Level Check

I take a look at treant and Aro’s levels to check how much experience they
got from the origin matter. Treant has risen from【Lv: 91/130】to【Lv:
99/130】, and Aro has risen from 【Lv: 94/130】to【Lv: 97/130】.
When I tell them, treant starts hopping around in joy.
“I-I need to try harder too…”
Aro’s expression is a little complicated, perhaps concerned that she’s
suddenly been overtaken.
『I did it! Master-dono, I finally passed Aro-dono’s level! Atlach-dono will
surely look at me in a new light now!』
…Aro has a super complicated expression just now, so please stop
emphasising that. I signal to him with my eyes, and his body stiffens as he
turns to look at her. I’m sure he’s just celebrating and doesn’t mean
anything bad by it.
Still, I never thought that he would one day outlevel Aro. His current
species as a world treant seems to be insanely strong for an A+ rank.
No, well, he’s still lacking in terms of active attacks. He can probably never
chase down an enemy that’s running away. I’ve already see how much of a
flaw a lack of attacks is by watching his growth up to now.
As a walpurgis, Aro is better at hunting a lot of monsters, and at winning in
one-on-one combat. But, even though it’s difficult for him to become the
main fighter, his minuses as a world treant are completely compensated for
by fighting as a group.
That’s why he was able to gain a so much of the experience from the origin
matter. To be sure, his ability to absorb a hit meant for me and then reflect it
back with [Fairy Hex] was a huge help. Of course, Aro’s damage
contribution was helpful too, but the one who did more in the fight was no
doubt treant.
…For that matter, his level should be really slow to raise now that it’s in the
90s, but it still went up by a lot. Of course, my [Demon Lord’s Favour] skill
is doubling the amount of experience they get, so Aro and treant are
levelling much faster than most monsters.
It also just goes to show how much experience the origin matter gave. The
amount I just received was 77,000, which was more than the ruin’s 42,000
and Lilixira’s 59,000. Considering that Aro and treant also got a portion, the
original experience amount must have been over 100,000.
After all, even in this world overflowing with Legendaries, the origin matter
was probably particularly strong. The experience from the ruin and Lilixira
was probably reduced by them being in a weakened state after losing their
divine skills, but the origin matter’s amount was still incredibly high. Once
again, I realise just how powerful it was.
『Master-dono, please watch! At this rate I’ll soon reach Legendary rank
too!』
『H-hmm… It might better if you didn’t…』
『W-why!? I want to be able to fight by your side, master-dono!』
Treant flaps his wings.
“Hah, I’m jealous of your cute subordinates. Mine all were sharper in
personality and appearance. Well, they were all good kids deep down.”
Miia touches a hand to her lips and laughs. I find myself staring at her
closely. It could just be that I’m prejudiced against her, but I can’t help but
see her expression as artificial.
“What’s wrong, Irushia?”
『N-no, it’s nothing.』
“Hm? Okay then.”
I don’t really want to talk about her subordinates. It’s creepy how little she
seems to care that I killed them. I would be much more at ease if she
seemed slightly torn up about it. At the same time, I’m on edge worried
about whether something I could say would throw her into a fit of rage.
“You’re called treant, right? I’ll explain. Only divine skill holders can
evolve to become Legendary. It’s unusual to be able to evolve as an A+
rank, but even if you do evolve, you’ll only become a different monster of
the same rank.”
『A-ah, is that so…?』
Treant sags down in disappointment.
“Well, that’s not to say you shouldn’t evolve. Your skill levels will rise, and
your stats will probably increase too. Though your level will be reset, so it
might not be worth it. Especially not when we’re so limited on time…”
『I see…』
As expected, Miia seems to know more about this than I do. It goes to show
how much she learnt from seriously trying to fight against God’s Voice
three times over.
“It’s not that there aren’t any special exceptions, but even if you somehow
forcefully evolve to Legendary, you’d get the God of Destruction status
condition. Once that happens, there’s no saving you. Your maximum HP
would gradually fall as your body is worn down. You should bear that in
mind.”
Treant gulps and nods his head. So she knows about God of Destruction…
Did it happen to one of her subordinates? Or was it one of the other divine
skill holders of her era…?

Chapter 142 Night in the Dungeon

"Baskerville-sama, please wake up. Dinner is ready."

"Hmm...?"

I slowly opened my eyelids to find the face of a brown-skinned girl

standing right in front of me.
Her jade green eyes looked into my face. Her hair of the same color
flowing like a waterfall from her head. There is also a mischievous
expression on her beautifully shaped face.
Now, Ryuna Maafern, the Priestess of the temple, is so close to me that I
could have kissed her.

"...What are you doing up so early? Are you going to give me a kiss
when I wake up?"

I tried to keep my tone calm, suppressing my inner turmoil.

The truth is that I was so surprised that I thought my heart would
explode... but it's not cool to be upset when a girl who seems to be younger
than me puts her face close to mine.
As a man who has been in contact with four women on a daily basis, I
couldn't let my upset show.

"Geez... that's not an interesting reaction. I thought you would be more

surprised."

"Too bad. I'm an experienced city boy, okay? I don't get upset just
because someone leans in close to my face."
 "Should I kissed you on the mouth? That way, you'd be a little upset,
wouldn't you?"

"...Do it if you can. I'll put my tongue inside your mouth and stir it
around."

I stare at her with half-open eyes. But Ryuna just giggles and points with
her hand toward the table.
Then I noticed that there is a delicious, appetizing smell wafting through
the room.

"Come on, let's have dinner. This way please."

"...Yeah"

I sit down on a chair next to the table, raising my eyebrows slightly at

Ryuna who takes the trouble to pull me away from the table. There are
already Shakuna and Hadiss sitting around the food.
However, Shakuna looks at me reproachfully and opens her cherry-red
lips.

"...I see you and my little sister have become good friends. I'm so glad."

"...Your face doesn't match your words. You look like you're going to kill
me."

Shakuna's eyes were sharp, as if she wanted to stab her partner to death
with her gaze.
She must not like the man flirting with her cute sister. After all, her eyes
were like those of a black bug in the kitchen.

"...No way, I'm happy as long as Ryuna is happy. I'll give my blessing to
Ryuna if she's happy, no matter what kind of a scumbag the guy is. Even if
it's a lecherous seducer."
 "I don't know who you're talking to. But, I'm not a scumbag and I'm not a
lecherous seducer."

"Calm down, don't fight, both of you. We're about to eat and the food will
be bad."

Ryuna intervenes between us and hands me a plate with more food on it.
On the plate are sliced bread, fish fillets, and meat covered with spices
like curry powder.
The spicy smell of the food makes my throat gulp spontaneously.

"It looks delicious. It's really quite a feat for a blind person to make a
dish like this."

"Of course it's delicious. It's the food Ryuna made!"

"Why are you so proud of yourself? It's your sister's work!"

"I'm used to cooking thanks to my work at the soup kitchen. Surely it will
suit your taste buds, Baskerville-sama?"

Shakuna is smiling with pride for some reason, and Ryuna is smiling
with a smile on her face.
With Shakuna and Ryuna on either side of me, I spoon the food into my
mouth. As soon as it enters the mouth, the spicy and thick flavoring fills the
mouth and stimulates my tongue.

"It's spicy... but it's still delicious. It's an addictive taste."

The stimulating flavor seems to spread through my tired body. It's an

addictive taste that I can't stop after one bite. Very tasty.

"I am glad that it suits your taste. There is a refill, so please eat as much
as you want."

"Yes, I will."
 I gobble down the food. I gobble down my food so fast that I almost
forget that I am a nobleman.

I look to the side and see Shakuna and Ryuna eating their meals in an
elegant manner. They are princesses, after all, and have good manners.
Haddis, who is sitting in front of us, is silently and procedurally bringing
the food to his mouth. He also keeps glancing at the entrance and the exit of
the room with his side eyes, and does not seem to let his guard down even
while he is eating.

He is as serious as ever, but I'm sure he won't listen to me.

It is because of obedient knights like him that Shakuna and Ryuna are
able to travel in peace, and it is not my place to interfere.

"Well... it's not so bad. Having a night like this..."

It was such a fulfilling meal that we almost forgot we were in a dungeon.

EX dungeon, the 'Royal Tomb of Salomon's'.

The night of the first day of the attack passed quietly.
Ryuna, Shakuna, and Haddiss took a break in turn, and then resumed the
challenge, this time aiming at the 20th floor.
At the 11th floor, the monsters are more powerful than those on the
previous floors, but Shakuna and the others still seem to have enough room
to make it to the next floor. They are able to move on to the lower floor
without any problems.
In fact, they are moving better as they have become accustomed to the
new environment and have relaxed their tension, which has increased the
speed of their attack. At this rate, we may be able to reach the boss room of
the 30th floor by the end of today, instead of the 20th floor.

"Be careful on that road, there are traps. If you step on the cobblestones
of different colors under your feet, you'll get electrocuted."

I tell the three of them to take the shortest path down to the next floor.
Below the 11th floor, we have to watch out not only for monsters but also
for traps, so I recall my memories as I carefully give them instructions.
 "I've been wondering since yesterday... have you ever been in this
dungeon?"

Shakuna's eyes lifted in suspicion as I pointed out not only the directions
but also the locations of the traps. In response to this question, I shrug my
shoulders and answer.

"Well. I've tried this dungeon a few times. I never made it to the lowest
floor, though."

The first half is true, but the second half is a lie.

In the game, I succeeded in defeating the boss character of the last level,
'King Salomon,' but I keep quiet about it because it might get complicated if
I talk about it.

"I can guide you to the 50th floor where the 'King's Scepter' is located, so
leave it to me."

"Then I feel relieved... But wait, by any chance, don't you have the
'Royal Scepter of Osiris'? If so, we didn't have to go into the dungeon!"

"I wish I had it... but unfortunately, I'm out of the scepter."

I laugh sarcastically and shake my head.

The scepter of Osiris, the reward for clearing the 50th floor, is a useful
item that can remove all of my companions' abnormalities and debuffs... but
when used, it has a certain probability of breaking.
In addition, there is a limitation that a player cannot have more than one
scepter at the same time. If the user conquered the 50th floor again with the
scepter in his possession, another item would appear.
If the scepter is broken and lost, it is possible to get it again... but the
item will not be included in the items that can be transferred as a result of
the clear data. This is because the clear data was saved with the scepter in a
broken state after it had been used up.
 "My scepter was broken a long time ago. I have the other clear rewards,
but... no luck."

"I see... you're absolutely, utterly useless."

"Shut up, who could have foreseen this?"

The scepter is a useful item, but it is not so useful that I am bothered if I

don't have it.
It is obvious thing because any player who has played through the main
scenario has already obtained skills and equipment for countermeasures
against abnormalities.
So, there is no need to take the time to re-explore the tomb to get the
scepter again.

"So... we have to go all the way to the 50th floor, huh..."

"That's right... Hey, your footing there is dangerous..."

"Hmm...? Kyaaaaaaaaaaa!"

"Onee-sama!?"

"Your Highness!"

At the moment Shakuna steps on the floor, a pale translucent rope-like

object appears and entangles Shakuna's legs.
Shakuna's body is pulled by the rope and hanged upside down.

"What... What the hell is this!?"

"Good grief... I told you it was dangerous!"

"You should've said it with more energy!? No one can avoid it with your
stupid warning!?"

Shakuna is hanging from the ceiling and yelling, “Whoa, whoaaa!”.

 "Oh, it's going to fall!"

"Eh? Baskerville-sama?"

I casually pulled Ryuna's arm and took a step away from Shakuna.
The next moment, the ceiling of the place where Shakuna is suspended
opens, and a huge amount of liquid comes pouring down.

"Hyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?"

Shakuna's screams echoed through the dungeon as she was completely

engulfed by the torrent of liquid that fell like a waterfall.
At the same time, the magic rope that was holding her legs came loose,
and she fell down with a sticky sound.

"Ah... Ugh..."

"Ahh, this is so terrible..."

"O-Onee-sama! Are you all right!?"

Shakuna was hit by the trap, and was soaking wet all over and nearly half
of her dancer's costume she was wearing had come off.
Her smooth breasts are almost completely exposed, and even the pinkish
protrusion at the tip could be seen.

"Hmm... this is just like in the game, huh?"

I nodded my head while observing Shakuna who appeared to be in a very

erotic state.
This erotic trap event occurs when Shakuna is joined in the party to
conquer the 'Tomb of the King', and I could see the exact same scene in the
game as what I was seeing in front of me.
This event was quite popular among fans, as the normally cold and
shadowy Shakuna gets soaking wet and crumples to the floor as if she had
just been violated by a man.
 "The power of the scenario, or rather, the obligation, is really strong. It's
hilarious that she fell for it."

"O-Onee-sama! Please change your clothes!"

"Why did this happen to me... Do you really hate me that much..."

Shakuna glares at me with teary eyes, and Ryuna hurriedly puts her cloak
on her.

But I spread my arms out in frustration at the unjustified resentment, and

the other man, Hadis, turns his eyes away as if he were looking at someone
else.

The guardian of the 20th floor is a giant insect-shaped monster—a demon

named Marmartos.
Its body is shiny black and speckled with bright red. Its carapace is
divided by numerous joints, and countless jointed legs are wriggling wildly.
This demon, which causes physiological disgust to those who see it, is
very similar to the so called "Pill Bug". The kind that lurks under stones or
other objects when they are lifted up.
However, its body is huge, nearly three meters in height, and its head is
glaring at us with a terrifying face like an oni.

'Kyuchachachachachacha~!'

The huge insect makes a noisy noise with its mandibles. That was the
signal to start the battle.

Immediately, I send out instructions to my three companions.

"All right, then... let's go as planned! Don't let your guard down!"

"I know it! Don't tell me what to do!"

 I move to the position we had discussed before, listening to Shakuna's
retort. In place of Hadiss, the guarder, I stand in front of Ryuna, holding my
sword in front of her to protect her.

This battle was different from the one on the 10th floor, and I was to
participate in it.
Based on the way they fought, I have a rough idea of the abilities of my
three companions. Although there are some dangers, as long as I support
them, it is possible to conquer up to the 50th floor.
So, there is no need to test my skills any further. We just have to beat it
quickly and move on to the next floor.

"It's time to go, Hadis!"

"I understood."

Shakuna and Hadiss leap in front of the demon together. They face the
creepy insect-shaped demon head-on.

"Warrior Dance—'Sword Dance'!"

"Fold it up—'Power Slash'!"

'Kyuchachachachachacha~!'

Shakuna and Hadiss attacked simultaneously.

Marmartos counterattacks, though slightly frightened. It attacked them by
twisting and biting them with its legs, and by extending long poisonous
needles attached to its tail.

"Nggh...!"

"Hmmph!"

Shakuna dodges the giant insects' attacks with dance steps, and Haddis
catches them with his large shield.
 As for the note, I had taught them the pattern of this demon's attack in
advance. So, no matter how sharp the attack is, it is not difficult to avoid it
if they know it is coming.
Both Shakuna and Hadiss skillfully handled the attack by watching the
preliminary movements before the attack, and inflicted damage unilaterally.

"This seems to be no problem! It's nothing to worry about!"

"Be careful! It's coming!"

Shakuna, who is slashing at her enemies with a calm and composed

attitude, calls out a warning.
This insect-shaped demon changes its movements when its energy level
is less than half, and then it launches its signature move.

'Kichuuuuuuuuuuuuu~!!'

Marmartos curls up its arthropod body and starts to spin vigorously. It

rolls around at high speed, trying to hit the two vanguards.

"Your Highness!"

"Get back...!"

Haddis and Shakuna narrowly avoid being hit. If they had failed to evade
in time and had been hit directly, they would have been severely injured.

As can be seen, this demon's signature move—the 'Blood Wheel'—is an

attack in which the demon spins around its body and hits the opponent.
While spinning, it completely negates all attacks from the enemy. In
addition, it also has a guard nullification effect, which can be fatal even for
warriors with high defense if taken seriously.

"...It's a good thing I asked you beforehand. Although it's frustrating, I'm
glad that that lecherous seducer was there."
 "Who's a lecherous seducer! You'd better run away so you don't get hit by
accident!"

"I know it... but, Ryuna! Get out of the way!"

The demon, which had been circling at high speed, changed its target and
came toward Ryuna and me in the back.
Its huge body, like a boulder rolling down a slope, loomed up in front of
us.

"Baskerville-sama!"

"...!"

I try to avoid it while carrying Ryuna, but I can't make it in time.

That huge demon body is coming at us with frightening speed, trying to
crush us all together...

'Pigyaun~!?'

However, it slips through our bodies and crashes into the wall behind us.
As a result of hitting the wall, Marmartos is released from his high-speed
rotation, and returns to his original shape, moving like a dizzy, drunken
maniac.

"Dark magic—Illusion Ghost!"

At a little distance from Marmartos, I held Ryuna's shoulder and raised

my index finger.

I had calculated from the beginning that this would happen.

By anticipating that Marmartos would attack Ryuna from the rearguard
after launching the decisive move, I had deliberately set up an illusionary
trap and waited for the attack.
The spinning and rushing attack is a terrifyingly powerful move, but for
some reason, when it hit a wall, it would stop and become down, just as it
did before. Again, this was the same as the game's design, which was a
blessing.

"Now! Start to attack!"

"I know what to do! We won't give it a chance to fight back. We'll crush
it all at once!"

"Onee-sama! I'll support you!"

We all attack Marmartos now that it's down.

Ryuna boosts our attack power with her auxiliary magic, and Shakuna
and Hadiss go on the offensive at once.

'Gidjuuuuuuuuuuuu~'

It was a minute later that the giant insect-shaped demon fell down on the
floor.
At the same time as Marmartos, the insect-shaped demon, fell down and
disappeared, a treasure chest appeared in the center of the room. It was the
reward for clearing the 20th floor.

"Well then... let's check the reward. Ryuna, you are free to open the
treasure chest."

"M-Me?"

"The reward for clearing the 20th floor is also random. I have a feeling...
you'll be the luckiest among us."

"Yes, I agree. Open it."

"...Don't get mad if something strange comes out, okay?"

Ryuna approaches the treasure chest reluctantly as her sister Shakuna

encourages her to open it.
 Shakuna then pulls her blind sister's hand and leads her to the treasure
chest... and Ryuna nervously touches the treasure chest.

"Ei~!"

She opens the treasure chest with a great momentum... and inside the
chest is a gem that fits in her palm.
Ryuna gropes the rainbow-colored gem, and tilts her head curiously.

"What...is this? Is it...a gem?"

"Heh... A random orb, huh? You pull off some pretty interesting stuff."

"Random orb...?"

'Random Orb' is a kind of skill orb, and as the name suggests, it gives out
unique skills to be learned at random.
Skills that can only be learned by certain jobs, skills that can only be used
by demons and monsters, could be acquired by using random orbs.
Of course, there were times when a skill was useless and unusable... but
it was quite enjoyable among the players to try their luck.

When I played the game, I learned skills such as [Gill Breathing] and
[Scissors Attack], which are obviously not human skills, and I laughed at it.

"Well, you never know what you're going to get until you try it. That was
interesting."

Hearing my explanation, Shakuna clapped her hands together in

amusement.

"So... Ryuna, try it out. Tell me what you learn?"

"A-Am I going to use it? I think it will be more useful in battle if it's used
by Onee-sama or Baskerville-sama..."
 "No, because Ryuna brought out this item, you should use it, shouldn't
you? Anyway, I don't have good luck in such a lucky draw. So, I want
Ryuna to use it."

"She's right, she doesn't seem to have good luck. After all, she just got
caught in an erotic trap."

"Shut up! Don't interrupt the conversation between the two sisters!"

Shakuna scolds me for interrupting her, and smiles at Ryuna.

"It will be good for us if Ryuna gets stronger. You are the only logistical
support in this party."

"Onee-sama..."

"I'm fine with that too. You've got plenty of skill slots anyway... and
you're okay with that too, aren't you Hadiss?"

"..."

The priest knight standing by the wall nodded silently.

After everyone had agreed, Ryuna puts her lips close to the seven-colored
gem in her hands and says, "If that's the case...".
The orb dissolves into the air and disappears, and the seven-colored blur
of light is sucked into Ryuna's mouth.

"Ah..."

"How is it? What skills have you mastered?"

"Hwee!? Umm... What's this...!?"

When I ask this, Ryuna looks flustered for some reason.

Suddenly she is acting suspiciously. She must have pulled some kind of
strange skill... and she hides behind her sister's back.
 "...Hey, what did you really learn? I'm curious about your reaction."

"D-Don't ask me that! It's indecent!"

"It's indecent!?"

"Baskerville-sama is dirty! Pervert!"

"That's right. He's a pervert. He's a voyeur. Stay away from Ryuna."

Even Shakuna's giving me mysterious cover.

I mean, what did I do? I just asked her what skills she has learned!

"Why my reputation is ruined! Seriously, just tell me what you drew! I

won't ask you to use it!"

"I can't tell it! I'll die of embarrassment! Not till we're married!"

"We're getting married?! Me and Ryuna!?"

She turns red and shakes her head.

In the end, she never revealed what she had learned from the random orb,
and we finished the 20th floor with a confused feeling.
After taking a short rest in the rest room at the 20th floor, we decided to
continue to the 21st floor.
The speed of progress is much faster than I expected. At least today, we
still have enough energy and magic power to continue to the 30th floor.

"Hey, don't forget to tell me if there are any traps! I'll stab you if you
miss any trap, especially a naughty one!"

"Okay, okay... you're really a sensitive princess."

The erotic traps must have been too much for Shakuna to bear. Fed up
with Shakuna's repeated complaints, I wave my hand and lead the party.
 The difficulty level had increased after the 20th floor... but there was still
plenty of room left in the party.
Both Shakuna and Hadiss were able to defeat the monsters without any
danger, and Ryuna was able to support them without any panic.
In fact, I felt that they have become more refined in their movements as
they have become more familiar with each other's role and their
coordination is getting stronger.

"Your Highness Shakuna! Finish it off!"

"I already know—[Sword Dance]!"

'Gugyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa~!'

While Hadiss, the tank, held off the enemy's attack, Shakuna quickly
used her martial art to finish the enemy off.
Thanks to the coordinated attacks, the two-legged lizard monster is
knocked down and disappears.

At the timing when the battle was over, Ryuna, who was in the last row,
opened her mouth as if she remembered something.

"Speaking of which... isn't it about time to think of a way to thank

Baskerville-sama for his support?"

"Oh my, what's the matter, Ryuna? You suddenly started talking like
that."

"You know, Onee-sama... Baskerville-sama is a nobleman from an

unrelated neighboring country, but yet he lends us a helping hand. I thought
a proper thank-you would be deserved."

Come to think of it... I was hired as a mercenary, but the compensation

was not decided properly.
I didn't really care about it, since it would be beneficial for me too in
defeating the purpose of the guru or whatever he was.
 "...Does this guy need a reward? Didn't he deserve it after peeping on me
and Ryuna naked? Rather, he's lucky enough not to be executed as a
criminal."

"That's not the way it works, Shakuna-oneesama. If it weren't for

Baskerville-sama we wouldn't be able to conquer this dungeon in such a
short time. We should be thankful to him."

"Ryuna has a very disciplined character. She is very different than any
other fake princess."

Shakuna gave me a sharp look when I made fun of her.

Anyway, I shrug my shoulders and laugh, clearing my throat.

"However, it's true, isn't it? It's the duty of those who are in charge to pay
the righteous reward to those who have done well. If you act like you
deserve it, you'll soon have no one left to follow you."

"...As if you know anything. Even though you're not the same age as
me."

"We may not be the same age, but we have different experiences. I'm the
head of the Baskerville family."

In fact, ever since I took over the Baskerville family I've made it a rule to
give reward and punishment.
I give ample rewards to those who have done well and strictly judge
those who should be punished. If I fail to do so, the order of the
organization will be loosened and it will collapse.

I knew this from the history I had learned in my previous life.

And even if I don't bring up such a big thing as history, I have learned it
as a social order from my experience of working as an office worker.
For example, a colleague with a good sales performance was not
evaluated fairly by his boss or the company, resulting in a painful situation
where he was hired by a rival company. At other times, there were
employees whose mistakes were overlooked because they were relatives of
executives, causing the atmosphere in the entire workplace to deteriorate
and depressing the sales performance of the company.

So, if those who are in charge ignore the reward and punishment, that is
the beginning of the collapse of the organization.

"...It can't be helped. So, what do you want?"

Shakuna said reluctantly with an unconvinced expression on her face.

"Money? Or a medal? If I give lands and titles to the nobles of other

countries, it would be troublesome, so I can't give them those... but if my
father can be freed from the control of the guru, I think most of that wish
can be fulfilled."

"Well, let's see..."

I don't need money or medals. After all, I don't need them and I've got
enough of them.
Or maybe, I could try to ask for Shakuna's or Ryuna's body and see their
hilarious reactions...? Well, it would be a poor joke. They might stab me
seriously, so I'll be careful about that.

"Hmm... How about you help me fight against the revived Demon King?"

"The Demon King... Well, I heard he's back. I've heard that monsters
(Mamono) have been strengthened in various areas, though they haven't
caused much damage in our country."

"Still, I need your help in defeating the Demon King or fighting the
Demon King's army, when needed. So how is it?"

In the battle against the Demon King's army, there was a scene where a
large number of monsters appeared and a large-scale battle unfolded like a
war between countries.
If I can use the armies of other countries as reserve forces, such battles
will become easier.
 Shakuna thought about my proposal and nodded deeply.

"...Okay. I promise. In the name of the Princess of Maafern Kingdom, I

promise to help the Slayers Kingdom if you can defeat the guru's ambitions.
And I will get my father's permission."

"Very well. That should be enough to pay me."

It's an unexpected blessing.

Without my intention, I got a card that will give me an advantage in the
battle against the Demon King's army.

While I nod my head in agreement with the unexpected result, Ryuna

comes out from behind Shakuna's back.

"Of course, I'll give you the reward as well. This is like a bonus."

"Bonus...? Did we have an agreement?"

"Who knows... by then I'll be ready for it. I hope you'll be ready too,
Baskerville-sama?"

"..."

Ryuna says mischievously to me, and I'm once again left with an
unsettled feeling.

Maybe... maybe I'm not a good match for this blind Priestess.
I feel as if I've been pushed around ever since we met.

"...The problem is that it's not that uncomfortable. Still, all the women
around me are pretty hard to deal with."

I think of the faces of some of the women with whom I've had
relationships... and let out a deep sigh.
We soon reached the 30th floor.
 In the center of the boss room appeared a knight in armor riding on a
black horse. From the neck up, however, he was not a human but a bat.

"Here it comes, leap!"

'Oooooooooooooooo!'

At my signal, my companions spread out to the left and right.

Immediately after, the bat-headed knight opens its mouth, and a
shockwave of sound passes through the place where we had just been.

The guardian of the 30th floor. The Bat Knight—Boenac.

This guy could produce ultrasonic waves and shockwaves from its
mouth. In addition, it is a boss monster with a well-balanced long, medium,
and short-range attack, using a spear in its hand for physical attacks.

"Hadiss, advance forward! Shakuna, stay back and provide cover!"

"I'm on it!"

"I understand!"

On my signal, Shakuna steps back and Hadiss closes the distance to the
enemy.
Haddis plays the role of a tank as usual, and I play the melee attacker.
Shakuna steps back to the middle distance and fires a lightning spell to
suppress the enemy. Ryuna, on the other hand, stands by a little further back
and assists and heals as needed.
This is the formation we had discussed and decided upon beforehand.

'Gaa!'

"Ghh... It's heavy!"

Haddis frowns as he receives a great sword attack with his large shield.
As expected on the 30th floor, the abilities of the boss monsters had
increased. Even a mere physical attack would do some damage if taken
seriously.

"Defend it with all your might. If you get hit, the two guys behind you
will be killed!”

"Of course, I'll take it with all my might. I won't let it get past Her
Highness!"

'Gaa! Gaaaa!'

Haddis concentrates on his defense, and continues to receive Boenak's

physical attacks.
Although Boenak's attack power is high, the large shield should be
enough to prevent the attack.
In the meantime, I move to the flank and attack with my magic sword.

"Gravid Slash!"

The sword, imbued with dark magic power, slashes the bat knight on
horseback. It is a dark magic that deals physical damage and also debuffs its
speed by 10%.
The movement of Boenac slows down slightly, and the bat's head turns
toward me reproachfully.

'Gaaaa!'

"Whoa!"

I leap sideways to avoid the shockwave of sound from its mouth. In

return, I hit it again with a 'Gravid Slash' to slow him down even more.

"Go for it, Thunderbolt!"

Shakuna's lightning magic also landed on Boenac's torso.

As the attack is unilaterally launched, the bat-headed demon's fangs
clatter up and down in frustration.
 'Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!'

"...!"

The bat-head looks up above and lets out a high-pitched roar. At the same
time, a brain-contaminating, disturbing sound wave pierces through our
bodies.
It is the omni-directional range attack used by Boenac—'Nightmare
Sorrow'.
No one within range can evade it. It is absolutely unavoidable. The curse
contained in the sound wave causes 'confusion' abnormality.

"Ggh... Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?"

Haddis, who heard the bat's roar from a close distance, lets out a cry of
"confusion". It seems that he has been affected by abnormality.

"Gravid Slash!"

'Gaaa!?'

However, I, who was also hit by 'Nightmare Sorrow', rather take

advantage of the opportunity and hit it with my magic sword.
After all, I have mastered [Abnormal Immunity] skill, so abnormal
attacks don't work on me. I attack Boenak, who freezes up after activating
the technique.

"Gghhhhhhhhhh!?"

Unlike me, Haddis is confused and swings his sword around, but Ryuna
activates her healing magic.

"Holy Cure!"

"Ggh!? I-I'm saved! I appreciate it!"

 "Don't worry! No matter what happens, I'll heal you right away, so please
fight with peace of mind!"

I had told Ryuna in advance that she must heal Haddiss immediately if he
suffers from some kind of abnormality.
As Shakuna is out of the effect range of the 'Nightmare Sorrow,' there is
no problem.

"It's a nuisance attack if you see it for the first time... but if you know it's
coming, it's not a big move! If anything, it would be better if the boss uses it
so that it will stop its movement."

'Oooooooooooooooo!'

"Hmph! I will not eat that!"

As if annoyed by my taunts, the boss unleashes a powerful shockwave,

but I have no right to accept such an emotionally-driven attack.
Instead, I shower Boenac with more and more slashes and magics,
draining its strength.

'Grrrrr... Gaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

However, when Boenak's strength was reduced to a certain point,

something unusual happened.
Boenac, who had been riding its horse, suddenly spread its wings and
flew up to the high ceiling. The horse on which Boenac had been riding
dissolved into thin air and disappeared.

This is Boenac's second form.

If this guy takes more than a certain amount of damage, it begins to fly in
the air and move at a high speed. Additionally, it attacks from overhead.

"This is where the real work begins. But..."

"It's so slow, Thunderbolts!"

 "That's right. It's so slow! Shadow Slash!"

'GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!?'

Shakuna and I unleash a magic attack on the flying Boenac overhead.

The demon spread its wings and showed its true colors... but its
movements were slow. Naturally, It was only a target for magic attacks.

The reason for this is that although Boenac had entered its second form,
it inherited its previous abnormalities and status reductions.
I have been attacking Boenac many times with my magic sword that has
a speed reduction effect, which has slowed Boenac's speed.
So, even if Boenac flies into the air, its speed still will be reduced by half.
This guy can't make the best use of its speed.

"Know your enemy, know yourself, and you will never be in danger in a
hundred battles. Even if a pilot flies in the sky, if he's slow, he's just a target
to be shot down from below. So... you can die."

'GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!?'

Shakuna and I cast a series of magic, and soon the bat-headed demon fell
to the floor.
Boenac's face, which disappeared as soon as it fell, was etched with an
expression of sorrow at the unreasonableness that was clearly visible on the
bat's face.
<<That’s strange…isn’t the angel side supposed to win this sort of thing…
>>
<<Kekeke, look, that angel nincompoop has so few things to convince you
with that he has already run out of them. The choice is clear, right? Then,
all you have to do is follow it!>>
<<Khh, at this rate…I’ve got little choice but use force!>>
<<Gya!? O-oi! Is this the kind of thing an angel would do!?>>

My inner angel and devil began to fight. Thanks to his surprise attack, my
inner angel came up on top!
<<Y-you underhanded bastard!>>
<<Say what you will! As long as it’s for the right thing, there is no act too
grave! Light Blade!>>
<<Gyaaaaa!?>>

After uttering its death throes, my inner devil vanished.

<<Fufufu, I win! Now, Luke! Cleanse your mind of evil thoughts! Let us
watch the match without doing anyth–––>>

I grabbed hold of my inner angel.

<<––––huh?>>
<<As long as it’s for right thing, there is no act too grave, right? *smirk*>>
<<H-hey, wait…>>

I then crushed the angel in my hand.

My mind now clear, I looked at the ring. The match was just about to start
and the two fighters in the ring were raring to go.

I apologized to the both of them in my mind and used Villager

Enhancement on Noel-kun.
I had to be careful of how much I reinforced him. Too little and it might not
matter at all; too much and it might become obvious.
In the end, I decided to enhance Noel-kun by 1.2 times.

And so, amidst the loud cheering of the crowd, the match began.

Noel-kun immediately readied his shield.

Likely because she had seen Noel-kun defeat Philia-san by throwing his
shield, Selen was maintaining a safe distance away—enough for her to react
in time—as precaution. She could launch magic attacks from her position,
but she knew it would just be defended by the shield, so she simply
anticipated what move Noel-kun would make.
Just when things seemed to have come to a standstill, Noel-kun charged
ahead.
““!?””

Selen was quite surprised to see Noel-kun move faster than usual.
…actually, Noel-kun himself was quite surprised too.
Thankfully, no one seemed to suspect that Villager Enhancement was in
effect.

Selen retreated after judging that it was too risky to be this near Noel-kun.
Noel-kun tried to pursue, but even with my reinforcement, Selen was just
too quick.

Hmm, should I reinforce him some more? That’ll cut the time I can
strengthen him though…

While I was deliberating such a thing, Noel-kun suddenly fell to the ground.
This made the crowd go wild.

There’s something incredibly weird about the way he fell…also, is just my

imagination or is the ring kind of sparkling…?

Noel-kun tried to stand back up, but he just fell down right away. And the
way he fell almost seemed like he slipped…

“N-no way…”

For some reason, the ring was reflecting the sun’s rays even though it
wasn’t supposed produce such an effect.

“…you’ve frozen the entire ring?”

Selen laughed.

“How is it, Noel? You can’t move properly, can you?”

“It’s so slippery…”

Apparently, Selen wasn’t simply running away from Noel-kun. She had
been freezing the ring all the while.
“Isn’t that quite amazing? Wait, this isn’t the time to be praising Selen!”

Being rendered unable to walk, Noel-kun was in quite a pinch.

However, it wasn’t over just yet. Selen still doesn’t have a way to damage
Noel-kun, after all.

*Crackle, crackle*

“My feet…”

Before long, it wasn’t just the ring that was frozen. The cold has crept up to
Noel-kun’s feet and froze it in place as well.

“Surely, you’ll agree that having your whole body frozen in place pretty
much means defeat, won’t you?”
“…I…haven’t lost yet…!”

Noel-kun decided to take desperate measures.

While his lower body was still frozen, he hurled his gigantic shield toward
Selen. However, as though she predicted this move, Selen nimbly and
confidently stepped aside to let the shield pass by her.
Without a shield, Noel-kun was now bereft of any way to attack and defend.
He hung his head low and whispered something.

“I…admit defeat…”
I Became the Strongest With The Failure Frame【Abnormal State Skill】
As I Devastated Everything - 302
[Seems like we’ve finally reached a moment of rest huh.]
[———-Yes.]
[How is it? Are you alright now?]
[…………………Yes.]

Guest house.
The rain outside had already stopped.
The only sound audible outside was the dripping of rain from the eaves of
the roofs.
The castle had finally regained a certain level of quiet.
It was currently nighttime.
Seras and I were talking alongside each other on the wall of the corridor.
Munin had just left for the baths after the post-event processing was
complete.
As for Slei, she has already been treated and is resting in the simple stables.

Hawk’s corpse had already been carried away.

The people of Mira are still busy with the cleanup from the earlier attack.
That’s why, they will hold a formal mourning for Hawk at a later date.

And as for Oyamada Shougo’s corpse———- it doesn’t exist anymore.

It has already been dealt with using < Freeze >.

Not even his corpse remains.
Oyamada Shougo is as good as gone from this world.
Since my return here, I have yet to directly meet the Mad Emperor.
It’s also the same case for Asagi and the others.
Their side also faced their own problem, so they’re probably still busy.
From what I heard, a man called the Exiled Emperor had invaded the
Emperor’s room, where the Mad Emperor awaits.
He apparently drove him back.

By the time I thought about heading there, it was already over.

……Asagi apparently had a hand in their victory.
I heard they used it———- that trump card they had mentioned before.
There seems to be a good number of people who witnessed their battle.
I should probably try to investigate this in more detail later.
Also, there’s the White Army that was rushing into the capital.
They apparently dissolved in response to the death of the Exiled Emperor.
Nothing had been left of them, the white bodily fluids making up their
remains washed away by the rain.
“They may have been creatures created by the Exiled Emperor, just as the
Great Demon Emperor created the Great Demon Emperor.”

This is what the Mad Emperor seemed to have surmised.

Well, it seems that the Golden-eyed monsters created by the Great Demon
Emperor still remain even after its death though.

[Anyway, I think it’s safe to say that the attack on the Imperial Capital,
which seems to have been aimed at eliminating the Mad Emperor, has been
put to rest.]

[Yes…… At least, the attack of their first group, that is.]

Incidentally, regarding General Wright’s army deployed near Mira’s

northern border……
They still haven’t pulled back.
They were apparently still in a standoff with the White Wolf Knights.
However……
If word gets out that the attack on the Imperial Capital failed this time, the
enemy will probably retreat sooner or later.

The movements of the White Wolf Knights.

It would be reasonable to assume that they were working together with this
Exiled Emperor and the Drunken Sword Party.
Even so……

[Vysis unexpectedly is starting not to care about keeping appearances huh.]

The impression one gives with this movement sure isn’t good.
It’s like, she’s not caring about the end result or something……

[Although…… I could understand the Drunken Sword Party and Oyamada

being sent here, but I don’t understand where this Exiled Emperor came
from. With a second group of enemies possibly coming, it would be
troubling if they’d just unreservedly bring out another unexpected force.]
[However, just as Touka-dono had guessed…… It seems reasonable to
assume that there must be a reason why the Exiled Emperor and the White
Army he created haven’t been brought out. There must be some reason as to
why they couldn’t just have these soldiers charge forward.]
[I see. Considering that they can preserve units like that, they would have
had usable forces that don’t have any risk to them…… That sh*tty Goddess
probably already heard about the failure of the Heroic Sword and the Sixth
Cavalry. And so, they had to deploy these huh…… Depending on how you
look at it, the more they had to deploy such forces———– the less pawns
Vysis were able to use.]

Which also means the time for my revenge is drawing near.

…………………..
Now then……

[……I’m sorry. It seems like it didn’t go as I had foreseen.]

[No…… Touka-dono is not to blame for what happened.]

Seras, looking guilty, kept her head down.

After I killed Oyamada, the conversation was centered around a man who
was apparently Hawk’s deputy.
Before the man arrived, I asked Seras and the other what had happened.
“Fuuu……”, I let out a sigh.

Trying to keep my awareness to a slightly lighter tone……

[However, even Munin had her troubling parts……]

[My apologies. All of this happened because of my poor judgment…… All
of this……]

Munin said that she had been hesitating to make a decision until the very
last minute.
Whether or not to go in to help Seras……
Or to head towards our rendezvous point and call me.

No matter which decision between them she picked, she judged that it
would end up being too late.
As Slei had also fallen, she was the only one who could help Seras.
However, she also knows that she isn’t strong enough.
She made the last minute decision and was about to take off to seek help
from the Mad Emperor———–

——when I appeared.

[It seems like even if she gives herself up, Munin won’t give up on her
comrades. Well…… It’s that kind of personality of hers that makes her so
well-liked by the Kurosagas.]

[………………………]
[You couldn’t abandon Hawk huh.]
[……My apologies.]

She’s a good person.

She’s a helplessly good person.
Whether it’s something good or bad……
If she sees a good person she can help in front of her eyes……
If she thinks she might be able to help them……
She can’t leave them alone.

In the end——— She’s just too noble.

Even though she had been educated by that princess.

That princess probably tried to preserve Seras’s nobility.

Deliberately, that is.

Straightforward.
Earnest.
And perhaps, stupidly honest.

[Touka-dono, I am……]
[From what I heard, every decision you’ve made has backfired on you this
time.]
[……Yes.]

Seras became stronger.

In terms of combat capability alone, she’s more than adequate.
However……
She’s still unskilled at bargaining like that.
When weighing two things, she probably can’t make a quick decision
between them.

She may have realized this very strongly this time.

[……I thought I had finally refined my “sword”…… enough to feel

confident enough to stand by your side.]

Self-deprecatingly, Seras broke the ice.

[However, I fully realized that the sword I wield now could only be
effective in the presence of Milord…… of my King. When you are far
away…… I may never be more than just “Seras Ashrain”……]

[Thinking back about it, I guess we never did act apart from the beginning
of our journey to this point huh. Even at that time with the Faraway
Country, we weren’t that far away from each other, and we were able to get
in touch with each other pretty quickly by sending out a messenger.]

Fortunately, I got here in time.

The southward advance of the Drunken Sword Party was faster than I had
imagined.
However, that had become a blessing in disguise.
The town where I fought the Drunken Sword Party wasn’t that far away
from the Imperial Capital.
Therefore, I was able to make it back in time.

“After neutralizing the Drunken Sword Party and stopping their southward
advance, the soldiers at the fort near the Imperial Capital would launch a
counterattack against those white beings.”

Since that was accomplished, the results of the war was a passable result.

"
"
We were also able to hold back the refugees to a moderate extent on Mira’s
eastern side.
As far as I can personally do, any more than that would be an unreasonable
request.

[Touka-dono, I———]
[When you get right down to it, this whole thing was an error in judgment
on my part…… No, I guess that would also be a harsh way of saying it for
Seras huh.]

After all, those words could be interpreted as me thinking I don’t value

Seras that high.
Her virtue, her straightforwardness, her earnestness.
They might have been deeper and more definite than I thought.
……Seras isn’t “me”.
I think I became more aware of that this time around.
The consequences may have been that……
But in a way, I was glad to have known about this before the decisive battle.
Letting out a snort, I leaned the back of my head against the wall.

"
"

[Well…… Hearing you say that “you had abandoned Hawk and ran away
because of that situation” when we meet up is also rather……]

How should I say this……

I can’t imagine that happening.

[…………………]
[I’m just saying that whether it’s to save or kill someone…… It’s much
easier to make a decision if they’re a bad guy. Perhaps, if Hawk had been
more of a jerk, the decision to make there would have been easier……]

It’s tricky when good guys are the ones involved.

Depending on how you look at it, their existence might act as shackles.
That’s even more so when they become hostages.
However……
A person who has shown goodwill towards you can’t just be neglected.
Doing such a thing would be against my Uncle and Aunt’s intentions.
After all, for me, doing such a thing is the same as denying my Uncle and
Aunt who are important to me.

[I think I would do the same as you. I’m not sure if I could have abandoned
Hawk under the same circumstances. It’s just———– I’m not going to
delve into this because you yourself are aware of it———– but Seras, it’s
true that you had lost your cool and acted out of character.]

Well, I’m not in a position to blame Seras either……

I prioritized my own emotions and didn’t immediately dispose of Oyamada.
I wanted to make him fully aware of the gravity and stupidity of what he
has done before I do away with him.
I should have dealt with Oyamada right away and prepared for the “next”
phase.
However———– As expected, I had also lost my composure.
I would make no excuses for what I did.

[……After I found out about Hawk-dono’s death…… Having Munin-dono

flee to safety…… I was wondering if I could somehow save Slei-dono……
and create an opportunity to fight back……]

Oyamada’s evolved Inherent Skill.

If it had been just a simple attack, she might have been able to gain victory.
However, an attack that made moving feel heavy…… Is it something like a
Gravity-Type attack?
There’s no way for one to prevent an attack that slips through even armor.

Moreover, with her protecting Hawk in her arms, evading——— dealing

with such an attack would be difficult.

……I’m also a little curious about that “diving in ruins” that Seras briefly
mentioned earlier.
I heard that’s how Oyamada got strong after all.

[Touka-dono———-]
[Stop with the reflection topic already…… Let’s talk about something else.]
[Ah, well then…… ummm…… What happened to the Drunken Sword
Party?]
[They’re all alive.]

I have put them to sleep with my skill, bound them, and locked them up in
the basement of a house.
They should be awake by now.

[I told Hawk’s deputy who had arrived earlier where I had locked them up.
I’m going to leave it up to the Mad Emperor to decide what to do with
them. However, I have also informed him of what I myself wanted to do
with them.]
[You didn’t take their lives huh.]

With a hint of relief in her voice, Seras said.

[It’s just as I had told you before. Making a decision about what to do with
them would have been easier if they were nastier people.]
Every single one of the Drunken Sword Party…… were people that are
hard to deal with.
As I was looking for the right moment to attack them, I was watching them.
And every single one of their members———- were good-natured people.
They were aware that what they were doing was evil.

Still, with cold headed determination to protect the people that had been
taken hostage against them, prepared to be resented by Mira’s people
————

They were even prepared to die for it.

[The Heroic Sword, which I had fought the same way as them, was many
times easier to deal with. Even though no matter how one looks at it, Heroic
Sword should be the more powerful between them.]

Those two battles feel similar, but totally different.

It’s also the same case for this situation with Oyamada.

Yasu Tomohiro truly wanted to make a fresh start in life.

Oyamada was merely saying that he wanted to make a fresh start in life.

“I want to change.”
“If I could start over, I would.”

The words in those two sentences resemble each other, uttered with the
same meaning in mind.
However, they were very different.

[……………………..]

With this in mind, I stared at Seras, to which the smiling Seras tilted her
head, seemingly wondering why.

[? E- Errr……]
……Being able to see through lies is a really important power in assessing
people.
If only I had this power back in that world……

I wonder how many people I had crossed paths with———– were living
honestly……

[U- Ummm…… Touka-dono……?]

I smiled.

[I’ve always said this, didn’t I…… that you’re a terrible liar.]
[My lies…… Ummm, why did the topic suddenly……, ———Ah.]

Pulling her close to me———- I held Seras in my embrace.

Very tightly.

[……That’s enough.]
[Tou… ka…… -dono——- I……]

Seras clings on the fabric around my chest.

Her hands——- were shaking a little.
Gently cradling her head in my hand, I spoke as softly as I could to Seras.

[You must have been scared.]

[I…… ummm——-]

This was before I killed Oyamada———– just after I put him to sleep.

Seras immediately ran to check on Slei.

Before I called out to Oyamada, I had instructed Pigimaru to tell me if Slei

was in serious trouble.
Pigimaru didn’t tell me that, so I knew that her life wasn’t in danger.
However, I had also rushed up to Slei after her.
Munin soon appeared as well.
Almost in tears, she began an incessant stream of apologies.
After calming Munin down, I asked her to administer first aid to Slei.
I then carried Seras and Oyamada indoors.
Then, after killing Oyamada, we had to deal with the aftermath too.

That’s why, Seras———- all this time, her thoughts had been devoted to
someone other than herself.

Even up until now, she had only been blaming herself.

All she did was express her remorse.

However, even if she had made a mistake in judgment……

Even if she had lacked composure……
The one who deeply hurt———

……was Seras herself.

Now, I guess she was finally in a state to deal with the damage to her
psyche.

Seras, still in my arms…… quietly began to sob.

She would occasionally heave with sobs, but she never spoke.
Her face pressed against my chest, she just cried quietly.

All the while, I held Seras in my arms in silence.

[You…… are always putting yourself before others, Seras Ashrain. Just for
this one…… you’ve sacrificed yourself too much.]
That’s why……

[I couldn’t help but like you.]

The hand that gripped my clothes felt stronger.

[Even though I was pompously saying that earlier, I myself had also lost
composure.]

Seras’ body jerked———- and her sobbing weakened a little.

[As soon as I saw Oyamada, you and Slei…… I had unusually almost
completely lost my composure. The only thought I had in mind was that I
would kill him. I would kill Oyamada. However, I’m not just going to kill
him.]
[………………..]
[It’s just, after I killed him…… I was completely repulsed. Me and
him…… Oyamada really are the same kind of human. The emotion I held
right from the start———– was the desire to kill after all.]

A truly kind person wouldn’t have thought that way.

Yes, if it’s my Uncle and Aunt, it would definitely not have gone that way.

[No…… You are a kind person. No matter what anyone says, for us……]
[……Hearing you say that makes me feel a bit relieved.]
[Touka-dono.]
[Yeah.]

"
"
[Won’t you go…… to the room upstairs with me?]
[……Alright.]
▽

We were sitting side by side on the second floor of the guest house
———— on the edge of a bed in one of the rooms.

Seras seemed to have calmed down considerably.

I was wiping the dirt from Seras’ face.
Munin may have gone to take a bath, but we had only changed our clothes.

[Ummm…… My turn next.]

This time, as Seras was wiping my face, there was a knock at the door.

[Ummm, I’ve finished…… I- I mean, are they here? Seras-san, Touka-san,

are you in this room?]
[Ah, Munin-dono…… Yes, we’re here.]
[You can come in.]

[Ara? Am I not interrupting…… while the two young ones were having a
fun time?]
[I don’t really mind if you watch.]
[T- Touka-dono……]
[………………….]

No, what we’re doing now really isn’t something I would mind if others
watched.
Well, I think I can tell what Seras was imagining.

[Ara, you two are getting hotter there than I am, who was just fresh out of
the bath♪ Well then, I’ll be intruding in.]
Munin, finished taking her bath, entered the room.
……I wish she could be a little more careful about the exposure though.

[Hmm…… Ummm, I’m sorry about earlier, okay? I know it must have
been hard on you two at that time…… but I was so distraught that I
couldn’t even sort out my feelings……]

She meant that storm of apologies huh.

[I told you not to worry about it.]

[Nfuu…… Geez, Milord-sama is so kind……]

With slightly half-lidded eyes, Munin acted as if she was fidgeting.

Perhaps, thanks to the hot bath, Munin’s state of mind had also returned to
normal.
To be honest though, I haven’t really paid that much attention to her earlier.

[U- Ummm…… Touka-san, are you alright? Ummm…… The enemy this
time was just like Touka-san…… Ahh——— I- I’m sorry. I was being a bit
inconsiderate.]
[No, it’s okay…… I actually don’t regret killing Oyamada.]

I’ve already killed a lot of people.

This time, however, the person I killed this time was a classmate who had
studied in the same classroom and spent some time together.

I thought I might feel something special from killing him.

However, I felt nothing more than I thought I would.
No sadness, no regret.

It was no different from the first time I killed humans, at that time I killed
the White Walkers.
That so-called “right feeling” didn’t come at all.
I feel somewhat refreshed though.
I guess I really am their son huh.

[M- Munin-dono…… Cheer up. Your attentiveness is appreciated.]

[T- That’s not it…… Even when I was feeling scared for Seras-san……
I’ve just been conflicted all that time…… Even though I should have been
the oldest……]

Munin’s voice is a little shaky, and she gets a little teary-eyed again.
When it comes to other people, it seems like the eldest really has a very
weak mentality.
……It can’t be helped, let’s change the mood around here.

[By the way, Munin.]

[Eh? Ah, yes…… What is it?]
[When I managed to return safely, you said you’d pamper me with hugs and
cuddles, right?]
[Huwehhh!? Ahh———- T- That was indeed the case, right…… Ufufu♪ T-
That’s right…… If Seras-san is fine with it, I don’t mind……]

……Her switchover sure is quick.

I think that’s just her being considerate…… right?
Scratching her cheek with her fingertip, Seras cheerfully chuckled.

[I- If that’s what Touka-dono wants…… I believe it would be something

necessary……]

No, you can just pull away like normal here, Seras……
You’re putting your faith in me too much.
As I was feeling astounded and a little guilty about their high evaluation on
me———
———–Tok tok, tok tok———–

[Ara? What’s that?]

Munin opened the curtain.

Outside the glass window, there’s a space that sticks out a bit.
There, we found a white bird knocking on the window.

[It’s banging against the window like crazy……]

When we looked out the window———— The bird toppled over.

Showing its belly to us……

[Wait, Seras.]

I gently opened the window.

Seeing my actions, it seemed that Seras herself had also realized it.
Yes, toppling over and showing its belly———- is a signal.
In other words, this bird———-

[It’s Erika’s familiar huh.]

Ch. 158: The Cat and the Wizard
Igni: “What…..do you mean by protect?”

The cat’s eyes pierce Igni in response.

Celia: [I cannot say this loudly, so I need you to keep everything I say
confidential.]
Igni: “Then should we go into the back alley? Then there won’t be anyone
who…..”

Igni and his group were at the edge of a large street.

It is a place where people won’t pay any attention, but it won’t be possible
to avoid all gazes from the passerby.

Celia: [No, I have created a simple barrier. The only ones that know that
you are here are myself, and you three.]

As expected of the [Extreme] of [Life]. She was quite overly prepared.

Not being able to say this loudly means she’s asking Igni to not spread this
to the public.

Celia: “First, I’ll cut to the point. The Kingdom and the Empire have both
received a declaration of war from the [Transgressors].”

Igni: “........whー?!?!”

Celia spoke plainly as if the contents were insignificant, but Igni was hit
hard and froze in place.

Yoori also had his jaws drop as he stared at the black cat.
Sara tilted her head not comprehending the implications of Celia’s first
statement.

Celia: [All the <Extremes> are now defending their respective states
but……I still have something to do and cannot return to the Empire just
yet. Hence, I need you to protect the Imperial Capital until I return. All the
Imperial Nobles will gather together for the Emperor’s birthday festival.
For the [Transgressors], there is no greater opportunity than this.]

Igni: “......what about Grandpa?”

Igni wondered what his grandfather, Lucas, was doing, and as he askedーー

Celia: [The <Extreme> of <Light> is currently working.]

Igni: “What?! Grandpa’s working?!”

Celia: [..........I see that both of us see Lucas very differently.]

Igni: (Wait, there’s no way he’s working. I’m sure he’s just hanging out
with women even now……he is my grandpa after all……….)

But Igni kept these thoughts to himself as he continued to speak.

Igni: “Leave protecting the Imperial Capital to me. I just have to protect it
until you return, right? Celia?”
Celia: [Yeah. I hope the precautions are all for nothing, but now that they
have declared war, since they have taken no action up until now, I suspect
that they were waiting for a very specific time. And right now, the biggest
event is the Birthday Festival. I’m almost certain that they were waiting for
this.]

Igni: “And though you know all this, you still can’t come back?”

Celia: [That’s right. There’s a job I must do. I need to remove the
“Vampires” that are heading towards the Empire. Besides me, only the
<Extreme> of <Earth> and <Light> can deal with them.]

Vampires are creatures that stand shoulder to shoulder with Dragons as the
strongest creatures.

The most frightening aspect of facing one comes down to the fact that they
use Spells very similar to the [Demon King’s] Undead Magic.

But since the Vampires use Spells, they cannot continue to produce infinite
amounts of vampires like the [Demon King]. But those who have their
blood sucked or receive their blood become Vampires.

Hence, they can rapidly increase and multiply in numbers.

Celia: [Hence, I cannot return just yet. This is also something I suspect the
<Transgressors> have arranged.]

Igni: “Why? For what purpose?”

Celia: [They are a hedonistic bunch. I’m sure that there’s not a well thought
out reason for their motives. It’s most likely something like, ‘We just
thought that taking down a country would be fun.’ That’s all the reason they
need to do something like this.]

Igni trembled slightly as he couldn’t comprehend the logic or reasoning of

the [Transgressors].

Igni: (Why? That wouldn’t help you get Popular at all……)

Celia: [That’s why they believe this country lacks a Magician. That is our
opportunity.]
And Celia continued, not knowing what Igni was thinking at this time.

Igni: “........you want me to be the hidden trump card?”

Celia: [Exactly that.]

Igni: “......okay, I’ll do it.”

Popularity Etiquette No. 5 ーー “Help any woman in trouble. If a woman

asks for help, help her no matter what.”

Celia: [I’m sorry. As for the reward, we will discuss that later.]

The black cat stretched as it spoke.

Yoori: “Oh, um, Ms. Celia?”

Celia: [Hm? Oh, it’s Yoori. What is it?]

Sensing that the conversation was ending, Yoori spoke up to Celia. Though
she told them to not use any honorifics, it was just like Yoori to address her
with “Ms.”.

Yoori: “How are you doing this with a Spell? Is it an enslavement or servant
summoning Spell?”

Celia: [No, it’s nothing as complicated as that. I just copied my personality

and what needed to be discussed and implanted it into the cat’s
hippocampus.]

Yoori: “........huh?”

Celia: [Since a cat’s vocal cords are not meant to speak human language, I
also had to make adjustments using a Spell.]

Yoori: “That……..isn’t very complicated…….?]

Celia: [It is far simpler than trying to reanimate a fallen life. Much simpler.]

Yoori: “...........the comparison is completely absurd…….”

ーーis what Yoori mumbled quietly under his breath, but Igni heard every
word.

And Igni thought the same exact thing as Yoori.

Celia: [Hm? What’s wrong? Are you concerned about the cat? Don’t be. I
made sure that my memories and the cat’s will not mix. Otherwise, the cat’s
memories will mix into mine. That’s why after my Spell is gone, the cat
will return to normal.]

Igni: “.......I, I see…”

Celia: [Now then, I’ll head to the castle from here. I need to relay this
message to Sebastian as well.]

Igni: “Got it. Do you want me to escort you there?”

Though she was a cat, Celia still was a girl.

That’s why Igni immediately offered to walk her back home.

Celia: [HA HA HA! Igni, you’re as amusing as always.]

Igni: (For some reason, she laughed it off….)

Celia: [The main advantage of this body is that I can move around as I
please. Do not worry, Igni.]
Igni: [Okay.]

Celia: [Well, until we meet again.]

With that, Celia jumped onto some construction materials piled up, and
from there, hopped onto the roof of a building and disappeared.

Sara: “The kitty was talking.”

Igni: “Yeah, it was someone we knew.”

And it was Sara who spoke up first.

Among the three, only she didn’t know Celia, so for her, she only saw a
curiously strange, talking cat.

Sara: “Igni’s friend?”

Igni: “Huh? Yeah, I guess so……?”

Igni didn’t know how to respond to the question. It was a very confusing
relationship.

He couldn’t tell Sara about the time Celia cut off his legs the last time he
saw her.
Yoori: “Sara, that’s Alicia’s older sister.”

Sara: “Really?” Igni: “That’s right.”

Sara: “Okay.”

And there was nothing more they could add as Sara nodded to both Igni and
Yoori’s words.

Sara: “If you knew her, I wanted to pet her.”

Igni: “The cat?”

Sara: “Yeah.”

Though knowing the black cat was an [Extreme], the thought never crossed
Igni or Yoori’s mind, but for Sara, it remained an obvious possibility.

Igni: “Let’s ask if you can pet her the next time we see her.”

Sara: “Okay!”

Sara nodded in delight, and followed after Igni and Yoori on their way
home.

And as the next day arrivedーー

ーーto the night of the Birthday Festival, they flew.

Chapter 93 – The Hero Found The Insanity
At midnight…
Around the high, thick stone walls of a certain facility, there were five
figures hidden by robes.
There was no moonlight because of the clouds, and the guards on the outer
wall were unaware of the threats lurking in the darkness.
“……”
-A huge figure approacheed the outer wall.
Then, he gently puts his left hand on the wall…
A mysterious light illuminated the engravings on each of his fingernails,
and this person’s secret technique, which could only be performed by using
all five of them at a time, was unleashed.
“…What!?“
A guard shouted as the outer wall suddenly began shaking.
A curse was struck in response.
The effects of each curse were mixed together in perfect balance to form a
spell that accumulated the impact and released it out of the body at any time
required.
The outer wall in front of the person who exercised the spell was blown
away, leaving a large hole.
“””……”””
Three shadowy figures jumped into the hole.
A man of small frame ran with a thin sword in each hand, a man of medium
height wielded a curved sword that was rippling, and a huge unarmed man,
who was stronger than wizards, followed them.
These were elite men, who were over-trained.
“It’s almost scary that you’ve followed the plan so well. Well then, let me
return the favor.“
The whipman, who was using the curved sword, lead the curse caster into
the interior.
Inside, the screams of the facility’s residents echoed as they were
slaughtered by the three men who had turned into killing machines.
“According to our information… they are in the basement of that central
building.”
The goal these men had was to replenish the forces necessary for the final
mission.
♢♢♢♢
Just as dawn was about to break, a message arrived to the king.
It was reported to Celestia right at the same time when Alto returned to the
royal castle from the scene of the incident.
Celestia and her two subordinates trembled slightly in the heavy silence.
The dark room became even darker, and a chill was felt in the air.
The reason for this was the Black Demon King who sat by the window and
looked up at the night sky.
“……”
Despite his usual gentle atmosphere, his expression was serious.
Although there was no pressure from Chrono’s mana, which was sometimes
the case at meetings, Celestia and the others were having a tenser time than
when his mana did pressure them.
Chrono, who wielded his power with unwavering conviction, exuded a
unique power and dignity at times.
No color was to be mixed, no influence was allowed, and he wanted the
image of his evil to be completely painted ‘black’, untainted and unaffected.
The jet-black eyes that looked up at the empty sky seemed to erode it’s
darkness into a dusky black… to an extent that even they, the observers,
could see.
Celestia was irresistibly drawn to the sight, but at the same time, she was
also fearful.
“……”
When Celestia heard Crono open his mouth, she flinched like a weak
maiden and showed her fright.
“…We don’t know where they (・・) were taken, do we?“
“Yes, yes… It was very deliberate, and we don’t know where they escaped
to. We are currently… investigating, and this is all we know….”
“I see.”
Crono’s gaze sharpened, and a hint of anger seeped through.
“This is a disaster.”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”
Celestia apologized in response to Chrono’s words, feeling a fear she had
never felt before.
Although she believed it was impossible, the fear that she might be
abandoned arised.
“”……””
Marie, whose face was tense, and Mob, who was dressed as a butler, were
also afraid of the new aspect of the Demon Lord that they had never seen
before.
“Oh no, it was me who gave you permission to examine them. This is my
mistake. Besides, the important thing is what’s coming next.“
“Chrono-sama…”
He flashed a smile that conveyed the thought, ‘Don’t worry about it.’
It was obvious to everyone that he was cared about them.
An experimental orc who was implanted with a ‘Dragon Crystal’ by
Cassius Kujaro, a former guest of the Kingdom of Light.
Chrono, who was about to go defeat the orcs, let the orcs who had gone on
a rampage at Cassius’s party be taken in by the kingdom’s army at
Celestia’s suggestion.
Tonight’s attack was on—– a facility that had been studying the roots of the
orcs’ regenerative powers.
They broke into the facility after breaking down the outer wall, slaughtered
the guards and researchers, and took the orcs away.
Moreover, this time it was an attack carried out in midnight by more than
one person. It was completed very quickly.
“I wanted to know if I could do something to help them, but if I knew they
were going to be used again, I would have… made sure I sent them off with
my own hands back then.”
The orcs, whose parents and siblings had been killed, had been embedded
with dragon-like features.
Even though it was a completely different species, I was reminded back to
the tears of the orc on that day. A single drop of tear, filled with hatred and
sorrow.
Filled with resentment towards the one who did this to them.
“…Yeah. Can you tell me if you get to know where they are?“
“Yes, sir. The search for the orcs will be our priority.“
“Please do. I know you’re busy, so don’t overdo it.”
“Yes, I’ll be sure to…”
With a cool-headed look of firm determination in her eyes, she responded
with a formal bow filled with the etiquette of a princess.
“…Well, I have a lot of things I want to do, so I don’t want to go and
investigate locations based on mere rumors this time.”
The demon king turned his eyes away from Celestia, and looked towards
the lightening night sky.
Even Celestia and the others shuddered at the faint anger directed at the
culprit.
“Unless it’s flickering in my reach. If he’s within my reach, I can’t miss…
that devil.”
The Demon Lord monologued over the unknown culprit.
The words that spilled out into the quiet room frightened his subordinates to
their very souls.
The fact that the Demon Lord would intervene had been decided, and the
target of his transcendent power had been set.
“……”
But that was all only if he could recognize his target in the first place.
For now, he had to remain quiet and let Celestia, who was his trustworthy
friend, take care of it.
“We will identify the target before tomorrow ends.”
Celestia, the goddess-like woman who understood this, knelt in her black
dress and swore an oath.
“If it’s you, Celestia… you could definitely do it, wouldn’t you? …Oh, and
just in case, I’ve thought of a technique in case such a creature appeared
again. We can’t risk causing too much damage in a place like the royal city,
so we’ll use our mana to defeat it with the least amount of damage.“
Chrono remembered, and spoke softly to Celestia.
“Is it a technique?”
For Chrono, it would be faster to just punch it, but that would certainly
cause a lot of damage to the surroundings around him.
“It’s not really all that much of a technique, but can you give me your
opinion?”
Well, it was indeed a technique suitable for burying creatures like the orcs.
However, he knew that only Celestia would be so extremely happy to learn
a technique from him that she would snuggle in close and praise it as a
wonderful technique.
Marie and Mob were both shown this technique that was performed with
Chrono’s mana right in the room itself, and even if they were told that it
was nothing more than child’s play, from the standpoint of their own power,
they couldn’t do anything but fear for their lives.
♢♢♢♢
In front of the Scarlet Chamber Of Commerce in the early morning, several
luxurious carriages were parked.
The pleasant morning sun shined brightly on them, and it was a perfect start
to the day.
Last night, both Hildegard and Sasha were busy preparing for the trip to
Kujaro and giving instructions on the work that was to be done during their
absence.
“What’s the report?”
“Here, Hildegard-sama. I’ve gone through it already on behalf of Cain.“
She handed Hildegard a document summarizing the incident at the castle
the other day and the attack on the research institute last night.
Hildegard took it, and looked through it immediately after getting into the
carriage.
“……”
“…I really didn’t expect you to decide on the trip one day before you would
be embarking it.”
“Looks like you were going out and about yesterday.”
“It was very busy…”
“Oh, well… Stop talking now.“
Hildegard, whose voice was like that of a songbird’s, strictly reprimanded
her. Even Sasha, who was used to it, almost sighed.
“……”
“…pass by the church where this priest is.”
“Well, that’d be quite the detour….“
“That’d not be a problem. I’ll just take a glance. We have enough time, so
it’s okay to take at least a few liberties, is it not?”
“…yes, Hildegard-sama.”
At Hildegard’s order, the group passed by the church near the entertainment
district.
They were taking a trip to a town in Kujaro, but no matter when they
arrived, they would probably be treated well and be begged to join their
side.
It was not an urgent task to complete.
“We’ve arrived. I’ll open the window.“
“……”
Sasha, sitting diagonally opposite to Hildegard, opened the window in the
door next to Hildegard.
They were in front of the church, where a few children and a giantlike priest
were playing some kind of game in the courtyard.
“Kyaah!“
“Wait!”
“I’ve got you!”
The children were playing tag with the priest.
“……”
Hildegard stared at them.
Her eyes first passed the priest, and then wandered towards the girl at the
edge of the courtyard who was reading a book to a few children.
To Sasha, it seemed like Hildegard was looking longer at the girl in the
dealer outfit and the children near her, rather than the priest.
“Let’s go….”
“Ah, understood…”
She didn’t understand what the reason was, but there was no one who
would dare to question Hildegard’s decisions. The carriage left.
“Ready? Yeah? Let’s start! The Jealous Demon is a scary person. They
covered an entire city with embers of fire because they were rejected. That
too, in an instant.”
“Lies! Lana is full of lies! It’s impossible to do something like that!“
“I’m not lying! Don’t doubt it! Don’t forget to have faith and… well, doubt,
too! Let them coexist!“
In the shade of the churchyard where Hildegard had been staring at before
leaving, Lana, with her softly coiffed short-cut hair, was telling a fairy tale
to five children.
“But seriously, they were still in love and set the whole area on fire! I’m
serious!”
“Hey, Lana!“
A man in his thirties walked up to Lana who is trying to make the kids
believe her.
“There’s no money in the dojo! What’s going on– Hideba(1)!?“
Lana jump kicked.
“Don’t come here! You’ll become a bad influence on the kids!”
“Go-hauh!”
“What the hell is wrong with this old man… He won’t listen to me. He’ll
just spend it on booze!”
The bearded man who entered the room was kicked by Lana.
“…Guw…kuw….No, that’s false. I’m going to use the money to renovate
the dojo. I don’t drink!“
“Do something about your red face first! You’re drinking at this hour in the
morning!“
“Ouch! No, no! This is due to last night’s drink!”
“You! You’ve been drinking all night?!”
“Hii-?”
♢♢♢♢
“-Shhh!”
He avoided a blow from Princess Erika’s fist by tilting his head slightly.
“That’s it, come at me!“
She came forward with a jab, and after measuring the distance, threw her
right hand straight at me.
She was getting good at this, but I was not going to spoil her, so I avoided
all of them.
“Damn, I can’t hit him! This is making me so frustrated! Take this!“
“…ten minutes have passed. If you don’t touch me in the next 10 seconds,
you’ll have to complete an extra 20 minutes of jump rope.“
“No!”
In the forest at the academy, I was practicing with Princess Erika and her
friends while stitching at the same time.
“Ugh! You’re teasing me again…..”
Sometimes I stroked Princess Erika’s face like a professional bullfighter all
the while still stitching, to relieve the frustration I felt daily.
She looked a little miffed and embarrassed and had a red face, as if she was
happy being teased. She might have been lonely since she had been doing
her own training for a while now.
Her expression in situation’s like this was similar to that of Celestia.
“Erika-sama, you are way too open, considering this is a battle. Your desire
to beat me up or and make a smug face afterward shows through. We have
to control our passionate fighting spirit with cold thoughts.“
“One, two, hook!”
She said ‘hook’ and came at me with a high kick, which I bounced off with
my fingers.
“Whoa!”
“You fell down quite hardly, didn’t you?”
I just finished stitching the luncheon mat.
…nice. I think I did a good job. I don’t think it’ll go well with the rock
tables indoor, but it will be perfect for the wooden table here.
“…Huh? Where were we? Yes, let’s start jumping rope…!”
“Yes, but I want to have more hands on practise. If this is not good enough,
isn’t it better to train more, Glass?”
She tugged at my sleeve to appeal to me to do more practise with her.
This part of her was a little like Celestia. Although, Celestia’s a bit more
daring.
“…Every time, they don’t start even if I tell them to start. I always have to
struggle. Whenever I enthusiastically exclaim, ‘Let’s start!’ or something
similar, I’m always met with an empty silence.“
While Hakuto was facing the improperly cut cloth with an expression like
an elementary school student who couldn’t do an upside down headstand,
Princess Erika was taking things at her own pace.
I asked her about the situation with Oswald.
She was concerned about the case, and was frustrated that she couldn’t get
involved because she had made a promise to Oswald to not do anything
dangerous.
I personally felt that there were ways to investigate the case without getting
involved with the suspects….
“Sorry! I’m late!”
Oswald said while he came running.
“….why don’t you two do a little snooping this afternoon for a change of
pace?”
“”What?””
The investigation had begun(2).
Since both of them seemed to be curious about the case, though they didn’t
say so, I wanted to show them how detectives back on Earth investigate.
I might be able to come up with a good hypothesis, since I used to be
addicted to famous detective dramas.
I felt bad leaving it only to Celestia. I should help out a little myself. I was
getting a little excited about this… investigation.
“Oh?“
“Erika, you’re grounded for a while, aren’t you?”
“…poo~”
She thrashed her legs on the ground and puffed up her cheeks to express her
anger.
Well, I thought she looked cute and pitiful, but I couldn’t disobey decisions
made by the royals.
“…you just want to be with Glass-sama. Be serious. Don’t play around.“
“You’re being mean again…. For the record, Glass will not tolerate anyone
who bullies me!”
“Erica, please start jumping rope as soon as you can. It’s getting cold.“
“Fine.”
Princess Erika finally started jumping rope while grumbling.
“You’re putting too much effort into it, Hakuto-sama. You must break it
with only the flow of mana, okay?”
“…I know that. You don’t need to keep repeating it.”
Hakuto turned to the cloth again with a sulky look on his face, perhaps
annoyed by my advice.
…I see. Kids these days seem to be annoyed by everything and anything
adults say.
Even when they are told to study, they say things like, ‘What’s the use of
this?’
In fact, studying has lots of uses… I think it will give one the ability to
learn how to accomplish what they want to, and most of all, it allows them
to broaden their future path.
Because one will never know when and where they will need to apply the
knowledge they’ve learned, or what kind of profession they will be in,
studying allows one to prepare for the future by learning various things.
This was the opportunity that studying gave to children and students.
Even after I ramble on with countless explanations, kids these days would
say, “Shut up, I’m going to join the Aaengers, take me to America…!“
“You’re still just a kid.“
“This is pissing me off! It’s so annoying to be warmly watched over and
patted on the head, and then to be called a child!”
♢♢♢
“–His Highness, the murderer is crazy. He’s a madman, but he’s very
intelligent.“
Juan’s shaggy hair peeked out over his glasses as he turned his eyes straight
at Erika.
The class was over and the rest of the group headed for the city in the
afternoon, leaving Erika who wanted to investigate and outdo the rest of
them in her own way.
His Highness, the culprit is crazy. He’s a madman, but he’s very
intelligent.“
Juan’s shaggy hair peeked out over his glasses as he turned his eyes straight
at Erika.
The class was over and the rest of the group headed for the city in the
afternoon, leaving Erika who wanted to investigate and outdo the rest of
them in her own way.
“I know what you mean. They killed our knights and broke them out of jail,
there’s no way they’re normal humans. I’m not going to let them get away
with it.”
“That’s true, but… what I’m trying to tell you is that the murderer isn’t
even thinking like a human being.”
From inside his cell, Juan kindly explained to us about the case and the
curses.
Buried in a pile of books that hadn’t been there the day before, dark circles
formed under his eyes. He looked impatient to solve the case.
Erika and some knights behind her…. listened to him earnestly, even having
a desk and chairs set up.
“Your Highness, why do you think that I have been experimenting with
witchcraft repeatedly, to the point of keeping a lot of animals just for that
purpose?”
“……”
She had assumed that he had been experimenting out of a desire for
intellectual exploration, but Juan’s words and actions so far suggested that
that was not the case.
Erika had no idea what the reason could be.
“Because curses are so infinitely diverse, and because…. there are still so
many unknowns.”
“…..that leads you to believe that the culprit is crazy?”
“In this case, yes, I think there might be a connection….“
Juan recalled the field work conducted earlier this morning.
The need to apprehend or kill the culprit had increased, not even
considering the emergency situation of the mutated orcs escaping.
………
……
…
Knights hurried to and fro in the laboratory late at night, after the attack
happened.
As the knights’ torches illuminated the darkness, Juan, wearing shackles,
examined the destroyed wall using a spell stone and other tools.
“…What do you think?”
Juan replied to Alto, who was still very quiet, while carefully choosing his
words to convey what he wanted to say.
“This is… probably the result of more than three different curses used at the
same time. There were differences in the residues of the curses around the
area.”
“……”
“In other words, it is probably not a magic tool. It would be inefficient and
very unlikely to pull off combining spells to achieve a single effect with a
magic tool.”
This was the worst report ever that could be given.
If it had been a magic tool, Madame would have been more likely to be the
culprit, and the investigation would have finally found a new direction to
research in depth about.
However, if it was a magic tool that the culprit had personally constructed,
they had nothing to go on.
“Your Highness, we must hurry. It is important to search for the orcs that
were taken, but it is also equally urgent to find the culprit of this crime.“
“……?“
It seems Juan’s report wasn’t finished.
“What do you mean by that?”
“If he could perform a combination of such advanced curses to destroy the
wall, he knows more about curses than I ever will.”
“…It is very likely the culprit is experimenting on humans.”
“What?“
“Not just one or two, but… many…”
Alto and the knights, whose faces had been continually turning pale at
Juan’s conclusion, froze.
“Even I, who experimented daily, was groping to understand the effects
curses had on animals, since there was no way I could communicate with
the animals properly. If the combination of curses he is using is so
sophisticated, they must be experimenting on humans….”
“…Juan. Do you have any idea who the culprit might be? Right now, your
opinion is the most important.”
The knights looked fearful and impatient at the possibility of a madman
lurking in the royal capital.
Experimenting with curses on a large number of people was an unholy
possibility that was bone chilling.
“If it was… Madame, she could prepare for humans to sacrifice and
experiment in secret, but if the… priest was the culprit, the spell stone
should react to him and his surroundings, especially considering the
concentration of curses is this high.”
“Neither of them were close to this area…”
“That’s what I mean. After all, we have no proof. We might as well just
forget about their physiques and investigate people other than the two of
them. Just… if we don’t hurry…”
Juan said that Madame was the most likely candidate to be the culprit, but
he was nervous and wanted them to go through other lines of inquiry too.
Alto and the knights, even after hearing about the possibility that the culprit
was experimenting on humans, could not help but ask the reason why they
had to hurry, although they were hesitant to listen to any more bad news.
“…Why is that?”
…
……
………
Speaking to Erika, Juan gave the same explanation he gave to Alto and the
others at the scene a few hours earlier.
“…The killer is crazy. If he has gone this far into curses, he is most
certainly still… experimenting.”
“What?“
“”””……””””
Erika and the knights her widened their eyes in shock.
The culprit was still experimenting on humans.
It may be taking place right now, right under our noses, in the royal capital.
And at the same time….
Hakuto and his group were questioning the people near Father Shock’s
church.
This was the 29th person they were asking.
No, it would be more than 50 if the interviews they conducted around
Madame’s house were included.
“He’s a good man. He takes care of our children, and all he wants are small
donations.“
“Is that so? …By the way, where’s your kid now?“
“I just picked him up, so he’s inside waiting for dinner.”
He was interviewing a single mother, who had one child, at the entrance of
the second floor an old apartment building.
The sun was setting.
Just like Hakuto, the others must be on their way back by now.
However, they did not get any results, and the answers they got were all
similar to each other.
Madame was a ‘mass of greed and complexity’, ‘the only woman who
opposed Hildegard’, and ‘a terrible devil by all and any means’.
Father Shock was ‘a saint’.
“…sorry to interrupt your meal. I’d like to hear a little more, if you don’t
mind….”
“Uh-huh, I was just kidding. I’m just making fun of you because you’re so
cute. Anything specific you want to know?”
Hakuto was relieved to see that the flamboyant, revealing woman who
worked in the entertainment district exuded good-naturedness, and
continued the conversation.
Oswald’s nose turned up.
“Is he… really treating injuries and illnesses for free?”
“Well, yes. But I feel so guilty… I give what I can as an offering, but it’s
still less than half of what I should be paying.“
“I see…”
At this point, the suspicions they had of Madame were being cleared, and
he was hoping that they would be able to find some holes that Father Shock
had during their investigation.
“He does all this for people in the red light district like us, and most
importantly, for the kids. I feel thankful for him from the bottom of my
heart.“
Looking at this woman’s casual smile, he felt guilty.
“My leg joints have been aching since I got back too, tomorrow I was going
to see-”
“Excuse me, sorry for interrupting. Was that stall always around here?”
He interrupted the conversation and pointed to a food stall that was selling
around a corner of the residential area.
“Yes, they sell around here because they couldn’t obtain a license. To be
honest, it’s a hassle to go out to the street from here, and it’s cheap, so they
are very helpful.“
“Oh, I see.”
Glass stroked his chin with interest.
“Mommy!“
“Oh, sorry, my son’s calling. Can I go?”
“Oh, yeah. Thank you so much.“
“I’m sorry I couldn’t give you the information you need, but good luck,
okay?”
The woman winked at them and walked back into the room.
Without any useful information, he walked back along the main street in the
sunset.
“……”
“…Why are you so strong, Glass-sama?”
Leaving Hakuto to ponder in his own thoughts, Oswald asked the question
that had been bothering him for some time.
“Well, I think it’s because… I went straight for what I wanted to do.”
“I guess you haven’t experienced the…. setbacks that we have. Especially
since your that strong…“
“Yes, I have.”
Glass immediately responded to Hakuto’s sarcastic and childish comment,
which leaked out of his mouth unintentionally.
“I faced setbacks often. I am skilled, but just because I’m strong doesn’t
mean I could save anything, and when I was a child, I had a lot of trouble
with a wall that was unusually hard and high.”
The ‘wall’ that Glass referred to.
Whether it was a skilled master, his father, or a monster, various
imaginations passed through the minds of the two young men.
And in the shadows, the words, ‘Strength is not enough to save you.’
echoed in their minds.
“I wonder if this thing really is unbreakable. Maybe I’m doing it wrong.
What am I doing? …I asked myself that question, and went through trial
and error every day.”
Squinting nostalgically at the setting sun, he talked about his old memories
that he was fond of.
“And that’s when I finally started to break down the wall. Nothing was
unbreakable with my fists. There was nothing that could compare to my
power and skill. It was when I was filled with such confidence. That was
when I met him….”
Glass sputtered, which was extremely unusual.
“I thought I was going to die.”
“”What?“”
When Glass talked of an enemy so deadly that even he was prepared to die,
they naturally thought of a huge beast, like a dragon.
“…did you not run away…?”
“For some reason, I didn’t like the guy very much. Besides… there was a
cute little spectator behind me.”
“……”
Oswald remembered his grandfather’s back, warm and frail.
The back of a great man who protected him and his childhood friend.
“It may not be a setback, but it happened this morning. We have to get the
head of the group to approve the food we serve to the students before we
serve it to them, and we failed once again.”
“Being a servant sounds like a really tough job…”
Oswald, as a representative of the common public, genuinely sympathized
with the servants who had to deal with the selfishness of Erika and the rest
of the academy students.
“No, it’s fine. The princess comes to the salon frequently, or rather every
day, so I’ll be grateful even if she judges my food even more strictly. But
you know what?”
“Ha, ha…”
Glass vented more and more passionately, as if something was making him
depressed.
“That old man… the team leader, even after he finished eating and gave a
pass to what I made, he said something like, ‘I think bread is better… I
don’t like rice so much….’ I’m afraid that his taste buds are inferior to
those of a pond snail.” He said emotionally.
“…you have quite the poisonous tongue.”
Oswald and Glass walked down the street, talking to each other in an
unusually relaxed manner.
Behind them, Hakuto felt pained because of how immature and
inexperienced he was.
He had assumed that Glass, who was so talented, had a natural gift and had
always been able to do everything perfectly.
He could not possibly know the suffering ordinary people went through.
He felt extremely sorry that not only had he been dragging Glass along for
these investigations, he had also been sarcastic to him on top of it.
“……”
It would have been worth it if he had gotten some new information.
However, all he got was what he already knew.
In his own way, he pondered about the suspects with malice in his mind.
During the morning practice, Alto lightly informed him that the culprit was
still probably committing crimes related to witchcraft every single day.
Madame’s alibi was becoming more and more solid, and she seemed to
have started preparing for her trip that started tomorrow.
Shock was busy taking care of children and treating illnesses.
“……”
The main street was bustling with people heading home, or out to the bars
and the entertainment district.
Food stalls and restaurants were hawking to those people, while various
aromas wafted in the air.
He walked along, staring blankly at the backs of Glass and Oswald,
thinking about the case.
His stomach rumbled at the savory smells, but he walked on without
noticing.
And then…
“……? Hakuto-sama?“
“Hakuto-sama, is something wrong? If you are hungry, let’s go buy some
food.“
Hakuto suddenly froze and looked pale, and both of them became worried.
“……“
A sudden thought filled with malicious intent passed through his mind.
“Hakuto-sama? Are you perhaps not feeling well…?”
“No, no, I’m fine. I’m fine. Wait a minute….”
Let’s think again.
There was no need to do (…) such a crazy deed.
But he was reminded, in his ruminations, of Alto’s words, who claimed that
Juan had told him that,
‘The culprit was crazy.’
A shiver ran down his spine, and he cowered due to a different kind of fear
he felt compared to what he felt when he faced the Demon Lord.
‘The curse usually manifests itself in the form of a minor ailments.’
No, he didn’t want to convince himself of the possibility of such an
abomination any longer.
‘A dead soldier with a gouged shoulder.’
But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense.
‘Advanced curses require a large number of test subjects.’
He couldn’t think straight, because what he was thinking couldn’t be the
case
“……”
The pallid Hakuto looked like he had stumbled upon an insane entity.
Translator’s Note:
Ooh, I’m excited for what he could have possibly realized.
Chapter 93 is done! I’ll be back with a new one!
Vol 6: Chapter 2 (2)
I didn’t know how the【Orb Destruction】skill works. So I asked Kook-
san to go with me to a store called “Skill Destruction Shop”, pretending to
want to confirm how the skill works.

The【Orb Destruction】skill is a “unique characteristic”, and it is

necessary to notify the government about its acquisition and use. Although
its rarity is lower than that of【Orb Detachment】, it requires regulation.
「…That seems to be how it works. Is this enough?」
「Yes.」
I was shown the process of destroying a【Physical Strength ★】that Kook-
san had. I am sure I will be able to do this with【World Ruler】.
「Alright, then. I’ll bring Lark with me.」I said.
「Hmm… it somewhat feels like we’re in the way.」
「No, of course not. I’ll be back as soon as it’s done.」
「Okay.」
I said so to Kook-san and the others after returning to the inn, and headed
for Lark’s room.
I can’t tell them that I can learn skills, so I need to pretend to take Lark
outside, just in case.
「Lark, I’m coming in–」
Upon entering her room, I saw Lark in her bed, dressed in casual clothes.
Wearing a shirt and trousers, similar to a man. Clothes which are easy to
move in, remnants of her sky pirate days.
Lark will no longer have to go out onto the battlefield in the future. She
should be able to live peacefully in the town. But we don’t have to talk
about it just yet.
「…………」
「Your hair is messy.」I said.
「Ah……」
Lark’s expression was dark, perhaps because she was nervous about
destroying the skill orb.
However when her health is restored, her feelings will surely change.
I used a comb to straighten Lark’s hair. Comb her long hair and bundle it
into one. Even when we were in the mine—when we had poor meals day
after day, Lark’s hair was still beautiful, but now it is dry and dull, and I
can’t feel any vitality in them.

(But that too… will soon return to normal.)

After I tied her hair with a hair tie, it seemed somewhat kempt.
「…Sorry. I never cared about my hair. That Riviera-san who came to treat
me, randomly told me that “dressing up” and “hairstyle” is the life of a
woman.」
Lark was about to fall when she tried to get out of bed. I caught and
supported her.
「Lark, please be patient until your eyesight returns.」
「…H-Hey! Little brother!?」
I lifted Lark up with both arms—in a princess carry.
「Idiot, stop this. It’s embarrassing.」
「You can’t see, right? Then there’s nothing to be embarrassed about.」
「That’s not the problem!」
Lark complained, but she didn’t even have the power to escape from my
arms.
Kook-san and the others stared in wonder as we entered the cafeteria.
「Fuh… How nice. When you look at her like this, you realize that the
young miss is also just a maiden.」
「Scout, I will remember you said that!」Lark said.
「So the young miss has recovered enough to say all that…」
We left the inn while being teased by whistlings and applause.

「Lark. Let’s go.」

There is no need to go to the store that destroys skill orb. And it would be a
problem if the store owner had something like【Orb-See】. I cautiously
headed to the hill.
Probably because I was carrying her, I saw smiles on Lark’s face. But I
proceeded forward without saying anything about it.
Lark was so light that I didn’t even have to use【Support Magic】to carry
her. Which saddened me a little.
The hill was within the town, but it was a place overlooking the town and
there was nothing special about it. Hardly anyone visited the hill during
daytime, so I took Lark to the grassland with a good view. You can see a
small hill and a lighthouse on a lone cape.
The wind blew through, carrying the scent of grass. I sat her down on the
grass.
「What’s this place? It feels grassy. What are you doing?」
「I’m going to tell you something I haven’t told you yet…」I said
「…………」
I felt Lark’s spine stretch a little when I said that.
「But let’s heal your body first. I’ll put【Shadow King】back inside.」.
「O-Ok…」
I took out the 6-star skill orb out of the leather bag and pressed it against
both of Lark’s hands.
I am also learning the【Orb Attachment/Detachment】skill which can
insert skill orb into others.

「Nn?…A-Aaaaaaaaah!!」
The skill orb was sucked into Lark’s body. At the same time, her eyes,
which have lost their color, regained the light.
「……I can see.」
She looked around. Below was the town of Zackerhafen. And in the
distance was a harbor with ocean waves, and black-tailed gulls flying freely.
「Little brother… No, Reiji.」
「Yes.」
「Did you not think that I would use this power to escape if the skill orb
was returned to me?」
「Nope. I did not.」
「Why? You know that I wanted【Shadow King】badly. For that reason, I
might even tell one or two lies–」
「I don’t think so. You wouldn’t do that.」
「Why…」
「Because you are you.」
「…………」
「Because you haven’t changed since our time in the mine. You are my
sister Lark.」
「…………」

The amethyst-like violet eyes that were staring at me turned away.

「…I can never win against you, little brother. Ah no, I mean, Reiji…」
「You can call me “little brother”. I am always your brother.」
「…………」
Lark’s ears turned bright red. Rising heart rate, rising body temperature
—— World Ruler-sama, I can see all that without you telling me it.
「Then, I’ll erase the skill now…」
「Ok.」
This time, firmly locking eyes with me, Lark replied as if it wasn’t a big
deal at all.
She then closed her eyes.
Did she make her decision so easily?
To erase the skill orb that she wanted so badly.
Even though I did not explain how I was going to erase the skill.
Does she trust me so completely that she leaves everything in my hands?
As I held Lark’s hand and closed my eyes, I saw an intense light in her
body. This was probably the skill. It had a stiff feel at first, but when I put
my strength into it, it started to crack and then shattered like a glass—
particles of light floated in the darkness and melted away.
「It’s done.」

I opened my eyes and saw Lark who had opened her eyes slightly.
Does she feel that the skill has been lost?
「How are your eyes?」
「I can see. And I don’t feel sick…」
As the wind blew, Lark’s long hair fluttered in the gust. She turned her gaze
to the town and to the sea. She seemed like wanting to say something, but
she didn’t say it. So I decided not to ask either.
As the Sage said, her vitality has returned. Of course, she is still far from
perfectly healthy, but she can gradually recover from this point on. At least
she will no longer be bedridden.
「Lark. I have things to tell you. Let’s stay here for a while.」
「I’ll listen. I have a lot of time right now.」
While sitting next to Lark, I told her everything that had happened so far.
Lark didn’t seem particularly surprised or emotional when she heard the
secrets of my birth and the secrets of my skill.
After listening to my story till the end, she reached for my head.
And she patted my head.
You did your best, little brother.
Lark’s face, as she said that line, was the same as I remembered back in the
mine.
Seething Earth

As I looked down from the top of Ishka’s massive walls, I saw three
figures run straight north after they dashed out of the city’s gate.

It goes without saying that they were the trio from Demon Island. Klimt
and Gozu’s injuries were treated by priest Sarah’s magic after she rushed
here following the roars. They also drank some stamina potions so they
probably won’t have any issue with fighting for the time being.

Klimt looked clearly displeased with the role we assigned them after he
recovered from his injuries, but he did not make a single complaint out
loud. Was he thinking it can’t be helped since it was Gozu’s order? Or was
it because of his sister’s persuasion?――Wait, don’t tell me it had
something to do with how he went all red in silence after he saw priest
Sarah.

Anyway, those three are probably going to become the shield against the
stampede that I wanted. Things are going well outside of Ishka.

On the other hand, nothing went as I planned inside Ishka.

That’s because none of my clan members listened to my orders to flee.

Lunamaria is patrolling the city and lending a hand to the people who got
injured in the city’s chaos. She had also been subduing any violent people
or looters she came across.

“Master. In order for the “Blood Spraying Sword” to become a trusted

clan, we have to take action in a time of crisis like this”

The words of the elf sage were right. There was no room for me to object.

However, I made the clan only to piss the guild off in the first place. In the
current situation where not just the guild, but even Ishka might cease to
exist, I have no intention to raise the social standing of my clan at all.

Also, that’s not something that I need to tell Lunamaria about.

That’s because she’s a founding member of my clan. She knows better

than anyone else that I don’t have any emotional attachments or
commitment to the clan.

So the way she deliberately brought out the name of our clan still made me
wonder why she genuinely decided to stay in Ishka. When I asked her about
it, she showed me a bitter smile that I still could not figure out the meaning
of even now.

Next is Miroslav. Like Lunamria, she is also helping out in putting the city
back in order.
 The red-haired magician was barely alive due to her self-destruct magic,
but after she escaped death from priest Sarah and Iria’s recovery magic, she
drank all the potions she had in one go and began taking action
immediately.

“It’s my duty to protect our base in your absence. To lose the first time and
then flee the second time…I will not show such unsightliness”

The beastkin, Ciel, was also nodding deeply in agreement next to Miroslav
when she declared that strongly.

While Ciel wasn’t hurt as badly as Miroslav was, she had also suffered a
serious injury when she protected Suzume from Claira.

Even though her wound closed up thanks to priest Sarah, she isn’t going to
gain back the blood she lost right away. She should be staying in bed for a
while, but like Miroslav, she drank some stamina potions and immediately
forced herself to work.

She probably thought that she can’t be resting on her own when Miroslav
who was more injured than she was is helping out.

The injured people were all helping out together. So it doesn’t even need
to be said how Suzume, the one the girls protected, acted.

Even though she is probably still feeling scared from being attacked by the
trio of Demon Island, she is working hard to lend Miroslav and Ciel a hand.
She’s probably concerned about those two’s conditions suddenly getting
worse because of the serious injuries those two suffered.

Yup, I knew she was a good girl.

Since she seemed so hung up on the fact that she was the cause of the
attack, I told her she doesn’t need to worry about it――but even I can tell
that my words didn’t have that much of an effect.
 If there was more time, I could have had a long talk with her but time is
something that I’m short on more than anything else right now.

For priest Sarah and Iria too, I am responsible for bringing them here at
the worst timing. I have the obligation to send them somewhere safe, but
there isn’t even enough time for me to do that――Well, although those two
did not want to abandon Ishka anyway.

Incidentally, I am covering the bottom half of my face with a white cloth

right now. The mask is a measure to protect myself from the monster’s
poison, and priest Sarah is also the one who made it.

Of course, just wrapping a normal piece of cloth around my face isn’t

going to do much. This is a holy cloth――a cloth that was woven with
threads that were made using holy water――Meaning, it has the blessings
of the god of law.

“I have no idea how effective this will be against the untreatable poison
that violates even the earth. But it’s better than challenging it without using
any protection”

A big part of priest Sarah’s sleeve was missing when she said that to me.

The cloth that’s covering my mouth was originally a piece of fabric that
belonged to her vestment. She had quickly cut out a piece of her vestment
and made it into a mask for me when she understood what I was going to
do.

Oh, and from how Iria was looking up at the sky in silence when priest
Sarah did that, I think priest Sarah’s vestment is something that’s pretty
valuable.

――Seriously, the number of reasons why I cannot afford to lose only

increases.

I had initially planned for a fight that didn’t have as much pressure.
 As I thought about something like that, I looked in the northern direction
once again.

Something that wasn’t there until just a little ago is now there.

In the far north, a huge vermillion-colored tower extended into the sky
from the Titis forest.

Depending on how I look at it, it could look like a massive tree or

something similar to a tornado.

I can only see about a fist-size of it from where I am, but considering the
distance between Ishka and the depths of the Titis forest, the actual size of
that thing is probably big enough to swallow the entire city of Ishka.

The earth, trees, and water of that area’s surroundings were being sucked
into the sky. Of course, live animals and demonic beasts were also mixed in
there. I suspect that its vermillion color comes from the color of the deep
region’s soil mixing together with the blood of many living creatures.

「A disaster of flesh and blood, huh? What a perfectly fitting

description」

It was clear that the anomaly was caused by the mythical creature.

Even getting close to it won’t be easy, let alone defeating it there. If an

army of a million were to surround it, they would all be blown away into
the sky and get completely annihilated.

Did the mythical creature deploy a defense barrier intentionally? Or is that

the earth crying out because of its existence?

Either way, I can feel a presence that’s on a totally different scale

compared to all the monsters I had fought against in the past. It’s befitting
of the dragon race that is at the top of the mythical species that reigns as the
strongest of all species.
 ――That being said, I wasn’t afraid in the slightest. On the contrary, my
whole body was trembling as if it was screaming at me to quickly devour
that thing.

The next moment, I jumped from the top of the walls.

My body paused in the air for a moment before I began to descend.

Without hitting the ground, I landed on the indigo wyvern’s back as it flew
up from the bottom of the walls.

Then, we soared upwards into the air with great momentum.

「Let’s go, Clau Soras」

Clau Soras responded energetically to my command with a “Puiii!”.

Originally, wyverns are kinfolk of dragons. I have been wondering if Clau

Soras would refuse to fight a dragon or at least show some signs of fear.

However, Clau Soras did not show any signs of such behaviors. He obeyed
my orders with a resolute attitude and headed directly towards the
vermillion-colored tornado.

I smiled bitterly as I sat on the wyvern’s saddle.

It seems that I have misunderstood many things about both Clau Soras and
my clan members. I can’t refute it even if I’m told that I don’t have a keen
eye for others. Let’s learn to read the ones around me a bit better from now
on.

While I was thinking about that, Clau Soras was rapidly approaching the
destination. We came across many types of flying demonic beasts on the
way, but they all either avoided Clau Soras or were repelled after coming in
contact with the mana barrier that Clau Soras made.

When we came near the depths of the Titis forest, there were no more
monsters in the sky.
 Instead, reddish-purple dust particles became the center of my attention.
The debris of earth that swirled up in the air because of the mythical
creature’s mana was pouring down on the surrounding area.

The clear field of vision I had until now was covered by pebbles in an
instant. Perhaps there is poison mixed into the pebbles as well. Maybe it’s
because of the influence of the wind barrier, Clau Soras seems to be fine for
now, but――

「Puiii!」

「Hm, so you’ll go? I’ll be counting on you then」

「Puii!」

I stroked his back lightly after his delighted response.

The moment we flew in the tornado, my ears ached. It was the echoing
sound of roaring wind. Soil and trees were flying through the air as they got
sucked up from the bottom to the top.

I understand that Clau Soras was desperately controlling his body so that
he won’t be swallowed by the current.

Visibility right now is close to zero. However, we should be very close to

our destination. I’m sure that I would be able to see the target right away if
the wind goes away――When that thought crossed my mind, my field of
vision suddenly cleared up as if something had read my mind.

The inside of the tornado was not violent like the outside was.

And as I expected, there it is.

◆◆◆

It only makes sense that it has the title “mythical”.

 An ancient monster with eight heads, eight tails, and a bloodstained torso.

Its red eyes were filled with hatred, harboring hostility toward all living
things.

The blood that runs through its body is like a corrosive poison that can
melt the entire world.

A manifestation of impurity, the embodiment of the cycle of life and death,

the king of poison that denies immortality.

The Hydra.
Scarlett (2)
It was December.
Last month, my friends and I had defeated Beebe and then challenged
Scarlett.
The worm-like 3rd Floor Boss, had no resistance and received every attack,
but also recovered at a tremendous rate.
We were unable to inflict more damage than its recovery rate.
After three hours of stalemate, we gave up on that day.
Then, some time later, my <Strengthening> reached Level 8.
So we had a rematch, but we still couldn't beat it.
<Strengthening> Level 8 increased the summon's two stats by 2000, as
expected, but even the 1000 increase in [Attack] compared to 7, we were
not able to defeat Scarlett.
After three hours of intense fighting that day, we could not beat it and
decided to give up.
Then the month changed to December.
Since then, Sophie had already changed Talents and become a Spirit Grand
Mage.
Everyone who had their Talent changed, with the exception of Merle and
Sophie, had increased their Skill Levels to Level 6.
So, we decided to challenge Scarlett for the fourth time.
"Today, we will challenge Scarlett."
"It's great that you haven't given up yet."
"Well, we have to defeat this guy to get to the 5th floor. How long do you
plan to stay in this S-class dungeon?"
"Ummm. The Emperor hasn't asked me to come back yet. Maybe I'll be
able to see you conquer the dungeon."
I used to share information with Helmios' party, who lived with us,
whenever we did something that we normally wouldn't.
And I also checked Helmios' schedule from time to time.
Although Helmios' party had been in the S-class dungeon for a long time,
their goal was not to conquer the dungeon.
They searched for equipment and made a lot of money, but they still stayed
in the dungeon.
He usually stayed in the dungeon for only a couple of months, but perhaps
after finding out that a Divine Artifact had been stolen, he prolonged his
stay in the S-class dungeon.
"Well, Allen's skill is very close to leveling up."
Cecile joined the conversation.
My <Summon> had nearly reached Level 8.
Buying extra magic stones from the Adventurer Guild of Imperial Capital
helped me make faster progress.
It was only with the help of my friends that I was able to prepare materials
for the Adventurers' Guild and earn skill experience at the same time.
"Heh~. I'd like to see your new skill."
Rosetta, the Thief, and everyone else's eyes were focused on me.
Apparently, my skills were of everyone's interest.
"If we can't defeat Scarlett today, we'll wait for my skill levels until we try
again."
"Fufufu. That's not going to happen. Tam-Tam will beat Scarlett to a pulp
today."
"Mmm-hmm."
Merle folded her arms and declared that she would defeat Scarlett.
Kurena, for some reason, folded her arms together and smiled wryly.
"Che."
Admiral Galara clicked his tongue at such talk between Merle and Kurena.
Without reacting to Admiral Galara's swearing, as usual, my friends and I
headed for the temple.
Then we moved to the 3rd Floor.
"Scarlett is over there. Let's go."
The Giant worm-shaped scarlett was in the sand.
Although I couldn't see it, I knew its whereabouts as E-rank Bird was
keeping an eye on it.
"I'll be the one attacking first today!"
As soon as we reached the sky above Scarlett, who was moving silently
through the sand, Cecile behind me declared that she would take the first
shot.
Of course, it didn't matter, as we had a meeting to rearrange the timing.
"Kiel. Like I said before, it's recovery is slow for a moment, so watch out
for that."
"Yeah, I know."
"Please. If we don't get this right, Kurena and Dogora will be out of position
and we won't be able to beat Scarlett. We can't defeat other Floor Bosses
without this formation."
"Ah."
When Kiel expressed his dissatisfaction that I didn't have to repeat myself, I
firmly reminded him of the situation.
"Well, then, Cecile. You may start."
When everyone was in position, I moved a B-rank Fish in the sand.
Scarlett, who noticed the B-rank Fish approaching towards it, showed a big
reaction under the sand.
Scarlett tried to eat the B-rank Fish.
The B-rank Fish suddenly disappeared, and in confusion, Scarlett reveals its
body from the sand by raising its head aboveground.
"Okay, I've got a catch!"
"[Small Meteorite]!"
Scarlett lifted its head only for a huge, red-hot mass of burned rock to make
it fall perpendicular to the ground.
Equipped with a Ring that raised her [Intelligence] and [Attack] by 3,000
each, and thanks to her two Talent changes and capped status, Cecile's Extra
Skill [Small Meteorite] had become a lot stronger.
[Small Meteorite] crushed Scarlett's head and further crushed some part of
its body as well.
The impact of the [Small Meteorite] caused a crater to form, revealing all of
Scarlett's body buried in the sand.
Kurena and Dogora were straight for Scarlett, whose head was crushed.
We had fought against Scarlett multiple times before, so we know that it
was not enough to defeat Scarlett.
It lifted itself up and was about to regenerate, but Kurena and Dogora
attacked the part from where the regeneration process was about to start.
(It doesn't seem to have a weak point, so we will have to create one. Let's
see if we are successful.)
Scarlett was not resistant to any form of attacks, but it didn't have a weak
spot either.
So, we carefully attack the injured areas.
In the midst of all that, we played the strategy that would be the deciding
factor in the battle.
"Tam-Tam, Descend!"
Merle summoned her Mithril Golem at the same time as Kurena and
Dogora started attacking.
[Name] Tam-Tam
[Pilot] Merle
[Rank] Mithril
[Strength] 15,000 + 1800
[Mana] 15,000 + 1800
[Attack] 15,000
[Endurance] 15,000 +1800
[Agility] 15,000
[Intelligence] 15,000 + 1800
[Luck] 15,000
In the Bakius Empire, a Golem that reached 100 meters in height was called
a Titan Golem.
The condition for a Golem to become a Titan was to fit a Giant and a Super-
Giant Stone Slab in the same Magic Board.
The Golem, which used to be 10 meters tall, had evolved and reached 100
meters and its status was five times that of its original form.
Merle's Mithril Golem was the largest and had the highest status of
everyone in the party, including my summons.
(As powerful as ever. The only drawback is that Kiel and my summon's
buff skills don't work on Golems.)
"[Lightsaber]!"
Merle activated the [Light-Flux Sword] skill that I once called 'Lightsaber'.
The Mithril Golem used its glowing sword-like skills to attempt to literally
cut a circle around the center of Scarlett's torso.
Merle slowly cut Scarlett into two equal parts, while splattering a large
amount of blood and bodily fluids.
"Oh! One side is not moving!"
(We couldn't do it before, but have we found a strategy?)
One half of the Scarlett that had been cut into two was immobile, so if we
tried to further cut Scarlett in two equal halves, we could try to defeat it by
making it smaller and smaller and then try to concentrate our attacks on a
single point.
I was worried that Scarlett's regenerative ability would cause each of them
to be regenerated into two bodies when they were divided into two equal
parts, but that didn't not seem to be the case.
"Sophie! Look at the ground."
"Sophie! [Great Spirit Manifestation] please."
Merle and I noticed at the same time that the end of the body which was
moving was trying to enter the sand.
"Yes! Dear Great Spirit Gnome. Please help us."
Sophie activated her Extra Skill [Great Spirit Manifestation].
The Great Spirit Gnome appeared and hardened the sandy ground into a
rock-like surface.
The ground turned from sand to bedrock, stopping Scarlett's escape.
Then, Kurena activated her Extra Skill to cut Scarlett, who was one-
sixteenth the size, to a lump.
I also sparingly let B-rank Dragon use its awakening skill [Fires of Wrath]
to roast it whole.
Then about 20 minutes passed.
"You have defeated the Scarlet-Sand-Worm. You have acquired
250,000,000 experience."
""Oh, wow!""
Scarlett disappeared, and an S-rank magic stone and an Iron Medal with the
pattern of a worm-shaped magical beast fell on the rock-hard ground.
The smiles leaked out of everyone's faces as we successfully defeated
Scarlett after many failed attempts.
(This is it. It has to be this way!)
It brought back vivid memories of the most enjoyable times in my previous
life, like when I fought desperately against an enemy that I could not defeat
through trial and error and finally found a strategy.
"Now all that's left is Crimson."
"Ah."
I responded to Dogora's voice, but I had a concern in my mind.
Admiral Galara's party of 20 Tittan Mithril Golems failed miserably to
defeat the Dungeon Boss.
Allen wondered if defeating Scarlett and getting <Summon> to Level 8 was
the minimum requirement for the attack.
After my friends and I defeated Scarlett, we challenged Crimson.
Crimson could call up to 100 Kaiser Sea Serpents, which were about as
strong as the White Dragon, so it was a war of attrition.
It was difficult to fight while preserving our Extra Skills and we failed both
the times we fought against it.
We could have beaten Crimson if we pushed ourselves somewhat, but I
decided to retreat as we were not in a hurry to defeat it. And I didn't want to
put my friend's life at risk.
Then on January 1, the first day of the year, there was an announcement
from the Church.
As the Spirit God had said to us, the Church announced that Fire Goddess'
Freya had weakened and that the Talent change system would begin in
April.
Spirit God Rosen said that there would be another oracle to follow up on
the details of the Talent change system.
I wondered if the Gods hadn't completely settled the conditions.
It was our first day off after 3 days in the dungeon.
My friends and I finished our deal with the Adventurers' Guild and hurried
back to base.
"You are going too fast."
I walked out and back to the base somewhat quickly.
I couldn't stop being excited.
(When was the last time I felt so excited?)
(Oh? Are they all there?)
"Well, we're going to the dungeon, but if you want to come, feel free."
"We've been waiting for you. Of course we're all going."
Helmios' party was present there.
Apparently, they would all participate.
"I don't mind. But I'm afraid it will take some time to verify it, so please be
patient."
With that said, we headed to the temple and then went to the 2nd floor of
the dungeon.
We were supposed to have a day off on that day, but we went to the
dungeon instead.
It was because of what the logs of my Grimoire showed.
While waiting in line, I repeatedly looked at my Grimoire and read the
message.
It was a message that I could look at all day long.
"Skill Experience has or <Synthesis> is now 1,000,000,000/1,000,000,000
(billion). <Synthesis> is now Level 8. <Summon> is now Level 8.
<Grimoire Expansion> is now Level 7. Skill <Equivalent Exchange> has
been acquired. Skill <Kingship> has been acquired."
My <Summon> finally reached Level 8 the day before.
I wanted to check out my summons, but they could be huge so I held back.
Some might have been so huge that they wouldn't fit in the base's garden, so
I decided to check them in the dungeon on my day off. But Helmios' entire
party and my friends said they wanted to see my new skill in action.
(Fufufu. I've finally made it to A-rank. I didn't think I would achieve that at
15.)
I had continued to earnestly raise my Skill Level until I was 15 years old
and was finally able to summon an A-rank summon, so I couldn't stop
drooling.
At the moment, when the Church announced that a God had lost their
Divine Artifact, my Skill Level was a hope.
There was an interest and a desire to share that information.
But my friends did not follow me just because of that.
I loved experimenting and they were worried about me being immersed in
experimenting in a place overrun with magical beasts.
It was the same in the dungeons when we were at the Academy.
1 year old, acquired Grimoire, <Summon> Level 1, can summon H-ranks
1 year and 10 months old, <Summon> Level 2, acquired <Synthesis> skill
3 years old, summoned G-rank (after having enough mana)
5 years and 11 months old, <Summon> Level 3, acquired <Strengthening>
skill, can summon F-ranks
7 years and 9 months old, <Summon> Level 4, <Inventory> skill acquired,
can summon E-ranks
9 years and 10 months, <Summon> Level 5, <Sharing> skill acquired, can
summon D-ranks
12 years and 9 months old, <Summon> Level 6, <Awakening> skill
acquired, can summon C-ranks
13 years and 11 months old, <Summon> Level 7, <Fast Summon> and
<Command> skills acquired, can summon B-ranks
15 years and 3 months old, <Summon> Level 8, <Equivalent Exchange>
and <Kingship> skill acquired, can summon A-ranks
While we were in the queue, I added when I reached <Summon> Level 8 in
the Grimoire.
Soon after, we were transferred to the 2nd floor of the dungeon.
In addition, we used B-rank Birds to move to a place where there were no
other adventurers.
(Now, let's examine them one by one, just for the sake of organization.)
I had already converted my summons to their card forms, as my
<Summon> reached Level 8 the night before.
I had enough A-rank magic stones since I had defeated numerous magical
beasts in the Rosenheim war and in the S-class dungeon.
(My Holder capacity has also increased by 10 from 70 to 80, as expected.)
The maximum number of summon cards that I could hold increased by 10
each time the <Summon>'s level increased.
Since I could hold 10 more cards, I would get more summon blessings as
well.
(Hmmm... I got two more skills. <Equivalent Exchange> and <Kingship>.
Let's check <Equivalent Exchange> first.)
I proceeded with an analysis of <Equivalent Exchange>.
If I wanted to summon a B-rank summon, I had to use a B-rank magic stone
until then.
However, <Equivalent Exchange> solved that problem.
The price of a magic stone increased by tenfold as its rank increased by 1.
A B-rank magic stone was worth 10 C-rank magic stones.
There was a reason why the price and rank of the magic stones always
followed that pattern.
If a magic tool required 10 C-rank magic stones to perform a task, it could
perform the same task for just 1 B-rank magic stone. So their prices were
always intertwined.
<Equivalent Exchange> seemed to follow that rule.
(<Equivalent Exchange> is quite useful. This solves the problem of running
out of magic stones. And I'll be able to earn some skill experience in the
process.)
<Equivalent Exchange> required only one-tenth the number of magic
stones if the rank of the magic stone that I used was 1 higher than that of the
summon.
Also, if the rank of the magic stone was 1 rank lower, I needed 10 times
more magic stones.
And if the rank of the magic stone was higher than that of the summon and
there was an excess of magic stones when using <Create> on the summon,
the excess magic stones were automatically generated.
1 D-rank magica stone could <Create> 10 E-rank Insects.
10 D-rank magic stones could <Create> 1 C-rank Insect.
1 D-rank magic stone could produce 1 E-rank Insect and 9 E-rank magic
stones.
As my friends looked on, I recorded the results of my analysis in my
Grimoire.
(Is the skill <Kingship> sealed? I mean, I haven't leveled up since we
defeated Demon General Razel.)
When we defeated Demon General Razel, I reached Level 76.
It took 400 billion Experience to raise my Level from 76 to 77.
I didn't think I could raise my Level by mass hunting magical beasts, partly
because I was also collecting equipment and other things to do at the same
time.
As for the S-rank Floor Bosses, they were too strong for me to be able to
defeat them quickly and easily.
"I don't think I'll be able to use <Kingship> for a while. Well, let's summon
a summon. I want to see what they look like."
I had some idea of what they would look like based on the cards, but I didn't
know their size.
"I'm so glad you're finally summoning someone."
Cecile, who had been watching from nearby the whole time, replied to my
monologue.
Everyone's attention was focused on me, as if Cecile's voice was the que.
"I'm going to start with the big ones. Come out, Orochi!"
I recognized the picture on the card.
I had seen them since childhood. A mythical being in my previous life.
Ever since I came to this world, I always wanted to summon a mythical
being.
The card's design was so cool and the summon seed to be so as well.
""Gruaaaaaaa!!!!""
I summoned an A-rank Dragon.
With multiple heart-pounding screams, my friends looked up into the sky at
the enormouse summon.
"What the hell is this? Amazing!!!!"
Dogora looked up and exclaimed.
(It's too big to see its whole body. Let's check with Eagle.)
I summoned an E-rank Bird and used <Sharing on it> to get a full view of
A-rank Dragon.
The A-rank Dragon was a Giant serpent that looked to be 100 meters long
and was divided into multiple heads like the Yamata no Orochi and Hydra.
The raised head was divided into five sections and continued far beyond the
body to the tip of the tail.
[Species] Dragon
[Rank] A
[Name] Orochi
[Strength] 10000
[Mana] 7700
[Attack] 10000
[Endurance] 9200
[Agility] 10000
[Intelligence] 6,000
[Luck] 8,000
[Blessing] +200 [Attack], +200 [Agility], Breath Immunity
[Special Skills] Poison Fangs, Super Regeneration
[Awakening] Hellfire
"It has 10,000 [Strength] with no buffs, no <Strengthening>, no nothing. I
mean, it has two special skills."
I looked at the A-rank Dragon's status in the Grimoire and understood how
physically strong it was.
Reaching 10,000 [Strength] meant that it could fight even with [Strength]-
based A-rank magical beasts.
Its status would be further increased by Kiel's and other summon's buffs.
Then I summoned my other summons.
I didn't understand some of the summon's special and awakening skills at
once, so it is just a touch-and-go check.
(Okay, that's about it for now. Then it's time for the main course. Only this
newly added summon looks different from the others.)
"What's wrong?"
Kurena noticed something unusual about me.
"Hmm? Kurena. I have a feeling that the summon I unlocked this time is
somehow different from the others. Anyway, I'll try it out."
I was not uncomfortable enough to verbalize.
It was a new species of summon that I had unlocked after more than 1 year
of grinding.
I was too excited.
"Yeah."
I took out the summoner's card out of the Grimoire's Holder.
I had enough A-rank magic stones and I had already used [Synthesis] to
find out how to summon it.
"All right, come on out."
The card disappeared in a bubble of light, and the summon appeared.
The figure was of a man in his late teens with frizzy hair.
Unlike the A-rank Dragon, he was the size of a human being.
He was half-naked, with a Ring of light floating above his head and wings
on his back, floating a little higher off the ground.
(It's a perfect angel. I mean, the card said A-rank Angel.)
""Huh?""
Everyone else shouted when they saw my new summon.
A-rank Angel's and my eyes meet.
"..."
We stared at each other in silence.
Then the A-rank Angel took his eyes off me and looked around.
It's as if he didn't know where he was and was checking.
He then looked and moved his own hands and body to see if there was
anything unusual about them.
It is as if he was checking to see if something had happened to him.
When it was over, he looked again at me and my friends.
Dogora is momentarily frightened by the absorbing gaze.
(What's confusing you? Are you okay?)
I was confused by the A-rank Angel's lack of understanding of his own
situation.
At any rate, I took a step forward to talk to him since we were at an eye-to-
eye level.
Then, as if he understood something, the A-rank Angel looked flushed.
"Really!! Did Master Elmea listen to you? Kyubel! Just you wait! I will kill
you!"
But instead of returning my words, he burst out in joy and said things.
'What a great summon!', was what Allen thought when he saw his summon.

Chapter 259, Start The Battle

Akira woke up in Carol’s camping car. He was sleeping with his augmented
suit on. This was to make sure that he would be able to react immediately in
case something happened while he was doing his job as an escort. It was
adjusted to place a minimum burden on his body, thanks to that, he was able
to sleep well.

Akira said his usual good morning to Alpha and stretched his body, he then
started to do simple stretching to wake his body up. After that, he proceeded
to check his equipment before finally waking Carol up.

Carol was sleeping naked under a thin sheet. The sheet fully abandoned its
function to hide her skin. Instead, the lightly transparent sheet only added
another layer of eroticism. Carol had spent a huge amount of money not
only to enhance her physical strength but also to increase her sex appeal.
Because of that, her body was extremely lustrous and tempting. Since she
was currently not using it to seduce someone, that lustrous beauty only gave
off an artistic beauty feeling instead.

“Akira, good morning!”

“Good morning, Carol… Just because the inside of the car doesn’t feel that
different from home, I don’t think it’s wise to go around like that, you
know?”

“It’s fine, isn’t it? There is no one else here but you.”
“No no no, it’s just as you said, I’m here right now, no?”

Akira’s opinion was entirely correct, but Carol instead sighed and said.

“If you really think so, it would be great if you can show some reaction,
though. It’s because you don’t show any reaction at all that confidence in
my body has taken a big hit, you know? Or is it that you are looking at
something that doesn’t satisfy you? It’s fine. You can complain to me.”

“It’s not like I have anything to complain about, but isn’t it normal to at
least put on something more proper?”

“If you’re talking about what’s normal, honestly, I will start with hoping to
get a normal reaction out of you. Alright alright, I just need to put
something on, right?”

Carol only casually said so as she just wanted that subject to be over and
done with. She put on the inner for her augmented suit and returned.
Although it hid her skin, as usual, the inner was just a tight skin suit, so it
was not that different from being naked.

Akira thought to himself [It’s true she had put something on… but an inner
is more or less the same as being naked…] Since it was something Carol
had decided on as his employer, he stopped himself from saying anything
more.

They then went to have breakfast. This was when Akira suddenly came up
with a question.

“It seems that this escort duty is going to end sometime soon, no?”

“Hm? Not really, though? Why do you think so?”

“Well, compared to back then when you first asked me, you now seem far
less stressed. So, I thought that the problem has already been solved”
“Ahh, I see. Sorry, but it doesn’t seem that it’s going to end anytime soon.
I’m planning to keep paying you as my escort forever. That is, as long as
you let me and I still have enough money to do so.”

“Is that so? Well, it’s fine with me.”

Akira tilted his head, thinking that it might just be his misunderstanding.
However, it was true that Carol had really calmed down compared to
before. Carol then smiled at him. It was a calm and tranquil smile.

“Well, it’s true that I’ve mostly calmed down. That’s because even if I get
involved in a huge battle like back then, you said that you would help me
escape. You’ll do that for me, right?”

“As I said before, I will at least do my best.”

“I’m counting on you when that time comes.”

Carol smiled happily and continued eating her breakfast. Akira thought that
Carol’s change in attitude was strange. However, this was better than having
her mood soured or tense, so he did not let it worry him too much.

While they were having their breakfast together, Carol went to ask about
Akira’s plan.

“By the way, Akira, what’s your plan after this escort mission? Are you
planning to go further to the east to earn more? Or are you in the middle of
choosing a sponsor?”

“Hmm, I haven’t really decided on anything yet in particular, but…

Sponsor?”

Akira tilted his head and seemed confused. Seeing that, Carol also
expressed bewilderment.

“Eh? Usually, Hunters of your rank get sponsor offers from various
companies. I’m sure you’ve received invitations to join teams as well.
Though, I doubt you’ll ever accept those. I believe you’ll be only interested
in support contracts or loan offers for solo Hunters. Don’t tell me that you
didn’t get any, right?”

“Uhhh, well…”

Akira pretended to think as he turned toward the person, or the thing(?) that
he had permitted to handle all that kind of stuff.

“Alpha, did I get anything like that?”

“Yeah. Something like an offer to invest in you so you can go further to the
east. Yesterday, you just received an offer from the Lion Steel company,
offering you inclusive general support. I’m refusing all offers though. I’m
pretty sure I’ve told you before that I’m refusing all the uninteresting offers
sent to you using a standard email format, though?”

“Oh? You did?”

Akira then replied to Carol. He was refusing all offers saying that he was
not interested in any of them. Which was the truth. Carol could not have
noticed that he was leaving such matters completely to Alpha.

“Is that so? Although being a Hunter is very profitable, the cost of the
medicines and ammo is not cheap, so it’s difficult to get out of debt once
you get yourself into one. So, I don’t think it’s a bad idea to have special
connections to take care of that problem though. I’m sure you would always
go to a ruin well equipped. However, if something happens and you lose all
your stuff, it is a great idea to have a backup plan, right?”

“Well, that’s true, but nothing like that ever happened up until now.
Moreover, when I get a sponsor, I’ll have to consider their wishes as well,
right?”

“Since they’ll be paying for you and it’s not a charity, that part is given,
no?”
“I don’t like that kind of thing.”

Seeing Akira make a displeased expression, as though he abhors the idea,

Carol just giggled. She then paused for a bit before she said.

“In that case, how about forming a team with me? Even if you lose all your
equipment and have no money to buy a new one, as long as you’re on the
same team as me, it won’t be a problem, you know? And if you’re too
injured to search ruins, I can get some money from my side-job for you to
get your injuries treated or to buy new equipment. I’m sure you can already
guess how much I’m earning from my side job, right?”

Carol lightly made that offer as a Hunter, to which Akira responded with a
rather troubled expression.

“…Hmmm, honestly speaking, even if we do form a team, I don’t think it

would be right to do that.”

“Once we’re in the same team, we’re together both for the good and for the
bad. So, I don’t really mind. Well, I won’t ask you to give your answer now.
So, just at least keep it in one corner of your mind.”

Carol stopped pursuing the subject. Akira also did not think too much about
it. Although, it did leave a mark on his mind.

That was when a call from Viola reached Carol. After Carol picked it up
and listened to what Viola had to say, she sent a rather doubtful look at
Akira.

“Akira, I just got some strange information from Viola… It seems that Lion
Steel is looking for you. Do you have any guess as to why that might be?”

“Really…? Wait, Lion Steel? Isn’t the company where Reina’s group came
from?”

“Now that you mention it, yeah. So, Viola is asking if it’s okay to sell
information about your location to the information brokers looking for
you.”

Akira frowned.

“Wait a sec, since when did information about my location become

something that needs to be paid for?”

“No idea, it’s not like I have an answer to that. Ah, Viola also said that she
can investigate it and is open to talk about the price if you want.”

“…I don’t really understand what’s going on, but just tell her not to sell my
information for now. And I won’t ask for that as well. I don’t have the
money to spend on something like that at the moment.”

“Okay.”

Carol conveyed that to Viola and then closed the call. After that, she
quickly called Viola again through her terminal, while making sure that it
would not make a sound.

“It’s me, about that investigation. Is it okay if I’m the one asking you to do
that?”

Carol believed that when Akira considered Viola’s offer, he refused because
he thought of negotiating with her as too much trouble. Naturally, Carol’s
judgment was on point. Akira weighed both information he might receive
and the pain of the negotiation, easily concluding that the latter was more of
a pain.

So, Carol thought she could buy that information in Akira’s place and
convey it to him. Especially if it was going to be something troublesome. If
the potential trouble was something that might cause Akira to stop being
her escort, then it was going to be horrendous for her as well.

Viola understood at least that much and replied.

“Sure, but just because we’re friends, there won’t be any special discount,
you know?”

“I know. But well, if it’s possible, it would be great if you can prioritize it
considering that we’re friends.”

“In that case, I’ll give you this as a special gift. We can talk about the price
later after you check the content. I’m actually in the cafeteria inside the
Hunter Office branch near Mihazono ruin right now. Come here to pick it
up directly.”

“Oh? You’ve done your investigation already? You’re as sly as ever, but is
there any need for me to go there? You can just send it to me, no?”

In contrast to Carol’s confused voice, Viola replied with an amused tone.

“I’m sorry, but it’s not something that I can send over except through a
secret line. Just think of it as fortunate that I didn’t even ask you to come to
the middle of a ruin. So, this thing won’t be cheap, you know? Do you want
to withdraw now?”

“Nope. I’ll buy it. I’m heading over there right now, so just wait for me.”

“Alright, I’ll be waiting then.”

After she closed the call, Carol then told Akira. She just remembered she
had to go meet someone at a Hunter Office branch after this. Akira was not
suspicious at all and normally went to prepare his equipment.

—*—*—*—

After Akira escorted Carol to the Hunter Office branch of Mihazono ruin,
he waited for her to return back, from outside the Hunter Office. Akira was
waiting outside because Carol asked him to do so. It was just to be safe in
case Akira got suspicious. After all, she was purchasing information that
Akira refused to buy from Viola.
Although they were in the middle of the wasteland, considering that Carol
had mostly calmed down and it was inside the Hunter Office where no one
would want to cause trouble, he believed that it would be fine to let Carol
go alone. Though he was her bodyguard right now.

As he was chatting with Alpha to kill time, Alpha suddenly warned him.

“Akira, just to be safe, get ready for a fight.”

“What’s going on? Did you discover something that might turn into another
large-scale battle?”

“It’s not that serious, but it seems that there are people forming an
encirclement around this area.”

Akira then turned his attention toward where Alpha was indicating. There,
while he scanned the area, he saw a group of maids and butlers. The same
ones he saw back in the cafeteria.

“I bet they’re here just to make sure that this place is safe. That weird rich
girl with inappropriate equipment for the wasteland back then is coming
here, right?”

“That might be the case. But it’s just to be safe.”

“Understood.”

Akira just ignored that group and continued waiting for Carol. In the middle
of that, more and more maids and butlers came to the area. Although the
Hunters in the area, including Akira, found it weird, they did not seem to be
bothered by it at all. If there was anything that bothered Akira, it was that
some of them seemed awfully cautious toward him.

Of course, Akira did notice them. However, he thought that it must be

because of his equipment. It was way too powerful for the standard
equipment for this ruin. All the maids and the butlers were fully armed, but
since Akira knew Kanae and Shiori, who were similar to those maids and
butlers, it did not strike him as strange.

Eventually, Chloe came with Latis and Pamela. When Akira saw them
coming from the wasteland, he thought that they would head to the Hunter
Office. So as not to get in their way, Akira re-positioned himself to the side,
where they would pass by him.

But even after they entered the Hunter Office branch area, instead of getting
into the build, they headed toward him. Akira frowned and tilted his head.
Chloe approached Akira with her servants behind her and stopped in front
of him as if they were having a stand-off.

“You are Akira, right?”

“…Yes?”

Chloe seemed to be exhausted, however, she still sent an intense glare at

him. It was because she spent all night yesterday without sleeping to
investigate matters related to Olivia. Although her sleepiness and
exhaustion had been taken care of by expensive medicines, the fatigue from
the stress remained. After all, the situation that she was in had not changed.
The more she tried to compensate for that with willpower, unfortunately, the
worse her stern stare got.

“I’m sure you’ve received multiple call requests from Lion Steel. Why did
you ignore all of them?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Just answer me!”

Akira retracted his head back; it was obvious that he was a bit weirded out
by Chloe’s sudden emotional flare. That was when Latis and Pamela
quickly intervened, Pamela tried to calm Chloe down while pulling her
back. Meanwhile, Latis took her place to talk to Akira.
“A pleasure to meet you, I am Latis, one of Chloe-sama’s butlers. I
apologize for my master’s rude remark just now.”

“Ah, sure, okay.”

“We are from Lion Steel company. We have been trying to make an
appointment with Akira-sama ever since yesterday. But, we just couldn’t
reach you. Although we do think that it is rude for us to do this, since we’ve
received information that you would be here, we came here to meet you.
Would it be okay if we ask for some of your time right now?”

“Well, if it’s only for a bit, then sure…”

“Thank you very much!”

Latis bowed and withdrew. Chloe, who was taking a deep breath to calm
herself down, once again stepped forward in front of Akira. She then
showed the white card to Akira.

“Do you have any recollection of this card? Or more like, this card is
originally yours, right?”

“No, that’s not mine.”

“Stop playing a fool with me!!”

Chloe once again raised her voice, and once again, Latis and Pamela
quickly intervened. However, this time, it was Pamela who stepped in front
of Akira.

“It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Pamela. Just like Latis, I am also working
to serve Chloe-sama.”

“…Well, okay, sure.”

“According to the information that our company has received, the current
owner of this card is Akira-sama. Do you have any recollection of this? If
its ownership has already shifted to someone else, it would be a great help if
Akira-sama could inform us who it might be.”

“If you guys are from Lion Steel, you know Shiori, right?”

“Of course.”

“It’s hers. Or more like, you got that card from Shiori, right? Why didn’t
you even know about it?”

Akira started to look utterly confused. But Pamela replied casually without
missing a beat.

“At the moment, the owner of this card in our company is Chloe-sama.
After that, we did try to contact Olivia-sama, but then Olivia-sama told us
that the legitimate owner of the card is Akira-sama. It was only lent to
Shiori. Do you have any recollection of this matter?”

“Ah, right, she did say something along those lines now that you mention
it… But still, I already told her. I gave that card to Shiori. So, I don’t think
that card is still mine. That’s why, even if you say that you’re returning it, I
can’t accept that card. If you really want to talk about returning it or
whatnot, go discuss it with Shiori first.”

“Please don’t worry, we are not here to return the card.”

“Then what is it?”

Pamela stepped back, Chloe, who had calmed down with the help from
Latis, once again stepped in front of Akira.

“I want you to lend this card to me just like you lent it to Shiori.”

Akira frowned, for him, it was a rather weird request to him.

“You want me to lend it? Didn’t you get that from borrowing it from
Shiori?”
“…Yes, we did. But that’s as far as it goes between us. But it seems that as
far as Olivia-sama is concerned, the owner of this card is still you. That’s
why I’m asking you instead.”

“You just need to tell Olivia that you got that card from Shiori, no?”

Akira’s light-hearted answer only worsened Chloe’s mood. If that was

enough, she would not have to go through all of this. However, she
somehow managed to hold herself back from screaming in Akira’s face.
Though, in order to do that, her face turned even darker. She then took a
deep breath and said with an awkward smile.

“…It’s not that simple for us, you see. That’s why we want approval from
its former owner. You can just say that you’re lending it to me and that will
be enough. Giving it to me or selling it to me will also be fine. Of course, I
will give you something in return. I’ll buy it at any price you ask. We can
also give you support for your Hunter job. We can even dispatch people to
help you too. They’ll be as strong as those high-ranking Hunters. So, go
ahead. You can make any demand in exchange for this card.”

The offer was too good to be true, so Akira could not help but to get
suspicious instead.

“I refuse.”

Chloe finally could not hold back her emotion.

“What!? Why!?”

“As I said before, that card is no longer mine. It’s not right to lend or sell
something that is not mine to begin with, that’s all there is to it.”

“I’m here, telling you that this card is yours!!”

“And I’m telling you. That matter has already been concluded with my deal
with Reina! You got that card from Reina and that is the end of it!”
Akira noticed that he was getting angry for some reason. But since he did
not know the reason why, he ended up letting his emotion come out through
his voice. So, Alpha gently tried to calm him down.

“Akira, calm down.”

“…Ah, right, sorry.”

Akira took a deep breath to help him calm down. It was something that he
often did in the past. So, it was able to immediately calm him down.

If Alpha told him to just accept the card, it would have solved the issue.
However, she could not afford to do so. She felt that saying that would be
touching a part of Akira that he was sensitive about. Considering that he
was so close to cutting ties with Elena and Sara the moment they did
something like that, Alpha believed it to be a bad idea. It would be akin to
walking through a minefield.

In reality, Alpha was overthinking it. If she had just told him to accept the
card and give it to Chloe, he would have simply obeyed. However, Alpha,
who did not know what Akira discussed with Tsubaki inside Kuzuhara ruin,
believed that he would not obediently follow her advice.

The only thing that Akira was waiting for before heading off to accomplish
Alpha’s request was the equipment that he had ordered through the help of
Sakashita Heavy Industry. It would be a bad move to worsen their
relationship before he accomplished her goal. Because of that, Alpha
believed that she could only tell Akira to calm down.

Chloe was forced into a difficult position. If news about her failure with
Olivia spread through the main house, she would lose her place. Although
she was currently able to come up with an excuse for her faction, it was
only a matter of time before it hit its limit. There was a need for her to do
something to gain ownership of this card. Otherwise, she would eventually
get kicked out of the inner wall.
Her plan was first to negotiate with Akira. To ask him to lend her the card
and from there, manage a way to actually get the ownership of this card.

However, she could not get in contact with him. Even after trying to send an
overwhelmingly enticing offer through the Hunter Office, she only got
refusal replies that seemed to be from a template message. It was something
unthinkable when it came to dealing with a Hunter. This unexpected turn of
events that she would have never imagined, eventually forced her to bring
some of her men and directly head out to meet him.

Even after she was able to directly meet him, it did not help her situation at
all. Instead, it only worsened her already awful mood.

“What exactly do you not like about our offer…? We are from Lion Steel,
you know? Our scale is different compared to those of small-sized
companies!? We’re big enough to have branches in each of the financial
areas of the 5 biggest corporations. When we say that we wish to support a
Hunter, that Hunter would normally want to call us back, you know!? So,
what exactly is it that you don’t like about it? That you would even ignore
our offer, huh!?”

“I don’t care about those kinds of things. It’s also none of your business.”

From the common sense of Hunters, what Chloe said was absolutely
correct. Since it was sent via the Hunter Office, it was unlikely to be a
fraudulent offer. It was only natural for Hunters to happily accept it. That
was why Chloe was utterly frustrated.

Her mood only got worse with time. Akira himself also started to get
frustrated, so Alpha once again tried to calm him down.

“Akira, calm down. Getting too emotional will only worsen her reaction.”

“…yeah, I know.”

Akira took another deep breath to calm himself down. Considering that it
would be foolish to keep that up until Carol returned, he decided to make a
compromise.

“…I get it already; I’ll lend it to you.”

“Really!? Ah, no, I guess that’s only to be expected. Very well then, tell me
what you want in exchange for it.”

“I don’t need your money nor your support, I don’t need anything. Just
make sure to never bring this kind of thing to me again. You got it?”

“Okay, you can have my words.”

Although Chloe did not fully understand what Akira was talking about, she
put that aside for now and sighed in relief as her expression relaxed. But
that only lasted until Akira said his next statement.

“And also, I’ll run it through Reina just to be safe. Personally speaking, I
consider the card as theirs. So at least let me do that much.”

“…Eh? Wait!?”

Akira already had his terminal dialling for Shiori. He was already telling
her what happened in front of the flustered Chloe. After he heard Shiori’s
answer, Akira frowned and sent a sharp gaze toward Chloe.

“Shiori said that you took the card from them while threatening their lives.
Care to explain?”

At that moment, Akira’s eyes had changed. He was now looking at Chloe as
a con artist, someone who was trying to trick him.

Chloe did not say anything back.

“What excuse do you have? If you can’t explain it to me, then just leave.”

Even so, Chloe did not say anything. Akira slowly readied his stance for a
fight. Suddenly Chloe smiled and said.
“I’m sorry for taking the roundabout way.”

Chloe understood that it was already impossible to properly negotiate with

Akira. She did not have the leeway to spend her time making another secret
deal. If she tried something like that, the other factions would remove her
and take that card away from her before trying to contact Akira again, just
like she had done. With her options and time strictly limited, she did not
hesitate in taking the only option that she had left. The one thing that she
did once before and succeeded without trouble.

The more she was cornered, the stronger her reaction would be, and once it
was decided, there would be no longer any need to hesitate. Chloe lightly
signalled with her hand. With that, all of her men readied for a fight. After
that, she then ordered Akira.

“Give me the card!”

Akira finally understood the reason why he was so strangely annoyed.

Glances with a shred of mockery. That attitude, as if to say that it was
normal for her to get everything she wanted. Finally, her last action. It was
something that he had experienced countless times before when he was still
living in the back alley of the slums.

After everything he had achieved up until now, Akira had pride that he was
no longer the same as he was before. However, what Chloe did, caused his
pride to crack and rage was leaking out of it. Akira obeyed his emotions and
promptly replied.

“No!”

Akira was leaking out immense pressure. Just like what had happened with
Kanae yesterday, Latis and Pamela readied for a fight.

But Chloe, who had lost all restraint, did not wince back at all. Instead, she
smiled deeply and threatened Akira.
“Do you really think that it will only end with you? Didn’t I tell you that
Lion Steel is a big company? Our reach is far and wide, you know?”

Akira was about to return to his past self, but he reminded himself of
everything that he had achieved since then. While reminding himself that he
was no longer the same as his past self, he somehow managed to speak to
Chloe.

“…That sounds like you’re threatening me with the lives of the people I
know. If that’s not the case, correct me before it’s too late.”

But even so, Chloe only smiled and replied.

“I’ll leave that interpretation to you.”

“…I see.”

Akira made an expression. One which he had not shown for a while. It was
an expression that only his past self showed as he replied. With those
words, everyone there with rifles in hand immediately started shooting,
with the objective to kill their opponent.

And so, the battle had begun.

Vol 6: Chapter 2 (2)
I didn’t know how the【Orb Destruction】skill works. So I asked Kook-
san to go with me to a store called “Skill Destruction Shop”, pretending to
want to confirm how the skill works.

The【Orb Destruction】skill is a “unique characteristic”, and it is

necessary to notify the government about its acquisition and use. Although
its rarity is lower than that of【Orb Detachment】, it requires regulation.
「…That seems to be how it works. Is this enough?」
「Yes.」
I was shown the process of destroying a【Physical Strength ★】that Kook-
san had. I am sure I will be able to do this with【World Ruler】.
「Alright, then. I’ll bring Lark with me.」I said.
「Hmm… it somewhat feels like we’re in the way.」
「No, of course not. I’ll be back as soon as it’s done.」
「Okay.」
I said so to Kook-san and the others after returning to the inn, and headed
for Lark’s room.
I can’t tell them that I can learn skills, so I need to pretend to take Lark
outside, just in case.
「Lark, I’m coming in–」
Upon entering her room, I saw Lark in her bed, dressed in casual clothes.
Wearing a shirt and trousers, similar to a man. Clothes which are easy to
move in, remnants of her sky pirate days.
Lark will no longer have to go out onto the battlefield in the future. She
should be able to live peacefully in the town. But we don’t have to talk
about it just yet.
「…………」
「Your hair is messy.」I said.
「Ah……」
Lark’s expression was dark, perhaps because she was nervous about
destroying the skill orb.
However when her health is restored, her feelings will surely change.
I used a comb to straighten Lark’s hair. Comb her long hair and bundle it
into one. Even when we were in the mine—when we had poor meals day
after day, Lark’s hair was still beautiful, but now it is dry and dull, and I
can’t feel any vitality in them.

(But that too… will soon return to normal.)

After I tied her hair with a hair tie, it seemed somewhat kempt.
「…Sorry. I never cared about my hair. That Riviera-san who came to treat
me, randomly told me that “dressing up” and “hairstyle” is the life of a
woman.」
Lark was about to fall when she tried to get out of bed. I caught and
supported her.
「Lark, please be patient until your eyesight returns.」
「…H-Hey! Little brother!?」
I lifted Lark up with both arms—in a princess carry.
「Idiot, stop this. It’s embarrassing.」
「You can’t see, right? Then there’s nothing to be embarrassed about.」
「That’s not the problem!」
Lark complained, but she didn’t even have the power to escape from my
arms.
Kook-san and the others stared in wonder as we entered the cafeteria.
「Fuh… How nice. When you look at her like this, you realize that the
young miss is also just a maiden.」
「Scout, I will remember you said that!」Lark said.
「So the young miss has recovered enough to say all that…」
We left the inn while being teased by whistlings and applause.

「Lark. Let’s go.」

There is no need to go to the store that destroys skill orb. And it would be a
problem if the store owner had something like【Orb-See】. I cautiously
headed to the hill.
Probably because I was carrying her, I saw smiles on Lark’s face. But I
proceeded forward without saying anything about it.
Lark was so light that I didn’t even have to use【Support Magic】to carry
her. Which saddened me a little.
The hill was within the town, but it was a place overlooking the town and
there was nothing special about it. Hardly anyone visited the hill during
daytime, so I took Lark to the grassland with a good view. You can see a
small hill and a lighthouse on a lone cape.
The wind blew through, carrying the scent of grass. I sat her down on the
grass.
「What’s this place? It feels grassy. What are you doing?」
「I’m going to tell you something I haven’t told you yet…」I said
「…………」
I felt Lark’s spine stretch a little when I said that.
「But let’s heal your body first. I’ll put【Shadow King】back inside.」.
「O-Ok…」
I took out the 6-star skill orb out of the leather bag and pressed it against
both of Lark’s hands.
I am also learning the【Orb Attachment/Detachment】skill which can
insert skill orb into others.

「Nn?…A-Aaaaaaaaah!!」
The skill orb was sucked into Lark’s body. At the same time, her eyes,
which have lost their color, regained the light.
「……I can see.」
She looked around. Below was the town of Zackerhafen. And in the
distance was a harbor with ocean waves, and black-tailed gulls flying freely.
「Little brother… No, Reiji.」
「Yes.」
「Did you not think that I would use this power to escape if the skill orb
was returned to me?」
「Nope. I did not.」
「Why? You know that I wanted【Shadow King】badly. For that reason, I
might even tell one or two lies–」
「I don’t think so. You wouldn’t do that.」
「Why…」
「Because you are you.」
「…………」
「Because you haven’t changed since our time in the mine. You are my
sister Lark.」
「…………」

The amethyst-like violet eyes that were staring at me turned away.

「…I can never win against you, little brother. Ah no, I mean, Reiji…」
「You can call me “little brother”. I am always your brother.」
「…………」
Lark’s ears turned bright red. Rising heart rate, rising body temperature
—— World Ruler-sama, I can see all that without you telling me it.
「Then, I’ll erase the skill now…」
「Ok.」
This time, firmly locking eyes with me, Lark replied as if it wasn’t a big
deal at all.
She then closed her eyes.
Did she make her decision so easily?
To erase the skill orb that she wanted so badly.
Even though I did not explain how I was going to erase the skill.
Does she trust me so completely that she leaves everything in my hands?
As I held Lark’s hand and closed my eyes, I saw an intense light in her
body. This was probably the skill. It had a stiff feel at first, but when I put
my strength into it, it started to crack and then shattered like a glass—
particles of light floated in the darkness and melted away.
「It’s done.」

I opened my eyes and saw Lark who had opened her eyes slightly.
Does she feel that the skill has been lost?
「How are your eyes?」
「I can see. And I don’t feel sick…」
As the wind blew, Lark’s long hair fluttered in the gust. She turned her gaze
to the town and to the sea. She seemed like wanting to say something, but
she didn’t say it. So I decided not to ask either.
As the Sage said, her vitality has returned. Of course, she is still far from
perfectly healthy, but she can gradually recover from this point on. At least
she will no longer be bedridden.
「Lark. I have things to tell you. Let’s stay here for a while.」
「I’ll listen. I have a lot of time right now.」
While sitting next to Lark, I told her everything that had happened so far.
Lark didn’t seem particularly surprised or emotional when she heard the
secrets of my birth and the secrets of my skill.
After listening to my story till the end, she reached for my head.
And she patted my head.
You did your best, little brother.
Lark’s face, as she said that line, was the same as I remembered back in the
mine.
Chapter 223: Isn’t the angel side supposed to win this sort of thing…
Chapter 142 Night in the Dungeon
"Baskerville-sama, please wake up. Dinner is ready."

"Hmm...?"

I slowly opened my eyelids to find the face of a brown-skinned girl

standing right in front of me.
 Her jade green eyes looked into my face. Her hair of the same color
flowing like a waterfall from her head. There is also a mischievous
expression on her beautifully shaped face.
Now, Ryuna Maafern, the Priestess of the temple, is so close to me that I
could have kissed her.

"...What are you doing up so early? Are you going to give me a kiss
when I wake up?"

I tried to keep my tone calm, suppressing my inner turmoil.

The truth is that I was so surprised that I thought my heart would
explode... but it's not cool to be upset when a girl who seems to be younger
than me puts her face close to mine.
As a man who has been in contact with four women on a daily basis, I
couldn't let my upset show.

"Geez... that's not an interesting reaction. I thought you would be more

surprised."

"Too bad. I'm an experienced city boy, okay? I don't get upset just
because someone leans in close to my face."

"Should I kissed you on the mouth? That way, you'd be a little upset,
wouldn't you?"

"...Do it if you can. I'll put my tongue inside your mouth and stir it
around."

I stare at her with half-open eyes. But Ryuna just giggles and points with
her hand toward the table.
Then I noticed that there is a delicious, appetizing smell wafting through
the room.

"Come on, let's have dinner. This way please."

"...Yeah"
 I sit down on a chair next to the table, raising my eyebrows slightly at
Ryuna who takes the trouble to pull me away from the table. There are
already Shakuna and Hadiss sitting around the food.
However, Shakuna looks at me reproachfully and opens her cherry-red
lips.

"...I see you and my little sister have become good friends. I'm so glad."

"...Your face doesn't match your words. You look like you're going to kill
me."

Shakuna's eyes were sharp, as if she wanted to stab her partner to death
with her gaze.
She must not like the man flirting with her cute sister. After all, her eyes
were like those of a black bug in the kitchen.

"...No way, I'm happy as long as Ryuna is happy. I'll give my blessing to
Ryuna if she's happy, no matter what kind of a scumbag the guy is. Even if
it's a lecherous seducer."

"I don't know who you're talking to. But, I'm not a scumbag and I'm not a
lecherous seducer."

"Calm down, don't fight, both of you. We're about to eat and the food will
be bad."

Ryuna intervenes between us and hands me a plate with more food on it.
On the plate are sliced bread, fish fillets, and meat covered with spices
like curry powder.
The spicy smell of the food makes my throat gulp spontaneously.

"It looks delicious. It's really quite a feat for a blind person to make a
dish like this."

"Of course it's delicious. It's the food Ryuna made!"

"Why are you so proud of yourself? It's your sister's work!"

 "I'm used to cooking thanks to my work at the soup kitchen. Surely it will
suit your taste buds, Baskerville-sama?"

Shakuna is smiling with pride for some reason, and Ryuna is smiling
with a smile on her face.
With Shakuna and Ryuna on either side of me, I spoon the food into my
mouth. As soon as it enters the mouth, the spicy and thick flavoring fills the
mouth and stimulates my tongue.

"It's spicy... but it's still delicious. It's an addictive taste."

The stimulating flavor seems to spread through my tired body. It's an

addictive taste that I can't stop after one bite. Very tasty.

"I am glad that it suits your taste. There is a refill, so please eat as much
as you want."

"Yes, I will."

I gobble down the food. I gobble down my food so fast that I almost
forget that I am a nobleman.

I look to the side and see Shakuna and Ryuna eating their meals in an
elegant manner. They are princesses, after all, and have good manners.
Haddis, who is sitting in front of us, is silently and procedurally bringing
the food to his mouth. He also keeps glancing at the entrance and the exit of
the room with his side eyes, and does not seem to let his guard down even
while he is eating.

He is as serious as ever, but I'm sure he won't listen to me.

It is because of obedient knights like him that Shakuna and Ryuna are
able to travel in peace, and it is not my place to interfere.

"Well... it's not so bad. Having a night like this..."

It was such a fulfilling meal that we almost forgot we were in a dungeon.

 EX dungeon, the 'Royal Tomb of Salomon's'.
The night of the first day of the attack passed quietly.
Ryuna, Shakuna, and Haddiss took a break in turn, and then resumed the
challenge, this time aiming at the 20th floor.
At the 11th floor, the monsters are more powerful than those on the
previous floors, but Shakuna and the others still seem to have enough room
to make it to the next floor. They are able to move on to the lower floor
without any problems.
In fact, they are moving better as they have become accustomed to the
new environment and have relaxed their tension, which has increased the
speed of their attack. At this rate, we may be able to reach the boss room of
the 30th floor by the end of today, instead of the 20th floor.

"Be careful on that road, there are traps. If you step on the cobblestones
of different colors under your feet, you'll get electrocuted."

I tell the three of them to take the shortest path down to the next floor.
Below the 11th floor, we have to watch out not only for monsters but also
for traps, so I recall my memories as I carefully give them instructions.

"I've been wondering since yesterday... have you ever been in this
dungeon?"

Shakuna's eyes lifted in suspicion as I pointed out not only the directions
but also the locations of the traps. In response to this question, I shrug my
shoulders and answer.

"Well. I've tried this dungeon a few times. I never made it to the lowest
floor, though."

The first half is true, but the second half is a lie.

In the game, I succeeded in defeating the boss character of the last level,
'King Salomon,' but I keep quiet about it because it might get complicated if
I talk about it.
 "I can guide you to the 50th floor where the 'King's Scepter' is located, so
leave it to me."

"Then I feel relieved... But wait, by any chance, don't you have the
'Royal Scepter of Osiris'? If so, we didn't have to go into the dungeon!"

"I wish I had it... but unfortunately, I'm out of the scepter."

I laugh sarcastically and shake my head.

The scepter of Osiris, the reward for clearing the 50th floor, is a useful
item that can remove all of my companions' abnormalities and debuffs... but
when used, it has a certain probability of breaking.
In addition, there is a limitation that a player cannot have more than one
scepter at the same time. If the user conquered the 50th floor again with the
scepter in his possession, another item would appear.
If the scepter is broken and lost, it is possible to get it again... but the
item will not be included in the items that can be transferred as a result of
the clear data. This is because the clear data was saved with the scepter in a
broken state after it had been used up.

"My scepter was broken a long time ago. I have the other clear rewards,
but... no luck."

"I see... you're absolutely, utterly useless."

"Shut up, who could have foreseen this?"

The scepter is a useful item, but it is not so useful that I am bothered if I

don't have it.
It is obvious thing because any player who has played through the main
scenario has already obtained skills and equipment for countermeasures
against abnormalities.
So, there is no need to take the time to re-explore the tomb to get the
scepter again.

"So... we have to go all the way to the 50th floor, huh..."

 "That's right... Hey, your footing there is dangerous..."

"Hmm...? Kyaaaaaaaaaaa!"

"Onee-sama!?"

"Your Highness!"

At the moment Shakuna steps on the floor, a pale translucent rope-like

object appears and entangles Shakuna's legs.
Shakuna's body is pulled by the rope and hanged upside down.

"What... What the hell is this!?"

"Good grief... I told you it was dangerous!"

"You should've said it with more energy!? No one can avoid it with your
stupid warning!?"

Shakuna is hanging from the ceiling and yelling, “Whoa, whoaaa!”.

"Oh, it's going to fall!"

"Eh? Baskerville-sama?"

I casually pulled Ryuna's arm and took a step away from Shakuna.
The next moment, the ceiling of the place where Shakuna is suspended
opens, and a huge amount of liquid comes pouring down.

"Hyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?"

Shakuna's screams echoed through the dungeon as she was completely

engulfed by the torrent of liquid that fell like a waterfall.
At the same time, the magic rope that was holding her legs came loose,
and she fell down with a sticky sound.

"Ah... Ugh..."
 "Ahh, this is so terrible..."

"O-Onee-sama! Are you all right!?"

Shakuna was hit by the trap, and was soaking wet all over and nearly half
of her dancer's costume she was wearing had come off.
Her smooth breasts are almost completely exposed, and even the pinkish
protrusion at the tip could be seen.

"Hmm... this is just like in the game, huh?"

I nodded my head while observing Shakuna who appeared to be in a very

erotic state.
This erotic trap event occurs when Shakuna is joined in the party to
conquer the 'Tomb of the King', and I could see the exact same scene in the
game as what I was seeing in front of me.
This event was quite popular among fans, as the normally cold and
shadowy Shakuna gets soaking wet and crumples to the floor as if she had
just been violated by a man.

"The power of the scenario, or rather, the obligation, is really strong. It's
hilarious that she fell for it."

"O-Onee-sama! Please change your clothes!"

"Why did this happen to me... Do you really hate me that much..."

Shakuna glares at me with teary eyes, and Ryuna hurriedly puts her cloak
on her.

But I spread my arms out in frustration at the unjustified resentment, and

the other man, Hadis, turns his eyes away as if he were looking at someone
else.
The guardian of the 20th floor is a giant insect-shaped monster—a demon
named Marmartos.
 Its body is shiny black and speckled with bright red. Its carapace is
divided by numerous joints, and countless jointed legs are wriggling wildly.
This demon, which causes physiological disgust to those who see it, is
very similar to the so called "Pill Bug". The kind that lurks under stones or
other objects when they are lifted up.
However, its body is huge, nearly three meters in height, and its head is
glaring at us with a terrifying face like an oni.

'Kyuchachachachachacha~!'

The huge insect makes a noisy noise with its mandibles. That was the
signal to start the battle.

Immediately, I send out instructions to my three companions.

"All right, then... let's go as planned! Don't let your guard down!"

"I know it! Don't tell me what to do!"

I move to the position we had discussed before, listening to Shakuna's

retort. In place of Hadiss, the guarder, I stand in front of Ryuna, holding my
sword in front of her to protect her.

This battle was different from the one on the 10th floor, and I was to
participate in it.
Based on the way they fought, I have a rough idea of the abilities of my
three companions. Although there are some dangers, as long as I support
them, it is possible to conquer up to the 50th floor.
So, there is no need to test my skills any further. We just have to beat it
quickly and move on to the next floor.

"It's time to go, Hadis!"

"I understood."

Shakuna and Hadiss leap in front of the demon together. They face the
creepy insect-shaped demon head-on.
 "Warrior Dance—'Sword Dance'!"

"Fold it up—'Power Slash'!"

'Kyuchachachachachacha~!'

Shakuna and Hadiss attacked simultaneously.

Marmartos counterattacks, though slightly frightened. It attacked them by
twisting and biting them with its legs, and by extending long poisonous
needles attached to its tail.

"Nggh...!"

"Hmmph!"

Shakuna dodges the giant insects' attacks with dance steps, and Haddis
catches them with his large shield.
As for the note, I had taught them the pattern of this demon's attack in
advance. So, no matter how sharp the attack is, it is not difficult to avoid it
if they know it is coming.
Both Shakuna and Hadiss skillfully handled the attack by watching the
preliminary movements before the attack, and inflicted damage unilaterally.

"This seems to be no problem! It's nothing to worry about!"

"Be careful! It's coming!"

Shakuna, who is slashing at her enemies with a calm and composed

attitude, calls out a warning.
This insect-shaped demon changes its movements when its energy level
is less than half, and then it launches its signature move.

'Kichuuuuuuuuuuuuu~!!'

Marmartos curls up its arthropod body and starts to spin vigorously. It

rolls around at high speed, trying to hit the two vanguards.
 "Your Highness!"

"Get back...!"

Haddis and Shakuna narrowly avoid being hit. If they had failed to evade
in time and had been hit directly, they would have been severely injured.

As can be seen, this demon's signature move—the 'Blood Wheel'—is an

attack in which the demon spins around its body and hits the opponent.
While spinning, it completely negates all attacks from the enemy. In
addition, it also has a guard nullification effect, which can be fatal even for
warriors with high defense if taken seriously.

"...It's a good thing I asked you beforehand. Although it's frustrating, I'm
glad that that lecherous seducer was there."

"Who's a lecherous seducer! You'd better run away so you don't get hit by
accident!"

"I know it... but, Ryuna! Get out of the way!"

The demon, which had been circling at high speed, changed its target and
came toward Ryuna and me in the back.
Its huge body, like a boulder rolling down a slope, loomed up in front of
us.

"Baskerville-sama!"

"...!"

I try to avoid it while carrying Ryuna, but I can't make it in time.

That huge demon body is coming at us with frightening speed, trying to
crush us all together...

'Pigyaun~!?'
 However, it slips through our bodies and crashes into the wall behind us.
As a result of hitting the wall, Marmartos is released from his high-speed
rotation, and returns to his original shape, moving like a dizzy, drunken
maniac.

"Dark magic—Illusion Ghost!"

At a little distance from Marmartos, I held Ryuna's shoulder and raised

my index finger.

I had calculated from the beginning that this would happen.

By anticipating that Marmartos would attack Ryuna from the rearguard
after launching the decisive move, I had deliberately set up an illusionary
trap and waited for the attack.
The spinning and rushing attack is a terrifyingly powerful move, but for
some reason, when it hit a wall, it would stop and become down, just as it
did before. Again, this was the same as the game's design, which was a
blessing.

"Now! Start to attack!"

"I know what to do! We won't give it a chance to fight back. We'll crush
it all at once!"

"Onee-sama! I'll support you!"

We all attack Marmartos now that it's down.

Ryuna boosts our attack power with her auxiliary magic, and Shakuna
and Hadiss go on the offensive at once.

'Gidjuuuuuuuuuuuu~'

It was a minute later that the giant insect-shaped demon fell down on the
floor.
At the same time as Marmartos, the insect-shaped demon, fell down and
disappeared, a treasure chest appeared in the center of the room. It was the
reward for clearing the 20th floor.
 "Well then... let's check the reward. Ryuna, you are free to open the
treasure chest."

"M-Me?"

"The reward for clearing the 20th floor is also random. I have a feeling...
you'll be the luckiest among us."

"Yes, I agree. Open it."

"...Don't get mad if something strange comes out, okay?"

Ryuna approaches the treasure chest reluctantly as her sister Shakuna

encourages her to open it.
Shakuna then pulls her blind sister's hand and leads her to the treasure
chest... and Ryuna nervously touches the treasure chest.

"Ei~!"

She opens the treasure chest with a great momentum... and inside the
chest is a gem that fits in her palm.
Ryuna gropes the rainbow-colored gem, and tilts her head curiously.

"What...is this? Is it...a gem?"

"Heh... A random orb, huh? You pull off some pretty interesting stuff."

"Random orb...?"

'Random Orb' is a kind of skill orb, and as the name suggests, it gives out
unique skills to be learned at random.
Skills that can only be learned by certain jobs, skills that can only be used
by demons and monsters, could be acquired by using random orbs.
Of course, there were times when a skill was useless and unusable... but
it was quite enjoyable among the players to try their luck.
 When I played the game, I learned skills such as [Gill Breathing] and
[Scissors Attack], which are obviously not human skills, and I laughed at it.

"Well, you never know what you're going to get until you try it. That was
interesting."

Hearing my explanation, Shakuna clapped her hands together in

amusement.

"So... Ryuna, try it out. Tell me what you learn?"

"A-Am I going to use it? I think it will be more useful in battle if it's used
by Onee-sama or Baskerville-sama..."

"No, because Ryuna brought out this item, you should use it, shouldn't
you? Anyway, I don't have good luck in such a lucky draw. So, I want
Ryuna to use it."

"She's right, she doesn't seem to have good luck. After all, she just got
caught in an erotic trap."

"Shut up! Don't interrupt the conversation between the two sisters!"

Shakuna scolds me for interrupting her, and smiles at Ryuna.

"It will be good for us if Ryuna gets stronger. You are the only logistical
support in this party."

"Onee-sama..."

"I'm fine with that too. You've got plenty of skill slots anyway... and
you're okay with that too, aren't you Hadiss?"

"..."

The priest knight standing by the wall nodded silently.

 After everyone had agreed, Ryuna puts her lips close to the seven-colored
gem in her hands and says, "If that's the case...".
The orb dissolves into the air and disappears, and the seven-colored blur
of light is sucked into Ryuna's mouth.

"Ah..."

"How is it? What skills have you mastered?"

"Hwee!? Umm... What's this...!?"

When I ask this, Ryuna looks flustered for some reason.

Suddenly she is acting suspiciously. She must have pulled some kind of
strange skill... and she hides behind her sister's back.

"...Hey, what did you really learn? I'm curious about your reaction."

"D-Don't ask me that! It's indecent!"

"It's indecent!?"

"Baskerville-sama is dirty! Pervert!"

"That's right. He's a pervert. He's a voyeur. Stay away from Ryuna."

Even Shakuna's giving me mysterious cover.

I mean, what did I do? I just asked her what skills she has learned!

"Why my reputation is ruined! Seriously, just tell me what you drew! I

won't ask you to use it!"

"I can't tell it! I'll die of embarrassment! Not till we're married!"

"We're getting married?! Me and Ryuna!?"

She turns red and shakes her head.

 In the end, she never revealed what she had learned from the random orb,
and we finished the 20th floor with a confused feeling.
After taking a short rest in the rest room at the 20th floor, we decided to
continue to the 21st floor.
The speed of progress is much faster than I expected. At least today, we
still have enough energy and magic power to continue to the 30th floor.

"Hey, don't forget to tell me if there are any traps! I'll stab you if you
miss any trap, especially a naughty one!"

"Okay, okay... you're really a sensitive princess."

The erotic traps must have been too much for Shakuna to bear. Fed up
with Shakuna's repeated complaints, I wave my hand and lead the party.

The difficulty level had increased after the 20th floor... but there was still
plenty of room left in the party.
Both Shakuna and Hadiss were able to defeat the monsters without any
danger, and Ryuna was able to support them without any panic.
In fact, I felt that they have become more refined in their movements as
they have become more familiar with each other's role and their
coordination is getting stronger.

"Your Highness Shakuna! Finish it off!"

"I already know—[Sword Dance]!"

'Gugyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa~!'

While Hadiss, the tank, held off the enemy's attack, Shakuna quickly
used her martial art to finish the enemy off.
Thanks to the coordinated attacks, the two-legged lizard monster is
knocked down and disappears.

At the timing when the battle was over, Ryuna, who was in the last row,
opened her mouth as if she remembered something.
 "Speaking of which... isn't it about time to think of a way to thank
Baskerville-sama for his support?"

"Oh my, what's the matter, Ryuna? You suddenly started talking like
that."

"You know, Onee-sama... Baskerville-sama is a nobleman from an

unrelated neighboring country, but yet he lends us a helping hand. I thought
a proper thank-you would be deserved."

Come to think of it... I was hired as a mercenary, but the compensation

was not decided properly.
I didn't really care about it, since it would be beneficial for me too in
defeating the purpose of the guru or whatever he was.

"...Does this guy need a reward? Didn't he deserve it after peeping on me

and Ryuna naked? Rather, he's lucky enough not to be executed as a
criminal."

"That's not the way it works, Shakuna-oneesama. If it weren't for

Baskerville-sama we wouldn't be able to conquer this dungeon in such a
short time. We should be thankful to him."

"Ryuna has a very disciplined character. She is very different than any
other fake princess."

Shakuna gave me a sharp look when I made fun of her.

Anyway, I shrug my shoulders and laugh, clearing my throat.

"However, it's true, isn't it? It's the duty of those who are in charge to pay
the righteous reward to those who have done well. If you act like you
deserve it, you'll soon have no one left to follow you."

"...As if you know anything. Even though you're not the same age as
me."
 "We may not be the same age, but we have different experiences. I'm the
head of the Baskerville family."

In fact, ever since I took over the Baskerville family I've made it a rule to
give reward and punishment.
I give ample rewards to those who have done well and strictly judge
those who should be punished. If I fail to do so, the order of the
organization will be loosened and it will collapse.

I knew this from the history I had learned in my previous life.

And even if I don't bring up such a big thing as history, I have learned it
as a social order from my experience of working as an office worker.
For example, a colleague with a good sales performance was not
evaluated fairly by his boss or the company, resulting in a painful situation
where he was hired by a rival company. At other times, there were
employees whose mistakes were overlooked because they were relatives of
executives, causing the atmosphere in the entire workplace to deteriorate
and depressing the sales performance of the company.

So, if those who are in charge ignore the reward and punishment, that is
the beginning of the collapse of the organization.

"...It can't be helped. So, what do you want?"

Shakuna said reluctantly with an unconvinced expression on her face.

"Money? Or a medal? If I give lands and titles to the nobles of other

countries, it would be troublesome, so I can't give them those... but if my
father can be freed from the control of the guru, I think most of that wish
can be fulfilled."

"Well, let's see..."

I don't need money or medals. After all, I don't need them and I've got
enough of them.
Or maybe, I could try to ask for Shakuna's or Ryuna's body and see their
hilarious reactions...? Well, it would be a poor joke. They might stab me
seriously, so I'll be careful about that.

"Hmm... How about you help me fight against the revived Demon King?"

"The Demon King... Well, I heard he's back. I've heard that monsters
(Mamono) have been strengthened in various areas, though they haven't
caused much damage in our country."

"Still, I need your help in defeating the Demon King or fighting the
Demon King's army, when needed. So how is it?"

In the battle against the Demon King's army, there was a scene where a
large number of monsters appeared and a large-scale battle unfolded like a
war between countries.
If I can use the armies of other countries as reserve forces, such battles
will become easier.

Shakuna thought about my proposal and nodded deeply.

"...Okay. I promise. In the name of the Princess of Maafern Kingdom, I

promise to help the Slayers Kingdom if you can defeat the guru's ambitions.
And I will get my father's permission."

"Very well. That should be enough to pay me."

It's an unexpected blessing.

Without my intention, I got a card that will give me an advantage in the
battle against the Demon King's army.

While I nod my head in agreement with the unexpected result, Ryuna

comes out from behind Shakuna's back.

"Of course, I'll give you the reward as well. This is like a bonus."

"Bonus...? Did we have an agreement?"

 "Who knows... by then I'll be ready for it. I hope you'll be ready too,
Baskerville-sama?"

"..."

Ryuna says mischievously to me, and I'm once again left with an
unsettled feeling.

Maybe... maybe I'm not a good match for this blind Priestess.
I feel as if I've been pushed around ever since we met.

"...The problem is that it's not that uncomfortable. Still, all the women
around me are pretty hard to deal with."

I think of the faces of some of the women with whom I've had
relationships... and let out a deep sigh.
We soon reached the 30th floor.
In the center of the boss room appeared a knight in armor riding on a
black horse. From the neck up, however, he was not a human but a bat.

"Here it comes, leap!"

'Oooooooooooooooo!'

At my signal, my companions spread out to the left and right.

Immediately after, the bat-headed knight opens its mouth, and a
shockwave of sound passes through the place where we had just been.

The guardian of the 30th floor. The Bat Knight—Boenac.

This guy could produce ultrasonic waves and shockwaves from its
mouth. In addition, it is a boss monster with a well-balanced long, medium,
and short-range attack, using a spear in its hand for physical attacks.

"Hadiss, advance forward! Shakuna, stay back and provide cover!"

"I'm on it!"
 "I understand!"

On my signal, Shakuna steps back and Hadiss closes the distance to the
enemy.
Haddis plays the role of a tank as usual, and I play the melee attacker.
Shakuna steps back to the middle distance and fires a lightning spell to
suppress the enemy. Ryuna, on the other hand, stands by a little further back
and assists and heals as needed.
This is the formation we had discussed and decided upon beforehand.

'Gaa!'

"Ghh... It's heavy!"

Haddis frowns as he receives a great sword attack with his large shield.
As expected on the 30th floor, the abilities of the boss monsters had
increased. Even a mere physical attack would do some damage if taken
seriously.

"Defend it with all your might. If you get hit, the two guys behind you
will be killed!”

"Of course, I'll take it with all my might. I won't let it get past Her
Highness!"

'Gaa! Gaaaa!'

Haddis concentrates on his defense, and continues to receive Boenak's

physical attacks.
Although Boenak's attack power is high, the large shield should be
enough to prevent the attack.
In the meantime, I move to the flank and attack with my magic sword.

"Gravid Slash!"

The sword, imbued with dark magic power, slashes the bat knight on
horseback. It is a dark magic that deals physical damage and also debuffs its
speed by 10%.
The movement of Boenac slows down slightly, and the bat's head turns
toward me reproachfully.

'Gaaaa!'

"Whoa!"

I leap sideways to avoid the shockwave of sound from its mouth. In

return, I hit it again with a 'Gravid Slash' to slow him down even more.

"Go for it, Thunderbolt!"

Shakuna's lightning magic also landed on Boenac's torso.

As the attack is unilaterally launched, the bat-headed demon's fangs
clatter up and down in frustration.

'Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!'

"...!"

The bat-head looks up above and lets out a high-pitched roar. At the same
time, a brain-contaminating, disturbing sound wave pierces through our
bodies.
It is the omni-directional range attack used by Boenac—'Nightmare
Sorrow'.
No one within range can evade it. It is absolutely unavoidable. The curse
contained in the sound wave causes 'confusion' abnormality.

"Ggh... Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?"

Haddis, who heard the bat's roar from a close distance, lets out a cry of
"confusion". It seems that he has been affected by abnormality.

"Gravid Slash!"

'Gaaa!?'
 However, I, who was also hit by 'Nightmare Sorrow', rather take
advantage of the opportunity and hit it with my magic sword.
After all, I have mastered [Abnormal Immunity] skill, so abnormal
attacks don't work on me. I attack Boenak, who freezes up after activating
the technique.

"Gghhhhhhhhhh!?"

Unlike me, Haddis is confused and swings his sword around, but Ryuna
activates her healing magic.

"Holy Cure!"

"Ggh!? I-I'm saved! I appreciate it!"

"Don't worry! No matter what happens, I'll heal you right away, so please
fight with peace of mind!"

I had told Ryuna in advance that she must heal Haddiss immediately if he
suffers from some kind of abnormality.
As Shakuna is out of the effect range of the 'Nightmare Sorrow,' there is
no problem.

"It's a nuisance attack if you see it for the first time... but if you know it's
coming, it's not a big move! If anything, it would be better if the boss uses it
so that it will stop its movement."

'Oooooooooooooooo!'

"Hmph! I will not eat that!"

As if annoyed by my taunts, the boss unleashes a powerful shockwave,

but I have no right to accept such an emotionally-driven attack.
Instead, I shower Boenac with more and more slashes and magics,
draining its strength.
 'Grrrrr... Gaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

However, when Boenak's strength was reduced to a certain point,

something unusual happened.
Boenac, who had been riding its horse, suddenly spread its wings and
flew up to the high ceiling. The horse on which Boenac had been riding
dissolved into thin air and disappeared.

This is Boenac's second form.

If this guy takes more than a certain amount of damage, it begins to fly in
the air and move at a high speed. Additionally, it attacks from overhead.

"This is where the real work begins. But..."

"It's so slow, Thunderbolts!"

"That's right. It's so slow! Shadow Slash!"

'GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!?'

Shakuna and I unleash a magic attack on the flying Boenac overhead.

The demon spread its wings and showed its true colors... but its
movements were slow. Naturally, It was only a target for magic attacks.

The reason for this is that although Boenac had entered its second form,
it inherited its previous abnormalities and status reductions.
I have been attacking Boenac many times with my magic sword that has
a speed reduction effect, which has slowed Boenac's speed.
So, even if Boenac flies into the air, its speed still will be reduced by half.
This guy can't make the best use of its speed.

"Know your enemy, know yourself, and you will never be in danger in a
hundred battles. Even if a pilot flies in the sky, if he's slow, he's just a target
to be shot down from below. So... you can die."

'GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!?'
 Shakuna and I cast a series of magic, and soon the bat-headed demon fell
to the floor.
Boenac's face, which disappeared as soon as it fell, was etched with an
expression of sorrow at the unreasonableness that was clearly visible on the
bat's face.
Volume 7
One year after the battle with the Cardinal.
After defeating the Emperor Ogre, I decided to head to the active volcano
of Raijis to awaken my Skills, but I was told that Raijis had been invaded
by another country.
Furthermore, Raijis—the city closest to the active volcano—was conquered
by a single person. The timing and the method of suppression suggested
that it was done by no ordinary army. After receiving the report, I headed to
Count Meigis.
◇
“Did you hear what happened to Raijis?” I asked.
“Of course,” the Count replied. “It doesn’t sound like the work of an
ordinary army. What do you think we should do?”
Raijis itself is quite far from Count Meigis’ territory where we live. Only
one city had fallen so far, and there wasn’t any sign of two whole countries
clashing. While Raijis was part of the same kingdom, unless the frontlines
expanded further out, it doesn’t have much to do with Meigis’ domain.
“What do you usually do?” I asked.

“Well, if it’s a war in that location, we don’t want to intervene. Unless the
kingdom asks for reinforcements, we shouldn’t have to do anything.”
“I see. But if we don’t do anything, there’s a good chance the situation will
worsen to a point where it’ll be too late to fix things.”
“Should we deploy our army after all?”
From what I’ve heard in the reports, the people who invaded Raijis are not
the kind of people that can be handled by soldiers of this kingdom. Count
Meigis’ army, which had been trained to fight by using their Skills to the
fullest, with a focus on special classes, would be able to deal with them, but
it wouldn’t be that easy. Charging straight in with only a sword or a spear
will only result in pointless deaths.
They say that a battle is about numbers, but that only applies if both sides
are equally competent. If one soldier equipped with a heavy machine gun
fought a hundred soldiers equipped with only knives, there’s almost no
doubt that the former would win.
Even if the enemy only had a small number—no, it’s precisely because they
number only a few that sending a force not accustomed to battles using
Skills would only result in them dying in vain.
If you’re looking to sacrifice hundreds or thousands to kill one enemy, you
can try making them run out of mana, but if they succeed in escaping using
a mobility Skill, you’ll have to start all over again.
If the royal army don’t stand a chance against Zaiel Empire, the situation
will get worse and worse. Raijis might be far, but eventually the enemy will
reach the Count’s domain.

Some say it’s better to fight them now than to fight them later. If the
kingdom, with its well-established logistics network, is in shambles, even
Maxia Trading won’t be able to show its full potential.
Also, for personal reasons, I don’t want Raijis taken by the empire. The
Raijis volcano is practically the only place in the whole kingdom I can use
for Skill Awakening.
If the kingdom were to abandon Raijis, I’d take it back for myself. If it’s
irrelevant to the kingdom or the Count, I can’t really force the Count’s army
to move. But this time, the Count has a stake in the matter. I’d like to use
whatever I can.
“If possible, I’d like to deploy our forces,” I said. “Is it okay to send troops
to other territories without permission?”
“It’s not forbidden. No point in forbidding it, in fact. No noble would send
reinforcements when no one asked.”

Okay… so it’s fine. We can mobilize troops, but sending too many
personnel would weaken the domain’s defense. Normally, some of the
troops are sent to training, but if we mobilize everyone, we’ll have quite a
big force. However, this is not a situation where only numbers matter. If it
was all about numbers, we could just leave the matter to the local nobility
and stay out of the way.
Which means…
“For now, I’m thinking of taking a squad of about twenty,” I said.
“All right. How will you choose them?”
“I’ll get from the first squad, those suited for the mission. I’d rather have
guys who are more suited to assisting rather than fighting.”
The first squad is the group created during the battle with Cardinal Georgis.
Many of them were originally ordinary farmers, so after the battle, they
returned to their normal jobs, but some of them remained in the Count’s
army and continued their training.

They had not been soldiers for very long, but they have been trained to use
Skills effectively in battle, so in terms of actual combat power, they are
probably one of the best in the kingdom. A year ago, they overpowered the
Cardinal’s army despite having only a tenth of the enemy’s numbers.
Moreover, the first squad can switch jobs if they want to anytime, even after
a war—working in the healing medicine factory. Those who want to quit
the Count’s army go there without being told, leaving only those with high
morale. It’s the perfect unit to take on a special mission like this one.
“Very well. What about supplies? We have enough provisions and arrows
for the whole army to fight for three months in case of war. With only
twenty people, I suppose about five wagons is enough?”
Supplies, huh? It’s true that the preparation of supplies is the most
important task in war. Since we don’t know how long we’ll have to fight,
we should bring a lot, but…
“Nah, we don’t need them. We only need enough food that won’t slow us
down. Plus I’ve got my Magic Storage.”
“I think you should save the magic storage for emergencies. If you consume
its contents right from the start, you’ll have trouble if the battle drags on.”
“Yeah. So we’ll just carry what we can, and the rest we’ll get locally.”

The magic storage can hold a large amount of supplies, but that amount is
finite. It would be preferable to use it only in situations where we can’t
procure anything. If we can, then it should be saved for emergencies. In
fact, better to replenish it whenever possible, leaving it at almost full
capacity.
The longer a battle rages on, the more difficult it is to determine how long it
will last or when you’ll get provisions. Fortunately, we have a professional
on our side.
“Myna, I can count on you for logistics, right?”
“As long as our domestic logistics network is functional, I’ll support even a
force a hundred times larger than yours. Though our combat troops aren’t
that different from the supply troops of a larger noble army, so it might be
difficult to transport supplies to the front lines where you’d be.”
That’s good to hear. She looked disappointed that she can’t bring supplies to
the front lines, but I doubt normal trading firms have combat troops in the
first place. And while hers was only as good as supply troops of some
bigger nobles, that’s still pretty impressive.
“I only need you to transport supplies to a nearby city. The Count’s army
will take it from there.”
“You can count on me, then. I’ll send the bill to the palace, so don’t worry
about spending. We’re always being taxed, so we gotta take some of it back
once in a while.”
I can’t even tell if she’s joking or not. If she was an ordinary merchant, I’d
brush it off completely as a joke, but Maxia is a large company on a
national scale. There’s like a thirty percent chance she’s serious, and that
scares me.
“A bill to the palace… You’re kidding, right?”
“What? Of course I’m serious. If you’re going to fight to protect the
kingdom, the government should foot the bill.”
Okay. There’s that thirty percent. It’s not like the government asked us to
fight, so it doesn’t sound right to send them the bill. It feels like aggressive
peddling. Can we really do that to the government itself?
“For the record, the government didn’t ask us to do anything,” I said.
“I know that. I’m sure we can get an ex-post-facto approval. I’ll bust out
my negotiation skills.”
“Can you even spend national budget that easily?”
“Normally, you can’t. But a war is an emergency situation where, if left
unchecked, will result in the death of thousands and the reduction of the
kingdom’s territory. Worst case, the whole kingdom will be gone. If you do
well, we can be a little unreasonable.”

Well, it is an emergency. Huh, well if she says so. If it doesn’t work, then so
be it. We can just ask to be paid normally. Meigis’s domain is financially
sound, as it doesn’t waste much money despite making a large profit from
the monopoly on healing medicines.
“Whether or not they’ll approve it will depend on your results,” Myna said.
“In short, it’ll all work out.”
Sounds like she has an unfounded confidence in me. My objective is not
really war but Skill Awakening, but I guess it’s whatever. As long as she
provides us with supplies, I won’t complain.
“Well, let’s talk about the costs after we’re done. First we form the unit.”
And so we were on our way to Raijis.

The next day. I, along with the troops I selected, gathered in front of the
Count’s residence.
Our members don’t look like soldiers at all. They all had different gear,
with nothing in common. No horses, no rations, no banner. Just a group of
people that were chosen for their individual abilities. In short, more like a
large adventuring party.
My selection did not result in this composition. More like, the Count’s first
squad has always been like this when it comes to an actual battle. They’re
basically the strongest we got.

We also don’t have horses because we want to go fast. While it’s true that
horses are faster than humans, their bodies are not designed to travel long
distances quickly. Trained adventurers are faster when it comes to long-
distance travel.
For this unit, however, I picked the ones who excelled in mobility and
covert capabilities.
“All right. Let’s go!” I roared.
“Yes, sir!”
And so we departed from the Count’s territory. We’re not taking a normal
route. Instead we’re taking the shortest path that goes through some
dangerous areas. It’s basically a loaded march, where our goal is to reach
Raijis within two days instead of the usual five.
Then again, two days is nothing for this group. If we push ourselves, we can
shave off another half day off the journey.

A few hours had passed since we left the Count’s domain.

“We are now within range of the communications network,” Sachylis, our
Spirit Archer, reported.
Spirit Archers are bow-users, but in addition to combat, they excel in
communication and intel-gathering Skills by employing the power of spirits
and the wind. Sachylis trained herself more on the latter, supporting the
group, rather than combat.
While communicating over dozens of kilometers is not possible, a few is
fine. Using her ability, she has been in contact with Maxia. The firm has a
communications network that spans all the major cities in the kingdom. By
connecting to a part of the network, you can gather information from all
over.
Right now, Sachylis is using said communications network to gather
information about the status of our travel routes and the war situation in
Raijis.
“How’s our route?” I asked.
“No change from the prior reports. There doesn’t seem to be any new
information about Miriel Forest either. What do we do?”

“Miriel Forest, huh?”

Miriel Forest is not exactly a dangerous area, but since there are no
settlements around it, almost no one enters. Basically, it’s a place that we
don’t know much about.
Apparently, there have been several cases of adventurers entering the woods
and going missing, so it was declared as a place to be wary of.
Danger zones—or not really that dangerous—like this, which we have little
to no intel about, were located along our route. We’re trying to take the
safest route possible, but passing through a domain whose noble is not in
good terms with the Count is difficult, so some dangerous places we have
no choice but to travel through. If there was an easy detour route, I’d gladly
take it.
“What route would we take if we go around Miriel Forest?” I asked.
“Cardinal Georgis had considerable influence around this area, so I think
there are many nobles here who have a grudge against us. But if we go
through the forest, the nobles won’t find us.”
“Then Miriel Forest seems like the better choice. Monsters are less
troublesome than humans.”
“I think so too. Let’s leave the politics to Count Meigis.”
Prior intel indicated that no Raid Boss appears in Miriel Forest. If we
encounter something, it will only be as dangerous as an Area Boss. Taking
one down and being done with it is much easier than getting involved with
the aristocracy.
“All right, then. We’ll take the planned route.”
“Roger that. We’re almost out of range of the network, so I’m just going to
inform them of the route we chose.”
“Thanks.”
With that said, we continued towards Miriel Forest. Of course, we’re
keeping our guards up.
“Magic Search.”
I use detection magic every now and then to check if there are any powerful
monsters around. In addition, those who have Skills that can be used to
locate enemies, such as Search Enemy, are positioned around the perimeter.
The method is mostly employed by an adventuring party rather than an
army, but it’s perfect for dealing with monsters.
“Ice pillar.”
I cast an ice spell on the monster that appeared in front of me. Although it’s
slightly less powerful than other fire spells of the same class, it does not
spread fire, which makes it convenient to use while moving. Fire magic
usually requires making sure that no wildfires and the like occur, hindering
progress.
The monster, a boar bigger than a human, let out a shriek as it died. It
couldn’t even comprehend what happened before it drew its last breath.
Apparently, ice magic was more than enough. There’s really no need to kill
them, though. Just neutralizing them is fine.
“Only pushovers so far.”
“Yeah. There’s quite a lot of them, but they’re not that different from the
monsters back at our place. It’s not like this area is an infamous danger zone
or anything. With no Boss around, I suppose this is within expectations.”
So far, Miriel Forest had not made us use a single arrow. Arrows are
valuable, so we’re only using magic, therefore consuming only our mana.
And mana replenishes while we move, so it’s not much different than
traveling along the high road.
“I just hope we can keep going like this.”
“Yeah. Area Bosses are great targets, but I don’t want to waste time.”
I’d love it if we kept going at this rate, and in fact, it’s very likely we will.
It’s not uncommon for adventurers to go missing because they got lost or
they underestimated some weak monsters.
The path in the woods is very difficult to find, especially because people
don’t enter it. If we didn’t use some of our Skills to check our direction and
current position, we could have gotten lost too.
There are no towns or main roads near Miriel Forest, so it’s not like we’ll
reach some kind of a settlement if we just keep moving forward.
As I cast Magic Search again, I picked up strange mana from the distance.
Not strange in terms of the type of mana, but the size. It was huge.
“Sir Eld,” Sachylis said as I was puzzling out the identity of the mana’s
owner. “Huge monster spotted a few kilometers up ahead.”
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who noticed. If it can be spotted even at
this distance, it must be a very powerful monster among the Area Bosses.
Probably the same rank as the Emperor Ogre I defeated, or even higher.
“Sounds like those adventurers didn’t just get lost,” I said.

“I agree. What do we do? We can go all the way around to avoid it.”
“If we could do that without any trouble, sure, but looks like this one’s
noticed us.”
Humans can search for creatures in their surroundings with skills such as
“Magic Search”, but these abilities are not exclusive to humans. In fact,
when it comes to sensory organs, monsters that live in the wild have much
more superior ones.
Area Bosses have very vast territories, and our current location was
probably within it. Some monsters, in particular, will immediately sense
something off as soon as a foreign body enters its territory. In a remote
forest like this, a human would stand out like a sore thumb.
“It’s not showing any signs of heading towards us,” Sachylis said. “Did it
really notice us?”

“The fact that you sensed it is proof. You’re using Search Enemy, right?”
“Now that you mention it.”
Search Enemy is one of the better spying skills that Sachylis has. It’s a Skill
that finds the target it specifies, mainly those who are hostile towards you or
your party members. It makes it easy to find spies whose apperance you
know nothing about, but it can’t detect those who don’t have any targets in
particular, like a serial killer who wants to kill anyone he finds. Sometimes
it can be handy, other times useless.
When it comes to monsters, the Skill activates once they are aware of your
presence. In other words, when Sachylis detected the Area Boss, it means
that it’s noticed us for sure.
“Well, there’s a chance it’ll let us off if we just pass through. It’s not like
Area Bosses kill everyone who enters their territory.”
I altered course diagonally. We’re avoiding it while maintaining the same
distance from the monster. If we started running, it might chase us. This
method is the least provoking to the monster.

“It’s coming after us,” Sachylis said.

“I kind of expected it when I learned that a lot went missing. Apparently, it
doesn’t want to let humans leave.”
The existence of an Area Boss doesn’t necessarily increase the number of
missing people that much. The probability of humans and an Area Boss
meeting ‘by chance’ is simply not that high.
If the number of missing was so high that it warranted a special mention,
it’s highly likely that it’s the Area Boss’s nature to specifically target
humans. When twenty people are moving in a group, there’s no reason why
they won’t become targets.
“It’s coming at us diagonally from the left! Anti-monster battle formation!”
“Yes, sir!”
As soon as I voiced my order, all members took their positions. It’s a
formation where we spread out with me in the lead and launch a
concentrated attack.

This party has no vanguard, because the members were gathered mainly
with the assumption of fighting against people. I could’ve asked Mylia to be
our vanguard, but she doesn’t really belong to the Count’s army. Although
we’re still keeping in touch, she’s not joining us this time.
There are many vanguard classes in the Count’s army, but unfortunately,
there’s none as powerful as Mylia yet. In terms of technique, there are
several who are better than her, but Mylia was much stronger and faster,
making for a huge difference when fighting monsters.
Against a monster as strong as an Emperor Ogre, at best the first squad can
only buy time. Unfortunately, there’s no one here who can take the front
line so we can take the enemy down.
So I take the role of the vanguard, since I’m equipped for it, except I don’t
do it in the normal sense. I go guns-blazing, casting powerful spells to take
down the enemy. You know what they say, offense is the best defense.
I just hope it works this time.
“Enemy in sight!” the Spy, a class that possessed excellent vision, cried.
“It’s a monster that looks like a mass of jewels!”
I can think of a few types of monsters that fit the criteria of “a mass of
jewels with mana greater than an Emperor Ogre”. Most of them, however,
can be taken down with two Steam Explosions. There’s one kind that’s
difficult to deal with, but the rest we can kill in seconds.
“Any other features?” I asked.
“It looks like a dragon… no, a big lizard. A wingless dragon of some
sorts…”
“A Jade Dragon, huh? That’s gonna be a problem.”
Apparently, we came across the one that’s difficult to deal with. The Jade
Dragon is a monster that’s one of… no, the sturdiest of all gem-type Area
Bosses. In terms of durability, it’s almost at the same level as a Raid Boss.
It’s not that it’s physically strong, but it’s just simply hard. You can’t deal
damage to it. The jeweled armor that covers its entire body repels not only
physical attacks, but also special ones such as fire, cold air, and even
poison.
But a tough defense is not all that it possesses. Unlike normal dragons, a
Jade Dragon doesn’t fly or breathe fire. Instead, it has a robust jaw for
chewing rocks, its main diet, and extraordinary strength befitting its huge
body.
Shields and armor are useless against this monster. These equipments are
merely lumps of metal essentially. Correction. For a Jade Dragon, they
don’t even count as lumps; they’re more like thin sheets.
What can a few millimeters or centimeters of metal do to protect against an
enemy whose staple food is rocks harder than metal?
If armor is nothing to the dragon, human flesh and bones are not much
different from tofu to it. Once you are caught in its jaws, you will be cut in
half before you even get the chance to fight back. A Critical Counter with a
sword is meaningless if the entire weapon is devoured.
Tough and powerful. Its lack of special abilities made it virtually invincible.
It’s basically a war tank that possesses extraordinary strength.
From a purely ranking perspective, the Raid Boss I killed in the past, the
Lightning Dragon, is higher. But that monster had a weakness. It doesn’t
perceive humans as enemies unless attacked first, so even an imperfect
powerful attack can land a hit if launched first. That’s why I was able to
take one down back then.
The Jade Dragon, on the other hand, has no such obvious weaknesses. It’s
much more difficult to deal with a solo physical attack aimed at you directly
than some flashy lightning or flame attack.
It’s the worst possible enemy for humans, who use techniques to
compensate for their lack of strength.
“Stay away from the enemy at all costs!” I roared. “Don’t even think
defensive magic will work!”
“C-Copy that!”
Sensing the serious situation from my tone, the troops’ expression changed.
As I watched them, I began preparations for battle.
“Water Discharge.”
I sprayed water using magic on the ground in front of me, soaking the
ground. Since defensive magic and counters are ineffective, our only choice
is to to use other means to stall the monster. Even I can’t take a Jade Dragon
down by fighting it head-on.

“Anyone who can use water-type magic, do the same!”

“Yes, sir!”
Normally, I would use Sticky Bomb to halt enemies in their tracks, but
unfortunately I can’t use it against the Jade Dragon. Nothing wrong with the
spell itself. It’s just that the ground itself gets ripped apart. Even a strong
adhesive is useless if the entire earth underneath is pulled out.
If the Jade Dragon had a weakness, it would be the weight of the jewels
covering its entire body. While it possesses enough power to support its
huge body and move quickly, it still needs to kick the ground to move. So
the answer is not to pin it to the ground, but make it sink.
“Gwwwwooooaaaahhh!”
The Jade Dragon’s roar reverberated from deep within the forest. It should
have been several kilometers away, but it sounded pretty close now.
“Watch out for objects from above!” I said.
“Does it use long-range attacks?”
“No. It’s the trees and rocks that get thrown in the air!”
While we were talking, a tree came flying from afar. It wasn’t a branch. It
was a hardwood tree that had snapped from the middle of its trunk.
Probably weighing a few tons, it was flying through the air like a pebble.
An Archer quickly moved away from his position, and the tree landed
where he was just seconds ago. It wasn’t exactly an attack from the Jade
Dragon. The tree just happened to be on the monster’s path as it charged
straight at us.
It would’ve immediately killed anyone it hit. Shields can protect against
sharp knives, but they’re useless against a runaway truck. Pure force and
speed are powerful weapons in their own right.
“Here it comes!”
Finally, the enemy revealed itself. A mass of glittering jewels was
approaching us furiously, flinging trees and rocks along its way. From a
distance, it looks like nothing more than a pile of treasure, but when it’s
closing in at a high speed, the jewels look like sharp spears.
“Keep the water flowing!”

The ground in front of us was already a bog. However, the Jade Dragon did
not even try to avoid it. It probably has no concept of evasion in the first
place. It hasn’t experienced anything that required it.
As it charged straight forward, the Jade Dragon lost momentum right in
front of us. Its body was sinking into the muddy, wet ground. First phase of
the strategy is a success.
“Cast Flame Magic!” I ordered. “Flame Circle!”
“Aura of Fire!”
“Flame Wall!”
An all-out attack of fire magic struck the Jade Dragon. Yet as it body
burned, it never let out so much as a shriek. It probably doesn’t feel
anything at all. Gemstones are highly heat-resistant. Actually, comparing
heat resistance of living beings to inorganic substances is wrong.
Nevertheless casting spells is better than cutting it down, since it wouldn’t
be able to repel magic completely. We might not be able to cause pain, but
the temperature of its body surface would still increase.
“Even if it doesn’t look like it’s working, keep attacking!” I said, firing as
much spells as possible. There was no response, but I didn’t let up.

An armor made of gemstone is not conductive, and water and acids have no
effect on it. Our fire magic may not be that effective, but it’s the best we got
in this situation.
Of course, the Jade Dragon won’t just sit there quietly. It’s not like we
rendered it immobile using binding magic. It was just sinking in the mud. I
chose a spot where the ground was the most loose, but there’s always a
limit.
“Gwoooooooooooooooaaaahhh!”
As the dragon roared, its body began to lift off the ground. Although its legs
were completely buried, the huge crystal at the tip of its long tail was on
hard ground. After an air-shaking roar, the ground cracked, and the creature
leapt.
“What?!”
With a rumble that shattered the earth, the Jade Dragon jumped to the air.
Its sheer strength allowed it to lift its huge body up with only its tail. It leapt
to the side, to hard ground.
I’ve been waiting for this exact moment.
“Steam Explosion.”
I unleashed the only spell that I had not used so far, aiming at the ground
where it was about to land. The moment the dragon landed, my spell
activated. The ground shook as a rumbling echoed, not the kind of sound
you’d expect from a proper landing.
It’s not often that the power of an AoE spell is concentrated on a single
monster because it’s usually spread out over a wide area. But this time, I
cast the spell right between the ground and the dragon, sandwiching it,
therefore focusing all of its power on the creature’s body.
For the first time, the Jade Dragon let out a pained cry as jewels scattered
from its body. The power of the spell had lifted its body, tilting it to its side.
No matter how tough it was, the Steam Explosion still hurt it if used like
that.
Have another one.
“Dual cast.”
Dual cast is a spell that re-casts the magic I used just before—Steam
Explosion, in this case.
With a loud explosion, flames blew the dragon away. This time the spell’s
power was not focused on the creature, but it was still enough to knock the
dragon off-balance. At first its body was tilting, and now it was on its back.
The spot where the dragon rolled onto was the same spot it was at a
moment ago—the bog. But this time it was on its back, in a much more
precarious position than before.
It used its tail to get out earlier, but the body of a living creature is not
designed to exert power when it’s lying on its back. All the moreso when
it’s sinking into mud. Even a strong dragon can’t get out of this situation
that easily.

“Gwooaahh!”
The Jade Dragon flailed its limbs and tail around, but it could not regain its
posture. On the contrary, the more it struggled, the more its body sank into
the mire. No matter how strong it is, it can’t exert its power without a
proper foothold.
Still, this situation will not last that long. We need to settle this now.
“Flame, Pillar!” I shouted. “Follow up! Use everything you got!”
A large amount of flame magic rained down on the Jade Dragon. But
despite the countless attacks, including two Steam Explosions, the Jade
Dragon showed no signs of slowing down. It flailed about on its back as if
it had not received any damage at all.
If it gets out this time, there’s no next move. I can cast Steam Explosion
again after sixty seconds, but I probably can’t push it back into the bog as
easily again. If it came down to an actual battle, the difference in pure
power will put us at a huge disadvantage.
“Flame Circle!”
“Fire Arrow!”

“Flame Purification!”
“Fire Bomb!”
As we fired a series of flame magic, the dragon flapped its tail, moving it
towards the surrounding trees. I don’t know if it’s doing it on purpose, but
its body was gradually moving towards where trees grew.
“Sir Eld, the tree!” the archer in the unit said.
“Just focus on the offensive!” I ordered.
Taking down a tree is easy, but it won’t solve the problem. I chose a field
with the fewest footholds, but if the dragon moved a little, there are plenty
of spots where its tail can latch onto. That said, it can’t use it to push or
pull.
In order to move a body so huge that it takes two Steam Explosions to
topple it over, you need a monstrous strength comparable to that of a
dragon. The only path to victory is to keep attacking.

Man, tough as always, I thought as I continued watching the dragon wail

around.
Of the countless Area Bosses, it’s safe to say that this is one of the most
annoying ones. There is no other Area Boss that can take this many attacks
but suffer little to no damage, with only a few gems scraped off its body.
Several seconds later, the Jade Dragon’s tail reached a tree. Creaking, the
tree tilted, and at the same time, the dragon’s huge body also started moving
out of the bog. Even a tree that could easily be rammed down could serve as
a foothold for the dragon’s body to move.
Finally, the dragon was out of the bog. Unlike before, it didn’t leap. Instead
it dragged its body across the ground as it got up. There was no chance to
throw it off balance again with another Steam Explosion.
“Flame Circle!”
“Flame Wall!”
“Fire Blast!”

We continued the barrage of spells. Then suddenly the dragon kicked the
ground. After taking one step forward, it let out a cry.
“Gwaaaaahhhh!”
It was completely different from the its previous roar. This time, it was
shrill, like it was in pain. Then its legs stopped moving.
We made it.
The flame magic spells were finally starting to show their effects. It
would’ve been better for my heart if we got it done sooner, but we still
made it in time, so all’s good.
“Almost there! Fire as much flame magic as you can!”
As I shouted my orders, I cast spells left and right. Unable to mount any
resistance, the Jade Dragon gradually weakened. There was no trace of its
monstrous strength from earlier.
The thick shell made of gemstones made it look like an invincible monster,
but inside its amor was just flesh and blood, albeit strong. Because it’s
encased in a carapace, it can exhibit ridiculous strength at the expense of
durability. The dragon could only wield the power it displayed because of
this. Muscles that are supposed to be protected by a shell are vulnerable.

Only flame magic can pierce through the shell and actually reach its
muscles. It’s not like the spells can penetrate the armor of jewel, but they
can raise its temperature. Flame magic is effective in this case, in the sense
that it can pierce through without breaking the armor.
A few degress rise in temperature is pretty useless, but by continuously
firing spells, we raised the temperature to the point that it became fatal to
the dragon. It might look like our spells have no effect, but once it starts
becoming effective, the result is remarkable. The armor that’s supposed to
protect the dragon’s body turned into a deadly weapon that scorched it.
Unable to support its own weight, the dragon collapsed on the ground.
“That’s enough! It’s over!” I declared.
Hearing my words, the members of the squad stopped attacking, relief on
their faces. It was a tough fight, but after it was done, I found that there
were no injuries or deaths on our side. A crushing victory. Of course, the
real battle is against the
Empire. We don’t want casualties before then.
“Now what to do with this guy?”
I regarded the motionless Jade Dragon. Its carapace, a mass of jewels,
looked like it could fetch for a high price. As a matter of fact, it is valuable.
It could fetch for a good money as a pure gemstone, but its size and
sturdiness make it a very good material for armor.
Unfortunately, packing this giant inside my magic storage is practically
impossible. If it’s dead, we could cut it up so we could bring it with us, but
that would take a full day’s work. Besides, doing all that then carrying parts
with us is not an option when we’re headed to a field of battle.
“No choice, I guess. We have to leave it.”
If the dragon gave a Wisdom Stone, I would have taken out the stone alone,
but unfortunately this monster doesn’t have one. I don’t really need one
right now. The two Wisdom Stones that I have with me at the moment—one
from the Emperor Ogre and another from the Heaven-rending Lightning
Dragon—are enough to perform the Skill Awakening.
“It feels like such a waste,” Sachylis muttered as she watched the glittering
dead Jade Dragon.
I wholeheartedly agree. Under normal circumstances, we would have been
overjoyed as we brought it back to our place.
“Let’s keep this location in mind. We can loot it later.”
Fortunately, we’re in a deep forest. A lot of people have gone missing in
this place, so I don’t think anyone’s going to come here. We can take the
jewels we’re leaving behind at a later point. If someone finds it before we
return, then we’ll just chalk it up to bad luck.
“All right, let’s go!” I bellowed.
Staying here long won’t really increase the capacity of my magic storage.
“Yes, sir!”

And so we resumed our trip. We spent about less than an hour fighting.
Since we have some margin in our original schedule, we’ll still arrive on
time as planned.

We were passing through a city just past noon when Sachylis spoke.
“I was in touch with Maxia, and they said there’s a good chance they can
harvest the materials if they have the location.”
“Do they know how to dissect it?” I asked.
We killed the Jade Dragon deep in the woods. With the Area Boss dead, the
forest is no longer as dangerous as before for adventurers, but it’s not
exactly a place that a large transport wagon could enter. Even if they could
chop it up to pieces, transporting the materials back out would not be easy.
“Apparently, they have a unit that specializes in butchering unique
monsters. They said if they can’t transport it, they can protect the materials
instead.”
“I see. They have a unit like that, huh?”
Come to think of it, adventurers who kill large monsters aren’t necessarily
well-versed in dissecting. Perhaps it’s one of the jobs of a trading firm to
collect the monsters killed by such adventurers.
“Tell them the location of the monster,” I said. “We’ll pay for the transport
fees.”
“Copy that.”
Looks like we won’t have to worry about our loot being taken. Maxia sure
is handy to have around. It might be much more difficult to figure out what
Maxia can’t do.
“Also, the company has a message for you.”
“A message? From who?”
“From His Majesty the King.”
The king?
Well, the king knows our strength to some extent from the battle to retake
the royal palace, so maybe he wants to lend us a hand. Of course he doesn’t
have to tell us. We’re fighting the Empire with or without orders.
“What kind of message?”

“He would like to talk to you personally.”

A personal conversation, huh?
When we fought to retake the royal palace, we talked about how it was
highly likely that the Empire was involved. Maybe he wants to talk about
that. Or maybe he just wants to ask me for help personally.
I don’t really mind talking to the guy. We’re acquainted, and it’s only
natural for a ruler to ask available forces to lend him a hand. If we answered
the government’s request to fight, we also obtain some support in return,
which isn’t bad at all.
But right now, I’d rather get to Raijis as fast as possible than talk to the
king. The conversation probably won’t last long, but if we head to the royal
capital on the way to the battlefield, we’ll be adding a day to our journey. If
there’s a huge difference in power between the Empire and the Kingdom’s
army, then a single day could be enough to change the situation drastically.
“Ask if we can talk over comms,” I said. “I don’t want any delay in our
schedule. If it has something to do with the Count’s forces, then hand the
matter over to the Count.”
“I-I’ll ask.”
A loyal citizen of the kingdom would quietly obey orders from the king, but
unfortunately I’m not exactly loyal. You can’t expect loyalty from an
adventurer who doesn’t use polite language when talking to the king.
Of course, if the topic is complicated or involves state secrets, then using
the comms might not be ideal. Maxia’s communication network is
composed of employees with Skills that allow them to communicate over
long distances, passing messages around like some kind of a game. Even
the message we received just now could have passed through tens or even a
hundred people first before reaching us.

It would take minutes just to send a message and receive one back. A
simple message like what we got just now is fine, but complex negotiations
and the like would be very troublesome. And if we left the main road,
Sachylis’ magic would go out of range of the comms network.
On top of that, all of the employees in the communication network will
know the contents of the conversation between me and the king. Sure, I
trust Maxia, but I can’t say for certain that there’s not a single spy among
them. Taking all that into consideration, the most we can talk about over
comms are simple topics and things that can be leaked without serious
repercussions.
Then a reply came.
“He wants to speak with you directly. If necessary, His Majesty will come
himself. What now?”
“Well, we’re not exactly at home at the moment. He can meet us on the
way, I guess.”
It felt like I was being terribly rude to the king. Normally, I would be
thrown into jail for disrespecting the guy.
“Um… are you sure I can just tell them what you said?”
“It’s all right. Knowing the king, he’ll realize we have our reasons.”

“G-Got it.”
Sachylis reluctantly conveyed my words to the communication network. A
few minutes later, a reply arrived.
“His Majesty will be in Mitas. He will arrive at night.”
Mitas. Our schedule says we’re gonna stop there for the night. I don’t really
mind talking there. It’s quite far from the royal capital. If he wants to arrive
by night, he would have to depart right away.
Sounds like the king thinks highly of us. He should have a lot of other
things to do since a war just broke out.
“All right. Tell him I’ll wait for him at Mitas.”
“Okay.”
Thus, I asked the king to come to a city where we could talk. He sounds
desperate, so I’m a little curious about what he has to say.
Later that night, a knight came to us as we were taking a break in Mitas.
“Lord Eld, His Majesty wishes to have an audience with you.”
“All right. Where do I go?”
“Please follow me.”

I was ushered into a reception room in a local lord’s mansion.

“It’s been a while, Eld,” King Rapha greeted. “I appreciate you taking the
time to talk to me.”
He looked somewhat tired, but it was probably not from busyness, but more
from traveling. Getting from the royal capital to Mitas in just a day would
require sending the horse to a gallop for hours.
“Sorry about this,” I said. “A subject should answer the king’s summons,
right?”
“That’s true, but if you’re headed to Raijis, I don’t want to get in your way.
In fact, I welcome it.”
Hmm. So the king already knows that we’re headed to Raijis. Then again,
there’s not a lot of reasons to be moving in a hurry at a time like this.

At any rate, I’m relieved because it doesn’t look like he’s going to stop us
or anything. If he did, I would have had to disobey his orders.
“So, why did you want to talk to me in person?” I asked.
“I was hoping you’d become commander of the kingdom’s knights.”
A commander on an Order, huh? As the name suggests, it’s the
commanding officer, the leader of the kingdom’s knights… right?
I’m not sure it’s a position you just offer someone out of the blue. Leading a
large group requires a different skill set than fighting. While I have the
ability to lead a small group of elite adventurers, I have never studied how
to lead a big group of thousands of people, nor do I intend to.
“Why me?” I asked. “What happened to the current commander?”
“Ah, I should have explained myself. I’m not asking you to lead the
existing Order, but an Interim Royal Knights. What I’m saying is, I want
you to lead the new band of knights that will be created to fight the
Empire.”
“A new one? What about its members?”

“So far, it’s only the Count’s army. If you want more men, I can arrange it,
but it may take some time.”
Hmm. Create a new order of knights that I will lead, then absorb the
Count’s forces.
There’s no difference from our current setup. Right now, I’m basically
leading Count Meigis’ army, and I’m currently heading to Raijis with select
troops.
“How is it different than what we have now?” I asked.
“Not different at all. You can keep doing what you’ve been doing so far.”
“Except officially we’ll be part of the kingdom’s forces.”
“Exactly. If there’s a difference, it will be your status.”

I see. I was kind of worried about going to war without telling the
government. But if we’re officially recognized as part of the kingdom’s
forces, I won’t have to worry about anything.
“If I become a commander, do I have to follow the king’s orders?”
“Yes, I suppose. But I would only have one order: Do as you see fit.”
“Is that even an order?”
“It will be an official royal decree. Nobles, regular knights, and even the
commander of the Order can not interfere with your work. Interfering with
you means going against royal decree.”
I get it. I could do whatever I want whenever I want and no one could stop
me, since I’m officially carrying out the king’s orders. That’s quite a
tempting proposition.
“Oh, and the government will bear the expenses as well,” the king added.
“If you and your men are fighting on the orders of the kingdom, it’s only
right that the expenses be paid by the government. Apart from that, you’ll
also be rewarded for your results.”

Leaving nothing to be desired, huh? Myna said she would send the bill to
the king, and now it looks like that might actually happen. It’s too good to
be true, it makes you wonder if it’s a scam or something.
“Why do all this?” I asked. “Sounds like a waste of taxpayer money.”
“It’s necessary to protect our land and our people. It’s not a waste of
taxpayer money. I don’t know of any means of national defense that’s more
cost-effective than paying you.”
“We were gonna fight without your orders, though.”
“If nobles or their army interfere with your battle, it would be bad for the
kingdom. We won’t have to worry about that, though, if I grant you official
status.”
Hmm. He thinks too highly of a troop of twenty-or-so people. Then again,
his proposition could be the right way to go, depending on the nature of our
enemy.
Numbers are nothing in the face of enemies that can use powerful Skills. If
the enemy is likely just an elite few, then the best way to combat them is
also to bring a select few elite troops. A larger army is better suited in
taking control of a territory after the elite force is crushed.
“Well, to be honest, turning you into an official army is also to make me
look good as king. I just ascended to the throne, and people are doubting
my abilities as a ruler. I want troops that are most likely to achieve victory
to carry the name of the ‘Royal Army’ on their backs.”

“I see. You must have it tough.”

“You can say that again. Though things are much better than it was a year
ago.”
A year ago…
At that time, the royal palace was occupied, and the king himself was held
hostage. Back then, there was a possibility that the Empire would take over
the entire kingdom. Compared to that, invading from the edge of the
kingdom’s territory is much better.
“I’d like to know the situation in Raijis,” I said. “How much does the army
know?”
“We know almost nothing. The only thing we know is that 500 local troops
were annihilated by just a few opponents and that the occupied city is
covered in sand.”
“Covered in sand?”
“Yes. There were no survivors among the local forces, so we don’t know
how the battle went. A scouting unit, however, went to check on the
occupied city. They said that some places were not only covered in sand,
but some houses were almost sinking into the sand.”
Zero survivors. In that case, we can’t expect any intel about the battle itself.
All we can do is make an educated guess from the current situation.
“Is it sandy around the city?” I asked.
“No, only ordinary forests and grasslands. We don’t know where the sand
came from, but I think it’s probably their magic or something. I believe our
Intelligence Unit is calling the enemy that occupied Raijis the ‘Sand Unit’.”
If there’s no sandy soil around, wind-type magic might not be the culprit. In
that case, it’s a spell that directly materializes sand. But I don’t see the
reason of using just any sand magic. If it’s the kind that you use against a
battalion of five hundred people, and leave sand in its wake, I can only
think one spell.

“I think it’s a magic spell called Sandstorm.”

“I’ve never heard of such a spell before. The name suggests creating a
storm of sand.”
As expected, they don’t know about it. There’s nothing strange about the
king having no knowledge about the Skill. After all, Sandstorm is a high-
level Skill available to Sages, and an unusual method is required to acquire
it.
You don’t acquire Sandstorm by just uttering it or spending Skill points.
You learn it only after undergoing special training in the desert. It’s a pretty
handy spell to have, but I never learned it because of the time and effort it
takes to acquire it. Compared to other Skills that you learn simply by
uttering the Skill number, this one’s way more effort than it’s worth.
That probably ended up as a good thing for the Empire. Humans in this
world don’t know how to acquire magic through ‘normal methods’ like
uttering Skill numbers. On the other hand, there could be records of
acquiring them through special methods, like training or something.
“Yeah, but it’s far from a normal sandstorm, though. Even wearing goggles,
visibility is limited to ten centimeters, and you’ll be pushed down by the
gust, and if you fall, you’ll be buried in the sand and suffocate to death. It
has a wide area of effect, and without any countermeasures, a single
Sandstorm can wipe out an entire battalion.”

“Th-That sounds horrible. Can you even counter it?”

“Yeah, there’s a few methods you can use. One of them is just brute
strength. A warrior class or someone extremely sturdy can withstand the
pressure of the sandstorm. Once you get out of the area of effect, the
sandstorm is pretty much gone.”
Like Steam Explosion, Sandstorm has no function to prevent friendly fire or
self-destruction. The caster, then, has to cast the Skill in a location away
from himself, i.e., you just have to close the distance to the caster to avoid
the sandstorm. Of course, the enemy should be aware of such a weakness,
but if you’re not tough enough to withstand the sandstorm and push through
it, closing the distance is not easy.
“Brute strength, you say?” the king said. “If there was someone strong
among the local forces, they would not have been wiped out.”

“True. Just having a tough body is not enough to endure the sandstorm. The
spell is that powerful. You can only hold your ground with the help of
powerful defensives Skills. If the enemy’s really strong, even Mylia might
not be able to handle it.”
“Mylia… Do you mean the Flame Spear?”
Oh, so he knows about Mylia too. I couldn’t think of any other good
examples, so I just mentioned her, but I’m glad he got the idea.
“Yup, that Mylia. I guess even the king knows about adventurers with
aliases.”

“Not everyone of them, no, but the Flame Spear is famous. There’s even
talks that she’s the strongest A-rank adventurer in terms of ability. To top it
off, she’s done incredible feats the past year.”
The past year would mean right after the battle with Cardinal Georgis
ended. Mylia was already at a high level to begin with, plus she used
efficient Skill combos. She also has an amazing advanced class called Hero
(called special class in this world). I would not be surprised if she was
deemed the strongest among adventurers.
“If the Flame Spear can’t withstand the Sandstorm, brute strength doesn’t
sound that reliable. You seem to be stronger than the Flame Spear, but
you’re not exactly the type to push through using brute force, right?”
“Yup. If she can’t withstand the spell, then I can’t. Simply impossible. I
might be able to at least escape, but I can’t push through. No way.”
Heroes have an excellent defensive Skill called Over Guard that they can
use to counter a Sandstorm. A Sage’s Magic Veil is on the same level in
terms of an instant defense boost, but it’s not good against spells that last
for a long time such as Sandstorm, as it drains mana at a tremendous rate
while under attack. Mobility Skills also don’t work well in a Sandstorm.

“Well, if you take the enemy down before they cast the spell, you’re good.
So yeah, that’s the best way to deal with it. There are many ways to deal
with a guy who only has one powerful spell in their arsenal.”
“Very reassuring. The enemy sounds incredibly strong, but I can’t imagine
an opponent that you can’t beat.”
“We’ll do what we can. I can’t say for sure that we can defeat them,
though.”
If the Sandstorm’s caster has a greater variety of magic and better combat
skills than me, there’s no way I can win. No point in talking about
countermeasures at that point if the enemy is just way stronger. Then again,
if the ability of Cardinal Georgis’ army and those who came to take the
royal palace is anything to go by, there’s a low chance that the enemy’s
Sage has mastered the class.
“Thank you,” the king said. “By the way, can you offer me a piece of
advice?”
“About what?”
“I think the local nobleman, Count Gaze, is planning to head into battle to
retake Raijis on his own. I’d like to hear your opinion on that.”
Take back on his own, eh? I suppose local nobilities don’t want to rely on
the state too much for various reasons, like honor and interest. My objective
is not Raijis itself, so if they want to take the city back, then by all means,
go ahead.
“What kind of troops does Count Gaze have?” I asked.
“They’re known to be the cream of the crop. Count Gaze is a nobleman
who’s known for his martial prowess, and although his force isn’t that big,
they’re highly proficient.”
“Compared to Cardinal Georgis’ army, which one of them is stronger?”
Cardinal Georgis was the reason behind the persecution of those with
special classes (or inferior classes as they were referred to back then). We
fought him about a year ago.
At the time, he had a monopoly on the sale of healing medicines, and he
seemed to have considerable influence. But although his army was huge,
they were not exactly strong. They were better trained than Count Meigis’s
army in terms of overall coordination, including long marches, but they
were incompetent when it came to a battle that involved using Skills and
spellcasting.

If this Count Gaze had the same firepower as the Cardinal’s army, then he
would just be wasting the lives of his men.
“Let’s not even compare them. Cardinal Georgis’ army was the best in
terms of both quantity and quality. No Count have an army as powerful as
his. Count Meigis is an exception, of course.”
“Then I suggest you tell them to stop. He’ll just lose his men for nothing.”
“All right. I will send orders right away.” Wearing a frown, the king then
began pondering over something. He seemed to be bummed out.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Oh. I’m worried that Count Gaze might not follow orders.”
“Is he the kind of man who would disobey the king’s orders?”
Although this nations is a kingdom, the power of the king is not absolute.
Even the king is bound by internal politics. Or so I’ve heard. But still I
expected his subjects to actually follow orders when they are given.
“He’s not particularly rebellious, but he’s obsessed about fighting. He
thinks strength is just, and being strong is admirable.”

“So basically a musclehead.”

“Exactly.”
While too much cowardice is not good when you’re a soldier, being too
brave is a problem in and of itself as well. I wish he’d at least listen to the
king’s orders.
“Do you have any advice on how to fight if Count Gaze does not back
down?” the king asked. “His soldiers are citizens of the kingdom. I don’t
want them to die in vain.”
“Fighting is not an option. Tell them to retreat as soon as possible.”

“What if the Count doesn’t listen?”

Basically, it’s impossible to fight a war against an opponent who’s much
powerful than you are. Courage and skills won’t even matter. You can’t just
win against the unbeatable.
And strategies only work if you have at least some sort of power to show
for it. If you don’t have any, there’s no chance of winning unless the enemy
suddenly became weak for no reason.
“If they really won’t retreat, then I have one idea. I won’t really recommend
it, though.”
“What is it? Please tell me.”
“You don’t even need to ask me. It’s a very simple tactic. Just have your
troops charge in as many times as possible until the enemy runs out of
mana. What I’m saying is, gather a lot—and I mean a lot—of personnel and
try not to get killed all at once. The ideal scenario is only one person dies,
but against someone who can use Sandstorm, ten deaths should be okay.
Sandstorm, like Steam Explosion, is a spell that takes time to recast. If the
only magic the enemy can use is Sandstorm, launching an attack during
cooldown should be easy. But usually people who can cast that level of
magic has some Basic Skills down.
For an army at the level of Cardinal Georgis’ troops, they would be an
impossible opponent. I doubt they have a lot of wide AoE magic spells, but
they’re still a huge threat nevertheless.

“You mean ten dead for one enemy?”

“No. Ten for every spell cast.”
The king became speechless. He should have known what I meant from my
tone, but the shock was still a little too much I guess.
“And is victory possible?”
“Even a powerful Mage has limited mana. If you make them use their
magic until they run out of juice, all that will be left is an ordinary human
being.”
Actually, this tactic would have been very effective in the battle to retake
the royal palace. If the enemy threw bodies at me to drain my mana, they
would’ve killed me… well, not really, but I would have been forced to
retreat temporarily to recover mana.
One excellent method to take a shot at an opponent who’s much powerful
than you is to drain their mana. However, if you don’t want to give the
enemy a chance to recover their mana, you will have to constantly send
soldiers as sacrifice, which is a method that no sane person would take. At
least, it’s a tactic that I and Count Meigis’ army would never employ.

“I understand the logic, but it’s too much,” the king said.
“That’s why I said I wouldn’t recommend it. If you’re not willing to go that
far, then don’t try to fight an impossible battle.”
“I understand better now. I’ll give an order to Count Gaze to never engage
in battle.”
Sounds like the king got my point. I have no idea if Count Gaze will
actually obey orders, though.
“Thank you for coming,” the king said. “I pray for your success in battle.”
And thus our conversation ended. He said he’d pray for our success, so I’ll
also pray that the king won’t go bankrupt from the bills that Myna will
inevitably send him.
The next day.
We left Mitas and headed for Raijis.
“Apparently, we’re now knights, but it doesn’t feel real,” Sachylis said.
“I mean, nothing’s changed with what we’re doing until now, so.”
I have already informed the rest of the members that we have been named
the Royal Interim Special Knights, a rather long designation. In terms of
status, we’re supposed to be on the same level as the Royal Knights, who
number in tens of thousands… but it certainly doesn’t feel like it.
“We even got a banner,” I said, showing the flag that the king gave me.
The palm-sized banner looked like some kind of a plaything used at an
athletic event or something. Since we don’t have an official coat of arms
just yet, the banner instead bore the words Royal Interim Special Knights
with the crest of the royal family.
“I thought military banners were usually bigger,” Sachylis said.
“It’ll just get in the way. They actually got us a big one, but I said we don’t
need it.”
Most band of knights have soldiers whose role is to carry huge banners
when moving around in large groups, but we don’t have that kind of
manpower to spare. We only brought the minium amount of food to save
weight. What’s the point of carrying something so heavy that’s not even
edible?
“I suppose we don’t need one in battle.”

“Exactly. And I’m sure the king would appreciate good results than us
carrying stupid banners.”
And so we continued onwards. Today’s route is safe and easy, as we’re
mainly passing through territories owned by nobles in friendly relations
with Count Maiar.
“Where is Maxia’s supply point?” I asked.
“In a city called Tiagra, just before Raijis. Apparently, it’s safe there since a
large army stays there.”
“All right. Let’s make our way there for now.”
◇
Later that evening, we arrived at Tiagra without incident.
As the prior report said, there were many soldiers in the city. To be more
precise, they’re not inside the city, but an encampment set up adjacent to it.
There were bonfires here and there, and soldiers were preparing for battle,
sharpening their swords and making meals.
“There’s quite a lot of them,” I said.
“Yeah. I guess this place is a very important defensive stronghold.”

“Nah… It doesn’t look like they’re here to defend the city.”

The troops staying in town don’t seem to be putting much effort into
keeping an eye on the outside of the city. If they were preparing for an
attack from the outside, they would’ve assigned more soldiers to patrol the
surroundings, besides the usual lookouts. The supplies and other items
loaded onto mobile wagons indicated they were preparing to march into
battle.
“Whose troops are those?”
“According to Maxia’s intelligence network, it’s Count Gaze’s army.”
“I see…”
Count Gaze. The king said the nobleman might not listen to his orders to
refrain from reclaiming Raijis.
I can tell from their equipment that these soldiers don’t have the power to
fight a Sage that can use Sandstorm. From the way they moved, they
appeared to have the basic skills required of an army, so if they were taught
proper combat techniques for a year or so, they should stand a chance
against the enemy, but right now that’s just plain impossible.

I’d rather they stay in the rear than run into a city with a Sage waiting for
them and die in vain. I doubt the Empire has many elite forces like Sages. If
they had a lot of Sages that could use Sandstorm, they would have already
laid seige to other cities as well, not just Raijis.
Seeing that the enemy hasn’t moved from Raijis, the Empire is probably
aware of the Skill Awakening system. The Awakening System allows the
creation of adventurers—or, in the case of an army, powerful soldiers—who
are more powerful than the average ones. The system itself requires
Wisdom Stones, so not a lot of people can undergo the Awakening. If we
take back the active volcano, there’s a chance of us using the system, so the
enemy should be holding their ground as long as possible.
If Sages are sent to defend Raijis, then it is more likely that relatively
ordinary troops will be sent to raid other cities. A few Sages could join
them as well, but the main force will be mostly the ordinary soldiers,
resulting in what would be a regular war. When that happens, leaving troops
behind would work to our advantage. We don’t want to reduce our numbers
for nothing.
Anyway, for now, I’ll just ask them about the king’s orders. If the order had
not been received due to some mistake or delay in communication, simply
telling them about the king’s order could stop their advance. If Count Gaze
has received the order and is ignoring it, though, it’s going to be very
difficult.
“Let’s go check things out,” I said, approaching the soldiers’ encampment.
Suddenly I noticed children mixed among the soldiers. They looked around
ten years old or so. They might not even be able to survive a march, let
alone an actual battle. I could see the anxious looks on their faces even from
a distance.
Don’t tell me they’re going to have the kids fight too. With that in mind, I
approached the soldiers. Then my ears caught the conversation they were
having with the children.
“Hey, big brother, is it true that bad people are coming to our city?”

“Don’t worry. We’ll take care of things before they even get here.”
“Yay! Good luck out there!”
Apparently, the kids weren’t actually going to be involved in the fighting.
They were just residents in the local area. I felt a little relieved after hearing
their conversation, but from the words and tone of the soldier, they were
planning to launch an assault themselves. I have no idea if they’ll even
listen to what I have to say, but I guess I’ll tell them about the king’s order.
As I was wondering where Count Gaze was, one of the soldiers approached
me.
“Can I help you with something?” he asked.
He saw me stop and look around and thought I needed help. He spoke to me
in a clear and gentle tone, no hint of disgust in his voice. They don’t look
like the kind of people who are going to be defying the king’s orders.
“Uh, yeah. I have a question. Did you receive some kind of order from the
king about Raijis?”
“I’m sorry, sir. Orders are classified information, so I can’t answer your
question.”
I see. A textbook answer from a member of the military. If you leak
contents of a king’s order to a stranger, you’re unfit to be a soldier.

“My bad,” I said. “I shouldn’t have asked that. I’d like to speak with Count
Gaze. Do you know where he is?”
“The Count? Excuse me, but may I know who’s asking?”
“It’s Eld of Count Meigis’ Army—No, of the Royal Interim Special
Knights. I’m here under orders of His Majesty the King.”
Might as well use the status I was given. The only order I got from the king
was ‘do as you see fit’, and I literally ‘do as I see fit’, so talking to Count
Gaze counts as an order from the king himself.
“Please accept my apologies, sir. This way.”
The soldier then led me deeper into the camp.
Now, then… I heard that Count Gaze is a musclehead, but I wonder what’s
gonna happen.
A remarkably huge tent stood deeper into the encampment. It was labeled
as Headquarters, and the Count was staying inside.
“Reporting! I have brought with me Lord Eld of the Royal Interim Special
Knights.”
“Come in!” A booming voice came from inside the tent.
After hearing that, the soldier opened the tent and urged me to go inside. I
walked in to find a muscular man standing there. On the desk was a single
map and a sword. While the weapon showed signs of prolonged use, its
blade had been carefully polished.
Apparently, this dude is Count Gaze.
“The Royal Interim Special Knights,” the man said. “The name does not
ring a bell. What kind of an organization is it?”
“It’s a newly-established group for the war against the Empire. There aren’t
a lot of members, but as far as the kingdom is concerned, we hold the same
level of status as the regular order of knights.”
“A newly-established knight order, you say? I’m curious about your
proficiency, but moving fast and early is a good thing. On the battlefield, a
day’s difference can make or break the outcome. It’s better to be too early
than to be in a hurry to make preparations after you run out of troops.”
Hmm. His words suggest that he’s not really a musclehead down to the
bone. How do I put it? He sounded like your typical, competent
commander.

“I can tell you’re quite skilled as well,” he added. “You seem to be lacking
the muscles, but the way you move is a pass in my book. You don’t walk
like someone from the military. Were you an adventurer or something
similar?”
“Impressive.”
I can also get a vague idea of someone’s capabilities by studying their
fighting stance, but I can’t tell that just by the way they walk. This is
something that only an expert in martial arts can do.
“You can’t command troops in a battlefield if you don’t have discerning
eyes like I do. Even the commander of this newly-established band of
knights should be able to do it.”
“No, that’s impossible.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because I am the commander,” I said as I showed him the decree from the
king.
The order states that a new organization of knights is to be formed with Eld
as its leader.

“You’re the commander?” the man asked. “In that case, I retract my
statement earlier. You’re not just quite skilled. If you were a private, you
would be one of the best. But a commander has to have this.”
Count Gaze flexed his arms and muscles, showing his well-developed
biceps. He’s got fine muscles, I’ll give him that. But yeah… he’s looking
more and more like a musclehead now.
“Skill is important, but what counts most on the battlefield is strength,
stamina, and guts. You also need experience. His Majesty installing a
youngster like you as commander suggests he does not understand
anything.” He looked a little dejected.
I think Steam Explosion is far more useful than muscles and guts in the
battlefield, but I doubt he’d get it even if I explained it to him.
For now, I think it would be better to draw his attention to the king’s orders.
From the tone of his voice, he seems to respect the king at least.
“Let’s set aside the whole muscle thing for now,” I said. “The reason I
became a Commander is because of His Majesty the King’s order. You
don’t intend to go against His Majesty’s orders, do you?”
“Of course not. It’s my duty as a citizen to obey His Majesty’s orders.”
Nice. I got his word. My fear that Count Gaze would go against the king’s
orders was unfounded.
“I see. By the way, I met with His Majesty yesterday. He told me that he’s
going to issue an order to give up on retaking Raijis. You should have
already received it. Surely you’re not going to continue with your offensive,
are you?”
The Count’s eye grew wide. He then turned to a soldier who looked like his
aide. “Did you receive such an order?” he asked.
“No, sir!”
That’s weird. The king said yesterday before we parted ways that he would
have the order delivered as fast as possible and that it should arrive around
noon today. I wonder if the messenger assigned to deliver it got into an
accident or something.

“His Majesty told me that the order should have arrived by noon today.”
“Hmm. Perhaps it was delivered to my residence. Unfortunately we’re
away from home at the moment. It will take some time for any message to
arrive here.”
Okay. I understand. Normally when you’re ordered to deliver a message to
a nobleman, you’d head straight to his residence. It would be more efficient
to just go directly to his base of military operations, but I suppose the
messenger might not know exactly where they are.
“Is your place really that far away?” I asked.
“Yes, quite far. It’s about ten kilometers away. How many days would it
take for a message to arrive here?”
Ten kilometers, huh? A trained soldier could cover that distance in less than
an hour. There’s no way it would actually take days.
“Probably about a week, sir,” the aide answered.

“I figured as much,” the Count said, nodding with satisfaction. “It’s a long
road, so tell them to go slow and watch their surroundings carefully.”
I see what they’re playing at. They’re deliberately delaying the arrival of
the order so they won’t have to obey it.
“So there you have it,” the man said. “We have not received the orders just
yet. We’re planning to launch an attack at midnight, so if we don’t receive
any orders from His Majesty by then, we’ll proceed as planned.”
“So you’re going to make a move before the order arrives. Are you sure
that’s all right? You know, as a knight and all.”
“Of course. Unless otherwise ordered, it is a knight’s duty to protect the
people. His Majesty could issue an order to standby, but if we commenced
operation before it arrived and emerged victorious anyway, he would be
pleased. Of course, even if we did receive the order, there’s no guarantee I
would follow it.”
Okay, that’s not what you said earlier. He literally just said that it’s a
citizen’s duty to obey the king’s orders. I guess he’s just a plain old
musclehead after all?
“You said you’d follow orders, didn’t you?”
“It is indeed the duty of the citizens to obey the orders of the King, but we
are knights first, and citizens second. Our duty as knights to protect the
people is more important than our duty as citizens.”
“Do you know what will happen to you if you disobey the king’s orders?”
Actually, I don’t know what will happen either. Now I’m curious.
“In the worst case, I’ll be executed. If the king is the type of man who
would execute a knight who fought to protect the people, then I will not
follow his orders. Even if I were to be executed, my head is a small price to
pay in fulfilling my duty.”
Yup. There’s the musclehead talking. A brawn-for-brain down to the
marrow. The fact that he doesn’t even try to save his own skin makes him
difficult to budge. I’ve never talked to a guy like this before, so I don’t
know exactly how to stop him.
If he wants to charge straight to the enemy, then hey, he can be my guest.
It’s his funeral. But sending every one of his men to their death is a whole
different story. Now, I can strike early and reclaim Raijis, but it might not
be easy. If I’m not careful, the Count’s forces might butt in and get caught
in a Steam Explosion or something. I don’t care about the Count himself,
but I’d like the rest of his men to stay put.

“So, would you follow the king’s orders if there are other knights to protect
the people?”
“Of course. The goal is to protect the people, not to gain fame. Unless the
order is to abandon the people, it’s only natural to follow His Majesty’s
orders.”
“Then I want you to protect this city. Follow His Majesty’s orders, while we
defeat the Empire’s forces in Raijis.”
I tried to sound as gallant as possible.
Suddenly the Count flashed a grin. “Big words,” he said. “I thought you
were just a youngster, but it seems you already have the heart of a knight.
You were not appointed as commander for nothing, after all.”
“So that’s a yes?”
“Now that’s a whole different matter. I have a question. How many people
do you have in your squad?”

“Right now, there’s about twenty of us. The enemy in Raijis outnumber us,
but what matters is not numbers. It’s having the power to win against the
enemy.”
Normally, I’d be told that we’re at a disadvantage given our numbers, but
the enemy themselves had already proven the edge of sending a select few
elites. Actual skill can easily make up for a lack of numbers. Although, if
the enemy is too strong for the others, I might be the only one standing on
the front line.
“You are exactly right,” the man said. “Since the enemy is only a select few
elites, there is a high possibility that it will be a battle of individual abilities
rather than a group warfare, in which case, adventurers are more suited to
fight than soldiers. If you have that Flame whatever with you, I will
consider leaving the matter to your squad.”
Mylia again. I didn’t know she was such a celebrity. Apparently, this
kingdom is starting to believe that a powerful adventurer equals Mylia the
Flame Spear.

“Mylia’s not here. Unlike the time we fought Cardinal Georgis, she has no
stake in this battle. But make no mistake. We’re way stronger than we were
back then.”
The Count’s eyes widened. He peered into my face, and his mouth dropped.
“Eld… Yes, I’ve heard of you. Are you the Eld who led Count Meigis’
army and defeated Cardinal Georgis whose troops numbered ten times more
than yours?”
“Yup, that’s me. So you know about that battle.”
“Why, of course. I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard that Cardinal
Georgis’ army was defeated by a mere thousand or so troops. I didn’t know
you were so young. I understand now why His Majesty appointed you as
commander of this new band of knights. Are the members selected from the
Count’s forces?”
“Exactly. Now do you want to leave it to us?”

This Count is not just a plain gutsy musclehead. He’s the kind of guy who
actually gathers information, think things over, and ultimately push through
with his indomitable spirit and mentality. I can already imagine what he’s
going to say.
“I will not step aside that easily,” he said. “I must first test you to see
whether I can leave Raijis to you or not.”
Yup. Saw that one coming. What a reasonable guy. Though he’s the type to
talk with his fists instead of reason.
“All right,” I said. “I will fight the strongest one among your troops. If I
win, you stay behind. Oh, it doesn’t have to be a single person. You can
send ten or a hundred. I’ll take them all on.”
The Count’s troops numbered over a thousand while there’s only around
twenty of us. If I can’t even handle ten or a hundred of them, he can tell me
that his army as a whole is stronger, and I won’t be able to say anything
back. It’ll be tricky since I can’t kill them, but I have some tricks up my
sleeve.

I doubt the Count would say that, though.

“One person is fine,” he said. “If you want the strongest soldier in my army,
then look no more. I will fight you one-on-one, and whoever wins will go to
Raijis. Sounds good?”
“Of course. By the way, can I use magic?”
“War involves using everything you have in your arsenal. You can use
magic, firearms, concealed weapons, whatever you want. But if you think
magic is omnipotent, think again.”
So I’m gonna fight Count Gaze. Looks like I’ll have to fight a little
differently than usual. I can’t just use Sticky Bomb or Deadly Pain to stun
him, then use Steam Explosion to blow him to pieces.
A little while later, Count Gaze and I were facing each other in a meadow
near the campsite. We were surrounded by onlookers, mostly the Count’s
soldiers.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea to have so many of your men here,” I said.
“It’s fine,” the Count replied. “There’s plenty of time before our attack. The
plan was to rest around this hour.”
Count Gaze eyed the soldiers around us. All of them possessed well-trained
physique and exuded an aura that said they were elite. And they were
probably excellent fighters when it comes to pure physical combat, without
the use of Skills.
I’m just glad they’re not a bunch of roughnecks. If they were the
unsophisticated kind, they might start a riot when the Count loses.
“I will be using a real sword in this match,” the Count said. “I take it, you
don’t mind?” He raised his sword in front of him.
The sword was not particularly large or heavy, but it had a well-worn look.
While it doesn’t have any special features, it doesn’t have any noticeable
flaws either. It’s a weapon that demonstrates your raw skills, the kind of
weapon that experts prefer.
The blade was still intact, of course, with no chipping. In fact, it had been
sharpened for battle. If the Count swung his sword for real, cutting off a
human head would be easy. Needless to say, if you get hit anywhere on the
body, not just the neck, you would be seriously injured.
That doesn’t mean I’m gonna back out from this fight, though.

“Not at all,” I said. “My spells can be as deadly as a real sword too.”
“I like your spirit. Just to confirm the rules, the match will end when one
side surrenders or dies. Getting injured doesn’t immediately mean a loss, so
make sure you surrender before you die.”
“Yeah. If I think I can’t win, I’ll graciously give up. But only if I think I
can’t win.”
I readied my own sword. It’s been a long time since I fought with one, but I
figured it was my best option in this fight.
I can prove my power by casting one devastating spell, but high-level spells
can’t be cast in rapid succession. The Count, then, might think that numbers
are needed after all. But if a knight was defeated by a sword, he would have
no excuse whatsoever.
Fighting a knight with a sword. There’s no easier way to prove my skills
than this.
“Oh. A Mage using a sword?” the Count said.
“Well, I’m fighting a knight, so I thought why not try it? I don’t plan on
losing though, so rest assured.”

“Them’s fighting words. Then show me the skill that took down Cardinal
Georgis!”
Count Gaze immediately began to close the distance between us. Despite
the vigor in his voice, he didn’t run or even canter. He was moving slowly,
taking his time. His stance appeared to be less about closing the distance
quickly and more about keeping maximum possible reaction time in case of
projectiles.
But that’s just for attacks that can be avoided by running or jumping away.
Careful movement is meaningless in the face of a Sage who can use
Sandstorm. If you can’t stand the spell’s might, the only countermeasure is
to stay way from its range.
If I had to guess, the Count thinks that the way he’s walking is enough as a
countermeasure for any battle. Most of the magic spells known in this world
are basic Skills of Mages, so his stance is to deal with those. I’d say the
typical spell in this world is something like Fire Bomb.
As a matter of fact, the way he’s walking is completely pointless against my
Steam Explosion, but killing him is not the objective of this match, it’s to
make him recognize my abilities and quietly back down. I decided to use
spells that this kingdom considers common.

“Fire Bomb.”
I cast a flame-type spell at Count Gaze’s feet, a spell common to both
Mages and Sages. In that exact moment, he moved.
“Shrinkage!”
Shrinkage, a skill that sword-wielder classes have that allows for
instantaneous high-speed movement. Although it has the downside of not
being able to be cast consecutively, and the distance covered being not very
long, it’s probably the best mobility Skill in terms of instantaneous power.
A fireball landed on the spot where Count Gaze was just now, causing an
explosion, but no one was there anymore.
“Such power!” one soldier exclaimed, seeing the power of the explosion.
“So this is what Eld is capable of.”
“I never thought a Fire Bomb could be that powerful!”

Sure, it’s slightly more powerful than average, but there’s no point if I don’t
hit.
“Just as planned,” I muttered as Count Gaze made it in front of me.
He let me fire a spell and use the opening to close the distance in one
breath. This is probably his way of fighting Mages.
If his oppnent is a Mage who can only use Fire Bomb, this method would
be excellent. A swordsman has an advantage against a Mage if he closes in.
However, I actually let him get close to me all along.
With a grunt, the Count swung his sword toward me, his weapon hissing in
the air. There was no hint of restraint in his swing. If I take a direct hit, I’d
be seriously injured.
But of course, I’m not just gonna stand there and take it. I too swung my
sword to stop his weapon.
A knight with strength incomparable to that of ordinary humans, his sword
stacked with plenty of buffing Skills. A Sage who’s as physically strong as
your average person, with almost no buffing Skills for his sword.

Their swords clashed, and the knight’s sword was the one parried.
Critical Counter. A technique that produces incredible power by
intercepting an opponent’s attack with optimal timing and force. If both
sides were of equal strength, Critical Counter would have enough power to
knock the opponent back, and this time the technique made up for the
difference of our physical strength.
A Sage like me can use Critical Counter, but a knight, who should be an
expert in swords, can not. Why is that? Well, that’s because there’s one trick
to activating Critical Counter.
The moment the sword strikes, you relax your hand slightly. At that instant
when you need to put the most force into it, you loosen your hand just a
little bit. And I mean, very little, maintaining the perfect balance.
If you got the trick mastered, you can increase the critical rate chance by ten
times. Because people in this world don’t have that crucial knowledge,
critical hits are called Miracle Strikes, a counter that even skilled
swordsmen can’t produce one out of ten times.
Of course, just knowing the trick doesn’t guarantee you can land critical
hits. There are plenty of other conditions to be fulfilled, such as how the
sword hits and how the blade is brandished. It’s especially difficult to land
critical hits against someone you’re fighting for the first time. The trick
aside, the other conditions are difficult to fulfill.
Despite all this, I succeeded in landing a critical blow because my opponent
—Count Gaze—has a refined swordsmanship. There are various
movements when wielding swords, but when it comes to movement for
optimized attacks, your options become limited. The more the Count
practiced the sword, the more efficient and uniform his movements became.
To be able to fight a hundred times and swing the same sword a hundred
times is the result of training.
That’s why it’s easy to predict his movement. The most frightening part of
this type of swordsmanship is the fact that you can’t stop it even if you can
predict it. But if you can activate a Critical Counter, you can make up for
the difference in strength.
“What?!”
Confused by the fact that his sword was parried, Count Gaze tried to fix his
stance. I swung my sword for a follow-up attack, but I stopped halfway.
The Count grinned. “So you noticed,” he said. “Not bad at all.”
Count Gaze wasn’t really off-balance, he was just pretending to be. In the
first place, the sword that he’s using doesn’t rely on strength to overpower
the enemy. It’s not that unusual to have your sword parried by a type of
swordsman who’s much stronger than you.
When the Count swung his sword at me, he took into account the possibility
of his sword being parried. When that happened, he didn’t just let things
end there, instead he baited me into launching a follow-up attack, making
me create an opening for him to take advantage of. It’s a kind of tactic that
can only be used once, but if you behead your opponent in that one
opening, you win.
“I didn’t know knights use such a dirty tactic,” I said.
“Why not? A knight’s duty is protect the people, not his pride. A knight
must use any means necessary to achieve victory.”

Count Gaze swung his sword once more. Rather than putting his weight on
the sword, he focused more on speed. He just wants to hit me. Once again, I
stopped it my sword. With a Critical Counter, I parried his weapon back.
His swing was weaker than before, but that made it more difficult to
counter. Reducing power increases the flexibility of the sword’s movement,
thereby making it harder to trigger Critical Counters.
“Looks sure can be deceiving!” the Count roared.
He raised his sword again. I tried to parry it, but this time Critical Counter
did not proc.
The Count’s swing had no power at all, as if he emphasized speed instead.
But my sword was being pushed back easily. Our weapons were locked, but
it was clear that I was at a disadvantage.
There is simply too much difference in raw power. The difference in
physical strength between a spellcaster and a knight that specializes in
swords (I don’t know his exact class, but I’m pretty sure he’s a swordsman-
type) is too great. Only a critical hit from the spellcaster can make up for
that difference.
Count Gaze looked surprised for a moment at the difference in the blow,
then he muttered. “I see. Those were Miracle Strikes just now!”
“So what if they were?”
Looks like he figured it out. The question is how he’s going to end this
match for good.

“Guard Crush!”
Instead of answering my question, the Count uttered the name of his Skill.
Guard Crush is an offensive Skill that smashes the opponent’s defense using
tremendous power.
He made the right move. While offensive Skills are incredibly powerfuly,
they have a drawback—that is, limiting the caster’s movement. In many
cases, activating a Skill just as you’re about to clash swords with your
opponent can create a huge opening.
But if you cast it while locking weapons with an opponent, they can’t dodge
it. The enemy could push back with their own Skill, in which case, it would
be a battle of power. If you’re confident in your own strength, your victory
is pretty much assured once you lock weapons.
Count Gaze wore a look that said he won, but he still watched me carefully
as he activated his Skill. In response, I pulled myself back. Surprise flashed
on the Count’s face.
Right now, the only thing holding back Count Gaze’s sword is my sword. If
I pulled the sword back, his sword would reach me.
The Count is using a real sword, while I’m not wearing any armor. The
sharpness of the sword, the stats of a swordsman class, and the power of
Guard Crush all combined, could at worst slice me in half, or at best, leave
me with a fatal wound.
The expression on Count Gaze’s face gradually changed to panic. Not
because he thought he would lose, but because he was about to kill me.
Sure, we’re having a duel, but it’s not like he actually meant to kill me. I
had no intention of killing him either, and I wasn’t going to let myself get
killed. I mean, considering our respective positions, there’s no way a fatal
match would be allowed.
Unfortunately, his panic could not stop his sword. In exchange for immense
power, the Skill limits the movement of the caster severely, not allowing for
any shift in the motion until the end of the Skill’s duration, whether his
sword is dodged or he lands an unexpected clean hit.
Count Gaze’s sword struck me on my side, and stopped. His weapon didn’t
stop because he intended to. It stopped for a simpler reason. It wasn’t
powerful enough to cut through my body.
My sword closed in on Count Gaze. The reason I pulled my weapon back
was so I could attack at this exact moment.
Hitting a skilled swordsman with a sword is difficult. But if you can
completely neutralize an opponent’s attack, things become way easier. In a
normal fight, striking each other at the same moment is a loss, but under the
right conditions, a simultaneous strike from both sides can mean victory.
No, not even that. It doesn’t have to be during a simultaneous strike. Just
launching an all-out self-destructive attack equals victory.
The problem is that normal fights don’t come with such a broken condition,
but a Sage has a way to make this condition happen temporarily.
Magic Veil. It’s a Skill that uses mana to nullify any physical damage you
take. While active, each attack received drains a large amount of mana, but
I’m pretty much invincible until my mana is completely depleted.
The spell is very mana-inefficient. Against Steam Explosion, I could die
with only one shot. But against Guard Crush, even when I have nothing to
protect myself with, I only consume about twenty percent of my mana.
In contrast, Count Gaze, who received the brunt of my attack without any
sort of defensive Skill, did not get away that easily.
With a pained grunt, the Count staggered as he was struck by a blow from
the top of his armor. No critical hit procced, so I couldn’t knock him way
back, but I had more than enough opening now.

“Fire Bomb.”
Thrusting my hand to the Count, I cast my spell. The fireball from my hand
shot past the Count’s cheek and landed on the ground. I didn’t hit him, but it
was clear that if I really wanted to, I could have.
“Do you still want to continue?” I asked the stunned Count.
He was still alive because I missed on purpose. If this was an actual
battlefield, he’d be dead. And he knew that.
“No. I surrender.”
The Count let go of his sword, and it fell to the ground with a clang.
“My sword did not hit,” the Count said. “Was that Magic?”
“Yeah,” I answered. “I can’t give you any details, because I don’t want any
information leaking out, but it’s one of the defensive magic spells I use.”
“I have seen a lot of defensive magic, but this is the first time I’ve seen
something that can completely neutralize my Guard Crush. I can see why
you were able to defeat Cardinal Georgis with only a few troops.”
Count Gaze picked up his sword and put it in its scabbard, then looked
around. Soldiers who had witnessed their commander’s defeat looked
dumbfounded. From the looks of it, they were truly convinced that the
Count would emerge victorious.
“Attention, all men!” the Count bellowed. “As you can see, I have been
defeated by Commander Eld! In accordance with the terms of the duel, the
Royal Interim Special Knights will be the ones to reclaim Raijis. Tonight’s
raid is hereby canceled!”
“Yes, sir!”
Hearing the Count’s words, the soldiers around responded without
hesitation. They all then dispersed to all directions to inform those who had
not watched the duel about the cancellation of tonight’s attack.
The whole army moved with a single order, no matter what kind. They
exuded complete competency as a group with the way they moved. In
battles where such things are highly valuable, Count Gaze’s army must be
quite strong.
“So, Commander Eld,” the Count began as he watched his men spread the
news to everyone. “Would you allow us to join the Royal Interim Special
Knights?”
All of a sudden, his tone became respectful, and instead of calling me just
Eld, he began calling me Commander Eld. Apparently, the king was right.
He was the kind of man who believed that those who are strong are
superior.
“What happens when you join us?”
“All members of my army will fight according to your orders, myself
included. You may give whatever order you want, and we will all obey it.”
Ahuh. So he doesn’t just want to join the battle. He wants to be completely
under my leadership. But if they joined my group, it’ll only give me more
work. Handling them all will be difficult. Before that, am I even allowed to
add more members to our organization without first asking for permission?
Okay, how do I deal with this? If I was the kind of guy who’s interested in
power or achievements, I’d be down for it. But alas, that’s not me. Besides,
I let Count Meigis handle everything that’s related to politics.
”Sorry, but I have no intention of adding more members,” I said. “What we
have at the moment is enough.”

“I know my troops cannot be compared to yours, but numbers can be a

powerful thing. We are willing to give our lives for the sake of the people.”
“Steam Explosion.”
Instead of replying, I cast Steam Explosion. Of course, I directed it at an
empty location, right above our heads.
With a loud bang, the flames spread in all directions, followed by a shock
wave a second later. Because I shot it towards the sky, the blast did not
harm the people on the ground, but it was enough to make them understand
how much power it held.
If I unleashed this magic spell against a group of enemies in battle, a single
blast can kill hundreds, or at worse, even thousands. Count Gaze, a man
used to fighting, would know exactly what this all meant.

“Were you holding back during our fight?” he asked.

“Well, I can’t use this kind of spell against an ally. Besides, I can’t really
just adjust the spell’s power to make it not fatal.”
“Thank you for your consideration. I now understand why there is no point
in adding more to your troops. Joining you will only be a liability, it seems.
But if you ever need our help, please do not hesitate to tell me.”
Great. Looks like he finally gets it. Well, strictly speaking, the more troops
you have, the easier it is to fight, but fighting with the intention of using a
lot of people as pawns can have all sorts of harmful effects.
If we have no other means to win, I might accept his offer, but I won’t use
such a method against an enemy who I can defeat anyway using normal
means. I would only ask for Count Gaze’s help if—and only if—the
situation is so dire.
While the Count’s troops are superior by this world’s standards, they’re
absolute amateurs in Skill-based combat. I doubt their addition would
increase our chances of winning that much.

“We’re going to wait for an opportunity to take back Raijis,” I said. “What
are you gonna do?”
“Since we can leave the counteroffensive to you and your troops, I will
divide mine and deploy them to different places for defense. We need
people to protect the cities.”
Good call. If they can protect the nearby cities, we can focus on retaking
Raijis. Well, for me, Raijis is just a waypoint, and my real objective is the
active volcano located nearby.
“If you get attacked, send word to me,” I said. “We’ll back you up if
necessary.”
“I appreciate the offer, but how do we contact you?”
“Just go to any branch of Maxia Trading and tell them what you need. Just
say you want to reach me and they should get the message.”
“I see. Maxia Trading Company’s communications network. I suppose the
rumors are true. They offer their services in the battlefield as well.”

There was admiration in his tone. Strictly speaking, Maxia’s information

network only goes as far as the nearby town or city, and from there,
someone from Count Meigis’ troops connects to the network, but I suppose
there’s really no need to tell him all that.
Count Gaze appears to be a trustworthy man, but the more people who
know, the more likely it is that information will spread. And no one really
wants to learn military secrets they have no business of knowing. It’ll only
cause trouble for them. It’s for this same reason that I’m not mentioning
when exactly we’re taking back Raijis.
“I get how to contact you,” the Count added. “Please take back Raijis.”
“You got it,” I assured him. “His Majesty also ordered me to do so.”
And that’s how we ended up with the task to reclaim the city of Raijis.
What do you know? The king’s order to “do as you see fit” actually came in
handy.
The next morning.
I and the rest of Count Meigis’s troops gathered in the forest near Tiagra.
Now that we’ve recovered from the fatigue of travel and replenished our
mana, we’re ready to go and get Raijis back.
“We proceed as planned,” I said. “All hands to battle positions. And stay
away from the field of battle. I mean it.”
“Yes, sir!”
With that, the Count’s army scattered throughout the forest. We’re going to
be separated for now, but they each have their own roles to play.
“Take care of yourself, Sir Eld.”
“I will. I’m counting on your backup.”
Sachylis and I start walking towards Raijis. Only I will be entering the city.
I have given strict orders to my troops to stay away from Raijis no matter
what.
This arrangement would ensure that we could deal with the most
devastating attack the enemy could throw at us, taking into account all the
enemy’s possible makeup. Honestly, if the enemy is just a Sage who can use
Sandstorm, we can choose other ways to fight them. What I’m really
worried about, however, is the possibility that the person who used the Skill
Awakening system is among their ranks.
Common sense does not apply against opponents that had undergone Skill
Awakening. Their class would still play a factor, but the most terrifying
thing is that whatever class they have, it barely matters. Sages are way more
powerful compared to other classes, but the difference between those who
have Awakened and those that had not is greater than the difference in
power between Sages and other classes.
On a side note, when comparing Awakened classes, the strongest would be
a Sage, but the chances of the enemy having an Awakened Sage is not that
high. I mean, it’s unlikely that an advanced class, known as a special class
in this world, would have undergone Awakening. That’s because you only
need one Wisdom Stone to Awaken a normal class, but you need two for a
special class.
Wisdom Stones are incredibly valuable items. It’s not something that can be
easily obtained, even for the Empire. If they have two, common sense
would dictate that Awakening two normal classes is better than Awakening
one advanced class. While an Awakened Sage is strong, if they don’t know
how to fight effectively, it’s better to have two Awakened normal class, and
if you only have one Awakened, you would be devastated if they died due
to some accident or illness.
Although, it’s highly possible that the Empire don’t have any Wisdom
Stone in the first place, or that they only have one.
“Sir Eld, we’re about one kilometer away from Raijis now,” Sachylis said.
“Copy that,” I replied. “Did you pick anything up with your Search
Enemy?”
‘Nothing so far. I’ll inform you if I find one.”

“Thanks.”
Sachylis role is to lurk just far enough that her communication Skill still
reaches me, and passing information she obtains using Search Enemy. At
the same time, she also serves as an intermediary for information among
our allies scattered around Raijis. With this, we’ll be able to locate the
enemy with Search Enemy the moment they become aware of my presence.
Search Enemy is really only necessary when the enemy is extremely far
away, or if there’s a possibility that they’re holding hostages. The advantage
of Search Enemy is that it can distinguish between friend and foe, and it has
a large area of effect. If you simply want to locate humans, Sage Skills are
much easier to use.
“Magic Search.”
As I activated my detection Skill, I picked up mana signatures from Raijis.
Three of them, each about two hundred meters apart, in an equilateral
triangle formation. Based on their location and numbers, they’re probably
all enemies, not hostages.
With that in mind, I unfolded the map that Count Gaze had given me. It’s a
map showing the building layout and other aspects of the city of Raijis.
Now I just need to match the enemy’s location with the map.
“If the map’s right, they’re all indoors.”
The fact that none of them were outside suggests that they’re wary of
snipers. If they just want to protect themselves from snipers, putting up
magic barriers that consumes little mana should be enough. If the enemy
doesn’t even know that, fighting much just be easier than expected.
Looking at the map, the house where the enemy is hiding is not that big.
That is, I could blow up the whole building if I want. They were not close
enough that I could take them down at once, but reducing the enemmy from
three to two is huge.
Surprise is one of the few advantages that the attacker has, so you want to
make the most of it. I cast Mana Invisibility.

This magic spell does not consume any mana at all and allows you to hide
yourself. However, it gets dispelled if you move around too much, like
running, or when you cast a spell, but it should be enough to aid in
launching surprise attacks.
“Begin infiltration of Raijis.”
As I informed Sachylis, I drew closer to Raijis. If the map is correct, the tall
buildings such as the church should come within view soon. But even when
I arrived at the edge of the forest, I still couldn’t spot anything that
resembled a building.
As I got even closer, I began to understand what was going on with Raijis.
Correction: what was once Raijis.
Okay, I see what happened now.
According to the map, there should be a city here, but I found nothing.
Instead, all I saw was a clean land with piles of rubble here and there. The
place that was marked as a building on the map was now an empty lot.
In short, the enemy destroyed the city of Raijis and turned it into one big
vacant plot of land. I can think of a few reasons why they destroyed the
place after spending effort to occupy it, but if I had to guess, it’s probably to
get rid of any blindspots. Leaving the city intact would give enemies places
to hide, but a flat land would offer nothing to conceal yourself.
Right at the spot where I sensed mana were three men sitting down,
presumably the enemy. Their equipment marked them as the spellcaster
type. There was a high chance that they were Sages. They had their backs
turned to each other, watching the outside of the city.
Slowly, I walked towards one of the men. There was nothing between us to
obstruct any vision. If the enemy had seen through my Mana Invisibility,
they would have already noticed my presence.
“Sachylis. Anything from the enemy inside the city?”

“No. Nothing at the moment.”

Looks like Search Enemy has not picked up anything yet, which means that
the enemy is not aware of my presence. The thing with Mana Invisibility is
that its effects get reduced when walking, so if you know how to see
through it, they should have seen me by now. I have never seen any enemy
use Mana Invisibility, so I guess the people of this world don’t know about
the spell.
Mana Invisibility does not mask my hostility, so a Skill like Search Enemy
would break my disguise in just a moment. They didn’t seem to be using it
either.
Although, it seems that they are prepared for any surprise attacks that
employs cloaking magic.
“Inform all our troops,” I said. “All the buildings in the city have been
destroyed, leaving only an empty plot of land.”
“Copy that. Since there are no obstructions, should we consider sniping
them?”

“No. They put up huge barriers. They’re prepared for snipers.”

There are barriers around the enemy, each several dozen meters in size. The
barriers themselves were not that strong, not providing that much of a
protection. But long-range sniping spells don’t really have high penetrating
power in the first place. There are many other powerful magic spells out
there, but most of them are the type that explodes on impact, so if used
against these larger kind of barriers, the blast won’t even reach the enemy.
It would consume a great deal of mana to keep such a large barrier active
while making it impervious. So these barriers’ power is kept to a minimum.
Rather than blocking attacks, it’s the kind of barrier that uses distance to
dampen power.
Offensive spells such as Steam Explosion can only be cast from outside the
barriers, so firing through one of this size, it won’t be powerful enough to
kill them with a single blow. A large but weak barrier is basically effective
countermeasure against surprise attacks. Destroying it is easy, but the
moment I break it, they’ll be aware of my presence.
If we have a lot of personnel who can fire long-range high-powered sniping
magic, we can cast spells like arrows raining down on the enemy, but the
timing has to be perfect or the second volley would not serve as surprise
attacks anymore. There aren’t anyone among Count Meigis’ army who’s an
expert sniper to begin with. Moreover, the Count’s army was not trained for
that kind of fighting style anyway. They’re more like an army formed to
fight monsters, except this time, I’m forcing them to fight humans instead.
Of course they don’t have any special techniques like sniping.
Then again, the enemy’s countermeasure isn’t exactly perfect either.
For now, I’ll take out one of them.
I walked slowly so as not to dispel the Mana Invisibility, and went behind
the enemy. The barriers are deployed to surround them, so it’s not like
going around would allow me to hit them with spells directly, but it’ll help
delay their reaction a little. I swung my sword toward the barrier.
Weaker barriers can be smashed even without critical hits. The moment the
barrier was shattered, the enemy kicked the chair he was sitting on and leapt
back. Not a bad reaction to a surprise attack, but his movement is only
effective against a spell that a living person can dodge.
“Steam Explosion.”

I cast my magic spell, and flames erupted. I don’t even need to check
whether he’s alive or dead. Even I have no idea how to suvive a Steam
Explosion at close range. Not even Magic Veil can help you.
With my attack, though, the other two noticed me immediately. From here
on out, it’s going to be a head-on fight. Before engaging them, I received a
call from Sachylis.
“I picked something up with Search Enemy,” she reported. “Two inside
Raijis and three near the mountain summit.”
“Copy that. Let me know if there’s any movement on the summit.”
Two inside Raijis means that the guy I attacked just now was definitely
dead. Their numbers were within expectations. What’s more, no enemy
lurking around to ambush us makes things easier. The only thing that
bothers me are the enemies at the summit of the mountain.

The summit of the Raijis active volcano is the perfect place to use the
Awakening System. The fact that they are securing it means that the enemy
is aware of its utility.
“Sandstorm!” the enemy shouted.
The enemy cast the magic spell Sandstorm, as we expected based on the
intel we gathered beforehand. It’s a spell that combines an attack range
similar to the one I use, Steam Explosion, with the power to kill me with a
single blow.
I’m using Magic Veil, so I can hold out for a few seconds, but Sandstorm
lasts longer. If I run away to escape, I might just survive, but in return I will
have most of my mana drained, making it impossible to even fight back.
Having said that, Sandstorm is not something to make light of—other
defensive spells don’t work against it. Magic with wide area of effect has
too much energy to begin with. Force-field type spells will get shattered in
an instant, killing you.
Before all that could happen, I cast the spell I had prepared in advance.
“Magic Wing.”
Magic Wing is a mobility spell that allows you to fly over short distances.
A ranged attack magic like Sandstorm has a weakness in that its position
can not be adjusted after it has been cast. If you avoid it the moment it’s
cast, it won’t be able to follow you.
Indeed. The enemy’s Sandstorm is an incredible offensive spell with a wide
area of effect, but only if you look at it purely as an attack magic. While
there are several spells that can reduce you to ashes at a range of several
meters, there’s barely any that has a range of hundreds of meters. The
enemy cast the Sandstorm not with me at the center, instead he cast it in a
position where the edge barely reached me.

One of Sandstorm’s weaknesses is its slow activation. It lasts for several

seconds, but it takes a few seconds after it is cast before it reaches its peak
power, giving me some window to work with. So if you use a high-speed
mobility spell, getting out of the range during that window is not that
difficult.
As a result, by the time the Sand Storm was activated, I was a few meters
ahead of its attack range. I then dodged to the side of the Sandstorm and
caught sight of the two hostiles.
“Ridiculously powerful explosive magic…” one of the muttered. “It’s Eld!
The guy we’re supposed to look out for the most!”
“Damn it… He dodged the spell at first sight. He’s much more powerful
than the rumors said!”
Apparently, the enemy knew about me. As a matter of fact, I was the
number one guy they had to look out for. It looks like they’ve even prepared
a special strategy against me, but we’ll see how far that goes.
What about the other guy? I guess he’s not coming at me.
After dodging the Sandstorm, I decided to watch how the enemy would
make their next move. They had prepared countermeasures especially for
me, while I know basically nothing about them. Fighting them like this
would only put me at a considerable disadvantage. I don’t know anything
about these guys other than ‘at least one of them uses Sandstorm’, so I’d
like some more information.

There are only two enemies left, and from the looks of their gear, they’re
both Sages. However, only one of them used Sandstorm.
Magic Wing doesn’t allow me to move very far. If the other Sage could also
use Sandstorm, it wouldn’t have been difficult to shoot a second one at my
landing point.
And if both of them were Sages, it’s unlikely that only one of them can use
Sandstorm. While there are some tiresome conditions that need to be
fulfilled before you can learn Sandstorm, as long as you know what they are
and make sure the requirements are met, learning it itself is not that
difficult.

If one of the Empire’s soldiers has acquired it, if the Empire knows the
conditions for learning it, it should be safe to assume that almost all of their
Sages can use Sandstorm.
Yet despite all this, the enemy did not cast the spell on me, presumably as a
precaution.
Like my Steam Explosion, Sandstorm is a spell that requires time before it
can be cast again. Its cooldown is exactly the same as Steam Explosion’s—
that is, sixty seconds.
If both enemies used Sandstorm and I managed to evade them, my second
Steam Explosion would hit them before their spells could come off
cooldown. If they can defeat me with other spells by then, then there won’t
be a problem, but that would put them at a severe disadvantage, whereas all
I have to do is survive until I can cast Steam Explosion again.
Steam Explosion and Sandstorm both have almost same kill range. If both
are level one, then Sandstorm has an advantage, but my Steam Explosion is
level two. What it lacks in attack range, it makes up for in power.

Sandstorm can be evaded, but that’s only if the situation is stable and you
can focus solely on evasion. You can’t use Magic Wing to fly through the
blast produced by Steam Explosion. Hell, if they cast Sandstorm at the
same time I cast Steam Explosion, there won’t be any time to fly away to
safety.
In short, if the enemy is preserving their magic spells, there is no chance for
me to kill them.
But if the enemy misses their spell, I can close the distance and blow them
to pieces as soon as I can use Steam Explosion again. Unlike Sandstorm, it
only takes a moment from casting for Steam Explosion to reach its peak
power. Even if you use mobility magic, you will not be able to escape the
blast wave.
If that happens, at least one of them will die. They might survive if they’re
lucky enough, but they would be out of commission. In order to avoid such
a situation, one of the two is saving their Sandstorm while they both wait
for the other guy’s Sandstorm to come off cooldown.
“Sticky Bomb.”

“Sticky Bomb.”
While waiting, both of them cast spells at the same time, and one of them—
the one who didn’t use Sandstorm—began closing the distance between us.
They believed they could get close to me without being in danger since I
just cast Steam Explosion.
I can keep my distance if I retreat at the same speed as the enemy is
walking towards me. To stop me, though, the enemy cast their Sticky
Bombs as if to block my path of retreat.
A Sticky Bomb’s area of effect is really not that huge. I can easily avoid it if
I wanted to. Rather than making me step on the Sticky Bomb, the enemy
probably shot the them to take advantage of the moment when I would
check my feet to avoid it.
The other guy cast his Sandstorm barely within what his range would allow,
and I was right at the edge of it. That’s why I was able to evade it so easily.
If he cast it after coming close to me first, I would not have been able to
evade easily.
Taking all that into consideration, I did not retreat. Instead I moved slowly
from side to side to make it harder for the enemy to land their attack. I’m
almost in range of Sandstorm now, but I still did not move back.
“Sticky Bomb.”
“Sticky Bomb.”

Then the enemies cast their spells once more. This time, to my sides,
preventing me from moving left or right. Seeing this, I stopped for a
moment to avoid stepping on the trap—and then I jumped over the Sticky
Bomb on the right side.
There was a bang, and smoke started rising from the spot I was in just a
moment ago. The wind quickly blew away the smoke, revealing a small
crater about a meter in diameter. If whatever made that crater hit me, I
would have been a goner.
Of course, it’s not that a meteorite or something happened to land at the
exact spot at the right time. It was the enemy’s attack—a surprise one using
magic. But it wasn’t cast by any of the enemies in front of me right now.
“I knew it.”
I looked at the person who fired the spell just now. Towards the summit of
Raijis’ active volcano.
“I can’t tell from here,” I mumbled.

The distance from here to the top of the mountain was about ten kilometers
if you follow a straight path. My eyesight was not good enough to see
people that far away. I could use a telescope, but I can’t just look at
something in the distance while in the middle of battle.
But I was quite sure that the attack just now came from the summit of the
mountain.
“Sachylis,” I called. “What does your Search Enemy say?”

“Same as before: two inside Raijis, and three at the mountain summit.”
“Got it. Tell the rest of the squad not to stay at a spot that’s visible from the
summit. Also, tell them that when they move, make sure they can’t be seen.
There are snipers up there. A hit means an instant death.”
I heard a gulp coming from the other side. She doesn’t want to believe that
someone can snipe a target from more than ten kilometers away, and killing
instantly at that. Sure, they’re accustomed to battles that involve using
Skills… No, it’s precisely because they’re accustomed to such battles that
sniping at a distance of ten kilometers feels incredibly unrealistic.
Long-range sniping is usually done with magic or arrows. But that’s only if
the target is about a kilometer away at most.

Magic can fly as fast as a hundred kilometers per hour, which means it takes
nearly thirty seconds to cover one kilometer. It makes it difficult to hit the
target, no matter how hard you try to aim. This is because the target would
move before your attack could reach them. Thirty seconds might be
manageable if it’s a surprise attack, but a distance of ten kilometers means it
will take three hundred second, or five minutes, for the spell to reach its
target.
If you ordered a skilled sniper to predict where the target would be five
minutes from now and hit their mark, they would give you a weird look. It’s
not even sniping at that point. It’s the job of a fortune teller. Unfortunately,
there are no divination Skills in BBO that a sniper can use.
In contrast, an arrow has high velocity. Depending on the Skill you use, you
can reach speeds of nearly a hundred meters per second, almost 360
kilometers per hour. At a distance of 1 kilometer, it takes about 10 seconds
to hit a target. Now this is more realistic.
Still, to cover a distance of ten kilometers, it would a hundred seconds,
around a minute and a half. On top of that, unlike magic, arrows are
affected by air resistance and wind, so they don’t always fly straight. At a
distance of one kilometer, some Skills can be shot with an error of a few
centimeters, but at a distance of ten kilometers, the error will be in meters.
At this point, you’re basically just hoping that your arrow hits.
What’s more, you won’t be able to kill the enemy when you hit them. Both
arrows and magic lose power if the target is too far away. Even if the arrows
and magic that flew for ten kilometers hit the head, there won’t be enough
force to kill the target at that point.

In other words, sniping at a distance of nearly ten kilometers is not realistic

in every sense of the word. This is common sense in combat involving
magic. There are no Skills that can overcome this barrier, even at higher
levels… Well, except for one.
The exception to this is the Ether Cannon, a Skill that Mages manifest
through the Awakening System. The speed of this magic slightly exceeds
the speed of sound, and within a distance of one kilometer, it will land
almost as soon as it is cast. Even at a distance of ten kilometers, it only
takes a few seconds to land a shot—and unlike an arrow, it reaches its target
in a straight line, unaffected by wind and other factors.
Since the spell doesn’t lose power even when traveling quite some distance,
it can kill people even this far. In fact, it kept enough power to leave a crater
at the point of impact. It was clear just how absurd this spell was. The caster
managed to hit his targeted spot that was so far away—so far in fact, that
you probably can’t even see the person at all. Standing still at a spot within
visual range of an Awakened Mage is equal to immediate death.
It seems that the countermeasure that the enemy was talking about was
sniping from the top of the mountain with the Ether Cannon. I’m sure they
went to the trouble of tearing down all the buildings and turning the city
into a vacant lot to give a better view for the sniper. The enemy Mage at the
top of the mountain was probably watching us using a telescope or
something, waiting for the perfect timing.
“He dodged it?” the enemy let out a cry of surprise.
“H-How could he tell?!”
Their strategy was to send Mages who can use Sandstorm to the front line
as their main force, and then snipe those they can’t deal with. It’s not bad as
far as strategies go, but they didn’t think things through.
Magic Veil can’t withstand the power of Ether Cannon, and if it hit, I would
have been dead on the spot. But sniping from a long range is only effective
if the target is unaware of the sniper.

Their movements were all too obvious. The way they used Sticky Bombs
earlier was like telling me, “We’re going to snipe you, so don’t move.” The
only ones who would fall for that would be the ones who don’t know about
the existence of the spell Ether Cannon.
“The timing of my cloaking attack magic should have been perfect!”
I see. Their plan was to make it look like they were the shooter, so that
people don’t realize that someone else was shooting from the top of the
mountain. A wasted effort, since I already noticed it. With that in mind, I
resume moving left and right.
Even an Ether Cannon would take a few seconds to land. That’s plenty of
time to avoid it. Sniping is not effective unless it is done in one shot. If they
wanted to use it as a trump card, they should have made it so they could
pull it off with one attempt.
The cooldown for Ether Cannon is about ten seconds. They should be firing
their second shot soon, but the AoE of the spell is not that huge that it can
hit a moving target easily. If I can predict where the spell will be fired, it’s
not hard at all to dodge it as well.
“Is that all you got?” I asked as I started walking forward.
I’m within the range of Sandstorm now. Although I can still dodge it with
my Magic Wing, the closer I get, the more difficult it is to evade.

If I’m in range of the Sandstorm, that means the enemy is also within range
of my Steam Explosion. But of course, I still need more time before I can
cast it again. Approximately twenty-five seconds had passed since I last
cast it. I need about thirty-seconds more for the next one.
Although there is a spell called “Dual Cast” that reinvokes a spell casted
just before, it has to be within a five-second time frame. Otherwise, it’s
pretty much ineffective. What’s more, I cast Magic Wing after Steam
Explosion, so time really doesn’t matter. Using Dual Cast would recast my
Magic Wing instead, not Steam Explosion.
But the enemy doesn’t know all that. So I decided to pretend that I could
still use… or almost use Steam Explosion.

Seeing me like that, the expression on the enemy’s expression darkened,

fear in his face. If I retreated, the enemy would have thought that there’s a
good chance I wouldn’t be able to cast the next Steam Explosion yet.
However, when the other guy was closing in on me, all I did was watch him
silently. By doing so, I made them think that there was a reason I was so
composed, that I didn’t mind them coming closer to me. They were
definitely thinking that I was so relaxed because I still had an ace up my
sleeve—another Steam Explosion.
In fact, I can’t cast Steam Explosion, but I can give the illusion that I can.
The enemy probably doesn’t know the exact attack range of Steam
Explosion, or its cooldown. But if intel from my previous fights with the
Empire’s troops were passed to them, they should have a general idea.
In order to confuse the enemy of the exact cooldown of Steam Explosion, I
didn’t cast it every sixty seconds. While it’s difficult to create the illusion of
a shorter cooldown, it’s possible to create the illusion of a longer one. I can
make them think that instead of the actual sixty seconds, the cooldown is
eighty seconds. If they miscalculate and stay in range for a longer time, I
could end them on the spot.

The enemy must be considering the possibility that their estimate on the
cooldown is wrong. The only data they have is that in all my battles so far, I
had not cast Steam Explosion within eighty seconds. There’s always the
possibility that I can cast it every sixty seconds, or even thirty, that I’m just
choosing not to cast it consecutively.
And that fear became a reality.
“Steam…”
It’s only been thirty seconds since I cast the spell. I began uttering the name
of the spell much earlier than they had expected.
Despite this, their reaction was quick. They got down on the ground,
covered their heads, and put up their strongest defensive magic in the
direction the blast would come from. All the things they did was almost
exactly what you would expect from a drill to protect yourself against
explosions. Perhaps they trained for an eventual fight against me.

As a result, they both managed to pull off a defensive maneuver before I

finished my chanting. All that against a magic spell that failed to cast at all.
“…Explosion,” I said, as I rolled to the side.
Immediately after that, an Ether Canon landed on the spot where I was a
split-second ago.
Man, this sniper’s too easy to read. What, they actually thought they could
hit me with this? Give me more credit, will you?

Sniping is about timing your attack perfectly so it can’t be dodged. Like

this, for example.
“Gaaaahhh!”
Right after I rolled, one of the enemies let out a scream. There was an arrow
sticking on his back.
The reason I pretended to shoot the Steam Explosion earlier was to make
my opponent defend against it. It’s immediately obvious that the I was
bluffing, but by that time they realize it, the arrows have already reached
the target. Their effort to shift to a defensive maneuver only made them
easy targets for arrows raining from above.
“Now that’s how you snipe,” I said.
If you can create the right opening yourself, you don’t even need high-level
Skills for sniping. Just informing the archers hiding in the woods around the
city the location of the enemy is more than enough. With Sachylis’ Search
Enemy, I don’t even have to tell them myself.
The arrow did not pierce very deeply, as the archers were more concerned
about penetrating defensive magic than raw power. Naturally, it was not
powerful enough to kill the enemy instantly, but the arrow was coated in
toxin that paralyzes the victim and causes severe pain. It was enough to stop
the guy from moving.
“Fire Bomb.”

Unable to evade my magic spell, the enemy was burned to death. Now
there’s only one guy left.
“Looks like you got lucky,” I said.
There are several arrows stuck around the remaining one dude, but none hit
him.
There were no expert snipers among Count Meigis’ men. So I asked the
ones with long-range attack Skills to just fire a volley of arrows. Just hitting
one out of the two was a great job.
“One hit the mark,” I said over the comms. “It’s not surprising, given your
lack of training, but your accuracy can still be improved.”
“Sorry,” Sachylis replied. “I think I missed as well.”
“The fact that your arrows landed close is good enough. Your role is not to
snipe enemies anyway.”
I informed them of the results so they could use it to improve themselves in
the future. Like Sachylis said, her arrow indeed missed. Well, her role was
to serve as a liaison for the rest of the troops, so her positioning wasn’t
optimal. Compared to the rest who were tasked to snipe, she was at a
disadvantage.

There may be times in the future when this kind of sniping will be needed,
so it might be a good idea to train some people in long range combat. Even
if their Skills work fine, sniping at a distance where you can’t see the
enemy requires a different technique than normal combat. For now, though,
just being able to reduce the number of enemies by one is a good
accomplishment.
As I stepped closer to the surviving guy, he let out a shriek and fled, fear on
his face. He no longer had the will to fight. He was just running away as
fast as he could.
Their sniper missed, and what was a two-on-one had turned into a one-on-
one. He thought he had no chance of winning in this situation. Of all the
decisions the enemy has made today, this is the only correct one—to retreat.
Of course, whether he can get away or not is a different story.
“Deadly Pain.”
I cast Deadly Pain for now and see what happens. This spell, which stops
the enemy’s movement with a tremendous pain, has the ability to decide the
fight with a single blow if not blocked.

The spell can’t penetrate defenses, so if the enemy casts defensive magic, it
will have no effect. I was going to save it until the enemy’s defensive magic
ended, but now that I didn’t need to do that anymore, I gave it a shot.
“I knew it wouldn’t work.”
The “Deadly Pain” I shot at the fleeing enemy had no effect whatsoever.
Their countermeasures against me included using magic to block Deadly
Pain. Well-researched.
Learning that made casting Deadly Pain worth it. Whether or not the enemy
knows about Deadly Pain is important intel for future battles.
“Fire Bomb. Flame Arrow. Flame Circle.”
I unleashed a series of attack magic toward the fleeing enemy. None of
these spells are particularly difficult to dodge, and I wasn’t trying my best
to hit him either. There’s no need to reveal my cards when the fight is
already over.
“Aaah! M-Magic Guard!”

Casting defensive spells blindly, the guy ran away at full speed. He was just
running around randomly, and luckily he seems to be avoiding my attacks.
Eventually he disappeared into the woods.
Several seconds later, Sachylis’s report came through the comms.
“Clean-up complete,” she said. “It was Dylan who did it.”
Looks like it’s over. While Sandstorm is a nasty magic, there’s no way a
guy who’s just running around scared can use it well. Moreover, we have a
grasp of the enemy’s position by means of detection magic like Search
Enemy.
With a twenty-versus-one clean-up, failing to catch the guy is practically
impossible. This is the reason why I didn’t bother actually following up
with my attacks.
“Great job,” I said. “We’re retreating, but make sure to stay out of vision
from the guys at the summit. And tell Count Gaze that we have defeated the
enemy in Raijis, but that he is not to enter it yet.”

“Copy that.”
And so we succeeded in eliminating the enemy from Raijis. The city is now
a perfect target for snipers using Ether Cannon, so we haven’t really
reclaimed it in the truest sense of the word. Raijis was only a vacant land
now.
There are methods to protect Raijis, but there’s no point in rushing things.
It’s better to take care of the root of the problem first—the enemies in Raijis
volcano.
The sniper, who had awakened themselves using a precious Wisdom Stone,
is definitely an irreplaceable personnel for the Empire.
“Now that we know the enemy’s identity, let’s find someplace where we
won’t get shot at and meet up there.”
“Yes, sir!”
About half an hour later.
We were gathered in a hollow right in the middle of the city of Raijis and
the active volcano, looking at a map of the mountain.
“Hmm… If they’re holed up in there, launching an attack will be tough,” I
muttered as I studied the terrain.
The summit of the volcano has a clear view of the surrounding area, making
it difficult to create blind spots. Just getting close to the summit would turn
you into an easy target for Ether Cannon.
There are no trees near the summit, so there are no places to hide. The only
way you can snipe from a kilometer away is if you can catch the target off
guard. If there is no blind spot where you can shoot without being seen by
the target, you need to get very close—at least a hundred or two hundred
meters, to make sure your attack reach the enemy.
However, at this distance, an Ether Cannon will hit almost as soon as it’s
cast. In that respect, it’s more of a gun or a cannon than a magic spell.
Getting close from the front is not a good idea at all.
Using Mana Invisibility is an option, but it’s not exactly a flawless cloaking
spell. In the unstable terrain of an active volcano, even just walking will
cause stones to move, making the enemy aware of a surprise attack.

If there’s only one enemy, or if there are places to hide like in a forest,
there’s still hope for a successful surprise attack, but that’s not the case for a
mountain summit with three people fortifying it. It’s just not possible.
From the number of spells that was cast, there’s only one Awakened Mage
among the three. Since they were assigned to protect the summit, they have
to be skilled elites.
It’s possible that all three are incredibly strong. But I have one more
plausible theory. They have the same group composition as us; one main
force—that is, me—and a bunch of supports to back me up.
Even those with powerful Skills aren’t invincible, so it’s only natural to
have an expert by your side in areas that Awakened Mages don’t excel in,
such as enemy detection and defense.
If someone with a close-combat class was Awakened, they could have sent
them to the vicinity of Raijis. That fact that they didn’t meant that it’s more
likely that there’s only one enemy who used the Awakening System.
Although, I can’t deny the possibility that there are other Awakened
enemies, so we have to be vigilant.
And when it comes to surprise attacks, the biggest obstacle is not the
enemies themselves, but the environment—the active volcano. There are
many active volcanoes back on Earth, but BBO’s active volcanoes are
completely different.
The volcanoes of this world are ‘alive’ in the truest sense of the word. The
moment you take a step into one, the volcano itself senses the invasion of
foreign beings, and sends many enemies to attack you, spawning endlessly
to get rid of the intruders.
However, there is a place where you don’t get attacked. It’s called a
Sanctuary, a safe zone inside an active volcano.

The Sanctuary is a great position to fight against humans. After all, you can
concentrate on attacking while the enemy gets swarmed by monters. You’d
be hard pressed to find more favorable conditions than this.
But of course, the Sanctuary is not just located anywhere. Normally, there’s
only one of it—at the summit. Not only was the enemy an expert in sniping,
they had also the unique environment provided by the volcano on their side.
A Sanctuary also has an important role besides being a safe zone. That is,
the Awakening system.
When you have a volcano’s Sanctuary and the number of Wisdom Stones
required for your class, you can activate the Awakening System. Since the
enemy has both the system and Sanctuary to themselves, fighting them
head-on is going to be tough.
Even if the enemy is not skilled in combat techniques, they can win by
simply brute-forcing it. Combat skills don’t matter at this point. It’s like
using a bamboo spear against an opponent that fires their machine gun at
random. It’s simply impossible.

“All right,” I said. “Let’s create our own Sanctuary, then.”

I’ve already informed the troops about the Sanctuary. Since the enemy’s
Awakened Mage is holding the mountaintop, we have no chance of winning
with our current state.
“I guess we have no other choice, huh?”
“We don’t. It’s gonna be a bit rough, but I’m sure it’ll work out.”
Sanctuaries are normally only found on mountaintops. Keyword: normally.
You can, in fact, create your own Sanctuary by performing a ritual. To do
that, though, you first need to get inside the volcano and basically fight it.
In order to fight the large number of enemies that appear in the volcano, I
have to use powerful spells like Steam Explosion, and thereby giving away
our location to the enemy. When that happens, we’ll have to fight while
continuously avoiding the sniper’s projectiles. It’s going to be a huge pain
in the butt, but we have no other better strategy, so we’ll just have to go
through with it.

“Everyone good?” I asked. “Got enough mana?”

“Yes, sir!”
“All right, then. Let’s go!”
We were about to enter the Raijis volcano.

About an hour later, we arrived at the foot of the volcano.

“So this is the Boundary,” Sachylis mumbled as she regarded the scene in
front of her.
What she saw was something you would not find on Earth. Right on the
border dividing the flat land at the foot of the mountain and the slope was a
pool of lava, like a moat protecting a castle.
It wasn’t something created by the Empire to protect their base. The
volcano itself built it as a defensive measure.
Beyond the lava pool was a mountain slope. There was nothing out of the
ordinary at first glance. It looked like an ordinary mountain, overgrown
with trees.
But if you looked closely, you would see a river of lava flowing through the
woods. Trees stood along the banks of the scorching river like it was
nothing. Common sense would tell you that a forest fire could occur just ten
seconds later, but the trees were completely unharmed. Everything that
grows in this forest is part of the body of the active volcano.
The trees are a blessing for us. If the volcano was a rocky mountain, it
would have been much harder to avoid the sniper’s attacks. It’s thanks to
the trees that we’re able to talk at the foot of the mountain, since they
blocked the view.
“By the way, I forgot to ask,” Sachylis said, looking at the lava. “How are
we going to enter the woods? I don’t have any levitation Skill that can carry
me over that distance.”
The moat was about ten meters wide. You can fly over it with a Skill like
Magic Wing, but jumping across without any Skill is extremely difficult.
“No worries about that,” I answered. “It’ll let us in easy.”
I walked toward the face of the volcano. Lava burst forth in front of me, but
the next second it quickly cooled and hardened, creating a path that led
inside. I stepped on the path and put my weight on it to make sure it was
safe.
“I-Is it inviting us in?”
“Yup. For volcanoes, creatures from outside are a source of sustenance and
mana. It’ll welcome us with open arms. Doubt it’ll let us leave as easily,
though.”
“What if it’s just baiting us so we fall into the lava?”
“Not gonna happen. It’s much more efficient for the trees to absorb energy
directly from humans.”
I stepped off the bridge on purpose, attempting to fall into the moat. Lava
spewed out again, and a small foothold formed right under my feet to catch
me. I stood there and watched as another bridge connecting to the mountain
formed automatically.

“See? It’ll save us. We’re valuable source of nourishment, after all.”
“How do we leave?”
“Well, it’s not gonna help us then, but as long as there’s one guy waiting
outside, he can make the volcano create a bridge just like now. If there’s no
one waiting outside, then someone can just use levitation Skill to get out.”
Active volcanoes are alive, but they are not that intelligent. It’s more like a
huge predator that lives by instinctively catching its prey. Although, from
the way it lures monsters and other living beings, it’s really more of an
insectivorous plant.
Therefore, if an active volcano senses a human being standing outside, it
assumes that they want to enter the mountain and makes a path for them. If
the ones with flying Skills are wiped out, you can ask someone outside to
help you. We won’t have to worry about a thing right now, since three of
our troops will be waiting for us outside.
“Once we pass this bridge, we’ll be fighting for a while, whether you like it
or not,” I said. “Before we do, let’s do a final check on our gear. If any of
you have any problems, come forward.”
I then checked to make sure my equipment was in good working order. I
have some reserve in my magic storage, but if something unforeseen
happens in the middle of battle, I might end up spending a lot of mana.
Mana management is very important once inside an active volcano, so
you’ll want to take whatever measures you can.
“Is everyone good?” I asked.

“Yes, sir!”
“All right, then. Let’s go.”
I crossed the bridge that the mountain had just built for me. Those who
were assigned to enter with me followed close behind. Immediately after
crossing the bridge, Sachylis’ face darkened.
“Uhm… my Search Enemy…”
I could hear the confusion in her voice through the comms. I couldn’t blame
her, really. It’s probably the first time she’s been surrounded by so many
enemies.
“Yeah. There’s a hell lot of them, huh? Magic Search.”
I also used my own detection magic. I picked up countless figures all
around me, all of them hostiles. Sachylis probably saw the same thing with
her Search Enemy.
A nearby tree branch suddenly moved, closing in on me. I drew my sword
and slashed off its branch with a critical strike.
“As you can see,” I said, “The trees growing here are hostiles. Think of
them all as parts of a monster.”
“Uhm… are they all going to attack?”
‘No. Different trees have different roles. Only the attacking type will hit
you. If you look closely, the shape of the leaves is a little different, right?” I
plucked a leaf from the branch I just cut off. It was much smaller than those
of the other trees, and shaped in a way that lessened drag to make its strikes
more effective. “It’s this type of tree you need to watch out for, and the ones
that smell nice. Most of the trees are used to absorb nutrients from dead
creatures, so they’re harmless to living people.”
“Did you say that the ones that smell good will make you hallucinate?”

“I did. It’s poison that has little effect on humans, but if inhaled for a long
time in large quantities, it can cause harm. You’d better be careful not to get
too close.”
This poison is mainly used to attract monsters. Monsters’ sense of smell are
so keen that even from outside the volcano, they get drawn by the sweet
smell and enter the volcano’s territory by their own will. Hallucinating from
the poision, they are then helplessly killed without even knowing what was
going on.
There are actual monsters in the volcano, but it’s said that most of the
monsters that wander in are killed by these trees. Even humans would be
killed by the trees if they didn’t have the knowledge about these active
volcanoes. A blow to the back or top of your head will knock you out, and
you’ll be beaten to death.
“We’re cutting down the harmless ones as well, though.”
I swung my sword at the nearest tree. Since the target was stationary,
landing a critical hit was easy. I couldn’t really cut through the trunk with a
single slash, but the sword managed to bore in about halfway.
I pulled my sword out of the trunk and slammed it into the tree once more.
“For now, everyone with close-combat classes, cut the trees down as you
move. Be careful that they don’t fall on you, and only use Skills that don’t
consume mana.”
“Yes, sir!”

My troops began cutting down the innocent trees. They’re technically

monsters, but we’re not doing this to gain exp. What we’re doing is
provoking the volcano.
The volcano is alive and growing trees to digest stray creatures. Of course,
trees don’t grow without any cost. The volcano needs mana and nutrients to
grow them, so cutting them all down is an unforgivable, savage act.
Naturally, the volcano will try to stop it.
A few minutes had passed since we started cutting down the trees.
“Sensing hostile from underneath!” Sachylis’s status report reached
everyone in the squad.
This is exactly what we were chopping down the trees for.
“They’re coming!” I shouted. “Watch out!”
I leapt back. Immediately afterwards──a pond of lava appeared in the place
where I was until just now. From it, monsters jumped out one after another.
What appeared were ordinary animal-type monsters such as boars, wolves,
and deer. Individually, they’re not that strong. They’re probably the
strongest among the normal monsters you’ll see in Count Meigis’ territory,
but compared to Area Bosses and the like, they’re pretty weak.
Area Bosses stronger than these bunch are common back at the Count’s
place, so my troops should be able to take down around five of them even
without me. However, the monsters were numbering over thirty now, and
more still sprang out of the pool one after another.
In battle, numbers is power. If even only one of ten reach the target, they
will be injured. If you’re injured, your movement will become sluggish, and
it will be harder to counter the next attack. Eventually you get more and
more injuries, and in the end, you’re a goner.
Being crushed by numbers like this is one way adventurers lose their lives.
Human armies would hesitate to charge into an opponent they can’t defeat,
but in the case of the monsters from the volcano, they rushed onward, no
matter who the enemy was, without even caring about their own lives. They
were no longer living beings at this point, but rather more like disposable
cannon shells.
This lava pool that mass-produces monsters is the first stage of the
defensive measure of the volcano. And it’s a necessary step for the creation
of the Sanctuary.

What makes this volcano so annoying is the hostiles’ incredible fire

resistance. All of the monsters here in the forest can handle extremely high
temperatures, as you would expect, since they can withstand lava itself.
There’s no flame magic that’s powerful enough to melt rocks, so high heat
is practically ineffective. There’s an exception, though. With the Awakening
System, there are other ways to produce higher temperatures, but with that
much power, it’s far more efficient to use other types of magic instead.
Among the many types of offensive magic, the most powerful attribute is
undoubtedly fire. Fire magic has much higher power and magical efficiency
than other attributes, although it has a few drawbacks, like friendly fire, or
causing a wildfire. This is also the reason why I only use fire-based attack
magic.
Flame Circle, in particular, has a wide range, high power, and moderate
mana cost, making it a favorite in group combat. It’s also possible to use it
continuously, which is a big advantage over Steam Explosion. Not being
able to use it is a huge pain against all these monsters.
You’d expect fire-type monsters to be weak against water-type or ice-type
spells, but these monsters barely have any weakness. Ice magic, especially,
is not that effective, and can only deal similar damage to physical attacks.
It’s easy to take the monsters down individually, but when there are
hundreds of them, it can prove troublesome.
“Fire magic doesn’t work!” I said. “Use any other type of magic! You can
use half of your arrows!”
I looked for a spot where the monsters were tightly packed. After finding
one, I shot a spell right in the middle of them.
“Ice pillar.”
They’re not weak against the spell, but I had no other choice, since I got
nothing that’s better. Now I could knock them all away with a shock wave
from Steam Explosion, but the loud bang will definitely draw the attention
of the enemies at the mountaintop.

If we’re just cutting down trees and fighting monsters, we can choose any
other location so we don’t get noticed. Unfortunately, there is no way to
hide the explosion of that spell. That’s why I only want to use it after the
enemy had noticed us.
Sooner or later, they’re going to find out anyway. We want to be as prepared
as possible for the Sanctuary creation before then.
“Power Slash!”
“Piercing Arrow!”
My comrades also used their Skills one after another to kill the monsters.
Since using fire magic is useless, taking them down with a wide AoE attack
is difficult. Thankfully, Count Meigis’ army are trained in anti-monster
combat.

The ones selected for this expedition are a handful of the elite in the Count
Meigis army. Sure there are a lot of enemies, but they’re not that high-
leveled. They shouldn’t have that much trouble. Using anti-group combat
techniques, we took down monsters one after another.
While in the middle of the fight, one of the squad member, A Spirit
Swordsman named Michael, shouted. “Yulia, watch out!”
“Right!”
Yulia, also one of our members, jumped to the right, and a hole opened up
where she just was. I couldn’t see what made the hole on the ground. It was
just that fast.
“So they finally noticed us, huh?”
The only magic spell that can do that without any sort of warning is the
Ether Canon. The enemy Mage had noticed our presence and attacked us.

I already expected them to notice us around this time. Even if they couldn’t
see us, trees falling left and right would’ve drawn their attention, so it
would be no surprise if they became aware of our presence from the top of
the mountain.
We were expecting the enemy to notice us while in the middle of the battle.
So we left just enough trees standing to block the sniper’s vision, even as
we proceeded onward.
The enemy probably doesn’t know exactly where we are. But if they know
our rough location, they can fire magic at random. If they keep firing one
shot every ten seconds for an hour, that’s 360 shots total. There’s twenty of
us, so there’s a good chance that some of the squad members will get hit.
Ether Canon is a spell that can kill instantaneously upon hit, so we have to
dodge it at all costs. If a crucial members gets killed, it could cause our
whole squad to fall apart. And in comes Michael, a Spirit Swordsman
whose role is to counter the sniper.
A Spirit Swordsman has a Skill called Spirit Clairvoyance. While the name
suggests it can predict anything that will happen in the future, its range is
actually very limited. In fact, it’s practically useless most of the time.
Spirit Clairvoyance predicts the point of impact of spells, arrows, and other
attacks. It might sound like a very handy Skill, but it’s only useful after a
spell is cast. And there lies the problem.

In normal combat, you can immediately tell where a spell like Fire Bomb
will hit just by looking at it. For Steam Explosion and Deadly Pain, by the
time you see the point of impact, the spells are already exhibiting their
effects.
In short, by the time the spells have taken effect, it’s too late. It’s faster to
just use your eyes. The Skill is just a waste of mana. That’s how Spirit
Clairvoyance is seen in normal combat.
But, in cases where you can’t see the attack, or it takes time for a spell to hit
after it’s cast, then Spirit Clairvoyance comes in handy. Exactly like the
situation we’re in right now. A bullet that’s too fast for the eye to follow,
flying through a distance, taking several seconds before it hits.
“Sir Eld! On you!”
“Roger that.”
After I jumped backwards, the Ether Canon pierced the spot I was in. For a
guy who’s aiming randomly, he actually managed to land a hit at my
location. Maybe the enemy has a Mage who excels in detection.
I returned to killing monsters. “Ice Pillar. Ice Pillar. Ice Pillar.”
The ten seconds after Ether Cannon is cast is crucial. By killing the
monsters and securing the safety of our surroundings during this downtime,
we will have space to evade when we become the target of the Ether Canon.
Killing monsters this way, while being wary of the enemy’s attacks from
above, is quite inefficient, but I still consume the same mana for each
monster anyway, so it all comes down to how fast we can kill them.
The rate at which the lava pools produced monsters was gradually slowing
down. Even at our current pace, we’ll be able to kill them all in time.
“Please stay still!” Michael said.
This time he instructed us to not move. It means that the enemy’s spell will
not hit anyone, but it will land somewhere nearby. We might get hit if we
moved, so it’s best to just stay put and wait until the spell hit.
The fact that he gave such an instructions means that the enemy likely
doesn’t know exactly where we are. It just so happened that the first two
shots followed a trajectory that would have hit us—nothing but a
coincidence. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that they’re missing on
purpose to make us think that, but if that’s the case, they could have done it
in a more obvious manner.

“Impact confirmed. You’re free to move!”

“Copy that.”
And so we continued killing the countless monsters coming out of the
pools. Over time, fewer and fewer monsters appeared. Even while dealing
with the Ether Cannon, we still managed to kill them all. At this point, it
wasn’t us killing the monsters in front of us, more like we’re waiting for the
monsters to spawn and then kill them.
The enemy on the mountaintop has not made any movement. They’re just
doing what they’ve been doing so far—firing Ether Cannons every time it
comes off cooldown. If they closed in on us, Spirit Clairvoyance might not
allow us to dodge in time, which would spell trouble for us, but they
seemed to be just staying still.
Ether Cannon consumes very little mana, so while we’re not moving yet,
they just keep firing in hopes that they’ll land a shot. More like a gamble,
really. The fact that you can fire a powerful spell like this a hundred times
from a safe place is unfair. But Skills that require Awakening tend to be
broken to begin with. In fact, Ether Cannon is not a particularly powerful
Skill among the Awakened lineup.
The fact that the enemy has been attacking us one-sidedly for so long yet
aren’t able to make us suffer casualties is proof of that. Skill-based combat
isn’t so easy that you can win just by firing off a bunch of magic from a
safe distance.
If it had been Count Gaze’s army that came to Raijis instead of us, they
might have been annihilated by the sniper alone. While Count Meigis’s
troops are not trained for human warfare, some of them were the right
choice for this mission in their ability to deal with a possible Awakened
enemy. I chose one with the Skill Spirit Clairvoyance, perfect against
Awakened Mages, because I already considered this possibility.
Now if you ask me if it’s good that the enemy is not moving, I’d say no. If
the enemy’s main force left the summit, I could leave the squad and take the
Sanctuary, and then undergo Awakening. That would’ve been the quickest
way to end the mission. In the end, it doesn’t really matter either way
because I had a strategy prepared for each situation.

“It’s about time,” I said as I watched the monsters appearing. “Get ready to
change formation.”
My fellow troops adjusted their positions slightly and prepared for the next
instructions. Then a few minutes later, the monsters stopped coming.
“Everyone, get away from the lava!”
The squad all moved away from the pool of lava. Flames erupted from the
center, transforming into countless monsters.
This is proof that the volcano has recognized that it can’t defeat us by just
sending monsters endlessly. Because the volcano can absorb dead monsters
as well, even if we kill them, the volcano won’t lose that much power.

But that only applied to monsters that took time to create. The more
unnatural the phenomenon it brings about, the more power it consumes.
Spewing out lava like it did earlier to lure us in didn’t consume much power
because lava is just a natural component of a volcano.
The monsters that had appeared earlier were originally from here, and the
volcano just gathered them. That’s why they didn’t appear that fast, and
their rate of appearance gradually slowed down. All the volcano really had
to do was move the monsters, allowing for minimal power consumption.
But the monsters right now were created directly from the volcano’s power.
That’s why it was able to create numerous monsters in an instant that were
much stronger than the ones earlier. This is basically an emergency measure
for a volcano, one that consumes a great deal of energy.
Now if a large number of monsters appear in one place and at the same
time, dealing with them is easy. I have the perfect spell for this situation.
“Steam Explosion.”
With a deafening bang, a blast blew away the monsters that had spawned.
The monsters created from the power of an active volcano are certainly
stronger than the ones that came before, probably as strong as the stronger
Area Bosses.

However, Steam Explosion was still able to kill them all in one shot. It
doesn’t matter if the enemy has resistance to fire. They can’t block the
fierce gust of wind that comes afterwards. The monsters that the volcano
created using so much energy were wiped out before they could even show
their power.
“Okay… What next?”
If the volcano was as intelligent as a human, it would have waited five
seconds just in case of a Dual Cast, and then recreated the monsters. Steam
Explosion is a spell that can’t be cast continuously, and there aren’t many
magic that can kill that many in one shot.
For the volcano, it’s a demanding move, but for one as big as this, it should
be able to produce a second swarm of monsters without fatally depleting
itself. In human terms, it’s like casting a spell that consumes a lot of mana
twice.
But an active volcano is a kind of monster, driven by instinct. It doesn’t
have the ability to name the spells that its enemy is using and come up with
some sort of a strategy. With the monster horde it spent so much energy to
create killed instantly, it’ll try to eliminate us using other means.
But there’s not a lot of defensive measures left for it to use. When you think
of volcanoes, you think of lava flows and volcanic projectiles, but it would
take months before it could incorporate those kind of things into its attacks.
There is only one weapon that it can use now that’s more powerful than the
monsters it summoned.

“I knew you’d do that.”

Right in front of me, a large amount of lava erupted from the pool. Unlike
earlier when it built the bridge, the lava did not cool and harden. Instead it
gradually changed shape, its temperature increasing.
After changing shapes, there stood a giant made of lava—a lava golem of
some sorts.
This monster is called a Volcano Avatar. It’s the ultimate weapon of an
active volcano, the volcano’s power itself materialized.
The monsters that were summoned until now were like disposable defense
devices, and even if they were killed, the volcano would only lose a little of
its power. It can also regain some of its power by having the trees absorb
the dead monsters. But this Volcano Avatar is different.
As the name suggests, it’s basically the incarnation of the volcano itself.
Creating a puppet of lava and moving it around is clearly the peak of
abnormality. Without immense power, it would not be able to continue
functioning. Materializing it takes a huge toll on the volcano, and moving it
and using it to attack also consumes a lot of power. Just fighting it, then,
weakens the volcano.
The active volcano is so huge that you’d think it has unlimited power. But
contrary to appearance, its power is actually finite. It’s just a monster—if
you weaken it, it’ll eventually run out of juice. That’s what active volcanoes
are like in this world.
If it just acted like a normal volcano, it wouldn’t even consume any mana at
all. Even on Earth, where magic does not exist, there were volcanoes.
Performing its natural processes would not require mana in the least. In
fact, this volcano can just behave normally even without any magical
power.
But it’s different when it collects mana to do other things. The only way for
the volcano to gather mana is to absorb stray humans and monsters. There’s
mana in nature itself, but it’s too impure to be used by the volcano.

In short, active volcanoes use mana collected little by little from monsters
and humans to create lava pools around them and grow trees that try to eat
people. With all that considered, you’d see that the volcano is not that
powerful as its size might suggest. Of course, for volcanoes that have been
active for centuries, the amount of energy it has accumulated would be
enormous, but still limited.
The Volcano Avatar is a monster that contains almost all the power of the
volcano. This means that if it’s taken down, it will directly lead to the death
of the volcano itself. Well, if it actually dies, I won’t be able to use the
Awakening System, so I want it to survive. Then again, it’s not exactly an
enemy you can go easy on.
“Acquire Skill, Skill Code 1225: Blizzard Tornado. Acquire Skill, Skill
Code 1290: Magic Anti-Flame.”
It’s been a while since I learned high-level Skills. There’s not much utility
for these spells, so I didn’t bother learning them until now. Unfortunately
the monster before us can’t be killed with the spells in my current arsenal.
After it had completely transformed, the Volcano Avatar let out a roar. Its
blackish body then turned red-hot, and the surrounding temperature rose
rapidly. While watching it, I cast my anti-flame spell.
“Magic Anti-Flame.”
It’s a higher-level Skill with an anti-fire effect, similar to the Magic Anti-
Electric that I used against the Heaven-rending Lightning Dragon. It’s one
of the most powerful magic against fire. But I still felt the heat on my skin.
So imagine what would have happened if I didn’t have Magic Anti-Flame.

Flames erupted from the trees around us. The temperature was so high that
even trees spontaneously ignited, trees that neither flame magic nor lava
can burn. Indeed. Just by standing there, a Volcano Avatar can spread
intense heat to its surroundings.
Still this is not yet the final form of the Volcano Avatar. We’re talking about
a whole volcano’s energy being concentrated in a single monster, after all.
“Anti-Flame.”

I stacked one more normal flame resistance spell on top of what I already
cast. It’s the same spell I used against the Raging Ape. It should be able to
withstand an ordinary wildfire, but against a Volcano Avatar, it only serves
as a support spell for stacking some defense.
As the Volcano Avatar roared again, pale flames began enveloping its lava
body. It’s reached its real maximum power. The Volcano Avatar is now in
its final form.
“Sir Eld, watch out!” Michael warned.
It’s not just the volcano that we’re up against. With the trees around us
burned down, there was nothing to obstruct vision anymore. My figure was
in full view of the enemy. All Ether Cannon shots are coming for me.
But I didn’t dodge it. Why? Because I don’t have to.

“Sir Eld, do you copy?! Evasive maneuver!”

Watching me stay still, Michael started panicking. Shorty after, the Ether
Cannon… did not hit.
All I heard was a sharp hiss above. The spell was vaporized by the extreme
heat.
‘It’s all right,” I said. “It can’t reach us now.”
The Volcano Avatar is not an Area Boss, but a Raid Boss. It’s about at the
same level as the Heaven-rending Lightning Dragon, if not higher. That’s
right, higher. Because while it’s possible to get close to a Lightning Dragon,
this one won’t let you come closer at all.

It’s not just humans that it warded off, but magic as well. Even the Ether
Cannon, a spell composed of almost pure mana and contains no
combustible materials whatsover, was vaporized into nothing by the ultra-
high heat of the Volcano Avatar. The heat wrapped around itself served as
an extremely sturdy shield.
The distance between me and the Volcano Avatar was about ten meters. If I
get too close, I would be burned to death even with the resistance magic.
On the other hand, if I moved too far away, my spells won’t be able to hit it.
Since it completely materialized just now, it has not yet launched any
attacks, which also shows just how strong it is. In the case of ordinary
monsters, if they’re attacked without having any sort of defense, they will
naturally die, so they need to move and fight right away, even if they just
spawned. Staying motionless in the face of the enemy is a privilege of the
invincible.
As its form might suggest, the Volcano Avatar consumes an enormous
amount of energy, which means it exhausts a lot of power as well. Yet the
volcano still chose to go with this form, because the avatar has enough
destructive force even for a short period of time.
If you don’t have a way to protect yourself from the heat, you will die just
by getting close. Even if you have something to counter the heat, if it’s
designed for something like a normal wildfire, you’re still dead. The
Volcano Avatar doesn’t even have to do anything. By just standing there, it
can vaporize its enemies, weapons, and even magic spells.
The Volcano Avatar left the pool of lava and was closing in on me. The
surrounding temperature rose even higher, and I could feel the heat even
through the resistance magic I’ve stacked. The battlefield, which should
have been a forest, had turned into a wilderness blanketed with ashes. If I
dispel my resistance magic, even I will be reduced to ashes in less than a
second.
If it gets any closer, my current resistance spells won’t be able to withstand
the heat. But I’ve already used all my anti-fire spells. All that’s left are
offensive spells.
“Blizzard Tornado.”
I cast a spell that produced a whirlwind of snow. Unlike the animal-type
monsters from earlier, the Volcano Avatar is a bare mass of fire, and is weak
against the ice attribute.
The volcano uses its power to sustain the scorching heat on the avatar’s
body. So if you cool it, even with regular ice that would not even do much
damage to normal monsters, you can take away a lot of the volcano’s
power.
Against an object of such high temperature, there’s gonna be thermal
contraction. They say that hot glass breaks when thrown into water. That’s
because the surface cools quickly, while the internal temperature remains
the same, causing the glass to break from the inside. The same thing can
happen to the Volcano Avatar, as it’s also a hot object.

The intense heat wrapped around its body was also a double-edged sword,
so to speak.
“Only if it hits, though.”
I already cast my Blizzard Tornado, but no whirlwind of snow appeared.
Instead, the ambient temperature dropped. The tornado of snow was
basically vaporized as soon as it was cast.
Blizzard Tornado has a one-minute cooldown, and is the same level of
magic as Steam Explosion and Sand Storm. Yet the best it could do was act
as a coolant in this blistering heat. But we need it for my plan.
“Everyone, shoot water or ice magic! Any spell will do!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Ice Splash!”

“Freeze Rain!”
Following my orders, my troops cast ice and water type magic one after
another. All of them evaporated before they even reached me, and only
served to lower the temperature in the immediate vicinity a little. In the
meantime, I cast my own buffing Skills.
“Attack Field. Berserk Field. Enhancement Field. Ice Enchantment. Ice
Field. Ice Over-Enchantment.”
I cast a number of that boosts ice-type magic. Most of them are high-level
Skills, but since there are many uses for attribute-buffing Skills, I learned
all the major ones.
The reason I didn’t use these buffs until now is because powerful buffing
magic naturally has its disadvantages. With the current combination of
buffing spells, every time I cast a spell I will consume an enormous amount
of mana.
“I need buffing magic!”
“Got it!”
Following my instructions, the troops cast their spells on me. Most of their
enhancement spells have no notable drawbacks, but they have short
durations and can’t be cast continuously.
But in this battle, the duration is irrelevant. If I cast spells continuously in
my current state, I would run out of mana or die from the recoil even before
the buffing Skills’ effects end.
As for the current lineup of spells, it’s similar to what I used to defeat the
Heaven-rending Lightning Dragon, except now I’m not using Super-
Delayed Incantation and Point-Blank Shot. Super-Delayed Incantation
delays the activation of a spell significantly, so I’d get killed before it’s
even out. Point-Blank Shot reduces the range of my attack to about three
meters, meaning I will be burned to death before the enemy even comes
into range.

However, if we look at the power multiplier of all the enhanced magic

combined, it’s about the same as back then. I was alone that time, but this
time I have backup from my allies. Compared to the Lightning Dragon, the
Volcano Avatar has higher defense, so I could fire ice magic consecutively
but I would run out of mana before I could even kill it. But unlike earlier, I
have enough power to end this once and for all.
I carefully measured the distance between me and the enemy and looked for
the right moment to attack. Then, a voice came through the comms.
“Yulia, dodge!”
“Got it!”
The enemy on the mountaintop has changed targets from me to my allies.
After seeing that their shot was blocked even when I was just standing still,
they thought that sniping me was pointless.

And that’s exactly what I wanted them to do. When they shot me moments
ago, I didn’t actually need to stay still. Considering that the heat from the
Volcano Avatar might not be enough to block the shot, it would have been
better for me to dodge by walking a few steps.
But I didn’t bother moving at all. Why? Because I needed the enemy to
think that shooting me was pointless. From their position, they would not
have heard the sound of their shot being vaporized by high temperature, that
their spell was destroyed by the heat that the monster emitted.
So it’s natural to assume that there was some kind of protective barrier
around me that blocked the Ether Cannon. The enemy then started targeting
my allies around me instead of me.
But my invincibility from outside attacks is only temporary. Once I attack
the Volcano Avatar, the temperature will immediately drop, allowing Ether
Cannon to reach me.
In an easy battle, I can simply dodge a couple of random interruptions, but
in a tough fight with a bunch of buffs on me, if someone butts in, it could be
fatal. By showing that Ether Cannon doesn’t work, I shifted their target,
thereby reducing risk.
As the enemy targeted the others, the monster in front of me made a move.
The surrounding temperature dropped slightly, and the Volcano Avatar’s
mouth began to glow with a white light.
“Really? You have to use that now?”
The name of this attack is “The Roar of Scorched Earth”. The power stored
by the volcano is converted into heat and released to the surroundings. It
may sound like a simple attack when put into words, but this is actually the
most deadly of the many attacks that the Volcano Avatar has.
The Volcano Avatar has several attacks that use heat, but the Roar of
Scorched Earth is on a whole different level. It contains almost half of the
mana of the volcano.
For volcanoes, mana is more than just something you use for casting spells
or using Skills. The body of the volcano itself is basically mana. To use half
of it means sacrificing half of your body to launch a single attack, in human
terms.
In that sense, this Roar of the Scorched Earth is basically its ultimate attack.
And there’s no way to defend against it.
It’s not the kind of attack that you can withstand by preparing beforehand.
You can stack all the defense and resistance magic all you want, but it will
burn through your defenses anyway.
Aviation magic or distancing yourself is meaningless as well. A few
kilometers is pretty much nothing in the face of a power that’s been
accumulated for centuries inside a single mountain. If you were to take off
at full speed the moment the Volcano Avatar appeared, you still wouldn’t be
able to escape.
In fact, even the enemies on the mountaintop would get caught in the attack.
So if the Roar of Scorched Earth is unleashed, our goal of taking back the
active volcano of Raijis will be achieved. A few neighboring towns might
get levelled in the process, but the surrounding imperial forces will also be
reduced to ashes. Count Gaze can then just reclaim these burned ruins.
After we’re dead.
In short, if the Roar of Scorched Earth is fired at us, we’re a hundred
percent dead. Then there’s only one way to deal with it. Don’t let the
monster shoot.
I’m not gonna die here. In fact, I’ve been waiting for this particular attack
to win. You could even say that were were lucky that the monster is using
the Roar of Scorched Earth right off the bat.
“Ice Pillar.”
Waiting for the exact moment that the Volcano Avatar was about to launch
its attack, I shot ice magic into its jaw. It’s normal attack magic, but it’s
essentially a powerful shot that contains enormous mana and enhanced with
several buffs. It’s way weaker compared to the attack I’m trying to stop, but
it’s enough to deal damage to the Volcano Avatar.
In order to unleash the roar, the Volcano Avatar gathered its power in its
body, which decreased the amount of heat emitted outside. My ice pillar
was being melted by the heat, but it still managed to retain its form—and
reach the Volcano Avatar’s body.

The lava giant screamed in anguish. Unable to endure the rapid cooling, the
jaw that the ice pillar hit crumbled.
The Roar of Scorched Earth, which requires a huge amount of energy,
cannot be released with a broken body. The monster began using mana to
repair the damage.
Since it’s a monster made of lava and mana, repairing its body is not that
difficult. Soon the Volcano Avatar will return to normal and try to unleash
its roar once more.
But the time it takes to repair the damage is a fatal opening. Because it had
to repair itself, the amount of heat around it was reduced, and its body
hardened in preparation for the roar. Facing the defenseless monster, I cast
my magic.

“Point-blank Shooting. Super-Delayed Incantation.”

Point-blank Shooting is a spell that amplifies power in exchange for
drastically shortening the range of the attack. Super-Delayed Incantation is
also a spell that amplifies power, but in exchange, it takes some time before
the magic is invoked. Casting the two buffing Spells, I approached the
monster.
I then cast the same spell, Ice Pillar—well no, not really. I’m using the most
powerful ice attribute that I have in my arsenal right now.
“Blizzard Tornado.”
When I uttered the spell name, a large amount of mana was released from
my body and began forming a tornado—slowly, because of the Super-
Delayed Incantation’s effects. Watching it gradually grow, I distanced
myself from the monster. If I get caught in it, I’ll freeze to death too.

As the tornado built up in power, the monster finished repairing its body
and re-activates the Roar of Scorched Earth. But my spell was a split-
second faster.
“Gwwwooooaaaaahhhh!”
A tornado of ice, buffed with several Skills, swallowed the monster. The ice
that hit its body melted and evaporated, but eventually the heat could not
handle the cold, and ice began clinging to the body.
Unable to withstand the thermal contraction, the body shattered, and its
cross-section was also destroyed by the ice storm. Inside the blizzard of ice,
the Volcano Avatar’s body went under repeated destruction.
And when the ice tornado subsided—there was only frozen rocks right
where the Volcano Avatar was.

“Magic Search.”
I used my detection magic to scan the area of any mana signature. If the
Avatar Volcano was dead, my magic should not pick anything up from the
rocks. But there was a faint signature in one of them.
“I knew it. You’re still alive.”
I picked up one of the rocks that had fallen to the ground. Unlike the other
ones, it had a faint warmth to it.
This is the Volcano Avatar, all that’s left of its mana after losing almost all
its power—its actual body, so to speak. Although it’s dying after having its
power taken away, it will return to its original form after replenishing its
mana. But if the rock is destroyed, the volcano will become completely
dormant, and will never be active ever again.
Sensing that it had been caught, the main body of the volcano—just a warm
rock now—wriggled a bit.
“Don’t try to escape,” I said. “Unless you want more ice magic.”
I shot a block of ice at the rock.
It wasn’t alive because I missed my shot or anything. I let it live, because
there was something I needed to do.
“If you want to live, put up a Sanctuary around me.”
The rock didn’t react. Apparently, it doesn’t understand human language.
There’s a ritual that threatens the volcano into putting up a Sanctuary, but
carrying out the whole thing is a huge pain. I only have about ten percent of
mana left, and the rest of the troops are still being showered with sniper fire
from the enemy’s Ether Cannon. I want the volcano to understand what I
want quickly and force it to create a Sanctuary.
“Do you see this?”
I took out a Wisdom Stone from my magic storage and held it out in front
of the rock. Then the volcano responded. It glowed faintly, and the light
spread to the surroundings. This occurs when a Sanctuary is created.
“I barely sense anything with Search Enemy anymore,” Sachylis said.
“What’s going on?”

Sachylis also sensed that the monsters and trees in the forest had lost their
hostility towards us. It’s basically a declaration of surrender by the volcano.
If it could speak the human language, it would probably say something like,
“I surrender, but please spare my life!”
I then called out to the troops. “We’ve got ourselves a Sanctuary. Let’s
move!”
“Yes, sir!”
We began moving deeper into the mountain. Just a few minutes ago, we
were being attacked by nearby trees, but now they didn’t even budge an
inch as we passed by. The monsters also turned their backs and scampered
away the moment they saw us.
This is the effect of a Sanctuary. What I’m holding may just be a rock, but
it’s still the master of the mountain.
After walking for a while, Michael’s voice resounded through the comms.
“Enemy sniper missed by a long shot! I believe they lost sight of us!”
“Got it,” I replied. “Let’s do this, then.”

I lowered the rock down to the ground. The time has come to fulfill our
purpose of securing the volcano’s Sanctuary.
“I, Sage Eld, offer Wisdom Stones. In exchange, I request Awakening.”
The Awakening ritual normally requires a long incantation. But in reality,
all you really need is this short section and the required number of Wisdom
Stones. For Sages, two Wisdom Stones are required.
I placed the two stones as an offering to the dying volcano.
Suddenly, the stones cracked open, and flames burst forth. The flames
entered my body, but I didn’t feel any heat.
With that, the Awakening is complete.

“The Awakening was a success,” I said, turning to my troops. “I want you

all to withdraw from the mountain as per our plan.”
The plan was to have them retreat after the Awakening, and then I fight
alone.
I can’t let them get close in the first place, since the enemy has Ether
Cannon. The reason why they can use Skills to evade is because the
enemies were still quite far away. If we get close enough, their shots would
hit almost as soon as they’re fired. If there’s anyone other than me who can
be Awakened, there is a way to counter the Ether Canon. Unfortunately,
I’ve got no more Wisdom Stones left, so only I can fight.
“If the enemy’s only trump card is sniping magic,” Sachylis said, “I can
stay in the woods for comms.”
“We know that the enemy doesn’t have long-range detection magic, but we
can’t deny the possibility that they have something like Magic Search. By
the way, how many hostiles?”
“Search Enemy is picking up three signatures at the summit.”
Still the same number as before. We know that one of the enemies is an
Awakened Mage who uses Ether Canon, but we know nothing of the other
two. Worst case, all three of them are Awakened, which means I could be
fighting surrounded by three people with Awakened Skills.

“Three against one…”

Awakening has various effects, all of them at the same level as Ether
Cannon—or even a lot more powerful in that they could influence the
outcome of PvP battles.
“I’ll be fine on my own,” I said.
The characteristics of Awakened Skills vary greatly by class. For example,
the Mage’s Ether Cannon is one that simply boosts its power, allowing for
sniping that’s far more effective than normal Skills. There are others as
well. A Warrior-type class can put up defense that can withstand even a
Steam Explosion, or imbue their sword with power that can nullify the
effect of all buffing and defensive Skills. If you’re clueless, one shot can
decide the match.
It’s difficult to say which class is the strongest, since affinity comes into
play even in fights between Awakened individuals. If you don’t think too
much about tactics and just wield your power randomly, then the fight’s
outcome will be decided by strengths and weaknesses between classes and
luck. Based on the level of fighting tactics used in this world, there’s
probably not a lot of difference between classes.
However, this is not the case in BBO, where countless PvP battles had
spawned efficient combat methods and established the weaknesses of
various classes. Some are so pitiful that they get crushed by almost all other
classes, while some are so incredible that they destroy the rest. And the
class that overpowers others is the Sage.
A Sage’s Awakened Skills can exhibit all sorts of capabilities depending on
how they are used. Ether Cannon can be useful in the hands of a beginner,
but if used by someone who actually knows how to use it properly, like a
Sage, they’re literally invincible.
The only person who could win against an Awakened Sage with both ability
and experience would be a similar Awakened Sage.

Three versus one doesn’t matter. I only have ten percent of my mana left,
but it’s enough.
There’s still a chance that there’s a Sage among the enemy. In that case, it
will be a pure contest of skill, and that is exactly what I want. I was among
the top-ranked Awakened Sages in BBO when it comes to PvP.
“Awakening Activate. Ether Hack.”
I activated my Awakened Skill and walked to the top of the mountain.
I know it sounds weird coming from me when I’ve used Steam Explosion
so many times to obliterate enemies, but Skill-based combat is not as simple
as just using powerful offensive Skills to win.
And I’m gonna show them that.
About time they stopped hiding,” I muttered to myself, taking in the
scenery around me.
Several minutes had passed since I successfully acquired the Awakening
Skill and started walking to the top of the mountain where the Ether Cannon
user was.
There are three enemies at the summit. So far, only one of them is
confirmed to have an Awakened Skill, a Mage who uses a high-powered,
ultra-long-range, lightning-fast sniping magic called Ether Canon. As for
the other two, I don’t know whether they even have Awakened Skills or not.
The path I took was overgrown with tall trees. I was able to proceed without
being shot at.
But from now on, it will be different.
As I approached the summit, the trees became sparser and shorter, until
eventually there were none. In a few more meters, there would be nowhere
to hide, and I would expose myself to the enemy.
The effective attack range of a Sage is basically less than 100 meters. If the
enemy spotted me, I would have to move nearly two kilometers while under
attack by a sniper. With three of them, I doubt they would fail to notice me
if I just walked normally.

Normally I would use Mana Invisibility in this case, but there’s too much
distance to cover. If I moved too fast, the spell would be extremely
ineffective, but if I moved too slow, I would never get there. If it only takes
a whole day, closing the distance slowly is an option, but a couple of days is
too much.
After pondering over the matter for a while, I activated my Mana
Invisibility and started walking towards the top of the mountain.
If the enemy is far away, you should close the distance quickly, even if it
means your covert abilities being less effective.
The closer the distance, the easier it would be to spot Mana Invisibility
anyway, so I can’t spend too much time here. I’m not going to run, of
course. Just walk a little slower than usual. If they can spot me even at this
distance, then I can’t really rely on Mana Invisibility in this situation.
If I slow down as I get closer to the enemy and enter the range of Steam
Explosion, the fight will be very easy. All I have to do is cast Steam
Explosion while hidden. It’s a simple yet powerful strategy that doesn’t
even require the Awakened Skill I acquired on this volcano. I’ve used a
similar approach many times before, but that’s only because this strategy is
so effective.
All-rounder Healer Chapter 160: Seam
I returned to my room, sat down on my bed, and read the grimoire I had
taken out of my backpack.

I flipped through the pages and finished reading it all, and as usual, the
grimoire was swallowed by the flames and disappeared.

The knowledge of the [Heal] spell remained in my mind.

“As always, it’s quite strange.”

I mutter as I pull out Shion from my hood. Then I put him on my bed,
and think about [Heal] while Shion squirms and clings to my hand or
nibbles cutely on a finger.

The reason why I bought this grimoire of [Heal]. It’s simply for
camouflage. I’ve been using [Holy Light] to heal even the smallest wounds,
but the more I use it in public, the more likely I am to be found out, so I
wanted to switch to a more common recovery spell if possible.

In the past, Hans-san told me in the Southern Village that weak recovery
magic can’t heal big wounds, so this [Heal], which is the lowest level of
recovery magic, might not be able to do much. Even so, I can now proudly
call myself a healer without having to use [Holy Light].
 It was hard for me to call myself a healer openly until now.

I didn’t want to use [Holy Light] as much as possible because I wanted to

reduce the risk. However, if I call myself a healer, I will be required to use
recovery magic. But the only recovery magic I could use was [Holy Light].
As a result, I’ve come this far without calling myself a healer.

“No, wait …”

Can I really call myself a healer?

Can a person who can only use [Heal] call himself a healer?

Isn’t there a possibility that even at level three of English proficiency, it

does not assure that you can speak English fluently?

I’m sure the next recovery spell after [Heal] is [Large Heal], but I
wouldn’t be surprised if there was a tendency for people to say, “At least
use Large Heal before calling yourself a healer.”

If that’s the case, it’s probably best not to call myself a healer too easily.

…Before that, there is something even more important.

Grandma Ulke said, “You know, the church buys up all the recovery
magic grimoires, so they don’t appear on the market very often.” I’m still
not sure what form religion takes in this world, but I think it’s possible that
the church is trying to monopolize the use of recovery magic.

Whether or not they’re succeeding is another matter.

In fact, I think Dan said that there are usually healers in high-rank parties.
 Well, I’ll think about this later.

“Light healing [Heal].”

I finished my long thinking time and used Heal with a short chant.

The magic power that was located near the Tanden area moved in a circle
and gathered in my right hand, and was released from my hand that was
brushing Shion

“Kyukyu?” (Shion)

“It’s fine. It’s just recovery magic.”

A pale ball of light popped out of my palm and was absorbed by Shion.

It’s not quite the same as [Holy Light], after all. If it were any other
recovery magic, the effects would probably be a little different. If you don’t
know much about it, chances are someone who sees [Holy Light] will think
it’s a high-ranked recovery spell, but if someone who knows more about it
sees it, the difference might be obvious.

Thinking about this, I try to use it again.

“Light healing [Heal].”

The next step was to start with my left hand.

 If I don’t consciously think about it, magic comes out of the palm of my
dominant hand or the weapon I hold with my dominant hand. This is the
most natural way to do it, and it seems to be the way most people do it. But
if I consciously tried to channel the magic to my left hand, I could do it
from my left hand, but it was a little difficult.

“Light healing [Heal].”

Next, I tried to release it from my side, not from my right or left hand.
But it didn’t work, and I couldn’t get it to work.

“Hmm…”

I thought it would be useful if I could heal wounds on my flank without

using both hands and devoting my attention elsewhere during battle, but it
seems to be difficult.

This will be an assignment for the future, I guess.

I somehow feel my stomach lightly with my right hand to check my

appetite. I put Shion in the hood and walked from my room to the dining
area.

The carpeted passageway was still hard and pressed back against the
soles of my shoes. It seems that the entire building is made of stone, both
the walls and the floor.

I looked out the glass window of the corridor and noticed that the sky
was turning reddish-brown, and I realized that I had been thinking for a
long time in my room.
 In this building, the windows facing the outside are made of glass. But
the courtyard side has wooden windows. In other words, my room was a
wooden window. It would have been nice to have glass windows in each
room without being stingy… I’m not sure how I feel about this, but I can’t
help it.

“Ohh.”

I remember what was important and stopped.

I remembered that I was going to buy a bag or something to carry Shion

in. I forgot to go around the shops. I wonder if I’ll remember to look for it
the next time I go out.

When I entered the dining area, I found it to be a lively space, a far cry
from the daytime. Several groups of people were chatting and eating at
several long tables, while several men were playing some kind of game at a
small round table.

As I walked to the back of the room, towards the kitchen, I glanced

sideways at their tabletops.

A pile of silver coins, and dice. A circular white chip with some kind of
symbol on it.

Is it a dice game? Or is it some kind of card game? Whatever it was, it

looked like a gambling game.

Losing interest, I got in line at the counter in front of the kitchen and
watched the interaction between the other people and the lady in the kitchen
to understand the system here. It seemed to be similar to the system at the
inn. The main meal is free, but you have to pay for drinks and side dishes.
“Auntie! A refill!” (Woman)

The woman in line in front of me cheerfully presented her plate to the

kitchen.

“How many times have you gone back?” (Auntie)

“Well… maybe my second time…” (Woman)

“Don’t lie to me! It’s your fourth time!” (Auntie)

“You don’t have to ask me if you’ve been counting…” (Woman)

“Shut up! All right? We’re going to take the extra food to the orphanage
behind. You know the rest, right?” (Auntie)

“Yes…” (Woman)

“You just have to know. ‘Those who have’ have to act accordingly. Think
about it more.” (Auntie)

“I understand! So, another please!” (Woman)

“Why you!” (Auntie)

The auntie in front of me seemed to be busy, so I got a bowl of stew and

a slice of black bread from another auntie and put it on my tray, received the
wine and grilled meat skewer I ordered, and put down the silver coins.

Hmmm… I see. It’s free of charge, so you can have another round, but
the surplus will be taken to the orphanage, so be careful. If you have the
money, why don’t you just order a side dish? Come to think of it, I heard
somewhere that in the old days on Earth, people used to intentionally leave
their meals uneaten because the food left by their masters would be used to
feed the servants. Maybe it’s similar to that.

I walked to the area where the tables were lined up and stopped.

Now, where should I sit?

The dining area is large enough to seat fifty people, and at the moment
only about half of it is occupied. However, each group is spread out, and the
available space is limited, so it’s a little difficult to decide where to sit.

I looked at the round table at the end of the room. The men were still
playing the game.

Yeah, round tables are no good. If I sit there, I’m afraid a DUEL will
start.

I had no choice but to sit down at the nearest table when a voice called
out from one table over.

“Hey, sit here.” (Voice)

“Ah, yes. Um…”

I sat down across from the guy as he suggested and thought.

I’m sure Mimi-san introduced me to him. I think his name is–

“The name’s Cyrus. Nice to meet you again!” (Cyrus)

“Ah! Yes. I’m Rook. It’s nice to meet you too.”

 After exchanging greetings, he lifted the mug of wine in his hand toward
me.

I hurriedly lifted my cup of wine.

“Cheer’s. Here’s for new friendships!” (Cyrus)

“Cheers!”

Then we tipped our cups.

I took Shion out of the hood and placed him on my lap, removing the
skewered meat one by one and giving it to him.

“Kyu! Kyu!” (Shion)

“Is it a servant monster? It’s the kind of monster you don’t see around
here.” (Cyrus)

Cyrus said so while looking at Shion. I just replied, “I picked him up

during my journey from the east.” for now. Still, I’m not lying.

“I’d like to have one, too, but it’s a hassle to get a servant monster who can
help me… By the way, what can that thing do?” (Cyrus)

“Well, what kind of thing …”

Asked so, I see Shion.

 I’m not sure what this kid can do. I’ve never had the idea of letting him
do anything since he’s only been born a short time ago and the reason why
I’ve been traveling with him. I’m sure he can do great things having the title
of Holy Beast… well maybe.

“Well… it’s cute, ain’t it?” (Cyrus)

He lifted Shion so that he could look at him properly, and Shion

confusedly tilted his head, “Kyu?”

Cyrus said, “Oh… yes, I see…” and sipped his ale.

It’s okay if you’re just cute! They say cute is justice!

Well, I guess I’ll have to find out what’s possible one of these days. For
his sake. I’m starting to feel like a parent!

“Oh! How cute!” (Woman)

I looked to the side and saw the woman who was being deterred by the
auntie from having another serving for the fourth time.

She held a skewer with meat on it between her hands and looked at Shion as
she munched on it.

“Cute! What’s your name?” (Girl)

 She was about to reach out to Shion when she noticed the skewers in her
hands, pulled her hands back, and took another bite of the skewered meat.

“Seam, don’t stand and sit down. And don’t try to touch someone else’s
servant casually.” (Cyrus) [T/N: Her name is “シーム” or Shiimu so I
thought Seam. Comments and Suggestions?]

The woman called Seam replied, “Yes,” as she took a seat next to Cyrus-
san and took a bite of the grilled meat.

I’ve only known her a short time, but I think I’m starting to get a feel for
her character.

“Sorry, man, but this person has always been like this. She does not think
before acting.” (Cyrus)

“I’m thinking properly!” (Seam)

“Bullsh*t! Last time you ran into a monster without thinking!” (Cyrus)

“That time! Because it looked delicious!” (Seam)

“That’s what I’m talking about, you not thinking!” (Cyrus)

After a pause-free comedy duo show, I introduced myself to her and the
conversation continued.

“For some reason, we’re well organized. Our adventurer ranks are also
close.” (Cyrus)
“Huh.”

“Shion, come here!” (Seam)

“Kyu!” (Shion)

Shion must have been full, he immediately climbed up my shoulder and

went back into my hood. He didn’t seem to like Seam-san’s invitation.

They are solo adventurers, and apparently, they mainly work in various
parties in Golden Dragon’s Claw depending on the situation, but since they
are close in adventurer rank, they often work together.

Basically, it’s hard for an adventurer to work solo, but for adventurers
who belong to a clan, the number of members required varies greatly
depending on the request, so there’s no need to have a fixed party. Of
course, there are some people who form fixed parties for purposes other
than clan activities, and I’ve heard that many people end up teaming up
with the same people all the time due to compatibility issues, so it’s
practically a fixed party.

“Rook came from the east, right? What is that place like now?” (Cyrus)

“Oh… yes, um—“

“Yeah! Come on Shion, let’s play!” (Seam)

“…” (Shion)

Shion stopped moving in my hood, probably because he was full and

sleepy.

I felt him on my back as I talked about the Kingdom of Karim, thinking

about what I could and could not talk about.
 I entered the Republic of Canadaira from the Kingdom of Karim through
the Death Cave, but I was told by Borok-san that in order to come to this
side of the world, I would have to either go around through the Kingdom of
Almst to the south or take a road through a rift in the mountains in the far
north.

The ground level of the dwarven village where Borok-san is located is

under a series of huge mountain ranges, and it is not a place that can be
crossed by human foot. Even though it’s a neighboring country, there’s not
much information about the Kingdom of Karim in this area, so the
information from there must be valuable.

It seems that the fact that I went through the Death Cave may cause more
problems than I thought, and Borok-san said, “Don’t tell.” In the first place,
the dwarf village itself seems to be a place known only to dwarves and
some other people, and they don’t want it to be made public, so there are a
lot of complications.

“There was a stampede in the town of Rankfurt, and the Great Boar came
out at the end and it was quite hard.”

“h, there were rumors of a stampede, but a Great Boar… That’s B-Rank, I
think?” (Cyrus)

“Yes, I think it was.”

“B-rank would be tough for a normal town. That would have been quite the
level of damage…” (Cyrus)

“Well, no… some of the buildings were broken and a lot of people were
injured, but no one died.”

“Is that so? Were you lucky enough to have a high-ranking party there?”
(Cyrus)
“No, that doesn’t seem to be the case…”

It’s very hard to explain. I’m pretty sure the Great Boar was neutralized
by me, but that only worked because of the paralyzing knife I was lucky
enough to get. The paralyzing knife was broken, and I got rid of it.

Speaking about it would just make it sound like a lie.

“Well, if the same thing happens in this town, we’ll be fine!” (Cyrus)

Cyrus, declared that while looking at me with eyes full of intensity as he

continued to speak.

“Because there are A-rank adventurers in this town!” (Cyrus)

“A-rank …”

“Oh, in this town, and this very clan. I’m sure Rook has met the clan
master. He can hunt a Great Boar on his own!” (Cyrus)

“Eh!”

Adventurer ranks are determined by various achievements, so it’s hard to

say that adventurer rank = strength, but the higher The rank, the stricter the
screening process, and the greater the need for straightforward combat
ability.

If someone reaches A-rank, their fighting ability should be very high,

but… are they really that great?

However, I can’t imagine it from what I saw in the Clan Master’s room.
However, even though Borok-san doesn’t look scary at first glance when it
comes to fighting, he has the presence of a strong man, and it may be
something that runs in their family.

“Oi!” (Voice)

I turned my head to the side at the sudden voice and saw a young dwarf
with a black beard standing there staring at me.
The murmuring around us stopped, and everyone’s eyes were focused on
us.

“You are the one who has the audacity to try to enter the Golden Dragon’s
claws, even though you are an F-ranked person!?” (Dwarf)

“Eh? …Ah, is there something wrong?”

I was a bit taken aback by the sudden words and gave a half-hearted
response.

But I’m trying to get into the Golden Dragon’s Claws, or rather, I should
already be in it. Well, I wasn’t even trying to enter in the first place…

“Wrong? The Golden Dragon’s Claw is a place for top warriors, not a place
for F-ranks! Do you understand?” (Dwarf)

Saying only what he wanted to say, the young dwarf staggered out of the
dining room.

What is this? I don’t understand.

 Thinking this, I looked at Cyrus-san for an answer, and he told me with a
light shrug of his shoulders.

“He’s Subs. He’s the son of the Clan Master.” (Cyrus)

Clan Master’s son! In other words, he’s Kevin-san’s son and Borok-san’s
grandson.

That means he must have some kind of power, authority, connections, or

something.

I’m starting to see the situation somewhat and I’m starting to get nervous.
I have a feeling it will be very troublesome.

“Rook’s F-rank, right? We are a well-known clan there, and it’s not
uncommon for us to let in F-rank adventurers every now and then. Some of
them seem to be proud to belong to this clan. I mean, there are some who
don’t think well of us.” (Cyrus)

“I hate Subs.” (Seam)

Cyrus-san glanced sideways at the other table and gave a quick thumbs
up.

I followed the finger and ran my gaze over it, and there were a few
unfriendly eyes.

I see… Well, there are certainly people who would agree with Subs.
Especially if it’s about honor and power. If an unproven adventurer with an
F-rank joins a well-known clan, you can’t blame them for thinking he or she
came in from the backdoor using power, connections, or whatever.
 When I think about it, I joined the clan with a letter from Borok-san, so I
must have joined through power and connections… This is so out of line
that I can’t help but think, “I’m being treated unfairly! I can’t even get mad
at them…”

“Well, there are guys who look young and have low adventurer ranks, but
they may be awesome. Besides–” (Cyrus)

He pauses, takes a breath, and continues.

“Well, You should just prove yourself. Then everyone will shut up.”
(Cyrus)

Sure, I guess that’s what I’ll have to do.

This situation is a bit unnerving. It’s uncomfortable to have negative

feelings directed at me so blatantly, and I want to remedy that as soon as
possible.

I mean, what does it mean that many clan members already know that I
am F-rank? I want them to protect my personal information even if there is
no privacy and personal information protection law.

It occurred to me, that Cyrus-san talks to me normally like this, so I

began wondering what he thought of me and so I asked, “What do you think
of me Cyrus-san?”

“Me? Well… I believe in the Clan Master. And I’m interested in the new
guy who got in here even as an F-rank. That sort of thing.” (Cyrus)
 With that, Cyrus-san downed his wooden mug.

“Phew…”

The next morning, upon waking up, as usual, I apply [Purification] to my

entire body, my robe, my armor, and incidentally, to Shion as well.

I now wear armor under my robe, and the warm summer weather has
made sleeping a little uncomfortable, so I’ve started sleeping in the comfort
of my robe and armor.

However, this area does not get as hot and humid as summer in Japan,
and even in summer it is quite comfortable, so wearing a robe does not
seem to be that much of a problem. Is it like the climate in England or
Europe?

Or perhaps it is doubtful that the concept of the four seasons on earth is

applicable to this world as it is. It is possible that temperatures rise and fall
regardless of spring, summer, fall, and winter.

I think I heard something about the four seasons being related to the tilt
of the earth’s axis, but first of all, I have no proof that this world is a
spherical planet. Perhaps this world is flat and there is a waterfall at the end
of the world that leads to an abyss, from which, if you fall, you will never
come back. …… or perhaps you will die. I still can’t dismiss such a
possibility.

Since I have actually come to this fantasy world, even things that are
impossible according to my “common sense” are possible.

Well, from the view I saw from the top of the mountain before, I am sure
it is a sphere.

I am sure that the view on a sphere is different from that on a flat surface.
 Thinking of these things, I left the room and headed for the library at the
back of the first floor.

This library is where I found about half of the reason why I entered the
Golden Dragon’s Claw.

This is where I might find the key to unraveling this world.

With that in mind, my expectations increased and I got a little excited.

I remember that I had read that shampooing dogs and cats every day is
not a good idea, though I had been applying [Purification] to Shion every
day without thinking too much about it. If that is correct, then it would be a
bad idea to always clean Shion with [Purification] as well.

Why shouldn’t dogs and cats be shampooed daily in the first place? Does
it depend on the reason? Well, I don’t think it will cause any strange
problems, given the effect of [Purification], which leaves the skin
reasonably moisturized and smooth, without causing skin problems that
would make you scream if you used too harsh soap and your skin became
dry and cracked.

We proceeded down the corridor of the Clan House and opened the door
to the room at the end of it.

The door, which made a creaking sound, was massive, and I felt the
difference between it and the door to the room I had been assigned.

The inside of the room was more than twice as large as the library in the
Adventurers’ Guild, and the glass windows allowed sunlight to shine
through, giving the room the feel of a library in a junior or senior high
school.

A quick look around the room with the [Magi Location] revealed that
there was one visitor in the room, and I quietly rummaged through the
materials from a close distance, trying not to disturb him.

Near the entrance, there was a wooden board with materials about
monsters that seemed to inhabit mainly around Arnorn.

This is no different from the Adventurers’ Guild’s archives.

I will probably be staying in this town for quite a while, and I should
probably have a good idea of the monsters in the area, but for now, I am
more concerned with the other books, so I just check the monster names
and skip over them.

“Hmm?”

And then I saw a name among the monster names that I had recently
learned, and I pulled the board off the shelf out of curiosity.

On the board, I see a caterpillar-like figure drawn in black ink and a

description.

“El Caterpillar… is a small insectoid monster, an E-rank monster that

attacks by spitting sticky threads out of its mouth. Has exquisite taste.
Tastes like cream and is prized in some areas…”

Taste like cream, exquisite taste?

I felt like I might remember something, but somehow, I felt like I

shouldn’t, so I gently put the board back on the shelf.
The Hero Became Obsessed With The Villain
A cold wind was blowing on the top of a building.
Two people were confronting one another.
The woman who was glaring at me with her long blond hair flying in the air
was the A-class hero, Stardus.
And I, who is confronting her now, was obviously a villain.
“Well, your game is over now. What else are you going to do?”
She glared and shot me coldly.
This is me being caught by a hero just because I took a few hostages and
caused terrorism.
Well, that is obvious, isn’t it…?
The one who is against me, her name is Stardus.
Her real name is Shin Haru.
She is righteous, does not overlook injustice, and is kind and determined.
She is the main character from the comic book that I somehow fell into.
I have been her enemy for years.
Why? Well, to be honest, it was all for her.
But I am sure she will never know.
Hiding my feelings, I laughed and spoke to her in a scoundrel’s voice.
“Yeah, good job this time as well. You did great. As expected from my old
enemy.”
As I said with exaggerated applause to the air, she wrinkled her expression.
“I don’t need your approval, you piece of crap.”
Sure. All right, all right.
I do not have much time left to use the telekinesis.
If I make a mistake, we are going to fall to the ground.
So, let’s get this over with.
My last farewell.
“Okay, Stardus. Okay! You’ve always been like that. You’ve always seen
through my ‘play’ and confronted me. You’ve always tracked me down.”
She looked at me as if she were about to say something. Hey, I am still
holding the detonator of this building. Do not come near me, you brat.
“Anyway, I think today will be my last piece. You’re all grown up now. You
don’t have to play with me anymore. Maybe I will not pick on you anymore
from now on. Take care, Stardus.”
“Wait…!”
As I spoke out every last word from my heart, I turned the cape forward and
teleported quickly.
And the last image of Stardus was reflected in my eyes…
Her eyes were shaking violently.
What the. What’s wrong with her?
A peaceful day.
Everyone else was doing their job or their own thing.
But, here I was, alone. Standing on the rooftop of a building and spying on
someone’s house through their windows.
“Fuck…”
Talking to myself on the top of a building makes me crave cigarettes.
But I do not have any now because I already quit after falling into his
world.
Tsk, maybe I should smoke again.
No, I came halfway already, I should hold it in.
Black hair, black robe, and even black cape.
A man in all-black fashion with a gray half-mask covering his face.
This is how I look at the moment.
Yeah, seriously, I look like a teenager going through puberty.
In the real world, if I take the subway wearing something like this, I will be
all over the Internet with people talking about me like ‘Recently, on the
subway line 3……’
But this is normal in this world.
I mean, this is how a villain’s outfit should be.
Because this is the world of [Stardust!], a superhero comic.
I am certain that I was just reading the last episode of the comic but
somehow I ended up waking up in this world.
Besides the fact I got a little bit of telekinesis and can teleport, I know
nothing at all.
Yeah, I should be thankful that they give me some abilities.
It’s much better than being possessed by an ordinary human.
…But, is that all? Telekinesis and teleport?
No wonder I was quite frustrated after my ability test.
Of course, some people might ask me.
“Isn’t it good enough to have two superpowers?”
They can criticize me for being greedy.
But a disappointment is a disappointment after all.
In the second half of the original comic, most of the characters have the
ability to cheat, and that also includes the main character. And I have to
survive to the end with these sloppy abilities.
I mean, that is the story of the far future.
First of all, that is not the point.
All I have to do is work hard.
Well?
First, kill the villains.
Kill the current S-class villains or the villains who have a possibility to
become an S-class and threaten the main character.
Honestly, it would not make sense for a loser like me to kill them.
But I am beyond common sense.
I am the one who already read the comic and knows about the future.
I know the main villain’s name, the hideout, and roughly the face.
“Man…”
Alright, it is time to start moving.
I glanced at the man through the windows one more time, then loosened my
hands.
It is time to assassinate a villain.
***
A quiet house.
In this place that is full of sunlight,
A man was tearing the bread with a grumpy face.
And an unidentified man behind his back.
“?!”
He noticed him belatedly, as he turned around…
It was too late.
“Goodbye, Rhino.”
His face suddenly turned pale at the murmur of the stranger.
“Ack, gack?”
All of a sudden, he choked up as if he was suffocating while eating.
BOOM.
Gosh.
It is grotesque.
I was tongue-tied by the horrors I created.
It was not my first time, so it was less repulsive but… Ugh.
The guy I killed was worth killing.
A-class villain, Rhino.
A madman who used his horns to kill people.
You can say that he is a wide-known villain in this city. That is why I
decided to kill him first.
Why? Because there is a chance that he will evolve into an S-class and
become a crazy killer…
Of course, he is still a strong villain at present, so I have no choice but to do
it this way.
I secretly teleported behind his back and killed him. The weaklings have
their own way of fighting.
Because the limit of my telekinesis is a single attack.
Goodbye, Rhino. Still, it was fun to see you in the comic.
But I had no choice but to do this because I was afraid the sight of you
crushing people might become a reality…
Well, perhaps since it was my second murder, I was much less repulsive
than before. Does that mean that I’m quick to adjust?
…But from now on, let’s just take care of them quickly with a gun.
This is going to be the last time that I blow someone’s head off like this!
After appreciating the scene a little more, I then passed by the living room,
which is now already a bloodbath.
I rummaged through this brat’s closet.
As expected.
I found out about Rhino’s mask.
A mask resembling a rhino. Okay, should I put this in front of his body?
If I do that, they will know it is Rhino when they find the body.
All right. Let’s go home.
No, I should keep something as a souvenir.
What should I do?
After thinking for a bit, I came up with an idea.
Yes, if I do this, people will be drawn to this aggro.
TN: ‘Dragging attention’ In Korea, the slang is used to talk about attention
seekers or attention-seeking behaviors
I made up my mind and began to move my hands in black gloves.
Ugh, I am not doing this again.
***
The Superhero Association of Korea.
Also called The Hero Association.
A-class hero of the association, Shin Haru.
Hero name, Stardus.
She is now speechless at the sight of the terrible horror at this private home.
“….So, you’re saying that this is a trace of Rhino?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
The pale-looking police officer standing next to her continued.
“When I arrived after receiving a report from the residents, it was already
over. The killer seems to have already gone, and there is a high possibility
that he is the same person from last time.”
As the police continued, another officer who was searching the house spoke
up.
“Yes. Also, considering that the victim is also a villain, I think that’s
correct. And that trace is indeed…”
The police officer suddenly shortened his words.
It was because he was speechless at the terrible sight.
A dead body with an exploded head behind it.
There is red blood.
Death to a worse man than me.
Death to someone weaker than me.
To you, Stardus.
Cheesy and crooked handwriting as if they were written by some middle
schooler.
But is it because it was written in blood?
For some reason, the writing was quite creepy.
“Crazy fucker…”
Shin Haru murmured with a firm look as she saw it.
No evil men should die in this way.
They should be punished in court, through a fair trial.
“…To Stardus he said. Ha.”
She doesn’t understand why he aimed at her.
But if this is his way of trying to provoke her, she would say that it is
splendid.
A villain who went murdering people in such a terrible way.
This guy.
He is going to pay for provoking her.
Keeping a firm look, Shin Haru left the scene.
No matter whether the victim was a villain or not.
What is more important is that there is a villain who hurts people.
She is going to stop that person, whoever it is.
***
[Today at 7 pm, A-class villain Rhino was found dead in his home. He
appears to have exploded at the scene, and the criminal is currently
unknown. The Hero Association has designated the person who eliminated
Rhino as an A-class villain, defining him as “A villain who imposed terrible
and cruel personal sanctions.”. It seems like he has telekinesis….]
The news came out on television.
Oh, are they talking about me?
Lying on the sofa and playing games, I then turned to watch the TV.
Shin Haru’s face is shown on screen now.
[…The A-class superhero Stardus revealed he’s an unforgivable outlaw, and
she’s doing her best to arrest the villain who targeted her. We still don’t
know his reason to target Stardus…]
Oh, they finally found out.
I did a disturbing thing a few days ago.
Turning on my phone, I watched some news on the Internet.
Body text, body text, body text. And… comments.
[But honestly, if he kills villains then doesn’t that make him a hero? Why
did they define him as a villain?]
[I love vigilante hahaha. That’s right. When you put villains in jail, they
always end up breaking out. I’m rooting for killing them.]
[I’m rooting for that villain. Stardus, just don’t catch him.]
“Oh…..”
I fell into deep thought.
Somehow, I seem to be friendly to the Internet.
Looking through the news and communities, they seem to see me that way.
“….”
Is it because I only eliminated the villains?
Yeah, at this rate, I have nothing to say even if they call me an anti-hero.
Is it an anti-hero? Or a bad hero? Anyway.
“……This is tough.”
Yes, it is tough.
If I keep getting praises from the public, then Stardus would get criticism.
I cannot let that happen.
Stardus. She is the real hero in this world and my favorite character.
I hunted down the villains all for her.
Although she will never know.
My goal is to let her walk along a pleasant path.
I want her to live well without fighting over her life or wearing out her
character.
However, she is the main character.
She has to take some hardship to be stronger.
“Hmm…”
What should I do?
A way to turn public opinion around and help her improve.
There is.
My official villain debut.
“…Hmm.”
[Stardust!] is not the only comic I have read. I also watched many other
popular superhero comics and movies.
If I were to pick something in common in successful comics.
I will definitely pick the “impressive villain”.
Okay, and I will eliminate all of the impressive villains of this comic.
Hmm.
If this was really a comic, I would have been cursed so much.
I am going to make them focus on only one main villain.
Unlike other comics, [Stardust!] is the one that I enjoyed the most.
In fact, not did I enjoy reading it, but I was like a manic who read, chew,
tasted, and enjoyed it.
TN:This expression in Korean is used when you are really into something
and know it very well.
So, since I am living in this world now,
Shouldn’t I take the leap forward myself?
As someone who loves this world more than anyone else.
As someone who admires the main character deeply.
I’ll be the villain of this world.
I mean, a real villain. A bad guy.
Honestly, what would I do after living as an ordinary citizen?
I have read a lot of superhero comics before falling into this world.
Maybe, the next event is going to be my debut.
I have to be impressive.
“…Find some bombs, find some people…”
I am going to be very busy.
***
At the office of the Hero Association of Korea.
“Miss Stardus! Please turn on your TV now!”
Someone suddenly came in as Shin Haru was looking through the
documents.
“What’s the matter?”
“That villain, that villain is hijacking the radio and doing a broadcast!”
“What?”
In a rush, the woman turned on the TV on the wall in the office.
A man appeared standing against a black background on the screen.
A gray mask covers half of his face.
He spoke up.
[“Hello, residents of the city.”]
The mystery villain has finally revealed himself.
Are there waves on the river, too?
I don’t know. I don’t think there are. Because it’s a remote area.
But right now, it does not seem like a problem if I described the waves
hitting the river.
It was sunny and bright.
It is a good day when birds are singing, and flowers are about to bloom.
Nevertheless, the river looked so vicious.
Both are cruise ships.
Something terrible is about to happen to the guests who came here for
pleasure.
[“Yes, there are bombs on those two ships right now. Boom! And everyone
on those two ships… will die without being able to say goodbye to their
loved ones.”]
The criminal’s voice came out on national terrestrial TV.
He is the first villain to ever succeed in hijacking a radio.
[“Who am I and why am I doing this? Let me introduce myself. My name is
Egostic. You can just call me Ego. Should I also tell you my resume? S-
class villain Enzodiac. A-class villain Rhino. Yes, I killed them. Why?
Because it’s fun?”]
After saying that, he winked.
Although the eye on the other side was unseen because it was covered by
the mask.
[“Well, am I a murderer? No! I’m not. That doesn’t make sense. Of course,
we should make a way for everyone to live, right? In that case, I hope that
the A-class hero Stardus will be here within 10 minutes. Why? Because if
she doesn’t come… Unfortunately, we’re going to have two more Titanics
today.”]
“I’m going now. Please go outside and open the door on the rooftop first.”
“Okay, yup!”
After the staff closed the door and rushed out.
Shin Haru changed to her suit in haste.
She wore a red latex suit and connected her in-ear earphones.
She ran toward the windows and launched herself up.
[Stardus. This is the Operation Control Room. I’m going to tell you the
coordinates of the A-class villain Egostic. Seodae…]
The villain gave her 10 minutes.
And considering where the villain is now.
It was more than enough time for her.
***
“Phew… Fuck.”
I turned off the camera and put it in my pocket.
Perhaps by now, the situations of the two ships are being shown on the
broadcast.
The camera, which I installed in advance, will be broadcasting two
panicking situations.
“Oh, I seriously want to smoke so bad.”
Perhaps, Stardus is going to fly here soon.
My heart fluttered at the thought of seeing her, my favorite character. But
just thinking of her cold stare towards me…
Hmm.
Why is my heart beating even faster?
Anyway, I hope she feels satisfied with my setup.
It is not just terrorism. It is terrorism mixed with a prisoner’s dilemma.
I have been putting bombs on the ships for hours just for this.
Purchasing bombs, hiring people, scheduling, hijacking broadcasts…
I had lived as a normal citizen all this time, so it was not easy for me to
attempt to terrorize.
What would I do if I did not have any money?
Well, I managed to get here somehow.
The Amazed Brother, are you seeing this?
The story you drew, I am going to represent it myself in this world.
Although, there might be a little bit of manipulation and variation…
I checked my outfit once again.
Black robe, black pants, black cape, black hair.
And a gray mask that covers only half of my face, deeply inspired by the
Phantom of the Opera.
Perfect.
I am standing on the rooftop with a view of the river.
As I looked up to the sky from the railing, I began to see something getting
closer to me.
Someone was flying this way, cutting through the air.
She was coming this way with her blond hair in the air. It was the hero of
this world, hero Stardus.
BAM! And she landed on the rooftop.
Wow! Hero landing!
As a fan of the original work, my heart is running so fast as I see her
landing in style.
But, uh, why is she coming to me?
“Oh, my god! I have the detonator in my hand! You should stop!”
As I shook the detonator in my right hand, she began to slow down.
As she stopped completely, she folded her arms, and started staring at me.
“……Egostic.”
“Yes, that’s my name. You remembered.”
“Remove the bombs right now. Then I’m just going to give you a few hits
before arresting you.”
“Haha. You know I won’t do that, right?”
Her face twisted at my words.
…No matter how twisted it is, she is still gorgeous.
“Come on, don’t frown too much. I told you on the broadcast, right? I’ll let
everyone live.”
I spoke up while winking at the camera which was filming us. Just before
she arrived, I made sure that this scene of us would be on the broadcast.
“Miss Stardus. I’m quite interested in you. Yes, a lot.”
Whether I spoke or not, she was just staring at me with her mouth shut. Is
she giving me a chance to talk first?
Under her silence, I continued.
“A late bloomed hero, who went from class C to class A. A person who
doesn’t compromise with any evil with her own justice and belief. You’re
the representative symbol of a human hymn. Personally, I deeply respect
you.”
She looked annoyed at my hidden face behind the mask. She still looks
pretty though.
“If you’re going to talk nonsense, just shut up. What are you trying to say?”
Oh, I just wanted to compliment you on the nationwide live broadcast.
If I do this, more people will recognize my Shin Haru!
Anyway, I should stop fanboying.
It is time for the real show.
“Now now. Here’s what I want to tell you. If you open the lower right
drawer in the captain’s room on both ships, you will find the detonator.”
“The detonators are used to blow the other ships off. Not your own boat, the
other one!”
Stardus’ face wrinkled at the end of my words. Yeah, she should understand
what I said, right?
I continued with a gentle smile.
“Okay, the way to save everyone’s lives is simple.”
“No one has to press the detonator.”
“The time limit is 30 minutes, and you cannot press the detonators of two
ships.”
“Instead, as soon as you press the button of one ship, the other ship will go
BOOM… Oh, my.”
“Well, the people on the ship that press the button first will ‘100%’ be able
to live. So it’s not necessarily a bad thing.”
She still does not seem to understand.
Right, she probably thinks that no one would ever press the button.
I grinned and said to her,
“Miss Stardus, who loves justice so much and always praises human
beings.”
“After this, I hope you’ll realize how evil and selfish humans are.”
After that, I clapped and shouted out at the same time.
“As I said earlier, the time limit is 30 minutes. Well then, good luck
everyone!”
I turned the camera off as soon as I ended my sentence.
And then I switched to the images of the cabins on two ships.
“Now, shall we watch it together in this special seat?”
She glared at me, but I just shook two detonators in my hand at her.
Be well-behaved!
I showed the images of the cabins on the screen with a beam projector
installed on the roof wall.
Stardus stared at it with an indifferent expression.
“Do you think people will move as you intended?”
She shot me with her words.
Oh, perhaps she thinks that people are quiet and calm so they do not even
want to press the buttons, right?
“Well, you’ll see.”
I said with a smile.
The video started to play on the wall.
Understanding the situation on the ships, her face soon began to stiffen.
[Press the button!!!! They’re going to kill us all! We have to press it first to
survive!]
The sight of people bawling out.
Why is it the opposite of what you expected?
Of course.
I put a few agitators there.
If they scream at everyone and tell them to press the button, the person next
to them will also think that they should press it as a tuning effect.
My plan is to use people’s anxiety by screaming and making them believe
they will die if they do not press it.
Hahaha.
[Button!! Button!! Button!! Button!! Button!!]
Watching her annoyed expression at the unexpected situation, I grinned.
I am a professional villain.
I have to plan things in advance so that everything goes the way I want,
duh?
Now, let’s see what kind of chaos will happen, shall we?
“Stardus. Don’t you think it’s a little different… Haha, from what you
expected?”
Gosh, I should not laugh.
But why is it fun to tease her?
***
“Helicopter! Did you prepare the helicopter?”
“Yes, we have already prepared it beforehand so I can move in case the
ships explode.”
“Phew, there is nothing else besides that, right?”
“Other B-class heroes have also been assigned near the Han River!”
“I don’t think they’ll be useful. Ha, there is no answer from Stardus since
she’s being held there.”
The Hero Association of Korea’s Control Center.
In this crowded place with countless agents, the 50-year-old president of the
association was wiping sweat from his bald head with a towel.
Just when he was thinking that things have become peaceful again after a
while, but then why is this happening?
Still wiping his sweat, he muttered as he watched the situation of the cabins
on the screen.
“…But why are they making a fuss about pressing a button? If you don’t
press it, you’ll live, right?”
“…I don’t know either, President.”
“Oh, gosh…”
[I’m not going to press the button!!!!!]
The situation in the cabins was still a mess.
Inside the confused cabins, people were arguing and knocking each other
down.
“What are you doing? Push the button right now!’
“Get out of my way! If you don’t press it, I will!”
“Are you all crazy? They haven’t pressed it yet either. What’s the matter
with you?”
“If we’re a little late, we’ll all die! You have to press it in advance!”
Two ships.
Two bombs
Two buttons.
The ship that pressed the button can live ‘unconditionally’.
However, the moment you do not press the button, you ‘may die’.
In fact, if you think about it rationally and realistically, there is no reason to
press it.
If there is a button in front of you, no one will press it unless there is a
lunatic who wants to press everything.
The situation is not like “Well, there are only prisoners on the other ship so
those crazy bastards will press it!”
But also not “Both ships will explode if you don’t press the bomb!”
So if you think about it rationally, it is a win if you stay still. There is no
need to press it.
Then! If you think about it rationally, there is no reason to press it, or can’t
you just stop them from thinking rationally?
So my agitators quickly started incitement and fabrication!
“I’m telling you they’re going to press it! I know everything!”
“That’s right! We have to press it first to survive! Do you have any
guarantee that they won’t press it? In this world, you either kill or be
killed!”
That is why I put the agitators equally on two ships.
Even before people can think rationally, they will spread the rumors that if
they do not press the button first, they will die.
As a result, people with a weak mentality will instantly feel anxious and
scared.
Rational judgment will be blurred and eventually transformed into
collective madness.
“Let’s press it first before they do!”…
Of course, however, it is now likely to lead to a fight between sense and
sensibility.
The Sensibility, which is terrified by the incitement, would tell them to
press that button immediately.
However, as time goes by, it will be the ‘sense’ that comes to their mind.
Why?
Because they will slowly realize over time.
“The other ship still hasn’t pressed the button either!”
The woman’s scream shook the hall.
That’s right.
People started to realize as time went by.
The other side has not pressed the button to blow their ship yet.
If you think about it, there is no reason for them to press the button.
The stage I set up is perfect.
First, I contacted the people to get them on the ships and then cut off the
Internet.
Wifi? LTE? Nothing will be working.
People who were looking at their phones would think that their phones were
dead.
And at the same time, I broadcast it live.
So this is the show that I already filmed beforehand.
There are bombs on your ships now.
If they explode, you are all going to die.
But there are detonators on the ships.
However, the detonator on your ship is not yours but the detonator of the
bomb on the other ship.
If you press it, those people on the other side are going to die.
But oh, my! Your detonator is on the other ship.
Even if you do not press the button, who knows? The ship next to you
might press it.
Whether to press the button or not. Do as you please.
The limit time is 30 minutes. Good luck.
And the chaos began.
It was like a war.
The captains were in torment with the detonators in the captain’s cabins and
the passengers bawled out.
Yes. This is the scene.
The scene that I wanted to direct so much.
In the other movie which I watched before I fell into this world, the best
scene of the movie was the fight between Batman and Joker.
Choosing between two ships at midnight.
Although it was between the prisoners’ ship and the cruise ship, and the
background was at night in the movie.
Due to the circumstances of a grown-up, I could not implement it
accurately.
I mean, there is no such thing as a prisoners’ ship in Seoul.
Even if this comic is about heroes with superpowers, a prisoners’ ship
basically does not exist in Seoul, South Korea.
I thought that the dramatic tension might have gone down a little bit.
Well, there is another way to do that.
Phew, it was so hard to prepare for this.
Unlike then, people use smartphones in this world nowadays, so I have to
block all of them.
There are so many other low-level heroes in this small country, I have to
keep them from interfering.
The life of a villain is not easy either.
Anyway… Let’s see, are they still fighting?
Yeah, the first ship is still fighting.
I knew it. Just as I planned.
What about the second one?
“If you think we should press the button, raise your hand.”
Oh… People are closing their eyes and putting their hands up.
The captain is counting.
What is this? It’s not even a class president election in elementary school.
God. I feel a little dizzy.
Even if this is what I intended, it is still a little absurd.
Taking my eyes off the beam projector, I looked at Stardus who was
standing far away from me.
She was still focused on the screen with her stiff face.
Wow.
But seriously,
She’s so pretty.
Stardus, the main character of the comic [Stardust!].
The main character in one of a few hero comics drawn by Korean authors.
And the first commercially successful Korean hero comic.
Stardus. Her real name is Shin Haru.
Glossy blond hair that shines like starlight.
The red latex suit hugs her whole body.
And an insanely pretty visual.
Wow, seriously…
Maybe because I finally met my favorite character in real life.
Seeing her in person like this makes me feel like I can die happily now.
Of course, this is not the time to die yet.
Yikes, did I stare too much?
She began to glare at me.
“…Do you think you’re going to get away after all of this?”
Her voice is also pretty.
Ahem, time for me to bury those thoughts down, and concentrate on my job
again.
I said cheerfully.
“Jeez, your words made me sad. Honestly, did I tell people to press the
button and die? What did I do exactly? I only threw them the detonators,
and they’re making a fuss to press it on their own.”
After saying that, I grinned at her.
Honestly, since I manipulated the situation by putting people in there, I feel
guilty.
But it doesn’t matter, as long as they are not caught! That’s right.
Stardus still has that annoyed expression on her face.
I continued talking to her.
“Honestly, I’m personally very interested in you, Miss Stardus. From what I
see, you’re such an exemplary hero.
All of sudden, she looked back at me as if she was not sure what I was
talking about.
Should I say something else to her?
“In an interview from the past, you said all humans have the courage to
sacrifice themselves in their hearts. That’s a great saying. I had to stand up
and clap as soon as I heard your words.”
Now, let’s laugh one more time here.
One second, two seconds, smile, and then speak up again.
Tap, flicked my finger.
As I flicked my finger, the pre-installed lights behind began to shine on her.
As she frowned at the sudden light, I continued the talk.
“So this time, I will give you one chance.”
“Can you change those selfish people, Stardus?”
As soon as I said that, the camera turned on again. The show might have
switched to this place again, not the situation of the cruise ships anymore.
This will be broadcast to everyone, including people across the country and
passengers on the ships.
“Yes, 20 minutes… have passed. 10 minutes to go! Our hero Stardus has
something to say! Please listen! Attention, passengers!”
As soon as I finished, the camera started to turn towards her.
Stardus looked a little taken aback by the sudden situation.
But, as expected from a professional hero. She quickly figured out what
was going on and began to look straight at the camera.
And she spoke up.
“Hello, everyone. This is the A-class hero, Stardus.”
Then all of sudden, she began to make a speech.
“Everyone, what do you think of the person next to you?”
Even in such a sudden situation, she talked naturally without shaking her
voice.
So briefly, what she said was that the person next to them was also a loving
family to someone. That you should trust other people. Blessed are those
who believe. She told them not to worry. Well, something like that.
A three or four-minute short speech.
After her speech, which was so appealing to the end, I turned off the
camera.
And looking at the situation in the room…
Some people stood up and clapped their hands in tears.
The captains shouted hooray and threw the detonators into the sea without
hesitation. Huh?
They were suddenly all singing and praising humanity together, and then 30
minutes had passed.
The surviving passengers cried in joy and congratulated each other. Erm…
That is what I intended but somehow it was a little too dramatic. It was like
an 80’s movie about patriotism.
Anyway, Stardus seems relieved that everyone survived.
This will be uploaded on Youtube tomorrow. [Japan was surprised, Europe
was shocked and the U.S. envied K-Hero!. The passengers were united in
tears by her words!]. Just like this.
All right, it’s time to start acting again.
I naturally turned the camera to us…
Okay, go.
With a shocked look, I looked at the wall where the video was reflected and
twisted my body slightly.
“W-What? This cannot be happening. Those selfish human beings…”
I murmured as if I were very bewildered. With a little louder voice, so that
the camera can catch it well.
“No way…”
Oh, wait.
There is no way this cannot happen.
Some of the passengers and the captains are the ones I hired. Haha.
What if they press the detonator even though I already put the agitators in?
Usually, a show should be thoroughly planned.
It mostly happens differently from what the producer intended.
But always be prepared for variables.
To avoid that, obviously I have to control the situation.
Captains, passengers.
The script I made up.
Now, I have to act well.
I thought to myself, pretending to look at Stardus with a panicked look.
Stardus, Stardus. Shin Haru.
The woman who was always under pressure and harmed in the original
comic.
Don’t worry.
I will make sure you only walk along a pleasant path.
Manipulation and directing.
Lies and deceit.
Whatever I can do.
Let’s continue with the acting again.
“This can’t be happening… What the hell is going on here?!!”
“Hahaha… This can’t be happening.”
A cold wind blew on the rooftop.
I was standing there, laughing like I was out of my mind.
“H-Human beings are not such selfless creatures, you know! I thought they
were going to press the button but how! How come they didn’t press it?”
I started talking to myself like a madman.
Looking in the sky, my hands floundered in the air.
And at the same time, I stopped my hands and stared at Stardus, standing in
front of me.
“Oh”
My short words.
Looking at Stardus, I said.
“It was because of you.”
Of course, it was not because of Stardus.
I ordered the captains to throw the detonators into the ocean right after her
hero speech.
But it is a secret between the captains and me.
In front of the cameras that are broadcasting live all over the country.
I pretended to know nothing.
As if this terrorism failed thanks to Stardus’ speech.
I moved my lips.
“Everyone suddenly became united after your speech.”
And I laughed like a madman.
“Ha, haha. Hahahahahahahahaha! Hahahahahahahahahahaha!!”
Gosh, this is so embarrassing.
I held back my shame and kept laughing like a madman.
Stardus’ stared at me as if she was seeing a maniac.
Ugh, do you know how a fan feels when his favorite character looks at him
with a scornful face?
I laughed for a while.
The reason why she did not come at me while I was busy laughing was I
had the detonators in my hand.
She could not relax until the ships came to the harbor, and everyone got off.
I opened up again after laughing for a while.
“Okay. Alright. I guess I underestimated you. It was something that no one
else could do. You wouldn’t just enlighten the public with a single word,
right?
Hmm.
We have a problem.
I am starting to have no idea what I am talking about.
Who was I in my previous life?
I was an ordinary Korean man.
I mean, in front of a monster who can kill me in five seconds with just a
single touch, I am not used to talking fluently when the whole nation is
watching me.
Until now, I said what I prepared but I’m starting to lose my mind now.
The wind is so cold, and I am freezing.
I should have worn a heattech underneath the robe.
Wait, why am I worrying about this now…
I am fucked up. I am slowly losing my mind.
I should get ready now.
Ready for what? Ready to escape.

“Ahem, ahem. My bad. Stardus, I guess I underestimated you.”

“….”

“I’m not going to go easy on you next time. Well then, I’ll see you guys
next time!”

Looking at the camera, I grinned one more time.

Then disappeared with the camera.
That means I teleported with my cape turning forward.
There will be a lot of cops around here, so I should teleport far away to
somewhere near my place.
Gosh, it takes me a lot of energy to teleport there. I am going to lie down
for the next three days.
Man, life is not easy.
“You punk!”
As she noticed that I was about to escape, she ran to me in a flash.
Well, not a chance. Bye-bye.
“Well then, goodbye.”
At the end of my word, I disappeared.
***
[[Exclusive] Terrorism in the midday, no casualties.]
[Who is the A-class villain, Egostic? The media is trying to find out.]
[[Breaking News] A statement from The Hero Association. ‘The villain’s
abilities seem to be telekinesis and teleport.]
[Hijacking a radio in this current time… Will the security of Korean
Broadcasting be okay?]

[Who is “Stardus, the hero that got targeted by the radio hijacking villain?
Take a look at her achievements.]

[Passengers and the crew, complaints of anxiety and panic disorder. Refuse
to be interviewed.]

That day, articles poured down the country.

An unusual event occurred in daily life.
Unlike other terror attacks against certain areas or certain people, this time
the attack was live broadcast to the entire nation, which makes the villain a
huge difference from other terrorists.
In a word, people have their attention on the aggro.
The whole nation became aware of the incident within a day and the prime
mover, villain Egostic, and the hero that confronted him, Stardus, drew
attention at once.
Not only Korea but also foreign media were paying attention to the large-
scale incident.
The Hero Association of Korea praised, “With the performance of the A-
class hero Stardus, we were able to end the attack with zero casualties”, all
the articles came out like that.
The full video of the sensational incident topped Youtube’s real-time most
viewed chart.
Numerous places have begun to upload posts that summarized and analyzed
the villain Egostic.
And of course, among the analysts, there was The Superhero Association of
Korea.
***
“Okay, let’s start the briefing.”
The Hero Association of Korea.
On the top floor, a meeting was taking place.
“The new villain has been revealed, the name is Egostic.”
“Gender is believed to be Korean male, and appears to be in his early to
mid-20s.”
“I don’t know about his location, but given the concentration of all the
incidents in Seoul, there is a high chance that he is staying in Seoul.”
“Please take a look at the materials about the criminal’s appearance.”
The information that was distributed to everyone attending the meeting
included his front and side shots.
He wears an all-black uniform from head to toe. A black robe that looks
like a long coat, and a black cape.
And a mask that covers half of his face. Below the photo, it was written as a
footnote, “Even though it covers only half of his face, it is presumed that
the difficulty of identifying the face is because of a cognitive impairment
function.”
“Until now, he has killed two people. An A-class and an S-class villain.
Both appear to have been killed by compression or explosion of the head by
telekinesis, and it is assumed to be a sudden attack because there were no
injuries in other places.”
“How strong do you think his telekinesis is?”
“I’m… not sure yet. First, smashing a skull of a defenseless opponent who
stays still into two pieces is something even a C-class can do. Of course, if
the opponent was resisting, it’s not even an easy job for an A-class. But it is
presumed that he attacked when they were defenseless.”
“Hmm. Does that mean he’s a C-class?”
“We cannot be sure about that either. Because there is also a possibility that
the villain did not use his strength on purpose when he attacked.”
“Okay. Keep going.”
“Yes. Although Egostic has only killed two villains himself… It seems like
he was also trying to slaughter the normal citizens with the mass terrorism.”
As the briefing went that far, a heavy silence came across the room. The
reason they gathered here is because of yesterday’s incident.
“Okay. Let me dive in and explain about yesterday’s incident, which is
called ‘The attempted bombing of cruise ships on Han River’. First of all,
the bombs seemed to have been attached in advance, and after dismantling
them, it was confirmed to be a powerful-explosive bomb that is enough to
break the ships in half. It is not yet known where these were obtained.”
The presenter, who has been speaking so far, excused himself for a moment.
He took a sip of water and began to speak again.
“And the radio hijacking. It is uncertain how the radio was hijacked and
broadcast through the latest security technology. There were no logs left,
and the camera was also moved by the villain, so we couldn’t verify it yet.”
“Some people said that he might have a radio-related ability. But there is no
data on the superpower related to information technology. And there are
also no cases about having three abilities at the same time, so it is only a
speculation.”
“Firstly, I think Egostic does have the ability since he easily captured the
radio waves of three broadcasting stations. Also, the transmission itself was
not blocked by us, Egostic stopped the broadcasting himself after the
incident, so it is possible.”
“Okay, I see. I think I get it now after hearing from you guys.”
The president of the association cut him off. The presenter bowed down
once and then went back to his seat.
On the long table, only the president’s words rang out.
“This villain is a schemer and holds a lot of information. He can figure out
the hideouts and identities of the A and S-class villains and can hack the
radio waves of the stations at will. And what else?”
“Yes.”
The presenter earlier who just sat down spoke up.
“Also… It seems that he keeps his words. In fact, when no one on the ships
pressed the button, he let them live. And the most important thing is that
he’s obsessed with Stardus.”
As he ended his sentence, everyone’s eyes were on someone sitting at the
end of the table.
They were looking at Stardus, at Shin Haru, who was attending the meeting.
Stardus, who received everyone’s attention, spoke up as everyone looked at
her.
“Yes, that’s right. For some reason, he left me a message at the scene of a
villain’s murder, and he targeted me in this situation.”
“Do you know why, Stardus?”
Haru just answered calmly at the president’s question.
“I don’t know.”
“Well… That’s a very odd thing to do.”
Upon hearing her answer, the president of the association began to shake his
head and switch to a different topic. Wouldn’t it be right to put his rank as
the S-class, the most wanted list? No, it was just an attempt to kill the
citizens, he hasn’t actually done it, and it is too early to grade him as an S-
class since we don’t know how strong his telekinesis is…
The heated discussion continued all night.
***
At that time.
In a small studio apartment which is just a few kilometers from the scene of
the attack.
“Oh, my… Shit, I feel like dying.”
I was just whining on my bed.

It is not easy to live as a villain.

“Oh, my… I feel like dying…”
Gosh.
I am really going to die.
“Ughhhh… Ugh.”
At last I got to lie on the bed, I fell asleep like a baby.
“Ouchhh…”
Save the villain!
***

“Oh, man.”
I opened my eyes the next morning.
After sleeping for almost half of a day, I woke up with a sore body and
turned on the TV. The news was all about yesterday’s incident.
[Newswide – A deep analysis on villain Egostic.]
Two panels on TV were giving an explanation about me.
They talked about my superpowers, hacking skills,…
Then suddenly my face appeared on TV.
Black hair with a gray mask that covers half of my face.
“Wow! Mom, I’m on TV! Oh, she doesn’t exist in this world, right?”
Mom, how are you doing over there?
I became a celebrity in this world.
But everyone is trying to catch me.
“Oh, my god. My body is worn out.”
I got out of bed while punching my back.
I don’t have time to lie down like this.
When I got up, I was still wearing the same clothes from yesterday.
Wearing a black robe that comes down to the legs.
Perhaps because I slept with it on, it got crumpled here and there and I did
not like it.
“Man, let’s get changed.”
After changing to more comfortable clothes, I turned on my laptop.
The window sound effect popped up while whirring.
I looked around my room as the laptop was starting.
A small studio with sunlight from the windows.
“Jeez. I need to leave here soon too.”
I have been living in this room for a while ever since I fell into this world.
But now that I have earned some money, there is no point in living here.
Now that I am an A-class villain, I should be living a little more formal life.
Not an A, I think I am an AAA-class villain.
Why haven’t they promoted me to class S yet?
Well, I haven’t done much evil stuff yet though.
By the way, I wonder how people reacted.
I went to the laptop that was turned on, went on the Internet, and…
“Well, let’s see… Oh, it’s crazy up here.”
My story is all over the portal headlines.
[Live broadcast of the massive terrorism. Who is Egostic?]
“This is my first time getting this much attention.”
As expected, it was a good choice to drag an aggro.
Who would have known if I had kidnapped ships in that corner of Han
River, right?
As for The Hero Association of Korea, they must have tried to ask without
anyone knowing. Well, it must have been mentioned in the headline on the
9 o’clock news…
[At 2 P.M today, an act of a massive terrorism almost occurred on the cruise
ships on Han River. Fortunately, there were no casualties.]
It probably came out and just ended right on time.
They would not sit and talk about me all day long like this moment.
The sense of realism is scary.
Think about it, someone was playing Nintendo with their friends and
suddenly the TV turned off.
Then, all of sudden, I came out. Black clothes, gray mask with a wicked
smile.
And then I put bombs on ships? But the person who pressed it first could
live?
I shuddered every time I watched this in the theater, but how focused would
the Korean people have been when they saw it as a real situation?
Honestly, this is a huge entertainment show. Shouldn’t I have taken some
PPLs? Put a Coke poster on the wall of the cabins.
Having my own silly imagination, I continued to look at the comments on
the Internet.
He’s scary, he’s amazing… And so on. The public paid attention to the new
A-class villain. That’s true, the impact of the hijacking and death of the two
villains would be huge even when I think about it.
I also have to praise humanity. Eventually, no one pressed the button.
Justice prevails blah, blah, blah. This incident proves that human beings are
not selfish and that they are good.
Having grasped the general atmosphere after hours of searching, I decided
to sort out what I got from the show.
The first thing I got. Making my name known to the whole country.
Egostic. Honestly, I don’t think it is a good name.
When I think about my black robe, I should have named myself “Black
Robe” or “Persona”.
Well… It is too late now.
Let’s leave the past behind.
However, I started to regret it a lot when I saw a comment on the article
telling them to catch the ‘Mango Stick’. Oh…
Anyway, the second profit. Promote Stardus to the nation.
Stardus also became very popular. She was the second face to be shown the
most on the 9 o’clock news.
Stardus was quite popular with the public in the original work. First of all,
she’s pretty. Not many heroes have that kind of beauty.
But as time went by, Stardus’ image became not so good to the public. The
reason she was famous at first was because of her beauty…
Villains became more creative in the second half of the story after the first
and second volume. In the public’s opinion, they succeeded in giving the
perception that they were “naughty” through various devices.
On top of that, not only the social relationship as Stardus, but also the social
position as Shin Haru, is a true waste that leads to the destruction.
Ha. I feel angry again just thinking about it. I am going to get rid of all the
bad villains, so our Stardus will only have to think of me. A Seoul without
crime, a South Korea without terrorism. I am going to do all of that. I am
the only one who is going to do crime and terrorism.
So, first of all, I promoted Stardus to the public this time.
Not because of her appearance, but for justice. As a character with ‘heroic’
personality, she struck a positive perception.
…She struck, right? Well, when I looked through the comments and the
community, most of the reactions were positive. She did a good job with her
speech, and I am certain that my praise worked on her. The enemy’s
acknowledgment is the most objective. To people’s perception.
“For now, the first step went well.”
I got up from my seat.
There is no time to rest. There is no time to rest. It is time for the next plan.
Now I am going to assassinate… No, I mean, eliminate. Eliminate another
A-class or S-class villains… and plan another terrorism. Well, it is terrorism
but make sure to have no casualties. Nothing is easy.
“First, I have to meet that person again.”
Who am I meeting?
The one who helped me hijack the radio.
She became an S-class villain in the original work, but I have changed her
future before she would become a villain.
I took out my phone and started making a call.
“Yeah, yeah, Seo-eun. Oppa just woke up. Oh, yeah. Oh, things like that
happen. I told you it’s tiring! Okay, okay. Uh-huh, I’ll be there now. Okay.”
TN: Oppa Means Older brother the term is used when the woman is calling
or talking to an older man, whether he is related to her or not.
I hung up, picked up my coat and headed out.
I can just teleport but as you have already seen, due to my lack of ability, if
I travel a little far, I would collapse from exhaustion.
So, walking it is.
The weather was nice today.
***
Night rain whispers from outside the window
of this tatami room. It is someone else’s country.
TN: From “Easily Written Poem” by Yun Dongju
I walked a little while holding an umbrella under the gentle rain.
A residential area appeared after an hour of walking.
There is a very normal-looking house.
A door lock hanging on the door.
I entered a 4-digit passcode.
There is another door inside.
Another door lock on the door.
Is it a double lock?, as I thought to myself, a regular home showed up after
I entered the passcode.
But there is a secret to this door lock.
You might think that the secret is in the passcode.
For that, I just entered it in order.
It is a 13-digit long passcode.
…I know it because I am a fan of the original work. I would not be able to
memorize it for the first time.
It was not long before I pressed all the numbers, then a sudden vibration
from the inside.
At the same time, the bottom of my feet slowly sunk in, and I began to lock
up.
Slowly going down there…
Where am I going?
It’s like going to the abyss… Should I call it an elevator?
Well, I took something called a foot lift and went down.
Down, down…
But the thing is…
Hmm, come to think of it, I could have just teleported from the ground to
the basement.
All right, it is better to save my power.
After such a short time, the lift stopped.
A neat gray-walled interior.
As I walked inside, the LED lights on the wall surrounded me.
It was like a scene from a sci-fi movie about the near future.
Then if we go deep, deep inside, there is a large room.
With countless displays attached to one wall, it was like a place from
NASA’s research center in the American space movies. Where someone
would say ‘Houston, Houston’, then suddenly someone would answer ‘This
is Houston, over’. That kind of place.
A kid sitting in a large leather chair that looks twice as big as her figure,
amid countless lights from the monitors.
This kid was the one who helped me hijack the radio.
In the second half of the original comic, she appeared as an S-class villain.
“Hey, oppa is here.”
“You’re here, ‘hyung’?”
TN: Hyung means Older brother. The term is used when a man is calling or
talking to an older man whether he is related to him or not.
She is Han Seo-eun, a genius hacker.
I went to the chair where Seo-eun was sitting and pulled her hair up.
“Why do you call me ‘hyung’…? Anyway, what were you doing?”
“What else? I was fixing this.”
Seo-eun frowned and shook her head as I stroked her white hair.
She is short and pretty. She is certainly a girl. But she insists she is a boy.

As I have already read the original, I think it is cute because I know that she
is a girl. I wonder if she has any trauma about being a girl. I don’t think so,
but then why

It is a little weird to hear a girl call you ‘Hyung’… She is only in her third
year of middle school. Well, obviously she does not look like it at all.
“You did a great job in hijacking the radio yesterday, Seo-eun. My face just
came out all over the country.”
“Well. Anyone could have done such an easy thing.”
She spoke so bluntly, but her lips twitched when I complimented her. I
could see her smile.
“And hyung. That’s not the problem. Something just happened.”
“What? What’s the problem?”
No way there is a problem.
“Now, look at this.”
Soon after Seo-eun showed me the video on one of the displays, my face
was bound to stiffen slightly.
“What the hell is this?”
[Egostic’s followers are causing a bomb attack in the center of Incheon.
They are now claiming to cause more explosions with bombs…]

Who the hell are they? Why are they selling me out?
[Egostic’s followers are causing a bomb attack in the center of Incheon.
They are now claiming to cause more explosions with bombs placed on the
building. They are currently on a sit-in and share their desire of dying
without any specific conditions. It is estimated that at least three people
have died to this moment.]
I frowned as Seo-eun showed me the news.
Who are those bastards? Why are they selling me out while proclaiming
themselves as my followers?
And what? They even caused casualties? They killed people?
Something twisted inside me.
Yesterday I tried so hard to raise awareness and create my public images.
And everything fell apart on the very next day.
Do you know that you are crossing the line, you bastards?
How dare you use my name and cause terrorism?
And in such an uncivilized and violent way. A shallow way that doesn’t suit
me at all!
“……”
And people have died.
I swore to myself that I would never cause casualties to the people as I
walked on this villain’s path.
But three people have died.
And now I am the one to blame because my followers did it.
The lives of those three.
With a stiff face, I said to Seo-eun sitting on the chair.
“Seo-eun, help me one more time. I have to deal with those brats and do
something about the aftermath.”
“I knew that would happen, so I prepared it beforehand.”
Seo-eun searched through the drawer and handed me a phone.
Holding it in my hand, I walked towards the lift.
“Ha, haha.”
I forced a laugh.
Seriously.
Working non-stop two days in a row is a little too much.
***
The Superhero Association of Korea.
However, no one calls them that, the Hero Association.
Right now, the atmosphere of the Hero Association is intense.
“How is the current situation?”

Hearing the question from the president’s deep voice, the agent sitting at the
front quickly spoke up.
“The criminals are still staging a sit-in at the scene. Right now, I believe
there are about 300 hostages being isolated inside the building.”
“Any additional casualties?”
“Not yet.”
“Okay, I see. Are the heroes on their way?”
“We have C-class and B-class heroes on standby. But they’re threatening to
detonate the bomb, so it’s hard to approach.”
“Damn it, those bastards. Did that Egostic bring them here?”
“We’re investigating their connection… but we still don’t know.”
“Alright, I see. Oh, yeah. Where is Stardus now?”
“She’s currently watching the situation nearby. She will probably make a
sudden attack in case of an emergency.”
Like he said.
Shin Haru, Stardus, was watching the situation closely from the rooftop of a
nearby building.
‘Damn it, what am I supposed to do…’
The reason why the Hero Association exists is simple.
It is hard for the police, which are just ordinary citizens, to catch other
villains who can use superpower.
Technically, they want to use the superpowers to catch the superpowers.
Terrorism in this generation is almost entirely caused by people with
superpowers.
Most of the terrorism are caused by either those who want to show off their
power, hate the world, or who have been awakened as villains.
So, this is the first terrorism that was caused by normal people who do not
use superpower.
The reason is…
‘Egostic, that punk.’
Shin Haru gritted her teeth.
The man clearly did not use much superpowers, but he still inspired others
by the way he made pressure on the hero with only bombs.
‘No. It’s because of what happened the next day after what he caused.’
Yeah, the possibility will be rather high.
Or that he organized another large-scale terrorism in one day, which is
impossible.
A planned crime is self-evidence.
‘I should have killed him yesterday… Wait, that?”
As soon as she found something, she got a call from her in-ear.
[Stardus, that Egostic guy has finally appeared. I repeat. Egostic himself
seems to appear on the scene. Right now, the criminal is doing a live video
of himself on Youtube. Please check it out right away.]
Even without hearing the urgent call from the headquarters, Shin Haru
could see him at the moment.
Because there he is, Egostic standing in front of the building where the
criminals took hostages.
“Youtube…?”
One of the contacts from the headquarters did say that he was doing a live
video on Youtube.
She hurriedly turned on her phone and went into the app.
The video is currently topping the chart on the main page.
[Egostic LIVE]
She clicked on the video.
***
A building filled with cold tension.
A street that no one can see.
Something black appeared.
A black robe covers the whole body.
Black hair looks just like the clothes.
And a half-mask hides the face.
Yeah, it’s me, Egostic.
[What’s this?]
[Shit, a villain’s live broadcast]
[I think this Egostic bastard is live streaming the terrorism now.]
[The best villain of this generation, Egostic. Hahahaha]
[I had nothing to do today, but now it’s going to be interesting.]
[There are so many crazy bastards in the chatroom. It’s a crime scene, you
punks.]
[Sure, as long as it’s not me~~~~]

[Second☆Hand♧Car#Volk%Swagen♡On@Sale×Right₩Now□It’s☆The♧
Last#Chance%Selling♡It@Right×Away₩Please□Contact☆Us♧Now>>>0
703461555<<<
[Release Kim Sunwoo. Release Kim Sunwoo. Release Kim Sunwoo.
Release Kim Sunwoo. Release Kim Sunwoo. Release Kim Sunwoo.
Release Kim Sunwoo.]
[Shit, this chatroom is fucked up.]
[Are Youtube not going to take this off?]
[Thinking about his hijacking yesterday, Youtube might not be able to take
it off.]
…And the sight of me walking was live streaming on Youtube.
The filming phone is fixed with my telekinesis.
I have no other choice since I have to revive my reputation which seems to
be falling apart.
I peeked at the chatroom, and I started to regret it.
Anyway, I kept walking.
At some point, I was standing in front of the building.
As I went in without any restrictions, the dark interior caught my eyes.
A lot of people were sitting inside.
And the people standing were wearing black clothes and masks just like me.
Not a mask that covers half of the face but covers their entire face.
I entered through the entrance to the lobby of the large building.
Holding guns in their hands, they were surprised to see me at first.
Soon after, several people cheered when they recognized me through my
black robe and the half mask.
Then a voice from one of the terrorists echoed.

He looked at me and said in a funny voice.

“Our hero, Egostic, come to join himself!”
Ha… What’s wrong with these fuckers?
Why am I the one to feel embarrassed?
Starting with the guy who spoke first, the followers began to chant together.
“Egostic! Egostic!”
“He came! He really came!”
“Woohooooooo!”
The rioters start screaming at me.
The hostages were just crouching in between.
Even if I decided to be a villain.
I was also a regular Korean citizen until I came here.
Something was burning inside me.
Hey, you ignorant brats.
This is just a riot.
It doesn’t have any feelings of intense pressure, original ideas, or
psychological stress.
Shallow terrorism that uses only primal fear and intimidation.
You call yourself my followers but sell my name out and create this mess?
I have not said a word ever since I entered the building.
I just turned my head slowly and carefully read their faces.
Black robes and masks. They are all holding guns.
And one of these guys must be holding the detonator somewhere.
[The one standing in the 3 o’clock direction is holding the detonator.]
A voice spoke up from my earphones.
As expected, Han Seo-eun is indeed a genius hacker.
She knows exactly what I need.
…Although I don’t know how she figured it out.
Between where they stand, it was packed with people.
About 300 people, I guess.
“…..”
Now, what are we going to do with these brats?
Hmm… Okay.
First, let’s laugh.
“Haha, hahaha.”
I lowered my head, giggled then smiled.
And then I laughed again.
“Hahaha, hahahaha! Hahahahahahaha!”
I laughed like a maniac.
Inside the quiet building, only my laughter rang out.
The self-proclaimed followers were also silent as if they noticed something
strange.
After laughing my heart out, I stopped and spoke up.
“I heard something about ‘my followers’… so I came. It is, it is…”
The tension swept through the room as my words flowed out.
“You’re doing very, very well! Excellent!”
The followers seemed to be relieved immediately as they heard me.
Yeah, relax yourselves.
A man, who seems to be the leader among them, spoke up.
“Ha, haha! Thank you, sir! We’re Egostic’s passionate–”
“Such an excellent…”
I interrupted him coldly.
And I put my hand inside the coat.
“Such an excellent bullshit–”
As I was talking, I grabbed the man who appeared to be the leader and the
man who was holding the detonator with my telekinesis.
“-right now,”
Then I took the gun from my coat and shot them both.
Bang, bang. Such an enjoyable sound.
Thanks to my telekinesis, two of them were shot pathetically and collapsed
while bleeding.
“AAAAAAAAAH!”
The hostages started to scream at the sight of collapsed people and the
sound of the gun.
Standing among the self-proclaimed followers hiding their faces behind the
masks, I put my gun back.

Now, it’s time for ‘Moral Education’.

The Superhero Association of Korea, only a few people have superpowers.
Among them, there are even fewer of them with double abilities.
My abilities, telekinesis and teleportation.
Since I have two major-class abilities, as someone with superpowers, I
guess I can be considered as a golden spoon.
TN: Spoon class theory in Korea. ‘Golden spoon’ refers to the top 1% of
the rich and powerful people in their society.
…Yeah right, I wish I was a golden spoon.
Sadly, my abilities seem to be more of a spoon plated with gold than a pure
golden spoon.
There is only one reason. All of my abilities are flawed.
Take teleportation as an example. If I teleport for 1km, the exhaustion
comes at once after traveling that distance at full speed.
I teleported for a long-distance yesterday and ended up sleeping all day. So
I can see a flaw in it.
Among the villains, there is only one teleporter that has no restrictions.
Instead, he only has teleportation ability.
This means he can only appear and then disappear like a ghost, flashing
from the east to the west.
On the same principle, my telekinesis has a big flaw.
My ability is like a weak claw from a doll claw machine.
It is impossible for me to hold a person who resists violently, and I can only
use it to make things float in the air. Like the floating smartphone right now.
Well, using the power to get something fixed is hard, but to hit someone is
so much easier. When you look at the claw machine, it can hardly grab
anything but you can still control it to move it side to side quickly.
I guess the only advantage is that I can do something similar to a charged
attack*? If you use it at once after gathering strength for a long time, you
will still have a deal. I linked this to my teleportation ability and went
around breaking the heads of the villains.
*TN: Gathering strength for one fully powered up attack which can cause a
large deal of damage. This term can be seen a lot in games.
Of course, whether there are advantages or not, I am sure that my abilities
are flawed.
Even so.
Still, you know what?
Here, I will still be able to handle those little punks with just a gun. And it
is also a skill.
It is more than enough.
“W-What are you doing?!”
Inside a building filled with the screams of the hostages.
I replied to him, whose voice seemed to be shocked.
“You guys were doing shitty things, so shouldn’t I educate you a little bit?”
As he opened his mouth, I gave him a shot.
The distance between him and me was quite far, but the bullet went
unshakable and shot right in the middle of his forehead.
Luckily, it did not seem like a bulletproof mask. I looked at him falling to
the ground.
Undisturbed comfort. Ego’s Bullet.
Of course, I was able to change the bullet’s path with my telekinesis in
advance. Well, this is also my ‘skill’, right?
Phew, I am glad that I have this poor telekinetic power.
Without it, I could never have shot a person so accurately since I only
experienced using guns when I was in the military.
After three of them collapsed, the rest of those bastards started to point their
guns at me.
They said they were my followers. Why are they pointing guns at me?
These guys are hilarious.
An urgent explosive situation. I took a peek at my smartphone which is still
floating in the air and streaming smoothly.
[He just killed three people. Hahahahahahaha]
[I feel so emotional~]
[Wasn’t he on the same side? Why did he kill them?]
[This is rated R. Look at the blood.]
[Fuck, my brother’s there.]
[Isn’t this Egostic bastard a nice guy?]
[One shot, one kill. Gosh]
[Damn it, you brats~~~. Is this a game to you? This is a real situation. Why
are laughing about it?,,, The brats these days,]
[What are the heroes doing?]
[KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA]
[What’s going to happen to the people thereㅜI’m so worried.]
[Everyone, hang in there!]
[Release Kim Sunwoo. Release Kim Sunwoo. Release Kim Sunwoo.
Release Kim Sunwoo. Release Kim Sunwoo. Release Kim Sunwoo.
Release Kim Sunwoo. Release Kim Sunwoo.]
[Fuck, are there any managers here? Take down these comments.]
[Ego oppa seems to be a handsome guy even when he covers half of his
faceㅠㅠㅠ]
[There are so many crazy brats here. Hahahahaha. This is a real situation,
you morons.]
[They are looking for the manager while watching a villain’s terrorism. Sick
bastards. Hahaha]
[If the comments here get captured, we’re going to be the national shame;;]
…I only looked at it for a second and it made me feel dizzy.
I turned my head around and grasped the atmosphere of the scene.
The screaming hostages were now covering their ears and shivering.
Yeah, the sound of the gun is pretty scary.
When I had a look around the hostages, they were mainly male and female
in their 20s or 30s.
…I don’t even know what kind of building this is. Is it a company?
While I was guessing, a guy pointing a gun at me started yelling. What a
jerk!
“Egostic! What have we done wrong? Why are you doing this to us all of a
sudden?”
The guy screamed at me. So disgusting.
Frankly, I would never have paid attention to this kind of terrorism if they
didn’t sell me out. Because this is a hero’s job. Well, even though I am
planning to eliminate all the villains who commit major casualties before.
Anyway, for the sake of an ignorant man who knows nothing of his own
fault, I decided to tell him myself. I think I have the nicest personality
among the villains.
“Mistake? You didn’t make any mistakes.”
I spun the gun around my hand. How funny as they flinched at my action.
These fools, after all they didn’t shoot me because they are my followers.
But I feel a little sorry as the trembling hostages glanced at me. Gosh, I am
being too weak-hearted, can I even call myself a villain?
“Of course, if you consider your ignorance a mistake then it is a mistake! If
you think about it like that, you guys…”
As I spoke up, I made the guns, which I put in my coat in advance, float
with my telekinesis.
Their eyes were wide open as they saw the guns rising in the air.
Well, do you think I would only use the gun with my hands?
I have telekinesis ability, you brats.
“Everyone, you committed high treason. So you are going to be executed
immediately.”

I fired them in different directions with the floating guns.

The hostages were screaming behind, the followers started to collapse
following the bang sound of the guns.
Even though I was just trying to educate them, it does seem a little
aggressive…
Well, I guess what they learned today will help them be more careful in the
next life.
Using my telekinesis, I hit a bullet that was flying towards me.
No matter how weak my telekinesis is, I still have enough strength to
change the direction of a bullet. Well, it is also because I already guessed
that they were going to fire at me.
“AH, AAAAH…”
Every one of them collapsed and only one left.
All of his teammates had died, and only one follower was left alive.
The reason for keeping one of them alive is simple.
The association also has to catch one… And don’t you think if they know
what happened, they will have something to say at the press conference?
The reason I saved that person’s life among those eight men is…
The only one with long hair. So I think that person is a woman.
What? Why? Is it a crime to adore a woman? I am dignified.
Only those who hate women and homosexuals would be pissed at me. So
just ignore me.
I shot and killed everyone, and then slowly walked to her with a smile.
Step. Step.
“Oh, my god. S-S-Save me…”
As I got closer, the woman was trembling.
She didn’t try to shoot me anymore. Perhaps she realized that it would
never work even if she did.
Eventually, I got closer to her as she was trembling as if she were almost
broken.
“(Sniffle)…”
She was almost about to cry when I stood in front of her. I held her chin
with one hand.
And I took off her mask with the other hand.
Her face was revealed as I took off her mask.
“You look pretty.”
I was a little flustered as a pretty girl appeared all of sudden.
She looked up at me with her pretty teary eyes and it stirred up my
protective instinct.
I almost turned into a sweet guy and wiped her tears off. But I pulled myself
together and talked to her.
“Do you admit your mistake?”
She answered my question in a gentle trembling voice.
“I-I-I was wrong. I was wrong. I’m sorry.”
Wait. What is wrong with her? Why is she acting like I am going to eat her
alive?
I could feel her dazzling appearance shaking my composure, but I regained
my mind. No, I am all about Stardus. I will not be seduced by another
woman!
With a strong heart, I asked a question that would break her mental.
“What did you do?”
“What? What?”
“I asked. What did you do?”
I asked the question again with a grin on my face, she eventually collapsed
as her legs seemed to be weakened.
“Oh, Oh. I, we… c-caused this without your permission, Mr. Egostic.”
“And?”
“A-And… Waaaah. I-I’m so sorry. Please save me. Please spare my life.”
The woman suddenly wailed loudly as she was talking.
What’s wrong with her? I haven’t done anything yet.
You are the bad guy, but now you made me look like a bad guy!
…Wait, am I the bad guy?
She broke the silence of the building with her crying.

[Hahaha. He’s such a trash. Hahahahahaha.]

I felt upset when I saw what they posted in the chat window.

I know at some point they would call me that, but I never expected it would
be in this situation.
300 people, a fair number of high school students.
The fact that so many people are gathered together means a lot of things.
Whether the place has that much space for them, or they are stuck together.
In this case, maybe both.
The large number of 300 people are gathered side by side in a large space.
So many people are gathered at the same time but none of them open their
mouths.
Then is it quiet? No, it is not.
Because of the woman who is wailing in front of me.
“Waaaaaaaaah! Waaaaaaaah! Wa, waaaaaaaaaaaah.’’
Stop crying, please.
[She’s crying so sadly.]
[He killed seven members of her side. It is something worth crying about.
Hahaha]
[Is she going to die soon? She’s pretty though. That’s too bad.]
[You crazy brats. Are you not seeing the shivering hostages,,,, This is not a
movie.]
[Yeah, as long as it’s not me~~~~]
[I don’t think he will kill the hostages.]
[Looking at that woman crying so sadly, I’m so worriedㅜㅜ]
[Seriously. That woman is also a terrorist, you crazy brats Hahahaha.]
[This is even more interesting than terrestrial TV. So much fun. Haha.]
Looking at the comments again to see how the atmosphere was,
I realized that I didn’t need to see it anymore. My head is spinning.
“Waaaaaaaaaaaah.”
First of all, this woman is more troubling.
What should I do? She is so loud.
Should I just kill her?
No, but I should at least warn her. I am a gentleman after all.
I squatted down in front of her and picked up the handgun that she dropped.
As I remained low, I made eye contact with the woman.
When our eyes met, I smiled gently at her and said,
“If you keep crying, I will shoot you.”
When I pretended to shoot with the handgun as a joke, she started to panic
and tried her best to stop crying.
…Can people hold back their tears by putting the fist in their mouth? I am
not sure.
Anyway, it got quieter than before.
Listening to her hiccups behind, I stood in front of the hostages.
What a grand sight as 300 people squatting down and looking up at me.
Their eyes were filled with fear.
I was wondering why but then I realized I just killed seven people in front
of them.
How often would people see other people get shot, bleed and collapse in
real life?
Wait, or is it a normal thing for people in this world?
This is Seoul.
Asia’s third-largest economy and third-largest terrorist city.
Strangely, the city is considered as the capital of Korea with a large number
of heroes and villains with superpowers.
Anyway, people looked very nervous.
I spoke up loudly to them.
“Alright, alright. Hi, everyone. I am the A-class villain, Egostic. Nice to
meet you.”
Using my telekinesis, I amplify my voice louder so everyone can hear me.
The atmosphere got colder when I was done talking. Everyone looked
nervous. Come on. I will not hurt you.
[I bet he is going to say ‘Now, kill each other’!]
Looking at the comments, I can see why.
What do you think I am? I am not that kind of psychopath.
…Come to think of it, I did set up the scene where whoever between two
ships kills the other first gets to live. Gosh, alright, my bad. My bad.
I said to the trembling people.
“First of all, I would like to apologize to everyone here. I’m very sorry.”
I bowed in 90 degrees.
…Really. I even used my telekinesis to keep my bow at the right angle.
This kind of detail is important.
When I suddenly bowed to apologize, I could feel people holding their
breath.
I straightened my back and continued.
“Although I didn’t commit this, I feel a great responsibility for these
copycat crimes committed by my precedents.”
The hostages’ mouths were wide open.
All of sudden, the atmosphere started to get noisy.
[?????????]
[What is he talking about?]
[Is this… a villain? So what are those villains that I’ve been seeing so far?]
The chat window was shocked.
This is how parents would react when they saw their son, who had always
gone around and caused trouble, suddenly came back with an acceptance
letter from Seoul National University after studying hard for 50 days.
Whether or not, I kept speaking.
“Taking hostages is something that I wouldn’t do, so you can just go back
home now. I’m going to send $1000 to each of you who has suffered
because of me, so please check your account.”
[??? What nonsense is this???]
[Giving compensation for the damage? Fuck Hahahahahahaha.]
[Mom, I’m going to be a hostage when I grow up! Mom, I’m going to be a
hostage when I grow up! Mom, I’m going to be a hostage when I grow up!
Mom, I’m going to be a hostage when I grow up! Mom, I’m going to be a
hostage when I grow up! Mom, I’m going to be a hostage when I grow up!]
[Is this really… terrorism? What kind of terrorism I’ve experienced so far?]
“I will send $10,000 to each of the three unfortunate deceased people. I
know all the accounts, so you don’t have to worry.”
I told you, right?
I am rich.
I wasn’t before, but now spending money is the best I can do.
[ Just… $10,000?]
[Tsk, I know people died but $10,000 is too much…]
[??? Honestly, Egostic didn’t even kill them. Isn’t $10,000 too much?]
[Really? $10,000 is too much for a death compensation…]
[Seriously, he didn’t even kill them in the first place. Hahahahaha.]
Looking at the comments, I regret it. Perhaps I should have said
$100,000…
I cannot take it back now, the transactions are already waiting in my
account.
How do I know their accounts? Of course, Seo-eun the genius hacker would
help me take care of it. I should probably trust Seo-eun.
[….Haa….] TN:Sighing sfx.
I think I just heard a sigh from my in-ear, but probably it was just me. Yeah.
Having said everything, I looked back again.
The unknown female follower was still trembling behind me.
If I just leave her here, she will either die or cause trouble, should I just tie
her up…?
[Hyung. Just bring her here.]
I heard Seo-eun speak up through my in-ear.
She wants me to bring her there? This woman? Why?
But I couldn’t raise my voice and ask her.
Hundreds of people are watching me right now, and if I mutter to myself, I
would look so stupid…
[I think I know her. If I’m right, she can be a big help. So it’s better to bring
her here.]
Hmm, alright.
Seo-eun sounded so sure about it, there must be a reason.
“Lady? Come with me.”
“Whaaaaaaaaaaat?”
I picked the strange crying woman up and held her in my arms.
She started to struggle as if she was shocked. I held her and then greeted the
people.
“Well then, goodbye.”
As soon as I said goodbye, I spread my cape in front of me.
Then I disappeared.
[Is the broadcast ended?]
[The ending was a little boring… I give you 6/10.]
[Release Kim Sunwoo. Release Kim Sunwoo. Release Kim Sunwoo.
Release Kim Sunwoo. Release Kim Sunwoo. Release Kim Sunwoo.
Release Kim Sunwoo. Release Kim Sunwoo.]
[After seeing that, they decided to put Kim Sunwoo to death.]
===[The broadcast has ended]===
And I turned off the chaotic live broadcast, too.
***
[A responsible villain who compensates with money? Real reviews from
the hostages. Egostic, who is he? Let’s take a closer look.]
[[Editorial] A villain who killed his terrorist followers, is it a right thing to
do?]
[Egostic, the villain who became the main topic from yesterday to 9 o’clock
news today… NEWSTREE.]
***
[Writer] Anonymous.
[Title] So it’s true?
An A-class villain suddenly kidnapped two ships and insisted, “Kill each
other from now on.”, but ended up not killing anyone. Then his followers
started terrorism the next day so he stepped up to the plate, killed them all,
then compensated the hostages and released them? And all of these were
live broadcast?
[Anonymous 1] Come on. No way. Hehe
ㄴ[Anonymous 2] I know right haha.
ㄴ[Anonymous 3] No one like that exists in this world. (There is)
ㄴ[Anonymous 4] He even hijacked the radio waves and public TV? I’m
sure it’s a lie. (Not)
[Anonymous 5] Seriously, I have never seen a villain like that Mango Stick
in my life. It has only been two days but I already engraved him in my
head.
ㄴ[Anonymous 6] Who is Mango Stick? Hahahaha
ㄴ[Anonymous 7] Fuck, Mango Stick. Hahaha
ㄴ[Anonymous 8] What villain would name himself Mango Stick?
Hahaha.

[Anonymous 9] Honestly, he killed the villains, stopped terrorism and

released the hostages… Isn’t he a hero?
ㄴ[Anonymous 10] Hero (Kidnapped ships and attempted to explode
them.)
ㄴ[Anonymous 9] But did anyone die? Hahaha.
ㄴ[Anonymous 11] I support the dark hero, Mango Stick.
***
The villain makes the whole nation engrave his name two days in a role,
Mango Stick.
…Not that, he is Egostic. She shook her head and corrected herself. She has
been scrolling on the community reading the public’s opinions for too long,
perhaps her mind was worn out.
“Haru, what are you doing?”
“Oh, unnie.” TN: Unnie means “Older sister”. The term is used when a
woman is calling or talking to an older woman whether she is related to her
or not.
Inside the cafe.
The college student Shin Haru was doing her assignment with her senior.
When she is a hero, she basically hides her name and wears a derecognition
filter all the time, so no one knows that she is a hero.
She wants to enjoy an ordinary college life.
She was living a double life as Shin Haru, an ordinary college student
during the day, and Stardus, a hero at night.
“Haru, You don’t seem like you are concentrating. What’s the matter?”
“N-Nothing. I just have something to think about for a moment.”
She shook her hand and relieved her senior by claiming that she was okay
and she would work hard now. She took the pen to do her homework again.
But her attention was on somewhere else.
Egostic, what the hell is that guy?
Shin Haru.
A third-year student at Yeonhui University.
She is normal except for her blonde hair and an appearance that makes
everyone have to glance over their shoulders. Honestly, being pretty is not
normal…
Anyway, only a few people know that she is a hero.
A secret no one knows except for some of the Hero Association’s agents
and her fellow heroes.
That is why she was able to enjoy a relatively normal college life.
…Of course, the fact that she was absent more than other students is
somehow suspicious.
Not just that.
She missed the party at the beginning of the semester, the orientation, the
MT, the after party, the festival…
Since she didn’t participate in any school events, she can hardly be close
with anyone.
Of course, she is also deliberately distancing herself with people on
purpose.
However, she is still close to some classmates and seniors so it is not a big
problem.
Just like that, she was doing well in the double life of a college student and
a hero.
Terrorism rarely happens in Seoul.
Maybe once every two weeks?
Honestly, the amount is normally considered as ‘often’. But in this
confusing world, it is still bearable.
Not many strong villains appeared in Korea yet.
Of course, in the world’s largest country, United States, they said the
terrorism is rampant every day to match its population.
Instead, they have many S-class and A-class heroes, so the balance is
maintained.
When you go to the U.S., a city is full of A-class heroes.
Considering that Korea does not have many A-class heroes, the U.S is
amazing.
That’s why she doesn’t think that she is very capable, even though she is an
A-class hero.
Well, what is her ability? Nothing more than being very strong and flying.
That is all she could do. So when Egostic caused trouble last time, she
could do nothing but watch.
“……”
Tap. Tap
She tapped her finger on the glass of mango smoothie she was drinking.
Egostic.
At first, seeing him killing other villains made her furious.
In fact, she had this thought about Egostic.
A childish little boy suddenly received a superpower, so he ran wild.
It was her guess.
An attention seeker got his power and suddenly he thought, ‘Oh, why don’t
we just kill all the villains with this’ then he got excited and killed other
villains.
Instead of formally applying to be a hero, becoming a member of the
judiciary.
A child who acts as if he is justice by using excessive force.
Some people set out to be vigilantes after gaining powers and enjoy having
the public’s attention.
They deluded themselves as “heroes” who are different from the “inflexible
heroes”.
The type that she hates the most.
Attention seekers.
That thought changed to conviction when Shin Haru saw her name written
in blood at the murder scene.
A disgusting bastard.
She is sure that he only cares about her face.
How could he be so brutal and do that with blood?
She could only think of putting him in jail at that time.
…Although, she didn’t understand how he found out where the hidden A-
class villains lived.
Yeah, no one knew back then.
She doesn’t know if he is crazy.
[Yes, there are bombs on those two ships right now. Boom! And everyone
on those two ships… will die without being able to say goodbye to their
loved ones.]
[The time limit is 30 minutes, and you cannot press the detonators of two
ships.]
He was not just a child excited over his superpower.
He was surely a villain, planning a large-scale terrorism.
And he was also a psychopath who played with other’s hearts.
Even though she showed nothing outside, but inside she was shocked.
How can a person be so anti-human?
Honestly, if Egostic hears about this story, he will be upset that it was not
his idea but an homage from an old movie in the past life. But she couldn’t
tell him that.
He said his name was Egostic.
People in the community analyzed that he seems to name himself after the
English word ‘Egoistic’, which means selfish.
The connection between his name and his idea about how selfish human
beings are.
Even by looking at this, he does not look like a normal person.
And the long-awaited last week.
At first, she sighed when she heard that Egostic’s followers were causing a
bomb attack.
When a madman comes out, other villains pour out like the fallout effect.
She doesn’t even know how Egostic proceeded with the event the very next
day after his first terrorism.
The terrorist attacks happened so close to the other as she had to assume
that they were prearranged plans.
The followers who sincerely follow Egostic were born in a day, and they
were so active that they cause terrorism on the very next day.
Even when the Association discussed and put out a policy to prevent
copycat crimes like Egostic’s bomb attack.
The terrorism happened so fast that she had no choice but to go along with
it without any preparation.
However, she could only blame herself for doing nothing and watch the
situation nervously.
Egostic stepped up to the plate himself.
To be honest,
She was very nervous.
Scared? Sure, she decided to be cool and admitted it.
She was a little scared. A little. Not really really scared.
The man, who no one can predict his next action, went there himself. And
not to mention, a place with more than hundreds of hostages.
It would have been strange if she didn’t worry.
All the heroes from the Association, including herself, could only watch the
situation while holding their breath.
…And of course, they had no choice but to watch it through the live
broadcast. Even though his close-up face was covered up, he looked so
shameless that she just wanted to run there and punch him right away. But
she tried to keep it cool and continued watching.
And he proved that he was a freak, too.
When he saw his followers, he shot them all together while calling them
bullshits.
Then he released the hostages safely. He even made a promise to
compensate them with money. She heard that money was actually
transferred into the victims’ accounts. They were sent from a fake bank
account so they cannot track him down.
Not only did he give them money, he even apologized. He apologized to
them since his followers caused a fuss. Right in front of the live broadcast.
At that point, she was really confused.
What the hell is he doing? If he is a villain, he has to act like a villain.
And frankly speaking, he was actually heroic in his actions that day.
…Of course, you cannot accept a vigilante. However, since the Association
has allowed his killings as he was doing it to save the hostages’ life, and
they were dead anyway.
That’s why she finds it weird.
None of the villains were like this Egostic.
Indiscriminate murders, bombing, arson, kidnapping, terrorism.
Villains causing these crimes were very common.
But a villain who seems to have some kind of “belief” like this Egostic
guy?
This is the first case she saw.
Of course, there may be similar cases around the world, but this is at least
the first case in Korea.
-Ring
She left the cafe after finishing her homework.
A nice day with warm sunshine.
She stretched out her arms as a habit.
“Woaaa.”
Sometimes, men walk by and glance back at her as she reaches out her arms
to stretch. But she doesn’t notice.
“Egostic…”
‘…He knows where the villains’ hideouts are. He can hijack the radio. He
knows the account money of the hostages who he met for the first time. He
is rich.’
Who the hell is this guy?
Egostic has already become the number one alert in her mind.
She means.
Whether he is good or bad, the man named Egostic has a big share.
‘…I’m going to find out who you are.’
***
“Tsk. Is someone talking about me?”
“Isn’t it because you haven’t washed up lately?”
“Seo-eun, I know that you’re a girl but you keep on–”
“Hyung, please be quiet.”
“Alright…”
“…. Should I… prepare water for you?”
“Soobin. What’s the matter with you again? You don’t have to do anything,
just stay still. Also, I wash myself every day. I was framed!
“…Okay.”
“Why don’t you trust me? I said I was framed!”
In the heart of Seoul.
A secret base located deep down a few stories in a normal-looking house.
The base of Egostic. Ego-base.
“Hyung. Why are you naming someone’s house like that?”
“Seo-eun, there’s no such thing as your house or my house between you and
me. Your house is mine, mine is yours.”
“You sold your house so you don’t even have a house anymore.”
“……”
Yeah , I moved out.
To Seo-eun’s underground secret basement.
Since I have to do many things from now on, I decided it would be better to
move to a place where all the equipment is gathered. Seo-eun agreed with
me.
Although I don’t even know how deep it is, the place is still bright and nice
with the LED lights. It has a lot of rooms so there is no big problem.
Thank you, Seo-eun.
As I looked at Seo-eun with gratitude, Seo-eun frowned as if she wanted to
ask me, ‘What are you looking at?’. That brat.
My best friend and the genius hacker, Han Seo-eun.
She is a small child with a silver bob. She is only in 9th grade. I thought she
was in 7th grade at first.
She keeps calling me “hyung” and claiming that she is a boy…
Seo-eun, I already read the original comic and I know that you are a girl…
I never thought a middle school girl would call me “hyung.”…
That doesn’t mean that Seo-eun is the only one who lives here.
The self-proclaimed follower of mine, the woman I kidnapped I guess.
“…?”
Soobin, who was frightened looking up at me, is also living with us.
…How I picked her up is a long story.
“Haa…”
The number of people living with me is increasing. It is just me thinking so,
right?
“A…Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
“Hyung, stop making weird noises.”
“You bad punk. Oppa is working so hard and you can’t even give me
comfort.”
“…Don’t you ‘oppa’ with me. Anyway, it will be better if you just lay
there. Why are you being a crybaby?”
I thought my tears were coming out as Seo-eun looked at me pitifully.
Gosh, it really hurts.
This place is deep underground somewhere in Seoul.
It was the underground base of Han Seo-eun, a genius hacker and a genius
scientist who can make everything. Of course, she is still a kid who is only
in 9th grade.
As soon as I dealt with the terrorism caused by my followers impersonating
me, I teleported myself here and fainted again. Teleporting continuously is
killing me. Even to a deep underground…
Still, it certainly didn’t hurt that much since Seo-eun made me a fatigue
recovery capsule. She should have told me that she had something like this
yesterday. I was completely knocked out all day yesterday.
It was even twice as hard because I wasn’t the only one moving, I also
dragged another person with me this time.
Fortunately, Seo-eun made this fatigue recovery capsule or something, or
else I would have actually fainted.
“Urg. So… why did you tell me to bring her here?”
I pointed to the woman sitting on the chair.
As she realized she was being noticed, the woman hiccuped and was
surprised.
The woman with long black straight hair and her eyes looking dead.
Somehow I feel bad looking at her.
She even looks pretty, so she looks like the heroine of a tragic love story.
She is the only one I saved among the eight followers.
Honestly, I saved her as I wanted to give her to the Hero Association and
Stardus as a gift. But I just brought her back after listening to Seo-eun.
“Oh.”
Seo-eun, who was busy with something on her computer screen, turned her
chair and looked at us.
Seo-eun looked at her and asked.
“Unnie… I mean noona. Noona, are you Lee Soobin?” TN: Noona means
“Older sister”. The term is used when a man is calling or talking to an older
woman whether he is related to him or not.
“Huh? Oh. How did you know?”
“I know everything.”
Seo-eun was being all chic and stated. But if you look closely, her nose
bridge seems to get higher.
This kiddo is so cute trying to talk like that. I feel like a father smiling at his
daughter.
So that person’s name was Lee Soobin. Come to think of it, I didn’t even
know her name yet. Lee Soobin. A very common name.
“So, Seo-eun? Can you explain why I had to bring Lee Soobin here? She
self-proclaimed as my follower.”
She shuddered again when I said.
I mean, she is so timid, how did she cause that terrorism?
She already started to tear up. She must be very scared.
“Oh. I would like to ask you a favor.”
Seo-eun said casually.
Wait, ask for a favor? You?
Not only me but Lee Soobin also seemed quite confused by Seo-eun’s
words. What does this mean all of sudden?
“No… Hmm, Seo-eun. I don’t understand. You told me to kidnap a terrorist
that I just met for the first time to help you? Oh… Hmm… Before that,
wouldn’t it be faster for you to get stabbed with a bread knife by that person
while you sleep?”
The woman behind said, ‘I’m not… letting go of the bread knife.’ or
something, but I ignored her. This place is a cold and heartless Ego-base.
The one with a tiny voice cannot survive.
“Haa. It’s not like that”
“What do you mean ‘it’s not like that’, Seo-eun? I think you don’t know the
world yet because you’re still in 9th grade of middle school. This world is
not a place where people would actually work quietly for the people who
kidnap them and tell them to work. Don’t you think she would hold
grudges? Either she is going to steal all your information and run away or
get back at you. Even though I don’t know why you need her help.”
I felt like someone from the back shook her head like she wanted to say, ‘I
will not betray you’. Well, it was not a feeling, but she actually said it.
Seo-eun only sighed at my speech. Seriously, this brat? That’s it. I have to
be disciplined as a father.
As I was about to begin my speech, Seo-eun spoke up.
“Hey, Lee Soobin.”
“H-Huh?”
“Your parents were researchers at Han-Eun Group, right?”
At that moment, blood veins started to disappear on Lee Soobin’s face.
Her face turned pale in an instant.
‘N-N-No…’, she began to deny. Looking at that sight, Seo-eun only smiled
bitterly.
“Unnie, don’t you want to get revenge, too? To those bastards, Han-Eun
Group.”
“What…?”
“Didn’t your parents die in that ‘accident’?”
Lee Soobin’s face stiffened slightly at Seo-eun’s words.
I was about to scold Seo-eun, saying she was stepping down from her
concept and calling that woman ‘Unnie’, but when she mentioned
“accident” with the Han-Eun Group, I began to listen carefully.
“I saw your posts on the Deep Web. You don’t like the Han-Eun Group
either. You said you wanted to kill them all.”
“H-H-How do you…”
“How do I know? Your firewall software has too many weaknesses. You
should make a new one.”
Getting up from her seat, Seo-eun approached Lee Soobin and held her
hands tightly.
It was a little funny that Lee Soobin, who is sitting on the chair, is taller
than Seo-eun, who is standing. But I decided to say nothing because the
moment seems serious.
“I’m looking for the head of the Han-Eun Group. They ruined my life. I’m
going to find them, search for them and kill them all. I think only then I can
feel relieved.
Soobin, will you help me please?
When Seo-eun ended her sentence like that, Lee Soobin burst into tears and
held Seo-eun’s hands.
“Yes, let me, let me help you!”
“Thank you, Soobin.”
Then two of them hugged each other.
Hmm…
Seo-eun with white hair and Lee Soobin with black hair are hugging each
other. It looks like a black and white picture.
Am I the only one who cannot keep up with the emotions?
What the hell are these two doing all of sudden? They said a few words and
then hugged each other.
Watching two of them hugging like that, a man like me feels left alone so I
just laid there awkwardly.
What the hell is happening…
***
Lee Soobin.
Graduated from Seoul National University with a computer engineering
degree.
She is the same age as me, 25 years old.
Her parents died when she was young so she lived by herself with the
subsidy.
Since middle school, she has been studying computers like Hikikomori, and
her computer skills are excellent.
Her quality is high enough to understand every word Seo-eun says.
While I understand nothing.
She works for the cyber terrorism agents and economic life on Deep Web.
The reason she came out as my follower last time was…
“What? Out of nowhere?”
“Yeah… They were talking about supporting Egostic or something… And I
only wanted to be part of it so…”
“……”
What the. So in conclusion, she is not even my follower?
I looked at her shifting from her seat.
Lee Soobin. Unlike her name, which sounds kind, she looks a little scary in
person.
She is tall with long black hair. When she has no expression on her face, she
reminds me of those bullies during my school days.
…But how can she be so different from what she looks like…?
“You don’t have any friends?”
“Yes… I stayed at home all the time and I only attended class enough to
graduate from school…”
“….”
Why do I feel like crying while listening to this?
Well, she seemed harmless in general.
Of course, she still has some suspicious points.
For now, I have never seen her in [Stardust!] comic, the world that I fell
into.
The fact that she has never appeared in the comic, which means she had no
big impact.
She was just an extra character. Just like me.
“I see. Lee Soobin, welcome to our crew.”
“Ye-Yes!”
I shook her hands.
I can see her blushing from chewing her tongue while talking, but let’s
pretend that I didn’t see it.
“…Since when did we have a crew?”
I decided to ignore the murmuring Seo-eun behind me.
We have three people now, so this is a crew!
***
But honestly, I am a little nervous.
I wish she was an original character, someone that I know.
I know nothing about her true personality or what she has in mind. How can
I let her stay beside Seo-eun? What if something happens?
Also, I moved from a comfortable home to this underground base.
I told Seo-eun a different reason, but honestly, she seemed to know roughly
about my concerns.
But why is she being like that?
Does she know Soobin in advance?
In such a deep underground basement, Han Seo-eun, Lee Soobin and I, the
three of us started living together.
A man and two women living together, the picture looks a little weird.
Seo-eun is in middle school, and Soobin, she is certainly a pretty woman.
But there is no particular problem.
My heart is already with Stardus, Shin Haru in the first place. When I fell
into this world, I made up my mind to live for her for the rest of my life.
Well, even though the day she and I will be together will never come. Haha.
So I started living in this place.
Living with other people is more chaotic than living alone.
“Hyung, did you realize you left the refrigerator door open? The ice cream
will melt!”
“Me? Hey, I never opened the refrigerator!”
“S-Seo-eun. I think I left it open. I-I’m sorry…”
“Oh! Oh… It’s okay! People can make mistakes. Hehe.”
“…Wow, you made a fuss when you thought I did it.”
“……”
I’m sad. So sad.
[Japan was surprised, America was shocked, and Europe was flipped out!
K-Villain rocked the world. “Why can’t we have a villain like Egostic?” the
spokesperson from the Hero Association of Japan said in tears!]
“Tsk.”
I put down my smartphone.
I was enjoying the Youtube video, but this popped up.
“Sugar, I need something sweet.”
Looking at my dizzy face coming out on Gukppong TV, my sugar level
dropped rapidly. Oh, my god. How can this one not change anything from
the previous world?
The comic that became a reality, paradoxically, was very similar to the
original reality.
In other words, it is virtually the same except for things like heroes and
villains, in line with the comic’s world view of “A world where only
superpowers exist on an ordinary Earth.”
So in this world, Gukppong TV is also after money. I have no idea why
villains also became targets for Gukppong.
Coming out of my room, I walked to the refrigerator.
I only wanted to drink some orange juice, but why do I have to walk all the
way through the hallway?
Is this for real? I think I should actually buy a personal refrigerator and put
it in my room.
I have a lot of money so I should spend it generously.
After I got to the auditorium-sized living room, I opened the refrigerator.
…Only one bottle of MinuteMade left. As I remembered I drank two
bottles, so why is there only one left? Did Seo-eun drink it? TN:
MinuteMade is a Korean brand of orange juice
Well, she has a sweet tooth like me.
Okay, let’s see what she is doing.
I turned around and headed to the main sector of this underground base
where Seo-eun is.
Of course, I still remember to drink my orange juice on my way there. A
cool beverage is indeed the best. It feels good when you swallow it.
I liked chocolate milk when I was younger, but I like orange juice more
now.
…Well, although both are elementary schooler’s tastes.
Walking through the hallway again, I thought about Seo-eun for a while.
Han Seo-eun. She is a senior in middle school.
In the original work, she appeared as a villain in the latter part of the comic.
She, by herself, destroyed the computer network in Korea and disabled the
security of the Songdo Concentration Camp, which collected the worst
villains, causing a major escape.
The incident opened the “The Catastrophe of Korea”, which was the main
event from issue 120 to 150 of [Stardust!].
She appeared in “The Apocalypse of Korea” as the final villain.
She died in the issues after that and never appeared again.
Different from her image now, which is a girl with a short haircut like a
boy, she appeared as an adult and attacked Stardus with all kinds of
weapons that she invented.
Eventually, she died after being stopped by Stardus.
Her nickname at that time was the White Witch.
…Of course, I cannot imagine that image of her at this moment.
She is only a middle schooler who loves sweet things and has a foul mouth
now.
Han Seo-eun. As you can see from her remarkable works in the original,
she is a genius.
Her specialty is computer hacking and invention. In fact, she is so smart
that she can do everything. In reality, she is the character who breaks down
the power balance created by the writer. Perhaps it is the reason why she
appeared in the second half of the original.
Her life story was unfortunate.
She was raised as an experimental mouse in the Han-Eun Group ever since
she was young.
They conducted all kinds of illegal experiments in the name of making
artificial superpowers, and eventually paid off to some extent.
Hundreds of innocent children were replaced and they only succeed in
creating special superpowers for four children in the end.
One of them was Seo-eun. The researchers called them ‘Super Intelligence’.
The rest of the children all developed direct superpower. Electricity attacks,
ice shooting, etc…
After the children’s awakening, they still continued the experiment with
terrible things under the direction of the Han-eun Group’s leaders.
Even in such a hopeless situation, four children endured it all while
comforting each other.
But suddenly, a child died.
The remaining three, including Seo-eun, were shocked as they were each
other’s mental support.
Eventually, one of the children was so stressed that she was blown up by
her power, causing everyone in the laboratory to get caught up and die.
Of course, not all of them.
Seo-eun survived.
Since Seo-eun survived the incident, she had been living in this
underground to avoid the eyes of the Han-Eun group. Until I came to find
her by myself.
In the original work that I was not in, she kept track of the Han-Eun group
by herself. To punish those leaders of the group who had been hiding after
the terrible incident.
In the end, she found them all by herself and got her revenge.
All that remains after the revenge was emptiness.
Shivering in a terrible emptiness, she ended up with a little, hmmm… Well,
she went crazy. After the incident happened to her brothers and herself, she
became a villain and committed terrorism. She claimed that ‘It is because of
this incompetent country and the heroes’.
Of course, I will never let Seo-eun be such a villain anymore.
Hold on, come to think of it, she is already my accomplice so she is also a
villain, right? Hmm…
Let me correct that. I am not going to let Seo-eun become such an ‘insane’
villain. Being a moderate villain is good for your health.
As it is also similar to the world that I lived in, being a villain is better than
a hero in Korea.
Naturally, what happened to Han Seo-eun would never be my business, I
only approached to use her technology skills. But as we lived together, I
became attached to this little kid.
I cannot let her die in vain like that.
Keeping that thought in mind, I arrived at the main sector and entered.
***
A feast of monitors welcomed me as soon as I entered.
One monitor has CCTV, and some store different data.
This space gets my eyes spinning.
It is the main sector of this underground base.
Well, wouldn’t it be cooler if I named this space?
Observation Center?
Seo-eun is sitting on her chair, being busy with something.
Soobin is also working hard on something next to her.
“Seo-eun, what are you doing?”
I asked while getting closer to her. Seo-eun turned her head and looked at
me.
“Hey, come here and take a look at this.”
“Oh, what is it?”
As I got closer, she showed me…
“The 13th International Ice Cream Festival?”
“This is their first time holding this in Korea. I have always wanted to go!
Let’s go there next time. With Soobin.”
“Erm… Sure…”
Soobin was smiling shyly next to her.
Soobin…
“Hmm, alright. So Seo-eun, you wanted to go to that ice cream festival,
huh?”
Tsk. I can see Seo-eun got a lot brighter.
It was only yesterday when I first met her, she was wary of me as a
hedgehog…
Now, she even asked us to go to the ice cream festival together. Even
though I wonder who in the world would hold an ice cream festival.
Sure, sure. It is nice to see her pure and bright side. It is nice but…
I thought she was working on something.
She was focusing on the monitor so I thought she was planning something
again! I felt so proud of her for a moment.
…But she was planning to go to the ice cream festival.
I never thought that I would have to go to an ice cream festival at this age.
“Anyway, you can go to whatever it is. So do you have any plans for our
next goal?”
“Next goal?”
After hearing my question, Seo-eun put a finger on her lips and started to
make a ‘Hmmm..’ and thought about something.
“Oh! Okay. What was it that you said? The Good Samaritan?” TN: Parable
of Good Samaritan.
“Yeah, but that is also a massive terrorist attack, so it will be hard to carry it
out in one week. It will give people fatigue, too. Just right when people start
to forget about our Dark Knig… I mean, our ship terrorism then BOOM!,
that is when we should pop out again.”
“Well, then what else did you say that we should do? Eliminate the
villains?”
“Yeah. Let’s do that in our spare time. Do you recommend any villains? All
we have is time anyway.”
“Hmm… Let me remember what you wanted to do. Didn’t you say we
should do that terrorism prediction or something?”
Seo-eun tilted her head while asking me.
I only told her it was ‘Terrorism Prediction’ but I actually just read the
original comic and tell them which brats will cause terrorism for the time
being.
I explained to them that I could use some methods I know to predict…
“Last time we eliminated the two most important brats so it’s okay. Now,
you can choose anyone from the list I gave you.”
“Really? Let’s see… Soobin, please put up the villain list.”
“Okay!”
She answered affirmatively and operated the computer.
Well, it has been about a week since we started to live together, and she
seems to have adjusted.
She has had a hard time trying to soothe herself for a week since she was
scared of me. I think she is getting better now but still a little scared of me.
But we are on the same boat now so I am not going to hurt her. Did I scare
her too much last time?
“Let’s see… Out of all the A-class villains, what about this brat? The one
who teleports. Teleporter.”
“That brat? I think it will be hard to kill that one.”
I usually hold them with my telekinesis first to prevent them from sneaking
away, then either bump their head or use a gun.
But that brat can teleport. Even if I hold him with my telekinesis, he can
just go POOF and get away so it will be tough. Very tough!
“Oppa, the more tough an enemy is, the first you have to get rid of them.”
“Haa. Is that so?”
Alright. It is better to just get it over with.
Let’s get him first.
So stop looking at me like I am some pathetic child who hates studying.
“Okay. I will have to get ready soon. And Seo-eun.”
“What?”
“You started calling me ‘oppa’ a while ago. Did you decide to take off your
concept now?”
I grinned at her and Seo-eun’s face started to turn red.
“Oh. Since I call Soobin ‘unnie’…”
She started to mutter something so I quickly got out.
She yells at me every time she gets shy.
A picturesque mansion.
This majestic mansion with a white exterior is full of modern refinement
details.
This place is crowded with rich people as if they would not allow any
working class to walk in.

…Somewhere nearby, I was hiding.

The guy I am aiming for is an A-class villain, Teleporter.

He is good at teleporting.
Unlike my flawed teleportation, that guy’s teleportation is much better.
So he owns a true ‘teleportation’ ability with no side effects after traveling.
Although there seem to be some distance restrictions.

In a way, this can also be seen as a fraudulent ability. No, I am sure that it is
a fraudulent ability. I have no idea if this Teleporter is a coward or an idiot,
but he only uses his ability to steal money from the bank.

Well, at least for now.

If I compare my current period with the original work, I think I am at the

5th issue? Almost at the beginning of the comic. Only 5 out of 200 issues.

Honestly, that is a relief. If I fell in the latter part of the comic, around the
100th issue to later, it would already be chaotic. Villains, who were initially
sloppy because the writer could not adjust the balance for their powers,
disappeared and those bastards who can bring down the world started to
come out.
Seo-eun was the last villain which appeared in the episode of the Great
Depression, which ended around the 150th issue at first. She tried to
conquer only Korea, so it ended at that point, but she could actually break
down the world’s information network system if she wanted to.

This Teleporter. He is a very persistent fellow. He got into a fight with

Stardus at the beginning. Stardus somehow knocked the guy off his guard,
and then sent him to prison with an anesthetic. But he teleported to escape
as soon as he got his consciousness back.

This guy, who was caught as a petty criminal early in the comic, revived
splendidly in “The Great Escape” episode where all villains escaped from
the prison. He was crowned as the most annoying enemy of Stardus.

He used to be one of those villains who used to spend a lot of money

looking for small but certain happiness. But after years of being drugged
and locked up by Stardus, he broke out of the prison…

He lived with a determination to get back at Stardus who caught him. He

became worse.

He teleported at first. Well, I must say that this ability is a good deal to be
sneaky. In later episodes, whenever he did something, he just popped out
and hit the person, then ran away, then hit and ran away…

If [Stardust!] was a webtoon, a lot of people would demand to kill him

while calling him a sweet potato. But since it is a comic book published as a
book, it is impossible to check the real-time reactions, but I bet many
readers got angry at him. TN: In Korea, when they call a person ‘Sweet
Potato’, it means either he/she is ugly or frustrating.

And of course, I was one of them

So this guy, I should kill him when I can.

Now, back to the mansion.

I was waiting with my car parked nearby, and I contacted Seo-eun with my
in-ear plugging into my ears.
Normally, I can still do it well by myself without bothering Seo-eun. But
this time, the guy is not that picky.

“Seo-eun, should we go in now?”

[Wait, you haven’t gone in yet? Hurry up and go inside.]

“Hold on, so I only need to teleport to the living room right away, right?
What if he is in the living room?”

[Haa. I told you many times. Then just throw the tracking device at him and
shoot at the same time. I think he will teleport to avoid the gun, so just in
case he does. Still, the tracking device will be faster than the bullet since it’s
using a spider’s web, so it will definitely stick to him.]

“What the hell is a web-based tracking device faster than a bullet… I don’t
understand.”

[Bullets are made by factories, and the tracking device is made by myself.
Of course, mine will be faster. It will come out from the threading hole on
the side of the tracking device, so there will be less physical resistance…
Even if I explain it like this to you, you would never understand since you
studied liberal arts, right? So just don’t ask any questions…]

“Hey… I can still understand everything even if I studied liberal art.

Maybe. Anyway, I don’t understand. Can’t we just do it like those spy
movies? You just need to attach it by bumping into him by accident.”

[…Not only would he use teleportation rather than walking on the street,
but it would be more troublesome if you get caught on the CCTV. This is
the most accurate. I researched his daily routine and planned it out. When
he goes out of the house, most of the time he teleports and it’s impossible to
predict where he will move, so we have to eliminate him in this way.]

“But still… There should be a better way to attach the tracking device.”
[There are more reasons than what I just told you. So please just do as you
are told. Haa.]

Seo-eun sounded as if I was pathetic, so I was discouraged. You rude brat…

I am almost 10 years older than you…

“…….Okay, I get it….”

I could see Seo-eun got a little shocked when I said with a sulky voice.

[Hey, what’s wrong? Don’t be sulking all of sudden. We already talked

about something similar, and you are being like that again…]

As Seo-eun was talking, I heard some noisy sounds next to her so Seo-eun
stopped talking. Soobin, who is staying next to her, seemed to say
something.

I heard some ‘Okay… Okay…’ and then Seo-eun talked to me again.

[…I’m sorry. Just go back to your position. We have no time to lose.]

“Okay, I get it!”

She has been confusing me by calling me both ‘hyung’ and ‘oppa’ since a
while ago, so I wanted to ask her to choose one between them. But I didn’t
think it was the right time to do so I held it in.

…And if I tell her to choose one, she will keep calling me ‘hyung’. You can
guess from the circumstances of her on the first day of our meeting, she is a
little afraid of men, so I think she insists on calling herself a boy and calling
me ‘hyung’ on purpose. I wonder if all of the researchers in the lab were
men.

But luckily, she is getting better after a few months. Maybe she is opening
up because she realized that I am harmless. Even if I didn’t read the original
comic, I can still see that she is a girl… She seems to think that a short
haircut would make her look like a boy. And that is kind of cute.
Honestly, the best solution is to sneak in at night and kill him, but that’s not
going to work.

Because of “Shadow Walker ”, one of a few A-class heroes along with

Stardus in Korea.

If I do something at night, I will be caught by this guy.

He is responsible for almost all the terrorism in Korea happening during the
day.

Such a bad guy. Without him, I could have handled all villains easily. He is
a hero so I feel guilty if I eliminate him. Also, if I eliminate him, the
problem will be bigger so I try to stay active during the day.

Well, I seem to be having all sorts of thoughts as I am about to step into a

real fight. It is like how I would think about different things when I sit in
front of the desk during my school days.

I adjusted my half-mask.

Okay, it is time for action.

[You didn’t forget the plan, right?]

“ Yeah.”

I have to teleport to his living room, which is close by.

If he is not in the living room, search quietly and shoot secretly.
What if I get caught? Since I already attached the tracking device, I can go
to plan B.

“I am going in.”

I took a deep breath and prepared to teleport.

And- Go.
***

I teleported to that Teleporter’s living room.

The thing that I could see as soon as I teleported here was…

Someone’s face?

“Oh, shit!”

“Gosh!”

[Hyung, shoot!]

As we were horrified at the same time, I immediately shot him with my

right hand and threw the tracking device with my left hand.

-BANG!

After my shot, this guy was out of sight.

I have no idea if he was shot or not.

Why was he in the living room? He ran away right away.
As things turned out like this, we have to go with plan B.

“Seo-eun! Did I stick the tracking device on him?”

[Yes! Soobin, please tell us where he is!]

[Okay! Right now… 500 meters to the east!]

[You heard it, right? Hurry up and go!]

“No, if I have to keep teleporting like this, the side effect…”

[Hurry up!]
“O-Okay!”

I moved quickly.

***

I estimated roughly and moved 500 meters forward.

Wait, this is downtown.

“AAAAAAAAAAH!”

“W-What the!”

I got confused as I suddenly teleported to a crowded place.

Wait, this is a busy street!

People were surprised as a person wearing a black cape and a mask

suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

“Oh, who is that…?”

“Oppa, isn’t that Egostic?”

“Oh? That’s right!”

The citizens started to recognize me.

As soon as cold sweat dripped down because of my embarrassment, I heard
Seo-eun’s voice in my ears.

[On your right!]

The right?

I looked to my right and from far away…

I saw a man clutching his stomach, blood dripping from his body.
Oh, you were there?
You also got shot.

I drew a smile without myself knowing.

Alright. Sometimes things have to be this easy.

I was about to teleport over there, but as he looked at me, he stumbled and
disappeared again.

“Alright. You are challenging me, right?”

An untimely teleporting chase happened in the middle of Seoul.

***

“…Yes. This is the Hero Association of Korea. How may I help you?”

“What? Egostic appeared in the middle of the town?”

Chapter 101

It was already difficult enough to take the roe deer with us, so we didn’t
take the jaguar. I had heard from somewhere that the meat of carnivorous
animals wasn’t edible, so that was one more reason why we didn’t take it
with us.

Just moving the one roe deer with Liana, who severely lacked physical
strength, was already enough in our extremely exhausted state.

“Huff… Huff… Huff…”

When Liana returned to the camp, she almost collapsed near a tree in front
of the bonfire Heinrich was struggling to keep lit. The pouring rain kept on
extinguishing the fire, but there was still steam rising from it because
Heinrich maintained it with all of his effort.

“Grantz, are you okay?” Heinrich asked her with worry.

Liana just stared at him while her limbs shook.

Right.

Heinrich was set up to like Liana.

“You… Does it look like I’m okay…?”

“Ah, that’s… Right.”

…I now knew what it was.

That uncomfortable feeling.

Wasn’t she just a female version of me? She was a female Reinhardt, right?
Wasn’t she like me? Rude and ready to do whatever it took?

“Aren’t jaguars like tigers?”

When I told Harriet how we were able to catch this roe deer, she was
surprised to hear that we actually encountered a wild beast.

“They aren’t exactly like tigers, but they are somewhat similar.”

“…You killed it? You?”

She looked at me as if she couldn’t believe it. Surely, if someone heard that
two 17-year-olds caught a jaguar, they’d wonder if pigs started flying.

I pointed at the roe deer.

“Then do you think I made those bite marks?”

Ah.

Looking back at it, it seemed like Grantz and I really did talk similarly to
each other.

Anyway, the bite mark on the roe deer’s nape—the one that had killed it—
wasn’t something one could achieve with human teeth, only after showing
her that did Harriet believe that we had really encountered a beast.

“Didn’t you get hurt?”

Harriet looked at me with slightly teary eyes.

“…I got electrocuted, but I’m fine.”

“Electrocuted? Why did you get… Ah.”

Harriet nodded blankly, seemingly having remembered that Liana was with
me.

It was obviously Liana that almost killed me, not the jaguar. By the way, it
didn’t feel all too bad that she asked me if I got hurt.

The camp had been heavily rebuilt during the rain; the smashed huts were
repaired again, and when the kids felt too cold, it looked like they’d return
to the campfire maintained by Heinrich to warm up before getting back to
work.

As I spun around, I tied up the hind legs of the roe deer with vines and hung
it from a thick tree branch.

And—

-Thud!

“Hiik!”
-Puck!

“Urg…”

-Crack!

—I struck the deer’s neck with an axe to cut it off. I could have just cut its
artery, but it was already soaked in rainwater, and the part that the jaguar
had bitten into was probably severely infected with bacteria. Blood started
to gush out, and honestly, it didn’t look all that pleasant.

Then I cut open its stomach and removed the intestines.

All my classmates who were watching me seemed terrified. Harriet, Liana,

and Adelia were even trembling.

They wore expressions that seemed to question how I could do such a thing.

I was also disgusted and about to vomit! But they wouldn’t be able to do it,
so I was the one who did it instead!

“You bastards. Do you think I want to do this? What are you looking at me
like I’m some bloodthirsty butcher for? Do you want to do it instead?
Huh?”

When I nervously shouted that, everyone slowly evaded my gaze.

Of course, my face, hands, and clothes were completely covered in

vermillion blood—making me seem really creepy.

***
The camp and hunting teams both had to do tremendous amounts of manual
labor in the heavy rain without even eating breakfast.

Even if no one was showing signs of dehydration, it was only natural that
everyone was extremely exhausted.

Even with Heinrich, grilling meat in the rain was still very difficult.

Therefore, I let it bleed out and completely skinned the roe deer with the
axe and machete. Rather than calling it cutting it up, the expression
crushing would be more fitting, as the process was that radical. It couldn’t
be helped because my chopping and butchering skills weren’t all that good.

I put the meat—cut up into chunks—into a large pot.

And then we boiled it.

It was only a simple meal. If we had seasonings and other ingredients, we

could make proper meals, but we didn’t have such things there. The only
seasoning we had was salt.

Together with Heinrich and Liana, who applied electricity to the pot, we
heated it up.

When the water in the pot started to boil and the meat started to cook, I
could definitely see the looks in the kids’ eyes change.

It had been only three days, but their eyes were about to spin because of
how hungry they were. They were ready to eat anything, as long as it was
tasty—so they just waited for the meat to cook.

Right when the meat was about done, Bertus and Cliffman returned.

“Oh, you caught this?”

Bertus’ eyes grew wide as he saw the remaining chunks of deer meat.
Perhaps because he also hadn’t found any traces, Bertus caught a total of
seven birds and small animals.

“No, I mean, how did you catch so many?”

In a way, one could say that we stole this prey from something else but he
actually caught seven animals.

I felt like I forgot that Bertus was actually an amazing guy with both great
physical strength as well as intelligence.

“There aren’t actually that many pieces you can eat from those.”

Still, I thought it was amazing that he was able to catch seven. Bertus
started to chuckle as if he had read my thoughts.

“Reinhardt, hunting is a fairly common hobby among nobles. Of course, it

isn’t that kind of hunting, though.”

Oh. That seemed to be the reason why Bertus, the epitome of wealth, was
familiar with hunting. Wasn’t aristocratic hunting just shooting arrows at
prey driven by hunters? Bertus seemed a little more skillful than that. Ellen
took the bow, so he hunted like that only with a single spear.

Bertus’s hunting skills were excellent, actually.

He looked around the camp and directed a question at me.

“Ellen isn’t back yet?”

“I don’t think so.”

***

Reaper Scans
Translator – KonnoAren

Proofreader – ilafy

Join our Discord for updates on releases!

https://discord.gg/MaRegMFhRb

***

Ellen had yet to return. I didn’t know where she was or what she was doing.
Of course, Ellen wasn’t one to get into grave danger, so neither I nor Bertus
was all that worried. The other kids seemed worried, though.

“I don’t think Erich is here either.”

Come to think of it, Erich de Lafaeri wasn’t in the camp either. At Bertus’
observation, Heinrich hesitantly opened his mouth.

“Erich, that guy…”

“What?”

“He said… That he was going to look for Cayer.”

His friend went missing, and no one seemed to actually look for him, so he
went into the jungle himself. Kono Lint was also staring blankly into the
jungle.
Kono Lint, Cayer Vioden, and Erich de Lafaeri.

Since those three were best friends, it was only natural that they worried
about each other.

“This…”

“He went in before I could stop him…”

He took individual actions at a time when doing that couldn’t be worse.

Bertus frowned, seemingly pondering a bit, before sighing.

“We’ll think about this situation later. Let’s eat first.”

The deer meat was enough for now, so everyone stopped working and
gathered together to eat the meat on wooden skewers.

It was chewy but not to the level that we couldn’t eat it as it was salted.

“A jaguar?”

While answering Bertus’s question about how we caught the deer, we talked
about the jaguar. After hearing the report that Liana and I teamed up to take
down a jaguar, Bertus seemed slightly stunned for a second.

“It’s surprising to hear that this island has things like these, and even more
surprising that you were able to kill one.”

To be honest, I simply hit what Liana stunned, but, in a way, it was also
because of my ability that I could block its rush.

After eating for some time, Harriet suddenly burst into laughter.

“Ha, haha…Ha…”

“Idiot… What’s wrong with you all of a sudden?”

Seeing the kid who seemed depressed and annoyed all the time suddenly
laugh blankly like that as if she were mesmerized by something, everyone
felt shocked. Harriet smiled blankly while munching on the tough deer meat
soaked in rainwater.

“Saint-Owan? What’s the matter?”

Seeing Harriet’s complexion, Bertus seemed worried as well.

Did she eat some weird mushrooms while I wasn’t looking?

“N-no… It’s only been a few days, but I’ve already started eating like this
as if it’s a given… I just suddenly… suddenly thought it was funny…”

Everyone was eating this deer meat, boiled in saltwater in the middle of
heavy rain. It was only a few days, but everyone, regardless of status, was
sitting on the bare ground totally engrossed in wolfing down the meat.

Actually, everyone was happy enough just to be able to eat. No one was
complaining. Everything just tasted a lot better because they were hungry.
They were deluding themselves.

Harriet didn’t even get mad anymore; she just found it ridiculous and funny.

“Yeah, that indeed is pretty funny.”

Bertus continued to eat the meat while chuckling as if he had nothing more
to say about the absurdity.

It was especially weird that the nobles were just laughing, not looking like
they were in a bad mood. Everyone looked like they had just realized that
new fact.

***
Even after we finished our protein-filled meal, Ellen and Erich had yet to
return. Even after we cleaned everything up they hadn’t come back.

Kono Lint seemed especially anxious about Erich not returning. If I left him
alone, he would also jump into the jungle, wouldn’t he?

“I’m not worried about Ellen, but Erich might be in danger.”

Bertus seemed to deeply struggle with whether he should worry or not. If

we were to go in to find them, we might get caught up in a situation again,
it was pretty much a pain in the ass.

“Okay. The camp team should continue with what they were doing, while
the hunting team will go and look for Erich as well as scout. Don’t go in too
deep.”

“I can’t do anything more today.”

Liana sat down and held up her hand. She had replenished some of her
energy, but she had dragged that roe deer here together with me, so she
spent more stamina than she could.

“Are you that exhausted, Grantz?”

“I wouldn’t be able to move even if you threatened to beat me to death.”

Grantz seemed to talk to Bertus without any hesitation either.

“Okay. Nothing we can do about it then. Then just the three of us—
Cliffman, Reinhardt, and I—shall go in to look separately. We’ll be going in
there on our own, so don’t walk in too deeply. Let’s just look around in the
outer layers of the jungle and then come back. I think we should be back
after an hour or so.”
“Sure.”

“Understood.”

Because one person decided to act alone, three other people had to do the
same. Erich probably left the impression of being a useless, unhelpful
bastard on Bertus because of this incident.

Bertus and I had a machete, and Cliffman took a javelin and axe into the
jungle. All of us entered the jungle in different directions.

***

Class A’s low-ranking trio. The three arrogant brothers.

Cayer Vioden, Erich de Lafaeri, and Kono Lint.

Cayer was a minor villain who hated and ignored members of Class B,
Erich played the role of Scarlett’s bully and was fated to receive some true
education from Ludwig, and Kono Lint didn’t bully anyone in particular,
but he lusted after women.

It was supposed to be the entirety of Class A that was like that, but honestly,
it was just those three. I, who was placed last in Class A, was able to crush
them after they picked fights with me and received my true education.

The talents they possessed were excellent in and of themselves, but their
lack of effort put into developing their talents led to them having the ability
worth maybe half a penny, or their talents were outrageously tremendous
but had fatal flaws.

Still, those three were very close to each other. It was only natural that
Erich rushed into the jungle on his own as he was really worried about the
missing Cayer, but it was still somewhat surprising.

It was pretty clear that Cayer was probably eliminated, but if we were to go
by typical horror movie logic, Erich would also end up eliminated. He
might have ended up thinking something like: “Although they told me I
should stay here, it should be fine, even if I go out to search for him.”

Then, while we entered the jungle alone, every one of us would end up
being sacrificed one after the other—that was the standard development.

When I thought about it as a standard horror movie, I found it kind of

funny.

Of course, Ellen Artorius, who was thought to be the final girl, would
probably end up dying while trying to save the main character at the climax.

And Harriet, who was whining non stop, wouldn’t survive for long,
obviously.

No, would that mean that Adelia, who was scared of everything and
everyone expected to die first, would be the final girl?

So, in the end, Adelia would be the main character; that was roughly how
horror movies went.

At that moment, we were at the stage where we were going around trying to
find that one person that wouldn’t listen, which would end in the tough-guy
character getting killed.

Then of us three, would get sacrificed first?

I don’t think it would be Bertus.

It was either me or Cliffman.

Wouldn’t it be Cliffman in terms of physique? Putting skills aside.

Or the camp with all the non-combatants might get attacked while the three
of us were out.

I walked around while thinking about useless things. I wasn’t all that
concerned about what would happen tonight after all. What would happen
to Erich was honestly no skin off my back.

I had no intention of seriously looking for Erich, so I just walked around the
jungle.

As long as I survived until the last day of the mission, I would be awarded
with achievement points. So whether we won or lost didn’t concern me. So
it was enough to just go out and act like I was looking for Erich, while I
wasn’t really. Another reason was that, if possible, I wanted Class B to win.
That said, I couldn’t do suspicious things, such as giving Class B direct
hints.

I was able to take in the jungle’s scenery as I was walking alone in the
pouring rain.

If there was a hell on earth, I think it would be that. Nature was beautiful
but if there was too much of it, one would realize just how shitty it was.

Everything in moderation.

-Shaaaaaaa…

Since I was in a place like that, I wouldn’t ever need rain sound ASMR
again.

Of course, hearing it in person like that was pretty shitty as well.

Even if the rain stopped, it would cause problems. Although I might be able
to sleep with a dry body that night, as soon as I entered the jungle the next
day, it would be so much more humid than usual.
I might die from that humidity.

While I was thinking about the next day and feeling like shit in advance, I
heard it right when I was about to head back.

-I said get out of my way.

-And what would you do if I don’t?

I could hear the sound of a conversation through the rain.

A strange scene unfolded before me as I carefully walked through the
bushes.

Erich and Scarlett were facing each other. There was something next to
Scarlett, from where I stood, it looked like a beast, so it seemed like her
hunt was successful.

The fidgeting Erich stood before Scarlett, who blocked his way.

It seemed like that bastard started arguing with Scarlett as soon as he

encountered her out of some kind of habit.

-Hey, cursed eyes, looks like you grew a lot, huh? Talking back to me and
all.

–…

-Leave while I’m still being nice.

It seemed like he was trying to steal away the prey Scarlett hunted. Why did
this punk go in and find this kid just to make fun of her?

Right when I decided to step out before that guy tried to do anything
more…
-Bam!

-Urg!

I could clearly see Scarlett strongly kicking Erich in the abdomen, making
him fly. Then she slowly walked towards him, gently trampling on the
fallen Erich’s face.

-You know, the Princess told me something.

-Y-you cursed bitch…

-No matter what I do to you, she’ll protect me.

-Wha… What?

Scarlett landed a second kick into the bewildered Erich’s stomach. I could
clearly see him sharply inhaling and rolling his body around.

Scarlett looked down at him with cold eyes.

-The only reason I’m not returning everything you did to me a hundredfold
is because I don’t want to be someone like you.

-Kick!

-Urg!

Finally, after kicking Erich in the face, Scarlett left while muttering.

-Be careful. I don’t know what I’d do if I were to lose my reason.

It seemed like Scarlett held back and ended her vengeance there. She
seemed to think that she might end up killing Erich if she were to lose her
self-control even the slightest.
Erich couldn’t even look at Scarlett, who was leaving, his complexion
ashen.

He must have known that Scarlett was far superior to him. However, once
he found out that Scarlett would just tolerate his bullying because she was
terrified of getting expelled from Temple, he turned into a villain that just
continued bullying her.

However, now that she had a strong ally, Scarlett wasn’t afraid anymore.

Different from the original, Scarlett now had Charlotte as her ally.

So, instead of having Ludwig help her, she overpowered Erich with her own
hands.

After waiting for Scarlett to completely leave, I made my way through the
bushes and was confronted with the scene of Erich sitting there, completely
terrified.

“Rei… Reinhardt?”

“Yeah, it’s me.”

I grabbed the arm of that dude that just continued to sit there stupidly and
forced him to stand up.

“Y-you s-saw it. You saw it! You saw that bitch beating me up!”

“I saw it.”

“Th-that cursed-eyed bitch finally showed her true colors! She’s like a
demon…”

“Oh, shut up.”

I was annoyed at hearing him whine, so I just stared at Erich.

“Are you proud of getting beat up for your fucking actions, you bastard?”

-Bam!

“Urg!”

“Why can’t you just sit still? Why do you always have to cross the line?”

The guy just got hit by me for no reason. He knew that I was a crazy
bastard, so he didn’t shout nonsense like ‘how you dare to touch this noble
body’.

Because, if he did, he knew that I was crazy enough to just hit him more.

“However, that’s the least you gotta worry about. You should be worried
about what Bertus will say, you know?”

“Wha… What?”

Three of his classmates had to risk going into the jungle alone just because
he decided to take independent actions.

His expression turned pale, not because Scarlett beat him up, but because of
my words. He wasn’t sure what he should expect when he returned to the
camp.

***

“It’s okay to be useless. When people gather, there are bound to be such
people after all.”

Bertus leaned against a tree and talked to Erich while the latter had his head
lowered.
Bertus had a smile on his face, but I could see that his mask was on the
verge of slipping off.

“By the way, I think there’s a clear difference between a useless person and
an unnecessary one.”

Usefulness and necessity were different concepts.

It was okay to be useless. At least those people didn’t cause any harm to the
group.

An unnecessary person, however, meant someone that would only cause

harm to the group. Someone like that was better off thrown away.

He wasn’t strong enough to scout the jungle like me, Cliffman, and Ellen,
nor did he have supernatural powers or knowledge about magic like Harriet,
Adelia, and Liana. Kono Lint played the role of steadily supplying the
group with coconuts. He was able to use divine power similar to Class B’s
Ashir, although they were still very weak, but that guy couldn’t even help
out with that.

He got put into Class A because his talents included swordsmanship, divine
power, and close-quarter combat, but he was incredibly lazy and liked to
show off, so he didn’t put much effort into the development of his talent at
all.

Erich was the perfect example of talent and skill not being actually
proportional.

Therefore, along with Cayer, Erich just did chores anyone could do, and
then he decided to take the unnecessary risk of acting alone.

Bertus explicitly pointed out that he was even beyond useless—he was
unnecessary.

“Erich. Do you want to be someone unnecessary?”

“N-… No. No, no. Sorry. I’m sorry, Bertus.”

His tone of voice was rather gentle, but the content of what he said was
very creepy. Bertus, who was under a lot of stress, was trying to keep his
calm with all his might. However, that idiot acted alone even though he was
told not to. He offended Bertus while the situation was as bad as it was.

Perhaps this would have an effect for quite a while. This must have lowered
Erich’s usefulness by several steps in Bertus’s mind. Erich trembled as he
heard Bertus say such things for the first time.

The others might not be able to hear what they said properly, but they
looked over here from the side.

“Okay, since you made a mistake, let’s give you a punishment: From
tonight on, there will be two people standing guard at night.”

Cayer, who stood guard alone the previous night, disappeared. So, starting
then, Bertus decided to increase the number of night watchers to two.

“Stand guard for the whole night. Let’s end it with this.”

One of the people having to stand guard would be regularly switched out;
Erich, on the other hand, would have to stay as a guard for the whole night.
That was why he decided the night watch would consist of two people.

“Th-thank you, Bertus.”

Erich, however, was grateful to Bertus for being so generous.

***
Reaper Scans

Translator – KonnoAren

Proofreader – ilafy

Join our Discord for updates on releases!

https://discord.gg/MaRegMFhRb

***

The camp had been reorganized, and we had enough food for dinner.
Everyone was eager to make rainwater collectors to store the rainwater.
After the rain stopped, we would have to go back to making distilled water.

By evening, the rain gradually stopped, and Ellen returned.

“…Wha-what is that?”

Adelia widened and murmured.

Everyone was more surprised by what Ellen was carrying on her back than
her return.
-Flop

Ellen laid it on the floor and spoke calmly.

“I picked it up on my way here.”

It was the jaguar we killed and couldn’t bring back.

It sure was amazing that she was able to bring it back all on her own. It
must have been wet from the rain and unwieldy. Everyone looked curiously
at the dead jaguar with the cracked skull.

Ellen tilted her head when she heard that Liana and I were the ones who
killed the jaguar.

“Oh… Poor thing.”

“I was almost killed by that thing, you know? How is it a poor thing?”

Harriet found the jaguar with its broken head somewhat pitiful. Heinrich
seemed to have a different opinion.

“By the way… What should we do with this? Can we eat this?”

They were of the opinion that it was fine to eat some deer and pig meat, but
they felt somewhat averse to eating the meat of this kind of beast.

“I’ll never eat this.”

Liana seemed to hate the idea of eating it, and everyone seemed to agree
with her.

“Even so, Ellen went through all the trouble to bring it here… It would be
kind of a shame to just leave it like this.”
That was what Bertus said. Honestly, even though she was monstrously
strong, it should have been a lot of work to bring it to us all on her own.

Well.

However, I suddenly remembered the myth that cat meat was good for one’s
waistline.

If that were true, just how good would wild cat meat be for one’s nether
region?

That. That would be. Just. Ah. Stop! Would it be that formidable?

I thought about that for a moment, but I didn’t want to actually check.

I was still fine down there.

So I had no use for it.

“Well, I don’t really know what to do with it, but I think if one were to skin
it, one would be able to sell the leather for quite the high price.”

Bertus gave us an answer after contemplating for a while. He seemed to be

thinking about what we could do with it after the mission, not during.

“Reinhardt and Grantz caught it, and Ellen brought it here, so do you want
to share the proceeds between the three of you?”

“I’m good.”

Liana shook her head as she wasn’t that interested in money. Ellen and I
made eye contact, but it felt somewhat lukewarm.
“Even if I wanted to sell the leather… I’m not really confident in my
skinning skills.”

“Really? Well… I thought you were good at skinning.”

Bertus scratched his head as if it couldn’t be helped.

“What a pity, these kinds of things could get you about 20 gold coins,
though. Even if the condition was slightly bad, I think one could still get
about half of that…”

10 gold coins.

10 million won.

“…I think I can do something about this.”

Nothing beats money in forcibly unleashing one’s creativity.

***

I wasn’t confident in my skinning and processing skills. However, if we left

it alone, it would just rot away by the end of the mission.

Ellen and I dragged the jaguar carcass to Class B’s camp.

Class B was almost done rebuilding their camp, and it seemed like they
were about to sit down to eat something.

“What’s this…?”

When Ellen and I suddenly appeared, dragging a jaguar corpse behind us, it
was only natural that they’d start panicking.
They stared silently at the large cat as if they were completely amazed.

“Delphine.”

“Yes, Reinhardt. What is it?”

“Could you remove this thing’s leather cleanly?”

I wasn’t good at skinning, but that girl should know how to do it.

When I asked her that, she clapped her hands, knowing what I was getting
at.

“Well… I’m not sure if I can do it well. I’m no expert. Are you fine with
that?”

“That’s fine. After the mission, we’ll sell it and share the proceeds with
you. If you want to have the meat, you can have it.”

All I needed was the leather, so I decided to shove the meat onto Class B.
Everyone on our side was averse to eating it, after all.

Me, Ellen, and Delphine.

The three of us decided to share the proceeds between us. Of course, we

had to take into account, depending on the situation, that the leather might
rot away or that it had no commercial value at all.

“It’s just ridiculous that things like these are on this island, and it’s
surprising that you were able to catch it, but it’s even more surprising that
you thought of selling its leather.”

Charlotte shook her head, saying that she was so surprised she didn’t know
what to say.
You don’t care about this mission at all, do you, you punk?!

That’s what her eyes seemed to scream.

No, strictly speaking, it was Bertus who told me to sell the leather and not
waste its meat, you know?

***

Somehow, I became the bridge between Class A and B, so while they still
had to compete with each other, they kind of cooperated with each other,
but not really.

It was cooperation bound by money. When the sun went down, the rain
completely stopped. Everyone sighed in relief.

Heinrich and Liana began to burn the wet wood, and soon a small bonfire
was made. Everyone dried their bodies near the fire. Bertus hung the meat
he hunted over the bonfire, going for something similar to smoking. If we
left it alone, it would quickly decay in the humid weather.

Seeing everyone huddled together basking in the fire’s warmth like that, we
seemed like a small-sized day labor market at dawn.

“Sigh… I think it would have been better if it continued to rain until

tomorrow.”

Everyone laughed at Harriet’s grumbling. She hated the rain, but when it
didn’t rain, she got annoyed as well. While eating smoked meat for dinner,
we dried our soaking wet bodies.

“Ellen, you’ve been in the jungle the longest. Did you find something?”
Because Ellen suddenly appeared carrying the jaguar on her back, we didn’t
have the opportunity yet to ask Ellen what she had been doing all day.

“I found the others’ camp.”

Everyone’s eyes grew wide hearing that earth-shaking information.

Everyone seemed to want to tell her that she should have said that sooner.

“I waited for them to come back, but they didn’t, so I gave up and returned.
They probably set up several camps in different places, living in whichever
one they like.”

She found one of the others’ camps. However, she also presumed that they
had several, not just one.

That wasn’t all.

“And there was something like a bone graveyard. There were also human
bones there.”

“Hieeek!”

The others were presumed to be cannibals.

It felt like everyone was intimidated by these words.

“What a nasty setting…”

Bertus seemed to suspect that it wasn’t a Temple group mission but an

event meant to instill traumas in us.
Everyone seemed scared, no matter if it was part of the mission or not.
They seemed to question whether it was really part of the mission. At the
rate things were going, they were sure to give up.
However, more and more clues were gradually gathered about the others.

The others would raid our camp at night.

They had their own camps all over the island; it seemed like they ate there
as well. However, we didn’t know in which camp they mainly stayed.

They appeared to be cannibals.

It wasn’t clear whether there was just one of them or more.

Everyone understood that catching these others was that special condition.

Catching them was a way to finish the mission early, but it included many
risks.

Eventually, after dinner, everyone prepared to sleep with anxiety in their

hearts.

“I installed the alarm magic.”

Harriet had installed alarm magic around the camp, and it would sound if
anything other than us approached; that was the only safety measure we
could take at the moment.

Everyone went into their huts, the anxiety apparent on their faces.

Erich would stay up all night to stand guard.

***
-Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!

The camp was thrown into chaos when the alarm sounded.

“What’s going on?!”

The people that came to their senses the quickest crawled out of their huts.
The first to react were me, Cliffman, and Ellen.

The alarm went off, but it had already happened.

-Waaaah! S-save meeee! -Aaaaaaaaah!

We could hear two screams sounding from the darkness of the jungle. The
others also crawled out of their huts at that point. Everyone was terrified as
they knew what had just happened.

“Wh-wha… What should we do?”

Harriet’s complexion was pale.

We increased our night watchers, but both of them were captured.

“It seems like both Erich and Adelia have been captured…”

The ones kidnapped were Erich, who was a permanent guard, and Adelia,
whose turn it was to be guard number two.

“Taking both of them should definitely slow them down significantly. If we

go after them now, we might be able to catch up to them.”

Bertus silently nodded his head to Cliffman’s words.

“We should, but…”

Everyone gazed towards the jungle drenched in darkness, which made it
difficult to enter. Would we be able to dive into that dark void of trees and
catch the kidnappers? It was rather clear that we wouldn’t be able to see a
single thing, and it was highly likely that we’d fall into danger again.

“I can use light magic.”

Adelia was abducted right in front of her nose, so Harriet stepped forward,
seemingly trying to somehow press down her fears. Bertus looked at her
and nodded.

“Okay. Then let’s go right away.”

Ellen and Cliffman—who had had the highest fighting power—took

machetes while Bertus, Liana, and I each took a javelin.

“It might be more dangerous to stay in the camp. Everyone, you should
come with us. And take everything you can with you, including the small
knives.”

Everyone nodded at Bertus’s words.

If we were successful, we could soon be released from that hell mission.

We could recover our two kidnapped classmates and leave that damn
deserted island.

It was a rather rare opportunity.

***

The jungle at midnight was terrifyingly dark.

– Float… Float…

Harriet, who was at the forefront, summoned a sphere of light to illuminate

our way, and Ellen and Cliffman walked beside her as if they were her
bodyguards.

Bertus and Kono Lint walked in the center while Liana, Heinrich, and I
walked in the rear. Heinrich also lit some wood to use as a torch,
maintaining it with his power.

Both the vanguard and the rearguard had their own means of illumination.

“There are some footprints left behind.”

“Where? Let me see.”

Ellen was able to locate footprints the raiders left behind as the rain had
stopped. Bertus wrinkled his eyebrows when he saw them.

“Is that right…? If so, they should be giants.”

Judging by the size of their footprints, it was clear that the kidnappers were
giants of considerable height. Even if they took two kids, they were simply
able to put them on their shoulders like that.

“Okay, let’s keep following these traces.”

If we followed those footprints, we’d be able to catch the raiders. Everyone

felt extremely nervous because it might lead to a battle.

“I-is it… Is it really… going to be okay?”

Kono Lint expressed his doubts, wondering if this was really part of the
test. The rest of us also had similar thoughts.

Was this really part of the test? What were the teachers even doing?
Actually, wasn’t this real?
Even these doubts and fears were part of this group mission. I saw these
kids right in front of me being tortured like that. That made me wonder if
this was really okay for just an exam.

However, waiting around would be even worse.

Everyone moved forward with heightened vigilance, staying completely

quiet—they momentarily forgot their excruciating fatigue because of the
eerie tension.

After we walked for a while, the vanguard suddenly stopped.

“There’s something over there.”

Everyone held their breath at those words. There was the faint glow of light
coming from the place Ellen pointed at.

“What’s going on?”

“Shouldn’t we follow them?”

During that brief exchange of opinions, the distant light began to approach
us.

Soon, we found out who they were; someone appeared before us—running
through the jungle like the wind.

“Are you guys also searching for them?”

It was Delphine Izadra.

***
***

Reaper Scans

Translator – KonnoAren

Proofreader – ilafy

***

It wasn’t only us who searched through the jungle in the middle of the
night; Class B was doing the same as well. That was our first proper meet-
up ever since the group mission started. A few of us were missing, though.

Class A and B gathered in one place. So, Charlotte and Bertus started to
talk to each other as they both wanted to quickly resolve this situation,
although this couldn’t be called cooperation.

“Two people were abducted?”

“Yes.”

Charlotte and Bertus were talking with each other as our representatives
while the rest of us warily watched our surroundings.

It was a competitive mission, but both of them were mentally exhausted.

Focusing on winning was good and all, but it seemed that both Charlotte
and Bertus just wanted to get the mission over with as quickly as possible,
so they even shared their information with each other.

“Lanian and Christina got kidnapped on our side.”

Both sides had lost a person on the previous day and had lost two more on
that night. Each class had eight people remaining. Bertus folded his arms
and stared into the dark jungle.
“This time, I’m pretty sure there isn’t just one raider…”

It was impossible to attack both camps at the same time like they had if
there was just one. Bertus seemed to think that there were at least two of
them. Charlotte agreed to Bertus’ guess.

“There are actually more than one.”

“…Did you check?”

“We were a little further ahead. We found traces going in different

directions.”

Because they had Delphine, who was good at hunting and tracking, Class B
moved a lot faster than us and was able to gather more information.

“Since we’re here now, let’s follow one trail each.”

Two trails.

Charlotte suggested that Class A and B should follow one each, and Bertus
agreed.

One trail led to the middle of the island, and the other trail seemed to lead to
the other side of the island. Charlotte gave Bertus the right to choose first—
he chose to follow the trail leading to the middle of the island.

“By the way, if the condition is catching both of the raiders, what will
happen when we catch one each?” Liana said curiously, meaning to say that
there was no way for both our classes to be victorious.

“Since we’ll get additional points, I think they’ll probably evaluate the
other parts as well. Rather, if we absolutely have to catch both… That
would be a headache…”
If we had to catch both of them to finish the mission, things would be
difficult. Bertus seemed troubled by that thought.

It was nighttime and, no matter how bright a light we had with us, our view
was still limited. Class B had Delphine; due to her tracking background, she
would be able to move a little faster than us.

We were able to hear various howls of beasts in the nighttime jungle.

-Rustle!

“Wh-what was that?!”

The kids were so anxious that they jumped at every rustle of a bush. I
wasn’t much different, though.

Cold sweat was trickling down everyone’s faces and necks.

“Nocturnal animals might end up attacking us suddenly. Stay vigilant.”

It had also been confirmed that there were large cats and other wild beasts
in the jungle. There was the possibility that we might get attacked by such a
wild beast, apart from the raiders.

Everyone seemed to have only just realized how crazy it was to enter such a
thick jungle at night.

-Splaaaash!

“The stream…”

Soon, we reached the stream we had discovered the other day.

“I think they crossed over.”

As Ellen said, the trail cut off at the stream. However, due to the recent
heavy rain, the stream was almost overflowing.

“How can we get over there?”

With the stream as it was, it wasn’t possible to jump over it, so Bertus was
posing that question. If it was just us, we’d be swept away the moment we
set foot in the stream.

But it seemed rather obvious that the raiders somehow crossed the stream.

“Th-there… Can we use those, maybe?”

Kono Lint put down the bundle of rope he had slung over his shoulder.

“Oh… Right, we had that. Okay. Well done for bringing it with you.”

Following Bertus’s instruction,.Kono Lint brought whatever he could carry.

Honestly, that guy probably didn’t think it would be of much help, but he
couldn’t just leave it in the camp, so he brought it with him—it had actually
turned out to be quite helpful for us.

“If we tie this to a tree on the other side and this side, I think we can
somehow cross the stream…”

Of course, everyone had that thought floating in their heads.

“How do we get it to the other side, though?”

However, that didn’t change the fact that we had to take one end of the rope
to the other side. Bertus looked at Ellen.

“Ellen, do you think you can jump across the river?”

“No.”
When Ellen said it was impossible for her to leap across a river of such
breadth, Bertus just nodded, saying, “Is that so?”. Anyway, we somehow
had to cross over to get one end of the rope to the other side.

Wait, there was a way.

“If we tie the rope to something like a rock and throw it over there, we
could send it over to the other side.”

Bertus nodded after listening to my explanation.

“… We could do that. We can send it to the other side like that, but we
won’t be able to tie it to a tree. In the end, one of us has to cross the river to
tie…”

Bertus suddenly closed his mouth as if he had just realized something.

It wasn’t just Bertus.

There was only one person that could cross the river safely. Everyone
wordlessly stared at Kono Lint.

It was possible for him.

“Ex… Excuse me? G-guys…? M-me… Why me?”

Bertus put a hand on Kono Lint’s shoulder.

“We believe in you. Lint.”

Kono Lint didn’t have the guts to refuse Bertus’s gentle coercion.

***
The plan proceeded without a hitch, with all the female students covering
their eyes, not looking across the stream. Kono Lint teleported to the other
side. Naked, obviously. Cliffman tied one end of the rope to a rock and
threw it over, then Kono Lint hurriedly tied it to a nearby tree.

After that, with both ends of the rope tightly tied to trees on both sides, I
crossed the river, handing him his clothes.

“Wha-what is it…”

“You really can do this anywhere, huh?.”

At my words, Kono Lint shouted with his face tomato red.

“I didn’t want to do this!”

Still, Kono Lint’s ability was quite useful during the mission. Just by giving
up his dignity, he would have no equal among the supernatural power users.

“Ooh! Now we can cross the river!”

Terrifyingly powerful torrents were raging below, and they had to rely on
that single rope to go across. Of course, all those that had no combat-related
talents were rather reluctant.

Harriet shivered, looking like she would absolutely refuse to do it, her face
particularly pale.

It was Ellen who came after me, then Cliffman tried to cross over. By the
time he climbed about halfway across, Ellen, Kono Lint, and I could see it.

Something was approaching our party from behind.

“Tha-that… That. What is that…?”

Kono Lint muttered as his complexion grew ashen.

“Run away! “

Ellen shouted.

“Run away, you fucking idiots!”

Only after my shout was added did they turn around to look behind them.

Something was approaching the kids, its eyes shining red in the darkness.

The others living on that island.

Bertus looked at the approaching giant and muttered blankly.

“They weren’t… humans…?”

What came after us wasn’t human.

“Rooooooaaaar!”

It had green skin and red eyes.

“Gaaaaaaah!”

With the appearance of the orcs, the kids began to run away, scared to
death.
The orc was neither grabbing them nor attacking them.

-Thud!

It cut the rope with its stone axe, making it impossible for us to climb back
or climb over.
“!”

“Cliffman!”

-Splash!

“Urg! Urk!”

Naturally, Cliffman, who was hanging from the rope, fell into the stream
and was about to get swept away. Ellen, Kono Lint, and I were isolated on
the other side of the stream, and the orc pursued the kids who began
running away.

“Wha-what is that?! What is this?! Can they make it?”

Kono Lint seemed to want to deny reality when he saw Cliffman getting
swept away by the stream’s rapids and a huge orc appearing, chasing the
other kids.

The orc.

It was a monster that made a regular appearance in medieval fantasies, and I

also set it up to appear in my novel, but seeing it in person gave me
goosebumps.

Orcs weren’t just ordinary mobs in this world to begin with. Why was a
race boasting overwhelming physical strength incomparable to humans
deemed as a regular mob?

As I said, I didn’t care much about historical accuracy, but because of my

strange youthful stubbornness, an orc attacked.

Anyway.

Wasn’t it kind of strange seeing a green-skinned Dwayne Johnson roaring at

us with a stone axe in his hand?
“What a load of crap…”

I didn’t expect it to appear like that, so I had chills running down my spine.
Kono Lint muttered in shock, his face as white as a ghost.

“Cliffman…”

“He’s out. The teachers will save him.”

Because it was more or less confirmed that he’d drown, they probably
already rescued him. The button-shaped artifact we were provided with in
the beginning was a tool with which we could give up the mission, but it
was also a tool that would activate in an emergency, casting a recall spell.
Sensing that Cliffman’s life was in danger, he must have been summoned to
where the teachers were.

In the end, the mission wasn’t supposed to be life-threatening. It would just

create situations that were rather close to it. The orc was also a puppet that
only listened to its summoner’s orders. In fact, as soon as the students were
in any danger of being killed by that orc’s attack, the Recall spell would
immediately activate, automatically eliminating them.

But even though I knew all of that, I still felt kind of queasy. I didn’t know
how many unfamiliar settings had been added.

“If we kill that thing, the mission will be over, right?”

Ellen asked casually.

“…It should be?”

“A-are you going to hunt that thing?”

Kono Lint seemed to be dumbfounded by Ellen’s casual words. She was
looking at the twinkling light in the distance, fixing her posture with her
machete.

“I’m not sure.”

Although it was just a single orc, it still was a monster with a height
incomparably taller than an adult man. Because of that, Ellen wasn’t all that
confident that she was able to kill that thing.

“We’ll know after we try.”

***

The orc was on the other side of the stream, and our weapons were a broken
rope, a machete, a javelin, and a knife.

However, our biggest problem wasn’t our weapons.

“How are we supposed to see something…”

Kono Lint was right. We didn’t have the most important thing, a light
source, anymore. Harriet, Heinrich, and Liana, who could create one, were
all on the other side.

We had no light, and we had to somehow cross the river to face that orc.

“If you connect the rope again, we can cross over to the other side.”

“A-are you serious? Are you really planning on crossing that river?”

Kono Lint was startled by my words.

The rope was cut, but the part that got cut off on the other side wasn’t that
long. The rope’s slack was enough to just reconnect the two pieces.

“If you don’t want to go over, then stay here.”

In the end, although he said that he’d never do that again, he still used his
teleportation. While Ellen turned away, Kono Lint tied the rope I threw over
again. We could hear screams of kids and the orc’s roars echoing from the
jungle.

I delivered Kono Lint’s clothes. After he got dressed, Ellen came over.

“Let’s go.”

We couldn’t walk that fast because of the darkness, but we started going in
the direction from which we heard the screams. Ellen walked in the front,
carefully checking the path ahead, Kono Lint walked in the middle, and I
walked in the back.

“N-no matter how I think about it, this isn’t possible…”

Kono Lint trembled, saying that he thought that it wasn’t a good idea.

No matter how I thought about it, the past me must have been a psycho.
How could I make high school students go through something like that?
They’d get mental scars that would last for a lifetime.

-Rooooooaaaaar!

-Gyaaaaaa!

Hearing those roars and screams from afar made me even more convinced
that I had been completely crazy.

***
The students of Class A fled, and while fleeing, Heinrich’s feet got caught
in a vine, and he ‘died’. The orc that was chasing after them attacked
Heinrich immediately. He then disappeared—covered in the halo of the
recall spell. That reassured the kids a bit. It was part of the mission, and it
reminded them of the fact that even if they were attacked by that thing, they
wouldn’t actually die—they would just get eliminated.

There were only three left.

Bertus, Liana, and Harriet.

“Saint-Owan! Can you use attack magic?”

“I-I can, but I don’t think I’ll be able to cast now!”

She needed to focus her mind to use magic, but that wasn’t possible at the
moment. It was difficult enough to focus on running away.

-Roooooaaaaar!

-Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

The orc no longer tried to move around secretly, chasing the kids while
roaring.

Bertus ran with his teeth clenched. It was merely a setting for this mission,
but there was no way humans could live peacefully in a place filled with
beasts.

He had been complacent in thinking that the others were just really tall
humans after seeing those big footprints.

If one were to think about it more deeply, the situation of them getting
chased around by an orc happened because they ignored the clues they
should have noticed.

‘That guy is intelligent.’

The orc had been raiding the camps and had aimed for the moment the
party split up to cross the river. It even cut the rope while someone was
hanging on it, leading to Cliffman crashing into the violent torrent.

This monster shouldn’t be mistaken for a simple mindless beast.

“Grantz! Can you beat it with a lightning bolt?”

“I don’t know!”

Harriet could use magic, but it was difficult for her to concentrate in that
situation, and—although Grantz could activate her lightning ability quite
quickly—it was hard to say if she could actually beat the orc with it.

Cliffman got swept away by the river, and his machete had been swept
away with him; they only had Bertus’ and Grantz’s two javelins.

Bertus had also been trained in combat, although not to the degree Cliffman
and Ellen had been. Since he was the only one with a combat talent at the
moment, he knew that it was up to him to face the orc.

-Roooooaaaar!

“I think it’s catching up!”

Harriet’s desperate cry implied that the chase was about to come to an end.

“Grantz! I’m going to face it, so try and see if you can hit it with your
lightning while I’m at it!”

“Understood!”
“Saint-Owan, although it might be difficult for you, try to prepare your
attack magic. Try to focus.”

“I-I’ll try!”

“Try to climb up on something like a tree. It might try to attack you.”

“Ye-yes…”

This was all or nothing.

‘I should have had Ellen with me. Or even Reinhardt.’

Not knowing what choice the guys who crossed the river made, Bertus
could only fight the orc with only three of them.

If Liana struck the orc with her lightning while Bertus bought time, they
might be able to hunt down the orc. If the lightning didn’t work, Harriet
would attack it with her magic.

Defeat didn’t mean death.

-Thud…Thud…

However, when faced with a towering orc of more than 2 meters packed
with such huge muscles that they seemed to be about to explode, those that
gave up running away from it had no other choice but to believe they’d die.

“This mission probably exists to determine if one would give up when

faced with extreme fear, even if it’s just an artificial situation. If one
succumbed to it in this situation, one would be even more useless in an
actual emergency; it should also test one’s teamwork and leadership.”

He somewhat knew what intentions lay behind the mission.

But knowing that wouldn’t make the use of this giant green monster any
more reasonable. Even if that violent strength was just something artificial,
sometimes that was the only thing one would perceive.

It was a monster they only saw in textbooks, one of the more common
demons. It was said that they were all killed after the Demon World War.

The humans fought a war with an army consisting of such monsters and
won. Even monsters that were several times more dangerous got killed off
and beaten. As such, the humans were victorious.

And those humans, who rose to the most dignified positions of the Empire,
couldn’t afford to be beaten by just a single orc, let alone by one that was
presumed to only be a summon.

The students were allowed to lose, however. They were still young, after
all.

“Grrrrrrrrrr…”

“Huu…”

Still, they should not be afraid, though.

Those who want to inherit the throne should not be afraid of such things.

“Come at me, monster.”

Bertus pointed his javelin at the orc.

***
-Flash! Flash!

-Roooooaaaaaar!

“I think they’re fighting.”

-Boom! Boom!

Along with the sound of the orc running rampant, we could see some
flashes of lightning from time to time in the distance. Ellen and I sped up
our steps. What the hell was going on?

Heinrich wouldn’t be able to use his ability in a real battle as he was, so the
ones fighting had to be Bertus and Liana. Harriet probably wouldn’t be able
to calmly use magic either.

As we came closer, I could somewhat understand what was going on—even

though they were still pretty far away.

There was literally a desperate battle going on over there.

-Crack!

***

Reaper Scans

Translator – KonnoAren

Proofreader – ilafy

***

“Kuuak!”
After the orc got hit by Liana’s lightning bolt, it frowned and took a few
steps back. Her lightning was definitely effective, but it wasn’t effective
enough to kill the orc.

A javelin was already stabbed into the orc’s abdomen, while Bertus parried
the orc’s charge with the javelin he had received from Liana. Just how the
heck did Bertus endure all that? His body was completely torn.

He couldn’t have had enough strength to fight with that thing head-on, so he
should have done whatever it took to dodge its attack and roll on the floor.

Lightning did some damage, but all it did was make it stagger for a bit, and
javelins didn’t seem to be able to deal lethal damage to the orc.

” Kuaaaaaaaaah!”

The orc ran towards Bertus with its stone axe; Bertus tried to dodge it by
turning to his side, not trying to stab out with his javelin.

And then—

-Bam!

“Thi-this… !”

—Bertus’s foot got caught on one of the many vines covering the floor, then
he lost his balance and fell. It was a mistake that could only happen in a
state where one’s view wasn’t clear.

The orc’s axe slammed down on Bertus’ head.

“Bertus!”

-Flash!

With a flash of light, Bertus’ body completely disappeared.

Bertus was eliminated.

“Rooooooaaaaaaaar!”

The orc, roaring as if celebrating its victory, rushed towards Liana next.

-Crack!

“Kwok!”

However, Liana calmly defended against its rush with a lightning strike,
pushing him away with her electricity as soon as the orc came into her
range.

After learning that Liana would keep attacking it with electricity, the orc
didn’t try to get closer to her anymore.

The orc changed its tactics.

It raised its axe and threw it towards Liana with all its might.

“!”

It was thrown at such a fierce speed that Liana didn’t even have time to
react to it, so her body was also immediately covered in light and
disappeared.

Two of them got eliminated right before my eyes.

Harriet, who somehow managed to climb on a tree, was the only one left.
The orc retrieved its axe and tried throwing it towards Harriet next.

“Ah…”

Harriet’s face turned completely white when she saw the axe pointed at her.

Then, the moment it threw the axe.

-Kangg!

Ellen appeared, accurately knocking the flying axe from the air.

***

In the island survival arc, I had tried to showcase two things.

One: the students of Class A were actually pretty difficult to work with
because many of them were just too whiny, while Class B’s students,
although not as talented, did what they needed to do without complaining
and were highly motivated, so Class B was actually better than Class A.

And two—

“Roooaaar!”

“Hap!”

-Swoosh!

“Kwak!”

—Ellen Artorius was the only one from Class A that didn’t give up.

By showing Ellen hunting an orc alone, I had been trying to show that she
was incomparably stronger than her classmates.

In the island arc, Ellen was shown to be someone important for the first
time.
In the original, everyone of Class A—except for one—voluntarily gave up,
while none of Class B’s students chose to give up.

Although Class B was the one who won the group mission in the end, only
Ellen managed to fulfill the special condition.

That special condition was…

Hunting an orc.

-Kagak!

-Swoosh!

“Hup!”

-Kang!

Of course, she got overwhelmingly pushed back in terms of power.

However, Ellen was gradually adding wounds to the creature’s flesh as she
ran around and dodged its attacks. The machete wasn’t suitable for
stabbing, and the orc’s hard body wasn’t easily wounded.

Compared to its huge body, the wounds added to it seemed like mere
scratches. However, it was apparent that the damage on its body was slowly
accumulating while Ellen parried or avoided all of its attacks. It was to the
point where one could call it bullying.

I could only stare blankly at Ellen, who was fighting to the best of her
abilities with such strange movements.

However, that wasn’t the time to just watch.

Of course, it would be difficult to approach it to fight. If I stepped in for no
reason, I would only get in Ellen’s way.

“Hup!”

While strengthening my body, I threw a stone at the back of the orc’s head.

-Pok!

“Rooooaaaar!”

The orc looked back at me and roared; Ellen didn’t miss that chance and
slashed at its back with her machete.

-Poc!

“Kuaaak!!”

It got attacked from both the front and the back, so it tried to put both me
and Ellen in its field of view. The fact that it was struggling against such
small ants was already enough to royally piss it off.

The orc, whose body seemed to have become tired, looked as if it thought
about whether it should first deal with Ellen or me. Ellen was the more
dangerous opponent, but was it really not able to ignore her for a moment to
get rid of me?

Although I knew I wouldn’t die, I couldn’t help but feel a chill running
through my body.

“Rooaaaaaar!”

The orc rushed at me; I then turned sideways to let it run past me.

-Bang!
It swung its stone axe but only hit a tree. However, it sure was terrifying
seeing that large tree getting cut in half by that stone axe.

It was like an unstoppable force. Ellen rushed towards the rebounding orc,
to which the orc reacted with a vertical slash of its stone axe.

-Boom!

Ellen avoided the axe, letting it smash the ground, then she grabbed the
javelin stuck in the orc’s abdomen. It probably was Bertus who had
embedded it into it.

-Pull!

“Kuwaaah!”

Elle pulled out the javelin from its giant body and then stabbed it towards
the orc’s eyes without any delay.

-Squish!

“Kuwaaaaaaaaah!”

Her movements were intricately connected, making it look as if she was

dancing. There were no unnecessary movements, they flowed like water,
and the orc had no chance to even react.

After having one of its eyes neutralized, the orc staggered and began to step
back. Without giving me a chance to step in, Ellen almost defeated the orc
on her own.

And—

“I-it’s working…”

—a faint exclamation sounded from somewhere.

-Rumble!

And following that exhausted shout, a more threatening sound could be

heard. The jungle was tinged in red in an instant. I looked behind me and
saw a big fireball burning next to Harriet’s face, who still sat awkwardly on
that tree.

“Grrr.”

“I’m going to pay back everything it did to us!”

The orc, whose eye got hurt, began to step back, but Harriet—who had
already finished casting her magic—was faster.

-Siiiizzle!

Both me and Ellen threw ourselves backward, getting away from the orc at
the same time.

Soon—

-Kuwaaaah Babaaaaaang!

—the sound of a roar and an explosion engulfed the jungle.

***

I set fireball up to be a spell comparable in performance to an anti-tank

rocket if put in modern terms.

-Jiiiiiiiiing!
The explosion was so loud that I could hear a ringing in my ears.

So it was only natural that the orc, which got directly hit by that, was
completely torn apart. Harriet, who had cast that spell, lost her balance from
the aftershock of the explosion and stumbled from the tree she had climbed.

“U-urg! Aaah!”

If we didn’t do something, she might get eliminated because she fell down
from a great height right after killing the orc. The distance between us was
too great for me to catch her.

I immediately called out to Kono Lint, who was rather far away from me.

“Hey! Catch her!”

“Wha-what?!”

“Catch her, you idiot!”

At my urgent shout, Kono Lint seemed to be struggling between keeping

his dignity or saving his classmate; however, soon he teleported several
times and caught Harriet mid-fall before landing softly.

Naked, of course.

“Tha-thank y-… Hieeeeek!”

“I-I couldn’t help it!”

Harriet was surprised that someone caught her and then was shocked that it
was the naked Kono Lint.
He put Harriet on the floor and then disappeared, teleporting several times
again. He looked extremely embarrassed.

Just how many times would he have to get naked and put on his clothes
again that day?

A puzzled expression on her face, Harriet alternated looking between Ellen

and me. Soon, her face twisted up, then she crawled towards me and
hugged me recklessly.

“Hi-hick! Sob! I-I was so scared, so so scared! Hihick! Sob, sob!”

Now that the tension was gone, Harriet clung to me and started crying.
While she was casting the fireball spell, she probably didn’t even know how
she actually managed to do that.

Also, the one who saved her was Kono Lint; why was she clinging to me?
Wouldn’t he be very upset if he knew what was going on?

What should I do?

I thought I might have demanded a bit much of her during the mission.

“What’s there to be scared of after you completely tore it apart? You did a
hella good job.”

“Waaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

I patted Harriet on the back while she was crying bitterly.

In the original, it was Ellen who hunted the orc. Of course, Ellen still landed
a critical hit.
However, Harriet, who gave up immediately in the original, showed great
performance while fighting the orc.
Four students of Class A survived.

Ellen, Harriet, Kono Lint, and me.

After getting exposed to a great amount of fear and stress and using high-
tier attack magic—somehow maintaining focus—Harriet almost
immediately fell asleep, seeming as if she fainted.

I returned to the camp carrying the sleeping Harriet on my back. Then, after
laying her down in one of the huts, I went to the campfire.

The fire was extinguished, but it was already dawn, the sky was getting
brighter.

“…Isn’t the mission supposed to be over with this?”

We found out that the others weren’t actually humans but orcs, and we
killed one. Kono Lint made the hopeful connection that the mission should
be over.

“There might be one more left.”

“Tha-that’s…”

There were two targets. If the trail Class B followed also led to an orc, the
correct answer would have been that there were two orcs.

“Then, do you mean we have to go out and hunt that other orc as well?”

“If Class B managed to kill that orc, the mission would be over.”

But there was the problem.

Class B didn’t have the ability to actually fight an orc.

So originally, they would just be chased around by the orc, getting
eliminated one by one, leaving only Ludwig and Delphine, then Ellen
would dramatically appear and block the orc.

In the original, Ellen had already hunted the other orc by herself, and she
also killed the remaining one on her own as well. At that moment, seeing
Ellen displaying her skills for the first time, Ludwig started growing…
Because Ellen was right in front of me, that probably wouldn’t happen.

While Class B would self-destruct while trying to fight the orc, Ellen was
sitting next to me, staring blankly into the sky.

What should I do?

I would have liked to help Charlotte, but for that, Ellen had to step in, not
me. Although it seemed that she’d come along if I asked her. That was what
she was like.

“H-huh… Wha-what is this?”

Suddenly all of our artifacts began to light up.

-Flash!

And, with a flash, we were all transported somewhere.

After the recall artifact suddenly triggered, we landed on the shores of a

different island, similar to the one we were on before.

The only difference was that there were a lot of bungalows one could only
find in a resort built near the beach.

“The special mission has been completed. As such, the group mission will
now end.”

Standing in front of us were Mr. Epinhauser and Mr. Mustrang. Harriet

seemed more surprised than us because she had been transported all of a
sudden while she was asleep.

The sky gradually brightened.

***

“Class A had a total of four survivors and killed the orc. The student who
killed it was A-5 Harriet de Saint-Owan.”

Mr. Epinhauser looked towards Class B.

“Class B had one survivor and killed the orc. The student who killed it was
B-1 Charlotte de Gardias.”

Charlotte frowned as if she wasn’t happy with the result, crossing her arms.

There was only one survivor in Class B, and Charlotte was the one who
killed the orc.

There were so many implications coming with that simple result that I
couldn’t help but be a little dazed.

Since Charlotte wouldn’t have been able to hunt the orc using a weapon,
she must have used her supernatural power. Although it was not known
what kind of power Charlotte held, that confirmed that it could be said that
it was strong enough for her to kill an orc on her own.

Originally, Ellen was supposed to kill both, but although the rest of Class B
didn’t manage to kill one, there was the variable, Charlotte, who actually
killed an orc.

“We will inform you of the overall results of the mission and who won at a
later date. Go rest for now.”
After telling us to use the bungalow found at the back, Mr. Epinhauser
walked away. Blunt as usual.

“You guys have been through a lot. Take a good rest today.”

Mr. Mustrang guided us to the bungalow, telling us to rest regardless of

class.

The group mission was over.

[Quest completed.]

[You have earned 1000 achievement points.]

My strongest desire at that moment was to go to sleep, disregarding the

points I earned.

***

The ones that got eliminated first had been summoned there as well by the
recall magic and had to wait until the mission was over.

Although they had to wait, it was a place completely different from the
wilderness we stayed in before; it was decorated like a resort.

The island was shaped like a crescent moon.

The bay-type beach was calm and perfect for swimming, and we were
served proper food and fully equipped accommodations—completely
different from the rough housings and food we’d eaten thus far.

After the mission was over, we had time to play in that place for the whole
weekend.

Therefore, in a way, the ones who were eliminated first had it quite good.

I fell asleep as soon as I lay down and woke up around noon. Of course,
they prepared a new set of clothes for me, so I changed out of all my
clothes, from my underwear to my coat.

I could see Ludwig and the other guys from Class B playing on the beach.
The only thing that was different before was that they were wearing proper
swimwear.

“Hey, Reinhardt.”

“Hey.”

Bertus, dressed in comfortable clothes, looked at me and raised his hand.

He held a cup filled with a lemon-flavored smoothie in his right hand. I,
too, was lying on a sunbed, absentmindedly sipping at a fruit punch.

I didn’t really like sweets but sometimes I craved them—especially after

going through something like that. I was replenishing calories.

I just completely spaced out because something cool went down my throat
while I was that mentally exhausted.

The way Bertus looked seemed like a wealthy, handsome young master.

He collapsed on the sunbed next to me and burst into laughter.

“If I knew things would end up like this after giving up, I would have done
that sooner.”
“That’s right.”

It seemed that Bertus found it rather ridiculous that the ones who got
eliminated the earliest got to live the high life while he was working his butt
off. Of course, those who had survived the longest would get a higher
individual score, so if one cared about their grades, it would be the best to
survive until the very end.

He sighed as he laid down on the sunbed next to me.

“It’s like heaven because we are now supported by our environment.”

When I thought of the place as an uninhabited island, I was so sick of it and

wanted to leave as soon as possible, but now that the place was properly
equipped with the required facilities, I could finally enjoy the scenery; it
was an outrageously beautiful place.

“But I sure hope I won’t have to do anything similar to this in the future.”

“I wholeheartedly agree.”

It felt even more terrible because I had to experience all the dog shit I wrote
myself. How could I have made kids go through an episode of Law of the
Jungle? It was even more amazing how I managed to sleep peacefully after
doing that.

Anyway, the group mission ended on Thursday morning, earlier than the
originally scheduled Friday evening. We could spend our weekend and the
remaining time at that jewel-like beach.

In other words, that was the start of our real trip. Bertus got up from the
sunbed, looked down at me, and laughed.

“Anyway, you did a great job, Reinhardt. Tell Ellen and Saint-Owan the
same. It seems that both of them are sleeping.”
“Okay. You suffered a lot as well.”

Ever since I took the initiative and told him that we had to do something,
Bertus led the kids. It was true that he had to suffer through a lot—he even
had to face an orc on his own.

I made eye contact with Liana, who was lying calmly in the sunbed to my
other side, sipping on her drink.

“You went through a lot as well.”

Liana nodded her head to my rough praise while lying.

“You too.”

What was that?

Was it a stretch to think that the group mission created some form of
camaraderie among the Class A students?

That reminded me again that if we were to go through school together, there

was a possibility that a unique bond might form between us.

***

***

Reaper Scans

Translator – KonnoAren

Proofreader – ilafy
***

As the day advanced past noon, the dead asleep people also started to wake
up.

“Urg… My whole body is aching. I think I’m going to die.”

“A-are you okay?”

“No… What about you, Adelia?”

“I-I just… After I got taken, I just ended up here… I was scared and
surprised, but I wasn’t hurt.”

“That’s a relief… Let’s go eat something.”

“Yeah. There’s a restaurant over there.”

“I’m finally getting something proper to eat…”

Harriet came out with an empty expression on her face and then headed
towards the restaurant together with Adelia; it seemed like she was
physically as well as mentally exhausted because of the spell she cast in the
jungle in the middle of the night.

When she walked past me to get to the restaurant, Harriet met my eyes.

“Are you okay?”

“…Yeah.”

She avoided my gaze for some reason.

After reaching a safe environment, she might have recalled many things,
like how she hugged me and cried while whining to me.
It seemed like she came to her senses after she entered a safe zone and
remembered how she relied on me when she had a mental breakdown.

Wha-what have I done? Just what did I say? I must have gone crazy! That
just had to be it!

It seemed like that was what she was thinking.

She’d probably be that way for a while.

-Reinhardt, won’t you come swimming as well?

In the distance, I could see Ludwig, who was playing with the other boys up
until then, beckoning me to come over. Since the mission was over, these
guys were frolicking about just because.

“I’m sick and tired of swimming, you bastard!”

-Is that so? Then there’s nothing we can do about that!

Were those guys actually crazy? How could they keep on playing like that?

-Puhak!

And I could see a girl in a swimsuit splashing around in the sea outside the
bay far off in the distance.

That girl.

Ellen shook her head for a while and eventually returned with some lobsters
skewered on a javelin. She trotted over to me in her swimsuit and pointed
the spear—and the large lobster—towards me.

“Let’s eat this.”

“…Again?”
It was a little surprising that she asked to eat together with me.

Did she really want to eat that again?

***

The restaurant.

The children ate different types of food and a lot of them; only Ellen went
ahead and caught another lobster for herself.

She only wore one of her training suit jackets over her swimsuit. In fact,
there were quite a lot of students only wearing their swimsuits to eat.

“…Do you really want to eat that again?”

“I want to eat it properly cooked.”

That girl seemed to wonder what the giant lobster would taste like if it were
properly cooked, so that was why she handed the lobster over to the
restaurant staff at the time.

All the staff there were people who worked at Temple. So if the chef of that
place was the same person that made our dinners, then they were definitely
skilled.

Of course, Ellen didn’t want to only eat lobster. She already stuffed fried
rice, sausages, and pasta into her mouth. She ate even more than usual
because she couldn’t properly fill her stomach for the last few days.

Soon, lobster grilled in garlic butter with gratin on the side got brought to
our table.
When I tried that properly cooked version, it tasted even better.

It was only natural that the eyes of the students who were stuffing
themselves with various dishes in the restaurant crowded over to us because
of the delicious fragrance.

However, there was only a single lobster dish as Ellen hunted it herself.

“You can eat some.”

When I said that, Harriet, Liana, Adelia, and Bertus came over and tasted
some of it.

“It’s okay.”

“I might be sick and tired of this, but it certainly is still very delicious.”

Everyone said that the cooked version of the lobster was even more
delicious.

“I do like it, but I think the one we had on the first day was a lot better…”

Harriet seemed to remember the lobster she ate on the first day to have
tasted even more delicious because she didn’t expect it to taste good. It was
a psychological thing. Seeming as if she really hated remembering that
time, her face turned really red.

Those factors couldn’t be ignored either.

The guys from Class B also came closer and asked Ellen if they could eat
some of it. They even took turns tasting a bite.

“Did you learn how to share your food now?”

“I can just catch more.”

“Oh, is that so?”

It was a rather simple way of thinking. If there wasn’t enough, she could
just catch more.

I thought I wouldn’t be able to eat lobster for a while, but when I put it in
my mouth, it was so delicious that I ate quite a bit of it.

Then I remembered something I had completely forgotten.

“Ah, the leather!”

“Oh.”

Ellen seemed to have only recalled it at that moment.

***

After dinner, Ellen and I went to Mr. Epinhauser. In the end, he also wanted
to enjoy the same things we enjoyed, so he was lying on one of the sunbeds
wearing an Aloha shirt.

To be honest, I certainly felt it again at that point.

That the world there was really weird.

There were even things like Aloha shirts. It was like my mind was in a
complete mess when I put in these costumes. There were even synthetic
fibers. I had no idea how they fabricated them, though.

It was a ridiculous world that could be better described as a mix of modern

and contemporary medieval fantasy.
“If it’s about that, you can take it back with you. I’ve been entrusted with
processing these things, so you should be able to get it by the time you’re
back in Temple.”

When we asked what happened to the jaguar leather, Mr. Epinhauser gave
us a really unexpected answer. The mission was over, so I didn’t even know
that he had that kind of role.

“Think of it as your spoils of this mission.”

Perhaps they left that job to a person who was experienced in handling
animals. After selling it, Elle, Delphin, and I would share the money earned
between us.

After my hunger was sated, I laid back down on a sunbed, and Ellen laid
down on the one next to me.

I felt like I could sleep there for two days.

The pocket money Temple gave us was also quite large, so there was no
need to rush to get more money. There was nothing wrong with just
relaxing there.

“What are you going to do with the money?”

“Nothing much.”

Ellen also didn’t think that much about it either.

Even if she didn’t say anything, she also must have been very tired, so she
immediately fell asleep—only the sound of her steady breathing reached
my ears.

She had done a brilliant job without uttering a single complaint or whining.
In fact, I saw Ellen getting very exhausted a lot while we were roaming
through the jungle.
She had gotten really dirty and sweaty in the jungle, but at that moment, her
face and hair were clean and soft.

I put a towel over that sleeping girl’s legs and got up. It was a bit sad.

Really.

All it took was a proper place to sleep, something delicious to eat, and fresh
clothes to wear that made the most fierce hell into a paradise.

I guess living life wasn’t anything special after all.

-Reinhardt! Come on! It’s fun!

“Are you that crazy about swimming?”

Ludwig had eaten and gone back into the water, making a huge fuss again.

-Pat

“Who cares?”

Suddenly, Bertus approached me from behind and placed his hand on my

shoulder.

“Opportunities like that won’t come often, so how about we go and play?”

That reminded me that Bertus never actually went into the sea up until then.

It was the boss’s order, after all.

“Haaa… Alright, let’s go.”

I’ll show you just what it means to play in the water.

We went to mess around in the water. As soon as Bertus and I entered the
sea, the three incompetent brothers of Class A (Erich, Kono Lint, and
Cayer) soon followed us.
Except for Delphin, the only ones other than us who were there were the
guys from Class B.

Of course, a little while later, two unexpected people began to approach the
water.

“I-I’m… I’m…”

“What’s the matter? Doesn’t it look fun? Let’s go in.”

“I-I’m shy…”

Charlotte, wearing a swimsuit, approached the beach, dragging Scarlett

with her. Of course, they wore swimsuits provided by Temple, not bikinis or
something—they were just school swimsuits.

Still, all the guy’s eyes turned in their direction momentarily, staring
blankly at them. They were obviously great beauties, so it was impossible
not to stare.

Erich couldn’t even look in Scarlett’s direction, perhaps because he

remembered her beating him up.

“Can we join?”

Charlotte asked us as she was approaching, while Scarlett stood behind her
with a red face.

“Sure, Charlotte!”

Ludwig warmly welcomed them, while Bertus just smiled.

As soon as Charlotte came into the water, Bertus poured water over her.

“Kya!”
Charlotte, covered in water, looked at Bertus.

“Why did you do that?”

She stared at him with a chilly look in her eyes.

“This is how you’re supposed to play. How could you be so serious?

Really?”

-Woosh!

“Arg!”

“Really now? How could you get so serious when we’re just playing? Can’t
you let it go? That’s all you can do?”

-Woosh!

“Hey! Stop it!”

In the end, some harsh words came out of Charlotte’s mouth.

“Hey, hey, if you came over to play, you should play. How could you get
angry? Hahahaha!”

“Aaaarg! You’re crazy!”

Bertus suddenly burst into laughter and continued to splash water on

Charlotte, to which she screamed and reciprocated his actions. So they
ended up splashing water at each other like crazy.

“Hey, guys, help me!”

“Don’t bother Charlotte!”

Charlotte eventually asked for help, and everyone, including Ludwig and
Scarlett, started attacking the Imperial Prince.
“Urgh! Uuurgh!”

The scene wasn’t really a brutal one. Bertus didn’t pretend to be a good
person and openly fought with the Princess. Of course, it was more like a
prank, so it was rather fun and didn’t make the atmosphere turn sour.

The plot of the earlier parts I had written down had completely changed
direction. I didn’t know whether that scene could be described as friendly or
antagonistic.

Why couldn’t those two just get along?

“Guys! I also need some help here!”

Eventually, that crazy prank turned into a class competition.

***

The fierce water fight ended with Class B’s victory, as they had a larger
number of people on their side.

“You’re the worst…”

However, due to Bertus relentlessly attacking only Charlotte, she had the
advantage, but her eyes and nose were completely red. It seemed like she
was made to drink a lot of water through her nose. Of course, Bertus was
the same.

“You lost, but you fought well—that’s what you’re supposed to say.”

Bertus spoke while groaning, earning him a glare from Charlotte. Those
two were actually after each other’s lives, but looking at them like that
made them seem like just a pair of siblings that bickered with each other.

Charlotte murmured grimly, giving Bertus a cold stare. Her glare seriously
seemed like she could shock freeze someone with it.

“Let’s play ‘crack the watermelon’. The winner gets to knock the loser on
the head.”

“What’s with that all of a sudden?”

Bertus seemed a little perplexed by Charlotte’s casual tone of voice.

It looked like Charlotte really wanted to defeat Bertus completely.

No, how did she know about ‘crack the watermelon’ anyway?

“Are you scared?”

“Ahahahahahaha!”

Bertus burst into laughter at Charlotte’s obvious provocation, then looked

down at Charlotte with a grim look in his eyes.

“No way.”

“Bring me a watermelon!”

On their own, Bertus and Charlotte seemed rather kind and sweet.

However, when they were talking with each other, their personalities made
a complete 180.

***
A watermelon was placed on the sandy beach, and before it, Charlotte and
Bertus were facing each other. The one who broke the watermelon first
while blindfolded and after spinning ten times would get to hit the loser on
the head.

Both their eyes were covered with a towel.

“Th-that… Guys. Isn’t that dangerous?”

Mr. Mustrang seemed anxious when he saw the kids holding a rod trying to
crack open a watermelon.

“Whoever manages to crack open the watermelon first after spinning

around ten times, wins!”

Ludwig served as the referee. Everyone stood around and watched the
sudden watermelon cracking competition, which seemed a little odd but
very interesting.

“Okay, let’s start!”

Bertus and Charlotte began to spin around in place.

In fact, the slight hope that they might end up forming a good relationship
was nothing but that, a slight hope.

Then, after some time.

-Whack!

“Urgh!”

“Ah, I made a mistake.”

Charlotte hit Bertus’ head with her bat and not the watermelon.
Everyone knew that that swing was never supposed to hit the watermelon,
as she hit from right to left, not from top to bottom.

As she wandered about, she kept gravitating towards the direction of

Bertus’ voice, not towards the watermelon.

“Hey, how could you do this to me?!”

“It was a mistake!”

-Whack!

“Urgh!”

“Ah, another mistake.”

Charlotte.

She actually wanted to play ‘crack the head’, not ‘crack the watermelon’.

Bertus ripped off the towel and glared at Charlotte with cold eyes.

“You’re dead.”

“It was just a mistake, you know? Are you really going to get mad at me for
making a tiny mistake? Wasn’t it you who told me to not take things so
seriously while playing around?”

“You did that on purpose!”

In the end, a wild chase ensued between Charlotte and Bertus, who had both
taken off the towels. Charlotte, who would obviously fall behind Bertus in
physical abilities, got caught with no way of escape.

Bertus, who was seriously pissed off, picked up Charlotte and threw her
into the sea.
“Die! Drown and die!”

“You crazy bastaaaard!”

-Splash!

The two ended up laughing at each other’s actions, so everyone also ended
up bursting into laughter seeing the scene.

***

***

Reaper Scans

Translator – KonnoAren

Proofreader – ilafy

***

Their fights couldn’t get any more intense than that because if either of
them died, the other would be deprived of their right to the throne.

So in the end, this just seemed like they were quarreling. In fact, the
funniest part was that both of them ended up getting mad at each other.

It seemed like the students of Class A and B were able to talk peacefully
with each other, although they weren’t on friendly terms just yet. It was
totally different from the original, where they would be at each other’s
throats at all times.

Evening time.
After dinner, the teachers told us to gather together. As a precaution against
parasite infections or something similar, there were wizards and priests
casting various types of purification spells on us. Of course, I got a bit
nervous, but thanks to Sarkegaar’s ring, I wasn’t exposed or anything.

After the medical check-up, the teachers announced the results of both
classes.

“It seems that both Class A and B have fulfilled the special condition.
However, there were four final survivors in Class A and only one in Class
B. As a result, taking various other factors into account, the mission ended
in Class A’s victory.”

Additionally…

The arc that should have ended in Class B’s victory ended up being Class
A’s as the plot had gotten completely twisted.

Charlotte didn’t end up winning. Mr. Epinhauser put up a piece of paper on

the wall on one side of the restaurant.

“Of course, although the students of the winning class receive extra points,
that doesn’t mean that everyone else got a bad score. Please check the
individual evaluation scores recorded on this paper.”

Not everyone part of the winning class would get high scores, and not
everyone in the losing class would get low scores. Someone who just lazed
about wouldn’t get a lot of points just because their class won.

That wasn’t the end of it.

“In addition, extra merits will be given to individuals who have greatly
helped the group or played an important role during this mission. In Class
A, that would be Number 1, 2, 5, and 11. In Class B, it would be Number 1,
9, and 11. The reasons are attached to your personal evaluation record.”
Merits.

Bertus, Ellen, Harriet, and I got some merits as well as Class B’s Charlotte,
Delphin, and Ludwig.

It was probably because Bertus worked hard taking on the role of the leader,
and Ellen and Harriet played a decisive role in the orc hunt, so it was only
obvious that they would receive merits for that, and I probably got some
because I worked hard in various ways as well.

The ones from Class B probably received merits for similar reasons.

“Merits will be included in your evaluation record, and the person who
receives the highest amount by the end of the semester will be given a
special award. Also, keep in mind that merits and demerits can cancel each
other out.”

If one got demerits for violating the rules or causing accidents, one would
be able to get rid of them with one’s merits. For example, they could give
one temporary immunity. Of course, everything would be reset after the
semester ended.

Anyway, although Class B lost, Charlotte should have received a pretty

high score. I didn’t know how, but she ended up completing the orc hunt on
her own.

While Mr. Epinhauser was explaining one thing after the other, Mr.
Mustrang handed out notes to the sitting students one by one.

“Lastly, write down who you think played the biggest role in this mission
from each class.”

Finally, only the MVP vote remained.

I was deliberating whether I should put down Ellen or Harriet, but in the
end, I wrote down Harriet.
I thought about writing down my name for a second, but after thinking
about it, I felt like I really went crazy, so I refrained from that.

Class A’s voting results were: 2 votes for Bertus, 2 for Ellen, 4 for Harriet,
and 3 for me.

Class B’s voting results were: 6 votes for Charlotte, 3 for Delphine, and 2
for Ludwig.

Like that, Harriet and Charlotte were voted as the MVPs.

“Me… Me? W-why?”

Harriet’s face turned bright red as she probably hadn’t even suspected that
she’d get elected.

***

The MVPs would be given one credit each, so both Harriet and Charlotte
would receive credits from the group mission.

At night, the students from Class B suddenly made a campfire for some
reason. The guys from Class A didn’t seem to understand why they would
make merry around a campfire after they had to sit around one every day
before.

However, Lanian Sessor played his instrument and sang some songs, so it
wasn’t all that bad.

Most of Class A’s students were extremely exhausted and opted to enter
their bungalows and sleep early.
“Don’t those guys ever get tired?” Harriet muttered as she dumbfoundedly
watched that scene. When we were on that uninhabited island, their tension
was already out of this world, but somehow they got even more excited
after they were told to rest.

“Ain’t it fine?”

I was lying on a sunbed while watching them, and Harriet was sitting on the
sunbed next to me.

“Anyway, if you have something to say to me, say it.”

“Wha-what?! Wha-what would I even have to say to you…”

Even at night, I could very clearly see Harriet blushing.

“That’s not it.”

“…”

I was lying still while she got a bit closer to me. She sat down next to me,
neither moving nor saying anything properly, she was just mumbling for
some time. I was looking forward to what she had to say to me.

Finally, after muttering for a while, she properly opened her mouth.

“Well… Tha-tha-tha… Thank you.”

Was she fumbling about just to say that? Apparently, she wanted to thank
me for taking care of her during that mission.

Of course, I ended up grinning at her.

“Hehe. really?”

“…Why are you laughing?”

“Specifically, what are you thankful to me for?”

“Wha-what?”

“You said ‘Thank you’, so tell me what you said thank you for?”

When I jumped up, asking her that with a smile, she slowly pulled back.

“So? What are you so thankful for? Huh? Let’s hear it.”

Harriet frowned when I suddenly entered my teasing mode.

“Aaarg! I hate you! You’re the worst!”

“I see, so why did you say thank you to me then?”

“Go away!”

Her face turned even redder before she yelled at me and ran to her
bungalow.

***

It was a pretty long break. In Temple, I only trained and trained some more
almost every single day, so it had been a very long time since I had a
moment where I could just let go of everything and laze about.

During the mission, I had to endure a lot as well, more than just training, so
that felt like a long-needed vacation in a way.

Ellen asked Harriet to cast underwater breathing magic on her, as she found
it rather fun exploring the underwater world with it.
“…Is it that fun?”

“Yes.”

Harriet sent her off, then cast the spell on herself and went out to the sea
with Adelia. After returning from her trip, I could see them excitedly
chatting with each other. Perhaps it was a very interesting experience for
them.

As I said, it had been a while since I had an actual break, so I was just
stretching out and relaxing on the sunbed except when I had to eat. When I
got back to Temple, I would have to go back to my tight schedule filled
with training. I wouldn’t get a day off any time soon after that.

So I was resting with all my might.

Except for eating and sleeping, I just kept on hanging out.

“…Are you a mollusk?”

After staying in that state until Sunday, Charlotte approached me.

“Hm? Why?”

“No, it’s just because you’ve been barely moving since yesterday.”

It seemed like what I did looked quite strange to her as I was only hanging
around the sunbed as if I was bound to it.

“I have to work hard again when I get back, so I’m trying to rest the best I
can for now.”

“Hah, that’s funny.”

Charlotte had her pretty blonde hair tied in a ponytail. Her hair was thick,
so it looked good in any hairstyle. She wore a white sleeveless dress,
seeming as if she didn’t plan on swimming. She sat next to me, sipping on
her drink.

Charlotte hunted an orc. Her supernatural power was a secret, but it seemed
like it was powerful enough to kill an orc.

However, after the mission ended, Charlotte seemed to be dissatisfied about

something.

“Did you kill the orc on your own?”

Charlotte seemed a bit dazed after hearing my question but nodded after
some time.

“How I did it is a secret, but I did.”

All of Class B got eliminated one after the other. The mission ended with
the only survivor remaining, Charlotte, killing the orc.

“Why are you asking?”

She tilted her head as she was asking me.

“No, it just looks like you aren’t really happy about that.”

I only asked things to the extent I could. I had gotten a bit closer to
Charlotte, but we weren’t close enough yet for me to ask any sensitive
questions.

She had a powerful ability, but one that had to be kept a secret. I seemed
worried about her, so she smiled at me.

“Well… I hate relying on my supernatural power.”

“…Is that so?”

Charlotte laughed after that. It seemed like that was all she could tell me. I
didn’t know what ability she had, but she hated it.

She lost her composure when the orc approached her so she ended up using
her power. As a result, she managed to kill it, but she was dissatisfied with
the fact that she had to rely on her supernatural power.

Were there any supernatural power users that actually hated their own
power?

That made me even more curious about what Charlotte’s ability was.
Around Sunday evening, we finally returned to Temple.

“There’s no place like home, right?”

“Isn’t that a little strange to say for the guy that seemed to have had the
most fun?”

“Is it?”

Ludwig chuckled as he listened to my words. I wasn’t sure if the dormitory

could be called home… Anyway, it was similar to one. After everyone laid
eyes upon Temple, they realized that they had returned to their normal daily
life; the same went for Ludwig.

It wasn’t just us who returned.

“Junior!”

Adriana and her class also came back from their group mission, so there
were second years rushing towards the Royal Class dormitory as well.

Seeing how happy she was, my heart fluttered a bit.

“Oh, senior.”

“Did you also just arrive?”

“Ah, yes. That’s right.”

“What? It’s just Reinhardt.”

Next to Adriana stood the second year’s A-1, Redian, the little kid who
skipped a grade.

“For me to meet you as soon as I come back to Temple. Next week will be
an unlucky one.”

She crossed her arms and shook her head jokingly.

“Did you only learn how to flap your lips during the group mission?”

“What? Flap my-? Are you picking a fight?”

“Stop, stop.”

When she saw two fires light up in Redina’s eyes, Adriana intervened and
stopped her.

“Please understand, junior. Redina just feels bad after losing in the group
mission, okay?”

“What?! That’s not it! And we won!”

“So you feel bad because you lost.”

“No, that’s not it!”

It seemed that the second years lost to Class B in their mission. I giggled at
Redina.

“So that’s the reason. I’m in a good mood after winning, so I’ll cut you
some slack.”
As I spoke to her teasingly, Redina’s face turned red.

“Adriana! Please scold him!”

“Okay.”

-Whack!

“Urgh! Why are you hitting me?”

“You’ve really gotten better at purposely doing exactly the things I hate,
junior.”

Adriana took Redina’s hand and headed towards the dormitory, seeming so
angry that she didn’t know what else to do.

“Anyway, congratulations on winning, junior! See you tomorrow then,

right?”

“Yes.”

“Adriana! Scold him more!”

“I’m hungry, let’s go in and have dinner.”

“Okay…”

When I saw the two of them walking hand in hand, I couldn’t help but think
they looked like sisters. They didn’t look like classmates at all. Although
they had quite the height difference between them, it wasn’t just that.

***

After having our dinner at Temple after a long time.

“…It’s kind of weird for me to say this since I’m here as well, but isn’t it a
bit too soon to go back to your daily routine already?”
“?”

On the day we returned, Ellen began wielding her sword and training in the
gym right after dinner. Of course, I was also here getting back to training as
soon as possible.

“Hold it tight, if you can.”

Ellen threw one of the training swords towards me, and my reflexes were
trained enough that I could catch it easily.

“Sigh… I’m going to be in pain again.”

Ellen had so many talents that it was difficult to name them in one go.
However, behind that talent stood the years that she had trained and put in
every bit of effort.

Erich de Lafeari was also talented, but how could someone who barely put
any effort into training their talent beat someone like her?

Ellen trained her own talents every single moment of her life.

She was a hard-working genius.

In fact, when I was watching Ellen fight that orc, I thought she was simply
incredible—she didn’t even allow a single attack of that giant muscle pig to
hit her.

Even her noticing the javelin stuck in the orc, pulling it out, and
immediately stabbing it into its eye made me seriously doubt my eyes.

I’d never be able to defeat her. Ever.

“I’m coming.”

“Okay.”
However, being able to trade blows with someone like her for free every
single day was a huge benefit already.

-Kaang!

“…”

Of course, things always ended with the same result.

***

After returning to my usual routine, I did my morning training and practiced

my swordsmanship in the gym even after classes were over. Perhaps
because I had to go through some less than ideal environmental conditions
during the mission, I felt like my normal training schedule was like heaven.

I finally realized how incredible it was that I could drink water whenever I
wanted and eat whenever I wanted. Drinking water could be found
everywhere here.

Even the gym was air-conditioned. It was a rather fresh outlook on things,
making me feel fortunate to be able to train in such a divine environment.

That was it.

After experiencing absolute poverty once, one’s small little studio

apartment felt like a hotel. It was something like that—it was something
similar to having a winning mentality.

Actually, that was kind of funny as my supernatural power was also based
on keeping a winning mentality, so that way of thinking fits me quite well.

Anyway, it was good that my motivation to train had gotten even stronger
after experiencing having to survive on an uninhabited island.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday.
Bertus called me and suddenly handed me a big bag.

“…Huh? What’s this?”

“What do you think it is? It’s money.”

It was a red bag that seemed to be made of silk. It was full of shiny gold
coins.

Oh, right.

“For the jaguar leather?”

But it was still in the process of being treated, right?

“Yeah. It’s easier for me to find a buyer than you on your own, right? They
paid in advance already. I’ll tell Mr. Epinhauser where he’s supposed to
send it.”

I already thought that it would be pretty hard for me to find a buyer for such
expensive leather, so it seemed like Bertus had already looked for one
before I could even start. It also looked like they paid in advance.

Anyway, wasn’t it quite touching how much he was taking care of me?
Well, it felt more like payment for doing various things for him during the
mission though.

“No, but… Isn’t that too much?”

I thought I heard that I would get about 10 gold coins, but judging by the
bag’s weight, its content far exceeded 10.

“To tell you the truth, the buyer is my grandfather on my mother’s side, so
he gave me quite the generous payment. I won the first group mission of the
Royal Class, so it was only natural that he would be quite generous when it
came to buying loot that came out of that.”
The Family of Bertus’s mother was Duke Salerian.

So, the person Bertus meant was, of course, Duke Salerian.

Having been in the position of being almost killed by Duke Salerian’s

knights before, Bertus’s words were quite eerie.

His grandson, who might become the Emperor in the future, won his first
group mission of the Royal Class. To Duke Salerian, the jaguar leather
signified his victory over Charlotte.

Everything depended on the meaning someone gave it. So Bertus just sold it
to the person who would offer the most money for it.

It felt kind of nasty that it was the head of the group that tried to kill me
once.

“Anyway, thank you.”

I even got indirectly involved with Duke Salerian, something I would have
never dared to imagine while I was trying to escape the Demon King’s
Castle.

***

***

Reaper Scans

Translator – KonnoAren

Proofreader – ilafy

Join our Discord for updates on releases!

https://discord.gg/MaRegMFhRb
***

I received 30 gold coins as payment for the jaguar leather—that would be

about 30 million won. What I almost left to rot in the jungle turned into a
huge pile of money when I came back, so I was rather startled. If Ellen
hadn’t brought it back with her, and if Delphine hadn’t properly skinned it, I
wouldn’t have received that much money.

Liana was also involved, but she said she wasn’t interested in the money, so
I didn’t bother going to her.

After school, I took Ellen to Class B’s dormitory and called out Delphin;
then, I held out bundles with 10 gold coins in each of them to the two.

“Since we got 30 gold coins for it, let’s take one-third each. That would be
10 gold coins.”

“Okay.”

“Wow… You sold it for so much?”

“I didn’t do it directly. Bertus sold it for me.”

Delphin couldn’t believe it when she saw the bundle of 10 gold coins in
front of her. She was hesitant to take the money I was giving her.

“I mean, all I did was skin the jaguar with my poor skills… Can I even
accept this…?”

It wasn’t that big a deal, but it seemed like she felt a bit guilty accepting
such a huge amount of money.

“If we follow your logic, I got this money by simply hitting a beast’s head
while it was electrocuted. What’s the difference between mine and your
contribution? Just take it.”
If we were talking about who worked the hardest, that would probably be
Ellen.

“I-is that so…? Well, thank you anyway. I really wanted to go eat
something delicious with the others.”

Delphin seemed to have planned to buy the others something with the huge
amount of money. With the exception of Charlotte, all of Class B were
commoners. Ellen put her 10 gold coins in the pocket of her school uniform
and looked at me.

“Let’s go eat something delicious.”

“…Don’t you want to go eat something expensive, not just something

delicious? Like something that you usually wouldn’t be able to eat because
it’s too expensive?”

“ Yes.”

…She was only thinking about eating the same food prepared differently.

In the end, Ellen and I went to eat a full course at one of Temple’s most
luxurious restaurants where only the kids of noble families went.

It was delicious.

It was delicious, but…

“How could they ask for one gold coin for a dish? How does that make
sense?”

It was a bit more expensive than we thought it would be.

“You’re right.”

“I mean, it was tasty, but I’m not paying that money just to eat that!”
“…Is that so?”

It was delicious, so Ellen seemed to be alright with it.

“The amount was just too little.”

“…Seriously, there just has to be a dimensional crack in your stomach.”

I was completely convinced that the Gates already opened disguised as

Ellen’s stomach.

Anyway, Ellen said that she was still hungry, so she bought three hot dogs
from the street.

***

After I returned to my daily schedule of studying and training, nothing

really happened. If there was one thing that changed, it was that my
physical abilities gradually rose.

And…

And!

[Strength 6.2 (D)]

[Agility 6.7(D)]

[Dexterity 7.7 (D+)]

[Magic 11.3 (B-)]

[Stamina 10.8(C+)]

[Demon Domination D](An Archdemon’s unique ability)

(Cannot be used in current state.)

[Self Suggestion D]

[Swordsmanship F]

Comprehensive Ability Assessment – Lowest Level Demon

Battle Level Evaluation : D+

As one could see.

My pseudo-swordsmanship had finally evolved into swordsmanship.

I did it. I’ve got it.

Self-suggestion also rose to D rank, so my combat level rose to D+ Rank. It

jumped right up from F+!

“Kuhuk…”

It might feel like insignificant growth to some, but to me, it showed the
results of my hard work.

“…?”

Ellen tilted her head as if she didn’t know why I suddenly sat down on the
gym floor and looked thrilled. That girl was 90% responsible for the
evolution of my swordsmanship.

“Thank you! It’s all thanks to you!”

“…Are you sick?”

When I teared up and expressed my extreme gratitude to her, Ellen put her
hand on my forehead and said: “You don’t have a fever, so what’s wrong
with you?”
“Kuhuk… I-I could actually do it. I… Always believed I could do it!”

It was such an emotional thing for me to have finally escaped pseudo-

swordsmanship. Every time I checked my status and saw that I felt dirty!

…Of course, it was a bit disappointing that my evaluation only rose to D+

after all the shit I did, but it couldn’t be helped.

Life was long.

In other words, there was still a lot of time left for me to work hard.

Only one semester had passed, but when I remembered the simple fact that
I still had several years of that shit left to live through, I suddenly felt like
my body had lost all its strength.

“…Sigh, I want to quit.”

When I despaired by myself after I got all happy, Ellen just turned around
and started swinging her sword on her own.

However, thinking about all the people who were a lot stronger than me—
who was just a D+ Rank—I found my motivation again.

***

In any case, I wasn’t leading an idle life, but there just wasn’t anything
special happening during my daily training sessions. The only small
pleasure I had was checking my gradual growth in stats occasionally.

In the morning, I exercised with Adriana, and after class, I did strength
training until dinner, then I would practice my swordsmanship in the gym.

However, there was a problem.

I was getting more and more afraid of my morning training.

“Let’s just go once, okay? Please, Junior?”

The church sister was getting more aggressive with her preaching.

My biggest problem was that I had to keep in my temper because I received

too many things from her up to then. I couldn’t curse at her after she had
been so good to me, but I didn’t know how to politely refuse someone kind
of close to me asking such things of me.

“If you decide that you don’t like it after going there just once, it’s okay if
you don’t want to come anymore. So just come with me this once.”

Sister, you’re killing me!

“Aah! Fine!”

Eventually, I fell to her persistent missionary work.

“However, just once.”

“That’s fine, Junior! I’m sure you’ll also come to like it!”

It was nice to see Adriana smile so broadly. With that, I eventually accepted
my defeat.
Of course, Temple also had clubs—the staple of every school life novel.
There were clubs focused on magic research, swordsmanship, or any other
field having to do with one’s major; there were also music-related clubs or
other more recreational ones, as well as some unspecified ones. There were
also clubs with a religious focus. Since the student population exceeded
one’s imagination, it was a fruitless endeavor to count every club in Temple.
Although I created the club setting, the main character, Ludwig, wasn’t part
of any, so I didn’t describe them in much detail. If I made him join a club,
the main story would unfold within it. I chose to follow the second of the
two ways a school life story could unfold.
I wasn’t sure if any of Class A’s students were part of any clubs at the time.
Anyway, Adriana was trying to take me to one of the Royal Class’ clubs.
Adriana served Towan, the god of purity, but it was said that there were
many people who were part of the club and followed another of the Five
Major Churches.
Of course, there weren’t only clubs, but five shrines built for each religion
in Temple. They offered classes related to religious studies, and on
weekends, students with faith in any of the gods could visit to worship them
even if they didn’t major in divine powers. There were many religious
students in Temple, who had different majors, so I knew that the shrines
were full every weekend.
So, rather than taking me straight to the weekend service, Adriana would
try to first open my heart to religion by talking to me about it.
Of course, I had no intention of going to any of the shrines.
She said that her club activities were every Thursday after dinner. It seemed
like they had a dedicated club room on the top floor of the Royal Class’
dormitory.
The club’s name was ‘Grace’, and it was also said to be the club with the
most members in all of the Royal Class. It was probably like that because
the believers of the five churches gathered there.
In the end, having skipped my evening training, I went down to the lobby
with the conviction in my heart that it would be the first and last time.
“Ah, junior, you’re here.”
“Yeah.”
Adriana was waiting for me in the lobby.
“Let’s go then.”
It was also my first time taking the elevator installed in the dormitory. I had
used them frequently before, but it was pretty strange that I never even took
the one located in the dormitory.
The 7th floor had a different structure than the lower floors where the
dormitory rooms were located. There were many rooms and written on their
doors were names of clubs. Due to the nature of the Royal Class, where
only the most talented elites gathered, there were hardly any clubs that were
simply recreational.
“It’s over there.”
Adriana walked into a hallway to our right and then stood before a rather
large door.

‘May the grace of the Five Lords be with us.’

That phrase was engraved on a silver plate in beautiful handwriting hanging
on the door. A silver gate plate, that was the Royal Class for you.
“Let’s go in. They’re all very good people, so you don’t have to be too
nervous.”
“Do you think I’m one to get nervous?”
Adriana frowned at my joking answer then smiled.
“Okay, then let me tell you something else. Don’t cause any trouble,
junior.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Adriana opened the door, and I followed her in.

***

It couldn’t be said that this applied to everyone, but those believing in

religions had some common characteristics. Assuming that they aren’t
fanatics, but ordinary people that just started believing in a religion or have
a healthy dose of faith in them.
Should I say they didn’t seem to have a shadow cast on their face, or that
they don’t seem to have any worries? It felt like they had some passive skill
that made them extrude gentleness.
“Oh, is this friend the new arrival you said that would come by? Nice to
meet you. I’m Agerton. A fourth-year.”
“Ah, yes, this is Reinhardt, a first-year.”
They usually had that kind and wrinkle-free expression on their face. It
seemed like not all of them were there yet, but they all seemed to make a
fuss and welcome the arrival of a new face.
“If you’re a first-year, does that mean that you’re classmates with Ashir?”
“Yes, although we’re in different classes.”
It seemed that B-4 Ashir—who was someone who had a talent for divine
power in Class B—also belonged to the club. He looked at me from afar
and seemed to want to say, ‘Why is he here?’.
“Ah… Hello.”
“Ah, yeah.”
I barely had any interaction with him, so I could only say that much. Most
of my seniors knew me from that duel; it certainly left a huge impression on
them at the time.
I didn’t know whether it was because of that incident or because of their
personalities, but I was treated quite favorably by both men and women.
“Have you eaten dinner yet?”
“Yeah, well…”
“If you’re hungry, there are some snacks in the cabinet. You can eat
whatever you find there.”
I felt like I fell into a completely different world because I was welcomed
so warmly by people that seemed to never frown. I could see that they were
very excited to have someone new around.
“Reinhardt only came here to take a look around today.”
Adriana tried to clarify that she brought me there but that I shouldn’t be
mistaken for a new member. That didn’t mean, however, that they lost their
spirit.
“Yes, yes, okay. Looking around is fine as well. You can come anytime you
want, even if you just want to come hang out when you’re bored.”
“That’s right; there are many people that come here just to pass the time
without signing up. You can think of it as getting closer to your seniors.”
I was surrounded by people that were happy just by me being around…
I just couldn’t get used to that.
I hate bad guys, but my twisted mentality makes me feel uncomfortable
when I’m faced with someone who seems too nice. It makes me wonder if
I’m comfortable around people like Bertus.
Positive energy and I don’t mix well with each other!
There were about 20 members. Since the total number of students of Royal
Class was about 120, that was a pretty big number.
Of course, since the high school section had about six grades, the age range
was also pretty wide.
“Oh, is that the first year, Reinhardt?”
And the person who greeted me with a bright expression seemed rather
familiar; we met for the second time that day, actually.
“I’m Ceres van Owen from the 5th year. Long time no see, right?”
The president of the Royal Class’ student council, whom I remembered
seeing when I was admitted, also belonged to the club.
The student council president said that although she wasn’t majoring in
divine powers, she personally believed in the Sun God. She continued to
say that she also served as the club’s vice president.
I felt like she was someone that got her work-life balance all messed up.
She was the student council president, but she also ended up being that
club’s vice president. Wasn’t that kind of weird?
Seeing that everyone was taking their eyes off of me, it seemed that they
were about to start.
But was there a problem?
“Hmm… It seems that almost everyone is here, so shall we start?”
Ceres van Owen, the student council president and the club’s vice president,
said with a rather awkward expression on her face.
“What about the president?”
At Adriana’s question, the student council president wore a subtle smile.
“Ah, ahaha… The president said they want to take a break, it seems…”
At those words, the overall atmosphere seemed to darken a bit. It seemed
like the club’s president had been absent for a while.
Eventually, they started their club activities without the president. I didn’t
really know what I should do, so I did nothing. It seemed like they started to
do some ritual for which everyone had to close their eyes and recite some
common prayers.
It was certainly different from the religions I knew from my previous
world.
-Blessed are the five Gods…
While everyone was chanting some prayers, the room didn’t only fill with a
solemn atmosphere, but the bodies of some people gave off a subtle glow.
The prayers of those who could use divine powers became power itself, to
the point one could see it with one’s eyes.
All it was was some kids getting together and praying, although one could
feel a certain type of majesty from it. The club room was only filled with a
few desks and some miscellaneous furniture, but I felt like I had seen a
similar room before.
In fact, I even felt that the divine power emanating from their prayer
actually had an effect on me as well—I felt my fatigue vanish, leaving
behind a pleasant warmth.
I wondered if that place served as some kind of Fountain of Life. I was full
of energy.
That surely wasn’t the reason why Adriana said that it was a nice place, but
it definitely felt different from the religious gatherings I had imagined.
After the prayer was over, everyone’s eyes fluttered open.
Adriana smiled at me. She seemed to want to say, “It’s different from what
you thought, right?”.

***

“Let’s first discuss the main agenda, then. As we all had our group missions
last week, let us talk about our experiences.”
Since the president wasn’t there, the vice president and student council
president Ceres van Owen took charge of the schedule.
“First of all, all outside volunteer work has been restricted because of the
attack that happened in town before, right? It has been resolved as of now.”
The attack on the Knights Templar seemed to also have had an effect on this
club as well.
“However, the schedule was totally thrown into disarray last time, so the
plan to send out some people to treat the injured soldiers was canceled; they
said everything had already been resolved. I think we should find some
other way to do volunteer work.”
Since the club actually had people that could use divine powers, it seemed
like they were volunteering to help in places where the power of a priest
would be needed.
‘…What’s with this?’ I thought.
‘Are there only people possessed by some holy spirit present here?’
I didn’t think that it would be a place for me in many ways. Why were they
all such angels?
Anyways, it seemed like they were trying to provide free divine magic
services for wounded soldiers and civilians who weren’t able to get any
help somewhere else. The event got canceled because of the incident with
the Templar.
So they were looking for another way to volunteer.
“Any opinions?”
“I heard there were a lot of orphans after the war. There seems to be a
shortage of caretakers in public childcare facilities, so how about helping
out there?”
“I think that’s a very good idea.”
Listening to one member’s opinion, Ceres nodded, saying it was a good
idea. Someone who seemed like a scribe wrote it down.
Various ideas on new volunteer activities were brought up one after the
other; then they got organized.
‘Just what is this?’
I was surprised because it was a place filled with so much positive energy in
a different way than I thought. It seemed that only people who thought it
was natural to help someone out if one had power gathered there.
I thought it would be a gathering where they talked about God, recited
prayers, and reinforced their faith, but it wasn’t like that at all.
Wasn’t it more like a volunteer club?
After going through various discussions, it was eventually narrowed down
to two plans: Helping out in the public daycare facilities and providing
medical services in remote areas and the slums.
“I’ll ask the teachers about some public childcare facility locations; as for
the medical service in remote areas and slums, it would take some time to
find appropriate locations due to local circumstances or safety issues.“
I was again reminded that Temple was a place with great social influence.
Even if we were part of Royal Class, in the end, it was only a club, but they
could obtain the support of the whole institution.
Ah. I wanted to leave.
Their existence in itself was sacred, so I didn’t think I should continue to be
here.
I guess I was a demon.
Rather than being confronted with an arrogant bastard, being in front of
such holy and good aristocrats was kind of, kind of…
A lot more painful!
Before going there, I was afraid because of a completely different reason.

***
***
Reaper Scans
Translator – KonnoAren
Proofreader – ilafy
Join our Discord for updates on releases!
https://discord.gg/MaRegMFhRb
***
Their new volunteering schedule had been decided, so it was then time for
everyone to talk about the group mission. They simply discussed whether
they won or lost or if it was fun or not.
“Wasn’t this the first group mission for the first years? Ashir, Reinhardt,
how was it for both of you?”
Ashir was calm and said that it was a survival mission and that they,
unfortunately, lost. He said that he had no idea that an orc would come out
and that he was a bit embarrassed that he just ran away because he had been
too horrified confronting it.
“Haha… The first group mission certainly is a bit difficult.”
“There’s a purpose behind that. Should we call it humbling?”
The seniors also talked about the time they had to go through that,
reminiscing about the past. The vice president then looked towards me.
“That would mean that Reinhardt’s class won, right? How was it?”
“Winning is good and all, but in the end, it was a huge pain in the… Arg!
Why are you pinching me?”
Adriana, who was listening to me, suddenly pinched me in my thigh when I
was just being honest. No, that bastard. If I were to say something wrong
again, she would beat me up, right?
“Can’t my junior say some nice things?”
“What do you want me to do when my personality is like this?”
Adriana was also my senior, but from the perspective of the college-level
seniors, she was only a little second-year kid, so they were looking at her
and me as if our arguing was cute.
Everyone seemed surprised to hear that we fought that orc head-on—even
Adriana.
“It’s not like it was me who did it; it was that girl named Ellen who took
care of everything… and a kid called Harriet, who finished it off with a
gigantic Fireball, so I didn’t really do anything.”
“Still! It’s great that you were ready to fight it.”
“Yeah, that’s amazing, Reinhardt.”
Ah.
I felt like I was sinking into the floor because I was surrounded by people
who praised me so casually!
In the end, except for the praying in the beginning, it didn’t really seem all
that religious. Everyone was just talking and chatting.
“Okay, that should end our official talk. Then let us pray. Those who would
like to stay can stay, and those who want to leave can leave.”
Like that, their club activities ended. To be exact, after it was over, they
gathered into groups of twos and threes to talk and eat some snacks
together.
Like it had at the start, the prayer again created quite the majestic
atmosphere.
After praying, Adriana stayed with me a bit longer. I asked if I could go, but
I ended up getting forced to eat some of the snacks.
“Don’t you follow any type of faith?”
“Ah, erm, not really…”
The seniors asked me this and that, as I was new around there, and I tried to
answer appropriately.
If I told them I believed in myself, Adriana would probably have an even
bigger reaction than before.
“Still, it’s not bad to have a place to pour your heart out. Think carefully.
Because the Gods reward us just as much as we put faith in them.”
If they were talking about divine power, that senior’s words were indeed
true.
No, they were right, but…
I was the creator of the five Gods. I was the world’s actual creator, so to
speak. So, how paradoxical was it for the creator to follow his own
derivatives? That would be a real pain in the butt.
Give me strength, my babies; I’ll put my faith in you~
That was just ridiculous!
In the end, they only told me to think carefully about this; they didn’t force
me to do anything. Everyone talked to me, but they also talked with each
other.
“By the way, the president… Will they never show up again?”
“Hmm… I’m trying to persuade them, but I’m not sure.”
The high school seniors were talking about such topics in a hushed voice. It
must have been a while since the president last showed up in the club.
“By the way, I heard that the Demon God Church seems to have
reemerged…”
“The Demon God Church?”
“Yes, because of that incident, there are rumors that the Demon Realm is
still intact, so it seems that their belief is spreading again. I heard about it
from my uncle, who is an Inquisitor of the Church of Ars.
“I-isn’t that a pretty big deal!”
I also remembered the setting of the Demon God Church because Ludwig
butted heads with some of its remnants.
The Demon God Church. They were a pro-demon force from within
humanity. The one they served was the Demon God, a concept opposite of
the other Gods. However, after the Demon Realm completely collapsed,
they should have died out naturally—leaving only a few remnants behind.
However, the attack in the capital caused the misunderstanding that the
Demon Realm hadn’t yet collapsed but was still hiding tremendous power.
That was why the Demon God Church, which should have died out, had
found its glimmer of hope and maintained its faith.
I had to keep promising myself that I wouldn’t do anything that would have
too many consequences that would spread like wildfire everywhere I went
in the future.
The whole atmosphere turned solemn after hearing the news about the
Demon God Church. For the ones believing in the orthodox religions, the
Demon God Church was their main enemy and an organization to be
purged.
The female senior, who said her uncle was an inquisitor of the Church of
Ars—a heresy inquisitor—cautiously opened her mouth again.
“I… I’m not completely sure about this… But I heard there might be
students who believe in the Demon God’s religion inside of Temple…”
“L-lies!”
“Stop! Darissa.”
Ceres, who had been gentle from the start to the end, furrowed her
eyebrows and glared at the senior named Darissa. The girl shuddered at
Ceres’ warning.
“I know who you mean. They aren’t like that.”
“B-but still… Isn’t it dangerous?”
What were they talking about? Ceres seemed to know who she believed to
be Demon God Cultists.
“I’m done talking with the student president. I got a definite answer that
they weren’t like that in the least.”
“Still…”
“Silence.”
Ceres glared at her with a cold gaze, continuing to frown.
“They are just kids that tend to say things that might be misunderstood. If
these rumors spread, innocent children might get arrested by the heresy
inquisitors. And you don’t know how those kids might get treated after they
get arrested by one, now do you?”
If rumors based on mere speculations were to spread, the kids might get
arrested by a heresy inquisitor and tortured to death.
I mean, she should just stop talking bullshit and shut her damn trap because
that made her look like someone who got off on spreading shitty rumors. I
had just been mentally praising that group for being full of good people
too…
“I-I’m sorry…”
Darissa said that she was wrong with a quivering voice and a completely
white complexion after getting scolded. Ceres looked around, seeming not
as kind as before—emitting a type of pressure.
“Wherever one goes, I hear people talking about the spreading of the
Demon God Church; the same goes for Temple, so don’t ever say things
like that.”
Everyone froze up and said they understood.
That girl.
Maybe because she was the student council president, she emitted a kind of
authoritative aura.

[Quest appeared – The Demon God Church inside Temple]

[Description ： There are rumors that there are Demon God worshippers
inside Temple]
[Goal : Find out the truth behind the rumors.]
[Reward : 300 Achievement Points]

A pretty terrifying quest suddenly appeared.

After the club activities were over, I went down to the first floor with
Adriana.
“How was it?”
“It was fine. They all seem like good people.”
They didn’t force their beliefs on me, and I was slightly embarrassed seeing
people thinking so hard about how they could help others with their power.
When one was before people that seemed too good, one felt a certain kind
of shame for some unknown reason; the club had made me feel like that.
“You don’t have to sign up; you can just come over if you ever feel bored.
If you have any troubles, you can share them there; they can also help you
in deciding what career you want to pursue with your studies and many
more things.”
In the end, Adriana was more interested in introducing me to some good
seniors than in forcing her belief on me. They were people who were
willing to help whenever it was needed, even if they didn’t share the same
faith.
Come to think of it, wasn’t that huge?
There were many children of prominent families in the Royal Class and
many of them were excellent individuals—especially the older seniors. I
had just created a link with them, meaning I could meet them at any time
and ask them for help.
Wasn’t it weirder not to agree to that?
“Yeah, I’ll come hang out sometime.”
“You thought well, junior!”
Adriana smiled broadly because she was happy that I decided to visit the
club occasionally.
It was nice to suddenly have such a large number of connections, but I also
had a question.
“By the way, what did they mean by there being Demon God Cultists in
Temple?”
Achievement points were very multifaceted—they were also more valuable
than money. Adriana tilted her head at my question.
“Well… I think the student council president and some of the seniors know
something about that, but I don’t really. It’s not something you can just
ask… Since they said it’s not a big deal, it probably isn’t. Darissa is
probably just someone that worries a lot in general.”
Apparently, Adriana didn’t know anything. She mentioned a senior called
Darissa and the student council president, although the latter said it wasn’t
that big a deal.
With that, I figured I had to get behind it on my own.
And there was another question.
“By the way, is there a problem with the club president?”
Everyone seemed to know something, but no one was talking about it.
“A-ah… That.”
Adriana was also reluctant to talk about it, scratching her cheek. She told
me that we shouldn’t talk about it there, and she took me out of the dorm. It
was midnight, so we tried to walk quietly and sat down next to each other
on a bench with the light of a street lamp quietly illuminating us.
“Do you know who the club president is?”
“No, I have no clue.”
“Ah, you’re really not interested in the seniors, are you, junior?”
They were the president of the club with the highest member count in the
Royal Class.
“She’s famous. It’s Olivia Lanze.”
Olivia Lanze. I didn’t know that name. It seemed like she was someone
existing in the margins of the story as well.
“The president is pretty famous, but there’s someone even more famous
than her.”
“And who would that be?”
“Yes. It’s Riverrier Lanze. Haven’t you heard of him?”
“Yeah… I don’t know him.”
I hadn’t heard of that guy either.
“He’s the commander of the Knights Templar.”
Ah.
I had completely forgotten about him.
He was that guy.
I felt terribly ashamed that I completely forgot about a character I wrote
myself—and someone with a lot of power at that.
“Then… Who’s the president?”
“Well, she’s the commander’s daughter.”
Olivia Lanze. A fifth year.
She was the daughter of the Knights Templar commander.

***

The Knights Templar was a group consisting of paladins and priests of any
of the Five Churches. After the end of the Demon World War, it should
have naturally been dissolved, but it would remain as it was.
In other words, it was a group that moved according to the Five Popes’ will,
but in the end, the Commander of the Knights Templar had a lot of power as
well. Religion is a concept independent of the state, so even the Emperor
had to step back when faced with the influence and actual power of the
Knights Templar commander.
Olivia Lanze, daughter of Riverrier Lanze, the Commander of the Knights
Templar.
She even had the nickname ‘Saint of the Eredian District’. Not only was she
incredibly passionate about volunteer work, but she also seemed to have
incredible skills.
“To tell the truth… My dream was to be someone like her.”
She was such a perfect person in almost every way that she was Adriana’s
role model.
“She said that she wanted to join the Knights Templar after she graduated.”
It seemed that she immediately wanted to join the Knights Templar instead
of continuing her studies. She was such a kind person that people called her
model student and saint—that was the kind of impression she left on
others.
“But, for some reason, she hasn’t come to any of the meetings lately… I
heard that she doesn’t attend any of Temple’s classes anymore as well.”
Adriana seemed worried about her.
The student who had only been leading an upright life up until then
suddenly became truant. The girl who was so devoted to volunteer work
suddenly didn’t come to her club meetings or classes.
“I don’t really know what is going on with her because she’s a senior. I
guess the teachers are also having a hard time.”
If someone who was undisciplined from the start did such things, they
would be expelled or disciplined, but instead it was a case that involved the
student among students. Therefore, it seemed like the teachers were trying
to lead her to the right path again. She was even graduating soon. If she
wasn’t careful, she wouldn’t fit into her uniform anymore.
A truant student.
“Things have just felt a little off recently. I’m frustrated because I don’t
know what’s going on. I’m really worried.”
It seemed pretty hard on Adriana, seeing her role model and mental support
gradually falling apart.
“Couldn’t you just go and ask her what’s going on?”
“Huh… Pardon?”
“Although she doesn’t go to class, she’s still in Temple, right?”
“Ah. Yes. Yes, but… She’s such a lofty senior and…”
Really, that girl.
Well.
She wasn’t wrong. She was only a second year in high school, after all. It
might be a bit difficult for her to tell a senior that had been around much
longer that she was worried about her recent behavior.
“You’re frustrated, aren’t you? So are you just going to wait until your
stomach explodes or something? If you’re curious, go ask.”
“I mean…”
Adriana fell silent for a moment, but then she nodded firmly, seeming as if
she had made up her mind.

***
***
Reaper Scans
Translator – KonnoAren
Proofreader – ilafy
Join our Discord for updates on releases!
https://discord.gg/reapercomics
***

The next day, morning.

Adriana, who came down for her morning training, looked worse than she
had the previous day.
“Did you go visit her yesterday?”
“Huh? Ah… Yes. Yes…”
Looking at her expression, it seemed like she didn’t get a very positive
answer. Or did she get told that it was none of her business? Normally, she
would just tell me right away, but instead, Adriana led me to a bench and
sat down next to me.
“Reinhardt, good work today!”
“Uhm, thanks.”
Ludwig and the others who were there for their morning training greeted
me as they rushed past me. Scarlett and Charlotte were also exercising
every morning. Ellen was already too far away.
Adriana looked very pensive.
“What’s going on?”
Adriana looked like she had experienced something unbelievable.
“The president…. wants to quit.”
“…She wants to quit? The club?”
Of course, she would feel somewhat betrayed, but was that really something
over which one had to make such an expression for?
“No, not the club…”
There was the reason why Adriana was so shocked.
“She wants to quit Temple…”
With her graduation just around the corner, Olivia Ranche wanted to quit
Temple.
“Not only that… She also said that she abandoned all her faith.”
From what I heard, this story wasn’t all that simple.
The seniors didn’t say anything, but they probably all knew. I guessed that
they didn’t tell their juniors because they feared it would cause confusion.
“What happened?”
“I don’t know… She didn’t tell me.”
I didn’t exactly know what they talked about, but she probably just told her
that she would quit everything without getting into her reasons as to why
she would do that.
She didn’t only deviate a little; she was about to turn her whole life upside
down—abandoning both her faith and Temple. She was even called Saint of
the Eredian district, the area where Temple was located. Just what the hell
happened to her?
Did she join the Church of the Demon God? Was there a possibility that it
had something to do with my quest? However, I wasn’t sure if she would be
able to completely abandon her religious life and make a total U-turn in the
opposite direction.
Adriana seemed absolutely devastated. That was understandable because
she had suddenly found out that her idol decided to give up on her faith and
Temple, after all.
“I’m sure there’s something going on……”
It was clear that something tremendous had happened to Olivia Lanze.
However, she was a far-off senior, so we wouldn’t be able to find out
anything more.
“Well… Even if we knew what happened, I doubt we could do much about
it. She said she wants to quit, so we couldn’t just tell her to come back to
her senses, right?”
“……That’s true.”
Adriana looked towards the ground, disappointed.
Seeing Adriana, who had always been calm and collected, looking down
like that…
What the hell.
Wasn’t that strangely cute?
……
I had similar thoughts when I was with Harriet.
Was I a sadist?
No, I mean, if I compiled all the things I did up until then, wasn’t there a
100% chance that I was a sadist?
Or was I simply weird?
“Junior, would it be rude if I tried finding out what happened to the
president?” Adriana mumbled in a sullen voice.
She knew she couldn’t change that person’s decision, but she still wanted to
know why someone with such strong convictions and beliefs suddenly
decided to give up on everything.
Why would she be scared? However, Adriana seemed to think that it was
rather rude for her to try and find out the reason.
“That would be rude.”
“I guessed as much…”
Adriana let out a sigh of relief. As expected, she wanted to stop thinking
about it, but she couldn’t.
It was rude to dig up things on a senior behind her back. Something like
that didn’t suit Adriana at all.
“I’m an expert in being rude.”
“……Huh?”
“I’ll be rude in your stead.”
When I told her that I’d find out these things for her, she seemed greatly
perplexed.
Being rude was my specialty.
“Ju-junior…?”
The flustered Adrianna was cute as well, but I liked her usual self a lot
more.

***
I would get achievement points for finding out the truth behind the rumors
about the Demon God Church, I wouldn’t get any for the thing with Olivia
Lanze. I figured that the connection between those two things was either not
there or very vague.
Still, despite my rude behavior and mischievous acts, Adriana had taken
care of me up until then. Even though she must have seen me as a very bad
person, she was still kind to me and helped me out.
Adriana was like Temple’s version of Eleris to me.
In the end, it was only advantageous for me to have made a connection with
that club. Although she would have been happy if I found a belief, she just
took me there so that I could get to know various people.
As I kept on receiving help from her, I wanted to give her something back.
Adriana was grateful, but she asked me to not pick a fight with the seniors
or cause any trouble. She was grateful for my intentions but still worried
that I might punch someone again like usual.
Of course, it was highly unlikely that I would end up hitting someone.
I mean, they were in their fifth year. Someone who reached the fifth grade
in Royal Class and had a combat talent should be pretty confident in
winning a fight if they weren’t completely stupid. There should be some
monsters among them that already reached a superhuman level, and wasn’t
Olivia Lanze the same?
The fifth-year, Olivia Lanze.
Why did that girl want to quit Tempel and abandon her faith? I had shouted
out quite confidently that I would be rude in Adriana’s stead, but I couldn’t
really think of any reason.
If it was for a personal reason, wasn’t it pretty much impossible to find
out?
If I didn’t move, I would never find out a single thing. I started my
investigation by going to see Bertus after class.
“Ah, Reinhardt. What’s the matter?”
After the group mission on the uninhabited island, I felt like Bertus was
pretty kind to me. While he was busy contemplating whether he should give
up or not, I was able to make him move to action.
He might think, deep down, that they might have lost the group mission if
not for me.
Urgh.
It was definitely a good thing to build a good relationship with the guy.
How should I say it? It felt a bit scary and a bit uncomfortable.
I had rather complicated feelings about it.
Still, it wasn’t something I had to keep a secret. I didn’t have to be wary of
Bertus and Charlotte.
“I just want to ask you something.”
“What might that be?”
We were at the tea terrace adjacent to the dormitory, the sun was still up, so
it wasn’t quite evening yet.
“Do you know Olivia Lanze?”
“Aah, are you talking about the daughter of the Knights Templar
Commander?”
Bertus nodded, saying he knew her as she was quite the celebrity. Since she
was the daughter of the Knights Templar leader, one couldn’t help but know
about her.
“Do you know her personally?”
If she was acquainted with Bertus, he might be able to find out those things
a lot easier than me.
“Hmm, I’ve seen the Knights Templar Commander in official settings a few
times, but I have never seen her before. Although she is quite famous, she
doesn’t have any actual title or position. I’ve heard quite a few rumors,
though. What did they call her? Saint of the Eredian district? Pfft… Hm,
yeah, that’s what they call her.”
Bertus burst into laughter, sounding as if he got tickled by the remaining
sunlight when he brought up the word saint. He saw the Knights Templar
Commander a few times but didn’t know his daughter.
That was right. The Commander was an important person, but that title
wasn’t hereditary, so therefore she wasn’t all that important. It couldn’t be
helped that she wasn’t acquainted with Bertus.
“Why do you ask?”
Bertus seemed curious as to why I asked him about one of our seniors so
openly.
“No, it’s just that she seemed to have said that she would quit Temple and
abandon her faith… I was wondering why she would do that. It’s not
anything big.”
“……She’s quitting?”
“Yeah, that’s what I heard.”
Bertus seemed surprised as if it was the first time he heard of that.
“Hmm… I thought I wouldn’t have to worry about the senior years, and yet
this happened.”
It seemed like Bertus didn’t intend on gathering information that didn’t
concern him. He began to ponder over the strange piece of news reaching
him out of nowhere.
“That’s certainly strange; even though I don’t know her that well, she
wasn’t only famous inside of Temple but outside of it as well.”
“Just how famous is she?”
Although Bertus didn’t know much about the fifth-years, he knew more
than I did because he was in a position where a lot of information
converged.
“She was a Temple student—so she couldn’t participate in the Demon
World War—but I heard that her abilities were already at a level where they
could be used in actual combat. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to
participate in the war, but she took a special leave of absence for a year to
give out free medical support. I know that she has returned now that the
Demon World War is over. She was already thought to possess divine
powers similar to a High Priest. There were a lot of people saved by her, so
she became famous as the rumors far and wide. That’s how the nickname
“Saint of the Eredian district” was born.”
Her divine powers weren’t merely on the same level as a regular priest, but
a high priest. She was still a student, so she couldn’t participate in the war,
but she ended up saving a tremendous amount of people during the Demon
World War.
“She’s an amazing person.”
“She sure is. If she were to join the Knights Templar, she would be their
next Commander. If she were to join the Church of Towan, she would be its
next pope.”
She had excellent abilities and strived to use them for the people. With the
reputation gained from her actions, there would be no one against her
becoming the next Commander of the Knights Templar.
“But she suddenly decided to abandon everything… Hmm. This is
troubling.”
Bertus frowned for some reason. Why was he so troubled?
“Troubling?”
At my question, Bertus took a sip of black tea and crossed his arms.
“No, I just wanted her to be the next commander of the Knights Templar.”
“Why?”
“Wouldn’t it be nice for someone like her to sit in such a position?”
That was what he said, but I was able to read the intention behind Bertus’s
words.
The Knights Templar was a huge and powerful organization, difficult to
deal with for the Empire. He thought there should be some nice, virtuous
person at their head so that they wouldn’t get any dangerous ideas.
In other words, judging by those words and his tone of voice, it seemed like
the current Commander wasn’t someone that suited Bertus’s taste.
Obviously, the Knights Templar had demon slaves, and during the incident
last time, they actually tried to take those succubi for themselves. Since
Bertus knew what was going on inside of their organization, it was clear
that he didn’t like them all that much.
Hmm? Come to think of it.
No way…
“Perhaps the reason for her decision is one of two things,” Bertus said while
looking at the scenery unfolding outside of the dormitory, where there was
still some gentle sunlight kissing the ground.
“One would be that she became disillusioned when she learned that the
Knights Templar were a very different group than she first thought…”
Bertus looked at me and smiled. He looked like he was about to tell a pretty
nasty joke.
“The second would be that she found herself a man.”
At that moment, I remembered something I had forgotten.
Priests of Saint Towan couldn’t marry.
Bertus didn’t mention the type of people the Knights Templar actually were.
If he wanted to do that, he would have had to tell me first that the country
divided the demonic prisoners among themselves to sate their lustful
desires.

Of course, even if Bertus didn’t explicitly tell me, I knew about it.

I had no idea what became of Olivia Lanze in the original novel.

Her desire to quit Temple and abandon her faith might or might not be a
result of this terrorist incident. However, since it was an event that had a
significant impact on the Knights Templar, Olivia Lanze, the daughter of
the Knights Templar Commander, might have been affected as well.

Of course, her leaving might have happened no matter what.

If she had found out that the Knights Templar were keeping the demon
prisoners as slaves, she would have felt an incredible sense of betrayal.

After graduating, she had planned on joining them; if she found out that
such ugly desires actually corrupted the Knights Templar, it was more than
understandable that she would want to quit Temple and give up on her faith
from the sense of betrayal.

She devoted her whole life to that group, but because she found out that it
was all rotten inside, she couldn’t keep going as if nothing had happened
anymore.

She could have found out that both the Knights Templar as well as the
Church of Towan were completely corrupted. Just listening to the stories
told about her, one could get a sense that she was someone with a strong
sense of justice, with a deep faith and kindness in her heart.

That was the first possibility.

As for the second possibility Bertus had mentioned as a joke…

Priests of Towan couldn’t get married, so she might have wanted to let go
of her faith because she actually had a lover.

It wasn’t entirely impossible, but if that were the truth, that would be kind
of shocking. Just what kind of fiery love was that?

Bertus remained silent for a while after stating those two speculations.

“Hmm… I think this might be a serious problem, Reinhardt.”

“Is it that serious?”

“Don’t you think she’s going to get into some serious trouble?”

Bertus even looked slightly nervous; it was really unlike him. What did he
mean by trouble? It was already pretty troubling that someone like her had
decided to throw away her faith and quit school voluntarily, but she was
going to get into even bigger trouble?

“What do you mean?”

“I can’t tell you much in detail, but if she were trying to abandon her faith
and quit Temple because she found out about the corruption in the Knights
Templar… Wouldn’t she try to reveal it out of guilt?”

“Ah…”

I would think so.

“The ones causing the most trouble aren’t slick guys like you but honest
bastards like Olivia Lanze.”

Bertus simply described the Saint of the Eredian district Olivia Lanze as an
honest bastard.

No, but why was he saying that all of a sudden?

***

She had discovered the corruption of the church—corruption so great that

she was compelled to give up on her faith. However, her disposition was
honest and good. She would try to reveal that the organization she believed
in was internally corrupt—even if it was her father who stood right in the
center of such corruption.
The image of the Knights Templar and the whole religious group would be
severely damaged. Of course, something like that didn’t happen in the
original novel. I wasn’t even aware at that moment that the Knights
Templar was like that. I mean, that wasn’t even the main focus of their
description.

I wrote that they were just a group called the Knights Templar and that they
mainly consisted of paladins and priests and that they also fought when the
gates opened; that was all the description they got.

In other words, one could conclude that the incident was caused by the
butterfly effect as a reaction to my terrorist incident. Another possible
outcome was that Olivia Lanze wouldn’t even be able to make her move.

At that point, we couldn’t know how the events would unfold. However,
Bertus was aware of that fact.

“Hmm… If I can, I’d like to just wait and watch it crumble…”

Bertus didn’t like the Knights Templar anyway. Even if one wasn’t an
insider, it would be a huge deal if the reputable saint suddenly went public
and revealed things like that.

However, if that were to happen, the truth about the demon prisoners
getting divided among the participating countries would also be revealed.
The general public had no clue about the true story behind the terrorist
incident at all.

It would be a lethal blow not only to the Knights Templar but to all the
nations that participated in the Demon World War.

“I want to go meet her.”

Bertus was the Imperial Prince.

No matter how young he was, she wouldn’t be able to turn down Bertus’
request for a meeting.

Bertus stood up, saying that he would talk to her. The nature of their talk
wasn’t something that could be shared with me, so he didn’t bring me with
him.

“Uhmm…”

How come things felt like they were getting blown more and more out of
proportion?

Did I stir up a hornet’s nest just then?

***

***

Reaper Scans

Translator – KonnoAren

Proofreader – ilafy

Join our Discord for updates on releases!

https://dsc.gg/reapercomics

***

Bertus returned around evening. After dinner, he called me back to the tea
terrace.

“What do you think?”

“…How should I say it? She herself felt like a good person, but I felt
strangely uncomfortable around her. There’s nothing wrong with her
though… Hmm… It was the first time I felt that way.”

Ah.

Interesting.

It seemed like he felt what I felt when I went to that religious club before,
that strange uncomfortable feeling when faced with someone simply too
good and nice.

As expected, I had that strange feeling because my nature was closer to

Bertus’s, huh? He sighed and sipped on his tea.

“Of course, it was as bad as I expected. I can’t even communicate with that
idiot.”

Being good was nice and all, but Bertus seemed to have seen her as an idiot
he couldn’t communicate with. I didn’t know what they talked about, but he
had probably tried and failed to negotiate with her.

However, one had to admire Bertus’ toughness, being able to call someone
with a grandiose nickname like ‘Saint of the Eredian District’ just an idiot.

“To answer your questions. You just need to know this…”

Bertus was actually giving me an answer to my original question.

“She discovered a problem within the Knights Templar; that is why she
wants to give up on everything. And also…”

Bertus wore a strange smile and tilted his head.

“This isn’t just a matter of her wanting to quit Temple and abandon her
faith. If she keeps being like that, she won’t have a simple death.”
Looking at Bertus talking about someone’s death with a smile reminded me
again what type of person he originally was supposed to be.

“You can’t be thinking…”

Of killing Olivia Lanze, are you? I couldn’t even finish posing that
question. Olivia Lanze was an influential person who could cause a lot of
trouble if left alone. This also involved the image of the Empire, after all.

If so, Bertus might try to get rid of her before she could cause any damage.

“No way, I won’t do something like that.”

As if he knew what I was thinking, Bertus expressed his displeasure.

“Aren’t we in Temple?”

Bertus added that to make me understand. I nodded.

Yeah, Olivia Lanze blabbing carelessly was a problem. However, it would

cause a lot of problems for the Empire if something were to happen to one
of Temple’s Royal Class students.

Causing a bigger problem just to cover up another one was a tremendous

disgrace—that was what Bertus was trying to say.

Hence, Bertus wouldn’t do something like that, but—to be honest—I wasn’t

sure.

“By the way, she doesn’t know you, so why did you suddenly become
curious about her?”

Bertus seemed more curious as to why I suddenly got interested in an

unrelated senior’s personal affairs.

“…A senior I know is worried about her.”

“Ah, that one?”

Bertus nodded his head, knowing that Adriana and I were pretty close.

“This won’t end well for her.”

No matter if Bertus would do something or not, his tone of voice betrayed a

feeling of certainty that a big incident would happen soon.

The palms of my hands were covered in a cold sweat.

***

I couldn’t give Adriana such information as is.

Honest bastards would cause big problems. Adriana was probably one of
those bastards as well. If she found out about it, she would definitely try to
do something herself and put herself in danger.

Damn it.

The life of someone I hadn’t even met yet was in danger.

Bertus had a conversation with Olivia Lanze, who was obviously going to
do something stupid for the prestige of the Empire. However, I realized that
they couldn’t communicate at all.

Because of me, things might have gotten worse. Although the odds were
very slim, Bertus might still take some drastic measures.

I decided to go up to the fifth floor myself. Talking to Adelia would only

have only increased the number of troublemakers.
When I reached the Class A year five dormitory lobby, everyone’s eyes
were focused on me, opened wide. They were probably wondering why
someone of the lower years would come there.

“I, erm… I’m looking for a senior named Olivia Lanze.”

“Oh… I see. Okay. Wait here a second.”

“Okay, thank you.”

As if they knew what was going on, the senior I asked just let out a sigh.

Olivia seemed to have played a certain role in the creation of the gloomy
atmosphere permeating the Class A year five.

The senior who told me to wait in the lobby for a bit kindly went in person
to call her.

The students that were in their fifth year in Temple’s high school section
were 21 years old. They were already adults. However, because she had
shut herself in for a year, she would be 22.

I was told that Olivia Lanze, whom I was about to meet, already possessed
immense divine powers to the point where she could use high-ranking
divine magic.

I didn’t know if she was just as talented combat-wise, but I guessed she
was.

After some time, someone that seemed to be her—wearing a Royal Class

uniform—walked towards me with that other senior beside her.

She must have fallen into the deep pits of despair, so her expression seemed
a little stiff, but she couldn’t hide her gentle personality and good nature…

“There have been a lot of people looking for me recently. What’s going
on?”
I didn’t know much about her, but I could tell that she was a stunning
beauty.

***

Just seeing her goddess-like appearance was enough for me to understand

why they called her Saint of the Eredian district. Her rich platinum blond—
almost white—hair came down to her waist, and her face was adorned with
beautiful slanted, green eyes as well as slightly warm, pink lips.

Even just looking at her, I wondered how such a picturesque person could
even exist. She was so perfectly beautiful that it almost felt unnatural.

“U-uhm… Well. My name is Reinhardt. A first-year student.”

“Ha, aah… So you’re Reinhardt. Yes. I see.”

She smiled and patted my head a little, perhaps because she heard about me
a little from Bertus.

“You seem to worry about me, although I don’t know why. Thank you,
Reinhardt.”

Even though she had only touched me a little, it felt divine. I clearly felt my
heart pounding. No. I was in trouble. I didn’t go there for that. I couldn’t
concentrate.

It wasn’t like it was love at first sight or anything, but I felt like someone
who had just dived into a completely different world. I wondered whether I
was even allowed to face her like that.

What was it?

There were a lot of kids, even in my grade, that were able to turn others’
eyes, but for some reason, I felt so embarrassed meeting this person’s eyes.

I felt like I was faced with the world’s most beautiful woman.

“So, what do you want to talk about?”

“Eh, uhm… Could we talk in a more quiet place?”

I couldn’t even make proper eye contact with her, but I had no choice but to
say it.

My behavior was bound to cause some misunderstandings.

No matter how one looked at it, it was the perfect picture of a first-year kid
falling in love at first sight with their fifth-year senior!