Chapter 216

The night sky was clear without a single cloud, but the wind was rough. Selberton stared out the window of the carriage with a stifled gaze. “The stone bridge is not an issue.” “Still, I’ll go check it myself just to be sure.” The carriage stopped for a long time in front of the stone bridge. Soldiers guarded the surroundings. Among them, even professors joined in, their eyes sharp. “Is all this overprotection really necessary?” Saila, sitting across from him, cracked her neck and replied. “I heard that long ago, a senior got injured in an ambush and participated in the competition in that state. They say it almost broke the streak of consecutive wins.” “Really? I thought this was going to feel like a pleasant journey.” “Don’t feel too bad. Other academies are probably doing the same. Who knows, maybe one of our families has stirred up trouble with Wisdom.” Selberton smiled faintly and shook his head. “Not my family. We’re poor.” “…Don’t say that like it’s something to be proud of.” Saila sighed and let the outside air in through the window. “Still, this does seem a bit excessive.” Her gaze wandered toward a carriage trailing unnecessarily close behind. Clink. Ares was deeply focused, solving a metallic cube. It was a Rubik’s Cube inscribed with intricate geometric patterns. Its structure allowed layers to rotate only when infused with mana or aura. Clink! When mana and aura were used simultaneously, the cube’s layers spun rapidly. In just over ten seconds, all six sides were uniform in color. The cube reset instantly, scrambling its tiles into different colors. Clink. Lying across from him, Roan furrowed his brows. “That noise is annoying! How many times are you going to solve it?” “Until I can finish it in under one second.” Roan looked utterly exasperated. “Why did I have to end up alone with someone like you?” “I have my complaints too. I understand why I have to manage you, but I can’t help but feel resistance to it.” Despite his indifferent expression, his tone carried genuine emotion. Roan clicked his tongue in frustration and swallowed his anger. Even as he expressed his dissatisfaction through his expression, the metallic clinks continued unabated. Reaching the limit of his patience, Roan glared menacingly at Ares. “Hey.” Ares’s eyes glinted as well. “What?” “Put that thing down before I smash it.” The difference in their abilities didn’t matter. Hot-tempered as he was, Roan flared his aura, ready to snatch the cube. Unexpectedly, Ares casually tossed the cube onto Roan’s lap. “Go ahead, if you can break it.” Roan felt provoked and gripped the cube tightly. “Fine. I’ll turn this into scrap metal right now.” The cube was as solid as steel. As Roan squeezed it with his aura-powered strength, a strange phenomenon occurred. Energy was drawn to a single point, and one layer of the cube rotated instantly. Roan’s face turned pale. Slice! In the process, his hand was cut. “Damn it, what… what is this?” “It’s an artifact discovered in a dungeon. It absorbs aura and mana.” “Absorbs?” That changed everything. It meant he had to crush steel using pure physical strength alone. “So, what are you doing? Didn’t you say you’d turn it into scrap metal?” Meeting Ares’s gaze, Roan quickly calmed down. The amount of aura he had just used to rotate one layer wasn’t insignificant. Recalling that Ares had been playing with this artifact the entire journey made his skin crawl. Feeling embarrassed, Roan tossed the cube back to Ares and leaned his head against the carriage wall. The carriage, which had been stationary for a while, began to move again. Looking out the window, a river came into view. The sound of soldiers’ chatter confirmed they were crossing a long stone bridge. The previously rough wind had grown calm. As moisture from the river rose, it dampened the skin. In that instant, the hair on Roan’s arm stood on end like needles. “What the—!” Roan reflexively stood, nearly hitting his head on the roof. “Your senses are sharp. But it doesn’t seem like you’ve fully awakened.” Roan was momentarily stunned by the cryptic remark. But seeing Ares already perched on the window frame brought him back to his senses. Something was about to happen. Ares had always been hyper-aware of his surroundings. Three seconds later— “Ambush!” A professor’s shout pierced the night sky. *** Meanwhile, at the Frostheart camp, a bonfire crackled. The clearing was at a pleasant temperature. From the distant bushes, the chirping of insects created a charming ambiance. Among the various delights, the one that pleased the students most was undoubtedly the smell of food. The aroma of beef stew wafting from a large pot whetted everyone’s appetite. While the atmosphere resembled that of a vacation, Limberton looked uneasy and asked Hersel. “Aren’t other places clashing and fighting? Shouldn’t we at least maintain some level of vigilance?” Hersel scoffed as he pulled out his staff. “Oh, it’s fine since Dorosian is here.” Hersel’s expression turned sour. While he was glaring at Limberton, Mireille, standing by the pot, began preparing plates. “Looks like it’s ready. Let’s eat, Limberton.” The plates were filled with quality meat and fresh vegetables—a surprisingly luxurious meal for the outdoors. Limberton sniffed the air and looked astonished. “I was worried it might’ve gone bad, but it smells fine!” “Everything was frozen solid on the way down from the snowy mountains. There’s no way it could’ve spoiled.” Perfectly thawed and cooked at just the right time. Both the students and professors enjoyed the meal with satisfied faces. Having finished his meal, Limberton licked his spoon and looked disappointed. “So, we’re going back to dried food tomorrow? I’m sick of the stuff.” “Don’t worry about that. If nothing goes wrong, the journey ahead will be more enjoyable.” “Really?” “Oh, right, I haven’t told you the schedule yet. Actually…” Just as Hersel was about to explain, Riamon staggered out of a carriage holding a bottle of liquor. At the sight, Rockfeller’s eyes flared as he rushed over. “Riamon Sel Rebekthura. What are you drinking?” “…I was told it was allowed, so I brought it along.” “Who in their right mind told you that?!” Riamon pointed at Hersel. Rockfeller marched toward Hersel with purpose. “I’ve always known you were trouble, Hersel Ben Tenest, but this time, you’ve truly crossed the line.” Alcohol is strictly prohibited in the academy. If it were done secretly, he might’ve overlooked it, but this was too blatant. However, Hersel clapped his hands shamelessly and announced, “Ten Elites, assemble.” The Ten Elites strolled in lazily. Silla, wearing a bored expression, asked, “Why the sudden call?” “From now on, we’re creating a proposal.” “A proposal?” Hersel glanced at Riamon. Noticing his intent, Riamon coughed and said, “It’s about drinking during the journey.” Rockfeller grabbed the back of his neck. “Riamon Sel Rebekthura, did you just say ‘journey’?” But Silla dismissed his concern. “Wasn’t that already agreed upon?” “The formal procedure wasn’t followed.” “Oh, really? Well, I’m for it. Raise your hand if you’re in favor of drinking.” Unanimous agreement. Even Mircel raised a hand. Hersel glanced at Rockfeller with a smirk and added sarcastically, “Great suggestion. As student council president, I approve it.” But Rockfeller wasn’t one to back down. “Alcohol prohibition is a regulation students cannot override, not even the council president. I’ll have all the alcohol confiscated and disposed of.” The Ten Elites and the student council could only alter convenience-related matters. Tampering with faculty-enforced rules was out of the question. But Hersel smiled slyly again. “That’s true within the academy. But we’re outside, aren’t we?” Rockfeller was about to rebut as if expecting this response. “When it comes to ambiguous situations like this, our professors—” Hersel pointed to Professor Gomon, who was playing a flute by the campfire. His face was red, evidently drunk. Nearby, professors and students like Bellen and Arkandric were gleefully drinking from bottles. “Gomon may look clumsy, but he’s got plenty of tricks up his sleeve,” one remarked. “Bellen, you might not know this, but he was quite handsome before he gained weight. He was incredibly popular with the ladies back then.” Hersel taunted again. “It seems the faculty considers themselves an exception outside the academy. The headmaster must agree, don’t you think?” Rockfeller clamped his mouth shut. At that moment, he was reminded that Frostheart had fallen under Hersel’s influence. Perhaps Hersel’s roots were even deeper than expected. “…” He felt a shiver at the thought of the two years still ahead. “Why don’t you take a bottle too, Professor?” “Ahem. But where did you get the money for all this alcohol?” “Academy budget.” “Spending it like water, aren’t you?” “Lord Arental gave us plenty of funds, didn’t he?” “True enough.” Rockfeller conjured a cup with shaping magic and joined the drinking with an air of formality. In truth, he’d wanted to drink too. *** “Damn, they’ve come in overwhelming numbers.” Saila frowned and adjusted her stance. Selberton smirked and echoed her earlier words. “No need to feel bad. The other academies are probably in the same boat. Isn’t that right?” “Sometimes your cheerful face is infuriating.” Figures draped in coarse fabrics gathered in front of and behind the bridge. The soldiers stationed ahead and those trailing behind were already engaged in combat. A man screamed as his arm was severed by a soldier’s blade. Immediately after, another man beside him plunged a dagger, causing blood to spurt from the soldier’s neck. As the attacker’s hood fell off from the rough movement, tattoos across his face were revealed. Their grim, sinister appearance made it clear they were criminals. “Who are these guys?” “They mostly look weak, but there are a few skilled ones among them. Be careful, Selberton. We’re outnumbered, and this isn’t an ideal position.” The chaos unfolded in the middle of the bridge. It was obvious what the enemies intended to do. “Fire!” “Shoot from a distance!” “Does anyone have a fiery spell ready?” With coarse voices shouting commands, a volley of arrows rained down. While Selberton deflected the arrows with his spear, Saila split an incoming fireball with her aura blade. Slash! A professor wielding a staff spoke, “This is real combat now. If you stick to your training—” He trailed off, shaking his head. “I’m tired of saying the same thing. Just do what you always do.” Considering the incidents at Valient Academy, his reaction was unsurprising. This year had been particularly chaotic: a professor running amok, assassins hired due to family feuds, and even students sent to participate in a maritime monster extermination. They had experienced so much that they had long surpassed the bounds of ordinary students. As the professor shielded them from long-range attacks, Saila kept her eyes on Ares. Their comrades, who had endured hardships together, did the same. Leaning lazily against the carriage, Ares was casually fiddling with his cube. An action completely inappropriate for the situation. “Ares.” Despite Saila’s pointed tone, Ares didn’t even look up, merely responding. “Stay here. Roan and Seil, split into front and rear teams, lead the others, and don’t forget to put the shield units at the forefront.” Roan flopped to the ground with an annoyed expression. “Why me?” “Wait, Roan, are you really planning to sit this out?” Selberton’s warning was met with a scoff. “Idiots. We’re supposed to be the ones being protected. Let them handle it.” “…People are dying. And you’re just going to stand by?” “If they can’t handle the job, then maybe dying’s the better option.” Disdainful glares were directed at Roan, but he waved them off nonchalantly. “Why are you all so attached to me? Don’t worry, if things get dicey, I’ll take care of myself. You lot can crawl around like dogs if you want.” “Forget that guy. I’ll handle it. But Ares, why do you want us to stay here?” Another teammate asked hesitantly. Instead of answering, Ares kicked Roan squarely in the chest. “Gah!” Roan plummeted off the bridge. “Because if the bridge collapses before we clear the path, we’re done for.” “Ares, you bastard!” Roan’s voice grew fainter as it echoed in the distance. At the same time, a massive wave sound roared, and a hill emerged from the river. Water dripped down, revealing the form of a golem made of human bones. Perched atop the golem’s head, Roan leaped back onto the bridge. “What the hell is this now?” The golem opened its mouth wide. Inside was a woman holding a crimson spellbook, smiling. “Hello, everyone.” As Elena waved, Ares shifted his focus back to his cube and spoke calmly. “You guys take care of that.” “Wait, Ares, we’ve never fought a golem before.” “Saila, are you planning to say that every time a new enemy appears when I’m not around?” “So you’re just going to stand there and watch, like that idiot over there?” Click! Ares’s cube reset itself. The mismatched tiles momentarily shuffled before all sides unified in color in an instant. “Not exactly.” Completing the cube in one second, Ares infused it with aura and hurled it with all his might. The cube flew toward a man in a pristine coat. Thunk! The man, exuding a noble demeanor, caught the cube with one hand. Sweeping back his faintly red-tinted hair, he smirked. “Is this a gift for me?” A frosty energy emanated from his hand. The cube began to crush and crumble into shards of ice, which scattered to the ground. “I don’t need it.” Ares’s eyes sparkled with interest as he met the gaze of the man’s murky crimson eyes. “So it’s you. You’ve been grating on my nerves since earlier.” *** Professor Gomon’s flute went silent. The sound of insects chirping filled the natural lull. Bellies full and drowsy, Limberton asked the question he had nearly forgotten. “By the way, what’s the next part of our schedule?” “Hot springs.” Perhaps unfamiliar with the term, both Limberton and Mircel, who had been dozing off, perked up to ask. “What’s that?” “Think of it as a public bath, but with warm water from a volcanic area. You soak in it and relax.” “Oh, is it that place? Berckel Thermes?” At Limberton’s mention, I nodded. Berckel Thermes, a village near a volcanic area, boasted historic baths as its main attraction and industry. The structure was reminiscent of Roman public baths, though with a magical world’s advanced civilization, the quality was distinctly different. “…We are here for the competition, right?” “Relax, Limberton. The Scarlett students also stop there. Why wouldn’t we?” “Oh, that’s true. It’s near Scarlett Academy.” The thought of the ragged Scarlett students arriving there brought a smirk to my face. Having lost their carriages, burned their food, and squandered their funds, they’d have to settle for cheap meals and sleep in stables. Ah, the thought of mocking the Scarlett Academy as a bourgeois was tempting. To read Chapters ahead ???? 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 CH 241-245 (Finals) $3 CH 246-250 (Vs Valient) $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...