Chapter 320


    "Wh-What is that?"


    The walls of the dark underground passageway, which felt like it had gone on forever, had suddenly changed into a living flesh.


    The crimson walls pulsed and moved as if alive and breathing, red liquid visibly pumping through protruding blood vessels.


    It felt like they had entered the belly of a beast. It reminded Simon of riding inside theher whale.


    ''You''re saying this is the basement of a school building?''


    The passageway was lined with countless monster''s limbs, throbbing and moving.


    "Let''s return."


    Stated Kajann.


    "From this point on, we''re in uncharted territory. Even I, your bodyguard, cannot guarantee your life.""…"


    As Simon bit his lip and hesitated, Kajann reinforced,


    "It''s good to find the truth, but living to speak of ites first."


    Finally, Simon nodded firmly.


    As much as he wanted to know what was in there or what Walter was up to, he could really smell the real danger in there.


    Tonight was enough of a sess already.


    "Alright, let''s return."


    * * *


    Simon and Kajann safely left the building and returned to the dorm. Rick looked surprised to see them so exhausted.


    "Where have you two been? Didn''t you guys say you''ll just have a ss of wine?"


    Kajann tossed his sleepwear on and immediately climbed into the bunk bed, pulling the nket over him.


    Simon answered with a bitter smile.


    "Just a littlete-night training. Kajann took a look at my Combat Dark Magic."


    "Huhu. I''m so jealous of you!! I also want Kajann to—!!!!"


    <em>Shk.</em>


    Before Rick could even finish his sentence, a needle stabbed into Rick''s neck. From under the nket, Kajann held something that looked like a blowpipe in his mouth.


    "Huuueeff."


    And just like that, Rick fell on the bed and soon started snoring.


    "That''s a sleeping needle that I use often. He''ll be sleeping soundly."


    Kajann removed the nket and revealed his face.


    "As soon as the sun rises, I''ll make a brief report to Nefthis with the information we''ve gathered so far. What we saw wasn''t normal, even for a necromancer."


    "I''m counting on you."


    "You should go to sleep, too."


    Said Kajann, pulling the nket back down. Within seconds, Simon was the only one still awake in the room.


    ''Phew.''


    Simon turned off the lights and got into bed, but he couldn''t fall asleep easily.


    He couldn''t get the horrible sights he''d seen there out of his head.


    What was that?


    Was he really in a Kizen building?


    Was Walter secretly a bishop of Heavenly Blood?


    And what was he up to in Kizen?


    Simon tossed and turnedte into the night.


    * * *


    The next morning.


    Despite Simon''s incredible adventure the night before, the sun rose again just as ever, and life continued.


    Today they had Combat Dark Magic.


    However, after riding the hippos like normal, ss A arrived at a training ground they had never been to before.


    There were all sorts of wooden puppets, scarecrows, bundles of straw for shing, and more. It was a bunch of ssic training tools.


    "Now, now, sit down!"


    Said Hong Feng, the Professor of Combat Dark Magic, while pping to get everyone''s attention.


    The students, all sweaty from the hippo ride, gathered around with drinks as they held drinks given out by the assistant teachers.


    "Today, we''re going to do a quick recap of what we''ve learned so far!"


    Wearing the same training outfit she expected everyone else to wear, Hong Feng walked over to a nearby boulder.


    "Now, take a look at the skill I''m using, and guess which one it is!"


    Hong Feng ced her hand on the boulder.


    <em>Pooooow!</em>


    Suddenly, the boulder cracked open, centered on her hand. The students answered in amazement,


    "It''s Drum Beating!"


    Hong Feng''s original striking skill, ''Drum Beating''.


    It was a skill that involved gathering jet-ck in the fist or palm of the hand, then exploding that power instantly.


    "Well done! Assistant Teacher Brett?"


    Brett walked to the next boulder and covered it with a wooden shield. Hong Feng didn''t make any effort to get around the shield, instead hitting it head on.


    <em>Fwooooosh!!</em>


    Her fist left arge gash on the boulder behind the shield. The shield itself was without a scratch.


    The students answered in unison,


    "It''s Roaring River!"


    Roaring River was a piercing skill that ignored armor and other defenses, striking directly at the opponent''s body.


    Hong Feng gave a curt nod, then crouched down. Her right hand seemed to be engulfed with jet-ck, and a dark de soon formed in her sleeve like a concealed dagger.


    Then, as she swung her arm through the air…


    <em>sh!</em>


    The huge boulder she had damaged using Roaring River was then split in half by the clean cut. The students were rushing to answer first.


    "It''s Bay!"


    This time again, it was Hong Feng''s original skill, Bay.


    It was a highly versatilebat dark spell that could be used to attack from a distance, providing the ''edge''cking in the melee-focussedbat dark magic.


    After demonstrating these three skills, she bowed to the ss with practiced perfection, her fist and palm pressed together. The students greeted her back with thunderous apuse.


    "You have all learned these before, right?"


    Hong Feng straightened back up.


    "Then, anyone who cannot yet do any of these, please raise your hand!"


    Suddenly, tension washed over the students.


    Two students raised their hands at first, sweating profusely. Soon, a few others followed, Toto included. He tried to make himself as small as possible from where he sat behind Simon.


    Hong Feng then asked,


    "Anyone who can do only one of these?"


    Almost half of the students raised their hands. Meilyn, Camibarez, and Rick were among them.


    "Then what about two of them?"


    The rest of the ss quickly raised their hands.


    Simon recognized Jamie, the ss president, among those. Apparently, she was pretty strong withbat dark magic, too.


    "Then, what about students who can use all three of them?"


    Most of the hands went down, and only four people''s hands went up.


    "Whew~"


    The students gasped or whistled at the sight.


    Simon, who raised his hand, met Hector''s eyes. He had also raised his hand.


    The other two were Combat Dark Magic aspirants.


    "Good! I expect a difference in learning speeds, but by the end, you should be able to use Drum Beating, Roaring River, and Bay. All three of them! At the very least, you need to master all of these skills to…"


    A cheeky smile formed on her face.


    "…to be able to fight on equal footing with my assistants, am I right?"


    * * *


    * * *


    That''s right.


    Hong Feng''s final performance assessment was a one-on-onebat dark magic match with an assistant teacher.


    "Today, we''re going to train hard to develop these skills! Everyone, stand up!"


    After a short stretch, the training began. The assistant teachers walked around and checked each student''s posture and skills.


    Those who could use two tended to learn the remaining one quickly.


    Simon could already use all three skills, so he had a bit of free time.


    "Hey, Simon."


    Just then, Meilyn came up to Simon, seemingly hesitant.


    "Yeah, what''s up?"


    "Ahem…"


    With rosy cheeks, Meilyn nned her words carefully in her head, then mustered up her courage and said,


    "I-If you''re free, can you please check my Bayo—!"


    "Students who can do all three,e this way!!"


    Simon''s eyes turned at the assistant teacher''s shout. Meilyn let out a scream of anger internally but managed to give an awkward smile.


    "I-It''s nothing. Hurry up and go!"


    "It''s fine."


    Simon shrugged it off like it was no big deal.


    "You''re more important. I''ll teach you, so get into position."


    "…!"


    Meilyn''s face blushed bright red.


    This guy sometimes.


    It was a reeeeaaaally rare asion, but he sometimes made really bold moves.


    "What''s the one skill you know how to use?"


    Asked Simon.


    "D-Drum Beating."


    "Then, let''s get started with Roaring River. You''ll learn it faster than Bay if you know how to do Drum Beating."


    Simon corrected Meilyn''s stance and gave her a few pointers.


    "We''re used to sending jet-ck directly into whatever we touch, right?"


    Said Simon, gently grabbing Meilyn''s wrist. Her shoulders jolted up.


    "It can be a little tricky because of jet-ck''s tendency to do what it is used to. When you use Roaring River, it''s important to ensure you''re aware of the transfer, not just letting jet-ck flow as you normally would. It''s like you''re not aware of what you''re touching, but stabbing beyond it."


    Simon ced his right hand gently on the back of her white hand. Then, when he raised his jet-ck, it poked out from under her palm.


    "What do you think? You didn''t feel my jet-ck, right?"


    "…"


    "Meilyn?"


    "Y-Yeah! I didn''t feel it at all! Yeah!"


    Meilyn stumbled over her words. Simon smiled and resumed his exnation.


    "Try to deliberately ignore the object before you and focus on what''s beyond it. Now, let''s try—"


    "Simon Polentiaaaa!!"


    With a loud shout, a rough man with a huge build approached.


    It was Brett, an assistant teacher of Combat Dark Magic. He was about to vent his frustrations, but he scoffed when he saw Simon and Meilyn holding hands.


    "Hah! I was wondering what you were doing, but you were just dating, huh?"


    "Wh-What are you talking about!"


    Squealed Meilyn, quickly pulling her hand away. Brett scoffed and looked at Simon.


    "Those of you who can do all three, head to the training grounds. It''s up to us, assistant teachers, to teach the students."


    "Yes, I''ll be there. Sorry, Meilyn."


    With that, Simon headed for the training grounds, and Brett crossed his arms.


    "Was he teaching you how to do Roaring River? Try me. I''ll be a much better teacher than that prick!"


    Meilyn just stared at Brett, dumbfounded. Then, left without a choice, she tried to perform Roaring River in the air.


    "That''s not it!"


    Shouted Brett.


    "There''s no strength in it!, I''ll say it again, strength! Try it again with a little bit more swish and sh!"


    ''What the hell is swish and sh?''


    She tried a few more times, but Brett pounded his chest in frustration, demonstrated his Roaring River, and insisted Meilyn recreate it.


    "Why can''t you do this??! I told you already. Swish. And sh! Just do it exactly as I say!"


    "I see. Thank you."


    Meilyn red at Brett in horror, then walked away as her blue hair whipped behind her.


    She finally understood why Brett could never get any work other than as Belya''s assistant teacher.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, Simon had arrived in front of the training grounds.


    This ce had a quite organized course. On either side of the training course were rails, and on those rails were moving wooden puppets. The puppets had several wooden arms attached to them and were spinning.


    Just right then, a Combat aspirant was practicing by running between the rails. As the puppets spun, the wooden arms came toward the student. If she could quickly swat them away, causing the joints of the arms to bend, then the puppet would allow her to pass.


    As Simon arrived, Hong Feng said,


    "You''re here, Simon! You''ll be up next!"


    Simon asked in confusion,


    "What is all this?"


    "It''s a performance assessment! Which was originally scheduled for next week, but…!"


    She smiled.


    "We''re giving the best-performing students a chance to try it first without any pressure!"


    <em>Thud!</em>


    In the end, the first student to go through the course was knocked off by an oing shield halfway through.


    ''I see.''


    It seemed like it was basically abat dark magic course, where you had to use abination of Drum Beating, Roaring River, and Bay to pass.


    "Do you think you can do it?"


    Simon smirked at Hong Feng''s question.


    "Yes, I think I can."


    Hong Feng gave an okay sign. The assistant teacher saw it and shouted,


    "Student Simon Polentia! Attempting the training ground course!"


    At the sound of Simon''s name, the other students came over to watch.


    ''Simon Polentia?''


    Hector also approached, a scowl on his face. The two aspirants had failed, but Hector had barely managed to pass.


    ''Well, this one won''t be easy.''


    Simon took a light breath and stepped up to the start of the course.


    ——