scoff, Cami walked with confident strides. ¡±But where should we start tracking?¡± Iris looked around, appearing at a loss. Though they called it a demonic beast hunt, how on earth were they supposed to find the demonic beast hiding somewhere in this vast forest? ¡±Heh. There''s no need to worry about that, Saintess!¡± Cami puffed out her chest with a confident expression. ¡±I scored quite well in the tracking ss we tookst year. Just trust me and follow along.¡± ¡±Oh, that''s right. You came bragging to me back then, saying you got first ce.¡± ¡±Th-that was¡­ ahem. Please forget about that.¡± ¡±Why~ It was cute.¡± ¡±L-let''s get moving before the other teams beat us to it.¡± Cami hurried her steps, blushing slightly, as if trying to escape. * * * The demonic beast tracking began under Cami''s lead. Indeed, her im about excelling in the tracking ss didn''t seem to be a lie. Her tracking skills were quite impressive. ¡±Judging by the direction the branches are broken and the footprints, it moved this way.¡± Cami carefully observed her surroundings, following the demonic beast''s traces. After about an hour of moving forward, ¡±Huh...? What?¡± Cami''s face showed confusion as the trail suddenly disappeared. ¡±Ugh¡­¡± Cami looked back at Iris, stomping her feet in frustration. ¡±You don¡¯t need to make that face. It''s your first time tracking a demonic beast yourself, right?¡± ¡±B-but!¡± ¡±It¡¯s alright.¡± Irisforted Cami with a gentle smile and then turned to me. ¡±Looks like we¡¯ll have to start from the beginning.¡± ¡±No, we don¡¯t have to.¡± I shook my head and stepped forward. ¡±¡­We don¡¯t have to? What do you mean by that?¡± ¡±The trail didn¡¯t disappear; you just didn¡¯t find it.¡± ¡±What?¡± I pointed to a thin ck hair stuck in the bark of a nearby tree. The hair was lodged about 10 meters up, so you wouldn¡¯t have noticed it unless you really craned your neck upwards. ¡±Ah¡­!¡± ¡±There¡¯s no scratch marks on the tree, but there¡¯s hair up high. It¡¯s a creature that¡¯s good at climbing.¡± But why did it suddenly climb the tree after walking on the ground? I brushed aside the fallen leaves under the tree. As I expected. There was a pile of dung, likely left by the demonic beast. ¡®Whether it''s a human or a demonic beast, the moment they defecate is when they¡¯re most vulnerable.¡¯ It probably climbed the tree for safety while doing its business. ¡±This is recent.¡± I took a small piece of the dung and put it in my mouth. Gasp! I heard the shocked gasps of two women behind me. I spat out the dung I had tasted and continued talking. ¡±It¡¯s not very moist, and it has a strong foul and bitter taste. It¡¯s likely a carnivorous feline that has mutated into a demonic beast.¡± Considering its ability to climb, this is almost certain. ¡±The fact that there¡¯s a slight taste of blood suggests it¡¯s not in great health.¡± This was probably due to the magical tool that Professor Lucas mentioned. ¡±Given its movement pattern and health, it probably hasn¡¯t moved far after climbing the tree.¡± ¡±¡­¡­.¡± As I stood up, Cami took a step back, looking a bit unsteady. ¡±What?¡± ¡±Y-you just¡­ that¡­ you ate the demonic beast''s dung¡­.¡± ¡±There¡¯s nothing more reliable than dung for checking a demonic beast¡¯s condition. This is even written in tracking manuals, right?¡± Even a demonic beast is a creature that eats, sleeps, and defecates. ¡±I know that, but¡­¡± Usually, you¡¯d just look at it. Even most active heroes wouldn¡¯t actually eat it. Perhaps a low-ranking mercenary desperate to survive might do such a thing. ¡±Tasting it is far more urate than just looking at it.¡± ¡±S-still, there¡¯s no need to go as far as eating it.¡± ¡±It might not matter now because this is training, but what if this were a real battle? If the demonic beast was hiding and ready to attack you at any moment?¡± In that case, knowing the demonic beast¡¯s condition in advance could be the difference between life and death. ¡±That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡±Weren¡¯t you the one who said to treat this as if it were a real battle, not just training?¡± ¡±¡­¡­.¡± Unable to find a rebuttal, Cami lowered her head in silence. I could see her clenched fists trembling slightly. She looked like she was about to burst into tears. ¡®Well.¡¯ She had boldly told the Saintess, her superior, to trust her and follow her lead, only to lose the trail halfway through. And she had just beenpletely outmatched in logic and skill by a cadet who had humiliated her a week earlier. For someone as prideful as her, this must have been a serious blow to her mental state. ¡±D-damn it¡­.¡± Cami, biting her lip in frustration, approached me with teary eyes. Thud! She stomped her foot harshly and grabbed me by the cor. ¡±I-I can do it too!¡± ¡±Huh?¡± Do what? ¡±I can eat dung too!¡± ¡±¡­¡­.¡± Uh. I get what she means, but¡­ Hearing it like that sounds a bit off. ¡±What¡¯s the big deal about eating dung that you¡¯re acting so high and mighty?¡± ¡±What kind of life is one where you can boast about eating dung?¡± ¡±I can do it too if I want!¡± ¡±Yeah, yeah. Got it.¡± Alright, alright. Just calm down. ¡±Hmph! What do you know? So, what you¡¯re saying now is that you want me to put that¡­ that dirty thing in my mouth, right?!¡± ¡±Excuse me?¡± What the hell is she talking about? ¡±Y-you bastard¡­!¡± ¡±No.¡± Please stop. It¡¯s starting to feel like we¡¯re in a weird genre now. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 11 - The First Class (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 11 - The First ss (3) "Ugh..." After a briefmotion, the lead in pursuing the demonic beast shifted from Cami to me. Cami, perhaps upset that the lead had been taken from her, followed behind me with a sullen expression. Her slumped shoulders and lethargic steps were quite unfamiliar to me, as I had never seen this side of "Cami Vedice." "Isn''t she cute?" Iris, who was walking beside me, nced back at Cami, who was trailing behind us, and chuckled while covering her mouth. "She''s verypetitive, so whenever she loses, she tends to sulk like that for a while." "I never knew that a candidate for the next Holy Sword could make such an expression." "It just means that Dale''s tracking skills are that impressive." Iris looked at me with sparkling eyes and asked, "By the way, how do you manage to pinpoint the demonic beast''s movements so urately at a nce?" "Well..." I wanted to say that after hunting demonic beasts thousands of times, it bes second nature, whether you want it to or not. But I couldn''t tell her about my past life. "Just lucky, I guess." "Hmm. It didn''t seem like luck at all." Iris didn''t press further, and after thatment, she quietly followed behind me as we continued tracking the demonic beast for another ten minutes. "I found it." I spotted something dark through the thick bushes and hunched over, stealthily moving. It was about two meters in size. It resembled a cat, but its mouth was sharp like a bird''s beak, and a third eye gleamed ominously between its two eyes, emitting a sinister red glow. "A three-eyed demonic beast, huh?" Demonic Beasts tend to be more deformed and powerful as the number of their eyes increases. Having three eyes meant that the demonic beast was in the early stages of mutation, with only minor changes to its size and body parts. "It''s a good target for training." Of course, even a three-eyed demonic beast was still a demonic beast. It moved much faster than any wild animal, had the strength to tear a person apart easily, and was difficult to even scratch with a weapon that wasn''t magic-infused. "Especially feline demonic beasts¡ªthey''re often faster than demonic beasts with more eyes." It seemed likely that the trainers had deliberately prepared a feline demonic beast to match the training theme of "tracking and capture." "I need to approach it quickly before it notices me." As I was timing my move, Cami stepped forward. "I''ll go." Was she trying to redeem herself after her earlier failure? "Feline demonic beasts are quite fast. Are you sure you''re okay with this?" "Hmph. Don''t worry. I''m not slow enough to let a demonic beast like that escape." Judging by her confident answer, it didn''t seem like she was bluffing. "Alright. I''ll block its escape route, and you catch it." "Got it." As I quietly moved toward the demonic beast''s escape route, Iris spoke up. "Wait a moment. I''ll cast a blessing first." She sped her hands together as if in prayer, and a soft white light emanated from her holy mark, enveloping us. It felt as if all the fatigue had melted away, and my body was filled with renewed energy. ¡®It''s been a while.¡¯ It had been so long since I''d received a blessing from Iris. Although the blessing was far weaker in both ability and effectpared to what I had received in my past life, the fact that I could receive her blessing again made my heart swell with emotion, to the point where my eyes almost teared up. "Dale? Is something wrong?" "Oh, sorry." There was no time to get lost in sentimentality. I quietly moved to the demonic beast''s escape route. Once in position, I looked back at Cami, who seemed to be waiting for my signal, ready to spring into action at any moment. ¡®Unexpected.¡¯ I had thought that Cami, who found me annoying, would charge in without waiting for my signal. ¡®She¡¯s not so foolish as to let her emotions cloud her judgment, huh?¡¯ Good. If she wants to be Iris''s protector, that''s exactly how she should behave. "......" I watched the demonic beast closely from my hiding spot. As I had observed earlier through its droppings, the demonic beast didn''t seem to be in great condition. It squirmed irritably, trying to shake off the restraints around its legs and mouth. "Now." With a short signal, Cami dashed forward. I was ready to back her up in case she missed the demonic beast, but... ¡®I guess that¡¯s not necessary.¡¯ She proved that her im of not being slow was no idle boast, as she charged forward with explosive speed and kicked the demonic beast viciously in the stomach. "Kyaaak!" Thud! With a dull thud, ck blood spewed from the demonic beast''s mouth. Even while coughing up blood, the demonic beast frantically tried to flee, but... "Where do you think you''re going?" Cami struck the demonic beast on the back of its head with her sheathed sword. The demonic beast staggered after the direct hit and copsed without putting up much of a fight. "Well done, Cami!" Seeing the demonic beast fall, Iris emerged from the bushes and approached Cami. "Hmph. This was nothing." "That was amazing!" "Hehehe." "I love you!" "Oh,e on, Saintess. Compliments like that over something so trivial don¡¯t really make me happy." She seemed pretty pleased, though. "Hmm~ Isn''t Cami just adorable?" Iris smiled warmly at the sight of Cami, who was grinning from ear to ear. "It sounds like you''re showing off a cute puppy." Now that I think about it, Iris treated me like a cute pet, too. ¡®Especially in bed¡­¡¯ Ahem. I quickly erased that thought from my mind and approached the fallen demonic beast. "We¡¯ve caught it, so let''s report it." I brought my Hero Watch on my left wrist close to the restraints on the demonic beast''s mouth. Beep. A clear rm sounded, and a hologram window appeared on the screen. [Capture by the party of ''Iris, Cami Vedice, Dale Han'' confirmed.] Good. We caught one. "Should we move on to the next one right away?" I felt confident we could capture all three demonic beasts by the end of the day if we moved quickly, but... "Thank you. If it weren¡¯t for you, Dale, we wouldn¡¯t have captured the demonic beast this quickly." Iris''s sweet smile, so warm it could melt anyone''s heart, made me reconsider. Her eyes, more beautiful than the clear blue sky¡ªeyes I had never seen before¡ªmade my heart pound like it was broken. ¡®Should I put aside the n to catch all three in one day?¡¯ Yeah. In my previous life, the cadets struggled for three days to catch them all, so if I catch them all in one day, it won''t be much of a training experience for the other cadets, right? The bonus points are tempting, but I can''t take away the precious growth opportunities of the other cadets just for a few points, can I? "By the way, if we can''t catch all three today, does that mean we''ll have to camp out in the forest?" "We''ll have to if we have no choice. They said the training won''t end until we''ve caught all three, no matter how long it takes." It''s definitely not because I want to spend the night with my ex. * * * After a few more hours of searching the mountain for the demonic beasts, we still couldn''t find any trace of them, let alone the demonic beasts themselves. I clicked my tongue as I looked up at the darkening sky. "Well, it looks like we¡¯ll have to camp out after all. I really wanted to catch them all today and rest, but what a shame." "...You seem strangely happy about this?" "Hey, what do you take me for?" "Hmph. I won''t let it slide if you have any sneaky thoughts just because we''re camping." Cami warned me with a fierce look in her eyes. I chuckled and kicked the dirt floor lightly. "Once you''re lying on this hard ground with the cold wind blowing on you, you won''t have the luxury of those kinds of thoughts, so don''t worry." "Ugh." We''ve had outdoor survival training before, but this is the first time Cami is experiencing rough camping on the bare ground, so she stared down at the dirt floor with a gulp. "The ground is unavoidable, but if I apply my blessing, the cold wind won''t be as bad." "Really? Your blessing has that effect too?" I already knew this, of course. I pretended to be surprised, just to mess around. "Hehe. Well, I am a ¡®saint¡¯ after all." Iris puffed out her chest proudly with a yful grin. Rip. As she stretched her back and puffed out her chest, her clothes looked ready to burst at the seams. ¡®Yikes.¡¯ I''d seen those enough to have them ingrained in my memory (and even touched them!), but seeing them again after a while, the visual impact was... something else. "You, you! Stop staring! Didn''t I warn you that such a posture is dangerous, Saint?" ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s strange. It wasn¡¯t like this when Cami did it earlier.¡± "What nonsense are you spouting... Ah, I-I''m sorry!" "Oh dear, I''m hurt." Iris dramatically wiped her eyes as if she was heartbroken. Cami looked flustered and kept bowing her head. ¡®I never knew Iris had such a yful side during her cadet days.¡¯ In my previous life, she never showed this mischievous side of herself. ¡®Seeing this side of Iris that I didn¡¯t know about¡­¡¯ I was filled with emotions, watching Iris teasing Cami with that yful smile. Growl. The sound of a rumbling stomach echoed through the quiet forest. ¡°Ah.¡± Iris¡¯s cheeks flushed a bright red. ¡°Ahem¡­ I didn¡¯t eat a proper breakfast this morning, so I feel a bit hungry.¡± Embarrassed by her growling stomach, Iris cleared her throat awkwardly and made an excuse. Cami looked troubled. ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t expect we¡¯d be camping, so I didn¡¯t bring any food.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I didn¡¯t expect to be camping suddenly either.¡± Iris smiled brightly, saying it was okay even if they went without food for a day, but her face did seem slightly pale, probably because she hadn¡¯t eaten much breakfast. ¡°I brought some food.¡± ¡°Oh¡­!¡± ¡°R-Really?¡± ¡°Of course. I brought enough for two people, so don¡¯t worry.¡± I pulled out the food I had packed in advance from my bag. ¡°¡­What¡¯s that?¡± Cami tilted her head, looking at the bright red package in my hand. ¡°Ramen.¡± ¡°Ramen? Oh, isn¡¯t that the food that the poor people of the Republic eat?¡± ¡°What? Were you nning to feed the Saint something like that, even in an emergency?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how it got that image, but the taste is unbeatable, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Especially, ¡°Iris, you''ll love it.¡± In my previous life, she¡¯d devour ramen like there was no tomorrow. ¡°Hmph. What do you know about the Saint to say that?¡± Cami scoffed as if I was talking nonsense and continued, ¡°The Saint, who eats every meal prepared by a professional chef dispatched from the Holy Kingdom, with perfect taste, freshness, and nutritional bnce. There¡¯s no way she would like such a lowly food item!¡± ¡°Look at you, being all talk when you¡¯re the one getting a free meal.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ T-That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°So, are you going to eat or not?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll eat. I apologize for my remarks.¡± Apparently, Cami was hungry too, as she quickly bowed her head. I gathered some dry branches nearby, lit a fire, and cooked the ramen in a pot I had prepared. ¡®I wish I had some eggs to go with it.¡¯ But bringing eggs to an outdoor training session was a bit much, even for me. ¡°It¡¯s ready.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± ¡°Ahem¡­ The smell is certainly something.¡± The two women swallowed their saliva as they watched the bubbling ramen. Holy Kingdom food tends to be mild and vegetable-heavy, so they probably hadn¡¯t experienced such a strong vor before. ¡°Here are the chopsticks¡­ Oh, people from the Holy Kingdom aren¡¯t very good with chopsticks, are they?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ve learned how to use them.¡± ¡°I can use them too.¡± Iris took the chopsticks and slurped up some ramen. And then, ¡°Hmmmm!¡± Iris¡¯s face lit up with excitement as she kicked her feet. It was the same reaction I¡¯d seen in my previous life. ¡°Wow! What is this? It¡¯s so delicious! Are you kidding me?!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­Ahem. I had only heard that it was poor people¡¯s food, but after tasting it, it¡¯s surprisingly not bad.¡± ¡°Uh, yeah. I¡¯m d you like it.¡± Correction. It was a slightly more intense reaction than in my previous life. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 12 - The First Class (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 12 - The First ss (4) The next day. Contrary to my worries, the makeshift bed I made using the skills I learned during my past life as a mercenary (with branches and leaves) and Iris¡¯s blessing helped make the sleep not too ufortable. It was bearable, though I wouldn¡¯t call it good. ¡®Still, it¡¯s far betterpared to the other candidates.¡¯ By now, most of them are probably exhausted, half-dead from fatigue. Camping without knowledge can be more draining than not sleeping at all. ¡®Well, that¡¯s probably one of the purposes of this lesson.¡¯ Considering the ferociousness of the demonic beasts they released, it¡¯s hard to believe that this lesson is just about practical tracking skills. Feline demonic beasts are known for being fast and leaving almost no tracepared to other demonic beasts with the same number of "eyes." ¡®They likely didn¡¯t expect the candidates to capture all the demonic beasts in a day.¡¯ It could take several days, which is why they didn¡¯t warn us to prepare thoroughly. This lesson¡¯s real purpose isn¡¯t just tracking the demonic beasts released in the mountains but making the candidates realize how to solve issues like camping and food on their own. So, in other words¡­ ¡°Hmmm.¡± Waking up early in the morning to check for any dangers and watching over the peacefully sleeping Iris is also part of the lesson. ¡®Iris.¡¯ Recalling her excited expressionst night as she adorably kicked her legs while eating ramen made me certain of one thing. ¡®Even if all her memories of being with me are gone, Iris is still Iris.¡¯ It¡¯s a simple truth, yet it fills my heart with joy. ¡®I can¡¯t wait to see the others too.¡¯ Yuren, Berald, and Senior Sophia. I wonder how they¡¯re doing now. As I was lost in these memories¡­ ¡°¡­Why are you smiling so creepily?¡± Cami¡¯s voice came from beside me. ¡°What? Can¡¯t I smile freely?¡± ¡°Hmph! That smile definitely had some hidden meaning behind it!¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense in the morning and wake Iris up. It¡¯s time to move.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Cami approached Iris and gently shook her shoulder. ¡°Saintess. It¡¯s time to wake up¡­ Hyaah!¡± ¡°Just a little more¡­¡± Half-asleep, Iris wrapped her arms around Cami. She pulled Cami closer, nuzzling her cheek against her chest like a spoiled child. ¡°S-S-Saintess, please don¡¯t do this!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ What is this? It¡¯s so hard.¡± ¡°Wake up already, you fool.¡± p. Cami smacked Iris on the back. Iris, still half-asleep, blinked her eyes open. ¡°Are you awake, Saintess?¡± ¡°Yawn¡­ I¡¯m awake. But my back feels sore¡­¡± ¡°Well, you slept on the ground with just a few leaves, so it¡¯s no wonder your back hurts.¡± ¡°Oh, right. We camped out. No wonder my cheek felt so hard and t earlier.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hold it in, Cami. She¡¯s your lord. ¡°If you¡¯re awake, let¡¯s get moving.¡± ¡°Moving? Where to?¡± ¡°I found some traces of a demonic beast around here this morning.¡± We had experienced camping as part of the lesson. It was time to resume tracking the demonic beasts. * * * After a quick wash by the nearby stream, our party followed the traces of the demonic beast. We walked for several hours. Finally, we spotted a demonic beast drinking water by the stream in the distance. ¡®Another feline demonic beast, huh.¡¯ It didn¡¯t have the beak-like mouth of the first demonic beast we caught, but its overall appearance wasn¡¯t much different. The only difference was that it had four eyes instead of three. This one was a level stronger than the demonic beast we caught yesterday. ¡®Now that I think about it, I remember hearing about this.¡¯ One of the three demonic beasts released into the forest was particrly fast and difficult to catch. The reason it took three days to capture all the demonic beasts was because of that four-eyed demonic beast. ¡®Back then, our party couldn¡¯t even catch a three-eyed demonic beast, let alone a four-eyed one.¡¯ Seeing a four-eyed demonic beast up close now made me realize how much things had changed since I returned. ¡°¡­It has one more eye.¡± Cami noticed the four eyes of the demonic beast and spoke with a hint of tension in her voice. ¡°Should I catch it this time?¡± ¡°Hmph, whether it has three eyes or four, it doesn¡¯t make a difference.¡± Cami stepped forward, unwilling to yield. I shrugged and took my position to block its escape route, just like yesterday. ¡°Haa!¡± Thud thud thud! As soon as I signaled, Cami dashed forward. ¡°Grr?!¡± The demonic beast, engrossed in drinking water, jerked its head up. Panicking, it turned to flee, but I was already blocking its escape route. The demonic beast hesitated, ncing between me and Cami, before finally deciding to charge at Cami. ¡®It¡¯s trying to break through.¡¯ I nced at Cami, who was holding her sword with a confident expression. ¡°Come if you dare!¡± She raised her sword toward the charging demonic beast. The stigma on her left chest glowed, and a white light enveloped her sword. As she prepared to strike the demonic beast''s neck... Beep beep! [Warning. If you kill a training demonic beast instead of capturing it, your extra points will be canceled.] A red warning screen appeared on her Hero Watch. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Cami hastily redirected her sword. But it was impossible to stop a sword once it had been swungpletely. ng! Her sword narrowly grazed the demonic beast¡¯s neck. ¡°Damn it! They should warn us about these things in advance!¡± Cami angrily shouted at the red warning screen on her Hero Watch. Perhaps distracted by the warning screen, she didn¡¯t realize what she had ¡°cut.¡± ¡°Grrr¡­¡± The restraint device around the demonic beast¡¯s neck split in half and fell off. The four eyes gleamed ominously with a red glow. ¡°Grrr!¡± Freed from the restraint, the demonic beast rushed past Cami at a much faster speed. ¡°Huh?!¡± A startled Cami turned her head, but the demonic beast had already passed her. The direction the demonic beast was charging, with its blood-red eyes glowing, was¡­ ¡°A-Irisssss!¡± Cami shouted urgently, forgetting to address her as "Saintess." ¡°Ah!¡± Iris tried to dodge the demonic beast charging at her, but she wasn¡¯t skilled in closebat, and avoiding such a sudden attack was impossible for her. As the demonic beast''s fierce jaws approached Iris¡ª "Tch, I told you I''d take care of it." Berald¡¯s martial arts. Sky Flip. Thud! ¡°Gyaaah!¡± With a shriek, the demonic beast copsed to the ground from the force of its charge. I swung my sword, still sheathed, and struck the writhing demonic beast on the head. Whack! The demonic beast''s eyes lost their red gleam after being hit on the crown by the sword''s scabbard. ¡°You alright?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yes.¡± With a dazed expression, Iris nodded and took my hand to help herself up. ¡°Oh, Iris!¡± Cami ran over to Iris. ¡°Are you hurt anywhere?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Hah.¡± With a sigh of relief, Cami bit her lip and bowed deeply. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Saintess! This incident will be formally reported to the Holy Nation, and proper punishment will be dealt with¡­¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not necessary.¡± ¡°But¡­!¡± ¡°I said it¡¯s fine.¡± Iris smiled softly and touched Cami¡¯s shoulder, helping her straighten her bow. ¡°It wasn¡¯t known that killing the demonic beast was forbidden, so there¡¯s no need to worry.¡± ¡°...¡± Cami, who had been biting her lips with a troubled expression, turned toward me. ¡°¡­Thank you. I¡¯ll make sure to repay you for this someday.¡± ¡°Hmmm. Repay me, you say? How exactly?¡± ¡°Anything within my power.¡± ¡°Oh? Anything, you say?¡± ¡°As long as it doesn¡¯t involve eating dung!¡± ¡°No, nothing like that.¡± What does she take me for, this woman? ¡°Well, no need for repayment¡­ let¡¯s just call it even.¡± ¡°Even?¡± ¡°For knocking you outst week.¡± ¡°Ugh, th-that was¡­!¡± Leaving behind Cami, who was flustered and began spouting excuses like, ¡°I was caught off guard, so it couldn¡¯t be helped¡­!¡±, I approached the broken restraining magic tool thaty in two pieces on the ground. ¡°Will it still be recognized like this?¡± A clear chime sounded as I tilted my head and brought out my Hero Watch, and a hologram screen appeared. [Capture of the ¡®Iris, Cami Vedice, Dale Han¡¯ party has been confirmed.] [With all the demonic beasts captured, the ¡®Practical Combat Training¡¯ is now over.] [Cadets are advised to move to the entrance of the training grounds promptly.] ¡°Looks like another party captured one of them.¡± Clicking my tongue, I looked at the hologram floating in the air. If we hadn¡¯t given up on camping with Iris yesterday and moved a bit faster, we might have caught all three demonic beasts, but it was already toote for that. ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Cami nodded and followed me. And so, the two of us walked towards the training grounds. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Two? ¡°Iris?¡± ¡°Ah, sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment.¡± ¡°Y-you¡¯re injured after all¡­!¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°What do you mean, ¡®not it¡¯! Your face is turning red!¡± ¡°I-I told you, it¡¯s not that!¡± Iris hurried her steps, trying to hide her blushing cheeks. ¡°Saintess!¡± Cami chased after her. ¡°¡­What¡¯s going on?¡± Watching Iris¡¯s receding figure, I tilted my head in confusion. Why was it, I wondered. For a very brief moment, Iris''s gaze reminded me of my former lover in a previous life. ¡®Stop overthinking and let¡¯s go.¡¯ I shook off the thoughts swirling in my head and followed the two women. * * * The reason I proposed a party to him was pure curiosity. ¡ªReally¡­ thank goodness. Why did he¡ª Why did he cry so bitterly in front of me, someone he had never even spoken to? At first, all I felt was difort, but as time passed, that feeling faded. And as curiosity rose amid my calming emotions, my mind became filled with the man who had told me he was "d" that day. ¡®What exactly was he d about?¡¯ I continued to ponder, but no answers came to mind. Instead, apletely unrted thought surfaced as I kept thinking about him. ¡®He feels familiar.¡¯ Even though I knew we¡¯d never spoken a word to each other. His gaze when he looked at me. His voice as he spoke to me. They didn¡¯t feel unfamiliar. No. It wasn¡¯t just that they didn¡¯t feel unfamiliar. I felt an inexplicable, almost heartwarming joy. ¡®Why am I feeling this way?¡¯ It was as if I had met a lost lover from a past life. As such nonsensical thoughts crossed my mind¡ª ¡ªFor this ss, you¡¯ll form parties of three, so gather your party members freely. As soon as I heard that¡ª I stood up without thinking and approached him. ¡®Now that I think about it¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t very saint-like of me to act so impulsively. But I didn¡¯t regret it. Even though it was just a single day, the time I spent with him¡­ wasn¡¯t so bad. No. To be honest¡ª ¡ªYou alright? I was happy. Much more than I had expected. While we scoured the forest path together, tracking the demonic beasts. When I had ramen for the first time in my life. When he blocked the demonic beast charging at me. When he extended his hand to me as I fell and asked if I was okay. A tingling sensation ran through me, and I experienced an emotion I had never felt before. An emotion that a "saintess" should never entertain. ¡°Sigh. What should I do now¡­¡± As I sighed and continued to ponder¡ª Suddenly, memories shed through my mind. ¡ªHey, what¡¯s with the informal speech? Do you know who I am? ¡ªFine, we¡¯re in the same year, so the informal speech is whatever. But what was that yesterday? What? Why did you hit my friend, you piece of trash? ¡ªAh, by the way, forget everything that happened today, okay? If not¡­ you¡¯re dead. ¡ªKyaah! What is this? This is so good! Are you kidding me?! ¡°What the hell¡­?¡± What should I do now? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 13 - The Limit Test (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 13 - The Limit Test (1) After sessfullypleting my first party ss, I received something I had never gotten in my previous life¡ªbonus points. Two points, to be exact. "A three-eye demonic beast is worth 1 point, and a four-eye one is worth 3." "Then why did I get 2 points?" "Because you broke the restraining magic tool." "But I didn''t break it." "Don''t you know that the party shares collective responsibility?" Damn it. "If we''re talking about responsibility, doesn''t the professor share some of it too?" "Why would I be responsible?" "You never said we couldn''t kill it." "Do you not understand the meaning of ''capture''? Do you know how much it costs to raise even one of these training demonic beasts? Of course, you shouldn''t kill it." "I don''t have aeback for that, which makes me even more annoyed." Grr. I swallowed my frustration and slumped back in the professor''s office chair. "By the way..." Professor Lucas fixed his gaze on me. "Why do you keeping here like it''s your own home during every free period?" "Well, there are all these rumors going aroundtely. If I''m outside, I draw too much attention." In that sense, Professor Lucas''s office was the perfect ce to avoid the prying eyes of the cadets. "Hah, listen to this arrogant brat. Do you think I''m your friend? Huh? Am I your buddy?" Professor Lucas was about to start a lecture on how his sacred office shouldn''t be used as my personal hideout when¡ª "Duringst year''s fall festival." "Huh? What about the festival?" "There was a poetry contest under the pretense that even heroes need a minimum of literary and artistic knowledge." "...So?" "It wasn''t very popr, so it didn''t gain much attention, but the contest winner was an anonymous cadet who submitted a poignant love poem." "......" "It was a beautiful poem that captured deep and lingering feelings for a woman he secretly loved." "Re-really? I''m not much of a poetry person, so I didn''t even know there was such a contest." "Is that so? That''s strange..." I slowly rose from the chair and pulled out a book titled Advanced Combat Training from the bookshelf. Specifically, the white sheet of paper hidden between the thick pages. "How does someone who didn''t know about the contest have the winning poem fromst year?" "Y-You! How did you...!" "Hmm. Aren''t you curious? About the identity of the cadet who suddenly appeared, anonymously submitted a poem, and won?" "Ugh!" "Professor Lucas." I smiled brightly as I unfolded the white paper. A heartfelt love poem written in Professor Lucas''s handwriting was revealed on the white sheet. "You''re quite the poet, aren''t you?" I recited the beautiful words written on the open sheet. "My dearest whom I loved so much¡ª" "Stop!" "I can never forget you for the rest of my life¡ª" "Stop it!" "Even though I knew it was a love that would never be mine¡ª" "Stop it, you brat!" "I shall continue to think of you alone¡ª" "Aaaargh!" Boom! Professor Lucas lunged at me with a roar like a wild beast. Despite being close to 2 meters tall, he moved at an astonishing speed. Instantly, he reached out for the white paper in my hand. "Oops." I spun my body to avoid his grasp, but¡ª "Where do you think you''re going!" Professor Lucas quickly changed direction and snatched the white paper from my hand as if he had anticipated my dodge. ''Fast.'' I hadn''t been trying my hardest to evade, but I didn''t expect him to take it so easily. It made sense why Professor Lucas was considered one of the top talents among the school faculty. "Huff, huff! You brat... How did you even find this?" "I found it while cleaning your office during thest winter break." Well, technically, it wasn''tst winter break, but it was nine months since the winter break in my third year. But I did find it while cleaning, so that part''s true. "Cleaning? Why were you cleaning my office... Ah." Professor Lucas furrowed his brow, about to continue his questioning, but then let out a quiet sigh. During the school breaks, most cadets would return to their hometowns or go on vacation, but exceptions were made for cadets like Dale, who were orphans and attending the academy on a national schrship. Since living expenses were cut off during the break, they had to stay behind and earn money by doing odd jobs like cleaning or facility maintenance. "...Grr." With no more grounds for interrogation, Professor Lucas crumpled the white paper in his hand. "Hmph. No one will believe you without proof whether you found this by chance or not..." "Oh, by the way, you''re holding a copy. I have the original stored safely elsewhere." "Ugh." Professor Lucas cursed under his breath as he tossed the crumpled paper into the trash can. Sigh. A deep sigh escaped the professor''s lips. "Fine, fine. Do whatever you want, brat. Treat this ce like your home, or set up camp here for all I care!" "Thank you, Professor." "Thank me, my foot." "In that case, can I ask for one more favor?" "You ungrateful punk...!" "Can you spar with me?" "...What?" Professor Lucas''s eyes widened in surprise. He looked me up and down with a bewildered expression and spoke. "Spar? You want to spar with me right now?" "Yes." "Well... if it''s a spar without using magic..." "No. I want you to go all out." "......." Professor Lucas''s gaze pierced through me. If I had to interpret the look in his eyes, it would be something like, "Has this guy lost his mind?" ''Well, that''s understandable.'' It was only natural for him to react that way since a mere cadet had asked a professor for a full-power spar. And not just any professor, but Professor Lucas Cain. ''Lucas Cain, the Bloodthirsty Hound.'' He was a hero strong enough to rank within the top 100 out of thousands, even tens of thousands of heroes. Of course, when I say "ranking," I''m not talking about the "overall evaluation ranking" that determines the order of cadets. This ranking is the "Three Nations Heroes Ranking," created by those who love organizing people into lists, based on rumors and achievements rather than systematic testing. ''Of course, it''s far less urate than the cadets'' overall evaluation rankings.'' Since it''s not based on fixed tests like the cadets'' rankings but rather on various rumors and aplishments, its uracy isn''t very high. However, even if it''s not entirely urate, being ranked in the top 100 out of tens of thousands of heroes still proves one''s skill and level as a hero. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] He was not someone that a cadet who had just started practical training should dare to ask for a spar. ''Which is why he''s perfect for this test.'' It had been 9 days since I returned from the future. In the more than a week that had passed, there was still something I hadn''t confirmed. And that was... ''Just how strong am I right now?'' Before I returned, after all myrades had died and I wandered the continent alone for thousands of years... I interpreted and developed the swordsmanship I learned from Yuren, the martial arts I learned from Berald, and the magical theories I learned from Senior Sophia in my own way. You might wonder the point in continuing to train alone in a world that had already perished. ''But I felt like I would go insane if I didn''t do at least that.'' In the midst of my overwhelming loneliness, training in the swordsmanship, martial arts, and magic that myrades had taught me made me feel like I was with them again. ''The problem is...'' Did I truly develop what I learned from them? ''Considering that I was named the worst dunce in the history of Reynald Academy... how much could I have improved?'' To be blunt, it was possible that I had regressed rather than progressed. For proof, even after hundreds and thousands of years of training, I hadn''t even touched the edge of the ''extreme'' that Yuren was always talking about. ''Which is why I need to know.'' After the world was destroyed... I need to know if the hundreds and thousands of years I spent desperately trying to forget my loneliness truly made me stronger. I need to know just how strong I am now when I go all out. ''For that, I need someone strong like Professor Lucas, with proven skills.'' "A spar where we go all out... You and me?" Professor Lucasughed bitterly and red at me fiercely. "I thought you were acting differentlytely, but have youpletely lost your mind, Dale?" "I understand. I know it''s a ridiculous proposal." "If you know, then why?" "Because it''s something I absolutely need to do right now." "......." Did he see the sincerity in my eyes? Professor Lucas sighed deeply and turned his fierce gaze away. "Fine. I was curious too. Just how much strength have you been hiding, you little punk." Scrape. The professor pushed his chair back and stood up. In an instant, the atmosphere in the office changed, as if a wild beast had awakened from its slumber. "You know what this means, right?" Professor Lucas lifted the two axes hanging on his office''s wall. They weren''t practice axes; they were sharp, double-headed axes that gleamed menacingly. "The meaning of a spar where we go all out." A heavy, suffocating killing intent that smelled of blood filled the room, directed at me. I chuckled and drew the real sword I had prepared in advance, nodding. "Of course." * * * In the training ground located within the academy. "I''ll give you five minutes." Professor Lucas held only one of his two axes and drew a circr line on the ground with his foot. The circle he drew had a diameter of about one meter. "Within that time, use whatever you can to force me out of this circle." "...Didn''t you say it would be a spar where we go all out?" "I need to see if you''re worth it before I go all out." Ah. So that was how it was going to be? "Understood." I nodded and drew the sword from my waist. "Hmph." I slowly inhaled and focused my mind on my left chest. A halo of light emanated from the stigma and enveloped my body. "Here Ie." For the first time since my return... I was going to unleash my full strength. Even I couldn''t be sure whether this attack would work on Professor Lucas. ''My physical training and magic power are still far behind what they were in my previous life.'' But that doesn''t matter. I had the legacy of myrades, which I had honed for hundreds and thousands of years, by my side. "Hoo." As I exhaled the breath I had been holding... Bang! Iunched myself forward. Sun Sword. Form Two, Crescent Moon. Ka-a-a-aang!!! With a screeching sound that seemed to tear through metal... "...You crazy." Professor Lucas barely managed to block the sword strike with his axe, but his body was pushed out of the circle drawn on the ground. His eyes, wide with shock, turned towards me. "How is it?" I grinned as I looked at Professor Lucas, who had been pushed out of the circle instantly. "Do you think I''m worth going all out against?" The whole thing had taken less than five seconds, not even five minutes. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 14 - The Limit Test (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 14 - The Limit Test (2) After embracing the primordial me and returning through time. I had never exerted my full power before. To be precise, I never had the opportunity to do so. ¡°Well, there were some incidents here and there.¡± But most of them were just scuffles with other cadets. In that sense, this sparring match with Professor Lucas had me quite excited. Even if it was just a sparring match, he was the first opponent worthy of giving it my all. ¡ªng! ng! ng! The sh between the sword and axe happened at a speed that was hard to follow with the eyes. ¡°Hmph!¡± With a short grunt, Professor Lucas crossed the two axes in his hands in an X-shape and swung them. He swung them lightly, as if handling a toy, but the force behind them was anything but light. Wooooong! A radiant halo burst from his stigmata and surged violently along the axe des. The mere wind pressure from his swings was enough to crack the sturdy oak floor of the training ground as if a beast''s ws had torn it. Truly overwhelming destructive power. ¡®There¡¯s no way I can block that head-on.¡¯ The power emanating from his nearly 2-meter frame was immense, but the disparity in our magical abilities was even greater. The stigmata on Professor Lucas¡¯s left chest was the ¡°Stigmata of the Earth God.¡± The magic created by the Earth God¡¯s stigmata was heavy, massive, and destructive in nature. If I tried to block that axe with my sword, the sword would likely shatter in an instant. ¡®In that case¡­¡¯ I lowered my stance and angled my sword. I squeezed every ounce of magic from my body and condensed it along the sword¡¯s edge. ¡ªng! ng! ng! At the moment when the axe and sword shed, the condensed magic in the sword exploded outward, slightly deflecting Professor Lucas¡¯s axe. The deflected axe slid down the angled sword as if gliding. I had applied the technique of ¡®Sky Flip,¡¯ taught to me by Berald, to my swordsmanship. It was my attempt to bridge the overwhelming gap in power. ¡°You''re using tricks now!¡± Another axe swung horizontally. Its target was my shoulder. I ducked forward, narrowly avoiding the swinging axe. ¡°Keep using tricks long enough, and they be skill.¡± I straightened my body and swung my sword. The Sun Sword. A swordsmanship technique created 500 years ago by one of the ¡°Great Five Heroes,¡± Reynald Helios, and perfected by his distant descendant, Yuren Helios, one of the ¡°Final Five Heroes.¡± Now, it was being wielded by me. ¡ªng! ng! ng! ¡°Gah¡­ Where on earth did you learn such swordsmanship?!¡± ¡°I taught myself.¡± I wasn¡¯t lying. Though my swordsmanship began with the Sun Sword, it had evolved so much that it could no longer be called the same as the one Yuren wielded in my previous life. After the Demon God destroyed the world. To honor my fallenrades, I continued to train alone, leading to a painful realization. ¡®I am not Yuren.¡¯ My sword could neither ze brilliantly nor shine nobly like Yuren¡¯s. It was fragile, yet persistent. Feeble, but sharp. Even if it broke, crumbled, or was crushed. It would never disappear. This was the swordsmanship unique to "Dale Han." ¡®I should only use magic in the brief moment when the swords collide.¡¯ I didn¡¯t need to be fast enough that my opponent couldn¡¯t follow with their eyes or strong enough to overwhelm them. What mattered was finding the right moment, targeting the weakest point, and striking with lethal precision. That alone was enough. ¡ªng! ng! ng! The ringing of metal reverberated in my ears. With each breath scraping my throat, I continued to swing my sword. shing, thrusting, parrying, and twisting. I could feel it. ¡®It wasn¡¯t in vain.¡¯ In the snow-covered fields. The days of silently training in that white world, alone. The struggle thatsted hundreds, thousands of years. ¡®It wasn¡¯t in vain.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t for some grand ambition. Nor was it for a lofty purpose. I simply. Didn¡¯t want to forget. I didn¡¯t want to waste the precious legacy they had left behind. ¡°Ha, haha!¡± I couldn¡¯t help but let out augh, overwhelmed by emotion. A thrilling shiver traveled down my spine and spread throughout my entire body. I felt so ecstatic that I wanted to shout in joy, but. ¡®Why?¡¯ Why was that? At the same time as the joy, another emotion sprouted in a corner of my heart. ¡®It¡¯s not enough.¡¯ A burning thirst scorched my throat. ¡®If I push just a little further.¡¯ It feels like I could ascend to even greater heights, to more distant realms. Like I could grab hold of the very edge of the "ultimate" that Yuren used to speak of so often. It felt as if heavy shackles were hanging all over my body, weighing me down. In my mind, I knew exactly what I needed to do, but my body just couldn¡¯t keep up. In the midst of that dreadful disconnect... I continued to swing my sword. "Ugh!" Professor Lucas barely managed to parry the fierce sword strikes, swallowing his breath. ¡®What kind of crazy swordsmanship is this!?¡¯ The strikes weren¡¯t particrly fast. They weren¡¯t especially powerful either. He could follow them with his eyes and easily deflect them. But... ¡®Why... can¡¯t I counterattack!?¡¯ It felt like being slowly suffocated by an overwhelming pressure, as if trapped in quicksand. His body, which could normally swing an axe for over five hours without tiring, was now drenched in sweat after less than five minutes ofbat. As the battle pushed him closer to a trance-like state... He began to feel the suffocating pressure making his breath increasinglybored. ¡®At this rate, I¡¯ll die.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t about losing. It was about dying. The thought that he was sparring with a student hadpletely left Professor Lucas¡¯ mind. ¡®If I don¡¯t want to die...¡¯ He had to kill him. He had to pour everything he had into this and kill the ¡®enemy¡¯ before him if he wanted to survive. ¡°Huuu.¡± The moment he realized this, his body instinctively reacted to the crisis. -Wooooong! The color of the light emanating from his stigmas changed, and a blood-red aura enveloped his body. ¡®The Blessing of the Blood Warrior.¡¯ It was a unique ability possessed by only a handful of heroes, allowing his blood to flow through his veins at an iparably faster rate than before. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] His muscles swelled, and his bloodshot eyes turned crimson. Enveloped in a blood-red aura, he looked just like the title implied¡ªa ¡®bloodthirsty hound.¡¯ ¡°Grrrrrrrr!¡± With a ferocious roar resembling that of a wild beast, Professor Lucas¡¯ axe swung violently. -KWAAAAAANG! The sound that erupted when the sword and axe collided was so loud that it was hard to believe it came from a mere sh of weapons. Dale¡¯s body flew through the air like a kite with a cut string and crashed into the training hall wall. * * * ¡°Dale! Dale Han! Are you okay?!¡± Professor Lucas urgently rushed toward Dale, who had crashed into the wall. Seeing the training hall wall copse entirely, Professor Lucas¡¯ face turned pale. Even though he was cornered, using the blessing against a student was unforgivable. ¡°Damn it...! I¡¯ll send for help from the school immediately, so just hold on!¡± He knew he wouldn¡¯t avoid disciplinary action if word got out that he had used his blessing against a student, but what did that matter when his student¡¯s life was on the line? Just as Professor Lucas was about to contact the school through his Hero Watch... ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Dale, who had been lying against the wall, slowly stood up. ¡°...Huh?¡± Professor Lucas looked at Dale with wide eyes, as if seeing a ghost. ¡°Are you... okay?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± Dale nodded calmly, and Professor Lucas tilted his head in disbelief. ¡®Judging by the state of that wall, those weren¡¯t injuries he should¡¯ve been able just to walk away from...¡¯ At worst, it should¡¯ve been instant death. Even in the best case, he should¡¯ve had at least a couple of broken bones. But here he was, perfectly fine? Thinking it might be a bluff, Professor Lucas examined Dale¡¯s body, but he was genuinely unharmed, without a single injury. ¡°It¡¯s my loss.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°The sparring match, I lost.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Only then did Professor Lucas realize that he had been in a ¡®sparring match¡¯ until just a moment ago. Dale smirked at the bewildered expression on Professor Lucas¡¯ face. ¡°At least I¡¯m relieved to confirm that I¡¯m at the level where I can draw out your true ¡®power,¡¯ Professor.¡± ¡°Ahem! Sorry. I ended up using my blessing without realizing it.¡± ¡°No, if you hadn¡¯t used it until the end, I might¡¯ve been a bit disappointed.¡± With those words, Dale sheathed his sword. ¡°It was an honor to receive your guidance today. I have another ss, so I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± ¡°Ah... Y-yeah. If you feel any painter, make sure to let me know.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Without any hesitation, Dale turned and left the training hall. ¡°......¡± Left alone in the half-destroyed training hall, Professor Lucas recalled his sparring session... no, his battle with Dale. ¡°Whew. I¡¯ve been a professor long, but this is a first.¡± When he had first heard Dale wanted to spar with him, all he could think was that the kid had finally lost his mind. It wasn¡¯t unreasonable. Regardless of his recent achievements, Dale was still just a candidate. The lowest-ranked candidate, even, often considered the worst in the history of Reynaldo Academy. ¡°A kid like that managed to push me this far...¡± He never would''ve believed it if he hadn¡¯t experienced it firsthand. ¡°Did that kid actuallye back from the future or something?¡± That absurd thought even crossed his mind. ¡°Well, in the end, I still won!¡± Sure, it felt strange to be pleased with a victory where he had to use his blessing against a student. But a win was still a win. At least he managed to avoidpletely embarrassing himself as a professor. ¡®Uh... wait a minute.¡¯ His expression stiffened as Professor Lucas reviewed the battle with Dale in his mind. From the bizarre swordsmanship he had never seen before to the near-acrobatic mana control and precision movements... Dale¡¯s abilities had transformed as if he really hade back from the future. Except for one thing. There was one aspect that hadn¡¯t changed from before. ¡°Dale... His mana wasn¡¯t much different from what I remembered.¡± His mana level was less than 10% of the average candidate. Compared to himself, the difference was more than twentyfold. And yet... With that pitifully small amount of mana, he had pushed him to the brink of ¡®death.¡¯ ¡°......¡± For a hero, mana is like weight ss. Considering the vast difference in their mana levels, it was like struggling to win against an eight-year-old child. But what if... What if Dale maintained his current abilities and also gained more mana? ¡°Ha.¡± A chilling shiver ran down his spine. ¡°I might not be teaching a hero candidate... but a baby monster.¡± A deep sigh escaped Professor Lucas¡¯ lips. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 15 - Spring [Interlude] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 15 - Spring [Interlude] The day after my duel with Professor Lucas. After finishing my morning sses, I sat on a bench along a quiet path, one rarely frequented by other cadets, and recalled the duel from yesterday. ¡®He was strong.¡¯ Just as I had expected. Professor Lucas possessed a level of skill far beyond the mediocre cadets I had faced since my return. ¡®But it wasn''t a level I couldn''t beat.¡¯ To be honest. A part of me even thought, "Is that all?" during the fight. ¡®It¡¯s a bit funny that I had such thoughts even after losing, though.¡¯ But it couldn¡¯t be helped. The reason I lost the duel against Professor Lucas wasn''t due to ack of skill or experience¡ªit was purely because of the overwhelming gap in our mana reserves. ¡®Well, considering the circumstances, it¡¯s impressive that I managed to hold my ground.¡¯ After all, I was somewhat satisfied that I made Professor Lucas use his "blessing." At least. I could tell that the time I spent training alone in a world that had been destroyed wasn''t in vain. ¡®Although, most of the techniques I can¡¯t fully utilize in my current state.¡¯ Of course. The swordsmanship, martial arts, and magic used by heroes are all based on the assumption that they are powered by mana. Techniques without mana are mere imitations. Like the fake food models disyed outside restaurants. Even if it looks simr on the outside, techniques without proper mana cannot exert their full power, just like you can''tpare a food model to real food. ¡®And right now, there aren¡¯t many techniques I can use to their full potential with my current mana.¡¯ The one technique that stands out is "Sky Flip," which is specialized in using the opponent''s power against them. In fact, even that technique could be much more powerful if I had enough mana. "In the end, it alles down to mana." Clicking my tongue, I sighed in frustration. "Did I... do something wrong?" A voice full of fear came from behind me. "Ah." Now that I think about it, he was still here. I turned my head toward my "friend," who had been diligently massaging my shoulders while I was lost in thought on the bench. "Seems like your strength has weakened since earlier?" "I didn¡¯t go softer..." "Oh, so I''m just imagining things?" "N-no! That¡¯s not it!" "Then what?" "S-sorry! I¡¯m at fault!" Juliet, with a terrified expression, bowed deeply. I burst outughing and patted Juliet on the shoulder. "Haha. I¡¯m just kidding, man. It¡¯s just a joke between friends, so why are you so scared?" "O-okay." "By the way... It¡¯s been almost a week now. Have you managed to get the money?" At the mention of money, Juliet¡¯s shoulders trembled slightly. He spoke up with a tearful voice, as if the struggle to gather 1 million gold had been quite the ordeal. "I-I think I can get it by tomorrow!" "You think?" "N-no! I will get it! Yes!" "Alright, alright. Thanks, man. It must have been tough to gather 1 million gold." "W-well... since it''s a friend¡¯s request." "Ah..." Gathering 1 million gold in such a short time for a friend... it¡¯s enough to make my eyes water with emotion. "Isn¡¯t friendship great?" Helping each other out in times of need¡ªthat¡¯s what friends are for. Juliet¡¯s eyes were also red, probably feeling the same way. "Shall we grab some lunch now?" "Y-yeah. Should I get the usual bread?" "Sure. Today¡¯s a special day, so let¡¯s go with sausage bread." "I¡¯ll go get it right away!" Juliet quickly turned around and dashed off to the store. His quick movements conveyed the deep bond of friendship (?) between us. "Hmm..." As I leisurely waited on the bench for Juliet to return, -Ding! a clear alert sound rang out, and a hologram window popped up. [If you¡¯re free, would you like to have lunch together?] It was a message from Iris. Without a moment''s hesitation, I replied. [Sure. Where are you?] [At the main building cafeteria.] The main building cafeteria? That¡¯s where the children of prestigious noble families and conglomerates usually dine, isn¡¯t it? ¡®I¡¯ve never been there before.¡¯ In my previous life, I had never set foot in the main building cafeteria because the prices were so exorbitant. Even though I had to spend 1 million gold on research tomorrow (though it wasn¡¯t my money), I hesitated momentarily. [Since youst prepared the meal during the outdoor training, let me treat you today.] [I¡¯m on my way.] Ah, so sweet, kind, and even offering to buy me a meal. ¡®Saintess, you¡¯re the best!¡¯ I dashed towards the main building cafeteria, where my lover from the previous life was waiting. "...Oh, wait." I feel like I¡¯m forgetting something. ¡®Oh well, it¡¯s probably nothing.¡¯ I quickened my pace, trying to clear my mind of lingering thoughts. * * * "Ah, over here, Dale!" "This way." As I entered the main dining hall, I saw Iris and Cami waiting for me, having already secured a table. "So this is the main dining hall, huh?" "Is this your first time here?" "Yeah." I sat down at the table where the two were seated and nced around. The restaurant had a luxurious interior, reminiscent of a hotel dining room. A pleasant fragrance wafted from the candles ced on each table. "It''s been a while since I''vee to the dining hall as well." "Oh,e to think of it, you usually have meals prepared by a chef dispatched from the Holy Kingdom, right?" "Yes." So, they had skipped a professionally prepared meal just to have lunch with me? "Hmph. It''s rare for the Saint to suggest a meal like this, so consider it an honor." "Oh, I''m truly honored to be invited to the Saintess''s feast." I stood up and exaggeratedly bowed, causing Iris to wave her hands in embarrassment. "P-please don''t do that! Cami, you shouldn''t say things like that either!" "Haha. Thanks to you, it''s nice to be able to visit a ce like this." "Do you usually use the dining hall in the annex, Dale?" "No, I just grab something from the convenience store." "The convenience store?" Iris frowned at the mention of a convenience store. "I''ve heard convenience store food isn''t very healthy." "But it''s cheap and easy." "Hmm." Iris, who had crossed her arms with a dissatisfied expression, spoke up. "Then how about joining us for lunch from now on?" "S-Saintess?" Cami looked shocked by Iris''s sudden proposal. "Well, that''s..." "What? It doesn''t make much difference to have one more person." "T-that''s not the issue..." "If that''s not the issue, then what is?" Cami looked conflicted. It wasn¡¯t that preparing an extra portion of food was a problem, but rather the fact that the Saint of the Holy Kingdom was having lunch every day with some unknown male candidate that was the real concern. "I appreciate the offer, but I''ll eat lunch alone." I gently shook my head. Having lunch with Iris every day would certainly be appealing, but... Not yet. For now, I had too much to do. So much, in fact, that even taking time to eat seemed like a luxury. "Hmm... Oh, then how about this? We have practicalbat training every Monday, so why don''t we just have lunch together on Mondays?" "If it''s just once a week... that might be okay." Even though I had a lot to do, there was no reason to refuse one meal a week. "He''s agreed, so?" With Iris staring at her, Cami hesitated before nodding reluctantly. "Alright... I''ll inform the chef." She seemed to ept that there was no way to stop this n and agreed with aplicated expression. "Then it''s settled for every Monday?" "Got it." "Yay! Sweet!" "Huh?" "Ahem. I didn''t say anything." "But just now..." "I said, I didn¡¯t say anything." "Uh... okay." Sure, let''s go with that. "Shall we eat then?" "Yes! Just follow me!" Since the main dining hall was buffet-style, we had to serve ourselves. With empty tes in hand, Iris and I headed towards the central section of the dining hall. "Wow, what is all this?" A line of dishes, each looking more appetizing than the next, filled the area. "From here to there are Holy Kingdom dishes, over there are Imperial dishes, and on the opposite side are Republican dishes." "They all look so good, I don''t know where to start." "Would you like me to rmend some Holy Kingdom dishes?" "No, well... I''d rather not have Holy Kingdom dishes." "W-why not?" Why, indeed. It wasmon knowledge across the continent that Holy Kingdom cuisine wasn''t exactly known for its taste. "There are tasty Holy Kingdom dishes too!" "Better than instant ramen?" "T-that¡¯s..." Iris trailed off, quickly turning her head away. How could traditional dishes be worse than factory-made instant food? What kind of ce is the Holy Kingdom, anyway? "Anyway! Since you mentioned you usually eat unhealthy convenience store food, today you should have something nutritious!" "That''s harsh." As Iris dragged me around, piling food onto my te, I noticed something. -Whispers. A group of female candidates had gathered in one corner of the buffet section. Thinking it might be a popr dish, I turned to look, only to see... "...Yuren?" Surrounded by the female candidates was not a popr dish, but a young man with golden hair that shone as brilliantly as the sun. Golden hair and golden eyes. Skin as white as snow and a naturally emanating noble aura. An androgynous appearance that could easily be mistaken for a woman''s. He was Yuren Helios, my mentor who taught me the Sun Sword in my previous life, and my inseparable friend. ¡°Ah, Yuren, are you going to eat in the style of the Holy Nation today?¡± ¡°Is there any food you particrly like? Our family recently hired a famous chef from the Republic¡­.¡± ¡°We''ve obtained some premium wine recently. How about a ss with your meal?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Yuren ignored the female cadets surrounding him, not even ncing at them, as he silently ced food on his te. ¡°Hm? Oh, Helios family heir, right? Dale, do you know him?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Do I know him? I swallowed a bitter smile and shook my head. ¡°I''ve only heard his name.¡± Not yet. It¡¯s not yet time to meet you. The day I stand before you must be when I can be more confident in myself. ¡®Man, that guy sure is popr.¡¯ Unlike Juliet, who was hanging out with the newly admitted freshmen, the female cadets surrounding Yuren exuded an air of nobility at first nce. ¡®Well, I guess¡­.¡¯ He''s good-looking, from a powerful family, and his grades are top-notch¡ªnever missing the top spot in theprehensive cadet evaluations since admission. It''s only natural that he''d be popr. ¡°Dale?¡± ¡°Hm? Oh, sorry.¡± ¡°What are you thinking about so deeply?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ well, I was just thinking he''s as handsome as the rumors say.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± Iris turned her head slightly toward Yuren and then cleared her throat before speaking. ¡°He''s handsome, but he''s not really my type.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not particrly fond of people who look like they were sculpted by the gods.¡± It¡¯s quite ironic hearing that from Iris, who looks like she was sculpted by the gods herself. ¡°Then what kind of appearance is your type?¡± ¡°I prefer someone who looks more lively, like a weed growing on the street¡­ someone with a more natural appearance. If I had to give an example¡­.¡± Iris shyly covered her cheek with her soft pink hair and nced at me. ¡°Someone like you, Dale.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± So, what you''re saying is. ¡°You think I look like a weed?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°This could be controversial, you know?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant!¡± ¡°To think I''d hear someone say I look like a weed.¡± ¡°You jerk! That¡¯s not what I meant!¡± Iris, flustered and shouting, made me burst intoughter. ¡°Just go eat already!¡± Following Iris, who was huffing in annoyance as she headed to the table, I turned my head slightly to look at Yuren. ¡®Iris, Yuren.¡¯ And though I haven¡¯t met them yet, Berald and Senior Sophia, who must be somewhere in the school. ¡®I¡¯ve reallye back, haven¡¯t I?¡¯ For some reason, even though it¡¯s been over a week since I returned, the thought suddenly struck me again. It was a March afternoon. The long winter had ended. Spring was arriving. * * * ¡°Huff, huff! Huff!¡± The ce where Dale had left. A young man with sweaty blond hair came running, his hands full of bread. ¡°D-Dale! I brought the sausage bread you asked for!¡± Juliet looked around, calling out for Dale, but there was no reply. ¡°¡­Maybe he went to the restroom?¡± Cautiously sitting on the bench with his hands full of bread, Juliet waited for Dale to return. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± After 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours passed. Juliet, whose stomach was growling, finally ate the cold sausage bread while waiting for Dale. ¡°Hng¡­ Hnggg.¡± The sausage bread, soaked with tears, tasted like the bitterness of life. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 16 - Mental Training (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 16 - Mental Training (1) ¡°You secured the research funds?¡± Professor Jade''s wrinkled eyes widened in surprise in a shabbyb that looked like it could copse at any moment. ¡°Yes, just as you requested¡ª1 million gold. I¡¯ve secured it.¡± ¡°¡­Huh.¡± Professor Jade stared at me with a look of disbelief. Well, it''s understandable. What kind of candidate would bring 1 million gold just to participate in a professor''s research? Especially to a professor engaged in what the Holy Nation would call ¡°forbidden research¡± that¡¯s considered unforgivable. ¡°Are you... out of your mind?¡± I never thought I¡¯d hear such words from Professor Jade. ¡°Wasn''t it you who said that at least 1 million gold was needed to start the research?¡± ¡°¡­I did say that.¡± His expression showed that he never actually expected I¡¯d get it. ¡°But I thought the Republic was covering your tuition fees. How did you manage to get 1 million gold?¡± ¡°Did you look into my background?¡± ¡°Just answer the question.¡± Professor Jade frowned, his wrinkled eyes narrowing. I shrugged and answered calmly. ¡°I borrowed it from a friend.¡± ¡°Borrowed? 1 million gold?¡± ¡°Have you heard of Juliet Kang?¡± ¡°Never heard of him.¡± ¡°He¡¯s the son of one of the top five conglomerates in the Republic, and he''s my friend.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Even if he¡¯s from a wealthy family, lending 1 million gold to a mere candidate is no small feat. ¡°Why are you so desperate to study stigmas?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I need you to create, Professor.¡± ¡°Something you want me to create?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Professor Jade looked at me with curiosity, and I slowly opened my mouth. ¡°A stigma amplifier.¡± ¡°A stigma amplifier?¡± ¡°In simple terms, it¡¯s a drug that artificially elerates the stigma to increase mana.¡± For someone like me, who constantly struggled with ack of mana, it was like rain in a drought. Of course, it only temporarily increases magic, but the amount of magic generated by an overdriven stigma is far more significant than that produced by any elixir or magical artifact. ''If I had taken the stigma amplifier during my duel with Professor Lucas, the result might have been different.'' If anything, it would have been Professor Lucas crashing into the wall and copsing, not me. That''s how immense the magic boost from the stigma amplifier could be. Of course. With great poweres significant risk. ¡°You mean to elerate a stigma artificially¡­ Ha, ha ha ha ha!¡± Professor Jadeughed, his shoulders shaking as if he¡¯d gone mad. A grating, unpleasantugh escaped from between his lips. ¡°You... Do you have no idea what happens when a stigma is artificially elerated?¡± ¡°I do know.¡± ¡°You know, and yet you¡¯re saying this?¡± Professor Jade¡¯s eyes gleamed dangerously. ¡°The stigma is both a vessel that contains magic and something akin to a heart that circtes magic throughout the body. And you want to elerate that artificially?¡± He had conducted several crazy experiments himself, but the stigma amplifier was a far more insane idea. ¡°If a stigma goes berserk, the meridians in your body will twist, and soon after, your organs will rupture, leading to a painful death.¡± It¡¯s essentially a poison, even if you call it a stigma amplifier. ¡°Sure, maybe through research, we might create something that a person can survive using once. But if they drink it more than twice, their body won¡¯t withstand it.¡± ¡°I don''t need it to withstand more.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°As long as the effect is certain, it doesn''t matter if I die after using it once.¡± ¡°¡­Ha.¡± A low sigh escaped from between Professor Jade¡¯s lips. He waved his hand dismissively, as if he no longer found the conversation worth continuing. ¡°Get out of myb immediately.¡± A firm dismissal. Professor Jade¡¯s face was marked by clear irritation as he turned away. ¡®Well, I suppose that¡¯s the expected reaction.¡¯ I would have chased someone out too, if they had made such a crazy request. ¡®It can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ To get the professor to research the stigma amplifier, I couldn¡¯t just keep my cards hidden. Srrng. I drew my sword from the scabbard at my waist. Seeing the sharp, polished de, Professor Jadeughed in disbelief. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to try and threaten me with that?¡± ¡°Would such a threat work on someone like you, who¡¯s been steadfastly researching stigmas despite pressure from the Holy Nation?¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°Instead of exining, I think it¡¯s faster if I show you.¡± I brought the sharp de to my neck. And I shed. Shwack! Blood spurted out like a fountain. My head, severed from my neck, rolled across the floor. ¡°Wh-what the...!¡± Professor Jade sprang up from his chair, his face aghast. As blood poured out, drenching him, he stood there in shock. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The blood that had sshed on him turned into gray ash and fell to the floor with a soft patter. And then, "Do you understand now? Why I said it didn¡¯t matter." ¡°Gasp¡­!¡± Professor Jade, his mouth agape and his expression like he¡¯d seen a ghost, took a step back. ¡°You, you... what in the world¡­?¡± Well, this reaction is only natural the first time you see it. ¡°You were trying to use an illusion spell on me¡­¡± ¡°A warrior wouldn¡¯t be using illusion spells, would he?¡± Though, thanks to Senior Sophia, I can use it a little if needed. ¡°This happened thanks to the ¡®Blessing of revival.¡¯¡± ¡°¡­Blessing of revival?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a blessing that regenerates the body when a fatal injury that leads to death is sustained.¡± ¡°Hah.¡± Professor Jade looked at me with disbelief. I returned my sword to my neck and asked, ¡°If you still don¡¯t believe me, should I cut it off again?¡± ¡°N-no! That¡¯s not necessary!¡± Professor Jade shook his head frantically, his face filled with fear. Phew. He took a deep breath, calming his excitement, and then spoke moreposedly. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that because of the Blessing of revival, your body regenerates from any injury?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s a bit different, but... you could think of it that way.¡± ¡°¡­So that¡¯s why you asked me to develop that insane potion to amplify stigmas.¡± Even if the stigma goes out of control and twists the body¡¯s energy flow, it wouldn¡¯t matter if the ¡®Blessing of revival¡¯ could regenerate it. In other words. At least for Dale Han, the stigma amplification potion would be a perfect elixir without any side effects. ¡°But no matter how powerful the blessing is, isn¡¯t there a limit to how much your body can regenerate?¡± ¡°Limits, huh¡­¡± A bitter smile crept onto my lips. If there were such limits... I wouldn¡¯t have wandered alone for hundreds, thousands of years, longing for death. ¡°At least it¡¯s not to the extent that the side effects of the stigma amplification potion can¡¯t be healed.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Indeed. After witnessing a severed head regenerate in an instant, there was no room left to doubt the regenerative abilities of the ¡®Blessing of revival.¡¯ ¡®If he truly possesses a blessing that regenerates fatal wounds leading to death...¡¯ Gulp. Professor Jade swallowed dryly. A hot sensation spread from the back of his neck, sending chills down his spine. ¡®This could dramatically advance the stagnant research on stigmas.¡¯ Why is stigma research so taboo? Of course, there are religious reasons, but more than that, it¡¯s because tampering with the delicate nature of stigmas is extremely dangerous. But if someone could nullify that risk altogether and help with the research? ¡®¡­Perhaps.¡¯ He might be able to realize the ¡®dream¡¯ he had longed for so much. ¡®Oscar.¡¯ A young man with bright red hair, whose cheerful smile suited him so well. The face of his former student naturally came to Professor Jade¡¯s mind, and he closed his eyes tightly. A pang of guilt that burned like fire gripped his chest. The more he remembered his student, the more he felt as if someone was choking him, making it hard to breathe. ¡°Professor?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Sorry about that.¡± Professor Jade shook his head as if to dispel the thoughts from his mind. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that since side effects don¡¯t matter to you, you want me to create a stigma amplification potion?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Hmm. A stigma amplification potion¡­¡± Amplifying stigmas to unleash explosive power momentarily... ¡°¡­It shouldn¡¯t be too difficult to create.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Well, several studies have already been on how to induce stigma overload. The issue is ensuring the overload leads to a temporary increase in mana¡­ That¡¯s going to require some more research.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help with the research.¡± ¡°Ha! You? Help with the research?¡± Professor Jade shook his head, as if dismissing the idea as absurd. ¡°Aren¡¯t you in the warrior department? You¡¯ve never even taken any sses on magic or alchemy, so how could you¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve studied the theory, so I know it to some extent.¡± ¡°Hah. This is ridiculous¡­ Then how about you solve this problem?¡± Professor Jade pulled out one of the many papers piled haphazardly on the table and handed it to me. The content on the paper was rted to three difficult problems left behind by his distant ancestor, the ¡®Great Sage.¡¯ The problems were so difficult that even most professors in the magic department couldn¡¯t solve them, let alone understand them. He handed it to me just to mess with a warrior department student who didn¡¯t even know how hard magic really was. ¡°I solved it.¡± ¡°What?¡± Solved it? After just ncing at the paper? Sigh. Professor Jade took a deep breath and took the paper back. ¡°You might not know this, but these aren¡¯t problems you can just guess the answer to... What?¡± ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°N-no. H-how¡­? This can¡¯t¡­ This can¡¯t be right.¡± Professor Jade¡¯s hand, which held the paper, began to tremble. ¡°Y-you¡­¡± Fire zed in Professor Jade¡¯s eyes as he looked at Dale. It was like seeing the first love of his dreams, and his breathing became rough. The professor quickly approached and grabbed Dale¡¯s shoulders roughly. ¡°You¡­! Have you considered transferring to the magic department?!¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°After graduation, join my researchb! I¡¯ll support you in the name of ¡®Bastian¡¯!¡± ¡°No.¡± That¡¯s a bit much... [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 17 - Mental Training (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 17 - Mental Training (2) A few days had passed since I started researching the stigma amplifiers with Professor Jade. The weekend flew by as I immersed myself in the research, and Monday had arrived before I knew it. There was only one ss scheduled for Monday. It was the most important required course that all third-year cadets, regardless of their major, had to attend: "Practical Combat Training." This course significantly impacted the overall cadet rankings and marked the first step toward bing a "Hero." As such, "Practical Combat Training" had several unique characteristics. First, it took absolute priority over other sses. In other words, if the schedule for "Practical Combat Training" changed or extended, any missed sses would be considered an excused absence. Second, the course did not hold anyone ountable for injuries or fatalities that urred during training. While minimal safety measures were in ce, the instructor would not face any consequences if an ident resulted in loss of life. After all, this institution wasn''t meant to produce schrs or professionals but to train "Heroes" who would fight on the frontlines after graduation. The third characteristic was the length of the ss. Unlike other sses that typicallysted 2-3 hours, "Practical Combat Training" upied the entire day on Monday. Lunch breaks and rest periods were at the instructor''s discretion, which meant that, in the worst-case scenario, we might not even get a lunch break, much like the outdoor training we had previously endured. In other words... "Today''s lesson is on ''mental training.'' If any of you fail the test after the morning session, you''ll continue straight through the afternoon without a lunch break. Consider yourselves warned." Despite my busy schedule over the past few days, I had been looking forward to having a nice lunch with Iris. However, to do that, I first had to ovee the obstacle known as Professor Lucas. ¡®Seriously, can¡¯t you at least give us time to eat?¡¯ I sighed deeply as I red at Professor Lucas standing at the podium. "No lunch break and a full day of ss..." "This is inhuman!" "We already went through hell duringst week''s outdoor training!" I wasn''t the only one groaning about not getting a lunch break. The cadets all red at Professor Lucas, silently cursing him for not being like the other instructors who supposedly gave frequent breaks. "What? Do you have a problem with that?" "N-no, sir!" "We have noints, sir!" Of course, ourints didn''t make a difference. "Jeez. It¡¯s not like I want to push you all to the brink by making you skip meals." "Huh? But during the outdoor training..." "That wasn¡¯t my fault. You guys just failed to prepare properly. Am I wrong?" "..." Silenced by the undeniable truth, the cadets pressed their lips together. In the ensuing quiet, Albert raised his trembling hand. "Um, Professor... You mentioned earlier that we won''t get a lunch break if we fail the test, right?" "That''s correct." "So, isn¡¯t that the same as skipping a meal..." "I said there wouldn¡¯t be a lunch break; I never said you''d skip a meal." With a sly grin, Professor Lucas pulled out a transparent container from his pocket and ced it on the podium. Inside the container was a green liquid of unknown origin. "This is a special juice I made myself. Just one of these will keep you full until dinner." "..." The cadets'' faces turned pale as we stared at the ominously glowing green liquid, which was bubbling for some reason despite not being heated. "Um, Professor... What exactly is that?" "Hm? I just told you, it¡¯s a special juice I made myself." "No, I got that, but... what¡¯s in it?" "Hahaha." "No, seriously, please tell us." "Albert, are you curious about what¡¯s in this juice?" "Uh... Yes, sir. I-I¡¯m curious." "Thene up here and have a taste." "W-what?" Albert¡¯s face froze in fear. "N-no! I¡¯m not curious at all, Professor!" "But you just said you were." "I take it back! I¡¯m not curious!" "Alright, then let''s decide fairly with a vote. All in favor of Albert having a taste, raise your hand." Every single cadet in the ssroom raised their hand. Of course, I raised mine too. "You... traitors!" Albert began trembling as every hand in the room went up unanimously. Professor Lucas approached Albert with measured steps. "Eek!" "Don¡¯t be so dramatic. It¡¯s not like this will kill you." "Ugh..." "Yeah... It probably won¡¯t kill you. Maybe." "Yaaah!" Albert let out an undignified scream as he tried to escape, but Professor Lucas grabbed his shoulder and forced the juice into his mouth. "Gah! Ugh! Cough!" Albert¡¯s eyes widened as he involuntarily gulped down the special juice. "Ugh! Bleh!" "Don¡¯t you dare throw up." "W-what on earth... What could possibly taste like this...!" "Do you know what food is made entirely of protein, Albert?" "Isn¡¯t that... chicken breast?" "Hah! This is a high-protein ingredient that makes chicken breast pale inparison!" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "...?" Professor Lucas pulled out another container from his pocket. Albert, barely holding back his nausea with his hand over his mouth, stared at the jar. Inside, something was wriggling. "Bugs...?" "Oh no, they''re not just bugs. These are edible beetlervae, raised with the Republic''s top-notch cultivation techniques." "So, bugs, right?" "Once it''s in your stomach, it''s all the same nutrients." "...Ah." Thud. Albert slumped into his chair with a look of utter despair. Though he had managed to avoid vomiting, the pale color of his face made it easy to guess just how horrible that "special juice" must have tasted. "..." "...." A heavy silence descended over the candidates. A strong determination not to drink that juice at any cost filled the room. "Good, now you all have the right look in your eyes." Professor Lucas grinned as he stepped back to the podium. "As I mentioned earlier, today''s lesson is about ''mental fortitude.'' This is just as important as physical training regarding realbat." He continued, ncing toward the ssroom door, no matter how strong one''s body is, they can''t defeat their enemy if their mind breaks. "Today''s lecture will be special, with a guest lecturer from the Department of Magic: Professor Morpheus." "Professor Morpheus?" "You mean the master of illusion magic?" Professor Morpheus was a hero from the Holy Kingdom, known for his mastery over all kinds of illusion magic. -Click. The door opened, and a young man with deep brown hair entered. He looked so young that he could almost pass for one of the candidates, but heroes tend to age slowly, making it hard to guess their age by appearance alone. "Nice to meet you, candidates. I''m Morpheus, and I''vee to assist with today''s mental fortitude training." With a warm smile and an elegant movement, Professor Morpheus bowed. From his first appearance, he seemed entirely different from that bastard standing next to him (Professor Lucas), causing the candidates'' expressions to brighten. "The exercise is simple. Each of you wille forward, and if you can endure the illusion I cast on you for one minute, you''ll pass." "...Just endure it?" "Yes, that''s all." The candidates tilted their heads at the unexpectedly simple conditions. No matter how realistic an illusion is, its impact is usually reduced if you know it''s an illusion beforehand. Plus, you don''t even have to fight the illusion; you just need to endure it for one minute. - This seems easier than I thought. Such thoughts inevitably crossed the candidates'' minds. "Phew... That''s a relief." "I was scared we''d have to drink that beetle juice for lunch." The candidates sighed with relief, patting their chests. "Heh heh heh." Professor Lucas smirked at the candidates. "Professor Morpheus, how about demonstrating the illusion magic on someone first?" "Sounds good. Is there any candidate who would like to experience it?" "It seems Albert here is eager to volunteer." "Wha¡ª? No, I didn''t say¡ª! Aaack!" Albert, who was grabbed by the scruff of his neck, was dragged to the podium by Professor Lucas. "Don''t be too scared. It''s just an illusion after all." Professor Morpheus spoke gently to the trembling Albert. "Now, sit in this chair, close your eyes, and rx." "O...Okay." Following the professor''s instructions, Albert sat down in the chair. Professor Morpheus ced his hand on Albert''s forehead. Then... "Agh! Aaaaargh!" Crash! Albert screamed as he fell backward out of the chair. It happened in less than ten seconds, far from the one-minute mark. "Hah... Hah... This is...." "Are you alright?" Professor Morpheus extended a hand toward the fallen Albert. "Get... get away from me! Get away!" Still in a daze, Albert pped the professor''s hand away and curled up into a ball. "Please... spare me... I don''t want to die." Albert trembled and whimpered. Professor Morpheus shrugged, stepped back a few paces, and waited for Albert toe to his senses. About a minute passed. Still curled up on the floor and sobbing, Albert slowly raised his red face. "Are you feeling better?" "...Y-Yes, I''m sorry." "Haha, no need to apologize. Most candidates react simrly the first time they experience my illusion magic." "...." The candidates'' expressions, which had shown relief earlier, stiffened again. "Now... Who''s next to experience the illusion magic?" Professor Morpheus smiled as he scanned the candidates. The smile, which had seemed kind at first, now looked more like the grin of a grim reaper. "Let''s see... Ah, how about the candidate with the gray hair over there?" Professor Morpheus''s gaze settled on me as he looked around the room. "Would you like to give it a try?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 18 - Mental Training (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 18 - Mental Training (3) The gazes of the surrounding candidates focused on me. Was it because of the events that had urred over the past few weeks? The eyes that were now on me were not the scornful and disdainful looks I was used to in my previous life, but rather filled with anticipation. ''This is something I¡¯m not used to yet.'' It felt like wearing a pair of new shoes that hadn''t been broken in yet. Having lived a life devoid of any expectations, it was understandable that I felt this way. ''I''ll have to get used to it eventually.'' To be honest, it didn¡¯t feel all that bad. ¡°Would you like to experience it?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll do it.¡± I slowly stood up and approached Professor Morpheus. Just then, ¡°Um¡­ Dale.¡± Iris gently grabbed the hem of my clothes as I moved forward. She nced around, then leaned closer to me and whispered in a small voice. ¡°If you feel like you can¡¯t endure it, just shake your right arm.¡± ¡°My right arm?¡± ¡°Yes. Just shake it lightly, that¡¯s all. Got it?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ okay.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure what she was nning, but I didn¡¯t think she would need to step in. ''A hallucination, huh.'' How long did I endure it in my previous life? It was so long ago that I couldn''t remember. ''Well, it doesn¡¯t matter.'' No matter what hallucination is shown to me, the result will be the same. ¡°Just sitfortably in the chair and close your eyes.¡± It felt like I was about to undergo some sort of hypnosis. With those trivial thoughts in mind, I sat down in the chair. I closed my eyes and rxed my entire body. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s begin.¡± Professor Morpheus ced his hand over my eyes. And then... ''This is...'' A crimson wastnd. The sticky humidity clung to my skin, and the scent of blood stung my nose. The ce was covered in severed limbs and piled-up corpses, forming small mounds. The lecture hall I had been sitting in moments ago was nowhere to be seen; instead, a gruesomend filled with blood and corpses spread out before me. ''So this is Professor Morpheus''s hallucination magic.'' Impressive. Despite knowing it was a hallucination, the scene was so vivid that it didn¡¯t feel out of ce at all. Severed limbs, spilled guts, maggots devouring flesh, and exposed brains, among other horrors. Even a seasoned hero would likely grimace and turn away from such a sight, let alone a candidate. ''This can''t be all there is.'' If it ended with just showing a gruesome illusion, there was no reason for Albert, who had experienced it before, to shout, "Get away!" or "Save me!" -Squelch. At that moment, I heard a squishy sound in my ear. ''I knew there had to be more.'' I turned my head in the direction of the sound. What I saw there was... ¡°What the¡­¡± A squirming, slimy green tentacle. With tentacles sprouting from all over its body, the beast red at me with its 18 eyes. -Squelch, squelch. The wriggling tentacles oozed pus, dripping like mucus, emitting a horrid stench. ''Now I understand why Albert freaked out.'' Even I, who had faced countless beasts in my previous life, felt a momentary urge to retch at the grotesque appearance of this creature. ¡°SCREEEEEEEEECH!!¡± The beast let out a horrifying shriek as it charged at me. The tentacles protruding from its entire body iled like hair, yellow pus sttering and soaking the ground. Even though it was just an illusion, the urge to scream and run away was overwhelming. ¡°Hoo.¡± But I took a deep breath, calming myself down. ''It''s just an illusion.'' Suddenly, I recalled the visions of myrades that I had seen while wandering alone in a snowy wastnd. Hallucinations I had conjured up in my loneliness. ''No matter how terrifying that tentacle monster may look.'' Could it be as horrifying as the hallucinations of my deadrades? ''This is nothing.'' Compared to the life I¡¯ve lived. Compared to the deaths I¡¯ve faced. A disgusting-looking tentacle monster like this is nothing. -Sizzle! As I continued to stare at the charging tentacle beast, a burning pain suddenly red up in my left chest. ¡°Guh.¡± I grimaced and looked down to see the "Primordial me" ring up, engulfing the stigmata. ''What the¡­ suddenly?'' It wasn¡¯t the blessing of resurrection being activated, so why was the Primordial me reacting now? Before I could even begin to figure out the reason behind it, ¡°SCREEEEEEEEECH!¡± The tentacle beast, which had been charging at me while letting out a horrifying shriek, began to fade. As if a massive ze was consuming it. The tentacle beast, with its disgusting protrusions and the corpses that had formed small mounds, turned into gray ashes and scattered. ''Did the Primordial me have this kind of ability?'' As I held back augh and watched the hallucination burn away, the blood-soaked and corpse-filled scenery around me slowly reverted to the appearance of the lecture hall. ¡°Well¡­ this is surprising.¡± Then, Professor Morpheus¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to break my hallucination spell alone.¡± Professor Morpheus looked at me up and down with wide eyes, as if he couldn¡¯t believe what had just happened. ¡°Haha. I thought I had been teaching for a long time¡­ but this is a first.¡± He had seen candidates endure his hallucination for a minute before. Though rare, there were some who either had too much mana or a natural resistance that made them immune to the hallucination. But... Even though Dale had clearly fallen into the hallucination, he was the first candidate to break¡ªno, burn¡ªit away in the middle of it. ¡°How did you do that?¡± How did I do it, huh? ¡®Honestly, I¡¯m more curious about that myself.¡¯ I shrugged my shoulders with a bitter smile. ¡°Who knows?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Anyway, I passed the test, right?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] I asked as I stood up from the chair, and Professor Morpheus smiled broadly and nodded. "Of course. This isn¡¯t just a pass, but something worthy of bonus points, don¡¯t you think?" "That would be nice." "Haha. I¡¯d like to do that too, but bonus points are ultimately up to the professor''s discretion...." Professor Morpheus trailed off, ncing at Professor Lucas. Professor Lucas looked at me with a somewhat proud expression, but he shook his head firmly. "No matter how well you did, I can¡¯t give extra points that weren¡¯t announced beforehand." "Aww." What a stingy guy. "What, do you have a problem?" "How could I dare have a problem with the strict decision of the great Professor Lucas?" "Nonsense. Anyway, for those who passed the test, I¡¯ll let you off after the morning sses today, so go ahead and challenge yourselves to the fullest." The ssroom began to buzz at the mention that those who passed the test would be dismissed after the morning sses. Shortened ss time. Was there any word that could excite cadets more than those four sybles? "I¡¯ll give it a try!" "Me too!" "I can do it!" The cadets, relieved by how easily Dale passed the test, crowded around, chatting more rxedly. "Haha. Seeing this now, wasn¡¯t Albert just overreacting?" "That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying." "This is strange... How can they be so calm after seeing that?" "Anyway, Albert is known for his overreactions." "But... that shouldn¡¯t be possible." The cadetsughed, snickering at Albert¡¯s frustrated expression. "Now, please sitfortably in your chairs and close your eyes." "Yup!" The next cadet in line sat in the chair with a confident expression. And then. "Aaaaahhhhhhhh!" Starting with the cadet who screamed in terror. "Eeeek!" "Help meeeeee!" "T-Tentacles... tentacles!" The ssroom filled with horrific screams. "Haha. I¡¯m d to see everyone is so healthy. Youth is indeed wonderful~." Professor Morpheus continued the "mental training" ss with a beaming smile, casting illusions. * * * After the morning sses ended. "So, only Dale and Iris passed the test? Cami was so close to passing, it¡¯s a shame." Professor Lucas clicked his tongue, looking at the cadets sprawled out, exhausted. "They were so confident, yet only two passed the test... Hehe. Those who didn¡¯t pass, you know what¡¯sing, right?" With an evil grin, Professor Lucas shook a jug filled with a special juice. The candidates¡¯ faces turned pale at the sight of the green liquid bubbling with foam. "Damn it...." Cami clenched her fist, her shoulders trembling. "If I had just held on for 5 more seconds... 5 more seconds!" She had almost passed the test with superhuman endurance. But at the very end, when the tentacles suddenly started writhing and tried to enter a ce they shouldn''t, she couldn''t hold back and screamed. "You were holding out so well, what happened at the end?" "Well, suddenly those tentacles tried to get into my but...!" "Butt?" "That... I mean... Ugh!" Cami, her face flushed red, red at me fiercely. "You perverted jerk! How dare you make ady say such a horrible thing!" "Hey, what did I do?" "Hmph! Shut up!" Cami crossed her arms and turned her head sharply, indicating she didn¡¯t want to talk anymore. I shrugged and packed my bag, getting up to leave. As I was about to step out of the ssroom, leaving behind the envious gazes of the other cadets. "Dale~ You didn¡¯t forget that we¡¯re having lunch together today, right?" "Of course not." I nodded, smiling brightly as Iris approached. Since Iris also passed the test, we could keep our weekly Monday lunch date. "I¡¯m d Dale passed the test." "This was a piece of cake." "If I thought you wouldn¡¯t pass, I was nning to cast my ¡®blessing¡¯ on you secretly." "Ah, so that¡¯s why you told me to shake my right arm if it got too tough?" "Yes." Iris nodded with a bashful smile. Her blessing had the power to increase resistance to mental magic, so it surely would have been helpful. "But why didn¡¯t you give Cami the blessing?" "Well, no matter how dear a friend Cami is to me, a test should be taken fairly." "Uh... right." She wasn¡¯t wrong, but then why did she secretly n to bless me? ¡®Wait a minute.¡¯ Just then. A question shed through my mind. ¡®Cami said the illusion suddenly intensified just before she passed the test.¡¯ Though Iris had never shown it to me, her blessing could be applied in reverse. In other words. Instead of boosting resistance to mental magic, it could lower it. ¡®No way.¡¯ There¡¯s no reason for Iris to curse Cami and make her fail the test on purpose. "Since Cami isn¡¯t here, it¡¯s just the two of us for lunch today." "Ah... yeah, I guess so." "I¡¯ve already contacted the restaurant, so the food should be ready. Let¡¯s hurry before it gets cold." Iris walked ahead, leading the way. "Hehehe~?" Why was it? Iris, who was walking towards the restaurant, seemed more excited than I had ever seen her before. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 19 - Seven Eyes [Interlude] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 19 - Seven Eyes [Interlude] Iris headed to her dorm room. Unlike the shabby dormitories where candidates like me, who attend school on a state schrship, reside, her dormitory had a clean and elegant exterior that even a luxury hotel couldn¡¯tpare to. "This is my room." Click. She unlocked the door with her Hero Watch and carefully opened it. ''Iris''s dorm room.'' An unknown territory, which I had never seen in my previous life, unfolded before my eyes. "Wow¡­." The first thought I had as I stepped into her room was that it was ¡®spacious.¡¯ Unlike my room, where there was barely any space left after fitting in a bed and a desk, her room was spacious enough tofortably amodate a family of four. "So tidy." The second thought I had was that everything was incredibly organized. The furniture in the room was arranged at sharp angles, as if prepared for a military inspection, and the ce was polished to the point where not a speck of dust was visible. "Besides Cami, you''re the first person I''ve shown my room to." Iris headed towards the dining table with a shy smile. The table wasden with dishes as if the meal preparation was already done. "Please, have a seat." "What about the chefs?" "They leave the room after setting the meal and stay outside until we finish eating." "I see." So, it meant that in this spacious room, it was truly just Iris and me alone. ''This feels a bit strange.'' Eating alone with her was a rare event even in my previous life. We generally ate together since I started dating her after forming a party with Yuren, Berald, and Sophia. "Well then¡­." I nced over the various dishes on the table. As expected of a meal from the Holy Kingdom, it mainly consisted of vegetable-based dishes. "Ugh¡­." It¡¯s not that I dislike vegetables. But seeing nothing but greens on the table made me naturally sigh. "These are all good for your health, so noints and eat up." "Okay, okay." Vegetable-only diets generally have a poor nutritional bnce, contrary to their healthy image, but¡­ ''The cuisine from the Holy Kingdom is different.'' I¡¯m not exactly sure what kind of magic they put into the vegetables, but somehow, they made it so that just eating greens provided a well-bnced array of nutrients. Of course, they¡¯d sacrificed taste in the process. ''Well¡­ I do need to take care of my physical condition.'' At least this should be better for my health than the bread and milk from the convenience store. "Thanks for the meal." As I was diligently shoveling the te full of greens into my mouth under the guise of health, I noticed Iris looking at me with a hesitant expression. "What¡¯s up?" "Um¡­ I have a favor to ask." "What is it?" "Just a moment." Iris carefully retrieved something from a kitchen cupboard. What she held in her hand was¡­. "¡­Ramen?" "I¡­ I really wanted to eat the ramen you made." "¡­¡­." Wait a second. Was this the reason she was humming happily earlier? "You give me these greens and then you¡¯re going to eat ramen?" "Um, I usually eat a lot, so it''s okay!" "That''s harsh, really harsh. I didn¡¯t expect this from you, Lady Iris¡­." "¡­So, are you not going to make it for me?" Iris looked at me with a face full of dejection. Her expression was so pitiful, like a puppy abandoned by its owner, that my heart nearly skipped a beat. ¡®That¡¯s not fair.¡¯ Would there be any man in the world who could refuse to cook ramen for her in this situation, regardless of whether she was his past-life lover or not? "Alright, I¡¯ll make it for you." "Yay!" Iris clenched her fists in triumph, her previous dejection vanishing instantly. "Do you have an egg?" "Yes, but¡­ why do you need an egg?" "Hehe, just wait and see." I''ll show you a taste from heaven. -Bubbling. I added the seasoning and noodles to the boiling water and, when the noodles were almost cooked, I cracked in an egg. Five minutes after I entered the kitchen, I brought the steaming pot of ramen to Iris. "Wow." Iris''s eyes sparkled as she gazed at the bubbling ramen. "Try it. This will taste different from thest time." "Okay." Iris grabbed some noodles along with the half-cooked egg and slurped it up. And then¡­ "MmMmmm!!!" Iris let out a hum of happiness, her legs paddling under the table like a duck''s. "How is it? Delicious, right?" "What is this?! How does adding an egg change the vor this much?!" Seeing Iris devour the ramen with excitement brought a smile to my face. ''Seeing Iris eat it makes me want ramen too.'' After all, there''s nothing more appetizing than watching someone else eat ramen. "Then let me have just one bite¡­." "No." As soon as I reached out with my chopsticks, Iris quickly pulled the pot away as if she were hiding treasure. "You need to finish your ¡®healthy meal,¡¯ remember?" "What?" "Hehe. It¡¯s your fault for always eating unhealthy convenience store food." Seeing Iris smile and point at the greens, I couldn¡¯t help but see a devilish figure ovepping with her once serene image as a saint. "Pfft." Iris couldn''t hold back herughter, covering her mouth as she giggled at my dejected face. "I''m just kidding, so don''t make that face. Here, I''ll share some with you." ¡®Now that''s the Iris I know.¡¯ I never doubted her, not even for a moment. "But you still need to eat your vegetables, okay?" "Alright." Geez. ¡®Iris is still Iris.¡¯ Seeing her concerned about my well-being brought back memories from my previous life. As Iris and I were enjoying our lunch together, I asked, "By the way, are you okay, Iris?" "Huh? About what?" "That tentacled monster earlier. It looked terrifying." ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Iris gave an awkward smile and twirled a lock of her soft pink hair around her finger. ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t see it, that hideous tentacle monster.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t?¡± ¡°Yes. My eyes have a special power, so illusions don¡¯t work on me.¡± ¡°¡­A special power?¡± ¡°Just a moment.¡± Her beautiful blue eyes, reminiscent of the clear sky, turned towards me. And then, in an instant. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Iris¡¯s eyes transformed into a rainbow hue. ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°The old¡­ I mean, the elders of the Holy Kingdom call it the ¡®Seven Eyes.¡¯¡± The Seven Eyes. A sign of receiving the blessing of the seven gods, and the reason she was revered as the ¡®Saint¡¯ of the Holy Kingdom. ¡°Thanks to these eyes, I wasn¡¯t affected by the illusion and could pass the test. Professor Morpheus didn¡¯t say anything even after his illusion magic failed, so I guess he knew.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± As I stared at her eyes sparkling with a beautiful rainbow hue, I kept my mouth shut. Suddenly. A conversation I had with her in my previous life came to mind. -How did your eyes end up like that? -Ah. My eyes, you mean? ording to her. During her fourth year at Hero School, her vision gradually became blurred over a few months, and one day, she couldn¡¯t see anymore. -It was a curse. -¡­A curse? Who would dare? Who could possibly curse the Saint of the Seven Stars? -The Archbishop of Illusions, Astaroth. The Demon Church. A religion opposed to the Seven Stars, made up of demons blessed by the Demon God. Among them, one of the six most powerful demons was the Archbishop of Illusions, Astaroth. -He¡­ cursed the entire school, aiming for the power in my eyes. -Wait, he cursed the entire school? -You probably didn¡¯t know, Dale. No¡­ not just you, no one noticed. No matter how powerful the opponent, even if they were an ¡®Archbishop¡¯ level demon. Who could have predicted that the entire Hero School would be cursed? -It was a curse that only affected those with the ¡®Seven Eyes,¡¯ leaving everyone else untouched. That¡¯s why no one noticed. That¡¯s why no one realized. -As my vision blurred day by day¡­ stupidly, I thought I had incurred the wrath of the seven gods. Iris smiled bitterly, adjusting the ck eye patch covering her eye. -When I realized it wasn¡¯t divine wrath that took my sight, but a demon¡¯s curse, it was already toote, and I had lost everything. The ¡®Seven Eyes,¡¯ blessed by the Seven Gods. Her life, revered as a Saint. And. -My¡­ most precious friend, too. I never knew how she managed to reim the position of ¡®Saint¡¯ after losing the Seven Eyes and being half-banished from the Holy Kingdom. At that time, I was just a lowly mercenary struggling to survive day by day. ¡®But.¡¯ There was one thing I knew for certain. ¡®Iris must have lost so much on returning to being the Saint.¡¯ That yful smile on her face now, something I had never seen before, was probably one of those things. ¡°Dale?¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­ I guess eyes that shine like a rainbow look strange?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that.¡± Shaking my head, I gazed at Iris¡¯s eyes, sparkling with a rainbow hue. ¡°They¡¯re beautiful.¡± To the point where I felt like I would protect them at any cost. ¡°Eep¡­!¡± Iris quickly turned her head away. Before I knew it, her eyes had reverted to their usual blue. ¡°No matter how much youpliment me, I can¡¯t keep showing them. I¡¯m still not very good at controlling the ¡®Seven Eyes.¡¯¡± Iris stood up as if to hide her blushing cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s almost time for the chefs toe in and clean up.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± ¡°There are no afternoon sses today, so would you like to have a cup of coffee outside?¡± ¡°Sorry. I have some things to take care of, so I¡¯ll have to pass.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Iris, looking disappointed, poked at the floor with the tip of her shoe. ¡°Let¡¯s have lunch together again next week.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ yes! Of course!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not nning to ditch Cami again, are you?¡± ¡°Hmm~ I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about~?¡± Iris pretended not to know, a mischievous smile spreading across her face. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± A smile I had never seen in her previous life. Childlike, yful. A side of her I didn¡¯t know. -Click. After closing the door behind me, I leaned against it. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± A promise she couldn¡¯t hear, a vow that wouldn¡¯t reach her. I whispered it to her beyond the door. ¡°This time, you won¡¯t lose anything.¡± I will make sure of it. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 20 - So It Was You? (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 20 - So It Was You? (1) Chirp, chirp, chirp! Early morning. The sound of birds chirping, enjoying a luxurious feast of insects gathered under the streetlights at dawn, seeped through the cracks in the window. It was that season when the morning sunlight pierced through the clouds, the air slowly warmed up, and life sprouted. Having woken up at the crack of dawn, I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the sunlight streaming through the window, lost in deep thought. The subject of my thoughts was none other than: "How can I die quickly, simply, and cleanly...?" If someone else heard that, it might have sounded like the ramblings of a person in the final stages of depression, but for me, it was a surprisingly serious concern. ''Decapitating myself with a sword every time is too inefficient.'' The fact that I could easily activate the "Blessing of revival" without much effort, once I got the hang of it, was certainly an advantage. But... ''It''s too shy.'' When I was in my dorm room, it didn''t matter, but using decapitation to activate the Blessing of revival while outside, like during thatst outdoor training, carried too much risk. What if someone saw my head rolling on the ground, only to reattach and healpletely? ''Then I wouldn''t be able to keep the Blessing of revival a secret any longer.'' I''d lose one of my trump cards, something that was particrly useful in battles. ''Even if there''s a day when I have to reveal the Blessing of revival, it''s best to keep it hidden as long as possible.'' I definitely wanted to avoid foolishly exposing myself while practicing magic. "A faster, simpler, and cleaner method than decapitation...." One idea did pop into my head. ''Poison.'' It was something I used often in my past life to quickly trigger the Blessing of revival in emergencies. I used to carry poison in my mouth like a trained assassin. ''The problem is, I''d need to find an extremely potent poison capable of killing even a hero instantly.'' On top of that, I''d need to use it four times a day. ''Poison is out.'' If I had to use poison, I might as well just be careful not to get caught while decapitating myself. "If not poison, then...." As I continued to ponder, a sudden idea shed through my mind. ''Magic Bullet.'' A spell that condenses pure magical energy into a projectile. It''s the most basic of basic spells, something even a first-year student newly admitted to the Magic Department could use. ''If I can create a magic bullet inside my body, I could easily trigger the Blessing of revival by destroying my brain or heart.'' If Senior Sophia heard this idea, she would have probably scolded me for talking nonsense. Even though Magic Bullet was a basic spell, creating it inside the body was apletely different matter from creating it outside. ''Magic inherently has a tendency to be absorbed into the body.'' It''s like how water is absorbed by paper when it touches it. If you try to create a magic bullet inside your body, it won¡¯t form; the magic will just be absorbed back into your body. ''To prevent the magic bullet from being absorbed into the body, it has to be made extremely small.'' You''d have to create a small bullet that wouldn¡¯t touch the "Qi Paths"¡ªthe channels through which magic flows within the body. ''And simultaneously, it has to be powerful enough to destroy a major organ like the heart or brain in one go.'' It''s theoretically possible, but practically, it''s almost impossible. Making a bullet the size of a grain of rice is vastly more difficult than making one the size of a finger. This bullet had to be even smaller than a grain of rice. However... "It seems worth trying." It''s not arrogance. Nor is it blind confidence. Among my skills from my past life, the ability to efficiently manage small amounts of magic was my one true specialty. Whether it was Berald, Senior Sophia, Iris, or even Yuren¡ªthey couldn¡¯tpare to me in this area. ''Not that they needed to.'' It''s like how a person with millions of gold coins doesn''t need to carefully calcte how much they spend on each meal to avoid starvation. People overflowing with magic like them didn¡¯t need to be concerned about magic''s efficiency or precise control as I did. ''Let''s give it a try.'' What¡¯s the worst that could happen? Failing to seed won¡¯t kill me. "Hoo." I took a slow breath and focused all my attention on my stigma. I drew out a thin thread of magic from the stigma and tried to form a magic bullet within the Qi Paths running through my body. "Ugh." The first attempt failed. The magic was absorbed into my body before the bullet could even form, and returned to the stigma. ''Make it smaller.'' I visualized a tiny dot. So small that it would be invisible to the naked eye. ''Still not small enough.'' The second attempt also failed. The magic bullet formed, but it didn¡¯tst long and quickly dissipated. ''A bit more, just a bit more, just a bit more.'' The third, fourth, and fifth attempts. With each attempt, beads of cold sweat formed on my forehead. My shirt became soaked with sweat, clinging ufortably to my skin. "Grit." Perhaps due to the prolonged concentration, a sharp headache began to pound, and blood dripped from my nose. "...Just a little more." How much time had passed? ''Got it!'' Finally, I created and maintained a magic bullet within the Qi Path. ''Now, I just need to....'' As if aiming a gun, he pointed and fired a magic bullet at his heart. ¡°Grrraaah!¡± A terrible pain surged through his chest as if it was burning, but the "Blessing of revival" had not yet been activated. "¡­Was the power insufficient?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] He had seeded in creating the magic bullet, but failed to make it powerful enough to burst his heart in one blow. ¡®Still, I see potential.¡¯ If this method could be perfected, he could trigger the Blessing of revival at any desired moment. And do so much faster, more simply, and more cleanly than before! ¡®A new method of suicide using a magic bullet.¡¯ The advantage of this method wasn''t just that he could die without others noticing. ¡®It could alsopensate for the drawbacks of the Blessing of revival.¡¯ The Blessing of revival was a power that instantly regenerated any injury, no matter how severe, as long as it was a fatal wound. Whether my body was torn to pieces or burnt to ashes, the moment the Blessing of revival activated, my body would regenerate around the stigma. ¡®In other words, if the injury isn¡¯t fatal, the Blessing of revival won¡¯t activate.¡¯ Simply put, this meant that while critical areas like the head or heart would regenerate instantly if severed, other limbs like arms or legs wouldn¡¯t immediately regenerate if they were cut off. ¡®There¡¯s a reason I carried poison in my mouth in my previous life.¡¯ If my limbs were severed and even biting my tongue was impossible (and from experience, I knew it was hard to die from just biting the tongue), I would lose the means to trigger the Blessing of revival myself. ¡®But if I could end my life with a magic bullet in such a situation¡­¡¯ The Blessing of revival would activate instantly, regenerating the severed limbs. ¡°If I perfect this technique, I won¡¯t need to carry poison in my mouth anymore.¡± I recalled the memories of his past life, where I carried poison in my mouth as ast resort to activate the Blessing of revival in emergencies, and smiled bitterly. ¡°Well, let¡¯s call it a day.¡± I had already consumed so much mental energy that I didn¡¯t have the strength to focus any longer. Controlling a small amount of magic with such precision was more exhausting than I had anticipated. It was akin to engraving letters on a grain of rice¡ªworking with such a tiny amount of magic was mentally draining. ¡°Alright, then. How about some physical training to use the remaining time?¡± I had strained my mind, so now it was time to strain my body. With that thought, I started heading toward the training hall. Ding A clear chime rang out, and a message appeared on my Hero Watch. It was from Professor Jade. [The prototype is finished. If you have time, pleasee to theb.] It would be foolish to ask what the prototype was for. [I''ll be right there.] It seemed that physical training would have to wait. * * * ¡°You''re here.¡± ¡°Yes, Professor.¡± In Professor Jade¡¯sb, I entered a room that was as messy as ever, to the point where it was hard to tell whether it was ab or just a wreck. ¡°This is the prototype of the Stigma amplifier.¡± He handed over a ss bottle containing a blue liquid, resembling melted sapphire. ¡°When you drink this potion, your Stigma will go into overdrive and start generating magic.¡± ¡°How long does the effectst?¡± ¡°The effectsts about five minutes. After that¡­¡± ¡°The aftereffects will begin, right?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Professor Jade stroked his thick beard as he continued. ¡°After five minutes, your body''s blood and energy will start to twist, leading to immediate death.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°¡­Are you really okay with this?¡± His voice was filled with concern. ¡°If the Blessing of revival you possess doesn¡¯t activate in time, you¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°Was what I showed you before not enough?¡± If needed, I could demonstrate it again as many times as the professor wanted. ¡°Hah, alright¡­ I¡¯ll trust you.¡± With a deep sigh, Professor Jade continued. ¡°I¡¯ve taken your Blessing of revival into ount and focused solely on increasing your mana without worrying about the aftereffects.¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± But? ¡°The mana increase from this prototype won¡¯t be very substantial. If the theoretical limit for the Stigma amplifier¡¯s effect is 100, this one would be about 30.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the reason?¡± Even though the aftereffects weren¡¯t considered and the focus was solely on increasing mana, the fact that it only produced 30% of the theoretical maximum meant there must be a problem. ¡°The core ingredient iscking.¡± ¡°¡­Is it an ingredient that can¡¯t be bought even for a million gold?¡± ¡°Oh, no, I misspoke. To be precise, it¡¯s not that the ingredient iscking, but that the quality of the ingredient is poor.¡± Professor Jade said this as he took a dried, withered flower from his drawer. ¡°This is a flower known as Seven-Star Grass.¡± ¡°I know it.¡± It was a flower said to be blessed by the seven gods and was even designated as the national flower of the Holy Kingdom. ¡°But Seven-Star Grass is quitemon, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± You could even find it growing among roadside weeds if you looked carefully. ¡°But finding Seven-Star Grass that holds mana is not easy. It¡¯s an ingredient so rare that it¡¯s almost impossible to buy.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Just as I was thinking that I might have to settle for a Stigma amplifier with only 30% effectiveness, Professor Jade made an unexpected suggestion. ¡°With that in mind, I¡¯d like you to find some Seven-Star Grass that holds magic yourself.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 21 - So It Was You? (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 21 - So It Was You? (2) "You''re asking me to fetch it myself?" When I looked at Professor Jade with questioning eyes, he nodded nonchntly. "Yes. It shouldn''t be too difficult to find since you know where the Seven Star Herb infused with magic typically grows." "And where does it typically grow?" "Here." Professor Jade pointed to a dust ball rolling around on theboratory floor. Well, obviously, he didn''t mean that it grows in this dump of ab. "¡­You mean at the school?" "That''s right. You probably won¡¯t find a ce anywhere on the continent where you can easily find the magic-infused Seven Star Herb like here." The only ce on the continent where it¡¯s easy to find the magic-infused Seven Star Herb, huh? I had a vague idea of the reason why. "Is it because of the seal?" "Oh?" Professor Jade''s eyes lit up with interest. "For someone who scored the lowest in the first-year history ss, you know quite a bit." "Why did you look up my first-year grades?" "Shouldn''t I be aware of the academic standing of my future teaching assistant after graduation?" "No." I''m not joining yourb. "Kkk. Well, in any case, that¡¯s a response worthy of about 80 out of 100 points. It''s not precisely because of the seal, but rather the ley lines connected to it." "¡­Ley lines?" Come to think of it, I remembered hearing something about that from Senior Sophia before. There¡¯s an enormous ley line full of magic running beneath the Hero Academy. "Since it''se to this, I¡¯ll briefly exin." Professor Jade, seeming a bit excited, continued speaking. "Five hundred years ago, after a fierce battle, the five great heroes seeded in sealing the Demon God." "Is this turning into a history lecture all of a sudden?" "Stop talking and listen." Professor Jade continued the lecture(?) sternly. "After sealing the Demon God, Reynald established this ''Hero Academy'' right on top of that seal." This was something we learned in our first-year history ss. "Do you know why Reynald founded a school on such dangerousnd?" "Wasn¡¯t it to create a sort of fortress? To guard the Demon God¡¯s seal." Although historians debate about Reynald¡¯s decision to establish a school on thend where the Demon God was sealed, the prevailing theory is that he built the school to gather heroes from all over the continent to prevent demons from approaching the seal. ¡®And that¡¯s exactly what happened.¡¯ At first, many countries opposed sending promising young hero candidates to a ce where the Demon God was sealed. But when Reynald threatened that no one could be a hero without graduating and obtaining a formal certificate from this school, they had no choice but to send their candidates, albeit reluctantly. ¡®Now, five hundred yearster, no one even cares about it anymore.¡¯ Nowadays, unless it¡¯s covered in a history ss, even heroes who graduate from the Hero Academy might not know that the Demon God is sealed beneath it. Of course... ¡®¡­Soon, people won¡¯t be able to ignore it, whether they want to or not.¡¯ Not many know that the seal on the Demon God is weakening¡ªaside from me, who has experienced the future. "A fortress¡­ That was certainly one of the reasons." "There were other reasons?" "Do you remember the ley lines I mentioned earlier? Reynald¡­ or more precisely, my ancestor, the ''Great Sage'' Julius Bastian, connected those ley lines to the seal to reinforce it." "He connected the ley lines to the seal?" "Exactly." Professor Jade stroked his white beard as he continued. "In a way, it''s like chaining the Demon God with the ley lines, reinforcing the lock of the seal." "Um¡­ That''s the first I''ve heard of that." "Of course. It''s a record passed down exclusively within the Bastian family." Ah. So that¡¯s why I¡¯d never heard of it in my previous life. "In any case, this school is a kind of giant sealing tool designed to concentrate the power of those ley lines." A giant sealing tool, the school itself. ¡®That might exin why the Demon God¡¯s seal weakened in my previous life¡­¡¯ It¡¯s highly likely that this school had something to do with it. ¡®Now I have another reason to stay at the school.¡¯ I never intended to leave the school before graduation, as I need to reunite with my oldrades. And now, I also have to figure out why the Demon God¡¯s seal is weakening. ¡®But since that¡¯s not something I can solve right away¡­¡¯ It¡¯s wiser to focus on what I can do right now. "So, because of the influence of those ley lines, the Seven Star Herb infused with magic grows plentifully around here, right?" "Exactly." Professor Jade nodded with a satisfied smile, looking pleased. He picked up a coffee cup from the table, took a sip, and chuckled. "Being in this position reminds me of the old days when I used to teach sses." Professor Jade looked up at theb ceiling with a somewhat nostalgic gaze. He was once a professor who diligently taught students, but ever since an incident two years ago, he had stopped teaching candidates altogether. ¡®The so-called "Student Killer."¡¯ But having worked with Professor Jade for a few days now, I couldn¡¯t see why he had earned such a sinister nickname. ¡®He may have an entric personality, but he would never kill a student.¡¯ Although my curiosity about his past was piqued¡­ ¡®That¡¯s not important right now.¡¯ I had far too many things that needed my attention. "Anyway, if you can just fetch the magic-infused Seven Star Herb, I¡¯ll be able toplete the Stigma amplifier potion." "But since you know where it grows, why don''t you go get it yourself, Professor¡­?" "Are you telling this old man to go out and gather herbs?" "¡­¡­." Old man? ¡®If we¡¯re talking about long lives, I¡¯ve lived dozens of times longer than you, you geezer.¡¯ Of course, I couldn¡¯t say that out loud. But my neck heated up at his audacity¡ªspending a million gold in research funds and expecting me to fetch the ingredients myself. "Kkk. Besides, if I were to go out and gather the Seven Star Herb personally, it might cause issues with the Holy Kingdom." "What kind of issues¡­ Ah." Professor Jade is an authority on the forbidden research of the Stigma, a practice strictly forbidden by the Holy Kingdom. ¡®And if such a professor were to roam around collecting the national flower of the Holy Kingdom¡­?¡¯ It would undoubtedly cause a lot of problems. "Ugh. Fine." Though it was a waste of time, there seemed no other way. "Kkk. I¡¯ll send the location to your Hero Watch, so just search around that area." The location sent to my Hero Watch was the outdoor training ground where we recently had our Demonic Beast Tracking ss. "¡­But isn¡¯t the outdoor training ground off-limits except during ss?" "You can get special permission for research purposes." "Hm. Got it. I¡¯ll head out right away." I had a mountain of things to do, but¡­ ¡®What can you do?¡¯ Since the younger guy wasn''t willing to budge, I had no choice but to move myself. * * * [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "ording to the map, it should be somewhere around here¡­" After following the map disyed on my Hero Watch for several hours, I realized that the sun was setting faster than usual, and the forest was slowly descending into darkness. ¡®If it gets muchter, I¡¯ll have to camp out here.¡¯ Although camping was something I was used to, to the point of being sick of it, I didn''t feel like sleeping on the bare ground, especially without Iris. "We have to find it quickly... huh?" At that moment, I noticed a crack in the rocks through the thick undergrowth. A crack just big enough for a person to barely squeeze through. I could feel a faint mana seeping through it. "Is it here?" Tilting my head in curiosity, I squeezed my body through the crack, revealing arger cave than I had expected. "Let¡¯s see." I sharpened my senses and scanned the surroundings. Among the pointed stctites, I saw a few white flowers growing. ¡°Seven Star Herb.¡± When I plucked one of the Seven Star Herb growing between the stctites, I could feel mana infused within it. "Well, at least I avoided having to camp." Smiling slightly, I ced the Seven Star Herb growing between the stctites into my bag. After roughly plucking all the Seven Star Herb I could see and stuffing them into my bag, I gathered about two handfuls of the flowers. This amount should be sufficient for making the Stigma amplifier potion. ¡°But just in case, let¡¯s look for some more.¡± Although the entrance was narrow, the cave was quite spacious inside, so I hadn''t explored it all yet. As I ventured further into the winding cave, "...?" I noticed a faint lighting from a distance. ¡°A light?¡± Why was there light here? ¡°...¡± I quietly made my way towards the source of the light. ¡®¡­That¡¯s¡­¡¯ The source of the light deep within the cave turned out to be a portablentern,monly used for exploration. And the fact that there was a portablentern here meant... ¡®Someone else is here.¡¯ Was there someone else in the outdoor training ground at this hour? ¡®I¡¯m pretty sure there was no outdoor training scheduled today.¡¯ I had confirmed this information earlier when I obtained the permit through Professor Jade. ¡°Since you can''t enter without a permit, it¡¯s not a cadet.¡± And there was no way a professor would be alone here at this hour. ¡®If it¡¯s neither a professor nor a cadet¡­¡¯ Who could possibly be in such a hidden cave at thiste hour? ¡°...¡± While I held my breath and hid behind a stctite, ¡°Damn it... why am I always stuck with these chores?¡± I heard someone grumbling inside the cave. A man with ck hair, wearing a shabby robe. Judging by his appearance, he was well past his thirties, so he definitely wasn¡¯t a cadet. ¡°Man, if only I were a priest, I wouldn¡¯t have to do this kind of grunt work¡­¡± The man mutteredints as he hammered a ck spike, shaped like a stake, into one of the cave walls. Then, -Buuuuuzzzz! A ck aura, emanating from the man¡¯s left chest, flowed into the spike embedded in the cave wall. The aura had a dark, sinister, and unsettling quality to it. It wasn''t hard to recognize what it was. ¡®Demonic energy.¡¯ The energy of the demonic, which could only be wielded by those who had received the blessings of a demon and bore its mark. There was only one fact proven by this man possessing demonic energy. A demon. One of the greatest threats to humanity, alongside demonic beasts, and the top priority for extermination by heroes. An enemy of humanity. One that cannot, and must not, bepromised with. ¡®What is a demon doing here?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t guess the reason, but... ¡®Well, I can just ask him directly.¡¯ Focusing mana into my legs, I lowered my stance. And then, Leaping forward. ¡°Damn it... why is it taking so long today... Argh!¡± In an instant, I approached the demon from behind and gathered mana into my fingers, stabbing him in the back of the neck. The demon¡¯s body stiffened and then copsed like a scarecrow. Acupoint strike. A technique I learned from Berald, striking the meridians where mana flows to paralyze the body. ¡°What the...! Who are you?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know who I am. Just answer my questions. Why did you sneak into the school?¡± ¡°Grr... why can¡¯t I move...¡± ¡°Well, yeah. I figured you wouldn¡¯t answer easily.¡± From my past life, I knew all too well that demons were tight-lipped. ¡°First, let¡¯s start with a hit.¡± Grabbing the fallen demon by the hair, I mercilessly pped him across the face. Smack! The sound was like a whip striking leather, and the demon¡¯s face snapped to the side. ¡°Ugh! W-wait!¡± ¡°I know, I know. You bastards won¡¯t talk just from this.¡± ¡°No! Wait a sec...¡± ¡°Two hits.¡± Smack! Smack! Smack! The demon¡¯s face swelled with each crisp sound until it was almost unrecognizable. After about thirty ps, ¡°Agh... ugh.¡± ¡°Wow, you¡¯re tough. Even now, you won¡¯t talk?¡± The demon, blood trickling from his broken teeth, desperately shook his head. ¡°Well, no choice then.¡± If hands don¡¯t work, I¡¯ll have to use a sword. Srrk. I drew my sword and brought it close to the man¡¯s face. ¡°Two eyes, two ears, one nose, one mouth. Of those, I only need one ear and a mouth¡­¡± I pulled the man¡¯s head closer and smiled brightly. ¡°So, which ones do you need?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 22 - So It Was You? (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 22 - So It Was You? (3) "Ah... ugh, argh!" A man groaned through his swollen lips. I gazed down at the man with cold eyes, pressing the tip of my sword to the corner of his eye. "Aren''t you going to answer?" Well, if that''s the case, I have no choice. "Let''s start with the most useless thing first... your eyes." "I-I''ll talk! I''ll talk, just please stop...!" The man begsged desperately. "Is that so? Then let''s hear what you have to say." "Th-that... the question you asked earlier... um..." The man, as if trying to recall something from before he was beaten, lowered his head and shivers. And then. -Woooong! A ck aura burst forth from his left chest. "You were asking how I wanted you to kill me, right?!" The man, who had been slumped over, suddenly sprung up like a coiled spring, crossing his arms. Two scythes appeared in his hands, now enveloped in a ck aura. He unfurled his crossed arms like wings, and the scythes swung savagely. "You must''ve gotten so beaten up that your memory isn''t what it used to be, huh?" Seeing the man charge at me with a look of joy as if he''d found an opening, I smirked and take a step back. ''Point Pressure'' is a technique designed to subdue opponents with rtively low mana easily. I already knew that with my current meager amount of magic, I wouldn''t be able to hold a demon for long. ''But.'' Just because I can''t hold him for long doesn''t mean he''s an opponent I can''t handle. "Alright, I''ll ask you again, so listen carefully this time." Sun Sword. First Form, Initial Eclipse. A rising sh from an unseen angle. My sword, manoeuvring like a dancer through the gap between the wildly swinging scythes, shed the man''s chest. Flesh tears, and blood spurt out. "Ah... ugh." The man pressed his hands against his chest, which was now pouring blood, with a pale expression. ng. The two scythes in his hands ttered to the ground. "Wh-who are you...?" "I said I''m the one asking the questions, didn''t I?" Crack! I stomped down hard on the fallen man''s knee. A scream echoed through the cave. "What was a demon like you doing here?" "Ah... ugh..." "Now, what was it I said was the most useless earlier?" "I-I was just following orders!" "Whose orders?" "That..." The man averted his gaze slightly as if to avoid my eyes. He bit his lips nervously, as if he was about to say something when suddenly. "Argh... kah! Guh, cough!" He suddenly wed at his chest, writhing in pain. His eyes, now bloodshot, were bulging, and gruesome veins spread across his face like twisted roots. "This is..." Had he ced a curse to prevent any information from leaking out? I reached out towards the man, who was now foaming at the mouth and convulsing as if electrocuted, but... "Tsk." The light had already faded from the man''s eyes. From the moment I first subdued him, I had considered the possibility of a curse. ''A high-level curse, no less.'' Typical curses are triggered by speaking certain words or performing specific actions. However, the curse ced on this man was a high-level one that cut off his life when he had the "will" to reveal information. "Who the hell are these guys?" Judging from his earlier mention of "priest," it seemed likely he was part of the Demon Church. But the Demon Church itself had so many factions and operated in a decentralized manner, making it difficult to pinpoint exactly which faction he belonged to. "Hmm." I picked up the ck nail-like object the man had been carrying. ''It seems to have some effect on the ley lines.'' This cave was a ce where the ley lines were strong enough to support the growth of magical Seven Star Grass. Seeing him drive the nail into the wall and channel demonic energy into it, I could only guess that it was intended to affect the ley lines somehow. "But I don''t know exactly what effect it has." I wondered if this nail was somehow rted to why the seal of the Demon God weakened in my past life. ''But that can''t be it.'' If driving this small nail into the wall was enough to weaken the Demon God''s seal, it would''ve broken long ago. Even if there were dozens or hundreds of these ck nails, the seal on the Demon God wouldn''t weaken so easily just by affecting the ley lines slightly. ''Then what on earth is it?'' I continued to ponder but couldn''te up with a clear answer. ''Maybe I should look for more clues.'' As I reached out toward the corpse of the man lying on the ground. - Step, step. I heard faint footsteps in the distance. I stopped reaching out towards the man and spread my magic through my body to enhance my senses. ''Three... no, four of them.'' It wasn''t difficult to figure out who the approaching footsteps belonged to. ''It must be the ones who gave this guy his orders.'' They were probablying to check on the situation because the man hadn''t returned. "Hmm." The four figures approaching this way were likely not the entirety of the demons that had infiltrated the school. ''There must be more.'' While the purpose of their infiltration into a hero-filled school is still unknown, it was unlikely that such bold invaders were from a minor faction of weak demons. ¡®Even if I capture them, I won''t be able to extract any information due to the restrictions.¡¯ A different approach would be necessary to trace the cult¡¯s faction. ¡°Now, what should I do¡­¡± As I continued to think, my gaze fell upon two scythes lying on the ground. The moment I saw the scythes, an idea struck me. ¡°Aha.¡± So there was a way, after all? ¡°Let''s see¡­ first¡­¡± I beheaded the demon that had copsed, coughing up blood. ''They won''t think he died because of the restrictions.'' With a grin, I picked up one of the scythes from the ground. And next. Thud. Without hesitation, I plunged the scythe into my own abdomen. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] * * * ¡°How long has it been since we lost contact with Husk?¡± Four men, all draped in ck robes. The man with blood-red hair at the front turned his head. His left cheek was covered with a hideous burn scar. His eyes, sunken deep, gleamed with a chilling, blood-red light that sent shivers down one''s spine just by looking at them. ¡°It, it¡¯s been about 30 minutes.¡± ¡°Thirty minutes, you say.¡± The man with blood-red hair who was standing at the front turned his head. ¡°I distinctly remember ordering that no fewer than two should go together for the ¡®nail¡¯ cement.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Priest Calyx!¡± The three demons standing behind the man called Calyx Priest bowed their heads in fear. Calyx looked at his subordinates coldly before clicking his tongue and turning his head back. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll deal with the punishmentter.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, sir!¡± Finding the demon who lost contact was the priority now. ¡°Lead the way.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, sir!¡± Calyx and his subordinates quickly entered deeper into the cave, remaining vignt of their surroundings. When they reached the designated spot for cing the ¡®nail,¡¯ they saw: ¡°A¡­ ugh, please¡­ save¡­ me¡­¡± A student candidate, bleeding profusely from his stomach, and the decapitated body of Husk. ¡°Why is a student here at this hour¡­?¡± Calyx frowned and looked back at his subordinates, one of whom quickly responded in a panicked voice. ¡°T-Today, there was no scheduled outdoor training!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± That means the candidate must have obtained special permission from a professor to enter the area. ¡°This is troublesome.¡± From the scene before him, Calyx could easily deduce what had transpired inside the cave. ''The student, having received permission from a professor, must have encountered Husk.'' After a fierce battle, Husk was decapitated, and the student suffered a fatal wound from Husk''s scythe. ¡°Pathetic.¡± Calyx clicked his tongue, looking down at Husk''s body with disdain. Even though Husk was a low-ranking monk, he should not have lost to a mere hero candidate, not even an official hero. It was an unforgivable disgrace for someone blessed by the Demon God. ¡®The n is ruined.¡¯ Calyx frowned as if he had a headache. Their covert n, timed to avoid the outdoor training schedule, had been disrupted by the intrusion of some unknown candidate. ¡®If he finds out about this¡­¡¯ Calyx closed his eyes tightly, trembling in fear. ¡®No matter what, this must be kept secret.¡¯ If it were discovered that their n had faltered, the corpse of Husk on the ground might very well be reced with his own. ¡°What should we do with the candidate? If left as is, he¡¯ll die of blood loss soon.¡± A demon looked down at the gasping candidate and asked. Calyx, without hesitation, gave a decisive order. ¡°Kill him.¡± ¡°What? But¡­!¡± If it were discovered that the candidate had died, the ¡®professors¡¯ would surely get involved. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to heal, silence, and send him back?¡± ¡°Silence him?¡± A sardonic grin spread across Calyx¡¯s lips. Heal the unknown candidate, threaten or bribe him into silence, and then return him to the school, huh. ¡®If only it were that simple.¡¯ However. ¡°I don¡¯t trust the living.¡± A ck energy began to gather at Calyx¡¯s fingertips, aimed at the fallen candidate. Woooom! A ck spear formed from the energy gathered from his left chest. Then. Thud! The ck spear pierced the candidate''s heart in the blink of an eye. ¡°Urgh¡­ ugh!¡± The gray-haired candidate let out a final groan before dying. ¡°Get rid of the body.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, sir!¡± Terrified by Calyx''s ruthless actions, the demons quickly shouldered the candidate''s body. Calyx clicked his tongue again as he watched his subordinates carry the corpse away. ¡°If you want to survive in this world, remember this: never trust the living.¡± The only thing you can trust. ¡°Is the dead.¡± With those cold words, Calyx turned and began walking toward the hideout. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 23 - So It Was You? (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 23 - So It Was You? (4) The city of Valha, built around the Hero Academy. Valha was a city located in a "neutral zone" alongside the academy, where the cultures of the three kingdoms converged to create a flourishing civilization. Rumor had it that Valha was more luxurious than the Empire''s capital, grander than the Holy Kingdom''s capital, and more advanced than the Republic''s capital. However, the brighter the city''s lights shone, the darker the shadows that were cast below. In Valha, there was a slumrger and more ominous than any other on the continent, known as the "Ant Nest." A group of men in ck robes moved through the gloomy streets of the Ant Nest, exuding an eerie aura so intense that even the ruffians, who were steeped in drugs and alcohol and feared nothing, flinched and turned away upon seeing them. "Open it." "Yes, Priest!" Calyx¡¯s subordinates entered the maze-like alleys of the Ant Nest and ced their hands on an empty wall. -Whoosh! As ck energy flowed into the wall from three directions, a round entrance appeared where there had been nothing. "Whew." Back at their hideout, Calyx threw off his robe and sighed softly. ''Now, what should I do next?'' To ensure that the dead cadet was reported as "missing," there were many loose ends to tie up. ''First, I need to find someone who looks as simr to that cadet as possible.'' The n was simple. One cadet, unable to withstand the stress of his studies and the oppression of the professors, fled the academy and returned to his hometown. To create this scenario, they needed to find someone who resembled the cadet as closely as possible to fabricate the alibi that he had returned to his hometown. ¡®First, I need to figure out where that cadet is from.¡¯ Judging by his appearance, he seemed to be from the Republic, but¡­ Unlike 500 years ago when the people of the Republic first crossed over from a world called "Korea," their race had since intermingled with the continent''s inhabitants, making it difficult to judge based on appearance alone. ''I need to wrap this up quickly before he finds out.'' Calyx bit his lip anxiously. "Wee back, Priest Calyx!" "I heard that contact with Husk has been lost¡­" As he entered the hideout, his subordinates rushed out to meet him. About thirty demons of the Demon God Cult were carrying out the tasks necessary for the n under Calyx''s orders. "Silence." Calyx issued a sternmand to his noisy subordinates and sat down. "Priest Calyx, what about this cadet''s body¡­?" "Put it over in the corner. Husk''s body should be chopped up and fed to the wild dogs." "Y-Yes, sir!" Even though they were servants of the Demon God, the cruel order to dismember a fellow demon¡¯s body and feed it to wild dogs caused the demons to stutter. "By the way¡­" Calyx''s eyes glinted menacingly. "Who was supposed to go with Husk to drive the ¡®stake¡¯ today?" "Well¡­" The demons¡¯ gazes all turned to one person. "Was it you?" "P-Priest Calyx, I¡­" The demon, pale with fear, stepped back and bowed his head at Calyx''s feet. "I-I''m sorry! I promise it won''t happen again!" "There won''t be a next time." Calyx smirked and reached out his hand toward the demon who was bowing his head. "I don''t trust the living." "N-No!" "The only ones I trust are always¡­" The dead. "P-Priest Calyx, please!" ck energy gathered in his outstretched palm. The demonic energy, which had taken the shape of sharp spikes, shot out like arrows, piercing the demon''s head. "Chop this one up and feed him to the dogs too." "Y-Yes, sir!" Terrified, the remaining demons dragged the demon¡¯s brutally pierced body into another room. "Whew." Having killed one of his subordinates in an instant, Calyx leaned back in his chair with a nonchnt expression. "How is the work on the other ley lines progressing?" "It''s proceeding smoothly." "None of you are foolish enough to wander around alone like that idiot, right?" "N-No, sir!" His subordinates answered with tense expressions. "Tch." Calyx clicked his tongue in displeasure. Surely, there were others among them who were breaking the rules behind his back. He wanted to find and kill all the rule-breakers, but doing so would leave him short-handed for the tasks at hand. "Uh¡­ Priest?" "What is it?" "So, should we halt the ley line work until we¡¯ve created an alibi for that cadet?" By tomorrow, at thetest, the professor who had given the cadet the permit would realize that the cadet was missing. The risks of continuing the ley line work were too high until they had created the fake evidence that the cadet had run away on his own. "Hmm." Calyx thought momentarily, then shook his head with a serious expression. "No, we''ll proceed with the n as scheduled." "B-But¡­!" "The professor who sent the cadet out won''t report him missing just because he loses contact for a day or two." If he did, he would also be held responsible, so he would likely act cautiously. ''At most, he''ll search for him on his own.'' Of course, the risks of the work would increase regardless. "If the work gets dyed, the n will be dyed." "But there''s still a whole year left before the full-scale execution of the n, isn''t there?" "You fool! Why do you think we''ve been preparing for this operation for years?" Calyx clicked his tongue in frustration. "Infusing the ley lines with a ''curse'' little by little to create arge-scale spell is such aplex task that even ''He'' had to prepare for a long time." And more than anything... ''The moment it''s revealed that the n has gone wrong, I''m dead.'' No matter what, this incident had to be concealed. "If you understand, then hurry and find someone who looks simr to that cadet." "Y-yes, understood." The demon lowered his head and approached the corner where the cadet''s body had been left. "Let''s see... What did this guy''s face look like?" Earlier, things were so urgent that there wasn''t even time to take a good look at the cadet''s face. As he walked toward the cadet''s body, left in the corner... "...Huh?" Gray ash swirling in the corner. "What is this?" The demon frowned and brushed the scattered gray ash on the floor with his foot. And then¡ª Swoosh! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "...What?" With a sharp blue sh, the demon''s head rolled onto the floor. "I see... So that''s how it was." The gray-haired cadet, who had been thought dead with his heart pierced, rose from where he had been lying. "W-what?" "What''s happening...!" The demons around him, as well as Calyx, stared in disbelief at the cadet rising to his feet. "You were... alive?" No. That couldn''t be. ''I definitely pierced his heart.'' Calyx hurriedly stood up from his chair to inspect the cadet. The chest that the demonic spike had pierced waspletely healed. "W-what is this...?" Even Calyx, who rarely showed his emotions, was so shocked that he stammered. "Did you say earlier that you don''t trust the words of the living?" The gray-haired cadet, Dale, looked at Calyx and smirked. "From now on, don''t trust the words of the dead either." "......" Calyx''s expression twisted into a scowl. "I don''t know what trick you used, but... did you really think you could escape from here?" This ce was the hideout of the Demon Cult, with over thirty demons gathered here. And Calyx himself held the rank of ''priest,'' a position within the cult. Even a hero in active duty would find it difficult to face a priest-level demon, let alone a mere cadet. "It seems you''re under a delusion." "...A delusion?" Dale''s lips curled into a smirk as he lightly tapped the floor with the sword in his hand. "The one who should be worried about getting out of here isn''t me." The ones who should be worried are... "It''s you." "...What?" Calyx''s face twisted in disbelief. But Dale paid no attention to Calyx as he leisurely turned his head to survey the interior of the hideout. Scattered throughout the hideout were ck spikes, each about the size of a fist. ''They said they were infusing the ley lines with a curse, right?'' And the full-scale n would begin next year. "...Ha." Given all these clues, if he couldn''t figure out what their ''n'' was and who ''He'' referred to, then he had no right to call himself a regressor. - It was a curse. - ...A curse? Who could have...? Suddenly, a past conversation with Iris resurfaced in his mind. The one who cursed the entire school, taking away her sight, stripping her of the title of ''Saint,'' and even iming the life of a dear friend. The one who made it impossible for her to ever smile like a mischievous child again. - The Archbishop of Illusions, Astaroth. "Ha, haha." They say that when a person is too angry, theyugh instead. "I see..." Dale pulled out a ss bottle containing a blue liquid from his pocket and downed it in one gulp. "It was you guys?" With the sound of the empty ss bottle shattering as it hit the floor... Sun Sword. Sixth Form: Radiance. Pure white light filled the room. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 24 - So It Was You? (5) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 24 - So It Was You? (5) Sun Sword. A sword technique created by Reynald Helios, the leader of the "Five Great Heroes" who sealed the Demon God 500 years ago. The Sun Sword consists of a total of nine "forms," with each subsequent form exponentially increasing in difficulty and power. Yuren said that even Reynald Helios, who created the sword technique, could only conceptualize the ninth form but never fully mastered it. Anyway. Although it is a sword technique, this Sun Sword only takes on the typical "swordsmanship" form up to the fourth of the nine forms. An upward sh, a downward sh, a horizontal sh, and a thrust. These four forms are created by honing these basic movements to their extreme. From the fifth form onward, the sword technique transcends the realm of swordsmanship¡­ It bes something closer to magic or a miracle. Normally, I can only use up to the fourth form with my mana. Originally, the sword techniques beyond the fifth form were techniques I couldn''t perform with my mana. But. Now that I''ve taken the Stigma amplifier. I can reach a realm normally beyond my grasp for just five minutes. "Ugh¡­ My, my eyes!" "What, what''s this light?" The demons squinted their eyes at the blinding white light emanating from the sword. Without giving them time to adjust to the intense light, sh! sh! sh! With a chilling sound, the heads of three demons were separated from their bodies. "This is¡­!" [TL/N: This chapter had 3rd Person POV for some reason.] It wasn''t that Dale moved and swung his sword to behead them. The white light pouring out from the sword. The bodies of the demons touched by that light split open as if a sword had shed them. "It''s light! Avoid the light!" One of the demons shouted urgently and threw himself out of the path of the white light pouring from the sword. sh! But with a slight movement of the sword tip, the demon''s upper and lower halves were split in two. A strike that ignored distance. The bodies of the demons touched by the light from the sword fell one by one, spraying blood. "You idiots! Don''t dodge half-heartedly, rush him all at once and kill him! He''s alone!" Calyx roared ferociously at his subordinates. "Y-Yes, sir!" "Surround him!" "Haaah!" At his roar, the demons drew their weapons and charged at Dale. sh! sh! Even as they charged, two more demons were split in half by the light, but the other demons who hadn''t been directly hit by the light managed to close the distance to Dale. "Die, you bastard!" A demon who had closed the gap thrust a spear charged with demonic energy. It seemed like Dale, who had just swung his sword, wouldn''t be able to block the spear aimed at his vital spot. "Heh." But Dale''s lips curled up, revealing his white teeth. He stepped lightly, twisting his body slightly, and caught the thrusting spear between his armpits. A movement close to acrobatics, where even the slightest mistake could have resulted in his heart being pierced. Even a hero with extensivebat experience would have shown a moment of hesitation in such a life-threatening move. "You crazy¡­!" But Dale showed no such hesitation. That''s right. As if he had multiple lives. "Guh!" Crack! Dale yanked the spear trapped under his arm and twisted the demon''s neck with his bare hands. "Eek!" A demon who had been charging with his weapon let out a terrified whimper as he saw hisrade''s neck snapped right in front of him. "Why are you freaking out over this?" Dale threw the demon''s body, which had its neck twisted at a grotesque angle, to the ground and licked his lips as if savoring the taste. "It''s only been a minute." Dale then lunged at the surrounding demons like a beast. "Guh, gah!" "Aaaah!" "S-Spare me¡­ Urk!" Against the demons attacking from a distance, Dale swung his sword, shooting out the white light, while he used martial arts to take down the ones approaching up close. He maneuvered to keep the walls and pirs at his back, preventing the formation of aplete encirclement, and suddenly charged, causing the demons who had been rushing in to collide with each other. What was happening could be better described as a "massacre" than a "battle." The number of demons, originally around thirty, had been halved in less than three minutes. "S-Sir Priest!" The remaining demons, helplessly overwhelmed, turned their gaze to Calyx. "You useless fools¡­!" Calyx ground his teeth as he shouted at his subordinates. What the hell is that guy? How is that even remotely a "candidate"? No, fine. Let''s say that a candidate could be as strong, or even stronger, than an active hero. After all, there were rumors that Yuren Helios, who had been ranked first in theprehensive candidate evaluations for three years, was much stronger than most professors. But. To handle thebined assault of thirty demons without retreating an inch, to respond with such dexterity and mercilessness¡­ This isn''t a candidate, but¡­. You''d only see that in a retired hero who had spent decades on the battlefield. "Damn it!" Calyx bit his lip in frustration. Although he hadn''t directly joined the battle yet, just watching Dale''s¡­ no, this massacre, was enough to tell. I can''t win. Even though he was a "priest" among the demons, there was no way he could win against a monster who could ughter fifteen demons in less than three minutes. But if I run away now, he won''t let me off. The thought of the archbishop''s wrath sent a chill down his spine. He pulled out a wand embedded with a fist-sized mana stone and aimed it at Dale. If I''m going to die either way! Dark energy radiated from the Stigma on his left chest, and dozens of demonic spikes floated around him. "Haaa!" Shoo-shoo-shoo-shoo! The demonic spikes shot out with terrifying force. A demon who couldn''t dodge in time was impaled by the spikes and screamed, but Calyx didn''t let up on his attack. "Pathetic effort." Dale clicked his tongue in disdain as he watched the spikes raining down on him from all directions. Instead of evading, he threw himself into the path of the demonic spikes, stomping hard on the ground. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Berald¡¯s Martial Arts. Earth Tremor. Rumble, rumble, rumble! The entire hideout shook as if an earthquake had hit. The shattered ground shot up rotten wooden nks and dirt, forming a shield that blocked the barrage of demonic spikes. "Grr!" As Calyx frowned at the dust rising up in the air, sh! Swoosh! A brilliant white light cut through the dust, grazing the arm of Calyx, who held a wand. Flesh tore apart, and blood poured out. The excruciating pain surged through his entire body. "Ugh!" Calyx gritted his teeth and clutched his half-severed arm with his hand. The agonizing groan that escaped his lips was brief. With his sharp gaze fixed on Dale, Calyx gripped the wand with his other hand. ¡®A battle of strength is pointless.¡¯ No matter how many magical spikes he unleashed, whether dozens or hundreds, he doubted he could subdue that monster. ¡®In that case...¡¯ Calyx took a deep breath and wrapped his hand around the fist-sized mana stone at the head of the wand. Bzzzzz! The power emanating from the mana stone resonated with the dark energy, spreading out. Crack, crackle! Cracks began to form on the mana stone attached to the end of the wand until it crumbled into dust. ¡°Come forth, the power of the Illusion!¡± The spell, offered through the sacrifice of the mana stone, was a magic of his master, the High Priest Astaroth. It was a terrifying spell that trapped the target in an illusory world known as the ¡®Illusion¡¯ and shattered their mind. ¡°Grrr...!¡± As Calyx used a spell beyond his level, blood began to trickle from his eyes and nose. For a mere priest, not even a bishop, using the High Priest''s magic was an act that risked his life, but now was not the time to be concerned about such things. ¡°Perish within the Illusion!¡± As the wand disintegrated, a ck aura enveloped Dale. Dale, who had been rampaging like a wolf among sheep, suddenly froze. ¡°Heh... See, no matter how much you struggle, there¡¯s no way you could resist His magic.¡± No matter how powerful one''s strength, it was useless if their mind was broken. As he watched Dale standing still, Calyx smirked sinisterly. ¡°Kill him quickly before he regains consciousness...!¡± Just as he barked orders at his subordinates, a cold sensation pierced his abdomen. ¡°Urk.¡± A stifled groan escaped along with the excruciating pain that made it hard to breathe. As he turned his head, he saw Dale, who had been immobilized by the ¡®Illusion,¡¯ standing right before him. ¡°How... How?¡± What method had he used to break free from the ¡®Illusion¡¯? Calyx¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Looks like that doesn¡¯t work on me,¡± Dale said with a smirk as he looked at the shocked Calyx. ¡°Ugh... Urk, cough!¡± Calyx clutched at the sword impaling his abdomen and slowly sank to the ground. Bzzz! The ck aura that had been surrounding Dale''s body returned to Calyx, as if seeking its rightful owner. As the ¡®Illusion¡¯ broke, the remaining dark energy began to flow back to him. Calyx''s mind was connected to Dale''s for that brief moment when the mental magic was undone. This phenomenon, often referred to as ¡®mental resonance¡¯ among magicians, had urred. ¡°...Ah.¡± Calyx¡¯s vision blurred. His body, now linked to Dale¡¯s mind, convulsed violently. ¡°What... is... this...?¡± The entire world was burning. The whole world was aze. Everywhere he looked, no matter where he turned his gaze, it was all engulfed in¡ª ¡®Fire.¡¯ A massive, all-consuming fire. The mes, crimson like the tongues of a demon, greedily devoured the illusions he had painstakingly conjured in the ¡®Illusion,¡¯ roaring fiercely. ¡®What is... this?¡¯ Though he had experienced ¡®mental resonance¡¯ before, he had never witnessed a scene like this. ¡®What... is that?¡¯ A figure caught his eye as Calyx surveyed the world consumed by mes. Amid the raging fire, there was a ck shape curled up. ¡®What... is that?¡¯ Could it hear his thoughts? The ck figure slowly raised its head. And then... From within the mes, a pair of green eyes locked onto him. ¡°...Ah.¡± Calyx, with a sword still lodged in his abdomen, stumbled backward in fear. ¡°Ah... Ugh. Ahhh.¡± Forgetting the sword impaled in his stomach, Calyx crawled on the ground, trying to escape from Dale. ¡°Aaaaaaahhhh!!¡± Desperately, he crawled towards the hideout''s entrance, trying to get as far away from Dale as possible. The aftermath of his escape? The terror of High Priest Astaroth? None of that remained in his mind. ¡°Run... Run... Quickly...!¡± The only thing left in his mind was an overwhelming terror of that nameless candidate. ¡°What the hell is wrong with this bastard all of a sudden?¡± The one who was taken aback by Calyx¡¯s sudden behavior was, in fact, Dale. As he watched Calyx flee, bleeding, Dale calmly approached and pressed his foot against Calyx¡¯s throat. ¡°Urk.¡± A stifled breath escaped from between Calyx''s lips. ¡°Well, considering the magical restrictions, there¡¯s nothing useful I could get out of you even if I asked...¡± Clicking his tongue, Dale pressed down harder on Calyx¡¯s throat. ¡°Just die.¡± Crack! Calyx¡¯s neck twisted at an unnatural angle. ¡°P-Priest?¡± ¡°No way...¡± The demons, shocked by the sight of Calyx dying without putting up much of a fight, exchanged nervous nces as they slowly backed away. ¡°Let¡¯s see... I¡¯ve got about a minute left?¡± Checking the time on his Hero Watch, Dale grinned as he looked at the retreating demons. ¡°That¡¯s enough time.¡± Once again, a brilliant sh of light illuminated the dark hideout. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 25 - You Were That Kind of Woman [Interlude] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 25 - You Were That Kind of Woman [Interlude] The Demon Cult''s hideout. Amidst the thirty-nine corpses scattered inside the hideout, I staggered as I got to my feet. ¡°Ugh¡­ it hurts like hell.¡± The aftermath of the Stigma amplifier had kicked in after its effect wore off. They said the side effects werepletely disregarded in the creation of the drug, and the pain from the distortion of my energy flow throughout my body was beyond imagination. ''Still, the performance is undeniably effective.'' This prototype only increased 30% of the theoretical maximum magic power that the Stigma amplifier could provide, and yet the effect was this significant. ''If just 30% is this powerful, I wonder what the 100% version would be like.'' I thought of the Seven Star Herb I had packed in my bag, a satisfied smile creeping across my face. ¡°Now then¡­.¡± The side effects had subsided, so it was time to investigate the hideout. ''Honestly, I don''t expect much.'' The guy went to great lengths to prevent any information from leaking by cing high-level restrictions even on the low-ranking members. Even if I thoroughly searched this ce, the chances of finding anything useful were slim. ''But it''s better than doing nothing.'' I weaved through the corpses sprawled on the floor and began investigating the hideout of the Demon Cult. How long had I been searching every nook and cranny? I found a pile of ck nails in a small room that resembled a storage area. ¡°These nails contain the ¡®curse¡¯ that blinded Iris.¡± There were hundreds of ck nails, at a rough estimate. Although each nail contained only a small amount of the curse, with this many, it was a different story. ¡®But still, this alone isn''t enough to curse an entire school.¡¯ Senior Sophia had taught me aboutrge-scale rituals before. Inrge-scale rituals, what''s crucial is how many materials are prepared and how meticulously the ritual is designed. And. ¡®Where the caster performs the ritual.¡¯ For arge-scale ritual like this, it would be difficult for the key caster to operate from ¡®outside.¡¯ Moreover, this ritual had to be sustained for months until the ¡®Seven Eyes¡¯ power waspletely drained. No matter how sophisticated the ritual was, created directly by a high priest of demons, it would be impossible to maintain if the caster was outside. ''Which means.'' Archbishop of Illusions Astaroth must have been hiding within the school during the months the ritual was active. ¡°No¡­ No, not just months.¡± The demons said this was a n they had been preparing for years. It was highly likely that the caster had infiltrated the school long before the actual ritual was activated, disguised as someone else. That way, activating and sustaining the ritual from within the school would have been much more convenient. ¡®In other words.¡¯ Archbishop of Illusions Astaroth is currently hiding in the school, disguised as someone. ¡®It would be difficult to find him without knowing who he''s disguised as.¡¯ There were nearly a thousand candidates within the school alone. When you add professors, various hired staff, and researchers who stayed on after graduation, the numbers increase even further. ¡®It¡¯s impossible to investigate every single one of them.¡¯ Even if I did investigate, it was doubtful whether I could find him, especially if a high-ranking demon priest was determined to hide. And more importantly. ¡°I have no reason to go looking for him.¡± I smirked as I nced around the bloodstained hideout. Right. Why would I need to go out of my way to find him? ¡®He wille to find me first.¡¯ Once Astaroth realizes that his carefully crafted n, years in the making, has beenpromised, he will be desperate to find me. ¡®There''s no need to leave any evidence behind.¡¯ If I leave too obvious evidence, he might be suspicious. My job is to wait until hees to find me quietly. ¡°Yeah¡­ so he was inside the school.¡± Before leaving the hideout, I lightly flicked one of the ck nails I had taken and looked up at the moonlit night sky. I don¡¯t know who you¡¯re disguised as. Nor do I know why you went to such lengths to target the ¡®Seven Eyes¡¯ that Iris possesses, or what you n to do with the power you took from her. In my previous life, you died at the hands of the ¡®Sword of the Holy Nation¡¯ before we ever met. ''But.'' There is one thing I do know for sure. ¡°Astaroth.¡± This time. ¡°You¡¯ll meet me before you ever encounter the Sword of the Holy Nation.¡± * * * On my way back to the school dormitory from the Demon Cult¡¯s hideout. As I walked through the streets already enveloped in darkness, I frowned. ¡°Ugh¡­ Just a bit of fighting, and I¡¯m already tired.¡± The wounds had all healed thanks to the Blessing of Revival, but that didn¡¯t mean my fatigue was gone. The aftereffects of using the Stigma amplifier,bined with the exhaustion of fighting thirty demons, were making me sleepy. ¡®I need to get to bed soon.¡¯ As I hurried toward the dormitory. ¡°Huh?¡± Someone was squatting in front of my dorm room, dozing off. A glimpse of pink hair peeked out from under a hooded robe. ¡°¡­Iris?¡± When I cautiously called her name, the woman who had been dozing off suddenly sprang to her feet. ¡°You bastard¡­! Ah, no, Dale! Where the hell have you been?!¡± Iris marched toward me with an angry expression. ¡°I messaged you so many times!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± I btedly turned on my Hero Watch and saw that there were numerous messages from Iris piled up. ¡°I was so worried when I found out from Professor Jade that you had taken a permit and gone to the outdoor training grounds!¡± Well. If it had been any other professor, but knowing it was Professor Jade, nicknamed the "Student Killer," who gave permission for the outing, and then losing contact, anyone would have freaked out like she did. "It''s okay. Nothing happened." "For someone who says nothing happened, what¡¯s with your clothes?" "That¡¯s¡­." I btedly looked down at my clothes and saw them torn several ces. ¡®The blessing of revival only heals the body, after all.¡¯ At least I managed to clean off the blood of the demons before returning to the dorm, but there was nothing I could do about the torn fabric. "Well¡­ I rolled around a bit in the mountains." Ultimately, the excuse that came out of my mouth was pitifullyme. "¡­Rolled around?" "Yeah. The item Professor Jade asked for was in some rough terrain." "Hmm." Iris looked me up and down suspiciously, then grabbed my hand and pointed to the door. "Open the door." "¡­Isn¡¯t it risky if someone sees you entering the men''s dorm at this hour?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "That''s why we need to get in quickly before anyone sees. Do you know how much trouble I had to sneak here without Cami noticing?" At her insistence, I opened the door. The room revealed inside was so shabby that one might doubt it was in the same dormitory as her room. "Now, take off your clothes ande here." "¡­Take off my clothes?" I stared at her in surprise, and Iris, with her face flushed red, shrieked. "I need to see your injuries!" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Oh, right. But I''m really fine." "Tsk. If you don¡¯t take them off quickly, I¡¯ll do it for you!" That would actually be a reward¡­ No, that¡¯s not the point. "Got it." I took off my shirt and approached her. Iris examined my body seriously. "Hmm. No visible injuries." "See? I told you I¡¯m fine." "No. Heroes'' bodies are often so tough that injuries don¡¯t show on the surface." Iris carefully extended her hand to touch my body. "You said you rolled in the mountains, right?" "Yeah." "Judging by the state of your clothes, it seems like you rolled around quite a bit¡­ You might have internal bleeding." As she said that, Iris cautiously began to channel her mana. The light radiating from her Stigma seeped into my body. It felt like a warm broth spreading heat throughout my body. "¡­This should take care of any internal bleeding." "Even if you hadn¡¯t done that, it would have healed independently." "Tsk! Didn¡¯t I tell you not to say things like that?" She gently flicked my forehead with a stern expression. "Got it? You shouldn¡¯t treat your body carelessly, no matter how tough you are. Even heroes feel pain when they¡¯re injured." "¡­¡­." Suddenly. A faded memory shed through my mind. -Don¡¯t treat your body so carelessly. -What¡¯s the big deal? I¡¯ll juste back to life if I die anyway. -But you still feel the pain, don¡¯t you? Ah, right. You were always like this. In the previous life, and even now. Unchanging. Always. Always. "Dale?" "¡­¡­." "¡­Are you crying?" I wiped my eyes and shook my head slightly. "No, it¡¯s nothing." "¡­¡­." An awkward silence settled in the room. "Ahem!" Unable to endure the awkwardness, Iris coughed lightly and stood up. "Anyway! The reason I contacted you today is something else!" Come to think of it, I hadn¡¯t yet checked why she messaged me today. "Dale, do you have time this weekend?" "I think I do¡­ Why?" "Would you like to go out with me?" So, that¡¯s why she contacted me¡ªto go out together this weekend. ¡®Going on a date with Iris.¡¯ Of course, our rtionship hadn¡¯t progressed to the point where it could be called a "date" yet. But still, the idea of spending time alone with her was an irresistibly sweet offer. "Where are we going?" "That¡­." As I watched her hesitate to speak, a satisfied smile crept onto my face. ¡®Where does she want to go?¡¯ The theater in Valha City? Or perhaps a cozy caf¨¦? Given her love of food, it could also be a popr restaurant. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter where.¡¯ As long as I could be with her, even if it were in the slums, it wouldn¡¯t matter. ¡®There¡¯s no way she¡¯d ask to go to an ant cave, though.¡¯ I smiled bitterly as I waited for her answer. "Dale¡­ Have you ever heard of the ant hill?" "¡­What?" Does she really want to go to the ant hill? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 26 - The Ant Hill (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 26 - The Ant Hill (1) Weekend Morning. I woke up earlier than usual andpleted my regr mana training routine (although others wouldn''t think it was mana training). After that, I stood in front of the mirror. "Hmm." The thought thates to mind every time I see my face reflected in the mirror. "I¡¯m pretty decent, right?" I turned my face in various angles, a satisfied smile lingering on my lips. Of course, the voice of conscience deep inside me chimed in with a cheeky question: "But what if youpare yourself to Yuren?" I decided to ignore that. "My hair looks neat since I got it trimmed yesterday." I also managed to borrow a decent outfit for the outing, free of charge, from my dear "friend." ¡®A date with Iris, huh.¡¯ I¡¯ve been on dates with her in my previous life, but this is my first time going out with her as a cadet. "Guess I should head out now." With an expression full of anticipation, I headed to the meeting spot with Iris. Waiting at the promised ce were Iris, dressed neatly in the holy nation''s priestly robes, and... "What¡¯s with that look?" "......" And Cami, who looked like she was ready for battle in full armor. "Why are you here?" "Why am I here? To escort the saint, of course." "...Sigh." Right. It¡¯s only natural that Iris wouldn¡¯t be allowed to go out of school alone. Especially since we¡¯re going to "Ant Hill," one of the most notorious areas for bad public safety in Valha City. "Hmph. You didn¡¯t actually think you¡¯d get to go out with the Saint alone, did you?" Cami crossed her arms, shooting me a fierce re. "Ugh... Why did she have to show up this morning...?" Next to her, I saw Iris with a dejected expression, her shoulders slumped. Judging by her look, it seems she was caught trying to sneak out without Cami noticing. "Why did she have to show up, you ask! Saint, didn¡¯t I tell you that you must never leave the school grounds without an escort?" "But Dale is with me." "Hah, as if a mere cadet like him could protect you..." Cami scoffed and nced at me, but her expression quickly stiffened. It seemed she remembered the time she couldn¡¯t even draw her sword against me and was defeated. Cami awkwardly cleared her throat, avoiding my gaze. "Ahem. Anyway, if it gets out that the Saint went out alone, I¡¯ll be in big trouble." "Sigh. Alright, Cami, you cane too." "By the way, if you¡¯re heading to Ant Hill... Are you going to ¡®that ce¡¯?" "Yes, that¡¯s right." "Haa. Saint, you¡¯re just... unstoppable." Cami sighed, shaking her head, but her expression seemed rather rxed. "Why~ Cami, you like going there too, don¡¯t you?" "Hmph. Who said I like it?" "Come on, you¡¯re the one who gets the most excited when we¡¯re there." "I-I¡¯ve never done that!" "Hmm~ Is that so?" The two women exchanged words as if they¡¯d been to that ce together before. "Where exactly are you talking about?" "Hm? Didn¡¯t the Saint tell you?" "No." "Hmm." Cami looked at Iris as if asking for permission to tell me. Iris yfully shook her head. "Let¡¯s leave it as a surprise." A surprise, huh. ¡®Where could it be?¡¯ Even with my past life¡¯s memories, I had no idea where she intended to go. ¡®Well, I guess I¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡¯ It¡¯s not like she¡¯s nning to head to an Ant Hill base of the Demonic Cult, like I would. "Oh, right, there¡¯s something we need to buy before we go." "What is it?" I tilted my head, curious, and Iris smiled brightly. "Ramen." "......?" And so, my first date(?) with my old lover after reincarnation began. * * * Ant Hill, thergest slum in the continent, located within Valha City. Being thergest slum, Ant Hill had areas divided into the worst and the second worst regions. The ce Iris wanted to go was on the outskirts of Ant Hill, ssified as the "second worst." It was where an orphanage, operated with support from the Holy Nation, was located. "Kyaaah!" "Iris noonaaaaa!!" "Kids! Come out quickly! The noonas are here!" "Huff, huff... Cami noona... Can you grab my hair and spank me just once?" "We thought you¡¯d forgotten about us!" As soon as we entered the orphanage¡¯s entrance, the children rushed toward us like hungry hyenas. The eyes of the children running toward us were filled with unconcealed excitement and joy. "You little rascals! Didn¡¯t I tell you to stay quietly inside?!" An elderly priest shouted sternly at the children rushing toward us. "Gasp, the priest is here!" "Everyone, scatter!" The kids who had been charging at us scattered like ants doused in water. "Sigh. Really...." An old priest in the Seven Stars Church''s robe approached Iris and made the sign of the cross. "I¡¯m sorry, Saint. My inadequate education has led to this...." "Hehe, no, Father Antonio. Seeing the kids so healthy makes me happy instead." Iris shook her head with a gentle smile. "Have you been well?" "Hoho, of course. Despite my age, I still have the energy of a young man." Father Antonio chuckled, slightly rolling up the sleeve of his priestly robe. His im of having the energy of a young man wasn¡¯t an exaggeration. The muscles on Father Antonio''s arms, revealed beneath the rolled-up sleeve, were as well-toned as those of a trained warrior. "I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t visited often." "Not at all, Lady Cami. Just the fact that you both visit asionally gives this old man great strength. But... who is this gentleman?" Father Antonio¡¯s gaze turned to me. "He¡¯s Dale Han, a student in the same ss as us." "As you know, Father Antonio, in our third year, we have more party-based sses, right? Dale is the one who will be part of our ¡®fixed¡¯ party." Wait a minute. When did I be a fixed member? "Oh, I see." Father Antonio looked at me with an intrigued expression. "Up until now, the Saint has never brought anyone else here... This is surprising." "Dale is someone I can trust." "Hmm?" Father Antonio briefly tilted his head at Iris¡¯s confident response. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Then, with a sly grin, he looked at Iris and let out a chuckle. "Well... I''ve lived long enough to see a day like thise." "...What do you mean by that?" "The little girl I''ve watched since she was young has grown up so splendidly, even bringing along a man..." "W-wait a minute! Saying it like that makes it sound like I''ve brought a fianc¨¦ or something!" Iris shouted with a flushed face. "Since you were young...?" "Oh, I haven''t introduced myself yet. My name is Antonio, and I had a small connection with the Saint before she became ''The Saint.''" The elderly priest made the sign of the cross with a dignified motion, exuding a sense of deep wisdom and experience. ''Father Antonio.'' This was another name I had never heard in my previous life. ''Iris never talked much about her past.'' She would smile bitterly and change the subject even if I hinted at it. It was as if she deliberately avoided talking about her past. ''I sure know nothing for someone who ims to have regressed.'' I shook my head with a self-deprecating smile, but honestly, I didn¡¯t feel too bad about it. Things I didn''t know in my previous life. Scenes I hadn''t seen. Stories I hadn''t heard. With each new thing I learned, it made me feel more and more that I was truly living a new life. "All three of you, pleasee inside the orphanage. Even though it''s spring, it''s still quite chilly." Father Antonio smiled kindly and led us inside the orphanage. I looked at Iris and asked, "Is this where you wanted toe?" "Yes, that''s right. Sometimes, Ie here with Cami to help take care of the children. I thought it would be nice if you joined us this time, so I invited you." Iris nced at me cautiously. "So... are you disappointed?" "Huh? About what?" "This isn''t exactly the kind of ce you''d take time off on a weekend to visit." "Hmm..." Indeed, this ce was very different from what I had imagined when she first suggested going out. "But I like it." "...Really?" "Yeah. Actually, it''s a ce I''m somewhat familiar with." "Familiar?" "I grew up in an orphanage in the Republic too." "...Oh." It wasn''t as happy-go-lucky as this ce, but I was also an orphan who grew up in an orphanage. ''Though I barely remember my time there.'' My memories of my time at the Hero School were already fading, so there''s no way I''d remember anything from even earlier. "So, you were from an orphanage too, Mr. Dale." "...Too?" "Oh, no, it''s nothing. Ahem. Anyway, we should hurry inside. The kids are probably waiting for us." "Got it." As we stepped inside following Iris, we heard the children''s lively chatter. "Cami, sis! Let''s spar with swords, sparring!" "I want to do it too!" "Huh... Cami, sis... Please punish me with your mighty sword...!" "This time, I''m definitely going to win!" "W-wait. Everyone, calm down...!" Cami looked flustered, surrounded by children. With an uncertain expression, she nced around before grabbing a branch lying in one corner of the orphanage and spoke up. "Haa. Looks like I have no choice. Everyone, let''s go outside." "Yay!" The children eagerly followed Cami outside. I watched them with interest as they trailed behind her. "The kids seem to like Cami more than I expected." "Hehe. She pretends to be strict, but she actually loves ying with the kids." "I can see that." I chuckled as I watched Cami sparring with the children. "Ow!" "You''re too fast!" "Kyaa!" The kids rushed at her with a seemingly well-rehearsed formation, but there was no way they could stand a chance against Cami. She had the children subdued in the blink of an eye, and with a triumphant grin, she dered. "Hehe. Come back after you''ve had more milk, you little brats!" Oh. Wait a minute. Saying something like that here... "I don''t have a mom!" "Chuup... Can I have some of your milk instead, sis?" [PR/N: Dawg¡­.. This child is down HORRENDOUS ??] "I wonder... what mommy''s milk tastes like?" "...Gasp!" Only then did Cami realize her blunder, and she began sweating profusely as she frantically shook her head. "N-no! That''s not what I meant! I-I mean...!" "Hehehe!" "You''re so cute, sis!" The childrenughed heartily at Cami''s flustered reaction. Just from their bright smiles, it was easy to tell how much love and effort had gone into making this orphanage what it was. "By the way... is that guy a swordsman too?" One of the children pointed at the sword hanging from my waist and asked. I nodded as I approached the child. "Yeah, I am." Well, I could do more than just swordsmanship, but for now, let''s leave it at that. "Then... who would win if you and sis fought?" A question full of innocent curiosity. It was a casual question from the child¡¯s perspective, but its impact was significant. "Come on, of course, Cami sis would win!" "Why are you even asking?" "She''s going to be a hero, the ''Sword of the Holy Kingdom'' someday!" "But still, that guy looks really strong too!" "Yeah, yeah! Isn''t this the first time Iris sis has brought someone along? He can''t be an ordinary person!" In an instant, the orphanage yard turned into a chaotic mess. "......" "......" Cami and I exchanged nces, both realizing the same thing. ''This is.'' There was no way out. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 27 - The Ant Hill (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 27 - The Ant Hill (2) ¡°Two candies on Cami!¡± ¡°Me too, me too!¡± ¡°Hmph! You fools. I¡¯m betting on the underdog! Three candies on that gray-haired guy!¡± ¡°Huh? That¡¯s why you always lose your snacks! You have to bet on the safe side here!¡± ¡°No way! A real man always bets on the underdog!¡± ¡°Tch. You¡¯re just a little kid; what do you know about being a man¡­.¡± ¡°Gah! Take that back right now!¡± The orphanage courtyard had turned into a chaotic gambling den. The children had formed a circle around Cami and me, looking up at us with eager, shining eyes. ¡°Wh-what is this¡­.¡± Cami was flustered by thispletely unexpected turn of events. She nced over at Iris for help, but Iris was already caught up in the excitement, egging the children on even more. ¡°I¡¯m betting ten candies on Mr. Dale!¡± ¡°T-ten candies?!¡± ¡°Wow! That¡¯s the power of an adult¡¯s wealth¡­!¡± The children were in awe at seeing a "whale" joining the bet. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Cami and I exchanged nces. Sigh. Simultaneously, deep sighs escaped both our lips. ¡°What¡¯s happening here¡­.¡± ¡°I guess we have no choice?¡± Even if the seven gods themselves descended, there was no way we could back out of this situation. ¡°Well, fine. I wanted to test myself against you at least once.¡± Cami ignited with determination, pointing a crudely carved wooden sword at me. I chuckled, stood up, and picked up a nearby wooden sword. ¡°We¡¯re not using mana, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± If it¡¯s a non-mana duel, there¡¯s no need to measure the oue. ¡®I¡¯ll win, for sure.¡¯ It¡¯s not that I¡¯m underestimating Cami¡¯s skills. Cami was talented enough to be considered a candidate for the next Saint¡¯s Sword and was among the top ten swordsmen in the academy when it came to pure swordsmanship without magic. ¡®But.¡¯ That¡¯s all there is to it. No matter how exceptional her talent is, there¡¯s no way she can beat me without using magic. I was confident in my arrogance. The gap between us was vast. ¡®It has to be.¡¯ Over the past thousands of years. I haven¡¯t run, but I¡¯ve never stopped walking. No matter how distant the path ahead seemed, I¡¯ve never looked back. Even if I wascking, inadequate, or clumsy. I¡¯ve never let go of the sword in my hand. ¡°Here Ie.¡± Cami quietly signaled the start of the fight. Boom! She charged at a speed far beyond what she showed against the children. sh! ng! Tatata! The wooden swords collided with a loud noise. Even without using magic, the sh between two superhumans with sacred marks was too fast for ordinary eyes to follow. ¡°Wow, wow¡­!¡± ¡°That¡¯s insane!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even see the swords!¡± Amid the children¡¯s cheers, the duel continued. ¡°Hah!¡± Her wooden sword sliced through the air with a fierce swing. As expected of the Saint¡¯s Sword technique, the sword path was straightforward and simple, but finding an opening was extremely difficult due to its precision. ¡®This is more than I expected.¡¯ Her skills were impressive, making me instinctively praise her. If there was ever a phrase that perfectly described being ¡°faithful to the basics,¡± it would be this swordsmanship. It wasn¡¯t shy, nor did it dazzle with finesse. But her sturdy sword strikes, executed without any unnecessary movements, conveyed the blood, sweat, and tears she had poured into her training. ¡®However.¡¯ Her sword was still too light to bear the weight of the life embedded in mine. Whack! I parried Cami¡¯s downward strike by raising my wooden sword, then closed the distance and rammed her with my shoulder. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Cami slid back, struggling to keep her bnce. ¡°You¡­¡± She breathed heavily, ring fiercely at me. ¡°C-Cami¡¯s getting pushed back!¡± ¡°See! I told you the underdog would win!¡± The children buzzed with excitement at the unexpected turn of events. Cami¡¯s eyes trembled as she nced back at them. Just then, a little girl watching the duel teared up and asked, ¡°Big sister¡­ are you losing?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Cami steadied her breath and pointed her sword at me again. ¡°Win.¡± Her voice was firm, and her eyes unwavering. I grinned and provocatively flicked my wooden sword. ¡°Haaaah!¡± With a fierce battle cry, Cami charged at me once more. Her sword strikes, now even more ferocious than before, whipped through the air like a storm. And then... "Ugh!" Smack! Cami''s wooden sword struck mine, sending it flying. "...Huh?" Cami''s eyes widened in surprise. "Wooow!" "Big sis won!" "No wayyyy!" "How''s that, underdogs? Are youing to your senses now?" "Hand over the candy, quick!" The children cheered for Cami''s victory as if it were a festival. "......" However, the hero of their celebration stood there silently, her face stiff, gripping her sword tightly. Seeing her frozen like that, I clicked my tongue. ''Did she figure out I let her win?'' I had tried to go easy on her from the beginning, so she wouldn¡¯t notice, but it seems it was all in vain. ''But I couldn¡¯t exactly knock Cami down here.'' I might be a stranger who just arrived today, but to the children in the orphanage, Cami was a hero straight out of a fairy tale. She was their hero¡ªone who must never be defeated or broken. There was no way I could beat her in front of the children. "Alright, everyone~ It''s almost time for lunch, so put down the candy for now~." "Eek." "Yes~!" "Hehe. Lunch today will be very special, so look forward to it!" "Special? What did you bring, Iris?" The children¡¯s eyes sparkled like stars at the mention of a special lunch. Iris, puffing up with pride, swaggered over to me. "Mr. Dale, could you cook the ramen we bought earlier?" Ah. So that¡¯s why she bought the ramen beforeing here. "If we''re going to feed everyone here, we''ll need a pretty big pot." "Don''t worry about that! We have a big pot we use for stews!" "Okay." I had already given the kids a visual treat, so now it was time to please their taste buds. "I''ll cook it perfectly, so just go rx." "No, I''ll help too." "Really? Then could you open the packets and put the seasoning in this bowl?" "Sure!" Iris eagerly offered to help, but there wasn''t much for her to do other than opening the packets in advance. After all, it was just instant ramen¡ªboil water, add seasoning, toss in the noodles, and done. "......" "......" As we waited for the water in the pot to boil, a quiet silence settled over the kitchen. "...Mr. Dale." Iris broke the silence first. "You mentioned you were from an orphanage, right?" "Ah, yeah. Why?" "......" Iris hesitated momentarily, her lips parting slightly, before she turned her head to gaze out the window. Outside the window, the children were ying, unable to contain their joy. "Actually, before I became a ''saint,'' I also grew up in an orphanage." Iris looked at the children with a nostalgic gaze, as if reminiscing about the past. "The person who raised me back then was Father Antonio." "Ah." So that¡¯s the small connection between them. ''Now that I think about it, the asional roughnguage from Iris might also...'' It was likely because she grew up in an orphanage. Orphans often learn to use harshnguage as a means of self-defense. "And on my 10th birthday... I realized that my eyes held a special power." "Is that the ''Seven Eyes'' you showed me before?" "Yes." The mark of a saint, blessed by the Seven Gods. "After that, my life changedpletely. I could wear priestly robes made of fine fabric instead of shabby clothes, and I got a warm, spacious room instead of a cold, cramped one. Of course... in exchange, I had to give up my ''surname.''" "...You gave up your surname?" "I originally had the surname ''Flora.'' Father Antonio gave it to me, after myte mother''s name." But... "A saint is a ''child of God,'' so they are not allowed to have a surname." Therefore. She gave up her deceased mother''s name and became a child of God. "Even now, I sometimes wonder how my life would have turned out if I hadn''t had these eyes." There was a certain bitterness in Iris''s gaze as she spoke. "That¡¯s..." "Hehe. It''s a rather indulgent thought, isn''t it? Thanks to these eyes, I was able to live afortable life without any effort or hardship." Iris smiled self-deprecatingly. "......" Once again, an awkward silence. I looked at Iris and asked softly. "...Is it alright for you to tell me something like this?" That the saint of the Holy Nation was actually an orphan. If this fact were to be known, it would surely tarnish the name of "Saint." "I trust you, Mr. Dale." Her answer was firm, without a hint of doubt. "......" How did shee to have such unwavering faith in me? I looked at her with a confused expression. Iris scratched her head with an awkward smile. ¡°To be honest... I don''t really know why either. I know it sounds odd to say this now, but I''m not usually the type to trust others so easily.¡± But. ¡°For some reason, when I see you, Dale... I feel like I''ve known you for a long time. How should I put it... To borrow an old-fashioned expression, it feels like we were connected in a past life or something.¡± "......!" ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to make that face, I know it sounds ridiculous.¡± Iris poked my cheek yfully with a mischievous smile. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m only telling you this because I feel like I can trust you, so you better not tell anyone, okay?¡± ¡°Ah, okay.¡± I nodded like a broken doll. ¡°Alright then, the ramen¡¯s almost ready, so I¡¯ll go get the others!¡± She ran outside with a bright smile. "......" Left alone in the kitchen, I clenched my fist as I watched Iris through the window. ¡®It hadn¡¯t disappeared.¡¯ The time we spent together. The emotions we shared. I thought all of it had melted away like snowkes on my skin. ¡®It had stayed.¡¯ Just like how droplets form where the snow melts away, memories had stayed in the ce where the recollection had vanished. ¡°Dale! Bring the pot outside, please!¡± Iris''s voice called from outside. I barely managed to suppress the emotions that were about to overflow as I grabbed the pot and headed outside. * * * ¡°This... is ramen?¡± ¡°This is insane!¡± ¡°It¡¯s so good!¡± ¡°Ugh... I''m jealous, Republic! We only ever eat greens!¡± As expected, the ramen was a big hit among the kids. The children were frantically devouring the ramen that had been served into bowls from the pot. ¡°Heh heh. What¡¯s so great about that unhealthy food that they¡¯re making such a fuss...?¡± ¡°Father Antonio, you should try some too.¡± Father Antonio, who had been watching the children eat the ramen with a displeased expression, picked up a few strands of ramen, took a bite, and quickly cleared his throat, scooping more ramen into his bowl in a hurry. While everyone was enjoying their lively lunch, "......" Cami alone stared at her empty bowl with a grim expression. I carefully sat down next to Cami. ¡°Is this about earlier?¡± ¡°...You.¡± ¡°Sorry. I had no choice with the kids watching.¡± For her, not just as a candidate, but as a warrior, the notion that someone had purposely let her win must have been humiliating. ¡°...No, it¡¯s not your fault. It¡¯s my ownck of skill.¡± Cami shook her head with a look of self-reproach. Telling her, ¡®No, you¡¯re strong enough,¡¯ would onlye across as mockery. ¡®In that case...¡¯ It¡¯s better to go hard here. ¡°So, are you just going to sulk like this because you lost once?¡± ¡°That¡¯s...!¡± ¡°Wow, who knew the future sword of the Holy Kingdom could be so pathetic.¡± ¡°Grr! Shut up!¡± Cami jumped up, pointing her chopsticks at me. ¡°Just you wait! Next time, I¡¯ll make sure you won¡¯t even be able to say a word!¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll be looking forward to it.¡± I chuckled as I watched Cami fume. ¡°Oh, right! The sparring earlier between you and her was so cool!¡± ¡°Yeah, totally!¡± ¡°It was like watching heroes fight!¡± Seeing Cami and I together, the kids'' eyes lit up as they shouted. One mischievous-looking boy among them grinned at us. ¡°By the way... Don¡¯t you think you two kind of look good together?¡± ¡°Huh? Really?¡± ¡°You saw it during the fight earlier! They¡¯re totally in sync!¡± ¡°Now that you mention it... I think so too...¡± ¡°You two are secretly dating, right? Aren¡¯t you?¡± The boy, trying to tease us, persistently questioned us, attempting to link Cami and me together. ¡°¡­Leo.¡± ¡°Yeah? Iris, don¡¯t you think so too?¡± ¡°Heh heh.¡± Iris approached the boy called Leo and gently patted his head. ¡°Can youe with me for a second?¡± ¡°Huh? Why?¡± ¡°Quickly.¡± She led Leo somewhere. After about five minutes, ¡°I-I¡¯ve changed my mind. I don¡¯t think Cami and him match at all!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say they did just a minute ago?¡± ¡°N-no! They don¡¯t match at all! If anything, Iris, you match better with him!¡± Leo shouted with a pale face, tears welling up in his eyes. I let out a deep sigh as I looked at the boy. ¡®¡­Iris.¡¯ What on earth did you do to that poor kid? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 28 - The Sealing Festival [Interlude] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 28 - The Sealing Festival [Interlude] ¡°Aw¡­ are you already leaving?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we y a bit longer?¡± Children whined, clinging to Iris''s trouser leg, begging for more ytime. Iris smiled gently and soothed them. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯lle back to y with you again next time.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°When? Exactly when will youe?¡± ¡°I want to y more with you, sister!¡± The children were clearly reluctant to let go, their disappointment evident. Father Antonio stepped forward to address the situation. ¡°Now, now, that¡¯s enough. The Saint is in a difficult position, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°But¡­!¡± Despite Father Antonio¡¯s words, the children didn¡¯t back down easily. Just as the old priest¡¯s expression began to grow stern. ¡°Please, don¡¯t be too harsh on them, Father.¡± ¡°¡­Spoiling them too much will only lead to bad habits.¡± ¡°Even so.¡± Iris kept her gentle smile as she patted the children''s heads. ¡°Oh, by the way, isn¡¯t the ¡®Sealing Festival¡¯ing up soon?¡± The Sealing Festival. It was a celebration tomemorate the day when the Five Great Heroes sealed away the Demon God. It was one of the few days when the usually rigorous training and lectures were paused, allowing the cadets to rx and enjoy themselves. The anticipation for this ¡®Sealing Festival¡¯ wasn¡¯t limited to the cadets alone. Even the Hero Academy, which usually strictly prohibited outsiders from entering, allowed the families and acquaintances of cadets to visit during this time. As a result, both the academy and Valha City became bustling and lively. ¡°I was thinking of inviting the children for that day. What do you think?¡± ¡°¡­The children, you say?¡± ¡°Of course, you too, Father.¡± ¡°That is¡­.¡± Father Antonio seemed taken aback by the unexpected suggestion. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Really? Can we really go?¡± ¡°I want to see the academy!¡± The children jumped and cheered in excitement at the invitation to the Sealing Festival. ¡°¡­Won¡¯t this cause trouble for you, Saint?¡± Father Antonio whispered so the children couldn¡¯t hear. If the children caused any trouble during the festival, it would undoubtedly tarnish Iris¡¯s reputation. Even if they didn¡¯t cause trouble, there would still be plenty of people who wouldn¡¯t take kindly to seeing orphans roaming the academy. After all, even though this was a ¡®neutral zone¡¯ where no ss or status was supposed to matter due to an agreement between the three nations¡­ People¡¯s ingrained prejudices don¡¯t change that easily. In this continent gued by demons and monsters, orphans were seen as weaker than the stray beasts on the streets, and humans instinctively despised the weak. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± But even so. Not every human turned their back on the weak. ¡°If anyone has an issue with me inviting the children, I won¡¯t hesitate to use the authority of the ¡®Saint¡¯ to make sure they¡¯re not forgiven.¡± ¡°Lady Iris¡­.¡± Father Antonio¡¯s eyes reddened as he looked at Iris. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°No need to thank me. I¡¯m actually more sorry for not inviting you sooner.¡± ¡°Haha, not at all.¡± Father Antonio shook his head with a warm smile. ¡°So, we can really see the academy?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°I love you, sister!¡± The children were already overjoyed, running around the yard, kicking up dust at the thought of attending the Sealing Festival. ¡°You rascals! What are you doing making such a mess? Get inside now!¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°Anyone who doesn¡¯t go in right now will be left behind for the festival!¡± ¡°S-Sorry!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go inside quickly!¡± At Father Antonio¡¯s stern voice, the children hurriedly rushed back into the orphanage. ¡°The Sealing Festival is in two weeks, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Haha. Then I¡¯ll see you then, Saint. Please take care on your way back.¡± Father Antonio made the sign of the cross and bowed courteously. ¡°Oh, and¡­ your name is Dale, right?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± ¡°Please take good care of the Saint from now on.¡± Father Antonio patted my shoulder with a meaningful smile. ¡°Yes, I will.¡± ¡°Haha. You must do well. Although she may seem gentle on the outside, she has quite a fierce side¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, Father Antonio!¡± Iris stomped her foot in a flustered expression. The old priest¡¯s clearughter echoed through the orphanage yard. ¡°By the way, the timing is quite fortunate.¡± ¡°Hmm? What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Oh, recently the security in the Ant¡¯s Hill has improved a bit. It¡¯s a good time to take the children out.¡± ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not exactly sure what¡¯s going on.¡± Father Antonio shook his head slightly. ¡°However, I¡¯ve heard that the ¡®ck-robed freaks¡¯ who were wandering around the Ant¡¯s Hill have all disappeared for some reason.¡± ¡°ck-robed freaks?¡± ¡°Yes. They seemed to be part of some criminal organization¡­ there were rumors that they were quite dangerous.¡± ck-robed freaks. As soon as I heard that, images of the Demon Cult¡¯s demons shed through my mind. ¡°When did they disappear?¡± ¡°Hm? Well¡­ it wasn¡¯t too long ago. I heard they suddenly vanished a few days ago.¡± A few days ago, right when I destroyed the Demon Cult¡¯s hideout. ¡®The timing matches perfectly.¡¯ The ¡®ck-robed freaks¡¯ Father Antonio mentioned were undoubtedly Archbishop Astaroth¡¯s subordinates. ¡°That¡¯s really fortunate news. The streets were already dangerous enough, so with a criminal organization of over a hundred people around, the children¡¯s safety would have been in jeopardy.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Wait a minute. Over a hundred people? ¡°You¡¯re saying there were over a hundred ck-robed freaks?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not sure of the exact numbers since I only heard rumors, but I¡¯ve heard that it¡¯s arge organization with at least a hundred members.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The number of demons I dealt with in the hideout that day was around thirty. The fact that only thirty of Astaroth¡¯s subordinates were left at that hideout meant one thing. ¡®There wasn¡¯t just one hideout.¡¯ There must have been other hideouts besides the one I destroyed in the Ant¡¯s Hill. ¡®And yet they all disappeared without a trace after that day?¡¯ Logically, it would make sense that they quickly withdrew before their tails were caught since their n to cast arge-scale ritual at the Hero Academy was exposed. ¡®But they wouldn¡¯t give up so easily.¡¯ Archbishop Astaroth had spent years on this n. ¡®He even risked the danger of infiltrating the academy himself.¡¯ Even for an archbishop-level demon, infiltrating the Hero Academy would have been a life-threatening task. And yet, after investing so much effort, would he really abandon the n without hesitation just because of a slight setback? "...Hah." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] A smallugh escaped between my lips. ''There''s no way.'' I had never met Astaroth before, but I knew more about demons than anyone else. Demons who turned their backs on humanity and engraved the blessings of evil on their hearts. There was no way they would give up so easily on something they once desired. ''They''ll make another move.'' I didn''t know what they would do, but Astaroth would definitely use a different method to obtain the ''Seven Eyes.'' "Mr. Dale? What are you doing standing there in a daze?" "Oh, sorry. I was just lost in thought for a moment." "Ah, could you be sad about parting with the children?" "Well... something like that." "Hehe, I knew it~." Iris smacked her lips like a predator spotting its prey. "Would you like to join me¡ª I mean, us during the sealing festival? Of course, we¡¯ll also y with the children!" "......" It seemed like a proposal with obvious ulterior motives, but¡ª "Sure." "Yay!" She clenched her fists and jumped up. "No backing outter, okay?" "Got it." I swallowed a smallugh and nodded. "Saint, if we don''t leave soon, we might miss the curfew." When I turned my head at Cami''s urging, I noticed the sky had already turned orange with the setting sun. "Ugh, let''s hurry, Mr. Dale!" Iris urgently grabbed my arm and started pulling me along. With my arm in Iris''s grasp, I walked towards the school. * * * A warehouse shrouded in darkness. Inside the old, mouldy warehouse, demons d in ck robes were kneeling. A mysterious, glowing purple orb floated above them as if looking down. [Is everyone here?] A deep, resonant voice flowed from the purple orb. "Y-Yes! We have withdrawn from the ant hill as youmanded!" One of the kneeling demons prostrated himself before the purple orb and responded. "Uh, th-this time it was the mistake of Priest Calyx, and it has nothing to do with us..." [Silence.] The purple orb flickered ominously. [Answer only the questions you''re asked.] "I-I''m sorry!" The demon bowed his head in terror. [Have all the ''nails'' been retrieved?] "Yes, we have retrieved all the nails that were driven into the ley lines!" [I see... Is that so.] With a click of the tongue. [This is troublesome.] Ominous smoke began to pour out of the purple orb, filling the warehouse. "Eek!" "A-Astaroth, sir!" "Please, just one more chance!" The demons who were touched by the cloud of light trembled as if having seizures. "This n is one that you, Lord Astaroth, have meticulously prepared for years! There¡¯s no need to abandon it just because it''s slightly off course..." [Abandon?] The purple orb spun once. [Who said anything about abandoning the n?] "W-What? But..." [I have no intention of giving up on the ''Seven Eyes.''] A chillingugh emanated from the purple orb. [I''ll just change the n to a slightly rougher method.] Originally, the n was to steal the ''Seven Eyes'' as discreetly as possible. But since the n went off course, there was no other choice. Even if it meant taking a risk, he must step in personally. "Uh, what do you mean by a rougher method...?" One of the kneeling demons looked up, puzzled. [What do you think?] Heh heh heh. The ominousughter was apanied by the violent turbulence of the purple smoke surrounding the demons. "A-Astaroth, sir!" "Please, have mercy!" "Didn¡¯t you say there was another n?!" The demons screamed desperately. But despite their pitiful struggles, the violent turbulence of the purple smoke did not cease. "Urgh! Urrgh!" "Guh! Hng! Ngh!" The purple smoke prated the bodies of the demons through their ears, noses, and mouths. The demons writhed in agony as their eyes began to turn purple. [Hmph.] A low hum emanated from the purple orb as it watched. [Since the n has been disrupted, there''s no need to wait until next year....] On the contrary, moving as quickly as possible was necessary before another variable arose. ''You never know what that guy might do.'' The mysterious hero who destroyed the hideout. He didn¡¯t know who he was, but from investigating the scene of the massacre, two things were certain. First, the hero who destroyed the hideout was alone. Second, that one person had single-handedly ughtered over thirty demons. ''Definitely not just a candidate.'' But it couldn¡¯t be a professor either, since none of the professors had left the school that day. ''Who could it be?'' At first, he nned to track down the guy and make him pay for disrupting the n. ''But getting the Seven Eyes takes priority.'' Punishment coulde afterward. [Hmm. When would be a good time?] The purple orb glowed ominously. [Ah, yes.] A sinisterugh echoed through the warehouse. [Come to think of it, the Sealing Festival is just around the corner.] A festival held tomemorate the day the Demon God was sealed. If he could get my hands on the ''Seven Eyes'' infused with the blessings of the Seven Gods on that day, there would be no more meaningful achievement. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 29 - The Professor in Both Hands (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 29 - The Professor in Both Hands (1) "What do you think a hero is?" The question was posed during the practicalbat training ss, held every Monday. As soon as Professor Lucas entered the ssroom, he threw the unexpected question at the cadets. "...Huh?" "A hero?" The cadets were puzzled, their expressions nk. "A hero is someone who receives the blessing of the Seven Gods and can wield a stigma, right?" "But demons can also wield stigmas." "That¡¯s..." "What I want to ask is why we started calling humans with stigmas ''heroes'' in the first ce." Professor Lucas wrote the word "hero" inrge letters on the ckboard and waited for a response. An awkward silence descended over the ssroom. The ticking of the clock echoed like thunder in the quiet room. "Is the question really that difficult?" "......" Even though Professor Lucas pressed for an answer, none of the cadets dared to respond. The third-year cadets attending the ''Practical Combat Training'' ss had already learned from experience that there was no good oue to be gained from standing out¡ªespecially when it came to catching the eye of the "Bloodthirsty Hound." "I guess I have no choice." Professor Lucas scanned the cadets and pointed to one of them. "Cadet Albert." "Why is it always me? Huh? Why is it always me!" When his name was called, Albert jumped out of his seat as if triggered, vehemently shaking his head in defiance. "I don''t know!" "You don''t?" "Yes, I don''t know! And even if I did, I wouldn¡¯t answer!" "Oh. Is that so?" Professor Lucas nodded as if intrigued, then pulled out arge juice bottle from his pocket. He had shown off the special "health juice" during a previous mental discipline ss. "Did you know, Cadet Albert? This health juice has a brain-clearing effect too¡ª" "The reason humans with stigmas are called ''heroes'' is rted to the ''Five Great Heroes'' who sealed the Demon God 500 years ago. The term ''hero'' was used to honor those who sacrificed their lives to protect humanity, and since then, those with stigmas have been given the title ''hero.''" "Yes, yes. That''s exactly what I expected from you." Professor Lucas grinned and patted Albert on the shoulder. Albert nced at the juice bottle on the lectern with terrified eyes. "But that''s not what I wanted to hear. I''m not asking about some historical background." "...Excuse me?" Returning to the lectern, Professor Lucas surveyed the cadets with deep, sunken eyes. "In two years, you¡¯ll graduate from here, receive your official certification, and people will start calling you heroes." However... "Just because people call you heroes doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re real heroes." It was only because, for the past 500 years, those with stigmas were called heroes that you would be called one too. But that didn¡¯t mean you¡¯d truly be a "hero" in the genuine sense. "So I''ll ask again. What do you think a hero is?" "......" "Is there no one who can answer this time either?" As Professor Lucas nced around at the cadets. tter. One cadet stood up. With a straight posture and a determined voice, he answered. "A hero is someone who protects the weak who cannot bear stigmas and defends humanity from demons and beasts." "Someone who protects the weak and defends humanity, huh?" A twisted smile crept onto Professor Lucas''s face. "Do you really think so?" "Excuse me?" "Would you really be willing to sacrifice your life to protect humanity and the world against the remnants of the hateful Demon God?" "Of course!" The cadet nodded confidently. "Hah." Professor Lucas shook his head with a bitter smile. Then. Boom! Professor Lucas''s body disappeared instantly, and in the blink of an eye, he was in front of the cadet, his fist flying at him with enough force to shatter metal. "Aaaaah!" The cadet screamed as he fell backward, crashing to the ground. Professor Lucas looked down at the cadet and clicked his tongue. "If you¡¯re terrified by this, how will you sacrifice your life for humanity?" "Ugh... I-I was just startled..." "No need to make excuses. I''m sure the others are just like you." With a deep sigh, Professor Lucas walked back up to the podium. "It''s easy to talk about protecting humanity and defending the world." However. Very few are truly willing to sacrifice their lives to be a hero. "I don¡¯t expect you to protect humanity or the world. In fact, I don''t expect that from any of the idiots wandering around outside who are being called heroes." Among all those who are called heroes. There are only a handful who are true "heroes." "But." Even so. "If you want to be called a ''hero,'' there''s one thing you must remember." For the first time, Professor Lucas''s expression turned serious. "Even if you can''t protect everyone, make sure you protect those by your side." It doesn''t matter if it''s family, a lover, or a friend. What matters is not who you protect. "Raise your sword not for others, but for yourself." Don''t sacrifice yourself for some stranger or for a world you don''t even understand. Not for "others," but for "yourself." Even if you can''t protect the whole world, shouldn''t you at least protect the people who are important to you? "That''s what it means to be a hero." A heavy silence fell over the ssroom when Professor Lucas finished his speech. "Ahem." Even though he experienced this every year, the awkward silence still felt unfamiliar. Professor Lucas cleared his throat unnecessarily and spoke up. "Well, that¡¯s enough rambling for now. Today, we have an outdoor ss! Since next week¡¯s ss is canceled due to the sealing ritual, I will work you all to the point of foaming at the mouth today!" Ignoring the groansing from all around, Professor Lucas marched out of the ssroom. * * * After the unusually intense "Practical Combat Training" ss had ended. "Your speech was pretty impressive today." "...What are you doing here?" "I came to eat because the dining hall was too crowded." I shrugged as I ced the sandwich and coffee I bought at the store on the table. Originally, I had promised to have lunch with Iris every Monday, but today''s ss was so hard that she was half-unconscious, so we postponed our meal until tomorrow. "I bought something for you too, Professor. Want to eat together?" "You really are... Hah. Never mind." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Professor Lucas sighed deeply, shaking his head in disbelief. "What kind of sandwich did you bring?" "Ham and egg sandwich." "You''ve got good taste, kid." The professor grinned as he sat across the table and picked up the sandwich. Though it was an ordinary-sized sandwich, it looked like a child¡¯s toy in the professor''srge hands. "Your skills have improved noticeablytely." "You mentioned thatst time we sparred, didn¡¯t you?" "No, you''ve improved even more since then." The professor took a huge bite of the sandwich and continued speaking. "Before, your techniques were good, but your basic physical strength and mana capacity were severelycking. But today, I saw that you''ve made great strides quickly, especially in your magic capacity." "That¡¯s all thanks to you, Professor." "Nonsense." Professor Lucas snorted and shook his head. "I''ve been struggling for the past two years to turn you into someone decent, but you remained the same." "......" As he said, Professor Lucas was the one who worked the hardest to teach me when everyone else gave up on me during my first and second years, dismissing me as hopeless. ''I think he said something like, ''I can''t tolerate having such an idiot under my supervision.'''' Though his words were harsh, it was clear that Professor Lucas wanted to help me catch up somehow. He must have known that if even he gave up on me, no one would be left at this school to support me. ''Wield the sword not for others but for yourself, huh?'' I chuckled softly and spoke. In that sense, Professor Lucas deserved to be called a ''hero.'' "No, it really is thanks to you, Professor." "You..." Professor Lucas seemed about to say something, but he sighed deeply and shook his head again. "So, why did youe here?" "I told you earlier, didn¡¯t I? The cafeteria was too crowded, so I came..." "Stop spouting nonsense." The professor clicked his tongue and red at me with fierce eyes. "All your sses are over for the day, so what do you really want, barging into my office?" "Well... It¡¯s not that I have any special reason foring here." Just as he hadn¡¯t given up on me in my previous life, guiding me, I should do the same for him in this one, even if just a little. "The Sealing Festival is next week, isn¡¯t it?" "And?" "I heard from a friend in the magic department that Professor Bianca might not be able to attend due to othermitments." "What?" Professor Lucas''s eyes widened in surprise, clearly hearing this for the first time. ''Well, of course, he wouldn¡¯t know.'' Professor Bianca wouldn¡¯t be attending the festival because a magic department cadet had caused a significant ident during a research experiment. Not wanting to tarnish the cadet¡¯s reputation, Professor Bianca quietly handled the aftermath by herself. "I see... Well... That doesn¡¯t really concern me." The professor''s shoulders slumped as he spoke in a despondent tone. ''Not concerned? What are you talking about, old man?'' He was probably excited to ask Professor Bianca out during the Sealing Festival next week. "In that case, why don¡¯t you step up and ensure that Professor Bianca doesn¡¯t have to spend the festival alone?" "Me?" "Yes." "But I don¡¯t know anything about magic..." "Who said you should help her with her work? I¡¯m sure Professor Bianca wouldn¡¯t want to be cooped up in herb on a festival day. Just go and keep herpany." "That¡¯s..." Professor Lucas trailed off, ncing away awkwardly. "Even so, she¡¯s going to be busy with work, and if I go, it might be a bit..." "A guy who looks like he could eat someone alive shouldn¡¯t be so shy." "What did you just say, you little...?" "Here, take this. Professor Bianca won¡¯t turn you away if you bring it, so don¡¯t worry." I handed the professor a paper bag I had prepared in advance. "What¡¯s this...?" "It¡¯s wine that Professor Bianca enjoys." I had bought it when I visited Valha City with Irisst weekend. "Since it¡¯s work, she probably wouldn¡¯t drink during the day, so drop by in the evening." "You... you..." "Oh, and I heard she likes sds made with imperial salmon as a snack. You can handle that, right?" "You little rascal!" Professor Lucas shot to his feet, grasping my hand tightly with a fiery look in his eyes. Seeing tears welling up in his eyes, it seemed he was even more touched than I expected. ''Well, I guess this repays some of the debt I owe him.'' With that thought, I stood up to leave. "Well then, I¡¯ll be on my way." "Yes, thank you." With the professor seeing me off, I headed back to the dormitory. * * * After Dale left, Professor Lucas was alone in his office. Hugging the bottle of wine like it was a treasure, he smiled contentedly. "That rascal." Thinking about Dale, the professor grinned. Though Dale had caused him the most headaches over the past two years, recently, he had be so impressive that the struggles of the past were all but forgotten. "He¡¯s skilled with a sword, proficient in martial arts..." Though his magic capacity had always been a concern, even that had significantly improved recently. "He may be a bit arrogant, but if he can think to prepare something like this, he¡¯s got a good heart." Professor Lucas grinned as he looked over Dale¡¯s cadet file. "Let¡¯s see... orphanage background, sponsored by the Republic¡¯s government... no personal sponsors... Hmm." As he continued to examine the file, the hound¡¯s eyes turned sharp. "Maybe I should rmend this kid to be my assistant?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 30 - Professor in Both Hands (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 30 - Professor in Both Hands (2) Whoosh! I reached out towards the roaring mes. An excruciating pain spread from my arm to my entire body as my flesh started to burn. Gritting my teeth, I swallowed the groan that threatened to escape, enduring the agony. I needed to endure with my hand thrust into the zing me about five minutes. Though five minutes was a short time for mana training, it became a different story when I had to keep my hand in the scorching me for the entire duration. Even a matchstick''s me can make a person scream in pain and pull their hand back instantly, so one can imagine the horror of enduring continuous burning for five minutes. ¡°Grr... Ah... Ugh.¡± A suppressed groan escapes from between my lips. Though the me was an imaginary construct and not real, the vivid pain that felt like my flesh was burning was indistinguishable from reality. ¡®Just a little longer.¡¯ I only have four daily chances to increase my mana through the primordial me. To umte more mana, I must bring as much ¡®me¡¯ from this me as possible. ¡°Grr¡­¡± After what felt like an eternity, the five minutes finally passed. I slowly withdrew my hand from the me. A small me the size of a finger flickered in the palm of my hand. ¡®It¡¯s grown.¡¯ At first, the me I could bring from the primordial me was no bigger than a candle me, but after repeated training, it had now grown to the size of a finger. ¡®Well... this is still far from enough to control the primordial me.¡¯ I smiled bitterly as I looked at the enormous me burning fiercely as if it could consume the world. Although I had been absorbing the power of the primordial me by risking my life four times a day, the me nestled in my heart remained unresponsive. ¡®It''s like trying to fill the ocean with adle.¡¯ No matter how many small mes I absorbed, it didn¡¯t seem to make a difference in the face of the gigantic me that could swallow the world. ¡®Well, someday I¡¯ll be able to control it.¡¯ It wasn''t a problem that could be solved immediately, so there was no point in worrying about it now. ¡°Phew.¡± Clearing my thoughts, I slowly opened my eyes. The intense pain that felt like my body was burning gradually faded, and my consciousness, which had sunk into the imaginary world, began to rise. What came into view was my dorm room, which contained only a shabby bed, a table, and a shelf. I got up from the bed and stretched lightly. ¡°Let¡¯s see. How much mana have I umted this time?¡± As I activated the mana within my stigma, I felt a surge of energy coursing through my veins, a noticeable increasepared to when I first returned to this world. ¡®Good.¡¯ If the average mana of a cadet is 10, mine would be about 3. Although still less than half of the average cadet''s mana, it significantly improved. ¡°Considering I originally had less than 10 percent of this, it¡¯s a huge leap forward.¡± Though it might seemcking in absolute terms, my mana had nearly tripled in just a few weekspared to when I first returned. At this pace, I could catch up to the average mana level of the cadets within two or three months. ¡®Maybe even sooner.¡¯ Just as I had managed to increase the size of the me I could absorb from the primordial me from a candle to the size of a finger, If I could continue to increase the size of the me I absorb, ¡®I could gain a level of mana I never dreamed of in my past life.¡¯ The thought of the future sent a thrilling shiver down my spine. ¡°No, I can¡¯t be celebrating just yet.¡± The future is the future. My mana is still less than half of the average cadet¡¯s. ¡®This amount is far from enough to face Astaroth.¡¯ Though the Demon God¡¯s seal is still intact and the archbishop''s power is likely iplete, ¡®An archbishop is still an archbishop.¡¯ The archbishops are beings at the pinnacle of tens of thousands of demons, so I couldn''t afford to becent. ¡°Oh, right. Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t delivered this yet.¡± I clicked my tongue as I nced at the bag containing the Seven Star Grass infused with mana in the corner of the room. After gathering the Seven Star Grass in the cave where the ley lines flowed, I had been so caught up in various events that I had forgotten to deliver it to Professor Jade. ¡®I¡¯d better go find Professor Jade first.¡¯ I grabbed the bag containing the Seven Star Grass and headed out. * * * ¡°Here¡¯s the Seven Star Grass you requested.¡± Dust floated in the musty research room. Professor Jade gave a low exmation as he looked at the table piled high with Seven Star Grass infused with mana. ¡°Even if there is a lot of Seven Star Grass around the academy, it wouldn¡¯t have been easy to find this much... You¡¯ve gathered quite a lot.¡± Professor Jade''s eyes sparkled like stars as he looked at me. If I were to put that sparkle into words, it would be something like, ¡®As expected, you''re the only one fit to be my assistant!¡¯ ¡®Not happening, old man.¡¯ Though I had never been an assistant to a professor, the hollow eyes of the assistants I asionally encountered around the academy were enough to make me never want to do it. ¡°Is this amount sufficient?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t know for sure until I start making it, but it should be enough.¡± ¡°When will it be finished?¡± Knowing that archbishop Astaroth had infiltrated the academy, I needed thepleted stigma enhancer as soon as possible. ¡°The recipe is alreadyplete, so it shouldn¡¯t take long. I should have it ready before the sealing ceremony.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°But what do you n to use this stigma enhancer for?¡± Professor Jade narrowed his wrinkled eyes as he continued, ¡°You¡¯re not nning to use this during the cadet ranking exam, are you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Did he mistakenly think I was gathering the stigma enhancer to use during the ranking exam? ¡®Well,¡¯ Given that Professor Jade knew I had been at the bottom of the cadet rankings for three years straight, it was understandable that he would make such an assumption. I chuckled and shook my head. "Don''t worry. That''s not going to happen." "But¡­" "If I use the Stigma Amplifier during the evaluation match, you can report me to the school for cheating." "Hmm." Professor Jade stroked his bushy beard and nodded. "Alright. If you''re that adamant, I won''t press further." "Thank you for understanding." I bowed my head slightly and nced around Professor Jade''sb. It still looked like a trash heap, so cluttered that a person might fall ill just by being in there. ¡®The thought of making the Stigma Amplifier in this dump makes me uneasy.¡¯ The potion influences Stigmas, so a delicate and clean manufacturing process is crucial. Thisb didn¡¯t inspire any confidence at all. "Let''s get started with the manufacturing¡­" "Wait a moment." I stopped Professor Jade, who was about to begin immediately. "First, let''s clean up." "Clean up?" "How long are you nning to leave yourb in this trash heap condition?" "Ahem. A trash heap, you say! I''ll have you know it''s organized in its own way through systematic arrangement and¡­" "Enough." I cut off Professor Jade''s excuses and immediately began cleaning theb. ¡®Ugh, this ce is worse than a pigsty.¡¯ It looked filthy enough at first nce, but as soon as I started cleaning, dust and garbage poured out everywhere. I grabbed a broom and cloth, quickly continuing the cleaning process. My experience cleaning the school for eight hours a day every summer break to earn living expenses wasn¡¯t wasted¡ªbefore long, theb, which was close to a garbage dump, was turning into a livable space. "Uh¡­ is there anything I can help with?" "Don''t get in the way. Please step outside." What help could I expect from someone who let theb enter this state? I waved my hand dismissively and shooed Professor Jade out of theb. Three hours of a war-like cleaning battleter¡­ "Phew. Now it finally looks somewhat livable." "Oh, oh!" Looking around the much cleanerb, Professor Jade couldn''t stop gasping in amazement. "Is this really myb?" "Who else''sb would it be?" I chuckled as I continued. "I gathered the reagents here, and the magical tools needed for potion-making are over there. As for the research materials, I sorted them by type for now, but you should double-check themter." "...You, you!" Suddenly, Professor Jade grabbed my hand and eximed with a passionate voice. "You''re truly my assistant!" "No." Since when did I be your assistant? "Ahem! After you''ve worked so hard as my assistant, I can''t just stand by as a professor. I''ll treat you to lunch today, soe along!" "No, wait¡­" Professor Jade, clearly pleased with the spotlessb, grabbed my arm and dragged me along. The exclusive dining hall reserved for professors and their assistants was where we ended up. It was a high-end restaurant with a solid menu, though it wasn¡¯t quite on the level of the buffet-style dining hall in the main building. "Order anything you like!" Professor Jade eximed boldly as we entered the restaurant. "...Dale? What are you doing here?" Just then, we ran into Professor Lucas, who was about to enter the dining hall. "You are¡­" "......" An awkward silence fell between Professor Jade and Professor Lucas. ¡®Come to think of it, Professor Lucas punched Professor Jade two years ago.¡¯ As I recalled what had happened between the two, I stepped back, but Professor Jade blocked my path and spoke up. "Do you have some business with my assistant?" "Assistant? Since when did Dale be your assistant?" "He''s not officially my assistant yet, but he will join me after graduation." Excuse me? Professor Jade? I already told you I have no intention of bing your assistant! Why do you keep calling me your assistant without my permission? "Hah. Dale, working under you? What nonsense are you talking about?" Yes, yes. Please tell him off, Professor Lucas! "Dale is going to join me after graduation and help lead the Warrior Department!" "No." Why are you doing this too, seriously? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 31 - Professors in Both Hands (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 31 - Professors in Both Hands (3) The exclusive dining hall mainly used by professors and their assistants. The restaurant, which should have been filled with pleasant conversation in a peaceful atmosphere, was instead full of tension so thick it felt like a battlefield. "What the hell is going on all of a sudden?" I looked at the two professors, who were in a tense standoff, with a bewildered expression. "Dale will be my assistant." "Rubbish. Dale has been my student since his first year. It''s only right that hees under my wing." The two professors were locked in a battle of nerves over me, each unwilling to back down. "Hey, I don''t even want to be an assistant, you know!" How on earth did I, a candidate who was barely holding on in thest year, end up receiving such passionate love calls from these two professors? ¡®It¡¯s not like anything special happened.¡¯ Let''s think this through. First, Professor Jade. ¡®At most, I just helped him secure research funding, solved a few problems that even the specialist professors had trouble with, gathered materials for his research, and cleaned up hisb that was practically a dump¡­.¡¯ Wait a minute. Come to think of it, I''ve done quite a lot. ¡®Well, fine! It makes sense for Professor Jade!¡¯ Two years ago, Professor Jade was essentially expelled from the school after being dubbed the "Student Killer" due to an incident. For the past two years, he¡¯s been barred from teaching candidates or conducting personal research, so it''s only natural he¡¯d feel a great sense of loss. Given that, it makes sense that he¡¯d take an interest in someone like "Dale Han," who suddenly appeared out of nowhere. ¡®But Professor Lucas is different.¡¯ Professor Lucas has guided me through thick and thin over the past two years. He¡¯s been through hell trying to bring me up to speed. He¡¯d rather not even see me as a student, let alone an assistant. ¡®The only recent thing that happened with Professor Lucas was... oh.¡¯ It suddenly hit me. I remembered the time I handed Professor Lucas a bottle of wine and subtly gave him information about Professor Bianca. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ The favor I did to repay some past life debt has somehow spiraled into this mess. "Mr. Dale, what do you think?" "...You¡¯re not seriously considering working under that crazy professor, are you?" Professor Jade and Professor Lucas nked me, each demanding an answer. It looked like a cheap romanticedy from the Republic, where the indecisive protagonist is caught between two heroines. ¡®Why are my ¡®heroines¡¯ professors, though?¡¯ Rubbing my throbbing forehead, I bit my lip. Both Professor Jade and Professor Lucas were essential assets for the uing war against the demons. ¡®Professor Jade can research and create various magical items rted to stigmas, not to mention the stigma enhancers. Professor Lucas is a hero, not only personally strong but also an outstanding leader.¡¯ It was impossible to choose between them. For now, I decided to mediate between the two professors, who looked like they were about to throw punches any minute. "Why don¡¯t we go inside and continue this conversation over a meal?" "Meal? Hah, like I¡¯d ever eat with someone like him." "I agree." "Then do you intend to keep blocking the way in front of the restaurant and bothering people passing by?" "That..." "Ugh." The two professors looked around ufortably, swallowing their pride. It seemed they hadn''t lost all sense of social propriety, as they quietly followed me into the dining hall, eyeing each other warily. "......" "......" After ordering today¡¯s special, we sat in awkward silence. "First of all, let me rify one thing. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happened between the two of you, but to me, you¡¯re both professors I deeply respect." "Hmph. Respect, huh? From the guy who¡¯s always loafing around my office whenever he¡¯s bored?" "Well, that¡¯s..." "Whatever. Whether you respect me or not doesn¡¯t concern me." But. Professor Lucas red sharply at Professor Jade. "I¡¯d prefer it if you stayed away from that guy." "That¡¯s my line. You don¡¯t suit a savage and ignorant person like him." "What did you say?" "Did I say anything wrong?" "You son of a..." The atmosphere grew increasingly hostile, as if they were about to explode any moment. "Enough." I spoke in a low, calm voice. "What are two grown men doing acting so disgracefully?" It was an impolite remark for a candidate to make to professors, but seeing them like this made it impossible to hold back. "Ugh..." "Ahem. Sorry about that." The two professors, realizing how embarrassing their behavior was, remained silent, without anyment on my tone. Just as the awkward air settled over the table again. "Hmm? It¡¯s rare to see the two of you together." A young man with a gentle expression and dark brown hair approached us. His youthful appearance could easily lead one to mistake him for a candidate. It was Professor Morpheus, whom I¡¯d seen during the "Mental Discipline" ss. "Oh? You¡¯re the candidate I saw in that ss." Professor Morpheus looked at me with interest, his eyes gleaming. I stood up and gave a small bow. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "I¡¯m having a meal with the two professors to discuss a few things." "Ah, I see. By the way, do you mind if I join you?" Without waiting for an answer, Professor Morpheus naturally sat down between Professor Jade and Professor Lucas. "I¡¯ve been wanting to have a chat with you." "With me?" "Yes. I''m curious how you broke through my illusion magic so easily." Professor Morpheus observed me with a polite smile, but his sharp eyes seemed to pierce right through me. I shrugged and opened my mouth. "Well, isn''t it because you used just the right amount of power when casting the spell?" "Hmm. Even so, it''s not a spell one can escape from so easily. Especially... for someone like Cadet Dale, who has a very low amount of mana." Professor Morpheus narrowed his eyes suspiciously as he looked at me. I was internally panicking, thinking that if this continued, the secret of the ''Primordial me'' might be revealed. "Didn''t you hear that Dale is in the middle of a meeting with us right now?" "I don''t know what''s going on, but it''s not a good look to interrogate Cadet Dale as if he''smitted some crime." Professors Lucas and Jade both red at Professor Morpheus simultaneously. With an awkward smile, Professor Morpheus shifted his gaze away from me. "Haha. Calm down, both of you. I didn''t mean to reprimand Cadet Dale." Professor Morpheus shrugged yfully as he continued. "By the way, I''m curious about the content of this meeting." "That''s none of your business." "Oh,e on, just tell me. I helped with your mental training ss before, didn¡¯t I?" "Hmm." Professor Lucas fell silent and pondered for a moment. Even though they were both professors, Professor Morpheus had far less experience than him, so he could have easily shot back, telling him not to boast about helping with a ss. But instead... "Tch." He clicked his tongue lightly and spoke up, as if deciding against it. "Professor Jade and I were discussing which one of us he''d be an assistant to." "Oh. This is turning out to be more interesting than I thought." Professor Morpheus smirked as he looked at me, caught between the two professors. "Cadet Dale, which one are you more interested in?" "I''m not interested in either, actually." "Hmm. You heard him, didn¡¯t you?" "Well, that''s only because we just brought up the idea. There are still two years until graduation, so you can take your time thinking about it." No. Even if I think it over slowly, I''m not interested, you guys. "Hahaha! Since both of you, who are known for being picky, are interested in him... now I''m intrigued too. Though, of course, I was interested from the beginning." Professor Morpheus smiled brightly and turned back to me. ''Seriously, give it a rest, will you?'' As if Professors Lucas and Jade weren''t enough, now Professor Morpheus too. Why am I suddenly getting assistant offers from everywhere, something I''ve never experienced in my previous life? "Professor Morpheus." "Did you not hear what we just said?" "Haha. It was just a joke, a joke. How could I covet a cadet you two esteemed professors have already chosen?" Perhaps it was a small blessing in disguise. Professor Morpheus quickly raised the white g thanks to the territorial tendencies of the two professors who had already staked their im on me. ''Well, it figures.'' Professors Lucas and Jade had both been in their positions for 10 years now. Even though Professor Morpheus was also a professor, having been in the role for less than three years, he couldn''tpare in experience. "Anyway, I''m too busy preparing for the Sealing Festival these days to worry about anything else." "Oh, right. You were in charge of running this year''s Sealing Festival." "Yes. From issuing permits to merchants for their stalls to organizing the event schedule... It''s exhausting." Professor Morpheus shook his head as heined. "This is the perfect opportunity to showcase the skills of a young professor like yourself. Didn¡¯t you volunteer to take charge of the festival preparations?" "I didn''t realize it would be this hectic." Professor Morpheus sighed and smiled faintly. "Still, I''ve been working hard on the preparations, so I hope both the professors and the cadets can enjoy the festival." "Hmph. It''s the same thing every year, so what''s there to enjoy?" "Haha. That may be true, but I''ve prepared some surprise events this time, so it should be a lot more fun than usual." With a confident expression, Professor Morpheus thumped his chest. "It''ll be an unforgettable festival for everyone, so look forward to it." At the young professor''s bold deration, faint smiles appeared on the faces of Professors Lucas and Jade. "Haha... youth is a wonderful thing." "Well, I¡¯ll be looking forward to it." "Then, I¡¯ll take my leave now so as not to interrupt the meeting any further." With a polite bow, Professor Morpheus stood up from his seat. "Now, Dale, let¡¯s continue our conversation from earlier... Huh?" "What? Where¡¯d that rascal go?" After Professor Morpheus left, only the two professors were left sitting at the table, looking around in bewilderment. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 32 - The Will (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 32: The Will (1) Time passed, and it was finally the day of the sealing ceremony. From early morning, the school was buzzing with excitement. ¡®Are those merchants?¡¯ Peeking out beyond the dormitory window, I saw merchants carrying loads of goods and entering through the school gate. Indeed, you can¡¯t leave out street vendors and food when ites to festivals. The merchants heading into the school had the determined eyes of warriors marching into battle, as if they had eagerly awaited this day. ¡®Well, getting a permit to enter the school wouldn¡¯t have been easy.¡¯ Even though it was a day when outsiders were allowed entry, it wasn¡¯t as if just anyone without verified credentials could waltz in. From thorough identity checks to inspecting the items for sale, every step had to bepleted before a vendor could finally obtain a permit to set up a stall inside the school. ¡®Well, I hear they make thousands of gold once they get the permit.¡¯ It made sense since on festival days, the prices skyrocketed as if the economy had copsed in a developing country, so the merchants were bound to profit immensely. ¡®Those crazy people sell one chicken skewer for 10 gold.¡¯ In the old Republic''s currency, that would be about 10,000 won. No sane person would spend that much money on a chicken skewer, but the cadets on festival day were far from "sane." "Rich brats." Well, maybe not all of them were rich, but it was true that most of the cadets, except for unusual cases like mine, came from affluent families. ¡®The Stigma are mostmonly inherited, after all.¡¯ In other words, many of the cadets admitted to this school likely had parents who were heroes. Not all heroes lived in wealth, but they generally fared better than ordinary people without the Stigma. On a day like this, few cadets were afraid to open their wallets because they were overcharged. "No matter how you look at it, 10 gold for a chicken skewer is too much...." Of course, that was the story for other cadets. As someone who attended school on a government schrship from the Republic, such food was far from affordable. ¡®But today is different.¡¯ I wouldn''t have dared to buy festival food in my past life. Luckily, in this life, I had a very good "friend," so I didn¡¯t have to worry about money. ¡®It¡¯d be a waste to spend my own money, but it¡¯s a different story if it¡¯s someone else¡¯s.¡¯ I smiled contentedly as I looked at the gold I had "borrowed" from a friendst night. "I¡¯ll need to bring plenty if I¡¯m going to buy enough for everyone." I stuffed the thick wallet into my pocket and headed toward the meeting ce. * * * "Oh, Dale, you''re here?" I saw Iris and Cami waiting for me when I arrived at the meeting ce. "Sorry, did you wait long?" I hade 15 minutes early, thinking I¡¯d be early, but I hadn¡¯t expected them to be here already. "Oh no, I just got here." Iris shook her head with a sweet smile. The graceful movement of her head and the gentle wave of her hand exuded a natural elegance that could rival any nobledy. ¡®Who would believe that this Iris came from an orphanage?¡¯ As I admired her with a satisfied smile, Cami sighed deeply, as if the ground might swallow her whole. "Just got here... You¡¯ve been waiting for over 20 minutes, haven''t you?" "Wh-why would you say that?!" "Because it''s infuriating. The Saint woke up at dawn to do her makeup and spent over an hour choosing clothes, and yet, she arrived at the meeting ceter than you... Isn¡¯t that infuriating?" "You¡¯re the infuriating one, Cami!" Iris, stomping her feet and shouting, had shed all traces of the elegance and grace she¡¯d shown earlier. "And even after arriving, she kept fussing over what posture would look most elegant and how to give the best first greeting.... Mm, mmmph!" "Kyaaa! S-shut up! Shut up already!" Iris, her face flushed red as if steam was about to burst from her head, hurriedly covered Cami''s mouth. Seeing Iris on the verge of tears from the overwhelming embarrassment, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡®She must have been thinking about it all along.¡¯ It must have been her way of trying her best not to be wed as the saint of the Holy Nation. "I don¡¯t mind the way you are now." In fact, seeing the real her, something I couldn¡¯t see in my past life, touched me in a way that was hard to describe. "...Why are youughing?" "Ahem. It¡¯s nothing." "Ugh... Anyway! Now that Dale is here, let¡¯s get going." "We¡¯re heading straight to see the kids?" "No, we need to buy gifts first." Gifts, huh. "Do you have anything in mind?" "Not really. I n to look around the stalls and see what I can find." "Sounds good." Iris, Cami, and I started browsing the stalls, looking for gifts to give to the orphanage kids. "It¡¯s really crowded." Even though it was still early in the morning, the streets lined with stalls were already packed with people. "Please be careful not to get separated, Saint." Cami subtly grabbed Iris¡¯s hand as she walked beside her. Iris looked down at the hand holding hers and chuckled softly. "Do I look like a child?" "They say there¡¯s no such thing as being too careful regarding safety." Cami said this as she nced at me, seeking agreement (more precisely, giving a "you¡¯d better agree or else" look). "Well, since there are a lot of outsiders today, it¡¯s better to be cautious." Especially when the person in question is the "Saint." "Ugh... Do you have to agree with her, Dale?" "What choice do I have?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] I shrugged as I nced at the stern-looking Cami, and Iris sighed deeply. "Fine, let¡¯s just hurry up and buy the gifts." "Gifts that the kids would like... Food would probably be the safest bet, right?" Thinking about how the kids at the orphanage went wild when I cooked ramen for them before, nothing beats food as a gift. "Hmm. Food is good, but wouldn''t it be better just to buy them snacks while we enjoy the festival together?" "Ah, that''s true." After all, part of the fun of a festival is impulsively buying street food as you walk around. "Alright, let''s leave the food forter... What else could we give as a gift?" "How about this, Dale?" Iris pointed to a disy of headbands with various animal ears attached. It was amon item you''d see at festivals. "Hehe. Wouldn''t the kids look absolutely adorable wearing these?" "Not bad." The image of kids running around with dog or cat ears, smiling brightly, naturally made me smile. "Oh, I think this would suit Cami too. Want to try it on?" Iris picked up a headband with cat ears and asked. "Y-you''re asking me to wear that?" Cami visibly flinched and stepped back in surprise. With a sly grin, Iris held the headband in her hand and approached her. "If we give these to the kids, we should at least test how durable they are, right?" "B-but..." "What... Are you nning to go against my word?" "Tsk." Cami bit her lip in frustration and looked at me as if asking for help. I grinned and nodded. "I think it''d suit you well." "You... You traitor! It''s easy for you to say that since it¡¯s not you!" "Come on, Cami, hold still." With a chuckle, Iris ced the cat ear headband on Cami''s head. "Ugh... Why do I have to go through this..." Cami, her navy-blue hair tied in a ponytail, swished it around like a tail while feeling the cat ears sticking out above her head. "Wow, wow! Doesn''t it look perfect on her, Dale?!" Despite Cami lowering her head in shame, Iris excitedly bounced around,pletely ignoring her distress. "Yeah, it actually looks good." Just as Iris said, Cami with the cat ear headband looked surprisingly charming. "Tsk... Lady Saint, how about you try one on too?" "H-huh? Me?" "Surely, you didn''t think I''d be the only one doing this, right?" Had Cami''s embarrassment finally turned into anger? She picked up a headband with bunny ears, her breath growing heavier. "B-bunnies are a bit..." "You''re not going to say you''re embarrassed now, are you?" Cami, her eyes red with frustration, advanced toward Iris. "Eek! W-wait!" "Come on, it¡¯s only fair for you to experience the same humiliation and disgrace!" And so, Iris was forcibly made to wear the bunny ear headband by Cami. "Ugh... Why am I going through this..." "Hmph. You brought this on yourself." Iris, now wearing the bunny ears, nced over at me. "S-so, how do I look, Dale?" "How do you look?" Without hesitation, I activated my Hero Watch and snapped a photo of Iris with the bunny ears. "W-wait! Why are you taking pictures all of a sudden?!" "How could I not capture this?" Iris, with bunny ears, was simply too cute to resist. "D-delete that right now!" "Hey, tampering with someone''s Hero Watch without permission is an invasion of privacy." "Delete it, you jerk!!!" * * * After that brief(?)motion, it was decided that the kids would receive the animal ear headbands as their gift. "Sigh. I haven''t even done much, but I''m already exhausted." "By the way, isn''t it about time for the kids to arrive?" "Oh, hold on. I''ll check in with Priest Antonio." After contacting Priest Antonio through her Hero Watch, Iris turned to Cami. "Cami, the priest and the kids are on their way now. Could you go meet them?" "But then, what about you, Lady Saint...?" "I¡¯ll be fine with Dale here." "Alright. I understand." Cami nodded and walked toward the gate. Once she waspletely out of sight, Iris looked back at me with a grin. "The priest said they''ll arrive in about an hour." "Huh? Then isn¡¯t that a bit too early to go meet them?" "They¡¯re our invited guests, so we can¡¯t let them wait, right?" It seemed a bit too early to greet them, but before I could voice my thoughts... "Well... Since we''ve already bought the gifts, how about we enjoy the festival together for the next hour?" Iris smirked as she made her proposal. ¡®So that¡¯s why she sent Cami out early.¡¯ I chuckled and nodded. "Sounds good." A festival outing with just Iris. There was no reason to refuse. "Alright then, hand." "Hand? Why?" "Didn¡¯t Cami mention it earlier?" Iris softly took my hand and smiled shyly. "You can never be too safe." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 33 - The Will (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 33: The Will (2) ¡°Hey¡­ isn''t that the lowest-ranking candidate next to the Saintess?¡± ¡°Huh? It really is!¡± ¡°What¡¯s he doing with the Saintess?¡± ¡°They¡¯re even holding hands?¡± Whispers echoed around us. I tried to let go of Iris''s hand quietly, but she tightened her grip as if to stop me from escaping. "Isn''t it problematic if the people of the Holy Kingdom find out?" "What''s the problem? You¡¯re only holding my hand to ensure the Saintess''s ''safety,'' right?" Iris winked yfully and smiled mischievously. I shook my head with a chuckle. ¡®Now I see why Cami always wears that stern expression.¡¯ Thinking about the trouble Cami must go through to protect such a wild Saintess made me feel a bit sorry for her. "Why? Do you not like holding hands with me?" "Not at all." But enjoying the festival while drawing this much attention from the other candidates was not ideal. "How about we go somewhere less crowded?" "If you want somewhere less crowded... how about the exhibition hall?" "Are you sure? There won''t be much to do there..." "Hehe, that''s fine with me." The "Sealing Festival" celebrates the day, 500 years ago, when the five great heroes sealed the Demon God. It¡¯s not just about food and games; there¡¯s also an exhibition about the history of the heroes'' battle against the Demon God¡¯s army. ¡®Of course, there won¡¯t be many candidates visiting such a ce this early in the morning.¡¯ After all, candidates are constantly bombarded with the history of the Demon God War from 500 years ago. Who would visit an exhibition on one of the few festive days? ¡®At least it''s a good ce to avoid prying eyes.¡¯ I led her towards the exhibition hall, away from the piercing gazes from all around us. As we stepped inside, we were greeted by arge painting depicting a confrontation between a massive demon and the five heroes. I couldn''t help but let out a smallugh as I looked at the image of the "Demon God." ¡®They didn¡¯t capture the Demon God¡¯s appearance correctly.¡¯ Well, no wonder. Even as one of the fivest heroes who fought against the Demon God in my past life, I didn''t know exactly what he looked like. ¡®His entire body was shrouded in ck smoke.¡¯ When the Demon God was released from his seal, he was engulfed in ck smoke, so even I never saw his true appearance. The only thing I knew for sure about him was: ¡®He was absurdly powerful.¡¯ In our final battle against the Demon God, we couldn¡¯t even put up a proper fight before being utterly defeated. And then... ¡®The Demon God took his own life.¡¯ When the curse from his death spread across the continent, I was left as the only living being on thend. ¡®...Why did he do that?¡¯ Frowning, I recalled that day. The Demon God had defeated the "Five Last Heroes," who were hailed as humanity¡¯sst hope. He didn¡¯t need to take his own life. He could have easily conquered the continent if he had slowly built up his army. ¡®But he didn¡¯t.¡¯ Instead of conquering the continent, he choseplete annihtion. He wiped out every living being on the continent. Even his own army wasn¡¯t spared from the purge. ¡®His goal wasn¡¯t conquest; it was the total eradication of all life.¡¯ I didn¡¯t know why the Demon God had such a goal. And honestly, I didn¡¯t need to know. ¡®Because this time, he won¡¯t achieve that goal.¡¯ I clenched my teeth as I red at the image of the "Demon God." "...Dale? Is something wrong?" "Oh, sorry. The painting just captivated me for a moment." "Hehe. It is impressive, isn¡¯t it?" Iris gazed at the painting of the five heroes with bright eyes. "Reynald, the Sword of the Sun. Julius, the Great Sage. Ryujin Seong, the Iron Fist. Baek Seunghyuk, the Divine Spear. And Grace, the Light of Life." These five great heroes sealed the Demon God 500 years ago. Iris continued to stare at the painting, her eyes twinkling with admiration. "Seeing them in a painting after only reading about them in books is really thrilling." "I didn''t know you liked stories about heroes." "Oh, you wouldn¡¯t believe it, but I used to be obsessed with the ¡®Five Heroes¡¯ game when I was a kid." The Five Heroes game. A simple role-ying game where children from all three kingdoms would pick one of the five heroes and act out defeating the Demon God. ¡®It was an unfair game, though, since whoever yed the Demon God would always get ganged up on by the other five.¡¯ I frowned as I recalled my faint memories of ying that game back in the orphanage. "Which role did you usually y?" "I was usually Ryujin Seong, the Iron Fist. There was something satisfying about punching the Demon God." Iris clenched her fists and yfully swung them through the air. "What role did you usually take, Dale?" "The Demon God." "Oh..." Ahem. Iris quickly changed the subject as she tugged on my hand. "Let¡¯s go further inside." After finishing our tour of the exhibition hall (for some reason, Iris still didn''t let go of my hand even when no one was around), it was almost time to meet the kids. "Shall we go see the kids now?" "Yeah. If we''rete, Cami will probably throw a fit." "Hearing that makes me want to bete just to see what happens." Iris shed a mischievous smile and tugged on my hand teasingly. The soft warmth of her touch made me almost lose myposure for a moment. "But what if Cami panics and reports to the school that the Saintess is missing?" "...She would actually do that, wouldn''t she? That''s scary." Just imagining it seemed to drain all the yful thoughts from Iris as she hurried toward the meeting ce. As we waited near the school gate, I spotted Antonio, the priest, Cami, and the orphanage kids approaching from a distance. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°A festival! A festival!¡± ¡°Is this really the Hero Academy?!¡± The kids'' excitement was palpable the moment they stepped through the gate, and they began running around wildly. ¡°You little rascals! Didn¡¯t I tell you to behave?¡± Antonio¡¯s stern voice didn¡¯t stop the kids, who were already like wild horses let loose. ¡°Oh... Everyone, please calm down!¡± Even Cami was flustered, struggling to manage the overly excited children. "How can you be so overwhelmed by something like this?" Iris clicked her tongue and stepped forward. "Leo~ Come here for a moment?" "Iris! There¡¯s so much food, and there¡¯s so much cool stuff to see..." "Bite." "Huh? Bite what?" "Shut your mouth, you little brat." "¡­Sis?" Iris smiled sweetly as she gently patted Leo''s head. "Leo, didn¡¯t you say you were the leader of the orphanage before?" "Y-yeah." "If you''re the leader, you need to manage your subordinates properly. You can¡¯t just let them run wild like this." "Uh¡­!" Leo¡¯s eyes widened as if he had just experienced a monk-like enlightenment. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "I got it! I''ll take responsibility and train the kids!" With a look of fierce determination, Leo rushed toward the children and began to scold them. Surprisingly, the wild kids started to gather quietly in front of Leo. "Oh, wow." A low exmation escaped from Father Antonio''s lips. "Impressive. To calm those little troublemakers so easily..." "Well, kids usually listen to other kids more than to adults." "Haha. As expected, you are a true saint." The old priest smiled contentedly and continued. "Seeing how well you handle children, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll have any worries when you get married in the future." "Huh? M-married?" "Hmm. Wasn''t there someone named Dale?" "W-wait! What are you talking about all of a sudden?!" "Hahaha." With the old priest¡¯s yful teasing, the real festivities began. "Iris, how do I look? I really look like a cat, don¡¯t I?" "Ugh¡­ Sis! Why did you make me wear this embarrassing thing?" "Huff, huff. Cami, I¡¯m wearing dog ears right now. Could you please tell me to bark just once?" [PR/N: BRO ??] Everyone wandered around the festival stalls wearing the animal ear headbands they had received as gifts. "Wow! This is really delicious!" "Dale, can you buy me one of those chicken skewers?" "Hey! Me too, me too!" Maybe it was because I had cooked them ramen before, but it seemed like I had gained some recognition among the kids. Not only Iris and Cami, but a few other kids also came up to me, pestering me to buy them snacks. "Hey! Stop it! That chicken skewer costs 10 gold each!" "Don¡¯t worry about it." I pulled out a (Juliet¡¯s) wallet, packed with gold, and grinned. "Big brother has plenty of money." * * * They say time flies when you¡¯re having fun. Before I knew it, after enjoying the festival with Iris, Cami, and the kids, the sky had grown dark. "It¡¯s already thiste." "Yeah, it is." The kids, who had been running around like wild horses at first, were now starting to nod off as they walked, their energy nearly drained. "It¡¯s gettingte. We should head back now." Father Antonio looked at the staggering children with a warm smile. "Thank you, Saint, Cami, and Dale, for spending time with the kids. You must all be exhausted." "Exhausted? Not at all. We had fun too." "I¡¯ll escort you to the front gate." "Hoho, thank you, Cami." With that, Cami and Father Antonio led the children toward the front gate. As I watched them disappear into the distance, enjoying the lingering atmosphere of the festival... "...I''m sorry, Dale." Iris spoke cautiously, watching me closely. "Hmm? What for?" "I feel like I dragged you around all day." "Dragged around? I had fun too." It wasn¡¯t just empty words. Sure, it would have been nice to enjoy the festival alone with Iris. But it was also more fun than I expected to experience the festival with the kids,ughing and talking together. Maybe she sensed my sincerity. Iris smiled in relief and spoke up. "Then¡­ can I make onest selfish request?" "What is it?" "Can you buy me one of those chicken skewers you bought for the kids earlier?" Iris clenched her fists tightly, her eyes sparkling. ''Come to think of it, I was busy looking after the kids, and Iris didn¡¯t get to eat any.'' I chuckled and nodded. "As many as you want." "Ah~ You said as many as I want? Then I¡¯ll get one with sauce and one with salt!" "Alright, alright. Eat as much as you want." Laughing, I approached the stall selling chicken skewers. Perhaps the vendor was worn out from the busy day. Even as I got closer, the vendor had his head down, showing no reaction. "Excuse me, I¡¯d like to buy one chicken skewer." "¡­¡­." "Hello?" I gently tapped the vendor''s shoulder, thinking he might have fallen asleep from exhaustion. "Khh, sob." A bizarre groan escaped from the vendor¡¯s bowed head. "Ch-chicken¡­ chicken skewer¡­ o-order." Blood-tinged foam dripped from between his lips. Veins, grotesque like tree roots, covered his entire face. His bulging eyes shone with a sinister purple light. "O-order received¡­ argh." The vendor¡¯s mouth twisted into a grotesque grin as his head jerked up, his whole body swelling unnaturally. I cautiously spoke up. "Oh, sorry. Not one, but two skewers, please. One with salt and one with sauce." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 34: The Will (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 34: The Will (3) Crunch. Crack. Snap! A chilling sound of bones breaking. The merchant''s body swelled instantly and transformed into a hideous monster. ¡°D-Dale! This isn¡¯t the time to be ordering chicken skewers!¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡± As Iris screamed urgently, I quickly distanced myself from the merchant. ¡®What is this?¡¯ No matter how I looked at it, the situation was anything but normal. As I furrowed my brow and expanded my senses. ¡®Demonic energy?¡¯ An unpleasant, sticky aura emanated from the merchant¡¯s monstrous body. Through the torn clothes of his swollen body, I could see the ck mark of a demon burning brightly. ¡®Why is there a demon in the school¡­?¡¯ No, should that even be called a ¡®demon¡¯? It¡¯s true that a human bearing a demon¡¯s mark is called a demon, but right now, that demon looks more like a demonic beast. ¡®Demonic Beastification.¡¯ The eventual fate of a human who received the mark of a demon. It¡¯s a phenomenon that urs when the body undergoes a transformation due to an inability to control the power of the mark, causing the demonic energy to explode. ¡®This phenomenon hardly happens now that the demon is sealed, so why¡­?¡¯ The demonic beastification phenomenon is closely rted to the demon¡¯s mark. Since the demon¡¯s seal hasn¡¯t been broken yet, the demon¡¯s mark can¡¯t exert its full power, which is why such ¡®rampages¡¯ rarely happen. But if demonic beastification did ur¡­ ¡®Someone deliberately caused this rampage.¡¯ I narrowed my eyes as I looked at the merchant who had turned into a demonic beast. ¡°Grrrr!¡± The merchant, now unable to speak human words, let out a guttural growl and charged at me, kicking the stall sign aside. ¡°Watch out, Dale!¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s dangerous.¡± Not for me. ¡®For him.¡¯ Berald Martial Arts. Heaven Flip. ¡°Grrr¡­ Gack!¡± I grabbed the merchant¡¯s arm as he charged at me, twisting it. The grotesquely swollen body of the merchant was forcefully mmed headfirst into the ground. Thud! Dust rose thickly into the air. I picked up a fallen skewer at my feet and threw it at the back of the merchant¡¯s head. Whoosh! Crack! The skewer, imbued with mana, pierced through the merchant¡¯s head and embedded itself into the ground. ¡°D-Dale, this is¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a demon.¡± To be precise, it was ¡®once a demon,¡¯ but that detail didn¡¯t matter right now. ¡°W-Why is there a demon in the school?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. But¡­¡± Before I could finish my sentence. Thud! Crack! Roaaaar! ¡°Kyaaaaa!¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening?!¡± ¡°A demonic beast! A demonic beast has appeared!¡± The peaceful festival grounds were suddenly filled with screams and monstrous roars. ¡°Damn it.¡± As expected, the number of demonic beasts in the school wasn¡¯t just one. The demonic beasts roared and rampaged, while the people who had been enjoying the festival scattered in all directions, consumed by chaos. Though there were candidates from the hero school who grabbed weapons and fought back against the demonic beasts, it only added to the confusion. Boom! Fwoooosh! ¡°Hey! How can you use fire magic here, you idiot?¡± ¡°Damn it! This is all I have, what do you expect me to do?¡± ¡°Quickly! Someone bring me a sword! I left mine in the dorm!¡± Misguided heroism always leads to sad results. There was no way the candidates, who had been drinking since early morning with their weapons left in the dorm, could properly respond to a sudden attack. ¡°Get out of the way, you drunkards!¡± ¡°You¡¯re in the way!¡± Of course, there were some candidates who managed to hold their own against the demonic beasts despite the unfavorable conditions, but they couldn¡¯t quell the chaos that had engulfed the entire school. ¡°R-Run!¡± ¡°Aaaaah!¡± The panicked crowd instinctively headed toward the school¡¯s main gate to escape. The demonic beasts targeted the fleeing people, surging towards the main gate. ¡°Dale! There are children at the main gate¡­!¡± ¡°Cami is with them, so they should be fine.¡± But I couldn¡¯t leave everything to Cami alone to protect the children amidst this chaos. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the main gate and join up with Cami.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I headed toward the school¡¯s main gate with Iris. ¡°Raaaah!¡± ¡°C-Cami!¡± ¡°Everyone, stay calm!¡± ¡°Damn it! Where are these demonic beastsing from?!¡± When we reached the main gate, we saw the crying children, Father Antonio desperately trying to keep them calm, and Cami wielding her sword against the approaching demonic beasts. ¡°Cami!¡± ¡°I-Iris¡­! No, Lady Saint!¡± Cami¡¯s expression brightened as she saw Iris running toward her. ¡°Grrr!¡± A demonic beast swung its grotesquely swollen arm like a mace, aiming at Cami. ¡°Not so fast!¡± Cami deftly dodged the demonic beast¡¯s arm and swung her sword upward. sh. The demonic beast¡¯s severed arm rolled across the ground. Roaaaar! The demonic beast, now missing an arm, let out a scream and staggered back, but only for a moment. The other demonic beasts, attracted by the strong scent of blood, rushed forward. And they weren¡¯t heading for Cami, but for the terrified children. ¡°N-No!¡± Just as Cami turned around in panic. ¡°Leave this to me!¡± Iris stepped forward and began to recite a prayer. ¡°O Seven Gods, shine your merciful light upon your children!¡± Her eyes, now glowing with the colors of a rainbow, focused on the approaching demonic beasts. With a sign of the cross from top to bottom. ¡°Seven Stars¡¯ Protection!¡± Voom! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Arge, white curtain, tens of meters high, enveloped Iris and the children, spreading out in a circle. "Raaaaah!" The flesh of the demonic beasts that touched the curtain sizzled and burned, emitting acrid smoke. The demonic beasts hesitated and backed away from the curtain. "Grrr." Having given up on entering the curtain, the demonic beasts began searching for their next prey, looking around. "Who are you looking for?" As I approached, the eyes of the demonic beast horde focused on me. With a savage cry, they charged at me as if they''d found their next prey. I let out a small chuckle as I drew my sword. "Dale! It''s dangerous!" "Brother,e inside quickly!" The children inside the curtain shouted urgently at me. I shrugged and instead took a step toward the horde of demonic beasts. "Grrrrr!" "Kak, kaaaaak!" "Guaaargh!" The demonic beasts lunged at me from all directions, roaring fiercely. Cami hurriedly moved closer to me, brandishing her sword at the demonic beasts. "Ugh! I''ll handle this side! You take the other side...!" "No need for that." "What?" Before Cami could furrow her brow and look back at me, I kicked off toward the charging demonic beasts. "Grrrk... ack!" I jumped onto the arm of a demonic beast swinging wildly and drove my sword into its skull. "One down." Twisting my sword free from its skull, I shed at the demonic beasting at me from the side. Spinning around, Inded a back kick to the jaw of a demonic beast sneaking up from behind. Crack! The sound of its jaw shattering echoed as the demonic beast copsed like a puppet with its strings cut. "Three down." I kicked off the falling demonic beast and leaped high into the air, descending upon the horde. ''My body feels light.'' Perhaps it was because my mana had nearly tripledpared to a few weeks ago. It felt as if I had wings on my back, making my body light. "Five, six, seven." With a twisted grin, I massacred the demonic beasts like a wolf among sheep. It took only about a minute for the dozen or so demonic beasts to be cold corpses. "Wow, w-whoa." "That''s... amazing." The children inside the curtain, who had been watching the ughter of the demonic beasts, let out low exmations of amazement. "...Who are you?" Even Cami stood with her mouth agape, as if she couldn''t believe what she''d just witnessed. "We don''t have time to be surprised." The main gate was still crowded with people trying to escape and the horde of demonic beasts chasing them. Iris''s ''curtain'' might notst long, so we needed to get out of here as soon as possible. "Over here! This way! Please evacuate this way!" Just then, I saw Professor Morpheus running toward us in a hurry. "Don''t go out the main gate! Head to the dining hall annex! We''ve set up a temporary shelter there!" It seemed that the professors had banded together to create a safe zone. I turned to Iris and spoke. "Let''s go to the dining hall." "Oh, yes!" As Iris began to gather the children to follow Professor Morpheus, one child suddenly cried out in a panic. "N-no! Leo hasn''te back yet!" At those words, I nced at the children and noticed Leo was missing. "Weren''t you with him?" "H-he went to the bathroom earlier, but then the demonic beasts suddenly appeared...." "...Damn it." Even the nearest bathroom was quite a distance from here. "I''ll go get him." "I-I''lle with you!" "No. Iris, you take the children and follow Professor Morpheus." Moving as a group in this situation would only cause more trouble. "But...." "Don''t worry about me. Cami, take care of Iris and the children." "...Understood." With a heavy expression, Cami nodded. I quickly headed toward the bathroom after sending Iris and Cami off with Professor Morpheus. "Brother!" Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, I found Leo hiding in a corner as soon as I reached the bathroom, having pushed my mana to its limit. "Sniff...! T-the demonic beasts just suddenly...!" "Calm down and get a hold of yourself." "W-what about the others?" "Iris and Cami took them to a safe ce." "Oh...." Leo''s expression brightened considerably at the news that the other children were safe. "Let''s head to the dining hall. The professors will protect us there." "O-okay!" With Leo in tow, I made my way to the dining hall annex. "Haaaah!" There, Professor Lucas, exuding a red aura from his entire body, was fiercely fighting off the horde of demonic beasts. Behind Lucas, I could see Professor Bianca, Professor Jade, and several other professors battling the demonic beasts. "Professor!" "Dale! You''re safe!" Upon spotting me, Professor Lucas crushed a demonic beast''s head with his axe and approached me. "I''m fine. But where is Professor Morpheus?" "Professor Morpheus?" "Yes, Professor Morpheus should have brought Iris and the children here by now." "...What are you talking about?" Professor Lucas furrowed his brow and shook his head. "Professor Morpheus hasn''t been here." "...What?" Hasn''t been here? "I don''t know what he''s doing or where he is, but he hasn''t shown his face since earlier." "......" The demonic beasts are rampaging through the school, yet he hasn''t even shown up? The man in charge of managing the sealing ceremony? "...Wait a minute." Suddenly, a memory shed through my mind. -I''ve been so busy preparing for the sealing ceremonytely that I haven''t had time to focus on anything else. -Oh, that''s right. You''re in charge of the sealing ceremony this time, aren''t you? -Yes. Issuing permits for the merchants, scheduling the events... Ugh, it''s exhausting. It was Professor Morpheus who issued the permits to the merchants who came for the sealing ceremony. And then... The "merchants" who entered the school became demonic beasts, creating the current chaos. "Damn it." I clenched my teeth and stomped the ground hard. ''So it was you.'' The Archdeacon of Dreams, Astaroth. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 35: The Will (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 35: The Will (4) I recalled that day. The day the sky turned crimson. I remembered the warmth growing cold as ity in my arms. "Why...?" The battle with the army of the Demon God. In a battle that had tipped overwhelmingly against us, I realized we could not win and told myrades to flee, leaving me behind. It wasn¡¯t some grand gesture of heroic sacrifice, worthy of praise. After all, I was an immortal being who would soon revive even if I died. I thought it was the right choice if my life could buy us a way out of that crisis. Of course, if the Demon God¡¯s army captured me, it wouldn¡¯t just end with the loss of my life. Unspeakable torture and pain would surely follow. But, what of it? Pain doesn¡¯t kill. Suffering doesn¡¯t bring an end. Even if my body is torn apart, set aze, or scattered as dust. I do not die. And so. I had noints about being the one left behind to act as bait. In fact, I thought it was a wise and intelligent decision. Until Iris, whom I thought had fled, came back to save me. "Why... Why did you do it! Why did youe back?!" I cried out, looking at Iris as she bled, gasping for breath. I had assumed she had fled with the others, but without my knowing, Iris had returned and used a "miracle" at the cost of her own life. To save mine, of all people. Why, why, why, why, why. Questions filled my mind. She returned to save my life? How could that be a reasonable action? To me, life is like a pebble scattered along the riverside. Countless in number, something no one would care about if it disappeared, something that could be discarded at any time. That was the value of my life. And yet. She sacrificed her life to save such a worthless pebble? Why would she make such a meaningless, utterly foolish choice? "Heh, heh." She gently stroked my tear-streaked cheek and opened her mouth with great effort. "I''m... so d." "d? d about what? What could possibly be d about this?" There was nothing to be d about. She would lose her life due to the aftermath of using the miracle, humanity would lose the hope known as the "Saint," and the Demon God¡¯s army would be even more rampant. And in exchange, all we gained was my one life. One life out of thousands, tens of thousands, of deaths. How could she say she was "d" in such a situation? But. Even so. "I''m... really... d." She said that and smiled brightly. As if she had no regrets or remorse. So peacefully. She closed her eyes. * * * A space shrouded in a purple veil. Within the barrier, even the horrific screams and howls that echoed through the school could not be heard. With her light pink hair, the Saint of the Seven Stars was gasping for breath, ring fiercely at the man before her. "...You bastard." A curse that one would never expect from the mouth of a saint. "Oh dear, isn¡¯t it a bit much to say such things to your professor?" The man with dark brown hair and a gentle demeanor smiled brightly as he looked at the panting saint. "Shut up! Someone like you isn¡¯t a professor!" "Ha ha. Please don¡¯t use such harsh words." Morpheus smirked bitterly, shrugging his shoulders. "Doesn¡¯t it just make me want to torment you more?" Snap. With a flick of Morpheus¡¯s fingers, a purple aura enveloped her body. "Aaaah!" A scream burst forth. Iris felt her entire body being crushed and copsed to one knee. "You''ve been noisy for a while now." Clicking his tongue, Morpheus shook his head. "Can¡¯t you be quiet, like Cadet Cami over there?" Morpheus¡¯s gaze shifted to where Cami, the orphanage children, and Priest Antonioy copsed on the ground with dazed eyes, as if drugged. "Ugh." Iris gritted her teeth, enduring the agony that gripped her body, and red fiercely at Morpheus. At that moment. Iris''s eyes, ring at Morpheus, turned rainbow-colored, and the purple aura that had been wrapping around her body dissipated into smoke. "Huff, huff!" Freed from the aura, Iris gasped for breath. "Ha. Just by ''looking,'' you can neutralize my magic... Truly, the power of the Seven Eyes is more astonishing every time I see it." A deep greed glinted in Morpheus¡¯s eyes. "You can¡¯t even imagine the efforts I¡¯ve put in to obtain those eyes." "Ha, and those efforts included unleashing demonic beasts during the festival?" "No. Originally, this incident wasn¡¯t part of my n. I don¡¯t particrly like such barbaric methods." Morpheus sighed, shaking his head in disappointment. "But some unknown troublemaker has thrown a wrench in my ns. I truly feel sorry for you, Candidate Iris." "...What do you mean by ''sorry''?" "I originally nned to slowly take them away without causing any pain, so that you wouldn''t even know the cause." The n that had been carefully prepared over a long time was shattered in an instant by the sudden appearance of an uninvited guest. "In the end, I have no choice but to take the ''Seven Eyes'' through rather rough means." "Rough means...?" "Physical extraction." Morpheus uttered the most cruel words with the same gentle smile he always wore. Iris''s face turned pale. "W-What are you saying right now?" "Hmm? Was that difficult to understand? I meant that I will be taking your eyeballs, Cadet Iris. Look, I even brought the tools." Morpheus pulled out a round metallic object shaped like a spoon from his pocket. The tool, which resembled something used to scoop out ice cream, had a sharp de on the end. "If you just plunge this in and scoop it up, you can cleanly extract the eyeballs." "......" "Compared to absorbing the power magically, there''s a significant risk that some of the power within the ''Seven Eyes'' will be lost, but... given the situation, there''s no choice." While it was important to fully absorb the power of the ''Seven Eyes,'' what was even more important was erasing the ''Seven Eyes'' from this world. "The power you possess is too much of an obstacle to our cause." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "...Your cause?" "Haha, when ites to a demon''s cause, there''s only one, isn''t there?" The resurrection of the Demon God, who was sealed away 500 years ago by the five great heroes. "When the seal is broken, those wretched heroes... and your detestable Seven Gods will disappear from this world." Morpheus spread his arms, his face alight with a drugged-like excitement. "How about it? Now do you understand why I''m going to such lengths to obtain your eyes?" "...You crazy bastard." Iris red at Morpheus with fierce eyes. "Well, curse me all you want. It''s not like anything will change because of it." Morpheus moved forward, still wearing that gentle smile on his lips. "Don''t, don''te any closer!" "You would be better off staying still. If you try to resist poorly..." Snap. Morpheus snapped his fingers once again. A wide purple demonic energy spread out, covering the bodies of the fallen children and Cami like a nket. "Your precious people will die." "You, you bastard! If youy even a finger on Cami and the kids, I will never let you...!" "Haha, just joking, just joking. No need to get so angry." Morpheus chuckled, his shoulders shaking withughter. "...Joking?" "That bit about them dying if you resist. Doesn''t that sound like something a cheap viin would say? The situation seemed appropriate, so I thought I''d say it, but don''t take it too seriously." "......" "Even if you don''t resist, everyone here will die anyway. Oh, of course. Including you, Cadet Iris." "What are you saying now...?" "Isn''t it obvious?" Morpheus smiled with gentle eyes. "Didn''t you learn at school? ''Demons must be killed without mercy.'' If that''s the case, the opposite is also true." If heroes are the enemies of demons, then demons are the enemies of heroes. "W-Wait! Then the children have nothing to do with this!" "Hmm? Now that you mention it, that''s true. But is there really any need to bother with such details?" Morpheus chuckled and took another step forward. "The fact that they were just unlucky enough to be here today is reason enough to die, isn''t it?" "......" Iris bit her lip, her face pale and drawn. Until now, she had only read about demons in books. But now, the vivid malice of a demon in human form was suffocating her. "Ah, uh." Click, click, click. Trembling with fear that consumed her like poison, her body shook uncontrobly. ''I''m scared.'' Though she was called a saint and worshipped by many, behind that title, she was still just a 20-year-old woman who hadn''t even graduated from school. "P-Please, someone, help me..." Why was it that, in this moment, it wasn''t the face of her professors that came to mind, but that of a fellow cadet? "Haha, I understand how you feel, but no one wille to help you. The barrier surrounding us is made from literal lifeblood." Morpheus smiled contentedly as he nced at the purple curtain around them. "Made from lifeblood? You don''t mean..." "About 200 people, maybe? Each one of them was a cherished subordinate... what a shame." Morpheus shrugged nonchntly. "You... you''re insane." "Compared to the value of the Seven Eyes, that kind of sacrifice is nothing." He could offer much more if it meant obtaining the eyes blessed by the Seven Gods. "Now, let''s begin." Morpheus roughly grabbed Iris by the chin. "If you struggle, it''ll hurt more, so try to endure it, okay?" Just as the sharp edge of the de neared her eye, Thud. A ripple spread through the purple barrier, as if a drop had fallen into a calmke. "Hmm? Has someone found the barrier?" But what does it matter if they did? "The ''Veil of Illusion'' would take at least an hour for all the professors of the magic department to dispel..." "An hour, my ass." Boom! A white lightning bolt shot through the purple barrier, striking down toward Morpheus. "Tsk!" Morpheus clicked his tongue and hastily retreated. The hand holding the tool was half-severed, blood spurting out. "...What the!" Morpheus stared in disbelief, eyes wide. Standing before Iris, as if shielding her, was a cadet with dark gray hair. "I finally found you, bastard." Deep green eyes red at him. "There you are." Dale moved toward Morpheus¡ªor rather, Astaroth¡ªwith a fierce grin twisting his lips. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 36: The Will (5) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 36: The Will (5) "How...?" Astaroth stared at the gray-haired cadet with wide eyes, disbelief written across his face. As previously mentioned, the "Veil of Illusions" enveloping this area was a barrier that even all the professors of the Magic Department together would struggle to undo. It wasn''t because the professors of the Hero School were ipetent, but because Astaroth''s sacrifice to create this barrier was beyond extraordinary. A barrier woven with the lives of 200 demons as a sacrifice. Just being near this veil would engulf one in illusions and trap them in endless visions and fantasies. How could someone break through such a barrier so easily? "You said it yourself, didn''t you? Illusions don''t work on me." "..." Astaroth recalled a lesson from a few weeks ago. The illusion magic that had vanished like a bundle of papers thrown into roaring mes. Even though he had restrained his power considerably since it was just a lesson, the illusion had broken too easily. Yes. It was as if... As if it were imbued with the divine power of the "Seven Eyes" of the Saintess. Astaroth let out an involuntary chuckle at the thought that crossed his mind. That couldn''t be possible. How could a mere cadet, and one who had been the bottom-ranked cadet for two years since entering the academy, possess divine power? "Indeed... while I don''t know the exact reason, it seems illusions don''t affect you at all." If even the Veil of Illusions, created with the lives of 200 demons, was pierced so easily, it was safe to assume that the person was immune to illusions altogether. "This puts you in a bit of a tough spot, doesn''t it?" "Oh? You speak as if you know me well." "I do know you well." With a deep voice, I spoke the name of the demon in front of me. "The Archbishop of Illusions, Astaroth." "...!" "Wha... what did you say, Dale?" Iris eximed in shock, her eyes wide open. She had realized that Professor Morpheus was a demon when he cast the purple veil and used illusion magic to knock out Cami and the children. But she had never imagined he was one of the six archbishops, standing at the pinnacle of all demons. "Hmm? Oh, I see." Astaroth nodded as if he had just figured something out. "So, it was you? The one who messed up my ns." "Who knows? All I did was deal with a few fools who were hammering nails into perfectly good cave walls." "Haha. Isn''t it a bit shameless to say that after ughtering my precious subordinates?" "Precious subordinates, you say?" What nonsense. "They weren''t precious subordinates; they were tools to inject curses into the ley lines." "Oh? So you knew about that too?" Astaroth''s eyes glinted with interest. "You''re not just any cadet, are you?" "You''re not just any professor either, so let''s call it even." "Hahaha. Alright. It''s always more fun when there''s an unexpected twist like this." It was never a perfect n to begin with. Releasing demonic beasts into the festival to create chaos and steal the "Seven Eyes." Compared to the n he''d been preparing for over several years, this was too bold and reckless. He had anticipated that things wouldn''t go as nned. He had been prepared to take on this level of risk from the start. Though he never imagined that the risk would be a cadet, not a professor. Anyway, the Veil of Illusions had been breached, and an unexpected variable had appeared. A variable that could be considered a nemesis to Astaroth, who mainly used illusion and mind-control magic. "An opponent immune to illusions... This is quite troublesome." Astaroth sighed deeply, shaking his head. Fighting an opponent immune to illusions was like asking a swordsman who had trained with a sword their whole life to fight barehanded. "But." A dark smile spread across Astaroth''s face. The Stigma of the demon god on his left chest glowed, and an ominous purple light spread wide, like wings unfolding. "That doesn''t mean the oue will change." Even if his primary weapon, illusions, was sealed, he was still an "Archbishop," ruling over tens of thousands of demons. Buzzzzzz! The wide-spread purple light vibrated fiercely. Waves of purple light surged toward Dale. "Hold on tight." "Huh? Kyaa!" Dale pulled Iris close and urgently stomped his foot. Berald¡¯s Martial Arts. Wind Step. As mana flowed through his entire body, it felt as light as a feather. By strongly emitting mana from both feet... Whoosh! His body lightly floated into the air as if he had stepped on nothingness, moving away. Crack! The purple light swept away the spot where they had just stood, and the ground twisted as if y was being pressed from both sides. The power from just a mana release was this strong? I clicked my tongue as I looked at the twisted ground. Astaroth''s attack wasn''t even magic; it was a simple release of mana. It was just a matter of pouring physical force into mana and releasing it as is. It was a simple spell that even first-year cadets in the Magic Department could do, but the enormous mana¡ªor rather, the demonic energy¡ªAstaroth possessed turned even that simple spell into something as powerful as a siege weapon. "Stay here." "Wa-wait, Dale! You''re not thinking of fighting the Archbishop, are you?" "And if I don''t?" "Uh, well... We could call the professors or something." "Even if we call them, they won''t be able to get in because of that veil." While I could break through the Veil of Illusions easily because illusions didn''t affect him, the other professors were different. It was impossible to escape with Iris outside the veil. Astaroth wouldn''t just sit by and watch them escape, and there was no way I could leave Cami and the orphanage children who were lying unconscious here. That left only one choice. To defeat Astaroth here. "I''ll take care of him, so create a barrier to protect Cami and the kids." "But..." Iris tried to argue, but when she looked at Cami and the children, who were lying unconscious with dazed eyes, she bit her lip. "...Please, Dale." "Leave it to me." I took a step toward Astaroth. With his arms leisurely crossed, Astaroth looked at me, letting out a sneeringugh. ¡°Done ying the hero?¡± ¡°Not quite.¡± I pulled out a ss bottle filled with a blue liquid from my pocket and gulped it down. My heart pounded wildly as if it were malfunctioning, and a fierce surge of mana coursed through my entire body. Clink. The sound of the empty ss bottle shattering as it hit the ground echoed. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Now, the real fight begins.¡± Boom! A deafening explosion shook the air. As the surroundings seemed to stretch and warp, I shot forward. ¡°Tch¡­!¡± Astaroth quickly retreated, rmed by the sudden eleration. I chased after him, swinging my sword fiercely. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± A purple aura spread out like a spider''s web, blocking his path. Boom! As the sword, wrapped in a radiant white light, shed with the purple aura, the earth quaked with a thunderous roar. ¡®As expected, the sheer increase in mana is on a different level.¡¯ Unlike the half-baked Stigma Amplifier I used at the demons'' hideout before, the one made from the Seven-Star Herb and infused with mana was on apletely different scale. ¡®I wish I had more of it.¡¯ Unfortunately, the only Stigma Amplifier I had left was the one I just drank. ¡®I have no choice.¡¯ The duration of the Stigma Amplifier was only 5 minutes. I must defeat Astaroth within that time. ¡®Sun Sword, Sixth Form.¡¯ White Light. Bzzz! A brilliant white light surged from the sword, slicing through the purple aura. ¡°Tch!¡± The white light shot through, grazing Astaroth''s cheek. Blood trickled down from the cut flesh. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± Astaroth let out a low chuckle as he caressed his bleeding cheek. ¡°So, you had a hidden trump card.¡± After drinking the blue liquid from the bottle, Astaroth could feel Dale''s previously meager mana explode in intensity. ¡°This is turning out to be more fun than I expected.¡± With a deep smile, Astaroth summoned his demonic power. The purple light from his Stigma surged forward, aiming at Dale with ferocious intent. ¡°Hmph!¡± Boom! Crack! Rumble! The shing sword and magic created a massive shockwave as the white light and purple aura intertwined. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Iris hastily created a protective barrier to shield Cami and the children from the shockwave. ¡°Dale!¡± The battle was so fast and intense that it was impossible to follow with the naked eye, making it unthinkable for anyone to intervene. Despite facing off against an Archbhishop, Dale was holding his ground, continuing the fierce battle. ¡®Incredible.¡¯ She had a vague sense that Dale was strong, but to think he could fight an Archbhishop without being overwhelmed. ¡®If it¡¯s Dale, maybe¡­¡¯ Just as she thought he might actually defeat the Archbhishop. Crack! A chilling sound of something breaking, and a hole the size of a human head appeared in Dale''s chest. ¡°¡­Ah?¡± Blood poured from the gaping wound in his chest. It was as if time had stopped. Dale¡¯s figure, copsing like a puppet with its strings cut, was seared into her mind. ¡°D-Dale¡­?¡± She called out his name in a trembling voice, but there was no way someone with a hole the size of a head in their chest could respond. ¡°No, no¡­.¡± Iris¡¯s legs gave out, and she crumpled to the ground. ¡°No, no, noooo!!!¡± Seeing Dale lying lifeless on the ground, her mind went nk, and a soul-wrenching scream filled the air. ¡°Haah, haah. You exceeded my expectations.¡± Astaroth panted heavily, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. He had suspected from the beginning that Dale wasn''t an ordinary candidate, but he never imagined he would be strong enough to inflict a wound on him. ¡®A candidate who could put most professors to shame.¡¯ At this point, he thought it would have been easier to face a bloodthirsty beast or the descendant of a grand sage. ¡°Phew. But I managed to deal with him.¡± The n he had prepared to obtain the ¡®Seven Eyes.¡¯ Although unexpected variables had deviated the n from its original course, the destination remained unchanged. ¡°Well then.¡± He turned his head toward Iris, who was sobbing on the ground. ¡°Shall I savor the sweet fruits of victory?¡± Every time he looked into Iris''s tearful eyes, he had a burning desire to obtain the ¡®Seven Eyes¡¯. As he indulged in his desire and took a step forward. ¡°Hm?¡± Out of nowhere, gray ashes brushed against his cheek and scattered. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 37: The Will (6) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 37: The Will (6) "...Ashes?" Astaroth frowned as he watched the gray ashes swirling in the air. There was no reason for ashes to be flying around, especially when no fire magic had been used. It wasn¡¯t dust, but ashes¡ªwhy? "Where did this...?" Before he could finish his thought, a fist came flying from behind, striking Astaroth''s face with brute force. "Ugh!" The impact rattled his brain, and Astaroth was pushed back. "What...?" Astaroth, blood dripping from his nose, red fiercely at Dale, who hadnded the punch. How was it possible for someone to survive the injury he had just inflicted? ''No.'' A hole the size of a head had been sted through Dale¡¯s chest. His heart, along with his lungs, should have beenpletely destroyed by the burst of demonic energy. So how was he still alive? And more importantly... ''The wound is gone.'' The gaping hole in Dale''s chest had somehow vanished, leaving his bodypletely restored. "Hah." A soft, incredulousugh escaped Astaroth¡¯s lips. "A power that can heal a wound like that instantly, even with the heart and lungs ripped out." There weren¡¯t many powers in the world capable of such an absurd feat. "It must be a ¡®blessing.¡¯" A blessing from the gods, something only a rare few heroes were known to possess. Now Astaroth understood why that gray-haired candidate had been so confident even when facing a ¡®Archbishop.¡¯ "So, you had more than one trick up your sleeve." He had thought the mysterious blue liquid in the ss bottle was the extent of Dale''s hidden cards, but who would have guessed he also possessed a blessing? "This is... not the kind of interesting turn of events I was hoping for. Ah, could you at least tell me the name of the blessing? I''ve never seen one that can heal such a fatal wound so quickly." "You sure talk a lot." Dale stomped the ground fiercely, clearly uninterested in engaging in idle chatter. ''No time.'' There were only three minutes left until the effects of the Stigma amplifier wore off. ''Once the effect ends, it''s over.'' Although Dale¡¯s mana had recently increased dramatically after absorbing the First me, it was still nowhere near enough to fight Astaroth, barely reaching even half the level of the other candidates. "Sss..." Dale gathered all the mana increased by the Stigma amplifier and focused it at the tip of his sword. Thepressed mana began absorbing the surrounding light, turning the de pitch ck. Sun Sword. Fifth Form, ck Spot. Though its range was much smaller than the higher form, White Light, its concentrated attack power was significantly stronger. "Raaaah!" With a roar, Dale unleashed thepressed mana in a single point. The ckened sword hurtled towards Astaroth with ferocious speed. "Khh!" Astaroth hastily retreated, enveloping himself in a barrier of demonic energy. However... Krrrrk! Crack! The concentrated magic tore through the violet barrier encasing Astaroth, piercing his heart. No, to be precise... "Hah. That was really close." Astaroth only thought his heart had been pierced. The sword was deflected just before it could reach his chest, blocked by the space that distorted like a mirage. "Honestly... It''s amazing. How can you prate my barrier with that little bit of mana?" Even though his magic had increased explosively after drinking the blue liquid, Dale''s total mana was still rtively low¡ªbarely two or three times the average candidate''s. For Astaroth, it was no more than child''s y. ''If this candidate ever gains more mana...'' Just imagining what kind of monster Dale could be sent a chill down his spine. "But, well... That''s not something I need to worry about right now." What mattered now was obtaining the Seven Eyes, and Dalecked the power to stop him. "Oh, and by the way." Astaroth smiled, a sinister grin spreading across his face. "You¡¯re not the only one with tricks up your sleeve." A menacing glow emanated from Astaroth¡¯s Stigma, and veins bulged grotesquely across his upper body, like the roots of a tree. His violet demonic energy spread like a web, corrupting the surrounding space. The space tainted by his demonic energy began to warp like a heat mirage. "The Blessing of Distortion." Astaroth looked at the distorted space with a twisted smile. "It''s the grace given to me by the Demon God." A blessing that warps the very space it touches with demonic energy. It was a blessing with destructive power, but one that demanded a heavy price. However, against the opponent standing before him, there was no point in holding back. "I never imagined I''d have to go all out against a candidate, not even a professor." Astaroth, with a self-deprecating smile, spread his arms wide. "Let¡¯s see whose blessing is more favored by the gods¡ªyours or mine." With a snap of his fingers, the warped space surged towards Dale. Crack! Crunch! His limbs twisted. His skull caved in, spilling brain matter. His crushed organs spilled out through his shattered ribs. "Kyaaaah! Dale, no!" Iris''s scream echoed through the dreamlike barrier once more. There was no doubt that he had died instantly. Dale''s body, now reduced to a mere lump of flesh, rolled helplessly across the ground. "Now, let''s see youe back from that." No matter how miraculous a blessing one might have, it seemed impossible for someone to return from being reduced to a lump of flesh. Confident in this belief, Astaroth leisurely turned his gaze away from Dale¡¯s mangled corpse. "As much as you like." Swish! With ashes swirling around him, Dale¡¯s sword shed at Astaroth. "What...!" Astaroth¡¯s eyes widened in shock. "Hah... Do you have some kind of blessing of immortality?" "Who knows." Strictly speaking, it was the Blessing of Revival. The inability to die no matter what was done to him made it effectively no different from a blessing of immortality. "Ridiculous." Astaroth shook his head, his face filled with disbelief. He had suspected it was a formidable blessing when he saw Dale¡¯s heart and lungs regenerate in an instant, but to think he actually possessed an ability that rendered him incapable of dying... ''But...'' Astaroth raised his hand, a cold smirk ying on his lips. "Just because you can''t die... doesn''t mean you can defeat me." Crack! The distorted space sliced Dale¡¯s body in half, separating his upper body from his lower. "Khh!" The wound healed instantly thanks to the Blessing of Revival, but the excruciating pain of having his body split in two lingered, tightening around him like a vice. "I''m curious to see how many times you can keeping back." With a snap of Astaroth¡¯s fingers, the warped space crushed Dale¡¯s body once again. "Damn it...!" Dale cursed under his breath, trying to avoid Astaroth¡¯s attacks, but in a space that waspletely distorted, evading was nearly impossible. And more importantly... "Ugh!" As he thrust his body into the gaps in the warped space, Dale swung his sword at Astaroth. ng! The desperate strike was effortlessly blocked by the barrier of demonic energy and deflected away. ''The Stigma amplifier''s effect has worn off.'' Dale felt the mana that had been boiling within him start to cool and fade, biting his lip in frustration. ¡®The effect of the Stigma elixir has worn off.¡¯ Dale bit his lip as he felt the magic that had been surging through his entire body gradually cool down. The precarious bnce of power that had barely been maintained through the Stigma elixir began to copse rapidly. Crack! Snap! Crunch! With the effect of the Stigma elixir gone, the ensuing battle was one-sided. Every time an attack infused with the Blessing of Distortion wasunched, Dale''s body was shattered, healed, and shattered again. "Ugh!" Suddenly, memories of his past life shed through his mind. Memories of a time when he was powerless. ¡®It was always like this.¡¯ Some might call the blessing that allowed him to revive instantly a cheat-like ability, but Dale knew better than anyone from his previous life experiences that mere "immortality" meant nothing. ¡®Even if there were an immortal ant, it would still just be an ant.¡¯ In the face of overwhelming power, the ability to not die was utterly powerless. "Agh, ugh." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The repeated deaths slowly ate away at Dale''s sanity. The umted pain zed up, consuming his reason like firewood. ¡®It hurts.¡¯ How many times has he died already? How many times have his bones been broken, and his flesh torn apart? ¡°Ha, haha! Amazing! You must have died over a hundred times by now, and yet you can still regenerate!¡± Astarothughed maniacally, stomping his foot. ¡°Come on, why don''t you trying back to life once more?¡± Rumble! A whirlwind of purple demonic energy tore Dale¡¯s body to shreds. His body, torn into dozens of pieces, turned into gray ash, only to regenerate again starting from the heart marked by the Stigma. ¡°Ha, what is this¡­?¡± Astaroth, now beyond astonished, shook his head with a look of disgust. He was about to unleash the demonic energy towards Dale once more when¡ª ¡°Stop! Stop it already!¡± Iris stepped in, standing in front of Astaroth as if to protect Dale. ¡°That¡¯s enough¡­ Haven¡¯t you done enough already?¡± ¡°Hm. But Dale''s life hasn¡¯t ended yet, has it?¡± ¡°Was your goal to kill Dale?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Astaroth swallowed his words as if Iris had struck a nerve. He clicked his tongue as he looked down at the fallen Dale. ¡°I wanted to test how far the blessing couldst¡­ but it seems that will have to wait for another time.¡± Astaroth turned his gaze away from Dale and started walking towards Iris. ¡°Stop¡­ Still¡­¡± Dale, who had barely managed to rise after being torn apart and resurrected, stumbled and fell again, unable to maintain his bnce. Watching Astaroth approach Iris, Dale gritted his teeth in frustration. His mana was long depleted, and the umted exhaustion made it hard to even stay on his feet. ¡°Damn it.¡± He thought that he would live a new life after returning to the past. He had resolved to walk a different path from his previous life. ¡®And yet, I¡¯m still in this miserable state.¡¯ Even if he struggled to the point of losing his life, like a pebble discarded by the riverbank¡ª Even if his legs were crushed and mangled as he thrashed about¡ª ¡®This time too, again¡­¡¯ He would fail to save anything. He would fail to protect anyone. Just the same as before. Unchanged. He could do nothing but watch helplessly as someone dear to him died right before his eyes. ¡°Dale¡­¡± Iris, who had been looking at Astaroth approaching her, sighed in relief, ncing back at Dale. A faint smile yed on her lips as she murmured softly. ¡°¡­Thank goodness.¡± Her voice was so calm, as if she had no regrets or hesitation. She spoke as if at peace. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Like a lightning strike, Dale¡¯s mind went nk. ¡®Thank goodness?¡¯ For what? What was she thankful for? Iris was now at risk of losing not only her ¡°seven eyes¡± but also her life. If he had done nothing, she would have only lost her eyes. Because of him. Because of him. She was experiencing a hell far worse than in their previous life. And yet¡­ ¡®How¡­ how can she say she¡¯s thankful?¡¯ His thoughts tangled like a knotted ball of thread. He couldn¡¯t understand. He couldn¡¯t ept it. Why didn¡¯t she run away in their past life? Why was she just standing still now, and instead blocking Astaroth? She had seen with her own eyes that he woulde back to life no matter what. She knew that his life was as insignificant as a pebble by the riverbank. ¡®Why, why, why, why?¡¯ Why was she able to say ¡°thank goodness¡± at the end? ¡°Ugh, ugh.¡± Dale staggered to his feet. Though he had no more mana left in his body¡ª Though his mind was in tatters, like a torn piece of cloth¡ª Though simply breathing sent waves of pain ripping through his lungs¡ª Even so¡ª ¡°Thank goodness¡­ you say?¡± He stood up. With trembling legs, he nted his feet on the ground, and with shaking hands, he gripped his sword. ¡°Who are you to say¡­ it¡¯s thankful?¡± Why she said ¡°thank goodness¡± at the end, he didn¡¯t know. He probably would never understand the reason. ¡®But there¡¯s one thing I do know.¡¯ ¡®Iris saved my life.¡¯ Even if it was just one among thousands, tens of thousands of lives. Even if it was just one insignificant pebble by the riverbank. She sacrificed her life to save his. So now¡ª Fwoosh! mes began to engulf his entire body, wrapping around the Stigma. The depleted mana roared back to life, seething like moltenva. ¡°Now it¡¯s my turn.¡± Boom! With a resounding explosion, the sword in his hand burst into mes. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 38: The Will (7) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 38: The Will (7) Fwoooosh! The mes roared. Fierce mes, as if they would devour the entire world, raged violently. Gray ashes swirled around the zing fire. "What the...!" Astaroth urgently invoked the Blessing of Distortion, watching the greedy mes approach. A violet aura spread out like a spiderweb, consuming the space. The distorted space became a massive shield that enveloped Astaroth. And then¡ª Crash! Crack! Shatter! The sh between the distorted space and the sword. The sword, which had previously been helplessly deflected by the distorted space, began to push through the space itself with overwhelming power. The more the power surged, the more ferociously the mes burned. The sword, engulfed in mes, sliced through the distorted space. "This is insane...!" Without even time to exim, Dale''s sword pierced through the split space like a beam of light. sh! "Aaaaargh!" An excruciating pain spread from the severed left arm. Astaroth clutched the bleeding stump of his left arm and urgently retreated. "Damn it!" Astaroth, who had once been calm and collected, now spat out harsh curses. He red at Dale, who was engulfed in mes, with explosive fury. "I''m so sick of this!" He had expected some variables. ns never go exactly as intended. ''But this is ridiculous!'' Breaking through the Veil of Illusion, which had been conjured at the cost of 200 subordinates'' lives, in an instant. A mere candidate possessing power far beyond any professor. After somehow killing him, he suddenly resurrects in no time. ''I thought he''d be out of mana by now, so he wouldn''t be able to interfere this time.'' But now, out of nowhere, mes were erupting from his body, spewing mana in all directions? ''What kind of freak is this?'' Astaroth looked at Dale with an incredulous expression. It was as if the entire world was conspiring against him. "Ugh..." As Astaroth held his severed arm, confused by the sudden situation¡ª "Hah." Dale, too, looked down at his me-covered body with a simrly bewildered expression. ''What is this?'' Even though he was engulfed in mes, there was no pain. His clothes hadn''t turned to ashes, nor had his skin been burned. ''Is this the Primordial me?'' If the mes engulfing his body were indeed the Primordial me... Why was it now, after countless failed attempts, suddenly enveloping him and burning so fiercely? ''But that''s not the issue right now.'' Pushing aside the questions in his mind, Dale turned his gaze towards Iris. "D-Dale!" Iris''s eyes widened as she watched him engulfed in mes. Dale strode over to her. "How did this happen... Eek!" He lightly smacked Iris on the head with his fist. She sped the spot with both hands, tears welling up in her eyes. "W-What was that for?!" "I told you earlier to stay put, didn''t I?" "But!" "No buts." Dale sighed deeply and stood protectively in front of Iris. "Don''t get involved this time. Stay here." "...Okay." Iris nodded with a sullen expression. Dale turned his back on her and faced Astaroth. Thud. At that moment, Astaroth''s severed left arm, lying on the ground, touched Dale''s foot. In Astaroth''s left hand was a tool bent like a spoon. ''The tool he said he would use to gouge out Iris''s eyes.'' Dale''s heated mind cooled down instantly. ''If not for the Primordial me, Iris''s eyes would have been gouged out by now.'' The mes surrounding his body spread to his heart. Whoosh, whoosh. The fire that spread within him turned into a massive fire demon, ready to devour the world. "Astaroth." Dale spoke to Astaroth, who was watching him warily. "Earlier, you said we should see who is more loved by the gods, didn''t you?" ording to the records, the Primordial me was a power created by the Demon God. Well, the Demon God was still a god like the seven deities, wasn''t it? "Come on, don''t just stand there. Let''s finish what we started." Boom! Dale stomped the ground and spread the overflowing mana from the stigma throughout his body. The mana surged through his veins, threatening to burst them. For someone like Dale, who had suffered from chronic mana deficiency in both his past and present lives, it was a sensation he had never experienced before. ''I don''t know why the Primordial me suddenly started moving, but...'' He had a rough idea of why his stigma was now overflowing with mana. ''They said the Primordial me creates mana as it burns the Tree of Creation.'' In other words, The Primordial me has the ability to generate mana as it burns something. ''If that''s the case, then what is the "something" that the Primordial me is currently burning...?'' Isn''t it obvious? Dale looked down at the mes engulfing his body and chuckled. "I never thought I''d end up as firewood." The Primordial me was burning his body to generate mana. As proof, there was no gray ash swirling around the fierce mes¡ªthe kind of ash that usually appeared when the Blessing of Revival was active. ''If the Primordial me is using my life force as fuel to generate mana...'' In theory, It means that as long as the Primordial me burns, it can generate nearly infinite mana. "Hah." A thrilling sense of omnipotence flowed down Dale''s spine. His body felt light as if he had shed the heavy shackles that had bound him. He instinctively knew. The techniques he had only been able to imitate until now, Everything he had endlessly practiced in the white snowfields, ''Now...'' He could fully unleash them. "I''ming." Rumble! With a light step, the ground trembled as if an earthquake had struck. The distance between them closed in an instant. Astaroth, who was retreating with wide-open eyes, found a fist flying towards him. It was a Berald¡¯s Martial Art, Mountain Breaking. Boom! A deafening roar apanied by a terrifying gust of wind swept through the surroundings. ¡°You... madman!¡± Astaroth spat out a curse in disbelief, using the Blessing of Distortion. For a moment, the distorted space blocked the gust of wind, but it was quickly prated. Astaroth¡¯s body was caught in the wind and flung backward. "Ugh!" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Coughing up blood, Astaroth fell to the ground. "Huff, huff!" Breathing heavily, he staggered to his feet. ncing at Iris in the distance, he bit his lip hard. ¡°...Damn it.¡± The illusions and the Blessing of Distortion had both failed. He had no means left to face this immortal monster. ¡®I¡¯ll give up on the Seven Eyes.¡¯ Though uncertain when another opportunity to obtain the Seven Eyes might arise, he knew staying would only lead to a pointless death. ¡°Dale Han,¡± Astaroth snarled, contorting his face with rage. ¡°I will remember your name. Mark my words.¡± Snap. With a snap of his remaining fingers, the purple veil surrounding them disappeared. The cool night air rushed in, revealing the darkened sky above. Astaroth turned to leave the school grounds when¡ª ¡°Where do you think you''re going?¡± As Dale lightly stomped the ground, mes enveloped him and spread out, forming a barrier around them. ¡°Is this... a barrier?¡± Astaroth stared at the wall of mes, his mouth agape. No way. Now he was even using barrier magic? ¡°Aren¡¯t you a candidate for the Warrior Division?¡± ¡°Why? Is there a rule that says warriors can¡¯t use magic?¡± ¡°...¡± Astaroth fell silent, as if he couldn''t even think of a retort. ¡°Not only do you have the Blessing of Immortality, but you¡¯re skilled in swordsmanship, martial arts, and magic as well...?¡± The sound of his teeth grinding in frustration echoed. ¡°Seriously, this is... bullshit.¡± Astaroth muttered a rough curse, clutching his head in disbelief. ¡°Do you know no bounds?! How is this even possible?!¡± Astaroth¡¯s scream was close to a desperate cry. It wasn¡¯t hard to understand his frustration. As the ¡®Archbishop¡¯ who ruled over thousands and tens of thousands of demons, the idea of being cornered like this by a mere candidate, not even a professor, must have been unthinkable. In fact, considering the immense power an Archbishop wielded, even if all the professors of the school fought him together, they probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to keep him from escaping. ¡®But.¡¯ So what? ¡°Earlier, you said that the kids from the orphanage had no reason to die other than being unlucky enough to be there today, right?¡± I remembered hearing those words from beyond the veil when I first arrived at the scene searching for Astaroth. ¡°It¡¯s the same for you.¡± I raised my sword, a fierce grin tugging at my lips as I aimed it at Astaroth. ¡°You were just unlucky enough to meet me today.¡± Isn¡¯t that reason enough? ¡°W-wait! If you kill me...!¡± Before Astaroth could finish his desperate plea, I channeled my overflowing mana into my sword. Whoosh! The mes surrounding me surged even higher, climbing up the de of my sword. Though I had wielded a sword countless times before, this was a new and unfamiliar sensation, sending a thrilling shiver through my body. ¡°Hah.¡± A dryugh escaped my lips as a brief conversation from my past life suddenly came to mind¡ªa conversation I¡¯d had with a close friend. ¡®You know, Dale? They say that when you reach the pinnacle of swordsmanship, you can cut through the sky with just your sword, no mana required.¡¯ ¡®You were wrong, Yuren.¡¯ I gripped my sword tighter. The feeling I couldn¡¯t grasp when I was struggling with insufficient mana was now vividly clear. It felt like wings had sprouted from my back, and all the things I couldn¡¯t do before now yed out clearly in my mind. Sun Sword, Ninth Form, Twilight. The ming sword split the sky in two. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 39: Interlude – Thank Goodness [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 39: Interlude ¨C Thank Goodness Inside the infirmary located on the Hero Academy grounds. The infirmary was mainly used by candidates who were injured during training or fell ill. Inside, there was a private recovery room that could only be used by paying a specific ''donation''. Although it was called a donation, it was practically a usage fee, so not many candidates used the private recovery room. And right now, I was lying in that very ''private recovery room'' wearing a patient''s gown. ''Never in my life did I imagine I would end up using a private recovery room.'' An immortal monster who revives even after dying and a private recovery room¡ªthere couldn¡¯t be a more mismatchedbination. ¡°Sigh.¡± I sighed deeply and turned my head toward the woman sitting on a chair by the bed, humming a tune while peeling fruit. With light pink hair, a high nose, a slender jawline, and gentle eyes, she had all the appearances of a saint, blessed by the Seven Gods. And more than anything, she had a pair of ¡®blessed pouches¡¯ that took up nearly half of my field of vision. Noticing my gaze, the saintess paused in her fruit peeling. ¡°Where are you looking so intently?¡± ¡°At the blessed pouches.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°Oh, sorry. I was staring at your chest, Iris.¡± ¡°W-What did you say?¡± Startled, Iris hurriedly covered her chest with her arms, ring at me with narrowed eyes. ¡°¡­You pervert.¡± ¡°Well, I mean, it¡¯s hard not to notice when it¡¯s covering half my view. Unless I talk to you with my back turned, I can¡¯t help but see it.¡± ¡°Hehe, so you were pretending all this time, but you¡¯re just a man after all, huh?¡± She only covered her chest for a moment before she smirked and puffed out her chest again, letting her arms drop. Once again, my vision was darkened by her overwhelming bosom. I averted my eyes from the overflowing blessings held within Iris¡¯s chest and sat up in bed. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m leaving. My body¡¯s all healed.¡± To be precise, my body was fine from the moment Iris forced me into the recovery room. ¡°Didn''t I tell you that you need to rest?¡± ¡°And I¡¯ve been resting here for the past few days.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do. You need to stay a bit longer.¡± Iris shook her head firmly. I sighed deeply before speaking. ¡°You know what kind of blessing I have, right?¡± ¡°Well¡­.¡± She had seen it herself several times during my fight with Astaroth¡ªthe ''Blessing of Revival'' that allows me toe back to life even after dying. ¡°But you were in so much pain back then!¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I died too many times in such a short period.¡± Even if the blessing revived my body, the lost magic and mental energy did not return. No matter how many deaths I had experienced, going through over a hundred deaths in less than ten minutes would leave me copsed, just like that time. ¡°That¡¯s why you need to rest even more!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve rested enough.¡± ¡°But still¡­.¡± Iris trailed off, tugging at the cor of my patient gown as she spoke again. ¡°Just one more day. Can¡¯t you rest just one more day?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Honestly, there wasn¡¯t anything left for me to recover from. But seeing Iris on the verge of tears, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to reject her and walk out of the recovery room. ¡°Sigh. Fine. I¡¯ll rest until tomorrow.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Nothing to thank me for. By the way, how much was the recovery room fee¡­ I mean, the donation?¡± ¡°I took care of it, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Nope. You just focus on recovering like a good patient.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± I keep telling her there¡¯s nothing left to recover from. ¡°By the way¡­ is it really okay?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°To hide Professor Morpheus¡¯s true identity.¡± After killing Astaroth, I asked her not to tell anyone about what had happened there. Not about Professor Morpheus¡¯s true identity as the Archbishop of Illusions, nor about me killing Astaroth. ¡®So the school was informed that Professor Morpheus fled the academy after the incident.¡¯ There were no other witnesses thanks to the Veil of Illusions that Astaroth had cast. The people who had been inside the shroud¡ªCami, Priest Antonio, and the orphanage children¡ªhad mostly lost their memories due to Astaroth¡¯s illusion magic, so it was possible to keep it a secret. ¡°I told you. If this gets out, we¡¯ll be the ones in trouble.¡± Astaroth would be the focus of attention across the continent if it were revealed that she targeted Iris¡¯s ¡®Seven Eyes¡¯ in this incident. Moreover, ''Astaroth said that Iris¡¯s eyes were an obstacle to unsealing the Demon God.'' In other words, if it became known that Iris¡¯s ¡®Seven Eyes¡¯ could hinder the resurrection of the Demon God¡ªthe dream of the demons¡ªthen she would be in grave danger. ¡®For her safety, it¡¯s best to keep this a secret.¡¯ The same goes for the fact that I killed Astaroth. ¡®If it were known that a mere candidate had killed one of the six demons who ruled over thousands or tens of thousands of demons, the entire continent would be turned upside down.¡¯ This wasn¡¯t just a matter of hiding my strength. The moment this got out, it would be impossible for me to live a normal school life, with all eyes on me. ¡®From others¡¯ perspectives, it would be like a baby who had just learned to walk killed a fully grown adult with their bare hands.¡¯ No. Considering how much fear the title of ¡®Archbishop¡¯ strikes into the hearts of the people on the continent, it would have an even greater impact. ¡®In any case.¡¯ For Iris¡¯s sake, and for mine, it was best to keep this whole matter under wraps. ¡°Sigh. Okay. I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to thank me for. You risked your life to protect me, Dale.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a cheap life thates back even after I die.¡± ¡°No.¡± Iris shook her head sternly. ¡°Even if you have a blessing that brings you back to life, that doesn¡¯t make your life cheap.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ever say your life is cheap again.¡± Iris gently reached out and stroked my cheek. ¡°To me¡­ your life is more precious than any other.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Precious life. I had never heard those words before. My life had never once been ¡®precious.¡¯ Of course not. No matter how many times I died and came back, the word ¡®precious¡¯ didn¡¯t suit my life. ¡®So then, why?¡¯ Why could she say that my life was ¡®precious¡¯? ¡°You asked me why I didn¡¯t just stay put when you were fighting Astaroth, right?¡± ¡°¡­I did.¡± ¡°Well, honestly, I thought the same. I didn¡¯t know exactly what kind of blessing you had, but seeing youe back to life after dying so many times, I thought, at least he won¡¯t die.¡± Right. As she said, I wouldn¡¯t have died. ¡°Then why did you step in?¡± ¡°Well, when I saw you in pain, my body moved on its own.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It wasn¡¯t a wise choice. It wasn¡¯t a smart decision. It wasn¡¯t a logical action. But. ¡°If the same situation happened again, I would step in to protect you just the same.¡± ¡°¡­Even knowing that I wouldn¡¯t die?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± "...Why?" Questions tangled like a twisted thread filled my mind. Why, why, why, why. Why did she sacrifice her life to save mine? "When Astaroth stopped attacking you and turned toward me... do you know what I was thinking?" "...No." Iris lowered the hand that was caressing my cheek and tightly held my hand. "Thank goodness." She wrapped my hand with both of hers and continued in a trembling voice. "Thank goodness you''re alive, Dale. That''s what I thought." "....." "Hehe. Doesn''t that sound familiar?" "What do you mean, familiar?" I tilted my head in confusion as I asked. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Oh my, why are you pretending like it''s the first time you''ve heard it?" Iris poked my nose yfully with a mischievous smile. "It''s what you said to me when you first talked to me, Dale, remember?" "...Ah." I let out an awkward cough at the embarrassing memory from the first day I returned. ''Now that I think about it, I did run up and say I was d without thinking.'' It''s a rather embarrassing memory in hindsight. "Alright, alright, enough chit-chat. I''ll peel some fruit for you, so lie down." "Mm." I swallowed my words andy back down on the bed. Suddenly. The memory of that day shed through my mind again. The day when the sky turned red. The day I heard her final words. ''Did Iris think the same thing back then as she does now?'' I don¡¯t know. And I probably never will. But. What does it matter if I never know? "Say ah, Dale." I looked at Iris, who was holding out a fork with a piece of fruit, and smiled faintly. ''Thank goodness.'' Thank goodness you''re still alive. * * * "...You''re going back?" "Yes." Under the red-stained sky. Golden eyes gleamed fiercely. "Iris. Do you understand what you''re saying?" "I do." "You understand, and yet you''re saying you''ll go back?" Yuren ground his teeth and red at Iris. "Dale sacrificed his life to give us this chance. If we don''t escape now, we''ll all die." "Yes, that''s why I''ll go back alone." "But if you go back now, you''ll die too!" "....." Iris adjusted her ck eyepatch and quietly spoke. "Then... what about Dale?" "Dale is...." A brief silence. Yuren clenched his fists so tightly they could break as he struggled to speak. "Dale... won''t die." "Of course. He has the Blessing of Revival." "Then..." "But if the demons capture him, he''ll suffer unimaginable torment. To the point where death would seem like a mercy." "That''s..." "I can''t leave Dale behind." "You...!" Yuren roughly grabbed Iris by the cor. "Do you think I don''t know that? Huh? Do you think I want to run away and leave Dale behind?" He shouted in anguish. "But you know as well as I do! If we die here..." "The hope of humanity will be gone, right?" "...Yes." Yuren bit his lip so hard that it bled. "If you don''te, I''ll drag you with me, no matter what." "Hah." A coldugh escaped Iris''s lips. "Do you know something?" "...What?" "Until now, I''ve never once cast a healing spell on Dale." "....." "No matter how badly he was hurt, he''d heal anyway. No matter how much pain he was in, he wouldn¡¯t die anyway." Using healing magic for someone else was more ''practical'' than using it to heal Dale. "Even if he died! He''d juste back to life!!!" Not even once. Had she used healing magic for him. "While he died hundreds, thousands of times, I... just stood by and watched." That''s why. She couldn''t tell Dale that his life was valuable. His life wasn''t allowed to be valuable. If his death could save even one more life, that was the right thing to do. "You know what, right? Every time Dale saved someone, there''s always something he says." "....." "Huh? You know it, right? Dale has saved your life more than once." "He says, ''Thank goodness you''re alive.''" "Haha, yeah. He always says that, doesn''t he?" Even though he''d died dozens, hundreds of times. Even though he''d screamed in unimaginable pain countless times. He always says, "Thank goodness you''re alive." Words he himself could never hear. He says them with a bright smile. "I''m going to die in a month." "...Wait. What do you mean you''re going to die in a month? What are you talking about?" "Without the ''Seven Eyes,'' I¡¯ve overused the gods'' blessing. It¡¯s a miracle I¡¯vested this long." "....." "I was hiding it because I didn''t want Dale to worry, but there''s no need to hide it anymore." Iris spoke with a sad smile. "Even if I die in a month, if I escape now and heal people, I can save many lives. Many must have been injured in this war." "....." "Hundreds... no, thousands of lives could be saved." But. "I want to go back to where Dale is." "....." "I''ve done my best up until now... right? Haven''t I? I saved many people, even while I watched him die over and over again... I became one of humanity''sst five heroes." So. "Just this once... before I die... I want to save him. I want to tell him." That his life is valuable. More than anything. That it¡¯s precious beyondpare. "....." Without a word, Yuren released his grip on Iris''s cor. "...Yuren?" "Go." Yuren turned his back on Iris with just that one word. Clutching the hilt of the sword at his waist so tightly it could break, Yuren walked away with a forlorn expression. "....." Iris nodded silently and turned her body. Toward the ce where the Demon God''s army was gathering like a ck cloud. And then. "Why... Why did you do it? Why did youe back!" She gently stroked his tear-streaked cheek. "Heh, hehe." Why was it? Even though she knew he wouldn''t die, why did she feel so relieved? "Thank goodness." Thank goodness you''re alive. "Really... thank goodness." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 40: Consistent Fool (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 40: Consistent Fool (1) The Sealing Festival had ended. Due to the unprecedented attack by demonic beasts, this year''s Sealing Festival would go down in history as the worst festival since the founding of Hero Academy. The only silver lining in this tragic event was that there were no casualties among the general public or the cadets. Although many were injured, the swift response by the professors and some cadets prevented the worst from happening. But even with no casualties, could an incident where demonic beasts rampaged within the school be dismissed as a mere mishap? The school dered an indefinite closure and devoted all efforts to uncover the truth behind the incident. Well, despite using grand expressions like "devoting all efforts," not much was ultimately revealed. The revtions were as follows: Morpheus, the professor who was the general manager and person responsible for the festival, was actually a demon. He had disguised other demons as merchants and smuggled them into the school, causing the chaos. After themotion, Morpheus disappeared and fled from the school grounds. This was the official statement released by the school. Naturally, the school faced a torrent of criticism after the incident''s details were announced. People were furious that a demon had infiltrated the school as a professor and operated under their noses for years without anyone noticing. They were also frustrated that the school failed to identify who the demon posing as Professor Morpheus was, what his true intentions were, or why this incident was orchestrated. Moreover, the main culprit had ultimately escaped. Due to these issues, public opinion was rapidly turning against the school, but it was barely pacified by the intervention of the current headmaster of Hero Academy, the renowned ''Thunder God'' Lionel Ryu, ranked 3rd in the Hero Ranking across the three nations. "This incident is my fault for being absent from the school for too long. me me." Of course, no one dared to hold the hero ranked 3rd in the three nations¡¯ Hero Ranking and the hero of the Republic¡¯s most prestigious Ryu family ountable. Thus, with Lionel Ryu¡¯s return, the demonic beast incident was considered resolved for the time being, and Hero Academy was about to resume its normal operations after a two-week hiatus. * * * Inside the school''s infirmary, there was a training ground. It was a ce where injured cadets could undergo rehabilitation training. "It seems that those who use the private recovery rooms also have personal training grounds." Money certainly has its advantages. Beep [Hero Cadet ''Dale Han''. Identity confirmed.] As I opened the door with my Hero Watch, a 20-pyeong (approximately 66 square meters) training ground appeared. "Now, let''s see." I gently closed my eyes in the middle of the training ground. Through my energy channels, I spread the mana sleeping within my Stigma. ¡®As expected, my mana has increased after the battle with Astaroth.¡¯ Of course, it wasn''t as if I gained an infinite amount of mana like when I was engulfed in the Primordial me. The amount of mana currently contained within my Stigma was about half the average mana capacity of a cadet. My mana had increased by about 1.5 timespared to before my fight with Astaroth. ¡®What¡¯s important is that this increase didn''t happen gradually but all at once.¡¯ Normally, mana is something you umte slowly through daily breathing exercises. Of course, there are rare cases where mana can be significantly increased by taking special elixirs or experiencing a sudden breakthrough, but those are extremely umon. "So, if I could once again envelop myself in the Primordial me, my mana might increase again...." The Primordial me, which had fiercely enveloped my entire body, had sunk deep within my Stigma after the battle with Astaroth and hadn''t stirred since. ¡®If I could enter the Incarnation of Fire state at will, I wouldn''t have to worry about mana in the future.¡¯ Incarnation of Fire. That was the name I gave to the phenomenon where the Primordial me engulfed my entire body and burned fiercely. ¡®But I still don''t know why I entered the Incarnation of Fire in the first ce.¡¯ Reflecting on the memories of that time, I formed a few hypotheses. ¡®The first hypothesis is that it happened because I experienced a lot of death in a short period.¡¯ I thought this was the most usible hypothesis because I already knew from my daily mana training, which involves experiencing ''death'' four times a day, that the Primordial me reacts to my death. ¡®However, no matter how much I pushed myself to the brink of mental exhaustion and death, I still couldn''t enter the Incarnation of Fire state.¡¯ Even after secretly sneaking out of the recovery room and repeatedly dying anding back to life, the Primordial me showed no reaction. ¡®The second hypothesis was that it might be triggered by depleting all my mana.¡¯ But once again, the Primordial me didn''t budge. "The final hypothesis is...." To be honest, I was skeptical of this hypothesis even as I formted it. ¡®That the Primordial me responded to a powerful will.¡¯ When my mind was solely focused on the thought that I must save Iris, the Primordial me suddenly engulfed my entire body and began burning fiercely. "In terms of sequence, this makes the most sense...." But I wasn''t yet convinced that this was the true reason the Primordial me had been triggered. "This isn''t some kind of shonen manga." I let out a deep sigh and shook my head. In any case, after conducting several tests, I confirmed one thing. ¡®There''s currently no way for me to enter the Incarnation of Fire state at will.¡¯ If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s best to consider the Incarnation of Fire as a power outside of my control for now. ¡®Since I can''t control it, I can''t count it as part of my strength.¡¯ Setting aside thoughts of the Incarnation of Fire, I gripped my sword. If the Incarnation of Fire is outside of my control, does that mean the only thing I gained from this experience is increased mana? ¡®That¡¯s not quite right.¡¯ A tingling sensation spread through my hand, as if the sword and my hand were connected as one. It was a novel feeling, one I had never experienced before, even after wielding a sword for thousands of years while wandering the continent. ¡®My swordsmanship has improved.¡¯ After finally executing a technique I had only ever imagined in my mind, my swordsmanship, which had stagnated for many years, made a sudden leap forward as if a blocked pathway had been cleared. "Well... I only pulled it off once, though." And to make matters worse, I couldn¡¯t use those techniques anymore now that the Incarnation of Fire had dissipated. But just as there''s an insurmountable wall between zero and one, The experience of using the 9th form of the Sun Sword, which can only be executed after reaching the ''pinnacle,'' had be ingrained in my swordsmanship, elevating it to a new level. ¡®As a result, my martial arts skills have also significantly improved.¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] They say all paths eventually lead to the same destination. Just because my swordsmanship improved didn¡¯t mean only my swordsmanship got better. Every movement, from the basics to the martial arts techniques I learned from Berald, had grown noticeably stronger. "My magic skills... to be honest, are still a bit awkward." I did use barrier magic during my fight with Astaroth. However, I had primarily studied magic in theory, so I was still notfortable using it in actualbat. ¡®I need to start practicing magic more regrly now.¡¯ In the past, I hadcked the mana reserves even to consider using magic, but now the situation was different. If I could use magic inbat as naturally as I used swordsmanship and martial arts, I would gain far more power than I had before. "Let¡¯s see... With my current strength, I might be able to face Professor Lucas without using the Stigma enhancer." I was tempted to rush over to Professor Lucas right away and challenge him to a duel, but¡­ ¡®If I do that, Iris won¡¯t just sit idly by.¡¯ With a wry smile, I continued my training alone in the private training hall. Boom! They say even a tiger appears when you talk about it. The door to the training hall suddenly flew open, and in came the Saintess with an extremely agitated expression. ¡°Dale! Didn¡¯t I tell you to rest quietly in bed? When did youe here again?!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just that sweating a little can actually help with recovery¡­.¡± ¡°Silence!¡± And so, I was dragged back to the recovery room by Iris. * * * After being cooped up in the private recovery room for several days due to Iris¡¯s strict orders, I finally enjoyed the joy of escaping(?) and looked up at the bright sunlight. ¡°You could have stayed until the break was over¡­.¡± Iris murmured with a pout, clearly unhappy that I was leaving the recovery ward. ¡°We agreed it¡¯d just be one more day. Besides, Iris, isn¡¯t it getting tiring for you to keep looking after me?¡± ¡°Well¡­.¡± Iris trailed off and nced at Cami, who was ring daggers at her from behind. Cami sighed deeply and shook her head. ¡°A delegation from the Holy Kingdom has arrived to investigate whether the Saintess is truly unharmed after the recent incident. You must return to the dormitory today.¡± ¡°Ugh. Can¡¯t I stay just one more day?¡± ¡°No.¡± Cami firmly shook her head. Iris nced at me longingly, but eventually slumped her shoulders and walked towards the dormitory. ¡°¡­Dale.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Cami approached me hesitantly. ¡°Thank you.¡± She bowed deeply, almost to a 90-degree angle. Although Cami had lost most of her memories surrounding the recent incident due to Astaroth¡¯s ¡®Illusion,¡¯ it seemed that Iris had told her how I protected her from the demonic beast¡¯s attack. Normally, she would look at me with disapproval, but now she was giving me a sincere expression of gratitude. I chuckled as I looked down at the bowing Cami. ¡°What¡¯s with this? It doesn¡¯t suit you.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ S-shut up!¡± Cami blushed slightly and averted her gaze. ¡°Anyway. I really mean it. Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just saying that?¡± ¡°Huh? You want a reward? If there¡¯s anything you want¡­.¡± ¡°Hey, hey, I¡¯m joking, I¡¯m joking.¡± Who needs a reward for protecting a lover from a past life? ¡°No, I don¡¯t feel right just letting this go with words. If there¡¯s something you want as a reward, just say it.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± A reward from Cami, huh? Nothing really came to mind since I didn¡¯t do it expecting any reward. ¡°Just give me something appropriate.¡± ¡°Appropriate? This is a reward for protecting the Saintess. It can¡¯t be just appropriate!¡± ¡°You really live a tough life, don¡¯t you? Fine, just give me what you think I¡¯d like best.¡± ¡°What you¡¯d like best¡­?¡± For some reason, Cami blushed and took a step back. She nced at me nervously, then covered her chest with her hands (not that there was much to cover). ¡°I-I knew it! You¡¯re finally showing your true colors!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Ugh. You¡­ well, what men like most is obvious, isn¡¯t it?!¡± Cami¡¯s face turned bright red as she shouted. ¡°T-that¡¯s what you want, right? Fufu, saying ¡®No¡¯ with your mouth, but your body is honest¡­ or something like that! Or do you want to force me into a situation where you¡¯d say, ¡®Your sword skills are first-rate, but your lower half is third-rate¡¯?!¡± ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡± ¡°You¡­ vulgar brute!¡± ¡°No.¡± The vulgar one is your mind. ¡°Hmph¡­! F-fine! I¡¯ll prepare a reward¡­ something that would satisfy a man!¡± With that, Cami hurriedly ran off to follow Iris. ¡°¡­Sigh.¡± I let out a deep sigh and turned towards the dormitory. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 41: Consistent Fool (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 41: Consistent Fool (2) After leaving the clinic. During the remaining school break, I spent my time going back and forth between the dormitory and the training grounds, pounding the newly acquired skills into my body. I clicked my tongue as I nced at the calendar hanging on one of the walls of the training grounds. "sses start again tomorrow, huh¡­." No cadet particrly enjoys the start of a new school term, but the reason I felt so regretful wasn''t just because I''d have to attend sses again from tomorrow. "Today is thest day I''ll have this ce all to myself." I sighed briefly as I looked around the empty training grounds. Few cadets came to continue personal training during the school break, so I could use the training grounds as freely as if I''d rented it all out. ¡®But that ends today.¡¯ Once sses start again, the training grounds will be crowded with cadets. The Hero School''s curriculum was tough enough that you couldn''t keep up without additional personal training. "Well, I don''t mind sharing, but it''s hard to ignore all the eyes on me¡­." Especially recently, with various incidents increasing the attention on me, using the public training grounds inevitably drew a lot of stares. ¡®Maybe it''s time I applied for a private training room.¡¯ The problem was that, like with a private recovery room, getting a private training room required a certain amount of ''donation.'' "Why does this school always seem to be scheming to take money from the cadets?" Of course, if you ranked in the top 50 in the overall evaluation, you could apply for a private training room without needing to donate. ¡°Haha, fuck.¡± What more can I say? I was ranked 472 out of 472 in the overall evaluation of cadets. For Dale Han, the lowest-ranking hero cadet, there was no way to apply for a private training room without a hefty donation. ¡®When''s the next overall evaluation test, anyway?¡¯ I never thought there¡¯de a day when I¡¯d be hoping for the evaluation test toe sooner. ¡°A donation, huh¡­.¡± Hmm. As I thought of a ''friend'' who automatically came to mind when money was involved, I started to head out of the training grounds. ¡°Huh?¡± "Eek!" They say even a tiger shows up when you talk about it. Though, in this case, the tiger was trying to run away instead of showing up. Anyway. My dear friend, Juliet Kang, who tried to flee the moment he saw my face, quickly got caught as I stepped toward him. "Where do you think you''re going in such a hurry?" "Ack!" Juliet, caught by the scruff of his neck. I put on a friendly smile and slung an arm over his shoulder. "Hey, long time no see!" ¡°Y-Yeah. L-Long time, no see.¡± "What did you do during the break?" ¡°I¡­ just went home for a bit¡­.¡± ¡°Oh? You went home?¡± As I narrowed my eyes, Juliet jumped in surprise. "O-Of course, I didn''t say anything about you! I swear by the Seven Gods, I absolutely didn''t!" ¡°Hahaha! So, you were too embarrassed to tell your parents you made a friend, huh?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh¡­ Y-Yeah, something like that.¡± ¡°Sure, sure. That makes sense.¡± Talking about friends with your parents at our age can be a bit embarrassing. I get it. ¡°So¡­ what do you need?¡± Juliet asked cautiously, his voice shrinking. I grinned and tightened the arm slung over his shoulder. ¡°Do I need a reason to hang out with a friend?¡± "Huh? Oh, no. I didn''t mean that¡­." ¡°I¡¯m just saying, let¡¯s go grab a bite to eat.¡± ¡°¡­You mean, like usual, where I bring bread and milk?¡± And leave 5 gold behind¡­ No, not this time. ¡°No. Let¡¯s head to the cadet dining hall today. I¡¯ll treat you.¡± ¡°What¡­? You¡¯re treating? For real?¡± Juliet''s eyes widened in disbelief at my offer. I twisted my lips into a grin, looking at him blinking in astonishment. "I always mooch off you. I should treat you once in a while." ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± After all, we¡¯ll soon be at the point where I¡¯ll be ¡®borrowing¡¯ arge sum of money from him to apply for a private training room. Treating him to a meal before borrowing the donation money wasn¡¯t a big deal. ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s go to the dining hall, friend!¡± ¡°Uh, okay.¡± With that, Juliet and I headed to the cadet dining hall located in the annex building. Unlike the fancy dining hall in the main building, the annex dining hall offered affordable yet nutritious meals. "So this is the annex dining hall¡­." ¡°Is this your first time here?¡± ¡°Y-Yeah. I usually go to the main building dining hall.¡± ¡°Ah, makes sense.¡± Juliet was the son of one of the top five conglomerates in the Republic. Naturally, he would have only used the ridiculously expensive dining hall in the main building. ¡°Consider this an experience. There are plenty of dishes here that you won¡¯t find in the main building.¡± I led Juliet to the entrance of the annex dining hall. Beep. [Hero Cadet ''Dale Han.'' Identity confirmed.] As I held my Hero Watch up to the recognition device at the entrance, the firmly locked door of the dining hall opened. Inside, cadets bustled around, grabbing food and eating. ¡®There wasn¡¯t a soul in the training grounds, but they¡¯re all here.¡¯ Well, no matter how much of a break it is, people still have to eat. ¡°Let¡¯s see what today¡¯s special is¡­ Oh, they have spicy pork stir-fry?¡± Spicy pork stir-fry is one of the Republic''s soul foods, along with ramen. ¡°¡­Spicy pork stir-fry?¡± ¡°What? You don¡¯t know spicy pork stir-fry?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it¡­ but I¡¯ve never tried it.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve never tried spicy pork stir-fry?¡± I looked at Juliet with my mouth agape. ¡°You¡¯re a citizen of the Republic, right? How have you never had spicy pork stir-fry?¡± "My father said that kind ofmoner food is unhealthy and not worth eating¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, for crying out loud.¡± Your father sure is something. ¡°Come on. I¡¯ll show you what spicy pork stir-fry tastes like.¡± ¡°O-Okay.¡± Hesitantly following behind me, Juliet watched as I put two servings of spicy pork stir-fry onto a tray and headed to a table. "So, this is spicy pork stir-fry." Juliet gazed down at the glossy, red-coated pork with curious, sparkling eyes. He cautiously picked up a piece of the meat with his chopsticks. "...So, this is spicy stir-fried pork." Juliet stared down at the dish with sparkling eyes. He cautiously picked up a piece of pork, glistening with red sauce, with his chopsticks. cing it on a bed of white rice, he took a bite. "...!" His eyes widened in shock, and he began to stomp his feet excitedly. "How is it? Delicious, right?" "Y-Yeah! It''s really good!" Juliet nodded vigorously and hurriedly devoured the rest of the spicy stir-fried pork. "Whew. That was amazing..." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Did you finish it all?" "Oh, yeah. I ate well." "Just take your dish over there to the return station." "Huh? Won''t the staff clean it up if I just leave it?" "Not in the annex cafeteria, you brat." Man, I swear, it''s impossible to reason with rich folks. "If you''re done eating, let''s head out." Just as I was about to lead Juliet out of the cadet cafeteria¡ª "Huh?" "What''s going on?" I noticed a group of cadets huddled near the exit. "Why is everyone gathered there instead of leaving?" Curious, I walked over to the entrance and quickly found out why. "What''s this? Why isn''t the Hero Watch recognizing it?" "Isn''t your Hero Watch broken?" "Move aside. I''ll try to open it." A cadet stepped forward and held his Hero Watch up to the recognition device installed at the entrance. Normally, the door should have automatically opened upon recognizing the watch. However, for some reason, the device that had worked fine when we entered was now unresponsive. "Is it broken?" "Looks like it." "Is it... is it another attack, like during the Sealing Festival? Or maybe it''s demons again..." A cadet backed away, his face pale with fear. The other cadets nced at him and clicked their tongues in disbelief. "Hey, don''t talk nonsense." "Do you really think demons would be crazy enough to infiltrate the school?" "B-But no one expected that demonic beast attack during the Sealing Festival either, right?" "Yeah. Ande to think of it, they never caught the culprit behind that incident..." Maybe it hadn''t been long since the beast attack, but even a minor issue, like this potential malfunction, was making the cadets tense and anxious. "I''m telling you, it''s just broken..." "Someone contact the professors already!" "Step away from the door!" Fear spread like a disease, quickly consuming the cadets. Themotion was growing louder when suddenly¡ª "Hahaha! Fear not, everyone! I shall unlock the door with my ''Unlock'' spell!" A booming voice, as loud as if it had swallowed a bell, echoed through the cafeteria. All eyes turned to the source of the voice. There, a massive, muscr cadet, whose uniform looked like it was on the verge of bursting at the seams, was striding towards the entrance. "...Isn''t that the crest of the Magic Department?" "No way, that guy''s in the Magic Department?" "Come on, that''s ridiculous..." "Isn''t he the infamous scoundrel from the ''Ryu'' family?" "Oh, I''ve heard rumors too. He''s a second-year, right?" With short ck hair and a beard, broad shoulders, and a height nearing two meters, the cadet looked like someone who should be swinging an axe or a mace. Yet, the crest on his left chest indicated he was from the Magic Department, not the Warrior Department. "...You." My eyes widened as I recognized the cadet who had stepped forward. "Everyone, step aside!" The massive cadet pushed through the gathered students and grabbed the handle of the firmly shut door. "Hrrraaaahhh!" With a fierce shout, the giant cadet pulled on the door handle with all his might. Crunch! Crack! Snap! The wall cracked as the steel door crumpled like paper. "Unloooock!!!" With a roar that was almost like a battle cry¡ª Thud! The firmly shut door was finally wrenched open. Holding the crumpled door in one hand, the giant cadet grinned. "Did everyone see that? That''s the power of the ''Unlock'' spell!" "..." "..." The cafeteria fell into a stunned silence. The cadets could only stare in shock at the crumpled door. "...Sigh." I let out a chuckle as I watched the cadet who had ripped off the door. "You''re as consistent as ever, aren''t you, you idiot?" It''s been a while. Berald Ryu. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 42: Consistent Fool (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 42: Consistent Fool (3) ¡°Huh?¡± Did he hear my voice? Berald, who was holding the crumpled door in one hand with a triumphant expression, turned his gaze towards me. His eyes sparkled like stars when he saw me. ¡°Well, isn''t this Brother Dale?!¡± Berald shouted loudly as he approached me. ¡°Hehe. I''ve been hearing rumors about you everywheretely¡­ What on earth happened?¡± Berald was the only one who had a connection with me before my return. ¡®Well, it wasn''t a good connection, to be honest.¡¯ We first met during the seasonal remedial ssesst year when we both failed one of the essential liberal arts courses, "Principles and Understanding of Magic." They say that fools recognize each other. He was known as the disgrace of the Ryu family, and I, being a perennial bottom-rank candidate, naturally gravitated towards him. ¡°They say you knocked out Professor Lucas with one punch, brought the next Sword of the Holy Kingdom to her knees with a gesture¡­.¡± Berald trailed off, as if even he couldn¡¯t believe what he was saying. ¡°I also heard that during the recent demonic beast incident, you single-handedly cut down dozens of demonic beasts¡­ Is that true?¡± ¡°Well, some of it.¡± ¡°Some of it? So, those rumors aren''tpletely false?¡± Berald''s eyes widened in disbelief. Of course, I understood better than anyone how absurd those rumors must have sounded to someone who knew me before. ¡°Did you find some kind of magical potion in the mountains or something?¡± ¡°Not exactly¡­¡± I pondered how to exin it to him in a way he''d ept, but quickly concluded that I didn¡¯t need toplicate things. ¡°Let¡¯s just say I had an epiphany, something like that.¡± ¡°An epiphany!¡± Berald''s eyes gleamed with excitement as he eximed. An epiphany. It was often used to describe the sudden growth of a hero who had been stuck at a bottleneck. ¡®Honestly, it¡¯s a ridiculous excuse.¡¯ No matter how much of an epiphany you had, it¡¯s still unbelievable for someone who was at the bottom rank throughout school to suddenly grow strong enough to beat up a professor. But¡­ ¡®Berald won¡¯t question my words.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t because he was stupid, nor was it because he had a naive personality that didn¡¯t suspect others. The reason I believed he wouldn¡¯t doubt my words was simple. ¡°Ah! I knew it! I always believed you could do it, Brother!¡± He eximed, puffing out his chest and clenching his fists. ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Of course! Didn¡¯t I always say that from the moment we first met? I knew you were destined to be a great hero!¡± Indeed. This guy had always had this inexplicable belief in me. I had no idea what he saw in me that made him so confident. Even when I graduated at the bottom of the ss in my previous life, Berald stood firm in his belief. - Don¡¯t worry! I know you¡¯ll be a great hero one day! It was a pure belief, without any evidence or logic. That¡¯s why I thought he wouldn¡¯t question my absurd excuse of having an epiphany and suddenly bing stronger. ¡°Haha! I feel so relieved now! You must¡¯ve gone through so much, Brother!¡± ¡°Yeah, thanks, man.¡± Berald patted me on the shoulder, grinning as if he had experienced the epiphany himself. After a while, his gaze shifted to the person standing beside me. ¡°By the way, who¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Oh, this is Juliet Kang. He¡¯s my friend.¡± ¡°Ah, so he¡¯s your friend! Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Berald Ryu!¡± Berald said with a big grin, extending hisrge hand. ¡°Oh? Uh, hi. I¡¯m Juliet.¡± ¡°Hehe. How did you meet Brother Dale?¡± ¡°¡­Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± Juliet¡¯s expression stiffened. I smirked and turned on my Hero Watch. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ He has a rather unique hobby, you know?¡± ¡°Ah! No, don¡¯t!¡± As soon as the Hero Watch screen lit up, Juliet screamed in panic. Iughed while looking at Juliet, who was on the verge of tears. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°What do you mean, why?! You promised to keep that a secret!¡± ¡°Hm? What kind of hobby would make you so nervous?¡± ¡°N-nothing! Really!¡± Juliet quickly changed the subject. ¡°Anyway, you''re Berald Ryu¡­ The same ¡®Ryu¡¯ family as Headmaster Lionel, right?¡± Thunder God Lionel Ryu. He was ranked third in the Hero Rankings of the Three Nations and also the headmaster of the Hero Academy. ¡°The Ryu¡­ family, huh?¡± For a moment, Berald¡¯s face hardened. But it was only for a brief moment. Soon, he was back to his usual cheerful self, smiling broadly. ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m from a branch family, so I don¡¯t have much connection with Headmaster Lionel.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Still, it¡¯s impressive to be part of the Ryu family.¡± Juliet looked at Berald with admiration. Juliet¡¯s family was also prestigious enough tomand respect within the Republic, but it couldn¡¯tpare to the Ryu family. The Ryu family was often mentioned alongside the Bastian family of the Empire, known for producing exceptional mages. They were a renowned and ancient family that had established their reputation even before people from the world of "Korea" had crossed over to the Republic 500 years ago. ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± Berald smiled bitterly and trailed off. Juliet didn¡¯t seem to notice, but I could see right through Berald¡¯s feelings with my memories of the past life. ¡®He wouldn¡¯t be too happy to hear praise for his family.¡¯ Berald had grown up being severely ridiculed by his family for his inability to handle magic properly. ¡®Especially since he was from a branch family, and his magical skills were subpar.¡¯ That¡¯s how he earned the nickname ¡°Disgrace of the Ryu Family.¡± A family known for producing great mages for generations, yet he was stuck as a brute. ¡®No wonder we got along so well in our previous lives.¡¯ A bottom-rank hero and the disgrace of a prestigious family. What a fittingbination. ¡°But anyway.¡± This time, Berald changed the subject. "Did you have lunch beforeing out?" "Yeah. What about you?" "Heh heh. I just finished a hearty meal myself." Berald patted his thick belly with hisrge hand. "What did you eat?" "Of course, stir-fried pork." "You''re a man of taste." "Heh heh. Did you have stir-fried pork too, brother?" Berald smiled at me with a big grin, and I nodded readily. "If you''re a citizen of the Republic, it''s gotta be stir-fried pork." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Ha ha ha! You and I really are on the same wavelength, brother!" Berald let out a heartyugh and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. He started bouncing around as if dancing with his arm around me. It wasn''t the most pleasant sensation, thanks to his rock-hard muscles. ''This brings back memories.'' Back when we wandered the continent to stop the revival of the Demon God, alongside ourrades. We would gather around the campfire, arms slung around each other, and down drinks like there was no tomorrow. -Come on, brother! Down this drink in one go! -Alright! Let''s drink until we drop dead tonight! -Ha ha ha! Even if you die, brother, you''lle back to life, won''t you? -You all know we have to get up early tomorrow, right? -Hey~ don''t be so stiff. Yuren,e join us for a drink! -Berald, shut your mouth. You''re disturbing my reading. -Well, if you stay upte reading like that, it''s no wonder Sophia isn''t growing taller, is it? -Do you want to die, Berald? -Heh heh. Everyone, drink in moderation. As Yuren said, we need to get up early tomorrow. -Heh heh. So, will you be sleeping in brother''s tent tonight too, sister-inw? -Oh my, that''s another story altogether. -Ha ha ha! How can single men survive this jealousy? We were drinking and chatting away, with Berald and me guzzling down alcohol, Yuren quietly scolding us, and Sophia reading a book in the corner. And there was Iris, smiling warmly as she watched over us. Just an ordinary moment, nothing special. Yet an infinitely precious page of memories, now torn away. "...Tsk." I clicked my tongue briefly at the memories that came to mind. ''I can''t keep wallowing in the past forever.'' If the pages of my memories have been torn away, All I need to do is create new ones. ''I have the chance to do that now.'' I looked at Berald, who was smiling brightly, and my eyes gleamed sharply. Judging by his heartyughter, he may seem like someone living without a care in the world. ''But only those who don''t know Berald would think that.'' I know. Only I know. How much he suppresses himself beneath that heartyughter. "Ha ha. By the way, awakening... It seems I won''t need to take remedial sses with you anymore, brother." Berald continued with a bitter smile. "It''s embarrassing to admit, but... I think I might fail again this time." "The semester''s just started. You¡¯ve got plenty of time." "Heh heh. That''s true." A deep sigh escaped from Berald''s lips. "I''ve been learning magic for years now, and I still can''t even properly cast a simple magic bullet... Heh heh. If that''s not a talent in itself, I don''t know what is." A self-deprecating smile. "Anyway, it''s a relief that at least you, brother, have seen the light this time." "..." I remained silent as I watched Berald droop his shoulders weakly. ''Come to think of it, Berald hasn''t properly started his martial arts training at this point.'' He may have been throwing punches here and there, But that was just brute force, relying on his natural strength. It wasn''t real martial arts. ''This is perfect timing.'' I had been nning to go visit myrades one by one, and now, of all times, I run into Berald. If I borrow Iris''s words, this must be what they call ''the guidance of the seven gods.'' ''ording to my original n, I would sweet-talk Juliet to get enough gold for a private training room.'' But now, something much more important hase up. "Hey, do you have any ns after this?" "Hmm? No, nothing in particr." "Good. Then..." I grinned widely. Suddenly, Another memory from my past life shed through my mind. The memory of Berald teaching me martial arts. Because I was so hopelessly uncoordinated, he had to repeat the same moves over and over, yet he never once uttered a word ofint. He always had that bright, hearty smile on his face, And he silently guided me forward. ''In that case.'' Now it''s ¡®My turn to guide you.¡¯ I smiled as I looked at Berald, and spoke. "How about learning martial arts from me?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 43: Interlude - Beralds Martial Arts [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 43: Interlude - Berald''s Martial Arts After parting ways with Juliet, I headed to the training ground with Berald. ¡®As expected of the Ryu family, I suppose.¡¯ Berald already had a private training ground, which I had intended to rent with the gold I borrowed from Juliet. ¡°It¡¯s nice having a private training ground. The soundproof barrier around it is particrly good.¡± ¡°It¡¯s something the family provided.¡± Berald smiled somewhat bitterly as he changed intofortable workout clothes. As he warmed up lightly, he asked, ¡°By the way, why the sudden interest in learning martial arts? Did you also forget that I¡¯m a magic department candidate?¡± The fact that he said ¡°also¡± suggested that others¡¯d often mistaken him for a warrior department candidate. ¡®Well, who would believe that someone with his build is a magic department candidate?¡¯ Honestly, I too had assumed he was from the warrior department when we first met in our supplementary sses. ¡®I even thought he was an upperssman.¡¯ It was quite a shock to find out that Berald was actually a magic department candidate a year below me. By now, I¡¯m used to it, so it doesn¡¯t bother me, but it was surprising back then. ¡°There¡¯s no rule that says magic department candidates can¡¯t learn martial arts.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true¡­¡± Berald scratched his head with an awkward smile. ¡°Well, alright. If it¡¯s just to try it out lightly.¡± He clenched his fist and nodded. ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s start with a light test.¡± ¡°A test?¡± ¡°I need to know your current level.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Berald assumed a stance, understanding my point. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± He raised both fists to face level and lowered his body. His breaths were short, and he loosened his muscles, ready to spring at any moment. Despite never being taught, he naturally assumed a proper stance. ¡®He¡¯s really got a natural talent for fighting.¡¯ I smiled faintly and took a step back, creating some distance between us. I didn¡¯t bother getting into a stance. I stood rxed, almost as if I had just woken up, with my arms hanging loosely at my sides and my back straight. ¡°¡­¡± Berald¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly as he took in my posture. There wasn¡¯t a hint of readiness for battle in it. ¡°Heh. It seems like you¡¯ve gained some profound enlightenment since Ist saw you.¡± Did he feel insulted? Berald¡¯s eyes gleamed fiercely as he clenched his fists tighter. ¡°But let me tell you one thing, brother.¡± The Stigma engraved on Berald¡¯s left chest began to glow as mana spread throughout his body. ¡°I may not know much about magic, but I¡¯m pretty confident in my fists.¡± Boom! With a heavy sound that echoed through the training ground, Berald¡¯s massive bodyunched forward with terrifying momentum. The distance between us closed in the blink of an eye, and his mana-imbued fist swung toward my face with a ferocious sound. Indeed, it was a precise strike that made it hard to believe he had never properly learned martial arts before. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good.¡± Thud. I leisurely reached out toward the iing fist. Just like a hawk snatching its prey, I grabbed Berald¡¯s wrist, kicked his ankle, and roughly pulled him down by the wrist I had seized. ¡°I¡¯m also quite confident in my fists.¡± In an instant, Berald¡¯srge frame was lifted off the ground. A skyward flip. The martial arts that Berald himself had taught me in the past turned back time and flipped his body upside down. Boom! ¡°Ugh!¡± Berald groaned in pain as he mmed into the floor of the training ground, gasping for breath. ¡°What¡¯s this? Already done?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ You¡¯ve certainly gained some kind of enlightenment, alright!¡± Berald wobbled as he got back on his feet and then lunged at me again. Thud, thud, thud! The ground of the training ground trembled as if an earthquake had struck, and his 2-meter-tall frame charged at me. ¡°You think you can win just by overpowering me?¡± Instead of dodging Berald¡¯s terrifying charge, I rushed at him. A massive fist swung with force. Berald¡¯s fist collided with mine. Bang! As soon as our fists met, a sound like an explosion rang out, and Berald¡¯s fist was flung backward. ¡°Grrr!¡± Even though Berald¡¯s raw strength and the mana in his fist were far superior, he recoiled, clutching his fist and groaning as he staggered back. I took a step forward toward the retreating Berald. ¡°If the strongest always won, why would we need martial arts?¡± Thud, thud, thud! This time, it was my fists that relentlessly pounded Berald¡¯s body. ¡°Ugh! Gah!¡± First, a hit to the philtrum. Then two consecutive strikes to his throat and sr plexus. I kicked his knee, breaking his stance, and swung my hand like a knife, striking the top of his head. ¡°Ugh!¡± Berald clutched his head with both hands and let out a strange scream. ¡°Do you want more?¡± ¡°N-no! Stop! I surrender!¡± The difference between us was so overwhelming that there was no need to continue the fight. Berald blinked in disbelief as he stared at me. ¡°Grr, where did you learn techniques like that?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± I trailed off with a faint smile at Berald¡¯s question. ¡°¡­I wonder?¡± How could I tell him? That the one who taught me this was none other than him. That I exist because of him. ¡°Hmph. You don''t have to tell me if it¡¯s hard to talk about.¡± Berald shook his head as he got to his feet. ¡°Still, I thought I was confident in my fists¡­ It seems warrior department candidates are on a whole different level.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Hm? What do you mean?¡± ¡°I bet if you lined up all the warrior department candidates, only a handful could beat you in hand-to-handbat.¡± Even though Berald imed never to have learned martial arts, he was already exceptionally skilled. He had a natural, almost absurd level of strength, supported by immense mana. His punches were heavy yet sharp, making it hard to believe he¡¯d never learned martial arts. He even instinctively adjusted his breathing to match his movements. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡®He really does have a natural talent for fighting.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t put up much of a fight against me and ended up getting beaten one-sidedly because of one thing. ¡®Because his opponent was me.¡¯ It might sound arrogant, but there was a gap between us that no amount of talent could bridge. Even Professor Lucas wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against me in hand-to-handbat, so how could Berald, who hadn¡¯t even learned proper martial arts, possibly match up to me? ¡®Don¡¯t feel too bad about it.¡¯ Because it¡¯s thanks to you that I¡¯ve be who I am now. ¡°But what you just showed¡­ Are you sure that¡¯s martial arts?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It felt¡­ different from what I know about martial arts.¡± Berald narrowed his eyes as he continued speaking. ¡°When our fists collided earlier, didn¡¯t something happen? Something exploded before your fist even touched mine, and my fist was knocked back.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure how to describe it exactly¡­ But it felt more like magic than pure martial arts.¡± ¡°¡­Huh.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but let out a smallugh. ¡®So, you¡¯re saying that this is a martial art you created yourself.¡¯ I didn¡¯t expect him to grasp it so quickly. ¡°You¡¯re right. This martial art can only be fully utilized by someone who¡¯s learned magic.¡± ¡°A martial art that requires magic to use¡­? Such a thing exists?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded quietly, and Berald let out a low hum. "What¡¯s the name of that martial art?" "Name?" "For a martial art of that level, it must have a name, right?" "A name..." I stifled a smallugh and shook my head. Suddenly, a fragment of a past life shed through my mind. -Hey,e to think of it, what''s the name of this martial art? -The name, you say? -Yeah. You''ve taken a bit from here and there, but it''s basically a martial art you created, right? -Well, I''ve never really thought of a name for it. -Hey, you''ve made a martial art of this caliber, and you¡¯re telling me it doesn¡¯t have a name? -Hahaha! If it needs a name, let''s call it ''Berald¡¯s Martial Art''! -Seriously, you''re going with that name? -Isn''t it cool? I shook my head as I watched Berald shrug his shoulders. -There are names like Tai Chi or Five Elements Fist... Aren''t those pretty cool? -Haha! But I like Berald¡¯s Martial Art! -Why? -The only people who know this martial art on this vast continent are you and me. -And? -Since you have an immortal body, you¡¯ll live for a long time, right? Our old man used to say that as you age, you start forgetting even your children''s names. -... -But no matter how long you live, you won''t forget the name of a technique you''ve mastered for a lifetime, even after thousands of years, right? That''s why, Berald¡¯s Martial Art. -Even if I die, at least remember the name. -No one''s dying, idiot. -Hehe. Anyway, since I created this martial art, I get to name it! -Sigh. Fine, we''ll call it Berald¡¯s Martial Art. But don¡¯t talk nonsense about dying. -Haha! Of course! Do I look like someone who would die easily? I''ll live until I smash that Demon God''s head and paint the walls with... well, you know! -Yeah, yeah. I''ll clean up after you when the timees. Not long after that, Beraldy cold and lifeless before me. "..." I clenched my fist, and thick veins bulged between my knuckles. "Huh? Brother? Is something wrong?" "No, nothing. Just lost in thought for a moment." "Hmm. So, what¡¯s the name of that martial art, after all?" "The name is..." I nced at Berald and shrugged. "It doesn¡¯t have a name." "What? A martial art of that level doesn¡¯t even have a name?" "Martial arts are generally considered a fringe skill." "Even so..." Berald sighed and shook his head in disbelief. "Then how about this?" "Huh? How about what?" "If you fully master this martial art... You attach your name to it." "My name?" "Yeah." I nodded and continued. "We''ll call it Berald¡¯s Martial Art." "How can I attach my name to a martial art I learned from you? If anything, it should carry your name." "Shut up, idiot. If I say that¡¯s what we¡¯ll do, that¡¯s what we¡¯ll do. Or I won¡¯t teach you." "Hmm." Berald looked troubled, swallowed a sigh, and then nodded. "Alright, if I fully master the martial art you teach me, I¡¯ll call it that." "Good. Let¡¯s get started then." I looked at Berald and held up two fingers. "There are two main ways to handle mana. One is circting it internally to influence the internal world. The other is releasing it externally to influence the external world." Blending these two methods harmoniously was the key principle of Berald Martial Art. "W-Why are you suddenly giving a lecture on mana? I thought you were going to teach me martial arts?" "Just listen, idiot. You need to understand this to use the martial art I¡¯m going to teach you." "Ugh, I¡¯m terrible with theory..." Berald trailed off, looking discouraged. Seeing him lose heart before we even started made me want to smack him upside the head. ''Hold it in.'' When Berald first suggested I learn martial arts in my past life, didn¡¯t I have the exact same reaction? "Generally, when we talk about ''magic,'' we''re referring to the use of mana to influence the external world... in other words, the macro world." "Is that so?" "...What do you mean, ''is that so?'' You learn this in your first year, idiot." "Hmm! Strange... I don''t remember learning that..." "..." Hold it in. Hold it in. In my past life, Berald must have found me just as frustrating, yet he never said a harsh word while teaching me. "Anyway... What¡¯s more important here isn¡¯t the visible effects in the macro world, but the micro world." "Oh, the micro world! So that¡¯s what that means!" Berald nodded, stroking his chin as if he finally understood. ''Right. Even if he didn¡¯t attend ss, he should at least know this much basicmon sense.'' Feeling a bit pleased with myself, I continued my exnation. "I never knew you shared my tastes, Brother!" "What?" What tastes are we talking about now? "Haha! When ites to women, it¡¯s the refined, mature ones that really stand out, right?" "No." What nonsense is he spouting now? "A woman with a sorrowful past and a lonely heart! The deep allure that young girls can never possess..." "Shut up." "Huh? Shut up about what?" "Bang your head." This idiot... [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 44: Special Instructor (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 44: Special Instructor (1) Ah, now I finally understand, Berald. How much you must have struggled to teach me in my previous life. ''How did you manage to teach me without swearing even once?'' Maybe it''s because this is my first time teaching someone instead of learning from others, or maybe it''s because my nature is just rotten. Less than five minutes after I started teaching martial arts, the n to ''teach diligently without using a single curse word'' was immediately scrapped. No. It''s more urate to say that I had no choice but to scrap it. "Micro-world! Huh? Do you think it''s a micro-world, you crazy bastard!" "Ack! Wait, are you implying that your preference is for young girls, sir?!" "What kind of nonsense is that?" "Laying hands on a minor is a crime!" "No." How could I not beat them senseless when they''re spouting such nonsense? "Sigh¡­ Life is fucked." After such a fun(?) martial arts lesson filled with swearing and violence, I arranged to meet Berald twice a week. Every Tuesday and Thursday, we agreed to spend two hours practicing martial arts. ''I''d like to train him every day if I could, but...'' I had my own mountain of things to do, so I couldn''t afford to focus only on Berald. ''But even with this amount of training, Berald should be able to continue growing independently.'' Regarding martial arts, Berald is a genius on par with Yuren. He''s a genius who, once taught one thing, can figure out ten or a hundred more on his own. There''s no reason to stick around and teach him every day. ''In fact, that might even hinder his growth.'' Anyway. Berald is taken care of for now. "Now, the remaining ones are Yuren and Senior Sophia¡­." I n to contact those two soon. ''But right now, it''s difficult.'' For now, it''s hard to approach Senior Sophia because we''re in different years. Even if I did, it would be tough for me to teach her magic. ''I''ve only got the theory down when ites to magic; I haven''t had much practice myself.'' While I could roughly mimic swordsmanship and martial arts without magic, magic is impossible to use without mana in the first ce. ''I think it¡¯s better to meet Senior Sophia after I be more familiar with magic.'' Next up is Yuren. ¡°With Yuren¡­ the difference in rank is just too big.¡± Imagine it. The bottom-ranked student walking up to the top-ranked one and saying, "Want to learn swordsmanship from me?" ''If I¡¯m lucky, I might just get cursed out.'' No matter how much rumors about me have spread throughout the school recently, For Yuren, who has never missed the top rank since entering, those rumors must be nothing more than a joke. ¡°And if I wait until after theprehensive rank evaluation to approach him, another semester will pass¡­.¡± As I continued to ponder what to do, Ding! A cheerful rm rang from the Hero Watch ced by my bedside. [Mr. Dale. You didn¡¯t forget that sses start again today, did you?] A message from Iris appeared on the Hero Watch screen. ¡°She¡¯s been messaging a lottely.¡± We¡¯ve always exchanged messages asionally, but ever since the demonic beast incident, the amount of messages from Iris has increased noticeably. ''Messages, huh.'' In my previous life, even if we needed to contact each other, we could only talk on the phone. "......" Thinking back, just being able to exchange ''messages'' with Iris now filled my heart with overwhelming emotion. ¡®I protected her.¡¯ Though it didn¡¯t go as smoothly as I had hoped, In the end, I defeated Astaroth and managed to protect her ''seven eyes.'' Yes. I, Dale Han, A mere half-hero, seeded in changing destiny. ¡®And I will continue to change it from now on.¡¯ As I steeled my resolve with such thoughts, Ding! Another message arrived from Iris. I quickly picked up the Hero Watch and replied to her. [Ah, sorry. I was just getting ready to head out.] [Then let¡¯s meet before the lecture starts and go together.] [Sure. Where should we meet?] [Let¡¯s meet by the cafeteria in the main building.] [Got it.] She wants to meet before ss and go in together, huh. ''How sweet.'' Though this ce is a Hero Academy where candidates with Stigma gather to train to be heroes, At the end of the day, it¡¯s still a ce where grown men and women are gathered together. Naturally, it wasn¡¯t umon for some candidates to develop romantic rtionships. ¡®In my previous life, I used to pray fervently for those couples to get impaled by demonic ws whenever I saw them.¡¯ I never imagined I¡¯d end up in such a situation myself (though Iris and I aren¡¯t a couple yet). "Hehe." As a smile crept onto my face at the thought, Ding! The Hero Watch chimed again. [By the way, did you have breakfast?] [No, I didn¡¯t.] [Then I¡¯ll make a simple sandwich and bring it. Eat before we go.] [Aww, you don¡¯t have to do that.] [Of course I do! Breakfast is essential for your health. I¡¯ll bring a vegetable juice too, so don¡¯t bete to the cafeteria.] Hmm. Looking at it again, this feels more like a parent taking care of a troublesome child rather than a lover. "Ugh." Anyway. I obediently left the dorm earlier than usual and headed toward the main building¡¯s cafeteria as per Iris¡¯s sternmand. * * * ¡°Alright, today we¡¯re resuming the ¡®Practical Combat Training¡¯ ss that you¡¯ve all been eagerly waiting for.¡± As soon as the ssroom door opened, Professor Lucas casually spouted nonsense. "......" "......" Naturally, the candidates in the ssroom looked at Professor Lucas with expressions as if they had just found a cockroach split in half inside their bread. Professor Lucas¡¯s eyes gleamed like a hunting dog catching the scent of blood as he grinned. ¡°Hmm, you don¡¯t seem too pleased¡­ Could it be that some of you don¡¯t want to take my ss?¡± ¡°No, sir!¡± ¡°As if. It¡¯s written all over your faces.¡± Professor Lucas descended from the podium and strode toward the seated candidates. He ced his hand gently on the shoulder of one cadet sitting in a corner, avoiding eye contact. "Cadet Albert." "..." Even though his name was called, Albert stubbornly kept his head turned. Looking down at Albert with concern, Professor Lucas asked, "Hmm. Your eyes look tired. Haven''t been sleeping well? If that''s the case, I could give you a special health juice that''s great for fatigue..." "In the two weeks that I couldn''t see you, Professor," Albert, who had been looking away, turned toward Professor Lucas with teary eyes. "Do you have any idea how sad I was not being able to attend your lectures?!" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Albert''s voice was a mix of a wail and a shout. "Oh, my." "Wow, Albert finally..." "I knew this would happen someday." "Hang in there, Albert!" The ssroom buzzed with murmurs. "Hmm." Professor Lucas, looking amused, let out a small chuckle. "Good try, Cadet Albert." "Th-Then...!" "In that case, how about a ss of juice?" "Why is it always me?!" Albert cried out in frustration, clutching his head in despair. "Because your reactions are entertaining," Professor Lucas responded with augh. "Aaaargh!" Albert, overwhelmed by frustration, grabbed his head and let out a scream, while Professor Lucas chuckled and walked back to the podium. "Alright. Now that I''ve heard Cadet Albert''s loud voice, it feels like we''re finally back to normal," Professor Lucas said as he looked around at the students seated in the ssroom. "As you all know, our school was attacked by a demon two weeks ago." "...." "The mastermind behind the attack had disguised themselves as a professor and fled the moment the incident urred." His voice grew heavy. "Fortunately, there were no fatalities. However, as a fellow professor, I deeply apologize for not identifying the demon earlier and preventing the incident." Professor Lucas bowed his head respectfully toward the cadets. "Uh..." "Ahem." The cadets, surprised by the unexpected humility of Professor Lucas, who had a reputation for being as fierce as a "bloodthirsty hound," exchanged awkward nces. Raising his head again, Professor Lucas continued, "To prevent future incidents like this, the school has decided to appoint a special professor." "A special professor?" "The special professor will observe the lectures of the current faculty and ensure that the cadets are being properly trained and that security measures are in ce in case of emergencies." Professor Lucas''s gaze shifted to the ssroom door. Click. The door opened, and a woman in a ck suit entered with the sharp sound of her heels echoing through the room. A scar ran across her left eye, and her short ck hair barely reached her neck. She was taller than most men. "Please wee Professor Elisha Baldwin, our special professor. You may have heard of her by her nickname, ''The Spider with the Scarred Eye.''" As she was introduced by Professor Lucas, Professor Elisha Baldwin stepped up to the podium and scanned the cadets with a cold gaze. "Tsk." A faint clicking sound escaped her lips. "I''m Elisha Baldwin, and I''ll be serving as the special professor starting today." It was a simple introduction, but the atmosphere in the ssroom became tense, as if the cadets had been thrown into the middle of a battlefield. Of course, no one had expected that Elisha Baldwin, ranked 9th among the continent''s heroes, woulde to their school as a special professor. And, naturally, that included me. ¡®Who would have thought Elisha Baldwin would be a professor here?¡¯ It was something I had never experienced in my previous life. ¡®Has the future started to change?¡¯ I had expected something like this ever since I killed Astaroth, but I never thought the changes would happen so quickly. ¡®The Butterfly Effect.¡¯ The theory that a small p of a butterfly''s wings could cause a massive storm on the other side of the continent. ¡®In that sense, what I did was far more than just a p of the wings.¡¯ I killed Astaroth, the Archbishop of Illusions, no less. How much the future would change because of that was beyond my ability to predict. "But one thing is clear." A major figure ranked 9th among the continent''s heroes had arrived as a special professor. "Hmm." Elisha, who had been calmly examining each cadet''s face, turned to Professor Lucas and said, "Professor Lucas." "Yes, ma''am." The cadets'' eyes widened at the unfamiliar term of address, "ma''am,"ing from Professor Lucas. ¡®Now that I think about it, they were seniors and juniors back when they were cadets, weren''t they?¡¯ Despite looking much older, Lucas was, in fact, younger than Elisha Baldwin. "I''d like to evaluate the level of your cadets." "...Their level?" "Yes." "Ah, of course. How would you like to evaluate them...?" "I intend to have them spar with my assistant." Elisha said as she directed her gaze to the ssroom door. "Vincent,e in." The door slid open at hermand, and a handsome young man with silver hair tied into a ponytail walked into the ssroom. "Now, let''s see... This cadet seems fitting," Elisha said as she checked the cadets'' roster on her Hero Watch, her eyes settling on a cadet sitting in the corner of the ssroom. "Cadet Albert,e forward." As Elisha called out, all the cadets'' eyes turned to Albert. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 45: Special Instructor (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 45: Special Instructor (2) The cadets moved to the outdoor training grounds for sparring. Among them, one cadet with an unusually pale face trembled as he muttered to himself. ¡°Why... Why me? Why am I always the one picked?¡± Albert''s voice was filled with sorrow as he whimpered. Approaching him with the sharp sound of her heels clicking was Professor Elisha. "Are you Cadet Albert Hoover?" "Ah... Yes, yes! That''s me!" Elisha turned on her Hero Watch and checked the holographic list of cadets. "Ranked 237th out of 472 in the third-year cadetprehensive evaluation. Affiliated with the Warrior Division, main weapon: sword. Divine Stigma: Earth God¡¯s Stigma, with no blessings held. Is that correct?" "Y-Yes!" Albert gulped nervously as he replied. "Hmm." Elisha pulled a cigarette from her pocket and ced it in her mouth. Click, poof! The silver-haired youth standing beside her, Assistant Instructor Vincent, took out a lighter and lit her cigarette. "Average." Albert''s profile showed that he was precisely at the average level of a cadet. "Uh... Professor, wouldn¡¯t it be better to pick someone with higher grades than someone as ordinary as me...?¡± "No. You¡¯re perfect." Exhaling smoke, Elisha turned off her Hero Watch. "I want to know the exact level of the average third-year cadet right now." "Ah... Yes." Albert couldn¡¯t bring himself to argue that there were other cadets who fit the bill besides him. "Step into the center of the training ground." "...Yes." Albert walked towards the center of the training ground, looking as if he was being led to the ughterhouse. "The sparring will be conducted using both magic and real swords, in abat style." "Re-Realbat?" "Yes. Fight with the intent to kill your opponent." ¡°But what if an ident happens...¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Elisha shook her head firmly. She then turned her gaze to Assistant Instructor Vincent, who was standing beside her. ¡°Vincent.¡± ¡°Yes, Professor.¡± Vincent began walking toward the center of the training ground. As he moved away, Elisha quietly spoke in a low voice. ¡°Go easy on him.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± Vincent nodded slightly. "Go easy...?" Had Albert overheard what Professor Elisha had said? Standing in the center of the training ground with his sword in hand, Albert¡¯s expression began to show a hint of anger. She told him to fight with the intent to kill, but then told the assistant instructor to go easy on him? It was as good as saying he wasn¡¯t worth taking seriously. ¡°Huff. Sure... I may be an ordinary cadet with nothing special going for me, but¡­¡± Albert drew his sword and took his stance. ¡°But I¡¯m still a hero cadet!¡± His Divine Stigma glowed as mana enveloped his entire body. Before the whistle signaling the start of the match could sound, Albert dashed towards Assistant Instructor Vincent. His sharp sword strike targeted Vincent, who hadn¡¯t even drawn his own sword yet. ¡°A surprise attack, huh.¡± One of the best choices for a weaker fighter when facing a stronger opponent. Normally, this would be considered rude in a sparring match, but in ¡®realbat,¡¯ it was a move that could even earn praise. ¡°But¡­¡± A cold smirk formed on Elisha¡¯s lips. ¡°It¡¯s sloppy.¡± ng! A sh of silver light. Albert¡¯s sword, which had been aiming for Vincent, was deflected with a clear metallic sound. ¡°Ugh...!¡± Albert barely managed to hold onto his sword as the impact reverberated through his palm. He stabilized his footing and channelled his mana. The mana that had been spread throughout his body now concentrated on his sword. ¡°Haaaaah!¡± With a fierce shout, he leaped once again. Elisha¡¯s eyes turned icy as she observed the match. ¡°He¡¯s putting too much strength into it. His mana distribution is a mess.¡± ng! ng, ng! Vincent deflected Albert¡¯s magic-infused sword and lightly tapped Albert¡¯s knee with a swift kick. ¡°Huh, huh?¡± Having poured all his mana into his sword, Albert lost his bnce and fell t on his face. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Grabbing his nose, which had started to bleed, Albert groaned in pain. Thunk. Vincent¡¯s silver de touched the back of Albert¡¯s neck. ¡°I-I¡¯ve lost.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Having subdued Albert in just two exchanges, Assistant Instructor Vincent sheathed his sword indifferently and turned away. ¡°Hmph.¡± Elisha, who had been watching the sparring match from the sidelines, furrowed her brows in dissatisfaction. Her gaze shifted to the cadets who had been watching the match. ¡°Next.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The cadet Elisha pointed at hesitantly nced around at the others before stepping forward. The sparring match began again. ng! ng! ¡°Ack!¡± This time, it didn¡¯t even take 30 seconds before the cadet dropped his sword and fell to the ground. ¡°Next.¡± After about five simr bouts, Elisha raised her hand lightly, signaling the end of the matches. ¡°Sigh.¡± She let out a deep sigh, rubbing her forehead as if she had a headache. ¡°Pathetic.¡± Her fierce gaze turned to Professor Lucas as she continued speaking. ¡°If the third-year cadets are at this level, it¡¯s hard to believe that there were no casualties during the monster incident by anything other than pure luck.¡± Elisha clicked her tongue. ¡°Professor Lucas.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Do you think the poor performance of your candidates is due to their problems, or do you believe it reflects on your own qualifications as a professor?¡± ¡°That would be¡­.¡± Professor Lucas replied in a calm voice. ¡°It¡¯s my own qualifications.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Is that so? Then the discussion will be brief.¡± Professor Elisha let out a cold sneer as she spoke. ¡°Resign from your position as a professor.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± At the shocking deration, Professor Lucas¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°W-Wait a moment. If I resign, then who will take care of the candidates¡­?¡± ¡°Vincent, the teaching assistant, will take your ce.¡± ¡°But he is an assistant, not a professor!¡± ¡°So what? Although Vincent may be somewhatcking in terms of strengthpared to you, I believe he is superior in terms of training the candidates.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Professor Lucas¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°T-That¡¯s not true!¡± At that moment, one of the candidates stepped forward, trembling. ¡°¡­Albert?¡± Seeing the candidate step forward, Professor Lucas looked surprised. ¡°E-Even though Professor Lucas is fierce, quirky, has a bad temper, makes weird things like special juice, and always troubles me when he¡¯s bored¡­!¡± ¡°Hey, you little brat.¡± ¡°B-But he is still a good professor!¡± Albert¡¯s outcry made Professor Elisha chuckle. ¡°¡­Which part of what you just said makes him seem like a ¡®good professor¡¯?¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­ I mean. Well¡­ Even if I don¡¯t know about other things, one thing is certain!¡± Albert swallowed hard and eximed with great effort. ¡°Professor Lucas teaches us what being a true ¡®hero¡¯ means!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± With Albert¡¯s outcry, silence fell over the room. ¡°Hah.¡± A derisiveugh escaped from Professor Elisha. ¡°A true hero¡­ Are you still spouting such nonsense?¡± Looking coldly at Professor Lucas. ¡°A hero is defined by how many monsters and demons they can kill. The talk about what makes a true hero is just useless idealism.¡± ¡°A powerless hero cannot protect anyone or anything.¡± Therefore. ¡°A strong hero is the only true hero. Anyone who doesn¡¯t meet that standard is just worthless trash.¡± Professor Elisha red sharply at the candidates. ¡°In that sense, you are all trash who don¡¯t even deserve to be called hero candidates.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± At Elisha¡¯s harsh words, the candidates remained silent as if they had been struck dumb. ¡°¡­Are you saying that my students are trash?¡± At that moment, Professor Lucas, who had been keeping his head down, gritted his teeth. ¡°Am I wrong?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Professor Lucas closed his eyes tightly and clenched his fists. For a moment, his clenched fists were trembling. ¡°Oh.¡± Did he suddenlye up with a good idea? Professor Lucas turned towards me and grinned broadly. ¡®What is it now?¡¯ Why is he suddenly smiling at me? ¡°Hmm, since you¡¯re using a ¡®teaching assistant,¡¯ I suppose I can call in my own assistant as well.¡± I¡¯m not your assistant, you know. ¡°Well then, how about this?¡± It seemed like my unspoken protests weren¡¯t heard. Professor Lucas walked over and ced a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s have this candidate fight in a duel.¡± ¡°This candidate is¡­?¡± Professor Elisha tilted his head and looked over the list of candidates. ¡°Name: Dale Han. Ranked 472 out of 472. Main weapon: Sword. Possesses the Stigma of the Forest God, but no blessing¡­ Is that correct?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°¡­Are you kidding me?¡± Professor Elisha looked at Professor Lucas with a dumbfounded expression. Even candidates with much higher ranks couldn¡¯t withstand Vincent the assistant¡¯s sword, and now you want to pit a rank-and-file candidate against him? ¡°Stop the nonsense. If you really want to continue with a duel, then send out the highest-ranked candidate in this ss.¡± ¡°No. Though Dale here is rated lowest, his skill is definitely solid.¡± ¡°Hah.¡± Elisha sneered dismissively. No matter how low the ranking, how strong could a rank-and-file candidate possibly be? ¡°Though I was hoping not to speak harshly out of old friendship¡­ It¡¯s starting to get irritating.¡± ¡°So, will you have the duel, or will you back down?¡± ¡°A duel with a rank-and-file candidate¡­¡± ¡°Scared?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Elisha took out a cigarette from her pocket and put it in her mouth. Chewing on the unlit cigarette like gum, Elisha nced at Vincent the assistant. ¡°Vincent.¡± ¡°Yes, Professor.¡± ¡°The hunting hound seems to be a bit of a headache, so help him get his senses back.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Vincent the assistant nodded quietly and walked to the center of the training grounds. ¡°Hehe.¡± Professor Lucas, watching Vincent walk out, wore a deep smile. ¡°Dale.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°If you win, I¡¯ll make you 10 sses of my special juice.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need¡­.¡± ¡°Of course, Albert will drink them.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± That sounds a bit tempting. ¡°Well¡­ I agree. I don¡¯t like the idea of a professor change either.¡± If Professor Lucas resigns, his office, which I often use as a hideout, will also disappear. ¡°Dale.¡± ¡°What now?¡± Turning my head, I saw Professor Lucas with his arms crossed, grinning widely. ¡°Take it easy on him.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I chuckled and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 46: Special Instructor (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 46: Special Instructor (3) "Hah." A hollowugh escaped from between Professor Elisha¡¯s lips. "What on earth makes him so confident?" At this point, her curiosity about this candidate''s identity outweighed her anger. ¡®There doesn¡¯t seem to be anything special about him at first nce.¡¯ Even when she sharpened her ¡°irvoyance¡± and scanned Dale¡¯s entire body, she couldn¡¯t detect any particr features. The only noticeable thing was that the amount of mana felt from his Stigma was only about half of that of other candidates. ¡®Having less mana isn¡¯t an advantage, though.¡¯ There¡¯s a saying that too much can be as bad as too little, but when ites to mana, the more, the better. ¡®What could it be?¡¯ He acted so confidently, as if he had some hidden trump card, but she had no clue what it might be. "...Vincent." "Yes, Professor." "Don¡¯t let your guard down." She couldn¡¯t tell what made him act this way, but Lucas Kane, the man she knew from their candidate days, did not show confidence without reason. He must have something up his sleeve. Until that was revealed, it was crucial not to be careless. "I understand." Vincent nodded respectfully and lowered his stance without drawing his sword. ¡°......¡± Vincent eyed Dale sharply. Dale nced at Vincent and chuckled. "You¡¯re staring holes into me." ¡°......¡± "You¡¯re quite the quiet one, aren¡¯t you, assistant?" "And you talk too much." Vincent coldly retorted, and Dale shrugged before continuing. "Well, it doesn¡¯t matter if I talk a lot or not, but with yourck of conversational skills, can you really give a lecture in ce of Professor Lucas?" "For practicalbat training, talking isn¡¯t necessary." "Oh, right. I see." "...What¡¯s that supposed to mean?" "Practicalbat training was the name used before the curriculum was reorganized five years ago. Now, it¡¯s called actualbat training." "And what does that matter¡­?" "What does it matter?" It matters a lot. "If you graduated five years ago, you¡¯ve been an active hero for at least five years. Yet, there aren¡¯t many small scars on your arms or hands." For a hero who has been active for five years to have few scars, it means one of two things. Either they are overwhelmingly strong and avoid even small injuries, or theirbat style doesn¡¯t allow for wounds. "Despite being warned not to let your guard down, you haven¡¯t drawn your sword and have taken an exaggeratedly low stancepared to other swordsmen¡­" Dale nced at the scabbard hanging on Vincent¡¯s left hip and nodded. "Is your specialty a quick-draw technique focused on short, decisive battles?" Vincent¡¯s face stiffened, as if Dale had hit the mark. "Sss." As if he didn¡¯t want to talk any further, Vincent let out a short breath and gripped his sword hilt. Silver mana burst from his Stigma, enveloping his entire body. ¡®He¡¯s certainly skilled at handling mana.¡¯ Evenly distributing mana throughout his body without focusing on one area showed that Vincent¡¯s control over mana was expert. ¡®But still, it¡¯s not enough.¡¯ Dale rxedpletely and focused his mana into his Stigma. ¡°......¡± Vincent''s expression contorted as he observed Dale¡¯s nonchnt stance. Storing mana in the Stigma without distributing it throughout the body in abat situation was like an athlete standing still without getting into a starting position before a race. Dale''s posture seemed to say, ''I can beat you even like this,'' and a thick vein bulged on Vincent¡¯s forehead. "Let¡¯s see how long you can stay that arrogant." Thud! With a sound like a drumbeat, Vincent surged forward. In the blink of an eye, Vincent was in front of Dale, drawing his sword. sh! A silver streak of light shot out at terrifying speed. Dale watched the direction of Vincent¡¯s de intently and channeled the mana stored in his Stigma into his left leg, right arm, and sword. ng! He nted his left foot to brace himself and blocked the silver streak head-on. Normally, given the difference in their mana levels, it would¡¯ve been impossible for Dale to block Vincent¡¯s strike directly. However, he managed to parry the attack by concentrating mana only in the necessary areas rather than spreading it throughout his body. ¡°What the¡­!¡± Professor Elisha¡¯s eyes widened as she watched the fight unfold. To control mana with such precision¡ªusing just the right amount, at just the right moment, in just the right ce¡ªagainst Vincent¡¯s quick-draw technique? Even if they had rehearsed the attack beforehand, pulling off such a feat would¡¯ve been almost impossible. ¡°Ugh!¡± Vincent grimaced as his initial strike was blocked, then stepped back to create distance. His specialty was the quick-draw, a technique that exploited brief openings. Afterunching an attack, however, there was a momentary pause while resetting. But¡ª "When you retreat, you shouldn¡¯t focus solely on your opponent." Otherwise, you leave your footing vulnerable. ¡°Hup!¡± Berald¡¯s Combat Arts. Earth Shaker. Rumble! With a powerful stomp, the floor of the training ground where Vincent was about to step split open. It wasn¡¯t like when Dale had drunk the Stigma-amplifier and shook the entire ground, but¡ª ¡®This is enough for now.¡¯ He channeled more mana into his hand gripping the sword. ¡°Ugh!¡± Vincent lost his bnce momentarily as the ground beneath him cracked. Though he quickly regained his footing¡ªhe was, after all, a seasoned hero¡ªit was already toote. "You''re toote." I concentrated mana into both legs and kicked off the ground. Wind Step. It felt as if my body was being hurled forward, racing through empty space. ¡°Haa.¡± I exhaled a low breath and gripped my sword. The mana, which had been concentrated in my legs, naturally flowed upward along my meridians and gathered at the de. A gray aura burned along the sword''s edge. Though its size and brightness paled inparison to the silver aura that shone on Professor Vincent¡¯s sword. ¡®This should be enough.¡¯ What¡¯s important in battle isn¡¯t who possesses the stronger power. Just as it doesn¡¯t matter whether a human has a hole the size of their head or the size of a finger¡ªeither way, death is certain. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] As long as there is enough power to wound your opponent, what matters next is how you wield that power. sh! A shing, ashen light. ¡°Ugh!¡± Professor Vincent staggered backward, clutching his bleeding forearm. ng. The sword in his hand fell to the ground, rolling with a clear metallic sound. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve lost.¡± Professor Vincent bit his lip hard and lowered his head. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Silence settled over the training ground. I could feel the shocked stares focusing on me. ¡°What on earth is this¡­?¡± Professor Elisha trailed off, as if unable to believe what she was seeing. She turned on her Hero Watch and repeatedly checked my information listed in the cadet roster. ¡°¡­How¡­ how did this happen, Professor Lucas?¡± Elisha demanded, ring at Professor Lucas for an answer. ¡°Ah¡­ um. Ahem! Didn¡¯t I tell you? His rank is lower than his actual skill.¡± ¡°Do you think this is something that can be brushed off with such ament?¡± ¡°Umm¡­.¡± Lucas swallowed nervously at Elisha¡¯s sharp rebuke. In truth, he was just as taken aback by the situation. ¡®I knew Dale would win, but¡­.¡¯ Dale had once forced Lucas to use his "Blessing of the Blood Warrior" when his mana was much weaker than it was now. Given how much Dale¡¯s mana had increased since then, Lucas had expected him to beat Professor Vincent. ¡®But to win so overwhelmingly¡­¡¯ Honestly, even Lucas himself wasn¡¯t confident that he could defeat Dale at this point. ¡®How could he have grown this much in just a month?¡¯ While lost in thought, his brow furrowed in confusion. ¡°¡­Professor Lucas? Didn¡¯t you hear what I said?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. My apologies, senior.¡± ¡°Haah, forget it. Judging by your expression, you¡¯re just as clueless as I am.¡± Elisha sighed deeply and shook her head. Professor Lucas cautiously approached her and asked, ¡°So¡­ about what you mentioned earlier regarding resigning¡­.¡± ¡°That was just a joke.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? While a special instructor does have more authority than a regr professor, they certainly don¡¯t have the power to dismiss one.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I just wanted to see you flustered for the first time in a while, though I didn¡¯t expect things to turn out like this¡­.¡± Elisha lit the cigarette in her mouth, crossing her arms. ¡°Wait, so that was actually a joke, senior?¡± Lucas stared at her incredulously. Who in the world would make a joke with such a serious expression? ¡°Of course, there was some intent to provoke you. After all, the cadets'' abilities were undeniablycking.¡± ¡°Well¡­.¡± Lucas groaned, unable to find a counterargument. Indeed, apart from irregrs like Dale and Yuren Helios, the current third-year cadets were, to put it bluntly, below average. ¡®Especially sincest year¡¯s third-year cadets were exceptional, making theparison even starker.¡¯ In any case. Now that he knew everything was a misunderstanding, Lucas felt embarrassed for having been so worked up. ¡°But¡­ even I didn¡¯t expect this kind of result.¡± Elisha clicked her tongue as she nced at Vincent, who was still gripping his bleeding arm and hanging his head in shame. While Vincent wasn¡¯t one of the continent''s top 100 ranked heroes, he had enough real battle experience, especially with demons, to be considered a veteran hero. Who would have thought he¡¯d lose so helplessly like this? ¡°Could it be that Yuren Helios is in disguise?¡± ¡°Yuren Helios is in ss A for ¡®Practical Combat Training.¡¯ We¡¯re in ss C. And just look at him. Does that guy remotely resemble the peerless, handsome hero who shook the continent?¡± ¡°Hmm. Well, personally, Dale is more my type.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Anyway. If that candidate at the bottom of the roster has this much power¡­.¡± Elisha¡¯s violet eyes shed with a chilling glint. ¡°More thorough verification is necessary.¡± ¡°Verification¡­ you don¡¯t mean¡­.¡± ¡°You know what my blessing is, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°W-Wait, surely not¡­!¡± Before the flustered Lucas could stop her, Professor Elisha strode towards me. ¡°Cadet Dale.¡± ¡°Yes, Professor?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I need to confirm. Come closer.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± I tilted my head, puzzled, and approached her. Whoosh! ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Before I could react, Professor Elisha grabbed me roughly by the cor. Then. ¡°Mmph?!¡± Her lips ovepped with mine. Her tongue greedily invaded my mouth, sweeping through it hungrily. [PR/N: Noooo that should¡¯ve been meeeeee!!!] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 47: Interlude - The Cursed Eyes of the Spider [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 47: Interlude - The Cursed Eyes of the Spider The soft sensation of a tongue invaded my mouth. The sharp scent of tobo hit my nose. ¡°Kyaaaaaa!!!¡± In the distance, Iris¡¯s scream echoed. ¡°What the hell is that crazy woman doing... Mmmph! Mmmph! Mmmph!¡± ¡°S-Saint, please calm down!¡± I could hear Cami¡¯s frantic voice as she tried to restrain Iris. ¡°What... what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Professor Elisha is kissing Dale...?¡± ¡°A tall beauty with ck hair in a suit kissing him! That bastard, Dale!¡± ¡°But if Professor Elisha is senior to Professor Lucas, she¡¯s almost twice our age...¡± ¡°An older woman and a younger guy! I¡¯m into it!¡± ¡°Shut up, Albert.¡± [PR/N: Real. I agree with you, Albert. Wholeheartedly concur.] The training ground was filled withmotion. But I didn¡¯t have time to pay attention to the noise around me, because I was just as startled by the situation. ¡®What... what the hell?¡¯ Of all people, my first kiss after returning wasn¡¯t with Iris, but with Professor Elisha. And it wasn¡¯t just a simple kiss¡ªour tongues were entangled. ¡°Pwah!¡± I finally managed to break free from Professor Elisha¡¯s arms and took a deep breath, ring at her. ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? I needed to confirm something.¡± Elisha licked her lips with the tongue that had just been in my mouth. Gulp. The moment she swallowed, a strange power radiated from her, and her violet eyes split grotesquely like a reptile¡¯s. Her vertical pupils glowed a sinister gold, just as her infamous nickname suggested¡ª¡®Cursed Eyes.¡¯ ¡°Hmmm.¡± Elisha carefully examined me, nodding slowly. ¡°Well, at least you¡¯re not a demon.¡± ¡°You kissed me just to check if I was a demon?¡± ¡°Technically, I needed your saliva. My ¡®blessing¡¯ bes more potent when I ingest someone¡¯s bodily fluids.¡± ¡°...Blessing?¡± I was trying to recall what exactly Elisha Baldwin¡¯s blessing was when¡ª ¡°Professor Elisha possesses the ¡®Insight Blessing,¡¯ which allows her to see into others¡¯ inner thoughts. That¡¯s why she was invited as a special professor.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± That made sense. The recent demonic incident had happened because no one noticed that a demon, disguised as a professor, had infiltrated the academy. With Elisha Baldwin and her Insight Blessing stationed here, a repeat of the tragedy could be prevented. ¡®Insight Blessing... Oh, now I remember.¡¯ I vaguely recalled hearing about her blessing during my previous life, when those blessed by the Demon God started betraying the Hero faction and turning into demons. ¡®I hadpletely forgotten.¡¯ I hadn¡¯t interacted with her directly in my previous life, and during the time when the betrayers were rampant, I was too busy as a mercenary to remember much. ¡®It¡¯s not like I remember everything from my past life.¡¯ People forget what they ate for lunch three days ago, so it¡¯s only natural that I don¡¯t recall every detail of the hundreds or thousands of years I lived (though most of that time was spent wandering the continent alone). ¡®So, she can see into someone¡¯s inner thoughts, huh?¡¯ She did say the power gets stronger if she drinks bodily fluids... I shuddered as I recalled the sensation of her tongue in my mouth. ¡°Are you nning to kiss everyone in the academy?¡± Elisha chuckled and shook her head. ¡°Of course not. I don¡¯t need to drink bodily fluids to tell if someone is a demon or not.¡± ¡°Then why did you...?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just too unusual.¡± Elisha stared at me with sharp eyes. I swallowed hard and nodded. ¡®Fair enough.¡¯ If the roles were reversed, I would probably react the same way. ¡°So, what¡¯s the verdict? Did your suspicions get resolved?¡± ¡°No, they¡¯ve only deepened.¡± Elisha smiled bitterly and shook her head. ¡°But I did learn one thing.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Elisha leaned in close, bringing her lips near my ear and whispering softly so no one else could hear. ¡°You know, on the candidate list, it says you don¡¯t have any blessings... but maybe that needs to be corrected?¡± ¡°......¡± Damn. She figured out I had the Blessing of Revival. ¡®At least she didn¡¯t notice the Primordial me.¡¯ Things would have gotten far moreplicated if her Insight Blessing had revealed the Primordial me. ¡°Well, whether you reveal it or not is up to you. It¡¯s not against the rules to keep it hidden,¡± Elisha said with a shrug. ¡°...What are you two whispering about so secretively?¡± A low voice, sharp like a dagger, cut through the air at that moment. ¡°You must be... Candidate Iris.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re done with whatever business you had, would you mind stepping away from Dale?¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Elisha¡¯s eyes sparkled with interest as she noticed Iris¡¯s intense gaze. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the Saint of the Holy Kingdom to be close to a low-ranking candidate.¡± ¡°Does the ranking matter when candidates are getting to know each other?¡± ¡°No, I suppose not.¡± ¡°Then it shouldn¡¯t be an issue.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Elisha chuckled as if she had found something amusing. ¡°But isn¡¯t it problematic for the Saint to be too friendly with a male candidate?¡± ¡°The teachings of the Seven Gods don¡¯t prohibit interaction with the opposite sex.¡± ¡°Haha, what a bold Saint.¡± Elishaughed, her shoulders shaking, then suddenly leaned closer to me again, as if an idea had struck her. We were now fully pressed together, and I could feel the soft warmth through her suit. Trying to ignore it, I spoke. ¡°...What now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not entirely convinced from just one kiss.¡± Elisha stroked my chin and spoke in apletely serious tone. ¡°I think further investigation of Candidate Dale is necessary.¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°W-wait a second! You said the investigation was over!¡± Iris, with a startled expression, jumped and grabbed Professor Elisha''s shoulder. "I said I found something out, but did I ever say the investigation was over?" "Ugh..." "Well then, shall we continue our investigation slowly and leisurely?" "Eek!" Iris pulled on the shoulder she was holding. "Hmm. What''s this? As a special professor, I have a duty to investigate suspicious candidates." "Who''s suspicious? And if you need bodily fluids, it doesn''t have to be saliva, does it?" "Oh? Then?" "W-Well, there''s, um, sweat, for example." "Hmm, understood. I''ll follow Candidate Iris''s suggestion and lick the sweat off Candidate Dale''s neck¡ª" "No! Who said you could lick Dale?!" "No saliva, no sweat... What exactly do you want me to do?" Clicking her tongue, Professor Elisha nced back at Iris. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Uh... I mean." Iris, stumbling over her words in embarrassment, clenched her fist tightly and shouted. "We could beat up Dale and make him cry!" What? "Or we could stab him and make him bleed!" Iris, what are you saying? "Hmm. Judging by Candidate Dale''s expression, he doesn''t seem too keen on that." "T-Then..." Iris''s gaze, which had been faltering,nded on a sign at the entrance of the training ground. The sign read, "Restrooms: exit and turn right." Gulp. Iris swallowed nervously and spoke up. "Urine is a type of bodily fluid too... Mmmp!" "Stop!" Don''t say anything more!!! "Pfft, haha! Hahaha!" Professor Elisha burst intoughter, watching as I hurried to cover Iris''s mouth. It was my first time seeing her show such a bright smile, always so heavy and serious. "Sigh." Professor Lucas approached with a deep sigh. "Let''s end the jokes here, shall we, Senior?" "Haha, it''s been a long time since Iughed this much." Professor Elisha wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded. Iris, narrowing her eyes, looked over at Professor Lucas. "Jokes?" "Even if you consume more bodily fluids, the effects of the ''Blessing of Insight'' won''t improve." In short. The additional investigation was just Professor Elisha''s joke. "Ugh...!" Iris, her face flushed red, red angrily at Professor Elisha. With a nonchnt expression, Professor Elisha turned around. "The candidate test is over. Everyone return to the ssroom and finish your lesson. I have another ''practicalbat ss'' to attend." "W-Wait! You''re leaving just like that?" "Hmm? Does Candidate Iris wish for me to investigate Candidate Dale further?" "That''s...!" Iris bit her lip, trembling as she clenched her fists. "...Go. Quickly." Pulling me by the arm, Iris turned around. "Let''s go, Dale." "Uh, okay." "Make sure to stay after ss. I have plenty to say to you." "...Yes." Just as Iris was dragging me back to the ssroom¡ª "Oh, Candidate Dale?" "Yes?" Turning around, I saw Professor Elisha smiling slyly, pressing a finger to her lips. "Not bad." "...What?" "Haha. Who knows?" With that cryptic remark, Professor Elisha turned on her heel and walked away, her steps echoing down the hall. * * * Inside the neatly organized faculty office. Professor Lucas heaved a sigh, looking at the woman before him. "...Why did you do that?" "What are you talking about?" Professor Elisha didn''t even bother to turn her head as she sipped her coffee. "I don''t remember you being one to enjoy pranks like that." "Time changes not only mountains but people too." "Sigh." With another deep sigh that seemed toe from the bottom of his lungs, Professor Lucas fell silent. Still quietly sipping her coffee, Professor Elisha spoke in a low voice. "That candidate... Dale, was it?" "Yes." "I like him." "...What do you mean?" "His appearance suits my taste. Oh, and the feel of his lips was nice too." "......" "Just kidding." She smirked and set her cup down on the table. Professor Lucas squinted as he looked at her. "But you weren''t joking about liking him, were you?" "It''s natural for a female to be attracted to a strong male, isn''t it?" "......" "From the distribution of his mana to his precise control, his sharp observation, and his movements¡ªall beyond that of a typical candidate." Her eyes sparkled as she continued. "Candidate Dale will be a powerful hero in the future. Perhaps even greater than the ''Five Great Heroes.''" "...Isn''t that too high of a praise?" "Haha, who knows?" Elisha shrugged her shoulders, leaning back against the sofa. As she gazed up at the ceiling, she absentmindedly touched her lips. The sensation she felt when their lips met, through the Blessing of Insight, resurfaced in her mind. ''There''s something more than just the Blessing of Revival.'' Something enormous... something fiercely burning. She couldn''t quite identify it with the Blessing of Insight alone. But there was one thing she was certain of. ''The moment Candidate Dale harnesses that inner power as his own...'' An unprecedented monster would be born. ''Well, there''s no guarantee that monster would be on humanity''s side, though.'' Elisha suppressed a smirk, recalling the lingering sensation of Dale''s lips. For some reason, despite having kissed countless times to collect bodily fluids, she''d never felt particrly good about it. But remembering the moment she kissed Dale made her lips curl into a smile. "...Um, Senior." "What is it?" Annoyed at having her pleasant memories interrupted, Elisha frowned as she turned toward Lucas. "I know that kid Dale has talent, but still... no matter how much talent he has..." "Stop beating around the bush and say it clearly." "Isn''t it a bit hical to be eyeing a male candidate who''s over twenty years younger than you? That''s just¡ªurgh!" Ping! A sharp metallic sound apanied the thin, silver threads that wrapped around Professor Lucas''s body. Like an insect caught in a spider''s web, he wriggled helplessly. With a sharp heel pressing down on his chest, Elisha spoke. "Anyst words?" "I''m sorry." Please forgive me, Senior. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 48: Interlude 2 - The Spicy Taste of the Republic [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 48: Interlude 2 - The Spicy Taste of the Republic After the ¡°Practical Combat Training¡± lecture, which was shocking and terrifying in many ways, ended¡­ ¡°Well then, I''ll be off now...¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Someone grabbed me by the scruff of my neck just as I was trying to sneak out of the ssroom. When I turned my head, I saw Iris smiling brightly. ¡°Where do you think you''re going, Dale?¡± ¡°Well... I have something urgent to take care of...¡± ¡°Didn''t I tell you to stay after ss today?¡± "..." I felt a chill from Iris''s gaze and turned to Cami for help. But... ¡°Ahem. Lady Saint, I''m not feeling well today, so I think I should head back early.¡± ¡°Oh, really? In that case, you should rest. Take care.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow morning!¡± ¡°W-wait!¡± Without a moment of hesitation, Cami turned around and dashed toward her dormitory. ''Damn it!'' I barely had time to feel the betrayal before Iris, smiling (scarily), approached me. Just as I was bracing myself for hours of nagging from Iris... ¡°Shall we go have lunch together?¡± A soft touch wrapped around my hand, and a fragrant peach blossom scent tickled my nose. "...Huh?" "Huh? What do you mean ¡®huh¡¯? Don''t you remember we agreed to have lunch together every Monday?¡± ¡°Oh, right. I remember.¡± Given the situation, I was sure she¡¯d bring up the kiss with Professor Elisha, but... ¡°You weren¡¯t the one who initiated it; it was forced under the pretense of an investigation, right?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah. That''s right.¡± ¡°So that doesn¡¯t even count as a ¡®kiss.¡¯ It¡¯s basically just artificial respiration, right? Don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°O-of course.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Iris gently caressed my lips and took a deep breath. ¡°You didn¡¯t kiss her. You just got bitten by a lustful she-beast¡­ no, in this case, a she-spider, I guess? Either way, you were just unlucky. So don¡¯t think about it too much, okay?¡± I felt like calling a professor a ¡°lustful she-spider¡± was a bit much, but... ¡°...Yes.¡± For now, I figured it was best to just nod and keep her calm. ¡°Good.¡± Iris smiled with satisfaction. She tugged on my hand and started walking. ¡°Let¡¯s forget about the bad memory and head to the cafeteria together.¡± ¡°The cafeteria? Why all of a sudden?¡± Doesn''t she have professional chefs who prepare all her meals? ¡°I just feel like eating something you make today.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± If it''s something I make, there''s really only one thing it could be. ¡°You wanted to eat ramen, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ahem. Th-that¡¯s not it!¡± ¡°You used to call it junk food andin about how unhealthy it is.¡± ¡°S-shut up!¡± Iris, face flushed, pped me lightly on the back. Stifling augh, I nodded. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s stop by the convenience store to pick up some ingredients.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Iris smiled brightly and nodded. We headed to the campus store, which, despite being part of the prestigious Hero Academy, wasn¡¯t that big. ¡°Not many cadets use this ce.¡± Most cadets preferred to eat in the dining hall, so the store wasn¡¯t veryrge. ¡°This is the store?¡± ¡°Is this your first time here?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. I never really had a reason toe.¡± ¡°Well, makes sense.¡± With chefs preparing her every meal, there was no need for her to visit a ce where the only advantage was cheap prices. ¡°Wow... There''s so much I¡¯ve never seen before.¡± Iris''s eyes sparkled as she gazed at the products on disy. Though the store wasn¡¯t big, it had items from all three nations¡ªEmpire, Holy Kingdom, and Republic¡ªsince students from each lived together here. ¡°Just from looking at the items, you can see the differences in each nation¡¯s style.¡± The Empire¡¯s section mainly had meat and bread, the Holy Kingdom''s had vegetables and health foods, and the Republic''s was filled with instant foods and meal kits showcasing their advanced technology. ¡°Dale! Come here! There''s... there¡¯s so much ramen...!¡± Iris, who had been looking around the store with wide eyes, gasped in surprise when she saw the wall lined with different types of ramen. ¡°Is all of that ramen?¡± ¡°Yep. There are tons of varieties.¡± ¡°Amazing...¡± ¡°Haha. But honestly, the taste isn¡¯t all that different.¡± There were slight variations between brands, but most ramen ended up tasting pretty simr. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s the ramen you made for mest time!¡± Iris pointed to a red package with the word ¡°ÐÁ¡± on it. ¡°This is probably the most popr brand.¡± ¡°Really? What does the character on it mean? It doesn¡¯t look like a continentalnguage...¡± ¡°I heard it¡¯s an old script the Republic used to use.¡± ¡°Huh? But I studied Republguage a bit, and I don¡¯t remember seeing characters like that.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ it''s a bitplicated.¡± I didn¡¯t really know why they still used those characters either. ¡°Think of it like a form of ancient writing from a long time ago.¡± ¡°From before the Republic¡¯s people even arrived in this world?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I heard. It¡¯s kind of like how the Empire and Holy Kingdom have traces of ancientnguages from their mythological eras.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. It¡¯s like how remnants of ancientnguages still appear in modernnguages.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Our saint is as sharp as ever. ¡°So what does the character ¡®ÐÁ¡¯ mean?¡± ¡°It means spicy.¡± ¡°Ah, it was a bit spicy, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Iris nodded as she recalled the taste of the ramen Dale had made for her. The reason she had fallen in love with it was probably due to its intense vor, something she couldn¡¯t find in the Holy Kingdom¡¯s cuisine. ¡°Since we''re here, why don''t you pick another kind of ramen?¡± ¡°Won''t it be difficult for you to make?¡± ¡°Ramen¡¯s pretty much the same no matter the brand, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Hm. Alright then.¡± With a serious look, like an artist selecting a masterpiece, Iris carefully scanned the shelves. ¡°How about this one?¡± She picked up a packet of ramen with ck packaging that had ''Buldak'' written on it. My face froze the moment I saw the package. "Uh... that one might be a bit..." "Why? Is there a problem?" "That one''s a bit different from the ramen Iris had before." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Different? How?" "It''s the kind you stir-fry with sauce, not soup." "Oh!" Iris''s eyes sparkled. "I want to try this! Ramen without soup!" "... " "...Dale?" "Well... I understand, but... how about a different brand? There are other ramen options without soup, too." "Huh? Why can''t I have this one?" "Uh... this brand is really spicy. I think it might be too much for you." Even among the Republic citizens, known for handling spicy food well, many avoided this brand of ramen. "Ah, I see. It¡¯s that, right?" "That?" "I heard about it from Cami before. Republic citizens always get dramatic when they meet people from other countries, asking ''Is this spicy for you?'' or saying ''Oh, you can''t eat this, it''s too spicy.''" "... " "What did they call it again...? Ah, right. ''Spice Pride'' or something like that." A smallugh escaped her lips as she nced at me with a smug expression. "I didn¡¯t expect it, but Dale, you¡¯re no different from any other Republic citizen, are you?" "... " "Hehe. You know, I can handle quite a bit of spice, right? I ate that ramen you cooked for mest time without anyints!" The one with the old Republic word for ''spicy'' boldly written on the package! "Heh." Iris puffed out her chest, shaking her head in a yful disy of pride. "Honestly, after eating it, I even thought, ''Maybe Republic citizens are a bit too boastful about their spicy food.''" "... Is that so?" "Besides, you said this one doesn¡¯t have any soup, right? The soup is usually what''s really spicy, so without it, it should be easier to eat." Hmm. That makes sense. "Anyway, I want to try this ''Buldak'' ramen. Is that okay?" "Yeah, sure." If that¡¯s really what Iris wants. "I¡¯ll make it for you." I nodded with a bright smile. * * * After buying the ramen and some simple drinks from the convenience store, Iris and I headed to my room. Unlike Iris¡¯s room, which was equipped with full cooking facilities, my dorm room didn¡¯t have much, but I did have a portable burner and a pot, so making ramen wasn''t too hard. "Here, it¡¯s done." I handed her the fiery red Buldak ramen. "Hehe, let¡¯s give it a try!" Iris lifted her chopsticks and took a big bite of the ramen. "Wow, this is really good!" Her eyes widened as she chewed the noodles. I sat across from her, waiting leisurely for the inevitable scene that was about to unfold. "It¡¯s not as spicy as I thought it would..." She froze. "Ugh, ah." Her face tightened. "It¡¯s spicy! What the heck is this?!" She started stomping her feet in panic, letting out a cry of distress. Watching Iris tremble like a trapped capybara, I felt a strange thrill spread through my body. ¡®Ah.¡¯ I¡¯d heard before that some Republic citizens took a twisted pleasure in watching people from the Holy Kingdom or the Empire eat Buldak ramen and struggle with the spice. ¡®So, this is what it feels like.¡¯ Just moments ago, Iris had been smugly saying, "Isn''t all this talk about spice just Republic citizens boasting?" Now, she was tearing up and writhing in pain. There was no better feeling. "How is it? I told you it was spicy." "Do Republic citizens not understand moderation?! This isn¡¯t just spicy!" Iris cried out, her eyes darting around desperately for something to cool her burning mouth. I handed her a steaming cup of tea. "It¡¯s hot ginger tea. It¡¯s great for calming down the heat from spice." "Ugh... thank you, Dale!" Iris gulped down the hot ginger tea. And then¡ª "KYAAAAAA!!" The saint¡¯s scream filled the room. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 49: The Sword of the Sun (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 49: The Sword of the Sun (1) The day after I had shown Iris the spicy taste of the Republic. [Don¡¯t contact me for a while.] I clicked my tongue as I looked at the message floating on my Hero Watch. ¡°Was the ginger tea too much after all?¡± I felt a bit of regret btedly, but at the time, I had no choice. ''How could I have resisted?'' I never thought of myself as someone who enjoys other people''s suffering, but... Seeing Iris, who boasted that this level of spiciness was nothing, crying her eyes and nose out, I couldn''t resist the urge to mess with her a bit more. ''Well, what''s done is done.'' The best thing now is probably to wait quietly until her anger subsides. "Now then, let''s see..." Originally, today''s schedule included a sparring ss meant only for the warrior candidates, but a notice hade outtest night that Professor Lucas was canceling due to health issues. "He was fine just yesterday, so what''s with the sudden health issue?" I sent a message through the Hero Watch out of curiosity, but no response came back. ¡®It¡¯s probably nothing serious.¡¯ After all, it''s Professor Lucas we¡¯re talking about. Even if his condition was bad, he would probably recover quickly as if nothing happened. "Well, I''m meeting Beraldter this evening¡­." Which meant I had plenty of free time until then. ''Maybe I should head to the training grounds.'' It seemed better to move my body rather than sit around idly in my dorm room with nothing to do. ¡®It¡¯s not like I can use the training grounds freely like I did during my leave of absence, though.¡¯ Originally, before the end of the break, I had nned to borrow some money from Juliet¡ªno, to ask for a loan to apply for a personal training ground. But I ended up running into Berald in the middle of my scheme, and that n was thwarted. ¡®Well, can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ Thanks to yesterday¡¯s sparring match with Instructor Vincent, people were paying more attention to me than usual, but I couldn''t just stay cooped up in my dorm swinging a sword. ¡°Alright.¡± I grabbed my sword and headed to the training grounds. Since it hadn''t been long since the end of the break, there weren''t many candidates using the public training grounds. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the guy from ss C in practicalbat training?¡± ¡°Hey, a guy who even beat an instructor isn¡¯t just some nobody. He¡¯s been faking being bad all this time, apparently.¡± ¡°But why? There¡¯s no benefit to deliberately being at the bottom.¡± ¡°No idea. But I heard some people in ss C are evenparing him to ¡®Yuren Helios.¡¯¡± ¡°Come on, that¡¯s a bit of an exaggeration, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Right? Those ss C guys have never even taken a ss with Yuren. They''re just making a fuss.¡± Of course, just because there weren''t many candidates didn''t mean I wasn¡¯t drawing attention. ''It''s a circus here.'' I gave a wry smile as I nced at the candidates who started whispering the moment I walked in. I passed by them and headed to a quiet corner of the spacious public training grounds. After setting down my towel and water bottle, I began to warm up with some light martial arts moves. Whoosh! Swish! Crack! The air resonated with the sharp sounds as my fists and feet sliced through it. The sound was so powerful that it was hard to believe I hadn¡¯t used any mana. ''Looks like my body¡¯s in good shape.'' When I first returned, my body had been nothing more than that of a clueless idiot who worked hard without knowing better, but after two months of constant training, it had undergone significant changes. My abs were sharply defined, and my upper body was covered in lean muscles with not an ounce of fat. My lower body, from my waist down to my thighs and shins, had developed muscles so strong that they resembled those of a big cat. Some might question whether it was necessary to train so rigorously when I could just enhance my body with mana, but that¡¯s a naive mindset only those who hole up and use mana for casting spells would have. ''Why pour mana into a branch to make it as strong as steel when you could just use a steel weapon in the first ce?'' The same goes for the body. Even if you''re using the same amount of mana, the difference between enhancing a weak body and a trained one is enormous. ''Still not enough.'' Thanks to the knowledge I¡¯d gained from Berald, my body had improved quicklypared to the time I invested. But to have a near-perfect body, like I did in my previous life, I couldn¡¯t afford to ck off in training. ¡°Hoo.¡± Once my body was warmed up, I drew my sword and began my real training. ¡°Sss¡­¡± I took a deep breath and swung the sword in my hand. Starting with the basic forms of the Sun Sword, from the first to the fourth stance: upward sh, downward sh, horizontal sh, and thrust. The four basic movements, which could be called the foundation of swordsmanship, were executed one after the other. Whoosh! Swish! sh! Though I still referred to it as the Sun Sword for convenience, the swordsmanship I practiced had evolved so much that it barely resembled the original. ¡®It changed even more after I leveled up recently.¡¯ At this point, even if Yuren from my previous life were toe back, he wouldn¡¯t recognize the sword techniques he once taught me. ''But that¡¯s fine.'' Even if the original form was hard to recognize now, the roots of my swordsmanship stilly with Yuren. ''So don¡¯t worry.'' Whoosh! A bead of sweat dripped from my forehead. The sword, imbued with a gray aura, tore through the surrounding air ferociously. ''Don¡¯t worry, Yuren.'' Even if you forget, I will remember. - Don¡¯t be too anxious when you swing your sword. - Empty your mind. Slowly. - Think about where the sword wants to go, not where you want it to go. The lessons you taught me. The realizations you shared. Even after hundreds of years, even after thousands of years. I still remember them vividly and clearly. ¡°Hoo.¡± I took a deep breath, slightly winded, and sheathed my sword. ¡®Though, just because I remember them doesn¡¯t mean I fully understand them.¡¯ To be honest, I still don¡¯t get what he meant by "think about where the sword wants to go, not where you want it to go." ''Seriously, why did he always have to say things that sound so profound? How is anyone supposed to understand that?'' As I recalled the days when I had learned swordsmanship from Yuren, a smallugh escaped my lips. p p. Just then, I heard a clear sound of pping. I turned my head in the direction of the sound. "Impressive." What I saw was a young man with radiant, golden hair shining like the sun. "You¡­" "Oh, I''m sorry for watching your training without permission." The golden-haired youth bowed his head politely. "Nice to meet you. I am Yuren Helios, a third-year candidate in the warrior division." "¡­¡­" I was so taken aback by Yuren¡¯s unexpected appearance that I remained silent. Perhaps he misunderstood my hardened expression. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Yuren scratched his head awkwardly, shing an embarrassed smile. "I apologize for showing up so suddenly without a word." "Oh, uh, no, it''s fine. But why are you here looking for me?" "Yesterday, I happened to see you sparring, Dale." "Ah." Did he see me sparring with Instructor Vincent? "After watching that duel, I couldn''t resist the urge to spar with you myself." So that''s why, despite having his own private training ground, he came all the way to the public one to find me. ¡®As expected, he''s still the same.¡¯ From long ago, whenever he heard a rumor about someone skilled with a sword, he¡¯d hunt them down like a starving hyena with fire in his eyes. This was so typical of him. I stifled augh and nodded. "Alright." I had been wondering how to strike up a conversation and build a rapport with Yuren anyway, so I couldn¡¯t let this opportunity slip by. "Ah¡­ thank you!" "Feel free to speak casually. We''re in the same year, after all." "Okay, I¡¯ll do that." "So, do you want to spar here?" "No. I have my own private training ground, so let''s go there. Here... there are too many eyes on us." Yuren turned his head to nce at the murmuring candidates around us. Was it because Yuren had arrived? Just moments ago, there were only a few people around, but now it seemed like the candidates were gathering in droves, threatening to fill the entire training ground. "Let¡¯s go before even more people show up." "Yeah." As Yuren led the way, the crowd parted before him like the sea, as if witnessing one of the seven gods'' miracles. ¡®I thought I was getting a lot of attentiontely, but being next to Yuren makes me realize it¡¯s nothing inparison.¡¯ Well, it made sense. After all, the candidate walking in front of me was the famous heir of "The Sun¡¯s Sword," Reynald Helios. This kind of attention was only natural. "This is my training ground." "Wow, this ce is amazing." Though it wasn¡¯t asrge as the public training grounds, the neatly organized interior, the walls filled with training equipment, and even the private showers and sauna¡ªthis ce put the public facility to shame. ¡®Seeing it in person makes me want it even more.¡¯ Like a country bumpkin newly arrived in the city, I looked around Yuren''s private training ground, swallowing hard. "So, how should we spar?" "However you''d like." "Hmm... how about we start without using any mana?" Yuren suggested cautiously. ¡®Seems like he knows I don¡¯t have much mana.¡¯ Yuren, on the other hand, had far more mana than even most professors, let alone other candidates. He must have realized that using mana in a sparring match wouldn''t allow for a fair fight between us. ¡®Well, he¡¯s not wrong.¡¯ Without using a Stigma amplifier, the sheer difference in our mana capacities would be over tenfold, so I''d naturally be at a disadvantage in a magical duel. "Alright, let''s spar without mana first." "Thank you." I gripped a wooden practice sword and stood in front of Yuren. When Yuren manipted his Hero Watch, a hologram appeared in the middle of the training ground. [Training mode confirmed.] [Sparring starts in 5 seconds.] [4, 3, 2, 1.] As the numbers floating in midair disappeared¡ª Whoosh! Both Yuren and I kicked off the ground simultaneously, charging toward each other. And then¡­ * * * ¡°Hah¡­ hah¡­ ugh!¡± Yuren copsed, gasping for breath. ¡°This¡­ this doesn¡¯t make any sense¡­.¡± Trembling, he stared down at his sword lying on the ground in disbelief. I drank from a nearby water bottle, waiting for him to recover from the shock. ¡°Dale!¡± Yuren suddenly jumped up and strode toward me. Grabbing my hand tightly, he eximed in a trembling voice, ¡°Who¡­ who in the world taught you that swordsmanship?!¡± Who do you think, idiot? ¡®I learned it from you.¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 50: The Sword of the Sun (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 50: The Sword of the Sun (2) Yuren Helios. The descendant of Reynald Helios, the leader of the Five Great Heroes, known as the "Sword of the Sun." A swordsmanship genius who, at the mere age of 10, overwhelmed his master with his sword skills. He was called many things: the reincarnation of Reynald, the return of the Sword of the Sun, the one blessed by the Seven Gods with a divine sword. From a young age, Yuren captivated the entire continent, and in return, he showcased unimaginable skill for his age, building a name for himself. People hailed him as the genius who would save the Helios family, which had declined slowly over the past 500 years. But as they say, tragedy often follows genius. When Yuren was 12 years old, a tragic incident urred: his younger sister, Yurina Helios, died in an ident. The cause of death was said to be a fall, a tragedy that urred on the sacred mountain where the heads of the Helios family were buried. Devastated by his sister''s death, Yuren withdrew from the world, even abandoning the sword he had never once let go of. He secluded himself at home, cutting off all external activities. Three years passed. As gossipers delighted in iming that the light of hope for the Helios family had been extinguished, that the sun had set¡ªYuren finally broke his silence and reappeared. The ce where he reemerged was at none other than the annual swordsmanship tournament held by the empire. At the mere age of 15, Yuren took second ce in the imperial swordsmanship tournament, showing the world that he was still a force to be reckoned with. From then on, his rise was meteoric. At 18, he entered the Hero Academy as the top of his ss, and he never once relinquished his spot as the number one ranked cadet, solidifying his position as the heir of the "Sword of the Sun." But now, that same Yuren¡ªa genius swordsman among elite geniuses¡ªwas bowing his head, asking to be taught swordsmanship by a cadet at the bottom of the ranks. What would anyone think if they saw this? ''They¡¯d probably think they were dreaming.'' Honestly, that¡¯s exactly how I felt right now. ''Well, I was nning to teach him anyway, so it¡¯s not like he had to ask.'' I never expected Yuren toe to me first, asking to be taught swordsmanship. And especially not after just one non-mana sparring match between fellow students. "You want me to teach you swordsmanship?" "Yes. I''ll give you whatever reward you want." "It¡¯s not about the reward. Are you really okay with this?" "Okay with what?" "If people find out that the top student is learning swordsmanship from someone at the bottom, the whole academy will be turned upside down." "I don''t care." Yuren responded with a firm expression. ¡®He was passionate about the sword even in his previous life, but it seems like it¡¯s even more intense now.¡¯ I shook my head as I looked at Yuren. "I don''t mind teaching you, but don¡¯t go around telling people about it." It would hurt his reputation if anyone found out Yuren was learning from me. I didn¡¯t want to be a burden to my only friend. "...Thank you, Dale." Yuren smiled, as if he had found an oasis in the middle of a desert. "So, what should I do first?" "Hmm..." I thought for a moment before looking around the training ground. "For now, swing your sword the way you do when you''re practicing alone." "Like in my usual practice?" "Yeah. And use your mana too." "Got it." Yuren moved to the center of the training ground, grasping his sword with both hands, and slowly took a deep breath. Woooong! Mana flowed through his entire body, and the aura began to radiate from his sword. A brilliant golden aura, befitting the name of the "Sword of the Sun".... ¡®Huh?¡¯ I tilted my head as I observed the golden aura swirling around Yuren¡¯s sword. ''Was it always this pale?'' I distinctly remembered Yuren¡¯s aura being much more vivid and radiant in the past, but now it seemed almost diluted, as if mixed with water. ¡®Well, maybe it changester.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t unusual for an aura¡¯s color to change as one¡¯s skills progressed, so I decided not to think too much of it. ''The color of the aura isn¡¯t what¡¯s important in swordsmanship anyway.'' I smiled as I watched Yuren, focused on his sword, ready to begin. ¡®It¡¯s been a while.¡¯ In the past, I used to love watching Yuren practice his swordsmanship like this. Just watching him was mesmerizing. His swordsmanship was that beautiful. "I¡¯m starting." Yuren¡¯s sword traced an elegant line as it cut through the air. Every stroke was wless, a testament to how much he had been rigorously practicing. I clenched my fist as I watched the golden aura beautifully paint the air. ¡®That¡¯s Yuren¡¯s sword.¡¯ A sword that captivated people with its mere presence. Graceful enough to make your heart race, yet noble enough to make your heart ache. The sword of my one and only friend. ''Of course,pared to the swordsmanship I saw in my past life, there¡¯s still a long way to go.'' But still, I knew. Only I could know. The swordsman in front of me would be a sun even more brilliant than Reynald Helios, the "Sword of the Sun" from 500 years ago. "Haaah!" With a short shout, a burst of aura exploded from Yuren¡¯s sword. Rumble! The entire training ground echoed as if thunder had struck. I looked at the swirling golden aura with a wry expression. ''No matter how many times I see it, that¡¯s an absurd amount of mana.'' I¡¯d heard that Yuren had more mana than others ever since he first awakened his divine mark. ''And he¡¯s probably been fed every magical elixir under the sun since he was a child.'' With his innate mana, the full support of his family, and consistent training through breathing techniques, it was no wonder Yuren had more mana at 20 than most professors. ''It¡¯s the perfectbination of talent, effort, and support.'' With all that, it made sense he¡¯d have such ridiculous amounts of mana. Whoosh! Swish! aash! The shimmering golden aura dissipated after about five more minutes of elegant sword movements. "How was that?" Yuren asked, breathing out slowly. "You were amazing." Indeed, Yuren¡¯s swordsmanship was truly worthy of being called genius-level. "Impressive? I couldn''t even counterattack properly before losing to you." "Well, that''s..." No matter how much of a genius Yuren was with the sword, he couldn''t bepared to someone like me, who had trained for hundreds, if not thousands of years. ''It''s likeparing a toddler just learning to walk with a fully grown adult.'' Of course, from Yuren''s perspective, unaware of that fact, I probably seemed like some sort of sword god. ''Actually, it''s better for me if he keeps thinking that way.'' Just like how the same words can carry different weight depending on the speaker''s credentials, the more Yuren thought I was amazing, the easier it would be to teach him the sword. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ''Maybe I should push it even further.'' I grinned as I turned to Yuren. "Alright. Let''s have another round then." "Okay." "This time, let''s use mana." "...Mana?" Yuren hesitated, his expression stiffening as he trailed off. He cautiously gauged my reaction before continuing. "I don¡¯t mean to sound rude but..." "You''re wondering if the difference in our mana is too extreme?" "Oh, uh, yeah. Sorry." "There''s nothing to apologize for. A lot of mana can affect swordsmanship too." Hadn''t he already experienced that firsthand during his ''Incarnation'' state? ''Mana and swordsmanship are inseparable.'' Yuren once said that if someone reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship, they could perform miracles with pure sword skills alone, without mana. ''But you''re wrong about that, Yuren.'' Without mana, it was impossible even to reach the pinnacle of swordsmanship. ''If you think about it, it''s only natural.'' Telling someone to reach the pinnacle without mana was like telling them to fly without wings. ''Of course, having mana doesn''t guarantee reaching the pinnacle either.'' It was also true that no amount of pure swordsmanship training alone could ever get you there. "If you insist... fine." Yuren nodded and raised his sword at me. Golden aura flickered along his de. I stood before him, drawing my own sword. And then¡ª sh. Kaang! Ka-kang! Kang! The clear ring of steel resounded as golden and gray auras tangled together. "Urgh...!" With every sh of our swords, the skin on my palms tore, sending waves of excruciating pain through me. "Maybe not using mana was the better¡ª" "Stop spouting nonsense and fight properly, idiot." I surged toward Yuren, summoning all the mana I had. Rumble! The training grounds shook as if hit by an earthquake. "Ugh?!" At first, Yuren had aggressively pressured me, relying on his overwhelming mana, but soon he began to falter. "What the...?" Yuren''s eyes widened in shock as he stared down at his sword, encased in its golden aura, in disbelief. Just by looking at the amount of aura gathered around their swords, it was clear that the difference in mana between Yuren and me was vast. ''My sword should be faster and stronger by far...!'' So why was it him who was being pushed back, not me? "That''s enough for today." "But I can still keep going!" "I said that''s enough." "Ugh..." "Don''t rush things. You can''t master swordsmanship in just one day, right?" "Yeah... you''re right." I sheathed my sword, quietly swallowing dryly so Yuren wouldn''t notice. ''Wow, this guy''s insane.'' I tried my best to keep a straight face in front of him, but to be honest, I wasn''t exactly unscathed either. ''I almost got humiliated trying to show off.'' If the sparring hadsted even one more minute... no, just thirty more seconds, it wouldn''t have been Yuren who was losing¡ªit would have been me. "Tell me. How can I... handle a sword the way you do?" Yuren asked, his voice filled with a certain desperation. "How can you handle a sword like I do, huh..." I never imagined I''d hear something like this from Yuren. ''Well, I can''t exactly tell him to go train for a few thousand years like I did.'' I searched through my memories of my past life, trying toe up with a usible answer. ''Ah, that''ll work.'' I grinned and lowered my voice. "Don''t think about where you want to aim the sword. Think about where the sword wants to go." "Don''t think about where I want to aim... but where the sword wants to go?" "Yeah." "What does that even mean? A sword isn''t a living thing. How can I know where it wants to go?" I have no idea, you idiot. ''How does it feel? Confusing, right?'' Watching Yuren fall into deep contemtion with a serious expression, I couldn''t help but burst outughing. It felt oddly satisfying, like I had just gotten a small revenge. "You don¡¯t have to understand it right away¡ª" "...Ah!" Just then, Yuren let out a small gasp. His whole body trembled as he clenched his fist. "Oh, ohhh! Right! I get it now! That''s what it means!" "What?" You get it? ''How do you know that?'' Even I don''t know. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 51: Interlude – The Moon Hidden by the Sun [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 51: Interlude ¨C The Moon Hidden by the Sun It¡¯s been three years. Ever since I enrolled in the Hero Academy¡­ no, even before I enrolled, my sword had stopped growing. It was as if I had hit a massive wall. I swung my sword day and night, trying to break through, but in the end, I made no progress. My sword had stopped evolving or changing altogether. The Sun Sword¡¯s 6th Form, White Light. That was the highest level of form I could achieve. People who know about the Helios family might say something like this: For someone just twenty years old to master up to the 6th Form of the Sun Sword, it¡¯s amazing. That no one aside from the creator of the Sun Sword, Reynald Helios, had aplished as much at such a young age. But. ¡®This isn¡¯t enough.¡¯ I had a reason why I needed to get stronger. To reach higher. To reach further. Until I be the ¡°Sun¡± that shines high in the sky. ¡®I¡­ can¡¯t stop here.¡¯ Biting my lip until blood flowed, I swung my sword. Every day. Every day. Without missing a single day, I poured everything into my sword. But the result was always the same. The wall towering before me was impossibly high and dreadfully solid. ¡®I have to get stronger. Stronger. Stronger.¡¯ If I don¡¯t get stronger, I¡ª I¡­. ¡°If only you¡­ if only you didn¡¯t exist! Just youuu!!!¡± Every night, the same scene reyed in my dreams. The sound of a flower pot shattering. Water spilling on the floor, and the sharp shards of the pot. My mother¡¯s hands choking me. The suffocating pain. My consciousness fading. Her bloodshot eyes staring down at me. ¡®I have to get stronger.¡¯ If I don¡¯t, I don¡¯t deserve to live. ¡ªYuren, have you heard of this? One day. A ssmate sitting next to me (for some reason, they use honorifics with me) told me a rumor. A rumor about someone named Dale Han, a mere bottom-rank cadet. ¡ªNo, really. Those C-ss guys keepparing you to that Dale guy. Aren¡¯t they crazy? At first, it was just simple curiosity. They said he defeated Professor Lucas. That he knocked out Cami with one blow. That he cut down dozens of beasts in the blink of an eye. There were many rumors, but the one that caught my attention was this: ¡ªThat Dale guy, they say he cut through a training wooden sword with another wooden sword without using any mana. To cut through a training wooden sword ¡ª which was essentially a wooden club ¡ª with another wooden sword was impossible without being exceptionally skilled in swordsmanship. So I went to see for myself. And I saw it. What was far too one-sided to be called a spar between an instructor and a cadet. When I saw Instructor Vincent copsed, clutching his bloodied arm, and the gray-haired cadet standing tall before him¡ª For some reason, I felt a thrilling excitement in my chest. Like the feeling of reuniting with a long-lost crush, perhaps. I couldn¡¯t understand why I felt that way. But, as if something had possessed me, I sought him out the next day. ¡ªAfter watching your match, I really wanted to spar with you, Dale. To be honest, my desire to spar with him was half a lie. More than wanting to spar, I just wanted to talk with him. ¡®But.¡¯ After being overwhelmingly defeated in our first sparring match, my thoughtspletely changed. ¡®Maybe this person could teach me how to surpass the wall.¡¯ Honestly, I thought the chances were slim. But my desperation to ovee the ¡°wall¡± was greater than anything else. Thus, I clung to the faintest hope as I started learning from him. ¡ªDon''t think about where you want to aim the sword. Think about where the sword wants to go. When I heard those words, it felt like lightning had struck my mind. ¡®Think not about where I want to aim, but where the sword itself wants to go.¡¯ In other words, he was telling me not to wield the sword with my will but to imbue my will into the sword and let it guide me. ¡®Imbuing your heart into the sword.¡¯ It was a radical concept I had never even considered. But at that moment, I felt a tiny crack appear in the massive wall that had been blocking my way for the past three years. Of course, Dale¡¯s single statement didn¡¯tpletely demolish the wall. But just finding a small clue on how to break it was enough to make my heart surge with joy. ¡°Thank you¡­ thank you so much, Dale.¡± Ovee with emotion, I impulsively hugged him tightly. ¡°Uh, yeah?¡± Seeing Dale¡¯s startled expression, I suddenly realized what I had done. ¡°Ah¡­ s-sorry.¡± I quickly pulled away, and an awkward silence settled between us. ¡®What were you thinking, Yuren?!¡¯ Even though it was toote to take back what had happened, I regretted it deeply. I hastily spoke up. ¡°T-thank you so much for today. I¡¯ll definitely repay this favor, no matter what.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± ¡°No, I insist.¡± How could I remain silent after receiving such a meaningful teaching without anypensation? ¡°Wait here for a moment.¡± As I searched for a way to repay his kindness, I hurriedly rummaged through the locker in the private training room. Inside was a mana-enhancing elixir that had been gifted to me as the top cadet of my year. The elixir was of little use to me now, as it wasn¡¯t potent enough to increase my mana anymore. But for Dale, who had little mana, it should be quite helpful. ¡°This is¡­ no way, is this an elixir?¡± ¡°Yes. It may not have a huge effect, but it will help increase your mana.¡± Dale chuckled as he looked at the elixir in his hand. ¡°You¡¯re really giving me this? Mana-enhancing elixirs are incredibly rare.¡± ¡°What you taught me means far more than this.¡± At my words, Dale chuckled lightly. "Well, alright. With your level of mana, this elixir probably doesn''t mean much anyway." "..." For some reason, when he said that, I felt guilty, as if I was trying to repay his kindness with something useless. "N-no, it''s not like I think this makes us even. I''ll give you something elseter..." "Enough, man. Between friends, who cares about keeping score like that?" "...Friends?" "Ah." Dale''s expression stiffened. "Ah... I mean, ahem. After crossing swords once, aren¡¯t we friends? Right?" "Y-yeah. Right, friends." Friends... [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Friends, huh. Why was it? When I heard that word, a strange surge of anger twisted inside me. ''What is this feeling?'' Whenever I was with Dale, I sometimes felt emotions rising that I couldn¡¯t understand. "Anyway. How about we meet every Wednesday and Friday from now on, and I''ll teach you swordsmanship for two hours each time?" "...You''ll keep teaching me?" I opened my eyes wide at the unexpected offer. "Well, what, you thought I''d teach you once and be done? You think swordsmanship is that easy?" "N-no. I just... I''m really grateful." Why is he being so good to me, someone he barely knows? Before I could even try to figure that out, Dale turned to leave. "Well, it''s gettingte, so I¡¯ll head off." "Y-yeah." The urge to ask him not to go rose to my throat, but I barely managed to hold it back. "Uh, hey." I cautiously called out to Dale, who was walking away. "Hm?" "Can I... add your Hero Watch contact?" "Oh, right. I forgot about that." He nodded and extended his wrist with the Hero Watch on it. [Would you like to register ¡®Dale Han¡¯s¡¯ contact? (YES / NO)] A hologram popped up over my Hero Watch. I quickly moved my hand and pressed the ''YES'' button. [''Dale Han''s'' contact has been sessfully registered.] "Then I¡¯ll see you around. Looks like we¡¯ll meet tomorrow since it''s Wednesday. Let¡¯s talk about the timeter via message." With that, Dale left the training hall. "......" Left alone in the hall, I touched my Hero Watch, which now stored Dale''s contact, and thought of his face. Dark gray hair, reminiscent of burnt ashes. Slightly sharp eyes and mysterious green irises. A strong, masculine jaw and a delicate nose bridge falling between his brows. He wasn''t what you''d call a typical handsome man. But his face had a strange, captivating charm. ''...Dale.'' Why was it? Just thinking of his face made my heart race as if it were broken. Even though we had just parted, I couldn''t help but want to meet him again. It didn''t have to be for swordsmanship training. I just wanted to talk to him, even about trivial things. A little longer, just a little longer. I wanted to be with him. "Should I message him and ask if he wants to grab dinnerter?" I swallowed hard and moved my hand toward his contact on the Hero Watch, but after hesitating several times, I lowered it again. "...I''m being ridiculous." No one knew better than me that I wasn¡¯t in a position to be swept away by such personal feelings. "Time to shower." I stripped off my sweat-drenched training clothes and entered the shower room. The reflection in therge mirror. A handsome man with blonde hair and golden eyes stared back at me. "......" I stood in front of the mirror and slowly raised my hand to touch my left chest. My fingertips brushed against the ¡®Stigma of the Moon God'' engraved there. Grit. A sound escaped through my clenched teeth. "Sigh." With a deep sigh, I removed the pendant hanging around my neck. And then. Wooong! A radiant glow emanated from the pendant, enveloping my body. After the light that filled the shower room had faded. The figure reflected in the mirror was. "......" A beautiful woman with silver hair, as if woven from moonlight. I stroked my now prominent chest and turned on the shower. Ssssshhhh. Warm water cascaded down my body. "...Don''t forget." I clenched my fist and reminded myself. The vow I had repeated hundreds, no, thousands of times. "I am Yuren Helios." Because eight years ago, Yurina Helios died. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 52: Dale Hans Secret Personal Life (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 52: Dale Han''s Secret Personal Life (1) After the meaningful (?) reunion with Yuren, my daily life became so incredibly busy that it felt like the expression "busy" was an understatement. ¡®With school lectures, assignments¡­¡¯ Every evening, I met with Berald and Yuren to teach them martial arts and swordsmanship, and I squeezed in some personal training whenever I could. ¡®I''m really going to die.¡¯ Well, in my case, even if I died, I''d quicklye back to life. However, the mental exhaustion wasn¡¯t something even the divine blessing of revival could recover. ¡®Ah, I want to rest.¡¯ I felt like lying in bed all day long, just rxing. ¡®How blissful it would be.¡¯ Imagining taking a leisurely nap under the warm spring sunlight filtering through the window made me gulp. Thirst for rest that scorched my throat. I barely managed to drag myself out of bed, gripping my sanity. ¡°Phew¡­ I still have to do what needs to be done.¡± Today was Saturday. There were no lectures, and no meetings with Berald and Yuren, but that didn¡¯t mean there was nothing to do. ¡°First, I should visit Professor Jade.¡± I looked down at the square box containing the pill. The pill was a mana-enhancing elixir given to me by Yuren. Although people with a high amount of mana wouldn¡¯t see much benefit, for someone like me, who had a pitiful amount of mana (although it has increased a bit recently), it was quite a valuable elixir. ¡®It would be fine to take it as it is, but¡­¡¯ Since I had the elixir, it would be good to ask Professor Jade, the authority in alchemy, if there was a way to amplify its effects. ¡°And then¡­ I should meet Juliet.¡± After visiting Yuren¡¯s private training ground, my desire for a private training ground grew even stronger. ¡®The attraction was too much after the match with Instructor Vincent.¡¯ Honestly, it was a hindrance to training. ¡®Yuren and other top students don¡¯t train in private training grounds for nothing.¡¯ When entering a public training ground, spectators gathered like monkeys in a zoo, making it impossible to focus on training. ¡°Maybe I should send a message first.¡± I clicked on Juliet¡¯s contact and sent a message. [We need to talk about something important. Are you free today?] [Huh, what do you want to talk about?] I got an immediate reply. [I''ll tell you when we meet, so contact me againter.] [Okay. I''ll be in touch.] The fee for applying for a private training ground wasn¡¯t a small amount, but with Juliet¡¯s ¡®weakness¡¯ in my hands, he would have no choice but toply. ¡®Let¡¯s check if the photos are still there.¡¯ I clicked on the album file in my Hero Watch. ¡°Ugh, my eyes!¡± The first thing that appeared was a photo of Juliet dressed as a woman, striking a flirtatious pose. Even though I was ckmailing him for a good reason, the fact that such photos were saved in my Hero Watch was unbearable. ¡®If I get money from him this time¡­ no, I¡¯ll definitely delete these photos once I get money.¡¯ I felt like I had sufficiently vented my frustration from being bullied by Juliet in a past life, so I was nning to let go of Juliet. ¡°Alright, time to get moving.¡± Just as I was preparing to leave with my tired body. Knock, knock. I heard a knock on the door. ¡°Huh?¡± Was there someone visiting at this hour? Creeeak. As I tilted my head in confusion and opened the door, I saw Iris with a fierce expression. ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­ Ugh!¡± ¡°You bad bastard!¡± Iris, gripping my cor angrily, burst out with fury. ¡°Why¡­ what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Why are you asking me that? Don¡¯t you know?¡± Iris gritted her teeth and continued. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you contacted me for the past few days?¡± ¡°Well, you asked me not to contact you for a while¡­¡± ¡°Does that mean you really didn¡¯t? Huh, you really have no sense!¡± Iris stretched both sides of my face and stomped her foot in frustration. ¡°Ugh. Fine, it was my mistake to expect anything from you.¡± Hmph. Iris gave me a sidelong nce while dressed for an outing. ¡°It¡¯s the weekend. Where are you going?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just going to Professor Jade¡¯sboratory for a bit¡­¡± ¡°Is that work again?¡± Iris red at me as if interrogating me. ¡°Not exactly work, but I have a favor to ask.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s not for rest?¡± ¡°Well¡­ not really.¡± Squeeze. A thick vein appeared on Iris¡¯s forehead. She grabbed my hand and said. ¡°Come with me to Valha City today.¡± ¡°Huh? Out of the blue?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not thinking of refusing, are you?¡± Iris smiled brightly and winked. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll get ready quickly.¡± It seemed that visiting Professor Jade¡¯sboratory would have to be postponed until tomorrow. * * * Iris and I headed towards Valha City, a massive city surrounding the Hero Academy. ¡°By the way, what about Cami?¡± ¡°I left without telling Cami and sneaked out.¡± ¡°¡­Is that okay?¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re with me, there¡¯s no need for a separate escort, right?¡± Well, that¡¯s true. ¡°Will you tell Camiter?¡± Iris gave me a sweet smile and winked. ¡°Got it.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but stifle a smile at her natural demeanor. ¡°By the way, if we¡¯re going to Valha City¡­ are we going to the orphanage?¡± ¡°No. Today, we¡¯re going somewhere else.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Ta-da! Look at this!¡± Iris held up two tickets with arge fist mark on them. ¡°They made a movie in the Republic based on the story of Iron Fist Ryujin Seong!¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± I remembered Iris saying she liked Iron Fist Ryujin Seong, one of the ¡®Five Great Heroes.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s been out for a while, but¡­ I wanted to go see it with you.¡± ¡°I¡¯d be happy to.¡± ¡°The theater isn¡¯t too far away either.¡± ¡°Where is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a bit further into the city, not far.¡± A movie theater, huh. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°I¡¯ve only heard about movie theaters; I¡¯ve never actually been to one.¡± ¡°Really? You¡¯re from the Republic and you¡¯ve never been to a theater?¡± ¡°There just wasn¡¯t any opportunity.¡± To be precise, it wasn¡¯t so much ack of opportunity as it was a matter of not being able to afford it. During my cadet days, I had no spare money, living on the meager support provided by the Republic. After graduation, I was deployed as a mercenary on the southern frontlines, where no cultural facilities existed. ¡°Have you ever been to a theater, Iris?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve taken the children from the orphanage a few times.¡± ¡°Really? Then I¡¯ll leave the guiding to you.¡± ¡°Hehe, just leave it to me!¡± Iris confidently patted her chest and strode forward. We arrived at the movie theater. The movie Iris had mentioned was titled "Iron Fist: The Dawn of a Legend," which felt like a somewhatckluster title. The poster in the theater featured a bald, heavily-bearded, muscr man (for the record, there¡¯s no record of Ryujin Seong being bald) clenching his fists and roaring. ¡®Why did they make a perfectly normal person bald?¡¯ As I smirked at the poster hanging in the corner, Iris grabbed my hand and pulled me along. ¡°This way, Dale.¡± ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t the entrance the other way?¡± ¡°Yes, but first, we buy snacks here before going in.¡± ¡°Oh wow, we can eat while watching the movie?¡± ¡°Of course! You absolutely have to eat popcorn when you¡¯re at the movies.¡± Iris deftly approached the concession counter. Without hesitation, Iris ordered a couple¡¯s set (she immediately picked it when she saw the word ¡°couple¡±) and walked into the theater with a bright smile. ¡°How is it? Delicious, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good, but¡­ we¡¯ve already eaten more than half before the movie even started. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Popcorn¡¯s meant to be eaten before the movie starts.¡± Iris said this as she picked up another piece of popcorn. ¡°Here, say ah~.¡± ¡°I can eat by myself¡­.¡± ¡°Say ah~.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Like a baby bird being fed by its mother, I epted the popcorn Iris fed me. Then, the lights dimmed, and the movie began. The movie itself didn¡¯t have much artistic merit; it was a light action film. It was about Ryujin Seong, who hade from another world, training hard to earn the title of ¡°Iron Fist.¡± Except for the fact that Ryujin Seong mysteriously became bald after three years of training, the movie mostly followed the story of Ryujin Seong I had learned from textbooks. While the action wasn¡¯t bad, the movie didn¡¯t have many redeeming qualities. But Iris seemed to enjoy it immensely, clenching her fist and fully immersed in the film. ¡°Please¡­! Get up!¡± Haha. Iris is quite emotional, isn¡¯t she? ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it! Smash those bastards¡¯ heads!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Maybe she¡¯s too emotional. ¡°Well, there aren¡¯t many people here, so it should be fine.¡± Just like Iris said, probably because the movie had been out for a while, the theater was nearly empty, save for the two of us. ¡°At least it¡¯sfortable to watch.¡± I spent a peaceful time watching Iris, who was murmuring things like ¡°Bend them in half!¡± and ¡°Yeah, tear their limbs apart!¡± in a low voice (she was more entertaining than the movie itself). After the movie, we had a light meal at a nearby restaurant, chatted at a caf¨¦, and took a stroll through a park under the warm spring sunlight. ¡®I can¡¯t even remember thest time I rxed like this.¡¯ Sitting on a bench in the park, I stretched my arms out as I basked in the sunlight. Ever since I came back, I¡¯d been so caught up in my hectic schedule that I hadn¡¯t even thought about taking a break like this. ¡°Dale.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Lie down here.¡± Iris tapped her thigh as she sat next to me on the bench. ¡°L-Lie down there?¡± ¡°Yeah. No one¡¯s around to see.¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± ¡°Come on. Hurry up and lie down.¡± Iris pulled me down, and I rested my head on herp. A soft, gentle sensation cradled the back of my head. Iris tenderly stroked my forehead as we looked up at the sky. ¡°The weather is really nice today, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°The weather?¡± ¡°Yeah. The wind¡¯s just right, and the sky¡¯s so clear without a single cloud.¡± I turned my head and looked up at the sky as she spoke. What filled my vision was a great curtain of blessings. Not only could I not see the sky, but I couldn¡¯t even glimpse her face. As I took in the overwhelming sight before me, I couldn¡¯t help but let out a small exmation. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s really big¡­ I mean, nice.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Ahem. ¡°¡­What¡¯s big?¡± Iris narrowed her eyes at me, pressing for an answer. ¡°Uh, well, that¡­ you see¡­.¡± As I started sweating, trying to devise an excuse, Iris lightly pinched my cheek. ¡°You perv.¡± She teasingly pinched my cheek before grabbing my hand and pulling it toward her chest. ¡°If you¡¯re that curious¡­ want to touch it?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Oh, holy saint. If you say things like that, I might just "oh yeah." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 53: Dale Hans Secret Personal Life (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 53: Dale Han''s Secret Personal Life (2) "What do you mean, what?" "What else? Every time, you stare at my chest with those sneaky eyes of yours." Iris yfully poked my cheek, smiling mischievously. "Every time? That¡¯s not fair." This is unjust. I only look asionally. "Liar. Do you think I don¡¯t notice where your eyes go every time we meet?" "Well, that¡¯s¡­" It¡¯s just a man¡¯s instinct, you know¡­ that¡­ thing. "Hehe. It¡¯s okay if it¡¯s you, Dale. You can look as much as you want." She smiled warmly while gently caressing my cheek. "..." As expected, after saving her from Astaroth, Iris had be bolder in her actions. ¡®She probably has feelings for me.¡¯ I wasn''t oblivious; I had noticed a long time ago that she saw me as more than just a friend. ¡®Of course, I feel the same.¡¯ In our previous life, we were lovers. Naturally, I wanted to be with her again in this life. ¡®But not now.¡¯ Right now, there¡¯s no time for romance. Even though I defeated Astaroth and changed the future, precisely because I altered it, there¡¯s more to prepare for the dangers ahead. ¡®We can be lovers once things settle down.¡¯ After waiting for hundreds, if not thousands of years, I could easily wait a few more. "Ahem." I pulled my hand back just as it was about to reach toward Iris¡¯ chest. ¡®Yes, patience.¡¯ Blessingse to those who wait¡­. "Hey!" Squish. The feeling of heavenly softness spread through my hand, overwhelming my senses. "A-Iris?!" Startled, I looked at Iris, whose face had turned red all the way to her ears. She cautiously spoke. "You don¡¯t have to¡­ hold back so much." "What do you mean¡­?" "You always seem to be holding back, Dale." Iris gazed at me with sad eyes. "Even today, you just wanted to rest, didn¡¯t you?" "No, I didn¡¯t really¡­" "Liar. You wanted to rest." "..." How did she know? "Anyone could tell just by looking at your face." "¡­What¡¯s my face like right now?" "You look exhausted. Really exhausted." "..." I thought I was hiding it well, but apparently, my expression betrayed me. "Sorry." Feeling guilty for making her worry, I tried to lift my head from herp, but¡ª "Stay still." Iris gently pressed my forehead back down onto herp. A soft white light began to radiate from her body, surrounding us. Her once-blue eyes shimmered with the colors of a rainbow. "Oh, Seven Gods, please look kindly upon your child who has fallen from exhaustion." She chanted a soft prayer, and the white light that enveloped her flowed into me through her hands. "Ah." Aforting warmth, like sinking into a hot bath, spread through my body, melting away the fatigue that had weighed me down. "How do you feel? A little less tired now?" "...Yeah." It was like being in a trance, my mind bing hazy as I struggled to stay awake. "Did you suggest going out today because of this?" "Yes. If I hadn¡¯t, you wouldn¡¯t have rested at all." Iris pinched my cheek, as if to say I was impossible to deal with. "...Thanks." "Hmph. If you¡¯re thankful, then rest." Her words seemed to trigger something within me, and the drowsiness I had been fighting against overwhelmed me. "Sweet dreams." Thest thing I felt was her gentle hand stroking my forehead before I drifted off into slumber. * * * The sun was shining warmly on the park bench. "Mmm¡­" Iris groaned softly as she grabbed her head in frustration. ¡®What was I thinking?!¡¯ Even if it was to help Dale recover from his exhaustion, she felt she had gone too far. ¡®What if he thinks I¡¯m shameless...?¡¯ Her mind was flooded with worries, imagining all sorts of scenarios. But regrets were always toote. Now, all she could hope for was that Dale, fast asleep, would forget everything that happened today. "Sigh." She let out a deep sigh and looked down at Dale¡¯s sleeping face, resting on herp. Or at least, she tried to. "Ugh. I can¡¯t see him properly." Her view of his face was blocked by a certain¡­ overly abundant blessing from the Seven Gods. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡®Why do men like something so inconvenient?¡¯ Her shoulders ached, her back was sore, and finding clothes that fit was always a challenge. It was difficult to even see her own feet. Having arge chest had never brought her any joy in life. ¡®But if Dale likes it, I guess¡­¡¯ She smiled softly as she recalled how he always awkwardly averted his gaze whenever his eyes drifted toward her chest. "If I just adjust my posture a little¡­ there, that¡¯s better." Finally, she could see Dale¡¯s peacefully sleeping face. "Ahhh." The moment she saw his face, a warm heat spread throughout her body. ¡®Why is he so cute?!¡¯ No matter how generously one might view him, "cute" wasn¡¯t the word most people would use to describe Dale¡¯s face. However, to the eyes of a woman blinded by love, even a mole can appear as adorable as a hamster. ¡®Ugh, I even love this ashy hair, the slightly sharp eyes, and that firm jawline! I''m going crazy!!!¡¯ She knew that the more time she spent with him, the more "Dale Han" was growing inside her. ¡®But still... it wasn''t like this before.¡¯ The decisive turning point was the recent demonic beasts incident. After seeing Dale protect her with his life that day, his presence, already growing inside her, exploded and filled her entire mind. ¡®These days, whenever I have a moment, I keep thinking about Dale.¡¯ At first, she tried to push away the feelings that had started to settle in her heart, thinking they were inappropriate emotions for a saintess of the Holy Kingdom. But now, she had long since changed her mind to "Well, just because I''m a saintess doesn''t mean I''m forbidden from falling in love, right?" No, in fact, she''d recently gone further, thinking, "Didn''t the Seven Gods say, ''Love one another as I have loved you''? This must be following the will of the gods." ¡®And I think... Dale likes me too.¡¯ Why else would someone risk their life to protect another person if they didn''t have feelings for them? "Hehehe." As she was daydreaming about a rosy future with Dale in her mind¡ª "Ugh." Suddenly, she recalled the "unfortunate ident" from a few days ago. ¡®Elisha Baldwin.¡¯ The special lecturer who had been invited to the academy after the monster incident suddenly stole a kiss from Dale under the pretext of an investigation during ss. Grit. Recalling that memory made her seethe with sorrow and anger. "...Hm?" Then her eyesnded on Dale''s lips. "Ahem." She let out an awkward cough as she lightly poked Dale''s sleeping lips with her finger. The soft texture that spread from her fingertips made it hard to resist the urge bubbling up inside her. "Ahem." Iris''s gaze wandered around andnded on the cookie she had left at the caf¨¦ earlier. Carefully, she opened the wrapper, picked up a few cookie crumbs, and sprinkled them near Dale''s lips. "Oh dear~ Dale, you''re so careless. You got cookie crumbs on your lips." With no one around to see, Iris put on an exaggerated (albeit clumsy) performance, ncing around furtively. Gulping, Iris slowly leaned in, her lips hovering just above Dale¡¯s. Ding! "Eek?!" The rm from Dale¡¯s Hero Watch suddenly went off, making Iris jump like a startled fish. "Mm...?" "Ah, y-you¡¯re awake, Dale?" Still half-asleep, Dale groggily checked the message on his Hero Watch before copsing back onto Iris''sp. "I''ll just sleep a bit more¡­." "Y-yes. Please, rest well." Iris froze, unable to move, fearing that the loud pounding of her heart might give her away. ''He couldn''t have seen me, right?'' She nced down at Dale in a panic, but he was sound asleep, unaware of her earlier crime(?) of almost kissing him. "Phew." Finally, she let out a sigh of relief. "Hm?" At that moment, her eyes caught sight of Dale¡¯s Hero Watch, which had been left on. The holographic screen showed a message from someone named "Juliet Kang." [When should we meet today?] Reading the message, Iris''s brows furrowed slightly. ''That¡¯s¡­ another third-year candidate, right?'' She hadn''t had any sses with him, but she had seen him a few times in the main dining hall. She vaguely remembered Juliet as a somewhat unpleasant-looking, blonde guy. ''I don¡¯t think he''s a good friend for Dale.'' The only things Iris knew about Juliet Kang were that he was from a prominent family in the Republic and that his behaviour was less than exemry. No connection between him and Dale came to mind. [Can you give me a hint about what you wanted to talk about? I need to mentally prepare myself.] Something important to discuss? Mental preparation? ¡®What kind of rtionship do they have to exchange messages like this?¡¯ She looked down at Dale, still fast asleep, but there were no signs that he would wake up anytime soon. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ll ask himter.¡± With that, Iris tried to turn off the Hero Watch¡¯s power. Her intention was innocent, just to help him. Beep. ¡°Oh.¡± But she identally pressed the wrong button. The holographic screen changed, and a folderbeled "Photos" appeared. Inside, there was¡ª ¡°Huh?¡± A photo of Juliet Kang dressed as a woman, striking a flirtatious pose. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 54: Dale Hans Secret Personal Life (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 54: Dale Han''s Secret Personal Life (3) ¡°What... what is this?¡± Iris trembled as she barely managed to suppress the scream rising in her throat. She looked at the hologram screen over and over again, hoping she had seen wrong, but what was stored there was unmistakably a photo of Juliet Kang. A photo of him dressed as a woman, posing seductively as if trying to entice a man. ¡®Why... why does Dale have this picture...?¡¯ Her mind felt as if someone were stirring her brain with arge spoon. The causal links she couldn''tprehend floated chaotically around in her head. ¡®Could it be... Dale¡¯s tastes...?¡¯ She had always thought that, just as she had feelings for Dale, Dale had feelings for her too. It seemed obvious. Anyone would think so considering Dale¡¯s kindness and care towards her. But. What if Dale¡¯s kindness wasn¡¯t born from romantic feelings? What if Dale wasn¡¯t even interested in women? ¡®No, no, no, no! That can¡¯t be!¡¯ It wasn¡¯t unheard of for men to fall in love with other men, even within the school. She knew that this was just another form of love and that it deserved respect. But. No matter how much she knew this, the thought of Dale, the man she harbored feelings for, having saved a scandalous picture of another man (who was even cross-dressing!) in his Hero Watch album felt like a bolt of lightning from a clear sky. ¡®Wait, calm down. It¡¯s not just a picture of a man undressed, it¡¯s a picture of him dressed as a woman, right?¡¯ That means there¡¯s still a desire for the opposite sex deep in Dale¡¯s heart, right? ¡®Or maybe... it doesn¡¯t matter to Dale whether it¡¯s a man or a woman as long as they look good!¡¯ Her mind, overwhelmed by the shock, began spiraling into bizarre spections, racing forward with no brakes. ¡®If... if Dale isn¡¯t interested in me, and if he¡¯s involved with this Juliet Kang...¡¯ ¡°A-ah... Oh Seven Gods.¡± Iris clutched her head and staggered as if she might faint. The shock seemed to have reached her legs, because Dale groggily opened his eyes. ¡°Ugh... how long did I sleep?¡± ¡°D-Dale?!¡± Dale squinted as he sat up. Iris quickly turned off the hologram before he could see it. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°N-nothing.¡± Nothing? Her stiffened expression said otherwise. Could it be...? ¡°Did I do something wrong while I was asleep?¡± ¡°N-no! You didn¡¯t do anything wrong at all! Not at all!¡± They say strong denial is actually confirmation. The way Iris frantically shook her head, her face flushing all the way to her ears, made it clear that something had definitely happened while he slept. ¡®Damn, what did I do?¡¯ Did I grope her in my sleep? Or maybe I rubbed my face against her thigh? Did I mutter something embarrassing in my sleep? I desperately tried to recall but, of course, nothing came to mind. ¡°W-would you like to head back now?¡± ¡°A-ah, uh, sure.¡± An awkward silence hung between Iris and me as we awkwardly walked toward the school, maintaining a bit of distance. ¡°Um... Dale?¡± Then. Iris carefully called my name. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you... how do you feel about... men loving other men?¡± ¡°...What?¡± Men loving men? Where¡¯s thising from all of a sudden? ¡°P-please be honest!¡± ¡°A-ah, uh, sure.¡± Men in love with other men, huh. ¡®Honestly, I don¡¯t really get it, but...¡¯ Well, it¡¯s not like it harms anyone. If that¡¯s what they like, why should I criticize them? ¡°I guess... it¡¯s possible?¡± ¡°I knew it!¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± What did she mean by "I knew it"? ¡°D-Dale, when you kissed Professor Elisha before, how did you feel?!¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Why is she bringing that up again? ¡®To be honest, it felt good.¡¯ Professor Elisha had a beauty so striking that even the ugly scar by her left eye seemed to add to her allure. She was like a rose full of thorns. Kissing someone like that, how could it not feel good? ¡®But of course, I can¡¯t say that.¡¯ I cleared my throat and answered firmly. ¡°I didn¡¯t feel anything.¡± ¡°...Really?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Even though she¡¯s that beautiful?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Even though you kissed her deeply, with tongues and everything?¡± Hey, hey. Sister, your wording is a bit intense, no? ¡®So, she¡¯s still bothered by that incident, huh.¡¯ At the time, Iris acted as if it didn¡¯t matter, saying it was an unfortunate ident and that it didn¡¯t count, but I guess it¡¯s been weighing on her mind. ¡®Well, I¡¯d feel terrible too if I were in her shoes.¡¯ Imagine if some random male professor stole Iris¡¯ lips during ss? ¡®I¡¯d kill him.¡¯ I wouldn¡¯t just stand by. I¡¯d take action, regardless of who it was. ¡®Considering that, Iris has been quite gracious.¡¯ Despite how she must feel, she¡¯s been trying hard to let it go. ¡®I can¡¯t let her effort go to waste!¡¯ I looked into Iris¡¯ eyes and answered with a serious expression. ¡°Like I said, I felt nothing when kissing Professor Elisha. In fact, it was unpleasant.¡± ¡°Oh, my goodness...¡± Iris sighed deeply and sped her hands together, almost as if in prayer. ¡°Oh Seven Gods... why must I face such trials...¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± This reaction was different from what I had expected. ¡®Why is she acting like this all of a sudden?¡¯ As I looked at Iris in confusion, a voice called out to me from the direction of the school gate. ¡°Dale!¡± ¡°Juliet?¡± What the heck is he doing here? ¡°Well, um, I sent you a message earlier, but you didn¡¯t reply... I went to your dorm, and they told me you went out to Valha City today.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°So you waited at the gate all this time? Until I came?¡± ¡°Y-yeah.¡± Juliet nodded his head timidly, looking a bit shrunk in on himself. It seemed that the message I sent him this morning¡ª¡®We need to talk seriously, just the two of us¡¯¡ªhad scared him quite a bit. ¡°I told you I¡¯d contact youter.¡± ¡°W-well, I have a present for you.¡± ¡°A present?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Juliet handed me a box with a luxurious design, adorned with a golden vine motif. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°My family sent me some fine wine as a gift. Um... Dale, you drink wine, right?¡± ¡°Well, I drink it sometimes.¡± I did have a few bottles stashed on my dorm room shelf for when I got bored. They were not high-quality wines like this¡ªjust the cheap stuff you can buy at the convenience store. ¡°Hehe, that¡¯s a relief.¡± Juliet¡¯s stiff expression softened, and a bright smile spread across his face. ¡°It¡¯s top-quality wine made from holy kingdom grapes. I¡¯ve had it a few times, and the aroma is amazing.¡± ¡°Why are you giving it to me, though?¡± ¡°No reason! I just thought... you¡¯d like it! No special meaning!¡± Juliet shouted in a flustered voice, looking startled. I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the sight. ¡®No special meaning, huh?¡¯ There¡¯s only one reason he¡¯d suddenly give me a gift like this. ¡®It¡¯s probably a bribe, asking me to delete those photos.¡¯ I was already thinking that it was about time to get rid of them anyway. ¡°Um... y-you¡¯re Juliet, right?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, yeah, that¡¯s me.¡± Juliet flinched as he turned to face Iris. His expression clearly showed his bewilderment¡ª¡®Why is the Saintess talking to me?¡¯ ¡°Could I ask what your rtionship with Dale is?¡± ¡°Uh... with Dale, um...¡± Juliet shot a quick nce in my direction. Before he could say anything strange, I quickly spoke up. ¡°What do you mean, what¡¯s our rtionship? We¡¯re obviously just friends.¡± ¡°Y-yeah! Friends! We¡¯re just friends!¡± Juliet nodded his head vigorously, looking quite startled. ¡°Hmm, just friends?¡± Iris narrowed her eyes as she looked at Juliet, who was clearly acting suspicious. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ It would be bad if Iris found out that I had dirt on Juliet and was ckmailing her for money. I casually slung my arm over Juliet¡¯s shoulder, pulling him closer. ¡°Right? We¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we, Juliet?¡± ¡°Y-yeah! We¡¯re really close!¡± ¡°We even had a meal together before.¡± ¡°Y-yeah! That pork stir-fry was delicious!¡± Juliet, now locked in a shoulder hug with me, desperately yed along with a forced smile. This should be enough to clear up any suspicion, I thought as I nced at Iris¡¯s face. ¡®Wait, what?¡¯ Why does she look like her world just copsed? ¡°...Sniff.¡± Huge tears began to well up in Iris¡¯s blue eyes. ¡°W-wait, what?¡± Why is she crying all of a sudden? ¡°That¡¯s so cruel... How could you... How could you do this to me?¡± ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°If this was how it was going to be, you shouldn¡¯t have been so kind to me from the start! Do you enjoy ying with people¡¯s hearts?!¡± Iris, her eyes brimming with tears, marched toward me. ¡°D-damn it... I¡¯m not the kind of girl who gives up easily, you know?¡± ¡°Wait, what have you been talking about since earlier... Mmph?!¡± Iris grabbed me by the cor and suddenly kissed me. A sweet peach scent tickled my nose. Her tongue forcefully invaded my mouth, wildly exploring. ¡°Pwah!¡± Iris pulled away, panting heavily as she clenched her fists. ¡°Just you wait. Even if Dale likes men, I¡¯m not giving up on him!¡± ¡°No, hold on.¡± What the hell is she talking about? * * * ¡°So... what you¡¯re saying is, Dale doesn¡¯t like men. It¡¯s actually Juliet who likes men, and he sent you pictures of himself cross-dressing to ask if he looked good because he wanted your opinion?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°So the person Juliet is interested in is...?¡± ¡°Have you heard of Berald Ryu?¡± ¡°Ah, yes, from the Ryu family...¡± ¡°Right. The Ryu family¡¯s scoundrel. He¡¯s a cadet in the year below us.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard of him.¡± ¡°Juliet has a kink for being forced into cross-dressing and dominated by muscle-bound macho men.¡± ¡°N-no way...!¡± Iris trembled with shock. ¡°Um... Juliet?¡± She approached Juliet with an awkward smile on her face. ¡°There... there are all kinds of preferences in the world! I support your love, Juliet!¡± With those words, Iris quickly distanced herself from Juliet as if fleeing. Dale hurriedly followed after her, trying to keep up with her pace. ¡°...Sniff.¡± Left alone, Juliet hung his head and quietly cried. ¡°No... that¡¯s not what I¡¯m into...¡± Transparent tears rolled down his cheeks. It was spring. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 55: Interlude – Boys Talk [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 55: Interlude ¨C Boys'' Talk In Yuren Helios¡¯ private training hall. Originally, I had nned to borrow money from my dear friend, Juliet, to apply for a private training hall. However, due to a minor misunderstanding (?) with Iris, the whole n ended up falling through. That said, continuing my personal training in the public training hall, where I¡¯d be like a monkey in a zoo the moment I stepped in, was also difficult. While pondering the issue, I came up with the idea of sharing the private training hall of another one of my friends, Yuren Helios. When I proposed sharing his private hall, Yuren readily agreed, nodding without hesitation, and immediately added my name to the list of authorized users. Since then, I have spent much more time training with him in his private hall, beyond just the two sessions a week I usually spent teaching him swordsmanship. ¡°Ha! Yeah, this is the life!¡± After a session of sword training in the top-notch facilities and equipment of the training hall, I gulped down a cold sports drink. ¡°Did something good happen?¡± Yuren approached, wiping the sweat off with a towel. ¡°Not really, nothing special.¡± ¡°Hmm. You¡¯ve been in a great mood all day though. Actually, it¡¯s not just today; you¡¯ve been smiling non-stop for the past few days.¡± ¡°Hehe, really?¡± Ha, this is tricky. It¡¯s hard to hide it, no matter how hard I try. ¡°Well, something good did happen.¡± I recalled the outing with Iris a few days ago on the weekend. Watching a movie, having a meal, taking a walk. Of course, napping on the park bench with my head on herp was delightful, but... ¡®The most memorable moment, though, was when...¡¯ I remembered when Iris, mistaking my rtionship with Juliet, passionately dered she wouldn¡¯t give me up and kissed me. The sweet peach scent and the soft touch of her lips gave me indescribable happiness. ¡®Well, to be fair, it wasn¡¯t exactly a romantic kiss.¡¯ But still, who cares? What mattered was that we kissed. That, too, with my lover from a past life whom I had longed for, for hundreds, even thousands of years. ¡®Sure, I had to tweak Juliet¡¯s preferences a bit to clear up the misunderstanding, but...¡¯ I trust my soul friend Juliet will understand my situation. ¡°So, what good thing happened?¡± Yuren asked, pulling out a can of sports drink from the fridge. ¡°Ah, nothing much... just a little something.¡± ¡°¡®Nothing much,¡¯ huh? You seemed pretty distracted during training earlier, too.¡± ¡°Ahem.¡± Hearing it from someone else made me feel oddly embarrassed. ¡°So, what happened?¡± ¡°Well... I guess you could say things progressed a bit with someone I like.¡± ¡°¡­W-what?¡± Yuren¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Someone you like?! You, Dale?!¡± ¡°Why? Is that really so shocking?¡± I tilted my head, looking at him as he trembled in disbelief. ¡®What¡¯s with this guy?¡¯ In a school full of young men and women (though technically my real age makes it hard to call myself ¡°young¡±), rtionships blossoming among cadets wasn¡¯t rare at all. There was even a cadet who once said, ¡°If you can¡¯t get into a rtionship during your four years at Hero Academy, you¡¯re either an idiot or impotent,¡± in rather crude terms. Oh, and the cadet who said that disappeared one day, never to be heard from again¡ªa somewhat heartwarming ending, I guess. Anyway, the news that a friend had someone they liked shouldn¡¯t be enough to make someone open their eyes wide in disbelief. ¡°Tell me more. What exactly happened?¡± Yuren approached, eyes fierce, his pupils dted, his breath heavy, and faint traces of golden mana leaking out. It was easy to tell he was extremely agitated. ¡°What, are you interested in other people¡¯s love lives just because you¡¯re a guy too?¡± I chuckled, looking at Yuren as he came closer. ¡°By the way, you could easily be in a rtionship too, if you wanted to. You¡¯re popr enough.¡± ¡°Shut up and tell me your story. Who¡¯s the person you like?¡± Oh boy, scary. Well, I guess it''s natural. People who normally im they¡¯d never get into a rtionship are usually the ones who get the most worked up when their friends do. ¡°Iris.¡± ¡°Iris? You mean... the Saintess of the Holy Kingdom?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yuren drained his drink as if his throat was parched, then pulled another can from the fridge. ¡°Huh, I knew you and the Saintess were in the same ''Combat Training'' ss, but I never imagined it would be like that.¡± ¡°Well, how many people could imagine it?¡± ¡°So... are you two dating now?¡± Yuren asked, his voice filled with some kind of nervous tension. ¡°No, not yet.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± Suddenly, Yuren¡¯s face brightened. With a much more rxed expression, he continued. ¡°But the Saintess... as a ¡®friend,¡¯ I¡¯d advise you not to get your hopes up too high.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°I mean, think about it. She¡¯s not just anyone; she¡¯s the Saintess. The daughter of the gods, blessed by the Seven! It wouldn¡¯t be easy to get involved with someone like her.¡± Yuren spoke calmly, as if trying to convince me. Of course, his argument meant nothing to me, having already been her lover in a past life. ¡°Just because she¡¯s the Saintess doesn¡¯t mean she can¡¯t have a romantic rtionship, right? Most Seven-Star Church priests have lovers or spouses.¡± ¡°But the Saintess is different!¡± ¡°She¡¯s not different, man. What, is she not human?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Yuren bit his lip, seemingly unable to find a rebuttal. ¡°¡­Fine. If that¡¯s what you think, then I can¡¯t stop you.¡± He clenched his teeth, his fists trembling with frustration. ¡°So, what exactly happened between you and the Saintess?¡± ¡°Well¡­ we ended up kissing, somehow.¡± ¡°W-what?! Y-you kissed her?!¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Yuren jumped up in shock, his reaction even more extreme than before. ¡®Seriously, what¡¯s with all this fuss over a kiss? It¡¯s not like we¡¯re teenagers.¡¯ Watching Yuren tremble as I chuckled, I suddenly recalled a memory from my past life. ¡®Now that I think about it, Yuren never even held hands with a girl in his past life, did he?¡¯ Despite being pursued by all sorts of famous beauties from across the continent¡ªwhether it was the Empire¡¯s princess, the Republic¡¯s famous actress, or the Holy Kingdom¡¯s nuns¡ªhe didn¡¯t spare any of them a nce. ¡®There were even rumors going around that Yuren liked men.¡¯ There was a funny incident, too. The Archbishop of Desire, Lactasia, tried to use her beauty to seduce Yuren but was brutally defeated. This incident shook the entire continent since Lactasia had swayed hundreds of heroes to betray humanity and side with the demons with just her beauty. "Even back in his cadet days, he was just as clueless about women." I chuckled, watching Yuren¡¯s fists tremble with rage. ¡°Well, it was kind of an ident.¡± ¡°Hahaha. Really? So, uh¡­ you just briefly touched lips, right?¡± ¡°No, she slipped her tongue in.¡± ¡°T-tongue?! She used her tongue?!¡± Crack! Ssssss! The can in Yuren¡¯s hand crumpled pitifully. ¡°Haha. I see¡­ so she used her tongue¡­.¡± For some reason, golden mana surged around Yuren¡¯s body, threatening to explode. ¡°Ah, well, I heard that kissing between men and women is just a casual greeting nowadays, right? I¡¯ve even seen people at noble parties in the Empire greet each other with kisses.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yeah. Right.¡± Even though I was sure no one at any noble party was shoving their tongue into another person¡¯s mouth as a greeting. ¡°So, nothing else happened besides the kiss, right? Right?¡± ¡°Well, if I had to be honest, there was one more thing¡­¡± ¡°¡­What else?¡± ¡°Um¡­ no, never mind. I shouldn¡¯t say.¡± After a moment of contemtion, I shook my head. ¡°Dale.¡± At that moment, Yuren approached me with a bright (but somewhat terrifying) smile and ced his hand on my shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re ¡®friends,¡¯ right? Friends shouldn¡¯t hide things from each other.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s hard to answer this because I want to be considerate of Iris¡¯s reputation¡­¡± ¡°Speak. Now.¡± I could feel the strong grip of his hand tightening on my shoulder. I looked at Yuren, whose eyes burned with fiery intensity, and suppressed augh. ¡®He was just like this in our past life too.¡¯ Whenever I¡¯d exchange even a few words with other women, Yuren would find out like a ghost and ask what we¡¯d talked about, prying into whether any of them had shown interest in me. ¡®This guy acts all refined and proper, but he¡¯s actually very interested in women¡¯s affairs.¡¯ Well, they say that when men gather, the conversation is about women nine out of ten times. And since Yuren was at that prime age, it made sense for him to be sensitive to this topic. ¡®In that case, maybe I should indulge him and share a bit of the story?¡¯ I began recalling the events from that day in the park with Iris and opened my mouth. ¡°Last weekend, Iris and I went to the park together.¡± ¡°Y-yeah?¡± ¡°We were sitting on a bench taking a break when Iris gave me ap pillow.¡± ¡°¡­Ap pillow?¡± A sigh of relief escaped Yuren¡¯s lips. ¡°Oh, I see. You were just telling me about thep pillow.¡± ¡°While I was resting on herp, she suddenly asked if I wanted to touch her chest.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yuren¡¯s face hardened instantly. ¡°S-so¡­ did you touch it?¡± ¡°At first, I was going to refuse, but then Iris grabbed my hand and put it on her chest.¡± ¡°I see¡­ so you touched it¡­¡± ¡°I knew they were big, but feeling them in my hand was something else¡­¡± ¡°Enough.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Yuren, with his head hung low, slowly walked to the training room wall and grabbed one of the swords hanging there. Not a wooden practice sword, but a real one with a sharp, gleaming de. ¡°Dale, I think you¡¯ve rested enough. How about we spar?¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯m good today. I used up all my mana during practice earlier¡ª¡± Vwooom! Golden aura surged violently along the de Yuren held. ¡°Pick up your sword, Dale.¡± If you don¡¯t¡­ ¡°You might actually die today.¡± Yuren smiled brightly as he swung his sword without hesitation. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 56: Midterm Evaluation (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 56: Midterm Evaluation (1) Click. The door to the lecture hall opened, and arge man walked in with heavy steps. The man, with a ferocious appearance reminiscent of a beast, Professor Lucas, stood at the podium and scanned the gathered cadets. "Let''s see... There are 253 third-year warriors in total. Is everyone here?" "Yes. Everyone is present." Yuren, the representative cadet of the Warrior Department, stood up and answered. I clicked my tongue as I nced around the lecture hall, packed with Warrior Department cadets. ¡®Seeing it like this, the Warrior Department really has a lot of people.¡¯ More than half of the 472 third-year cadets belonged to the Warrior Department, which specialized in closebat. ¡®Of the remaining 219, half are in the Magic Department, and the rest are in the Support Department or other misceneous departments.¡¯ The Support Department mainly consisted of clerics like Iris, who specialized in healing and blessings. The other departments grouped together the irregr cadets who didn¡¯t belong to the Warrior or Magic Departments. ¡°As you all know, tomorrow is the Warrior Department¡¯s midterm evaluation day.¡± ¡°...¡± At Professor Lucas¡¯s words, tension appeared on the faces of the cadets gathered in the lecture hall. The Warrior Department¡¯s midterm evaluation. While the final exam at the end of the semester involves forming parties regardless of department, the midterm evaluation is conducted separately for each Department. The score ratio between the midterm and final exams was 30:70. Although the final exam held more weight, the midterm could not be ignored by cadets whose futures as heroes depended on their overall ranking after graduation. ¡°The midterm evaluation will be based on the points you umte by hunting demonic beasts within a designated area.¡± Professor Lucas ced his hand on a magical device on the podium. Light emitted from the device, and a holographic map appeared in the air. ¡°There are three areas in total. A mountainous terrain with trees and forests, a desert terrain with sand and rocks, and a snowy terrain covered with ice and snow.¡± The holographic map disyed the areas in green, yellow, and white. ¡°Hunting demonic beasts in these areas will earn you points based on their grade.¡± ¡°How many grades of demonic beasts are there?¡± A cadet raised their hand and asked. ¡°Good question.¡± Professor Lucas nodded and manipted the magical device. The holographic map changed into the shape of various demonic beasts. ¡°Regardless of species, three-eyed demonic beasts are worth 1 point, four-eyed ones are worth 3 points, and five-eyed ones are worth 10 points.¡± At this, the lecture hall buzzed with excitement. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°There are five-eyed demonic beasts too?¡± ¡°I think I could manage up to four-eyed ones¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m going for quantity. Isn¡¯t it better to sweep through the three-eyed ones?¡± ¡°Look at the point difference. You¡¯d have to catch 10 three-eyed beasts to match one five-eyed one. It¡¯s better to aim for the big ones.¡± ¡°How do you even hunt a five-eyed demonic beast?¡± ¡°Well¡­ skillfully?¡± ¡°Ha! Only people like Yuren can hunt those! We should stick to quantity.¡± While the cadets were arguing loudly about the best strategy... ¡°Silence.¡± Boom. Professor Lucas mmed his fist on the podium, and a chilling silence fell over the lecture hall. ¡°I haven¡¯t finished exining yet, so save your thinking forter.¡± He pressed another button. The hologram shifted into the shape of a massive horse. A majestic horse with a glowing blue horn, muscr body, snow-white fur, and lightning crackling around it as it breathed. And most notably¡ª Three pairs of red eyes covering its face. Even though it was just a hologram, the demonic beast''s overwhelming presence sent shivers down my spine. ¡°Six eyes?!¡± ¡°This is insane! A six-eyed demonic beast is something only active heroes can deal with!¡± ¡°Professor Lucas, you don¡¯t expect us to hunt that thing, do you?¡± The cadets looked at Professor Lucas with trembling eyes. Lucas grinned as he looked down at the cadets from the podium. ¡°Do you think I would bother preparing this material if I didn¡¯t expect you to hunt it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± The cadets exchanged uneasy nces, unsure of what to say. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not saying just anyone can hunt it.¡± Professor Lucas looked up at the hologram as he continued speaking. ¡°This demonic beast is a special mount trained by Professor Bianca from the Magic Department. It won¡¯t attack unless you provoke it first.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Whoever manages to break the bell hanging around its neck will automatically take first ce in the midterm evaluation, regardless of the points they¡¯ve umted.¡± In other words, if someone could destroy the bell around the beast''s neck, there would be no need topete with others desperately hunting beasts in the designated areas. ¡°And whoever seeds in breaking the bell will also receive an additional reward.¡± ¡°An additional reward¡­?¡± ¡°What kind of reward?¡± ¡°Heh, I¡¯ll leave that as a surprise forter.¡± Lucas grinned mischievously. ¡°But I¡¯ll tell you this much¡ªit¡¯s something quite valuable.¡± ¡°Something valuable¡­¡± Greed flickered in the eyes of the cadets. If Professor Lucas himself described it as valuable, it certainly wasn¡¯t an ordinary item. On top of that, just breaking the bell would guarantee first ce in the midterm evaluation, so it was impossible not to be tempted. But only for a moment. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°No matter what, a six-eyed demonic beast¡­¡± Staring at the creature¡¯s six gleaming eyes, the cadets quickly returned to reality. ¡°If it won¡¯t attack first, maybe we could sneak up and break the bell?¡± ¡°Do you think that¡¯s easy? What if you identally hit its body instead of the bell? You¡¯d end up in the intensive care unit.¡± ¡°Intensive care? You¡¯d be lucky if that¡¯s all¡­¡± ¡°Come on, it¡¯s Professor Bianca¡¯s mount. You won¡¯t actually die, right?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear? Every year, after the third year, a few cadets die during these exams. Last year, three died during the midterms!¡± ¡°What? Last year? The current fourth-years? The ones said to be the strongest since the academy¡¯s founding¡­¡± ¡°Exactly. If three of those seniors died, what chance do we have?¡± The cadets began murmuring anxiously again. Professor Lucas¡¯s voice, now lowered, echoed through the room. ¡°Silence.¡± The magical force in his voice weighed down on the entire lecture hall. Professor Lucas scanned the room before speaking again. "As you''ve heard, unlike the previous exams, from the third-year midterm evaluation onward, there is a possibility of ''casualties.'' Simply put, if you overestimate your abilities and act recklessly, you might end up dead." ¡°¡­¡­¡± Gulp. The candidates swallowed hard, their faces filled with fear. Watching them, Professor Lucas clicked his tongue. "Candidate Albert." "Y-Yes, sir!" "Where are we?" "Uh, well... we''re in the Main Building, Lecture Room 1-A...." "Not that. I¡¯m asking, where are you all currently enrolled?" "Oh... this is the Hero Academy!" "Exactly. The Hero Academy." Professor Lucas nodded solemnly. "You¡¯re not here to get good grades. You¡¯re not here to secure a guaranteed future. Nor are you here for honor or personal gain." "The reason you''re spending four years in this academy is to learn how to survive as heroes." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "I''m not going to tell you not to be afraid. I''m also not going to tell you not to run away." However, "If you want to live as a hero, then think." Think, and ponder deeply. Consider, reflect, and reason. "What you can do, what you need to learn, and how to survive." Professor Lucas struck the ckboard with a sharp bang as he nced around at the candidates. "That''s the purpose of this exam." ¡°¡­¡­¡± In the ssroom filled with over 200 students, the second hand''s ticking echoed loudly. "Each candidate can choose the terrain where they want to start, so think carefully about which terrain will be most advantageous for you." With those final words, Professor Lucas walked out of the ssroom. "Whew..." "Man, Professor Lucas''s presence is really something..." Once Professor Lucas left, the silence in the ssroom was reced by a buzzing hum. "So, if we can choose our starting point, where will you pick?" "The mountainous terrain seems like the safest bet, right?" "Hey, think for once, man. Everyone will probably pick the mountains, just like you. There¡¯ll be too muchpetition! It¡¯s better to pick the desert or the snowfields to reduce the number ofpetitors." "But what if everyone else thinks the same and flocks there?" "That¡¯s¡­" With just one day left until the midterm, therge-scale battle of wits among the candidates for good grades had already begun. * * * "Dale, where are you going to start?" After ss ended, Yuren approached me with quick steps. "I''m nning to start in the mountains." "The mountains? Hmm. Isn''t there going to be too muchpetition there?" "Well, it''s still the easiest terrain to move around in." But what I didn¡¯t tell Yuren was this: I didn¡¯t choose the mountains simply because they were easy to move around in. ¡®In truth, the snowfields are actually easier to traverse.¡¯ Having wandered the continent of ice and snow for thousands of years in my previous life, I was far morefortable in the snowfields. Yet I chose to start in the mountains for one reason. ¡®This time, I''m aiming for first ce.¡¯ The white horse, d in blue lightning and sporting a horn. The mountainous region was the first ce where that monster was discovered in my previous life. ¡®Back then, I didn¡¯t even think of hunting it.¡¯ But things are different now. ¡®The rewards are tempting too.¡¯ In my previous life, Yuren was the one who shattered the monster¡¯s bell and imed first ce. The special reward he received back then was a sword forged from the horn of the monster. ¡®When you channel mana into it, the sword crackled and glowed with blue lightning.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t a legendary artifact that granted unparalleled power with a single weapon, but it was still a great sword, far superior to the basic iron sword I was using now. ¡®Sorry, Yuren, but this time, I¡¯ll be the one taking the sword.¡¯ Besides, after graduation, Yuren was destined to inherit his family''s legendary sword, Dawn, which had been passed down through generations of the Helios family. He could spare this one. "Dale, don¡¯t tell me¡­ you''re nning to go after that monster?" Did he catch on to my thoughts? Yuren asked, his face stiff with concern. "Yeah, that''s the n." "......" I answered casually, and Yuren shot me a sharp re. "No way." Yuren bit his lip, looking uncharacteristically anxious. "No matter how skilled you are, I won¡¯t yield the top spot." "Well, then you¡¯ll just have to shatter the bell before I do." "¡­Fine. See you tomorrow, Dale." With that, Yuren turned and walked away. "Hmm." I tilted my head, watching Yuren¡¯s retreating figure. ¡®Who would¡¯ve thought Yuren was so obsessed with grades during his candidate days?¡¯ Maybe it was because he had always assumed he¡¯d naturally be the top student. Seeing him so focused on securing first ce was strangely refreshing. ¡°Still, I¡¯m not nning on giving it up easily.¡± As I etched the image of the holographic unicorn into my mind, I made my way out of the ssroom. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 57: Midterm Evaluation (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 57: Midterm Evaluation (2) "Let''s see then." Back in my dorm room, I sat cross-legged on the bed. Normally, I would be in the training grounds, swinging my sword and working up a sweat, but for the new technique I was focused ontely, there was no need to go there. Ssshh... I slowly inhaled, closing my eyes. My vision darkened. In the pitch-ck void, a massive me erupted. The Primordial me. The fire that is said to have once burned the Tree of Creation in ancient times, now roared ferociously as if to engulf the entire world. A creation of my mind, forged into a symbol. I wandered through this mental world, gazing at the raging mes. "Arise." I extended my hand toward the ferocious mes,manding them. The Primordial me, which did not stir, remained motionless. This was as usual. "Now, this is where it gets important." After my battle with Astaroth, I spent every night studying how to control the Primordial me, even cutting into my sleep time. Through repeated research, I discovered two key features. ¡®First, the Primordial me reacts to my ''death'' at intervals of about 5 to 6 hours.¡¯ This was something I had already somewhat figured out during my mana training. But the second feature was the truly important one. ¡®During the 5 minutes when the Primordial me reacts, if I give it a strongmand imbued with willpower, I can move it ording to my will.¡¯ It''s like using my ''death'' as bait to lure the Primordial me and reeling it in with the rod of ''willpower.'' ¡®Of course, it¡¯s not as simple as it sounds.¡¯ Clicking my tongue, I refocused my mind. "Whoo..." I slowly exhaled the breath I had held in, creating a tiny mana bullet within my body. It was smaller than a grain of rice. The mana bullet, flowing through my internal energy channels, gathered in my heart. And then¡ª Pop! The condensed mana bullet exploded, and my heart burst. For an ordinary person, this would have been a fatal wound. But¡ª Vrrrrrmmmm! The Blessing of Revival activated, rapidly regenerating my shattered heart. Before my heart fully healed, as the Primordial me reacted to my ''death''¡ª ¡®Now!¡¯ I stretched my hand toward the raging mes, giving amand with fierce intent. "Arise." The Primordial me, which hadn¡¯t budged before, began to move slowly. A small flicker of me appeared in my palm. I brought the wavering me, no bigger than a candle''s me, to my left chest. Fwoosh! The tiny me, which had been no bigger than a candle, started to grow as it engulfed my heart. ¡®It''s working!¡¯ The mes soon began to wrap around my entire body. I opened my eyes and got up from the bed. "Haa..." With my exhtion, gray ashes mixed with my breath. Ssssss... The sound of flesh burning filled the air as gray ashes started to seep from every pore of my body like smoke. Although it wasn¡¯t the same overwhelming surge of infinite mana that I experienced in my battle with Astaroth in my ¡®Incarnation of Fire¡¯ state¡ª ¡®My mana is recovering.¡¯ I could feel my stigmas, which had been half empty, gradually filling with mana. "That''s it!" I clenched my fist in triumph, and gray ashes slipped between my fingers like grains of sand. ¡®Finally, it''s moving, you stubborn thing!¡¯ The thrill of finally controlling the Primordial me, which had always ignored mymands, was beyond words. It sent an exhrating shiver down my spine. "Well... It¡¯s still nowhere near as powerful as when I was in the Incarnation of Fire state." I clicked my tongue again as I looked down at my body, where the gray ashes were still rising. Unlike before, when my entire body was consumed by mes and a storm of ash swept the surroundings, the ashes now rising from my body were more like faint wisps of smoke from a dying fire. ¡®But still, the fact that it''s responding at all is progress.¡¯ Compared to when the me didn''t move at all, this was a huge step forward. "Alright, I¡¯ve confirmed that my mana is recovering automatically." Next, it was time to test something else. Shing. Drawing my sword, I slowly channeled mana into it. Like oil fueling a me, the de caught fire. Although the me didn¡¯t ze with the intensity that could devour the world, as it had when I was in the Incarnation of Fire state, the mes flickering along the sword¡¯s edge radiated a fierce sense of pressure. ¡®The power of the Primordial me has fused with my mana.¡¯ It felt like the Primordial me had melted into my mana. Instead of having to control the me actively, as long as I moved my mana, the power of the Primordial me naturally emerged alongside it. ¡®I can¡¯t test the full power of this in a small room.¡¯ But based on my battle with Astaroth, I knew that the mana infused with the Primordial me¡¯s power was as strong as any powerful artifact. "Alright... So the final effects are automatic mana recovery and the infusion of the Primordial me¡¯s power into my mana. Those two things?" While it didn¡¯t increase the total amount of mana like the Incarnation of Fire state, the recovery and enhancement alone made learning this technique more than worthwhile. "I guess for now, it¡¯s like a weaker version of the Incarnation of Fire..." Even if it was a weaker version, the effects were still strong enough to rival even mythical-level artifacts. "Let¡¯s call it ''Ignition.''" Since the technique ignites mes, "Ignition" seemed like a fitting name. It also made sense, given that when I used the technique, my body emitted gray smoke and the sound of burning flesh. ¡®Naming a technique appropriately is important.¡¯ Especially for a technique that involves mental imagery like this one. ¡®If I use a Stigma Amplifier along with this¡­¡¯ I could use the Stigma Amplifier to increase the amount of mana, while Ignition would enhance the quality of the mana. If Ibined both¡ª "I might even be able to take on the Archbishop." Of course, both the Stigma Amplifier and this newly learned technique, Ignition, had a five-minute time limit, but during that brief period, I¡¯d wield enough power to go head-to-head with the Archbishop without hesitation. "Though I doubt I''ll need to use either for this mid-term evaluation." There was no reason to use up my best cards just to hunt some low-level magical beasts. ''Besides, I promised not to use the stigmata enhancer during the exam.'' I could use ignition, but it''s not like I¡¯m that desperate to take first ce. ''And I still can¡¯t control the primordial me perfectly either.'' Since the primordial me itself was a power with more mysteries than certainties, I had to be cautious in its use. "Well then." Hissss. After some time, the hissing sound ceased, and the gray smoke rising from my body dissipated. And what remained was¡ª ¡°¡­First, I should probably clean up this room.¡± Looking around at the room covered in ash, I started gathering cleaning supplies. * * * The next day. The Inspectorate candidates finished arming themselves and moved to the testing grounds. "The time limit is eight hours! Your midterm grade will be determined by who scores the most points within that time!" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] At Professor Lucas'' shout, the candidates lined up in their chosen sectors. I chose a mountainous terrain as my starting point. As the most typical terrain, it had almost twice as many candidates lined up as other sectors. "Alright, ten people at a time, step forward to the warp device." Ten candidates in line stepped up onto the warp device. "When the warp device activates, you''ll be randomly transported to a location within your chosen sector." Professor Lucas continued as he powered on the warp device. "Keep your wits about you¡ªthere¡¯s a chance you mightnd right in front of a demonic beast." "Yes, sir!" "Oh, and don¡¯t forget to use your Hero Watch to call for help if you''re in danger. Don¡¯t be foolish and die because you overestimated yourself. Understood?" "We''ll keep that in mind!" With that loud response, "Good luck." The warp device activated. The candidates vanished in a swirl of blue light. "Dale." Just before getting on the warp device, Yuren, who had also chosen the mountainous terrain, turned back to look at me. ¡°¡­I won¡¯t lose." "That won¡¯t be easy." I chuckled and followed him onto the warp device. Wuuuung! The blue light enveloped me, and I felt as though I was floating above the clouds. * * * ¡°Ugh¡­ It¡¯s been a while since I used a warp.¡± I rubbed my slightly dizzy head and looked around. Dense underbrush. Trees over 15 meters tall. The scent of nature filled my nose. ¡°Hah.¡± As I took in my surroundings, a low chuckle escaped my lips. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Inded in the same ce as my past life.¡± It had seemed familiar at first nce, but upon closer inspection, I realized it was the exact same ce where I had fallen during the midterm in my previous life. ¡®Whether it¡¯s coincidence or fate, I don¡¯t know.¡¯ But returning here brought back vivid memories from my past life. "Now that I think about it, this was the day." A faint smile appeared on my face as I recalled more memories. The reason why this ce felt so familiar. ¡®This is where I first experienced death.¡¯ I had been walking nervously when a beast had leapt out from the bushes and torn into my neck. ''Back then, I thought my life had ended there.'' Who would¡¯ve thought I¡¯d not only awaken to the "Blessing of Revival" ande back to life, but also rewind time and return to the past. Looking back now, it really had been a tumultuous life. "Well, I¡¯d better get moving." I knew that a "Unicorn" had first been discovered in this mountainous terrain, but I didn¡¯t know the exact location. At the time, my mind had been consumed with trying to understand why I was still alive after having my head torn off. Rustle, rustle. As I moved through the underbrush, pushing aside branches and leaves¡ª ¡°Grrraaaargh!¡± With a savage roar, a ck figure sprang from the bushes. ¡°Whoa there.¡± I quickly dodged the demonic beast¡¯s attack, creating some distance as I examined it. It had the appearance of a wolf. Its vicious fangs were dripping with saliva, and its ws were as sharp as des. Its three blood-red eyes gleamed menacingly. "Oh?" Seeing the beast that had emerged from the bushes, I couldn¡¯t help butugh again. And for good reason¡ª ¡°Well, long time no see.¡± The beast before me was the same one that had introduced me to the experience of "death" in my previous life. ¡°How¡¯ve you been?¡± I chuckled and waved at the wolf-like beast. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 58: Midterm Evaluation (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 58: Midterm Evaluation (3) A low growl filled the air. The wolf beast crouched, eyes filled with caution, ring at me. I stifled a chuckle as I looked at the demonic beast. ¡°What¡¯s this? We meet after so long, and you won¡¯t even greet me?¡± In response, a fierce roar echoed. The demonic beast, still eyeing me as if searching for an opening, suddenly lunged at me. If this were my previous life, I would¡¯ve been torn apart by those terrifying fangs without putting up any proper resistance. ¡°Man, that¡¯s a bit disappointing.¡± Berald¡¯s Martial Arts¡ªSky Flip. Thud! The wolf beast, which had been charging at me, spun in mid-air and crashed to the ground. ¡°Whimper!¡± The demonic beast rolled on the ground, letting out a pitiful cry. ¡°Huh?¡± It seemed it couldn¡¯t evenprehend what had just happened. The demonic beast wobbled as it got up, staring at me with confused eyes. ¡°Ah, this brings back memories.¡± While the wolf beast was in a daze, I couldn¡¯t help but let out a dryugh as memories from my past life resurfaced. Memories of my powerless self¡ªweak and pitiful. ¡°People say that time beautifies memories¡­¡± But no. Despite all the years that had passed, those memories lingered like a stubborn stain on a shirt, unpleasant and unchanged. ¡°Guess it¡¯s not always true, huh?¡± I clicked my tongue and started walking toward the wolf beast. ¡°Grrr¡­¡± As I approached, the demonic beast began to retreat, fear visible in its three blood-red eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Scared?¡± ¡°Whimper¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± I was too, back then. sh! A sharp strike cut through one of the demonic beast¡¯s front legs, and blood gushed out from the severed limb. Howl! The wolf beast writhed in pain, letting out a miserable cry. I walked up to the fallen demonic beast and raised my sword. ¡°There, that¡¯s one point.¡± Thrust. I drove the sword down, piercing through the demonic beast¡¯s head. The sensation of the skull breaking and the de digging into its brain traveled up the sword. ¡°Ah, that feels good.¡± Who said revenge is hollow? Stabbing the head of the demonic beast that once bit through my neck¡ªthere was no greater satisfaction. ¡®Those who say revenge is hollow are just cowards afraid of facing their own reckoning.¡¯ How could repaying a debt, even more than it was owed, ever feel empty? ¡°Whew.¡± Feeling a deep sense of fulfillment, I turned on my Hero Watch to check my score. But¡­ ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The score disyed on the screen was 0. Now that I thought about it, the Hero Watch was supposed to automatically notify me when I sessfully hunted a demonic beast, but no such notification hade. ¡°There¡¯s no way it¡¯s still alive.¡± Unless it had some kind of resurrection blessing like me, there was no way something bleeding out from a split skull could still be alive. ¡®Is there some kind of error?¡¯ I tilted my head and inspected the wolf beast¡¯s corpse. ¡°¡­It¡¯s missing.¡± The usual marker indicating it was a test demonic beast wasn¡¯t anywhere on its body. There weren¡¯t even any signs that the marker had fallen off. ¡®The markers used to manage these demonic beasts are attached very securely, so there¡¯s no way it could¡¯ve fallen off without a trace.¡¯ ¡°So, this means this demonic beast wasn¡¯t one of the test demonic beasts prepared by the school¡­¡± With that realization, several oddities started to stand out. ¡®This demonic beast¡­ it ambushed me, didn¡¯t it?¡¯ As Professor Lucas had warned, this test was dangerous enough that reckless cadets could actually die. But that also meant that if you were careful, you wouldn¡¯t have to worry about dying. ¡®They would¡¯ve used less aggressive demonic beasts for the test.¡¯ While Professor Bianca¡¯s familiar, the Unicorn, wasn¡¯tpletely passive, it certainly wouldn¡¯t ambush someone from the bushes like this demonic beast did. ¡®And it wasn¡¯t as if I entered its territory first.¡¯ In my past life, I couldn¡¯t use sensory magic, so I never knew whether I had entered the demonic beast¡¯s territory or if it had chased after me. But this time, I knew for sure. ¡®This thing came here to kill me.¡¯ It had caught my scent from quite a distance. ¡°So that means¡­ this demonic beast probably came from outside the test area.¡± The demonic beast that first introduced me to ¡®death¡¯ in my previous life had, in truth,e from outside the test zone. The realization of this unexpected truth made me chuckle. ¡®Should I report this to the school?¡¯ I took a photo of the demonic beast with my Hero Watch and sent it to the school. ¡°Ugh. I hope this doesn¡¯t lead to the test being suspended.¡± It might be a hassle, but what could I do? I couldn¡¯t just ignore a demonic beast without a marker roaming around the test area. ¡®I should capture the Unicorn before the test gets canceled.¡¯ If the test were to be suspended, catching the Unicorn, which yed the role of a hidden boss in this test, would likely still count toward my score. ¡°Now, where could it be¡­?¡± After scanning the surroundings, I jumped up into a nearby tree. From there, I looked down at the vast forest, focusing my mana. The most basic effect of mana was body enhancement. And this enhancement didn¡¯t just make your body stronger¡ªit also amplified your senses. ¡®I can¡¯t see it with my eyes¡­¡¯ The forest was too dense. Even from this height, I couldn¡¯t spot the Unicorn. ¡°Well, there¡¯s another way.¡± Taking a deep breath, I spread my arms wide. After spreading my mana throughout my hands, I pped them together with all my might. Berald¡¯s Martial Arts. Thunder p. KABOOM! A terrifying explosion echoed across the entire mountain. Birds hiding between the tree trunks suddenly took to the sky, and the startled cries of cadets and demonic beasts could be heard from all directions. Amidst all this, ¡®I''ve found it.¡¯ A sh of blue lightning flickered above the dense trees. ¡®Wind Step.¡¯ This time, instead of my hands, I spread the mana into my legs and kicked off the tree trunk I was standing on. My body became as light as a gust of wind. Stepping on the tightly intertwined tree trunks, I sprinted toward the ce where the blue lightning had just struck. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Hiiiiiing!" After a few minutes of running, I saw a white horse near a small stream. Its body was covered with pure white fur. A horn protruded from its forehead, and fierce lightning crackled around its body. Even through the hologram, the demonic beast appeared intimidating as it raised its front legs and looked around cautiously. ¡®Is it because of that sound just now?¡¯ The unicorn stood on alert, its white mane standing on end. ¡®Maybe I should wait until it calms down a bit.¡¯ It wouldn¡¯t be a big problem to fight it head-on. But there was no reason to foolishly charge at a demonic beast that was so tense and on guard, forfeiting the advantage of a surprise attack. "Snort, snort." The unicorn, which had been nervously scanning its surroundings, soon lowered the leg it had raised. Clop, clop. With graceful steps, the unicorn calmly walked towards the stream. There was no sign of the sharp alertness it had shown earlier. ¡®It¡¯s definitely more docile than most demonic beasts.¡¯ Demonic beasts were usually aggressive and savage because they absorbed demonic energy, which caused their transformation. This trait was even more pronounced in demonic beasts that absorbed arge amount of demonic energy, in other words, those with more "eyes." ¡®But it¡¯s not emitting any killing intent, and it¡¯s controlling the demonic energy within its body well.¡¯ Indeed, it made sense why Professor Bianca would want to use this demonic beast as a familiar. ¡®By the way, they say unicorns are particrly fond of maidens¡­¡¯ In general, demonic beasts often retained characteristics of the animals they were before their transformation. For example, a demonic beast that was once a wolf might have a pack mentality, or a demonic beast that was once a mole might have a habit of digging and hiding in burrows. ¡®Of course, not all of them are like that.¡¯ Sometimes, during the transformation, demonic beasts would develop traits that werepletely unrted to their previous forms. A prime example of that was the unicorn in front of me. Among the demonic beasts transformed from horses, the ones with horns on their foreheadsmonly known as "unicorns"¡ªhad a bizarre trait: they were extremely fond of human maidens. "Could it be that Professor Bianca can control this demonic beast because of...?" Ahem. I decided to stop specting any further, for Professor Lucas''s sake. "Alright... it seems to have let its guard down." Time to begin the hunt for real. "Hoo." I slowly inhaled and spread mana throughout my body. Silently, I approached the unicorn. ¡®Now!¡¯ When I got close enough to the unicorn, I kicked off the ground and drew my sword. "Snort?!" The unicorn trembled in surprise and started to retreat. "Toote, buddy." With a grin, I thrust my sword towards the bell hanging from the unicorn¡¯s neck. Syn Sword Fourth Form: sh. The sword turned into a streak of light and shot forward with fierce momentum. Just as the tip of the sword was about to cut through the bell, "Haap!" With a short yell, a golden sword sh flew straight towards me. CLANG! A clear sound rang out as my sword was deflected. The sword that had been aimed at the bell grazed the unicorn¡¯s cheek. "Snort, snort!" The unicorn cried out in anger as blood dripped from its cheek. "Tsk." Clicking my tongue, I created some distance between myself and the unicorn. When I turned to see where the golden sh hade from, I saw Yuren breathing heavily. "Hah, you¡¯ve caught up already?" Yuren must have rushed here the moment he saw the blue lightning flicker in the sky. "But..." I nced at Yuren and smirked. "Sorry, Yuren, but first ce is mine." I was already right in front of the unicorn, while Yuren was over 100 meters away. Plus, I had alreadyunched the first attack on the unicorn. Naturally, the unicorn¡¯s attention would be focused on me... "Snort, snort!" The unicorn suddenly turned and charged towards Yuren, snorting furiously. "...What?" No way. "Why are you heading that way, you damn horse head?!" I was the one who provoked you!!! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 59: Midterm Evaluation (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 59: Midterm Evaluation (4) [TL/N: In this chap POV changes between Yuren and Dale in the middle without any indicator. As if pov wasn¡¯t already confusing in previous chaps ??] Eight years have passed since my brother died. I think about it every day. I regret it every time. If only I had died instead of him, how much better would it have been? If that had happened, I wouldn''t be living every day, crushed by guilt. But a wish is just a wish. All I could do was dwell on those irretrievable days, tearing apart my heart. I had to be stronger. Aim higher. Reach further. Until I became a sun shining brightly in the sky. Until I could rece the name of ''Yuren Helios.'' I couldn¡¯t stop. I couldn¡¯t back down. Because this... was the ''price'' I had to pay for the sin Imitted. Therefore, I swung my sword until my palms bled every day. I trained until I copsed, vomiting from the effort. No matter how painful, exhausting, or tormenting it was. I didn¡¯t give up. Maybe heaven recognized my efforts. My swordsmanship improved rapidly, day by day. As my skills grew every day, I began to dream of hope. If I could be ¡®Yuren Helios¡¯ instead of ¡®Yurina Helios,¡¯ I believed my mother would love me as she did before. -Amazing! At just 15 years old, you''ve outshone renowned heroes to take second ce in the Imperial Swordsmanship Tournament. Truly fitting skills for the descendant of the ''Sword of the Sun''! The fruits of my efforts came after three years. In a swordsmanship tournament where even active heroes participated, I, who hadn''t even entered the hero academy, clinched second ce. Surely, my mother would acknowledge me now. I returned to the mansion with excited steps. Inside the spacious mansion room, I opened the door full of anticipation, and my mother greeted me with a cold, icy voice. -You took second ce? -Yes! I lost by a narrow margin at the end, but still... -Are you making a fuss over just second ce? With a disappointed look, my mother clicked her tongue. -If it had been Yuren, he would have won. She sighed softly, caressing my brother¡¯s picture in a wistful tone. -Haa. If only he had been alive... Her murmuring words made me shiver, and I trembled as I clenched my fists. -Begging your pardon¡­ -There¡¯s no need to apologize. I never had any expectations for you anyway. -... -What could you possibly do, when you don¡¯t even bear the stigma of the ''Sun God'' despite being of the Helios bloodline? Each word that fell from my mother''s mouth was like a sharp de cutting through my heart. -If you¡¯re done talking, leave. Bang. The door mmed shut roughly. I slumped down in front of the firmly closed door, pleading for forgiveness in a cracked voice. I''m sorry. I''ll do better next time. I¡¯ll try harder and harder and harder. I¡¯ll be number one. I won¡¯t lose to anyone. So, Mom... Please¡­ Please acknowledge me¡­ ¡°Neighhh!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± My mind, lost in thought, was awakened by the growl of a demonic beast. I looked at the charging beast, a unicorn, snorting in excitement, and my eyes gleamed. ¡®This is my chance!¡¯ I pulled back my arm, gripping the sword as if drawing a bowstring, concentrating my magic at the tip of the de. A golden glow gathered at the tip of the sword. Sun Sword Sixth Form, White Light. A technique that shoots the condensed sword energy from the tip of the sword, and the highest level of difficulty and power among the ''forms'' of the Sun Sword that I could use. Woooom! The golden light at the tip of the sword tore through the air at terrifying speed. Just as the golden light was about to pierce through the bell hanging around the unicorn¡¯s neck. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going!¡± Dale, who had been chasing the unicorn, deflected the golden energy. ng! ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Dale gritted his teeth as he slid backward. Was it because of the overwhelming amount of mana contained within the golden energy? The impact felt as if he had struck a massive iron block with his sword, tearing the flesh of his palms. Dale clicked his tongue, looking down at his bleeding hands. ¡°That little... His mana is ridiculously strong.¡± Normally, he would have finely adjusted his mana to disperse the impact, but he had rushed in so quickly that he had no time to do so. ¡°Dale¡­!¡± ¡°I told you. It wouldn¡¯t be easy.¡± I wiped the blood from my palm on my pants and raised my sword. ¡°Move, Dale.¡± ¡°And if I say no?¡± ¡°...¡± [PR/N: POV change.] Yuren red fiercely at me, his mouth tightly shut. ¡°¡­If you say no, then I have no choice.¡± A golden storm of mana surged around Yuren. Even from a considerable distance, the magic was so powerful that it made my skin tingle. ¡®This feels even stronger than when we sparred, doesn¡¯t it?¡¯ I had thought his mana was overwhelming back then, but I didn¡¯t expect he could draw out even more. As I let out a bitterugh, Yuren quietly spoke to me. ¡°If you get hurt, it¡¯s not my fault.¡± Yuren stepped forward violently, swinging his sword. Boom! Crash! Boom!! It sounded like thunder was crashing down. With every swing of his sword, engulfed in golden aura, deep craters formed, shaking the ground as if an earthquake had hit. Trees that were tens of meters tall were uprooted and scattered across the ground, and massive boulders were shattered into gravel. ¡°Neighhh!¡± Even the unicorn, which had charged at Yuren with a fierce snort, hurriedly retreated in the face of the massive destruction that resembled the rampage of a mythical giant. Boom! Crash! Rumble! Who could look at this and think it was a sword being wielded? The ground around me was upheaved, with dust rising thick in the air. ¡°Ugh!¡± I used "Wind Step" to dodge Yuren''s sword strikes and frowned. ''I always knew he had an absurd amount of magic power, but still...'' There should be a limit, right? This is almost like causing a natural disaster with a sword. ''But something is...'' I squinted my eyes as I dodged the golden sword auraing at me from all directions. ''Too hasty?'' [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The power was strong, but that was it. Yuren''s sword was impatient, as if a ghost was chasing him. The elegance that once drew admiration had vanished without a trace, and the delicate technique that cleverly exploited blind spots had been buried under brute strength. ''It''s actually easier to deal with him like this.'' I didn''t know what was making Yuren so desperate, but... Facing him now wasn''t that difficult. ¡°Hah, hah! Damn it!¡± Was it because he was frustrated seeing me dodge his attacks like an annoying fly? Yuren panted heavily and cursed roughly. ¡°How long are you going to keep running?!¡± ¡°Until youe to your senses.¡± ¡°...You''re saying I''m not in my right mind?¡± ¡°If anyone saw you now, they would think the same.¡± ¡°That...¡± Yuren trailed off as if I had hit a sore spot. ¡°...I can''t help it.¡± Yuren muttered in a small voice, his head lowered. [PR/N: pov change] Yeah. There was no way I could stay sane. ''I can''t afford to lose first ce.'' I clenched my sword hilt tighter and bit my lip. This was the first time I had felt this anxious during a test. Ever since I entered Hero Academy as the top student, being "first ce" was such a given. There hadn''t been a single candidate in the past two years who couldpete with me for the top spot. But... ''If it''s Dale...'' Twice a week. Learning swordsmanship from Dale, I realized that he wasn''t just excellent in swordsmanship. He had an experience that was hard to believe for a candidate. He acted with boldness, as if he had multiple lives. His quick judgment and decisiveness were impressive. The more I saw of Dale, the more I wondered how he had managed to hide his strength until now. He was truly astonishing. ''The only thing I have over Dale is my amount of mana.'' That''s why... When Dale said he was aiming for first ce this time, my heart sank. At this rate, I would lose the top spot. Tension turned into anxiety, and anxiety became fear. ''If I lose first ce even once...'' A nightmare reappeared. Eight years ago, that day. The day the "sun" known as Yuren Helios fell. - If only you... if only you weren''t here! Only youuuu!!! The sound of a scream tearing through the air. The shattering of a flowerpot. The hands of my mother, strangling me. The pain of being unable to breathe. Those bloodshot eyes, ring down at me. Eyes, eyes, eyes. ¡°...No.¡± Yuren shouted as if in agony, still gripping his sword. ¡°I... I absolutely cannot lose!¡± Not a single defeat is eptable. Not a single mistake is forgivable. Yuren Helios, the "sun" that shines high in the sky, must be such a being. Rumble! The ground shook as a storm of magic power surged. The only thing I have over Dale is my magic power. ''Then...'' I have no choice but to crush him with overwhelming magic power. ¡°Haaaah!¡± With a fierce shout, I swung my sword. The 6th form of the Sun Sword, Modified Style, White Light¡ªWave. The golden sword aura, condensed at the tip of my sword, turned into a massive tidal wave, sweeping across thend. ¡°...Yuren.¡± Dale, who had been watching Yuren with deeply sunken eyes, furrowed his brow as if pondering while gazing at the golden tidal wave rushing towards him. ¡°Hah.¡± A low sigh escaped Dale''s lips after a moment of thought. He kicked off the ground to avoid the approaching golden tidal wave. He moved behind the unicorn. Then, just as the unicorn tried to dodge the golden tidal wave, Dale shed its leg with his sword, using the unicorn as a shield to block the golden sword aura. ¡°Neigh!¡± The unicorn let out a pitiful scream as the golden sword aura ravaged its body. And then... Crash! The bell around the unicorn''s neck shattered. -Ding! [Candidate ''Yuren Helios'' has achieved the bonus objective.] [A candidate who achieves the bonus objective will automatically be first ce in the midterm evaluation, regardless of their score.] ¡°Ah.¡± Yuren widened his eyes, staring at the message disyed on his Hero Watch. ¡°...Thank goodness.¡± Was it because he had used too much magic power, or because all the tension had finally been released? Yuren copsed on the spot. ¡°Mom... I... I did it....¡± Yuren, who was lying on the ground, struggled to finish his sentence as his eyes slowly closed. ¡°......¡± Dale slowly approached the unconscious Yuren. Dale clicked his tongue after picking him up andying him on a nearby rock. ¡°...Yuren.¡± [PR/N: Pov change again.] I thought I knew him better than anyone. He was a preciousrade and an irreceable friend. That''s why... I thought Yuren would be fine. I assumed he wouldugh it off even if he lost first ce. I believed it would be a good stimulus for him, that it would help him grow. ¡°I knew nothing.¡± I made assumptions on my own. I judged on my own. I acted as if I knew everything, when in fact I knew nothing. ¡°...You weren''t shining on your own. You were struggling to shine.¡± Was he having a terrible nightmare? I sighed deeply as I looked down at my friend, who kept murmuring faintly, "I can''t lose." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 60: Midterm Evaluation (5) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 60: Midterm Evaluation (5) "Geez, the brat has no intention of waking up." Two hours had passed since Yuren fainted from mana exhaustion. Despite tapping his cheeks or shaking his shoulders to wake him up, there was no response, as if he were in a deep sleep. "At this rate, isn''t he practically dead?" It was a joke, of course, born from the fact that Yuren showed no signs of waking up. ''It''s well known that when someone faints from mana exhaustion, it takes a long time to wake up.'' I knew this fact all too well, as someone who frequently experienced mana exhaustion due to my minuscule amount of mana, making me almost a professional in the field. ''I need to start moving if I want to earn some points.'' About four hours had passed since the midterm evaluation began. Out of the eight-hour time limit, half of it had already slipped by, and the number of points I had umted was a whopping zero. The first wolf beast I encountered didn''t give me any points, probably because it had strayed in from outside, and Yuren ended up ying the unicorn, so I didn''t even earn a single point. ''At this rate, I''ll end up inst ce again.'' I was desperate to rid myself of the tediousbel of being the bottom-ranked hero. "I need to start moving if I want to score some points¡­." I let out a deep sigh as I looked down at Yuren lying on the makeshift bed (it was too harsh to leave him lying on a hard rock, so I made a simple one). ''I can''t just leave him here like this.'' There was no choice. "Maybe I''ll set up a barrier to keep away the beasts." In the past, I wouldn''t have even thought of using a magic spell that consumed as much power as a barrier. Buttely, thanks to a noticeable increase in my mana, I could at least set up a simple barrier. ''It might not be very effective, though.'' Having already defeated the unicorn, the remaining beasts were likely to be of a lower rank. "Hup." I cut my palm with my sword, then drew a magic circle around Yuren using my blood. ''Finally, I get to use the magic I learned from Senior Sophia properly.'' Although I had created a barrier when fighting Astaroth before, it was less a product of all the theories and knowledge I had acquired and more a crude, hastily-formed magic curtain made from sheer brute force. It barely qualified as ''magic.'' ''If I base the barrier''s foundation on the hexagram theory and adjust the structure of mana cirction ording to Arcadia''s cirction spell theory¡­.'' Since theory was a field in which I had confidence, crafting the magic circle was a surprisingly enjoyable process. "Alright, done." Woooooong! As I channeled mana into the core and activated the barrier, I looked with satisfaction at the gray mist that enveloped Yuren''s body. ''All that time spent studying theory is finally paying off when I use it like this.'' It''s simr to how, despite nning out a novel with meticulous settings and plot, the final product often turns out differently than expected. When actually using magic, I realized that while theory and knowledge were important, having a good sense of things was even more crucial. "I still have a long way to go." There were many hurdles left to ovee before I could use magic as naturally as breathing, like Senior Sophia. "Alright, let''s get moving." I turned away from Yuren. "Snort¡­ Whinny¡­." Just then, the unicorn, which had been lying there after being shed all over by Yuren''s sword, staggered to its feet. "What''s this? You''re still alive?" As expected of a high-ranked beast. It seemed to have somehow survived the golden tidal wave, which was practically a natural disaster. "Snort, snort." Panting heavily, the unicorn began to stumble away from me as if trying to escape. "Hey, hey. No need to run; I''m not going to kill you." I raised both hands to show that I had no intention of attacking. Though the average intelligence of beasts wasn''t very high, a beast intelligent enough to be used as a familiar should be able to understand a simple gesture like this. "Whinny¡­ Snort." "Hmm?" But the unicorn didn¡¯t stop, even after I showed that I had no intent to harm it. ''What¡¯s going on?'' I narrowed my eyes and approached the unicorn. The unicorn kept stumbling along, as if it couldn¡¯t see me at all. ''It''s not running away from me.'' For a moment, I wondered if it was because of the barrier I set up around Yuren, but the unicorn was far beyond its range. Besides, it wasn¡¯t the type of barrier that would work on a high-ranked beast like this one. ''Then what is it?'' If it wasn''t running away from me or affected by the barrier, what on earth was it running from? RUMBLE! Suddenly, the ground shook as if an earthquake had struck. "Damn it!" Before I could think, I instinctively leaped away from the source of the tremor. BOOM! The ground exploded, and a cloud of dust erupted into the air. "Whinny!" With a pitiful scream, the unicorn was grabbed by something and lifted into the air. SPLAT! The unicorn''s body was torn in half, spilling a torrent of blood. "This is¡­." Standing in the rain of blood, I looked up at the massive beast that had emerged from the earth. A beast with a crocodile''s head and a human''s body. Its green scales glistened like armor, and its body was packed with bulging muscles. Sharp teeth gleamed between its wide-open jaws. And then¡ª "Heh." A chuckle escaped my lips. The crocodile beast''s head bore eight pairs of glowing red eyes, which red malevolently at me. ''Why is a beast with eight eyes here?'' What in the world is this messed-up situation? "Groooowl." A low growl rumbled from its throat. The smell of briny water and moss filled the air. Its face, half covered by those eight red eyes, stared me down. ¡®An Eight-Eyed Beast.¡¯ It was a powerful monster, one that even heroes ranked in the top 100, known as "Rankers," struggled to defeat. Only exceptional heroes like Professor Lucas or Professor Elisha might stand a chance against it. ''But why is a beast like that showing up in a third-year candidate''s exam?'' I narrowed my eyes and scanned the gigantic five-meter-tall beast. Just like the wolf beast I encountered at the beginning of the exam, there was no sign of any "mark" on this crocodile beast''s body. ''This isn¡¯t some surprise event set up by the professors, that¡¯s for sure.'' That meant this crocodile beast had also wandered in from outside. ''I¡¯ve never heard of a beast like this appearing in the exam in my previous life.'' There were two possibilities that came to mind. Either in the previous life, no one encountered that beast before the test ended, "Or." For some reason, the future has changed. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Whichever it is, one thing is certain." Now isn''t the time to leisurely think about where that beast came from. "Rrrr." The crocodile beast let out a low growl and took a step forward. Thud. Just by taking a step, a heavy shock reverberated through the ground. "Rooooar!" With a ferocious roar, the crocodile beast charged. I kicked off to the side and swung my sword at the crocodile beast. ng! The sword bounced off its scales. My palm tingled as if I had struck a lump of metal. "Tsk." As expected, ordinary attacks won''t work. ¡®I have to aim for a vital point.¡¯ Taking a deep breath, I kicked off toward the crocodile beast. The beast, watching me rush towards it, whipped its long tail like a whip. ''Now!'' Sun Sword Fifth Form: Variation, Sunspot-Absorption Using the characteristic of the sunspot, which condenses mana, to absorb the surrounding energy and infuse it into the sword¡ªa modified technique. Shwooooo! Like a vacuum cleaner, the wind around the sword was sucked in. I aimed my sword at the tail, which was whipping violently through the air. ¡®If I collide head-on, the sword will break.¡¯ The tail, covered in hard scales, would shatter the sword if struck directly. ¡®I need just to make contact, not hit it full force.¡¯ I swung the sword toward the tail, not with the edge, but with the t side. Shwooo, p! When the t side of the sword made contact with the tail, the tension created by the sunspot made the de stick to the beast''s tail like glue. "Urgh!" It was as if a weight tied to the end of a whip had suddenly been added, and my body soared into the air. ¡®Wind Step.¡¯ I pulled on the sword stuck to the tail and kicked off the air as if stepping on solid ground. Using the mana expelled from my toes as propulsion, Inded on the crocodile beast¡¯s back. "Hup!" I reversed my grip on the sword and aimed it at one of the beast¡¯s four glowing red eyes. But¡ª ng! The sword bounced off its eyelid. ¡®This is insane.¡¯ How tough was its body that even its eyelid couldn''t be pierced by the sword? "Rooaar!" Even though the sword was deflected, the impact must have been felt. The crocodile beast let out a horrendous scream and shook its body violently. "Ugh." I clung to its scales, trying not to be thrown off, but the beast''s strength was overwhelming. With a sensation of being lifted off the ground, my body crashed harshly into the dirt. Thud! "Gah!" The shocking impact traveled up my spine. I felt as if my internal organs were being crushed, and my limbs twisted at odd angles. "Rrrr!!!" The crocodile beast, now confident of its victory, ttered its sharp teeth and roared in triumph. "Rrrrr." It turned and began to approach the spot where Yureny. The beast viciously whipped its tail, shattering the barrier that had been protecting Yuren from the beast. "Rrrr." The crocodile beast let out a low growl as it loomed over Yuren, who was lying motionless. "Hey, crocodile head." A voice came from behind. "Rrr?" The crocodile beast blinked its four eyes and turned its head. The voice came from the human who had surely been crushed into the ground just moments ago, now standing there, seemingly unharmed. "It''s not over yet, where do you think you''re going?" Fierce green eyes gleamed. Sssssss... Along with the sound of flesh burning, "Rise." Ashen smoke began to rise. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 61: Midterm Evaluation (6) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 61: Midterm Evaluation (6) Sizzle! The sound of burning flesh. Gray ash flowed from every pore, rising into the air as smoke. ¡°Haa¡­¡± I exhaled a low breath, gripping my sword. Ash mixed with my breath. My body felt hot, as if burning oil coursed through me instead of blood. Ignition. ording to my will, the primordial me consumed my body, slowly replenishing the mana that had reached its limit. ¡°Grrrrrrr¡­¡± The giant crocodile demonic beast that had been approaching Yuren red at me with wary eyes. I exhaled a breathced with ash and smirked. ¡°What are you doing? It¡¯s not over yet, you know?¡± I taunted, lightly flicking the tip of my sword toward the demonic beast. ¡°Grrrrrrr!¡± Had my provocation worked? The crocodile demonic beast, which had been ring at me, crouched low to the ground and started running on all fours. Thud, thud, thud! The massive creature, now like a giant lizard, charged with full force, sending thick clouds of dust billowing into the air. ¡°Raaaargh!¡± Now mere feet away, the demonic beast let out a fierce roar as it spun its body. Its tail, covered in scales so tough that even my mana-infused sword bounced off, whipped through the air like a massive whip. Boom! The tail swung with supersonic speed. Concentrating its weight, the tail had enough destructive power to level a building in one blow. Even a hero confident in their strength wouldn¡¯t dare try to take it head-on, but¡­ ¡°You¡¯ve got some strength, huh?¡± I stepped forward. I took a step toward the iing tail, my sword raised high. Fwoooosh! mes wrapped around the de. I brought the sword down from above. Sun Sword, Second Form: Moon sh. The ming de collided with the demonic beast¡¯s tail, which was infused with the weight of several tons. BOOM! A thunderous explosion echoed. Where my sword couldn¡¯t even scratch before, it now sliced through the demonic beast¡¯s scales, cutting deep into its tail. ¡°RAAARGH!¡± The crocodile demonic beast thrashed in agony, its tail half-severed. mes, carried by my sword, began to engulf the split flesh, greedily consuming it. ¡°Grrrrk! Grrrk!¡± Desperate to extinguish the fire, the demonic beast rubbed its tail against the dirt, but the mes clinging to its tail were no ordinary fire. The primordial me, said to have burned the tree of creation in ancient times, did not care whether the demonic beast buried its tail in dirt or not¡ªit continued to burn its flesh. ¡°Raaaargh!¡± Finally, the crocodile demonic beast used its sharp ws to sever its own tail. The once powerful weapon, its tail, now rolled pitifully on the ground. ¡°Grrr¡­ grrk¡­¡± Having cut off its own burning tail, the crocodile demonic beast gasped for breath and turned its gaze toward me. It took hesitant steps back. In its four eyes, I could see confusion, disbelief, and deep fear. Well, of course. Even a fearsome demonic beast would feel terror after repeatedly experiencing a human that wouldn¡¯t die and mes that couldn¡¯t be extinguished, without cutting off its own body. ¡°Grrrrrrr!¡± After briefly ncing back at Yuren in conflict, the demonic beast finally turned and began to flee. ¡°What? After all that chaos, you¡¯re just going to run?¡± I let out a hollowugh as I watched the demonic beast retreat. Its tail might have been severed, but it still had more than enough strength to keep fighting, yet here it was, running away. ¡°Where do you think you''re going?¡± I took a deep breath, inhaling ashden air, and kicked off the ground in pursuit of the fleeing demonic beast. Of course, I wasn¡¯t in perfect shape either. Both arms, which had been holding the sword, were already shredded to the point of being useless, and my sword, which had cut through the demonic beast¡¯s tail,y shattered on the ground. Anyone else would have seen my injuries and thought it was impossible to continue. But¡­ ¡°Heh.¡± With a twisted grin, I kicked off the ground. Ash scattered as I sprinted forward, leaping onto the demonic beast¡¯s back and wrapping my legs tightly around its neck. ¡°RAAARGH!¡± The demonic beast thrashed wildly, trying to shake me off. Its sharp scales and ws tore at my body. But¡­ ¡°re.¡± The more I was injured, the more the ashen smoke rose from me. It didn¡¯t matter if my body was crushed. It didn¡¯t matter if my entire body was shattered. Even if I broke, copsed, or was torn apart, I would relentlessly cling to my enemy¡¯s throat. That was the fighting style that had allowed me¡ªsomeone who was just a lowly hero with no real merits¡ªto be called the ¡®Undying Ghost¡¯ and be counted among thest five heroes. ¡°Hup!¡± I mmed my clenched fist into the demonic beast¡¯s eye. My fist pierced through its eyelid, gouging deep into its eye. ¡°RAAARGH!¡± The demonic beast roared in agony. With a smirk, I poured magic into my fist. ¡°Berald¡¯s Martial Art.¡± Mountain Breaker. Crunch! A gruesome tearing sound echoed as blood gushed out. The crushed eye was soon consumed by fire. ¡°RAAARGH! GRR¡­ KAAK!¡± The demonic beast iled desperately, trying to extinguish the mes, but this time, the fire was not on its tail¡ªit was on its head. ¡°Try cutting off your head now.¡± I chuckled, leaping off the demonic beast¡¯s back. ¡°Grr¡­ grrk¡­¡± The demonic beast, after thrashing wildly for a while, finally let out a faint groan and copsed. ¡°Hoo.¡± Confirming that the demonic beast was truly dead, I let out a long sigh and sank down on the spot. Hiss. Shhh. Hissss. Was the effect of ¡®Ignition¡¯ ending? With the sound of air escaping, the ashen smoke that had been swirling around me disappeared. I nced at the corpse of the demonic beast, its head half-charred, and gave a bitterugh. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°¡­Is this the power of the Primordial me?¡± I had felt it during the fight with Astaroth as well¡ªit was an absurdly overpowered force that made me chuckle despite myself. ¡®Of course, the price is just as great.¡¯ My body felt as heavy as a soaked sponge. Barely keeping my consciousness intact, which felt like it could snap at any moment, I stumbled to my feet. ¡°Ugh. I¡¯m seriously going to die.¡± Honestly, it was hard to even stay standing. ¡°I still need to report to the school somehow.¡± At the moment, I didn¡¯t even have the mana left to turn on my Hero Watch. ¡°Haa. Forget reporting for now, I need to rest.¡± Swallowing my frustration, I staggered toward the rock where Yuren was lying. ¡°Grrrrr.¡± ¡°Grrrr, growl!¡± ¡°Grrr, growl!¡± Once again, the howls of demonic beasts echoed through the air. A pack of wolf demonic beasts slinked out from the dense foliage. ¡°This is insane¡­.¡± I muttered a quiet curse as I scanned the wolf-demonic beasts surrounding me. There were at least ten of them, just by rough count. The number of eyes varied from three to five, but aside from that, they all looked pretty simr. ¡°¡­Damn it.¡± These demonic beasts didn¡¯t have the markings of the exam demonic beasts either. ¡®They¡¯re the same species as the wolf demonic beast I first killed.¡¯ Though there are variants like the unicorn, most demonic beasts retain the original instincts of their species before being transformed by demonic power. In other words, wolves that mutate into demonic beasts still retain the instinct to ¡®hunt in packs.¡¯ ¡®Did they track me by the scent of their kin?¡¯ First, there was the eight-eyed demonic beast, and now a pack of over ten wolf demonic beasts. ¡°¡­Is this really an exam site or what the hell is this ce?¡± How on earth were these demonic beasts constantly popping up, and not even the ones prepared for the exam but those that had infiltrated from outside? ¡°Grrr.¡± Swallowing hard, I reached for Yuren¡¯s sword at his waist, as my own had been broken during the earlier fight. The sword, which I used to swing effortlessly, now felt as heavy as a massive chunk of iron. ¡°Haa¡­ damn it.¡± No matter how exhausted I was, I couldn¡¯t afford to show weakness in front of these demonic beasts. ¡°Come on, you bastards.¡± I flicked the sword toward the pack of wolf demonic beasts surrounding me. ¡°Grrr!¡± ¡°Grr, growl!¡± All at once, dozens of wolf demonic beasts lunged at me. And then¡ª Twang. The clear sound of a string being plucked. Dozens of silver threads shot out from all directions, wrapping around the wolf demonic beasts charging toward me. The wolf demonic beasts, now entangled in the thin silver threads like flies in a spider''s web, struggled to break free. Snap. Crunch! With a snapping sound, the bodies of the wolf demonic beasts tangled in the silver threads were torn to shreds. ¡°Sorry I¡¯mte.¡± The sound of heels echoed as a ck-haired woman in a ck suit approached. Despite the scar running across her left eye, her beauty was so striking it left one breathless. It was Professor Elisha Baldwin. ¡°Late, huh¡­ I¡¯d say the timing is a bit too perfect, don¡¯t you think?¡± I nced at Professor Elisha, my voice low and calm. Professor Elisha shrugged with a nonchnt expression. ¡°You must have noticed I was watching from the shadows.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a certainty, just a guess.¡± A demonic beast from outside had appeared in the exam site¡ªthere was no way the professors would just sit by and do nothing. ¡°Hmm¡­ then why didn¡¯t you ask for help?¡± ¡°It was just a guess, after all.¡± I assumed the professors were probably moving behind the scenes, but I had no idea exactly where or what they were doing. ¡°Especially since I didn¡¯t expect one of the professors to be hiding somewhere, watching us fight from a distance.¡± ¡°For that, I apologize in advance,¡± Professor Elisha saidposedly. ¡°At first, I nned to step in at the right moment¡­ but I didn¡¯t expect Candidate Dale to take down the demonic beast alone.¡± And it wasn¡¯t just any demonic beast, but an eight-eyed demonic beast that even most professors would struggle against. ¡°A candidate with a blessing that lets theme back to life, who wields an unknown power while also having mastery in swordsmanship, martial arts, and magic¡­¡± Professor Elisha eyed me with a sharp gaze. ¡°What exactly are you?¡± ¡°You could just check the candidate roster, right?¡± ¡°The candidate roster, huh.¡± She let out a smallugh as she stepped closer. Professor Elisha, now so close that her face was inches from mine, gently wrapped an arm around my neck. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll need to conduct an additional investigation.¡± ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you already do that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s called an ¡®additional¡¯ investigation.¡± Her breath brushed lightly against my lips as she slowly leaned closer. I pushed Professor Elisha away and shook my head. ¡°If you need to investigate, please do it another way.¡± ¡°Hmm. Is there something you don¡¯t like? I¡¯m quite confident in my looks, you know.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not about that¡­.¡± How should I exin this? If word got out that we kissed again and it reached the ears of a certain saintess, I¡¯d be a dead man. ¡°So, the issue isn¡¯t my appearance, which means you do find me attractive?¡± ¡°Well, yes, you¡¯re quite beautiful.¡± ¡°Hmm, I see¡­.¡± Satisfied, Professor Elisha nodded. ¡°If you don¡¯t want a kiss, how about giving me some other bodily fluid?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°For instance¡­ down there?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± What on earth is this woman saying? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 62: Midterm Evaluation (7) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 62: Midterm Evaluation (7) A quiet stillness settled over the forest clearing. I hurriedly stepped back and asked with a stunned expression, ¡°What kind of crazy nonsense is that¡­?¡± ¡°Why? Don''t you like it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of liking or disliking!¡± Professor Elisha looked at me, amused by my flustered reaction. ¡°Don''t get so worked up. It was just a joke.¡± ¡°...¡± I stared at Professor Elisha, wearing an expression of disbelief, as she maintained a face far too serious for me to believe it was just a joke. ¡®What kind of professor makes jokes like that in this day and age?¡¯ I red at her, furrowing my brow. She smiled softly and ced her hand on her chest. ¡°Well, joke or not, it''s true that I¡¯m interested in you, Cadet Dale. Both as a hero and... as a man.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Wait, what? Where did that sudden blunt remarke from? ¡°There¡¯s no rule saying a professor can¡¯t be interested in a cadet, is there?¡± ¡°Well, no... technically, there isn''t.¡± ¡°Before I¡¯m a professor, I¡¯m a woman. It¡¯s only natural to be attracted to a man I like.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ so, you¡¯re saying¡­¡± My mind wentpletely nk at the unexpected barrage of bluntness. ¡®Is Elisha Baldwin saying she¡¯s interested in me?¡¯ What is even happening right now? ¡°¡­Haven¡¯t we only met twice?¡± And neither of those were particrly pleasant conversations. ¡°Hmm? Does it matter how often a woman meets a man to feel attracted?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve done anything during those encounters that would attract you.¡± Let¡¯s set aside the "male" and "female" terminology for now. ¡°You didn¡¯t? Didn¡¯t you show me on the very first day?¡± ¡°Are you talking about the sparring match with Assistant Instructor Vincent?¡± Well, yes, it¡¯s not every day a cadet overwhelms an instructor in a duel. But let¡¯s be honest, that shouldn¡¯t be enough to catch the attention of the ¡®Spider of Dread,¡¯ ranked 9th among the thousands of heroes. ¡®Even Yuren probably had no trouble overwhelming Assistant Instructor Vincent.¡¯ I didn¡¯t even have to bring up Yuren. Cami, for instance, could likely hold her own against Vincent. ¡®Vincent¡¯s level isn¡¯t exactly outstanding, after all.¡¯ The only reason Vincent appeared so dominant in the beginning was because of the rtive skill level of his sparring partners. It¡¯s not like cadets barely passing their average scores could hope to withstand the swift strikes of a swordmaster. ¡°Hmph. Well, that¡¯s part of it, of course.¡± ¡°You mean there¡¯s something else?¡± ¡°There is.¡± Something else that caught Elisha¡¯s attention¡­ ¡®Could it be¡­?¡¯ Had she somehow figured out about the primordial me? ¡°Fufu. You seem to be misunderstanding something.¡± As I stared at her with suspicion, Elisha smiled softly. ¡°Your appearance, Cadet Dale drew me to you the most.¡± ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡± My mind went nk at thepletely unexpected response. Elisha raised a hand to brush my cheek gently, then nodded in satisfaction. ¡°As I thought, no matter how often I look at you, your somber and gloomy appearance is just to my taste. I love it.¡± ¡°...¡± What? Is she insulting me right now? ¡°Mm. Don¡¯t stare at me like that.¡± Elisha awkwardly averted her gaze, clearing her throat with an embarrassed cough. Her cheeks flushed a faint red. ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t it embarrassing?¡± ¡°No.¡± After calling someone¡¯s face gloomy and somber, what''s the point in being embarrassed now? ¡®I can¡¯t tell where her true intentions lie.¡¯ I sighed deeply, shaking my head in disbelief. ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry too much about it. It¡¯s only curiosity for now.¡± With a faint smile, she pulled a cigarette from her coat and ced it between her lips. Elisha tilted her head towards me, motioning with the cigarette in her mouth. ¡°Light.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t carry a lighter.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you use fire magic earlier when fighting that demonic beast?¡± ¡°Well, yes, but¡­¡± Using primordial me to light a cigarette seemed... inappropriate. ¡°Hmph. I suppose that¡¯s true.¡± Elisha pulled out a lighter from her pocket and handed it to me. ¡°Light it.¡± ¡°¡­Can¡¯t you light it yourself?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something special about a man I¡¯m fond of lighting my cigarette for me.¡± ¡°...¡± What kind of unreasonable woman is this? ¡°Hah¡­¡± I sighed deeply and lit her cigarette with the lighter she handed me. Elisha took a deep drag from the cigarette, exhaling the smoke with a satisfied nod. ¡°Hah. That¡¯s nice.¡± ¡°¡­So, what about the investigation you mentioned earlier? Should I offer you some of my blood?¡± ¡°No need. There¡¯s nothing more to learn anyway.¡± ¡°...¡± Then why did you even bring up needing further investigation earlier? ¡°Fufu. It was just a good excuse to kiss the man I fancy. That¡¯s why I love being a special professor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a very, uh, ¡®professor-like¡¯ way of thinking.¡± ¡°Hearing that is a little embarrassing.¡± Elisha replied with a straight face, leaving me unsure whether she was joking or not as she blew out a long stream of smoke. ¡°By the way, what were those demonic beasts earlier?¡± ¡°We¡¯re still looking into it.¡± Elisha flicked the cigarette butt away as she approached the dead crocodile-like demonic beast. ¡°Given the size of the exam grounds, it¡¯s not unusual for wild demonic beasts to asionally wander in, but¡­ this is the first time in the academy¡¯s 500-year history that an 8-eyed demonic beast has shown up.¡± ¡°So, that means¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s reasonable to assume someone deliberately sent them.¡± Elisha inspected the corpse of the demonic beast, her gaze heavy with suspicion. ¡°Do you have any suspects in mind?¡± ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s only spection at this point, but¡­¡± Elisha dipped her finger into the blood seeping from the crocodile demonic beast¡¯s body and tasted it. Her purple eyes split vertically, revealing golden pupils. It was the mark of the ¡®Blessing of Insight,¡¯ a power she possessed that activated her keen vision. "Turns out it wasn¡¯t just an ordinary demonic beast, but someone¡¯s familiar." "Like a unicorn?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Yes." Professor Elisha nodded slightly and continued speaking. "It¡¯s notmon for someone to control a demonic beast of this caliber as a familiar." "¡­¡­." Coincidentally, a name popped into my head as soon as I heard those words. "Archbishop of Beasts, Jackal." Elisha spoke in a low voice, her hand brushing the scar that stretched across her left eye. ''Jackal.'' Archbishop of Beasts, Jackal. One of the six archbishops standing at the pinnacle of demonic beings,manding thousands, tens of thousands of demonic beasts under his rule. ''There was practically a war just to take him down.'' Only after nearly half of thebined forces of over 1,000 soldiers from three nations had been sacrificed could they kill Jackal and his army of demonic beasts. ''The hero who killed Jackal was surely¡­ Elisha Baldwin.'' Was it a coincidence, or was it fate? I clicked my tongue softly, ncing at Professor Elisha. In a previous life, she had participated in the war against Jackal, severing his lifeline, only to meet her end on the battlefield. ''Though I didn''t witness it myself.'' The war with Jackal broke out ten years after I graduated. About twelve years from now. ''That was when I quit being a mercenary and started forming a party with Yuren and the others.'' Our party had just been formed then, so we didn''t participate directly in the war. While recalling these memories of my past life, I kept thinking. "Candidate Dale? Do you know something about Jackal?" "What? Oh¡­ no. I was just lost in thought for a moment." "Hmm, is that so?" Professor Elisha crossed her arms, gazing deeply at the corpse of the demonic beast with a heavy expression. "¡­Jackal." Her eyes glinted fiercely as she uttered his name. After staring at the beast''s corpse for a while, Professor Elisha turned to look at me. "I have a favor to ask you, Candidate Dale." "What is it?" "Could you keep this matter quiet, at least until the investigation is over?" "Keep quiet? How much are we talking about¡­?" "From everyone. I''d appreciate it if you didn¡¯t even tell your supervising professor." "¡­Are you nning to cover up the incident entirely?" Surprised by her request to keep it secret even from Professor Lucas, I made a startled face. Elisha nodded heavily. "If this incident spreads through the academy, the culprit will escape again. Just like during thest sealing festival." "¡­¡­." The real culprit behind the sealing festival didn¡¯t actually escape but died by my hand. But I couldn''t tell Professor Elisha that right now. "Understood. I¡¯ll keep this incident between the two of us." "Oh. Just between the two of us, huh? That sounds quite thrilling." "No." "Haha, just a joke." "¡­You do love your jokes." "I''ve always had a humorous and witty personality, you see." "Haha. Where did youe up with such nonsense?" You really can''t win with this professor. "Well then, I¡¯ll take the corpse of this crocodile beast with me." "Yes." "By the way, are you alright? You don¡¯t look so good." "Well¡­ to be honest, I¡¯m not exactly in great shape." I was barely holding on, feeling like I could copse at any moment. "Seems like I¡¯ve kept you here too long. I¡¯ll take care of the remaining beasts around here, so rest easy." "That would be much appreciated." Though I wouldn¡¯t be affected even if I got attacked while sleeping, Yuren, who had passed out from mana exhaustion, would be in danger. Ping! With a snap of Professor Elisha¡¯s fingers, silver threads wrapped around the crocodile beast¡¯s corpse. She then disappeared, dragging the corpse with her. "Sigh." I leaned against the rock where I hadid Yuren, exhaling a breath heavy with exhaustion. ''I can¡¯t hold on any longer.'' Without resisting the overwhelming fatigue, I slowly closed my eyes. ''Wait¡­ hold on.'' I had a nagging feeling that I¡¯d forgotten something¡­. * * * "I will now announce the exam results." Professor Lucas began, holding the score sheet. "Candidate Yuren takes first ce with a bonus objective, regardless of score. Next, Candidate Maurice is second with 182 points... Candidate Cami is third with 98 points... Candidate Juliet is 57th with 47 points... Candidate Albert is 136th with 24 points... and." Professor Lucas''s gazended on me. "Candidate Dale, with 0 points, ranks 253rd." "¡­¡­." Are you kidding me? Deadst again? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 63: Interlude – The Moon Trapped in the Mirror [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 63: Interlude ¨C The Moon Trapped in the Mirror [Announcement of the midterm results for the warrior department.] [1st ce: Yuren Helios] [2nd ce: Maurice Jean] [3rd ce: Cami Vedice] The hologram disyed on the Hero Watch screen. Seeing my name, "Yuren Helios," proudly listed as 1st ce, I sighed in relief. ¡°I got 1st ce¡­.¡± Was it really me who broke the bell of the unicorn? What if I was mistaken? I had copsed and passed out, without any time to rack up points. What if I ended up with zero points by the end of the exam? As soon as the test ended and I opened my eyes, these anxious thoughts flooded my mind. It wasn''t until I checked my report card on my Hero Watch that I could finally rx. ¡°What about Dale¡­?¡± I scrolled down the ranking list, searching for Dale''s name. Not in the top 10, nor the top 20. ¡°No way¡­.¡± With trembling fingers, I kept scrolling down, until at the very bottom of the report, I saw the name "253rd ce: Dale Han." ¡°¡­Dale.¡± A chilling sensation ran down my spine. Staring at Dale''s name at the bottom of the list, I anxiously bit my lip. ¡®It''s my fault.¡¯ I had lost control at the end, letting loose too much power, and my attack must have caught Dale in the crossfire. ¡°What¡­ what should I do¡­?¡± Although it wasn''t against the rules for candidates to sabotage each other during the exam, my attack had far exceeded any reasonable "sabotage." ¡°¡­I¡¯ll have to apologize to Daleter.¡± Worry crept in as I thought about whether this incident might strain my rtionship with Dale. ¡°Hah.¡± I sighed deeply, pacing around my overly spacious dorm room. ¡°For now¡­ I¡¯ll contact Dale tomorrow.¡± There was someone I needed to contact before Dale. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Silence filled the room. Swallowing hard, I turned on my Hero Watch. As the hologram screen appeared before me, I clicked on the contacts button, and a few names popped up. The very first one. I slowly moved my finger towards the name saved as ¡®Mother.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­¡± My hand hesitated in front of the name. After a moment of silent contemtion, I closed my eyes tightly and pressed the button. Ring, ring, ring. A clear, bell-like sound echoed. My heart raced as tension filled me. [What is it?] In the hologram window that appeared, my mother''s face came into view. Rosanna Helios. She was the current head of the Helios family and a former hero once known as "Rosanna of the sh." I looked at my mother''s face on the screen and cautiously spoke. ¡°Well¡­ we had the midterm exam recently.¡± [Did you?] ¡°Yes. So¡­ um, the results came out today, so I¡¯m calling to let you know.¡± My mouth felt dry as if it was parched. The sound of my heart pounding echoed in my head. ¡°I barely made it, but¡­ I got 1st ce again.¡± [Barely?] ¡°Ah¡­ well, there was a really strongpetitor this time!¡± [Apetitor? Do you mean that Maurice Jean, that republican mutt? Or could it be Cami Vedice?] ¡°N-No! Someone else!¡± I shook my head frantically and continued. ¡°My friend Dale, he''s amazing! He even beat one of the instructors in a duel, and during the recent demonic beasts incident, he took down dozens of demonic beasts all by himself!¡± [Hmm. I¡¯ve never heard of him.] ¡°He¡¯s been hiding his abilities due to certain circumstances until recently. Now, everyone at school is talking about him!¡± [And so?] ¡°Well¡­ I still won.¡± It was close, but¡­ It was dangerous, but¡­ In the end, I broke the unicorn''s bell before Dale. As ¡®Yuren Helios.¡¯ I became 1st ce. ¡®So¡­.¡¯ I wasn¡¯t asking for much. I didn¡¯t want anything grand. Just once, even just once, I wanted her to¡­. [Ha.] A cold sneer cut through the air. [Are you really bragging about that?] ¡°¡­¡­¡± [In a mere candidate¡¯s exam, you barely scraped by against some nobody, and you think you¡¯ve won something?] Mother clicked her tongue and continued. [If you were truly Yuren, there wouldn¡¯t have been anything close about it.] ¡°¡­¡­¡± There it was again. That name. Yuren, Yuren, Yuren. How much longer do I have to struggle, just to live up to that shining, radiant name? [Hah. Truly pathetic.] The heavy sigh she let out pressed down on my chest. [By the way, did your ¡®Stigma¡¯ get exposed during the exam?] ¡°Oh¡­ no. I hid it well, as usual.¡± [Good. Be sure never to let anyone see it. It would disgrace the Helios family if anyone discovered that the heir bore the Stigma of the Moon God.] ¡°¡­¡­¡± It hurt. Every word Mother spoke cut deeper than any well-sharpened sword, shing through my heart. [Is that all you wanted to say?] ¡°Ah¡­ yes.¡± [Don¡¯t contact me again with such trivial matters.] Click. The call ended. A silence deeper than death settled over the room. Why? Why did this dorm room I¡¯ve lived in for the past three years suddenly feel so unfamiliar? It felt toorge, suffocatingly lonely. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The ticking of the wall clock echoed like thunder in the silent room as I wandered towards the bathroom. There, arge mirror hung over the sink. I carefully removed the pendant hanging from my neck. Woooong. A soft blue glow surrounded me as my radiant, golden hair turned silver. My limbs grew slender, and my chest gently rose into a soft, rounded shape. Etched over my chest was the Stigma of the Moon God, like a branded seal. ¡°¡­Yurina.¡± I reached out and touched the reflection of my face in the mirror. The unfamiliar name, one no one called anymore, escaped my lips. ¡°They said you got 1st ce in the midterms?¡± The reflection in the mirror smiled brightly and nodded. ¡°They say the exams get much harder starting from the third year. How was it?¡± The reflection answered. Yeah, it was really different from the first and second years. They even released demonic beasts into the testing area, and we had to hunt them down for real! ¡°Were you scared?¡± I was so scared! Especially when that unicorn suddenly charged at me with its eyes zing! I thought my heart would stop! ¡°Really? You didn¡¯t run away, though. You fought.¡± Well¡­ I really wanted to win. ¡°Against Dale?¡± ¡­Yeah. ¡°How was it, going up against Dale?¡± He was really incredible. I can''t fathom how he fights so well with less than half of my mana. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°That must have been tough.¡± Yeah, it was tough. Really... really tough. ¡°But you still won, right?¡± Haha. I''m not sure if I can call it a win when I just overpowered him by brute force due to the difference in mana... ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Yurina. Your mana is still your strength, right? No matter the method, this victory is something you earned.¡± ...Is that... really true? ¡°Of course. Oh, though it was your mistake not to control your power properly and causing harm to Dale.¡± I¡¯ll definitely apologize for that tomorrow! ¡°Good. Dale will understand, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ...Yeah, thanks. ¡°Yurina.¡± I speak to the reflection in the mirror. Since that day, five years ago, when I took second ce at the swordsmanship tournament and returned home. The words I¡¯ve wanted to hear the most. The one phrase I¡¯ve longed for more than anything. ¡°You did well.¡± It was really hard, wasn¡¯t it? You¡¯ve been through so much. I¡¯m proud of you. Even though Yuren is gone now, I¡¯m still d that you¡¯re here. So now... You don¡¯t have to be scared anymore. It¡¯s okay not to be afraid. You don¡¯t have to shine like the sun. ¡°......¡± Heavy silence fell. The reflection in the mirror starts to cry silently, tears dropping. With a distorted expression, pulling at my hair, I sob soundlessly. * * * ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dale!¡± The day after the test results were announced. As soon as I arrived at Yuren¡¯s personal training ground after ss, she came up to me with her head bowed. ¡°Huh? What are you apologizing for?¡± ¡°Well... the test results were announced yesterday.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah. They were.¡± It was a headache-inducing oue, even in hindsight. ¡®I thought I could finally get out of that cursedst ce...¡¯ Whether it was a cruel twist of fate or something else, after the fight with the Crocodile Demonic Beast, I passed out from exhaustion and ended up inst ce out of 253 warrior candidates. ¡®If I¡¯d known this would happen, I would¡¯ve fought a different beast as insurance before searching for the Unicorn.¡¯ But who could have predicted such a result? Sighing deeply, I pressed my fingers against my throbbing forehead. Yuren, looking like a scolded puppy, spoke up. ¡°...It¡¯s because of me, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Huh? What¡¯s because of you?¡± ¡°At the end, I dragged you into the fight, and you couldn¡¯t hunt any other demonic beasts because of me.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± So that¡¯s what he¡¯d been talking about. ¡®He¡¯s misunderstood, thinking it¡¯s his fault I came inst.¡¯ Well, from his point of view, it makes sense. He doesn¡¯t know a higher-level demonic beast appeared after she passed out. ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize. The reason I didn¡¯t catch another beast wasn¡¯t because I got caught up in your attack.¡± ¡°...That¡¯s a lie.¡± Yurina frowned, clearly not believing me. ¡®I can¡¯t exactly tell him the full truth.¡¯ The fact that an external beast had infiltrated the test was a secret between Professor Elisha and me. ¡®Guess there¡¯s no choice.¡¯ Clicking my tongue, I added, ¡°Even if your attack had stopped me from catching another beast, it¡¯s not something you need to apologize for.¡± After all, I had also been keeping him in check to im the Unicorn¡¯s bell for myself. ¡°But... I got carried away and couldn¡¯t control my mana.¡± ¡°Whether you lost control of your magic or not, it was a fair fight.¡± There¡¯s no reason to me Yuren. ¡°In fact, I was kind of impressed.¡± ¡°...Impressed?¡± ¡°That technique you used at the end¡ªit was your first time using it, right?¡± ¡°Ah...¡± A small sound escaped Yuren¡¯s lips. Just like Dale said. The final move he used, ¡°White Light Strike,¡± was a technique he developed after learning something from Dale a while ago. ¡°Y-yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Wow! It looked like a really difficult technique. You must¡¯ve practiced a lot to use it in a real fight.¡± Even if Yuren is a swordsmanship prodigy, he must have put in blood, sweat, and tears to develop a variation of the White Light Strike. ¡°You did well.¡± I lightly patted Yuren¡¯s shoulder as I spoke. ¡°...Huh?¡± Yuren¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What... did you just say?¡± ¡°Huh? I mean, you worked hard. That must¡¯ve been really tough to practice, right?¡± ¡°Ah... yeah, it was.¡± ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t see it firsthand, but even Reynald wasn¡¯t that good at using the Sun Sword at your age.¡± I chuckled and moved to take my hand off his shoulder, but then... Yuren grabbed my hand and ced it back on his shoulder, speaking up. ¡°...Dale.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°The thing you just said... could you say it again?¡± ¡°What I just said?¡± ¡°You know... the... the ¡®you did well¡¯ part.¡± His face flushed red as he avoided my gaze. ¡°Well... it¡¯s not that hard to say.¡± I couldn¡¯t understand why someone like Yuren, who¡¯s used to hearing constant praise and admiration, would want to hear apliment from me. But I lightly patted his shoulder again and said, ¡°You did well.¡± ¡°......¡± A short silence followed. Yuren¡¯s expression softened, like butter melting. ¡°J-just once more! One more time!¡± ¡°...You did well.¡± ¡°Hehehe.¡± In all the time I¡¯ve known Yuren, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen him make such a silly, blissful face. Even as I searched through my past memories, nothing like this came to mind. But for some reason... ¡°Hehe. He said... I did well.¡± With his hands sped in front of his chest, Yuren smiled brightly, more radiant than any sun. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 64: Interlude (2) - The Scar of the Spider [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 64: Interlude (2) - The Scar of the Spider A week had passed since I aplished the impressive(?) feat of ranking 253rd out of 253 candidates in the warrior department. The fiery discussions that had engulfed the school about the midterm evaluations had started to cool down. I was summoned by Professor Elisha and headed to her office. ¡°You¡¯vee.¡± As I entered the office, Professor Elisha, dressed in her usual neat ck suit, greeted me while crossing her legs. ¡°What is it about?¡± ¡°The investigation results are in.¡± ¡°¡­Investigation results?¡± She continued, ncing nonchntly at the thick stack of documents in her hand while holding a cigarette. ¡°As expected, the crocodile and wolf demonic beasts that appeared in the exam hall were familiars of the Archbishop of Beasts, Jackal.¡± ¡°¡­Jackal.¡± The involvement of an archbishop¡ªa worst-case scenario that I had anticipated among the possibilities. ¡®I don¡¯t know if the future has changed or if I missed it in my past life.¡¯ But one thing was certain: once again, an archbishop-level demon was scheming something within the school. ¡°Have you figured out his purpose?¡± At my question, Professor Elisha took a deep drag from her cigarette and shook her head softly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. But¡­ there was one peculiar demonic beast.¡± ¡°A peculiar demonic beast?¡± So, aside from the crocodile and wolf demonic beasts, there was another? ¡°This one.¡± Exhaling smoke, Professor Elisha opened a drawer and pulled out a strange creature. It resembled a leech. At its center was a tiny eye, smaller than a fingernail, blinking as if it were a sucker used for draining blood. ¡°This is¡­.¡± ¡°This demonic beast was attached to Cadet Yuren¡¯s body.¡± ¡°It was attached to Yuren?¡± That couldn¡¯t be. I had ced a barrier around Yuren myself to repel demonic beasts. While the barrier wouldn¡¯t work on creatures with multiple eyes, this leech-like demonic beast only had one eye. There¡¯s no way it could have bypassed the barrier to get near Yuren. ¡°Ah.¡± A faint sound escaped my lips. ¡®Come to think of it, the crocodile demonic beast broke the barrier in the middle of the fight.¡¯ If so, then during the battle after breaking the barrier, that leech-like demonic beast must have attached itself to Yuren¡¯s body. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Hmm. It seems Cadet Dale has realized as well.¡± Professor Elisha narrowed her eyes as she spoke. ¡°I have no concrete proof, but I believe that the sudden rampage of the crocodile demonic beast was intended to allow this ¡®leech demonic beast¡¯ to get close to Cadet Yuren.¡± The crocodile demonic beast¡¯s purpose was to break the barrier I had created? ¡®Now that I think about it, the moment it sent me flying, it immediately destroyed the barrier.¡¯ At the time, I thought it destroyed the barrier to get closer to Yuren, but the crocodile demonic beast was of a level that wasn¡¯t affected by the ¡°demonic beast-repelling barrier¡± at all. ¡®It didn¡¯t need to break the barrier in the first ce.¡¯ Yet, the crocodile demonic beast broke the barrier surrounding Yuren¡¯s body¡ªas if that had been its goal all along. ¡®Wait, could it be that the crocodile demonic beast didn¡¯t appear in my past life because there was no barrier back then?¡¯ It felt like the scattered puzzle pieces were starting to fit together. I narrowed my eyes as I continued to think. ¡®Jackal¡¯s wolf demonic beasts existed in my previous life, too.¡¯ Wasn¡¯t my first experience with death when my neck was bitten by one of those wolves? ¡®In other words, even in my previous life, Jackal had released his familiars in the exam hall.¡¯ So why did Jackal release the wolf demonic beasts into the exam hall? ¡®He was trying to find Yuren.¡¯ Wolf demonic beasts, known for their keen sense of smell and speed, are optimized for tracking, and thanks to their pack behavior, they can work together, making them ideal for a "search" mission. ¡®In my past life, after finding Yuren, they would have attached that leech demonic beast to him at an opportune moment.¡¯ But this time, a variable had appeared¡ªa new factor in the form of "Dale Han," who suddenly showed up and created a demonic beast-repelling barrier around Yuren. ¡®That¡¯s why they sent out the crocodile demonic beast, which wasn¡¯t originally intended to appear.¡¯ To break my barrier and allow the leech demonic beast to get close to Yuren. ¡°Hah.¡± A low chuckle escaped as I realized the true nature of the situation. ¡®What on earth is that leech demonic beast, and why are they so desperate to attach it to Yuren?¡¯ I inspected the squirming leech demonic beast in the ss jar, but aside from its grotesque appearance, I couldn¡¯t discern anything else. I looked toward Professor Elisha, hoping she knew more. ¡°I don¡¯t know what abilities this leech demonic beast has either.¡± ¡°Even with the Blessing of Insight?¡± ¡°If my blessing could uncover every secret in the world, I wouldn¡¯t need to investigate things so discreetly.¡± Professor Elisha let out a bitterugh and sighed deeply. ¡°In any case, that¡¯s all I¡¯ve discovered.¡± Though I figured out that Jackal released demonic beasts to attach the leech to Yuren, the more important question of "Why Yuren?" remained unanswered. ¡°There¡¯s no clue to track down Jackal?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid not.¡± Professor Elisha absentmindedly touched the scar across her left eye with a somewhat bitter expression. ¡°Is that scar rted to Jackal, by any chance?¡± ¡°¡­Why would you think that?¡± ¡°You touch the scar every time you talk about Jackal.¡± ¡°Ha, are you connecting me and Jackal just because of that?¡± Professor Elisha gave augh, seemingly finding the idea absurd. In reality, I had picked up on the connection due to memories from my past life, but I didn¡¯t bother to exin. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Professor Elisha remained silent for a moment before speaking in a low voice. ¡°¡­When I was young, I was born in a small vige tucked away in a remote part of the Empire.¡± She lit a new cigarette, the spark briefly flickering as it ignited. ¡°It was a nameless little vige.¡± Puffs of smoke drifted into the air. ¡°One day, that a demonpletely wiped out peaceful vige.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± There was no need to ask who that "demon" was. ¡°The reason? He wanted to test the power of a newly enved demonic beast.¡± As the cigarette slowly burned, its ember glowed red, like the blood-soaked memories etched in her mind. ¡°It took less than 10 minutes to massacre the 100 or so vigers.¡± In just 10 minutes, her entire life had been shattered, her world destroyed beyond repair. "I was lucky to have survived, somehow." He brushed the scar near his left eye with a self-deprecating smile. "...Though I''m left with this hideous scar." "......" "Haha, don¡¯t make such a serious face. It¡¯s amon story." Professor Elisha shrugged nonchntly, as if it were no big deal. Suddenly, a memory from a past life shed through my mind. The story of how "Elisha Baldwin, the Spider of the Dread," had in the Beast Archbishop, Jackal, before meeting a tragic end. Beyond the story I had once heard so casually, the harrowing life of a woman yed out in my mind. ¡®Amon story, huh...?¡¯ She wasn¡¯t wrong. There were countless people across the continent whose lives had been crushed by demons. No great twist, no heart-pounding epic, no tear-jerking tragic ending. It¡¯s an unremarkable tragedy. It¡¯s a mundane catastrophe. One of the countless, ordinary tragedies that happen everywhere in the world. ¡®But¡­¡¯ Just because it''smon doesn''t mean it''s not painful. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Just because it''s predictable doesn''t mean there are no wounds. "Hoo." Professor Elisha smoked her cigarette with a nonchnt expression. I wasn¡¯t sure why, but I instinctively reached out towards her. "What are you...?" "Hold still." Ignoring the startled expression on her face, I gently traced the scar across her left eye. "...Cadet Dale. Do you know what you''re doing?" Touching a professor without permission. It was a rude action that could warrant punishment. As Elisha red at me fiercely, I let out a slight smirk. "It¡¯s pretty." "...What?" "You said earlier that it was a hideous scar. But looking at it now, I think it suits you." "......" "What should I call it... A wild charm? Without it, your appearance might have been a bit nd." "You..." Elisha, about to say something, trailed off and bit her lip. "Ahem!" Clearing her throat awkwardly, she quickly turned her head away. Through her short ck hair, I could see the tips of her ears turning as red as apples. "Honestly... The cadets these days seem tock any respect for their professors. It¡¯s the end of times, really. In my day, the thought of touching a professor would never even cross our minds! But now? To touch a professor''s body without permission? And then to say it¡¯s pretty? That the scar suits me? Is that something a cadet should say to a professor? If I must admit... It felt a little nice, but still, this is absolutely uneptable..." She mumbled under her breath, her voice growing quieter as she kept her head down. "Professor Elisha?" "Eek!" Startled, Professor Elisha jumped up from her seat. Her expression, usually as calm and indifferent as stone, was now lively and full of emotion as she spoke. "A-anyway! The investigation into Jackal will continue, so Cadet Dale, make sure to cooperate!" With that abrupt order, Professor Elisha bolted out of the office as if fleeing. "......" Left alone in her office, I snuffed out the cigarette she had half-smoked and leaned back in the chair. "Jackal, huh." I thought that perhaps the people I need to look after in this life are not only myrades from my previous one. * * * A massive demonic beast, sorge it looked like a mountain made of fur, moved as if alive. On top of the demonic beast, which had eleven eyes, sat an old man. "Hah. How pitiful." The old man let out a low sigh as he gazed at his palm, engraved withplex patterns. Part of the pattern, as if skinned away, had been erased. "Tsk tsk. It was a cherished one." Despite the seemingly regretful words, the old man¡¯s gaze upon the erased pattern was as indifferent as someone looking at a crushed ant corpse on the road. Wuuuuuung! The space near the old man began to distort, and a young man with snow-white hair appeared. The youth approached Jackal, walking as if on invisible tforms in midair, and bowed courteously. "There you are." "Oh, you¡¯vee?" "Yes, it¡¯s been a while, Lord Jackal." The white-haired youth smiled and adjusted his golden monocle. "How did the task I requested go?" "Haha, who do you think I am? Of course, it was a sess. Though, a bit of trouble did arise." "Trouble?" "Crocker is dead." "Crocker?" The white-haired youth searched his memory at Jackal¡¯s words. "Ah, you mean that crocodile demonic beast?" "Indeed." "Ha. Your naming sense is as sharp as ever." "Hm? What¡¯s wrong with the name Crocker?" Jackal blinked, genuinely puzzled, while the youth merely shrugged silently. "By the way, the fact that a ss-A demonic beast died in a cadet exam... Did a professor intervene?" "Heh heh. How could mere cadets kill Crocker? It was, of course, a professor." "Then it''s likely Elisha Baldwin." "Yes, that cunning spider woman managed to step on my tail." "Well, as you said, Lord Jackal, that does sound troublesome." "Indeed." Jackal clicked his tongue in irritation, his wrinkled brow furrowing. "That girl is pitiful too... She must have witnessed her parents being torn apart right before her eyes at such a young age." "......" The white-haired youth frowned, visibly displeased as he watched Jackal feign sympathy. "Let¡¯s get back to the main point." "Ah, yes. Well... Though some trouble arose, I found what you were looking for." Jackal let out a grating, unpleasantugh as he pressed down on the symbol engraved on his arm with a finger. As the symbol faded, blood oozed from his finger. Licking the blood, Jackal continued speaking. "As you suspected, Yuren Helios bears not the ¡®Sun God¡¯s¡¯ stigma, but the ¡®Moon God¡¯s¡¯ stigma." "Hmm, I see." The white-haired youth smiled as he adjusted his golden monocle. Jackal turned to the youth and asked, "Does this even matter? After all, even with the ¡®Moon God¡¯s¡¯ stigmata, one can still wield the Sun Sword, right?" "Haha. Who knows? Do you think she will see it that way?" The youth smiled meaningfully and shrugged. "Mephisto, what are you nning?" "You¡¯ll see soon enough." The Archpriest of Corruption, Mephisto, smiled brightly as he gazed at the distant Helios mansion. "When the sun devours the moon." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 65: Elixir (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 65: Elixir (1) [The leech demonic beast has died.] I frowned as I looked at the message from Professor Elisha. ¡®The leech demonic beast has died?¡¯ The leech demonic beast was a crucial clue in tracking down Jackal. It was kept alive by Professor Elisha herself, using a life-support system, but now it was dead all of a sudden. [Did someone break in and kill it?] [No, it just suddenly exploded.] Suddenly exploded, huh. ¡®Looks like Jackal''s doing.¡¯ Clicking my tongue, I replied to Professor Elisha. [It¡¯s Jackal''s work, isn''t it?] [That''s what I think too.] Regardless of the reason, with the leech demonic beast¡ªthe only clue¡ªnow dead, further pursuit was impossible. ¡®Well, we¡¯ve already gathered most of the information we could.¡¯ On the bright side, this sudden death provided new intel: Jackal could kill his minions remotely. Not a total loss. [Since there are no other leads, we''ll just have to wait for him to make a move.] [Looks like it.] [Got it. I¡¯ll contact you againter.] I was about to close the message window when¡ª [Wait.] [c( ''o'')¤Ã] Professor Elisha sent one of those special character emoticons that had been trending among the cadetstely. ¡®Wait, she¡¯s using an emoticon?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t umon for cadets to use them, but seeing someone as mature (?) and distinguished as Professor Elisha using one was quite... surprising. [What is this? I suddenly feel really irritated¡­] What was going on? This gift of insight... [Cadet Dale. Are you perhaps having impudent thoughts right now?] [I swear by my parents'' names, I¡¯ve never had such thoughts.] [Hmm¡­ But aren¡¯t you an orphanage graduate?] [Are you calling me an orphan who doesn''t even know his parents'' names?] [Oh, no, I didn¡¯t mean it like that¡­] I could sense Professor Elisha¡¯s flustered expression even through the text. I didn¡¯t let up and pushed further. [To assume that orphans don¡¯t know their parents¡¯ names is a narrow-minded insult to not only me but millions of orphans!] [My apologies, Cadet Dale. I wasn''t thinking.] [As long as you understand.] [Would you care to share your parents'' names to make amends?] [So, what was it that you wanted to say earlier?] [¡­Cadet Dale.] For some reason, I could almost hear Professor Elisha sighing deeply on the other side of the message. [Let¡¯s get back to the main topic.] [Yes, ma''am.] [A magic stone was found in the crocodile demonic beast.] A magic stone. It was a type of magical crystal found within demonic beasts and was used in various fields, such as artifact production, magical devices, and elixir creation. Even the Hero Watch I used to message Professor Elisha contained a magic stone. ¡®Though, the ones used in everyday items like this are mostly low-grade magic stones.¡¯ Low-grade magic stones were mass-produced and didn''t require hunting demonic beasts for them, which is why they were mainly used in everyday magical tools like Hero Watches. However, stones above the intermediate grade could only be acquired by hunting demonic beasts, making high-grade and above magic stones significantly more expensive. ¡®Not that you always get one by hunting a demonic beast, either.¡¯ In fact, the more eyes a demonic beast had, the higher the chance of getting a high-grade magic stone, but the lower the chance of finding one at all. In other words, the fact that a magic stone had been found in an eight-eyed demonic beast was quite exciting news. [What grade is it?] [They said it''s high-grade, close to the highest.] [High-grade is high-grade. What do you mean "close to the highest"?] [It contains as much mana as a top-grade stone, but its purity and quality fall short, so it was ssified as high-grade.] [Wow.] Still, the fact that its mana rivaled a top-grade stone was impressive. [How much is it worth?] [At the very least, around 5 million gold.] 5 million gold. Converted to the old Republic currency, that was over 5 billion¡ªan enormous fortune. ¡®That¡¯s enough to buy a house in the center of Valha City!¡¯ It was too big of a sum to ignore. ¡®The problem is, I don¡¯t have the rights to dispose of the demonic beast¡¯s corpse.¡¯ As a cadet without an official hero license, I had no right to dispose of the demonic beast¡¯s body or im any spoils. On top of that, the crocodile demonic beast was one of Jackal¡¯s minions, which meant it was under investigation, making it hard to demand a share. "Ugh." I couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of regret. Just then, a new message from Professor Elisha arrived with a clear bell sound. [I''ll leave the disposal of the magic stone to you, Cadet Dale.] What? [Are you saying you''ll give me the magic stone?] [That''s right.] [But¡­] [You killed the crocodile demonic beast, didn¡¯t you? Even if you don¡¯t have an official hero license yet, I can¡¯t dispose of something that belongs to you.] ¡®Ah, this is true mentorship!¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] If it had been Professor Lucas, he would have given it to me, sure, but not without making a big show of it and being a pain. On the other hand, Professor Elisha, with her extensive (?) life experience, knew exactly how to handle people! [¡­Are you thinking something unsavory right now?] [If that''s your decision, Professor, then I¡¯ll ept it and make sure to put it to good use.] [.......] [?(???¨F¨F)?] Professor Elisha sent an emoticon of a grumpy face, as if she had a bad feeling about this, but fortunately, her insight didn¡¯t extend to reading my mind. She didn¡¯t press further. [I''ll send the magic stone to you via Assistant Vincent.] [Understood.] About 30 minutes had passed since I finished my conversation with Professor Elisha. Knock, knock. I heard someone knocking on the door of my dorm room. ¡®That was quick.¡¯ When I opened the door, there stood Vincent, the assistant, holding a square box. "Professor Elisha asked me to deliver this to you." "You¡¯re quick." "It¡¯s the professor¡¯s order." I could feel Vincent¡¯s unwavering loyalty to Professor Elisha in his short response. I smirked and took the box from Vincent. When I opened it, there was a ck magic stone, emitting a sinister, dark glow. I nodded as I held the magic stone, about the size of my fist. "Well-delivered." "It was a magic stone, huh?" "You didn¡¯t even know what it was, yet you delivered it?" "It¡¯s the professor¡¯s order." "¡­." Does bing an assistant turn you into that kind of person? As I stared at him with a faintugh, Vincent stared back, as if observing me, and spoke. "These days, the professor seems to be very interested in Cadet Dale." "Yes, I¡¯ve noticed." Wasn¡¯t it because I matched her type? Though it seemed like a ridiculous reason, I could tell from her behavior that Professor Elisha had some degree of affection for me. "Are you jealous by any chance?" "Of course not." When I yfully asked, Vincent gave a bitter smile and shook his head. "To me, Professor Elisha is like a mother. She¡¯s the one who saved me when I had lost all hope in life." "A benefactor?" "I, too, survived a demon attack, like the professor." Vincent¡¯s face softened as if recalling a distant memory. "There are many others who owe their lives to the professor. She even runs a foundation for those who lost their families and homes to the demons." "¡­I didn¡¯t know that." It was my first time hearing that Professor Elisha was operating such a foundation. "The professor donates all the money she earns from her hero work and her sry as a special professor to that foundation. She won¡¯t even buy herself decent cigarettes, sticking only to the cheap brands." "¡­." "She¡¯s someone who has sacrificed her entire life for the sake of others." Vincent continued, his eyes full of respect for Professor Elisha. "Honestly, I think it''s a relief." "A relief?" "That the professor now has someone else to focus on¡ªlike you, Cadet Dale." Vincent smiled softly as he looked at me. "I¡­." "Haha, there¡¯s no need to take it so seriously. You can¡¯t force a person¡¯s heart to change just by pushing them." Vincent chuckled quietly and shook his head. "But just remember this one thing." For a moment, his eyes shed fiercely. "If you hurt her... I won¡¯t let it slide." Vincent gently stroked the hilt of his sword as he spoke. I stifled a chuckle and nodded. "I¡¯ll keep that in mind." "Well then, I¡¯ll be on my way." Vincent gave a small bow and turned to leave. "Oh, by the way, that magic stone¡­ Are you nning to sell it, or do you have another use for it?" "Hmm. I¡¯m not sure." It was a valuable item, worth at least 5 million gold if sold, but... ¡®It¡¯s better to use it than sell it.¡¯ A high-grade magic stone could be used to make an elixir that enhanced one¡¯s mana. ¡®Especially since I still have that elixir I got from Yuren.¡¯ With Professor Jade¡¯s skills, mixing the magic stone into the elixir to amplify its effects should be possible. "If you¡¯re nning to use it, you¡¯ll need to purify it first. Otherwise, you won¡¯t be able to use it." Vincent pointed to the magic stone, still emanating a sinister glow. He was right. A freshly harvested magic stone from a demon¡¯s body couldn¡¯t be used unless it was purified by divine power. "If you need, I can introduce you to a purification priest from the Holy Kingdom." "No, that¡¯s alright." I grinned and shook my head. Why would I need to rely on a purification priest? "I already know someone who can purify the magic stone." I had someone far beyond the reach of an ordinary purification priest¡ªsomeone blessed by the seven gods, the ''Saint'' herself. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 66: Elixir (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 66: Elixir (2) The day after receiving the magic stone from Professor Elisha, I reached out to Iris for help. Without knowing what I would ask, Iris came straight to my dorm room. "You want me to purify this magic stone?" "Yeah." I showed Iris the magic stone inside the box. A fist-sized stone, it emitted an eerie, ominous aura typical of dark magic. "This... seems like a pretty high-grade magic stone." Iris frowned slightly, sensing the dense dark energy emanating from the stone. "It''s a high-grade magic stone." "A high-grade magic stone? Where in the world did you get something like that?" Iris looked at me with wide eyes. "I helped Professor Elisha with something personal, and I got this as payment." "What kind of work would get you paid with something like a high-grade magic stone... wait!" Iris grabbed both my shoulders with a pale, shocked expression. "Could it be, Dale? Did you¡ª did you have some kind of physical rtionship with Professor Elisha in exchange for this?!" "No." What kind of nonsense is this woman spouting all of a sudden? "It¡¯s not like that." "Answer me properly! Look me in the eyes!" "I swear it¡¯s not like that." I shook my head as I met Iris''s gaze directly. "Hmm." Iris stared into my eyes as if examining me closely. Apparently, that wasn¡¯t enough for her. She suddenly leaned in close and started touching me all over, as if she were kneading dough. ''What on earth is she going to figure out by touching me?'' As I looked at her with a baffled expression, Iris muttered under her breath, slightly flushed. "Surprisingly... you¡¯re more muscr than you look. Broad shoulders... and, um, a strong chest." "Excuse me?" Iris? Hello? "Ahem! Anyway, as long as there¡¯s been no improper conduct with Professor Elisha, right?" "I swear to the heavens, nothing of the sort happened." "Well... I''ll believe you." Iris nodded and carefully lifted the magic stone from the box. "So, you want me to purify this magic stone?" "I¡¯d be really grateful if you could." "Hehe, got it." "...But are you sure it¡¯s okay?" "Huh? What do you mean?" "I heard that purifying a magic stone is quite aplicated process." In her previous life, purifying a magic stone was as easy as breathing for her, but that was in the past. I wasn¡¯t sure if she could do it as a candidate right now. "Hehe, who do you think I am? I¡¯m the Saint, after all." Iris smiled confidently, puffing up her chest. Watching her chest move with such energy filled me with newfound confidence in her abilities. "I haven¡¯t done it much, but purifying a magic stone is no big deal." "Really? Then I¡¯ll leave it to you." "Just trust me." Iris¡¯s enthusiasm was palpable as she rolled up her sleeves. She ced the magic stone on the table and slowly closed her eyes. "O seven gods who shine in the heavens." With deliberate motions, Iris made the sign of the cross and began to recite a prayer. "Bestow your grace and purify this unholy energy." Wooooong! A pure, white light began to emanate from Iris¡¯s body. It was such a radiant and pristine power that it inspired awe just by watching. Iris sped her hands together as if praying and drew even more divine energy into herself. The white light flowing from her body formed into a shape: a Stigma. ¡®The Stigma of the Sky God.¡¯ This was the Stigma Iris bore, the one mostmonly used by candidates in the Support Division. ¡®Even after all this time, it¡¯s still so clear.¡¯ The Stigma of the Sky God that naturally appeared whenever Iris used her "prayers" shone brightly, far more brilliant than the marks used by priests from the Holy Kingdom. ¡®It looks like the purification will go off without a hitch... Wait, what¡¯s that?¡¯ Then, something unexpected began to happen. "Haah." Iris exhaled a deep breath and opened her eyes. Her pupils sparkled with rainbow hues. ¡®The Seven Eyes.¡¯ The power of the Seven Eyes activated, and the number of Stigmas floating in the air increased. The Sun, the Stars, the Moon, the Sky, the Earth, the Sea, and the Forest. Seven Stigmas swirled around as if they were dancing. ¡®So, this is the power of the Seven Eyes.¡¯ I let out a low breath as I watched Iris. I had seen her pray countless times in my past life, but I had never witnessed all seven Stigmas appear at once. ¡®Of course, I hadn¡¯t seen it. In her past life, she had her Seven Eyes stolen by Astaroth, the Archbishop of Illusions, and was unable to use the power of any Stigma except the Sky God¡¯s.¡¯ ¡®I changed her fate.¡¯ Seeing the rainbow light shining in her eyes filled me with an indescribable sense of emotion. ¡®And this isn¡¯t the end.¡¯ In fact, this was just the beginning. There were still many more futures I needed to change, not just Iris¡¯s. ¡®Though it feels like the number of people involved is only increasing.¡¯ I thought of Professor Elisha and couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly. Although the growing connections felt like an increasing burden, it didn¡¯t matter. I had already made my decision. I had resolved to live a life where I wasn¡¯t led by someone else, but where I took the lead. ¡®I need to be stronger, faster.¡¯ To be honest, even with my current growth rate, it was hard to find historical precedents that matched it. But with my goals set so high, this much wasn¡¯t enough to satisfy me. "Huff, huff. Ugh¡­." Iris, drenched in sweat, continued the purification ritual. Responding to her efforts, the dark, ominous energy emitting from the stone gradually turned into a clear, transparent blue light. After about five more minutes passed... "Haah! It¡¯s done!" Panting and drenched in sweat, Iris finally withdrew her power. The white light that had filled the room vanished, and her rainbow-hued eyes returned to their original color. "You did great." I handed her a ss of cool water. Iris grabbed the ss and gulped it down as if she were parched. "Ah! You should check if it worked." "Sure." I let a bit of mana flow into the purified stone. The soft blue glow emanating from it grew stronger. ¡®Wait, what? What is this?¡¯ My eyes widened as I checked the mana inside the stone. ¡®The purity of the mana has increased?¡¯ The magic stone, which had once had an enormous amount of mana butcked purity, now had a much higher degree of purity after the purification process. "How is this even possible¡­?" Just as cleaning rusty iron wouldn¡¯t turn it into steel, there should have been no connection between purification and enhancing the magic''s purity. ¡®In her previous life, Iris couldn¡¯t raise the purity of a magic stone with her purification.¡¯ The fact that the current Iris had achieved something that her previous, far more skilled self couldn¡¯t... ¡®It must be the influence of the Seven Eyes.¡¯ I began to understand why Astaroth had been so obsessed with obtaining the Seven Eyes. "What do you mean, ¡®how is this possible?¡¯" Having caught her breath after drinking the water, Iris asked. "Oh, I just mean... the purity of the mana increased." "Huh? The purity of the mana increased?" Iris blinked, wide-eyed, as if even she didn¡¯t know. "You didn¡¯t do that on purpose?" "N-No. I didn¡¯t know the Seven Eyes could raise the purity of mana. I just thought using the Seven Eyes would make the purification more thorough, so I used them¡­." "......" Now that I think about it, Iris had mentioned before that she didn¡¯t fully understand the Seven Eyes yet either. ¡®Well, whatever.¡¯ All''s well that ends well. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Looking at the results, it was a situation that couldn¡¯t have been better. ¡®Originally, the purity of the mana was low, so it was graded as high-tier¡­ but now it might even be graded as top-tier?¡¯ Even a high-tier mana stone is worth at least 5 million gold, but a top-tier mana stone? ¡®If I make an elixir with this¡­¡¯ Gulp. A dry swallow slid down my throat. A thrilling sensation spread through my whole body, down my spine. "Sainteeeess!" I grabbed her hands and shook them up and down vigorously. "Ah, D-Dale¡­." Iris, blushing, trailed off. She waited patiently until my excitement subsided, then smiled a beautiful smile and spoke softly. "I''m d the process went well." "Seriously, thank you." "Hehe, I''m just happy I could help you, Dale." "Ugh." How can she speak so sweetly, our saintess! "By the way, Dale." "Yeah?" "You¡¯re not just nning to leave it at ''thank you,'' right?" Iris looked at me with sparkling eyes, a mischievous smile forming at the corners of her lips. "Is there something you want? I''ll do anything I can." She¡¯d turned a high-tier mana stone into a top-tier one, so what favor couldn¡¯t I grant? "Really? You just said you''d do anything, right?" "Yeah." "You¡¯ll really do anything I ask?" "Uh, yeah." What¡¯s this? Suddenly, I had a bad feeling. "Hehe, in that case¡­" Iris rummaged through her bag and pulled out a headband with dog ears. "Tada!" "Wait." Why are you carrying that around in your bag? "Hehe, it¡¯s the headband I gave the others as a gift during the sealing ritual." "No, I mean, why are you carrying it around?" "I figured there¡¯d be a chance like this someday!" A chance like this¡­? Wait. Could it be that her request is¡­ "Put on this headband and pretend to be a dog!" "Alright. This mana stone is getting trashed." "Aaah! What are you doing!" Of course, I didn¡¯t actually destroy the stone. "You want me to wear this and act like a dog?" "Yes!" Iris nodded enthusiastically, beaming with a pure smile. ¡®Ah.¡¯ A memory from my previous life shed through my mind. ¡®Come to think of it, she was always into this kind of thing.¡¯ Back then, during our intimate moments, she would asionally ask for certain¡­ "requests." I didn¡¯t wear the headband back then, but I never imagined it woulde to this. "You promised you''d do anything, right?" "Ugh." "Or are you saying you lied to me?" "¡­¡­." Damn it. I realized there was no way out and reluctantly took the dog-ear headband she was handing to me. * * * "...Dale hasn¡¯t been around muchtely." In a private training room, one that could only be reserved by those who ranked within the top 50 of their ss or made substantial donations, a young man with blonde hair stared nkly into space. "Sigh." Yuren let out a deep sigh, opening his Hero Watch to check the messages he had exchanged with Dale. Two days ago: [Let''s train together today.] [I''ve got something else to do today, so I can''t.] Yesterday: [Are you busy again today?] [Professor Elisha called me, so I have to go. Sorry.] And today: [Um¡­ how about today?] [Ah, sorry. I¡¯ve got ns with Iris, so I don¡¯t think I can make it.] "¡­¡­." For the past few days, Dale hadn¡¯t trained with him, iming he was busy. "You said I did well and praised me¡­" Yuren stomped his foot on the training room floor in frustration. As he idly wasted time without practicing his swordsmanship, a sudden idea struck him. ''Should I go check out Dale¡¯s room?'' Although Dale said he had ns with Iris, it¡¯s not like he¡¯d be gone overnight. If Yuren waited by his door, Dale would eventuallye back, right? "Ahem. Yeah. I¡¯m just going to see his face! Friends can do that, right?" Yuren hurried toward Dale''s dormitory, feeling excited. "Let¡¯s see¡­ He said he lives in Dorm C, right?" It was one of the cheaper dorms, mostly used by cadets on schrships. "¡­It¡¯s really run-down." Compared to the A-dorm he was staying in, it looked like a building in the slums. ''That¡¯s the one.'' He found the door, remembering the room number Dale had mentioned, and stood in front of it. "I''ll wait here until hees back¡­ huh?" Then, he heard a "woof woof" sounding from inside. ''A dog?'' Obviously, pets were forbidden in the dorms. ''Could it be that Dale¡¯s secretly raising a dog?'' If someone else passed by and heard this, Dale would be in trouble. In the worst case, he might even get penalized for breaking the rules. ''I can¡¯t let him get a penalty when he already got a zero score recently!'' Determined to sneak the dog out before anyone noticed, Yuren opened the door. And what he saw was¡ª "Woof woof." Dale, wearing a dog-ear headband, pretending to be a dog. "¡­¡­." The reunion with his friend could not have been worse. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 67: Elixir (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 67: Elixir (3) The silence in the room was overwhelming. A silence so intense that even death itself would seem noisy inparison. Yuren spoke quietly, breaking the stillness. "So¡­" His cold gaze turned toward me. "You were practicing a y for the kids at the orphanage where you sometimes volunteer on weekends?" "Exactly." "You expect me to believe that?" "No, seriously! Right, Iris?!" I turned to Iris with a desperate look. "Y-Yes, of course! It was just a y, a y!" Iris, standing next to me, nodded frantically, her face flushed as if she might explode any moment. "Hmph." Yuren, still suspicious, stared at both of us with narrowed eyes. "By the way, you seem really close with the Saintess. You even invited her to your dorm room." Yuren was displeased as if something didn''t sit well with him. "Well¡­" "Of course! Dale and I are really close." Before I could answer, Iris smiled brightly and chimed in. "He even cooked ramen for me here once!" "Ramen¡­?" "It''s a popr food in the Republic. Dale is so good at cooking it... Ah~ If you haven''t tried it, you wouldn''t understand how good it is." "¡­¡­." The more Iris bragged, the stiffer Yuren''s expression became. "...You''ve never made anything like that for me." He muttered in a small voice, lowering his head. "Yuren, you said you''re friends with Dale, right?" "Ah¡­ yes, that''s right, Saintess." "Don''t call me Saintess. Speakfortably. We''re in the same grade, after all." "...Okay." "So, how did you two be friends?" Iris asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. Yuren nced at me briefly before answering. "I approached Dale first, asking if he wanted to spar." "...You approached him first?" "I saw him sparring with Assistant Vincent." "Ah." Iris nodded, letting out a soft sound of understanding. "Yeah, Dale was really cool back then. He took down an assistant who no one had been able to defeat with just one strike!" Iris shouted excitedly, like a proud mother boasting about her child. "Yeah. So, we sparred, and naturally, we became friends." "Ah~ I see. I¡¯ve heard that it''smon for candidates from the Warrior Department to bond after sparring." "And, well¡­ Dale has a great personality." "Oh, you know that too! Hehe, right? He might look a little intimidating, but once you talk to him, he¡¯s so kind and caring." "Yeah, that¡¯s true. He''s totally different from his first impression." Hey. What''s wrong with how I look? "Haha. Anyway, it feels nice to meet Dale''s friend. Dale¡­ honestly, doesn''t have many friends, does he?" "What? No, I have friends! Why would you say that?" "Hmph. Aside from Yuren, do you have anyone else?" "Well, there''s... Juliet or something." Juliet or something. Juliet or something. Julie¡ª oh, crap. "See?" Iris patted my back as if tofort me. "Hmm¡­." Yuren, watching the scene, narrowed his eyes and spoke. "Dale doesn¡¯t have many friends? I don¡¯t think so." "Excuse me?" "I¡¯ve never heard of Juliet, but there are other friends besides her and me, right?" "Oh, Dale has more friends?" Iris looked surprised, her eyes wide. Yuren nodded slowly and raised her hand, pointing at Iris. "Iris, you¡¯re one of them." "...What?" "Dale told me before that you two aren¡¯t dating, right?" "Ah¡­ Yes, th-that''s true." Iris''s face showed visible difort. As he continued, Yuren¡¯s eyes gleamed sharply, like a predator spotting its prey. "If you¡¯re not dating, then aren¡¯t you just ¡®friends¡¯ with Dale?" "That¡¯s¡­." "Oh, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not going to say something old-fashioned like ''men and women can¡¯t be just friends.''" Yuren finished his sentence with a sweet smile. "I believe men and women can be purely ¡®friends¡¯ without any romantic feelings involved. Just like how you and Dale are." "¡­¡­." Silence fell once again. Yuren and Iris locked eyes in midair. "Oh my, we seem to have different views. I, on the other hand, don¡¯t believe that a pure friendship between men and women can exist." "Really? That¡¯s surprising. From what I see, you and Dale seem like very good friends." "Hahaha." "Hohoho." The atmosphere in the room grew tense, sharp enough to cut. ''What is this.'' How did things turn like this? ¡®Didn¡¯t these two just meet today?¡¯ I briefly wondered if there was some unknown history between them, but as far as I knew, Iris and Yuren had no particr connection during their cadet days. ¡®Then why are they acting like they can¡¯t stand each other?¡¯ The two suddenly turned to me as I stood there,pletely baffled. "What do you think, Dale?" "Yeah. I¡¯m curious too. What do you think, Dale?" Suddenly, the focus was on me. "Wh-What¡­?" "Do you think a pure friendship between men and women is possible?" "People use terms like ''female friend,'' right? Isn¡¯t that exactly what you and Iris are, Dale?" "¡­¡­." I could feel both Iris and Yuren¡¯s eyes boring into me, waiting for my answer. A shiver ran down my spine, and a sh of realization struck me. ''No matter how I answer, I¡¯m screwed.'' Without hesitation, I turned, gripping the purified magic stone in my hand. ¡°Sorry. I just remembered I had an appointment with Professor Jade.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°W-wait! Dale?!¡± ¡°I have to go right away, so let¡¯s talkter!!!¡± Leaving the two of them behind in the room, I dashed out of the dormitory and sprinted towards Professor Jade¡¯sb. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] * * * In the farthest corner of Reynald Hero School¡¯s vast campus stood a decrepit building. At its entrance hung an old sign that read ¡°Stigma Magic Research Lab.¡± Bang! The rusty door to theb swung open roughly. ¡°Huff, huff¡­¡± ¡°¡­Dale? Is something the matter?¡± Professor Jade looked at me startled as I caught my breath. I waved my hand, still panting heavily. ¡°No, nothing¡¯s wrong. I just finished training, so I¡¯m out of breath.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Professor Jade stroked his beard with a doubtful expression. I nced around theb, which I hadn¡¯t visited in a while. Matching the worn-down exterior, the inside looked like a haunted house. Research materials and reagents were scattered about, covered in a thickyer of dust. ¡°How long has it been since I cleaned up? And you¡¯ve already turned this ce into a mess again?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ C-cough. I¡¯ve been so busy with research that I haven¡¯t had time to clean.¡± Professor Jade averted his eyes awkwardly. With a sigh, I started tidying up theb. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve been here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been busy with things too.¡± ¡°Haha, well, the midterm exams were just around the corner after all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Did you do well on them?¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± The mention of exams made me groan involuntarily. ¡°¡­Hm?¡± Perhaps sensing something odd in my reaction, Professor Jade checked my midterm report through his Hero Watch. ¡°Huh. A zero?¡± ¡°¡­I had my reasons.¡± ¡°Hmmm. I don¡¯t know what those reasons are, but with your abilities, why would you purposely fail?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± If I had failed on purpose, I wouldn¡¯t feel so bitter. I genuinely aimed to rank first. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s talk about thatter.¡± I didn¡¯t have time to exin my situation in detail. ¡°So, what brings you to theb?¡± ¡°I came to ask for a favor.¡± I pulled out a small pill, barely the size of two fingers, from my pocket. ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s an elixir that enhances mana.¡± ¡°I see. But isn¡¯t this the elixir that was given tost year¡¯s top student?¡± His gaze questioned how someone at the bottom of the ss had such a thing. ¡°I received it as a gift from a friend.¡± ¡°¡­A friend?¡± Professor Jade tilted his head, then widened his eyes in realization. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ you¡¯re talking about Yuren Helios?¡± ¡°Yes, Yuren.¡± ¡°Hah.¡± Professor Jade chuckled in disbelief. ¡°The top student and the bottom student are friends¡­¡± ¡°Is there a rule that says friendships must be based on grades?¡± ¡°Not at all, I¡¯m just surprised. Honestly, it¡¯s not a picture that fits, is it?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I suppose not.¡± Even though the authority of the Helios family had diminished somewhat recently, no one could deny they were still one of the top three noble families in the Empire. Yuren, who grew up as an elite in such a prestigious family, and I, who grew up in a republican orphanage without even knowing my parents¡¯ names. We didn''t exactly fit together even without looking at our ss rankings. ¡°But don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Worry about what?¡± ¡°If you have the rmendation of a professor, you can be an assistant regardless of your background or grades!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± He still hasn¡¯t given up on that, huh? ¡°Haah. Anyway, let¡¯s set that aside for now.¡± I pulled out a magic stone I had carefully kept in my pocket and ced it on the table. ¡°This is¡­ a magic stone?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hmm. Judging by the amount of mana and purity¡­ It must be a high-grade¡­ no, top-grade magic stone.¡± Without even touching the stone, Professor Jade urately assessed its grade with just a nce. ¡®So he¡¯s not called the heir of the Great Sage for nothing.¡¯ Recognizing the grade of a magic stone just by its appearance without infusing any mana into it was no easy feat, even for a skilled appraiser. ¡°I¡¯d like you tobine this elixir and magic stone to enhance its effects.¡± ¡°The effect to increase mana?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Professor Jade stroked his beard as he stared at the elixir and magic stone on the table. After a brief moment of contemtion, he nodded quietly. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay youter¡­¡± ¡°No, no payment needed.¡± Professor Jade held the elixir and magic stone in his hands, swallowing hard. ¡°An opportunity tobine such a fine elixir and top-grade magic stone is rare even for royal alchemists.¡± His eyes sparkled like stars as he chuckled to himself. ¡®¡­Are all magicians like this?¡¯ In my past life, Senior Sophia would also get that look in her eyes whenever she came across rare magical materials. ¡°Haha. Well then, time to show my skills.¡± Jade Bastian. One of the five great heroes of 500 years ago and the descendant of Julius Bastian, known as the ¡°Great Sage,¡± was about to disy his true abilities. * * * Three days after leaving the elixir in Professor Jade¡¯s hands, I received his message and headed to hisb. ¡°Huff, huff¡­ It¡¯s done. Hehehehe¡­ It¡¯s finished.¡± As I opened theb door, Professor Jade greeted me with dark circles under his eyes and chuckling eerily. ¡°¡­Did you really not sleep for three days straight?¡± ¡°Hehe. How could I sleep during such a joyful process?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± My resolve became even firmer. ¡®I¡¯ll never be Professor Jade¡¯s assistant.¡¯ With this resolution etched into my heart, I took the elixir he handed me. The elixir, emitting a faint blue light, radiated an aura of mysticism. ¡°Ugh. Well, I¡¯m off to get some sleep now.¡± As soon as he handed me the elixir, Professor Jade staggered into the back of theb, exhausted from his three sleepless nights. I took the elixir and returned to my dorm room. ¡°Phew.¡± I held the elixir in my palm, trying to calm my racing heart. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever had an elixir this potent, even in my past life.¡± An elixir given only to the top student of the year. A magic stone purified by the saintess of the Holy Nation, using the power of the ¡°Seven Eyes.¡± And the alchemy of the Great Sage¡¯s descendant tobine them. Even I, who had returned from the future, couldn¡¯t predict what kind of effect thebination of these three would have. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll find out once I take it.¡± I ced the elixir on my palm and gulped it down. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 68: Interlude - Fire [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 68: Interlude - Fire It felt as if oil had been poured into a zing fire, and my body was burning up. "Ugh...!" The energy of the elixir I swallowed surged through my body, as if it would burst through every meridian. It¡¯s like a small stream suddenly being hit by a flood. The rapidly increasing power shakes my consciousness. ''Focus.'' I controlled the raging power and slowly guided it toward the Stigma. ''There¡¯s more than I expected.'' It felt like I had just taken two or three times the usual amount of Stigma-boosting potions. The power filled the Stigma to the brim, threatening to overflow. This amount of energy could easily go out of control, but I¡¯ve always been ahead of mypanions in one area: power control. ¡®Controlling this much power isn¡¯t hard for me.¡¯ I had no problem controlling the infinite power surge when I was in the Avatar state. Even though the elixir''s effect was beyond my expectations, it wasn¡¯t enough to cause a power rampage. ¡®Good. Now, if I just store this power inside the Stigma...¡¯ Just as I thought I would be able to absorb the elixir¡¯s energy without any issues¡ª Whoosh! Suddenly, the primordial me reacted violently and red up. ¡°Argh! Ugh!¡± A terrible pain, as if I had been thrown into a fiery pit, spread throughout my body. ''What is this? Why is this happening?'' The primordial me, which only reacted to my ''death,'' was now responding to the elixir. Ssszzz! Before I could even make sense of it, the primordial me spread through my entire body along my meridians. It was as if I had activated ''Ignition.'' Ashy smoke started pouring out from my pores. "Ugh... Ah..." My head burns. My body is on fire. I can¡¯t breathe. It feels like each cell is burning away, and my very soul might turn to ash. It¡¯s just hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. And then¡ª Crack! The sound of my bones twisting. Like a child kneading y, my muscles repeatedly contracted and expanded. ¡°...!!!¡± The torrent of unbearable pain pierced through my mind like a lightning strike. I barely managed to stifle the scream that was rising up and waited for the ¡®Blessing of Revival¡¯ to activate. But¡ª ''What¡¯s happening?'' Even though my bones were twisting and my muscles and meridians were in chaos, the Blessing of Revival didn¡¯t activate. ''Did the Blessing of Revival... disappear?'' No. That couldn¡¯t be. If the blessing could disappear so easily, I wouldn¡¯t have wandered for thousands of years chasing death in my past life. ''If it hasn¡¯t disappeared...'' Then what was happening to my body wasn¡¯t rted to ''death.'' Once I realized that, amidst the unbearable pain, I felt something new¡ªa sensation I had never experienced before. ''What is this...?'' Crack! Crack! The sensation of my twisted bones aligning in new ways. The sensation of hair, teeth, and nails regrowing after being pulled out. The sensation of torn and mangled skin regenerating anew. For someone like me, who had gone through countless ¡®revivals,¡¯ this should have been as familiar as breathing. ¡®But something¡¯s different.¡¯ It¡¯s not the same as usual. Instead of my burnt body returning to its original form, it was transforming into something new. ''It¡¯s like...'' I was being reborn. Like I was being recreated. A new body was being born. ¡°Hah¡­¡± I let out a low breath. Ssszzz. Ssszzz. The ashy smoke that had been pouring from my pores gradually subsided. ¡°¡­Is it over?¡± I took a deep breath and looked around. "Ugh. What¡¯s that awful smell?" A terrible stench wasing from the gray smoke filling the room. Creak. I opened the window to let the smoke out. The outside air seeped in through the open window. "Heh." Even though I wasn¡¯t strengthening my body with magic, I could smell the soup being cooked hundreds of meters away in the student cafeteria. It wasn¡¯t just my sense of smell. The feel of the air on my skin, the sound of insects chirping in the distance, and the view of the academy all seemed sharper, as if I had switched from an old filter to a new one. "This is¡­" I rushed to the bathroom and checked my reflection in the mirror. My height had slightly increased, and my shoulders had broadened. My muscles were perfectly sculpted, as if by a divine hand, and my skin glowed wlessly, like that of a newborn child. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°¡­¡­¡± I¡¯ve heard about this before. Heroes with an overwhelming amount of mana have their bodies reconstructed to handle it. ''It happened to Yuren and Sophia in my past life too.'' Of course, just having a lot of mana doesn¡¯t cause a body reconstruction. You need to reach a certain level of mastery over that power for your body to transform. ¡°¡­But this elixir shouldn¡¯t have that kind of effect.¡± I couldn¡¯t deny that this was the best elixir I¡¯d ever taken, even including my past life. But for someone like me, whose mana barely reached half of the cadet average, the elixir shouldn''t have provided enough power to trigger a ¡®body reconstruction.¡¯ ''Should I check how much my magic has increased?'' I roused the power sleeping within my Stigma. My mana had increased by about sixfoldpared to before I took the elixir. I used to have about half the average mana of a cadet, so now it had tripled. ''With this much power... I¡¯m just slightly below Professor Lucas.¡¯ I still had less than half of Yuren¡¯s mana, so I was far from his level. ¡®Even though my mana has increased dramatically¡­¡¯ It still wasn¡¯t enough to cause a body reconstruction. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t the mana, then something else must have triggered the body reconstruction¡­.¡± It wasn¡¯t hard to guess what that something else was. I focused my mind on my left chest and summoned the power of the Primordial me. Until now, it had only responded when I experienced ''death,'' but now I could feel the Primordial me gradually stirring at my will. "Heh." A dryugh slipped from my lips. ''Who would have thought I''d be able to wield the power of the Primordial me like this?'' It was still only a fraction of the full power the Primordial me possessed. But being able to control even a part of it was a tremendous change. ''Does that mean the reason I couldn''t control the Primordial me before was because of my body?'' If I were to liken the body to a vessel, it meant that my body had been inadequate to handle the enormous power of the Primordial me until now. ''So, this time, did it go ahead andpletely reshape my body?'' Into a furnace capable of containing the Primordial me. "Phew." My mind was cluttered, probably because too many unexpected changes had urred at once. I took a deep breath to calm my excitement. ''So, to summarize the current situation.'' My pure mana capacity had increased about sixfold. Though still a small portion, I could now control the power of the Primordial me at will. And my body itself had been strengthened as if it were infused with mana. ¡°¡­Just how much stronger did I be from taking a single elixir?¡± Honestly, even I couldn''t gauge the explosive growth I''d undergone. ''Does this mean... I''ve already surpassed my level from my previous life?'' Ten years spent graduating from the academy as a bottom-rank student and toiling as a low-level mercenary. Another ten years spent forming a party withrades like Yuren and Berald, eventually bing the ''Last Hero'' and fighting the Demon God in a final battle. And yet, the growth that took over 20 years in my past life had been surpassed in less than three months since I returned. "No, maybe it''s too soon to say I''ve surpassed it." Setting aside the Primordial me for a moment, in terms of pure magical capacity, it was clear that I now had more mana than I did in my previous life. ''In my previous life, I bled and sweat to acquire all sorts of elixirs and artifacts to increase my mana.'' But since I returned, my mana increased automatically just by clicking my fingers four times a day, and one lucky elixir had pushed me beyond the level of my previous life. If my past self had heard this, he''d probably have foamed at the mouth and thrown a tantrum. ''But that''s only considering pure mana.'' In my past life, I had many weapons topensate for myck of mana. For example, a cursed sword that granted great power in exchange for blood. For example, a forbidden grimoire containing magic that required sacrificing one''s life to use. For example, a cursed armor that slowly ate away at the wearer''s body each time it was used. [PR/N: Guts?] Those powerful weapons had made me one of the final five heroes and earned me the title of the ''Undying Ghost,'' but I had not yet obtained them in this life. "Considering all that... I''m probably on par with my past self right now." Of course, thisparison excluded the ''Primordial me,'' which was a force beyond normal limits. "Heh¡­ Should I be happy about this or feel empty?" No matter how I looked at it, surpassing the strength I''d fought so hard to attain over 20 years in just three months left me feeling both satisfied and hollow at the same time. It was like someone who''d saved diligently for decades to buy a house suddenly winning the lottery and getting it in one go. That¡¯s probably how it feels. Sure, I wasn''t resentful, but there was still a bittersweet feeling I couldn''t shake. "If there''s one downside, it''s that I can''t use the ''Stigma Amplifier'' anymore." Clicking my tongue, I nced at the ss bottle filled with blue liquid sitting on the table. The Stigma Amplifier was a potion that forced the Stigma to go berserk, providing a temporary surge of mana. But since my body had been reconstructed, the stability of my Stigma had increased so much that the current amplifier wouldn''t be able to trigger a berserk state. ''I could probably force it by gathering stronger ingredients to make a more potent version¡­'' But for now, I decided to put that n on hold. After all, I had a new skill called ''Ignition'' that was just as good as the Stigma Amplifier. "Now then¡­ I''ve umted enough magic." It was time to move on to the ''next step.'' ''Let''s see¡­ Which of the weapons I used in my previous life would be the easiest to obtain?'' I needed something not far from the academy and within my current strength to acquire without much difficulty. It didn''t take long for me to decide. "The cursed sword, Veskal." A grin crept across my face as I recalled the sword sealed deep in the ruins, starved for blood. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 69: In Search of the Demon Sword (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 69: In Search of the Demon Sword (1) ¡°You want to go on a ruins expedition?¡± The professor¡¯s office was quite neat, in stark contrast to its owner, who looked like someone who lived in the wilderness under a tent. A giant man with wild hair like a lion¡¯s mane red at me with fierce eyes. ¡°Yes. I¡¯d like to apply for a temporary hero license and a 3-day leave starting from Friday afternoon.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± Professor Lucas let out a low sigh, frowning as if he had a headache. ¡°Do you have any experience in exploring ruins?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± In reality, I had conquered hundreds of ruins, but I couldn¡¯t tell the truth. ¡°A guy with no experience wants to explore ruins? Do you even know what ruins are, kid?¡± ¡°Of course, I know.¡± Ruins, also known as dungeons, are ces that were created more than 500 years ago during the Demon War¡ªor even long before that¡ªwhere various transcendental forces, including that of the Demon God, altered space. Some ces have time flowing differently. Some have reversed gravity. Some are filled with flowingva and ciers together. These are ces where bizarre phenomena that defy physicalws ur¡ªthese are the ruins. ¡®Of course, only a few are that twisted.¡¯ Most ruins are just crawling with a few demonic beasts or have a few traps here and there. ¡°Which ruins are you nning to go to? You know you can¡¯t enter undiscovered ruins with just a temporary hero license, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m nning to go to the ¡®Cave of Red Tears¡¯ west of Valha City.¡± ¡°Ah, that ce.¡± Professor Lucas nodded, as if familiar with the location. Despite the ominous name, the ruins were rated as a C-ss, meaning they were rtively safe. ¡°But that ce was discovered decades ago. You¡¯ll just find a few demonic beasts roaming around.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m going¡ªto hunt those demonic beasts. You¡¯ve said before that the most important thing inbat is experience, right?¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Professor Lucas swallowed, looking at me suspiciously. ¡°You... don¡¯t have some other scheme, do you?¡± ¡°...¡± Damn. He¡¯s annoyingly sharp at times like this. ¡®I don¡¯t think he¡¯s going to give me permission easily.¡¯ As I was contemting whether to go and ask Professor Elisha instead, Lucas continued. ¡°You know that students are required to form a party of at least five people for ruin expeditions, right?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I¡¯m aware.¡± ¡°Who are you nning to take with you?¡± ¡°Hmm. Maybe Iris and¡­¡± ¡°Knew it! This rascal!¡± Lucas burst intoughter, standing up from his seat. ¡°You¡¯ve been hanging around with Iris a lottely, haven¡¯t you? nning to use this expedition as an excuse to spend a night away with her, huh?¡± ¡°...¡± I take back what I said about him being sharp. ¡°Hahaha. You¡¯re just like any other guy. Did you really think I wouldn¡¯t notice? I was quite the Casanova myself back in my student days, you know¡ªValha¡¯s Casan¡ª¡± ¡°Speaking of which, how are things going with Professor Biancately?¡± ¡°Wh-what? Why are you suddenly bringing up Bianca?¡± Lucas stuttered, looking flustered. ¡°Oh, nothing. It¡¯s just that your ns for a cozy date during the sealing ceremony werepletely ruined by that demonic beast incident.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± ¡°Haha. Don¡¯t worry, Professor. You¡¯ll get another chance soon.¡± ¡°...¡± Lucas, avoiding my gaze, tightly shut his mouth and turned his head away. From the grumpy look on his face, it seemed things weren¡¯t going too well with Professor Biancately. Suppressing augh, I spoke again. ¡°So, will you approve my request for the permit?¡± ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s not like it¡¯s a high-risk ruin, so I don¡¯t see why not. However¡­¡± Ruin expeditions were actually part of the practicalbat training curriculum for third- and fourth-year students. It was basically like going for a bit of extra practice ahead of time, so there wasn¡¯t much reason to refuse. Although, there had been a few cases where students who went on expeditions had suffered fatal idents. ¡°As you know, the school doesn¡¯t take responsibility for any casualties that happen outside the premises.¡± This wasn¡¯t an ordinary educational institution¡ªit was a hero academy, where students were being trained to fight on the front lines of humanity¡¯s defense. Even as candidates, we were chosen transcendents, blessed with Stigmas by the seven gods. The responsibility for our choicesy solely with us. ¡°I understand.¡± I met Lucas¡¯s sharp gaze and replied calmly. Nodding, he pulled out a few sheets of paper from his desk drawer. ¡°Alright. Submit the signed consent forms from your party members.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Taking the consent forms from Professor Lucas, I stepped out of his office. * * * A few dayster, after submitting all the consent forms, I stood in front of the school gate on Friday afternoon, waiting for the party members who were going to join me for the expedition. There were still about 30 minutes left until the agreed meeting time. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re already here, Dale.¡± Noticing me, Yuren waved as he approached. I waved back to him. ¡°I just got here.¡± ¡°Haha, were you so excited that you came early?¡± ¡°No, not exactly¡­¡± It wouldn¡¯t look good if the person who organized the expedition showed upte. ¡°By the way, I never imagined you¡¯d suggest going on a ruins expedition.¡± ¡°Is it your first time exploring ruins?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ve been to a few with my family before enrolling, but this will be my first time doing it as a student.¡± I figured as much. Unless it was part of the curriculum, students rarely volunteered for ruin expeditions, which could be unpredictable and dangerous. ¡°Don¡¯t be too nervous.¡± ¡°Haha. Nervous? I¡¯m more thrilled to be going on my first expedition with you, Dale.¡± Yuren beamed, his smile as bright as an excited child about to go on a field trip. ¡®Well, for Yuren, the Cave of Red Tears would probably feel like a field trip.¡¯ He was far stronger than most professors, so there was no way he¡¯d be afraid of a C-ss ruin. ¡®Still, no matter how strong you are, you should never underestimate a ruin.¡¯ There was no need to dampen his spirits with warnings just yet. ¡°¡­By the way, Iris ising too, right?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah. Of course, I invited her.¡± ¡°...¡± Yuren¡¯s face scrunched up in displeasure, but only for a moment. He soon sighed deeply and nodded. ¡°Well¡­ we do need at least one supporter.¡± ¡°Who said you needed me?¡± Did they say even a tiger shows up if you talk about it? Iris, who had suddenly appeared, nced at Yuren and smirked slightly. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "At least you know that having a support member is essential for partyposition. That''s a relief." "Well, that''s something you learn in first-year sses." Yuren, seemingly aware of Iris''s approach through her presence alone, turned towards her without surprise and continued speaking. "But knowing it''s essential for partyposition and actually being helpful are two different things, right? Especially in these low-level ruins, support sses tend to be, as they say, ''useless.''" "Oh my, it seems you missed the lesson that parties that treat support sses as useless don¡¯tst long and get wiped out." "That''s just a figure of speech. Do you really think the great ''Saintess'' would just ride along without lifting a finger?" "Hahaha." "Haha." Wait. Why are you two already fighting the moment you meet? As I watched Yuren and Iris exchange sharp words, I shook my head in disbelief. "...Sigh." At that moment, I noticed Cami letting out a heavy sigh, dark shadows under her eyes from obvious exhaustion. "Did you not sleep wellst night?" "Ugh... It''s all your fault!" "What? What did I do?" "Do you have any idea how much trouble I went through because you suddenly blurted out nonsense about going on a ruin exploration?" With a murderous re, Cami continued speaking as if she was ready to tear me apart. "The Saintess insisted on going no matter what... the Holy Kingdom was adamant about not allowing it... ugh. Being stuck in the middle was just... me..." "Uh, well..." Now that I think about it, I do feel a bit guilty. "So, did you manage to get the Holy Kingdom''s permission?" "I barely convinced them by saying it''s part of the regr course, and we¡¯re just going for a little pre-study trip." "Good job." "Ugh, what a hassle..." Cami sighed again, her face full of fatigue. "Hey, it''ll be worth it in the end, so don¡¯t worry too much." The reason I specifically called Iris and Yuren for this ruin exploration was to give them some real "field" experience. ''There¡¯s a limit to how much you can improve just by training.'' Besides the goal of finding the cursed sword, this ruin exploration was also meant to raise myrades'' skills to the next level. "Now we just need one more person." I checked the time, ncing at Yuren, Iris, and Cami. Only one minute left until the scheduled meeting time. Thest party member should be arriving any moment now. "By the way, who¡¯s the other person you invited?" Yuren asked, tilting his head in curiosity. Before I could answer, Iris spoke up. "Isn¡¯t it Juliet?" "Juliet?" "Yes, he''s a friend of Dale¡¯s. I¡¯ve met him once before." "Oh, right. Isn''t he that promising cadet from a well-known family in the Republic?" "Yes, that¡¯s correct." "Hmm. I heard his reputation isn''t all that great though." Yuren frowned, recalling some rumors he''d heard about Juliet. "Didn''t they say he¡¯s been messing around with female cadets who just entered the academy...?" "Ah, no need to worry about that. Those rumors are false." Iris awkwardly smiled and shook her head. "Actually, the person she''s interested in isn''t a girl... Ahem. Anyway! You definitely don¡¯t need to worry about her bothering female cadets." "Really?" Watching Iris and Yuren casually chatting as if they had never argued, I finally spoke up. "You guys seem to be misunderstanding something. Thest party member isn''t Juliet." "Huh?" "Then who is it?" Yuren and Iris looked at me, eyes wide in confusion. Before I could reveal the name of thest party member¡ª "Heeeeey, Steeeeeveeeen!" Boom! Boom! Boom! With heavy footsteps that seemed to shake the ground, a giant over two meters tall came running at full speed. "Hahaha! Sorry for beingte, bro! I had so much stuff to pack, it took me a while to get ready!" Thud! The giant dropped his enormous, bulging backpack onto the ground with a booming sound and let out a heartyugh. "...What the heck did you pack so much stuff for?" "Well, food, drinks, things for sleeping¡­ I just packed anything and everything that came to mind!" "Hey, you crazy idiot. That backpack looks like it weighs over 100 kilos, and you¡¯re nning to carry that for a ruin exploration?" "Ah, no worries! I put a ''Levitation'' spell on it, so the weight won¡¯t be an issue!" With a grin, Berald lifted the seemingly 100-kilo backpack effortlessly with just his pinky finger. "See? It''s light as a feather!" "......" Looking at Yuren, Iris, and Cami, who were frozen in shock, I finally spoke. "You all see that, right?" This guy is our fifth party member. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 70: In Search of the Demon Sword (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 70: In Search of the Demon Sword (2) After the 5th party member, Berald, joined us, we exited the school gates and headed towards the ruins. ¡°Heheh. This is my first time exploring ruins, so I¡¯m super nervous!¡± ¡°¡­You don¡¯t look nervous at all.¡± I stifled augh as I nced at Berald, whose eyes were sparkling like an excited child going on a pic. ¡°By the way, brother! Since we¡¯ve gathered here like this, why don¡¯t you introduce the party members?¡± ¡°Oh, of course.¡± Looking at Yuren, Iris, and Cami, I began to speak. ¡°This is Yuren. You¡¯ve probably heard the name.¡± ¡°Could it be the descendant of the ¡®Sword of the Sun¡¯?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Whoa, I¡¯ve heard so much about you!¡± Berald strode up to Yuren and extended hisrge, cauldron-sized hand. ¡°Nice to meet you! I¡¯m Berald Ryu from the 2nd-year Magic Department! I¡¯m a year younger, so feel free to speak casually!¡± ¡°Ah, uh, sure.¡± Yuren shook Berald¡¯s hand with a confused expression that said, ¡®This guy is in the 2nd year? And in the Magic Department?¡¯ ¡°And over there are Iris and Cami.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of them too! The Saintess of the Holy Kingdom and her bodyguard, right?¡± With constant admiration, Berald approached Iris and Cami. ¡°Nice to meet you! It¡¯s an honor to be in the same party as such famous people!¡± ¡°Likewise.¡± ¡°Berald Ryu¡­ You wouldn¡¯t happen to be rted to Headmaster Lionel Ryu, would you?¡± ¡°Hehe, yes. But I¡¯m from the branch family, so I don¡¯t have much connection with Grandfather Lionel.¡± Berald answered with a bitter smile. ¡°By the way, how do you know Dale?¡± ¡°Hehe, brother and I bonded during remedial sses!¡± ¡°¡­Remedial sses?¡± ¡°The extra sses you take if you fail the exams. Haven¡¯t you ever had one?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ no, I¡¯ve never had one.¡± Iris shook her head in surprise. Yuren and Cami also looked away with awkward smiles. ¡°Hahaha! You were all model students! Brother and I spent a whole year in remedial sses, forging a deep bond¡­¡± ¡°Shut up, man. There''s nothing special about taking remedial sses.¡± I smacked Berald on the back. ¡°Besides, we¡¯re almost at the ruins, so let¡¯s wrap up the chatter here.¡± It had been about an hour since we left Valha City. Thanks to using a warp device midway, it hadn¡¯t taken long to reach the location of the ''Cave of Red Tears.'' ¡°Is that the ruins you mentioned?¡± Yuren asked, gazing at the massive cave entrance ahead. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the ¡®Cave of Red Tears.¡¯¡± A protective barrier was set up at the entrance to prevent ordinary people from entering. Beep. [Temporary Hero Certificate confirmed.] [Barrier is deactivated.] As I turned on my Hero Watch and held it to the barrier, the bluish shield surrounding the entrance disappeared. ¡°Let¡¯s quickly set up our formation before we go in.¡± Pointing to each party member, I assigned them the optimal formation I had thought of beforehand. ¡°I¡¯ll take the rear.¡± While it¡¯smon to ce support or magic users at the back in open spaces, it¡¯s safer to ce a warrior at the rear and protect support users in the middle when exploring caves, where you could be attacked from behind at any time. ¡®Besides, it¡¯s better if I don¡¯t join the fight too much.¡¯ This ruins exploration was meant to give the less experienced party members a chance to gain some real battle experience. If I were to take the lead, they wouldn¡¯t have much opportunity to gain any experience. ¡°If Dale¡¯s taking the rear, then I¡¯ll be in the middle, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. Cami, stay close to Iris and focus on guarding her.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Since Cami¡¯s primary purpose wasn¡¯t exploring the ruins but protecting Iris, she nodded withoutint. ¡°Yuren and Berald, you two take the front.¡± ¡°Hahaha! Leave it to me, brother!¡± ¡°Sure. But wait, didn¡¯t you say earlier you were in the Magic Department?¡± Yuren looked confused at seeing a Magic Department student confidently ced at the front lines. ¡°Well¡­ you¡¯ll understand once you see.¡± I shrugged and cast a ¡®Light¡¯ spell. Glowing orbs formed, illuminating the surroundings. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± A chilling, eerie aura sent shivers down our spines as we entered the cave. ¡°Ugh¡­ something smells really fishy in here.¡± Iris wrinkled her nose and pinched it as soon as we stepped into the ruins. "Look up," I pointed toward the stctites on the ceiling. Blood-red droplets were forming and dripping down at the tips of the icicle-like formations. ¡°¡­So, that¡¯s why it¡¯s called the ¡®Cave of Red Tears,¡¯ huh,¡± Yuren muttered, grimacing as he observed the crimson drops falling from the stctites. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The eerie atmosphere of the cave seemed to have silenced everyone. A heavy, tense silence now reced the chatter that had filled the air before we entered. I nced at my party members, their faces filled with nervousness, and I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle to myself. ¡®So, even they had such innocent days.¡¯ Yuren, Berald, and Iris had all been seasoned veterans in my past life, so it was funny to see them now, young and inexperienced as candidates. It was an amusing contrast to their confident, battle-hardened selves I remembered. ¡®I miss those days.¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Though Sophia, our former leader, wasn¡¯t with us yet, this experience brought back memories of the past. Exploring ruins with my oldrades made it feel like we were back in the good old days¡ªa time I thought I¡¯d never return to. ¡®I¡¯ll have to meet Senior Sophia sometime soon.¡¯ I¡¯d already tried to visit her during the wait for the ruins exploration permit by sneaking around the 4th-year ssrooms, but all the senior candidates were away for ¡®Hero Field Training.¡¯ ¡®Well, we¡¯ll meet again soon enough.¡¯ For now, I focused on the ruins. ¡°Krrrk¡­ Karrrk.¡± ¡°Kraaa. Krrrik.¡± We had been inside for about ten minutes when the smell of blood intensified, and unsettling screeches echoed through the cave. "Demonic beasts spotted ahead." Yuren unsheathed his sword and quickly scanned the area. The sounds wereing from the ceiling of the cave. Icicle-like stctites hung from the ceiling, and clinging upside down to them was a horde of demonic bats. Their eerie red eyes gleamed as they stared down at us. Their entire bodies were covered in gray fur, with thin membranes stretching under their arms like cloaks, and their menacing fangs jutted out sharply. It was clear at a nce that these creatures had been mutated from bats. ¡°There are seven of them in total. Six are Four-eyes, and one is Five-eyes,¡± Yuren reported, quickly assessing the size and strength of the group. I watched her with my arms folded, feeling a sense of satisfaction inwardly. ¡®Wow, no wonder he''s the top of the ss.¡¯ This was surely his first time on a ruin expedition, yet he wlessly took on the role of the leader without showing any signs of panic. ¡®But.¡¯ So far, it had all been basic knowledge learned in school. The real test started now. ¡°Grrr!¡± ¡°Everyone, get back!¡± Yuren dashed forward just as the bat demonic beasts, which had been hanging upside down from the ceiling, began to stir. Boom! He kicked off the ground, leaping high into the air. ¡°Kieee?!¡± The bat demonic beasts frantically pped their wings and tried to flee. ¡°Where do you think you''re going!¡± Yuren chased after them through the air, using the stctites as stepping stones like an acrobat. ¡°Haa!¡± ¡°Kaaaak!¡± Yuren drove his sword into the back of one of the fleeing demonic beasts. ¡°Next....¡± In the blink of an eye, he had taken down one bat and turned to find his next target. ¡°Kyaaaah!¡± The five-eyed bat demonic beast let out a deafening screech, and simultaneously, the other bat demonic beasts spread their wings and took to the air. Yuren readied his sword, as if daring them toe at him. And then¡ª ¡°Grrr!¡± ¡°Kyaaak!¡± Instead of Yuren, the bat demonic beasts charged toward the rest of the party. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Yuren gasped and tried to chase after them, but he was already too far from the others, and it was toote. ¡°Shield of the Seven Stars!¡± Iris stepped in to cover for Yuren¡¯s absence, swiftly tracing a cross in the air and casting a protective barrier. The bat demonic beasts that had been charging ferociously bounced off her bright white shield. ¡°I can¡¯t hold them for long!¡± ¡°Leave this to me!¡± Berald clenched his fists and rushed forward. ¡°Hraaah! Got one!¡± Crunch! With a single punch, he crushed the skull of one of the bat demonic beasts. ¡°Take this!¡± He grabbed two more that were trying to fly away, yanking them back into his grasp as if hugging them tightly. Crack! With a sickening sound, their skulls shattered, spilling blood and brain matter everywhere. ¡°Karrrr!¡± While Berald was busy smashing skulls, two other bat demonic beasts, with their sharp fangs, gnawed through the shield Iris had created. ¡°Saintess! Get behind me!¡± As soon as Cami saw the shield break, she stepped forward, positioning herself in front of Iris protectively. ¡°Hah!¡± With a powerful swing, she shed through the two bat demonic beasts that had been rushing toward Iris, using the distinctive, straightforward swordsmanship of her homnd. ¡°Kiiisshh!¡± Thest remaining bat demonic beast, the leader, let out an unpleasant metallic screech as it charged. It was much faster than the others. ¡°Huh...!¡± ¡°No, stop it!¡± In an instant, the front line from Berald to Cami was breached, and the demonic beast lunged at Iris with its savage fangs. ¡°Tch.¡± Sun Sword. Form II, Crescent Moon sh. Sssshing! With a sh of the de, the leader of the bat demonic beasts was cleaved in half, its body spilling blood and entrails as it died on the spot. I shook off the blood from my sword and turned to the rest of the party. ¡°Sigh.¡± It was exactly what I had expected, but¡ª ¡°We¡¯ve got a long way to go.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 71: In Search of the Demon Sword (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 71: In Search of the Demon Sword (3) Whether they belonged to a national institution, arge guild, or wandered like ronin without being part of any group, heroes generally formed "parties" to act together. Among them, the most preferred party size, regardless of the nation, was five. Some say this is due to the influence of the "Five Great Heroes" who sealed the Demon God 500 years ago, while others im it follows the principle of the five elements (Wu Xing). But in reality, it¡¯s simply because five people provide the most bnced and synergisticbat team, while also being optimal from a logistical standpoint. When a party of five is formed, the "ideal"position is usually three warriors, one magic user, and one support role. Of course, sometimes instead of one of the warriors, a hero who doesn''t fit neatly into any category,monly called an "Irregr," is included. However, the typical party makeup follows the 3-1-1 structure. The biggest advantage of forming a party is that it doesn''t just multiply the hero''s individual power fivefold; it can increase the overallbat strength tenfold or even twentyfold. A party that has long been working together can move as one, sometimes defeating an opponent whose strength is objectively far greater than theirs. ¡®Of course, the opposite can happen as well.¡¯ A newly formed or inexperienced party can sometimes be weaker than its individual members when they act alone. Like right now. "Iris, your response wasn¡¯t bad. But given our party''s strength, it would¡¯ve been better to cast blessings instead of focusing on defense." "Ah¡­ I see." After the recent battle, Iris nodded as she received feedback. "And Berald and Cami, you were too focused. You need to keep an eye on the leader''s movements since you''re not fighting alone." "Ugh..." "Grr... I''ll keep that in mind, brother." Both Berald and Cami, who were easily overwhelmed by the sudden charge of the giant bat-like beast, nodded grimly. "Lastly, Yuren." "..." Yuren hung his head, as if already expecting what I was going to say, lips tightly shut. "Don''t try to do everything on your own. A party isn''t something you protect by yourself; it¡¯s a group of allies fighting together." "...Sorry." Yuren, who had recklessly charged ahead and put the entire party in danger, lowered his head with a gloomy expression. "Well, everyone makes mistakes at first." I smiled slightly as I patted Yuren on the back. ¡®To think there''de a day when I¡¯d be giving advice to Yuren like this.¡¯ It was an exact reversal of the situation from when we first formed a party in our past lives. Back then, I would recklessly charge in, trusting my immortal body, and put the party in danger instead. "Sigh... We learned in school not to break formation, but..." Yuren sighed, berating himself, and I shrugged with a wry smile. "School lessons and real battles are different." "Still, I shouldn''t have made such a mistake against mere beasts like these..." I could understand Yuren''s frustration. The bat-like monsters we just fought were low-level creatures that Yuren could easily handle alone. ¡®This is a perfect example of how being too strong can be a disadvantage.¡¯ Since Yuren thought he could handle the beasts alone, he hadn''t even considered working together with his teammates. Instead, he had envisioned rushing in solo and wiping them out. "Anyway, shall we keep moving forward?" "Yeah. I won¡¯t make any more mistakes this time." With renewed determination, Yuren gripped his sword tightly. And so, we resumed our exploration of the ruins. "I''ll take the right, so cover the left, Berald!" "Understood!" "One''s circling around!" "Need support?" "No! I can handle it on my own!" "I¡¯ll cast blessings first!" Perhaps because everyone had decent skills, the party¡¯s coordination noticeably improved with each battle. ¡®This is more like it.¡¯ The once-misaligned cogs were now turning smoothly. From the rear, I watched my party members fight, providing support as needed. Among them, Berald stood out the most. ¡®I knew Yuren was strong, but... Berald''s performance is a bit surprising.¡¯ Berald had only been learning martial arts from me for about a month. Before that, his fighting style had been little more than street brawling, but over the past month, his skills had improved drastically. ¡®Well, considering his talent for martial arts surpasses even Yuren''s, it''s not too shocking.¡¯ After graduating from the Hero Academy, Berald became such a martial arts master that he developed his own unique fighting style. His sheer talent in martial arts was undeniable. Of course, for now, he still had a tendency to rely on magic rather than martial arts. "Stone Arro!" Berald pulled a stctite from the ground and hurled it as he chanted his spell. Boom! The bat-beast skewered by the sharp stctite flew back as if hit by a ballista, pinning it to the far wall of the cave. "Yeah, damn. Now that¡¯s magic." In his past life, Berald used to say that when physical power reached its peak, it was indistinguishable from magic. "So, how was that, brother?" "Much better." When I gave him a thumbs-up, the whole party brightened (though Cami briefly seemed to wonder, "Why am I happy about this guy''s praise?"). "Good thing we came here." At first, I wasn''t sure if this expedition would benefit my teammates, but seeing how much they''d improved in just one day, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. "Alright, it''s gettingte. Let¡¯s call it a day and continue the exploration tomorrow." "Are we heading back to Valha City?" "No, that would take too long." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Even with a warp device near the ruins, the distance wasn¡¯t short enough to make frequent trips practical. Plus, we were already deep inside the ruins. "Let''s camp here." "Heh! Don''t worry, I packed plenty of camping gear!" Berald tapped his bulging backpack with pride. "Alright then, let¡¯s set up the tents first." Even though we were inside a cave, the name "Cave of Crimson Tears" was fitting, as red droplets continuously dripped from the stctites, making tents a necessity. ¡°Two tents should be enough, right? One for men, one for women.¡± ¡°Huh? Wait, we¡¯re all sleeping together?¡± Yuren visibly flinched in surprise. I looked at him as if to ask what he was talking about. ¡°Of course, we¡¯re sleeping together. When do we ever set up individual tents for everyone?¡± ¡°I-I have my own personal tent¡­.¡± ¡°Now, now, what¡¯s this about a personal tent? The real charm of camping is all squeezing into a cramped tent together!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need that kind of charm, thank you!¡± Yuren snapped, turning away sharply. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll be sleeping in the personal tent I brought!¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Come to think of it, even in the past life, Yuren was extremely averse to sleeping next to others. ¡®As expected, noble boys...¡¯ I clicked my tongue and nodded to myself. ¡°Fine. Then it¡¯ll just be Berald and me sharing.¡± ¡°Haha, let¡¯s enjoy some quality time together, brother.¡± ¡°Get lost, idiot.¡± With that, the three tents were set up. Afterward, the party had a light meal with the packed lunches we¡¯d brought before entering their tents to prepare for bed. ¡°I¡¯ll take the first watch, so everyone else go ahead and sleep.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go ahead and rest, brother. Wake me in a bit.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± After the others retreated into their tents, it wasn¡¯t long before I heard the sound of soft breathinging from inside. ¡®Seems like everyone¡¯s exhausted.¡¯ Well, it made sense. We¡¯d been fighting monsters all day, so they must¡¯ve been worn out. ¡°Alright then. Time for me to get to work.¡± I got up, set up a barrier around the tents to ward off any beasts, and headed deeper into the ruins alone. Using "Wind Step" to move quickly, I sped through the depths of the ruins and made my way to one of its walls. There was a wide pool where the red droplets had gathered. ¡®This should be it.¡¯ I ced my hand into the pool and channeled mana into it. Bubble, bubble. As soon as I sent mana into the pool, it began to bubble and boil. ¡®Now!¡¯ I directed the mana I had spread into the pool to infiltrate the barrier installed at the bottom. Woooooong! Immediately, the barrier activated, and red sparks flew as it tried to expel the intruding magic. ¡®Nice try.¡¯ Thanks to the magic theories I had learned from Senior Sophia, locating the "core" of the barrier wasn¡¯t difficult. After all, barriers were just another form of magic created from theory. Rumble! The cave trembled as if hit by an earthquake, and the red liquid in the pool drained away, as if someone had pulled a plug in a filled bathtub. What was revealed on the bottom was a small hole, just big enough for a person to fit through. This was the secret passage leading to the ce where the "Demon Sword" was sealed. ¡°I had to go through so much trouble to find this back then...¡± In my previous life, I found this ce while working as a mercenary. I had been hired to explore these ruins with my mercenarypany, and after almost a month of investigating, we finally uncovered this hidden passage. ¡®At times like this, having memories of a past life really pays off.¡¯ Recalling the struggles of the past, I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I effortlessly found the passage this time. ¡°Now, let¡¯s see. If I go in here...¡± I squeezed through the narrow entrance and walked down a dark, gloomy corridor. [Turn back.] A deep voice echoed inside my head. [This is the resting ce of a bloodthirsty fiend.] Before me, a door appeared, from which blood-red mist seeped out. The door was sinister, glistening in a crimson hue as though it had been doused in blood. As I stood before it, the deep voice echoed again in my mind. [The one who opens this door shall fall into grief.] [The one who opens this door shall lose all hope.] [The one who opens this door shall be buried in despair.] ¡°Man, you sure talk a lot.¡± BAM! I kicked the blood-soaked door, shattering it with force. The voice faded away like a dying breath. [The one who crossed the boundary shall pay the price with death....] ¡°Yeah, yeah, shut up.¡± I stepped over the splintered remains of the door and into the chamber, filled with a thick, blood-red mist. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 72: In Search of the Demon Sword (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 72: In Search of the Demon Sword (4) A sharp metallic scent filled the air. In the center of the misty, blood-soaked clearing, a crimson sword was lodged in the ground, bound by thick chains. "Long time no see." I looked at the crimson sword, a smirk tugging at my lips. The first time I came here, the overwhelming pressure emanating from the demon sword had made my legs tremble. Recalling my past life, I leisurely walked towards the demon sword. ¡°How have you been?¡± Clink, clink, clink! As if in response to my call, the sword trembled, almost as if it was shaking like an old friend I was meeting after ages. No, it wasn¡¯t ¡°as if¡± it was responding¡ªit really was responding. Begging to be freed from this ce immediately. ''The Archbishop of Blood, Vescal.'' During the Demon War 500 years ago, a vicious demon who imed countless human lives was sealed into the sword, creating the demon sword, Vescal. ¡°Heave-ho.¡± I approached the chains binding the sword. Clink, clink, clink, clink! The sword moved even more violently. "What? Didn''t you ask to be freed?" Even though I couldn¡¯t see or hear a voice, I could picture Vescal, trapped inside the sword, desperately pleading. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll set you free.¡± Clink, clink¡­ Maybe it wasn¡¯t expecting me to agree so easily. The sword, which had been trembling with excitement, now hesitated, watching me warily. "Don¡¯t be scared. I really will free you." I drew the sword at my waist and channeled my power into it. A gray aura wrapped around the de, a faint flicker of fire dancing along its edge like a mirage. Although it was nowhere near the level of what I could do in my ¡®Incarnation¡¯ state or when using ¡®Ignition,¡¯ ¡®This will be enough for now.¡¯ I swung my sword towards the chains binding the cursed de. Sun Sword. Third Form: Light Severance. aaang! The horizontal sh collided with the chains that had sealed the sword for a long 500 years. The powerful chains, which had held the demon sword for centuries, were cut easily. Ruuumble! The whole cavern trembled as if an earthquake had struck. [Mwahaha! Hahahaha!] A crazedughter echoed in my mind. It wasn¡¯t the deep, resonant voice I¡¯d heard when I entered the cave earlier, but an unpleasant voice, like metal being scraped against steel. [Finally... Finally, I am freed from this cursed seal!] An overwhelming energy surged through the cavern. It was hard to believe that this power came from a being without a physical body, trapped inside a sword. "Calm down, will you? I get that you¡¯re excited to be free, but the cave will copse." [You...] The sword that had been lodged in the ground floated into the air. [Mwahaha. Thank you, human. Thanks to you, I am free from my long imprisonment.] Krrrrrr! The blood-red mist that had filled the cavern gathered around the sword. The sword, floating in midair, transformed like a slime, taking the shape of a humanoid figure made of blood. ¡°As thanks...¡± The thick scent of blood assaulted my nose. Yellow eyes formed on the blood figure¡¯s face, staring straight at me. ¡°I shall grant you the honor of bing my new vessel.¡± Now spoken aloud, the voice was filled with twisted desire and bloodthirst. "Hah, how predictable." I sighed deeply, looking at Vescal, whose body was now made of writhing blood. "You haven¡¯t changed a bit, have you?" "...What? Changed?" Confusion shed in Vescal¡¯s yellow eyes. "By ¡®changed¡¯... Do you know Reynald, by any chance?" "Huh?" "Kahaha! I see, so that¡¯s it! No wonder I felt a faint trace of that cursed bastard¡¯s energy in my domain. You¡¯re one of hisckeys!" Perhaps Vescal had sensed the aura of Yuren, who was now sound asleep in the tent. He shouted at me, his bloodlust thick in the air. "...That¡¯s not what I meant by ¡®before,¡¯ but sure, whatever." I smirked bitterly and gripped my sword tighter. By ¡®before,¡¯ I meant my past life. Memories from my previous life shed in my mind. ¡®I lost an entire mercenary group to this guy back then.¡¯ After a month of searching, we had found the secret chamber in the ruins and, as instructed, unsealed the demon sword. The result was annihtion. All of the mercenaries, except for me, were absorbed into Vescal, bing nothing more than blood. ¡®Back then, I was so scared I even wet myself.¡¯ I shook off the memory, gripping my sword firmly. ¡®Alright then.¡¯ This time, I would face a powerful foe who had been an invincible nightmare in my past life. ¡®Let¡¯s see how much I¡¯ve changed.¡¯ The gray aura red up. I strengthened my grip on my sword and kicked off the ground. Boom! With a heavy vibration, the scenery stretched behind me. In the blink of an eye, I reached Vescal and shed downward. aang! Gray shed with crimson. A fierce wave of energy reverberated through the cavern. Kakakakaka! The fight was too fast to follow with the naked eye, an intense exchange of blows. In the sh between gray and crimson, crimson was the first to give way. ¡°Grr!¡± Vescal grunted, blood rippling as his body struggled to maintain its form. ¡°You¡¯re good... I see why you¡¯re so confident.¡± Vescal snarled, pushing himself back. From his blood-formed body, long tendrils extended, each ending in a sharp, glistening fang. Dozens of these fang-tipped tendrils shot towards me from all directions. Whoosh! Fangs shot at me from all directions, but instead of dodging, I threw myself forward. Concentrating my mana into the soles of my feet, I stomped down hard. ¡°Berald¡¯s Martial Arts.¡± Earth Shaker. Rumble! The ground of the cavern shattered, and a wall of earth, made of rock fragments, surged upwards. The blood-red fangs that had been flying towards me were swept away, bouncing off the earthen wall. ¡°What the¡­!¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Before the sound of Vescal¡¯s shocked voice could even finish¡ª Boom! My fist, brimming with mana, struck Vescal¡¯s abdomen. With a sound like an explosion, Vescal¡¯s body, made of blood, scattered everywhere. But only for a moment. With a gurgling sound, the gaping hole in Vescal¡¯s stomach rapidly began to regenerate. ¡°Grr¡­! An attack like that won¡¯t work on me¡­!¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Well then, no choice. ¡°I¡¯ll just keep hitting you until it does.¡± Berald¡¯s Martial Arts. Sky Break. Boom! Once again, Vescal¡¯s body was blown apart. But I didn¡¯t stop there and continued to swing my fists. Boom! Bang! Crash! ¡°Gah! Ugh! Grrrrrr!¡± Vescal¡¯s body, shrinking bit by bit, could no longer keep up with its own regeneration speed. ¡°You damn brat!¡± Gurgle! The blood stirred violently. Vescal¡¯s body, made of blood, spread out as a crimson sword floated in midair. ¡°Die!¡± The demon sword, wrapped in blood, hurtled toward me with terrifying speed. Facing the menacing sword, I aimed my own de. ¡°Bloom.¡± Sizzle! With a sound like flesh burning, ash-gray smoke poured out from every pore in my body. The mes wrapped around the sword¡¯s de red violently. Sun Sword. Form 7, Sr Ring. A ring of fire spun around the de, its mana amplifying with every rotation. Then¡ª Boom! A deafening roar shook the entire cavern. The demon sword, shing with the ring of fire, was pitifully deflected and embedded itself into the ground. [No¡­ No way¡­] The voice of the demon sword, which had lost its blood-made body, echoed in my head. [How¡­ How could this happen!] Even though he couldn¡¯t use his full power while trapped in the sword, he had once been the ¡°Archbishop of Blood,¡± one of the pirs of the Demon God¡¯s army. Even against Reynald, the one who had trapped him inside this sword, he hadn¡¯t been so utterly humiliated. Yet here he was, defeated overwhelmingly by a mere boy who looked barely over twenty. [Who¡­ What are you¡­?] Vescal¡¯s trembling sword body gazed at Dale. Dale, without a word, strode toward the sword embedded in the ground. Ash-gray smoke hung thick around him. The mes still danced along the sword he held. Through the veil of ash, his eerie green eyes shone. [Don¡¯t¡­ Don¡¯te near me!] Vescal, forgetting all dignity as the ¡°Archbishop of Blood,¡± shrieked in disgrace. He twisted his body desperately, trying to flee from Dale, but trapped within the sword, he could only tremble violently as it clinked against the ground. [Stay away, I said! Stay awaayyyyy!] Ignoring the desperate scream, I grabbed the sword embedded in the ground. ¡°Man, you were annoying back then, and you¡¯re still just as noisy.¡± I poured the Primordial me into the sword. [Aaaargh! Stop, stop!] Thest cries of agony echoed in my mind. The Primordial me that seeped into the demon sword devoured Vescal¡¯s consciousness. About five minutes passed. Sizzle. The ash-gray smoke that had been pouring out of me gradually thinned, and the mes wrapped around the sword died down. No more voices came from the sword. Confirming that Vescal¡¯s consciousness hadpletely vanished, I lifted the blood-stained sword. ¡°Hah.¡± A hollowugh slipped from my lips. How much I had struggled in my past life just to erase Vescal¡¯s consciousness from this demon sword. ¡®I almost lost my body to this guy back then.¡¯ The Blessing of Revival didn¡¯t just restore physical death. It could restore mental death as well. In other words, if Vescal¡¯s mind controlpletely overtook my consciousness, the Blessing of Revival would reset my consciousness back to its original state. I had used that to engage in a battle of wills with Vescal¡¯s consciousness for nearly a year, finally managing to erase him from the sword. ¡®But this time, I erased Vescal¡¯s consciousness in just five minutes.¡¯ The difference between my past self and my current self was ringly obvious. ¡°Honestly, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d beat him this easily.¡± Even though Vescal couldn¡¯t use his full power while sealed in the sword, I hadn¡¯t expected to defeat him so overwhelmingly. ¡°How strong have I really gotten?¡± I looked down at my still faintly smoking body and furrowed my brow. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 73: In Search of the Demon Sword (5) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 73: In Search of the Demon Sword (5) The blood-red mist had cleared from the cave. I stood at the center of the eerily silent cavern, pondering for a while before finally clicking my tongue. ¡°Well¡­ I''ll check how strong I''ve beter.¡± For now, it was time to assess the performance of the loot I''d just acquired¡ªthough it hade easier than expected. ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡± I lifted the demon sword, which gleamed with a chilling, blood-red hue. The overwhelming energy that had surged from it when it was unsealed was now gone. ¡®Looks like it¡¯s run out of blood.¡¯ I lightly grazed the sword across the palm of my hand. Blood trickled down the de and soaked into the demon sword. Rumble, rumble! The demon sword began to seethe and quiver. The energy emanating from the blood-soaked de intensified significantly. ¡°That¡¯s better.¡± Although the consciousness of Vescal, which had been sealed inside the demon sword, hadpletely vanished, its power remained intact. ¡°Haah.¡± As I gripped the blood-drenched sword, I felt an exhrating surge of strength course through my entire body. The power of the demon sword, Vescal, had a clear effect¡ªit granted immense strength in exchange for its wielder''s blood, invigorating my body. ¡®It feels simr to when I received Iris¡¯s blessing.¡¯ I could feel my basic strength, stamina, and agility all rise dramatically. ¡®Of course, maintaining this state continuously drains my blood.¡¯ There was a reason it was called a demon sword. If one became intoxicated by the power it bestowed and recklessly wielded it, it wouldn¡¯t be long before all the blood in their body was drained, leading to death. ¡®Not that it matters to me, though.¡¯ ¡°At this rate, I won¡¯t need to worry about not being able to use the Stigma amplifier anymore.¡± While the sword didn¡¯t directly increase my mana capacity, enhancing my physical abilities meant I could conserve more mana. In essence, it was like gaining free mana in a roundabout way. In short, it wasn¡¯t an artifact that boosted mana, but rather one that allowed me to use less of it. ¡®And that¡¯s not its only effect.¡¯ With the demon sword in hand, I lifted my arm high and brought it down with full force, aiming horizontally. ng! Without even infusing mana into it, the demon sword smashed into two pieces, scattering blood-red shards across the ground. ¡°The durability¡¯s stillcking.¡± Its toughness was no better than the standard issue iron swords given to trainees. For something with the menacing title of ¡°demon sword,¡± its durability left much to be desired. Rumble, rumble. As I felt the sensation of my blood draining from my body, the broken pieces of the sword rapidly regenerated, returning to their original form. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Another advantage of the demon sword, Vescal: no matter how broken or shattered it became, as long as it was supplied with blood, it would infinitely regenerate. ¡®In a way, it¡¯s a lot like me.¡¯ I chuckled quietly, feeling an odd sense of kinship with the sword that had quickly restored itself to its original state. ¡°Well, at least I don¡¯t have to worry about my sword breaking during a fight now.¡± For a hero, the durability of their weapon was more important than most people realized. In battles where mountains crumbled and the ground split open, weapons shattering under the strain wasn¡¯t umon. ¡®Like when I fought that crocodile demonic beast, my sword broke midway through.¡¯ Fortunately, I knew martial arts, but for anyone else, the moment their weapon broke, theirbat effectiveness would plummet by half. ¡°It¡¯s about time for a shift change, so I should head back.¡± I reversed my grip on the sword and stabbed it into my palm. Rather than piercing through my hand, the sword melted into my blood and was absorbed into my body. ¡°This is really convenient.¡± One of the smaller advantages of the demon sword was the ability to store it inside my blood, eliminating the need to carry it around physically. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Just before I left the cave, I nced around the wrecked secret chamber, its remains in shambles from the aftermath of the battle, and recalled memories of my previous life. Specifically, memories of therades from my mercenary days who had died there. ¡ªDamn it! I¡¯ll hold them off here. Everyone, run! The captain, whose temper was rough but would give his life for his squad. ¡ªHey! Rabbit bastard! Quit dawdling and move your ass, man! The vice-captain who had given me the dishonorable nickname ¡°Rabbit Han.¡± ¡ªI¡­ I don¡¯t want to die¡­ Please¡­ Argh! The squad leader, the only woman in our mercenary group, who had stolen the hearts of many of the members. Even though their names were hard to remember now, I offered a brief moment of silence for them. Though it had happened in a previous life, and though these were only faded memories that I alone carried¡ª ¡°Thank you.¡± Because of you all, I am here today. * * * Day 2 of the Ruins Expedition. Following the previous day¡¯s events, the party members continued to explore the ruins, deliberately avoiding the area with the secret passage, and hunted beasts. Even though the ruins weren¡¯t rated as particrly dangerous, after two consecutive days of camping and relentlessbat, the party showed no signs of fatigue. In fact, they seemed more energized than when they¡¯d started. ¡®They must have felt it too.¡¯ That growing sense of synchronization thates with each battle. The unspokenmunication through just a nce, and the thrill when every small movement aligns perfectly like the gears of a well-oiled machine. The kind of feeling you can only experience when moving as a ¡®party¡¯¡ªsomething you could never understand if you hadn¡¯t felt it firsthand. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s call it a day.¡± ¡°Hm? Already done? I was just getting warmed up!¡± Berald grinned, clenching his fist as if ready for more. ¡°I could keep going, too.¡± ¡°Same here. This is my first time working with a party like this, and¡­ it¡¯s more fun than I thought.¡± ¡°Hmph. Well, it wasn¡¯t such a bad experience.¡± Yuren, Iris, and even Cami expressed their desire to continue. Suppressing a smile, I shook my head. ¡°This is enough. I think you¡¯re all working together well enough now.¡± Given their already impressive individual abilities, in just two days, the difference in their coordination was like night and day. ¡®So this is what it feels like to teach.¡¯ Watching them absorb every bit of instruction and exponentially improve, I finally understood the satisfaction that came with teaching others. I even found myself tempted to push the expedition further. I wanted to keep going with the intense pace since I was enjoying myself like never before, but... "Right now, you''re probably too fired up to realize how tired you are, but once you take a break, the fatigue will hit you all at once." Berald had said something like that back when he was helping me build my body. He used to say that just as hard work is important, so is resting properly. Then he''d add one more thing. ¡°But, to be honest, bro, you recover so quickly that you probably don''t need to rest much anyway.¡± ¡®Now that I think about it, that bastard really pisses me off.¡¯ How could he say that after making me do 500 pull-ups, 1,000 push-ups, and 1,000 squats daily? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡®Sigh. Calm down, calm down.¡¯ Forcing myself to push aside the nightmare memories of that time, I spoke up. "This is as far as we go for this ruins exploration. Let¡¯s head back." "Hmm. If you say so, brother... understood." "But didn''t we file for leave until tomorrow? Are you nning to head back to school today?" "No, we¡¯ll go back to school tomorrow." I lifted up my heavy pouch with a sly grin. "On the way back, how about we stop by an inn and have a drink?" Inside the pouch, puffed up like a piece of fruit in season, were the magic stones we''d collected from hunting monsters over the past two days. Most of them were mass-produced, low-grade stones, so they wouldn¡¯t fetch a high price. Still, we¡¯d earned enough to have a celebratory drink for a sessful exploration. ¡°Hahaha! You¡¯re the best, bro! You¡¯ve got great taste!¡± "Yeah... it¡¯d be kind of a shame to head straight back to school after forming a party and finishing an expedition.¡± ¡°Dale! For snacks, I¡¯d love some ramen that you cook!¡± Both Yuren and Berald nodded enthusiastically at the idea of having a drink, while Iris¡¯ eyes sparkled as she chimed in. ¡°Ha! Where did you get that half-baked idea from?¡± In the lively atmosphere, a stern voice suddenly cut in. Standing with her hands on her hips, the Sword of the Holy Nation (candidate) spoke confidently. ¡°Listen up! Mental discipline is physical discipline! Drinking a celebratory toast right after finishing an expedition will make your heart weak¡ª¡± "Ice-cold beer in a frosted mug." ¡°...¡± ¡°Freshly fried chicken and crispy, golden-brown sausages.¡± "Urgh...!¡± ¡°Dried squid paired with peanuts¡­¡± ¡°Y-you! Shut that mouth right now!¡± Cami shouted, quickly turning her head to avoid eye contact, and cleared her throat. "A-ahem. Well, I suppose... As the saint''s protector, I can''t just leave you all behind. I''ll join you.¡± "Wipe the drool from your mouth first." ¡°Gah!¡± Anyway, after getting Cami to agree, we left the "Cave of the Crimson Tears" and returned to Valha City. We rented rooms at an inn in town (once again, Yuren got a private room), then gathered in the tavern on the first floor to share drinks. ¡°To victory!¡± ¡°Ahhh, nothing beats a cold beer after a fight!¡± ¡°Sniff... I really wanted to eat Dale¡¯s ramen.¡± ¡°We¡¯re in a tavern! I can¡¯t cook ramen here.¡± ¡°But still!¡± ¡°Ugh...! I will not be tempted...!¡± ¡°She¡¯s doing it again. Iris, put some chicken in Cami¡¯s mouth.¡± ¡°Hehe. Leave it to me, Dale.¡± Iris shoved a chicken drumstick into Cami¡¯s mouth. ¡°Gulp...! S-so big, it can¡¯t possibly fit...!¡± ¡°C¡¯mon.¡± ¡°Gah... It¡¯s soft... and salty... Ahh. What is this heavenly vor...?¡± ¡°Excuse me? You¡¯re eating chicken, right?¡± ¡°Grr... I said no, but... haah. I can''t... I can¡¯t hold back anymore.¡± ¡°Hey, watch what you¡¯re saying while eating chicken.¡± * * * After the rowdy drinking session ended, we all stood up to head back to our rooms. Just then, Berald snapped his fingers as if he¡¯d just had a great idea. ¡°Oh, brother! I almost forgot! There¡¯s a 24-hour bathhouse right next to this inn!¡± ¡°Really?¡± We¡¯d quickly showered after dropping off our gear at the inn, but nothing beats soaking in a hot bath. ¡°How about we head there for a soak before bed?¡± ¡°Haha, sounds good! And, of course, Yuren¡¯sing too.¡± ¡°Obviously.¡± Berald and I both looked at Yuren. ¡°W-wait. I, I¡¯m not really a fan of bathhouses...¡± Yuren shook his head in a panic. ¡°What? You¡¯re skipping out on this too?¡± He had his own tent on the expedition, booked a private room at the inn, and now he was going to skip the bathhouse too? ¡®No matter how much of a pampered noble he is, there¡¯s a limit!¡¯ If I didn¡¯t nip this in the bud, Yuren would never learn to live in the real world! ¡°Trust me, once you¡¯re soaking in that hot water, you¡¯ll change your mind.¡± ¡°S-sorry! But I really can¡¯t handle bathhouses...!¡± ¡°Hah! Yuren, my man! Ever heard that true male friendship blooms in the bathhouse?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the first I¡¯m hearing of it.¡± ¡°Just made it up.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Well, whatever!¡± Thud! Berald grabbed Yuren¡¯s arm and began pulling him toward the bathhouse. ¡°It¡¯s unforgivable to skip this as a man!¡± ¡°Exactly!!!¡± ¡°W-wait! Ahhh!¡± I grabbed Yuren¡¯s other arm, and together, Berald and I dragged him along. ¡°No, seriously, where are you two getting this strength from...! Stop! Noooo!¡± And so, Yuren was hauled off into the bathhouse, kicking and screaming. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 74: Interlude – M-Monster! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 74: Interlude ¨C M-Monster! In a 24-hour bathhouse located in downtown Valha City. The decrepit bathhouse, made of old wooden structures, was engulfed in a serene silence. nk. I opened the door to the bathhouse and stepped inside. "Hey? We''re the only ones here?" "It''s quitete." "True, we did drink for a while." It was already past midnight, nearing 1 a.m. It wasn''t arge bathhouse that could hold hundreds of people, and it was rare to find customers in such an old, rundown neighborhood bathhouse at this hour. "Oh, there''s even an outdoor bath here?" Opening the ss door that led outside, we saw a small outdoor bath, with steam gently rising from it. "By the way, where''s Yuren?" "He said he was going to the bathroom earlier." "Hmm. Could it be... that he ran away all the way here?" "Heh heh. Who do you think I am? I knew he might try that, so I hid his clothes in a different locker." "Ohh! That''s why you''re the boss!" Honestly, I did wonder if we had forced him toe along too much, even though he didn''t want to. ¡®It¡¯s something Yuren needs, too.¡¯ In our previous lives, I had spent ten whole years with Yuren. We became best friends, almost like family. But even then, I always felt a kind of ''wall'' from Yuren. It was as if, deep inside, he was afraid of getting too close to others. ¡®It wasn''t just that he liked being alone.¡¯ I recalled the times Yuren had watched me and Berald ying together, his eyes often filled with envy. Yet, he kept a distance, unwilling to get involved with others. Even now, I still didn¡¯t know why. ¡®I won¡¯t let him put up that wall again this time.¡¯ I was determined to use this opportunity to break down at least part of the ''wall'' in Yuren¡¯s heart. nk. As I was thinking about this and waiting for him, the door to the bathhouse opened, and Yuren walked in, covering himself with a towel. "Is... is there really no one else here?" Yuren looked around nervously, like a cat put into water. "Yeah. We rented out the whole ce." "R-really?" He rxed a little, a slight look of relief appearing on his face. I took Yuren and headed to the outdoor bath with Berald. "This is amazing!" As I submerged my body into the steaming hot water, a shiver of pleasure ran down my spine. It was like being wrapped in a thick nket, with the warmth enveloping my lower body and the cold night air on my upper body. Being surrounded by such warmth in the open air was a luxury that was hard to describe. "Ahh! It feels like all the fatigue is melting away!" "Well, you were the one who worked the hardest this time." Everyone in the party had done their part, but Berald, who was at the forefront, had physically endured the most. "Haha. What are you talking about? The one who had it hardest was Yuren, wasn''t it?" "Huh? Me?" Yuren, who had been crouching in the corner (not that there was much space, the bath was small), suddenly raised his head. "You practically handled everything, from fighting to leading." "Ah, well, I was in the lead after all." "In that case, we were both in the lead, weren''t we?" Berald grinned and extended his fist toward Yuren. "Thanks. I feel like I learned a lot by being with you two." "...Yeah." Cautiously, Yuren extended his fist and bumped it against Berald''s. "By the way, Dale, were you part of another party before?" "Another party?" "Judging from the stuff you taught us, you seem to have experience in a seasoned group." "..." A seasoned group, huh? Well, if you put it that way, I dide from the best of the best. I swallowed a bitter smile and shook my head. "I just told you what I learned from books." "...It doesn''t sound convincing when you say it." "Shut up." I waved my hand to brush off the question. "Heh heh. Still, I''m d you''re with us." "d, huh?" "Who would¡¯ve let someone like me into their party without you? ¡­Someone who can¡¯t even properly use a mana bullet after over ten years of learning magic." Berald let out a self-deprecatingugh and sighed. "Who says you can¡¯t use magic?" "Huh?" "I mean, you used ''Stone Arrow'' or whatever just fine in thatst fight." "That¡¯s..." "Advanced physical power and magic aren¡¯t that different from each other." I repeated the exact words Berald had once said to me. "Haha." Berald let out a low chuckle, shaking his shoulders as heughed. "...Thanks, man." He grinned and clenched his fist. "Alright! Now that I¡¯ve earned your approval, I will keep honing my ¡®magic¡¯ from now on!" "Sure, sure." A sulking Berald didn¡¯t suit him at all. The Berald I knew was a hero who never stopped moving forward, no matter how dire the situation. "Hmm. Well, that aside..." Suddenly, Berald narrowed his eyes and stared straight at me. "Dale, your body¡¯s been looking amazingtely." "Huh?" "I wasn''t sure while we were dressed during the expedition, but... what have you been eating to get a body like that?" Berald couldn''t stop admiring my bare upper body. He must have noticed the changes to my body after bing ¡®reconstruction.¡¯ "It''s just the result of consistent training." "Hmm. A body like that isn''t just from training." "What¡¯s it look like to you then...?" Perhaps Berald¡¯s reaction sparked curiosity. Yuren, who had avoided looking at me since getting into the outdoor bath, turned his head slightly. "...Whoa!" Yuren''s eyes widened, staring at me with his face turning bright red. He let out a soft, continuous "Wow" of amazement. He even swallowed hard in the middle of it. ¡®This is starting to feel awkward.¡¯ No matter how much I tried to brush it off, having two guys intensely scrutinize my body wasn¡¯t exactly a pleasant experience. ''...Hm?'' While I was looking around for a way to change the subject, something caught my eye¡ªthe pendant hanging around Yuren¡¯s neck. ¡°What¡¯s that pendant?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Huh? Th-this?¡± For some reason, Yuren hastily covered the pendant around his neck with his hand. With an awkward smile, Yuren spoke. ¡°It¡¯s... it¡¯s my younger sister¡¯s keepsake.¡± ¡°I see.¡± If it was Yuren¡¯s younger sister, he must be talking about Yurina Helios, who died in an ident eight years ago. It was touching, even tear-jerking, to think that he had treasured his sister¡¯s keepsake for nearly ten years now. ¡®But, what is this?¡¯ Knowing the Yuren of the future, I couldn¡¯t help but tilt my head in confusion. ¡®I¡¯ve never seen Yuren wearing a pendant before.¡¯ I had spent a full ten years with Yuren in my previous life. In all that time, I had never once seen him wear that ¡°keepsake of his younger sister.¡± ¡®Did he lose it before we became a party?¡¯ There was a ten-year gap between our graduation and when we teamed up, so it was possible he had lost it during that time. ¡®But that doesn¡¯t seem like Yuren, though...?¡¯ Yuren was the kind of person who kept even his old cadet uniform neatly stored away. Someone like that wouldn¡¯t lose something as precious as a keepsake from his younger sister, right? It didn¡¯t make sense to me, but... ¡®Well, it¡¯s not like I¡¯d get any answers even if I asked him now.¡¯ I erased the question from my mind and rxed my body into the outdoor bath, letting the umted fatigue melt away. As I was soaking in the warm water, Berald suddenly spoke up. ¡°Oh, right. Brother Dale, I saw they were selling roasted eggs before we came in. Would you like some?¡± ¡°Oh, is the owner from the Republic?¡± ¡°...Roasted eggs?¡± Yuren tilted his head, puzzled by our conversation. ¡°Why would they sell roasted eggs in a bathhouse?¡± ¡°Hehe. You little Imperial bumpkin. Once you try it, you¡¯ll be hooked too.¡± I gave Berald a knowing grin. He quickly caught on to what I was about to say and dashed out of the outdoor bath, calling out as he went. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back with some!¡± ¡°And get three rice drinks as well.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Berald hurried back, carrying a basket of roasted eggs and a tray with three rice drinks. Eating food in the bath would be considered rude to others, but... ¡®There¡¯s no one else here, so why not?¡¯ And so began our surprise snack time. ¡°It¡¯s... delicious!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s much chewier than a boiled egg! And this rice drink is so sweet.¡± Yuren¡¯s eyes sparkled as he enjoyed the roasted eggs and rice drink. ¡®I guess I really am a Republic native, after all.¡¯ I remembered how it had be a trend in the Republic around this time to serve local dishes to people from the Holy Kingdom or the Empire and observe their exaggerated reactions. I was starting to understand why Republic folks were so obsessed with that otherwise pointless trend. ¡°Well, shall we get going?¡± We were full from the snack, and our bodies had warmed up nicely. It was about time to head back to the lodging and get some rest. ¡°Hehe, understood, brother!¡± ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s do that.¡± Yuren, nodding hastily as if he wanted to get out of here as soon as possible, made me want to tease him a little. But I held back. ¡®Pushing too hard all at once isn¡¯t good.¡¯ If breaking down emotional walls was easy, no one would call them ¡°walls¡± in the first ce. ¡°Well then.¡± I began to stand up from the bath. ¡°Hah...!¡± Suddenly, Berald let out a shocked gasp. Puzzled, I nced at him and saw his gaze fixed on my lower half. ¡°T-this isn¡¯t just about your body being in great shape, brother.¡± ¡°Hey.¡± Where are you looking, you idiot? ¡°Ahem! This is... I thought I didn¡¯t have anything to be ashamed of, but... there are always hidden masters in the world, it seems.¡± ¡°Hidden master, my foot.¡± I gave Berald a good bird flip in response to his nonsense. Then I quickly gave him a once-over as he stood up from the bath to follow me. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Well, yeah. I am bigger. ¡°Ahem.¡± Feeling a bit embarrassed, I turned my body away from Berald and toward Yuren. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Yuren was standing there, eyes wide open, mouth agape. ¡°¡­Yuren?¡± I called out his name, but Yuren stood frozen like a statue, trembling slightly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Heek!¡± Yuren quickly grabbed a towel and covered his body, backing away with a look of sheer horror. ¡°D-don¡¯te closer!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯te any closer!¡± With a face as pale as if he had just seen a ghost, Yuren shook his head frantically. ¡°Hey, what the...¡± ¡°A-ah, uh... Aaaaah.¡± Worried about Yuren¡¯s condition, I stepped toward him, but he let out a broken scream and his eyes rolled back into his head. ¡°Mon... monster! ¡­Gurgle.¡± With those words, Yuren copsed into the bath with a ssh. ¡°Hey! Yuren! Snap out of it, man!¡± The moonlight bathed the outdoor bath in a soft glow. The sun was sinking beneath the water. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 75: Observation Class (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 75: Observation ss (1) A few days after sessfullypleting the exploration of the ruins, Professor Lucas addressed the cadets gathered in the lecture hall. "As you all received on your Hero Watches, next week we have scheduled observation sses with parents invited." Parent Observation ss. This was an annual event that took ce around this time each year. It was one of the rare asions when the hero academy, which operated as a fully boarding institution and strictly prohibited the entry of outsiders, including parents, opened its doors. ''There was a lot of talk about it being canceled due to the incident during the Sealing Festival, but it looks like it''s happening after all.'' Of course, this event had little relevance to me, as I had no ''parents'' to attend. But that was only true for special cases like mine. For the other cadets, it was apletely different story. "Here we go again..." "Ugh... I hope they don''te this time." "Yeah, seriously." "We''re not a bunch of 10-year-olds, so why do we need a parent observation ss?" "Sigh. I thought it would be canceled after the Sealing Festival incident." Sighs of exasperation leaked from various parts of the lecture hall. Naturally, very few cadets were excited about the observation ss. As one cadet said, most were disgruntled, wondering why they had to go through this when they were no longer kids. ¡®Well, the observation ss also serves as a social gathering for active heroes.¡¯ Because the traits of Stigmas, which were often passed from parent to child, many cadets'' parents were active heroes themselves. The observation ss was essentially an event designed to give current heroes a ''reason'' to gather. ¡®I¡¯ve even heard of cases where parentse to the observation ss and don¡¯t even bother to see their kids before leaving.¡¯ Of course, such cases were rare. Most parents woulde to check if their children were doing well, if they were staying out of trouble, and to see how much the school''s curriculum had changed since their time there (more than 80% of parents were graduates of the hero academy). After that, they''d meet with other parents. Even if the cadets were legally considered adults under continentalw, to their parents, they still seemed like little kids. "This year¡¯s observation ss will be prepared even more thoroughly under Principal Lionel¡¯s special directive." "Ugh!" "Oh, please no." "I¡¯m already drowning in assignments, and now we have to prepare for this too..." Sighs erupted again from all corners. Professor Lucas let out a short sigh as he looked around at the disheartened cadets. "Given the recent incident, you should understand the necessity." The incident involving the rampaging monsters during the Sealing Festival. Because of that, the school needed to reassure the parents: "Our school is this safe!" "Now then. You¡¯ve all participated in thisst year and the year before that, so I¡¯m sure you know what¡¯s most important in preparing for this observation ss." ¡°...¡± "Anyone want to answer?" Silence followed. Professor Lucas¡¯s piercing gaze scanned the cadets beforending on me. "Alright, then Cadet Dale¡ª" "Hey, fine! I¡¯ll answer!" Suddenly, Albert shot up from his seat. He red at Professor Lucas, trembling slightly. "You were going to call on me anyway, weren¡¯t you?" "No, actually, I was going to call on Cadet Dale this time since I¡¯ve called on you so often." "What? Re-Really?" "Well, since you''re already up, why don¡¯t you answer, Cadet Albert?" "Damn it!" Albert mmed the desk in frustration, letting out a cry of despair. Watching him from behind, I couldn¡¯t help but smile brightly. ''Thanks, Albert.'' Because of you, I can stay out of trouble. "Now then, go ahead. What¡¯s the most important thing in preparing for the observation ss?" "That would be¡­" Albert, thinking hard, pulled a small notebook from his pocket. Inside was an old, faded photo. The picture showed a younger Albert, smiling brightly with his parents. "I believe it¡¯s our ¡®smiles¡¯ as cadets." "Hoo." "Why do parents from the Empire, the Holy Kingdom, and the Republic alle such a long way to the hero academy? It¡¯s because they want to see for themselves that their children are doing well, that they aren¡¯t hurt or struggling, and that they¡¯re happy." "Go on." "So, in order to reassure our parents that we¡¯re doing fine, we need to greet them with smiles! And to ensure that we can smile, the most important thing is to avoid giving cadets any excessive assignments, at least during this time. I believe that¡¯s the most important part of preparing for the observation ss!" Albert, with his fist clenched and conviction in his eyes, gave his impassioned answer. Professor Lucas crossed his arms and nodded, seemingly satisfied with Albert''s response. "Hmm. So, smiles to reduce assignments, huh... That¡¯s one way of thinking." "Th-Then!" "But." Professor Lucas shook his head lightly. "Cadet Albert, you¡¯re making a big mistake." "...A mistake?" With a sly grin, Professor Lucas wrapped his arm around Albert¡¯s shoulder. "A smile isn¡¯t something you can only make when you¡¯re happy and joyful." "Excuse me?" "Let me give you an example. Cadet Albert, try smiling right now." "You want me to smile out of the blue...?" With his arm still around Albert¡¯s shoulder, Professor Lucas raised his massive fist and shook it in front of Albert¡¯s face. "Smile." "Hahaha! Oh,e on, Professor! Hahaha!" "How is it? Are you enjoying this, Cadet Albert?" "Haha! I¡¯m having so much fun, Professor!" "Are you happy?" "Of course! Hahaha!" "Good, good. As expected of you." Satisfied, Professor Lucas lowered his fist. Albert, who had beenughing uproariously with a pale face, took a deep breath and scrambled out of Lucas¡¯s grip. "As you¡¯ve all just seen, one doesn¡¯t need to be joyful or happy to smile." Even when you¡¯re struggling and in pain, you can still smile. That means... "What we need to prepare isn¡¯t something as simple as smiles." The most important thing to prepare for the observation ss is... "Cleaning." "..." "An immacte cleaning where not a speck of dust can be seen, where the floor is so clean you could lick it. That¡¯s what you need to prepare." Professor Lucas smirked as he ced the cleaning supplies he had prepared onto the podium. "Today, we''ll start with mopping the entire ssroom." "...Ah." Groans spilled from the mouths of the cadets. The thought of doing nothing but cleaning the school until the parents¡¯ day event filled their minds with a dizzying sense of despair. "Professor Lucas." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Amid the sighs of hopelessness, I confidently raised my hand. "What is it?" "You said cleaning was necessary to prepare for the parents¡¯ day event, but shouldn¡¯t people like me, who don¡¯t have any ¡®parents¡¯ing, be exempt?" "Oh?" "I¡¯ve lived my whole life not knowing my parents¡¯ names. Having grown up lonely in an orphanage, you want me to clean to impress parents? This is a kind of violence!" "Huh. I see. I haven¡¯t considered how painful this must be for Cadet Dale¡­" Professor Lucas let out a low sigh, unable to continue speaking. I quickly stood up and made my appeal to him. "Then you should exempt me from the cleaning¡­" "I suppose there''s no choice. This time, I¡¯ll have to be Cadet Dale¡¯s parent." "What?" What are you talking about, you crazy person? "I may still be an unmarried bachelor, but what wouldn¡¯t I do tofort a wounded student¡¯s heart?" "No." "From now on, you can call me father, Cadet Dale." "No thanks." "Even if you don¡¯t like it, you still have to clean." "Dammit." Despite my desperate resistance, all the cadets, without exception, were roped into cleaning the school. ¡®Even if you know the future, there are some things you can¡¯t change.¡¯ Facing the unstoppable current of fate, I felt a deep sense of helplessness as I mopped the hallway. As we continued cleaning for a while. "Hm?" I noticed Yuren standing in the distance, staring nkly out the window. "cking off?" "Oh...? Da-Dale?" As I approached and spoke to him, Yuren turned toward me with a startled expression. "Why so surprised? Worried I¡¯ll snitch to the professor?" "N-no, it¡¯s not that..." Yuren scratched the back of his head awkwardly, giving a sheepish smile. "I was just... thinking about something else." "About what?" "...It¡¯s nothing." The bitter look on his face as he avoided my gaze didn¡¯t make it seem like ¡®nothing.¡¯ ¡®Well, if he doesn¡¯t want to talk, no need to pry.¡¯ People have at least one or two things they¡¯re dealing with, after all. ¡®If it¡¯s Yuren, he¡¯ll figure it out.¡¯ He¡¯s the very hero who fought against that ¡®Demon God¡¯ without fear. If it¡¯s the Yuren I know. The sun I¡¯ve always seen. He¡¯ll handle a minor concern or two without needing my help. "By the way, your parents areing for the event, right?" "...Me?" "Yeah. You¡¯ve got your mom, don¡¯t you?" Come to think of it, I didn¡¯t know much about Yuren¡¯s mother. By the time I teamed up with Yuren after finishing my mercenary life, she had already passed away, and Yuren himself rarely brought up his family. "Ah... my mom probably won¡¯te. She¡¯s a very busy person." "Really?" "Yeah. She didn¡¯test year or the year before either." "Heh. Then you¡¯re just like me, huh?" In my case, there¡¯s no parent toe at all. Anyway. "Then why don¡¯t the two of us find a corner and train that day? We can¡¯t join the parents¡¯ day event if we don¡¯t have parentsing, right?" "What? R-really? Let¡¯s do that!" Yuren nodded enthusiastically with a bright expression. As we were setting a time and ce to meet on the day of the event. -Ding. A clear chime rang out from Yuren¡¯s hero watch. "Oh? Hang on. I think I got a message." Yuren opened his hero watch to check the message. With each line he read, Yuren¡¯s face, which had been glowing with happiness, quickly darkened. "What¡¯s wrong? What does it say?" "M-my mother¡­" Yuren¡¯s voice trembled as he continued. "My mother¡­ said she¡¯sing to the school." The expression on Yuren¡¯s face was one I had never seen before. That¡¯s right. In all the 10 years I had spent with Yuren, I had never seen that expression on his face. Not even in the battle against the Demon God. "..." Yuren was scared. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 76: Observation Class (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 76: Observation ss (2) The day of the ssroom observation had arrived. I stared out at the bustling school through the dormitory window and let myself fall onto the bed. ¡°Sigh.¡± Azy sigh escaped from my lips. ¡°There''s really nothing to do around this time.¡± As the name "Parent Observation Day" suggests, most activities centre around the cadets and their parents. For cadets like me, whose parents won¡¯t be attending, it often means having a lot of free time with nothing to do. Some cadets actually weed this free day, as it meant an unexpected break from sses without their parents visiting. ¡®I used to really hate observation days.¡¯ Now, I feel nothing about the absence of my parents, but in my previous life, I carried a heavy inferiorityplex because I was an orphan without parents. I even secretly wished for the happiness of thoseughing with their parents to turn into misery. ¡°Ugh, thinking about it now is so embarrassing.¡± I shook my head, cringing at the awkward memories of my past life. ¡®Maybe I should at least check out the observation sses.¡¯ In the past, I¡¯d deliberately avoid areas where the observation sses were being held, but now, I had no reason to. Others had long filled the empty space left by my parents. ¡°Alright.¡± Lying in bed doing nothing wouldn¡¯t change the fact that there was nothing to do. I might as well check out something I wouldn¡¯t have even considered in my previous life: the ¡°ssroom observation.¡± ¡°Hup.¡± I got up from the bed, changed into my uniform, and stepped outside. The school was already bustling with people, as parents had begun arriving. ¡°My son! How have you been? How¡¯s school life treating you? Are the sses manageable?¡± ¡°Ah, mom. Please don¡¯t hug me in front of everyone. I¡¯m not a little kid anymore!¡± ¡°Oh, listen to this kid talk! Feels like just yesterday I was changing your diapers.¡± ¡°I¡¯m twenty years old now. What do you mean ¡®yesterday¡¯?¡± From families bickering yfully¡ª ¡°What¡¯s up with your midterm results? Huh? Are you nning on bing a hero or not?¡± ¡°Well, I was just nervous because it was my first real battle¡­¡± ¡°Hmph. Then what have you been learning for the past two years? Do you think we sent you here to ck off?¡± ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± ¡°If you keep up with those grades, don¡¯t expect me to write a rmendation letter to your dad¡¯s guild.¡± ¡°No! I have to get in there!¡± ¡ªto parents scolding their kids as soon as they saw them, it was a peaceful scene. ¡®How long will such peacest?¡¯ I wasn¡¯t sure, not even with my past life¡¯s experiences. The future had already begun to change in ways I couldn¡¯t predict. ¡°Now then¡­¡± I wandered through the crowded school za, looking around. I was curious if I might spot any familiar faces, but no one stood out. ¡®Come to think of it, Iris mentioned she was from an orphanage, too.¡¯ I wasn¡¯t sure if Cami was also from an orphanage, but as a Holy Knight serving as the Saint¡¯s guard, her parents probably wouldn¡¯t be visiting either. ¡®Berald also said his parents weren¡¯ting.¡¯ Berald, who was often called ¡°the disgrace of the Ryu family,¡± had apparently asked his parents not toe. After all, the Ryu family¡¯s main branch members were likely here today. ¡®Where¡¯s Yuren?¡¯ I looked around the za for Yuren, but he was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Phew.¡± After wandering aimlessly for quite some time, thirst hit me. ¡®It¡¯s not even June yet, but it¡¯s boiling.¡¯ I headed to the back of the school building, nning to grab a drink from the vending machine. ¡°¡­Was your journey here ufortable in any way?¡± Yuren¡¯s voice echoed from somewhere. ¡°Huh?¡± I tilted my head and walked in the direction of the voice. There, I saw a woman in an elegant, old-fashioned dress, who immediately made me think of the word ¡°noblewoman.¡± Behind her stood a man with sharp eyes, watching the surroundings like a shadow. ¡®Is that Yuren¡¯s mother?¡¯ I¡¯d heard that Yuren¡¯s father passed away when he was young, so the man must be her escort or something. ¡®Yuren¡¯s mother¡¯s name was¡­ Rosanna Helios, right?¡¯ Rosanna of the sh. I¡¯d never met her or spoken to her in my previous life, but I had heard her name before. ¡®She was the hero who breathed life back into the declining Helios family.¡¯ She had made quite a name for herself during her prime years. As I recalled those memories, Rosanna¡¯s voice continued. ¡°Yes, I¡¯vee.¡± ¡°Why did youe all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Am I not allowed to visit to see my son¡¯s face?¡± Rosanna looked at Yuren with cold eyes. He hurriedly shook his head, flustered. ¡°N-no, it¡¯s not that¡­ It¡¯s just¡­ You¡¯re always busy with the family affairs.¡± ¡°I had something to discuss.¡± ¡°Discuss¡­?¡± Yuren, clearly nervous, looked at her anxiously. ¡°Before that.¡± Rosanna¡¯s gaze turned toward me. ¡°And who might that person be?¡± ¡°¡­¡± I hadn¡¯t been trying to hide my presence, but I didn¡¯t expect to be noticed this quickly. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] I shrugged and walked toward Yuren. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Dale Han, a friend of Yuren¡¯s.¡± ¡°D-Dale? Why are you here¡­?¡± Yuren looked at me with a startled expression. ¡°¡­A friend?¡± Rosanna looked me up and down with sharp eyes, then scoffed as if it were absurd. ¡°Yuren, are you telling me you¡¯ve been hanging around with a Republican mutt?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Republican mutt. It was a derogatory term used by imperial nobles to demean people from the Republic. About 300 years ago, the Republic officially abandoned its old currency and name conventions and began adopting the continent''s culture, which is when the term gained poprity. ¡®It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve heard that.¡¯ At the time when the Republic first opened its doors and changed the name order from ¡°surname + given name¡± to ¡°given name + surname¡± to align with continental customs, the term ¡°mutt¡± wasmon. But after 300 years, it had long since be an outdated term, used only by a few stubborn imperial nobles. ¡®Now I understand why Yuren never talked much about his mother.¡¯ Rosanna Helios was the perfect example of the type of "old-fashioned Imperial noble" that Yuren had hated the most in his previous life. ¡°Mother! What kind of outrageous statement is that to my friend?!¡± Of course. Yuren, who had been showing a constantly timid demeanor, now contorted his face with anger and stepped forward. ¡°¡­What?¡± Rosanna looked at Yuren with a bewildered expression as he stood in front of me, blocking her path. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Yuren flinched at his mother¡¯s cold voice, his shoulders trembling. He froze, like a frog staring down a snake. Even his legs, which hadn¡¯t trembled in front of demons, now shook pitifully like leaves in the wind. ¡°So¡­ what I mean is¡­¡± ¡°This is why I argued that the dormitory system should be abolished¡­¡± Rosanna sighed deeply, ring sharply at Yuren. ¡°Where did you pick up that disrespectful manner of speaking?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Was it that half-breed from the Republic that taught you?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Gritting his teeth, Yuren, who had been trembling pitifully, red at Rosanna. ¡°At the Hero Academy, any speech discriminating against another nation is prohibited! You know that, don¡¯t you, Mother?!¡± ¡°Ha, are you lecturing me right now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a lecture! I¡¯m merely informing you of the " neutral zone" rules!¡± Even though he was afraid, Yuren spoke firmly, not backing down. ¡°If you break the rules, it will disgrace the Helios family name!¡± ¡°Honor? Did you just say honor?¡± Rosanna''s face twisted with rage. The Stigma on her body began to glow, and golden mana enveloped her. ¡°How dare you¡­! How dare you speak of the honor of the Helios family in front of me?!¡± Whoosh! Her arm swung fiercely, cutting through the air. Just before Rosanna¡¯s hand could p Yuren¡¯s cheek¡ª Smack! I grabbed Rosanna''s arm as itshed out wildly. ¡°I intended on watching this quietly, but you¡¯re really losing it.¡± I had no intention of intervening in Yuren¡¯s personal family matters, but I couldn¡¯t stand by and watch this any longer. Pulling her arm, I stepped in front of Rosanna. ¡°Enough already,dy.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Rosanna stared at me with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. ¡°Did you¡­ just call me dy¡¯?¡± ¡°I mean, what else would I call you? You¡¯re not a young woman, right?¡± People should be honest. If you have a 20-year-old son, expecting to be called young is a bit much. ¡°How dare you¡­!¡± Perhaps being called dy¡± so tantly had hit a nerve. Rosanna¡¯s face turned red with anger as she struggled to free her arm from my grip. ¡°Ugh?!¡± Her arm didn¡¯t budge despite her efforts, and Rosanna¡¯s face twisted with frustration. She might have been confident in her skills, considering she was once known as ¡°Rosanna the sh,¡± a hero of great renown, even if she was retired now. But¡ª ¡®Not even close.¡¯ If she was a hero who had made a name for herself in the past, I was one of the ¡°Last Five Heroes¡± in my previous life. And now, I had achieved a level of skill far beyond what I had back then. Compared to the heights I had reached, her abilities were no more than a firefly''s glow beneath the sun. ¡°Urgh!¡± Rosanna''s expression became more contorted as she intensified her mana. She had far more raw mana than I did, not surprising considering she was Yuren¡¯s mother. But power wasn¡¯t everything¡ªhow one used it also mattered. By skillfully shifting my center of gravity, I kept her arm tightly restrained. Rosanna¡¯s face grew increasingly furious. ¡°Robert!¡± At Rosanna¡¯s sharpmand, a man who had been standing in the shadows reached for the sword at his waist. Just as the sword was halfway out of its sheath¡ª ¡°Hey.¡± Swish¡ªClunk! With a flick of my palm, I mmed the sword back into its scabbard. The man, who had been called Robert, took a startled step back, his face pale. ¡°Don¡¯t draw that.¡± If you do, you¡¯ll die. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 77: Observation Class (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 77: Observation ss (3) "Stop! Both of you, please stop!" In the tense atmosphere, as if a de was held to someone¡¯s neck, Yuren''s urgent cry echoed. "What on earth are you doing in school?!" "¡­Ugh." Rosanna frowned at Yuren''s scolding. Knowing she had crossed a line, she sighed deeply and nodded. "Fine, but could you let go of my arm?" "Yes, ma''am." "Ma¡¯am...!" Rosanna¡¯s face twisted in anger, veins bulging on her forehead. She was about to say something to me, but then clicked her tongue and turned away. "Hah, well, I can¡¯t expect noble etiquette from a republic mutt, can I?" "I didn¡¯t realize noble etiquette involved pping your child just because they didn¡¯t suit your taste, though I suppose I shouldn¡¯t say that?" "You little...!" Rosanna¡¯s eyes narrowed as I openly mocked her. Biting her lip in frustration, her golden eyes gleamed as if she had devised a good idea. "Is your name Dale?" "Yes." "Where are your parents right now?" "¡­." Was that her grand idea? I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle inside and looked at her with an expression of disbelief. ¡®Is she really Yuren¡¯s mother?¡¯ Sure, just because people share blood doesn¡¯t mean they share the same personality, but this was too much. ¡®Well, I guess Yuren is the odd one.¡¯ The Helios family, descended from Reynald Helios, the leader of the five great heroes who sealed the demon god 500 years ago and hailed as the strongest swordsman in human history, had once wielded immense power that even the emperor could not lightly challenge. The reason the Helios family had slowly started to fall into decline was simple. ¡®People got too drunk on past glory to see the cliff right before them.¡¯ There was even a famous saying from a bard that described the Helios family: "A family blinded by the sun." Having only known Yuren from the Helios family, I dismissed it as jealousy and gossip aimed at noble families. B ut after meeting Rosanna, I began to understand why such a mocking phrase existed. "Are you not going to answer? Where are your parents right now?" Rosanna¡¯s voice was sharp as she pressed me for a response. Before I could answer, Yuren spoke cautiously. "Mother, Dale¡¯s¡ª" "Yuren, stay quiet. I¡¯m not asking you, am I?" Rosanna cut off Yuren and red at me. I stifled augh and answered her question. "I¡¯d like to know where my parents are too." "¡­What?" Rosanna frowned as if she didn¡¯t understand. I rified for her, exining that I was from a republic orphanage. "Hah." Rosanna¡¯s expression grew even more hostile. "So, you mean to tell me that some orphan, without even parents, had the audacity to insult the Helios family?" "You should get your facts straight, ma¡¯am. When did I ever insult the Helios family?" All I did was call her "ma¡¯am." "Such a rude brat, but you sure know how to talk back clearly." "Funny,ing from someone as educated as you, who can¡¯t even speak properly." "W-what? You insolent...!" "See? Can¡¯t even speak properly." "You¡­!" Rosanna¡¯s face turned red with fury, and she stepped forward, emitting mana fiercely. Just as the atmosphere, which had calmed down thanks to Yuren, was about to turn hostile again¡ª "Dale? What are you doing here?" A huge figure loomed over us, more like a beast than a person, with a fierce expression that suited a predator. "Professor Lucas?" "Ah, Yuren, you¡¯re here too. And this must be..." Professor Lucas¡¯s gaze turned to Rosanna. Perhaps because Yuren had addressed him as "Professor," Rosanna¡¯s previously hysterical expression quickly returned to itsposed state. "Rosanna Helios." She elegantly lifted her dress and bowed slightly. "Ah, so you¡¯re Yuren¡¯s mother." "Yes. You¡¯re the professor in charge of the third-year warriors, correct?" "That¡¯s right." Nodding, Professor Lucas continued. "But what are you doing here? The observation ss gathering point is over in the za, not here." "You¡¯ve arrived at just the right time. I have something to discuss with you." Rosanna approached Professor Lucas with a sly smile. "Professor Lucas, are you acquainted with this candidate, Dale?" "Yes. He¡¯s one of the students under my supervision, so of course I know him." "Is that so? Well, that¡¯s fortunate." Rosanna, with her arms elegantly crossed, nced back at me. "This orphan had the audacity to insult my family¡ª" "Hmm? Orphan?" Professor Lucas tilted his head as if this was new information. Rosanna, taken aback by his reaction, responded. "Yes? But he clearly said he was from a republic orphanage..." "Ah, that¡¯s true. He dide from a republic orphanage, but a foster fatherter took him in." Professor Lucas grinned, cing a hand on my shoulder. "Now, I¡¯m this boy¡¯s father." "¡­What?" Rosanna was left speechless, her mouth agape. Professor Lucas tightened his grip on my shoulder and looked at me. "Isn¡¯t that right, son?" "..." Seeing him wink at me, I let out a small chuckle internally. ¡®So he was listening in.¡¯ No wonder he stepped in at just the right moment. He must¡¯ve been eavesdropping on my conversation with Rosanna and decided to intervene when things were about to escte. ¡®What a meddlesome guy.¡¯ I didn''t have much room to talk, considering I had stepped into my friend¡¯s family affairs. "Yes, Father." I nodded slyly, and Rosanna¡¯s face twisted in frustration. Whether the rtionship between me and Professor Lucas was real or not, her position had be awkward. After all, she couldn¡¯t openly insult a student whom the head of the warrior department had just called "his son." ¡°If my son caused any offense, I¡¯ll apologize on his behalf.¡± ¡°Oh... okay.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a bit of a brute, you know. There¡¯s a reason he''s always at the bottom of his ss.¡± ¡°...¡± Professor Lucas burst into loudughter, pping my back with his palm as big as a pot lid. When Lucas began talking down about me, Rosanna, who had been at a loss for words, red at me with eyes full of disapproval. ¡°Well then, it¡¯s about time for the observation ss, so let¡¯s all head to the lecture room.¡± Professor Lucas dragged me towards the lecture hall with his arm draped around my shoulder. As he pulled me along, I asked him in a low voice, careful not to let Rosanna hear. ¡°Am I going too?¡± ¡°Of course, you¡¯reing.¡± ¡°But observation sses are only for candidates whose parents are attending.¡± ¡°And a parent dide, didn¡¯t they?¡± He grinned and pointed to himself with his hand. I looked at him with a face full of disbelief. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Are you seriously going to keep up this act?¡± ¡°What act, you brat? Haven¡¯t you ever heard the saying that a teacher is like a second parent?¡± ¡°...¡± I appreciated that Professor Lucas was trying to y the role of my ¡°parent,¡± but... ¡®If people find out, it¡¯ll cause trouble for Professor Lucas.¡¯ I wasn¡¯t the only candidate he was responsible for. There were likely other candidates whose parents couldn¡¯t attend, and if it became known that I received special treatment and was allowed to participate, Professor Lucas¡¯s reputation could be harmed. ¡®Rumors would spread that he¡¯s ying favorites with a particr student.¡¯ If that happened, Lucas would end up in a difficult situation. ¡°Since when did you start worrying about others like that?¡± He seemed to have noticed my thinking and ruffled my hair with a chuckle. ¡°A kid shouldn¡¯t worry about his parent, you cheeky little brat.¡± ¡°...¡± At his words, I pressed my lips together tightly. For some reason, despite having gone through a past life, where I had lost all emotions tied to the concept of ¡®parents,¡¯ in this moment, my heart felt heavy, as if storm clouds had rolled in. If I let my guard down, I felt like those clouds would break, and the rain would spill down my face as tears. ¡°Always meddling...¡± And that¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t ept Lucas¡¯s kindness. ¡®And...¡¯ I turned my head to look at Yuren. Standing behind Rosanna, Yuren moved quietly, his face pale, like a prisoner being led to his execution. In a situation like this, the thought of attending the observation ss alone with his mother, without me (since Yuren and I were in different sses), must have been unbearable. ¡°Tch. Seems like I don¡¯t have a choice.¡± There was only one way to avoid epting Professor Lucas¡¯s kindness while also getting Yuren away from his mother. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®no choice¡¯?¡± ¡°Well, sorry about this, Dad.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I poked Professor Lucas¡¯s side with my fingers. ¡°Oof! You brat, what are you...!?¡± The arm he had tightly wrapped around my neck loosened. I quickly turned and dashed towards Yuren. ¡°D-Dale?¡± I grabbed Yuren¡¯s arm and pulled him. ¡°Let¡¯s bail.¡± ¡°Bail? What do you mean...?¡± ¡°What else would I mean, idiot?¡± We¡¯re skipping ss, of course. Boom! Grabbing Yuren¡¯s arm tightly, I kicked off the ground. Berald¡¯s Martial Arts. Wind Step. My body felt light as if wings had sprouted from my back, and the background zoomed past in a blur. ¡°Hey, you brat! Where do you think you¡¯re going?!¡± ¡°Y-Yuren! What do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± Voices shouted behind us, but I easily ignored them and dashed towards the school gates. ¡°D-Dale, wait! Wait a second!¡± Yuren, being dragged along, yelled in panic. ¡°What? Don¡¯t wanna skip?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s just...¡± He trailed off and turned his head. The school, now far behind, came into view. ¡®Skipping ss without permission...¡¯ Having been the top student for three years straight and always so diligent, he could never have imagined this kind of rebellious act. ¡°...¡± The image of his mother¡¯s twisted face briefly shed through his mind. Thinking about her anger that wouldeter sent a shiver down his spine, but... ¡°You wanna go back?¡± ¡°...¡± For some reason, without realizing it, he shook his head. ¡°No.¡± He didn¡¯t want to go back. He wanted to savor this thrilling moment of rebellion just a little longer. ¡°Alright, then we¡¯re skipping together.¡± With a sly grin, Dale jumped over the school wall with Yuren. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 78: Observation Class (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 78: Observation ss (4) Valha City. The city surrounding the Hero School was bustling with people who had gathered from all across the Three Kingdoms for the open ss. Of course, the actual heroes participating in the open ss had already entered the school since morning, but there were many others who hade despite not participating directly. From attendants serving high-ranking heroes, people attending for the "social gathering" held after the open ss, to gossipers who were excited to see heroes from the Three Kingdoms in one ce, and merchants targeting such crowds¡ªthe streets of Valha City were even busier than the inside of the school. ¡°We should change clothes first.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Walking around in school uniforms in the middle of a weekday was drawing too much attention. ¡°Let¡¯s go into that shop.¡± We randomly picked a nearby clothing store and entered. For a shop we had entered without much thought, it was surprisingly well-known, as the spacious interior was filled with hundreds of different types of clothing. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of clothes here.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just quickly pick something and change.¡± While browsing the men''s section for some clothes, I suddenly realized something. ¡°Huh? Where did he go?¡± Yuren, who I thought was following behind me, was nowhere to be seen. I retraced my steps and saw Yuren standing absentmindedly in the store, staring at a mannequin in the women¡¯s section. The mannequin was dressed in a flowing skirt and an off-shoulder blouse, a popr trend among female students recently. ¡°What are you doing over there?¡± ¡°Oh, sorry. I was just lost in thought for a moment.¡± Yuren gave an awkward smile and walked over to the men¡¯s section. After we changed into the clothes we had quickly picked out, we stepped back onto the streets of Valha City. ¡°Man, the weather is great.¡± For some reason, the day seemed exceptionally bright, even though it was just an ordinary day. Maybe it was because we had skipped school. ¡°So, what should we do now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± ¡°Is there anything you want to do?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my first time doing something like this.¡± Yuren, who was smiling awkwardly, looked around anxiously, like a lost child separated from his parents. I stifled augh at his behavior. ¡®The strongest swordsman of humanity, anxious just because he skipped a school ss.¡¯ Seeing Yuren¡¯s fresh and innocent side, which I could never have imagined in his past life, brought a smile to my face. ¡°Well then, should we just walk around the area?¡± ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s do that.¡± I decided to take Yuren to ¡®Republic Town,¡¯ a ce in Valha City where most people from the Republic lived. It was a ce I had visited before with Iris when we went to see a movie. Republic Town was filled with Republic-style restaurants and cultural venues. ¡°Wow, so this is Republic Town.¡± Yuren¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement as he looked around, much like someone who had just arrived in the capital from the countryside. ¡°Is this your first time here?¡± ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t go out much, and even if I do, I never really came to Republic Town.¡± ¡°Well, considering your mother, that¡¯s understandable.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I, I don¡¯t think of Republic people as half-breeds or anything like that!¡± ¡°I know, man.¡± We wandered around Republic Town for a while, and as time passed, I began to feel hungry. ¡°Starting to get hungry. Should we grab lunch?¡± ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s.¡± ¡°Anything you want to eat?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ something I want to eat¡­¡± After thinking for a moment, Yuren¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°I want to try ramen!¡± ¡°¡­Ramen? Of all things, here?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Yuren nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s what you want.¡± As we looked around for a ce that served ramen, Yuren suddenly spoke up. ¡°Hey, Dale.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Instead of buying it, could you make the ramen for me?¡± ¡°You want me to make it?¡± Really? Out here, he wants me to cook ramen? ¡°Let¡¯s just buy some. It¡¯ll taste better that way.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yuren¡¯s face fell, and he pouted at my suggestion to buy ramen. ¡°You made it for Iris¡­¡± Seeing Yuren lower his head with a dejected look made me feel a strange wave of guilt. ¡°Fine, fine¡­ I¡¯ll make it for you.¡± ¡°Thanks, Dale!¡± Yuren beamed, looking as happy as could be. I sighed inwardly at the sight. ¡°Geez¡­¡± Yuren was really hard to figure out sometimes. Why was he so obsessed with me making ramen when there were plenty of ces to eat around here? ¡°Now, let¡¯s see¡­ where can I cook ramen around here¡­?¡± It¡¯s not like I could walk into a restaurant and ask to use their kitchen. ¡®Wait a minute.¡¯ I remembered seeing on Hero Watch that there was a ce near Republic Town by the riverside where you could cook ramen yourself. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Yuren.¡± ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°Just follow me.¡± As expected, the riverside spot had a ce where you could cook ramen and eat at an outdoor table. ¡°Hold the spot for me. I¡¯ll go inside and cook the ramen.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± After cooking the ramen inside, I brought it to the outdoor table where Yuren was waiting. The verdict from the noble young master, who had never tasted ramen before, was simple. ¡°Wow, this is really¡­ strong.¡± Yuren smiled awkwardly, clearly not enjoying the intense vor. His reaction was theplete opposite of Iris, who had devoured the ramen with passion. ¡®Yeah, this is the normal reaction.¡¯ If ramen suited everyone¡¯s taste, it wouldn¡¯t be mostly consumed only in the Republic. For people from other countries, who were not used to spicy food, the vor was too strong. ¡°It¡¯s not really to your taste, is it?¡± ¡°Oh, no! It¡¯s good!¡± "What''s so good about it when you''re sweating like that?" I chuckled and pulled out a slice of cheese I had brought just in case. "If you add this, it''ll taste much better." "...Cheese? You''re putting cheese in ramen?" Yuren frowned, as if questioning the absurdbination. "You''ll see once you try it." "Alright..." As I ced the cheese on the ramen, the remaining heat caused it to melt. "Huh?" Yuren cautiously took a bite of the cheese ramen, and his eyes widened in surprise. "It''s... delicious!" "Much better than before, right?" "Yeah!" With a smile of satisfaction, Yuren quickly finished the cheese ramen. I also followed suit, finishing my bowl cleanly. After swiftly devouring the ramen, Yuren and I sat at the outdoor table, gazing at the calmly flowing river. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The morning''s events felt like a distant dream as we enjoyed the peaceful moment. I broke the silence, speaking to Yuren, who was quietly staring at the river. "Yuren." "Hm?" "Was it always like that between you and your mother?" "..." Yuren pressed his lips together tightly at the mention of his mother. He let out a bitter smile and shook his head softly. "My mother wasn''t always like this. When I was little, she was incredibly kind." "She doesn''t seem like that kind of person at all." "Haha. It''s because she''s had to lead the family on her own. She''s probably struggling a lot." Yuren gave an awkward smile, trying to defend his mother. I frowned and shook my head. "Even if she''s struggling, that doesn''t mean she can treat you like that. Honestly, you''re practically the hope of the Helios family, aren''t you?" "...Hope." "Anyway, if you don''t like it, you should speak up. You don''t have to live under your mother''s thumb." "..." For some reason, Yuren''s expression turned cold. He clenched his fists so tightly that his hands trembled. "...I can''t." A faint voice, almost squeezed out. Yuren gave a fragile smile as if he were about to break and shook his head. "I don''t have the right." "...What do you mean, the right?" "It''s gettingte, Dale. We should head back before the dorms close." Yuren hastily changed the subject, clearly avoiding the conversation. I narrowed my eyes as I watched Yuren gather up the ramen bowls and stand up. His hands and lips trembled slightly, his cheeks were pale, and his breathing had be shallow and uneven. A Yuren I had never seen before. Or rather, a Yuren I had refused to see. A Yuren gripped by fear. ''...Why?'' A question formed in my mind. The Yuren I knew was braver than anyone. When everyone else cowered and fled, he had boldly drawn his sword and stood his ground. Even in front of that demonic being. ''So why?'' What could possibly make him this afraid? "Let''s go." "Oh, right." Without time to seek answers to the questions swirling in my mind, I followed Yuren back toward the school. "Oh, and Dale." Yuren, walking ahead, suddenly turned around with a smile. "Thanks." "...For what?" "For taking me out." Yuren smiled warmly as he said that. * * * After parting ways with Dale, I made my way back to the dormitory. The school, with all its sses over, was cloaked in an eerie silence. "Sigh." I recalled the memories of going outside with Dale today. Wandering the streets, seeing things I had never seen, eating things I had never tasted. ''It was fun.'' I had never imagined I would have a day like this. I was truly happy. But. "..." Standing in front of the door, I bit my lip. The time for that brief happiness had ended. Now, it was time to return to my usual routine. Creak. With trembling hands, I opened the door to the dormitory. "You''re finally back?" Inside the room, my mother sat with her legs crossed, staring at me with cold, lifeless eyes. "...Yes." I didn''t ask why she was still here, even though the parent observation day had already ended. I knew all too well that my mother wouldn''t leave just like that. "I''m sorry." I knelt before her and bowed my head. Without a word, my mother stood up and approached me. I shut my eyes tightly, bracing myself for a p across the face. "Yuren, no... Yurina." But instead, her hand gently stroked my cheek with surprising tenderness. "...Mother?" The word "mother" barely escaped my lips, as I hadn''t expected this at all. "You''ve had a hard time, haven''t you? To the point where you hung out with such a bad influence." "N-No, that''s not it..." "Don''t worry. No one knows how hard you''ve worked better than I do." "..." Was I dreaming? My mind was in a haze, unable toprehend the situation. "You''ve done well, Yurina. You''ve worked hard." As she said that, my mother gently stroked my back. "...Ah." A shiver ran down my spine. Tears flowed uncontrobly from my eyes. "M-Mother." "There, there." "Sob... Mother..." I didn''t know why her attitude had changed so suddenly, but that didn''t matter anymore. All I knew was that, in this moment, my long-held wish hade true. "Yurina, there''s something I need to ask you. Can you do it for me?" "Sob... Yes. Anything... I''ll do anything." Could there ever be a day as joyous as this? I wiped away my tears with the back of my hand and nodded eagerly. "Be Yuren." "...What?" Be Yuren? What had she meant by everything up to this point? "I''m not asking for some half-hearted imitation." "What are you talking about...?" My mother gripped my shoulders tightly, speaking with excitement in her voice. "If we ovey Yuren''s Stigma over yours, you''ll be the real Yuren... a shining sun." Her eyes, twisted with madness, glistened as she spoke. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 79: The Moon Swallowed by the Sun (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 79: The Moon Swallowed by the Sun (1) Stigma. It is the divine blessing that every hero possesses, a power that allows mere mortals to wield magic and reach the domain of the gods. These Stigma are divided into seven types, each depending on the god who bestowed the blessing: The Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Sky, the Earth, the Sea, and the Forest. Of course, there is also the "Stigma of the Demon God," created from the Demon God''s blessing, but when people generally speak of Stigma among heroes, they refer to the ones granted by these seven gods. So, what differences exist between these Stigma? The conclusion is that "there''s not much of a difference." While there are subtle distinctions in the nature of the magic¡ªsome might be more destructive, others more delicate or flexible¡ªin essence, they are all just Stigma, without any decisive differences. The continent''s greatest researcher of Stigma, Jade Bastian, once gave an analogy about this. He said Stigma are akin to "skin color." Just as people from the southern regions of the Empire have dark skin, the people of the Holy Kingdom have notably pale skin, and those from the Republic have yellow skin. Though the skin color differs by race, there''s no difference in them all being "human." Likewise, while the types of Stigma may differ, they are all essentially the same "Stigma." However, because of this, and therefore, the history of discrimination against certain Stigma has never ceased since the appearance of heroes in the world. Among them, two types of Stigma have been the most despised by heroes: The Stigma of the Moon God and the Stigma of the Forest God. The reason these two Stigma were treated with such disdain among heroes was simple. Among the "Five Great Heroes" who sealed the Demon God and saved humanity 500 years ago, none bore the Moon God''s stigma or the Forest God''s stigma. Reynald the Sun Knight had the stigma of the Sun God. Julius the Great Sage had the stigma of the Sea God. Ryujin Seong the Iron Fist had the stigma of the Earth God. Baek Seunghyuk, the Divine Spear, had the stigma of the Star God. Grace, the Light of Life, had the stigma of the Sky God. Of course, there were heroes bearing the Moon God''s and Forest God''s Stigma who fought and died in the Demon War, but whatter generations remembered were only the achievements of the "Five Great Heroes." Thus, "stigma hatred," which began for such a trivial reason, became rampant, particrly among noble families and powerful figures. Out of this long-standing hatred arose a technique called "stigma recement." This technique involved oveying one''s original stigma with someone else''s. However, as soon as it was created, it was hardly ever used before being banned. The Holy Kingdom fiercely opposed the idea of altering a stigma granted by a god, deeming it sphemous. But an even bigger reason was the critical w in the stigma recement technique. A stigma is not just a vessel for magic. A person''s soul resides in their stigma. What do you think would happen if one were to forcibly rece their stigma with someone else''s? Memory distortion, physical changes, and, in extreme cases, violent seizures leading to death before the procedure could even bepleted. As such, "stigma recement" was forbidden and became a forgotten, taboo technique, known only to a handful of schrs who specialized in stigma research. And yet, why¡ª "You''re saying you want to¡­ ovey my brother''s stigma?" I looked at my mother with trembling eyes. My mother nodded excitedly. "Yes. Fortunately, Yuren''s stigma has been preserved by the family. There will be no issues with the procedure." "No, that''s not¡­." "Yurina, you''ve worked so hard all this time trying to imitate Yuren, haven¡¯t you? Training in swordsmanship every day without rest, constantly pressured to be the best." Mother caressed my cheek as if she felt sorry for me. "But once you receive Yuren''s stigma, you won''t have to try so hard anymore." No more. "You won''t have to imitate the Sun anymore." "¡­¡­." A piercing ringing filled my ears. My vision blurred. My throat tightened, and I couldn''t breathe. I knew. I knew that what Mother wanted wasn''t me. I knew that, bearing the Moon God''s stigma, I could never be the "Sun." I ignored it, clinging desperately to the decaying thread of hope, denying what I knew was inevitable. But this day had finallye. "Mom¡­." No. "¡­Mother." "What''s wrong? You''re not going to say you won''t undergo the procedure now, are you?" The once-gentle look in my mother''s eyes turned cold. "Have you forgotten why your brother died?" "¡­¡­." "If you hadn''t asked Yuren for that ridiculous flower blooming on the cliff that day, none of this would have happened." Her sharp words pierced my heart. The memory of that day resurfaced, tearing open an old wound. ¡ªBrother! Can¡¯t you get me that flower? It was when I followed my brother to the sacred mountain where the past heads of the Helios family were buried. I pointed to a flower precariously growing on the cliff and tugged at my brother''s sleeve, unaware of what might happen. The little girl knew nothing, shedding tears and pleading with her brother. And then. ¡ªIf only you hadn¡¯t been there! If only you weren¡¯t¡­!!! My brother died. The hope of the Helios family vanished, so absurdly and tragically. "Haha." Yes. This is punishment. A punishment for the irredeemable ignorance of a 10-year-old girl. "I''ll do it." I nodded weakly. My mother smiled brightly, seemingly satisfied with my response. "I have someone to introduce you to." "¡­¡­?" I looked at her, puzzled. She pulled amunication device from her robe. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] She infused the palm-sized orb with magic, and a clear light appeared, revealing an image. [Hello? It''s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Faust.] A man with snow-white hair and a golden monocle. "Mr. Faust is an expert in stigma research, even more skilled than ''Jade Bastian.''" "¡­¡­." So, he''s the one who will transnt my brother''s stigma into me. I stared at the white-haired young man on the screen, my lips tightly sealed. The young man, who had introduced himself as Faust, smiled warmly and spoke in a gentle voice. [Haha, there''s no need to worry. None of the people who have undergone ''Stigma recement surgery'' with me have ever experienced any side effects like seizures.] "......" [Of course, since it¡¯s a risky procedure, there are some minor side effects.] "...What are the side effects?" At my question, Faust shrugged. [First, when the Stigma changes, some memories may disappear. Oh, but don¡¯t worry too much. Only a very small portion of your memories will be affected.] Faust continued speaking with a sly smile. [People forget things like what they had for lunch a week ago all the time, don''t they? Even if some memories disappear, you won¡¯t feel much difort.] Watching Faust casually dismiss something so outrageous, I clenched my fist tightly. Even if it¡¯s just a part of my memories, having pieces of my life erased couldn¡¯t possibly be a ¡®minor side effect.¡¯ I wanted to punch that smug face of his, but there was no way to hit someone who was on the other side of a screen. "Is that the only side effect?" [There''s one more.] "...What is it?" [You''re using a magical device to disguise yourself as a man right now, aren¡¯t you?] I grasped the pendant hanging from my neck tightly and nodded. [Although it can adjust your chest size and basic frame to appear male, you¡¯ve probably had some trouble since it can¡¯t change your reproductive organs, right?] "What¡¯s your point?" [When you receive Yuren¡¯s Stigma, your body will undergo changes, and your ''gender'' itself will change.] "...What?" I widened my eyes in shock at Faust¡¯s next words. My gender would change? Does that mean I would never again... [You won¡¯t have to bother pretending to be a man anymore. In fact, isn¡¯t that a good thing for you, Yurina?] "......" Suddenly, a mannequin I had seen earlier at a clothing store with Dale shed in my mind. The mannequin had been wearing a light, pretty outfit. ''I''ll never wear something like that again.'' Why, I wonder. I thought I had long since given up on living as ¡®Yurina.¡¯ I thought I had crumpled up all those childish daydreams and tucked them away in a corner of my heart. "Ah, ugh." Why does my heart ache so deeply? "Yurina." My mother hugged me as she spoke. "For me, for the Helios family... and for your brother." My body felt hot. The heat spread from my heart, engulfing my entire body. "Be the sun." Yes. As if I were being swallowed by the sun. * * * "Ugh. I never expected Professor Lucas to be waiting at the dorm entrance." Rubbing the spot where Professor Lucas had hit me on the head, I entered my dorm room. I had already braced myself to be dragged out and scolded tomorrow for skipping ss, but I never expected to be scolded right away today. "I wonder if Yuren will be okay..." I had warned Yuren not to return to the dorm today and to hide in the private training hall, fearing what Rosanna might do to him, but he just waved off my concern and headed straight to his dorm. ¡®Maybe I should send him a message.¡¯ I sent Yuren a message through my Hero Watch, asking if he made it back safely. "Is he asleep?" Well, time had flown by while I was stuck with Professor Lucas. "I¡¯ll ask him in person tomorrow." I took off my Hero Watch andy down on my bed when suddenly¡ª Ding. The Hero Watch chimed softly. "Huh?" I got up and checked the Hero Watch. It was a message from Yuren. The message that popped up on the hologram screen read: [Dale, can we meet for a moment?] "...Huh?" Meet up? At this hour? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 80: The Moon Swallowed by the Sun (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 80: The Moon Swallowed by the Sun (2) ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll go ahead. Make sure to pack your things ande to the mansion tomorrow.¡± ¡°I have ss tomorrow¡­¡± ¡°Hah, you skipped ss in front of me today, and now you''re using it as an excuse?¡± ¡°¡­¡± At my mother''s continued words, I bit my lip tightly. ¡°¡­Yes. I''ll pack my things ande home tomorrow.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you at the Valha City Warp Gate, soe there.¡± With that, my mother, as if she had nothing more to say, turned and left the room. Click. The door closed, and silence settled. The ticking of the clock echoed like thunder in the room. ¡°¡­¡± I slumped onto the carpeted floor, staring nkly out the window. Beyond the clear ss, the shimmering moonlight poured down. ¡®They say the moon can¡¯t shine without the sun.¡¯ I recalled something my basic education teacher once said and let out a soft, bitterugh. Not being able to shine without the sun. It was just like me right now. ¡°¡­Bing a man, huh.¡± Even if I became a man, my life wouldn''t change much. After all, except for my mother and a few people in our family, no one knew that I was ¡°Yurina.¡± ¡®Yes.¡¯ Nothing would change. Just as it has been until now. Just as it has always been. I would continue living as ¡°Yuren,¡± just as I have. ¡°¡­Dale.¡± Why is it that at this moment, his name is the first thing thates to mind? ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Only now did I realize. Only now could I feel it. ¡°I¡­ liked Dale.¡± I finally understood why it felt so suffocating every time I saw Dale and Iris together, why it was so hard to bear the loneliness and emptiness when I didn¡¯t see him for a few days. ¡ªYou did well. Why did just those simple words make my heart race so much? Now I know. Now I understand. ¡°Hah, haha.¡± A dryugh slipped from between my lips. ¡°How stupid.¡± Dale doesn¡¯t even know that I¡¯m a woman, and here I am acting like a fool. ¡®I¡¯ve already decided to live as a man.¡¯ That day, eight years ago. When ¡°Yuren,¡± who had promised to pick flowers for me after climbing the cliff, came back as a cold corpse. The life of ¡°Yurina¡± ended. ¡®This is the price I must pay.¡¯ Ignorance is a sin. Innocence is evil. How could a sinner who killed her brother with her careless words im that she has the right to pursue happiness? ¡°¡­Let¡¯s wash up.¡± I staggered to my feet and headed to the shower. As I took off the pendant, a halo of light enveloped me, and I returned to my form as ¡°Yurina.¡± Silver hair that gleamed like it was woven from moonlight, a figure not as extraordinarily endowed as Iris, but with a beautifully shaped bust. Thanks to constant training, my body was slender, with not an ounce of extra flesh. It might be awkward to say this about myself, but there wasn''t a ce I went where people didn¡¯t call me beautiful. The reflection in the mirror was of a stunning woman. ¡°Yurina.¡± I spoke, staring at my reflection in the mirror. ¡°This is thest time I¡¯ll see myself like this.¡± The woman in the mirror gave a sad smile. ¡°If¡­ If I hadn¡¯t asked my brother to pick those flowers that day, could I have ended up with Dale?¡± The woman in the mirror shook her head. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have even met Dale? Ah, right. If I¡¯d entered school at the right age, I wouldn¡¯t have crossed paths with him in his third year.¡± When I thought about it that way, I should be grateful that I met Dale like this, even if it wasn¡¯t under ideal circumstances. Though I couldn¡¯t be his lover, I could still stay by his side as his friend. ¡°Haha, yeah. Thinking that way makes me feel a bit better.¡± I smiled brightly as I raised my head. But then, I saw the reflection in the mirror. Tears were streaming down ¡°Yurina¡¯s¡± face, rolling down her cheeks. ¡°¡­Huh? Why am I crying?¡± I said I¡¯d made up my mind. I said I¡¯d resolved to do this. I said that staying by his side as a friend was enough to give me somefort. So why? Why, why, why? Why was the reflection in the mirror crying so bitterly? ¡°Dale¡­¡± I sobbed his name, and at that moment¡ª ¡ªDing! A soft chime rang out from my Hero Watch. ¡°Ah.¡± I quickly turned it on to find a message from Dale. [Hey, did you get home safely?] ¡°Hehe. He messaged me because he was worried.¡± Just seeing his message made me smile, as if I hadn¡¯t been crying at all. The fear that had gnawed at me like poison, the sadness that had choked me, all seemed to vanish. ¡°I should reply quickly.¡± I typed, ¡°Yeah, I got home safe,¡± and was about to press send. ¡°¡­¡± A powerful impulse welled up from deep inside. Memories of skipping ss today and hanging out with Dale in Valha City shed through my mind. An experience of rebellion, something I¡¯d never done before, something I¡¯d never even thought of doing. ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll be Yuren, won¡¯t I?¡± Which meant¡­ Today was thest day I could live as ¡°Yurina¡± in this life. ¡°¡­¡± I stared at my reflection as ¡°Yurina¡± in the mirror. Myst day, myst chance. If so¡­ ¡°Just for today¡­¡± Even if it¡¯s a momentary escape, even if it¡¯s just a fleeting dream, for today, could it be okay to be ''Yurina''? ¡°...¡± I moved my finger, which had hesitated over the send button, and deleted the message I had prepared. With trembling fingertips, I sent him a new message. [Dale, can we meet for a moment?] * * * Late at night, behind the school. The moonlight quietly illuminated the eerily silent backyard. "That guy... Did something really happen?" I, having arrived at the meeting ce first, let out a low sigh and sat down on a nearby bench. "Ugh." Regret began to wash over me¡ªperhaps I shouldn''t have dragged Yuren out earlier today. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡®It¡¯s obvious. He must¡¯ve gotten scolded by that woman.¡¯ Otherwise, why would he suddenly ask to meet in the middle of the night? Especially since we¡¯d been together all day, skipping sses and messing around. ¡°This is driving me nuts.¡± While waiting for Yuren, I sighed, filled with a mix of regret and self-reproach. That¡¯s when I sensed someone approaching from afar. ¡°Yuren?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± A trembling voice reached me. The figure revealed under the distant moonlight was a silver-haired woman. The sight of her face under the gentle moonlight was so breathtaking that, for a moment, I forgot to breathe. ¡°Hello, Mr. Dale. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± The silver-haired woman who approached me bowed her head politely. ¡°My name is Yurina Helios.¡± ¡°¡­Yurina Helios?¡± Yurina Helios? Isn¡¯t that the name of Yuren¡¯s younger sister who was said to have died in an ident eight years ago? ¡°I know the world believes I died in an ident, but the truth is, due to certain circumstances, my family deliberately spread that rumor.¡± ¡°What kind of circumstances?¡± Yurina trailed off. She continued, her voice filled with a sad smile. ¡°Because I¡¯m a direct descendant of the Helios family... and I bear the ¡®Stigma of the Moon God.¡¯¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Now that she mentioned it, I had heard stories like that. In high-ranking noble families, if a child is born with a Stigma different from their parents, they might be cast out of the family to preserve the family¡¯s honor, or considered as though they were dead. ¡°I came to observe today¡¯s sses with my mother¡­ I never imagined you would skip ss and take my brother out while I stepped away for just a moment.¡± ¡°Well, that¡­¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about my brother. Mother was quite upset, but we talked, and it¡¯s all settled now.¡± Yurina shrugged her shoulders as she spoke. ¡°That difficult woman?¡± ¡°Hehe. She may seem that way, but my mother greatly cares for my brother.¡± ¡°She sure doesn¡¯t look like it.¡± ¡°Haha. Really, she does. My mother¡­ has lived her entire life with only ¡®Yuren¡¯ in mind.¡± Yurina gave a bittersweet smile as she said that. ¡°My brother told me a lot about you, Mr. Dale.¡± ¡°About me?¡± ¡°Yes. He¡¯s always so happy when he talks about his friend that I got curious and nagged him until I could meet you.¡± ¡°...¡± I stared at Yurina with aplicated expression. ¡°Oh, do you not believe me? Here, take a look. My Stigma is different from my brother¡¯s, right?¡± Yurina gently opened her shirt, revealing the area near her left chest. Just as she said, there was the ''Stigma of the Moon God,'' not the ''Stigma of the Sun God.'' ¡°¡­So where¡¯s Yuren right now?¡± ¡°Oh, he stayed behind with my mother to discuss some things.¡± Stayed behind in the room, huh? ¡°So, what did you want to talk to me about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I had something specific to say.¡± Yurina shook her head gently, smiling faintly. ¡°I just wanted to see what kind of person you are, Mr. Dale.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why you called me out at this hour?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I have to return to the estate with my mother tomorrow. Today is the only chance I had to meet you.¡± Yurina spoke as she carefully sat down beside me. ¡°I feel like if I don¡¯t meet you today... there won¡¯t be another chance.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± I frowned as I asked, and Yurina smiled brightly. ¡°I¡¯ve always been unwell, you see. The doctors say I won¡¯t live much longer.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Before it¡¯s toote, I wanted to say something to you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Mr. Dale.¡± Yurina turned to me, her face lighting up with a radiant smile. ¡°Please continue to take care of my brother.¡± The moonlight shone down on her. ¡°As a dear friend... as a reliablepanion... please stay by his side.¡± Yurina slowly stood up. ¡°Well, I should go now. If I stay out too long, my brother will scold me.¡± She bowed politely once again. ¡°¡­It was such a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Dale.¡± With those final words, Yurina turned and walked away. ¡°...¡± Alone in the backyard, I thought back to the ¡®Yurina Helios¡¯ I had just met. ¡°Yurina Helios¡­¡± Yuren¡¯s younger sister. The one who the world believed had died in an ident eight years ago, but in truth, was still alive. After hearing about me from Yuren, she had been so curious that she pestered him to bring me out here in the middle of the night. ¡°Sigh.¡± I let out a deep sigh and rubbed my forehead. ¡°Yuren, you bastard.¡± You¡¯re a terrible liar. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 81: The Moon Swallowed by the Sun (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 81: The Moon Swallowed by the Sun (3) The morning after my brief moonlit encounter with ''Yuren.'' Waking up early, I found myself lost in thought, forgetting to practice my usual mana training (which was practically a ritual). "What on earth is that guy Yuren thinking?" It wasn¡¯t hard to figure out that Yurina was actually Yuren. From her small gestures to her gait, even the subtle nuances of her speech and habits¡ªthere was no fooling me. Yuren had tried not to give himself away, but after ten years of facing life and death together in our past life, there was no way he could deceive my eyes. ''Even if that weren''t the case, the fact that Yurina is here itself doesn¡¯t make sense.'' Even if, by some stretch of the imagination, the rumor that Yurina Helios had died eight years ago by falling off a cliff was false, why would Rosanna Helios, who had gone so far as to fabricate her daughter¡¯s death to conceal the existence of the ''Stigma of the Moon God,'' suddenly bring Yurina to school? And not just on any day¡ªbut on the day when the most heroes gathered for the observation sses of the year. ''Yuren must have known that too.'' Despite this, Yuren clumsily pretended to be Yurina in front of me. ''Why?'' Two possibilities came to mind: Either he didn¡¯t care if he was found out, or¡ª ''The situation was so urgent that he had no time to care.'' I frowned and let out a sigh. No matter how hard I thought, I couldn¡¯te up with a reason why Yuren would need to suddenly disguise himself as ''Yurina'' and appear before me so hastily. ¡°Speaking of which¡­.¡± I recalled the image of Yurina fromst night. Her silver hair was as if woven from moonlight, her snow-white skin was exquisitely sculpted, and her features were as though crafted by a meticulous sculptor. While Yuren was naturally handsome, the transformation was astounding even with that in mind. "Where the hell did that guy learn such skills?" This wasn¡¯t an amateurish cross-dressing attempt like Juliet¡¯s. It was a full-scale transformation, altering body structure, chest size, hair color, and even voice. Such a sophisticated disguise would require professional-level magic tools, the kind used by national agents or spies fromrge guilds. ''Even putting aside where he got such tools¡ª'' The most iprehensible thing was why Yuren would go so far as to use professional-grade magic tools to disguise himself as his supposedly dead younger sister. ¡°It can''t be just a hobby, right¡­?¡± For a moment, I imagined Juliet¡¯s face, but I shook my head, dismissing the thought. ''He didn¡¯t have such a hobby in our past life.'' In all the ten years we spent together in a party, I never once saw Yuren cross-dress. And who would use such advanced magic tools for mere hobbies? ¡°Professional disguise magic tools¡­ huh?¡± That¡¯s when it hit me. ¡°Wait a second.¡± A bolt of realization struck me, sending chills down my spine. I pressed my hand to my forehead, recalling the events of the previous night. ¡°Where was he wearing the magic tool?¡± For a tool that could alter body structure, it couldn¡¯t be something small like a ring or earring. Right. Even with the finest magical stones, it would need to be at least the size of a pendant to function properly. But¡ª "Last night, he wasn¡¯t wearing anything, was he?" I hadn¡¯t had the time to check carefully due to the shock of Yuren suddenly appearing before me as a beautiful silver-haired woman, but as I retraced my memories, I realized Yuren hadn¡¯t been wearing any magic tools on his body. ''And Yuren definitely doesn¡¯t know how to use transformation magic like Polymorph, either.'' While Yuren had a natural talent with the sword, his ability with magic was so poor that he was worse off than me in that regard. I could vouch for that, as could our mentor, Sophia, who had taught both of us magic. "Wait, so¡­ was that really Yuren¡¯s younger sister I metst night?" No. That couldn¡¯t be. The Yurina I metst night had all the mannerisms and characteristics of Yuren that I knew so well. Even if they were siblings, it was impossible for them to share the same small gestures, habits, and nuances to that degree. ¡°What the hell is going on¡­?¡± My thoughts were a jumbled mess. Suddenly, a memory from when Yuren and I went to the bathhouse together shed through my mind. ¡ªWhat¡¯s that pendant? ¡ªOh? This... uh, it¡¯s my, my younger sister¡¯s keepsake. Yuren had awkwardly smiled, trying to hide it, clutching the pendant around his neck. If that pendant back then was a disguise tool, then everything would make sense¡ª. ¡°No, no, no. It doesn¡¯t make sense at all.¡± That would imply Yuren wasn¡¯t actually a man, but a woman who had been disguising herself as a man all this time. ¡°There¡¯s no way Yuren was a woman.¡± Ten years. We had spent ten years together. No matter how closed-off Yuren might have been, it was impossible that I wouldn¡¯t have realized if he wasn¡¯t a man during all that time. Whether it was when his clothes were torn during battle, when we had to sleep cramped together in tight spaces, or when I had to strip his clothes to treat his severe wounds and pour potions over him¡ªthere were countless moments that confirmed Yuren was a man. ¡°¡­He wasn¡¯t even wearing any disguise magic tools back then.¡± Right. The ''keepsake from his sister'' that Yuren had worn around his neck didn¡¯t exist when we first became part of a party ten years ago. ''That would mean Yuren was originally a woman whoter became a man.'' I chuckled to myself, shaking my head. Turning from a woman into a man? That was ridiculous¡ª. ¡ªI¡¯m a direct descendant of the Helios family and bear the ''Stigma of the Moon God.'' Suddenly,st night¡¯s memory shed in my mind. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Yurina¡ªor rather, Yuren¡ªhad opened her shirt to reveal the ''Stigma of the Moon God'' etched on her chest. But the Yuren I knew had the ''Stigma of the Sun God'' marked on his left chest. "¡­¡­." I immediately bolted out of my room and headed straight to Professor Jade¡¯s researchb. Bang! I roughly opened the door, and there I saw Professor Jade, slumped over his desk, sleeping. ¡°Huh? What is it,d?¡± Professor Jade drowsily opened his eyes. ¡°Do you have any research on the Stigma Exchange Technique?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Research on the Stigma Exchange Technique¡ªdo you have it?¡± ¡°Well, I do have some material¡­¡± ¡°Show it to me.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter¡­ hmm. Alright, just wait a moment.¡± He was about to ask the reason when Professor Jade looked into my eyes and then rummaged through a drawer in theboratory. I quickly scanned the thick research material Professor Jade handed to me. ¡°Stigma Recement Technique.¡± It was a technique I had briefly looked into before to remove the "Blessing of Revival." Of course, it was a nearly obsolete technique, so there wasn''t much information left, and I lost interest when I learned that changing the Stigma wouldn''t make an awakened "blessing" disappear. ¡°The most prominent side effects of the Stigma Recement Technique are memory loss and physical transformation¡­¡± I bit my lip as I read the material. ¡°Professor, this physical transformation¡­ could it possibly include a change in gender?¡± ¡°Usually, one would have a seizure and die before that happens, but¡­ in theory, it''s definitely possible.¡± Professor Jade stroked his beard and continued speaking. ¡°The stronger the Stigma being transnted, the more likely it is.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°But why are you suddenly curious about that?¡± Without answering Professor Jade''s question, I clenched my teeth. Yuren, who had been like family, oddly kept a ¡®wall¡¯ even between us party members. Yuren, who always insisted on having a personal tent, and even booked private rooms whenever we stayed at inns. Yuren, who entered the bathhouse with Berald and blushed red while covering their body with a towel. Yuren, who stared absentmindedly at the women¡¯s clothing section when we skipped ss and went to Valha City together. Yurina and Helios¡¯ true identities. The swapped Stigma. The Sun and the Moon. The puzzle pieces that had been scattered in my mind started to fit together. ¡®Yuren wasn¡¯t Yuren¡­ but Yurina.¡¯ Now I finally understood. Why Yuren in their previous life hesitated to talk about their past. Why I felt an inexplicable distance from them. ¡®They had changed.¡¯ From the Moon to the Sun. Yurina, who was born with the blessing of the Moon God etched on her chest, had been turned into the ¡®Sun¡¯ by someone¡¯s hand. ¡®When did it happen?¡¯ For now, I had confirmed yesterday that Yurina currently bears the Moon God¡¯s Stigma. And 12 years from now, when she formed a party with me, she had the Stigma of the Sun God. ¡®The range is too broad.¡¯ How am I supposed to figure out exactly when Yurina¡¯s Stigma was changed during the 12-year gap? ¡°Haa.¡± A deep sigh slipped out from between my lips. ¡®I need to talk to Yuren¡­ no, Yurina.¡¯ After thanking Professor Jade for lending me the research material, I headed to Yurina''s dormitory. I knocked on the door of the shiny dormitory, which was iparable to the shabby one I lived in. ¡°Yuren! Come out for a moment!¡± Bang, bang, bang. Even though I knocked loudly, there was no response. I tried sending a message and calling her through the Hero Watch, but all I got was a message saying she was unavable. ¡®Where could she have gone when it¡¯s not even ss time yet?¡¯ I frowned as I checked the time on my Hero Watch. ¡°¡­No way.¡± With a stiff face, I scrolled up through the message history on my Hero Watch. -Dale, can you meet me for a moment? Last night. A sudden message from Yurina asking to meet me. An ominous feeling crept down my spine and spread throughout my body. ¡°Damn it!¡± I hurriedly ran to Lucas'' office. Bang! I barged into the office, and Professor Lucas, looking puzzled, stared at me. ¡°Where is Yuren right now?¡± ¡°Yuren? If you mean Yuren, he said he had an urgent family matter this morning and left after getting a leave of absence.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I bit my lip at Professor Lucas¡¯ response. ¡°¡­Professor.¡± ¡°Hmm? What is it?¡± ¡°Where is the closest warp gate to the Helios family from here?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 82: The Moon Swallowed by the Sun (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 82: The Moon Swallowed by the Sun (4) In one corner of the imperial capital stood the Helios family estate. The vast grounds and magnificent mansion, befitting a family that once held more power than even the imperial family, were awe-inspiring. However, unlike the homes of some other wealthy families, it wasn''t gaudy for the sake of it. The number of "Sun Gates" that protected the Helios family and their sun was three in total. The first Sun Gate was a towering wall and iron gate, reminiscent of a fortress, immediately visible upon reaching the mansion''s entrance. Hundreds of trained guards guarded This immense gate 24 hours a day. The second Sun Gate was the knights seen throughout the mansion grounds after entering. Known as the "Order of the Sun Knights," this knightly order, directly affiliated with the Helios family, was ever ready to deal with any intruders, stationed on both sides of the path leading to the mansion. Those who sought to pass the first Sun Gate, guarded by hundreds of soldiers, and the second Sun Gate, protected by one of the three most powerful knightly orders in the empire, would eventually face the Helios family''s mansion. Opening the door to this mansion, which boasted an overwhelming size, revealed the third and most formidable Sun Gate ¡ª a magical barrier. Thest and final Sun Gate, set up directly by the Great Sage Julius Bastian for his close friend, was a protection barrier within the mansion itself. It was said that this powerful barrier activated whenever an unauthorized outsider entered the mansion and would immediately reduce intruders to ashes through a barrage of magic attacks too numerous to count. The reason people used the vague expression "it is said" was because in the 500-year history of the Helios family, the final Sun Gate had never been triggered. While there had been several attempts to invade the mansion to steal its treasures, most intruders couldn''t even breach the first Sun Gate. Of course,pared to 500 years ago, the Helios family''s power had waned, and the splendor of the Sun Gates was not what it once was. Yet, as the saying goes, even a declining wealthy familysts three generations, and the Helios family estate was still an imprable fortress, even if the family was on a path of ruin. "......" Inside this Helios family mansion, a silver-haired woman gazed nkly at the sunlight streaming in through the window. "...It''s so clear." Looking up at the cloudless blue sky, Yurina gave a bitter smile. "It would have been nice if it were a bit cloudy today." The sun, shining brilliantly in the blue sky, illuminated everything in its path as always. As if it were about to swallow the world. As if it were about to swallow me. Knock, knock. The hard sound of knocking broke her thoughts. The door opened, and her mother entered the room. "Are you all ready?" "...Yes." She nodded weakly and rose from her seat. The thin white gown, almost as thin as underwear, lightly brushed against the floor. "Master Faust said he''s also ready, so you shoulde out soon." "Yes, I understand." Following behind her mother, Yurina slowly began to walk. Creak. "......" Just before leaving the room, she stopped and turned her head toward the mirror in one corner. A silver-haired woman, wearing a white gown and gazing sadly, stared back at her. Goodbye. Take care, Yurina. She waved quietly at the silver-haired woman reflected in the mirror. "What are you doing just standing there?" "Ah, sorry." "Move quickly. And fix your expression. Today is a good day, isn''t it?" "......" "If today''s procedure goes well, let''s have a small celebration party afterward." "...Yes." A good day. She forcefully swallowed down the emotion welling up in her throat. "......" In silence, Yurina followed her mother down the hallway. The procedure would take ce in the mansion''s basement. Contrary to the title "House of the Sun," it was a rather gloomy ce. "You''ve arrived." Upon reaching the basement, a man who introduced himself as Faust approached. His slicked-back white hair and monocle with a gold rimplemented his handsome appearance, and though he had a friendly smile, talking to him alone made her feel inexplicably nauseous. "Hmm? Are you feeling unwell?" Had her emotions shown on her face? Faust tilted his head as he observed her expression. "Ah, perhaps it''s because the gown you''re wearing is too thin?" Clicking his tongue, Faust nced at the thin gown she was wearing. "This is my mistake. I assumed you wouldn''t mind, given that you''ve lived your life as a man. Would you like me to get a thicker gown for you?" "No, it''s fine. It''s not because of that." It wasn''t a lie. ¡®When I was with Dale at the bathhouse, I was so embarrassed.¡¯ For some reason, even though she was standing in front of a stranger wearing a see-through gown, she felt no shame. What she felt now was merely a primal disgust. A feeling simr to seeing the crushed remains of an insect. "Hmm. Is that so?" With a subtle smile on his lips, Faust shrugged his shoulders. "Well then, pleasee and lie down herefortably." In the center of therge basement was a surgical table just big enough for one person to lie down on. Surrounding it was an enormous magic circle that, even to someone like Yurina who was unfamiliar with magic, seemed immense and powerful. As she stared in awe at the sheer scale of the magic circle, Faust approached with a soft chuckle. "Haha. There''s no need to be so tense. The procedure itself won''t take long." "...Yes." With weary steps, she moved toward the surgical table andy down. The cold surface of the table could be felt through the thin gown. "......" All she could see above her was the dim ceiling of the basement. On this glorious day when she was to be reborn as the true "sun," the only thing cast over her was pitch-ck darkness, without a trace of light. ''Dale.'' As shey on the surgical table, one person''s face naturally came to mind. ''You looked so surprised yesterday.'' When she had approached him yesterday as "Yurina," his startled expression had been clear. ''Was it because I looked so beautiful that you were so surprised?'' Recalling the brief encounter under the moonlightst night, she couldn''t help but think a silly thought. ''It was nice.'' Seeing his surprised expression, sitting next to him and talking, and the two of us silently gazing up at the moonlit sky. Others might click their tongues, saying, "What''s the big deal?" But for me, it was an irreceable, precious memory. ¡®That¡¯s enough.¡¯ Yeah, that¡¯s enough. Just like how a runaway student eventually returns to school, the end of rebellion should naturally be a return to routine. "Then, I''ll begin the procedure." Yeah. This is my routine. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Lying on this cold operating table, waiting to be the "sun"¡ªthis moment was the truest part of my life. ¡®This is it.¡¯ This trivial thing. This miserable thing. This is the life Yurina Helios has lived. ¡®I hate it.¡¯ In an instant, an unbearable flood of emotions surged within me, like an explosion. Smack! I roughly knocked away Faust¡¯s hand as he reached out toward me. "Yurina! What on earth are you doing?!" My mother¡¯s shocked reprimand rang out. "Oh... I, I¡¯m sorry." I looked back at Faust, startled. Faust, holding his reddened hand, smiled warmly. "No, it¡¯s alright. I understand that you''re feeling very confused right now." He took a step back and turned toward Rosanna. "How about giving Miss Yurina a little more time to prepare herself?" "Sigh. I apologize. Ever since she started hanging around thosemoners from the Republic, she¡¯s been losing her manners." "...¡­" Seeing my mother sigh and shake her head, I couldn''t help but let out a hollowugh. A hollow emptiness gnawed at my heart. ¡®What have I been struggling for all this time?¡¯ For the sake of someone like that, just to hear a single word of praise, "Well done," I had desperately worked for the past eight years. ¡®Maybe¡­ I should just run away now?¡¯ If I threw everything away. If I ran away from this ce, would my life change? "What are you doing? Hurry up and lie back on the operating table." "...Yes." Despite the boiling impulses in my mind, my body obediently followed my mother¡¯smand. "...¡­" Life has inertia. No matter how much I wanted to escape, the past eight years of my life had be shackles that bound me tightly. At the cold sound of my mother¡¯s voice, my entire body froze, unable to move. Even the desire to escape from this ce dissipated as if it were never there in the first ce. ¡®...Ah.¡¯ The only thing I could do was lie back down on the operating table as my mothermanded. "Hah, haha." I let out a dryugh and shook my head. ¡®Nothing has changed, after all.¡¯ Yurina Helios¡¯s clock was still stuck at that moment eight years ago. The day I stared at my dead brother¡¯s body, unable to do anything but sob uncontrobly. ¡®Sigh.¡¯ Suddenly, I remembered a story my brother had told me when I was younger. A typical fairy tale about a prince on a white horseing to rescue a captive princess. ¡®The brother who told me that story died because of me.¡¯ With a bitterugh, Iy on the operating table and stared up at the dark ceiling. In the darkness, I imagined Dale¡¯s face. I imagined him suddenly breaking through the wall, rescuing me like the prince in the story. ¡®What am I even hoping for?¡¯ I chuckled at the absurdity of the thought. Expecting Dale to save me? Dale didn¡¯t even know that I was "Yurina," not "Yuren." And even if he knew, what could he possibly do? ¡®It¡¯s impossible for Dale to make it here alone.¡¯ The Helios mansion was guarded by hundreds of soldiers and the Sun Knights, forming an imprable fortress. Not to mention the powerful protection spells cast by the great sage Julius once you stepped inside the mansion. No matter how skilled Dale was, there was no way he could break through the three "Sun Gates" and reach this ce. "Please begin the procedure." Indulging in childish fantasies ends here. It¡¯s time to face reality. "It seems you''re ready now." Faust smiled gently as he approached me. As his hand reached out to touch my stigma¡ª Beep! A shrill rm suddenly red from the Hero Watch on my mother¡¯s wrist. "What is it now?" My mother furrowed her brows in irritation as she turned on the Hero Watch. "I told you I have an important event today¡ª" [An intruder! There¡¯s an intruder!] "What?" [An intruder has broken through the first ''Sun Gate'' and entered the mansion grounds!] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 83: The Moon Swallowed by the Sun (5) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 83: The Moon Swallowed by the Sun (5) The only light in the dimly lit basement came from the magic circles engraved across the floor and walls, glowing quietly. A noblewoman in a resplendent dress grimaced ferociously. "The first Sun Gate has been breached?" Rosanna Helios, the head of the Helios family, narrowed her eyes at the absurd reporting through her Hero Watch. A gate guarded 24 hours a day by hundreds of soldiers had been breached? "How many are there?" "J-just one." "One? You¡¯re telling me just one person?" Rosanna red at the Hero Watch, from which the panicked voice of the captain of the guards wasing. "Get a grip and report properly. What¡¯s the situation?" [As, as reported! The intruder singlehandedly overpowered the 282 guards protecting the Sun Gate and breached the main entrance!] "¡­¡­." It wasn¡¯t as if they had secretly climbed over the rtively less guarded outer wall¡ªthey had broken through nearly 300 guards and entered from the front? ¡®This makes no sense¡­.¡¯ Though the 300 guards weren''t ''Heroes'' blessed with Stigmas, they were all highly skilled and armed with magical tools. Even if a Hero possessed superhuman strength, breaking through 300 well-armed guards singlehandedly was no easy feat. "Report the intruder''s characteristics." [He had g-grey hair and was wearing a Hero Academy cadet uniform!] Grey hair and a Hero Academy cadet uniform? ¡®It can¡¯t be¡­.¡¯ Rosanna¡¯s expression hardened. The face of that audacious Republic mutt who had defied her during the observation ss shed through her mind. "Where is the intruder now?" [They¡¯re quickly approaching the mansion along the path!] "Send out the Knights of the Sun to subdue the intruder." The second Sun Gate protecting the Helios family was guarded by one of the top three knight orders in the Empire. These knights resided permanently within the mansion grounds, tasked with defending the family against outside threats. [Understood!] Footsteps hurriedly ran off, leaving a heavy silence in the basement. "Mother, surely you don¡¯t mean to¡­." "Stay lying down. Don''t get up," Rosanna snapped at Yurina, who was attempting to rise from the surgical table. Her face was tense, lips bitten in frustration. A few minutes passed in silence before another report came through the Hero Watch. [Currently engaging the intruder with the Knights of the Sun!] "Good work." Rosanna sighed in relief at the follow-up report. The Knights of the Sun were unlike the entrance guards¡ªthey were an elite forceprised entirely of ''Heroes'' who had awakened Stigmas. Moreover, this was not a mere ragtag band of heroes, but a powerful knight order made up of top graduates from the Hero Academy. The Knights of the Sun were strong enough to face off against mostrge guilds. Surely, dealing with one rookie cadet wouldn¡¯t take long¡­. [Th-the Knights of the Sun are being pushed back!] "What?" [Half the Knights have already lost consciousness, and the remaining half are barely holding on!] "W-what are you saying?" Rosanna brought the Hero Watch closer to her face, panic spreading. Barely five minutes had passed since the engagement report, and yet¡ªhow could this be? Half of the Knights of the Sun had lost consciousness? And the other half was barely holding out? ¡®What in the world is happening?¡¯ The situation was so absurd that she wanted to believe it was some kind of borate prank by the captain of the guards. [Captain Robert is now fighting the intruder!] [Cap-Captain Robert is being pushed back!] [Captain Robert has fallen! The Knights of the Sun are all incapacitated!] Rosanna''s face froze in shock. Robert Helios, her closest subordinate and the captain of the Knights of the Sun, was a Hero carrying the bloodline of the Helios family. Though he was a child of a concubine and hadn¡¯t learned the family¡¯s secret Sun sword techniques, he was still ranked in the top 100 of the Empire¡¯s hero rankings¡ªa so-called ''Ranker.'' "A cadet defeated a Ranker?" And it wasn¡¯t even after a long, hard-fought battle. Judging by the timing of the report, Robert hadn¡¯t evensted three minutes before being overwhelmed. Even with the other Knights of the Sun assisting. "What is going on¡­ What is this situation?" Rosanna pressed her forehead in disbelief. A single cadet had stormed the Helios family estate, an event absurd in itself, but to break through two Sun Gates¡ªgates that had never been breached in the 500-year history of the family¡ªin mere moments? Such a thing should have been impossible unless a high-level archbishop-ss demon was leading the charge. [The intruder is heading toward the mansion!] "S-stop them!" [But there are no forces left¡­.] "Surely there are still troops on standby in the mansion! Take them all and stop that person!" [U-understood!] The panicked voice faded into the distance. "It seems the situation isn¡¯t going well." Pausing by the surgical table, Faust, who had been quietly observing the unfolding situation, finally spoke. "N-no! It¡¯s fine! Don¡¯t worry and please focus on the procedure, Doctor!" "Hmm. This doesn¡¯t seem like an appropriate time for a procedure, though¡­." Faust shrugged as he continued. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Besides, there¡¯s no need to worry, right?" "W-what do you mean¡­?" "After all, the Helios family has three Sun Gates." "¡­¡­." Rosanna stiffened at Faust¡¯s words. The third Sun Gate of the Helios family. Inside the mansion was a protective barrier installed by the legendary sage Julius Bastian himself. "But if we activate the barrier¡­." Rosanna trailed off, biting her lip. The barrier Julius had created wasn¡¯t meant to subdue intruders. It was designed to obliterate them with a barrage of magical attacks, turning them to ash in an instant¡ªa barrier specialized for ''elimination.'' "Ugh¡­." Rosanna had no intention of killing a mere cadet, even if he was a lowborn mutt from the Republic. She hadn¡¯t expected this situation to escte to the point where she¡¯d have to consider such an option. "Why are you hesitating? Surely you¡¯re not nning to show mercy to a scoundrel who¡¯s invaded your family?" "N-no, it¡¯s not that¡­." "If it¡¯s not, then quickly contact the guards and activate the third Sun Gate." "¡­¡­." Rosanna silently looked down at her Hero Watch. [Intruder has entered the mansion!] Urgent reports continued to stream from the Hero Watch. "Is there anything more important right now than creating the ''Sun'' for the Helios family?" Faust''s sweet whisper echoed. Just as she swallowed and was about to speak¡ª "No, stop!" Yurina, who had been lying on the procedure table, urgently sat up. It wasn''t hard to figure out who the ''intruder'' rampaging through the mansion was. ''Dale.'' She didn''t know why he hade, but among the candidates capable of neutralizing hundreds of guards and the Sun''s knights by himself, there was no one else she knew except Dale. Her joy at Daleing to rescue her was short-lived. As soon as she heard the order to activate the ''Protection Barrier,'' a chilling sensation ran down her spine. ''Mother must be stopped.'' No matter how strong Dale was, he couldn''t possibly survive a barrier cast directly by the Great Sage. "Stop, Mother... Aaaagh!" Crackle! At that moment, a blinding light burst from the magic circle around the procedure table. The light transformed into chains that bound Yurina tightly. "Nngh...! Let me go!" "Defying your mother is not a good idea." Faust sneered coldly as he looked back at Rosanna. "Rosanna?" "...I understand." Rosanna, as if making a decision, picked up the Hero Watch. "Activate the barrier." [The, the barrier, ma''am?] "Or would you rather sit around twiddling your thumbs while the intruder waltzes into the mansion?" [N-No, ma''am. I''ll activate the barrier right away.] Wuuuuung! As the Great Sage¡¯s barrier activated, a wave of powerful magic spread even to the basement. "No! Please, stop..." Yurina''s desperate voice rang out as she reached out, her face filled with panic. But before her plea could bepleted¡ª BOOOOOOOOM!!! A thunderous roar shook the entire mansion. Cracks appeared in the ceiling of the basement, and chunks of debris fell down. Soon after, a report came through the Hero Watch. [Barrier is functioning normally.] "Whew, good. What about the intruder?" [I''ll go check right away.] Panting could be heard through themunicator, as if the guard captain was rushing somewhere. Amidst coughing, probably due to the smoke filling the mansion from the magical bombardment, the captain spoke again. [Intruder confirmed dead.] "Well done." Rosanna smiled brightly and nodded. "Ah..." Yurina, wide-eyed, stood frozen. "Aah..." Yurina wrapped her trembling arms around herself. "Aaah, aaaahhh!" She screamed as if in convulsions, her body twisting violently. The chains of light dug into her body, and blood began to seep out. "You... you dare, YOU DARE!" Yurina, eyes bloodshot, red murderously at Rosanna. "Yurina, you¡ª" "I''ll kill you! I swear!" Rosanna was taken aback, staring at her daughter who was now radiating killing intent. She had never seen her daughter like this before. The once docile girl who had always obediently followed her was gone. Yurina, now looking like a demon with her face twisted in rage, was struggling, covered in her own blood. "How dare you talk to your mother like that¡ª" Just as Rosanna was about to scold her¡ª [...What the...] A voice, filled with shock, came through the Hero Watch. [Why... Why is he still alive?] "...What did you say?" Rosanna furrowed her brows and raised the Hero Watch. "What¡¯s going on?" [A-Ahh. N-No, don¡¯te closer.] "Captain?" [Stay back, you monster! AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!] CRUNCH! The sound of something being destroyed echoed through themunicator, followed by silence. "W-What is this..." Rosanna stared at the now disconnected Hero Watch in disbelief. Thud, thud. Footsteps echoed from beyond the basement door. Rosanna, her eyes wide with fear, turned to look at the door. "No way..." Before she could finish her sentence¡ª BOOOOM! The basement door shattered with a deafening explosion. A thick cloud of ashen smoke billowed in. Amidst the swirling dust, a pair of green eyes gleamed fiercely. "Yuren... no, Yurina, wasn¡¯t it?" Dale casually walked into the basement, his gaze fixed on Yurina, who was bound to the procedure table. "I¡¯m here to take you." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 84: The Moon Swallowed by the Sun (6) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 84: The Moon Swallowed by the Sun (6) "Wa-wait!" Rosanna hastily blocked my path. She red at me with a mix of panic and fury in her eyes as she opened her mouth. "Who... what are you, exactly?" "I introduced myself yesterday, didn''t I? Getting old and forgetful already, auntie?" "You little...!" Rosanna¡¯s expression twisted into something fierce. "How did you break through the Sun Gate?" "How did I do it? I heard everything from here, didn''t I?" I nced at her Hero Watch, which was still powered on, and smirked. "I just smashed through it all." There wasn''t time to craft a cunning strategy or put together a detailed n. As soon as I realized that Yuren... no, Yurina''s Stigma had been forcibly changed by someone, I charged straight toward the Helios family and smashed through the front gate without thinking. ''It would be a lie to say I had no doubts at all.'' If there was one thing that held me back, it was the potential change to the future. ''In my past life, the Yurina I knew bore the Stigma of the Sun God.'' But if I intervened here and stopped the change to her Stigma, she''d live on with the Stigma of the Moon God instead. If that happens... ''She might not reach the same heights as before.'' Of course, the Stigma itself doesn''t directly affect one''s abilities. Just like how I, with the Stigma of the Forest God, had momentarily reached the pinnacle of the Sun Sword, she could reach the same heights even with the Stigma of the Moon God. ''No one can predict how the future will change.'' If I leave things as they are, Yurina could be the greatest swordsman in humanity. What I''m about to do could be like tearing up a winning lottery ticket with my own hands. But as soon as I stepped into that basement, forcing myself to ignore my doubts, I realized something immediately. "Da... le?" That kind of worry was utterly useless. "How, how...?" A trembling voice. Her breath quickened, and her shaking eyes turned towards me. Like a child lost in a crowd finally finding their parents, her gaze was filled with an unmistakable sense of joy that she couldn''t hide. "..." I had learned so much from Yuren. How to wield a sword, how to lead a party, and how to muster the courage to face fear. And so, I had been mistaken. I thought Yuren had always been that kind of person. A person who never felt fear, who never considered hardship. Like a radiant sun, high in the sky, shining brightly from the moment they were born. I made an assumption. I never considered what kind of life Yurina, swallowed by Yuren''s sun, had lived or what kind of life she had hoped for. "You''ve held out well until now." The words she longed to hear. For the first time, I gave voice to the desire that had never been fulfilled. "You don''t have to shine anymore." What does it matter if the future changes? What does it matter if she doesn''t be the greatest swordsman in humanity? Yurina has already carried too much. She''s only ever received burdens. If she can''t be the sun, then I will be the sun. If she can''t be the greatest swordsman in humanity, then I will be the greatest. If the weight she bears is too heavy, then I will carry it with her. On that day, when I turned back time. I had already decided to live this way. "Ah..." Yurina''s eyes widened. Tears, streaming down her cheeks, gathered at her chin before falling one by one. "Ah... uu." As if releasing all the emotions she''d been holding back, Yurina hugged herself with both arms and sobbed. I was about to approach the sobbing Yurina when¡ª "You filthy republican mongrel dares...!" Rosanna''s face contorted viciously. She grabbed the sword ced in one corner of the basement. Golden mana surged around her, violently swirling throughout the room. "Who gave you permission to say such things?!" Rosanna gripped her sword and violently kicked off the ground. Her speed was frightening, especially for someone dressed in a gown. Sun Sword, 6th Form: Variant ¨C White Light (White Radiance) ¨C Ultimate. This was Rosanna¡¯s signature technique, the one that earned her the title of "sh" during her active days as a hero. It was a technique that concentrated the light of White Radiance into a single point,unching it like a piercing needle, requiring extremely precise mana control. "Hyaah!" The golden sh shot toward me. I smiled faintly as I watched the golden light rapidly close in. Yeah. ''White Light ¨C Ultimate'' is indeed a technique requiring fine mana control, but¡ª ''When ites to precise mana control, even Yuren in his past life couldn''t beat me, auntie.'' I swung my sword toward the iing sh. Sun Sword, 6th Form: Variant ¨C White Light (White Radiance) ¨C Ultimate. The same technique Rosanna had honed over a lifetime was unleashed through my de. There were two differences: the aura from my sword was a dull gray, not a radiant gold. The other difference was¡ª ng! My ''White Light ¨C Ultimate'' was far more refined than the one she had unleashed. "Kyaaa!" ng! With a sharp scream, Rosanna¡¯s sword shattered into pieces. Rosanna stood there in shock, clutching the broken hilt, her mouth agape. "H-how...?" She wasn¡¯t shocked because I had used the Sun Sword. In fact, the Sun Sword I used was so different from the one used by the Helios family that it could almost be considered apletely different style. She was so stunned because the technique she had spent a lifetime perfecting had been effortlessly blocked. And it wasn¡¯t just any block¡ªit had stopped her most confident attack, the one where she condensed her mana into a single point. "What... what kind of sorcery did you use?!" Imagine the feeling of having your lifelong technique shattered by a rookie candidate, someone who didn¡¯t even hold an official hero license. Rosanna, unable to ept the reality before her, threw down the broken hilt and charged toward me. "Geez." I clicked my tongue as I looked at Rosanna. "You''re a mess till the end, huh, auntie?" I grabbed her by the cor as she lunged at me, lifting her up with all my strength. Berald¡¯s Martial Arts. Heaven Flip. BOOM! Rosanna''s body twisted midair and mmed into the ground on her back. "Gah!" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Rosanna let out a grunt, spitting out saliva as her eyes rolled back, and she passed out. Leaving the unconscious Rosanna behind, I turned toward the operating table. "Sigh. This is... such a mess." Next to the table stood a young man with silver hair and a gold monocle, shaking his head and sighing. ¡®Is this the bastard who switched Yurina''s Stigma in her past life?¡¯ I tried recalling memories from my previous life, but his face waspletely new to me. ¡®Well, I''ll know who he is after beating him up, I suppose.¡¯ Just as I was about to turn toward the mastermind of this incident before freeing Yurina, "We have no choice. The n will need to change." Snap. As the silver-haired man snapped his fingers, the magical circle that was engraved all over the basement began crawling and gathering in one spot, as if it were alive. Rumble! A terrifying mana wave swept through the area as the magic circle coalesced. "Urgh...!" I squinted against the rushing wave of mana. Crack! A ck fissure appeared in the air, splitting the space open. "Ah... ahh." From the rift, a creature d in full ck armor stepped out. But should I even call it a "creature"? The flesh visible between the armor was decayed and rotting, and inside the helmet, eerie blue lights flickered where its eyes should be, making it impossible to believe it was human. "That thing..." It certainly didn¡¯t look like one, but... ¡®It''s human.¡¯ A hero, blessed by the gods, who had awakened their Stigma. Seeing the ck-armored creature, I immediately realized who the silver-haired man was. ¡®A demon who corrupts heroes and turns them into his puppets.¡¯ Mephisto, the Archbishop of Corruption. He was a demon who had vanished without a trace after the war with the six archbishops began to escte as the seal on the Demon King weakened. ¡®I¡¯ve heard his name, but it¡¯s my first time seeing him in person.¡¯ Other than the fact that he corrupts heroes and makes them his puppets, not much was known about Mephisto, which was why I hadn''t recognized him immediately. "Well then, I''ll be seeing you next time." Without waiting for me to react, Mephisto leaped into the ck rift and disappeared. "...Damn." Clicking my tongue in frustration at having let Mephisto escape right in front of me, I gripped my sword. As much as I wanted to follow Mephisto into that ck rift, I couldn¡¯t just leave Yurina behind. I pointed my sword at the ck-armored creature. "Ahh... Arghhh!!" The ck-armored creature let out a monstrous scream, swinging its massive sword. ng! As I blocked the sword, a staggering shockwave reverberated up my arm. ¡®Strong.¡¯ In terms of raw strength, it was on par with Professor Lucas. ¡®To think a hero like this was turned into a puppet...¡¯ I grimaced and thrust my fist toward the ck-armored creature. Berald¡¯s Martial Arts. Mountain Breaker. BANG! "Urghhh!" With a loud boom, the ck-armored creature was flung back, crashing into the wall. "Ahh..." Despite the force, which was strong enough to crumble part of the wall, the ck-armored creature rose again, showing no sign of pain. "Tch." Realizing this was going to be a tough fight, I was about to ignite my power when¡ª "Dale." Yurina, who the magic circle had bound, approached me. "I¡¯ll fight." "...Yurina?" As she drew near, Yurina had a strangely relieved expression as she took my hand. "Thank you, Dale." She pulled my hand to her chest. "Thank you for being my friend." "Thank you for praising me when I did well." "Thank you foring to save me." "And thank you... for telling me I don''t have to shine anymore." Her gaze, as she looked at me, no longer held any fear. "We can talkter¡ª" Yurina pulled me closer, resting her head against my chest. Her silver hair swayed gently, and the soft touch,bined with her fragrant scent, tickled my nose. "Now, you¡¯re my sun." She smiled brightly as she said that. "Mind if I borrow your sword for a bit?" Yurina took my sword and walked toward the ck-armored creature. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 85: Interlude – Moonlight (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 85: Interlude ¨C Moonlight (1) A wave of happiness washed over me, leaving my head in a daze. Even while standing still, I can¡¯t help but grin. My body feels light, as if I¡¯m floating above the clouds. ¡°I¡¯vee to get you.¡± When I heard those words, I was overwhelmed with joy. Questions popped into my mind¡ªhow did Dale realize I was Yurina and not Yuren? How did he know I was going to undergo the stigma recement surgery? But all those trivial questions quickly vanished, reced by the overwhelming happiness of Daleing to save me. ¡°You don¡¯t have to shine anymore.¡± I¡¯ve lived my life to be a sun. I lived to shine. I had to atone for my sins. I wanted to be loved by my mother again, like before. I had to be ¡®Yuren.¡¯ But¡­ The sun named ¡®Yuren¡¯ was so far away, so blinding. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t reach it. It was exhausting, unbearably painful. Swinging my sword every day until my palms were raw, seeing my mother¡¯s cold eyes, being haunted by nightmares of my brother. The more I strove to be the sun, the more my life was filled with thick darkness. Then, Dale appeared before me. The first friend I ever made. My mentor and my savior. My new sun. ¡®I won¡¯t live to be Yuren anymore.¡¯ I¡¯ve broken free from the chains that have bound me for the past eight years. I¡¯ve erased my fear of my mother, my guilt towards my brother. Dale taught me ¡®courage,¡¯ something I could never muster on my own. ¡®Dale.¡¯ Does he realize how much his presence has saved me? Has he noticed how my heart is swelling with emotions, ready to burst? I don¡¯t know. But it doesn¡¯t matter. I can let him know bit by bit from now on. ¡®From today on, I¡¯ll live for Dale.¡¯ I¡¯ll devote everything to the one who gave me a new life. If the moon can only shine because of the sun, ¡®Then my sun is Dale.¡¯ Just thinking of that makes me smile uncontrobly. It feels like I¡¯ve taken some priceless elixir; an unknown power surges through my body. ¡°Aaah, ugh.¡± ng. The ck-armored monster rose to its feet. It was a puppet summoned by the man named ¡®Faust¡¯ before he fled. If I had undergone the stigma recement surgery, would I have be a puppet like that? ¡®No, I¡¯ve been a puppet even before that.¡¯ Before I met Dale, I was no different from a puppet, just without the strings attached. But now¡­ ¡®Not anymore.¡¯ I gripped my sword, and mana swirled around me. The ¡®Stigma of the Moon God¡¯ engraved on my left chest radiated light. Vrrrrmmm! A golden aura enveloped my de. Looking at the radiant, sun-like golden aura, I squinted. ¡®It didn¡¯t look like this before.¡¯ My aura was golden because I had forced it to resemble my brother¡¯s, manipting my mana to change its color. ¡®I don¡¯t need to do that anymore.¡¯ I stopped controlling my mana out of habit and unleashed it with full force. ng! With a sound like something shattering, the golden aura gradually turned silver. The cold, moonlit silver aura zed fiercely along the edge of the de. ¡°Hah.¡± A thrilling sensation ran down my spine. It was as if a long-blocked breath had been released, spreading a refreshing feeling throughout my entire body. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± A soft gasp escaped my lips. Information flooded my mind, as if I was recalling a forgotten memory. ¡°This is¡­¡± A blessing. A divine blessing, something only a rare few heroes with awakened stigmas can manifest. ¡®Moonlight¡¯s Blessing.¡¯ Information about the Moonlight Blessing naturally flowed into my mind. ¡®The more you think of your cherished one, the stronger you be.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t help butugh at the absurdity of the information. I had heard that some blessings had strange attributes, but¡­ To gain power just by thinking about someone? ¡®No blessing could suit me better.¡¯ I nced at Dale with a faint smile. Just by looking at him, a tremendous surge of mana threatened to explode inside me. ¡°Uwoooaaahhh!¡± The ck-armored monster charged at me with a ferocious roar. A ck aura zed from the greatsword in its hand. Judging by the amount of aura flowing along the de, it was clear that this monster possessed immense power. But¡­ ¡°Hah.¡± I let out a soft breath and gripped my sword. For some reason, rather than feeling threatened by the ferocious ck aura, I found itughable. ¡°Seventh Form of the Sun Sword.¡± A technique I had only known in theory and never sessfully executed. The towering wall that had blocked my path¡ªthe realm beyond it. I stepped into that realm without hesitation. ¡°Radiant Halo.¡± A silver ring formed along the de. The cold, shining silver ring wrapped around the ck, zing greatsword. Shaaack! The aura-wrapped greatsword was sliced in half as easily as cutting tofu. ¡°Huh, uh?¡± I thrust my sword at the monster, who stared dumbfounded at its severed weapon. Crunch! The sword pierced through the ck armor, impaling the monster¡¯s heart. * * * The silver light illuminated the dark basement. I watched Yurina, bathed in the silvery glow, and let out a soft gasp. ¡°Hah.¡± Yurina¡¯s mana had always been immense, but¡­ Now, the mana radiating from her surpassed even that ¡®immense level¡¯ by a long shot. Unless she had consumed some legendary elixir, there was only one exnation for such a sudden change. ¡®A divine blessing.¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Memories from my past life naturally surfaced in my mind. Yuren had been the strongest swordsman of humanity, but even so, he hadn¡¯t possessed a divine blessing. Since divine blessings can¡¯t be acquired through effort, it wasn¡¯t strange that Yuren hadn¡¯t awakened one. ¡®But to suddenly awaken a blessing like this?¡¯ That means that in the past life, Yuren had the blessing but never managed to manifest it. ¡®The future has really changed.¡¯ In the exact opposite direction of what I had feared. ¡°Dale¡­.¡± Yurina, who had just taken down the ck-armored monster with a single strike, turned towards me with gleaming eyes. When she took a step forward¡ª ¡°Ah.¡± She suddenly wobbled, as if she were about to copse. I quickly caught her in my arms. ¡°When you first awaken a blessing, your body needs time to adapt to the power, so you¡¯ll feel exhausted.¡± ¡°Oh, I see¡­. But Dale, how do you kno¡ª¡± Before Yurina could finish her sentence, she softly closed her eyes and fell asleep. ¡°Phew.¡± Holding the sleeping Yurina, I walked out of the basement. The mansion was half-destroyed by the magical bombardment, but since it was originally sorge, there were still a few intact rooms left. I picked a room that seemed rtively unscathed and opened the door. ¡°He, heeek!¡± A maid, hiding inside, recoiled in terror upon seeing me. ¡°I-I¡¯ll do whatever you say, so please, just spare me!¡± ¡°......¡± I let out a deep sigh as I looked at the maid, trembling with her hands sped in front of her. ¡®Anyone would think I killed everyone on my way here.¡¯ Of course, I hadn¡¯t killed a single person while breaking through the mansion. ¡°I¡¯m going to use this bed for a bit.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Please, use it as much as you need!¡± The maid quickly stood up and bowed repeatedly. Iid Yurina on the bed and ced the back of my hand on her forehead. ¡®She has a fever.¡¯ It seemed her body was generating heat as it adapted to the new power she had acquired. ¡°Sorry, but could I ask you for a favor?¡± ¡°Yes, of course!¡± ¡°Could you bring me a towel and some cold water?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ yes, right away!¡± The maid dashed out of the room in a hurry. I pulled up a chair next to the bed and sat down, quietly watching over Yurina. ¡°Where is that arrogant Republic bastard right now?!¡± It seemed Rosanna had woken up after fainting. Her voice echoed loudly down the hallway. BAM! Rosanna barged into the room, ring at me fiercely. ¡°You¡­! What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing right now?!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see? I¡¯m taking care of your daughter.¡± ¡°You¡­!¡± Rosanna strode toward me. ¡°How dare a Republican mongrel touch a noble family of the Empire? Do you think this ce is some kind of ¡®neutral zone¡¯ like the Hero Academy? Just you wait. I¡¯ll make sure to inform the Imperial family about this, and they won¡¯t let you off¡­.¡± ¡°Telling the Imperial family, huh.¡± I chuckled and stood up. ¡°W-what?¡± As I rose, Rosanna flinched and took a step back. I approached her with a sly grin. ¡°If you want to tell them, go ahead.¡± ¡°Hah. Do you really think, no matter how strong you are, you can handle the Imperial family?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Even though my power had recently surged, there was no way I could handle the Imperial family alone. But. ¡°Can you handle it?¡± ¡°H-handle what¡­?¡± ¡°About how you¡¯ve been working with a demon and using the forbidden ¡®Stigma Recement Ritual.¡¯ What do you think will happen to the Helios family if the Imperial family finds out?¡± ¡°W-wait! I didn¡¯t know that man was a demon!¡± ¡°Oh? Well, if you say so, I¡¯ll believe you.¡± I leaned in close to her ear and whispered. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if the Imperial family will believe you, though.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Rosanna¡¯s face paled as she stared at me, her mouth agape. Even if, by some miracle, they could overlook the use of the forbidden ritual, the fact that she had conspired with a demon would spell the end of the Helios family. Colluding with demons was considered a crime of treason against the nation. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t know he was a demon!¡± ¡°Really? If you say so, I¡¯ll take your word for it.¡± I smirked as Rosanna¡¯s expression twisted in despair. ¡°How about we go together and exin that to the Imperial family?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Rosanna lowered her head in silence. The decision was clear. For a noblewoman who valued her family¡¯s honor more than her own life, there was only one choice. ¡°¡­Fine. We¡¯ll let this matter slide.¡± She bit her lip and nodded. ¡°Hmph.¡± I narrowed my eyes, staring at Rosanna¡¯s twisted expression. ¡®It feels like a shame to end it here.¡¯ Thinking about the pain Yurina had gone through because of her, it didn¡¯t sit right with me to let this go as if nothing had happened. ¡®What could I do to crush this proud noblewoman¡¯s dignity?¡¯ While I was lost in thought, the maid timidly poked her head through the slightly open door. ¡°Uh¡­ I brought the water.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± I looked at the maid and smiled wickedly. * * * Click. The door carefully opened. The scent of tea wafted through from the other side. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± Rosanna entered the room holding a tray, dressed as a maid. Despite being over fifty, Rosanna still looked stunning in the maid¡¯s uniform, as if proving her blood rtion to Yurina. ¡°I-I brought some tea.¡± ¡°You brought some tea?¡± ¡°I-I brought some tea, sir.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. You should speak respectfully.¡± Izily leaned back in my chair and waved her over. ¡°How long are you going to stand by the door?¡± ¡°Grr¡­.¡± For a noblewoman from such a prestigious family, serving a mere student like amon servant was a humiliation worse than death. ¡°Now, how about a shoulder massage?¡± ¡°W-what did you say?¡± Rosanna gaped at me, shocked. ¡°You little¡­ how dare you¡­!¡± ¡°How dare I? What did I tell you to call me?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Her face twisted in rage. ¡°If you keep this up, I¡¯ll call all the servants in the mansion.¡± ¡°No, please don¡¯t!¡± Standing in front of the servants in this outfit was absolutely uneptable for her. ¡°So, you know what to do, right?¡± I grinned at her. Rosanna, biting her lip in humiliation, closed her eyes tightly. ¡°I-I¡¯ll give you a shoulder massage. M-master.¡± Tears of shame streamed down Rosanna¡¯s face as she reluctantly spoke the word. I chuckled to myself as I turned to look out the window. The night had fallen, and the soft moonlight illuminated the Helios mansion. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 86: Interlude – Moonlight (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 86: Interlude ¨C Moonlight (2) After themotion at the Helios household settled down, I left Yurina, who still had things to discuss with her mother, and returned to school first. ¡°You¡¯re suspended for a week.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°What do you mean, ''no'', you punk!¡± Bang! Professor Lucas mmed his desk with a reddened face. ¡°Skipping the observation ss wasn¡¯t enough? You think you can get away with an unauthorized outing and overnight stay without any punishment?!¡± ¡°Hm.¡± How cowardly, attacking with facts. ¡°Professor Lucas.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I believe this.¡± I continued speaking in a wistful voice. ¡°Life isn''t all about what you learn in ss. There''s so much more to learn outside the small fence of a school, far more than the knowledge that can be gained within.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you also have such a time in your life, professor?¡± Bang. I struck the desk and shouted with a passionate voice. ¡°A time when your heart was on fire with passion! A moment when your soul burned with fervor! When you leaped for lofty ideals and convictions, rather than focusing on the immediate reality!¡± ¡°And what exactly are you trying to say?¡± ¡°Could you overlook it just this once?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Guess not.¡± Darn. ¡°Ha, haha. Youth¡­ youth, you say.¡± Professor Lucas¡¯ face turned red and purple as it twisted. The fierce mana he emitted made the objects in his office tremble. ¡®Ah, this is...¡¯ This could get dangerous. ¡°Candidate Dale.¡± ¡°Yes, professor?¡± ¡°Have you ever heard this saying?¡± ¡°What saying?¡± ¡°¡®It hurts because it¡¯s youth.¡¯¡± ¡°If it hurts, you¡¯re a patient.¡± Why would that be youth? ¡°Haha. You¡¯ll understand once you feel the pain.¡± Screech! Professor Lucas abruptly stood up from his chair. While he was getting up, I quickly used ''Wind Step'' to move toward the door of the office. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in a week!¡± ¡°Get back here, you punk!¡± Boom! Boom! Boom! I sprinted at full speed, leaving behind the heavy footsteps echoing from behind. * * * ¡°Ha. Another suspension.¡± After barely shaking off Professor Lucas, I returned to my dorm room and sighed deeply, shaking my head. ¡®Well, I guess it¡¯s fortunate in a way, since now I can focus solely on my training for a while.¡¯ I had already been thinking that I needed to push forward with my training, especially after what happened at the Helios household. ¡®The Archbishop of Corruption, Mephisto.¡¯ Following the Archbishop of Beasts, another archbishop hiding behind the scenes revealed his hand, making it clear he was up to something. ¡®What was his goal?¡¯ The most logical assumption would be that he was nning to manipte Yurina, turning her into his puppet by tampering with her Stigma during the recement ritual. ¡®But in my past life, Yurina didn¡¯t be Mephisto¡¯s puppet.¡¯ If the purpose of the Stigma recement was truly to make her a puppet, it doesn¡¯t align with the fact that in my past life, Yurina became one of the ¡®Five Last Heroes¡¯ who fought against the Demon Lord until the end. ¡°Either the goal wasn¡¯t to make Yurina a puppet¡­.¡± Or. The n might have failed for some ¡®other reason¡¯ before it could seed. ¡®Mephisto vanished suddenly during the war.¡¯ There were several theories among the heroes about why he disappeared, but none were ever confirmed. ¡°Tch. My past life¡¯s memories are useless in times like this.¡± Especially now that the future had changed, making it even harder to predict what would happen next. ¡°Let¡¯s see then¡­.¡± I sat on the bed and slowly closed my eyes. Given that I couldn¡¯t predict what the archbishops might do next, I could do only one thing. ¡®I need to get stronger.¡¯ Far stronger than I am now. So strong that even the archbishops would tremble in fear at the mere thought of facing me. ¡°Sss.¡± I slowly inhaled, forming a small magic bullet, tinier than a grain of rice, within my blood vessels. At first, even creating a magic bullet caused me to sweat profusely, but now, I could form them as naturally as breathing. Bang! The magic bullet shot through my bloodstream and obliterated my heart. With a sensation of floating, my consciousness grew hazy. But only for a moment. Woooong! The ¡®Blessing of Revival¡¯ activated, instantly regenerating my heart, which the magic bullet had blown apart. ¡°Hoo.¡± Gray ashes escaped from my breath like mist. While keeping my eyes closed, I waited for a moment. Ssshhh! A sharp, searing pain radiated from my left chest, spreading throughout my entire body. Ignoring the pain, I concentrated and visualized the world of ¡®Imagination¡¯ in my mind. Whoosh! Before my eyes, mes roared fiercely, as if they were about to engulf the entire world. The scorching heat stormed across the imaginary world. ¡®Ignite.¡¯ I slowly extended my hand toward the Primordial me. The raging mes gradually gathered into a sphere above my palm. The fireball, about the size of a person¡¯s head, red in my hand. ¡®It¡¯s a big differencepared to the beginning.¡¯ Back then, I could barely gather a me the size of a candle, but now, a fireball asrge as a human head was zing above my hand. Compared to the beginning, it was an enormous improvement, yet¡ª ¡®Still not enough.¡¯ I extended my hand toward the zing fireball. A dry thirst scorched my throat. More, more, more. Until the mes arepletely devoured. Until not a single ember remains. I will. Rumble! The mental world trembled. Ashes surged, and I awoke from the mental world. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Phew!¡± I exhaled heavily and opened my eyes. "...What was that?" I tilted my head, recalling the events that had just taken ce in the mental world. The moment I reached out toward the primordial me, driven by a burning thirst. The primordial me, as if ¡®terrified,¡¯ hastily avoided my hand, causing the mental world to copse. ¡®Did I see that wrong?¡¯ The me of the beginning, known for burning the Tree of Creation in the mythic era, couldn''t possibly copse the mental world just to flee from ¡®me,¡¯ right? ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± Shaking my head with a bitter smile, I checked the mana within my Stigma. ¡°It¡¯s steadily increasing.¡± Although the mana hadn¡¯t surged suddenly like when my body was reconstructed, the total amount of mana had steadily grown like a snowball, increasing every time I repeated ¡®death.¡¯ ¡°Mana training isplete¡­ Maybe I should loosen up a bit?¡± I opened the dormitory door and headed toward Yurina''s private training ground. ¡°Huh? Dale?¡± At that moment. With a familiar voice, Iris came running towards me. ¡°I heard from Professor Lucas. You suddenly left without permission and even stayed out overnight¡­ Did something happen?¡± ¡°Oh, well.¡± I couldn¡¯t exin the incident at the Helios family to her. ¡°Some stuff happened.¡± ¡°Hmm, what kind of stuff?¡± Iris narrowed her eyes suspiciously, clearly not satisfied with my vague answer. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ You didn¡¯t spend the night with a woman, did you?¡± ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Well, technically, Yurina is a woman. ¡°I knew it!¡± Iris grabbed my cor with a shocked expression. ¡°You, you bastard! W-What kind of woman did you shack up with?!¡± ¡°No.¡± Excuse me, Saintess. Uh¡­ could you maybe watch your choice of words a bit? ¡°Hurry up and spill!¡± I shook my head as Iris red at me with teary eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± ¡°R-Really?¡± Iris wiped her eyes and red at me suspiciously. When I quietly nodded, she finally seemed to rx, letting out a sigh of relief. ¡°Where are you heading now, Dale?¡± ¡°To Yurina¡¯s¡­ I mean, to Yuren¡¯s private training ground to warm up a bit.¡± ¡°Oh, right, you¡¯ve been training there recently.¡± Since practicing in the public training grounds tended to attract too much attention, I had no choice. ¡°Could you tell me where it is?¡± ¡°Why do you want to know all of a sudden?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get too focused on training again and end up eating convenience store food, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Well¡­ yeah, that¡¯s true.¡± I had nned to stop by the store and pick up a snack, so I couldn¡¯t deny it. ¡°Hmph. After my ss, I¡¯ll bring you a packed lunch.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that¡­.¡± ¡°If you keep insisting, I might just make it a Holy Kingdom-style lunch.¡± A Holy Kingdom-style lunch meant a box filled with all sorts of vegetables and not a single piece of meat. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± ¡°Hmph, fine.¡± Iris nodded with satisfaction. ¡°Oh, by the way, could you register me for ess to the training ground?¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Normally, you can¡¯t register someone else for ess to a private training ground unless you''re the owner, but Yurina had given me more than just guest ess¡ªshe''d granted me ''administrator'' privileges, so I was able to grant Iris entry. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got ss now, so I¡¯ll see youter, Dale~.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± After seeing Iris off, I headed to Yurina¡¯s private training ground. Beep. After swiping my Hero Watch and entering the private training ground, what I saw was¡ª ¡°Huh?¡± Yurina, in the form of ¡®Yuren.¡¯ Spotting me, Yurina smiled and waved. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here, Dale?¡± ¡°I thought you stayed behind at home to talk with your mother?¡± ¡°I finished talking to her and just arrived.¡± ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you go back to the dorm? Whye here?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Yurina blushed slightly before answering. ¡°I thought I might run into you if I came here.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Haha, I¡¯m just kidding.¡± Yurina shrugged and approached me. I tried to calm my oddly racing heart and asked, ¡°By the way, are you going to stay in that form?¡± ¡°At this point, it¡¯d be weird to suddenly say ¡®Ta-da! I¡¯m actually a girl!¡¯ wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Yurina bitterly smiled as she swept her golden hair back. ¡°¡­Wouldn¡¯t it be a waste to stay like this now that you can be yourself as ¡®Yurina¡¯?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Yurina smiled softly and took my hand. ¡°As long as you know I¡¯m Yurina, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± ¡°...¡± Yurina had been getting ufortably close for a while now. I averted my gaze from her and awkwardly cleared my throat. ¡°W-Well, if that¡¯s what you want, then I guess it can¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°Fufu, so¡­¡± Yurina unsped the pendant hanging from her neck. A blue aura enveloped her body, and she transformed back into ¡®Yurina.¡¯ Her silver hair shimmered. A sweet fragrance tickled my nose. ¡°Let¡¯s get along well from now on, Dale?¡± With a radiant smile, Yurina pulled my hand to her chest. Her smile was as beautiful as the moonlight illuminating the night sky. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 87: Maid Outfits Suit Different People (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 87: Maid Outfits Suit Different People (1) Yurina''s private training hall. It was sorge that calling it ''private'' felt almost ridiculous. Yurina and I had both changed into training clothes and finished a light warm-up. "Dale, want to spar for the first time in a while?" "Sounds good." I had been itching to move my body anyway. ''I¡¯m also curious to see how much Yurina has grown this time.'' She had been one of the strongest heroes of humanity, even without any divine blessing, and she was already counted among the top five. Now that she had awakened her blessing, I wondered how far she could go. Even having watched over her through both my previous and current lives, I couldn¡¯t predict her limits. "You¡¯re going to use a training sword, right?" "No, let¡¯s use real swords." At our level, it didn¡¯t matter if we used training swords or real ones¡ªthe lethality was about the same. In fact, using the weak, fragile training swords was more dangerous, since they could explode under the pressure of mana during the fight. "Alright, understood." Yurina, knowing this too, picked up a real sword. It was made from the horn of a unicorn, which she had received foring in first ce in the recent midterm assessment. Silver aura rose along the de''s sharp edge. "Then, let¡¯s start!" With her sword wrapped in silver aura, she dashed at me like a streak of light. I raised my sword and deflected the silver sh speeding toward me. Boom! The training hall shook as if an earthquake had hit. The fierce rebound echoed in my palms. ¡°Grr!¡± Yurina had always had an immense amount of mana, but after awakening her blessing, it had only increased. ¡®It¡¯s not just her mana that¡¯s grown.¡¯ As I blocked Yurina¡¯s relentless sword strikes, I narrowed my eyes. The level of her Sun Sword was far beyond what it had been when we first sparred. ¡®Had she mastered the 7th formst time?¡¯ The difference between the 6th and 7th forms of the Sun Sword seemed small in number, but the difficulty was on a different level. ¡®Even Rosanna, who had spent her life mastering the Sun Sword, couldn¡¯t reach the 7th form.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t because Rosannacked talent. In fact, she was considered one of the most gifted heads of the Helios family in history. ¡®That¡¯s just how monstrously difficult the 7th form is.¡¯ Even I, who had learned the Sun Sword directly from Yurina in my past life, had taken over 300 years to properly wield the 7th form. When I had faced the demon god in the final battle, I barely managed to use the 6th form¡ªreaching the 7th form had taken another 300 years. Of course, my talent was trash, but even ounting for that, the 7th form of the Sun Sword was a realm that only the rarest of geniuses could reach. ng! ng! ng! Yurina''s ferocious silver strikes rained down on me. Though I had rapidly improvedtely, it was still difficult to hold out against Yurina, who had both awakened her blessing and refined her swordsmanship. "Gah!" Boom! Unable to withstand the onught, my body was flung across the training hall, crashing into the wall. "Are you alright, Dale?" Yurina approached me with a concerned expression. I staggered to my feet, waving my hand to show that I was fine. "Sorry. I¡¯m still not used to controlling my strength." Yurina scratched her head with an embarrassed smile. "Let¡¯s stop the sparring here¡ª" "No." I shook my head, tightening my grip on my sword. "Let¡¯s keep going." "But¡ª" "You scared?" "......" Yurina¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. The silver aura around her sword red up again. "Don¡¯t me me if you regret this." "Hmph." I let out a dryugh, gripping my sword tightly. Indeed, Yurina had achieved something great this time. She had awakened her blessing, something she hadn¡¯t managed to do in her past life, and had crossed the ¡®wall¡¯ to reach a new level. Contrary to my worries, she had grown even faster than in her previous life. ¡®But.¡¯ I wasn¡¯t the only one who had grown faster than in my past life. ¡°Ignite." Ssssss! With a sizzling sound, gray smoke rose as if flesh was burning. "Huh?" Yurina¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Iunched myself toward her. Boom! Wrapped in a gray aura, my strike violently overwhelmed her. ¡°Gah!¡± A moment ago, she had been the one overwhelming me, but now she bit her lip as she was forced to retreat. mes licked along the edge of my sword. The gray aura mixed with fire began to consume Yurina¡¯s silver aura. "Kyaaa!" Boom! The silver aura of her sword was eaten away by the mes of the ''Primordial me,'' and Yurina couldn¡¯t hold out any longer, sent flying backward. "Hah... hah... Dale, what is that fire?" Breathing heavily, she stared at me in disbelief. "Well, it¡¯s like my secret weapon." I shrugged, leaning against the wall of the training hall, trying to endure the heavy fatigue that came after using ¡®Ignition.¡¯ Once my body had recovered enough, I approached Yurina, who was sitting on the ground, looking worn out. "Ugh... If I hadn¡¯t been fighting you, my ''blessing'' would¡¯ve worked better." She pouted, disappointed at her defeat, and took my hand to help herself up. "Oh, by the way, what¡¯s the name of the blessing you awakened?" "It¡¯s called the Blessing of Moonlight." "Oh." In her past life as ¡®Yuren,¡¯ the name might have been different, but now, ¡®Blessing of Moonlight¡¯ seemed perfectly fitting for her. "What kind of ability is it?" ¡°¡­That¡¯s¡­¡± Yurina blushed and averted her gaze. "I¡¯ll... tell youter." "¡­¡­?" I tilted my head, puzzled, but she didn¡¯t say anything more. "Ah, um, anyway! Dale, the swordsmanship you use... I¡¯ve been feeling for a while now, but it¡¯s kind of simr to the Sun Sword, isn¡¯t it?" "¡­Is it?" At her mention of the Sun Sword, I involuntarily flinched. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Yeah. Well... it¡¯s not exactly the same, but there¡¯s a lot that¡¯s simr." Yurina, seemingly recalling our sparring sessions, touched her lips with her index finger and continued. "Oh, but... I''m not sure if I should say this." "What do you mean?" "I mean your swordsmanship, Dale. It feels like... it doesn¡¯t quite suit you." "What?" The swordsmanship I¡¯m currently using is based on the ''Sun Sword,'' something I perfected over thousands of years on my own. Apart from the basic structure, I had modified everything to fit me. And yet, it doesn¡¯t suit me? "Oh, to be precise, it¡¯s not that it doesn¡¯t suit you. It''s more like... inefficient, I guess? That''s the feeling I get." "...Inefficient?" "Yeah." Yurina nodded and continued. "If I had to make aparison, it¡¯s like a millionaire with a million gold trying to save money by using a carriage instead of a warp gate. Dale, it¡¯s not like you¡¯recking in mana, but it feels like you¡¯re being overly conservative with it." "...!" It felt like I had just been hit on the back of the head with a hammer. ''Notcking in mana''? That was something I had never heard in my entire life. ''Now that I think about it, my mana has increased a lot recently.'' And it wasn¡¯t forcibly inted mana from potions or amplifiers like in my previous life¡ªit was pure mana built up through the primordial fire. "Hah." Of course. It was much more powerful to use mana explosively at the right moment rather than conservatively saving it all the time. ''I¡¯ve been so conditioned to conserve mana that I kept doing it, even though I have plenty now.'' Honestly, if Yurina hadn¡¯t pointed it out, I wouldn¡¯t have noticed the oddness on my own. For someone like me, who had always struggled with ack of mana, conserving it had be second nature, like breathing. ''Could it be that the experiences of my past life have actually be a hindrance?'' The unexpected words left me in a daze. "Uh... Did I speak too boldly in front of my master?" Seeing me stiffen, Yurina gave an awkward smile. "Bold? No way. Your advice has helped me a lot." I wasn¡¯t just saying it to be polite. Yurina''s advice was a shock to me, who had been relying too much on habits from my ''past life.'' ''Who would¡¯ve thought I¡¯d still be learning like this?'' A bitterugh escaped me at my own arrogance, thinking I had nothing left to learn after my previous life. "Hehe. I¡¯m d it helped." For some reason, Yurina beamed, nodding enthusiastically. "Whew. Shall we take a break, then?" "Yeah, let''s do that." Still feeling the aftereffects of ¡®Ignition,¡¯ I leaned against the training room wall and sat down on the floor. "Hey, Dale." "Yeah?" "I, I¡¯ve got something to show you." "What is it?" "Well... uh..." Yurina swallowed nervously. "Wait right here!" With that, she quickly ran into the changing room inside the private training hall. About five minutes passed. Click. The door opened cautiously. "...Yurina?" The outfit Yurina stepped out in was a maid uniform, the same one worn by the maids of the Helios family. It was the exact same outfit I had forced Rosanna to wear as a form of humiliation. Yurina, her face flushed red, twisted her silver hair with her fingers. "You know... you made my mother wear a maid outfit, right?" Wait. "H-How do you know about that...?" "I mean, I did faint back then, but I was still somewhat conscious." "...!" She was conscious? That means she remembers everything that happened between me and Rosanna! "Dale, you like maid outfits, don¡¯t you?" "N-No, it¡¯s not that I like maid outfits, it¡¯s just that..." "Don¡¯t lie. Then why did you make my mother wear one?" "That¡¯s... well..." How could I exin it? That I forced her mother to wear a maid outfit and treated her like a ve just to humiliate that arrogant woman? "A-Anyway! I don¡¯t like maid outfits, so hurry and go change!" "Hmm." Yurina, narrowing her eyes mischievously, slightly lifted her skirt. Through the slightly raised hem, her white ankle and socks peeked out. I found my eyes drawn downward without thinking. "For someone who says they don¡¯t like it, your eyes are being pretty honest." Yurina smiled yfully as she stepped closer to me. "There¡¯s no need to hesitate. You¡¯re the one who protected my Stigma, right? If it¡¯s for you, Dale... I can do anything." She gently grabbed my hand, speaking confidently. "So! Give me any order, Dale! You can treat me like a ve, just like you did to my mother!" "No." First the mother, now the daughter herself asking me to treat her like a ve. ''When she puts it that way, it makes me sound like aplete scumbag.'' [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 88: Maid Outfits Suit Different People (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 88: Maid Outfits Suit Different People (2) Yurina''s hand touched my shoulder. I could feel her hand trembling slightly as if she were nervous, gripping my shoulder. Her hand, which seemed soft on the outside, felt distinctly calloused when it touched me directly. How desperately must she have swung her sword to develop such calluses? As thoughts like these swirled in my mind, trying to deny the reality before me, "A-Ahem, how is it... m-my lord?" A cautious voice tickled my ear. "Oh? Uh, it feels nice." Unable to turn around, I nodded stupidly. If Rosanna were to see me like this, she''d wonder, "Is this really the same guy?" ''But what can I do?'' Arade I had thought to be a man for hundreds, even thousands of years (he was physically a man at that time) turns out to have been a woman all along. And now, here she is, dressed in a maid outfit, massaging my shoulders and shyly calling me "my lord." ''What kind of absurd situation is this?'' My head was a mess, so tangled that I couldn''t even tell where things had gone wrong. "Alright, that¡¯s enough. Go and change back now." "Huh? Already?" Yurina, who was gently massaging my shoulders, pouted her lips as if disappointed. "...But you made your mom wear it all night." "That was just to tease that woman." "For something like that, Dale seemed to be enjoying it quite a lot, though?" "..." Well, honestly speaking, if we''re talking about whether I enjoyed it or not, yes, I did. Ahem. Suddenly, the image of Berald giving me a thumbs-up and saying, "Wee to the microcosm, my brother!" shed in my head. ''Get out of my head, you demon!'' As I fought an intense mental battle with the intrusive thoughts of Berald, "See? Dale says one thing, but his body is honest." "Where did you pick up that sleazy golden-haired delinquent line...?" "Heh." Yurina, who had been massaging my shoulders, wrapped her arms around my neck from behind. Unlike Iris, who had an overwhelming softness, Yurina''s embrace felt taut and springy, like a rubber ball. "My lord... are you really going to stop here?" Her seductive whisper echoed sweetly in my ear. Just as I was about to shake my head at the rising desire instinctively¡ª Beep! "[Candidate Iris, ess confirmed.]" A quiet mechanical voice came from outside the door. "...!" "...!" Yurina immediately pulled away from me, her eyes wide with panic. Her gaze was filled with confusion about why Iris had ess privileges, but there was no time to exin. "Yuri¡ª no, Yuren! Quickly, to the changing room!" "O-okay!" Yurina, her silver hair fluttering, dashed into the changing room at lightning speed. Bang! The door to the changing room mmed shut just as¡ª "Mr. Dale~ Are you still training? I brought lunch, so take a break and eat." Iris opened the door to the training hall and stepped in. "Oh, you''re here?" I awkwardly waved at her with a forced smile. "Yes. By the way... where''s Yuren?" Iris looked around, searching for Yuren. Click. Soon, the changing room door opened, and Yuren emerged, panting heavily. "Haha, I was wondering who it was, and it turns out Iris brought lunch?" "I also packed some for you, Yuren." "Thanks." Yuren wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and sighed in relief. Then¡ª "But... Yuren, what''s that in your hand?" "...!" Only then did Yuren realize that she was still holding the maid outfit she''d just changed out of. It seemed that, in her haste to change, she''d absentmindedly brought the outfit out with her. "A maid outfit? Why are you holding a maid outfit?" "Uh... well, this is..." In the personal training room. Two men panting heavily. One of them holding a maid outfit. Suspicious, very suspicious. "Wait, you two aren''t...!" As Iris''s expression began to harden, "D-Dale made me do it!" "What?" Yuren quickly threw me under the bus. I stared at her in shock, but it was toote to stop the bombshell she was about to drop. "Dale asked me if I could get him one of the maid outfits our family uses!" "...Mr. Dale did?" "Yeah! Dale has a peculiar taste. He likes to dress girls up in maid outfits and have them call him ''my lord''!" "Wh-what?!?" Wait. ''You crazy fool!!!'' I screamed internally as I red at Yuren... or rather, Yurina. She avoided my gaze, awkwardly clearing her throat. "Mr. Dale has such a... unique taste?" Iris turned to look at me, her eyes filled with doubt and hesitation she couldn''t hide. "It''s not like that..." "If that''s not it, then why did you ask your friend to get you a maid outfit?" "..." How could I even exin this? That Yuren was actually a woman and almost got forcefully gender-swapped into a man, but I somehow saved her, and then Rosanna Helios, the one responsible, acted as if nothing had happened, so out of spite, I made Yurina wear a maid outfit and treated her like a ve, humiliating her. Then Yurina brought her own maid outfit, asking to be treated like a ve, and now she and her mother both want to be my ves. And just as I was about to give in to my desires and think, "Fine, if you want it so badly, I''ll humiliate you just like I did to your mother, ha ha ha," Iris suddenly walked in, and here we are. "Um... so." After gathering my thoughts, I smiled and opened my mouth. "The truth is, I just really like maids." I give up. Let''s just say I like them. "You had such a... preference, Dale...? No way... could it be...?" Iris shuddered, her shoulders trembling, and her eyes widened. "That maid outfit... was it meant for me to wear?" "Huh?" Wait, how did the conversation turn this way? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "You wanted to dress the saintess of the Holy Kingdom in a maid outfit and make her your ve? Hm, if the people of the Holy Kingdom knew about this, they''d go mad calling it sphemy." Iris''s lips curled into a mischievous grin as she smirked. She then took the maid outfit from Yuren and ced it against her chest. "Hmm, looks like the chest area is too small. I''ll need to get it altered." "...Too small? That?" Yuren''s eyes turned cold. Iris nodded, continuing hermentary. "Seems like the maid who wore this before didn''t have a veryrge chest?" "Uh, um... is that so? I thought it was fairlyrge." "Well... it''s not quite Cami''s size, but calling it rge'' might be a bit of a stretch. Isn''t it slightly below average?" Iris tilted her head, fiddling with the chest area of the maid outfit. For a brief moment, a strained breath escaped from Yuren''s lips¡ª"...Ugh!"¡ªbut it seemed Iris didn''t hear it. Waving the maid outfit, Iris approached me with a yful swing. "Once it''s all tailored, I''ll wear it for you... ''Master.''" "......" "Fufufu. Well then, enjoy your lunch." Iris hummed a cheerful tune as she exited the training grounds, leaving me behind. ¡°Dale, I¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± An awkward silence settled in the training grounds. "How did this..." With a pensive expression, I looked back on past events¡ªor rather, past mistakes. "How did ite to this?" Thus, the maid outfit of the Helios family went from hand to hand, eventually making its way to the saintess of the Holy Kingdom. * * * ¡°¡­Candidate Dale?¡± On my way back to the dormitory after finishing training with Yurina, I heard a familiar voice. ¡°Why does your face look so gaunt?¡± Elisha Baldwin. Known by the fearsome title ¡°The Spider with the Cursed Eyes,¡± she approached me with an unusually concerned expression. ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°Well... yeah, quite a bit, actually.¡± A whole lot of things, in fact. ¡°Hmm. I had something to ask of you, but seeing your condition, it seems today might not be the best time.¡± ¡°Something to ask of me?¡± Now that I thought about it, this path was far from Professor Elisha¡¯s office. ¡®She didn¡¯t just run into me by chance; she must have been waiting for me.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t the kind of errand a professor would usually handle in person without sending an assistant. For her toe to the dorm herself¡­ ¡®No way.¡¯ I narrowed my eyes and asked. ¡°Is it rted to the Archbishop of Beasts?¡± ¡°As sharp as ever. I like that.¡± Professor Elisha smiled, nodding approvingly. ¡°Well, there wouldn¡¯t be many reasons for you to seek me out directly unless it was that.¡± ¡°Hmm. Hearing it put that way is a bit disheartening. Do you really think there¡¯s no other reason I¡¯d look for you?¡± Professor Elisha stepped closer, her violet eyes shimmering as she reached out with a gloved hand to caress my cheek. ¡°Perhaps... I came here to ask you on a date?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Her breath, close enough to feel against my skin, carried a faint smell of tobo that tingled my nose. Elisha, leaning in as if she were about to kiss me, suddenly pinched my cheek lightly and stepped back. ¡°Fufufu. Just kidding.¡± Shrugging her shoulders, she turned her head. I noticed the faint blush on the tips of her ears but decided not to mention it as I continued. ¡°So, what is this favor you want to ask?¡± ¡°Recently, there was a report of a kidnapping incident caused by a beast in a small vige near the outskirts of the Empire.¡± ¡°Well... that¡¯s not exactly umon, is it?¡± Kidnappings by beasts were not only a frequent urrence in the Empire but across the entire continent. ¡°The witnesses said the beast had eight eyes.¡± ¡°Wait, eight eyes?¡± An eight-eyed beast, huh? In a small vige with no real heroes, that¡¯s nothing short of a disaster. ¡°This is a sketch of the beast based on witness testimony.¡± Professor Elisha handed me a piece of paper with a drawing of the beast. It had an elongated snout, steel-like skin, sharp ws, and a long tail. ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°Quite familiar in appearance, isn¡¯t it?¡± It bore an uncanny resemnce to the crocodile beast that had crashed into the test site during the midterm evaluation. ¡®Sure, beast forms can be simr...¡¯ But that was only when the number of eyes was low. The higher the eye count, the more distinctive and different their appearance became. It was rare for an eight-eyed beast to look exactly like another. ¡°Do you think this is one of Jackal¡¯s underlings, Professor?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not certain. But it¡¯s worth investigating.¡± Professor Elisha shook her head slightly. ¡°If it¡¯s in a vige on the Empire¡¯s outskirts... We won¡¯t be able to use the warp gate.¡± Even if we left immediately, it would still take some time to reach the location. Factoring in travel time and investigation, it would take at least three days. ¡°Now that I think about it, you¡¯re under suspension for a week, right?¡± Elisha smiled as she looked at me. It was then that I realized what her ¡®favor¡¯ was. ¡°...Are you asking me to go with you?¡± At least three days of travel? Just the two of us? ¡°Fufufu.¡± Professor Elisha chuckled, pulling out a cigarette from her pocket and lighting it. ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? I might havee to ask you on a date.¡± Click. The spark from her lighter illuminated the tip of her cigarette as it started to glow red. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 89: A Common Occurrence (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 89: A Common urrence (1) At the outskirts of the empire. A carriage sped along a countryside road littered with shrubs and stones. Vroooom. Though it looked like an old-fashioned horse-drawn carriage, it wasn''t. Its official name was a Magic Carriage, a vehicle powered by magic stones instead of horse power, developed by the Republic''s technology. Initially, it was so expensive that only the empire''s nobles, high-ranking priests of the Holy Kingdom, or wealthy individuals from the Republic could afford it. But with mass production of magic stones, it had now be one of the most popr means of transportation, along with warp gates. Of course, to those not even considered part of "the public," Magic Carriages were like foreign artifacts. "Haah, driving on these country roads isn''t easy." Sitting in the driver''s seat, Professor Elisha flicked her cigarette ash out the window and squinted. In the capital and major cities of the empire, neatly paved roads made driving smooth. But on roads like this, every second delivered a jolt to the entire body. "If it''s too much, I could drive?" "Hmm? Do you have a license for a Magic Carriage?" "...Ah." Come to think of it, I didn¡¯t have a license back when I was a cadet. I could barely afford a cafeteria bread back then, so how could I get a Magic Carriage license? I didn¡¯t even get one until long after graduation. ''It was because the mercenary leader forced me to y chauffeur back then.'' Anyway, at this moment, I didn¡¯t have a license, nor even a learner¡¯s permit. "I don''t have a license, but I know how to drive." "That¡¯s certainly a reassuring statement." "I''m serious, I can drive." "I appreciate the offer, but I''ll pass. We''re not far from the vige now." I shrugged at Professor Elisha¡¯s response. "Well, at this speed, we should be there in about 2 or 3 hours." "Right, we¡¯ll arrive in¡­ hmm?" Professor Elisha tilted her head and looked at me curiously. "Aren¡¯t you from the Republic, Cadet Dale?" "Yes, I am." "Then how do you know how long it will take to drive through this remote area of the empire?" "......" I shut my mouth at Professor Elisha¡¯s sharp observation. ''A cadet from the Republic knowing how long it takes to drive through the empire''s backcountry?'' I¡¯ve wandered across the entire continent for millennia, searching for the Primordial me. There wasn''t a ce I didn''t know, whether it was the outskirts of the empire or the sanctuaries of the Holy Kingdom. But of course, I couldn''t tell Professor Elisha that. "I studied hard during the first-year geography lessons." "For someone who studied hard, your grades were¡­ ahem. Well, it''s not important." Seemingly uninterested in probing further, Professor Elisha turned her gaze out the window. The wind rustled through the grass, and the sound of a small stream echoed along the ordinary countryside road. "......" Looking at the unremarkable scenery, Professor Elisha seemed lost in nostalgia, a soft look filling her eyes. "Come to think of it, you mentioned you''re from a small vige, right, Professor?" "Yes, that''s right." Professor Elisha nodded. "I grew up in one of those small viges on the outskirts of the empire, just like any other." Perhaps she was reminiscing about her childhood. Professor Elisha slowed down the Magic Carriage and continued speaking softly. "There were fewer than a hundred people in the vige, and we lived off farming and hunting¡­ it was that kind of ce." "Isn''t the vige we''re heading to pretty simr?" "Yes." Slowing the vehicle even more, Professor Elisha pulled over to the side of the road. "Let¡¯s stop here for a simple meal." "Hmm? Won¡¯t we be at the vige soon anyway?" We were only 2 to 3 hours away, so eating on the roadside was unnecessary. "True, but¡­" Professor Elisha smiled wryly as she continued. "People in small viges tend to harbor both fear and reverence towards outsiders. And when they¡¯re in a position to receive help, they''ll likely overextend themselves with hospitality." Overextend themselves with hospitality, huh. "You don''t want to empty out their already scarce food stores, I take it." "We''re not exactly starving ourselves, are we?" "Haha, well, true enough." Despite her cold, unapproachable exterior, she was surprisingly considerate. ''I remember hearing she even runs her own foundation.'' Thinking back on what Vincent, the teaching assistant, had mentioned, I got out of the carriage. "What kind of food did you bring?" "Nothing at all." "...You didn''t bring anything?" I looked at Professor Elisha in disbelief. ''Seriously, she should¡¯ve at least asked me to bring something if that was the case.'' Since she told me just to bring myself, I hadn¡¯t packed any food either. "Why bother when we''re surrounded by food everywhere?" Professor Elisha smirked and headed down to the small stream beside the road. Snap. With a flick of her hand, thin silver threads shot into the stream. Swoosh! Ssss! The silver threads swirled through the water violently, quickly tangling into a small. "Heave-ho." Flop, flop! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] When she pulled the out, two fish, about the size of an arm, iled in it. "See? Just like I said." Professor Elisha lifted the two wriggling fish out of the and shrugged. I stifled augh. "These days, even spiders go fishing, huh?" "Evolution is the greatest strength of any species." Skewering the fish on a sharp stick, Professor Elisha turned to me. "Could you light a fire?" "Sure." I gathered some nearby sticks and lit a small campfire. Meanwhile, Professor Elisha rummaged through the nearby bushes. "What are you doing over there?" "We need dessert if we''re having a meal." When she returned, her hands were full of tiny, colorful fruits, each about the size of a thumbnail. "These are perfect for a light snack. I used to pick and eat these near my house when I was young." "...You''re much more resourceful than I expected." The sight of a beautiful woman in a crisp ck suit picking fruit from the bushes gave off an odd sense of discord, as if a noblewoman from a prestigious family were plowing the fields. ¡°Hehe, how is it? Do you feel a different kind of charm?¡± Professor Elisha shrugged her shoulders, and I gave a slight nod with a grin. ¡°I do like this much more than when we first met.¡± ¡°This is a bit of a problem.¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°I never thought a fresh-faced cadet¡¯d propose to me.¡± ¡°No.¡± What the heck is this woman talking about? ¡°Just kidding.¡± Professor Elisha, wearing a mischievous smile that didn¡¯t quite match her cold expression, took a bite of the well-roasted fish. * * * After a simple meal, Professor Elisha and I got back into the magical carriage and headed toward the vige. After driving for about two more hours along the bumpy countryside road, the vige finally came into view in the distance. A bent old man stood outside the vige, leaning on a cane, seemingly waiting for us after hearing the news of our arrival. ¡°Are you the heroes who¡¯vee to y the demon beast?¡± The old man approached as we got out of the car. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Oh! Th-thank you! Thank you, heroes!¡± The old man, overwhelmed with emotion, repeatedly bowed his head. ¡°And who might you be?¡± ¡°My apologies for thete introduction. I¡¯m Oliver, the head of this vige.¡± ¡°I see. May we take a look around the vige for a moment?¡± ¡°Of course! Oh, have you had a meal yet? If you let us know, we can prepare something right away...¡± ¡°No need. We¡¯ve already eaten, so you don¡¯t have to prepare anything.¡± ¡°I-is that so? I really wanted to offer something to honor the heroes¡¯ efforts, but it seems that won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Contrary to his words of regret, Oliver¡¯s eyes gleamed with relief. ¡°Please,e inside.¡± We followed Oliver into the vige. It was a small ce with barely a hundred residents, and the atmosphere was thick with gloom. Some people peeked out through the cracks of worn-out windows, quickly retreating back inside when they met our eyes. Others sat on the ground, their faces gaunt and nk. The vige felt more like a graveyard than a livingmunity. ¡°Haha... I apologize. It wasn¡¯t always like this.¡± Oliver nced around the vige with sorrowful eyes. ¡°Is it because of the demonic beast?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± No wonder. When a beast ssified as a ¡°Category Eight¡± is kidnapping vigers, it¡¯s no surprise the atmosphere has be this grim. ¡°When did the beast first appear?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been about a week now.¡± ¡°And how many have been taken so far?¡± ¡°Seven people.¡± ¡°Seven, huh.¡± Professor Elisha frowned as she spoke. ¡°It¡¯s taking one person each day?¡± ¡°...That¡¯s correct.¡± Oliver clenched his fists, biting his lip. ¡°That wicked beast seems to be toying with us, kidnapping one viger every night!¡± His eyes trembled with fury, and his wrinkled cheeks quivered. ¡°...And yet you all remained in the vige?¡± ¡°Wh-where could simple folk like us possibly flee to in the Empire? If we abandon this vige, it¡¯s as good as a death sentence for us...¡± For vigers who eked out a living through farming and hunting, leaving theirnd meant losing everything, almost like a death sentence. ¡°Hmm.¡± Professor Elisha folded her arms and let out a low hum. ¡°I heard someone witnessed the beast.¡± ¡°Ah... yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Where is that person?¡± ¡°This way, please.¡± With that, Oliver led us into a nearby house. Inside the old wooden structure sat a man. He looked to be about forty, with an unusually neat appearance for someone living in such a remote vige. ¡°My name is Harris.¡± As we entered, Harris stood up nervously. ¡°You¡¯re the one who saw the demon beast?¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± He nodded vigorously, his expression tense. ¡°Tell us the situation and describe the beast in as much detail as possible.¡± ¡°J-just like I wrote in the report. Around 1 a.m., I heard somemotion outside, so I went to take a look... and there it was, a beast standing on two legs like a crocodile. It had wrapped its long tail around a viger and was dragging them away.¡± ¡°It took them away alive?¡± ¡°Y-yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°And the direction it went?¡± ¡°Towards the mountain behind the vige.¡± ¡°Were there any other witnesses?¡± ¡°A few others saw it too, but they were too scared to leave their homes.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Professor Elisha nodded. ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± ¡°P-please! Please, I beg you, y that dreadful beast!¡± Harris fell to his knees, bowing his head to the ground. ¡°We¡¯ll try.¡± Professor Elisha gave a short reply and turned her head. ¡°H-Harris, please calm down.¡± As Oliver tried to console the sobbing Harris, Elisha and I stepped out of the house. ¡°Phew.¡± Elisha took out a cigarette from her coat and sighed deeply. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°That Harris guy.¡± Click. The me from her lighter lit the tip of her cigarette. ¡°He¡¯s lying.¡± Elisha exhaled a puff of smoke, her purple eye gleaming. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 90: A Common Occurrence (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 90: A Common urrence (2) "...Lies?" I recalled the conversation I had just had with a man named Harris. ''There didn¡¯t seem to be anything strange about it.'' I nced at Professor Elisha, who was smoking, with a puzzled expression. "Did you figure it out using the Blessing of Insight?" "No, the Blessing of Insight doesn¡¯t have such a convenient ability to detect lies." Professor Elisha gave a bitter smile and shook her head. "Then why did you conclude that Harris was lying?" "Time." "...Time?" What could be wrong with time? As I stared at Professor Elisha, my confusion not fading, she took another puff from her cigarette and calmly continued her exnation. "Harris said he woke up to somemotion outside around 1 a.m., right?" "Yes." "How could he know it was 1 a.m.?" How could he know it was 1 a.m.? "Well¡­ wouldn¡¯t he have looked at a clock?" "There was no clock in Harris¡¯ house. He wasn''t wearing a wristwatch either." "Ah." Heroes, of course, have their Hero Watches, so they can check the time whenever they want, but Harris isn''t a hero. "Of course, he could¡¯ve asked someone else for the time. But¡­." "But who would run around asking for the time while a demonic beast was dragging away someone in the vige? No one in their right mind." "Exactly." Professor Elisha nodded with a faint smile. "...That''s impressive." I couldn''t help but voice my admiration for Professor Elisha¡¯s sharp insight. I may not be the sharpest person around, but thanks to my previous life¡¯s experiences, I considered myself pretty perceptive. ''But natural talent is still something else.'' I couldn''t help but be in awe of Professor Elisha¡¯s ability to see through someone¡¯s lies with just a few simple words. "There''s nothing to be impressed about. I still have no idea why Harris gave a false statement." Professor Elisha sighed, extinguishing her cigarette on the ground. "We should hear from the other vigers." "Let¡¯s do that." We went around the vige''s other houses to gather additional testimonies. After visiting a few households: "At least it¡¯s true that a demonic beast appeared and kidnapped a viger." "And the description of the demonic beast, including the number of its eyes, matches Harris¡¯ testimony." When wepiled the testimonies from the vigers, there didn¡¯t seem to be any major differences from what Harris had reported. "Hmm¡­ I think I might have made a mistake." Professor Elisha swallowed hard, looking slightly embarrassed. Contrary to the initial assumption that Harris had falsified his testimony, the vigers'' ounts were consistent with his. "In that case, we¡¯ll have to find the demonic beast ourselves." The crocodile demonic beast that kidnapped a viger every night. To find a connection between this case and the Archbishop of Beasts, we had to meet this demonic beast that resembled the Eight-Eyed Beast from the midterm evaluation. "Alright. We don¡¯t have time to waste here." "Let¡¯s go right away." Professor Elisha and I set off toward the mountain behind the vige, where the crocodile demonic beast was said to have headed. At that moment¡ª "E-excuse me! Are you... heroes?" A middle-aged woman with dark circles under her eyes approached us. "Yes, we are." "Oh! I knew you were heroes!" The woman knelt down, her eyes shining like a priest of the Holy Kingdom who had just witnessed the Seven Gods. "Lst night, my child was kidnapped by the demonic beast! Please... please save Lumi from that wicked creature!" Tears streamed down her face as she bowed her head to the ground. "I''m just a humble woman from the countryside, but Lumi has always been much brighter and more talented than the other children. She might even awaken a Stigma and be a hero one day! Please...!" "Calm down." Professor Elisha lifted the middle-aged woman from the hard ground, where she was repeatedly bowing. "If your child is alive, I¡¯ll make sure to rescue her. Don¡¯t worry." "Th-thank you, hero!" The woman¡¯s face was filled with tears of gratitude. "......" Wearing a bitter expression, Professor Elisha turned her back on the woman and started walking again. Once we had walked far enough that the woman was out of sight¡ª "Sigh." Professor Elisha took out another cigarette from her pocket, biting down hard. "...I¡¯ve made another promise I can''t keep." Her regretful murmur made me click my tongue softly. "There¡¯s almost no chance the child is still alive, is there?" "Probably not." Professor Elisha nodded with a sorrowful gaze. "The only glimmer of hope is that this demonic beast seems to be kidnapping the vigers for amusement rather than for ughter... but even so, it''s unlikely." She took a deep drag of her cigarette, biting her lips. Although she tried to act nonchnt, the deep sorrow in her violet eyes was unmistakable. "...Are you alright?" "Heh. How many times do you think I¡¯ve been through something like this?" Professor Elisha shrugged and continued walking. "Losing a child to a demonic beast attack in a small vige like this is a very mon urrence.''" "......" "Well, you¡¯re still just a cadet and haven¡¯t yet experienced something like this as an active hero." No. This isn¡¯t my first time. In terms of experience, I¡¯ve probably witnessed much more despair right before my eyes than she ever has. People losing loved ones to demonic beasts, having their lives trampled by demons. Tragedies widespread in parts of the world where the hands of heroes can¡¯t reach. All toomon, nothing special, just the kind of thing you see everywhere. But still¡­ "Let¡¯s go." Professor Elisha extinguished her cigarette and walked ahead withrge strides. "...Yes." I quickened my pace to follow her. * * * "The demonic beast¡¯sir... seems to be around here." With her glowing violet ''Cursed Eye,'' Professor Elisha swiftly led the way. "It¡¯s pretty close to the vige." "The demonic beast probably thinks there¡¯s nothing here that could threaten it." It probably wasn¡¯t wrong¡ªif we hadn¡¯te today. "That cave, over there." Professor Elisha pointed to arge cave nestled between the cliffs. "A beast mutated from a crocodile lives in that cave... One thing''s for sure, it has a lot of ''eyes''." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] In general, mutated beasts often retained their pre-mutation instincts. But that was only true for those with fewer ''eyes.'' The more severely a beast was mutated by demonic energy, the more it lost its original instincts. "Let''s go in." "Yes." Professor Elisha and I cautiously entered the cave, staying alert to our surroundings. Ssh, ssh. The sound of water pooled on the cave floor echoed quietly. "Grrrrrr." A savage growl came from deep within the cave. The crocodile beast that had been lying on the stone floor, asleep, slowly rose upon noticing the intruders. "It''sing." Professor Elisha spread a thin silver thread around her, preparing for battle. "Professor, wait." I stepped in front of her, stopping her. "What is it?" "Look over there." "...!" I pointed to the far side of the cave, where seven unconscious people were strewn about the floor. Three of them were no longer breathing, but the remaining four were faintly alive. Among the survivors was the daughter of the middle-aged woman we had met in the vige. "...So, she was alive." With trembling eyes, Professor Elisha looked at the freckled young girl with orange hair, barely clinging to life. "I''ll handle the beast. Please, save the survivors, Professor." "...But." "Your ''web'' is far more effective at protecting them than my sword." Once the battle started in earnest, the cave''s structure would be shaken, sending stone fragments and stctites flying everywhere¡ªlethal for ordinary people without any protection. Especially for those already weakened to the brink of death. "...Alright." Professor Elisha nodded and stepped back. She stretched out her arms, and hundreds of silver threads formed a web around the survivors, shielding them. "ROOOAAARR!" The crocodile beast let out a fierce roar. Its body was covered in steel-like scales, with a protruding snout, sharp ws, and a long, whip-like tail. ¡®It''s the same one from the mid-term assessment.¡¯ I couldn''t be sure if it was connected to the Archbishop of Beasts, but it was definitely the same crocodile beast I had fought before. ¡®Back then, I barely won using ignition.¡¯ So how would I fare now? ¡®I¡¯ve gotten a lot stronger since then.¡¯ I twisted my lips into a smirk and bit down hard on my hand. Blood flowed from the torn skin, and the droplets formed into the shape of a sword. The demon sword Vescal. A de that grants immense power in exchange for blood. Gripping it, my body surged with energy as if blessed by Iris herself. "Grrrrrr!" The crocodile beast let out a savage roar and charged. Boom, boom, boom! Every step it took sent shockwaves through the entire cave. "ROOAAARR!" Its sharp ws shed toward my neck. CLANG! The sh of sword and w echoed. Whereas before I would have been thrown back, now my feet remained firmly nted on the ground as if rooted in ce. "Grurrr?!" It was the crocodile beast that was pushed back, not me. Its four sets of eyes squinted, as if unable to believe it had been overpowered by a human half its size. "ROOOAAARR!" Letting out an enraged roar, it swung its long tail like a whip. The tail, covered in steel-like scales, sliced through the air with a terrifying sound. ¡®This one, I should dodge.¡¯ A thought suddenly crossed my mind as I was about to tilt my sword and step back. - The swordsmanship you use, Dale. It doesn¡¯t seem to suit you for some reason. Yurina¡¯s words shed through my mind. "......" A body different from my past life. Mana different from my past life. But my memories were still wandering endlessly, trapped in that vast snowfield. If that¡¯s the case... "Hah, I¡¯m not used to this kind of thing." I gathered all the mana in my body, as if igniting an explosion, and poured it into the sword. Ash-gray aura and mes red along the de. Instead of stepping back, I took a step forward and swung the sword directly at the iing tail. BOOOOM!!! The entire cave shook with a deafening crash. Amidst the swirling ashes and mes¡ª "ROOOAAARR!" The beast''s severed tail thudded to the ground. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 91: A Common Occurrence (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 91: A Common urrence (3) "Sigh." Gray smoke mixed with the exhtion. The surge of explosive mana had heated my blood and energy intensely. I looked at the severed tail of the monster and twisted my lips into a grin. A chill ran down my spine. Was this how it felt for someone who had been on a lifelong diet to binge eat without restraint for the first time? A sense of tion and a thrilling pleasure spread throughout my body. ¡®So this is what it felt like.¡¯ For the first time, I stopped conserving mana out of habit and swung my sword with full force, disying destructive power far beyond what I had imagined. ¡®Mana does drain like crazy, though.¡¯ If my body hadn¡¯t recently been reconstructed into a "furnace" and my mana capacity hadn''t increased explosively, I would¡¯ve found it hard to handle. ¡®But the power is undeniable.¡¯ Even without using ¡®Ignition,¡¯ this was the level of power. If I had used Ignition, the force would¡¯ve been more than twice as strong as it was now. ¡®And in Ignition mode, mana recovers quickly, so there¡¯d be less burden.¡¯ In many ways, this was a swordsmanship style that fit me well. ¡°Hah.¡± A quietugh escaped from between my lips. It wasn¡¯t until I swung my sword without thinking about conserving mana that I understood what Yurina had been talking about. ¡®How could I have trained with the sword for thousands of years and not realized something like this on my own?¡¯ No, to be precise, it was because I had trained for thousands of years that I hadn¡¯t been able to realize it. ¡®A new swordsmanship that suits me now.¡¯ I didn¡¯t think calling this style the same name, ¡®Sun Sword,¡¯ as before was appropriate. The form of swordsmanship I used had changedpletely, and if I kept the same name, it would unconsciously remind me of old habits. ¡®Then¡­¡¯ I looked down at the sword in my hand. Among the flickering gray aura, embers burned. It wasn¡¯t difficult toe up with a new name for the swordsmanship, one that fit this unique aura, which couldn¡¯t be seen in any hero across either my past or current life. ¡°Graaaah!!!¡± The crocodile demonic beast, which had been stunned while staring at its severed tail, roared ferociously and charged forward, pounding the ground. Its massive body, covered entirely in steel-like scales, shot forward at terrifying speed. Toward the incarnation of destruction that could crush a person just by grazing them¡ª I pointed my sword. ¡°Ss¡­¡± I spread the mana embedded in the Stigma throughout my body. As I stomped my foot roughly, I surged my mana explosively. Unlike the ¡®Sun Sword,¡¯ which had precisely controlled the mana flow only to use it in the necessary moments, this was an all-out strike, burning even thest drop of remaining mana. Gray Ashen Sword. First Form, Annihiliation. A swordsmanship created solely for ¡®Dale Han,¡¯ and no one else, cleaved through the crocodile demonic beast¡¯s body. Thoom! With a heavy crash, the 5-meter demonic beast¡¯s body split in two from the crown of its head, dividing into two halves. The scent of scorched flesh and gray smoke oozed from the exposed, charred flesh. ¡°Phew.¡± As I exhaled and withdrew the mana, my body swayed slightly. ¡®Did I use too much mana too quickly?¡¯ Using the sword as a cane to support myself, I looked at the corpse of the crocodile demonic beast, split in half. ¡®No magic stone?¡¯ Well, it was rare for demonic beasts above the 8-eyed level to drop magic stones, so my luck during the transfer had simply been extraordinary. As I suppressed my disappointment and turned my head¡ª ¡°¡­What is this?¡± A voice filled with astonishment came from Professor Elisha. ¡°Cadet Dale¡­ how in the world¡­?¡± She looked at me with trembling eyes, as if finding it hard to believe what she had just seen. Understandably so. She had been the only witness when I fought this very crocodile demonic beast during the midterm evaluation. It hadn¡¯t been long since then, and yet, to see me slice through a demonic beast I had barely defeated with great effort, in just two sword strikes¡ªit would be shocking to anyone. ¡°Well, don¡¯t cadets grow quickly?¡± I shrugged and joked, but Professor Elisha¡¯s face tightened. ¡°Are you seriously saying that¡¯s an excuse?¡± It¡¯s true that heroes grow fastest during their cadet days, but there are limits. Taking down a 8-eyed demonic beast¡ªone that even most professors would hesitate to face¡ªlike it was a stray dog? That wasn¡¯t just like a snake turning into a dragon overnight, but more like a miracle. ¡°Ha¡­ I knew Cadet Dale had some hidden power, but¡­¡± Professor Elisha sighed deeply and shook her head. ¡®When I talked with Professor Lucas, he mentioned that Cadet Dale could be an even greater hero than the Five Great Heroes one day¡­¡¯ She began to wonder if that "someday" might be closer than she had initially thought. ¡°By the way, how are the survivors?¡± ¡°¡­Fortunately, they seem to be fine.¡± Thanks to my preemptive efforts to protect them from the aftereffects of the battle, and also because the battle had ended so quickly that there hadn¡¯t even been time for coteral damage. ¡°They¡¯re weak, though. We should get them back to the vige quickly.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± And so, Professor Elisha and I took the survivors to the vige. ¡°L-Lumi! Lumi-ah!!!¡± As soon as we arrived at the vige, a middle-aged woman who had been waiting at the entrance ran toward us frantically. Tears streamed down her face as she looked at her daughter, Lumi, who was resting in Professor Elisha¡¯s arms. ¡°Thank you! Thank you so much, heroes!¡± ¡°Thank uster. Some of the survivors are in critical condition, soy them down quickly and feed them some porridge.¡± ¡°Yes, yes! I understand!¡± Perhaps the vigers had heard the middle-aged woman¡¯s cries, for they came rushing out of their homes and cheered. ¡°The heroes have defeated the monsters!¡± ¡°We¡¯re saved!¡± ¡°Hurrah!¡± ¡°Thank you! Thank you, heroes!¡± ¡°The blessings of the Seven Gods be upon you!¡± The vigers wept tears of joy. Of course, some shed tears for a different reason. ¡°U-um¡­ Hero, did you happen to see my husband?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s my mother¡­?¡± ¡°N-no! Phillip! Philliiip!¡± Of the seven taken by the demonic beast, only four survived. In other words, some never returned alive. "......" Professor Elisha turned her head away from the vigers who were crying out in grief, her expression bitter. "Are you all right?" "...Hmph. Who''s worrying about whom here?" "Is there a rule that says a student can''t worry about their professor?" "Quiet." Despite her cold retort, the darkness on Professor Elisha''s face seemed to lighten just a bit. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "We¡¯ll continue the investigation tomorrow. Let¡¯s rest for today." "Yes, let¡¯s do that." Having used quite a bit of mana with the ''Ashen Sword,'' I, too, was in need of a break. Professor Elisha and I entered a nearby empty house to take a brief rest. Knock, knock. Just then, there came a cautious knock on the door. "Are the heroes inside?" The voice of Oliver, the vige chief, came through the door. Professor Elisha rose from her seat and opened the door. "What is it?" "In return for your help in subduing the demonic beast¡­ though it is not much, the vigers have decided to hold a small festival this evening." "A festival?" "Yes. To celebrate those who returned alive and to console those who passed. We would be honored if you, the heroes, could attend and brighten the asion with your presence." "I''m not interested." Professor Elisha shook her head firmly. The vige chief, looking troubled, continued his plea. "The vigers are really hoping for your attendance. We''d love to offer you a taste of our vige''s specialty apple cider. Could you please join us?" "Hmm." At the chief''s earnest request, Professor Elisha hesitated, as if ufortable with receiving such treatment from people whose lives had been disrupted. ¡®She¡¯s just too nice for her own good.¡¯ I stifled augh and whispered to her in a low voice. "I¡¯ll ask the Helios family to send relief suppliester, so feel free to attend." "...The Helios family?" Her eyes asked, ¡®How?¡¯ "I have some connections with the head of the Helios family." "Candidate Dale knows Rosanna Helios?" Her eyes blinked in disbelief as I shrugged. "Hah... The more I know about you, Candidate Dale, the more mysteries there are." Professor Elisha sighed and shook her head. "Fine. I¡¯ll attend." "Thank you, heroes!" Oliver, the vige chief, brightened up, bowing repeatedly. "I¡¯lle get you once everything is ready!" After the chief left, Professor Elisha and I took a short rest while waiting for a few hours. Soon, sounds of excitement began to spill in from outside. "The festival preparations areplete, heroes!" At the vige chief''s call, Professor Elisha and I stepped outside. Arge bonfire greeted us. The scent of savory meat and the sweet aroma of fruit cider filled the small vige. "Wow! It''s the heroes!" "Thank you for saving our vige!" "For the heroes! For the Seven Gods!" Some of the vigers were already quite tipsy. "U-um, heroes, I brought you some drinks." A small girl approached us as we sat down. "You are¡­?" "Hehe, my name is Lumi!" The girl, with her orange hair and freckles, smiled brightly. "Already recovered, have you?" "Yes! It¡¯s all thanks to you, heroes!" Perhaps because it hadn''t been long since she was rescued from the demonic beast, she seemed to be in much better condition than I had feared. "...That''s a relief." Professor Elisha smiled faintly as she epted the sweet-smelling apple cider from the girl. "Now that the heroes are here, let¡¯s start the festival in earnest!" The vige chief, standing by the bonfire, raised his ss high. "To the heroes who protected our vige!" "For the Seven Gods!" The vigers cheered and tipped their apple cider sses. "They sure are lively." "Well, to them, it¡¯s like they narrowly escaped death." I stifled augh and held out my ss to Professor Elisha. Clink. A clear sound rang out as our sses touched. "Apple cider, huh¡­ The aroma is certainly pleasant." Professor Elisha took a sip of the cider. And then¡ª "Phu-huh!" She spat the cider out. "Professor?" "Candidate Dale! Don¡¯t drink it!" Professor Elisha hastily knocked the ss out of my hand. Crash. The ss shattered, spilling the cider onto the ground. "You..." Rising from her seat, Professor Elisha, with a distorted expression, strode towards the vige chief. "What did you put in the drink?" Her fierce eyes gleamed dangerously as she grabbed the chief by the cor. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 92: A Common Occurrence (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 92: A Common urrence (4) The festival, once filled with cheers andughter, suddenly fell into a cold silence, as if ice water had been poured over it. "Y-Your Highness, the Hero?" "What is going on?" The vigers stepped back in confusion, startled by Professor Elisha''s sudden actions. Without even sparing a nce at the confused vigers, Professor Elisha roughly grabbed the cor of Chief Oliver. "H-Heek!" Chief Oliver, trembling in fear, shivered under the murderous aura emitted by the "Spider of Cursed Eyes." "I-I only did as I was told!" "...Did as you were told?" Professor Elisha''s expression twisted with fury. As her violet eyes of malice glimmered and darted around, a sound interrupted the tense atmosphere. p, p, p. In the midst of the silent vige square, the sound of pping echoed. "As expected from the ''Spider of Cursed Eyes.'' I went through great lengths to conceal the traces of mana, but it seems it was all in vain." "You..." Professor Elisha''s eyes gleamed coldly as she gritted her teeth at the man in front of her. "Harris." The very man who had first reported the vigers'' abductions. Unlike the typical rustic folk, he had an unusually clean-cut appearance. Smiling, Harris nodded his head. "But even the famed Blessing of Insight doesn''t seem to be infallible, does it?" he added, smirking sarcastically. "I mean, you''ve failed to notice a demon standing right in front of you." With a theatrical bow, Harris continued, "Allow me to reintroduce myself." Crack, crunch! The right side of Harris''s face grotesquely swelled, and around his right eye, monstrous tendrils ripped through his skin and burst forth. "I am Harris, a devoted servant of Lord Jackal, and his faithful bishop." "...You''re Harris?" "Well, my original name wasn''t Harris. But since I''m currently using this human body as my host, feel free to call me Harris. After all, we are now ''one.''" Laughing gleefully, Harris shrugged his shoulders. Professor Elisha bit her lip, her expression tense. This wasn''t an ordinary demon but a parasitic one¡ªone that controlled another person''s body. Such demons had no obvious marks, and their magic was so faint that even the "Blessing of Insight" couldn''t easily detect their true nature. "What did you put in the cider?" "It''s Lord Jackal''s blessing." "Stop with the nonsense and answer me properly." "It¡¯s not nonsense," Harris replied, spreading his arms wide, his face alight with madness. "To shed this frail human flesh and gain the body of a demonic beast! If that''s not a blessing, then what is?" "A demonic beast''s body, huh." I frowned as I looked down at the cider spilled on the ground. ¡®A poison that turns humans into demonic beasts.¡¯ I remembered hearing a rumor in my previous life, during the war against the demonic beast Archbishop, that Jackal had turned an entire city''s poption into demonic beasts to use as his minions. ¡®So the n was to feed us that, huh¡­¡¯ It was now clear¡ªthe whole kidnapping incident in this vige had been a trap set by Jackal to capture us. ¡®More specifically, it was probably aimed at Professor Elisha.¡¯ Clicking my tongue, I nced at Bishop Harris, who was still not paying me any attention. "Don''t you agree, Professor Elisha?" Bishop Harris smiled brightly at Professor Elisha. "I have no intention of indulging in your twisted ideological games." "Is that so? What a shame." Professor Elisha pulled out thin silver threads and spread them across the ground, ready to attack at any moment. "Where is Jackal now?" "Ha ha. He is not here." "Is that so? What a shame." The numerous silver threads spread across the ground lifted into the air. "Die." Just as Professor Elisha¡¯s "web" was about to shoot toward Bishop Harris, he interrupted. "Ah, don''t be so hasty. There''s still something I''d like to discuss with you." "I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything more to talk about." "Ha ha. Is that so? I wonder if the vigers feel the same." With a sinister smile, Harris¡¯s face twitched, tendrils writhing around. His rxed posture made Professor Elisha frown. "...What do you mean?" "While you so carelessly spit out Lord Jackal¡¯s blessing onto the ground, the other vigers dly epted it." "...!" Professor Elisha''s eyes widened as she quickly turned her head. Scattered across the tables were empty cider bottles. "You...!" Could it be that every drink the vigers consumed had beenced with that poison? "Ha ha ha. Not just the cider¡ªevery food item used in the festival wasced with his blessing. It would be cruel if the children were left out of such a blessing just because they''re too young to drink, don''t you think?" "W-Wait! What are you talking about?!" Chief Oliver shouted in horror, his face pale. "You promised not to harm the vigers if I did as you asked!" "Yes, that was the promise. I remember it well." "Then why... why did you poison the vigers'' food?!" "Hmm?" Bishop Harris tilted his head, tendrils squirming around his face as he looked at Chief Oliver. "Are you suggesting that the food containing Lord Jackal''s blessing is ''poison''?" Shrrrkk! Tendrils wrapped around Chief Oliver¡¯s body. "Eek!" In an instant, Chief Oliver was pulled toward Harris, who looked at him with narrowed eyes. "Listen carefully. epting Lord Jackal¡¯s blessing is not a curse to the vigers. On the contrary, it''s a gift." "A-Ah..." "You''ll understand once you experience it yourself." Snap. With a smile, Harris snapped his fingers. "Aaaahhh! P-Please, spare me...!" Crack, crunch! A sickening sound echoed as Chief Oliver¡¯s entire body grotesquely swelled. His torn skin sprouted red, sinewy muscle like budding nts, with sharp, fang-like teeth and ws emerging. "Grrr... Grrrrrr." In the blink of an eye, Chief Oliver had transformed into a demonic beast, letting out a ferocious growl. "How does it feel? Isn''t it much better than when you were human?" Harris grinned, looking at the now monstrous Chief Oliver. "Kyyaaaahhh!" "T-The chief has turned into a demonic beast!" "W-what? What¡¯s happening?!" The vigers were in a panic. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Harris, watching the scene while chuckling, turned his gaze to Professor Elisha. "Now you understand what''s going on, right?" "......" Professor Elisha''s eyes grew cold. "How ridiculous." "Really? But for something so silly, you seem rather shaken." A smirk yed at the corners of Harris''s mouth. "Doesn¡¯t this remind you of the past?" "......" "A small vige with fewer than 100 people... demonic beasts running rampant, the air thick with the smell of blood and the sound of screams." The past. A horrible hell that a certain girl had once endured. That hell was about to unfold before her eyes once again. "So, what will you do now? With just a snap of my fingers, all the vigers will receive the ''blessing'' of Lord Jakal." "......" Elisha bit her lip as she watched Harris raise his hand in a show of defiance. Even if she dealt with Harris quickly, there was no way to kill him before he could snap his fingers. But neither could she simply submit to the demonic beast''s demands. "H-Hero¡­." "Sniffle¡­ Mom, am I going to turn into one of those demonic beasts too?" "Don''t worry, dear! The heroes will definitely save us!" Despite their trembling, the vigers looked at Professor Elisha with eyes filled with a glimmer of hope. "......" Elisha turned her head away from them and took a step toward Harris. "I told you. It¡¯s a cheap trick." "Oh?" "A small vige disappearing at the hands of a demonic beast is a mon urrence.''" She spoke firmly, as if it were nothing, as if it didn¡¯t matter. "If you want to turn the vigers into demonic beasts, go ahead. I¡¯ll kill you and everyone else." "Hmm." Had he not expected such a response? Harris let out a low hum, furrowing his brow. "N-no!" "Hero! Please don¡¯t abandon us!" "N-noooo!!!" The vige was filled with screams of terror. "......" Without sparing the terrified vigers a nce, Elisha took another step toward Harris. Her lips were clenched, and her fist tightened until it threatened to break. "It¡¯s... amon... urrence." Yes. Just like what had happened decades ago to her. One of countless, unremarkable tragedies. So, there was no need to be sad. It wasmon. It happened everywhere. She wasn¡¯t the only one. So, there was no need to grieve. It wasn¡¯t like some messiah was dying to save the world. No one would care if these vigers turned into demonic beasts and met a miserable end today. If human life had value, these vigers would be rankedst. So, there was no reason to hesitate. Killing Jakal¡¯s underling here and now would, in the end, save more lives than desperately trying to save a handful of ignorant vigers. It was the efficient, rational choice. So. So. So. "I¡­." Blood seeped from her lips as she bit down harder. Her clenched fist trembled. Decades ago. She remembered the day she had looked on helplessly as her vige burned, a girl crying out in despair. -Someone, please, help us! Our, our vige!!! No hero came to save the girl that day. Today was no different. Just as she prepared to charge at Harris, leaving the screaming vigers behind¡ª "There¡¯s something I¡¯ve never quite understood." A quiet voice echoed in her ear. "If it¡¯s somon, does that make it less sad?" "Candidate Dale¡­." "Does getting hit hurt any less because a lot of other people get hit too?" "Don¡¯t be insolent." Elisha shot him a sharp re, but Dale simply smirked. "The only one being insolent right now is you." "What?" "You''re just trying to make it sound noble because you¡¯ve given up on the vigers and want to take down one enemy." "You¡­!" Elisha¡¯s face twisted in anger as she took a step forward. [Listen to me carefully.] Dale¡¯s voice rang out in her head. Surprised, she nced at him. He raised a finger to his lips and gave her a sly grin. [Now, let me tell you how to deal with this mon urrence.''] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 93: A Common Occurrence (5) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 93: A Common urrence (5) ¡°Just one snap of my fingers, and I could turn everyone in the vige into demonic beasts.¡± While Professor Elisha and Harris were conversing, I pondered over Harris'' words in my head. ¡®That means the poison inside the vigers only activates when a specific signal is given.¡¯ In other words¡­ ¡®Without that ¡°special signal,¡± the poison the vigers consumed won''t take effect.¡¯ It¡¯s more like a bomb than a poison. If it¡¯s not a situation where the effect triggers naturally over time¡­ ¡®There¡¯s a way.¡¯ The poison the vigers consumed won¡¯t activate without the specific signal. Thus, there are two options: Kill Harris before he can send the signal or block the signal itself. ¡®The former is too risky.¡¯ No matter how powerful Professor Elisha is, a hero ranked ninth in the Tri-Nation rankings, she wouldn¡¯t be able to suppress a bishop-level monster without giving him a chance even to snap his fingers. That leaves only one option: ¡®A magic barrier that blocks all mana.¡¯ I need to cut off the signal Harris is sending entirely. It''s like not taking the detonator away from the bomber, but rather blocking the signal that activates the detonator in the first ce. ¡®A magic barrier that blocks all power is an advanced spell that even most professors of the Magic Department can¡¯t cast.¡¯ But who am I? I¡¯m the self-proimed top disciple of Senior Sophia, the genius of theoretical magic who solved two out of the three great riddles of the Grand Sage (even if it took me a thousand years to figure out). Casting a barrier that blocks mana? It¡¯s no big deal. But¡­ ¡®With my current mana, I can only spread the barrier over a 20-meter radius at best.¡¯ Even though my mana has increased significantly recently, the magic barrier that blocks power consumes an enormous amount of energy, so I can¡¯t spread it wide enough to cover the entire square where the vigers are scattered. ¡®I can¡¯t get too close to Harris, either.¡¯ The magic barrier was designed for defense, so it only blocks magicing from the outside in, not the other way around. ¡®If Senior Sophia were here, she could instantly modify the spell to block magic going from inside out.¡¯ Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have her level of magical intuition. ¡®I need someone to distract Harris while gathering all 100 vigers in one spot.¡¯ It might seem impossible to gather all the scattered vigers into a 20-meter radius barrier in a split second, but¡­ ¡®There is someone.¡¯ And that someone is standing right beside me. [So¡­ you want Candidate Dale to distract Harris while I gather the vigers in one ce?] Elisha Baldwin, the Spider with Mystic Eyes, raised an eyebrow at me as she repeated my telepathic message. [It¡¯s a ridiculous n.] It was barely even a n, more like a crude idea. One slip-up, and everything would go up in smoke, a dangerous gamble. Logically, it made more sense to capture Jackal¡¯s underling right here and now than to risk it on a flimsy hope. But¡­ [Candidate Dale¡­ You¡¯re really something.] For some reason, the suffocating sense of urgency that had been tightening around me just moments ago hadpletely vanished. [Fine. I¡¯ll go along with your n.] As Professor Elisha¡¯s voice echoed in my head, I couldn¡¯t help but smirk. [Focus. We only get one shot at this.] Leaving Professor Elisha behind, I dashed toward bishop Harris. ¡°W-wahhhh!¡± I screamed as if I were terrified out of my wits. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Please spare me! I¡¯m just a candidate and have nothing to do with Professor Elisha!¡± I shouted with a desperate expression. ¡°I only followed because they said I¡¯d get extra points, and now they¡¯re telling me to fight demonic beasts! I don¡¯t even have my official hero license yet!¡± ¡°Haha. This situation has gotten quite amusing, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Harris chuckled as he watched me grovel. Even though I had gotten quite close, he made no move to trigger the "detonator" nted inside the vigers. ¡®That¡¯s because I¡¯m no threat to him.¡¯ I was just a small fry who got caught in the Harris had spread to catch the big fish, Elisha Baldwin. No matter how much a tiny fish like me iled around, it wouldn¡¯t make sense for him to pull the up prematurely. ¡®But he won¡¯t let his guard down that easily.¡¯ Harris wasn¡¯t a fool. Even if I was just a candidate, there was no way he wouldpletely drop his guard around someone Elisha had brought along. The moment I made any wrong move, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to trigger the bomb he¡¯d nted inside the vigers. ¡®So¡­¡¯ I just need to make himpletely drop his guard. And creating an opening by luring my opponent into a false sense of security was something I¡¯d honed to perfection in my previous life. ¡°To turn one¡¯s own student into a demonic beast¡­ That wouldn¡¯t be a bad picture, either.¡± Harris snapped his fingers, pointing at me. I felt the faint magical signal from his hand flow into my body. And then¡­ ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Seeing no change in me, Harris tilted his head. ¡°Oh, right. You didn¡¯t drink earlier, did you?¡± Only then did bishop Harris realize that I hadn¡¯t drunk the poisoned cider, and he smirked, stepping toward me. ¡°What a shame. If you had drunk it, you could have received the blessing of the Lord.¡± ¡°Hiiiii!¡± I let out a pathetic scream and copsed onto my backside. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°P-please, spare me¡­!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t have time to y with you right now.¡± ¡°Gahhh!¡± With a squelching sound, one of Harris¡¯s tentacles shot out and pierced my heart. A dull, meaty thud followed by blood pouring out like water from a broken faucet. As Harris turned his attention to Professor Elisha, he left me crumpled on the ground, clutching my heart. ¡°So, what will you do now? Are you going to abandon all the innocent vigers?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hm? Oh, I see. You¡¯re concerned about the candidate, aren¡¯t you?¡± Harris chuckled as he nced at the fallen candidate, then at Professor Elisha. ¡°Here¡¯s some advice: In the future, choose your candidates more carefully, even if you¡¯re just bringing them along as errand runners.¡± He clicked his tongue in mock disapproval. ¡°No matter how inexperienced they are, a candidate this pathetic really tarnishes a hero¡¯s reputation¡­ Hm?¡± ¡°No matter if he¡¯s just a cadet, looking this disgraceful¡­ How can a hero¡¯s dignity¡­ hm?¡± At that moment, Bishop Harris frowned and rubbed his cheek. His fingers were covered in a thick gray ash. ¡°Where did thise from...?¡± As he furrowed his brow and tried to brush off the ash on his hand¡ª Fwoosh! A fierce me red up from the ash. Harris dodged the iing sword strike with a startled expression. ¡°W-What is this?!¡± The cadet, who should have been dead, with his heart pierced by a tentacle, was now swinging his sword as if nothing had happened. ¡®Wasn¡¯t his heart impaled?¡¯ No, he had definitely felt the sensation of his heart being pierced. Through the tentacle that had run through his heart, he had even checked that his breathing hadpletely stopped. ¡®But why?¡¯ Why was the corpse, with its heart skewered, suddenly alive again and swinging a sword at him? ¡°Urgh¡­!¡± Harris, known as the ¡®Mind Eater,¡¯ a demonic beast that devours brains, could absorb the knowledge and experiences of anyone he consumed. He had consumed the brains of hundreds of humans, umting knowledge and experiences beyond what any normal human could attain. Yet, even he couldn¡¯tprehend the current situation. And so, he briefly forgot about Jackal¡¯s order¡ªto turn the vigers into beasts immediately if anything went wrong. ¡°Now!!!¡± Dale¡¯s shout echoed throughout the vige square. ¡°Hoo.¡± Professor Elisha spread her arms wide and took a deep breath. ¡°Bind them.¡± With a quiet mutter¡ª Whirr, whirr, whirr!!! Hundreds, thousands of strands of ¡®web¡¯ spread out in all directions. The web swiftly coiled around the vigers, who had copsed in despair, and pulled them in. ¡°Aaahhh!¡± ¡°Wh-What?!¡± ¡°Mommy!!!¡± The vigers struggled as they were dragged, bound by the invisible silver threads, but they couldn¡¯t escape from Professor Elisha¡¯s web. Whirr! Whip! Whirr! The web spread throughout the entire vige square. Elisha gathered all of the 100 vigers into one ce, bound by the web. ¡°It¡¯s no use!¡± Bishop Harris, btedly regaining hisposure, reached out toward the vigers. With a snap of his fingers, he sent a magical signal toward the bound vigers. ¡°Cadet Dale!¡± At Professor Elisha¡¯s shout, Dale leapt forward. Entering the gathered vigers, he spread his arms wide. Fwoooosh! A magic-blocking barrier spread out, and mes encased it. The magical signal sent by Bishop Harris was swallowed by the mes and vanished. ¡°Huh?¡± Harris widened his eyes in shock. When he snapped his fingers, all the vigers should have transformed into beasts, but not a single one did. ¡°A magic-blocking barrier...?! How is a cadet using that?¡± The magic-blocking barrier was an advanced technique that even most professors in the magic department couldn¡¯t use. And yet, a mere cadet without a hero¡¯s license had deployed it? That too, in an instant? ¡°What in the world¡­?¡± Harris staggered backward, overwhelmed by the sensation that the hundreds of experiences he had absorbed were being entirely invalidated. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ ording to the original n, if Professor Elisha didn¡¯tply with the orders, he would turn the vigers into beasts to tie her down and then escape. But the situation hadpletely fallen apart. ¡®I have to retreat¡­¡¯ Just as he decided to flee¡ª Whirr, whirr, whirr! Hundreds of silver threads tangled around him like a spider¡¯s web, enclosing the space around him. The web-covered space trapped him like prey caught by a spider. Step, step. The faint sound of footsteps echoed. Professor Elisha pulled out a cigarette from her coat and put it to her lips. Click. The cigarette lit with a red glow. ¡°So, what will you do now?¡± Blowing out a cloud of smoke, the spider-eyed professor red menacingly with fierce eyes. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 94: Interlude – The Spiders First Experience [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 94: Interlude ¨C The Spider''s First Experience Swish! The eerie sound of thousands of silver threads intertwined filled the air. Spiderwebs closing in from all sides. ¡°D-damn it!¡± With a horrified expression, Bishop Harris shot tendrils toward the tightening webs. Lined with sharp barbs, the tendrils whipped out as if to tear apart the delicate threads, but¡­ ¡°Urgh!¡± Sssshk! Instead of cutting through, the tendrils were severed as soon as they touched the webs. Although thinner than hair, the threads held enough power to slice through steel effortlessly. ¡°How dare you, wretched sinner, trapped in a human body!!!¡± With a fierce roar, tendrils sprouted from his entire body, tearing through his skin. A maelstrom of demonic energy surged around him. Dozens of tendrils shot toward Professor Elisha. And then¡­ ¡°Is that your answer?¡± Taking a step forward, Professor Elishamanded the webs around her to contract, ensnaring the iing tendrils. Crack! The webs wrapped around the tendrils, ripping them from Bishop Harris''s body. ¡°Aaaaaaaargh!¡± A horrifying scream burst from him. The bishop, spurting blood, copsed to the ground as his tendrils were torn out. ¡°Cursed spider¡­¡± He muttered, trembling as he backed away. Fear flickered in his grotesquely bulging eyes. Professor Elisha calmly walked toward him, taking a deep drag from her cigarette. ¡°Pathetic answer.¡± Exhale. She blew out a cloud of smoke. ¡°Hah.¡± Bishop Harris''s lips twisted into a grin, blood trickling down as he staggered to his feet. ¡°Don¡¯t think it ends here! Lord Jackal will soon¡ª¡± ¡°You talk too much.¡± Shiiiing! Before he could finish his sentence, a web wrapped around his neck and sliced off his head. ¡°Squeeeal¡­squeeee.¡± From his severed head crawled a writhing lump of flesh¡ªthe true form of the Mind Eater. Crunch! Professor Elisha stomped on the squirming creature. Its remains sttered across the ground. Tick. She flicked her cigarette onto the mangled corpse of the Mind Eater. ¡°Well done.¡± I dispelled the protective barrier and approached her. ¡°How are the vigers?¡± ¡°They¡¯re fine. For now.¡± Even after Bishop Harris''s death, the poison embedded within them had not yet taken effect. ¡°We should call for reinforcements from the Holy Kingdom to neutralize the poison¡­¡± ¡°No need. I can remove it.¡± The Primordial me had the power to burn away the Stigma of the Demon God. Since the poison in the vigers had been crafted with the demonic mark, I could neutralize it using the Primordial me. ¡°You, Cadet Dale?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded and walked toward the vigers. ¡°Hero!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going to happen to us?¡± ¡°Please, save us!¡± As I approached, the vigers gathered around in a panic. ¡°Everyone, calm down and form a line.¡± They nced at each other and quickly lined up. ¡°Extend your arms.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± One of the vigers stretched out his arm. I grasped it and let my mana flow into his body. ¡®Only burn away the poison, nothing else.¡¯ Channeling mana into an ordinary human¡¯s body was as dangerous as performing surgery with bare hands. ¡®But this is where I shine.¡¯ Precision control over mana was my strongest suit, something even the other "Five Heroes" could not match me in. re! The Primordial me entered the viger¡¯s body and incinerated every trace of the poison. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± ¡°I-I won¡¯t turn into a monster?¡± ¡°No. The poison ispletely gone, so you¡¯re safe now.¡± ¡°Thank you! Thank you, Hero!¡± Tears streamed down the viger¡¯s face as he bowed repeatedly. ¡°Next, please.¡± Like a doctor in a field clinic, I detoxified each viger one by one. * * * Late at night, in the vige square. The campfire was dying out, sending thest few sparks into the air. ¡°Whew. It¡¯s finally over.¡± Wiping the cold sweat from my forehead, I stood up. This was the first time I had controlled the Primordial me for such an extended period, and I felt utterly drained. ¡®But at least I¡¯ve improved my control over it.¡¯ Surprisingly, handling the me while treating ordinary people had helped me better manage its overwhelming power. ¡°Well done.¡± As soon as I finished detoxifying the vigers, Professor Elisha approached me. She wiped the sweat from my forehead with a cool, damp cloth. ¡°You¡¯ve sweated a lot.¡± Her expression was full of concern. I shrugged, trying to hide my exhaustion. ¡°I just had to focus a bit. It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Yourplexion says otherwise.¡± She gently pulled my head onto herp, her soft thighs beneath the fabric of her suit. ¡°Rest.¡± ¡°¡­This position makes it harder to rx, though.¡± ¡°Quiet. Just lie there.¡± She pressed my forehead back down as I tried to lift my head. ¡°Is the detoxificationplete?¡± ¡°You must be tired from the battle. You did well.¡± Professor Elisha gently stroked my forehead as she spoke in a quiet voice. ¡°Cadet Dale.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I suppressed a smallugh and shook my head. ¡°No need to thank me.¡± I may have proposed the n, but¡­ It was not a n that I could have aplished on my own. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°It¡¯s you, Professor Elisha, who saved them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Professor Elisha turned her head and looked at the vigers. Some were crying tears of relief, others were cheering that they had survived, and some were angrily spilling cider on the ground. Suddenly, memories from the past shed in her mind. ¡ªSomeone, please! Please save us! Our vige¡­ Our vige!!! That day, decades ago. The memory of a young girl who cried as she watched her vige burn. A girl who looked just like her, endlessly shedding tears, desperately longing for a rescue that never came. ¡ªDon''t worry. Her younger self, standing in front of the crying girl, blocking her view. ¡ªWe¡¯vee to save you. In her imagination, Dale stood beside her, giving a reassuring smile. ¡°¡­Hah.¡± Professor Elisha let out a self-deprecatingugh at the fantasy that came to her mind. ¡®So, this was the kind of wound that could be soothed so easily.¡¯ Deep within her memories, she felt the long-torn and rotting wound begin to heal, bit by bit. ¡°How¡­mon.¡± No grand reversal, no moving backstory, no tearful, emotional ending. The wound that had tormented her for decades was being healed in the most absurdly simple way. By a mere cadet, no less. ¡°Professor Elisha?¡± She looked down at Dale, who was gazing up at her with wide eyes. For some reason, her heart was pounding, so much so that she found it hard to meet his gaze. ¡®How foolish of me.¡¯ If Professor Lucas saw this, he¡¯d tease her endlessly. Suppressing a bitter smile, Professor Elisha looked at Dale. Suddenly, a yful thought crossed her mind. ¡°You know, this is all rather suspicious.¡± ¡°Sorry? What is?¡± ¡°Abat cadet using a magical barrier that even professors from the magic department struggle to cast, and then detoxifying a poison made by the archbishop¡­ Isn¡¯t that suspicious?¡± With narrowed eyes, Professor Elisha lowered her face, drawing closer. Close enough that they could feel each other¡¯s breath. ¡°I think further investigation is required.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Just before her lips touched mine, she suddenly tugged on my cheek. ¡°Ha, were you expecting something?¡± ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡± ¡°I just felt like teasing you for a moment.¡± With a satisfied smile, she pulled away. I frowned and lifted my head from herp where it had been resting. For a moment, a flicker of disappointment passed through her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing.¡± She looked back at the vigers and spoke. ¡°This time we made it through, but the Archbishop of the Beasts isn¡¯t going to let this slide.¡± ¡°Yes. That one earlier even said it before he died.¡± He mentioned that Jackal woulde for her soon. ¡°When that timees¡­ will you fight by my side again?¡± Her voice trembled slightly. She was likely hesitant to involve a mere cadet in a battle against the Archbishop, a powerful being unlike any other demon. Suppressing a smallugh, I nodded without hesitation. ¡°Of course.¡± I hadn¡¯t expected the Archbishop of the Beasts to act so aggressively, but it was good news. ¡®The sooner we deal with him, the less burden it¡¯ll be on the future.¡¯ Thinking of the number of heroes sacrificed in my past life just to take down one Archbishop of the Beasts, eliminating him now was essential for the future. ¡°¡­¡®Of course,¡¯ huh.¡± Professor Elisha seemed surprised by my firm response, as if she hadn¡¯t expected such a clear answer. The Archbishop of the Beasts was targeting her, Elisha Baldwin, not Dale. Now that Bishop Harris was dead and there were no witnesses, he would be safe if he just distanced himself from her. Surely he must know that. Yet, Dale nodded without a hint of hesitation. ¡®Is it because he trusts the blessing?¡¯ No. Elisha shook her head. Even if Dale had the blessing to revive after death, that wasn¡¯t enough to exin his easy agreement. The Archbishop could create a living hell that would make one long for death. Despite that, he agreed without pause. ¡®Because he has feelings for me, perhaps?¡¯ The audacious thought that crossed her mind made Elisha¡¯s cheeks flush slightly. She knew it was more of a wishful delusion, but she couldn¡¯t suppress the powerful urge rising from deep within her. ¡°Haa.¡± A deep sigh escaped her lips. ¡°This¡­ is hard to resist.¡± ¡°What is¡ª mmmph!¡± Elisha grabbed Dale by the neck and pressed her lips against his. After a moment, a thin, transparent thread of saliva connected their lips as she pulled away. ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you say the investigation was a joke?¡± ¡°I did say that.¡± ¡°Then why¡­?¡± Elisha gently touched her lips, a faint smile ying across her face. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a kiss for the investigation.¡± The Spider-Eyed Elisha Baldwin. In her long life, it was the first time she had kissed for a reason other than ¡®investigation.¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 95: Interlude 2 – Ashen Flames [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 95: Interlude 2 ¨C Ashen mes Inside the magic-powered carriage heading back to the Hero School. The hum of the mana stone-driven engine filled the silence, heavy as thunder. It was an awkward, tense quiet between us. ¡°...¡± Professor Elisha, gripping the steering wheel, kept her face turned slightly toward the window, as if trying to avoid meeting my gaze. Watching her flushed cheeks and ears from the passenger seat, I sighed deeply and spoke up. ¡°How long do you n on avoiding me?¡± ¡°A-avoiding? I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about, Candidate Dale.¡± Her voice was flustered, but she still kept her eyes fixed on the unchanging scenery outside the window for thest three hours. ¡°If you keep that up, you¡¯ll get into an ident.¡± ¡°Hmph. That¡¯s not something for an unlicensed driver like you to worry about.¡± ¡°I told you, I know how to drive.¡± ¡°Come back when you¡¯ve got a license, and then I¡¯ll acknowledge it.¡± Perhaps the casual conversation had eased the tension a little. Elisha finally nced my way. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± The moment our eyes met, she hurriedly turned her head away again. I sighed, running a finger over my lips, which still lingered with a soft sensation. ¡°Forget about it. What happened yesterday was an ident.¡± ¡°¡­Got it.¡± ¡°No, actually, don¡¯t forget it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Do you want me to forget it or not? ¡°Ugh. I¡¯m losing my mind. What was I even thinking¡­?¡± Professor Elisha groaned, resting her forehead on the steering wheel and sighing repeatedly. ¡°I need some air.¡± As if deciding this situation couldn¡¯t continue, she stopped the car. She stepped outside, pulling a cigarette from her coat pocket and cing it between her lips. Before she could pull out a lighter, I snapped my fingers lightly. Fwoosh. A me ignited at my fingertips. The ¡®Primordial me¡¯ was originally meant to burn stigmas, so it was conceptually different from ordinary fire. But with some adjustment, I could use it just like a regr me. ¡°¡­That me.¡± Professor Elisha narrowed her eyes as she gazed at the fire dancing on my fingers. ¡°That¡¯s the power that had been lying dormant within you, isn¡¯t it? Is that why you¡¯ve been growing so rapidlytely¡ªbecause you¡¯ve learned to control it?¡± ¡°¡­You knew?¡± I looked at her in surprise. I was aware she had noticed my Blessing of Revival, but I hadn¡¯t expected her to know about the Primordial me. ¡°I don¡¯t know its exact nature. I just sensed that some enormous power had been sleeping inside you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± I hesitated, unsure whether I should tell her about the Primordial me. But she shook her head gently, continuing. ¡°There¡¯s no need to tell me. You must have your own reasons, Candidate Dale.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°But there is one thing I want to ask.¡± Elisha lit her cigarette from the me at my fingertips and took a deep drag. ¡°The gray aura mixed with mes you used to defeat that monster¡­ what exactly is that?¡± The ¡°Ashen me Sword¡± I had awakened didn¡¯t just give me a new technique. I¡¯d also noticed that when I channeled my full power, the aura created was different, blending with the mes. ¡®It¡¯s not like the me aura I had before.¡¯ In the past, my aura had been surrounded by shimmering mes. Now, the aura and mes were fused, burning together as one. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how to exin it.¡± It was a technique I¡¯d only recently learned. I didn¡¯t fully understand its power or effects yet, so there was no way I could exin it to her. ¡°Hmm. Does it have a name, at least?¡± ¡°A name¡­?¡± I hadn¡¯t officially named it, but as soon as she asked, one word popped into my head. ¡°Ashen me.¡± A delicate me in the ashes. Though it seemed ironic to call the ancient fire that burned the Tree of Creation "delicate," the appearance of it fit the name perfectly. ¡°Ashen me¡­ yes, it¡¯s fitting.¡± Elisha blew out a long stream of smoke. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a technique you used during the midterm evaluations. Did you learn it recently?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Elisha stubbed out her cigarette and narrowed her eyes. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°No, not wrong exactly.¡± Shaking her head, she continued. ¡°It just feels slightly unstable, as if something is off-bnce.¡± ¡°Well, I just learned it recently.¡± The ¡®Ashen me Sword¡¯ I used by channeling that energy into my de was a new technique I¡¯d only tried for the first time. ¡°The fire within me isn¡¯t easy to control. Maybe it¡¯s because the mes are much stronger than my own power, and that throws everything off-bnce.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Elisha fell into deep thought at my words, then slowly shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s the opposite.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The mes are not so strong that they¡¯re causing an imbnce. It¡¯s that the power you possess is too strong, and that¡¯s why it¡¯s out of bnce.¡± ¡°¡­What are you talking about?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Confused by her unexpectedment, I made a dumbfounded face. Elisha moved closer to me, pulling my neck toward her and pressing her lips to mine. Unlikest night, there was no thrill or excitement in the kiss. Her purple eyes gleamed with a strange light. ¡°I knew it.¡± She touched her lips and nodded. ¡°Last night, I wasn¡¯t sure, but now I¡¯m certain.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°There are two.¡± She held up two fingers. ¡°Two great powers slumbering inside you, Candidate Dale. Not just one.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Two powers inside me? What in the world was she talking about? ¡°The me you used is the ¡®weaker¡¯ one. That¡¯s why the bnce was off.¡± ¡°W-wait a minute. What are you talking about?¡± Is she seriously saying I have something stronger than the Primordial me inside me? ¡®That¡¯s impossible¡­¡¯ If I had such power, would I have been called a ¡®minor hero¡¯ in my past life? ¡°As I said, I¡¯m not exactly sure. All I know is that ¡®something like that exists.¡¯¡± ¡°... ¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about it for now. Whether it¡¯s weak or strong, neither power is something you can handle properly at the moment, Dale.¡± Professor Elisha said this as she got back into the magic-powered vehicle. I followed her and got into the car, trying to clear my confused mind. ¡°Hm, but I am curious.¡± Professor Elisha turned to look at me, her eyes gleaming. ¡°I wonder what kind of being you¡¯ll be when you can fully control both of those powers.¡± Her violet eyes scanned me from top to bottom. ¡°You might even be a monster capable of easily tearing apart that ¡®Demon God.¡¯¡± ¡°... ¡­¡± ¡°Heheh, just kidding.¡± She grinned yfully, shrugging her shoulders. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s get moving.¡± With the roar of the engine, the magic-powered vehicle began to move. * * * It waste in the evening when we finally arrived at the Hero Academy. After saying goodbye to Professor Elisha, I returned to my dorm room and sat on the bed, frowning. ¡®Not just one, but two, huh?¡¯ Professor Elisha¡¯s words echoed in my mind like a lingering resonance. Whoosh! I opened my palm and conjured the ¡®Ember.¡¯ A me, mixed with gray aura, flickered on my palm. I could feel a dizzying power from the burning ember. ¡®It consumes a lot of mana, but it¡¯s certainly powerful.¡¯ Based on the insight I gained from Yurina, I had fused the Primordial me with my own mana, creating a new force. The ¡®Ashen Sword¡¯ I wielded with this power had surprised even me with its devastating strength. ¡®It¡¯s still a bit awkward to use, though.¡¯ Over thousands of years, I had developed the habit of conserving my mana. But now, I had to gather everyst bit of my mana, bringing it to a boiling point to unleash this force. It was like a penny-pincher who meticulously kept track of every gold coin walking into a luxury store and buying up everything in sight. While it felt good, part of me wondered, ¡°Is this really okay?¡± ¡®I¡¯ll have to get used to it.¡¯ After experiencing the power of the Ashen Sword firsthand, I couldn¡¯t keep clinging to the old method of conserving magic. ¡®But what was Professor Elisha talking about?¡¯ She said there was another power inside me, besides the Primordial me. In all the countless lifetimes I had lived, I had never considered such a thing. ¡®There¡¯s no way I have another power¡­¡¯ Suddenly, the scene I had witnessed in the world of my inner consciousness shed through my mind. The Primordial me, which seemed almost ¡®terrified,¡¯ hastily copsed the world of my mind to avoid my hand. The reversal of the predator-prey rtionship. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± And then, another question emerged. ¡®Why was my Stigma unharmed?¡¯ ording to legend, the Primordial me has the power to burn away the Stigma. The ¡®Stigma¡¯ here refers to not only the mana within it but also the blessings tied to it. ¡®It¡¯s not an unfounded legend.¡¯ The Primordial me had indeed burned the Distortion Blessing used by the Archbishop of Dreams. It had also incinerated the poison created by the Archbishop of Beasts. But why? ¡®Why didn¡¯t it burn away my Revival Blessing?¡¯ When I epted the Primordial me in my past life, I thought the mark would be consumed by the me, and I would meet my end. Yet, the mark on my left chest remained intact. More than that, it even sealed the Primordial me within. ¡°One, not two.¡± Professor Elisha¡¯s words echoed in my mind. ¡®One, not two.¡¯ If that¡¯s the case, what exactly is this second power, the one that swallowed even the Primordial me? ¡°¡­ ¡­¡± Lost in unanswered questions, the night outside my window grew darker and deeper. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 96: Overheating (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 96: Overheating (1) After the secret(?) trip with Professor Elisha ended, I still had time left since my suspension wasn¡¯t over. I threw myself into training my newly acquired technique, "Ashen me." Maybe it was because it had been a while since I learned a new technique, but I became so engrossed that I practically stopped eating and drinking, dedicating myself to training day and night. The result? I seeded in enveloping not just my sword but also my fists in ashen me. Of course, the technique was so taxing on my mana pathways that my whole body''s mana system was in tatters, but I was able to fix that with the "Blessing of Revival." So there I was, repeatedly experiencing death and revival from the early hours of the morning, fully focused on training, when: Beep. ["Candidate ¡®Yuren Helios,¡¯ ¡®Berald Ryu¡¯ ess confirmed."] Yuren and Berald entered the training hall after their sses ended. "Oh, Dale. You were here first." "Yeah." "Hmm. Brother, haven¡¯t you been here since this morning? No matter how important training is, overdoing it can ruin your body. You should take it easy." Berald stroked his chin with a concerned look. Although he wasn¡¯t directly from the main family, Berald was still a member of the ¡®Ryu¡¯ n, and he had his own private training hall. Yet, ever since our group exploration mission to the ruins, he often came to Yuren¡¯s personal training hall to train together. "Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m fine." I waved off his concern with a smile. There¡¯s an old saying in the Republic that goes, "Too much of anything is bad," but that didn¡¯t apply to me. ¡®The one who told me that in my past life was this guy, Berald.¡¯ A memory from my past life suddenly resurfaced. -Brother, are you really struggling that much? Huff! Huff! I-I¡¯m dying... I¡¯m really going to die! -Hahaha! Don¡¯t worry, brother! -So, we''re done for today, right? -If it¡¯s hard enough to die, just die,e back to life, and start again! -Y-You crazy bastard! -Come on! How can the ¡®Immortal Demon¡¯ be whining like this? Get up! -Aaaah! Stop! Aaargh! Ugh. Just thinking about it pisses me off again. What? Overdoing it can ruin your body, so take it easy? You¡¯re the one who said that, really? "Why... why are you looking at me like you''re going to tear me apart? Did I say something wrong?" "No, it''s nothing." I smiled brightly and approached Berald. "By the way, today¡¯s our sparring day, right?" "Y-Yes, that¡¯s right." "Haha." "Actually, I was thinking maybe I should just do some solo training today¡­." "Where do you think you¡¯re going?" I grabbed Berald¡¯s shoulder as he tried to turn away. "Come on, we¡¯re wasting time. Hurry up and change into your training gear." "Ugh. Fine." "Don¡¯t worry. Even if you get beaten to a pulp, you¡¯ll be okay." "Why are you suddenly so harsh, brother!" I shoved a whining Berald into the locker room. As I smirked, anticipating a bit of revenge in the uing sparring match: "Dale, are you really okay?" "Huh?" Yuren cautiously approached me. "You look really exhausted." "Do I?" "Yeah. Your dark circles are deep, and your face looks pale." Yuren gently stroked my cheek with a worried expression. ¡®This is... kind of creepy,ing from Yuren.¡¯ If it were ¡®Yurina¡¯ in this situation, it would be different, but having a blond pretty boy gazing at me with soft eyes while touching my cheek wasn¡¯t exactly a pleasant experience. "I¡¯m fine, really." "But if I look at your training hourstely, it seems like you¡¯re in here almost all day. Are you even getting enough sleep?" "Well¡­." To be honest, I hadn¡¯t been getting more than two hours of sleep a day recently. "I¡¯m getting plenty of sleep. Don¡¯t worry." "Liar. Yesterday, you logged out at 3 a.m." Yuren narrowed his eyes as if about to press me further when: "Brother! I¡¯m all changed!" Berald came out of the locker room in his training clothes. I quickly walked over to him. "Great. Let¡¯s get started then." "Haha! I won¡¯t go down as easily asst time!" Berald clenched his fists, shouting energetically. I smirked and nodded as I stood in front of him. "Ah, seriously, I can¡¯t stop you two¡­," Yuren sighed, walking toward the wall of the training hall. "Alright, I¡¯ll start the countdown." When Yuren touched the magic device on the wall, numbers appeared in the air. [Sparring begins in 5 seconds.] "Hoo." Berald took a deep breath, his muscles tensing and his stigmata glowing. [4 seconds.] He clenched his fists. [3 seconds.] He lowered his stance, pulling his waist back. [2 seconds.] His gaze locked straight on mine. [1 second.] He kicked off the ground, charging forward! Boom! "Haaah!" Berald¡¯s loud shout echoed across the wide training hall as his fist, enveloped in a dense brown aura reminiscent of solid earth, tore through the air. Whoosh! I deflected Berald¡¯s fierce punch with the palm of my hand and swept low to target his knees. Berald¡¯s martial technique: Falling Leaf Sweep. It was a sweeping kick aimed at his unprotected lower body. "I won¡¯t fall for the same move twice!" Perhaps remembering how he had been knocked down by a simr move in ourst sparring session, Berald stomped hard on the ground and leaped into the air. Midair, Berald sped both hands together and brought them down like a hammer. Whoom! His fist, packed with enough power to crush metal like paper, aimed directly for the top of my head. "Hoo." I gleamed with interest as I slightly twisted my body to avoid the punch. Without stopping, I stepped inside his guard and drove my knee upward. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Thud! My sharply raised knee struck Berald''s sr plexus. "Hmmph!" Just before his sr plexus took the hit, Berald pulled back his downward punch, using his thick forearm as a shield to protect his vital spot. "Your movements have improved a lot." I couldn''t help but utter a short exmation at Berald''s smooth, natural flow between offense and defense. I had thought Berald had grown quite a bit during ourst exploration of the ruins, but now,paring him to that time felt almost embarrassing. ¡®Is this how Professor Elisha felt when she looked at me?¡¯ His growth was not just surprising¡ªit bordered on awe-inspiring. "Heh. Did you think I was just taking all those beatings from you for nothing? I can see through your every move now." "Is that so?" I chuckled as I asked, and Berald gave me a smirk. "This time, I''ll show you a move you taught me!" Berald clenched his fists tightly and pulled his arm back as if drawing a bowstring. "Haaahhh!" With a rough shout, he stomped forward. A muddy aura gathered around his fist, radiating destructive energy. "Mountain Breaker!!!" Boom! Berald stomped hard as he threw his punch. The air around us ripped apart with a deafening roar. ''So, you think you can see through my every move, huh?'' In the past, I wouldn¡¯t have dared to counter such a move head-on. ¡®Well then, let¡¯s see.¡¯ Fwoosh! Ashen mes red around my fist as I threw my body forward, meeting his punch head-on. "Wha...?!" Berald''s eyes widened in shock. With a twisted smirk, I swung my fist towards his iing punch. ''Mountain Breaker.'' BAM! The fists collided. The zing Ashen mes around my punch swallowed Berald''s muddy aura whole, sending him flying backward violently. "Gah!" Boom! The two-meter-tall Berald crashed into the training hall''s wall like a kicked stone. Beep! Beep! Beep! [Warning.] [Anomaly detected in the shock-absorbing barrier. Please ceasebat immediately.] As the rm red, red lights shed throughout the hall. "So, is it still so easy to see through my moves?" "I-I was wrong... Brother." Berald slumped to the floor with his head drooping. The impact must''ve been pretty harsh; saliva dribbled from his mouth as he hung his head. ''Did I hit him too hard?'' For a moment, I felt a twinge of pity, but remembering Berald''s past misdeeds quickly snuffed out any sympathy that had begun to creep in. "Dale, that..." Yuren, who had been watching the spar, stared at me with wide eyes. I turned toward him and shrugged. "So? Do I seem a little more fitting for my role now?" "Wait, did you change yourbat style just because of what I said before?" "Rather than changing my style, it''s more like I had a revtion. Thanks to you, Yuri... I mean, Yuren. I appreciate it." "A revtion... You... because of me... Ehheh, ahaha." Yuren''s face turned red as he grinned widely, clearly overjoyed. "Then, that unique aura... Did you also gain that thanks to the revtion?" "Yeah, that''s right." "I-I see." Yuren clenched his fists in excitement and bounced on his feet, unable to contain his joy. Suppressing augh, I asked, "Since I owe you for the revtion, is there anything you need?" "Huh? Need?" "Yeah. It doesn¡¯t feel right just epting it without giving something in return." Without Yuren''s advice, I probably would have never mastered the "Ashen mes." "There''s nothing I really need... Actually, wait." Yuren shook his head at first, but then abruptly stopped. "In that case, could you... praise me?" "...Praise you?" "Y-Yeah! While patting my head!" Yuren nodded eagerly, eyes gleaming with expectation. I stared at him, dumbfounded, but his expression was nothing short of serious. "Huh, well, if that¡¯s all you want..." I sighed and ced my hand on Yuren''s head. Swoosh, swoosh. I patted his head, though it felt strange because it was Yuren. "Good job, Yuren." "...Call me Yurina." "Huh?" "Call me Yurina." "...But¡ª" I nced over to see that Berald had passed out, still drooling on the floor. Sighing, I nodded. "Good job, Yurina." "...Mhm!" Yuren¡ªno, Yurina¡ªsmiled bashfully and nodded in satisfaction. Suppressing another chuckle, I removed my hand from Yurina''s head. "...Ah." She let out a small, disappointed sigh. Feeling a bit guilty for pulling my hand away too soon, I moved to pat her head again. "...What?" Suddenly, my vision flipped. Thud! The hard training floor mmed into my cheek. No, it wasn¡¯t that the floor had risen up. ''I... copsed?'' In my confused haze, I heard Yurina¡¯s panicked voice. "Dale! What''s wrong?! Are you okay?! Dale!!!" "I¡¯m... fine..." Before I could even finish my sentence, everything faded to ck, as if I were sinking into a deep abyss. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 97: Overheating (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 97: Overheating (2) "Ah, ugh." My whole body felt as if it were burning. It was as if molten iron, heated to searing temperatures, was flowing through my veins instead of blood. The excruciating pain jolted me awake. "Brother! Are you conscious?" "Dale! Are you okay?!" A strange ceiling. Berald and Yuren''s pale, stricken faces. I suppressed the fiery pain consuming my body and opened my mouth. "Where am I...?" "We''re in the school infirmary! You copsed, and we brought you here immediately!" "¡­How long was I unconscious?" "About two hours." Two hours. Not that long. "Ugh...!" The terrible pain ring from my holy mark as I tried to sit up made me copse back down. It felt like I had fallen into boilingva; my whole body was burning. "D-Da, Dale! Are you okay?" "¡­¡­." I couldn¡¯t even lie and say I was okay to Yuren. My condition was that bad. "I''ll go get a healer right away!" "...No." I shook my head and grabbed Yuren''s hand, stopping him from pressing the call button. I didn¡¯t know why my body was like this, but I knew that no healer''s power could fix it. "I''ll be fine if I rest a bit." "¡­Dale." Yuren''s eyes welled up, as if he was about to burst into tears. "Could you get me some water?" "O-okay!" I gulped down the water Yuren handed me. As the cold liquid went down, I finally started to feel a bit more clear-headed. "Phew." "Feeling any better?" "Better than before." Though my body still felt like it was engulfed in mes, I was in a much better state than when I first woke up. ¡®¡­What the hell is going on?¡¯ Thest thing I remembered was suddenly losing consciousness during a conversation with Yuren. ¡®Is it because, like Berald said, I¡¯ve been training too hardtely?¡¯ No, that couldn''t be it. It had only been a few days. In my previous life, I had pushed my body far beyond this for over a month. And if I had copsed from overexertion, my body wouldn''t feel like it was burning in mes. ¡®So then why?¡¯ I furrowed my brow and closed my eyes. I calmed my breathing and focused inward. As my consciousness delved deeper, the mental world opened before me. Woosh! The primordial me burned fiercely, as if it were about to consume the world. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ No. I should retract that "as always" statement. ¡®It seems rougher than usual.¡¯ The primordial me was burning much more violently than it usually did. Yes, it was as if it were struggling to survive. ¡®What is¡­.¡¯ I furrowed my brow and shifted my gaze. Something was stretching out violently, as if it were trying to swallow the me. ¡®Ugh.¡¯ When I tried to focus on the presence devouring the me, a blinding headache and blurry vision overtook me. ¡®Is that the other power within me?¡¯ I recalled Professor Elisha''s words, frowning. I still didn¡¯t know what exactly that ¡°something¡± was, but I had a vague understanding of why my body was in this state now. ¡®The primordial me is fluctuating, causing my energy channels to overheat.¡¯ I had never experienced anything like this before while using the primordial me. ¡®Something that¡¯s never happened before is suddenly urring.¡¯ The only exnation that came to mind was one possibility. ¡®The ember... Could it be because of that?¡¯ Professor Elisha''s words shed through my mind. ¡®She said the bnce of power is off.¡¯ If the cause of this overheating was the continued use of an unstable power, then that made some sense. ¡®So using the ember for too long could cause me to suddenly lose consciousness like this?¡¯ Not only that, but it could cause my entire energy system to overheat, leaving me unable to move properly for a while. ¡°Haa.¡± I let out a deep sigh, frustrated by this unexpected w. Berald, arms crossed and wearing a stern expression, finally spoke up. ¡°I knew it. You¡¯ve been practically living in the training hall these past few days... I told you before, Brother¡ªovertraining will ruin your body, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Technically, it wasn¡¯t overtraining that caused this but rather the w inherent in the ember itself. Still, it was true that my excessive use of the ember led to this situation. "Dale, are you hurt anywhere else?" "I''m fine now." My head still felt hot, like I had a fever, butpared to the fiery pain I had felt when I first regained consciousness, I was much better. "Let me check your forehead." Yuren brushed my hair back and pressed his forehead against mine. We were close enough that our noses nearly touched, and his breath tickled my cheek. ¡®No, no, stop doing this. Please.¡¯ If you keep acting like this, I might¡­ fall for this golden-haired guy? ¡®No, that¡¯s not happening!¡¯ I can¡¯t end up in some sort of corrupted golden-sunshine romance! ¡°Dale?¡± Yuren frowned as he watched me, seemingly writhing in mental agony. ¡°You must still be feeling unwell. You¡¯ve got a high fever.¡± Yuren gently pushed me back onto the bed. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about doing anything today. Just lie still and rest.¡± ¡°Ugh. Fine.¡± Even if I wanted to do something, in this condition, it wasn¡¯t happening anyway. ¡°Hm. Your clothes are soaked with sweat, Brother.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± Now that I thought about it, my body did feel damp. The training clothes I was wearing were drenched in sweat. "Ah, right." I had been feeling a bit sticky for a while, and it turned out my tracksuit waspletely soaked with sweat. "First, change your clothes! I''ll help you!" "What? Hey, hey! W-wait! Stop, you bastard!" I tried to push Berald away in a panic, but I had no strength left in my body. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Heh heh. We''re both men anyway, what''s the big deal?" Berald grabbed my clothes and started stripping them off. Including everything below. "Gah!" Yuren¡¯s eyes widened in shock. "Yuren, bring that patient gown over here." "I-it¡¯s really big..." "Yuren?" "Huh, huh? What did you say?" "I said the patient gown." "O-okay!" Yuren ran off in a hurry to fetch the patient gown. As Berald pinned me down with his brute strength, he gave Yuren a signal. "I''ll hold him, so you dress him." "M-me?" "Ugh! Stop! I''ll do it myself, please!" "Haha. A patient should stay still." "Ugh!" Why the hell is this guy so strong? "S-so... I''ll dress you now, okay?" With flushed cheeks, Yuren put the patient gown on me. I bit my lip and closed my eyes tightly. ''Damn it.'' I will never forget this humiliation, Berald...! "Now then, the clothes are changed, so now¡­." Berald looked around the room. I red at him sharply. "What are you up to now?" "Aren''t you feeling a bit hungry?" "Well... now that you mention it, I am." I hadn¡¯t been eating well due to trainingtely, so I was quite hungry. "Heh heh. I can''t just sit by while you''re hungry, brother! I''ll make something special for you!" "Can¡¯t we just have the food from the infirmary?" "Ha! What are you talking about, brother? Haven''t you heard that the infirmary food here is worse than dog food? I can''t let you eat that!" "I tried it before, and it wasn¡¯t that bad¡­." "Ha! Just sit tight. I''ll prepare a family recipe, a special dish that has been passed down through generations!" Berald grinned confidently and pounded his chest. "Just wait a little!" With loud footsteps, Berald ran out of the infirmary. About 30 minutes passed. As Iy on the bed, eating fruit Yuren was peeling for me, a burnt smell started drifting into my nose. ''What¡¯s that smell?'' I wrinkled my nose at the strange scent. Bang! "Haha! Brother! The food is ready!" Berald burst into the room wearing a pink apron (an eyesore to behold), carrying a pot the size of a washbasin. "...What is that?" "The special dish I mentioned earlier!" Berald grinned as he ced the pot on the side table next to the bed. "Take a look!" He lifted the lid, revealing a bubbling red liquid that looked like it had been dredged up from the depths of hell. "Wait a second." The color looks suspicious. "What did you put in there?" "Heh heh. Don¡¯t be too surprised." Berald puffed out his chest proudly. "It''s kimchi stew with a ton of Cheongyang peppers, ginseng, ginger, jujube, cinnamon, onion, garlic, and chili oil ¡ª the special family recipe!" "You crazy bastard." What the hell are you trying to feed someone who already has a fever? "Haha! You know the saying: ''fight fire with fire!'' There¡¯s even a saying about treating poison with poison, isn¡¯t there?" "It¡¯s ''fight fire with fire.''" Fine. I''ll let the kimchi stew slide, but what on earth made him put so many ingredients (Cheongyang peppers, ginseng, ginger, etc.) into a pot the size of a washbasin? ''Also, there¡¯s no meat in the kimchi stew?'' Has Berald lost his national pride as a citizen of the Republic? ording to somew in the Republic, not putting any meat in kimchi stew is a capital offense worthy of execution. "Come on! Just give it a try!" "I''m not eating that!" My whole body already felt overheated from my fever, and there was no way I wanted to put that monstrosity into my mouth. "Hmm. You really don''t want to, huh? Well, I guess there¡¯s no helping it." Berald crossed his arms and nodded. Just as I was thinking he might be reasonable after all, he turned to Yuren. "Yuren!" "Huh? W-what?" "Hold him down tightly!" "Umm... but he really doesn¡¯t want to¡­." Yuren hesitated, looking at me nervously. "This is for his quick recovery! Do you want him to stay stuck in the infirmary forever?" "Well¡­." "If you help, I''ll send you that picture we tookst year during extra lessons." "Wh-what picture?" "Heh. The one of him dozing off during ss." A picture of Dale sleeping! Yuren, excited, red his nostrils and grabbed me firmly. "Sorry, Dale." "Wait! No! Stop! Aaah!" "Stay still, brother." Berald scooped a huge spoonful of the boiling hot, meatless kimchi stew and shoved it into my mouth. "Gah! Our base... is in the... northern mountains...!" "Haha! Good medicine is always bitter!" Beraldughed heartily as I struggled in agony. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 98: Overheating (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 98: Overheating (3) Inside the infirmary located within the hero school. It was mainly used by senior cadets who often got injured due to frequent duels and practical sses. Inside, private treatment rooms were avable for use if one made a certain "donation" (basically an admission fee). Among these private treatment rooms was the most luxurious one, requiring the highest "donation." It was so opulent that even noblemen of the Empire, high-ranking clergy from the Holy Kingdom, and moguls from the Republic hesitated to use it. ¡°D-Dale!¡± A woman with pink hair burst through the door in a panic. Iris. She was more famous by her title, ¡°Saint,¡± and was said to have received the blessings of the Seven Gods. ¡°Huh!¡± The moment Iris saw Dale lying on the bed, her face went pale, and she covered her mouth. ¡°D-Dale¡­¡± Swollen lips, unfocused eyes. His breathing wasbored as if it could stop at any moment, and red liquid had sttered around his mouth. ¡°No, no! Get a hold of yourself!¡± She knew he possessed the "Blessing of Revival," meaning he could revive even if he died. But seeing his haggard face, that thoughtpletely slipped her mind. ¡°Who in the world did this to Dale¡­¡± Iris whimpered as she held onto Dale. Perhaps he heard her voice, as Dale, who had been lying limp, trembled and pointed weakly in one direction. ¡°That¡­ bas¡­ tard¡­¡± Where he pointed was a giant man, close to 2 meters tall. Iris frowned as she looked at Berald. ¡°¡­Why is Berald here?¡± ¡°Haha. Don¡¯t worry too much, Lady Iris. The boss just copsed from over-exertion during training.¡± ¡°His condition looks far too serious for just exhaustion.¡± ¡°Well, medicines tend to make you feel worse right after you take them, don¡¯t they? He just took his medicine, so he¡¯ll be fine soon.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± Only then did Iris seem to calm down a little, letting out a sigh of relief. She then gave Dale a sharp look. ¡°Still, over-exertion¡­ What kind of training did you do to end up in this condition?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not because of the training¡­¡± I tried to exin the situation, feeling wronged, but before I could finish, Yuren interrupted me. ¡°Hmph. What do you mean it''s not because of the training? You¡¯ve been staying in the training grounds until 2 or 3 in the morning without sleeping.¡± ¡°Until 2 or 3 in the morning?¡± ¡°Yep. And you¡¯d be back at 6 in the morning. Every single day without fail.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Iris¡¯s eyes turned cold. She nced at Yuren and Berald before speaking. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but could you both leave? I think Dale will need some focused treatment.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s focused treatment, wouldn¡¯t it be better to call a healer¡­?¡± ¡°Oh my, did you forget who I am?¡± Iris smiled sweetly, her eyes sparkling. ¡°Ah.¡± A quiet gasp escaped from Yuren¡¯s lips. Even though the healers stationed at the hero school were renowned across the continent, none couldpare to the ¡°Saint¡± of the Holy Kingdom. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll leave Dale in your care, then.¡± ¡°Haha! If it¡¯s Lady Iris, we can trust her. Please take good care of him, sis!¡± Yuren and Berald exited the treatment room. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Silence fell over the infirmary. Iris looked down at me with eyes that had grown cold. ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± As soon as I tried to break the awkward silence, Iris¡¯s voice, cold and low, cut me off. She clenched her fists, trembling, and bit her lip. ¡°Do you have any idea how scared I was when I heard you had copsed?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And what? Over-exertion? Staying in the training grounds until 3 in the morning?¡± Bang! Iris mmed her fist down on the bedside table instead of me. ¡°I told you before, didn¡¯t I? To take better care of your body!¡± ¡°¡­¡± I cautiously reached out my hand to the teary-eyed Iris. ¡°Sorry.¡± Even if I didn¡¯t know that the "ashes" would cause such severe side effects, it was undeniable that I had been pushing myself too hardtely. ¡°You really¡­ sigh.¡± Iris sighed deeply and shook her head. She gently ced her hand on my forehead. A soft,forting sensation spread across my skin. ¡°You¡¯ve got a high fever.¡± ¡°If I rest, I¡¯ll get better soon.¡± I told her I¡¯d recover quickly to ease her worries, but even I wasn¡¯t sure when this ¡°overheat¡± state would pass. ¡®Still, just lying here feels better than before.¡¯ It was true that I felt somewhat better, but getting up from the bed was still too much for me. ¡°I¡¯ll cast a healing spell that relieves fatigue.¡± ¡°No, it probably won¡¯t do much.¡± After eating the ¡°restorative meal¡± Berald had made earlier, a school healer came and cast a healing spell, but it didn¡¯t help with the "overheat" condition. ¡°Still, you never know, right? Maybe the ¡®Saint¡¯s¡¯ healing magic will be different.¡± ¡°Well¡­ it could be.¡± To be honest, I didn¡¯t have high hopes. Even though Iris was the Saint blessed by the Seven Gods, healing the mana heated by the primordial me wouldn¡¯t be easy. ¡°Just lie still.¡± Iris extended her hand toward me, softly chanting a prayer. ¡°O Seven Gods, please lift up this weary child of yours.¡± Whoooosh! Her eyes turned the colors of a rainbow, and a brilliant white light flowed into my body. It felt like I¡¯d just gulped down a refreshing ss of cold water, and the heat that had been burning through me slightly subsided. ¡®Huh? It¡¯s actually working?¡¯ I opened my eyes wide in surprise and looked at Iris. I secretly thought that this would be difficult for Iris to heal, but I never imagined it would actually work. ¡®Is this the power of the Seven Eyes?¡¯ I marveled to myself as I looked into her irises glowing with rainbow colors. "Whoo." The rainbow-colored glow in Iris''s eyes faded back to their original blue. Perhaps it was because she had used the power of the ''Seven Eyes'' to cast the healing magic. Beads of sweat were forming on Iris''s forehead. "How is it? Did it not work this time either?" "No, it worked." I said that as I raised myself from the bed. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Just moments ago, I couldn''t muster any strength at all, but now I felt a bit of vitality return to my body. As I attempted to stand on my own two feet after getting off the bed¡ª "Ugh!" My body wobbled, and my legs gave out beneath me. "Dale!" Iris quickly supported me. "Ugh... Walking is still tough." Although her healing magic had somewhat calmed my overheated energy, I would still need more time to recover fully. "Even with healing magic from the Seven Eyes, this is the best I can do." Thinking about how long it might take to fully recover, a sigh escaped me. "Hmm..." Iris, who had gentlyid me back down on the bed, let out a brief murmur. She seemed to be deep in thought for a moment, then swallowed nervously before speaking up. "Oh,e to think of it... Um, ahem!" She cleared her throat awkwardly, trailing off. Iris looked around as if she were about tomit a crime, then cautiously continued. "There''s... a way to increase the effectiveness of my healing magic." "What is it?" "Well... Ahem!" Iris''s cheeks flushed red as she spoke. "My healing magic is a bit special, so the closer our bodies are, the more effective it is!" "...What?" The closer our bodies are, the more effective the healing magic? ¡®I''ve never heard anything like that before.¡¯ Well, it made sense. In my past life, I had never received healing magic from her because I wanted to reduce her burden of having to use divine blessings without the ''Seven Eyes.'' "Then, please lie on your side." "...What are you going to do?" "I already told you, the closer we are, the better the healing magic works." Iris carefully took off her shoes and climbed onto the bed. Sheid down behind me and wrapped her arms tightly around me. "This way, by hugging you, the healing magic should be more effective." "..." I swallowed nervously, keeping my mouth tightly shut. The unbelievable softness pressing against my back. Her thin arms wrapped around my waist, and her slender legs, d in white stockings, entwined with mine. "No, this isn''t just about healing magic." I broke into a cold sweat, desperately trying to suppress the desire rising within me. Even though we had been lovers who had shared everything in our past life... No, it was precisely because of that past that it was so much harder to keep myposure. "I¡¯ll cast the healing magic again now." Her soft whisper tickled my ear. Soon, a white aura radiated from her body and flowed into mine. ''Ah.'' It felt like taking a cool shower in the scorching heat of summer. The overheated energy inside me quickly cooled down, and an indescribable warmth filled my body. Along with the warmth came an overwhelming wave of drowsiness. ''Well... at least with Iris around, I won¡¯t have to worry about the aftereffects of the Ashen mes anymore.'' With that thought in mind, I surrendered to the sleep that was overtaking me. * * * In the darkened treatment room, the door opened, and a woman with long navy blue hair tied in a ponytail walked in. "Saint, it''s almost curfew for the dormitories. I know you''re worried about Dale, but you should head back soon..." Cami, who hade to call Iris, froze in ce, her eyes wide open. There on the bed, Dale and Iris were lying tightly together. Cami stood there with her mouth agape,pletely stunned. "S-Saint?" "Oh, Cami, you''re here?" Iris groggily rubbed her eyes and sat up from the bed. "Yawn. I must''ve fallen asleep with Dale without realizing it. Using the ''Seven Eyes'' really tires me out." "W-What exactly were you doing!?" "Keep your voice down; Dale is still asleep." Iris frowned as she climbed off the bed. "And don¡¯t worry, nothing you should be concerned about happened. This was purely for ''treatment.''" "Treatment...?" "You know, right? My healing magic works better when we''re in close contact." "..." Cami''s expression slightly twisted. "But can''t you just hold hands while using it? There¡¯s no need to hug him like that..." "Cami." At Iris''s low voice, Cami flinched and trembled. "Shh." Iris smiled brightly, pressing a finger to her lips. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 99: Interlude – Tangled Fate [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 99: Interlude ¨C Tangled Fate Thanks to Iris¡¯s healing magic, I was discharged from the infirmary faster than expected. Afterward, I was enjoying a rare, rxing afternoon, lounging on the sofa in Professor Lucas¡¯s office. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Professor Lucas, flipping through some papers, red at me harshly. I shrugged, peeling an orange from a box in the corner of his office. (Apparently, it was a gift from Professor Bianca.) ¡°Can¡¯t you see? I¡¯m a dedicated cadet who, after ss,es straight to the professor¡¯s office to ask about the parts I didn¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°This little brat... getting into trouble right after your suspension is over.¡± With a heavy sigh and a hand rubbing his forehead, as if nursing a headache, Professor Lucas asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you at the training grounds with Yuren today? You¡¯ve been practically living theretely.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been banned.¡± ¡°Banned?¡± Lucas raised an eyebrow, squinting at me. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me... you got into a fight with Yuren?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Heh, heh, heh. So you¡¯re still a lively young man despite acting so mature!¡± ¡°What on earth are you talking about?¡± Fight with Yuren? What fight? Just yesterday, we were exchanging messages, with him asking if I¡¯d eaten properly and reminding me to get to bed early. ¡®Now that I think about it... our conversations sound more like those between a nagging parent and their wayward child than between friends.¡¯ Well, whatever. Though I¡¯d been barred from the training grounds under the guise of "needing rest" by Yuren¡ªno, Yurina¡ªwe were still in contact. ¡°Man, back in my day, I used to fight with my buddies all the time,¡± Lucas said, suddenly lost in nostalgia. I smirked and asked, What did you usually fight about?¡± ¡°Well, fights are always over the most trivial things when you look back on them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Like when a friend snatched the limited-edition bread from the school shop without even asking.¡± ¡°That¡¯s really petty.¡± Seriously? Fighting over something like that? What are you, kids? ¡°There was also the time we argued over whether a certain female cadet was pretty or in, which led to a fight.¡± ¡°Interesting. And that cadet¡¯s name was?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Professor Bianca, right?¡± It wasmon knowledge among the cadets that Lucas and Bianca were from the same ss. ¡°I... I was obviously on the ¡®in¡¯ side!¡± ¡°Sure, sure, if you say so.¡± He¡¯s really one for unwavering loyalty, isn¡¯t he? I grinned mischievously as I asked, ¡°By the way, how¡¯s it going with Professor Bianca these days?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re asking such irrelevant questions, but we¡¯ve both been busy. Haven¡¯t spoken much recently. The senior cadets just finished their ¡®Hero Practicum¡¯ a few days ago.¡± The Hero Practicum. It¡¯s the first ss that fourth-year cadets take, where they temporarily join a guild affiliated with the school for about two months, learning directly from active heroes. ¡°The Hero Practicum, huh...¡± For me, it didn¡¯t hold many good memories. ¡°Ugh. If those seniors hadn¡¯t been out on their practicum during the Festival of Sealing, the demon beast incident could¡¯ve been resolved much quicker,¡± Lucas grumbled, flipping through his towering stack of paperwork again. He had a point. If the fourth-year cadets had been around during the Festival of Sealing, the demonic beast incident caused by Astaroth would¡¯ve been dealt with much faster. After all, this batch of seniors was so exceptional that they were considered one of the best sses in the academy¡¯s 500-year history. ¡®Many of them will go on to be central figures in the future war against the Demon King¡¯s army.¡¯ Aaron Beck, wielder of the Meteor Spear. Be Leonhart, the Ghost de. Laios Ryu, the Thunder Emperor. Sophia Evergreen, the Great Mage. And many others. This fourth-year ss would produce a staggering number of renowned heroes in the future. ¡®Of course, there¡¯s one cadet from this ss who will be the most famous of all.¡¯ Among these countless outstanding figures, there was one cadet who would leave an indelible mark on the minds of everyone on the continent. ¡®The Witch of the Night, Lanez Mm.¡¯ A being who once turned half the continent into a frozen wastnd. The most heinous sorceress, who epted the blessing of the Demon God and massacred hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people. And. The woman who met her end at the hands of ¡°The Undying,¡± Dale Han. ¡®Well, technically, all I did was deliver the final blow to an already dying witch.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t me but Yuren and our otherpanions who cornered the Witch of the Night. ¡®I need to stop her this time, before she freezes half the continent.¡¯ Of course, it wasn¡¯t possible to simply find and kill her right now. Too many eyes were on her within the academy, and pushing her too soon could trigger the dormant ¡°witch¡¯s power¡± inside her, causing it to go berserk. ¡®If that happens, the entire academy will turn into a frozen wastnd.¡¯ Shuddering at the thought of the endless, snowy whitendscape I¡¯d seen in my past life, I shook my head. ¡®Anyway, it¡¯s too early to deal with Lanez right now.¡¯ There was no need to rush. She wouldn¡¯t ept the Demon God¡¯s blessing and be the Witch of the Night for another 15 years. ¡®Before dealing with Lanez, there¡¯s someone else I need to meet first...¡¯ A woman with red hair and a small stature naturally came to mind. She had a fierce and prickly personality that didn¡¯t match her cute appearance, but deep down, she was kinder and more caring than anyone else toward herrades. The senior who taught me magic every night, smacking me over the head with a staff taller than she was whenever I made a mistake. As her image came to mind, I found myself smiling. ¡°...I need to go see Senior Sophia.¡± ¡°Huh? Who are you going to meet?¡± ¡°No one, really.¡± I shrugged and stood up from the sofa. ¡°Professor, are all the fourth-year cadets back at the academy now?¡± ¡°Yeah, they are. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°I have my reasons.¡± Smiling slyly, I turned to leave. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be going now.¡± ¡°Get out of here already.¡± With Professor Lucas¡¯s affectionate(?) send-off, I stepped out of his office. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] * * * Within the Hero Academy, "fourth-year cadets" receive somewhat special treatment. This is because, being only a year away from graduating and bing active heroes, the sses they take are focused on dangerous, practical training and exercises that are iparable to what they¡¯ve done before. As a result, the building where the fourth-year cadets attend their sses is located in a somewhat remote part of the campus, unlike the buildings for first- through third-year students, which are clustered together in the center of the school. ¡°It''s been a while.¡± I looked up at the building with its old-fashioned, fairytale-like design and stepped inside. As I walked down the wide corridor, I spotted a few familiar faces. ¡®Oh, there''s Bertrand the Iron Wall, and Kaeya the Blue Lynx.¡¯ Among the cadets walking the halls were some who would be quite famous in the future. ¡®I guess it¡¯s true¡ªthis fourth-year ss was truly exceptional.¡¯ Well, there''s a reason they''re called the best ss in the 500-year history of the Hero Academy. "Now then..." I wandered around therge building, frowning. ¡®Where can I find Senior Sophia?¡¯ I hade here just to catch a glimpse of her, but I had no idea where she might be. ¡®Since she''s a fourth-year, she must have an assigned seat in one of the ssrooms.¡¯ While there were no assigned seats for first- through third-year students, the fourth-years attended all their sses in a single room per ss division, meaning each cadet had an assigned seat. ¡®The problem is, I don¡¯t know which ss division she was in.¡¯ Usually, each year had six divisions, from ss A to ss F, but I didn¡¯t know which one Senior Sophia belonged to. ¡®She didn¡¯t talk much about her school days.¡¯ I figured I¡¯d just have to check all six divisions one by one. Then, suddenly¡ª "Huh?" I saw a familiar figure in the distance. A petite woman with a slender frame, her short red hair just brushing the back of her neck. She had a small body, barely reaching chest height, but fierce eyes that contrasted with her cute, almost animal-like appearance. "Sophia..." Even though I had grown somewhat ustomed to reuniting with my formerrades, like Iris, Yuren, and Berald, my heart still raced at the sight of her. I straightened my clothes and thought about what to say first as I approached her. "Hello, senior." "...You." When I greeted her up close, Senior Sophia¡¯s eyes turned toward me. "You¡¯re Dale Han, third-year cadet, right?" "Huh?" She recognized me without me even saying my name. Surprised, I looked at her in shock. "I didn¡¯t expect you to know who I was." "Your name is quite famous even among the fourth-years." She red at me with cold, piercing eyes. "So, what do you want?" "Ah, if you don¡¯t mind, senior, I¡¯d like to talk for a moment¡ª" "I have nothing to say to someone working under that mad professor." Before I could finish my sentence, she brushed past me and continued walking. ¡®''Mad professor''? She must mean Professor Jade.¡¯ It wasmon knowledge among the cadets that I frequently visited Professor Jade¡¯sb. "Did Senior Sophia dislike Professor Jade?" In my previous life, when I teamed up with Senior Sophia, Professor Jade had already passed away, so we never talked about him. "Wait, senior, I think there¡¯s been some misunderstanding¡ª" "I said I have nothing to talk about, didn¡¯t I?" She shot me a fierce look. "Don¡¯t hang around the fourth-year building and go back to where you belong, third-year." With that, she walked off quickly. "...Sigh." I frowned as I watched her retreating figure. ¡®Who knew meeting Professor Jade would turn out to be a curse?¡¯ I was already aware that the future had started to change, but I hadn¡¯t expected my rtionship with Senior Sophia to sour in this way. ¡®I¡¯ll have to ask Professor Jade about thister. What on earth happened between the two of them?¡¯ As I thought about that and was about to leave the fourth-year building¡ª "Hm?" I spotted another familiar figure in the distance. "...Berald?" What¡¯s he doing here? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 100: The Ryu Familys Black Sheep (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 100: The Ryu Family''s ck Sheep (1) A ssroom for fourth-year candidates, located in a remote part of the school. Seeing an unexpected face there, I couldn¡¯t help but show a confused expression. ¡°Huh? Dale?¡± Berald had spotted me too, and with wide eyes, he slowly walked toward me. ¡°What are you doing here, brother?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I want to ask you.¡± Berald was still a second-year student. What was he doing in a building used only by fourth-year candidates? ¡°Well... that¡¯s, um...¡± He trailed off, looking awkward. Then¡ª ¡°Haah. What the hell? He really came, this damn fool.¡± A voiceced with irritation. A sharp, knife-like gaze was directed at Berald. ¡®That guy...¡¯ I turned my head in the direction of the voice and saw a man with a mix of ck and blue hair. His unusual hair color, rarely seen, was symbolic of the Ryu family. And currently, the only person from the Ryu family among the fourth-year candidates was... ¡®Laios Ryu.¡¯ The man who would one day be called the "Thunder Emperor" and the grandson of "Thunder God" Lionel Ryu. Unlike Berald, who was from a branch family, Laios was a direct descendant of the main family, with full legitimacy. ¡°Haha. My grandfather told me to bond with you for the sake of family harmony.¡± ¡°¡®Family¡¯? Coming from a branch family?¡± Tsk. Laios clicked his tongue, showing a look of disdain. ¡°And didn¡¯t I tell you before to call me ¡®senior,¡¯ not ¡®brother¡¯? Did you forget because your brain is so dull?¡± ¡°Haha, sorry, senior.¡± Berald scratched his head andughed sheepishly. ¡°Seriously... How did someone so useless end up being born into our family...¡± Laios sighed deeply, ring at Berald. ¡°So, you¡¯re supposed to take a picture of us having a meal together and send it to your grandfather?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Tsk. ¡°Grandfather sure knows how to give out annoying tasks.¡± Laios clicked his tongue again, crossing his arms. ¡°But anyway...¡± Laios''s gaze turned toward me. ¡°Who¡¯s this? A third-year?¡± After confirming my necktie color, Laios frowned. ¡°Oh, this is Dale, a brother I¡¯m close with,¡± Berald said. ¡°Hmm. Dale? Dale... Where have I heard that name before?¡± Laios tilted his head, then snapped his fingers. ¡°Ah, right. You¡¯re that guy. The crazy one who¡¯s deliberately keeping his evaluation scores low, despite being much more skilled.¡± ¡°...¡± So that¡¯s how the rumor was spreading among the fourth years. Well, from their perspective, it must have seemed insane. As fourth-year candidates, they would naturally be obsessed with their cumtive evaluation scores, so someone like me, who could easily score higher but deliberately stayed at the bottom, must have seemed out of his mind. ¡®That¡¯s a bit unfair.¡¯ But what could I do? I had ended up with a score of zero even in the most recent mid-term evaluation. Whatever the reason, it must have looked to others like I was intentionally maintaining low scores despite having the skills to score high ¡ª like some weirdo with bizarre preferences for grades (not that kind of grades). ¡°You said you two were close? Hah, he really is a good match for you, Berald.¡± With a sneer on his face, Laios looked back and forth between Berald and me. I sighed quietly, feeling that Laios had not an ounce of respect. ¡®Now that I think about it, there were rumors that the Thunder Emperor had a nasty personality.¡¯ I¡¯d heard them in my past life, but experiencing it firsthand... This was like a male version of Rozanna. ¡®Should I teach him some manners?¡¯ I clenched my fist lightly and considered it, but decided to hold back for now. If I was going to teach him manners, I¡¯d do it somewhere more secluded. Beating him up right in the middle of the fourth-year building¡¯s hallway didn¡¯t seem like the best idea. ¡°Wahaha! So, you think so too, senior? Dale and I do make a good match, don¡¯t we?¡± Berald burst outughing and threw his arm around my shoulder. Laios, who had been smirking and mocking us both, now looked like he¡¯d bitten into something bitter and clicked his tongue. ¡°...Insults don¡¯t work on idiots.¡± Though he was probably referring to Berald, who wasughing like he¡¯d just heard apliment. ¡®The real idiot is you, punk.¡¯ I clicked my tongue internally, feeling Berald¡¯s grip on my shoulder tighten. Berald might be a fool, but he wasn¡¯t oblivious. The moment he heard the mockery, he put his hand on my shoulder and pressed down, silently telling me, ¡®Please bear with it.¡¯ ¡°Hm? What are you doing here, Laios?¡± ¡°Oh my~ It¡¯s the juniors! What are you doing here?¡± At that moment, two figures approached us from down the hallway. One was a handsome man with silver hair and sharp features, and the other was a beautiful woman with long, light brown hair that reached her waist. I knew both of them from my previous life. ¡®Aaron Baek and Be Leonhart.¡¯ The two people who wouldter earn the titles "Meteor Spear" and "Ghost de" were among the most talented students in the fourth year, known forpeting for the top spot. There was another reason, beyond their exceptional skills, why they drew attention from people across the continent. ¡®The love triangle.¡¯ There had been rumors that the Thunder Emperor had harbored feelings for the Ghost de since their candidate days. It was gossip that kept the continent buzzing, thanks to those who loved a good story. ¡°B-Be? Why are you...?¡± ¡°What do you mean why? We were getting ready to have dinner. Do you want to join us, Laios?¡± ¡°Right now...¡± Before Laios could answer Be¡¯s suggestion, Aaron smiled faintly and nced at Berald. ¡°Be. Laios¡¯s cousin came all the way to the fourth-year building to see his brother. We should leave them to have some family time.¡± ¡°Oh, right! I heard there¡¯s someone from the Ryu family in the second year too?¡± ¡°This guy isn¡¯t my brother...!¡± ¡°Berald Ryu, was it? Laios might act tough, but he really cares about his little brother. With hero training and all, he probably hasn¡¯t seen you in a while. Enjoy some time with your family.¡± With a bright smile, Aaron patted Berald on the shoulder. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ll be off.¡± ¡°Yeah! Aaron, what should we eat for dinner?¡± After a brief farewell, Aaron and Be walked away. ¡°Damn it...!¡± Watching them leave, Laios twisted his face in fury. I could see his clenched fists trembling slightly. ¡®Wow, seeing this up close is entertaining.¡¯ Now I understood why people couldn¡¯t stop talking about the Thunder Emperor¡¯s unrequited love. ¡®But Aaron Baek, huh.¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The Meteor Spear, Aaron Baek. As a descendant of Divine Spear BBaek Seunghyuk, one of the ''Five Great Heroes,'' Aaron was a powerful hero, even said to have been the rival of Yuren in his previous life. ¡®Though he does die fighting the Witch of the Night.¡¯ Still, if he was going to be strong enough in the future to rival Yuren, it would be wise to build a good rtionship with him in advance. ¡®Having one more ally is always better.¡¯ Unless I was nning to fight the demon army alone, it was important to gather as many allies as possible to prepare for the disaster toe. Especially when the person in question had the potential to rank within the top five heroes in the future. ¡®Well, I''ll think about thatter.¡¯ Right now, the matter with Berald was more important than Aaron. "Sigh." Laios, who had been standing silently, suppressing his anger, red fiercely at Berald. He turned around and walked off somewhere with heavy footsteps. "...Follow me." "Hmm? Where are we going?" "I don''t want to be seen with an idiot like you, so just follow me." With that, Laios headed toward the back of the building. It was a ce with almost no sign of people, quite different from the crowded hallway. "I''ll wait here, so go buy some bread from the store." Laios, sitting on a waist-high flower bed, gestured at Berald, ordering him. Berald tilted his head and asked, "Why are you suddenly asking me to buy bread?" "Didn''t you say earlier that Grandpa told us to send a picture of us eating together?" "That''s true, but..." "I can''t be bothered to go to the cafeteria with you, so just buy some bread from the nearest store." At Laios'' words, Berald made an awkward face. "Hmm. But considering it''s a photo for grandfather, eating bread from a store feels a bit inappropriate, don''t you think?" "Oh, you little... Are you talking back to me?" "It''s not that I''m talking back, it''s just..." "You really are as stupid as your father." "..." The usually cheerful smile on Berald''s face hardened. "What? Did it bother you that I mentioned your idiot father who can''t even remember his own kid''s name?" "...Brother." "Didn''t I tell you not to call me brother, you idiot?" Laios grabbed Berald by the cor and red at him fiercely. Berald lowered his head and spoke in a low, calm voice. "Please... stop." "Stop? Why should I? Did I say something wrong? Didn''t your dad go crazy a few years ago?" Laiosughed loudly, making a swirling motion with his finger near his temple. "Tsk, tsk. He probably went mad because he couldn''t stand having a moron like you for a son." "..." "What are you waiting for? Go buy the bread already. Oh, right, I forgot to give you money." Laios pulled out his wallet and tossed some gold coins onto the ground. "Come to think of it, wasn''t your entire family living off the support money from our household? Haha! To think a person with the name ''Ryu'' is surviving on someone else''s money, what a joke..." "Sigh." I sighed deeply as I stepped toward Laios, who was still mocking Berald. "Huh? Who are you? You''ve been standing there this whole time?" I slowly walked toward Laios, who squinted his eyes at me. ¡®Sorry, Berald.¡¯ I really tried to hold it in, you know? ¡®But I just can''t anymore.¡¯ I clenched my fist and slowly ignited my ¡®Ashen mes¡¯, ready to give Laios a solid punch to the jaw. Thunk! The dull sound of impact echoed through the air. "Ugh!" Laios'' body, struck by a massive fist the size of a pot lid, lifted into the air before crashing back down to the ground. "Huh?" I looked at Berald in surprise. Berald, clutching his cheek, rushed over to Laios, who was sprawled out on the ground. "Oh no! Are you alright, senior?" "You, you little... What the hell...!" "I was trying to swat away a bug that was on your cheek, but I identally hit your face instead!" "W-what?" Laios stared at Berald in disbelief. As Berald hurried over, his body suddenly wobbled. "Oh no, my foot slipped!" "Ugh!" Falling forward, Berald''s knee mmed into Laios'' stomach. Laios, crushed under the weight of Berald, who was nearly two meters tall, let out a strangled scream and started foaming at the mouth. I quickly approached Berald and shouted at him. "Berald, you idiot! What do you think you''re doing to senior?!" "Ugh! I''m sorry! I tripped and fell by mistake!" "Look at senior''s face right now! He''s foaming at the mouth!" "W-what should I do? Tell me what to do, Dale!" I quickly scanned the area to make sure no one else was around, then grinned and said, "I think you should cast an ''Awaken'' spell to bring him back to consciousness." "Got it!" Berald nodded, raised his hand high, and shouted. "Awakeeeeen!!!" Smack! p! Thud! With the power of Berald''s spell, Laios, who had been unconscious, was jolted awake. "Ahhh! Stop it! Arghhh!" The spell worked brilliantly. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 101: The Ryu Familys Black Sheep (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 101: The Ryu Family''s ck Sheep (2) "You, you bastards dare...!" Crackle, crackle! Along with Laios¡¯ furious shout, blue sparks leapt from his body. ¡®This is...¡¯ Sensing the fierce mana within the blue sparks, I quickly grabbed Berald by the nape and pulled him back. Boom! With a sound like thunder, a bolt of blue lightning struck where Berald had been standing. "Ugh...!" Had he notpletely dodged the lightning? Berald stifled a groan of pain, curling his body. A burn from the lightning left a clear mark on his arms, as thick as someone else''s thigh. "Are you alright?" "Ugh... I¡¯m fine." As Berald pressed his hand against the burned skin and got up. "Huff, huff. You lowly scoundrel dare to...!" Grit. Laios clenched his teeth viciously, reaching out his hand. His Stigma glowed, gathering a massive amount of lightning. ¡°Thunder Spear!¡± With a short incantation, a spear formed from blue lightning shot toward Berald. And then. ¡®Berald¡¯s martial arts.¡¯ Sea Cleaver. Whoosh! The Ashen me burning from the edge of my hand cleaved the spear of blue lightning in two. The split spear, engulfed in the Ashen me, disappeared. ¡°What...?¡± Laios¡¯ eyes widened as he stared at the lightning spear, which seemed to have been swallowed and vanished into thin air. He looked at me with trembling eyes, disbelief etched on his face. "You, you bastard... what did you just do?" I shrugged in response, looking toward the bewildered Laios. "That''s what I should be asking you, senior. Don¡¯t you know violence on school grounds is a clear vition of the rules?" "Ha. If it¡¯s violence, that bastard probably started it first, right?" Laios motioned toward Berald with his chin. I grinned and tilted my head as if I didn¡¯t understand. "Hmm? Violence? From what I saw, Berald only ¡®identally¡¯ caused you harm without any intention of attacking." "...Are you kidding me? How is that an excuse...!" "It''s not an excuse, senior." I spoke calmly, crossing my arms. "Or do you have evidence to support your im?" "Evidence...!" "Ah. Well, if you consider your messed-up face as proof of violence, then yes, it can be evidence." Smirk. A mocking smile formed on my lips. "A second-year candidate... and a lowly scoundrel from a branch family at that, leaving you with injuries... Pfft! Fine, if you insist, let that be your evidence." "You...!" Clench. Laios gritted his teeth, ring at me with malice. But only for a moment. The light pouring from Laios¡¯ Stigma faded, and the blue sparks that had been crackling fiercely around him began to dissipate. "Hah, fine. An ident? Let¡¯s call it an ident, then." Narrowing his eyes, Laios stared at Berald and spoke coldly. "But identse with consequences." A sly grin spread across Laios'' face. ¡°There will be no more financial support for the branch family.¡± ¡°...!¡± Berald''s eyes widened in shock. ¡°W-What does this have to do with the financial support?!¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s not my concern, is it?¡± Laios shrugged, wearing a wicked grin. "Anyway, no more gold will be going to the branch family. Get that through your head." "W-Wait! Senior! If the funding stops...!" "What? Won¡¯t you be able to care for your senile father without it?" "My father was injured fighting for the Ryu family! We have every right to that support!" "Who said it¡¯s a right?" Laios indifferently scratched his ear with a bored expression. "If you''re from the Ryu family, fighting for it should be a given, right? Or what... are branch families not part of the ¡®Ryu¡¯ family?" "...Senior!" "Ah, whatever. In any case, I¡¯ll formally propose cutting the funding at the next family meeting." "Ugh...!" Berald trembled, clenching his fists. I ced my hand on Berald''s shoulder and spoke. "Don¡¯t worry, man. I¡¯ll give you the money." "...Brother?" Berald blinked in confusion, as if asking what I meant. "What money do you have to give me, brother...?" Berald knew very well that I attended this academy on a government grant. Just as he said, I didn¡¯t have much money on hand at the moment. "What are friends for, right?" I had a reliable source of funds... or rather, a friend, so there was no need to worry about money. ¡®Well, if Juliet doesn¡¯t work, I can always squeeze it out of Rosanna.¡¯ Even though the Helios family had fallen somewhat in recent years, the enormous wealth they had amassed as high-ranking nobles of the empire had not disappeared overnight. "Anyway, you don¡¯t need to worry about money." "......" Berald bit his lip, silently contemting. After a long moment, he shook his head. ¡°No, this is my issue. I can¡¯t rely on you for help, brother.¡± With that, Berald stepped forward toward Laios. Thud. He knelt before Laios. ¡°If I¡¯ve offended you, senior, I apologize. My temper got the best of me, and Ished out.¡± Berald knelt so deeply that his forehead touched the ground. "Whatever punishment I deserve for my violence, I will ept it willingly. Please, let go of your anger." "...Hah." Laios looked down at the bowing Berald and swallowed a sarcasticugh. "Where did all that bravado from earlier go?" "I''m sorry." "What? Awaken? Ha! A fool who can''t even conjure a simple magic bullet, talking about magic?" "I''m sorry." "Sigh... Why do you always blow things up like this when all you had to do was quietly buy some bread?" "I''m sorry." Berald, still bowing, repeated his apologies like a broken machine. Truthfully, I wanted to smash Laios into a bloody pulp, whether it was for the Ryu family or whatever else. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡ªNo, this is my problem. "..." I had a gut feeling that if I stepped in now, my rtionship with Berald would be ruined forever. "Alright then, let''s do it like this." Laios crossed his arms and continued to look down at the bowed Berald. "If you win a duel with me, I''ll withdraw the talk about the funding." "A duel...?" Berald raised his head to look up at Laios. Laios smirked and nodded. "Yeah. But only using ''magic.''" "That is..." Berald wore a troubled expression. "You haven''t forgotten what family Ie from, have you?" The Ryu family, the most renowned magic house in the Republic. It would be hard to find someone in either the Empire or the Holy Kingdom who hadn''t heard of its prestige. ''Look at this bastard, using his brain.'' I frowned, ring at Laios, who was grinning slyly. Knowing full well that Berald couldn''t use magic, he made this proposal with the clear intent of using the duel as an excuse to inflict legal violence on him. "Alright." At Berald''s response, Laios'' lips twisted into a sneer. "Good. Then three days should be plenty of time for some magic practice, right?" "...." A person who had spent his whole life trying but failed to cast even a single magic bullet¡ªhow could he possibly learn magic in just three days? It was an absurdly short amount of time, and no one knew that better than him. "Alright." Berald nodded calmly. Laios grinned brightly and turned away. "See you in three days... ''little brother.''" He chuckled as he walked off. "Haaah." Berald let out a deep sigh as he stood up. "...Berald." "Hm? Hahaha! Why are you making such a scary face, brother?" Beraldughed heartily, shing a bright smile. "At the end of the day, it''s just a duel, right? Even if I get hurt, as long as our sister Iris is around, I''ll be fine!" He patted his chest, as if trying to assure me not to worry. As if his defeat was already a foregone conclusion. "..." I frowned as I looked at him. ''No.'' The Berald I knew wasn¡¯t someone who gave up so easily. "Don''t talk nonsense." I grabbed Berald by the cor. Suddenly, memories of my past life flooded back. The memories of when he taught me ''Berald¡¯s Martial Arts.'' ¡ªPant, pant! I-I can''t... I can''t go on anymore! ¡ªYou''re giving up already, brother? ¡ªWhat do you mean already? Do you even know how many days I''ve been training non-stop? Not just days, it''s been weeks, you crazy bastard! ¡ªI know. ¡ªI can''t go on. It''s my limit. You know how talentless I am in martial arts better than anyone. No matter how hard I try, I just can''t do it. ¡ª... ¡ªWhat? You''re going to lecture me again? ¡ªNo. Berald smiled faintly and sat down beside me as I copsed from exhaustion. ¡ªI was just like you, brother. ¡ªWhat do you mean? ¡ªI thought I had reached my limit. That no matter how much effort I put in, it was pointless. I lived my life giving up on one thing after another. ¡ªYou? Give up? The word ''give up'' seemed the least fitting when it came to Berald. ¡ªAs you know, I had no talent for magic. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn''t even cast a proper magic bullet. ¡ª... ¡ªSo I gave up. ¡ªBut now... ¡ªHave you ever seen me use magic? ¡ªNo. ¡ªHaha. I still can''t use magic. But. The ''Berald¡¯s Martial Arts'' he developed paradoxically could not be perfected without mastering magic. ¡ªI regret it. ¡ªWhat do you regret? ¡ªIf I hadn¡¯t given up on magic back then¡­ If I had at least mastered even a simple magic bullet... Berald clenched his bandaged fist tightly. ¡ªI wouldn''t have been consumed by despair, knowing that I could never reach the pinnacle of the martial art I poured my entire life into. His voice was heavy with regret. I tilted my head and asked him. ¡ªThen why don''t you learn magic now? I¡¯m learning magic from Sophia these days, you could join... ¡ªNo, it¡¯s useless. Berald shook his head softly. ¡ªAmong the various martial arts I practiced toplete my own, one had a side effect of preventing the manifestation of magic itself. From the moment I mastered that, using magic became impossible for me. Now that I thought about it, Berald could only release mana into the external world; he couldn¡¯t actually use it to cast spells. It was like having fuel but no way to ignite it. And because of that... Berald could never reach the ¡®pinnacle¡¯ of the martial art he had dedicated his life to. Not even at the moment of his death. ¡ªDon¡¯t worry. The martial arts I taught you don¡¯t have those side effects. You won¡¯t lose the ability to use magic. Berald smiled as he spoke. ¡ªSo, please, don¡¯t give up, brother. As if it was nothing. As if it didn¡¯t mean anything at all. He said it like that. ¡ªAren¡¯t you the most persistent person I know? No. That wasn¡¯t true. Despite what he said, I wasn¡¯t persistent at all. The person who taught me how to never give up was none other than Berald. ''Berald.'' Because of you, I am who I am. So. "Hey." "Hm? What is it, brother?" I pulled Berald closer by the cor and said, "You''re going to learn magic from me." This time, I won¡¯t give up on you. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 102: The Ryu Familys Black Sheep (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 102: The Ryu Family''s ck Sheep (3) Thus began the three-day crash course in magic. Early in the morning, Berald and I gathered in the training ground, loosened up a bit, and dove straight into magic training. "Alright, before we start, let''s check your current magic level." "Well... As you know, I''m really terrible at magic..." "But you''ve been learning it since you were a kid, right?" Even if he was from a branch family, as a member of the ¡®Ryu¡¯ family, he must have started learning magic as soon as he could walk. I crossed my arms and stood in front of Berald. "So, how many spells have you learned so far?" "In theory, I know quite a few spells. I just can¡¯t manifest any of them properly." "Hmm... Then try creating a Mana Bullet." A Mana Bullet. It was a spell that created a sphere imbued with physical force in midair. Among the numerous spells, it was the most basic one. "Alright." Berald nodded and focused his mind. His Stigma glowed as an overwhelming amount of mana surged around us. "Here we go!" With a loud shout, Berald thrust his hand forward. In front of his outstretched hand appeared a translucent sphere. The most basic of basics. It was the ¡®Mana Bullet¡¯ that even first-year students of the Magic Academy could use effortlessly. "...Is this a Mana Bullet?" I looked at the finger-sized translucent sphere with a disbelieving expression. Despite the massive amount of mana he unleashed as if he was about to summon the fires of hell, the result was pitifully small. "Ahem. Well, I told you I''m not good at magic..." Clearly embarrassed by the poor result, Berald coughed awkwardly and looked away. "Hmm." I took the Mana Bullet Berald had created in my hand. ''Not only the size, but the strength is also pathetic.'' It felt like I was holding a soft, squishy lump of dough. "Now, try shooting the Mana Bullet." "Shoot it?" "Like an arrow. Fire it." I pointed to the wall of the training ground. "Uhm..." Berald looked troubled after hearing my request. "What¡¯s the problem?" "Well, sorry, brother. I... don¡¯t know how to move the Mana Bullet." "..." So, he only knew how to create the Mana Bullet in midair. And even that was poorly donepared to the amount of mana he had put in. ''Wow, damn.'' At that moment, I started to understand, at least a little, why Laios had looked down on Berald so much. "I told you, I¡¯m not confident in magic!" Berald cried out, his voice full of frustration. "..." I narrowed my eyes as I stared at the Mana Bullet Berald had created. The great sage Julius Bastian once said something about magic. ¡®Learning magic is like drawing or singing,¡¯ he said. In simple terms, it meant that magic heavily relied on natural talent. ''But even if someonecks talent in magic, this is just absurd.'' There''s an old saying in the Republic: even a dog can recite poetry after three years in school. Even if you''re not gifted in magic, with effort, you should be able to improve, even if just a little. Even I, who was often told I had no talent for magic, eventually grew to this level by grinding through time and effort. ''But Berald hasn¡¯t improved at all.'' He¡¯s been learning magic for at least 15 years, yet he can¡¯t even use a Mana Bullet properly. Clearly, something is wrong. ''And knowing Berald, he wouldn¡¯t have beenzy about his magic training.'' Despite that, he still couldn¡¯t use even a simple Mana Bullet properly... "Hmm." I looked at Berald suspiciously. ''Something else must be going on here.'' It didn''t make sense for someone to practice magic for so long and still be at this level. ''Come to think of it, in my previous life, Berald once learned a martial art that left him unable to use magic due to its side effects.'' Maybe Berald had been unable to use magic even before learning that martial art due to some external factor. ''Perhaps he was cursed as a child.'' You know how in hero tales, the protagonist sometimes gets caught up in a conspiracy and has their immense talent sealed away? Considering the ¡®Ryu¡¯ family held significant power in the Republic, it wouldn¡¯t be too surprising if there had been some shady plot behind the scenes. ''Or maybe he was poisoned.'' There were indeed poisonous herbs that could prevent the manifestation of magic. They were incredibly rare, to the point that even I, who had wandered the continent for thousands of years, only encountered them a few times. But given the Ryu family¡¯s deep history with magic, it wasn¡¯t impossible that they had ess to such poisons. ''But if that were the case, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to create a Mana Bullet in the first ce.'' I swallowed hard, looking at the Mana Bullet floating in the air. He could manifest magic, but he couldn¡¯t control it. "...Could it be?" An idea shed through my mind like a bolt of lightning. I looked at Berald and said, "Alright, this time, try using a more advanced spell." "...Didn¡¯t you just see how I couldn¡¯t even make a proper Mana Bullet?" He couldn¡¯t even create a basic Mana Bullet, and now I was asking him to use a more advanced spell? Berald looked at me incredulously. "I know. I just want to check something, so go ahead and try it." "Hmm. Alright." Berald swallowed and nodded. "What spell should I use?" "Hmm... Do you know Fireball?" "I do." "Then give that a try." If we say the Mana Bullet is a level 1 spell, Fireball is about a level 3 in difficulty. "Okay." Berald closed his eyes and focused again. Once more, his Stigma glowed, and a huge amount of mana swirled around him. ''He sure has a lot of mana.'' Of course, if youpare it to Yurina, it''scking, but that''s only because Yurina¡¯s mana reserves are so extraordinarilyrge. It wasn¡¯t that Berald¡¯s mana was insufficient. He probably had more than most students and even many professors in terms of pure mana capacity. ¡®The problem is that even with all that magic, the result is pathetic.¡¯ What good is having so much fuel that it overflows if your fuel efficiency is terrible? ¡°Haaaap!¡± Whoosh! With a loud shout, mes ignited. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] A small fireball, slightly smaller than a fist, was formed. ¡°Uuuugh¡­¡± Berald, drenched in cold sweat, tried to move the fireball. Fsss... The fireball, which had been wobbling precariously, disappeared with a hissing sound. "...Ah." Berald let out a low groan, his face dejected. I quietly observed the process, sinking deep into thought. ¡®Once again, the manifestation itself was sessful.¡¯ However, as soon as he tried to move the fireball, it wobbled dangerously and then vanished. ¡®He seeded in manifesting the spell, but failed in controlling it¡­.¡¯ Magic can be broken down into three main processes. 1. The process of releasing the internal mana into the external world¡ªknown as the "release" stage. 2. The process of transforming the released magic into a spell through forms¡ªthe "manifestation" stage. 3. Finally, controlling the spell to act ording to one¡¯s will¡ªthe "control" stage. In Berald¡¯s case, there were no issues with the release process. ¡®In fact, he releases way too much, to the point where it¡¯s worrisome.¡¯ In other words, the fuel required to cast magic was more than plentiful. ¡®Though the manifestation is a bitcking in quality, it¡¯s still sessful.¡¯ He seeded in creating both the magic missile and the fireball. ¡®Magic forms are almost like memorization exercises, anyway.¡¯ I once heard from Senior Sophia in my previous life that "perfect theory is the essence of magic." What she meant by "perfect theory" was precisely the forms needed to manifest magic. ¡®Creating and modifying new forms is something only true geniuses can do.¡¯ But anyone who put in enough effort could memorize pre-existing forms and manifest magic. ¡®Of course, that only applies to low-level spells like magic missiles or fireballs.¡¯ As the difficulty of magic increases, it bes impossible to manifest spells through such brute memorization. Right now, Berald¡¯s method of casting magic could bepared to math. It¡¯s like memorizing that "5¡Á5 equals 25" without understanding why it equals 25. ¡®That¡¯s why his magic missiles were moreplete than his fireballs.¡¯ The form for magic missiles was much simpler. ¡®But when ites to the control process, that¡¯s where the problem arises.¡¯ He managed to seed up to the manifestation stage by brute memorization, but controlling the magic required actual calctions. Berald, however, waspletely unable to handle the calctions necessary to control the spell. ¡°¡­Which means¡­¡± As the hypothesis that had formed in my mind started bing more and more of a reality, I felt my face harden. ¡°So, how about it, brother? Did you figure out what¡¯s wrong with my magic?¡± Berald swallowed nervously and stepped closer to me. His clenched fists trembled slightly. ¡®No, it can¡¯t be!¡¯ Closing my eyes tightly, I rejected the hypothesis that had formed in my mind. "Hey, Berald, uh¡­ Aren¡¯t you getting hungry?" "Oh, now that you mention it, it¡¯s already thiste." I pulled out some bread from my bag, which I had bought earlier at the store on the way here. He must have been quite hungry because Berald¡¯s eyes sparkled like stars when I pulled out the bread. ¡°Wanna split this 50-50?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Berald¡¯s expression grew serious. After contemting for a moment, he asked in the most serious voice possible. ¡°So¡­ who gets the 50?¡± "...Ah." At that moment, all my doubts became certainties. A deep sigh escaped through my lips. I slumped down and grabbed at my hair in frustration. ¡®The reason why Berald hasn¡¯t been able to use magic properly despite all his efforts¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t because he was cursed as a child. It wasn¡¯t because he was poisoned with something that blocked the manifestation of magic. There was just one reason why Berald couldn¡¯t even cast a basic magic missile properly despite all his painstaking efforts. ¡°You¡­ you absolute idiot¡­¡± No external factors. No outside interference. Nothing that could be ovee with years of hard work. It was purely because he was just dumb. ¡°¡­What am I even supposed to do with you now?¡± And I was supposed to teach magic to this guy? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 103: The Ryu Familys Black Sheep (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 103: The Ryu Family''s ck Sheep (4) ¡°Ah...¡± A sigh escaped through my lips. A wave of despair weighed heavily on me. ¡®What do I do about this?¡¯ If there was another reason Berald couldn¡¯t learn magic, I would simply have to find and remove that cause. If it was a curse, I could break it, and if it was poison, I could neutralize it. For someone like me, who possessed the ¡®Primordial me,¡¯ neither would be a difficult problem to solve. ¡®But¡­¡¯ What if the reason he couldn¡¯t use magic no matter how hard he tried was simply because he was just too stupid? ¡®Then there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡¯ How could I possibly make someone who was born stupid suddenly intelligent? ¡®Even if it were possible, there¡¯s no way it could be done in just three days.¡¯ No matter how much effort he put into it, there was no way to make someone capable of performing magic calctions in just three days, something they couldn¡¯t do in years. ¡°Hah.¡± A deep sigh escaped me as my mind grew more tangled. Berald smiled bitterly, shaking his head. ¡°There¡¯s no need to push yourself, brother. I know it¡¯s a difficult matter.¡± ¡°¡­Berald.¡± ¡°Well, even if the family stops sending financial support, I won¡¯t starve immediately. Our family is still part of the ¡®Ryu¡¯ n. We¡¯re not that poor.¡± Berald shrugged as he continued. ¡°Of course, My father won¡¯t be able to receive treatment regrly like he does now, but since the treatments over the past five years haven¡¯t improved his condition, it doesn¡¯t really matter whether he get treated or not, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± That couldn¡¯t be true. Even if it was a slim chance, the possibility of recovery was vastly different from giving up treatment altogether. ¡°What happened to your father?¡± I hadn¡¯t heard that Berald¡¯s father was sick in my previous life. Though I had known Berald since our school days, we weren¡¯t close enough for him to confide in me about such dark family matters. ¡°Hoho. My father, you say?¡± Berald spoke with a bitter expression. He sat down on the training ground floor and took a bite of the bread he had split in half. ¡°Five years ago, there was a fight between the ¡®Ryu¡¯ family and the Demons.¡± ¡°¡­This is the first I¡¯m hearing of this.¡± The Ryu family was one of the most powerful families in the Republic. If a conflict had urred between them and the Demons, it would¡¯ve caused an uproar in the Republic. At least in my memory, no such uproar had taken ce. ¡°They must have blocked the information from spreading within the family. In truth, it wasn¡¯t even that big of a fight. There weren¡¯t many casualties, after all.¡± Though Berald said this with a bitter smile¡­ ¡®In other words, there was a fight, even if it wasn¡¯t arge one.¡¯ And there were casualties, however few they may have been. Among them was Berald¡¯s father. ¡°My father was severely injured in that battle.¡± Berald¡¯s voice was calm as he continued. ¡°Though he was lucky to survive, he was left with a side effect¡ªhis memory started to deteriorate.¡± Though he spoke in a calm tone, his voice wasced with deep emotion. ¡°Anyway, that cranky old man... After making my life difficult ever since I was young, he eventually forgot even his own child¡¯s name. It¡¯s his punishment, I suppose.¡± Berald chuckled, covering his eyes with his hand. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Suddenly, a memory from my previous life shed through my mind. A brief conversation we had before his death. ¡°Haha! If you really need a name, call me ¡®Berald¡¯s Martial Arts¡¯! You¡¯ll live for a long time, brother, being immortal and all. Our old man was just like that. Old people tend to forget their children¡¯s names.¡± ¡°Even if I die, please remember my name.¡± I remembered him asking me to remember his name, that pitiful figure of his. ¡®You fool... Back then, you said it was just because of old age, but...¡¯ So, this was the truth behind it. ¡®That¡¯s why he was so obsessed with his name.¡¯ I watched silently as Berald quietly sobbed, covering his eyes. ¡°There is a way.¡± ¡°¡­What way?¡± ¡°A way for you to use magic in three days.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Berald looked at me as if I were speaking nonsense. I closed my eyes and organized the method that hade to my mind. A way for Berald, who couldn¡¯t control magic at all, to use it. That was... ¡°Just give up.¡± The only way for the tenacious Berald to use magic was, ironically, to give up. ¡°¡­What do you mean by that?¡± Berald asked, looking confused. ¡°You know there are three stages to magic, right?¡± ¡°I know that much.¡± The flow of magic consists of release, manifestation, and control. The area Berald had never been able to reach, no matter how hard he tried, was ¡®control.¡¯ If that¡¯s the case¡­ ¡°Just give up on control entirely.¡± ¡°¡­Give up on control?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Narrow it down to just two stages: release and manifestation. ¡°Try creating a magic projectile again. This time, don¡¯t even think about controlling it.¡± ¡°Hmmm. I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± Berald nodded and focused his mind. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Wooooooong! The Stigma glowed, and immense magic surged around him. ¡°Hup!¡± With a powerful shout, a magic projectile formed in mid-air. It was about the size of a fist. Its hardness had improved somewhat from the previous mushy form. ¡®As I thought!¡¯ Watching the magic projectile Berald created, I clenched my fist in triumph. This one was much more refined than the magic projectile he had formed before. ¡®By giving up on control from the start, the quality of the projectile improved.¡¯ It made sense when you thought about it. For example, consider building a magic vehicle... Wouldn''t making a model that just looks like the real thing be far easier than actually creating one that can move? ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Berald also widened his eyes in surprise, as if shocked by the quality of the magic bullet he had created. ¡°B-Brother! Did you see this? I made a magic bullet the size of a fist!¡± Berald shouted excitedly. ¡°See? It''s much easier when you give up the control process, isn''t it?¡± ¡°Is that even a question? It''s like¡­ the difference between trying to hop on one leg and then sitting in a wheelchair!¡± The difference between hopping on one leg and sitting in a wheelchair, huh. ¡®That''s a perfect metaphor.¡¯ He must have found it much easier to manifest magic after giving up on trying to control something that wasn''t even possible in the first ce. ¡°Alright, let''s keep working on improving it.¡± ¡°Hehe! Got it!¡± Berald nodded and got back to making magic bullets. * * * Three days passed like that. Berald''s magic bullet had reached a level ofpletion iparable to what he had first made. What had once been no bigger than two finger joints had grown to the size of a human head, and what used to feel like handling soft dough now had a hardness stronger than steel. ¡®I didn''t expect he''d improve this much in just three days.¡¯ Of course, it wasn''t simply because he had given up the control process that such a dramatic change urred. ¡®It must be thanks to all the effort he''s put in up until now.¡¯ Berald had probably been working harder than anyone to learn magic from the day he first started. ¡®Because it''s Berald.¡¯ Even if no one else recognized it. Even if no one acknowledged him. I know. How relentless he is when ites to not giving up. Even when everyone whispered that he couldn''t do it, he must have continued training in magic all on his own. ¡®And now.¡¯ The fruits of all that umted effort were finally finding their direction and blooming. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I created this magic bullet¡­.¡± Berald looked at the translucent sphere, asrge as a human head, in disbelief. It was embarrassing to evenpare it to the pathetic magic bullet he had first made. ¡®Though,pared to the amount of magic used, it¡¯s stillcking in many ways.¡¯ If the first magic bullet took 100 units of magic to produce a result of 1, now he could create a result of about 10. Compared to Senior Sophia, who could produce results two or three times greater than the amount of magic she used, it made you question whether this should even be called "magic." ¡®No matter how generously I phrase it, it''s still below average, and aside from this magic bullet, he can''t use any other spells.¡¯ But that''s fine. Compared to his previous life when he couldn¡¯t manifest any magic at all, this still opens up a new path for Berald. Now, my job is simply to guide him on how to walk down that newly opened path. ¡°But Brother.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I know it''s silly to say this now, but¡­¡± Berald scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile. ¡°This magic bullet¡­ it just floats in midair, but it doesn¡¯t actually move, does it?¡± ¡°Of course. You gave up control, after all.¡± ¡°¡­Then what¡¯s the point of it? How am I supposed to defeat Senior Lios with a magic bullet that can¡¯t even move?¡± Berald stared at me nkly. I couldn''t help but chuckle at the sight. ¡°Is that really a question you''re asking after three days of magic training?¡± ¡°Ahem! Well, that just shows how much faith I had in you, Brother!¡± He let out an embarrassed cough and avoided my gaze. He was probably so excited about sessfully creating a proper magic bullet that he didn¡¯t even think about anything else. ¡®That¡¯s just like Berald.¡¯ Of course, I didn¡¯t have him practice making immobile magic bullets for three days without a n. ¡°Berald, have you ever heard this saying?¡± ¡°What saying?¡± ¡°When the head is weak, the body suffers.¡± It was an old saying from the Republic. ¡°Haha. My father said that to me so many times, I got sick of it.¡± Beraldughed as if he had heard it a thousand times before. ¡°Well, then just think the opposite.¡± ¡°The opposite?¡± I nced at Berald¡¯s body, packed with muscle, and smirked. ¡°If you¡¯ve got an overwhelmingly strong body¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter if your head¡¯s a little weak.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 104: The Ryu Familys Black Sheep (5) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 104: The Ryu Family''s ck Sheep (5) The day of the showdown had arrived. Berald and I headed towards Laios'' private training grounds on time. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± On the way to Laios'' private training grounds, Berald repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists, swallowing nervously. I slowed down my steps slightly to match Berald, who was trailing behind me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, nervous?¡± ¡°Huh? Haha! Me, nervous? Th-there''s no way that¡¯s true!¡± For someone saying that, he sure was stuttering a lot. ¡°Haha.¡± Even Berald seemed aware of this, as he scratched his head with an awkward smile. ¡°Well, since Laios and I are about the same age, people alwayspared us.¡± ¡°Compared, huh¡­¡± There was no need to ask what kind of things were said about theparisons between Laios, who had been hailed as the genius sessor of the Thunder God, Lionel Ryu, and Berald, who had been called the ck sheep of the Ryu family. ¡°To me, he was always someone I could never hope topete with¡­ but now that we¡¯re about to face off, my head¡¯s all messed up.¡± ¡°For someone who¡¯s confused, you sure did beat him up pretty goodst time.¡± ¡°T-that time I just lost my head and got carried away!¡± I chuckled as I patted Berald on the shoulder. ¡°Rx, man. Just do what I taught you.¡± ¡°Hrmm, I understand, brother.¡± With that, Berald and I entered the building where Laios'' private training grounds were located. ¡°Oh, by the way.¡± ¡°Hm? Did you forget something?¡± ¡°You¡¯re still wearing your Hero Watch, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Berald showed me the Hero Watch on his left wrist. ¡°Hand it over to me for a bit.¡± ¡°You¡¯re worried it¡¯ll get damaged during the fight?¡± ¡°Well, something like that.¡± ¡°Hm, alright.¡± I took Berald¡¯s Hero Watch and entered Laios'' private training grounds. It was muchrger and more modernpared to Berald¡¯s training area. Inside, Laios Ryu was already waiting for us. ¡°You actually showed up instead of running off like a coward?¡± Laios asked, his arms crossed and a cocky grin on his face. ¡°You ready to get your ass kicked?¡± ¡°Hmph. It won¡¯t be that easy.¡± Berald smirked confidently as he stood in front of him. Laios'' expression twisted into an aggressive scowl. ¡°Well then, show me what you¡¯ve been working on.¡± He said this while ncing in my direction. ¡°You know how to set the duel settings, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then go and set it to ¡®Magic Duel Only¡¯ mode.¡± The Magic Duel Only mode. As the name suggests, it¡¯s a special mode where any physical contact between the duelists is immediately detected, and the one who initiated the contact is automatically deemed the loser. I followed Laios'' instructions and activated the duel system on the wall. [Duel mode has been changed to ¡®Magic Duel Only¡¯.] [The duel will start in 5 seconds.] [4, 3, 2, 1.] ¡°Strike.¡± Crackle! As soon as the countdown disappeared, a sh of blue lightning shot forward, apanied by a short incantation. ¡°Hup!¡± Berald dodged the lightning with agile movements and extended his hand forward. Wooooooong! His Stigma glowed as mana surged around him. ¡°Hah!¡± With a rough shout, he conjured a fist-sized magic missile. ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve been practicing, just a magic missile?¡± Laios chuckled in disbelief as he saw the translucent sphere. ¡°And that thing¡­ you¡¯ve given up on ¡®control,¡¯ haven¡¯t you?¡± It was clear why Laios had been called a prodigy in magic since childhood. He had instantly identified the w in Berald¡¯s magic missile. ¡°What are you gonna do with a spell that doesn¡¯t even move?¡± Laiosughed mockingly as he watched the magic missile floating motionlessly in the air. ¡°If your body¡¯s strong, your brain doesn¡¯t need to work.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Heh. Watch closely, senior.¡± Berald grabbed the floating magic missile with his hand and threw it. ¡°This is my magic!¡± Whooosh! The missile shot forward with terrifying speed. ¡°What the hell¡­!¡± Laios twisted his body in rm, barely dodging the missile. Shwoosh, BOOM! The magic missile Berald had thrown narrowly missed Laios and mmed into the wall of the training grounds. The sound of an explosion shook the entire room with heavy reverberations. ¡°Hah.¡± Laios turned to look at Berald with an expression of disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re throwing¡­ magic?¡± It wasn¡¯t theoretically impossible. However, it was extremely inefficient. Who would throw a finely sharpened arrow instead of using a bow? ¡°It¡¯s not over yet!¡± Berald shouted as he began to conjure and throw magic missiles one after another. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whooosh! The fist-sized magic missiles rushed towards Laios with terrifying speed. ¡°Tch.¡± Laios gritted his teeth as he quickly gathered his magic. ¡°What a ridiculous tactic¡­!¡± Crackle, crackle! Blue lightning crackled as it shot down the iing magic missiles. ¡°Call of Thunder!¡± With an incantation, a tidal wave of blue lightning surged towards Berald. ¡°Grrrr!¡± It was a high-tier magic, iparable to basic spells like magic bullets. ck smoke began to rise from Berald''s body, swept up by the tidal wave of lightning. ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Berald hunched over, groaning in pain. ¡°Hoo. Now do you understand? This is what real magic¡ª¡± Before Laios could finish his sentence, Berald, who had been hunched over, threw a magic bullet he had been holding in his hand. ¡°Gah!¡± A broken scream escaped from Laios¡¯ mouth as the magic bullet hit him. ¡°You little bastard...!¡± Laios'' face twisted savagely as he spread his arms wide. Crackle! Snap! Crackle! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Blue lightning sparked around his body, swirling with power. ¡°Thunder,e forth!¡± Rumbleeeee! With a deafening roar, a massive wall of lightning enveloped Laios. Watching the sparring match from a distance, I frowned as I saw the wall of lightning form. ''Thunder Wall.'' A spell that earned Laios the title of "Thunder Emperor." ''The Thunder Emperor was more renowned for his defensive spells than his offensive ones.'' Among them, the "Thunder Wall," a barrier formed by lightning to protect the caster, was a signature move, the crowning technique of the Thunder Emperor. ''Though it''s smaller and thinner than what I saw in my past life.'' Pop! Pop! Bang! Berald¡¯s magic bullets burst helplessly in front of the wall of lightning. ''It''s a spell Berald can''t break through at his current strength.'' I watched Berald, who was throwing magic bullets while panting heavily, with a furrowed brow. There was nothing I could do to help him in this situation. All I could do was trust in Berald and watch. ¡°Hah, hah!¡± ¡°Still don¡¯t get it?¡± Laios, looking at Berald panting heavily, snapped his fingers casually. Crackle! A streak of blue lightning shot out from the wall protecting Laios. ¡°Urgh!¡± Berald grunted and staggered backward. ''This can''t go on.'' Berald wouldn¡¯t be able to break through that Thunder Wall with small, weak magic bullets. ¡°Urrrrgh!¡± Berald clenched every ounce of magic within him, stretching his arms forward. Vrrrroooom! An evenrger amount of mana swirled than when Laios had first created the Thunder Wall. ¡°Haaaaaaah!¡± What he created was a massive magic bullet, as big as a human torso. It was thergest magic bullet he could muster. ¡°After all that fuss, it¡¯s still just a magic bullet?¡± Laios red coldly at Berald¡¯s creation. ¡°After studying magic for over a decade, is this all you¡¯ve got? Magic bullets?¡± ¡°Laios, senior¡­ While my magic may notpare to yours, I¡¯ve given everything I have to make this.¡± ¡°¡®Everything you have,¡¯ my ass.¡± Laios smirked with a twisted grin. ¡°Well, alright. I¡¯m sure you did put in effort. You¡¯ve always trained magic like a lunatic.¡± Laios had known Berald since they were young, and he was well aware of how much effort Berald had put into learning magic. He even knew that the Thunder God, Lionel Ryu, had a particr fondness for Berald because of his diligence. But still. ¡°No matter how hard you try, if there¡¯s no result, it¡¯s all worthless, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you know what they call it when you try and try but get nowhere? Huh?¡± Laios clicked his tongue with disdain as he continued. ¡°They call it a waste of time. A waste.¡± With a single word, he trampled on Berald''s decade-long effort as if it were nothing,ughing mockingly. ¡°Waste of time, huh...¡± Berald smiled faintly at Laios¡¯ words. ¡°You''re right, senior. After all that time and still, all I can make is a magic bullet.¡± And even that bullet wouldn¡¯t move unless he threw it manually¡ªa half-baked magic bullet. Laios had mastered the magic in three days, while even after over ten years, Berald couldn¡¯t cast it properly. Not just the magic bullet¡ªother spells were the same. What Laios had learned in mere days was, for Berald, an unreachable fruit hanging far beyond his grasp. His efforts were nothing but a futile waste of time. The sweat he shed, just unpleasant residue. But even so. ¡°I don¡¯t regret it.¡± Even though it yielded nothing. Even though there was no reward. He didn¡¯t regret it. ¡°Because someone believed in me, someone who never gave up on me.¡± Berald turned toward me and gave a wide grin. Laios chuckled in disbelief. ¡°So what? What can you do about it? Huh? What¡¯s the point if you don¡¯t regret it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡± Berald looked at the massive magic bullet he had created. ¡°I¡¯ll show you that my efforts weren¡¯t in vain.¡± It was toorge to simply throw. He could grasp and hurl it with both hands, but that would make it too weak. In that case... He summoned more mana. He clenched his fist and pulled it back as if drawing a bow. His stance lowered, elbows raised slightly. ¡°Haa.¡± A strange sense of exhration spread through his entire body. An electrifying thrill, beyond description. Suddenly, the memory of when he first learned martial arts from Dale shed through his mind. ¡ªHmm. So what¡¯s the name of this martial art, anyway? ¡ªIt doesn¡¯t really have a name. ¡ªHuh, and yet a martial art of this level has no name? When Berald showed disappointment, Dale had smiled and made a suggestion. ¡ªHow about this? ¡ªWhat are you talking about? ¡ªIf you ever fully master this martial art¡­ put your own name on it. He never understood why Dale had suggested putting his name on it rather than Dale¡¯s own, but... ¡®If that was your wish, I¡¯ll follow it.¡¯ With a fierce step forward, Berald thrust the fist he had drawn back. ¡°Berald¡¯s Martial Art.¡± Mountain Breaker. BOOOOOM! With a thunderous roar, the magic bullet sted through the Thunder Wall and mmed into Laios. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 105: Interlude – Thunder God [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 105: Interlude ¨C Thunder God A translucent orb tore through the wall of lightning and was fired forward. "Arghhhhhhh!" Boom! Laios'' body, hit by the magic bullet, was lifted into the air and mmed violently into the wall. Beeeep! [Warning.] [Anomaly detected in the shock absorption barrier. Please cease the sparring.] With a warning sound, red lights flickered inside the training hall. "Ugh, ugggh!" Laios, lying on the ground, writhed like a worm as he vomited. "...Ah." Berald looked at the copsed Laios with a bewildered expression. He had just used the martial arts technique Dale had taught him, thinking he needed to fire the magic bullet as strongly as possible. But the oue far exceeded his expectations. "Hah." Berald wasn''t the only one surprised. Even I, who had been watching the duel, couldn''t help but let out a gasp at Berald''s strike. ''It wasn''t just about hitting the magic bullet hard.'' True to Berald''s martial arts, which only reaches its pinnacle whenbined with magic, a strange phenomenon urred the moment his punch connected with the magic bullet. ''Aura enveloped the magic bullet.'' Of course. It was impossible to envelop magic, which is generated by releasing energy from the external world, with aura that primarily draws from the inner world. ''But Berald seeded in wrapping magic with aura.'' I clenched my fist, recalling Berald¡¯s strike from moments earlier. The inner world and the outer world. Magic and martial arts. Two entirely separate domains, fused into one martial art. ''So this is the path you''ve been walking, Berald.'' The idea of enveloping magic with aura was something I had never considered. ''If you can envelop magic with aura...'' I felt a thirst tickling at my throat as I ignited a tiny me. ''That means I could also use my ashen mes wrapped in magic, right?'' At that moment, a thrilling realization shot through my entire body. It felt simr to when Yurina had once told me that my swordsmanship was "inefficient." A bolt of inspiration struck the top of my head. "...Ha." Just like with Yurina. ''You''re still guiding me, aren''t you?'' In this life, I thought I would only be leading them. But before I knew it, there they were, standing in front of me, offering me a hand. This way, they seemed to say. There is a new view you''ve never seen before. "Haha." Suppressing the heat that coursed through me, I turned my head toward Berald and Laios. I could think about this new realizationter. For now, it was time to focus on their duel. ''Well, though it seems the result is already clear.'' I looked at Laios, who was still on the ground, retching. "Gasp, gasp, gasp!" After retching for a while, Laios breathed heavily and staggered to his feet. "You... damn... bastard...!" ring at Berald with ferocious eyes, Laios'' legs suddenly gave out, and he copsed into his own vomit. "Are you alright?" "Shut... up!" Laios bit his lip in frustration, his face contorted with shame. The pain of his internal organs twisting made it impossible for him to even stand. "I... I lost to that brute..." Trembling, Laios couldn''t believe his defeat. Berald approached him and asked calmly, "You¡¯ll keep your promise, right?" "Promise...? What the hell are you talking about?" Gritting his teeth, Laios raised his head. "I said you should defeat me with magic!" "So I didn¡¯t use magic?" "Don''t spout nonsense! You call that magic?" A magic bulletunched like a cannonball by punching it. That was something no one had ever heard of, anywhere on the continent. "I don''t recognize that as magic!" "...Senior." Berald¡¯s expression began to harden when¡ª "Enough." A low voice echoed through the hall, and a man entered. His hair was half ck and half blue. Despite his youthful appearance, his eyes carried the weight of experience. This man was Lionel Ryu, the current headmaster of the Lionel Hero Academy and ranked 3rd in the Tri-Nation Hero Rankings. The "Thunder God." "Wh-What? Grandpa? How are you here...?" Laios'' eyes widened in disbelief, as if he had seen a ghost. Lionel slowly walked to the center of the training hall and infused mana into the Hero Watch on his wrist. "Berald sent me this photo." A floating screen appeared, showing Berald and Laios fighting. "W-When was that taken...?" "...No way." Berald turned to look at me. Before entering the training hall, I had waved the Hero Watch Berald had given me and shrugged. "So... what were the two of you doing here?" Lionel''s icy gaze turned to Laios. "Gr-Grandpa, that¡¯s..." "As far as I remember, I told you two to get along." "It was sparring! We were sparring! I was, uh, teaching Berald magic!" Laios pointed frantically at Berald. "Sparring, huh." Lionel narrowed his eyes and examined the hall. The battle scars were evident everywhere. To leave such marks, even inside a training hall with a shock-absorbing barrier, would require quite powerful magic. Magic that could have easily resulted in serious injury. "From where I¡¯m standing, it doesn¡¯t look like you were teaching him anything." "That¡¯s, uh..." "Or have my eyes grown too old and dull?" "..." Laios averted his gaze, cold sweat running down his face. "Berald." "Y-Yes! Grandfather!" Berald straightened up, stiff as a board. Lionel frowned slightly. "How many times have I told you? Call me ''Grandpa,'' not ''Grandfather.''" "Well, but..." "Even though youe from a branch family, we are still part of the Ryu n." "A-Alright, Grandpa." A faint smile tugged at the corners of Lionel¡¯s lips. "Now then... Care to exin what happened between you two?" "That¡¯s..." Berald and Laios exchanged nces. Laios, pale as a ghost, gave Berald a silent plea with his eyes: Don¡¯t say anything. "I can exin, if you like." "And you are...?" "Third-year Warrior Division candidate, Dale Han. I¡¯m a close senior to Berald." ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re the candidate Professor Elisha mentioned.¡± Huh? ¡°Did Professor Elisha say something about me?¡± ¡°Hahaha. She told me not to get any ideas since she¡¯s already imed you.¡± ¡°What?¡± What on earth is she telling the headmaster? ¡°Anyway¡­ was it you who sent the picture?¡± The headmaster, Lionel, nced at the Hero Watch I was holding, which belonged to Berald, and asked. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Can you tell me what happened?¡± I nodded and exined the events that had taken ce to Headmaster Lionel. ¡°Sigh¡­ Cutting off the support funds for the branch family, you say.¡± The headmaster frowned as he sighed. ¡°Laios.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Since when do you have the authority to decide whether or not to give out the support funds?¡± ¡°Well, uh, that¡¯s¡­ um¡­¡± ¡°The funds for the branch family were specifically provided because I personally insisted on it. Are you saying you¡¯ve decided to cut off what this old man approved?¡± ¡°M-Misunderstanding!¡± Laios, now pale, hurriedly exined. ¡°I was just, um, giving him a scare as part of his education¡­¡± ¡°Education? You call that education?¡± Headmaster Lionel chuckled sarcastically. ¡°What is Berald supposed to learn from someone like you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Pitiful.¡± Lionel red at him as he continued. ¡°I¡¯ve told you time and again, getting there fast isn¡¯t as important as not stopping.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s¡­¡± Laios opened his mouth as if to say something but hesitated. Lionel clicked his tongue and spoke again. ¡°What? Do you think it¡¯s just the rambling of an old man?¡± ¡°N-No! I would never think such a thing¡­!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget, you brat.¡± With a light step. Boom! The struggling Laios was mmed back onto the ground, right into the vomit he had just spewed. ¡°Argh! A-Ah¡­¡± The terrifying pressure from the mana weighed him down. It wasn¡¯t magic or even the power of a ¡®blessing¡¯ that Lionel used. It was just pure mana release. That alone made Laios crawl on the ground like a crushed insect. ¡°Remember who your grandfather is.¡± Lionel Ryu, the Thunder God. Ranked third among thousands of heroes. His unique background was that he was the hero who entered the rankings thetest. He barely made it into the top 100 in his 40s, yet within just five years, he soared to third ce. A hero who startedter than anyone but climbed higher than everyone. That was Thunder God Lionel Ryu. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Laios stammered as he gasped for breath, unable to handle the overwhelming pressure of the mana. ¡°Hmph.¡± As Lionel retracted his mana, Laios finally exhaled deeply, panting. ¡°From now on, the allowance you get will be added to the branch family¡¯s support fund. Keep that in mind.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, sir.¡± ¡°And if I hear you say anything foolish to Berald about this again¡­ this old man won¡¯t stand idly by.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Laios, on the verge of tears, nodded furiously. ¡°And Berald.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, sir!¡± Headmaster Lionel patted Berald on the shoulder with a sigh. ¡°Sorry for suggesting you should get close to him. I thought since you¡¯re all around the same age, you¡¯d get along well¡­¡± ¡°N-No, sir! It¡¯s my fault for being rude to my brother!¡± ¡°You little rascal. Are you trying to trick your grandpa of all people?¡± Lionel chuckled and turned his head away. Then, as he looked at the deeply indented wall of the training grounds, he asked, ¡°By the way, is that your doing?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ y-yes, sir.¡± ¡°Hm. What kind of magic did you use to destroy even the shock-absorbing barrier?¡± ¡°That, well¡­¡± Berald awkwardly scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed smile. ¡°I-It was a magic bullet.¡± ¡°A magic bullet? How does a magic bullet¡­?¡± ¡°Ibined the martial arts I learned from Brother Dale with magic.¡± ¡°Martial arts?¡± For a moment, Headmaster Lionel¡¯s expression stiffened. He seemed to ponder something, his lips tightly sealed, before shaking his head. ¡°No, it couldn¡¯t be¡­¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Never mind, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Headmaster Lionel turned and walked toward me. ¡°Candidate Dale.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Thank you for looking after Berald.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing¡­ I¡¯m getting help from him, too.¡± It wasn¡¯t just empty words. In fact, thanks to Berald, I¡¯d gained a new insight recently. ¡°Still, it¡¯d be nice if you could bnce spending time with him and keeping up your grades.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Out of nowhere, grades? ¡°Haha! I¡¯m just teasing.¡± Headmaster Lionel burst intoughter (hisughter sounded just like Berald¡¯s) and left the training grounds. ¡°Ugh.¡± As I stared after Lionel¡¯s retreating figure, Berald approached me. ¡°Brother Dale! Did you see at the end? I hit the magic bullet with my fist, bang!¡± ¡°Yeah. Good job, man.¡± ¡°Hehehe. If it weren¡¯t for the martial arts you taught me, I never would have pulled it off!¡± Berald¡¯s excited tone then shifted to a more somber one. ¡°¡­Brother Dale.¡± ¡°Huh? Why¡¯re you getting all serious?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Berald bowed deeply. ¡°You¡¯re my benefactor.¡± ¡°Benefactor, my foot.¡± I lightly smacked Berald¡¯s head, who was being uncharacteristically serious. ¡°¡®Colleague¡¯ sounds better, man.¡± ¡°Colleague¡­ colleague, huh¡­ Heh, got it.¡± Berald smiled wide as he nodded. ¡°Oh, and one more thing.¡± ¡°Hm? What else?¡± ¡°Your father. You mentioned he¡¯s been suffering from dementia due to battle injuries, right?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes.¡± ¡°When the semester¡¯s over and things calm down, I¡¯ll ask Iris for help and we¡¯ll visit your house.¡± Whether or not Iris could treat dementia was uncertain, but¡­ ¡°Still, you never know what kind of miracle the Saint, blessed by the Seven Gods, might pull off, right?¡± ¡°¡­Brother¡­¡± Berald looked at me with teary eyes. ¡°Brother Da-a-a-a-a-ale!!!¡± ¡°Ahh! Wh-what the hell, man!¡± Berald, with his burly arms, grabbed me in a tight hug and started bawling. ¡°You really are my benefactor!!!¡± ¡°Argh! You stink! Get off, man!¡± ¡°I, Berald, will follow you for the rest of my life!¡± As Berald hugged me, his muscles swelled so much they looked like they might burst. Crack. I heard soundsing from my body that I shouldn¡¯t be hearing. ¡°Ahh! My bones! My bones are breaking, man!¡± Pop. ¡°Oh.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 106: Legally Blonde (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 106: Legally Blonde (1) It''s been a week since the duel between Berald and Laios. While the school was starting to buzz with final exam preparations, I had been frequenting the training grounds every day to get used to the new insights I had gained this time. Of course, I wasn¡¯t pushing myself to the extreme like before. ¡®I might copse again if I did that.¡¯ Since the aftereffects of the Ashen mes couldn¡¯t be healed even by the Blessing of Revival, I had to be cautious. Anyway. After finishing training with Yuren and Berald today, I was heading back to the dorm room when¡ª ¡°Ah, Dale!¡± A familiar voice called out to me. I turned my head and saw the Saintess, with her light pink hair, holding a thick paper envelope as she waited for me. Iris came running toward me with a bright smile. ¡°Yuren, did you just return from the training grounds?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re not overdoing it again, are you?¡± Iris looked at me with suspicion. ¡°I¡¯m controlling myself properly. I came back early today, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Hmph. You always say you¡¯re fine, so I don¡¯t really trust you.¡± She still hadn¡¯t dropped her suspicious gaze and turned on her Hero Watch. ¡°Wait a minute. I¡¯ll ask Yuren for your recent training ground ess records.¡± ¡°What?¡± Since when did they start exchanging information like that? ¡°Your training volume has noticeably increased over the past week¡­ but at least you¡¯re getting enough sleep. Ah, and you¡¯re eating properly, right?¡± Iris carefully reviewed the records Yuren had sent, nodding as she went over the details. Watching her check on me like a caretaker, I stifled augh. ¡®This really makes me feel like a pampered child.¡¯ It might seem like over-concern, but it wasn¡¯t a bad feeling, reminding me of old times. ¡°By the way, what brings you here?¡± ¡°Hmm. Do I need a reason toe see you, Dale?¡± Iris puffed her cheeks in a pout. ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant¡­.¡± ¡°Hehe, I¡¯m just teasing.¡± She smiled brightly, instantly dropping the pout. ¡°I came because I have something to tell you. And also¡­.¡± Iris trailed off, ncing around as if to check if anyone else was nearby. ¡°Shall we go inside first?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I opened the door and went inside. Compared to Iris¡¯ room, mine was old and cramped enough to make you doubt we were in the same school dormitory, but it had everything I needed. ¡°Tea? Or coffee?¡± ¡°Make me ramen!¡± ¡°No.¡± Why was ramen the first thing she asked for? ¡°Eating that at this hour will make you gain weight, Saintess.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. All my weight goes to my chest anyway.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Did I just hear something that might turn half of humanity against her? ¡°Alright. Just wait a bit.¡± Under Iris'' strong insistence, I prepared some ramen and served it to her. ¡°Mmm~! It¡¯s so delicious!¡± The saintess eating ramente at night in a guy¡¯s dorm room. ¡®Thinking about it like that, this feels unreal.¡¯ I smiled wryly as I watched Iris empty the bowl. ¡°By the way, didn¡¯t you have something to say?¡± ¡°Oh, right. Are you free this weekend, Dale?¡± This weekend, huh? ¡°I¡¯ll probably be in the training grounds most of the time, why?¡± ¡°We went to volunteer at the orphanage together before, remember?¡± ¡°Ah, yeah. We did.¡± I nodded as the memory from a few months ago came to mind. ¡°I want to visit again before the finals make things too busy.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s alright with you, would you join me again?¡± Seeing her sparkling eyes, I couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly. ¡®How could I refuse this?¡¯ I had been preupied with mastering my new insightstely, but it wasn¡¯t like I couldn¡¯t spare a single day. ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± ¡°Really? You¡¯lle with me?¡± Iris beamed like a blossoming flower. ¡°Hehe, the kids will be soooo happy!¡± ¡°But did you wait outside my roomte at night just to ask me that?¡± Couldn¡¯t she have just asked me to go to the orphanage over the Hero Watch? ¡°Well¡­ there¡¯s another thing I wanted to talk about.¡± Blushing slightly, Iris hugged the thick paper envelope she had been carrying. ¡°Um, can you step outside for a moment?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Just for a minute!¡± Without answering, Iris pushed me out of the room. Puzzled, I stood in the dorm hallway for about five minutes. ¡°You cane back in now.¡± Her voice called out from behind the door. Click. As I opened the door, what I saw was¡ª ¡°Ahem. Wee back, Master.¡± Iris was dressed in a neat maid outfit. With a pristine white apron and her hands neatly sped in front of her, she bowed gracefully, standing as if measured by a ruler. ¡°¡­Iris?¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± With a mischievous smile on her lips, she approached me. ¡°What is this¡­?¡± ¡°You said before that you liked maid outfits, didn¡¯t you? So I decided to wear one for you.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Come to think of it, there was that ridiculous misunderstanding(?) incident before. Since nothing was mentioned afterward, I just thought it was a passing episode, but I didn¡¯t expect Iris to show up in a maid outfit all of a sudden. "I had to alter the chest area a bit, so it took some time. How do I look? Does it suit me?" Iris lifted the hem of her skirt slightly and spun around on the spot. Her swaying light-pink hair and the sweet scent that tickled my nose. Seeing the saint blessed by the Seven Gods standing in my room in a maid outfit was not just unrealistic; it felt like a dream. ¡®I don¡¯t think even when we were dating, we had events like this.¡¯ At that time, we were in the midst of an intense war with demons, so we didn¡¯t really have time to enjoy sweet moments like this (whether maid outfit role-y is something typical in a rtionship is beside the point). ¡®Thank goodness I¡¯ve returned.¡¯ As I was trembling with such overwhelming emotions(?). "Does it not suit me?" Iris looked at me anxiously, worried by myck of response. I answered her by giving a thumbs-up. Her face brightened, and she pointed to a chair. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Here, sit down, master. I¡¯ll give you a shoulder massage." "No, you don¡¯t need to go that far¡­." "Tsk. Hurry up." Iris tapped the chair with a stern look. ¡®Who¡¯s the master here?¡¯ Suppressing a wry smile, I sat down on the chair as shemanded. "Hehe. Let me know if it hurts, okay?" Iris moved behind me and ced her hands on my shoulders. Thump. An indescribable soft sensation brushed against the back of my head. "How is it? Does it feel good?" "¡­¡­." Good or not, I couldn¡¯t focus on my shoulders. "Hmm¡­ Am I not strong enough?" "No, it¡¯s not that¡­." "It¡¯s not that?" "¡­¡­." How should I exin this? That the sacred(?) sensation brushing the back of my head was so divine that I couldn¡¯t care less whether my shoulders felt good or not. "Well, let me put in a little more strength." With that, she let out a spirited "Hup!" and started massaging my shoulders with more force. Thump, thump. Her body naturally leaned forward as she applied more pressure, intensifying the sensation against the back of my head. ¡®Wait.¡¯ Is she doing this on purpose? As I fought to cling to my rapidly fraying sanity¡ª "Tsk. Strange... This should be enough to make him fall for me... Is this guy dense?" A faint murmur reached my ears. Had my physical abilities not been dramatically enhanced after bing a ''firekeeper,'' I wouldn¡¯t have heard it at all. "What did you just say¡­?" "Huh? I didn¡¯t say anything." When I turned around, Iris looked at me with wide, innocent eyes. "Well, that¡¯s it for today." She removed her hands from my shoulders and covered her mouth with her hand, giving a yful wink. "I¡¯ll wear it for you again next time, master." "¡­¡­." It seemed that just because she was a saint-turned-maid, it didn¡¯t mean her mind was pure. * * * Saturday. I headed to the spot where I was supposed to meet Iris. Cami had arrived first. "Long time no see." I waved as I approached her, but Cami crossed her arms and red at me sharply. "Hmph. I barely saw you in sstely, and now I hear you¡¯ve been suspended? As expected, you¡¯re just a delinquent." "What, did you miss me and look me up?" "Who¡ªwho said I was worried about you?!" Cami snapped angrily. I chuckled and looked around. "Where¡¯s Iris?" "The saint said her preparations were taking longer, so she¡¯ll be a littlete." "Preparations? For what?" "Sigh, exactly. She¡¯s been fretting since the crack of dawn about what to wear, whether her hair¡¯s neat, how to make her makeup look natural... Hours of it¡­ Ugh." Cami rubbed her forehead as if she had a headache and sighed deeply. ¡®Poor girl.¡¯ I gave her a sympathetic smile and avoided her sharp gaze by turning away. "Sigh. Anyway, it seems like it¡¯ll be a bit longer before the saint arrives, so I¡¯ll swing by the school store in the meantime." "Why the store?" "Father Antonio asked if I could buy some bread from the hero school¡¯s shop for the kids at the orphanage. Apparently, they¡¯ve been dying to try it." "Ah." Indeed, the store in the hero school was known for selling limited-edition breads that were hard to find elsewhere. ¡®It makes sense, given that students from three different nationse here.¡¯ Since the hero school attracted candidates from three nations, it was only natural that it offered many unique products you wouldn¡¯t find outside. "How many do you need to buy?" "Let¡¯s see¡­ Considering the number of kids, maybe 50? Although, knowing how much they can eat, I might need more." That was quite a lot. "Let¡¯s get going then. Thepetition for the limited-edition breads can be fierce." "Oh, no need for that." "Hmm? What do you mean?" I raised my arm to show her the Hero Watch I was wearing. "I¡¯ve got a friend who¡¯s amazing at getting bread¡­ You could say they¡¯re my bread delivery service." "¡­¡­?" With a grin, I sent a message to my ¡®friend¡¯ through the Hero Watch. "See? A simple click, and¡­." As I killed some time chatting with Cami, I heard the sound of rapid footsteps approaching. Thud, thud, thud, thud! A blond young man came running from afar. He had arge backpack on his back, like a traveling merchant¡¯s. "Huff, huff, huff! Dale! I¡ªI got the bread!" Drenched in sweat, Juliet dropped the heavy backpack full of bread and cautiously approached me, holding out his hand. "A¡ªand here¡¯s your change¡­." "Come on, no need for change between friends. You keep it." Of course, I hadn¡¯t given him any money for the bread in the first ce. "See? He brought it right away, didn¡¯t he?" I put my arm around Juliet¡¯s shoulder and smiled broadly. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 107: Legally Blonde (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 107: Legally Blonde (2) An orphanage located in the slums of Valha City. This ce, often called the "ant hill" by outsiders, is notorious for its poor security. Yet, even in the mud, flowers bloom. Even in this infamous street, there were children with pure, untainted souls. ¡°Waaah! Dale''s here!¡± ¡°Iris, we missed you!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a guy I¡¯ve never seen before.¡± ¡°Hah, hah. Cami, please, just once¡ªcould you step on my cheek with those heels?¡± [PR/N: Missed this guy ngl.] As we arrived at the orphanage, a horde of kids rushed out to greet us. ¡°Why am I here...?¡± Juliet, who had been dragged along to help carry supplies, looked around the orphanage in bewilderment. I patted Juliet on the back and grinned. ¡°Is this your first time volunteering at an orphanage?¡± ¡°...It¡¯s my first time even being in the slums.¡± Juliet nodded, still in a daze. Well, it made sense. As a wealthy young master from one of the richest families in the Republic, he¡¯d never have had a reason toe to a ce like this. ¡°Well, since you''re here, consider it a new experience. y with the kids.¡± ¡°y with the kids...?¡± Juliet¡¯s gaze shifted to the children of the orphanage. For kids living in a slum orphanage, they looked rtively clean, but their clothes were still covered with grime and dirt. ¡°...With those kids?¡± The unmistakable look of disgust flickered across Juliet¡¯s face. He recoiled as if he had encountered a filthy wild animal on the street, backing away from the approaching children. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± The children, sensing Juliet''s reaction, seemed to understand its meaning. The kids, who had been approaching Juliet with curious eyes, stopped in their tracks, shivering slightly. ¡°Let¡¯s, let¡¯s go somewhere else!¡± ¡°Y-yeah!¡± The children scurried back toward the orphanage and peeked out from behind the door, watching Juliet with wary eyes. It felt natural in a way. These kids had probably seen many adults react the same way Juliet did. ¡°Oh.¡± Juliet nced at me, looking flustered by the kids¡¯ reaction. ¡°S-sorry. I was just caught off guard.¡± ¡°Why are you apologizing to me? You should apologize to them.¡± I gestured toward the children with my chin. Juliet swallowed nervously and nodded. ¡°Um¡­ kids?¡± He hesitated as he called out to them, but the children hiding behind the door didn¡¯t lower their guard. Juliet seemed troubled by the kids¡¯ unwillingness to open up. Then, as if he had a bright idea, he opened the backpack slung over his shoulder. ¡°I, uh, bought some bread from the school store on my way here. Want some?¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°Bread from the school store!¡± The children''s eyes lit up at the sight of the bread in his bag. They approached the backpack cautiously, like predators approaching prey, and gathered around it. ¡°¡­Did you buy this?¡± The boy at the front of the group, Leo, looked up at Juliet and asked. Juliet quickly nodded. ¡°Y-yeah! I bought all of this myself!¡± ¡°Wow, you bought all this bread?¡± ¡°You must be rich!¡± ¡°Amazing!¡± The kids¡¯ eyes sparkled at the thought of Juliet buying what seemed to be over a hundred pieces of bread by himself. ¡°Y-yeah.¡± Juliet awkwardly scratched his head, taken aback by their reaction. ¡°Wait, is that the limited edition ¡®Mint Chocte Bread¡¯?¡± ¡°That one¡¯s really hard to get! How did you get so many?¡± The children looked at Juliet in amazement. As the attention focused on him, Juliet seemed a bit overwhelmed. He cleared his throat before speaking. ¡°I¡¯ve got a knack for buying bread. The school store has a huge bread section, so you must look carefully for limited editions.¡± ¡°Wow! That¡¯s so cool!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the bread king!¡± ¡°King of Bread!¡± The kids gazed at Juliet with starry eyes, full of admiration. Juliet blushed and smiled sheepishly. ¡°K-King of Bread? That¡¯s a bit much¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± A rich young master who was happy to be praised for buying bread, huh. ¡®In your past life, you had quite the temper¡­ How did you turn into this?¡¯ Maybe it was my influence? I smirked as I watched Juliet surrounded by the children. At first, he had recoiled at the mere approach of the children, but now, he was smiling as he handed out bread to them. ¡°You must be hungry. I bought plenty, so eat as much as you want.¡± ¡°Thanks, bro!¡± ¡°Hehe, at first, I thought you were scary, but you¡¯re not!¡± Finally, the children let their guard down and approached Juliet. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Are you friends with Dale?¡± The kids asked, looking up at Juliet before they started eating. Juliet nced at me before answering cautiously. ¡°My name is Juliet Kang and¡­ uh¡­ Dale and I¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re friends.¡± I draped an arm over Juliet¡¯s shoulder as I spoke. Juliet¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at me. With a slightly emotional expression, he shed a tear and nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Y-yeah! Dale¡¯s my friend!¡± ¡°Wow! He¡¯s really Dale¡¯s friend!¡± ¡°If he¡¯s Dale¡¯s friend, we can trust him!¡± Thest bit of caution on the children¡¯s faces vanishedpletely. ¡°Juliet brother is so cool!¡± ¡°Just like ¡®Powerman¡¯!¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah! You even have the same blonde hair!¡± The childrenughed brightly as they ate their bread. Juliet scratched his head shyly, looking at the kids gathered around him. ¡°Uh, uh, thanks. But... ¡®Powerman¡¯?¡± ¡°He''s a famous hero among the kids in the slums these days. He takes down vile criminals and protects the weak.¡± A kind-looking old priest walked out from the orphanage. ¡°And you are...?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Antonio, the one in charge of the orphanage. You must be Juliet?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Thank you for getting the bread. The kids have been going on and on about wanting the bread from the Hero School''s store... You¡¯ve eased quite the headache for me.¡± Father Antonio made the sign of the cross and bowed his head. ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Dale. How are things with the Saintess these days? Any progress?¡± ¡°P-priest! Is that the first thing you ask when I get here?!¡± Iris squealed in embarrassment, her face turning red. Father Antonio just chuckled softly at her reaction. ¡°To an old man like me, there¡¯s nothing more important. I have to see the Saintess have children before I die, you know.¡± ¡°W-we¡¯re not even married yet, and you¡¯re talking about children¡­¡± Iris nced at me, coughing awkwardly. Then, she tiptoed over to Father Antonio and whispered something in his ear. ¡°But... how many kids do you think we should have?¡± ¡°Well, you should aim for three.¡± ¡°T-three?!¡± Iris swallowed hard, clenching her fists. ¡°...¡± Let¡¯s just pretend I didn¡¯t hear that. ¡°By the way, has anything happened at the orphanagetely?¡± ¡°Hmm. Happened, you say...¡± Father Antonio¡¯s face suddenly darkened. I had expected him tough it off with a ¡°Nothing out of the ordinary,¡± so I tilted my head in curiosity. ¡°Has something happened at the orphanage?¡± ¡°Rather than the orphanage, there¡¯s been an unsettling incident in the ¡®Ant Hill¡¯ recently.¡± ¡°An unsettling incident? What kind?¡± Iris, hearing this for the first time as well, widened her eyes in interest. ¡°Well¡­¡± Father Antonio furrowed his wrinkled brow and continued. ¡°Recently, there¡¯s been a series of assaults targeting blonde women around the slums.¡± ¡°Assaults?¡± ¡°Yes, ording to the victims, someone suddenly attacked them from behind and cut off parts of their hair.¡± ¡°...Cut off their hair?¡± ¡°And before doing that, the attacker would even smell it, apparently.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± It wasn¡¯t just unsettling; it was downright creepy. Father Antonio sighed deeply as he continued. ¡°The real problem is that one of the victims was a ¡®hero.¡¯ A fairly strong one at that.¡± ¡°One of the victims was a hero? Does that mean the culprit is also a hero?¡± ¡°Most likely.¡± Unless they were armed with magical tools, only another hero would be able to deal with a hero. Unless it was a demon with the blessing of the Demon God. ¡°This really is a disturbing case.¡± ¡°Although no children have been targeted yet... it''s still worrisome.¡± There were several blonde girls in this orphanage as well. ¡°Has the Valha City Police done anything?¡± ¡°Since it happened within the ¡®Ant Hill¡¯... And because no one was seriously harmed, only their hair was taken¡­ the police aren¡¯t very concerned.¡± Father Antonio shook his head bitterly. ¡°Still, because of how creepy the case is, a few heroes, including ¡®Powerman,¡¯ tried tracking down the culprit¡­ but they were either overpowered or lost track.¡± ¡°The culprit must be quite strong.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Father Antonio nodded, sighing deeply again. ¡°Sigh. Why would the Seven Gods bestow their Stigma upon such a depraved person¡­¡± ¡°Is it possible the culprit is a demon?¡± ¡°ording to the victims, they didn¡¯t sense any demonic energy. And if it were a demon, they wouldn¡¯t have stopped at just cutting hair.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± I nodded and narrowed my eyes. ¡®A hero who ambushes blonde women and cuts off their hair.¡¯ Even if no lives were at stake, it was definitely a creepy case. However, what made it feel even more disturbing to me was¡ª ¡®I¡¯ve never heard of this happening in my previous life.¡¯ Even if it happened outside the school, this kind of creepy case would have made waves and been talked about. ¡®In terms of sensation, it¡¯s even bigger than a murder case.¡¯ A hero attacking blonde women and stealing their hair. It was the perfect story for gossips totch onto. ¡®The fact that this didn¡¯t happen in my previous life¡­¡¯ Means it¡¯s likely one of the ¡®changes in the future.¡¯ ¡®I have no idea what caused this change, but...¡¯ It¡¯s definitely worth investigating. ¡°The culprit is targeting blonde women, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Especially young, beautiful ones.¡± ¡°Beautiful blonde women, huh¡­¡± Come to think of it, the only blonde woman I know is Rosanna Helios. ¡®But I can¡¯t exactly ask Rosanna toe here.¡¯ As I pondered, an idea suddenly shed through my mind. ¡®Oh? Wait a minute.¡¯ Isn¡¯t there a beautiful blonde flower (well, a guy) blooming right beside me? ¡°...Huh?¡± Juliet looked at me with a face that screamed, ¡®No way¡­¡¯ ¡°Juliet.¡± ¡°Dale... No... You¡¯re not thinking...?¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± ¡°N-no, don¡¯tugh!!!¡± I grabbed Juliet by the shoulders and grinned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say we¡¯re friends?¡± Friends should help each other out when they¡¯re in trouble, right? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 108: Legally Blonde (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 108: Legally Blonde (3) That evening. The children at the orphanage, tired from ying energetically all day, went to bed earlier than usual. After all the children had fallen asleep. "Sob... Why... why am I doing this..." The sound of quiet sobbing could be hearding from the orphanage bathroom. Click. Soon, the door opened, and Juliet, fully dressed in women''s clothes, stepped out. "Wow." "Th-that''s impressive." Seeing Juliet step out, both Iris and I couldn¡¯t help but let out quiet exmations. I had thought it suited him well enough from the photos, but seeing it in person, he looked so natural that you wouldn¡¯t immediately think he was a man. ¡®Well, he¡¯s pretty handsome to begin with.¡¯ There¡¯s a reason why newly enrolled female cadets used to follow Juliet around everywhere. ¡®Though... if you look closely, you can tell he''s still a guy.¡¯ The thick neck, broad shoulders, and the line of his waist and hips made it clear he was a man. But¡ª ¡®It won¡¯t be easy to distinguish that in the dark streets of the slums.¡¯ No matter how superhuman heroes werepared to regr people, they couldn¡¯t see through the darkness like it was broad daylight. ¡°It¡¯s lucky Cami''s clothes fit.¡± ¡°Well, Cami is quite tall for a woman.¡± The clothes Juliet was wearing were originally bought by Father Antonio as a gift for Cami. Cami had refused, saying she didn¡¯t wear such frilly skirts, so the clothes had remained in the orphanage, and now Juliet was wearing them instead. ¡°What about your chest, though?¡± Cami asked, looking at Juliet with aplicated expression as she took out some leftover bread the children hadn¡¯t eaten. ¡°If you stuff some bread in there...¡± ¡°No, the chest area of the clothes isn¡¯t much different from men''s, so it should be fine.¡± Juliet shook her head, adjusting the snug fit around her chest. "...!¡± Crunch. The bread in Cami¡¯s hand was crushed mercilessly. "...Dale." Father Antonio approached me with a concerned expression. ¡°I truly appreciate your willingness to jump into such an unsettling case. But...¡± Father Antonio trailed off, his voice filled with hesitation. ¡°This case is simply too dangerous for a cadet to handle.¡± Father Antonio shook his head as he spoke. ¡°Of course, I know how skilled you are from thest sealing ritual, but the criminal in this case is a powerful hero that even Power Man couldn¡¯t catch.¡± Father Antonio¡¯s concern was understandable. ¡®Power Man, Raskal Joe.¡¯ A hero from the Republic, ranked 86th in the hero rankings across the three nations, and a formidable one at that. ¡®And even more famous than his ranking.¡¯ He might not be as well-known now, but in a few years, the name Power Man Raskal Joe would be known across the continent. ¡®He¡¯s a particrly unique hero.¡¯ Despite having the skills of a high-ranked hero, he didn¡¯t belong to any organization, instead wandering around hunting down vicious criminals on his own. ¡®He always insisted he was a hero, not a hero, despite the terms being almost synonymous.¡¯ While "hero" and "hero" may be the same by dictionary definition¡ª In practice, they represented very different things. ¡®In fact, the word "hero" has drifted far from its original meaning nowadays.¡¯ For 500 years, the tradition had been to call those blessed with Stigma by the seven gods ¡°heroes.¡± But in reality, not all of them were heroic figures who protected the weak and fought against evil. Most were just ordinary humans, more focused on fulfilling their selfish desires, like you¡¯d find anywhere. ¡®But Raskal was different.¡¯ Raskal was a hero, or rather a hero, who roamed the streets at night, expecting no reward as he protected the weak and fought against the wicked. ¡®Though there were rumors he was a bit unhinged.¡¯ Naturally, the ridiculous title Power Man wasn¡¯t something the gossipers came up with. No matter how poor the gossips were at naming, they wouldn¡¯t attach such a ridiculous moniker to someone. ¡®Apparently, he wore a full-body suit and called himself Power Man.¡¯ Honestly, he wasn¡¯t someone I was eager to meet. Anyway¡ª ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry too much about that.¡± I shrugged my shoulders as I spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve grown a lot since thest sealing ritual.¡± I could easily go toe-to-toe with the archbishop, so there was no reason to be scared of some deranged sexual predator. ¡°But...¡± Despite my reassurance, Father Antonio couldn¡¯t hide his worried expression. Well, considering how he had seen me slice through dozens of demonic beasts in an instant, it was hard to believe that a mere cadet without an official hero license had grown strong enough to rival an archbishop. ¡°Dale will be fine.¡± ¡°...Saint?¡± ¡°Dale is much stronger than you think, Father.¡± The deep trust in Iris¡¯s eyes as she looked at me was clear. ¡°Hmm. If the Saint herself says so... very well.¡± Finally, Father Antonio nodded and stepped back. ¡°Well then, shall we head out?¡± I gave Juliet a nod. ¡°We¡¯ll be following from behind, so if anything happens, send the signal immediately.¡± ¡°Haa... got it.¡± Juliet sighed and nodded. Just as he was about to leave the orphanage, he turned his head and asked. ¡°Dale, is there any alcohol here?¡± ¡°Alcohol? Why alcohol all of a sudden?¡± Juliet¡¯s sudden request made me tilt my head in confusion. ¡°There¡¯s a bottle of wine in my room.¡± ¡°Could I have it, please?¡± Juliet received the wine bottle from Father Antonio. ¡°Gargle... Spit!¡± Juliet gargled the wine and spat it on the ground. Then, he spread the wine over his neck and wrists. The strong smell of alcohol filled the air in an instant. ¡°Whew.¡± Juliet took a deep breath, tousled her hair, and unbuttoned a few buttons of her shirt. In that state, she walked out of the orphanage and strolled along the darkened streets of the slums. ¡°Ah...!¡± Whether by ident or on purpose, she let out a nasal moan and staggered as she walked. ¡°Haah, haah.¡± Rough breathing. Messy clothes and hair. And the strong scent of alcohol wafting from her. From the outside, she looked exactly like a drunken woman who had lost her senses. And in awless area like this, a drunk beauty is the easiest target for crime. ¡®What the hell, this guy.¡¯ Trailing behind Juliet from a distance, I couldn¡¯t help but marvel internally. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡®Why is he so good at acting like a woman?¡¯ The performance was so convincing that for a moment, I doubted if Juliet was actually a man. Tap tap tap! Perhaps his sincere acting paid off. After about 30 minutes of wandering the slums, footsteps echoed from a dark alley. ¡°Heh, heh heh heh!¡± A voice filled with sticky desire. A figure in a ck robe rushed out from the alley, staring at Juliet with bloodshot eyes. ¡°Hee, heehee! Blond... blonde woman...¡± Drooling and letting out a madugh, the figure approached. ¡°Ah...?! Kyaa, kyaaah!¡± Upon seeing the figure, Juliet ran toward where I was hiding. ¡°Help me! Somebody, please help!¡± Even without any magic to alter his voice, Juliet imitated a woman¡¯s scream almost perfectly. ¡°Stop, you... pretty... heeheehee!¡± The figure in the ck robe stammered and chased after Juliet, kicking off the ground. ¡°Run... harder... more desperately!¡± Like a predator hunting its prey, the figure pursued Juliet. As expected, judging by his strength, he was likely a rather skilled hero. His speed was as quick as that of a wild beast. ¡°Got you, bastard.¡± I jumped out from where I was hiding between the alleys, lunging at the figure. ¡®Berald¡¯s Martial Arts.¡¯ Mountain Breaker. Fwoosh! A fist infused with Ashen mes aimed at the figure. ¡°Guh?!¡± Thud! The figure, hit by my punch from the blind spot, was violently flung backward into the wall. ¡°Who... are you...?¡± ¡°Who do you think, bastard?¡± I grinned as I walked toward the figure. ¡°I¡¯m here to catch perverts like you.¡± ¡°......¡± I could see the corners of the figure¡¯s mouth twist beneath the deeply pulled hood. ¡°Catch me... if you can!¡± The figure kicked off the ground, throwing a punch toward me. Voooom! A storm of mana swirled around. The blue aura on his fist red up fiercely. ¡®He¡¯s definitely got some skills.¡¯ The power in that punch was strong enough to make a chill run down my spine for a moment. ¡®But.¡¯ Even so. He wasn¡¯t at a level I couldn¡¯t handle. ¡°Hup.¡± Dodging his punch lightly, I grabbed his wrist and pulled, driving my knee into his sr plexus. ¡°Guh!¡± A choked scream escaped the figure as the impact shook his insides. ¡°Let¡¯s see who you are.¡± As I held onto his wrist and reached for his hood, bent low from the pain¡ª ¡°Heh, heh heh... heeheehee!¡± The figure,ughing maniacally, twisted his wrist violently. Crack! His wrist twisted in a grotesque direction, slipping out of my grasp. The figure, having gained some distance, kicked off toward Juliet. ¡°Kyaaah!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± The figure grabbed Juliet by the nape of her neck, ring at me with a twisted smile. ¡°Hee, heeheehee! Take one step closer... and I¡¯ll snap her neck right here.¡± Saying that, the figure buried his nose into Juliet¡¯s hair and took a deep breath. ¡°Sniff. Ahh! Yes, this is the scent...!¡± The figure shuddered as he inhaled the scent of Juliet¡¯s hair. ¡°Blondes really are the best... heeheehee!¡± ¡°Do you like blondes that much?¡± ¡°Of course! Hair other than blonde shouldn¡¯t even exist!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± I stifled augh and nodded. ¡°Even if it¡¯s on a guy?¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°No, I just wondered if you¡¯d be okay with blonde hair even on a guy.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! It has to be a woman! I have no interest in men¡¯s hair!¡± The figure shouted in a firm voice. ¡°Oh, really? That¡¯s strange. From where I¡¯m standing, it seems like you wouldn¡¯t mind a man.¡± ¡°What are you...¡± For a moment. The figure, cutting off his words, looked down at Juliet. He felt around Juliet¡¯s neck and shoulders with his hand, then slowly lowered his gaze. ¡°Huh?¡± A voice filled with confusion escaped his lips. ¡°Why... is this here?¡± The figure¡¯s eyes began to tremble as he stared at something that shouldn¡¯t exist. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 109: Legally Blonde (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 109: Legally Blonde (4) "...Why?" A hollow voice echoed through the dark, deste slums. The grotesque figure, blinking as if he couldn''t ept the reality in front of him, let go of Juliet''s neck and stumbled back. ¡°A man¡­? Oh? Then I¡­.¡± Was he recalling how he had just buried his nose in Juliet''s hair, ring his nostrils in excitement? His expression stiffened as if he had discovered half of a cockroach in the bread he was eating. ¡°You perverted bastard...!¡± Freed from his grip, Juliet disyed a brilliant roundhouse kick aimed at the grotesque figure. Although he couldn¡¯t bepared to beings like Yurina, he was still a top-ranked candidate in theprehensive evaluations. Smack! The crisp, clean kick hit the grotesque figure¡¯s jaw perfectly. As his skirt fluttered, something bluntly bulged out over his shorts. ¡°Kyaaaa!¡± ¡°Aaaargh!¡± The grotesque figure, clutching his jaw from the kick, screamed in agony, and I, unintentionally assaulted in my line of sight, also cried out, covering my eyes. ¡°Hey, what the hell?! How could you hit me too?!¡± ¡°Huh, huh? When did I hit you, Dale?¡± Juliet looked at me with a bewildered expression, as if unjustly used. Shaking off the tragic stimulus my optic nerves had just endured, I grabbed Juliet by the shoulders and pulled him back. "Anyway, stay back for now." He had managed tond a blow while the grotesque figure was momentarily shocked, but his abilities weren¡¯t something a mere candidate could handle. ''Well, if you think about it, I''m just a candidate too.'' With a bitter smile, I took a step toward the grotesque figure, who was trembling in rage, clutching his jaw. ¡°You dare mock my pure love?!¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense.¡± Since when did ambushing women on the streets to satisfy twisted desires be pure love? Even though there hadn¡¯t been direct physical contact beyond his hair, it must have been a traumatic experience for Juliet. "From ancient times, there¡¯s only been one way to deal with idiots who think with their lower half." I unsheathed my sword, aiming it at the grotesque figure. "Bloom." Whoosh! Ashen mes wrapped around the de. With a sharp thrust of my foot, I swung the me-engulfed sword toward the grotesque figure. ¡°Grrr!¡± The figure swiftly dodged the blow, sliding backward. ¡°Damn it¡­!¡± Judging that he couldn¡¯t win, the grotesque figure turned and began to flee. It was clear now why he hadn¡¯t been caught until now; his agility was impressive. ¡°Where do you think you''re going?¡± Hiss. I took a deep breath. Drawing my sword back, I lowered my stance. The distance between us was about 100 meters. No matter how far I extended my aura, it wasn¡¯t a range I could reach. ¡®Magic de.¡¯ Translucent magical des formed around the sword. Unlike the magic bullets that Berald had created, these were long and sword-shaped. It wasn¡¯t so much a ¡®magic bullet¡¯ as a ¡®magic de.¡¯ And it wasn¡¯t just one; there were dozens of thin, paper-like magical des stacked together. Whoosh! Ashen mes burned around the magic des. The entire space around the sword was engulfed in mes. In that state¡ª ¡°Ashen de, Second Form.¡± ming de. Boom! With a powerful step, I swung the sword horizontally. Dozens of ming des shot forward, sweeping everything in their path. ¡°Grr¡­ damn it!¡± The grotesque figure kicked off the walls between buildings, leaping high into the air to avoid the ming des. But¡ª Whoosh! The ming des changed direction sharply in midair, homing in on the airborne figure. ¡°Gaaahhhhhh!¡± The grotesque figure, his entire body torn apart by the ming des, let out a wretched scream as he plummeted to the ground. ¡°Whew.¡± I looked at the grotesque figure lying on the ground, and a smirk formed on my lips. ¡®This is my first time using it in realbat, but it¡¯s not bad.¡¯ It was a technique born from the insights I gained watching Berald¡¯s battle. Although the magic-ded, me-infused attack looked simr to the sixth form of the Sun Sword, White Light, it was fundamentally different. ¡®This one allows for free directional control.¡¯ The basic principle of White Light was to focus aura on a single point and fire it out in a straight line. Naturally, changing its direction mid-flight or retracting it once fired was impossible. ''However.'' In the case of ming de, since it was a technique harmonized with magic, it could change direction mid-flight like a guided missile. ¡®Its power also exceeds that of White Light.¡¯ Aura, created using the power of the Inner Realm, has a weakness where its strength diminishes the farther it travels from the user. But ming de, harmonized with magic like Berald¡¯s martial arts, didn¡¯t lose its power no matter how far away the target was. ¡®It¡¯s aplete upgrade of White Light.¡¯ Of course, it consumed more manapared to simply concentrating aura at a single point like White Light, but even considering that, the advantages far outweighed the drawbacks. ¡°Grr¡­ gah, cough! Cough!¡± The grotesque figure, copsed on the ground, coughed up dark red blood. His body, shredded by the ming des, was as mangled as if a ravenous beast had torn it apart. Half of his limbs had been severed andy scattered across the ground, and through the torn skin of his abdomen, his entrails spilled out. And yet¡ª ¡°Blonde... I need... the blonde....¡± With a gaze full of greed, he crawled, inch by inch, toward Juliet, who was standing far off in the distance. Earlier, he had imed he didn¡¯t care for a man¡¯s hair, but now, with death looming, he seemed desperate enough to cling to anything, regardless of gender. ¡°Eeek!¡± Juliet screamed and backed away from the grotesque figure. ¡°Wow... this guy is persistent, huh?¡± What in the world was so special about blonde hair that he clung to it despite being fatally wounded? ¡®This is madness.¡¯ I scowled at the grotesque figure crawling across the ground, still bleeding profusely. ¡°Ah, ugh... ah.¡± The groans from the grotesque figure gradually faded as his head slumped forward. ¡°Is... is he dead?¡± Juliet asked with a trembling voice. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] I reached for the figure¡¯s neck and nodded. ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± He had been tenacious in more ways than one. ¡°Well, let¡¯s see who this guy really is.¡± I pulled back the deeply pressed hood. As I did, the grotesque figure¡¯s identity was revealed. ¡°...Raskal?¡± Power Man, Raskal Joe. A true hero among heroes, who protected the weak and punished the wicked, unlike the many self-serving heroes. ¡°Why is Raskal...?¡± I stared down at Raskal¡¯s corpse, baffled. Blonde hair and a chiseled jawline. Though I had never seen him in person, his appearance matched exactly with the images of Raskal that had circted in photos. ¡°Raskal? As in... that Power Man? No way, was he the culprit?¡± Juliet, who had stepped closer, widened his eyes in disbelief. It was hard to believe that the main culprit behind such a revolting and perverted crime was someone worshipped as a ''hero'' by the people of the slums. "As expected, rumors aren''t to be trusted, huh? Pretending to be a hero on the outside, while in reality, he¡¯s just trash who satisfies his own desires by assaulting women!" Juliet fumed as he red down at Raskal with contempt. "......" Rumors aren''t to be trusted, indeed. I couldn¡¯t agree more with Juliet¡¯s words. ''Something''s off.'' It didn¡¯t sit right to simplybel Raskal as some pervert obsessed with blonde beauties. ''Raskal died in his past life fighting to protect the people of the slums from the Demon God¡¯s army.'' If he had only pretended to be a hero while secretly being a viin, there¡¯s no way he would have sacrificed his life to protect others at the end. And there¡¯s another thing. ¡®This incident didn¡¯t happen in my previous life.¡¯ This eerie series of attacks on blonde women didn¡¯t ur in my past life. Of course, it¡¯s possible that the news simply never reached the academy back then. ''But if it had been a case like this, it would''ve definitely been a big topic at school.'' In terms of sensationalism, this case was even more provocative than the usual murder cases happening in the slums, wasn¡¯t it? In a ce like Hero Academy, where even obscure news from far-off corners of the empire spreads like wildfire, there''s no way a case like this, happening right in Valha City, wouldn¡¯t have reached the school. ''That means...'' I narrowed my eyes as I examined Raskal¡¯s corpse. ''There¡¯s someone behind this.'' Someone who pushed the widely beloved ''hero'' down into the depths of disgrace. "......" "What''s wrong, Dale?" "Nothing." Shaking my head, I reached out toward Raskal''s corpse. Fwoosh. Ashen mes red up, consuming the bodypletely, leaving not a single trace behind. "Juliet, keep the fact that Raskal was the culprit a secret." "Why? Wouldn''t it be better to expose this scumbag''s true nature to everyone?" Juliet tilted his head, puzzled. "......" I thought about exining my suspicion that someone had been controlling Raskal from the shadows, but I shook my head. To those unaware of what had happened in my previous life, it would only sound like baseless spection. Sigh. I let out a deep breath before speaking. "In the world of heroes, we still need at least one hero." "......?" "Anyway, you can keep it a secret, right?" "Uh, yeah. Sure." Juliet nodded hesitantly, and I began to walk away. ''The future is changing.'' I had sensed the signs for a while, but now, the future had diverged so much from my past life that it was bing truly unpredictable. Fwoosh. I lit a small me in my palm, narrowing my eyes. The future had begun to shift. In this unpredictable torrent of change, there was only one thing I could do. "......" Extinguishing the me, I turned my steps toward the orphanage. * * * "Madness, you know, is a lot like gravity." On a dark field, a boy with a youthful face wore a deep grin as he spoke. "Once you start falling, you plunge into the endless abyss." The boy hummed a tune. "And only after you''ve fallen to the very bottom can you finally confront it." He burst intoughter, stretching his arms wide. "Your true self." "......" The old man listening to the boy clicked his tongue in disapproval. "What brings you here?" "Hmm? Do you have a problem with me being here, Jackal?" "......" Avoiding the boy''s smiling face, Jackal, the Archbishop of Beasts, turned his head away. While he could deal with other archbishops, the one person he didn¡¯t want to get involved with was this boy. The one called the "Archbishop of Madness," an unpredictable lunatic. "What about Valha City?" "Oh, are you talking about Power Man?" The boy¡¯s grin widened until it seemed like it would split his face. "Isn¡¯t it fun? Watching a hero who¡¯s been praised as a ''hero'' fall all the way to the bottom." "......" "Hehe, and I didn¡¯t even corrupt him like Mephisto did, you know?" The boy shrugged. "I just gave him a little push." Stretching his arms out in front of him, the boy chuckled. "So he could confront his true self." "...Haa." Jackal let out a deep sigh. "Stirring things up right in front of the Hero Academy isn''t a good idea." "Hehe, I didn¡¯t expect to hear that from you, Jackal... Oh, could it be because of that ''Spider''?" "......" "Mmm. I heard you came back empty-handed this time. I guess it¡¯s true." The boy twirled around as if dancing. "Anyway, don¡¯t worry about the ''Spider.'' I didn¡¯te here to meet them this time." "Then?" "I heard something fun from Mephisto this time." "Something fun?" "Yeah, apparently some cadet took down the Helios family head-on and ruined his n." "Huh." A cadet took down the Helios family head-on? That was news to Jackal. "You probably know who the cadet is, Jackal." "Me?" "Yeah, you know the cadet who''s close to that ''Spider'' you''re after? They were with you when you failedst time too, weren¡¯t they?" "Ah, you mean that gray-haired cadet." Finally realizing who the boy was talking about, Jackal nodded. "Dale Han." Licking his lips like he had a delicious meal in front of him, the boy known as the Archbishop of Madness, Seto, smiled broadly. "What kind of face will you show me, I wonder?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 110: Interlude – Queen of Bread [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 110: Interlude ¨C Queen of Bread "Did you really catch the culprit?" Father Antonio, looked at me with astonished eyes. I nodded and handed him the ck robe the culprit was wearing (I had removed it before burning the body). "Yes. The body was too damaged during the battle, so we couldn''t identify the culprit exactly, but there won''t be any more victims." "Huh... To think you caught the culprit so easily when even ''Powerman'' couldn''t." Antonio examined the ck robe thoroughly. Inside the robe''s pocket was a small box containing the locks of hair the culprit had cut from his victims. "¡­¡­." Antonio frowned as he looked at the hair in the box. The thought that the culprit could have added children''s hair to this collection if we hadn¡¯t caught him sent a chill down his spine. "Hoo. At least now we can rest easy." Antonio, clutching his chest in relief, bowed his head to me. "Thank you, Dale." "It wasn''t just me." Catching the culprit this easily was thanks to Juliet''s spirited performance. "Oh, of course. Thank you, Juliet, for taking on such a dangerous role¡ªeven cross-dressing. The Seven Gods must be in awe of your bravery." Antonio smiled faintly at Juliet. Juliet, looking ufortable with the gratitude, awkwardly gripped the hem of his skirt (he hadn''t changed back yet). "Ah, no. All I did was walk around a bit...." "Haha, but thanks to you, we caught the culprit quickly, didn''t we?" Antonio crossed himself as he looked at both of us. "May the Seven Gods bless your paths." "Y-yes¡­." Juliet clumsily mimicked Antonio, crossing herself. "Great job, Dale," Iris said as she approached me after the conversation with Antonio ended. "Are you hurt anywhere?" "As you can see, I''m fine." I shrugged and spread my arms to show her. "Hmm. Let me check just in case." Like a security guard, Iris began to inspect my body, checking for any injuries. "Gulp¡­ W-wow, your muscles are as firm as always¡­ and your abs¡­ I could wash clothes on them." "¡­¡­." Is she really checking for injuries¡­? "Ahem! It seems you¡¯re uninjured." "Are you sure you were checking for injuries?" "Of course!" Startled, Iris averted her gaze. Wiping the sweat off her forehead, she hurriedly changed the subject. "S-so, why do you think the culprit was so obsessed with blonde hair?" "Who knows¡­ People have their preferences." Liking blondes was quite amon preference. ¡®Especially in the Republic, a lot of people seem to have a strange fascination with blonde hair.¡¯ Nowadays, hair colors varied, but historically, most people from the Republic had ck hair. I remembered reading somewhere that, in the past, blonde hair was the most popr among both men and women in the Republic. "...Do you like blonde hair too, Dale?" "Hm? Why?" "Do you prefer blondes?" Iris twirled a strand of her light pink hair around her finger and squinted her eyes. "No, I don¡¯t have a special preference for blonde hair." "Then what hair color do you like?" "Hmm. Hair color, huh¡­." Honestly, I don¡¯t really care about hair color. "I like pink." "Really? You¡¯re not just saying that because of me, are you?" "I swear on my parents'' names." "...You¡¯re an orphan." "That¡¯s how serious I am." "¡­¡­." Iris gave me a doubtful look. As she stepped closer, about to ask more questions¡ª "Umm¡­ What are you all doing outside at this hour?" "Yawn. It¡¯s noisy out here...." Had we been too loud? The children who had gone to bed early came out of the orphanage. The kids widened their eyes when they saw Juliet. "Who¡¯s thatdy?" "She looks a lot like Juliet." "...Huh? Wait, is that Juliet?" "Oh! It really is!" Seeing the children recognize him, Juliet paled and took a step back. "A-actually, kids, this is¡­." Juliet tried to exin in a panic, but the kids swarmed around him. "Wow, so cool!" "You really look like a girl!" "Should we call you brother or sister?" The children, their eyes sparkling, bombarded Juliet with questions, intrigued by his cross-dressing. "...Huh?" Their unexpected reactions took aback Juliet. "You think¡­ it suits me?" "Yeah! You¡¯re prettier than us girls!" "Hey! What do you mean by that?" "Ahh! Don¡¯t hit me!" A boy who had made a careless remark was soon surrounded by the girls, who started hitting him. Watching this scene, Juliet stood frozen, shocked, and muttered quietly to himself. "...You don¡¯t despise me." When he was younger, he once thought the skirts girls wore were so pretty that he secretly tried one on, only to be caught by his father. ''He was furious.'' The sight of his father looking at him with disdain was still vividly etched in his memory. Like a scar that would never fade. "¡­¡­." He never really had the thought of wanting to be a woman. He just liked wearing pretty clothes and dressing up. Because for that moment when he dressed up, it felt like he was bing a new version of himself. ''But.'' Even he knew that it was a hobby that wasn''t easy to be epted by others. So, he hid it from people, as if he weremitting some crime. ''But...'' Juliet clenched his fists tightly and looked around at the children surrounding him. "Turns out you''re not the King of Bread but the Queen of Bread!" "Juliet bro! No, sis! You really look great!" "Huff, huff. Whether it''s a man or a woman... as long as it tastes good, who cares?" [PR/N: bro ??] Seeing the children looking at her without any prejudice, Juliet felt a lump in her throat. Suddenly. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] His memory shed back to the first time he met the kids at the orphanage, when he had looked at them with eyes full of disgust. "...Ah." His face flushed with heat, and guilt weighed heavily on him. "Well, we''rete, so we''ll head back to school now." "Yes, thank you again." After saying goodbye to the children, I turned to leave the orphanage. "Hm? Why are you just standing there?" "Oh, sorry." "If we¡¯re anyter, the school gate will close, so hurry up and change your clothes." "Uh, yeah. Got it." Juliet nodded, still looking dazed. * * * A few days after returning from the orphanage. As I walked through the increasingly busy school grounds, where everyone was preparing for the end-of-term evaluations, I headed toward the school store. ''I''ll just have something light like bread for lunch today.'' With that thought in mind, I headed to the bread section. "...Juliet?" I saw Juliet at the bread section, buying a box full of bread. ''That''s strange. I haven¡¯t asked him to buy bread recently.'' I tilted my head in confusion and approached Juliet. "What are you doing here?" "Uh, Dale?" "Why are you buying so much bread? Who¡¯s it for?" "Ah..." Juliet scratched his head awkwardly before answering. "I found out that there are people who deliver items from the school store to Valha City. So, I thought I¡¯d buy some bread for the kids at the orphanage." "...For the kids at the orphanage?" "Yeah. They like the bread from our school store." Juliet smiled softly as he filled the box with bread. "...Wow." I let out a faintugh as I watched him. ''Juliet buying bread for the orphanage kids?'' It was something I could never have imagined in his past life. "What brought this on all of a sudden?" "Well..." Juliet trailed off, smiling bitterly. "I was raised to believe that I should never associate with the poor and those without parents." Juliet suddenly started talking about his past. "I used to think those people didn¡¯t know how to care for others, had no manners, and were beneath me." "Well... you are from a wealthy family." Not all of the republic¡¯s wealthy families were like that, but most of them were taught to look down on those who had less. Not because they were inherently evil, but simply because their world was so different. "But... when I saw it for myself, it waspletely different." Juliet spoke as he held the box of bread in his hands. "They weren¡¯t the ones who didn¡¯t know how to care for others orcked manners. It was me." "......" "Thinking about that... I just wanted to help them in some way." "So, you''re buying them bread?" "Yeah. They called me the ''Queen of Bread,'' didn''t they?" Juliet smiled and offered me a piece of bread. "Want one, Dale?" "...Sure." As I took the bread from him, I thought about the Juliet from his past life. Arrogant, prideful, and always looking down on others. ''The future is changing, huh.'' Yes. The future was constantly changing. In ways I could never predict. ''But.'' That didn¡¯t necessarily mean it was a bad thing. Just like with Iris, Yurina, and Berald, some changes were for the better. And at the center of it all¡ª ''It''s me.'' It''s the future I''ve changed. The future I''ve created. A future shaped by someone who once could do nothing but follow behind others¡ªthe lowest-ranked hero. "......" I unwrapped the bread and took a bite. "Good, right? It''s a new item they just released." "Yeah, it¡¯s good." "Oh... and about the change..." "No, it¡¯s fine." I stopped Juliet, who was fumbling for change, by gently grabbing his arm and shaking my head. "From now on, you don¡¯t have to give me change. You don¡¯t need to run errands for me anymore either." "...Huh? Why, why?" Juliet looked at me with an anxious expression. "Did I do something wrong? Is it because I bought a bunch of bread for the kids?" "No, that¡¯s not it..." "If that¡¯s not it, then I want to keep running errands for you! And... if you need money, I can lend you some!" Juliet sped my hand tightly, his eyes burning with determination. ''That makes me feel like a huge jerk for some reason.'' I let out a smallugh and nodded. "Do whatever you want." "Okay!" Juliet nodded with a bright smile. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 111: Final Evaluation (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 111: Final Evaluation (1) If you asked the candidates attending Hero Academy what the most important thing was, 9 out of 10 would answer without hesitation, ¡°Overall Ranking.¡± Whether they were superhumans blessed with stigmas by the Seven Gods, or saviors of mankind who protect humanity from demons and monsters, heroes, at their core, were still "humans" just like ordinary people who had not received a stigma. Fundamentally, humans live for their own benefit and safety, and heroes are no different. For now, they''re merely "candidates" attending the same school, but after graduation, their statuses will vary greatly. Some will receive high-ranking positions in their home countries or joinrge guilds and livefortably. Others will scrape by in mid-sized guilds. And some will end up in nameless mercenary groups, crawling through mud as low-ranking mercenaries. ¡®It''s no wonder candidates are so obsessed with their overall rankings.¡¯ Anyway. Several things affected this overall ranking. First, there''s ss attitude and diligence. Honestly, this wasn''t a major factor. As long as you didn¡¯tpletely ck off, your ranking wouldn¡¯t be heavily affected by this. Second, there were bonus points you could earn during ss. This didn¡¯t matter much for lower or mid-tier candidates, but for the top-tier candidates, it could be a key factor in determining their grades. And finally, the midterm and final exam scores. These were the biggest factors in determining the overall ranking, and among them, the final exam was especially important, to the point where it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that your entire semester''s grades hinged on it. In particr, the final exam was usually conducted as a group evaluation. Since your grade could depend on who you formed a party with, the whole school turned into a bustling marketce during exam season. ¡°Maurice, have you found a party for the final exam yet?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, do you want to join my party?¡± ¡°Is there anyone in the Magic Department who hasn¡¯t found a party yet?!¡± ¡°Are you crazy, leader?! How can you put five Warriors in a five-person party?!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know anyone in the Support or Magic Departments, what am I supposed to do?!¡± ¡°Argh! We need a Support! We need a Support Department student!!!¡± ¡°Looking for someone to join our final exam party! (We¡¯re looking for fast learners and hard carries, execution if unqualified).¡± As I walked into the ssroom, I could feel the heat and frenzy as if I had walked into a cult meeting. ¡®It¡¯s chaos.¡¯ Well, it was to be expected. If you didn¡¯t find party members by the set deadline, you¡¯d be forced into a randomly assigned party, nicknamed "the lottery," making it even morepetitive. ¡®In my previous life, I was always stuck in those lottery parties.¡¯ I still vividly remembered the disgusted expressions of my party members when I joined their party. Even after all this time, it was a bitter memory. ¡®But.¡¯ Now, things were different. ¡®Hmmm.¡¯ I sat leisurely in the back of the ssroom, crossing my legs. Reclining against the back of the chair, I watched the candidates scrambling to find party members with a rxed expression. The candidates¡¯ gazes shifted toward me. ¡®Well, it¡¯s only natural.¡¯ Usually, Support and Magic Department candidates, who are fewer in number, were treated like noblespared to Warriors. But that was only in "general" cases. ¡®For top-tier Warrior candidates, it¡¯s the opposite¡ªSupport and Magic Department candidates line up to join their party.¡¯ Although my current grades were far from top-tier, unofficially, it was widely believed that I ranked in the top five among the Warriors. ¡®After all, I¡¯ve proven my skills.¡¯ My performance during the Sealing Ritual, where I ughtered dozens of monsters, and my overwhelming victory over Instructor Vincent during a sparring session were still hot topics in the academy. In other words, ording to the rumors, I was a Warrior candidate on par with top-tier students like Yuren, Maurice, and Cami. With that kind of reputation, wouldn¡¯t there be plenty of candidates eager to recruit me into their party? ¡®I¡¯m no longer the undesirable candidate no one wanted in their party.¡¯ Ah, how miserable those days were. I had been called a defective product, a reject, expired trash¡ªenduring all kinds of insults and mockery. Even now, the memories stirred my heart with bitterness. ¡®I thought I¡¯d forgotten all about it after going through so much in my previous life.¡¯ They say the trauma of school dayssts a lifetime. No matter how much time passed, the humiliation and powerlessness I felt during that time were etched deep in my memory. ¡®But now, the tables have turned.¡¯ In my previous life, I was powerless. Now, I held the power. Back then, I was treated as a lowlymoner; now, I was someone they had to serve like nobility. ¡®Come,e! Wag your tails and beg to have me in your party, you fools!¡¯ I grinned as I watched the candidates sneak nces in my direction. And yet. ¡°Ah, man¡­ we still need a few more Warriors.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there anyone decent from the Warrior Department?¡± ¡°Should we ask Yuren?¡± ¡°Do you think Yuren would join our party?¡± ¡­¡­ ¡°How about Cami?¡± ¡°Cami¡¯s good, but she¡¯ll definitely follow the Saint.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡­¡­ ¡°What about Juliet?¡± ¡°I asked him, but he was already in a party. You know, with those rich kids from the Republic.¡± ¡°Ugh, even here it¡¯s all about connections?¡± ¡°This is so unfair. How are usmoners supposed to find a party?¡± ¡­¡­ ¡°I heard all the top-tier Warrior candidates have already found parties.¡± ¡°Sigh. Is there really no one left?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got no choice. Let¡¯s try convincing Felix.¡± ¡°Felix is fine, but his personality¡¯s a bit¡­¡± Wait a minute. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ being left out?¡± ¡®What is this?¡¯ Fine, I could understand being overshadowed by Yuren or Cami, but how was I being passed over for Juliet and Felix? ¡®Weren¡¯t they just making a big fuss about how I¡¯m stronger than Yuren?¡¯ Shouldn¡¯t they be swarming me, begging me to join their party? And yet, why? "Ugh, there''s really no one to recruit." "This test already feels like a failure..." "Let''s try to rope in someone from the Support Division first. I heard if you''re in a Support Division party, you can easily recruit top-tier warriors too." Not a single person came to find me? ''Hah. They said my reputation was so well-known even among the fourth years, but was that all nonsense?'' As I sighed at this iprehensible situation. ¡ªAh, yeah. It''s that guy. The crazy guy among the third-year cadets, who deliberately hides his skills and purposefully keeps his overall evaluation score low. Laios'' words suddenly shed through my mind. "...Ah." Only then did I realize the reason behind this baffling situation. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ''Come to think of it, there was a rumor going around that I was purposefully keeping my overall evaluation score low.'' In other words. From the cadets'' perspective, no matter how skilled I might be, I''m perceived as someone with a peculiar preference for deliberately keeping poor grades. "Damn it..." Who in the world would willingly stay at the bottom? "Hah." Honestly, I didn''t care much about my school grades. What mattered was preparing for the uing cmity, saving myrades, and changing the future¡ªnot trivial things like school grades. ''But now that it''se to this, it''s a bit annoying.'' I never expected thebel of "bottom tier," which had followed me around in my previous life, to stick with me even after reincarnation. "Ugh." As I was grumbling and ruffling my hair in frustration. "Uh... This is Dale''s ssroom, right?" A familiar voice reached my ears. "Oh! It¡¯s, it¡¯s Yuren!" "That''s Yuren Helios from ss A, right? The heir to the Sun Sword." "Rumor has it he''s stronger than the professors." "Wow... He¡¯s seriously handsome." "What''s Yuren doing in ss C?" As Yuren appeared, the ssroom started buzzing. Yuren, ustomed to being the center of attention, walked over to me casually. "There you are, Dale." "What¡¯s up?" "Ah... It¡¯s nothing, really." Yuren hesitated for a moment, ncing at me as he continued. "For the uing final evaluation... want to team up with me?" "......!" Honestly, if you asked me if I didn¡¯t expect this kind of offer, I''d say I did. Yuren... No, Yurina and I trained together daily, and we were on good terms, so I thought it was highly likely we¡¯d form a party for the final evaluation. But. Thinking about it and actually hearing the offer are two entirely different things. Especially in a situation where I felt somewhat abandoned. "Yuren, you''re the only one I can count on!" "W-What? Dale?" In a surge of emotion, I grabbed Yuren in a hug. Yuren, clearly flustered, looked around in confusion, then cleared his throat awkwardly, his face turning red. "I-I trust in your abilities, Dale." "Haha, just leave it to me." I patted my chest, grinning. As Yuren and I were bantering like that, Iris approached. "Hmm. So Yuren will be the fourth member of our party?" "...Huh?" Our party? Fourth member? "Um? Why are you looking at me like that?" "Oh? No... Did we agree to form a party before?" "No. But do we really need to say it out loud? You, Cami, and I are obviously in the same party, right?" Iris tilted her head as if I¡¯d said something obvious. "Wait... You weren''t nning on finding another Support Division cadet, were you?" "No way. Who¡¯s better than you, our Saintess?" I quickly shook my head and gave a sheepish smile. ''So that means it''s me, Yuren, Cami, and Iris in one party.'' The heir to the Sun Sword, the future sword candidate of the Holy Kingdom, and the Saintess of the Holy Kingdom, all in the same party. ''This is...'' Honestly, this was a party so strong that if we didn¡¯t get first ce, it wouldn¡¯t make sense. ''Looks like I''ll finally experience being first ce for the first time in my life.'' Even before the final evaluation had started, I was already dering victory in my mind when Cami approached and asked, "So, do you have someone in mind for thest party member?" "Hmm. Thest member, huh." Berald was in a different grade, so I couldn¡¯t call him, and I heard Juliet had already found a party. ''To be honest, with this lineup, it''d be better to take in someone less skilled.'' While the main focus of the final evaluation was the party¡¯s overall performance, there were also individual contribution points awarded. ''And those contribution points are quite significant.'' It was a sort of penalty to prevent only top-tier cadets from forming parties together. In other words, cadets had to weigh the party¡¯s overall performance against the individual contribution points that could provide additional bonuses. Looking at it from that perspective, with our already excessively skilled party, there was no need to add morepetition. "Well, we could just leave thest spot to be filled randomly." "Hmm... I don¡¯t like the idea of teaming up with someone I don¡¯t know, but I guess we don¡¯t have a choice." "I''m with you on that." Iris and Yuren both agreed with my suggestion. ''Well, I kind of feel sorry for whoever gets selected at random.'' Honestly, who could possibly make a meaningful contribution in a party with such exceptional members? ''Well, it¡¯s not really my problem.'' I smirked wryly, feeling a bit of sympathy for the random cadet who would join us. * * * And then, on the day of the final evaluation. Thest member of our party, selected by random draw, was¡ª "Uh... H-Hello?" A freckle-faced cadet with an awkward expression. His name, as he nervously nced around, was¡ª "I-I''m Albert!" Albert Hoover, the ''Chosen One.'' [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 112: Final Evaluation (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 112: Final Evaluation (2) ¡°Have you gathered all your party members?¡± ¡°No, half of us were chosen by lottery.¡± ¡°Ugh, this exam is doomed!¡± ¡°Argh! Why did Professor Lucas assign me to this kind of party?!¡± ¡°me yourself, not the professor.¡± ¡°Shut up, you jerk!¡± Exam Day. Even before the final exam content was announced, the ssroom was already in chaos. Candidates who had alreadypleted their parties wore rxed expressions. Others, looking at their ragtag group of party members, were groaning in despair. And some candidates were teasing those in distress. It was like a noisy market, with the candidates on edge just before the big hurdle that was the final evaluation. ¡°Quiet.¡± Professor Lucas entered the room and spoke in a low voice. Instantly, as if cold water had been poured on them, the ssroom fell silent. ¡°Judging by your expressions, it looks like you''re all nervous.¡± Professor Lucas grinned as he nced around at the candidates. He ced arge box he had brought onto the lectern and continued speaking. ¡°I thought this might happen, so I made a special juice for you¡­¡± ¡°No, thank you!¡± ¡°We''re not nervous at all!¡± The candidates quickly shook their heads, looking at the sticky green juice inside the box. ¡°Really? If you insist, I can''t force you.¡± Lucas looked regretfully at the juice-filled box. ¡°Hm, but since I went to the trouble of collecting the ingredients from the mountain yesterday, it''d be a shame to waste it. I''ll pick just one of you to drink it.¡± ¡°......¡± At the mention of picking one person, the candidates¡¯ eyes all turned to one candidate. A freckled student with a slightly awkward expression paled and shook his head. Professor Lucas smiled widely as he looked at the student. ¡°Albert, you look quite nervous.¡± ¡°N-no! I¡¯m totally fine, Professor! I¡¯m not nervous at all!¡± ¡°Hmm. I understand. I heard you didn¡¯t find a party and were assigned by lottery, right? It¡¯s natural to feel more nervous when you¡¯re ced in a random party.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true! Dale weed me kindly...!¡± ¡°Dale? That guy? He weed you kindly?¡± Professor Lucas¡¯ eyes turned to me. With a firm expression, he shook his head and continued. ¡°Impossible. There''s no way that guy would wee anyone kindly.¡± Hey, why me? What did I do? ¡°Anyway, since you''re in that disrespectful guy¡¯s party, you must be even more nervous.¡± Professor Lucas grinned, pulling a cup of juice from the box and approaching Albert. ¡°Here, it¡¯s good for you. Drink up, Albert.¡± ¡°No! Nooo!¡± Albert screamed and struggled, but there was no way he could resist Professor Lucas¡¯ brute strength. And so, after Albert drank the professor¡¯s special protein juice and became ¡®healthier¡¯(?), Lucas spoke again. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s begin the exnation of today¡¯s final evaluation.¡± The main topic of the day began. ¡°As you all know, this final evaluation will be done in parties. Since the party assignments are alreadypleted, everyone has confirmed their members, right?¡± The candidates nodded in response to Professor Lucas¡¯ question. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t expect everyone here to be satisfied with their party. Some of you might have received party members you didn¡¯t want at all.¡± At this, some candidates let out deep sighs. ¡°But that¡¯s the same when you graduate and go out into the world.¡± Professor Lucas scanned the room as he continued. ¡°Sometimes, you might not have any support roles in your party. Other times, there might be no front-line fighters at all.¡± When nning the ¡®ideal¡¯ party, a five-member group typically consists of 2-3 front-line fighters, 1-2 mages for ranged attacks, and 1 support role to maintain the party¡¯s endurance. But that¡¯s just the ¡®ideal¡¯ party setup. Reality was different. Plenty of parties wereposed entirely of front-line fighters without a single mage or support role. On the other hand, there were also parties with three or more support roles,pletely unbnced. ¡°It¡¯s nearly impossible to create the party you want.¡± Professor Lucas spoke with a firm voice. ¡°More often than not, you¡¯ll have to work with party members who don¡¯t suit you at all.¡± This was also why the school didn¡¯t actively intervene in the formation of the candidates'' parties. After graduation, you would be responsible for finding your own party. And in many cases, you would end up in a party that was far from ¡®ideal.¡¯ ¡°Sometimes you¡¯ll work with party members who are less skilled than you, and other times, you¡¯ll find yourself alongside members who are far more experienced.¡± ¡°The important thing isn¡¯t who your party members are. What¡¯s more important is what you can do in the party.¡± ¡°Think carefully, reflect, and agonize over it. Figure out how you can prove your worth in the small world that is your party.¡± Professor Lucas looked at the candidates one by one and spoke softly. ¡°Because after you graduate, you won¡¯t have the chance to think about it.¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°......¡± Silence filled the room. Candidates who had beenining about their party members swallowed nervously. I chuckled quietly as I watched how Lucas had quickly changed the atmosphere of the room. ¡®He sure loves to put on a show.¡¯ Of course, that didn¡¯t mean Professor Lucas was wrong. As he said, after you graduate, you wouldn¡¯t even have time to think about what role you could y in your party before being cast aside. ¡®The problem is, just because you think about it doesn¡¯t mean a role will magically appear.¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Just like in my previous life. If the skill gap between you and your party members was toorge, you wouldn¡¯t even be assigned a role in the first ce. ¡®And in those cases¡­ ugh.¡¯ I shuddered as memories from my past life surfaced. ¡°Alright, I think you¡¯ve all understood enough about party dynamics. Let¡¯s move on to the next part.¡± Professor Lucas powered on a magical device on the lectern. Bzzzzz! The magical device lit up, projecting arge holographic map. The map showed the interior of a vast ruin toorge to take in all at once. ¡°The location for this exam is an ancient ruin that was fully explored and has beenpletely remodeled.¡± ¡°Whoa¡­ crazy.¡± ¡°How big is that ce?¡± ¡°We¡¯re definitely going to get lost¡­¡± The cadets gaped at the holographic map of the ruins. Professor Lucas nced at them and stifled augh. "Each party''s task is to find the ''secret spaces'' hidden throughout the ruins, take the tests within, and collect as many tokens as possible. That''s the gist of your final evaluation." Of course, the locations of these ''secret spaces'' were not marked on the map. One cadet raised their hand. "Do the tokens have different scores depending on the type?" "Good question. As Cadet Maurice mentioned, the tokens you earn in each secret space are categorized into Gold, Silver, and Bronze tiers." Professor Lucas manipted his magical device, and four differently colored tokens appeared on the map. The cadets'' eyes were drawn to the fourth token that the professor hadn¡¯t mentioned. "What''s that¡­?" "That''s the one and only ''Diamond'' token in the entire ruin. You''ve had a taste of this during the midterm exam, so you should have an idea, right?" At Lucas'' words, the cadets nodded. "Any party that obtains the Diamond token will automatically receive the highest score, regardless of how many other tokens they''ve collected. However, there will be additional bonus points based on individual contributions, so just getting the Diamond token doesn''t guarantee you''ll be the top scorer." Several cadets, particrly those in parties stronger than their own skill level, sighed in disappointment. Lucas grinned at them. "Oh, and the ruins will be filled with guardian golems, traps, and puzzles, so it won''t be boring searching for the secret spaces." "¡­¡­." The cadets'' faces hardened at the sheer difficulty of the exam. "They say the real challenge starts with the final exams in third year... Turns out they weren''t kidding." "Seriously, how are we supposed to find these secret spaces in such a huge ruin?" "Okay, I get the golems, but traps and puzzles? That''s just overkill." The lecture hall grew noisy again with chatter. "Silence." Thud. Lucas lightly struck the podium, and the room quieted down. "Any other questions about the final exam?" "Um¡­." A cadet cautiously raised their hand. "You said we''d be taking a test inside the secret spaces... What exactly do we have to do? It''s not like we''ll have to fight some huge beast, right?" "Oh, another good question." Lucas nodded approvingly. "Don''t worry. There won''t be any demonic beasts inside the secret spaces." "Whew." "But." Lucas smirked wickedly as he continued. "Instead, we¡ªthe professors¡ªwill be waiting for you." "...What?" "Waiting for us? What does that mean?" The cadets widened their eyes in disbelief at Lucas'' words. "It means exactly what I said." The Stigma on Lucas'' chest began to glow, radiating with mana. "The professors will enter the secret spaces first and wait for you¡­" Grrrk, grkkrkkk! The iron podium beneath Lucas groaned under the pressure of his intense mana. "And you will have to defeat us in battle." "¡­¡­." "¡­¡­." A deathly silence fell over the room. "Oh, and one more thing." Lucas clenched his fist, shing a wide grin. "Whoeveres to my chamber better be ready to lose a limb or two." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 113: Final Evaluation (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 113: Final Evaluation (3) ¡°We¡¯re done for¡­¡± ¡°No, seriously, how are we supposed to fight and win against the professors?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we just give up on the exam?¡± In front of the warp that leads inside the ruins. The candidates, grouped by party, looked as if they were heading to a funeral, even before the test had begun. ¡°Alright, everyone, enough chit-chat.¡± Professor Lucas nced at the candidates and continued speaking. ¡°When I say fight and win, I really mean you just need to hold out for a while. We¡¯ll give you the token as long as you manage that much, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°Th-Then, can we just run away instead of fighting?!¡± ¡°Of course, you can. But.¡± Professor Lucas nced down at the trembling candidate''s thighs with a smirk. ¡°That¡¯s only if you can keep running after your legs are broken.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Hahaha! I¡¯m just kidding! Go on, get into the warp!¡± Like livestock being dragged to the ughterhouse, the candidates trudged towards the warp. ¡°We should get going too.¡± I gestured toward the warp and looked back at my party. Unlike their usual candidate uniforms, the party members were dressed in practical gear for actualbat. Iris in her white priestess robe, adorned with holy relics. Cami in her thin metal armor, with a long ymore strapped to her back. And Yurina¡ªformerly Yuren¡ªwearing a leather armor for ease of movement, with a sword made from a unicorn''s horn hanging at her waist. ¡®Wow, just looking at them makes me feel secure.¡¯ A healer, a pdin, a swordswoman. And me, an all-rounder who can handle both closebat and ranged magic. It was an idealbination, something you wouldn¡¯t expect from the crude environment of a hero academy. ¡°Uh, um! Everyone, le-let¡¯s do our best!¡± Well, except for one person. ¡°Of course, I might hold everyone back¡­ but I¡¯ll do whatever I can!¡± Albert gripped the hilt of his sword and trembled from head to toe. I walked over to the visibly nervous Albert and patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much, just rx. Didn¡¯t Professor Lucas just say it? It¡¯s not about who¡¯s in your party.¡± ¡°Th-thanks, Dale.¡± Albert gave me a slightly more rxed smile, nodding his head repeatedly. ¡°¡­That¡¯s unexpected.¡± Cami crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes, looking at me suspiciously. ¡°What¡¯s unexpected?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just surprised that you¡¯re capable of being kind to others.¡± ¡°¡­What kind of person do you think I am?¡± Well, to be fair, Cami¡¯s assessment wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. I¡¯m generally not the type to be kind to others. But. ¡®Looking at Albert reminds me of my old self.¡¯ Seeing him shrinking back, worried that he might make a mistake and get scolded for being in a party that¡¯s beyond his abilities¡ªit was like looking at the old me. ¡®Back then, no one ever said a kind word to me.¡¯ Maybe it¡¯s just some half-hearted sympathy. But at least, I didn¡¯t want anyone to experience the same horrible memories I had. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to find something I can contribute!¡± Albert clenched his fists and shouted with determination. I chuckled and turned around. There stood the rest of my party, waiting for me. ¡®In the past, I used to be the one following behind.¡¯ But now, it¡¯s different. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I took the lead, stepping into the warp gate. * * * A sh of ckened vision. My sight flipped as I felt a floating sensation, as if my body were lifted off the ground. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°¡­This feeling never gets easier to deal with.¡± Cami and Iris, having finished the warp, held their heads and grimaced. The experience of warping affected everyone differently, much like motion sickness. In extreme cases. ¡°Urgh, ughhh!¡± People like Albert ended up vomiting. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ S-sorry.¡± ¡°Here, drink some water. It¡¯ll help you feel better.¡± ¡°¡­Dale.¡± Albert epted the canteen I offered him, his eyes watering. ¡°Just like the map showed, this ce is enormous.¡± Yurina was surveying the surroundings with her hand always near her sword hilt. Just as she said, the ruins where the final evaluation was taking ce were on a scale that couldn¡¯t even bepared to the ''Cave of Red Tears'' we had explored before. ¡°It feels like we¡¯ve stepped into an undergroundbyrinth.¡± Iris, now recovered from the warp''s aftereffects, slowly looked around beside me. The towering rock formations, like spires, in the vast underground space made it feel as though we¡¯d entered a giant subterranean maze, just as she had described. ¡°So, where do we go now?¡± Cami looked around at the party members and asked. ¡°Give me a moment. Let¡¯s first figure out where we are.¡± I turned on my Hero Watch. Bzzz. A holographic map appeared, projected in midair, identical to the one Professor Lucas had shown us in the ssroom. A yellow dot indicated our party¡¯s current location on the map. ¡®We¡¯re slightly to the northwest of the center.¡¯ Not a bad starting point. After all, our goal was at the ¡®northernmost¡¯ point. ¡®Thest time a diamond-grade token was found was at the northern end of the ruins.¡¯ Of course, the future had been constantly changing, so I couldn¡¯t rely on my past life¡¯s knowledgepletely, but it was still worth investigating. ¡°Let¡¯s move slowly and start by exploring the outskirts of the ruins.¡± ¡°You¡¯re nning to investigate from the outer edge and move inward?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the idea.¡± It didn¡¯t matter where we started; we¡¯d eventually have to search the entire ruins to find the ¡®hidden chamber.¡¯ ¡°Our target this time is, of course¡­ the ¡®diamond-grade¡¯ token, right?¡± Yuren turned towards me with a sly smile. He must have remembered the time wepeted over the unicorn during the midterm evaluation. I stifled a smallugh and nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Great. I¡¯m in!¡± Yuren nodded confidently, his expression full of determination. I couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly as I watched Yuren clench his fists, brimming with enthusiasm. ¡®Now that his family issues are resolved, I thought he wouldn¡¯t care as much about grades.¡¯ Just as I was thinking that maybe I underestimated him¡ª ¡°If our party gets first ce this time¡­ Dale, you can finally get out of that low rank, right?¡± Yuren came up to me with sparkling eyes, grabbing my hands tightly. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely make sure you get first ce, Dale!¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°......¡± Suddenly, Yuren... no, Yurina¡¯s words from before shed through my mind. -You¡¯re my sun now. She had said that with a radiant smile. As I recalled that moment, a faint chuckle escaped me. ¡®...I really did underestimate things.¡¯ Who would¡¯ve thought Yurina¡¯s motivation was to make me first ce? ¡®Well, at least she¡¯s not obsessively trying to be first ce like before.¡¯ I looked at Yuren, who was still holding my hands and smiling brightly, and let out a quietugh. Everything in moderation won¡¯t cause harm, after all. Besides, it¡¯s only natural for cadets to strive for good grades. ¡°¡­That insolent brat.¡± Then, a small voice grumbled beside me. When I turned my head, I saw Iris pouting, her cheeks puffed out, as she yanked my hand out of Yuren¡¯s grasp. ¡°I¡¯ll also do whatever it takes to help you get first ce, Dale!¡± ¡°Oh, uh, thanks, Iris.¡± ¡°Even if it means selling out the Seven Gods!¡± ¡°No.¡± How could a saintess talk about selling the gods? ¡°Haa.¡± Cami massaged her temples, as if nursing a headache. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s stop the farce and get moving.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± I let go of Iris¡¯s hand (Iris shot a sharp re at Cami for a moment), and we headed north, following the map. ¡®If I remember correctly, there¡¯s supposed to be a hidden space around here.¡¯ Of course, I¡¯d only heard vague rumors about the location in my previous life, so I didn¡¯t know the exact spot since I hadn¡¯t seen it for myself. ¡°Hey, Dale. Look over there.¡± Yuren pointed between two towering cliffs. ¡°That¡­ looks like smoke, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It does.¡± Just as he said, ck smoke was rising beyond the cliffs. ¡°Let¡¯s check it out.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± When we reached the source of the smoke, what we saw was¡ª [Ch, Chizzz. Chizzzzz.] [Error, Error.] A valley littered with the smashed remains of dozens of guardian golems. ¡°H-hiii! Wh-what the hell is this?!¡± Albert, seeing the scene before us, copsed to the ground in shock. While the rest of the party didn¡¯t have as extreme a reaction as Albert, they were visibly shaken. ¡°Aren¡¯t those the guardian golems the professor mentioned?¡± ¡°Y-yeah, I think so.¡± ¡°There must be dozens of them¡­ Who the hell destroyed all of these golems?¡± The party members furrowed their brows as they looked at the scattered remains of golems around the valley. ¡°......¡± I, too, narrowed my eyes as I surveyed the debris. ¡®There are no signs of a battle.¡¯ Unless someone destroyed dozens of golems in the blink of an eye, it made no sense for there to be only the remains of golems without any other traces ofbat. ¡®It¡¯s impossible for us to destroy this many golems without leaving a single mark.¡¯ Which means¡ª Someone intentionally moved the golem remains here. ¡®No way a cadet would pull off something like this.¡¯ That leaves one possibility. ¡°Stay here for a moment.¡± ¡°O-okay.¡± ¡°Cover your ears.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Leaving the puzzled party members behind, I moved to the center of the valley, where the golem debris was most concentrated. ¡°Hoo.¡± I took a deep breath, gathering my mana. I spread my hands wide, then pped them together with all my strength. Berald¡¯s Martial Arts. Thunderous Strike. BOOOOM! With a deafening roar, the golem remains scattered in all directions. And in the spot where the debris had been blown away, there it was. ¡°Bingo.¡± The entrance to a hidden chamber. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 114: Final Evaluation (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 114: Final Evaluation (4) ¡°This is¡­¡± The party members gathered around, looking at the door revealed among the wreckage of the golems. ¡°Is this the door that leads to the secret space?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded as I looked at the door, its surface etched withplex patterns. ¡®This is the first time I¡¯ve seen it myself.¡¯ In my previous life, our party had searched for the secret space, only to be smashed by a guardian golem, so we hadn¡¯t even found the door to the secret space, let alone the space itself. ¡°Do we just open it?¡± Yuren inspected the door and nced over at me. ¡°Well¡­ there don¡¯t seem to be any traps around here at least.¡± Whatever traps or dangers awaited would probably be inside the door. ¡°I¡¯ll open the door¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± I grabbed Yuren¡¯s shoulder and pulled him back as he reached for the doorknob. ¡°I¡¯ll open it. You all stay back.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± I smiled, gently patting Yuren¡¯s shoulder, his eyes filled with concern. ¡®I¡¯ve always been the one for this kind of thing.¡¯ With the Blessing of Revival, I was used to going into ces that practically screamed ¡®danger¡¯ at first nce. Even in the worst-case scenario, all I stood to lose was my life. ¡®Though I did get scolded pretty harshly by Iris for saying that.¡¯ As I recalled that memory with a bittersweet smile, Iris approached me. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll cast a protective spell on you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that¡­¡± ¡°Even if you¡¯re confident in your abilities, Dale, that¡¯s no reason to skip out on precautions.¡± And. ¡°Besides, it¡¯d be a waste to have the ¡®Saint¡¯ in your party and not make use of her, right?¡± She winked, cing a hand on her chest, standing tall as if she were making a point. I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as I looked at her. Her current self ovepped with her old self, stirring something in my heart. ¡°Alright.¡± I nodded and approached Iris. She held the holy relic hanging from her neck and closed her eyes. ¡°Oh, Seven Gods, protect your children as they walk the thorny path.¡± A soft white light emanated from Iris, wrapping around my body. Fully prepared, I approached the door adorned with intricate patterns. ¡°I¡¯m opening it.¡± From behind, I could hear the tense breathing of the party members. I slowly pulled on the doorknob leading to the secret space. Creak. As the door opened, a surprisingly spacious room appeared. And waiting inside were¡­ [Intruders detected. Intruders detected.] [Identifying candidate.] [Engaging suppression protocol.] Standing in a row as if expecting us were guardian golems. There were six of them. Their bodies were made of intricate mechanical parts, and their red eyes gleamed menacingly. ¡®These seem to be a different model from the golems outside.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t properly inspect the ones outside since they were so thoroughly smashed, but they looked different in form and size. ¡°Eek! That¡¯s the ¡®Aegis¡¯ Model 3!¡± Albert eximed, his face filled with fear. ¡°That golem was designed to handle even six-eyed-ss demonic beasts!¡± A golem capable of taking on a six-eyed-ss demonic beast would be about as powerful as a hero in their prime. And here there were six of them. ¡®This must be the room with the diamond token.¡¯ I grinned as I watched the golems ready their swords and shields. ¡°D-Dale! We should run! Let¡¯s retreat ande up with a n¡­¡± Ignoring Albert¡¯s loud protests, Yuren and I stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯ll take the three on the right.¡± ¡°Then Cami and I will handle the three on the left.¡± Boom! As if perfectly synchronized, Yuren and Iunched ourselves forward at the same time. [Analyzing target movement patterns.] [Activating defense modules.] Beep, beep! The golems¡¯ red eyes shed as they raised shields the size of a person. ¡®I could use Ashen me to smash through their shields, but¡­¡¯ The problem with Ashen me was that it consumed arge amount of mana. ¡®In that case¡­¡¯ Wham! I kicked off the shield and jumped high into the air. One of the golems aimed its sword at me, still airborne. ¡®Wind Step.¡¯ Boom! I kicked the air, sharply changing my trajectory mid-air. My target was the back of the golem¡¯s neck ¡ª a joint no bigger than a finger between its head and body. ¡°Hah!¡± Spinning mid-air, I swung my sword. Crunch! My de pierced through the golem¡¯s neck. ¡®Now¡­¡¯ I shifted my weight into the sword and shed down through the golem¡¯s chest! Crack! With a screeching sound of metal twisting, the golem split from its neck down to its chest. [Critical damage to allied unit confirmed.] [Activating coordinated response protocol.] The remaining two golems swung their swords at me simultaneously. ¡®One¡¯s aiming for my legs, the other for my shoulder.¡¯ They were indeed high-end models worthy of Albert¡¯s panic. The way their attacks converged from above and below was wless, like the meshing of finely tuned gears. ¡®But¡­¡¯ In the end, they were just machines. ¡®I¡¯ve destroyed tens of thousands of golems in my past life.¡¯ The golems guarding ancient ruins were on apletely different levelpared to these, which were just used for a candidate exam. ¡°Berald¡¯s Martial Arts.¡± Ground Shaker. Boom! I stomped down on the golem¡¯s sword aimed at my legs, twisting my body. From below, I swung my sword upward. ng! With a clear metallic sound, the golem¡¯s sword was deflected. The two golems'' stances broke momentarily as their weapons were knocked aside. I spread my arms wide and grabbed the heads of the two golems that hade down to my eye level. And. ¡°Hrrgh!¡± Crack! I ripped their heads off, and they rolled across the floor. ¡®What about Yuren and Cami?¡¯ I turned to check on Yuren and Cami, who had charged to the left. ¡°Tsk, we were a bitte.¡± Two neatly decapitated golemsy at Yuren¡¯s feet as if cut by a precision saw. On Cami¡¯s side, a golemy in a crumpled heap, as if it had been smashed with a blunt weapon rather than cut by a sword. ¡°W-Wow.¡± Albert, ck-jawed, stared at us, having dispatched the golems in a sh. ¡°Th-Those golems are difficult even for active heroes to defeat. How on earth¡­¡± Albert trailed off, his disbelief evident. Well, of course. I didn''t take down the golems with the help of the party working together, I just rushed in and smashed six of them in an instant. It''s no wonder he''s shocked. "Is anyone hurt?" Leaving the stunned Albert behind, Iris walked over to us. "I''m fine, and so is Dale, but Cami''s a bit injured." "...This kind of wound is nothing to worry about." Cami flinched, her shoulders trembling slightly as she averted her gaze. Iris frowned as she looked at Cami. "I''ll be the judge of whether it''s nothing to worry about or not. Let me see the wound." "......" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Cami hesitated, then removed her armor and lifted her clothes slightly, revealing her side to Iris. A long gash oozed with blood. Thankfully, no internal organs were damaged, but it wasn''t the kind of wound that could be ignored. "It might hurt a bit, but bear with it." "Nngh...!" As a soft white light flowed from Iris''s hand and seeped into the wound, Cami''s expression twisted slightly in pain. "All done. There won''t be any scars, so don''t worry." "I''m not concerned about scars." "Hmph. How can a girl say something like that? Especially with such smooth skin." "D-Don''t touch me!" When Iris teased her by tickling her side, Cami jerked away in a panic, twisting her body. As her clothes rode up, her stomach was briefly exposed. "Oh..." Her abdomen was firm, the muscles well-defined. Just like Iris said, it was surprisingly smooth... "Dale." Suddenly, Yuren appeared next to me, ring at me with eyes as cold as ice. "Huh, yeah?" "There''s another door over there that seems to lead to the next room..." He smirked. "Instead of sneaking peeks at Cami''s stomach, wouldn''t it be better to check out that door?" "......" Overwhelmed by Yuren''s inexplicable intensity, I didn''t have time toe up with anyme excuses and quickly rushed to the door. "Hm?" As I approached the door, glowing letters appeared before me. [What is a ce you can never leave?] "What is this?" I frowned at the cryptic message disyed in front of the door. ''A ce you can never leave...? What does that even mean?'' A riddle suddenly appearing here, of all ces. Puzzles and riddles protected ancient ruins, but I never expected to encounter such a thing during our school final exams. "What''s wrong, Dale?" "There''s some kind of riddle written on the door." "A ce you can never leave...? Where could that be?" "I have no idea." I nced over at Yuren and Cami, but they only shook their heads, just as puzzled as I was. ''I can''t just smash the door open either.'' If this were a real ancient ruin, I might have just broken down the door instead of bothering with riddles. But this was part of our ''final exam.'' Solving the riddle was probably part of the test too. "A ce you can never leave... maybe a swamp?" Beep- [Incorrect answer.] [You have 2 attempts remaining.] The door shed red, and the number ''2'' appeared. "It looks like we only have two more chances to get it right." "Ugh..." Just as the entire party was on the verge of panic over what to do¡ª "Uh, the answer! Baldness!" Albert raised his hand and shouted. "What? Why would the answer be baldness?" "Because... it''s a ce with no ''hair''!" "There''s no way that kind of dumb answer could¡ª" Beep- [Correct.] "...You''re kidding." That was actually the right answer? [Second question.] [What is the name of the witch''s beach?] "...Albert, do you know this one too?" "Y-Yeah. I really like these kinds of nonsense riddles." Albert nodded confidently. I grinned and pped him on the back. "Haha! I knew picking you for our party was the right choice!" "I got in by random draw..." "Anyway! I''m counting on you, Albert!" "..." Albert nced back at me as I massaged his shoulders, then nodded resolutely. "Leave it to me!" He boldly stepped up to the door. [What is the name of the witch''s beach?] "Sandwich!" [Correct.] "Ohh, nice!" [What kind of swearing is allowed at the beach?] "Swimming!" Yeah! Good job, Albert! That''s the way to do it! [What should you never look at or touch?] "Soup!" Huh? [What is the blue blood of the old Republic''s citizens called? They were once known as ''Koreans.''] "KOSPI!" What the hell? [You have solved all the riddles.] Kroom! Thud, thud! With a heavy rumble, the door finally opened. A faint smell of cigarette smoke wafted through the crack. "This smell..." I frowned and stepped through the doorway. Inside was a wide chamber with jagged rock formations rising like spikes. And at the center, sitting quietly¡ª "So, you finally made it, rookies." ¡ªwas Professor Elisha Baldwin. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 115: Final Evaluation (5) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 115: Final Evaluation (5) A thick plume of smoke rose faintly. Inside the dim space, the glow of a cigarette flickered like a firefly. ¡°Phew.¡± Professor Elisha slowly stood up, putting out the cigarette. ¡°I wondered who could destroy a golem so easily... Turns out it¡¯s Cadet Dale''s party.¡± Professor Elisha gave me a faint smile as she nced in my direction. I squinted my eyes as I looked at the diamond badge pinned on Professor Elisha''s left chest like a name tag. ''In my past life, I heard that Professor Lucas was in the secret room with the diamond badge.'' It seems the future changed when Professor Elisha came to the academy due to the ''Sealing Incident.'' ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see Professor Elisha here.¡± ¡°Lucas was originally supposed toe, but since I had free time, I asked to switch.¡± ¡°...You, Professor Elisha?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elisha smiled faintly and looked at me. ¡°I thought I might run into Cadet Dale if I was here.¡± "......" Did she really switch for that reason? As I looked at Professor Elisha in disbelief, she shrugged casually. ¡°Well then... time to announce the test.¡± Elisha spread her five fingers as she continued to speak. ¡°Five minutes.¡± Her ominously glowing violet eyes twinkled. ¡°If you canst five minutes in a fight with me, I''ll give you this badge.¡± ¡°...Five minutes.¡± It was a simple rule even a five-year-old could understand. However, just because the rule was simple didn¡¯t mean the test would be easy. ¡°W-What?! Fight Professor Elisha?! That¡¯s insane!¡± Once again giving a reaction worthy of a variety show audience, Albert backed away in shock. ¡°Calm down, Albert.¡± ¡°C-Calm down? Dale, you know who Professor Elisha is!¡± Albert¡¯s face went pale as he continued. ¡°She¡¯s ranked ninth among the three nations¡¯ heroes! Elisha Baldwin, the Spider with the Cursed Eye! No one in our academy can match her except the headmaster!¡± ¡°Wow.¡± His reaction was spot-on this time. Now I get why Professor Lucas always picks Albert. "This is getting a bit embarrassing." Elisha¡¯s expression remained cold and indifferent, despite the heat of the situation, as she took another drag from her cigarette. Click. She lit the end of the cigarette and looked at me. ¡°So, will you take the test?¡± ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Good answer.¡± Elisha smirked as she took a deep drag from her cigarette. ¡°Well then.¡± Tap. The spark from the end of her cigarette was the signal. ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± Shhh! Dozens of silver threads spread around us. ¡°I¡¯ll cast a blessing on you!¡± A white light flowed from Iris and seeped into my body. Feeling as light as a feather, I slowly scanned my surroundings. The interior was filled with rocks. Silver threads stretched between the rocks like a spider¡¯s web. ¡®It feels like I¡¯ve entered a spider¡¯sir.¡¯ I frowned and stepped back to create some distance. ¡®I¡¯ll start with a probing attack.¡¯ ¡°Yuren, Cami. Distract the professor for me.¡± ¡°Got it! Leave it to me!¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Yuren and Cami dashed forward. Yuren was the first to reach Professor Elisha. ¡°Haaah!¡± A dazzling golden aura flowed along his sword. The dim interior lit up as if the sun had risen. ¡°The Sun of House Helios...¡± Elisha smiled faintly as she looked at the radiant golden aura. ¡°As expected, impressive for a cadet.¡± Snap. With a flick of her finger, Elisha sent a silver thread to wrap around Yuren¡¯s sword instantly. ¡°Ugh...?!¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± She yanked the sword,nding a swift spinning kick. ¡°You¡¯re still rough around the edges.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Thud! Yuren was sent flying backward, clutching his abdomen where she had struck him. ¡°Haaaaah!¡± Cami seized the moment, raising her sword high. Brimming with destructive power, her ymore aimed for Professor Elisha¡¯s crown. ¡°Strong.¡± Elisha smoothly dodged the falling ymore, twisting her body with ease. ¡°But far too straightforward.¡± In a sh, Elisha slipped into Cami¡¯s guard and struck her square in the chest with her elbow. ¡°Guh!¡± Cami coughed up her breath, stumbling backward. ¡°Now... is it my turn?¡± Elisha snapped her fingers lightly. Boom! Crack! The silver threads strung between the rocks contracted rapidly, shattering the surrounding rocks. Jagged stone fragments rained down like arrows from all directions. Their target was Iris. ¡°Damn it! Lady Saint!¡± Cami, still clutching her chest, kicked off the ground toward Iris in a panic, but there was no way she could match the speed of the falling stone shards. ¡°Ugh...!¡± As Iris squeezed her eyes shut against the torrent of sharp stones¡ª Whoosh! Ashen mes red up and knocked the stones away. ¡°Oh?¡± Elisha¡¯s gaze shifted toward me. She smiled as she watched the stone fragments crumble into dust and fall to the ground. ¡°How did you know I was going to target Iris?¡± ¡°When facing a party, neutralizing the support is basic strategy.¡± ¡°Impressive.¡± Elisha nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Well then...¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Swish! Dozens of silver threads stretched out, aiming for me. ¡°You know that after neutralizing the support, the leaderes next, right?¡± The silver threads rushed toward me, tangled like a web, ready to swallow me whole. ¡®First form of the Ashen de.¡¯ Ashen Severance. I didn¡¯t dodge. I cut through the approaching threads head-on. shing through the silver threads, I lunged toward Professor Elisha. Boom! The distance between us closed in an instant. I unleashed a fierce strike with my sword aimed directly at her. ¡°Good.¡± ng! A newly appeared thread of silver wrapped around my sword. Like a fly caught in a spider¡¯s web, my fierce blow stopped abruptly. I let go of the sword in my hand without hesitation. ¡°¡­!¡± Professor Elisha¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, not expecting me to simply release my grip. Lowering my body, I propelled myself toward her andunched a punch. "Berald¡¯s Martial Arts: Mountain Crushing." Boom! My ember-fueled fist struck her. Or rather, it struck... ¡°¡­Impressive.¡± Before I could react, a web had formed in front of her and absorbed the blow. I clicked my tongue, staring at my fist blocked by the web. ¡®So, a half-hearted feint won¡¯t work on her, after all.¡¯ But it didn¡¯t matter. I wasn¡¯t fighting Professor Elisha one-on-one. ¡°Well done, Dale!¡± The small opening created when she blocked my attack was all Yuren needed. ¡°Haaa!¡± His stigma zed brightly, and the golden aura that enveloped him shifted to a brilliant silver. The Blessing of Moonlight. The more Yuren thought of those precious to him, the greater his mana grew, and it now surged beyond its usual limits. ¡°White Light¡ªWave!¡± Boom! The entire interior of the ruins shook violently as if an earthquake had struck. A tidal wave of silver aura crashed toward Professor Elisha. ¡°Tch!¡± She quickly spread her arms. Dozens of silver threads wrapped around her body and pulled her away just in time to avoid the oing wave of aura. ¡°This¡­¡± She nced at her suit, torn by the silver aura, her expression hardening. The sheer power of the attack sent a shiver down her spine. ¡®I can''t believe he''s just a trainee.¡¯ The force Yuren wielded was enough to shock even someone like her. ¡®If he¡¯s this strong now, then in the future¡­¡¯ A new hero was clearly on the path to making a significant mark in the long history of heroes. ¡°I look forward to seeing what he can do in ten years.¡± Professor Elisha¡¯s eyes gleamed as she looked at Yuren. I clicked my tongue lightly at the sight. ¡°You¡¯ve got your eyes on Yuren now, too?¡± ¡°What? Are you jealous?¡± ¡°Jealous¡­?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, don¡¯t worry, Cadet Dale.¡± Professor Elisha turned and gave me a sly smile. ¡°From now on, only you catch my eye.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Well, enough chit-chat.¡± She raised her wrist, revealing the Hero Watch she wore. ¡°There¡¯s about three minutes left¡­ we¡¯re not done yet, are we?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± I grinned and raised my sword again. Sending a signal to Yuren and Cami, I charged toward Professor Elisha once more. ng! Swish! Thud! Crack! Our swords and threads shed, dirt scattering as we engaged in a fierce battle. ¡°Urgh!¡± In the ensuing exchange, it was Professor Elisha who was forced back. She grimaced, biting back a groan of pain as she retreated. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± Yuren shouted in triumph, seeing her falter. ¡°Dale, how much longer?¡± ¡°One minute, and this will be over.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Yuren, either excited from overwhelming such a powerful opponent or thrilled to be fighting alongside me, spoke with more enthusiasm than usual. ¡°So, we just need to push her for one more minute, and it¡¯s over?¡± ¡°¡­Wait.¡± I grabbed Yuren¡¯s shoulder before he could rush forward. A sense of foreboding spread through my body. ¡°As expected, Cadet Dale, you¡¯re quite perceptive.¡± Professor Elisha, who had been driven back, gave a small, knowing smile. ¡°Bind them.¡± Swish! With a light snap of her fingers, hundreds of silver threads scattered across the floor tightened. Before we realized it, the nearly invisible strands had wrapped around me, Yuren, Cami, and Iris, binding us tightly. It felt like we were flies caught in a spider¡¯s web. ¡®She set a trap during that intense exchange?¡¯ ¡°Urgh¡­! When did she do this?!¡± ¡°I-I can¡¯t move!¡± ¡°Dale!¡± I could hear Yuren, Cami, and Iris¡¯s panicked voices. Professor Elisha¡¯s violet eyes glinted dangerously as a wicked smile spread across her face. ¡°One minute left.¡± Swish! ¡°Now, let¡¯s see how much you can struggle, little rookies.¡± The 9th-ranked hero. The Spider of the Violet Eyes had bared her venomous fangs. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 116: Final Evaluation (6) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 116: Final Evaluation (6) ¡®Yeah, I figured it wouldn¡¯t be that easy.¡¯ I chuckled slightly, looking down at my body tied in webs, unable to move a finger. Even though our party is made up of people whose skills are far beyond those of mere candidates, our opponent is none other than Elisha Baldwin. ¡®I would have been a bit disappointed if we just got overpowered like that.¡¯ I gazed at Professor Elisha as she calmly walked toward our party, bound in her web. Her violet eyes, sliced horizontally by a dark pupil, resembled the eyes of a reptile. That was the characteristic sign of her using the "Blessing of Insight." ¡®Now that Professor Elisha has pulled out her blessing¡­¡¯ It was time for me to reveal a little of the power I¡¯d been keeping hidden. ¡°Hahh¡­¡± I slowly inhaled. I drew on the power of the "Primordial me" thaty dormant deep within my heart. ¡°Awaken.¡± Whoosh! Ashen mes red up, igniting my body. The webs that had bound me melted away in the fire. ¡°Ho.¡± Professor Elisha''s eyes glimmered with interest as she watched me. Facing her directly¡ª Thud! I charged at her with a forceful stomp. ¡°As always, Candidate Dale never ceases to amaze me.¡± Professor Elisha smiled faintly, flicking her fingers. Whoosh! Dozens of silver threads shot from her fingertips, intertwining and forming sharp spikes aimed directly at me. ¡®Ashen de, Second Form.¡¯ Fire Edge. The de of fire cut through the spikes of silver thread. I threw myself through the scattered strands, closing in on Professor Elisha. ¡°Excellent!¡± Professor Elisha leaned backward, retreating while crossing her arms. Rumble! Her silver threads burrowed deep into the ground, erupting like a fountain. Dirt and debris exploded upward, as though hidden bombs beneath the earth had detonated. A massive wave of dirt, weighing tons, crashed toward me in the blink of an eye. ¡°Hahh¡­¡± I inhaled sharply, pulling my right leg back. I gathered my mana into a single point and kicked fiercely. Berald¡¯s Martial Arts. Thunder Kick. Boom! With a deafening roar, the tidal wave of dirt exploded. A thick cloud of dust filled the air. ¡®Where¡¯s Professor Elisha?¡¯ I turned my head, spotting a shadowy figure through the dust cloud. I instinctively shed my sword toward it. Swoosh! ¡°Huh?¡± The dark figure unraveled and quickly wrapped around me. ¡®She shaped her threads into a human form.¡¯ I frowned as I nced at the webs coiling around my body. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± From the other side, Professor Elisha appeared, sending silver threads toward me. At that moment¡ª ¡°Aaaahhhhh!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°I¡ªI have a role to y too!¡± Albert, who had been trembling in a corner throughout the battle, threw himself toward the iing silver threads. Elisha, who hadn¡¯t considered Albert a threat at all, widened her eyes in surprise at his unexpected move. ¡°Tch!¡± She would have let him get caught in the silver threads if this were a real enemy. But the opponent here was a candidate, after all. And Albert, in particr, was far weakerpared to the others. ¡°Hmph!¡± Professor Elisha quickly withdrew the mana infused in her silver threads. The threads, which had been speeding toward us like bullets, lost their power and fluttered to the ground. ¡°Nice one, Albert!¡± I ignited my ashen mes again, burning away the threads binding me, and dashed toward Professor Elisha. ¡°Hahh!¡± Just as I was about to reach out to the still-reeling Professor Elisha, who hadn¡¯t yet recovered from recalling her mana¡ª Beep! Beep beep beep! A loud rm suddenly red. ¡°¡­Looks like time''s up.¡± Professor Elisha sighed softly and shook her head. ¡°To think I¡¯d end up showing such a clumsy disy at the end.¡± She nced over at Albert with a wry smile. ¡°Well done.¡± With a snap of her fingers, the webs binding Yuren, Cami, and Iris lost their strength and fell to the ground. ¡°And¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve passed the test.¡± Professor Elisha handed me a diamond badge, like one worn on her chest. ¡°W-Wow! Dale! It¡¯s a diamond badge, a diamond badge!¡± Albert yelled in excitement, jumping up and down. ¡°Hmph.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ it doesn¡¯t feel entirely satisfying.¡± ¡°Well, still, we¡¯re guaranteed first ce now.¡± Cami, Iris, and Yuren, who had just been freed from the webs, smiled wearily. ¡°You all did wonderfully. To be honest, it didn¡¯t feel like a candidate party at all.¡± Professor Elisha smiled at us with satisfaction. ¡°Candidate Yuren.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You truly lived up to the name of ¡®Sword of the Sun.¡¯ However¡­¡± With her arms crossed and her eyes narrowing, Professor Elisha continued. ¡°You haven¡¯t fully mastered the use of your mana yet.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°The amount of mana you have even surpasses mine. You''ll achieve great results if you learn to control it better.¡± ¡°Thank you for your advice.¡± Yuren bowed his head respectfully to Professor Elisha. ¡°Next, Candidate Cami.¡± ¡°Yes, Professor.¡± ¡°Your sword is too straightforward. It might be worth learning a bit more technique.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Cami bowed politely and stepped back as Professor Elisha approached Iris. ¡°You were quick to cast blessings as soon as the battle started, and your support with protective magic throughout was well done.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°However, in a party, support members are often the primary targets. You should learn how to protect yourself better.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that to heart.¡± Iris sped her hands together and bowed her head respectfully. ¡°And Candidate Albert.¡± ¡°Y-Yes!¡± ¡°You made a bold decision at the end. I must admit, I was caught off guard.¡± Professor Elisha smiled bitterly, recalling what had happened with Albert. ¡°Th-Thank you!¡± ¡°But, if this had been a real fight, you wouldn¡¯t have survived. Keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Hiiiek!¡± Albert¡¯s face turned pale as he trembled. ¡°Andstly¡­¡± Professor Elisha turned her gaze toward me. "Cadet Dale, can we have a word in private?" "Oh, yes. Of course." "Follow me." Professor Elisha led me behind a crumbling rock wall, the result of the recent battle. "Are you nning to give me some feedback that requires a private conversation?" "Hmm, feedback, huh..." With a bitter smile, she shook her head. "I don''t think I''m in a position to give you feedback." "What?" "Cadet Dale, did you give it your all in this test?" "Well..." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] I hesitated, my expression awkward. Professor Elisha nodded knowingly. "As I thought. You were holding something back." She was right. I hadn''t shown all my cards in this test. I hadn''t even used the power of the Demon Sword, let alone ''Ignition.'' "I wasn''t trying to hide anything on purpose. I just didn''t have the opportunity to use it." The test was to survive for five minutes in a fight against Professor Elisha. There was no need to win the fight, so why reveal all my cards and go all out? ''And if I had gone all out...'' As I awkwardly smiled at Professor Elisha, her eyes narrowed. "Are you sure that''s the only reason?" "......" "Hmm." Professor Elisha leaned in closer and spoke again. "Or was it because you were worried I might get hurt if you went all out?" "......" Damn it. Her Insight Blessing was annoyingly sharp. "Haha! Hahahaha!" Professor Elisha burst intoughter, clutching her stomach. She wasn''tughing because my cheeky thoughts were funny. No, she likely knew better than anyone else that if I went all out, she might not be able to win. After all, she had the Insight Blessing. "Who... what are you, exactly?" She ced her hands on my shoulders as she spoke. "I¡¯ve seen many talented cadets in my time. A cadet stronger than a professor? Rare, but it has happened." But¡ª "I¡¯ve never seen anyone as ridiculously strong as you, Cadet Dale. Not in the entire 500-year history." There''s a limit to brushing something off as irregr. A five-year-old solving high school math is called a genius. But solving one of the seven great mathematical problems? That makes them a monster. Dale wasn''t a genius. He was a monster. A monster of a level far beyond understanding ormon sense. "Well, I guess." I gently took hold of Professor Elisha¡¯s hand on my shoulder as I spoke. "Just because something has never happened before in history doesn¡¯t mean it can¡¯t happen in the future, right?" "...You." "If I ever get the chance." I slowly removed her hand from my shoulder. "I¡¯ll exin it to you then." "......" Professor Elisha stared at me with trembling eyes, her lips tightly sealed. "Haa." She let out a deep sigh and shook her head. "I thought I was nurturing a sapling, but it turns out it was already a fully grown tree." A tree sorge that its shadow loomed over her. "But don''t forget." Professor Elisha smiled mischievously, lightly pressing a finger to my lips. "Sapling or fully grown tree, I¡¯m still the one who nurtured you." "...I''ll keep that in mind." Suppressing augh, I smiled as I watched her feign innocence with a yful shrug. "Anyway, the test is over, so let''s head back." "Yes." "Haha. But Cadet Dale, are you really fine with the test ending like this?" "Sorry? Why?" "If you rank first, you''ll no longer be inst ce. Won''t that put you in a difficult position?" "Who would be in a difficult position?" "Hmm? Weren''t you deliberately keeping your score low?" "......" No. I didn¡¯t choose to be inst ce. "Hmm. I naturally assumed you were intentionally clinging to the bottom spot..." "Sigh. That''s not it." "Well, if you say so. In any case, congrattions in advance for escaping fromst ce." With a sly grin, Professor Elisha turned and walked back to where the other party members were waiting. "Oh, by the way, I was curious about something." "Hmm? What is it?" "Those riddles written at the entrance... were they your idea, Professor?" "Haha. Didn¡¯t you find them fun?" "What''s fun about that?" I chuckled dryly and shook my head. "Sigh. And the fact that you smashed the guardian golems to give us a hint... I don¡¯t quite get your sense of humor, Professor." "...Hmm?" Professor Elisha tilted her head at myment. "Smashing the guardian golems to give a hint? What are you talking about?" "Uh, the dozens of broken guardian golems in front of the entrance to this secret chamber. That wasn¡¯t you?" "Do you have any idea how expensive one of those golems is? Why would I do something so reckless?" Professor Elisha frowned and shook her head. "...So it wasn''t you, Professor?" If that''s the case... Who destroyed dozens of golems without leaving a trace? I narrowed my eyes as I continued to think. Rumble¡ª! Suddenly, the basement trembled violently, as if an earthquake had struck. Thick, red liquid began to cover the surrounding space. "Is this... a barrier?" "D-Dale! Are you alright?!" My party members, who had been far away, came rushing over. "Professor Elisha, this isn¡¯t some kind of surprise event you prepared, is it?" "...No." With a heavy expression, she shook her head. Her fingers tensed as she began drawing silver threads, scanning the surroundings cautiously. Then¡ª Thud, thud. The sound of footsteps echoed softly. I turned my head and saw a boy standing at the entrance. "Hey! You''re Dale, right?" The boy smiled innocently and waved at me. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 117: Final Evaluation (7) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 117: Final Evaluation (7) ck hair and red eyes. A boy who looked about ten years old, with a small stature barely reaching chest height. But. "...You." His red eyes gleamed with madness. Just one step forward, and the overwhelming presence surrounding him seized the air. Even without revealing his identity, everyone present instinctively realized that the boy before them was far from ordinary. "Hehe! My name¡¯s Seto!" The boy smiled innocently and extended his hand toward me. Hearing the name he revealed made my expression harden. ¡®Seto, the Archbishop of Madness.¡¯ One of the six demons who stand at the pinnacle of tens of thousands of demons. And that monster was now standing right in front of me. "...Everyone, get back!" Professor Elisha stepped forward, crossing her arms. Shhhiiiing! Hundreds of silver threads shot from her fingertips. Unlike during the earlier test, a purple aura now enveloped every single one of the silver threads. The threads intertwined in mid-air as if they were alive, aiming straight for Seto. And then. "Hehe." The boy smiled brightly and took a step forward. RUMBLE! The ground quaked violently. A mass of blood-colored thorns erupted from the floor, ruthlessly cutting down all of the hundreds of silver threads. ¡°So, you¡¯re the ¡®Spider of the Cursed Eyes,¡¯ huh?¡± Seto squinted at Professor Elisha. "Hmm." Snap. At a light snap of his fingers. RUMBLE! "Ugh!" The thick, blood-red mist that seeped from the surrounding goo quickly enveloped Professor Elisha¡¯s body. She twisted desperately, but the mist that had wrapped around her body wouldn¡¯t loosen its grip. "I¡¯m not interested in you." Seto, who had subdued Professor Elisha in the blink of an eye, walked past her and approached me. He leaned in close, his eyes sparkling like stars. "I¡¯m here to meet Dale." "......" ''Here to meet me,'' huh. Why? I¡¯d never done anything to get involved with the Archbishop of Madness up until now. As I tried to piece together how I ended up entangled with this demon, I shook my head. ''This isn¡¯t the time to be questioning the reasons.'' Whatever the reason, the Archbishop of Madness had sought me out. And now he was standing before me. "Ugh¡­ Dale! Run, now!" Professor Elisha¡¯s desperate shout rang in my ears. I bit my lip as I nced at Professor Elisha, still trapped in the red mist. ''Run?'' The opponent was the Archbishop of Madness. In terms of raw strength, he ranked second among the six archbishops. Even other archbishops avoided him,beling him a monster among monsters. There was no way I could easily escape from such a creature. ''And...'' I nced at my party members. "Ugh¡­!" "Ngh¡­" "I¡­ I can¡¯t breathe¡­" Yuren, Iris, and Cami were all struggling to even breathe under the overwhelming pressure radiating from Seto. Among them, Yuren seemed to be in the best condition, but even he couldn¡¯t move properly. ''Albert¡­ he¡¯s already passed out.'' I clenched my teeth as I looked down at Albert, who had copsed on the ground, foam at his mouth. Even if I could escape, I couldn¡¯t leave myrades behind. I looked back at the Archbishop of Madness and clenched my fist. ''Can I win?'' I mentally reyed the scenario of fighting the Archbishop of Madness. Though I had never fought him in my past life, I¡¯d heard countless rumors about him. ''The Thunder God, Lionel Ryu, was killed by the Archbishop of Madness.'' No matter how much I¡¯d grown recently, I couldn¡¯t possibly defeat the Thunder God, currently ranked third among heroes. Let alone someone who killed him¡ªthe Archbishop of Madness. ''Even if I ignite my power, I might be able to hold out for a while, but winning is impossible.'' If I could somehow enter the ¡°avatar state¡± like I had when fighting Astaroth, I could crush the Archbishop of Madness with ease, but... ''I can¡¯t just trigger that at will.'' I didn¡¯t even know how I had entered that statest time. There was no way I could bet myrades'' lives on such uncertainty. ''I have to find a way to resolve this without fighting.'' I wouldn¡¯t even entertain such a thought if it were any other demon. But this was the unpredictable Archbishop of Madness. Maybe. There might just be a way to get through this without fighting. "So, what business do you have with me?" I stood in front of my party members, blocking Seto¡¯s path, and asked. ¡°Hehe, the reason I came to find you¡­¡± Seto stuck his tongue out and licked his lips. ¡°I was just curious.¡± ¡°...Curious?¡± ¡°Yeah! I heard about you from Mephisto, and I got sooo curious! I wanted to see what kind of human you are!¡± ¡°......¡± So he had infiltrated the hero academy¡¯s exam site just out of curiosity? I frowned at Seto, who was grinning cheerfully. ¡°But¡­¡± Seto tilted his head and nced at my party members behind me, letting out a sigh. ¡°Compared to what I expected, this is kinda disappointing.¡± Seto¡¯s face twisted into a slightly disheartened expression. ¡°So, you''re just like the others, huh?¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°All those heroes, talking about protecting or saving theirrades¡ªthey''re all so boring, without exception.¡± Seto shook his head from side to side. ¡°Well, because of that, I''m actually looking forward to seeing your ''true self'' even more.¡± ¡°True self?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Seto''s red eyes gleamed as he grinned widely. ¡°The face you show when you''re on the edge of death.¡± He took a deep, excited breath, his voice trembling with anticipation. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Humans, no matter how much they try to dress themselves up, always be honest when faced with death.¡± False justice. Half-hearted convictions. Pitiful morality. All of it vanishes in that moment. ¡°I want to see that face of yours, Dale.¡± Seto stared at me, his eyes glistening with madness. ¡°With that in mind, I¡¯d like to propose a fun little game!¡± ¡°A game?¡± ¡°Yup!¡± Seto pulled something out from inside his coat. A small metal object, bent into an L-shape. ¡°¡­A gun?¡± ¡°Oh, right, you''re from the Republic, aren¡¯t you? Hehe. Then you must know what a gun is.¡± It was a weapon that had once been used in the Republic but was abandoned because it was difficult to imbue with magic. ¡°This is called a revolver! See this little round hole here? You load bullets inside, and when you shoot¡ªbang! The bullet fires.¡± Seto''s voice was lively, like a child proudly showing off a toy. ¡°Now, watch.¡± He loaded a single bullet into the revolver, then spun the cylinder with a flick of his hand. ¡°Once you put a bullet in and spin it¡­.¡± Seto aimed the revolver at the wall and pulled the trigger. Click. A soft metallic sound echoed, followed by silence. ¡°Oh, the first shot¡¯s a dud! Now, for the next one¡­ drumroll please!!!¡± He pulled the trigger again. Bang! With a sharp crack, a tiny bullet shot towards the wall. And then¡ª Boom!!! An enormous explosion reverberated, and a wave of crimson energy engulfed the surroundings. ¡°Yes! Bullseye!¡± Seto clenched his fist and jumped up and down in ce. ¡°¡­This thing.¡± ¡°Hehe. Cool, right? Normally, it''s really tricky and annoying to imbue a bullet with mana, but because it¡¯s me, I can do it like this!¡± ¡°......¡± Of course, it went without saying that it was inefficient. A demon of Seto''s rank, a grand archbishop of madness, wouldn¡¯t need to bother imbuing bullets with mana to unleash far more destructive power. ¡°So, what''s the game you''re suggesting?¡± ¡°The rules are simple.¡± Seto loaded another bullet into the cylinder and spun it again. Then, he pressed the barrel against his temple, grinning wickedly. ¡°Six rounds. Everyone here, including me, will take turns pulling the trigger against their head.¡± Seto turned his gaze slowly around the room. Professor Elisha, bound and shrouded in the crimson aura. Iris, Yuren, and Cami, frozen under the overwhelming pressure, barely able to breathe. Albert, passed out with his eyes rolled back. And me. ¡°Oh, looks like there¡¯s one too many of us. Hmm¡­ I guess we¡¯ll leave out the unconscious guy and y with just the six of us!¡± Seto smiled sweetly, shaking the revolver that was still pointed at his temple. ¡°If it clicks, you live¡­ if the bullet fires, your head goes ''pop''!¡± He waved his hand beside his head, mimicking an explosion. ¡°And then we keep ying, until there¡¯s only one person left.¡± Seto shook withughter, his shoulders bouncing. ¡°Well? Doesn''t it sound like fun just thinking about it?¡± ¡°Don''t talk nonsense!¡± Professor Elisha shouted fiercely. ¡°You really think we''d y such a ridiculous ga¡ªugh!¡± ¡°Shh.¡± Seto grinned at me. ¡°Well? If the bullet fires on my turn, I¡¯ll let the rest of you live.¡± ¡°......¡± I narrowed my eyes. ¡°How do we decide the order?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°The order for shooting, how do we decide that?¡± ¡°Hahaha! Are you really going to y?¡± Seto burst outughing, clutching his stomach. ¡°The order is up to whoever wants to go first. But¡­.¡± He pointed the revolver at his temple and made a ¡°pow¡± sound with his mouth. ¡°The one who shoots gets to choose the next person. Of course, you can¡¯t pick someone who¡¯s already shot.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± I grabbed the revolver from Seto¡¯s hand. ¡°Then I''ll start.¡± ¡°Hmm. Are you shooting first because the odds are in your favor?¡± Seto frowned, disappointed. ¡°This is getting boring, but whatever. I always keep my word.¡± I raised the revolver to my temple and pulled the trigger. Click. A quiet metallic sound, followed by silence. ¡°The first round¡¯s a dud.¡± Seto grinned at me. ¡°Alright. Who¡¯s next?¡± Click. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Click. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Click. ¡°Hurry up and pick the next person!¡± Click. After pulling the trigger five times in a row, I handed the revolver back to Seto. ¡°You¡¯re next.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 118: Interlude - Madness [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 118: Interlude - Madness "¡­¡­." Inside the barrier made of blood-red mist. In the silence that fell like a curtain. "...Ha." A faint chuckle slipped out from the lips of Seto, the Archbishop of Madness. "Really? Did you really pull the trigger five times?" ¡°There was no rule saying I couldn¡¯t pull it multiple times on my own, was there?¡± "¡­¡­." Seto''s expression hardened. ¡®How?¡¯ He stared intently at the candidate before him as if unable to understand. Eyes calm, as though nothing had happened. His mind was filled with the question, ¡®How? How is there no sign of disturbance at all?¡¯ What Seto couldn¡¯tprehend wasn¡¯t that the candidate had pulled the trigger on his head five times in a row. He had seen many humans willing to sacrifice their lives to protect something precious. Parents throwing themselves in harm¡¯s way for their children, lovers facing death to save each other. He had even witnessed foolish humans who offered their lives for strangers they had never even met. ¡®But.¡¯ Even those people disyed some kind of emotion when faced with the proximity of death. Whether it was fear, relief... ¡®At the very least, they showed enjoyment.¡¯ Sometimes there were people like that. Humans who weed death instead. People who would smile brightly and spread their arms wide when death was near. ¡®But you... you¡¯re not even that.¡¯ Seto looked at Dale with trembling eyes. During those five trigger pulls... There wasn¡¯t a flicker of emotion in his eyes. As if he had multiple lives to spare. Calmly. Emotionlessly. He pulled the trigger. "...Ha, haha!" Seto burst outughing, clutching his stomach. He grinned widely, looking at Dale as if he couldn¡¯t contain his excitement. The ¡®true face¡¯ he saw behind his mask was... "You¡­ You¡¯re insane, aren¡¯t you?" Indeed, the word ¡®madness¡¯ suited him perfectly. Perhaps even more so than Seto himself, who was known as the Archbishop of Madness. ¡°Ahihi, ihihi! Ahahahaha!!! Yes, yes, yes! That¡¯s exactly it!¡± Seto jumped up and down like a child, spreading his arms wide. ¡°I just came here on a whim, and to think I¡¯d find someone crazier than me!¡± A shiver ran down his spine. His body trembled with excitement as euphoria filled him. "Yes, good. I''m satisfied." Seto nodded and snapped his fingers. Rumble. The blood-red mist that had surrounded them melted into the ground. "Hah! Hah, hah!" Cough, cough! ¡°Hah, hah¡­ Dale!¡± As the barrier disappeared, Yuren, Cami, and Iris, who had been crushed under Seto¡¯s pressure, gasped for breath. Yuren and Iris immediately rushed to Dale¡¯s side as soon as the barrier lifted. "Ugh..." Professor Elisha, who the blood-red mist had bound, was also freed and watched Seto with wary eyes. "Well then. See youter, Dale Han!" As Seto turned to leave through the entrance¡ª "Hey." A hand grabbed his shoulder. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You talk a big game, but now you¡¯re just going to run away?¡± "Wh-what?" I pulled Seto¡¯s shoulder, forcing him to face me. "Your turn." ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Seto stared at the revolver I held out with his mouth hanging open. "No, but¡­ didn¡¯t I just say I¡¯d let you all live?" ¡°Letting us live is one thing.¡± I aimed the gun at Seto¡¯s head. ¡°You should still fire a shot before you go. There''s one bullet left, isn¡¯t there?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want to, I can pull the trigger for you.¡± With the gun aimed at Seto¡¯s head, I pulled the trigger. Bang! The gunshot rang out, and Seto¡¯s head snapped back violently. KABOOOM!!! The demonic energy condensed in the bullet exploded. "Heh." A faint chuckle slipped out of Seto¡¯s mouth. As he raised his head again, a thin line of blood trickled down his forehead. ¡°Damn.¡± I had hoped, but as expected, the demonic energy in the bullet wasn¡¯t enough to blow Seto¡¯s head off. "Ha, haha! Ahahahahaha!!!" Seto burst intoughter, not even bothering to wipe the blood from his forehead. "Yes, yes, yes!!! That¡¯s it! This is exactly the kind of lunatic hero I was looking for!" Unlike the other heroes who trembled in fear when standing before him. This one was twisted. Out of ce. Broken beyond repair. "Haah. What should I do? I think I might fall for you." Seto licked his lips, breathing heavily with excitement. I furrowed my brow and shook my head. "I¡¯m not interested in guys." ¡°Really? Should I cut it off?¡± [PR/N: A femboy demon is not what i expected.] ¡°No.¡± Cut off what, you bastard? ¡°Hahaha! Just kidding!¡± Setoughed and shook his shoulders, leaning in close to me. ¡°Look forward to it, Dale.¡± He curled his lips into a savage grin, sticking out his tongue. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to kill you with my own hands.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Heh. A faint chuckle escaped me without realizing. ¡°Try it, then.¡± If you can. ¡°Hahaha! Yes, yes, that¡¯s the reaction I was hoping for!¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Setoughed in satisfaction and turned away. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m off! See you again, Dale!¡± He waved his hand wildly as he walked away, as if saying goodbye to a close friend. "¡­¡­." "¡­¡­." Once Seto had left, a heavy silence descended. But only for a moment. Sigh. Professor Elisha let out a deep sigh, shaking her head. ¡°¡­Dale, cadet.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have a private talkter.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Why? What did I do wrong? ¡°D-Dale, you¡­!¡± Yuren grabbed me by the cor, his eyes zing. ¡°Why did you do something so reckless?!¡± His voice trembled as if he was about to burst into tears, and his grip tightened on my cor. ¡°Five shots¡­ Five shots! What would you have done if it had actually fired?!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°What am I supposed to do if you die¡­?¡± Tears finally welled up in Yuren''s eyes. I looked at him and gave a bitter smile. ¡®Seems like it¡¯s about time to tell him.¡¯ The only people who knew about my "Blessing of Revival" were Iris and Professor Elisha. Yuren had no idea that I coulde back to life even if I died. ¡°I won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Even if the gun had fired and my head exploded, I would¡¯ve survived.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Yuren furrowed his brow as if he couldn¡¯t understand. I nced around. Aside from Albert, who was still unconscious, everyone else was staring at me. ¡°I have the Blessing of Revival.¡± ¡°The Blessing of¡­ Revival? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s easier to show you than to exin.¡± As I said that, I conjured a magic bullet beside my head. I fired the magic bullet straight at my temple. Puff. Along with the sensation of my head exploding, my vision went ck. ¡°¡­What?¡± Yuren¡¯s eyes widened in shock as he watched my head explode right in front of him. ¡°Wh-What are you doing, Dale?!¡± Even Cami, who had been silently watching, shouted in horror. And then¡ª Vroom! The Stigma engraved on my left chest glowed, and, apanied by gray ash, my head regenerated as if time had rewound. ¡°W-What?¡± ¡°What is this¡­?¡± Yuren and Cami stared, their mouths agape in shock. Even Iris and Professor Elisha, who already knew about my Blessing of Revival, were watching in stunned silence as my head was restored before their very eyes. ¡°See? This is the Blessing of Revival.¡± I casually tapped my fully regenerated head with my index finger. Cami, her eyes trembling, asked, ¡°So¡­ you cane back to life even if you die?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Over and over again?¡± I nodded instead of answering. ¡°Hah¡­ What the¡­?¡± Cami shook her head in disbelief. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Suddenly, Yuren let out a small exmation, as if something had dawned on him. ¡°So that¡¯s why you didn¡¯t die back then¡­¡± He must¡¯ve been thinking of the day I stormed into the Helios household alone. ¡°Anyway, I trusted in my blessing and pulled the trigger, so don¡¯t worry so much.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t worry?!¡± Iris came up to me, her face flushed with anger. ¡°Just because you won¡¯t die, you still feel all the pain! How can you say not to worry?¡± She frowned and smacked me on the back. Yuren nced at Iris, his expression tense. ¡°Iris, you knew? That Dale has the Blessing of Revival?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes, I knew.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± At her response, Yuren bit his lip. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t get a chance to.¡± It wasn¡¯t that I intended to keep it from Yuren. But¡ª ¡®Well, I didn¡¯t really have a reason to tell him unless I was going to die.¡¯ Lately, aside from magic training, there hadn¡¯t been any situations where I was at risk of dying, so I hadn¡¯t found an opportunity to mention it. ¡°Still, you could¡¯ve at least told me!¡± Yuren shouted, clearly upset that Iris had known while he hadn¡¯t. ¡°Alright, alright, let¡¯s cut the lovers¡¯ quarrel here.¡± Professor Elisha sighed and gently pushed Yuren aside. ¡°Candidate Dale, I need to talk to you briefly.¡± Professor Elisha led me behind the pile of rocks where we had been earlier. ¡°Phew. I don¡¯t even know where to begin¡­¡± Professor Elisha took out a cigarette and bowed her head slightly toward me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What kind of professor can¡¯t even protect their own student¡­? I¡¯m a failure as a teacher.¡± She bit her lip in self-reproach, her expression full of regret. I let out a small chuckle and shook my head. ¡°No one could¡¯ve predicted that the Archbishop of Madness would show up here.¡± She lit the cigarette with a small flicker of magic. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Professor Elisha took a silent drag from her cigarette. After a brief pause, she looked at me and asked, ¡°There¡¯s something I want to ask you.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Why did you pull the trigger?¡± ¡°Huh? Well, because I have the Blessing of Revival¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± She shook her head. ¡°What I¡¯m asking is why you pulled the trigger when the Archbishop of Madness said he was going to leave.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Did you know? That the Archbishop of Madness would actually wee your reckless action?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Was it your intention to make sure all of the Archbishop¡¯s attention would be focused on you?¡± Professor Elisha exhaled a cloud of smoke, her eyes dark and heavy as she looked at me. ¡°Candidate Dale¡­ are you, by any chance¡­¡± Her violet eyes glinted sharply. ¡°¡­from the future?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 119: Interlude – Private Conversation (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 119: Interlude ¨C Private Conversation (1) Had this been an ordinary educational institution, the semester would have ended immediately after the final exams, marking the beginning of vacation. But at Reynald Hero School, there was a unique two-week period called the "final evaluation period." Simply put, while the regr course had finished, students were expected to stay quietly at school and not go home or take vacations until the final evaluation results were announced. The reason for this rather inefficient system was simple. ¡®Well, it¡¯s not like the evaluations have fixed answers.¡¯ While party performance scores could be assessed based on the results alone, it took a long time to determine who performed better in terms of individual contribution to the party, which could grant extra points. It wasn''t just a matter of time either. Sometimes candidates had to be called in during the evaluation to give additional exnations about the situation, which is why the school had to keep them on campus. ¡®Thanks to that, this is the freest time of the semester.¡¯ The final exams were over, there were no sses, and during this final evaluation period, the students spent most of their time gathering in groups, nning what they would do over the break. ¡®As for me, I¡¯m actually d I can focus on training in peace.¡¯ Today, as usual, I woke up at 4 a.m., finished my mana training and basic physical exercises, and headed to Yuren''s personal training ground. Normally, I would¡¯ve warmed up with a sparring match against Yuren. ¡°¡­Yuren?¡± "......" Yuren turned his head sharply, as if he couldn¡¯t see me. His tightly shut lips and the cold, distant look in his eyes were radiating an aura that clearly said, "I''m angry." "I said I was sorry for not telling you in advance." I approached him with an awkward smile, and Yuren narrowed his eyes as he turned to face me. ¡°¡­I told you everything without hiding anything, Dale.¡± Yuren spoke with a sulky expression. "Dale, you hid the blessing from me. You only told Iris. You always do reckless things alone and only tell Iris. You tell the party to rely on each other, but when it¡¯s dangerous, you don¡¯t rely on anyone. You told only Iris." "......" Three out of the six reasons he''s angry seem to be the same thing. "Anyway! If you have a blessing like that, you should have told me beforehand!" I let out a bitter smile as I looked at Yuren, who shouted with his cheeks puffed up in frustration. "I''m sorry." "¡­Are you really sorry?" "Yeah." "So now there¡¯s nothing you¡¯re hiding from me?" "Well¡­." I trailed off, looking troubled, and Yuren''s expression hardened. I sighed and continued. "I can¡¯t tell you everything right now, but I promise that one day I¡¯ll tell you everything." ¡°¡­Before you tell Iris.¡± "Huh?" "When the timees, tell me before you tell Iris." "¡­¡­." I couldn''t help but chuckle at Yuren¡¯s yful nce as he folded his arms. "Alright." "Hmph, good. Then I¡¯ll forgive you for this time." Yuren awkwardly cleared his throat, covering his mouth with his hand as if to hide the grin creeping up his face. ¡°Ahem. But, in return for forgiving you, can you do me one favor?¡± "What favor?" "Wait here for a moment." Yuren hurriedly went into the locker room. I tilted my head, waiting for him, and soon the locker room door opened cautiously. And out came¡­ ¡°¡­Yurina?¡± "Ugh... It feels so weird with nothing between my legs." Yurina appeared, wearing an off-shoulder blouse and a flowing skirt. "That outfit¡­." "Yeah, it¡¯s the one we saw when we went to Valha City together." I knew I recognized it¡ªit was the one Yurina had been staring at nkly in the women¡¯s clothing section back then. "It¡¯s been trending among the female candidatestely, so I thought I¡¯d try it on¡­ How does it look?" Yurina twirled slightly, lifting the hem of her skirt as she turned towards me. Her fair shoulders peeking out above the blouse, her slightly exposed back, the bright-colored skirt, and the low-heeled shoes¡ªeverything about her look radiated charm. Even in ordinary training clothes, she had always looked stunning, but now with these clothes, I could feel my breath catch in my throat, sending a shock through my body. "It suits you well." I tried to hide my inner turmoil as much as possible and gave her a thumbs-up. "Hehe. Really?" "Yeah." "Thank goodness." Yurina smiled bashfully, cing her hand over her chest. My heart pounded as I felt the overwhelming charm that I had never experienced when Yuren was present. "So, what¡¯s the favor you wanted to ask?" I stammered as I nced away to avoid her gaze, and Yurina moved closer to me. "Shall we sit for a moment?" Yurina gently took my hand and led me to a chair in the corner of the training hall. We sat close enough that our shoulders almost touched. Yurina looked up at the ceiling with a soft smile on her face. "It feels like that day, doesn¡¯t it?" "¡­¡­." The day Yurina first revealed her true identity to me. Back then, she had pretended not to know me, hiding her real self. "It was obvious from the start." That kind of clumsy act couldn''t fool me after all the time I had spent with ¡°Yuren.¡± "¡­Hmm?" Now that I think about it. "Didn¡¯t you also hide your identity from me back then, Yurina?" "Huh?" "You hid who you were from me, so why¡­." "Ah, no! That¡¯s different!" "How is it different?" Isn''t it the same, in the sense that she also kept the truth hidden? "Uh¡­ Well, I mean¡­." Yurina, flustered, stumbled over her words before clenching her fists and shouting. "At least I was the first to get caught by you!" "¡­¡­." That doesn''t really seem like an important distinction. "Anyway! No changing the subject all of a sudden!" As soon as the conversation took a turn that wasn¡¯t to her liking, Yurina crossed her arms in an ¡°X¡± and puffed out her cheeks. I chuckled at her stubbornness and nodded. "Alright, alright. So, what¡¯s this favor you¡¯re asking for?" "My favor is..." Yurina suddenly leaned her head toward me. "Can you... pat my head?" "...Pat your head?" "Yeah." Yurina shyly averted her gaze, her cheeks slightly flushed. "Uh, is that not okay?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "No, well... it''s not like I can''t." Now that I think about it, I¡¯d heard a simr request from her before. ¡®Does she like having her head patted?¡¯ It was something I never saw in her previous life. Or rather, something she must have hidden. The true face concealed behind the facade of "Yuren," the Sun. ¡®After all, a person¡¯s true face isn¡¯t always something ugly.¡¯ I shook away the image of Seto that had popped into my mind and slowly reached out to pat her head. "Mmm." Her soft silver hair slipped through my fingers. As I gently moved my hand down, it felt like I was stroking fine silk, a glossy sheen evident. "Like this?" "Y-Yeah." Yurina closed her eyes as if savoring the sensation of my hand. I continued patting her head until she seemed satisfied. "Fuu~." "Shall I stop now?" "J-Just a bit more." Yurina slightly opened her eyes, grabbing onto my sleeve as I was about to pull away. "Just a little more... please." "......" This feels like cheating. Sigh. Barely controlling my thumping heart, I reluctantly took my hand off her head. "...Ah." Yurina sighed in disappointment, her eyes following my retreating hand. "That¡¯s enough for today." "Tch." "I¡¯ll do it again next time." "Mm... promise?" Yurina smiled sweetly. Avoiding her gaze, I awkwardly cleared my throat. "By the way, you mentioned the Archbishop of Madness, right? The one who attacked us, that little brat." "Oh, yeah." "...They said they¡¯re going to kill Dale." Yurina¡¯s eyes shed with fury, her teeth grinding in anger. Suddenly, a suffocating surge of immense mana poured out from her, shaking the entire training ground as if an earthquake had struck. "That brat... I won¡¯t let them get away with it." Yurina¡¯s body began to glow in silver light. It was a characteristic that appeared when she used the "Blessing of the Moonlight." ¡®What in the world?¡¯ I widened my eyes at the mana radiating from Yurina. I¡¯d always known her mana capacity was immense, but now it was growing to a level that even words like ¡°immense¡± seemed inadequate. ¡®It¡¯s not like she just chugged down a bunch of mana potions¡­ what¡¯s going on?¡¯ As I stood there, mouth agape at the sudden and inexplicable surge in her magic, I realized I still hadn¡¯t asked her about the condition under which her "Blessing of the Moonlight" activated. "Come to think of it, what¡¯s the condition for activating that Blessing of the Moonlight?" If it¡¯s not some magical potion, the only exnation for this sudden increase in power would be a blessing. "That¡¯s..." For a moment, Yurina flinched, her shoulders trembling as she trailed off. She let out a small cough before quickly turning her head and standing up. "It¡¯s a secret." "Hey, didn¡¯t you say you weren¡¯t hiding anything from me earlier?" "Well, Dale, you still have things you¡¯re hiding from me too, don¡¯t you? I should be allowed at least one secret." Yurina shed me a mischievous smile, shrugging her shoulders. "I¡¯ll be quick and change clothes, then let¡¯s start training again. Lately, I¡¯ve been focusing on controlling mana more finely¡­ and you¡¯re good at that, right?" "Well, that¡¯s the one thing I¡¯m confident about." In my previous life, the only thing I surpassed Yuren in was fine-tuning magic. "Is it because of the feedback you got from Professor Elisha?" "Yeah. That¡¯s part of it¡­ But honestly, my mana has been increasing so muchtely that it¡¯s hard to control it." "......" "Uh, why are you giving me that scary look?" This must be what it feels like when someone close to you says, ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve just got too much moneytely¡­ how should I spend it?¡± and asks for advice. Even though I knew she didn¡¯t mean any harm, I couldn¡¯t help but feel an urge to lightly smack Yurina on the head. "Sigh. Never mind." I shook my head and stood up. "Alright, I¡¯ll push you hard in training, so hurry and change your clothes..." Beep beep- Just as I was about to continue the training session with Yurina, a clear bell sound echoed, and the Hero Watch on my wrist lit up. I checked the message on the Hero Watch and let out a small, bitter smile. "Sorry. Training will have to wait." "Why? Who¡¯s contacting you?" "Professor Elisha." "...Why would Professor Elisha call for you? It¡¯s the end-of-term evaluation period, and all the professors are super busy." "Well¡­" I let out a quiet sigh and turned toward the entrance of the training ground. "It¡¯s a personal meeting." There was still unfinished business between me and Professor Elisha. Something I hadn¡¯t told anyone yet. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 120: Private Conversation (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 120: Private Conversation (2) Knock, knock. I stood in front of Professor Elisha''s office and carefully knocked on the door. "Come in." A voice responded from inside. Slowly, I opened the office door. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived.¡± As the door opened, I saw Professor Elisha, dressed in her usual ck suit, sitting with her long legs crossed and a cigarette between her lips. ¡°Sit. I¡¯ll get you something to drink.¡± Elisha stood up, putting out her cigarette in the ashtray, and walked over to the shelf, ncing back at me. ¡°Whiskey? Wine?¡± ¡°Isn''t it usually coffee or tea in these situations?¡± ¡°The only non-alcoholic drink worth consuming is water.¡± ¡°That sounds like something an alcoholic would say.¡± ¡°Haha, don¡¯t worry. Heroes can¡¯t get addicted to alcohol anyway.¡± As she said, heroes have much stronger immunity than normal people, so no matter how much alcohol they consume, they don''t get addicted. "Being a hero does sound a bit overpowered when you think about it." Praise the Stigma. ¡°Then, whiskey it is.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Professor Elisha filled a ss with ice and poured the whiskey, bringing it over. As I took a sip, the oak aroma hit my nose along with the intense alcohol burn. It was a taste unfamiliar to me, someone who usually only drank cheap beer. ¡°Hmm.¡± I stroked my chin, pretending to savor the vor with my eyes closed. In truth, I couldn¡¯t really distinguish whiskey tastes, but as a man, I wanted to act like I could. ¡°The first taste brings a strong oak aroma. Then, a sweet vani scent lingers in the mouth, and finally, a subtle woody aftertaste. This must be some high-quality whiskey¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a cheap 27-gold whiskey from the convenience store.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± Well, if you were going to give me some, at least make it good¡­! ¡°Haha, I didn¡¯t know you had such an adorable side, Cadet Dale.¡± Professor Elisha chuckled as she tipped her ss. ¡°So, then.¡± Clink. She set the ss down and her violet eyes gleamed. ¡°Can I finally get an answer to the question I asked you before?¡± ¡°Before I answer, may I ask why you came to that conclusion?¡± ¡°Hm. Why I came to that conclusion, huh¡­¡± Professor Elisha leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. ¡°As I said before, Cadet Dale, you are too strong. Almost excessively so.¡± ¡°You suspect I came from the future just because I¡¯m strong?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s not the only reason.¡± She shook her head slightly. ¡°There are other strong individuals, like Cadet Yuren and your Senior Aaron from the fourth year, who are as strong as you, if not stronger. They''re also considered ''beyond normal standards.''¡± However¡ª Professor Elisha narrowed her eyes. ¡°Cadet Dale, you are¡­ different. There¡¯s something about you. A sort of seasoned experience. It¡¯s embarrassing to admit, but when the Archbishop of Madness attacked, yourposure was far superior to mine.¡± She pulled out another cigarette and lit it. ¡°And that wasn¡¯t the only time. During the midterm evaluation, when the rogue demonic beasts broke into the test grounds, and when Bishop Harris set traps in the vige, it was the same.¡± You never panicked. You immediately reacted, as if you had dealt with these situations many times before. ¡°While it might be easy to dismiss your incredible strength as just pure talent, as you said, just because something hasn¡¯t happened before doesn¡¯t mean it won¡¯t happen in the future.¡± She sighed, and the end of her cigarette glowed red. ¡°But the seasoned way you handle yourself can¡¯t be exined by talent or hard work alone.¡± So, that''s how she arrived at the conclusion that I was from the future. ¡°Haha.¡± I let out a bitterugh, wiping my face. I downed the whiskey and spoke. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I am from the future.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± She seemed genuinely surprised by my answer, as if she hadn¡¯t expected me to confirm it. ¡°... Are you serious?¡± ¡°You were the one who asked, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elisha pressed her hand to her forehead, clearly confused. ¡°Is it because of the ''two forces'' sleeping inside you?¡± ¡°Probably. But I don¡¯t know for sure.¡± I smiled bitterly and shook my head. Elisha tapped the ash off her cigarette and asked. ¡°If you really are from the future, how far into the future are you from?¡± ¡°How far into the future¡­?¡± Well. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been too long to keep count.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°Thest time I counted was around 7,000 years, so... it could be over 10,000 years now. And that¡¯s not counting the time after that.¡± ¡°W-wait. 7,000 years? 10,000 years? What are you even talking about?¡± Professor Elisha stood up, staring at me with wide, bewildered eyes. I leaned back in my chair, tapping my left chest lightly. ¡°You know, don¡¯t you? That I have the ''Blessing of Revival.''¡± ¡°¡­No way.¡± Her face went pale. ¡°You mean¡­ it stops not only death¡­ but also aging?¡± ¡°Aging is just another form of death, isn¡¯t it?¡± I nodded calmly. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Professor Elisha stared at me with a rigid expression. Her lips trembled a bit before she finally squeezed out a shaky question. ¡°... Can you tell me? About the future¡­ or rather, your past life?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story. Are you sure?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± She nodded and sat back down. ¡°Hoo. Where should I even begin¡­¡± I took a deep breath and began my story. From graduating as thest-ranked hero and bing a bottom-tier mercenary. From spending ten years in mercenary work before forming a party with Yuren, Iris, Berald, and Senior Sophia. Bing one of the ¡®Final Five Heroes,¡¯ humanity¡¯sst hope. The final battle with the Demon God and being left alone in the world. Then wandering the continent for thousands of years in search of the Primordial me. All the things that only I knew. The stories I had kept hidden. The tales I had never shared with anyone before. ¡°¡­And that¡¯s it.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] By the time my long story came to an end, darkness had already fallen outside the window. Clink. I emptied my whiskey ss, not even knowing how many rounds I had drunk at this point. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Professor Elisha stared at me in silence. I could see her violet eyes trembling slightly. "Cadet Dale..." She bit her lips gently before continuing to speak. "Just how... how horrifying of a life have you endured?" Tears welled up in Professor Elisha''s eyes. Her usually stoic face, so cold it seemed like not even a drop of blood would spill if pricked, was now twisted in sorrow. I let out a bitterugh and shook my head. "It''s nothing. After all, it''s already... all in the past." ''All in the past?'' A voice echoed in my head. So familiar. My own voice. "......." Suddenly. My vision shifted. Before me, a snow-white wastnd spread out. A raging snowstorm. White breaths escaped from between my lips. Feet sinking deep into snow up to my knees. An overwhelming silence, like a veil had descended. Pure white. A world so white. "...Ah." Is it really nothing? Is it really all in the past? ''No.'' That can''t be. There''s no way. "Ah... ugh." "Cadet Dale...?" It rushed in. The forgotten memories, the suppressed emotions. Like a broken dam, it all came flooding out. "I was... so lonely." A fragment of my overflowing emotions escaped from between my lips. "So lonely it felt like I was dying... but I couldn''t die... No matter how much I endured, endured, endured, endured, and endured again, it never ended..." I poured out the emotions I had suppressed. "I knew it was a hallucination, but like an idiot, Iughed and chatted... repeating the same conversations hundreds, no, thousands of times over..." "Cadet Dale." "But even then... it never ended...! No matter how much I smashed my head, cut my throat, tore out my heart, burned my body! No matter what I did, I just kepting back...!" "Cadet Dale!" Professor Elisha grabbed my shoulders. My vision blinked, and the snowy wastnd reverted back to the familiar scene of her office. "...Are you feeling a bit better now?" "Haah, haah..." I panted, gulping down my dry saliva. "I''m sorry. I lost control for a moment." "......." "Well, it''s gettingte, so I''ll take my leave." Creak. I stood up and turned to leave as if fleeing. Then. "Cadet Dale." Professor Elisha pulled me back and pressed her lips against mine. A soft sensation transmitted through my lips. Our tongues intertwined. "...Feeling a bit better now?" After a brief kiss, Professor Elisha cupped my cheeks in her hands and asked. "......." I touched my lips, feeling the lingering warmth, and let out a smallugh. "You taste like cigarettes." "Hmph. That''s not something you say to someone you just kissed." Professor Elisha smiled faintly and gently embraced me. Pat, pat. She patted my back, as ifforting a crying child. "Sorry for making you remember what you''d forgotten." "......." "Hmm, by the way..." Professor Elisha, who had been deep in thought, snapped her fingers with a sparkle in her eye. "That means, in essence, you''re thousands of years old, aren''t you, Cadet Dale?" "Well... if you count past lives, I guess so." Though, to be honest, I didn''t really feel like I''d aged. If aging meant gaining maturity through experience, all I had in that snowy wastnd was endless loneliness and istion. "Hmm. Hmmm. Hmmmm." "...What is it?" "Hehe. That means you''re technically older than me, isn''t it?" With an excited expression, Professor Elisha''s violet eyes gleamed. I stifled augh as I looked at her. "Does it really matter who''s older?" "It does." Professor Elisha grinned and perched herself on the table, crossing her legs. "From now on, I''ll call you ''Dale Oppa.''" "......." "Dale Oppa." Why is it, I wonder. Even though she was calling me by a term that most guys dream of hearing, one that ranks high on the list of desired nicknames... Instead of a sweet thrill, I felt a strange difort, like bugs crawling on my skin. "Professor Elisha." "Hehe, what is it, Dale Oppa?" "......." I shook my head and let out a deep sigh. "It doesn''t suit you." "...Tsk." And so, my private (and somewhat intimate?) meeting with Professor Elisha ended. Along with a subtle feeling of relief settling in my heart. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 121: Extreme Situation (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 121: Extreme Situation (1) A training ground so vast that the term ¡°personal training area¡± hardly fits. I stood alone in the center of the wide training ground, cing my hand over my chest. A mana bullet, smaller than a grain of sand, forms in my bloodstream. The mana bullet, carried by my blood flow, enters my heart and explodes inside it. Thud. The sound of my heart being crushed. A dull sensation, as if a blunt object struck my chest, and the pain spreads throughout my body. My vision flickers into darkness, and strength leaves my body. But only for a moment. Wooooooong! My Stigma emits light, and my shattered heart regenerates back to its original form. Haa. A breath escapes my lips, mixed with ash. ¡°ze.¡± With a low incantation, my entire body is engulfed in a faint me. Ash-gray smoke billows from my pores, covering the surroundings. Ignition. A technique that triggers the primordial me through my "death," allowing me to gain immense power temporarily. ¡°Haa.¡± Breathing out a sigh mixed with ashes, I grip my sword. Whoosh! Ashen mes coil around the de, burning fiercely. Only a few seconds had passed since I had ignited the Ashen mes, yet I could already feel the mana inside the stigma rapidly depleting. I gripped the sword tightly and swung it violently into the air. Ashen me Sword, First Form. Ashen Severance. The sword, enveloped in Ashen mes, fiercely shed through the air. Boom! The entire training ground trembled from the mere shockwave created by the swing. ¡°Next¡­¡± Letting the sword hang down, I conjured a mana de in the air. To be precise, it was not a mana ¡®bullet,¡¯ but a de made of pure mana. Whoosh! Ashen mes surrounded the mana de as it burned. Ashen me Sword, Second Form. me de. The mana de, wrapped in Ashen mes, swept through the surroundings with ferocity. Snap. With a light snap of my fingers, the mana de floating in the air dispersed. ¡°And now, thest one.¡± It¡¯s a technique I¡¯ve learned recently, and I¡¯m still not very skilled at it. Whoosh! The Ashen mes that had been coiling around the sword gathered at the tip of the de. As the Ashen mes concentrated at the tip, they absorbed the surrounding ash particles, growing in size. The Ashen me at the tip of the sword burned fiercely as if it would devour everything around it. Ashen me Sword, Third Form. Inferno Spear. Just before the concentrated Ashen me could be unleashed. Beep! Beep! [Warning.] [An anomaly has been detected in the shock absorption barrier.] A loud rm rang out, and the inside of the training ground shed red. ¡®And I haven¡¯t even fired it yet.¡¯ I frowned and dispersed the concentrated Ashen mes at the tip of the sword. ¡°Phew.¡± I slowly exhaled and returned my sword to its sheath. Checking the mana within the stigma, I saw it was almost depleted. ¡®These techniques certainly consume a lot of mana.¡¯ Both Ashen Severance and me de require a significant amount of mana, but the new technique I¡¯ve been practicing, Inferno Spear, consumes even more. Ssszzzz! The sound of burning flesh apanied the rapid recovery of my depleted mana. ¡®In the ignition state, mana keeps regenerating, so it''s somewhat usable, but in normal circumstances, it¡¯s hard to maintain.¡¯ I frowned as I looked down at my body, enveloped in a faint me. ¡®Not enough.¡¯ I recalled the memory of facing the Archbishop of Madness just a few days ago. A suffocating pressure that made it hard to breathe just by looking at him. Although I hadn¡¯t actually fought him, I knew for certain that even with the Ignition state, he was a difficult opponent. ¡°To fight that brat¡­¡± Closing my eyes tightly, I traced back further into the past. To the time when I fought the Archbishop of Illusions, Astaroth, during the Sealing Festival. -Do you have no sense of restraint?! How is this even remotely fair?! mes fiercely coiling around me. Infinite mana surging without end. For the first time, I could freely unleash all my techniques without the shackles of "mana," and with just a wave of my hand, everything around me turned into a sea of fire. ¡®Indeed, I need the Avatar state.¡¯ Just remembering the time when the primordial me engulfed my entire body and granted me infinite mana sent shivers down my spine. If I could control that power freely, I could easily trample the Archbishop of Madness. ¡°The problem is, I have no idea how to enter that state.¡± I sighed, frowning. I had tried countless methods to re-enter the Avatar state, but nothing had worked. ¡®Simply dying multiple times didn¡¯t trigger it.¡¯ It had been confirmed through numerous trials that the primordial me responds to my ¡®death.¡¯ Even though I kept creating mana bullets to blow up my heart, the primordial me didn¡¯t engulf my entire body as it did back then. ¡°There must be some condition besides just dying¡­¡± I narrowed my eyes, lost in thought. Looking back at the situation from that time, there was only one usible hypothesis. ¡°¡­It was an extreme situation.¡± The tension that made my heart feel like it would explode. The desperation that felt like it was choking me. The hostile pressure that weighed heavily on me, and the agony that made every cell in my body feel crushed. ¡®It¡¯s true; you can¡¯t feel those emotions by repeatedly dying alone in a room.¡¯ Even though it''s the same stimulus, the sensation differs between massaging your own shoulders and having someone else do it for you. Likewise, even if it¡¯s the same "death," the feeling changes dramatically depending on who is experiencing it. "In other words... I need to experience a proper ''death'' to recreate a simr situation to back then..." The problem was that I''d be too strong recently, so dying had be nearly impossible. Of course, if I really wanted to, I could ask someone to kill me, but that wouldn¡¯t be much different from taking my own life. ¡°Sigh.¡± In the end, it meant that I¡¯d have to throw myself into some extreme situation, like jumping into a fire while carrying oil on my back. ¡®That¡¯s easier said than done.¡¯ If extreme situations were that easy to create, they wouldn¡¯t be called "extreme." And the thing about extreme situations is that what qualifies as one varies from person to person. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] For one person, encountering a stray dog while walking down the street might feel like an extreme situation. For another, a bug bite might seem like an extreme event. Or someone else might think it¡¯s an extreme situation when their mom barges into their room while they''reforting themselveste at night. ¡®I think I¡¯d feel that was extreme too, to be honest.¡¯ Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have a mom who¡¯d barge into my room at night. Anyway. With my immortal body, it was hard for me to feel anything was extreme unless it was a truly dangerous situation. "There is a way, though." As I slowlybed through memories of my past life, I frowned. There was indeed a method to push myself into an "extreme" situation, but it was a risky gamble. ¡®Still, do I have any other choice?¡¯ With a deep sigh, I stepped out of the training hall. Just like you need chips to gamble, there was something I needed in order to carry out the n forming in my mind. * * * ¡°¡­You¡¯re asking for a leave permit?¡± Inside Professor Lucas¡¯s office. Professor Lucas, who looked utterly exhausted from staying up all night grading final exams, frowned at me. "Don¡¯t you know candidates aren¡¯t allowed to leave during the final evaluation period?" "That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking if you could do something about that." To go off-campus during finals week, I needed a leave permit from the professor in charge. "Didn¡¯t Professor Elisha already finish grading our party¡¯s evaluations?" "Still, rules are rules. I can¡¯t issue a leave permit during the final evaluation period." Professor Lucas shook his head firmly. "How about something Professor Bianca might like...?" "No way. I said no." "Tsk." Clicking my tongue at his unyielding attitude, I sighed. There was always the option of sneaking out of the academy since there were no more sses. ¡®But if I get caught, it¡¯ll be straight to disciplinary action.¡¯ I¡¯d gone through the trouble of getting first ce in the finals, and I didn¡¯t want to blow it with a punishment. ¡®Maybe I should just goter.¡¯ There was no guarantee that even if I went, I¡¯d find any clues about the Avatar state. It wasn¡¯t worth forcing my way out for something so uncertain, so I was about to give up when¡ª Click. The office door opened, and a sleek woman in a ck suit walked in. ¡°Interesting conversation you¡¯re having.¡± Hearing our exchange, Professor Elisha strode in with a glint in her eye. ¡°¡­What brings you here?¡± Professor Lucas scowled at her intrusion. She chuckled, tapping the stack of graded papers on Lucas¡¯s desk. ¡°I¡¯ve finished my work, and I heard my adorable junior has been burning the midnight oil grading exams, so I thought I¡¯d lend a hand.¡± ¡°Oh! In that case, could you grade ss B¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°On second thought, I¡¯ve changed my mind.¡± ¡°What?¡± Professor Lucas stared nkly. Professor Elisha nced my way before continuing. ¡°I overheard that Cadet Dale was asking for a leave permit.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. But as per the rules, cadets aren¡¯t allowed to leave during the finals.¡± ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s strange¡­¡± She stroked her chin, a smirk ying at the corner of her lips. ¡°As far as I remember, there was a cadet who snuck out during finals week to buy a gift for a female cadet he liked.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Professor Lucas froze. ¡°Now, what was his name again¡­¡± ¡°S-Senior!¡± Bang! Professor Lucas mmed the table and shot to his feet. Professor Elisha smiled slyly, turning to him. ¡°You can issue the leave permit, right?¡± ¡°Grr¡­¡± With a groan, Lucas lowered his head and opened a drawer, scribbling out a leave permit and throwing it to me. ¡°As expected, Lucas is a good junior who listens to his seniors.¡± Elisha smiled in satisfaction and nced at me. ¡°Does this work for you, Cadet Dale?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Surprised by her unexpected help, I grabbed the leave permit with a slightly dazed expression. I thought I could now carry out my n without any worries when¡ª ¡°But¡­ it wouldn¡¯t be fair to give special treatment to just one cadet, would it?¡± She crossed her arms and stroked her chin thoughtfully. ¡°Hmm. I¡¯ve got a good idea.¡± ¡°¡­A good idea?¡± ¡°If you leave under the pretext of helping a professor with an external task, it won¡¯t cause any issues, will it?¡± Her eyes gleamed with a hint of excitement. ¡°In that sense, Cadet Dale.¡± She lightly tugged at my tie, running her tongue over her lips as if savoring the idea. ¡°Why don¡¯t you apany me?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 122: Extreme Situation (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 122: Extreme Situation (2) The Next Day. After getting ready to go out, I arrived at the meeting spot and waited for Professor Elisha. I sat in the shade for about ten minutes to avoid the scorching summer sun. Vroooom. With the sound of an engine, Professor Elisha¡¯s magic vehicle pulled up in front of me. The window rolled down, and Professor Elisha, wearing sunsses, waved casually. ¡°Have you been waiting long?¡± ¡°No, I just got here ten minutes ago myself.¡± ¡°Get in.¡± After loading my luggage into the back seat, I got into the passenger seat. ¡°You don¡¯t have much stuff.¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯re not going far.¡± Besides, once you enter ¡®there,¡¯ most of the stuff you bring from outside bes useless. ¡°By the way, I don¡¯t think you told me where we¡¯re going.¡± ¡°You agreed toe with me without even knowing where we¡¯re headed?¡± ¡°Haha, I owe you quite a bit, Cadet Dale.¡± Seeing Professor Elisha shrug her shoulders nonchntly, I held back a smallugh. ¡°Well¡­ once we get there, you¡¯ll recognize it, Professor Elisha.¡± After all, it was a ce we visited just a few days ago. ¡°Hmm, alright. So, where do I go?¡± ¡°Just keep going straight this way.¡± And so, we headed to the destination in Professor Elisha¡¯s magic vehicle. About twenty minutester, we arrived at a small mountain not far from the school. ¡°This ce¡­¡± ¡°Do you recognize it?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this the mountain with the entrance to the underground ruins beneath the school?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The underground ruins beneath the school, where the final evaluation was held, were vast enough to resemble an underground city. The entrance was inside this mountain. ¡®Most candidates don¡¯t know about this entrance since we used a warp gate during the exam.¡¯ Now that the exam was over, and all the warp gates had been retrieved, we had no choice but to enter through this entrance. ¡°You mentioned creating an extreme situation, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± ¡°¡­But why are we here? The guardian golems have been removed, so it¡¯s probably empty.¡± The enormous underground ruins beneath the Hero Academy. Thanks to its vast andplex structure, it was used for final evaluations and various practical training. Normally, the ruins were empty. ¡°I don¡¯t think the extreme situation you¡¯re aiming for, Dale candidate, will happen here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Our destination is even ¡®lower¡¯ than this.¡± ¡°¡­Lower?¡± Professor Elisha squinted at me, as if wondering what kind of nonsense I was spouting. ¡°Have you heard the rumor that the Demon God is sealed beneath the Hero Academy?¡± ¡°Of course, I have.¡± Everyone on the continent knew that the school was built on thend where the Demon God was sealed by the Sword of the Sun, Reynald, 500 years ago. ¡°Then, do you know exactly how far below the demon god is buried?¡± ¡°Well¡­ it must be deep enough that no human could reach it.¡± Though it was widely known that the Five Great Heroes sealed the demon god here, no one knew exactly where. It was only said that the demon god was sealed in an ¡®abyss¡¯ unreachable by humans. ¡°The sixth floor.¡± ¡°The sixth floor¡­?¡± ¡°And this ruin is the ¡®first floor¡¯ of that so-called abyss where the demon god is sealed.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Professor Elisha¡¯s eyes widened, her mouth agape. ¡°W-Wait. What did you just say? This ruin is the ¡®abyss¡¯ where the demon god is sealed?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you find it strange?¡± I nced around at the vast underground ruins that resembled an underground city. The area was muchrger than the entire school above it. ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange that such an enormous ruin is directly beneath the school?¡± The Demon God sealed beneath the school. The enormous underground ruins located right below it. It wasn¡¯t hard to draw a meaningful connection between the two. ¡°Many heroes over the past 500 years have imed something simr to what you¡¯re suggesting, Dale. But in all that time, no passage to the ¡®lower¡¯ levels of this ruin has ever been discovered.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because there isn¡¯t one.¡± I shrugged and nodded. ¡°There¡¯s no physical passage leading further down.¡± ¡°¡­Are you ying word games with me?¡± Professor Elisha red at me with fierce eyes. I chuckled softly and shook my head. ¡°No. What I mean is that there is no physical passage.¡± ¡°No physical passage¡­?¡± Professor Elisha narrowed her eyes. ¡°How did we enter this ruin during the final evaluation?¡± ¡°¡­Are you saying there¡¯s a warp to the lower levels?¡± ¡°Yes. But first, we have to activate the hidden magic circle within the ruin to enable the warp.¡± ¡°Hah.¡± Professor Elisha rubbed her forehead, letting out a hollowugh. ¡°How could no one know about this for 500 years?¡± It wasn¡¯t as though this ce was apletely hidden area. For 500 years, hundreds and thousands of candidates had taken exams and undergone practical training here. There was even a holographic map of the ruins that could be seen using the Hero Watch. It was hard to believe that a warp no one knew about had existed for 500 years. Even though she knew I was a ¡®regressor,¡¯ it was hard to ept. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not surprising. The information about the ¡®abyss¡¯ was intentionally erased.¡± ¡°Erased? By whom?¡± ¡°Who do you think?¡± I pointed to the ceiling of the underground ruins. More precisely, to the Hero Academy above it. ¡°The ones who sealed the Demon God.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying the Five Great Heroes hid the information about the abyss?¡± ¡°Why would they let that kind of information spread? It wouldn¡¯t do any good.¡± ¡°Hmm. That does make sense.¡± Professor Elisha stroked her chin and nodded. From their perspective, spreading information about the abyss wouldn¡¯t have been beneficial at all. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get going.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± Professor Elisha nodded heavily and followed behind me. The ce I headed to was the center of the ruins. It wasn¡¯t a maze-like area blocked by towering rocks but a wide, open space. "Here it is." "¡­Is there really a magic circle hidden here?" Professor Elisha frowned as she surveyed the surroundings. Her violet eyes gleamed as her ck, vertically slit pupils emerged, shimmering with insight. "Tsk." As expected. Even with her "Blessing of Insight," there was nothing that looked like a magic circle around. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Haha. If it were a magic circle that could be revealed by the Blessing of Insight, it would¡¯ve been discovered ages ago." "Tch." Her Blessing of Insight was incredibly effective when it came to examining living beings or inner aspects, but it wasn¡¯t very useful in finding hidden magic circles like this. ''Magic circles don¡¯t have bodily fluids, after all.'' The true power of her Blessing of Insight only manifested when she directly absorbed the bodily fluids of her target. "Please step back for a moment." I ced my hand on the ground of the ruins and slowly let my mana flow into it. It was my first time activating a warp connected to the ''Abyss,'' but I didn''t think I''d fail. ''This magic circle¡¯s core structure is based on the Sage''s three unsolvable problems.'' And I had already solved all but one of those problems. Woooong! A magic circle that had been invisible until now began to emit light, causing the ruins to vibrate. Complex patterns of magic intertwined in the air, swirling around. It was a scene as if letters from a book had detached and were floating freely in the air. Ziiiiing. Blue glowing strings of text gathered in one spot, forming a warp gate. "There, now you can enter." "Huh¡­." Professor Elisha chuckled dryly, staring at the warp gate that had formed almost too easily. "Will this warp gate remain open?" "No. It will automatically close in about three days." After that, it would take at least a month to reopen the warp gate. "Let¡¯s go." I slowly stepped into the warp gate. Professor Elisha nodded and followed behind me. Wooooong! With a floating sensation, my vision flickered. "So¡­ this is the Abyss." Professor Elisha squinted as she surveyed the surroundings. A barrenndscape of ashen rocks and dry earth bathed in a faint reddish light unfolded before our eyes. "Yes. This is the second floor." "¡­Cadet Dale." As she looked around, Professor Elisha¡¯s face hardened. "There¡¯s a demonic beast." A tall, ashen rock. From behind it, a demonic beast ambled out. "Screeeee! Squeak." The demonic beast had the appearance of a rat, only a hundred times bigger. Its massive head was adorned with eight pairs of eyes glowing ominously. "Screeeeeeech!" Boom! Boom! Boom! The ground shook as the demonic beast charged toward us. "Bind it." Professor Elisha swiftly unleashed dozens of silver threads that wrapped around the demonic beast''s body. "Screeeee!" The demonic beast thrashed violently, struggling against the silver threads. I kicked off the ground and rushed toward the demonic beast. Crash! Leaping high into the air, I flipped and brought my heel down on the demonic beast''s crown. Berald¡¯s Martial Arts. Thunderous Strike. Crack! The sound of bones shattering echoed as one of the demonic beast''s eyes popped out and rolled across the ground. "Hmph." Professor Elisha grimaced as she stared at the dead demonic beast¡¯s crushed head. "An 8-eyed demonic beast as soon as we arrive¡­." Though we handled it easily, that was only because both she and I were abnormally strong heroes; the demonic beast itself wasn¡¯t weak by any means. "No need to be surprised. This is just how it is here." The demonic beasts that lived in the Abyss, influenced by the Demon God, were far stronger than the ones on the surface on average. "A ce where 8-eyed demonic beasts roam around like stray dogs." "¡­¡­." Professor Elisha was silent, her lips tightly pressed together, perhaps too exhausted to even chuckle. "Indeed¡­ If it''s here, you might experience the ''extreme situations'' you mentioned, Cadet Dale." "No. This isn¡¯t the ce I intended to go." "¡­This isn¡¯t the ce?" "The third floor." I raised three fingers. "My destination is one level lower." "¡­¡­." Professor Elisha¡¯s expression darkened. If I had to describe the emotion on her face, it would be something like¡­ ''Should I have note along?'' That would be about right. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 123: Extreme Situation (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 123: Extreme Situation (3) After defeating the attacking demonic beasts, we arrived on the third floor. Despite descending deeper underground, the third floor was filled with even brighter light than the floors above. The entire area was bathed in a deep orange glow, as if we had stepped outside at the peak of a sunset. "...This ce is unpleasant." Professor Elisha frowned as she looked at the orange-tingedndscape around her. It wasn¡¯t the picturesque sunset one might see on a resort beach. The sky looked more like the scene after a massive wildfire. The dark storm clouds mixing with the flickering mes in the sky made it seem like we were witnessing the end of the world, just like in the scriptures of the Church of the Seven Stars. "Candidate Dale, have you been here in a past life?" "Yes." I nodded quietly before continuing. "This is where I fought my final battle against the Demon God." "......" "Well, technically, it was a bit lower." Professor Elisha stared at me with a hardened expression. "What kind of being was the Demon God?" "I don¡¯t know." "You don¡¯t know?" Professor Elisha furrowed her brows. "But didn¡¯t you say you fought your final battle against the Demon God?" "Yes, I did. But... calling it a ¡®final battle¡¯ sounds grand, though in truth, it was a rather one-sided fight." I smiled bitterly as I recalled that battle. My memory of it was foggy, as if looking through a misted window. Still, I tried my best to picture the Demon God in my mind. A ck figure. A body so massive, it seemed to have no end. Eyes burning with a crimson me. "Professor Elisha, if you were to fight a typhoon, a tsunami, or an earthquake, would you be able to understand ¡®what kind of being¡¯ your opponent is?" "That¡¯s..." "The Demon God was like that." I wasn¡¯t even sure if it could be called a sentient being. I never spoke to the Demon God, nor did I even exchange nces with it. It was more like a machine, carrying out its orders. The Demon God existed solely to destroy, spreading endless ruin to annihte the world. "I don¡¯t know about other gods, but the Demon God I faced wasn¡¯t a ¡®god¡¯ at all¡ªmore like a natural disaster." "...I see." Professor Elisha nodded, her eyes weighed down by heavy thoughts as she gazed at Dale. Imagining the desperate battles he must have faced in his previous life made her feel as though she had swallowed a stone. "A backseat hero, wasn¡¯t that what you called yourself?" She remembered Dale''s self-deprecating expression when he spoke of his past life. He said he was always a backseat hero. Always running, trying to catch up. ¡®Could that really be the case?¡¯ Professor Elisha squinted as she looked at Dale. It was probably true that he had graduated at the bottom of his ss in his previous life. It was hard to believe looking at him now, but it seemed likely that he had fallen short in many wayspared to other heroes in his past life. ¡®But still.¡¯ If what Dale said was true, that he really had been a ¡®backseat hero¡¯... If he had always beente, always behind... ¡®How did he be one of the final five heroes?¡¯ The more she thought about it, the more questions arose. As Professor Elisha''s gaze deepened, she continued to watch Dale. ¡®Dale.¡¯ What kind of person were you in your past life? "Professor?" "Oh, my apologies. I got lost in thought for a moment." Shaking off the thoughts swirling in her head, Professor Elisha followed behind me. "What¡¯s down here on the third floor that you came for?" "You¡¯ve already experienced how the demonic beasts living in the Abyss are much more violent and powerful than those outside, haven¡¯t you?" "I¡¯ve had more than enough of that." Professor Elisha shook her head as she recalled the demonic beasts we had fought on the way here. If the demonic beasts outside were still within the realm of ¡®living creatures,¡¯ the ones here were nothing but demonic beasts that lived solely for blood and ughter. "Among them, there are certain creatures that the Demon God has heavily influenced. These demonic beasts rule over their kind, devouring others like kings." "...Are you saying there¡¯s a king of the demonic beasts?" "To be precise, it¡¯s the king of this third floor. The seals also affect them, so they can¡¯t leave their designated area." "Hmm." As she listened to my exnation, Professor Elisha narrowed her eyes. "Then does that mean there are kings on the fourth and fifth floors as well?" "Well... probably. But I¡¯ve never actually seen them." "You¡¯ve never seen them?" "Yeah. The Demon God killed them before they could crawl out of the Abyss." "...The Demon God killed them? Aren¡¯t the demonic beasts the Demon God¡¯s underlings?" Why would the Demon God bother killing its own minions instead of heroes? "Didn¡¯t I tell you? It¡¯s more like a natural disaster than a god." I shrugged as I continued walking. "Anyway. The demonic beast king ruling over this third floor is my target. It¡¯s called ¡®Behemoth.¡¯" "Behemoth... just how strong is it?" "It killed 557 heroes and 12,000 soldiers armed with magic tools all by itself." "......" "Unless it¡¯s someone on the level of the Archbishops of Madness, no one would stand a chance." "W-wait! Are you saying we¡¯re going to fight that kind of demonic beast right now?!" Professor Elisha eximed, her face frozen in shock. I chuckled quietly and nodded. "Only when it''s something like that can it be called an ¡®extreme situation.¡¯" "Dale... you..." "Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be the only one fighting." With the blessing of resurrection, even in the worst-case scenario, I wouldn¡¯t die. "With that in mind, I have a favor to ask, Professor Elisha." "A favor?" "If I don¡¯te out within three days, could you pull me out from outside its domain?" With her ability to use the ¡®spider thread,¡¯ she could safely pull me out of the demonic beast¡¯s territory. "...You want me to pull you out?" "Yes. In about three days, his stamina should be significantly depleted. Ah, I''ll give you a rescue signal separately. Until then, don''t enter the area under any circumstances." Even Professor Elisha might get caught up in this if things go wrong. "Are you nning to fight him for three days straight until you die?" The fact that he was making this request clearly indicated that ''not dying'' wasn''t even a consideration in his mind. "I''ll be fine." "Fine? What part of this sounds fine to you?!" With a fierce scowl, Professor Elisha grabbed my shoulders and shook me. "Three days! For three days, you¡¯ll keep dying without rest!" Although physical wounds might heal thanks to the Blessing of Revival, the mental trauma of repeatedly dying wouldn''t disappear. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "If you experience a pain that ordinary humans can barely endure once, how do you think you''ll handle it for three continuous days? Your mind will break before your body does!" "327,821 times." "...What?" "The number of times I''ve died consecutively." I smiled lightly, tapping my temple. "I endured it back then; surely I can handle three days." Even if I died continuously for three days, it would only amount to a few hundred times. "Cadet Dale... you..." Professor Elisha stared at me with trembling eyes. "What kind of life did you live in your past?" "What kind of life, huh..." I smiled faintly and turned around. "A life that never ends." Leaving the bewildered Professor Elisha behind, I stepped into Behemoth''s domain. * * * The body was about 15 meters tall. Its face resembled that of a bull, with two horns jutting from its forehead, reminiscent of a demon. Its entire body was covered in ck skin, harder than steel, and its muscles bulged so violently that they seemed ready to tear through its flesh. "Krrr." ck mes mixed with its breath. Twelve glowing red eyes turned toward me. "It''s been a while." I slowly waved my hand toward Behemoth. Responding to the gesture, Behemoth¡¯s long tail scraped the ground and stood on end. "RAAAAAAWR!" A roar shook the very soul. Thud! Thud! Thud! The king of demonic beasts that ruled over the abyss stomped the ground as it charged. Whooosh! A fistrger than an average person¡¯s body hurtled toward me with terrifying speed, splitting the air. I didn''t resist. I let the fist strike me directly. Crack! My body shattered. My limbs twisted at grotesque angles, my belly tore open, spilling my organs, and my head rolled across the ground, severed. "Krrr." Behemoth snorted out a ck meden breath, having crushed the intruder in an instant. Then. "You¡¯ve still got that nasty temper, I see." A voice came from behind. When Behemoth turned its head, the bug it had just crushed stood there, perfectly unharmed. "Krrrr?" Behemoth narrowed its eyes in confusion at the iprehensible sight. But only for a moment. "RAAAAAAWR!" If it came back to life, it could just be killed again. Behemoth roared furiously and charged toward the intruding bug once more. "Hoo." I watched Behemoth charging at me as I exhaled lightly. With a sword in hand, I assumed my stance. The primordial me, awakened by the previous ''death,'' surged fiercely through my body. "ze." Whoosh! The ash-colored mes engulfed my sword. I kicked off the ground hard,unching myself toward Behemoth. Boom! Thud! Crack! At first, it was an even fight. Fueled by the ''Ignition,'' I continuously poured out mana into my sword, fists, and magic, maintaining the battle against Behemoth. But that didn¡¯tst long. Once the ''Ignition'' wore off, the primordial mes that had wrapped around my body faded, and the battle turned one-sided. "RAAAAAWR!" Behemoth charged at me with a furious roar. Crack! My limbs were torn off and rolled across the ground. Squelch! My crushed organs sttered on the ground. Crunch! My caved-in head spilled brain matter everywhere. But. Even so. Despite all that. "...Haa." I stood up. I stood up. I stood up again. "...It¡¯s been a while, this feeling." The sensation of struggling desperately against an overwhelmingly superior opponent. After reincarnating, I hadn¡¯t felt this much, but in my previous life, I¡¯d experienced it countless times. "Hah." A thrilling chill ran down my spine. The forgotten sensation awakened every cell in my body. ''Yes.'' This was the life I lived. The path walked by Dale Han. "Krrrr!" Behemoth grabbed me and ripped me apart. Even with the lower half of my bodypletely torn off¡ª Thud. I drove my sword into Behemoth''s arm. The ash-covered de pierced through the tough ck hide, digging into Behemoth''s flesh. "RAAAAAWR!" It was little more than a scratch. But that was fine. This was only the beginning. ¡®If once isn¡¯t enough, I¡¯ll stab ten times. If ten times isn¡¯t enough, I¡¯ll stab a hundred. If a hundred isn¡¯t enough, then a thousand times it is.¡¯ There¡¯s always more death, and life never ends. "Krrr, krrrr." "What''s wrong? Why are you backing off?" I grinned as I watched Behemoth retreating, step by step. I grasped my sword tightly and staggered to my feet. Ashes scattered, and in the gray smoke, green eyes gleamed. The hero who had once struck terror into countless demons and demonic beasts in his previous life. "Then I¡¯lle to you." The Immortal Demon bared his teeth with a savage grin. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 124: Extreme Situation (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 124: Extreme Situation (4) "Whew." Elisha leaned her back against a hard rock, a cigarette in her mouth. KRAAAAAAH¡ª. In the distance, the roar of a demonic beast, presumed to be a Behemoth, echoed. "It¡¯s started." The battle between the king of the demonic beasts ruling the Abyss and her cherished student. "Student¡­." She shook her head with a bitter expression. She hadn¡¯t even taught him much, so what kind of student was he? Snap. Elisha lightly flicked her fingers. Dale had strictly warned her not to enter the domain for at least three days. "But I can¡¯t just sit here idly and wait." If her role was to rescue Dale, she at least needed to know what was happening. Whrrr. A thin strand of spider silk slipped from her fingertips, crawling like a snake on the ground toward the Behemoth¡¯s domain. The vibrations in the air through the silk carried the demonic beast¡¯s distant growls more clearly. If she activated the "Insight¡¯s Blessing" as well¡­ ''That monster must be the Behemoth.'' In her mind, the overall outline and appearance of the Behemoth began to form. A demonic beast with the head of a bull, a demon''s horns, and a dragon''s tail. Its head had twelve eyes gleaming with ominous light. ''A Twelve-Eyed demonic beast.'' She had seen Ten-Eyed demonic beasts before, but never anything beyond that. ''A demonic beast only recorded during the Demon War 500 years ago.'' Elisha swallowed dryly and clenched her fist. Even a Ten-Eyed demonic beast was nearly impossible to face unless one was a high-ranking warrior, a "Ranker." And here was a demonic beast with not just one but two additional eyes. Given that a demonic beast¡¯s strength exponentially increased with more eyes, Dale¡¯s warning that only someone on par with a high-ranking archbishop could face it seemed urate. ''Is Dale really fighting such a monster?'' She gritted her teeth, biting down hard on the cigarette between her lips. No matter how strong Dale was, even he must know that it would be impossible to defeat a demonic beast that not even an archbishop could handle. And yet, he had entered the Behemoth¡¯s domain for one reason only. "¡­An extreme situation." Dale had said that he needed to push himself into an extreme situation to awaken the "Primordial me" within him. He had convinced her that he needed power to fight against future invasions by beings like the Archbishop of Madness. ''But still.'' Even so. "Did it really have to go this far¡­?" Crack! Thud! Crunch! The sickening sounds traveled through the spider silk¡ªblood sttering, flesh being torn apart, bones shattering. Imagining the pain Dale must be enduring sent a shiver down her spine. "¡­Dale, my student." Though she wanted to scold him for his reckless self-sacrifice, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do so when she considered his "past life." The horrors he had endured in that previous existence were beyond what even she could fullyprehend after hearing all his stories. ''I hope you get the result you¡¯re after.'' All she could do now was pray that he would be rewarded for his brutal self-torment. Elisha extinguished her half-smoked cigarette and sat down. The battle inside the domain continued to ry back to her through the spider silk. KRAAAAAAH! The Behemoth roared fiercely. Crack! Smash! Thud! Despite his body being crushed repeatedly, Dale kept getting back up. ''At first, he held out somewhat¡­'' The moment the mes enveloping Dale¡¯s body were extinguished, the tide of battle shifted drastically against him. Dale¡¯s attacks left only scratches, while the Behemoth¡¯s blows tore his body apart piece by piece. "Three days like this¡­." Dale had casually said it wouldst three days. But three days was by no means a short time. Especially when every minute and second was a deadly fight for survival. "¡­¡­." Elisha closed her eyes and pulled out another cigarette from her pocket, cing it between her lips. Click. The tip of the cigarette glowed red. One day passed. Hack! Cough! Aaargh! Dale¡¯s screams of agony echoed through the spider silk. The battle was still one-sided, with Dale dying and reviving repeatedly, every ten seconds or so. The Behemoth, showing no signs of fatigue, relentlessly focused on killing Dale over and over. Two days passed. Rumble! At this point, the Behemoth began to show signs of weariness, its movements sluggish and its breathing heavy. But being a demonic beast driven by sheer instinct for destruction and ughter, its assault on Dale, who had been killed and resurrected countless times, showed no sign of stopping. Over and over, the carnage continued. Dale stood up again, gripping his sword. Three days passed. The Behemoth¡¯s movements had noticeably slowedpared to the beginning. Its breath wasbored, and the number of small wounds on its ck skin had far exceeded a thousand. A battle that transcended ferocity and bordered on the tragic. Even as it bled profusely, the Behemoth barely continued its fight against Dale. "¡­I can¡¯t even tell which of them is truly in an extreme situation anymore." Elisha chuckled bitterly under her breath. Dale had said he was putting himself in an extreme situation by fighting the Behemoth, but now, three dayster, it seemed like the Behemoth was the one in a dire situation. But. That was only how things appeared "on the surface." "Cadet Dale¡­." It is conveyed. I can feel it. Through a thread thinner than a strand of hair. The distant death Dale must be experiencing, the endless pain, the bottomless despair. ¡°¡­You can stop now.¡± Humans cry like children even when they stub their pinky toe on the door frame. Even agents of the state, who undergo rigorous training to withstand pain, carry poison in their mouths, worried that they might break under torture. ¡°Haven¡¯t you done enough by now?¡± But Dale didn¡¯t even have that final escape. He had faced too many deaths, endured pain beyond measure, and life refused to end. That was the life Dale Han, the hero, had lived. ¡°Send the signal quickly¡­!¡± For the past three days, she had waited without a wink of sleep for Dale¡¯s rescue signal, but there hadn¡¯t been any sign of it yet. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°¡­Damn it!¡± Professor Elisha bit her lip anxiously, spitting out a curse. Who would have thought she¡¯d be so anxious over just one cadet? Just a few months ago, she could never have imagined such a thing. ¡®Dale.¡¯ At first, it was simple curiosity. She was intrigued by the cadet who had taken down a teaching assistant she valued with a single stroke. When she looked into him with her Blessing of Insight, she saw a mysterious, immense power residing within the cadet. That¡¯s when she felt an interest. Not many women could avoid feeling attracted to a young man with such a bright future. On top of that, his appearance was pleasing, and his personality wasn¡¯t bad either. Yeah. That was all. He wasn¡¯t worth giving away to someone else, but it was too much trouble to make an effort to have him herself. That was what ¡®Dale Han¡¯ meant to her. But then. ¡°You¡¯re pretty, you know?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Earlier, you said your scar was hideous. But looking at it now, it doesn¡¯t seem hideous at all. In fact, it suits your appearance quite well.¡± Seeing him being cheeky, yet considerate, stirred her heart just a little. Just¡­ enough to think that maybe putting in some effort wouldn¡¯t be so bad. And then. ¡°Listen to me carefully.¡± That day. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you how to solve this mon urrence¡¯ from now on.¡± As she looked at him, who had extended his hand to her when she had given up on everything, a different thought came to her. She wanted to have him, wanted to be by his side. Yes. To put it bluntly, and very directly: She had fallen for him. Elisha Baldwin, ranked 9th among the world¡¯s heroes, known as the ¡°All-Seeing Spider,¡± had fallen for a mere cadet who hadn¡¯t even graduated yet. ¡°Damn it.¡± Professor Elisha peeled herself away from the rock she had been leaning on. She could no longer just stand here, waiting for Dale¡¯s rescue signal. ¡®I¡¯m going to save Cadet Dale.¡¯ She stepped into the domain of Behemoth. The moment she entered the domain, the quality of the air changed, as if she had entered another world. The thick scent of blood assaulted her nose. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± She covered her nose and quickened her pace towards where Dale and Behemoth were still engaged in battle. The ashen fog that nketed the area. It was the smoke that billowed out whenever Dale¡¯s ¡°Blessing of Revival¡± activated. ¡®For the smoke to cover this entire area¡­.¡¯ That meant Dale had died countless times. Professor Elisha bit her lip and quickened her steps even more. ¡®Quickly.¡¯ The thought that she might have to face a Twelve-Eyed demonic beast herself was no longer even in her mind. The only thought that filled her was that she had to save Dale from this endless cycle of death. As she ventured further into the thickening ashen fog. Fwoooosh! Beyond the ashen mist, fierce mes flickered. ¡°That¡­.¡± She had seen Dale create ¡°fire¡± many times before, but the mes zing within the ashen mist now were on a whole different level. It was as if the mes could consume the world. It was the primordial fire that had once burned the Tree of Creation in a distant past, now flickering amid the ashen fog. ¡°Cadet Dale! Cadet Dale, where are you?¡± Professor Elisha pushed through the smoke, running toward the source of the mes. When she arrived at the scene. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± There stood Dale, engulfed in ashen mes, and the enormous corpse of the demonic beast sprawled before him. ¡°Cadet Dale, you¡­.¡± ¡°I told you to wait for my signal beforeing in, didn¡¯t I?¡± Dale turned toward Professor Elisha and let out a faintugh. With a stiff expression, Professor Elisha looked down at the corpse of the demonic beast lying in front of Dale. It looked like it had been crushed, as if trampled by a giant¡¯s foot. The King of the demonic beasts that ruled over the Abyss had been beaten so thoroughly that it was now unrecognizable. ¡°¡­This.¡± Topare it to something, it looked like a fly swatted t with the palm of a hand. ¡°Hah.¡± Professor Elisha let out a disbelieving chuckle. How could someone create a corpse like this with a sword or fist? And not just any corpse, but one of a massive demonic beast over 15 meters tall. ¡°Did Cadet Dale do this¡­?¡± ¡°Who else would¡¯ve done it, if not me?¡± Dale shrugged his shoulders as he walked toward her. The mes that had been wrapping around him slowly died down, and the ashen mist began to disperse. And then another shocking sight was revealed. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Dale waspletely naked, not a single thread on his body. ¡°C-Cadet Dale¡­.¡± Gulp. Professor Elisha swallowed dryly as her eyes slowly drifted downward. As the ashen mist dispersed¡­ another fearsome demonic beast was revealed. Professor Elisha¡¯s cheeks flushed red. ¡°Ahem! Th-That¡¯s concerning.¡± ¡°Excuse me? What is?¡± ¡°If I were to spend the night with you, Cadet Dale¡­ I¡¯d have to contend with that monstrous thing, wouldn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Dale stared at Professor Elisha with a look that said, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Then his eyes suddenly widened in realization. ¡°Oh, crap! What the hell!¡± Dale looked down at hispletely naked body and screamed. ¡°Clothes! Do you have clothes anywhere? Even a scrap of fabric¡­.¡± Click. Click. ¡°Why are you taking pictures now?!¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 125: Interlude – Conflagration [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 125: Interlude ¨C Congration After the unintended strip show(?) deep in the abyss, I didn¡¯t even have time to tell Professor Elisha to delete the photos before I passed out. When I opened my eyes again, a whole day had passed, and beside me were new clothes that Professor Elisha had neatly bought from Valha City. I hurriedly put them on and asked her to delete the photos, but... "I refuse." Her response was a firm refusal. Professor Elisha chuckled while caressing her Hero Watch with my picture on it as if it were a treasure. "I''ll keep this picture safe." I wondered if Juliet had felt the same when he was caught in a photo wearing women''s clothes (though in my case, it was a selfie that got transferred). All I could do was nkly watch Professor Elisha¡¯s retreating figure as she hummed a tune. Anyway. After parting ways with Professor Elisha, I finally returned to my familiar dorm room after 3 days... no, 4 days, to be exact. ¡°Sigh.¡± I was staying in Dormitory Building C, which was mostly used by candidates attending the academy on government support. Compared to Dormitory Building A, where Yuren and Iris lived, this building was old and shabby, almost like something you''d find in a slum. "...Still, I feel a bit more at ease here." But having spent a few months here (or years, if you count my past life), lying down on the bed back in my dorm made me feel at home. The fierce battle I had with Behemoth in the abyss just a day ago now felt like it had all been a dream. ¡®But it can''t be just a dream.¡¯ I forced myself to shake off thefort wrapping around me and sat up. I slowly recalled the fight with Behemoth, especially the Primordial me that had burned as if it would consume the entire world near the end of the battle. ¡®My guess was right.¡¯ The condition to trigger the ''Avatar'' state, where the Primordial me enveloped me and created an endless flow of mana, was being pushed to such extremes that my mind was on the brink of copse. The Primordial me, dormant within my Stigma, had zed up as if fuel had been thrown onto it, engulfing me in mes. Recalling that sensation sent a thrilling shiver down my spine. "I''ve felt it before, but... this rush is unreal." The feeling of infinite mana filling my body. It was like having an endless ocean of mana inside me, the sensation of recklessly drawing upon it was more exhrating than any thrill I¡¯d ever experienced. It felt as if I could crush and destroy the entire world underfoot. ¡®I actually killed Behemoth like that, too.¡¯ I didn¡¯t need intricate swordsmanship, shy martial arts, orplex spells to kill Behemoth. I simply gathered mana into my palm and pped it¡ªlike swatting a crawling insect. That was all it took. The king of demonic beasts who reigned over the abyss was crushed and died instantly, leaving no trace of its form behind. "The problem is... I can''t use this whenever I want." It sounds dramatic to call it an extreme situation, but the battle with Behemoth was more like a simted fight where I had pre-arranged conditions in my favor. ¡®If the opponent had been intelligent, they wouldn¡¯t have fought head-on for three whole days against an unkible enemy.¡¯ Behemoth was a near-mindless monster, and one that had been heavily influenced by the Demon God, which amplified its violent tendencies to an extreme degree, making it keep fighting without retreating. ¡®But if it had been a demon instead, the situation would have been very different.¡¯ Unless it was a crazy demon like the Archpriest of Madness, no demon would continue to fight for three days against an immortal being. ¡®Even if I got lucky and triggered the Avatar state in just one day, there¡¯s still a problem.¡¯ This time, I fought alone and entered the battlefield solo, so there were noplications. But imagine a fight breaking out while I was traveling with a party. There would be no guarantee that my party members would survive the countless deaths and revivals I¡¯d endure. They didn¡¯t have the Blessing of Revival like I did. If they died, they wouldn¡¯te back. ¡®I can¡¯t just rely on the Avatar state activating and expect to fight like that in realbat.¡¯ There were just too many risks. ¡°¡­But.¡± I ignited a small gray me in my palm. Although I couldn¡¯t freely activate the ''Avatar'' state, it wasn¡¯t as if I hadn¡¯t gained anything. "Burn." The gray me in my palm slowly spread, covering my entire body. Before, I had to forcibly stop my heart and experience ¡®death¡¯ in order to ignite the me, but now, I could move the Primordial me at will with just my consciousness. ¡®And the duration has significantly increased.¡¯ Whereas before, the Ignition onlysted about five minutes, now I could maintain itfortably for over ten minutes. The reason for this longer duration was simple. ¡®My control over the Primordial me increased after entering the Avatar state.¡¯ What used to be an unresponsive, stubborn me now moved ording to my will. "With this level of control... I think I can take it a step further." Before, the amount of Primordial me I could use was no more than a small campfire. Now, it had grown to the size of a bonfire you''d see at a festival. With much more fire at my disposal, it was only natural that I could do more. ¡®So then...¡¯ What I was going to attempt next was generating ¡®mana¡¯ through the Primordial me. ¡®Of course, I can¡¯t create infinite mana like in the Avatar state.¡¯ But still, having more avable mana would never be a bad thing. Especially now, when I was mainly using techniques like Ashen me that consumed a ridiculous amount of mana. ¡®The principle is the same.¡¯ Just as the Primordial me once burned the Tree of Creation to create the existence known as mana, I would burn my life force to generate mana. "Let''s see... I¡¯ll name the technique... Yeah." The decision didn¡¯t take long. "I¡¯ll call it ''Congration.''" I ignite the me throughbustion and grow it through the fury. Simple and easy to visualize. ¡°Huff.¡± I took a deep breath and ignited the fire. The small ember that wrapped around my body gradually intensified, turning a deep shade of gray. I visualized fire consuming logs, spreading and growing. It boiled my blood, burned my flesh, and scorched my bones. ¡°Burn.¡± Fwoosh! Gray mes red up and engulfed my entire body. With the searing pain of my body burning, I could feel the mana being created. ¡®It worked!¡¯ Ignoring the pain, I clenched my fists in triumph. Unlike ignition, which merely restored mana, Congration actively burned my life force to generate new mana. ¡®Now my mana is doubled¡­ no, maybe tripled?¡¯ Of course, the mana created through Congration wouldn¡¯t fully be my own. Just like a fire dies down when all the wood has been burned. Once the Congration state ends, the magic that swelled up explosively will all scatter and disappear. ¡®But still, this is something.¡¯ Doesn¡¯t it mean that I can temporarily boost my mana by more than three times? ¡®Three times¡­ that¡¯s insane.¡¯ It¡¯s not like I had little mana to begin with anymore. Of course, I couldn¡¯tpare to someone like Yurina, who was naturally blessed with abundant mana, but I had enough mana that I wouldn¡¯t be looked down on. And now, three times that? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Heh.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but smirk. ¡®At this point... could I even take on the Archbishop of Madness?¡¯ I wasn¡¯t sure. After all, the Archbishop of Madness hadn¡¯t shown all of his power either. ¡®Anyway.¡¯ This expedition to the Abyss had been incredibly fruitful. I learned more about the Avatar state, greatly increased my control over the Primordial me, and even acquired a new skill, Congration. ¡®If I called this a valuable death¡­ Iris might scold me.¡¯ With a faint chuckle, I prepared to deactivate Congration. Whoosh! ¡°Huh?¡± The mes surrounding my body red up violently. Gray smoke filled the room. ¡®Wait.¡¯ Why isn¡¯t this stopping? ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± The Primordial me began to rage like a starving beast, beyond my control. The mes surrounding my body started to spread. ¡°This is crazy!¡± Four times, five times, six times, seven times¡­! The uncontroble surge of mana swept through the room. Rumble! The old dormitory building shook as if an earthquake had hit. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°An earthquake? Is it an earthquake?¡± ¡°Everyone, evacuate!¡± I could hear the voices of other trainees outside the door. ¡°Damn it¡­!¡± I tried to control the Primordial me that was running wild, but once the fire was out of control, it wouldn¡¯t easily extinguish. Whoosh! The mes raged fiercely, burning the furniture in the room. The choking gray smoke from the burning furniture filled the room. ¡®No!¡¯ I desperately tried to put out the mes, but the old dormitory, made of wood, absorbed the fire like a sponge soaking up water. Whoosh! Eventually, the fire began to spread to the other rooms. Luckily, it seemed the other trainees had already evacuated, but I couldn¡¯t stop the raging inferno from consuming the dormitory. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± I bit my lip and gave amand in my mind. ¡®Come back, you bastard.¡¯ Whoosh! The Primordial me raged violently. It was no surprise, but the Primordial me ignored mymand and resisted. ¡°Damn it.¡± What could I say to regain control of the Primordial me? As I racked my brain, I suddenly remembered the ¡®other power¡¯ Professor Elisha had mentioned that resided within me. ¡®Back then, it seemed like the Primordial me was afraid of that power.¡¯ Recalling my past memory, I reached out toward the zing mes. ¡°If you don¡¯te back¡­¡± With a fierce scowl, I continued. ¡°I will extinguish you.¡± Flinch. The raging mes wavered for a moment. Did the threat work? The mes that had been burning wildly, consuming everything in their path, began to recede back into my body. ¡°Hah¡­ Hah!¡± I breathed heavily as I looked around. I had seeded in absorbing the Primordial me, but I couldn¡¯t absorb the fire that had been created from the burning furniture. ¡°Damn it!¡± I cursed under my breath and rushed outside. ¡°How¡­ how could this¡­!¡± ¡°My room, my room!¡± ¡°Someone, call a professor!¡± Outside, trainees were gathered, staring at the burning dormitory in shock. ¡®First, I need to put out the fire with water magic!¡¯ I had never needed to use this magic before, so the form didn¡¯te to mind immediately. Recalling the magic theories I¡¯d learned from Senior Sophia, I somehow managed to cast the spell. ¡°Water Shower!¡± Ssh! Water droplets formed in mid-air and shot toward the burning dormitory. But since I hadn¡¯t properly recalled the form, the magic wasn¡¯t strong enough to extinguish the mes. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± I bit my lip, staring at the raging fire, when¡ª ¡°A deluge of rain, be a tidal wave that covers the world.¡± A clear voice rang out. A small woman with short red hair, wielding a long staff taller than her, aimed at the burning dormitory. ¡°Heavy Rain.¡± Swoooosh! A torrent of water gushed forth, dousing the mes that had engulfed the dormitory. ¡°Hmph.¡± In the blink of an eye, the fire was out, and the red-haired woman turned to look at me. ¡°This fire¡­ it started in your room, didn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I shut my eyes tightly, meeting the icy gaze of Senior Sophia. ¡®I''m screwed.¡¯ How am I going to deal with this now? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 126: Cohabitation (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 126: Cohabitation (1) "So¡­." In Professor Lucas''s office. In the heavy atmosphere, Professor Lucas, who had been quietly listening with his chin resting on his hand, slowly opened his mouth. "A magic tool you identally obtained during an external engagement with Professor Elisha suddenly malfunctioned and exploded?" "¡­¡­." "Is that true, Professor?" Professor Lucas''s gaze turned to Professor Elisha, sitting beside me. Elisha, extinguishing the cigarette she had in her mouth in the ashtray, nodded. "Yes, I confirmed it myself." "Hmm¡­." Lucas squinted his eyes suspiciously. But it was only for a moment. Lucas sighed deeply after receiving Elisha¡¯s "What, do you have a problem with that?" look. "Cadet Dale." "Yes, Professor." "Bringing unauthorized magic tools into the school clearly vites the rules. Are you aware of that?" "I am¡­." "Wait." Elisha interrupted me. "I was the one who instructed Cadet Dale to take the magic tool. So, the responsibility falls on me¡­." "Professor." Lucas''s voice lowered as he continued. "I understand that you want to defend Cadet Dale, but if you''re involved in this, the issue bes far more serious." There''s no need to question which would cause more controversy: a cadet smuggling in unauthorized magic tools or a professor doing the same. I shook my head at Professor Elisha and opened my mouth. "Professor Elisha is not involved in this. It was entirely my decision to bring the magic tool into the school secretly." "¡­Cadet Dale." In truth, the fact that the me was shifted to the magic tool was already more than enough defense she had provided for me. "Sigh." Lucas sighed deeply and rubbed his forehead. "Cadet Dale." "Yes." "This is an issue serious enough that you could be expelled for it." "¡­¡­." My shoulders flinched at the word "expelled" from Lucas''s mouth. "But." Lucas picked up a few sheets of paper from the table and continued. "Considering there were no casualties." He nced at the papers in his hand as he continued speaking. "And the fact that Cadet Dale acted actively to put out the fire after it broke out." Although it was Senior Sophia''s magic that ultimately extinguished the fire, I had tried using water magic to help put it out before that. "Andstly, after reviewing the petition written by the cadets, along with an internal meeting of the professors, it has been decided not to expel you." "¡­A petition?" "Yes." Lucas shook the papers in his hand. "Cadets Iris, Yuren, Berald, Cami, Juliet, and Albert all wrote petitions on your behalf." "¡­¡­." "The Saint of the Holy Kingdom, the heir of the Sun¡¯s Sword, the bloodline of the Ryu family, the future Sword of the Holy Kingdom, the son of one of the wealthiest families in the Republic, and the son of the ¡®Hoover¡¯ family, which operates thergest information guild in the Empire¡­ No, this is insane. When did you get such wide connections?" Lucas, holding the papers, looked at me with a dumbfounded expression. "They all wrote petitions as soon as they heard about it, huh." I clenched my fist, feeling a surge of emotion welling up in my chest. In any case. It seemed I had avoided the worst possible oue. "Oh, and one more." Lucas pulled out one more sheet of paper and held it out in front of me. "Cadet Sophia Evergreen also wrote a petition for you." "¡­Senior Sophia?" Surprised, I made a bewildered face at the unexpected name. The same Senior Sophia who had red coldly at me on the day of the incident, snapping, "This was your doing, wasn¡¯t it?" had apparently written a petition on my behalf. "Yes. By the way, when did you get close to the ¡®Red Cmity¡¯?" "¡­Red Cmity?" "I''m talking about Cadet Sophia Evergreen." "¡­¡­." Wait, was Senior Sophia''s nickname during her cadet days ¡®Red Cmity¡¯? "Cadet Sophia is famous for being cold toward other cadets¡­ Anyway, you¡¯ve got some talent." Lucas shook his head in disbelief, clicking his tongue. "¡­Ugh." I swallowed hard, holding the petition Senior Sophia had written. In a past life, maybe. But now, we weren¡¯t close enough for her to do something like this for me. ''Far from being close, thest time I saw her, she told me to get lost as soon as she saw me.'' Though I pondered over why she wrote the petition for me, no answer came. "Well, anyway. Because of all this, it¡¯s been decided that your punishment will be a one-week suspension, which coincidentally covers the rest of the semester." "¡­Does that even mean anything?" Since it''s the final exam period, there are no more sses. Does it make any difference whether I¡¯m suspended or not? "Hmm. Who knows¡­ Would it really be meaningless?" Lucas, with a meaningful expression, trailed off. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] While I tilted my head, wondering why he was making such a face, I quickly moved on to another topic. "By the way, were any cadets injured?" "Oh, are you worried about that?" "It¡¯s because it happened due to my mistake." No matter the reason. I couldn¡¯t deny that I was the cause of the fire. "Fortunately, no one was injured. Though there are cadets who lost belongings in the fire." "May I personallypensate those cadets?" "That¡¯s fine, but the school probably already issuedpensation for damages, no?" "Even so, I¡¯d like to give them personalpensation as much as I can. Of course, I¡¯ll also personally apologize." Since the incident was my fault, I didn¡¯t want to just move past it without showing any gesture of apology. Lucas folded his arms and looked at me with an interested glint in his eyes. "Do you even have the gold topensate them?" "Well¡­ I should be fine." I managed to collect some byproducts from Behemoth¡¯s corpse this time. Of course, since it was so badly mangled to the point where it was hard to even recognize its shape, nothing like its horns, hide, or teeth remained intact. But still, it''s the remains of a Twelve-Eyed beast, isn''t it? If I sell it through Professor Elisha, I should be able to make quite a bit of money. ¡®If only we had gotten a magic stone from Behemoth, we could have earned much more.¡¯ What can you do? Magic stones aren¡¯t something you can easily get your hands on. Especially the higher-ranked beasts¡ªit''s even more difficult with them. ¡®Ah, and I should also pay back the money I borrowed from Juliet this time.¡¯ To be honest, I was a bit harsh with him because I still remembered the way he bullied me in my past life, calling me a ¡®doormat.¡¯ But hasn''t Juliet now changed so much that it wouldn¡¯t be wrong to say he¡¯s apletely different personpared to the past? ¡®I can¡¯t treat someone who¡¯s changed like before.¡¯ Juliet himself had asked me to treat him the same way as usual, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to be as harsh as I used to. ¡®I thought the only person I¡¯d ever call a friend in my life would be Yuren.¡¯ I suppressed a chuckle and shook my head. "By the way, have you found a ce to stay?" "A ce to stay?" "Yeah. In a week, it''s going to be vacation, but you can''t just sleep on the streets until then, right?" "Ah." Since I¡¯d made such a big mess, I hadn¡¯t even thought about my living arrangements. "The other cadets have been provided with temporary amodations by the academy... but if you go there, it might be a bit awkward, don¡¯t you think?" "¡­It would be, yeah." As the one responsible for burning down the dormitory, I''d definitely be met with cold stares if I entered the temporary amodations. "Ahem. Then I suppose there''s no choice." Professor Elisha, who had been sitting quietly next to me listening to the conversation, cleared her throat and nced at me. "I¡¯ll take responsibility for Cadet Dale for a while¡­" "Professor dormitories are off-limits to cadets, ma¡¯am." "Tch." Clicking her tongue, Professor Elisha pulled out a cigarette. Lucas, who seemed to have thought of a good idea, snapped his fingers. "Oh, now that I think about it, you said you were close to Cadet Yuren, right?" "Excuse me?" "How about staying with him for a week? His dorm in Building A is spacious, after all." "¡­¡­." Stay with Yuren for a week? "Uh¡­ about that¡­" "What''s the problem? You¡¯re both guys, so it should be fine." "No¡­ it''s just¡­" We¡¯re not both guys. I swallowed the words that almost slipped out and quickly tried to think. "Ahem, Yuren is the son of a noble, right? So, he doesn¡¯t really like sharing space with others." "Is that so?" "Yes. Even during ourst exploration mission, he insisted on sleeping in a private tent." "Hmm." With his arms crossed, Lucas nodded and turned on his Hero Watch. "Well, I¡¯ll just ask him directly." "Go ahead." Yuren¡ªor rather, Yurina¡ªwill definitely decline politely. ¡®No matter what, having a grown man and woman share a room for a week is just awkward.¡¯ Even if it¡¯s only for a week, living together is still living together. There would be too many opportunities for conflicts, from sleeping arrangements to showering and bathroom use. "Ah, Cadet Yuren? It''s Professor Lucas. So, um... yeah. I see. Got it. I''ll hang up now." After finishing the call, Lucas turned to me. "He said it''s fine." "Excuse me?" "No, not just fine¡ªhe was practically shouting with joy about it." "¡­¡­." And just like that, my week-long cohabitation with Yurina was decided. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 127: Cohabitation (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 127: Cohabitation (2) The A Dormitory, where only the noble families of the empire, high-ranking clergy of the Holy Kingdom, and the heirs of wealthy families from the Republic gather. Though I''d been here a few times to visit Iris, the dormitory was always overwhelming in its grandeur and splendor. ''This isn''t a dormitory; it''s a hotel!'' I clicked my tongue as I passed by therge fountain installed in the dormitory grounds. ¡°Whew.¡± After standing and hesitating for a while, looking at the A Dormitory, I slowly moved my feet forward. ¡°Ah, Dale!¡± As I reached the dormitory entrance, Yuren, who had been waiting for me, waved cheerfully with a big smile. ¡°You got off with just a suspension this time, huh?¡± ¡°Yeah. Thanks for writing the petition for me.¡± ¡°Ugh. Do you have any idea how shocked I was when I first heard about it?¡± Yuren crossed his arms and started scolding me. ¡°By the way, are you really okay?¡± ¡°Hm? With what?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± I nced at the pendant hanging around Yuren''s neck as I spoke. ¡°We''re going to be living together until the break, right?¡± ¡°Oh, th-that¡¯s true.¡± Yuren blushed slightly (please don¡¯t do that while in your male form) and scratched his cheek. ¡°Well, it''s only for a week! There''s a spare room too, so it''ll be fine!¡± ¡°Well... if you''re okay with it.¡± Suppressing a smile, I followed Yuren into his room. Click. It was my first time seeing Yuren''s room, and it was surprisingly neat. The living room (yes, there¡¯s even a living room) was clean and organized, with a sofa and table, and the soft ivory-colored lighting gave the room a pleasant scent. ¡°Uh... how is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice. Really clean.¡± ¡°Hehe, good.¡± Yuren smiled bashfully, clearly pleased, though I pretended not to hear him mutter something about being d he cleaned. ¡°Have you had lunch yet?¡± ¡°No, not yet.¡± ¡°Then wait a bit. I''ll whip something up real quick.¡± Saying that, Yuren headed toward the kitchen. Somehow, he¡¯d even managed to put on an apron neatly. ¡°Do you cook?¡± I tilted my head in curiosity as I watched Yuren. I had never seen him cook in our past life. ¡°Well¡­ y-yeah. A little?¡± He awkwardly smiled and avoided my gaze. ¡°¡­A little?¡± ¡°Anyway! Dale, just sit on the sofa and wait!¡± Yuren pushed me out of the kitchen. I sat on the sofa, waiting for the food to be ready. Sizzling! Soon, I heard the sound of something frying in the kitchen. ¡°Huh? Is the heat too high?¡± ¡°Ahhh! I spilled oil!¡± ¡°Do I just throw the shrimp in with the shell on?¡± ¡°Huh, which one¡¯s the salt?¡± His anxious muttering wasn¡¯t very reassuring. After about 10 minutes... ¡°¡­What is this?¡± I looked down at the charred thing on the table and asked. ¡°T-that''s, uh¡­ gambas¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­! I¡¯m sorry! I heard it was an easy dish for beginners!¡± Yuren lowered his head, looking crestfallen. Well, considering his family was still one of the empire¡¯s top noble houses, despite having fallen on hard times, it wasn¡¯t surprising that Yuren hadn¡¯t cooked much. ¡°You could have just asked me to cook.¡± ¡°Well¡­ Iris always makes lunch boxes and stuff for you, right?¡± With a dejected expression, Yuren fidgeted with his fingers as he spoke. ¡°So¡­ I wanted to make something for you too.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± That was close. I might have been more deeply affected if Yuren had been in his female form just now. ¡°Well, next time, I¡¯ll teach you, and we can make something together.¡± ¡°Huh? R-really?¡± ¡°Yeah. I mean, we¡¯re going to be living together for a week anyway.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ th-that¡¯s true.¡± Yuren cleared his throat awkwardly and quickly turned his head away, seemingly realizing again that we were living together. Ultimately, we had to make do with the baguette Yuren had bought to apany the gambas. Afterward, we sat side by side on the sofa, discussing our uing living arrangements. ¡°There are two rooms, but only one bathroom¡­ so I¡¯ll shower after you.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Dale?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Yuren asked cautiously. ¡°You know that story about the magical artifact you brought back from outside exploding and starting a fire in the dormitory?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± ¡°That was a lie, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Yuren¡¯s eyes gazed directly at me. ¡°I heard from a candidate who was nearby at the time. They said gray mes red up for a moment and then suddenly disappeared.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That me¡­ it was the one that appears when you use your magic, right?¡± To be precise, the me appears when I use the ¡®Primordial me,¡¯ not just my regr magic. I nodded slowly and spoke. ¡°Yeah, it was.¡± ¡°¡­I knew it. So you were training with that ¡®fire¡¯ in your room, and that¡¯s how the fire started.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡± I had let my guard down because the Primordial me had never gone out of control before. ¡°Why were you pushing yourself so hard in your training?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± "Is it because of that Archbishop of Madness we met?" "......" I pressed my lips together tightly at Yuren¡¯s words, which hit the mark. The reason I had been pushing myself to elerate my training in controlling the ¡®Primordial me.¡¯ Of course, there were other reasons besides the Archbishop of Madness. But if I were to say that meeting the Archbishop didn¡¯t factor into my decision, that would be a lie. ¡°So, it was that after all.¡± Seeing my expression, Yuren seemed to guess the answer, his face hardening. ¡°When I met the Archbishop of Madness... I couldn¡¯t do anything.¡± Yuren slightly raised her head, recalling that day. A space covered in crimson slime. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The image of a boy approaching, shrouded in a blood-red aura. The oppressive, suffocating aura of dark energy was so intense that Yuren couldn¡¯t even draw his sword. He just froze in ce. ¡°You couldn¡¯t help it. There¡¯s no way a student who hasn¡¯t even graduated yet could face an archbishop.¡± ¡°Hmph. If we¡¯re going by that, Dale, you''re still just a student too, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± Unable to find a rebuttal, Yuren smiled faintly and untied the pendant around her neck. Woooong. With a soft blue glow, her once-golden hair turned into a gentle silver. Returning to her original form as Yurina, she gently took my hand and spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll be stronger.¡± Her voice was filled with firm determination. ¡°I¡¯ll be strong enough... that this time, I¡¯ll protect you, Dale.¡± So that from now on, you don¡¯t have to push yourself so hard. ¡°......¡± Her words left me speechless for a moment. Her unwavering gaze directed at me. The same look I had seen from her time and time again in my previous life. Eyes that never flinched in the face of fear. That didn¡¯t tremble in the face of terror. That never lost their light, even in despair. Eyes filled with ¡®courage.¡¯ ¡®Ah.¡¯ That¡¯s right. That¡¯s how you¡¯ve always been. Back then, and even now. ¡°Haha.¡± A quietugh slipped out between my lips. ¡®Maybe I¡¯ve been rushing too much.¡¯ Since my encounter with the Archbishop of Madness recently, I had felt a constant pressure to grow stronger as quickly as possible. And that led to the runaway incident with the Primordial me. ¡®The future keeps changing, and nothing can be predicted with certainty.¡¯ But still. There were some things that hadn¡¯t changed. ¡°Thank you.¡± I squeezed her hand a bit tighter and spoke to her with sincerity. ¡°Ah...¡± Yurina¡¯s face flushed red. And then, suddenly¡ª Woooong! A silvery glow began to radiate from her chest. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this?¡± The radiant silver light pouring out from her body. It was the same light that appeared whenever she invoked the ¡®Blessing of the Moonlight.¡¯ ¡°Wha¡ª No, no! This is, um...¡± Yurina seemed just as surprised, shaking her head in confusion as if she hadn¡¯t meant to activate the blessing. ¡°W-Wait!¡± She quickly jumped up and dashed into her room. About five minutester, the door opened, and Yurina stepped out, looking a bit tired. ¡°Phew. All good now.¡± ¡°What was with that sudden activation of the blessing?¡± ¡°Oh, uh... Well, Dale, you don¡¯t need to worry about that.¡± She coughed awkwardly and averted her gaze. ¡°Well... Anyway, I¡¯ll be counting on you for the next week.¡± Without pressing her any further, I extended my hand to Yurina. She looked at it briefly before carefully cing my hand on her head. ¡°......¡± So, she wants me to pat her head again. Suppressing a chuckle, I gently stroked her hair, and a soft smile spread across her face. ¡°I¡¯m counting on you, Dale.¡± * * * ¡°Phew.¡± After spending the evening training with Yurina in the practice yard and finishing dinner (which I made this time), Iy down on a mat in the room Yurina was using as a dressing room. ¡®Things went better than I expected.¡¯ Even though it was just for a week, I worried something might go wrong with two grown adults living together. Thankfully, we had made it through the day without any issues. ¡®Having two rooms makes a big difference.¡¯ If this were a cramped single-room dorm like the ones in Building C, we¡¯d have no choice but to bump into each other constantly. But in Building A, where Yurina lived, there were two rooms and even a living room, so we had plenty of space to avoid each other if needed. ¡®With conditions like this, we should be fine living together for a week.¡¯ Besides, once the week was over, I could leave the school since the break would start. ¡°Break, huh...¡± In my previous life, I had stayed at the school during the break to work and cover my living expenses, but this time, there was no need for that. ¡®I should ask Iris and Berald what their ns are for the break.¡¯ I wanted to use this opportunity to help Iris, Yurina, and Berald grow. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll sleep now.¡± As Iy there nning out the break in my head, I turned off my Hero Watch and snuggled into the mat. Even though it was just a floor mat, Yurina had managed to find an incrediblyfortable one, better than the old bed I used to sleep on. I was about to drift off to sleep when¡ª Creak. I heard the door open softly. Turning my head, I saw Yurina in her pajamas. ¡°Um... Dale.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I-I was wondering... Can I sleep with you tonight? Just for tonight?¡± ¡°...What?¡± Her unexpected request jolted me upright from the mat. ¡°I mean, that¡¯s a bit...¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine! I won¡¯t do anything!¡± That¡¯s not the point! ¡°I¡¯ll just... hold your hand while we sleep! That¡¯s all!!!¡± ¡°No.¡± How could you say that line? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 128: Interlude – Hero at the End [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 128: Interlude ¨C Hero at the End ¨C Ah, Cadet Yuren? This is Professor Lucas. When I received the call from Professor Lucas, asking if Dale could stay at my ce for the remaining time until the break, I couldn''t help but cheer inwardly. ''Living with Dale...!'' For a moment, I was so happy that I wondered if my life as "Yuren" had been leading up to this day. It was a ridiculous thought, but it made me feel that way. ¡°I should start cleaning first.¡± Looking around the living room, which was cluttered with clothes and trash scattered everywhere, Yurina quickly sprang into action. After cleaning up, a task she had put off with various excuses, she even bought some scented candles to add a faint fragrance to the room. She had also already purchased ingredients while searching for easy recipes, thinking about cooking for Dale when he arrived. ¡®Easy for beginners? Yeah, right!¡¯ Of course, as it was her first attempt at cooking, shepletely messed it up. But even then, Dale smiled, saying he¡¯d teach her how to cook without uttering a single unkind word. ¡®Dale...¡¯ Just thinking about the warmth of his touch after such a long time made a silly smile creep onto her lips. "But still..." After they finished dinner together and Yurina was practicing her mana alone in her room before bed, she suddenly noticed something strange. ''Huh?'' She could feel the energy within her Stigma had increased significantly. ¡®Why did this happen all of a sudden?¡¯ Maba breathing bes less efficient the more mana one has. In other words, someone like Yurina, who was essentially a mana powerhouse, gained very little mana through mana breathing. For her mana to increase so suddenly was an impossibility unless she had consumed some sort of elixir. And not just any elixir¡ªsomething rare and priceless. ¡®Could it be because of the Moonlight Blessing earlier?¡¯ She recalled when the Moonlight Blessing had suddenly radiated light when she dered she would grow stronger to protect Dale. ¡®The condition for activating the Moonlight Blessing is... thinking of someone important.¡¯ So... her mana had increased because she had thought deeply about Dale. ¡°Ugh...¡± Realizing this, her face flushed as if it were on fire. Though no one was watching, she hugged her knees and buried her face between them to hide her burning cheeks. ¡®Since when... have I been thinking about Dale this much?¡¯ Of course, she knew the answer to that question better than anyone. ¨C Yuren... No, Yurina, is it? That day. The day the moon swallowed the sun. ¨C I¡¯vee to get you. When Dale appeared like the prince in the fairy tale her brother had once told her. When he became her new "sun." There was no room in her heart for anyone but Dale. ¡°But Dale...¡± She puffed her cheeks, still hiding her face between her knees. Since he had be her sun, she had be much more conscious of his gaze. And the one thing she hade to realize was clear. ''Dale¡¯s gaze... isn¡¯t on me but on Iris.'' It was something she could instinctively feel. Just as Dale filled her heart, she knew Iris filled his. ¡°...That¡¯s unfair.¡± She bit her lip and clenched her fist. ¡®I could care for Dale more.¡¯ ¡®I could be more helpful to Dale.¡¯ ¡®I could be more of a support to Dale.¡¯ She knew that all these thoughts were nothing but petty jealousy. But still... ¡°I don¡¯t want to give up without doing anything.¡± She slowly lifted her head from her knees. Even though she knew Dale¡¯s heart was directed toward Iris, she couldn¡¯t just sit back and wait for them to be together without doing anything. ¡°...Courage.¡± Dale had told her that she was the most courageous person. That she wouldn¡¯t yield to any fear or despair. ''Even though I think Dale overestimated me there.'' She didn¡¯t understand why Dale had called her courageous when she used to tremble at just the sight of her mother. ¡°But still... I should try to be brave.¡± Because Dale had said so. ¡°Phew.¡± Taking a deep breath, she stood up from the bed. She cautiously opened the door. It was less than 20 meters away. The door to Dale¡¯s room (which used to be her dressing room) was firmly closed. Click. "Um... Dale?" ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°C-Could I... sleep with you tonight? Just for tonight?¡± ¡°...What?¡± Dale blinked, surprised by the sudden suggestion. Before he could refuse, Yurina hurriedly exined. ¡°So... when I was with you earlier, the Moonlight Blessing was activated, and thanks to that, my mana increased.¡± ¡°Uh, okay.¡± ¡°And I think if we sleep together, the Moonlight Blessing might activate again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not guaranteed, but... I think it''s worth a try.¡± After delivering the excuse she had prepared, Dale, wearing a serious expression, thought about it for a moment. ¡°Well, if it¡¯s for that reason, fine.¡± ¡°R-Really?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± With that, Daleid down on the mattress. Yurina carefullyy down beside him and held his hand. ¡®Ah.¡¯ The warmth that flowed from his hand. She wanted to whine and ask him to stroke her hair, but now wasn¡¯t the time for that. ¡®Is Dale... nervous too?¡¯ She could feel tension through his hand. "Hehe." For some reason, knowing this made her smile. ¡°Goodnight, Dale.¡± ¡°...Yeah.¡± Dale responded softly and turned his head the other way. Even though she couldn¡¯t see his face, the sweat on his palm made her think that Dale¡¯s cheeks were probably just as flushed as hers. ¡°...¡± Thinking that he was feeling the same way she was, the initial nervousness began to ease. ¡®I thought I¡¯d be too nervous to sleep.¡¯ But lying next to Dale and holding his hand, sleep slowly began to wash over her. Without resisting it, she closed her eyes. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] * * * ¡°Mmm...¡± How much time had passed? Waking up, Yurina raised her head and looked around. It was still dark outside, as the sun hadn¡¯t risen yet. ¡®So the Moonlight Blessing... didn¡¯t activate?¡¯ She immediately checked the Stigma within her, but there was no noticeable difference in her mana. ¡®Well, it was unlikely that I¡¯d gain more mana that easily.¡¯ Still, knowing that being with Dale could trigger the Moonlight Blessing and increase her mana was enough for her to be content. Still, I should be content just knowing that spending time with Dale allowed me to increase my mana through Moonlight''s blessing. ''Is Dale... still asleep?'' I turned my head and saw Dale with his eyes closed. The soft moonlight streaming through the window illuminated his face. His dark gray hair and his pale skin, almost like a child''s. Not quite handsome like a statue, but there was something lively about his appearance. "...Cute." I smiled bashfully as I looked at Dale''s sleeping face. Even after staring at him for several minutes, I didn¡¯t get tired of it. His eyebrows, brushed by his gray hair. His gently closed eyes. His soft-looking earlobes. His well-defined nose. And then. His lips, slightly pale in color. "......." Gulp. I swallowed nervously as my throat tightened. ''No, no! That''s definitely not right!'' I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head urgently. Stealing a kiss from Dale while he was asleep? That was something I should never do. ''But...'' I bit my lip in indecision. As I kept contemting, I slowly moved my head forward. Smooch. I lightly kissed Dale''s cheek and quickly stood up as if to flee. ¡®He didn¡¯t wake up in the middle, right?¡¯ I nced down at Dale, but there was no sign that he had woken up. ¡°Phew.¡± Letting out a sigh of relief, I carefully left the room, making sure not to wake him. Click. After Yurina left and closed the door. ¡°.......¡± Dale, who had been pretending to sleep, slowly opened his eyes. ¡°Sigh.¡± Half sitting up on the bed, he let out a deep sigh and touched the cheek where Yurina''s lips had brushed. ¡°¡­This is driving me crazy.¡± Running his hand through his gray hair, Dale sighed repeatedly. * * * And so, the short time living together with Yurina came to an end. ¡°You can already see that everyone''s getting excited because of the break.¡± Professor Lucas, who had just entered the ssroom, looked at the cadets with a displeased expression and clicked his tongue. ¡°Well, you¡¯re not kids anymore, so I don¡¯t have any specific warnings. Those heading back home, have a safe trip. Those going to some vacation spot, don¡¯t cause trouble.¡± Professor Lucas wandered around the ssroomzily and then casually ced his hand on one cadet¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Cadet Albert.¡± ¡°Hi-Hiiiik!¡± Albert, wearing a terrified expression as if he had just seen a ghost. ¡°W-what, what is it, Professor?¡± ¡°Have a good break, kid.¡± Professor Lucas grinned and ruffled Albert''s hair. Albert let out a sigh of relief and nodded. ¡°Yes, Professor.¡± ¡°Haha. Let¡¯s keep working together in the second semester.¡± ¡°¡­For what?¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s see who¡¯s next¡­.¡± ¡°No! What are we going to be working together on?!¡± Ignoring Albert''s desperate protest, Professor Lucas returned to the podium. ¡°Now, as a final note, we¡¯ll announce the rankings for the first semester¡¯sprehensive evaluation. Open your Hero Watches.¡± Following Professor Lucas''s instructions, the cadets poured their magic into their Hero Watches. A holographic window popped up, disying the message [Updating Grades]. ¡®Finally, the grades are being announced.¡¯ I turned on my Hero Watch to check my current ranking. [Cadet Information] Name: Dale Han Origin: The Republic Year: 3rd Year Department: Warrior Overall Cadet Ranking: 472 / 472 A ranking I was all too familiar with. But that would end today. ''Well... Since Ipletely bombed the midterms, I can''t expect to rank too high.'' Still, at least I would finally be free from the misery of being deadst. ''I even got the Diamond Badge¡­ and I should have the highest party contribution too. I might even make it into the top 50, right?'' Filled with anticipation, I stared at the cadet information screen. [Grade updateplete.] [Please reload the cadet information screen.] Alright! Let''s see the score that will mark the beginning of my new life! [Cadet Information] Name: Dale Han Origin: The Republic Year: 3rd Year Department: Warrior Overall Cadet Ranking: 472 / 472 "...Huh?" What the hell is this? Why hasn¡¯t my ranking changed? ¡°Oh, and by the way, Cadet Dale received three disciplinary actions resulting in suspension this semester, so all of his exam scores were invalidated.¡± "......." ¡°Wow, getting suspended three times in a single semester is no easy feat¡­ You¡¯ve aplished something remarkable, Cadet Dale.¡± - Hmm. I wonder¡­ will it really mean nothing? A week ago. I recalled the ominous smile on Professor Lucas¡¯s face as he handed me my third suspension. ¡°Hahaha! You were ranked first in the final exam, but too bad!¡± Grinning with that same smile, Professor Lucas looked at me. With a hollow expression, I stared at the number ¡®472¡¯ written on my cadet information screen. ¡°No way.¡± When will I ever escape this for real? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 129: Summer Vacation (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 129: Summer Vacation (1) Dormitory Building A, where only the children of high-ranking officials from the three nations live. "What was that guy''s room number again...?" As I walked down the spacious hallway, I nced around. Of course, I wasn¡¯t wandering around lost, looking for the room where I spent thest week with Yurina. The room I was heading to now wasn¡¯t Yurina¡¯s, but another candidate¡¯s. ¡®This ce is ridiculously big.¡¯ After wandering around the vast Dormitory A for quite a while, I finally arrived at the room I had been searching for. ¡®He didn¡¯t head back home right after vacation started, did he?¡¯ I lightly knocked on the door. Knock knock. A refined sound echoed from the door made of high-quality wood. Of course, a fancy dormitory would have a different ss of door. My door would creak obnoxiously whenever it was knocked on... I was thinking this when¡ª Click. The door opened, and a handsome blond man appeared. "Oh, Dale?" Juliet, surprised by my unannounced visit, looked at me with a startled expression. "What brings you here?" "I¡¯ve got something to give you." "Something to give...?" Juliet¡¯s gaze fell on the heavy leather bag I was holding. "Can I give it to you inside?" "Uh, yeah! Of course! Come in!" The first impression of Juliet¡¯s room was that it was ¡®pretty.¡¯ The living room was filled with cute decorations, and one corner of the room was neatly lined with flower pots. ¡®Honestly, this looks more like a girl¡¯s room than Iris or Yurina¡¯s.¡¯ I chuckled, thinking how much it suited Juliet¡¯s personality. "Want something to drink? Coffee? Or tea?" "Coffee." "Okay. Just a moment." While I waited on the sofa for a bit, Juliet brought over a cute coffee cup with a cat pattern on it. "So, what is it you¡¯re giving me?" "Here, this." I handed over the heavy bag filled with gold. Of course, though it''s called ''gold,'' it wasn¡¯t actual gold. ¡®They say 500 years ago they used actual gold coins.¡¯ After a currency reform, now only the name remained as ''gold,'' while the currency was made of paper and used asmon money across the three nations. "This is... gold?" "Yeah. I¡¯m paying back the 1 million gold I borrowed, plus 200,000 gold in interest, so a total of 1.2 million gold." "Huh? Why are you giving me this...?" "What do you mean why? Don¡¯t you remember lending me money?" "Oh." Juliet let out a low gasp as he recalled the forgotten memory. "You¡¯re really going to repay me?" "I said I would, didn¡¯t I?" Well, to be honest, when I borrowed it, I had no intention of paying it back. But after getting to know Juliet and watching him change over time, I changed my mind. "..." Even though Juliet was staring at the heavy bag full of gold, his expression wasn¡¯t exactly bright. "Why?" "Well... it¡¯s just that... I feel like if I take this, I won¡¯t have any more reasons to stay in touch with you, Dale..." "..." What the heck is he worried about now? "Why would being friends stop us from staying in touch? It¡¯s harder to stay in touch when you owe someone money." "...Friends." A faint smile appeared on Juliet¡¯s face. "Yeah, you¡¯re right." He epted the heavy bag of money from me. "Do you have any ns for this summer vacation, Dale?" "Not really. Nothing set in stone yet." I did have some ns in mind, but I had to discuss them with the others before deciding. "If youe to the Republic, make sure to contact me! If you need help with anything, I¡¯ll definitely assist!" "Got it." I said that and slowly got up from my seat. "Y-you¡¯re leaving already?" "Yeah. I¡¯ve got someone else to meet after this." "Oh... okay." Juliet nodded with a slightly disappointed look. "Alright then, I¡¯ll be going." "Okay! Have a great vacation, Dale!" "You too." After saying my goodbyes to Juliet, I headed to my next appointment. * * * A caf¨¦ inside the main building of the Hero School. Usually bustling with candidates, the caf¨¦ was as quiet as the training grounds after exams, now that vacation had started. "Oh, Dale! Over here!" A loud voice echoed through the quiet caf¨¦. I followed the voice and saw Iris, Cami, Yuren, and Berald sitting together at a table. "Sorry, I¡¯m a bitte, aren¡¯t I?" "No, it¡¯s fine. We just got here ourselves." Iris tapped the empty chair next to her, signaling me to sit down. "Hmph. So, why did you call us here?" Cami asked, looking displeased that I had sat next to Iris. "Do you all have time this summer vacation?" "Time?" "Where do you n on going?" Iris tilted her head, curious. "Well, you remember the ruins we explored before?" "Of course." "I was thinking we could go on another ruin expedition during the vacation if we can all find time." In my previous life, I had explored dozens, if not hundreds, of ruins. One of those would be the target for this summer vacation. "I¡¯m all in!" Iris nodded enthusiastically without hesitation, her eyes sparkling. "Hehe. I was worried I¡¯d be apart from you during the vacation, but it¡¯s a relief we can stay together." She smiled sweetly and took my hand under the table. Seeing this, Cami let out a deep sigh. "Sigh. Lady Saint... shouldn¡¯t you at least return to the Holy Kingdom during the vacation?" "There¡¯s nothing for me to do there anyway, right?" "Still..." "And honestly, more people probably don¡¯t want me toe back." "..." When Iris finished with a bitter smile, Cami fell silent with a hardened expression. "Sigh. Fine. I¡¯ll report to the Holy Kingdom that I¡¯ll be staying at school for this vacation." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Thanks." After that somewhatplicated conversation, I turned to Yuren. "What about you, Yuren?" "I¡¯m good. Normally, I¡¯d return home during vacations, but... I don¡¯t need to this time." Yuren smiled warmly, holding back the words, ¡®Thanks to you, Dale.¡¯ ¡®Great.¡¯ It seemed like everyone was on board, so we could explore "that ruin" during the vacation. ¡®It¡¯s a bit challenging... but with this party, we can handle it.¡¯ Once again, I had no intention of stepping up and fighting actively. ¡®While my growth is important, helping mypanions grow is just as crucial.¡¯ After mastering the ¡®Congration¡¯ technique, I had achieved my growth goal. In fact, I had gained so much strength that I couldn¡¯t even control it fully. Now was the time to help lead mypanions. "Ah... Sorry, brother." At that moment, Berald spoke with an awkward expression. "It seems I have to go back to my hometown during this vacation." "Is something wrong at home?" Yuren tilted his head and asked Berald. With a bitter smile, Berald nodded. "My father is a bit unwell, so I have to go back home and take care of him." "Ah..." A soft sigh escaped Yuren''s lips at Berald''s words. "Yeah, if that''s the reason, there''s nothing we can do. Then the four of us, without Berald¡ª" "No, there''s no need for that." I shook my head and looked over at Berald. "After all, the ruins we''re nning to visit this time are in the Republic." "Ruins in the Republic...?" The Republic wasn''t known for having many ruins. "Don''t tell me, brother, did you choose the ruins in the Republic on purpose?" I nodded toward Berald, who asked with wide eyes. "Didn''t I promise before? That I''de to your house during the vacation and look for a way to treat your father." "Oh." It seemed Berald finally remembered that promise, letting out a small exmation. "You''re really...ing?" "Of course I am, you idiot. Did you think I was just saying that?" "...Sniff." Berald sniffled and suddenly jumped up from his seat. "Brotheeeeeeer!" "Ugh!" Berald rushed toward me, grabbing me in a tight hug. His face, now a mess of tears and snot, rubbed against my cheek. "Let go! Let go, you idiot!" I desperately tried to pry Berald off. Wiping the unpleasant slime off my cheek with a tissue from the table, I continued speaking. "Well, to be honest, I don''t know if I''ll be able to cure him even if I go." "Heh. I''m just grateful you''reing." Berald grinned, as if to say not to worry. "So, when should we leave?" "Let''s head out tomorrow. Is everyone okay with that?" "Yes, no problem." "I''m fine too." Iris and Yuren nodded in agreement. And so, the first destination of our summer vacation was decided¡ªBerald''s home. * * * The city was enveloped in darkness. Countless lights illuminated the city, like stars in the night sky. A woman sat precariously on the edge of a tall building. "Yaaawn~ So boring. When will they get here?" The woman with purple hair stretched while swinging her legszily. At that moment¡ª Bang! The rooftop door burst open, and a group of heroes in ck suits rushed in, surrounding her. "Oh, you''re here?" The purple-haired woman smiled slyly as she looked at the gathered heroes. One of the heroes, tense with his sword drawn, spoke up. "L-Lactasia! You''repletely surrounded¡ª Gah!" In an instant, sharp, elongated nails pierced through the man''s neck. The woman gracefully stood up and walked toward him with elegant steps. "Surrounded? Don''t you realize I''m the one who called you all here?" Crack! The man''s head was ripped from his neck. As the woman leisurely surveyed the heroes, she winked. "Ah..." "You''re... so beautiful..." Suddenly, the men''s eyes became dazed. It was as if they were entranced, staring at the woman with ck jaws. "What... What are you guys doing?" "Snap out of it!" The female heroes who had apanied them urgently grabbed the men''s shoulders, shaking them, but the men showed no signs of returning to their senses. "Ugh! Just kill her already!" "Haahp!" Finally giving up, the female heroes drew their weapons. Shh-krk! Shh-krk! Purple spikes shot up from the ground, impaling the female heroes'' bodies. "I''m not interested in you lot, so stay quiet~." The woman, who had swiftly dealt with the female heroes, casually walked among the men. "Hmm. This one¡¯s eyes aren¡¯t great. That one¡¯s nose bothers me. Oh, this guy¡¯s just ugly, isn''t he?" Shwink! Shwink! Shwink! Each time she moved, heads rolled across the rooftop floor. By the time she had made a full circle, not a single hero remained alive. "Haah~ I need to find the Legacy of Iron Fist and get out of here already. It¡¯s so hard to find a handsome man in the Republic." The woman turned around, looking down at the lights flowing through the city with a disappointed expression. "Isn¡¯t there a perfect blond hottie out there somewhere?" Her eyes gleamed with greed as she licked her lips. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 130: Summer Vacation (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 130: Summer Vacation (2) A wide road. Gray buildings lined up in a perfectly measured distance, like they were drawn with a ruler. ¡°So this is¡­ the Republic.¡± Iris¡¯s eyes sparkled with curiosity as she nced around. As expected of the Republic, a country known for its technology, the buildings here were taller and more structuredpared to those in the Holy Kingdom. ¡®Though everything looks a bit too simr, making it feel a little bleak,¡¯ she thought. Swallowing the thought in her mind, Iris followed Dale¡¯s footsteps closely. ¡°Did you grow up in a ce like this, Dale?¡± ¡°No.¡± Dale shook his head slightly at Iris, who hade so close they were almost touching shoulders. Honestly, it had been so long that he could hardly remember his childhood in the orphanage. ¡°The ce I grew up in was much more rural.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. There wasn¡¯t even a warp gate, so it would take days to get there from here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too bad.¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°Hehe, I was hoping I might find a picture of you from when you were younger at the orphanage.¡± Iris grinned mischievously, her eyes sparkling. ¡°And what would you do with a picture of me when I was younger?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Ah,e on! How can I say something so embarrassing out loud?¡± ¡°No, really.¡± What exactly was she nning to do? Dale gave Iris a wary look, but she just smiled sweetly. With a sigh, he turned his head toward Berald. ¡°Is your house near here?¡± ¡°No. We need to take the train out to the outskirts of the city.¡± ¡°Then we should head to the station first.¡± ¡°Haha. Follow me.¡± Berald strode ahead, leading the way to the train station. After taking the train and heading toward the city''s outskirts, the view of the gray building forest gradually turned into open fields. After about an hour on the train: ¡°This is our stop.¡± Stepping outside with Berald, they were greeted by a peaceful rural scene that was hard to believe was part of the same Republic they had seen earlier. ¡°It¡¯s surprising how much of a difference just a little distance from the city makes.¡± ¡°Haha. It¡¯s the same in the Holy Kingdom and the Empire, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Come on, we¡¯re almost there. Follow me.¡± After walking down the quiet country road for a while, arge mansion appeared. ¡°This is my house.¡± Though it was just a branch family, the Ryu family¡¯s mansion was clearly on a different scale from the other houses around it. ¡°I¡¯m back!¡± Berald called out loudly, his voice echoing, and soon a warm-looking middle-aged woman hurried out. ¡°Oh my, Master Berald, you¡¯ve returned?¡± ¡°Ahem. Didn¡¯t I ask you not to call me ¡®Master¡¯?¡± ¡°Hehe, but I can¡¯t help it. Are these your friends behind you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The middle-aged woman turned toward us and bowed politely. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, heroes. I¡¯m Anna, the housekeeper of this mansion.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Dale.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Iris.¡± After exchanging brief greetings, we followed Anna into the reception room. The mansion was sorge and quiet that it almost felt deserted, as if there were no other servants besides Anna. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you something to drink, please wait here for a moment.¡± ¡°Actually, I¡¯d like to see my father first.¡± ¡°¡­The Master?¡± Anna¡¯s expression darkened. Berald gave a bitter smile and nodded. ¡°¡­He¡¯s in his bedroom on the second floor.¡± With her head lowered, Anna cautiously stepped aside. ¡°Follow me.¡± Berald climbed the stairs with heavy steps. After walking down a long hallway, he stopped in front of the door at the farthest end and closed his eyes tightly. ¡°Hoo.¡± After taking a deep breath and gathering his resolve, Berald knocked gently on the door. ¡°Hmm? Is it already mealtime?¡± The voice from inside was innocent, but it was not a child''s voice. It was a deep, adult voice. ¡°I¡¯ming in.¡± ¡°Hey! It¡¯s the big guy!¡± The moment the door opened, they were greeted by arge middle-aged man, almost as big as Berald. The man, who had been lying on the bed, broke into a wide smile as soon as he saw Berald¡¯s face and jumped up. ¡°Hehe! Long time no see! How have you been?¡± The man beamed brightly at Berald. Berald clenched his fist so tightly it seemed as though it would break, biting his lip hard. ¡°¡­Father.¡± ¡°Huh? I¡¯m not your father. My name is Gilbert.¡± Gilbert tilted his head, sucking on his finger. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Berald looked down at the floor, suppressing a surge of emotion. With a shaky voice, he managed to speak. ¡°¡­Right, Gilbert.¡± ¡°Yeah! I¡¯m Gilbert! Nice to meet you! Um¡­ What was your name again?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± The words of introduction he had repeated so many times left his lips once again. ¡°¡­Berald. Berald Ryu.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right! Berald! Hehe, you told me before, but I forgot.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s fine.¡± Berald gently ced his trembling hand on Gilbert¡¯s shoulder. His hand trembled slightly as it rested there. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you again¡­ as many times as it takes.¡± ¡°Hehe! The big guy is so kind!¡± Gilbert nodded with a bright smile. ¡°So, is your body feeling okay? Are you in pain anywhere?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Sometimes, it hurts here.¡± Gilbert pointed sadly to the top of his head. ¡°It feels like someone¡¯s poking me with a needle.¡± ¡°¡­Does it hurt now?¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t.¡± Gilbert smiled bashfully at Berald. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m with you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Berald¡¯s eyes quivered slightly. ¡°By the way, who are those people behind you?¡± Gilbert¡¯s gaze turned to us, standing at the door. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] As we hesitated, unsure of how to answer, Berald spoke up. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say your head sometimes hurts? They¡¯re doctors who came to help.¡± ¡°D-doctors?¡± At the word ¡°doctors,¡± Gilbert recoiled in shock, taking a step back. ¡°I-I don¡¯t like doctors¡­ They always make me take bitter medicine!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry about that this time.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°I swear on my name.¡± Berald smiled reassuringly. Relieved, Gilbert slowly walked back toward him. ¡°O-okay¡­ Ah, but wait¡­ What did you say your name was again?¡± ¡°Berald.¡± ¡°Oh, right. Haha. I already forgot again.¡± Gilbert said as he approached me. "So, doctor, what should I do?" "...For now, just lie down on the bed." "Okay!" Gilbert dashed to the bed, pulled up the nket, andy down. "Ah... Now that I''m lying down, I suddenly feel sleepy." Not even 10 seconds after hey down, Gilbert mumbled in a drowsy voice and soon began snoring softly. "Phew." Berald sighed deeply and turned his head towards us after confirming Gilbert was asleep. "This is the state my father is in now." "...Berald." Iris looked at Berald with sorrowful eyes. "I''ve heard about it, but I didn''t know it was this serious." "...It must have been tough all this time." Yuren and Cami also gazed at Gilbert, who had fallen asleep on the bed, withplicated expressions. "Let me check his condition." Iris crouched beside the bed and ced her hand on Gilbert''s forehead. Wooooooong. A soft white light flowed from her hand and seeped into Gilbert¡¯s forehead. Her blue eyes turned to a rainbow-like hue. ¡°Haa, haa.¡± After a while. Iris wiped the sweat from her forehead, breathing heavily. ¡°How... how is he? My father¡¯s condition?¡± Berald asked anxiously. ¡°His Stigma itself is damaged.¡± ¡°The Stigma?¡± ¡°Yes. The Stigmas bestowed by the Seven Gods contain not just mana, but also parts of the soul and mind. Gilbert''s Stigma is damaged right now.¡± ¡°T-then, is there no way to heal it?¡± Berald''s face hardened. Iris withdrew her hand from Gilbert''s forehead and spoke. ¡°With my power alone, it''s not enough.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Berald let out a low sigh. ¡°But.¡± ¡°¡­But?¡± ¡°If we have a suitable offering, healing might be possible.¡± ¡°An offering?¡± ¡°She means magic stones or enchanted artifacts.¡± Before Iris could respond, I spoke up. ¡°Holy magic can amplify its effects by offering something in exchange.¡± ¡°Exactly. Like Dale said, if we have an offering, we can use stronger healing magic.¡± ¡°So, if we find a magic stone, we might be able to heal my father?¡± ¡°We can try, but I can''t guarantee it will work. And...¡± Iris continued, her face clouded with concern. ¡°We''ll probably need at least a high-grade magic stone.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Berald sighed again. Unlike mid- or low-grade magic stones, which could be mass-produced, high-grade magic stones could only be obtained by hunting demonic beasts. And not just any beasts, but at least 8-eyed demonic beasts. ¡°A high-grade magic stone¡­¡± Berald pressed his hand to his forehead and sighed deeply. Catching an 8-eyed demonic beast wasn¡¯t easy, and even if they managed to, there was no guarantee it would drop a magic stone. Moreover, buying one would cost millions of gold, far beyond what the support from his family could cover. ¡°Hah.¡± At that moment. A small chuckle escaped from my lips. ¡°¡­Brother?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think things would connect like this.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Berald looked at me with a puzzled expression, and I grinned widely. ¡°I told you I wanted to go on a ruin expedition this summer, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°You did, but...¡± ¡°We¡¯ll find one there. A high-grade magic stone.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Berald¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. * * * After we decided to go on a ruin expedition to find a high-grade magic stone, a problem arose. ¡°Hmm. You said we¡¯re heading to the Iron Gorge?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no warp gate to get there... and no regr transportation either, so we¡¯ll need a magic vehicle.¡± Yuren said, looking troubled. ¡°I don¡¯t have a magic vehicle license... Dale, do you?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± I knew how to drive one, but I didn¡¯t have a license. ¡°Iris, Cami, do you have one?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a magic vehicle license yet¡­¡± ¡°Neither do I.¡± ¡°Ugh. Berald, you don¡¯t have one either, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Sigh. A deep sigh escaped Yuren¡¯s lips. Not only did we not have a licensed driver, but we didn¡¯t even have a magic vehicle. ¡°So we¡¯ll have to walk, huh? It¡¯ll be quite a trek.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got something in mind for that.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got something in mind?¡± I smirked as I turned on my Hero Watch. ¡°Just wait. You¡¯ll see tomorrow.¡± And the next day. Vroooom! Early in the morning. The heavy sound of an engine roared in front of the mansion. A sleek, ck magic vehicle rolled up, and a blonde man wearing sunsses stepped out. ¡°Ah, Dale! I brought the magic vehicle you asked for!¡± Juliet, spotting me, waved with a bright smile. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 131: Summer Vacation (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 131: Summer Vacation (3) A rugged off-road. A luxury magic vehicle, which looked like it could easily cost tens of thousands of gold, was gliding along the road. Even though I had described the car Juliet brought as "sleek," it wasn¡¯t one of those sports magic cars currently trendy among the young people of the Republic. The car Juliet brought was what you would call a ¡°boss¡¯s car¡±¡ªa high-end sedan. It was the kind of model favored by the Republic¡¯s wealthy, with seats made from such soft leather that they felt like they might melt if touched, and a spacious back seat. Thud! ¡°Ugh.¡± No matter how great the magic car was, traveling on such a rough road was bound to be ufortable. Especially with four of us crammed into the backseat¡ªCami, Iris, me, and Yuren, in that order. ¡°Are you alright, Dale?¡± ¡°Ah, yeah.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t feel so ufortable, you cane closer to me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± I forced an awkward smile as I nced at Cami, who sat next to Iris, ring at me with an expression that seemed to say, "Just try moving closer to her." ¡°Come on, Dale, just scoot closer to me. We¡¯re both ¡®guys,¡¯ aren¡¯t we?¡± Yuren said, grinning as he grabbed my arm. ¡°Oh my~ In a situation like this, who cares about men or women? Dale, wouldn¡¯t you be much more fortable¡¯ over here with me?¡± ¡°Hahaha, Iris, you say some bold things. Not very saint-like.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one saying weird things, Yuren. As far as I know, men don¡¯t like sitting too close to each other, even if they¡¯re friends.¡± Their eyes locked in a tense stare as I sat awkwardly between them, caught in the middle of their subtle battle. ¡°¡­Brother.¡± From the passenger seat, Berald turned his head to look back at me. ¡°Would you like to switch and sit in the front seat?¡± ¡°If you get in the back, it¡¯ll be even more cramped.¡± It was already tight as it was. ¡°Ugh¡­ Sorry. If I had known, I would¡¯ve brought a bigger magic car.¡± Juliet nced up at the rearview mirror with a sheepish smile as he drove. ¡°No, I¡¯m just thankful you¡¯re giving us a ride.¡± ¡°So, why are you heading to Iron Gorge anyway?¡± ¡°Well¡­ We¡¯re nning a training camp or something.¡± ¡°...Right at the start of summer vacation?¡± Juliet shook her head in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re really diligent, considering your grades, Dale.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°Hahaha, just kidding.¡± Juliet let out a smallugh. ¡®Juliet¡¯s joking with me, huh.¡¯ It definitely felt like the distance between us had gotten much closer since I gave him that moneyst time. ¡°By the way, have you heard that rumor?¡± ¡°What rumor?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a rumor that the ¡®Legacy of Iron Fist¡¯ is hidden in Iron Gorge.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Well, I had heard of that, as it was quite a famous rumor. ¡®But it¡¯s just a hoax.¡¯ The ruins we were heading to in Iron Gorge were the first ruins that I, Yuren, Berald, Iris, and Senior Sophia had ever conquered together as a party in my previous life. Back then, when we found the hidden ruins, Berald and I had gotten all excited, thinking we¡¯d finally discovered the legacy of Iron Fist, but the ruins werepletely empty except for the guardian golem inside. ¡®Still, if we can defeat the guardian golem, we¡¯ll get a high-grade magic stone.¡¯ Though the guardian golem inside was far stronger than the one we had defeated during the final exams, it would be an excellent training opportunity and killing two birds with one stone. ¡°The legacy of Iron Fist, huh¡­¡± Berald, sitting in the passenger seat, muttered quietly. Juliet nced over at Berald and asked, ¡°By the way, Berald¡­ should I call you ¡®Junior?¡¯¡± ¡°Hehe, just call me Berald.¡± ¡°Ah, um, okay. What were you going to ask?¡± ¡°Your family, the ¡®Ryu¡¯ n, is connected to Iron Fist Ryujin Seong, right?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s correct.¡± The ¡®Ryu¡¯ n, one of the most powerful families in the Republic, descended from Ryu Jinhyuk, the younger brother of Iron Fist Ryujin Seong. While his brother had natural talent as a martial artist, Ryu Jinhyuk had shown remarkable talent in magic. That talent had been passed down through the generations, and the Ryu n was now recognized as the top magical family in the Republic. ¡°So, do you know anything about the Legacy of Iron Fist?¡± Juliet asked, his eyes sparkling with interest in the rumor. ¡°Haha, not exactly,¡± Berald replied, shaking his head with a bitter smile. ¡°As a child, I heard that Ryujin Seong didn¡¯t get along very well with our ancestor.¡± ¡°Ryujin Seong didn¡¯t get along with Ryu Jinhyuk? But they¡¯re brothers, right?¡± ¡°Just because they¡¯re brothers doesn¡¯t mean they have to get along, does it?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s true.¡± Even with shared blood¡­ no, perhaps because they were rted by blood, it wasn¡¯t unusual for siblings to fall out with each other. ¡°Anyway, I heard that our ancestor deliberately kept his distance from Iron Fist Ryujin Seong.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°And since Ryujin Seong didn¡¯t have any descendants, after his falling out with his only remaining family, the ¡®Legacy of Iron Fist¡¯ naturally vanished into history.¡± ¡°So, that¡¯s why no one¡¯s found it for over 500 years.¡± Juliet looked slightly disappointed. I nced back at him and chuckled. ¡°Are you really that interested in this?¡± ¡°Uh, what? No, I mean¡­ it¡¯s the legacy of one of the Five Great Heroes! How could I not be interested?¡± ¡°Well, fair enough.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Especially since Iron Fist Ryujin Seong, unlike the other heroes, had left his legacy to no one. Naturally, people¡¯s interest in him would be high. ¡®Looking back now, I wonder if there was ever a real legacy at all.¡¯ Even after wandering the continent for thousands of years, searching for the Primordial me, I had never found Iron Fist¡¯s legacy. ¡®But that¡¯s not important right now.¡¯ The priority was to help my party members grow through actualbat and to secure the ¡®offering¡¯ necessary to treat Berald¡¯s father. Chasing some possibly non-existent legacy wasn¡¯t nearly as important as that. ¡°We¡¯re at the entrance to Iron Gorge¡­ I don¡¯t think we can drive the magic car any further from here.¡± After half a day of driving, we finally arrived at the entrance of the Gorge. Juliet nced at the bumpy rocks inside the Gorge and stopped the car. ¡°This is fine. Thanks for driving us here.¡± "Hehe. It''s not a big deal. So, are we all going to start training together now?" "Yeah." Juliet looked at us with a hint of envy for a moment, but it was difficult to extend an invitation to him. ''If the skill gap between party members is too wide, it can actually be a hindrance.'' Juliet wasn''tcking by any means, but that was only whenparing him to an "average candidate." With people like Yuren, Iris, Berald, and even Cami... They weren''t just beyond the level of average candidates¡ªthey were on par with, or even surpassed, many active heroes. "Well then, I''ll be off! If you need me for anything else, just let me know!" "Yeah. Get home safe." "Oh, and contact me when the training camp is over. I''lle pick you up then." Juliet smiled and put on his sunsses. "Thank you, Juliet." Iris bowed her head toward Juliet. Perhaps Juliet hadn''t expected to receive gratitude from the saintess, as he looked flustered and shook his head quickly. "Oh, no, it''s nothing... It''s just a friend''s request..." "Hmm. Is that really the only reason?" Iris smirked as she watched the flustered Juliet shake her head, then gave him a sly smile. "...Huh? What do you mean, ''only reason''?" "Hehe. The reason you''ve been helping us so much..." Iris nced briefly at Berald, then stepped closer to Juliet. "It''s because of Berald, right?" "...What?" "Hehe. You said it before, didn''t you? That you... have feelings for him." "Oh." Juliet''s face instantly turned pale. "N-no! I...!" Before he coulde up with an excuse, Iris patted him on the shoulder and gave him a thumbs-up. "Good luck! I''m rooting for your love, Juliet!" Iris smiled brightly and walked away. "...Ugh." Left alone, Juliet bowed his head and clenched his trembling fists. "No... I... I''m not into him like that..." It was summer. * * * The Iron Gorge, a ce where the legendary Iron Fist Ryujin was said to have spent his old age, was notorious for its treacherous terrain and maze-like paths. Not only did wild and ferocious demonic beasts lurk in every corner, but deadly poisonous nts and insects that could even be fatal to heroes thrived there. Rumble, crash! "Phew. Now I get why this ce is off-limits to heroes." Yuren swiftly dodged out of the way as the ground he stepped on crumbled like it had a trap set, letting out a low sigh. I walked ahead, avoiding the copsed ground, and nced at the weary expressions of my party members. "We''re almost at the ruins. Just hang in there a little longer." "But how did you know there were ruins in a ce like this, brother?" "Yeah, I''ve never heard anything about ruins in the Iron Gorge before." Berald and Yuren looked at me with puzzled expressions. "Remember when I went out with Professor Elisha for a bit after the final exams?" "Oh, yeah. You mean that trip outside the academy?" "Yeah. I got some information about hidden ruins in the Iron Gorge then." In reality, I knew the location of the ruins thanks to memories from my past life. But I couldn¡¯t reveal the whole truth to mypanions just yet. "Hmm... Is that so?" Yuren frowned, still looking unconvinced, but I moved forward without addressing his doubts. After a few more hours of trekking deeper into the Iron Gorge, arge cave entrance finally appeared before us. "Is this the entrance to the ruins you mentioned?" "Yeah." "But it doesn¡¯t seem that deep... The end of the cave is visible from the outside." Just like Iris said, the end of the cave was so close that we could see it from where we stood. Rather than a cave, it looked more like a wide pit created by andslide. I held back a chuckle and stepped inside the cave. "If the entrance had been easy to find, it wouldn¡¯t have remained hidden for 500 years." The entrance to these ruins had been concealed by a seal, making it impossible to locate just by looking. ''It was quite a struggle to break the seal back then.'' To reveal the entrance, one had to find the sealing stones hidden throughout the Iron Gorge and arrange them in a specific order within this cave. ''But doing that would take up all our summer break.'' Luckily, there was an easier way. A much simpler and faster way. "Berald, remember that magic you used when the door to the student cafeteria broke?" "You mean... the unlocking spell?" "Yeah." I smirked and lit a gray me. Whoosh! The ash-colored fire red up fiercely in my clenched fist. "We''re going to use that spell." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 132: The Legacy of the Iron Fist (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 132: The Legacy of the Iron Fist (1) Fwoooosh! Ash-gray mes zed fiercely. The roaring mes wrapped around a clenched fist. ¡®It''s a bit of a crude method.¡¯ I did think it over for a bit. Maybe I should try finding all the sealing stones like I did in my previous life and then try opening the ruin¡¯s door? ¡®It''s a waste of time.¡¯ I know where the entrance to the ruin is, and I have the strength to break the seals. It¡¯s not like the midterm evaluation where the process of attacking the ruin itself is being graded, so there¡¯s no need to follow the conventional route, is there? ¡®And if I find the sealing stones one by one and solve the puzzle at once, it¡¯ll only raise more questions.¡¯ As it is, I''ve already aroused Yuren¡¯s suspicion by finding the hidden entrance to the ruin without any clues. If I proceed any further like that, I¡¯ll only look more suspicious. Even though my party members trust me, I know well enough that I won¡¯t be able to convince them with just the flimsy excuse that "I got the information from Professor Elisha." ¡®Well, if I didn''t want to raise any suspicion, I shouldn''t havee here in the first ce.¡¯ That was my personal choice. Should I move inefficiently to hide the fact that I¡¯m a regressor perfectly? Or should I move efficiently, even at the risk of raising suspicion? Here, I chose thetter. ¡®In the end, I¡¯ll reveal the truth someday anyway.¡¯ Even if I perfectly hide the fact that I¡¯m a regressor, it won¡¯t help me prepare for the impending disaster, so there¡¯s no reason to obsess over it. Of course, a question lingered in the back of my mind¡ªif I didn¡¯t need to hide, couldn¡¯t I just reveal my true identity to myrades, like I did with Professor Elisha? ¡®Well¡­¡¯ I swallowed a bitter smile and shook my head. To be honest, I wasn¡¯t ready yet. I wasn¡¯t ready to tell myrades from my previous life everything about myself. ¡®If Senior Sophia heard this, she¡¯d probably click her tongue and call me an idiot.¡¯ I can¡¯t help it. I¡¯m not as wise as her. Fwoooosh! The mes swirling around my fist grew even more intense as my thoughts continued. ¡°D-Dale...!¡± ¡°A-Are you sure you''re okay, Dale?¡± Iris and Yuren looked at me, pale-faced, seemingly overwhelmed by the immense power emanating from my fist. ¡°Everyone, step back. Iris, cast a protection spell.¡± ¡°Yes. G-got it.¡± Iris, visibly nervous, began chanting a spell. After confirming that the retreating party members were now enclosed within a white barrier¡ª ¡°Hoo.¡± Berald¡¯s Martial Arts. ¡°Mountain Breaker.¡± KWA-AAAAAAANG!!! A terrifying shockwave reverberated throughout the entire canyon. The hard stone walls of the cave split and copsed with a deafening sound. And beyond the crumbling cave walls, I saw it. ¡®It¡¯s been a while.¡¯ A giant iron door, etched with aplex magical seal. I grinned and ced my hand on the door, where the magical seal was engraved. Fwoooosh! The mes of origin engulfed the magic seal protecting the door. After a few minutes, the magic seal that had been engraved on the giant iron door waspletely consumed by the mes of origin and vanished. ¡°Hoo.¡± Having used up a considerable amount of mana in one go, I let out a tired breath and sat on the rubble. ¡°¡­Is it all over?¡± ¡°Yeah. You cane out now.¡± The party members, who had been inside the protective barrier Iris had cast, cautiously walked out and surveyed the surroundings. ¡°Wow¡­ I didn¡¯t think ¡®Mountain Breaker¡¯ that I learned from brother would literally break a mountain.¡± Berald marveled at the destroyed cave wall, clicking his tongue in disbelief. ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn, Berald.¡± ¡°Hm? What do you mean?¡± I pointed at the firmly shut iron door and continued. ¡°Let¡¯s see your ¡®magic¡¯ again after so long.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Berald grinned, understanding what I meant. ¡°Haha! Leave it to me!¡± Berald approached the firmly shut iron door and slid his hand into the small gap. ¡°Hraaah!¡± Screeeech! ng! With a loud metallic sound, the massive iron door bent and deformed. ¡°Unlock! Haaaaah!¡± Thud! With the iron door shattered, the entrance to the hidden ruins was revealed. Yuren and Cami, who had been watching the scene, rubbed their foreheads, as if feeling a headache. ¡°¡­I feel like all themon sense I¡¯ve known is being overturned.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± And so. The full-scale exploration of the ruins began. * * * There were two main types of golems found inside ruins. Human hands made one. Divine hands created the other. In cases where ruins were not deliberately built by humans, most of the golems within were created by divine hands. As for these golems, created by divine hands¡ªmore specifically, naturally formed within ruins¡ªschrs had long debated various hypotheses. Some imed that they were formed by the surplus mana lingering within the ruins. Others argued that the ruins themselves possessed some consciousness and created them as guardians. Some believed that just as living beings turned into monsters or demons under the influence of demonic power, inanimate objects also became golems when exposed to such forces. However, despite all these theories, no schr had yet provided a definitive answer as to how golems were actually formed within ruins. ¡®Even as a regressor, I don¡¯t know the exact mechanism behind golem creation.¡¯ Still, I do know a few things about the golems themselves. They form naturally inside ruins and do not regenerate once destroyed. They attack only intruders and never leave the confines of the ruins. And the term ¡°Guardian¡± is used instead of ¡°Guardian Golem¡± to refer to those made by divine hands. Lastly¡­ ¡®Guardians have a much higher chance of dropping magic stonespared to other monsters.¡¯ The reason I thought of this ruin without hesitation when Iris mentioned that a sacrifice was needed to heal Berald¡¯s father was because of that. ¡®There aren¡¯t many ruins where Guardians are created.¡¯ Not all ruins produced Guardians. In fact, the number of ruins where Guardians naturally formed was very smallpared to the total number of ruins. Anyway. The reason I¡¯m exining all this about Guardians in such detail is... ¡°¡­Dale.¡± It¡¯s because a Guardian had appeared right in front of us. [Intruders detected. Intruders detected.] A Guardian made entirely of stone. Though it wasn¡¯t particrlyrge for a Guardian, standing at about 3 meters tall, the heavy sense of oppression emanating from its entire body clearly set it apart from the Guardian Golems I faced during the midterm evaluation. [Intruder elimination protocol activated.] Bzzz. A chilling red light glowed in the Guardian¡¯s eyes. ¡°Everyone, get back!¡± The first to react was Iris. She urgently extended her arms and chanted a spell. ¡°O Seven Gods! Protect your children!¡± A white barrier formed in front of the Guardian, but... Whirrr, BOOM! ¡°Kyaaa!¡± The barrier ripped apart like paper before the Guardian¡¯s swinging fist. The forced copse of the magic made Iris scream as she copsed on the spot. "Saintess! Guh...!" Cami bit her lip hard and charged toward the Guardian. "Haah!" Her ymore, enveloped in pure white aura, swung heavily at the Guardian with a resonating boom. [Attack detected.] [Counterattack protocol activated.] Swoosh! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Scales rose like spikes from the Guardian''s stone arm and were fired toward Cami. "Guh...!" ng! ng! ng! Cami hastily twisted her ymore to block the falling stone shards. The Guardian''s hand then grabbed Cami by the waist. "Argh!" She coughed up breath, choked by the crushing pressure. "You bastard!" Berald kicked off the ground hard and charged toward the Guardian, who held Cami. "Haaaah!" He formed a magic missile in midair and hurled it. Boom! Smoke rose from the Guardian''s arm as the magic missile hit, and Cami fell to the ground. [Priority target change.] The Guardian¡¯s red eyes locked onto Berald. Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! With heavy, thunderous steps, the Guardian charged toward Berald. Its arm swung fiercely at him. "Argh...!" Boom! Berald was struck by the Guardian''s arm and flung like a skipping stone, mming into a wall. "Berald!" Yuren gritted his teeth, standing between Berald and the Guardian. The sword drawn from his waist glowed with a brilliant golden aura. The Sun Sword. Type 6: White Light. A concentrated beam of golden aura shot toward the Guardian. Crack! One of the Guardian''s arms, hit by the white light, shattered and rolled across the floor. But still. [Damage check.] [Combat can continue.] The Guardian raised its remaining arm and aimed it at Yuren. Vvvvmmm! Man condensed in the Guardian¡¯s arm, and a cannonball was fired. "Agh!" Yuren was caught in the st and rolled violently across the ground. "¡­¡­." I frowned as I watched my party members being overwhelmed. ¡®Maybe it was still too soon.¡¯ Well. It was more than ten years from now when I first tackled this ruin. Even if Yuren, Berald, and Iris were growing faster than in my previous life, there''s still a long way to go to close the gap of a decade. ¡®In hindsight, it¡¯s only natural.¡¯ You can¡¯t expect a child who¡¯s just learned to walk to start running. The Guardian in this ruin isparable in strength to at least a Nine-Eyed Demonic Beast, so it¡¯s no wonder we¡¯re struggling. [Combat situation analysis.] [Target confirmed.] The Guardian¡¯s red eyes turned toward me. Thud, thud, thud! It charged toward me with heavy steps. [Target behavior pattern analysis.] [Insufficient data for analysis.] [Activating annihtion cannon forplete elimination¡­.] ¡°Shut up.¡± I swung my sword toward the charging Guardian. Fwoooosh! My sword, engulfed in mes, split the Guardian¡¯s body in half. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°He... he took down the Guardian in one blow?¡± ¡°Dale...¡± The party members looked at me, shocked by how quickly I had dispatched the Guardian. I nced at them and paused in thought for a moment. ¡®Honestly, the enemy is still too strong for them at their current level¡­.¡¯ But I can¡¯t always coddle them and tell them it¡¯s okay. For their growth, sometimes the stick is more important than the carrot. ¡°Haa¡­¡± I sighed deeply and looked back at my party members. ¡°Sorry. I think I overestimated you all.¡± Tsk. I clicked my tongue and turned my head with a look of disappointment. ¡°Maybe we should just give up on exploring this ruin. It seems too difficult for your current abilities.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Yuren¡¯s expression hardened at my harsh evaluation. ¡°¡­No.¡± Using his sword like a staff, Yuren staggered to his feet. ¡°I can do more, Dale.¡± Seeing the silver light burning in his eyes, I nodded in satisfaction. And then¡ª * * * ¡°Iris! Start with a blessing!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Berald, Cami! Draw the Guardian¡¯s attention!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t hold out long!¡± At Yuren¡¯smand, the party moved in perfect coordination. ¡°Fuu¡­¡± An overwhelming amount of mana surged from Yuren¡¯s body. ¡°I can¡­ still do more¡­!¡± Rumbleee! The entire ruin shook as if an earthquake had struck. Yuren¡¯s sword, brimming with terrifying mana, shed at the Guardian. Boom! The Guardian was pushed back with a deafening crash. ¡°I¡¯ll join in too!¡± ¡°Haaaaah!¡± ¡°Kill it! Smash that damn pile of scrap, Cami!!!¡± The party charged at the retreating Guardian, trampling it with fierce energy. ¡°Hmm.¡± Watching this scene, I crossed my arms and hummed in thought. ¡°Maybe my method worked too well...?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 133: The Legacy of the Iron Fist (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 133: The Legacy of the Iron Fist (2) What exactly does it mean to be a genius? Someone who masters techniques that others must repeat thousands or even tens of thousands of times, with just one try? A person who looks at aplex web of forms and finds the correct answer on the first attempt? Of course, that would fit within the definition of a ¡®genius.¡¯ ¡®But.¡¯ That¡¯s something one can eventually catch up to with time and effort. If you can master the technique, even after repeating it a thousand or ten thousand times. If you can derive the right answer, no matter howplex the form, by breaking it down step by step. Is the difference between a genius and an ordinary person just a matter of time? ¡®No.¡¯ I know. Because I''ve spent more time than anyone else. Because I¡¯ve poured in more effort than anyone else. I know that no matter how hard an ordinary person struggles, they can never evene close to the heels of a true genius. And now, right before my eyes, that ¡®genius¡¯ was swinging a brilliantly burning sword. "Seventh Form of the Sun Sword, Variant Style, Radiant Ring - Chain." Rings of light formed in mid-air, connecting together to create chains of light. The chains of light, swirling along the sword''s path, densely covered the entire surrounding space. It was as if a golden pce made of light had been constructed in mid-air. The brilliance of the scene sent a chilling thrill down my spine. ¡®What is that?¡¯ Not even Yuren in my previous life had ever shown such a technique. Even I, who prided myself on having mastery of the Sun Sword that was second to none, had never been able to string together radiant rings to create chains of light. ¡®And doing that while controlling the aura¡¯s color?¡¯ Yurina¡¯s original aura color is a cool silver, like moonlight. But when she takes on Yuren¡¯s form, she suppresses her mana to change her aura to gold, which was always a tedious process. ¡®And yet, she¡¯s controlling the aura¡¯s color while disying such intricate swordsmanship?¡¯ It¡¯s like trying to thread a needle while wearing thick gloves. Of course, Yurina has been changing her aura color since she was very young, so it¡¯s be as natural as breathing to her. Still, controlling the aura¡¯s color while performing such breathtaking techniques isn¡¯t something just anyone can do. Yes, that¡¯s it. ¡®Only a genius could pull that off.¡¯ I clenched my fists as I watched Yuren fiercely overwhelm the Guardian. Yes, this is it. The awe-inspiring genius that an ordinary person can never hope to catch up to, no matter how much they struggle. This is exactly the sight of the ¡®Last Light,¡¯ Yuren Helios, that I knew. ¡®No, perhaps this is even beyond that.¡¯ The swordsmanship that Yurina was showing now was something not even Yuren from my previous life had ever used. In other words, her genius had already surpassed even her past self. ¡®And.¡¯ My gaze moved past Yurina to Berald, Iris, and Cami. Though not quite to Yurina¡¯s level, their growth, too, was dazzling. "Haaaah!" Berald charged at the Guardian, which was bound by chains of light. With arge fist as big as a cauldron lid, he swung it toward the Guardian. [Target action pattern analysis.] [Analysis result: Specialized in hand-to-handbat. Warrior ss.] [Difficulty level ¨C Medium.] ¡°Warrior, you say? What nonsense is that?¡± Berald grinned, and just as he was about to thrust his fist forward, he suddenly withdrew it and stomped the ground forcefully with a high kick. "Earthquake!" Boom! With a violent impact, the ground beneath the Guardian caved in. As the Guardian staggered, losing its bnce, Berald drew back his leg as if to kick a ball. Berald¡¯s martial arts. Thunder Kick. Boom! The kick, swung with tremendous speed, smashed into the Guardian¡¯s knee. With a grotesque cracking sound, the Guardian¡¯s knee bent at an unnatural angle, and it copsed on the spot. ¡°See? Anyone can tell I¡¯m a full-fledged magician, right?¡± Berald looked down at the fallen Guardian andughed heartily. Crackle. Sparks began to erupt around the Guardian¡¯s body. [Ma? gic?] [Target¡¯s speech pattern undecipherable.] [Severe damage detected in the lower body.] ¡°Haaah!¡± As the Guardian, now immobilized due to its shattered leg,y on the ground, Cami rushed in. ¡°Hup!¡± She gripped her ymore, wrapped in a white aura, with both hands and swung it down fiercely. ng! The Guardian raised its arm to block her sword. [Target action pattern analysis.] [Analysis result: Two-handed sword user, warrior ss. Attack pattern is direct and straightforward.] [Difficulty level ¨C Low.] ¡°Grr¡­¡± Cami frowned as she heard the mechanical voice emanating from the Guardian. Once again. Her sword had been evaluated as ¡°straightforward.¡± - Candidate Cami, your swordsmanship is too honest. It might be good to learn some more techniques. She recalled what Professor Elisha had said during the final assessment. ¡®¡­Technique.¡¯ It¡¯s not like she hadn¡¯t tried. She had attempted to incorporate technique into her swordsmanship, to wield her de with more elegance. ¡®But.¡¯ Every time, she was reminded of the scene from her childhood. During the selection exam for Holy Knights. The sword of Johann Basilio, ranked 4th among the current heroes, the ¡®Sword of the Holy Kingdom,¡¯ which she had witnessed up close. ¡®Sir Johann¡¯s sword was straightforward too.¡¯ A sword without any finesse, purely honest and upright. As a child, she had trembled in awe at the sight of his sword. She had dreamed of bing a hero with an upright sword like Sir Johann someday. But now¡­ ¡®Is that something I can never reach?¡¯ Cami bit her lip and tightened her grip on her sword. Following Professor Elisha''s advice, she tried to imbue her sword with a ''technique'' as she swung it. "You don''t need to force any technique into it." A quiet voice drifted over. "Just swing the sword the way you want to. In a way that''s true to you." "...Hmph." Cami nced back at me, scoffing. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "What do you know about me to say something like that?" "Well, I don''t know you in detail. We''ve only known each other for a few months, after all." In truth, I didn''t know much about her. In my previous life, she had fallen victim to the schemes of the Archbishop of Illusions and lost her life. "And yet you still¡­" "But I do know one thing." I continued, looking at Cami. "Right now, in this holy kingdom, there''s no one else who could inherit the title of ''Sword of the Holy Kingdom'' but you." In my past life, after the death of Johann Basilio, no one had inherited the title of ''Sword of the Holy Kingdom.'' "So, swing the sword the way you want to." "......" Cami''s gaze wavered slightly. "Hmph. You sure know how to talk." She turned away, a faint smile on her lips. "Lady Saint! Please grant us your blessing!" "Understood!" A pure white light flowed into our bodies, filling us with vitality. I channeled that overflowing energy into my sword. "Haaaah!" And swung the sword again. Just like the sword I saw as a child. An endlessly honest and upright sword. [Target action detected.] [Counter-protocol activated©¥] Crack! Cami''s sword cleaved the guardian''s head in two. Sparks flew from the split head, and the guardian''s movementspletely halted. "Hah, hah." "Whew. After moving all day, I¡¯m a bit worn out." "Ugh¡­ I agree." "Everyone,e over here. I''ll cast a spell to help recover your fatigue." With the guardian fully stopped, the party members copsed to the ground as if they had been waiting for permission. Watching them, I nodded in satisfaction. ¡®At first, I was worried I had brought these guys to ruins that were too tough for their current level.¡¯ Maybe the effect of the whip(?) had worked. After initially being overwhelmed by the guardians, the party members started showing noticeable improvement. ¡®Everyone here is a genius capable of leaving their mark on history.¡¯ Their talent had bloomed so brilliantly that it was surprising, evenpared to my previous life. ¡®When extraordinary talent isbined with the right experience,¡¯ They can grow at an absurd pace, just like this. "Good work, everyone." I approached the party and offered them a cooled water bottle. "Thanks. I¡¯ll drink it¡­ Ah." Yuren, reaching out to grab the water, lost his grip, and the bottle slipped from his hands. I quickly caught the falling bottle. "S-sorry. I guess I don¡¯t even have the strength to hold it¡­." "I''ll feed you. Just tilt your head back." "...You''re going to feed me?" "Yeah. You don¡¯t have the strength to drink right now, do you?" "Ahem... Alright." Yuren swallowed nervously and tilted his head back slightly. I reached out, supporting his head with one hand, and slowly tilted the water bottle. Drip, drip. The water flowed from the bottle and into Yuren''s mouth. "Gulp, gulp." "Refreshing?" "Me too! Please feed me too!" Next to us, Iris, who had been watching, raised her hand excitedly. "Huh? But Iris, you didn¡¯t even directly participate in the battle, so..." "Are you saying that I don''t have the right to drink water because I¡¯m a healer and didn¡¯t directly fight?" "...Sorry." There¡¯s a saying that a party that neglects its support members doesn¡¯tst long. "Then, hurry and feed me." Iris quickly moved closer and opened her mouth like a baby bird. I stifled augh and began feeding her water. "Sigh. This¡­ is like holy water from Dale¡­." "No." What is this Saint even talking about? "Brother, give me some water too. I can''t move a finger." "Oh? Really?" I tipped the bottle toward Berald''s head as hey down. "Gah! Cough Splutter!" With water gushing out, Berald rubbed his face and shot up. "You seem to be moving just fine." "Ugh. Isn''t this a bit too much?" Berald pouted. Iughed, then walked over to the fallen guardian. Inside the smashed guardian, a shimmering magic stone gleamed brilliantly. "That''s the third one." Not all guardians carried magic stones, but they certainly had a higher drop rate than monsters. ¡®This should be enough for a sacrifice, right?¡¯ I looked at the three high-quality magic stones in my pocket, nodding in satisfaction. "Alright. Since we¡¯ve finished exploring the ruins, let¡¯s head back soon." It had been about a week since we started the exploration. The constant battles were likely taking a toll on the party members, so it seemed like a good time to return. "Haha! Once we get back, I¡¯ll treat you all to a barbecue party at my ce!" Perhaps filled with excitement at the thought of soon being able to cure his father¡¯s illness, Berald got up with an enthusiastic expression. "Let¡¯s see, the path was this way, right?" "It¡¯s the other way, you idiot." "Huh? Brother, take a look over there." As Berald ran off in the wrong direction, he suddenly stopped in his tracks. "Doesn''t that look like a hidden path?" Berald was pointing to a narrow passage skillfully concealed between the ruins'' walls. ¡®Ah, it¡¯s there.¡¯ It was a ce I had discovered in my previous life as well. ¡®It looks like a hidden treasure room, but if you follow the path, there¡¯s nothing there.¡¯ Recalling the memory, I moved toward the path Berald had indicated. The narrow path led to a spacious chamber. Inside... ¡°See? There¡¯s nothing he¡ª Oh?¡± A gauntlet emitting an unmistakably powerful magical aura was floating in midair. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Why is it here? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 134: The Legacy of the Iron Fist (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 134: The Legacy of the Iron Fist (3) A wide cavern. At its center, a pair of gauntlets floated, emitting a mysterious blue light. Even someone unfamiliar with artifacts could sense that the gauntlets were no ordinary objects¡ªthey exuded an unmistakable aura. ¡°Brother, are those¡­?¡± ¡°No way¡­¡± As soon as we saw the gauntlets, a name shed in all our minds. ¡°The, the Legacy of the Iron Fist, isn¡¯t it?¡± One of the "Five Great Heroes" who sealed the demon god and saved humanity 500 years ago. The name of Iron Fist Ryujin Seong crossed my mind. ¡°But¡­ why is it here?¡± I looked at the floating gauntlets with a confused expression. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ In my past life, I had cleared this ruin together with Yuren, Berald, Iris, and Senior Sophia. It was the first dungeon we challenged as a party, so we thoroughly explored every corner of it, and it was Berald who found a hidden path. ¡®But there was nothing there back then.¡¯ Of course, ten years have passed between then and now, so someone could have taken the gauntlets in that time. But¡­ ¡®We were supposed to be the first ones to find this ruin, right?¡¯ We were the first to gather the seal stones scattered throughout the canyon and unlock the ruins that had been hidden for 500 years. ¡®And we fought the Guardian, too.¡¯ Guardians naturally formed in ruins do not regenerate once they are destroyed. If someone had entered the ruin before us and taken the Legacy of the Iron Fist, it wouldn¡¯t make sense that the Guardians were still intact 10 yearster. ¡®Has the future changed¡­?¡¯ No. I shook my head quietly. If something that was there had disappeared, I could understand. But what does the change in the future have to do with something that wasn¡¯t there suddenly appearing? ¡°Bro-brother¡­ Can I touch those gauntlets?¡± ¡°Wait a minute. If anyone¡¯s going to touch it, it¡¯ll be me.¡± I pulled Berald back, who was about to approach the gauntlets, and stepped forward myself. ¡®I wish Professor Elisha were here at times like this.¡¯ But I couldn¡¯t call her here now. ¡°Iris, just in case, cast a protective spell.¡± ¡°But if I do, Dale, you¡­¡± Standing alone outside the range of the spell, I would be the only one not protected if she cast it now. Suppressing a smile, I turned to Iris. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± I didn¡¯t bother adding, ¡°You know that, right?¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Iris stepped back with a dissatisfied expression and began chanting the spell. ¡°Phew.¡± With a short sigh, I approached the floating gauntlets in the center of the cavern. The gauntlets were made of dark blue metal. Each joint was crafted with such precision that every finger seemed to move naturally, and blue lightning crackled around the gauntlets. ¡®That lightning¡­ I feel like I¡¯ve seen it somewhere before.¡¯ Pushing aside the thought, I reached out for the gauntlets. Crackle! Blue sparks flew violently, and the cavern shook like an earthquake had struck. ¡°D-Dale!¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± I waved to Yuren as I inspected the gauntlets again. ¡®These gauntlets seem to be the core of the ruin.¡¯ The fact that the cavern reacted as soon as the gauntlets responded was proof of that. Crackle! Crackle! I reached out once more toward the gauntlets, which were sparking with blue lightning. Boom! As I got closer, a thunderous roar echoed, and a powerful magic field burst forth. For most people, the moment they touched it, their body would have been consumed by the blue lightning. ¡°Well, you¡¯re putting up a fight, huh.¡± I burned away the magic field protecting the gauntlets with a burst of mes. ¡°Hup.¡± As soon as I pulled out the gauntlets, the trembling of the cavern ceased, as if the power had been turned off. ¡°¡­It¡¯s over?¡± ¡°Are you alright, Dale?¡± ¡°Is there any ce you¡¯re hurt?¡± The party members who had been standing back rushed over. I nodded and lightly shook the gauntlets in my hand. ¡°Is that really the Legacy of the Iron Fist?¡± Cami, who always preached that a true warrior shouldn¡¯t be picky about weapons, was now looking at the gauntlets with an intrigued expression, unable to resist the allure of the "Legacy of the Iron Fist." ¡°I think so.¡± To think that I would obtain the Legacy of the Iron Fist, something countless heroes had sought over thest 500 years. ¡°The Legacy of the Iron Fist¡­ This is truly incredible!¡± Berald puffed out his chest with excitement. ¡®Come to think of it, in my past life, Berald was the one who was the most passionate about exploring this ruin.¡¯ Well, it made sense. For a martial artist who fought with his fists, the very idea of the "Legacy of the Iron Fist" would be enough to stir excitement. After all, Ryujin Seong, the legendary martial artist, had taken down tens of thousands of the Demon God¡¯s army with his bare hands. ¡°Here. It¡¯s yours, Berald.¡± I handed the gauntlets to Berald. Berald stared at me with wide eyes. ¡°Mine¡­? You mean me?¡± ¡°Who else here is suited to use the gauntlets but you?¡± ¡°But you also use martial arts, don¡¯t you, Brother?¡± Berald, still in shock, could barely form a coherent sentence. ¡°I do, but my main weapon is the sword. Wearing gauntlets would just get in the way of swinging my sword.¡± Besides, with the overwhelming power of "Ashen mes," I had no real need to rely on the abilities of an artifact. ¡®Forcing myself to use it might even make me weaker.¡¯ In that sense, Berald was the best fit to wield the Legacy of the Iron Fist. ¡°Are you sure¡­ I can have it?¡± Berald gazed at the gauntlets with trembling eyes. I nced around at the other party members. Yuren, Cami, and Iris all nodded in agreement, signaling that they were okay with Berald taking the Legacy of the Iron Fist. ¡°Well, even if Ryujin Seong isn¡¯t your ancestor, there¡¯s still some connection, right?¡± After all, the current ancestor of the ''Ryu'' family, Ryu Jinhyuk, was Ryujin Seong''s younger brother, so there''s some connection. [TL/N: Ryujin Seong should be Ryu Jinseong, should I change the name or keep it Ryujin? Personally Ryujin sounds cooler but its not correct.] "Of course, it''s said the two were mortal enemies." But what does it matter? They''ve been dead for hundreds of years anyway. "Th-thank you! Thank you, Brother Dale! And Brother Yuren! Sister Iris! Sister Cami!" "No need. I also thought it was best for Berald to have it." "Kh-khm. Sister, huh¡­ call me senior instead." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Could I call you sister-inw?" The party members all chimed in one by one to congratte Berald. "I can''t believe I got the legacy of the Iron Fist¡­." Berald''s eyes sparkled like a child receiving a birthday gift. I watched Berald carefully receive the gauntlet, almost afraid he might drop it, and held back a chuckle. ''Seeing him so happy makes me feel good too.'' I think I can somewhat understand why parents go to great lengths to give their children good presents, even when times are tough. "Can I try it on?" "It''s yours now, so of course." Berald gulped as he nervously put the gauntlet on his hand. Crackle! Crackle-crackle! As soon as he wore the gauntlet, blue lightning sparked around it. "Ooh¡­ huh?" Berald, who had been repeatedly clenching and unclenching his fist with the gauntlet on, tilted his head in confusion. "What''s wrong?" "No, it just feels a bit creaky." "Creaky¡­?" "Hmm¡­ how should I put it? It feels a bit rusty." "¡­¡­." "Haha. Now that I think about it, this is a relic of the Iron Fist that''s over 500 years old, right? It''s only natural for it to rust." No. That''s not natural at all. ''How could a relic of the Iron Fist, of all things, rust?'' That shouldn''t be possible. Sure, it could be damaged in battle, but for it to corrode over time? Impossible. "¡­Wait." In that moment. The scattered pieces of the puzzle clicked into ce in my mind. How could the legacy of the Iron Fist, which wasn¡¯t there 10 years ago, be found in these ruins? How could the relic disappear without any trace of intrusion? How could a relic as powerful as the Iron Fist''s be corroded? ''Someone has been secretly siphoning the mana from the ruins.'' Like piercing a small hole into a tough fruit and sucking out the juice inside. Someone who couldn''t find a way to open the entrance to the ruins must have instead drilled a small hole into the core of the ruins and had been absorbing the mana. Of course, this isn''t something that just anyone could do. There''s only one ''blessing'' I know of that can make this possible. ''The Blessing of Absorption.'' And the one who holds that blessing is¡­. Tap, tap. The sound of footsteps echoed through the wide chamber. "Oh my~ I was wondering who the little rats sneaking around the ruins were, and it turns out to be some adorable little kids~?" A woman with violet hair and a dangerously revealing outfit, as if showing off her figure. Despite her stunning beauty that made it hard to look away, the first thought that struck me wasn''t ''she''s beautiful,'' but rather a sharp warning bell of ''danger.'' ''The Archbishop of Desire, Lactasia.'' One of the six at the pinnacle of demonkind, she approached leisurely with a wicked smile on her face. "Hmm~ Let''s see, let''s see, is there a handsome man to my taste¡­ oh?" Licking her lips and slowly scanning the group, Lactasia''s gaze locked onto Yuren. "Oh my, oh my, oh my! What is this?! You''re exactly my type?!" With an excited squeal, Lactasia''s eyes sparkled as she stared at Yuren. "Hey, little boy, what''s your name?" "¡­There''s no name for you to know." Yuren, sensing the thick, malevolent energy emanating from her, ced his hand stiffly on his sword hilt, his expression hardening. "Ooh~ What is this? Your voice is also so delightful." Lactasia hugged herself, trembling slightly, as she gazed at Yuren with eyes filled with greedy desire. "I''ve decided. I''ll keep you as my pet and pamper you for a long, long time." "¡­¡­." As if the rest of us didn''t even exist, her attitude waspletely insolent. ''She''s the same as always, that woman.'' In our past life, she acted the same way and ended up getting her head chopped off by Yuren. "So, how about it? If you agree to be my pet, I''ll spare the others." Why is it¡­? "Haha. It''s not even a bad offer for you, you know? Be my pet, and you''ll experience pleasures like heaven." Even though I had already lived through this situation once before, seeing her trying to seduce Yuren made me seethe with uncontroble anger. "Come on, now. I''ll fulfill all your desires if you just¡­." "Hey." I cut off Lactasia''s words, stepping forward confidently. "What the hell are you doing hitting on my man?" Huh. Now that I said it, that sounded kind of weird. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 135: Archbishop of Desire, Lactasia (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 135: Archbishop of Desire, Lactasia (1) ¡°¡­And who might you be?¡± Atst, Lactasia turned her head slowly, as if only now noticing my presence. "Hmm." She scanned me from head to toe, as if appraising an object. Lactasia carefully studied my face and then clicked her tongue as if she''d lost interest. "Ugly." "......" That bluntment hit me hard, scratching at my pride just a little. ¡®Wait a minute.¡¯ Sure, I can''tpare to Yuren, but I don¡¯t think I have the kind of face people would call ugly. I swallowed the words that were rising to my throat and tried to soothe my wounded pride when¡ª ¡°What did you just say, you wench?¡± A fierce voice came from behind me. ¡°Who are you calling ugly?¡± Iris shouted, ring at Lactasia with a deeply contorted expression. ¡°Dale isn¡¯t ugly; he has a unique charm to his looks! What do you even know, running your mouth like that?!¡± "......" Wait a second. Did I just hear something even more hurtful? ¡°Oh, is he your boyfriend? My bad~ But facts are facts. Compared to the cutie next to him, he is quite ugly, don¡¯t you think?¡± Even a face that looks fine on its own can appear like an ugly squid whenpared to the real deal right beside it. Honestly, there aren¡¯t many men on the entire continent who wouldn¡¯t look like squids standing next to Yuren. ¡°That¡¯s only because you¡¯reparing him to Yuren! Look, even though Dale may not outshine Yuren... he still has his own charm!¡± ¡°¡­Iris.¡± Please, stop. ¡°And judging a man by his looks alone? What¡¯s important is a person¡¯s inner self, not their appearance! What you see on the outside isn¡¯t everything!¡± Please¡­ just stop. ¡®This is hurting me too much.¡¯ I never cared much about my appearance. But as a human, it''s natural to care about your appearance, especially when standing before the lover from your past life. ¡°¡­It feels like you¡¯re hurting him more.¡± Even Lactasia seemed to find this excessive, looking at Iris slightly uneasy. Iris, startled, looked back at me with a panicked expression. ¡°Ah¡­! Dale¡­! I didn¡¯t mean to imply that your looks arecking¡­!¡± ¡°¡­Enough.¡± I ced a trembling hand on her shoulder and forced myself to speak. ¡°I get it¡­ Just stop now.¡± If we keep going, not even divine healing will fix the wounds inflicted on my heart. ¡°Kyaa-haha! Young people these days are so fresh, I love it~!¡± Lactasia clutched her belly as sheughed out loud. But only for a moment. ¡°Though, that¡¯s all the more reason¡­¡± Her eyes gleamed with a sinister light, and the intense murderous aura filled the chamber. ¡°¡­why I¡¯m going to enjoy tearing your throat out.¡± ¡°¡­Lactasia.¡± ¡°Oh? You know who I am?¡± Lactasia looked at me with surprise. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Hm. This is tricky~ Now there¡¯s even more reason not to let you live~?¡± ¡°That goes both ways.¡± Slowly, I began to gather my mana while measuring the distance between us. ¡°Heh.¡± Lactasia smirked as she watched me prepare for battle. ¡°I see you¡¯re confident in your abilities, having taken care of the ruins'' guardians¡­.¡± Her eyes glowed a terrifying crimson. ¡°But do you really think that¡¯s enough to stand against the ¡®Archbishop of Desire¡¯?¡± Rumble! The vast chamber¡ªor rather, the entire ruins¡ªbegan to shake as a terrifying amount of mana surged. ¡°Fufufu. Now,e forth, my adorable pets.¡± With a snap of Lactasia¡¯s fingers, a group of men appeared from behind her. Each of them was incredibly handsome, but their eyes were dull, as if they were in a trance, and they all raised their weapons. ¡°D-Dale!¡± Yuren rushed over to my side, sword drawn. ¡°She just called herself the Archbishop of Desire, didn¡¯t she?¡± Yuren looked at me with eyes that seemed to ask if she was really a genuine archbishop. I gave a small nod in response. Yuren¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°We need to create a chance to escape¡­.¡± ¡°No.¡± I shook my head quietly, keeping my eyes on Lactasia. The Archbishop of Desire, Lactasia. In terms of purebat power, she¡¯s among the weakest of the archbishops. But with her stunning beauty and seductive magic, she lures male heroes, toys with them until she tires of them, and then drains their veryst drop of life force with her Blessing of Absorption before killing them. She¡¯s a viiness who sacrifices countless heroes until she¡¯s in by Yuren in the future. If I can take her down here, this might be an even greater prize than the Iron Fist¡¯s legacy. ¡®If I can kill Lactasia here, it¡¯ll be an even bigger fortune than getting the legacy.¡¯ That¡¯s why¡ª ¡°Yuren. Take the others and deal with those puppets.¡± ¡°Dale, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re¡­.¡± Yuren trailed off, looking at me with a startled expression. ¡­It was clear from his unfinished sentence that he was asking, ¡®Are you really going to fight the archbishop?¡¯ Once again, I responded with a small nod. ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Yuren tightened his grip on his sword and began to draw upon his mana. ¡°Oh my, even the determination in your eyes is adorable.¡± Lactasia¡¯s smile deepened as she looked at her ¡®pets.¡¯ ¡°Capture him alive. As for the rest¡­ feel free to kill them.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± The puppets nodded nkly. Then¡ª Boom! They all kicked off the ground simultaneously. Their eyes were foggy and dull, as if drugged, but their movements were anything but sluggish. ¡°Iris!¡± Yuren shouted as he charged toward the puppets. ¡°Yes!¡± Even without needing to say it, she understood what he wanted. A radiant white light surged from Iris¡¯s body and flowed into Yuren, Berald, and Cami. The blessing of the saint. The fatigue umted from battling the Guardians vanished as if washed away, and a wave of energy surged through their bodies, as though they had woken from a refreshing nap. ¡°I¡¯ll take the front!¡± Cami was the first to charge forward. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] As she swung her sword at the approaching men, she simultaneously chanted an incantation. ¡°O merciful Seven Gods! Shine your light upon those who are lost!¡± A wide swath of radiant light spread out from Cami. As the divine magic, which was anathema to those tainted with demonic energy, unfolded, the puppets'' movements within its range noticeably slowed. ¡°Hah!¡± Cami shed at the charging men. However, even with their slowed movements, it was still difficult to fend off the onught of puppets. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Cami was pushed back. As a puppet¡¯s sword swung toward her, aiming for a strike at close range¡ª ¡°Hraaa!¡± With a powerful yell, Berald pped the puppet across the face. Smack! With a bone-crunching sound, the puppet copsed to the ground as if its strings had been cut. ¡°Everyone, fall back!¡± Berald rushed forward, spreading his arms wide. Dozens of magic projectiles materialized in the air. Berald mmed his outstretched arms together with force. ¡°Thunder Hand!!!¡± Boom! With an ear-shattering roar, the magic projectiles shot in all directions. Blue lightning crackled from the gauntlets on Berald¡¯s hands, imbuing the projectiles with electric energy. ¡°Guh.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Aah, ahh.¡± The puppets hit by the barrage of projectiles convulsed before copsing one after another. ¡°Hehe~ I thought they were just a bunch of kids, but they¡¯re tougher than I expected.¡± Lactasia narrowed her eyes as she watched the puppets fall helplessly. ¡°But¡­¡± With a sinister smile, a violet aura of demonic energy flowed from Lactasia¡¯s body and seeped into the fallen puppets. Crack, crackle! With eerie bone-crunching sounds, the puppets rose once again. ¡°Aah.¡± ¡°For Lady Lactasia¡­.¡± ¡°For our desire¡­!¡± ¡°We offer our lives¡­¡± The puppets came back to life with their eyes bloodshot and breathing heavily. ¡°Oh my~ how adorable.¡± Lactasia giggled gleefully as she watched them. ¡°Won¡¯t you die for me?¡± ¡°Ugh, ah.¡± ¡°Aaaaaaaah!¡± The puppets screamed and charged. As they rushed forward, heedless of their own lives¡ª ¡°Did you say I would be yours?¡± Yuren raised his sword. ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯ll have to decline that offer.¡± The Stigma on Yuren¡¯s body glowed, and a fierce silver aura erupted from his de. The puppets charging with wild screams were swept away by the silver aura, bouncing off like pebbles. ¡°I already have someone I¡¯ve sworn to give my everything to.¡± He nced my way with a faint smile. Then, with a light step, Yuren dashed into the midst of the puppets. ng! sh! Like a wolf tearing through a flock of sheep, Yuren cut through the horde with savage precision. Even the puppets empowered by Lactasia¡¯s dark energy were no match for him. ¡°Guh! Ugh!¡± ¡°For¡­ Lady¡­ Lactasia¡­.¡± With every sh of his silver aura, the number of puppets dwindled. ¡°Hm¡­¡± As the number of puppets decreased, the once-rxed expression on Lactasia¡¯s face gradually twisted. ¡®...What is this?¡¯ An irritation surged within her. It wasn¡¯t just because a group of fledgling heroes defeated her puppets effortlessly. After all, her puppets were always disposable tools, and she had a far more valuable treasure before her than these worthless puppets. But there was one thing that was truly vexing her. ¡®I¡¯ve been using my charm magic since earlier¡­ Why isn¡¯t it working?¡¯ Click. Lactasia nervously bit her nails as she red at Yuren. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 136: Archbishop of Desire, Lactasia (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 136: Archbishop of Desire, Lactasia (2) The Archbishop of Desire, Lactasia. True to her title, she possessed magic that allowed her to control human "desires." Her magic of temptation had turned countless heroes into her puppets. The condition to fall into temptation was simple. One needed to harbor even the slightest sexual desire toward her. The moment they did, Lactasia would amplify that desire hundreds or even thousands of times, turning them into ves of their own lust. But... ¡®Why isn''t it working?¡¯ While the puppets she had summoned fought against Yuren''s party, she had first used her temptation magic on Yuren. Yet, for some unknown reason, Yuren was not only unaffected but was cutting through her puppets like a wolf among sheep. ¡®Did he really see me... and not feel even a sliver of desire?¡¯ Lactasia frowned, looking down at her body. Her voluptuous chest, slim waist, wide hips, and smooth legs¡ªshe had all the features that could make even the most devout priest lose control. Yet why was her magic not affecting him? "Hmph. Fine then." Lactasia bit her nail irritably, turning her head. ¡®Wasn''t his name Dale?¡¯ The audacious human who dared interrupt her. ¡®Well... I''ll just have to use the magic on him.¡¯ Judging by the situation, he seemed to be the leader of the party. If she could tempt him and turn him into her puppet, subduing Yuren would be a piece of cake. Lactasia exposed a bit more of her chest and sent a seductive gaze towards Dale. "Come to me." "You said earlier that I was too ugly for you?" "......" Once again, her temptation magic didn¡¯t work. "I even showed my chest, and why...?" Lactasia scowled fiercely, gritting her teeth in frustration. Then, her eyes caught sight of a woman with light pink hair. Wasn''t her name Iris? Considering how she had defended Dale''s appearance, they seemed to be lovers. ''So why... wouldn''t he feel desire for me because of her...?'' Lactasia squinted, scrutinizing Iris''s chest. "......!" Her eyes widened in shock. The loose priestess robe Iris wore had initially hidden it, but now Lactasia could see a monstrous outline beneath it. If it was just a matter of size, that was one thing. But from the curves visible through the robe, it was clear that Iris far outssed Lactasia in every way. "Iiiik...!" Shivering from the overwhelming sense of defeat, Lactasia shifted her gaze. The only other man was arge, muscr guy. ¡®Ugh, I hate that kind of build.¡¯ Lactasia preferred slender, handsome men, so someone like Berald waspletely out of her taste. Normally, she wouldn¡¯t even bother using temptation magic on someone like him. ¡®But... I have no choice.¡¯ Tsk. She clicked her tongue and cast her temptation magic towards Berald. "Hmm?" Sensing something odd, Berald tilted his head in confusion. Seeing this, a dark smile crept onto Lactasia''s lips. ¡®Yes, this is how you''re supposed to react...¡¯ "Hey, Dale! Got any jerky left in the backpack?" "Here you go." Dale pulled out some dried jerky from his backpack and tossed it to Berald. "Ha ha! You saved me, brother! This Iron Fist Legacy seems to consume a lot of energy!" Berald chewed on the jerky and continued throwing punches at Lactasia''s puppets. "......" Lactasia stood frozen, dumbfounded. She gritted her teeth as Berald didn¡¯t even nce her way. ''What... what is happening?!'' Was it possible that none of her magic worked on anyone in this party? Were they... eunuchs or something? "Damn it, damn it, damn it...!" This unprecedented situation shattered her lofty pride into pieces. Lactasia nervously chewed on her fingernails, cursing under her breath. "Berald won''t fall for your temptation magic." I sneered at Lactasia, who was growing increasingly irritated. "Berald... is only interested in the ''microcosmos.''" "...What?" Lactasia squinted, looking at me with an expression that said, "What nonsense are you talking about?" I shrugged and continued. "To put it simply. Women like you aren¡¯t his type." "You...!" Lactasia red at me with murderous eyes. Her teeth clenched, and demonic energy surged around her. Lactasia raised her hand, and the energy coalesced in mid-air, forming a purple whip. "Do you think you can keep being so arrogant?" SWISH! The whip cracked through the air with a piercing sound. It moved so fast it was hard to track with the naked eye. I instinctively raised my sword to deflect it. CLANG! The impact made my arm go numb. ''Even though she''s considered one of the weakest, she¡¯s still an Archbishop.'' I frowned, staring at my hand, which was now covered in blood after just one sh. "Hmph. So, you can block it? Seems like you do have some skill to be this arrogant." Lactasia¡¯s eyes gleamed with interest as she looked at me, impressed that I managed to block her attack. She smirked viciously, raising her whip for another strike. "Let¡¯s see if you can block this one too!" SWISH! The whip split into multiple tendrils,shing out from all directions. I ignited my sword with mes and swung at the iing tendrils. First Form of the Ashen me: Diffraction. CLANG CLANG CLANG! The terrifying sound echoed, far from what one would expect from a sh between a sword and a whip. ¡°You blocked all of that¡­?¡± After a brief exchange, Lactasia looked at me with wide, astonished eyes. She narrowed her gaze, inspecting me from head to toe. "Strange... I¡¯ve never seen your face among the Republic¡¯s rankers." How could a mere hero, not even a ranker, dare to block the archbishop¡¯s onught head-on? ¡°This is getting interesting.¡± Lactasia¡¯s eyes sparkled like a predator discovering a delicious prey. ¡°Heh. I think I¡¯ll make you my pet, too.¡± At first, I thought you paled inparison to that ¡®Yuren¡¯ guy, but now that I look again, you¡¯re not too bad after all. ¡°You¡¯ve been beaten three times, and yet you still have the nerve to talk back.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Lactasia¡¯s face twisted at my taunt. Her lips twitched as she tightly gripped her whip, her hand trembling. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll have to teach you some manners first.¡± ¡°Sorry, you¡¯re not my type.¡± I pushed off the ground and quickly closed the distance between us. Recalling Yuren¡¯s battle with Lactasia, I knew her weakness was closebat. ¡°Not so fast!¡± Lactasia viciously swung her whip, determined not to let me approach. With a tearing sound, the whipshed out fiercely. ng! ng! ng! Sword and whip collided repeatedly. To an ordinary observer, they¡¯d see nothing but sparks flying in the air, the exchange happening far too quickly to follow. ¡°Grr¡­¡± As the battle dragged on, a groan escaped from between my lips. Every time I parried her whip, my body felt heavier, as if weighed down by a massive sandbag. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Feeling weaker?¡± Lactasia sneered, watching me with a twisted grin. I narrowed my eyes, focusing on the faint purple aura surrounding her whip. ¡®The Blessing of Absorption.¡¯ Her blessing, which drained the life force of her opponents, was making my body sluggish. ¡°How about it? Ready to surrender now?¡± Lactasia smirked, casually twirling the whip in her hand. ¡°The longer this fight goes on, the more disadvantaged you¡¯ll be.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She was right. The longer the fightsted against someone with the Blessing of Absorption, the worse off I¡¯d be. ¡°Hmph.¡± Of course. That¡¯s if I were just an ¡®ordinary¡¯ opponent. ¡°Interesting.¡± I let my sword droop slightly and nced in Yuren¡¯s direction. It seemed like he had just finished dealing with the puppets and was now looking my way. ¡°Hah¡­ Hah! Dale! I¡¯ll join you soon, so hang in there for just a bit longer!¡± Yuren shouted, panting heavily. ¡°No.¡± I shook my head slightly as I spoke to Yuren. ¡°Yuren, take the party members and get out of the ruins.¡± ¡°What? No way, are you nning to fight alone?!¡± I nodded quietly, looking around at Berald, Cami, and Iris. All of them were panting heavily, their mana nearly drained from fighting the puppets. The only one who seemed remotely fine was Yuren. ¡°They¡¯re in no shape to fight, are they?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m counting on you, Yuren.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Yuren bit his lip, then nodded reluctantly. ¡°Alright, Dale.¡± He began to help the other party members out of the ruins. ¡°Oh my, do you think I¡¯ll just let them escape?¡± Lactasia swung her whip towards the fleeing party members, but¡ª Fwoosh! Ashen Sword, Form Two: zing Edge. A de wreathed in mes deflected her whip. ¡°You¡­¡± Lactasia¡¯s expression twisted with frustration as she red at me. She turned her body toward me, ignoring the fleeing party members. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll have to deal with you first, then.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± I stifled a chuckle as I slowly raised my sword that had been hanging low. ¡°If you think you can, that is.¡± The reason I sent my party out of the ruins before the real fight with Lactasia began¡ª Of course, I wanted to get them to safety since they were exhausted from the earlier battle. But also¡ª ¡°I¡¯m still a bit clumsy at controlling it, you see.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°If no one else is around¡­¡± I grinned, twisting my lips into a wicked smile as I ced my hand over my chest. ¡°¡­I can burn everything as much as I want.¡± Ssshhh. The sound of flesh burning filled the air. ¡°Rise.¡± Ashen mes began to engulf my body. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 137: Archbishop of Desire, Lactasia (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 137: Archbishop of Desire, Lactasia (3) Whoosh! The embers began to ignite, swirling around his body. Thick gray smoke billowed from the pores of his skin. "You¡­." Lactasia squinted as she looked at Dale, who was engulfed in mes. "Hmph. So you do know a few tricks?" She crossed her arms, scoffing. "But¡­." She wore a sly smile. "Do you really think that will be enough to defeat me?" Despite the impressive disy, the mana she sensed from this "Dale" was not particrly strong. At best, it wasparable to a hero ranked around the top 100. While that wasn''t a small amount of power in the grand scheme of all heroes, from the perspective of her, an ''Archbishop,'' it wasughably insignificant. "Didn''t they teach you that in school when you were just a candidate? Unless you''re a hero ranked in the top 5, you shouldn''t dare draw your sword in front of an Archbishop." "Well, I guess I missed that lesson." Dale smirked as he raised his sword. "I wasn''t exactly the top student, you see." Bang! With a burst of speed, he charged forward. "Is that so? Then I guess this big sister needs to give you a little extra lesson!" Lactasiashed out with her whip. The whip, enveloped in violet magic, sliced through the air like a hungry beast, aiming for Dale''s throat. The sword and whip shed. ng! The sound of metal rang out, even louder than before. Crack! The sword in Dale''s hand shattered into pieces. "Oh dear~ What a shame. Your sword broke, didn''t it?" Lactasia wasted no time, swinging her whip again. Whoosh! Now tipped with sharp spikes, the whip shot toward Dale''s throat. Dale reached out toward the speeding whip. Berald¡¯s Martial Arts. Sword-Breaking Technique. Crack! He grabbed the spiked tip with his mana-infused hand and snapped it off. The broken shards dug into his palm. Dale slowly raised his bleeding hand and let out a small chuckle. "When it breaks, you just make a new one." Drip, drip. The blood trickling from his hand morphed into the shape of a sword. Demonic Sword, Vescal. A cursed de that granted its wielder immense power in exchange for their blood, emitting an eerie glow. "Hmm¡­ Should a hero be using something like that?" Lactasia, sensing the familiar aura emanating from the sword, narrowed her eyes. "It''s not the weapon that makes the hero." "You really can''t resist aeback, can you, little brat?" Clicking her tongue in annoyance, Lactasia red at him. "Let''s see how long that sharp tongue of yourssts!" She gathered her dark magic. The violet magic rippled along the length of her whip. "Die!" With a savage shout, sheshed out. Boom! The sound of the whip''s crack echoed through the cavern like a thunderp. ng! ck! The sword and whip shed once again. As the battle continued, a grin spread across Lactasia¡¯s face. ''He must be running out of mana by now, right?'' Even with the mana she had stolen through her ''Blessing of Absorption,'' it had already surpassed what most high-ranking heroes could muster. If what she had sensed earlier was correct, he should be close to running out of mana soon.... Whoosh! "Ugh¡­!" The me-d de narrowly missed her. Lactasia narrowed her eyes as she stared at Dale. ''Why is he still fine?'' Dale¡¯s mana, far from diminishing, seemed to be holding steady at the same level. No, it even felt like it had increasedpared to when the fight began. "How¡­ how is your mana not decreasing¡­." "Has it been about five minutes?" "What?" Dale nced at his Hero Watch to check the time. "At Yuren¡¯s speed, they should be nearing the ruins¡¯ exit soon." "...Now isn¡¯t the time to be worrying about that, don¡¯t you think?" "Oh, but I have to." A confident smile spread across Dale¡¯s face as he ced a hand over his chest. "I wouldn¡¯t want to get caught up in it." Ignite. With a soft murmur. Whoosh! Like a sparknding on dry wood, the embers that wrapped around Dale¡¯s body suddenly erupted into a fierce ze. "What the¡­!" Lactasia¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Whatever magic he had cast, his power surged, multiplying twofold¡­ no, threefold in an instant. ''What the hell is with this guy?'' Despite having his mana drained through the ''Blessing of Absorption,'' Dale¡¯s power wasn¡¯t diminishing¡ªif anything, it was growing. "Grr¡­! All you¡¯re doing is giving me more mana to ''absorb!''" Lactasia shouted in rage, swinging her whip once more. The whip, infused with the ''Blessing of Absorption,'' darted sharply toward Dale. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! With every strike, more of his magic was drained into her. With each attack, her ''Stigma'' became filled to the point of bursting with mana. "Hah, hah!" Lactasia gasped for breath, her chest heaving. Though her ''Stigma'' was overflowing with immense mana, the amount of dark magic she could wield rapidly depleted. Although magic and dark magic stemmed from the same power derived from the Tree of Creation, they required a simple conversion to be used. But in a battle where every second counts, there was no time for even a ''simple conversion.'' ''Why¡­ why isn¡¯t his mana decreasing!'' Despite the vast amount of mana she had absorbed, Dale¡¯s mana remained undiminished. In fact, the longer the battle went on, the more it seemed to increase. It was as if¡­ "Ah¡­ ugh." Like an endless ocean. Like an infinite sky. Like an eternal me. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Where did this monster evene from!!!" Lactasia screamed in despair. Some might say she was careless. ''But how could I have prepared for a monster like this to drop out of the sky?'' It was like telling someone to never go outside for fear of an earthquake. Who could have predicted that among a party of fledgling heroes, none of whom were even ranked in the top three nations, such a monster would be hiding? A natural disaster. Yes, to her, Dale was nothing short of a natural disaster she had the misfortune of encountering. "You cursed brat!!!" Lactasia swung her whip violently, spitting out fierce insults. "Heh." Dale smirked as he caught the whip in midair. With a rough tug, Lactasia¡¯s body was pulled towards him. Smack! Dale delivered a punch straight to Lactasia''s face as she was drawn toward him. "Ugh!" Lactasia gasped for breath as she was flung backward. "You... you...! How dare you leave a mark on my beautiful face?!" Grinding her teeth in rage, Lactasia extended her hand. A dark purple aura erupted from her body, forming sharp spikes in the air. "I¡¯ll tear you apart!" Shwick! Shwick! Shwick! Countless purple spikes rained down like a storm from every direction. Dale looked at the oing spikes with a slight chuckle. "Why so mad? It''s not like your face is all that great." He slowly raised his sword, aiming it at the falling spikes. mes of ash spread along the de and gathered at its tip. The ash mes condensed into a massive sphere, greedily pulling everything around it inward. Ashen Sword, Form Three. me Spear. Whoosh! The burning sphere of ash shot toward Lactasia. "Ahhhhh!" Lactasia screamed as the mes swept her away. "Ack¡­" Clutching her battered body, Lactasia trembled as she looked at Dale with wide eyes. "Who... what are you?" Even though she was considered the weakest among the archbishops in terms of pure strength, that was onlypared to the other archbishops. She had been confident that any hero ranked outside the top five would be no problem for her. "How... how can some nobody like you possess such ridiculous power?!" Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined she would be overwhelmed by a hero who wasn¡¯t even ranked in the top 100. "Ugh!" She desperately tried to muster her power and swung her whip again. But... Whoosh! The mes of ash devoured her whip hungrily. The whip disintegrated into ash, scattering to the floor. "N-no..." Lactasia stared at Dale with trembling eyes. Step. Step. Dale slowly walked toward her. Thick gray smoke hung in the air like a mist. Flickering mes roared violently. His eerie green eyes gleamed ominously. ¡°N-no¡­¡± Her shoulders trembled uncontrobly. A vile sense of dread constricted her. An unbearable thirst scorched her throat. ¡®I can¡¯t win.¡¯ She instinctively knew. This creature before her was something fundamentally different from any hero she had ever faced. It was like rolling a dice that only went up to six and suddenly seeing a seven appear. Dale''s very existence defied everything she knew. The moment she realized that, overwhelming terror consumed her. "P-please, spare me." Her voice trembled as she begged. Desires like greed, hunger, lust, sleep, vanity, and possession ¡ª there were countless kinds of desires. But among them, the most primal and powerful was the desire to survive. The will to live. That intense longing for life trampled all over her pride. ¡°I-I¡¯ll do anything you want!¡± She clung to Dale¡¯s legs, her expression pitiful. Dale stopped in his tracks and looked down at Lactasia, who was groveling on the ground. "I¡¯ll be your woman... Please? Aren¡¯t you dating that Iris girl right now? I can give you pleasures she could never match." "......" Lactasia peeked up at Dale with a seductive smile as he paused. Good, I''ve got him. The hope of survival flickered in Lactasia¡¯s eyes, which had been clouded by fear. "How about it? It¡¯s a good offer, right?" "I don''t think so." "...What?" Lactasia¡¯s face twisted in confusion. "A-are you worried I might betray you? I can agree to a binding spell or¡ª" "No, that¡¯s not it." Dale scrutinized her face slowly. To be fair, her appearance wasn¡¯t anything to be ashamed of, but... "It''s just that, well... hmm." The faces of Iris and Yurina shed beside Lactasia''s in his mind. Seeing them side by side, it was obvious. "You''re not really that good-looking." "...What?" It was a roundabout way of saying she wasn¡¯t attractive enough. Not only as the Archbishop of Desire but also as Lactasia herself, her once lofty pride was thoroughly crushed. "You... you... you bastard...!" Stab. As she tried to lunge at him in a fit of rage, Dale¡¯s ashen me-imbued sword pierced through her. "Ugh...!" Her body crumbled into ck ash, scattering in the wind. ¡°Phew.¡± Dale looked down at the pile of ashes that had once been Lactasia and slowly extinguished the mes surrounding him. Unlike thest time he had lost control, this time the fierce ash mes calmed at his will. ¡®That was a bit of a childish revenge.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as he recalled Lactasia¡¯s furious expression at the end. Iris had once told him that the Seven-Star Church¡¯s teachings included something along the lines of, ¡°Revenge is a cloud that obscures the heart, while forgiveness is the sunlight that clears it.¡± ¡°What nonsense.¡± It felt damn refreshing. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 138: Interlude – Heir of the Iron Fist (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 138: Interlude ¨C Heir of the Iron Fist (1) After the battle with Lactasia. Due to the side effects of using ¡®Intensify,¡¯ I was half-unconscious and transported to Berald¡¯s mansion. ¡°Ugh...¡± A dull pain, as if someone had struck my entire body with a hammer. As soon as I opened my eyes, the pain hit me, and I groaned, squinting in response. ¡®This aftereffect is worse than I thought.¡¯ Well, considering how absurdly powerful Intensify is, these side effects are probably to be expected. ¡®It would have been much worse than this originally.¡¯ Fortunately, thanks to Iris¡¯ healing magic, the aftereffects of Intensify were minimized. I nced behind me at Iris, who was hugging me and sleeping soundly. Seeing Iris¡¯ sleeping face made my heart race. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Maybe because I moved, Iris slowly opened her eyes. ¡°Ah¡­ you¡¯re awake, Dale?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°How¡¯s your body feeling?¡± ¡°Thanks to you, Iris, it¡¯s much better.¡± As I spoke and tried to sit up from the bed, Iris grabbed my waist and pulled me back down. ¡°No. You¡¯re not okay yet.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine now.¡± ¡°Ah ah, you''re not fine until the healer says you are.¡± She pretended to scold me but smiled softly. A soft white light flowed from her body, touching my skin and seeping into me. The dull pain that had felt like a hammer striking my body gradually subsided. ¡°How is it? The pain¡¯s gone, right?¡± ¡°¡­ Ahem.¡± The gentle sensation filling the space where the pain once was made me awkwardly clear my throat. ¡°Your back¡­ is broader than I thought, Dale.¡± Iris tightened her arms around my waist and whispered in my ear. I couldn¡¯t see her face, but from her yful tone, I could tell she was smiling mischievously. ¡°¡­Iris.¡± ¡°Dale.¡± I untangled her arms from around my waist and turned to face her. Our eyes met. We were close enough to feel each other¡¯s breath. Our lips slowly approached©¥. ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t it about time you let go?¡± Just then. A cold voice cut through the moment. ¡°Y-Yuren?¡± I quickly sat up, startled, and saw Yuren standing by the door, ring at us with icy eyes. Holding a basket of fruit, Yuren walked over and sat down in a chair beside the bed. Perhaps irritated at having our private moment interrupted, Iris narrowed her eyes and spoke with a slight edge. ¡°Oh my, you didn¡¯t even knock. Didn¡¯t the Helios family teach basic manners?¡± ¡°Better than a healer who doesn¡¯t leave the patient even after treatment is over.¡± The air in the room turned tense. Both wore smiling faces, but the atmosphere was thick with hostility, like a battlefield. ¡®Wait, Iris doesn¡¯t even know Yuren is a woman, so why is she acting like this?¡¯ Just imagining the chaos that would erupt if Iris found out Yuren was a woman gave me a headache. ¡°Dale. You must be hungry, right?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah. I guess I could eat.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll peel some fruit for you.¡± Yuren said, pulling out an apple from the basket and expertly peeling it. ¡®Wow, look at her peel.¡¯ The apple peel was almost translucent, sliced so thinly it was impressive. As I admired Yuren¡¯s skillful knife work, she soon finished cutting the apple into bite-sized pieces. ¡°Here, Dale. Say ¡®ah~¡¯.¡± She offered me a piece of apple on a fork, holding it up to my lips. A blonde handsome man peeling and feeding me an apple right after I woke up. ¡®Please don¡¯t do this.¡¯ Even though I knew Yuren was a woman, her current appearance was undeniably male, and it made my head spin. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Dale? Not hungry?¡± ¡°N-no, it¡¯s not that¡­¡± As I struggled internally with this awkward situation©¥. Bang! ¡°Brother Dale!!!¡± The door flew open as Berald stormed into the room. ¡°A-are you feeling okay?¡± ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m fine, man.¡± ¡°Phew. You have no idea how worried I was when you suddenly copsed!¡± Berald exhaled a sigh of relief, clutching his chest. Yeah, seeing his face calmed myplicated thoughts a bit. ¡°Hm? Yuren, did you peel those fruits for my brother?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah.¡± ¡°Haha! Well, nothing like some sweet fruit to help with recovery!¡± Berald snatched the fruit te from Yuren, grabbed a piece with his thick fingers, and brought it to my lips. ¡°Here, Brother! Say ¡®ah~!¡¯ Let your little brother feed you!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The apple Berald fed me tasted like the bitter reality of life. * * * In his bedroom, Gilbert Ryu slept peacefully on the bed. Iris stood beside him. ¡°Alright¡­ I¡¯ll start the treatment.¡± The high-grade magic stones we acquired from the recent ruins exploration¡ªthere were three of them. More than enough as offerings for the treatment. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The tension in the room was palpable. Berald nervously tapped his foot. With a hand on his shoulder, I watched Iris. ¡°Oh, Seven Gods of Heaven.¡± Iris began to recite the incantation with her hands sped together. Her eyes turned into the colors of a seven-colored rainbow, and the room filled with a brilliant white divine energy. With one hand on the magic stone and the other on Gilbert¡¯s forehead, Iris continued her prayer. ¡°Please look upon this wounded soul with mercy, embrace him with your gentle hands, and guide him so that he does not lose his way.¡± Whooosh! As the incantation continued, one by one, the lights emanating from the magic stone began to dim. As the light from the magic stone faded, the divine energy grew stronger. Like a storm, the pure white radiance swept through the room. And then¡ª ¡°¡­Mm?¡± Gilbert slowly opened his eyes. Sitting up from the bed, he nced around and then looked at Berald. ¡°Oh! It¡¯s the big brother!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Contrary to the cheerful voice, Berald¡¯s expression darkened. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°¡­Ah.¡± A faint sigh escaped from Iris¡¯s lips. She bit her lower lip and shook her head. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Even with three high-grade magic stones offered as a sacrifice for the healing spell, Gilbert¡¯s wounds could not be cured. ¡°Haha, it¡¯s alright. I did say from the beginning that it might not work.¡± ¡°Still! We can keep trying if we gather more sacrifices, so don¡¯t be too discouraged!¡± Iris tried to console Berald. ¡°¡­More sacrifices.¡± Berald¡¯s gaze shifted momentarily to his waist. Attached to his belt was the ''Legacy of the Iron Fist,¡¯ which he had obtained during their recent ruin exploration. ¡°Berald, you don¡¯t mean¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Berald raised the deep blue gauntlet hanging from his waist. ¡°Sister Iris, didn¡¯t you say before that artifacts could also be used as sacrifices?¡± ¡°Well, yes, but¡­¡± Iris trailed off and looked in my direction. I let out a deep sigh and looked at Berald. ¡°Berald, I understand how you feel, but don¡¯t be too hasty. There will be plenty of opportunities to gather more sacrifices.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Berald offered me a faint smile and held the gauntlet out to me. A silent gesture asking me to use it as a sacrifice. I looked Berald straight in the eyes and spoke. ¡°Berald, this gauntlet is a legacy left by the Iron Fist.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°A treasure that countless heroes have sought for the past 500 years.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°You might never find an artifact of this caliber again.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Berald nodded silently. But he didn¡¯t take back the gauntlet he had offered me. ¡°Berald¡­¡± ¡°I know it all, even without you telling me.¡± Berald spoke, still wearing a faint smile. ¡°I know I¡¯m being too impatient right now. I know this gauntlet is a priceless treasure. And I know that I may never hold something like this again in my life.¡± Berald gently caressed the gauntlet as he continued. ¡°The truth is, my rtionship with my father wasn¡¯t the best. I was alwayscking as a son, and my father never seemed to be pleased with me.¡± ¡°After my mother passed away from illness, our rtionship grew even more distant. I can hardly remember thest time we shared a meal together.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not very smart, so I don¡¯t know what the wisest choice is.¡± But still. Even so. ¡°I remember when my father used to carry me on his shoulders when I was little.¡± ¡°I remember being scolded harshly when I secretly took toys from the other kids in the neighborhood.¡± ¡°I remember when my magic studies weren¡¯t going well, heforted me, telling me not to rush and to take things step by step.¡± So. ¡°I hope my father will remember me too.¡± As he spoke, Berald gave a wide grin. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I epted the gauntlet from Berald. A treasure I never found in my previous life. A powerful artifact that could possibly help change the future. Suddenly, I recalled what Berald had said to me before he died in my past life. - Even if I die, please at least remember my name. Yes. You were that kind of person. In the past life. And now as well. You might not remember it, but I do. Because of someone like you, I am who I am now. ¡°Iris, please use this as a sacrifice and cast the healing spell again.¡± ¡°¡­You know that once an artifact is used as a sacrifice, it loses all its power, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I knew that. ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Iris epted the gauntlet. Whoooooosh! This time, an even more intense light filled the room, iparable to before. And then¡ª ¡°Ah¡­ugh!¡± Gilbert groaned, clutching his head in pain. The suffering man slowly raised his head. ¡°Ugh¡­where¡­am I?¡± His eyes, filled with confusion, looked around the room until they settled on Berald. ¡°Berald¡­? When did you get so tall?¡± ¡°¡­Hah.¡± Berald covered his face with his hands, his shoulders shaking as he nodded. ¡°Yes. I am Berald¡­ Berald Ryu, son of Gilbert Ryu¡­¡± Sniff, sniff. Transparent tears fell from Berald¡¯s lowered face, streaming down his cheeks. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 139: Interlude - Heir of the Iron Fist (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 139: Interlude - Heir of the Iron Fist (2) ¡°¡­¡­¡± Gilbert silently reached out his hand toward Berald, who was sobbing. Gilbert¡¯s hand patted Berald¡¯s bowed head. ¡°Father¡­¡± When Berald, his face covered in tears, raised his head. Smack! Gilbert¡¯s hand sharply smacked the back of Berald¡¯s head. ¡°Ugh!¡± Berald clutched the back of his head, screaming in pain. Gilbert clicked his tongue and gave Berald a sideways nce. ¡°What kind of man starts bawling right away?¡± ¡°H-Hey! The first thing you say after waking up in years is that?!¡± ¡°I got annoyed seeing my son crying right in front of me after all this time.¡± ¡°You grumpy old man!¡± ¡°What, you brat?! Is that how you talk to your father, huh?¡± The two of them began yelling at each other. ¡®What is this?¡¯ I, along with Iris (Yuren and Cami didn¡¯te, afraid they might interfere with the treatment), looked at each other nkly, watching their fight. ¡°Father, that¡¯s been your problem from the start! You need to have some tact!¡± ¡°And you think you¡¯re one to talk about tact, huh?¡± ¡°Ha, are you saying I¡¯m tactless?¡± ¡°No, to be precise, it¡¯s not about tact. It¡¯s because you¡¯re dumb.¡± ¡°Ugh! Is that something you say to your own son?¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t me, others would¡¯ve left you out of frustration!¡± ¡°You lousy old man!¡± ¡°You disrespectful brat! What kind of upbringing did you have to turn out like this?¡± ¡°Is that something you should be saying?!¡± Now they were grabbing each other by the cor, shouting at the top of their lungs. As I quietly watched the scene, the door suddenly opened, and a middle-aged woman with a gentle look entered the room. ¡°Oh, my¡­! Sir! You¡¯vee to your senses!¡± Anna, upon seeing Gilbert, covered her mouth and began crying tears of joy. But only for a moment. ¡°Anna! Look at this disrespectful brat! He¡¯s yelling ¡®you lousy old man¡¯ at his father!¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you pped me out of nowhere!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Anna¡¯s expression gradually hardened. Gone was the gentle look, and her face twisted ferociously like a demon¡¯s. ¡°Sir, young master.¡± Her icy voice cooled the heated atmosphere in the room. ¡°Uh, yes. What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Ahem! Is something wrong¡­?¡± Gilbert and Berald, both now wary, avoided Anna¡¯s gaze. Anna looked at the two and smiled sweetly. ¡°Behave yourselves.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was a moment when the hierarchy within the ''Ryu'' family became crystal clear. * * * After the briefmotion was settled, Berald exined everything that had happened to Gilbert. The battle with the Demon Cult five years ago, where Gilbert was severely injured. The ensuing delirium that followed. How Berald had entered the Hero Academy and formed a party with me, Yuren, Iris, and Cami. ¡°Five years¡­ Five years have passed?¡± Gilbert let out a hollowugh, rubbing his forehead. ¡°¡­You don¡¯t remember anything?¡± ¡°No. I vaguely remember things. Not clearly though¡­¡± Gilbert slowly recalled memories of the past five years. With a bitter smile, he looked at Berald. ¡°You¡¯ve had a tough time because of your terrible father, haven¡¯t you?¡± He gently ced a hand on Berald¡¯s shoulder. Berald bit his lip and turned his head away, avoiding Gilbert¡¯s gaze. ¡°¡­What are you doing? This doesn¡¯t suit you.¡± ¡°Heh, yeah¡­ it doesn¡¯t suit me.¡± Still, Gilbert softly stroked Berald¡¯s head with a faint smile. ¡°You¡¯ve grown a lot, my son. You¡¯ve be quite strong while I wasn¡¯t watching.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Berald kept his head bowed, lips tightly shut. ¡°Are you crying again?¡± ¡°W-Who¡¯s crying?!¡± Gilbert chuckled. ¡°Heh. Who did you inherit all these tears from?¡± ¡°Hmph, obviously from you, Father.¡± ¡°You little brat. I¡¯ve never shed a tear in my life!¡± ¡°Just from what I remember, it¡¯s been more than five times¡­¡± ¡°Ahem. Silence.¡± Gilbert coughed and turned his head. He then looked at Iris and me. ¡°Are these the ones who helped you?¡± ¡°There are two more.¡± ¡°Bring them in.¡± Berald nodded and walked out of the room. Soon, Yuren and Cami entered the room with Berald. ¡°Ah¡­ Hello.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet the esteemed elder of the Ryu family.¡± Yuren and Cami greeted Gilbert. Gilbert looked them over and slowly stood up from the bed. Swaying. As he stumbled, Berald hurried to approach him, but¡ª ¡°No need.¡± Gilbert shook his head, firmly standing on both feet. His massive frame,parable to Berald¡¯s. Though his body had aged, his aura was still that of a fierce beast. ¡°Thank you for staying by my foolish son¡¯s side.¡± Gilbert bowed respectfully. My party and I bowed back to him. "By the way, you said you got into the Hero Academy, right?" "Hehe, that''s right. I''m in my second year now." "Did you meet all your party members there?" "That''s right." Berald nodded and began introducing us one by one. "This handsome man here is Yuren! He''s the young master of the famous Helios family!" "Helios? You don''t mean that Helios family...?" "Hehe, yes! Yuren is a descendant of the ''Sword of the Sun''!" "...Wow." Gilbert let out a disbelieving chuckle, looking back and forth between Berald and Yuren. "...If this is fate, I guess it really is fate." "Hm? What are you talking about?" "It''s nothing. Who are the others?" Berald, excited, continued with the introductions. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "This is Cami!" "Senior." "Ahem! Anyway, Senior Cami is an outstanding Holy Knight, even being considered as the next ''Sword of the Holy Kingdom''!" "The next Sword of the Holy Kingdom...?" "And here we have the beautiful Iris! She''s none other than the Saintess of the Holy Kingdom! She was the one who healed my father!" "And the Saintess of the Holy Kingdom?" Gilbert looked at Berald in shock. "What in the world have you been doing at school to have such connections with all these important people?" "Hehe, it''s all thanks to Dale!" Berald turned to me andughed heartily. "Dale is the leader of our party and like a mentor to me!" "Hoo." Gilbert looked at me with curiosity. "You''re the leader of this party?" "Yes." "Haha, with the descendant of the Sword of the Sun, the Saintess of the Holy Kingdom, and the next Sword of the Holy Kingdom all in the same party, and you''re still the leader..." Gilbert shook his head as if he couldn''t even begin to imagine how extraordinary this ''Dale'' must be. "How did you end up meeting this guy?" "We met during the supplementary ssesst year!" "Ah, I see. Supplementary sses... wait, what?" Supplementary sses? "...Berald." Gilbert''s eyes suddenly sharpened. "Um? What''s wrong?" "You¡¯re not telling me you had to take supplementary sses because your grades were bad, are you?" "Uh, well, that is..." Berald averted his gaze, trailing off nervously. Gilbert roughly grabbed Berald by the ear. "Ow! Wh-what are you doing?!" "What do you think, you idiot?! What kind of mess did you make to get bad enough grades to need supplementary sses?!" Though Gilbert had raised Berald quite freely since he was young, he was still a father. And what parent doesn''t worry about their child''s grades? "Geez! You''re driving me crazy, boy! Supplementary sses...!" Supplementary sses were for those ranked in the bottom 30 of the candidates''prehensive evaluations. Back when he was a candidate, he always wondered what kind of idiots ended up in those sses. Little did he know that one of those idiots would turn out to be his son. "Sigh. I knew you weren¡¯t the brightest, but still..." Gilbert sighed deeply and turned to me. "You must''ve had a tough time dealing with my son." "Haha, it wasn¡¯t that bad." "Right. You said you met him during supplementary sses? Haha, who would''ve thought that even in this day and age, there''d be such a fine young man willing to mentor juniors during the precious holiday season..." "...Sorry?" Mentoring? Fine young man? What is he talking about? "Now that I think about it, I got some advice from seniors during my candidate days as well. It was certainly different wisdom from what the professors taught." "......" Ah, I see. So, he thinks I willingly spent my holiday helping out juniors struggling with supplementary sses, out of the kindness of my heart? "Haha, Dale, was it? The fact that you¡¯ve be close enough with a junior you met during supplementary sses to form a party together shows how great of a character you must have." "......" "Lending a hand to those who fall behind is a true hero''s virtue. Please continue guiding Berald well." "Ah... yes. Of course." I awkwardly smiled as I shook the hand Gilbert offered. "By the way, Dale, how are your grades at school?" He looked at me with sparkling eyes, clearly curious about the academic performance of the leader whomands a party with such prestigious members. "......" "Hm? What¡¯s wrong?" As I remained silent, Gilbert tilted his head in confusion. After thinking for a moment, he let out a quiet "Ah" as if something had clicked. "Hahaha! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to scold my son byparing him to you. Just tell me freely." "......" "So, what¡¯s yourprehensive evaluation ranking?" A cold sweat ran down my spine. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 140: Interlude - Heir of the Iron Fist (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 140: Interlude - Heir of the Iron Fist (3) ¡°Uh¡­ Well, that is¡­¡± Cold sweat ran down my spine. In front of Gilbert, who was looking at me with eyes full of expectation, asking, ¡°How are your grades?¡± I had to confess that I was at the very bottom among 472 students. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Honestly, when I got suspended three times in a row and found myself at the bottom of the ss again, I just thought, ¡®I¡¯ve had enough of this.¡¯ But now that I had to reveal my grades in front of someone else, it felt utterly humiliating. Especially because that ¡®someone¡¯ was the father of a close younger friend, who was under the false impression that his son had met a great benefactor and was now set for life. ¡°¡­Why are you hesitating?¡± Gilbert tilted his head in confusion due to my prolonged silence. Unable to bear the pressure any longer, my mouth moved on its own. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m first.¡± I swallowed the words ¡®from the back¡¯ as I gave my answer. ¡°Hahaha! If you''re first, you should be proud! Why were you hesitating? Ah, I see, maybe you felt burdened by it?¡± Oof! Gilbert gave a big thumbs-up, looking as refreshed as if he¡¯d just downed a cold beer on a hot summer day. ¡°Outstanding grades, a kind heart that helps juniors, and even humility! My son Berald has truly met a great benefactor, a great one!¡± Gilbert shook my hand vigorously whileughing heartily. ¡°¡­Dale.¡± Watching this unfold, the real top student, who was at a loss for words, looked uneasy. ¡°Now that I think about it, Yuren, Cami, and Iris are all in the same grade, right?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Then, that means you surpassed the heir of the Sword of the Sun, the future Sword of the Holy Kingdom, and even the Saintess of the Holy Kingdom to im the top spot in your ss?¡± Gilbert''s eyes widened in astonishment as he repeatedly eximed in admiration. ¡°Wow¡­ It¡¯s only now that I realize how incredible it is that Dale managed to be first among such exceptional candidates.¡± ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s¡­¡± Yuren''s lips twitched as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he just tightly shut his eyes and turned his head away. ¡°Ah, I also¡­ think that¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°Haha! If even the heir to the Sword of the Sun acknowledges it, that¡¯s all that needs to be said!¡± Gilbert got to his feet with a grin that couldn¡¯t get any wider. ¡°None of you have had lunch yet, right? On a day as joyful as this, nothing beats meat! In celebration of my restored health, I¡¯ll grill it myself, so wait a bit! Berald! Come help me!¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re going to grill meat as soon as you get up?!¡± ¡°When your father tells you toe, you don¡¯t argue, you juste, boy!¡± Dragging Berald with him, Gilbert left the room. Now, it was just me, Yuren, Iris, and Cami in the room. ¡°¡­Why did you do that, Dale?¡± ¡°While no one can deny that Dale has the skills to be first, this¡­ this is a bit much.¡± ¡°I¡¯m thoroughly disappointed.¡± Feeling the cold judgment from my party members, my shoulders slumped. Holding on to a sliver of hope, I looked back at them and asked, ¡°¡­Is it toote to go and tell him I was first from the bottom?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± No response came. * * * After finishing the overly abundant meal of grilled meat prepared by Gilbert. ¡°So, you still don¡¯t have a girlfriend?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Ah, what a pitifuld! At your age, there were female candidates lining up to meet me, boy!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie! I¡¯ve heard from Mother before that you begged on your knees to marry her!¡± ¡°Huff¡­!¡± Gilbert, as if trying to make up for the past five years, chatted cheerfully with Berald. While the conversation continued, Berald nced at the now empty tes with a faint smile. ¡°It¡¯s been years since Ist had a meal and a conversation with my father like this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Well, I understand. From my father¡¯s perspective, I must have always seemed like an inadequate son.¡± As Berald was making a self-deprecating smile. ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± Gilbert shook his head softly. ¡°If anything, it was me, hesitating to tell you the truth, who was the inadequate father.¡± ¡°¡­The truth?¡± Berald tilted his head, confused by the unexpected words. ¡°Sigh.¡± Gilbert sighed deeply and nced at me and Iris, who were sipping post-meal coffee nearby. ¡°You said you used the ¡®Legacy of the Iron Fist¡¯ as a sacrifice to heal my wounds, right?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Gilbert, looking at us with a wry smile, continued. ¡°In truth, that wasn¡¯t the Legacy of the Iron Fist.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± It wasn¡¯t the Legacy of the Iron Fist? What was he saying? ¡°To exin that, I¡¯ll have to tell you the truth about the ¡®Ryu¡¯ family.¡± ¡°¡­Is this something we should be hearing?¡± ¡°Haha. You saved my son¡¯s life, didn¡¯t you? It wouldn¡¯t be right to keep the truth from benefactors.¡± Gilbert, finishing thest of his now lukewarm beer, continued. ¡°Have you heard of the founder of the Ryu family?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yes. I believe it¡¯s Ryu Jinhyuk, the younger brother of the Iron Fist Ryujin Seong, and one of the greatest magicians of his time.¡± ¡°Hmph. That¡¯s partly true and partly false.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean, partly false?¡± ¡°Have you ever heard that Ryujin Seong and Ryu Jinhyuk were mortal enemies?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was a story so famous that few in the Republic didn¡¯t know of it. ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s not true, then¡­¡± ¡°In fact, the Iron Fist and his younger brother were very close.¡± ¡°¡­Then why did the rumors that they were enemies spread?¡± ¡°They spread on purpose, by Ryu Jinhyuk himself.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± The rumor that you and your brother are enemies was spread by your younger sibling? When I looked at Gilbert with a questioning expression, he quietly continued exining. "At that time, the Republic waspletely divided into the ''Iron Fist'' faction led by Ryujin Seong and the ''New Spear'' faction led by Baek Seunghyuk." Two of the five great heroes who sealed the Demon God and saved the world 500 years ago. They were from the Republic (which was called Korea at the time), and to the people who suddenly fell into this strange world, they were nothing less than gods. That¡¯s why many followed them. And that¡¯s why conflicts never ceased. "Especially the New Spear faction, led by Baek Seunghyuk, was extremely radical. The prevalent idea was that the Iron Fist should be killed and Baek Seunghyuk made president of the nation." "Such a thing happened, huh?" Of course. The stories Gilbert was sharing now were not part of the Republic¡¯s educational curriculum, nor were they taught at the Hero School. "In the midst of the increasingly intense atmosphere, the Iron Fist took the first step back. It''s said that he secluded himself in a deep gorge and spent the rest of his life there." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] That was exactly the Iron Gorge we had visited recently. "But there¡¯s an untold part to this story." Gilbert, seemingly thirsty, refilled his beer and drank it in one gulp. "At the time, it was said that the Iron Fist died without leaving behind any children, but that¡¯s not true. He had one child with his wife, who died during the war." "¡­ Are you saying there was an heir to the Iron Fist?" Gilbert nodded. "Before going into seclusion, the Iron Fist asked his younger brother to hide the child." "To protect the child from being targeted by the New Spear faction, right?" "Exactly. And Ryu Jinhyuk, following his brother''s wishes, pretended the child was his own and spread the rumor that the two were enemies." "¡­" So, this entire charade was orchestrated by the Iron Fist and his brother to protect the child. "Wait a minute¡­ That means¡­." A possibility suddenly crossed my mind. I nced at Gilbert and Berald. I remembered the movie about the ''Iron Fist'' that I had watched with Iris. The image of Ryujin Seong, the Iron Fist, with his towering figure andrge, imposing frame. Both Gilbert and Berald, too, had physiques that couldn¡¯t be considered ordinary. "I think you might be right about what you¡¯re thinking." Gilbert smirked and took another swig of beer. "Huh¡­." A chuckle of disbelief escaped my lips as I realized a truth I hadn¡¯t known even in my previous life. "Huh? What are you two talking about?" Berald, who hadn¡¯t caught on yet, looked around in confusion. I sighed and spoke. "In other words, you are the heir of the Iron Fist." "¡­ What?" Berald blinked with a dumbfounded expression. "Wait, wait! What do you mean? I''m the heir of the Iron Fist?" "Quiet, fool. Are you trying to announce it to the whole neighborhood?" Gilbert frowned and red at Berald. "Our family is known as a branch of the ''Ryu'' n, but the truth is, we are direct descendants of Ryujin Seong, the Iron Fist." "Huh¡­." Berald lookedpletely lost, as if he had no idea. Gilbert clicked his tongue and continued. "I had nned to tell you after you graduated from school¡­ but if it weren¡¯t for our benefactors, this truth might have been lost in my generation." "¡­" In fact, in my previous life, that truth had never been revealed to Berald. "So the gauntlet we found in that ruin¡­." "It¡¯s a fake heirloom created to attract people seeking the Iron Fist¡¯s legacy. In reality, it¡¯s a weapon that Ryu Jinhyuk made for his brother during the war with the Demon God." "Ah, that¡¯s why the gauntlet emitted those lightning bolts." I let out a brief exmation, recalling the deep blue gauntlet that had spewed fierce lightning. "But since it was a weapon used by the Iron Fist, isn''t it still part of his legacy?" "No. The Iron Fist never used that weapon." Gilbert shook his head slightly. "I heard he declined his brother¡¯s gift, saying such a weapon didn¡¯t suit him." "¡­" Even though the artifact unleashed fierce lightning, despite losing much of its original power due to the Blessing of Absorption from Lactasia, the Iron Fist had turned it down for such a simple reason. It was such a fitting action for the Iron Fist. "In any case, the real ''legacy of the Iron Fist'' is something I¡¯ve kept safe." "¡­ And what exactly is that legacy?" "Wait here for a moment." Gilbert went inside the house and returned with a small box. Inside the box were some dirty, stained bandages. "These are the true legacy of Ryujin Seong, the Iron Fist." "¡­ These dirty bandages?" "Heh heh, yes. It¡¯s said that the Iron Fist wrapped these bandages around his fists and fought against hundreds, even thousands, of demons." Gilbert handed the stained bandages to Berald. "Take them." "¡­ These?" "Yes. Even though they look like this, they¡¯re the legacy our ancestor left behind. You should keep them." "¡­" Berald took the stained bandages, thought for a moment, and then wrapped them around his own hands. "Ooh, wearing these bandages makes me feel stronger!" "Heh heh. Even though they look old, they¡¯ve maintained the same form for 500 years, so they must have some mana." Gilbert smiled with pride as he looked at Berald, who now had the bandages wrapped around his fists. "Ah¡­!" Berald swung his bandaged fists in the air a few times, and then, as if realizing something important, pped his hands together. "Now that I think about it, the reason I was never good at magic was because of this!" Since he wasn¡¯t actually a descendant of Ryu Jinhyuk, one of the greatest wizards of his time, but instead a descendant of the Iron Fist, it exined why he hadn¡¯t shown much talent for magic. "Huh?" Gilbert tilted his head in confusion at Berald¡¯sment. "No, the reason you¡¯re bad at magic isn¡¯t because you¡¯re the heir of the Iron Fist." "Huh? Then what¡¯s the reason?" "That¡¯s just because you¡¯re stupid." "¡­" Gilbert shrugged and created a crackling blue lightning bolt in his hand. "I¡¯m pretty good at magic, idiot." [TL/N: HAHAHAHHA] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 141: Interlude – Heir of the Iron Fist (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 141: Interlude ¨C Heir of the Iron Fist (4) After sessfullypleting the ruins exploration, our party spent the remainder of the break at Berald''s house, both to keep an eye on Gilbert''s condition and to process the lessons learned from the ruins. "Then, let''s start, Dale." "Whenever you''re ready." Yuren, gripping his sword, stared at me intensely. His Stigma emitted a brilliant light, and enormous waves of mana surged from him like a tide. I couldn¡¯t help but let out a small sigh as I looked at Yuren. ''How does he seem to get stronger every time I see him?'' The amount of mana one possesses generally reaches a teau after a certain point, and its growth rate slows significantly. Initially, you just need to fill the ¡°vessel¡± that is your Stigma, but once it''s full, you have to work on expanding the vessel itself. But Yuren seemed to have an infinite capacity, with his mana growing noticeably every time we sparred. ''Really, seeing stuff like this makes me realize how unfair the gods can be.'' Of course, I¡¯m not really one to talk. "Haa!" With a sharp cry, Yuren sprang forward. Burning in a brilliant silver me, his aura painted the air with beauty. His fluid swordsmanship was so graceful that it drew gasps from anyone watching. ng! ng-ng-ng! ng! Our swords shed, sending the sound of metal ringing through the air. "Ugh..." A groan escaped from between my lips. After the ruins exploration, it wasn''t just Yuren¡¯s mana that had increased. ''His swordsmanship has be sharper, more precise.'' In his past life, Yuren''s swordsmanship was already unparalleled, but now it felt like he had gone a step¡ªor several steps¡ªbeyond that. ''And...'' As I met Yuren¡¯s fierce attacks, I narrowed my eyes. I had suspected it while watching him fight the guardian in the ruins, but sparring with him now confirmed it. ''Yuren''s swordsmanship has changed from what it was in his past life.'' Specifically, the form of the "Sun Sword" that he wielded was evolving. It was simr to how I, in my past life, restructured the Sun Sword into the Ashen Sword to suit my style after wandering the continent for millennia. Yuren was no longer simply replicating the Sun Sword that Reynald Helios had originally created. ''In the past, Yuren didn¡¯t do this.'' Back then, Yuren had tried to perfectly replicate the swordsmanship left behind by Reynald Helios, as if he believed himself to be his reincarnation. He didn¡¯t modify it at all¡ªnot even a slight change¡ªimitating the ''Sword of the Sun'' as if that was how it was meant to be. But now... ''He¡¯s changed.'' Yuren was no longer mimicking Reynald. While traces of Reynald¡¯s style still remained due to everything he had learned so far, with time, those remnants were fading, and Yuren¡ªor rather, Yurina Helios¡ªwas making the sword his own. ''If things continue like this... from the eighth form of the Sun Sword onwards, it might be an entirely new style.'' Just as I created the Ashen Sword based on the Sun Sword, Yuren might soon develop a swordsmanship I¡¯ve never seen before. "...Heh." A chuckle escaped my lips. A chill ran down my spine¡ªthe kind you only feel when facing a true genius. "Huh? What¡¯s wrong, Dale?" Yuren paused mid-spar, noticing my reaction. I gave a small smile and shook my head, indicating it was nothing. Whilepliments can lift spirits, too much praise can have the opposite effect. ''Here...'' Yuren¡¯s growth had once again reminded me of why he was called a genius, but... ''It might be better to push him a little harder...!'' He still wasn¡¯t close to closing the gap between us. ng! ng! "Ahhh! D-Dale, you...! That''s dirty!" Yuren red at me with wide eyes as I suddenly rushed at him with my sword. But the surprise quickly faded as he grinned, clearly enjoying the sparring session, and enthusiastically struck back at me. "Whew." "Huff, huff..." As Yuren and I stood sweating under the scorching summer sun, drenched in sweat, Iris approached, carrying two iced coffees with ice floating in them. "You two should take a break~." "Ah, thanks, Iris." "Much appreciated." Yuren and I paused our sparring and gratefully epted the iced coffees. "Here, use this towel to wipe off your sweat." "...Iris." After the refreshing iced coffee, she handed us dry towels. Her kind, thoughtful gesture filled me with a deep sense of gratitude that words couldn''t express. "Hmph." For some reason, Yuren didn¡¯t seem particrly pleased, but... "Thanks, Iris." After wiping off the sweat, Yuren and I returned the towels to her. "Berald will being down soon, so I¡¯ll leave so I don¡¯t interrupt your training..." "Wait a second." Just as Iris was about to return to the house, Yuren grabbed her shoulder. Narrowing his eyes, he nced toward the inside pocket of Iris'' priestess robe. "Why did you put the towel Dale used in your inner pocket separately?" "...Tch." For a moment, the gentle and serene expression on Iris¡¯s face twisted into a scowl. But she quickly recovered, shing a sweet smile as she answered Yuren¡¯s question. "Dale''s scent is a bit stronger, so I was going to wash it separately." "If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll do it. It¡¯s sweat from training with me, after all." "Oh~ there''s no need for that. You¡¯ve been so busy focusing on your training, haven¡¯t you?" Both Yuren and Iris held onto opposite ends of the towel Dale had used, smiling at each other while their eyes revealed none of the friendliness in their words. "Besides, you¡¯re not exactly free, are you? I heard you¡¯ve been focusing on your ¡®Seven Eyes¡¯ trainingtely." "Heh. But that¡¯s nothingpared to the physical training you¡¯ve been doing, Yuren." The conversation continued between the two, both with forced smiles but clear tension between them. ¡°No, you know... It''s not just about what you can see with your eyes.¡± ¡°Still, it''s not like we can chase after what we can''t see, right?¡± Their gazes met. ¡°......¡± ¡°......¡± After a brief and awkward silence. ¡°Gah! Give it back, now!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me exactly what you¡¯re going to use it for, you¡¯re never getting it!¡± Iris and Yuren raised their voices, bickering like children fighting over a toy. ¡°......¡± As I was pondering how to step in and stop them. ¡°Brother! Have you finished training with Yuren, brother?!¡± The mansion door swung open roughly, and Berald stepped out from the yard. ¡°Oh, yeah. We¡¯re just taking a break.¡± ¡°Haha, then could you spar with me next time?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Since I¡¯d already decided to focus on helping myrades grow during this vacation, there was no reason to refuse a sparring match. ¡®It¡¯s not like I won¡¯t gain anything from it, either.¡¯ As the old saying from the Republic goes, teaching is also a form of learning. Sparring with Yuren, Berald, and Cami was proving to be a great source of experience for my own growth, especially since I still wasn¡¯t fully in control of my newly gained powers. ¡°Haha! Excellent!¡± Berald clenched his bandage-wrapped fists tightly, exhaling with a determined breath. ¡°You¡¯re still nning to keep wearing those filthy bandages?¡± ¡°Hehe, but these are an heirloom from my ancestors. A legacy left for their descendants.¡± Berald smiled and repeatedly clenched and unclenched his bandaged hands. ¡°And, they¡¯re surprisingly effective.¡± ¡°Effective? How so?¡± No matter how I looked at them, they were just dirty strips of cloth. ¡°Well¡­ how should I put it¡­ My punches feel a little lighter? That sort of feeling.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it just because you think it¡¯s some sort of ¡®Iron Fist¡¯ legacy or something?¡± ¡°Hehe, maybe. But it doesn¡¯t feel bad, so I¡¯m going to keep using it.¡± ¡°Well, fair enough.¡± If he liked it, there was no reason for anyone else toin. ¡°All right, let¡¯s begin!¡± Berald shouted as he summoned his magic. I slid my sword back into its sheath and hooked it onto my belt, beckoning him with a flick of my hand. ¡°Let¡¯s see if you live up to the legacy of the ¡®Iron Fist.¡¯¡± ¡°Haha! Excellent!¡± With a loud, boisterousugh, Berald charged forward. Dark, earthy-colored aura red from his fists. Boom! Crash! Kaboom! The sound of his punches echoed across the wide yard, creating a cacophony that didn¡¯t sound like it came from mere fists. ¡®Berald¡¯s movements have improved a lot.¡¯ It was a pity that he had lost his powerful artifact, but Berald¡¯s personal growth had been so remarkable that even the phrase ¡°rapid progress¡± didn¡¯t do it justice. Whoosh! Whoosh! Maybe it was because of Gilbert¡¯s story, but seeing Berald''s savage punches, I suddenly pictured the image of the ¡®Iron Fist.¡¯ ¡®He really was an incredible person.¡¯ Fighting the Demon God with nothing but those worn bandaged fists. It really drove home just how extraordinary the Iron Fist Ryujin Seong must have been. ¡®Usually, at that level, having a powerful artifact isn¡¯t a choice but a necessity.¡¯ There¡¯s a saying that a master doesn¡¯t me their tools, but that didn¡¯t apply to heroes. As a hero¡¯s strength grows, so does the need for weapons that can handle that power. Without them, even channeling mana through the weapon could cause it to shatter. Sure, you could enhance a weapon¡¯s durability with mana, but doing so is a waste of mental energy. It¡¯s much more efficient to use a sword made of steel than to strengthen a twig with mana to make it as hard as steel. ¡®Well, in the Iron Fist¡¯s case, he didn¡¯t use a sword but his fists.¡¯ Still, when you think about how the Sun Sword Reynald Helios used the legendary sword called ¡®Dawn¡¯ and the Spear Saint Baek Seunghyuk wielded the powerful artifact ¡®Dragon yer,¡¯ it shows just how unique the Iron Fist was. ¡®He said weapons like that didn¡¯t suit him¡­ huh.¡¯ Remembering what the Iron Fist had said, I smiled faintly. ¡®He¡¯s someone with a lot to learn from.¡¯ Even though I didn¡¯t agree with his thinking, I could respect his convictions. A hero who fought the Demon God with nothing but his fists. A true ¡®martial artist¡¯ in every sense of the word. No matter how different his philosophy was from mine, I couldn¡¯t help but admire such a great warrior. ¡°Huff, huff¡­!¡± As the spar dragged on, Berald¡¯s breathing grew heavier and morebored. ¡°Shall we wrap this up?¡± ¡°No! I can still go on!¡± Berald gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, and charged at me again. ¡®Man, this guy''s persistence is something else.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t help but admire his determination, a true testament to being the ¡®descendant of the Iron Fist,¡¯ as I prepared to block his punch. Whoooosh! Suddenly, the bandages around his fists turned jet-ck, emitting a brilliant light. ¡°...Huh?¡± Golden letters appeared over the now ckened bandages. The words were written in the oldnguage of the Republic. ¡®Heaven-Destroying Asura Gauntlets¡­?¡¯ What the hell is that? Boom! Before I could finish my thought, Berald¡¯s punch mmed into me, sending my body flying, smashing into the mansion¡¯s walls. ¡°Gah, ugh¡­!¡± I coughed up blood and stared at the ck gauntlet wrapped around Berald¡¯s fists. ¡°No way... that Iron Fist bastard¡­¡± When he said weapons like that didn¡¯t suit him, he meant he already had something better?! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 142: Lets Go to the Beach (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 142: Let''s Go to the Beach (1) ¡°¡®Heavenly Destruction Asura Gauntlet¡¯¡­¡± Gilbert, who had been pondering with his eyes closed, shook his head softly. ¡°That¡¯s a name I¡¯ve never heard before.¡± ¡°...¡± Silence descended after Gilbert¡¯s response. Both Berald and I nced at the stained bandage lying on the table. Although now it looked filthy as if it had been left under a bed for years, ¡®If what I saw earlier wasn¡¯t a mistake¡­¡¯ That stained bandage was undoubtedly a formidable artifact, enough to make the gauntlet we found in the ruins seem insignificant. ¡°You said before that this bandage contained some mana, right?¡± ¡°Well, despite its appearance, it¡¯s incredibly sturdy.¡± Gilbert grabbed the stained bandage as he said this. ¡°Take a look for yourself.¡± He took a deep breath and then pulled the bandage with all his might. ¡°Hraaah!¡± Not only did he pull it, but he also twisted it and spun it as if wringing it out. Gilbert might not have been a warrior trained in martial arts like Berald, but being from the Iron Fist bloodline, he had an innate physical strength that could easily surpass most warriors. Even with someone like him pulling with all his strength, ¡°Hoo. Look, no matter how hard I pull, there isn¡¯t even a scratch.¡± ¡°So, is that why you thought it had mana?¡± ¡°Yeah. How long do you think a normal bandage wouldst?¡± ¡°Well¡­ typically, bandages are used as disposable items, so they don¡¯tst long.¡± ¡°But this bandage from the Iron Fist, even though it¡¯s dirty on the outside, hasn¡¯t torn anywhere if you look closely. That¡¯s why I thought it had some mana in it.¡± Just as Gilbert said, despite the 500 years that had passed, the bandage from the Iron Fist remained intact. ¡°But I only thought it was a sturdy, magically-treated bandage. I¡¯ve never heard of it having any other hidden abilities.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It turned out that neither Gilbert nor his previous generation knew the true nature of this bandage. ¡°Berald. Can you try to recreate what happened earlier?¡± ¡°You mean that ¡®Heavenly Destruction Gauntlet¡¯ or whatever it¡¯s called?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Hm, alright.¡± With the bandage wrapped around his hand, Berald closed his eyes and focused his energy. Wooooom! Just like before, the bandage turned ck and morphed into a solid gauntlet. ¡°Huh.¡± Gilbert looked at the ck gauntlet, astonished. ¡°¡­Is that the true form of the Iron Fist¡¯s legacy?¡± ¡°It seems so.¡± The reason the bandage had been so dirty was probably to hide the magical inscriptions etched on it. ¡°The question is why only Berald can bring out the true power of this legacy¡­¡± ¡°I have a guess about that.¡± Gilbert narrowed his eyes as he looked at the ck gauntlet on Berald¡¯s hand. ¡°Since he was a kid, Berald was terrible with anything magical, but his fists? They were better than any hero¡¯s, even though no one ever taught him.¡± ¡°¡­So you¡¯re saying he inherited the Iron Fist¡¯s bloodline more strongly than anyone else?¡± ¡°Yes. Among the ¡®Ryu¡¯ bloodline that has carried on for 500 years, perhaps no one more than him.¡± Suddenly, I remembered something the headmaster, Lionel, had muttered after Berald¡¯s duel with Laios Ryu. ¡ªCould it be¡­ no, that can¡¯t be. If that muttering referred to the power of the Iron Fist within Berald, then it would exin why he could wield a legacy that had been untouched for 500 years. Thinking about it, Berald only started learning martial arts properly after graduating from school, when he was over 20 years old in his previous life. ¡®And yet, he created his own martial art, ¡°Berald¡¯s Martial Arts.¡±¡¯ Such a feat would have been impossible without overwhelming natural talent. ¡°So, to sum it up.¡± Berald pped his hands, now d in the gauntlet, and grinned widely. ¡°We¡¯ve got an amazing treasure in our hands, right?¡± ¡°Well¡­ yeah.¡± ¡°Haha! It¡¯s true that doing good deeds brings rewards!¡± Beraldughed heartily, overjoyed. His face showed none of theplicated concerns about bloodlines or legacies. ¡®Must be nice having such a carefree mind, you idiot.¡¯ I chuckled inwardly as I watched Berald. Well, in any case, The future was continuing to change. Slowly, but surely. In a better direction. * * * Two weeks had passed since we began staying at Berald¡¯s mansion. Just as I was getting tired of the monotonous daily training, ¡°Hey, Dale!¡± A handsome blonde man arrived in a stylish magical vehicle and entered the mansion. Juliet spotted me and waved with a bright smile. ¡°What, are we invisible or something?¡± ¡°Oh, uh, sorry¡­¡± ¡°Heh, just kidding. So, Juliet, what brings you here?¡± At Berald¡¯s question, Juliet grinned. ¡°I brought a nice gift from the foundation my father¡¯spany is working with.¡± ¡°A gift?¡± ¡°Yeah! Here, look!¡± Juliet pulled out a few tickets from her pocket. ¡°Amodation vouchers for Heavenly Resort!¡± Heavenly Resort. One of the most famous resorts in the Republic, known for its stunning beaches and luxurious facilities. ¡°Dale, you¡¯ve heard of it, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories.¡± It was one of those ces cadets would brag about visiting after summer break. Of course, I¡¯d only heard about it but had never actually been there in any of my previous lives. ¡°Hehe. If you go there, you can even use a private beach with your group!¡± Juliet beamed as he handed me five tickets. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be a waste to spend the whole vacation just training?¡± "But I heard this is really expensive... Are you sure we can ept it?" "Yeah! We''re... friends, after all!" Juliet smiled awkwardly, as if still getting used to the word "friend." I held the resort voucher he handed me and looked around at the party members. "What do you all think?" "I''m totally in!" "Me too! I really want to go!" Barreld and Iris raised their hands excitedly, breathing heavily in anticipation. "I''ll go if Dale decides to." Yuren also nodded readily. Thest remaining person was... "Hmph! A luxury resort at such a critical time? Ridiculous!" Cami scoffed and took one of the tickets from my hand. "Just because everyone''s been making good progress in training recently doesn''t mean we can ck off!" Her eyes widened as she thoroughly checked the valid dates and times on the ticket. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Don''t forget! We''re heroes with the duty to protect the weak and save the world from the forces of the evil demon lord!" She carefully folded the resort voucher and tucked it into her pocket. "At times like this, we should focus even more on training! How could you all think of ying instead?" "No." This girl¡¯s words and actions arepletely different. "Of course! That doesn''t mean I can ignore the will of the entire party just because of my opinion! If you all really want to go, I suppose I''ll have no choice but to join you!" Despite her stern words, Cami was already struggling to suppress the excited grin spreading across her face at the thought of the resort. I shook my head as I looked at her. "No, if you feel that strongly about it, it''s fine. You don''t have toe." "...What?" "I agree with Dale. I wouldn''t want to force you toe and break your resolve." "L-Lady Saint?" Iris ced her hand on Cami''s shoulder and smiled warmly. "Cami, stay here and devote yourself to your training." "......" A heavy silence fell. Cami''s shoulders trembled, and tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. "Sniff... A-All right... I understand..." "Pfft! Ahahaha!" Irisughed out loud, patting Cami''s shoulder. "I''m just kidding! Of course, you''reing with us too!" "I-Iris!" Realizing she''d been tricked, Cami, now blushing deeply, forgot to address her as "Lady Saint" and shouted in frustration. Iris burst intoughter again and turned to Juliet. "If it''s a resort by the beach, I guess we should buy swimsuits." "They might have rentals at the resort, but if we have time, it would be better to buy some beforehand." "Well then, Juliet." Iris pointed to the magic car Juliet had arrived in. "Could you give us a ride into the city?" "Of course!" Juliet smiled brightly and nodded without hesitation. Thus, our short summer vacation was set. * * * Heavenly Resort. A luxurious facility that looked like it had been built by burning through piles of money. It ranked among the top five vacation spots across all three nations, so expensive that even seasoned heroes would hesitate to go. The Heavenly Resort had a unique system: each guest was provided with a private beach, essed through a warp gate. There were about 130 small, uninhabited inds around the resort, and guests could use the warp gate to travel freely to the ind assigned to them. "Let¡¯s see... So, we head to Gate 33, right?" While the others were still getting ready in their rooms (amazingly, we each had a room to ourselves), I finished preparing early and headed to the ind ahead of time. "Let¡¯s pack a parasol, a mat... Oh, and some meat to grill." Since it was a private beach, we could do whatever we wanted without worrying about others. "Heavenly Resort, huh...." In my previous life, I couldn¡¯t even dream ofing here. I steadied my still somewhat dazed mind and walked towards Gate 33. Vroom. As I passed through the gate, a vast beach with a stunning white shoreline unfolded before me. "Whoa! This is crazy, crazy... Huh?" Then, I noticed something unusual. A parasol was set up on the beautiful sunlit beach. Under the parasol was a white beach chair, and on ity a woman loungingfortably. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ Why was there someone already here on my private beach? ¡®Did I enter the wrong gate?¡¯ As I tilted my head in confusion and nced around... "...Hmm?" An all-too-familiar scent of tobo tickled my nose. The woman on the beach chair leisurely rose to her feet. Wearing a provocative ck bikini that contrasted with her snow-white skin. Her smooth, wless figure with long, slender legs. As she pushed up the sunsses on her face, a scar that ran across her left eye came into view. "How¡¯s your summer break going, Cadet Dale?" Professor Elisha smiled brightly when she saw me. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 143: Lets Go to the Beach (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 143: Let''s Go to the Beach (2) "Professor Elisha...?" I squinted as I saw the ck-haired beauty approaching slowly toward the beach chair where I was sitting. "Professor, what brings you here?" "Hmm. Am I interrupting?" "No, it''s not that..." The Heavenly Resort provided each group of guests with a private uninhabited ind connected by a warp gate. In other words, unless you were part of the same group, you couldn''t use another guest''s warp gate... ¡ªThis time, a nice gift came from a foundation that''s coborating with my father''spany. Suddenly, I remembered what Juliet had said earlier. "Could it be that the foundation is...?" "Fufu. It''s the foundation I run. I received a significant investment from Juliet''s father, so I decided to give them a little gift." Now it made sense why Professor Elisha was here. I let out a smallugh and asked, "How did you know Juliet would invite us?" "Hmm. Who knows?" As Professor Elisha smiled mischievously, I shook my head, unable to resist. "Well, anyway, it''s nice to see you here." "Can I ask what''s so nice about it, specifically?" She sat down on the beach chair and crossed her legs, sending me a provocative gaze. At the end of her slender legs, her toes painted with ck nail polish caught my eyes. "That''s, um..." Maybe it''s because I was used to seeing her in formal attire. Seeing Professor Elisha in a swimsuit left me unsure where to look. "Fufu. From your reaction, I can already tell what''s so nice about it." Seeing me awkwardly turn my head away, Professor Elisha smiled in satisfaction. "So, what have you been up to during the break?" "Well, I trained a bit and did some exploration of ancient ruins." "Explored ancient ruins?" Professor Elisha looked at me with curiosity, tilting her head, so I told her about what happened during the exploration. "The archbishop? Did you just say you fought the Archbishop of Lust?" "Yes." "Wow... And did you deliberately fight her, knowing the ''future''?" "No. It was pure coincidence that I ended up fighting the archbishop." Even I hadn¡¯t expected that the Archbishop of Lust would be using the ''Blessing of Absorption¡¯ to suck up mana from the (fake) Fist of Iron legacy. "..." Professor Elisha looked at me with concern in her eyes. Slowly, she reached out and gently touched my face. "This time... how many times did you experience ''death''?" "Ah, I didn''t die even once this time." Of course, I had used my life force to generate mana while using Congaration, so I had experienced near-death several times, but at least I hadn''t been killed by Lactasia. "Really?" Elisha''s face, which had been filled with worry, brightened noticeably. With the same hand that had been touching my face, she yfully pinched my cheek. "That''s a relief." As she said that, a faint smile spread across her face. It was a genuine expression of relief, as if she had been truly concerned about my potential ''deaths.'' "..." Seeing her smile filled me with a sense of emotion. "Hmm?" Noticing my reaction, Professor Elisha''s smile deepened as she gently wrapped her hand around my neck, pulling me closer. As the distance between us shrank, our eyes locked. "...Dale?" "What are you doing?" A cold, calm voice came from behind. When I turned my head, I saw Iris and Yuren, both ring at me with icy stares. Before I could hurriedly exin, Professor Elisha spoke first. "Ah, Iris and Yuren, how have you both been? Did you enjoy your break?" "Professor Elisha, what are you doing here...?" "You can ask Juliet about that." With Professor Elisha''s words, all eyes turned to Juliet. Dressed in swimming trunks and an aloha shirt (thankfully, not a women''s swimsuit), Juliet stammered, looking flustered. "Uh... I, I knew that the tickets came from the foundation Professor Elisha runs, but..." It seemed Juliet hadn''t expected Professor Elisha toe personally, as he trailed off, unsure what to say. "Hmm. So, you''re saying the students gathered for a trip, and the professor just happened to tag along?" "That¡¯s a bit harsh." Professor Elisha sighed softly, her face showing a hint of sadness. "I just wanted to check on my beloved students and see how they were enjoying their break. But if I''m causing trouble, I¡¯ll head back to the resort." "Uh? No, no, that''s not what I meant..." Iris, taken aback by Professor Elisha''s unexpected reaction, looked flustered as everyone around her started silently pressuring her with their gaze. "Wait, please!" Iris hurriedly grabbed Professor Elisha''s shoulder as she began to walk away. With a forced smile, Iris spoke awkwardly. "Of course, I was only joking, Professor! You should definitely stay and join us!" "Really?" "Yes! You arranged this stay for us, so of course you should be here!" "Fufu. If Iris insists, I can''t refuse." cing a friendly hand on Iris''s shoulder, Professor Elisha smiled. "I''ll follow Iris''s lead, then." "..." Realizing she had been outyed, Iris sighed heavily as her face twisted in frustration. "...Turns out you''re more of a sly fox than a spider, huh." "Fufu. I''ll take that as apliment." "It''s not apliment!" "Come now, don''t get so worked up. As a contribution, I''ve brought plenty of food." Elisha shrugged, pointing to the icebox filled with delicious-looking meat. "It''s top-quality beef from the Empire." There was an old saying on the continent: For the best seafood, go to the Republic; for the best vegetables, go to the Holy Kingdom; and for the best meat, go to the Empire. The Empire¡¯s beef was known for its excellent quality and exquisite taste. "Ahem. Well... since you went to such lengths, I guess we can''t refuse." "Huh, I didn''t expect you to fall for the allure of kingdom food." "Did you think I only eat greens because I''m the saint?" "Haha, just kidding." Professor Elisha crossed her arms and looked Iris up and down. Iris was so bundled up in loose clothing that it hardly seemed like she was at the beach. "Didn''t you bring a swimsuit?" "Well... I did bring one..." Iris nced over at Berald, Yuren, and Juliet. She covered her mouth and let out a short, awkward cough. "...I was going to wear itter." "Hm? When were you nning to wear it if not at the beach?" "I-I''ll wear it when I feel like it! But, professor, isn''t your swimsuit a little too revealing?" Iris squinted as she looked at the ck bikini Professor Elisha was wearing. A tiny piece of fabric barely covering her perfectly slim, toned body. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Iris wanted to say, "Isn''t that a bit too much for your age?" but... "...Ugh." Even as a fellow woman, Iris couldn''t help but be in awe of Elisha''s wless figure. "I think this is quite normal." "It''s anything but normal! Now, hurry up and put on a shirt!" "Fufu. Alright, no need to rush me." As Elisha and Iris were bickering like that... "..." Yuren quietly stared at Professor Elisha''s ck bikini. Perhaps sensing his tant gaze, Elisha slightly smirked while putting on the shirt Iris handed her. "Seeing this now, Yuren candidate... you really are a man after all." "Ah... s-sorry." "It''s fine. Just... try not to stare so obviously." After all, I''m already spoken for. She mumbled that as she shot a quick nce my way. "Now that I think about it, I haven''t heard Dale candidate''s opinion yet." "Opinion on what?" "How do I look? Does it suit me?" Professor Elisha mischievously lifted the front of her shirt slightly, grinning. "..." Of course, there was no need to ask since it suited her perfectly. But with Iris and Yuren''s cold res directed my way, it was hard to speak the honest truth. "...Not bad." Hearing my carefully thought-out response, Professor Elisha narrowed her eyes with a quiet "Hmph." "Well, I''ll let that pass for today." She shrugged her shoulders and walked back toward the beach chair. Under the shining sun, the brief summer vacation was just beginning. * * * After a few hours of ying on the beach, forgetting all my worries and troubles... The sky had turned a shade of sunset as the day drew to an end. "Shall we head back?" We had had our fill of ying in the water, grilling and eating meat. It was time to return to the resort and wrap up the day. "Hahaha! I haven''t had this much fun in a long time! It feels like I''ve gone back to my childhood!" Beraldughed heartily, nodding in satisfaction. Behind him stood a massive sandcastle, towering in all its grandeur, as big as a bull. I couldn''t help butugh awkwardly at the sight. "Seriously, you''re not a kid, so why are you building something like that?" "Hmm? Didn''t you seem to enjoy helping me build it earlier, brother?" "I was just pretending to help because I didn''t want you to feel embarrassed." Honestly, though. It was kinda fun. ''I''ve never experienced something like this in my past life.'' To me, summer break was simply a time to work odd jobs all day to earn money for living expenses. ''Well... this isn''t bad. Having fun like this.'' Building a sandcastle with Berald. Splitting into teams for a beach volleyball match. Grilling meat and chatting away. Looking back, it felt a bit cringeworthy, like a scene from a perfect summer memory. But it was a good experience, one I wouldn''t mind having again someday. ''Still, starting tomorrow, I need to get back on track and focus on my training.'' Thinking I''d rested enough for one day, I was ready to head back to the resort when... "Hey... Dale." Yuren approached quietly, tugging at my sleeve. "What''s up?" "Could you stay here with me for a bit? I... have something to show you." Yuren hesitated, avoiding my gaze. "Alright." I went over to the others, who were packing up, and told them I''d stay behind to finish cleaning up, sending them back first. Despite Iris insisting she would stay too, I nudged her along and sent her off before heading back to meet Yuren at the agreed spot. Swoosh. The sound of waves echoed under the now dark night sky. The moon shone brightly overhead. "...You''re here?" Yuren¡ªno, Yurina¡ªwas waiting for me, wearing a silver swimsuit. * * * On the way back to the resort... "What''s wrong, Saintess?" Cami turned to the stopped Iris. "..." Iris was deep in thought, lips firmly shut, before making a decision and turning around. "I don¡¯t think I can leave Dale alone like that." "Saint?" "I''ll just go and see him for a bit! You go ahead and head to the room!" With that, Iris dashed off towards the warp gate. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 144: Let’s Go to the Beach (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 144: Let¡¯s Go to the Beach (3) The beach, cloaked in darkness. The sound of crashing waves and the refreshing sea breeze gently brushing the shore. Under the moonlight, the sight of a silver-haired woman standing quietly was so unrealistically beautiful. "......" I lost my words and simply stared at Yurina with a dazed expression. "...Dale?" Maybe it was because I stood frozen in silence. Yurina, who was shyly turning away and covering her chest with her arms due to embarrassment in her swimsuit, nced back at me. "What''s wrong?" Squelch, squelch. Yurina walked toward me, her feet wet with seawater, sinking into the sand. Her silver eyes stared directly at me. "¡­It¡¯s nothing." How could I tell her I was momentarily speechless because she was too beautiful? I swallowed hard and averted my gaze, trying not to meet her eyes. "Dale." Yurina narrowed her eyes and stepped closer to me. She grabbed my cheeks with both hands, turning my head so I was looking directly at her. "Why are you avoiding my eyes?" "Uh¡­ well¡­." "Ah, you, you! Were you thinking, ''She''s not as good as Professor Elisha,'' or something like that?!" Yurina shot me a fierce re, her eyes wide with suspicion. The unexpected usation made me chuckle involuntarily. "I didn¡¯t think anything like that." "¡­Really?" Yurina nced down at her swimsuit, looking somewhat anxious. Ugh. She puffed out her cheeks as she looked down at her own body. "I thought I could hold my own, but... that''s cheating." Recalling Professor Elisha made her confidence quickly plummet. Although her body was just as wless, with no excess fat, her chest size, waist, and hips all perfectly proportioned¡­ ''The difference in leg length!'' There was an insurmountable gap between her, who was of average height for a woman, and Professor Elisha, who was taller than most men. Yes, what peoplemonly refer to as ''great legs.'' There was an undeniable physical difference between them. ¡®Plus, Professor Elisha has this... almost provocative allure, even from a woman''s perspective.¡¯ A kind of mysterious sexiness that only a mature woman could possess. It was an unexinable, tantalizing quality that seemed to seep naturally into everything she did. Yurina, on the other hand, felt like a naive girl trying hard to appear grown-up. ''That¡¯s why I hesitated until the end about whether I should show Dale¡­.'' But not wearing the swimsuit she had secretly bought, avoiding the eyes of her colleagues during this brief vacation, would have been a waste. ¡®¡­I was curious about Dale''s reaction, too.¡¯ She nced at Dale''s expression out of the corner of her eye. "Well¡­ I¡­." Mmm. Searching for words, Dale pressed his lips together before speaking hesitantly. ¡°¡­I was just stunned.¡± ¡°Huh? What?¡± ¡°I was dazed because you were so beautiful.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Yurina''s eyes widened at his answer, far exceeding her expectations. Some might think the cheesyment wasn¡¯t much to get excited about, but¡­ ¡°Ugh¡­ ughhh!¡± She was thrilled. It was overwhelming to know that the man she gave her heart to was so captivated by her beauty that he lost hisposure. The fact that she wasn¡¯t ¡®Yuren¡¯ to him but truly ¡®Yurina¡¯ filled her with joy and happiness. She was so delighted she found herself stomping her feet and letting out soft moans of glee. ¡°Hehe. Dale, where did you learn to say such cringe-worthy lines?¡± Yurina smiled broadly, twisting her body shyly. ¡°Well¡­ it was kind of cringy, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Even I found my own words embarrassing after saying them. I let out a bitter smile and shook my head. ¡°I won¡¯t say that again¡­.¡± ¡°No! I want you to keep being that cringe-worthy Dale!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Being a little cringy is what makes you you, Dale!¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Is that something you should say to someone¡¯s face? "Standing here like this feels awkward¡­ Shall we sit?" "Sure." Yurina and I walked to a rock a little away from the beach and sat down. The sound of the waves gently crashing on the shore filled the air. Yurina and I sat in silence, gazing up at the moonlit sky. "By the way, aren¡¯t you ufortable?" "Huh? What do you mean?" ¡°Living as ¡®Yuren¡¯ all the time.¡± Even though she had spent half her life doing so, it wasn¡¯t something she had chosen herself. The fact that she had shown me her swimsuit in secret made me think she might want to live as ¡®Yurina¡¯ instead of ¡®Yuren.¡¯ ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± Yurina kicked the sand with her toes and shrugged. ¡°To say it''s not ufortable at all would be a lie.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Even though she was used to living as Yuren because she had done it for so long, familiarity didn¡¯t necessarily equate tofort. ¡°It''s ufortable when I need to go to the bathroom in public, or when I see a pretty dress I want to wear but have to pass it by. Shopping for underwear is awkward too, and¡­ oh, I also feel guilty towards the female candidates.¡± ¡°Why the female candidates?¡± ¡°Well¡­ because, um, I¡¯ve gotten a lot of confessions from them.¡± Yurina awkwardly scratched her head with an embarrassed smile. ¡°Oh, right. You were the most popr guy at our school.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ even you, Dale? Haah. Really¡­ rejecting them every time is exhausting, you know?¡± Pouting, Yurina jabbed my side with her elbow. ¡°And controlling my mana to make my aura appear golden is tiring too¡­ There are all sorts of frustrations.¡± Yurina''s expression darkened slightly. ¡°But more than anything, having to constantly lie to the people I care about is the hardest part.¡± Before she met Dale, she didn¡¯t have anyone she could truly call "precious." But after meeting him, one by one, new connections began to fill her life. ¡°Iris, Berald, Cami¡­ and even people like Professor Elisha and Juliet¡ªaren¡¯t they all wonderful people?¡± Her party members, who explored ruins with her and helped her train. And Professor Elisha, who offered heartfelt advice to guide her as a mentor, and Juliet, who helped her in a tough situation without expecting anything in return. It had only been half a year since she met Dale. In a life that had been empty before, so many new bonds had formed. ¡°If it were the past, I wouldn¡¯t have even imagined having such connections.¡± Looking back to her days as ¡®Yuren¡¯ from half a year ago, her current self felt like a miracle bestowed by the Seven Gods. ¡°¡­Yurina.¡± I hardened my expression as I gazed at Yurina¡¯s face, illuminated by the moonlight. For someone as sincere and honest as her, having to keep lying to the people around her must have been a heavy burden. ¡°You don¡¯t have to make that face, Dale.¡± She gave me a faint smile and leaned her head lightly on my shoulder. ¡°Because at least I don¡¯t have to lie to the person most precious to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± As she spoke without hesitation, calling me her most precious person, my chest ached. Sigh. I let out a short sigh and opened my mouth. ¡°¡­How about telling them?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Iris, Berald, Cami¡­ I mean, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to tell your trustedrades, would it?¡± The reason she was still pretending to be ¡®Yuren¡¯ was only because of school. If it were revealed that ¡®Yuren Helios¡¯ was actually ¡®Yurina Helios,¡¯ who had been disguising herself as her older brother to attend the hero academy, a lot of troublesome situations would arise. ¡°Hmm¡­ That might be true.¡± Yurina pondered my suggestion for a moment, then gently shook her head. ¡°But for now, I think this is fine as it is. It¡¯s kind of like¡­ our little secret, you know?¡± Hehe. She hugged my arm, a bashful smile spreading across her face. Her face, bathed in moonlight, was so breathtakingly beautiful that I found myself at a loss for words, staring at her nkly once again. ¡°¡­What? Are you dazed again because I¡¯m too pretty?¡± Yurina teased me with a yful look in her eyes. She turned her head to gaze up at the moon in the night sky and continued speaking. ¡°Being here like this, doesn¡¯t it remind you of that time?¡± ¡°¡­What time?¡± ¡°You know, the first time I revealed myself like this in front of you.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Now that she mentioned it, that day had also been a night bathed in moonlight. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t seen through my lie that day¡­ by now, I¡¯d probably be the ¡®Sun.¡¯¡± A distorted sun that casts false light upon the sky. ¡°Thank you, Dale. For letting me remain the moon.¡± Yurina¡¯s silver eyes turned toward me. Our gazes met. My heart pounded wildly, as if it had broken. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± There are emotions in this world that don¡¯t need words to be conveyed. As Yurina and I silently gazed at each other, we slowly tilted our heads. Just as our lips were close enough to feel each other¡¯s breath¡ª ¡°Oh my, Dale.¡± Low and chilling voice sliced through the warm atmosphere like cold water over summer¡¯s sea. ¡°And just who is that woman?¡± The cold blue moonlight shone down. The saintess was smiling sweetly as she stared in our direction. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 145: Lets Go to the Beach (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 145: Let''s Go to the Beach (4) ¡°¡­So.¡± Iris, who had been quietly listening, slowly opened her eyes. She red coldly at Yurina, who was fidgeting with her head hanging low, as if she were a criminal. ¡°So, you''re telling me that Yuren was actually your deceased brother, and due to family circumstances, you were pretending to be him?¡± ¡°Y-yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Yurina nodded with a timid expression. ¡°¡­¡­¡± A heavy silence fell. The sound of gentle waves felt like thunder, echoing loudly. After gathering her thoughts, Iris slowly reached out towards Yurina. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Perhaps expecting a p on the cheek, Yurina shut her eyes tightly as Iris¡¯ hand approached. And then¡­ ¡°You¡¯ve had it rough, Yurina.¡± Iris pulled Yurina into a warm hug, gently patting her back. ¡°¡­Iris?¡± ¡°You''ve been suffering for so long¡­ unable to tell anyone, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yurina¡¯s eyes trembled slightly. ¡°To think that even your own parents discriminated against you because you bore the Stigma of the Moon¡­¡± Iris continued, frowning. ¡°No matter the type of Stigma, the Stigmas of the Seven Gods are all blessings and grace from the same gods. There''s no reason to be sad or discriminated against just because your parents bore different Stigmas.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Tears welled up in Yurina¡¯s eyes. She buried her face into Iris¡¯ shoulder, biting her lip hard. All Stigmas are equally blessings from the gods, regardless of their kind. It¡¯s written in the foundational texts of the Heroes¡¯ Academy, and it¡¯s clearly stated in the scriptures of the Church of the Seven Stars that Yurina had learned as a child. But even so, reality was different. People are the kind of beings that would treat others as ves for nothing more than the color of their skin. The discrimination the Moon-born had to endure among the Sun-born was so cruel that words could hardly describe the atrocities it brought upon Yurina¡¯s life. But even so¡­ ¡°¡­Thank you, Iris.¡± Hearing it directly from the Saintess of the Church of the Seven Stars herself¡ªthat ¡°all Stigmas are equally blessings¡±¡ªfelt like it was washing away the deep sorrows that had umted in her heart. So much so that tears began to slip out without her realizing it. ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me. I haven¡¯t done anything at all. If only I had known sooner¡­ I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not your fault, Iris. I¡¯m the one who kept it secret.¡± ¡°I could have stopped that sly little cat from seducing Dale.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Crack. Iris¡¯ arms tightened around Yurina. Even though she was in the support ss, Iris also possessed superhuman strength due to the mana in her Stigma. Her arm, infused with that power, was strong enough to crush rocks. ¡°Ugh¡­! I-Iris?!¡± ¡°I can understand you hiding the fact that you were a woman all this time. And I can even understand why you hesitated to tell us when you had the chance.¡± But. ¡°But you sneakily called Dale out all by yourself to seduce him, huh? And in a swimsuit no less?!¡± Iris¡¯ eyes red up. ¡°Gah! I-Iris! W-wait a minute¡­!¡± ¡°I wanted to show off my swimsuit too!¡± She had been too embarrassed to wear just her swimsuit in front of other men, so she had deliberately thrown on some loose clothing over it! She had been so excited about secretly showing Dale her swimsuitter! ¡°And you went ahead and cut in line?!¡± Iris shouted as she ripped off the loose shirt she had been wearing. The light pink bikini hidden beneath the oversized T-shirt was now revealed in all its beauty. ¡°W-whoa¡­!¡± Yurina¡¯s eyes widened in shock at the sight of the overwhelming two flesh mounds that could only be described as violent. ¡°Heh. So, what do you think? No matter how dirty you y, Yurina, some gaps can¡¯t be ovee.¡± Iris shot a provocative smile at Yurina, subtly ncing at her chest. Yurina¡¯s eyebrows twitched in irritation at the taunt. ¡°Are you seriously bragging about your chest size right now?¡± ¡°Well, Yurina, you wouldn¡¯t know, but there¡¯s no better weapon than this for capturing a man¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s not true! You¡¯re just abnormally huge!¡± ¡°Bigger is better, isn¡¯t it? Dale also prefers the bigger kind.¡± ¡°Hmph! Don¡¯t lump Dale in with other men! He¡¯s not the kind of guy to be swayed by some pointless flesh!¡± Yurina turned to look at Dale. ¡°Right, Dale?¡± ¡°¡­Huh? Oh? What¡¯s that?¡± I, who had been frozen, entranced by the sight of Iris in a swimsuit I had never seen even in my previous life, finally turned my head btedly. ¡°Tsk¡­!¡± ¡°Oh dear~ What should we do? It seems like he¡¯s not only swayed, butpletely captivated.¡± Iris smirked triumphantly, subtly pressing her arms together to emphasize her chest. Yurina¡¯s face crumpled. ¡°How pathetic. You call yourself the Saint of the Holy Kingdom, and yet you resort to such shameless tactics?¡± ¡°Well, Yurina, as the esteemed daughter of the Helios family, you don¡¯t seem too keen on gracefully epting defeat, do you?¡± The two women red fiercely at each other. Iris and Yurina, both locked in a battle of wills, suddenly turned their heads towards me. ¡°So, Dale! What do you think? My swimsuit suits me better than Yurina¡¯s, right?¡± ¡°Be honest and judge fairly!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Faced with this sudden volley, I firmly mped my mouth shut. Iris and Yurina. Looking between the two women, I bit my lip hard. ¡®Damn.¡¯ I had expected this day woulde eventually. I had known for a long time that both Iris and Yurina had feelings for me. That¡¯s why I had been ignoring it. ¡®This isn¡¯t the time to be worrying about something like this,¡¯ I had told myself, trying to avoid the issue. I buried my head deep in the sand, hoping everything would just pass by. ¡®But I can¡¯t keep doing that forever.¡¯ I steeled myself, looking back at Iris and Yurina. Some people might criticize the choice I''m about to make as selfish. Without any respect, without any consideration. It could be a wrong choice made purely to satisfy my own desires. ¡®But.¡¯ So what? ¡®I don''t want to give up because of that.¡¯ I''ve given up on too many things. I''ve lost too much to count. Even if they call it selfish and wrong. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] I didn¡¯t want to leave any regrets behind in this new life I¡¯ve managed to grasp. ¡®Because that''s how I''ve decided to live.¡¯ Hoo. I took a deep breath and spoke to the two women. "Both of you look good." "Ugh... You''re deflecting again with something vague..." "Honestly, I wish you''d keep showing it just to me from now on." "...What?" "What...?" "Iris, Yurina." I took their hands. "Can you stay by my side from now on?" "......" "......" A heavy silence descended. Iris and Yurina tilted their heads toward each other, whispering back and forth. "A confession? This is a confession, right?" "I think so?" "So we were just asking which swimsuit suits us better, and suddenly Dale confesses to us?" "That''s right..." "Is this what they call the ''swimsuit effect''?" "I''ve never heard of that term in my life..." "Alright. From now on, I¡¯ll wear swimsuits instead of a nun¡¯s habit. Kind of like bikini armor." "¡­You think the Holy Kingdom will let that slide?" Iris and Yurina were so confused by the situation that they started talking nonsense. I stifled augh and stood up. "I''m not asking for an answer right now. I know how ridiculous what I just said sounds." Just as I needed time, they would need time as well. "Let''s head back." We turned away from the moonlit beach and headed toward the lodging. * * * Back at the lodging. I gathered the party members and Professor Elisha to reveal Yurina''s true identity. "So... Yuren¡­ no, Yurina? This is... hah... What is going on...?" "...I can''t believe it." Berald and Cami wore shocked expressions. "Hmm. So that''s why I always felt something off whenever I saw Cadet Yuren." Professor Elisha folded her arms, nodding as if everything finally made sense. And then there was one more person. Juliet stared at the pendant in Yurina''s hand, swallowing hard. "Yuren... No, Yurina. Does that pendant have a function that lets you transform into a woman too?" "......" Yurina ignored Juliet¡¯s fiery gaze and bowed her head toward the gatheredpanions in the room. "I''m sorry for deceiving you all this time." At her sincere apology, Berald shook his head in response. "No, Yurina. I''m sure you had your reasons, right?" "I agree. I''ve heard of simr cases in noble families that ce importance on bloodlines." Berald and Cami tried to console Yurina. "Hmm. But if the school finds out, Cadet Yurina might be in some trouble." Professor Elisha frowned, looking like she had a headache. If the school were to find out, it could lead to her failing the year¡ªor in the worst case, expulsion. Even if it had been forced upon her by her parents, enrolling under a false identity clearly vited school rules. "I¡¯ll do my best to keep this from reaching the school." "Thank you, Professor!" Yurina''s face lit up as she bowed to Professor Elisha. She finally found joy in attending school and didn¡¯t want to be kicked out. "But until you graduate, you¡¯ll have to continue living as ''Yuren''." "That¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve been doing it all this time anyway." Yurina gave a faint smile, as if to say there was no need to worry. "As long as my precious people know the truth, that¡¯s enough for me." "Haha. So, I¡¯m included in Cadet Yurina¡¯s ''precious people''? I¡¯m honored." Professor Elisha chuckled and nodded. "By the way, it¡¯s quite fascinating... Does the pendant change things like your body shape and hair color too?" "Yes. I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s an incredibly rare magical artifact." Yurina put the pendant around her neck. A blue aura enveloped her, her hair turning gold, and her chest¡ªpreviously prominent¡ªttened like a man''s. Watching Yurina transform back into Yuren, the party members gasped in awe. As everyone marveled at the pendant hanging around Yuren''s neck, Berald suddenly had a revtion. "Oh! So that¡¯s what it was!" Berald pped his hands, as if something finally clicked for him. He turned to Cami, nodding as if he now understood everything. "Cami, you can be honest with us." "...Honest about what?" "Haha. It¡¯s no use pretending! The reason why you''re so t-chested is because you''re also using a transformation artifact, right?" BAM! Cami¡¯s magic-infused fist mmed into Berald¡¯s sr plexus. Berald flew through the air, crashing headfirst into the floor. "Hmm." I looked down at Berald, twitching like a bug on the ground, and nodded. "He deserved it." And so, the curtain fell on our short summer vacation. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 146: The New Semester (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 146: The New Semester (1) After summer break. The first ss of the second semester at the Hero Academy. The most critical lecture of the previous semester, ''Practical Combat Training,'' had now evolved into ''Practical Combat Training 2,'' increasing its importance and weight significantly. With over 90 percent of the lectures now focused on ''Practical Combat Training 2,'' excluding minor sparring sessions and basic physical training, the course was packed from Monday to Friday. Thus, the first ss of ''Practical Combat Training 2,'' upon which all the grades of the second semester relied, was about to begin. Not a single candidate was absent or cking off on the first day as the door to ss C''s lecture hall opened. Click. Entering through the door was arge man who resembled a fierce beast. It was Professor Lucas, head of the Warrior Department and the one responsible for Practical Combat Training in ss C. "Let''s see... surely no one¡¯s missing, right?" Professor Lucas scanned the room with his signature fierce gaze. Of course, as expected, no candidate had the nerve to skip Professor Lucas'' ss on the first day. After scanning the seated candidates, Professor Lucas'' gaze settled on me. "Cadet Dale. Did you have a good break?" "Yes, I had a very fulfilling break." It wasn¡¯t an empty reply. Reflecting on the aplishments of the break, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that I had stumbled upon a few significant opportunities. Yurina had grown rmingly, to the point where calling her a ''genius'' wouldn¡¯t seem out of ce. Berald had not only honed his skills but also seeded in inheriting the legacy of the Iron Fist, achieving explosive growth. Cami had steadied her wavering mind and decided on her path. Iris had also mastered arge-scale sacred spell using a sacrifice, significantly improving her ability to control the ''Seven Eyes.'' Even Juliet, who had joined in the training after the summer break, had achieved substantial results. ¡®And the same goes for me.¡¯ Before the summer break, I made a painful mistake by failing to control the ¡®Ashen mes¡¯ and identally burning down an entire dormitory. But now, I had raised my mastery of the ¡®Ashen mes¡¯ enough to use it in realbat. ¡®It was a break that yielded results beyond expectations.¡¯ As I was smiling in satisfaction with the results of the break, "Yeah, yeah. Considering you went to the Heavenly Resort, I''m sure it was not just fulfilling but probably to the point of bursting." "Hmm? How do you know about that, Professor?" "Professor Elisha couldn¡¯t stop bragging about it, so I ended up hearing it even though I had absolutely no interest." "Ah." So, Elisha had already tattled to Professor Lucas. "Hahaha! Some of us were stuck giving make-up sses and spent the whole summer holed up in the academy, while others were so busy enjoying their youth that they probably didn¡¯t even notice the time flying by!" Professor Lucas'' bloodshot eyes (scary) stared daggers at me as he ground his teeth. "Seriously envious... Absolutely disgraceful! A hero candidate, of all people? Wasting your time gallivanting around on vacation!" "I wanted to go... After all, a hero should always prioritize self-cultivation!" "This cursed world should just end... Don¡¯t forget your duty as a hero, Dale!" "......." It felt like some inner thoughts were leaking out. ¡®I should probably invite Professor Lucas along next time.¡¯ Seeing him deliver that impassioned speech with bloodshot eyes made me feel a bit sorry for him. "Haah. Anyway, I trust everyone made the most of their summer break." Professor Lucas scanned the candidates with a fierce smirk on his face. "But that''s all until today. This semester will be packed with much tougher sses thanst semester, so you better prepare yourselves." "......." The candidates'' expressions hardened at Professor Lucas¡¯ grim warning. "Heh. But don''t worry, I don¡¯t n to push you too hard from the very first day." With a sly smile, Professor Lucas nced at the terrified candidates. "Now, let''s see... Since the new semester has begun, let¡¯s have the representative candidate of ss Ce forward and share their aspirations for the uing semester." At the mention of the representative candidate of ss C, murmurs filled the room. There were a total of six sses, from A to F. In ss A, it would undoubtedly be Yuren Helios, but in ss C, there were many standout candidates with strong personalities. Cami Vedice, considered a candidate for the Sword of the Holy Kingdom. Iris, revered as the Saint of the Holy Kingdom. And Dale Han, whose reputation had skyrocketed sincest semester as the ¡®Lowest-Ranked Hero.'' Among these formidable candidates, the one chosen to be the representative was, "Well then." Professor Lucas motioned toward a freckled, awkward-looking candidate with a flick of his hand. "Albert, step forward." "Nooooo! Why is it me again?!" Albert, who had been sitting rxed with a look that said, ''No way they¡¯ll call me,'' jumped up from his seat. This time, Albert wasn¡¯t going to take it lying down. He mmed his desk and shouted. "Normally, the representative candidate is the one with the best grades from the previous semester, right?" "You earned the Diamond Badge in the final evaluation." "Th-That was honestly thanks to my party carrying me!" "Oh? Excellent grades and humility to boot¡­ truly worthy of being the representative candidate." "Ughhh!" Albert clutched his head and writhed in agony. Looking around frantically, Albert¡¯s gazended on Iris and Cami. "I think Iris or Cami would be a much better fit for the representative than someone like me, don¡¯t you?" "Oh? Are you trying to pass the responsibility to the Saint and the future Sword of the Holy Kingdom?" "N-No, that¡¯s not what I meant¡­." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Wearing a desperate expression, Albert suddenly nced in my direction, as if a good idea had struck him. "Ah, yes! Dale! Dale got the best score during the final evaluation!" "Albert, no one in their right mind would make a fool who¡¯s been suspended three times the representative." "Why! Why do you only use logic in times like this?!" In the end, Albert was dragged out in front of the ss by Professor Lucas. All eyes were now focused on him. "Uh¡­ well, then." Suddenly thrust into the role of the representative, Albert began speaking with a pale, terrified face. "This semester will probably be even tougher thanst. Some of us... might get seriously injured, or worse, lose our lives." "Some of you may wonder why we have to take on such risks just because we were given a stigma. Why are we denied the right to live ordinary lives and forced to live as ''heroes''?" "Maybe some of you even think that the world doesn¡¯t need heroes anymore. After all, it¡¯s been 500 years since the Five Great Heroes sealed the Demon God." [PR/N: Yes Albert, unfortunately though, this world needs a hero to defeat the Demon God.] But. "Last year alone, 2,551 people within the empire died at the hands of demons and demonic beasts. That¡¯s just the official count; the actual number is much higher." "People are still dying, even in ces we don¡¯t see... no, in ces we choose not to see." "Professor Lucas said we don¡¯t have to save humanity or protect the world, but I see it a bit differently." "I believe that with great poweres great responsibility." Albert spoke as he gently rubbed the Stigma engraved on the left side of his chest. "Since we were born with the blessing of the gods engraved on our hearts, we must not turn away from those who need us." "Someone once told me this: even if you feel insignificant, we all have a role to y." Albert nced at me with a faint smile. "No matter how scared, exhausted, or tormented we may be." Even if your legs tremble in fear. Even if you want to run away from the unbearable pain and hardship. "Let¡¯s not forget." The fact that we are ''heroes.'' "..." "..." After Albert''s speech ended, a silence fell over the ssroom. p, p, p. The silence was broken by the sound of apuse, starting one by one. The growing sound of apuse filled the room. "Wow! I didn''t know Albert could speak so well!" "Albert, trying to be all fancy, huh?" "Ahh! My hands and feet are curling up! Take responsibility, Albert!" The cadets cheered and whistled. "Hahaha." Professor Lucas, who had been standing near my seat watching Albert''s speech, crossed his arms and chuckled softly. He looked at Albert standing on the podium with a satisfied smile. "Indeed, my judgment wasn''t wrong." "No, you just wanted to tease him, didn¡¯t you?" Now, saying things like "my judgment wasn¡¯t wrong," what nonsense is that? "That was an excellent speech, Cadet Albert!" Ignoring myment, Professor Lucas walked down toward the podium. With a wide grin, Professor Lucas ced his arm around Albert''s shoulder. Albert, feeling the brute force pressing on his shoulder, let out a relieved sigh with an awkward smile. "Whew. Well, at least I managed to get through it somehow." When he first stood on the podium, his heart was pounding like it was going to burst, but he was d it ended well. "You did more than just get through it. It was a very impressive speech." "Haha, thank you, Professor." "Hahaha. Then I¡¯ll ask you again next time." "Yeah, next time too... Wait? Next time?" Albert turned, wide-eyed, to look at Professor Lucas. Ignoring Albert''s stare, Professor Lucas looked around at the cadets and shouted. "Hahaha! Our ss C representative cadet is none other than Albert Hoover! No objections, right?" "No!" "Of course not!" The cadets cheered and pped. "Congrats, Albert!" "You¡¯re truly a candidate worthy of being a representative!" "We had faith in you, Albert!" Amidst the cheers filling the room, Albert, with a pale face, stared at Professor Lucas. "W-wait! What are you talking about, Professor?! Wasn¡¯t this supposed to be a one-time thing?" "I originally thought so, but after hearing such a splendid speech, I couldn¡¯t resist! You¡¯ll continue as the representative, Albert!" "Nooooooo!!!" Leaving the wailing Albert behind, Professor Lucas dashed out of the ssroom. "Well, then! I¡¯m off to submit it as a formal agenda at the faculty meeting!" As the scorching summer sun began to fade in September, a new semester had just begun. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 147: The Cadet Disappearance Case (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 147: The Cadet Disappearance Case (1) The new semester had started, but life hadn¡¯t changed much. Since it was the beginning of the term, the ¡°Combat Training II¡± course hadn¡¯t officially begun, and most of the cadets hadn¡¯t fully shaken off the afterglow of vacation. Around this time, the professors tended to be far busier than the cadets. They had to coordinate the curriculum for the semester through meetings. ¡°Is he at another meeting today?¡± As usual, I had nned to hide out in Professor Lucas¡¯s office during my free time, but I clicked my tongue as I held the firmly closed doorknob. ¡°Professor Elisha mentioned she¡¯s been really busytely too¡­ Professors have been hard to catch these days.¡± Most of the sses were self-training sessions because it was still the beginning of the semester, making it hard to see any professors. ¡®Guess I¡¯ll head to Yuren¡¯s training grounds again.¡¯ I had already trained with Yuren in the self-training session that morning, so it felt a bit awkward to go straight there. It was like running into a friend you¡¯d said ¡°see you tomorrow¡± to at a bus stop right after parting ways. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Just as I was pondering what to do with my remaining time¡­ ¡°Dale! What are you doing here?¡± A familiar voice reached my ears. ¡°Berald?¡± ¡°Heh. Surprised you¡¯re not with Yuren or Yurina today. What are you doing here alone?¡± ¡°I already trained with Yuren this morning.¡± ¡°Oh. No sses this afternoon?¡± ¡°As you can see, all the professors have been locked up in meetings.¡± ¡°Geez¡­ I wonder what kind of sses they¡¯re preparing¡­.¡± ¡°No idea, honestly.¡± I¡¯d never seen the professors so engrossed in meetings, not even in my previous life. ¡°Seems like the curriculum will be pretty different this time around.¡± I¡¯d already expected the future would keep diverging from what I knew. A little change in the course content was hardly worth worrying about. ¡°Anyway, what brings you here?¡± ¡°I was just on my way to the cadet cafeteria after the morning session.¡± ¡°Oh, I haven¡¯t eaten lunch either. Want to go together?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Berald nodded enthusiastically, beaming. ¡°The annex cafeteria or the main building?¡± ¡°Heh, naturally the annex cafeteria, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°True.¡± Even though both Berald and I were financially stable now, we still preferred the quick and simple meals at the annex cafeteria over the more expensive main cafeteria. ¡°Oh, by the way, what¡¯s up with your dorm? Everything fixed up?¡± ¡°Yeah, they repaired it nicely. Actually, it¡¯s even better than before.¡± ¡°Heh. So you don¡¯t have to share with Yuren anymore¡ªwait.¡± Berald¡¯s eyes widened as if he¡¯d just realized something major. ¡°W-wait a second, Dale! Did you¡­ Were you actually living with Yurina during break?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± I trailed off, nodding slightly. ¡°Wow. I thought you were going out with Iris, though.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­plicated.¡± ¡°Complicated? What¡¯splicated about it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± How could I exin? That I¡¯d confessed to both Iris and Yurina and was now waiting for their answers? ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ a bitplicated.¡± ¡°Heh. You¡¯re so lucky with women, aren¡¯t you? Guess the old saying ¡®heroes are fated to love¡¯ rings true.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± I swatted Berald¡¯s shin as he prattled on, and we headed toward the annex cafeteria. After picking today¡¯s special from the menu, we collected our food and sat down at a table. ¡°So, how¡¯s your training been going? Finding it worthwhile?¡± ¡°Heh, who do you think I am? I¡¯m a magic genius, after all!¡± ¡°Blowing your own horn, huh?¡± More like a disaster than a genius, if you asked me. ¡°I¡¯ve been experimenting with using mana sts in ways other than just throwing them, you know.¡± ¡°Oh? Like what?¡± ¡°Heh, I¡¯ll show you when I¡¯ve perfected it.¡± Berald grinned confidently, raising his chin a bit. I held back a chuckle at his smug face. ¡°Oh, right, what about that bandage?¡± ¡°Got it wrapped here.¡± Berald rolled up his uniform sleeve, showing the bandage wrapped around his forearm. ¡°I¡¯ll only use it in emergencies, as you said.¡± ¡°Good. That¡¯ll help you grow better.¡± The power of the "Heaven-Destroying Asura Gauntlets" left behind by Iron Fist had surprised even me, someone who¡¯d seen countless artifacts before. But because of that, there was also the risk of bing overly dependent on it. ¡®Artifacts should just y a supporting role, after all.¡¯ I used to rely solely on the Blessing of Revival, wielding magical swords and armor like crutches. ¡®Back then, Sophia used to scold me for it.¡¯ Remembering those days, I chuckled wryly. ¡°Oh, by the way, Dale. Have you heard the rumorstely?¡± ¡°Rumors? What rumors?¡± ¡°About the string of cadet disappearances.¡± ¡°What?¡± A string of cadet disappearances? That sounds like a case straight out of a crime novel. ¡®If it¡¯s that serious, wouldn¡¯t the whole school be in an uproar¡­?¡¯ If a string of cadet disappearances was happening, there should have been an emergency meeting on it by now. ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s not exactly a disappearance, but¡­ more like a fainting incident?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the exact story?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Recently, some cadets have reportedly been passing out suddenly, only to wake up hourster in apletely different ce.¡± ¡°¡­Passing out, then waking up hourster in a different ce?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Isn¡¯t that something you¡¯d only hear in creepy urban legends? ¡®What kind of incident is this?¡¯ This was, naturally, something I¡¯d never heard of in my previous life. ¡°What about other symptoms? Any injuries?¡± ¡°Nope, no injuries at all.¡± ¡°So¡­ they just passed out and woke up somewhere else?¡± Isn''t it like a genuine horror story? "Ah, I did hear that while there are no visible injuries, the area where the Stigma is marked felt a bit itchy after they regained consciousness." "Itchy... So, no other unusual symptoms? Like damage to the Stigma?" "If that were the case, it wouldn''t just be a rumor known only to a few." "True." For heroes, their Stigma held a value beyond life itself. If Stigma had been continuously damaged, the academy wouldn¡¯t be this quiet. "Nobody knows the cause yet, right?" "That''s correct." Berald nodded, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "It does seem like the work of a person..." The problem was that they had no clue who would do such a thing or why. "How many victims are there so far?" "About twenty, as far as I know. Mostly fourth-year cadets have been affected." "...Fourth-year cadets, huh." I narrowed my eyes, nodding slightly. "This really does smell fishy." "Haha. I thought the exact same thing when I first heard about it." "When did it start happening?" "They say it started during the break." During the break, huh. "So the professors have just been doing nothing about it?" "Well, there''s hardly any ''damage'' to speak of, is there?" "That... is true." The case itself was aplete mystery, but as Berald said, there wasn¡¯t really any ''damage'' to speak of. To some, it might even sound like, "Maybe they were just tired and fell asleep?" "But if twenty people have been affected, that changes things." If it were just one or two people, it could be dismissed as a coincidence, but with twenty, someone clearly had an intentional n. ¡®The question is who on earth would do this, and why¡­¡¯ No matter how hard he tried to rack his brains, no answer came to mind. ¡®I¡¯ll have to ask Professor Elisha about itter.¡¯ With that thought, he let out a short sigh. "Huh? Hey, look over there." "Isn''t that the fourth-year senior from the magic department? The one who''s famously fierce..." "Oh, yeah. I¡¯ve heard of her. What was her nickname... Ah, the Crimson Cmity! They say the fourth-years call her that!" "Keep your voice down, idiot! What if she hears you?" A stir spread through the annex cafeteria. Following the cadets¡¯ gazes toward the entrance of the cafeteria, I saw her. ¡®Senior Sophia?¡¯ A small woman with striking red hair walked into the cafeteria. She scanned the room from the entrance before marching straight to the table where I was sitting. "There you are." "...Senior Sophia?" "I have a favor to ask you." Senior Sophia spoke in a sharp tone, not even bothering to sit down. "...What is it?" I quickly hid my inner turmoil and responded, surprised by her sudden visit. Sophia looked down at me and spoke in a low voice. "Have you heard anything about the recent cadet disappearances...?" "Oh! Could it be, are you Senior Sophia Evergreen?!" Interrupting Sophia, Berald sprang from his seat. He gazed at her with sparkling eyes, muttering words of admiration. "I¡¯ve heard a lot about you from Laios! He said you¡¯re the most skilled mage among the fourth years!" It seemed that as a fellow magic department member, he was clearly thrilled to meet her. "Hey, calm down!" I quickly pressed down on Berald''s shoulder, urging him to calm down. Knowing Sophia¡¯s personality, I was well aware that she despised this kind of unnecessary ttery. Just when I was feeling as if I were looking at a ticking time bomb, ready to explode¡ª "So... Laios told you about me?" Sophia''s cheeks flushed slightly as she looked away, avoiding eye contact. She twirled a strand of her red hair around her finger, her gaze lowered. "Hmm. I guess I am somewhat talented in magic." "Somewhat?! I heard you''re better than most of the professors!" "...Really?" "Haha! As a fellow magic department member, I¡¯m so proud! Oh, by the way, I haven''t introduced myself yet. I''m..." "I know. You''re Berald Ryu, right?" Sophia nced at Berald with a slight smile, clearing her throat. A strange vibe hung between them. ¡®What''s with this?¡¯ Why was the atmosphere suddenly so good? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 148: The Cadet Disappearance Case (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 148: The Cadet Disappearance Case (2) At the height of the war against the demon army. The Allied Forces of the Three Kingdoms were gathered in Valha City for theirst stand. Boom! Early in the morning. Sophia kicked open the door and entered, frowning at the messy state of the room. "Hey, Berald! Didn''t I tell you toy off the booze?!" Sophia started kicking the sprawled-out Berald, who was surrounded by empty bottles. ¡°Ugh¡­ don''t¡­ touch me¡­ Ugh!¡± ¡°Oh, for the love of¡­ how much did you drink?!¡± ¡°Hehe¡­ don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be fine after a bit of rest.¡± "Do you have any idea what time it is? The demon army is practically at our doorstep, and you¡¯re lying here drunk!" Sophia red fiercely at Berald. Berald looked up at her with a bitter smile. ¡°...That¡¯s exactly why I drank.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Who knows when I¡¯ll get another chance to drink like this? Might as well enjoy it while I can, right?¡± ¡°You¡­!¡± Sophia gritted her teeth, lips curling in frustration. ¡°Get up already.¡± She roughly pulled the nket off Berald. And then¡ª ¡°Aaah!¡± Sophia let out a loud scream. She hurriedly threw the nket back over Berald, who was sleeping without even a shred of clothing on. ¡°You¡ªyou idiot! Why are you sleeping naked?!¡± ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s¡­¡± Berald scratched his head with an awkward smile. Noticing something strange in his expression, Sophia scanned the area around the bed. She spotted a thin piece of ck fabric that had fallen to the floor when she pulled back the nket. Ace-trimmed ck bra,rge in size. Naturally, Berald wouldn¡¯t have a habit of cross-dressing. ¡°¡­Whose is this?¡± Sophia picked up the well-worn ck bra with a frown. Berald scratched his head in embarrassment. ¡°Looks like Lady Amanda forgot it here¡­ she must¡¯ve been a bit disoriented.¡± ¡°Amanda? And who¡¯s that?¡± Sophia asked, giving him a piercing look. Berald put on a serious face and answered. ¡°Oh! Calling Lady Amanda a ¡®that¡¯! How disrespectful!¡± ¡°Lady or whatever, who is she?¡± Sophia¡¯s frown deepened as she crumpled the bra in her hand. ¡°She¡¯s a hero from the Holy Kingdom I met not long ago.¡± ¡°You¡ªyou jerk! Did you go after a married woman again?!¡± ¡°Going after a married woman?! Someone could get the wrong idea!¡± Berald cried out in exasperation. ¡°Lady Amanda lost her husband in the war about a year ago. I was simplyforting her loneliness!¡± ¡°Comforting¡­ her loneliness¡­¡± ¡°Think about it! The sorrow, the despair of a woman who¡¯s lost her husband! I was just easing her pain!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± A red aura of magic began to radiate from Sophia¡¯s body. ¡°For some reason, every single woman you fort¡¯ just happens to be married. What, are only married women the ones wounded by war? What about women without husbands? Don¡¯t they feel pain too?¡± Sophia¡¯s fiery aura heated up the air around her. As the crimson energy intensified, she snapped her fingers, and a long staff appeared out of thin air. The legendary staff, Mistilteinn, said to have been crafted from a branch of the Tree of Creation in ancient times. The end of Mistilteinn pointed at Berald. ¡°Wait! Calm down, Senior Sophia!¡± Berald hastily sat up, clutching the nket to cover his lower half. ¡°Even though Senior Sophia is short, t, with a nasty personality, and has probably never even held hands with a man, we¡¯rerades! If Senior Sophia were ever in pain, I, Berald, would do anything to help her!¡± ¡°Oh, how touching. I¡¯m about to cry.¡± Sophia smiled sweetly. A surge of red energy gathered at the tip of Mistilteinn. ¡°Die, you pervert.¡± ¡®Boom! A violent explosion blew apart the barracks. * * * ¡®From what I remember, Senior Sophia and Berald never really got along.¡¯ I frowned, recalling memories of my past life. Senior Sophia had unleashed explosion spells on Berald enough times that I could remember over thirty asions where he nearly died at her hands. So, what is with this strangely warm atmosphere between them? ¡°What? Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Noticing my gaze, Senior Sophia red at me with fierce eyes. I forced a smile and shook my head. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get the wrong idea. I didn¡¯te here because I like you.¡± ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you say you had something to ask of me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Senior Sophia dragged a chair over to the nearby table and sat down, crossing her legs. ¡°Have you heard about the cadet disappearance case?¡± As it happened, I had just heard about it from Berald. ¡°Yes, I have.¡± ¡°I want your help to catch the culprit.¡± ¡°¡­The culprit?¡± ¡°I almost caught him this time but ended up losing him right in front of my eyes.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± My eyes widened at Senior Sophia¡¯s shocking revtion. ¡°You lost him right in front of you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­Could you tell me exactly what happened?¡± Senior Sophia gave a slight nod and began to speak. "This time, to catch the culprit behind the ''Cadet Disappearance Cases,'' we set up detection magic throughout the entire fourth-year lecture hall building. The culprit triggered it, and when we went to apprehend them, they had left an unconscious cadet behind and ran away." "What about the culprit¡¯s appearance?" "Their build was male¡­ but they were quite short." "And their face?" "They wore a mask, so I couldn¡¯t see it." "Hmm." A short man, huh. It wasn¡¯t enough information to narrow down the suspect. "Did you see how they knocked out the cadet?" "Well¡­ I¡¯m not entirely sure, but it seemed like they used magic. There were no visible injuries at all." "Magic, huh¡­ No traces of drugs or other magical tools?" "None." Sophia lowered her head slightly. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡®A skilled enough magician to knock out a fourth-year cadet instantly¡­¡¯ I frowned, lost in thought. ¡®Even for most professors, that would be a difficult feat.¡¯ The current fourth-year ss at the Hero Academy was considered one of the most talented in history. Although they were only "top tier" by cadet standards and fell short whenpared to active heroes, except for the highest-ranking cadets. ¡®Even so, to knock someone out without them realizing it isn¡¯t easy.¡¯ Whoever the culprit was, they were undoubtedly talented. "By the way, why is Senior Sophia pursuing the culprit? And going as far as setting up detection magic throughout the building?" That would make sense if she were a professor, but not for a mere cadet. There would be no reason for a cadet to voluntarily chase a criminal. "That¡¯s¡­" For a moment, a shadow passed over Senior Sophia¡¯s face. "I can¡¯t tell you." "I see¡­ Understood." I was curious why she was chasing the culprit, but I didn¡¯t think pressing her for answers now would yield much. Now, I just had to decide whether or not to help her catch the culprit. ¡®Of course I will.¡¯ I had been thinking about how to repair my tangled rtionship with Senior Sophia for a while now. I had been so busy with other things that I kept putting it off. ¡®If this can bring me closer to Senior Sophia, there¡¯s no reason to say no.¡¯ Sophia Evergreen. A woman who would be an extraordinary magician worthy of the title "Archmage" in the future. And the only one among our "Final Five Heroes" who was said to surpass the "Great Five Heroes." ¡®Yuren was said to be inferior to Reynald, Berald was said to be weaker than the Iron Fist, and Iris was said to fall short of Grace.¡¯ And as for me, the one considered the weakest of us all, there was no need to say more. But Sophia was the only one who had been deemed superior to the "Great Sage" Julius Bastian. ¡®Well, public opinion is often wrong, anyway.¡¯ I never thought Yuren was any less skilled than the Sword of the Sun, Reynald, or that Berald fell short of the Iron Fist, Ryujin Seong, or that Iris was inferior to the Light of Life, Grace. Even when the Demon God emerged, and the world fell. ¡®The Demon God who broke free from his seal was far stronger than the records from 500 years ago.¡¯ That was the true reason our party couldn¡¯t defeat the Demon God. Anyway, what mattered was that Senior Sophia would be an outstanding magician in the future. ¡®Not that it would make a difference; I¡¯d help her regardless.¡¯ What did it matter if she became a famous magician? She was myrade, almost like family in my previous life. And that hadn¡¯t changed, even after I returned to the past. Even if she didn¡¯t remember me. Because I remembered her. "Of course, I don¡¯t expect you to help for free. If you help me¡­" "I¡¯ll help." "¡­You didn¡¯t even hear the reward?" "I don¡¯t need a reward. I¡¯m interested in the case anyway." I shrugged, smiling slightly. "¡­That¡¯s unexpected." Sophia widened her eyes as she looked at me. "I thought you¡¯d at least demand something like my underwear as payment." "¡­Just what do you think of me?" "Heh. Just kidding. But are you really fine with no reward?" "Yes." I nodded and continued speaking. "By the way, I¡¯m curious as well. Why did you ask me for help in catching the culprit?" "I saw you handling magic at a pretty high level before." Was she referring to when I used magic to extinguish the dormitory fire? "A warrior skilled in magic and strong enough to pursue a criminal¡ªthere¡¯s no one else like you, right?" "¡­¡­." Indeed, there weren¡¯t many cadets in the warrior department who could handle magic at a high level. "So, can I take that as a yes?" "Yes." "And me! I¡¯ll help too!" Berald raised his hand enthusiastically, his eyes shining. I looked over at Senior Sophia, giving her a questioning look. She nodded without hesitation. "If you¡¯re good enough to have bested that arrogant Laios, there¡¯s no reason to turn you down." And so, A three-person party was formed to catch the culprit behind the cadet disappearances. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 149: The Cadet Disappearance Case (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 149: The Cadet Disappearance Case (3) Before officially investigating the series of cadet disappearances, I found an excuse to leave Sophia and Berald behind and head toward a certain ce. This ce was tucked away in the most secluded corner of the Hero Academy''s expansive campus¡ªa building that seemed on the verge of copse with the slightest touch, an old, dpidated research facility. I looked at Professor Jade¡¯sb and clicked my tongue softly. ¡®I should havee sooner.¡¯ Ever since my rtionship with Senior Sophia soured, I¡¯d thought I should pay a visit eventually, but a lot happened, and I only made it here now. ¡®Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t contacted Professor Jade in months.¡¯ Even when we did asionally keep in touch, it was only through brief greetings on the Hero Watch. This was the first time in a long while that I wasing to hisb in person. ¡°Professor Jade, are you inside?¡± Knock, knock. As I gently tapped on theb door¡ª Thud! ¡°Ouch!¡± I heard a crash and Professor Jade¡¯s scream from inside. It sounded like he¡¯d gotten up in surprise and bumped into something. ¡°Are you alright?¡± I opened the door quickly upon hearing his scream. ¡°Y-Yes, I¡¯m fine!¡± Professor Jade, flustered, was hastily tidying up the research materials piled high on his table. He rubbed the back of his head where he¡¯d hit the bookshelf, groaning in pain. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°I just came to see how you were doing, Professor.¡± I nced around the messyb, not bringing up anything about Senior Sophia yet. With a sigh, I shook my head slowly. ¡°It¡¯s be quite a mess again, I see.¡± ¡°Ahem. Well, it may look messy, but everything is thoroughly organized and categorized with¡ª¡± ¡°Looks like we need to clean up first.¡± I was about to start cleaning the clutteredb, ignoring Professor Jade¡¯s weak excuses, when¡ª ¡°No! No, it''s fine! I¡¯ll tidy it upter!¡± Like a teenager caught hiding something inappropriate, Professor Jade urgently grabbed my arm. I paused my cleaning, tilting my head in curiosity. ¡°What¡¯s got you so worked up?¡± ¡°Haha, it¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was obvious he was hiding something. ¡®Well, it¡¯s not important right now anyway.¡¯ Deciding not to press him further, I pulled up a chair nearby and sat down. ¡°Professor, if that''s alright, I wanted to ask you something.¡± ¡°Hmm? What do you want to ask?¡± ¡°Do you happen to know a cadet named Sophia Evergreen?¡± Since we were here, I went straight to the point. ¡°¡­¡± As soon as I mentioned her name, Professor Jade¡¯s expression hardened. His gaze wavered, trembling. ¡°H-How do you know that name¡­?¡± Professor Jade¡¯s voice shook as he trailed off. I shrugged casually in response. ¡°We happened to cross paths. When I talked to her briefly, it seemed like she knew you. I was just curious about your connection.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Professor Jade remained silent, lowering his head. His lips pressed tightly together, and he finally spoke in a strained voice. ¡°Do you¡­ know what they call me among the cadets?¡± ¡°¡­¡± At Hero Academy, he was known by a nickname more infamous than ¡°Heir of the Great Sage.¡± The nickname was ¡°Student Killer, Jade Bastion.¡± It was given after an incident two years ago, when a cadet died in one of Professor Jade¡¯s research experiments. ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯m aware.¡± I gave a small nod without uttering the nickname. With a weary sigh, Professor Jade rubbed his wrinkled face with his hands. ¡°The cadet who died back then, Oscar Khalif¡­ was Sophia¡¯s older brother.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± I widened my eyes at the bombshell revtion from Professor Jade. ¡®Senior Sophia had an older brother?¡¯ I had spent a decade in the same party with her in my previous life and never heard about it. ¡°Wait a minute. They don¡¯t share the samest name, do they?¡± ¡°Sophia¡¯s parents separated, which is why her surname changed. They both originally had the surname ¡®Khalif.¡¯¡± ¡°¡­¡± So Sophia¡¯s old surname was Khalif, too. This was news to me as well. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± A bitterugh escaped my lips. ¡®So there really was so much I didn¡¯t know.¡¯ Iris, Yuren, Berald¡­ I thought we knew everything about each other after spending ten years together. But looking back now, I was beginning to see that what I knew was only the tip of the iceberg. ¡°So that¡¯s why Senior Sophia started to resent you, Professor.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Professor Jade nodded heavily. ¡°What exactly happened that led to Oscar¡¯s ident?¡± ¡°¡­¡± At that moment, Professor Jade¡¯s expression hardened. His lips pressed together, and he clenched his fist as if trying to contain his boiling anger. ¡°Oscar was¡­ a terrible cadet.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°He was arrogant, selfish, reckless, and cared only for himself.¡± With suppressed bitterness, Professor Jade unleashed a torrent of resentment. ¡°¡­So, was it because of Oscar that the ident happened?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Professor Jade nodded firmly, his face stiff. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t follow my instructions and recklessly pursued dangerous experiments! And then¡­ and then!¡± Thud! Professor Jade mmed his fist down onto the table. Papers scattered like snowkes in the air. The words "Artificial Stigma" caught my eye on one of the pages. "Because of that idiot, I lost everything in an instant! My life''s work! My honor! My aplishments, all gone!" Tears ran down his wrinkled cheeks. His long-suppressed anger erupted like a volcano. "I... I... couldn''t do anything..." Professor Jade, head hanging, sobbed quietly. Suddenly, a memory surfaced. It was something Professor Lucas had told me. - Do you know what that bastard did at Candidate Oscar¡¯s grave? Huh? I saw him with my own eyes, insulting his dead student, calling him an ¡®idiot.¡¯ ¡®So, that¡¯s how it happened.¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] If Professor Jade had lost everything in an instant due to one student''s mistake, his reaction was understandable. I put a hand on Professor Jade''s trembling shoulder. "Please, calm down, Professor." "Haa... sorry for getting so worked up." He sighed and shook his head. "I hate to send you off when you''vee by after so long... but would you mind leaving for today?" Looking exhausted, Professor Jade made his request. ¡°¡­Yes, understood.¡± There was no way these long-standing emotions could be resolved in one conversation anyway. I nodded and rose from my seat. Click. When I opened the door to his office and stepped outside, I saw the cloudy, ash-gray sky. ¡°Ugh.¡± I swallowed a sigh and clicked my tongue. ¡®For now, it¡¯ll be hard to get Senior Sophia and Professor Jade to reconcile.¡¯ If some misunderstanding had caused their rift, I¡¯d thought of trying to help them mend things, but seeing the state of things, that seemed premature. ¡®If I try to force it, it¡¯ll only make things worse.¡¯ For now, finding the culprit behind the "Candidate Disappearance Case" took priority. * * * The next day. I, Berald, and Senior Sophia gathered to discuss a n to catch the culprit behind the candidate disappearances. "So, did you think of a way to catch the culprit?" "I looked over the details of the case again." I handed Senior Sophia a sheet listing the victims of the recent incidents. The paper was filled with information about the victims'' identities, the circumstances, and witness statements. "...How did you get all this?" Senior Sophia looked at the neatly organized document with surprise. "I have a friend who''s quite skilled in this area." "What¡¯s his name?" "His name¡¯s Albert Hoover." "The Hoover family... the Empire¡¯srgest information guild?" "Yes, that¡¯s right." I contacted Albertst night to see if he could help, and by morning, he had gathered and organized all this information. ¡®I knew the Hoover family waspetent, but I didn¡¯t expect Albert to be this much help.¡¯ It was hard to imagine this level of skill from Albert¡¯s usual goofy demeanor, his face twisted in disgust as he drank Professor Lucas¡¯s ¡°special health juice¡± under duress. ¡°Huh. You¡¯ve got a widerwork than I thought.¡± Sophia looked at me, her eyes shining with mild surprise. But it was only for a moment. Her gaze quickly turned icy. ¡°Of course, you''ve managed to get mixed up with some rather untrustworthy people, too.¡± "¡­¡­." Ignoring her sharp words, I looked around at my party members. ¡°For now, let''s go over the documents ande up with a n to catch the culprit.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Leave it to me, hoho!¡± Each of us flipped through the files, reviewing the information on the missing candidates. As we sifted through the details on each of the victims¡ª ¡°What the...! Impossible!¡± Berald suddenly shot up, eyes wide. ¡°Brother! Look at this!¡± ¡°Did you find something?¡± ¡°Amanda, a senior candidate known as the ''Iron-Willed Nun,'' turns out to be married!¡± ¡°You idiot.¡± What the hell is he even looking at? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 150: The Cadet Disappearance Case (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 150: The Cadet Disappearance Case (4) Within Hero Academy, there was a cafe known for its outdated interior and remote location, making it an unpopr spot among cadets. In that secluded cafe, the dull thud of a loud noise was apanied by the thick groan of a man. ¡°You piece of crap! Didn¡¯t I tell you to get serious about finding them?¡± I kicked Berald, my face twisted with anger. ¡°Agh! Agh! I¡¯m sorry, boss!¡± Berald was curled up, taking a beating. ¡®Oh, right.¡¯ Suddenly, I remembered that Senior Sophia seemed to have a crush on Berald. I stole a nce in her direction. She seemed to think he deserved it, as she sipped her coffee calmly, flipping through documents without a word. ¡®Whew.¡¯ I let out a short sigh and returned to my seat. Berald cautiously picked himself up, still ncing nervously in my direction. ¡°Make sure you investigate properly.¡± ¡°Ahem. Y-yes, I understand.¡± Berald nodded, then returned his focus to the documents. ¡°Hmm.¡± He reviewed the victim list with a serious expression. ¡°Hm?¡± As he looked through the files, he tilted his head. ¡°Boss! Look at this!¡± ¡°Now what?¡± I mentally prepared myself for yet another nonsensical idea from him. ¡°The number of Stigmas on each victim is nearly the same!¡± ¡°The number of Stigmas?¡± ¡°Here, look. There are three cadets with the Sun God¡¯s Stigma, three with the Star God¡¯s Stigma, and three with the Sea God¡¯s Stigma.¡± ¡°¡­Hold on.¡± When I counted the Stigmas of the 20 victims, as Berald had said, they were mostly grouped in threes¡ªexcept for the Earth God¡¯s Stigma, which had only two victims. ¡®This isn¡¯t a coincidence.¡¯ The number of cadets bearing each divine Stigma varied naturally. Due to gic factors, the Stigmas were more likely to pass down within certain lineages, and the Stigmas of ¡°less mainstream¡± deities, like the Moon God or Forest God, were rtively rare. In my case, the Forest God¡¯s Stigma was so umon that there were fewer than 30 cadets with it in my year. Yet here, the number of victims with each divine Stigma was oddly bnced. ¡®They¡¯re intentionally matching the numbers.¡¯ So that meant¡ª ¡®If this pattern holds, the next target is¡­.¡¯ The next likely target would be a cadet with the Earth God¡¯s Stigma, which had only two victims so far. ¡°Nice work, Berald.¡± Narrowing down the target gave us a valuable lead. ¡°Haha, how about that? I can be useful when it counts!¡± Berald puffed up with pride, his nose in the air. I stifled augh at his expression. ¡°Even a broken clock is right twice a day¡­.¡± ¡°Huh? How can a broken clock be right?¡± ¡°...Never mind.¡± I gave up on exining and turned my attention back to the victim list. ¡®So the next target is likely a fourth-year cadet with the Earth God¡¯s Stigma.¡¯ The problem was that the Earth God¡¯s Stigma was among the mostmon, and with nearly 150 fourth-year cadets having it out of a total of 500, that didn¡¯t narrow things down much. ¡®I need something more specific to identify the next target.¡¯ ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± As I continued looking through the documents, Senior Sophia spoke up. ¡°I found something. A clue.¡± She spread out the victim list in chronological order. I reviewed the cadet information in sequence, but no obvious clue stood out. ¡°There¡¯s one piece of information recorded incorrectly.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The cadet¡¯s overall ranking.¡± She scanned the list and exined. ¡°The rankings on this list are fromst year. I ranked second in the overall evaluationst semester, but here, I¡¯m listed as third.¡± ¡°¡­So the rankings haven¡¯t been updated sincest semester.¡± That made sense. Cadets typically couldn¡¯t ess others¡¯ rankings, so it would take time for the records to be updated. ¡°Updating the rankings tost semester''s positions¡­ looks like this.¡± Senior Sophia rewrote the rankings for the cadets on the victim list. ¡°But, Senior, how do you know everyone else¡¯s scores?¡± Cadets were supposed to only know their own ranking. Though people asionally found out who was in the top ranks, no one would memorize every rank from first tost among nearly 500 cadets. ¡°I once sawst semester¡¯s rankings when I was helping the professors.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ you memorized all of them after seeing it once?¡± I looked at her in disbelief, and she tilted her head as if wondering why it was strange. ¡°Why? It¡¯s not hard, is it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Oh, right. This was just the kind of person Senior Sophia was. As I suppressed a wry smile at the thought, Senior Sophia pointed to the victim list she¡¯d spread out. ¡°The first victim in this case was Erica Jung, ranked 438th.¡± ¡°Then there was Darian Vigilio, ranked 387th.¡± ¡°And next was Hollis Buto, ranked 273rd.¡± By now, I could see what clue Senior Sophia was referring to. ¡°The culprit is targeting cadets with increasingly higher rankings, right?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Exactly.¡± She nodded. ¡®So they¡¯re going after higher-ranked cadets one by one.¡¯ I turned to her with a question. ¡°The most recent victim¡¯s rank?¡± ¡°7th. Bertran Jean, a cadet from the Republic.¡± ¡°So they¡¯re likely targeting someone ranked in the top six next.¡± ¡°Most likely, if our theory is correct.¡± A fourth-year student. One of the top six in the overall rankings. A bearer of the Earth God''s Stigma. With all this information gathered, we could predict who would be the next target in the ¡°Cadet Disappearance Case.¡± ¡°Following these conditions¡­ the next target the culprit will aim for is likely Laios Ryu.¡± Laios Ryu. Grandson of Lionel Ryu, the current principal of the Hero Academy, known as the "Thunder God." True to the Ryu family lineage, he bears the Earth God''s Stigma and, despite the fiercepetition among his exceptional fourth-year peers, holds an impressive fourth ce in the rankings. ¡°L-Laios is the next target?!¡± Berald repeated, his face showing genuine shock. Senior Sophia shuddered slightly at Berald''s face suddenly close to hers and quickly turned her head, responding. ¡°Y-yes. If our assumptions are right, then the next target is Laios Ryu.¡± ¡°Oh no. Brother being a target¡­¡± Berald trailed off with a worried expression. Even if he didn¡¯t get along particrly well with Laios, they shared the same family name, "Ryu," and were ultimately part of the same n. I lightly patted Berald on the shoulder and said, ¡°Hey, even if he does get targeted, it¡¯s not like he¡¯ll vanish forever. He¡¯ll just pass out for a few hours and wake up, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s true.¡± Berald sighed with relief, nodding as he grasped the situation. Then he struck the table enthusiastically with a determined smile. ¡°Alright then! Now that we know who the next target is, let¡¯s pool our ideas and brain-break a n to catch the culprit!¡± ¡°Brainstorming, not ¡®brain-breaking.¡¯¡± Why would you want to break your head, idiot? ¡°Anyway, I already have a method in mind to catch the culprit.¡± ¡°Ah! As expected of you, brother!¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s nothing too fancy.¡± I gave a sly grin, looking back at Berald and Senior Sophia. ¡°If we want to catch a fish, we¡¯ll need some bait, right?¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re nning to use Laios as bait?¡± ¡°Exactly. We attach a tracking magic device to him in advance and wait until the culprit makes a move.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Sophia crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes thoughtfully. ¡°It¡¯s a good idea, but¡­ how do you n to attach the tracking device? Knowing Laios¡¯s personality, he won¡¯t cooperate willingly.¡± As Senior Sophia said, there was no way Laios Ryu would willingly help us out. After all, we knew plenty about his personality from his previous scuffles with Berald. But. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that part.¡± I smiled and ced my hand on Berald¡¯s shoulder. ¡°With Berald¡¯s ¡®magic,¡¯ attaching a tracking device is no big deal.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Sophia looked at Berald with interest, eager to see what kind of magic he would use. * * * The next day. Near Laios¡¯s dormitory. Berald and I, both wearing masks, exchanged nces. ¡°You finished the voice alteration, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Berald nodded, and a different, unfamiliar voice came from his mouth. We hid at the dorm entrance, waiting silently for about ten minutes. Then we saw Laios walking out of the dormitory. ¡°Let¡¯s start.¡± Quietly, I began to follow Laios, giving Berald a quick nce. The first move was mine. ¡°Phew.¡± Berald¡¯s Martial Arts. Wind Step. I approached Laios in a sh, immediately deploying a containment spell. A modified version of the magic-suppressing barrier I¡¯d used before. It was a barrier that blocked all magic within a certain range. Of course, it had a critical w: even the user couldn¡¯t use magic within it. But that didn¡¯t matter. Because we had a hero who could use ¡®magic¡¯ without mana. ¡°What¡­ what is this?¡± Perhaps he sensed the sudden disruption in his magic. Laios looked around in confusion. Just before he could escape the barrier, Berald charged at him. ¡°Hmph! Who are you¡­?¡± ¡°Silent!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Berald struck Laios on the nape, silencing him. Laios clutched his neck, choking, and Berald followed up with another strike to the back of his head. ¡°Sleeep!¡± Thwack! With a dull thud, Laios copsed on the spot. Berald looked down at the unconscious Laios and raised a triumphant thumbs-up at me. I quickly approached Laios and slipped the tracking magic device into the pocket inside his uniform. Senior Sophia, who had been watching the entire scene unfold, was staring at us incredulously. ¡°¡­Magic?¡± She narrowed her eyes, baffled, clearly unable toprehend what she had just witnessed. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 151: The Cadet Disappearance Case (5) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 151: The Cadet Disappearance Case (5) A room nketed in darkness. A man sat in a room that reeked of stale mold. He bit his lip as he gazed at a radiant blue liquid inside a ss bottle. "Just one more... just one more to go...." A pair of ominous eyes gleamed in the dark. His voice, twisted with obsession and madness, echoed through the dpidated room. The man took out an old, worn photo album from his pocket. A photograph of a young man with bright red hair was tucked inside, smiling warmly. "We''ll finally achieve... our dream." The man gripped the photo album, his eyes closed, his hand trembling slightly. But only for a moment. His gaze shifted to a stone on the table. This one glimmered with a dark, gloomy light unlike ordinary magic stones. A flicker of conflict crossed his eyes as he stared at the stone. While he remained frozen, staring at the stone¡ª Sssss. Sss. The sound of something slithering across the floor was followed by a white snake climbing up the chair where he sat. A woman¡¯s voice slipped out from the snake''s mouth, its long tongue flickering. "Could you really be hesitating now?" A sweet whisper lingered at his ear. The man bit his lip, finally speaking. "I told you not to enter theb." ¡°Oh my, how frightening.¡± The white snake let out a giggle, slowly coiling around his neck. "Don¡¯t forget. Don¡¯t hesitate. Don¡¯t be afraid." The snake continued its whisper. "After all, there¡¯s a goal you must achieve, isn¡¯t there?" "......" The man closed his eyes firmly and sealed his lips. Yes. He had a goal he had to achieve, no matter the cost. ¡®We will save the world with our own hands.¡¯ Tucking the worn photo album back into his pocket, the man slowly stood up. * * * "...Are we sure this is okay?" Sophia chuckled wryly, looking at Laios, who was unconscious. I shrugged as I looked back at her. "It''s not like talking would have made him cooperate, anyway." "Well, that''s true..." Sophia pressed her hand to her forehead, as if she had a headache, then sighed and nodded. "Fine. You installed the tracking magic device, right?" "Yes. Now we just wait for the fish to bite." Leaving the unconscious Laios behind, I returned to the annex caf¨¦ with Berald and Senior Sophia. Gathered around the table, we activated the tracking magic, creating an illuminated Hero Academy map with a yellow dot blinking on it. "With this, we can monitor Laios¡¯ location and condition." "......" Sophia squinted at the tracking magic I¡¯d cast, then turned to me with a question. "Where did you learn magic like that?" "Pardon?" "This tracking magic, the mana-blocking barrier from before... these aren''t spells abat cadet should know." She stared at me, clearly surprised that my magic skills were this advanced. I held back a smirk at her question. ''Who else would I have learned it from?'' Seeing her curious look, I spoke softly. "I learned it from the continent''s greatest magician." "The continent''s greatest magician?" "Yes." "Hah." Sophia scoffed, narrowing her eyes. "Ridiculous. Do you mean Professor Jade is the continent¡¯s greatest magician?" "Pardon?" "I admit Professor Jade is skilled¡ªhe''s a descendant of the ''Great Sage,'' after all. But to call someone who couldn¡¯t even protect his own student the ''greatest magician'' of the continent seems a bit much, doesn¡¯t it?" "......" Looks like she¡¯s seriously mistaken. I suppose it makes sense that she''d assume I meant Professor Jade, since she doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m a regressor. "That was a slip of the tongue. I apologize." "Sigh... no, sorry for snapping." Sophia ced a hand on her chest as if to calm herself, taking a brief sigh. Watching her, Berald stroked his chin, speaking up. "Hmm. Was there some kind of trouble between Senior Sophia and Professor Jade?" "......" Sophia stiffened, her expression hardening. She averted her gaze, answering coolly. "No, nothing happened." "It didn¡¯t seem that way. You got pretty worked up as soon as Professor Jade was mentioned." "...That¡¯s none of your business." "Heh. Judging from your reaction, there must have been something." Berald chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. But it seemed to backfire. "You''re a bit arrogant, aren''t you?" Sophia red at him with a colder gaze. "Why should you care what happened between me and Professor Jade? Who are you to meddle?" "Hmm. I apologize if it seemed that way." "Mind your own business." Turning away coldly, Sophia fell silent. Berald, however, spoke softly, looking at her. "Still, I¡¯d like to know what happened." "You...!" "I once felt the same." He smiled faintly, looking out the window at the sky. "I lived bottling up my sadness and suppressing my anger, thinking it was the wise way to live." "......" "But looking back now, I realize that wasn¡¯t the case." With a slight, bitter smile, Berald nced in my direction. "No matter how painful or distressing it may be, confiding in someone eased my heart." "What would you know." "I don¡¯t. I don¡¯t know what kind of story Senior Sophia carries, or what emotions she''s keeping locked away. I¡¯m not that clever, so I probably wouldn¡¯t understand, even if you told me." But. Even so. "If I can, I''d like to be there for you, Senior Sophia." Berald smiled at her warmly. "After all, we¡¯re not ''strangers,'' we''re in the same party, aren¡¯t we?" "......" Sophia¡¯s eyes trembled slightly. Taken aback, she quickly averted her gaze from Berald. "Hmph, such arrogance from a junior." "Heh. My apologies." "...Hmph." Sophia scoffed slightly, clenching her fist. "...I had an older brother." Her voice was low as she began to speak. "He was always pointlessly strong, loud, and meddling... just like you." She looked at Berald with a bittersweet smile. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°My brother enrolled in the Department of Magic, and then suddenly decided he wanted to research Stigma. He went to Professor Jade... and then¡­¡± A dark shadow crossed Sophia¡¯s face. ¡°No way¡­ that candidate who got caught in an ident during Professor Jade¡¯s magical research two years ago¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That was my brother.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Berald closed his mouth firmly and looked down. He wanted to offer some words offort, but he couldn¡¯t think of what to say. After a long moment of hesitation, he finally managed an apology. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry for asking about something so painful.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you just telling me a moment ago that opening up is good for the soul?¡± Sophia asked, letting out a wry chuckle. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t think it was something this serious!¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± Watching Berald break into a cold sweat, Sophia chuckled softly. ¡°¡­You were right, though.¡± With a faint smile, her expression rxed, as if a weight had been lifted. Just as the tense atmosphere returned to normal¡ª Beep! Beep! Beep! The yellow dot on the tracking spell hovering in midair started blinking rapidly. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Senior Laios is being pulled somewhere fast.¡± I quickly stood up, watching the yellow dot move rapidly into the distance. The location was the wooded hill behind the academy, where I¡¯d once roamed looking for seven-star grass infused with mana on an errand for Professor Jade. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Sophia, Berald, and I sprinted toward the hill behind the academy. * * * Three figures were racing through the dense undergrowth in the thick woods behind the academy at high speed. To be precise, two of them were racing swiftly, while the third was gasping for breath, falling behind. ¡°Hah¡­ Hah!¡± ¡°Get on my back!¡± ¡°What? Kyah!¡± Seeing Sophiagging, Berald hefted her onto his shoulder and resumed his strong, fast strides. ¡°Hey, let me down!¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to run if you keep squirming!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Sophia bit her lip and leaned quietly against Berald¡¯s back. After running for a while longer, they finally saw him¡ªa masked man standing over the copsed, unconscious figure of Laios. ¡°Brother Laios!¡± Berald was the first to rush toward Laios. ¡°Hyaah!¡± As he ran, Berald conjured a mana bullet and hurled it at the masked man. The man raised his hand, forming a blue barrier in front of him. Then¡ª Whoosh! The mana bullet, flying straight ahead, abruptly curved mid-air. It was like a picture-perfect curveball. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Hurriedly, the masked man rotated his blue barrier to intercept the mana bullet. Boom! An intense explosion echoed out, far louder than one would expect from a simple mana bullet. But¡ª ¡°¡­Tch.¡± The blue barrier hadn¡¯t even been scratched. Realizing his opponent wasn¡¯t an ordinary magician, Berald gritted his teeth and adjusted his stance. ¡°Stay back.¡± Sophia stepped forward, pointing her staff at the masked man. Woooong! Red mana flickered at the tip of her staff. ¡°Explosion Spear!¡± The mana gathered into a long spear shape and shot toward the man. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Watching the red spear imbued with intense mana, the masked man formed a hand seal. Though it was an inefficient way to cast magic, only useful when stealth wasn¡¯t necessary¡ª Zap! Zap! Zap! Blue light extended from the man¡¯s hands, intertwining and creating a beautiful fractal pattern, filling the air. The red mana spear charging toward him shattered into countless fragments. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Sophia took a step back, swallowing hard. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± In the silence that followed, her gaze locked with the masked man¡¯s. Looking between Laios¡¯s unconscious form on the ground and our party with a conflicted expression, the masked man clicked his tongue in frustration and turned to flee. Just as he turned to leave¡ª ¡°Haa¡­¡± I let out a deep sigh and stepped in front of him. Staring him down with a weighted gaze, I spoke in a low voice. ¡°What are you doing here, Professor Jade?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The man¡¯s shoulders trembled involuntarily. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 152: The Cadet Disappearance Case (6) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 152: The Cadet Disappearance Case (6) From the first time I heard about the "Case of the Missing Cadets" from Berald, I felt a strange sense of difort. The unease that took root in my heart only grew the more I investigated the case. Then, when I encountered a masked man in a densely forested mountain... I could finally recognize the source of my difort. ¡°W-Wait a second? Professor Jade? What are you saying, brother?¡± Berald looked at me in shock. Ignoring his question, I looked at the masked man. "......" I could see the man''s eyes quiver slightly through the mask. I sighed deeply and spoke. ¡°Keeping quiet won¡¯t help you now.¡± ¡°¡­How did you know?¡± An all-too-familiar voice came from behind the mask. I nced at Laios lying on the ground and continued. ¡°There aren¡¯t many people within the Hero Academy who can knock out someone like Laios Ryuu using pure magic alone.¡± This year¡¯s fourth-years were packed with talented cadets, considered one of the strongest sses yet. Among them was Laios Ryu, ranked fourth overall. The grandson of the ¡°Thunder God¡± and a renowned genius magician. Only someone with at least professor-level skills could have overpowered him. ¡®In fact, even for a professor, this wouldn¡¯t have been an easy task.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just about winning in a fight. Whoever did it had to subdue Laios so quickly that he didn¡¯t even realize he was under attack ¡ª a feat only possible for those ranked at the very top among heroes. ¡°So you figured it out just based on that?¡± ¡°No, that alone wouldn¡¯t have been enough. After all, our professors are extremely capable.¡± It¡¯s true that it would be a difficult task for a professor, but not an impossible one. With a well-timed surprise attack, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible for another magic professor to subdue Laios instantly. But... ¡°Most of the professors are currently busy withte-night meetings preparing for the second semester.¡± All except Professor Jade, who had practically stepped down after the incident two years ago. ¡°Heh. Meetings¡­ I didn¡¯t even know those were happening.¡± Professor Jade gave a hollowugh. ¡°But even so, that alone wouldn¡¯t have been enough to be certain it was me.¡± It wasn¡¯t as if Professor Jade was the only professor who didn¡¯t attend those meetings. And there was always a chance it could have been an outsider. ¡°Well¡­ let¡¯s say it was partly intuition.¡± That wasn¡¯t entirely false. There were various clues ¡ª like how the cadets involved all felt tickling sensations on the area marked with their Stigma, or the way Professor Jade seemed to hide something when I visited hisb. Even I hadn¡¯t beenpletely convinced that Professor Jade was behind the case beforeing here. But... ¡°Earlier, when you were deflecting Sophia¡¯s spell, you also cast a barrier to protect Laios from getting caught in it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s when I was sure. The culprit was you, Professor Jade.¡± Despite the gruesome nickname he¡¯d earned as the ¡°Student Killer,¡± I, who¡¯d spent time close to him, knew better than anyone how much he cared about the cadets. ¡°¡­You¡¯re too clever, Cadet Dale.¡± With a bitter smile, Professor Jade removed his mask. The man with a weathered face and thick beard was none other than Jade Bastian, descendant of the great sage Julius Bastian and the continent¡¯s foremost expert on Stigma. ¡°So, it really was you.¡± Did she already suspect him as well? Sophia gripped her staff tightly, her gaze fierce. ¡°¡­Cadet Sophia?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say my name with that filthy mouth.¡± Sophia red at Professor Jade with eyes as cold as ice. ¡°The reason you knocked out the cadets¡­ was it for your ¡®Artificial Stigma¡¯ research?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Even after killing my brother, you still couldn¡¯t give up on that cursed research?¡± At her usation, Professor Jade lowered his head, saying nothing. Then... Vrrrooom! ¡°Get back!¡± Blue energy erupted from Professor Jade like an explosion, and Berald jumped in front of Sophia, crossing his arms in an X to shield her. Boom! With a loud crash, Berald¡¯s body was pushed back. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°You¡­!¡± Sophia scowled fiercely and pointed her staff at Professor Jade. Crimson energy red at the tip of her staff, forming dozens of red orbs in the air. The orbs, brimming with powerful magic, rained down upon Professor Jade. ¡°Heh¡­ Quite fitting for that one¡¯s sister.¡± Professor Jade gazed at the descending red orbs with a bitter smile. His hand formed a series of hand signs, as if painting in the air. Crackle! A geometric blue sigil unfolded in the air, warping the path of the red orbs. Boom! Trees were uprooted, and a deafening sound shook the forest. ¡°But this old man¡¯s skills aren¡¯t rusty just yet.¡± ¡°Tch...!¡± Sophia bit her lip and stepped back. The geometric blue light filled the spot where she¡¯d just been standing. As the battle intensified, I rested my hand on my sword¡¯s hilt and narrowed my eyes. If I joined the fight, subduing Professor Jade wouldn¡¯t be too difficult. ¡®But something feels wrong.¡¯ The strange unease in my heart hadn¡¯tpletely gone away. It was a sticky, unsettling feeling, like seeing two misaligned cogs grinding against each other. ¡®I¡¯ll wait a bit longer.¡¯ I released my grip on my sword and watched the battle between Sophia and Professor Jade. ¡°Sister! Stand back!¡± ¡°Who are you calling sister?¡± Grumbling, Sophia stepped back as Berald dashed forward. Taking a quick breath, he spread his mana wide. His opponent was a professor ¡ª and not just any professor but the descendant of one of the Five Great Heroes who had sealed the Demon God five hundred years ago. But¡­ ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m also the descendant of the Iron Fist!¡± Berald created a mana projectile in midair, then swung his fist with all his might. ¡°Mountain Crusher!¡± Boom! The mana projectile shot forward with a thunderous sound as his fist made contact. ¡°Punching magic¡­?¡± Despite having spent his entire life immersed in the world of magic, Professor Jade was stunned by the technique he¡¯d never seen before. But only for a moment. His hands moved swiftly, forming a blue geometric sigil in midair. Boom! With a resounding impact, Berald¡¯s mana projectile was reflected back toward him. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°What the¡ª!¡± As the deflected projectile shot back, Berald hastily crossed his arms to block. Thud! The impact threw him to the ground. ¡°Berald!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡± Berald waved his hand to stop Sophia, who was about to run over. With blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, Berald staggered to his feet. ¡°Stop it. If you keep going, you¡¯ll end up seriously hurt,¡± Said Professor Jade, watching Berald struggle to stand. ¡°It¡¯s true you¡¯re a highly skilled candidate, but facing me right now is beyond your capability.¡± ¡°Heh. I know that much,¡± Berald smirked. Jade¡¯s strength indeed matched his reputation as the sessor of the "Great Sage." So powerful that it felt impossible to find a way to win. ¡°But, you see¡­¡± A surge of explosive energy erupted from Berald¡¯s body. ¡°I¡¯ve been fighting opponents like you all summer long.¡± Battles against seemingly unbeatable opponents were nothing new for him. ¡°¡­I intended to save this move for a sparring match with my brother.¡± Berald crouched low, inhaling deeply. A stance akin to a crouching predator. The pressure he emitted weighed down on Professor Jade, as though facing a wild bear. ¡°Whew.¡± Exhaling the breath he had drawn in, Berald pushed off the ground. Boom! His body shot forward like a gust of wind. ¡°It¡¯s no use!¡± Jade stretched out his arms, forming a sign with his hands. An evenrger wall of blue symbols appeared in the air, higher and stronger than before. Staring at the towering magic barrier, Berald let out a low chuckle. Vrrrmmm! A new spell began to form in the air. It wasn¡¯t just a magic bullet but a long, extended ¡°magic te.¡± Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! He sprinted across the magic tes as if he were flying through the sky. A technique he¡¯d adapted from "Wind Step" that he learned from Dale. Berald¡¯s unique martial art. Sky Step. ¡°Haaah!¡± Berald leaped over the wall of blue magic. He clenched his fist soaring high and propelled himself forward, diving down at high speed. ¡°Berald¡¯s Martial Art!¡± Mountain Strike. KRRRRASH! Berald¡¯s fist crashed down like lightning, creating a massive explosion. ¡°Argh!¡± Professor Jade, caught in the st, was thrown backward. ¡°Tempest Wave!¡± Not missing the chance, Sophia swiftly cast her magic. A surge of red energy swept toward Jade like a tidal wave. Boom! The fierce explosion tore through the earth. ¡°Grrr¡­ Cough, cough!¡± When the dust settled, Professor Jade¡¯s tattered form emerged. He had managed to form a magic barrier to avoid major injuries, but his robe was torn, and his body was littered with small wounds. ¡°¡­Impressive.¡± Wiping the blood from his mouth, Jade looked at Berald and Sophia. Though he had focused only on defense, he hadn¡¯t expected to be pushed back by mere candidates. ¡°¡­Speak.¡± Sophia stepped forward, her gaze fixed on the beaten Professor Jade. ¡°Tell us!¡± ¡°¡­What should I tell you?¡± ¡°What do you think!¡± Sophia grabbed him roughly by the cor, her voice rising. ¡°Tell me why! Why did you, and my brother, have such an obsession with that ¡®Artificial Stigma¡¯?¡± Her voice cracked with desperation. ¡°Why¡­ why couldn¡¯t my brother give up on that cursed research even as hey dying?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Professor Jade looked at Sophia, her anguished expression, and kept his mouth shut. A brief silence. Finally, a low, grave voice escaped his lips. ¡°¡­Because he wanted to save the world.¡± ¡°What?¡± Sophia¡¯s face contorted at the absurdity of his words. With a bitter smile, Professor Jade continued. ¡°Yes¡­ We just wanted¡­ to save the world¡­.¡± Two years ago. Professor Jade¡¯s shoulders trembled with a quiet sob as he recalled his faded dream. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 153: The Cadet Disappearance Case (7) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 153: The Cadet Disappearance Case (7) "Professor! This is it! This!" Bang! A red-haired young man burst into the professor''s office without so much as a knock. Professor Jade let out a sigh as deep as the earth, looking at his student who had stormed into his office. "What''s it this time, Cadet Oscar?" "Artificial Stigmas! I''ve found a lead on artificial Stigma research!" "...Sigh. Are you still obsessed with that research?" Oscar leaned in close, looking determined as he faced Professor Jade, who had just sighed. "Obsessed? This is conviction, Professor! It was your paper on artificial Stigmas that made me be your student!" "That paper was discarded long ago due to safety concerns." "Exactly! But I¡¯ve found a way to address that problem!" Oscar thumped his chest, shing a confident smile. Professor Jade looked at him and shook his head. "Looks like there''ll be an uproar from the Holy Kingdom again." "Haha! Isn¡¯t that just business as usual for you, Professor?" "Judging by the yearly drop in research funding, it¡¯s not something I''ve gotten used to." Professor Jade let out a bitterugh as he pulled out a stack of papers from a mountain of documents, retrieving the artificial Stigma paper. "Alright, let''s hear it." "The purpose of the original artificial Stigma research was to create an artificial Stigma for those whock one, correct?" "That¡¯s right." Artificial Stigmas. These were created to allow ordinary people who hadn¡¯t received the blessing of a divine Stigma to wield mana. When this theory was first proposed, it was so groundbreaking that it shook the entire hero society. ¡®The Holy Kingdom practically foamed at the mouth in outrage.¡¯ Creating something that mimics a divine blessing? Even heroes aligned with the Holy Kingdom, who had kept a close eye on his Stigma research, were furious, considering it a reckless idea. ¡®But.¡¯ If this theory could be realized... "However, creating a perfect Stigma by human hands is impossible." "Which is exactly why this theory was discarded." "But! What if we didn''t need a ¡®perfect Stigma¡¯ in the first ce?" "An imperfect Stigma?" "Yes. Creating a perfect Stigma may be beyond human ability. So, why not create a simplified version?" "...Exin in more detail." Oscar shed a mischievous grin as he handed over a paper filled withplex equations. "The essence of a Stigma is that it allows the user to handle the mana within it. That¡¯s what grants heroes their superhuman strength." "But artificial Stigmas have a critical w. Theyck the ability to replenish mana." Unlike a genuine Stigma, which naturally absorbs ambient mana to restore itself to its original mana capacity, an artificial Stigmacks this function. In other words: Once the magic is used up, it cannot be restored. "So, my idea involves magic stones. By using mass-produced low-grade magic stones, we can replenish the mana in an artificial Stigma." "...Are you suggesting a kind of ¡®magic battery¡¯?" "Exactly! This way, not only people without a Stigma but even heroes with Stigmas could use artificial ones as a mana supplement!" Though called "artificial Stigmas," the concept was closer to a magical tool or artifact, meaning anyone could potentially use it. "......" Of course. That was "if" everything went ording to theory. "However, even if you manage to draw mana from these mass-produced stones, it¡¯d only be a tiny fraction of power." "But isn''t that still something? If this could be made widely avable to the public, it would allow people to confront lower-tier magical beasts and, depending on the individual, even mid-tier threats!" If it worked, then: "It could drastically reduce the number of people killed by magical beasts and demonic beings every year!" Oscar spread his arms wide, a bright smile on his face. "We could save people... no, this world, with our own hands!" Yes. That''s the dream you and I once shared. An impossible, faded dream. * * * Tears gathered in the wrinkled corners of his eyes as Professor Jade¡¯s thoughts returned to the present from two years in the past. "......" Jade looked back at Sophia, who was gripping his cor tightly. She had the same red hair as his former student. Her gaze was filled with unwavering resolve, a fierce intensity that seemed to shape a human form out of a zing volcano. ''Just the same.'' With a bittersweet smile, he opened his mouth. "Do you know... how many heroes there are on this continent?" "What?" "The official count is 14,782. Unofficially, it¡¯s around 20,000. Not arge number, really." It couldn¡¯t be helped. The number of people with a Stigma was limited, and the nature of the hero¡¯s life¡ªconstantly fighting magical beasts and demonic entities¡ªmeant high mortality. "...What does that have to do with anything?" "Compared to the barely 20,000 heroes, the total poption of the continent is in the tens of millions. If you divide that out, each hero is responsible for protecting well over 2,000 people. Do you understand how absurd that is?" "......" A hero being responsible for protecting at least 2,000 people each. There was no need to exin how impossible that task was. "Even though 500 years have passed since the Demon God was sealed, people continue to suffer, and it¡¯s for no other reason. No matter how hard heroes try to protect them, there are far too few of us." And that is why. "We attempted to imitate the gods." By artificially creating the blessing of a divine Stigma. We tried to give Stigmas to those without one. Even if it was just an imperfect replica. We wanted to give them the power to protect themselves. But. "The cost of attempting to mimic the divine¡­ was far from cheap." He recalled that day. The rampaging Stigma and the screams of his student. The memory of standing there, helpless, as his student¡¯s body twisted and broke apart. "You..." Sophia looked at Professor Jade with trembling eyes, as if she didn¡¯t know what to say. She never imagined her brother''s obsession with the ¡®Artificial Stigma¡¯ could be for that reason. Her mind was in turmoil. Sophia¡¯s expression was filled with confusion, and she loosened her grip on Professor Jade''s cor. Then¡ª Boom¡ª! ¡°Kyaaah!¡± A burst of blue light exploded, sending Sophia flying backward. ¡°Sophia, senior!¡± Berald ran over and caught her in an instant. He assumed she must have been badly injured from the explosion, but when he held her, she waspletely unharmed. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°¡­Haah.¡± Professor Jade let out a deep sigh after sending Sophia flying. He pulled a small ss vial from his pocket. Inside the vial, a blue liquid swirled. Forming a hand sign with his free hand, Professor Jade lifted the unconscious body of Laios into the air. ¡°You! What are you trying to do?!¡± Sophia cried urgently behind him. Ignoring her, Professor Jade extended his hand toward Laios. A light shone from Laios¡¯s left chest and gathered into the vial held by Professor Jade. It was only a small amount of magic. But this ¡®Artificial Stigma,¡¯ created bybining the magic of 21 different Stigma, held a power far beyond that modest amount. ¡°¡­¡­¡± A flicker of conflict appeared in Professor Jade¡¯s eyes as he looked at the vial. For the past two years, he had repeated research upon research, but he had yet to find a way to stabilize this ¡®Artificial Stigma.¡¯ When he was about to abandon the project altogether¡­ -Who are you? -I¡¯m Dale Han, a third-year candidate from the Warrior Division. He met him. Living each day in despair, as if dead, he had nearly let the me within him die out. But then, it rekindled with a glimmer of hope. ''However... not everything in life can be solved with hope alone.'' Though he plunged back into his research on artificial Stigma, the way to stabilize it was still beyond reach. Wandering through piles of research, searching for an invisible answer¡­ -Shall I help you achieve your dream? A pure white snake approached him. -If you use this magic stone, you can stabilize the Stigma. The snake whispered, flicking its long tongue. ¡°¡­¡­¡± He remembers it now. The day two years ago. The moment his world crumbled. -Why... why did you go ahead with the experiment without permission?! I told you it wasn''t ready for human testing yet! He had cried out, looking down at his fallen disciple. Oscar had looked up at him, coughing up blood. -I heard¡­ the Holy Kingdom has issued a prohibition on this research. -That¡¯s¡­ -Professor¡­ I... With a faint smile on his lips, his disciple continued speaking. -I wanted¡­ to be a hero. Foolish boy. You, a hero? -Not just any hero by name¡­ but a real hero, like the Great Five Heroes. So you went behind my back and conducted the experiment alone? -I wanted to be that kind of hero¡­ to save many people... Ha. You can¡¯t even take care of your own body, yet you want to save others? You¡¯re not fit to be called a hero. -And¡­ I wanted to build a magnificent newb for you, Professor¡­ Because of you, not only did I lose the chance for a newb, but all my funding has been cut. My life¡¯s work is on the verge of crumbling overnight. -I¡¯m¡­ sorry. You idiot. You idiot. You idiot. -But still¡­ Professor, our dream¡­ it¡¯s not over, right? ¡°Haah.¡± Professor Jade stared at the blue liquid in the vial with a deep sigh. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Muttering softly to himself, Professor Jade gulped down the blue liquid. Woooom! A surge of magic exploded within him, and a burning pain raced across his right chest. The blue light flickered erratically as if it might disperse at any moment. ¡°Urghhh!¡± Professor Jade gritted his teeth against the overwhelming pain. He pressed a ck magic stone against the Stigma etched into his right chest. Crackle! The ck magic stone shattered and was absorbed into his artificial Stigma. The previously unstable light quickly stabilized, emitting an intense glow. ¡°Haah¡­ haah¡­ haah¡­¡± His breathing was ragged. Professor Jade¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. Baring his teeth in a fierce expression, he spoke. ¡°We¡¯re¡­ going to save the world.¡± As he took a step forward, his voice filled with obsession and madness. ¡°Well, you don¡¯t exactly look like a hero out to save the world right now, Professor.¡± Dale said, gripping the hilt of his sword as he slowly stepped forward. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 154: The Cadet Disappearance Case (8) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 154: The Cadet Disappearance Case (8) "An artificial stigma, huh." Listening to Professor Jade and Senior Sophia''s conversation, I recalled memories from my past life. ¡®Professor Jade gave up on researching artificial stigmas back then.¡¯ Did he only give up on artificial stigmas? He even gave up on his own life. But now¡ª ¡®Things have changed.¡¯ I don¡¯t know what triggered it, but he decided to continue his research again. In a life filled with despair, he dared to dream of hope. ¡®And someone took advantage of that hope.¡¯ The unsettling sense of difort I''d been feeling finally made sense. ¡°So, it was that ¡®snake¡¯ who coaxed the professor?¡± I snapped my fingers while pointing to a bush nearby. Fwoosh! A fierce me surged up, setting the tree aze. Rustle. A pure white snake slithered out of the burning tree. With mischievous eyes, the snake looked at me, then shifted into the form of a woman with snow-white hair. ¡°Oh my~ How did you know I was here?¡± The white-haired woman looked at me with an intrigued expression. I shrugged and replied, ¡°That rotten stench has been lingering over there for a while now.¡± ¡°Oh dear, calling a youngdy¡¯s scent rotten? Isn¡¯t that a bit harsh?¡± ¡°A youngdy, you say.¡± I stifled augh as I looked at the white-haired woman. I wasn¡¯t sure if I should be thankful, but I knew her identity. ¡®The Bishop of Corruption, Serpente.¡¯ One of the demons who worked behind the scenes on countless incidents across the continent on behalf of the elusive Archbishop Mephisto. ¡°Hmm. Judging by that expression, it seems you know who I am?¡± Serpente narrowed her eyes, folding her arms. She looked me over from head to toe, flicking her long, snake-like tongue. ¡°Dale Han¡­ just as Lord Mephisto described.¡± She muttered my name, nodding as if she knew about me already. After examining me with a careful expression, she lifted the corner of her lips into a smirk. ¡°But it¡¯s already toote. The heir of the Great Sage has already heard my ¡®Whispers.¡¯¡± The Blessing of Whispers¡ªa mental-type blessing that encourages the ¡®hope¡¯ in someone andpels them to act. ¡°Right, professor?¡± With a sly smile, Serpente turned to look at Professor Jade. ¡°Huff¡­ huff¡­¡± Professor Jade was panting heavily, with a dark stigma shining ominously on his right chest, his bloodshot eyes ring. Serpente watched him and whispered softly. ¡°It¡¯s time to deal with the one interfering with your dream.¡± The sweet whisper echoed in his ears. Professor Jade¡¯s bloodshot gaze focused on me. He formed a hand seal in the air. Bzzzzt! A geometric pattern appeared in midair, shimmering with a jewel-like light, but tinged with a gloomy ck that gave it a sinister, dark blue hue. ¡°Bloom.¡± The intricate geometric pattern bloomed like a flower. The surge of mana had grown exponentially since before. The light waves shot from the pattern rushed towards me like a tidal wave. ¡°Danger!¡± Sophia¡¯s face paled as she shouted a warning, recognizing the formidable power behind Professor Jade¡¯s magic. Indeed, the power behind his magic was almost terrifying, but¡ª ¡°Blossom.¡± Fwoosh! mes engulfed my body. I swung my sword at the dark blue waves surging toward me. Ashen de, Form 1 Modification. Diffraction - Wave. Boom! The ash-gray aura split into dozens of ripples, shattering the dark blue light waves. ¡°Bloom.¡± But that was only momentary. With a low incantation, the dark blue waves surged forth again. Watching the glyph continuously unleash waves, I frowned. ¡®What kind of mechanism is that?¡¯ The glyph was intricately crafted like a well-designed machine, producing sts in endless session. ¡°Haa!¡± Ashen de, Form 2. Fire de. I created a de of me from a distance, but as it neared the glyph, it twisted sharply, flying off in the wrong direction. ¡®It¡¯s an attack that not only fires waves continuously but also defends itself.¡¯ The title of ¡°Heir of the Great Sage¡± was indeed well-earned with such a formidable spell. ¡®But.¡¯ I held a power in my heart that was far more formidable. ¡°Burn.¡± Fwoosh! The mes engulfing my body intensified, swirling with ash-gray smoke. Encased in fire, I lunged toward Professor Jade. Vroom! The dark blue light waves rained down from all directions. Smirking fiercely, I extended my sword. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Ashen de, Form 3. me Spear. The ash-colored me greedily absorbed the oing dark blue waves, forming a sphere of gray fire at the tip of my de. The zing ash-gray sphereunched toward the barrier of glyphs created by Professor Jade¡¯s magic. And¡ª Boom! The explosion was so loud that my ears rang, and trees and stones around us were flung away like ants caught in a typhoon. The pattern Professor Jade had crafted shattered into pieces, scattering into the air. ¡°Cough!¡± Professor Jade, who was thrown back, coughed up a handful of blood. ¡°What¡­?¡± Serpente looked at me in shock, clearly never imagining that the descendant of the ¡°Great Sage,¡± Professor Jade, who had even gained enhanced power through artificial Stigma, could be so pathetically overpowered. ¡®This can¡¯t be happening.¡¯ With trembling eyes, she watched me carefully, and as I was in a momentary lull after using a big technique, she leaned in and whispered again to Professor Jade. ¡°Professor? At this point, wouldn¡¯t it be wise to capture another candidate as a hostage?¡± Her sweet, insistent whisper echoed again in my ears. Professor Jade¡¯s gaze turned toward Sophia. ¡°Eek¡­!¡± Sophia sensed the danger and tried to step back, but Professor Jade¡¯s hands moved faster, sketching a pattern in the air. A dark, ominous blue light shimmered from a pattern that was much smaller than before. Wooong! ¡°Watch out!¡± ¡°Kyaaah!¡± Berald pulled Sophia close, turning his body to shield her. He shut his eyes tight, bracing for the impending impact. But then¡­ nothing. ¡°¡­?¡± The geometric patterns Professor Jade conjured glowed with a sinister blue hue, but nothing else happened. ¡°What are you doing? Hurry up and capture the hostage!¡± Serpente, growing impatient, nced at me and then barked at Professor Jade. ¡°¡­¡± But Professor Jade¡¯s hand, which had been directed at Sophia and Berald, stopped again. Instead¡­ ¡°Ah¡­¡± A faint groan slipped from Professor Jade¡¯s lips. Even though his eyes were bloodshot, and he was gasping for breath, he ultimately didn¡¯t cast his spell on Sophia and Berald. ¡°He resisted my ¡®Whisper¡¯?¡± Serpente looked at him, stunned. In fact, Professor Jade wasn¡¯t the first to resist her ¡°Whisper¡¯s Blessing.¡± There had been a few heroes who resisted her whispers in the past. However¡­ ¡®That was only possible because they had resisted it from the start.¡¯ Her Whisper''s Blessing was, at first, simply a small ¡°whisper¡± that could be ignored by closing one¡¯s ears. But once someone yielded to her Whisper, it grew until it filled their entire mind. Someone like Professor Jade, who had yielded for a long time, shouldn¡¯t have been able to hear anything else but her voice. ¡°Why¡­ isn¡¯t my Whisper working?¡± Grinding her teeth, she whispered again towards him. But despite her desperate attempts, Professor Jade¡¯s bloodshot eyes gradually regained their original color. ¡°Haah.¡± With her Whisper extinguished, another voice resonated in him. The voice that mattered most to him at that moment. Slowly, he turned to Sophia and began to speak in a low, heavy voice. ¡°Cadet Oscar¡­¡± He continued in a soft, mncholic tone. ¡°...was a terrible student.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Arrogant, selfish, unruly, and only cared about himself.¡± A tear formed in Professor Jade¡¯s eyes as he looked at Sophia. ¡°But¡­ but¡­¡± He ced his hand over the artificial stigma engraved on his right chest and sobbed. ¡°He was¡­ my¡­ my most precious student.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Sophia looked at him with trembling eyes. She gently nudged Berald, who was still holding her, and rose to her feet. Step, step. Slowly, she walked toward Professor Jade. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I should never have¡­ never dreamed of saving the world. Such an absurd dream shouldn¡¯t have even begun¡­ It was my foolish dream that led your brother to his death.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°To think Ipleted the research I¡¯d begun to save the world by relying on demonic power¡­ What a pathetic, disgraceful ending.¡± Though the dream had faded, it had not been tarnished before. But he had sullied it with his own hands. ¡°Don¡¯t forgive me.¡± Professor Jade knelt before Sophia, giving her a bitter smile. ¡°I wasn¡¯t nning on it anyway.¡± Sophia extended her staff toward him. Red energy swirled around the tip of her staff. And then¡ª Thunk. A gentle impactnded on his forehead. ¡°Huh?¡± As Professor Jade rubbed his forehead, confused, Sophia walked past him and murmured softly. ¡°Next time¡­ finish it without relying on demonic power. The dream you and my brother had.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If I help, you¡¯ll finish it in no time.¡± Sophia shrugged her shoulders, looking at the dazed Professor Jade. ¡°Believe it or not, I¡¯m much better at magic than my brother.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 155: Interlude – Snake Hunt [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 155: Interlude ¨C Snake Hunt ¡°You¡­.¡± Professor Jade looked at Sophia with trembling eyes. Just as he was about to say something, Buzz! ¡°Urgh!¡± The artificial Stigma engraved on his right chest began to blink with a dark, blue light. Grotesque, root-like veins started to spread from the ce where the artificial Stigma was carved. ¡°What¡­?¡± Sophia looked back at the fallen Professor Jade with a pale face. ¡°What, what¡¯s happening? Wasn¡¯t the artificial Stigma alreadypleted?¡± Though he had borrowed power from a demon, Professor Jade had said himself that the artificial Stigma was pleted.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a problem with the artificial Stigma.¡± I approached the fallen Professor Jade, clutching his chest. cing my hand on the artificial Stigma engraved on his right chest, I focused my mind. ¡®Just as I thought.¡¯ It was as I suspected. ¡°If it¡¯s not a problem with the artificial Stigma, then¡­.¡± ¡°It means there was an issue with the demonic stone that the demon gave him.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± From the start, the artificial Stigma was likely designed to have only a temporary stabilizing effect, with various aftereffects emergingter. ¡®There¡¯s no way the demon would have genuinely helped himplete his artificial Stigma research with pure intentions.¡¯ There must have been some ulterior motive behind the demon¡¯s ¡°support¡± for Professor Jade¡¯s research. ¡°W-What should we do? Oh, right, didn¡¯t you say you knew the Saintess of the Holy Kingdom? If we contact her¡­.¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for that.¡± cing my hand on the artificial Stigma on Professor Jade¡¯s right chest, I slowly summoned my me. If the demon had tampered with the artificial Stigma¡ª ¡®Then I¡¯ll just burn the entire Stigma away.¡¯ Fwoosh! mes from the embers ignited Professor Jade¡¯s right chest, where the artificial Stigma was engraved. ¡°Urgh! Ugh!¡± ¡°Just bear with it for a moment.¡± After all, the artificial Stigma was a mere imitation, a fake that only mimicked a real Stigma. Even though I couldn¡¯t yet fully control the Primordial me, removing the artificial Stigma wasn¡¯t difficult. Sizzle! The sound of burning flesh rose along with ashen smoke. Professor Jade clenched his lips, enduring the excruciating pain. But only for a moment. ¡°Argh! Stop! Stop it!¡± Perhaps the pain was too intense. Professor Jade screamed, writhing in agony. ¡°Berald. Come and hold him down.¡± ¡°A-All right.¡± Hesitantly, Berald approached and held down the thrashing Professor Jade. Ignoring the spit dribbling from his mouth, I pressed my hand back onto Professor Jade¡¯s artificial Stigma. Sizzle! ¡°Argh! Ugh! Aaaagh!!!¡± The scream echoed again. After about thirty more seconds, The embers hadpletely burned away Professor Jade¡¯s artificial Stigma. ¡°Hah¡­ hah¡­ hah!¡± Covered in sweat, Professor Jade breathed heavily, his face exhausted. Looking at me, he asked with a trembling voice, ¡°Have you¡­ always endured this kind of pain?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± As he said, the pain Professor Jade was feeling now wasn¡¯t much different from the pain I felt when I used ignition or me amplification. ¡°How¡­ how do you¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m used to it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± At my calm answer, Professor Jade¡¯s gaze trembled slightly. It was the same look Professor Elisha once gave me. A tender gaze, as if looking at something broken and pitiful, to which I could only smile bitterly as I rose. ¡°You should rest and recover.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± Nodding, Professor Jade sat heavily on the ground. ¡°¡­You.¡± Sophia, who had been watching the scene silently, looked at me with trembling eyes. ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It made sense. After seeing me not only effortlessly subdue Professor Jade but also burn away the Stigma, even if it was artificial, it was natural for her to be left speechless. ¡°I¡¯ll exin in detailter.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Berald, could you go with Sophia and fetch Iris?¡± ¡°You¡¯re staying here?¡± ¡°Yeah. I still have some unfinished business.¡± Berald nodded and left with Senior Sophia. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The forest grew silent, leaving only me and Professor Jade. An awkward silence descended. ¡°There¡¯s something I want to ask.¡± ¡°¡­What is it?¡± ¡°Why did you hide the research on artificial Stigmas from me?¡± Professor Jade knew that I possessed the Blessing of Revival. If it was for the research on artificial Stigmas, it would have made sense to approach me rather than the demon. Even if side effects led to fatal attacks, I would be able to resurrect. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Professor Jade let out a deep sigh at my question. ¡°It would be a lie to say that I hadn¡¯t considered that option.¡± However, With a bitter smile, Professor Jade shook his head. ¡°But I didn¡¯t want to see any more of my cherished students dying in front of me.¡± Even if that student possessed the Blessing of Revival and woulde back to life. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± A cherished student, he had said. Hearing those words from Professor Jade brought a faint smile to my lips. ¡°I understand. Then I won¡¯t press you any further.¡± ¡°¡­Where are you going?¡± Professor Jade called after me as I turned and started walking into the forest. I looked in the direction Serpente had fled, grinning. ¡°I¡¯m off to hunt a snake real quick.¡± * * * ¡°Damn, damn, damn!¡± Serpente sprinted frantically through the forest. Her breaths came in short gasps as a chilling fear crept up her spine. ¡®Who is that guy?¡¯ She remembered the zing gray mes. A monster who overwhelmed the ¡°Great Sage¡¯s¡± sessor as though he were a mere child. Of course, she knew that while Jade Bastian excelled in magical theory and research, hisbat ability didn¡¯t quite live up to the title of the Great Sage¡¯s sessor. ¡®But there are limits to everything!¡¯ He was still a man of enough skill to make a mark in his field. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Even if hisbat skills fell short, it was only by the lofty standards of the ¡°Great Sage¡¯s sessor.¡± He could still take on a high-ranking hero in most cases. ¡®And I even used the ¡°Shard of Corruption¡±!¡¯ The demonic stone she had given to Professor Jade. Known as the ¡°Shard of Corruption,¡± it contained a trace of Mephisto¡¯s power. ¡®But¡­¡¯ She lost. And not just any loss, but a total, one-sided defeat, without so much as a decent resistance. To a mere candidate, no less. ¡®No, that guy can''t possibly be a candidate.¡¯ Serpente flicked her long tongue irritably, scowling. What candidate in the world could possibly wield power on par with an archbishop? ¡®I need to inform Lord Mephisto.¡¯ She had heard of this "Dale Han" from Mephisto before. But seeing him in person, he was far more dangerous than she had been told. A threat serious enough to potentially interfere with Mephisto¡¯s ns. ¡®First, I need to get out of here.¡¯ Fortunately, it seemed no one was tracking her. Serpente quickened her pace, sprinting through the dense forest. ¡°Hah¡­¡± After clearing the woodspletely, Serpente entered an abandoned house in Valha City. It was a hideout often used by demons on covert missions to conceal themselves. ¡®First things first¡­ I need to report to Lord Mephisto.¡¯ Crack. As she extended her hand into the air, part of the space around her warped, as if a ss pane shattered. She reached into the fractured space and pulled out a crystal ball that glistened with a dull, ominous ck hue. The only means by which she couldmunicate with her master, the Archbishop of Corruption, Mephisto. Just as she ced her hand on the crystal ball, preparing to pour her demonic energy into it¡­ ¡°Well, well. Fancy running into you hiding in such a rundown ce. Must be the snake instincts, huh?¡± A voice echoed from the darkness. ¡°When did you¡­?!¡± Serpente whipped her head around, her face full of shock. Standing at the hideout¡¯s entrance was the gray-haired candidate, gazing at her with a sinister smirk. ¡°What, you really thought no one was tracking you?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Serpente¡¯s eyes darted around the room. With Dale standing at the entrance, the only remaining escape route was out the window¡­ ¡°Hold still.¡± Whoosh! The room burst into light as cinders red up. Serpente gulped, watching the fierce mes dance in front of her. She excelled at manipting others from the shadows with her "Blessing of Whispers," but in terms of rawbat power, she was among the lowest in the demon hierarchy, even for a bishop-level demon. Fighting a monster with the strength to rival even an archbishop was out of the question. ¡°What¡­ what do you want?¡± ¡°Who knows? That''s something I''ll have to think about slowly, starting now.¡± Dale dragged over two chairs from the corner of the room and gestured for her to sit. ¡°Take a seat. We have a lot to discuss, don''t we?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Serpente, pale and trembling, hesitated before forcing a seductive smile onto her lips and murmuring softly. ¡°How about¡­ we have a different kind of conversation than with our mouths?¡± A sweet whisper in his ear. I grinned and snapped my fingers lightly. Fwoosh! The small mes erupted, expanding as if to swallow her whole. ¡°Kyah!¡± Serpente screamed, falling back in fear as the heat scorched the air. It was a pitiful sight for a demon who had orchestrated countless schemes from behind the scenes in her past life. ¡®Well, herbat skills were never great anyway.¡¯ She was indeed a troublesome demon due to her skill in infiltration and her "Blessing of Whispers," but in purebat ability, she was far weaker than Harris, the bishop I fought in a frontier vige with Professor Elisha. ¡°If you try anything funny again, it won¡¯t just be a warning.¡± ¡°¡­Alright, I get it.¡± Serpente slumped into the chair, visibly nervous. ¡°Alright then¡­¡± I turned on the Hero Watch. ¡®Maybe I should record this just in case.¡¯ It mighte in handyter, either to threaten or provoke Mephisto. Not that there was much chance of actually intimidating or provoking Mephisto, but Serpente was a favored subordinate of his, after all. ¡°Well then.¡± After switching the Hero Watch to recording mode, I looked back at Serpente, who was sitting quietly in her chair. ¡°First, look at the camera and state your name and age.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Hmm. Something about this atmosphere felt a bit off. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 156: Oh, Youth (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 156: Oh, Youth (1) Upon interrogating Serpente, I couldn''t glean much useful information. Serpente herself was nothing more than a puppet moving at Mephisto''smand. She didn¡¯t actually know what "n" Mephisto had in mind. Other minor bits of information about Mephisto were also restricted, likely under some kind of magical seal. ¡®That¡¯s disappointing.¡¯ I had thought this would be a great opportunity to gather valuable intel on Mephisto, one of the six archbishops¡ªnow only four left¡ªand the most unsettling of them all. But there was little to show for it. ¡®Now, what¡¯s left¡­¡¯ I gazed down at the unconscious Serpente, squinting slightly. ¡®The decision now is¡­ whether to dispose of her or not.¡¯ As a general rule, eliminating a demon on the spot would be the least troublesome option. ¡®But it¡¯s a waste to discard a potential card that might be useful against Mephisto.¡¯ Even with memories from a previous life, I didn¡¯t know much about Mephisto. I had no clue about the extent of his power, his goals, or why he had suddenly vanished in the middle of the war in my past life. He remained the most enigmatic among the archbishops. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ll need to consult Professor Elisha first.¡± It wasn¡¯t a decision I should make alone. Hoisting the unconscious Serpente onto my shoulder, I started heading back to the academy. * * * Three Days Later After receiving minor treatment from Iris, I finished visiting Professor Jade, who was recovering in the intensive care ward, and then made my way to Professor Elisha¡¯s office. Knock knock. "Come in." When I opened the door, I found Professor Elisha sitting in her chair, legs elegantly crossed. Looking at the clean, organized table, I tilted my head in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re not smoking today?¡± ¡°...Ahem.¡± Professor Elisha avoided my gaze, letting out a short, awkward cough. ¡°I¡¯m trying to quit.¡± ¡°Quitting smoking? What brought this on all of a sudden?¡± I was taken aback. Professor Elisha, who always seemed to have a cigarette in her hand, was quitting? She looked a little embarrassed as she scratched her cheek. "Well... doesn¡¯t Cadet Dale dislike the smell of cigarettes?" "¡­¡­." Could it be? Was her decision to quit because of me? I held back augh and shook my head. ¡°It''s true that I don¡¯t like it, but there¡¯s no need for you to force yourself to quit for my sake. Besides, it¡¯s not really harmful to your health.¡± Heroes¡¯ bodies, fundamentally, have a remarkable ability to detoxify, so a little smoking wouldn¡¯t harm her health. ¡°But still¡­¡± ¡°And honestly, a Professor Elisha without her cigarette would feel like beer without its fizz, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°What kind of image do you have of me, exactly?¡± Professor Elisha narrowed her eyes at me, looking rather displeased. ¡°Anyway, if that¡¯s the reason, there¡¯s really no need to quit. You actually suit smoking quite well, Professor.¡± Even though I didn¡¯t have a particrly positive view of smoking itself, I couldn¡¯t deny that Professor Elisha and her cigarettes were a strikingbination. ¡°Really?¡± Looking slightly relieved, Professor Elisha opened her drawer and took out a cigarette, smiling as she ced it between her lips. She closed her eyes and tilted her head slightly towards me, almost as if she were asking for a light. Fwoosh. I flicked my fingers, igniting the tip of the cigarette, and Professor Elisha took a deep drag. ¡°Whew. Now I finally feel some of the stress from the past three days melting away.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been busy?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Professor Elisha¡¯s expression grew more serious after recalling something from three days prior. ¡°Honestly, when you brought in that woman and showed me the forced interrogation video, I was at a loss for how to handle it.¡± ¡°Hey.¡± The way she put it made it sound like I was some kind of sleazy criminal. I looked at her in exasperation, and she shrugged yfully with a mischievous grin. ¡°Just kidding. Anyway, we¡¯ve taken some steps regarding that demon for now.¡± ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°I had her locked up in the demon holding facility at Valha City, where she can be used as a bargaining chip if needed.¡± Valha City¡¯s demon holding facility, huh? ¡°Is that secure enough?¡± I knew the security there was supposed to be tight, but Serpente wasn¡¯t the kind of demon that could be contained easily. ¡°Is it because of her ''Whispers¡¯ Blessing¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s no need to worry. She won¡¯t be able to use it.¡± She can¡¯t use it? I gave Professor Elisha a questioning look, and she responded with a cold smile. ¡°The Whispers¡¯ Blessing requires a voice to activate, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Well¡­ yes.¡± ¡°She can¡¯t use her blessing with her mouth sewn shut, can she?¡± "¡­¡­." The thought alone made my skin crawl, and I closed my mouth tightly. For a moment, I wondered how they nned to handle her meals with her mouth sewn shut, but I didn¡¯t ask. The important thing was that we had secured a useful card in Serpente. ¡°I can¡¯t predict what Mephisto will do next, but¡­¡± Since the future held so many uncertainties, it was always better to have one more card at our disposal. ¡°Cadet Dale.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I have been very, very busy these past three days.¡± Professor Elisha stubbed out her cigarette in the ashtray and looked at me with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯ve been drowning in meetings since the start of the semester, pulling all-nighters every day.¡± ¡°Just when it seemed like things were finally calming down, you bring me a bombshell in the form of a Fallen Bishop and irresponsibly drop it on myp.¡± ¡°Do you have any idea how challenging it is to handle all these major issues discreetly, without the school¡¯s higher-ups finding out?¡± She finally let out a flurry of pent-upints. ¡°Ah¡­ I apologize.¡± While I didn¡¯t have much choice, it was true that I had left all the hard work to her. ¡°Are you really sorry?¡± Professor Elisha smiled slyly, her eyes glinting mischievously. She got up from her chair, moved to the guest sofa in the middle of the office, and sprawled across it, looking back at me. ¡°So, Cadet Dale, will you personally relieve your professor¡¯s fatigue with your own hands?¡± ¡°¡­Are you asking for a massage?¡± ¡°Haha, why else would I lie here like this?¡± Professor Elisha, lying on her stomach, swayed her slender legs enticingly. I sighed, approaching the sofa where shey stretched out. Professor Elisha grabbed my hand as I knelt beside her to start the massage. ¡°Climb on my back.¡± ¡°Is that really necessary¡­?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be ufortable for you as well in this position?¡± Ugh. Reluctantly, I awkwardly straddled her lower back. cing my hands on her back, the pale outline of her spine faintly showed through her white shirt. ¡°Ngh¡­¡± Pressing firmly, I used my thumbs to stimte the muscles around her spine. Despite her delicate waist, she had firm muscles beneath my fingertips. ¡°Ah¡­ Haah¡­!¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Please don¡¯t make such sounds.¡± ¡°Hah, but¡­ I can¡¯t help it¡­¡± ¡°If you keep doing that, I¡¯ll stop.¡± ¡°Ngh¡­¡± Professor Elisha bit her lip, trying to suppress her voice. But only for a moment. When I began to knead her tense muscles in earnest, a moan escaped her lips again. ¡°Cadet Dale¡­! You¡¯re too strong! If you press there like that¡­! Ngh!¡± ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ hold it¡­ ahh!¡± Why are you doing this to me? ¡®I¡¯ll probably need to put up a soundproof barrier outside the door.¡¯ When I got up and opened the office door¡ª Thud! Something heavy hit me, and I felt it get pushed back. ¡°¡­Albert?¡± I looked down to find Albert sprawled on the floor, staring up at me. Holding a stack of documents, he scrambled to his feet, stammering. ¡°I-I came for Professor Lucas¡¯s errand, but¡­ so¡­!¡± ¡°Wait, calm down, Albert. It¡¯s not what you think.¡± ¡°I-I-I didn¡¯t hear anything, Dale!¡± With a face flushed red, he shook his head frantically. He didn¡¯t look like someone who hadn¡¯t heard anything. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I won¡¯t tell anyone!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for interrupting your¡­ uh, quality time!!!¡± Before I could exin, Albert darted away, racing down the hallway. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Well¡­ Right. ¡®Wasn¡¯t the Hoover family the empire¡¯s biggest information guild?¡¯ This is bad. * * * ¡°¡­Sigh.¡± After leaving Professor Elisha¡¯s office, I sat on a bench, pulling at my hair in frustration. ¡°What¡¯s got you looking so miserable?¡± Then, a familiar voice reached my ears. When I looked up, there was Senior Sophia, arms crossed, gazing down at me. ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°For ¡®nothing,¡¯ your sigh was loud enough to be heard from far away.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I firmly mped my lips shut, avoiding Senior Sophia¡¯s gaze. ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want to tell me, fine. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re short on secrets.¡± ¡°¡­What brings you here?¡± The building for fourth-year students was quite far from here. ¡°I came to find you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°I wanted to thank you and ask for a favor.¡± Sophia then bowed her head towards me. ¡°Thank you. Thanks to you, I was able to clear up a lot of misunderstandings.¡± She wore a gentle expression, as if she had let go of a heavy burden from the recent incident. ¡°Does that mean I¡¯m allowed to speak to you now, Senior?¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean¡­ Oh.¡± Recalling our first encounter, Senior Sophia gave a soft chuckle. ¡°Well, do as you please. We¡¯ll run into each other often in theb from now on.¡± ¡°Theb?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to assist Professor Jade with his research.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± A joint research project between a future Grand Magician and the heir of a Great Sage. ¡®I wonder what they¡¯ll create together.¡¯ I nodded, stifling a grin. ¡°What¡¯s the favor you mentioned earlier?¡± ¡°Well¡­.¡± Sophia blushed slightly, twisting a strand of hair around her finger. ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re close with Berald, right?¡± Ahem. She cleared her throat and continued. ¡°C-Could you maybe give me his contact information?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was autumn, the season when romance blossoms. A fresh breeze of youth was blowing in. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 157: Oh, Youth (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 157: Oh, Youth (2) ¡°So, so what happened? What happened next?¡± Iris leaned in, eyes twinkling with excitement. I flinched as her pretty face came close enough that I could feel her breath. They say that no matter how beautiful a face, after three years you¡¯d get tired of it. But after seeing her face for over ten years, counting my past life, I still found my heart skipping a beat every time. ¡°Dale?¡± ¡°Oh, sorry. What were we talking about?¡± ¡°We were talking about Sophia and Berald!¡± Iris stomped her feet impatiently, exhaling with excitement. ¡°So, did you give her his contact information?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°And? Are they still talking to each other?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure beyond that.¡± All I did was pass on Berald¡¯s contact information to senior Sophia. I didn¡¯t know if they¡¯d been exchanging messages since then. ¡°What?! That¡¯s the most important part! How could you not know?!¡± Iris pped her chest in frustration, and I stifled augh as I watched her fidget with impatience. ¡®Who knew Iris would be so invested in someone else¡¯s love life?¡¯ Well, it wasn¡¯t exactly unusual for candidates at this age to be excited by stories of romance. Even if they were heroes or superhumans with stigmas, they were still young people, naturally curious about rtionships. ¡®Not that I¡¯m in any position to talk.¡¯ After confessing my feelings to both Iris and Yurina not too long ago, waiting for their answers put me in the middle of my own romantic turmoil. ¡°Ugh! Dale, you¡¯re such a dummy! I was so curious about how it was going between them!¡± Iris pouted and lightly pinched the back of my hand. I shrugged with an apologetic smile. ¡°But¡­ do you think they¡¯ll be okay?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well, they¡¯re not exactly a match that looks natural together, don¡¯t you think?¡± Berald, with his towering frame of over two meters, and senior Sophia, whose head barely reached his waist. It was like a story of Beauty and the Beast¡­ or more urately, a little girl and a beast. ¡°Hmph, you just don¡¯t get it, Dale! Opposites attract, you know!¡± ¡°Really?¡± From what I remembered from my past life, most tall girls liked tall guys, and even short girls preferred tall men. ¡®Wait.¡¯ So who on earth likes short guys? What? Who¡¯s going to love someone like me? ¡®Ah, no. Right. I shouldn¡¯tpare myself to Berald.¡¯ Honestly, considering I hadn¡¯t had proper nutrition growing up, I wasn¡¯t that short myself. ¡°Anyway! I can¡¯t agree with you saying Sophia and Berald don¡¯t match!¡± ¡°Haha, alright.¡± ¡°But it does seem like Sophia is interested in Berald¡­ What about him?¡± ¡°Berald?¡± ¡°Yes, you see him often, so you must know what kind of girls he likes.¡± ¡°Well¡­ about that.¡± How should I put this? That¡­ ¡°Haha, actually, I heard that guys with big builds like Berald tend to like small, cute girls.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Am I right?¡± ¡°Uh, uh¡­ yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Knew it! I thought so!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± There was no way I could tell Iris about Berald¡¯s actual preferences. ¡°Oh¡­ Haha. Sorry, I got too excited. Lately, I¡¯ve been really interested in¡­ romance, you know.¡± She nced at me as she spoke, and memories from thest vacation came flooding back, making the atmosphere awkward. ¡°Ah, well, should I just ask Berald directly?¡± I hurriedly changed the subject to break the awkwardness. ¡°Could you really do that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not hard.¡± I turned on my Hero Watch and sent Berald a message. [Hey.] [Hm? What¡¯s up, brother?] He replied right away. [Have you been in touch with senior Sophiately?] [Yeah. We¡¯ve been talking more since we started, and it turns out we get along pretty well.] ¡°Oooh.¡± Good. They¡¯re staying in touch. [Actually, we¡¯re having lunch together today.] ¡°What?¡± Wait, not only were they in contact, but they even had a lunch date? ¡®This guy isn¡¯t usually like this.¡¯ I tilted my head as I stared at the message, and another one came in. [Would you like to join us, brother?] [No, I¡¯m good.] [Really? That¡¯s a shame. I thought it¡¯d be more fun if you joined.] You idiot. Why would I go and risk making things awkward for myself? ¡®But from his response, it doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s noticed Sophia¡¯s feelings yet.¡¯ Even though Berald wasn¡¯t the brightest, if he¡¯d picked up on Sophia¡¯s interest, he wouldn¡¯t have asked me toe along. ¡°Hmm.¡± I sent Berald another message. [Where are you meeting?] [We¡¯re meeting at the annex cafeteria at 1 p.m.] 1 p.m. at the annex cafeteria. [Alright. Enjoy your meal.] [Next time, you muste too, brother!] [Sure.] I turned off my Hero Watch and met Iris¡¯s eager gaze. ¡°What did he say? What did he say?¡± Iris, like a child begging for a bag of presents, asked with sparkling eyes. ¡°¡­Iris.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Shall we have lunch at the annex cafeteria today?¡± Well, there was no need to use Iris as an excuse. To be honest, I might as well admit it. ¡®I¡¯m dying of curiosity here myself.¡¯ Including my past life, I¡¯ve lived for thousands of years. But surprisingly, there still seems to be a spark of ¡®youth¡¯ left in my heart. * * * [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Ah, over there! There, Dale!¡± ¡°Shh.¡± Iris and I stealthily snuck into the annex cafeteria where Berald and Senior Sophia were supposed to meet. Though I might be hard to notice, Iris was strikingly noticeable in her appearance, so she donned a light disguise and cast a spell to hide her presence. However, no matter how thorough our preparations, both Berald and Senior Sophia were skilled individuals who wouldn¡¯t be easily deceived. We found seats far enough away to avoid being noticed by them. ¡°For now... it seems like the atmosphere isn¡¯t bad.¡± Berald and Senior Sophia were sharing today¡¯s special and chatting casually. ¡°What are they talking about, Dale?¡± ¡°Hold on.¡± I concentrated my magic to enhance my hearing. The conversation between Berald and Senior Sophia, over twenty meters away, faintly reached my ears. -Do you oftene to the annex cafeteria, Senior Sophia? -Now and then. -Do you have a favorite cuisine? -I like the cuisine of the Holy Kingdom. -...Really? -Why? It¡¯s clean, not too heavy, and nice to eat. -Hah. I think you¡¯re the first person I¡¯ve met who likes food from the Holy Kingdom. It was a light small talk, neither overly warm nor awkward. The kind of conversation that two people who just started taking an interest in each other would have. ¡°It looks like they¡¯re talkingfortably.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Iris watched Berald and Sophia with eyes full of interest. ¡°Ah, they really look good together.¡± ¡°Do they?¡± ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t their eyes look like they¡¯re dripping with honey?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Not quite to that extent, I think. ¡°Seeing them reminds me of the first time Dale and I had a meal together.¡± ¡°¡­Wasn¡¯t that when we cooked ramen in the mountain?¡± ¡°Tsk! Don¡¯t ruin the mood.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It seemed that, in her mind, even the memory of cooking ramen in the mountains had turned into something romantic. Leaving Iris, who was reminiscing with a soft smile, I turned back to Berald and Sophia. ¡®To think the future would change like this.¡¯ It was abination that would have been hard to imagine considering their past rtionship. ¡®But... it¡¯s not so bad.¡¯ Leading my formerrades to greater heights to prepare for the war against the demon army was, of course, important. But seeing them find simple ¡®happiness¡¯ also made my heart feel warm. ¡®None of us truly experienced a youthful life.¡¯ Neither Iris, Yuren, Berald, nor Senior Sophia, and not even me. We never felt the excitement or the fluttering that we should have in our youth. We had just struggled to survive each day, burdened by the weight of life. ¡®But.¡¯ Things are different now. Now we could enjoy that glittering happiness we never dared to dream of in our past lives. I made it so. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The realization filled my heart with an indescribable warmth. I silently watched the two for a while. ¡°Ah, Dale. They¡¯re moving seats.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s follow.¡± Berald and Senior Sophia finished their meal and moved to a caf¨¦ within the school, continuing their conversation over coffee. While I was feeling secretly pleased at how smoothly things were progressing, their conversation reached my ears. -Oh, now that I think about it, you use a very unique way of handling magic. Catching and throwing mana bullets or using them as stepping stones¡­ -Oh, that? Berald¡¯s martial magic? -...Was that what it was called? -Haha, there¡¯s a story behind that name. Berald scratched his head with an awkward smile. -That magic... or rather, that martial magic¡­? -Call it whatever you like. -Really? Then how exactly do you use it? -Hmm. It¡¯s hard to exin with words. -Oh, is it rted to micro-cosm magic by any chance? -Micro-cosm? Wait, hold on. -Hahaha! I didn¡¯t expect Senior Sophia to know about the micro-cosm! No, no, no. Hold on, you idiot. -I¡¯m quite interested in micro-cosm magic too. -Me too! I¡¯m very passionate about it! -Really? What made you interested in it? ¡°¡­Stop him.¡± -Oh, nothing beats the delicacy of the micro-cosm¡¯s allure... ¡°Shut up!!!!!!¡± Boom! I yelled desperately as I leaped forward. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 158: Oh, Youth (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 158: Oh, Youth (3) Boom! ¡°Kyahhh!?¡± ¡°W-what? What''s happening?¡± ¡°Did a bomb go off?!¡± The candidates, who were leisurely enjoying their post-meal tea time, screamed at the loud explosion that resounded throughout the caf¨¦. And then. ¡°Guh! Guh! Ack!¡± Berald struggled with his mouth covered. ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡± Senior Sophia narrowed her eyes at me, who was holding Berald¡¯s mouth shut. She probably thought the date, which had been going so well, was interrupted. The look in Senior Sophia¡¯s eyes was icy beyond belief. ¡°Well... um, you see.¡± Our eyes met. The air grew cold. With an awkward smile on my lips, I spoke. ¡°Would you mind if I join you?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Haha. Thank you, senior.¡± Ignoring Senior Sophia¡¯s cold answer, I took a seat. ¡°Pwah! Wh-why are you here all of a sudden, brother? You said you wouldn¡¯te earlier!¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± I red fiercely at Berald and turned back to Senior Sophia. ¡°So, what were you talking about?¡± ¡°We were discussing microcosmic magic.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. Unfortunately, Berald doesn¡¯t know much about microcosmic magic. No, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say he knows nothing about it at all.¡± ¡°Hey, brother. I like micro¡­ Guh!¡± I stomped hard on Berald¡¯s foot as he tried to butt in cluelessly. ¡®Please, just stay quiet.¡¯ This is all for your sake, you idiot. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Whether he understood or was just intimidated by my harsh expression, Berald fell silent with a sullen look. Senior Sophia nced at Berald and continued. ¡°He said he was very interested, though.¡± ¡°Being interested and being knowledgeable are two different things.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Senior Sophia crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. ¡°But how do you know Berald doesn¡¯t know much about microcosmic magic?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m the one who taught him magic.¡± ¡°¡­You taught him?¡± Senior Sophia looked at Berald in surprise. Berald nodded and replied. ¡°That¡¯s right. Brother taught me magic. And the ¡®Berald Martial Arts¡¯ I mentioned earlier¡ªI learned that from him too.¡± ¡°So, you named the martial arts after yourself even though you learned it from him?¡± Sophia let out a small, incredulousugh. ¡°B-brother told me to do that! I¡¯m innocent!¡± ¡°I see. Now I understand.¡± Senior Sophia nodded slightly, then shot me a piercing re. ¡°You were worried your secret techniques would be leaked, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know your magic skills are exceptional, but I¡¯m not going to steal someone else¡¯s secret techniques without permission.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± That was way off, but¡­ Sure, let¡¯s go with that. Anything¡¯s better than having Berald¡¯s tastes exposed here. ¡°By the way, does this perfect timing mean you were secretly following us?¡± ¡°Hmm? Is that true, brother?¡± Just as I was at a loss for words to Senior Sophia¡¯s sharp usation. ¡°No. I invited Dale here for coffee, and we happened to overhear your conversation.¡± Iris appeared at just the right moment. ¡°¡­The Saint of the Holy Nation.¡± ¡°Please, just call me Iris.¡± Iris gave a gentle smile and bowed slightly. Senior Sophia, propping her chin with her hand, narrowed her eyes. ¡°Is it okay for the saint to be wandering around alone with a man like this?¡± ¡°The Seven Gods said, ¡®Whoever does not love does not know God.¡¯¡± ¡°Huh. Is that so?¡± Sophia¡¯s eyes roamed up and down Iris before stopping at a certain point. The curves visible even through the cadet uniform. Tsk. A short click of the tongue escaped Sophia¡¯s lips. She nced uneasily at Berald and spoke bluntly. ¡°You definitely have a body that makes it easy to ¡®know love.¡¯ Is that a blessing from the gods too?¡± Though her tone was openly confrontational, Iris just smiled brightly and sat beside Sophia. ¡°Well, I think Senior Sophia is actually better suited to know love.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Those ruby-like eyes¡­ Your skin is so clear, and you¡¯re really beautiful.¡± ¡°Wh-why are you saying that all of a sudden? It¡¯s not like that¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you agree, Berald?¡± Iris turned to Berald and asked. ¡°I do agree. Sister Sophia is very beautiful.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Sophia¡¯s shoulders flinched as she tightly grabbed the hem of her uniform skirt. Her ears, visible as she bowed her head, turned as red as her hair. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°See? Berald agrees too.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Sophia red at the cheerful Iris, who seemed to be enjoying herself. ¡°I-I¡¯m leaving now!¡± Sophia turned and hurriedly ran out of the caf¨¦. ¡°Hmm? Leaving already?¡± Even as he watched Sophia walk away, Berald just sipped his coffee without moving. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Surely you¡¯re not thinking of not going after her, right?¡± ¡°¡­Was I supposed to chase after her?¡± Berald looked at me and Iris nkly, as if he didn''t understand what was happening. Iris, with an exasperated expression, mmed the table and stood up. "What nonsense are you spouting, you dense idiot? Are you not going to run out before I crush what''s between your legs?!" "Ah, I got it! Calm down!" At Iris''s fierce outburst, Berald hurriedly ran out of the caf¨¦. As she confirmed that Berald had gone after Sophia, Iris let out a deep sigh and sat back down. "Phew, watching them is really frustrating. Hm? Why do you look like that, Dale?" "¡­It''s nothing." I unfolded my previously crossed legs and shifted my gaze out the window. In the distance, I could see Berald chasing after senior Sophia. ¡®The future has changed, but¡­.¡¯ It would still take some time for their "youth" to bloom fully. "Still¡­ I kind of like this, you know?" Iris looked at the coffee cups left behind by Sophia and Berald and smiled faintly. "What''s to like?" "Doesn''t just seeing them together make your heart flutter?" "It feels more exasperating than anything." Mostly because of that idiot Berald. "That''s how it always is at first." Iris chuckled softly, covering her mouth with her hand. "Awkward, clumsy, anxious¡­ but despite it all, wanting to convey your feelings¡­." Her gaze settled on me. "Just like you did, Dale." "Ugh." I didn''t expect her to turn the focus onto me so suddenly. I swallowed nervously and looked away to avoid her eyes. "About what you said on the beach before, I never got to give you an answer, did I?" "¡­¡­." It had already been weeks since I confessed that I didn''t want to lose either Iris or Yurina. During that time, neither Iris nor Yurina had brought up what happened that day. As if the memory of that day had been neatly cut out and life had gone on as usual. "I''ve been thinking about it ever since." For the first time, Iris brought up the topic again. "I can''t speak for Yurina''s feelings, so I''ll start with my own." Iris looked at me steadily, her eyes as deep as the blue sky. "Honestly, when I first heard it, I was a little angry." "¡­¡­." "I even wondered how you would answer if the situation were reversed." A reversed situation. Imagining Iris telling me she loved two men at once shed through my mind. A suffocating feeling washed over me, and a chill ran down my spine. "¡­¡­." An indescribable sense of guilt and sin pressed heavily on my chest. "Oh, don''t make that face. I was only angry for a moment. Now, I''m even a bit relieved." "Relieved?" "Well¡­ at least I won''t have to worry about being rejected by you." She smiled bashfully as she said that. "If I had to choose between staying by your side with someone else or being alone, I would choose to stay by your side." Even if that love wasn''t entirely directed at her. Just being able to stay by his side felt like a blessing from the gods. She had fallen so deeply for him that she entertained such unreasonable thoughts. "I think Yurina would feel the same way." "¡­Iris." "Oh, and here''s another possibility. If you had chosen me and coldly rejected Yurina¡­ hmm." Iris paused, lost in thought. She recalled the story Yurina once told her. The tale of a woman who had lived her life crushed under the light of the sun. "Yeah, that wouldn''t be good either." Iris shook her head, a gentle smile on her lips. "You can call it cheap sympathy if you want. But¡­ to me, Yurina is like family. No one wants to see a family member in pain, right?" Come to think of it, Iris had mentioned growing up in an orphanage. Having grown up without family, she must have clung more tightly to the idea of panions." Just as I did. "Well, in any case. This is the answer I''vee to after thinking about it." Iris slowly reached out and took my hand. "Even if you''re selfish, irresponsible, and only think about yourself." The warmth of her touch traveled through my skin. "I love you." So deeply, she couldn''t help it. "¡­¡­." I looked at Iris with trembling eyes. My mind was tangled, unable to find the right words. "And, don''t forget that I''m ''first,'' okay?" Iris gently caressed my hand and continued. "If you neglect me even a little or get distracted by another woman¡­." With a bright smile, she winked yfully. "I''ll crush it, got it?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 159: Interlude – Try Calling Me "Sister"? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 159: Interlude ¨C Try Calling Me "Sister"? Swish! A silver sh, resembling moonlight, sliced through the air. A sh so fast, it was hard to follow with the eyes. What began as a single silver streak split into two, then four, and continued dividing until it numbered in the dozens in the blink of an eye. It wasn¡¯t just an illusion meant to trick the eyes. Each strike carried enough force to shred steel as if it were paper. ¡®This is a technique I¡¯ve never seen before.¡¯ Watching the dazzling whirlwind of silver, I couldn¡¯t help but click my tongue in astonishment. I wasn¡¯t sure what kind of change of heart Yurina had undergone, but ever since she confessed her true identity to herpanions duringst summer¡¯s break, her swordsmanship had surged. To the point where even I struggled to keep up. ng! ng! ng! ng! The ash-gray de and the silver shes intertwined in mid-air. Blocking dozens of strikes simultaneously was no easy feat, but¡ª ¡®I haven¡¯t been just idly standing by myself.¡¯ Ashen Sword First Form Variation. Dissolution - Chain. The sword, enveloped in ash-like me, unleashed a fierce series of blows that deflected the dozens of silver shes. The intense impact shook the entire training hall. ¡°You¡¯ve improved a lot.¡± I looked back at Yurina and praised her after deflecting all her attacks. ¡°It¡¯s not over yet!¡± Yurina, gripping her sword again, raised it high and swung it. ¡°Haap!¡± With a confident cry, the Stigma engraved on her left chest began to glow. A silver aura wrapped around her sword and burst forth fiercely. Vrrrrrrm! Her sword sliced through the air, unleashing a silver sh. It started as a single streak but kept splitting and, in an instant, multiplied to dozens again. Thinking it was the same technique as before, I raised my sword to block¡ª Schaaa-schaa-schaa-schaa! ¡°No way¡­¡± The dozens of strikes expanded to hundreds. The training hall, already vast enough to feel oversized for one person, was suddenly filled with a sea of silver sword energy. Hundreds of silver strikes glided through the air in a circr formation, like staring up at a moonlit night sky. ¡®What is this?¡¯ This, too, was a technique I had never seen, not even in the ancient ruins or during her past life as Yuren. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Yurina¡¯s expression twisted as if the technique still burdened her. Biting her lip, she raised her sword high. ¡°Sun Sword Form Eight¡­¡± Form Eight? Form Eight?? I let out a hollowugh at the number spilling from Yurina¡¯s lips. Forms beyond Form Eight of the Sun Sword were techniques even Yuren had only mastered after joining my party in my previous life. That was after graduating school and fighting together for about ten years. In other words¡ª Right now, Yurina was trying to surpass ten¡­ no, even more years in one leap. And she was doing it with¡ª ¡°Moon¡­ Glow!¡± A technique that waspletely different from the ¡°Sun Sword Form Eight¡± I knew. Vrrrrrrm! The hundreds of gliding silver strikes all turned toward me at once. They didn¡¯t just shoot straight like arrows; each contained the finesse and mastery of the Sun Sword. For a moment, I felt as if I were facing hundreds of Yurinas at once, sending chills down my spine. ¡®This is¡­¡¯ Impossible to block. Rumble-rumble-rumble-rumble! The hundreds of strikes surged like a storm. It was a small mercy, perhaps, that each individual strike wasn¡¯t overwhelmingly powerful. But¡ª ¡°Gah¡­ cough!¡± Though it might have seemed ¡°weaker,¡± the sheer force of thebined attacks wasn¡¯t something to dismiss. Swept up in the storm of sword energy, I was flung away violently. Beep! Beep! The entire training hall shed with red emergency lights, and the rm red. ¡°D-Dale! Are you okay?¡± Yurina ran toward me, breathless with worry. ¡°Ugh¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡± It was a lie. To be honest, for a moment, I thought the ¡°Blessing of Revival¡± might have to activate. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I thought you could handle it easily, Dale¡­¡± Yurina stomped her feet in distress, not knowing what to do. ¡°Wait a moment! I¡¯ll go get Iris right away!¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t¡­ call her.¡± If Iris saw this, she¡¯d be horrified and scold me for ages. ¡°Are you really okay?¡± ¡°Ngh, yeah. Just need a little rest.¡± I staggered to a bench in the corner of the training room and sat down. ¡°So when did you learn that technique?¡± I asked while leaning back against the wall to catch my breath. Yurina responded with an embarrassed smile. ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯ve been practicing the Eighth Form of the Sun Sword recently.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± But it was nothing like the Eighth Form I knew. ¡°The original Sun Sword Form Eight is called ¡®Sr Veil,¡¯ but I reinterpreted it and created a new version.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I see. No wonder it was so different; Yurina had created her own version. ¡°And you named it ¡®Moon Glow¡¯?¡± ¡°Y-yeah. It felt more fitting to associate it with the moon, so I changed the name.¡± Yurina bowed her head, looking unsure. ¡°Is it¡­ arrogant of me?¡± ¡°Huh? Why would it be?¡± ¡°Well, I mean¡­ I altered the swordsmanship that the great Lord Reynald, the ¡®Sword of the Sun,¡¯ created.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± True. To Yurina, who grew up in the house of ¡®Helios,¡¯ Reynald¡¯s swordsmanship was almost sacred. Modifying it at will would be like a clergyman rewriting scripture to match their interpretation¡ªsomething heretical. But¡ª ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a problem at all.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± The moonlight reflected in Yurina¡¯s eyes, pushing away her shadows. ¡°No matter how great a sword technique may be, it isn¡¯t the best for everyone.¡± Just as I had forged my own path with the Ashen Sword, she was creating a new path that suited her. ¡°Though, if you¡¯re changing it, why not rename it entirely? Instead of the Sun Sword, call it the Moon Sword or something.¡± ¡°No, I won¡¯t go that far.¡± Yurina softly shook her head. ¡°Whether I like it or not, my roots are with the Sun Sword. I don¡¯t want to deny that.¡± She smiled faintly, recalling the days when she first learned the Sun Sword from Yuren. Though the story had ended in tragedy, there were moments of happiness she did not want to erase. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°By the way, Dale¡­ You didn¡¯t give your all just now, did you?¡± ¡°Huh? No, I did my best.¡± ¡°Liar. Your body didn¡¯t emit smoke, and there weren¡¯t any mes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± Was she talking about Ignition and re? ¡®Well, it¡¯s true that I didn¡¯t use them.¡¯ Still, excluding that, I had fought her with all the strength I could muster. ¡®And I lost, fair and square.¡¯ I swallowed a bitter smile and looked at Yurina. It was true that Ignition and re were my strongest assets right now, but considering how long I had wielded a sword, it didn¡¯t make sense that I was being outmatched in swordsmanship by Yurina. ¡®I¡¯ve spent thousands of years honing my sword skills, only to be caught up to in half a year.¡¯ Lately, Yurina¡¯s rate of growth was so astonishing that even I, who knew the previous ¡®Yuren,¡¯ was frequently surprised. ¡°Will there evere a day when I can catch up to you?¡± Even so, Yurina seemed to feel inadequate and asked in an anxious voice. ¡°It feels like you¡¯ve already caught up.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m still not at the level where I can protect you.¡± Yurina stroked the hilt of her sword as she spoke. ¡°I want to be strong enough to protect you, Dale.¡± ¡°Well¡­ there¡¯s no need to be so impatient. You¡¯re doing great already.¡± ¡°¡­Really? Am I doing well?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Then...¡± With a faint blush on her cheeks, Yurina tugged at my cor. I didn¡¯t need her to say anything more to know what she wanted. I reached out slowly and patted her on the head. ¡°Hehe.¡± Yurina smiled bashfully. A familiar chime interrupted as I continued the routine task of patting Yurina¡¯s head. Beep. [Cadet Iris, entry authorization confirmed.] The door to the training hall slid open with a clear, bell-like sound. ¡°¡­Doing that again, I see. Hmph, Yurina, your tastes are peculiar, I must say.¡± Iris entered and nced at me, still patting Yurina¡¯s head, with a wry look. ¡°N-no! This is...!¡± Yurina blushed and hastily took a step back. Iris let out a small chuckle as she watched. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not like this is the first time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Yurina tilted her head, puzzled at the rxed confidence in Iris¡¯s tone. ¡°I brought lunch. Make sure you eat before continuing.¡± ¡°Ah, thanks.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re hurt, aren¡¯t you?¡± Iris frowned as she carefully examined me. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯ll heal quickly on its own.¡± ¡°Still, you need treatment. Let me see your wound for a moment.¡± Iris ced her hand on the wound from training and murmured a brief incantation. A soft, silvery glow emanated from her hand and seeped into the cut. In the blink of an eye, the bleeding stopped, and the wound closed up. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Iris smiled softly as she traced the newly healed skin with her fingers. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yurina narrowed her eyes as she observed us. ¡°Did something happen between the two of you?¡± Perhaps it was intuition, but she sensed that the air between us had subtly changed. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing special.¡± Iris looked at Yurina and lifted the corners of her mouth in a sly grin. ¡°Dale and I started dating recently.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve decided to ept everything about Dale. Something like that.¡± ¡°W-wait a minute!¡± Yurina¡¯s eyes widened as she demanded an exnation. ¡°Then what about me...?¡± ¡°Yurina, you haven¡¯t given Dale an answer to his confession yet, have you?¡± ¡°Ugh! That¡¯s so unfair...!¡± Yurina bit her lip in frustration and walked briskly towards me. ¡°Dale! Are you really nning to leave me behind like this?!¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s...¡± ¡°You said you like me too!¡± Yurina clutched my cor, her eyes welling up with tears. It was a situation of my own making, but guilt surged within me, and all I could do was nod. That seemed to be enough for her. Yurina sighed in relief, looking more at ease. ¡°Does this make us even?¡± ¡°Hmph. I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s exactly the same.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I was a little faster. And besides...¡± Iris crossed her arms and looked at Yurina. ¡°You mentioned that you¡¯re actually the younger sister of ¡®Yuren,¡¯ right?¡± ¡°¡­So what?¡± ¡°That means you¡¯re technically younger than me, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was true. Yurina¡¯s actual age matched that of a first-year cadet at the Hero Academy. ¡°Bringing up age at a time like this?¡± ¡°Oh? Don¡¯t you know how important age is in rtionships? There¡¯s even an old saying in the Republic: ¡®Respect the order of seniority.¡¯¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°Hmm. Well then, Yurina... or should I say, little Yurina.¡± Iris smiled triumphantly and reached out to pat Yurina¡¯s cheek. ¡°Won¡¯t you call me ¡®big sister¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yurina¡¯s face crumpled in frustration. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 160: Witch of the Night (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 160: Witch of the Night (1) Night had fallen, cloaking thend like a dark curtain. Atop a towering rock that looked like a spear thrust from the heavens, a young man with white hair sat, his expression calm and poised. Thud, thud, thud. With each tremor shaking the ground, something massive was approaching him. Or rather, to be precise, it was an elderly man riding atop the massive creature. "Did the n go awry again?" The old man asked, his cracked voice cutting through the night as he eyed the white-haired young man. The young man managed a faint, bitter smile and nodded slowly. "It seems that way." "Heh, it''s rare to see the Archbishop of Corruption fail repeatedly." "Things in this world don''t always go as nned." The young man, known as the "Archbishop of Corruption" ¡ª Mephisto ¡ª shrugged his shoulders and looked down at Valha City in the distance. The lights sprawled out like an upside-down gxy against the darkened sky, illuminating the heavens with the lights of human civilization. "Was it Serpente? I seem to recall that was a servant you cherished." At the mention of Serpente, Mephisto¡¯s shoulders twitched ever so slightly. But only for a moment. Mephisto smiled as he replied, "It¡¯s fine. Just another pawn to use and discard as needed." "Heh. You ought to learn to value your servants more." The old man, Jackal, sighed as he gently patted the massive creature he was riding. A pained groan escaped the beast each time Jackal¡¯s hand brushed its back. Watching the scene, Mephisto forced back a bitter smile as he adjusted his monocle. "You''re thest person I¡¯d expect to hear that from." "Heh heh heh." Jackal let out a phlegmyugh. "By the way, what¡¯s that kid been up totely? He¡¯s been unusually quiet." "I have no idea where or what Seto is doing these days." "Hmm. And Lactasia also vanished suddenly¡­ Tsk, tsk. How are we supposed to break the Demon God¡¯s seal if we¡¯re all so scattered?" "¡­" At the mention of the Demon God''s seal, Mephisto''s lips curved into a faint smile. "Isn''t this the usual, though? No need to worry about it now." "Heh. Fair enough. Oh, speaking of which, how¡¯s the ¡®witch¡¯ you mentioneding along?" "No setbacks on that front." Mephisto¡¯s lips curled into a smirk as he shrugged. "It¡¯s not that I doubt you, but¡­ can a mere candidate girl really wield the power to destroy half a continent in an instant?" Truthfully, even for him, such destruction across half the continent was unthinkable. Perhaps the ¡°Archbishop of Destruction,¡± currently ranked highest among the archbishops, might attempt such a feat. "Well, you¡¯ll see for yourself in time." Mephisto''s smile deepened. "Soon, the ¡®Witch of the Night¡¯ will awaken." * * * "Whew. Finally, some alone time." I sat in my newly renovated dorm room, relieved to be alone. I¡¯d been worn out recently from the tension between Iris and Yurina, so having time to myself had be a rare luxury. ¡®If you ask whether I''m happy¡­ well, yes, I am.¡¯ It¡¯s hard toin when I have two beautiful partners like Iris and Yurina. When I first confessed to them, I was wracked with guilt and couldn¡¯t sleep, but recently I¡¯ve started to feel a bit more at ease. ¡®Professor Elisha, though¡­¡¯ As my mind calmed, thoughts of Professor Elisha surfaced naturally. ¡®That¡¯s something to worry aboutter.¡¯ Right now, handling Iris and Yurina was enough of a handful on its own. "Now then, let¡¯s see¡­" With this rare bit of free time, I decided to organize my current situation. ¡®My life is worlds better than before.¡¯ When I returned to the past half a year ago, I resolved to change the future and lead my allies. But honestly, I never anticipated things would go this well. Not only Iris, Yurina, Berald, and senior Sophia, but also people like Professor Elisha, Cami, and Juliet, who I never even exchanged a word with in my previous life. Everything was going far smoother than I could have imagined. But¡­ "It¡¯s too early to rx." The Demon God is powerful. Or rather, ¡°powerful¡± doesn¡¯t quite capture the enormity of what he is. He¡¯s a force of nature, existing solely to bring ruin upon the world, rather than a sentient being with intelligence. Fighting him with our current strength would be hopelessly inadequate. ¡®The best oue, of course, would be to prevent his seal from breaking in the first ce.¡¯ While we couldn¡¯t predict what the future held, it was wise to prepare for anything. "Let¡¯s see¡­ as for people I should connect with at school¡­" The top priority, without a doubt, was Aaron Baek, the ¡°Meteor Spear.¡± He was a standout talent, ranking first among the fourth-year candidates ¡ª and in the future, he was renowned as Yurina¡¯s rival, destined to be a powerful hero. ¡®If I can bring Aaron Baek to our side, he¡¯ll be an invaluable ally in the future.¡¯ I had heard Yurina say it herself in my past life. Aaron was the one person she felt she¡¯d never surpass, no matter how hard she tried. ¡®To think Yuren¡­.no Yurina, of all people, would acknowledge his talent.¡¯ If I could nurture his abilities further, just as I did with Yurina and Berald¡­ Aaron Baek would undoubtedly be a key pir of our strength alongside them. "...Before that." Connecting with Aaron was important, but there was something I had to take care of first. "¡­" A problem I had been putting off again and again. One misstep could freeze half the continent. The monster who had haunted my nightmares in my previous life. The ¡°Witch of the Night,¡± Lanez Mm. Just the thought of her name sent a shiver down my spine. Images of a snow-covered wastnd shed through my mind. "Ugh." A suffocating sensation gripped my chest. I trembled, clutching my heart. The reason I hadn¡¯t gone to see the Witch of the Night, even though I knew she was at the same school, was simple: ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡± Yeah. I¡¯m scared of facing the Night Witch. I''m afraid of the terrible disaster she caused, of an irreparable nightmare being recreated. Unbearably. Insufferably. Terrifying. ¡°Heh.¡± A dryugh escaped my lips. ¡°A guy who doesn¡¯t die even if his head explodes, trembling in fear like this.¡± I know well enough how pathetic this looks. But what can I do? Having witnessed the disaster the Night Witch caused firsthand, I can¡¯t help but fear her. ¡®In some ways, she¡¯s even more terrifying than the demons.¡¯ We hold awe, not fear, for cmities like earthquakes, tsunamis, and typhoons; demons, being so beyond us, evoke reverence over fear. But the Night Witch¡­ ¡°¡­¡± I clenched my trembling fist. Honestly, just thinking about her makes my legs shake, but¡­ I can¡¯t keep burying my head in the ground, avoiding her forever. ¡®I have to face her.¡¯ Yeah. I¡¯ll meet Lanez Mm before she bes the ¡°Night Witch.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] After thoroughly investigating her¡­ ¡®I¡¯ll kill her.¡¯ Before the seed of disaster lying dormant inside Lanez awakens. * * * ¡°Now, let¡¯s see¡­¡± Arriving at the building used by fourth-year candidates, I looked around. ¡®Where¡¯s Lanez Mm¡¯s ssroom?¡¯ In the Hero Academy, students typically switch ssrooms depending on their courses, but starting in fourth year, they have fixed ssrooms. The reason for this is to deepen the bonds among party members. Unlike the lower-grade candidates who reorganize parties for each ss, fourth-year candidates form somewhat ¡°fixed parties,¡± so the ssrooms are set so they can attend sses together. ¡®If you end up in the wrong fixed party, you¡¯ll suffer through all of fourth year.¡¯ I suppressed a bitter smile at the memory from my past life. As I wandered around, looking for Lanez¡¯ ssroom¡­ ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Oh, Senior Sophia.¡± Sophia spotted me lurking in the hallway and approached. ¡°Hmph. A third-year strolling around the fourth-year building like it¡¯s your own ce?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s no rule against third-yearsing in, is there?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ true, I guess. So, what brings you here?¡± ¡°Do you happen to know a candidate named Lanez Mm among the fourth-years?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Sophia flinched at the mention of her name. ¡°¡­I do know her, but why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m running an errand for Professor Elisha. I¡¯m trying to find Lanez¡¯ ssroom.¡± As usual, I pulled out the go-to excuse: Professor Elisha. ¡°Are you in the same ss as her?¡± ¡°¡­No, she¡¯s in ss A. I¡¯m in ss B.¡± ¡°Then, where¡¯s ss A?¡± Sophia pointed to a ssroom, and I nodded. ¡°By the way, how¡¯s it going with Berald these days?¡± ¡°Ahem. W-why do you care?¡± Sophia turned her head sharply, her cheeks reddening, indicating things weren¡¯t going too badly. ¡°Looks like things are going well.¡± ¡°Urgh¡­¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll get going.¡± ¡°J-just go already!¡± I chuckled and headed toward the ss A ssroom Sophia had indicated. When I opened the door, I found an empty ssroom. I waited at the front of the room for the ss A candidates toe in, but over an hour passed without a sign of anyone. ¡®No ss today?¡¯ For all the trouble I went through to face my fear and find Lanez Mm, the situation felt anticlimactic. ¡°Ugh.¡± Thinking I¡¯d have toe backter, I left the fourth-year building. As I stepped outside¡­ ¡°Hm?¡± From behind the building. In a damp, rarely frequented corner, I heard voices. Tilting my head, I walked behind the building. What I saw there was¡­ ¡°Ugh¡­¡± A woman with violet hair, curled up and trembling. ¡°How many times do we have to tell you? Don¡¯t walk around shamelessly like this, you witch.¡± ¡°Stop hitting on Aaron, you b¡ª!¡± ¡°What is a demon¡¯s offspring even doing in the Hero Academy?¡± ¡°She¡¯s tough, I¡¯ll give her that. Not dropping out, even after all this?¡± ¡°Get out of the academy already. Just seeing your face makes me sick.¡± Surrounding her were a group of candidates. ¡°¡­¡± A scene full of malice. She was curled up, hiding her face, but¡­ It wasn¡¯t hard to recognize the violet-haired woman as Lanez Mm¡ªthe ¡°Night Witch.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 161: Witch of the Night (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 161: Witch of the Night (2) The Frozen Ground. Blood droplets scattered over the pure white world swept by a snowstorm. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± The Witch of the Night let out a faint sigh as she looked down at the sword that had pierced through her stomach. Slowly, she copsed onto the thickly piled snow. She turned her head toward the gray-haired hero who had driven the sword into her abdomen. ¡°Hah¡­ hah¡­¡± The hero staggered closer to her, his breathsing out ragged. Swoosh. He roughly pulled out the sword that had been lodged in her stomach. Red blood spilled onto the snowy ground. ¡°¡­Cold.¡± The witch murmured as she clutched her bleeding abdomen. ¡°Cold?¡± The hero''s face twisted in rage at her whispered words. The witch, barely breathing, as if her life could be extinguished at any moment, nodded her head faintly. ¡°Yes. Very, very cold¡­¡± ¡°Hah.¡± A mockingugh escaped from the hero. He red at her with bloodshot eyes. ¡°So, you can feel the cold too?¡± The very person who turned thisnd into a frozen wastnd. The worst witch, who had massacred hundreds of thousands without batting an eye. Shivering from the ¡®cold.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help butugh bitterly. ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯ve been cold for a long time¡­ always¡­ very¡­ cold.¡± The witch reached out toward the hero, as if pleading. ¡°Just once¡­ even if it¡¯s just once, please¡­¡± Red tears, mingled with blood, flowed down her cheek. ¡°I want¡­ to be¡­ warm¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Smack! The hero pped her hand away harshly, grinding his teeth. ¡°You want to be warm, even if it¡¯s just once?¡± He twisted his mouth in a grimace and gripped his sword. ¡°Give me a break.¡± He muttered a harsh curse. ¡°Spend eternity freezing to death, you damned witch.¡± Thrust! He drove the sword into the witch¡¯s heart. And so, The witch¡¯s long nightmare came to an end. And the hero¡¯s long nightmare had only just begun. * * * ¡°¡­¡­¡± Memories of my past life surfaced. The day I killed Lanez Mm, the Witch of the Night. After countless sacrifices, innumerable deaths, and unimaginable despair, I finally reached her. I remember barely managing to drive the sword into her heart after dying hundreds, maybe thousands of times. To me, Lanez Mm was the very embodiment of a nightmare. I wandered through the snowy wilderness she created for millennia. White snowstorms, ground so thick with snow it swallowed you up to your knees, and bone-chilling cold. That memory has lingered deep within me, still an unshakable trauma to this day. ¡°¡­¡­¡± But now¡­ The witch who haunted me, who ughtered millions¡­ ¡°I''m¡­ I''m sorry. I''m so sorry. I was wrong.¡± Seeing her curled up, crying in remorse, I was unsure how to react. Should I feel satisfaction at her karma, or pity her past? As I searched for an answer to this question without an answer¡ª ¡°What are you all doing here?¡± A silver-haired man approached us. Aaron Baek. A fourth-year candidate ranked number one in theposite rankings and the descendant of ¡®God Spear¡¯ Baek Seunghyuk, one of the Five Great Heroes. Behind Aaron stood Be Leonhart, ranked second and Aaron¡¯s future lover known as the ¡®Ghost de.¡¯ ¡°A-Aaron?¡± ¡°Why is Aaron here¡­?¡± The candidates looked flustered as Aaron appeared. They exchanged nces and slowly moved away from Lanez. ¡°I asked what you were doing here.¡± ¡°N-nothing.¡± ¡°We just¡­ got into a little argument¡­.¡± ¡°An argument?¡± Aaron chuckled coldly at their hasty excuses. He nced sharply at the group and continued. ¡°I thought I told you to leave Lanez alone?¡± ¡°¡­But.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a witch! How can we attend sses with the child of a demon?!¡± One of the candidates shouted, sounding indignant. They were right; Lanez Mm was a half-blood born of a demon and a hero. Though she bore neither the mark of a demon nor any demonic powers, there was no denying the ¡®demonic¡¯ blood flowing in her veins. And that blood came from a powerful demon who once held the rank of archbishop. ¡°Hah.¡± Aaron let out a short sigh before speaking. ¡°I understand how you feel. But it¡¯s not like Lanez chose to be born as the child of a demon, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°And we only have one more semester before we graduate. Why start something now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because we¡¯re almost graduating!¡± One of the candidates, seething, red fiercely at Lanez. Lanez, who had been cautiously observing the situation, quickly looked down again. ¡°In just one semester, she¡¯ll be given a hero¡¯s license! How does it make sense to give a hero¡¯s license to a demon¡¯s child? Do you think that¡¯s okay, Aaron?¡± ¡°Calm down.¡± Aaron ced a hand on the agitated candidate¡¯s shoulder, speaking in a calm, subdued voice. The candidate flinched. ¡°S-sorry.¡± ¡°Anyway, I hope this won¡¯t happen again. We¡¯re all ssmates sharing the same lecture hall, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± The candidates looked defeated as they turned and entered the building. ¡°Phew.¡± Aaron let out a sigh and extended a hand to the crouching Lanez. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Y-yes. Th-thank you.¡± As Lanez nodded slightly and reached for his hand¡ª Thud! ¡°Urgh!¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Be Leonhart, who had been watching from the side, kicked Lanez roughly in the stomach. ¡°How dare you, witch, try to take Aaron¡¯s hand?¡± Be red at Lanez as if looking at a squashed insect. Aaron turned to her, horrified. ¡°Be! What are you doing¡­?¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re kind, Aaron. But.¡± Be bit her lip, looking back at him. ¡°At least you should not defend this witch, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ wait! Hold on, Be!¡± Aaron ran after Be, who was stomping away without a backward nce. ¡°¡­¡­¡± After the two disappeared. Left alone, Lanez slowly lifted herself up. ¡°Ugh¡­ it hurts.¡± Grimacing, she clutched her stomach, where Be had struck her. ¡°Sniff¡­ sob.¡± Tears trickled down Lanez¡¯s cheeks. After crying to herself for a while, she staggered and started walking. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± My gaze met Lanez¡¯s. Startled, she took a step back, her eyes drifting to the badge on my left chest. ¡°A third-year¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Lanez hesitantly approached me, looking timid. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± What is she apologizing for? ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s all my fault.¡± What does she think she did wrong? ¡°It¡¯s not like everyone¡¯s a bad person or anything!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°So¡­ please¡­ don¡¯t spread weird rumors about me!¡± Shouting those words at me in desperation, Lanez turned and ran off as if fleeing. Left alone, I leaned against the building wall and let out a deep sigh. ¡°¡­What in the world is going on now?¡± Even after all this time. The world was still full of things I couldn¡¯t understand. * * * The next day. I called for Senior Sophia at the main building caf¨¦, choosing a ce far away to avoid running into the other fourth-year candidates. ¡°You¡¯re as bold as ever, having the nerve to call your senior out here like this. You haven¡¯t changed.¡± Sophia grumbled about walking for over 20 minutes to get here, then ordered a caramel mhiato topped with whipped cream, pouring syrup generously and sipping it through her straw. ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that too sweet?¡± ¡°Sugar is fuel for the brain.¡± ¡°That much sugar might be poison, not fuel.¡± Sophia shot me a re before speaking. ¡°So, what is it you want to ask?¡± ¡°You said before that you know about Lanez Mm, right?¡± ¡°Yes, to some extent.¡± ¡°I wanted to hear what you know. That¡¯s why I called you here.¡± Sophia¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Are you¡­ interested in her?¡± ¡°Not so much interested as¡­ curious.¡± ¡°Ugh. Drop it. There¡¯s nothing good to be gained by getting involved with her.¡± Sophia sighed, shaking her head. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll tell you what I know.¡± She set her coffee cup down on the table and continued. ¡°Lanez Mm. A fourth-year magic department candidate, ranked at the bottom of her ss.¡± The bottom, huh. It was clear that the ¡°blessing¡± within her hadn¡¯t yet blossomed. ¡°You know she¡¯s a half-blood of a demon and a hero, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Her mother was a demon known as the ¡®Archbishop of Frost¡¯ about 30 years ago. Her father was also a famous hero who ranked in the top five.¡± I knew this much already. And I knew why both of them were spoken of in the past tense. ¡°They defied opposition and got married, had Lanez, and lived happily until¡­¡± Tragedy struck. ¡°The Archbishop of Frost¡­ Celia Mm had a sudden outburst, killing her husband and attacking people indiscriminately. Not long after, she, too, was killed by a hero.¡± And so. Lanez Mm was left all alone, having lost both her parents. ¡°She was allowed to enroll in the Hero Academy because¡­¡± ¡°Apparently, her father was close to Headmaster Lionel. He believed the child was innocent and granted her admission.¡± Sophia sighed briefly as she continued. ¡°Though¡­ I imagine from her perspective, it might have been better if she hadn¡¯t been admitted.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I thought of Lanez, huddled and trembling in the middle of the other candidates. ¡°Do you know what happened between Lanez and Senior Aaron?¡± I remembered Be Leonhardt¡¯s words, ¡°At the very least, Aaron shouldn¡¯t be defending that witch,¡± and asked. ¡°¡­Do you remember how the Archbishop of Frost was killed shortly after her rampage?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The hero who killed her was Aaron¡¯s father.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°And Aaron¡¯s father also died from wounds he received fighting her.¡± ¡°¡­Then.¡± To Aaron, Lanez was¡­ ¡°She¡¯s the child of his parent¡¯s murderer¡­ isn¡¯t she.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Thinking about theplicated, entangled connection between the two of them, I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 162: Witch of the Night (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 162: Witch of the Night (3) A few days passed without any progress on either Lanez Mm or Aaron Baek. "Alright, everyone, take your seats." tter. Professor Lucas entered the ssroom as the door creaked open. Since the professors had been bogged down with meetings recently, resulting in a series of self-training sessions without proper sses, his appearance was a wee sight for the students. "So, how was it? Did you all enjoy it while I was away?" Professor Lucas smiled as he looked around at the candidates. No one responded, merely offering awkward smiles and avoiding eye contact. Chuckling, Professor Lucas continued. "For today¡¯s ss¡­ No, this week¡¯s ss, we¡¯re scheduled to have a ¡®mentorship¡¯ session to boost your practical skills by pairing you up with fourth-year candidates." "Mentorship session?" "You mean¡­ with the fourth-years?" The candidates tilted their heads, puzzled by the unfamiliar concept. This was my first time hearing about it, too. ''So, the curriculum really has changed.'' I had suspected as much when the professors suddenly started having constant meetings. A new type of ss that even I had never taken in my previous life had been added. "The ss content is simple. Each of you will join a fourth-year party, head out of the academy, and hunt demonic beasts." "Out of the academy?" "That means¡­" The candidates stiffened at the mention of leaving the academy grounds. "Yes. This isn¡¯t a training program organized by the academy. It¡¯s real ¡®fieldwork.¡¯" "...!" Professor Lucas''s bombshell caused a ripple of unease among the candidates. Although the ss was titled "Practical Combat Training," previous sessions had always included minimum safeguards provided by the academy. During the midterm evaluations, beasts of moderate difficulty had been corralled into specific zones. The opponents were golems created by the Republic for the final exams rather than actual beasts. But this time... "There will be no safety measures. If you''re unlucky, you might face Grade-A level beasts during the hunt, or even have to fight demons instead." "¡­." Tension flickered across the candidates'' faces. Fieldwork. They knew it was something they¡¯d have to face if they ever became heroes, but the reality of it approaching so soon sent chills down their spines. Professor Lucas smirked at their stiffened expressions. "Of course, we¡¯re not expecting you to head out and face fieldwork alone right away. The main objective of this session is for you to observe the fourth-years hunting beasts up close and learn from them." Hearing this, the candidates rxed slightly. Though there was only a year of difference, the idea of apanying fourth-year seniors who were nearly ready to graduate made them feel more reassured. Besides, the current fourth-year ss was known for being exceptionally talented. Observing their beast-hunting techniques up close would surely be invaluable. "The partypositions will be four fourth-years to one third-year. The scheduling will be adjusted by ss due to the numbers not aligning perfectly." "Will we be randomly assigned to parties?" "No. You¡¯ll be split based on your overall rankings." Professor Lucas operated the device on the lectern to disy a hologram as he continued his exnation. "Candidates with lower ranks will be assigned to higher-ranked fourth-year parties, while high-ranking candidates will join lower-ranked parties." "W-Wait a minute! Doesn¡¯t that mean the higher our rank, the more disadvantageous it is?" One candidate protested with a look of frustration. Professor Lucas nodded. "To some extent, yes. But if we were to group the top ranks together and the bottom ranks together, the risk would be even greater." "Ugh¡­." The candidates had no rebuttal, merely swallowing their frustration. "High-ranking candidates may end up having to carry the load rather than learning much, but¡­ that, too, is part of the experience. ept it with humility." The lower-ranked candidates grinned brightly, while the higher-ranked ones sighed deeply. "Alright, let''s start assigning the parties. Come up one at a time." And so, the mentoring session¡¯s party assignments began. The fourth-year party I was assigned to... "Oh, right." Professor Lucas looked at me, sighed deeply, and rubbed his forehead as if he had a headache. "This guy¡­ ended up at the bottom, didn¡¯t he¡­?" And so. My mentoring session was set with the top-ranked fourth-year party. * * * "Haha! So, you¡¯re that quirky third-year everyone¡¯s been talking about¡ªthe one who deliberately keeps his rank low." "..." I could only swallow a groan internally as I faced the silver-haired, good-looking man with a heartyugh. ''How did that rumor even spread?'' It was hard to deny it, given the things I¡¯d done, but I couldn¡¯t help feeling wronged. "I¡¯ve been really curious. Do you have a special reason for sticking to the bottom rank?" "Oh¡­ well." I swallowed back the words that almost spilled out, insisting it wasn''t intentional, and forced an awkward smile. "It just kind of ended up that way." "Ah, so there¡¯s a story behind it? Haha. Well, if it¡¯s a secret you can¡¯t share, I won¡¯t press." "¡­." This is driving me crazy. "Anyway, I¡¯m honored to meet the infamous bottom-ranked hero. I¡¯m Aaron Baek." "I¡¯m Dale Han." "Oh, right, we¡¯re both from the Republic! Haha! Let¡¯s get along well, fellow Republicrade!" With a friendly smile, Aaron extended his hand. As I shook his hand, a brte woman suddenly leaned in with a lively grin. "Hello, junior! I¡¯m Be Leonhart!" Be Leonhart waved with a bright, energetic voice. I lightly bowed my head and looked at her intently. ''Aaron Baek and Be Leonhart.'' The Meteor Spear and the Ghost de. Both were destined to be some of the top heroes in the near future. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡®This is promising.¡¯ Keeping my position at the bottom didn¡¯t seem beneficial, but I never expected such a golden opportunity toe rolling in. ¡®If I could get close to either of them¡­ or even just one, it would be a huge sess.¡¯ After all, these two were destined to be a couple in the future. If I could win over just one of them, the other would likely follow suit. ¡®Alright, then¡­¡¯ Affection Meter: ON. "I¡¯ve heard a lot about you, Senior Aaron. Among the juniors, you''re already famous as the hero who will surpass ¡®Divine Spear.''" "Haha, how could I dare surpass the ancestors?" "Thanks to Principal Lionel Ryu''s achievements, the status of the Ryu family has risen significantly within the Republic, but... I still think the Baek family, with its long-standing traditions, is the greatest family in the Republic." "Ahem! Is that so?" Aaron''s expression perked up at the mention of family heritage. ''Of course he''d be interested.'' The Baek family traditionally held higher prestige, but recently, it seemed they''d fallen somewhat behind the Ryus. The Ryu family had a distinguished hero, Lionel Ryu, while the Baek family had lost its central figure when Aaron''s father passed away. From Aaron''s perspective, being the one to bear the family''s future from such a young age, he couldn''t help but be swayed by praise that elevated the Baek family. ''And next¡­'' "So, are you and Senior Be a couple?" "Huh? Oh, no, we¡¯re not exactly¡­." "Why? Do we look like we''re dating?" Be Leonhart grabbed the bait, her eyes shining. I tilted my head, feigning a look of surprise. "Aren''t you? Seeing you together, I thought you two made an amazing couple¡­." "Haha! Really? Is that how it looked~?" Be nudged Aaron with her elbow, her smile widening. "Our junior seems to have a good eye. What do you think, Aaron?" "...Ahem." Aaron turned his head, face reddening as he avoided Be¡¯s gaze. "It¡¯s an honor to be in a party with such outstanding seniors. I¡¯ll make sure to learn all I can from your expertise during this lesson." "We¡¯ll do our best to teach you. Looking forward to working with you." "You really do speak so nicely! I like you already!" Alright. ''First impressions are off to a good start.'' A smug smile crept across my face as I watched the smiling Aaron and Be. "You shouldn''t trust what that guy says." A gruff voice cut through. I turned to see who spoke and found Laios Ryu ring at me fiercely. ''So that guy¡¯s in the party too?'' I thought, realizing things were getting tricky. "Laios! What are you saying to our junior?!" Be snapped at Laios, frowning. As soon as she scolded him, Laios flinched and shrank back. "N-No, I was just¡­." "Don¡¯t go picking fights with our junior." "...Sorry." "Honestly, always so twisted¡­ Junior! You don¡¯t have to mind anything Laios says!" Seems like I won¡¯t need to step in. With a faint smile, I nced at Aaron, Be, and Laios. ¡®Definitely a party worthy of top marks.¡¯ A party with Meteor Spear, Ghost de, and Thunder Emperor. With members like this, even at the current level, they''d be a match for a high-ranking hero party. ''Now, who¡¯s thest member?'' For bnce, a support type would be perfect. But no name came to mind. "Hm... they''re a bitte." "Aren¡¯t they always?" Aaron frowned as he checked his Hero Watch. Just as he was about to make a call¡ª ¡°Hah, hah! Sorry I¡¯mte¡­!¡± A woman with violet hair appeared at the meeting ce, gasping for breath. With a slender frame that looked like she¡¯d break if you nudged her, she was carrying an enormous backpack that seemed way too heavy, her legs trembling under its weight. "It just took too long to pack¡­." "Always with the excuses. Can¡¯t you pack earlier?" Be frowned, casting a cold gaze at the violet-haired woman. "S-Sorry¡­." "Whatever. Better than showing up early and being a nuisance." "..." The violet-haired woman flinched and lowered her head. "Be, that¡¯s enough." "...Hmph." "Sigh." Aaron let out a short sigh as he approached the violet-haired woman. "Introducing the final member of our party, Lanez Mm." "Ah... you are¡­." "Hmm? Do you know Dale?" "N-No." Lanez fidgeted as she approached me and, as if I were her superior, bowed her head politely. "H-Hello." "..." For some reason, an uneasy feeling swept over me, as if this party would be anything but smooth. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 163: Witch of the Night (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 163: Witch of the Night (4) That¡¯s how our mentoring ss party came together. Our destination was a demonic beast-prone area far south of Valha City. For a hero, the direction ¡°south¡± has many negative connotations. In the south lies Gehenna City, the city of demons. It¡¯s also where the most notoriously dangerous ruins are clustered, and where humanity''sst frontier teems with all kinds of demonic beasts. The reason demons and demonic beasts gathered in the south was simple. In the west lies the Empire, in the east the Republic, in the north the Holy Kingdom, and in the center, the Hero Academy and Valha City. After the Demon God was sealed, the demons¡ªwhose forces had weakened¡ªhad no choice but to settle in the south, a ce filled with harsh terrain and ruins. Naturally, the southern region became a dreaded wastnd for humanity. And now, we were heading toward that southern wastnd. ¡°Hey, Aaron, are you sure this is okay?¡± Laios, who was following behind, spoke up, looking nervous. ¡°The ce we¡¯re heading to... it¡¯s ranked as an A-rank danger zone by the Tri-Nation Hero Alliance, isn¡¯t it?¡± An A-rank danger zone was highly perilous, the kind of ce even skilled hero parties would hesitate to approach. To explore an A-rank danger zone, you¡¯d need at least a high-ranking hero, one with notable abilities. ¡°Haha, no need to worry. Our party should be able to handle it.¡± Aaron gave a cool smile and shrugged. He wasn¡¯t being foolishly overconfident in a cliched way. Aaron indeed possessed skillsparable to a top-tier hero. And with Be and Laios added in, our party was objectively capable enough to explore an A-rank zone. Of course, that¡¯s in a ¡°normal¡± situation. ¡°But...¡± Laios nced toward me and Lanez, who were following at the party''s rear. His face twisted in frustration. ¡°Did we really have to bring along those dead weights?¡± ¡°Dead weights? Watch your words, Laios. They¡¯re party members too,¡± Aaron said, frowning in irritation. Laios flinched at Aaron¡¯s gaze. Aaron sighed and continued speaking. ¡°If worstes to worst, I can use my ¡®blessing,¡¯ so there¡¯s no need to worry.¡± ¡°Mmm... okay.¡± Laios, who still looked worried, nodded as soon as he heard the word ¡°blessing.¡± But Be Leonhart, who was next to him, reacted instead. ¡°Aaron! Didn¡¯t you promise to save your blessing for me?¡± ¡°I told you, I¡¯d only use it in the worst-case scenario. I don¡¯t n on using it lightly,¡± Aaron said, smiling and shrugging. Be scolded him for always choosing the riskiest options, but ultimately, she couldn¡¯t change his mind. ¡°Anyway, the path ahead is rough, so everyone, try to keep up. Let me know if you need a break.¡± With that, Aaron took the lead and quickened his pace. Squish, squish. Just as Aaron had said, the road was not easy. The dense jungle forced us to use light magic even in the daytime to see our way, and the marsnds that swallowed our ankles drained our energy with each step. Although Aaron, Be, and Laios, who were naturally skilled, managed reasonably well in these conditions, Lanez, already struggling with herck of strength and the heavy load on her back, looked like she could copse at any moment. Even while gasping for breath, Lanez didn¡¯t say a word about resting and desperately kept up with the party from the rear. ¡°Lanez.¡± Unable to watch any longer, I approached her. ¡°H-huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll carry it.¡± ¡°N-no!¡± Lanez shook her head, clutching the backpack like it was a treasure chest. ¡°This is all I can contribute to the party¡­ I have to carry it.¡± Lanez¡¯s face held a look of desperation. ¡°...¡± Watching her, I turned to Aaron, who was at the front. ¡°Aaron.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°It feels like I¡¯m about to die. Can we take a break?¡± ¡°Oh, sorry. I forgot we had neers with us.¡± Scratching his head, Aaron gave an embarrassed smile. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s rest around here.¡± Aaron drew his spear from his back and swung it lightly. The blue aura emanating from the spear cut down several trees. Thud! Thud! Thud! In an instant, several trees fell, creating makeshift seats. ¡°How does it feel to be outside of school for the first time? Nervous?¡± Aaron asked, sitting down on one of the tree stumps. I nodded and sat down with him. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a bit nerve-wracking.¡± ¡°Haha. I was the same way when I went on my first demonic beast hunt outside school.¡± Encouraged by my response, Aaron, beaming, started sharing a ¡°back in my day¡± story. ¡°All those lessons we thought we¡¯d mastered just vanished from my mind, and I felt like my brain had gone nk.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s always like that the first time. Once you get used to it¡­¡± ¡°Aaron!¡± Smack! Be, who was sitting next to Aaron, frowned and pped his back. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you stop yourself from going on about the old days?¡± ¡°What? I¡¯m just trying to help the rookie adapt¡­¡± ¡°Going on and on about how things were ¡®back in your day¡¯ while they¡¯re just trying to catch their breath isn¡¯t helping. Let them rest properly when they need to rest.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Aaron shrank under Be¡¯s scolding, while Laios watched with a jealous look. ¡°What a lively party.¡± I sighed and turned to look at Lanez. ¡°Huff, huff¡­ whew.¡± Finally, looking like she could breathe, Lanez sat on a stump and caught her breath. ¡°¡­¡± I watched her with aplicated expression. Thud, thud! The sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the jungle. And it wasn''t just one set of footsteps, but several. ¡°Prepare for battle.¡± Aaron quickly stood up and gripped his spear. He pointed it toward the direction of the approaching sounds, sharply surveying the surroundings. ¡°Grrr.¡± ¡°Hiss!¡± Emerging from the jungle was a demonic creature with the head of a snake and the head of a human, a demonic lizard. It looked like a smaller version of the crocodile demonic beast they had encountered during the mid-term evaluation. ¡°¡­A Seven-Eyed Level demonic beast.¡± Aaron quickly counted the number of eyes on the lizard demonic beast and turned his head. Five Seven-Eyed Level demonic beasts were surrounding them. As expected of an A-rank danger zone, the demonic beasts appearing here were formidable. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°I¡¯ll take the lead. Everyone else, back me up.¡± After giving instructions to Be and Laios, Aaron charged forward. ¡°Ha!¡± Aaron¡¯s blue aura red as he shot forward like aet. Crunch! ¡°Screeech!¡± The blue streak pierced through the tough scales of the lizard demonic beast. The lizard demonic beast writhed and shrieked in pain. Though it was a severe wound,rge enough to pierce its body, it wasn¡¯t enough to kill the Seven-Eyed demonic beast. ¡°Grr!¡± The lizard demonic beast exhaled harsh breaths, coiling its long tail around Aaron''s spear. Just as it was about to wrest the spear from Aaron''s hands with a flick of its tail. ¡°Vanish.¡± Swoosh. Aaron''s body melted into thin air, only to reappear behind the lizard demonic beast. It wasn¡¯t a warp across space. He simply moved behind it so quickly that he became invisible for an instant. Crunch! The tip of his spear pierced through the demonic beast¡¯s head. ¡°Screeeech!¡± One of the lizard demonic beasts encircling them lunged at Aaron. ¡°Not so fast!¡± Be dashed forward, blocking its path. A red glow shed in her eyes. ¡°Take this!¡± Shick-shick-shick-shick-shick-shick-shick! With a short shout, she unleashed a terrifyingly fast flurry of shes. The lizard demonic beast''s body was torn to shreds in an instant. ¡°Grr!¡± ¡°Hisss!¡± The remaining three demonic beasts exchanged nces and then charged at the rear of the party. But waiting for them was¡ª ¡°You wretched lizard bastards¡­!¡± Laios blocked their path. ¡°Thunder,e forth!¡± Boom! With a deafening roar, a wall of lightning formed around Laios¡¯ body. ¡°Shrieeeek!¡± One of the charging lizard demonic beasts couldn''t control its speed and crashed into the wall of lightning, shrieking in agony. ¡®Wow.¡¯ In line with the mentoring lesson, as I observed the senior students¡¯ battle, I couldn¡¯t help but let out a soft sigh of admiration. ¡®Impressive.¡¯ Aaron, Be, and Laios were undeniably skilled, enough to make one agree with the rumors calling them the ¡°strongest batch.¡± ¡®Especially Aaron Baek.¡¯ His explosive speed was awe-inspiring. Indeed. While I was secretly admiring him, considering that in his past life he¡¯d been a hero known as the ¡°Rival of Yuren¡±¡ª Crunch! Having taken down another lizard demonic beast, Aaron turned toward me. ¡°What do you think?¡± He pointed his spear at thest remaining lizard demonic beast and asked. ¡°How about you take on thisst one, junior?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± His gaze evaluated me, like he was appraising whether I was an uncut gemstone or just amon pebble. Only then did I realize why Aaron had brought me to this ce, despite the risks. ¡®Ah, so that¡¯s what this is¡­.¡¯ It¡¯s not unusual in mentoring lessons to give juniors a chance to participate in realbat. But bringing a low-ranking cadet to an A-rank danger zone and pitting them against a Seven-Eyed demonic beast? There¡¯s no way that¡¯s just a simple gesture of ¡°giving the junior a chance.¡± The reason Aaron was looking at me with those shining eyes was clear. ¡®He wants to test me?¡¯ It seems he wants to see with his own eyes whether the rumors about my skills are true. ¡°What do you say? Oh, it¡¯s not amand. You can refuse if you¡¯re scared.¡± Aaron looked at me with a faint smile, a challenge gleaming in his eyes. I let out a faintugh, easily reading his provocation. ¡®So, this was his n from the start?¡¯ I chuckled as I stood up. Gripping my sword hilt, I leisurely walked toward the demonic beast. A test. A test, huh. ¡®What a silly move.¡¯ You arrogant brat. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 164: Witch of the Night (5) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 164: Witch of the Night (5) ¡°Alright, then.¡± Slowly, I turned my head, ncing around at my surroundings. Aaron, looking at me with eyes full of anticipation. Be, sighing with an expression that seemed to say, ¡®Here we go again.¡¯ Laios, arms crossed with a smug look on his face, and Lanez, watching with concern. Step by step. I became the center of my seniors'' attention as I turned back toward the lizard demonic beast with seven gleaming eyes. I lowered my sword so that its tip almost touched the ground, creating an opening. ¡°Hissssss!¡± Observing my movements, the lizard demonic beast let out a sharp screech and lunged at me. I swung my sword toward the charging creature. ¡°Hiss!¡± Using its tail as a support, the lizard demonic beast quickly lifted itself, dodging the de. A Seven-Eyes demonic beast¡¯s speed is no joke, but¡ª Berald''s Martial Arts. Sweeping Leaves. My leg swung low, scraping the ground and striking the demonic beast''s tail. The lizard demonic beast instantly lost its bnce, tipping over. And in the direction it fell¡ª sh! The de it had initially dodged was waiting, angled for the kill. ¡°Gaaaargh¡­¡± With a final, agonizing scream, the demonic beast¡¯s head was severed. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± A curtain of silence descended. Aaron, Be, and Laios looked at me with wide-eyed astonishment. ¡°J-just now, what¡­?¡± Be trailed off, clearly bewildered. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± Aaron, too, looked down at the decapitated demonic beast, aplicated expression on his face. Stroking his chin, he alternated nces between my sword and the creature¡¯s corpse as if reying the battle in his mind. ¡°You deliberately left an opening to lure it in¡­ then used yourbat techniques. Oh, and when it charged, you swung your sword, pushing it to use its tail for support, right?¡± ¡°It was just luck.¡± I brushed it off modestly, and Aaron gave a light chuckle, shaking his head. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t luck. You ced your de exactly where the demonic beast¡¯s neck wouldnd.¡± His voice was filled with excitement as he shook his head, eyes shining. ¡°So that rumor was true?¡± ¡°What rumor?¡± ¡°There¡¯s talk that your skills areparable to those of Yuren Helios.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Well. It¡¯s only natural for such rumors to spread since I¡¯ve been training with Yuren for a long time now. ¡°To be honest, I thought it was just gossip¡­ but it seems there¡¯s some truth to it.¡± ¡°I still have a lot of areas where I fall shortpared to Yuren.¡± ¡°Hahaha! And humble, too. I really like you, our dear junior.¡± Aaron looked at me like he had just stumbled upon a hidden gem, his eyes gleaming. ¡°So¡­ have you thought about what you¡¯ll do after graduation?¡± ¡°No, I haven¡¯t decided yet.¡± ¡°Haha. Then, how about joining our party? We¡¯ve been looking for a reliable frontline fighter.¡± Aaron, who had been assessing me like he was ¡°testing the waters¡± a moment ago, was now openly extending a recruitment offer. Well, it made sense. The ¡°Baek¡± family, to which he belonged, had recently lost ground inparison to its rivals, so he likely didn¡¯t want to let a valuable talent slip by. ¡°If you join our party, I can personally coach you outside of regr mentoring sessions.¡± ¡°¡­Personal coaching?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Aaron nodded confidently. ¡°If you learn from me, you could graduate as an even greater hero than Yuren Helios.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t help butugh quietly. Who was teaching whom? Of course, Aaron would naturally assume his skills were superior. ¡®It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve shown anything serious.¡¯ I hadn¡¯t intended to hold back, but since the opponents so far had been so weak, there hadn¡¯t been much to show. I didn''t intend to join Aaron¡¯s party, anyway. ¡®I¡¯ll y along for now.¡¯ I let out a short sigh, wearing a contemtive expression. ¡°Sorry. I can¡¯t make a decision right now.¡± ¡°Haha, don¡¯t rush. You still have plenty of time to think it over.¡± Aaron gave me a hearty smile, patting my shoulder. ¡°By the way, aren¡¯t you getting hungry? As much as training is great, let¡¯s eat first.¡± With that, he nced over at Lanez. Lanez, who had been looking at the scattered demonic beast corpses in horror, jolted and scrambled to her feet. ¡°Oh, y-yeah! I¡¯ll prepare the meal right away!¡± She opened her backpack and started taking out cooking utensils. Watching her, I wondered if she hadn¡¯t fully recovered her stamina. Beads of sweat dotted her face as she focused on cooking, her expression filled with exhaustion. ¡°Need a ha¡ª¡± Just as I was about to offer to help¡­ ¡®Help her?¡¯ Suddenly. Memories from my past life surfaced. An endless, snow-white field. A blizzard raging around me. Puffs of white breath escaping between my lips. Feet sinking knee-deep into the snow. Silence descending like a curtain. White. Endless white. ¡°¡­¡­¡± A wave of unbearable hatred surged within me. Grinding my teeth, I clenched my fists. ¡®Don¡¯t pity her.¡¯ The creature before me was the witch who had destroyed half the world. Sure, that event hadn¡¯t happened yet¡ªit was a tragedy waiting in the future¡ªbut that didn¡¯t mean I could just let it go as if it were nothing. Even if she had forgotten. I still remembered. That terrible catastrophe, that bottomless despair, that endless nightmare. I¡­ I still remember it all. ¡®¡­And.¡¯ The reason Lanez was truly dangerous wasn¡¯t simply because of the dormant power within her capable of freezing half the world. If that were the only issue, what did that make me, who possessed the power of the primordial me? No, the real reason Lanez was so dangerous wasn¡¯t because of her ¡°blessing of the frost.¡± ¡®It¡¯s because she has no control over it whatsoever.¡¯ Even when she betrayed humanity and became the Witch of the Night, Lanez couldn¡¯t fully control her power. She identally killed her allies all the time, and at one point nearly ruined the Demon¡¯s cherished n to liberate the Demon God. A catastrophe for both friend and foe alike. That was Lanez Mm, the Witch of the Night. ¡®Killing her would be the right choice.¡¯ Leaving a ticking time bomb unchecked wasn¡¯t an option. ¡°Haha, Lanez¡¯s cooking skills are quite something, so it¡¯s worth looking forward to, right?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± I listened to Aaron¡¯s words with half an ear, my gaze shifting away from Lanez. Soon, theforting aroma of soup filled the air. ¡°Look, it¡¯s done! I¡¯ll serve it up right away!¡± Lanez carefullydled the soup into bowls and darted around, handing it out to each party member one by one. It felt less like a party member was serving us and more like we had brought a maid along. Lanez was making her way towards me, carrying thest bowl of hot soup. Thud. "Ahhh!" Lanez tripped over the corpse of a beast. The bowl of hot soup tumbled, spilling toward my thigh. Lanez looked at me, her face drained of color. ¡°S-Sorry! I''m so sorry! I wasn¡¯t paying attention...!¡± ¡°...¡± "I-I''ll clean it up right away!" ¡°...No, it¡¯s fine.¡± I dodged before it could really spill, so only a few drops had sshed on me. ¡°A towel¡­ where did I put the towel? Oh, ugh. I''m so sorry. I''ll clean it up right away¡­.¡± "Lanez." Aron shed her a gentle smile as she frantically searched her bag. Lanez''s shoulders flinched. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Didn¡¯t Dale say you don¡¯t need to clean it up?" ¡°B-but¡­.¡± ¡°Just sit down.¡± ¡°Uh, okay. Alright.¡± Lanez nervously settled down, her legs trembling. Aron turned to me with a concerned look. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Haha. Sorry about that.¡± ¡°...?¡± Sorry? What exactly did Aron have to apologize for in this situation? "Here you go." ¡°Thank you.¡± Aron handed me a new bowl of soup. As he mentioned, Lanez¡¯s cooking was indeed delicious. "Alright, now that we¡¯re all full, shall we get back to hunting the demonic beasts?" After we finished eating, Aron rose to his feet. Lanez, who had hastily cleaned up, reached for her backpack. "Give it here." Aron stepped over to Lanez and took the backpack from her. "Aron...?" "Lanez, you must be exhausted too, right?" "B-but." ¡°Haha. It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m strong, remember?¡± Aron effortlessly lifted the heavy backpack. ¡°Uh, thanks, Aron.¡± Lanez bowed her head slightly. "Let¡¯s move out." We walked further into the jungle. "Grhhhr!" The lizard demonic beast from before reappeared. Just one this time. As I reached for my sword to deal with it¡ª ¡°Wait.¡± Be nced at Lanez before speaking. "Lanez. This time, why don¡¯t you handle it?" "What? M-me? Fight it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a party member too, aren¡¯t you? Instead of freeloading, shouldn¡¯t you pull your weight a little?¡± ¡°I mean, that¡¯s why I carried the backpack¡­.¡± ¡°Backpack? Aron¡¯s got that now, doesn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°...!¡± Lanez turned pale, her body trembling. ¡°N-no. I mean¡­ I, uh¡­¡± ¡°What, you think I¡¯m gonna die fighting it? If it gets dangerous, we¡¯ll help you. Just do something for once.¡± ¡°Well¡­.¡± ¡°What, are you hesitant because it¡¯s your cousin or something?¡± ¡°C-cousin¡­?¡± ¡°Hah. Why? Don¡¯t you have a bit of demon blood in you? Doesn¡¯t that make you and the demonic beast practically cousins?¡± Be smirked, her lips curled in disdain. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Half-pushed, Lanez took a shaky step towards the beast. I turned my head to look at Aron. "¡­." He stood there, arms crossed, silently watching Lanez¡¯s uneasy approach. ¡°Senior Aron.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to stop her?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Aron smiled gently. ¡°Lanez made a mistake with you today, right?¡± ¡°¡­You mean when she spilled the soup?¡± ¡°Yup, that.¡± Aron nodded, continuing to speak. ¡°This all happens because she let her guard down.¡± ¡°...¡± A strange unease. A slimy difort crept up my spine. "It¡¯s like training a dog or a cat. If you don¡¯t discipline them now and then, they¡¯ll definitely mess up againter." ¡°...Heh.¡± A twisted chuckle slipped from my lips at Aron''s casual words. Suddenly, a memory floated into my mind¡ªsomething the witch had once said to me. -Yeah¡­ I was cold. Ah, I see. So that¡¯s how it was. -For a very long time¡­ it¡¯s been¡­ very cold. You too. You¡¯re living in a nightmare. A horrifically long nightmare that never ends. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 165: Witch of the Night (6) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 165: Witch of the Night (6) I¡¯m trapped in an endless nightmare. ¡ªYou... why... gah! The nightmare always began the same way. My father copsed, spraying blood everywhere. And my mother stood over him, her gaze icy. ¡ªAh, I see. So, it all ends like this. Sheughed, licking the blood from her hands. ¡ªI¡­ I was always destined to be a witch. Then her eyes fell on me. ¡ªLanez. Her voice was warm, but her blood-soaked face contradicted it. ¡ªI¡¯m sorry. She embraced me, sobbing. ¡ªI¡¯m sorry¡­ for giving birth to you. Her sorrowful voice¡­ felt cold, chilling to the bone. * * * I was epted into the Hero Academy. Somehow, word about me had spread. During the entrance ceremony, countless eyes turned my way. ¡ªThat¡¯s her, right? The daughter of the Archbishop of Frost¡­ ¡ªWhy would they let a demon¡¯s child into the Hero Academy? ¡ªDemon blood or not, she should be eliminated, shouldn¡¯t she? I heard their whispers, saw their eyes filled with hate, contempt, and fear. There was no ce for me, not anywhere in the vast Hero Academy. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± I apologized countless times. I begged for forgiveness countless times. But no one ever weed me. Ah, I see. It can¡¯t be helped. I am the daughter of a demon. A horrible witch. Someone who should never have been born. ¡°I¡¯m truly¡­ sorry.¡± They weren¡¯t in the wrong. They hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. The one at fault¡­ was me. * * * ¡ªAre you okay? And then¡­ someone reached out to me. Aaron Baek. It didn¡¯t take long for me to realize the hand he extended to me was cold. Behind his bright smile, I could feel his hate and anger toward me. It couldn¡¯t be helped. I was the daughter of the one who killed his father. Aaron wasn¡¯t in the wrong. I was the one who had done wrong. Time passed, and I was now a fourth-year. Four years had gone by, but the looks directed at me hadn¡¯t changed at all. The world was still unbearably cold, its chill biting to the core. It couldn¡¯t be helped. The world wasn¡¯t in the wrong. I was born as a witch¡¯s daughter. Because demon blood flows within me. So¡­ ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry.¡± The one who should apologize was me. The one who should seek forgiveness was me. The one who had done wrong¡­ was me. * * * ¡°What are you standing there for?¡± A cold voice cut through my thoughts. It was a voice I knew well. Be was ring at me with icy eyes. That look was familiar too. I flinched, trembling as I quickly bowed my head. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡ªHuh? ¡ªI¡­ I¡¯m the one who was wrong. ¡ªWho wants to hear your apology? I told you to go fight the demonic beast, didn¡¯t I? You¡¯re a hero candidate too, aren¡¯t you? ¡°¡­¡­¡± I looked nervously at the demonic beast. A creature with a snake¡¯s head and a human¡¯s body. Its seven glistening eyes focused on me. I was terrified. Just looking at it made my legs shake. Even though I had learned numerousbat spells over the past four years, my mind went nk standing before the creature. I wanted to turn and run, but Be was behind me, blocking my way. ¡°Hah¡­ hah¡­¡± Panting, I stretched my hand forward. I focused my magic, struggling to cast a spell. The sound of ice shards gathering filled the air. But only for a moment. ¡°Grraaaagh!¡± ¡°Kyaa!¡± As soon as I heard its fierce roar, my magic faltered, and the ice shards I had formed shattered, falling to the ground. ¡°Ha. What are you doing?¡± ¡°¡­S-sorry.¡± ¡°Do it properly. The junior is watching, you know?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I turned to look at the ¡°junior¡± Be was talking about. A candidate with dark gray hair and slightly fierce eyes. I remembered our first meeting. ¡®He frowned when he looked at me¡­¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] I was used to it. No one would smile at a witch with demon blood. ¡®Uh¡­¡¯ Suddenly¡­ An unbearable chill washed over me. ck, ck, ck. My teeth chattered loudly. ¡®¡­Why?¡¯ This ce was a jungle, where the mere act of breathing made me sweat. There should be nothing but sweltering heat here. But¡­ ¡®Cold.¡¯ I was freezing. As if I were wandering naked in a snowstorm. I was so, so cold. ¡®Cold, cold, cold.¡¯ My body trembled uncontrobly. I curled up, rubbing my hands together to warm them, but the biting cold didn¡¯t fade even a little. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Be scowled at me as I crouched, trying to warm myself. ¡°Ah, no. It¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯m c-c-cold¡­¡± ¡°Cold? You¡¯re cold?¡± Be let out a disbelieving chuckle, an exasperated look on her face. ¡°...Ha. This is ridiculous.¡± With long strides, Be came closer and kicked my stomach as if punting a ball. ¡°Gah!¡± The impact jolted my body, lifting me slightly off the ground. But the freezing cold that felt like it would turn me to ice was more painful than getting kicked in the gut. ¡°Haa, haa, huff.¡± I blew warm breath into my trembling hands, but it only made the biting cold feel worse. ¡°This one is hopeless, seriously.¡± Be scowled, grabbed me by the cor, and tossed me toward the creature, a monstrous demonic beast with lizard-like features. ¡°Ugh!¡± Thud! The world spun as my back mmed against the hard ground, pain rippling through my body. ¡°Graaarrr!¡± ¡°Eek!¡± When I lifted my head, a demonic beast with seven ring eyes was right in front of me. I scrambled backward on the floor, desperately searching for a way out. ¡°Aaron, Aaron¡­¡± When I turned my head, I saw him. Aaron, standing with his arms crossed, looking down at me with a cold gaze. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± A low sigh escaped my lips. I already knew. Behind his kindnessy a cold, hardened hatred. Despite knowing that, I had still cried out his name, out of a foolish, pitiful hope. Even though his hand might be cold¡­ Aaron was the only one who had ever reached out to me. ¡°A-ah.¡± It¡¯s cold. It had always been this way. The world was mercilessly cold, and the nightmares never ceased. A single tear slipped down my cheek. Please, someone¡­ save me. But even as I silently screamed, desperate for salvation¡­ ¡°Grrraaaa.¡± The demonic beast slowly started to move. Its sharp ws and writhing tail glinted in the dim light. ¡°...¡± I hugged my knees, curling up as I watched the demonic beast approach. Haa. My exhaled breath appeared in a small, white puff. I knew. No matter how much I begged, no matter how hard I struggled¡­ There would be no ¡®hero¡¯ing to save me. ¡®Just once¡­ Just once would be enough.¡¯ But really, wasn¡¯t it obvious? ¡°Warm¡­ I want to be warm.¡± There¡¯s no hero in this world who woulde to save a witch. ¡°Shaaa!¡± The demonic beast charged at me with a blood-curdling roar. In that moment, as I shut my eyes tight¡­ ¡°ze.¡± A fire ignited. Fwoooosh! A fierce me red up, engulfing the demonic beast. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Slowly, I lifted my head. There stood Dale. With ash-gray hair and slightly fierce eyes, my junior stood protectively in front of me. * * * ¡°Hmmm.¡± The air was tense and rigid. Aaron scratched his cheek awkwardly, forcing a troubled smile. ¡°Haha. Sorry. It seems Be¡¯s joke went a bit too far.¡± He walked slowly toward where I and Lanez were standing. ¡°I¡¯ll apologize on her behalf.¡± ¡°¡­Sigh.¡± I let out a long sigh, looking up at Aaron standing in front of me. Aaron would, in the near future, be one of the top five most powerful heroes. Even if I didn¡¯t join his party, just maintaining a good rtionship with him would be invaluable in theing war against the demon army. Meanwhile, Lanez, even if she could awaken the ¡°Blessing of Frost,¡± was more likely to be a liability rather than an asset. On one side, there¡¯s a guaranteed lottery ticket. On the other, a ticking time bomb that could endanger countless lives. The choice of which side to take was clear. Simple and obvious. ¡°So, it wasn¡¯t out of malice¡­ it was out of a desire to see Lanez improve¡­¡± Wham! I pped Aaron across the cheek, cutting off his rambling. ¡°Ugh!¡± Maybe he hadn¡¯t expected me to throw a punch so suddenly. Aaron stumbled backward, clutching his cheek. ¡°Hey! What the hell are you¡­!¡± ¡°Be. Stand down.¡± Aaron signaled Be to back off as she red at me, her sword pointed in my direction. ¡°Tsk.¡± Aaron clicked his tongue and got up, reaching out his hand. A spear, resting on a tree stump, flew through the air andnded in his grasp. ¡°Just one question.¡± Aaron looked at me, his eyes filled with puzzlement, as he held his spear. ¡°Why are you protecting that witch?¡± He furrowed his brows, clearly unable to understand. ¡°I liked you, Dale. You¡¯re smart, perceptive, and skilled. That¡¯s why I invited you to join our party after graduation.¡± Aaron continued. ¡°My family¡¯s situation might not be great right now, but we¡¯re still one of the most influential families in the Republic.¡± I knew. ¡°It feels strange to say it myself, but I¡¯m confident in my abilities. After graduation, I¡¯ll be a hero that won¡¯t pale inparison to anyone.¡± I knew that too. ¡°Lanez, on the other hand, is a witch with demon¡¯s blood. Not just any demon¡ªshe has the blood of an ¡®Archbishop¡¯ level demon. Even if she¡¯s no problem now, who knows when she¡¯ll turn into a monster like her mother.¡± I knew. ¡°But.¡± Aaron¡¯s eyes turned cold as he stared at me. ¡°Why are you aiming your sword at me instead of at her?¡± ¡°...¡± Why did I choose Lanez over Aaron? Was he really that curious about it? Curious enough to give this long speech just to know? ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m doing this.¡± I shrugged my shoulders, shaking my head. I knew too. That my actions weren¡¯t wise. You could call it cheap sympathy, or a momentary whim. But if I had to give a reason¡­ ¡°I just¡­ wanted to catch that hand.¡± ¡°...?¡± Aaron¡¯s eyes narrowed, his face filled with confusion, as I looked back at Lanez. -Just once¡­ Just once would be enough. I recalled that day. Amidst the blizzard, I remembered the witch¡¯s hand reaching out to me as she shed red tears. -Warm¡­ I want to be warm. The hand I¡¯d coldly pushed away that day¡­ The hand that had grown cold¡­ This time, I wanted to hold it. ¡°I don¡¯t get what you¡¯re trying to say.¡± Aaron clicked his tongue and pointed his spear at me. ¡°Well, anyway. If you n to keep protecting that witch, you better be ready.¡± Ready, huh. I let out a small chuckle, gripping my sword. ¡°Yeah, you better be ready.¡± Not me. You. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 166: Witch of the Night (7) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 166: Witch of the Night (7) Vwooooong! The Stigma on Aaron''s left chest glowed, radiating light. A fierce blue aura wrapped around his spear, zing intensely. I watched Aaron as he leisurely let his aura ignite, then turned my head to look at the other two seniors. They were watching us with gleaming eyes, as if they found the current situation quite fascinating. ¡°What are you doing? Just watching from over there?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± They tilted their heads, looking puzzled. ¡°You should join in too. You¡¯re on the same team, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Be and Laios let out a disbelievingugh, looking slightly exasperated. Be sighed and shook her head. ¡°Aaron, I think that guy might be insane.¡± ¡°I told you from the start not to trust him. He''s not right in the head.¡± Laios clicked his tongue, as if he had expected this all along. ¡°Haha, that''s some serious confidence you¡¯ve got there.¡± Aaron didn¡¯t even nce at him but instead gave me a smirk as I gestured at Be and Laios toe closer. Though he was smiling, his eyes were narrowed, cold and fixed, clearly irritated by my tant disregard. ¡°Fine, let''s see if your confidence is justified.¡± Aaron''s eyes sharpened. Thwack! In an instant, with a movement that made it seem like his body was stretching out, Aaron¡¯s spear was suddenly right in front of me. Thunk. I caught the oing spearhead with my hand, as if snatching up a fish. ¡°¡­!¡± His eyes widened. Then, I pulled the spear roughly and kicked Aaron in the stomach. Wham! ¡°Gah!¡± Aaron staggered back, sliding across the ground, staring at his spear in disbelief. The blue aura was definitely burning fiercely on the de. ¡°How did you grab this with your bare hands¡­?¡± A skilled martial artist could wrap their aura around their hand to catch a de with their bare hand. But that was only possible when the skill difference between the two was overwhelming. Besides, my main weapon wasn¡¯t martial arts but the sword. ¡°So, you¡¯re not just all talk.¡± Aaron¡¯s eyes narrowed as he drew up more power. Initially, he¡¯d nned to go easy on me, considering I was his junior, but now, he thought there was no need for that. ¡°If you''re serious, then I¡¯ll go all out too.¡± He adjusted his grip on the spear and lowered his stance. The blue aura exploded, wrapping his body. ¡°Fade away.¡± Swoosh! Aaron¡¯s body seemed to dissolve into the air, moving instantly behind me. The spearhead, imbued with blue aura, aimed directly at my back. The speed was terrifying, as if he¡¯d warped through space itself. ¡°Serious?¡± I twisted my mouth into a grin and lightly stomped my foot. Berald¡¯s Martial Arts. Earth Shaker. Rumble! The ground cracked and burst upward, creating a massive wall of dirt. Aaron lost his bnce, and the trajectory of his spear veered off. Thwack. Once again, I grabbed the spearhead and yanked it. ¡°Guh!¡± Aaron was pulled toward me, like a fish caught on a hook. With the hand holding the spearhead, I grabbed his neck as he stumbled forward. ¡°Guh, gah¡­!¡± ¡°Who said I was serious?¡± Aaron was strong, no doubt about it. If he continued to grow at this pace, he could eventually rival someone like Yurina and be a hero. But that was only a story for the future. At the present moment, his skill was even lower than Yurina, who had recently undergone a rapid growth spurt. ¡°The only one taking this seriously is you, kid.¡± I squeezed his neck harder. ¡°Guh¡­ gah¡­!¡± Aaron, still clutching his spear, tried to pry my hands off with both of his, his face turning pale, legs thrashing helplessly. ¡°Aaron!¡± Seeing this, Be charged toward me, sword in hand. Her sword sliced through the air at a fearsome speed. I used Aaron''s body as a shield and held him up toward Be. ¡°Uh¡­!¡± She narrowly twisted her sword to avoid striking him, which left her upper body wide open. Berald¡¯s Martial Arts. Thunder Kick. Wham! The sound that echoed was on a whole other levelpared to when she had kicked Lanez in the stomach earlier, sending her flying like a skipping stone. ¡°Ugh! Ack! aargh!¡± Bey on the ground, retching, while I looked down at her and spoke softly. ¡°When an ally is captured, don¡¯t move recklessly. Or, be ready to strike even if it means harming your own team from the start.¡± ¡°You¡­ you bastard¡­.¡± Be clutched her stomach, her body trembling with anger. ¡°Guh¡­ gah!¡± Thud! I flung Aaron, who seemed on the verge of passing out, toward a nearby tree. ¡°Hah, hah!¡± Aaron gasped for breath, gritting his teeth as he reached out. His spear, lying on the ground, rose up as if to return to him. Crunch! But I stomped on the shaft, pinning it back to the ground. I looked down at Aaron, who was struggling to catch his breath, and spoke calmly. ¡°A warrior should never let go of their weapon. Even if you''re in agony, like you''re on the verge of death.¡± Thump. I kicked his spear back in his direction. Aaron, fists shaking, stared down at his spear as it rolled to his feet. ¡°Are you¡­ trying to teach me?¡± ¡°That was the n, but I changed my mind.¡± Clicking my tongue, I shook my head. ¡°You don''t seem worth it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Aaron¡¯s face twisted with anger. ¡°You¡­¡± He reached for his fallen spear, which rose back into his hand. But then, something odd dawned on him. ¡®Wait.¡¯ During that whole exchange, had Dale ever used his ¡®sword¡¯? He quickly turned to look at Dale, who was standing casually with a sword in his hand, its tip nearly touching the ground. "......" So, in other words... Even while facing both him and Be at the same time, he hadn¡¯t even needed to use the hand holding his sword? And he was a swordsman who used a sword as his primary weapon? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "You... just who are you...?" Aaron looked at Dale with trembling eyes. This wasn¡¯t just a matter of him being a junior or whatever. ¡®Is he really just a cadet?¡¯ One of the top rankers, easily among the top five¡ªat a level that earned him the title of a "Master." This was something only heroes,monly referred to as "Masters," could achieve. Even within the Hero Academy, no one other than Lionel Ryu, known as the "Thunder God," had ever earned the title of Master. Yet here was a mere cadet, only a third-year, hiding the strength of someone at the Master level? "...Ridiculous." Gritting his teeth, Aaron raised his spear. "Hoo." He took a short breath. Slowly, he began to draw upon his blessing. "Grr...!" Vwoooooom! An explosive aura of light emanated from his Stigma. "A-Aaron!" "Aaaaaaah!" Ignoring Be''s urgent cry, Aaron continued to summon his blessing, the "Blessing of the Meteor." Crack, creak! A sickening crunch of bones echoed throughout his entire body, and veins bulged on his skin like tree roots. The blessing¡¯s power was so intense that using it once meant he''d need at least a week in the infirmary afterward. "But now...!" Aaron pulled his spear back and stomped the ground fiercely. Boom! With a deep, thunderous sound, a halo of blue light gathered around his spear. "Haaaaaahhh!" With a fierce battle cry, he threw the spear with all his might. Fwooosh! The blue aura gathered around the spear exploded into dazzling light. A spear shot out faster than the speed of sound. Trailing a brilliant blue aura like aet falling from the sky. Crash! Boom! Boom! The trajectory left behind by the spear obliterated stones, earth, and trees alike, carving a crater several meters deep in its wake. Destruction on a scale unimaginable as the work of a mere human. This single strike alone made it easy to see why he wouldter be known as "Meteor Spear." But... ¡°Pathetic.¡± Dale curled his lips into a twisted smirk, clenching his fist. ¡°Burn.¡± mes surged around him. Through the swirling ash-gray smoke¡ª A fist wrapped in embers swung forward. Mountain Shattering. Kaboom! A thunderous roar and an overwhelming shockwave shook the ground. ¡°Ugh!¡± Swept up in the tidal wave of force, Aaron spat blood and tumbled to the ground. Aaron, flung tens of meters away, crashed to the ground and passed out. "Hoo." I withdrew the embers, sheathing the sword I hadn¡¯t even swung. "Senior Laios." "Y-Yes?" Laios, who had been watching my battle with Aaron with his mouth agape, flinched and looked back at me. "Please take care of Senior Aaron and Senior Be." Aaron was unconscious, and though Be hadn¡¯t fainted, she was unable to move properly. "Ah, got it!" Nodding with a voice full of respect, Laios dashed off toward the fallen Aaron. "......" I turned toward Lanez, who was staring up at me in a daze. "...Ah." When our eyes met, Lanez flinched and shivered. Sigh. Seeing her,plicated thoughts once again crowded my mind. Was this really the right thing to do? Considering the catastrophe she had caused in her past life, wouldn¡¯t it make more sense to just kill her here and now? But... ¡®I¡¯ve already made up my mind.¡¯ To take her hand, which I hadn¡¯t held in our previous life. To shine a light for the witch who once longed for warmth. ¡°Th-Thank... Ow!¡± Did she hurt her ankle when she fell earlier? As she tried to stand up, Lanez winced and sank back down. "......" Perhaps due to the influence of the Blessing of the Cold, her lips were still pale blue, and her body was trembling. Fwoosh. I lit a small ember in my palm and approached her. I wasn¡¯t sure if this would relieve the chill she was feeling. ¡°Ah¡­¡± As I brought the ember closer, her eyes widened. The shivering in her body ceased, and her once pale-blue lips returned to a soft pink. "How does it feel?" I brought the ember a bit closer and asked. "Is it a little warmer now?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 167: Interlude – Warmth [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 167: Interlude ¨C Warmth The tumultuous mentoring ss had finally ended. Under normal circumstances, I''d be facing at least a suspension for incapacitating my senior during ss. Thankfully, Aaron, Be, and Laios all agreed to report it as ¡°an injury sustained while fighting a monster during mission,¡± so I managed to avoid any disciplinary action. ¡®Then again, Aaron wouldn¡¯t want to admit the truth either.¡¯ How could he openly admit to being beaten so badly by someone a year younger that he ended up with three broken ribs? I worried that Aaron might hold a grudge and retaliate against Lanez, but it seemed he wasn''t that reckless. Since returning to school, he had been staying secluded in his personal treatment room. ¡®Still, I can¡¯t help but worry.¡¯ I was more concerned about Be than Aaron. I kept an eye on the fourth-year ssroom a few times to make sure, but luckily, no one was bothering Lanez. There weren¡¯t any cadets bullying her directly, though many continued to ignore her openly. Yet, Lanez no longer appeared as withdrawn as before, facing the indifference around her with a newfound calm. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly a happy ending¡­ but it¡¯s close enough.¡± At least Lanez¡¯s current state was clearly better than before. ¡®The real problem is the Frost¡¯s Blessing.¡¯ A powerful blessing dwelled within Lanez. It was nearly unmatched in terms of pure "blessing" strength alone. ¡®A blessing strong enough to freeze half the continent.¡¯ To most heroes, a "blessing" was like a secondary weapon. The primary strengthy in magical skills and swordsmanship, while blessings simply added a bit of power. ¡®Take Yurina, for example.¡¯ Even though she awakened the Moonlight¡¯s Blessing, she doesn¡¯t rely solely on its power in battle. However¡­ Depending on the type and strength of the blessing, there were exceptions. ¡®In her past life, Lanez fought solely with her blessing.¡¯ In other words, she reached that level purely by wielding her natural strength, without any magic or swordsmanship. While the power of a blessing varied with how it was used, for Lanez, Frost¡¯s Blessing was her alpha and omega. ¡®The problem now is that we¡¯d rather the blessing stay dormant.¡¯ Lanez¡¯s blessing was so overwhelmingly strong that even she couldn¡¯t control it. It was simr to how Aaron couldn¡¯t manage his Meteor¡¯s Blessing before. However, unlike Meteor¡¯s Blessing, which only left internal damage, Lanez¡¯s blessing froze everything around her. ¡°Ugh.¡± Instead of drawing out the power, she needed to suppress it. ¡®Is it even possible to stop a blessing from awakening?¡¯ I didn¡¯t know exactly how blessings awakened. Some heroes awakened their blessings casually while walking down the street, others after rigorous training, and some in life-or-death moments. In short, it was unpredictable. ¡°Sigh. It¡¯s driving me crazy.¡± As I pondered, a soft knock echoed in the room. When I opened the door, there stood Lanez, holding arge pot. ¡°Uh¡­ a-are you feeling any better?¡± Lanez stammered as she spoke. ¡°¡­Why the formalnguage?¡± ¡°Oh, uh, well¡­ b-because you¡¯re¡­ my benefactor¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so formal.¡± ¡°Can I¡­ really?¡± Blushing, she nced at me shyly. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°T-then¡­ call me by my name, too.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit¡­¡± ¡°Please!¡± Lanez stepped closer, her eyes glimmering with intensity, and I nodded almost instinctively. ¡°Okay¡­ y-yeah. Got it. I¡¯ll call you by your name.¡± ¡°O-okay. Hehehe.¡± ¡°So, what did you bring?¡± ¡°I heard you weren¡¯t feeling well¡­¡± ¡°Oh.¡± I had pretended to be injured so that it wouldn¡¯t seem odd that Aaron was in the hospital while I had no visible injuries. ¡°You¡¯re from the Republic, right? I looked it up, and apparently, people from the Republic eat warm porridge when they¡¯re sick. So, I made some chicken porridge for you.¡± Chicken porridge. It was a thoughtful choice that showed Lanez¡¯s consideration. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll enjoy it.¡± ¡°Um¡­ c-can Ie in for a bit?¡± Lanez nced around my room with curiosity. ¡°Oh, sure.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Lanez stepped inside, smiling widely. ¡°So¡­ this is your room, Dale.¡± She looked around with bright eyes, as if everything fascinated her. ¡°There¡¯s not much to see.¡± ¡°Oh, no. But¡­ if I look closely, maybe I can learn a little about you.¡± Lanez moved toward the shelf, noticing a half-empty wine bottle with a soft smile. ¡°You like wine?¡± ¡°I just drink it asionally.¡± ¡°Really?¡± She took out a small notebook from her pocket and began jotting things down. ¡°Likes wine¡­ has two outfits¡­ prefers dark colors¡­ is right-handed¡­ and prefersfortable, canvas sneakers¡­¡± Wait. Is she investigating a crime scene or something? ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, nothing. Hehe.¡± Lanez chuckled bashfully as she ced the pot on the table. ¡°Here.¡± She scooped some porridge into a small bowl and handed it to me. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°D-do you want me to feed you?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, okay.¡± Lanez¡¯s bright eyes dimmed, and she looked down dejectedly. As I ate the porridge she made, I nced over at her. Long violet hair, wless skin, a sharp nose, and delicate jawline. In the past, with her gloomy demeanor and constant downcast gaze, I hadn¡¯t really noticed, but Lanez¡¯s looks were striking. ¡®In her past life, there were heroes who sided with the Witch of the Night because of her beauty.¡¯ Though, most ended up frozen to death when they got too close to her. ¡°How¡¯s¡­ the taste?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± I had already noticed from thest time she made soup; Lanez was a skilled cook. ¡°I¡¯m d.¡± She smiled softly. But then, after a brief pause, she spoke again, her expression tense. ¡°Um¡­ Dale, are you¡­ okay with me?¡± ¡°With what?¡± ¡°I mean¡­ I¡¯m a demon¡¯s child.¡± Her voice trembled as she spoke. ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was true. Her blood carried the legacy of a demon known as the ¡°High Priest.¡± ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I said I didn¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°But I still want to believe in you.¡± ¡°You¡­ believe in me?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I believe that she didn¡¯t be the ¡°Witch of the Night¡± by her own choice. That she didn¡¯t be the monster that froze half the world. I believe in her. And since I¡¯ve chosen to hold her hand, I¡¯ll do everything in my power to ensure she never has to be that. That¡¯s the fate an ally of the witch must shoulder. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Tears welled up in Lanez¡¯s eyes. ¡°Hearing those words¡­ it¡¯s the first time.¡± She bit her lip and then broke down, crying. ¡°Thank you¡­ thank you. For believing in me¡­ thank you.¡± ¡°......¡± Simply for being born the daughter of a demon. How terrible were the nightmares she must have endured? Without thinking, I ced a hand on Lanez¡¯s trembling shoulder as she sobbed. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Ah.¡± Lanez gasped softly. She carefully wrapped both of her hands around mine, which rested on her shoulder. ¡°¡­It¡¯s warm.¡± She rubbed her cheek against my hand and gave a wide smile. A smile I¡¯d never seen her make in my past life. Why, I wonder. For some reason, I couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡°I¡¯m d I was able to save her.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll do my best.¡± ¡°Do your best?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll work hard to live up to Dale¡¯s trust.¡± Lanez clenched her fist, her eyes sparkling. ¡°I-I mean, sure, right now my grades are bad, and my magic skills aren¡¯t anything special! But I¡¯ll be strong enough to protect you, Dale!¡± ¡°......¡± Actually¡­ It¡¯s better if she doesn¡¯t get that strong in this situation. I swallowed down the words that had reached my throat and nodded awkwardly. ¡°Just¡­ don¡¯t push yourself too hard, okay?¡± ¡°No! I¡¯ll push myself if I have to and be strong!¡± No, really. It¡¯s better if she doesn¡¯t be strong. ¡°The truth is¡­ well, it¡¯s a little embarrassing to admit, but I¡¯ve actually been holding back my power all this time. If I used my strength, everyone would say it¡¯s the power of a demon.¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t need to do that anymore! Because I have you, Dale!¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll do anything for you, Dale! So¡­.¡± Lanez pulled my hand slightly with a nervous look in her eyes. ¡°Please¡­ don¡¯t abandon me.¡± ¡°......¡± Ha. A sigh slipped out from between my lips. ¡°People aren¡¯t objects. You can¡¯t just toss them away. Look¡­ alright. It¡¯s good that you have a goal. But promise me one thing.¡± ¡°¡­A promise?¡± ¡°Promise to always put yourself first. And if¡­ if the power you¡¯ve been holding back gets out of control,e to me immediately. Understood?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Lanez¡¯s eyes widened. She teared up, and in a small voice, murmured, ¡°You¡­ you really do care about me.¡± ¡°¡­Dale.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Dale, Dale, Dale¡­ ha, ha.¡± After repeating my name a few times, Lanez breathed heavily and stood up suddenly. ¡°I-I should go now!¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± As I saw Lanez to the door¡ª ¡°Oh, um, Dale.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Could I¡­ maybe get your Hero Watch number?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Exchanging contact info was essential to keep an eye on her, considering she was practically a ticking time bomb. ¡°Hehe, Dale¡¯s number¡­.¡± She looked down at her Hero Watch with my number as the only contact, grinning to herself. ¡°W-Well, goodnight, Dale!¡± After saying goodbye, Lanez hurried away with quick steps. ¡®Is she rushing to the bathroom or something?¡¯ I tilted my head, watching her retreating figure before closing the door and lying down on my bed. ¡°Phew.¡± Maybe it was all the things that had happened. As Iy down, fatigue washed over me. ¡®First¡­ I¡¯ll just rest for now.¡¯ Maybe it was because I¡¯d used the power of the primordial me in my fight with Aaron, but sleepiness I couldn¡¯t resist swept over me. I didn¡¯t fight it and drifted off to sleep. Ding-ding, ding-ding. For some reason, I dreamed of wandering a room covered with dozens of tiny bells. * * * The next morning. As I woke up, I instinctively turned on my Hero Watch. [There are 257 missed messages.] ¡°¡­What?¡± Two hundred fifty-seven? I squinted and opened the message box. [Um¡­ Dale,] [Thank you so much for yesterday.] [If it weren¡¯t for you, I would¡¯ve never felt like this my entire life.] [Ah¡­ did I bother you by reaching out like this?] [I¡¯m sorry.] [It was thoughtless of me.] [It¡¯s wrong to contact you so freely, isn¡¯t it?] [I¡¯m really sorry. I¡¯ve never exchanged messages with anyone before, so I made a mistake.] [Dale¡­ are you mad at me?] [Why aren¡¯t you responding?] . . . [Or¡­ was it because I did something terrible while thinking of you, Dale?] [TL/N: HJAHAHAHAH WHAT!!??!??!] [PR/N: BRO ??WHAT???] [I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t do it again.] [I didn¡¯t think you would notice.] [I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry.] [I was wrong.] [Please don¡¯t abandon me.] The messages continued on like that. ¡°¡­Seriously.¡± What is all this? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 168: Blessing of the Frost (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 168: Blessing of the Frost (1) After waking up and calming Lanez, who had been upset because I hadn''t returned her calls while I was asleep... I headed straight to Professor Jade¡¯sboratory. ¡°Hm?¡± Theb, which I hadn¡¯t visited since thest incident, was no longer the ruin-like ce I remembered but was now neatly decorated, resembling the entrance of a caf¨¦. ¡®Professor Jade isn¡¯t the type for this kind of thing¡­¡¯ Tilting my head in curiosity, I opened the door and immediately understood the reason for theb¡¯s transformation. ¡°Sophia?¡± ¡°Huh? What brings you here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯d like to ask you.¡± Why was Sophia in Professor Jade¡¯sb? ¡°I¡¯ve been helping the professor with his researchtely.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Come to think of it, she had mentioned before that she would assist him. ¡°Is it for the professor¡¯s research¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the artificial Stigmas research, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking. That still needs more time.¡± Sophia spoke quietly, continuing her exnation. ¡°Right now, we¡¯re focusing on general magic research alongside the Stigma studies.¡± ¡°Have there been any results?¡± ¡°Well¡­ somewhat.¡± Sophia, with her short red hair, avoided my gaze and twisted a strand of hair in her fingers. For someone like Sophia to downy it with ¡°somewhat,¡± the results must have been significant. ¡°The descendant of the Great Sage and the future Grand Magician¡­¡± Just imagining the synergy between the two brought a smile to my lips. As I exchanged a few words with Sophia... Thunk. ¡°Huh? Brother, what brings you here?¡± Berald, carrying an armful of boxes, stepped out from inside theb. Following him closely was Professor Jade, who appeared in a hurry with a distressed look. ¡°Be-Berald! Aren¡¯t those my precious research materials?¡± ¡°Hahaha! Don¡¯t worry, Professor! I¡¯ll safely organize them with my levitation magic!¡± With that, Berald began tossing the boxes up and catching them repeatedly. It was like watching a juggling act, as the contents of the boxes floated in the air before falling neatly back inside. ¡°My-my research materials!!!¡± Professor Jade¡¯s pale face twisted in despair as he let out a wail, while Beraldughed heartily at his reaction. ¡°Oh, by the way, Berald is also helping with the research.¡± ¡°¡­He¡¯s helping, right?¡± From the sight of the professor wailing, it seemed more like harassment than assistance. ¡®Well, at least they seem to be getting along.¡¯ I had been worried about how Sophia and Berald were doing since that so-called datest time, but it seemed their rtionship hadn¡¯t grown distant. ¡®If only Berald¡¯s twisted taste in women could be fixed¡­¡¯ Well, that was beyond my control. I could only hope Sophia handled it well. ¡°Anyway, why are you here, Candidate Dale?¡± ¡°I have a favor to ask the professor.¡± ¡°A favor? What kind of favor?¡± Professor Jade tilted his head in curiosity. ¡°Is there a way to prevent the awakening of a ¡®blessing¡¯?¡± While a blessing, once awakened, could never be erased, I wondered if something could be done before it awakened. ¡°Hm.¡± The professor crossed his arms, falling silent for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± After some thought, he shook his head. ¡°The conditions for a blessing¡¯s awakening are too variable. Some heroes awaken their blessings on the verge of death, while others awaken theirs during something as mundane as a stroll.¡± ¡°I understand that¡­¡± ¡°An unawakened blessing is like a seed buried underground. Unless the ¡®soil¡¯ of the Stigma is dug up and disturbed, there¡¯s no way to prevent the blessing from sprouting.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± To prevent the awakening of the Blessing of the Frost, I would need to damage Lanez¡¯s Stigma itself. ¡®That¡¯s no different from killing her.¡¯ A hero¡¯s Stigma isn¡¯t just a vessel for storing mana. It¡¯s intricately connected to their physical and spiritual being. Damaging it recklessly could result in severe consequences. ¡®That¡¯s why techniques like Stigma recement are prohibited.¡¯ While in my past life, Yuren, only experienced physical changes as side effects, others often becamepletely incapacitated. I couldn¡¯t cripple Lanez just to prevent the Blessing of the Frost from awakening. ¡°¡­But.¡± The professor¡¯s words continued. ¡°It¡¯s possible to suppress it to some extent.¡± ¡°Suppress it?¡± He nodded. ¡°Statistically, blessings are most often awakened during moments of intense emotional change or when one¡¯s life is in danger. Cases of awakening during a casual walk are extremely rare.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s true.¡± I myself awakened my blessing when I was attacked by monsters. Yurina, on the other hand, awakened hers when she finally broke free from the shadow of the sun that had weighed her down for so long. ¡°It works simrly to a sedative. At the very least, it would prevent the blessing from awakening during a random walk.¡± ¡°How soon can you prepare it?¡± ¡°I can make it quickly. The basic requirement is just stabilizing the mana within the Stigma.¡± ¡°Please do.¡± ¡°Hoho. How could I refuse a request from Candidate Dale?¡± The professor headed back into theb and promptly concocted a Stigma stabilizer. ¡°It shouldst for about two weeks.¡± ¡°Will she need to drink it again after that?¡± ¡°Juste back in two weeks, and I¡¯ll make more.¡± Though inconvenient, having to administer it every two weeks was a small price to pay to reduce the risk of Lanez awakening her blessing. ¡°Thank you, Professor.¡± I thanked him and left theb. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] * * * After leaving theb, I summoned Lanez to a secluded area on the outskirts of the academy. Lanez arrived in no time, panting heavily as she ran to the meeting spot. ¡°Y-you called?¡± ¡°¡­There was no need to run all the way here.¡± ¡°Hehe. But Dale called me.¡± Lanez sat on the bench with a bashful smile. ¡°So¡­ w-what¡¯s the matter?¡± She clutched her skirt nervously, her face tense. ¡°If it¡¯s about¡­ u-uh, yesterday, I¡¯m sorry in advance! I promise I won¡¯t bother you again!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about that.¡± ¡°Th-then what is it?¡± ¡°Here, take this.¡± I handed Lanez the Stigma stabilizer I got from Professor Jade. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± She tilted her head, staring at the ss bottle filled with blue liquid. I recited the excuse I had prepared in advance. ¡°You¡¯re not exactly in great physical condition, right?¡± ¡°U-um, yeah. Sorry about that.¡± ¡°No need to apologize. I just brought you a little tonic that¡¯s good for the body.¡± ¡°A t-tonic?¡± Her eyes widened at the word ¡°tonic.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing too fancy. Just think of it as a vitamin drink and take it.¡± ¡°Dale¡­¡± Lanez sped the ss bottle with both hands, her eyes welling with tears. ¡°Thank you¡­ I¡¯ve never gotten a gift like this from anyone before.¡± Sniffling, she hugged the bottle as if it were a precious treasure. Seeing how emotional she was brought a pang of guilt. ¡®Well, it is good for her body, at least.¡¯ The Stigma stabilizer not only helped prevent the awakening of blessings but also stabilized mana flow, making it easier to manage. It wasn¡¯t something essential, but it was certainly beneficial¡ªlike a vitamin supplement. ¡°I¡¯ll treasure this for the rest of my life!¡± ¡°No.¡± Please drink it. ¡°B-but¡­ it feels too precious¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get you moreter, so just drink it now.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Lanez hesitated, ncing at the ss bottle. Then, with reluctance, she gulped down the stabilizer. ¡°How is it?¡± I watched her nervously. Lanez licked her lips with a blissful expression. ¡°It feels like¡­ Dale¡¯s essence is spreading through my body.¡± ¡°No.¡± What the heck is she even saying? ¡°Hehe, just kidding. Um¡­ I¡¯m not sure, but it feels like my mind has calmed down. It¡¯s nice.¡± Thankfully, it seemed the stabilizer was working. ¡®At least I¡¯ve taken one precaution.¡¯ Of course, I couldn¡¯t guarantee this would fully prevent the awakening of the Frozen Blessing. But it would at least reduce the likelihood. ¡°By the way, Dale¡­ Have you had lunch?¡± Lanez nced at me shyly as she asked. ¡°No, not yet.¡± ¡°Then¡­ um, would you like to have lunch with me? I-I¡¯ll pay for everything!¡± She leaned toward me with sparkling eyes. I chuckled softly and shook my head. When Lanez saw me shake my head, she flinched and began trembling. ¡°S-sorry. I overstepped again, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯m sorry! It was my mistake! I¡¯ll never do it again, so please forgive me¡­¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± I sighed lightly and continued. ¡°I¡¯ll pay.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay for lunch.¡± Lanez likely lived a meager life on school support funds. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to make her pay for the meal. ¡°¡­Oh.¡± She let out a small gasp, her round eyes welling with tears again. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Is there anything you want to eat?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m fine with anything! If Dale¡¯s paying, I¡¯d even eat dog food!¡± ¡°No.¡± Why would we eat dog food for lunch? ¡°Let¡¯s decide once we get to the candidate cafeteria.¡± ¡°¡­The candidate cafeteria?¡± Lanez trembled as though she¡¯d discovered fire for the first time. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°N-nothing¡­ I¡¯ve just never been to the cafeteria before.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± She had never been to the candidate cafeteria? ¡°Then how do you normally eat?¡± ¡°I just buy bread from the store and eat it¡­ in the restroom.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± This won¡¯t do. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the main cafeteria.¡± ¡°Th-the main cafeteria?! But it¡¯s so expensive!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m paying.¡± Thinking about how Lanez must have spent years crouched in restrooms to eat her meals, I decided to treat her to a proper meal at the pricier main cafeteria instead of my usual hangout. ¡°B-but¡­¡± ¡°I said it¡¯s fine.¡± I dragged Lanez along toward the main cafeteria. Just as we were on our way¡ª ¡°Oh my, Dale? What brings you to the main cafeteria?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Dale always at the auxiliary cafeteria?¡± Iris and Yuren approached us with bright smiles. ¡°Uh¡­?¡± ¡°...Dale? Who¡¯s the girl with you?¡± Correction. The bright smiles had vanished. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 169: Blessing of the Frost (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 169: Blessing of the Frost (2) Main Building Dining Hall This was the dining hall primarily used by the Empire¡¯s nobles, the Holy Kingdom¡¯s high-ranking clergy, and the heirs of the Republic¡¯s conglomerates. Among the candidate dining halls in Hero Academy, it boasted the highest quality and price. Inside this main building dining hall was a private room. It wasn¡¯t a ce one could enter merely by being wealthy. Only candidates with exceptional grades could ess this exclusive area. Around arge table, which couldfortably seat ten, sat me, Lanez, Iris, and Yuren. ¡°So¡­¡± Iris¡¯s gaze shifted to Lanez. Lanez flinched as if facing a predator and averted her eyes nervously. ¡°This is the senior Lanez you got close to during the mentoring sessions?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s Lanez from the fourth year, then surely¡­¡± Yuren¡¯s expression hardened, as though recalling rumors he¡¯d heard about Lanez. ¡°If it¡¯s those rumors, you don¡¯t need to worry. Lanez has nothing to do with demons.¡± ¡°D-Dale¡­¡± Lanez¡¯s eyes welled up at my firm denial, and Yuren scrutinized her before finally letting out a deep sigh and nodding. ¡°Alright. If Dale says so, I¡¯ll believe it.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Though they still seemed somewhat wary of Lanez, they agreed to trust my judgment for now. ¡°So, was it Senior Lanez who invited you to the main dining hall?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s the other way around.¡± ¡°The other way¡­?¡± Iris looked at me, her eyes wide with surprise. ¡°I invited Lanez.¡± ¡°You invited her, Dale?¡± Iris¡¯s eyes sharpened instantly. She crossed her arms, nodded slowly, and cast a sidelong nce at Lanez, who huped nervously under the scrutiny. ¡°There¡¯s a reason for it.¡± I exined that Lanez had been ostracized by her fourth-year peers and, because of the stigma around her, had never dared to step foot in the dining hall. ¡®It¡¯s a story Lanez would probably prefer to keep hidden.¡¯ But considering our future rtionship, I couldn¡¯t keep it a secret. ¡®And frankly, why should she have to hide it?¡¯ She wasn¡¯t a perpetrator but a victim. Why should a victim feel guilty, unable to hold their head high, or be forced to bury their past like some kind of sinner? ¡°That¡¯s awful¡­¡± The sharp look in Iris¡¯s eyes softened. She had expected that a child of a demon wouldn¡¯t be warmly weed in the Hero Academy, but she hadn¡¯t imagined that so-called ¡°hero¡± candidates¡ªadults, no less¡ªwould be cruelly harassing her in such a vile manner. ¡°That¡¯s too much.¡± Iris sighed and shook her head. Yuren¡¯s expression also stiffened, as if he hadn¡¯t anticipated such a situation. ¡°I-It¡¯s okay. Dale¡­ saved me.¡± Lanez turned to me with a faint smile. Iris clicked her tongue, seemingly grasping the situation. ¡°Honestly, Dale, you¡¯re just as meddlesome as ever.¡± She shed me a sweet smile, though her eyes glinted with a dangerous intensity. I cleared my throat awkwardly and looked away from her piercing gaze. ¡°Anyway, since we wereing, I thought it¡¯d be better to take her somewhere nice, so we came here.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why you didn¡¯t go to the annex dining hall but came to the main one.¡± Yuren nodded, ncing between me and Lanez. ¡°By the way¡­ you call Senior Lanez just ¡®Lanez¡¯?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I-I told him to!¡± Before I could answer, Lanez quickly interjected. ¡°Senior Lanez did?¡± ¡°Y-Yeah. Dale¡­ saved my life, after all.¡± ¡°Hmm, is that so?¡± Yuren narrowed his eyes at Lanez. Lanez, her head lowered, blushed furiously at the attention. Yuren sighed as if confirming his suspicions and shot me a pointed look. ¡°Well, shall we eat then?¡± ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll grab the tes.¡± The main dining hall operated on a buffet system. As I stood up to get tes for the four of us¡ª ¡°No need for that.¡± ¡°No need?¡± ¡°In private rooms, you can just choose what you want, and they¡¯ll bring it to you.¡± ¡°¡­There¡¯s a service like that?¡± Even I hadn¡¯t known about this. ¡°Yeah, hold on.¡± Yuren pressed a button on the side of the table, and holographic menus appeared in front of each seat. The menus were divided into categories for Imperial, Holy Kingdom, and Republic cuisines. ¡°Just pick from here, and they¡¯ll make it fresh and bring it to us.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like ordering room service at a luxury hotel.¡± Now I understood why even the wealthiest couldn¡¯t ess the private rooms without the grades to back it up. ¡®Good thing Yuren¡¯s the top of his ss.¡¯ Normally, Lanez and I wouldn¡¯t have been allowed in, but top students could bring guests regardless of theirpanions¡¯ grades. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Lanez gazed at the extensive menu in awe. ¡°Look, Dale! There are so many dishes I¡¯ve never seen before!¡± Seeing her excitement, bouncing on her heels and pointing at the menu, brought a smile to my face. ¡°Order whatever you like.¡± ¡°O-Okay.¡± Lanez scrolled through the menu, clearly overwhelmed by the options, switching between categories to browse various dishes. ¡°You¡¯re from the Empire, right? Maybe stick with Imperial cuisine?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m curious about the Republic¡¯s dishes too¡­¡± ¡°How about trying something from the Holy Kingdom then?¡± ¡°W-Well¡­ about that¡­¡± Lanez trailed off, avoiding eye contact as her voice dwindled. Lanez averted her gaze and trailed off at the end of her sentence. No. Even Lanez, who once said she¡¯d eat dog food if I bought it for her, was avoiding this dish. ''What on earth did they do to this food?'' It was a moment when I truly felt the might of the Holy Kingdom. ¡°What about you, Dale? What are you going to eat?¡± ¡°Hmm, not sure.¡± ¡°Republic cuisine?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ no.¡± I¡¯d been eating Republic dishes every day, and today, I was suddenly craving Empire cuisine. ¡°Since we¡¯re at the main building¡¯s dining hall, I thought I¡¯d try a steak today.¡± ¡°Th-then I¡¯ll order the same as you, Dale!¡± ¡°Really? How do you want it cooked?¡± ¡°Cooked? I get to choose that too?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°¡­I¡¯ll just order yours medium.¡± After cing the steak order through the menu, it wasn¡¯t long before perfectly cooked steaks arrived in our room. The moment Lanez took a bite, her eyes widened. ¡°Wooaah!¡± Excited, she snorted and kicked her legs in delight. With just one bite of steak, she smiled as if she had the whole world in her hands. Seeing this, Iris and Yuren exchangedplicated looks. ¡°Sigh. Seeing her like this, I can¡¯t even bring myself to say anything.¡± ¡°Right?¡± They shared a knowing nce, both chuckling wryly. Midway through her fervent devouring of the steak, Lanez suddenly stopped and nced around. ¡°S-sorry. I got a little carried away¡­.¡± Her cheeks flushed red, sauce smeared on her lips. Iris smiled warmly and handed her a napkin. ¡°Here, use this to wipe your mouth.¡± ¡°¡­Thanks.¡± Taking the napkin from Iris, Lanez wiped her mouth and smiled bashfully. And so, our luxurious lunch came to an end. Afterward, Lanez, Iris, Yuren, and I decided to take a light stroll around the school grounds to aid digestion. For Lanez¡¯s sake, we chose a quiet path through the backwoods, where there were few other cadets. ¡°That¡¯s when Dale just showed up and burned the demonic beast to ashes!¡± ¡°Hmm. Is that so?¡± ¡°Hehe. Yep!¡± It seemed Lanez had grown a bit closer to Iris. She was now enthusiastically recounting stories from our mentoring sessions. Even though Lanez was a year older than Iris, her demeanor made it seem like Iris was the older one. ¡®Especially in terms of appearance.¡¯ While not as petite as Sophia, Lanez also had a small stature and a delicate frame. ¡°I get it, you know.¡± ¡°Huh? Iris, you understand?¡± ¡°Yes. The person I¡¯m dating saved me when I was in danger, too.¡± ¡°Oh, really¡­.¡± Lanez nodded, ncing back and forth between Iris and Yuren. ¡°You know¡­ Iris and Yuren seem like a great match.¡± ¡°Pardon? A great match?¡± ¡°¡­Huh? You¡¯re not dating?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Caught off guard, Iris burst intoughter. ¡°The person I¡¯m dating isn¡¯t Yuren.¡± ¡°O-oh, really? Sorry, I didn¡¯t know.¡± Lanez, who had assumed Iris and Yuren were together, looked flustered. ¡°The person I¡¯m dating is¡­.¡± Iris smiled faintly and pulled my arm. ¡°Wait¡­.¡± Before I could say anything to counter the ominous feeling rising within me, Iris spoke again. ¡°It¡¯s Dale.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Lanez¡¯s face froze. ¡°Dale¡­ and Iris¡­ are dating?¡± Her shoulders trembled. ¡°Lanez. This is¡­.¡± ¡°Liar¡­ liarliarliarliarliarliarliar.¡± Lanez copsed to the ground, clutching her head in distress. Whoosh. From her Stigma, an intense light radiated, freezing the surrounding area. A chilling cold swept through, and a blizzard erupted around us. ¡°Ah, I see. Yeah, that makes sense¡­ Someone like Dale¡­ of course, he¡¯d have a girlfriend¡­.¡± Ha, haha. Her brokenughter shook her shoulders. ¡°What was I even thinking? There¡¯s no way Dale¡­ would love someone like me¡­.¡± ¡°Lanez!¡± ¡°Ahaha. Hahaha!¡± Crack! A blizzard swirled violently. Towering trees, solid rocks, fluttering leaves¡ªeverything was frozen solid and shattered to pieces. ''This is insane.'' I clenched my teeth as I looked at Lanez, who wasughing emptily, her eyes devoid of life. ''Why! Why is this happening!'' I saved you from being bullied! I kept you warm with ember mes when you said you were cold! I even got you a Stigma stabilizer and made sure you took it! I did everything! Everything! ''So why are you awakening Frost¡¯s Blessing in less than a day!!!'' The silent scream echoed deep within my heart. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 170: Blessing of the Frost (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 170: Blessing of the Frost (3) Whoooosh! A blinding snowstorm raged. Anything the blizzard touched¡ªtrees, rocks, the ground¡ªfroze solid in an instant. "Da-Dale!" "Dale!" Iris and Yuren called out to me, their faces etched with urgency. "Ugh¡­!" I had been attempting to approach Lanez, but the storm swirling around her forced me to stumble back. ''This is insane.'' The Blessing of the Frost, a power that once turned half the continent into a frozen wastnd in my past life, was now too overwhelming, even for me, with the Primordial me burning within me. Crash! Shards of ice materialized mid-air and shot toward me like projectiles. "Dale!" ng! Yuren unsheathed his sword and deflected the iing shards aimed at me. "What the hell is going on?!" "It''s a long story!" Dodging the relentless hail of ice, I retreated for now, biting my lip as I gazed at Lanez at the eye of the storm. ¡°Abandoned, abandoned, abandoned, abandoned, abandoned¡­¡± Crouched on the ground, she repeated the same words like a broken machine. ''She''spletely lost it.'' It was clear at a nce¡ªreason was beyond her now. ¡°For now, we need to subdue Lanez.¡± ¡°¡­How?¡± Yuren frowned at the raging blizzard encircling him. Even with his recent rapid advancement in strength, the intensity emanating from each swirling snowke was unmistakable. ¡°By any means necessary.¡± I gritted my teeth and began drawing on my mana. ¡°re up.¡± Whoosh! Ash-gray mes ignited. Gray smoke seeped out from my pores, curling around me. ¡°Dale! I¡¯ll try to block the blizzard while you approach Lanez!¡± Iris¡¯s irises transformed into a shimmering rainbow hue as a radiant barrier of white light erupted around her. ¡°Oh, divine beings! Shield your child!¡± The white radiance unfurled like a vast curtain, holding back the raging storm. ''This¡­.'' A barrier strong enough to hold against the Blessing of the Frost? ''It¡¯s not just Yurina who¡¯s been growing rapidly.'' Iris, being support-oriented, hadn¡¯t seemed as prominent, but now, watching her withstand this tempest, I realized she¡¯d achieved growth equal to Yurina¡¯s. ¡°Ugh¡­ Dale! I can¡¯t hold this for long!¡± But no matter how much she¡¯d grown, her opponent was the Witch of the Night, who had frozen half the world in my past life. The barrier wouldn¡¯t hold for long. ¡°Just a little longer!¡± Wreathed in ash mes, I leaped forward. ¡°No, no, no¡­!¡± CRASH! Lanez screamed, clutching her head. Ice pirs erupted from the frozen ground. ¡°Hah!¡± Ashen Sword, Second Form. Inferno sh. A fiery arc from my de shattered the rising ice pirs. Scattered shards of ice. An unbearable chill seeped through my body. Grit. I braced against the cold and took another step forward. Lanez, still clutching her head, slowly lifted her gaze. Her empty eyes locked onto me. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Whooooosh! The blizzard intensified. ¡°Ugh¡­ Dale! I can¡¯t¡­!¡± CRACK! SHATTER! The protective barrier Iris had been struggling to maintain shattered into countless fragments. The blizzard surged forward like a tidal wave. It looked like a colossal monster made of snow, its maw wide open as it surged toward me. ¡°Dale! Watch out!¡± Yuren shouted desperately, leaping forward. He swung his sword to block the iing storm. CLANG! CRACK! ¡°Ugh!¡± But the storm overpowered him, knocking his sword away. The shsted less than a second, but frost crept up Yuren¡¯s hand, turning it a pale purple. Shivering, his frostbitten hand trembled. Gritting his teeth, Yuren red at his frozen hand. ¡°This won¡¯t stop me¡­!¡± He tore off the pendant hanging around his neck. Hum! As a radiant glow enveloped him, his golden hair turned silver. Returning to her true form, Yurina gripped the hilt of her sword with her frostbitten hand. ¡°Haaaah!¡± A brilliant surge of mana erupted from the Stigma engraved on her chest, enveloping her in a silver aura. The aura unfurled like wings, filling the air with countless sword lights that swam like schools of fish. The shimmering lights traced a circle. It was as if a full moon had risen in the middle of broad daylight. ¡°I¡¯ll protect Dale¡­ no matter what!¡± CRASH! The "full moon" split the blizzard in two. ¡°Well done, Yurina!¡± I dove into the gap in the storm. Whoosh! With ash mes zing in my hands, I grabbed Lanez by the shoulders. ¡°Lanez!¡± Did my voice reach her? ¡°¡­Dale?¡± Light returned to Lanez¡¯s once-empty eyes. ¡°Wh-what¡¯s happening¡­ to me?¡± Her expression filled with confusion as she trembled, her gaze falling on the blood seeping from my wounds, caused by the earlier ice shards. ¡°I¡­ I hurt you¡­¡± Her face turned pale as she stumbled back. Just as the light in her eyes began to fade again¡ª ¡°Get a hold of yourself!¡± I grabbed her shoulders with both hands and shook her roughly. The fading light reignited in her eyes. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Ah¡­¡± She bit her lip, staring at the swirling storm around her. ¡°Stop¡­ please¡­¡± She reached out her hand toward the blizzard. ¡°I¡¯m begging you¡­¡± Her trembling voice was filled with desperation. Tears welled up in her eyes, streaming down her cheeks. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ want to hurt Dale¡­ anymore¡­¡± Whoooooosh¡­ Had her plea been heard? The ferocious blizzard began to calm and gradually flowed back into Lanez¡¯s body. ¡°Ah...!¡± Lanez winced, letting out a pained groan. As she staggered, the blizzard surging into her body red violently once more. I grabbed Lanez¡¯s shoulder and patted her back gently, as if soothing a crying child. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll never abandon you¡­ Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Her eyes rippled with emotion. Gritting her teeth, Lanez shifted her gaze to the turbulent blizzard. ¡°Return.¡± It wasn¡¯t a weak, trembling plea but themanding tone of a queen addressing her subjects. In an instant, the raging blizzard quieted and waspletely absorbed into her body. ¡°Haa... haa... haa!¡± After absorbing all of the blizzard, Lanez copsed to the ground, panting heavily. ¡°What was that just now...?¡± Staring down at herself in trembling disbelief, Lanez suddenly lifted her head as if recalling something forgotten. ¡°D-Dale! Are you okay¡­? Kyaa!¡± As she tried to rise in haste, she lost her bnce and stumbled. I caught her hand and helped her to her feet. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t understand what just happened¡­¡± ¡°I said it¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t think about it right now¡ªjust rest.¡± ¡°¡­Dale.¡± Lanez¡¯s eyes quivered as she lowered her head and began to sob. ¡°I¡¯m sorry... I¡¯m so sorry. You¡­ you saved me, but I...¡± As I gently patted Lanez¡¯s back while she cried, voices called out to me. ¡°¡­Dale. What in the world just happened?¡± ¡°That blizzard earlier¡­ it came from Lanez, didn¡¯t it?¡± Iris and Yurina approached me, their gazes now filled with caution as they stared at Lanez. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ll exin everythingter. You don¡¯t have to worry about Lanez.¡± ¡°Sigh. Okay.¡± ¡°If you say so, Dale, I¡¯ll trust you.¡± Despite their uneasy expressions, Iris and Yurina nodded reluctantly. Lanez, still sobbing with her head bowed, turned to them and bowed deeply. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry! I don¡¯t really understand what happened, but¡­ I swear I never intended to harm either of you! Really!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Iris, who had been ring at her, let out a deep sigh and ced her trembling hand on Lanez¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Okay. Lift your head.¡± ¡°Sniff¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ so sorry.¡± Wiping away her tears, Lanez turned her gaze toward Yurina. ¡°Yuren, I¡¯m sorry too¡­ Wait, huh?¡± Lanez¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she looked at Yurina. ¡°Yuren¡­ is a woman?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Realizing she wasn¡¯t currently in her ¡°Yuren¡± disguise, Yurina bit her lip. ¡°Well¡­ since Dale says it¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Yurina began to reveal her true identity to Lanez. The more she spoke, the wider Lanez¡¯s eyes grew. ¡°So all this time¡­ you¡¯ve been pretending to be a man with a transformation artifact?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hearing Yurina¡¯s story, Lanez looked at her with sorrowful eyes. ¡°That must¡¯ve¡­ been hard for you, huh?¡± Lanez knew well the pain of having to hide one¡¯s true self. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I have Dale with me, after all.¡± Yurina smiled warmly as she turned to look at me. ¡°With Dale¡­?¡± Noticing something in her smile, Lanez nced back and forth between Iris and Yurina before stammering out a question. ¡°W-Wait a minute. Don¡¯t tell me¡­ both of you¡­ are dating Dale?¡± A chill ran down my spine at her words. ¡®No way!¡¯ If she found out that I was simultaneously dating not one but two women, who knew what kind of chaos might ensue? I moved quickly to stop Yurina from saying anything, but¡ª ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m dating Dale too.¡± With a confident smile, Yurina nced at Iris. Lanez stared at us, her jaw dropping in shock. ¡°Then¡­ Dale has two girlfriends?¡± Murmuring in disbelief, Lanez seemed dazed. I clenched my fists, closing my eyes tightly. ¡®This is bad.¡¯ Although I had managed to bring her back to her senses earlier, another outburst from the Frost¡¯s Blessing would leave me with no way to handle it. In the worst-case scenario¡­ I might have to end Lanez¡¯s life with my own hands. ¡°Haha...¡± Laughter leaked from Lanez¡¯s lips. Bracing myself, I slowly opened my eyes. Her face¡ª ¡°Ahahaha! Really? Is that so? Then Dale isn¡¯t¡­ just sticking to one person?¡± ¡ªwas radiating pure happiness. ¡®What?¡¯ Why was she happy? ¡°Ehehe¡­ That¡¯s a relief.¡± Lanez beamed brightly at me. Faintly, I heard her mumble something to herself. ¡°Then I still have a chance, too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Only now did I fully understand why she had lost control earlier. ¡®It wasn¡¯t because I have a girlfriend¡­ but because she thought I might abandon her.¡¯ Now, knowing I didn¡¯t have just one lover, she must have realized there was a possibility she could be the ¡°third.¡± ¡®In other words¡­ summing up the situation¡ª¡¯ Thanks to me being in a rtionship with two women, I had prevented a witch¡¯s awakening. ¡°¡­¡± What was this feeling? I had just averted a catastrophe that could have frozen half the world. I had saved countless lives¡ªtens or even hundreds of millions. ¡®So why do I feel like such garbage?¡¯ [PR/N: Simple. You¡¯re trash. Pure trash.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 171: Interlude - The Saintess’ Invitation [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 171: Interlude - The Saintess¡¯ Invitation After Lanez''s outburst subsided. We cleaned up the mess as best as we could and returned to school. Thankfully, the location we chose for our walk was on the secluded hillside behind the school, so no majormotion urred. ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m really sorry about today.¡± Lanez bowed deeply to Iris and Yuren (who had put the pendant back on). ¡°Like I said earlier¡­ I never meant any harm to either of you.¡± Her voice was small, and she seemed deeply apologetic. ¡°As much as Dale is important to me, I know he¡¯s important to Iris and Yuren¡ªno, Yurina too.¡± ¡°I have no intention of forcibly taking Dale away from you. I just¡­¡± Her voice trembled, but she spoke clearly, forcing the words out. ¡°I just want to stay by the side of the person who first showed me warmth.¡± Lanez¡¯s voice was fraught with fear, yet firm. ¡°I know how much of a burden this might be to both of you, but¡­¡± She bowed again, deeply. ¡°Please¡­ let me stay by Dale¡¯s side.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Iris, who had been listening with a serious expression, sighed deeply. ¡°This isn¡¯t a decision that can be made right away.¡± ¡°R-right.¡± ¡°But if you want to stay by Dale¡¯s side, you must remember one thing.¡± Her sky-blue eyes fixed on Lanez. ¡°Don¡¯t ever hurt Dale. If you cause him pain even once more¡­ I won¡¯t forgive you, no matter what.¡± ¡°¡­I-I understand.¡± Lanez shrank under the weight of Iris¡¯ overwhelming presence. With her small frame and timid demeanor, Lanez looked like a younger student being scolded by a strict senior. ¡®Though in reality, Lanez is the senior.¡¯ Suppressing a wry smile, I nced at Lanez. Noticing my gaze, Lanez quickly ran over to me. ¡°I¡¯ll never hurt Dale again!¡± Clenching her fists tightly, Lanez made a determined vow. I couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly. But there was still one thing I was curious about. ¡°How did youe back to your senses earlier?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ back then.¡± Lanez recalled her memory of the outburst. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure¡­ My body felt so cold, but then I felt warmth, and I snapped out of it.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Warmth, she said. ¡®Was it the Ashen me?¡¯ Thinking back, during our mentoring session, I once held the Ashen me closer to her when she was shivering from the cold. She mentioned feeling warmer then, too. At the time, I wasn¡¯t sure if her warmth was due to the emotionalfort of receiving help for the first time or the actual effect of the Ashen me. ¡®If the same thing happened¡­ It¡¯s likely that the Ashen me affects her Frost Blessing.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t something I could confirm right now. ¡°Thank you. This was all¡­ because of you, Dale.¡± With a soft smile, Lanez clutched my hand like it was a precious treasure. Just as an awkward tension began to rise between us¡ª ¡°Dale?¡± Iris¡¯s gentle voice broke the moment, and I quickly withdrew my hand. Iris approached, her usual kind smile gracing her face. ¡°You seem to be in a good mood?¡± For some reason, herposed words tranted in my head as, ¡®Enjoying yourself, huh?¡¯ ¡°Well, anyway. It¡¯s a relief no one was seriously hurt. Yuren, your frostbite is all healed, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. Thanks, Iris.¡± Yuren showed his healed hand. ¡°Alright. Everyone must be tired today, so let¡¯s get some rest. Oh, Lanez, before you leave, share your Hero Watch contact.¡± ¡°Y-yeah, got it!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll head back, too.¡± Lanez and Yuren walked off toward their dorms. As I was about to head to my dorm¡ª ¡°Dale.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Do you have time this evening?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I guess I¡¯m free.¡± ¡°In that case, would you like toe to my room?¡± Iris invited me, her cheeks slightly flushed. ¡°¡­To your room?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been craving the ramen you make. It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. Sure, I¡¯lle over in the evening.¡± Ramen, huh. I hadn¡¯t made it in a while. ¡°I¡¯ll submit the entry request in advance, so juste straight to my room.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Nodding, I headed back to my dorm. * * * In the A-Dorm, a luxury dormitory essible only to Hero candidates with exceptional status and wealth¡ª Inside a room far too spacious for a single upant. ¡°Whew.¡± Iris exhaled, her face tense as she clutched her chest. ¡®It¡¯s almost time for Dale to arrive.¡¯ She nced at the wall clock and swallowed nervously. Although she¡¯d mentioned ramen, her true reason for inviting Dale over was different. ¡®There are too many women around Daletely.¡¯ Yurina was an obvious case, but even Professor Elisha and Lanez clearly harbored feelings for him. ¡®Dale said I¡¯m his first, but¡­ I can¡¯t rx.¡¯ She needed to make a decisive move to secure her ce as his ¡®first.¡¯ ¡°Ugh.¡± Iris opened her closet and hesitated as her eyes fell on a sheer ck negligee, hidden between her school uniforms and priestess robes. This was the ultimate weapon she had secretly acquired during her trip to Valha City. ¡°Ugh, maybe I should just give up today¡­¡± Though she¡¯d said it was her decisive trump card, the mere thought of standing in front of Dale while wearing that outfit made her head feel like it was going to explode from embarrassment. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Iris, standing indecisively in front of her wardrobe, squeezed her eyes shut and pulled out the ck negligee she had carefully hidden away. ¡®Victory neveres to those who just sit around and wait!¡¯ To firmly capture Dale¡¯s heart (and perhaps more), she needed a weapon worthy of the task. Swoosh, swoosh. After changing into the ck negligee, Iris stood before the mirror. It wasn¡¯t the kind of negligee that revealed everything, butpared to her usual outfits, there was far too much exposed skin. Just looking at her reflection was enough to make her face turn bright red. ¡°Phew¡­ okay.¡± Iris took a deep breath, trying to calm her pounding heart. With determination set, she dimmed the lights and ced scented candles she had prepared around the room. The soft glow and gentle fragrance created a sultry, seductive atmosphere. Iris sat on the living room sofa, waiting for Dale to arrive. Knock, knock. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] After a few minutes, a knock echoed through the room. Swallowing nervously, Iris opened the door. ¡°Wee, Dale¡­¡± ¡°¡­Your Holiness?¡± Instead of Dale, it was Cami standing at the door. Cami¡¯s face was stiff as she looked Iris up and down. ¡°What¡­ exactly is this?¡± ¡°Ah, no! This is, um¡­!¡± Caught off guard by Cami¡¯s unexpected arrival, Iris stammered and took a step back. ¡°Dale? Did you just say Dale? Don¡¯t tell me¡­ you invited him to your room? While wearing that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding!¡± ¡°Misunderstanding, my foot! Iris, are you out of your mind?!¡± Cami, forgetting her usual formal tone, raised her voice at Iris. ¡°A saintess of the Holy Kingdom, inviting a man to her room?! And in such¡­ indecent attire!!!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°If the Holy Kingdom finds out about this¡­ Ah.¡± Cami, her temper ring, suddenly held her forehead as if she was getting dizzy. She bit her lip and continued. ¡°Iris. I know you have feelings for Dale. He¡¯s¡­ a good man, I get that.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But this? This is just too much! You¡¯re still a saintess! Even if it doesn¡¯t go against the teachings of the Seven Gods, there¡¯s still a certain decorum expected of you!!!¡± Cami pointed usingly at the ck negligee Iris was wearing. ¡°Go change. Right now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± At Cami¡¯s scolding, Iris tightened her lips and remained silent. She clutched the negligee firmly in her hands and finally spoke. ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°What? Wh-what did you just say?¡± Cami was utterly stunned, not expecting to hear ¡°no¡± from Iris of all people. ¡°I said no.¡± Iris gritted her teeth and lifted her head. Her gaze hardened as she locked eyes with Cami. ¡°¡®Proper decorum for a saintess¡¯? That¡¯s just some nonsense those old fossils in the Holy Kingdom made up! The Seven Gods themselves said love knows no bounds!¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Did I ask to be a saintess? Huh? When I became one, I was just an orphan kid who happened to awaken the ¡®Eyes of Seven¡¯!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Cami pressed her lips tightly together. Iris, her breathing heavy, strode toward Cami. ¡°Cami¡­ Before I¡¯m a saintess, I¡¯m just a woman. A regr woman who wants to be loved by the man she cares about.¡± ¡°¡­Iris.¡± ¡°Is that so wrong? Huh?¡± Iris grabbed Cami¡¯s shoulders, her voice trembling. ¡°Is it a crime for a grown woman to want to have some sex??!!!¡± Her shout reverberated through the room, followed by a heavy silence. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Just as the tension between Iris and Cami reached its peak¡ª Creaaaak. The door, which they thought was closed, slowly swung open. Peeking through the gap was a young man with ash-gray hair. ¡°¡­Uh.¡± Their eyes met. Looking between the two of them with an awkward smile, Dale quickly averted his gaze. ¡°Well, uh¡­ haha. Sorry, I heard some yelling, so I thought¡­ Uh, haha.¡± With that, he mmed the door shut. ¡°I¡¯ll, uh¡­e back another time for the ramen!¡± His hurried footsteps echoed as he fled. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± The silence that fell was suffocating. Cami closed her eyes tightly, while Iris slumped to the floor as if her legs had given out. ¡°¡­Cami.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Your Holiness?¡± ¡°Kill me.¡± ¡°I cannot.¡± ¡°Then lend me your sword. I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s also not an option.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ waaahhh.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Iris buried her face in her hands and began to sob. Cami quietly sat beside her and gently patted her back. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 172: Omen (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 172: Omen (1) A mountain shrouded in deep darkness. Atop a towering rock that rose like a spire, two figures sat: a young man with white hair and a golden monocle, and an old man whose body was covered in intricate tattoos. Archbishop of Corruption, Mephisto, and Archbishop of Beasts, Jackal. Standing at the pinnacle of demonkind, the two monstrous figures gazed down at Valha City and the Hero Academy in the distance. ¡°Keheheh!¡± Jackal shook withughter, his shoulders quivering as if he couldn¡¯t contain his amusement. ¡°Well, well, well¡­ It seems the esteemed Archbishop of Corruption is having a rough time, huh?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Mephisto kept his mouth shut, unresponsive to Jackal¡¯s mockery. Thistest failure had clearly struck a nerve; the ever-calm expression on Mephisto¡¯s face had hardened noticeably. ¡°Yes¡­ Even I didn¡¯t expect the ¡®Blessing of Frost¡¯ to be dispelled so easily.¡± ¡°Keheh. Seeing that look on your face after so many decades¡­ quite the spectacle.¡± Jackal let out a phlegmyugh. ¡°So, what now? Are you giving up?¡± ¡°Not a chance.¡± Mephisto shook his head firmly. ¡°The n hasn¡¯tpletely failed yet.¡± It had creaked and wavered, but it wasn¡¯t broken. ¡°The n¡­ is it?¡± Jackal narrowed his eyes, stroking his chin. ¡°By the way¡­ there¡¯s something I¡¯ve been curious about.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± ¡°What exactly is the goal of this n?¡± ¡°The goal¡­?¡± Mephisto let out a faint chuckle as if the question was absurdly obvious. ¡°Why, to release our Demon God from his seal, of course¡­.¡± ¡°Keheheheheh!¡± Before Mephisto could finish, Jackal burst into a raspy, metallicughter. ¡°How long have we known each other, Mephisto?¡± Jackal¡¯s eyes gleamed, sharp and piercing as if they could see right through him. ¡°You¡¯ve never intended to release the Demon God¡¯s seal, have you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Quite the opposite, in fact.¡± Jackal turned to look towards the Hero Academy as he continued. ¡°All of it¡ªtrying to make Yuren Helios the ¡®Sun,¡¯ creating artificial stigmas, and even capturing that witch¡ªwas for one thing.¡± His eyes gleamed ominously. A low growl reverberated through the forest as hundreds, no, thousands of beasts surrounded Mephisto. The tattoos on Jackal¡¯s body glowed with a sinister light. ¡°To sabotage the seal release n, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Jackal chuckled again, his shoulders shaking. ¡°Did you think I wouldn¡¯t know that you¡¯ve been secretly meeting with a hero?¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Mephisto let out a bitterugh, shaking his head. ¡°Well¡­ this is quite the predicament.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s surprised, honestly. Now, would you care to exin why a demon like you is conspiring with a hero?¡± ¡°Hm. The reason is simple.¡± Mephisto wore a faint smile. ¡°He had something I needed, and I had something he needed.¡± ¡°And what exactly was that something¡ª¡± ¡°And,¡± Mephisto interrupted, ¡°I also have something you need, Jackal.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Mephisto adjusted his golden monocle as he spoke. ¡°The way to enter the ¡®Abyss.¡¯ Don¡¯t you want to know it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Jackal¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°H-How do you¡­?¡± ¡°Haha. Just as you saw through my secrets, I¡¯ve uncovered yours, Jackal.¡± Mephisto smiled slyly. Jackal¡¯s weathered face twitched in disbelief. ¡°Well then, what do you say?¡± Mephisto extended a hand toward Jackal. ¡°For our mutual goals¡­ shall we join forces, even if temporarily?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The forest, cloaked in darkness, fell into a heavy silence. * * * After the rather unfortunate incident with Iris¡­ She had locked herself in her room, iming she was unwell and refusing to respond to any messages. ¡®Well¡­ not surprising.¡¯ I sighed softly, staring at the unanswered message on my watch. ¡°¡­Should I be d there¡¯s no ss this week?¡± Because the other mentoring groups hadn¡¯t finished their sessions, this week¡¯s ¡°Practical Combat Training¡± was on hold. ¡°Haa.¡± As I sighed and flopped onto my bed¡ª Ding! A message alert chimed on my Hero Watch. ¡®Is it Lanez?¡¯ Though she no longer bombarded me with hundreds of messages a day, she still contacted me at least three or four times daily. ¡°Huh? Not from Lanez this time?¡± When I checked, the message wasn¡¯t from Lanez but from Professor Elisha. [Cadet Dale. Could youe to my office immediately?] Her office? It was still early morning, barely dawn. What could possibly require my presence so urgently? ¡®Well, I¡¯d better go.¡¯ After replying that I¡¯d head over right away, I left the dormitory. Golden autumn leaves fluttered in the crisp breeze. ¡°It¡¯s starting to get chilly.¡± When I had returned to this time, it was early spring. Now, more than half a year had passed. Half a year. It wasn¡¯t long, yet it was long enough topletely turn my life upside down. To the point where my life before regression felt like a dream. ¡®No.¡¯ I close my eyes. A pristine white snowfield unfolds in my mind. Frost settling on my skin and a blizzard swirling around me. The sight of myrades dying, and myself crying out helplessly. ¡®This isn¡¯t a dream.¡¯ Yes. It couldn¡¯t be a dream. That endless stretch of time, that never-ending nightmare, had shaped who I am today. ¡®I can¡¯t let my guard down yet.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t let myself get toofortable, basking in the sweet happiness of this life. No matter how much I had changed, there was no guarantee those changes would lead to a better future. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go.¡± Pushing aside my tangled emotions, I made my way to Professor Elisha¡¯s office. Knock, knock. After a light knock, I entered the office, where Professor Elisha sat with her legs crossed, smoking a cigarette. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°What brings me here so early in the morning?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s cold. Am I not allowed to call for Candidate Dale without a reason?¡± Elisha stubbed out her cigarette in the ashtray and rose from her chair. Walking toward me with a leisurely stride, she smirked mischievously and gently touched my cheek. ¡°This week, there are no sses. Can¡¯t I just say I called you because I wanted to see your face?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I suppose there¡¯s no harm in that.¡± ¡°Fufu. I¡¯m kidding.¡± She gave a light pinch to my cheek, smiling as she did. Perhaps because she rarely smiled, seeing her like this always made my heart race. ¡°But anyway.¡± The moment didn¡¯tst long. Her smile faded, and her violet eyes glimmered sharply. ¡°There¡¯s a strange woman¡¯s scent on you.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s not Candidate Iris¡­ nor Candidate Yurina.¡± Her gaze sharpened as she scrutinized every inch of me. ¡°Have you been around another womantely?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± No, seriously, what kind of blessing for insight is this? You can figure that out just from scent? I stared at her in disbelief, and she frowned, letting out a heavy sigh. ¡°Hah. It¡¯s been just a few days, and you¡¯ve already managed to woo another woman¡­ Truly, Candidate Dale, you¡¯re impossible to leave unattended.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not like I¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, yes. You had no intention of wooing anyone. Just like always.¡± Elisha narrowed her eyes and increased the pressure on my cheek pinch. ¡°¡­So, why did you call for me?¡± Realizing there was nothing to gain by continuing this conversation, I forcibly changed the subject. Elisha, looking at me with a dissatisfied expression, turned and walked to her desk. Seated once more, she lit another cigarette. ¡°I called you because of a report from thest mentoring session.¡± ¡°What kind of incident?¡± ¡°A Ten-Eyed-ss demonic beast was reportedly sighted near the school.¡± ¡°¡­Near the school?¡± Not all mentoring sessions involved venturing into the southern regions, where beasts frequently appeared, like in the Aaron Party case. Most sessions took ce in rtively safer hunting grounds near the Hero Academy, where beasts were typically of the Three or Four-Eyed ss. And yet, a Ten-Eyed-ss demonic beast was sighted here? ¡°Of course, there¡¯s no concrete evidence. The candidates who supposedly saw it ran off in a panic, so they couldn¡¯t get a good look.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Personally, I think it¡¯s more likely they misidentified it.¡± Fair point. If candidates hade close enough to visually confirm a Ten-Eyed demonic beast, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to escape; they¡¯d have been ughtered on the spot. ¡°Still, we can¡¯t rule it out entirely, so I n to investigate. If a Ten-Eyed demonic beast is truly near the school¡­ we can¡¯t just let it be.¡± A Ten-Eyed-ss beast required a high-ranking hero¡ªamong the very best¡ªto handle. If such a creature were near the school, it could lead to significant casualties. ¡°And you want me to assist?¡± ¡°Fufu. A delicate woman like myself can¡¯t go investigating alone, can she?¡± She smirked mischievously, lighting her cigarette. ¡®Delicate woman,¡¯ Huh. The phrase hardly matched Professor Elisha. I couldn¡¯t help but let out a dry chuckle. ¡°Well, to be honest, I haven¡¯t had much time to spend with youtely, and I was looking for an excuse to meet. This case just happened toe up.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re being unusually candid.¡± ¡°What? Don¡¯t you like honest women?¡± She smiled yfully, her tone full of teasing. Shaking my head, I sighed. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go. There¡¯s no ss anyway.¡± ¡°Candidate Dale, bottom of the rankings but diligent in attendance, I see.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hey. That phrasing makes me sound pathetic. ¡°Just kidding.¡± Reeling from the factual jab, I clutched my chest as she chuckled mischievously. But then her smile vanished. ¡°Well then.¡± Her violet eyes glinted fiercely again. ¡°Let¡¯s take our time during this investigation¡­ and you can tell me, in painstaking detail, about this new woman in your life.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It felt like I had walked straight into a spider¡¯s web. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 173: Omen (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 173: Omen (2) A wooded hill not far from the academy. I arrived at the ce I had once visited with Professor Elisha when we ventured into the vast underground ruins beneath the school¡ªthe Abyss. Of course, the area we were investigating this time wasn¡¯t the underground ruins. Instead, it was the massive forest nearby, which housed the entrance to the ruins. This forest, ssified as a C-rank danger zone due to its frequent appearances of dangerous demonic beasts, was often used as a training ground to provide cadets with real-worldbat experience. ¡°So, to sum up Cadet Dale¡¯s story¡­.¡± After listening to everything about Lanez, Professor Elisha stroked her chin thoughtfully and nodded. ¡°Are you saying that thanks to Cadet Dale¡¯s, shall we say, liberal romantic exploits, we¡¯ve averted a great catastrophe that could have happened in the future?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± While plenty of details were omitted, sure, that¡¯s not entirely wrong. Looking at the results alone, it was true that my simultaneous rtionships had somehow managed to prevent Lanez from going berserk. ¡°Hahaha! Well, this is certainly¡­ a resolution that fits Cadet Dale.¡± ¡°You call this my kind of resolution?¡± What sort of person am I in Professor Elisha¡¯s mind? ¡°In any case, Cadet Dale has once again altered the future. And this time, it¡¯s the horrifying future where half the continent freezes over.¡± ¡°If we¡¯re judging by results¡­ yes.¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± Professor Elisha trailed off, narrowing her eyes slightly. ¡°Whether this change will lead to a better oue¡­ that¡¯s still hard to determine.¡± ¡°Well, at least it has to be better than my previous life.¡± How many futures could be worse than a disaster that froze half the continent and imed the lives of millions, if not hundreds of millions? ¡°Hm. I¡¯m not so sure about that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not?¡± Professor Elisha shook her head slightly, her voice lowering. ¡°If what you¡¯ve told me is true, wasn¡¯t Cadet Lanez in your previous life also a disaster for the demons?¡± ¡°Well¡­ yes.¡± Because her power, the Blessing of Frost, was so overwhelming, she ughtered indiscriminately, regardless of whether they were friend or foe. ¡°In that case, isn¡¯t it also good news for the demons that Cadet Lanez no longer poses a threat to them by siding with humanity?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Professor Elisha¡¯s words made my eyes widen in surprise. The idea that Lanez¡¯s change could be a blessing for the demons as well had never crossed my mind. ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought of it that way.¡± Indeed, in my past life, Lanez had been one of the key figures who nearly thwarted the demons¡¯ long-desired n to free the Demon God. Had I, Yuren, and countless other heroes failed to kill her, the Demon God might never have been released from its seal. ¡®Of course, if that had happened, it wouldn¡¯t have been just half the continent¡ªthe entire continent would have frozen over.¡¯ The release of the Demon God versus the survival of the Witch. It was impossible to say which oue was better or worse. What was clear, though, was this: ¡®If the Demon God had remained sealed, humanity might not have beenpletely wiped out.¡¯ Sure, 99% of humanity would likely have perished in the blizzards that Lanez unleashed. But that remaining 1%¡ªthey might have found a way to survive, even in such harsh cold. In other words, killing Lanez in my past life might have directly led to theplete extinction of humanity. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The unexpected realization left my mind in a tangled mess. ¡°There¡¯s no need for Cadet Dale to me himself.¡± Sensing my distress, Professor Elisha gently patted my back as she continued. ¡°Even if humanity had survived, would it have been much of a life, merely scraping by day to day in a frozen wastnd? Would you even call that living?¡± ¡°Well¡­.¡± ¡°Surely Cadet Dale, of all people, understands that being alive isn¡¯t everything.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Memories from my past life surfaced unbidden. When humanity was no more, and I was left alone. When I wandered endlessly through the deste, snow-covered ins, screaming in solitude. For me, life itself had be an inescapable curse. ¡°¡­Yes, I know. All too well.¡± It wasn¡¯t just about being alive. How you lived mattered far more. In that sense, my decision to kill Lanez in my past life couldn¡¯t be called a mistake. However. ¡°By the way¡­ it¡¯s curious. Who managed to sway Cadet Lanez to the demons¡¯ side in your past life? Did they not realize she was an uncontroble force?¡± ¡°They must have known.¡± Whoever had brought Lanez over to the demons would have been fully aware that she couldn¡¯t control her own power. ¡®If they knew, then why did they bring her in?¡¯ The identity of the person who lured Lanez to the demons in my past life remained a mystery. But. If they knowingly recruited her despite the risks, understanding she could be a catastrophe even for them¡­. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± My thoughts spiraled deeper. The questions multiplied, each one leading to more uncertainty, yet clear answers eluded me. As I stood there, lost in contemtion¡ª ¡°Seems like I¡¯ve stirred up unnecessary worries.¡± Professor Elisha gently pinched my cheek with a wry smile, snapping me out of my reverie. ¡°There¡¯s no need to overthink it. Just because you¡¯ve glimpsed the future doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll have all the answers.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­.¡± ¡°More importantly, I¡¯m more curious about Cadet Dale currently juggling two rtionships.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Her next words made my shoulders jolt. I had long been aware that Professor Elisha harbored feelings for me beyond that of a mentor. And admitting to her that I was not only in a rtionship, but two rtionships at once, was no easy feat. ¡°Your partners are Cadets Iris and Yurina, correct?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°I see. Interesting.¡± Arms crossed, Professor Elisha gazed at me. She was trying her best to appear nonchnt, but I could easily notice the faint tremor in her eyes. ¡°Two¡­ I see, two.¡± Professor Elisha¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile as if piecing something together. ¡°I think I can somewhat understand how Cadet Lanez must have felt.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Heh. Don¡¯t worry too much. I have no intention of putting you in a difficult position, Candidate Dale.¡± But still¡­ Professor Elisha, who usually carried herself confidently, now appeared slightly anxious. ¡°I¡­ would like to be remembered as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Why was that? Seeing her avert her gaze awkwardly made my heart pound. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Whether she noticed my inner turmoil or not, Professor Elisha covered the scar near her left eye with her hand and spoke in a subdued voice. ¡°Of course¡­ unlike the other candidates you meet, I¡¯m neither young, nor beautiful, nor particrly charming as a woman, but¡­¡± Still. ¡°I believe my feelings for you¡­ are second to none.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Her words made my already racing heart beat even faster. Barely managing to suppress my emotions, I spoke up. ¡°Well, I have to disagree with you there.¡± ¡°¡­Disagree?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re plenty beautiful, Professor Elisha. You¡¯re also charming as a woman. And as for age¡­ well, considering how long I¡¯ve lived, wouldn¡¯t that make me much older than you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Professor Elisha¡¯s eyes trembled slightly.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om She struggled to suppress the smile threatening to form on her lips, letting out a small cough instead. ¡°Candidate Dale, you really have a knack for troubling women.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± What did I do now? ¡°Heh, it¡¯s nothing. Anyway, we¡¯ve spent enough time chatting. Let¡¯s resume the investigation.¡± With that, Professor Elisha strode ahead, her steps almost bouncing as if she were dancing. I followed her, swallowing a wry smile. Step by step, we walked along the forest path, arriving at the location where candidates had reportedly encountered a Ten-Eyed demonic beast. ¡°Indeed¡­ there are traces of a demonic beast here.¡± Professor Elisha, her violet eyes glinting ominously, scanned the surroundings. ¡°Are they traces of a Ten-Eyed demonic beast?¡± ¡°No, that much I can¡¯t say.¡± She shook her head slightly and approached the traces. Then. ¡°Grrrr¡­¡± A faint, low growl reached our ears. Our gazes met. ¡°Professor.¡± ¡°It seems¡­ we¡¯ve stepped into its territory.¡± Turning toward the sound of the growl, we saw a massive ck wolf emerging from the bushes. Its body, covered in sharp spines like a porcupine, exuded a chilling blue me with every breath. And most notably, the number of its eyes¡­ ¡°It¡¯s an Eight-Eyed demonic beast.¡± ¡°As expected, the candidates must have misjudged.¡± Even so, an Eight-Eyed demonic beast was no small threat. For any partycking exceptional strength, like the renowned Aron Party, it would still be a formidable opponent. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this.¡± ¡°No, I will.¡± Professor Elisha stepped in front of me as I moved forward. I gave her a questioning look, to which she clicked her tongue and shook her head. ¡°If you get involved, that demonic beast will be reduced to ashes in no time. We need it alive for the investigation.¡± She was right. Professor Elisha was better suited for the task if the goal was to capture it. Her ¡°Spider Web¡± ability was more about restraining and capturing than killing. ¡°GRAAAAH!¡± The wolf roared and charged at Professor Elisha. She spread her arms wide, and from her gloved fingertips, a transparent web shot out, wrapping around the charging demonic beast. ¡°Grrrk? Grrrrk!¡± The wolf twisted violently, and the spines on its body bristled, slicing through the webbing. With its restraints cut, the wolf let out a triumphant roar and closed the distance in an instant. ¡°Oh my, this one¡¯s quite formidable for an Eight-Eyed demonic beast.¡± Professor Elisha smirked, her eyes gleaming fiercely as the demonic beast loomed before her. Clenching her fist, she let more of her spider web coil around her arm. With a decisive step, she struck. ¡°Bind.¡± Uttering the incantation softly, she drove her web-coated fist into the demonic beast¡¯s face. Wham! ¡°Gyaaah?!¡± The massive wolf staggered back, copsing with a heavy thud. Climbing atop the fallen demonic beast, Professor Elisha rained down blows like a hammer. Smash! Thud! Crack! Blood sprayed in all directions. Shattered teeth and torn flesh flew with each impact. Watching the demonic beast¡¯s face being brutally pummeled, I let out a nervousugh. ¡°Uh, Professor? We¡¯re supposed to be capturing it alive, right?¡± It didn¡¯t look like it. ¡°Oh, I got a bit carried away.¡± ¡°Grrk¡­ Grrrk¡­¡± The wolf whimpered, blood dripping from its mouth. Though battered, it was still alive. Professor Elisha dipped her finger into the demonic beast¡¯s blood, then brought it to her lips. ¡°Now, let¡¯s figure out where this thing came from¡­¡± Just then. Rustle, rustle. The faint sound of movement through the underbrush. Before I could think, my body reacted. ¡°Get down!¡± I grabbed Professor Elisha, throwing us both to the ground. Shrrraaaaack! A wave of crimson aura shed through where she had stood moments before. ¡°Graaaah!¡± The Eight-Eyed demonic beast, caught in the aura¡¯s sweep, was torn to shreds. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Turning toward the source of the attack, we saw five pairs of glowing eyes deep within the shadows of the forest. ¡°It seems the candidates weren¡¯t mistaken after all.¡± Drawing my sword, I clenched my teeth. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 174: Omen (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 174: Omen (3) Rustle, rustle. The demonic beast emerging from the thicket didn¡¯t seemrge enough to warrant the name "demonic beast." At most, it was only slightly taller than the average adult male. In fact, if it stood next to Berald, Berald would probably appearrger in stature. ¡°¡­.¡± Its build and physique were modest, to the extent that at a nce, it was difficult to distinguish it from a human. Yet, despite its humanlike appearance, there was one grotesque feature that immediately marked it as a demonic beast. It had no nose, no mouth, and no ears. Its face was devoid of any proper sensory organs, as though it had been burnt and melted away. All that could be seen were five pairs of eyes covering its face. ¡®A Ten-Eyed demonic beast, huh¡­ It certainly has a peculiar look.¡¯ Just by looking, it was impossible to deduce what kind of creature this demonic beast had originally been. ¡°That demonic beast¡­.¡± Professor Elisha''s eyes trembled slightly. I released my arm from around her and stood up. ¡°Have you seen it before?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Biting her lip, she gave a small nod. I wanted to ask where she had seen it and why her expression was so grave, but¡ª ¡°Groooaaaahhhh!¡± The demonic beast let out an eerie cry and raised its right arm. Its arm warped like mud, molding into the shape of a crimson de. ¡°Tch.¡± For now, questions could wait. Dealing with that arrogant demonic beast, which was radiating murderous intent, was the priority. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± I let out a short breath, summoning my magic. The mana dormant in my Stigma flowed through my bloodstream, spreading across my entire body. ¡°Groooaaaahhh!¡± The demonic beast charged at us, emitting an unsettling howl. For a brief moment, I wondered how it could make such sounds without a mouth. Then I readied my sword, pointing it toward the approaching demonic beast. Woooom! The demonic beast¡¯s arm, now a crimson de, burned fiercely with a dark red aura. ¡®A demonic beast that can wield aura.¡¯ Just seeing that savage, zing aura was enough to understand why people said only the strongest among the Rankers could handle a Ten-Eyed demonic beast. ng! Swords shed, sending a powerful shockwave up my arm. Despite its humanlike appearance, a demonic beast was still a demonic beast. Its raw physical capabilities far surpassed those of any human. ¡°Bind it!¡± Shwaaaaak! Professor Elishaunched webs of silk that ensnared the demonic beast. ¡°Groooaaaahhh!¡± Professor Elisha staggered as the demonic beast thrashed violently and was almost pulled toward it. ¡°Ugh!¡± In the end, she had no choice but to sever her own threads. Professor Elisha nced at the corpse of the wolf demonic beast we had fought earlier, her face grim. ¡°Just two extra eyes, and it¡¯s this much stronger¡­.¡± ¡°Well, starting from the Ten-Eyed level, the power scales drastically.¡± I shook off the tingling in my hand and gripped my sword again. ¡°But¡­ even so, it¡¯s definitely stronger than a typical Ten-Eyed demonic beast.¡± I had fought several Ten-Eyed demonic beasts in my previous life, but one this powerful was rare. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Professor Elisha bit her lip, as if she had some idea about its origins. Leaving her behind, I took a step toward the demonic beast. Sure, it was stronger than an average Ten-Eyed demonic beast. It could wield aura, and its strength was overwhelming for its rtively humanlike size. But¡ª ¡®At the end of the day, it¡¯s just a Ten-Eyed demonic beast.¡¯ I had once burned a demonic beast from the Abyss with twelve eyes to ashes. Of course, I wasn¡¯t in my ¡°Avatar¡± state like I had been back then. ¡°Ignite.¡± But I could still imitate it. Fwoooosh! Ashen mes roared around me, engulfing my body. Gray smoke billowed from my pores, spreading like a dense fog. ¡°Hah¡­¡± I exhaled a breath of ash and then¡ª Boom! Kicked off the ground. ¡°Groooaaaahhh!¡± The demonic beast swung its right arm, now a crimson de. That arm, zing with dark red aura, was¡ª Ashen Sword 1: Refract. The ashen mes coiling around my sword severed it cleanly. ¡°Groooaahhh!¡± A scream erupted. The demonic beast clutched its right arm, which I had just cut off, and bent over. Taking advantage of the moment, I swung my leg in a low arc toward the demonic beast. Whack! My kick struck its leg, sending its body staggering. Its leg bent at an unnatural angle. ¡°Groooaaahhh!¡± With a scream, the demonic beast¡¯s twisted leg melted into a muddy mass, reforming into a sharp scythe. The demonic beast spun its body and swung the scythe upward, aiming for my head. ¡°Not so fast!¡± Professor Elisha crossed her hands in an X and spread them wide. Dozens, no, hundreds of threads shot out toward the demonic beast. ¡°Groooaaahhh!¡± Perhaps because it had already cut through her webs once, the demonic beast didn¡¯t hesitate and swung its scythe. However¡ªn/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°So presumptuous.¡± Elisha¡¯s lips curled into a cold smile. She brought her hands together and twisted them sharply. Shiiiiiing! The hundreds of threads intertwined in midair, forming thick ropes that wrapped around the demonic beast¡¯s leg. The demonic beast froze, unable to move. ¡°Groooaaaahhh!¡± It thrashed and roared, but no matter how much it struggled, it couldn¡¯t break free from the ropes binding its leg. ¡°Stay still, you pest.¡± I approached the iling demonic beast. ¡®I¡¯ll capture it alive for now.¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Drawing a small cut on my hand, I let blood trickle out and summoned my blood sword. Thud! I plunged the crimson de deep into the demonic beast¡¯s chest, like driving a stake. ¡°Grooo¡­ grooo¡­¡± As the blood sword greedily absorbed the demonic beast¡¯s life essence, its movements visibly weakened. ¡°Now then¡­¡± I turned to look at Professor Elisha. Professor Elisha stood silent, her lips pressed tightly together, gazing down at the demonic beast with aplex expression. "Professor." "Ah... Sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment." "Where did you encounter this demonic beast?" "......" Professor Elisha closed her eyes briefly before speaking in a slightly trembling voice. "When I was a child. I remember seeing it when my vige was attacked." "Then¡­" "Yes. It''s not just a wild demonic beast; it''s a servant demonic beast of Jackal." "......" A servant demonic beast of Jackal. ¡®So the appearance of powerful demonic beasts in a C-rank danger zone¡­¡¯ It was all orchestrated by Jackal. "But why would a servant demonic beast of Jackal be here¡­?" Professor Elisha furrowed her brows, unable toprehend. Previously, there had been an incident where Jackal managed to infiltrate the academy¡¯s exam grounds with a servant demonic beast, but that had been no more than a minor demonic beast of the lowest rank. But this demonic beast was a "Ten-Eyed" rank, one of Jackal''s most powerful servant demonic beasts. There was no way he would send such a demonic beast here without a significant purpose. And then¡­ "It doesn''t seem like it''s just one demonic beast." "Excuse me?" Professor Elisha''s violet eyes gleamed as she scanned the bushes where the demonic beast had appeared. "There are multiple traces of demonic beasts. It''s likely that other servant demonic beasts are also here." "Then the low-rank wolf demonic beast from earlier as well¡­" "It¡¯s probably another of Jackal¡¯s servant demonic beasts." "......" Jackalmanded an army of thousands, if not tens of thousands, of demonic beasts. This might mean that they hade here in force. "Candidate Dale." Professor Elisha turned to look at me and asked. "In your ¡®previous life,¡¯ did anything like this happen?" "......" The appearance of Jackal¡¯s servant demonic beasts near the Hero Academy. Even though over a thousand years had passed, an incident vividly etched in my memory resurfaced. "Yes, it did. There was an incident where Jackal¡¯s demonic beast army appeared near the Hero Academy." "Oh?" "But¡­" I grimaced as I continued. "That incident happened ten years after I graduated¡­ which means about 12 years from now." Twelve years into the future. It was during the time I had just finished ten years as a mercenary and had formed a party with Yuren. "What exactly happened?" "......" That day. Although I hadn¡¯t been at the scene, I knew well what had transpired. "An attack." "¡­An attack?" "Yes. Arge-scale assault by Jackal¡¯s demonic beast army." "......" Professor Elisha''s expression stiffened. "Jackal attacked the Hero Academy?" "Yes." I nodded and continued. "To stop Jackal''s demonic beast army, heroes from the three allied nations gathered¡­ and a war broke out between over a thousand heroes and the demonic beast army." And then. "In that war¡­ Professor Elisha seeded in killing Jackal." "......" Did she sense something in my expression? Professor Elisha gazed at me with heavy eyes. "And what happened after that?" "......" "After I killed Jackal¡­ what happened to me?" "¡­You died." That was the end of ''The Spider with the Cursed Eyes,'' Elisha Baldwin. "I see." Professor Elisha gave a faint, bitter smile, as if she had expected that answer. "Hearing about a death I don¡¯t remember from someone else¡­ it¡¯s a strange feeling." "It¡¯ll be fine." I ced a firm hand on her shoulder and said in a determined voice. "This time, I¡¯ll protect you, Professor." "¡­Ahem." Professor Elisha let out a dry cough and averted her gaze, turning her head away. The tips of her ears, visible through her ck hair, had turned red. "Anyway, does that mean anotherrge-scale assault by the demonic beast army will happen this time?" "Not sure. Just the appearance of Jackal''s servant demonic beasts near the academy isn¡¯t enough to confirm that, but¡­ it¡¯s possible an assault could happen." "We should report this to the headmaster right away." If there was a chance of arge-scale assault, preparations had to be made. "Let¡¯s head back to the academy." "Understood." After taking care of the captured Ten-Eyed demonic beast, Professor Elisha and I carried its body down the mountain. Once we loaded the corpse into the trunk and got into Professor Elisha¡¯s magical vehicle to head back to the academy¡ª "Wait, is that¡­?" "......" Both Professor Elisha and I froze in unison. In the distance, the Hero Academy came into view. From there¡ª Thick ck smoke was rising into the sky. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 175: Attack (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 175: Attack (1) n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The walls surrounding the Hero Academy. Standing 10 meters tall and designed in the Empire¡¯s traditional style, the walls were more than a defense against intruders¡ªthey were a work of art, blending seamlessly with the beauty of the academy. Or rather, they were. Before they became drenched in blood. ¡°Graaaahhh!¡± ¡°Raaaargh!¡± ¡°Urrrroooooo!¡± The air shook with monstrous roars. A horde of thousands of demonic beasts bared their vicious fangs, surging toward the academy walls. ¡°Damn it! Hold the line!¡± ¡°Where did all these demonic beastse from?!¡± ¡°Not a single one must enter the academy!¡± The sudden onught of the demonic beast army sounded rms across the academy. The first to respond were the professors. ¡°Hyahhh!¡± Professor Lucas let out a battle cry, wielding a massive axe with both hands. True to his nickname, ¡°Bloodthirsty Hound,¡± Lucas tore through the demonic beasts like a lone wolf unleashed upon a herd of sheep. ¡°Graaaargh!¡± ¡°Rrrraaah!¡± ¡°Headshot!¡± He charged forward, cleaving the heads of oing demonic beasts with his axe. More demonic beasts surrounded him from every direction. Lucas¡¯s eyes turned a blood-red hue as crimson aura red around him. ¡°Grrrrr!¡± Harnessing the blessing of the Blood Berserker, Lucas unleashed savage cries, indistinguishable from those of the demonic beasts, as he swung his axe wildly. St! Thud! Crunch! Blood sttered, and skulls burst apart, their contents raining down like a gruesome storm. ¡°Raaaargh!¡± Even as ws and teeth tore into him, Lucas pressed forward, obliterating the demonic beasts in his path. ¡°It''s hard to tell who''s the real monster here.¡± A golden-haired woman descended through the chaos on a staff, her voice calm. She leaped lightly from her staff,nding as though using an invisible parachute. ¡°...Bianca?¡± Lucas turned, soaked head-to-toe in demonic beast blood, to see Professor Bianca elegantly flip her wavy hair behind her shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ve evacuated the lower-grade cadets to the main auditorium.¡± ¡°Good¡­ Now all we have to do is keep these damned demonic beasts out of the academy.¡± Bianca nodded and fixed her gaze on the endless swarm of demonic beasts. Narrowing her eyes, she gripped her staff tightly. ¡°There¡¯s an awful lot of them.¡± ¡°And it¡¯s not just numbers. There are high-tier demonic beasts mixed in too.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Bianca let out a weary breath and aimed her staff toward the demonic beasts. ¡°I¡¯ll cast a big one. Cover me while I prepare.¡± ¡°Tch. Why should I cover you?¡± Lucas scoffed, his tone sharp. Bianca shrugged with a sly smile. ¡°Oh, feel free to just stand there and watch me get torn apart, then.¡± ¡°Hmph. As you wish.¡± Despite his curt words, Lucas stepped in front of her, swinging his axe to keep the demonic beasts at bay. Not one could get past him. ¡°You¡¯re such a liar, Lucas,¡± Bianca chuckled softly as she began casting her spell. Blue mes ignited at the tip of her staff, swirling and intensifying as she chanted. The heat became a storm, radiating outward. ¡°Rrraaaagh!¡± ¡°Hissss!¡± Sensing danger, the demonic beasts howled and surged toward Bianca. ¡°Not so fast!¡± Lucas, now enveloped in his blood-red aura, stomped the ground and swung his axe mercilessly. Smash! St! Crack! Heads exploded, one after another. Lucas¡¯s eyes glimmered with feral exhration as he roared, ¡°If any of you touch a hair on Bianca, I¡¯ll ughter you all!¡± His ferocious shout even made the demonic beasts flinch momentarily. And then¡ª ¡°Burn.¡± BOOOOOOM!!! A colossal wave of blue fire engulfed the demonic beast horde. The sickening stench of burning flesh filled the air, apanied by ear-splitting shrieks of agony. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Bianca wiped sweat from her brow and smirked. ¡°Oh my, Lucas. Don¡¯t touch a hair on her head, you said? I¡¯m touched.¡± ¡°Sh-Shut up!¡± Lucas barked, ring at the demonic beast army. Despite the devastating spell, the horde was quickly replenished, their numbers now greater than before. ¡°Damn it.¡± ¡°¡­Looks like we don¡¯t have time for banter.¡± The two professors tightened their grips on their weapons, their faces grim as they stared down the never-ending swarm. ncing to the side, they saw other professors struggling against the relentless tide of demonic beasts, gradually being pushed back. ¡°There¡¯s just too many.¡± No matter how many they killed, the numbers didn¡¯t seem to decrease. ¡°Where the hell are they alling from¡­?¡± Gritting his teeth, Lucas gripped his axe. There was no time to think. For now, they had to keep the demonic beasts out of the academy. ¡°Bianca! Hit them with another one! Stronger this time!¡± ¡°You make it sound so easy¡­ Fine, fine.¡± Bianca sighed deeply and began casting another spell. Just then¡ª ¡°Drink this and cast your spell.¡± An elderly man with a rough beard and weathered face handed her a ss vial. ¡°...Professor Jade?¡± Bianca froze, her expression stiffening. Jade Bastien, the infamous ¡°Student yer.¡± His terrifying reputation was well-known even among the professors. ¡°I know how you all see me,¡± Jade said, offering a bitter smile. ¡°But right now, protecting our students and defeating that demonic beast army is what matters most, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°...¡± It was apelling argument, evening from the Student yer. Bianca hesitated before asking, ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a Stigma Amplifier. It¡¯ll temporarily boost your mana significantly, though it has some side effects.¡± ¡°How bad are we talking?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°Well, this diluted version will knock you unconscious for a few days.¡± ¡°...¡± Diluted, and she¡¯d be out for days? ¡°And if I drink the undiluted version? Would I die?¡± ¡°Exactly. Your internal organs would liquefy instantly.¡± ¡°How reassuring.¡± Hah. Professor Bianca let out a deep sigh and, without hesitation, gulped down the stigma enhancer Jade handed her. Wooong! The mana flowing from her stigma surged explosively. ¡°Haha¡­ As expected of the descendant of the Great Sage. The effect is incredible.¡± Barely controlling the overflowing mana, Professor Bianca chuckled wryly. Professor Lucas turned to her with wide eyes. ¡°Bianca, you¡­!¡± ¡°Lucas¡­ I¡¯m preparing one¡­ and it¡¯s going to be a big one¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Professor Lucas bit his lip with a heavy expression. He red sharply at Professor Jade. ¡°If something happens to Biancater, I won¡¯t let you off.¡± ¡°At that time, you¡¯re wee to use your axe to cut my head off.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Professor Lucas let out a short sigh, then raised the axes in both hands. Facing the oing horde of demonic beasts, he roared ferociously. ¡°Come at me, you bastards!¡± Thus, Professors Lucas and Jade held back the tide of the demonic beast horde, buying time. How much time had passed? Fwoooosh! Massive blue mes rose high into the sky. Not just one, but dozens of fireballs. ¡°BURN¡­ THEM¡­ ALL!¡± BOOOOM! The blue fireballs fell like meteors, crashing into the demonic beast horde. Thick smoke billowed. Hundreds of demonic beasts were engulfed by the blue mes, reduced to ashes. ¡°Hah, hah, hah!¡± Professor Bianca copsed to the ground, clutching her chest. Professor Lucas quickly rushed over to support her. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°No¡­ not, okay¡­.¡± Professor Bianca looked out at the thick smoke, gasping for air as if on the verge of copse. ¡°¡­What about the demonic beasts?¡± ¡°The demonic beasts are¡­.¡± As the smoke slowly cleared, the demonic beast horde came back into view. ¡°¡­You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡± A curse escaped involuntarily. New demonic beasts trampled over the ashen remains of their predecessors, endlessly pouring in. ¡°How many¡­ are there?¡± It wasn¡¯t hundreds or thousands of demonic beasts attacking the academy. It was at least ten thousand¡ªan army capable of wiping out an entire nation¡ªswarming into the Hero Academy. ¡°Graaaahhh!¡± ¡°Grrrrrk!¡± ¡°Damn it¡­! We can¡¯t hold on any longer¡­!¡± As the professors were forced to retreat under the relentless onught¡ª ¡°EARTHQUAAAAKEEEE!!!¡± THUUUUUD! A deafening roar shook the ground as it split open. A massive student candidate, rivaling or even exceeding Professor Lucas in size, charged toward the demonic beasts. ¡°Take this!¡± The enormous candidate hurled a giant sack strapped to his back at the demonic beasts. Clink, nk! The ss bottles inside shattered, spilling their magical contents everywhere. ¡°Now, Senior Sophia!¡± At the boomingmand¡ª ¡°Detonate.¡± KA-BOOOOOOOM! The mmable magical reagents erupted in a massive chain explosion. Demonic beast flesh was sted into the air, raining down like droplets. ¡°Haha! What a fantastic ¡®Hell yer¡¯ spell, senior!¡± ¡°It¡¯s Hell re, not Hell yer. And where did you get all those magical reagents?¡± ¡°I borrowed them from Professor Jade¡¯sb!¡± ¡°MY TEN YEARS OF MAGICAL REAGENTS!!!¡± ¡°¡­You borrowed them, right?¡± The red-haired candidate looked awkwardly at the wailing Professor Jade. ¡°Wait¡­ That candidate is¡­.¡± ¡°Berald Ryu?¡± ¡°And there¡¯s also Candidate Sophia.¡± But it wasn¡¯t just Berald and Sophia who had arrived. ¡°We¡¯vee to help!¡± ¡°Those injured,e to me!¡± ¡°Saintess, don¡¯t go too far ahead¡ªit¡¯s dangerous!¡± ¡°Eek! Th-there are so many demonic beasts¡­!¡± Euren, Iris, Cami, Lanez. And the candidates following behind them. ¡°Why are you all¡­?¡± Professor Lucas¡¯s eyes trembled. A timid-looking candidate stepped forward toward him. ¡°I-I¡¯m here as the representative of ss C! I gathered volunteers to help the professors!¡± Despite his trembling legs, Albert took a firm step forward. ¡°We may still be candidates, but we¡¯re proud heroes too!¡± ¡°Albert, you¡­.¡± Professor Lucas¡¯s eyes welled up as he ced a hand on Albert¡¯s shoulder. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°Professor Lucas¡­.¡± ¡°I promise you. When this is all over, I¡¯ll gift you enough special health juice tost a lifetime.¡± ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡± Wait, what¡­? ¡°Alright, rookies¡ªno, ¡®heroes¡¯! Don¡¯t let a single demonic beast set foot inside this academy!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go! Bring it on, you bastards!¡± The battle between the demonic beast horde and Hero Academy had begun in earnest. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 176: Attack (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 176: Attack (2) Vroooom! The engine of the magic car roared as we approached the academy, ck smoke billowing into the sky. Professor Elisha yanked the steering wheel sharply, bringing the car to a screeching halt, and threw open the door. ¡°Cadet Dale, we¡¯ll run from here!¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± Running is much faster than relying on the magic car if it''s not too far. I bolted toward the academy, where the smoke was rising, with Professor Elisha close behind. As we neared the academy, the pungent stench of blood and the sound of intense fighting grew louder. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ I hadn¡¯t expected the assault to begin so soon. Grinding my teeth in frustration, I pushed my magical energy to its limits. The surrounding scenery blurred as we sped forward, and the Hero Academy came into view. ¡°This is¡­¡± A seemingly endless horde of demonic beasts surged forward, while professors and cadets fought desperately to hold them off. ¡°Phew. It looks like they¡¯re holding their ground,¡± Professor Elisha said, sighing in relief as she ced a hand on her chest. As she had observed, there didn¡¯t appear to be any casualties on our side yet, as the ground was littered only with the corpses of the demonic beasts. Although the demonic beasts were still numerous, the tide of the battle seemed to favor the Hero Academy. ¡®The Hero Academy is winning?¡¯ I surveyed the advancing demonic beasts with a grim expression. ¡°Hmm? Why that face?¡± ¡°¡­Something feels off.¡± ¡°Off? What do you mean?¡± ¡°In my previous life, it took a coalition of a thousand heroes from three kingdoms fighting tooth and nail to barely repel the demonic beast horde.¡± But now, the professors and cadets within the academy alone were gaining the upper hand? n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°That could just be because the demonic beast horde¡¯s strength is weaker than it was ten yearster, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s possible. But¡­¡± Boom! I mmed my foot down hard and leapt high into the air. The battlefield unfolded before me, a chaotic scene of fiercebat. ¡®Just as I thought.¡¯ My expression twisted as Inded back on the ground. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not here.¡± ¡°Not here? Who?¡± ¡°There¡¯s not a single demonic beast of the Ten-Eyed ss or higher.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The sheer number of demonic beasts exceeded ten thousand, but the core forces¡ªthe Ten-Eyed demonic beasts or higher¡ªwere nowhere to be found. Even Jackal, the demonic beast Archbishop whomanded the horde, was conspicuously absent. ¡°That means¡­¡± ¡°This is a diversion. A ploy to focus our attention here.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Haah¡­¡± Damn it. I bit my lip and pressed a hand to my forehead. I¡¯d been mistaken. I¡¯d overlooked something crucial. Just because an event mirrored what happened in my previous life didn¡¯t mean the purpose behind it was the same. ¡°Jackal¡¯s goal isn¡¯t the Hero Academy.¡± ¡°Then what could he be targeting with such arge-scale assault?¡± Professor Elisha frowned in confusion. ¡®What is Jackal¡¯s objective?¡¯ To be honest, even in my previous life, the exact reason Jackal attacked the Hero Academy was never revealed. ¡®But.¡¯ I connected the dots,paring this life with my previous one. ¡®Jackal¡¯s core forces are always the demonic beasts of the Ten-Eyed ss or higher.¡¯ So where had Jackal deployed those demonic beasts? What was he aiming for? Where was he heading? ¡°Ah.¡± Like a bolt of lightning, a single word exploded in my mind. ¡°¡­The Abyss.¡± ¡°The Abyss?¡± ¡°Jackal¡¯s target isn¡¯t the Hero Academy; it¡¯s the Abyss buried beneath it.¡± At my words, Professor Elisha furrowed her brow in confusion. ¡°But didn¡¯t you say before that no one but you knows how to descend past the first floor of the Abyss?¡± That was true. The Grand Sage¡¯s three riddles sealed the path to the second floor of the Abyss, and unless the seal on the Demon God weakened, no one but me could enter. ¡°That much, I don¡¯t know. But I¡¯m certain that Jackal¡¯s target is the Abyss.¡± Jackal¡¯s core forces consisted of Ten-Eyed demonic beasts. And the mountain with the entrance to the Abyss was where I''d encountered those demonic beasts. Following that path downward would lead to the massive ruins beneath the Hero Academy. ¡®In the center of those ruins lies a magic circle. Activating it opens the gate to the second floor.¡¯ I didn¡¯t know how Jackal had learned how to activate the magic circle leading to the second floor, but one thing was clear: his destination was the Abyss. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have left his core forces behind and used the demonic beast horde merely as a diversion. ¡°We have to chase after Jackal.¡± ¡°You mean we need to backtrack?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded with a grim expression. Professor Elisha hesitated, ncing back at the Hero Academy where the battle raged. ¡°But if we do¡­¡± While the tide of battle favored the Hero Academy, the demonic beasts weren¡¯t yet defeated. Thousands of demonic beasts still swarmed, shing and wing at the professors and cadets. If we left now to pursue the Abyss, casualties could ur. Both Professor Elisha and I had the power to turn the tide of the battle decisively. ¡°If that¡¯s your concern, there¡¯s no need to worry.¡± ¡°No need to worry? Why not?¡± ¡°Look up there.¡± I pointed to the sky above the Hero Academy, where a lone old man hovered, surveying the battlefield. The headmaster of the Hero Academy and one of the five Masters across the Three Kingdoms. The Thunder God, Lionel Ryu, calmly raised his arm toward the advancing horde. Crackle! Zzzzt! Blue lightning engulfed the sky above the Hero Academy. Even from hundreds of meters away, the magical storm sent tingles across my skin. The bright blue sky darkened as ck storm clouds rolled in. And then¡ª BOOOOM!!! A barrage of lightning rained down, obliterating the advancing demonic beast horde. ¡°Of course¡­ so that¡¯s what it was.¡± A faintugh escaped Professor Elisha¡¯s lips. With the Thunder God joining the battle, there was no longer any need to worry. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s pursue Jackal.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Then back to the magic car¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± I shook my head and drew my sword from my belt. ¡°What are you nning to do?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have time to go back.¡± I didn¡¯t know Jackal¡¯s exact purpose for heading to the Abyss, and that uncertainty only made it more urgent to catch up with him. Time was of the essence. Gripping my sword in a reverse grip, I pointed its tip toward the ground. ¡°Did you know? The first floor of the Abyss is muchrger than the entire Hero Academy campus.¡± ¡°No way, you¡¯re not¡­!¡± Whoosh! Embers red up along the de of my sword. Before Professor Elisha could figure out what I was about to do. ¡°In other words.¡± Thud! I mmed the me-lit sword into the ground with a sharp downward motion. Condensing the aura within the de, I directed it straight downward. Rumble! The embers melted through the earth, carving a direct tunnel hundreds of meters deep. ¡°It means there¡¯s no need to take the long way around through the entrance when I can just dig straight down.¡± ¡°¡­Ha.¡± Professor Elisha let out a hollowugh as she stared at the seemingly bottomless hole in the ground. ¡°You¡¯re truly¡­ out of your mind.¡± I smirked and shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve lived my life that way.¡± I approached Professor Elisha, who was still standing dumbfounded. ¡°Stay still.¡± ¡°Huh? W-wait!¡± Scooping her up in a ssic ¡®princess carry,¡¯ I held her firmly in my arms. ¡°W-what on earth are you doing, Candidate Dale?!¡± Professor Elisha¡¯s flustered expression was a rare sight. ¡°The residual heat from the me is still dangerous. It¡¯s not safe for you to descend on your own.¡± Drawing upon the power of the Primordial me, I held her close. ¡°re.¡± Ssss! Gray smoke billowed out from my pores, encasing Professor Elisha and me. And then, I jumped. ¡°Kyahhh!¡± A surprisingly cute scream escaped Professor Elisha¡¯s lips as we plunged downward, but I ignored it. * * * After dropping several hundred meters, we finally arrived on the first floor of the Abyss. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely¡­!¡± Professor Elisha¡¯s face flushed a deep red as she red at me. Her expression, so different from her usual cool demeanor, made my heart skip a beat. ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Now wasn¡¯t the time to get distracted. I headed toward the central ruins, the ce where the gate to the second floor of the Abyss could be activated. When we arrived at the center of the ruins, what awaited us was¡ª ¡°As expected.¡± ¡°The gate is open.¡± A rift leading to the second floor of the Abyss, just like the one I had created before, was already formed. Exchanging a nce, Professor Elisha and I entered the gate without hesitation. Our vision flickered, and the sight of the second floor of the Abyss¡ªsomething I had seen before¡ªcame into view. ¡°Where¡¯s Jackal?¡± ¡°¡­Looks like he¡¯s gone further down.¡± Whether Jackal had done something as he passed through or not, the demonic beasts that had attacked as soon as I reached the second floor before were nowhere to be seen. Continuing downward with Professor Elisha, we arrived at the third floor of the Abyss. The ceiling zed like a massive wildfire, and thend below was steeped in an ominous orange hue. At the center of it all stood¡ª ¡°Well, well.¡± An old man, his body covered in intricate tattoos. The Archbishop of Beasts, Jackal, looked at us with wide eyes. ¡°¡­Jackal.¡± ¡°Heh, heh. Now I understand why they call you the Cursed Eyes Spider. You¡¯re tenacious.¡± Clearly not expecting us to follow him here, Jackal shook his head in disbelief. ¡°How did you know I was here?¡± ¡°Do I owe you an exnation?¡± ¡°Heh, heh. Fair enough¡­ the reason doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Jackal twisted his wrinkled lips into a grin, his shoulders shaking withughter. ¡°But since you¡¯ve made it this far, I ought to give you a parting gift.¡± ¡°¡­A gift?¡± Snap. Jackal snapped his fingers, and the tattoos on his body began to glow, creating a massive rift in the air. Thud. Thud. Thud. From within the rift emerged a monstrous demonic beast, towering dozens of meters tall. Its eleven gleaming eyes fixated on her with predatory intent. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Professor Elisha¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°What do you think? Nostalgic, isn¡¯t it?¡± Jackal chuckled as he gazed at her, his voice dripping with mockery. He lovingly stroked the colossal demonic beast that had emerged from the rift and continued. ¡°This creature¡­ is the very one that devoured your parents alive and razed your hometown.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Her left eye twitched, a scar there aching. The nightmare that had consumed her life, the despair without end, now loomed before her once again. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 177: Attack (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 177: Attack (3) A colossal demonic beast emerged from the rift. No, could that even be called a ¡°demonic beast¡±? Its form resembled a y doll abandoned and crushed by a child at y. Its grotesque appearance was like a mass of countless flesh fused together. The ten-eyed demonic beast they had encountered before had been strange enough, butpared to this mass of flesh, it seemed almost endearing. ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± Professor Elisha mped her hand over her mouth, fighting the urge to retch. The memories came flooding back. * * * ¡°Aaaahhhh!¡± ¡°Elisha! R-run! Get out of here now!¡± A burning vige. The air filled with the sound of desperate screams. In a small vige of fewer than 200 people, a massacre unfolded. Vigers fled, pursued by demonic beasts. And then... A horrifying roar that seemed to tear at one¡¯s very soul. The monstrous mass of flesh, towering dozens of meters high, swung its tentacles, snatching fleeing vigers like fish on a line. Crunch. Crunch. The mass of flesh consumed them alive, swallowing them whole. Enna, who used to tease her with bugs from the woods. Oliver, who taught her the importance of strength for farming. Aunt Philia, who secretly baked her sweet treats behind her mother¡¯s back. The people she knew. The world she lived in. All crushed beneath the demonic beast¡¯s fangs. Obliterated into unrecognizable fragments. ¡°Ack¡­¡± ¡°Honey! Over here! Hide Elisha here!¡± Frozen in terror, she was hastily shoved into a closet by her parents. From between the cracks, she saw it all. Her parents, ensnared by the tentacles. Their faint screams echoing in the distance. The sound of flesh being torn, bones crushed, and innards sttered. * * * ¡°Ah... Ugh.¡± Elisha clutched her chest as if in physical pain, gasping for air. ¡°Heh, heh. So, you remember now?¡± ¡°¡­Jackal.¡± Professor Elisha bit her lip so hard it bled. ¡°Well then, since you¡¯re reminiscing, how about a little family reunion?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Jackal casually tapped the mass of flesh with the back of his hand. Krrrrrk. The demonic beast¡¯s flesh began to shift, reshaping itself into the forms of humans. Two figures emerged, their expressions twisted in agony. ¡°Oliver... Aunt Philia...¡± ¡°Hmm? Oh, my mistake. Wrong ones.¡± Jackal chuckled, shaking his shoulders in mock amusement. Then, he tapped the demonic beast¡¯s flesh again. Krrrrrk. With a sickening sound, the flesh reshaped itself once more. And this time¡­ ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Elisha¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Mom¡­ Dad¡­¡± Her face turned deathly pale as she stumbled back. ¡°Ack¡­ No¡­¡± The memories came crashing in. The distant screams. The sound of bones shattering and flesh being torn apart. Her mind was overwhelmed. Her soul consumed. ¡°Gasp¡­ gasp¡­ gasp!¡± She tried to channel her mana to calm herself, but for some reason, the power she usually wielded so naturally wouldn¡¯t respond. ¡°W-why¡­?¡± She stared at her Stigma with trembling eyes. ¡°Professor.¡± Dale approached her, gently gripping her shoulder. ¡°Step back for now.¡± ¡°¡­Dale, Cadet¡­¡± Leaving Professor Elisha behind, Dale strode toward Jackal. ¡°So, you¡¯re the candidate Mephisto mentioned.¡± Jackal crossed his arms, his gaze intrigued as he studied Dale. ¡°The one he said to be cautious of¡­¡± Dale clicked his tongue in annoyance. ¡°That bastard sure loves throwing my name around.¡± ¡°Heh, heh. Consider it an honor. In all the decades I¡¯ve known Mephisto, this is the first time I¡¯ve heard him warn about someone.¡± Jackal smirked and raised his hand slowly. ¡°Fortunately, I prepared a gift just for you.¡± ¡°A gift?¡± ¡°Heh. Why do you think I only sent the riffraff to infiltrate the academy?¡± Pulling a sharp dagger from his belt, Jackal sliced his palm open, letting blood spill over the runes etched on his body. Crack! Crack! Crack! Dozens of rifts opened around him, and from within poured a horde of monstrous demonic beasts. Each one surpassed the ten-eyed demonic beast in power. ¡°Honestly, I thought this might be overkill for a single candidate¡­¡± Jackal shrugged before extending his hand toward the demonic beasts. The runes on his body ignited with an ominous glow. ¡°My children.¡± Krrrk! Screech! The demonic beasts contorted in pain, letting out chilling cries. Jackal¡¯s voice carried a sinistermand. ¡°Kill him.¡± Boom! The demonic beasts charged at Dale in unison. ¡°D-Dale!¡± Professor Elisha tried to shoot webs toward him, but her mana wouldn¡¯t flow, leaving her powerless. ¡°Ugh!¡± A demonic beast knocked her aside, sending her rolling to the ground. The horde quickly surrounded Dale, obscuring himpletely from view. ¡®Why¡­ Why can¡¯t I move my mana?¡¯ Desperation etched across her face, Elisha touched her Stigma, trying to draw out her power. Yet her mana remained unyielding. ¡°Heh, heh. Having trouble with your mana?¡± ¡°You¡­ What did you do?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Jackal leisurely shook his head. ¡°I did absolutely nothing.¡± ¡°Then why¡­?¡± ¡°Did you know that the Stigma connects not just to the hero¡¯s body but also to their soul?¡± Jackal tapped his chest as he continued. ¡°And so does the mana within it.¡± ¡°¡­What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°It means, my dear Professor, that a demon of the mind has invaded your heart.¡± A demon of the mind. Demon of the mind. She had heard of it before. A state where qi and magic are blocked, triggered by overwhelming negative emotions like fear, anxiety, despair, and hopelessness. ¡®You¡¯re telling me¡­ I¡¯ve fallen into a Demon of the mind state?¡¯ Professor Elisha looked at Jackal with trembling eyes. No. That couldn¡¯t be true. On that day when Jackal crushed her vige and killed her parents. She had lived for this moment alone. The day she would meet Jackal again and take her revenge on him. But now... Standing before him, she was consumed by fear, unable even to muster her magic, falling into a Demon of the mind state? ¡°Ridic...ulous¡­!¡± Grit. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Elisha clenched her teeth so hard blood seeped from her lips. The sharp pain momentarily brought her mind back. And just as her immobile magic began to stir slightly¡ª ¡°El, li... sha¡­¡± ¡°Come here¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± A familiar voice echoed in her ears. Eyes wide, Elisha raised her head. Her parents, formed from grotesque lumps of flesh, reached out their hands toward her, speaking. ¡°Aaaaahhh!¡± Elisha screamed, falling backward. The sight of her father reaching for her and her mother beckoning her over¡­ It filled her with terror unlike anything she¡¯d ever known. ¡°Ah¡­ ugh. Aaaa¡­¡± Copsing to the floor, Elisha curled into herself. Wrapping her arms around her shoulders, trembling like a scared child. ¡®It¡¯s¡­ just like back then.¡¯ Hiding in the closet, peering out at the chaos. Watching as monstrous tendrils dragged her parents away. The helpless, powerless little girl she had been. ¡°Cluck, cluck. Do you see it now?¡± Jackal¡¯s unpleasantugh echoed as he approached her. The old man¡¯s gaze scanned her, savoring the sight. ¡°The 9th-ranked hero? The Spider with the Cursed Eye? No, no, no. That¡¯s not who you truly are.¡± His wrinkled face stretched into a wicked grin as he continued. ¡°This is your true self.¡± Helpless, powerless. A little girl who can¡¯t do a thing. ¡°This is¡­ the real face of Elisha Baldwin, the hero!¡± Cluck, cluck, cluck! Jackal cackled, clutching his stomach as if he couldn¡¯t contain his amusement. ¡°What a shame! Your student should have witnessed this pathetic sight!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°But... it seems your beloved student is already dead.¡± Jackalzily turned his head. Surrounded by his familiars, the figure of Dale was nowhere to be seen. There was no need to look to know the grim fate that awaited the gray-haired cadet. ¡°¡­Hah.¡± At that moment. A faintugh escaped from Elisha¡¯s lips. ¡°Hm? What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll admit it.¡± Elisha gave a small nod as she spoke. ¡°You knew more about me than I expected, Jackal.¡± The true face she had hidden behind a cold mask. The frightened little girl she had worked so hard to bury. Jackal had seen through herpletely. ¡°But.¡± Elisha nced toward where Dale was, surrounded by monsters, with a faint smile. ¡°You don¡¯t know a thing about my student.¡± ¡°What?¡± As Jackal furrowed his brow. Fwoooosh! A massive me erupted among the monsters. ¡°Grrrrkkk!¡± ¡°Kehehh!¡± The creatures surrounding Dale were consumed by the mes, letting out pitiful screams. ¡°What is this¡­?¡± Amidst the zing mes and swirling gray smoke. ¡°Hah.¡± A glint of green light shone through. ¡°¡­He was alive? Amid those monsters?¡± Jackal¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. Step, step. Slow, deliberate footsteps echoed as Dale emerged through the smoke. Without sparing Jackal a single nce, as though the man weren¡¯t worth his attention, Dale walked toward Elisha. ¡°¡­Cadet Dale.¡± Her face rigid with shame, Elisha turned her head to avoid his gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡­¡± ¡°I disagree.¡± ¡°¡­Disagree?¡± ¡°What that tattooed bastard said about knowing you? I disagree.¡± Dale¡¯s voice was calm as he met her gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of past you¡¯ve endured. I don¡¯t know what you were like as a child or how deep your scars run.¡± But. The Elisha Baldwin I know¡ª ¡°Is cold, stern, with a mischievous streak, and asionally shows an unexpectedly cute side.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om He reached out, rummaging through her pocket. Pulling out her cigarette case, he handed it to her. ¡°And is the most impressive, strongest hero I¡¯ve ever met.¡± ¡°Cadet Dale¡­¡± ¡°Well? Moved, are you?¡± ¡°No, honestly, it¡¯s pretty cringe.¡± ¡°What.¡± ¡°I¡¯d record it and y it over the school inte if I could.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± How could she think of something so horrifying¡­! ¡°But¡­ well, I¡¯ll admit. It helped.¡± Professor Elisha pulled a cigarette from the case and ced it in her mouth. Sss. Dale lit the tip with a flicker of ash me, and Elisha slowly stood up. Siiip¡­ haaah. Exhaling a stream of smoke, she looked at the fleshy puppets of her parents with a crooked smile. ¡°Thanks to you, I can now crush Mother and Father without a shred of hesitation.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Wait, Professor. When you say it like that, it sounds really weird. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 178: Attack (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 178: Attack (4) The trembling figure, curled up like a frightened child, was nowhere to be seen. Watching Elisha casually smoking, Jackal furrowed his wrinkled brow. ¡°Hmph¡­¡± What he had provoked was her deeply engraved trauma. No matter how strong her mental fortitude was, she shouldn¡¯t have been able to ovee it so easily. ¡®She overcame it¡­ with just a few words?¡¯ Words spoken by a mere trainee under her tutge? ¡®No, that¡¯s impossible.¡¯ There was no way that could be true. ¡°You¡¯re bluffing.¡± Jackal sneered, drawing a sharp dagger across his palm. Blood poured from the wound, dripping onto the tattoos etched into his body. Wooooom! The ominous patterns red to life with an eerie glow. ¡°Bwooooaaahhh!¡± A grotesque mass of flesh, twisted into monstrous ws, let out an agonized scream. Along with it, the flesh-made forms of Elisha¡¯s parents shrieked in torment. ¡°Ah, ah, it hurts¡­ It hurts, it hurts.¡± ¡°Help us¡­ Help us¡­ Elisha¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Elisha froze, her expression hardening as she listened to the anguished cries of her parents. Closing her eyes tightly, she extended her arms wide. Shwaaak! Dozens of strands of web shot out from her fingertips. With sorrowful eyes, she took a step forward, looking at her parents. ¡°Mother, Father¡­ No¡­ Mom, Dad.¡± Not as the cruel, merciless spider-eyed woman she had be, but as the mischievous little girl who once loved ying pranks with neighborhood kids. ¡°Thank you.¡± Tears streamed down Elisha¡¯s cheeks. Hoo¡­ Taking a deep drag from her cigarette, she flicked the half-burnt end away. The innocent girl¡¯s expression disappeared, reced by the ferocious gleam of her violet eyes. ¡°So now, I¡¯ll let you rest.¡± Boom! With a powerful kick, sheunched herself forward. ¡°Bwooooaaahhh!¡± Shwaaak! Tentacles shot from the flesh monster, targeting Elisha. ¡°Haap!¡± She swung her arms wide like a dancer, scattering threads in all directions. The threads formed a massive web in midair, trapping the monster¡¯s tentacles. Sharp threads bit into the tentacles, causing sticky blood to pour down like a waterfall. ¡°Bwooooaaahhh!¡± The flesh monster writhed in agony, letting out a piercing shriek. Raising one arm high, Elisha stretched her hand toward the ceiling. Shwshwshwshw! More threads shot out, lifting her high into the air. From that height, even the enormous flesh demonic beast, towering dozens of meters, seemed like a mere toy. Elisha crossed her arms in an X-shape. ¡°Bind it.¡± Like a spider ensnaring its prey, countless silver threads interwove, wrapping around the flesh monster¡¯s body. ¡°Not so fast!¡± Jackal roared, attempting to press his bleeding palm against the glowing tattoos again. ¡°Geez, you¡¯re annoying. When someone¡¯s in the middle of a show, you¡¯re supposed to sit back and watch.¡± Dale, who had appeared beside him unnoticed, grabbed Jackal by the neck and delivered a brutal kick to his stomach. ¡°Guhh¡­!¡± Despite being a mighty archbishop of demonic beasts, Jackal¡¯s power stemmed entirely from his army of monsters. His personalbat strength was far from impressive. Jackal tumbled to the ground, coughing, while Dale didn¡¯t spare him another nce. Instead, he kept his focus on Professor Elisha, battling the flesh monster. ¡°Bwooooaaahhh!¡± The demonic beast, bound by webs, thrashed violently, its sheer size and power snapping the threads. ¡°As expected of something that big¡ªbrute strength.¡± Elisha looked down at the writhing creature, her eyes cold. ¡°But¡­¡± Shwshwshwshw! Threads poured out again, wrapping around the monster faster than it could break free. ¡°Bind it. Bind it. Bind it.¡± Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of threads. An uncountable number of silken strands surged like a tidal wave, trapping the monster in an inescapable web. ¡°Cough!¡± Blood spilled from Elisha¡¯s mouth as she pushed her power beyond its limits. Her chest, marked with the Stigma, throbbed as if stabbed by a de. Her entire body screamed in agony, veins straining to their breaking point. But she didn¡¯t stop. ¡°Bind it.¡± Elisha pushed past her limits, drawing out every ounce of her strength, squeezing thest drops from her stigma. She had no intention of holding back. That kind ofcency wouldn¡¯t kill this grotesque demonic beast. ¡°Huff, huff, huff¡­¡± Her breath came in ragged gasps. As more threads tightened around the monster, Elisha¡¯s face paled. She was exhausted. She was in pain. Every fiber of her being begged her to stop and rest. After all, Dale could finish off the flesh monster in her ce, couldn¡¯t he? The thought tempted her. It wasn¡¯t wrong. Dale was far stronger than her. With the monster restrained, turning it to ashes would be child¡¯s y for him. ¡°Eli¡­ sha¡­¡± ¡°Save¡­ us¡­¡± But she knew. She knew they weren¡¯t really her parents. They were nothing more than flesh puppets, created to exploit her trauma. And yet¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll end this¡­ with my own hands.¡± She remembered that day. The day her life was shattered. The zing mes, the rising smoke, the deafening screams. That day¡¯s nightmare. That day¡¯s despair. She would end it with her own hands. ¡°Bind it.¡± And then¡­ ¡°Crush it.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The web, wrapped tightly around the flesh monster, began to contract. Crunch, crackle! Snap! The sound of flesh and bone being crushed echoed through the battlefield. A shriek so piercing it felt like it would tear the heavens reverberated through the abyss. ¡°Ah, ugh.¡± Blood gushed from her nose. The overuse of mana had her entire body¡¯s energy and blood screaming in protest. But still¡ª ¡°Heh.¡± It was in pain. It writhed in agony. The nightmare that had trampled on everything she held dear. The despair that had refused to end. It now shrieked pitifully as it met its demise. ¡°El...li...¡± ¡°My beloved... daughter...¡± Crunch, crack! The forms of her parents shrank and were crushed amidst the encroaching web. And then¡ª Boom! The massive flesh demonic beast copsed to the ground. ¡°...Ah.¡± Elisha¡¯s body, which had been hovering high in the air, fell like a kite with its string cut. Thud. A warm embrace enveloped her. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°¡­Cadet Dale¡­¡± Even if it was merely a fake, crafted from flesh. For someone who had just killed their parents with their own hands, this warmth felt unfittingly blissful, filling her chest. Dale gentlyid Elisha¡¯s body on the ground and softly stroked her head. ¡°Please rest. I¡¯ll handle Jackal.¡± ¡°¡­Thank¡­ you.¡± Elisha nodded faintly with difficulty and gave a weak smile. She crawled across the ground and leaned against a nearby rock. Though her heart longed to copse and sleep, she couldn¡¯t. The most important threat, Jackal, was still alive, staring back at her with both eyes wide open. ¡°Damn it, damn it, damn it¡­!¡± Jackal hurled a string of curses, ring at the grotesquely mangled corpse of the flesh demonic beast. Ssssshh! As smoke rose, the tattoos etched on his body began to fade. ¡°Running low on familiars, are we?¡± I smirked at the sight of Jackal¡¯s fading tattoos. Jackal gritted his teeth and staggered backward. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Thinking of running away?¡± ¡°Grr¡­¡± I approached Jackal with unhurried steps. Then¡ª ¡°You insignificant wretches¡­!¡± Jackal roared, stomping his foot violently. A sinister glow emanated from the few remaining tattoos on his body as several demonic beasts emerged from fissures in the ground. The demonic beasts that appeared from the cracks bore nine eyes. Even an active hero would need a team to take on creatures this powerful. But to me, who had wiped out an entire pack of ten-eyed demonic beasts, these were no more than stray dogs.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Scraping the bottom of the barrel, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Kill him! Kill that bastard!¡± At Jackal¡¯smand, the demonic beasts charged at me. Whoosh! I shed at the approaching demonic beasts one by one with a sword engulfed in ashen me, keeping an eye on Jackal¡¯s movements. ¡°Grr!¡± As soon as Jackal saw his demonic beasts charging toward me, he turned and fled. I clicked my tongue and watched his retreating back. ¡°This is the best you coulde up with?¡± Using his demonic beasts as bait to run away? The title of Archbishop felt undeserved for such a pathetic disy. Step by step, I cut down the approaching demonic beasts and pursued Jackal. Then I saw Jackal, who had been fleeing in a frenzy,e to an abrupt halt. ¡°Heh.¡± He stopped in his tracks and curved his lips into a sly grin. With a face brimming with exhration, he turned to look at me. ¡°You¡¯ve fallen into my trap.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Heh, hehahaha!¡± Jackal burst intoughter, clutching his sides as if he¡¯d heard the funniest joke in the world. ¡°You fool¡­ Did you really think I was scared and running away from someone like you?¡± Jackal sneered at me, his smug expression as if all his previous pathetic behavior had been a ruse. I narrowed my eyes as I stared at him. ¡®What¡¯s this about?¡¯ Did he have another trick up his sleeve? I¡¯d never faced Jackal directly in my past life, so I didn¡¯t know the full extent of his abilities. ¡®Could there be more demonic beasts than that flesh monster?¡¯ If so, things might get tricky. Not for my safety, but because the battle might spill over and harm Professor Elisha. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Standing still, I red at Jackal as he spoke with an air of superiority. ¡°Do you even know what lives in this ¡®abyss¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­What lives here?¡± ¡°Heh heh heh! Of course you wouldn¡¯t know! This ce has been a forbidden zone for 500 years!¡± Jackal¡¯s shoulders shook withughter. ¡°Listen well, boy. Here in this ce¡­ lies the ¡®Tyrant.¡¯¡± ¡°¡­The Tyrant?¡± ¡°The ruler of the third level of the abyss. The incarnation of death. The king of demonic beasts¡­ He has countless titles.¡± Jackal continued, his words dripping with pride. ¡°Do you want to know why I sacrificed my entire life raising an army of demonic beasts just toe here?¡± Jackal spread his arms wide, his grin tearing across his face. ¡°Hahaha! Witness! Revere! This moment when the King of demonic beasts is reborn!¡± An explosive burst of dark energy erupted from his body, engulfing the surroundings. ¡°Come forth! Tyrant of the Abyss, Behemoth!¡± [TL/N: I got second-hand embarrassment from this.] With a scream soaked in madness¡ª Jackal took one step forward, crossing a boundary. And then¡ª ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Silence fell, deep and unbroken. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Jackal nced around nervously. He tapped the ground with the foot he¡¯d stepped forward with, frowning. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Why isn¡¯t iting? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 179: Interlude - Spiderweb [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 179: Interlude - Spiderweb ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Silence descended like a curtain. It was as if a surprise guest was supposed to appear during a performance amidst much fanfare, only for them to suddenly disappear into thin air. An incredibly awkward and ufortable tension settled between me and Jackal. ¡°W-Wait¡­ T-This can¡¯t be¡­?¡± Jackal frowned as if he couldn¡¯tprehend the situation. ording to the records, the Abyssal Tyrant, Behemoth, was so fiercely territorial that it would immediately tear intruders apart the moment its domain was encroached upon. ¡®So why isn¡¯t iting?¡¯ Despite not only stepping into Behemoth¡¯s territory but even stomping heavily on the ground, there was no sign of Behemoth¡ªor any other demonic beast, for that matter. ¡°Why! Why isn¡¯t iting!¡± Jackal cried out in frustration. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Watching Jackal¡¯s exasperated state, I let out a small exmation. ¡®So the reason Jackal came to the Abyss was to subjugate Behemoth, huh?¡¯ I had wondered why he would go so far as to use his demonic beast horde as bait to invade the Abyss, but now it made sense. For someone like Jackal, who could control demonic beasts, Behemoth would have been the ultimate prize. However, the Behemoth he sought so desperately was... ¡°Why! Why isn¡¯t it here!¡± ¡°Uh, well¡­¡± ¡°Argh¡­ Could it be that this isn¡¯t Behemoth¡¯s territory?!¡± ¡°No, this is its territory, but¡­¡± ¡°Shut up! What would you know about it?!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The words It¡¯s already dead rose to my throat, but I held them back. After all, even if I told him, Jackal wouldn¡¯t believe me, nor did I have any obligation to enlighten him. And to be honest¡­ ¡®This is kind of hrious.¡¯ Watching Jackal desperately search for a Behemoth that had long since died, I couldn¡¯t help but let out a chuckle. ¡°Grr¡­!¡± Jackal clenched his teeth and retreated, only to lunge at me with a furious scream. ¡°Raaahhh!¡± Well, it was predictable. Without his demonic beasts, the ¡°Archbishop of Beasts¡± wasughably inept in hand-to-handbat. Thwack! ¡°Gah!¡± Jackal was sent flying with a light kick. ¡°You¡¯re trying hard, I¡¯ll give you that. Resorting to hand-to-handbat now?¡± Honestly, it¡¯s a bit pitiful. ¡°You¡­ you bastard¡­¡± Jackal trembled, biting his lips in anger. Not only had I reduced his core forces¡ªthe Ten-Eyed demonic beasts¡ªto ashes, but I was alsopletely overpowering him like a child. No matter how weak he might be in closebat, this wasn¡¯t something a mere student could achieve. ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡± Jackal asked in a trembling voice. ¡°Didn¡¯t Mephisto tell you? You should already know who I am, shouldn¡¯t you?¡± I shrugged and replied. ¡°Dale Han, a third-year in the Warrior Department of the Hero Academy. Deadst in the overall rankings.¡± That¡¯s me. ¡°Lies!¡± Jackal gritted his teeth and roared. A third-year in the Warrior Department? Deadst in the rankings? What nonsense! ¡°Who are you really, disguising yourself as a student?¡± Jackal stared at me suspiciously before his eyes widened, as if something had clicked. ¡°You¡­ Could you be Khalid Han?!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I couldn¡¯t help butugh at his absurd guess. Falling Blossom de, Khalid Han. A hero ranked fifth, known for the petals scattering with every swing of his de¡ªa nickname that earned him his title. Another nickname he had was ¡°Barely Master,¡± for just managing to scrape into the top five ranks that conferred the title of ¡°Master.¡± Regardless, even though he was often regarded as inferior to other Masters, a Master was still a Master. ¡°Wow, I¡¯m honored. You think I¡¯m Master-level?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb! Grr¡­ Come to think of it, you¡¯re from the Republic, and your surname matches!¡± Jackal dered confidently, convinced of his theory. I shook my head with an exasperated sigh. ¡°For one, it¡¯s clear you know nothing about the Republic.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Do you even realize how many people in the Republic share the same surname? By that logic, even the dog next door would be named Han.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Sure, there were rare surnames like ¡°Ryu¡± that represented prominent families, but most Republic citizens sharedmon surnames. And most importantly¡­ ¡°I¡¯m an orphan.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°My name and surname? The orphanage director made them up on the spot.¡± Apparently, one of the orphanage¡¯s donors had suggested my name, and the director had gone with it. Anyway, the theory that I was Khalid Han in disguise waspletely off the mark. ¡°T-Then who are you¡­?¡± ¡°How many times do I have to tell you? Dale Han, a third-year student in the Hero Academy¡¯s Warrior Department.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Jackal stared at me in disbelief, his lips pressed tightly together. His wrinkled face twisted as he finally spoke. ¡°Stop spewing nonsense! How¡­ how could a mere student¡­ gah!¡± I tripped Jackal, cutting off his rambling, and ced the tip of my de against his chest. ¡°Question time is over. Now it¡¯s my turn.¡± ¡°Grr¡­¡± ¡°The gate leading further into the Abyss¡ªhow did you open it?¡± A physical pathway connected the first floor of the Abyss, but starting from the second floor, it was impossible to descend without activating the magic circle. ¡°¡­Mephisto. That bastard taught me how to open the gate.¡± ¡°Mephisto?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yes! That¡¯s it! Mephisto, that scum! This was all his scheme!¡± Jackal¡¯s eyes widened as if he had just realized something. ¡°Damn it! I should have known¡­! I had a feeling when that sneaky bastard proposed a deal!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Watching Jackal throw a fit and stomp around, I furrowed my brow. ¡®So this guy was just another puppet, huh.¡¯ Even Jackal, a fellow high priest, had been dancing in the palm of Mephisto¡¯s hand. ¡°Tsk.¡± Whoosh! The de of my sword ignited with embers. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°W-wait! Let¡¯s make a deal!¡± ¡°A deal?¡± ¡°Yes! If you spare me, I¡¯ll give you information about Mephisto!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The offer was tempting, to say the least. I curled my lips into a crooked grin and spoke. ¡°Fine. But I¡¯ll change the terms.¡± ¡°Change the terms?¡± ¡°Yes. If you give me information about Mephisto, I¡¯ll kill you.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Jackal looked at me as if I had just spewed nonsense. ¡°What kind of idiotic nonsense is that¡ª Argh! Gah!!!¡± Whoosh! I plunged my me-wreathed sword into his body, grinning broadly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± He¡¯d understand soon enough. ¡°Aaaaaargh! Stop it! Stoooooop!¡± As his body burned and embers spread, his agonized screams echoed in the air. * * * With a dull squelch, I pulled my sword from Jackal¡¯s charred corpse. The interrogation¡ªalbeit brutal¡ªhad yielded some information. ¡®Mephisto is colluding with a hero.¡¯ I still didn¡¯t know with whom or for what purpose. But one thing was certain. ¡®There¡¯s a traitor.¡¯ Someone who had betrayed humanity and allied with the demons. ¡®Though, to be fair, it¡¯s not like there¡¯s a shortage of heroes who¡¯ve sided with the Demon God.¡¯ Even with my memories from my past life, I couldn¡¯t guess who had joined forces with Mephisto. ¡°Ugh.¡± I was racking my brain over this unsolvable puzzle when¡ª ¡°¡­Is it over?¡± Professor Elisha staggered toward me. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± ¡°Heh. I couldn¡¯t just rx while leaving the work to my student, could I?¡± With a faint smile, she pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Staring down at Jackal¡¯s ashes, her expression grewplicated. ¡°In Candidate Dale¡¯s past life¡­ you said I died with Jackal, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°Then I suppose it¡¯s thanks to you that I¡¯m alive now.¡± After taking just a few puffs, she dropped the cigarette to the ground and stepped closer. She rested her forehead against my chest. Her shoulders were trembling ever so slightly. ¡°Just¡­ a little longer¡­ May I lean on you for a bit longer?¡± ¡°As long as you need.¡± I gently patted her back, soothing her like a crying child. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The trembling of her shoulders gradually subsided. ¡°Candidate Dale.¡± ¡°¡­Mmph.¡± Before I could respond, her lips touched mine. ¡°Whew.¡± After the brief kiss, Professor Elisha stepped back. ¡°There¡¯s one thing I regret.¡± ¡°Regret?¡± ¡°I regret not giving you my ¡®first.¡¯¡± She touched her lips with a bitter smile. ¡°Before meeting you, I kissed others simply to activate the Blessing of Insight.¡± While blood or sweat could also activate the blessing, a kiss was much more effective. She had never thought much of it before. The act of kissing had been devoid of any emotion for her. ¡°I never imagined I¡¯de to cherish someone so deeply. Or that this person would bring me such happiness. I didn¡¯t think I deserved such things.¡± Her life had been one of unending despair. When mes engulfed her vige, her hope had burned to ashes alongside it. ¡°But¡­ paradoxically, it was your fire that gave me new hope.¡± The gray embers that burned within him were unlike the scorching mes of her childhood. His fire was warm andforting. ¡°Thank you. And¡­¡± Professor Elisha ced her hand on my left chest. She felt the gentle warmth of the fire within and whispered softly. ¡°I love you. More than my own life.¡± Her eyes trembled faintly. ¡°¡­Professor.¡± I had known for some time that she had feelings for me, but hearing it directly made my heart pound uncontrobly. As I tried to respond, Professor Elisha ced her finger against my lips with a faint smile. ¡°Heh. There¡¯s no need to answer now. I know your situation isplicated.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But¡­ well, let me make one promise.¡± She leaned close to my ear, her voice dripping with allure. ¡°I¡¯ll save my other ¡®first¡¯ just for you. Always.¡± Suddenly, an image of a monstrous beast tightly bound in spiderwebs, unable to move, shed through my mind. ¡°Heh. Let¡¯s head back.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It seemed¡­ The prey trapped in the spider¡¯s web wasn¡¯t the beast alone. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 180: Interlude – Prison Break (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 180: Interlude ¨C Prison Break (1) After the sudden assault by the Demonic Beast Legion, The atmosphere inside the Hero Academy was filled with excitement, almost like a festival. It might seem strange to celebrate after arge-scale attack, but think about it: Despite facing an overwhelming assault from over ten thousand demonic beasts, the professors and cadets united and sessfully repelled the attack without a single casualty. Sure, there were minor injuries and some severe cases requiring hospitalization, but the fact that they managed to fend off the Demonic Beast Legion without any deaths was an aplishment worthy of celebration for the academy. Thus, a victory ceremony was held. Well, calling it a "ceremony" might be an exaggeration. It was more about the academy president presenting awards to cadets who distinguished themselves during the battle, followed by a day of feasting and merriment. ¡°Third-year warrior division cadet, Yuren Helios. Fourth-year warrior division cadet, Aaron Baek. Third-year support division cadet, Iris. Fourth-year magic division cadet, Sophia Evergreen. Second-year magic division cadet, Berald Ryu. Andstly¡­¡± The president of the Hero Academy, Lionel Ryu, turned his gaze toward one particr cadet. ¡°Third-year warrior division cadet, Albert Hoover.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, sir!!!¡± Albert responded in a tense voice. ¡°These cadets demonstrated courage and wisdom during this sudden disaster, and thus, I present these certificates ofmendation.¡± Following Lionel''s words, the cadets ascended the stage. ¡°Wow! Albert looks so cool!¡± ¡°Sigh, Yuren is just too handsome¡­.¡± ¡°Really? My type is that second-year guy, Berald.¡± ¡°Oh my, I didn¡¯t know you had that kind of taste.¡± ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m so jealous! I fought demonic beasts too!¡± ¡°Yeah, but you only managed to take down one and got carried away injured.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­ but wow, the saintess is so pretty¡­.¡± As thunderous apuse erupted, the cadets climbed the stage, met with awe-struck gazes from their peers. ¡°Silence.¡± With a simple gesture, Lionel calmed the crowd and approached the cadets on stage to present each of them with their certificates. ¡°Time is short, so instead of hearing from everyone, we¡¯ll have one cadet share their thoughts as a representative.¡± Lionel scanned the stage and approached one cadet. ¡°Albert.¡± ¡°M-Me?¡± ¡°Please give your eptance speech as the representative of the awardees.¡± ¡°M-Me? As the representative? Shouldn¡¯t this be Aaron or Yuren instead¡­?¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Lionel chuckled, seemingly satisfied with Albert¡¯s panicked attempts to decline. ¡°Lucas was right about you.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite¡­ impactful¡ªoh, I mean, an exceptionally upright and earnest young man.¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°Now! As everyone knows, Albert was the ss C representative who bravely rallied his peers and fought against the demonic beasts!¡± cing a hand on Albert¡¯s shoulder, Lionel continued, ¡°In times of crisis, it is those who find courage who are the true ¡®heroes!¡¯ Let¡¯s hear it for Albert!¡± ¡°Wooohooo!¡± ¡°Albert! Albert! Albert!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Looking down at the hundreds of cadets cheering for him, Albert¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Uh¡­ um, so, well¡­ thank you for fighting alongside me even though it was scary¡­.¡± ¡°Boooo!¡± ¡°Speak louder!¡± ¡°Urk.¡± Clenching his eyes shut, Albert shouted in a loud voice, ¡°T-Today, we achieved a great victory! Some say the title of ¡®hero¡¯ has lost its meaning over the past 500 years, but¡­!¡± Raising a tightly clenched fist into the air, ¡°From this day forth! We will make heroes great again!¡± ¡°Woohooo!¡± ¡°Albert! Albert! Albert!¡± ¡°Albert, I¡¯m your fan!!!¡± The victory ceremony officially began with thunderous cheers that seemed to shake the stage. * * * During the ceremony, I gathered myrades in a private room in the main building¡¯s dining hall that I had used before. Not only my longtime allies from my past life¡ªYuren, Iris, Berald, and Sophia¡ªbut also my new connections since my return: Cami, Professor Elisha, and Lanez. The long table felt crowded with so manyrades present, filling me with an odd sense of emotion. ¡®I wanted to invite more people.¡¯ Albert, the star of the victory celebration, was too busy being dragged around, and Juliet had been summoned back to his family¡¯s home in the Republic due to the recent attack. ¡®Professor Lucas is probably meeting with Professor Bianca right now.¡¯ Meanwhile, Professor Jade couldn¡¯te because he was busy cleaning up the mess Berald had made of his researchb. ¡®Well, in some ways, this group is the perfect mix for candid discussions.¡¯ After all, theserades had some knowledge of each other¡¯s ¡°secrets.¡± ¡°Everyone, you worked hard.¡± Clink. We raised our sses and toasted. ¡°We suffered injuries, but at least no one died.¡± ¡°Ha! That¡¯s all thanks to Yuren hyung¡ªer, I mean, Yurina noona!¡± ¡°No, Berald, you worked just as hard.¡± ¡°Heh. All I did was grab a bunch of magic potions from Professor Jade¡¯sb.¡± ¡°Really? Considering how many demonic beasts I saw you punch to death, I¡¯d say you did more than enough.¡± As Yuren and Berald exchanged lighthearted banter, Iris smirked mischievously and chimed in. ¡°By the way, did you know, Berald?¡± ¡°Hm? Know what?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°Yurina is technically a year younger than you in terms of actual age.¡± ¡°W-What? Now that you mention it¡­.¡± ¡°A-Iris! You promised not to bring up age!¡± ¡°Oh dear~ I don¡¯t recall making such a promise~.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± Yurina gulped down her drink, her cheeks flushed. Watching this, Sophia and Lanez wore expressions of disbelief. ¡°Sigh. I still can¡¯t believe it. Yuren Helios was actually a woman all along¡­.¡± ¡°Y-Yeah. Same here.¡± The two, who hadn¡¯t known Yuren¡¯s true identity for very long, still wore awkward expressions as if they hadn¡¯t quite adjusted yet. ¡°Hehe. Senior¡¯s magic was incredible, too.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Of course! Honestly, to my eyes, it looked even stronger than Professor Bianca¡¯s magic!¡± ¡°Well¡­ if it¡¯s just firepower, I suppose it¡¯sparable to Professor Bianca¡¯s.¡± Sophia twirled a lock of her hair with her fingertips and subtly turned her gaze away. Seeing her legs fidget under the table, Berald¡¯spliment seemed to hit the mark. Just as a warm atmosphere was about to form between the two¡ª ¡°Haha! Other things might differ significantly, but at least in terms of firepower, it¡¯s notcking¡­ The world of magic truly is profound!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± No. Berald, you idiot. What are you even saying? ¡°Heh¡­ Other things differ significantly? Specifically, what?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, you know, Senior.¡± ¡°Nope, not at all.¡± With a sharp smile, Sophia stood up and approached Berald. ¡°Well,e over here and exin in detail exactly what¡¯s so different, okay?¡± ¡°Argh! O-ow!¡± Sophia roughly grabbed Berald by the ear and dragged him out of the room. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± An awkward silence fell in the room after Berald and Sophia left. ¡°Well¡­ Berald was just being oblivious.¡± ¡°Yeah. Kind of like Dale.¡± ¡°What?¡± Why am I catching strays here? ¡°Fufu. Just joking. Dale, you¡¯re not that oblivious.¡± ¡°If anything, being too perceptive is the real problem.¡± Yurina nodded knowingly and continued. ¡°You¡¯re so perceptive that you end up flirting with literally everyone.¡± ¡°I¡ªI¡¯ve never done anything like that¡­.¡± ¡°Taking back the part about being perceptive.¡± Yurina frowned and pressed her heel down on my foot under the table. ¡°After ying with people¡¯s feelings like that, you¡¯re gonna say what? You¡¯ve done nothing?¡± ¡°Exactly! Shamelessness has its limits!¡± Thud! Was it pent-up emotions, or was it the alcohol talking? Iris mmed the table and burst out, her voice full of frustration. ¡°Huh? Flirting with people first, thenter pretending you didn¡¯t know?!¡± ¡°No, wait.¡± Hold on a second. Calm down, Your Holiness. ¡°In the first ce, it¡¯s your fault for being so seductive!!!¡± A silence heavier than stone descended with her outburst. Cami silently clutched her head and downed her drink in one go, while everyone else avoided Iris¡¯s gaze. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Life sure takes you in unexpected directions. Never did I imagine I¡¯d hear something like this from the Saint (my lover in the past life). ¡°Uh¡­ well.¡± As if trying to break the awkward atmosphere, Yurina turned to me and asked. ¡°By the way, Dale, where were you and what were you doing during the war?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Was there an unspoken agreement to forget Iris¡¯s outburst just now? Everyone quickly switched topics and focused on me. ¡°Yeah, I was looking for you, but I couldn¡¯t find you anywhere.¡± ¡°R-right! I even activated the tracking spell I ced on you, but the signal cut off midway!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°¡­Tracking spell?¡± ¡°Ah! N-no! That¡¯s not what I meant¡­!¡± Lanez frantically waved her hands, her face turning pale. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I¡¯ll have to remember to disable that tracking spellter. ¡°Well, I was¡­¡± ¡°Candidate Dale was with me.¡± Professor Elisha leaned back leisurely, arms crossed, as she spoke. ¡°The two of us were spending some quality time together.¡± ¡°Just the two of you¡­.¡± ¡°¡­Spending quality time together?¡± The room grew tense as Yurina and Iris¡¯s gazes turned sharp. The bigger issue, though, was¡ª ¡°Oh, I see¡­ Right¡­ Why didn¡¯t I think of that? If three¡¯s an option¡­ then four must be possible¡­ Haha¡­¡± Lanez,ughing like a broken machine, started trembling as she nervously chewed her fingernails and tapped her foot. ¡°Well, in that case¡­ Before this gets out of hand¡­ we¡¯ll just have to¡­ divide.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Divide what, exactly? ¡®¡­What are you talking about?¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 181: Interlude – Prison Break (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 181: Interlude ¨C Prison Break (2) The room, now chilly. Three pairs of eyes gleaming with a sharp edge turned toward me. "Calm down, everyone. Professor Elisha was just joking." I gulped and opened my mouth, trying to ease the tense atmosphere. "A joke? A joke?" "Then are you saying you weren¡¯t with Professor Elisha?" "No, I was, but¡­" I was with her, but¡ª "There! See? You were together!" "Calm yourself, Candidate Iris," Professor Elisha said with a faint smirk, the corners of her lips curling yfully. "Sure, we were together. Just for a moment, engaging in some intense exercise, working up a sweat, letting out groans and screams in between." "¡­" At Professor Elisha¡¯s words, Iris narrowed her eyes sharply. "Professor, maybe that¡¯s enough joking around." "Oh dear, caught on, have you?" "No matter how much Dale might chase after women, he¡¯s not the kind of person who¡¯d fool around with you in the middle of a war." "Hoho, I agree." Professor Elisha nodded, sipping her strong whiskey. "So, what exactly happened between you two?" "Dale and I fought the Archbishop of Beasts who infiltrated the Abyss." "¡­What?" "Excuse me, what?!" Iris and Yurina¡¯s eyes widened in shock at the bombshell Professor Elisha dropped. "Is¡­ Is that true?" "The Abyss¡­ You mean the Abyss, right? The ce beneath the Hero Academy where the Demon God is sealed? They taught us it¡¯s protected by a powerful barrier that no one can prate¡­" Their trembling gazes were filled with disbelief. Professor Elisha let out a bitter chuckle, as if recalling her own past, and nodded. "We also don¡¯t know how the Archbishop of the Beasts managed to descend to the lower depths of the Abyss. But Candidate Dale noticed his absence from the battlefield and decided to pursue him." "Now that you mention it¡­ The Beast Legion showed up, but the Archbishop himself was nowhere to be seen." "There weren¡¯t any especially strong beasts either," Yurina and Iris murmured, nodding as they pieced their memories together. "And¡­ what happened? Did Dale get hurt?" Lanez asked, her trembling voice betraying her fear. Although her tone resembled that of a frightened herbivore, her piercing re and the way she bit her nails made it clear¡ªif I¡¯d been injured, she¡¯d grind the Archbishop into dust without hesitation. "Hoho, don¡¯t worry. Nothing serious." "So¡­ he was injured." "Well, it¡¯s not like you can defeat an Archbishop without a scratch, can you?" "I suppose¡­ but still." Lanez bit her nails, her leg bouncing nervously. "And what happened to the Archbishop of the Beasts?" "Dead." "I see." Lanez¡¯s face fell into a sulk, her disappointment evident. I sighed softly as I watched her. ¡®I already told her I can¡¯t die, didn¡¯t I?¡¯ Lanez had a tendency to lose control of her power if her mental state crumbled, so I had previously revealed to her the Blessing of Revival I bore. If I were to die in front of her, the shock might trigger a catastrophic outbreak of her Frost¡¯s Blessing. In other words, Lanez knew I couldn¡¯t die, no matter how severe the injury. ¡®Yet even knowing that, she reacts so strongly.¡¯ I gazed at Lanez with aplicated expression. While I appreciated her concern, her instability was akin to a bomb that could go off at any moment, making it difficult to simply feel grateful. ¡®I need to figure out a way for Lanez to control her blessing.¡¯ With that thought, I took a sip of the liquor in my ss. ¡°Candidate Dale.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Professor Elisha, who had been checking her Hero Watch, turned to me with a stiff expression. "Can we talk privately for a moment?" I nodded and followed her out of the main hall and into the corridor outside the cafeteria. "What¡¯s the matter?" "There¡¯s a problem." Her voice was low and grave as she began. "The Archbishop of Corruption¡­ Serpente, was it?" "Yes." One of Mephisto¡¯s servants we had captured and detained in the Magian Containment Facility in Valha City. "Serpente has escaped." "¡­What?" Escape? "To be precise, someone attacked the containment facility during the war with the Beast Legion and broke her out." "¡­Hah." Her words made my face harden. ¡®Someone attacked the containment facility and broke Serpente out during the war?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t hard to guess who the likely culprit was. "Was it Mephisto?" "There¡¯s no confirmation, but¡­ it seems likely." "¡­" Mephisto himself breaking into the containment facility to rescue Serpente? For a servant he could discard at any time without a second thought? "¡­Wait." Suddenly, the words exchanged with the Archbishop of the Beasts came to mind. Jackal had mentioned that Mephisto told him how to descend to the Abyss. "If that¡¯s the case¡­ did he reveal the method to Jackal as part of a n to free Serpente?" "I can¡¯t say for sure," Elisha responded, shaking her head slightly. "But if that hypothesis is true¡­" "¡­Then it was a double decoy." We had assumed Jackal and the Beast Legion were distractions while he descended into the Abyss. But if¡ª If Jackal himself was the decoy¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Is there really a reason to go so far to save a familiar? A bishop is nothing more than a disposable pawn to an archbishop, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± It was iprehensible. Despite an extensive interrogation about Serpente, she didn¡¯t seem to know much about Mephisto. Right. As Professor Elisha had said, she was nothing more than a ¡°disposable pawn.¡± ¡°And yet they used even another archbishop as bait just to save that familiar?¡± It wasn¡¯t just burning down a house to catch a flea¡ªit was like burning down an entire city. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°What? For what?¡± Professor Elisha¡¯s face darkened as she continued. ¡°For losing the demon you trusted me with, Candidate Dale¡­ through my carelessness.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w So that¡¯s why she was apologizing all of a sudden. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Professor Elisha.¡± This was a scheme that used even an archbishop as bait. No matter how careful she was, this would¡¯ve been impossible to prevent. ¡°Still¡­¡± ¡°Even if I had known Jackal was the bait, I would have gone after Jackal first.¡± Serpente or Jackal. There wasn¡¯t even a need topare which was more important. ¡°Hmm.¡± Professor Elisha¡¯s face, which had been clouded with gloom, brightened like the break of dawn. ¡°As expected, Candidate Iris was right.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°You¡¯re too daring.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± What¡¯s that supposed to mean? ¡°Well, anyway¡­ this only deepens the mystery surrounding Mephisto.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± To go to such lengths just to save their own familiar¡­ ¡®Mephisto¡­.¡¯ Letting out a heavy sigh, I looked up at the sky. No matter how hard Ibed through my memories of my previous life, I couldn¡¯t guess Mephisto¡¯s true objective. ¡®What is it you¡¯re after?¡¯ The school buzzed with a festive atmosphere.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The sky was gradually being dyed by darkness. * * * An abandoned building in Valha City. In the pitch-ck darkness, a man wearing a white mask sat. ¡°Hmm.¡± The man stroked his chin and spoke in a low voice. ¡°What¡¯s your objective?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± At his question, a handsome man with silver hair and a golden monocle kept his lips sealed. Beside him, a silver-haired womany copsed, her face exhausted. The Archfiend Mephisto and his familiar, Serpente. With a rustle, Mephisto lifted Serpente and gentlyid her on an old bed in a corner of the room. The masked man leanedzily against the back of his chair, watching Mephisto. ¡°I believe I told you to use the chaos to bring Lanez Mm to me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°No answer?¡± At the masked man¡¯s persistent questioning, Mephisto finally opened his mouth. ¡°My expectations were off.¡± ¡°Off, you say?¡± ¡°Lanez Mm joined the war.¡± Originally, Lanez was supposed to be hiding in the school with the other junior candidates, but somehow, she ended up on the battlefield where the war against the monster horde raged. ¡°With the professors of the Hero Academy and Lionel Ryu there, I couldn¡¯t extract Lanez.¡± ¡°Hmm. So instead, you chose to save your familiar?¡± A soft chuckle leaked out from beneath the white mask. ¡°Well¡­ from what I see, it seems like saving your familiar was your priority from the start.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± At the masked man¡¯s continued words, Mephisto mped his mouth shut. ¡°Ah, no matter. It doesn¡¯t significantly affect the n anyway.¡± The masked man leisurely stood up and nced at Serpente lying on the bed. ¡°Let me ask you one thing.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the rtionship between you and that familiar? You don¡¯t seem to meet with her often.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Hmm. No answer this time, either?¡± The masked manughed, his shoulders shaking. ¡°In any case, you¡¯d better be careful.¡± ¡°¡­Careful?¡± ¡°Having someone precious to you can often be your most fatal weakness.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± At the masked man¡¯s words, a killing intent flickered in Mephisto¡¯s eyes. ¡°If you every a hand on Serpente¡­¡± ¡°Oh my, how scary. I don¡¯t dare say anything now.¡± The masked man yfully raised his hands in mock surrender. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have no intention of harming your dear, beloved familiar.¡± For some reason, even with the mask covering his face, it felt as though the man¡¯s wide smile could be seen. ¡°At least, not for now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Mephisto clenched his fist so tightly it seemed it might break, biting down hard on his lips. ¡°You know, it¡¯s fascinating¡­ risking your life to protect nothing more than a familiar.¡± The masked man¡¯s eyes gleamed with curiosity as he looked at Mephisto. ¡°Not very demon-like of you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Mephisto turned away from the man and spoke in a low voice. ¡°And you¡­ are not very hero-like.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 182: Field Trip (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 182: Field Trip (1) As the weather grew colder and winter approached, the once heated atmosphere of the school after the victory parade began to cool with the biting wind. I headed to the meeting ce I had promised with Lanez. ¡°Huh?¡± Despite arriving 30 minutes early, Lanez was already there, waiting for me. ¡°Oh¡­ D-Dale. You¡¯re here?¡± She waved at me shyly when she noticed me. ¡°When did you get here?¡± ¡°Not long ago.¡± ¡°And how long exactly is ¡®not long ago¡¯?¡± ¡°About¡­ three hours?¡± ¡°...¡± How early did shee to wait for me? As I stared at her incredulously, Lanez blushed and fidgeted, pressing her index fingers together nervously. ¡°From now on, don¡¯t wait so early.¡± ¡°O-okay. Got it.¡± ¡°By the way¡­¡± I nced at Lanez, scanning her outfit lightly. A white dress, a thin beige cardigan, and slightly heeled shoes. To top it off, she was wearing light makeup. Lanez looked so beautiful that I doubted if this was the same person who usually exuded an ominous, witch-like aura. ¡°You look lovely.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± Lanez beamed with excitement, like a miner who had just struck gold, and stomped her feet with delight. ¡°Yeah, it suits you very well.¡± ¡°Hehehe, thank you.¡± ¡°But¡­ as much as you¡¯ve dressed up so nicely, I¡¯m sorry to say¡­¡± I ced my hand on her shoulder as I continued. ¡°It¡¯d be better if you took those clothes off.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Lanez¡¯s eyes widened in shock, and her expression froze. She swallowed dryly, her face turning bright red, before giving a tiny nod. ¡°O-okay. If that¡¯s what you want, Dale¡­ I¡¯m ready.¡± She began slipping off her cardigan. ¡°No, don¡¯t take it off here! I meant you should change your clothes.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Here, take these training clothes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re supposed to train with your blessing today, remember?¡± There was no way she could practice in a dress and cardigan. ¡°¡­Tch.¡± Lanez pouted as she epted the in, unfashionable training outfit. After changing in a nearby shared restroom, Lanez and I headed to the mountain behind the school. Normally, students couldn¡¯t enter the area without a ss scheduled there, but with the ess pass given to me by Professor Elisha, it was no problem. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°Y-yeah.¡± Lanez nodded nervously. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. Take it slow and try drawing out the power of your blessing.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Whew¡­¡± She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and focused. The mark of her blessing began to glow, spreading a brilliant white frost across the area. Crack, crackle. The vegetation touched by the frost froze instantly and shattered like brittle cookies, scattering to the ground. It was a sight both terrifying and awe-inspiring. The power of the witch who had once turned half a continent into a frozen wastnd was slowly awakening. ¡°Hah¡­¡± White breath escaped from Lanez¡¯s lips as she exhaled. She carefully raised her arm and pointed toward a nearby tree. The frost, which had been lingering like mist, condensed into the shape of a spear. Whoosh! The icy spear shot forward at terrifying speed, piercing the tree. Then¡ª BOOM! The spear exploded, freezing not only the tree but also the surrounding vegetation, rocks, and even tiny insects. The radius of destruction was a staggering 20 meters. The once-living area around the tree had be a frozen wastnd in an instant. ¡°¡­Wow.¡± Lanez let out a soft gasp as she stared at the scene she had created. Turning to me with a frightened expression, she mumbled, ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± My initial target had been just the single tree she first pierced. But due to the overwhelming power of her blessing, the entire area had been frozen as well. ¡®She stillcks control over her power.¡¯ If this had been a battle, our allies would have been caught in the attack too. ¡°I-I¡¯ll do better next time!¡± Despite her resolve, every subsequent attempt ended in the same result. ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± Lanez pouted as she surveyed the frozen wastnd she had created. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dale.¡± Seeing her shrunken posture and trembling face, I gently patted her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t worry about it. This is why I suggested we do control training in the first ce.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. No one gets it right on the first try, you know?¡± I understood how she felt as someone who had struggled to learn even the simplest things. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± Lanez clutched my sleeve tightly and gave me a shy smile. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s try this time like this.¡± ¡°Huh? How¡ªKyaah!¡± I moved behind Lanez and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her into a back hug. Because of our height difference, the back of her head rested near my chest. ¡°D-D-D-Dale?¡± She fidgeted nervously, her face bright red. ¡°Focus and try using your blessing again.¡± I lightly tightened my arms around her, igniting a faint ember of ash-gray me. Fwoosh. The warm, gentle mes enveloped us without burning or causing pain. It emitted only a subtle warmth, just enough to calm her. Lanez closed her eyes, her face still flushed, and began channeling her energy. Whoosh. This time, the frost spread evenly like a thick mist. Unlike before, the vegetation it touched didn¡¯t freeze. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Lanez¡¯s eyes widened in amazement. She slowly raised her arm again, pointing to a tree. Wooong! An icy spear formed in the air, and then another, and another. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Two became four, four became eight, and soon, thirty-two icy spears hovered around her. ¡°Hah¡­¡± She exhaled softly and whispered, ¡°Freeze.¡± Shk! Shk! Shk! Shk! Shk! Thirty-two spears shot off in different directions, embedding themselves into a tree. In the blink of an eye, the pierced tree froze solid¡ªbut only the tree. The surrounding ground didn¡¯t freeze, nor did any of the insects get caught in the frost. ¡°H-Huh?¡± Perhaps even she couldn¡¯t believe what she had done. Lanez gawked at the tree, pping her arms in disbelief like she wanted someone to look at it. ¡°D-Dale! I did it! I really did it!¡± ¡°Good job.¡± I patted Lanez on the head as she hopped around in delight. ¡®So it was true¡ªthe Ashen me really does influence the Blessing of Frost.¡¯ I had known about its influence for some time now, but I hadn¡¯t expected it to create such a dramatic change. ¡°Is this... because of the fire you made, Dale?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°Hehe. Then all I need is for you to hold me like this forever.¡± ¡°No.¡± There¡¯s no way she could always use the Blessing while being hugged by me. ¡°You need to practice so you can do it on your own.¡± ¡°Mm...¡± For some reason, Lanez pouted and fidgeted with a crestfallen expression. I chuckled and ruffled her hair. ¡°Well then, shall we start again?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± We continued practicing her Blessing control until the sun began to set. Through today¡¯s training, I realized two new things about Lanez. First, her persistence far exceeded my expectations. Even as her lips turned blue and she trembled from the cold each time she used the Blessing, she never onceined and focused intently on training. And the second¡­ ¡°Freeze!¡± Shk! With a clear shout, Lanez unleashed a Frost Spear. The spear, fired at a terrifying speed, pierced a tree so massive it would take two or three adults to encircle it. Crack! Crackle! The Frost Spear exploded inside the tree, freezing the entire thing solid in an instant. Unlike when she first created and fired the Frost Spear, this time, it didn¡¯t scatter frost around her. The ice was perfectly concentrated on the tree. ¡°W-Wow!¡± Lanez jumped with joy as she saw the frozen tree. ¡°Hehe, Dale! I did it!¡± She quickly ran over to me, clearly expecting praise. ¡°Good work.¡± Although she didn¡¯t fire dozens of spears simultaneously as she did while surrounded by Ashen me, her progress in just one day was astonishingly fast. ¡®At this point, I can¡¯t understand why she struggled so much to control her power in her previous life.¡¯ The second thing I realized about Lanez: Her talent rivaled that of Yurina, Berald, and even Senior Sophia. Initially, she couldn¡¯t control her power without Ashen me, but now, even when I stood far away, she was using her Blessing with ease. ¡®As long as she doesn¡¯t have a mental breakdown causing the Blessing to go berserk, there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡¯ Lanez¡¯s growth was nothing short of miraculous. ¡°How about we call it a day?¡± I asked, ncing up at the darkening sky. ¡°Okay... sounds good.¡± Lanez tugged at my sleeve hesitantly, her lips twitching as if she wanted to say something. ¡°I... I packed a lunchbox. Do you want to eat it with me?¡± ¡°A lunchbox?¡± ¡°Yeah, I made it this morning. It¡¯s cold now, though¡­¡± Lanez pulled a neatly wrapped lunchbox out of her bag. ¡°If it¡¯s cold, we can heat it up.¡± I ced my hand on the cold lunchbox and gently summoned Ashen me. Before long, warm steam rose from the once-cold lunchbox. Inside were stir-fried vegetables and Vienna sausages, rolled omelets, and stir-fried kimchi. Just looking at it made my mouth water. ¡°I looked up the most popr lunchbox dishes in the Republic and made them.¡± ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll enjoy it.¡± Having been quite hungry, I devoured the lunchbox quickly. ¡°...Is it good?¡± ¡°It¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°Hehe. I¡¯m d.¡± Lanez beamed at me as I happily finished the lunchbox. ¡°Oh, right! Did you hear the news, Dale?¡± ¡°What news?¡± ¡°The school trip next week.¡± ¡°...What?¡± This was the first I¡¯d heard of it. ¡°Oh... I guess they haven¡¯t told the third years yet.¡± ¡°Why a school trip all of a sudden?¡± In all four years I attended the Hero Academy in my previous life, there was never a mention of a ¡°school trip.¡± ¡°Apparently, the school walls were heavily damaged during the recent war, so they organized the trip while the repairs are being made.¡± ¡°A school trip, huh¡­¡± I¡¯d heard about school trips beingmon in other schools before adulthood, but having one at the Hero Academy was unprecedented. ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°To Thermal in the Holy Kingdom.¡± Thermal. It was a region famous for being the burial site of Grace, one of the Great Five Heroes, and a well-known tourist spot in the Holy Kingdom. ¡®Though, to be honest, its fame has less to do with the tomb.¡¯ Thermal was even more famous for another reason. ¡°T-Thermal is known for its hot springs...¡± Lanez turned to me with a wide grin. ¡°I hope we can enjoy the hot springs together, Dale.¡± ¡°No.¡± There¡¯s no way that would happen on a school trip. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 183: Field Trip (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 183: Field Trip (2) Field trip day. The candidates first traveled to the Holy Kingdom via the warp gate, where they were divided into groups and boardedrge magical vehicles under the direction of their respective instructors. The candidates, thrilled by the unexpected field trip, sat in their seats with excited expressions. ¡°Ugh¡­ I wanted to sit next to Dale¡­.¡± Iris pouted, ncing back at me from her seat across the aisle. ¡°I told you that¡¯s not allowed.¡± Cami, sitting next to her with a stern expression, shook her head. ¡°This is the Holy Kingdom. You never know who might be watching, so you must be mindful of your behavior.¡± ¡°¡­Who¡¯s going to spy on us inside a magical vehicle?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the bodyguard¡¯s job to prepare for even the slightest possibility.¡± ¡°Hmm, is that so?¡± Iris squinted at Cami, staring at her intently. ¡°¡­Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just because you didn¡¯t want to sit next to anyone else? Besides me and Dale, you don¡¯t really have anyone you¡¯re close to, do you?¡± Iris delivered a pointed remark directly to Cami¡¯s face: essentially, ¡°You don¡¯t have any friends, do you?¡± Cami¡¯s face turned bright red. ¡°Wh-who says I don¡¯t have anyone I¡¯m close to?¡± ¡°Oh? Then name one.¡± ¡°Well¡­.¡± Gritting her teeth, Cami bit her lip and turned her head away from Iris¡¯s gaze. It seemed there was some truth to the usation that she had forced Iris to sit beside her because she didn¡¯t have any other friends. Iris smirked mischievously and started poking Cami in the side. ¡°Seriously~ Cami can be so cute sometimes!¡± ¡°S-stop it!¡± They bickered in low voices, making sure no one else could overhear them. ¡®Honestly, Iris is always the most yful when she¡¯s with Cami.¡¯ The genuine friendship between them brought a small smile to my face. Anyway. Because of all that, Iris and I ended up sitting apart, separated by the aisle. Instead, sitting next to me was¡­ ¡°Um¡­ D-Dale.¡± A freckled face and a slim build¡ªour ss C representative, Albert Hoover, who seemed to exude fragility. ¡°I-I brought some snacks. Want some?¡± If Lanez were reincarnated as a male ssmate, this would probably be the vibe. Albert hesitantly pulled snacks out of his bag. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll enjoy them.¡± ¡°Y-yeah. I brought plenty, so help yourself.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was hard to imagine this timid guy, who looked like he wouldn¡¯t hurt a fly, being the first to rally the candidates and head to the battlefield when war broke out. ¡®Is this another part of the changed future?¡¯ I¡¯d hardly spoken to Albert in my past life, so I didn¡¯t know if his change was because of me or if he had always been like this. ¡°A field trip¡­ it sounds so exciting, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Still, having a new connection that didn¡¯t exist in my previous life was something I weed. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°By the way, Dale, you seem really close to Iris. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Okay? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Well, I mean¡­ you and Professor Elisha¡­ have that kind of rtionship, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± I had almost forgotten about that time Albert had caught me giving Professor Elisha a massage. ¡°That was a misunderstanding¡ª¡± ¡°All right, everyone, pay attention!¡± Before I could exin, Lucas¡¯s booming voice filled the magical vehicle. ¡°In about two hours, we¡¯ll arrive at our destination, the Termal region! Once we get there, we¡¯ll assign amodations first, and then we¡¯ll enjoy a feast I¡¯ve prepared!¡± ¡°Wooohooo!¡± The candidates cheered enthusiastically. ¡°By the way, the feast is sponsored by the Holy Kingdom and will feature their traditional specialties.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± ¡°H-Holy Kingdom specialties?¡± The excitement vanished instantly. Lucas grinned, his shoulders shaking as he looked at the deted candidates. ¡°Knowing this might happen, I made a special request for meat-heavy dishes this time. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Yes!!¡± ¡°As expected, we can always count on Professor Lucas!¡± Lucas shook his head at the suddenly energized candidates. ¡°Seriously, you guys act so differently from how you are in ss.¡± ¡°Ahem.¡± ¡°Hehe. I get it, though.¡± Lucas chuckled lightly and continued. ¡°As I said before, this field trip is a kind of reward for sessfully repelling the demonic beasts¡¯ attack.¡± Holding a microphone, he addressed us with a serious tone. ¡°But remember this: no matter how much of a trip this is, don¡¯t forget your essence. You are candidates who will be heroes and protect humanity by fighting the Demon God¡¯s minions.¡± His heavy voice resonated throughout the vehicle. ¡°If anyone causes trouble, I¡¯ll personally dump them into the bottom of the hot spring. Understood?¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± ¡°At least your responses are good.¡± Lucas clicked his tongue at the candidates, who all responded energetically. ¡°Well¡­ even if they¡¯re hero candidates, they¡¯re still kids at heart.¡± Although we were all adults over 20 years old, being an adult doesn¡¯t suddenly transform someone. People don¡¯t change that easily. Besides, the word ¡°trip¡± has a magical power to excite people, regardless of age. A clear example of that was: ¡°And on that note!!! For the next two hours until we reach our destination, we¡¯re holding a talent show where you can show off your hidden singing skills!¡± Even Lucas, far older than us, was as excited as¡ªno, even more excited than¡ªthe candidates. ¡°S-singing skills?¡± ¡°Singing? Really?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the professor the most excited one here?¡± The candidates seemed more embarrassed than excited. ¡°Alright, is there anyone who wants to sing a song first?¡± Professor Lucas raised the microphone in his hand and looked around the magic bus. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The previously lively atmosphere had vanished, leaving the magic bus as silent as a room doused in cold water. Even in their travel-fueled excitement, few were brave enough to sing in front of dozens of people. ¡°No one? Really?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The silence continued. Naturally, the candidates¡¯ gazes converged on one person. ¡°...No, don¡¯t tell me.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Albert, noticing the growing attention directed at him, shook his head frantically, his face turning pale. ¡°N-no! Absolutely not! I can¡¯t sing! I¡¯m terrible at it!¡± ¡°Aw,e on! You¡¯re our ss C representative!¡± ¡°This is your chance to shine with a song!¡± ¡°Albert! Albert! Albert!¡± Albert¡¯s name echoed throughout the magic bus. ¡°Albert! You¡¯re the only one we can count on!¡± ¡°Show us what our ss C is made of!¡± ¡°I said no¡­!¡± Trembling as if he might cry any moment, Albert shook his head vehemently, clearly determined not to budge. ¡°Alright, enough.¡± Themotion died down as Professor Lucas¡¯s low voice cut through the air. He clicked his tongue in disapproval as he looked at the candidates. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear Albert say no? Tsk, tsk. Honestly, you all always gang up on him for everything¡­ What is this? Do you think Albert¡¯s some kind of punching bag?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°...What?¡± The candidates turned to Professor Lucas with stunned expressions. The look in their eyes practically screamed the question: Of all people, YOU¡¯RE the one saying that? ¡°Well, if no one volunteers, I guess I¡¯ll have to step up¡­.¡± Professor Lucas let out a deep sigh and grabbed the microphone firmly. ¡°I¡¯ll sing, then.¡± ¡­What? Did I just hear that right? It wasn¡¯t just me. All the candidates¡¯ eyes widened as they stared at Professor Lucas in disbelief. With a grin, he brought the microphone to his lips. And then. ¡°THE MEMORIES OF YOUUUU!!! THE LOVE THAT ONCE WAAASSS!!!¡± If nightmares could be expressed as songs, it would sound exactly like this. Explosive volume that rattled the magic bus windows, pitch as distorted as a broken machine, and rhythm that defied all logic¡ªit was a horrifying trifecta. Professor Lucas¡¯s singing was an unholy melody that could easily double as a form of torture. ¡°PIERCES MY SOUL! LIKE THORNSSSSSS!!!¡± ¡°AAAHHHHHHHHH!!!¡± ¡°St-stop it¡­!¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Please, someone, make it STOP!!!¡± As the harrowing requiem ripped through our very beings, the magic bus pressed onward toward its destination. * * * ¡°Hah¡­ hah¡­.¡± ¡°We¡­ survived.¡± The candidates disembarked from the bus, their faces pale and haunted. In front of them stood a massive hot spring inn,rge enough to amodate over a thousand people. Gathered outside were candidates from other sses who had arrived earlier. ¡°Ah, Dale!¡± Yuren approached us as soon as we stepped off the bus. Seeing the ashen faces of our group, he tilted his head curiously. ¡°Why does everyone look so grim? Did something happen?¡± ¡°¡­No. Nothing happened.¡± Unable to bring myself to recount the disaster(?) that had unfolded on the way here, I simply shook my head. ¡°Well, anyway, why is everyone gathered outside instead of going into the inn?¡± ¡°Oh, they¡¯re assigning rooms first.¡± Right, they did mention room assignments upon arrival. ¡°Alright, since everyone¡¯s here, let¡¯s begin the room assignments!¡± Professor Lucas addressed the gathered candidates. ¡°Rooms will generally have six people each, assigned randomly. However¡­ candidates who receivedmendations will be given a special privilege!¡± ¡°A special privilege?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± The candidates exchanged curious nces. ¡°Commended candidates will each be assigned a suite in the annex. Moreover, they can invite one candidate of their choice to join them in their suite.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± At the mention of suites in the annex, the candidates¡¯ eyes lit up. Their gazes quickly shifted to themendation recipients. Among them, the one who drew the most attention was, of course: ¡°Ah, Albert! We¡¯re friends, right?¡± ¡°Albert, I¡¯ve always had my eye on you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a guy, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m actually gay.¡± ¡°¡­What.¡± The candidates swarmed Albert, the most approachable(?) of themendation recipients. Meanwhile, no one dared to approach Iris or Yuren, even to ask to share a room. ¡®Well, that¡¯s not surprising.¡¯ The two of them had an almost untouchable aura, even within the school. Most candidates probably found them too intimidating to approach. ¡°D-Dale! Why don¡¯t we share a room?¡± Iris, her eyes sparkling, approached me right after hearing about the suite invitations. Her enthusiasm was endearing, but¡ª ¡°Ah, just to be clear, invitations are limited to same-gender candidates only.¡± ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± Iris¡¯s expression fell at Professor Lucas¡¯s follow-up remark. ¡°T-this is so unfair!¡± ¡°Well¡­ it can¡¯t be helped.¡± Even though we¡¯re all adults who know what¡¯s what, it would be inappropriate for a school-sponsored trip to allow mixed-gender rooming. As Iris pouted in disappointment, a calm voice spoke up. ¡°Well, then. That settles it.¡± Yuren sauntered over to me with a rxed stride. ¡°Dale, let¡¯s share a room.¡± ¡°Yu¡ªuh, Yuren! What are you saying?!¡± ¡°What do you mean, what am I saying? You heard it too, right? Only same-gender candidates can be invited.¡± Throwing an arm around my shoulder, Yuren smirked. ¡°And since I¡¯m the same ¡®guy¡¯ as Dale, there¡¯s no problem, right?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 184: Field Trip (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 184: Field Trip (3) One of the Five Great Heroes. The Thermal region, famous for being home to the tomb of Grace, the Light of Life, one of the Five Great Heroes. Having the tomb of a great hero alone would be enough to make this ce a renowned tourist destination. On top of that, the Thermal region also boasts warm hot springs that bubble up across the area. A ce with a historically significant tomb and hot springs perfect for rxation¡ªit didn¡¯t take long for the Thermal region to be one of the most popr tourist destinations among the Three Nations. Among the amodations in Thermal, the hot spring inn known for hosting thergest number of guests stands out. Its main building wasn''t particrly beautiful as a facility designed to amodaterge numbers. However, the annex, built a short distance away, told a very different story. Unlike the main building, which was packed tightly like a chicken coop, the annex was surrounded by a naturally craftedndscape that made it feel like stepping into the middle of a forest. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Yurina¡ªor rather, Yuren¡ªlet out a gasp of awe as she looked around the room. The view of the beautiful garden and pond outside the window, the subtle sulfur scent wafting in the air, and the clean, well-maintained interior¡ªall of it left her impressed. Even someone like her, who was born into a noble family and ustomed to luxurious amodations, couldn¡¯t help but admire the ce. ¡°Hehe, all that hard work fighting the Demonic Beast Legion finally paid off.¡± As soon as Yurina entered the room, she threw down her bag along with her pendant, transforming back into her female form. Her face lit up with excitement as she scanned the room. The view outside the window and the pristine interior were appealing enough, but what excited her the most was... ¡°Isn¡¯t it nice, Dale?¡± Dale entered the room after her and responded, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s clean andfortable.¡± Watching Yurina hum a little tune with a cheerful expression, I gave an awkward smile. We¡¯d lived together briefly before, but back then, at least we had separate rooms, so it wasn¡¯t as awkward. ¡®For a ¡°deluxe room,¡± it¡¯s not particrly spacious.¡¯ It made sense, of course¡ªhow could you expect separate rooms in a two-person room at an inn? At least the beds were separate, which was a small constion. ¡°¡­Sorry. I didn¡¯t ask you beforehand, so this must¡¯ve caught you off guard,¡± Yurina said, noticing my less-than-cheerful expression. Her tone and demeanor reminded me of Lanez, which made me chuckle softly and shake my head. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. In fact, I¡¯m grateful you invited me. Otherwise, I¡¯d be stuck sharing a room with Albert or Berald¡­¡± I could tolerate Albert, but sharing a room with Berald? Absolutely not. ¡®After all, I¡¯ve already suffered enough in my past life because of his snoring.¡¯ Not even joking¡ªBerald¡¯s snoring once scared off a demonic beast that was approaching our campsite. ¡°Hmph. So you¡¯d rather not share a room with another guy?¡± ¡°Huh? No, that¡¯s not it¡­¡± ¡°Dale, you¡¯re such a flirt.¡± Yurina blushed, giggling shyly as she moved closer to me and gently took my hand. Her silvery hair cascaded down her shoulders, carrying a faintly sweet fragrance. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t it lucky? You ended up sharing a room with me, who¡¯s really a girl inside.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Where did she even learn to act this coy? Her yful smile and the way she lightly brushed her fingers against mine had my heart pounding erratically. ¡°Should we ask the inn for something?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°A single bed.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± This is dangerous. I¡¯m reaching the limits of my self-control. ¡°¡­Dale.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Our gazes locked. Our faces drew so close that I could feel her breath when¡ª Ding! [A notification to all candidates: Please gather at the dining hall after dropping off your belongings.] The clear chime of the Hero Watch interrupted the moment. ¡°Oh, right! Food! We should eat first!¡± ¡°Ahem. Y-yeah, put your pendant back on already.¡± Hurriedly stepping apart, we both tried to regain ourposure. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Dale.¡± Yurina returned to her male form as Yuren by putting her pendant back on, and together, we headed to the dining hall. ¡°Oh, there you are.¡± A familiar voice stopped us. ¡°¡­Professor Elisha?¡± ¡°Deluxe room guests are to dine at a separate hall in the annex, not the main building.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Nodding, I approached her. ¡°But what brings you here, Professor?¡± ¡°You¡¯re award-winning candidates. I can¡¯t very well leave you unsupervised, can I?¡± ¡°Ah, that makes sense.¡± So, she was serving as a sort of supervising professor. ¡°My room is also in the annex, so feel free to stop by if you¡¯d like, Candidate Dale.¡± With a seductive voice, Professor Elisha tugged lightly at the tie around my neck. ¡°Isn¡¯t it against the rules to invite students of the opposite sex to your room, Professor?¡± Yuren scowled at her, pulling me back as he red daggers at Professor Elisha. Elisha merely shrugged off the hostility with a smirk. ¡°Professors have their own privileges, you see.¡± ¡°Hah. That¡¯s a piece of information I really didn¡¯t need.¡± ¡°Then again, Candidate Yuren, you seem to be enjoying your own privileges as well, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Well, I have unavoidable circumstances, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°How very convenient those circumstances are.¡± The two stared daggers at each other, the tension between them growing colder by the second. At that moment¡ª ¡°Ah, so this is where everyone is.¡± Iris and Cami appeared in the hallway, breaking the icy atmosphere. The tension eased slightly as the two approached, and we waited in the corridor for the other deluxe room candidates. ¡°Deluxe candidates eat separately in the annex dining hall?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I heard.¡± Sophia appeared from the far end of the hallway, with Lanez trailing nervously behind her. ¡°Ah, Dale!¡± Spotting me, Lanez hurried over like a puppy reuniting with its owner. ¡°How¡¯s your room?¡± ¡°I-I like it. The view is beautiful, and¡­ um¡­¡± She nced nervously at Sophia. Not yetfortable with her, Lanez¡¯s eyes held a hint of fear when looking at Sophia. Sophia, noticing this, turned away sharply, crossing her arms. ¡°¡­If I make you ufortable, feel free to switch rooms.¡± ¡°N-no! It¡¯s not that! Not at all!¡± Shaking her head frantically, Lanez moved closer and timidly tugged at Sophia¡¯s sleeve. ¡°I¡­ I know. Sophia¡­ used her invitation ticket¡­ for me.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w For Lanez, sharing a six-person room with strangers would have been akin to torture. Understanding this, Sophia used her invitation ticket to bring Lanez into her room. ¡°I know¡­ Sophia may seem scary¡­ but I¡¯ve always known¡­ she¡¯s been looking out for me.¡± ¡°¡­Looking out for you? Who says I ever did that?¡± Sophia turned her head away brusquely, but guilt was written all over her face. Before Lanez had been rescued by Dale, Sophia had been aware of the bullying but chose to ignore it. She had turned a blind eye, telling herself it wasn¡¯t her problem. "...No, when we first entered school... I tripped, and you helped me up, even gave me a handkerchief because my clothes got dirty." "When was that? I don''t remember doing anything like that..." "Even if you don''t remember, Sophia, I do." Lanez tugged gently on Sophia''s sleeve. "It''s just... I''m still not used to this thing called ''friendship''." "...Hmph." Sophia snorted, feigning indifference as she toyed with her hair. "By the way, where''s Berald?" "Here we are, all gathered!" Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. Berald waved as he walked over. "Haha! The suite is amazing¡ªno wonder it''s called a special room!" "Berald! Wait for me!" Walking alongside Berald was a delicate-looking blond man. "Juliet?" "Ahaha. Hey, Dale." "Are you sharing a room with Berald?" "Uh, yeah. I didn''t do much during the war... I feel kind of bad about it." "Haha! Juliet, don''t forget the favor you did for me during summer break!" Beraldughed heartily and pped Juliet''s shoulder. "So, that leaves... the rest of the candidates, then?" "This is everyone." "Hmm? What about Albert and Aaron?" "Aaron isn''t attending the trip due to personal reasons, and Albert refused to use the suite and opted to stay in the shared six-person room with the others." "Oh." Albert, that guy. Looks like he gave up entirely after dealing with the other candidates. "Alright then, let''s head straight to the hot springs." "Huh? Not the dining hall?" "They said the dining hall in this annex has a different schedule than the main building. We''ll eatter." "Ah, I see." Following Professor Elisha, we headed toward the hot springs. "See you all at the entrance in an hour." "Understood." The path split between the men¡¯s and women¡¯s baths. Heading to the men¡¯s side were me, Berald, Juliet, and... Yuren. "Hold on." Thunk. Iris grabbed Yuren by the back of the neck. "Where do you think you¡¯re going?" "I... uh..." "Oh my, how convenient. Looks like everyone here knows your little secret, Yuren¡ªor should I say Yurina?" Iris smiled sweetly. Yurina clicked her tongue and turned toward the women¡¯s bath. And so, Yurina joined the women¡¯s side. As expected of an annex hot spring, no one else was there except those of us staying in the suites. Scrrrk. Scrrrk. In the changing room, as everyone was undressing before entering the hot spring, their gaze naturally turned toward one person. "...Why are you all staring at me like that?" Iris crossed her arms over her chest, noticing how everyone''s attention was focused¡ªno, to be precise, directed at her chest. Squelch. It was futile, of course. Her arms couldn¡¯t possibly conceal the massive presence, which only seemed to emphasize itself further as she pressed against it. "...It''s always so overwhelming." "Professor Elisha, you''re no slouch yourself." "Haha, hardly a match for you, Iris." Elisha shrugged off her clothes casually, followed by Yurina. "Oh-ho, I don¡¯t often see you like this, Yurina. Quite impressive." "Ah! D-Don¡¯t touch me!" Amid such a cheerful atmosphere of banter between the "blessed," in the corner of the changing room... "Ugh." "Kh..." Those "not blessed," like Cami and Sophia, quickly hid their bodies in towels, their resentment brewing as they red at the others with eyes full of revolution. "Hehe. It feels like a dream, all of us together in a hot spring." "Lanez,e here." "Huh? Why?" "This area belongs to the blessed ones." Sophia pulled Lanez by the arm. Lanez tilted her head in confusion as she began undressing. And then... Boing. An uneptable sound reverberated in the ears of the "not blessed." "L-Lanez... w-what is that?" "Huh? What do you mean? Is something wrong with me?" "N-No..." Normally hunched over in loose-fitting clothes, no one had noticed. But hidden beneath the thickyers, two ample fruitsy waiting, their size more than enough to mock the unblessed. "Y-You traitor!" Though not as enormous as Iris, they were likelyparable¡ªor even superior¡ªto those of Yurina or Professor Elisha. Sophia red at Lanez, her eyes burning with betrayal. "You said we were friends...! Friends, you said...!!!" As the chill of the season swept through the air, the tears of the unblessed soaked the earth. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 185: Field Trip (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 185: Field Trip (4) After a refreshing soak in the hot springs, we arrived at the annex restaurant. Despite the Holy Kingdom¡¯s notorious reputation for nd food, the dishesid out on the table were so enticing that they made my mouth water. A feast spread across the table, coupled with a body warmed through from the hot springs¡ªjust imagining it was enough to bring a smile. And yet... ¡°Boohoo¡­! I didn¡¯t do anything wrong¡­!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sit next to me.¡± ¡°Oh, how... how unjust this world is¡­¡± The atmosphere in the restaurant was as chilly as a snowstorm in the dead of winter. ¡°Ce on! Isn¡¯t it normal for friends to sit together?¡± ¡°Who said we¡¯re friends? You traitor!¡± Sophia coldly drove Lanez away, while... ¡°Could it be¡­ that God¡­ is wed?¡± Cami was now questioning her faith. ¡°What in the world happened?¡± I turned to Iris and asked. She shook her head, looking just as puzzled. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ Both Cami and Senior Sophia have been mumbling about wealth inequality and revolutions since earlier¡­.¡± ¡°And they won¡¯t answer when I ask what¡¯s wrong.¡± Yurina shrugged and shook her head. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I didn¡¯t fully understand the situation, but I had a feeling that stepping in would only make things worse. Deciding to leave them be, I turned my attention to the bountiful spread of appetizing food on the table. ¡°Wow¡­ Is this really the Holy Kingdom?¡± Even on a second look, the dishes were impressive enough to elicit admiration. Despite the country¡¯s reputation for unremarkable cuisine, the dishes must have been crafted with care given the location¡ªa high-end inn in a tourist hotspot. ¡°Hehe, how is it? See, Holy Kingdom food can be good if prepared well!¡± ¡°Well, most of these don¡¯t look like traditional dishes from the kingdom, though¡­.¡± But hey, as long as it tasted good, who cared? ¡°Still¡­ it feels a bit strange to be rxing and having fun here.¡± ¡°What¡¯s strange about it?¡± ¡°The Thermal region is where Grace rests. I¡¯ve been here a few times for Seven Star Church events, but I never imagined I¡¯de here to rx and have fun like this.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± That made sense. If her previous visits were for religious purposes, she wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to enjoy hot springs or a feast like this. ¡°Grace of the Light of Life¡­ She¡¯s regarded as a saint in the Holy Kingdom, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± Iris nodded. ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s a bit different from the Republic.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°Well¡­ she¡¯s not as well-known there. Each country tells the stories of the Five Great Heroes a bit differently.¡± Events were often tailored to suit national preferences, emphasizing the achievements of their own heroes or glorifying their virtues. Especially Grace of the Light of Life. Being more of a support figure, her tales didn¡¯t captivate as much attention as sensational ones like the Sun Sword Reynald cutting down thousands of demons or Iron Fist Ryujin Seong smashing a bishop¡¯s skull. In fact, outside the Holy Kingdom, many didn¡¯t even know who Grace of the Light of Life was. Grace of the Light of Life. Suddenly, I was curious. ¡°What kind of person was she?¡± ¡°Grace?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°She was said to be endlessly merciful,passionate, and kind. There¡¯s even a story about her willingly using a sacred artifact given by God to save a single injured child.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard that one before.¡± I nodded, intrigued. ¡°Hmm, this is covered in first-year history ss at the hero academy¡­.¡± ¡°I must¡¯ve been asleep.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Why else would I be ranked so low? ¡°Oh, by the way¡­ did Grace also have the ¡®Seven Eyes¡¯ like you, Iris?¡± ¡°Of course. This is a blessing that has been passed down to the ¡®Saintess¡¯ for generations.¡± Iris nodded as she lightly touched her eyes. ¡°Then, are you a distant descendant of Grace¡­?¡± ¡°No, the Seven Eyes, unlike stigmas, aren¡¯t hereditary. They manifest suddenly, without any prior signs, like a blessing.¡± Iris wore a slightly bittersweet expression. Her life, which had been ordinary up until then, must have changed drastically when she awakened the Seven Eyes¡ªfor better or worse. ¡°There was a time I resented God because of these eyes¡­ but not anymore.¡± Iris looked at me and smiled softly. ¡°Because if I didn¡¯t have these eyes, I wouldn¡¯t be here with you now, Dale.¡± ¡°¡­Iris.¡± As a subtle mood began to form between us¡­ ¡°Ahem. Have you forgotten we¡¯re here too?¡± ¡°Hogging the moment, huh¡­.¡± The sharp gazes of Professor Elisha and Yurina pierced through us. ¡°Ahem. Sorry about that.¡± ¡°Hehe. Anyway, just eating feels a bit dull. Shall we order some drinks?¡± ¡°Is that okay?¡± ¡°The real activities start tomorrow. A light drink won¡¯t hurt.¡± Professor Elisha called for the waiter to order drinks. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s toast to a wonderful field trip.¡± ¡°Heh! Now that I think about it, this will be my first taste of Holy Kingdom liquor!¡± Berald¡¯s eyes sparkled as he downed his drink in one gulp. And then¡ª ¡°Ugh!¡± His face twisted. Clutching his mouth with his hand, Berald barely managed to swallow the alcohol. As if anticipating this reaction, Professor Elisha smiled leisurely. ¡°Hehe. Holy Kingdom liquor is infamous for its strength.¡± ¡°¡­It doesn¡¯t really match their image, does it?¡± ¡°Yurina, do you not like alcohol?¡± Professor Elisha nced at Yurina¡¯s barely touched ss. ¡°It¡¯s not that I dislike it¡­ I just rarely drink because it might interfere with my training.¡± ¡°Well, why not use this chance to try some? There¡¯s no sword practice today, is there?¡± ¡°Hm. Alright then.¡± At Professor Elisha¡¯s encouragement, Yurina picked up her ss. She downed the full ss in one go. ¡°Wait. You¡¯re not supposed to drink Holy Kingdom liquor like tha¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s better than I thought.¡± Yurina¡¯s eyes lit up as she spoke. ¡°Before, I only barely sipped, so I never realized¡­ but this is surprisingly fragrant and nice.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Yes. May I have another?¡± ¡°Hmm. Just don¡¯t overdo it.¡± ¡°Haha. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Yurina shrugged her shoulders and held out her ss with a confident expression, as if to say there was nothing to worry about. ¡°You already know whose descendant I am, don¡¯t you, Professor?¡± And so the drinking continued for another hour. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w * * * ¡°Hehehe. Da-a-ale~ Where are you~?¡± Yurina, her eyes half-open and ssy, started looking around for me. ¡°¡­Hah.¡± I let out a sigh as I looked at the thoroughly drunk Yurina. ¡®Now that I think about it, Yurina in her past life was weak to alcohol too.¡¯ Even when Berald and I drank nonstop every other day, she would quietly lean against a tree and sip her tea. ¡°Haha. It seems our great hero¡¯s descendant ispletely stered,¡± Professor Elisha remarked with a chuckle, ncing at Yurina before turning to me. ¡°Since you share a room with her, Cadet Dale, could you look after Yurina?¡± ¡°Why did you offer her drinks in the first ce¡­?¡± ¡°She insisted she could handle it. How is that my fault?¡± ¡°Urgh.¡± I held back my words, resigned, and helped Yurina to her feet, heading toward our room. ¡°Daaale~ Carry meee~!¡± Yurina clung to me as we walked, her breath heavy with the sharp smell of alcohol. I sighed again. ¡°Fine, get on.¡± Just as I was about to adjust her on my back and start walking again¡ª ¡°Hehe! Let¡¯s go for a walk, Dale!¡± Yurina, now piggybacking me, started kicking her legs yfully. ¡°No, no walks. Let¡¯s get you to bed.¡± ¡°Waaalk~!¡± With her childlike whining and pulling on my shoulders, I had no choice but to divert toward the garden annex. Moonlight poured over the elegantlyndscaped garden path. ¡°Dale¡­ you¡¯re warm,¡± She whispered faintly from behind me. Through the thin clothes she¡¯d changed into after our bath, I felt her soft warmth pressing against my back. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Just as my thoughts started spiraling from the sensation¡ª Bzzz. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Suddenly, a white orb of light appeared in front of me. ¡®What is that?¡¯ It was too bright to be a firefly. The fist-sized, glowing sphere hovered around me like a curious insect, circling before it zipped off somewhere. ¡°What the¡­¡± I was about to follow it when¡ª ¡°Mm¡­ Dale, I feel dizzy¡­¡± Yurina¡¯s weak voice behind me stopped me in my tracks. ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡± Letting go of the strange orb, I turned toward our room. ¡°Haaah.¡± Once we arrived, Iid Yurina on her bed. At least one thing was fortunate¡ªsince she had already changed clothes after the bath, I didn¡¯t need to worry about changing her again. ¡°Dale¡­ I¡¯m thirsty.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get you some water.¡± I brought her some cold water, and she drank it in big gulps, like a squirrel with an acorn. ¡°Better?¡± ¡°Mmh¡­ I¡¯m¡­ okay.¡± She didn¡¯t look okay at all. ¡°Just lie down and sleep.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± As I turned to head to my own bed¡ª ¡°Hey.¡± Yurina grabbed my hand and pulled me down onto her bed. She climbed on top of me, the moonlight filtering through the window illuminating her silver hair, making it shimmer dreamily. ¡°Y-Yurina?¡± ¡°Dale¡­ why don¡¯t you ever touch me?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We¡¯re dating, aren¡¯t we? Shouldn¡¯t we at least¡­ kiss?¡± Now that I thought about it, I had kissed Iris and even Professor Elisha, but not Yurina yet. ¡°Or¡­ do you not want to¡­ with me?¡± Her flushed face and alcohol-clouded eyes gazed down at me as she asked. I opened my mouth to answer¡ª ¡°Mmgh.¡± But before I could speak, her soft lips pressed against mine. The scent of alcohol filled my nose as her supple tongue moved inside my mouth. ¡°Hehe. Finally¡­ we kissed.¡± ¡°Yurina¡­¡± Just as I reached out to her¡ª ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡­ feel nauseous¡­¡± And then she gagged and bolted for the bathroom. I followed her quickly, rubbing her back as she leaned over the toilet, retching. ¡°Hah.¡± I let out a deep sigh. ¡®Seriously.¡¯ Throwing up right after kissing me makes it feel like I did something wrong. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 186: Treasure Hunt (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 186: Treasure Hunt (1) ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The next morning. Yurina groaned faintly, sounding as though she were dying as she sluggishly got out of bed. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°Mm, yeah, I¡¯m fine¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost time to gather, so hurry up, wash, and get ready.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Yurina sat up on the bed and nced at me. I had already changed into my uniform. Her dazed gaze suddenly sharpened as her eyes widened. ¡°Huh? Huh?!¡± Yurina began fidgeting nervously, touching her lips. ¡°D-Dale¡­ Did we, by any chance, yesterday¡­?¡± ¡°Hm? Yesterday what?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s just¡­ did we¡­ kiss¡­?¡± ¡°What kiss?¡± Feigningplete ignorance, I shook my head. Relieved, Yurina let out a deep sigh of relief. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I must¡¯ve mistaken a dream for reality.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± What had happenedst night¡ªour kiss¡ªwasn¡¯t a dream, but reality. ¡®It¡¯s better to let her believe it was a dream.¡¯ After all, having your first kiss end with drunkenly smashing your head against the toilet bowl and throwing up wasn¡¯t exactly a memory worth cherishing. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± And so, Yurina¡ªno, Yuren¡ªand I arrived at the gathering spot. The area in front of the inn was bustling with other candidates who had arrived early. ¡°So, did everyone rest well yesterday?¡± Professor Lucas scanned the candidates who had gathered at the meeting ce. Since there wasn¡¯t any formal schedule on the first day, most of them had stayed upte partying and drinking, getting little to no sleep. But perhaps the magic of the word "field trip" was at work. The candidates¡¯ eyes sparkled like stars as they stood at the gathering ce. ¡°Before we introduce today¡¯s itinerary, I¡¯d like to introduce someone very special to you. Be sure to behave yourselves.¡± ¡°Someone special?¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± Hearing Professor Lucas use unusually politenguage, the candidates tilted their heads in curiosity. ¡°You¡¯ll see soon enough.¡± With a slight smirk, Professor Lucas contacted someone via his Hero Watch. Before long, the sound of nking metal echoed through the area, and knights d in pure white armor appeared. Their precision as they marched in perfect formation was breathtakingly intimidating. ¡°Is that¡­?¡± ¡°T-The Seven Star Knights?¡± ¡°Wow¡­ I¡¯ve heard about them, but it¡¯s my first time seeing them.¡± ¡°Same here.¡± The Seven Star Knights. They were the holy knights of the Holy Kingdom, known as the strongest, with their leader being Johann Basilio, the "Sword of the Holy Kingdom," ranked 4th in the current Hero Rankings. Compared to the Empire¡¯s "Golden Knights" or the Republic¡¯s elite "Hwarang Corps," they were said tock individualbat power. However, their cohesion and loyalty were unparalleled, making them unique. ¡®Even in my previous life, the Seven Star Knights were the only elite force with zero defectors.¡¯ Because of this, they were famously reclusive, rarely leaving the Holy Kingdom¡¯s capital. ¡°So why are the Seven Star Knights here¡­?¡± As this shared question floated through the candidates¡¯ minds¡ª Step. Step. A woman in a white priest¡¯s robe appeared, escorted by the Seven Star Knights. Her white hair and gentle features radiated warmth as she approached the candidates with a kind smile and bowed deeply. ¡°Greetings, candidates of the Hero Academy. It is an honor to meet the heroes of the future.¡± Her soft voice resonated clearly in the ears of every candidate present, despite therge crowd. Recognizing her, the candidates grew increasingly agitated. ¡°That, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°No way¡­¡± ¡°Is that¡­ Lady Marianne? It has to be!¡± ¡°No freaking way¡­! The Pope herself is here?!¡± Pope Marianne. Ranked 2nd among the current Heroes and the leader of the Holy Kingdom. The sudden and unexpected appearance of the Pope stirred a buzz among the candidates. ¡°Everyone, quiet.¡± Professor Lucas stepped forward, holding a microphone. ¡°The Pope hase personally after hearing about your field trip to the Holy Kingdom.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Even knowing the Hero Academy¡¯s significance among the three nations, it seemed excessive for a national leader to visit over a mere field trip. The answer to this puzzling situation wasn¡¯t hard to find. The candidates¡¯ gazes naturally turned to Iris. ¡°Lady Marianne¡­?¡± ¡°Fufu. It¡¯s been a while, Iris. How¡¯s school life treating you?¡± Marianne smiled warmly and waved at Iris. Iris seemed startled, as though she hadn¡¯t expected Marianne to show up. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all surprised, but my visit here isn¡¯t solely to see Iris.¡± Shifting her gaze from Iris, Marianne addressed the candidates. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about how you bravely stood against the sudden invasion of the demon army. It¡¯s a challenge even for seasoned heroes, yet you aplished it as mere candidates.¡± Her voice remained gentle but filled the space with gravity. ¡°As a token of appreciation for your courage, the Holy Kingdom has prepared a small event for you.¡± ¡°An event¡­?¡± ¡°What could it be?¡± The candidates tilted their heads at the mention of the word ¡°event.¡± Marianne nced at the candidates with a kind smile on her lips. ¡°Hehe, the event we¡¯ve prepared is¡­ a treasure hunt!¡± ¡°Whoa¡­!¡± ¡°A t-treasure hunt?¡± Treasure hunt. More precisely, the word treasure lit up the candidates¡¯ eyes. ¡°As you all know, the Therm¨¢l region you¡¯re in is home to the tomb of Lady Grace. And on the path leading to the tomb lies a massive ruin.¡± As Marianne exined, Lady Grace¡¯s tomb was built beneath a vast ruin. There were many spections¡ªwhether it was to prevent grave robbers from intruding or to seal dangerous beasts beneath the ruins. However, the exact reason was still unknown. ¡°We thought of creating a light-hearted event where you¡¯d find clues within the ruins and locate the tokens we¡¯ve hidden to earn matching rewards, but¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You thought of doing that?¡± The candidates froze at her ominous use of the past tense. ¡°Instead, at the suggestion of the Hero Academy, we¡¯ve prepared a slightly different kind of event.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°The part where you retrieve the tokens hidden within the ruins and earn rewards remains the same.¡± But. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°To enhance yourbat skills and provide real-world experience, we¡¯ll be stationing obstacles within the ruins.¡± ¡°¡­Obstacles?¡± ¡°Are they releasing Guardians like in thest final evaluations?¡± ¡°Hey, how many people do you think are here? Do you know how much gold it¡¯d cost to release Guardians?¡± ¡°And the Holy Kingdom has the weakest Guardian manufacturing tech among the three nations.¡± ¡°Then what exactly are these ¡®obstacles¡¯ you¡¯re talking about¡­?¡± The candidates turned curious gazes toward Marianne. ¡°The obstacles stationed within the ruins will be¡­ the people standing before you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Well¡­ to exin.¡± Still wearing her kind smile, Marianne continued with words that were anything but kind. ¡°The Seven-Star Knights will beat¡­ I mean, subdue you to interfere with your treasure hunt.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Silence descended. The previously excited atmosphere froze as though chilled by an icy wind. ¡°So¡­.¡± ¡°You want us to find hidden treasures in the ruins while being hindered by the Holy Kingdom¡¯s finest knights?¡± ¡°What kind of insane nonsense is that?¡± The candidates¡¯ faces disyed disbelief. Understandable. Asking candidates who hadn¡¯t even obtained their official Hero certification to face active-duty heroes, particrly the elite Seven-Star Knights, was an absurd demand. ¡°Alright, calm down,¡± Professor Lucas said, addressing the flustered candidates. ¡°As you all know, we didn¡¯te to the Therm¨¢l region for sightseeing. This isn¡¯t just a school trip¡ªit¡¯s a field trip!¡± Thud! He stomped his foot lightly, his voice brimming with energy. ¡°Does anyone know what ¡®field trip¡¯ means in the ancientnguage of the Republic?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± While candidates from the Empire and Holy Kingdom stood dumbfounded, unable to answer, a candidate from the Republic raised their hand. ¡°It¡¯s written with the characters for refining and learning, meaning a journey to refine and learn, isn¡¯t it?¡± Professor Lucas shook his head firmly and shouted, ¡°Wrong!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The ¡®field trip¡¯ in field trip uses the characters for head and learning. It means learning while your head gets cracked open! That¡¯s the essence of a field trip!¡± ¡°What the heck is this man talking about¡­?¡± Whispers of discontent spread among the Republic candidates. ¡°In any case! Candidates who wish to participate in the treasure hunt, step forward!¡± ¡°Huh? Does that mean we can opt out?¡± ¡°Yes. But¡­¡± Professor Lucas¡¯s lips curled into a sly smile. ¡°For those who choose not to participate, an intimate extreme training session with me is prepared. So feel free to decline.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The candidates were now faced with a devil¡¯s choice: endure training with Professor Lucas or brave the treasure hunt while evading the Seven-Star Knights. Either way, it was a path to hell. ¡°Um, can we at least know what the treasure is?¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om One candidate hesitantly asked. ¡°Of course.¡± Professor Lucas nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Well, there are various treasures depending on the rank of the tokens found, but I¡¯ll reveal the first-ce prize.¡± With a few taps on his Hero Watch, a pure white ss vial appeared as a hologram in midair. ¡°The ¡®Grace of the Divine.¡¯ A potion from the Holy Kingdom said to revive even those on the brink of death. That¡¯s the first-ce treasure.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The Grace of the Divine. A legendary potion that could instantly heal wounds and even restore depleted magical energy. ¡°No way¡­ The Grace of the Divine?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that insanely expensive?¡± ¡°I heard just one vial could buy a mansion in the heart of Valha City¡­¡± Among heroes, who often danced with death, the Holy Kingdom¡¯s potion was akin to carrying an extra life. Of course, its value was equally astronomical, with its price practically unmentionable. ¡°If we can somehow avoid the Seven-Star Knights and find the treasure¡­¡± ¡°This could be a life-changing opportunity!¡± The candidates¡¯ eyes burned with renewed determination. ¡®The Grace of the Divine, huh.¡¯ Unlike the others, who were getting excited, I clicked my tongue indifferently. For anyone else, it might have been priceless, but for me, it was utterly useless. ¡®Should I just skip this?¡¯ While non-participants would have to undergo Professor Lucas¡¯s extreme training, honestly, considering my usual training routine, even that would feel like child¡¯s y. ¡®Yeah, better to just stay back and train than to waste time chasing pointless treasure.¡¯ Just as I was about to step back¡ª ¡°Oh, and by the way, those who find treasures in this hunt will receive bonus points toward their overall evaluation rankings based on the grade of the treasure.¡± ¡°Dale Han, 3rd-year warrior division! I¡¯ll participate!¡± I raised my hand high and shouted decisively. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 187: Treasure Hunt (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun]N?v(el)B\\jnn w Chapter 187: Treasure Hunt (2) And so began the treasure hunt. While the difficulty was intense, the rules were fairly rxed, allowing candidates to participate freely, either solo or in teams, as they wished. As for my choice¡­ ¡°Dale, are you really going solo?¡± Yuren asked, looking disappointed. ¡°Yeah. Why don¡¯t you just join us as a team?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it faster to search together with more people?¡± Iris and Berald also tried to persuade me, clearly reluctant to let me go alone. ¡°No, this time, I want to try on my own.¡± There were two reasons for my decision. One was that if I joined, the team''s strength would be overwhelmingly strong. Even though the Seven-Star Knights were the elite of the Holy Kingdom''s heroes, they weren¡¯t particrly challenging opponents for someone like me, who could rival a "Master." ¡®Yuren and Berald alone could hold their own against the Seven-Star Knights.¡¯ And if candidates with such power formed a party? It would be a group so overpowered that Johann Basilio, the "Sword of the Holy Kingdom" and captain of the Seven-Star Knights, would have to step in himself to handle them. ¡®That would, of course, defeat the purpose of this being a training exercise to gain practical experience.¡¯ The other reason, which might be even more important¡­ ¡®If we form a team, we¡¯ll have to split the bonus points.¡¯ Call it petty. Call it selfish. But. But¡­ ¡®I really want to get out of this cursed bottom rank this time.¡¯ Yeah. Even if it¡¯s not an issue for people like Yuren, Iris, or Cami, who frequently rank at the top of our year, those small bonus points wouldn¡¯t affect their standings much. But for someone like me, stuck at the bottom, even the smallest bonus points could lead to a significant jump in ranking. ¡°Ugh. I wanted to team up with Dale¡­.¡± ¡°Well, if he¡¯s being stubborn, what can we do?¡± With a sulky expression, Lanez slumped her shoulders, while Sophia shrugged indifferently as if it didn¡¯t matter to her whether she was in my party or not. Anyway. After a discussion, the parties were decided as follows: Party 1: Yuren, Iris, Cami, Albert. Party 2: Sophia, Lanez, Berald, Juliet. Party 3: Me. Even split into three parties, each member¡¯s strength was far beyond the average candidate (excluding Albert and Juliet). They would likely have no trouble facing the Seven-Star Knights during the treasure hunt. ¡°Well then, see youter.¡± ¡°Yeah. Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll lose to you, Dale.¡± Yurina clenched her fist with a determined look in her eyes. I chuckled and nodded. ¡®She¡¯s surprisinglypetitive, isn¡¯t she?¡¯ Well, if she wasn¡¯t, she wouldn¡¯t have reached the position of the greatest hero in my previous life. ¡°I¡¯ll be heading off first.¡± ¡°Wait a moment, Dale.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Let me cast a blessing on you.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t think I really need it, though.¡± ¡°Still.¡± Iris approached me and chanted a prayer. A soft white light emanated from her hands, seeping into my body. ¡°Dale.¡± As she cast the blessing, Iris leaned in slightly and whispered in my ear. ¡°Shall we make a bet?¡± ¡°A bet?¡± ¡°Yes. Whoever finds the treasure first has to grant the other a wish.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Granting a wish, huh. ¡°What kind of wish?¡± ¡°Hehe. It wouldn¡¯t be fun if I told you now, would it?¡± Fair enough. ¡°All right.¡± ¡°Hehe. It¡¯s a secret from the others, okay?¡± Iris winked with a bright smile. Nodding, I parted ways with myrades and headed alone toward the ruins. I passed through the crowded entrance of the ruins where other candidates were gathered and ventured deeper inside. ¡°It¡¯s huge.¡± While it wasn¡¯t as vast as the Abyss beneath the Hero Academy, it was still farrger than most ruins. ¡®Come to think of it, I¡¯ve never explored these ruins before in my previous life.¡¯ During the war against the demons, the ruins had copsed entirely along with Grace¡¯s tomb, so this was my first time investigating this ce. ¡®Why did Grace build her tomb beneath these ruins?¡¯ The ominous and gloomy atmosphere of the ruins made it the worst possible ce for a burial site, no matter how you looked at it. As I wandered the ruins, still pondering that mystery¡­ nk, nk. The sound of armor echoed as a holy knight appeared from around the corner of the corridor. ¡°Hm? You¡¯re solo, not in a party?¡± The Seven-Star Knight, noticing me, looked intrigued. ¡°Have you found the treasure yet?¡± ¡°No, not yet.¡± ¡°I see. Then¡­ let me make it so you can¡¯t move for, oh, about 30 minutes.¡± The knight leisurely drew the sword at his waist. Of course, it wasn¡¯t a real sword but a training weapon. ¡°This might be a fake, but¡­ it¡¯ll hurt quite a bit if you get hit, so be careful.¡± ¡°How kind of you.¡± ¡°Haha. I wouldn¡¯t want to injure future heroes, after all.¡± With that, the knight casually raised his sword. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if this approach could really be called ¡°practical training.¡± But from the knights¡¯ perspective, it was understandable. ¡®They can¡¯t go all out against candidates.¡¯ Of course. That¡¯s assuming the opponent is a ¡°normal candidate.¡± ¡°Well then.¡± The holy knight sharpened his gaze and began channeling his mana. A bright white aura flowed along the de. ¡°Let¡¯s see what you¡¯re capable of!¡± Tap! The knight closed the distance in an instant with movements so light it was hard to believe he was wearing full te armor. His sword swung toward my shoulder. Clink. ¡°Huh¡­?!¡± I casually caught the de mid-swing and countered with a kick to the knight¡¯s stomach. Thud! ¡°Gah!¡± The knight let out a dull groan as he tumbled across the floor like a kicked pebble. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Holy Knight gritted his teeth, swallowing a groan, and staggered to his feet. Without hesitation, he channeled his magic to its maximum and charged fiercely once more. ¡®Indeed, he wasn¡¯t chosen for the Seven-Star Order for nothing, was he?¡¯ Instead of panicking or mumbling in disbelief about how a mere candidate could challenge him, he had already made a quick decision to throw himself into another full-on attack. His rapid judgment, something even seasoned heroes might struggle to disy, earned my silent respect. Fwoooosh! mes zed violently along the de of my sword. The sound of searing flesh mixed with the gray smoke rising from the knight¡¯s armor. Ashen Sword, Form One. "Gray Cleave." The ming de shattered the knight¡¯s sword, which had been enveloped in pure white aura, and sent him flying. ¡°Aaaahhh!¡± Crash! The Holy Knight¡¯s body mmed into the wall with a deafening thud, causing it to cave in and crack like a spider¡¯s web. Pinned against the wall, the knight rolled his eyes back and passed out cold. "Ah." Did I overdo it? "At least¡­ it doesn¡¯t seem like anything¡¯s broken¡­" I approached the unconscious knight and inspected him. His armor was dented, and his body was scorched with burns here and there, but thankfully, there didn¡¯t seem to be any life-threatening injuries. ¡®Using Ignition might have been overkill.¡¯ Though itsted barely a second. I¡¯d used Ignition as a gesture of respect toward him, but it seemed like I had gone too far. "Well¡­ no serious injuries, so I guess it¡¯s fine." Leaving the unconscious knight behind, I ventured deeper into the ruins. As I searched my surroundings, looking for clues to the treasure... Woooom¡­ A mysterious white light appeared before me. "That¡¯s¡­" It was the same light I had seen before, back when I carried a drunken Yurina on my back during a stroll through the garden. "Why is that here?" Frowning, I stared at the light. [Blessing¡­ of the seven eyes¡­ received¡­ person.] ¡°...!¡± It spoke? It actually spoke. [Follow¡­ me¡­ please¡­ help.] The voice broke off like a malfunctioning radio. The mysterious light, which had been floating aimlessly, suddenly sped away. ¡°...Damn it.¡± I hesitated for a moment, debating whether to follow the unknown light. But the hesitation was brief. I pushed off the ground and chased after the retreating light. ¡®Where is it leading me?¡¯ The light led me to a dead end deep within the ruins, where no path seemed to lead anywhere. Woooom! The white light gathered into a round shape and transformed into a gaterge enough for a person to step through. "...You¡¯ve got to be kidding me." I frowned at the sight of the gate. Normally, I wasn¡¯t the type to enter suspicious gates without any preparation. But¡­ ¡®That voice¡­ it sounded desperate.¡¯ Though I couldn¡¯t clearly understand what it said due to the broken phrases, the desperation in its tone was undeniable. "Hoo." With a deep breath, I stepped toward the gate. Woooom! A floating sensation enveloped me, and my vision flickered. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a vast cavern. Lights like the mysterious one from earlier illuminated the cavern ceiling, and in the center stood a massive statue. It was of a woman, her hands sped in prayer, her head bowed. It wasn¡¯t difficult to guess her identity. "The Light of Life¡­ Grace." Narrowing my eyes, I gazed at the statue of Grace. As Iris had described, Grace¡¯s appearance practically screamed "Holy Mother." Her serene face exuded warmth, and her maternal aura was evident even in stone form. ¡®She¡¯s almost on par with Iris.¡¯ As I took a step closer for a better look at the statue¡­ Woooom. The lights gathered at the ceiling began to converge in one spot before slowly descending. The collected lights gradually formed into the shape of a small girl. [Wow~ You actually came! I was worried you¡¯d chicken out and run!] The figure of the girl, made entirely of white light, spoke in a yful tone. Or rather, her voice resonated directly in my head. "Who¡­ are you?" [Nice to meet you.] The girl spun around in ce with a bright smile. [I am the Light of Life, Grace.] "...Grace, you say?" [Yup, that¡¯s right. See that statue behind me? That¡¯s modeled after me.] ¡°¡­¡± I alternated nces between the statue and the girl in front of me, my lips pressed firmly together. "If you¡¯re going to lie, at least make it believable¡­" RUMBLE! Suddenly, the cavern shook violently, as if about to copse. The small girl smiled sweetly as she floated closer to me. [What¡¯s wrong? Gotints? If you do, go ahead and spill them all.] ¡°¡­¡± I still had no idea what was going on, but one thing was bing crystal clear. ¡®The legends about Grace handed down in the Holy Kingdom are aplete lie.¡¯ Looking at the girl, who had crossed her arms and smirked mischievously, I let out a dryugh. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 188: Treasure Hunt (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 188: Treasure Hunt (3) A cave where pure white light clusters drift around. I squinted as I looked at a translucent light cluster shaped like a girl, who introduced herself as "Grace." ¡°I thought Grace had died a long time ago.¡± [You¡¯re right. So to be precise, I¡¯m just a fragment of Grace¡¯s soul... a remnant soul.] A remnant soul of Grace, huh. ¡°Why has Grace¡¯s remnant soule looking for me?¡± [Because I sensed the aura of the ''Seven Eyes'' from you.] The aura of the Seven Eyes. That was probably thanks to the blessing Iris bestowed upon me before entering the ruins. ''But...'' I squinted slightly and shook my head. ¡°That can¡¯t be the only reason, can it?¡± [...] The first time I saw this white light cluster wasst night while walking with Yurina. At the time, it didn¡¯t speak to me, but it hovered around as if observing me before disappearing. ''And if it were only the aura of the Seven Eyes, it should have gone to Iris, not me.'' Iris was in the ruins with me right now. If it hade to me instead of Iris, there must have been another reason. [You¡¯re right.] Grace nodded meekly. She slowly raised her hand and pointed at my chest as she continued. [The reason I approached you is because you have the ''power to extinguish mes'' within you.] ¡°The power... to extinguish mes?¡± Suddenly, a memory of something Professor Elisha said came to mind. ¡ª There are two, not just one. The unknown powers said to reside within me. The force that suppressed the Primordial me. ¡°What exactly is this power to extinguish mes?¡± [I don¡¯t know.] Grace shook her head faintly. ¡°¡­You don¡¯t know?¡± [Like I said, I¡¯m not Grace. I¡¯m just a remnant of her soul. I don¡¯t know the true nature of the power within you.] However... [There is one thing I do remember. Someone with that power must exist for me to fulfill my ''mission.''] ¡°...What¡¯s your mission?¡± [To extinguish the ''ember'' beneath this tomb... no, beneath these ruins.] ¡°¡­Ember?¡± [The Primordial Ember. It¡¯s imbued with a fragment of the Demon God¡¯s power. My mission is to protect this ce until that ember is extinguished.] ¡°...¡± A long-standing question among heroes shed through my mind. ¡®Why did Grace choose such a bleak ruin as her burial ce?¡¯ Grace wasn¡¯t born or raised in the Thermal region. Yet, despite opposition, she built her tomb here. ¡®Was it to seal something beneath these ruins?¡¯ Just as she had once offered a holy relic bestowed by the gods to save a single child, Even in death¡ªor rather, after death¡ªshe had dedicated her soul to keeping the Primordial Ember at bay. For 500 long years. Alone, in this dark, vast, deste cave. [...What are you doing? Why are you suddenly bowing your head?] ¡°It¡¯s my way of paying respect to a great hero.¡± [Hah.] Grace crossed her arms and let out a scoffingugh. [Forget it. I¡¯m not even the real Grace.] ¡°No.¡± Even if she was just a fragment of a soul, Even if she had been worn down, eroded, and diminished... ¡°No matter what anyone says, you¡¯re still Grace, the Light of Life, one of the five great heroes.¡± [...] The pure white light forming Grace¡¯s body rippled slightly. She looked at me with a vacant expression, then a faint smile crossed her lips. [Thank you.] Grace floated in the air like she was dancing. ¡°So... you want me to extinguish the Primordial Ember beneath here?¡± [That¡¯s right.] ¡°Hmm.¡± The Primordial Ember. ¡®I didn¡¯t even know such a thing existed.¡¯ Currently, the Primordial me¡ªspecifically, the Primordial me within me¡ªdid not exist in the post-regression world. ¡®Because the Primordial me was created when the Demon God revived.¡¯ If it had existed as scattered embers before its revival... ¡®Would extinguishing all the embers stop the Demon God¡¯s resurrection?¡¯ The Primordial me was the foundation of the Demon God¡¯s power. Just as there would be no Primordial me without the Demon God, the reverse must also be true. But... ¡®No, it¡¯s too early to be sure.¡¯ I didn¡¯t even know how many Primordial Embers existed or how powerful they were. I could decide after seeing the ember for myself. ¡°All right. Lead me to where the Primordial Ember is.¡± [...Are you sure you want to decide so easily?] Grace looked at me with a surprised expression, as if she hadn¡¯t expected me to agree so readily. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you, Grace, who asked me to extinguish the ember?¡± [That¡¯s true, but...] A look of hesitation crossed Grace¡¯s face. After a moment of contemtion, she slowly opened her mouth. [You might not realize it, but even as an ''ember,'' it holds immense power.] Grace¡¯s voice became firm. [With just a fraction of its power, it heated this entirend to the point of turning it into a volcanic zone.] ¡°Hmm?¡± Her words reminded me of something. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me... is the reason the Thermal region is famous for hot springs because of the Primordial Ember?¡± [That¡¯s right.] ¡°Wow.¡± So the abundance of hot springs in the Thermal region wasn¡¯t due to volcanic activity but the influence of the Primordial Ember. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then other hot spring regions across the three nations...¡± [No. As far as I know, only the Thermal region has be a hot spring area due to the Primordial Ember.] ¡°Really?¡± Tsk. I thought I¡¯d found a clue to locate other embers, but it seemed I was mistaken. [Don¡¯t underestimate it just because it¡¯s an ember. Think about how vast the Thermal region is. With just a fraction of its power, it turned this entire area into a volcanic zone.] Grace spoke with a deliberately heavy tone, as if to emphasize the gravity of the situation. [Even if you¡¯re imbued with the power to extinguish fire¡­ you might still end up burning to death.] ¡°Hmm. Is that so?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w [This isn¡¯t a joke.] Did she think I wasn¡¯t taking her seriously? Grace pressed on, warning me further about the dangers of the Primordial Ember. ¡®It seems she doesn¡¯t know that I have the Blessing of Revival.¡¯ Suppressing a faint chuckle internally, I nodded. ¡°I understand. But if the ember remains, won¡¯t you be stuck here forever?¡± [You¡­] Grace frowned, her expression incredulous. [Are you fearless? Or just stupid?] ¡°Well, that¡¯s not something you should say to the person you called here to extinguish the ember.¡± [That¡¯s¡­ true, but¡­] Grace trailed off, unable to hide her worried expression. Watching her, I swallowed a bitter smile. ¡®Even in this situation, she¡¯s putting others first.¡¯ It seems the legends about Grace that have been passed down in the Holy Kingdom aren¡¯t entirely false. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about me. As you said, I have the power to control fire.¡± Saying that, I ignited a gray me in one hand. Whoosh! Grace¡¯s eyes widened as she saw the ash-colored me burning in my palm. [Th-That¡¯s¡­ the Primordial Ember? H-How can you¡­?] Technically, it wasn¡¯t just an ember¡ªit was the Primordial me itself. But there was no need to exin that in detail right now. ¡°What do you think? Can you trust me now?¡± [¡­] Grace remained silent, staring at the me in my hand with a solemn expression before finally nodding. [Fine. I¡¯ll guide you to where the ember is.] Floating into the air, Grace moved toward a statue. The white glow surrounding the statue¡ªits hands sped in prayer¡ªgrew brighter, and soon, a gate identical to the one I¡¯d used to arrive here appeared. [Follow me.] Grace¡¯s lingering soul passed through the gate. I followed her, stepping into the light. A floating sensation enveloped my body. Whoosh! ¡°Ugh¡­¡± A wave of heat washed over my skin. ¡°¡­Is this it?¡± I felt the heat, but there was no sign of the ember itself. [No, we need to go farther down the path.] Grace floated down the straight corridor at a leisurely pace. I walked behind her. [Before we reach the ember, there¡¯s something I want to ask you.] ¡°What is it?¡± [The child who bestowed upon you the Blessing of the Seven Eyes¡­ the current ¡®Saint¡¯¡­ Is she doing well?] ¡°If you mean Iris, she¡¯s doing just fine. No need to worry about her.¡± [Is that so? That¡¯s a relief.]n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Grace smiled faintly at my response. ¡°Are you concerned about her?¡± [Of course.] Grace touched her eyes gently as she spoke. [We may not be connected by blood, but the blessing of the divine ties us. In a way, it¡¯s like being her parent.] ¡°¡­¡± If that¡¯s the case, Grace is like my mother-inw, isn¡¯t she? ¡®Thinking about it that way, I kind of regret speaking to her so casually.¡¯ Her youthful appearance had made me unconsciously treat her informally. I hadn¡¯t anticipated this situation. ¡®But it¡¯d be awkward to suddenly switch to formal speech now.¡¯ While I was deliberating how to address her¡­ [You. What¡¯s your rtionship with my child?] ¡°¡­What?¡± [Calling the Saint by her name, Iris, so casually¡­ And the deep emotions I sense in the ¡®blessing¡¯ you carry¡­ You¡¯re not just acquaintances, are you?] ¡°¡­¡± Should I tell her? Or should I keep quiet? After a moment of hesitation, I spoke softly. ¡°Iris and I¡­ are lovers.¡± [L-Lovers?!] Grace¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at my answer. [Oh, I see¡­ Well, there¡¯s no doctrine saying a Saint can¡¯t love.] Grace sighed in relief, a tender smile gracing her lips. [¡­That¡¯s a relief, truly.] Was she happy to know that the person she thought of as a child had someone to love? Grace smiled radiantly, as if she couldn¡¯t be more content. [Ah, but now that I think of it, talking about lovers reminds me of that awful Reynald. Do you know what he was like?] Suddenly reminiscing, Grace scowled. [He used to go on about how he couldn¡¯t hurt the women who loved him, but then he¡¯d have two, three girlfriends at once. Wasn¡¯t that insane?] ¡°¡­¡± [Don¡¯t you think so?] ¡°Well¡­¡± Feeling like my throat had dried up, I forced a strained smile in front of Grace¡ªthe mother-inw figure. ¡°Y-Yes, of course¡­¡± [Hah, men¡­ Still, you seem different, which is reassuring.] Grace looked at me with a bright smile. [I feel like I can trust my child to you.] ¡°¡­¡± One thing was certain. ¡®If I slip up, I¡¯m doomed.¡¯ Feeling cold sweat trickling down my back, I turned my steps toward the ce where the Primordial Ember awaited. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 189: Treasure Hunt (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 189: Treasure Hunt (4) Fwoooosh! The deeper I descended the long corridor, the fiercer the heat became. I squinted my eyes against the searing sensation that seemed to burn my entire body. ¡®So this is the heat of the Primordial Ember.¡¯ Indeed, the intensity that made it worthy of its legendary name was suffocatingly overwhelming. But yes, while it was undeniable that this heat was extraordinary from an ¡°objective¡± perspective... [Who... what are you?] Grace, squinting her eyes at me in disbelief, posed the question. ¡°Why are you suddenly asking that?¡± [No reason.] Grace frowned as if grappling with something iprehensible. [Even though I¡¯m in a spiritual form and cannot feel pain, the heat in here is intense enough to incinerate an ordinary person in an instant. Yet...] She stared at me, her eyes blinking, as if to ask why I seemedpletely unaffected. ¡°Well, I¡¯m used to it,¡± I replied with a casual shrug and a calm expression. Exactly. This heat filling the corridor was something deeply familiar to me¡ªafter all, I regrly trained by ending my life to provoke the Primordial me. ¡®If anything, this feels almost refreshing.¡¯ Perhaps because this was merely an ember, the heat in the surrounding space felt far weaker than the heat of the Primordial me I experienced daily. Of course, that was just by my standards. As Grace had pointed out, an ordinary person would writhe in agony and burn to ashes the moment they stepped in here. [You¡¯re used to this? This?] Grace looked around at the corridor, which was melting from the scorching heat, her expression full of disbelief. [Well¡­ maybe you have some sort of power that allows you to withstand mes.] ¡°...¡± I had no idea what this ¡°power to extinguish mes¡± she referred to was, but my ability to endure the heat of the Primordial me stemmed from nothing more than constant exposure. There was no need to correct her, though. [We¡¯ve arrived.] After several more minutes of descending, we came to a vast chamber that glowed red like the inside of a zing furnace. Fwoooosh! At the center of the chamber stood an enormous me, fiercely roaring. No¡ªmore precisely... ¡°¡­Is that really an ember?¡± It was far too massive to simply call it an ¡°ember,¡± a house-sized ze roaring violently. [Hmm. These days, it seems candidates don¡¯t learn much about mythology, huh?] Grace clicked her tongue, beginning a sentence in the vein of a ¡°back in my day¡± lecture. [The Primordial me is the force that once burned the ¡®Tree of Creation,¡¯ which formed this continent and its gods. Even if it¡¯s just an ember, of course, it¡¯d be that big.] ¡°I mean, I know that much¡­¡± [The actual Primordial me would probably be waaaay bigger than that.] Grace gestured dramatically, spreading her arms wide to illustrate the size of the Primordial me. I chuckled quietly at her exaggeration. ¡®The real Primordial me was only about the size of a fist, though.¡¯ Of course, its small size belied the sheer power contained within, far surpassing that of the ember before me. ¡®This feels more like molten metal than a sharpened de.¡¯ If the Primordial me was a finely crafted sword, this ember was more like molten steelcking any form or precision, doing nothing but scorching its surroundings. I took a step toward the Primordial Ember. [Careful¡­!] ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Fwoooosh! As I approached, the ember surged like a wild beast spotting prey, unleashing waves of me as if to devour me. [No, stop!] Grace shouted urgently as she saw me engulfed by the mes. The white glow of her spiritual form red as she tried to fly to me, but... Fwoooosh! [Urgh¡­!] The ember¡¯s heat seemed to affect even her incorporeal form, repelling her. Sizzle! Hiss! The mes coiled around me, burning my flesh and releasing acrid smoke. I looked at the fire consuming my body and smirked. ¡°You¡¯re being insolent.¡± Boom! I stomped down fiercely, standing tall despite being wreathed in mes. ¡°Little punk.¡± Drawing a deep breath, I awakened the Primordial me dormant within my heart. Ssssssssss! The excruciating pain of burning flesh. It was as if molten steel was coursing through my veins instead of blood. The agony was almost too much to bear. ¡°Heh.¡± Yes. This was it. This pain. ¡®It hurts like hell.¡¯ Experiencing it firsthand made it clear: the heat of this raging ember wasughablepared to the Primordial me¡¯s. Fwoooosh! The ember that had been engulfing my body suddenly red up, as if startled, and attempted to escape. "Where do you think you''re going?" I curled my lips into a feral grin and reached out toward the dissipating mes. The ashen smoke emanating from my body wrapped around the ember. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°Tsk.¡± Closing my eyes, I focused my mind. It felt as though I was experiencing astral projection, my consciousness sinking deeper and deeper as my body seemed to float weightlessly. In the inner world forming within my mind¡ª Whoosh! Crackle! The primordial me and the ember were tangled together in a fierce struggle. ¡®No.¡¯ Calling it a "struggle" would be inurate. The primordial me was overwhelmingly dominating the ember, which was desperately trying to escape. Crackle, crackle... The difference in their innate strength was so immense that the ember barelysted before being consumed entirely by the primordial me. ¡®That ended more quickly than I expected.¡¯ The result was anticlimactic, to say the least. Given the vast disparity in their power, the conclusion came surprisingly swiftly. ¡®Time to return.¡¯ Having confirmed the ember was fully absorbed, I prepared to leave the inner world and opened my eyes. Whoooosh! The primordial me roared violently. Like a beast breaking free from its chains, it thrashed uncontrobly. ¡®Urgh¡­!¡¯ As the mes raged, excruciating pain engulfed my body. ¡®What is¡­ this?¡¯ Looking toward the primordial me, I saw a monstrous inferno raging as if it intended to consume the world. ¡®That¡¯s¡­.¡¯ Had it grown stronger by absorbing the ember? The once-dormant primordial me now burned savagely, threatening to engulf me. When the colossal ze, iparable to the ember, surged toward me¡ª Crash! The ground of the inner world split apart with a thunderous sound, and something massive emerged. Like a boot stomping out a me, the immense presence suppressed the raging Primordial me. ¡®Argh.¡¯ Panting heavily, I looked at the ''something'' overwhelming the primordial me. Shrouded in ashen smoke, it was so massive that its exact form was indiscernible. ¡®Is that the power to extinguish mes that Grace mentioned?¡¯ The immense presence, having quelled the mes in an instant, receded back into the cracked earth as if its task wasplete. ¡®Phew.¡¯ I let out a sigh of relief as I watched the now-subdued primordial me. ¡®I can¡¯t recklessly absorb embers.¡¯ While the heat from the ember itself posed no significant threat, the real issuey with the primordial me that absorbed its power. Normally subdued under the influence of the "power to extinguish mes" within me, the primordial me had erupted like an unleashed beast the moment it consumed the ember. Fortunately, it still hadn¡¯t grown strong enough to overpower the suppressive force, but there was no guarantee this would remain the case. ¡®It¡¯s dangerous, but the gain is undeniable.¡¯ I extended my hand toward the burning mes. The fire, now tame like a docilemb, moved at mymand. The amount of fire I could manipte had noticeably increasedpared to before absorbing the ember. ¡®With this¡­.¡¯n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Whooosh! mes engulfed my body. From Ignition to re. The fire surrounding me began to burn more fiercely. Previously, the uncontroble Incarnation of me state was the only time I could draw this much power from the primordial me. ¡®Let¡¯s go one step further.¡¯ I exhaled slowly and drew even more power from the mes. Crackling! The fire encircling me expanded, spreading out to cover the surrounding ground. Snap. With a light flick of my fingers, a massive ze ignited in mid-air. The mes roared and extinguished at mymand, moving as I directed. ¡®Within this me-engulfed domain, my control over the primordial me increases?¡¯ Until now, I could only wield the primordial me through my body. Even when imbuing fire onto a sword, it first had to pass through me before being transferred to the de. But within this me-filled domain, I no longer needed to channel it through my body; I could ignite the primordial me wherever I pleased. ¡®It feels like I¡¯m deploying a domain.¡¯ Now that I think about it, I¡¯ve heard of such things before. Certain ¡°blessings¡± allow the wielder to influence their surroundings, turning an area into a favorable environment. ¡®Like Lanez once did.¡¯ Currently, Lanez can only summon snowstorms to a limited extent, but in her past life, her blessing transformed entirendscapes into snowy fields, granting her an overwhelming advantage. In other words¡ª I had reached a new stage, surpassing mere ignition and intensification, where I could ignite the verynd itself. ¡®Of course, what matters is how much I can control it in the real world.¡¯ Just like with intensification, training should enable me to master this new technique. ¡®Ignition first, then re.¡¯ As if I had awakened a blessing, the name of the new technique naturally surfaced in my mind as though I was recalling something forgotten. ¡®Cmity Fire.¡¯ It marked the moment I ascended to a higher stage. ¡®This¡­ is an unexpected treasure.¡¯ I smirked as I gazed at the mes consuming the ground. The result waspletely unanticipated. Still, this discovery was far more valuable than the ¡°Divine Grace¡± offered as the first-ce reward for this treasure hunt. ¡®Though I won¡¯t get any bonus points¡­.¡¯ Wait a second. ¡®Ah.¡¯ My bonus points. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 190: Treasure Hunt (5) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 190: Treasure Hunt (5) ¡®Let¡¯s head back for now.¡¯ Of course, the extra points were important, but there was something far more critical at hand. As I slowly opened my eyes, the mental world crumbled away, and my vision flickered. ¡°Phew!¡± I exhaled deeply, releasing the breath I had been holding, and looked around. Grace stared at me with a gaze filled with shock, while the mes in the cavern had disappeared entirely. ¡°What about the ember?¡± [It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s gone. Absorbed into youpletely.] Just as she said, the massive me that had been zing in the center of the cavern was nowhere to be seen. ¡®There¡¯s still residual heat lingering, though.¡¯ The Primordial Ember was gone, but the heat that had filled the cavern still smoldered, retaining its power. ¡®Well, just because the fire is gone doesn¡¯t mean heated iron cools immediately.¡¯ And this wasn¡¯t just a piece of iron¡ªit wasnd spanning tens of kilometers. It would likely take decades for all the heat in this ce to dissipatepletely. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± [¡­What¡¯s so relieving about that?] ¡°I mean, we can still enjoy the hot springs in the Thermal Region for the rest of the school trip.¡± Of course, without the Primordial Ember, the hot springs in the Thermal Region would eventually disappear, but there wasn¡¯t much that could be done about that. ¡®I couldn¡¯t just leave a ticking time bomb down here for the sake of preserving hot springs.¡¯ The Primordial Ember was far less stable than the original Primordial Fire. That was why Grace had built her tomb here¡ªto suppress its power. [Hah. Worrying about hot springs at a time like this¡­.] Grace shook her head, as if she couldn¡¯t believe me. ¡°Anyway, this means all the embers are gone, right?¡± [That¡¯s right.] Grace nced around the now extinguished cavern with a faint smile. [And with this¡­ my mission is finallyplete.] Her voice carried a trace of loneliness. I turned to look at Grace, remaining silent. ¡°In that case¡­.¡± [It means my wandering as a lingering soul ends here as well.] ¡°¡­¡­¡± Though our time together hadn¡¯t been long, the thought of Grace disappearing left me feeling oddly empty. [What¡¯s this? Are you sad that I¡¯m leaving?] Grace gave me a teasing smile. ¡°Well, it¡¯d be a lie to say I¡¯m not.¡± Especially since she was essentially Iris¡¯s mother. For Iris, who grew up in an orphanage, the concept of a ¡°mother¡± must have felt particrly meaningful. ¡®I¡¯ve long since stopped feeling anything about it, but¡­.¡¯ Iris was different. Actually, I was the unusual one; most kids from orphanages hadplex feelings about their parents. In my previous life, I spent countless sleepless nights longing for parents whose names I didn¡¯t even know. [You¡¯re¡­ a kind person.] Grace smiled gently at me as she floated closer, cing her hand over my chest. I shouldn¡¯t have felt anything from her touch as a spirit, yet it left a strange warmth where her hand rested. [Though our time together was short, I thought this while watching you.] Her voice was soft and quiet. [You¡¯re more broken and wounded than anyone I¡¯ve ever met.] [You may not realize it yourself, but your soul is in a pitiful state. Worn down to the point of being unrecognizable, drained beyond measure, and twisted beyond repair.] [It¡¯s astonishing how you manage to keep up the pretense of being ¡®fine.¡¯] I had heard simr words before. From Professor Elisha. ¡°I¡¯m not pretending¡ª¡± [You¡¯re not? Do you truly believe that?] Her deep, piercing gaze seemed to see right through me. [You know it too. That you¡¯re far from okay.] ¡°¡­¡­¡± I said nothing, simply meeting her gaze. Yes. I knew. After living through my previous life, something within me had broken beyond repair. My life wasn¡¯t one that a ¡°normal¡± human could endure. Dying several times a day, burning my bones and shredding my flesh with every use of power, willingly epting hundreds or thousands of deaths when necessary. Expecting someone who lived that life to remain normal¡­ was too much to ask. ¡®But still.¡¯ Even so¡ª ¡°Even if you¡¯re broken, people can still live.¡± I gave Grace a faint smile. ¡°As long as they have something precious to hold onto.¡± [¡­] Grace¡¯s eyes trembled as she sped her hands together and bowed her head. [May the blessings of the Seven Gods light your path.] I had heard those words countless times before, but for some reason, they moved me to the verge of tears. ¡°¡­Maybe that¡¯s why you¡¯re called a great hero.¡± [Hmm? What did you say?] ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s nothing.¡± [Hehe. Shall we head back, then?] Grace floated into the air and began retracing the path we had taken. I followed her, and as we passed through the gate, I saw the statue of Grace we had first encountered. [From here, just follow the path upward, and you¡¯ll reach the ruins¡¯ exit.] ¡°What about you?¡± [I¡¯ve fulfilled my mission. There¡¯s no reason for me to remain here any longer.] ¡°¡­¡­¡± Grace floated higher into the air and waved at me. [Take care.] Her figure gradually grew fainter, her voice crackling in my head like a broken radio. [And¡­ beware of¡­] ¡°Beware of who?¡± [The Sixth¡­ Hero¡­.] ¡°What?¡± I frowned, focusing on the faint voice echoing in my head. [Beware¡­ the Sixth Hero.] With those final words, Grace¡¯s voice fadedpletely. ¡°Beware the Sixth Hero¡­?¡± What on earth could she mean?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡®She couldn¡¯t be talking about the current heroes.¡¯ Grace had been trapped here for 500 years. There was no way she could know about any heroes outside now. Then¡ª She must be warning me about one of the heroes from 500 years ago. ¡°Who¡¯s the sixth hero?¡± The number of great heroes is five. I had never heard anything about a sixth hero, not even in my past lives. ¡°¡­What is this?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w As I furrowed my brow, lost in thought¡ª Clink. A clear metallic sound echoed in my ear. ¡°Huh?¡± I looked down and saw a pure white gem on the ground. ¡®This is¡­.¡¯ A relic. A special artifact imbued with divine blessings. ¡°With this size¡­ I could turn it into a pendant and wear it around my neck.¡± I picked up the gem, which was about the size of two finger joints. ¡®I¡¯ll give it to Irister.¡¯ I pocketed the gem and nced back at Grace¡¯s statue. ¡°Rest in peace.¡± After awkwardly making the sign of the cross, I followed the path Grace had shown me out of the tomb. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get back to treasure hunting¡­.¡± ¡°Da-Dale! There you are!¡± Just then¡ª A crowd of people rushed toward me from one side of the corridor. ¡°You little punk! You¡¯ve been hiding out without answering your calls all this time?! Where the hell have you been?!¡± Professor Lucas shouted with an angry expression. ¡®Why does everyone look so serious?¡¯ It felt like only one or two hours had passed since I absorbed the Primordial me with Grace. Why were they making such a fuss? ¡°Is there a problem¡­?¡± ¡°A problem?! Do you even know how many hours it¡¯s been since your Hero Watch signal cut out?!¡± ¡°¡­How many hours?¡± ¡°12 hours, you idiot! The day¡¯s almost over!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Twelve hours? * * * Late at night. After the cadets who had been deployed to search for me returned to their rooms, I was summoned to Professor Lucas¡¯s office. ¡°Unauthorized absence and trespassing in a sanctum¡­ What on earth were you thinking?¡± Sigh. Professor Lucas ran his hands through his hair, letting out a deep sigh. ¡°¡­Trespassing in a sanctum?¡± ¡°You know exactly where you crawled out of, don¡¯t you? That¡¯s Grace¡¯s tomb.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Grace¡¯s tomb, located beneath the ruins. It was, of course, ssified as a sacred ground strictly off-limits to the public within the Holy Kingdom. And it was also where I, who had been missing for 12 hours, was found. ¡°Thankfully, Pope Marianne decided to overlook the matter, but if this were by the Holy Kingdom¡¯sws, you¡¯d be heading straight to prison.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Anyway¡­ you¡¯ll face disciplinary action when we return to the academy.¡± Disciplinary action? Again with the discipline? ¡°Wait, hold on a second!¡± I jumped up from my seat and shouted urgently. ¡°This wasn¡¯t something I could help!¡± ¡°And why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± I exined to Professor Lucas about my encounter with Grace¡¯s lingering spirit. (Though I left out the part about the Primordial me.) ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is¡­¡± A faintugh escaped from Professor Lucas¡¯s lips as he listened. ¡°You just happened to encounter the soul of Grace, who died 500 years ago, and somehow ended up inside her tomb?¡± ¡°Technically, I passed through a gate and found myself inside the tomb.¡± ¡°Haha. Dale¡­ you dumb punk¡­¡± Professor Lucas grabbed my cor and yelled fiercely. ¡°What? You met Grace¡¯s soul and ended up in her tomb? Do you think that makes any sense, you lunatic?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s true! What am I supposed to do?!¡± ¡°Got any proof? Proof, you idiot?!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Well, if proof was needed, I did have the relic left behind by Grace. But if I presented it as evidence, they might use me of entering her tomb not by ident but for the purpose of ¡°grave robbing.¡± And if that happened, no excuses or clemency would stop me from being sent straight to the Holy Kingdom¡¯s prison. ¡°Uh¡­ well¡­¡± Desperately trying to think of something to say, I finally muttered weakly, ¡°¡­She said she¡¯d fulfilled her mission and disappeared.¡± ¡°Haha. Of course, she would.¡± Professor Lucas shed a wide grin and ced his hand on my shoulder. ¡°Congrattions, Dale. This makes your fourth suspension.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± In summary: Leaving out the unspeakable topics like the Primordial me and Hellfire, When viewed from the outside, the results of this field trip were¡ª ¡®Zero bonus points and an additional suspension.¡¯ Haha. ¡®Screw my life.¡¯ Why does the world hate me so much? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 191: Interlude – First Night (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 191: Interlude ¨C First Night (1) The day after the treasure hunt. The cadets, after having breakfast, gathered again at the assembly point. "Alright, themotion yesterday was fortunately resolved without issue." As soon as the word motion" was mentioned, all eyes focused on me. Feeling the sharp gazes from everyone around, I lowered my head deeply. ¡®This is crazy.¡¯ It had felt like only an hour or two had passed at most, yet when I came out, it turned out that over five times that amount of time had gone by. ¡®It must have been because I was in the mental realm.¡¯ Just as people say they "lose track of time" when they¡¯re in a state of extreme focus, time often flows differently in the mental realmpared to what the body feels. Still, even so, it normally wouldn¡¯t differ by over five times. ¡®But yesterday¡­ it wasn¡¯t an ordinary situation.¡¯ The Primordial me, having absorbed the ember, started rampaging like an untethered beast, and then some unknown ¡°me-extinguishing power¡± subdued it. And I had also tested out my newly acquired Cmity Fire. ¡°Haa¡­¡± Thinking back, it was lucky that it ended with only about 12 hours passing. Of course, calling it ¡°lucky¡± is a stretch considering how much I lost. ¡®Andst night, I got scolded like crazy, too.¡¯ By Yurina, Iris, Cami, Lanez, and even the otherpanions. I had to sweat through a long exnation about what had happened inside. Well, at least after three hours of painstaking exnation, I was finally let go. ¡°Now then, we¡¯ll hold the treasure ceremony for the cadets who found the tokens in yesterday¡¯s treasure hunt.¡± Since Pope Marianne and the Seven Star Knights were busy with their schedules and had returned to the capital, the award ceremony was overseen by the professors. ¡°First, the cadets who found the top treasure¡ªYuren, Iris, Cami, and Alberte forward.¡± At Professor Lucas''s words, the four of them stepped onto the tform. ¡°To the top-ranking cadets, as promised, we¡¯ll award ¡®Divine Grace¡¯ along with a special bonus point.¡± Professor Lucas handed a box with an elegant design to Yuren. Thunderous apuse and cheers erupted. ¡°And next, for the second-ranking cadets¡ªSophia, Lanez, Berald, and Juliet¡­.¡± After the brief award ceremony ended, the cadets who had received bonus points were given a full day to rx and enjoy the hot springs. ¡°Alright! All other cadets will now head to the Museum of the Light of Life, so board the magic-vehicles!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°I wish we could go to the hot springs, too¡­¡± ¡°Haa.¡± Hearing about the museum visit made some cadets sigh deeply. While a few history enthusiasts were intrigued by the Light of Life exhibit that chronicled Grace''s life, most cast envious nces at Yuren¡¯s and Sophia¡¯s parties, who were granted free time. But that didn¡¯tst long. ¡°Stop whining and get moving!¡± At Professor Lucas''s sternmand, the cadets slumped their shoulders and made their way to the magi-vehicles. Of course, I, who had found no treasure¡ªlet alone the top prize¡ªalso turned toward the magic-vehicles. ¡®A museum visit, huh.¡¯ It was the typical field trip itinerary, but not many cadets would enjoy it. Especially¡ª ¡°Dale, you¡¯re sticking with me during the tour.¡± ¡ªwhen the supervising professor was tagging along as your personal monitor. ¡°Haa¡­¡± I let out a deep sigh as I followed Professor Lucas. Once the magic-vehicles carrying the cadets departed, the once noisy hot spring inn became quiet, like a stage after the festival ends. ¡°Hmm. I should¡¯ve just followed Dale to the museum.¡± Iris kicked the ground lightly as she watched the magi-vehicles disappear into the distance. Yurina smirked at Iris¡¯sment. ¡°You¡¯d still have to stick with Professor Lucas if you went.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ well, that¡¯s not great.¡± ¡°Anyway, Dale brought this on himself. Let¡¯s just rx today.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± As Iris nodded, Professor Elisha approached her. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go to the hot springs together?¡± ¡°Huh? Professor Elisha? Weren¡¯t you supposed to go to the museum?¡± ¡°Well, originally, I was supposed to, but¡­¡± Elisha shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I decided to entrust the cadets to a dependable junior.¡± ¡°¡­Are you sure that¡¯s okay?¡± ¡°Fufu.¡± Instead of answering, Elisha lit a cigarette. Iris silently offered a prayer for Professor Lucas, who now had to monitor Dale and guide the cadets. ¡°Anyway, shall we enjoy the hot springs if you have nothing to do?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s early, but¡­ we don¡¯t have much else to do anyway.¡± ¡°Yurina, you shoulde too.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± ¡°And¡­¡± Elisha¡¯s gaze turned to Lanez. Lanez, who was stuck to Sophia like glue, flinched when Elisha looked at him. ¡°Lanez, why don¡¯t youe along?¡± ¡°Eh? I-I, uh¡­¡± Lanez turned to Sophia and tugged at her clothes. ¡°Sophia¡­ l-let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°W-why?!¡± ¡°Humph. No is no. Do I need a reason?¡± Sophia tly refused. Lanez stomped his feet with a tearful expression. Elisha smirked as she nced at Cami and Sophia, who had already quietly slipped away at the mention of the hot springs. ¡°Looks like Cami and Sophia have no interest. Let¡¯s just go.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m fine too¡ª¡± ¡°Come along.¡± ¡°Eep!¡± Lanez was dragged away by Elisha. ¡°Well, that worked out perfectly.¡± Professor Elisha spoke softly as she nced at Iris, Yurina, and Lanez. "I''ve been meaning for us to sit down and have a leisurely chat." ¡°¡­¡®Us¡¯?¡± ¡°Hm? There¡¯s only one thing the four of us have inmon, isn¡¯t there?¡± A sly smile yed on Professor Elisha¡¯s lips. "Let¡¯s soak in the hot springs and talk about Candidate Dale." ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Iris, Yurina, and Lanez stiffened, ncing at each other awkwardly. Professor Elisha extinguished her cigarette, tossing it away before walking leisurely in the direction of the hot springs. * * * [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°Phew. Coming here early in the morning feels quite refreshing.¡± At the separate hot springs annex. The ce was quiet and serene, with only the four of them in the water. ¡°By the way, if what Candidate Dale says is true, the hot springs of the Thermal region will disappear in a few years¡­ What a shame.¡± Professor Elisha clicked her tongue, recalling Dale¡¯s words from the previous night. ¡°But we can¡¯t let the seeds of disaster left behind by the Demon God linger, even for the sake of the hot springs, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Professor Elisha nodded and looked at Iris. ¡°By the way, why did Candidate Iris fall for Candidate Dale?¡± ¡°Pfft! Huh? W-what kind of question is that¡­?¡± ¡°Fufu. Isn¡¯t this the kind of thing women talk about when they¡¯re together? Especially¡­.¡± With a meaningful smile, Professor Elisha¡¯s gaze slowly swept over Iris, Yurina, and Lanez. ¡°When they all have feelings for the same man.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The other three women swallowed dryly, unable to respond as Elisha spoke so bluntly without hesitation. ¡°¡­Why does Professor Elisha like Dale, then?¡± ¡°Oh? You want me to go first?¡± Professor Elisha poured herself a drink from a bottle she¡¯d brought in an ice bucket before taking a sip. ¡°Phew. Now that I think about it, this is the first time I¡¯m telling you all my story.¡± She began speaking softly. Her hometown, which had been destroyed by the Archbishop of Beasts leading the Demon Beast Army. How her parents, friends, and everyone in her vige¡ªexcept for herself¡ªhad been killed. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ terrible.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an old story. There¡¯s no need to look at me like that.¡± Elisha offered a faint smile as she continued calmly. How she became interested in Dale. The time they chased the Archbishop to a rural vige. How they descended into the Abyss together during thest invasion of the Demon Beast Army. ¡°That¡­ sounds like you¡¯ve been through a lot.¡± They had already heard some of these events, but only the broader details. They had never known what Professor Elisha had felt during those times. ¡°To be honest¡­ I¡¯ve felt jealous of Candidate Iris.¡± ¡°Jealous?¡± ¡°It was obvious who Candidate Dale cared about most, even without him saying it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± At her words, Iris flinched, her shoulders trembling slightly. Yurina and Lanez, listening quietly, also gave faint, bitter smiles, as though they already knew this. ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing for you to worry about, Candidate Iris. It¡¯s my own foolishness for not being able to sort out my feelings, knowing what I do.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Elisha gave a self-deprecating smile, prompting Iris to speak up carefully. ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°If the situation had been reversed¡­ I wouldn¡¯t have been able to give up, either.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Elisha blinked, slightly surprised by Iris¡¯s unexpected response. ¡°And¡­ it might sound strange, but I don¡¯t think this kind of rtionship is so bad.¡± ¡°That¡¯s certainly a strange thing to say.¡± ¡°Fufu. Right?¡± Iris let out a smallugh, hugging her knees to her chest. ¡°But I mean it. I can¡¯t speak for the others, but before I met Dale¡­ I didn¡¯t really have anyone I could call a friend, except for Cami.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true for me, too.¡± ¡°M-me too! Before meeting Dale¡­ I didn¡¯t know how fun it was to spend time with other people like this!¡± Yurina and Lanez both nodded at Iris¡¯s words, a soft smile spreading on their faces. For a moment, the four women exchanged nces before bursting intoughter together. ¡°Honestly¡­ Candidate Dale really is a sinful man.¡± ¡°Fufu. That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Hm. By the way¡­.¡± Professor Elisha gave Iris a teasing smile. ¡°Just how far have you and Candidate Dale gone?¡± ¡°¡­Huh? W-what do you mean?¡± ¡°Have you had sex yet?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Iris¡¯s face turned bright red, her mouth dropping open as she sshed her legs frantically in the water. ¡°W-w-what are you even saying?!¡± ¡°Hm? It¡¯s natural for lovers to share a physical rtionship, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s true, but¡­¡± ¡°Or are you perhapspletely uninterested in such ¡®shameless¡¯ things?¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s not true, but¡­¡± Her face flushed scarlet, Iris sank halfway into the water, bubbles rising to the surface as she exhaled under the surface. ¡°Hm. Then how about this?¡± With a sly grin, Professor Elisha continued. ¡°Why don¡¯t you spend the night alone in a room with Candidate Dale tonight?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Fufu. If Candidate Iris makes the first move, it¡¯ll make it easier for the rest of us to follow suit, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Caught off guard by the bold suggestion, Iris¡¯s eyes trembled as she stared at Elisha. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 192: Interlude – First Night (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 192: Interlude ¨C First Night (2) That evening. When the trainees returned from their museum tour and scattered to their lodgings to spend thest night of their field trip... ¡°¡­What?¡± I turned to Iris, my eyes wide open. ¡°Professor Elisha prepared an empty room for us?¡± ¡°Yes. Originally, Albert was supposed to use it, but since he went to the main building, there¡¯s an extra room.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Are we allowed to use that room as we please?¡± ¡°P-Professor said it¡¯s fine!¡± Iris clenched her fists as she eximed. ¡°Since the field trip ends tomorrow, let¡¯s have a light drink together tonight!¡± Technically, drinking among trainees during the field trip was against the rules. But it¡¯s not like they brought minors on the trip. Everyone here was a full-grown adult, so the school didn¡¯t strictly enforce it. ¡®The problem is, I¡¯ve caused a bit of trouble on this field trip already.¡¯ I was already on thin ice with the school, so breaking another rule felt risky. But if Professor Elisha gave her permission, it shouldn¡¯t be a big issue. ¡°Should we invite the others?¡± ¡°N-No! Let¡¯s drink just the two of us!¡± ¡°¡­Just the two of us?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Iris swallowed nervously, her expression tight with tension. ¡®Come to think of it, we haven¡¯t really had a chance to be alone recently.¡¯ When the demonic forces attacked, I spent time with Professor Elisha, and during the trip, I was alone with Yurina at one point. But Iris and I hadn¡¯t had a moment to ourselves. ¡®Although¡­ there was that one time before.¡¯ I recalled the disaster that urred when I epted Iris¡¯s invitation to her dorm room, and my face grew hot. Shaking my head to dispel those memories, I opened my mouth. ¡°Alright, then. It¡¯s been a while, so let¡¯s have a drink together.¡± ¡°R-Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. Ah, I¡¯ll stop by the store and grab some drinks.¡± ¡°I already have drinks! Professor Elisha gave me some!¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± While we were at the museum, she must¡¯ve made preparations for this private time together. ¡°Then let¡¯s head there right away.¡± ¡°¡­T-This way.¡± Iris led me to the room that had originally been prepared for Albert. Click. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± An awkward silence settled over us once we entered the room and closed the door. Iris cleared her throat unnecessarily and walked to the table, sitting down. When she opened the bottle of luxurious wine Professor Elisha had given her, a fragrant aroma filled the room. ¡°This must be a good wine.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Professor said it was hard to get and gifted it to me.¡± ¡°Considering she usually looks for cheap booze, that¡¯s unusual.¡± We clinked our sses in a toast. Soft moonlight streamed in through the window, the pleasant sound of crickets filled the air, and the wine¡¯s rich fragrance lingered. It was a romantic atmosphere¡ªone that could intoxicate you even without drinking. Iris broke the silence. ¡°How was the museum tour?¡± ¡°Well, it was boring.¡± It¡¯s hard to find a museum tour exciting unless there¡¯s some special event. ¡°Fufu. But didn¡¯t you meet Grace and speak with her? That must¡¯ve been special, right?¡± Iris elegantly sipped her wine as she continued. ¡°Come to think of it, what kind of person was Grace?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only seen her in pictures¡­ but she must¡¯ve been soft-spoken and gentle like Pope Marianne, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I¡¯d mentioned meeting Grace in the tomb, but I hadn¡¯t described her personality. To Iris, who grew up in the Holy Kingdom, Grace must¡¯ve seemed like an endlessly merciful andpassionate saint. ¡°Uh¡­ yeah, something like that.¡± ¡°As I thought.¡± Iris¡¯s eyes sparkled as she nodded. ¡°I would¡¯ve liked to meet her in person¡­ It¡¯s a shame she disappeared.¡± ¡°Well, only a part of her spirit remained. But still¡­¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Ah, nothing. Don¡¯t mind me.¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re making me curious.¡± I briefly considered giving Iris the relic Grace had left behind. But I decided it¡¯d be better to show it to Professor Jade first, so they could turn it into an artifact before I handed it over. ¡°By the way, what did you do at the dorm?¡± ¡°Well¡­ We had dinner together, went to the hot springs¡­ and¡­¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°C-Cough. Never mind.¡± Suddenly remembering something, Iris¡¯s face turned red, and she avoided my gaze. She carefully spoke after cing a hand on her chest to calm herself. ¡°Um¡­ Dale.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Today, Professor Elisha, Yurina, Lanez, and I¡­ had a little talk.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± I flinched at the names she mentioned. ¡°You know how they feel about you¡­ don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Fufu. You don¡¯t need to look so guilty. I¡¯ve told you before, haven¡¯t I? Other people might think it¡¯s strange, but¡­ I don¡¯t think this kind of rtionship is all that bad.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Iris set her wine ss down and slowly stood up, walking over to me. Swish. She carefully sat on myp. The soft warmth of her body pressed against me, and her fragrant scent tickled my nose. ¡°A-Iris¡­?¡± ¡°But¡­ sometimes¡­ I want to be greedy, too.¡± Iris gazed at me with hazy eyes, as though drunk, and lightly traced my lips with her fingertips. ¡°Do you remember what I said before? That I would be¡­ your first.¡± Slowly, her lips met mine. The sweet taste of fruit wine mixed with the soft sensation of her tongue as it explored my mouth. ¡°¡­Iris.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Iris stuck out her tongue yfully. ¡°Come to think of it, we made another promise, didn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Another promise?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Oh my, are you pretending not to remember now? You promised to grant me one wish if I won the treasure hunt.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Now that she mentioned it, I did make such a promise. ¡°My wish is¡­¡± Trailing off, Iris blushed. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Before she could even finish her sentence, I leaned in and kissed her once more. ¡°Mmph¡­¡± I didn¡¯t need to hear her wish to know what it was. ¡°D-Dale¡­¡± ¡°¡­Should we shower first?¡± ¡°N-No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Iris looked at me with eyes that smoldered, as if she could no longer hold back. ¡°Dale¡­ I just wanted to ask, just in case.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Is this¡­ your first time, too?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t my first, but¡ª ¡®In my past life, Iris was the only one anyway.¡¯ I nodded slowly. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s my first.¡± ¡°Hehe. I see.¡± Iris let out a relieved sigh and smiled shyly. Holding her as she sat on myp, I carried her to the bed. Lying on the bed, Iris gripped my hand tightly with a nervous expression. ¡°Being here, where Lady Grace¡¯s grave is nearby¡­ it feels like we¡¯re doing something wrong.¡± ¡°Should we stop, then?¡± I asked teasingly, and Iris pouted her lips. ¡°If you stop now, I¡¯ll get really mad.¡± ¡°I¡¯m joking.¡± I chuckled softly and gently stroked Iris¡¯ hair as shey there nervously. I could feel her faint trembling through my fingertips. Thinking about how much courage she must¡¯ve gathered for this moment made me sigh. ¡®I should¡¯ve created the opportunity first.¡¯ I¡¯d known what she wanted for a long time. I knew, yet I ignored it. I avoided her, using the excuse that I wasn¡¯t ready yet. ¡®Because I was scared.¡¯ Yeah. I was scared. Afraid that the happiness I¡¯d worked so hard for would crumble like grains of sand. Just like it did in my past life. Afraid that I would lose everything again. Even though I knew how she felt, I ran away like a frightened child. ¡®What a pathetic fool.¡¯ When I turned back time to that day, I swore I would change the future. I vowed to protect everyone this time. And yet here I was, running away because I was scared of losing it all. ¡°¡­Dale?¡± Iris reached out her hand toward me as I stood still. ¡°Hehe. What are you so afraid of that you¡¯re trembling like this?¡± Seeing me shake, her tension seemed to ease a little, and she smiled mischievously. ¡°Are you worried you¡¯ll mess up?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I heard it¡¯s normal to make mistakes the first time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± As she patted me on the back tofort me, a surge of emotion bubbled up inside me. ¡®That¡¯s not it at all.¡¯ I was just trying to calm my emotions when this ridiculous misunderstanding happened. The unfairness of it,bined with a strange sense of determination, made me stubborn. ¡®Fine, I¡¯ll show you just how good I can be.¡¯ Even if Iris was the only one I¡¯d ever been with¡ªwhether in this life or thest¡ª I still knew plenty about her. Where her weak spots were, what positions she liked. Everything. Slowly, carefully, I began to undress Iris. ¡°D-Dale¡­¡± The confidence she¡¯d had while patting my back was gone as she now looked up at me nervously. As I gently caressed her, I grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± I¡¯d make her feel so good she wouldn¡¯t even know what hit her. * * * Six hourster, the room was still zing with heat that even the winter wind couldn¡¯t cool. I¡¯d pulled out every bit of my past life experience and sessfully carried out the first night. Crash! A ss shattered against the wall. ¡°Y-You bastard¡­!¡± Iris, her face red with fury, grabbed me by the neck. ¡°Gah! I-Iris¡­¡± ¡°Y-You said it was your first time! You said it was your first time, you liar!¡± ¡°It was¡­!¡± ¡°First time? First time, huh?¡± Her expression twisted angrily. ¡°How the hell does someone do that on their first time?!¡± ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s¡­¡± There¡¯s a story here, I swear¡ª p! ¡°You jerk! I trusted you¡­ I really trusted you¡­¡± Iris began to cry as she punched me repeatedly. ¡°Who was she?! Huh? Who did you practice with, you bastard?!¡± ¡°W-Wait! Calm down, Iris!¡± ¡°Calm down? How could I calm down right now?!¡± As her tears streamed down her face¡ª ¡°You¡­ It was you!¡± I blurted out impulsively. ¡°H-Huh?¡± Iris froze mid-punch and stared at me. ¡°What¡­ What do you mean by that?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 193: Interlude – Because You Were There, I Was Here [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 193: Interlude ¨C Because You Were There, I Was Here The evening after returning to school from the field trip. As I tucked away the joyful memories and prepared to return to daily life, I sent a message to mypanions, asking them to gather at Professor Elisha¡¯s office. [Everyone, gather in Professor Elisha''s office.] Gathered in the office were Iris, Yurina, Cami, Sophia, Berald, Lanes, and finally, Professor Elisha herself. Everyone looked at me silently, startled by the sudden summons. ¡°Something important¡­ Did something happen?¡± Yurina asked in a worried voice. ¡°This is the first time Brother Dale has called us all together like this, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah. If he¡¯s calling us right after the trip, it must be urgent.¡± ¡°C-Could it be¡­ you had a fight with Iris¡­?¡± The room grew noisy. I looked at mypanions murmuring among themselves and let out a deep sigh. ¡®I always thought I¡¯d have to tell them someday.¡¯ The story of my previous life. I¡¯d been struggling to decide when to reveal it. ¡®I didn¡¯t think¡­ it would happen for this reason.¡¯ I brushed my face with aplicated expression. Turning to look at Iris, I noticed her ncing at me anxiously. I hadn¡¯t yet exined the details of my past life to her. ¡®Since I¡¯m going to reveal it anyway, it¡¯s better to say it while everyone is together.¡¯ I considered telling Iris privately, like I had done with Professor Elisha, but at this point, there was no reason to hide it from some and reveal it to others. After all, I had already told Professor Elisha long ago, and my trust in my otherpanions had grown so deep that there was no reason to keep secrets any longer. ¡°Candidate Dale, don¡¯t tell me¡­ you¡¯re going to talk about that?¡± Professor Elisha, seemingly guessing what I was about to say, spoke with a firm expression. I quietly nodded and began to speak. ¡°Everyone¡­ It might be hard to believe, but please listen to my story.¡± Thus began my tale of my previous life. The long story of a failed, unsung hero. What began in the early evening stretched on until nearly midnight. ¡°Phew. And that¡¯s¡­ how it led to now.¡± Whether it was from talking too much or seeing the gradually hardening expressions of mypanions, my throat felt dry. I reached for the ss of water on the table to wet my parched throat. ¡°Unbelievable¡­¡± ¡°Hah¡­ The story¡¯s so shocking that my head feels dizzy.¡± After the long story ended, mypanions wore expressions filled with emotions tooplex to put into words. Well, if I were in their shoes, I would probably react the same way. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The silence stretched on. Mypanions seemed lost in thought, processing what they had heard. Then, one by one, as something dawned on them, they began to murmur softly. ¡°So that¡¯s why Dale looked so sad the first time he saw me¡­¡± ¡°Ah, that day¡­¡± Cami furrowed her brows, recalling her first encounter with me. ¡°Right. That was when Dale sent Cami flying.¡± ¡°S-Sent me flying¡­! It wasn¡¯t that bad!¡± ¡°Oh my, if I recall correctly, you did a spectacr somersault, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Cami swallowed hard and let out a short sigh, nodding. ¡°Honestly, I always thought it was strange. Even if I let my guard down, it didn¡¯t make sense that someone who had always been at the bottom of the ss could take me down with a single move¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. I¡¯d just regressed, and my emotions were all over the ce.¡± ¡°Ahem! W-Well, if I hadn¡¯t been careless, that wouldn¡¯t have happened!¡± ¡°Sure, sure.¡± I replied with a bitter smile and a nod. ¡°Brother, is the reason you suddenly started teaching me martial arts because of your past life?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ That makes sense now.¡± Berald looked down at his worn, bandaged hand and continued. ¡°I was always curious, you know. Why did you name the martial art you taught me ¡®Berald Martial Arts¡¯?¡± It was strange, after all. Normally, a martial art would bear the name of the person who taught it, not the person learning it. ¡°The martial art I taught you¡­ was something you created.¡± I nodded as I spoke. ¡°I just passed on what I learned from you.¡± That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t bring myself to change the name ¡®Berald¡¯s Martial Arts¡¯. It was a legacy he left behind¡ªmemories and stories I didn¡¯t want to alter with my own hands. ¡°I created it, huh¡­¡± Berald looked at his fist with a conflicted expression. ¡°Wait a minute¡ªso you learned magic from me?¡± Sophia, with her arms crossed, looked at me. ¡°Yes, I did.¡± ¡°Hmph, no wonder. I always thought it was weird for someone in the warrior division to have such exceptional magical skills. So it¡¯s because I taught you?¡± I smiled faintly and nodded. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to having a great senior.¡± ¡°Of course! I¡¯m amazing, after all.¡± Sophia proudly tilted her chin up, but her expression soon turned bittersweet. ¡°So¡­ in your past life, you and Professor Jade were enemies, huh?¡± Her magic had undergone a major transformation after she met Professor Jade. But the magic I¡¯d learned was from before that transformation. Sophia wasn¡¯t foolish¡ªshe understood what that meant. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± She smiled faintly, as though she had expected my answer. ¡°Then that means you changed my future. Thanks to you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Thank you. For changing my future.¡± Thank you for changing my future, huh. Why is it that... Those words shook me to the core, almost unbearably so. ¡°Dale. I have something I want to ask, too.¡± Yurina slowly stood up from her seat. She carefully removed the pendant around her neck. With a dazzling light, she returned to her original form. ¡°In my past life¡­ I ended up as ¡®Yuren,¡¯ didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± I nodded heavily. ¡°Haha. I see.¡± Yurina stared at the mirror hanging on the professor''s office wall with aplex expression, then turned to look at me. ¡°So, you¡¯re the one who changed it, Dale. My future.¡± ¡°Not just yours.¡± Iris spoke, ncing around at the gatheredpanions. ¡°Dale¡­ you changed all of our futures. Alone.¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± Their gazes fell on me. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Ovee with an indescribable mix of emotions, I clenched my trembling fists. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it alone.¡± Suddenly, a memory surfaced. A night filled with falling stars. Me and Berald, sitting around a warm campfire, drinking together. Iris smiling as she watched us. Yuren leaning against a tree, sipping tea, and Sophia calmly reading a book, uninterested. ¡®I¡­¡¯ They may not remember. But I do. The warmth of that night. Those endlessly happy days. ¡°The reason I¡¯m here right now¡­ is because you were all with me.¡± In truth, I was the one who owed them thanks. ¡°Thank you.¡± Because you were there. I was, too. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± Lowering my head, I quietly swallowed my tears. Why does it feel like... In my memory, mypanions are all smiling gently at me? * * * Everyone still had so much to say, but at Professor Elisha''s urging that it was toote, mypanions returned to their rooms. Like that memory, the night sky was filled with stars, as if they might pour down at any moment. I didn¡¯t return to my room right away. Instead, I climbed up to the rooftop and gazed up at the night sky. ¡°So you were here.¡± Professor Elisha had followed me up. ¡°How did you know I¡¯d be here?¡± ¡°A woman¡¯s intuition.¡± She said this while gracefully pulling back the ¡®spider web¡¯ attached to me. I smirked and nodded. ¡°How do you feel now that you¡¯ve told everyone?¡± ¡°Well¡­ relieved.¡± When I first gathered mypanions, I wasn¡¯t sure if revealing the truth was the right thing to do. But now that I¡¯veid everything bare, I feel as though a heavy burden has been lifted. ¡°For me, it¡¯s a little disappointing to lose a secret I kept all to myself.¡± Professor Elisha grinned yfully as she sat next to me. She took a cigarette from her coat, lit it, and spoke softly. ¡°I wondered why it was now.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The reason Candidate Dale suddenly revealed the truth about returning to the past.¡± She looked at me with a faint smile. ¡°Well, I always thought I¡¯d say it eventually.¡± ¡°And yet, there must be a reason the ¡®eventually¡¯ became now.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± If I had to say¡­ there was a reason¡­ ¡°Was it because of Candidate Iris?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± ¡°Ha. I¡¯ve hit the mark, haven¡¯t I?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Professor Elisha nodded knowingly, as if she expected this. ¡°Well¡­ I mean. That¡¯s not exactly how it¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, no need to exin. I can more or less guess the situation.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± You can guess? ¡°Being with Candidate Iris must have brought upplicated emotions. You hid the truth about being lovers in a past life, after all.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Guilt, I suppose? Or something like it? After all, you were hiding the truth from her, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not exactly¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t guilt. There was another reason entirely¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t think too much of it. Everyone knows you hid the truth for their sake.¡± Professor Elisha smiled softly as she snuffed out her cigarette. ¡°That¡¯s what I wanted to tell you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Has it¡­ been hard?¡± She gently cupped my cheek as she asked. Looking into her kind gaze¡­ ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve¡­ always felt this weight on my heart.¡± I wiped the tears forming at the corners of my eyes. ¡°To my preciouspanions¡­ no, to the person I love¡­ I didn¡¯t want to lie anymore.¡± ¡°There, there.¡± ¡°How long¡­ would I have to keep wearing this mask¡­? The thought of it was so suffocating. So painful.¡± ¡°I understand it all.¡± Professor Elisha patted my back with a warm smile. ¡°Honestly, Candidate Dale¡­ you¡¯re just too pure-hearted, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to apologize for. In any case, now that you¡¯ve told the truth, there¡¯s no need to suffer from guilt.¡± With Professor Elisha¡¯s gentlefort... The night of truth came to an end, and a new morning dawned. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 194: The Witchs Resolve (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 194: The Witch''s Resolve (1) After the school trip. Life at the academy returned to its usual routine. The candidates were diligently attending sses, umting the experiences and knowledge needed to be "heroes." As for me... ¡°Suspended again.¡± Yes. Because of the incident I caused during the school trip, I was hit with a two-week suspension andy sprawled on my dormitory bed, squirming like a worm. ¡°Not even a year since I regressed, and this is already my fourth suspension.¡± Honestly, at this point, it felt like the world itself bore some kind of malice against me. Sigh. ¡°Might as well go train.¡± Since there wasn¡¯t much to do while cooped up indoors, I decided to head to the training grounds to better master ¡®me of Cmity,¡¯ a power I had recently acquired. Ding! The rm from my Hero Watch went off. It was a message from Lanez. [Dale, can you help me train today?] ¡°Hm?¡± Training, all of a sudden? [What about ss?] [Oh¡­ w-well, it¡¯s okay. Today is¡­ self-study.] [Really?] [Yeah.] [Then when do you want to meet?] [R-right now! Let¡¯s go right now!] Lanez was suddenly brimming with motivation. I tilted my head in confusion and replied. [Alright. Let¡¯s meet in 30 minutes.] [Okay!] After finishing my conversation with Lanez, I quickly washed up, changed into my training gear, and headed for the meeting spot. ¡°Ah, D-Dale!¡± As I arrived, I saw Lanez enthusiastically waving her hand in her training outfit¡ªlooking undeniably cute. Like a puppy meeting its owner, she sprinted toward me. ¡°Are we heading to the back mountain likest time? Let¡¯s go, Dale!¡± I suppressed a small smile as I watched her tug at my hand. ¡°By the way, what¡¯s with the sudden enthusiasm for training?¡± ¡°Uh? W-well¡­¡± Her expression darkened for a brief moment, but she quickly smiled again, shaking her head. ¡°Hehe, it¡¯s nothing. I just¡­ wanted to get better at controlling my Blessing of Frost.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Y-yeah! That way, I can be of a lot more help to you in the future!¡± Lanez clenched her fists and dered with determination. I nodded and followed her toward the back mountain. When we arrived at the spot where we usually trained, it had turned into a barren wastnd, devoid of any grass. ¡®We¡¯ve trained so much here that it¡¯s ended up like this.¡¯ It was as if a patch of the forest had gone bald, creating a wide, circr clearing in the middle of the woods. ¡®Well¡­ it¡¯s better than torching the academy¡¯s training grounds again.¡¯ Compared to the time I identally set fire to the school buildings when I failed to control my powers, this was a far safer option. ¡°Alright, shall we begin?¡± ¡°Y-yeah.¡± Lanez nodded and stepped into the clearing. Just as I was about to follow her¡ª ¡°Today, I-I¡¯ll do it alone.¡± ¡°Huh? Alone?¡± ¡°Y-yeah. I need to learn to control my power even when you¡¯re not around.¡± ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s true, but¡­¡± Although she had improved a lot, she still wasn¡¯t at the level where she could control the Blessing of Frost on her own. ¡°Dale, you go train on your own for now, and¡­ if it gets dangerous, then you can help me.¡± ¡°Hmm. Alright.¡± Though I was worried, if Lanez wanted this, I didn¡¯t see a reason to object. After all, she would need to master the Blessing of Frost on her own eventually. ¡°T-then I¡¯ll go train over there!¡± With that, she darted off to a spot far away. ¡°Well then.¡± I couldn¡¯t afford to waste time, either. ¡°Huu¡­¡± I slowly inhaled, awakening the Primordial me slumbering deep within my heart. Whoosh. The mes that had once raged like an uncontroble beast when I absorbed the Ember were now calm, burning at my will like a docilemb. ¡®Since absorbing the Ember, I¡¯ve been able tomand muchrger amounts of it.¡¯ When I first regressed, I could only conjure mes the size of a candle. Now, I could wield firerge enough to engulf my entire body and the space around me. Of course¡­ Whoosh! ¡®I¡¯m still far from mastering the full extent of the me.¡¯ I gazed at the untamed ze roaring in the distance, defying my control. The day I could fullymand even that me¡ª ¡®What kind of existence would I be then?¡¯ It was hard to imagine. Perhaps I¡¯d be something even more absurd than the Demon God. If the source of the Demon God¡¯s power was the Primordial me, then within me existed something else as well. ¡®A power that extinguishes fire.¡¯ I still didn¡¯t know what this power was or why it resided within me. But one thing was certain. The moment I gained control over all of it¡ª ¡®I can change it.¡¯ That dreadfully white future. ¡°Huu¡­¡± Exhaling softly, I slowly pulled forth the me. Ash-gray fire engulfed my body as wisps of smoke seeped out, spreading like fog. ¡®Let¡¯s start with a range of ten meters.¡¯ Whoosh! The moment I activated ¡®me of Cmity,¡¯ mes encircled me in a ring, spreading outward. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± The mana consumption was overwhelming. It drained out of me like water gushing from a broken dam. ¡®This is worse than I thought.¡¯ I knew the power would consume a lot of mana since it rewrites the physicalws of space itself, but this was far beyond my expectations. ¡®I¡¯m using up mana faster than I can recover it.¡¯ If I enhanced my mana pool through Ignition, I could sustain it for longer, but that would still only be a temporary fix. ¡°This is definitely different from using it in the mental realm.¡± While the me of Cmity was just as powerful as it had been in the mental realm, the issue was myck of mastery. ¡®Too much mana is being wasted unnecessarily.¡¯ It was like trying to drink water with a leaky cup. ¡®Let¡¯s reduce the range to one meter for now.¡¯ A mere one-meter radius might not justify calling it a domain, but it was better than spreading myself too thin and copsing. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s try again.¡± Whoosh! As if answering my resolve, the gray mes roared to life once more. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w * * * After several hours of training with the me of Cmity, I began to wonder¡ª ¡®I wonder if Lanez is doing well?¡¯ As I approached the area where Lanez was training, I saw her drenched in sweat as she struggled to control the Blessing of Frost. ¡°Lanez. How¡¯s the training going?¡± ¡°Ah, uh, it¡¯s¡­ fine.¡± Lanez nodded with an awkward smile. I picked up a towel and wiped the sweat dripping from her forehead. ¡°Let¡¯s take a break.¡± ¡°N-No! I can keep going!¡± ¡°But you still need to eat something.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡± I gently grabbed Lanez¡¯s hand and led her to a tree stump. ¡°Let¡¯s see. What¡¯s for lunch today¡­?¡± ¡°I-I bought some bread¡­ from the shop.¡± Lanez fumbled through her bag and pulled out some bread. I blinked at her in surprise. ¡®Bread, not a lunchbox?¡¯ Up until now, whenever we trained together, Lanez always brought a homemade lunch. ¡®Was she busy today?¡¯ Well, I suppose it¡¯s not easy to prepare a lunchbox every single time. ¡°Sorry¡­ I couldn¡¯t make a lunchbox today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m the one getting free food all the time.¡± I wasn¡¯t shameless enough toin about this. ¡°Bread from the shop is nice for a change too.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± Lanez weakly nodded, chewing her bread in silence. ¡°¡­Lanez.¡± ¡°Uh, huh? What is it?¡± ¡°Is something wrong?¡± I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that there was a shadow hanging over her face. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just a little tired.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­. Then maybe we should stop training for today?¡± ¡°N-No! I want to keep going! No, I will keep going!¡± Lanez shouted in desperation. I frowned and ced a hand on her shoulder. ¡°I told you before. Overdoing it will only make your training less effective.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Lanez closed her mouth firmly and lowered her head. ¡°¡­But.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Dale, you¡­ always overdo it.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Because you¡­ can¡¯t die, right?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that.¡± ¡°But you still feel pain, don¡¯t you? If you get hurt, it hurts. If you¡¯re wounded, it¡¯s hard, isn¡¯t it?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Her voice sounded fragile, as though it would shatter with the wrong touch. She gripped my hand tightly with both of hers, biting her lip. ¡°Even though it hurts¡­ even though it¡¯s hard¡­ you keep pushing yourself.¡± ¡°Lanez.¡± ¡°So¡­ can¡¯t I try just a little bit harder too?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± For some reason, I had a gut feeling that I shouldn¡¯t leave her like this. ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡± ¡°¡­Dale.¡± ¡°In exchange, let¡¯s train together again tomorrow. How does that sound?¡± I had plenty of time to help with her training since I was still under suspension. ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Lanez nodded with a faint smile. She stood up, briefly squeezing my hand before letting go. ¡°You¡¯re always so kind, Dale.¡± ¡°What are you talking about all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Hehe. Nothing.¡± After finishing our simple lunch, Lanez and I returned to the school. ¡°I¡¯ll call you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yeah. See you tomorrow, Dale.¡± I waved lightly as Lanez stood behind me. Without realizing it, I turned and walked toward my room. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I didn¡¯t notice Lanez quietly watching my back. * * * After parting ways with Dale, I didn¡¯t head to the dormitory. Instead, I walked toward the back mountain of the school where me and Dale had been training. ¡ªDale¡­ what happened to me in my past life? That day, a few days ago. The conversation I had with Dale resurfaced in my mind. Or rather, ¡°resurfaced¡± wasn¡¯t the right word. Since that day, it was all I could think about. ¡ªLanez¡­. ¡ªJ-Just tell me the truth. Please! I shouldn¡¯t have asked. I should¡¯ve stayed ignorant. ¡°The Witch¡­ of the Night.¡± Dale told me not to worry. He said the future had changed, that I wouldn¡¯t be the witch. I know that. I know the future is different now. That I don¡¯t have to shiver in the cold anymore. But. ¡®I¡¯m¡­ still like this.¡¯ Slowly, I summoned the power of the Blessing. A whirlwind of snow surrounded me. Sweat dripped down my forehead. No matter how hard I focused, clenching my lips so tightly that blood seeped out, the Blessing of Frost wouldn¡¯t obey me. ¡°Ah, ngh¡­.¡± Tears welled up in my eyes, mixing with the sweat that fell to the ground. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 195: The Witchs Resolve (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 195: The Witch''s Resolve (2) It had been over a week since I started helping Lanez with her daily training. ¡°Lanez. Let¡¯s take a break today.¡± ¡°Huh? Why? Do you have something else to do today¡­?¡± Lanez looked startled at my words. I sighed deeply and shook my head. ¡°Lanez¡­ do you even realize how you look right now?¡± Her face had be so haggard that it was painful to see. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine!¡± ¡°No. You¡¯re not.¡± I shook my head firmly. ¡°Lanez, let¡¯s go to your dorm room.¡± ¡°Huh? M-My room? Why?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go. Now.¡± Ignoring her question, I grabbed her hand and pulled her along. ¡®I can¡¯t just leave her like this¡ªwho knows what she might do if left alone.¡¯ I decided I¡¯d make sure she got proper rest by supervising her directly in her room. Click. When we entered Lanez¡¯s room, it was the first time I had ever seen it. Her room was so sparse it could only be described as barren. There was a bed, a small desk, and a dining table. That was it. The stereotypical image of a female student¡¯s room¡ªcozy and full of pink decorations¡ªwas nowhere to be seen. ¡°Ugh¡­ this is so embarrassing,¡± Lanez muttered. Even a room like this was apparently embarrassing for her to show to someone else. She nced at me, her face flushing red. ¡°¡­Sorry. My room is so empty, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Why would you need to apologize? It¡¯s your room.¡± ¡°But still¡­¡± ¡°Well, I do think decorating it a bit more could be nice. Having nothing in here might make it feel a bit lonely, don¡¯t you think?¡± I wasn¡¯t one to talk, considering my own room was just as empty. ¡°O-Okay. I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°Good. For now, sit down. I¡¯ll make you something to eat.¡± ¡°W-What? You¡¯ll cook?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± I lifted a bag of ingredients I had brought along. Before meeting Lanez that morning, I had stopped by the store to pick up some fresh groceries. ¡°N-No, I¡¯ll do it!¡± ¡°Hey. I told you we¡¯re skipping training today so you can rest. How are you supposed to rest if you cook?¡± ¡°B-But¡­¡± ¡°Just sit down already.¡± I pressed down on her shoulders, forcing her into a chair. ¡°Now, let¡¯s see¡­¡± Today¡¯s menu was chicken soup, or samgyetang, a traditional dish known for its restorative properties. ¡®It¡¯s not too difficult to make, either.¡¯ While I wasn¡¯t as skilled as Lanez or Iris, I could manage a decent meal. I cleaned the chicken, stuffed it with ingredients, and ced it in a pot with medicinal herbs to simmer. Bubble, bubble. After about 30 minutes, the rich aroma of the broth filled the room. ¡°Careful, it¡¯s hot. Eat slowly.¡± ¡°O-Okay.¡± Lanez, clearly starving, quickly devoured the chicken soup. ¡°T-Thank you, Dale.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll handle the dishes!¡± ¡°Nope. Rest, remember?¡± I pushed her back down into the chair as she tried to stand. Then, the doorbell rang. Ding-dong. ¡°Huh. Must be the others finishing their morning sses.¡± ¡°O-Oh? Did you invite someone?¡± ¡°Well, when I mentioned you, someone insisted oning along.¡± I opened the door to find Iris and Yurina standing there. ¡°Iris? Yurina? Why are you two here¡­?¡± ¡°Dale told us you¡¯ve been overworking yourselftely, Lanez.¡± ¡°I was worried, so I decided toe too,¡± Yurina added. Iris walked over to Lanez, who was sitting in her chair, and examined her closely. ¡°¡­You do look unwell. Yourplexion is poor, and those dark circles under your eyes¡­¡± ¡°I-Iris¡­¡± ¡°Shh. Don¡¯t move. I¡¯m checking your condition.¡± Iris ced a hand on Lanez¡¯s cheek, gently brushing her under-eye area. Then, without warning¡ª ¡°Pardon me for a moment.¡± Squish. Iris suddenly cupped Lanez¡¯s left chest. ¡°Eek!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move¡­!¡± ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Startled, Lanez flinched, causing Iris to grip even harder. Her hand pressed so firmly that the contours of Lanez¡¯s chest were visibly outlined through her clothes. ¡°¡­!¡± Quick! Send my magic to my eyes and burn this scene into memory¡ª! ¡°Hey!¡± Yurina, standing behind me, covered my eyes with her hand. ¡°Y-Yurina?¡± ¡°Dale¡­ you¡¯re being indecent.¡± A chill ran down my spine at her sharp tone. I reluctantly turned my head away from Lanez and Iris. ¡°I-Iris¡­ what are you doing all of a sudden¡­?¡± ¡°Stay still.¡± Iris ced her hand over the left side of Lanez¡¯s chest, where the Stigma was engraved, and began channeling her magic. A pure white light flowed from her hand into the mark. ¡°¡­I see.¡± Iris¡¯s face contorted in concern. ¡°Her mana circuits are severely damaged.¡± The overuse of the ¡°blessing¡± had left Lanez¡¯s internal mana pathways in shambles. ¡°Dale, help me move Lanez to the bed¡ªwhat are you two doing?¡± ¡°Ah, nothing.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Yurina finally released her hold over my eyes. I followed Iris¡¯s instructions, lifting Lanez and carrying her to the bed. ¡°T-This isn¡¯t necessary¡­¡± ¡°It is. You¡¯re officially a patient now. Please follow my instructions until the treatment isplete.¡± Iris¡¯s voice was firm as she gently pushed Lanez to lie down. Holding her hands in hers, Iris lowered her forehead to their joined hands as if in prayer. ¡°O holy Seven Gods, grant your child rest and peace.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w With a soft chant, the light radiating from Iris¡¯s body flowed into Lanez, filling the room with a serene glow. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± A soft sigh escaped from Lanez¡¯s lips. Her cheeks regained some color, and her expression rxed a little. ¡°Feeling a bit better?¡± ¡°Y-Yeah. Thanks, Iris.¡± ¡°Still, you must take absolute rest for at least three days.¡± ¡°Three¡­ three days?¡± ¡°If you train before that, I won¡¯t send you that picture of Dale drying his hair after the hot spring as promised.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s not allowed!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± What is this? I feel like I just overheard a deal that I shouldn¡¯t have. ¡°Dale¡­ drying his hair¡­?¡± ¡°Oh my, Yurina, are you interested too?¡± ¡°Ahem. N-No, it¡¯s not like that¡­ uh, when did you take it?¡± ¡°Hehe. I had Juliet sneak it during the school trip this time¡­.¡± Juliet, you little¡­! I thought it was weird when you suddenly suggested takingmemorative photos! ¡°¡­.¡± While I stood dumbfounded, staring at this tantly illicit exchange unfolding before my eyes¡ª Knock knock. A knock came at the door. ¡°Hm? Did you call someone else over?¡± ¡°No.¡± Tilting my head in confusion, I opened the door to find Senior Sophia and Berald standing there. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this? Why¡¯s everyone gathered here?¡± ¡°I came to check on Lanez since she wasn¡¯t feeling well¡­ but what brings you here, Senior Sophia?¡± ¡°Hmph. I¡¯m here to catch a delinquent cadet who¡¯s been skipping sses without permission.¡± Sophia snorted, ring sharply at Lanez, who was lying in bed. Lanez flinched, trembling slightly, and turned her head away from Sophia¡¯s gaze. ¡°Skipping¡­ sses?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I heard she hasn¡¯t shown up in ss for about a week. I only found out today when Professor Elisha mentioned it, since we¡¯re in different sections.¡± Clicking her tongue, Sophia strode into the room. Trailing behind her, Berald scratched his head awkwardly, as if to say, I was dragged here by Sophia. ¡°You missed ss because you were sick? Then why didn¡¯t you file a sick leave request? Why skip without saying anything?¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­¡± Lanez stammered, looking flustered and lost for words. ¡°Sigh. Fine, I¡¯ll exin to the professor and submit the sick leave request for you.¡± ¡°S-Sophia¡­¡± ¡°Tsk. Honestly, such a hassle.¡± ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± ¡°Forget it. That¡¯s what friends are for, to hassle each other a bit.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lanez lowered her head, her voice barely a whisper. ¡°Thank you¡­ everyone¡­.¡± Lanez¡¯s shoulders shook slightly, and tears rolled down her cheeks, soaking the nket. ¡°W-What? Why are you crying all of a sudden?¡± Sophia turned to Berald with a panicked expression. ¡°B-Berald! Do something to stop her tears!¡± ¡°How am I supposed to¡­¡± ¡°Do something!¡± Sophia pushed Berald¡¯s back urgently. ¡°Hmm.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Scratching his head, Berald walked to the kitchen and came back with a metal spoon. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll show you a magic trick.¡± Holding the neck of the spoon delicately between two fingers, Berald began to sway it lightly. Crack. Thunk. The spoon split cleanly in two. ¡°Ta-da!¡± ¡°Ta-da, my foot! You just broke it with your fingers¡­ Wait, what?¡± Sophia¡¯s eyes widened as she stared at the broken spoon. ¡°You¡­ tore metal¡­ without magic?¡± ¡°Haha! That¡¯s the power of magic!¡± ¡°No¡­ that¡¯s not magic¡­.¡± Sophia looked at Berald in utter confusion. ¡°Pfft!¡± Lanez let out a clear, bell-likeugh. ¡°Haha!¡± ¡°Ooh! I did it!¡± Berald clenched his fist triumphantly, watching Lanez clutch her stomach as sheughed. ¡°Well then, for my next trick, I¡¯ll split the table in half¡­¡± ¡°Are you trying to destroy everything in the room? We don¡¯t have that much furniture to begin with.¡± Sophia smacked Berald on the head. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s leave it at that and head out. Lanez needs rest.¡± ¡°Rest well, Lanez.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget what I said¡ªabsolute rest for at least three days!¡± ¡°Come back to ss when you¡¯re fully recovered.¡± With some light-hearted words, everyone stepped out of the room. Lanez waved from her bed as the door clicked shut. ¡°Thank you, everyone.¡± Silence descended on the room, as if the bustlingmotion moments ago had been just a dream. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll never forget this, ever.¡± Lanez gazed at the firmly closed door with a faint smile. * * * The next day. Thinking it would be nice to train with Yurina since Lanez wouldn¡¯t be joining, I was getting ready to head out. Bang! The door flew open, and Senior Sophia burst into my room. ¡°D-Dale¡­!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°L-Lanez left this¡­!¡± Sophia thrust a piece of paper at me. It was as if night had fallen on a snowy field. ck words were written starkly on the white paper: ¡°Withdrawal Form.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 196: The Witch’s Resolve (3) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 196: The Witch¡¯s Resolve (3) Valha City. Therge city built in front of the Hero Academy was bustling with people from the Three Nations, even in the early morning. ¡°There are¡­ so many people here.¡± Lanez shivered slightly as she gazed at the crowded streets. Her timid personality made her feel dizzy just from being in a ce with so many people. ¡®Even so¡­ I have to go.¡¯ It was inevitable. She hadn¡¯t formally submitted her withdrawal application or been officially released from the school. After all, withdrawing from the Hero Academy was far more difficult than most would imagine. ¡®You can only leave after signing an oath never to engage in heroic activities again and wearing several monitoring magic tools for life.¡¯ Those who withdraw¡ªcandidates who do not possess an official hero license but still bear a Stigma¡ªmust live under strict surveince for the rest of their lives. This is because heroes without official licenses often end up engaging in illegal activities. Lanez, however, had bypassed all thoseplicated procedures, submitting only a single withdrawal application before secretly scaling the school walls. In other words, ording to Hero Academy regtions, she hadmitted an act considered a major crime, equivalent to assault or theft: unauthorized withdrawal. In military terms, it was akin to desertion. ¡®A pursuit team will follow me soon.¡¯ While unauthorized withdrawal wasn¡¯tmon, meaning the response might not be immediate, it wouldn¡¯t be long before a pursuit team, led by several professors, would be formed to track her down. ¡®Until then, I need to get as far away as possible.¡¯ Using warp gates was out of the question. The travel records would lead her pursuers straight to her. ¡°¡­¡­¡± As she wandered aimlessly through the streets, Lanez recalled the events of the previous day. Herrades, who had gathered out of concern for her. The warm moments she shared with them¡ªsomething she could never have imagined before meeting Dale. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± It had only been a few hours since she left the school, yet she was already overwhelmed with longing. She wondered if she should just go back. Conflict and regret weighed heavily on her. ¡®No.¡¯ Clenching her eyes shut, she shook her head. ¡®Until I master the blessing of frost¡­ I must stay far away.¡¯ When she learned about her past life, When she discovered the future where she would be the "Witch of the Night" and massacre countless people, Lanez made a decision. ¡®I can¡¯t stay with them.¡¯ She had to distance herself from Dale¡­ and from her otherrades. ¡®I¡¯m just a ticking time bomb.¡¯ The moment she failed to control the power of her blessing, countless lives could be lost. ¡°Heh¡­ If I¡¯d only ever known Dale, I wouldn¡¯t even be thinking like this.¡± Though she had never seen it herself, Dale was said to possess the Blessing of Revival, allowing him to return even after death. ¡®But.¡¯ What about her otherrades? What if she lost control of her blessing¡¯s power and ended up hurting the people she cherished? ¡®Cherished people¡­¡¯ A smile spread across Lanez¡¯s lips. Before meeting Dale, the concept of cherished people didn¡¯t exist in her life. The world was brutally cold and suffocatingly lonely. But in that life, a warm me had ignited. She now had cherished people¡ªor rather, cherished friends. ¡®Sophia, Iris, Yurina, Berald, Professor Elisha¡­¡¯ And others she had gotten to know during the recent school trip, like Cami, Juliet, and Albert. The number of people she had grown close to was unimaginable to her former self. She now lived in a world where no one called her a ¡°witch.¡± That¡¯s why¡­ ¡®I don¡¯t want to ruin this.¡¯ She didn¡¯t want to hurt them with her own hands. She didn¡¯t want to extinguish the warm me she had finally kindled with a cold breath. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go.¡± Lanez took a heavy step forward and pressed on. After walking for several hours, she finally left Valha City and began pondering her next destination. ¡°The east is the Republic, the west is the Empire, and the north is the Holy Kingdom¡­¡± But no matter where she went, the pursuit team would find her. The Hero Academy had strong ties with all three nations. ¡°Which leaves only¡­¡± Lanez turned her gaze southward. To the south of the continenty the demon city of Gehenna City. A sparsely popted region, it would minimize the damage even if the blessing of frost went berserk. ¡®I¡¯ll head south.¡¯ Recalling what she had learned during a mentoring ss, Lanez decided to head to the southern part of the continent. It was no coincidence that the area was called the Demonic Realm. The road to the south was eerily quiet, with not a soul in sight. ¡°¡­I miss Dale.¡± Lanez trudged along the deserted path, looking at photos of Dale saved on her Hero Watch. ¡°I wish I had a photo of him after the hot springs¡­¡± She recalled the picture Iris had taken but hadn¡¯t gotten a chance to receive. As she walked the lonely road, she suddenly heard a foreboding sound. Swish, swish. Her head snapped toward the source of the noise, suspecting it might be a monster. ¡°¡­Who are you?¡± Before her stood a man wearing a wolf-shaped half-mask. Judging by the sharp jawline visible beneath the mask, he was likely a man. ¡°Lanez Mm, correct?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± She didn¡¯t respond, but the wolf-masked man seemed certain of her identity. In a low, monotone voice, he continued speaking. ¡°Come with me. He wants you.¡± ¡°¡®He¡¯¡­? Who¡¯s that?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know.¡± The man¡¯s dry voice was devoid of emotion, sending a chill down her spine. Lanez frowned warily and shook her head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Well, I thought as much.¡± As if expecting her refusal, the wolf-masked man nodded slightly. ¡°In that case, there¡¯s no choice.¡± Shing! The man drew a massive sword from the sheath on his back.N?v(el)B\\jnn Vwoooom! The Stigma on his body glowed, and aura began to envelop the de. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Lanez¡¯s eyes widened as she stared at the aura. Judging by his suspicious appearance, she had assumed the wolf-masked man was a demon. But¡­ ¡®A hero?¡¯ There was no trace of demonic energy, the hallmark of demons,ing from the man. ¡°Will you just stand there?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Before Lanez¡¯s question could fully escape her lips, the manunched himself at her with a powerful step. A wolf mask, wielding a massive greatsword that looked impossible to lift even with both hands, swung it effortlessly with one. A chilling, eerie whoosh echoed in her ears. ¡°Haah!¡± Whoosh! Lanez let out a short cry and thrust both hands forward, summoning a wall of pure white snow in midair. ng! The greatsword bounced off the wall. ¡°Freeze solid!¡± Lanez drew even more strength from her blessing,unching snowballs at the wolf mask. A fierce blizzard swirled around her, firing dozens of snowballs that all targeted the wolf mask. ¡°Hmph!¡± The wolf mask evaded the onught of snowballs with agile movements. Where the snowballs struck, the ground instantly froze, leaving the surrounding terrain covered in ice. ¡°Nowhere to run!¡± Lanez extended her hand toward the retreating wolf mask. Whoosh! The swirling snowstorm coalesced into a sharp, spear-like icicle that aimed directly at him. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The wolf mask quickly tried to dodge upon seeing the icy spear, but¡ª Crack! ¡°Hm?¡± Ice surged from the frozen ground where the snowballs had hit, trapping his feet in ce. Thud. The icy spear pierced through the wolf mask¡¯s abdomen. ¡°Oh-ho.¡± A spark of intrigue shed in the wolf mask¡¯s eyes. ¡°So this is the power of the Frost Blessing.¡± He nodded, seemingly impressed. Blood poured from the wound as his abdomen, pierced by the icy spear, began to necrotize rapidly. ¡°But¡­¡± Crack. The wolf mask grabbed the spear embedded in his abdomen and yanked it out. ¡°You¡¯re still clumsy.¡± The gaping wound in his abdomen healed at an astonishing speed. ¡°How¡­ How is that possible?¡± Lanez¡¯s face twisted in shock as she watched the wolf mask¡¯s wound heal before her eyes. He hadn¡¯t used healing magic, nor had he taken a recovery potion. And yet, his wound¡ªone where the tissue had beenpletely necrotized by frost¡ªwas regenerating. ¡°Is the show over?¡± The wolf mask¡¯s eyes glinted ominously. Boom! With a powerful step, he dashed toward Lanez, his greatsword cloaked in zing aura, aiming straight for her. ¡°Ugh!¡± Lanez tried to summon another snow wall to deflect his sword. ¡°Ack, no¡­!¡± The raging blizzard around her began to spiral out of control, slipping from her grasp. ¡°Hmph.¡± The wolf mask halted his swing as he watched the uncontroble blizzard swirling around her. ¡°As expected, you still can¡¯t control your blessing.¡± ¡°Huff, huff! S-shut¡­ up!¡± Lanez bit down hard on her lip, drawing blood, and stretched her hand toward him. Whoosh! The raging snowstorm converged into an icy spear. But¡ª ¡°Ack!¡± Shatter! The spear disintegrated into countless shards of ice. ¡°Aaaah!¡± The shards tore into Lanez, shing her body. Blood trickled from the wounds left by the jagged ice. ¡°Ah¡­ Ugh¡­ Hic¡­¡± Lanez fell to her knees, sobbing. Not only had she failed to fight her opponent, but she had also ended up hurting herself. Pathetic. The overwhelming self-loathing brought tears streaming down her face. ¡°Do you want to control your blessing?¡± The wolf mask asked in a dry tone, looking down at her. Instead of waiting for an answer, he pulled a green, shimmering magic stone from his cloak and tossed it at her. Thud. The stone rolled across the ground and touched her hand. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The raging blizzard abruptly calmed. Lanez stared wide-eyed at the green stone in her grasp. ¡°What¡­ What is this?¡± It didn¡¯t simply suppress or erase the power of her Frost Blessing. The moment she held the green stone, she could control the blessing. Whoosh! The blizzard obeyed her will, moving freely. ng! The icy spear she had failed to form earlier now appeared in perfect form, floating in the air. Not just one, but dozens. ¡°It¡¯s a stone infused with His power.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°With it, you can control your blessing.¡± Lanez stared nkly at the stone in her hand. The Frost Blessing that had caused her so much suffering¡­ Could now be controlled so easily, so effortlessly. ¡°Follow me.¡± The low voice echoed in her ears. Though devoid of emotion, the dry tone sounded unbearably sweet to her. ¡°Then all your struggles will be resolved with ease.¡± There was no reason to doubt his words. Simply holding the stone had made controlling her Frost Blessing effortless. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Lanez remained silent, staring down at the green stone in her hand. ¡°Is there any need to hesitate? Your goal was to control your blessing, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Yes. The wolf mask was right. The reason she had run away from school, even risking expulsion, was to gain control over her Frost Blessing. With this stone¡­ She wouldn¡¯t have to be a witch. She could stay with Dale and her preciouspanions. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Lanez stood up slowly, clutching the stone in her hand. Her hesitation didn¡¯tst long. ¡°I¡­¡± Lanez channeled all her power into her blessing. And then¡ª Crack!!! She focused it all on the stone in her hand, shattering it. ¡°What the¡­!¡± The wolf mask¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. Whoooosh! The blessing¡¯s power surged wildly once more as the stone broke. ¡°I¡­ won¡¯t follow you.¡± Amidst the raging blizzard, the witch voiced her resolve. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 197: The Witchs Resolve (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 197: The Witch''s Resolve (4) ¡°Ah, ugh!¡± A groan escaped from Lanez as the ferocious power of the blessing surged uncontrobly. The raging snowstorm brushed against her skin, leaving patches of necrosis in a purple hue. A horrifying pain, as if being shed by sharp des, tore through her body. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t understand.¡± The wolf mask frowned as he watched Lanez groan. ¡°Why insist on the difficult path?¡± Surely, she must know that the power of the blessing could be controlled effortlessly with the magic stone. After all, she had personally experienced it. And yet. Why choose such a foolish decision, rejecting the easier method? ¡°Do you doubt His power? If that¡¯s the case, there are other ways¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± Despite the raging snowstorm, Lanez squinted her eyes and replied softly. ¡°I don¡¯t know who this ''He'' you speak of is¡­ but I do understand that the magic stone holds the power to control the blessing of frost.¡± ¡°Then why destroy the magic stone? If you didn¡¯t want to follow me, you could¡¯ve used its power to fight me instead.¡± Lanez was undoubtedly well aware that she couldn¡¯t win against him now without the ability to control the blessing. ¡°¡­You¡¯re right.¡± She admitted it inly. It would have been wiser to use the magic stone¡¯s power, even if only to avoid being dragged away. However. ¡°If that were the case, I wouldn¡¯t have left the academy in the first ce.¡± The power of the magic stone was extraordinary. But it paled inparison to Dale¡¯s fire. It was far easier to control the blessing with Dale¡¯s fire by her side than through the magic stone. ¡°Even so¡­ I must ovee this on my own.¡± Whether it was Dale or the magic stone, relying solely on others to wield the blessing was uneptable. If she couldn¡¯t control it with her own hands, her own strength¡­ then there was no ce for her alongside herpanions. ¡°How foolish.¡± ¡°I think so too. But¡­¡± With a faint, precarious smile, Lanez took a step forward. Whooooosh! The raging snowstorm savaged her body. It hurt. It was cold. Unbearable and excruciating. Even so. ¡°I won¡¯t give up.¡± Amid the raging snowstorm, her unwavering violet eyes fixed on the wolf mask. ¡°¡­Tch.¡± Clicking his tongue, the wolf mask scowled at her. ¡°It seems I¡¯ll have to revise the information about Lanez Mm¡¯s personality.¡± Weak, timid, with low self-esteem and heavy reliance on others¡ªthat had been the existing assessment. But the Lanez standing tall amid the savage snowstorm didn¡¯t match any of that. ¡°Still, first things first¡­ I need to bring you to Him!¡± Boom! The wolf mask kicked off the ground, charging forward. His massive greatsword sliced through the raging snowstorm as it swung toward her. ¡°Haaap!¡± Lanez let out a sharp cry, stretching out her hand. The raging snowstorm coalesced into a wall. It was unstable, with cracks forming as though it might shatter at any moment. ng! Crash! The greatsword collided with the wall, shattering it. The fragments of ice from the shattered wall flew, showering both the wolf mask and Lanez. ¡°Guh¡­¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Groans escaped from both of them simultaneously. Lanez, being in the path of the sword¡¯s swing, bore the brunt of the ice shards. But. ¡°Obey¡­ mymand!¡± Just before the shards could tear into her body, they halted abruptly right in front of her skin. She lowered her outstretched hand roughly and shouted. ¡°Freeze!¡± The ice shards remained suspended in midair. Lanez, refusing to give up, kept shouting. ¡°Freeze! Freeze! Just freeze already!!!¡± Her voice, filled with desperation and anguish, tore through the storm. ¡°Do you think yelling will grant you control over the blessing?¡± The wolf mask shook his head in disdain. But then. Crack-crack-crack! ¡°¡­!¡± The frozen shards of ice scattered across the air, as if the void itself had frozen over. The raging snowstorm intertwined with the ice shards, blooming like petals. It looked just like¡­ ¡°A¡­ snowflower?¡± A massive snowflower bloomed in the air. ¡°Hah¡­ hah¡­ hah!¡± Panting heavily, Lanez gazed at the enormous snowflower. Instinctively, she knew how to wield it. ¡°Kaihwa (Blossom).¡± Whooooosh! The petals fully unfurled, unleashing a fierce snowstorm. The ice shards rained down on the wolf mask.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Each shard carried a fearsome chill. ¡°Tch¡­!¡± ng! ng! ng! The wolf mask spun his greatsword like a windmill, deflecting the shards. But it didn¡¯tst long. One by one, the shards pierced through his defense and lodged into his body. ¡°This is¡­ difficult.¡± Clicking his tongue softly, the wolf mask made his decision. Realizing he couldn¡¯t win, he turned and fled without hesitation. ¡°Stop right there¡­!¡± Lanez tried to send ice shards after him, but. Crack! ¡°Ahhh!¡± The snowflower shattered. The ice shards went berserk, flying in all directions. Boom! The ground touched by the shards turned pale white, frozen solid. At that moment. ¡°Lanez!¡± A voice, so familiar, echoed in her ears. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w "Ah..." Lanez''s eyes widened in shock. Even though they hadn''t been apart for even a full day, just hearing his voice made her heart pound as if it would burst. "...Dale." "Damn it! Stay right there!" Dale stormed toward her with an angry expression. Shards of ice that had been swirling everywhere aimed themselves at him, but¡ª "Out of my way." Fwoosh! The fierce ze that erupted from him instantly melted the ice shards. Step. Step. Dale moved toward Lanez, melting the icy storm surrounding them. Lanez bit her lip hard and shouted. "Don¡¯t¡ªdon¡¯te any closer!" "No, I¡¯m taking you with me." Dale shook his head resolutely, continuing his stride. "Ah, no! That¡¯s not why I told you not toe! If youe now¡­ it¡¯ll all be meaningless!" "...What?" Dale looked at her with a puzzled expression, trying to make sense of her words. Lanez clenched her fists and ced a trembling hand over her chest. "I¡­ I can¡¯t ept help!" If she took Dale''s help, she''d be able to easily control the rampaging blessing within her. But if she did that¡ª It would mean she couldn''t control her blessing without him. To stay by his side. To keep those dear to her safe. "I have to¡­! With my own strength¡­! I need to do it alone¡­!" She reached out her hand toward the raging blizzard. "Ah, ugh!" Her outstretched hand turned blue, decaying rapidly, and excruciating pain shot up her arm. It hurt. It hurt so much. The pain overwhelmed her, even with Dale standing right in front of her. "AAAAAAARGH!" "Lanez!" Dale tried to rush toward her, unable to stand by any longer. Thud! A massive spear of ice struck the ground right in front of him, blocking his path. "I can do this¡­ alone¡­!" Lanez gritted her teeth, raising her decayed, frostbitten hand once more. She could do it. No¡ªshe had to. ¡®I¡¯ve been running¡­ all my life.¡¯ Yes. Her life had been a never-ending series of escapes. Fleeing from her mother who had killed her father. Fleeing from the people who mocked her as a witch. Even fleeing from the person she cherished the most. She had run away, closed her eyes, shut her ears, and suppressed her heart. She had convinced herself it was the only way. But¡ª "I don¡¯t¡­ want to run away anymore!" This warmth she had finally found. This happiness she had yearned for all her life. She didn¡¯t want to destroy it with her own hands. "I¡­!" CRAAAAASH! The raging blizzard surged even more violently. The berserk frost blessing froze the entire surroundingnd. Centuries-old trees, iron-hard rocks, even the leaves fluttering in the wind¡ª All froze and shattered. In the wake of the rampaging blessing, a pure white expanse of snow stretched endlessly. ¡®...Ah.¡¯ Lanez recalled what Dale had told her. How, in a past life, he had wandered through such a frozen continent in search of the Primordial me, all because of her power. ¡®He had been in a ce¡­ this cold and terrifying.¡¯ For an immeasurably long time. "¡­¡­." Lanez didn¡¯t know what kind of existence she had been in her past life. She didn¡¯t know why she had be the ¡°Witch of the Night,¡± ughtering millions. And she didn¡¯t want to know. But¡ª Lanez knelt, cing a hand on the snowy expanse. Haa. Even just breathing froze the air into crystals. A brutally cold, suffocatingly white world. "Dale." With a faint smile, Lanez grasped the snow with her frostbitten hand. Slowly, she stood up, pressing the handful of snow against her left chest. "I won¡¯t let you feel cold anymore." Just as Dale had shown her warmth¡ª Now it was her turn to give warmth to him. Whooosh! The raging blizzard was drawn into the stigma carved into Lanez¡¯s body. In an instant, the endless snowfield melted, returning thend to its vibrant, green state. "...Lanez." "Hehe. I did it." Lanez smiled brightly. Stagger. Her body swayed, losing bnce as she copsed. "Lanez!" Dale rushed forward, catching her as she fell. Even without using his mes, a warm, gentle heat spread between them. "Dale¡­ I did it¡­ with my own strength¡­." "...Yeah." "Hehe. I did well, didn¡¯t I?" "Yeah, you did great." Dale smiled softly, stroking her back. "So, no more dropping out, right?" "Ah¡­." Only then did Lanez remember she had run away from school without permission. Blushing furiously, she lowered her head. "...Sorry." "It¡¯s fine." Dale gently lifted her chin, leaning in to kiss her. "Mmph?!" Lanez¡¯s eyes widened in shock at the sudden kiss. "D-D-Dale?! Y-you suddenly¡ªk-kissing?!" Her flustered reaction made Dale chuckle softly. In the aftermath of the storm, the ce that had been frozen solid was now filled with warmth¡ªone that felt impossible in winter. [PR/N: Trash. I said it before and I¡¯ll say it again, he¡¯s trash.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 199: Interlude – A Warm Winter (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 199: Interlude ¨C A Warm Winter (2) Bang! The solid wooden desk in the professor¡¯s office shook as if it were about to break apart. Professor Lucas''s face twisted into a fierce scowl, as if he might tear me to shreds at any moment. "You¡­! Are you seriously calling that a solution?!" "A solution? I¡¯m just stating the facts as they are." I shrugged nonchntly, maintaining a calm expression. Professor Lucas gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes. "Who¡¯s going to believe that? Everyone at the academy knows you¡¯ve been sticking close to Cadet Lanez recently!" "Then I¡¯ll just say I kept her by my side to torment her." "You little¡­!" "Does it even matter what the truth is?" Right. The truth never really matters. Only what looks like the truth does. "¡­¡­." Professor Lucas''s gaze grew dark and heavy. "In exchange, you¡¯ll be disciplined." "I understand." "Your reputation will take a hit among those who don¡¯t know the full story." "Do I even have a reputation left to lose?" "¡­I might be able to prevent you from being expelled, but you¡¯ll still face heavy punishment." "It¡¯s not like this is my first time." "¡­¡­." Watching me answer so calmly, Professor Lucas massaged his temples as if he were nursing a headache. "You¡¯ll probably face at least two penalties at once¡­ which means you¡¯ll receive zero points this semester regardless of your exam scores." "Oh." That¡¯s a bit of a problem. ¡®I thought I¡¯d still have one more chance after this punishment.¡¯ Given the gravity of the incident, it seemed unlikely to end with just one penalty. "Well¡­ it can¡¯t be helped." Honestly, I desperately wanted to escape this tiresome low standing. But there was no way I could just sit back and watch Lanez get expelled. "Haah. You¡¯re just¡­." Professor Lucas let out a deep sigh. "So, will you help me?" Of course, taking someone else¡¯s punishment isn¡¯t as simple as it sounds. If simply saying, "I did it because someone told me to," could get you off the hook, the system would be ripe for abuse. However, if Professor Lucas himself stepped forward as a witness, it was a different story. "¡­¡­." After closing his eyes and thinking for a while, Professor Lucas clicked his tongue and opened his desk drawer. He pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to me. "This is a testimony form. Fill it out and submit it by tomorrow." "Thank you." "Get lost. I don¡¯t want to see your face." Waving his hand as if swatting away an insect, Professor Lucas dismissed me. Suppressing a chuckle, I took the testimony form and turned to leave. "Dale." "Yes?" "I¡¯ll do my best to ensure this doesn¡¯t get out." With a face as fierce as a hungry beast, Professor Lucas spoke. Barely holding back myughter, I walked out. ¡®Seriously.¡¯ He¡¯s always so different from how he looks. * * * A few days after themotion over Lanez'' unauthorized withdrawal attempt. Lanez and I headed to the mountain behind the academy where we usually trained. "Whew." Lanez extended her hand with a tense expression. Whiiiiiir! A fierce snowstorm gathered in her palm. Swirling snowkes. Amidst the freezing ground, a single white snowflower bloomed. "Freeze!" Crack! With her ringing cry, the snowflower blossomed fully, scattering snowkes all around. At first nce, it seemed like the snowkes were scattering chaotically, but they precisely targeted and froze only what she aimed for. "How¡­ how was it?" Lanez looked at me nervously. I smiled in satisfaction and nodded. "Perfect." Her control over her blessing had improved to the point whereparisons to her previous state felt almost unfair. ¡®Her blessing¡¯s power is still weaker than what I saw in my past life, though.¡¯ Even so, her control was near perfect now¡ªfar better than when she indiscriminately froze enemies and allies alike. "Hehe, I¡¯m d¡­." Smiling bashfully, Lanez seemed to notice the difference herself. "Does this mean I won¡¯t be the ¡®Witch of the Night¡¯?" "Of course." I smiled faintly and nodded. "And even if your blessing goes out of control again, I¡¯ll make sure to help you." "¡­Thanks, Dale." Lanez nodded firmly. "Alright, let¡¯s keep training, then." "W-Wait! Before that¡­ here." Lanez handed me a neatly folded white shirt. "You know, the one I said I¡¯d wash¡­." "Oh, right." I hadpletely forgotten. "Wow¡­ how many times did you wash this? It looks brand new." "I-I scrubbed it really hard! It was my fault, after all!" "It was just some soup that got spilled. Hardly a crime." I stifled a small chuckle as I took the shirt. "Um... Dale." Lanez clenched her fists tightly and continued speaking. "Yeah?" "I... I won''t run away anymore. No matter how hard or painful things get... I won''t run." With resolute eyes, Lanez spoke each word clearly. "So you don''t have to stay with me during training anymore." "...Lanez." "I can do it. Without you." "......" Memories of when I first met her came flooding back. She had been trembling like a frightened child, curled up and shivering from the cold. Back then, she had longed desperately for the warmth of others. But now, she had grown strong enough to stand on her own. "......" It felt like watching a child who¡¯d been wasting away in their room finallynd a job. An indescribable sense of pride filled my heart. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun]@@novelbin@@ w "Still... it''s strange," Lanez said. "What is?" "I mean, the school hasn''t said anything. I thought I was going to get into big trouble." Lanez tilted her head, puzzled. "Well... maybe since you came back in just a day, they decided to let it go." "Maybe?" "Don¡¯t overthink it. Let¡¯s just get back to training." As I tried to change the subject and refocus on training¡ª "Ah, Dale. Sorry, but is it okay if I head back a little early today?" "Huh? Why?" "Um, I have... something I need to do." Scratching her cheek awkwardly, Lanez gave me a sheepish smile. I had no idea what this "something" was, but... "Sure, fine. Let¡¯s wrap up early today then." I nodded, and we returned to the school together. "Okay, I¡¯ll see youter!" As soon as we arrived, Lanez dashed off somewhere. I shrugged as I watched her retreating figure. "Well, I guess it all worked out in the end?" Thanks to this incident, Lanez was now able to control the Blessing of Frost on her own. And I had managed to uncover a bit of information about a hero colluding with Mephisto. ¡®This should¡¯ve given Lanez more confidence in herself, too.¡¯ I thought back to her efforts to control the blessing¡¯s power entirely on her own, without my help. It was a side of her I never could¡¯ve imagined before. Her arms had turned blue with necrosis, yet she¡¯d somehow managed to control the power of the blessing using only her own strength. The memory brought a smile to my lips. ¡®Maybe this will help her get over her tendency to cling to me too much.¡¯ With that thought, I made my way back to the dormitory. Click. Lanez entered her room and ced the envelope she had been holding onto the table. ¡°Woohoo. Hehehe.¡± She looked at the envelope and smiled dazedly, as if enchanted. "Let¡¯s see now..." Handling it as though it were a treasure, she carefully pulled out its contents. Inside the envelope were photographs of Dale, printed on luxurious paper. ¡°Kyahhhh!¡± Lanez spread the photos out on the table, letting out a scream of pure joy. "Ah, seeing them like this is so much better than looking at them on my Hero Watch." She had painstakingly selected only the best from her "Dale Collection," and seeing them disyed like this filled her with deep satisfaction. "Now then..." She gingerly picked up one of the photos and walked over to the wall. "Humming~?" Humming a little tune, she began to stick the photos to the wall. Not just the wall¡ªsoon the ceiling and even the floor were covered with pictures of Dale. "Hehehe. Dale... I love you so much..." Photos of Dale smiling, eating, chatting¡ªall sorts of moments were captured. But among them, one stood out as her absolute favorite. ¡°Ahh, yes... this one is perfect.¡± It was a picture of Dale drying his hair after stepping out of a hot spring. With a towel around his neck, his half-damp hair, and the glimpse of his toned chest muscles peeking out from his loosely tied robe... Gulp. Lanez, as if spellbound, reached out to touch the image of Dale¡¯s chest with her fingers. For some reason, even though she knew it was just a photo, it felt as though she could feel Dale¡¯s warmth through her fingertips. ¡°Hehe. I¡¯m so d I got this.¡± She silently thanked Iris in her heart. ¡°And now, the final touch...¡± Lanez pulled out the shirt Dale had worn. There were still faint traces of soup stains on it, but such trivial details didn¡¯t bother her in the least. ¡°Here we go.¡± She wrapped the shirt around an extra pillow. Then she carefully affixed a photo of Dale¡¯s face to the top of the pillow. ¡°Perfect!¡± Looking at her Dale pillow creation, Lanez let out another delighted squeal. ¡°Oh no... Don¡¯t stare at me like that, Dale...¡± She fidgeted shyly in front of the pillow, twisting her body as if embarrassed, before darting into the shower. "I¡¯ll be right back, Dale!" Shhhhhhh. After thoroughly washing herself, she changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed. Sssss... Haaah. Burying her face deeply into the shirt, she inhaled his scent, which seemed to wrap around her entire body. Squirming under the covers, Lanez whispered, ¡°Haah¡­¡± The sound of her breathless sighs heated the cold room like a fire. It was a warm winter night. [TL/N: WTF??? ??] [PR/N: DUDE EVERYONE IS NASTY IN THIS NOVEL WHAT] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 201: Traitors (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 201: Traitors (2) Disciplinary Committee¡¯s Decision One-month suspension extension. Reduction of government subsidies. Well, I didn¡¯t really need the meager government subsidies from the Republic anymore, anyway. ¡®Feels like I¡¯m not even attending school anymore.¡¯ After a two-week suspension followed by a one-month extension, it truly felt as if I had dropped out. Sigh. At midday, with the sun high in the sky, I let out anguid sigh while sprawled on my bed. Up until recently, I at least had something to do, helping Lanez with her grace control training. But now, during actual ss hours, I had absolutely nothing to upy myself with. I was basically experiencing the quintessential life of an unemployed cker. ¡®Training only goes so far.¡¯ As for the recently acquired Cmity me, using it even once would drain my mana like water leaking from a broken dam, making continuous practice difficult. Practicing basic martial arts or swordsmanship was also out of the question, as I had already surpassed the level where such training would yield any significant improvement. In short, the situation could be summed up as follows: ¡®I¡¯ve got nothing to do.¡¯ Yep, absolutely nothing. Painfully so. ¡°¡­Oh,e to think of it, is the holy relic finished yet?¡± The holy relic left behind by Grace when her soul vanished. I had secretly handed it over to Professor Jade, asking him to turn it into an artifact. Since I had nothing else to do, I sent Professor Jade a message, but... [Still needs more time.] The reply was that it wasn¡¯t ready yet. [I¡¯m making it as discreetly as possible, which makes gathering the necessary materials a bit tricky.] ¡°Ugh.¡± It couldn¡¯t be helped. I was already disciplined for trespassing on Grace¡¯s tomb, so if it became known that I was in possession of her holy relic, I could end up beingbeled as an enemy of the Holy Kingdom. [Understood. Take your time making it.] [Leave it to me.] [Thank you, as always.] [No need for thanks. A holy relic with this much divine energy is a first for me¡ªit¡¯s fascinating to study.] I wished he¡¯d prioritize crafting the artifact over research, though. As I smiled wryly and was about to close the message window... Ding. A clear chime rang out. I thought it might be another message from Professor Jade, but there wasn¡¯t. ¡°Iris?¡± Instead, it was a message from Iris. [Have you had lunch yet?] [Not yet.] [Wanna eat together? I¡¯m at the central za right now.] [On my way.] This was a wee invitation. I quickly got up, changed clothes, and headed toward the central za. ¡°Ha ha ha!¡± ¡°So? What happened then?¡± ¡°Wanna go to Valha City this weekend?¡± ¡°Wow~ sounds great, senior!¡± As I approached the central za, cheerfulughter and small groups of cadets chatting in pairs came into view. ¡°Ugh.¡± Right. This was what the central za was like during lunch hours. Since I usually stuck to the cafeteria, I had forgotten. ¡®The ce with the most couples on campus.¡¯ Instead of using the perfectly good cafeteria, this was where cadets came to disy their affection in public. Lunch hours in the central za were practically synonymous with PDA Central. ¡®It used to feel like I lived in a different world.¡¯ Was this how citizens of the Republic felt when they first arrived in this otherworld 500 years ago? Looking at the za¡¯s scenery¡ªthe cadets seemingly here to eat but actually marking their territory¡ªI wondered if I truly belonged at this hero academy. ¡®But.¡¯ That was the me from a previous life, who stood at a distance, ring at the couples with envy. Now... ¡°Ah, over here, Dale!¡± Iris waved at me with a radiant smile. Sitting on a pic mat spread on the grass beside the central za, her bright expression made me smile involuntarily. ¡°How was ss?¡± ¡°Same as usual.¡± Smiling softly, Iris pulled out a sandwich from the basket and handed it to me. As I reached out to take it... ¡°Dale.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Say ahhh.¡± Instead of giving it to my hand, she brought the sandwich directly to my mouth. Taking a bite, I clenched my fist triumphantly. ¡®Yes, this is the life.¡¯ In my previous life, I¡¯d watched the couples in the za and grumbled about how hero candidates with a duty to safeguard the continent¡¯s future had no business dating, let alone monopolizing public spaces. But honestly? I was just insanely jealous. At the time, I neither had the leisure nor the ability to enjoy my youth. ¡°Is it good?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Hehe. d you like it.¡± Seeing Iris¡¯s shy smile, all the regrets of my past life melted away. ¡°By the way...¡± Looking down at therge pic mat spread across the grass, I asked: ¡°Isn¡¯t this mat a bit too big?¡± ¡°Oh, Yurina and Senior Lanez are joining us soon.¡± ¡°Ah, you invited them too.¡± ¡°¡­Technically, they found out and tagged along.¡± ¡°Tagged along?¡± ¡°Ugh, it¡¯splicated.¡± Iris sighed and shook her head. Well, I¡¯m not sure of the exact circumstances, but... It seems that Yurina and Lanez will arrive here soon enough. ¡°There you are.¡± ¡°Ah, Iris... That¡¯s so unfair!¡± No sooner had she spoken than Yurina and Lanez appeared. Lanez had puffed her cheeks, sulking with a pouty expression, as though something had happened earlier. ¡°We can talk about thatter. Let¡¯s eat first.¡± Sitting together on the pic mat, they started eating the sandwiches Iris had brought. Yurina, Iris, and Lanez, all gathered around. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡®Looking at us like this, we might seem like two couples on a double date.¡¯ Of course, the reality was far from a warm and romantic scene of a double date between couples¡ªit was more like an intense battleground vying over the prize of a single prey. ¡°Hmph. I brought sandwiches that are pretty big, but with four people, the space feels a little tight. Come closer to my side, Dale.¡± ¡°No,e over here instead.¡± ¡°H-Hmm¡­ I¡¯m small, so wouldn¡¯t it be fine if I just sat on Dale¡¯sp?¡± The fierce battle of nerves continued. As I struggled to suppress a wry smile at the absurd gap between my past and present lives¡­ ¡°Oh my gosh!¡± ¡°Eek!¡± ¡°Are you insane?¡± A suddenmotion broke out in the central za. When I turned my head, a couple was standing there, kissing passionately in front of the crowd. Even in the central za, known for couples gathering and indulging in embarrassing disys of affection, such bold skinship was rare to witness. ¡°Hmm. T-They¡¯re quite bold.¡± ¡°D-Don¡¯t they feel embarrassed doing that in front of others?¡± ¡°S-So jealous¡­¡± Iris, Yurina, and Lanez all madements as they watched the kissing couple. ¡°Fufu. Should we kiss too, Dale?¡± ¡°If we did something like that, Cami would throw a fitter.¡± ¡°Oh,e on, it¡¯s just a kiss.¡± Iris shrugged her shoulders nonchntly, a rxed expression on her face. Her demeanor caused Yurina to frown. ¡°Just a kiss? Do you even understand how big of a deal a kiss is?¡± ¡°Oh my, Yurina¡ªor should I say, Yuren¡ªdon¡¯t act like you don¡¯t have any experience. You¡¯ve kissed plenty, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°N-No, I haven¡¯t!¡± Yurina shouted, her face turning red. @@novelbin@@ Iris widened her eyes in surprise and asked again. ¡°¡­You haven¡¯t? Not even once?¡± ¡°So what? Got a problem with that?¡± With her cheeks puffed up in a pout (please, don¡¯t do that while looking like a guy), Yurina retorted. ¡°Not really¡­ I just assumed you had, that¡¯s all.¡± Iris looked genuinely taken aback, as though she couldn¡¯t imagine Yurina not having kissed anyone yet. ¡°I¡¯m not like you, Iris! Listen up: it doesn¡¯t matter who did it first or how often. What¡¯s more important is how beautiful the experience was.¡± Yurina tried to sound dignified as she continued. ¡°Just like how first impressions shape over 90% of how you perceive someone, a first kiss ys an incredibly important role in a rtionship¡¯s future!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± If only she knew. Her actual first kiss had been when she was drunk, and she had run straight to the bathroom to throw up right after. ¡®Good thing I never mentioned that.¡¯ Breathing a sigh of relief, I watched Iris and Yurina bicker. ¡°Hmph. I don¡¯t know. To me, it just sounds like an excuse from an inexperienced maiden who¡¯s never kissed anyone.¡± ¡°Inexperienced¡­! Did you just call me inexperienced?¡± ¡°No~ not so much inexperienced, more like¡­ pathetic? Something like that.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Yurina¡¯s clenched fists trembled with anger. Meanwhile, Iris, looking utterly amused, teased her with a glint in her eye. ¡®Yep, no mercy for the people she gets close to.¡¯ Back when they weren¡¯t as familiar with each other, Iris would politely call her ¡°Miss Yurina¡± and maintain a respectful distance. But as with Cami, once she grewfortable, her true nature(?) emerged. ¡°I honestly thought you and Dale had kissed long ago, Yurina. Who¡¯d have guessed you hadn¡¯t even done that yet?¡± ¡°You¡­ you¡­!¡± ¡°Hohoho, go on. Keep waiting for your perfect moment like you always do~.¡± Iris was clearly enjoying herself, while Yurina bit her lip and trembled with rage. ¡°Hmph! Just wait and see. I¡¯ll make our first kiss so romantic that Dale will never forget it for the rest of his life!¡± Resolute, Yurina clenched her fist and turned to Lanez, who was quietly munching on her sandwich. ¡°Lanez, don¡¯t just sit there¡ªback me up here!¡± ¡°H-Huh? Me?¡± ¡°Yes! You haven¡¯t kissed Dale either, right?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ w-well¡­¡± Blushing slightly, Lanez averted her eyes. Noticing the peculiar atmosphere surrounding Lanez, Yurina¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°S-Senior¡­ don¡¯t tell me¡­?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Lanez lowered her head, letting out a small groan as though embarrassed. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Yurina¡¯s face turned pale. Iris had shared her first kiss with Dale long ago, even without bringing their past lives into it. Professor Elisha had kissed Dale even earlier than Iris had. ¡®And now Lanez too¡­¡¯ In other words¡ª ¡°Then¡­ everyone¡­ except me¡­ has kissed him?¡± Yurina¡¯s voice trembled faintly. [PR/N: Maybe the traitors are the friends we thought were friends but actually stole your crush.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 203: Traitors (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 203: Traitors (4) Valha City¡¯s Commercial District. It was the most crowded ce in the expansive Valha City, a melting pot where the diverse cultures and goods of the three nations intertwined. It was the most popr destination for young cadet couples on their weekend outings, though you didn¡¯t have to be a cadet to enjoy the district. The streets were always bustling with energy, teeming with residents of Valha City and tourists from across the three nations. As the younger cadets who had recently enrolled would put it, it was the ¡°hottest¡± spot in Valha City. ¡°Um¡­ Dale.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± The silver-haired woman walking beside me drew all the eyes around us as we strolled down the street. Her silvery hair, braided as though woven from moonlight, was tied back in a neat ponytail. She wore a skirt that revealed her pale, graceful legs and a blouse with a hint of cleavage showing. It was Yurina. Yurina, seemingly unustomed to wearing skirts, gripped the hem nervously and looked at me with concern. ¡°Do I¡­ look weird?¡± ¡°Weird?¡± Thanks to Iris¡¯s help with light makeup, Yurina was breathtakingly beautiful¡ªso much so that it was hard to catch my breath just looking at her. ¡°You look amazing.¡± ¡°R-Really?¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°Yeah. But¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± If there was one downside¡­ She¡¯s attracting way too much attention. I directed a subtle but sharp re toward the men ogling her with their jaws hanging open. Startled as if scalded, they quickly recoiled and slunk away. Clicking my tongue, I turned back to Yurina. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel cold wearing that? It¡¯s pretty chilly today.¡± ¡°Hehe. I¡¯m fine.¡± Fair enough. Though she looked delicate, Yurina was a superhuman capable of tearing steel apart with her bare hands. The winter chill wasn¡¯t likely to faze her, even with her legs exposed. ¡°Still, just in case, we should stop by a clothing storeter and get you some stockings.¡± ¡°Oh~ What¡¯s this, Dale? Do you like stockings?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that.¡± ¡°Then you don¡¯t like them?¡± ¡°...¡± Sigh. Stockings, huh? I shook my head firmly. ¡°I have no particr interest in stockings.¡± ¡°Hmm, really?¡± ¡°Yes. I only suggested buying them because it¡¯s winter, and they¡¯d keep you warm. It¡¯s purely for practical reasons and has no other¡­.¡± ¡°ck or white¡ªwhich do you prefer?¡± ¡°They each have their appeal. ck stockings highlight a sense of sophistication, while white stockings exude purity. It¡¯s hard to choose between the two. Personally, if they¡¯re slightly see-through, like when wet, white stockings are charming. In everyday situations, ck stockings tend to be more alluring. Considering we¡¯re not near any water today, I¡¯d say ck stockings would be a more ssically¡­.¡± Wait. ¡°D-Dale¡­ you really do like stockings, huh?¡± ¡°N-No! That¡¯s not it!!!¡± ¡°Hehe. Got it. I¡¯ll buy a pair and wear themter.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Yurina smiled sweetly and nodded as if she¡¯d reached her own conclusion. Despite my best efforts to clear up the misunderstanding, Yurina only responded with a knowing ¡°Ah, I see~¡± expression and refused to budge. ¡°¡­Damn it.¡± ¡°So, Dale, have you thought about where we¡¯re going today?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Somewhere suitable for a date, huh? When I¡¯d gone out with Iris before, we¡¯d gone to the movies, but that wasn¡¯t an option this time. The purpose of today¡¯s outing wasn¡¯t a simple date¡ªit was to track down a suspicious masked group that had been making wavestely. ¡°For now, let¡¯s stick to crowded areas.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ wouldn¡¯t demons prefer hiding in less popted ces?¡± ¡°That¡¯s likely, but crowded areas make it easier to observe movements.¡± Besides, there was something I hadn¡¯t told Yurina yet. The mysterious masked group we were looking for might include not just demons but also ¡°heroes.¡± If they¡¯re not all demons, there¡¯s no reason for them to avoid public ces. Drawing on my mana, I heightened my sensory perception and scanned the bustling streets. ¡°Anywhere you want to go, Yurina?¡± ¡°Hmm. Nothing specifices to mind. Hehe, this is my first date, after all.¡± Yurina scratched her head shyly andughed. Stifling a chuckle, I started walking. ¡°Then let¡¯s just stroll for now.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Matching my pace to hers, we began leisurely exploring the streets. ¡°¡­Hey, Dale.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ getting really cold, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Well¡­ it is winter.¡± ¡°Right? And, um¡­ maybe it¡¯s because it¡¯s winter, but my hands are feeling a bit cold.¡± With that, she hesitantly extended her pale hands, which had been tucked into her pockets. Suppressing a grin, I nced down at her hands, which seemed to be making a strong case of their own. ¡°That¡¯s funny¡­ I think I heard someone say she wasn¡¯t cold earlier.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Haha. I¡¯m kidding.¡± I took her outstretched hand in mine. Although Yurina¡¯s superhuman body didn¡¯t seem to register the cold, holding hands like this made me feel warmer, somehow. ¡°Hehe. It¡¯s warm.¡± Yurina smiled softly and tightened her grip on my hand. Thus began our not-quite-a-date undercover investigation. As a seemingly ordinary couple blending into the crowd, Yurina and I roamed the bustling streets of Valha City, keeping a sharp eye out. ¡°Hmm. Just looking like this, I can¡¯t tell anything at all.¡± Although I was heightening my sensory perception with magic, it was hard to single out a suspicious individual from the hundreds or thousands of people walking through the streets. "Don''t rush. Let''s take our time looking. Professor Elisha said it might not be easy to find them in just one day." "Yeah." As I continued walking through the streets, holding Yurina''s hand. "...Ah." Yurina suddenly stopped in her tracks. "What''s wrong?" "...Dale, do you want to go in there?" The ce Yurina pointed to was a clothing store in the busy shopping district. It was the same store we had visited the first time we snuck out of school and ventured into Valha City. "Wow, this brings back memories." "Hehe. Right? It feels like ages ago, even though it wasn''t that long." "Back then, I didn''t even know you were a girl." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Thinking about it, so much had happened in just these past few months. "Let''s go in." "Okay!" Ding. As we opened the door, a small bell chimed pleasantly. "Dale, over here." Yurina pulled me by the hand to the women''s clothing section¡ªan area we hadn''t explored on our previous visit. ''Come to think of it, she was staring at the women''s section back then too.'' At the time, I didn''t know that Yurina''s true identity was disguised as ''Yuren,'' so I had found her lingering gaze towards the women''s clothing section a bit odd. Now, understanding how she must have felt back then, a pang of emotion tugged at my chest. "Wow..." Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she browsed the racks of women''s clothing. "It was always my dream toe here and buy clothes." "...The women''s section?" "Yeah. Back when I was ''Yuren,'' I couldn''t buy the clothes I wanted, even if I saw something I liked." "......" To call it a dream might seem like an exaggeration, but for someone like her¡ªforced to live as ''Yuren''¡ªit must have been an unattainable wish. Swallowing my wry smile, I tugged on her hand gently. "Pick whatever you like. I''ll buy it all for you." "Oh, no. I have enough money to buy my own clothes¡ª" "I want to gift it to you." "Ugh... then I''ll really pick something I like, okay?" "Please do, mydy." I exaggerated my movements as if escorting a noblewoman¡ªwhich, in fairness, she was¡ªand Yurina burst intoughter. "What''s so funny?" "Ahaha. It doesn''t suit you at all, Dale." "Ugh." "But... thank you." Still chuckling, Yurina let herself be led toward the racks, moving lightly as if her feet barely touched the ground. "Oh, right." Suddenly, she turned around, a yful glint in her eyes as she winked. "I''ll get some stockings you like too. ck ones." "......" No, I don''t like them, but she keeps insisting. "In that case, why not grab some white ones too? You never know when they mighte in handy." "...Dale." Why did it feel like her gaze toward me suddenly turned a little colder? "That''ll be 1,270 gold in total." "..." One thing I learned from buying women''s clothes was how absurdly expensive they werepared to men''s clothing. ''How can just a few items add up to over a thousand gold?'' Wearing a ten-gold shirt myself, I couldn''t help but feel conflicted about the price. "Thanks, Dale. I''ll wear them well." "It''s nothing." Though pricey, it was nothingpared to the gold I earned from selling Behemoth materials. "Wait outside, Dale. I have something else to buy." "Huh? I said I¡¯d buy everything for you." "Ah, no, it¡¯s just..." Blushing, Yurina nced toward a section of the store. It was the lingerie section. "...Ah." No matter how close we were, buying underwear for her would definitely feel awkward. "Got it. I''ll wait outside." "Y-Yeah! I¡¯ll be quick!" Yurina hurried off toward the lingerie section. A few minutes passed as I waited outside. ¡®She¡¯s taking a while.¡¯ Sitting on a bench outside the store, I nced inside, but Yurina was out of sight¡ªprobably because she was in the lingerie section. ¡®Well... it¡¯s probably her first time shopping for those.¡¯ Recalling the short time we had lived together, I remembered that Yurina had very few women¡¯s undergarments. Most of the time, she was in her disguised form as ''Yuren,'' only reverting to her true self before bed, so she didn¡¯t really need many. The ones I had seen while doingundry were simple, functional sportswear. ¡®She¡¯s probably taking her time choosing proper ones for the first time.¡¯ I didn¡¯t know much about women¡¯s underwear, but I imagined it would take more time than just picking a size like men typically did. At that moment. Ding. The bell chimed as someone exited the store. Thinking it might be Yurina, I turned my head¡ªbut it was a store clerk, carrying arge trash bag as she stepped out to empty the bins. She caught my gaze and smiled. "Excuse me." "Yes?" "Are you perhaps the boyfriend of the youngdy in the lingerie section? The one with silver hair?" "Ah, yes. That¡¯s me." "Ah, I see." She gave me a once-over and nodded knowingly. "Why do you ask?" "Oh, nothing, really..." The clerk nced back into the store before giving me a sly smile and a thumbs-up. "Tonight¡¯s going to be a night to remember." "......" What on earth did she buy? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 205: Traitors (6) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 205: Traitors (6) ¡°Huff, huff! Whew... That was close.¡± A boy with messy brown hair and ragged clothes, a pickpocket, managed to escape through the bustling streets of Valha City and found refuge in a narrow alleyway. He nced down at the shopping bag he¡¯d snatched and smirked. ¡°Let¡¯s see what¡¯s inside.¡± He wanted to open it right away, but getting back home safely was the priority. Lingering too close to the busy streets might mean someone tracking him down. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go.¡± Clicking his tongue, the boy made his way home. Winding through the maze of alleys, he arrived at a ce known as the ¡°Ant Nest,¡± a slum hidden deep within Valha City. The difference between this filthy, grimy neighborhood and the bustling city center he¡¯d just left was like night and day. ¡°Ren, I¡¯m back.¡± Inside a makeshift tent, a young girl in shabby clothes looked up at him. ¡°Oh¡­ Big brother, you¡¯re back?¡± The girl, called Ren, sat up groggily and shed him a bright smile. As she stared at him, her head tilted curiously. ¡°Who are the people behind you? Your friends?¡± ¡°What? Behind me? There¡¯s no one¡ª¡± ¡°Is this your home?¡± ¡°...!¡± The boy spun around in shock. Thwack! ¡°Ahh!¡± I flicked him lightly on the forehead, and he let out a scream, falling t on his back. The boy clutched his bruised forehead, tears forming in his eyes. ¡°Wh-Who are you guys?!¡± ¡°For a little brat, you¡¯re pretty quick on your feet.¡± ¡°Grrr¡­!¡± The boy scrambled to his feet and stood protectively in front of the girl in the tent. ¡°If¡­ If you¡¯re gonna hit someone, hit me! Ren didn¡¯t do anything wrong!¡± ¡°We¡¯re not here to hit anyone.¡± Suppressing a grin, I shrugged nonchntly. The boy narrowed his eyes at me. ¡°Then why were you following me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a few questions to ask.¡± ¡°Questions?¡± ¡°But first¡­¡± Smiling mischievously, I stepped closer to the boy. ¡°Let¡¯s fix that attitude of yours, shall we?¡± Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Three sharp flicks to his forehead followed in quick session. ¡°Arghhhhhh!!!¡± The boy rolled on the ground, clutching his head. Even though I had used minimal force, my naturally strong physique meant the impact was anything but light. ¡°Ugh¡­ You¡­ you bastard¡­!¡± ¡°Oh, not bad. You¡¯ve got some guts. Or is it just because there¡¯s a girl watching?¡± Whoosh. As I raised my hand again, the boy let out a yelp and quickly bowed his head. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°¡­Forget I said anything about guts.¡± Suppressing a chuckle, I looked down at the boy. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°L-Luca¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m Ren!!!¡± The girl in the tent waved enthusiastically, her smile beaming. ¡°She¡¯s your sister?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± Luca bit his lip and nodded. ¡®Luca and Ren¡­ Those names sound familiar for some reason¡­.¡¯ I wracked my brain, searching my past memories, but nothing immediately came to mind. ¡®That¡¯s not important right now.¡¯ Shaking my head, I refocused on Luca. ¡°I¡¯ve got a few things I want to ask you.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± ¡°You¡¯re usually out pickpocketing in the busy parts of Valha City, right?¡± ¡°Uh, no¡­ This is my first time¡ª¡± ¡°This time, it¡¯s not your forehead. It¡¯ll be your nose.¡± ¡°Eek! Y-Yes, I do it all the time!¡± ¡°Good.¡± Satisfied, I nodded with a smile. ¡°Have you noticed any strange people wearing masks recently?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Luca¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®Bingo.¡¯ As expected of a pickpocket, he seemed to be highly observant of his surroundings. ¡°W-Why are you looking for them?¡± Luca stammered, his voice trembling. The boy was so frightened that his lips turned pale. Seeing him like this, I frowned. His reaction suggested he hadn¡¯t just ¡°seen¡± the masked individuals but had gotten much more involved. ¡°Tell me everything you know about them.¡± ¡°¡­I-I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why not? Are you scared they¡¯ll retaliate if you talk?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Luca hung his head in silence. Hmm. What to do? ¡°Yurina,e here for a second.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I led Yurina aside for a moment. ¡°Did you bring that thing with you?¡± ¡°That thing¡­?¡± When I exined what I was referring to, she nodded and pulled out her ID from her pocket. From inside, she retrieved a golden badge etched with seven stars. The Seven-Star Badge. It was a symbol given only to the top student of each year at Hero Academy. ¡°And what are you going to do with this?¡± ¡°Just wait and see.¡± Taking the badge from her, I approached Luca again. ¡°Here. Look at this.¡± ¡°This is¡­ Oh! Isn¡¯t this the Seven-Star Badge? Only the top student at Hero Academy gets one! Y-You¡¯re a Hero Academy cadet?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± To the people of Valha City, Hero Academy cadets were figures of admiration. And the holder of the prestigious Seven-Star Badge was revered even more than many high-ranking heroes. ¡°I¡¯m currently on a special mission from the Headmaster, investigating those masked people.¡± ¡°The Headmaster of Hero Academy¡­ You mean the Thunder God, Lionel Ryu?!¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°W-Wow¡­!¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Luca¡¯s jaw dropped as he gasped in awe. ¡®Top student + a mission from the Thunder God¡¯¡ªto a boy who idolized heroes, thisbination was the ultimate trust booster. ¡°Well? Can you tell me about those masked people now?¡± ¡°Whew. Alright.¡± Swallowing hard, Luca finally began to speak. ¡°Those weird people wearing animal masks¡­ They¡¯ve been using the homeless and drifters in Valha City to run ¡®errands¡¯ for them.¡± ¡°Errands?¡± "Yeah. They gave me a list with pictures of people¡¯s faces and told me to report to them immediately if I saw any of those people in Valha City."@@novelbin@@ "¡­¡­." I see. So that''s why their intelligencework was unnaturally strong. "...Are you running one of those ''errands'' too?" "¡­¡­." Luca flinched, his shoulders trembling. "I-I had no choice! They said if I disobeyed, I''d be dragged off somewhere and killed!" "¡­¡­." Fair enough. I don¡¯t know all the details about those masked freaks either, but they¡¯re certainly not the kind of people a mere pickpocket boy could stand up to. "So?" "...Yes, I¡¯ve done errands for them too." "Have you actually reported anyone?" "...Yes." Luca nodded heavily. "That time... I saw a candidate with purple hair and reported her." A candidate with purple hair¡­ Could it be? "¡­Was it this woman?" I opened the photo album on my Hero Watch, scrolling through thousands of pictures of Lanez (she sends me dozens every day) and showed one to Luca. "Uh¡­ Y-yes, that¡¯s her." "¡­¡­." "Wh-what? Is she someone you know?" Luca looked at my stiff expression with unease. I couldn¡¯t help but feel something for the person who caused Lanez to be attacked by those masked freaks. "Sigh... Never mind." Getting mad at Luca now wouldn¡¯t solve anything. "I-I¡¯m sorry, okay? If I didn¡¯t report her, and they found out¡­." "I know. You and your little sister would¡¯ve been in danger." "Y-yeah, exactly!" "Still, that doesn¡¯t justify what you did. You saved yourself by selling someone else out." "Ugh¡­." Luca bit his lip, swallowing hard. "By the way, what happened to her?" "She¡¯s alive." "Oh¡­." Luca let out a small sigh of relief. Then he copsed to the ground, tears streaming down his face. "Th-thank goodness." "¡­¡­." "...I¡¯m sorry." "Don¡¯t bother. Apologizing won¡¯t change what you¡¯ve done." Tsk. I clicked my tongue and narrowed my eyes. "Instead, if there¡¯s a way for you to make amends, what would you do?" "I-I¡¯d do it! Whatever it is!" "Good." I smirked. If Luca cooperated, I might be able to get close to those masked freaks. "So... what¡¯s the n?" "Report them again. Tell them you found Lanez in the streets of Valha City." "...What?" Luca¡¯s eyes trembled violently. "You mean¡­ file a false report to lure them in?" "Exactly." "That¡¯s¡­." Luca''s face stiffened. He was probably worried that if his false report led to my death, he¡¯d also be killed by those people afterward. "What? Is it scary to risk your own life, even though you had no problem risking someone else¡¯s?" "¡­¡­." Had I hit a nerve? Luca lowered his head with a heavy expression. A tense silence hung in the air. Then Luca spoke, still looking down. "I¡¯ll do it." Clenching his fists, his voice trembled as he continued. "I¡¯m¡­ just a pickpocket with no parents, stealing from others just to get by." But still. Even so. "If I have a chance to take responsibility for what I¡¯ve done¡­ I want to take it." "¡­¡­." When Luca lifted his head, his eyes shone with firm determination. I grinned and nodded. "Good." "B-but! If I end up dying, can you at least protect Ren?" "Neither of you is going to die, so don¡¯t worry." I ruffled Luca¡¯s hair lightly and added. "If this works out, I¡¯ll introduce you to an orphanage." "...An orphanage?" "Yeah. One run by the Holy Kingdom." "But isn¡¯t that only for citizens of the Holy Kingdom?" "Well, if I vouch for you, they¡¯ll probably let you and your sister in." "R-really¡­?!" A spark of hope lit up in Luca¡¯s eyes. "I¡¯ll do my best to deceive them! I¡¯m good at acting, you know!" "Great. I¡¯m counting on you." I held out my hand with a grin. Luca grabbed it tightly, exhaling a determined breath. At that moment¡ª "Uh¡­ Um¡­ I hate to interrupt this touching moment, but¡­." Yurina approached Luca hesitantly. "So¡­ where¡¯s my shopping bag?" "Huh? Oh, I left it in the tent¡­." As we turned toward the tent, we saw¡ª "Wow!" Ren rummaging through the shopping bag. "Hey, hey! Look! There¡¯s some really skimpy underwear in here¡ª" "Kyaaaaaaa!!!" Yurina¡¯s scream echoed throughout the cave like a thunderp. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 206: Traitors (7) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 206: Traitors (7) Thus began the bait operation. While Luca was feeding false reports to the masked fiends, Yurina and I arrived at the predetermined spot to lure them in and waited for their arrival. ¡°...Nia.¡± ¡°Huh? What did you say?¡± ¡°It¡ªit wasn¡¯t me who bought it! The underwear from earlier!¡± Yurina eximed, her face flushing a fiery red. ¡°Alright, calm down. I didn¡¯t even get a look at it.¡± I awkwardly smiled and patted Yurina on the shoulder as she looked ready to cry at any moment. It was true that I didn¡¯t see the ¡°racy underwear¡± she had supposedly bought. Before Ren could even take it out of the shopping bag, Yurina had snatched the bag away like a bolt of lightning. ¡°I-it¡¯s just... the shop clerk said it was a must-buy! That¡¯s the only reason I got it! I was pressured into it!¡± ¡°Got it, got it.¡± I stroked Yurina¡¯s back as she sobbed, then nced around the area. We were near an abandoned building on the outskirts of a slum. No one lived in this vicinity, so even if the fight got intense, there was no need to worry. ¡°Whew.¡± ¡°Feeling better now?¡± ¡°Y-yeah. Sorry... I shouldn¡¯t be acting like this when we have something important ahead.¡± Yurina pped her cheeks with a sharp sound, then began scanning the surroundings alongside me. She carefully observed the terrain, tapping her foot lightly against the ground to check its firmness. To an outsider, she might have looked like she was aimlessly wandering, but this was a crucial part of preparing for a battle. ¡°This location works. It¡¯s not too open, but not too cramped, either.¡± The spot was excellent for a fight against multiple opponents. With the wall to our backs, it offered a tactical advantage. ¡°Dale, by the way... what do you think the goal of these masked fiends is?¡± ¡°No idea.¡± To be honest, I couldn¡¯t even hazard a guess about their intentions. ¡°Did anything like this happen in your past life?¡± ¡°Maybe. But even if it did, I wouldn¡¯t have known about it back then. I didn¡¯t have the means to conduct undercover investigations or even know of any suspicious fiend groups appearing in Valha City.¡± In my past life, I hadn¡¯t had any connections with Lionel, let alone Professor Elisha. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Yurina let out a small sigh, as if she had just recalled what kind of cadet I was in my past life. ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe¡­ that you, Dale, were a bottom-rank cadet.¡± ¡°I still am.¡± ¡°Ahaha, that¡¯s true.¡± Yurina chuckled lightly and continued. ¡°So you must¡¯ve worked really hard to be this strong.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do it alone. I¡¯ve told you before, haven¡¯t I?¡± Because you were there. I was able to be who I am. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yurina stared at me silently for a moment before smiling faintly. ¡°Same here. I¡­ wouldn¡¯t be who I am now if it weren¡¯t for you, Dale.¡± She gently caressed the sword at her waist as she spoke softly. ¡°Dale, can I fight on my own this time?¡± ¡°Huh? Why all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I want to show you. How much stronger I¡¯ve gotten, thanks to you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Allowing Yurina to fight alone when we didn¡¯t fully understand the masked group¡¯s capabilities wasn¡¯t the wisest decision. ¡°Alright. You can handle it this time.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± ¡°But if it gets dangerous, I¡¯ll step in immediately.¡± ¡°Hehe, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve gotten a lot stronger.¡± Yurina clenched her fist with a determined look, then spoke in a quiet voice. ¡°A-also¡­ if I do well¡­ you have to¡­ praise me again.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Her timid question brought a smallugh to my lips. ¡®But should I tell her?¡¯ About the possibility that these masked fiends might not be demons, but heroes. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± After pondering for a moment, I decided against it. ¡®Telling her might only hinder her in battle.¡¯ To heroes, demons weren¡¯t just other humans; they were monsters, creatures to be destroyed. Nopromise. No hesitation. Thus, wielding a de against demons came without second thoughts. ¡®But if they¡¯re heroes, it¡¯s a different story.¡¯ A battle against humans disguised as monsters was entirely different. For Yurina, who didn¡¯t yet have muchbat experience, it was clear which kind of fight she¡¯d find easier. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± I brushed off her concern and shifted my gaze to Yurina. Step, step. From a distance came faint footsteps. Almost inaudible, as if the intruders had trained to conceal their presence, but Yurina and I couldn¡¯t be fooled. ¡°They¡¯reing.¡± ¡°¡­Three of them.¡± The timid Yurina from earlier had vanished. Her sharp gaze turned toward the approaching figures. Soon, a group of masked fiends appeared from the alley. Each wore a mask: a wolf, a fox, and a rabbit. ¡°Halt.¡± The wolf-masked leader raised his hand. Upon spotting us, he furrowed his brows and nced around. ¡°...Tsk.¡± With just a brief nce, he seemed to realize they¡¯d walked into a trap. Clicking his tongue, the wolf-masked man turned without hesitation. ¡°Retreat.¡± ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Fwoosh! mes erupted, engulfing the surroundings and cutting off their escape route. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The wolf-masked man froze, staring at the zing fire. He turned to me, his furrowed brows deepening. ¡°¡­Who are you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯d like to ask.¡± Our gazes shed in the empty air. The wolf-masked man let out a deep sigh and spoke in a dry, raspy voice. ¡°There¡¯s no need for talk.¡± He drew a massive greatsword from his back. The fox- and rabbit-masked fiends followed suit, brandishing their own weapons. ¡°Straight to the point. I like that.¡± I stepped back and nced at Yurina. Yurina drew her sword from her waist and pointed it at the masked fiends. ¡°Valha City is a city of heroes.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Her silver aura zed fiercely. ¡°It¡¯s no ce for demons like you!¡± Boom! A brilliant silver sh. Yurina charged straight for the wolf-masked man, her sword slicing down. ng! The wolf-masked man raised his greatsword, blocking Yurina¡¯s attack. ng, ng, ng, ng, ng! In an instant. Dozens of strikes exchanged, a sh of auras filling the air. The ground cracked, and debris from the abandoned building scattered like snowkes. ¡°Grrr¡­!¡± The wolf-masked man grimaced, retreating under Yurina¡¯s relentless assault. "Haap!" Just as Yurina prepared to swing her sword at the retreating wolf mask¡ª Crackle! A blue bolt of lightning surged toward her. "Ugh...!" Turning her head, she saw the fox-masked figure aiming a staff in her direction. Yurina redirected her sword, initially intended for the wolf mask, toward the iing lightning. Sun Sword. Fifth Form, ck Spot. A swirling, silver aura formed a vortex. The blue lightning shot by the fox mask was sucked into the vortex and disappeared. ¡®One¡¯s a swordsman, the other¡¯s a mage, huh?¡¯ Yurina narrowed her eyes, carefully observing the wolf and fox masks. ¡®Then thest one must be...¡¯ She turned toward the rabbit mask. ¡°Hiiyaah!¡± With a grotesque scream, the rabbit mask pulled a bundle of needles from their sleeve and hurled it at her. The needles, their tips glistening ominously, likely coated with poison, shot toward Yurina. ¡®An assassin, huh?¡¯ ng, ng, ng! With a casual swing of her sword, Yurina deflected all the needles. ¡®But¡­ something feels off.¡¯ An unsettling sensation crawled up her spine, like trying to fit mismatched puzzle pieces together. A nauseating unease. Whoosh! Before she could pinpoint the source of her difort, the wolf mask¡¯s de shed toward her. ¡°Haap!¡± ng! With a sharp cry, Yurina parried the blow with her greatsword and scanned her surroundings warily. Three enemies. A warrior, a mage, and an assassin. ¡®In that case, the one I should target first is¡­¡¯ Step! Yurina pushed off toward the rabbit mask, swinging her sword. ¡°Eek¡­!¡± The rabbit mask, who had been flinging projectiles from a distance, hastily drew a dagger from their waist. And then¡ª Whoosh! Suddenly changing direction, Yurina charged at the fox mask instead. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The fox mask, in the middle of casting a spell with their staff, widened their eyes in shock. They stopped casting and tried to retreat, but Yurina¡¯s sword was faster, piercing the fox mask¡¯s abdomen. Thunk! ¡°Gahk! Guh¡­!¡± Coughing blood, the fox mask copsed.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Ah¡­ it hurts¡­ so much¡­¡± Blood poured from their pierced belly as the fox mask groaned in agony. Yurina looked down at the fallen fox mask coldly. ¡°So, demons do feel pain, huh?¡± Those who had forsaken humanity and embraced the power of demons. They were neither deserving of sympathy nor mercy. They were no longer human but enemies threatening mankind¡¯s survival. ¡°Please¡­ spare me¡­¡± ¡°Ha. After ughtering all those people in the slums, you beg for mercy now?¡± Yurina looked down at the fox mask with contempt. She hadn¡¯t spoken much with demons before, but they were exactly as she had been taught all her life. The Mad Archbishop, the Archbishop of Desire¡ªevery one of them casually took human lives without remorse. Viins¡ªno, monsters¡ªthat needed to be eradicated for humanity¡¯s future. That was what demons were. Thud. The fox mask fell to the ground. The mask slipped off, revealing the face of a bleeding woman. Her tear-streaked face and blue eyes stared up at Yurina, whose expression froze. ¡°¡­What?¡± One distinctive trait of demons was their crimson eyes. But there were no red eyes here. ¡°¡­Wait.¡± The unsettling sensation from earlier returned. The mismatched puzzle piece. ¡®Why didn¡¯t they use demonic energy?¡¯ Yes. If they were truly demons, they should have used the corrupted energy, ¡°magi,¡± born of demonic power. But throughout the battle, none of them had used magi. ¡°They¡­ weren¡¯t demons?¡± Yurina¡¯s face paled. No. They weren¡¯t demons. The masked figures weren¡¯t demons but heroes like her. Not demons, but humans. Just like her. ¡°¡­No¡­ That can¡¯t be. They had to be demons¡­¡± Yurina¡¯s voice trembled as she took a step back. The realization that the fox mask wasn¡¯t a demon turned her world white. Her hand, still clutching her sword, shook uncontrobly. The entrails spilling from the pierced abdomen. The gaping wound. The fading breaths. The blood¡ªso much blood¡ªstaining her sword. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Yurina Helios. In that moment, she experienced her first kill. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 207: Traitors (8) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 207: Traitors (8) For the past 500 years¡­ no, even before that, the conflict between heroes and demons had continued. This long and bloody history ingrained amon perception among the heroes. Demons are not human; they are monsters disguised as humans. The power of such a ¡°perception¡± was immense. If you think about it carefully, it¡¯s like how, when seeing grotesque creatures like shrimp or crabs, you feel they look delicious rather than disgusting. This perception greatly reduced the aversion to fighting and killing demons. But. What if the target wasn¡¯t a demon? What if you had to stain your hands with the blood of another human? ¡°Ah¡­ ugh.¡± Yurina trembled as she stared at the blood on her sword. The face of the woman behind the fox mask. The faint breaths she had been taking were nowpletely gone, and Yurina gazed nkly down at her. ¡®I killed someone.¡¯ With her own hands, with her own sword. She had taken someone¡¯s life. Of course, she knew they had done things that warranted death. They used the people of the slums as errand runners and brutally killed those who didn¡¯t obey. But. ¡°Haah¡­ haah¡­¡± Blood, blood, blood. The blood pouring from the split abdomen. The blood dripping from the de. It wasn¡¯t different from her own. ¡°Chaah!¡± The rabbit mask charged at Yurina, who stood frozen in ce. She stared nkly at the sharp dagger aimed at her. ¡°Yurina!¡± Kaaang! I stepped in front of the frozen Yurina and swung my sword at the charging rabbit mask. Ashen Sword. Form 1: Ash Cutter. Whooosh! The zing embers shattered the rabbit mask¡¯s dagger and engulfed their body. ¡°Arghhh!¡± The rabbit mask writhed, engulfed in embers, before copsing to the ground, charred ck. ¡°¡­Dale.¡± Yurina looked at me with a pale face, her gaze fixed on the rabbit mask¡¯s corpse. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Her trembling figure brought back memories of my past life. Back when I worked as a mercenary after graduating school. I remembered the time I killed a scoundrel who turned his sword on hisrades to cheat them out of their pay. Even after all these years, the memory of my first kill remained vivid. ¡®I was a mess back then¡ªvomiting and everything.¡¯ Now, I feel no hesitation taking someone¡¯s life, whether they¡¯re a hero or a demon. But back then, I reacted just like Yurina. Or perhaps I was even worse. At least Yurina wasn¡¯t vomiting her guts out. ¡°I¡­ I thought¡­ they were demons¡­.¡± She stammered, her face pale. I turned to Yurina and closed my eyes for a moment. It wouldn¡¯t be hard to offer her words offort. You didn¡¯t know, so it couldn¡¯t be helped. Considering what they did, it¡¯s no different from killing a demon. You¡¯re not in the wrong. You did nothing wrong. So. Forget the blood on your sword. ¡®But.¡¯ What meaning would suchfort have? ¡°Yurina.¡± ¡°D-Dale¡­.¡± ¡°What are you doing? There¡¯s still one left.¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± ¡°Did you forget you said you¡¯d fight on your own? Or should I step in now?¡± ¡°N-No! I-I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll fight.¡± Yurina bit her lip and tried to grip her sword, but¡ª tter. The sword slipped from her hands and rolled on the ground. ¡°Ah¡­ s-sorry¡­ Dale.¡± She hastily picked up the sword. I watched her with a heavy gaze. ¡°Tch.¡± I clicked my tongue as if in disappointment. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll handle it.¡± ¡°D-Dale¡­!¡± Yurina grabbed my arm. ¡°I¡­ I can fight. Really.¡± ¡°Even if the enemy isn¡¯t a demon, but a human?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Can you kill someone just like you?¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­¡± Yurina¡¯s expression stiffened. ¡°T-These people¡­ they¡¯re bad people, right? So¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, so if someone¡¯s bad, it¡¯s okay to just kill them?¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s not what I meant!¡± ¡°Yurina.¡± I continued in a calm voice. ¡°Stop trying to make excuses.¡± I pointed at the blood on her sword. ¡°The blood on your sword doesn¡¯t belong to a monster or a demon.¡± It was the blood of someone just like her. ¡°Knowing that¡­ can you still wield your sword?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yurina stared down at the sword in her hand. The blood trickling down the de. Suppressing the nausea that seemed to rise at any moment, she clenched her teeth. ¡°¡­I can do it.¡± She gripped her sword and began walking toward the wolf mask. While she had been talking, the wolf mask had been swinging their greatsword at the surrounding embers, trying to clear an escape route. ¡°Tch.¡± The wolf mask clicked their tongue, seeing the embers remain intact despite their full-force attacks. ¡°¡­Is there no other way?¡± They hesitated to use the power bestowed upon them by "that person," but there seemed to be no alternative in this situation. ¡®First, that girl.¡¯ After briefly ring at me, who stood still, the wolf mask turned their gaze to Yurina. Despite her young age, her swordsmanship far surpassed his. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡®But battles aren¡¯t won by swordsmanship alone.¡¯ As he recalled the pale, trembling expression of the woman who had killed the Fox Mask, the Wolf Mask slowly raised his greatsword. And then¡ª@@novelbin@@ sh! Kaang! Kang! Kaga-kagang! The collision of swords scattered shards of aura that tore through the surroundingnd. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Yurina winced at the heavy impact transmitted through her hands. ¡®What incredible strength.¡¯ Even with her monstrous amount of mana, she could barely endure it. ¡®Where in the world did such a heroe from¡­?¡¯ This wasn¡¯t someone of ordinary ranker level. No, this was someone at the very top, likely within the top 20 strongest rankers. A warrior of this caliber would be treated like royalty anywhere on the continent. So why was someone like him wearing a strange mask and lurking in the slums of Valha City? ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡± "Is there anything more foolish than asking the identity of someone wearing a mask?" Shwaak! The Wolf Mask crouched low, sweeping his leg across the ground. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Yurina leaped hurriedly to avoid the attack. And then¡ª Whoooosh! The greatsword, wreathed in zing aura, roared as it shed upward with terrifying force. A sharp strike that seemed impossible to evade midair. But¡ª Tack! Yurina concentrated mana into her toes, stepping on the ascending greatsword to propel herself once more into the air. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± In an instant, Yurina positioned herself behind the Wolf Mask. It was the perfect opportunity to finish him. But¡ª ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The de Yurina swung to strike his back froze abruptly in midair. ¡°As expected, you¡¯re unpolished.¡± A faint chuckle escaped from beneath the Wolf Mask. As he spun around, he shed at Yurina¡¯s neck. Kaang! ¡°Agh!¡± Yurina let out a scream as she barely blocked the greatsword, forced backward by the impact. ¡°Let¡¯s end this quickly. I still need to deal with that gray-haired one after you.¡± His dry voice echoed in her ears. ¡®Deal with¡­ Dale?¡¯ The absurdity of his statement made herugh involuntarily. But instinctively, the thought crossed her mind. ¡®What if¡­ Dale wasn¡¯t as strong as he is now?¡¯ What if it were her responsibility to protect Dale? What if, out of fear of staining her de with blood, she spared an enemy whoter harmed him? ¡°¡­Ha.¡± Yurina¡¯s expression twisted fiercely. Imagining Dale lying there, bleeding and helpless, ignited an unbearable fury deep within her chest. Wooooong! A burst of silvery light erupted from her chest, her overwhelming mana lifting her body into the air. ¡°What the¡­!¡± Shock spread across the Wolf Mask¡¯s eyes. She hadn¡¯t used a special technique¡ªshe was simply floating with pure mana, an act as absurd as trying to fly by pping one¡¯s arms. ¡°Hoo.¡± Suspended midair, Yurina exhaled softly. From her de, silver energy formed into ethereal swords, swimming freely through the air like fish in water. Dozens, no, hundreds of shimmering des formed a massive circle. A silver sphere made of sword energy. Its appearance resembled¡ª ¡°¡­The moon?¡± The Wolf Mask involuntarily took a step back, overwhelmed by the immense power radiating from the sphere. Toward him¡ª ¡°Moonlight.¡± Yurina swung her sword downward. Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom!!! The hundreds of des forming the silver sphere cascaded like a waterfall toward the Wolf Mask. ¡°Guh¡­ Ugh!¡± Despite swinging his greatsword to deflect the onught of des, the Wolf Mask couldn¡¯t withstand the torrent and copsed. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The silvery light emanating from Yurina¡¯s body gradually subsided as she lightlynded on the ground. Approaching the fallen Wolf Mask, she gripped her sword, her hand trembling slightly. ¡°¡­Dale.¡± Almost involuntarily, Yurina nced toward Dale. Dale stood a step back, arms crossed, as if leaving the decision to her. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Her gaze returned to the fallen Wolf Mask. Though his breathing wasbored, he was still alive. ¡®I have to¡­ kill him with my own hands.¡¯ This wasn¡¯t like when she killed the Fox Mask. Even knowing he wasn¡¯t a demon, she had to end his life with her de. ¡®There¡¯s no need to feel guilt.¡¯ He was a heinous viin. No, beyond being a viin, he was an ¡°enemy¡± who had raised his sword against her. There was no reason to feel guilt about ending the life of someone who sought to take hers. So there was no reason to hesitate¡ª Stop justifying yourself. Suddenly, Dale¡¯s voice echoed in her mind. The blood on your de isn¡¯t that of monsters or demons. Right. No matter what excuse she made, this time she was taking the life of someone like herself¡ªa human. By her will. With her sword. Even knowing that¡­ can you still swing your de? Yurina took a sharp breath. At the academy, she¡¯d been taught never to draw her sword except against the servants of the Demon God. That was the unshakable creed and belief of a hero. But the world outside the academy was different. There were times when she had to wield her de against more than just the servants of the Demon God. ¡®Enemies¡¯ could even be other heroes like herself. And surely, this situation would repeat itself in the future. If she hesitated to stain her sword with blood every time, she would eventually lose what was most precious to her. ¡°Dale.¡± Yurina reversed her grip on her sword. Her trembling hand steadied. ¡°This is my answer.¡± Thud. Her sword pierced the Wolf Mask¡¯s heart. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 208: Interlude – Red Moon (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 208: Interlude ¨C Red Moon (1) ¡°Gah¡­ Argh¡­¡± Along with a dying groan. The light quickly faded from the eyes behind the wolf mask. ¡°Hah, hah!¡± Yurina, panting heavily, pulled out the sword that had pierced the wolf mask¡¯s heart. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± She let out a low gasp as she looked at the fallen body of the wolf mask and then shuddered. ¡°Sorry, Dale.¡± ¡°Hm? Sorry for what?¡± ¡°We were supposed to interrogate him first about what he was doing in Valha City, but I¡­¡± ¡°Oh, that? It¡¯s fine.¡± I stifled a bitter smile and shook my head. Initially, I had nned to capture and interrogate them, but I changed my mind during the fight. ¡®Even if we interrogated him, we wouldn¡¯t have learned much.¡¯ It was clear that the fox mask and rabbit mask, who were far inferior to the wolf mask, wouldn¡¯t know much even if we questioned them. And the wolf mask, who seemed like the only one worth extracting information from, wasn¡¯t the type to respond to interrogation. ¡°But still¡­¡± ¡°Not all information has toe through words, right?¡± I approached the fallen wolf mask and removed his mask. Revealed beneath the mask was the face of a middle-aged man with a square jaw and thick eyebrows. His face was so scarred that it was hard to find an unmarked area, showing how many battles he had endured. ¡®This is almost like stitching a person back together.¡¯ The sheer number of scars made me wonder how he was even alive. Frowning, I carefully examined the wolf mask¡¯s face. ¡®I don¡¯t remember this face from my past life.¡¯ Of course, my memories of my past life weren¡¯t perfect, so I couldn¡¯t be certain. But at least this face wasn¡¯t in my memories. ¡°Who could he be? His skills were easily in the upper ranks among the rankers.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ No one among the current top rankers looks like him.¡± After all, the term ¡°ranker¡± wasn¡¯t based on any precise measurement but was a title given based on the whims of enthusiasts across the three nations. It wasn¡¯t umon for unexpected talents to emerge who hadn¡¯t made it onto any rankings. ¡®For now, I¡¯ll take some photos.¡¯ I used my Hero Watch to capture images of the faces of the wolf mask and the fox mask (the rabbit mask¡¯s body was too burned to identify). ¡°Hmm¡­ So, in the end, we don¡¯t know who this person was?¡± ¡°Still, the academy might be able to uncover something.¡± ¡°The academy?¡± ¡°These guys aren¡¯t demons; they¡¯re ¡®heroes.¡¯¡± ¡°Ah.¡± If they were heroes bearing Stigmas, there was a high chance they hade from a hero academy. ¡°What if they were operating without formal certification?¡± ¡°Well¡­ In that case, it¡¯ll be harder to track them.¡± Unfortunately, if that were the case, there wouldn¡¯t be much else to pursue. ¡°Let¡¯s head back to the academy for now.¡± Even after thoroughly searching the bodies of the wolf and fox masks, we found no clues to their identities. ¡°Maybe we shouldn¡¯t have killed them¡­¡± ¡°These guys were wearing masks to deliberately conceal their identities.¡± It was always unlikely we¡¯d find much. ¡°But¡­¡± Yurina looked dejectedly at the fallen bodies. Perhaps it hit her again that she had been the one to cause their deaths because her expression darkened further. I couldn¡¯t help but give a bitter smile as I looked at her. ¡®Well, this experience will help Yurina grow.¡¯ Staining her sword with blood¡ªthis was something she needed to do to continue living as a hero. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Yurina. We¡¯ll report these bodies to the academy and have them taken care of.¡± ¡°O-okay.¡± Yurina nodded and followed after me. * * * After returning to the academy, Yurina and I went straight to Professor Elisha¡¯s office to report. ¡°You both did well.¡± Professor Elisha smiled in satisfaction as she looked at the photos of the wolf and fox masks that I had sent via the Hero Watch. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to find them in just one day¡­¡± ¡°We got some help from a local.¡± ¡°A local?¡± ¡°Yes. A child from the slums. We brought him back with us, so I hope the academy can provide protection for now.¡± I had brought Luca and Ren back temporarily to protect them from any remnants of the masked group. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll take responsibility for their safety.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°But we can¡¯t keep them at the academy forever. What do you n to do with themter?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask Iris to arrange for them to stay at an orphanage she knows.¡± ¡°Ah, a state-run orphanage would indeed be reliable.¡± Professor Elisha nodded approvingly. ¡°For now, I¡¯ll investigate based on the photos you took.¡± ¡°Please let me know if you find anything.¡± ¡°Of course. Oh, and on a different note, the Headmaster wants to have dinner with you.¡± ¡°Headmaster Lionel?¡± A meal with the headmaster seemed like an unusualbination, given my status as a mere candidate. ¡°Yes. This mission was directly ordered by the headmaster, so the dinner will likely include a discussion about yourpensation.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Now that I thought about it, Headmaster Lionel wasn¡¯t the type to leave things unresolved after assigning such a dangerous task to a candidate. ¡°Perhaps your disciplinary action might be revoked as well.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Disciplinary action¡­ That was something to considerter. ¡°For now¡­¡± Professor Elisha nced at Yurina, who stood quietly by my side, her expression less than cheerful. ¡°Did something happen to Candidate Yurina? She doesn¡¯t look well.¡± ¡°Well, something did happen.¡± ¡°Did Candidate Dale make a mistake during your date?¡± Professor Elisha gave me a suspicious look. Yurina weakly smiled and shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± After hesitating for a moment, Yurina hid her trembling hands behind her back and spoke. ¡°Those people¡­ weren¡¯t demons.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Professor Elisha let out a sigh, as if she now understood. ¡°Whew. The first time is always hard. Especially for someone as kind-hearted as Candidate Yurina.¡± Professor Elisha gave a faint, sympathetic smile as she looked at Yurina¡¯s downcast expression. Then she turned her gaze to me. ¡°Perfect timing. Then, Cadet Dale, you¡¯ll spend the night in Cadet Yurina¡¯s room tonight.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°What?¡± Wait, what? Suddenly, I¡¯m told to sleep in Yurina¡¯s room? ¡°I was already wondering where to let the two kids Cadet Dale brought sleep. They can use your room, and you can stay with Cadet Yurina.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that¡­¡± ¡°Hmph. Then, are you nning to leave Cadet Yurina, who looks so down, alone?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Professor Elisha shrugged her shoulders and continued. ¡°It¡¯s at times like this that having someone dependable nearby is most important.¡± ¡°Urgh¡­¡± I swallowed my hesitation and turned to Yurina. ¡°Are you okay with this?¡± ¡°Y-Yeah! I¡¯ve shared a room with Dale before plenty of times!¡± Yurina nodded vigorously. And so¡­ After leaving the professor¡¯s office, I headed to Yurina¡¯s room with her. Click. As I opened the door, the familiar interior of her room came into view. The spacious room was typical of the dorms in Block A. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± An awkward silence settled over us. Scratching my head, I broke the silence. ¡°Shall we¡­ have dinner first?¡± ¡°Y-Yeah.¡± Nodding, Yurina started heading toward the kitchen. But I gently grabbed her shoulder and shook my head. ¡°You should rest, Yurina.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re not in the mood to cook, are you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Silently, Yurina nodded and obediently sat on the sofa. She ced her sword on the table, its de still stained with blood, and stared at it with a nk expression. Meanwhile, I prepared something simple for her to eat and brought it to her. ¡°¡­¡± But Yurina sat frozen, staring at the steaming food in front of her. Swallowing a bitterugh, I quietly took the dish away. ¡°You¡¯re not in the mood to eat, either, huh?¡± ¡°¡­S-Sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± I gently held Yurina¡¯s hand. A faint tremor traveled through our connected palms. ¡°¡­Dale.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I¡­ killed someone.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Did I¡­ do the right thing?¡± She tightened her grip on my hand as she asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Whether it was right or wrong, I didn¡¯t know either. ¡°But it was necessary. Something that had to happen, eventually.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± A faint smile crept onto Yurina¡¯s lips. ¡°If it was something necessary¡­ then I did well, right?¡± ¡°Well, if you put it that way, it was a job well done.¡± ¡°Then¡­ don¡¯t I get a ¡®reward¡¯ or something?¡± Yurina looked up at me with eyes full of anticipation. Her expression hadpletely shifted from her earlier gloominess to one of excitement. Stifling a chuckle, I replied. ¡°Of course, you deserve a reward.¡± Even if I¡¯d half-pushed her to take that step, the decision to stain her de with blood had ultimately been hers. ¡°Alright, then lean your head over¡ª¡± ¡°W-Wait a second.¡±@@novelbin@@ Yurina shot up abruptly. ¡°Before that¡­ can I take a shower first?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Right. After the battle, she hadn¡¯t had a chance to clean up, and the smell of sweat must have been bothering her. ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll be quick, so don¡¯t go anywhere, okay?!¡± Yurina darted into the shower room. Soon, the sound of running water echoed through the door. ¡®Professor Elisha was right. I¡¯m d I came with her.¡¯ Recalling Yurina trembling earlier, unable to eat even a single bite, I realized I¡¯d regret it deeply if I¡¯d left her alone. ¡®If just being by her side brings herfort, then I¡¯ll stay with her as long as she needs.¡¯ It was my role to guide and support those dear to me. Thud. ¡°Hm?¡± Something fell to the floor from where Yurina had set her things. Curious, I bent down and picked it up. ¡°A¡­ shopping bag?¡± It was empty. But I was certain it had contained something earlier. Click. The door creaked open softly. ¡°¡­D-Dale.¡± Through the gap, Yurina stepped out, wrapped in arge bath towel draped around her like a cloak. ¡°I-I¡¯m all¡­ done.¡± Under the moonlight streaming through the window, her face glowed red, as if it might burst at any moment. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 209 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 209: Interlude ¨C Red Moon (2) "......" "......" A silence that descended like a heavy curtain. I gulped dryly, looking at Yurina, who was wrapped in arge towel. ¡°Uh¡­ w-what?¡± ¡°I said¡­ I¡¯m done bathing.¡± ¡°T-then I¡¯ll go next¡­.¡± As I stood up and started heading to the shower, Yurina grabbed my arm. She avoided my gaze, turning her head slightly, and pouted. ¡°D-Dale, you don¡¯t have to shower. Y-you barely fought, right?¡± ¡°No, but still¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s f-fine! You didn¡¯t even smell when we were next to each other earlier!¡± Yurina eximed, pulling my hand closer and sniffing it. ¡°Hehe. Smells nice¡­.¡± ¡°...It smells, though.¡± ¡°B-but it¡¯s a good smell, so it¡¯s fine!¡± Yurina held onto my hand firmly, clearly intent on not letting me go to the shower. I sighed briefly and sat back down. Swish. Yurina sat next to me and subtly leaned her head toward me. Her damp hair glistened, and the faint scent of shampoo tickled my nose. ¡°¡­Reward.¡± Clutching the towel draped over her like a cloak, Yurina murmured in a shy voice. ¡°Now¡­ r-reward¡­ please.¡± ¡°¡­Why are you suddenly using honorifics?¡± ¡°H-huh? Did I just speak formally?¡± Her face turned beet red as she flustered, seemingly forgetting what she had just said. If a painter had captured this moment, they might¡¯ve drawn her eyes as spirals. Suppressing a chuckle, I gently ced my hand on Yurina¡¯s head. ¡°Ah¡­¡± She let out a small gasp as my hand touched the crown of her head. The tension in her body¡ªso jittery moments ago as if ready to bolt¡ªquickly dissipated. Stroke, stroke. Applying slight pressure with my palm, I stroked Yurina¡¯s head. ¡°Ehehe. Dale¡¯s hand¡­ is warm.¡± Like finding a cozy spot next to a heater on a cold winter day, Yurina clung tightly to her soft towel, smiling contentedly. As the image of her beneath the thin towel popped into my mind unbidden, my heart pounded so hard it felt like it might burst. ¡°Dale.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°In my past life¡­ was there ever a time like this?¡± ¡°Well, you never sat next to me asking to be patted on the head.¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s not what I meant!¡± Yurina looked down at the sword resting on the table and murmured softly. ¡°¡­I meant, was I ever shaken after killing someone?¡± ¡°Not sure.¡± To be honest, I didn¡¯t know. ¡°I only joined the same party as Yuren ten years after graduation. I don¡¯t know exactly what happened during that time.¡± But. ¡°The Yuren I met ten yearster¡­ didn¡¯t hesitate to swing his sword, whether his opponent was a demon or a hero.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Yurina nodded faintly. ¡°You said in my past life, I became the strongest swordsman, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Thest hope of humanity. The Descendant of the Sun. A swordsman closer to the ¡°pinnacle¡± than anyone since Reynald Helios. There were countless titles describing Yuren Helios. ¡°¡­Can I be that kind of hero?¡± Looking down at her sword, Yurina¡¯s face showed ack of confidence. I chuckled softly and patted her head again. ¡°No, you won¡¯t be like Yuren.¡± ¡°¡­Then?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be even greater.¡± Reaching a ce that the Yuren of my past life could never attain. Brighter than the radiant sun¡ªa moon shining even more brilliantly. ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, absolutely.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yurina asked in a slightly subdued voice. ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± Her lips quivered slightly as she bit them. ¡°Right now, I¡¯m such a mess¡­ just from getting blood on my sword.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a mess.¡±@@novelbin@@ I shook my head firmly. ¡°You made the decision, Yurina. Even if I was the one to push you forward.¡± I took her trembling hand in mine, still vivid with the sensation of that moment. ¡°And if you were someone who could kill without hesitation or doubt¡­ I would¡¯ve thought differently.¡± ¡°¡­Thought differently?¡± ¡°Yeah. Yuren once told me something.¡± Looking at the bloodied sword, I continued. ¡°A sword without any hesitation or contemtion is too light. It can never reach the pinnacle.¡± ¡°¡­I said that?¡± Yurina blinked in disbelief, her eyes wide. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t fully understand what it means, but.¡± One thing is clear. ¡°Yurina, you¡¯ll reach the heights Yuren did¡­ and far beyond.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± After a moment of contemtion, Yurina spoke softly. ¡°In my past life¡­ I became a man, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°And¡­ how was I?¡± ¡°How were you?¡± I tilted my head quizzically as Yurina fidgeted with the towel in her hand. ¡°Did I¡­ ever feel sad? Regret it, maybe?¡± ¡°Not really. At the time, I didn¡¯t even know Yuren was originally a woman. Oh, but there was one thing.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You nagged a lot when Iris and I were goofing off. Always said it wasn¡¯t time to rx.¡± ¡°Haha. That¡¯s just like me now.¡± Yurinaughed lightly. ¡°¡­I see. That¡¯s how it was.¡± Standing up from the sofa, Yurina¡¯s shadow fell over me. ¡°So, I guess I¡¯m now living the dream my past self always longed for?¡± ¡°Huh? What dream¡­?¡± ¡°Dale.¡± Swish. Yurina spread out the towel she had been wearing like a cape. "......" The first thing that caught my eye was her pale skin glowing under the moonlight. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The silvery moonlight streaming through the window scattered, creating a dazzling scene so surreal it felt like being in a deep dream. And the next thing that drew my attention was the luxurious lingerie that adorned her fair skin. ck stockings reaching up to her thighs and the straps connecting them. The type of lingeriemonly referred to as a garter belt. "Uh, how... how does it look?" "......" I was so overwhelmed by the sheer visual impact that I froze, unable to utter a single word. Even breathing slipped my mind. With bloodshot eyes, I scanned Yurina''s body from head to toe. "Hey, say something, will you? Does... does it suit me?" "......" It wasn''t too excessive, nor was it overly in. It was a design more befitting the term "elegant" than "sensual." If you were to ask whether it suited Yurina¡­ "Honestly, it doesn¡¯t suit you." "Ugh! I knew it! I knew this would happen!" Yurina pouted, stamping her feet in frustration. "I told you I shouldn¡¯t pick this one!" "But..." "Huh? Kyaah!" I suddenly stood up and scooped Yurina into my arms. Carrying her in the ssic "princess hold," I looked down at her with bloodshot eyes. "Whether it suits you or not doesn¡¯t matter. If you¡¯re asking whether it had the desired effect¡­ this is my answer." "Huh? D-Dale? Wait... Eek!" With Yurina in my arms, I strode towards her bedroom. Right. To be honest, the lingerie did feel a bit premature for her. It was like a newly graduated hero d in equipment entirely made of top-tier artifacts. But so what? ¡®Garter belt¡­ A garter belt?¡¯ Does it matter if it doesn¡¯t suit her? Top-tier artifacts have the power to instantly elevate a hero several levels higher. And the "gear" Yurina was wearing now was as potent as those top-tier artifacts. "D-Dale! Your... your eyes! They''re scary!" In the face of such overwhelming destructive power, the wall of my reason crumbled like sand. "Kyaaah!" With Yurina¡¯s scream, the door to the bedroom mmed shut. The next day. The sun had already passed its zenith. ¡°D-Dale, you pervert!¡± Wham! Wham! Wham! The pillow Yurina swung hit me squarely in the face. "It... it was my first time! And you wouldn¡¯t even let me rest!" Yurina, her face flushed a deep red, looked on the verge of tears. "S-Sorry." Defeated in the tug-of-war between reason and instinct, I hung my head like a guilty man. "Haa... haa... I really..." Yurina pulled the nket over herself to hide, ncing shyly at the discarded lingerie lying like a shed skin at the corner of the bed. "You said it didn¡¯t suit me..." "I told you. Just because it doesn¡¯t suit you doesn¡¯t mean it wasn¡¯t effective." "Hmph. You didn¡¯t even care about the lingerie halfway through!" "Well¡­ you¡¯re not wrong." "...Hmph." Curled up under the nket, Yurina slowly shuffled closer to me. Once beside me, she puckered her lips. When I pulled her into a gentle embrace and kissed her, a shy smile spread across her face. "Ehehe¡­ Finally got my kiss." "We had plenty of kisses yesterday, didn¡¯t we?" "That... that doesn¡¯t count! I was too out of it to really feel them!" Yurina blushed furiously and pinched my side. "So, you¡¯re not going to sulk anymore about being the only one who hadn¡¯t kissed before, right?" "Hmph. I never sulked in the first ce." "Oh, really? Now you¡¯re acting like you didn¡¯t?" As I looked at Yurina incredulously, she feigned innocence with a nonchnt expression. While we were teasing each other, passing the time... "...Dale." "Yeah?" Yurina gently leaned her head on my shoulder. "I¡¯m going to be stronger. Much stronger than I was in my past life." "...Yeah." "And... I¡¯m going to be happy. For all the happiness I couldn¡¯t have in my past life." As she sped my hand tightly, her resolve shone through. "Why bring up your past life all of a sudden?" "Well... You said before, right? That it¡¯s because of my past life that you¡¯re here with me now." "Ah, yeah. I did." "Then that means my past life yed some role in changing my present life." Ah. So that¡¯s why she said she¡¯d be happy for her past life¡¯s share, too. "Hmm. Then I guess there¡¯s no helping it." "Huh? What do you mean by that?" "I was nning to stop today since you looked tired¡­ but if we¡¯re counting your past life¡¯s share, too, well... I guess I have no choice." I started to get up, grabbing the nket covering her. "W-Wait, Dale! You¡¯re not thinking of doing more, are you?!" "Ahem." "Kyaaah! Don¡¯t take the nket! Argh...!" Yurina, her face glowing red, grabbed a pillow and whacked me repeatedly. "D-Dale, you pervert!" Under the bright daylight, the room was tinged with the crimson glow of a setting sun. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 212: Challenge Mode (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 212: Challenge Mode (1) After being assigned the unheard-of position of "Special Operative Trainee," I left the principal¡¯s office with Professor Elisha. ¡°Cadet Dale, do you have any ns afterward?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Hmm, perfect timing.¡± Professor Elisha nodded, her eyes sparkling. ¡°Is there somewhere you¡¯d like to go together?¡± ¡°The principal mentioned earlier that a new party training hall has been prepared. If you¡¯re up for it, it might be worth checking it out in advance.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯d love to.¡± I was already curious about the level of the state-of-the-art facility. ¡°Follow me.¡± Professor Elisha strode ahead but suddenly stopped, looking around. It was already dusk, and the campus was almost empty since sses had ended. ¡°Hm.¡± She nced back at me and extended her hand. ¡°¡­You want to hold hands?¡± ¡°Now that I think about it, we haven¡¯t had many opportunities to hold hands.¡± I stifled a smallugh as I looked at her calmly extended hand. Grip. Warmth spread as our hands touched. Elisha smiled faintly, seemingly pleased by the warmth, and then turned to lead the way. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Following her, we arrived at the party training hall. It was a three-story building of significant size, fitting for party activities. ¡®So, our party has exclusive use of this ce?¡¯ Currently, the only people aware of my reincarnation and maintaining a close rtionship with me were Iris, Yurina, Cami, Sophia, Lanez, Berald, and Professor Elisha¡ªjust seven people. Including acquaintances like Juliet or Albert, the number barely reached ten. ¡°It¡¯s definitely spacious enough to feel excessive for just us.¡± Still, it¡¯s better to have more space than too little. ¡°Let¡¯s register your ess permit first.¡± Professor Elisha operated the lock mechanism at the entrance. Ding. [Registering Cadet Dale Han as ''Party Leader.''] I activated my Hero Watch and held it up to the lock. A cheerful chime confirmed the registration. ¡°With this, you can grant ess permits to anyone you want.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°No need to thank me. This is a well-deserved benefit.¡± She shrugged and entered the training hall. The inside was spotless, almost gleaming, as if the construction had just beenpleted. ¡°This is the main training area.¡± Click. We reached a space farrger than any personal training room. It was vast enough to amodate even the superhuman activities of heroes. Honestly, it was excessively spacious. ¡°It¡¯s even bigger than I expected.¡± ¡°This space is typically shared by at least four parties. When officially opened, partitions will divide it into separate sections.¡± Ah, that made sense. It had seemed over the top. ¡°There¡¯s also training equipment for party drills. Would you like to check it out?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°This equipment uses thetest magical technology from the Republic.¡± Professor Elisha activated a device on the wall, and holographic beasts appeared in the center of the training hall. They were so lifelike that it was hard to believe they were holograms, though the asional transparency gave them away. Even so, they were far more advanced than any current training equipment. ¡°Grrr!¡± The ferocious growls echoed across the hall. ¡°They even replicated the sounds?¡± ¡°Yes. To make training more realistic, special sound systems recreate the roars.¡± ¡°¡­Impressive.¡± Since this kind of facility hadn¡¯t even existed in my past life, I was naturally intrigued. ¡°I heard it can replicate movements of up to Tier-10 beasts.¡± ¡°At that level, it¡¯ll be quite useful for our party¡¯s training.¡± ¡°Would you like to try it yourself?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t mind, but¡­¡± Frankly, Tier-10 beasts wouldn¡¯t be much of a challenge for me at this point¡ªlet alone holographic versions. ¡°Hehe. There¡¯s a special mode designed for someone like you.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®Challenge Mode,¡¯ and the engineers from the Republic supposedly created it half as a joke.¡± ¡°But I thought you said Tier-10 was the maximum difficulty?¡± ¡°That¡¯s just the maximum difficulty for replicated beasts.¡± Elisha smirked as she continued. ¡°Beyond that is the realm of creation, not replication.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± In other words, instead of replicating real beasts, they conjured creatures that existed only in the creators¡¯ imaginations. ¡°Sounds interesting.¡± Creating a monster that could only exist in the realm of imagination¡ªjust how absurd could it be? My curiosity red. ¡°Hehe. Well then, explore the other facilities first, and then give it a shot.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°If Candidate Dale manages to clear the challenge mode... hmm, fine. I¡¯ll grant you a ¡®special reward.¡¯¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Professor Elisha¡¯s meaningful smile lit up her face as her eyes twinkled. ¡°What kind of reward?¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be fun if I told you everything from the start, now would it?¡± Elisha shrugged and turned away. ¡°Follow me. I¡¯ll show you the second floor.¡± On the second floor were chairs and tables for several people, along with basic cooking facilities. ¡°This is the lounge. If you bring ingredients from the cafeteria, you can whip up some simple dishes here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± No more hassle of packing lunch or going out to eat every time. Perfect. ¡°And one more thing.¡± Elisha operated a device on the table, and a video appeared on the lounge¡¯s wall. ¡°This is... the first-floor training hall?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± Elisha nodded and continued. ¡°The second floor is equipped with a system that lets you analyze training sessions recorded in the first-floor hall.¡± ¡°Oh, this is fantastic!¡± After training, party members could gather here to review the footage, discussing their weaknesses and ways to improve. ¡°Well, let¡¯s head back down now.¡± ¡°Huh? What about the third floor?¡± ¡°The third floor is still empty¡ªno facilities have been installed yet.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± The construction wasn¡¯t fullyplete yet. ¡°Later, you might want to discuss with your party members what kind of facilities to set up there.¡± ¡°Haha, we¡¯ll think about itter. By the way¡­¡± As I looked around the second floor, I realized one crucial facility was missing from the training hall. ¡°Where are the showers and changing rooms?¡± A facility for training obviously needed those. ¡°Hehe, I was just about to show you.¡± ¡°Oh, they¡¯re in the basement, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± But why put the showers and changing rooms in the basement?@@novelbin@@ Usually, you¡¯d want them on the same floor for convenience. ¡°Hmm.¡± Noticing my puzzled look, Elisha smiled enigmatically. ¡°You¡¯ll understand why once you see it.¡± ¡°...?¡± Following her, I descended to the basement. What greeted me there was a divided area for men and women¡­ ¡°A hot spring?¡± What in the world? A hot spring under the training hall? ¡°It¡¯s not an actual hot spring. Just a bathhouse with heated water.¡± ¡°¡­So that¡¯s why it¡¯s in the basement?¡± Now that I think about it, I remember heating that water is incredibly heavy, so bath facilities are usually built underground. ¡°How about it? Satisfied?¡± ¡°Satisfied? This is beyond amazing.¡± A spacious training hall with cutting-edge equipment, a rxing lounge, and even a hot spring¡ªthis was a luxurious facility on par with those used by top-tier active heroes. ¡°Yurina would absolutely love this.¡± Yurina had a bit of a training-obsessed streak, so she¡¯d probably go wild upon seeing this ce. ¡°Hm.¡± Elisha squinted slightly at the mention of Yurina¡¯s name. ¡°By the way, how¡¯s Candidate Yurina been doingtely?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t heard from her since that incident.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Right, Elisha had been busy investigating the aftermath, so she didn¡¯t know what happened with Yurina afterward. Clearing my throat, I gave her an awkward smile. ¡°Well¡­ she¡¯s doing fine. She¡¯s gotten over the trauma of her first kill.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Doing fine,¡± Huh? Elisha¡¯s sharp gaze gleamed. ¡°Have you?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°You know exactly what I¡¯m talking about. Sex. Did you finally do it this time?¡± ¡°No.¡± How could she be so direct? ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you still couldn¡¯t take the bait after I practically served it to you on a silver tter?¡± ¡°¡­¡± True, I only managed to get closer to Yurina thanks to Elisha, who actively set things up. ¡°Things turned out well, thanks to you, Professor.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ is that so?¡± Elisha frowned slightly, looking oddly displeased. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I probably shouldn¡¯t be saying this, given that I went out of my way to set things up, but¡­¡± Avoiding my gaze, Elisha spoke in a curt tone. ¡°Seeing that dopey expression of yours is kind of irritating.¡± ¡°¡­¡± What? You were the one who pushed me, and now this? ¡°In that case¡­ I¡¯ll tell you what the ¡®special reward¡¯ is.¡± She leaned closer and whispered in my ear. ¡°If Candidate Dale sessfully clears the challenge mode, you¡¯ll get to try out the hot spring today.¡± And of course¡­ ¡°With me, that is.¡± With those words, Elisha gave me a mischievous grin. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 215 [Trantor - Night]@@novelbin@@ [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 215: The Seven Stars Festival (1) A garden brimming with fresh, fragrant flowers. A man wearing a white mask hummed a tune as he watered the flowers in the flowerbed. Drip, drip. A butterflynded delicately on a petal, glistening with transparent droplets. The chirping of birds, the croaking of frogs, the fully bloomed flowers, and the tall, sturdy trees¡ªall came together to create a scene so beautiful one might think it was paradise itself. ¡°Whew. There¡¯s really nothing like this for healing.¡± The masked man looked at the garden he had personally cultivated and smiled contentedly. He walked toward an old rocking chair in the center of the garden. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve watered everything, so now I can rx and read my book...¡± Knock, knock. Just then. A hard knock echoed¡ªunfitting for the tranquil garden. ¡°Come in.¡± The garden door opened, and a slim figure wearing a bear mask stepped inside. The man in the white mask turned to the bear mask and asked, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The wolf is dead.¡± ¡°...¡± A moment of silence descended. The man in the white mask leisurely sat in the rocking chair. ¡°By whom?¡± ¡°Well...¡± The bear-masked man trailed off. ¡°You couldn¡¯t even confirm who killed him?¡± ¡°...Apologies. All we know for sure is that it¡¯s someone associated with Hero Academy.¡± ¡°Hero Academy, huh.¡± Tsk. The white-masked man clicked his tongue. He picked up a book from the table beside his chair and opened it. ¡°What should we do? With the Seven Stars Festival at Hero Academying up, should we infiltrate...¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± The man in the white mask slowly shook his head. His sharp ck eyes gleamed through the slits of the mask. ¡°What¡¯s important right now is the ¡®Empress.¡¯¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Contact Mephisto.¡± The white-masked man flipped a page in his old book and continued, ¡°Tell him the ¡®embers¡¯ have started to rise beneath the Imperial Pce.¡± * * * The three-storybat arena. Rather than calling it a bat arena,¡± ¡°party house¡± would be a more fitting description given its size and grandeur. The sound of gasps filled the space. ¡°Wow... Is this entire building reserved just for our party?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Iris widened her eyes in disbelief, looking around the ce. Even as a saintess of the Holy Kingdom, ustomed to top-tier treatment at school, she couldn¡¯t close her gaping mouth at such overwhelming extravagance. She wasn¡¯t the only one stunned by the sheer scale of thebat arena. Both Berald and Sophia, who had only recentlye to the capital from the countryside, looked around the building like awestruck vigers. ¡°To think we got this as a reward... What on earth did you do out there, Brother?¡± ¡°Did you hypnotize the headmaster or something?¡± ¡°Hypnosis? What hypnosis?¡± Even if I had such a power, why would I use it on a 150-year-old geezer? ¡°Hypnosis...?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Hypnosis... Hypnosis. That¡¯s an idea... I hadn¡¯t thought of that.¡± ¡°Lanez?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, it¡¯s nothing!¡± No, it¡¯s definitely not nothing. ¡°Ehehe. This building is amazing~ Dale!¡± You didn¡¯t seem interested at all until just now. ¡°Well, this way leads to the entrance of thebat arena...¡± ¡°Oh, Dale! You said the second floor is a lounge, right? Can we check that out first?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t the third floor empty? We could use it as a magicb.¡± ¡°Brother! How about we throw a celebration party today tomemorate getting our base?!¡± Maybe they were excited to have a ce exclusively for their party. Although it was officially a bat arena,¡± they seemed more interested in other features than the training aspect. ¡°Dale... W-where¡¯s the changing room?¡± ¡°...¡± Lanez, what are you nning to do that you¡¯re asking about the changing room first? Sigh. Everyone here is diligent when ites to training, but I guess it¡¯s only natural to be more interested in the ¡°party¡¯s own space¡± than in the training. Groan. What¡¯s the point of working so hard to set up a state-of-the-artbat arena if no one even cares? ¡°Dale! Thebat arena! Where¡¯s thebat arena?!¡± As I was sulking, an excited voice reached my ears. ¡°You want to check out thebat arena first?¡± ¡°Of course! It¡¯s such a fantastic arena! Didn¡¯t you say it uses thetest Republic technology for training modes? How do you use it? Did you try it yourself? Professor Elisha said there¡¯s even a ridiculous ¡®challenge mode¡¯ in it!¡± Yurina¡¯s starry-eyed excitement led her to fire off a barrage of questions. She always loved training, so it was no surprise that she was most intrigued by the arena¡¯s advanced facilities. ¡°This is amazing! Dale, can I use it right now?¡± ¡°Yurina.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the best.¡± ¡°Huh? What¡¯s with you?¡± I pulled Yurina (in her full Yurina mode) into a tight hug. You¡¯re the only one who understands the fruits of mybor. ¡°Yurina¡¯s right. Everyone, hurry up and change into your training clothes so we can start party training immediately.¡± Ah, maybe there¡¯s one more person. ¡°Let¡¯s start training tomorrow.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Cami frowned at the suggestion to postpone training. With a stern expression, she put her hands on her hips. ¡°Start training tomorrow? Weren¡¯t we supposed to begin today?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t even finished unpacking, and it¡¯s the first day. Let¡¯s just tour the arena today and follow Berald¡¯s suggestion to celebrate with a party in the lounge on the second floor.¡± Although I was a bit upset that no one seemed interested in the arena itself, I had no intention of starting training today. Besides, on the first day of school, lectures are usually just about going over the semester n while taking it easy, right? ¡®Though there were times when I skipped the first week of lectures, only to get blindsided when they started actual lessons.¡¯ Anyway. Since it¡¯s the first day of having ourbat arena, it seemed best to toast with the party members and n for the future. ¡°Hmph! Pathetic!¡± Cami snorted in disdain and firmly shook her head. With her arms crossed, she scowled fiercely. "How can you expect to be the strongest party, surpassing the ''Five Great Heroes,'' with such a rotten attitude?!" Since when did our party¡¯s goal be so ambitious? Well, I guess she¡¯s not wrong since our ultimate objective is to defeat the Demon God¡¯s army. "If you skip a single day of training, you¡¯ll struggle for three days! We don¡¯t have the luxury to rx and throw celebratory parties!" "Oh, right. Speaking of which, Principal Lionel sent us a rare bottle of liquor tomemorate the opening of the party house." "...What." One thing I¡¯ve learned after spending over six months in a party with Cami: this girl has a subtle fondness for alcohol. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w "It¡¯s said to be the finest whiskey from the Holy Kingdom, personally gifted by Pope Marianne." "..." Especially the notoriously potent whiskey from the Holy Kingdom. "As a devout follower of the Seven Stars Church, I can¡¯t possibly refuse liquor gifted by the Pope." Ahem. Cami gulped as she nced sideways at the bottle. ¡®Look at her practically drooling.¡¯ Personally, I prefer wine or beer with lower alcohol content over the overly strong Holy Kingdom whiskey. Anyway. Now that I¡¯ve lured Cami in, there¡¯s only one thing left to do. "Alright then. While Berald and I go get some snacks and more drinks, you all stay here and keep looking around." "Haha! We¡¯ll be back in no time!" * * * Thus began thememorative party held in the second-floor lounge. At Berald¡¯s suggestion to "throw a proper party if we¡¯re going to do it," we stocked up on crates of beer and wine from the campus store, which now piled up like a mountain in the lounge corner. "Alright then, let¡¯s raise a toast to Dale and Principal Lionel for providing us with this amazing party house!" ¡°"Cheers!"¡± The sound of sses clinking marked the start of the real festivities. "It feels nice having a ce that¡¯s just ours." "You like it?" "Yes." Iris beamed as she nodded. "By the way, why isn¡¯t Professor Elisha here? It would¡¯ve been nice to invite her too." "Ah¡­ well." Something happened recently, you see. "Did you get into a fight with Professor Elisha or something?" "No, it¡¯s not that." I couldn¡¯t bring myself to tell Iris about what happened that day. ¡®Honestly, I¡¯d rather keep that moment to myself.¡¯ Thinking about the teary-eyed, embarrassed Professor Elisha made the corners of my lips curl up involuntarily. "...You¡¯re acting suspicious." I quickly turned my head to avoid Iris¡¯s piercing gaze. Then I spotted Yurina taking a drink from Berald. "Yurina, don¡¯t drink too much tonight." "Hm? Why?" "...Why do you think?" Had she already forgotten the incident during ourst field trip? "Haha, don¡¯t worry, Dale. That time, I just barely overdid it a little. I¡¯m great at handling my alcohol!" "..." "Dale, have you forgotten whose descendant I am?" I distinctly remember her saying the exact same thing before passing out within an hourst time. "...Berald, don¡¯t give her too much." "Hehe. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll pace her properly, brother." Berald grinned as he shrugged. "By the way, brother, next week is the Seven Stars Festival. Got any ns?" "Oh, is it that time already?" Because of my recent suspension, I hadn¡¯t attended sses much andpletely forgot about the festival. "Well¡­ it¡¯s not like it¡¯s anything special, right?" Since this isn¡¯t a typical educational institution but a training school for heroes, the festival is notoriously modest. The eventsts only a single day. There are no fancy performances or guest singers. At best, a few outside merchants set up stalls, like during the Seal Festival. ¡®It¡¯s less of a festival and more like a day off to drink and goof around.¡¯ They do hold things like a poetry contest under the pretense that heroes need literary refinement (Professor Lucas wonst year), but participation rates are extremely low. "Still, don¡¯t they shoot off fireworks in the evening?" "Yeah, I guess they do." Whether it¡¯s fireworks or cannonballs, I couldn¡¯t care less. "Speaking of, have you heard this rumor?" "What rumor?" "You know, about the fireworks in the evening? They say there¡¯s a single heart-shaped firework out of the hundredsunched, and if a couple kisses when it goes off, they¡¯ll be together forever." "...There¡¯s a rumor like that?" I¡¯d never heard anything like that, even in my previous life. "It¡¯s been spreading rapidly among the traineestely." "Sounds like exactly the kind of rumor you¡¯d expect in a school like this." I chuckled, ready to dismiss it. "Could you tell us more about that rumor?" "You mean the one about the heart-shaped firework?" "When does it usually go off?" Before I realized it, Iris, Yurina, and Lanez had gathered in front of Berald, their eyes sparkling like stars. "..." Why did it feel like this year¡¯s festival was going to be different from all the ones I¡¯d experienced before? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 216: The Seven Stars Festival (2) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 216: The Seven Stars Festival (2) The day of the Seven Stars Cultural Festival had arrived. Even though it wasn¡¯t an ordinary educational institution but a hero school tasked with nurturing future heroes responsible for the continent and humanity, the excited atmosphere was unmistakable on this day. From early in the morning, outside vendors had set up, preparing for a day of brisk business. Banners targeting the loosened wallets of candidates caught up in the festive mood swayed in the air. Although the participation was sparse, there were asional exhibitions disying entries from poetry and art contests. Even candidates indifferent to the festival couldn¡¯t help but feel, ¡°Oh, something¡¯s happening today,¡± as a suitable buzz filled the school grounds. ¡°Phew.¡± In my previous life, I¡¯d have been one of those ¡°indifferent candidates,¡± rolling my eyes at the fuss and silently scoffing at the cheerful faces of others (while secretly feeling envious). But this time, it was different. Drastically different. This time, I hadpanions to enjoy the festival with¡ªsomething I didn¡¯t have in my past life. ¡®The first meeting of the day was¡­ with Lanez.¡¯ Ever since the topic of the Seven Stars Cultural Festival came up, we had a heated discussion about how to enjoy it together, and this was the n we came up with: From 10 AM to 6 PM, I¡¯d spend two hours each with Iris, Yurina, Lanez, and Professor Elisha, enjoying one-on-one time with each. After 6 PM, we¡¯d gather on the rooftop of the party house to watch the highlight of the festival¡ªthe fireworks. That was my schedule for the day. ¡®What kind of crazy Casanova schedule is this?¡¯ Of course, I had absolutely no say in this disastrous n. Well, to be honest, considering I already had multiple lovers, I didn¡¯t really have the right toin. Still, I suppose it was a relief that this arrangement was reached without much conflict between them. The only unresolved issue was the ¡°heart-shaped firework¡± moment, but we decided to deal with thatter. ¡®Time to head out.¡¯ Although there was still plenty of time left before the 10 o¡¯clock meeting, knowing Lanez, she was probably already there waiting. ¡°Huh?¡± But when I arrived at the meeting ce, Lanez wasn¡¯t there. ¡®That¡¯s unusual.¡¯ If it were Lanez, she¡¯d normally be here well ahead of time. ¡°Well¡­ there¡¯s still plenty of time before our meeting.¡± I decided to sit on a bench and wait for her. Rustle. I heard a faint sound from behind me. ¡°Hm?¡± When I turned around, I saw Lanez crouched in the bushes. ¡°¡­What are you doing there?¡± ¡°Eek!¡± Lanez jumped up like a capybara caught in a trap. Her purple hair was adorned with leaves and twigs, like a poorly decorated tree. ¡°D-Dale, you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°What were you doing hiding in there?¡± ¡°Oh, uh¡­ I¡­¡± She squirmed and hesitated to finish her sentence. ¡°I¡­ was embarrassed¡­¡± ¡°Embarrassed? About what?¡± ¡°Well¡­ my clothes¡­ or my hair¡­¡± Now that I looked closer, she¡¯d styled her hair differently, pulling back the bangs that usually covered her eyes. Her outfit, too, was more form-fitting and boldpared to the loose robes she typically wore. ¡°I knew it wouldn¡¯t suit me¡­ but Sophia kept nagging me, asking if I was really going to go out like that¡­¡± ¡°It suits you perfectly.¡± ¡°R-Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, you look much better than usual.¡± Her exposed bangs gave her a fresh, lively appearance that was quite refreshingpared to her usual somber look. ¡°Hehe¡­ I¡¯m d.¡± Lanez smiled bashfully. ¡°I think you should keep your bangs like that more often.¡± ¡°Th-That¡¯s¡­ no way.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°B-Because it¡¯s embarrassing.¡± Her excitement faded in an instant, and she deted like a balloon. I chuckled and nodded. ¡°Then how about just when it¡¯s the two of us?¡± ¡°T-That¡­ I¡¯ll think about it.¡± She hesitantly nodded, avoiding my gaze. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get going.¡± I reached out my hand toward her. ¡°¡­Oh.¡± She stared at my outstretched hand, frozen in ce. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°¡­Nothing.¡± Lanez smiled shyly and took my hand. ¡°Your hand¡¯s warm, Dale.¡± ¡°Well, I do carry the Primordial me inside me.¡± ¡°Th-That¡¯s not why it¡¯s warm!¡± Lanez pouted and tugged at my hand, pressing her cheek against the back of it with a radiant smile. ¡°Even without any Primordial me¡­ your hand would still be warm.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± If the me from my past life saw this, he¡¯d probably scream, ¡°Cut it out with the cringe!¡± Honestly, even I felt a little embarrassed by this overly sweet conversation. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Y-Yeah!¡± Well, a bit of cringe is fine between lovers. As long as we¡¯re happy, that¡¯s all that matters. ¡°Still, this festival really is something¡­ It¡¯s not even 10 yet, and look at the crowd.¡± "Y-Yeah, you''re right." I arrived at the school¡¯s central za while holding Lanez¡¯ hand. Though it wasn¡¯t even 10 a.m., the za was bustling with cadets crowding around the makeshift stalls. Among them, someone with a particrly noticeable build stood out. "Professor Lucas?" It was Professor Lucas, standing next to a stall with the gloomiest expression ever. "What is it?" "What are you doing here?" "What does it look like? I¡¯m standing guard here." "...Oh." Now that I thought about it, during thest Sealing Festival, there had been an incident where merchants from outside turned into monsters and wreaked havoc. "Haah. Because of this, I haven¡¯t even been able to meet with Professor Bianca¡­." "You¡¯re working hard." "Well, it¡¯s fine. This is a professor¡¯s job, after all." Clicking his tongue, Professor Lucas shook his head wearily. "Is there anything unusual?" "Nothing too suspicious for now, but¡­." Professor Lucas scanned the outside merchants with sharp eyes. "Because of the recent incident in Valha City, I can¡¯t help but be on edge." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w "Incident? What happened this time?" "A crime syndicate operating in Valha City waspletely wiped out overnight. It was quite arge organization, too." A crime syndicate? "They were trash who kidnapped and sold people, so it¡¯s no loss that they¡¯re gone¡­ but the issue lies with the ones who took them down." "What¡¯s the problem?" "ording to a survivor, it was a kid who looked about 10 years old." "...A kid?" A single 10-year-old child took down a massive crime syndicate? "Well, the information isn¡¯t reliable. The survivor¡¯s mind was so broken that they couldn¡¯t even hold a proper conversation." "......" "Anyway, leave this ce to us." Professor Lucas waved his hand dismissively, as if shooing away flies. "By the way¡­ who¡¯s the cadet next to you? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen them before." "Hm? Didn¡¯t you say you knew Lanez?" As soon as I started talking to Professor Lucas, Lanez, who had been hiding behind me, peeked out and gave a small bow. "H-Hello¡­." "Lanez? Lanez Mm?" Professor Lucas¡¯s eyes widened in shock, his mouth hanging open. "N-No¡­ the face I remember isn¡¯t this one." Looking at the dolled-up Lanez, Professor Lucas seemed bewildered, as if he were in disbelief. "I recall her having quite a gloomy appearance, but¡­ she¡¯s unexpectedly stunning." "Dale¡­ Professor Lucas seems like a nice person¡­." "By the way, weren¡¯t you close with Candidate Iris?" "Dale¡­ Professor Lucas might need his eyes checked¡­ Should I help him out personally?" "Anyway, you two look pretty good together." "Dale¡­ Professor Lucas is really smart and cool¡­." Professor Lucas¡¯s evaluation swung wildly between praise and criticism in real time. Thinking it best to avoid further unnecessary trouble, I tugged Lanez¡¯ hand and quickened my pace to leave. "Ehehe. He said we look good together¡­." Perhaps she liked Professor Lucas¡¯s words, as Lanez smiled brightly and leaned closer to me. "There are so many people." She murmured, subtly wrapping her arms around mine. Suppressing augh, I apanied her as we began enjoying the festival in earnest. "That smells delicious¡­ Dale, let¡¯s get something to eat." "Dale! That stuffed toy looks like you!" "Oh, look over there, Dale. For 20 gold, they¡¯ll draw a portrait on the spot! Let¡¯s get one too!" "Ehehe. Your arm is warm, Dale¡­ I want to stay like this forever." "Ah¡­ It¡¯s already almost noon."@@novelbin@@ They say time flies when you¡¯re having fun. Enjoying the festival with Lanez, two hours passed in no time. "...So, who¡¯s next?" "I¡¯m supposed to meet Iris." "R-Right." Lanez¡¯s shoulders drooped as she pouted, looking crestfallen. Seeing her wilt like a flower in the desert, I instinctively pulled her into a hug. "Hyaaah?!" Alright. Checked to make sure no one was around. "¡­Mm!" Then, I carefully pressed my lips to hers. "D-D-Dale¡­." "Let¡¯s meet on the rooftop of the party house tonight." "Ehehe. Okay! I¡¯ll be waiting!" Her previously gloomy face blossomed into a radiant smile. "Um¡­ Dale." "Yeah?" Lanez clutched the hem of my shirt, hesitating as her lips trembled slightly. "Tonight¡­ will you kiss me again? You know, when the heart-shaped fireworks¡­ go off." "That¡¯s¡­." I hadn¡¯t decided who I¡¯d kiss when the fireworks went off yet. And there was no way I could kiss multiple people in the short time the fireworks burst. ¡®Simultaneously¡­ No, that¡¯s just absurd.¡¯ Imagining myself kissing several people at once made meugh at how ridiculous the thought was. "I-I have a good idea!" Lanez raised her hand energetically. "Oh? What¡¯s your idea?" "Well, um¡­ Dale has the Blessing of Revival¡­ doesn¡¯t he?" Lanez smiled shyly as she continued. "So¡­ at that time, how about splitting yourself¡­ just for a bit?" "......" Lanez. What on earth are you even saying? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 218: The Seven Stars Festival (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 218: The Seven Stars Festival (4) Spending a luxurious afternoon sandwiched between two maids(?), I spent several hours basking in bliss. Before I knew it, it was 4 p.m. I bid farewell to Iris and Yurina and headed out to meet Professor Elisha. Professor Elisha was surveying the bustling central square, now livelier and more crowded than it had been in the morning, with her sharp gaze. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Oh, Candidate Dale.¡± Professor Elisha turned her head toward me. ¡°Fufu. Have you been enjoying the festival?¡± ¡°Well... I suppose I¡¯ve enjoyed it in my own way.¡± Though, honestly, it feels like I¡¯ve been enjoying something other than the festival. Anyway. ¡°Professor Elisha, have you been monitoring the square since morning?¡± ¡°Well, yes. Ensuring the candidates can safely enjoy the festival is also part of a professor¡¯s duties, isn¡¯t it?¡± Saying so, she shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Have you eaten yet?¡± ¡°Well¡­ not yet.¡± Tsk. I knew it. ¡°I brought you something to eat.¡± ¡°This is¡­ omurice?¡± ¡°Yes. No matter how important your monitoring is, you need to eat while doing it.¡± ¡°Hm. To think I¡¯d be lectured about skipping meals by Candidate Dale, who often skips them for training.¡± ¡°Ugh. That¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°Fufu. I¡¯m just kidding.¡± With a faint smile, Professor Elisha began eating the omurice I had packed in a lunchbox. ¡°Any suspicious individuals?¡± ¡°Fortunately, not so far.¡± Nom nom. It seemed she was quite hungry, as she ate the omurice with gusto. Suppressing a small chuckle, I handed her some green tea. ¡°Hm.¡± Professor Elisha sipped the tea and then narrowed her eyes at me. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Nothing. I was just thinking that Candidate Dale seems to be quite skilled at dealing with women.¡± ¡°¡­Does bringing a lunchbox and tea warrant such ament?¡± ¡°Fufu. Women are simpler yet moreplex creatures than one might think.¡± ¡°That sounds like something contradictory, like ¡®warm ice cream.¡¯¡± Swallowing anotherugh, I sat down next to her. ¡°By the way, considering I can¡¯t really enjoy a date with Candidate Dale today, was it necessary to take the time toe and meet me? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to spend more time with another lover?¡± ¡°You¡¯re one of my lovers too, Professor Elisha.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Flinch. Professor Elisha¡¯s shoulders stiffened, and she quickly turned her head away. ¡°W-When did I be one of Candidate Dale¡¯s lovers?¡± ¡°Huh? Aren¡¯t we in a rtionship?¡± We even went to the hot springs together. ¡°Well¡­ I vaguely remember saying that it wasn¡¯t necessary to officially be lovers right away.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Now that I think about it, she did say something like that. Something about knowing myplicated situation and not needing to formalize the rtionship just yet. ¡°Well, let¡¯s say we¡¯re officially lovers starting today.¡± There was a time when I¡¯d agonize over such unconventional rtionships. But ever since I resolved to make everyone happy without leaving anyone out, I¡¯ve decided not to dwell on it anymore. ¡°Candidate Dale, you¡­.¡± Did she not expect me to dere it so boldly? Professor Elisha looked at me with wide eyes, then turned her head away again. ¡°Why are you turning your head?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m checking for suspicious individuals.¡± ¡°Your ears are red.¡± ¡°Quiet!¡± With a bright red face, Professor Elisha tugged at my cheek. As expected. She¡¯s surprisingly shy. I chuckled silently to myself, watching her flushed face. ¡°Whew. Get up. Let¡¯s take a walk.¡± Fanning her face, Professor Elisha stood up. ¡°Hmm? Is it okay for you to leave here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called patrolling.¡± Shrugging her shoulders, Professor Elisha started walking ahead. I wanted to hold her hand like other couples, but since this was officially ¡®on-duty surveince,¡¯ that wasn¡¯t an option. Instead, I walked close enough for our shoulders to brush as we strolled through the school grounds. ¡°This feels strange.¡± ¡°What does?¡± ¡°Walking around a festival with¡­ my student. No, my lover.¡± Professor Elisha nced at me with a faint smile. ¡°I never cared whether a festival was held or not before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same for me.¡± No matter how far back I dug into my memories of my previous life, I had no significant recollection of the Seven Star Festival. ¡°I used to wonder why everyone made such a fuss over something as trivial as a festival¡­ but now I think I understand.¡± Professor Elisha chuckled softly as she watched the candidates enjoying the festival in the central square. ¡°By the way, it really does seem like there are a lot of couples here.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we a couple too?¡± ¡°Cough. Well, that¡¯s true.¡± While chatting and enjoying what was essentially a patrolling date, we saw something unusual. ¡°S-Senior Sophia! Where exactly are you dragging me off to?!¡± ¡°Be quiet and just follow me.¡± Berald was being dragged along by Sophia, who firmly held his hand. ¡®I was wondering where they went, and it turns out the two of them are enjoying the festival in their own way.¡¯ Sophia was tugging on Berald¡¯s clothes, heading toward the center of the za. ¡°Oh? When did Candidate Berald and Candidate Sophia start dating?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t think they¡¯re officially dating yet.¡± Even if Sophia seems to have a crush on Berald, that guy has his own share of¡­ issues, I suppose. ¡°Still, seeing them together like that, it seems like only a matter of time.¡± ¡°Who knows¡­¡± Well, personal preferences don¡¯t change so easily, do they? Swallowing back the words that almost escaped my lips, I watched the retreating figures of Berald and Senior Sophia. ¡°They seem to be heading toward the za center¡­ Shall we follow?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s.¡± Professor Elisha and I followed the pair toward the center of the za. The closer we got to the center, the more the number of couples increased dramatically. The candidate couples weren¡¯t wandering around enjoying the festival. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Instead, they were sitting on benches or mats spread on the ground, snacking on food from nearby stalls, as if waiting for something. ¡°It feels like the number of couples is growing by the minute.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s probably because they¡¯re all gathered for the ¡®heart-shaped fireworks.¡¯¡± ¡°Heart-shaped fireworks? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Huh? You don¡¯t know about them?¡± Given how busy she¡¯s beentely with festival preparations and scouting for beast-gang intruders, it seems the rumors about the heart-shaped fireworks hadn¡¯t reached her. ¡°You know the story, don¡¯t you? During the festival fireworks disy, there¡¯s a heart-shaped firework that goes off once. And if couples kiss at that exact moment, it¡¯s said they¡¯ll stay together forever.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Professor Elisha narrowed her eyes and folded her arms. ¡°That¡¯s nonsense.¡± ¡°Haha, I thought so too. Well, every festival has its fair share of superstitions¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°There are no heart-shaped fireworks.¡± ¡°¡­No heart-shaped fireworks?¡± But the rumor has already spread like wildfire among the candidates. Are you telling me now that there¡¯s no such thing as heart-shaped fireworks? What does that even mean? ¡°In the documents for the festival fireworks disy, there¡¯s no mention of fireworks shaped like hearts.¡± ¡°¡­Maybe it¡¯s a surprise event?¡± ¡°Hmm. Hold on a moment. If I recall correctly, Professor Bianca was in charge of the fireworks preparations.¡± Professor Elisha took out her Hero Watch and contacted someone. A familiar female voice echoed through the hologram window. [Oh, that rumor has been causing me trouble. Should I rush to make one now? But there¡¯s not enough time¡­]@@novelbin@@ A firm denial came from the person directly in charge of the fireworks preparations. ¡°So, the rumor ispletely baseless?¡± ¡°Well¡­ you could say that.¡± ¡°What¡­¡± I thought it was strange that I hadn¡¯t heard such rumors in my previous life. But to think it was all a lie? ¡°¡­Something feels off.¡± Professor Elisha stroked her chin, her eyes narrowing. ¡°Candidate Dale. You said you heard this rumor from Candidate Berald, correct?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± ¡°Do you think Candidate Berald is the type to take an interest in such rumors?¡± ¡°No, not at all.¡± If anything, he¡¯d be more interested in the daily specials at the candidate cafeteria than in some romantic rumor. ¡°So even Candidate Berald heard about this rumor despite being uninterested in such things.¡± Professor Elisha¡¯s sharp gaze glimmered. ¡°Suspicious, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Are you saying someone spread the rumor deliberately?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say for certain, but it¡¯s a strong possibility.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Now that I think about it, Berald did mention that the rumor spread suddenly over the past few days. ¡®The question is, who spread it, and why?¡¯ Was it just to mess with couples waiting for heart-shaped fireworks? That¡¯s a usible exnation, but¡­ -Did you know? The heart shape is actually modeled after a human heart. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± At that moment, a voice echoed in my head. I quickly turned my head, scanning the surroundings, but I couldn¡¯t find the source of the voice. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Candidate Dale?¡± ¡°¡­Someone just spoke to me.¡± ¡°Someone spoke to you?¡± Ignoring Professor Elisha¡¯s furrowed brow, I focused again. -So, what if¡­? The mysterious voice echoed in my head once more. -If a person¡¯s heart goes boom! Explodes, wouldn¡¯t that be the real ¡®heart-shaped firework¡¯? Who are you? Where are you speaking from? -Haha! Why are you looking around like that? Focus. Even if it¡¯s an advancedmunication spell, leaving your voice directly in someone¡¯s mind would still leave magical traces. -Trying to trace my magic? That won¡¯t be easy. This artifact is based on the ¡®Three Great Dilemmas of the Great Sage,¡¯ after all. Oh? Is that so? -Even if the Great Sage himself came back to life, he wouldn¡¯t be able to find me so easily¡ª I turned my gaze to the top of the school annex. Hundreds of meters away, on the rooftop of the annex building, I spotted a boy sitting on the edge, his legs swinging. Half his face was hidden by a monkey mask. ¡°Oh?¡± The corners of the boy¡¯s mouth twisted into a smirk beneath the mask. ¡°Found me, huh?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 220: The Seven Stars Festival (6) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 220: The Seven Stars Festival (6) Whooosh! Ashen mes enveloped my entire body, burning fiercely. The sound of flesh being scorched mixed with the gray smoke rising from my pores, creating a dense fog that clung to the air. ¡°You¡¯re telling me you¡¯re not going to look for the bomb¡­?¡± Seto frowned, as if he couldn¡¯tprehend it. His blood-red eyes reflected a swirl of emotions, but if they could be summed up in one phrase, it would likely be: Is this guy really a hero candidate? ¡°Oh, I see! That¡¯s what it is!¡± Seto pped his hands together and let out a cacklingugh. His crimson eyes, glistening with madness, fixed themselves on me. ¡°So, the reason the ¡®Spider¡¯ isn¡¯t here¡­ You¡¯re expecting them to find the bomb for you, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Hahaha! Oh, how unfortunate for you!¡± Seto stretched out his arms with a grin so wide it seemed his face would split. ¡°The ¡®Insight¡¯s Blessing¡¯ that your Spider possesses isn¡¯t enough to uncover where I¡¯ve hidden the bomb!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± I shrugged and stepped toward the Archbishop of Madness. ¡°¡­What? I said it¡¯s impossible!¡± ¡°You seem to be mistaken about something.¡± Another step forward. ¡°Professor Elisha isn¡¯t at the central za right now.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± As soon as Seto¡¯s eyes widened in shock¡ª Boom! I sprang into motion. Against the Archbishop of Madness¡ªranked second in sheer strength among the six Archbishops, after the Archbishop of Destruction¡ªthere was no room forcency. ¡°Rise.¡± Hisssss! Primordial me erupted, consuming my body with a fierce ze. From ignition to fullbustion in an instant, I drew upon the power of the Primordial me to its fullest extent. ¡°Haa.¡± Mana surged through my body like a raging torrent. Channeling the burning ash into my sword, I swung. Whooosh! The fiercely zing mes raced toward Seto. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Seto gritted his teeth and stretched out his hand to counter the inferno. Shhhk! From the ground, blood-red spikes surged upward to sh with the mes. Boom! A deafening roar reverberated as the blood-red spikes and ashen mes collided. Under normal circumstances, the sound would¡¯ve reached the central za, several hundred meters away, but Seto quickly cast a barrier, trapping the noise within. ¡°You¡­¡± The ashen mes grew, consuming the blood-red spikes, as Seto stared at the fiery onught in disbelief. To think sheer power alone could overpower his magic. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± He questioned if this was the same person he had faced before. Only a few months had passed, yet this once-insignificant fledgling had be strong enough to gain the upper hand against the Archbishop of Madness. ¡°Haven¡¯t we already introduced ourselves?¡± sh! Cutting through the blood-red spikes, I closed the distance between us. From below, I swung my me-shrouded sword upward. ¡°Ugh!¡± Seto barely dodged, retreating just in time. Clenching his teeth, he stomped the ground. Blood-red energy poured out from his Stigma, like a drop of crimson ink spreading in a clear ss of water. The area around him turned into a sticky pool of blood, staining the space itself. ¡°No matter how strong you¡¯ve be!¡± Countless crimson spikes surged upward from the blood-soaked space like a tidal wave. ¡°You think you can defeat me?!¡± Shhhhkkk! The crimson spikes rained down. I raised a wall of ashen mes to block them. While most of the spikes burned away in the fiery defense¡ª Thud! One pierced through, embedding itself deep into my left forearm. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± A searing pain radiated from the wound as the spike lodged in my flesh. The veins around the injury grotesquely bulged, pulsating unnaturally. I frowned, staring down at my left arm. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Can¡¯t move your arm?¡± Seto chuckled, his carefree smile twisting into something sinister as he pointed at me. ¡°That¡¯s the power of my blessing¡ªthe ¡®Blessing of Blood!¡¯¡± He gestured to the crimson spike embedded in my arm. ¡°Once my blood spike pierces you, I gain control over that part of your body! Like this!¡± Snap. With a snap of his fingers, the veins in my left arm exploded. Crunch! Bones shattered, flesh tore, and blood gushed out. ¡°Hahaha! Does it hurt? Does it? Does it?¡± Seto hopped around like a child ying a game, tongue flicking out mockingly. ¡°Once it¡¯s in you, there¡¯s no escape! My blessing will seep through your veins and slowly consume your entire body¡­.¡± ¡°So it spreads through the veins, huh?¡± sh. I raised my sword and severed my left arm from the shoulder before it could spread any further. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just cut it off beforehand.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Seto fell silent, staring at the severed arm on the ground. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± He chuckled, shoulders shaking as heughed quietly. Just as he said, his blessing resembled poison, spreading through the bloodstream. Cutting off the affected area was the only way to stop it. But still. How many people could sever their own arm without hesitation? Especially a swordsman, whose arm was their primary weapon? ¡°Haah.¡± Seto looked at me, his lips curling into a wide grin. ¡°Yes, yes, yes! This is it!¡± Seto erupted into joyousughter, as if he¡¯d been waiting his entire life for this moment. It wasn¡¯t just Dale¡¯s strength that thrilled him so much. If it were simply about raw power, he could¡¯ve gone after the current top-ranked hero, the Empress. No, Dale wasn¡¯t merely strong. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯repletely insane, aren¡¯t you?¡± Maybe even more than himself. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s keep ying!¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Seto spread his arms wide and stomped the ground. A crimson aura erupted like an explosion, and blood-red spikes shot out viciously. ¡°Ugh!¡± Bending low, I dodged the onught of crimson spikes. Darting between the spikes that barely missed me, I gripped my sword tightly and pulled my arm back. Like throwing a spear, I stepped forward with full force and swung the arm I had pulled back. Whoosh! The sword, engulfed in embers, pierced Seto¡¯s side and flew far beyond. ¡°Argh! That hurts!¡± Seto screamed, looking down at the fist-sized hole in his side. ¡°It hurts! It hurts! It hurts, I said!!!¡± He iled around like a child who had scraped their knee. Blood poured from his side as he sobbed loudly¡ªbut only for a moment. Suddenly, Seto froze and stared at my right hand. ¡°But now you¡¯ve lost your sword, huh?¡± Grinning, he stuck out his tongue and burst intoughter. Looking at him, I simply said: ¡°Guess again.¡± I spread my right hand wide.@@novelbin@@ The palm split open, revealing a blood-red sword. It had been a while since Ist used my cursed sword. ¡°Eek?! What the heck? You had something like that?¡± Seto pouted as though disappointed. After staring intently at the red sword in my hand, he smirked. ¡°But that sword¡­ Do you even know what it is?¡± ¡°I know it better than you ever could.¡± I hadn¡¯t used it much recently, but the cursed sword Vescal had been my primary weapon in my previous life. ¡°Whew.¡± I took a deep breath and drew out the power of the cursed sword, feeling a sudden dizziness, as though my blood was being drained. But only for a moment. Vitality surged through me, and explosive power boiled within. ¡°Haha! Do you think you¡¯ve got extra lives or something?¡± Seto cackled and charged forward. Blood-red spikes erupted wherever he stepped. ng! Crack! The sword shed with the spikes. Blood-red spikes rose endlessly from all directions. Even one hit from those spikes would result in a fatal wound, thanks to his Blessing of Blood. ¡°Ha.¡± I took another step closer. I swung my sword at Seto. I didn¡¯t care about my life. I didn¡¯t consider death. I swung my sword madly like running across a tightrope over a chasm. ¡°Argh!¡± Seto was shed by the ember-covered sword and thrown backward. He gritted his teeth, his blood-red eyes trembling in fury. ¡°You¡­!¡± He must have felt the effects of the Blessing of Blood firsthand, yet he showed no signs of retreating. ¡°Well then, try blocking this!¡± Seto crossed his arms and stomped the ground violently. Rumble! A sticky crimson liquid engulfed the entire area. It was a massive barrier made of blood. The same blood barrier I had seen the first time I faced him. ¡°Rise!¡± Above, below, front, back, left, and right. Thousands¡ªno, tens of thousands¡ªof blood-red spikes rained down. An attack so overwhelming there wasn¡¯t even room for a fist to escape. Facing that attack, which could only be described as despair-inducing¡ª ¡°Ha.¡± I let out a smallugh. ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought challenge mode would actuallye in handy?¡± Smirking, I twisted the corners of my mouth upward and kicked off toward the onught of crimson spikes. Just as the blood-red spikes closed in, ready to pierce me¡ª Boom! Suddenly, my vision cked out as my entire body exploded into fragments. ¡°What the¡­!¡± Seto¡¯s face twisted in shock, his jaw dropping wide open. How could he not be horrified when faced with a human who blew up their own body without warning? ¡°What¡­ What is this?¡± He stared at the pieces of flesh scattered around him, taking a few steps back¡ªonly for a moment. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± A thick gray smoke brushed past his cheek. And then¡ª Thud! In an instant, I ¡°revived¡± and plunged my cursed sword into Seto¡¯s abdomen while he stood frozen. ¡°Guh¡­ Guhhh!¡± Seto copsed, clutching the sword embedded in his stomach. His wide, terrified eyes met mine as he looked up. ¡°You asked earlier if I had extra lives, didn¡¯t you?¡± I smiled, looking down at Seto. ¡°You¡¯re right. I do.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 222: Interlude – Fireworks (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 222: Interlude ¨C Fireworks (1) Sigh. Letting out a low breath, I leaned against the wall. When I raised my head to look at the sky, the dark night adorned with twinkling stars came into view. A heavy sense of fatigue weighed down my body. Although the battle with the Archbishop of Madness hadn¡¯t been particrly long, I had expended all my strength, leaving me utterly drained. Siiiiiing. As I leaned against the wall, trying to catch my breath, I saw translucent threads of spiderwebs wrapping around the annex building¡¯s roof. Soon, a figure dashed up the annex as if flying. ¡°Cadet Dale! Are you alright?!¡± Professor Elisha rushed over as she saw me sitting against the wall. ¡°The Archbishop of Madness is¡­?¡± Instead of answering, I pointed to one side of the annex¡¯s rooftop. There, remnants of ck ash, not yet fully dispersed, were scattered on the ground. ¡°¡­Did you win?¡± ¡°Well, it took some effort, but yes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± With a stiff expression, Professor Elisha crouched down in front of me. Slowly, she reached out and caressed my cheek. A touch so soft and warm, unlike anything that might belong to a ¡°spider.¡± ¡°¡­How many times did you die this time?¡± ¡°Not too many.¡± Only once properly. Although the Primordial me burned my body and killed me a few more times, considering the opponent was the Archbishop of Madness, it wasn¡¯t all that much. ¡°Don¡¯t speak as if it¡¯s nothing.¡± Professor Elisha frowned and pinched my cheek with the hand she had been gently stroking. ¡°I may not have experienced death and revival like you, but I know enough to understand it¡¯s not a pain that can be brushed off so lightly.¡± She, too, had crossed countless battlefields and suffered so many injuries that they were impossible to count. Some of those wounds had been severe enough that it wouldn¡¯t have been surprising if she had died on the spot. There were times when her flesh had been ripped away to the point where her bones were visible from a beast¡¯s w, or when her intestines had spilled out after being shed by a demon¡¯s sword. The excruciating pain she felt during those moments was so vivid that she still asionally relived it in nightmares. ¡®But the pain Cadet Dale must have endured isn¡¯t something I can even begin to imagine.¡¯ It was undoubtedly an unimaginable and overwhelming agony. ¡°That¡¯s why¡­¡± Professor Elisha gently pulled Dale into her arms. Cradling his head close to her chest, she whispered softly. ¡°At least in front of me, you don¡¯t need to act so tough.¡± She recalled the memory. The first time Dale had spoken about his past lives. He had carried on as if it didn¡¯t matter, speaking with a calm demeanor. But eventually, his whole body had trembled as he poured out the emotions he had been suppressing. ¡°You¡¯ve done well.¡± Like soothing a child, Professor Elisha stroked Dale¡¯s head as she held him in her arms. ¡°¡­Professor Elisha.¡± ¡°Do you feel a littleforted now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I responded with a small nod instead of words. ¡°Phew, that¡¯s a relief.¡± For a while, Professor Elisha continued to hold me, patting my back before finally taking my hand and helping me up. ¡°I¡¯ll handle the aftermath, so Cadet Dale, go and rest.¡± ¡°No. There¡¯s still something I need to do.¡± ¡°Hmm? What do you mean?¡± ¡°We all agreed to gather on the rooftop of the party house this evening, didn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°What?¡± Professor Elisha furrowed her brows slightly as she continued. ¡°You¡¯re not seriously nning to go watch the fireworks in your current state, are you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a promise. And I¡¯m just tired¡ªit¡¯s not like my body is in bad shape.¡± ¡°What do you mean you¡¯re fine?!¡± She bit her lip and scolded me harshly. ¡°Even if you look fine on the outside, you¡¯re so exhausted you can barely stand!¡± She wasn¡¯t wrong. Having overused the Primordial me, I was so drained that without Professor Elisha¡¯s support, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to stand up on my own. ¡°Still, I need to go.¡± ¡°You¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a once-a-year festival, isn¡¯t it?¡± In my previous life, I hadn¡¯t cared whether there was a festival or not. ¡®But things are different now.¡¯ I thought of Lanez, wandering the streets with an excited expression. Of Iris and Yurina, smiling brightly with anticipation. And of Professor Elisha, who had quietly regretted being unable to enjoy the festival alone. In my once-empty life, I now had so many precious things. That¡¯s why. ¡°For today, we should enjoy it together.¡± ¡°¡­Sigh.¡± Letting out a deep sigh, Professor Elisha ced her hand on her forehead. ¡°Take my hand. I¡¯ll take you to the party house.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I chuckled softly as I took Professor Elisha¡¯s outstretched hand. When Professor Elisha and I arrived at the rooftop of the party house, we saw Lanez, Iris, and Yurina already waiting for us. ¡°Dale! Why are you sote?!¡± ¡°Yeah! You said we¡¯d meet at six!¡± Iris and Yurina pouted, their lips sticking out in annoyance as they scolded us (thankfully, they had changed into their school uniforms). ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here¡­ Dale.¡± In one corner of the rooftop, Lanez was crouched down, emanating a gloomy aura. ¡°T-Time was up, and you didn¡¯te, so I-I was wondering if I should¡­ cut it short or not¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Cut what, exactly? ¡°Sorry. I waste because I was helping Professor Elisha with some work.¡± ¡°Work? What kind of work?¡± ¡°You know, things like patrolling the school or keeping an eye on outside merchants.¡± ¡°Keeping an eye on them? Why are you doing that?¡± ¡°I told you before, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯ve been selected as a ¡®Special Cadet Candidate.¡¯¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Although the principal Lionel had asked me to keep the matter of the special cadets confidential, I had already shared it with my party members in advance. ¡°I was investigating because the fireworks are about to start soon. I thought there might be an issue.¡± I nned to tell them about the Archbishop of Madness only after the festival ended. Telling them now would only make them worry. ¡°Hah¡­ If that¡¯s the case, you should¡¯ve let us know in advance. I was worried something might have happened to you.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Hehe. It¡¯s okay. There¡¯s still some time left until the fireworks start.¡± Iris smiled softly as she looked up at the night sky, cloaked in darkness. ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten anything since the omelet rice earlier, have you? Should I prepare a light snack with Lanez for you?¡± ¡°That would be great. Thanks.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Iris! What about me?!¡± ¡°Yurina, you just sit quietly here. Not doing anything is the best way you can help.¡± ¡°Ugh. That¡¯s so mean¡­.¡± Yurina deted like a popped balloon. ¡°Shall we head down to the second floor, Lanez?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah. But¡­.¡± Lanez hesitated, pulling at the hem of Iris¡¯s clothes timidly. ¡°Lanez¡­ don¡¯t call me that. Just call mefortably.¡± ¡°Huh? But¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re¡­ friends¡­ after all.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± Iris chuckled at the sight of Lanez blushing shyly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll call you Lanez unnie from now on.¡± ¡°U-Unnie?!¡± ¡°Hmm? But you are an unnie, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°W-Well, I am, but¡­ u-unnie¡­.¡± Lanez twisted her body awkwardly as if hearing ¡°unnie¡± for the first time ever. Watching this, Yurina smirked and sidled up to Lanez. ¡°Then can I call you unnie from now on, too?¡± ¡°Y-Yurina as well?¡± ¡°Why? I can¡¯t?¡± ¡°N-No! You can¡­ c-call me unnie!¡± Lanez eximed in a flustered voice. ¡°Hehehe¡­ unnie¡­ she called me unnie¡­.¡± ¡°Lanez unnie, don¡¯t just stand there. Come on.¡± ¡°O-Okay! Coming!¡± Lanez followed Iris down to the second-floor lounge. About fifteen minutes after the two went downstairs, they returned to the rooftop carrying tes of food and a delicious aroma. ¡°Huh? You¡¯re already done?¡± ¡°We made something simple to go with drinks.¡± Iris ced the tes on the table and pulled out a bottle of liquor she had prepared earlier. ¡°Is Professor Elisha¡­ still busy with work, so she can¡¯t drink?¡± ¡°Well, right now, I think it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll pour you a drink.¡± After filling everyone¡¯s sses¡ª Cheers. The casual drinking session began. ¡°It¡¯s the first time we¡¯ve all sat together like this to drink.¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Yeah, usually there are other people around¡­.¡± Iris, Yurina, Lanez, and Professor Elisha. This was the first time I¡¯d shared a drink with these four special people all together. ¡°This will be a regr thing. You might as well get used to it now.¡± Professor Elisha smiled faintly as she sipped her drink. ¡°A regr thing¡­?¡± ¡°Hmm? Not right away, but eventually, we¡¯ll all live in the same house, won¡¯t we? Then every evening will probably feel like this.¡± ¡°¡°¡­¡­!!!¡±¡± Iris, Yurina, and Lanez widened their eyes at Professor Elisha¡¯s bombshell statement. They had only recently be romantically involved, so they hadn¡¯t considered such a future yet. ¡°Living together with Dale¡­?¡± ¡°Sharing a life with him¡­?¡± Iris and Yurina blushed like ripe tomatoes as they envisioned the future with excitement, while¡ª ¡°Gasp¡­! D-Dale, you absolutely can¡¯te into my room¡­!¡± For some reason, Lanez turned pale and trembled. ¡°There¡¯s no need to overreact. There¡¯s still a lot to take care of before then.¡± Professor Elisha¡¯s expression darkened momentarily. ¡°Take care of¡­? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Is something the matter?¡± The three women looked at her with puzzled faces when¡ª Boom! Bang! Crackle! Fireworks lit up the night sky.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°It¡¯s started!¡± The fireworks began. Although the party house was some distance from the central square, the colorful lights in the night sky were strikingly vivid even from afar. ¡°It¡¯s an annual event, but¡­ it feels more beautiful this year.¡± Iris smiled as she gazed up at the sky. ¡°Yeah¡­ Usually, I¡¯d just go to bed early during the festival¡­.¡± ¡°This year is different because you have people to watch it with, right, unnie?¡± ¡°Y-Yeah. Being together¡­ makes it nice.¡± Lanez smiled shyly as she looked up at the sky. ¡°Oh, speaking of which¡­ we haven¡¯t decided on the most important thing yet.¡± As Iris spoke softly, the four women¡¯s gazes turned to me. ¡°Who¡¯s going to do the kiss?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± A heavy silence fell. The warm and pleasant atmosphere from moments ago froze in an instant. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 224: The Spider and the Empress (1) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 224: The Spider and the Empress (1) The lively atmosphere of the Seven Star Festival quickly subsided. With the second semester final exams just around the corner, cadets were bustling in and out of the training grounds, intensifying their efforts to prepare. Of course, that was only the story of the average cadets. ¡°Haa¡­¡± Sitting in the second-floor lounge of the party house, I gazed out the window and let out a deep sigh. Though the seemingly endless suspension period had finallye to an end, unlike the other cadets, I wasn¡¯t preparing for the finals at all. ¡°What¡¯s the point? I¡¯ll just end up inst ce anyway.¡± After receiving one suspension for the field trip incident and a second, heavier suspension due to the matter with Lanez, my spot at the very bottom was already secured. Even if Chancellor Lionel used his influence to prevent me from being held back a year, there was no salvaging my ruined grades. But more importantly¡ª ¡®Even if I weren¡¯t suspended, this isn¡¯t a situation where I can focus on finals.¡¯ During my fight with the Archbishop of Madness, I gained critical information. ¡®The Eternal Order.¡¯ In my previous life, I hadn¡¯t even known of their existence¡ªa mysterious organization. ¡®They¡¯re heading for the Imperial Pce.¡¯ Though I didn¡¯t know their purpose, one thing was clear. ¡°The Empress, Camellia Padsha¡­¡± The current number-one-ranked hero. Due to her high status, I had never spoken to her personally, let alone seen her face. ¡®She¡¯s said to be incredibly powerful.¡¯ Though there were few instances of her disying her strength, her story of destroying the demon city Gehenna with a single gesture was so famous that even I, living in a remote Republican orphanage, had heard of it. ¡®She rose to the top rank immediately after that.¡¯ Camellia¡¯s source of power was her divine blessing. She hadn¡¯t mastered swordsmanship or reached the pinnacle of magic¡ªher innate blessing was simply overwhelmingly powerful. ¡®Simr to Lanez.¡¯ Her blessing, known as the ¡°Blessing of the Seven Stars,¡± was said to temporarily draw upon the power of the seven gods. Thus, her title: ¡°The Incarnation of the Seven Gods.¡± Camellia Padsha, the Empress, wielded a power that transcended humanity, nearing divinity itself. ¡°The real question is¡­ who could possibly kill someone like Camellia?¡± The Eternal Order? ¡®I don¡¯t know their full strength, but could they really manage to kill Camellia?¡¯ It was uncertain. But what I knew for sure was even more pressing. ¡®The site of Camellia Padsha¡¯s murder showed no significant signs of resistance.¡¯ In other words, for some reason, she didn¡¯t use her ¡°Blessing of the Seven Stars¡± against her assant. ¡®I don¡¯t know if it was because she didn¡¯t use it or couldn¡¯t use it.¡¯ Haa¡­ I exhaled deeply, closing my eyes. What mattered now was that the Eternal Order was heading to the Imperial Pce. ¡®And.¡¯ Camellia Padsha¡¯s death had to be prevented at all costs. ¡®If Camellia dies, that war will happen again.¡¯ The war between the Republic and the Empire. The war that senselessly imed the lives of hundreds, thousands of heroes¡ªthis had to be stopped. ¡°The problem is¡­ how do I even get into the Imperial Pce?¡± The Imperial Pce wasn¡¯t somemunity center you could just stroll into. The only usible option was Yurina, with her Imperial noble status. But even she couldn¡¯t enter the pce without proper authorization. ¡°Ugh.¡± Maybe I¡¯d think of a way to get into the pceter. ¡®It¡¯s not like worrying about it now will solve anything.¡¯ If worse came to worst, I could try sneaking into the pce. Of course, I¡¯d rather not resort to such measures. ¡®For now, I¡¯ll just train to clear my mind.¡¯ My thoughts about the Eternal Order and Camellia had kept me from trainingtely. Heading down to the first-floor training hall, I stood in the center and closed my eyes. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± Taking a slow breath, I recalled the recent festival. More specifically, my fight against the Archbishop of Madness. ¡®I won thanks to the Blessing of Revival, but overall, I was overwhelmed.¡¯ Even after using Ignition and Congration, I couldn¡¯t block all the crimson thorns raining down on me. ¡®If I¡¯d used Inferno, would I have been able to block them?¡¯ The one card I didn¡¯t y during the fight was Inferno, a technique I gained by absorbing the Primordial Ember. A powerful ability that engulfed the surrounding area in primordial mes. If I¡¯d used it, I probably could have burned away the Archbishop¡¯s crimson thorns. But¡ª ¡®Inferno¡­ isn¡¯t practical for realbat yet.¡¯ I didn¡¯t refrain from using Inferno to keep a trump card hidden¡ªit had a critical w. The mana consumption was unimaginably high. That was the biggest reason I didn¡¯t¡ªor couldn¡¯t¡ªuse Inferno in the fight. ¡°If I absorb another Primordial Ember, it might be usable inbat.¡± But I had no idea where to find another Primordial Ember. ¡°Tch.¡± For now, my only option was to improve my control and minimize Inferno¡¯s consumption. ¡®Start with one meter.¡¯ Whoosh! The embers enveloping my body red out, expanding into a circr field. Calling it ¡°field expansion¡± was grandiose for an area with only a one-meter radius. ¡°Haa¡­¡± A shiver of exhration ran down my spine. A mere one-meter radius. But within this space, I felt omnipotent, as if I were a god. Fwoosh! With just a snap of my fingers, ashes ignited in the empty air, and with a simple gesture, the fiery embers swirled fiercely, as if dancing to my will. Of course, this wasn¡¯t something I couldn¡¯t do even without using Infernal mes. ¡®But the feeling ispletely different.¡¯ It¡¯s like the difference between throwing something with your hand versus having the object float and fly on its own. The result¡ªan object flying¡ªwas the same in both cases. But when the process of "throwing it with your hand" disappeared entirely, it allowed the power to be used far more freely and quickly. ¡®A god who wields the primordial me freely, huh.¡¯ Yes. In this space, it truly felt like I¡¯d be¡­ a Demon God. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Ugh.¡± But the dizzying sense of omnipotence that surrounded mested only briefly. Soon, the domain of the Infernal mes began to shrink rapidly, and the embers zing in the air scattered into nothingness. ¡°Argh¡­¡± Calling myself Demon God like this, what a joke. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± While sipping water from the fridge set up in one corner of the training grounds to recover my depleted mana¡ª ck. The door to the training hall opened, and a woman in a ck suit stepped inside. ¡°Professor Elisha?¡± ¡°Ah, as I thought, you were here.¡± ¡°What brings you here at this hour?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to fetch Candidate Dale because the Principal has summoned you.¡± The Principal, Lionel, summoned me? ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why didn¡¯t he just contact me through the Hero Watch¡­?¡± ¡°Heh. Isn¡¯t it more personal to deliver it in person like this? Besides, I had another reason¡­.¡± Professor Elisha approached with a faint smile and gently ruffled my sweat-soaked hair. ¡°To catch a glimpse of Candidate Dale¡¯s sexy side.¡± ¡°¡­Sexy side?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a saying, isn¡¯t there? That men look sexy when they¡¯re working hard.¡± Good grief. My professor has some peculiar tastes. ¡°By the way, have you finished your training?¡± ¡°Yes, I was just about to take a break.¡± ¡°Perfect timing, then. Freshen up and head to the Principal¡¯s office right away.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re not nning to join me in the hot spring again, are you?¡± ¡°Ahem. Well, today there¡¯s no time for that, so let¡¯s save it for next time.¡± As if recalling that time, Professor Elisha blushed faintly and averted her gaze. I chuckled lightly and made my way to the underground hot spring. * * * Knock, knock. ¡°Come in.¡± The Principal¡¯s office at the Hero Academy. As I entered the room, which resembled an old bookstore filled with ancient tomes, I spotted Principal Lionel. ¡°I heard you summoned me.¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I need to tell you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± With a faint smile on his wrinkled face, Lionel began to speak.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Before that¡­ I heard you personally dealt with the demon infiltrating the school this time.¡± ¡°Oh, yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± Although I kept the fact that the infiltrator was the Archbishop of Madness a secret, the rest had already been reported to Lionel through Professor Elisha. ¡°Thank you. Thanks to you, we avoided a disaster like during the sealing ritual.¡± ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s all thanks to Professor Elisha¡¯s help.¡± ¡°Ha, such humility. I like that.¡± Lionel nodded approvingly, a satisfied smile on his face. ¡°By the way, regarding the group you reported, the Order of Eternity¡ªI¡¯ve informed Empress Camellia about them.¡± ¡°What did she say?¡± ¡°As expected, she didn¡¯t seem to care at all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Well. That reaction was to be expected. From Empress Camellia¡¯s perspective, hearing about some obscure organization targeting the imperial family must sound asughable as a cat hissing at a tiger. ¡®So much for using the investigation into the Order of Eternity as a pretext to make contact with Empress Camellia.¡¯ At this rate, I might seriously have to infiltrate the royal pce myself. The thought of it made my head throb. ¡®If I get caught, it won¡¯t just end with expulsion from school.¡¯ In the worst-case scenario, I could be an official enemy of the Empire. If that happened, the fallout wouldn¡¯t end with just me. ¡®Everyone connected to me would be dragged into it.¡¯ No matter how strong our party was, fighting against an entire nation wasn¡¯t feasible. Even if we could win, it would leave behind nothing but meaningless bloodshed and death. ¡°Ugh.¡± While I was seriously contemting whether to give up entirely¡ª ¡°Ah, that reminds me, I haven¡¯t told you the reason I called you here today.¡± Lionel stroked his beard as he continued. ¡°Empress Camellia heard about you and expressed interest. She sent an invitation to meet you.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± An invitation? ¡°Well, the semester is still ongoing, but if you¡¯re willing, how about visiting the Imperial Pce for a few days?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I already knew the future was vtile and unpredictable, but¡ª ¡®Who would¡¯ve thought I¡¯d live to see the day I received an invitation from the Empress.¡¯ Life sure has its surprises. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 225 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 225: The Spider and the Empress (2) The Imperial Capital. The imperial capital, steeped in over 500 years¡ªnay, countless centuries¡ªof history and tradition, exuded an overwhelming grandeur that left all who gazed upon it in awe. Streets paved with white marble gave off a faint scent of perfume that teased the nostrils. Fountains dotted across the city spouted crystal-clear water endlessly, while nobles in opulent attire strolled leisurely along the streets. Among the myriad architectural marvels, none could rival the towering golden pce at the city''s center. This was the residence of Empress Camellia¡ªthe ruler of the empire and the pinnacle among tens of thousands of heroes. ¡°...¡± A white-haired man wearing a monocle sighed softly as he gazed at the golden pce. ¡°Are the preparationsplete?¡± The man, Mephisto, slowly shifted his gaze. Standing before him were a group of masked individuals wearing animal-themed disguises. One of them, wearing a bear mask, stepped forward. ¡°Yes, everything is ready.¡± ¡°All that¡¯s left is to infiltrate the pce.¡± Mephisto narrowed his eyes, staring at the distant golden pce. After a moment, he turned his head toward the man in the bear mask. Looking around as if searching for someone, Mephisto furrowed his brow and asked, ¡°Is that person¡­ noting?¡± ¡°No, they said they had other matters to attend to and entrusted the operation¡¯smand to you, Mephisto.¡± ¡°Haah.¡± Mephisto sighed deeply. ¡°Well¡­ I suppose I should have expected it. The ¡®Eternal God¡¯ your group serves isn¡¯t one to act lightly.¡± ¡°All will unfold ording to their will.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, of course.¡± Clicking his tongue, Mephisto shook his head. ¡°¡®Destruction¡¯ has begun to move.¡± As Mephisto¡¯s gaze returned to the golden pce, he bit his lip firmly. ¡°Everyone, remember this well.¡± Taking a step toward the golden pce, he murmured, ¡°We must ensure¡­ that Empress Camellia survives.¡± * * * The day after receiving the Empress''s invitation. I left the academy and headed to the warp gate station located within Valha City. Of course, I wasn¡¯t going to the empire alone. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± Professor Elisha, who had arrived early, stubbed out her half-smoked cigarette. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯mte. I had to prepare a few things.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Elisha stared at me wordlessly. ¡°¡­Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s just the first time I¡¯ve seen Cadet Dale dressed up like this.¡± Elisha smirked as she looked me up and down in my neatly tailored uniform. ¡°Well, I couldn¡¯t exactly show up to meet the Empress in my usual attire. Iris nagged me about it, so here we are.¡± ¡°Oh, so Iris prepared that outfit for you?¡± ¡°No, I borrowed it from Yurina. She said it¡¯s the style imperial nobles usually wear.¡± I had no idea why imperial nobles were so obsessed with outfits adorned with excessive trinkets. ¡°It suits you.¡± ¡°Ugh. You don¡¯t need to humor me; I know it doesn¡¯t suit me at all.¡± ¡°Hmm? Who said I was humoring you?¡± Elisha took a step closer and gently ruffled my hair with a faint smile. ¡°I genuinely meant it.¡± Her violet eyes held no trace of deceit. ¡°Ahem. Is that so?¡± ¡°Of course, though I must admit it might have suited Cadet Yuren even better.¡± ¡°Urgh.¡± ¡°Haha, just kidding.¡± Elisha chuckled and teasingly pinched my cheek. ¡°To me, Cadet Dale looks more impressive than any dashing noble.¡± ¡°¡­You might want to get your eyes checked.¡± ¡°Love is said to blind a woman¡¯s eyes, after all.¡± Elisha gave a faint smile as she turned away. ¡°By the way, are you sure it¡¯s okay for me to apany you? The Empress invited you, not me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you before; I¡¯ll need your ¡®Insight¡¯s Blessing¡¯ for this trip.¡± The Church of Eternity¡¯s true motives, the mysterious circumstances surrounding Empress Camellia¡¯s death in my past life¡­ I needed the unique insight Elisha¡¯s blessing could provide to uncover the truth. ¡°Besides, having you by my side makes me feel much more reassured.¡± ¡°¡­I make you feel reassured?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± Though I trusted my other party members, none provided the solid sense of reliability Elisha did. ¡°Hmm? Is that so¡­ I see¡­¡± Elisha¡¯s lips twitched as if struggling to suppress a smile, her expression slightly awkward. ¡°I feel the same.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Ah, nothing. Let¡¯s hurry. The warp gate to the imperial capital is always crowded, and we¡¯ll have to wait a long time if we¡¯rete.¡± With reddened cheeks, Elisha briskly walked ahead. I suppressed a chuckle and followed her. Wooooom. The warp gate activated, transporting us to the imperial capital. The grandeur of the cityscape befitting the title of the strongest nation unfolded before my eyes. ¡°¡­The streets are as noisy as ever.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been here often?¡± ¡°Why would a nobody like me, from a nameless rural vige, visit here often? I¡¯ve onlye a few times for work.¡± Professor Elisha shrugged her shoulders as she spoke. The moment we stepped out of the warp gate station. "Are you Mr. Dale Han?" A knight wearing armor emzoned with the Imperial crest approached. "Yes, that''s me." "May I take a look at the invitation from Her Majesty Camellia?" "Here you go." After checking the invitation, the knight saluted with precise formality. "Thank you for cooperating with the verification process! We will escort the honored guest safely to the pce!" An honored guest, huh? From what Principal Lionel said, Her Majesty was supposed to be quite capricious, but it seems they''re giving me proper treatment. "Please follow me." "Alright." "But, um, the person beside you is...?" "She''s a professor who came with me."@@novelbin@@ "Uninvited guests are not..." "If she can''t apany me, then I¡¯ll just turn back." "Um¡­ please hold on a moment." Looking flustered, the knight activated his Hero Watch and exchanged messages with someone. "Are you Professor Elisha Baldwin?" "Yes, that¡¯s correct." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Understood. You may bothe along." We followed the knight and arrived at the Imperial Pce. The golden pce and its towering gates stood steadfastly before us. ''This is truly a pce worthy of its name.'' The sheer number of magic circles engraved on the gates was no fewer than ten. Each one looked powerful enough to be used for fortress defense. ''With security like this, it makes sense why they wouldn¡¯t worry about threats from the Eternal Order.'' The defenses were so secure that even calling them imprable felt like an understatement. ''The problem is that Mephisto is on the Eternal Order''s side.'' The Archbishop of Corruption, Mephisto. A demon specializing in infiltration and disguise, his skill in bypassing protective barriers was unparalleled. ''If it¡¯s Mephisto¡­ he could pull it off.'' I clicked my tongue as we passed the gate, densely packed with magic circles. "This way." We traversed thebyrinthine pce corridors and arrived at a massive tinum door. The knight who had guided us from the warp gate bowed slightly and stepped back, signaling his task wasplete. Creak. As I approached, the tinum door emitted a radiant light and opened. Inside was a grand hall. Lavish jewels and priceless artwork were scattered about as if they were mere trinkets in a market. "Hmm." At the far end of the hall, which was vast enough to resemble a stadium, a woman lounged on an overly long chair that could barely be called a throne. A tinum-haired woman dressed in a thin garment resembling sleepwear. Hernguid eyes, as though she might drift off at any moment, met mine. "Are you the candidate I¡¯ve heard rumors about?" "......" I had no idea what rumors she meant. "Yes, I am Dale Han." I gave a slight nod toward the Empress. For a brief moment, Camellia''s expression twisted slightly. "...Candidate Dale. Kneel." Elisha, like a loyal knight, tugged on my arm and dropped to one knee. "My apologies. I¡¯m unfamiliar with the Empire¡¯s customs." As I prepared to follow Elisha¡¯s lead and kneel. "Rise." Camellia¡¯s voice was low and calm. "I am not so petty as to demand manners from the unlearned." "......" "Still¡­ I only summoned one person. Who are you?" Her gaze shifted to Professor Elisha. "I am Elisha Baldwin, professor to Candidate Dale." "Elisha¡­ Elisha Baldwin¡­ Ah, yes, I recall." Camellia¡¯snguid voice carried on. "Are you the one they call the ¡®Cursed Spider''?" "I am ashamed to admit so." "I heard you were from the Empire." "I hail from a nameless rural vige, nothing more." "Hoho. It matters not whether youe from nobility or a humble background." Camellia plucked a grape from a table beside her and popped it into her mouth. "After all, everything in this world, save for me, is nothing more than insignificant vermin." "......" "In any case." Camellia gestured toward Elisha with a tilt of her head. "You are of no interest to me. Stand back." "...Understood." Elisha rose and moved to stand near the door. "Now then... Dale Han, was it?" "......" I knew I was in the presence of the Empress, but her haughty and dismissive attitude toward Elisha, as if she were her servant, stoked an unshakable annoyance within me. "...Yes." Exhale. Alright, let¡¯s hold it in. Patience. Just be patient. "Hmm¡­ Just looking at you, I¡¯m not sure." Camellia stared at me with drowsy eyes, then let out a yawn. "It seems I¡¯ll need to verify things with my own eyes, rather than relying on rumors." "¡­Verify, you say?" Snap. Camellia snapped her fingers. Rumble! The hall shook as though an earthquake had struck, and knights d in iron armor emerged from the floor. The irond knights drew their swords and surrounded me in an instant. "Now, let me see you perform for me." Camellia tilted her head, her lips curled into anguid smile. "¡­Hah." I let out a deep sigh as I surveyed the iron knights surrounding me. Whoosh. I began to summon embers of ash as I nced at the flustered Professor Elisha, who seemed unsure of what to do, and Camellia, who looked down at me with a smug gaze. ''A performance, huh?'' Alright, if that¡¯s what you want, I¡¯ll give you a performance. One you¡¯ll never forget. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 227: The Spider and the Empress (4) [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 227: The Spider and the Empress (4) "What... what were you thinking when you said that?" "What do you mean?" As I shrugged nonchntly at Professor Elisha, who was visibly agitated, her violet eyes shed with intensity. "Are you seriously asking because you don''t know? Not only did you refuse the Empress¡¯s proposal, but you even had the audacity to call her ¡®you¡¯ informally!" Well, I suppose I did. But, you know... "Hmm. Do you really have the right to say that, Professor Elisha?" "What¡­?" "You defied the Empress¡¯s orders and said everything you wanted as well, didn¡¯t you?" "T-That¡¯s..." Professor Elisha averted her gaze, flustered. If we were to argue over who had made a bigger mess, of course, I was the greater offender for speaking so casually to the Empress. But it was Professor Elisha who had set the stage for it. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± She lowered her head with a defeated expression. I swallowed a chuckle and took her hand. "Anyway, why did you do that all of a sudden?" "Do what?" "You said something about how recruitment offers were impossible under the Three-Nation Agreement." Even I hadn¡¯t expected Professor Elisha to step in at that moment. "¡­I was just stating the facts." "Hmm. But you knew that Empress Camellia wouldn¡¯t simply abide by that, didn¡¯t you?" "That¡¯s¡­" She shut her mouth tightly, lost in thought, her gaze wandering into the distance. "Could it be¡­ were you jealous?" "J-J-JEALOUS?! What nonsense are you spouting, Candidate Dale!" Ah, I see now. She really did get worked up hearing Camellia tell me to be her vassal. "Pfft¡­ Haha!" "D-Don¡¯tugh!" Professor Elisha stomped on my foot in frustration. ng, ng! The sound of metal echoed. "Well, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not like anything serious happened, right? We haven¡¯t been banished from the Imperial Pce or anything." "¡­Nothing serious?!" She frowned and looked down at the source of the metallic sound. Arge shackle bound my ankle. Naturally, I also had thick handcuffs locked around my wrists. That¡¯s right. After all that happened¡­ "You¡¯re saying being imprisoned in the Empire¡¯s underground dungeon isn¡¯t a big deal?" Professor Elisha let out a deep sigh, as if her head was starting to ache. I leaned back against the cold stone wall andzily turned my head. Dimntern light flickered through the dense iron bars, and the damp air carried the stench of decay. It was hard to believe this dreary and grim ce was part of the same grand Imperial Pce. "We¡¯re not actually imprisoned." "¡­Not imprisoned? What are you talking about?" "There aren¡¯t even guards posted outside. And also¡­." I lifted my shackled wrists. These handcuffs, imbued with the power of ¡®Seven-Star¡¯s Blessing,¡¯ couldn¡¯t be removed by normal means. Fwoosh! ng! But as embers red, the ¡®Seven-Star¡¯s Blessing¡¯ burned away, and the shackles split cleanly in two, falling to the ground. "They only put on restraints that could be removed this easily." "¡­The only one who could remove them so easily is you, Candidate Dale." "And Empress Camellia wouldn¡¯t be unaware of that." I swallowed another chuckle and swiftly undid all of Elisha¡¯s restraints as well. "¡­So, are you suggesting we escape together?" "No." There was no need for an escape. ¡®They¡¯re going toe and release us soon anyway.¡¯ Leaning against the wall, I turned toward the iron-barred door. Click, ck. From the distance, faint footsteps echoed down the corridor. "Hmm." Camellia appeared beyond the bars, no longer in her usual nightgown but dressed in an extravagant gown. She narrowed her eyes at me. "So, you truly possess the power to nullify the Blessing of Ye." [TL/N: Empress here talks in an arrogant way.] Clicking her tongue softly, she nced at the broken shackles scattered on the floor and let out a brief sigh before turning her gaze toward me and Elisha. "My apologies for locking you up. If I hadn¡¯t, Melina would have made a fuss." "Melina¡­ You mean that strict maid?" "Yes, Ye¡¯s most devoted attendant." A faint smile tugged at Camellia¡¯s lips as she recalled Melina. "When Ye destroyed Gehenna City, I personally took her in from the ruins." The Empress¡¯s attack on Gehenna City¡ª It was the decisive event that catapulted Camellia to the rank of the number-one hero. Wait a second. She personally took her in from Gehenna City? "Then¡­ don¡¯t tell me¡­" "Not everyone in Gehenna City was a demon. Just as not everyone in Valha City is a hero." "¡­¡­." Hearing that, I had nothing to say. "Melina was one of the children kidnapped and taken to Gehenna City. If Ye hadn¡¯t been there, she would have suffered countless experiments at the hands of the demons before being brutally killed." So, from Melina¡¯s perspective, Camellia was her savior. "¡­Now I understand why she was ring at me as if she wanted to kill me." "Her loyalty can be excessive at times, but that¡¯s just who she is." ng. With a simple gesture from Camellia, the heavy prison door slid open. "You came here chasing the Eternal Order, didn¡¯t you?" "¡­You knew?" "Heh. There is no truth in this world that can escape Ye¡¯s eyes." She smirked, her confidence unshaken. "You must have heard it from Headmaster Lionel." "¡­Tch." Clicking her tongue, Camellia looked slightly annoyed at being exposed. "You truly have not a single cute bone in your body." "Hmm." "¡­Do you have something to say to Ye?" She turned her sharp gaze to Professor Elisha. "Well¡­" With a serene smile, Elisha spoke. "I actually think Candidate Dale has quite a few endearing qualities." "Oh? Are you contradicting Ye¡¯s words right now?" "And if I am?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Their gazes locked. Just as the tension between the Spider and the Empress was about to ignite again¡ª "Both of you, that¡¯s enough." ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°Ahem.¡± Professor Elisha and Empress Camellia, who had been ring fiercely at each other, let out awkward coughs. "Anyway, back to the main point." Empress Camellia gestured outside the prison with a nod before continuing. "If you wish, I shall help you track down this so-called Order of Eternity." "I thought you had no interest in the Order of Eternity?" "That is correct." "Then why¡­?" "My interest is not in those mongrels of the Order of Eternity, but in you." Camellia¡¯s eyes sparkled like a child who had just discovered a bundle of gifts. "I want to see. Just how capable you are." "¡­¡­." So, she wasn¡¯t interested in the Order of Eternity itself but rather in seeing my abilities in action while tracking them down. ¡®If that¡¯s the case, Professor Elisha would probably be the one to shine more than me.¡¯@@novelbin@@ Well, whatever the reason. If I could get the Empress¡¯s help in pursuing the Order of Eternity, there could be no better support. "Stay still for a moment." Camellia reached her hand toward us. A radiant aura of seven colors flowed from her fingertips. The shimmering aura enveloped both me and Professor Elisha. "This is¡­?" "As long as my aura resides within you, you shall be free to move about the imperial pce." So, it was like a pass for free movement. "Now, step out." "By the way, what should we do if we encounter that maid, Melina, during our investigation?" If we had been imprisoned here because of that Melina, there was bound to be trouble if we ran into her while investigating the pce. "You need not worry about that. Melina is currently out on external duty and is not in the imperial pce." "I see." I tilted my head slightly as I looked at Camellia. "Do you have something to say to me?" "No, I just found it a bit unexpected." Given Camellia¡¯s personality, I figured that no matter how much she cherished a servant, she wouldn¡¯t be the type to consider their feelings at all. But seeing her like this, she seemed to care quite a bit about that maid, Melina. "I am boundlessly generous to those who swear loyalty to me." "¡­¡­." She didn¡¯t exactly strike me as the kind of person one would associate with generosity. "If you were to be my servant, you too would experience my generosity." "¡­I believe I¡¯ve already given my answer to that offer." "Heh. It seems you still don¡¯t fully understand me." Camellia smiled leisurely, her eyes gleaming. "What I desire always ends up in my hands." "Ah, yes." Sure, whatever you say. ¡®One thing¡¯s for certain¡ªgetting involved with her is exhausting.¡¯ Swallowing a wry smile, I stepped out of the prison. Professor Elisha, who had been ring at Camellia, followed me out. Once we had exited the underground prison and moved far enough that Camellia was no longer in sight¡ª "Cadet Dale." "Yes?" "Give me your hand." Professor Elisha, who had been following behind me, grabbed my hand. She interlocked her fingers with mine, her gaze shifting away. "¡­¡­." This wasn¡¯t a time for enjoying a sweet, date-like event. We were in the middle of tracking down the infiltrators from the Order of Eternity within the imperial pce. "Why? Do you have a problem with this?" "No, not exactly¡­." "Then stopining and just hold it." With that, she strode forward, swinging our hands slightly. Though I couldn¡¯t see her face, the redness in her earlobes made it clear that she was embarrassed about the situation. ¡®Honestly.¡¯ She really does have a cute side. "Now, let¡¯s begin our investigation in earnest." Professor Elisha spoke as she pulled out two ss bottles filled with red liquid from her coat. "What¡¯s that?" "Blood samples from the Wolf Mask and Fox Mask. I collected them just in case, but I didn¡¯t expect to actually use them here." I see. By consuming the blood, she intended to maximize the power of the Blessing of Insight. The Blessing of Insight, when enhanced through bodily fluids, was powerful enough to uncover even the bombs that the Archbishop of Madness had desperately hidden. It would certainly be useful in tracking the Order of Eternity. Gulp. After drinking the blood from the ss bottles, Professor Elisha¡¯s pupils transformed, turning a vivid reptilian yellow. Her gleaming "Cursed Eye" scanned the surroundings. "For now¡­ I don¡¯t see any traces of the Order of Eternity." "Let¡¯s keep searching." As we wandered through the imperial pce, investigating every corner¡ª "Wait." Professor Elisha suddenly halted. She fixed her gaze on arge painting hanging on the wall, her Evil Eye flickering ominously. "Beyond this wall¡­ I sense something suspicious." She stepped closer to the wall and extended her fingertips, conjuring threads of spider silk, which she sent flowing behind the painting. Then¡ª Click. Rumble. With a deep vibration, the section of the wall holding the painting rotated, revealing a hidden passageway. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!