Chapter 208

Roan was closer to a beast born in human form. Although he lacked sharp claws and teeth, his physical capabilities and the amount of aura he possessed were comparable to those of a monster. If there was one innate ability to highlight, it was his knack for instantly discerning predators from prey. ◇ Wild Instincts He could foresee the outcome of a match against a target with high accuracy. When his vision was obstructed, his heightened sense of touch and smell allowed him to perceive his surroundings. In a state of extreme excitement, he would lose his self-control but gain a 1.4x boost in his abilities as a trade-off. For someone who had never failed to distinguish between the strong and the weak, the current situation delivered no small shock. “Aaagh!” Roan groaned in pain, his fist punctured. As he glanced around to make sense of what had happened, his eyes widened. Hersel was wiping blood off his index finger with a handkerchief. A sense of dissonance swept through Roan’s entire body. He had assessed the people here as belonging to the predator class, while Hersel was no more than a small animal at best. And that instinct still held true even now. The blow should have been enough to crack a skull. Yet, only he had sustained an injury, while his opponent remained not only unscathed but emotionally undisturbed—his eyes didn’t even waver. As he began to zone out, grappling with the contradiction to his trusted instincts, Hersel took a step forward. “You dared to throw a punch at me. Twice, no less.” Roan instinctively flinched his shoulders. The piercing glare and subdued voice exuded an odd sense of dominance. Though part of him remained confident that he could crush Hersel if he tried, the recent denial of his trusted instincts had left him shaken. “Consider this a warning. The price for a third time will be the loss of a part of your body.” There was no way to dismiss his words as mere bluffing. But his hands wouldn’t move. The outcome felt uncertain. And there were far too many eyes watching. “What just happened? Did anyone catch it?” “It seems the mad dog of Tenest got into it with someone.” “Senior, what happened to that guy’s hand?” “That… I…” Having already thrown a punch, retreating now would make him a laughingstock. For someone as prideful as Roan, losing face was worse than death. Just as he moved his hand, the door suddenly creaked open. A professor from Valient entered, his face contorted with anger, and scolded sharply. “As I suspected, it’s you causing all this noise again, Roan!” It was a professor who often berated him for his behavior. Though most professors turned a blind eye to such crude antics, not all did. For once, Roan didn’t think the professor’s appearance was unwelcome. “How anticlimactic. I’ll twist your neck next time.” Clicking his tongue, Roan left the scene. *** Once the nerve-wracking tension subsided, I scolded Donatan. ‘He’s late!’ ‘Only by three seconds!’ Donatan had claimed to sense someone approaching from afar—a hunched figure that was likely a professor. Trusting that, I had bluffed, assuming the professor would show up. Had he been wrong, my neck might indeed have been snapped. ‘Three seconds is late! A second more, and I’d be dead!’ ‘Who could have predicted he’d stop in his tracks?’ As expected. ‘I’d forgotten due to how smoothly things had gone, but in the past, trusting this guy had put me in danger more than once. Perhaps it was intentional. A cursed magic sword that leads its owner to death with sweet words. I felt the need to fend for myself.’ ‘And now he’ll freak out, claiming I accidentally blurted out my thoughts again.’ ‘You did that on purpose?’ ‘Bastard…’ As I calmed my startled heart, the surroundings came into view. Our side seemed calm, as if they had seen this kind of spectacle before, but the Ever Blaze group was not. “Were you hiding that much power all along?” “I did think something was odd. For someone born into such a prestigious family, the evaluations seemed unusually low.” “We might have to consider refusing observation. It’s best to stay cautious.” Damn it, they’re trying to back out. I smirked at the Ever Blaze group and opened my mouth. “Are you all scared just because I poked a hole in a flimsy punch?” I abandoned excuses that wouldn’t hold water. I had no confidence that explanations like being lucky or someone unknown stepping in for me would convince them. In that case, I had to take a strong stance. “Don’t worry. I won’t be using aura in the training arena.” The student council president of Ever Blaze asked me, “What do you mean by not using aura?” I confidently replied, “Well, I’m part of the Magic Department.” Their eyes blinked slowly in confusion. “Magic Department?” “…Tenest is a renowned swordsmanship family. It must be a lie.” They didn’t know much about Frost Heart, but its essence was that of an educational institution. It was hard to imagine the academy being insane enough to allow someone suited for the Knights Department to enroll in the Magic Department. And above all… “That’s something only people with brains can manage, right?” “Yeah, you need to have some knack for mathematics to do it.” Public perception, clouded by prejudice, made it difficult for them to see me as a mage. “That’s still hard to believe. Your reputation is too bad for that. I’ve heard your words aren’t exactly trustworthy.” If so, I just needed to prove that I was a mage. I reached for the wand tucked inside my coat. But then, a sudden thought struck me, and I stopped. They were firmly convinced that I would participate in the unified training match as a member of the Knights Department. This was actually an opportunity. A chance to catch Ever Blaze off guard and claim victory. While it was unfortunate that our key members wouldn’t be able to observe their forces firsthand, there were alternative measures. “Think whatever you like.” I answered nonchalantly, and the student council president coldly declared, “We’ll refuse Frost Heart’s observation. I hope you won’t take offense. It just means we think you’re worth being cautious about.” Led by the student council president, they left the Arcadia Hall. Silla, thinking the matter was over, followed them without so much as a glance in our direction. Selberton also said to Limberton that they’d see each other later and left the scene. With the conditions perfect for an open conversation, Limberton let out a deep sigh. “Well, it doesn’t matter if they don’t believe you’re a mage, right? Observation is canceled, and so is the training match.” I shook my head. “That’s not the case. Didn’t you hear what the student council president said earlier? Refusing observation means they intend to hold training matches in the future.” They might have been rattled by Roan, but they wouldn’t leave without gaining something. For now, they’d probably express their displeasure and demand a promise that such an incident wouldn’t happen again. In practice, Valient would offer sincere apologies by sending capable elites on time to provide satisfactory training matches. Ever Blaze would accept begrudgingly while pretending to be dissatisfied. “Then shouldn’t you have shown them some magic? A little demonstration would’ve reassured them, wouldn’t it?” “Yeah, Hersel, why didn’t you just show them?” “Right, what’s so hard about that? Oh, I guess it would be hard. Your little cloud magic is barely the size of dust.” The remarks came from Limberton, Leana, and Silla, in that order. … Rotten bunch. “I had my reasons. Also, the rumors about my cloud magic are greatly exaggerated.” “Is that so? Then show us. Let’s see what you’ve got.” “…Anyway, I thought it’d be better to secure a guaranteed victory rather than just observe.” “Look at him dodging the subject. The rumors must be true.” Shut up, Silla. “We have reliable assets: Mircel, Erucel, and now, myself. That makes three.” Mircel’s prowess needed no explanation, and to defeat Erucel, you’d have to be one of Valient’s main forces. At least against Wisdom, Scarlett’s next opponent, those two alone would undoubtedly secure victory. “You all know the victory condition for the unified match is six wins out of eleven, right? If we lock in just three more wins, we can defeat Scarlett and take down Ever Blaze too.” As I said this, I suddenly realized I’d made a slip of the tongue. I had accidentally revealed too much. “Wait a second, Hersel. Something’s off about what you said. After defeating Scarlett, the next opponent should be Wisdom, right? They wouldn’t lose to Ever Blaze.” “That was a slip of the tongue. Besides, there’s still a chance Ever Blaze could defeat Wisdom.” “Ahem, I suppose so. Though if that happens, it’d be considered a miracle.” Luckily, my excuse seemed plausible enough for them to buy it. It stung my conscience a little, but what could I do? If I openly declared my goal was simply to secure third place, morale would plummet, and I had no confidence in convincing disheartened comrades. What I envisioned was defeating Scarlett and then naturally losing to Wisdom. After that, we’d face Ever Blaze, who would also lose to Wisdom, in the third-place match and secure third place. To summarize my intended flow: win, lose, win. This was the best way to achieve practical results without disrupting the narratives of the other academies too much. “So, how will we secure the remaining three wins?” “Well…” At Bellman’s question, I looked at the other mages, Ricks and Edina, besides him. “There’s a way to win for sure, even if we can’t analyze the enemy’s strength.” The answer was simple. “Get strong enough to overpower them.” It was all about brute-force improvement. “Hersel, the way you’re looking at the mages gives me a bad feeling.” “It’s just your imagination.” I planned to leave these three in Dorosian’s hands. Dorosian would train them so harshly that they’d have no choice but to grow stronger in a short time. Given that, I was willing to show some generosity. “Since this is a rare outing, let’s eat out, buy souvenirs, and have me foot the bill.” Their faces brightened with excitement. It had probably been ages since they’d left the academy, which felt like a prison, to enjoy an outing. “That sounds great!” “It’s a good chance to unwind!” “What’s the budget?” When Silla asked, I handed over a pouch of money. “100 gold per person. It’s enough to splurge a little.” Everyone’s eyes lit up, but Limberton looked skeptical. “Wait a second, this feels suspicious. You’ve never handed over this much money so easily unless it’s for labor or you’re expecting something in return.” At Limberton’s whisper, I grinned. “Relax, Limberton. That money didn’t come out of my pocket.” I had received a total of 2,000 gold. Of that, I spent half, 1,000 gold, on them—all funds I’d squeezed out of Rockfeller under the guise of operational expenses. “By the way, they’re late. I can’t leave until Mircel gets here.” Just as I was about to check the time on my pocket watch, the front door opened. Right on cue, Mircel arrived. However, his expression looked somewhat gloomy. It seemed he had indeed gone to meet someone during his silent absence. *** Ten minutes earlier, on the garden path. “Judging by the direction you came from, it’s you, isn’t it? The one radiating that aura since earlier.” Mircel had been struck with awe by the owner of the aura he’d sensed from afar. It was an aura vast yet restrained. It felt as if a breeze infused with will was moving like a well-trained horse, alive and controlled. “Impressive.” Though Mircel offered genuine praise, the man’s attitude slightly irritated him. “I’d ask why a brat like you is here, but I suppose you’re Mircel Ben Tenest.” His expression was obscured by the towel draped over his head, but there was no malice in his voice. However, the gaze shadowed by the towel unmistakably looked down on him. “How do you know that?” “A kid your age with that kind of aura? It could only be you.” Listening to his indifferent tone, Mircel became certain. … Ares Gel Derester. A name that never failed to appear when discussing promising talents of the future. With his cold demeanor, it could only be him. Mircel felt provoked by his presence. Curiosity about his swordsmanship and its level stirred a thirst within him. That lack soon morphed into fighting spirit, causing him to emit a slightly more aggressive aura. “How about a practice duel?” As Mircel’s sharp gaze locked onto him, the man made a proposal. “That requires going through proper procedures with the academy. But if you’re itching to play, try to snatch this—at your fastest speed.” He tapped the towel on his head with his finger. An arrogant attitude, as if dealing with a child. Mircel felt an urge to crush his pride. In truth, he wanted to handle the situation more leisurely. But after sensing the man’s aura, he knew things wouldn’t go smoothly unless he brought his full strength from the start. Crackle. Sparks of electricity flickered from Mircel’s body. He prepared to execute Flash Strike, a move where he dashed at the speed of lightning. Flash Strike had a significant weakness—it was a straight-line attack. If the opponent predicted its direction, they could easily counter. To compensate, Mircel planned to twist his movements unpredictably, making it impossible to tell where he’d strike. As he observed his opponent’s breathing, the right moment arrived. Ares’s gaze fixated on a false path Mircel had created as a feint. Without hesitation, Mircel launched his attack. Boom! The sound of thunder dissipated, and Mircel checked his hand. It was empty, showing only bare skin. Yet for some reason, the ground seemed to loom larger and larger before his eyes. “Huh?” At that moment, he felt the grip of someone clutching his collar. Just as his nose was about to brush the ground, the pulling force helped him regain his balance. “Is this enough for you?” Ares spoke, releasing his grip on Mircel’s collar. His face remained hidden by the towel, but Mircel blinked in astonishment, his mouth slightly agape. Ares’s gaze had undoubtedly been directed at the false path. Mircel had attacked simultaneously, leaving no time for a counter. The response was so instantaneous that it couldn’t be explained by reflexes alone. “Why are you so surprised? The path you chose was already behind me. It’s only natural that I’d be ahead.” Before Mircel could say another word, Ares was already walking away, showing his back. He draped the towel around his neck, revealing his white hair, and turned around. “I won’t explain how I countered it. That’s something you’ll need to figure out on your own to grow.” Now back in Arcadia Hall, Mircel stared blankly into the air. The fiery emotions within him had cooled entirely. What replaced his diluted sense of powerlessness was a cold, calculated resolve to defeat his opponent. “Hey, Erucel… Your brother’s eyes are kind of scary right now.” “…He gets like that sometimes, Silla. But since he’s not grinning, it doesn’t seem like he’s completely furious. You can relax.” Before Erucel could finish speaking, Mircel’s lips curved into a sharp smile. Yet his eyes remained far from amused. To read Chapters ahead ???? CH 206-210 (Troublemaker Vs Troublemaker) $3 CH 211-215 (Graduation) $3 CH 216-220 (Integrated Academy Tournament) $3 CH 221-225 (The Underdog) $3 CH 226-230 (Who am I?) $3 CH 231-235 (Frostheart Vs Wisdom) $3 CH 236-240 (I want to lose) $3 Prev I TOC I Next Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Like Loading...