《Mightiest Melee Magician》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Prologue There was a terrifying legend in the academy. You know, if you dont practice more, youll end up like Ruin Ardell. Dude, senior will hear you. Who cares? Its the truth. Ruin Ardell A name synonymous with a failed magician. A testament to failure. Those greenhorn underssmen used the name behind my back to motivate others to study. My damned name. When this happened, I put my hand on their shoulders, smiled sincerely, and said this. Hes right, you know. If you keep that up, youll be like me. S-Senior! I-I apologize. I was kind of a maverick of the academy. Well, currently I was a typical example of a failed magician. S-Sir. What is it? Can I ask just one question? What? When you first entered the academy, did you really enter as the best of the ss? Someone worthy enough to enter the academy as the best of the ss. At first, I was more talented than anyone. At first, I was the most promising magician. I was someone smart enough to memorise most of the magic theories in the world. While reminiscing about my glory days, I said, Yes. I was the best." * * * Most people knew the feeling of reminiscing about a better past. That included me, since I used to be pretty well off. Entering the Academy at the age of 10, most people in my vicinity associated the name Ruin Ardell with Magic Genius. The son of a no-name countryside noble. A small dragon born in the wastnd known as the Ardell Territory, which couldnt produce a single magician, let alone a court magician. Thats right. The dragon was born from nothing. At age 6, I felt mana for the first time. At age 7, I seeded in materialising that mana. At age 9, I sessfully initiated 1st-circle spells without any tutge. On the year of my 10th birthday, I entered the Ignit Magic Academy, and was the best in the ss, beating the children of many other prestigious families. The Best. I stood at the podium as the student representative, and many eyes stared at me with jealousy. However Wow, youre so gullible. Dont you know hes actually that? What? One summer night, the prestige of being the best disappeared like it was just a dream. My level now wasnt the best, nor the second best. That one with Evocation Inability Disorder. Evocation inability? The worst. A curse that magicians were too fearful to even say. I was able to sense mana and materialise it. But that was it. My spells only floated around on my palm. They couldnt move more than a meter from my body. It was because Icked the innate ability to release magic. In medical terms, Mana Extension Inability Disorder. Well, thats that. An Ardell? It seemed weird he used to be the best when hes from some no-name family. Yeah Ruin, who are you to be a Magic Genius? A family with no prestigious bloodline is bound to be like this. The fall from a Magic Genius to a Magic Cripple didnt take long at all. A minor countryside noble who had their glorious title as Best disappear. A magician who couldnt release magic. When hit with such a harsh reality, what do you think happened to that cursed boy? Did he give up? Did he run away? No. Why do you keeping to ss? He probably cant ept his inevitable failure. Even that thing can be tenacious. I never gave up. It had already been 6 years since I was trapped in that dark cave of despair. Even though my magic talent had stagnated ever since I turned 10, I was still attending the academy. * * * One of the underssmen who was quietly listening to my story suddenly asked me a question. Why? Huh? Why do you still attend the academy? Evocation Inability Disorder. Its an innate problem that cant be fixed by effort alone. You yourself should know that this is futile, so why do you keeping? The curious student seemed to be very serious in his question. Well, why wouldnt they be? It was understandable that they would ask why Im still living like this while paying that expensive school fee. I looked at the underssman straight on and said this, It really piques curiosity, doesnt it? Why Im still not leaving the academy. The student, as if they were waiting for me, immediately nodded their head. Yes! Are you confident that, if I tell you, you can promise to never talk about me behind my back again? Of course! Ill even beat up anyone who dares to talk badly about you! Is that so? Can I trust you? You can trust me. Then Ill tell you. The reason I havent left the academy and am still attending it 6 yearster is is? As they sat waiting seriously for the answer, I choked on myugh and grinned at them. is because the food at the cafeteria is too good. What? Im dead serious. You know the chicken soup they serve on Friday morning? Its almost a specialty of the academy. Soups from other restaurants are like water now that Im used to this beauty Huh? What the hell is that?! HA! I couldnt hold back myugh after seeing themining. As always, talking with people was great. Its a joke, just a joke. Obviously its a joke! The underssman was pouting, so I patted them on the back. You asked before, right? Why Im not giving up, even though its hopeless. Eh? Ah, yes. Ill answer your question. Before that, Ill give you a bit of advice as your senior. A bitter chuckle escaped me at the notion of senior. But I told him my advice, a light smile on my face. Never give up. Thats it. If you do this, whatever you thought impossible will be possible. Miracles onlye to those who endure it to the end. Do not ever give up. Even when trapped in that gloomy, pitch-ck darkness, one would find a path to freedom. The ones who found those paths were those that never gave up. This I knew. I had personally experienced this, even with the death sentence to magicians known as Mana Extension Inability Disorder. This was how, I saw that miracle. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 The miracle I saw happened because of a huge ident that started from a small mistake. I nearly died. A few days ago. Ruin! Very simrly to now, my name always came with the implication of the worst. Ruin, its your turn. Ah. Ok. You have to cast Fireball and hit that scarecrow. Fireball. An easy spell that any student in the academy could cast. Even if they couldnt master 2nd-ss magic, so long as they could manifest mana and feel the element of fire, anyone could cast it. And that included me. As soon as I stretched my palm open and applied mana Wow! The mes lit up. It was once a symbol of my talent. A Fireball that was bigger and stronger than anyone elses floated atop my palm. For an instant, it was almost impressive enough to make others exim. However, that was it. Ah If I tried to release this fireball, my innate problem would be apparent. It was dizzying. A myriad of new obstacles appeared when I tried to release the Fireball. My forehead started sweating as stomach acid tried climbing my throat and intense dizziness overcame me. Ruin! I cant do it. Itd already been 6 years since my magic became troublesome. Throw it already. Itits not separating from my hand. It was always like this. Hydel, ourbat magic teacher, looked at me and the Fireball locked on my hand, eyes cold. Ruin, its been 6 years since youve entered the academy. Youre part of the graduating ss. But if you cant do such a simple thing, there is no way you will pass the graduation test. You will definitely fail. Yeah. Definite failure. In the test for this subject, you were supposed to create 10 Fireballs and hit 10 different scarecrows simultaneously. But since I couldnt even throw 1 Fireball, failure was guaranteed. At this rate, there was no point in even considering going to the Magic Tower or bing a court magician. I wouldnt be able to graduate. Meaning, I wouldnt be a magician. Damn it. However, I couldnt say anything. Ill practice more. I could only talk about practice. I knew. I knew better than anyone else. That this wasnt something resolved by practice. However, I had nothing else I could say. If a day came where I couldnt even say this, all my blood, sweat and tears across the past 6 years would have been for naught. Hm. Professor Hydel gave a light gesture with his head that told me Im free to go. Then Ill be going now. I bowed my head and turned my back. Unpleasant stares immediately flooded onto me. They told me with their gaze, Dunce of the academy. A person with Evocation Disorder trying to be a magician is idiotic. Just disappear already. Why did I feel like a sinner? What did I do wrong? What harm did I do to them? Nothing. If I had to think of something, it was because I was the cause of one of the most toxic emotions. That was Envy Because I was called a Magic Genius, despite being a nobody from a countryside noble house. Because, at one point, I was seen as the best student, surpassing the children of prestigious houses. Even after these halos faded and I fell from above with broken wings, everyone in the academy still treated me as their enemy. This was the starting point of the ident. As soon as I was outside of Professor Hydels view, some stopped bothering to hide their obvious hostility. No, they started messing with me openly. Ruin, isnt it time you pack your bags? Do you know what the underssmen call you? Duncehead Ruin. Its embarrassing that were in the same year. Each time, I suppressed my hostility towards them. I did my best to hold it in. Because whenever they messed with me, I was the only one who suffered a loss. Do you know why? Why dont you pack up and leave so you dont taint the graduating ss. Back to that rural territory of yours. Kek. Oh, you mean that territory that you cant even see on the map? Did you know, I only saw a map with Ardell on it after I came here? I was the lowest, weakest existence outside of the academy. This was where they nurtured Magicians, the strongestbat force of the kingdom. Most people here were children of those in seats of power. Contrary to that, my household was the furthest from power, being only a small territory at the edge of the countryside. It wasnt a fairparison to begin with. Thats right. It was fine if I held it in against all the insults they threw at me. Even if they pointed andughed at all my blood, sweat and tears across the past 6 years, so long as I endured it, nothing else would happen to me. However, there was one thing they overlooked. I asked my father about the head of the Ardell family, but he said theyre just an aloof individual, despite having nothing noteworthy about them. They have no sense and a stubborn ego. No wonder theyre rotting somewhere on the edges. The apple doesnt fall far from the tree. They should know their ce. Did they want to raise a magician? What a joke. Kek. They overlooked that its not about authority. That they were being more reckless. That they shouldve only messed with me. * * * * * * I stopped in my tracks and turned around. Walking towards the closest guy who was provoking me, my steps started to pick up. I felt everything inside of me shift. You shouldve known when to stop. What? Without hesitation, Iunched my fist at the one who mocked my father. It collided directly with his face. CRACK! Augh! Coupled with the sound of the crushing of cartge, that guy copsed to the floor, grasping at his nose. Crimson blood started flowing down the back of his hand. B-b-blood! After getting shocked from seeing blood, he, as if he had lost touch with reality, red at me with half-dazed eyes. Hatred burned deep within them. You son of a bitch! They didnt even think I would dare attack him. Because they were people of high status. Was his name Ben Polt? Whatever. Even if he was the son of some viscount, it didnt matter anymore. I looked down towards Ben Polt and asked him, Say it one more time. What did you say my father was? Ruin Ardell. The name that didnt even have an ounce of talent but had a stubborn ego. This was one of the reasons they couldntpletely destroy me. Even though I was powerless, I never surrendered. Thisthis bastard! Dont you know who we are?! A fatty that was standing behind them charged at me. A body that moved awkwardly as if it had never moved other than to eat. In contrast to him, I had diligently trained my body to try and ovee my disability. I swiftly turned my shoulders to dodge his crude punch and struck his bloated abdomen. Hit! Hit! Kugh, uh He copsed to his knees while drooling. Wasnt this fatty a baron? How unsightly. Whatever. If I cared about that, I wouldnt have started this. I quickly recovered my fist and turned to face my next opponent. It was then- Youyou bastard! You dare to hit me? Did you just Ben Polt. The one that got his nose crushed was now standing up, his hands held above his head. There was a hint of madness in his eyes. Bluish mana started twitching around in his hands. It was the motion of casting. A little flustered, I looked at the scene and muttered, Lightning Bolt? Had he gone insane? It was only normal that casting spells outside of set training sses and ces was forbidden. Disciplinary action would be taken if this rule was broken. On top of that, if the spell was aimed at a person. It was reasonable that they would be expelled. However, this guy looked like he had decided that none of that mattered, shouting as he gripped the twitching lightning. You insect-like disabled bastard Dieeee!! A feeling Id never felt before dominated my body. My senses started working at double the speed, yet as if I were frozen, my hands and feet refused to move. An unfamiliar feeling. This was definitely fear. Fear of death! But before I could even register the fear, the shing blue light in front of me bounced up. uh? Stop this right now! I could hear Professor Hydels shouts from somewhere, but my body was already floating in the air. In an instant, my vision turned 180 degrees. Flop! As I hit the ground, I lost consciousness. * * * You are the incarnation of the Draka, Destroyer of Worlds. Artifact yer has activated. Restriction lifted on Status Window. * * * I had a dream. Someone with a robe covering them was looking down on me, his eyes burning bright. I didnt know why, but when he stroked my head, I felt sce. It was as if he had looked after me for a very long time. It felt like he was asking me, Are you ok? Ack! My eyes opened. As I woke up from my dream, I was greeted with a marble ceiling. The face of the man vanished, a blonde woman in her 30s taking its ce. Are you awake? The high-ranking healer of Ignit Magic Academy. I opened my closed mouth and managed to squeeze out a sound. Wherewhere am I? Youre in the recovery room. Youre safe now, so dont strain yourself and stay lying down. The recovery room of the academy. I wasying on a bed, a dot-like stone with healing markings inscribed on it next to my head. I rubbed my eyes. Did I pass out? Just a moment ago, it looked like I fainted after I got into a fight with Ben Polt and hit by his magic. I asked Helen, the healer, How long was I out for? Half a day no, closer to a full day. Ah Its a relief it was only this much. You were really lucky. Helen continued talking. That it was a miracle that I took a Lightning Bolt head-on and survived. That Professor Hydel quickly applied healing magic and brought me to the recovery room. Hows my body? Am I ok? Helen tilted her head, seeming confused as she answered my question. Well have to check a few more things but for now, youre doing fine. No, youre unnaturally normal for what happened. What? Ah. Dont misunderstand. Its just, for someone who got hit by Lightning Bolt directly, you arepletely normal. No wounds, no damage to the body, no burns, no internal damage either. Theres nothing wrong. This is the first time Ive seen this. If it sounded like I wanted you to be hurt, I apologize. Helen was telling the truth. My reflection in the window looked normal. Like Id just woken up from a nap. How did this happen? Lightning Bolt was, in principle, a spell that melted flesh and ruptured organs in an instant. A dangerous and terrifying spell. The healing magic cast on me by Professor Hydel was only at the level of first aid, so it didnt help in recovery at all. Especially against deadly burns. However, No, No. Dont move your body too carelessly. I tried spinning my arm around, bending at my waist, and even stood up on the bed and started jumping. It was all normal. No, this doesnt make sense I looked over at Helen, speechless, and sheid me back on the bed. Even though you look fine, you need to calm down for now. Ok? Ok. I called for Professor Hydel, so until he gets here, please rest. Thank you. I pulled the nket all the way over my head and slowly closed my eyes. What just happened appeared clearly in my mind. As soon as they mentioned my father, my eyes went blind with rage. A fight that happened because I couldnt contain my boiling anger. A thrown fist. And then Lightning Bolt. It was an ident that was blown out of proportion. And at the same time, I experienced such an intense fear for the first time. I nearly died. Death. I thought it was far away. But I was too naive. Death was always nearby So close that youd never know when or where it could get you. A report wouldve been sent to my father A report was definitely sent. Ah. My head was getting filled withplicated thoughts. Helen is right. Helen was right that what I needed the most right now was to stay calm I wiped away my thoughts and closed my eyes again. I was looking for sleep, but it evaded me. Ahem I woke to the sound of a familiar cough. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Professor Hows your body? It was Professor Hydel. He was looking at me with aplicated expression. Looking at the professor making such a face, I tried my best to respond calmly. Its ok. Thats a relief. He cleared his throat as if to lessen the awkwardness, and then said something. First of all, Ben Polt will be expelled from the academy. Ben Polt. The one whose nose I broke. But also the one who chucked Lightning Bolt at me like a madman. As the second son of the Polt barony, he was already well known for being aggressive. However, the most shocking truth was his expulsion. Expelled? Thats right. Hes getting expelled even though graduation is less than a year away? The rules of the academy are absolute. Ignit Magic Academy. One of the most famous magic academies in the kingdom. Whether they be nobles ormoners, students received equal treatment. Of course, bullying or fighting for any reason was forbidden. Minor fistfights of a certain level were just ended with punishment from the board. But the story changed when magic was involved. As it could be seen as an intent to kill, expulsion was a rather light sentence. Is that so However, that guy would somehow find a way. Thats because the Polt family was part of the Royal Faction that held the central powers in the kingdom. Even though they were expelled from Ignit Academy, they would surely find another path at a different academy. They had the power. The problem here was me. That said, Ruin, you also wont be evading punishment. As I thought. I wouldnt be able to escape punishment. Although the main incident was because of Ben Polt, the one who initiated the violence was me. If I get expelled What would happen to me? The effort I put in for all those years? My family didnt have the power to grasp at another chance like Ben Polt. This was the end of the line. I suppressed my shaking anxiety and spoke up as calmly as possible. Yes. Please tell me what it is. Your punishment will be doing volunteer work at school for one month. yes? Volunteer work. I was surprised at the unexpectedly light sentence. We had heard about your unjust discrimination and ostracization before. We also heard that Ben Polt dared to disrespect the head of the Ardell family. After taking your situation into consideration, this is the punishment that was decided for you. It felt as if a storm had passed. Somehow, I got a thought that the academy understood me. The punishment starts as soon as your body fully recovers. So, until then, focus on getting better. yes. Our conversation ended there, but Professor Hydel didnt go anywhere. Even though he finished telling me what I needed to know, rather than going, he moved the chair next to the bed and sat closer to me. He then, with a serious tone, inquired, Can I ask you something? As I gave him a nod of approval, Professor Hydel hesitated for a second, and then asked me, Do you perhaps have an Artifact? What? Artifacts. Weapons left behind by the magicians of old, with supposedly limitless mana lying dormant inside. Terrifying instruments that could shake the world and change its very foundations. However, this was just an empty story only found in the history books. Artifacts that exist in real life dont evene close to the power written in history and were just a collective term for magic items. Its an arcane item that could maintain a users mana for a period of time or was engraved with special kinds of permanent spells. They could be considered an imitation of the artifacts of legend, but even these were very rare and expensive, to the point where the average noble couldnt even dream of owning one. Meaning, thats also the case for my family. Heh. Theres no way I would have an artifact Rather than authority or money, my family and father care more about the subjects of the territory. An expensive item like an artifact was not a good pairing with us. Professor Hydel knew this as well. Indeed, it would be hard for the Ardell family to possess an artifact. Why did you ask me? Professor Hydel answered my question. The answer he gave was shocking. Back then, as you fell after getting hit by Lightning Bolt, an unfamiliar light was shining from your body. What? A red light, to be precise. It was like an ancient artifact was protecting you. That red light deflected Ben Polts magic. What the hell I first questioned if what he told me was true. But I knew that Professor Hydel wasnt the type to joke around in this kind of situation. Wait a second. Gradually, my brain started thinking. I remembered what Healer Helen had said about my unnaturally normal body state. And the strange dream I had. The red-eyed man. And that disparate voice that I heard. You are the incarnation of Draka, Destroyer of Worlds. Artifact yer has activated. Restriction lifted on Status Window. I shook my head. What was I thinking? It was just a dream. Nothing more. Suddenly talking about an artifact I responded to Professor Hydel who was analyzing me with a piercing gaze. I dont think I know. Alright. He nodded his head at my answer and stood up from his seat. Then said one final thing. Its a relief that you dont have any injuries. Yes, it is. Beingpletely fine after a direct hit from Lightning Bolt. He did tell me he found my situation very strange, but he didnt ask me any more questions. Rest. Yes sir. Professor Hydel left the recovery room, and I went back toying down. Thump. Sigh. My worries about the incident and punishment lessened a little, but the unsolved questionplicated my thoughts. Artifact. Destroyer of Worlds, Draka. And also, yer. These unrted and unfamiliar words repeated in my head. That wasnt all. I think there was one other thing I repeated what the disparate voice said, and muttered under my breath, Status window? And then, something appeared in front of my eyes. * * * * * * Woah! What the? Surprised, Ikicked the nket off my bed. Helen hurriedly came and asked me, Are you ok? Eh? Your face is turning pale. Are you hurting anywhere? Oh No. Its just Do you not see this? I gestured to the half-transparent blue screen before me. Looking like a mana barrier, there were words written in small font. Ruin Ardell Incarnation of Draka, Destroyer of Worlds As a result of his pursuit for infinite strength, the magician Draka perished along with his world. For Draka, who from birthcked the ability to evoke mana, strength was the origin of his power. yer: An artifact of Draka that can summon the Status Window, and limitlessly increase ones power through quests. Strength: 150 +++ Agility: 100 Wisdom: 1550 This thing! Here! Honestly, the face Helen made in response was the best. Ruin. Are you sure youre alright? What? Come here. Let me check your head. ?? What are you doing?? Stay still. Like treating a pitiful moron, she put her hand on my head and injected some mana. Ah. Did I go insane? However, Helen tilted her head in confusion. It doesnt look like you went insane. Are you sure? I didnt go insane? No, you didnt. Insane people dont think that they are insane. Then, what the hell is this It wasnt insanity. Even if I rubbed my eyes to get it out, I could still see it clearly. This probably could only be seen by me. Wait, should I have epted this so easily? What did you say you could see? While Helen was waving her hands, it clearly passed through this Status Window. This confirmed it. Only I could see it. Ah, no. It looks like I imagined it. Sure. Rest for a bit longer. We need you to be more stable. After Helen left, I had no choice but to acknowledge this. This is real * * * Ruin Ardell Incarnation of Draka, Destroyer of Worlds As a result of his pursuit for infinite strength, the magician Draka perished along with his world. For Draka, who from birthcked the ability to evoke mana, strength was the origin of his power. yer: An artifact of Draka that can summon the Status Window, and limitlessly increase ones power through quests. Strength: 150 +++ Agility: 100 Wisdom: 1550 First of all, I didnt know what this was. I tried to figure out what I could understand first. First, . This was probably one of those artifacts of legend that disappeared long ago. yer would be the name of the artifact, and it utilized Quests to enable me to gain infinite power. Next, . I was a bit surprised at this part. Someone whose mana evocation was constrained Draka. This magician, Draka, was disabled just like me. With the same disorder as well. And he, through a medium called Quests, was able to grow his strength and be more powerful. Infinite strength. So strong that he destroyed both himself and his world. And finally, This represents the current status of my body after bing a yer. Strength: 150 +++ Agility: 100 Wisdom: 1550 Strength, agility, and wisdom. Wisdom being abnormally high was because I devoted myself to studying magic my whole life. The structure started making sense. So, I understand up to this point I didnt understand it in my heart. Only by analyzing it in my mind. Thats right. A strange event that I found hard to believe had happened to me. This ability saved my life. And the artifact of this Draka, who also had Evocation Inability Disorder, was transferred to me. The dream I had before was probably connected to this as well. Perhaps that red-eyed man was Draka. However, there was one important question. Why me? Especially during a chance encounter with death. Because Im also disabled? This was something I couldnt find out unless I directly met Draka and asked him. Ill know after trying. I shook away my thoughts and stood up. I noticed and focused on a small corner of the Status Window that said Quest. I dont know what that is I knew it was a medium to increase my strength. Even though I didnt know what it was in detail I have nothing to lose. I was already a failed magician. The future of my life in the Academy was set in stone. I would fail the graduation test and be constantly held back year after year. If I couldnt graduate, I would be at best an assistant magician, or a librarian at the Tower where Id grow old and die. Perhaps, I would live my life without doing anything close to magic and die quietly somewhere. I never wanted to be like that. This was why, even though I knew how futile it was, I never gave up, remaining at the academy. Infinite power I closed my eyes, slowly opened one, and pronounced quietly, Quest! Another strange window appeared in front of my eyes. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Repeatable Quest Body Training Since you have be a yer connected to Draka, Destroyer of Worlds, you need to train your body in preparation for your increase in strength. Punch: 0/100 Kick: 0/100 Spin Kick: 0/100 * Reward: Strength +10. * Reward: Skills Unlocked Punch? Kick? To a magician like me, this was an absurd mission. Whats the point of all this? However, now was not the time to have doubts. I had to do anything and everything. I aimed at nothing and released my fist. Then,Punch: 1/100 The number in the quest window started to increase. Ok. For now, lets bury my doubts and just do it. I started breathing in a rhythm, took a proper stance, and started punching. Shoot- Shoot- The sound of cutting wind and heavy breathing soon filled the recovery room.Punch: 67/100 100 times. Due to the frequent dizzy spells from my disorder, despite me maintaining my body, beads of sweat flowed from my forehead, and my strength soon left my body. This was because if my form was only a little bit off, the number refused to increase. While I was focused onpleting the quest, I didnt notice Helen approaching me. Oh ho. Look at you bouncing around. Ack When did youe in? Hm. Lets see. I think I counted about just over 10 punches? I apologize. I didnt know you were here. I told you to rest. What are you suddenly doing instead ofying down? That is I had an itch. Even I knew that it was a weird excuse. But Helen just shrugged her shoulders and believed me. Your diagnosis came in. Completely healthy. You can go back to your dorm. Really? Yea. I also dont know if its right, but looking at you just now, youll be fine. Haha Completely healthy I couldnt believe it myself. I scratched my head and bowed goodbye to Helen. Thank you. If you have any problems, youre wee here anytime, ok? Yes. Ill do that. I left the recovery room and went towards my dorm. However, I remembered my iplete quest.Punch: 81/100 Should I finish this before going? There were two people assigned to every dorm room. Obviously, there wasnt enough space to fullymit to my Quest. Lets go to the outdoor training area. As I looked at the already setting sun, I walked outside the academy. The smell of spring was strong in the warm 4th month of the year. Perfect for exercise. Well, if you ignored the few weird nces I got. The hell? Ruin, is it ok for you to be walking around like this? Thatthats right. Just a bit ago My 6th-year ssmates looked at me as if I were a strange creature. Thats understandable. It was only this morning that some retard cast Lightning Bolt at me and I copsed to the ground. Some would think I had died and came back to life. It was only natural that they were surprised since I was stretching and walking around leisurely with azy grin on my face. Im fine. But I wasnt concerned with the shower of attention and walked up to the middle of the training ground where thebat dummy scarecrows were. I then gave a short shout to help me focus before I started punching the air once more. Punch: 98/100 Punch: 99/100 Punch: 100/100 (Complete) Soon, Ipleted one of the quests and I moved on to kicking. Punch. Kick. Spin Kick. Since I had never learnt martial arts before, I didnt know what stance or form was correct and moved a bit clumsily. Was it because of that? The uncertain movements didnt increase the numbers, and only those kicks that I fully concentrated on increased my progress. Look at him. Hm? Isnt that Ruin? What is he doing right now? Who knows Is he trying to pick up martial arts after abandoning magic? Nah, theres no way. Ignoring that, how is he fine? Its instant death after getting hit by Lightning Bolt You know I can hear you? S-sorry I didnt know why. Was it because I was exercising like theres nothing wrong after getting hit by Lightning Bolt? Or did a new image of me form that said Id bite if messed with? The weird atmosphere caused my ssmates attitudes towards me to shift. Yo, lets just go. Yea. Even those that were fascinated by what I was doing only stood far away and didnt try to aggravate me. In fact, it looked like they were slowly avoiding me. Of course, this treatment was easier for me.Kick: 100/100 (Complete) Hoo Hoo At some point, I had finished the 100 kicks. Certainly,pared to the punches, the kicks required better posture, so I ended up expending more strength than needed. I nearly choked on my heavy breathing, but I still had 100 spin kicks to do. This is harder than I thought. However, I was determined to finish it today. To figure out what this strange new power that would be granted to me was. I needed to know without fail. Again. I clenched my body and aimed at an imaginary opponent. Then, I kicked. * * * * * * Professor Hydel. Nost name. Meaning, he was born amoner. This young professor who had only just turned 40 this year had aplished everything with his own power. Hunger for food was something he was born with and therefore could endure, but hunger for knowledge was something he couldnt contain. Helping with fieldwork by day and learning letters by night by sacrificing sleep. He went around to the local alchemists and assistant magicians and learnt from overhearing what they were saying. The territory lords son who had recognised Hydels efforts wrote a letter of rmendation to his father for Hydel to be admitted into the Ignit Magic Academy. Through this, even though he was a bit older, he could be admitted into the academy. Of course, the path he walked was not a road of flowers, but rather a path of thorns. Even thoughmoners could be epted into the academy, they didnt help you to survive. However, he persevered and survived nheless. Graduating with quite an impressive grade, he was also invited to the Magic Tower and called the pride of magicians. However, Hydel couldnt endure being in the Tower for long. Amon birth. This tag had followed him for his entire life. The Tower wasnt exempt from political conflicts and fights of authority, and amoner like him had no ce in either. Hydel eventually left the Tower as if he had run away. And the ce he reached was here. The Academy. He became a Professor here and started teaching the future generations. But he couldnt grow attached to this ce either. Because he knew that in the end, magicians were nothing but tools to be used by nobles to ensure their power and authority. Students from noble houses that seriously loved and explored magic itself were practically non-existent. Most nobles that Hydel met were like this. Theyd try for a bit, and if it didnt work out, theyd give up instantly. They always started it for fun, but soon quit after getting bored. They always looked down on him who was ofmon birth. It made him grow a deep prejudice against the nobles. But one day, he met a student. Ruin Ardell. He learnt and understood mana by himself and could even cast a first-ss spell. A magic genius. A young boy who was the talk of the kingdom, even before he had entered the academy. Some said he would be an archmage in the future, while others were making a fuss, saying that he would be the master of the Magic Tower. From Hydels perspective, Ruin was a boy who had everything. Enough to envy him. Opposite to him, who was amoner and climbed his way to his position with effort alone, Ruin was of noble birth and had a frightening talent for magic. A dragon born with an arcane diamond spoon in its mouth. But after finding out the dragons true nature, he realised it was only a fancy covering. Mana Evocation Disorder A death sentence for any magician. After finding out about this, Hydel suspected that Ruin would soon give up on magic. The nobles Hydel knew were like this. A group of people who couldnt remain steadfast till the end and easily abandon something after getting fed up with it. However. Hmm? Ruin was different. Anyone would fall into despair and give up if they suddenly went from a Magic Genius to a Magic Cripple. But he survived, like how a weed clings on in even the harshest of environments. Even though Ruin did all this, there was still no hope for him. As an educator, Hydel knew that Ruins life as a magician was over before it could even start. The more you expect and hope for, the harsher the despair and disappointment. But still, Ruin never gave up. Why? Born a noble but unlike one. Hydel thought Ruin was just living off of his natural talent, but he was instead someone who put in extreme effort. Like Hydel himself. The attitude that he saw in Ruin, it was enough to challenge his disappointment and prejudice against the nobles. And then, 6 years passed. Hydel secretly observed the process of Ruins growth from just a step away. Sometimes like a father, sometimes as just an onlooker. Observing Ruins academy life for free was one of Hydels simple pleasures in life. But today, Look at him. Hm? Isnt that Ruin? What is he doing right now? Who knows? Is he trying to pick up martial arts after abandoning magic? He coincidentally saw Ruins training. He punched like a madman and kicked without rest. Mechanically and repeatedly. This was different from normal muscle exercises. It was like he was molding his form to find the perfect sequence of actions. While intently observing Ruin, Hydel narrowed his eyes. As someone who had been watching Ruin for a long time, he could instinctively tell that Ruin has changed. Somewhere, somehow, he changed. Hydel abruptly turned back and went away. I should tell him. It was time to write a letter to an old friend. * * *Spin Kick: 100/100 (Complete) As soon as I saw that 100 kicks had beenpleted, I copsed and sat down. Hoo Hoo Spin kicking was particrly hard. To try and spin kick when I have never even thought about kicking before. When kicking, my left leg, as the axis of rotation, needed to stay steady while the right leg maintained a favorable speed and power. Only when I kicked properly like this did the number go up. Relying only on this feeling to perfectly kick 100 times took me a couple of hours. Because of that, the time was already way past midnight, and all the dorm lights were off. The cold breeze of midnight was blowing, but my clothes were still drenched in sweat. Despite that, I couldnt contain my growing smile. Ive finished. The origin of limitless strength, Quests. The first mission had beenpleted. Repeatable Quest Since you have be a yer connected to Draka, Destroyer of Worlds, you need to train your body in preparation for your increase in strength. Punch: 100/100 (Complete) Kick: 100/100 (Complete) Spin Kick: 100/100 (Complete) Quest has beenpleted. Rewards will be given. Strength has increased by 10. Skill has been unlocked. The rewards were an increase in strength and Skill. Wait- Whats this? New questions as well. Huh? I could feel some formless and tiny objects entering my bloodstream. It was very simr to the mana that flowed around my mana circle. But this was more primal. It was strength. I really did get stronger. I couldnt urately tell how much of a difference was, but I did know that my body felt lighter, and that I had more vitality. I stood up and tried the punching and kicking from before, finding I could do them more easily and urately. The strength going in is different. Speed, air resistance, destructive power. All these factors felt different than from before. Thats it. My primal strength really had increased. If this was , then whats Skill? I gulped a little and said in a quiet voice, Skill. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Skills. It was easier to think of them as a type of magic. However,pared to magic in which anyone could use so long as they could feel mana, Skills were unique abilities only for me. Thats right. They were only for me. In the Skill window, there were a total of two Skills. I clicked on the first one. Force Circle Passive Mana is reced by strength. Mana Circles are reced by the Force Circle. All spells of the yer are now affected by strength. All movements of the yer are now affected by strength. That was all the exnation given to me, but I couldnt help but be a little surprised. Reced mana with strength? Mana, the fundamental essence required for magic. It was mixed in the air, but it was lighter, burnt more easily, and if any impurities got mixed with it, it would break down and disappear. A very difficult substance. It was precious, not because it was rare, but because not everyone could manipte it. You needed to be able to handle mana to utilize magic. It was both the beginning and the end of a magician. But to substitute this with something else? Regardless of if you were a low-ranking 1st-ss magician or a grand magician with 8th-ss magic, mana was the one thing that couldnt be reced by anything else. What the hell? This doesnt make any sense I was muttering in my confusion, but quickly snapped out of it to check my Mana Circle. Mana Circle: for anyone who could feel mana and study it, a circle existed somewhere near their heart. A type of mana storage area. Not only that, it was a central function in spellcasting, used to amplify and ignite the mana. It also increased the amount of mana one could utilize at once, and as you train your magic, the number of circles would also increase. At the time, the number of mana circles I possessed was four. It was overwhelmingly stronger than my peers, but since I couldnt release it, it was the same as having none. But now, Its gone All gone My mana circles had all disappeared. In ce of my previously densely-packed circles, a <> band with a red glow had appeared. It was a symbol meaning infinite. And in the centre of this circle, strength was raring to go. What the What is this? It was a nonsensical situation. For my mana circles that Id spent my heart and soul into cultivating to all suddenly disappear. A magician without mana circles? Wait, would I even be a magician at this point? Then what about my magic I began panicking. I started getting lightheaded as my heart pounded and a dreadful chill went down my spine. I choked in fear. The fear that I wouldnt be able to use magic for the rest of my life. Augh shit. Was there ever a time in my life where I felt this suffocated? I took a deep breath in to try and calm myself down. If- If I couldnt use magic at all Then I was Sigh I shut my eyes, took in a sharp breath, and stretched open my hand. As I tried to cast like I usually did, something interesting happened. * * * First, collect the raw mana scattered about. Second, empower the collected mana through the mana circle. Third, process the empowered mana and materialize it. Then, you could release it. This was the fundamental called the Rule of Three, the basis for all magic. However, But How? I hadpletely flipped the fundamentals on their head. The spell I had cast was the basic 2nd-circle spell Fireball. As soon as I started casting, my mana circle No. Just as my new circle started thrashing about uncontrobly, a burning ball of fire suddenly appeared atop my palm. Thats so fast. Collect, Empower, Process. Through strength alone, I had forcefully charged through these steps which would normally take 10 seconds. It was easy. It was as fast as it was easy. Decreasing ones casting time would infinitely increase the effectiveness of that magician. How in the world Fwhoosh! At just a nce, you could tell that the Fireball conjured through strength was more powerful than one made through mana. How about other types of magic? I experimented with the other types. Water, Fire, Earth, Air. The four fundamental magics responded the same. They all skipped the three-step operation of collect, empower, process, instead directly materializing the effect. All at an insane speed. I can use each type of magic the same way It was only that mana was now reced with strength, and my mana circles with the Force Circle. Nothing really changed. Right. I could still use magic. Released from the restraints of mana and mana circles, a new type of magic that utilized a different source of power. It became a magic that only I could use. This is the strength of an artifact. I was getting oddly excited. I turned to look at the other Skill window. Then. I saw it. The Mad Magician Passive A method of magic designed by Draka, who had trouble releasing mana. You can attack enemies by loading magic into your body. A new world had opened up to me. You can attack enemies by imbuing magic into your body. You are not affected by magic cast by you. Strength is added to your magic. Your magic damage will also deal additional physical damage. Loading magic into my body to attack? This was the reason I needed Strength instead of mana. The reason that the first quest was to punch and kick. Draka, who couldnt release magic. He had fought by imbuing himself with magic in his hands and legs. Who woulde up with such a thing? At that moment, the quest window started shing.A new Quest has been created. A new Quest? I looked into it. Quest Demonstration of the method Using the Force Circle and Strength, hit a physical target with an attack. Physical Targets Hit: 0/1 * Reward: Strength +10 A quest to use the Skill to hit something. My excited breathing finally returned to normal. My burning heart also started cooling down. The future which looked as dark as the void started brightening up just a little bit. As soon as I regained myposure, I started seeing new things. This method This is something Ive never even thought about before. To hold the magic in your fist and just punch with it. Could I do it? I was not asking trivial questions such as, Could I be a magician? Could I be stronger? Could I be a great magician? It was questions like, Could I be the strongest magician? that used to be hard to even imagine asking. Of course, the answers to these questions were obvious. I need to do it. * * * * * * With Fireball in one hand and Iceball in the other, I stood in front of the scarecrow. This scarecrow with its weird nose and eyes that werent even manufactured properly looked as if it were mocking me. Because of this, I didnt hesitate to recreate my punching form and strike the scarecrow. Left hand! Kaboom! The Fireball held in my left had exploded the scarecrows head off and burnt it as soon as it made contact. Right Hand! Ching! The Iceball in my right hand froze over the burning scarecrow. And then, Crash! The frozen scarecrow broke into a million pieces as I struck it with my empowered fist. Wow. Upon seeing this unbelievable strength, I took a step back. Quest has beenpleted. Rewards will be given. Strength has increased by 10. The scarecrow that was mocking me just a second ago had ceased to exist. Only branches scorched with burn marks were scattered along the floor. I destroyed a scarecrow It was only a scarecrow, but why was I so moved? I knew. Because for some, it was just an ordinary scarecrow But for me, it was an entity that was too strong for me to even touch. An annoying creature that was always outside my magics range, always mocking me. I had dreamt of it for the 6 years I had been in the academy. That one day, I would use my magic to knock that scarecrow over. Till now, I had time and time again been stopped by the Release step of the casting. But today, that dream was made real. With nothing but this fist. This is the magic of Draka. I stared nkly at the destroyed scarecrow remains. I quickly pinched myself and rubbed my eyes. It was not a dream. It wasnt a hallucination either. All of this was real. I copsed to the ground and eximed, Woah. Iid down face up on the hard dirt. Its pretty. The moon that shone through the dark night sky looked more beautiful than ever before. Even the hard dirt ground felt like a soft bed. Laying like this, my body started to feel the exhaustion. The exhaustion of todays exercise, coupled with the sorrow of the past six years, came crashing down on me like a waterfall. My eyes became heavier. I needed to wake up. I needed to whatever. Zzzzzzz * * * After waking up, I became famous for another reason. What the? Is he seriously sleeping here? It looked like he trained here till early morning. Sheesh. I think hes asleep. Shouldnt we wake him up? I mustve been crazy. No matter how tired I was, to sleep on the dirt like this No way Is he dead? Theres no way. He was fine even after getting hit by Lightning B- Woah! Ruin! You startled me. However, I opened my eyes like nothing was wrong. Then, I casually stood up, stretching and cracking my neck. Why are you all gathered here? First time seeing someone sleep outside? Yea, its my first time seeing a noble sleep outside in the dirt when such a good dorm is only 100 meters away. Damn. Couldnt argue with that. Ruin, did you get drunk? What do you mean drunk? I was so tired that I fell asleep instantly. It looked like there were about 10 people here spectating me. From them looking at me like I was a rare animal, embarrassment finally came over me. I wanted to go hide in a hole. However, I tried to act nonchntly while grabbing my stuff and started heading towards the dorm. Thats amazing in more ways than one. By the way, that broken scarecrow Did Ruin do that? Theres literally no way. Their gossip crept into my ears, but who cares if they talk about me? Strangely, the small smile on my lips refused to leave. How long ago was it since Id woken up so refreshed like this? To give an answer, this would be the first time since entering the academy. As I entered my dorm room, my roommate, Jason, questioned me while he was brushing his teeth. Yo, Ruin. Did you sleep out somewhere yesterday? Well, I guess I did sleep outside. I shrugged my shoulders instead of answering him. Jason narrowed his eyes at my answer. What? Wait. Did you go outside the academy grounds? Or Oh shit! Did you go meet a girl? Till this morning??? Jason Damon. The eldest son of the Damon house, who garnered their immense wealth through casting and mining metals. To me, who had a hard time calling anyone in the academy a friend, he was nice. A crazy bastard that would jump the academy fences to go enjoy wine and women when he was bored. They sometimes say youre morefortable with a person of theplete opposite personality. Jason and I were prettyfortable in that sense. Its nothing like that! This bastard! You finally woke up after getting hit by that lightning. No~ I cant die like this! All those days I wasted reading through only books! I need to be a real man! What the hell are you talking about? So, sir Ruin, how does it feel to finally be a man? I didnt want to talk to him anymore. Im going to wash up. I went into the bathroom with my towel. Jason was muttering something about, Thats right. You should clean yourself. Rub Rub. He was definitely insane. Whoosh! I floated in the bathtub filled with warm water. Ah. right. While floating, I remembered that I forgot to check the Quest after waking up. Quest. I was still not used to this half-transparent window that appears in front of my eyes. I would get used to it, right? There was not much of a difference in the Quest than from yesterday. Well, to pick out a specific difference Repeatable Quest Body Training I Since you have be a yer connected to Draka, Destroyer of Worlds, you need to train your body in preparation for your increase in strength. Punch: 0/200 Kick: 0/200 Spin Kick: 0/200 * Reward: Strength +10. The reward was still the same Strength +10, but the training requirements doubled. Sigh This is going to be tiring. However, the smile on my face wasnt fading anytime soon. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Repeatable quests could bepleted daily. Contrary to its unchanging reward, the required training was increasing day by day. From 100 times to 200 times, 300 times, 400 times It was easier said than done since only the correct movements were counted. Toplete the quests, I would sometimes need to punch or kick nearly twice as much. Compared to the growth in strength, because of the ever-increasing amount of training I needed toplete, there would be days where I couldnt even walk properly. If I sat down, I wanted to lie down. And if Iy down, I fell asleep like a dead man. But I couldnt skip doing it. Why? Punch: 0/1200 Kick: 0/1200 Spin Kick: 0/1200 If it went to the next day without the quest fullypleted, all my progress was reset back to zero. As usual, the strength reward didnt increase anyways. Itd mean I wasted an entire day. After finding out about this, I didnt miss a single day. Maybe it was a good thing that the Quest requirements didnt go above 3000 times each? And so, a month passed. Hooo. Should I finish up my morning exercise with this? As soon as I woke up, I went to the outdoor training area and did the kicks. I did my punching quest when I found time during meals or while washing myself. When Idpleted my daily punishment by doing volunteer work at the academy, I went straight to the outdoor training area again and focused only onpleting my quest, not returning unless I finished it. Thanks to this, Obtained Skill: Body Arts Body Arts * Passive Increases the abilities of the body. Depending on ones training, stronger and more borate movements will be possible. I even got a Skill called Body Arts. Diligence and consistency. The virtues that were essential to bing stronger. Due to this, I had gotten used to using my body and could now kick 300 times in a row without breaking a sweat. My level for Body Arts had also increased. My form steadily became correct and more stable, so I didnt miss as much as before. My body was giving an enjoyable(?) scream every day. Hasnt Ruin been a bit odd as ofte? Yea, the guy who used to not even blink is now sleeping in ss. Its more than that. Havent you seen him kicking at the training area? He practically lives there now, just practising his kicking. Yeah, whatever. Damn For that former Magic Genius to be in that state. Tsk tsk. I knew very well what they said about me at the academy. But I chose to ignore it. I had no wish to try and exin my new powers or to unt them. Of course, there was no reason to hide them, but I wanted to be sufficiently strong first. Ruin. Youre back again. Yes. Hello. Afterpleting my Quest, I usually spent the rest of my time at the library. I came here frequently before, trying to find out more about my Evocation Inability Disorder by going into the medical section and such, but it was different now. Has the booke in? Yes. Here, I kept it for you. Thank you. Ancient books containing the oldest records from the past of the continent of Frelia. There was just one thing I looked for in these history books. Draka just who is he? It was for any information on the magician Draka. For the past month, as I constantly alternated betweenpleting the quest and going to the library, I chased after any clues about Draka. However, Its not here either. There were no records of the magician Draka in any of the history books. That wasnt all. Destroyer of Worlds yer Status Window Quest There was not even a clue to any of these either. But I couldnt give up. Hoping for something different, I visited the history professors office. Hm? Who was it? Draka. The Magician Draka. Hmm This is the first time Ive heard of that name. damn. Really? Instead, how about I rmend some books that might help. Go to the library and look for and . If you read through those- Ive already read them. What? Ive already read all the books in the library. Oh uh. Is that so? Thank you for your time, professor. Hmm. Sorry I couldnt be of help. There were none. There was nothing that helped anywhere. Enough to make me think that maybe he didnt exist at all. If a magician who had Evocation Disorder like me really did exist, I wouldve known about him beforehand. But the records showed of no such person. Since it was a curse only I was born with. If that was true, who really was Draka? Status. Ruin Ardell Incarnation of Draka, Destroyer of Worlds Strength: 470 +++ Agility: 100 Wisdom: 1550 Who was the one that gave me this power? I had to pause my worries for now. Ruin! Jason! Shush! Ah. Sorry. The one who loudly called out my name, my roommate Jason. After being told off by the librarian, he called out to me a bit more quietly. Ruin! Come out for a bit! What? Did something happen? I closed my book and stepped outside. Jason looked like he was really excited about something. Did you hear? About what? Guess you didnt, since you wouldnt be leisurely reading your books if you did. What is it? The head of the Ardell family came here! * * * * * * Who? Your dad! I thought I heard him wrong the first time. For my dad to be here Theres no way. Travelling from the territory to the academy took just over half a month by carriage. Not only that, my father never attended any of the parent-teacher meetings hosted by the academy. Ever. He was worried that the gathered nobles would interfere and threaten the authority of the academy. What do you mean theres no way? Look over there. Jason pointed out the window. Im not lying. Jason was telling the truth. In the academy gardens, the g bearers of the Ardell family were on horseback, holding up the family seal with the depiction of an owl. Unlike the parades of the average noble, it was simple, with only 2 g bearers and the 3-4 family members. And in the middle of this small group, F-Father? was my father. Why was he here? was the first question that came to me, but I already knew the answer. Looks like Jason also realised. He looked at me sheepishly. Its because of THAT incident from before, right? I answered him with a nod. Thats right. There was only one reason my father woulde to the academy. Because his one and only son had nearly died. Ill be back in a bit. I went straight down the stairs into the flower garden. As I arrived in the garden, my father was talking to someone who I didnt really expect to see. Professor Hydel? It was Professor Hydel. I couldnt hear them since I was too far away, but they were conversing with an expression of familiarity that said that they had known each other for a long time. However, Ruin. As soon as my father saw me, he retracted that expression and stretched out his arms. My son. Come here. I walked up awkwardly and hugged him. I think he was also feeling a bit awkward as he talked with an inscrutable voice. You were just a wee 10-year-old when I sent you to the academy. 10 years old. At the prime age where I should be behaving like a kid and relying on my father, I had to say goodbye. For over 6 years. For 6 years my father hadnt visited the academy. If a noble were to enter and leave the academy as he pleased, it wouldnt be a good influence on the academy which upheld fairness. I knew this fact better than anyone else, so I admired and respected his decision. This is a bit awkward. Haha. For you to grow up this much. Was it because his son, who was always so small, grew up so much? There was a hint of regret in my fathers expression. So, I hugged him a little tighter and smiled for him. Have you been well, Father? 10 years old. Like those times I would fit snugly into his embrace. Of course, I couldnt act like a kid. I think my intentions were ryed to him. He said to me with a more rxed expression, Yes, Ive been well. How about you, Ruin, have you been His voice faltered towards the end. Mana Evocation Disorder. Intentional harassment from others. An ident that nearly took my life. My father knew very well, even as he was asking, that my life had not been well. But I smiled at him as wide as I could, enough to erase the worries of my father. Its been good. Better than ever before. Hm? He looked at me as if it were unexpected. He was surprised at my bright expression, theplete opposite expression to what he had expected. Then, Professor Hydel said to me, Ruin, Ill tell your homeroom teacher, so spend some quality time with your father. Ah. Thank you. Then with some weird, meaningful expression, he bowed his head to my father. Then, I hope to see you again, Head of the Ardells. Ah. Yes. My father responded in an awkward manner. Were they acquaintances? It looked like they had some personal connections, but theres no way my father would know someone in the academy. Whatever. In any case, as soon as Professor Hydel left, I led my father by his wrist. Its good that you came. I have so much to tell you. Ok. Lets go to the living room. And so, I did. That armour. Looks like it never changed. Hm? The leather armour my father was wearing looked the same as it did 6 years ago. He must have taken great care of it, as there was no damage from the years to be seen. At my question, he tapped his armor, looking a bit bashful. There was no reason to change. My father, who I had not seen in 6 years, was still the same as before. I would not ask such a father an obvious question like, Why did youe?, Not to a father who had travelled nonstop for half a month with all sorts of worries for his son. He couldnt say it, but I knew he was still shaking with anxiety. I told him this. To not worry. To trust his son. That I would protect Father and the family. And that, this was not an impossibility. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Is Ruina doing okay? Of course, shes all grown up now. Recently, she has been learning swordsmanship. The sword, huh Hehe. She said its to protect her weak older brother. Damn. Im a bit embarrassed. Ruina was my younger sister. It had already been years since Ist saw her, yet I still clearly remembered the childish but lovely way she acted towards me. But now, she had started learning swordsmanship. To protect me. Heh, this was a bit embarrassing. Pleasee this way. My father was looking continuously surprised at the interior of the academy while we made our way towards the recovery room. Maybe because he was a noble who came all the way to the city from the countryside. For some reason, my smile didnt want to fade from my face. Anyways, because of how he was, I deliberately took a longer route around the academy to show him this and that before arriving at the recovery room. Its here. Would you like some tea? Sure. After I brewed the tea myself on the tea table and put it in front of my father, our awkward silence slowly dissolved. The tea tastes good. Even though it was amon herbal tea. I could tell he was only using the tea as an excuse, as he looked cautious in talking so as to not hurt me. So I opened my mouth first. Im doing fine. What are you saying? Its all good. Im not hurt physically or emotionally. Another silence overtook us, and my father sipped on the tea without a word. Thatsted but a short while. My father finally talked. If youre tired its always fine to return to our territory. If you were having a hard time and only held it in because you couldnt say anything Im not having a hard time. But werent you in an ident? That couldve been a huge incident. Its my fault. Its my fault that you were in trouble because I wasnt powerful enough. Its not because of you, Father. In fact, its my fault. Its all because I couldnt hold in my anger Before long, my fathers cup had emptied, and I asked him while refilling his cup, Were you curious? About my academy life? My fathers eyes shone. Of course, he would be curious, more curious than anyone else. He was the one who also knew the fact that my extraordinary talent could surpass any other ordinary mage. It was like I was trapped in an endless cave. No matter how much I struggled to run, the exit was nowhere to be seen, and pitch-ck darkness was all around me. Ever since my magic had stagnated from 10 years old. Because of this, I put in a lot of effort. I missed the undeserved attention I got when I was 10. But even then, no matter how much effort I put in, it was all futile. Maybe because of this, it looks like I had a lot of anger buried deep within me. I didnt want to lose my face, so I punched and kicked others who looked down on me or insulted you, father. Thatst ident happened because of that as well. My father listened to my story without saying a word. He had a sorrowful expression, like a single tear would roll down his face at any moment. Feeling bad looking at such a sorry state, I tried to turn the mood around by smiling brightly. But do you know how Im doing now? As I smiled, my father looked at me. As if to tell me to continue. After waiting for 6 years, I finally found the light at the end of this dark tunnel. Hm? I think I found a way. found a way? What do you mean? Replied my father, surprised. But how would I exin this to him? Well, I cant give you all the details As I hesitated on my words, my father asked back in frustration, Is it perhaps rted to those weird activities youve been doing recently? Weird activities? Like kicking or punching thin air. How do you know about that? My father closed his mouth at my question. The reason he came here wouldve definitely been rted to my ident. Most of the information he received wouldve arrived to him in official documents, so how did my father know such mundane details? The words that my father spoke next surprised me quite a bit. From Hydel No. I heard it from Professor Hydel. What? To hear it from Professor Hydel. What did this mean? However, as if to tell me that wasnt important, he quickly moved on in our conversation. So, tell me. Is it rted to this? I nodded my head. Yes. It is rted. My father had an expression that said he had a lot of questions for me. Well, that was understandable. Their child that said they would be a magician started kicking and punching the air after getting hit by lightning. Of course the parent would be worried. Maybe its good enough that he didnt think I went insane. Is it some method to cure that illness you have? Well, I cant be too specific about it but its close. My fathers eyes sparkled a little. His ultimate question still hadnt been answered, but it was still a hopeful answer. But he didnt express his feelings that openly. He looked like he was still a bit uneasy. Please, trust me. I came here to ask you if you wanted to stop going to the academy. I know. Thats why Im telling you this. Ill make a promise to you, between father and son. A promise? Yeah. A promise. I smiled for my still restless father. On my next test, Ill give a good result for the practical. My grades, no matter how you looked at them, were bad enough to say it was embarrassing. Because even though my theory marks were 100%s, my practicals were a failed mark of 0 for every subject. For me to say that Id get good marks on the practical was like one of those old scams that promised to create something from nothing. I dont know. My father still had an uneasy expression. For him, nothing seemed certain now. Hed be anxious that Id remain at the academy. I knew. That I was disqualified, both as a magician and a student. Even though I knew all this, I looked straight at my father. If I even fail the next exam, Ill do whatever father wants me to. Next term. Only 2 more terms left until graduation. Too short of a time to prepare something new. What would my father think of his son who was so filled with confidence? Would he think I was foolhardy? Or would he think I was someone who had nothing but desire? I didnt know. I thumped my heart purposefully andughed in a joking manner. Dont worry about me. Im not that weak. I even survived getting hit by a Lightning Bolt. Ruin Im just joking. A serious statement disguised as a joke. I stoppedughing and looked at my fathers eyes seriously. Father. Yes. Youve already waited for me for 6 years. Ill try to not make you wait any longer. Did I show enough confidence to my father? I didnt know. But I was confident about one thing. Thank you for waiting for me all this time. My father lifted his teacup with a more rxed expression. The tea tastes good. Its just a normal herbal tea. Its not about what I drink. Its about who I drink it with. Would you pour me another cup? That this was him approving my request. * * * * * * My father didnt remain long at the academy and returned home. Saying something like a noble staying at an educational institution like this for too long isnt a good sight, and quickly changed the subject. As he was departing, he told me this. Always look after your body. Looks like he didnt want to pressure me, even to the end. Because of this, I couldnt say something cringy like, Ill be the strongest and most brilliant magician in the world. It was better that I didnt. For now, giving him just this much assurance was enough. Was it fun meeting your father? Professor Hydel, who came to send off my father with me, asked me this. I could only stare back at him and ask him a question. So how do you know my father? Professor Hydel shrugged his shoulders, looking a bit flustered. Did he say that? That he knows me? Yes. Well He didnt tell me any details. Professor Hydel looked around as if he was a bit embarrassed, and after confirming there was no one else around, told me in a whisper, Your father, Lord Dellin Ardell, is a long-time friend of mine. What? Hes also my benefactor that I couldnt repay my debt to, even if I worked for my entire life. It was a surprising statement. For him to be both a friend and a benefactor. For my father to have such a connection with such a magician. Professor Hydel talked to me while we watched the ever-shrinking visage of my fathers group. Ruin, you should know from the rumours that I was born amoner. Yes. My home is in the Ardell territory. Wait, hold on. Our territory is your home? Born a poormoner, the one who sent such a good-for-nothing here was your grandfather and former head of the Ardell House, Lord Hwidell. And the son who begged Lord Hwidell to give me a chance was the young lord, your father, Dellin Ardell. It was a pretty big shock. Professor Hydel. It wasnt detailed information, but rumours were floating around talking of hismon birth. Thats why it was all the more impressive. Even though he was amoner, to be a Combat Magic teacher that only the most qualified were allowed to be, he was the target of envy for those of elite birth. To see the talent of such a person and to raise him as a high-ranking magician. My father and grandfather So this was what a benefactor for life was. Keeping this fact secret from you was the will of your father. He didnt want me to give any hints. The reason being Well, you know how Lord Dellin is better than I do, right? Dellin Ardell. My father. He was not someone who would ask others about favors for me. He would hide it, saying it would be a burden, and if he couldnt hide it, he would shower them with gifts and goodwill. As I lightly nodded, somewhat understanding, Professor Hydel smiled at me in a way I had never seen before. This is a secret between the two of us. If a rumour were to spread outside, it wouldn''t be good. Yes? Ah. Ok. And if by chance, you think I would treat you more favourably forget it. That wont happen. Who was he taking me for? I replied back equally sternly, Ill decline your favouritism, Professor. Good. He smiled as if my response was funny, and stared back at the figure of my father who was now disappearing in the distance. Cool-headed and always serious. The professor, someone who would exude a cool aura and would look like he could see through anyone. His eyes shone for the first time in a while. With pure innocence. Like a young child. * * * Hydel went back to his cross between an office and a home. His heart was still ted from before thanks to meeting his old friend. Dellin Ardell The boy of nobility who had handed a piece of bread to amoner that was trying to study just a little more while suppressing his hunger. Their friendship had surpassed the boundary between amoner and noble, and thanks to that friendship, he was who he was now. Hydel was always concerned. How will I ever repay this kindness? However, it was impossible. Dellin Ardell. A frustratingly stubborn personality. He would never desire any help from Hydel. However, neither Dellin or Ruin, nor anyone else in the Ardell house knew that Hydel was indeed helping them.
    • Magic Evocation Disorder
    • Disqualified as a Magician
    • Confirmed Failure
From internal evaluations, Ruins failure was determined, but without Ruins knowledge, Hydel had directly spoken up for him in the meetings with the higher-ups and just barely kept him in the academy. Volunteer work on academy grounds for 1 month. As the result of that times incident, Ruin would have had to be expelled with Ben Polt or been given a sentence just as severe, but Hydel also was the one who asked them to lower the punishment. Because this was the least he could do to give back to the Ardell family for the kindness he had received from them. Hydel remembered Ruin, who was the main focus for both. That kid what is he up to now? From what he heard from Dellin Ardell, Ruin had promised he would definitely get a good mark on the next test. How would a magician who couldnt release their magic get a good mark? Even a professor like himself could only stop him from getting dropped from the course. He didnt have the power to alter his test scores. This meant all the marks would have to be gained by Ruin himself. Theres only a few days left Said Hydel while looking at the calendar. A red circle marked the soon approaching test period. Ill know after I see him. Recently, Ruin had be a very interesting student to observe. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Ignit Magic Academy. The famous academy of the 8th-ss archmage Frolian Ignit, who had built it for the growth of his sessors. Even though it was a famous academy that could be picked out even from its continents 500-year history,pared to its ancient history, its substance wascking. The reasons were quite simple. 1. Currently, the Radian Kingdom was the weakest nation on the continent. 2. The quality of the magicians here wasnt that good. 3. Most of those with extraordinary talent were scouted into the stronger nations, so naturally the talent left in the academy didnt live up to its fame. Even though the Radian Kingdom was a small nation, it wasnt internally stable, so the Royal Party with the 1st prince and the New Party with the 2nd prince came into conflict with each other. The many magicians of the kingdom were, of course, utilized by these people in their fight for authority. The situation was the worst in more ways than one. Even so, the reason the Ignit Academy was able to ensure its existence was because of just one person. The direct descendant of the 8th-ss archmage Frolian and the current director of the academy. Tirion Ignit. A 7th-ss archmage, something rare on the continent, and thest pride of the Radian Kingdom. Thanks to this, he had received many offers from the two parties currently in conflict. Tirion had enough power where if he were to pick a side, that side was guaranteed to be the next king. He was that strong of a magician. However, Tirion declined everything. No. He went as far as to denounce both princes. Your Highnesses, if youre going to mess around, please just do it between yourselves. T-Tirion Magicians arent dogs to authority. Do you understand? How dare you say that to me He was upright. Enough to be called thest pride of the kingdom. He researched and studied mana more than anyone else. Hemented the current status of the magicians, who should eternally be researching for the growth and prosperity of magic but were now blinded by the taste of wealth and authority. There are no good ones left. Tsk. This was also the case at the academy. Perhaps because these students were all children of those filthy nobles, there was no exemry sprout between the students. From his view, all these kids would be trash that would be ves to any higher authority. If only that kid didnt get cursed The one Tirion was thinking about, was Ruin. Ruin Ardell. The one born with more talent than himself who was of an archmages bloodline. However, he was cursed with an illness as deadly as his talent. The gods are merciless He stopped his contemtion and shook his head. Even though he was good-natured and tried harder than anyone else, Ruins life as a magician had already ended. For Tirion, the future of the academy was more important than one regretful, potential disciple. I need to find some good ones. That was why a test to judge and distinguish them was necessary. A test to discover a potential magician that could be raised to excellence. * * * Tests. A unique tool that each student could use to measure their worth. Therefore, the results could change many things. Some would smile brightly and dream of a better future. While others would taste defeat and imagine a hopeless world. I was someone who always witnessed both heaven and hell. Every written exam I took, I would get full marks. But every practical exam I took was only enough to not fail out of school. It was the same for this test. Etc. I received full marks for the written exams on the first day. Ruin, you demolished those written exams. Muttered my roommate, Jason, in a dull voice. With a tone that said, as expected. For them, this was just how it was now. 6 years of perfect scores on written exams. No changes this time either Yes. There were no changes. I myself didnt get surprised anymore, since I had been able to maintain full marks on written exams for thest 6 years. Thats just how it was. Well, the practical results wont have any changes either. For thest 6 years, Id always had a failing score for the practical tests. Sorry. Just a joke. Jason, this bastard. Iughed as that dagger pierced my heart. However, he wasnt wrong. My name was famous even to the new students who only just entered the academy. Not as the genius magician who once was the centre of awe, but as the worst idiot in history. I smiled at Jason. Who knows? Maybe itll be different this time. Hmm? Whats that supposed to mean? While Jason asked that, I silently looked through the subjects for the practical exams. Thats right. It had to be different this time. * * * * * * After the end of the exam period for written exams, we got fired up in preparation for the practical exams. Practical exams were done over a period of two weeks, and from the exam lists, there were some pretty dangerous ones as well. Excluding the exams with less weighting, if we looked at the main 4 exams The first one was, Water, Fire, Earth, Air. Using your most confident magic between the 4 main elements, you needed to cast 10 sphere type spells simultaneously and hit a different target with each one. It was a test requiring intense concentration and perfect mana evocation abilities. Of course, in my case, I would fail without even being able to try. The second one was, Using an artifact named The Ancient Ogre Kingram, the student casted the strongest magic they could invoke at it. It would then measure the mana output, and therefore the magics destructive power. Depending on the result, the difficulty and maximum mark of the next test will be set, so this was seen as a very important test. Of course, I always failed. The third test, The students went to the Yingen territory under the supervision of the professors and the supporting knights to fight against evil spirits, as well as monsters. The level of the monster depended on the year and level of the student, and their performance was then graded. Obviously, I had never even set foot into this testing ground. And finally, It happened inside a special mana barrier that reduced the destructive power of a magicians magic by 99%. It was a match between fellow students and they were graded depending on their performance. My results were obviously the worst. So these were the 4 main subjects. Disregarding the small minority wanting to be Healers, most magicians were striving for an excellent grade in each of these tests. Well, it was like this every year, but this year was the most important. Excluding the graduation exam, this was thest test we did in school. Maybe because of that, there was already an excited atmosphere between the 6th year peers. Who do you think wille 1st on this test? This is thest school test, Its really important! This test decides if Im going to be invited to the Magic Tower or not Theres no way youre getting in, so dont worry about it. Shut up! Youre the same as me! Even in this excited state, in the corner of everyones hearts, they had a desire to be the main character of these tests. Everyone was like that. Including me. Since I failed every practical for thest 6 years, it had to be different this year. There was no one who desperately needed this grade more than me. However, I was not part of their prediction for the 1st. I wasnt even picked as a candidate in their heads. Wholl be first this time? Its probably gonna be Michael. Well, yeah. Michaels practical results are insane. Probably the most talented in our year. Michael Galehill. The third son of the Galehill family, the reputable magic family that existed for a long time in the kingdom, and was considered the main magic family. So much so that most court magicians were either from the Galehill family, or a family rted to them. Considering that he was the son of such a prestigious family, his arrogance and impudence knew no bounds. Who the hells talking about me? Uh Michael You said my name? To make me spend time with friends who I wont even see after graduating. They need to change how the academy does things. S-sorry I endured so well for thest 6 years, right? His arrogance had ruined the notion that everyone in the academy was a student, regardless of their familys authority or peerage. But unfortunately for us, he had the talent to back up his arrogance. It wouldnt be too much to say he represented our academy. Haa Fucking cant be bothered doing the test. Shouldve just let me graduate. The third son of a powerful count family. Outstanding grades. A pretty decent talent. From a nce, it looked like he had everything, but he also had one weakness. That weakness was Ruin? Me. Yo, what are you doing here? Since I held on so tightly to the position of first for the written exams, Michael was always pushed to second ce. So he had always been hostile towards me. Constantly, from enrollment till now. Michael narrowed his eyes like a snake and asked me, You Theres no way! Are you going to take the practical exam? And in his mocking tone, he provoked me while shaking his bright blonde hair. With that body and that condition? Hisckeys nearby startedughing loudly. To even think about the test while being disabled. I know right? Hes probably here to embarrass himself again. Kek! Theckeys were eating up everything Michael was doing. Thats probably what their roles were. Tough with and match Michaels antics. So that after they graduated, they could get some help from the Galehill family and boast to others of their connection. Ben Polt, the one who attacked me, was a simr entity. I was used to it. Since it was a pattern I was so used to, I shrugged without being phased at all. I came here to take the test. At that phrase, for just an instant, Michaels eyes twitched. What? Im here to take the practical test. You will? The fact that I was here to take the practical exam shocked them quite a bit. Michael also looked a bit shocked but regained his usualposure. Ah. Since its thest test youvee to at least struggle a bit Something like that? You could say that. Well, thats only right. There are no rules that say a disabled cant take a test. Whatever you do, you wont be able to do it anyway. Afterughing mockingly, he tapped my shoulder. But Ruin, Ill give you one piece of advice. Itll be pretty bad and unsightly if you struggle that much, just to copse in the end. If you dont want to get embarrassed, you should probably lea- I dont need it. what? I dont need your advice. Seeing my smile, Michaels face became colder. The mood also followed his expression, as the room became frosty. In contrast, my heart became a bit hotter. Hoo Michael cracked his neck and put on his most threatening look. And said to me in a tone that gave the impression that he was being quite patient, Ruin, Ill give you a warning. Dont cut me off while Im talking. Just listen with your mouth shut. Ok? Ah, I didnt want to hold back. Why was I like this? Maybe this was a disorder as well. Michael. What? Since I had to say something as well. Just worry about yourself. Michaels face hardened with rage. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 This was a type of challenge. You fucking Against the third son of the Galehill family, who had cemented himself as the king of his peers. It was a challenge against Michael. Maybe that was why, R-Ruin Even those who werent particrly nice to me before started worrying about my wellbeing. It was quite simr to myst incident. You So you still havent woken up after nearly dyingst time? When one of Michaelsckeys, Ben Polt, threw a Lightning Bolt at me. I replied while agreeing with Michael, I guess so. Looking at how Im not able to hold in my temper when I see disgusting shits like you, I guess I still havent woken up yet. What? You bastard! Michael shook with rage. He looked as if he would explode at any moment, this seemingly being the first time someone had acted this way against him. However, Stop! Thanks to the timely entrance of the professors, Michael was forced to suppress his anger. And like a stereotypical viin, he turned his back while muttering, You, Ill see you after the test. Wow, so threatening. I just shrugged my shoulders and bowed my head towards the professors. I apologize for themotion. Sure. Return to your seat. Among the professors was Professor Hydel. The others probably didnt see. That when Professor Hydel saw me looking at him, he smiled, as if amused. Then, another professor, who was in charge of the test, stepped forward to announce, The tests will begin soon. But before that, we have an announcement to make. As the first day of the practical exams, the test today would be . A test to see how many standing targets you could hit at once. Well, thats what it would have been. However, What? Why? The difficulty was raised greatly. Usually, the targets would remain in set positions during the test, but not this time. Move Movement Magic? One of the professors would animate the scarecrows and periodically make them strafe left and right. As you can tell, the test has been changed for this year. If you observe closely, they are moving with a set pattern, so concentrate and figure it out! Why? Why would they suddenly increase the difficulty? All the students suddenly had a look of nervousness. However, Michael was different. He kept his usual rxedposure. Well, so did I. Ruin, what are you thinking of doing? When Jason asked me, I just shrugged. Dunno. For me, it didnt matter if the target moved or not. Since I wasnt even sure if the magic Id show would be epted by the examiners or not. Only thing to do now was to hit it straight on. Hilk! Youre first up. Hilk walked forward, looking nervous. At that point, the stationary scarecrows stood up and started moving from their positions. Start! The first test had begun. * * * Next! Ah Isnt this too hard? A myriad of regretful sighs was ever-present among the students. Most, if not all, wereints about the increased difficulty. The professors were not having a good time either. These results are beyond terrible. Thats what Im saying. They are worse than I expected. Was it an average of 2 hits? An average of 5 simultaneous magic evocations. And from these, only an average of 2 hits. Some students, those who were too scared of the moving targets and unconfident in their skills, usually hit none. And even the ones who could hit more were still scoring below the rmended score. While looking at this scene in silence, Director Tirion clicked his tongue. Tsk. The difficulty was raised intentionally. This was to distinguish the real magicians from the average student and cultivate them before the graduation test. But for none of them to have the talent. Tsk, tsk. None of them are up to the task. They werent up to the standard they should be for students that would be graduating soon. Where were the times when Tirion himself studied magic? When people studied as they strived to be archmages and had the passion to restlessly work forwards. But these werent the times now. Now, it was but a method to control the authority known as magic, only for these magicians to be servants to others authority. Then, Professor Elrick from the department of potion crafting came up and said, Here hees. The pride of our academy. The one Professor Elrick pointed out was Michael. Michael Galehill. Well, of course, Professor Elrick here was also from the Galehill House. Knowing this fact, Director Tirion didnt hide his displeasure. Talking about pride, Professor Elrick. The test hasnt even begun. Even so Michael has always been dominant in these tests. You too know this very well, director. I know you want your nephew to do well, but please separate your public and private affairs. Yes. I understand. Professor Elrick had no choice but to back down after Tirion became a bit sterner. But luckily for Professor Elrick, the test results reflected what he had said. Woah! Look at that! Fire and Water! He casted two conflicting elements at once! One, two, three, four Haha. There are too many to count! This was the truth. Michael had seeded in casting more than 10 Fireballs and Waterballs at once and sent them flying at the targets. 13! He hit 13! He even showed a surprising scene of hitting over 13 of the targets. With an uracy of over 60%, it was an impressive record. Haha. If its at this level, isnt it enough to say Michael is the pride of our academy? p p p p. Professor Elrick was pping repeatedly as Michael stood confidently and snorted a peal ofughter. * * * * * * Michael Galehill. Tirion didnt want to admit it, butpared to the others, he couldnt deny that Michael was at an unrivalled level in terms of magic. The others tests were the same as before. None were able to exceed the performance shown by Michael. Director Tirion stood from his seat. The levels of these graduation students Ive seen enough. His face was filled with disappointment. Count Galehill. The family used magic as a tool to ensure the longevity of authority. Even though the familys principles directly contradicted the founding philosophy of the academy, if no student appeared that could rival the son of the Galehill family, there was no more reason to continue watching. But then, Professor Hydel of Combat Magics, who was sitting next to Tirion and silently grading the students, suddenly spoke up. Director, how about observing for a little longer? No, I dont think there will be any merit in me staying here. The next student will be Ruin. Tirion stopped at the name Ruin, and Professor Elrick turned to look at Professor Hydel as if he had said something outrageous. Wh-who? Ruin? That magically disabled kid? That student is taking the practical test? Even though he cant use magic? At the sophistry of the rat-like Professor Elrick, Professor Hydel narrowed his eyes and told him, Professor Elrick, your words just now were quite strange. Is there a reason Ruin shouldnt take the practical exams? W-well, no but he would fail anyways Professor, you seem to look at each students value differently, even though you were quite supportive of your nephew over there. Even if we say you had those thoughts about Ruin, to say it out loud is a different matter altogether. Ruin himself hasnt given up, so, as educators of these students, we shouldnt give up on them either. Well, what you said isnt wrong Professor Elrick quickly shut his mouth and looked away. Professor Hydels words were genuine. As Ruin was called up, he walked up to the training area with a calm face. This scene caught the eye of Director Tirion. This Looks like Ill have to sit down for this. Ruin Ardell. Even though everyone had given up on him, he himself had not. The Icon of Indomitability. Tiron, enjoying such perseverance, became expectant as to what he would witness. And soon after ! Tirions eyes widened, as if he had seen a ghost. No, it was even more than that. What is this? Those observing, Professor Elrick, Professor Hydel, and all the other students, could do nothing but stare in shock, their mouths wide open. * * * A whopping two months. For two months straight, I only punched and kicked. My strength increased by 10 daily due to the rewards, but it wasnt too much to say that the repetitive daily life became too tiring to handle. But another gift had been given to me. A Skill to be more specific. Bend Time Active For 30 seconds, you may twist and bend time for your benefit. You may move your body faster, as your Strength increases by 200%. You will move through the bent time. Cooldown: 5 minutes The hell is this? My first reaction was to question what this was. What an Active was, what it meant to bend time, and what a Cooldown was. I found out after using it. This skill, at the point of my choosing, let me move at 200% my normal speed for 30 seconds. As if I were moving between time itself. It could be used to dodge enemy attacks. And To destroy a bunch of scarecrows at once. An indispensable skill. Start! Whing- Whing- With the signal from the examiner, the scarecrows started to move. The multitudes of scarecrows, You think you can hit us? They looked as if they were challenging me. Power naturally flowed into my fists. How many times had I imagined this situation? How long had I waited? Diligently training 3000 moves every day, how many times had I dreamed of this moment? Lets put on a good show. To show my magic to these real magicians. I forced up all the power, packed to the brim in my Force Circle, in an instant. The circle had finished powering up in the blink of an eye. My strength exploded through my veins, and a flood of Fireballs flowed out from the top of my palm. Woah Howhow many is that? Thirty No, no. That looks like fifty? What the fuck? I could hear the disbelief of my peers. And in the midst of the cries, I could also hear the voice of a flustered Michael. Fuck, that scared me for a second. Hey, you guys. Whats the point of getting surprised? Ruin has evocation disorder. It doesnt matter if he can cast once or a hundred times. No way he hits anything. Even if he wanted to sound confident, his voice was definitely shaking. There was no way he wouldnt be shocked. Who would have guessed that I could do such things? My body felt hot. My excitement continued to grow and wanted to explode out at any moment. I wanted to show them. That I, Ruin Ardell, had not had my life as a magician die. That I would be stronger than anyone else, That I would obliterate their perceptions of me. Bend Time has been activated. Your current strength will be increased by 200%. Right. Now. Wow! In an instant, my form bent time and darted forwards. didnt simply increase how fast I moved. In this time increase of 200%, all my actions, including my magic casting and movement, became faster. But not enough to lose control. My eyesight became clearer and my movement more concise. I felt light, and also sturdy at the same time. In the eye of my own storm, I reached out to the scarecrows in front of me with my fists. Arms, legs, heads, shoulders. Crash! Crash! Crash! K-K-K-KABOOM! Arge explosive roar came from every part that I touched, and the testing grounds were soon covered in dust. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Ththat As the dust storm filled the testing grounds, none of the people watching Ruin could say anything. Only soft exmations could be heard. All eyes were locked on the dust. As the dust slowly settled, only the figure of Ruin standing in the middle of the field could be seen and loud shouts of astonishments were heard. That! Theres no way! What the hell?! The scarecrows provided for each examination was set to 30. And Michael held the record with his 13 knocked down. However, Is-is there only three left?! It was easy to work out Ruins score, as it was faster to count the scarecrows that didnt go down. What? 27? 27! Its the highest record for ! 27. The number of scarecrows that Ruin knocked down while using . That Ruin knocked d- No. Rather, he had obliterated the scarecrows to the point where you couldnt tell which part went where. The reactions from the other students were varied. S-so uh What did I just see? Did he just punch them while holding his magic? Thats what you saw as well? I thought I saw wrong But why is his movement so fast? I thought I was looking at a Swordmaster or something Are we even sure thats magic? The professors were also in a simr state. In the history of the academy, this was the first time they had seen such a performance, and had been shocked quite a bit. This is amazing. To use magic in such a manner. Tirion gave out a genuinepliment, and Hydel could barely contain his smile. Thats right. This is very surprising. Of course, there were some opposing opinions as well. Professor Elrick, who was frozen in shock, shook himself awake. D-Director, shouldnt that disqualify them of their mark? What are you saying, Professor Elrick. Could we say that it was magic we saw? F-from what I saw thats closer to the Aura des that Knights use. Didnt Professor also see the Fireballs that were conjured atop his palm? Of-of course I saw it I have never heard of magic like that. For a magician to hold magic in their fists and punch with it How sacrilegious At the lengthening excuses of Professor Elrick, Tirion slightly narrowed his eyes. He didnt want to hear any more of it. Well talk about his evaluationter. How about congratting Ruin for now? He probably has been looking forward to this for thest 6 years. When Director Tirion said it like that, Professor Elrick had no choice but to stop. Ruin, that was impressive. As Tirion started pping and stood from his seat, Professor Hydel, not wanting to lose, also started pping. This spread across the entirety of the testing grounds. Good job, Ruin! Congrattions! There were a few cheers and whistles as well. Professor Elrick, seeing this, could only shut his mouth and silently p along. * * * During the test. I didnt know how many scarecrows Id hit. I just destroyed whatever moved and continued to do so, even after had ended. As the siren rang to signify the end of my test time, I was quite disappointed by the number of scarecrows still standing before me. But What was this? 3? There were only 3 scarecrows left. It was the greatest record since the founding of the prestigious academy. For it to be this much As I looked around after being bewildered at the circumstance, the shouts of the surprised students were heard. Followed with, Is that really magic? Arge number of doubts were poured out on me. But I didnt avoid them. Didnt I expect this before going in? The fact that my magic would seem weird to them, and that they would judge and show disdain towards things that were different to them. So rather, I decided to meet it head-on. Because no matter if I destroyed 27 or destroyed 30, my performance needed to be acknowledged as magic. Thats why I held my head up high and faced the professors directly. Mountain. I needed to be acknowledged by them to receive my mark and ovee the trial known as graduation. Thats why they were a mountain I must climb over. But would it be fine for me to rx a little? Ruin! That was impressive! The reactions werent normal. Director Tirion was calling for apuse whileughing heartily, and Professor Hydel was also smiling while looking at me. The mood also swept across the entirety of the testing grounds, and all 110 of my peers were also apuding for me. Good job, Ruin! Congrattions! For the first time since I came to the academy, I was acknowledged for a practical exam. My burning heart became warm for another reason. I felt deeply moved. Yeah. This recognition that I couldnt get anywhere else. Maybe I needed it. And then, The crumpled expression on Michaels face. It was perfect. I could finally smile. * * * * * * After the end of the test, the examiners all gathered in the main conference room. There was only one reason. Ruin Ardell. If they could say that the magic he performed could be considered Magic. The 10 professors were sitting at the round table, and at the head of this table sat Director Tirion. The first one to speak was Professor Elrick. Respectfully, Director Tirion and fellow professors, we all know and have seen today. Ruin Ardell has made a mockery of the test that should be fair to everyone. To use a different method while everyone else was trying their hardest with the correct one. I believe its only natural that we give him a fail. There were some apart from Professor Elrick who nodded their heads in agreement. The first one to refute his point was none other than Professor Hydel. A fail? Are we going to give the most outstanding performer since the academys founding a failing mark? I cant agree to this. Didnt he hold magic in his palms and punch with it? I have never heard of something like this ever in my life. Have you seen it before, Professor Hydel? This was indeed my first time seeing it as well. But what Ruin showed was definitely magic. I will not deny this fact. As Professor Elrick hesitated for a moment, Professor Hydel stood from his seat to proim, Ruin followed the time limit to show off his power and created tens of Fireballs with a single casting, and he only took the test with those Fireballs. Ruin hasnt broken any rules. The fact that he punched with magic? Whats the problem with that? If you hold magic and punch, does it suddenly be not magic? Ruin has had trouble with releasing magic, but he never gave up. Rather, to ovee his weakness, he trained his body for the past few months. This is the result of that training. Shouldnt we instead congratte him on his achievement? At Professor Hydels point, most of the professors nodded and showed signs of agreement. But Professor Elrick started talking as if he couldnt ept this. Did you see the casting speed of Ruin? Of course. Hes only a student, but how can he cast that fast? Collect, Empower, Process. He ignored these 3 stepspletely. Many archmages, including me, would not be able to do that! Hes definitely used some cheap trick. A sizable number of professors agreed to this statement. The movement and magic shown by Ruin had a lot of weird quirks that couldnt be overlooked. But Professor Hydel held his ground. Think back. What is the first thing we learn when we start learning magic? What are you trying to say? Magic has no limits. It is thend of infinite possibilities. Isnt that why its such a fascinating and exciting endeavour? Were not here to discuss such things, stay on to- There will always be things outside of our expectations. If everything went ording to calctions, would that be Magic or Maths? Magic. A lot of magicians thought they knew magic well, but they were only in the area of knowing about magic. The owners of magic were dragons, not humans. And the humans who had borrowed this magic still had areas they had no idea about. Maybe thats why sometimes, magic would be created that shook the heavens and the earth, and magicians would be born that would change the world. Also, each magicians magic held a unique personality. This was what magic was. Even if we disregarded everything else, Academy Director Tirion put this endless learning and research about this topic of magic above everything else. Tirion spoke. What Professor Hydel says is true. Magic is always a fascinating subject. Isnt it natural that each magician has a specialty that no one else does? The magic Ruin showed was definitely one that had never been seen before, but to interrogate him on this was to go against the nature of magic. Sometimes, it was correct to leave it alone and let it flow. For these reasons, Tirion was having a pretty good day. Today, I witnessed a student perform a miracle. A perfect magical miracle. But it seems the professors dont think that way. The pride of the Radian Kingdom. The 7th-ss archmage whos also the Academy Director, Tirion Ignit. His questions carried this meaning. I dare you to oppose this. The professors who knew this slowly started speaking up. What the director said is correct. This is a miracle. A magical miracle. I agree. To ovee his disability and perform like this, I can only feel d. Right? Tirions sight had reached Professor Elrick. ah. Yes. He could only close his mouth in embarrassment. So, it was determined. They knew that Tirion liked people like Ruin, whod diligently train and strive, but for it to be to this extent. His decision had already been set, so Elrick couldnt object again. Not just in the academy, considering the entirety of the magic world, Tirion was someone who you must never have as an enemy. Professor Elrick clenched his eyes closed and said, What the director said is correct. Then, Tirion replied while smiling brightly, So it seems all the professors agree with me. Good. Well end our meeting here. At this, Professor Elrick swallowed a thought into his heart. Dangerous. This was dangerous. For there to be a random kid that appeared out of nowhere and could threaten the valedictorian position of the Galehill child. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 My roommate, Jason, shouted while walking in front of me, Make way for the Archmage! What was with this fame? Woah! Its Ruin! Hey Ruin! You wanna eat lunch together? Did you go exercise in the morning? Do you train like that every day? It changed overnight. Just until yesterday, I was the biggest loner of the academy. Ruin, how do you feel about todays test? Will you use your fists again? Woosh, woosh. Like this? Of course he will! Should I just say that the number of people who wanted to be my friend had increased? To these ssmates, all I did was shake my head. Please, just mind your own business. But the more I did this, the more they swarmed around me. Ruin. Do you perhaps know my name? We were in the same ss for thest 6 years, but this is the first time we are talking like this. My name is Halbert. Dont forg- Get off him! Its my turn now. Ruin, you know my name, right? The son of Baron Mungelind Im sorry, but I dont care about your names. Sigh As soon as I made that small sigh, Jason said to me in an increasingly joking way, Sir Archmage! Are you ufortable anywhere? Youre too loud. Please. Kekek. This had be even more tiring than before, when no one paid any attention to me. Of course, not everyone was just friendly to me either. Some groups that liked to talk badly about me were still present. I really cant understand the examiners. How could they ept that thing as magic? He definitely used some weird tricks. Dont you think so, Michael? The main group being the nobles that attached themselves to Michael Galehill so that they may eat his crumbs someday. They always looked at me like my existence was offensive to them. But honestly, these types of responses were easier to deal with. I grinned. Eh? That bastard is smiling? If I lightly smiled at them, theyd explode on their own. You. Did you justugh at us? You think youre unstoppable just because you had one good test result? As expected, they were within my predictions. Michael Galehill, who was observing me from afar, slowly walked up to me. For a magician to use their fist As expected, youre vulgar. Vulgar? Can I take that statement to mean you disregard all the knights of the kingdom? Whatever. I dont care what you say. I dont know what tricks you used yesterday but Michael grinned a little, as if he had a n. You know its no use on todays test, right? The 2nd test was today. It was a straightforward test to determine the destructive power of ones magic. But there was one variable for this test. The artifact used for the test, The Ancient Ogre Kingram, was in fact, alive. Just as the name would suggest, the ancient predator ogre Kingram was defeated by the first archmage, Frolian Ignit, and was therefore trapped in the void inside the artifact, cursed to always be famished. He became an artifact in this state and Kingram, still trapped inside the artifact, received the magicians mana when attacked and he absorbed it. Technically used as a type of Magic Sandbag, the mana output absorbed by Kingram was then digitized, and the number was put as that magicians grade. Meaning, this was an entirely different variable than any other test. What if the ogre doesnt ept my unusual magic. Well, I had never even touched Kingram once before. And on top of that, my magic was unusual. Magic that no one had seen before. This was probably why Michael was acting all high and mighty. But rather than worry about it, I decided to brightly smile for him. Michael. Good luck on your test. What? The hell are you saying now? So that youll see me again, in the . Thest of the tests, and also the climax. The students battle each other in a special mana barrier where the lethality of their magic is reduced by 99%. The important thing here was the matchup. The one that sets those matchups was the result of todays test. The group bracket you got put into would depend on the oue. The low scores with low scores and the high scores with other high scores. Dont you also want to meet me? My small provocation made Michaels eyebrows twitch and he snorted at me, responding in kind, Do you think you even have a chance of matching against me? You, who is an inferior. Who only got failing marks for thest 6 years Inferior student. Failing marks. The tags that were attached to me till the end. I responded to Michael in a colder voice, Michael, arent you being too nervous right now? What? It was then. Wheeeeeeng-! The siren that marked the start of the test rang through the entire academy. Rattle! As the doors to the testing grounds opened, the assistant instructors that were in charge of the examinations appeared one by one. The test has started! Everyone go to your seats! Michaels face said he had a lot of things to say to me, but at the arrival of the instructors, he didnt say anything and went back to his seat. Instead, it was like he was talking with his eyes, staring at me like looks could kill. Seeing Michael like that, I gave him a shrug. Calm down buddy. You''re gonna start firingsers out of your eyes. At that point, Jason, who was sitting next to me, pointed to the entrance of the testing grounds. Yo Ruin, look at that! Hm? Even though Ive seen it many times, its still so cool every time I see it. At the ce that Jason was pointing to, the academy instructors were wheeling in a huge statue on a cart. A gigantic, silver-ted statue. Even though the outside was constructed using sturdy tinum, the inside housed a living, breathing creature. That was definitely, Kingram. * * * * * * The Ancient Ogre Kingram. This was a treasure that represented the academy, and a rare-grade artifact, something that was hard to find, even across the entire continent. The Ancient Ogre Kingram. It had lived for thousands of years, And had been trapped inside the statue for hundreds of years before bing an artifact. A primordial ogre. An ogre that spent over 500 years as an artifact of the Ignit Magic Academy. A piece of living history. And today, it was the examiner that would grade every student gathered here. As soon as he arrived, Kingram spoke with words full of disdain. [The stench of the weak has stained the air here. The smell is bad enough that I feel like my head is splitting.] * * * The second test had begun. The testing procedure was simple. Feed Kingram the strongest magic you could cast. Chain Lighting! The students poured the magic into Kingram. [Was that all?] Eh? [That only tickles. Do you n to dent this body with such attacks?] And Kingram assessed their performance. This was the test. But Kingrams standards were too high. [Far too weak. I wont even give you 10 points.] [Begone from here. You are a 1 point magician. No, to give you 1 point will be an insult to 1 itself. How about giving up on magic?] He didnt budge at any normal magic. [I have already spent 500 years at this academy trapped in this boulder. Do you think I could remember every student that ever came here? However, I will definitely remember you. You left quite an impression.] R-really? [Yes, as the most useless piece of trash.] Even though that magic was pretty good, all that came out from its mouth were insults. There wasnt any error at all. It was just that Kingrams standards were too high. 500 years. In the eternal 500 year history of the academy, they say nearly every student of the academy was subjected to the harsh words of Kingram. Because the magicians who could avoid his insults were one in a thousand. But the funny thing was, the ones acknowledged by Kingram went on to be grand magicians that had been recorded in the annals of history. Thats why all the students taking the exam had a look of both nervousness and hopeful desire. I will definitely be acknowledged by Kingram this time! Lets go! To hear even the smallestpliment from Kigram would mean you were destined to be a magician greater than you could imagine. At that point, Jason, who was sitting next to me while observing the test, talked to me. Ruin, this is your first time with this test, right? Huh? Yeah. Dont be too nervous. Just throw at it your most confident magic. Hooo Why am I shaking so much. Even though he said that, Jason was doing his best trying to stop his legs from shaking. Looked like you were more nervous than I was. That ogre bastard. Hes famous for how stingy he is with grades, so dont dwell too hard on the mark. Even 20 points is considered an amazing grade. Jason, who said 20 points would be an excellent grade, [Your magic is nd. Did you mix it with water?] Huh? What did you say? Mix with water? This bastard! This is 100% my mana! You punk! [Ill give you 3 points. Get out of my sight.] Uaaak! was given 3 points, while his magic was insulted as mixed with water. This bastard ogre whos only been a sandbag his entire life. Whos he to say anything about my magic! Youre the one who told me hes stingy with marks, so dont dwell on it. That bastard said my magic was mixed with-! Hey! You ogre! If magic is mixed with water it doesnt even activate! As Jason continued toin to Kingram, he got told off by an assistant instructor at the end. Whatever the case, Jasons current level was this. 3 points. This only showed how absolute and urate Kingrams assessment was. This was the reason why, excluding the few assistant instructors operating with Kingram, the rest of the professors didnt interfere with every small thing. He had the insight to peer through the talent of a magician better than anything else. Kingram spoke in a scornful tone that indicated his disappointment. [Tsk, tsk. Theres not a decent one between any of you. Frolian Ignit, the one who put me in here, was extremely strong despite being a lowly human. You are all fliespared to that bastard. I could kill you all with just my pinky.] No one could refute his statement. Because it was the truth. The standards Kingram were talking about were the real standards of magicians. Ah Did I mess up this test again? Would the grade average be about 10 points? Even if we fail, we all fail together So maybe its better? I guess. Unless someone greatly increases the average, we should all be fine. Current grade average, 9 points out of 100. Each student could only be assured that not just them, but everyone else also had a bad score. This cruel fact was not much different for Michael Galehill, who was considered the most exemry in the graduation ss. [Are you done?] Even though Michael did his powerful signature move ofbining the two conflicting elements, fire and water, into one spell and sting Kingram, the only thing he received in return was the ogres cold attitude. [For you to be a Galehill This was disappointing.] D-disappointing? [I have been hit by countless magic from that Galehill family. From those, Josh Galehilles to mind.] Josh Galehill. The current head of the Galehill Family, and a core executive of the Magic Tower. The father of Michael Galehill. As soon as he heard his fathers name, he pumped his chest with pride. Huh, so you do remember pretty well. My father is that Count Josh Galehill. [Youre the son of Josh Galehill?] Thats right! I am the son of that proud Josh Galehill! The third son Michael Galehill [Proud? Josh Galehill? He was just another kid who begged me for a higher mark.] What? [My score was too low. waah waah. I cant be valedictorian like this. waah waah. I need to get a good mark so I can be the family head. waah waah. Fucking idiot.] At the realistic reenactment by Kingram, the crowd couldnt hold in theirughter, and Michael''s confident face was crumpled into a frown, and crumpled even further like paper. It was probably quite shocking hearing his fathers never tell anyone, even if I die level secret. Youyoure lying Michael was trying his hardest to deny the truth, but regretfully for him, it probably was the truth. Since the artifact didnt lie. [Michael Galehill. Your talent doesnt even get close to even that idiot Josh Galehill. Here are 27 points. Ill be a bit generous considering your father.] 27 points. Even though it looked like nothing, it was still the highest mark in the grade. However, Michael couldnt be happy. N-no! Never! This is all a lie! My father is a great magician, better than anyone else! He cried out with his heart that it was all a lie and left the testing grounds with his reddening face, as if running away. Unexpectedly, it looked like his family was his weak point. While I wasughing without care. Next! Ruin Ardell! The instructor had called my name. It was finally my turn. While dusting off my hands, I said this to Jason, Ill be right back. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 It was only natural that ogres couldnt speak the humannguage. However, the Ancient Ogre Kingram was a special case. Even amongst the myriad of ogre tribes, as the chieftain of the Sky Phoenix, the oldest ogre tribe, no one knew how, but Kingram couldmand the humannguage and perform ancient magics from the first times he showed himself on the continent. Simrly to nowadays, monsters did appear, but they were much moremonly sighted back then. Possessing a gifted bodily constitution paired with outstanding intelligence, the ogre Kingrams existence was quite a threat to humanity. In the end, the Archmage Frolian Ignit personally went to suppress the ogre. Thats how Kingram got to stand here as an immortal entity through bing an artifact. This was his 500-year history. And I, Hello. [Hm?] The piece of living history that had witnessed the ages more than any other living being. And I stood in front of this Kingram. Haha Im shaking a bit from nervousness. This is my first time seeing you. My name is Ruin Ardell. A huge statue that was at least two times bigger than the average ogre. Towards that statue, I greeted it politely. At that moment, the eyes of the statue red open. It meant Kingram was looking at me. [You I havent seen your face before.] I shrugged my shoulders as a response. I had some circumstances. Its a bit long, but would you like to hear it? [Ill refuse.] Not amused, Kingram activated his Target Magic with a neutral expression. A door opened up in thin air and a huge money bag appeared. This was the target that the students hit with their magic, and through this bag, Kingram absorbed the magic and fed himself. It was a sign to shut up and quickly take the test. I understand. You want me to get it over with? As I looked directly at the indifferent Kingram, I clenched my fists At the same time, as my Force Circle twitched a bit, Strength began pouring into all the muscles in my body. I opened my clenched fist. My palm now held the most dangerous magic I could cast. Thats Mana Burn Explosion! Woah! Isnt that a 4th-ss Master magic? Mana Burn Explosion. It was a 4th-ss Master magic that used a magicians key as a catalyst to rapidly ignite the mana dispersed in the air in a fiery explosion. The small key that was fired at the target acted as a sort of trigger to instantly kill them in an explosion. Id known how to cast this spell for quite a long time. I just couldnt use it. Well, I had recently found a way. [Hm?] Kingrams eyes opened again when I crouched down and went into a charging stance. [Whats that posture?] It was a gaze of interest. Of course, I nned to satisfy that interest. Ill be starting. As I finished talking, I recklessly rushed towards Kingram. I moved the key from my palm down to the tip of my foot, and just as I reached the target, I leapt and spun my hips 180 degrees. With a fast spin of my body, I kicked with all my might against the target. Pang! The tip of my foot had directly hit the target. It was the influence of the Body Arts skill. With the heavy sound of me hitting the target, the key simultaneously exploded and started indiscriminately burning the mana around me. Fwhoosh! As the mana started burning, the spell acted as the catalyst to cause a huge explosion. B-B-B-BOOM! The funny thing was, because of skill, my body was unharmed from the effects of the magic. Woah! Thats insane The students couldnt hold in their excitement from seeing my performance. The Mana Burn Explosion would look like a new stage of magic to my peers. As soon as one became a 5th-ss magician, they had the option to be a court magician, or even just a powerful magician that any territory lord would give respect to. And this Mana Burn Explosion didnt use the collected and processed mana inside ones body, but used the mana dispersed in the air, a high-level magic that required one to be able to control the supply of mana for the spell. As a 4th-ss spell at the cusp of 5th-level, using this spell was like announcing my current level in magic. R-Ruin is a 4th-ss master? No! Hes 5th-ss! A thick smell of sulphur filled the testing rounds. After Inded, I took a deep breath and looked up at the statue. The bright eyes of Kingram could barely be seen through the dense smoke. Maybe I was curious what Kingrams assessment of my magic would be. But then, Eh? Kingrams reaction was a bit odd. His bright eyes blinked a few times, and then blinked a few more times. Like he was taken aback. This was the truth. And then after blinking, Kingram asked in a shaky voice I had never heard before, [You Who are you?] Eh? Ah. I am called Ruin Ardell [Are you Draka?] Eh? What did he say? I wasnt the only one who was surprised. [I was waiting.] * * * Draka? Whos that? Dunno. Didnt he just get his name wrong? Quiet! At the unexpected reaction of Kingram, the students started discussing amongst themselves while the instructors called for attention. But I wasnt listening to any of that. Because of that one phrase Kingram said, the name I was looking for so long, the name I searched for for thest two months as if I were insane. Destroyer of Worlds, Draka. The original owner of my power. I didnt even think of the possibility of hearing that name from Kingrams mouth. I cautiously asked him, Is he someone you know? Kingram snorted at my question. [Hm! Of course.] As I looked at him with a dazed expression, Kingramughed loudly at my expression. [This is very interesting. Haha! For me to meet his incarnation! What did you say your name was?] Ruin Ruin Ardell." [Sure. It seems Ill have to talk with youter since therere too many ears here.] The assessment had ended. Kingram lifted his gaze away from me and shouted to the instructors who were helping with the procedures, [This isnt magic I can judge.] The instructors became flustered. Eh, what? The impact of his statement was immense. * * * * * * Denial of evaluation. The first time this happened. A situation happened where Kingram, who wouldy insults upon insults against the students, had refused to give a mark. S-sir Kingram. But all the assessment privileges are with you. Thats right. By the rules, sir Kingram must give a fair assessment to each student in the academy. After the passing of the Archmage Frolian Ignit Then, a roaring voice was heard unexpectedly. [Thats enough! Are you going to talk to me about the rules? To me, who hasn''t been able to assess any real magicians for thest 500 years?] I we apologize. As the instructors lowered their heads, Kingramined with an annoyed voice, [Hmm these damned Ignit fools. Sure Youre correct. The assessment needs to be finalised. Since I promised that guy.] After thinking for a while, Kingram opened his mouth. [If I had to give a mark 0 points.] [Or perhaps, 100 points.] Kingrams burning red eyes shed open. Those eyes gazed directly at me. [Which one do you desire, oh small destroyer.] It was like the temptation of the devil. But, even if this was the real devil, my answer was already set. What a redundant question. 100 points. Obviously, I chose the second option. At my reply, Kingramughed, as if satisfied. [Sure. I will grant you 100 points.] * * * T-thats Did I hear that wrong? 100 points No you heard it right. I heard it as well Maybe we all went insane. Is there Hallucination Magic? Because of Kingrams one phrase, the training grounds became filled withmotion. All their eyes were locked on me with shock. 100 points The ability for Kingram to peer through the destiny of a magician was genuine. Every magician that received 50 points or more from Kingram went on to be the greatest magicians. However, there was no one who could get more than 70 points. Because Kingrams standards were too high to begin with. But, 100 points. A student who had received full marks had never existed before, and would probably never appear again. Haaaa I only gave a hollowugh. 100 points? I was like Would he really? What was this? Was this allowed? My arms and legs were losing strength just from hearing it. Kingram spoke to me again. [That long story you were talking about before. I am now intrigued. Ill have to hear it from you.] Ah yes [When the tests are done,e straight to the Basement.] The Basement. A sort of treasure safe that housed all the artifacts of the academy. From what the rumours say, it had more artifacts than the royal treasury. It was only natural that student ess was forbidden. Im not allowed there. Kingram told me in a tone that said it wasnt a big deal, [Ill tell that little Ignit kid.] The little Ignit he talked about, was it Director Tiron? To call the strongest magician in the kingdom kid. Ah, I guess to someone who had lived for a thousand years, everyone looked like a kid. Yes. I understand. With that answer, my assessment had ended. Kingrams entric behavior had also ended. [I dont know what you learned in the past 6 years. Seems you have enough time and money to waste.] After my assessment, Kingram returned to insulting the students without hesitation. [I wont even feel from eating this magic. Begone.] [This wont do. It seems only trash has gathered here. Do you want to be a magician with that level of skill? I can onlyugh at your arrogance.] 10 points, 3 points, 5 points, 1 point. Only marks that were barely above 0 were given out. At this, some of the students started looking at me with resentment. Ruin youre too much Instantly, I became the jerk who had raised the grade average significantly. I only responded back with a shrug. Im sorry. Even I didnt know that I would get 100 points. * * * A hundred points? The director of the academy. Tirion Ignit had received an unexpected report. The report had said a mark of 100 points that had never been given before had been given to a student, and that Kingram requested to have a one-on-one talk with that student. And this student was, Ruin It was Ruin Ardell. Due to his surprise, he started stroking his white beard. Haha to get 100 points Thatd is an odd one. Ruin Ardell. He had thought of him as a failed talent. But during thest few days, he appeared with magic thatpletely flipped that notion on its head. And now, he had used that magic topletely copse the wall known as Kingram. This was a situation that you couldnt not be surprised about. Hu hu. Even if Tirion was confident now, about 50 years ago, when he was attending the academy as a student, how many points did he get from Kingram? He had always remembered clearly.
        • Tiron Ignit, you say? So you have the blood of that Frolian Ignit that trapped me here. Sure, Ill recognise you. You are better than the other magician wannabes before you. Butpared to your ancestors, youre far too weak, little one.
A mark he received while being told he was too weakpared to his ancestors. He gave me 58 points. Khm 58 points. Of course, be it now or back then, you couldnt deny it was a high score. Tirion Ignit was currently one of the greatest magicians, and also thest pride of the small Radian Kingdom. However, the mark he received wasnt up to the standard of a descendent of an archmage, and even that mark had been absolutely destroyed today. How could youpete with 100 points? 100 points What part of Ruin did Kingram like that much? Tirion knew this. That no one gets 100 points just because their talent in magic was extraordinary. One had to match Kingrams personality to receive 100 points. In that sense, Ruins unique magic could be theorised to have yed a role in this. And to get a one-on-one talk with Kingram Hes quite the interesting student. Tirion nodded his head in satisfaction. Ill allow student Ruin Ardell to enter the artifact room under the supervision of Professor Hydel. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Mightiest Melee Magician After the end of , I saw an unexpected person after exiting the testing grounds. Professor? Professor Hydel, without an expression on his face, walked up to me. Seems youve had an ident. ident? Come with me. The way Professor Hydel was going was towards none other than the stairway entrance to the Basement. It wasnt hard to guess that the ident Professor Hydel was talking about was rted to the points I got. Im genuinely curious. How did you get in good favour with Kingram? Ah, thats It was a rhetorical question. Magicians have the right to keep their own secrets. I jokingly asked the professor, Are you going to tell this to my father as well? Why? Do you not want me to? No, but if youre going to tell him, you should tell him soon. Since hell be worried. Heh. This kid. Professor Hydel had an odd expression that said he was enjoying this. He pulled out a parchment from his garment and held it up. It was an entry permit with the stamp of Director Tirion on it. He called out to the Mana Guardian Spirits that looked imprable while they guarded the stairs to the artifact room. This is the entry permit of the director. Please authorise our entry into the artifact room. After the Mana Guardian Spirits had confirmed the authenticity of the entry permit, Check! Check! They moved in perfect order and turned their bodies out of the way. Professor Hydel continued to walk forward, and down the stairs into the basement. I hurriedly followed behind him. Woah This is my first time here. Of course it would be. This is one of the only ces in the academy that is off-limits. An ever-present cold atmosphere rested on my skin. But the area looked well managed, as the stairs had not even a speck of dust. The warm glow of themps illuminated the stairs and the hallway. At the end of the hallway was a huge steel gate that looked to lead into a room. It felt quite weird thinking that this spacious underground area only had one room, but Professor Hydel gave an exnation that let me understand instantly. They havent activated as we have received the permission of entry, but the traps installed in this hallway exceed 100 types, so dont touch anything carelessly. Oh. The hallway was a field of traps. They activate in response to trespassers and can detect Stealth, Invisibility, and other such types of magic. No matter how strong the intruder was, they would be stopped before reaching the artifact room. The ce that was restricted from students. The ce thatpletely stopped unwanted individuals from approaching. What treasuresy inside that warranted such tight security? I felt a little nervous as I followed the Professor deeper into the hallway. At the entrance to the artifact room closed by the huge steel door, Professor Hydel stopped to retrieve a cigar from his pocket. Youll be the only one going into the room. Im going alone? Yes. Im only allowed up to this point. Go. Ill wait for you here. Professor held the cigar in his mouth and clicked his fingers to create a me. I was going in alone Then, Ill be back. I breathed in a deep breath and opened the heavy doors to the artifact room. Creak~ The steel gates created a strange sound as I opened them. They werent heavy, they were light, as if light-weight magic was cast on them. On the other side of the steel gates, deep darkness covered everything. I gulped a little and stepped in. Step Step Creak Click. The steel gates closed and simultaneously, a bright green glow nearly blinded me. The artifact room, now illuminated by the green glow, was the definition of a treasure room. Woah Staffs, magic wands, robes, pendants. Just the weapons hanging on the walls numbered well in the double digits. Multiple seals were here, as well as some rings and nes that looked like some high-ranking magic had been cast on them In one corner of the artifact room, numerous magical books that, at a nce, looked precious were tightly stored in bookshelves. A scene that inspired awe. Could this be called the storage room of the archmage Frolian Ignit? However, even amongst these treasures, the most precious artifact was by itself. You look like a fool, looking around like that. Not even knowing the true value of yourself. Kingram, sir. The living artifact, Kingram. His worth was priceless, unable to be measured in gold. But something was a bit off. Kingram, who should be inside his specially enhanced tinum statue, was standing there in his physical form. Thats right. He was currently a living ogre. Wha- How? Hearing me stutter, Kingram spoke to me. This ce here is a unique ce. Im allowed to use my physical body. Ah A thin trace of ancient mana had filled the artifact room. Thanks to this ancient mana, Kingram could exist not as the artifact Kingram but as the ogre Kingram. Even though I spent 6 years at the academy, there were a lot of things I still didnt know. So its like that. I gulped at the imposing aura emanating from the ogre. Arge form that was twice as big as the average ogre. The aura exuded from just an imposing build. Most people would have been crushed without a chance to resist. Even I could only barely resist, but I remained standing. Because I had a question that must be answered. * * * * * * So, I asked, Just then, you said I dont know my own true value. I did. What did you mean by that? The phrase that Kingram had thrown at me while I was looking dazed at the artifacts. Not even knowing the true value of myself. It was like he knew my power came from an artifact. What Kingram said next proved my hypothesis. Draka because you and him both use the same artifact. My power. An ancient artifact named yer. Kingram knew exactly about my condition. Its a one-of-a-kind artifact. I only said what I said because I was frustrated and annoyed. Even though you possess such a powerful artifact, you were impressed by those useless, trash items. This ogre. How much did he know? Where did you get that? Also, how are you connected to Draka? I couldnt give any answers. Because I really didnt know anything. Anyhow, I told him a shortened version of my life story. Before that Ill tell you a bit about me. How I showed talent in magic from a young age But a curse that had overshadowed this talent, Magic Evocation Disorder. The lowest scoring student of the academy. And how an ident had nearly cost me my life. And how I obtained that artifact, yer. Even how it was connected to Draka. While silently listening to my story, Kingram talked while nodding his head. Draka couldnt evoke his magic either. It looks like he had chosen you from a long time ago. I asked Kingram in response, Draka, who is he, really? Hmm! You ask who he is? Yes. His next words were a shocking masterpiece. A being that desired the form of a god. * * * Destroyer of Worlds, Draka. Before archmage Folian Ignit was even conceived. An even older story. One day, a human had found the Sky Summit n that the ancient ogre Kingram was a part of. They say he was short and weak in stature. But he had an overwhelming level of power that was hard to believe came from a human. His strength wasparable with the ogres and became even stronger day by day, and at some point, even if multiple ogres charged at him, he would defeat them all single-handedly. He was extremely strong. Enough for us to stop thinking of him as human. I could talk about his strength forever. Ive never seen a human stronger than him since then. This was Draka. As a species that revered strength, the ogres naturally started to respect him. Even though he was a human, he remained in the ogre tribe as a part of the family. He had also taught Kingram, the next chieftain,nguage and magic. For over 100 years. I could only be shocked at this revtion. 100 years? How could a human teach for 100 years? Its possible. Since he wasnt a human. Not a human? I squinted my eyes a bit and asked him, If he wasnt a human what was he? ck dragon Drakagonia. That was his true form. I held my breath. What? Dragon? Werent dragons only creatures of myth? If another person had said this, I wouldve asked if they were joking. But he was the Ancient Ogre Kingram. He wasnt someone to make trivial jokes or babble nonsense. Is that the truth? Since youre a magician, you should know that the origin of magic is from the dragons. Ah yes. But the existence of dragons isnt something that has been confirmed The origin of magic. It was a topic popr amongst gossipers. If the origin of magic was dragons. Or if magic was something humans had sought after and developed. These two opinions had shed for a long time. But there was no resolution, as proving either side was deemed impossible. However, this ogre here who had lived with and learnt from a dragon for over 100 years had finally put the nail in. Its all true. Dragons do exist. Even if they currently look extinct. Look extinct? Did he mean they could exist or could not? It was an ambiguous statement. In any case, I had finally found more about this Draka. But before even the shock of finding he was a dragon and not a human faded, Kingram told me another thing. As I said before, the origin of magic is dragons, but Draka himself couldnt evoke magic, like you. Do you understand what this meant? A dragon that couldnt use magic I wasntpletely sure, but it would be like a human missing something that fundamentally made them human. There were humans in the world that couldnt use magic. But humans without feelings didnt exist. Humans without thought or contemtions didnt exist either. Maybe, a dragon that couldnt use magic wouldve been treated like that as well. Since even I, until recently, was treated like that in the academy. I think I understand a little. As I nodded my head, Kingram continued to talk. Thats why Draka created a power that only he could wield. To use magic and strength in tandem. Thats the ability that youre using. Through this, Draka became stronger. Stronger than any being in the world, Stronger than any dragon in the world. He cultivated enough power to challenge the gods. And did so at the end. However, A little more. A little bit stronger. A little bit more. After bing stronger by his endless greed, Drakas final moments were miserable. After endlessly bloating his strength, Draka was driven to his downfall. He destroyed all the other dragons who treated him like trash and self-destructed. A suicide bomb. A being that perished along with his world. Destroyer of Worlds, Draka. This was the reason why the dragon species could only exist as legends and stories. I gulped while listening to this story. A turbulent whirlpool was stirring within me. Not because of the unbelievable story. But because I couldnt understand the scope of this Endless Power. It was then. A new window popped up in front of my eyes.You have obtained an Achievement. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Mightiest Melee Magician You have obtained an Achievement. Find clues about Draka I You have obtained the title Friend of the Ogre as a reward. You have obtained the skill The Ogres Fury as a reward. You have obtained the spirit of Incarnation of Strength, Straang as a reward. * Title * Friend of the Ogre As an effect of the title, decrease the chance that an ogre would be hostile to you. As an effect of the title, you are able tomunicate with ogres. Tomunicate with them Ogres couldnt speak the humannguage. Well, other than Kingram. But it was true that the ability tomunicate with an ogre in the wild was a unique ability. I didnt know where this would be useful, but it was better than not having it. I immediately checked the skill window. The Ogres Fury Active You borrow the strength of a raging ogre and instantaneously be stronger. For 30 seconds, your strength will increase by 300. This is affected by Body Arts and will gradually increase over time. Cooldown: 3 minutes A skill to instantaneously be stronger It was a generally useful ability. Above all, as I became stronger, the skill also became stronger. I liked that it was a growth type skill. And one more thing.Incarnation of Strength, Straang Whats this? I muttered to myself as I held that pebble in my hand. Kingram nodded as if he figured out what I was thinking. Looks like youve received some quest rewards. Draka would sometimes talk into the air like that as well. Is that so? Yes. Lets see. Kingram moved his massive body and came closer to me. He talked after analysing the small pebble in my hand. Hmm. So its Straang. He was correct. The Incarnation of Strength, Straang. I urgently asked Kingram, Do you know this item? Item? This is no item. Its an incarnation. How could I not know when this one used to stay right next to Draka all the time? Looking at it now, it looks like it sealed itself into a spirit stone after Draka died. An Incarnation What would that be? But hearing that it was sealed in a spirit stone, I could guess it was something close to a spirit. Spirits. Spirits were divine beings, and there were only a few people who could handle them. I once heard that there existed a group of spiritual beings that could handle these spirits somewhere in the northern forests. They were called spiritualists. These spirits shared a fundamental origin with the 4 natural elements, simrly to magic. However, That one is the Incarnation of Strength. They are sometimes called spirits, but they are quite different to the average spirit. Its temper was terrible and so was its demands, as it asked Draka for his strength nonstop every day. But if you can satisfy its demands, itll also promise you endless strength. Not any of the 4 elements, but strength. And for it to be an incarnation, not a spirit. Wasnt this an entity that represented the fundamental concept of strength? I had never heard of such an entity. Well that could also be said about my current abilities. Of course, considering the things I went through thest few months, I wasnt as surprised. But I still asked Kingram, Are you saying an incarnation will be born from this rock? Correct. Originally, incarnations dont reveal themselves to anyone but their masters, so for it to appear like this means that it has met its master. What do I need to do? Even if you dont make a fuss about it, itll naturally wake up soon. Since it has found its home. Kingram was speaking the truth. As I clenched on the rock in my fist, a line suddenly appeared and started cracking open. And in the centre of that opened rock a bear? was a single bear. It looked unnatural considering it was small enough to fit on my palm, but looking at it rubbing itself with its tiny paws after just being born, it was definitely a cute baby bear. However, looking pissed that it was called a bear, Straang red at me in anger. How about not calling me a bear? the bear is talking. Oh my. A bear was talking. Well, it wasnt especially surprising considering the talking ogre. Im not a bear! As I looked at it confused, Straang stood up by hitting my palms. And after that, it put its two hands on its hips and talked while trying to look imposing. I am an incarnation not bound by forms. I could be anything I wanted. Here, watch this! After shouting confidently, Straang strained his eyes open. But nothing changed. Eh huh? S-strange The only thing that changed was that Straangs face had be red while clenching. Pfft. D-dontugh! I could onlyugh at that cute disy. Straang responded with a shaky voice filled with frustration. It''sit''s because I have no strength! Im starving because I was just born. So give me food right now! Food? What do you eat? Your strength. My strength? The Incarnation of Strength, Straang. That is, he grew by eating my strength. Based on the strength that I gained every day from the quests, he said he would regain his strength as I grew stronger. However, After looking me over from head to toe, he pouted with disappointment. Why is the master this time so weak? Master? Me? Yep! Master! Draka, my previous master, was really strong. Well, he wasnt that strong to begin with Whatever. If you want to get my help going forward, itll be good for you to diligently be stronger. I hate weak masters the most. Talking about how I was weak and how he hated weak masters as soon as he was born. Even though it whined, I couldnt stop myself fromughing. So, youre saying Im the master Id need to train even harder in the future, even if it was just to feed this kid. Well, rather than a master-servant rtionship, this was closer to a symbiotic one. If I get stronger, you get stronger. If I could get stronger, I didnt care what it was called. Yawn-! Im gonna sleep for a bit. Im too tired right now. Wake me up when it''s time to eat. Straang talked about how babies need a lot of sleep and flopped on my shoulder, soon falling asleep. I looked over to Kingram andughed from the absurdity of the situation. * * * * * * Kingram was also the same. Keke. Even after seeing it again after thousands of years, its spoiled personality is still the same. As if Straang had triggered his nostalgia, Kingram gave a smile that would have been hard to imagine at the testing grounds. Aughing ogre. I still couldnt get used to it. After looking at me and the sleeping Straang for a while, Kingram spoke up. Seeing you like this reminds me of the old times. You match the figure of Draka when we weed him into my original home, the Sky Summit n. Really? Yes, Ruin Ardell, small destroyer who is continuing the will of Draka. What are you thinking of doing from now on? What do you mean? That power you have will definitely help you grow, but it can also lead you down the wrong path. You may be consumed by that strength. I knew. That at the end of this road, ruination could be waiting for me. Like Draka. When you be stronger, what would you want to do? I collected my breath thinking over this question. Hmm. The reason I wanted to be stronger. The reason I wanted to be a magician was all for the Ardell Territory. To protect my home from magical threats. To be an extraordinary magician just to give the inhabitants of my territory a bit more wealth in their lives. To spread the name of Ardell that no one knew about. To properly show those pigs who ignored and disrespected the Ardell name. Ok. Lets end it there for now. The future after that was not as scary as the choices I had to make right now. There was no reason to fear, and no reason to decline this power. I looked up at Kingram with strength in my eyes. I am different from Draka. Hm? Ill live ording to my own will. For my subjects, for my family, and for myself. I promise you just one thing. I wont be consumed by my strength like Draka. Thats all I can give you right now. hmm. As if satisfied by my answer, Kingram smiled widely and asked me, Small destroyer. Arent you curious why I asked if you wanted 0 points or 100 points? I am. From the view of those arrogant magicians, your magic may look like nonsense and a fraud. But Kingram gave a whimsical smile. It was the best magic for me. Ogres who respect strength. More than that, to witness the magic of his teacher, Draka, for the first time in eons, Kingram saw it as the best magic. An ancient ogre that lived for thousands of years, enough to call it an eternity. Kingram. I had given this piece of living history a gift of a far-off memory. And Ill be looking forward to what kind of role youll y in the future. nted a seed of expectation in time that would flow onwards into eternity. And for that, Kingram had answered my thirst for curiosity. If I put it that way, maybe this meeting between me and Kingram was necessary for the both of us. Thank you. After my words of thanks, Kingram started to move back into his tinum statue. It was time for him to sleep again. Even though Draka was consumed by his strength oh small destroyer, have pride. He was a being stronger than any other. And Kingram, who had gone inside his statue, had opened his eyes and begun his eternal sleep once again. Pride in strength. At Draka, whose existence had now been proven, I dered in my heart, Ill show you. The strength that you have passed on to me. Ill definitely show you. * * * As I left the artifact room, Professor Hydel was standing there, waiting for me. Even though Straang was fast asleep on my shoulder, it looked like the professor couldnt see him. The Professor asked me with a neutral expression, Did you finish your business? Yes. Then, lets return. It was only natural that Professor Hydel would be interested in what I spoke to Kingram about, but he didnt ask. The reason was simple. Because magicians had the right to keep their secrets. We just silently walked through the hallway, and he only spoke to me aftering back up to the 1st floor. Ruin Ardell. Yes. Ill be looking forward to your next test. That was it. He swiftly turned his back after he finished talking and disappeared through the end of the hallway. A cool individual in more ways than one. Looking forward Kingram, and also Professor Hydel. I didnt know why this phrase felt so good to me. It was a phrase I hadnt heard in a long time. Not after I turned 10 years old, to be precise. Thats right. A lot of things definitely changed in thesest few months. I gave anticipation to some people. And Ruin! What did you talk about with that damned ogre? Jason? How dare he say my magic is mixed with water! This damned bastard ogre! Ruin! How dare you raise the ss average like that? What about poor me who only got 7 points? I was 3 points! I was receiving an unprecedented amount of attention from my peers who were out to get me. Can you please let me go? Hmhm. To be able to strangle the archmage Ruin who has been flipping all the records of the academy. I am truly grateful. Stop that. Yes, sir archmage. Pfft. Well It wasnt that bad. Honestly, my academic life became pretty enjoyable. Compared to my prison-like life thest 5 years, it was a little better. Chapter 15 Chapter 15 As I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was the white marble ceiling. And Repeatable Quest Body Training I Since you have be a yer connected to Draka, the Destroyer of Worlds, you need to train your body in preparation for your increase in strength. Punch: 0/3000 Kick: 0/3000 Spin Kick: 0/3000 Quest. My days had always started with the Body Training quest. But something had changed from before. Ah! I was sleeping so good! It was the fact that Straang was with me on my shoulder. Straang had slept for 16 hours straight, but he nevertheless rubbed his eyes as if still tired. To wake me up from my deep sleep this early in the morning Do you even know how much you slept? Im an infant! Everyones like that at the start. Anyways, why did you wake me up so early? Arent you hungry? Arent you going to eat food? Food?! Food. It meant the strength I gained when Ipleted the quests. At the mention of food, Straang bounced upright with open eyes. R-really? It seemed really hungry. I replied to Straang, who was acting ignorant of his desire, I guess you dont want to. Ah- No. Wait! As I stood up to leave, Straang hurriedly jumped up and lightlynded on my shoulder. H-hmph! Who said that I didnt want to eat? See how good it is when you obediently follow me like this? ugh Straang pouted, looking displeased that I was dragging him around without telling him where. But he didnt look the slightest bit threatening, instead looking rather cute. We arrived at the outdoor training area. Straang looked around the training area, excited and wide-eyed. Is it here? This is where you do your quests? Yeah. Its really sophisticated We are in a magic school. All the scarecrows have Perpetual Restoration cast on them, so even if you destroy them with magic, they reform after a short while. Woah, thats convenient. Back in my days Straang went on to talk about his days when dragons used to smoke. Tl/n: this is a change to the Korean saying When tigers used to smoke which means a time so long ago that everything was different. Dragon in this case because of Draka As these magic scarecrows didnt exist back then, they trained against trees in the dense forests. Since it wasnt a very exciting story, I let it go in one ear and out the other while punching the scarecrow. Whoosh- whoosh- Punch, Kick, Spin Kick. After ingraining the proper stances in thest few months, Ipleted 3000 of each set in a sh. Quest has beenpleted. Reward Strength +10 will be given. Hooah Ipleted the quests in no time. My body felt light, even though it was drenched in sweat. The questpletion time had continued to shorten. Enough for me to think I should increase the intensity of my training. As the strength from the reward began to flow into my body, Straang opened his arms wide open. Wow! Its food! Straang had somehow pulled a napkin from somewhere and tied it around his neck. He looked satisfied, absorbing the strength I received from the quest. Nom nom Ah! Now I feel alive. You. Youre better than you look. It was only strength +10, but Straang looked refreshed and even grew, albeit only a little bit. That wasnt all. Maybe because we officially became a family that ate together. A new window appeared in front of my eyes. Incarnation of Strength, Straang is friendly towards you. Incarnation of Strength, Straang is now part of your family. Incarnation of Strength, Straangs information will now be shown. Straang Incarnation of Strength Rank 1* The only spirit in the physical world that responds to the most primitive essence of strength. It bes stronger as the main body bes stronger, and shares everything with its main body. It was destroyed after challenging the godly realm of the Seven Great Powers with the ck Dragon Drakagonia. Rank 1* Unique Skill: *Apaniment *Apaniment: Straang shares 100% of its growth with you. Unique Skill, Apaniment. As Straang grew in power, so did I. Maybe it was because of the effect of this skill. Incarnation of Strength, Straang has advanced to Rank 1*. From the effects of Unique Skill Apaniment, your strength has increased by 100. My strength had increased by 100. The sudden surge of strength flowing through my veins was enough to nearly make me faint.Strength: 780 +++ My strength of 680 had suddenly increased to 780. This was a huge amount, equivalent to 10 days of diligent training. As I struggled to contain my shock, Straang wiped his mouth with his napkin as he finished his meal. What did I say? As you be stronger, I be stronger. And then we be stronger together. Even though it was just one meal? I wasnt just one meal. This is my unique way of growing. Then, every time you grow, I gain 100 strength? Thats right. 200 at Rank 2, 300 at Rank 3, 400 after that Itll keep increasing. Infinitely. Hehehe As his Rank increased, so would the strength. This was it. Before I was resealed, I was over Rank 31. Rank 31. With just that, strength would have been increased by 3100. If youbined all the strength that was gained on the way to reaching Rank 31 Just how much was that? * * * * * * I shook my head at that insane number. Im so strong right now, even though my strength isnt even 1000 Currently, the strength I possessed now far exceeded the standards of normal people. Not just in simply lifting heavy objects, but everything from movement to stamina as well. I couldnt easily make aparison, but even against those knights who trained with their swords their entire lives, I knew my physical strength wouldnt be inferior to them. But if that increases by another 3100 It was a number too big to consider in the scope of humans. As if he had read what I was thinking Looking a bit happier, Straang let out a loudugh. Do you get it now? Hehehe. If you do, feed me to my hearts content! Is there another method? Something else to increase my strength other than feeding you the 10 strength daily. Naturally, there is. What is it? Hehe. Did you think Ill tell you that easily? If you want to know, go get some refreshing water for me right- So, you dont want to eat anymore? Y-you You dare threaten- If you want to eat to your hearts content, itll be better for you to just tell me. You said it yourself. Were symbiotic. Ugh Straang, who wanted to be the superior one in the rtionship, scratched his chin while contemting. He probably concluded that he wouldn''t gain anything by trying topete with me. Hmmm Fine, Ill tell you. You could increase the quest rewards by increasing the difficulty, you could construct special equipment that can increase your strength, and you could also obtain a multitude of artifacts that can help you. You could also stew the tendons of an ogre to make a medicinal drug but these are all impossible for you. Why? Your strength needs to exceed at least 1000. If it doesnt, your body wont be able to survive the sudden increase in strength. Youre currently in a type of infant stage. Like you? Yep. Infant stage. I thought I became sufficiently strong after bing a yer, but it seems I havent even started. 1000 strength. Only after I satisfied this condition, could I try the other methods. My current strength was 780, so it also meant that maintaining the same tedious training for the next 3 weeks was my only method. Of course, if during that time, Straang advanced to Rank 2, my strength would instantly increase past 1000, but since it required too much strength, it was impractical. So its like that First of all, my current goal was to increase my strength to 1000. I had no choice but to diligently train for this goal. As soon as your strength exceeds 1000, the difficulties of quests will significantly increase. All you can do now is prepare to adapt to it in advance. Dontinter that its too hard. Youre telling me to prematurely increase my training, right? Yep. Afterwards, even after receiving the quest rewards, I increased my physical training. I added a 15km run to my training and increased both my kicks by an additional 5000. Pr/n: a little over 9 miles This was despite living a double life of training and academy work that even two bodies may have been insufficient for. Maybe because of this, the training for the repeatable quest felt easy, like they were just warm-ups. And so, another 15 days had passed. Straang eximed at my performance as I relentlessly increased my training regime. You, what are you, really? What? How can you train daily without taking a break? Draka couldnt do this when he first started. Really? That was unexpected. For the ck Dragon Draka to not do it like this when he first started. Of course, it wasnt because of petty reasons like being too tired. Was it the difference in lifespan between humans and dragons? Draka was How do I say this? More rxed than you. He trained for a day and rested for a week. Trained, and went to enjoy himself for a month. The difference between the lifespan of humans and dragons differed from a few hundred to a few thousand years. With the fact that for these two races, the concept of a day was different, the magnitude of the difference was unfathomable. Enough where I dared not try to imagine. This was why,pared to me, who diligently trained, making the most of every single day, Draka could always be a bit more rxed about it. Do all humans exert themselves like you? I shook my head as I thought of those fattened up andzy students at the academy. No not all of them. Really? I guess you have more spirit than I expected. I was worried, since you looked like you could copse at any moment. Why? Because you would starve if I wasnt strong enough? Well, even if I dont eat for a few days, I wont die. I just wont grow. You dont have to worry about that. Ill feed you at least every day. But in return, you need to immediately notify me of any useful knowledge. You wont make me starve? Straang nodded his head, looking satisfied by my answer. Hehe. Nice. Looks like I met a good master. Even though Straang said this, from my perspective, this was training that was much easier than magic. Talent yed a pretty big role when it came to magic. It didnt increase just because I put in more effort, and on the contrary, could lead to putting unnecessary stress on my mana circles by practicing the wrong methods. But strength was different. It was intuitive, unlike magic. It was clear that my growth was in respect to how much effort I put in, and the sweat and tears I put into the training didnt betray me. So, I guess in that sense, it became enjoyable to train day by day without rest? And so, after training like that every day to gain that +10 to strength, I had reached <930> strength. So, the third test starts today, right? Yeah. Finally, The third test, , had begun. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 It would be held at Arenahall, thergest battlefield of the Ignit Magic Academy. Professor Hydel, our Battle Magic Professor, would also apany us, along with the knights of the Poldren Territory, which was located in the vicinity of the academy. There were two main reasons we were receiving the support of the knights. The first reason was for the safety of the students. The second reason was to test the students ability to fight in tandem with the knights. Right about now, Bahl Kali! Thats a disqualification! Who the hell are you attacking! Ack! II apologize! Normally, the magicians attacked the enemies from the rear. Because of this, they required higher uracy than normal. If not, situations may arise where, while the knights and monsters were in a chaotic closebat scenario, friendly fire could ur. This tests purpose was to reduce the risk of these incidents happening and to assess the magicians ability to deal with emergencies on the battlefield. In this sense, this test could be considered the mostplicated and important test out of all the tests currently taken. The urred over a period of 10 days. On the first day, all the low scoring students, those who received less than 10 points from the Ancient Ogre Kingram, were deployed. The monster that appeared before this group on the first day was none other than Its a slime! Itll be at least a bit easier than I thought. Slimes. Usually inhabiting deep inside forests, they lived in groups. Due to their special way of reproduction, there were very many of them. Due to excessive suppression operations of the past, they werent usually seen in big cities, but they still appeared in the rural territories and mountain viges. Thats why it was one of the monsters that you were required to know how to handle properly. Its speed was slow and if you hit its inner core directly, it instantly died. However, if you were unable to kill it in one strike, it spewed a deadly poison from its body, so it could be dangerous if you were not on guard. Maybe they were toox. Some of the students were too caught off guard, looking unsightly for one of the graduating ss. Jason! What are you doing! IIm sorr- Ack! Go away! Kweeek! In the midst of that, my roommate, Jason, showed an ugly scene of being chased down by the slime. Jason Damon, youre disqualified. Aack! Disqualified?! Please give me another chance, Professor! You have no right toin. Noooooo! He had to squarely receive a disqualification. Sigh. Thats why I told him to practice in advance. Eventually, Professor Hydel had to go by himself to suppress all the slimes. He shook his head while talking to them. To not even be able to dispose of one little slime I dont know what you lot have been learning thest 6 years. You can go back. Im not here to babysit you lot. Not here to babysit you. This was Professor Hydels specialty shock treatment, but since most of the students grew used to it, it wasnt effective. Wasnt the slime abnormallyrge? Wow So it wasnt just me. The test was just too difficult. Look at that bulky frame Its like they brought in an Emperor Slime or something. The students were too busy denying their reality. I wanted to grab them by their cors and shout at them until spit covered their face. Hey! Thats not it! You guys were just too weak! Those guys. As the test officially started, the students miserable skill levels were revealed, and Straang snickered while observing this. Kekekeke Do those things want to be magicians? Looks like they wont even be enough as assistants. I really cant understand these times. Back in my day Straang once again went to talk of his times when dragons used to smoke. It was a story about how magicians were weaker these days, and I nodded in agreement with him. My thoughts were the same as yours, Straang. Is it a Kobold Miner next? Yeah. The monsters that appeared after the slimes were Kobold Miners, Silverfur Wolves, Low-Rank Fire Elementals and a Rank 9 Devil Hellkin. Monsters and magical creatures differentiated by the students grades were released for the test. But the test results werent any different than against the slime, and most students failed disgracefully. And then, finally Thest day of the . The day of my test. There were only 13 high-scoring students who were taking the test on thest day. And one thought that went through every one of them was, What monster would it be today? On this day. What would be the monster they face? As the monsters that appeared in the tests were higher level than usual, we had increased expectations of what the monster on thest day of tests would be. Sure enough, as today was thest day of tests, an insanely difficult monster popped out for the test. O-Orc? Orcs. A humanoid monster that still inhabited multiple areas of the continent, living in groups. Even being 1.5 times bigger than humans, they had retained a simr level of intelligence. They had retained their tribal family structure and were always on the lookout for opportunities to plunder human cities. As they were a hostile species, they were constantly at war with humans in most areas of the continent. The orc walked into the testing area, tied with chains on its arms and legs, but still maintained its ferocious imagery. The students started muttering amongst themselves, being pressured by its presence. If its an orc This is an actual battle Th-thats right. Woah This is my first time seeing it in real life. I-I have seen one before. Orcs have invaded my territory multiple times before. We were taught from a young age that orcs were one of humanitys main enemies. We learned of the wars with orcs, our victories against them. And how some of us were still dying to them somewhere in the world. Being 16 to 19 years old, for the young students here, an orc was an enemy they must fight in realbat after graduating from the academy. Maybe thats why the eyes of the 13 students that were taking the test were filled with renewed resolve. No, it was an emotion greater than mere resolve. * * * * * * Orcs are enemies I wanted to kill one day For that day to be today. Right. As soon as the orc appeared, this stopped being a test. This is a war we must win. I learnt that we must kill all orcs. Lets kill it now! The testing grounds started heating up from the slowly increasing hostility and excitement that spread out from everyone. Professor Hydel, who was silently observing everything, flicked his fingers in an instant and removed the shackles from the orcs legs. Kruuuk! Kreek! Uh? As the shackles were removed from the enraged orc, it quickly took a charging stance. Kyaaa! A- Ah! The students who were exuding hostility fell backwards from surprise. At that time, Professor Hydel spoke up. You wanted to kill an orc? A war to win? Dont make meugh. What do you kids know about war? At that moment, Krureeeek! The unshackled orc started charging towards Professor Hydel at frightening speeds. Strength, speed. As abative species notcking in any of these, getting hit by an orc fist wouldnt just end with a few broken bones. But Professor Hydel flicked his finger just as before to cast Frozen Tree and restrained the orc. He continued to speak with an expressionless face. Where did your fighting spirit from when the orc was tied up go? Dont be mistaken. You lot are only brats who wouldnt be able to do anything in a one-on-one situation against an orc. When the orc was chained up, it looked like a monster that we could kill at any moment. But as soon as the chains were gone, the orc instilled fear in us that was greater than any normal monster. It was a different level than the fear from a slime. This was fear that signalled the possibility of death. Suppress unneeded excitement and push aside your personal feelings. You are magicians. Always maintain cold rationality. He was right. This was no different from an actual battle. A battle that could lead to a huge ident at the slightest slip. At the Professors stern attitude, Straang giggled as he enjoyed the situation. That Professor guy. Hes pretty legit. Hes Professor Hydel. Hes a good person. I see. Professor Hydel nodded his head as he looked around at the faces of his students that were pale with fear. Looking satisfied at the oue, Professor Hydel nodded again. Thats a good expression. I hope you maintain that tension going forward. And so, the third test had begun. * * * Professor Elrick Galehill of Potion Crafting, who was observing the , frowned at the results of the third test. st it. That Michael kid To mess up his test again His nephew, Michael Galehill, who must be the valedictorian, showed a weak response against the orc. Michael must graduate as valedictorian. Because it was the tradition of his Galehill house, which was known as the magic family. It was also Elricks mission as a professor. But by seeing the way this was going, a dangerous situation could arise. Compared to Michael, Ruin Ardell had consistently received good marks. There was only one way out of this situation. Since Michael messed up his test I need to make Ruin fail his test as well After he gathered his thoughts, Professor Elrick immediately went to Director Tirion. Director. Are you perhaps thinking of running the test as is? What are you trying to say, Professor Elrick? Isnt it soon Ruins turn? Thats right. Isnt Ruin Ardell that one in a million student who received 100 points from that Ogre Kingram? It isnt right to test such an outstanding student under the same conditions as those who only scored 20 points. Tirion narrowed his eyes in thought. He had instantly recognised Professor Elricks impure intentions from his request. But Professor Elricks words werentpletely wrong. As a tradition of the academy since a long time ago, separating students in the 3rd and 4th test by difficulty ording to the 2nd test results was to nurture the magicians ability to judge a situation. And for a student who scored 100 points, an even more difficult task must be given as part of the test. What you said isnt wrong but do we have a monster prepared for that? We do. What is it? Isnt there an ogre the knights of Poldren caught while capturing the orc alive? At the word Ogre, Professor Hydel, who was only silently listening, spoke up. We cant do that. Cant do it? Why? You said an ogre. Do you thinkparing an orc and an ogre on the same level is the right thing to do? The battle strength of an ogre wasnt something a single 16-year-old student could hope to fight. On top of that, Ruin doesnt have any real battle experiences, unlike the other students. It was only recently he overcame his evocation disorder. Do you really think itll be possible for him to fight an ogre? But Professor Elrick was firm on his stance, with no sign of backing down. Professor Hydel, this is a tradition passed down in the academy for a long time now. It seems yourepletely ignoring this fact. Thats not a big problem. The safety of the student is the main priority. Isnt it for that safety why a professor goes in with the student into the testing grounds? If a dangerous situation were to arise, you yourself could intercept and protect him. Isnt that right? Professor Hydel furrowed his eyebrows at what Professor Elrick just said. He wanted to retort immediately, but stopped himself, as if he challenged it anymore, some foulnguage might have been thrown at each other. The other problem was, Director Tirion seemed to be entertaining this proposal. You two can stop now. What both of you said has some truth to them. But honestly I am also interested in what Ruin will show. Director! Hes the student chosen by Kingram. We need to treat him ordingly. Instead, well dispatch one more professor in for safety and Ill request help from the knight captain of the Poldren territory. From what I heard, he seems to be the only Rank 6 Knight in the eastern area. Hows this? Professor Elrick was smiling after hearing Director Tirions proposal. That is an excellent choice. Hydel gave up trying to talk any longer and turned his back. If Director Tirion said it like this, it had already been set in stone, and the decision couldnt be changed anyway. Hydels gaze moved towards Ruin. However, Tsk. Ruin was grinning unsightly, as if amused by something. Even if he wanted to worry about him, the boy always did something to nullify it. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Orcs. The orcs of old were said to becking in intelligence and were weak to strategicbat, but that was not the case now. As humans progressed throughout their lives, so did the intelligence of the orcs. The orcs of nowadays were fast, strong and meticulous in their ns. A-Ack! Avoid it! They broke through the front line of knights and aimed straight for the backline magicians. Iit dodged that? No way. It dodged an Ice Arrow? They also dodged theughable magic of students just by slightly turning their bodies. Its strength was so immense that it could destroy the formations of knights in an instant, and Professor Hydel had to personally step up and suppress it every time an orc charged too close to a student. Were the orcs this strong of a species? Weve only heard what they were like. Now that I try to fight it, I cant even think of a way to beat it. Me too It was strong. Since the battle experiences of the students were too low, they felt the strength a bit more, but the orcs certainly felt beyond the abilities of the students to subjugate. I also felt the same. This isnt a joke As my turn crept closer, my head was only filled with worry about how I would fight the orc. The other magicians could throw their magic from afar, but I was different. First of all, it had an imposingly huge figure that would make me shudder just by being in its presence. And ayer of dense muscles that made me question if my magic would be able to damage it. I had to fight this orc face on, whose fist, if I exaggerated a little, was as big as my head. Id punched those stationary scarecrows during training, but Id never learnt professional close quartersbat before, so my worries only increased. With this, would I be able to fight an orc? Even though I became a yer, this would be the first time Id fought a real monster in a real battle. However, even during my fearful contemtions, the edges of my lips kept twitching up. Yeah. Honestly, It looks fun. Half worry. Half expectation. This weird nervousness that drained my body felt pretty nice. But not all things were meant to go as nned. As soon as it was my turn, Professor Hydel came and looked for me personally. Bearing bad news. Ruin Ardell. Itll be good for you to firmly resolve yourself for your test. Itll be especially hard for you. What do you mean by- It seems that the academy has ced a great deal of expectation on you as youre a student that received 100 points from Kingram. Your test will be harder than the other students. Meaning, the monster you will face will not be an orc. Pardon? The appearing monster wouldnt be an orc? Then what was it? Its an ogre. I thought I heard him wrong. But I hadnt. Oh ho! For you to fight an ogre as your first real battle! This will be fun. Since Straang definitely heard the same thing. Professor Hydel continued to speak. Including me, the captain of the knights of the Plodren territory we hired wille out to ensure your safety. So, your safety shouldnt be a problem Im only uncertain about if you can take the test properly. I was the unique student who had received max points from Kingram. Thanks to this, it seemed I would receive some very special(?) privileges. An ufortable privilege of being able to fight an ogre that was three times as big as an orc. I chuckled nervously. Ahahah This I cant say I wee it. Itll be a difficult enemy for you. Resolve yourself. For a moment, Professor Hydel looked at me with a gaze that reflected his nowplicated thoughts. Itd end one way or another, Professor. Ruin Ardell, ready up. Yes. As I was called up, I lightly stood up from my seat. Go obliterate it! I walked onto the testing grounds, carried by Jasons cheers. But my triumphant expression faded as soon as I saw the reality of the ogre before me. Was this really ok? * * * * * * KROAARRR! W-what the? The mood of the training grounds instantly became chaotic at the entrance of the ogre fuming with anger. W-what kind of orc is that big? You idiot, thats an ogre! Thats an ogre So Ruins test monster is that ogre? Woah How do you even fight that thing? Ogres wore the bones of their kills as a ne around their neck. The ogre that appeared on the testing grounds had at least ten skulls hanging on its neck. There were human skulls, but also skulls of magical beasts. It meant that this ogre had at least fought and killed ten or more enemies. At that moment, a man with arge build opened his mouth while holding his sword. Oh dear. We brought it here since they asked us to but I never wouldve thought that they would use that guy for the test. Are they saying theres a student in the academy that can face off against an ogre? His name was Coulter Pirante. A Rank 6 Knight who could handle a bluish aura, and the current captain of the knights of Poldren territory. He was the one who captured the orcs and ogre alive and brought them to the academy. Coulter Pirante asked Professor Hydel, I did receive the request from the director But are you really using that guy for the test? We had trouble capturing it, even with a lot of knights charging it together. At the question, Professor Hydel calmly nodded his head. Thats right. This is the Directors order. Seemingly unsatisfied by Professor Hydels answer, Coulter furrowed his brows a little. It seems some risk their lives in the academy. It was a statement with hidden thorns. The ogre was strong. If you got hit by his full swing, your skull would split into two and your spine would be bent the wrong way. Of course, it was a monster you must fight on the real battlefield. But for it to be used as a test subject for a student. How great must this student be! At that moment, Yes. I am risking my life. Hmm? Who are you? The one who answered Coulters thorny statement wasnt Professor Hydel. It was Ruin, who had just entered the testing grounds. Ruin bowed his head to Coulter. I am Ruin Ardell. Im the student taking this test. You are? Yes. Please take care of me. A student with dark ck hair and a decently good-looking face. He looked as if he would snap at the slightest breeze, and to Coulter, who had lived through all sorts of hardships in life, Ruin was just a skinny 16-year-old kid. This kid here is fighting the ogre? Of course, he would get help from himself and the knights, No matter how much he thought about it, Ruin was not a magician at the level of fighting an ogre. On top of that, You What are you doing? Im prepping for the test. Your position is back there, not here. Coulter pointed to the rear position where the students stationed themselves in their tests. But where Ruin was standing right now was not the rear, where magicians should be, but the frontline with the knights. Coulter thought that Ruin was just an idiot who couldnt even find the right position, but the words that came out of Ruins mouth were more than unexpected. Im fighting from here. What? My magic is a bit different. What nonsense Coulters eyes shifted to Professor Hydel. He was asking if what he was hearing was real, and Professor Hydel just quietly nodded. Coulter, not caring anymore, clicked his tongue. Even if you dawdle next to me on purpose, Im not fully confident Ill be able to protect you. That guy there isnt so simple-minded. Yes, I understand. You said before that youre risking your life for the test. Yes. For what reason? Because this is that desperate for me. Coulter quietly observed Ruins eyes. His eyes were different from those blurry and fearful eyes of other students. The spirit seen in his eyes was nervous, but there was no fear. Rather, he looked confident and was enjoying the moment. Hm I guess hes a bit different? And as Ruin took off his robe, Coulter was surprised for a second time. What kind of magicians body Contrary to his previous guess, Ruins body wasnt weak and skinny at all. The robes were covering muscles that werent big, but rather tight andpact. Did he receive some knight training? These questions of Coulter were answered as soon as the test started. Hey, hey! What are you doing right now! As soon as the shackles restraining the ogres hands were removed, Ruin charged straight at it. * * * Coulter felt a swift sense of dread. Damn it! He had never even imagined that student would charge directly at the ogre. He moved his body toote while shouting, Hey! Hey! What are you doing right now! Stop! However, Ruin didnt slow down. Rather, he used Haste magic on himself and quickened his rush. The distance between him and the ogre soon shrank. KROAAAR! The ogre lifted up the boulder near its feet and readied to smash Ruins head as he came closer. Damn it. Coulter unsheathed his de. Fwoooosh! His longsword was instantly covered and gushed with a radiant blue aura. He was thinking of cutting down the ogre in a single strike. If he didnt, the many students gathered around the testing grounds mightve witnessed one of their peers instantly die from a broken skull and bleed out on the ground. However The instant before Coulters aura poured out. In that short instant, huh? What caught Coulters eyes was the huge me flowing out from Ruins hand. In that short instant when Coulter stared dazed at Ruins magic. K-K-K-KABOOOOM! The sound pouring out from the explosion and the rising sand clouds made him clench his eyes closed. What the? As the sandstorm subsided, what Coulter saw as he opened his eyes was none other than a totally unscathed Ruin and an ogre staggering, as if it were on deaths door. There was no way he could know what happened. There was only one thing that he could be sure of. A Melee Magician? Now he understood the secret of why this particr magician had a trained body and must fight on the frontline and not the rear. Coulter ran up to Ruin while frowning a little. You! If you were gonna do it like this, you shouldve told us at the start. It couldve been dangerous! I apologize. But if I told you, would you have let me do it? What? Please wait a bit, the test hasnt ended yet. Ruins sight reached the ogre. The ogre was staggering after being hit by the me magic, but its eyes still reflected its savagery. No, rather, KROAAAAR! He seemed to have angered it more. At the sight of the ogre pounding its chest with increased rage, Coulter stood in front of Ruin to cover him. This looks pretty dangerous. Stand back. From here on, Ill handle this. However, Ruin lightly bowed his head to the worried Coulter. This is my test. What? Please only help me to finish the test. Coulter looked at Ruin baffled. This type of person exists? Chapter 18 Chapter 18 You Do you understand how dangerous what youre doing is? Repeatedly asked Coulter to Ruin, but he wasnt paid any attention. Ruins focus was solely locked on the ogre. Hoo This frustrating kid. Coulter asked Professor Hydel, who was standing at the rear, So, what do we do? Do we really just sit around here, watching him? Professor Hydel was always ready to cast high-level Barrier magic on him and jump in to help, but his eyes were observing the situation with a cold, calcted gaze. It was a gaze full of trust and faith in the boy. Coulter narrowed his eyes and turned to look at Ruin. You Whats your identity? At Coulters question, Ruin responded with a quiet shake of his head. Im just a student who wants to get a good mark on his test. * * * I didnt know what type of courage it was, against this ogre that was at least five times bigger than me, that made me recklessly run in while swinging my fists. Of course, I was nervous at the beginning, Even a little scared. However, there were two reasons that made me turn these emotions into reckless courage. Firstly, it was an ability I had. Friend of the Ogre As an effect of the title, decrease the chance that an ogre would be hostile to you. As an effect of the title, you are able tomunicate with ogres. The title I received from the Ancient Ogre Kingram a few days ago. The ability it gave allowed me tomunicate with ogres. This meant I could understand what the KROAAAR! the ogre was shouting meant. That guy, hes scared. Normal people who couldnt understand the ogresnguage may only see it as a merciless and violent monster, but it was different for me. That guy became nervous from the suddenly changing situation. At the sight of many people watching him, and the magicians and knights that surrounded the area, he was actually getting very scared. Next, my second reason. A quest that suddenly appeared. An Emergency Quest has arrived Now is the Time to Fight The times of punching and kicking the air are over. An enemy that you cannot avoid has appeared. Now is the time to fight. Run up and suppress it before anybody else. Target: Get the first hit against the enemy 0/1 Target 2: Be victorious against the enemy 0/1 *Reward: Strength +30 *Reward 2: Skill: yers Eye A quest that gave 30 strength, the equivalent of 3 days of Repeatable Questpletion, had arrived. Who wouldnt flip out at such an offer? That was why I charged recklessly at the ogre. Thanks to that,Target: Get the first hit against the enemy 1/1(Complete) KROAAARR! The ogre was now beyond enraged. However, I Come at me. I smiled mockingly against the bloodshot ogre who desired to shred me to pieces.Target 2: Be victorious against the enemy 0/1 Right, Now, all I had to do was win. [Human! Kill you!] It only sounded like the simple roar of a monster to others, but to me, that guys words and intention were clearly heard. The ogre started to pour out a bloodthirsty aura against me. And after cracking its neck and readying a charging stance, after taking only a few steps, it jumped to right in front of me in an instant. Fast. Fast enough to question how that huge body could elerate to that speed. [Your head! I crush it!] Of course, I had no intention of letting it do that. Woooosh- The ogres fist missed over my head by the width of a hair. Woah! Did you see that? How did he dodge? Exmations could be heard from the corner of the testing grounds. Having felt the danger, Professor Hydel had cast barrier magic on me But Professor, I didnt get hit. You idiot! Look in front of you! Hm? I quickly refocused from Knight Captain Coulter Pirantes shout. The moment I was distracted, the ogre was charging towards me again. Oops. I hurriedly activated the skill and quickly moved out of the ogres attack range. And then, Hooo lets go. After bending my body like a bow, I charged forward in a split second. Being affected by the skill , my movement exceeded 200% my normal speed. This movement became faster and faster until it was nearly too fast for me to handle. My strength is affected by my movement. It was the effect of the passive skill The Mad Magician. And then, I clenched my fist hard. Ignoring the Rule of Three of Collect, Empower, Process, my casting speed was second to none, and after making two spheres in an instant, I punched my fists straight into the ogres abdomen. Boom! Boom! KUAAAAHR! Sparks flew every time my fists impacted, and the ogre let out a terrible scream, groaning in pain. However, it wasnt the finishing blow. Woah, this skin is really The attacks definitely hit it perfectly, but the ogres skin was hard, like it was made from stone. Well, I never expected to defeat it in one strike. Little strokes fell great oaks. I was determined to keep hitting until it fell. * * * * * * [Humaaaan! Die!] Fully blinded by rage, the ogre ran at me like it was throwing its body. I, instead of dodging, used the entirety of my <930> strength and faced the ogre head-on. BOOM! Strength versus strength. A battle of strength between a human and ogre had urred, and the testing grounds became chaotic at such a strange fight. Insane W-what am I looking at right now? If one were to be pushed back here, it wouldnt simply end with a few broken bones. However, the one who broke in this tense bnce of strength was me. Was it still too much? Even if I could maintain a certain level of strength against the ogre, to suppress it using strength alone was still too much for now. That was why I used to quickly turn my body out of the way. [!] As the strength stopping it disappeared, the ogre lurched forward and hit its body on a tree trunk. Crash! Of course, the thing that broke was the tree trunk. [You rat-like human!] Regaining its senses after shaking its head violently and drumming its chest, the ogre poured out its savage aura and charged at me while swinging its fists. Woosh! W-Whoosh! The savage fists were strong enough that even a small graze would pulverize my bones, but luckily for me, the fists couldnt hit me. It was at a level where I could dodge while my movement was being supported by and . Crash! Another fist crashed into the ogres abdomen, and as the ogre lost its bnce, I kicked at its legs. Crack! [Kugh!] Being attacked just above its thigh where the skin was rtively weaker, the ogre lost its bnce and fell down backwards. It was a dizzying moment, like watching a huge tree topple down. I jumped on top of the copsed ogre and raised my open hands. Crimson hellfire began blooming from between my palms. Now. Lets end this. Skill, . A skill to borrow the strength of an ogre and rapidly increase my strength for 30 seconds. Shwaaaa! My fist zed with a crimson light. An unknown strength endlessly flowed into me, and the immense strength was crying out to be released. Maybe the ogre felt a sense of familiarity at the strength overflowing from my fist. The ogre muttered, [A-are you real human?] Strengthparable to an ogre. And an unmistakably familiar scent pouring out from the skill . As I looked down at the frowning ogre, I gave it a disgusting smile. You werent really expecting an answer, right? [You. Did you understand what I say?] Youre also understanding what Im saying, right? [] A human and an ogre. Both of us were speaking a differentnguage, but we could understand each other. Confused beyond belief, the ogre could only blink at this strange situation. Now was the finishing blow. Mana Burn Explosion. This was the strongest magic I could cast, and also the spell that granted me 100 points from the Ancient Ogre Kingram a few days ago. The effects of The Ogres Fury will be added on. The spell has changed to a violent state. A small key appeared in my palm and I flicked it a little before shoving it straight into the ogres chin with my fist. K-K-K-K-KABOOOOM! The ogres chin, which felt hard as stone, melted and ripped away as soon as my fist touched it. ! It was an oppressively strong power that was enough to surprise even myself. K-K-KABOOM! At the intense heat from the me and the explosion created from my fist, the ogres jaw vaporized, and the burning ogre fell unconscious, unable to even scream. Shooooo- The unpleasant smell of burning flesh spread throughout the testing grounds with the ck smoke. The testing grounds were filled with a deathly silence. Is-is it over? The one who broke this silence was the knight captain that was observing my battle from the closest position. Coulter Pirante. You He walked up to me, looking speechless. whats your real identity? Im just Sure. Youre just a student who wants to get a good mark on the test. Then Ill ask you again. Student who wants a good mark on their test, what did you say your name was? Its Ruin Ardell. Ruin Ardell, ey? My shoulder was throbbing. Anyhow, it seemed like I had excessively used my body as this was the first time I had fought in a real battle. I massaged my stiff shoulders while Knight Captain Coulter Pirante kept asking me questions, as if ovee by curiosity. I dont know the Ardell House that well Has your family perhaps produced any sword masters? Or Archmages? We had none. Im an amateur when ites to magic, so I dont know very well, but this is the first time Ive seen that magic. That immense strength is also a different story Do I need to give an answer? Hm? No, if youre ufortable. Since Im asking, Ill ask one more question. That body art, did you perhaps learn that from someone separately? No. Then is it self-taught? Yes. Coulter scratched his chin andughed, amused at my answer. Is that so His face looked like he was crafting a cunning n. I lowered my gaze from Coulter and looked towards Professor Hydel. Professor Hydel was showing a pretty shocked expression, even if just for a moment. His expression was saying something like, He actually won. But his expression quickly faded and he walked up to me with a neutral face. I thought it would be a tough opponent for you, but you never even gave me a chance toe to help you. You always exceed my expectations, Ruin. Are you saying Thats right. You pass. Pass. I like that. As a faint smile started to appear on my face, WOOOOOAAAAAH! A thunderous shout flowed out from the testing grounds, enough to blow it away. Simultaneously, a half-transparent status window appeared in front of my eyes. The Emergency Quest has beenpleted. Please receive your Reward. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 The quest waspleted. Now is the Time to Fight The times of punching and kicking the air are over. An enemy that you cannot avoid has appeared. Now is the time to fight. Run up and suppress it before anybody else. Target: Get the first hit against the enemy 1/1(Completed) Target 2: Be victorious against the enemy 1/1(Completed) You have been awarded +30 strength. 30 strength had been awarded to me for the quest. With this, my strength had be <960> and only 40 more strength was needed to start the real training Straang talked about. On top of that,You have been awarded the Skill yers Eye. A new skill had been unlocked. Recognising the skill straight away, Straang spoke up. yers Eye! Now youre bing a genuine yer. You know this skill? Of course! Its an authority only the yer can enjoy. An essential authority that was given to those acknowledged by Straang. Meaning, it was a very versatile skill. yers Eye Passive MAX You have gained the ability to see through the nature of everything with the yers Eye. You are now able to gather and digitize all information. You are now able to sense Stealth and track Invisibility. Minimap Unlocked You are able to read the Status Windows of others. The amount of information you can see is restricted by their power. It wasnt hard to figure out what this was. Enemies hiding using Stealth or Invisibility magic will look different to your eyes. Youll perceive them with a faint outline. Sensing Stealth and Invisibility magic. This needed no additional exnation. It was a very simple, but very powerful ability. Next, when I used the Minimap. How can this The half-transparent screen appeared and some type of map was shown. The map showed detailed geographic features of the testing grounds, and even had an indicator for where the ogre was lying down right now. If I was to believe what Straang had told me, this Minimap would show me everything in about a 500-meter radius around me. Pr/n: Approximately 550 yards The next thing I saw was quite the spectacle. Shoulderde Ogre Rank 3.5 / * * * x A resident of the Rainstorm Mountain range, its an ogre with protruding shoulder des. Its size is smaller than the average ogre, and even though its gentler, its also nimbler. Whats this? Heh. Are you surprised? This is the true value of yers Eye. yers Eye. To see through the nature of everything. I was starting to be able to see the Status Window of others. In that Status Window, I was able to see their name, level, and their special characteristics in apiled and understandable manner. Tl/n: level here means just how strong/proficient they are. Not videogame levels. Information was an important variable that could drastically change the oue of a battle. In a real battle, just by knowing the opponents level, special abilities, and behaviour, you could easily gain the upper hand. In that sense, this ability boasted an unapproachable level of usefulness. But, of course, Hydel 6th-ss Magician ??? ??? You cant read this yet. You cant easily gain the information on those whose levels are quite a bit higher than you. Like with Professor Hydel, the information I could see against people stronger than me was greatly restricted. Against people like Director Tirion Ignit, whose strength far surpassed mine, ??? ??? ??? Not even their names appeared on the Status Window. Still, this much was plenty. When considering my current strength, excluding a few professors, there was practically no one else in the academy whose Status Window was hidden from me. And, considering what Straang had told me, The stronger you get, the deeper you will be able to read into others. It meant that, if I got strong enough, I could see anyones Status Window. This, damn To be able to peep into the abilities of others. Even if the greatest magician in the worldmitted their all into creating it, itd probably be impossible to realize. Since it wasnt that far from a gods authority. I scratched the tip of my nose, feeling both the joy and ridiculousness of the situation. In the testing ground, the cheers and exmations towards me were still ongoing. * * * The third test. It seemed the one-on-one fight against the ogre left quite an impression on my underssmen. Um Y-youre Ruin, right? Uh? Yes. In the third test you looked so cool. Um here please eat it when you get hungry. Why are you giving me this? There were many cases where girls from the lower grades who I hadnt seen, nor knew the names of, woulde up and hand me a lunchbox and drink. And then, of course, Kya! Im so embarrassed! The girl would cover her now bright red face with her hands, scream Kya! Kya!, and run away. Why would they keep doing this if they were so embarrassed? Rather, it looked like they were enjoying it. Having witnessed all this, my roommate, Jason, would mutter to himself in a defeated tone, You envious bastard. You wanna eat some? As I handed Jason the drink, he abruptly stood up from his seat and shouted at me, No! If I do that, I would be disrespecting thatdy who handed you that lunchbox despite feeling embarrassed! Why are you so angry Next time! After the next test, Ill definitely receive a gift like this! Ruin! I know about magic talent, but Ill never lose to you in poprity! Just what was he talking about? * * * Use our website for faster releases and to get notified on * * * I bursted outughing while shaking my head. My roommate Jason. He was usually a yboy who liked women and having fun, and would sometimes jump the academy walls to go outside and drink. He mightve been a littlezy andcking in charm, but he was a pretty good kid. For this Jason to make an uncharacteristic promise about the next test, it seemed he definitely felt quite a few things in this test. Towards this Jason, I said one thing. Just try a bit harder. Then, youll definitely do well in the next test. No, I dont need your sympathy This is not sympathy, nor empty words of encouragement. Youre talented enough, so steel your heart and try your best. Really? This was, in fact, the truth. <2nd-ss Magician> It was just that he didnt try hard because of his yboy personality. Jason had an incredible hidden potential. Some days ago, I checked the Status Windows of every graduating student, just in case. The only ones with the status in their category were Michael Galehill and Jason. So, if he tried only a little bit harder, he could get a good grade in the next test. Yea, so try your best. Dont just y around. Seemingly having gained confidence with mypliment, Jason clenched his fist with determination. Alright! Next test, Ill aim for top 10! Top 10. It looked pretty hard for him right now. Well, it was good to have a goal for yourself. I shrugged my shoulders andughed yfully as my answer. Jason smiled, looking a little embarrassed. Anyways Ruin. Sometimes, I still cant believe it. Believe what? Youre still the same Ruin I knew thest 6 years, right? Yeah. Sometimes, it was hard for me to believe it too. The difference between my life thest 5 yearspared to the recent few months was too vast. My burning passion inside was still the same. But the way other people looked at me had changed. From the worst failure of a student. Its not rare to hear that, if it keeps going like this, Ruin, they say youll push past Michael Galehill and be the valedictorian of the academy. To a top student who waspeting for the position of valedictorian. Since I wasntpletely out of the loop, I knew about this as well. Michael Galehill, who had consistently retained his top scoring position for thest 5 years. And me, who oppressively broke through during graduation season where the marks mattered more. The battle between me and Michael for the position of Rank 1 was currently one of the hottest gossip topics. Who was better? Who was stronger? Michael is ahead for now. Ruins getting pretty serious. The reason everyone was frequently discussing this was because Well, this year is that year. The year the Magic Festival and Olympiad ovep. The year of the Grand Festival. The Raynac Grand Magic Festival would open this year. In the 5th month of every year, a Magic Festival was held where all the outstanding students of the continent were gathered from the famous academies to decide superiority amongst themselves. And once every 8 years, magicianse to the Olympiad topete against one another in multiple events. And this year, the Magic Festival and Olympiad ovepped. This was called the Grand Festival. The Grand Festival was a nationalpetition for the students of the most famed academies. The academy that was victorious in the Grand Festival received an enormous sum of money and multiple preferential treatments. Of course, the opportunity to attend such a huge event wasnt given to all students. 1 for individual events. 30 for group events. Only the top 31 students of the academy could attend. Because of this, the main topic of conversations was The one who was participating in the individual event. Who do you think will represent our academy this year? Surely its Ruin, right? The representative of the academy. The student representative is independently picked out from within the academy. Of course, this meant that, until now, the academy representative was Michael Galehills role, and I havent been considered for the 31 in the group events a single time. However, because of my sudden rise, the situation had changed this year. Between me and Michael. Who would represent the academy? Because of this question, you could hear both my name and Michaels everywhere you went in the academy. Of course it has to be Ruin! Thats right. Hes the only magician to get 100 points from Kingram as well. In simr scenarios like this, Jason and a few other students were suggesting that I be the representative. Mostly for one reason. Look at our performance when Michael was sent before. How shameful. The performance Michael showed when he attended the Magic Festivals could be considered the worst in history. There was no need to even discuss the group events, and even in individual events, out of the 5 times he went, he cedst in four of those times. And the one time he wasntst, he was secondst. That was how we got the international level nickname, Acadummy. Tl/n: in the raw, its an amalgamation of the Korean words forst + academy The prestigious name of the academy that the great Archmage Frolian Ignit founded had long since lost its shine. If you went outside the kingdom, there were many more famous and prestigious magic schools. If I were to pick a few representatives, there was the Raynac Magic Soldier Training Centre from the strongest nation, from the Raynac Empire, and the Seiki Womens Residential College, whose skills were always outstanding enough topete evenly with the winning team every year. Considering the current level of our academys students, we didnt have the right to evenpete in individual or group events. Ruins our only chance of escaping the Acadummy status, dont you think? Thats right. Ruin, what do you think? Acadummy. To remove this shameful nickname that had been attached to the front of our Ignit Academys name for thest 6 years, To carve into the continent the name Ruin Ardell by representing the academy. A desire was born. Because this was a dream all the students who wished to be magicians dreamt about at least once in their life. However, The tests havent finished yet. It was too early to be sure and anticipate it. The representative of the academy that would attend the Grand Festival was based on the test results of term one and the rmendations of the professors. The term one tests hadnt finished yet. The 4th test still remained. Which was, the against Michael. Lets focus on the next test first. The goal was to be victorious in the next test. For now, that was the only thing that needed to be done. Use our website for faster releases and to get notified on Chapter 20 Chapter 20 The preparations for the 4th test finished smoothly. Even now, whether it was about the Grand Festival or Valedictorian, the academy was noisy with talks about me and Michael. However, I chose to stay focused on what I needed to do. Which was, Quests. I trained for 4 more days after my strength became <960>. And finally, You have attained 1000 strength. You have attained the title The Preparations are Over. The Repeatable Quest will upgrade to level II. The difficulty of Repeatable Quest will increase by double, and the reward will increase by triple. The Incarnation of Strength, Straang is promoted to Rank 2 ** Your Strength will increase by 200 as a reward. As my strength reached 1000, Straang was promoted to Rank 2. Thanks to this, my strength instantly increased to <1200>. So, your strength finally reached 1000? Yeah. To be precise, it became 1200. This is where you start for real. Look at your quest. The difficulty and reward shouldve increased. I opened my Quest window. It was true. Repeatable Quest Body Training II You have matured to a basic level of body strength required for battle. However, training never ends. Continue to strive forward. Punch: 0/5000 Kick: 0/5000 Spin Kick: 0/5000 15km Run: 0/1 Real Battle Training: 0/1 * Reward: Strength +30. As the quest entered the second stage, the number of punches and kicks I needed to do in a day increased, and a 15km run was added too. But thanks to Straangs recent advice, I had already increased the punching and kicking to 5000 each, and since I was steadily increasing how much I ran, it wasnt an unbearable amount. Rather, it became a favourable situation where the training amount felt the same, but the reward had increased threefold. However, there was one quest that I didnt understand at the start. Which was,Real Battle Training: 0/1 Just what was I meant to do? At that moment, Straang, having eaten his fill after advancing to Rank 2, told me while rubbing his bloated belly, Burp~! That was nice. I told you when we first met, right? That I could be anything? Yeah? You did. I can do it now. Materialization transformation. The now Rank 2 Straang could stop looking like a teddy bear spirit and could transform into a Materialization form that one could touch and see. Then, can you transform into a human form? Yep. If I be Rank 5. But for now, its impractical for me to transform into aplete human. Then what can you transform into now? Should I show you? Straangughed jokingly. Before I could respond, a red smoke suddenly covered his body. The smoke seemed to spin around Straangs body, and after a bit, he appeared with apletely different form. Which was a scarecrow? The form of a scarecrow. It looked slightly different to the normal wooden scarecrows, as it had both arms and legs attached to it. Considering he was the Incarnation of Strength, I expected him to take a more divine form, so a scarecrow was quite unexpected. As I showed a puzzled expression, Straang spoke to me. Dont ignore me just because Im a scarecrow. Do you know how big of a help I was when Draka first did his Real Battle Training? Real battle training? So, what youre saying is youre used for training? Yep. To be more urate, its for your quest. Ah. Thats right. The objective of Straangs current transformation wasReal Battle Training 0/1 To be a scarecrow used for the Quest. So going forward, I need to do battle training with you every day? Thats right. From now on, once every day I needed to diligently spar with Straang. Im too weak currently, so its only to the level of a 3rd-ss Magician or Rank 3 Knight butter, when I regain all my strength again, anything would be possible. If you wanted, even demonkind or dragonkind. First, a humanoid scarecrow. Next, a real human. Eventer, a myriad of monsters and also demons. Straangs unique nature allowed him to be free of a singr form. If certain conditions were met, he could transform into any shape and size. This also meant he could be used for training to increase my battle proficiency. Wow. A jackpot. Michael was a magician. And a pretty capable magician at that. Since I was a failure as a student for the past 5 years, I had never fought one on one against another magician, and in this situation, I had to prepare for the . But now, that training was possible. An ability that appeared just when I needed it most. I didnt have to worry about anything else. I said to Straang, Then, lets do it right now. * * * Use our website for faster releases and to get notified for * * * Which one? The Magician. As I requested the magician, Straang created a fissure in the air and a huge wooden staff appeared in his hands. Sure. And then, without warning Hap! Started pouring out magic against me. Straang shouted, Even if you get hit by my magic, it only does enough for knockback and cant damage you. So, dont worry about it! Only a knockback, even if hit by the magic. Even if I hit Straang, he didnt take any damage. Indeed, a situation that allowed for endless training. So is that it? I red my strength into both fists. <1200> An immense strength that I had never felt before twitched in my hands, and with it, I charged directly into Straang. At that moment, I thought about Michael Galehill. Michael Galehill Would he have prepared enough? As I prepared to face Michael, he would definitely also be preparing to face me. Whether it be with a good method Or a bad one. * * * The Professor of Potion Crafting, Elrick Galehill, exploded in anger from his frustration. Shit! Damn it! He had seeded in pitting the ogre against Ruin. But who could have guessed the oue? For an academy student who was inexperienced in realistic battles to show a simr battle strength as the ogre and even defeat it in a single strike. He even received additional points that revived his grades. From a different point of view, it looked like Professor Elrick had wished for Ruin to get a good mark and thus helped him. Thanks to that, Ruin Ardell had currently reached heights unreachable by others, and was receiving the attention of everyone in the academy. However, the biggest problem was To face this Ruin Ardell of all people The fact that Michael Galehill, his own nephew, would be facing Ruin in the 4th test. If it continued like this, it became quite obvious that the Galehill family would receive humiliation in the 4th test. Naturally, this meant that attending as the representative for the Grand Festival that began on the 7th month wouldnt happen. And there was now a chance that they could also lose valedictorian. This was something that mustnt ever happen. I need to somehow turn it back. The Galehill family must be at the top of the academy. If Michael Galehills skills werecking, Elrick, as the professor, needed to make it happen. The best magic family of House Galehill had been the best in the Radian Kingdom from long ago. And it would be the best in the future. Using any means necessary. Knock Knock. At that point, someone knocked on Professor Elricks researchb door and he replied as if he had been waiting. Come in. The one who entered into the researchb was none other than Micahel Galehill. Michael grumbled in annoyance as soon as he saw his uncle. So, what do we do now? You damned kid. Is that something you should be saying right now? If you were just a little bit stronger They say you made a significant contribution into raising Ruins grades. W-what? Arent they right? That it was your idea to make Ruin go against the ogre? Thanks to you, Ruin got the best marks in all of history, and if this truth enters the Galehill house, youre definitely going to be in a tough position. A kid like you dares to threaten- Thats not important. What are we going to do now?! Are you going to keep letting that Ruin bastard run wild? If that guy really bes the academy representative and attends the Grand Festival No, that wont happen. Professor Elrick shook his head and reached for a potion bottle in his drawer. Kekeke, take this. The bottle had a small flower drawn on it, but it was a strange drawing of the flower drinking blood. This is the Herb of Awakening, Burning Flower. The Herb of Awakening, Burning Flower. Growing in the northern Lands of Hallucination, it was a rare and precious medicinal herb. Some also used it to create special elixirs. It created an awakening effect in the user, rapidly increasing their mana collection rate to decrease casting time, and pushing their mana evocation to the absolute limit. The effect also dulled the senses to make them forget their pain. It granted enormous power, but it also had a notable side effect. I-if I drink this they say its hard to distinguish between friend and foe. Due to its hallucinatory effects, it became hard to distinguish friend from foe. The excited state that rushed into the user numbed their reason. Because of this, it was a dangerous potion that was only used on the battlefield or in the direst of circumstances. Professor Elrick nodded his head. Thats right. Simply, you wont be able to see very well. Huhu. It seems you havent been dozing off in my sses. B-but why? No way You want me to drink this? I do. Michaels confident face faded instantly. A-are you crazy? Drinking an unauthorized elixir resulted in disqualification. And if it was a very dangerous elixir like this? Even harsher punishment. Potentially enough to lead to expulsion. However, Professor Elrick only narrowed his eyes and said, Are you in a position to pick and choose? Havent you seen how that bastard Ruin fights? Do you want to lose to that kid, humiliate the family, and be kicked out? B-but Ill get caught for sure. Ill get caught by the other professors. Did you forget who I am? That checking all the potions is my job? Elrick Galehill. Professor of Potion Crafting. The inspector who checked all the students'' potions and decided if they could take it or not. However, Michael Galehill shook his head. Professor H-Hydel will definitely know my level of strength. Hell d-definitely notice I changed. Do you think I didnt prepare for such a small thing? Professor Elrick pulled out another bottle. It was a ss bottle with no markings on it containing a clear liquid. This is a potion that will conceal the fact that you took a dose of the hallucinogen. Drink this after drinking the hallucinogen. Youll never be found out. Professor Elrick was thinking of using all sorts of methods. If they ask how you got so much stronger? Who cares? They dont have any proof. You just dont need to get caught. Huhu. No matter how dangerous the method was Michael Galehill, even though he had made up his mind, was starting to get scared at the unexpectedly excessive and dangerous elixir. I-is this the only way? However, Professor Elrick made a snake-like wicked smile and tried to calm Michael. Dont get too scared. Your brothers, your father, your grandfathers, they all also won like this. You need to be an outstanding magician, isnt that right? An outstanding magician. What being an outstanding magician meant was being one who used any means necessary to win. That kind of magician. Doing any dishonorable act to stand above others. If you could stand above others, the cheating here became justice. This was the tradition of House Galehill. The only way they survived. Use our website for faster releases and to get notified for Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Finally, the day of thest test, , had arrived. After I entered the , where the tests would be held, I looked at the one who stopped me in my way. Did youe to say hi before the fight? Michael appeared before me in his signature swagger and cocky face while looking more confident than usual. Your recent academy life has been pretty fun, right? What? Am I wrong? I heard your poprity is pretty high. Everyones trying their best to be on your good side. Wow, what was this? It looked like he thought I stole the fame that shouldve gone to him. Fame. Even though I had no interest in that sort of thing I wanted to respond with some provocation. How about you? What? Dont you want to be on my good side before its toote? As I showed an innocent and naive smile, Michaels forehead started to crack. You little And the rage of thisd, You. Dont you know who I am? No matter how good your marks are, in the end, its my father who has the Radian Kingdoms magic world in his hand! The one who needs to be on the good side isnt me, but you! Do you understand?! Exploded spectacrly. Like, Boom! Im not deaf. Can you say that a bit softly? He was right. The influence of the Galehill family in the Radian Kingdom was enormous. Even the academy, which should be pure of influence, was still within reach of the Galehill family. And it got worse in the Royal Court and the Magic Tower. However, what could I do? My end goal wasnt the magic world of the Radian Kingdom. It was the whole continent. I asked while smiling brightly, Sure, that can also be called influence if you say so. Even though its all rotten and corrupt power. But Michael are you included in that influence youre talking about? What? Dont you need to be recognised as a magician to be epted as a real Galehill family member? But what about you? Since a long time ago, bad rumours had circted about House Galehill. They cruelly treated and abandoned family members who were talentless in magic, and if another familys kid showed talent, they would take them and raise them as one of their own. Also, to prove their ability in magic, they must graduate as the top of the ss. In this sense, Michael Galehill hadnt been epted by his family yet. My fathers recognition? As if my words hit the mark, Michael Galehills face soon became crumpled in anger and started to grind his teeth. That recognition. I just need to get it today after defeating you. Really? Im looking forward to it. As I twirled around, Michael said one more thing behind my back. Ruin. What? The disrespectful behaviour youve shown today. Ill definitely make you regret it. Just how much had he prepared to be so confident? I just shrugged my shoulders at Michael. Sure. Do whatever you want. * * * The most important point in a Magician vs Magician spar was Casting speed. And on top of that, the discernment to deal with the opponent when they start casting a Defense spell. However, for this sparring, I needed to look at it from a different perspective. Because, no matter what I did, I was still a magician who casts in the melee range. I needed to look at this from a Knight vs Magician standpoint. The ones Draka had the most trouble facing were High-ranking magicians. Especially magicians who were good at Restriction magic to keep distance from him. Restriction magic that hindered my movement. Freezing magic that froze my body. Spells that summoned tornadoesbined with other magics that could stop knights from engaging in closebat. And so on. Your opponents will know you will try and fight them in closebat. If they prepare for it, the fights wont be easy. Just as Straang said, if Michael had prepared well for this fact, the situation would definitely beplicated. However, on the other hand, Youre saying its possible if I can get close? Well, yeah. Since theyll fall to one punch. If I could approach them, itd be my victory. I stretched my arms above my head and looked around at my surroundings. The distance between Michael and me was around 100 meters. Pr/n: approx 110yd If I wanted to narrow this distance efficiently, I needed to use the terrain features effectively. The was one of the prides of the academy. The benefits included all flow of magic power here being controlled and the lethality of attacks being reduced by 99%, so safe sparring was possible. It also contained various terrain features that could be used by magicians to simte realisticbat. Pirs, boulders, tforms Other than the myriad of terrain features, they also had a few small dirt mounds, so it was an area where we could fight using real tactics. I prepared for the spar by memorising the position of these features. To understand the surroundings and use them for my benefit. This was a basicbat tactic. At that point, a professor who had stepped in as the judge spoke up. Is everyone ready? Yes. As soon as I replied, Michael, who had his eyes closed, slowly opened them, and nodded. Michael and I locked eyes simultaneously. * * * Use our website for faster releases and to get notified for * * * Eh? Michael Galehill. He stared with a fierce gaze, and didnt conceal his killing intent. However, Somethings off There was an unusual atmosphere around him. From his eyes, he looked anxious about his surroundings while also being drenched in a thick aura of madness, and the tips of his fingers were shivering. I knew. That Michael may have looked to be a consistently arrogant and cocky guy. But he actually was a coward who only acted confident to hide the fact that he had a timid personality. No matter how much he hated me, he was not one to show such insane killing intent. I activated my yers Eye and read Michaels Status Window. And thats how I figured out why Michael was showing such an appearance. Michael Galehill 3rd-ss Magician Potential: High Specialty: Double Casting Special Condition: Berserk (Hidden) Berserk That category only appeared in the Status Window under one circumstance. It was when someone consumed an unstablepound during Potion Crafting ss. On top of that, with Hidden written next to it, I could easily guess that he took an illegal potion and drank another potion to hide the fact that he drank the first potion. The one who checked for potion doping before the test was Professor Elrick. Who is the uncle of Michael Galehill. Damn it This was the reason Michael was unnaturally confident. It all started to make sense. Then, the judge continued to talk. Ok. The only magic banned in the spar is ck magic. All magic based on the 4 Elements are allowed and we consider the level of magic that hits the opponent to measure your score. However, if you use a spell with the intent to kill, you will instantly forfeit. Any questions? I swiftly raised my hand. I have a question. What is it? If one were to consume an illegal potion and this fact is discovered, what happens? They forfeit their right to take the test and are failed. Depending on the severity, an examination to determine expulsion could also proceed. But, why do you need to know? Its nothing. Michaels eyes narrowed at my question. It was like he was saying, You, how did you? Huhu. Why should I answer that? Thats right. The only thing I had was nothing but a hunch. Theres a limit to asking them to believe this Status Window that only I could see. Thats why, for now, I needed to find evidence. Conclusive evidence. Ok. Everyone to their positions. At the judgesmand, Michael and I both stood in our ready positions on the circr disk. And then, NNNNNNGGGGG The batteries that hade to life coupled with the sound of mana resonating, and the judge shouted in a loud voice, Sparring, begin! Ruin! Die! The first to act was Michael Galehill. * * * The magic Michael had cast against me. Frozen Tree. The branches that bursted out from the ground tangled the opponents ankles and slowly reached out and around their whole body, restraining them. It was the most basic Nature Type Restraining magic, but the effects were significant. In a single moment of hesitation Ssssssshuk. The branches shot out from the ground in an instant and wrapped around my ankles. It was hard to believe even with my eyes how fast it was. Michael Galehills first strike had sessfully hit. The next one will end you! After determining I was perfectly bound, Michael started to cast me magic. However, Shuk. I lifted my leg out of the binding with a kick. And then, Crack! Crunch! W-what? The branches made a crunch sound and all the roots started to break away from my ankles. Michael wasnt the only one surprised. H-how did he untie them so easily? Did Michaels spell not hit properly? No. The magic hit its target perfectly. However, there was a variable that Michael had failed to consider. My strength. +++ At some point, my strength had increased to 1200. I didnt really know what strength of 1200 meant, but after gaining 300 strength from using , I was able to fight the ogre on equal footing. The could suppress my magic, but it couldnt suppress my natural strength. That was why breaking a few branches was really nothing to stress about. You bastard Die! Seeing me easily nullify his own magic, after being shocked for a split second, Michael finished casting his me magic and poured it out on me. Fire Breath! Fwoooosh! Fire Breath. A huge skull materialized above Michaels head, and that skull started to spew out burning fire. F-fast! Was Michael always this strong? It was an area attack spell that was hard to dodge, and this time too, the casting speed was faster than normal. I dodged this with the Haste spell and took cover behind a pir I saw before. As I hid behind the pir, Michael taunted me, madness in his voice. Ruin! Are you going to keep hiding? L-looks like you only know how to hide! However, I did not reply and started thinking while standing outside his range. The casting speed became faster This meant he drank a potion that increased his mana collection rate and quickened his mana empowerment. Also, the area affected by his me magic had also widened. Increase in casting speed and magic power. As someone who had gotten full marks in all the written tests in thest five years, there wasn''t a potion that I didn''t know about. After a brief calction, a few potions came to mind. Get out here now! Ruin! Lets do a real battleeee! Seeing Michael being excessively more excited than usual, I could pinpoint it to one specific potion. Herb of Awakening, Burning Flower. If it was that, it could exin everything. The side effects of this potion. Shaky hands, excessive endorphins leading to excitement, suppression of pain receptors, and lowering their ability to distinguish between friend and foe. They all matched up perfectly. There was only one thing left to check. Pain suppression. After I finished my calctions, I walked out from behind the pir and said to Michael, Michael, I thought you were too confident So, its because of that? What? Burning Flower. With that phrase, Michaels expression crumpled like paper. And I smirked, looking at that Michael. Iming, Michael. I threw my body at him. Pr/n: In the past, we tranted Magic Tower to be a type of building. However, we have since learnt that its a specific building and have corrected that mistake in previous chapters. Sorry for any confusion. Use our website for faster releases and to get notified for Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Herb of Awakening, Burning Flower. As this potion exhibited an explosive awakening effect that allowed the user to exceed their bodily limits, it also carried a fatal weakness. Which was pain suppression. Just hearing about it may make it sound like an upside. However, this was only an upside to soldiers who had resolved themselves for death. And in this ce where the flow of magic power was suppressed by 99%, in the , this ability was not an upside, but a downside. At least when fighting against me. He shouldnt have drunk this potion. Why? My strength isnt suppressed at all. A whopping <1200>+++ If you were hit by my fist that could face evenly against an ogre, all the damage would be taken by the body without being about to feel the pain. Iming, Michael. I used to instantly leap towards Michael. As if having waited for me, Michael used his specialty to show off his double casting. In one hand, an Ice Wall. In the other, a Fire Barrier. Ching! Fwoosh! The two conflicting elements rapidly flowed out from Michael, and Crrrrrash! The ground froze over in an instant, and an icy wall erupted before me, blocking my way. The spells hadpletely stopped me from approaching him. However, Its useless. Theyre gone if I destroy them anyways. I spun my body 360 degrees in the air while I was running, and using that tension, I pivoted my body and smashed the ice wall in one blow. Crack! Shatter! The thick wall of ice shattered into pieces like a ss window, and the students could only exim at seeing such a disy. Woah, what magic is that? I-is that even magic? He looks like some rhino. Even without casting magic, my physical strength was enough to destroy the ice wall. It was enough to make Michael flustered. You-you bastard Michael panicked hard while spreading both palms in front of him. As he did that, a massive lizard climbed out from behind the fire barrier he had cast before. Keaaaaa! 3rd-ss magic that created the image of a me lizard and turned everything nearby into a sea of fire. Speed, Destructive power, Size. They were all impressively strong. However, this too could not stop my advance. I leapt into the mes without slowing, and I mmed the ground with my fist to cast an introductory 4th-ss spell called Earthquake. Ba-Boom! Centered around my fist, a high-speed sound shockwave exploded out, and the winds created by it started to smother the mes. Simultaneously, the ground began to shake, and the sandy floor of the testing ground shot up and started extinguishing the mes of the Fire Lizard. Wow! He countered the fire element with an earth spell. That wasnt all. Ah Ack! As the ground suddenly lurched, Michael Galehill lost his bnce and started to stagger. Now, its your turn, Michael. Ipressed my body, and as if fired from a bow, I charged towards Michael at high speed. Michaels face had solidified in fear. D-donte here! Michael stared at me with a face as pale as if he had seen a ghost, and towards that Michael, I lifted up my right hand. Uh-uh Uh! Michael bent his shoulders and clenched his eyes shut at the sight of my fist, but Dont be a pussy. I didntunch my fist at Michael. Rather, I bent my middle finger under my thumb and smiled brightly. Let me flick you on the head once. And I aimed at his forehead after I focused all my strength on my middle finger. F-flick my head? Before Michael could finish talking I fired the cannon sealed in my middle finger by my thumb. CRAAACK! UCK! A flick containing a whopping 1200 strength had flung Michael off his feet as he gasped out. About three or four steps away. After getting hit by a flick and flying for about 5 meters, Michael hit the stump of a tree and went unconscious from hitting his head. Stillness immediately dominated the testing grounds. What was that just now Did-did it finish? O-of course its finished He just hit his head and No. It hadnt finished yet. If he had consumed the Herb of Awakening, Burning Flower. Michael wouldnt have felt the pain just then. He should be up by now. Sure enough, it was as expected. Ruin You scared us M-Michael stood up! The one who broke the atmosphere of silence was none other than Michael Galehill. Even though he copsed from nothing more than a flick, he stood up as if nothing happened. And, as he shook his head trying to regain his senses, he spoke up. You dare look down on me? Just a little flick Right. Just a little flick. He didnt know if it was little or not. Since he didnt feel any pain. However, the damage had umted in his body. Doing more than this was definitely dangerous for Michael. You You shouldnt have done that. Without hesitation, I ran up to Michael and nted my fist into his abdomen. Bang! Heup! Experiencing another dizzying situation where he couldnt even breathe, Michael flew backwards again. This was just a beating. However, Michael Keke Do you think you can win with such a soft fist? He snickered while maintaining his half-gone consciousness without being able to fall unconscious. I approached Michael. Firmly gripping both of Michaels shoulders, I cast Frozen Tree. Chchchchuk! In an instant, the tree branches sprouted from underneath Michaels feet and perfectly restrained his body. The branches then hung him freely in the air. However, Hehe, kekeke Excited by something, Michael was constantlyughing. Tsk. If he fell unconscious instead. If he didnt stand back up again. The fight would have ended long ago. It was an image that vividly showed the horror of Burning Flower that pushed the user to the verge of death. After constricting Michael, I turned and shouted towards the judge, Michael has consumed a forbidden potion. * * * Use our website for faster releases and to get notified for * * * What? The impact of this statement was quite huge. There were murmurs from all around the testing grounds and the judge looked paralyzed for a second, and after deliberating, asked me again. Are you confident he did? Yes. I am certain. However, during the potion test before the test, everything was confirmed to be in order. There are many ways to make potions that can fool the potion test. Of course, only if the materials were provided. What youre saying right now is Yes. Someone who could handle multiple rare materials by themselves. Theres only one person in the whole academy. My gaze locked onto Professor Elrick Galehill. All of a sudden, all the other people looked towards him. P-Professor Elrick? Nah, no way. Even if he is his nephew Professor Elrick, after feeling too humiliated, sprung up from his seat. You- You dare doubt me, a professor? And immediately used the Teleport spell to appear in front of me, closely approaching me. You say Michael Galehill used a forbidden potion and I overlooked it? I dont know if you overlooked it, or if you helped him get it. So, you have proof? Yes. Professor Elrick flinched at my confident attitude, but trying not to be pushed back, he shouted even louder, Then! Well recheck it right here right now. Well do the Potion Test right now! However, I declined this. No. Theres no need to do all that. Even if you recheck it, itll juste out to be normal. Didnt you hide it? With the Flower of Whitening. The Flower of Whitening. To fool the Potion Doping Officer, you needed at least this rare of a potion. At the mention of this name, Professor Elricks eyshes shivered a bit. However, he didnt back down. Then what do you want to do? Bring me the evidence! Evidence. He was confident that there was no evidence that Michael had consumed a potion. I shrugged my shoulders and stifled a littleugh from Professor Elrick. Sure. Lets do that. And then, I strutted towards a nearby tree trunk. Watch closely. I raised my fist against the trunk. However, I didntunch my fist at it. Instead, I just did the same little flick as I did against Michael. After priming my middle finger like a bow, I aimed directly at the tree trunk and fired. PAK! My finger directly hit the tree trunk, and with an explosive sound, a defined hole that could even be seen from far away appeared. The testing ground was once again filled with murmurs. H-h-h-how did he How can he make such a hole with a flick Thats right. Just one little flick. I turned to Professor Elrick and asked him, Did you see? My question carried this meaning. How can Michael, who got hit by such a flick, be still awake andughing without falling unconscious? That kind of meaning. Naturally, thats because he had consumed the Herb of Awakening, Burning Flower. Professor Elrick was a smart person. So he should have understood what I meant, but he decided to act a fool. W-what do you mean by that? Theres no way you wouldnt know Your acting iscking, Professor. What do you- Herb of Awakening, Burning Flower. It increases the users casting speed and magic power by one level. I wont talk about how Michael showed off the magic that was above his level since you could just brush it off with a basic excuse like he trained a lot. But this? As an example, I threw a punch at the tree trunk. rack! The tree trunk instantly splintered into pieces, and Professor Elrick could only stand with his mouth agape at such an insane sight. Burning Flower has a property that suppresses the users pain. I talked while lifting my fist. Thats why he is just hanging thereughing without being able to fall unconscious. Of course, as the professor in charge of teaching potion crafting, you would know about this potion better than me. You know, right? That its only the pain that cant be felt. That the damage continues to umte. Professor Elricks face became pale. His eyes looked towards Michael Galehill. He was still drooling while smiling and letting out uncontrolledughter. However, if he realized what sort of state his body was in, would he be able tough like that? His skull would be shaking. On top of that, about four or five bones should be broken near his abdomen. I restrained him with Frozen Tree to stop any broken bones from bursting his lungs but theres not much time, Professor. My tone wasnt that of urgency but rather rxed. Y-you You wretch! Professor Elrick, after being ovee by resentment, hurriedly stretched his palm towards Michael and undid my restraining magic. Kelkelkel Professor Elrick Galehill rushed to check the state of Michaels body. I restrained myself a bit while speaking to this Professor Elrick. Even seeing this, are you going to deny it, Professor? Professor Elrick Galehills face hardened, as if he had just seen a ghost, and I looked on at Michael, who had copsed. I said that it was necessary and unavoidable to prove he had used the Herb of Awakening, but Tsk. A bitter taste remained in my mouth. Use our website for faster releases and to get notified for Chapter 23 Chapter 23 After having confirmed Michael had used Burning Flower, I intentionally didnt use any direct Attack spells. Because if I had faced Michael with magic in this where magic power was reduced by 99%, it would have been harder to reveal he had used the potion. Thats why I purposefully only used my strength. It was a dangerous method that could have injured him greatly. Just one little flick. Just one small punch. It was an excellent strategy to bait out the mastermind who was sitting rxed, as they didnt even know that they were caught in my trap. D-damn it! Michael! Hang in there! Professor Elrick Galehill. He interfered in the test, fearing that his nephew could really die. This made way to an enormous storm. Professor Elrick! A huge voice of anger echoed throughout the . The origin of this voice was none other than Director Tirion Ignit. Having figured out everything that was going on, he couldnt hide his wrath and abruptly stood up from his seat. How dare you To cause such an incident on this sacred testing ground D-Director F-first Michaels treatment needs to Shut your mouth! Woah, Director Tirion, sir. He who always showed a smile of benevolence. For that Director to have such a terrifying side like this. This was really my first time seeing it. Send Michael Galehill directly to the infirmary, and Professor Elrick, follow me to my office. Yes! At themand of the Director, the testing grounds began to move in order. The medical officers who were on standby lifted Michael up and carried him out on a stretcher, and the Mana Guardian Spirits who were guarding the testing grounds surrounded Professor Elrick. However, the scariest thing here was Kelkelkel Its not over yet . Even while being carried out on a stretcher, Michael was stillughing uncontrobly. I asked the judge, Is it over? Uh? Ah, sure. Ehem. The judge who was looking at all this with a dazed expression cleared his throat and loudly shouted, T-test over! * * * Like a storm, the 4th test passed through the academy. For a while, there were only beliefs about the Galehill familys corruption, but through this test, evidence was found. And this led to the interrogation of Professor Elrick. And through this, the myriad of malpracticemitted by Professor Elrick in the academy was allid bare. This also meant the Galehill name could never enter the academy grounds ever again. Michael. I heard hes getting expelled. There was only one term until graduation Its pitiful, really. The rumour that Micahel Galehill could be expelled became widespread. The rumour was spread by an elder of House Galehill after they came to the academy personally, But it was not confirmed yet. Since Professor Elrick Galehill was trying to shoulder all the me and assert that he had forced Michael to drink the potion. By doing this, he was trying to save even just Michael. Well, whether or not he was expelled The power that the Galehill name held in the academy would soon all disappear. Michael wouldnt be able to graduate as valedictorian. And he wouldnt be selected to represent the academy in the Grand Festival that was opening in a few months. Thanks to this, I gained the nickname Expulsion Bringer. Ben Polt, who tried to kill me with magic before. And now, Michael Galehill too. All who tried to confront me ended up expelled. Um. Should I be happy about this or not? You know the school atmospheres kinda chilly. Yea Even though the long and arduous tests were over, the academy atmosphere felt cold and quiet. This was from the magicians of House Galehill visiting multiple times a day. All of them were keeping an eye on me in the same way. Are you Ruin Ardell? I am. At first, after asking for my name, they didnt especially approach me and just observed me from afar. However, I could guess that each and every one of them harboured some ill intent towards me. What the hell! Theyre the ones who did the bad deed, and now they want to me it all on you? Dont worry about it. Jason grumbled looking at these people, and I shook my head to just leave it be. House Galehill. Their entire family wouldnt be damaged just because of this one disgraceful incident that happened in the academy. To them, itd only be a little scratch. However, for me, I was definitely marked by the Galehill family. Since I had expelled the third son of the Galehill family (even though it wasnt my fault), and even fired the professor they nted in the academy It was only natural they wanted to get rid of me in any way possible. I didnt know what kind of disruption theyd set-up for me in the future. Im bound to sh with them at some point. It doesnt matter. I decided to not pay it any mind. Since Id have to go against them at some point in the future. Also, no matter how much House Galehill tried to flex their strength, they were still only limited to this small Radian Kingdom. I would be much stronger. And if I climbed to an even higher position, they wouldnt be able to even touch me. Thats right. Ruin. Yeah? The Director is looking for you. The Director? It was time to climb higher. * * * Use our website for faster releases and to get notified for * * * Tirion Ignit. The descendant of the Archmage Frolian Ignit and the director of the academy. As well as someone who could be the only one in the nation to not conspire with authority. An incorruptible magician. For such a person to invite a student into his own office was a very special asion. There was only one reason. Academy representative. Only the most outstanding student could talk in an individual, one-on-one with him. I immediately went to the main building to reach the highest point in the academy. The directors office was on the 41st floor of the main building, and there were no stairs leading up to that floor. There was only one path to the top. There was only the Mana Road, situated in the middle of the main building, that led straight up to the top. Of course, to use this, you needed permission from the director, but I had already been invited. The Mana Guardian Spirits who were guarding the Mana Road made way for me. Entry. Permitted. I stepped onto the Mana Road. <41> <1> On it, there existed only two numbers. It meant the 1st floor and the 41st floor. Without hesitation, I delicately imbued mana into my hand and pressed the number that said <41>. Since the Mana Road used the casters mana to activate, if they werent a magician, it was impossible for them to even get on. Wheeeeeing- The gate closed after it recognised my mana. Euk. And it shot up very fast, enough to make me dizzy for a second, and ced me at the very top. It was truly in the blink of an eye. Just as I was about to feel dizzy, I had instantly arrived at the 41st floor and the door on the Mana Road opened. This was the first time I hade to the 41st floor of the academy. However Whats this? Something was off. As the door opened, the sight I saw was definitely the Ardell territory. The endlessly-vast, beautiful south sea. Large and small inds connected like a painting over the horizon. Wide farnd appeared if you retreated a little from the shore The warm and quiet sight of the countryside. But one thing was off. In the middle of the field, not matching my hometown Arde small countryside territorythere was a huge chair just stationed there. I knew this chair better than anyone else. It was the Throne of Teron. The King of Magicians. The seat that only the most powerful magicians on the earth could sit in. The seat which was most suited for the magician who garnered everyones attention. Why was this in the Ardell territory? At that point, What are you looking at, Ruin? yes? I turned my head at the familiar voice behind my back. And there stood Director Tirion Ignit. Director. As I greeted him, the Director gave a benevolent smile and talked to me. Were you surprised at seeing something unusual? Yes a little. At some point, the scene of the Ardell Territory and the Throne of Teron disappeared, nowhere to be seen. The only thing I could see was the magnificent view of the forest surrounding the academy when looking down from the 41st floor. The 41st floor. This was where the Eye of Malleroc was independently recreated. Do you know about the Eye of Malleroc? Ive heard about it. The Eye of Malleroc. The chancellor of the demons that first invaded the Frelia continent was Malleroc. They say he could use a special power to force a target to have visions of what they desired the most, deluding them and controlling their mind until they died. After the demise of Malleroc, his body parts were scattered between the tens of nations of the Frelia Continent. And all of them were manufactured into artifacts. Between them, the one who obtained Mallerocs Eye was the Ignit Magic Academy. The Eye of Malleroc was recreated on this 41st floor. The thing this artifact showed me was, The Ardell Territory with the Throne of Teron. Why would the Eye of Malleroc show me this? The Director exined to me, I dont know what you had just seen but Eye of Malleroc shows you the world you want to see. The world you just saw should be close to the world you wish for. Eye of Malleroc, which was said to show what you wanted to see. It was talking about my desire. The wish to be a stronger magician than anyone else. The wish for the Ardell family to stand atop the center of the world. Looking at it like this, the artifact really showed the naked truth. Because it really felt like I was naked. I really do like this ce. The Eye of Malleroc shows me what I want to see. The world I desire. Are you curious as to what that is? I am. A world where students act like students, and magicians act like magicians. It was easy to understand. However, it was a hard world to put into practice. I came here with a light heart, but a part of it became heavy. Then, Director Tirion looked at me with a soft smile. Ruin, I do like you a lot. Is that so? A student who acts like a student like you is quite rare in this academy. Well, a magician who doesnt act like a magician, like me, is also quite rare. Hm? Is that how it is? Huhuhu Lets get going. At my joke, Director Tirionughed a heartyugh, and started to walk in front of me. This unique space that was created through the Eye of Malleroc. The 41st floor of the academy. It presented an endless charm. For just a moment, it invited me to the Throne of Teron being in the Ardell territory, And now, it was leading me towards the Grand Festival that would open in the 7th month of the year. In that space, I had entered as the representative of the academy, and was confidently victorious. As we approached the door to the office, I could see myself standing confidently in front of the hundreds of students of the Ignit Magic Academy and was graduating as valedictorian. It really was an odd sensation, like it could see deep into my innermost thoughts. Sit here. Thankfully, the Directors office was normal. A neat study and a normal table that didnt try to surprise me. After sitting on the soft brown sofa, I sipped the warm tea the Director had gotten for me. And that moment hung. The director gave me time to calm myself. And I nodded after drinking about half the tea. At that moment, the Director asked me with a more serious expression, Ruin, I want to ask you just one thing. Could you answer it for me? Okay. How did you detect that Michael used the Burning Flower? Use our website for faster releases and to get notified for Chapter 24 Chapter 24 The fact that Michael had used Burning Flower was not detected during the drug test before the fight. However, I was able to discern this. And in the end, I was also able to catch Professor Elrick Galehill as his supporter. I exined everything about how. Except for the Status Window, of course. Michaels atmosphere was quite different to what Ive seen from him for the past 5 years. He always looked overconfident, but I knew he is closer to a coward who wants to hide his timid personality. Lets say that because Burning Flower has an awakening effect, his personality changed a little. So, he looked a bit unusual However, it would be pretty difficult to be sure. Yes, it was difficult. However, if we consider the level of magic Michael was showing off normally, its really not that hard. In an instant, his mana flow became unusually fast, and I even saw it be empowered. So, what youre saying is, when you went up to take the test, you went in knowing and anticipating the highest level of magic he could cast? Yes. The eleration and empowerment of mana. Even the awakening effect which showed a weird unstable symptom and a bit of madness. After seeing all this, I had my suspicions. Director Tirion paused his words, as if a little surprised. Only a 16-year-old. To figure out the minuscule changes that happened to an opponent in an instant. It was a hard feat that even senior magicians struggled with. Even if that opponent was a ssmate who you spent thest 6 years shoulder to shoulder with. However, the skill was the final factor that confirmed that Michael had used the potion. I dont particrly need to tell him about it. Whatever the case, it was because of my knowledge that I figured out the potion was Burning Flower. However, you werent just suspicious that Michael had used the potion, but you were confident he used Burning Flower. Why is that? Thats because of the speciality of the that reduces magic attack power by 99%. Michael wouldnt feel pain from magic. Thats why I used my physical strength. The rest was history. Using my strength, I hit him with a pain that he wouldnt be able to endure without the potion. And Michael was able to endure that pain. Meaning, if he hadnt used Burning Flower, it couldnt be exined. On top of that you figured out the supporter who gave him that potion. Using Michaels life as bait, I imnted fear into the supporter, and could catch Professor Elrick Galehill as well. Observation,posure, caution, unique courage, and even an unparalleled talent for magic. It may even be discourteous to you to frame you as just the student who acts like a student that I talked about before. Thats not it. It was quite a simple prediction. The point I feared most was that it was too simple. Anyone couldve predicted it, but it was carried out too easily. Too simple. Director Tirion nodded his head in agreement. Sure. It was simple. Since it has been happening repeatedly and without hesitation, they would have thought it would be even easier. This is truly a terrible thing. I didnt want to talk about the ipetence of the academy. The fact that this type of thing happened so easily at the academy which should uphold fairness and justice more than anywhere else. It was proof that the way magic was treated in the Radian Kingdom was a mess. It was also proof that there was nowhere the Galehill familys influence didnt reach. As the director who is leading this academy, this incident is quite regretful. Towards the students and towards you. I have nothing I can do except apologize. I am sorry. I gave a light smile and bowed my head a little as my answer to his apology. I knew better than anyone else that the dream of the Director was to make a school where students acted like students, professors acted like professors, and magicians acted like magicians. My throat was getting dry. I reached for the teacup again, and the Director made a promise to me that he would prevent House Galehill from carelessly approaching me, just in case. And then, he reached under the desk for a rolled parchment, unfurling it. Did you know that the Grand Festival is opening on the 7th month this year? Right. The time hade. * * * The Grand Festival A huge event in the magic world thatbined the annual Magic Festival with the Olympiad that opened every 8 years. With all the magic schools on the Frelian continent as the subjects, 32 schools were selected using domestic and international evaluations. These 32 schools thenpeted for a whole month in a tournament, aiming for victory. The two mainpetitions for that would happen at the Grand Festival. and . Only 1 person was selected for the individualpetition. It was apetition only the representative of the academy could enter. The grouppetition was different. The top 30 students academically were selected to enter. There were so many benefits for the victors that its too tiring to list them all, but the main benefit was the glory of being the magician who was victorious in the Grand Tournament. Thats how prestigious thispetition was. Only 1 representative from each school was selected for thepetitions. Meaning, each school did their own internal sorting for the representative. The main basic quality a student needed was good grades. And then, the teaching facultys rmendation. For me, I would like if you entered the Grand Festival as our school''s representative. I was directly rmended by Director Tirion. Of course, because I was expecting this to a certain degree, I wasnt too surprised. Since Michael was disqualified due to his malpractice in the 4th test. The only worthy one left was me. I replied in the calmest voice I could muster. First, thank you for honouring me with this suggestion. Its nothing. However, as you know, Director, Ick experience. I do not have the abundant battle experience Michael Galehill had. Is it still ok? The gap in thest 5 years. Because of Magic Evocation Disorder, it hurt to even think about the empty period where I couldnt participate in the real battles. Since the level of the students currently in the academy was low, we could show somepetitive spirit against each other. But as the name suggested, the Grand Festival was apetition where all the geniuses of our generation came together topete. I- I was once a genius who could shake the Radian Kingdom with gossip about me. But against them, I was nothing special. Since they were also geniuses. However, Director Tirion shook his head. That wont be a problem. Looking at your performance this test period, it wouldnt be too far to say you could be a winning candidate. A winning candidate? Wasnt it too much ttery? However, the Director nodded his head with confidence. Trust me. I am also one of the judges at the Grand Festival. I can definitely say it. Youre a very strong candidate for 1st ce. Above all, the most fearsome quality of you is Director Tirion continued with a confident expression on his face. From their perspective, you will be a secret weapon that appeared out of nowhere. * * * * * * Ah, I finally understood. The other representatives from the other schools would naturally be acquainted with each other. Doom Prime from the Raynac Magic Soldier Training School. Irene Prius from Seiki Womens Residential College. Each academy had a face that represented them, and afterpeting with each other every year in the Magic Festival, they could already guess where each others levels were. This was the same for the Ignit Magic Academy. The image of Michael Galehill as our representative was known, and because of our history of alwaysing inst, they wouldnt really be keeping a close eye on us. However, if I were to suddenly appear? To them, youre an ambush. Information about you doesnt exist, and they wont be familiar with methods and strategies that could counter the magic you use. Yes, I understand. Then, would you attend for us? This situation, where the Director personally requested a student to represent the academy in the , was quite baffling from an outside perspective. Since please let me enter wouldnt be enough in most cases. I nodded my head and said, As you have trusted me, I will try my best. I thank you. Director Tirionughed with satisfaction and handed me the parchment. This parchment was packed with all the information I needed for the Grand Festival. Read it. Itll be beneficial for you. Thank you. I dont know if you know this, but up until about 50 years ago, our academys performance was quite brilliant. I had forgotten for a moment. In the lobby of the main building, multiple trophies of the Magic Festival and Olympiad were on disy, as well as multiple pictures that were taken multiple years ago. I spoke up while thinking of this. When the Director was a student in the academy you obtained second ce during the Grand Festival. Thats right Its quite an old story. Director Tirion closed his eyes while reminiscing. Lets see, if my memory is correct At the Grand Festival that opened about 50 years ago, Director Tirion had gotten second ce in the , and this was still the academys best performance to date. The magician who beat the Director and won the Grand Festival was Teron Artemis. A graduate of the Raynac Magic Soldier Training School, and the current King of Magicians. The owner of the Throne of Teron. And the one who looked down upon everyone else from the top of the Magic Tower. The Fire King Teron. Even though I was a magician that caught quite the attention from everyone Teron was on a different level. It felt like an unscble wall. He is the King of Magicians after all. Wasnt the Directors generation the golden age of magicians in thest 200 years? Facing and defeating those distinguished magicians to achieve second ce is in of itself a truly brilliant achievement. That may be the case. For this year, I definitely want to regain the glory of those days. Director Tirion thought back to those days approximately 50 years before I came here. The glory of obtaining second ce on that day. Pressure? No. Rather, anticipation burst forth. Right. After that day 50 years ago, Ignit Magic Academy had been on a downward path. Would I be able to change that just because I was going? I vowed to not ask such questions. Yes. I will bring glory. Even wishing I could might not have been enough. At my confident answer, Director Tirion gave a full smile that showed his uniform teeth. Thank you. It was then. Knock knock. Someone knocked at the Directors office. You came just on time. As I looked at the Director with a dubious expression on my face, Director Tirion said as if expecting it, Come in. The one who opened the door and entered was Professor Hydel. And one more person. Eh? It was a person I had never expected. Have you been well, student who wants a good mark on their test? A man with arge frame, 1.5 timesrger than the average young man. Name, Coulter Pirante. Currently the Knight Captain of the Poldren territory. The sole 6th-Rank Knight in the East and had been by my side when I faced off against the ogre for the 3rd test a few days ago. But what was he doing here? He wasnt someone who woulde find me for personal reasons. Even more so for official reasons. Ah, yes good to see you again. Hm? Whats with your face? Are you really happy to see me? As I waited for an exnation with a stunned look on my face, Director Tirionughed, as if finding this situation funny, and exined. Greet him. We invited him to be your martial arts professor until you go to the Grand Festival. what? A guest martial arts professor. What did this mean? I requested his help because you looked like you needed Martial Arts Lessons more than Magic Lessons right now. Was I mistaken? What? Ah no. Its not that As I stuttered in confusion again, Director Tiron and Professor Hydel bothughed, looking amused. Hes definitely a 16-year-old student in situations like this, isnt he? It does seem so. It was because it was too sudden. Chapter 25 Chapter 25 After we came out of the Directors office, the guest professor Lord Coulter Pirante and I went towards the reception desk on the first floor of the main building. Lord Coulter had a name tag with Guest Professor written on it on the right side of his chest. It gave him a bit of authority that let him enter specific areas within the academy that normal people wouldnt be able to. Ehm. So this is how it feels to be a professor. Finding his situation amusing, Lord Coulter rubbed his name tag while smiling a bit. It was quite an undignified expression that bordered on stupidity, but as soon as we entered the reception room and sat opposite each other, his gaze had a sharp dagger hidden within it. Good to see you. Then, should we start getting to know each other genuinely? Yes. My name is Ruin I know. Ruin Ardell. I heard itst time. What I want to know is different. After the testst time, I returned to my territory and analyzed the injuries on the defeated ogre. and then? I didnt have time to think during the test, but I found something funny. The fatal injury given to the ogre wasnt through magic. Its bones were broken. That ogres jawbone. Those sharp and direct words towards me. He was definitely a knight captain. Someone who was impossible to figure out. I closed my speechless mouth. During the test, I had cast Mana Burn Explosion and punched the ogre with it in its jaw. Mana Burn Explosion was a spell that inflicted fatal burns through an explosion, so it was not normal for a sturdy ogre bone to break because of it. However, the bone had broken. Lord Coulter knew this fact too. The spell you had cast. I went and researched it a little bit Its a spell that inflicts burns through an explosion, right? Then how did the rigid jawbones of the ogre break like that? Lord Coulter narrowed his eyes. How did you do it? It didnt seem like a feat you could pull off with your strength alone. He was asking me how I could break an ogres bones with just the strength in my fist? I contemted how to reply. As I struggled to talk, Lord Coulter receded his serious gaze and smiled brightly. Well, its not a question I desperately wanted the answer to. If those other professors havent been asking you about your outrageous strength there must be a reason. No, is it impolite of me to even ask this question in the first ce? Yes, it is. That so? I apologize. Lord Coulter epted it quickly with a bored smile. Neither Director Tiron nor Professor Hydel had asked me about my power. This was in part because of the ideology of magic that researched a myriad of topics and subjects. Thankfully, it seemed a simr concept also existed within the knights. However, as a guest professor who will be instructing you in martial arts, I need to know the basic status of your body. Immensely strong. Is that all I should know? I nodded. At that reply, Lord Coulter narrowed his eyes and asked, Stronger than me? Nod nod. As I nodded again, Lord Coulter asked once more, seemingly itching with curiosity, Then, stronger than an orc? Nod nod. At that, Lord Coulter stood up, looking like he would explode at any moment. Then even stronger than an ogre? You should know since you saw mest time. As I stayed silent and stared at Lord Coulter, he suppressed his excitement and sat back down. If such a young kid says hes that strong, do we need to do an arm wrestle or something Even Im pretty confident in my strength. I dont think my curiosity will let me stay still. Youll regret it. Hm? You. How could you draw such a conclusion for me? What would you do if Im stronger than the ogre? Sir Knight has also drawn conclusions about me already. And I could really be stronger than an ogre. Im not bluffing. Really? Then lets go! Face me! Lord Coulter rolled up his sleeves and put his arm on the table. Please dont regret it. Your arm might break. I very gently grabbed his hand. Would he have felt the difference in strength here? As I weakly started to insert strength into my grip, Lord Coultersplexion changed and started muttering something like, Yeah, lets just stop here. Damn, you cocky kid. Nothing wrong with going easy on you What was this guy? However, I didnt sense any malice from his tone. It just looked like Some screws were loose. However, this joking tone was just one of the things that defined him. The main image that the name Coulter Pirante possessed was the fact that he was the only 6th-Rank knight in the eastern part of the continent. Nicknamed The Shield of the East. If we consider that only 5 6th-Rank Knights existed within the Radian Kingdom, the level of skill he possessed became obvious. Maybe thats why the look in his eye changed whenever talk about training started. Well, Im over this meaningless arm wrestle. I heard from Professor Hydel He said youre a special case of a magician where you can only fight in melee range. Is that right? Yes. From what I sawst time, your movement is quite good. Its concise and without unnecessary movement, to the point where its hard to believe you learnt it by yourself. The punching and kicking I had practiced for thest few months were all affected by my quest. The counter incremented towards the 3000 only when the movement was precisely what was needed. I used only constant repetition to find the perfect movement that progressed the counter. Thats why there was no unnecessary movement and it was urate. However, its limits were also clear. Lord Coulter pointed this out straight away. However, to be honest, it bes very apparent that you had no martial arts training. Thats why its predictable. It could have worked on a simple-minded ogre who had never had to face a magician like you, but against a skilled and observant knight, your movements would all have been seen through. True masters can know where and how you will attack by just looking at your shoulder and hip movements. It was a fresh shock. Right. The movements that I made were all honest. It was as if Id learnt the movements from a textbook and had mastered it. The movements I could use in real scenarios were alsocking. However, if I were to learn proper martial arts? If you learn from me, your movements will change from the basics. Then A question naturally arose in this position. Why? Hm? Even if you teach me martial arts, it wont be of any benefit to Sir Knight. Since youre a guest professor, you wont be receiving that much money from the academy either Youll have to bear with the inconvenience and difort ofing into work at the academy. Youll be shouldering all that just for me At my question, Lord Coulter muttered while rubbing his mustache, A young kid like you is already considering the costs and benefits between people Yes? Im saying theres no need to consider everything when an adult is lending a helping hand. Kugh Fine. If youre that curious, Ill tell you. Lets say its an investment of sorts Lord Coulters expression became serious. I met someone who could be a great magician, and if I could be of help to this future magician wouldnt it be a worthwhile investment? * * * * * * Right. I understood. Lord Coulter may require my help sometime down the line. And what he said was right. Right now, there was no need to be so shrewd to calcte everything when an adult was lending a helping hand. I would enter the Grand Festival as the representative of the academy, and they had specially invited a guest professor in case it would be helpful. Lord Coulter was also holding onto some expectations and specially teaching me too. It seems you dont see me as a reliable person. If youre worried about the lessons, you dont have to be. I was the youngest to obtain the 6th-Rank position in the east of the Radian Kingdom No, thats not the problem. Hm? Then? Right. Lets not try to think too hard. I couldnt deny that this would definitely be a great opportunity. I stood up from my seat and bowed my head towards Lord Coulter. Then, Ill be in your care, Sir Knight Coulter No. Guest Professor. Then, seemingly embarrassed by the words Guest Professor, Lord Coulter twisted his body a bit. Uh. Wow. Its a bit awkward hearing it like that. Just call me Brother. Brother? Why? Even if Im like this, Im still in my 20s. Theres no way. * * * Sir Knight Captain Coulter No. Brother Coulter came to find me at the academys outdoor training area every day at 11am, as promised. First lesson. The thing Lord Coulter taught me first was none other than Footwork. Do you know whats the most important thing for a knight? Um the eyes? The eyes are important. However, the most important thing for a knight is their feet. The foot. The overall bnce of the entire body is maintained by the lower body. The part that helps in putting strength into your sword is also your foot. The direction of the foot is also used to predict your opponents next move. The importance of the foot is too much to even exin. Thats why you need to first learn how to walk properly. The most ideal way of walking. A way of walking with concise and steady steps while using the minimum amount of strength. A light way of walking where the shoulders were rxed and the most surface area of the foot at any one time was used. To find this method, I walked around the academy for the whole day. To erase the thoughtless way I walked for thest 16 years and find a new way to walk was an insanely difficult thing to do. Lord Coulter would constantly follow behind me, and when I stepped carelessly p! Ack! I didnt know where he found it, but he would smack me on my shoulder with a bamboo stick that made quite the pping sound. Hehe Again! He was snickering like he found my situation funny. However, one thing was for certain. As I put more thought into the way I walked, there were some benefits that I started to notice. After learning footwork, the next thing I learnt was a basic martial art based on the Heavenly Martial Arts that wasmonly taught to all the knights at the training center. Excluding sword techniques, the Heavenly Martial Arts consisted of a total of 36 martial movements. This was news. The fact that a simple kick, punch, and spin kick had this many variations. I knew that the knights didnt simply learn how to wield a sword, but for them to learn such systematic martial arts Using the newly learnt footwork, I began training in a variety of punches, kicks, and spin kicks. Thanks to this, Body Arts VII Passive The Body Arts skill had suddenly raised all the way to level 7. Unlike the random movements, being taught properly in a professional lesson allowed my experience to greatly increase. For learning new things to be this fun. For thest 6 years, I only studied magic. Learning something unknown, something outside of magic, was quite an enjoyable experience. Lord Coulter seemed to be enjoying our meetings too, and at one point, he said, You Arent you learning pretty fast? Am I? Are you a knight or a magician I dont know if its because you never cked off on your daily exercises or not, but your foundations are pretty solid. Looks like we can intensify our training a bit. Thats good. We dont have much time left. So What are you thinking of doing after graduating from the academy? After I graduate? I dont know? You What are your thoughts on entering my knight order? Ill specially raise your wages to two times the normal. Hm. I dont like that. Huh? For a kid to be this sly. Ok, then, how about 3 times? Im fine. How about 4 times? If its this much even I I said Im fine. If its 4 times the normal rate for a beginner, even Lord Gagun wasnt paid like that! Why is such a young kid so greedy Speaking of Lord Gagun, he was the Radian Kingdoms only Sword Master. The fact that he received 3 or 4 times the normal pay when he was a beginner knight wasnt of interest to me. The moneys not the problem. Then? I have a lot of things I want to try out. What do you want to do so badly? Hm I dont know. You nonsensical kid. Dont make me so curious. Start over again! Okay. Hehe. In my 16 years of living. I spent 10 years in the Ardell Territory. And the other 6 at the academy. Unlike everyone else, I had never traveled, and had never even been to the capital city of the Radian Kingdom either (they say I went with my father when I was young, but I didnt remember it). Looking at it like this, the Grand Festival, opening on the 7th month of the year, may be my first real time traveling I still had a lot of things to experience. And a lot of things to see. Thats why I nned on thinking deeply about it for the remaining few months. p! Again! Well, after fully learning Martial Arts. Chapter 26 Chapter 26 3 weeks had passed since the end of the first semester tests. In the past 3 weeks, I diligently learnt Martial Arts from Lord Coulter. I also learnt the 6 forms of the Heavenly Martial Arts that were the standard for the knights during this time period, and now I only needed to practice them in real scenarios. Thanks to this, Skill Body Arts has increased. Body Arts has reached level 10. Title Whole Body a Weapon has been attained. As a reward, the effects of the skill The Mad Magician will be empowered. As my Body Arts reached level 10, I obtained a pretty unique way of fighting thanks to the title.As an effect of The Mad Magician, you are now able to imbue magic into any part of your body. That is, the passive effect obtained by the title Whole Body a Weapon.You are now able to materialize your magic in every part of your body. For example, your trapezius muscles or your cor bones. Until now, the areas I could imbue my magic onto was restricted to my hands and feet. Thanks to the effects of reaching body arts level 10, I was now able to materialize magic from any part of my body. This was a significant change. Straang had said this before, Draka was a type of living bomb. A bomb? Why? Normal martial arts couldnt damage Draka at all. Think about it. Whats the point in kicking him? If you touched Drakas body, magic would activate, as if you lit a bombs fuse. Like casting magic through your abdomen Just a small act like bumping shoulders was enough to engulf them with fatal magic when magic could be cast on oneself. Meaning, if they touched me, I would explode. Is that possible? If your strength is good enough, definitely. I could fight like Draka. The fact that I could cast magic from my entire body would mean that I needed to rapidly expend all the mana I collected, which could lead to lots of wasted mana. However, this meant little to me. My mana was rted to my strength. And my strength was supplied at a near-limitless speed. Thest 3 weeks. If I were to pick out another thing I gained, it would be my rapid increase in strength. The basic 30 strength I gained daily due to the daily quest. And Straang had recently advanced to Rank 3, so my strength swiftly exceeded 2000. Currently, if I were to have a rematch against the Shoulderbone Ogre, I was confident that I would never lose. And thanks to my growing tenacity, even if I used magic nonstop for an hour straight, I would not tire. Seeing this, Straang looked quite astonished. You. Isnt your rate of growth too fast? The time Draka took to get 2000 strength was over a year and a half after he met me. A year and a half. I wasnt surprised. Because this didnt mean I was stronger than Draka. It was just the difference caused by the gap in perception of time between a human and a dragon. Whatever the case, it was encouraging to hear that my growth speed was fast. Well, your body has also gotten pretty good. It was as Straang said. My figure that was smaller and skinnier than others a few months ago had be strong and solid, to the point where you couldnt evenpare the two. Straang talked while obviously checking out my whole body. Hm the body of a human is very interesting. For it to be able to change this much in such a short amount of time. Its truly beautiful. Of course, I sometimes got surprised when I took my baths. Like, this is my body? However I dont want to hear that from a guy. I didnt especially want to hear that from a male spirit. As I muttered in a woeful tone, Straangs face became redder. What are you talking about? Im a girl. What? Wait, hold on. Did I hear that wrong? Ignoring the fact that a spirit even had a gender How did you be a girl? What do you mean how? I was like this since I was born You didnt say! You didnt ask! This was the first time I was done in by Straang. Right. I didnt ask for her gender. I did sometimes think her voice was weirdly androgynous. Since her tone of voice and behaviour was too much like a mischievous little boy, I couldnt even imagine otherwise. Was this what they called a stereotype? To think I was a guy Acting like she was injured, Straang talked while covering her eyes. Im shook. Youre too much. Saying youre shook. Where did you even learn to say that? Wait, before that, since Ive been misunderstanding her as a guy, I should apologize, right? I-Im sorry. As I apologized, Straang removed her hands from her eyes. Im kidding. You damned teddy bear looking * * * * * * Straang insisted that she was a she until the end. Are you really not gonna talk to me? Im really a girl. Yeah, I dont believe you. I dont know where she got it from, but Straang had gotten a piece of cloth and put it around her waist. She said while grabbing both sides of her skirt (cloth fragment), Im telling the truth though! I cant even show you that to confirm. Just what were you gonna show me? This kid who wasnt even wearing anything until a few moments ago. Whatever. After thinking back on all those reactions, Straang was probably telling the truth. Their physiological sex was probably female. However, this was a different problem for me, who had shamelessly changed my clothes in front of Straang. Hmph. I was hurt too. As I pouted, Straang spoke up while narrowing her eyes. There was nothing to even look at. What? So you admit that you were looking?! No I didnt? I didnt look at your lower part when you were changing! really? Yep, but you know that little dot on your left butt cheek Yo, what the hell! Ehehehehehe Was this the Strength Spirit, or the Pervert Spirit? I really couldnt tell anymore. As we were walking through the academy garden while having this unsatisfactory conversation, someone hurriedly ran up to me. Ruin! Hm? It was Jason. He spoke after running up to me, a glow of excitement on his face. Havent you seen it yet? What are you talking about? Right now, at the academy entrance, the list of participants for the Grand Festival got posted! Grand Festival Participant List. Individual and grouppetitions. In total, 31 of the top students'' names were posted publicly on the list at the academys main entrance. The reason Jason was overly excited I knew it! I knew you would be selected as the academy representative! My name was written on the Individual Competition section. Being deeply moved, Jason grabbed me into a hug. While pushing him off my body, I asked, What about you? Eh? Were you selected for the Group Competition? Jason Damon. The potential this friend had was definitely high. After the 3rd test, Jason heeded my advice and continued to train hard. This let him show a pretty decent performance for the 4th test. And if my predictions were correct, he had a high chance of getting selected to be part of the 30 people for the Group Competition. Me? Fufu. Check it yourself. And this prediction of mine came to fruition. At the main entrance that was currently swarming with people, as soon as I found the list for the Grand Festival, it wasnt hard to find his name. <31st ce, Jason Damon> I could find it looking from the bottom up. Thanks Ruin! Its all thanks to you! Jason hugged me again with a deeply moved expression and said it was thanks to me. The only thing I did was to encourage you, saying you would do well. Well, its all a fruit of your hard work. No. Your encouragement nted the seeds of confidence within me. I really thought I was trash before! Anyhow, looks like that small encouragement was a huge help for him. He barely qualified, but it was good nheless. This Grand Festival would definitely help both Jason and I grow. I silently looked to my name which was at the top of the list. <1st ce, Ruin Ardell (Representative)> Then, I skimmed through the entirety of the participant list. The name I was looking for was Michael Galehill. However, As I thought Its not here. 31 people. Between them, I couldnt find the name of Michael Galehill. In some sense, it was only natural. It was unreasonable to send a student who was undergoing Expulsion Evaluation to such a hugepetition. On one hand, it was quite regretful. Why did you have to take the potion If he hadnt doped on an illegal potion Maybe, if he had taken the test fair and square From the point of the academy, he would have been a great strength while they prepared for the Grand Festival. It would have been a good experience for Michael too. However, that was the end of the regrets. This waseuppance for all the evil deedsmitted by House Galehill. I need to do it. Now, in ce of Michael Galehill, I needed to fulfill my part. The Grand Festival. The Individual Competition, which received the most spotlight, ced importance on the individuals capabilities. However, the Group Competition from the Olympiad was different. The team needed to score an Arrow Ball into the opponents goal to gain points. Mimicking the historical battlefield, the Chiken Gorge, they constructed a huge battlefield to allow 31 vs 31 battles. This was the Chiken Gorge Battlefield. These event-likepetitions required great teamwork between everyone and the Leader. And the person who needed to unify these 30 people into one was the Academy Representative. Me. A representative How long had it been since I represented this academy? It was when I was 10, when I entered the academy. The day of the entrance ceremony. As I got into the school with the best grades, I represented the new students. And I was subject to their gazes of jealousy and misgivings. However, in the 5 years after, I could only watch from afar as Michael Galehill received all his congrattions. And so, the 5 years before today passed by in an instant. Damn, Ruin is the representative? What did I say? Only Ruin could be it! Ruin! Ruin! Woaaaah! I would represent the academy again. I could no longer see those eyes filled with jealousy and misgivings. Agreement, Pride, Confidence, Recognition. All these emotions were mixed into a huge wave and flowed towards me. The cheers and ps that were poured out on me. With a heart that became steadily warmer. And a mind that calmed into a silence. I finally felt truly happy. No. Should I say I finally found my ce? Right. As I was cheered on like this, I could finally feel it. This position is mine. I now had no intention of giving up this position. I had a thought. In the Grand Festival and also at the graduation. Now that it came to this, Id keep on winning. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 After the participant list for the academy representatives was publicized, the academy became very busy organizing the cheer team and the guards of honour. However, as the main representative, I didnt have to bother myself with these preparations and only focused on training. It was the precious time period just before the Grand Festival where I could inspect myself. If my physical abilities are at this level, I think Ill be much stronger than a trainee knight. Currently, my had increased to level 11, and I had even mastered the basic knight teachings of the Heavenly Martial Arts taught to me by Lord Coulter. Ive taught you all I could. After this is outside my jurisdiction. You bastard Youre an absolute monster. I had some doubts before, but who wouldve guessed that you would learn the entirety of the Heavenly Martial Arts in just one month. To learn martial arts beyond this, I would either search for a secret manual, or learn professionally from a martial master. I guess I could be considered a beginner martial arts graduate. Also, I didnt just learn martial arts. From time to time, Professor Hydel came and helped me with my magic as well. Currently, the level of magic you can materialize seems to be about 5th-ss Novice. Currently, my magic level was 5th-ss Novice. For you to be a 5th-ss Novice magician at the age of 16 Sometimes, your genius talent scares me. Compared to the academy average of 2nd-ss Master and 3rd-ss Novice My incredible effort would be enough to gain recognition from that stoic Professor Hydel. Since they say that the Archmage Frolian Ignit was, like me, a 5th-ss Novice at the age of 16, it truly was a historic record. However, no matter its impressiveness, this was only a record from within the Radian Kingdom. If you expanded the scope to cover the continent, there existed many records that exceeded this one. The Fire King Teron, the one currently called the King of Magicians, became 5th-ss Novice at 14-years-old, and he was already a 6th-ss at the age of 16. Well, If I didnt have my Magic Evocation Disorder, I may have beenparable to Teron. Teron, unlike me, didnt suffer from Mana Evocation Disorder. This was a huge difference. Thats right. If I didnt have my Mana Evocation disorder, I maybe could have contested the record of Fire King Teron. Well, its all useless. It was a useless dream. I had already passed 16, and I was already a 5th-ss Novice magician. I became an entirely new type of magician called a yer, and I had been spending most of my time diligentlypleting my repeatable quest. Isnt that right? Iughed jokingly while looking towards Straang. At that, Straang tied a napkin around her neck and said to me, Of course! If you know it so well, just feed me already. Anyway, you''re always demanding food. Food. Did a spirit who starved to death in its previous life get attached to me? Have I ever not fed you? A spirit who starved to death? Its close. In my previous life, Draka was sozypared to you, demanding for food became a habit. Dont worry. I wont ever let my baby starve. Oh? Youre pretty cool. Martial Arts, Magic, Quests. I didnt neglect any of them, focussing on training for the final hour. Then, I await a good result at the Grand Festival. Ruin, good luck! And I could finish preparations for leaving the academy while receiving everyones cheers. Finally. It was time to leave for the dukedom of the Raynac Imperial Federation, Altein, where the Grand Festival would be held. * * * The journey towards the dukedom Altein, a part of the Raynac Imperial Federation and where the Grand Festival would be held, was a decently long trip that would take over 20 days. But for the Ignit Magic Academy, they had one of the two locations in the Radian Kingdom where you could change onto the superspeed Mana Train. Mana Train A modern convenience that was at the forefront of magical engineering. A privilege that could only be enjoyed by magicians capable of manipting mana. Only magicians registered by the Magicians Tower could utilize it, and if you did use this superspeed Mana Train, you could arrive at the Altein dukedom in just 30 minutes. Of course, since I wasnt registered with the Magic Tower, I had never even used it once. This was also true for Straang. Damn. Whats all this? The world really has be a better ce. Back in my day, the fastest method of travel was riding on the back of Draka and flying for some time and However, the students who were participating in the Grand Festival were given an exception to use the Mana Train. And here, the many students, including Jason and me, held expectations of being able to experience the Mana Train for the first time. Woah, so this is the Mana Train This is my first time getting on one. Dont they say its really fast? This is that, right? The pce and the academy. The thing thats only in those two ces. They say that in the Raynac Imperial Federation, they have over 100 transit points for these mana trains. Of course they would! How could the Empire and herepare? Were the smallest of the small nations. A few students, including Jason, muttered amongst themselves while looking dumbfounded. From their faces, it was obvious they were brimming with anticipation at being able to experience the magical engineering. However, There was a guy who crushed this atmosphere. Tsk. You bumpkins. To get this excited over a mana train what? Jason Damon, stop acting like a country kid and stay silent. You bastard! Tsk How vulgar. * * * * * * The guys name was Hankus. As ackey of Michael Galehill, he attended the Magic Festivalst year with Michael Galehill, so he had experienced riding a mana train before. About 10 other students stood with Hankus. To put it simply, these guys were part of the Michael Group. You guys If you think that Ruin here will show some miracle in the Grand Festival, you better give up. To be so full of himself just because he was lucky in the first semester tests. How could this pathetic guy be the representative? Thats right. Magicians like Doom Prime from the Raynac Magic Soldier Training School and Irene from the Womens College are the real monsters. You guys dont know since youve never versed them. However, Michael faced them every year. We would honestly have a better chance if Michael was picked as the academy representative. Whatever the case, I dont ept Ruin as our representative, so you guys figure it out yourselves. The Michael Group. The ones who wanted to benefit even just a little bit by attaching themselves to the Galehill family. Meaning, since I defeated their Michael and became representative, they harboured ill will towards me. To let such personal emotions get in the way just before this hugepetition was definitely a childish act. But as the representative of the academy, I had to get all these guys together into a team. Ruin, arent you in a tough situation? As Straang just said in her amused voice, I was in quite the tough spot. However, I chose the option that hid my current tough position. Rather, I replied with a calm face, Michael would be delighted to know. What? The dog owner is about to be chased out of the academy, but the dogs who lost their master are still so loyal to him. As soon as Ipared Michael and his underlings with dogs and their owner, the mood instantly turned cold. You. Did you just call us dogs? What a relief. You actually understood me. I purposefully took your intelligence into consideration to make it as easy to understand as possible. Sigh For this to be our academys representative. Youre not in your right mind. However, I didnt stop. More coldly, No, more aggressively. What did Michael say he will give you if you act that crooked? Will he give you money? Will he give you glory? Or, if you mess up the Grand Festival, did he promise you a seat in the Galehill family? Ruin, you bastard. You dont know who youre messing with The reason they could retort like this was because they had put their trust in the Galehill name. Rather than a nobody like Ruin Ardell, they still thought that Michael Galehill was their golden ticket. They werent wrong. At least, in this weak nation. However, Listen up. The one they should ce above Michael Galehill for this tournament The one they should fear more than the Galehill family Was me. Thepetition you guys will face in the Grand Festival is on apletely different level to the Magic Festivals you guys went to before. You should also know this, but if you get good results at this tournament, youll receive better opportunities that would exceed whatever you could hope to get from House Galehill. Of course that would be possible if we get good results. However, is that even possible? The ones who enter thispetition are all monsters. All the rich and promising students went to study abroad in thosepetent Magic Schools in the Imperial Federation. In the end, our fate is to be stuck in the Radian Kingdom and to work under the Galehill family. So, you guys should stop living in those dreams I looked straight on at Hankus as he was talking and spoke up. Its possible. Hankus flinched at my firm, yet overpowering reply. It was like he was asking, This guy, just what is he trusting in to act like this? I shrugged my shoulders. The Group Competition from the Olympiad Event requires teamwork more than individual ability. Im thinking of creating the perfect unified team by taking into ount your potential and talent. Im confident since Ive already constructed a n in my head. However, if you dont trust me and I see you acting outside my control, I dont have the smallest desire to carry you guys to the top. What youre saying is youllpete without us? Thats right. Rather than carrying factors that will interfere with our teamwork, I would rather take the scarecrows that would do nothing. The mood had be colder. If you act outside my control, Ill treat you as if you dont exist. They say the easiest way a monarch could gain control of the masses was through building fear. But they hadnt yet epted me as a monarch. The words I just spat out were a double-edged de. If things went wrong, the team could copse in an instant. From this position, I said one more thing. Naturally, if we had the help of you 10, thepetition will be easier. Im confident. So, you guys think hard on this too. No matter how much loyalty you show to the Galehills, dont forget the fact that there isnt a Galehill there that would recognise your loyalty. Fear, and the cold truth of reality. Even if they were a reckless bunch, it was natural that everyone had a desire to seed. Right, there was no Galehill here. They were all banished from the Ignit Academy or under the threat of banishment. Currently, Hankus and the Michael Groups only hope in seeding was to cooperate with me, the academy representative. The only stance they could take after my threat of removing them from the team was The individualpetition thatll happen first. Dont even think about losing it. If you do, I wont listen to your n throughout the entirety of the grouppetition. To ept my suggestion. Of course, the condition that I win the firstpetition was attached to it. Thats fine by me. I was already expecting victory, so it didnt matter. Hankus withdrew while holding in his malice, and I turned towards Professor Hydel who was listening to us for a while, bowing my head. Professor. Has your team meeting concluded? Yes. Thats quite the teamwork youre showing. Right. He was listening to us the whole time. However, he didnt show any intention of interfering with our conflict at all. The Grand Festival was apetition between students. The apanying professor was only there to guide them, and the authority over the team was given over to the academy representative. Even if they led the team down a path of failure. If youre done talking, lets get going. Its nearly time. Yes. Professor Hydel flicked his fingers to start casting his magic. The mana that flowed out from the tip of his finger swayed in the air for a bit, but then formed about a 2-meter-high door. One of the greatest aplishments of magical engineering had been revealed. The Mana Road and the Mana Train. The Mana Road referred to a road in the sky created by forcefullypressing the mana scattered in the air. And the Mana Train that ran on this sky road It flew straight towards the academy at a terrifying speed. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 A h-house?! A house is moving! No its not a house. Thats the mana train. It wasnt a house. It wasnt a horse-drawn carriage either. One of the greatest feats of magical engineering. The Mana Train. Made from the same material used to coat the statue of the Ogre Kingram, tinum, it was very responsive to mana, and it was safe due to it not crumpling under most physical impacts. 7 of these carriages were connected together like a sausage, and the form was just like a huge castle. And this castlended right in front of us in a very steady manner. [This is the Ignit Magic Academy of the Radian Kingdom. We will depart in 3 minutes.] Coupled with the announcement, the doors to the train opened, and Professor Hydel was the first to walk on board and into the train. The trains interior was filled with high quality chairs that each looked cozy andfortable. There were about 40 chairs. Seeing there were 7 of these carriages, a few hundred could ride at the same time. Everyone, gather around and sit down. At Professor Hydels words, we all sat down while still looking around, astonished by the experience. And an awkward 3 minutes passed. [Now departing.] The train, which had stopped for a moment in the flow of mana, closed its doors and started to move again. Woah! It was truly an incredible speed. Following the mana road painting the sky in a purple hue, we were quickly transported by the mana train as it sprinted along the mana road without hesitation. Look at that! Wow! Thats the academy? The ce Jason pointed down to was the huge territory of the Ignit Academy, only second in size to the capital of the Radian Kingdom, slowly disappearing into a dot. And another 5 minutes passed. The train quickly passed through the eastern area, and into the Raynac Imperial Federation. It was then. Drag Kekekeke, look over there. To be precise, it was from the carriage behind ours. A sound of a door opening came from there. This unfamiliar voice had ticked us off while we were just quietly sitting down. Whos this? Arent these the Acadummy bumpkins? A unique look where every single one of them had a buzz cut. A desert fox si on the left part of their brown school uniform they were wearing. These were students from the Oyota National Magic Institute. * * * Oyota National Magic Institute. The only training school of the sand kingdom built on the desert, Oyota. Even though they were a kingdom built on a desert, they couldnt be underestimated. As the ce that boasted of their ancient history more than anywhere else, they were once the strongest and most persistent people on the continent. They were especially known for polishing both their swordsmanship and bodies to the limit. This Oyota also boasted of their elite squad called the Shadow of the Desert that gained their fearsome notoriety by cutting down numerous magicians. Now, they had been conquered by the Raynac Imperial Federation during its establishment. Even though the Oyota had be quite weak, they btedly started to invest into magic and magical engineering to try and recover their former strength. The sole academy of this sand kingdom saw huge growth and prosperity with the support of the nation. And were now strong enough to threaten us like this. Yo, Acadummies! Wheres Michael Galehill? I was going to ask him to take care of us this year too. Take care under us, I mean. Keke. Sost ce this year is your responsibility again, right? Take care! I was speechless at this spectacle. For them to openly challenge us like this. Just what kind of treatment did Michael Galehill go through before? I started to get a headache. I looked towards the head of the Michael Group, Hankus. Why are they like this? Why are they so pressed to provoke us? Thats damn it. Hankus, who was so confident when talking back to me just a bit ago, instead became silent and started to constrain himself in front of these Oyota kids. I didnt hear it from his words, but I could guess what kind of treatment they had been getting before. Acadummy. Meaning, we had gotten a nickname because of our scores. We were definitely the target of insults. Thats why they couldnt talk back, even while being humiliated like this. I sneaked a peek towards Professor Hydel, who was silently focused on his reading. Professor definitely could hear themotion going on, but he didnt lift his eyes from his book. As I thought, he had no intention of interfering. Right. This was a natural way to increasepetition between students. It would be a tradition of the Grand Festival, as it was used to distinguish the good magicians from the great. Since they also knew that, Oyota could publiclye and provoke us. Fuu. I shook my head left and right as I stood up from my seat. And I mustered my most mocking voice against those buzz-cut-lookin Oyota punks. If you dont go back to your car right now, Im gonna nt a flower in that grass-cut hair. Pfft! nt a flower. At this nonsensically cute threat, my academy peers couldnt help but snicker. One of those who snickered was Hankus. However, he would then I-it was just a cough give ame excuse and shut his mouth again, still walking on eggshells around the Oyotas. What was this? Why were you showing such a weak image? Then, seemingly ticked off at this disy, one of the Oyota students red at Hankus and asked him, Hey, Hankus, whats so funny? S-sorry More than that, who''s the punk who Ive never seen or even heard of before? Arent you a new one? Uh, uh? Thats o-our academy representative. Representative? You are? His gaze shook for a moment as he looked at me. As I nodded, the look in his eyes changed again. Im the representative of Oyota, Seta Malkiri. Whats your name? Ruin Ardell. Ruin? Havent heard of you before. Are you really the representative? Wheres Michael Galehill? The Michael youre looking for is probably bedridden, praying for his broken ribs to stick back properly. Whats that supposed to mean? Do I really have to exin it to you? A question mark appeared on top of this Seta kids head. It was an expression that said that he found this situation hard toprehend. Why was Michaels broken ribs relevant to what was happening here? Why did the representative of 5 years abruptly change right before a hugepetition like the Grand Festival? And, I think thats enough for a first greeting, so if youre done provoking us, it would be nice if you went back to your own carts. Why was this representative in front of us who wed never seen or heard of before so confident in his demands against us? As I looked at the confused Seta, I said again in a colder tone, Wait, one more thing before you go. Talking about Acadummy and what not, I want you to apologize for barging in here so noisily and abruptly. In a more polite manner than now. What? Was it really an unreasonable request? Did you just tell me to apologize? Yeah. I just wanted a simple apology. Seta Malkirisplexion flipped instantly. The look in his eyes resembled a Desert Warrior more than a magician right then. Seta Malkiri said while strongly clenching his fists, And if I dont? * * * * * * It was like he had shown the intent to fight me right then and there . Then, Hankus, who became pale while sitting there scared shitless, said to me, I-I think thats enough Since those guys are from Oyota, theyve been constantly fighting since they were little Hearing this, Seta Malkiri spoke again. Hey Hankus. Didnt you tell your new rep about us? Um, oh? I was just about to tell We need to pummel you again so you dont forget. So, it was like this. The reason the ones who had experienced the Magic Festival shivered in fear against these Oyota kids. They were hit. Well, I heard that these things weremonce. They intentionally provoked us to snap the teams confidence before thepetition even started. Some would threaten. Some would bribe. Some would instigate violence. And some would use their fists, like Oyota. If they followed the festivals rule of Do not use magic outside the tournament grounds, no one would take disciplinary action against them. These were dirty tactics, but they were tactics nheless. If a team began to falter even once, they would not be able to show their full potential, even if they wanted to. I smirked. Then, you wanna go? If it was a fight, I wasnt a magician that would lose. As I came forward with confidence, Seta Malkiri furrowed his brows. Traditionally, wasnt it not right to even lose at rock paper scissors against a neighbouring nation? Seta showed great displeasure at my overconfidence. Dont regret it. He loosened the tightly bound cloth on his shoulder and started to wrap it around his fist. Hes doing some useless thing. As I was thinking this A middle-aged man showed himself from the Oyotas carriage. Seta. Stop there. It wasnt hard to figure out who that person was. Professor. They were the apanying professor from the Oyota National Magic Institute. He looked me up and down and turned his gaze towards Professor Hydel, who was still reading his book. Our students have shown you disrespect. I will apologize in their stead. Sure. However, Professor Hydel replied in a non-caring way while he still focused his gaze on his book. Even though he was told off, the Oyotas professor turned to talk to his students as if it was nothing. Seta. For you to create amotion before thepetition even began. Return back to your carriage now. What? But professor Now! Seta Malkiri huffed as if he couldnt understand the situation, but it seemed he couldnt go against his professorsmands. You. Ill see youter. He left a phrase that a 3rd rate viin would use and returned to his carriage. Oyotas professor also bowed his head towards Professor Hydel and returned. what? They just left? Our carriage suddenly became quiet. It was only natural since a storm-like thing passed over us. I sat down like it was nothing, and Jason and a few other students came up to me. Ruin, are you ok? What? No, Im just worried I know youre strong, but you were too rash just then. Even though they are magicians, theyre rough kids who grew up fighting their entire lives. Thats right. Those Oyota guys are famous for punching first and talkingter. If you really did fight, it would have been a huge incident. Could have been a huge incident. It could have been, but it could have not been. I replied in a dry tone. Arent you angry? Eh? Those guys disrespected our academy. They openly disrespected you guys, and disrespected me, the representative. W-well thats true but But if I, the academy representative, stayed still, wouldnt they find it funny and tease us even more? Then well really be the Acadummies they were talking about. Do you really want that? Are you really fine with being ignored like this? My gazended on Hankus. Since youve been still while getting hit, they have been disrespecting you for 5 years. Hankus face became red with shame. Just a moment ago, he was trying to fight my ego with his. But even before thepetition began, he had shown an unsightly appearance, so he had no face to show. Andpared to him, since I was more confident against them, What are you going to do? It doesnt seem like the time to have infighting between our egos. With a face flushed with embarrassment, Hankus flinched a bit. S-sorry As Hankus was about to say something, How unfortunate. Professor Hydel, who was just silently reading his book until now, muttered under his breath. All eyes turned to Professor Hydel, and Professor still spoke without removing his eyes from the book. I missed an interesting scene. Eh? What did he miss? Did I hear it wrong? Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Room 3 of the Mana Train on route to the Altein duchy. Seta Malkiri of the Oyota National Magic Institute asked Malcolm, his apanying professor, Why did you stop me before? There was a severe gap between the rich and the poor of the sand nation Oyota. The ones living around the great oasis enjoyed a high-ss and rich lifestyle. However, those who had to survive in a crude environmentcking in water must endure severe poverty. Thetter learnt about survival from a young age, and they naturally grew their strength. To survive in the hot and arid climate, they needed to fight and steal. Meaning, those who gathered here to be magicians werent that much different either. Especially Seta Malkiri, the representative of the Oyota, amoner who had a very rough childhood. With great fortune, he was born with a talent for magic, and was able to enroll into the Magic Institute with a schrship. Even then, his fiery personality didnt change at all. Fight. Fight. Fight. He always resolved his conflicts through fights when magic was off the table. It wasnt any different in the annual Magic Festival. And against the pigs of the Ignit Magic Academy Who all had azy personality Had never known the pain of hunger And just sat there, looking like magicians. He knew they were actually a bunch of pussies who couldnt show off anything. After he beat their smug looks to a pulp, they didnt even think of resisting and groveled. Their academy representative, Michael Galehill, was the same. He tried to sweet-talk Seta with a promise of a good position after graduation, and tried to tempt him But rather than hitting him once out of annoyance at his words, he hit him twice. This proved to be very effective. And Professor Malcolm from Oyota had always watched with anticipation. Rather, he encouraged it. The one who told the students that the Ignit Magic Academy was in the carriage over was Professor Malcolm. But why did he stop him? Ill ask again. Why did you stop me? At Seta Malkiris question, Professor Malcolm said, Didnt you notice? What do you mean? That Ruin kid from before, he was definitely different from the other academy kids just with the look in his eyes. His atmosphere and bodys build was also different. What does that have to do with anything? Theres no one stronger than me between the Oyotas. A kid like him I can definitely win against him. No. That wasnt all. There was one more thing. Malcolm opened his eyes into a slit and reflected on what just happened. That professor called Hydel. He was definitelyughing. what? What did this mean? For the professor of the Ignit Academy to beughing. You couldnt see since his face was covered by his book, but I could. That professor He wasughing at you guys. As if he was waiting for a fight to break out. Right. Professor Hydel was secretly smiling while looking at the fight between Seta Malkiri and Ruin. This was most likely pure curiosity at the performance his student might show. And behind this curiosity, there was definitely a dense sense of confidence. At that smile, Malcolm had felt a type of goosebumps. That kid named Ruin. Hes definitely hiding something incredible that we dont know about. Hes someone whos on a different level from that Michael Galehill you versed before. If Malcolm had said this much, Seta felt he couldnt argue anymore. Right. The spirit Ruin showed was definitely different to those other Acadummys who were consumed by greed, but weak as hell. Hes someone youll eventually have to face, but todays not that day. Well need to be cautious until we find out more about him. Yes Professor. Understood. * * * * * * The mana train speeded towards the Altein duchy of the Raynac Imperial Federation without rest. And in those 10 minutes, while the train sped along, the atmosphere inside the carriage had changed a bit. The main thing that changed were the attitudes in the Michael Group centered around Hankus. Whats our first event? The first event is a grouppetition without a representative. Its a fight we need to take without Ruin. Ah, Ruins out? Can we do it by ourselves? We need to. We cant afford to lose. Just an hour ago These guys who were filled with jealousy and ego started to have a strategy meeting, even though the contents were subpar. Their gazes towards me had also changed. Ruin, were thinking of putting Hankus as the goalkeeper in the arrow ball event. What do you think? Hm? They started to ask me questions and showed some favourability towards me too. Hankus was the same. Hm hm. So, Im the goalkeeper? As his self-confidence recovered after being put in the important position of goalkeeper, he started to take the lead in the conversation with a weird, uplifted expression on his face. Naturally, I stopped picking on them or giving them the cold shoulder. No matter if I liked them or not, in the end, I needed to lead these guys in thepetitions. Rather than that, Professor is After that weird phrase he said before, Professor Hydel didnt say anything else. I wanted to ask him what was unfortunate. Or what was the interesting scene he missed. But since it was outside my expectations, I didnt ask him. And then, around 30 minutes after we boarded the train [This next stop is the Altein Dukedom, Altein.] With the announcement of our arrival, the train stopped, and the doors opened. Weve arrived. Lets go. Professor Hydel led the way and we left just like we entered, through the gate. The scene outside was not the one I knew before. This is Altein. The ce we arrived at exactly 30 minutes after leaving our familiar academy. So, you''re saying this is the Raynac Empire? You idiot. This isnt the Raynac Empire itself, but rather a dukedom under its control. Same thing. The Altein Dukedom. As one of the nations in the Raynac Imperial Federation, it was the only nation that was recognised as a neutral nation in the Federation. In this ce, whether a nation had good or bad rtions with others, they were all considered equal. Even if it was between warring nations who had hated each other for several decades, if they drew their des or there was bloodshed in Altein The lord of the continent, Raynac Empire, would personallye and judge their sins. Thats why all the nations of the continent had to remove their personal feelings, if only inside Altein. Due to the benefits of a neutral nation, big national tournaments such as the Grand Festival for the magic world and the Sword Grand Prix for the swordsmanship world could be held. Maybe that was why Altein was always easy-going and wealthy. You couldnt find anyone rushing around or suffering from poverty. Everyone was enjoying their meals and drinking beer in the city square. The clothes they were wearing also had an atmosphere of vintage taste. Its a totally different world Y-yea Even though my territory is also known as one of the top 10 wealthy territories in the Radian Kingdom, all the mansions here are like my Silence. Everyone, get on the carriage. After having properly realized they were small fish in a big pond, we got on the four 8-seater transportation carriages that we had made reservations for. The carriage took us deeper into the city center, and about 20 minutester, we arrived at the mainmercial district of Altein. Weve arrived. Lets go. Alteins Commercial District. We went to the amodation street which had inns and hotels. As the city center of Altein, there were multiple restaurants, bars, a variety of stores, and a few inns, so it was one of the busiest streets in the area. The amusing thing was that the assortment of inns all had an insignia hanging at their front door representing a certain magic school. Damn. How many of these inns arepletely booked out? Well, since a few hundred students need to stay here at once Its still pretty impressive. Matching the season of the Grand Festival, the entire city had gone into a type of festival mode. Most amodations, like inns, were provided to the magic school students, and because of this, despite tourists having to deal with theck of amodation No oneined. It was because this city was built with things like this in mind. Professor Hydel stopped in front of the Warm Noon Inn situated at the center of themercial district. This will be our lodging. At that ce, there was the insignia of our academy, the symbol of incandescent lightning, hanging at the entrance. Damn! This is pretty clean. Ah, I want to quickly unpack and go in for a bath! At a nce, you could tell it was high-ss, and seeing this, my peers all had a smile on their faces. And seeing us like this, Professor Hydel made a request to us. Im saying this just in case, but dont go looking for the lodgings of other magic schools. No good wille out of provoking them unnecessarily. Professors sightnded on me. Eh? Why were you singling me out? I wanted to ask that, but since I knew I was recognised as a target of caution, I kept my mouth shut and nodded my head. Yeah, yeah. I understood. The opening ceremony of the Grand Festival is in two days. You have free time until then, however, for security reasons, you must report to me before going to do anything. Any questions? No sir! The opening ceremony of the Grand Festival was in two days. Thanks to that, I had about a days worth of time to have some self-reflection. Then, what should I do during that time? First, I needed to do my quest. And I should explore this foreign city Id seen for the first time in my life. And Here. Theres a funny smelling from something here. What smell? From what I can tell, Drakas relic is somewhere around here. Drakas relic. Id need to go look at that too. Chapter 30 Chapter 30 As the name suggested, the breakfast served in thete noon of the was quite warm. A warm chicken soup and bacon roll. Cabbage and fried eggs. After focusing on the quest for the whole of the morning, thiste breakfast I had eaten was truly delicious. As I was finishing my meal, Jason came down the stairs, yawning and with messy bed hair. Are you awake? Yaaaaaawn Ah, Ruin. Youre up early. Early? What time is it to be early? The suns high in the sky. This is the charm. To have no humanity But how long did I sleep? I dont know. Probably 12 hours? Its probably because of the mana train. My conditions a bit weird. I really fainted yesterday. Thats true. You fainted spectacrly. Even when I woke you up for food, you would be like, Uhgghgh. Im gonna sleep more As I dragged on my impression of him, Jason scratched his head in embarrassment. And following me, he ordered the same breakfast menu as me and flopped next to the table. He looked in disgust at my clothes wet from sweat and shook his head. Are you really training all the way out here too? Yeah. Ugh. You musclehead. Even if he said it like that, I couldnt really do much. 1 quest per day. This was the homework I mustplete. On top of that, because I wasnt at the academy, the training area was restricted, and I needed to train at dawn and early mornings when there were less people. Then, Jason abruptly stood up from his seat and said this. Listen properly. This Jason will tell you about the ways of the man. Traditionally, when a manes to a ce like this to enjoy himself He drinks alcohol and sees women? Thats right. Looks like the repeated lessons have some effect. So back to what I was saying, how about going for a drink tonight? Ill teach you what alcohol truly means and Nah. I need to go somewhere tonight. Go somewhere? Where? You just arrived in Altein yesterday, so where would you need to go? Naturally, Jason had his suspicions. Should Ie with you? Next time. Eat properly. Ruin! I smiled at Jason and stood from my seat. After returning to the lodging and then showering, I changed my clothes. The direction I headed towards was none other than towards Professor Hydels room. Professor. Its Ruin. Come in. The form of Professor Hydel I saw as I entered was a direct replica to what he looked like yesterday. He was wearing the same brown cardigan from yesterday while his rimless sses half rested on his nose. Even his posture was the same, and he read the same book. The only thing that signified time had passed was that the book had fewer pages left. What is it? The Professor looked at me with quite a bit of curiosity in his eyes. It was as if he was asking, Where are you going after reporting to me? To that professor, I replied with a bored tone. I want to look around the city. Look around the city? Yes. Dont bete. Professor didnt ask anything else. As always, he trusted me. Then, Ill take my leave. I closed the door to his room and came down to the 1st floor. Ruin! Just where are you going? Cant you tell me? Including Jason and Hankus, most of the students were interested in my outing. But why should I tell them? Ill be going. Well, its not like I had anything I could say. I asked Straang, who was sitting on my shoulder, Drakas relic. Are you sure? Im certain. Even though Im like this, Im still the Incarnation of Strength. This strong of a wave isntmon. Hm? Youre not the Incarnation of Perversion? I wont deny that I do have a hobby of checking out your body but this is real. Well, I dont know which relic it is though. One thing was certain. Within themercial district of Alteiny a relic of Draka. However, there was no way to tell what type of relic it was. Thats why I just started walking through the heart of the city. There was only one hint. Left! Only the stench of strength that just Straang could sense could give us the general direction of it. Altein boasted a simr appearance to yesterday. It was easy-going and wealthy. As I was fully immersed in this foreign citys atmosphereCheck your minimap. Eh? My minimap had changed slightly. In one corner of the minimap, a red dot had appeared. The skill I obtained with the . I had no use for it in the past since Id only stayed at the academy. But this minimap that inly showed me the surrounding 500 meters was more effective than any other skill in this foreign area. Pr/n: Approx 550yd It looks like its here. Like this, I moved towards where the red dot was marked on the map. It led me to a type of antique shop. * * * * * * Even though it was an antique shop, it wasnt as run down as I expected. It was a clean small shop that didnt hurt the beautiful view of Altein and showed sophistication with a name like Store of Memories. Youre saying Drakas relic is in a ce like this? Drakas Relic. An object that the ck dragon personally used at that. It was too different to the underground ck market, a billionaires safe, or an auction house like I imagined it to be at. However, Straang said it could be here. Drakas relics arent normal to begin with. What do you mean? Draka, like you, based his magic on strength. So, unless the user knows to use strength as well, they wouldnt be able to tell if it was a relic or some junk. Ah, so it was like that. I nodded my head and opened the door to the antique shop. At that, the man inside that looked like the owner spoke to me. Wee to Alteins Store of Memories, Touched by History! Yes. There was another customer inside. Theyre a magician. It was a woman that looked simr in age to me. Even without using the , she exuded such an aura that anyone could tell she was a magician. On top of that, shes from the Seiki Womens Residential College. One of the strongest magic schools on the continent. She was wearing the Seiki Womens Residential Colleges uniform with the ck crow insignia on it. They were probably a participant in this years Grand Festival. At that, the owner spoke up. Hoho. We have quite a few magician customers today. Its probably because of the Grand Festival. Please take a look. Sure. At the word magician that the owner used, she peeked at me with a neutral expression. Her gazended on my academys incandescent lighting insignia. And then our eyes met one another. Shes pretty. As Straang said, she was pretty enough to make me faint. But, if I can turn into my human form, Im prettier. Ah, is that so? Our eyes met for only a moment. She returned to what she was doing and started to focus on her search for something, And I stopped caring about her as well, moving on to do what I came here to do. It wasnt that hard to find Drakas relic in this small antique shop. The clearly highlighted Drakas relic. A red smoke. Even if I shook it hard, the small ring was surrounded by the everpresent red smoke. There were no markings or decorations on it. It was a simple silver ring. However, as my fingertips touched the ring, a status window popped up. Ring of Invulnerability yer exclusive unique artifact The first artifact created by Draka, but also his first failure. Using the authority of Invulnerability, there is a small chance to resist any physical force that touches your body. Increases the chance to negate physical damage. This was a type of passive skill. A skill that, when equipped, negated an opponents attacks. Of course, because of the chance, I couldnt rely on this skill alone. But it was a pretty precious artifact that could save my life. This was a failure? Didnt it look pretty good? As I looked at Straang with a confused expression, Straang just shrugged her shoulders. So, this was the thing that called to me Ring of Invulnerability. Its been a while. It was an artifact that Straang knew. She smiled at it, as if she were d to see it again. Your face is asking why this is a failure. Ill tell you. This is definitely a failure. Why? Because it doesnt just resist attacks. If your friend taps you on the back or if your lover tries to hug you, itll resist it. What the hell? So, what youre saying is it will sporadically resist all physical contact on my body? It sometimes wont activate when you desperately need it to, and itll deflect at useless times. Thats why its a failure. However, you really do need this as it increases your strength. It was true. Equipping the ring had a weak Strength Increase effect attached to it.When you equip this, your strength will increase by 200. Just this was enough to justify using the artifact. I decided on purchasing this ring and wore it on my finger. I was worried that it wouldn''t fit, but it tightened perfectly around my middle finger. As if it were made for me. I looked up and down the ring and asked the owner, This ring. Ill buy it. How much is it? At that, the owner just nced at me and my ring Keke, just take it. What? Why? That ring, since I was a little kid, meaning since my grandfather was running this shop No. Since my grandfathers grandfathers era and that grandfathers grandfathers time before eh. In any case, its been here for a long while. Its already been unsold for a few hundred years. I just didnt have a way to get rid of it. So I wont put a price on it. Just take it. Of course, just looking at its appearance, it was just an ordinary silver ring with no special features. However, it was an artifact. An artifact that a ck dragon crafted and used himself at that. Of course, because it was of a special yer exclusive nature, no one else could see the true value of this ring. But to give it away for free? Im fine, but was it really ok? However, the owners expression was genuine. I nodded my head and said, Then, Ill buy another item from here. Hoho. Go ahead. Since Id gotten a good item for free, I should buy another thing. I started to slowly look at all the items in the antique shop. Naturally, there were no special items that emitted red smoke that enticed me like with the Ring of Invulnerability. yers Eye. Using the that let me see the real value of these objects, I started to scan through them. Since Id already decided to buy something, I hoped for something good. And then In my eyes, Eh? A worn-out book came into view. I reached out for this book. However, It wasnt one hand. There were two. My hand And the hand of the only other customer in this antique shop. These two hands reached for the book at the same time. Irene Prius 5th-ss Magician Potential: Very High ??? I looked at her status window involuntarily. Irene Prius. She looked at me and said in a stern voice, Let go. Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Irene Prius. Id heard of her through rumours. The Seiki Womens Residential College, whichpeted for first ce against the continents strongest magic school, Raynac Magic Soldier Training School. The representative of this all-girls school was this very Irene Prius. One of the 11 children that was selected by the Fire King Teron himself. And a genius amongst geniuses that was at the cusp of bing a 5th-ss Master Magician at the age of 16. I was surprised for a different reason. For her to be a 5th-ss Master. She was already a 5th-ss Master. Rumours were usually inted, but for it to be downsized like this. But why was that woman here? And Why was she after a book with such a weird title? Let go. Her voice had a clear intention that she wouldnt let go of the book, and as a weird curiosity swelled within me, I instead pulled the book towards me. I grabbed it first. Then, Irene let out a small sigh and said this. Seeing as you have the Ignit Magic Academys lightning insignia, you must be an attendee of the Grand Festival. Ill introduce myself. Im Irene Prius of Seiki Womens Residential College. Im Ruin Ardell. Yes. I wasnt trying to eavesdrop, but youve found the object youre looking for, and you were just looking for something else to buy But this book is the reason Ivee to this ce today. I dont know why you would need a book like this, but if it isnt too important, could you yield this book to me? Even while not trying to eavesdrop, it seemed she had listened to my and the owners entire conversation. However, if sheid out her case like this and asked this politely, I had nothing I could say. As I hesitated for a bit, Irene asked me in a straightforward manner, So, why do you need this? Its not a book you would look for under normal circumstances. I turned my gaze towards the book. Just ncing at the title, it wasnt hard to figure out what this book was about. Mana was the main focus of magicians, and the sword was a knights signature identity that could handle aura. Just looking at these two, they were impossible to mix. Most des couldnt respond to mana and only reacted to a knights aura. However, the magic swords the demons used could uniquely respond to mana. This book was probably about these magic swords. However, the reason I picked the book was for a different reason than my curiosity about magic swords. It was because, in the , the rarity of the other items in the antique shop was normal. However, Among the other normal books, this was the only one to show high rarity. Was this a diamond in the rough? Or a headache thats a useless item, and was only rare for raritys sake? I just wanted to check with my own eyes. But as Irene Prius insisted on this, I became even more curious than before. Then, why do you need this? Do I have to tell you? If you really want this book, I want to hear your reason. At my request, Irene closed her mouth shut. She looked embarrassed to answer my question, and after trying to dodge the question for a bit, she said one word. homework. Homework? What homework? Its personal homework. Its too troublesome to tell you anymore, so please dont ask. Personal homework It didnt seem like homework from her magic school. Who did she get it from? The way she talked that brought curiosity from curiosity wasnt to my liking. But there was a name that I thought of. Fire King Teron She was one of the 11 children selected by the King of Magicians, Teron. Was it homework she received from Teron? It was a usible story. I wanted to ask a bit more, but I shrugged my shoulders and stopped there. Take it. What? As I coolly handed her the book, Irene instead looked a little confused. She probably thought I wouldnt hand it over so easily. You said its important to you. Take it. Ah Thank you. She then bowed her head after receiving the book. She was pretty polite. As I was turning my back, Irene grabbed me again. Just one thing. Yes? You didnt answer my question yet. What question? Why did you try to buy this book? No, shes pretty petty. I replied with a t tone, It looked valuable. it looked valuable? Is that all? Yes. How would you know if a book is valuable or not just by reading the title? Its too troublesome for me to exin more as well. So please dont ask me anymore. I returned the same words she said to me. At that, she couldnt say anything and could only shut her mouth like a goldfish. Well, whatever. It looks like you need it more than me, so take it. It wasnt even an artifact. Just because it was rare didnt mean it always would be useful. Looking at just the title, it had a high probability of being useless for me. I was only a little curious. I understand then. Irene nodded her head, and after buying the book from the owner, she left the antique shop. Rather than that book with the weird title, I ended up buying a small hairpin that Straang pointed out by saying Oh, thats pretty! and left the shop too. Irene was walking further down the road, but after walking for a bit, I realized we were going the same way. What the Its the building right next to ours. Irene Prius lodging was positioned right next to our . * * * * * * Who did you say you met? Irene Prius Really? Wow! Where? How? Why? What did you talk about? Can you ask those one at a time? As soon as I arrived at the inn, Jason started making a fuss. Understandably, it was because Irene Prius was one of the next generation magicians that the entire continent was excited about. Thanks to this, the 1st-floor cafeteria was filled with a rumour that said Ruin met up with Irene Prius. It wasnt anything special. We just exchanged names and Woah, thats insane! How is she? Pretty? Ack! My dream is to grab Miss Irenes hand just one time! You enviable bastard! Irene Prius. She was famous as both a talented magician and a beauty at the same time. It was enough for Jason, who went crazy over any pretty woman, to ce her in the top 10 women he wanted to meet the most. At that, having seen Irene Prius at thest Magic Festival due to participating, Hankus spoke as if he were familiar with her. Irene Prius? Its been a while since Ist saw her Did she prepare enough this year? What? You know Miss Irene? Heh! Of course, I know her. Unlike you, I also attendedst years Magic Festival. Even though Im like this, my friends friends acquaintance goes to Seiki Womens Residential College A friends friends acquaintance? Isnt that a total stranger? Hmhm. Thats not all. Inst years opening ceremony, the one who sat next to the guy next to me was THE Irene Priu Stop acting so close. You didnt even talk to her once. Ehem. Hankus continued to speak after clearing his throat, despite having only seen Irene Prius face from afar. In any case, that woman, even though shes so strong, shes second ce every year. The dominant first ce is none other than Raynac Magic Soldier Training Schools Doom Prime. They say she gets really stressed getting destroyed by Doom Prime in the Magic Festival every year. At that, Jason, having coined himself as the Irene Prius Superfan, said in a fit of rage, Doom Prime? Is that an instrument? How dare he mess with our Irene Its not an instrument. Hes at the top of the Magic Soldier Training School. Do you know what that means? It means hes the most respected magician in our age group. Hes also the wielder of the artifact Sword of Brilliance. Sword of Brilliance? Sword of Brilliance. As soon as I heard it, my brain lit up. Ah, so it was that. The reason Irene Prius needed the . That was, Didnt you know? That Doom Prime guy. Hes a magic swordsman. To defeat the one called a magic swordsman, Doom Prime. Magic Swordsman. The magic swordsman we know of who could wield both magic and sword aura freely didnt actually exist. That was because the mana of magicians and the aura of knights could neverbine, and instead showed an extreme dispersion reaction. However, magic swords that responded to mana instead of aura existed, and they could be used as a medium in ce of a staff, wand, or magic ring. The magicians who could wield magic swords weremonly known as magic swordsmen. The Sword of Brilliance Doom Prime was known to use a type of magic sword. However, he wasnt perceived well. Magic Swordsman? Isnt he just a magician who swings a sword around and pretends to be a knight? Its not like he can utilize aura anyways. The magic amplification of most magic swords wasnt that much better than other magic instruments used by magicians. But it was also unsuitable for knights to use effectively. Meaning, it was dubious for both sides to use. To bring out the full potential of a magic de, they needed an understanding of swordsmanship that was at least Rank 7 while also possessing a great talent for magic. But how many magicians in the world could fit this criteria? Most magicians used magic rings rather than swords. And magic swords disappeared into history. However, if I followed what Hankus said, Doom Prime was a little different. Doom Prime is different. The Sword of Brilliance is an S-rank artifact. On top of that, he systematically learnt swordsmanship from a young age. They say his swordsmanship instructor was a Rank 8 Swordmaster His swordsmanship alone is enough to make him a decent knight. They said he has a genuine magic sword and had also learnt extraordinary swordsmanship. Even his magic talent was enough to be one of the best on the continent. Jason understood all this and said in a dejected tone, He has an artifact, is good at swordsmanship AND hes better at magic than me? This enviable bastard. Do you think thats all? His family is beyond impressive. They are rich, good looking, and also really popr with thedies. So, people who own the world do exist. Ugh I dont have anything. Yea. I hope you get at least one thing in your next life. Shut up. I had a light smile while looking at Jason and Hankus who looked more and more like close friends. My smile, however, was because I solved my curiosity regarding Irene Prius. The thing she meant by personal homework So, it was to defeat Doom Prime. I suddenly became curious about those two. Irene Prius, who had exceeded her rumours and mastered 5th-ss Master magic at only 16-years-old. And Doom Prime, the magic swordsman who wielded the Sword of Brilliance and defeated this monster called Irene Prius every year to obtain victory. If I were to fight against these magic geniuses who had shaken the foundation of the continents magic world, Could I win? I didnt know. Director Tiron said I was a hidden weapon, but I was still someone they havent seen or heard of. A weakling that no one paid any attention to. Right. It was definitely like that until today. However, Ruin! Nows not the time for you to be here like this! Eh? The schedule for the 1stpetition of the Grand Festival on the day of the opening ceremony was just announced. Everywhere in Altein is noisy because theyre excited by the match list! It would change after tomorrow. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 There was a hugemotion as the students went to check the list of matches. Who are we up against first? Move out a bit! I cant see! As they scrambled to see their first opponent, the group became unruly. Some who were matched against rtively weak schools were rejoicing. And the students who foundplicated matchups were filled with despair. Our academy was part of the second group. D-damn it. From the start The first opponent of the Ignit Magic Academy was Its Oyota It was the neighbouring sand kingdom, Oyota. Oyota. The ones known to break the students team morale before thepetition even started. They were even rumoured to y dirty during thepetition too. Hankus and the Michael Group became pale, as they had particrly bad memories about the Oyotas. Ah of all things? After having provoked us in the mana train before, they hadnt especially gone out of their way to mess with us again. But these guys, against us No. I knew how they perceived me in particr well enough. Was he Seta Malkiri? The representative of Oyota, Seta Malkiri would often show his hostility out in the open when we passed by each other on the road. That was still the same. What? Its the Acadummies? This is gonna be so easy starting from the firstpetition. Dont you agree? I know, right? Keke. After having confirmed that we were their first opponents, the Oyota students started snickering and provoked us. Of course, in the center of it was Seta Malkiri. For the first opponents to be these Acadummies. Its nice that itll be easy but its too bad that there won''t be any tension going into such a bigpetition. Why do we need to face these weaklings that wont even be enough for warm-up? Augh, its so boring. So boring. Seta Malkiri looked at us and started to publicly taunt us. The effects of this minor taunt were quite significant. Wow, Im jealous. It should have been us against the Acadummies. I wanted to advance easier. Kek. I know, right? Multiple people appeared that agreed with Seta Malkiris words. Oyota started it. And the students from other schools threw in their own insults. As they grabbed the mood and drove it the way they wanted, it blew up beyond how it was initially. Even the ones who had no thought of making fun of us had the image of Acadummy nted deep in their mind, and they would all belittle us. Simrly to now. Look at that. Theyre so scared, they arent doing anything. What did you expect from those Acadummies? The air became cold. The mood changed. Kekekeke. Seta Malkiri snickered as if he were enjoying this situation, and I could onlyugh dumbfoundedly at the situation. Yeah. I understood. Watching the conflict was always the most fun part. The taunt that Seta Malkiri threw at us was just an attraction to all the students gathered here. A form of entertainment that appeared just in time to fill the boredom that was sweeping through before thepetition started. However This was too obvious. These spectators were now surrounding me and Seta in a circr formation and watched this one-sided provocation. Well Thats the representative of the Acadummies? I think so The hell? Have you seen him before? To be precise, they were watching me, the representative of the Acadummies that they havent seen before. They were asking me, You were mocked in front of everyone in public. Are you going to take it, or will you fight back? Be branded as a coward. Or stand up and fight. One of these two. Whichever choice I picked, the spectators would find it amusing. It felt as if I suddenly became a performer. But naturally, I had no intention of performing for them. I scratched the tip of my nose and walked toward Seta. I was waiting as well. At that, Seta Malkiri asked back, confused, Waiting? For what? This. Since the students from all 32 schools are gathered here, Ill properly introduce myself. What? Introduce yourself? Suddenly hearing I would give a self-introduction, Seta Malkiri furrowed his brow. I could guess that he wanted to rile me up and properly mess with me, but he must have been confused as, rather than get angry, I just talked of introducing myself. What are you scheming? What scheme? I just want to greet everyone before thepetition starts. I lightly smiled and looked around, towards the spectators. Its good to see everyone. My name is Ruin Ardell. As you said, I am the representative of the Acadummies. Right. An introduction. It was time to officially introduce myself while all the school representatives were gathered together. And with it, Since Ive told you my name, Ill request just one thing. A request to all of them No. Going forward, dont talk about Acadummies in front of me. Its quite unpleasant. A warning to all of them. What did you say? Right. This was a deration of war in the disguise of a request. W-what did that guy just say? Did I hear him wrong? Saying its unpleasant, even though hes just an acadummy Maybe it was because my tone was of a warning rather than a request. Or was it because I said it was unpleasant while being just an acadummy? It was probably both. One thing was for certain. We should call Acadummies Acadummies. What else would we call them? I cast a stone at everyone gathered here. And I warned them against the thought that the dumbest are the acadummies that was so deeply ingrained in their minds. Right. We at least wont take it lying down like before. We wont be ignored forever. No. Ive been inst ce for so long, Im kinda tired of it. So, Im thinking of not gettingst ce, but first. We will definitely win. * * * * * * As soon as the word first left my mouth, the spectators started to mutter amongst themselves. First? What is he talking about? Hes insane. Seta Malkiri looked dumbfounded as well and muttered, Hes a retard. Then, someone asked me, What? First? Hah! Do you think this is some small-town festival? Youre just an acadummy. Dont spout nonsense. What are you? Huh? Who do you think you are! Me? As I was about to answer My eyes rested on someone. Just a bit ago. The representative of Seiki Womens Residential College I met at the antique shop. Irene Prius. She was looking at me with a gaze full of curiosity. I snuck a peek at the girl and answered whileughing, a secret weapon. * * * The Grand Festival. If, over the course of about 15 days, the hundreds of genius magicians whove been living a good life had to meet at this small and cramped Altein, it was natural that there would be some friction between them. Having unleashed a bunch of curious puppies into one area, why wouldnt they fight for territory? Large and small conflicts of ego happened all the way through thepetition. And Today, the day before thepetition officially began, Woah The reveal of our academys secret weapon! Everyone saw it, right? The look in Ruins eyes just then was Shut up. After self-identifying as our academys secret weapon, I had be themon enemy of all the students who were entering thepetition. Hah I couldve just let things resolve smoothly. I got too hasty, and instead of just taunting, I had fullyrge area taunted. There wasnt really a need to create enemies. Hoo, this temper of mine. But seemingly finding this situation funny, Jason said while snickering, Nah. Im not making fun of you. It was really cool. When that skinny guy asked you, First? Hah! Stop talking nonsense. Who do you think you are? while looking really confused, and you replied while looking like a true warrior, a secret weapon. Kuh! It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it You see this? I actually got goosebumps. Jason. Kekekek. Sorry. Jason exaggerated my moment to make me seem like some hero in a bards tale. Every student in the inn knew about the story. And I heard the same story at least three times. I was sick and tired of hearing it. The academys secret weapon. Well, thanks to Jason, Id probably be made fun of for the next 3 years. But it wasnt like I gained nothing. The greatest gain of them all was Ruin was honestly pretty cool back then. I know, right? It was honestly pretty refreshing. He said what I wanted to say for a long time. Well, that secret weapon part was a bit cringe mhm. The satisfaction of my peers. Would it have been better if I removed the part about being the secret weapon? No. That was the finishing touch! Anyways. Thanks to this, my peers who were discouraged because of the hostile gazes from the other schools regained their confidence. Hoo. Lets really focus up. We cant afford to lose to those Oyota guys in the firstpetition. It was as if we regained our desire to desperately fight. Since we publicly announced our challenge, we needed to follow through with our actions. With this, it was enough to call it a meaningful introduction. Ruin, do you think we can do it? Of course, we needed to prove that the challenge wasnt thrown with bravado alone. We needed to prove our skills. Tomorrow too. We can. The grouppetitions of the Grand Festival were divided into two main categories. Grouppetitions where the school representative joined. And ones where only the group members participated. The grouppetition held tomorrow was thetter. Meaning, We dont even have you, Ruin What can we do by ourselves? I wouldnt be participating. Dont worry. I already made our strategies. Y-yea? I rubbed the artifact, the Ring of Invulnerability, that had nested itself on my middle finger. It fit firmly, as if it was made for me. Alright! If youre done making fun of me lets start our strategy meeting. * * * Seta Malkiri. The Oyota representative was making an uncharacteristically ufortable expression. Ruin Ardell. That bastard. Just what does he do? Have you found anything? At that, a student who was sitting next to him spoke up. Yeah. I looked into him. It looked like he was nearly a dropout before. a dropout? How could a dropout be a school representative? I dont know the details, but they say he suddenly turned from a practical dropout into a monster who aced the first semesters tests. Aced the tests? Is that true? Yeah. He said it himself before. That hes beenst ce for so long, hell get first this time. I think he was telling the truth. Seta Malkiri furrowed his brow. The words Professor Malcolm said to him at the beginning came to his mind. To be careful since he wasnt a normal guy. Damn it. Why am I worried over some Acadummy punks? Seta Malkiri spat on the ground and stood up. He then walked out of his inn and wandered through the Alteinmercial district. The direction he headed was none other than near the lodging of the Ignit Magic Academy. He looked up and down the inn. These arrogant punks. I need to teach them a lesson. Scaring them before thepetition even started. This was the school tradition that the sand kingdom of Oyota prided themselves in. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 The first grouppetition that was held in the Grand Festival was . Bombs that were heated up by enjecting mana were thrown at mithril golems to damage them, and the team who destroyed their mithril golem first won. Because the speed at which the bomb heated up was dependent on your skills, and you also needed to urately aim at the mithril golems core to destroy it faster, individual skill was also important. Only looking at the individual ability of the team members, We need to ept that werecking in terms of individual skillpared to Oyota. We were weaker than Oyota. This was an irrefutable fact. However, this was a team sport. Our individual skills arecking but we can definitely win tomorrow. We can win? Yeah. How? If we could move with perfect teamwork, we were sure to be victorious. Iid out a piece of paper and started writing out the names of the teammates. Ill start by making 4 groups. Group 1 will heat up the mana bombs. Group 2 will move the mana bombs. Group 3 will attack the mithril golem, and Group 4 will interfere with the opposing team. Were making teams? Yeah. B-but if we do that, wouldnt we be too slow? Thats true. Oyota will attack with all 30 members at once while well only attack with 10. In most games, one student would heat up, shoot, and block the bomb all by themselves. There were some cases where the team would split into two to make one interfere with the other team, but there hadnt been a case of splitting a team for heating up and throwing like this. The reason was simple. This event followed the rules of Time Attack, where the first one to destroy the mithril golem won. They just needed to attack more than their opponents. They just needed to destroy it 1 second faster than their opponents. That was why everyone went on a full-on offensive. However, While the others are throwing 1, we just need to throw 2 or 3 at once. The teams where each member had outstanding abilities mayve favoured the original tactic. However, this was a time-consuming method for a weaker team. People who struggled with activating the bomb. People who struggled with aiming urately. People who specialized in healing magic. Students each had a unique specialty. That was why, instead, With Hankus as the leader, Z, Mil, Mora, Ayake, Freya You guys will be tasked with only heating up the bomb. Then Taymunce will move the ignited bomb and with Jason at the centre like this10 people will throw the bomb. The rest will target the healing point of the Oyotas mithril golem. We opted to separate into groups to amplify everyones strengths. This was the method with the highest chance of sess. Of course, the reason for selecting this strategy was because of my ability. . The ability to see through a targets nature. Using this, I was able to minimize the weaknesses and focus on the strengths of the group members. Most of the students that heard about me making groups had expressions of doubt on their faces. This, this should be fine, right? Its a tactic that no one has used before. It will carry that much risk. Wouldnt there be a reason that no one used it? Right. It was a tactic that no school has ever used before. But after seeing thepleted list of names, the students faces started to light up. It might just work. Right. Theres a decent possibility. I dont have any confidence in the shooting, but I can finish heating it up in 5 seconds. Since it was a strategy to bring forth the strengths of everyone, they had some hope that it would work. Some smiled at being satisfied with their allocated position. And some showed signs of confidence. It was a good premonition. I pped once while looking at my peers. Arent you guys curious? Eh? About what? How far up we can go during thispetition. At my question, my peers started smiling lightly one by one. All of these guys never outwardly showed any expectations. Screw expecting anything. They probably thought it was good enough to notest. However, the door known aspetition hadnt been opened before. And right now, everyone was brimming with anticipation together. Maybe we might just win Right. The uprising of the Acadummies. This started from a small resolve. And I nned on growing this hope until the end of thepetition. It was then. R-Ruin! The door of the inn swung open, and one of the students who went to buy groceries ran in. His name was Fullem. At the entrance of Fullem, the warm and peaceful atmosphere of the inn rapidly cooled. The reason was Fullem! What happened to your face? * * * * * * Fullems face was a mess. It looked like hed been hit by someone. An ominous feeling swept through. I suddenly stood up from my seat, and Jason was one of the first to run and support Fullem. Are you ok? Uh, yeah. What happened? Who hurt you? At Jasons question, Fullem replied while wiping the blood from his lips. I-Im sorry. Those Oyota guys Oyota? Yea. That Oyota representative He brought his men with him, and after they dragged me out I barely made it out alive. Oyota. As soon as this name was muttered, multiple faces became pale, followed by a sharp inhale from them. Those Those bastards. This year too Yeah. It started again. In the pretext of reducing the opponents confidence, they resorted to basic violence. They did itst year. And the year before that. The same type of violence was said to have continued every year. However, Ruin! Where are you going! This years representative wasnt Michael. And the new academy representative had a personality where, if he got hit once, he would hit back twice. As I silently walked towards the door and flung it open, Jason grabbed my arm. I asked where you are going! You, you arent thinking of charging in at them, right? Am I a kid? Why would I charge in? Im just going to talk to them. You know, we are still kids. Hmhm. Well, if you say that, I cant really talk back. Anyway I-if youre going, Iming with you. Jason. To say you woulde with me while your hands were shaking like this. In any case, you warm my heart. I moved his hands off me. No. I need to go alone. Why? Because thatll be cooler. Jason looked at me with an expression that said, These types of people exist? and I jokinglyughed at Jason. Dont worry. Nothing will happen. Yeah. There wouldnt be any special incident. Not for me, at least. Ill be back. I walked out of my lodging and directly headed towards the inn the Oyotas were staying at. At that moment, I saw two shadows move quickly into the Oyota inn, so I could guess that they were expecting my appearance. Then I needed to meet their expectations. I mmed open the door to the inn and walked inside. Oh. He really dide. What did I say? That hede alone. Kekekek. So what if hees? Who does he think he is? The Oyota students were sitting in the 1st-floor cafeteria like some gangsters and snickered while they analyzed me. Naturally, in the center of all this, was Seta Malkiri. Whats this? You came alone? He asked as if he were confused. And I answered back in kind while mockinglyughing. Yeah. Im different from you who needs to carry everyone everywhere. At that, Seta Malkiris face twisted, and he stood up, walking confidently toward me. Ah. This guys a real retard. Then he gave threats while moving right in front of me. You. Just why do you act so baselessly arrogant? Big. I wasnt particrly short, but maybe because his stature was big, he felt an entire head bigger. It would be too ufortable looking up the whole time, so I looked straight ahead. Why do I act so arrogant? I grabbed Seta Malkiri by his shoulder and pushed him straight to the ground. With that, Setas body folded as easily as a paper crane, and his face turned red as he tried to put strength into his body. It was an act that tried to show he wouldnt lose in a battle of strength, but Ugh. Ughk. All that did was make his face even redder. Oh ho? His face looked like it was gonna explode. <2,200> worth of oppressive grip strength. A huge difference in strength that he had never experienced before. Thanks to this, Setas upper body buckled before his knees even bent, and I looked at him straight in the eye. Im warning you. If you touch us outside of the tournament grounds again You you fucking bitch! As he said that Seta threw a punch at me, and I grabbed it out of the air, bending it back as if I had expected it. Crack! It wont end with just this. Ack! AAAAAACK! S-Seta! His arm didnt break. But his shoulders were probably dislocated. AAAAACK! Seta Malkiri crumbled to the ground and started sobbing while grabbing his arms. W-what did he just What? Seta just The other Oyota students that packed the first floor of the inn could only watch in confusion and fear. Some rubbed their eyes as if they couldnt believe it. This this insane As Seta Malkiri copsed uselessly, the surrounding guys tried to charge me. But as I stared back at them, they couldnt even think of attacking, instead retreating backwards. Looking at these Oyota students, I snickered. You were so confident before. What an ugly sight. Yeah. They only amounted to this much. Just bastards that couldnt even do anything when their captain was done in before them. Were we really bullied by people like this every year? Were we really scared of someone like this? It felt wrong to even consider them a rival. I spoke to Seta Malkiri, who was still copsed on the ground. You. You wanna make a bet with me? * * * R-Ruin? Ruins back! What? Ruin? Where? What! Hes back already? Did nothing happen? You didnt hit them? As I returned to the inn, my peers started to make a fuss about it. What are you on about? Nothing happened. I just shrugged my shoulders and sat in my chair. Phew. My legs were still shaking. Then, Jason hurriedly ran towards me and muttered while looking me up and down. You''re fine? Its like you just went and took a walk around town or something. Hmhm. Well, since it took less than 5 minutes, it really was like I took a walk around town. In any case, I emphasized that nothing really happened and gathered my 30 peers in one spot. Then, I spoke. Tomorrow. You guys definitely need to win tomorrow. Eh? Of course well try to win Why? I made a bet with Seta Malkiri. A bet? What bet? My lips curled into a smile. A flick to the forehead. Chapter 34 Chapter 34 A flick to the forehead. The impact of this statement was quite big. Wait. Youre saying that, if we win tomorrow against Oyota, youre going to flick Seta Malkiri on his forehead? Yeah. In front of everyone as well. The flick that sted Michael away? Thats right. We need to win no matter what. The entire student body saw it. In the Arenahall, on the testing grounds, the single flick of my finger that flung Michael backwards. Having heard I would repeat this scene against an Oyota, they couldnt help but smile. On top of that, Thats not all. If we win in the match tomorrow, Oyota will apologize to us. Oyota will apologize to us?There''s no way we can lose now. An apology in front of all the students of the 32 schools. The day Oyota lost to the acadummies would be their most humiliating day. Of course, on the other hand, if we lost, I would be the subject of that humiliation But I was confident. If we continued with our uplifted morale against the Oyotas whose morale had been crushed, we could definitely win. And another thing. Were fine as we are now But Ruin Are you also prepared? You have your individual match tomorrow as well. Dude, dont worry. Theres no way Ruin would lose. Kekek. Well, thats true. My individual match against Seta Malkiri tomorrow was . The first person to snatch the g attached to the back of the other magician was the winner. It was a head-on battle that was a simple, but effective way to gauge an individuals skill. I needed to win this with an overwhelming difference too. That was how I would be able to carve it into the minds of everyone. Into the minds of the students of the 32 schools that were chosen toe to Altein and to the geniuses amongst geniuses that were vying for first ce. That they cannot rx. Maybe that was why Woah. Look at all the people. I cant even see the road ahead with all these people in the way. The roads of Altein that were noisy before thepetition even began were now even more full of tourists who came to watch thepetition and enjoy the festival. Even though we woke up at dawn and made our way to the tournament grounds early, if this many people were here now, the opening ceremony before noon would flood the entirety of Altein. Weve arrived. Everyone, get off. The 8-person carriages that we were riding on stopped. Woah. Look at that! The scene that unfolded before us was a circr dome that could easily fit multiple tens of thousands of people. Altein Stadium. It was an indoor stadium, but due to having implemented conjuration and illusion magic circles during its construction, it could create terrain features that would be hard to even find outside. Being able to manifest even frigid ciers and burning heat waves, it could be considered one of the greatest constructions of magical engineering. That wasnt all. Over there. Is that an artificial ind? In front of this Altein Stadium was an artificialke, and in the middle floated a small artificial ind. Yeah. Thats where the battle royale between the school representatives happens. Thats amazing. As we were nkly sightseeing the stadium and its surroundings, Professor Hydel walked up to us. Its nearly time. The spectators will start to enter. Lets go to our waiting rooms. Okay. We headed towards our waiting room on the 1st floor of the Altein Stadium. We changed into our school uniforms in the waiting room, the ones who packed it beforehand ate their lunch, and we did a light warm-up while the spectators started to filter in. A little bitter, an announcement was made signaling that everyone had finished entering the stadium, [The opening ceremony will begin. The students that are on standby, please prepare for the parade.] And the announcement that the opening ceremony would begin was also heard. I stood up from my seat. Lets go. The Opening Ceremony. It was the event that boasted the most attractions during the Grand Festival that was held over the course of 15 days. The host announced the opening of the ceremony, and each of the 32 schools entered the stadium while holding their gs. It was quite an amazing scene. Our g bearer was Jason. Jason walked in front of us while holding onto the g that had our academys insignia of the incandescent lightning drawn onto it. And I walked right behind him. And the remaining 29 students walked in a line behind me. I looked toward the students. Are you ready? Yes. My peers were noticeably nervous, and it showed from their expressions. However, the encouraging fact was that the origin of this nervousness wasnt fear. Everyone, lets enjoy this. Lets go and show them what we can do! Yeah! The origin was from the anticipation of maybe showing all those people, all the world, that we werent the worst school anymore. Yeah. The proper amount of nervousness could be the catalyst that led to smooth sess. [The entrance countdown will begin. 10 9 8 7] I turned to my peers, gave an uplifting smile and pped my hands once. Lets go! The entrance ceremony had begun. * * * * * * Simultaneously, each of the 32 schools with their 31 students entered the dome of the Altein Stadium, each from one of the 32 entrances. In total, 992 people. The g bearers standing at the front of their respective groups held the gs that bore their magic schools insignia high into the air, walking confidently, and the sky was filled with an unending flow of fireworks. WOOOOOOO! The spectators that filled the stadium like sardines started to cheer for the magic school of their choosing by shouting its name. Over there! Thats the kids from our school! It sure is. And it wasnt very hard to find the students who were cheering for the Ignit Magic Academy. Ruin! I waved my hands at the students who came all the way here to support us, and I took a deep breath to steady myself from the emotions that were welling up from within me. The parade went on for about 10 minutes, and ended after everyone walked ap around the stadium They then gathered all the students of the 32 schools at the center of the Altein Stadium. Fortunately for me Hows your arm? Seta Malkiri was standing right next to me. Seta Malkiri held back his anger while tightly closing his eyes as if remembering what happened yesterday. I lowered my guard yesterday. Ah, was that so? Howe you still sounded like a third-rate viin? Seta grinded his teeth and talked as if he had made up his mind. I was too careless yesterday, but today wont be the same. Be prepared. Sure. Try your best. Dont say anything dumbter. You didnt forget our bet, did you? Of course not. That pretty face of yours. Ill properly destroy it in front of everyone. It wasnt only us. Maybe because the event had officially started. Everyone felt on edge. An invisible mental battle was going on between all the schools, and even though we couldnt hear it, there were big and small arguments going on there too. Everyone wasughing and rxing until just yesterday, But this really made everyone feel that thepetition had definitely started. The first ce I looked was So, that guy is The winner of the magic festival every year, the man standing at the very front of the Raynac Magic Soldier Training School. Doom Prime. The magician who wielded the Sword of Brilliance. Living up to his fame, he had a shining sword strapped to his belt. As thepetition allowed artifacts that one could use with their abilities, it was a symbol that showed that one would use everything they had to win. Doom! Doom! Doom! He had a stone-cold face that didnt seem to falter from any sort of nervousness and epted all the cheers that were directed at him. If I were to keep on winning in thispetition, he was definitely a guy I must face at one point. As I looked away from Doom Prime, Eh? I felt the burning gaze from another and turned my head. It was someone I knew. Irene Prius. She looked at me with eyes filled with curiosity and said something to me. It seems youre the type to go around causing trouble. Trouble? What do you mean? Im talking about yesterday. You made an unnecessary provocation in front of everyone. Ah. She was talking about the secret weapon thing. That. I did that intentionally. What? I said I did it intentionally. I needed to introduce myself. Then Irene tilted her head like she couldnt understand me at all. Also, I heard you charged into the Oyotas lodging and messed everything up. Eh? How do you know that? Altein is quite small. At this point, theres probably no school who doesnt know what happened. They say that bad news travels fast. But just how far did the rumour spread? Hm hm. Well, I didnt mess everything up. I just wanted to have a talk. I shrugged my shoulders while making a poor excuse. Then, Irene Prius looked nkly at me. Since you gave me the book I was looking for that one time, Ill give you some advice. Itll be good to not get the attention of others here. It was good advice. Dont get the attention of others. Dont stand out. Maybe then, you at least wouldnt be prey to those hyenas. However, Like you, who hid her true strength? As I jokinglyughed and looked at her, Irenes eyes became filled with shock. Irene Prius was known to the world in rumours as only a 5th-ss Novice, but she was much stronger, a 5th-ss Master. She asked with her eyes how I knew, but, smiling happily, I just replied, Thank you for that good advice. Then, an announcement was made that signaled the end of the opening ceremony and the start of the first event. I gave a small nod to Irene Prius. Then, Ill be going. Were the contestants for the first event. Ah, then Irene had an expression that said she wanted to ask me more questions, but she closed her mouth. The reason I made a scene was not just to make our presence known. Rather, it was to use it as bait. As the other teams underestimated us as delicious prey, our teams bond grew even stronger. * * * As the magicians sent from the Magic Tower to host thepetition cast their spells, the interior of the stadium began to change. Mithril golems started to spawn in the empty center of the stadium. And from a crack that formed in the air, countless mana bombs started to pour out. The first event after the opening ceremony. Using the mana bombs, the first team to blow up their mithril golem was the winner. The first contestants for this historical opening of thepetition were Oyota and our academy. The majority of the people were naturally predicting that Oyota would be the winning team. However, W-what Thats? Is that even allowed? I would show them through thispetition, Id make sure everyone knew it. That the Acadummies and the cripple Ruin no longer existed. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 In the Altein Stadium, there were a total of 32 benches, and the students who were participating sat on those benches and spectated their rival schools matches. The first representative match of the opening ceremony was the match between the Ignit Magic Academy and Oyota. However, most students didnt really pay much attention to it. Well, Oyotas gonna win anyways. Obviously. Rather than that, is it the Raynac Magic Soldier Traning School next? Yeah. It was because, from the perspective of the observers, the oue was too obvious. Thats why, rather than the current match, they chose to talk about Raynacs match that would be held next. However, even if they wanted to ignore it, a situation appeared that they couldnt ignore. That was, the position of the students. What? They are they positioned like that? No way Did they split the igniting and throwing operations? Normally, heating up and throwing the mana bomb was all done by one person. However, the Ignit Magic Academy looked as if they wanted to split this operation by making two major groups and had even set aside one person to move the bombs. The ones who saw this all showed signs of ridicule. It was natural. The student representing the Ignit Magic Academy, Ruin Ardell. Didnt he boast and taunt to everyone about him obtaining first ce? It was only natural that everyone saw him in a bad light. Do they really think thatll be effective? As expected of the Acadummies. This is why theyre inst ce all the time. This event follows the time attack form, but if you follow such a slow process like that, how can you expect to win? Thats right. On top of that, they even put aside one person to move the mana bombs as well. Theres no way they can produce enough firepower like this. Dont you agree, Irene? Of course, there were opposing opinions. Irene Prius. From start to finish, she hadnt strayed her eyes from the match and was silently watching the field. Her thoughts were quite different to the majority of the other people. After silently looking at the field from the bench for a while, she slowly opened her mouth. Its possible. Eh? Whats possible? No, rather, this might be a more effective method for the Ignit Magic Academy. Irene. What are you talking about right now? A thought crossed her mind. It was possible. On a basic level, the job of heating up the mana bomb was affected by ones casting speed and mana sensitivity. On the opposite end, throwing the mana bomb was affected by ones magic evocation skill. If a magician was skilled in both aspects, it wasnt a problem to do both jobs, but what about magicians of the Ignit Magic Academy who might becking in one or both aspects? Its a wise decision to split up the parts to amplify the strong points of each member. Of course, this method had one problematic condition. The problem is how do you find each students strengths urately enough to put them into different groups? It was done by humans. Asking the professors responsible for tens of students to pick out each one of their strengths and weaknesses urately wasnt an easy task at all. But for the representative student to do this? This was an even more daunting task that wouldnt be easy, even if he had all the report cards of his peers. However, Look at the mithril golem on the Oyota side! They already blew up one of the arms! What the hell? Is Oyota losing right now? As the match officially began, Irene Prius became dispirited. It wasnt a coincidence? She couldnt ept it. The insight Ruin Ardell had when he picked out the book , the book that she was looking for,and said it looked valuable. This wasnt mere coincidence. Ruin Ardell had perfectly seen each students strengths and weaknesses and separated them into their appropriate roles. The Acadummy No. Ignit Magic Academy was crushing Oyota to show their prowess. Irenes gazended on Ruin. You Just what can you do? * * * * * * Proudly flipping everyones expectations on their heads. This was a truly special moment. Even more so if it was the rise of the Acadummies. I used the to take note of each students strengths to position them effectively. And thisyout I predicted operated as perfectly as nned. Hankus! The igniting speed is sufficient now. Mora! Ayake! You two go help the throwing group. Understood! I smoothly transitioned students from other roles who were proficient at throwing in order to solidify our lead. Jason! Target the mithril golems right arm this time! Ok! Get the right arm! I directed the battlefield by analyzing the situation in a detailed manner. The effects became obvious. Kuaaaah! The right arms destroyed! Aim for the golems core! Nice! Just a little more! Was it because, recently, I had taken the role of a viin to face the disrespect of the Acadummy head-on? Or was it because of the freedom we felt from not being disrespected by being called Acadummies? It was probably both. My peers had shining smiles as they threw the mana bombs at the Oyotas mithril golem. Boom! Crash! And the mithril golem was noticeably being destroyed in front of our eyes. Simultaneously, What are you shits doing?! Throw faster! Seta Malkiris expression crumbled. You snail-like bastards! Do whatever you can to win! As Seta Malkiri shouted as he became more impatient, the Oyota students started to make more mistakes. Some threw mana bombs that werent fully heated up, Others threw recklessly and missed the golems core. As this happened more and more, Seta Malkiri became furious. What are you doing right now! Fuck! I shouldnt have trusted you guys making that bet! He was obviously expecting he would win. He wasnt nervous at all. He didnt make any preparations beforehand either. This was why he lost. On the contrary, we were moving in perfect teamwork with one heart and one mind. The motivation that pushed everyone like this was just one thing. Escape fromst ce. This motivation was like a chance the Oyotas made for us themselves. Not long after, the mithril golem on Oyotas side lost its protective barrier around its core. There was just one hit left. The person to finalize the first event was none other than Jason. This is the end Jasons specialty was evocation. He normally just didnt properly put in effort, but looking at just his magic evocation abilities, he was probably second only to Michael. That Jason showcased his talent in full bloom and imprinted it into the minds of the thousands of people gathered here. you sons of bitches. With a cool pose, he shot the mana bomb with wind magic at the golems core. Whooosh~! The mana bomb thrown at super high velocity Crack! Creak! Directly hit the core of the mithril golem, and the golem that already had its arms and legs blown off Crash! Crumbled into a million pieces and disintegrated mid-air. It was quite the sight. The golems body which was destroyed in the air produced fireworks and a huge banner was formed. On it, written for all to see, W-we won! A flood of cheers of joy poured out. We won! WOOOOOOO! The looks of my peers as they hugged each other and shared the joy of victory. And, W-what did we just see? The Acadummies won? The students from the 31 other schools faces froze, as if they were just put into icy waters. And finally, Sigh. Seta Malkiris broken expression that said he wanted to go crawl into a hole. These three distinct expressions harmoniouslybined to create one spectacr scene. And at the center of it, I felt goosebumps flow all throughout my body and gave my peers a thumbs up. Good job. * * * After the fresh and unexpected twist of the first game, all the other games went as expected. The Raynac Magic Soldier Training School, heralded by Doom Prime, swept through theirpetition. And the other winning candidate, the Seiki Womens Residential College easily gained their win. The teams who should win, won. And the teams who should lose, lost. That was why our victory attracted even more attention. Then, is the Acadummy not the Acadummy no more? Thats the Oyotas now. What do we call Oyota then? Oyotrash? Kekek. What the hell is that? The change in recognition. It started from one small step forward. Right then, we had won against our rival nation, and also the ones known to be hostile, the Oyotas. And everyone here had witnessed it. But No one should be able to disrespect us now, right? Not yet. Ehm. Not yet? Yeah. We need to win once more Our image that had already deeply been stuck in everyones heads wouldnt quickly change. For it to change like that, Overwhelmingly. An Overwhelming Victory. So that no one would be able to point their fingers at us in disrespect. So that no one med it on mere chance. A victory that dealt crushing defeat. Jasonughed as if he liked that word and smacked my shoulder. Overwhelmingly I like that. Next up is the representative. Overwhelmingly Are you confident? I jokinglyughed at Jasons question. I am called the representative for a reason. How could I let go of this opportunity served to me by my teammates? Thats right! Keke. Dont you know how hard fought that win was? Good work. Really. Then, [In a moment, the Capture the g event between the student representatives will begin. The first event will be between Ruin Ardell of the Ignit Magic Academy and Seta Malkiri of the Oyota Nation Magic Institute. I repeat. In a moment] Rep, its your turn. I guess it is. The announcement that the individualpetition would start was heard. As expected, the first event was between Seta and me. I turned my head. Seta Malkiri wasnt hard to find. He was the one shouting at his teammates loud enough for all to hear. Seemingly having heard the announcement as well, he turned to where I was. Our eyes met. A battle of wits. And The battle of pride where one must triumph against the other, even if there wasnt an event. Straang, sitting on my shoulder the whole time, muttered as if she were amused. Master, are you nervous? I shrugged my shoulders. A bit. Well, Im nervous for another reason. Another reason? What reason? My eyes rose up to the hosting room that flew in circles above the Altein Stadium. At that ce, I need to show it to him. To the King of Magicians. Was the King of Magicians. Chapter 36 Chapter 36 The King of Magicians. The Fire King Teron. The owner of the Throne of Teron and also the ruler of the tallest Magic Tower in the world. He looked down at everything that was happening in the Altein Stadium from his floating room. At his side were 6 elected official judges, And one of the 6 judges was the director of the Ignit Magic Academy, Tirion Ignit. To Tirion Ignit, who was once called his rival, Teron asked in a joking tone, Tirion. How does it feel after your academy won? Are you asking me to answer as the director, or as a judge? Either. Hasnt thepetition just begun? I cant tell you yet. Your cranky personality is still the same. Im only being cautious. Both of them looked at the crystal ball. The inside of the crystal ball showed theplete view of the Altein Stadium, and in the centre was Ruin and Seta Malkiri. As he saw the face of Ruin, Teron spoke up. Ruin Ardell. He was a candidate for being one of the 11 children. So you remember. Of course. He was a pretty special case that was rare to find. He had an incredible talent for magic, enough to instinctually learn to manipte mana. But he wascking in the form of that Magic Evocation Disorder. But for him to appear here. Havent given up yet? Ruin is a student who doesnt know the meaning of giving up. No, Im talking about you. You held onto a student who had no potential? I dont limit my grade of a students worth with only talent. I understand your educational principles. Well, its a wee sight anyhow. It was quite a pity to remove him from the list of 11 children since his talent was quite good. A pity? Really? From what I remember, you treated him like he was a useless child. Sometimes, it feels like you still have some score left to settle with me. Our rtionship isnt that special. Well, thats true. The 11 Children. These were the children that the Fire King Teron personally picked out as the most talented children of this generation 5 years ago. The benefits they received were endless. They were periodically called to the Magic Tower for Teron to personally check their aplishments and they were directly issued special homework by the Tower Master. Their starting point was at a different level from normal students from the start. Ruin Ardell was also a promising candidate to be considered for being one of these 11 children. But he was quickly excluded. The reason was one known to everyone. Magic Evocation Disorder. His potential for growth as a magician became zero. The 11-year-old Ruin Ardell he remembered was definitely a failed magician. However, Ehm. For a magician who cant evoke magic toe as the school representative I dont think he had some special tactic prepared like the previous match either. That magician shamelessly attended the academy until graduation. And to the surprise of some, even became the school representative and attended a hugepetition like the Grand Festival. How many years did he take to ovee his curse? Teron was curious. Even though he himself could be called the greatest magician on the continent, the disorder was a fatal curse that even he didnt know the origin or cure of. This was the pure curiosity of a magician. And Tirion Ignit, who knew a little more than him, lightly smiled and replied, Since this is the individualpetition, youll know soon enough. Ill know soon enough? The meaning behind the smile was definitely anticipation. Anticipation for his student. The student who had never given up. A new appearance that could be shown to a magician who only chased after the size of ones talent. And, Tirion. Are you really thinking of not telling me till the end? Of course. Hmph Youre too much. Since they were in a cat-and-dog, love-hate, rival rtionship for so long. It was only natural to enjoy the fun of messing with the King of Magicians. * * * The first individualpetition event. The representatives woulde forward for a one-on-one battle. The event was simple, the only rule being snatching the g attached to the others back, but since it was still a battle between magicians, there were a myriad of battle tactics. From the honest method of using ice and binding magic to suppress the opponents movement to grab the g. To summon a guardian with 4th-ss magic to target their back. Sometimes, in high-levelpetitions, there were magicians who used invisibility magic too. Of course, the methods above didnt really apply to me. Invisibility magic could barely be cast by a 5th-ss master, so it was impossible. And binding or ice magic was only effective if I got close to Seta. How about a guardian? Guardians are too stupid, so no. There was only one method left. Then how are you going topete? At Straangs question, I lifted my fist. Ill have to face him head-on. I would run up and punch him to make him fall unconscious and then grab his g. As Straang understood what I meant in lifting my fist, her lips curled upwards. Im looking forward to that. She who was the Incarnation of Strength No. She always talked about how she missed the taste of blood and that I could call upon her anytime to help, but I wasnt nning on using her strength. Only by my strength. With overwhelming power. I clenched my fist and looked at Seta, who was standing opposite me. Seta acted like nothing was bothering him, but he was probably pretty nervous seeing as he wiped the sweat off his forehead. Everyone was paying attention to the fight between the two of us. So the rumour spread out pretty well. If I trusted what Irene said, everyone should know about the bet I made with Seta. Thats just fine. Oyota National Magic Institute. Ranking 20th in power between the 32 schools. Werent they just the perfect sacrifice to warn everyone? I looked ahead with a joking and smiling expression. [Match Start!] And charged straight at Seta Malkiri on the signal to start. * * * * * * Seta Malkiri. He was easily suppressed by Ruin in a nonsensical manner before, but he considered it as just a fluke. No, he was forced to believe it. I must have my revenge. The humiliation he faced in front of his own peers. To recover from this, he had to win. Right. He had put all his fame and pride on the line in this match. That was why he had decided to use his best strategy. [Match Start!] As the match started, Seta Malkiri mmed both his hands onto the ground and shouted, Summon Battle Guardian! 4th-ss magic. Summon Battle Guardian. The magic to summon a relentless front-line warrior who would beat down on the enemy, even when its body was being broken to pieces. The magic power flowing out from Seta Malkiris fingertips filled the earth in the stadium in an instant, and soon, something materialized and formed in the air. Oh! Its a guardian! Kuaaaah! The guardian born from Setas hands formed behind Ruin while it wielded a fearsome scimitar and charged directly at Ruin. However, W-whats this? Ruin disappeared in the blink of an eye. It wasnt invisibility magic. Skill . Strength that exceeded 2000. With 200% strength added on top of that, he was just moving too fast to be seen with the naked eye. Kuaaah? The guardian that had lost its target was just standing still while looking around. D-damn it. The flustered Seta Malkiri started to cast another spell. It was protection magic to defend against Ruin who could appear from anywhere. But Shoock! ! A shadow of a human flickered in front of his eyes like a panorama. Instinctively realising that Ruin was approaching him from behind, Seta stopped his casting, turned around, and threw a punch. Woosh! It was an irregr attack that Seta could only showcase because he had the disposition of a fighter. I was anticipating that. But Ruin caught it and held it firm in his hand, as if expecting it. Then, Seta saw it. A smile like a devil. Itll be good to watch your back. My back? A dangerous smile was on Ruins face. As Ruin pointed at Setas back with his chin, Seta turned his head. In that ce S-stop! Kuaaaah! As the guardian had found the enemy that he must attack, Ruin, the guardian was recklessly charging to Setas position. D-damn it! Stop! This was the fatal weakness of the 4th-ss summoning magic Battle Guardian. Saying it in a good way, it was very honest. Saying it in a bad way, it was stupid. Since its only goal was to attack the enemy, it didnt consider its own summoners safety, even if he were currently being held in ce. If the guardian was to charge Ruin head on, it was a situation where the steel armour of the guardian would hit Seta instead. Let go Let go! Seta struggled to escape the clutches of Ruin as he held him in ce, but as if Ruins fist was glued to him, it didnt budge. In that split second. Seta Malkiri realised it. The fact that when Ruin had grabbed onto his shoulder at the inn before. He hadnt been able to move at all. That wasnt mere coincidence. Ah. Defeat. A shocking defeat where he couldnt even do anything. As Seta finally came to this realisation, he screwed his eyes shut. However, nothing happened to him. Rather Crash! Boom! A great explosion was heard. Hm? The scene Seta Malkiri saw when he cracked opened his eyes was Ruin Ardell, with two fists holding Fireballs. Indiscriminately pummelled his Battle Guardian. He looked like a fiend. Kuaah? Kuaaaah?! The Battle Guardian was also surprised It could only receive the punches while grovelling on the ground. It had no chance to fight back. Boom! The guardians armour was crushed where Ruins punchesnded. Boom! Crash! And as the fists hit another two or three times, it was destroyed. With his fists. How could you destroy steel armour with just your fists? Seta Malkiri, who fought regrly, even in his childhood, was filled with an intense fear. Seemingly too shocked, he had forgotten about capturing the g and could only sit there and watch, eyes wide. Then, having finished the battle guardian in an instant, Ruin walked close. Setas lips quivered in fear as he stepped backwards. No. He wanted to fight, but his limbs froze up, not letting him move. He was overpowered by the disy of power. He could only ask one thing. Did Did you save me? At that, Ruin shook his head. Save you? You who terrorized my peers? Why would I? T-then? I need to finish you off myself. I cant leave it to that stupid guardian. Then he smiled wickedly once more. In the eyes of Seta, this was the form of a demon. The demon No. Ruin Ardell spoke while lifting his fist. You didnt forget about our bet, right? Yea? Lets flick your forehead, just once. What? Ruins middle finger fired before Seta could respond. This finger instantly struck Setas forehead. And before he lost consciousness, thest thing Seta Malkiri saw, So blue. Was the blue sky. Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Seta Malkiri. He was an aggressive boy who, maybe not in magic but in a physical fight, had not lost to anyone. As that boy who boasted a taller and bigger frame and better physique than most adults flew and fell unconscious by a single flick W-woah Altein Stadium. This ce was filled with two distinct and opposite reactions. The first was, S-so cool! What type of magic is that? Is that important right now? That was so one-sided! WAAAAAAAH! Ruin! Ruin! Ruin! Ruin! The spectators who couldnt have expected the ming fists cheered with excitement. The other reaction was, Did you just see that? Is that magic? I dont think so. No. That was definitely magic. A group of magicians that were shocked to say the least. Of course, the magicians associated with the Ignit Magic Academy werent shocked in the slightest. As expected! I knew Ruin would win. In a sense it was pitiful. To get hit by Ruin, the Skull Crackers flick Tsk, tsk That guy His brains definitely shaking right now. A melee magic that was based on my unfair strength. An indiscriminate magic attack that didnt care about things like casting time. His peers had already experienced Ruins special magic first-hand before. Of course, even though they had seen Ruins magic multiple times like this. Some parts were still hard to get used to. Did he get even stronger than before? I think so. He flew backwards more than when Michael was flung. He really is a monster. That was Ruins incredible speed of growth. It was enough to tell with the naked eye, not needing to measure the specifics, so they could only be surprised. However, the time to enjoy this feeling of victory didntst long. Yo, Acadumm- No. You academy kids. Let me ask you something. What is it? That guy. Your rep. Just what did he do right now? Ah that? Just 1 match. Just 1 event. Through just this, he had grabbed the attention of all the students of the 31 other magic schools. Thats why they were all swarming the academy students to dig up anything they could find about Ruin. Well, of course, Huhu. Did you think Id just tell you? Dont be like that. Cant you just tell us? My rep requested me to find out no matter You guys. Its too hot. Go away. Shoo! Shoo! It wasnt as if his academy peers knew anything. However, they straightened their backs, lifted their heads up high, and put on airs. They were rather enjoying the attention that Ruin had brought them. This reaction wasnt just among the students. In the hosting room flying in the air above the Altein Stadium. In here was the Fire King Teron and Tirion Ignit, the director of the Ignit Magic Academy. They were looking at all the events going on through the lone magical crystal ball. As soon as the match with Ruin had ended, a quiet stillness permeated between them. And the one who first broke this silence was the Fire King Teron. Tirion. Do you have nothing to say to me? I do not. Then Ill speak first. It seems I need an exnation for what I just saw right then. Its as you saw. It was magic. He held onto Fireballs in both hands and destroyed the guardian, and afterwards, he flicked Seta Malkiri on Do you think Im asking you because I dont know what happened? The Fire King Teron. His face waspletely different to before when he was just joking around with Tirion. The heat emanating from his gaze was different. His face, as the only archmage to exceed the limits of humans. It was an expression worthy of the one who sat on the Throne of Teron. Tsk. Hes going off again. Because of this two-faced nature, Tiriron Ignit had frequently said this about Fire King Teron. A two-headed snake. Sometimes, he felt like a close friend. But sometimes, he became the stone-hearted Fire King which made some question if he was even the same person. Despite him knowing Teron since the early teens Even he didnt know which side of Teron was the true Teron. When Teron showed this side of him, Tirion had no choice either. He had to set aside his private closeness and treat him in a more public manner. Tirion Ignit. As a judge of the Grand Festival, I will need you to tell me all about Ruin Ardell, the representative of the Ignit Magic Academy. Sure. Tirion Ignit. After hesitating for a second on how to respond, he decided to just tell him everything as it was. A student who acts like a student, who, even though everyone expected him to give up, persevered till the end. And, He spoke while looking Teron straight in his eyes. A magician who acts like a magician, able to magically turn his weakness into his strength. Tirions way of talking which skirted around the main points was enough to start to enrage the Fire King Teron, And Terons brows started to aggressively twitch. Is that all? To this question, Tirion Ignit could only reply with a big sigh. This is all I know about Ruin. It was the truth. Tirion wasnt interested at all in what type of magic Ruin used. Millies Covenant. Each magician had the right to keep their own secrets, and this must be honoured. Especially if that considered authority over their own students. What if I tried to directly call up Ruin Ardell and ask him myself? If you were to forcefully get an answer from him, Id have to stop you. Even if that opponent was the Fire King Teron. Even though he said this, Teron was definitely not someone you should have as your enemy. Tirion Ignit tried to give his politest smile. Magicians have the right to keep their secrets. I know very well about Millies Covenant, so you dont have to exin it. Thats a relief. Teron retracted his gaze from Tirion. He wasnt wrong. That sted covenant. Even if one was under the restriction of not lying, magicians could withhold the truth. That was why Teron took a different approach. However, there shouldnt be any problem with sharing a few words with him. He couldnt force Ruin to answer, But he could extract it naturally through conversation. Fire King Teron. A magician on the boundary between human and demigod. The man closer to the limit of magic than any other magician in the world. If magic had an end, it had to be him who reached it. However, Ruin Ardell. A type of magic he hadnt even heard of had appeared. Not as a judge, but as a magician, he felt a burning curiosity towards Ruin. And this curiosity of this supreme being must be satisfied. * * * * * * Ok! Lets drink! Cheers! The first night of the Opening Ceremony of the Grand Festival. The night atmosphere of the Altein Commercial District boasted a livelier appearance than its day counterpart. There was no end to spectators that hade out to enjoy the food and drinks of the shops that had no intention of turning off their lights. We blended into the sea of people. Oh! This is delicious! And enjoyed the taste of victory, mixed with Alteins specialty drink of tropical coconut vani juice. Gulp. Ahh. Sweet. Then, Jason frowned as if he didnt enjoy the cocovani. Do we really have to drink fruit juice on such a joyous day? Whats wrong with fruit juice? This cocovanis sweet and sour taste is the specialty of Altein that you cant taste anywhere else Ruin, you can go ahead and enjoy that sweet and sour drink. Jason pointed to the sign on the store with a frustrated expression. Damn it! Are we kids?! Hmm. I had no response to that. Jason stood up abruptly, having had enough of this juice. This wont do. I cant be sitting here drinking this childrens drink on such a joyous day. Then what are you gonna do? Follow me. Ill take you to a really good ce. Good ce? The true taste of life. Shouldnt it be bitterness rather than sweetness? Whats this? I had a bad feeling. As expected, the ce Jason led me to was the most secluded ce in themercial district, but also the one with the most mboyant sign. It was, A bar. A bar? Wait, were still students Yo! Were a group of 31! In the moment of my hesitation, Jason walked in naturally into the bar. Oh! Nice! Are we going into a pub now? Ive really wanted toe here at least once. And my peers followed behind Jason with smiles on their faces. As I was standing outside deciding on what I should do to remedy this situation as the school representative Jason grabbed my arm. Whats wrong with a ss of beer? But We arent the only ones here. Look over there. The other school kids are here too. It was the truth. Already inside the bar, multiple students awkwardly dressed as adult tourists were already gathered together and drinking. How had they not been caught yet? As I pondered on this question, Jason tugged my arm again. Dont worry. They already know and are just letting them be. Isnt this a festival? Were the main characters of this festival. Thats why we need to enjoy ourselves. Dont worry too much ande in! W-wait As I was dragged into the bar by Jason, the damp yet warm air hit my face. But instead of the soggy and damp interior I had expected, the inside of the bar was pretty clean, and the customers were all enjoying their drinks while smiling. For everyone toe to the bar together This Is this ok? Ok! Since Ruins here too, lets properly start the party! Oh yeah! My peers who had gone in before me had already settled themselves in a group seat. They sat me on the seat of honour, Jason naturally shifting the mood in our favour. 5 kegs of Altein barley beer 31 sses with ice And Dragon Kiss. You have it, right? And started to order like a veteran alcoholic. Just how many have you been to? Dragon Kiss? Keke. Of course we have it. Its not really a drink that youngsters like you look for Seems you know how to drink properly. Hehe. Of course. Please give us one bottle of Dragon Kiss too. Noted. Dragon Kiss? What was that? This question was soon answered. Jason lifted the Dragon Kiss that the owner got for him with pride. Damons Dragon Kiss. Hehe. This right here is my territorys specialty. Ah. So it was like that. Jason was the eldest son of the Damon territory. The Damon Territory boasted the best quality alcohol production in all of the Radian Kingdom. and the specialty from this ce was the Dragon Kiss. This meant that Jason came all the way to a faraway foreign country and ordered his territorys alcohol. Damons Dragon Kiss! Just one sip, and you feel as if you just kissed a dragon This drink is that incredible! Woaaaah! Jason smiled while enjoying himself and opened the lid of the drink. A kiss with a dragon! Kiss! Kiss! My male peers became excited while looking at the alcohol, and even though they hadnt a single drop of alcohol, some started to act drunk. It was enough to force a sigh out of me. I confessed honestly to Jason. Jason, Ill be honest. This is my first time with alcohol. In thest 6 years in the academy after my 10 years of life in my territory, I had no chance to drink alcohol. But Jason, suddenly acting like an adult,mented with a wise-looking expression, Dont worry. Drinking should be learnt from someone who loves to drink. Ill teach you the proper way to drink. Here. Follow me. First shot is one shot! First shot is one shot! My peers started to chant, First shot is one shot with excited expressions. It was a weird feeling. Like I had stumbled into a religious meeting. Yeah Cant really do much. Since everyone was enjoying themselves like this, I didnt want to exclude myself. What could I do besides closing my eyes and enjoying the moment? I received the shot ss that Jason gave me and sniffed it. Sniff sniff. Woah What was this? Even though I only smelt it, a warm breath climbed out of me. Then, Jason lifted me up and eximed, Right! Before we properly start partying! Today! The one who gave us a huge gift called victory in both the group and individualpetition! Well cheer for our representative, Ruin! Jason inspired a round of apuse, and with the pping, a huge cheer burst out. YEAAAAAAAH! Ruin! Ruin! Ruin! I stood from my seat while basking in the chants of my excited team members. Then, You there, wait. Someone walked up in front of our table. You What are you doing? Chapter 38 Chapter 38 A man with a dark skin tone and a bulky figure. At this appearance, the mood burning with excitement instantly cooled down. He was Why are you here? Are you here to taunt us again? Seta Malkiri. At the appearance of an unwanted guest, Jason shot back with a sharp tone, I know your pride is hurt because you lost to Ruin but go home for today. Were just about to have fun. Jasons hostile tone. Because of this, I thought maybe Seta would try to provoke a fight then and there. But the response was unexpected. Like a docile sheep, Seta Malkiri slowly opened his mouth. Im not here to taunt you Im here to apologize. What? It was truly unexpected. Im sorry for bullying you all this time. An apology. Seta Malkiri looked inexperienced saying such words and he scratched the back of his bushy head. After getting hit by Ruin in the stadium, I finally understood. Its not good to bully others just because they are weaker than me. There are many people stronger than me in the world, meaning I am a weak person too. I truly feel this. What I did to you all this time was wrong. W-wait, if a persons personality changes too fast I know you wont ept my apology this easily but I still wanted to tell everyone. Sorry. they die. Jason tried to change the tone with a joke, but it didnt work. It only made it more serious. However, This is a bit awkward. Hehe, yeah. My peers looked a bit happier at Seta Malkiris apology, seeming to like it. It was the same for me. I dont know how he suddenly reformed, but it wasnt a bad feeling at all. Im sorry for breaking the mood. Then Seta Malkiri deeply bowed his head and tried to leave, But then I asked Seta, Seta. Your apology just now. Was it because of the bet? Or was it what you truly felt? Right. Seta and I definitely had a bet. The loser would apologise in front of everyone publicly. Of course, I wasnt expecting such a serious apology from this bet. But Its the truth. Setas apology was not just a simple apology because of the bet, but a heartfelt and truthful one. I smiled at Seta and said this. Thank you for apologising like a man. Uh? Since its like this, sit down with us. Lets have a drink together. How about it? I looked for my peers approval and they nodded with a light smile. What Ruin said is true! Lets forget it all and have a drink together! Thats right! Lets drink. Hurry and sit down. I-is that alright? Of course! Here. Take this. Seta hesitated, feeling awkward, but in time, he took the ss. I raised my ss while looking at this Seta Malkiri. I wont do a cringe toast. Lets be good to each other from now on. Cheers! The mood was good. I clenched my eyes shut and lifted the alcohol to my lips. For the first time in my life, I drank alcohol. Gulp, gulp. As soon as it went down, my throat felt like it was burning. Woah What the hell was this? Kuah! That hits the spot! How is it? Its pretty good, right? Isnt this too strong? Ueck! The voices of my peers floated around my ears and soon became muffled. And I couldnt hear any voices at all. Wing Weng Wing Weng. Weng Weng Weng. My sight turned white. Huah. I tried to take a deep breath, but it felt like my throat was burning. Is this what dragons felt when they breathed out fire? Damons Dragon Kiss. Id definitely remember it. That this drink Was a drink I must avoid just when seeing the bottle. But Jashon Eh? Why do you why are there two of you? What are you on about? Ruin, is your tongue ok? My consciousness became faint. As reality drifted away from me, I tried to hold on to it and mumbled, Hmnya Alcohol scawy * * * Im ruined. As soon as I regained consciousness, I knew that I was ruined. I could clearly remember what happened yesterday. I definitely had a brilliant toast with a reformed Seta Malkiri, And after promising we would treat each other well, I poured the alcohol into my mouth. After that Crash! Do you remember Ruin yesterday? Hmnya Alcohol scawwyyyy. Kekekekekek. My stomach cant take anymore! For that perfect Ruins weakness to be alcohol. Kekekekek! Look at him still unconscious like this. Wow. How do you copse after just one drink? P-Puahaha! Kekek! Just how many hours is he sleeping? Im awake you bastards. But, from the shame, I couldnt open my eyes. As soon as I came to, the first thing that I heard were the voices of my teammates that mocked me straight at my face. Alcohol scawyyyyyy! Kekekekek! Ah, it hurts fromughing so much! What was so funny? This wasnt a problem with me, but rather from the drink being unnecessarily strong. Enough of this. I suddenly stood up and asked as if nothing happened, If youre done mocking me, you should stop. Ek-kekekek! He was listening the whole time?! Puahahahaha! But they justughed even harder. You idiots. Jason talked while wiping the tears from his eyes. Ehehehehe. Ruin, do you remember? What? You and Seta linked shoulders while both drunk and running around. What the hell are you talking about? I definitely just fainted after hitting my head Did you think that was it? You were shouting, Were friends from now on! with Seta, and while dancing together, you both hit your heads together and passed out. Something I should have forgotten. No. The things I definitely had to erase from memory started to slowly return to me. As the pieces started to match up together, Ah. A dark moment in my life that I must never think of again. No, I remembered my drunken frenzy. Ah, I truly went insane. How could I have done that? As I clenched my throbbing forehead, my peers were stillughing louder, going Puahahahaha! And Jason, who said he would promise me how to drink properly, Kekekek. You need to watch yourself when drinking in the future. Instead warned me about my alcohol intake. Ah, ok. I truly thank you for telling me that now. * * * * * * Uh? Ruin! Oops. This is the wrong Ruin! Howre your guts feeling? Seta Malkiri. That reformed Seta Malkiri of yesterday waved at me with a happy face as we met each other in the hallways of the Altein Stadium. I felt shame after remembering what happened at the bar yesterday, but Seta looked as if he didnt remember anything. No. That wasnt it. Seta remembered everything. It was just that, Ruin, were friends from now on, right He didnt know shame Ha-haha Yeah. Nice. Since were friends now, if I hear anyone calling you guys Acadummy, Ill go bash them for you. U-uh, uhm Thanks. Haha So other than that, Ruin, from what I saw yesterday, you looked like you had some interest in martial arts. You know that Oyota is famous for its martial arts, so we should meet up some time to talk about Y-yeah. Sure. Later. Iughed awkwardly and fled the interaction, And Seta Malkiri waved at me while shouting, Friend! Ill see youter! while waving his hand. Right. That guy was from Oyota. As Oyota was a coarse sand nation, they were known not for their magic, but for their strong martial arts and persistent swordsmanship. It was a ce with definite respect for the battle. And it seems he had grown to respect me after getting hit. This wasnt just true for the Oyotas. Wee. Im Dn of the Frelia Holy Magic School. You were pretty strong yesterday. That Seta Malkiri To blow his big body away in one strike. How did you do it? What magic did you use? Some approached me with half goodwill and half curiosity after seeing the battle yesterday. Just like I wanted. I not only became a tasty prey, but simultaneously a warning too. A warning of the pain from underestimating me. From what I heard, there were also some teams that tried to avoid direct confrontation with me It seemed everything that I wanted fell into ce. The effects of this warning didnt stop at just mere students. Professor Hydel. When he came up to me, he said this one thing. Ruin. You really have gotten yourself into a situation again. What do you mean again? Dont you know? Problems and situations always follow in your wake. Ehm Im getting scared now. What happened? The Fire King wants to see you. Fire King Teron. It seemed that the name Ruin Ardell had deeply imnted itself into the King of Magicians. Of course, I was expecting this to happen sometime down the line. But it was sooner than I expected. The Fire King It seems hes more curious than I thought. Even though I only finished 1 battle. The director was worried for you, saying he was a dangerous person with a cunning mask. Ill bear that in mind. Generally, a person who wore their heart on their sleeve was easy to deal with. But people like the Fire King who hid their true feelings with a mask were dangerous. Because you didnt know when they would pull out their knife. Even more so in a situation where you didnt know if the knife was friendly Or hostile. I looked up at the host room that flew in the air of the Altein Stadium. When do I need to go up? Ill tell you when your match ends today. Understood. After my match ended today I looked over at my peers who were warming up. We definitely need to win today. Eh? Thats natural. Why are you suddenly saying this? Someone who has a special interest in todays matches has appeared. Someone with a special interest? Who? The Fire King. F-Fire King Teron? The King of Magicians will watch our matches? Thats insane! Todays match. A grouppetition where a total of 9 students, including their school representative, would be participating. It had rather simple rules. Per team of 9 people, they would make an attacking team, defending team and goalkeeping team. After dividing into these 3 positions, a team won if they shot more arrow balls into the opposing teams goal. However, there was a hidden variable here. The Arrow Ball. It was a huge arrow with a knockback effect, It constantly flew around unpredictably, and this was a pain for both sides defending teams. It meant that the defending team must defend against the other attacking teams magic while also defending against this wild Arrow Ball. Because of this, a high level of strategy and tactics was required in the real game. When to use defence spells When to use crowd-control magic to bind the feet of the opposing teams defenders How to grab the arrow ball and throw it into the other goal Et cetera. Ruin, whats our n for today? n? I muttered while looking at the arrow ball that was moving about sporadically. Bzzzt Swoosh Ill grab the arrow ball and jump into the goal. Operation Name: Defend if you can. I was nning on just running through the enemy team. Chapter 39 Chapter 39 If you were to pick one person who saw the biggest change in this Grand Festival, Ruin! You got this! Go show them your power! Wait, no It would definitely be Seta Malkiri, who saw aplete change in personality overnight. This guy who, until even yesterday, was always plotting to bully the students of the academy, Go Academy! Was cheering for us with such spirit. Setas strange behaviour garnered frowns from many of the students. Why is he suddenly like that? Thats what Im saying. Seems like he lost his mind after getting destroyed by Ruin Ardell yesterday. This was understandably a difficult change toprehend, And even the other Oyota students who came with Seta found it difficult. Seta Malkiri knew about others opinions on this. But whenever he heard this, You. What did you just say? I dare you to talk again. What about my mind? Uh, thats After men exchange punches with each other, they are friends. Yesterdays enemy is todays friend. Dont you know? There was no exchange. It was a one-sided What? Ah, n-no. Nothing You punks Tsk. Whatever. How could you guys evenprehend my great will. He tried to cooly pass it over. Of course, the reason that this fierce Seta ceded to Ruin was another thing entirely. Seta Malkiri. This man who had never tasted defeat against another in a fight was helplessly suppressed for the first time in his life. Rather than suffering the bitter taste of defeat, this experience instead enlightened him. The Oyotas cultural sense of respect for a powerful individual and for magicians who respected the martial arts aided in his realization. The realization was also confirmed when he had his bout against Ruin. The greatest magician of the next generation is this guy. The next generations magicians. Doom Prime of Raynac Magic Soldier Training School. Irene Prius of Seiki Womens Residential College. Dn Marken of Frelia Holy Magic School. And other monstrous magical geniuses of the 11 children that were still growing in power. Everyone was focusing on them to be the next generation magicians that would leave their marks on history since these 11 were the most promising, But as Seta had faced them on the same stage before, he could feel it. Ruin is stronger. Even against Seta, who was also a school representative, Ruin was able to easily overpower and crush his magic. He could feel that Ruins talent was on another level. Of course, it wasnt because he was simply stronger, On top of that, hes a pretty good kid. A boldness that was hard to find among his peers. Strong leadership that could form the disorderly rabble into a team. A capacity for tolerance where he could give a hug to Seta, his enemy. Ruin was definitely a man destined for greatness. And if possible, Seta wanted to be friends with him. Maybe I could help in martial arts. Wasnt Seta a magician that was the hope of his country, Oyota, a country of martial arts? He could definitely be a help to Ruin one way or another. As Seta looked at Ruin like he was in love, the other Oyota students that were standing next to him could do nothing but shake their heads. Captain, were up next. Arent we going to have a strategy meeting? Seta Malkiri scratched his head and turned around. Hmhm Strategy meeting? Of course we should. Then lets do it. Stop cheering for other schools. Fine. Even though he said this, Setas eyes kept ncing at Ruin. In this event that demanded a variety of different tactics and strategies, he was too curious about what type of performance Ruin would show. However, he couldnt just stand there and cheer on forever. Captain! Ok! Iming! Because, at the end of the day, he was also a participant. * * * The number of people that participated in was 9 per team. Hankus was assigned to goalkeeper, 4 people were assigned to the defense position to block iing attacks, And including Jason, 3 people were to attack. This left 1 person, Then, what about you, Ruin? Me. My role was a little different. I pointed at our opponent, a magic school from the Collum Kingdom. Who from our team do you think they will try to keep in check the most? Naturally, it would be you, Ruin. That was right. They would try and keep me in check. The students from the magic school of Collum Kingdom were eyeing me with quite nervous expressions on their faces. I looked at Jason and smiled brightly. So, Ill be kept in check by them. Whats that mean? On purpose? Yeah. Operation name, Defend if you can. They will try to focus me down with all their might. Ill match their rhythm and while I am distracting all their attackers Well grab the ball and throw it in? Correct. When I distracted them enough to create an opening, my teams attackers would rush into the opening. And another opening would be created to close this one. At that time, Id utilize the new opening. We would use the danger of being restrained as an advantage. Seeing me talk about this, Straang had a knowing smile on her face. Master. So thats why you tried to stand out so much. Instead of an answer, I lightly nodded my head. That was right. The reason I tried to be the delicious prey in their eyes. As I would be focused down more, our team strategy would y out smoother. And this prediction of mine, Match start! Came true. * * * * * * BZZZZTTTTT With the sound of the start signal, an arrow with a blueish light on it was shot into the air. This was the arrow ball. The arrow ball started to fly around randomly in the stadium. And attacker Jason started to cast ice magic to contain the arrow ball. However, Why arent they moving? Contrary to our teams busy movements, the attackers of Collum didnt show any intention to move. The reason was simple. Their intention was to observe my movement before acting too hastily. Seeing this, Jason sighed, muttering, Arent they ignoring us too much? So you dont care about anyone except Ruin? This is getting on my nerves. I cracked my neck as I tapped Jason on his shoulder. Then, should I get going? After I took a running stance by putting my hands to the ground, I kicked off and flung my body forward. And simultaneously, the 3 attackers of Collum rushed into me. The funny thing was, even though I didnt move towards where the arrow ball was, they moved towards me instead of Jason. An obvious intent to contain me. This is too obvious. The edges of my lips curled up as I rushed in towards the Collum attackers. Then the 4 defenders that were standing at the back cast protection magic to stop me. And the 3 attackers scattered to the sides and started casting restraining magic. Frozen Tree to wrap around my legs, Ice Spear that was created from the rapidly cooled air. And even a Fire Wall to stop my retreat. ! Multiple spells flew straight at me in an instant and I just narrowly dodged them all. There was no time to rest. ! Since magic kept being flung at me, it was like their tactic was to first take me out with their teamwork then win afterwards. However, since I had suspected they would try and focus me down I used Bend Time to break through their of control and charged into the centre of their formation. Then Crash! ng! I struck the ground with a punch. From the ice magic emanating from my fist, giant walls of ice shot up from the ground. My turn. I started to indiscriminately punch these walls and shattered them. ng! Ching! Shatter! The broken walls of ice became sharp daggers that flew at the Collum defenders. Strength that surpassed 2400. This transformed those small ice shards into dangerous arrows, Everyone, dodge! Ack! And these fragments started to injure the defenders. In that moment where the defenders were too busy casting protection magic to shield themselves, G-got it! The opening we were waiting for had appeared. As Jason seeded in capturing the arrow ball, he took the chance to attack. The defenders shouted out in response toote. Over there! The arrow ball was captured! B-block it! Everyone, block! However, since they were fighting me, their defence formation was already in shambles. And even though they tried their best to reform, it was far toote. Only 2 people were between Jason and the goal post. There Where are you going? Im not done yet. I was firmly standing in the path that Jason was running down. A-ack! I grabbed the back of the defenders neck and threw him, making him fly back as if he were a paper doll. The next defender was the same. One of them was grabbed by the neck and thrown to roll on the ground, and the other was grabbed by the leg and fell backwards. A wall. An imprable fortress. At this overwhelming disy of power, some of the Collum students lost their will to resist and muttered in despair, M-monster How can we beat him? As I was interfering with them, A point! We got a point! Its in! Jason had seeded in getting the point in the one-on-one battle against their goalkeeper. The first point was gained just 5 minutes into the game. Ah. This was enough to break the mental of the Collum students who had dedicated their time to practice. And this was soon shown in the matchs scores. Lets go with n B. The befuddled Collums hurriedly went to change their strategy. Rather than contain me, they would fight in the standard manner. They contended against our attackers for the arrow ball and the defenders only focused on defending. However, even this had an opening. Ruin! Catch! After bing rtively unrestrained, I could move more freely, And after receiving the arrow ball from Jason, I recklessly charged towards their goalkeeper. B-block him! Its over if they score another one! Block him, even if you have to throw your body at him! Even though the defenders summoned their battle guardians and went on full defense, I didnt hesitate and charged straight on. Schwing! The sound of cutting air rushed past my ears. An insane speed. I threw my body at their defence like I was going to gore them with a horn. Simultaneously, Bang! Pang! My shoulder pads were engulfed in me. The achievement I obtained some time ago. Whole Body a Weapon Head, shoulders, legs. All the points in my body exploded with magic. In that short 5 second window, 3 explosions rang out. And when ck fumes were carried off by the wind The arrow ball in my hand had already passed by the golem and gone into the goal. WOOOOOOOOOOO! 2 goals! Theres 2 goals! The spectators cheering flooded out towards us. I could only jokingly smile as I looked at the remaining time. But that was only the second goal Chapter 40 Chapter 40 The students of the Collum kingdoms magic school couldnt figure out a way to ovee this awkward situation. This is insane H-how do you block that? Ruin Ardell. Having shown off his immense strength in one of the first events, they thought that, if they could properly keep him in check, victory would be assured. However, the sudden openings created by only focusing down Ruin became a problem for the defensive line. And, if that made them stop restraining him, Block! Block him! Damn it! How do you expect us to block that?! You try blocking him! No one could block Ruin Ardell as he charged into the defensive formation like a rhino brandishing its horn. How could they even hope to? He dodged most of the long-range magic aimed at him. And in the rare case that the magic did hit, he destroyed it using his strange and unusual strength. In the case that Ruin happened to get close to them, I-its exploding again! Its his butt this time! Arm, leg, hips, shoulders Even his butt. There was no limit to where he could activate his magic. Boom! KKKKAAAAANG! And as Ruin brushed past another person, the explosion magic detonated. Woah! Wow! Thats crazy! Thanks to this, the audience members, who were waiting to watch an intense game filled with strategy and close calls, were met with a fireworks show. And everyone watched on, excited like children. The only people not excited by this were the Collum students. D-damn it Just where did that monstere from? At this point, the defenders even started to move back. It was obvious that, even if they tried to block him, they would only be sent flying. An overwhelming victory. Give up. We lost. We We had lost from the start After ying like this for a while, the score became a record-breaking 11 to 0, And this gap in scores ripped away any lifeline of hope theyd hung onto till the end. Normally in , the winner scored at most 3, maybe 4 points. But for 11 points to be scored It was an abnormal score that didnt fit the Grand Festival that was supposed to be a festival between schrs in magic. We surrender. Surrender! Surrender has been called! The winner is Ignit Magic Academy, 11 to 0! Throwing in the towel before an even more crushing defeat. Maybe this was the natural sequence of events. It wasnt that the Collum magic school was weak. They werent an upper-level school in the 32 schools, but they had always been operating with prudent and practical means and had always ranked in the middle. Doom Prime of Raynac Magic Soldier Training School. Irene Prius of Seiki Womens Residential College. Or anyone else. If they had to go up against anyone else, they wouldnt have lost with this big of a gap in scores. Then what was the reason for this utter defeat? The school representative of Collum looked at Ruin and said in a defeated tone while chuckling at the situation, That guy Unpredictable. Unpredictable. Using methods during the game that were totally different from normal magicians. It was because of this Ruin Ardell who surrounded himself with these unconventional variables. That big talk he had in front of the inn before all of us, I understand now. He wasnt bluffing in the slightest. This is ourplete defeat. Right. Just maybe they might actually win. Winning the Grand Festival. It was an event so far from their reach that it was hard to even imagine, But maybe it wasnt impossible after all. * * * YEAAAAAAAAAAH! We won another one! If we keep going like this, dont you think winning the whole thing is possible too? 2 wins in a row. Currently, we had won every event we had participated in since the Grand Festival began. My peers all ran onto the stadium grounds and hugged each other while cheering. And Straang She, who was the Incarnation of Strength, had a joyful smile on her face, having felt full of power. Kya! Im so happy! Everyone was happy, But I didnt have time to relish in myplete victory. Ruin Ardell. Professor. Professor Hydel, who had walked up to me, brought me news about the interview with the King of Magicians. Itll be at 7 in the afternoon. You shoulde up without eating. 7pm? I hurriedly checked the time. It was already past 6. He shouldve given me some time to catch my breath at least. That person Even if I dont know much about him, I can tell hes someone who rushes things. I cant deny that. Professor Hydel nodded as he agreed with my thoughts, and I lightly smiled as I walked into the waiting room. I took a quick shower to clean the sweat off my body, and after putting on my academy uniform, I walked to the mana gate that was installed at one part of the stadium. Waiting for me at the mana gate was a weing face. Director. Ruin. Tirion Ignit. As the only pride of the weak kingdom of Radian, he gave me a weing smile. But I could tell that it was a bitter smile. The emotion carried in that smile was none other than worry. I knew you would do fine, but you still exceeded my expectations. Thank you for representing the academy and showing us this marvelous performance. Thank you for your kind words. But because of this, you have attracted the attention of a dangerous man. A dangerous man. Well, he really was a dangerous man. He was a magician at a level where, if he flicked his fingers, I would instantly cease to exist. On top of that, a two-faced nature where I couldnt figure out what he was really thinking. However, I cant hide it forever. As long as I didnt give up on magic, there would have always been scenarios where I had to meet him. Honestly, it happening now was better. Because I had the director as my pir of support. With a light expression on my face, I pped my hands together. Then, should we go in? Let''s. As soon as we entered the mana gate, it instantly finished warming up and swiftly pushed us into the air while defying gravity. The first person I saw as the gates opened I wee you. A man wearing a brilliant robe while holding a magic crystal in his hand. Even though he was an elder like Director Tirion and over the age of 60, he was a handsome man that looked like he was in his 30s. A man with a gaze of slight yfulness that muddled others perceptions and hid his intentions. That person, is he a dragon? Why is his magic power Possessing huge amounts of magic power that could confuse even the senses of the Incarnation of Strength that spent her entire existence with a dragon. A magician walking the boundary between man and demigod. Fire King Teron. He stood up from the Throne of Teron and talked in a joking tone. Ruin Ardell. I was just preparing dinner. For dessert, which one do you want, apple pie or egg tart? Towards that Teron, I smiled yfully. Cocovani please. * * * * * * The meals atmosphere was lighter than I expected. Maybe to be considerate to me who had juste from a game, at least while we were eating, he didnt ask me any special questions. And thanks to that, I enjoyed the smoked meat, cheese gratin, prawn, and other Altein cuisines. Afterwards, as I slurped up the cocovani juice dessert, Teron spoke to me. You wouldnt know, but I know about you. Ive seen you once from afar. Me? Thats right. Its already been 5 years. Because back then, I was looking for children to personally teach. Seems society calls these the 11 children. I dont know if you know, but you were one of the candidates. The 11 Magicians. These were children that Teron personally picked out while going around in disguise, regardless of their status or school rank. I looked toward Director Tirion and he nodded his head in affirmation. I was a candidate for the 11 children? It was my first-time hearing about this. And this was an important point. The main reason I was invited to this ce today. Theres a big difference between your young self and your current self. Enough to say that youre different people entirely. Ill ask this bluntly. The things that happened to you between these times. Can you tell them to me? My current self. It was evidence that stated that the discernment of the Magician at the Boundary was wrong. Since this was a humiliating stain that said his discernment was wrong Terons eyes lit up. His gaze was analyzing my very core, And his spirit carried pressure thatmanded me to immediately answer. Ehm. As I stayed silent, the mood suddenly became heavy. Asking how I became strong. For both magicians and knights, this was generally a rude question to ask. However, the one who asked was the very curious King of Magicians. He didnt care about being rude. What should I do in this situation? Director Tirion nodded at me to signal it was ok to stay silent. Ok. Should I lie a little? Or should I use Millies Covenant as an excuse and talk vaguely. In that moment I was thinking what to do, Fire King Teron spoke up, as if he had read my mind. Millies Covenant. It came about because the great magician Millie was wrongly used as a witch using ck magic and this sparked a promise between magicians. As long as I dont lie, Ill only tell the truth. So dont ask any more. Yes. Ive learnt this in ss, so I know it very well. Right. Youre a smart kid, so you should know. Then you should also know the danger of a lieing out of a magician''s mouth. I was getting confused. This Did he mean that I should not be vague, using the covenant as an excuse? Or was he threatening that, if I lied, something big would happen? But for someone who was threatening another, his eyes were still full of mischief. I looked directly into those eyes and said, I apologize, but theres only one thing I can say to the King of Magicians. What is it? My talent might have been wrong, but at least my efforts were never wrong. effort? At that, Terons expression became weirdlyplicated and the Directors face went bright with joy. Fire King Teron clicked his tongue and looked at Director Tirion. The apple doesnt fall far from the tree. Talking about effort. Hes speaking just like you. This is the reason I like Ruin very much. However, Teron didnt seem to give up and asked me again. His eyes were stubborn. Sure. Did you say effort? What did you put your effort into? Currently, Ive been interested in martial arts. To ovee your evocation disorder, you trained your martial arts. Thanks to that, you became as strong as an ogre and are able to cast magic without casting time? Are you saying this is believable? With the reason of me not lying, please dont ask more about the truth. So, youre saying thats not it. Then, the only thing left is an artifact, right? However, Ive never heard of an artifact like that. He stubbornly questioned me to the end to get his answer. Having seen enough, Director Tirion dissuaded him. That much is enough. Fine, fine. Teron jokinglyughed and put both his hands up in surrender. He smiled like he meant Ill stop here for today. There are many events to watch going forward anyways. Right. There are many events left to watch. Fire King Teron told me hed watch me going forward. The fruits of your effort I wonder if it can apply to my children too. Im looking forward to it. And he also told me he would look forward to my performance. I looked Teron straight in his eyes. Yes. Please keep watching me. I was nning on lifting Fire King Terons expectations of me through this festival. Maybe, this was Im curious now too. How much of a difference there is between me, and the children picked out by the King of Magicians? An opportunity. In front of everyone. In front of the King of Magicians. An opportunity to say that,pared to the magicians he had picked out, I was a better magician. Maybe he saw through my intentions. Ha. Haha Teron looked at me like I was an interesting specimen. His gaze seemed to say, look at this impudent rascal. And my cute arrogance wasnt taken as rude. In any case, Ruin Ardell Youre a funny one. The entrance of an interesting magician was wee to him too. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 If you were to pick out the one school that had the most fans and cheer squads in the Altein Stadium, there was only one option. Raynac Magic Soldier Training School. The school with the most recognition among the 17 magic schools of the Raynac Imperial Federation. It produced Fire King Teron and every year hundreds of capable magicians graduated from there. As, based on its capabilities and its fame, it was the most prestigious of the prestigious schools, they were definitely the main character of thispetition. Everyone voted for Raynac Magic Soldier Training School to be the most likely to be victorious in the grouppetition. Even in the individualpetition, the schools representative, Doom Prime, received an overwhelming majority of the votes for victory predictions. Yeah. A name you would frequently hear in the cheers of the festival. Doom! Doom! Doom! Doom Prime! Doom Prime! Doom Prime! Doom Prime. The best of the best of the Raynac Magic Soldier Training School. Genius amongst geniuses. He looked on at the field with an expressionless face, as if none of the cheers had any effect on his emotions. His expression was solid, like it was the expression he had his entire life. Are you certain? But that immutable face spectating the game instantly crumbled. Because of this rare sensitive reaction from Doom, the student who was talking stuttered a little. Ah, th-thats I-Im certain. I definitely saw it. Ruin Ardell. That academy representative definitely went up to the host room. Ruin Ardell. Why did that guy go there? T-that I dont know that either The reason Doom Prime was being this sensitive. The reason Was because someone other than him had a one-on-one talk with the Fire King. Ruin Ardell. Because Doom Prime also watched some of the Academys games, he knew a lot about Ruin. The main character of the record-breaking performance that the Ignit Magic Academy had shown this Grand Festival. He was rumoured to be very hard to deal with because of his unique magic. However, Doom didnt try to keep Ruin in check. No matter how much Ruin struggled and fought, at the end of the day, he was just an annoyance to Doom. Because the magic Ruin showed was only up to 5th-ss Novice level. However, A meal with the Fire King Why? This was a grave matter. King of Magicians. Fire King Teron. He had never called Doom up during the entirepetition. However, Ruin was called up. Why that guy? He could vaguely guess the reason. That unique magic Ruin used probably yed a part in it. Even so, Doom Prime still bit the corner of his cheek. The emotion that he was showing was, Did he pique his curiosity? A magician other than me? It was definitely envy. And another emotion was hidden behind that jealousy. A sense of fear that Terons attention would move on to someone other than him. These emotions clouded Dooms mind and thoughts. He was always 1st ce. And he had always received unrivalled attention from everyone everywhere. The rising star of the empire and a next-generation magician who would enter the Magic Tower in the future. However, none of these things were important to him. There was only one thing that could satisfy Doom Prime. Fire King Terons attention. Thought Doom Prime while looking into the air above the stadium. Well He was probably curious just because he was unnatural. Surely For now, He wished that Terons attention stayed with him. * * * Fire King Teron. He was quite satisfied by the dinner he had today. As soon as Ruin went back down to the field, Tirion Ignit spoke up. Teron, thank you for being more polite than I expected. Hm? Were you scared I was going to eat up your disciple or something? Of course not. Dont worry. I always wee talented magicians. I was just a little curious. The first time he saw Ruins magic, the supreme beings curiosity that wanted to find out everything about what he saw dominated Terons mind. However, after sharing a meal with Ruin today, his thoughts had changed a little. Then, did you satisfy that curiosity? Keke. Theres no way. He was hiding something that deep in his heart, trying not to show me, so how couldnt I get more curious? However, another type of curiosity is boiling out. Another type? You heard it too. That daring kid subtly warned me. Ruin used the word warn. But rather than a warning, it was closer to a bet. A bet that said that he should look forward to Ruin fighting against the disciples Teron had been raising. That kid. He stayed defiant in front of me. Most other magicians would beg and grovel like some puppies. Isnt he still just a kid? Let it go a bit. * * * * * * Hm. Other than that, didnt you also hear him joke about wanting cocovani before? At the mention of cocovani, both of them simultaneouslyughed. Pah! There werent that many students who could respond in kind to a joke thrown by the King of Magicians. Compared to him, that Doom Prime kid Doom Prime, who he was currently nurturing, was theplete opposite. Doom was an excellent disciple that surpassed his expectations, but he wasnt fun in the slightest. He always strived for Terons praises and attention, but also couldnt rx around him. Doom was so tense that you could say they never had any personal talks. Compared to that, Ruin had a human quality to him. He would be an important person with his guts alone Maybe it was you who was raising the tiger. Please be urate. Hes not a tiger. Hes a dragon. A dragon If hes a dragon, his power will grow in an instant. If you have a hard time managing him, you can always leave him to me. If thats what Ruin wants, then Ill let you. But I dont think he will do that. Keke. Thats true. This wasnt just simple curiosity about Ruins abilities, But curiosity about Ruin Ardell as a human being. If possible, he wanted to stay close to keep watch on him and see everything about him. That kind of magician. Of course, it wasnt like this was impossible. Maybe if that Ruin kid was to win the whole Grand Festival A privilege given only to the winner. They were issued a mission fit for the magician who would lead the next generation and they would have a direct audience with the emperor. Through this, they could also make their name known across the continent. This helped Ruin. And it also helped Terons curiosity that wanted to put Ruin next to him. It was good for everyone. However, Tsk. This is getting troublesome. Rather than Ruin, it should either be Doom Prime, Irene Prius, or any of the other 11 Children he personally raised who should be the winner of the Fire Kings honour. Teron looked down at the crystal ball with aplicated expression from struggling to pick who to cheer for. Then, Hm? Inside the crystal ball were the twods who were causing his internal struggle. Seeing this, Terons lips curled upwards. * * * I finished having the meal with Fire King Teron and came out of the mana gate. But, as soon as the doors to the gate opened, I saw an unusual face. Doom Prime. Why was this guy here? Well, that wasnt my business. I had never had a conversation with him, so I tried to just walk past. However, Stop. Doom didnt seem to have any intention of letting me go. Was he waiting for me? As I nced at Doom Prime, he opened his mouth, speaking arrogantly. What did you talk about? What did we talk about? Why was this guy asking that? What? Ruin Ardell, what did the Fire King say to you? Why are you asking? Answer my question. Why should I? Theres no reason. But As I showed my intention to stay silent, Dooms gaze turned dangerous. I need to know. He seemed like a guy who didnt normally show his emotions, but after this guy expressed himself, it felt pretty deadly. It was as if the surrounding air froze up. Magic? No, it wasnt magic. This was the sword hanging on his waist. It was the feeling radiating out from his artifact, the Sword of Brilliance. The mana of a magic sword used by demons. It was too savage for our first encounter. Are you challenging me? Even though this is outside the tournament grounds? Answer me. What did he ask you? What did the Fire King say to you? Just why were you so curious? Since his attitude was like this, I wanted to tell him less. Well, you know how it is. The more they annoyingly ask, the more you dont want to tell them. Bit of a stance of resistance. There was nothing special But since youre asking like that, I dont want to answer. What did you say? Dooms eyes red up. A sense of danger shot out, as if he was going to pull his sword out right here and charge at me. They say his swordsmanship is outstanding too He wouldnt pull out the sword outside ofpetition like an idiot, but just in case, I simted the scenario in my head. Before, at the Academy, I learnt how to fight against Lord Coulter, so I knew how tobat a knight. But this was a real sword. On top of that, I had never fought someone with a magic sword before. Maybe that was why. Or maybe it was because that guy was genuinely strong. I couldnt see any openings. No matter how much I nned, there was no clear picture that could lead to my victory. I could sense it. That guy was strong. There were no truly weak people at this festival, but no one wouldpare with the one who won the Magic Festival every year. He was at a different level. So, he wasnt a winners candidate for nothing. I clenched my fists hard. A stand-off held for a few moments. As this tension became thicker and thicker, Both of you, stop right now. A familiar voice rang out from behind. It was someone I knew, and also someone I didnt expect to see. Irene Prius. I shrugged my shoulders and spoke. There seems to be a meeting here today. Everyones gathered together. Theres no meeting, but if youre going to be reckless outside of the tournament grounds like this, I might need to facilitate a formal greeting between you two. Since she was looking at us with a dumbfounded expression, I replied, smiling brightly, Hm Ill decline. Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Irene Prius had dissolved the standoff between me and Doom Prime. Seemingly not wanting to do anything more, Doom quietly left the scene. I gestured towards Doom as he walked away and asked Irene, Was he always someone who acted however he wanted? No. Usually, its hard to even hear him talk. Of course, there are some exceptions. Exceptions? He bes sensitive if its in regard to Sir Teron. He wants to be the one most recognized by Teron, more so than anyone else. So that was why. Terons recognition. Attention that only he himself should receive. And jealousy that stemmed from that insecurity. That someone else might steal this attention. However, I still cant understand it. Isnt he getting enough attention? I heard that Doom Prime is ranked 1st among the next generation magicians. Who knows? I dont know what hes thinking either, but one thing for certain is that the things you did today were quite unprecedented. Me? I heard you had a private interview with Sir Teron? We werent alone. The director of my school was there too. Even that level of private conversation is what I mean by unprecedented. Even we have a hard time meeting him in a public setting. The we she meant here was about the 11 Children that were chosen by Teron. Hearing her talk, there were public conversations where all 11 met up with Teron at once. But there werent any cases where he would have a private meal individually. After hearing this, I started to understand why Doom was so sensitive about this matter. So he thinks Im getting special attention from the Fire King. Probably. So it was like that. As I nodded after starting to understand it, Irene gave me a warning. Hes strong. He wont ever give mercy to his opponents. He might be plotting against you, using today as an excuse. However, I just shrugged my shoulders as if it was no big deal. Wont I have to verse him at some point anyways? It doesnt really bother me. Can I ask you one thing? Sure. Anything. Just then, when you two were alone. Were you really thinking of fighting? Was I really thinking of fighting him? I snickered. Theres no way. I dont want to get disqualified. Doom probably also didnt want to fight. He only wanted to scare me. How was it? Eh? How was what? When you were in a standoff against Doom Prime, how did you feel? Were you scared? She was asking about my emotional state after nearly fighting against the genius of the next generation. I looked back to just before, when it was just me and Doom in that standoff. The magic sword had fumed out stale mana in an instant and saturated the surrounding air. It was a dangerous situation where, if he wanted to, the magic sword could be aimed at my vitals before I could even blink. Yeah. If Im being honest, he was like a wall. A thick and dense wall that wouldnt be pierced by any ordinary attack. He was strong. However, Even then, I was never thinking that I would lose. No matter how thick the wall is, itll break if I hit it 10 times or so. Im stronger than I look. Pft. As I joked about it, Irene smiled, looking done. Then, she asked, You Whats your real identity? What do you mean? A magic I had never seen before and even a private talk with the Fire King. Now youre even hailed as a winning candidate, but you dont look phased by it. I guessed from the first time we met that you werent an ordinary person but the more I look The more you look? Irenes words trailed off a bit as she thought of what she should say next, but after a bit, she spoke with a smile. youre a suspicious person. Eh? Whats that supposed to mean. Saying Im a suspicious person Well, sure. I couldnt really deny it either. If you asked anyone to pick the most suspicious person in this whole festival, I would be picked without contest. I jokingly asked Irene, Anyways, Irene. You seem to be quite interested in this suspicious person. It seems youre so suspicious, I cant help but look at you. Do you know how much attention youre attracting from everyone? Of course. Thats all intentional. Ah, so youre someone who likes attention to begin with. Well Of course, Irene responded in kind with another joke. Pft! Do I really look like that? Em What do you think? We both burst outughing. * * * It had already been four days since the start of the Grand Festival. During that period, there were two grouppetitions without the representatives. Ah, we lost. We really lost Hey, its fine! We all tried our best, didnt we? We won one event and lost the other. With this, the miraculous win streak of the Acadummies had ended. Our rank was tied for 4th ce. Even though we were unfortunately pushed from the race for 1st, Thats right. Its already a miracle that we were able to maintain our rank like this. Just like they said. The performance we showed really was a miracle. Yeah. If it was this much, we properly showedst ces fierce uproar. I lightly patted Jason on his shoulder as he was sitting there discouraged. Its fine. You did great. Y-yeah. Sorry Even though you gave us those perfect strategies Nah, dont worry. We just need to do better in the future. We held our position for the grouppetitions. How about you? Me? Im winning. Of course! You need to keep winning, Ruin! And I would secure the individualpetitions. The initial scuffles slowly faded out from the Grand Festival and the ranks started to take shape. Currently, I was tied for 1st ce in the individualpetitions. There were 5 other students with the same score as me. All prominent winning candidates. The encouraging thing was that, apart from me, they were all part of the 11 Children. Anyhow, seeing that, unless a major event urred, your scores from the initial events carried till the end The next game was especially important. I cant just win normally The individualpetition event that was on tomorrow. Battle Survival. Awless battle royale between the 32 school representatives that happened on top of the man-made ind. There was another reason you had to have a good performance for the event. The scores werent just divided between the winners and losers. It was distributed based on how long you survived. 1st ce was 32 points. Last ce was 1 point. Meaning, I need to survive till the end. * * * * * * After this event, there would be a definite change in the rankings. The tie for 1st would disappear and everyones rank would be obvious. As the event to distinguish everyones ranks, you needed to be in thest few to survive to have a chance at winning the festival. Then, Hankus spoke up. Ruin. I definitely trust that you will do well tomorrow but shouldnt you at least prepare like the other guys? Prepare? I know you know, but the other representatives are forming alliances right now. Ah. Naturally, I knew about it. Since the event was a survival game between 32 people in one ce, it was a standard free-for-all. However, the real charm of this event was that it was actually a grouppetition in the guise of a free-for-all. The 32 students would congregate in groups with themon goal of survival and survive together. Distinguishing if someones an ally or an enemy and forming powerful groups was recognized as a valid tactic. As they formed groups, their chance of survival shot up. Ruin, all those guys are going to be moving as a group. Itll be impossible to face them alone. I know. Since it directly tranted to a guaranteed spot in the high ranks, excluding a few individuals, most students aimed to form these groups. I was one of the exceptions. Are you even thinking of making a group? I am thinking about it. Naturally, it wasnt as if Id never thought about it either. The first person I thought of was Irene. Wed gotten pretty close in thest few days, and since she was a strong contender for 1st ce, she would be of great help in boosting our battle strength. However, I hadnt asked her yet. Other than her There wasnt anyone that especially came to mind. The reason was simple. You couldnt trust anyone. Even if you said you would all survive together till the end, when the time came, everyone was still an opponent you must fight. There was always a chance that you could get backstabbed. Rather than moving with untrustworthy people, it could be better to be alone. How about that guy from Collum? They look at us pretty favourably after that Arrow Ball game It was then, Ruin! The door to the inn mmed open and ad with a huge frame stomped in. He was someone I knew pretty well. Seta? Seta Malkiri. The representative of Oyota smiled after having found me. Then, Ruin, lets team up tomorrow. Suggested to form a team with me. Oh ho Right. This guy was here. * * * My rtionship with Seta Malkiri was initially pretty bad. But that bad rtionship had since be a friendship. After going through this irregr path with someone, you could understand them far deeper than normal. This guy, from what I could tell Ruin, you cant betray me until the end. You should check yourself first. Hehe. Dont worry about that. Betrayal isnt even in my dictionary. We will survive till the end. And when its just us two left? Then well have our rematch. He wasn''t the type to say one thing and do another. His emotions wereplete and honest. That was why, even though we were initially enemies, we could rapidly form our friendship. Compared to those guys who kept their intentions hidden, he was a very trustworthy team member. But Ruin, from what I heard, there are some groups with 10 people in it. Are we ok with just the two of us? No. Werecking. Then, do you have someone in mind? Yeah. However, we werecking. The students from the middle ranks formed a huge group with more than 10 people. Even if they were individually weak, they were all still people who represented their school. If 10 of them were toe together, even Doom Prime, who was known as the strongest, wouldnt be able to do anything. That was why we needed more capable allies. Who is it? Follow me for now. I opened the door to the inn and stopped outside the building right next to ours. This was the lodging for Seiki Womens Residential College. Looking at this, Setas eyes went wide. You No way Are you going to recruit Irene Prius? Yeah. Right. I hade to find Irene. Seta asked again, still surprised, Irene Prius! Isnt she a super-strong winning candidate? You Do you guys know each other? Well, kinda. H-how? Are you close? Thats insane! Are you saying Ill be in a team with Irene Prius? Calm down. I havent even asked her yet. Right. It was too early to be sure. The 1st-floor restaurant I could see through the window was already filled with students trying to recruit Irene into their group. What would I do if shes already in a team? Perhaps, I was already toote. Thinking like this, I couldnt hesitate any longer. I walked up fearlessly and knocked on the door. Knock knock. I came to meet Irene Prius. The door soon opened, Hm. Are you looking for me? Irene looked up at me with a joking smile. Come in. You stand out too much. The reason you came to find me. Should I try to guess? Chapter 43 Chapter 43 What was so funny? Fufu. So, what youre saying is you want to be in a team with me? Yes. Can you wait here for a second? Irene Prius was beaming like something was extremely funny about this situation and Seta and I awkwardly entered Seikis lodging. As I had seen from outside, through the window, the 1st-floor restaurant was filled with people who wanted to recruit Irene Prius, and their eyes went wide as they noticed our entrance. Some even said, Ruin Ardell? No way. Is he also here for Irene? Is Ruin trying to recruit her too? Hes super strong. Should we try to join him instead? And showed some interest in me. Hmhm Yo Ruin. Are you making a team right now? How about joining us? We already have 4 people in our group, so if you join too, well be pretty strong. Some of the outgoing individuals came up to me to suggest joining forces in tomorrows Battle Survival. Sorry. But I declined all of them. For now, rather than a lot of untrustworthy allies, I just needed one trustworthy card. And this trustworthy card was looking at me with a gaze full of mischief. She said to all the students gathered there, Im sorry. Im not thinking of teaming up with anyone here. Ah. Irenes rejection. The discouraged students left the inn with regret in mind, and I too was just getting up to leave. However, Irene said this unexpectedly. Where are you going? Hm? We need to do our strategy meeting. Aha. The team had formed. * * * Should we have a team name? Should we even have such a gaudy thing like a team name when we only have 3 people? But a teams still a team! Well I dont know about that. Im working with you since Ruin says youre trustworthy, but I dont know Mr Seta Malkiri that well yet. Hey, weve just made our team and youre being like this already? So like this, Seta Malkiri, Irene Prius, and me. These three representatives gathered together to form a team. The team name was For team name, hows Seta and Kids? Whats with that self-centered team name? Then Phoenix! Your naming sense is quite extraordinary. left to decideter. Sitting here with our conflicting opinions that didnt seem to converge no matter how hard we tried, we just ended up staying sitting while drinking the cocovani that was popr among kids and talking about trivial things. The appearance of a group with three unexpected people. Those guys. Theres no way theyll appear as a team tomorrow, right? Damn. Thats abination that I hadnt even thought of. We seemed like quite a rare sight since people talked about us when they walked by. I couldnt take it any longer and grabbed the twos attention with a p. Ok, ok! Rather than the team name, lets start our actual discussion. Discussion? Since us three will be a team tomorrow, well survive to be thest three people left. But, after its just us three left, we need to decide what well do. Seta responded to my statement as if I had said something too obvious. Naturally, well have to have a match between the three of us, dont you think so? I agree with him. Its quite rare that Seta and I have aligning opinions. I didnt have a satisfactory ending against Ruinst time, so I wanted a rematch. Satisfactory ending? Do you mean when you were sent flying with the flick to the forehead? From what I saw, it was quite the satisfactory ending. Hmhm In any case, lets do that. Sure. We decided we would do just that. Next, we need to decide on a leader. Since we only have three people, our opinions may vary in the field, so we definitely need a leader. This suggestion also ended with a unanimous decision. Leader? Well, wasnt it decided itll be Ruin? This team was made around you. I agree with him. Im ready to follow most orders unless they are ridiculous. Ruins discernment and strategies were definitely highlighted through thispetition. So this ended like that too. As the team leader, I had gained pretty reliable helpers through Seta and Irene. And I needed to perform well with these two tomorrow. That was why analyzing our enemies was necessary. There were two worrying parts. Did you say that the biggest group was about 14 people? Yes. Centered around Dn Marken from Frelia Holy Magic School, a total of 14 other students came together to form a group. thats a problem. Dn Marken. A magician versed in both Light and Holy magic. He was a genius that was always picked in the top five most likely to win. With a dangerously friendly personality that could befriend anyone, he approached me before as well. Using that personality as his weapon, he had seeded in forming a huge 15 person team. From a numbers point of view, there was no one else that could oppose him. Rashly attempting to fight them would most likely end with us getting eliminated first. The next problem was, How about Doom Prime? Have you heard anything about him? Theres nothing. But I can make a guess. From his personality, its very likely hell move by himself. Doom Prime. The winning candidate with the biggest possibility to change the game. Since he had many followers that would attach to him, if he wanted, Doom could always create a strong team. Other than these two groups, most were mid-sized groups with 5-7 people. They might have seemed weak, but no one could be underestimated since everyone was a school representative. Looking at it like this, it seems our group is the smallest. Thats true. Thats why were the best target to shut down as well. They will definitely try to eliminate us first. Are they looking down on this Seta Malkiri? They cane at me all they want. What should we do? A grouppetition in the guise of a free-for-all. We finally got the card called Irene Prius, but we couldnt move too rashly. The fewer members you had, the bigger the target you became. The others would definitely aim for us. So Ruin, whats our strategy for tomorrow? I answered Setas question in a cautious tone. Let me think for a bit. * * * * * * On the man-made ind that was the pride of the Altein Stadium, all things could be self-provided. Food and water was expected and even facilities prepared with cooking wares and dwellings were also prepared. Here, the student representatives survived for 72 hours using their own strength. 72 hours. The winners and losers would be defined in this time, no matter what. This was because, when the time reached a certain point, the inds barriers would be formed. And as time passed, the area in the barrier would be smaller. If you did not enter the designated area within the time, you would instantly be eliminated. Other types of eliminations were through Death Judgment. Obviously, you did not really kill others with magic. All the participants would be handed a specially crafted Defensive Item, and when damaged by magic, the items durability decreased. If this items durability hit 0, their mana would be sealed and they would be eliminated. So thats Battle Ind. The 32 representatives that were participating in this game all gathered at the dock with a resolute will to survive. In the water past the docks was a singr ind. Battle Ind The area we would spend our next 72 hours in. As Seta Malkiri got on the boat, he muttered nervously while looking at the man-made ind. We didnt even start yet and Im already nervous. I said to that Seta, No, it already started. Eh? Look over there. Youre right. It has already started. Right. The game had already begun. The students who had got on the boat to Battle Ind had already gathered themselves in their teams. And these guys were too busy analyzing the other teams fighting forces. That guy, looks like hes alone? First person eliminated, 100%. Keke. Thanks to that, the very few who couldnt find a team beforehand werebeled as easy pickings. We werent that well off either. What are you looking at? You bastards. Is there honey on my face? Do I look that tasty? Seta growled at the attention we had attracted, but it was no use. It only had the effect of bringing more attention to us. Irene asked me after having quietly observed the situation, So, whats our strategy for today? Strategy I held up the Battle Ind map that was given to all participants. Here. Central Vige. Its the only ce on the ind where a huge number of 10 people can stay in one ce. Meaning Dn Markens 15 people group will head there. Yes. Thats correct. Next is Doom Prime My gaze shifted towards Doom. Doom was alone, not leading any group. The funny thing was that no one considered Doom as a target. He was that strong. And, he was a target of fear for the other students. I cant really tell where Doom will go. The only thing I can do is guess. Is there a ce youre expecting him to go? Yes. I pointed at the center of the map. If my prediction is correct, Doom will go near the vicinity of the Central Vige. What? Central Vige. It was easy to procure food and water in its proximity and it also hadrge-scale cooking and sleeping facilities. That was why it was the most likely ce for Dn Markens team to head. Meaning, this was a dangerous ce to approach alone. Irene seemed to not get what I was saying and asked while narrowing her eyes, Even though he knows 15 people formed a group together, Doom will go there alone? I feel like thats a reckless decision. No. Hell definitely appear there. This is the best way if he wants to win alone. Howe? Doom Prime will definitely aim for the kill points. Ah. The Kill Point. A point gained after eliminating another person where, even if your survival rank was low, if you eliminated a lot of other people with your own strength You could gain enough kill points to overtake others. Naturally, this method was very dangerous. But the results were certain. Dns group has 15 people in it. Thats why, in the first few stages of the game, theyll rx, thinking that their group is safe. Doom will aim for that moment. Hell attack 15 people at once? No. For the group to provide food and water for 15 people, theyll need to send people out and around the vige to search for it. Doom will go in and take out these scattered individuals one by one. Irene nodded after having understood what I said. In her eyes were signs of certainty that she believed that this would happen. This is quite the usible story. Yes. Right. Doom will definitely do this. Why? Because if I couldnt form the team with Seta and Irene, I wouldve done the same thing. Of course, its not a strategy you can maintain for a long period of time. If the 15 notice that some of them are being eliminated, they would strengthen their defenses. Its a strategy one can use in the early game before the vige finds stability. Doom will try to fight in this early stage. Ok. I understand. So if Doom and the 15 person group are going to the Central Vige where do we go? Since we know the storm is going, we dont need to jump into it ourselves. I pointed to the street corner on the western part of the map. Well stake out here. Operation Name, Win-dure. If we wait a bit, some careless individuals carrying food will appear. Because, when ites down to it, in this game The one who survives until the end, is the one who wins. Chapter 44 Chapter 44 The boat that carried the 32 participants left the port and floated into the ind entrance. From here, everyone would take a raft and row onto the ind. Some rowed in from further away to hide their groups movement. While others rowed in confidently, as if challenging others toe at them. Dn Markens group of 15 people was definitely the second type. Its all going as Ruin predicted. Thats a relief. I was worried about what would happen to my honour as the leader if my first order was wrong. As expected, the 15-person groupnded on the dock closest to the Central Vige. They showed their intention clearly, as if saying, Were going there, so donte near us. The situation was also flowing in their favour. Ugh. Theyre swarming like that over there. How can we even approach? Lets gond somewhere else. As Dns group moved in a swarm, no other team dared tond too hastily. This was the same for Doom Prime. Doom He hasnt gotten off yet? However, I knew what he would do. No. Hell leave soon. Definitely. Doom had a burning desire for victory and recognition. For him to catch the attention of the Fire King that he so wished for, he needed to be a little reckless. This went on as expected. As soon as the 15-person group was out of sight, Doom moved onto his own raft. The way he headed was Central Viges dock. He got off. Yes. He purposely got offte to catch the 15-person group off guard. Irene stared at me. She asked in a tone that carried her intense curiosity, But how did you predict all this? I just thought of what I wouldve done in their situation. What would I have done? For an individual to go up against multiple people, this was the best strategy. Doom knew this too. Irene smiled lightly, a little bit impressed. Seems weve at least chosen our leader well. Ehm. Lets hear that type of praise after we win the game. I shrugged my shoulders. Well, should we also go? Yes. Seta, Irene, and I. Us 3 boarded a raft and moved towards the West side of Battle Ind. However, my eyes werent on the ind, but rather on the boat behind us. I was checking the paths of the students leavingter than us. And One teamnded near us. There were 5 people. I confirmed that they were moving towards the small base that was closest to us. I smiled in my heart. Come get us. Well be waiting. * * * As soon as wended on the ind, we only took enough water to quench our thirst a little and started moving swiftly. We found the asional fruit trees and wild animals, but I didnt pay them any mind. At that, Seta asked me, a bit worried, So Ruin, I dont have any intentions of going against the leaders will, but shouldnt we also get some food? We cant. Why? We need to arrive faster than any other team. The ce we were heading to was the western side of Battle Ind. In return for the western side being bountiful in food from wild animals and fruit trees, there werent any special residential zones. If we wanted to spend the night in the West, we needed to camp out. But since the surroundings were too open, there werent any ces to hide either. On top of that, it was weak to night raids from others, so we needed to only grab some food and move straight towards the outskirts of the middle area. This was merely a small depot. The ce that we arrived at while in this situation, Well wait here. The only road that led from the western zone into the middle of the ind. All the people thatnded on the western part of the ind had to cross through this point. That was why we had to hurry. To control this point before anyone else. To wait for the others that would pass by. I looked at our surroundings and patted a sizable tree. On top of a tree should be better, right? Aya! If its here, I think you could see anything thates close. All 3 of us climbed on top of the tall tree and took a rest while sipping on our water. Seta, you know how you asked before if we needed to get some food? Eh? Yeah? Why should we do such a tiresome thing? I looked toward Seta andughed mischievously. We just need to take it. Seemingly satisfied by the word take, Seta smiled and his morale was ignited. Oh ho So youre saying well take everything? And so, an hour passed. After burning with morale and saying, Ill take everything! Setas expression tired. Ruin, Hm? I just thought of something. If these guys donte for us and stay the night camping in the West, what do we do? Naturally, this strategy also had some exceptions. Such as them not moving as I predicted, towards the center, and choosing to camp out in the western region. Then what could we do? Well, well just have to starve for a day. What? Ha, hahaha At my blunt acknowledgement, Seta could onlyugh. However, if it went as predicted, someone would definitely pass through here today. Why? Look over there. Boom! Bang! Just in time, an explosive sound boomed out from the direction of the center of the ind. Wh-what the hell? Seta stood up in shock, and Irene, who was leisurely resting under the shade, opened her eyes. Wh-what just happened? Was that magic? What do you mean what? Theres a fight going on. * * * * * * We were on a small artificial ind. Battle Ind. Whether a huge fight or a small scuffle ured between magicians, it became known to everyone at once. Even with just the sound of the magic exploding, you could tell how many people were fighting. Even now, the explosion that shook the ground and the ck smoke rising into the air was clearly visible. In this situation, Seta. If you saw this situation, what would you do? Hm? If it were me, I would immediately go where the enemy is. Thats right. Its one of two options. Either they move towards the explosion to try and get some kill points, or use the confusion of battle to sneak through, towards a safer ce. There was no one who would make a fire and camp out in this open area. Unless they were idiots, they would go look for a building. This was the Grand Festival. Naturally, there were no idiots. There were about 20 vacant lodging areas on Battle Ind. These buildings provided students with a safe andfortable rest. Even now, people were moving about to look for these ces. Theyre here. There were no exceptions. I clenched my fists as I looked at the 5 individuals who entered my sight. It was the people I noted just a moment ago when we left the raft. * * * A 5 vs 3 fight. Even if we had the overpowered Irene Prius on our side, they were also representatives of their respective schools. This was a fight that I couldnt take lightly. That was why we started with an ambush. These punks. I really waited for too long. Seta Malkiri started to pour out magic after being frustrated that he couldnt fight for over an hour. Wh-what? Ambush! Its an ambush! Boom! Ba-ba-bang! An ambush in this wide-open area. On top of that, from a tree that was out of their sight. There was no way they couldve expected a magic attack from such a ce. Ack! The student who was walking at the front was hit by the metallic spear cast by Seta. He fell over backwards after being hit by Iron Spear. Nice! This is it! The feeling of hitting something. He hadnt felt it in a long time. Seta looked really excited as he started to cast another spell, and the gap in timing was filled by Irene. She pped her hands with an empty expression. p! The palms expelled intense magic power while also exuding a bone-chilling cold, and the magic instantly filled the surrounding air and froze the sky. 5th-ss Ice Magic, Blizzard. The frozen sky poured out a huge snowstorm, sharp sleet and ice fragments flying around and piercing the enemies. Eya, Irene. So that fame of yours wasnt for nothing! To be able to cast such high-level magic without breaking a sweat! I 100% agreed with what Seta just said. It was truly fearsome magic that made me want to not do anything and just watch. However, I couldnt just sit and spectate. Euk! Kak! I-its Irene Prius! There are 3 people over there! The other side were definitely powerful magicians too. Seemingly having confirmed their numbers advantage, they protected themselves with Barrier Magic and two other magicians spread out, away from the Blizzard. It became a situation where 5 people had surrounded our tree. Everyone, fire! Magic attacks were poured out on us in an instant. Finally, it was my time to make a move. Hap! I jumped down from the tree and charged into the back of one of the magicians. You dare! However, having predicted I would appear, he sted me with a wave of air and made some distance between us. They had definitely understood my specialty and had prepared in advance. Then, how about this? What the? H-he disappeared. Bend Time. Woosh! Swoosh! After my speed was increased by over 200%, it became hard to even track me with the naked eye. After instantly vanishing from their sight, I charged towards the back of one of the magicians and kicked their shin. Crack! Kuak! The magician flew into the air, somersaulting, and fell on his back. I cast my strongest spell, intending to eliminate one of them right here right now. Mana Burn Explosion. Voong voong. On my fist, mana substituted by my strength started condensing in a red light. This mana started to radiate a thick smell. Having identified my spell, the students went pale. Mana Burn Explosion! Dodge! However, he could not dodge. Where do you think youre going, you bastard?! Bam! B-b-b-bam! Multiple metallic spears flung by Seta Malkiri pierced his feet. Simultaneously, See youter. Ah, Aaaaa Bam! My fist detonated the catalyst. Explosion magic that produced intense heat. Mana Burn Explosion. This wave of fire seemed to swallow everything, along with the student. The defensive item melted away in an instant and he was forcefully teleported away. I cracked my neck. Now, is it 3 vs 4? These guys gulped and took a few steps back. I smiled obnoxiously. Im just thinking Have you brought us enough food to eat? Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Oh! Look at these kids. Did they prepare to have a pic on Battle Ind or something? As Seta was ruffling through the bags of the 5 students who were passing on the road, he shouted out, They even have meat! For them to have meat. It seemed that they had caught a wild boar during these busy times. The bags were filled with water, coconuts, and other sorts of fruits. There was even prepared meat. It was enough food tost those five for nearly 2 days. I looked at the remains of the five who were forcibly teleported. If its this much food, it shouldst us three for about 3 days. Thats what Im saying. Thanks! Well eat this in your stead! We were fortunate. These five students were part of the Majeross Oceanic Union in the far east of the Frelia Continent. Between the 32 schools, they wereparatively weaker, all ranking below 20th. The reason these five weak students gathered in one ce and stocked up on this huge amount of food was probably so they could rely on hiding somewhere and run out the clock. Thanks for the food. Since we also skipped lunch due to us moving, we each took one fruit and took a bite. Crunch! Nom nom So Ruin, what do we do now? We have no reason to wait anymore. Lets move. There might be teams whonded on the other side and are moving towards the western region. Shouldnt we just wait here and grab some more teams before moving? We can also fill our bellies while we wait. Hehe. Compared to just before when he was worried no one would appear, Seta seemed satisfied with the tactic and wanted to grab another victory. But I shook my head. The battle just then wouldve signaled to everyone that theres someone here. In this situation, Well gain nothing more by hiding here. If you left too many trails, you were bound to get caught. At my words, Irene nodded as she silently chewed on the fruit. Thats right. It should be our top priority to leave this ce. The days also getting darker. Ehm Youre right. Everyone would know that theres someone here. Yeah. So lets start moving. Destination? I opened up the map and held it up. I pointed out a spot that I had marked earlier. For tonight, well sleep here. Western Travelers Lodge A small scale base for 2-3 people. It was the only base in the western region of the ind. Meaning, We might run into another team. Thats right, so we need to make some preparations and then move. The only team we had confirmed to have entered the western region was that 1 team we destroyed. But there was a decent chance that a team anchored on the other side woulde into the western region. We couldnt afford to be careless. Avoiding cover that could hide our enemies, we started to move through the open area. Then, Booom! An explosion was heard from the direction of the center of the ind, and a momentter, an intense and constant mana wave echoed throughout the ind. Woah. Who was that? It was in the direction of the Central Vige. Just by knowing the direction of the battle, I could take a guess. Doom Prime. Doom? Its that punk? Thats right. There arent that many magicians who possess this much magic power. Irene nodded her head in agreement and Seta muttered to himself, feeling dejected, That guy became that much stronger in the 1 year I didnt see him? Just how much stronger is he now? Yeah. He was strong. He had put blind faith in his own skills and continuously found enemies to fight to gather kill points. Just how much was he thinking of fighting? As I looked upon the massive mana wave that Doom had shot out, my fighting spirit red up. Another reason appeared. A reason why I needed to win in this game. * * * Western Travelers Lodge When we arrived there, the day had already started to pass into darkness, but I luckily hadnt found any footprints or trails of activity nearby. Light. Irene ignited the dark room with Light Magic. We closed the curtains and tried our best to block any gaps that might leak light. During that time, Seta started to prepare dinner. Huhu. Its finally dinner time! My cooking is insanely good. You havent eaten it before, right? Ill show you just how deep the taste of Oyota Steak is. Ill cook all the meat, so leave it to me. He smiled with satisfaction as he pulled out the prepared meat from the bag, but I dissuaded him. Seta, I think itll be best to eat meat tomorrow. Hm? What are you on about? This is an open area. Theres no reason to spread the smell of meat on purpose. B-but I held up the fruit that we ate all day and were sick and tired of. Well eat meat when its bright out tomorrow, so for dinner, lets just eat a simple fruit meal. Ah. Apple again Seta muttered to himself, Meat is best when eaten at dinner but in the end, he agreed with me. It was just that he would sometimes look towards the meat he couldnt eat and mutter with sadness in his voice, Sorry meat Ill eat you tomorrow. Now youve made me feel bad for the meat. In any case, we were in a rtively safe area, but we did our best to avoid any dangerous situations. This was the best we could do. After all, there was no way that someone could eliminate the other 31 students to obtain an unreachable number of kill points. Increasing your survivability was a sure-fire way to increase your score. Munch munch This damned apple Im never eating this thing again after we get out of here. Same. Crunch! We suppressed our hunger with a simple fruit meal as we listened to Setasints. During the night, we also took shifts when sleeping. The first was Irene. The second and also the most tiring was me. Lastly, to also prepare breakfast, was Seta. We split it into these 3 time frames, each 2 hours long, and took watch. Yawn! Irene, Ill sleep first then, so wake me up if something happens. Then, take care. After leaving it to Irene, Seta and I went into our temporary beds. But sleep didnte to us easily. The bed was moist and hard, but this wasnt the real reason I couldnt sleep. That was something else. Ah, so annoyingly loud. Just how much are they going to fight? Dont they feel tired? It was because of the random sounds of explosions that rang out every so often. They came from the direction of the Central Vige, where Doom Prime and the 15-person group was predicted to be. But sounds of explosions also could be heard from all over the ind. There were probably fights both big and small to try and take possession of these lodgings. And just an hour after we went to sleep, These sounds of battle, Ruin, wake up. Came and found us. * * * * * * An ambitious visitor at dawn. Yeah. Someone hade to our lodging. Look over there. Even in this urgent time, Irene maintained herposure and softly lifted the curtain. Outside, How many people? 1 person. One individual was prowling around our building. They seemed like I turned off the light magic just in case it would leak out. For now, I dont think they know were here. They were checking if someone was in the lodging. It was dark, so their face couldnt be identified, but the figure that was illuminated by the moonlight was carefully walking around, checking their surroundings very diligently. Well wait for now. They could just pass by us. Sure. I kept my eyes on this unidentifiable individual. One person Why? Why were they walking around by themselves thiste at night? It was hard to confirm that they were alone. Maybe is it Doom? Was it Doom? Or was it a student that coincidentally came near us? They could also have been bait. Showing up alone to lower the guard of their opponents and then ambush them. There was nothing we could rule out. Well, there was one thing. Theyre approaching. They seemed intent oning into the building, as they walked straight toward us. I lowered the curtain. Just in case Irene, can you wake up Seta? What will you do? I need to go check who it is. Be cautious. If you use magic youll draw unnecessary I was thinking of not using magic if possible. For a magician to say that they will suppress someone without using magic. It mightve been a strange thing to say, but I shrugged my shoulders. Dont worry. Im not worried. Irene immediately went to wake Seta up and I stood right behind the door, analyzing the visitors movement. They wereing closer and closer. Then, they went quiet, right outside the door. They were probably listening to the sounds in the building. We prepared ourselves, the wooden door between us and them, and the intruder opened the door as if they hadnt heard anything. Click! Creak! As the door opened, the shadow came in. Grabbing the back of their neck, I mmed them into the ground. Bam! Kuk! Kuak! As they copsed to the ground, I blocked their mouth and twisted one of their arms so they couldnt cast magic. Ek! Euak! With my oppressive strength, they couldnt even scream as I pinned them. Who are you? Light. The light that couldnt leave my palm ignited the room and this light showed the face of our intruder. First of all, it wasnt Doom Prime. He was Eup! Eeeup! You. Youre the Collum school representative The school representative of the Collum School that I versed before in the grouppetition Arrow Ball. The guy whose face of defeat was quite memorable This guy was definitely a capable individual who had a small group of 6 other people. But why was he alone? And his condition wasnt too good either. He wouldnt have rolled around in the dirt by himself. Seemingly having been attacked by someone, he was stained with dirt and parts of his shirt were ripped. Are you by yourself? And why do you look like this? Eup! Eeeeup! As he looked at me, shouting to signal me to let him speak, I let go of his mouth. Puah! R-Ruin? As he muttered after regaining his breath, Irene and Seta jumped out. What?! An Intruder? Whats going on? Hah Sorry. I wasnt trying to intrude. J-just I need somewhere to rest I-if I knew you guys were inside, I wouldnt havee near. Something must have happened. While he was exining himself, I looked out the window. I couldnt sense any other movement. Was he really alone? Are you alone? Y-yeah. I asked him again, What about your teammates? Werent there 6 other people? At my question, he closed his mouth and clenched his eyes. They were all taken out. I escaped by myself. What? All 6 of them? Taken out? By who? Just what had happened? Collum School Representative. He opened his mouth like he was recounting a nightmare. Doom Doom Prime. As I thought. There was no one else it could have been. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Tell me everything that happened in detail. So what happened was An ambitious morning. The Collum student representative, Callus, had found us while he was injured. Callus opened his mouth to talk about the events that happened only a few hours ago. Our team started with a total of seven people. Seven people. Callus group couldntpare to Dns 15-person one, but it was a substantial fighting force made up of seven mid-rank magicians. They themselves recognised that their fighting force wasnt weak. That was why, in the initial stages of the game, they moved around quite confidently. We moved towards the East side andnded on the ind. After that, we moved to the northeastern vicinity of the Central Vige and stationed ourselves there. After we checked if our lodging was safe from traps, we nned to ambush a part of the 15-person group at an opportune time to obtain some kill points. A n to spring a trap right under the enemys nose. It was a generally good option as they had plenty of strength and were powerful enough. This wasnt a bad choice at all. Just that, Then, that guy appeared. Doom Prime. He targeted us as we were separated from each other while gathering food and water. They matched up with a bad opponent. Doom Prime. He, as I predicted, moved during the initial stages of the game when everyone was disorderly and not many had settled down. He kept himself busy grabbing as many kill points as possible. He was strong And alone. That was why he could move about without attracting the attention of others. This was how he became specialized in gueri tactics. However, for one person to take out six? At that, Irene asked him,ing to the same question as me, Just now, you said that Doom Prime had eliminated six people by himself? Callus shook his head. N-not really. One was done in by Doom Prime but we prepared our defense magic after hearing the explosion. The real problem came after, since we werent the only ones who came to see after hearing the explosion. So the 15-person group came from nearby and attacked you. Thats right. The 15-person group. They garnered the fear of the other participants, but were also a delicious prey that you could the most points from. The two hunting dogs that were preying on this target coincidentally crossed paths. Callus and Doom. Naturally, they growled at each other, and thismotion rang the danger rm of the 15-person group, who was nearby. Then what happened? After hearing the explosion, Dn Marken rounded up his teammates toe and attack us. We desperately defended, but since they had more than double our manpower, we couldnt hold on forever. Four people were eliminated in an instant and me and another guy barely survived and escaped. Seven teammates were reduced by five in an instant. And the only remaining two survivors were injured. This could no longer be called a functional team. That was how the candidate team for 2nd ce waspletely annihted by the 1st ce team. However, this wasnt the end. And then, Doom Prime appeared again. After talking calmly for so long, Callus exploded with rage at the end. Doom, that dishonourable bastard! He started the fight himself, and while the big battle was taking ce, he went and hid in a safe space and only spectated until the end! And then afterwards, he chased us who were injured! That son of a bitch! Doom Prime, if we described him in a bad way, Was craven. He purposely spectated the fight and only moved when it was advantageous for him to do so. But what could you do? Since this was a battle royale with no rules but to survive, it was instead quite ridiculous to try to argue about a fair and honourable battle. From what I could see, Doom definitely only cared about gains. He started arge-scale battle, removed himself from the dangerous situation, and only fought afterwards when he was sure he would win. Thanks to this, Callus injured teammate was the one who was eliminated, and Doom gained another kill point. Callus, having survived alone like this, happened to wander to the western lodging. So actually Ruin, I know Im being shameless, but can you ept me into your team? Callus asked with his tired spirit to have me ept him into my team. But I couldnt just make a quick decision. It wasnt just a matter of trusting him or not. Wasnt something off? From a team of 7, the 6 others were eliminated and only he survived? I sensed a weird difort and directly asked Callus again, Ok, so, Callus. Yeah? How did you escape by yourself? While his fellow team member who was escaping with him was being attacked by Doom, how did Callus manage to escape by himself? On top of that, And look at how injured you are If I were Doom Prime, I would have never let you go. Uh? Thats true. Seta mmed his hands in agreement with my question. Hey, you! How the hell did you escape from that monstrous Doom Prime? T-thats Callus response became odd. He started to stutter, having be extremely flustered and confused. Youre definitely suspicious. Why arent you answering? I-I dont know. I-I just After running like a madman, I couldnt see him after a bit, so Why was it? Why couldnt he answer? Three possibilities swept through my head in an instant. I clenched down and grabbed Callus cor as he was sitting on the ground. Should I take a guess? First hypothesis. Youre lying right now. The most obvious answer. Lying. Next, the second hypothesis. To find his next targets, Doom Prime kept you alive on purpose and is watching us from somewhere right now. If not Doom Primes borate scheme. If it wasnt that either, It was thest one, the third. ???????????? Unable to be Identified. I stared at Callus with a very cold gaze. then youre not Callus. * * * * * * Right. The possibility that the guy sitting in front of me was a fake. What? W-what are you on about Callus face instantly went pale with fear as I punched straight down at him without hesitation. This happened too fast for even Irene to react. You cant! Crack! My fist nted straight into Callus face without a moments notice. Since I put in all my strength, it wouldve been enough to turn his skull into dust. That was, of course, if he was a human. As soon as my fist made contact, Callus No. The Dummy Doll that was in the form of Callus became pulverized, unable to scream, and the only thing left was the broken wooden floorboard. Irene opened her eyes that shed clenched shut. A dummy? Yeah. It was a dummy. Even though we had seen it and touched it directly, it was an exquisitely crafted dummy that we couldnt discern at all. I lightly brushed off my hands and stood up. I dont know who did it, but they yed us like a fiddle. T-this How? I dont know who made this, but one things for certain. The person who made this dummy eliminated Callus. Meaning, theres a high chance they also eliminated the other 6 members. Maybe what this dummy just said might not be all lies. A leaf and tree trunk, something which wasmonly found on the ind. Coarselybining things such as strands of Callus hair, they created this perfect dummy. This couldnt have been done by any ordinary magician. They had to be an alchemist and also someone knowledgeable and proficient in Magical Item production. Who could it be? Then, Irene calmed down her surprised face and talked in a calm tone. Im not certain but I know of someone who couldve done this. Who is it? Sherki. Hes the top student of Delphaniac Magic College and he has a good grasp on potion and dummy production. If its Sherki Yes. Part of the 11 children, hes currently in Dns 15-person group. This is a problem. Yeah. This was quite the problem. It wasnt just because he was in the most dangerous 15-person group and that I didnt know who this perverted Sherki kid was. Seems we wont be able to sleep tonight. Yes. Thats true. The fact that the dummy that Sherki made had found us meant that someone had already figured out where we were. This also meant that my n to survive on the outskirts as long as possible was in pieces, and I had topletely change our ns. What should we do now? I looked into the darkness beyond the window. Right. We had to leave this ce immediately. The 15-person group, Doom Prime, and all the other students who were fiercely fighting in that eye of the storm. We had to go in there. There was a possibility that the other side had already mobilized and wasing to attack us. We couldnt hesitate. We need to leave. Lets move immediately. Yes. These bastards! They dared to make fun of us with a doll? No matter howwless this battle is, this is too unpleasant. Comined Seta as he quickly packed the bags, and I also moved to gather our things. However, Wait. Irene Prius grabbed my wrist. Before we leave, I want to ask you something. How did you confirm it? That Callus wasnt real? It was simple. First, I harboured some suspicion at Callus weird excuses, Next, I used to see if he was speaking the truth. However, I didnt know how to exin this to Irene. I chose to answer it in a roundabout way while trying to pass it off with a smile. My intuition is pretty good. This phrase hid the meaning of, dont ask any more questions, Youre truly a suspicious person. Irene could only nod quietly, unable to do anything else. * * * An ambitious morning. We left the western zone and headed East. It was in the direction of the Central Vige, where the most dangerous enemies were gathered. The choice was unavoidable since the barrier would form when the sun rose and it would block the western path. Seems that there really is nowhere to hide anymore. Yeah. Seems so. The area became smaller. The barrier had restricted the areas we could move to and the ces to hide in also slowly disappeared. In this situation, there wasnt even enough space to hide. There were enemies in every direction and anyone could appear at any time. What should we do in this situation? Seta asked me, Ruin, do you have any good ideas? No. Hm I didnt think such a thing would happen, but guess we cant do much. However, I have the best n for right now. Hm? What does that mean? Its not a good idea, but its the best n? The best n that I could make in this situation. And simultaneously, a bad idea. Well call out the hidden enemies. Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Call them out? What do you mean by that? Are you saying well make a scene on purpose? Seta and Irene. They both had horrified expressions, as if they hadnt understood my intentions. It was a natural reaction. For us to makemotion when even staying as silent as possible wouldnt have been enough. However, there was a valid reason for us to do this. From now on, well need to bypass the many lodges that are scattered around the Central Vige. That ce is covered by a dense forest and we dont know who or how many will be hiding in that brush, so itll be very dangerous. So? Well call them out to us so that they cant ambush us. But What if there are too many of them? Theres a good chance well be at a disadvantage numbers-wise. I shrugged my shoulders to say it wasnt a big deal. We just dont have to fight. Ah. Irene nodded her head, having understood what I meant. Still confused about the n, Seta asked again, What? What does that mean? Why are you guys the only ones in the know? Exin it to me too. I told Seta, Sherki used the dummy to confirm our location. They would know that were only a small team of three, so the 15-person group might be heading here to eliminate us right now. Hm? Thats probably true. So what does that have to do with Ah! So well make a ruckus on purpose so our enemies will fight each other? Yeah. My n. The 15-person group that wasing to hunt us, And the many other students who were currently in hiding to ambush unsuspecting passersby. I was thinking of pulling them all into one ce. There was a saying in the Majeross Ocean in the far East of the Frelian continent. Use pirates to fight pirates. Students werent pirates But who cares? It was a saying about using enemies to defeat enemies. Aha! So thats why this is the best method but not a good idea! Yeah. Ok! Then, what do we need to do now? Seta couldnt hide his excitement for our current n. I flicked my fingers and smiled openly. Lets wake everyone up. * * * Thergest facility on Battle Ind that could house over 10 people at once. The Central Vige. The 15-person group that controlled this area was the biggest predator of this survival event. Theyd already eliminated five people on the first day. However, they couldnt avoid losses either. How much damage to our side? We already have four people eliminated. Damn it. If it were anyone but Doom Prime Two people were eliminated in the battle against Callus 7-person group, And during this, the monstrous gueri attack by Doom Prime made them suffer another two losses. A total of four deaths, and thus, only eleven remained. However, the group leader, Dn Marken, was calm. Dont worry. There arent any teams left that can threaten us now. His confidence wasnt baseless. The 7-person group formed by the Collum Magic School representative, Callus, was a team of mid-ranked magicians that couldve been called the 2nd strongest force on the ind, but they had already lost five members and were now disbanded. Attacking the now 11-person group through gueri tactics also became nigh impossible for Doom. After their base of operations had stabilized, they had nothing to fear. We just need to group together and wipe out everyone else. Eleven people. The number had decreased, but it was still an unopposable fighting force. If they fought using their numbers, who would be able to stop them? However, even to this Dn Marken, there was someone out there who was like a thorn in his side. Did you find them? The ones who didnt even show their shadows for the whole day. The prominent winning candidate Irene Prius and the tiresome Seta Malkiri. And, The one who brought unique ns to each match and surprised everyone. Ruin Ardell. Dn ordered the scouting of their whereabouts to the dummy magician, Sherki. Kekek. Found them. Sherki used his perfectly crafted dummy, disguised into the form of an eliminated student, and found them. Of course, Theyre hiding like mice in that western lodge? Kekek. Unfortunately, I was found out Unfortunate. So unfortunate. They were nearly fooled. Kekek His scheme was stopped by Ruin Ardell. From this, Dn was surprised for two reasons. Ruin Ardell is hiding? Theres no way he would be Keke. Arent you overestimating that guy? Maybe. Firstly, it was because Ruins 3-person teams first n was just hiding. And secondly, The main reason why he was surprised, So Sherki. The dummy you created was caught? How? Dummy Magician Sherkis illusion magic and dummy production were second to none. As one of the 11 children, even the Fire King Teron praised him, saying he was, a magician that can transform even lies into truth. Of course, the dummy was just a doll. It couldnt use magic and it didnt have the power to kill either. That was why, if one was intent on figuring out if it was a dummy or not, there were ways to find out. However, Ruin had suspected someone who perfectly looked like a person on the outside as a dummy. And he caught on as well. Sherki also frowned, having found this situation suspicious. Kekek. That Ruin Ardell guy. He noticed. Ruin did? How did he catch it? Kekek. Dunno. Hes too confident in his decisions. He was confident. Wait a second. Turn Sherki rapidly rolled his eyes in an unnatural way. It was seeing the world again through the dummys eyes. However, it was still an unbelievable situation. What? Kekek. If were being pedantic, there were some points that could be considered suspicious But I still cant understand that Ruin guy. He seemed to have confirmed that I was a dummy and threw a punch at me. Confirmed. Just how could he have known? Was it the culmination of suspicions? Dn couldnt work it out. Even he, someone who had figured out most of the participants, knew less about Ruin than anyone else. However, the truth was that theyd been caught. And that wasnt the important thing right now. So theyre hiding in the West. * * * * * * They figured out where these troublesome people were. And they had been given the perfect chance to eliminate them. If they missed this chance, the three could go into hiding again. Or, they might need to face them with less than eleven peopleter down the line. In this most advantageous situation They needed to settle this issue. Dn Marken was thinking of perfectly utilizing this opportunity. Get ready to move right now. We need to catch those guys. All eleven of us? Or should we leave some in the facility? Its dangerous to split because of Doom. That guy is definitely hiding somewhere and watching us. So, well move everyone at once. Understood. Ruin Ardell. A thorn in the side. No matter how small the thorn, if you left it alone, it was natural that the wound would worsen. In the end, it would fester. Dn was nning to remove this thorn as a whole. Where to? The western lodge. Were only against three people, but we cant let our guards down. Well use all our firepower at once and get rid of them. However, this ambitious morning assault didnt progress as Dn Marken wanted. Just 10 minutes before they would arrive at the western lodge Boom! B-B-B-Boom!!! Wh-what? Is there a fight? At this time? There was a loud explosion from the direction of the western lodge. A variable that wasnt ounted for. An unexpected situation. The explosion chained into another and constantly reverberated out. Crash! Powerful lightning magic that could split the dark, early-morning sky in two, and even earth magic that shook the very ground they stood on. All kinds of magic were being cast here. One could tell just by looking at it that a huge battle was happening. Looking at this, Dn thought No, he knew, While they were running away after predicting well attack them, they were attacked by other students. The most probable theory. Then this was the perfect chance to attack them, while they were busy fighting others. Keep moving! The group moved through the brush and marched forward. Soon, the western lodge came into sight. And then, Found them! Dn Marken noticed multiple individuals in the darkness. He didnt hesitate to throw out the preemptive attack. Holy Arrow! He was also one of the strong winning candidates. With his clear shout, a huge arrow of light traced a beautiful path through the air and flew straight forward. Whistle! The arrow lit up the dark morning air with a brilliant light. Behind! Behind us! Its an ambush! And when this arrow of light made contact with the person in the darkness, Huh? Dn felt something was off. Its not Ruin? Right. Those guys werent in Ruins team. A momentary lull. They thought maybe the battle was over. But it seemed the battle theyd expected hadnt happened at all. Even those guys were panicking at the unexpected attack. Dn hurriedly looked around. W-where are they? He hurriedly looked for Ruin, but he couldnt find them. The unfeeling darkness had hidden them perfectly. * * * That holy magic. Its definitely Dn Marken. The fight has begun. While listening to Irenes calmmentary, Seta and I were Crunch! Nom nom Should we even do this? Nom nom Cant be helped. Im hungry. Eating apples. No! Not that. Gulp! Im talking about if we can just sit here and watch. The n Was a huge sess. The short fireworks show we performed woke up everyone on Battle Ind and garnered a huge amount of attention. The students lying in wait around the trees all gathered to the epicenter of the sound to gain as many kill points as possible. Of course, we had already retreated to a safe ce. The 15-person team that we were waiting for so much also came. We talked as we watched the active battlefield. Nom nom Its true that we cant stay here like this. This is the perfect opportunity. Opportunity? What are you thinking? I stuffed the remaining apple pieces into my mouth. We need to sweep everyone up. Operation Name, You shouldnt forget about me. While they were too busy fighting each other, Lets go. We need to eat up some kills. Well devour them all in one go. Chapter 48 Chapter 48 One, two, three, four, five, six wait. Why are there only eleven, not fifteen? Did they leave four behind? They are underestimating us too much. No. Theyre probably already eliminated. Since they also had non-stop battles, there wouldve been some casualties. Ah. The fifteen turned into eleven. And the seven people in Callus team were either totally annihted or left with only a few survivors. We also eliminated five people ourselves. If we assumed that Doom Prime was still in the game Huh? It was hard to discern the exact numbers because of the darkness, But the 11-person group that Dn Marken was leading had engaged in a battle against a small group of about two or three people. This meant, I think this events results will be decided here. What do you mean? Everyones gathered right here. Eh? There was a total of 32 people. And the estimated sixteen or seventeen survivors were all gathered here. This also meant Be careful. Theres a high chance Doom Prime is here too. Doom Prime. No, I was certain. He would definitely appear here. He wouldnt miss such a good chance to gain more kill points. I asked Irene, Are you ok? We havent been able to rest once yet. She shook her head, signaling that it didnt bother her. Dont worry about me. During assessment periods, I stayed up for three days straight without issue. This much is nothing. Thats a relief. Lets finish up quickly and go take a rest. Yes. I spat out the apple seed in my mouth, then lowered my body and readied myself in a running stance. The target was just one ce. Dn Markens 15-person group. It would all be over if I could destroy that. Lets go. Alright! Lets go! Papapat! As soon as I kicked my legs and shot forward, I elerated so much that it was hard to control. I rushed through the darkness at breakneck speeds and I aimed at the side of the 11-person group, who was busy attacking the small group. Sssst! Ack! I appeared out of nowhere into their side and jumped up, striking down. One! Boom! As the magician burnt to a crisp after getting hit by a fireball in the side, the exploding congration lit up the night. Thanks to this, R-Ruin? Its Ruin Ardell! Dn! The guys here! I became the target of everyones attention. However, it was too early to be surprised. Im here too, you bastards! Seta and Irene provided support with firepower from the back as they cast Iron Knuckles and Blizzard. Two! Crack! I pushed through, in-between the ten magicians. Obstructing them from casting magic, I used my strength to break their formation. Th-this bastard Why is he so strong? As I approached, multiple gaps of all sizes started appearing in their formation. Now! The small group that was being pushed back used this opportunity to counterattack. Their goal was the same as mine. Dn Markens 15-person group. A temporary alliance, so to speak. Dn was their target of fear and also themon enemy. If they were removed, the survivors ranks would instantly increase by eleven ces. There were many benefits to choosing my side. Damn it! Dont panic! There are only six of them! Therge group panicked for a second from the sudden ambush and counterattack, but Dn didnt back down. Rather, he riled up his teammates, as if intent on finishing this game in this fight. We still have the numbers advantage! Dont fight in close range with Ruin and try to get some distance! With Dnsmands, the magicians started to make space between me and them. Yeah. The side with more soldiers was stronger. This was an undeniable fact. However, because of our ambush, Dn Marken had lost two magicians and became a group of nine. Six vs nine. A difference of three was quite possible to narrow by individualpetence. If its this much, dont you think we can do it? Of course its possible. Dont worry about it. This had created a tense state of bnce. However, Ruin! Behind you! The lone person who appeared after the warning had instantly broken this bnce. Swoosh! A singr pir of light cut through the darkness and shot right between us. It was fast. And it was sharp. The ce the light swept through was filled with wind, and people couldnt help but shut their eyes. Wh-what was that? Just then This gargantuan light was simr to the sword spirit used by the knights. There was only one magician in thispetition that used this type of magic. I-its Doom Prime Doom appeared again! * * * * * * Doom Prime. The entrance that everyone recognised. We were all instantly filled with nerves. Hes finally appeared. It wasnt that hard to find where Doom was. The direction where the light came from. In this dark forest, the artifact he held onto, the Sword of Brilliance, constantly produced a majestic light like the morning sun from its scabbard. Seeing Doom, Dns face instantly turned into a frown. Damn it! Why now? He had foreseen what would happen. In that moment, D-dodge! Another huge pir of light shone past. Swoosh! This huge light scraped across Dns shoulder. Aaaack! In one shot, it eliminated the magician standing next to him dazedly. Dn could only breathe haphazardly, petrified. Ha Ha A strong second attack. It was all aimed at Dns group. The meaning of this attack was clear. Doom Prime. That guy Is he intending to be on our side? Just like what Seta was muttering, Doom was telling us something. That his target wasnt us, but Dns group. Naturally, this came with a condition. Youre right. This is quite the temporary alliance. Only until those guys are eliminated. Only until that bothersome 15-person group was eliminated. Dooms entrance had changed the six vs nine into a seven vs eight in an instant. The tight bnce had abruptly turned in favour of our side since we had both the number 1 and 2 strongest winning candidates. This was quite the fatal blow for Dn. D-damn it Why are you only attacking us?! Why?! It had started to crumble their belief that they were the absolute strongest, and this had initiated his groups dissolving. That wall of faith. It looked so stable, but in reality, it was quite faulty. Just as if a dam had broken open, when one crack started to appear, it lost its structure and the whole thing came tumbling down. Everyone, run away! Get to the facility! Hold your ground! We need to stand together. W-we cant win! We cant win this! We need to at least get back to our building and try to defend Ack! D-damn it Dn Marken tried to fight back to the end, but most chose to turn tail and flee. This was quite the pandemonium. The situation became heated and the winners seemed to have already been decided. Now, everyone just looked to increase their kill points. The signal to start was Doom Prime. Slice! Ssssshoot! Doom Prime revealed himself from the darkness and started to chase down the enemies. He had started the full-scale hunt. We cant lose out. I also upped my pace. I couldnt let them escape. After all, I too wanted to obtain the maximum amount of points possible. I shot forward using Bend Time to block their escape routes and mmed the ground. Bang! An Earthquake that could cause a shift in the crust. And on top of that, strengthparable to an ogre''s. These two powers formed into one and shed in the ground, starting to distort it around me. Ack! This swallowed the magicians that ran straight into it. Right next to me, Doom had stuck his sword into some magicians defensive item. It was the face of a hunter who had found their prey. This Dooms eyes and mine met in the air, and he called out to me. Ruin Ardell. What? Im busy right now. Ill eliminate you here myself. An emotionless face. However, the emotion mixed in his gaze was definitely hostility. Just that, Really? Then you wanna go? Ill do itter. You look tired. Rest up first. What? Hey! Hey! This hostility wasnt currently aimed at me. After finishing his talk, Doom Prime started to run after other magicians that were running away. That self-centered bastard He just said what he wanted to and went away. I also ran full speed after other magicians. I should fight after resting up? It was an arrogant remark. It was like saying that he could eliminate someone like me whenever he wanted. There was another reason that he was taunting me unnecessarily like this. Fire King Teron. He wanted to show Teron. That he won against the magician that the Fire King was paying attention to. That he was the best. Fighting against me while I was at full strength so that I couldnt make excuses and then defeating me would definitely garner a great amount of attention from the Fire King. Thinking like this, he reminded me of a child that worked their hardest to receive praise. Well, his outer appearance wasnt like that. Then,e at me if you dare. Of course, I didnt have the slightest intention of going along with his ns. I needed to obstruct them as much as possible. I forcibly suppressed the fighting spirit rising inside me and threw a punch at the next student. Slowly but surely, the dawn signaling a new day approached. * * * At the same time, Fire King Teron, who was watching everything that was happening on Battle Ind through his singr magic crystal,ughed out loud. He made amotion on purpose to drag out his enemies and he drove them out with his other enemies For a method that was concocted in the midst of danger, its pretty good. I didnt know he had interests in military tactics. With this, the top 10 is confirmed. Right. The students that should be here are here. The people who should be here were here. Over 4 people remained from the 11 Children. And Ruin Ardell from the Academy was here too. This was the start of the real battle. Tirion. Who do you think is going to win? Having nurtured him himself, he naturally wanted Ruin to win. But he was here in the position of a judge. A position where he couldnt show personal opinions. Tirion chose his words carefully. Well know if we wait. Pft. I knew you would respond like that. Having known this, Teron smiled mischievously. Ruin Ardell. That child told me before this event. That he would show me that he was better than the 11 children. Did he say that? From what I remember, he was just curious about the oue. He was saying it in a roundabout way. In the end, what he meant was that he would show me. I know that you know what he meant. Hes not an arrogant child. Just treat it as a joke from a cute student. Im also very curious whether hes a cute student or just full of talk. Teron. His gaze stopped on Doom Prime, who was hunting down the other students. And if he can beat that guy too. Chapter 49 Chapter 49 The battle that had begun at dawn finished as the sun fully rose into the morning sky. The result was aplete victory Are you sure they all escaped? Yeah. Im pretty sure. Hah. These bastards. They ended up running the whole time. Our team had no casualties and the 15-person team waspletely dissolved. Dn Marken and Sherki. Other than these two magicians, the other nine had beenpletely eliminated. Then how many are left now? I dont know for certain, but theres probably less than ten. The ranks of the event started to take shape. Just under 24 hours after the game had started, over twenty people had already been eliminated. If my predictions were correct, the current survivor count was just around ten people. Dn and Sherki had just barely escaped the encirclement and hidden somewhere after juking the pursuit group. The 3 survivors that had fought with us had also hidden themselves away when attention was taken off of them. The same was true for Doom Prime. When the hunt came to a close, he silently disappeared into the brush once more. As he said to me before, it seemed as if he didnt want to end it just then. In any case, hes really a self-centered guy. Hm? Did you say something? No. Its nothing. Kuaaaaah Im tired! I want to stretch my legs and take a nap. Seta just flopped back onto the ground and Irene clearly looked quite tired as well. The surroundings were dead silent. Maybe this was what they meant by the quiet after the storm. This state of lull would probably continue until soon before noon. In these sorts of times, you needed to take a rest. I kicked off the ground and stood up. Aite! Rather than being out here, lets find a ce to take a rest. Well get some sleep and eat some meat. What? Meat? At the word meat, Seta showed a big reaction and abruptly stood up. What? Really? Of course. Lets go. * * * Seta, how long does it take? Its nearly done, so wait a second. Sizzle It had only been a day since I hadnt had meat but why did I miss the sound of it cooking so much? My tummy was making a ruckus, saying it was hungry. My eyes were fixated on the piece of meat being flipped by Seta. My mouth kept asking Seta, like it was a broken record, Seta, are you done yet? Ah, dude! I said its nearly done. Ha I cant stand still when it smells so good. It wasnt that long ago when you said we shouldnt cook because the smell would spread Stop disturbing me, and if you have nothing better to do, go fetch me some water. Sure. Ok, ok. The assistant chef should listen to the chefs orders. We had left the western area and moved a little towards the center of the ind. It was the B base that was a little ways away from Central Vige. Thanks to therge trees thatpletely surrounded it and the small stream that flowed right in front, it made for an ideal ce to rest. When we first found this ce, there were traces of human activity, but they seemed to have been eliminated as there was no presence of humans. That was why we just bunkered down. As soon as we arrived at the base, Seta prepared our brunch, I was tasked with misceneous jobs, and Irene, who had dered that even three days without sleep meant nothing to her I should wake her up, right? Well separate her portion, so lets just leave her to rest for now. Hm Thats probably for the best. She had copsed on the sofa and fallen asleep as soon as we arrived. Even if it didnt show, she was probably the most tired of the three of us. Unlike us, who had at least 1 hour of sleep while doing the night shift, she hadnt been able to sleep at all. Ok! Well eat first! Then, thanks for the food! I separated Irenes portion and took a bite of the meat that Seta had cooked. Nom. Nom nom Oh! Its so tasty! There was no need for a special sauce or ingredient. With salt and hunger as the seasoning, it was as delicious as a steak made in a professional kitchen. We finished the 2 chunks of meat in an instant and fell back onto the ground while clutching our full bellies. Hah Im full. So am I. It makes me want to just sleep. Who cares about the game? Go take a nap. Well need to fight at full strengthter. Hm, sure. How about you, Ruin? Arent you tired? Ill sleepter. Im fine, so go first. Seta stood up and walked toward the bed, but he suddenly stopped in his tracks. Then, he turned to face me, an uncharacteristic expression on his face. Ruin. What? I wanted to tell you this before but thank you. For being in a team with me. My original goals werent this high. But thanks to you, I was able to be a top 10 survivor. Its an honour. Hey. Im cringing a little, so please Hmhm Sure. Then, Im going to sleep. Seta also looked inexperienced saying these things and went into the room, scratching the back of his head. I smiled, even though I had goosebumps all over my arms. That guy. Hes a total child. For me to hear something like a teenage girls confession from that tough-looking guy. Well, it wasnt that bad. Except for one thing. Kuaaaah! Phoooo! Kuaaaah! Phooo! As soon as Seta went into the room, he started to snore like a thunderstorm. To get away from this noise, I came out to the front yard of the lodging. I did some stretches to warm up my tired body. Hoooo Then, should I do some quests that I skipped out on? To stop my tiredness, and maybe for digestion too. It was to do the quests that I couldnt do yesterday and today. Kicking. Spin Kicking. Punching. For the running, I reced it with just running circles around the area. And after finishing up this quest and drinking some cold water to quench my thirst, the door to the base opened. It was Irene Prius. * * * * * * Have you woken up? Ah, yes. Looking at my sweaty appearance, she narrowed her eyes. You. Did you exercise? Yes. My body was getting itchy. Even after fighting like that in the morning? Hmm. Now that I thought about it, it was a weird excuse. Rather than answering her, I just lightly smiled and pointed to the separated portion of food. Please eat. We left your share. Ah. Yes. Thank you. Ill go and wash up. I gave my sweaty body a light wash in the stream and walked into the base. Irene was chewing on a piece of meat and looked at me vacantly. Is it good? Ah. Yes. I apologize for going off and sleeping first without saying anything before. You wouldve been the most tired. And, thanks to you, Ill be able to go take a rest tool. Its fine, right? Ah. Sure. Rather than going into the room, I chose the sofa in the living room. The room was still Kuaaaah! Phoooo! Kuaaaah! Phooo! It was filled with Setas thunderous snores. Also, that Kuaaah. It was nearly enough to make me worried. That Seta We shouldnt need to take him to the med bay, right? Pft. As I lightly joked about our situation, Irene ended up bursting intoughter. It would be pretty loud trying to sleep next to him. Yeah, so Ill be sleeping here. An excellent choice. Would you like some tea? I went and picked some leaves from herbs while I was exercising before. Thatd be nice. I boiled some hot water and gently poured it into the teacup with herbs. Hmm Its nd. Well, its still good since its rxing. There wasnt any special taste, but just as Irene said, the warm tea slowly rxed my tired and bloated body. And in that period where we were both silently sipping on our tea, Irene asked me something. So, Ruin. Yeah? I had a question I wanted to ask you before as well If you think its impolite, you can choose not to answer. What is it? After you graduate, what are you thinking of doing? Graduation It was an unexpected question. We usually only talked about public matters, such as events or strategies. That was why I jokingly asked back, Why are you curious about that? Its just personal curiosity. Your steps looked exceptionally unique so I thought that you wouldnt take the normal path. The 32 students that had gathered here. Ignoring the rankings in thispetition, they were all elites that were recognised by society. They werepeting here, but as soon as they graduated, they would live a symbiotic life. All for one purpose. Maybe for a knight order in a territory, or maybe protecting the nation under the imperial army. Maybe bing a member of the Magic Tower. Some would join a special, magician-only group and earn money that way. These were the normal paths. But what about me? I dont really know. I havent thought about it yet. Really? I dont know if you know, but just untilst year, I was a failing student. The worst failure that couldnt even be a magician. That was why I didnt have the leisure to think about my future. Rather than, What kind of magician will I be? I was more concerned about if I could even be a magician. I apologize, for asking something unnecessary. No, dont worry. I was smiling on the outside, but it was a rather sorrowful thing to say. To call me a failure of a student myself. I tried to brighten the mood by smiling. After thispetition ends, wouldnt I get some idea of things I want to do after I return to school? Thatll happen for sure. The Ruin of now has changed a lot from the Ruin ofst year. But how about you, Irene? Me? Yeah What type of magician do you want to be? I dont know myself either. Heh. Youre lying. Its true. I had never been certain of what kind of magician I should be. I was just told by those around me. Like, Irene, you must be a great magician. Irene Prius. She showed her silly acting as she sipped on her tea. And then, Ruin, another thing. Yes. She asked me something with a serious expression. It was also an unexpected request. I want to fight against Doom Prime before you. I think this will be how I find out my path for what type of magician I would like to be. A fight against Doom Prime. This was a mountain that Irene, the rank 2 of every year, had to conquer, but also homework that she needed toplete. I respected Irenes desire and drive. It was only natural that everyone had a problem that they needed to solve for themselves. I gave Irene a refreshing smile. Sure. Lets do that. Chapter 50 Chapter 50 I moved the nket that fully covered me. After taking a deep sleep, the sun had already started to set. Uh? Ruin, are you up? Did anything happen? Seta sat next to me and spoke while chewing on the smoked pork jerky that he lightly sliced and cooked himself. Nah. Its too quiet. Looks like everyones just waiting for someone else. You want some? This guy. Seems he can cook anything. I took one piece of jerky and asked him, What about Irene? Over there. Shes been like that for a while. Irene was outside looking at something. I stood from my seat and walked over to her. What are you doing? Ah, youre awake. Irene was looking towards the western side of the ind. Towards the tightening boundary wall. Theres less time between each instance that the boundary bes smaller. If my calctions are correct, this ce would also be outside the boundary by tonight. We should move in the next hour. I see. This was quite the safe andfortable base. However, we had to go out into the dangerous outside again. The boundary that looked quite far when we left the western area hade pretty close while I wasnt looking. Seeing that the far left and right ends that we couldnt see had started to curve in slightly, the range of movement we could make had really started to restrict. I opened up the map and held it up. Then theres also only two lodgings that are safe tonight. The Central Vige and A Base. Yes. If we say that Dn and Sherki are hiding in the Central Vige, it might be a good idea to take it over. However, we cant ignore the possibility that Doom could ambush us in the chaos. Yes. If its like that, we have no choice but to wait for these guys toe out or for a fight to ur. But its dangerous for us because of the boundary. Is there a better way? As Irene and I were contemting our future ns, Seta walked up to us. What? Youre having a strategy meeting without me? Seta, any good ideas? Seta replied frankly, the tone questioning if there was even a need to think. Just charge them. Recklessly charging in. At Setas simpleminded and idiotic suggestion, Irene condemned him sternly. No. There are ten people left. Theres no point in drawing attention in this situation. We need to be more cautious. Well, thats true. But Then, a light bulb went off in my head. Charge them? Wait. This might be a decent idea. What? This could be a decent method. Depending on who we charged first, the oue might be different. There are less than ten people left. From now on, increasing by just 1 rank will you a lot of points. Just as Irene said, everyone will be acting with caution. On top of that, since we attracted our opponents on purpose using amotion this morning, theres a high chance that most wont act on any sound we make. We can tell by how quiet everyone has been. Everyones waiting. So? So, if its like this, we just need to attack the side that will respond to themotion. The side that would respond to themotion. Doom Prime. Leaving Doom to the end when he had only fought using ambushes and gueri tactics this entire event was too dangerous. However, if we were to attack Doom first? If its Doom Prime, since hes confident in his skills, hell appear when we make amotion. However, Dn, Sherki, and the other 3 survivors? Would they really try to attack us? In this situation where surviving for 1 more position is quite favourable? They wouldnt appear. Dn Marken had lost his reliable 15-person group. And the 3 survivor alliance was currently the weakest group. For them, it was more favourable to just sit and watch the others fight, eliminating each other. Having calcted all this, Irene nodded in agreement at the possibility. Yes. There is a high chance they wont appear. However, where would we find Doom? I shrugged my shoulders. Its probably A Base. Its safe from the boundary and its also close enough to the Central Vige to be used for scouting. So, Doom would probably be there. And if he isnt? Hm. I hadnt thought that far yet. I shrugged my shoulders again. Well think about that when it happens. * * * The three of us quickly packed our bags and started to move. It wasnt that difficult to approach the A Base. This was because we could basically guess where the rest of the contestants were hiding. Moving through the shortest route, we could settle down near A Base before the day came to a close. From here on out, Can you wait here for a second? I need to go somewhere. I would move alone. Suddenly, Irene grabbed my wrist. Are you going alone? What are you thinking of doing? Ill go only to see whos the one at the base. What? How are you going to confirm whos in the base? Have you forgotten? That Im a really suspicious person? As I smiled for her, Irene clenched her eyes shut like she was done with me. The more I know you, the more I dont know you. Huhu. Of course. Im like an onion. Are you going to keep brushing it off like this? Probably. Then, Ill be going. I stood up and moved towards the A Base. And then, for the first time in a while, I called my only partner. Straang. What? Show me the minimap. Right. The ability of the yer that could show everything in a 500m proximity. Minimap. I couldnt figure out who was in the base just using this. But I could figure out how many were in there. Sure. If there were 3, it was the other survivors. If there were 2, it was Dn and Sherki. If there was only 1, there was a good chance that it would be Doom Prime. And then, as the minimap shed and opened in front of my eyes, it showed me the answer. theres only 1. The dot indicated on the minimap was alone. Meaning, it was Doom Prime. I didnt hesitate as I rushed towards the A Base. I entered the range of Dooms magic, but I didnt concern myself about it. Rather, it was me who opened their mouth first. Hey! Doom! Come out now! As I shouted, a small sound was heard from inside the base. Shhhhrrr It was the sharp sound of a de being drawn. Thud! The moment I grabbed the door handle Shoot! A sharp de pierced through the wooden door, Are you pulling out your de as a greeting? And I, simultaneously, Boom! Blew up the bases entrance. If I was greeted dangerously, I should respond in kind. * * * * * * Shhhht! Doom Prime was standing in the exploded entrance after having retrieved his Sword of Brilliance. He was ring at me. Were not close enough to share a familiar greeting. How did you know I was here? It was predictable. No. You werent predicting, but were certain I was here. Why are you talking so much? Have a good nights sleep? Follow me. As I gestured with my hands, Doom stayed silent for a second before moving with me. The ce I led Doom. It was Doom Prime? The location my team was in. At the unannounced entrance of Doom Prime, Setas eyes went wide as he shouted, R-Ruin! Did you get captured by Doom?! What are you talking about captured? I brought him here. B-brought him here? Why? You shouldve sneak attacked him! We werent originally going to sneak attack him anyways. My eyesnded on Irene. She nodded her head, conviction in her eyes. I told Doom this. Im not your opponent. Irene is. Having heard this, Doom said to Irene, not having expected this, Irene Prius. I dont think youre strong enough to face me. Yes. That may be the case. If you are eliminated now, the Fire King will be disappointed in you. You would rather survive a bit longer to increase your My goal for thispetition isnt that. Defeating you. Thats my goal. Irene Prius target. Rather than winning thepetition, this was her homework that she needed to desperatelyplete. She readied herself, looking more determined than ever before. So be it. And Doom Prime held onto his swords hilt. In an instant, he unsheathed his sword and charged directly at Irene. * * * There were many choices in the world. Depending on these choices, a myriad things could change. The weak could be winners. And the strong could fall into depths which they never imagined possible. We were the same. In this survival event happening before us, there were many choices we had to make. We could pride ourselves in saying we chose the right ones. But was this the right choice too? Are you continuing? Of course. Hoo I havent been eliminated yet. In the time where the 3 of us could have overpowered Doom Prime, Irene had made a choice. And I respected that choice. However, regretfully, If you want to be eliminated so much Ill eliminate you myself. There was a definite gap between Irene Prius and Doom Primes skills. And Doom had widened that gap even further by using his artifact. Facing a magic swordsman who could wield a sword. They would have been as baffling of an opponent as a magician who used their fists. Irene fought desperately, but the battle was already finished. Irene had lost. Doom had won. I wasnt saying that Irene Prius made the wrong choice. It was just regretful. I also needed to make a choice here. At least, while I still had the opportunity to choose. Ill praise your bravery. Facing me when you already know the oue. This is the end. Do I sit and watch Irene be eliminated? Or do I step in right now, even if I would be resentedter on? R-Ruin! What do we do? Seta asked in a panicked tone, and I just shook my head. This This is Irenes fight. Ah However, I have the responsibility as the teams leader to protect my team members. Eh? Thats why this is my fight too. Dont you agree? Y-yea. Thats right! Its your fight too! This was nonsensical logic. While respecting Irenes choice, I tried to justify myself in disapproving of the loss, saying I was a leader and talking about teammates and whatever. But what use was all that after she was eliminated? So right now, Im thinking of interfering with that fight. What do you think? Y-yea! Youre the leader, so just focus on saving your teammate! We promised to fight to our fullest when it was just us three left in the end! Alright. So Seta, you cant jump in. Because this is my responsibility as the leader. This is my duty, and my choice. Ok. To protect myself a little, I roped Seta into this. And Seta epted my decision. Irene wouldnt ept it, but 2 vs 1 We still got majority approval, right? I shouted at Doom, who was readying himself to end Irene, Hey! Doom Prime! Come here. Fight me. Irene looked at me, perplexed. I could just barely hold myself back and looked away from her. If you got eliminated, none of that mattered. Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Doom Primed looked at me with an amused expression. Then, he raised his eyebrows and pointed toward Seta, who was standing behind me. By yourself, or with that desert goon too? What, you son of a bitch? Seta was enraged at suddenly bing a desert goon, but I calmed him down. Of course Im fighting alone. Both of us fighting wouldnt be as cool. Talking about being cool in this situation. Why did someone like you attract the Fire Kings attention? Always going Fire King this, Fire King that. Arent you tired? I dont care about his attention. Right now, Im just trying to protect my teammate. I look forward to your effort. Doom Prime. He retracted the sword he had pointed toward Irene and put it back in his scabbard. Then, he loosely grabbed the handle and took a sword drawing stance. The same feeling of intense pressure I felt when I first saw the mana gate could be felt here. I lifted my fists and took up a guard. Hoo I had yed out this situation in my head countless times. What would I have to do against an enemy with a sword? The answer to this was found in one of the teachings of Lord Coulter from when he taught me martial arts before. Footwork is the basis of everything. The feet. High-ranking knights could gently move their shoulders to hide the trajectory of their shes. I could see this in Lord Coulter. The sword he swung would always leave the path that I saw with my eyes and hit my waist. However, you couldnt hide the footwork. If I could predict his strides, I could figure out how Doom would move. Just like now. Hesing. He had instantly narrowed the distance between us and thrust his sword. At a nce, it may have looked like a thrust, but his left foot was tilted away. This was a horizontal sh. Swoosh! I moved back diagonally and dodged the de. If I had dodged straight back, the Sword of Brilliance may have ripped through my shirt. This was followed by another horizontal sh and I flowed like water to dodge once more. Predicting the path of the de. Until here, it was as I practiced. However, Did you think I was just attacking up until now? ! He wasnt a knight. He was a magician. The two shes. These preparatory movements were used to make time to cast a spell. The Sword of Brilliance shot out a huge ray of light before I could even realize what had happened. Bam! I punched the ground and flipped up the earth to try and block. But his attacks hadnt finished. People think that magic swordsmen arent capable because they arent fully a magician or fully a knight, but thats because they had never met a real magic swordsman. Doom charged at me and swung his sword again. The rumour that he had the skills to match a high ranking knight wasnt exaggerated at all. His sword looked like it was dancing. You got cut. Euk. At that moment, I lost sight of it and the de lightly scratched my legs. When I moved back, magic was thrown at me. And so, this one-sided battle continued. But the one on the defensive was me. Damn it This wasnt something I had felt before. Most magicians couldnt deal with me when I approached them. This was because I could destroy them using a magicians fatal weakness of casting time. However, Doom was different. Even though he couldnt use sword aura, he was swinging his sword with one hand while casting magic with the other. He had eliminated the weakness of casting time by wielding his sword. It wasnt easy to approach him. This was because he always maintained exactly a des length of distance between us. This all you can do? After challenging me, all youre doing is dodging. Youre acting up after scratching my leg a little? Do you always talk this much? I dont think its just a scratch. My gaze shifted downwards. I was sure the wound that Doom Prime gave me wasnt deep, but the de mark left behind by the Sword of Brilliance was spewing out an ufortable light and my wound was widening considerably. Lets say its the Mark of Brilliance. That wound will continue to gnaw at your movement. Just like what it did to Irene Prius. Magic swords. There were many different magic swords that appeared in the world. As the number of swords was great, so was the variety in their abilities. I didnt know the full extent of the Sword of Brilliances ability, but Damn it. My legs were starting to get numb. I quickly ripped the bandages I had around my hands with my mouth and wrapped the injured area. But the ufortable light that was embedded in my skin didnt go away and it kept widening the wound. I couldn''t even stop the bleeding. The Mark of Brilliance. So it was like this This is boring. Doom Prime gripped his sword again. After dodging that strike, I needed to rush into his blind spot to where his sword couldnt reach me. If I could just rush into that guy. If I could justnd a hit against that arrogant face. I had a chance of winning. But how would I do that? There wasnt time to deeply ponder this question. Lets finish this. Doom Prime had redoubled his efforts to attack me. 2 horizontal shes, 1 vertical sh, and continuous casting of spells. Sphaaaash! The Sword of Brilliance emitted a building light from the tip of its de and blocked my sight. He raised his sword before slicing it down at me. Damn it. I couldnt just sit here and take it. Oop! Tat! It was truly by the breadth of a hair. I kicked off the ground and jumped back. Then, I used Bend Time to disappear from Dooms sight. I knew that Doom intended to follow me and attack my back. What? But I wasnt speeding up as much as I expected. Normally, I would be able to move fast enough to leave behind afterimages, but my current movements were slow enough for Doom to track me with his eyes. Im pretty sure I warned you that it would gnaw at your movement. My gazended on the leg wound once again. It was because of this. Boom! Doom thrust the sword into the ground as if everything was calcted and started to cast magic with both his hands. And soon enough, there were two gigantic wings that unfurled above his head, and after circling around a bit, it started to cover him. 5th ss Nature Magic Kitans Wings. * * * * * * Bang! Whoooosh! A huge typhoon followed the explosion of mana and Kitans Wings leveled the surroundings in an instant. As winds strong enough to uproot trees started to flow about, Seta was lifted off the ground and flung backwards. Kugh! I tried to resist it by holding onto a boulder. The boulder started to shake as it was stuck between me pulling it and the pushing strength of the wind. But it was manageable. However, my body had be vulnerable to attacks. This is the end. And Doom seized this moment. He had lifted the de from the ground and jumped at me. Ruin! Get out of there! Setas shouts echoed in my mind. I instinctively moved and dodged his first strike, but the follow-up had broken through. Shaek! Euk! In that moment, my forearm had been cut. Dark red blood was seeping out of me. If I had to guess, the defensive item that was protecting me was probably nearly out of durability. Damn it. I couldntnd any attacks. At that moment, Doom felt like an unbreakable wall. However, Ruin Ardell. I had some expectations Im disappointed. That arrogance. As I heard that arrogant attitude that spoke as if he were king of the world, my dying fighting spirit reignited. Seta Malkiri. Irene Prius. And all the students of the academy. I couldnt just give up here while everyone was believing in me. Shing. Doom, having thought that this was the end, took a stance to end it in a single blow. I looked at him and ripped another bandage with my mouth. Fine. Ill admit it. Youre strong. Enough to make me think for a moment that you were a wall. Are you surrendering? Surrender? I shook my head and weakly smiled. No. I cant do that. The bandages that were wrapped around my hand all fell away. And then, something could be seen. A ring that had been hidden tightly under those bandages. Ring of Invulnerability. An artifact I had found in that antique shop that could stop physical attacks. I want to destroy you even more. Maybe he felt my will to struggle onest time. The Doom Prime that was always calm and emotionless couldnt help butugh. With that body? He was right. It was really messed up. There were two wounds that were the result of being directly cut by the Sword of Brilliance. And there were hundreds more from the sticks and stones that were flung around by Kitans Wings. But I dusted myself off like it was nothing. Are you done warming up? What? Lets start round 2. The start of round 2. I lifted my fists towards my face and guarded. Youre out of your mind. And Doom Prime sheathed his de again ,taking a sword drawing stance while looking baffled at my decision. Ill teach you properly so that you can never p that mouth of yours again. It was still scary. It still felt like a wall. Above all, that Sword of Brilliance. Even though I had resolved myself to expect the unexpected when I started dreaming of bing a magician, being cut by a sword was a terrifying thing that I didnt want to experience ever again. That was why I changed my strategy. What are you thinking of doing? As Straang asked that on my shoulders, filled with curiosity, I replied in a quiet voice, I wont aim at Doom Prime. Then? That Sword of Brilliance. Right. If I couldnt hit Doom because of the Sword of Brilliance, I would destroy the sword. Having heard this, Straang replied in an excited tone, Right! Now you understand. This was how Draka fought. What? Draka didnt aim at an opponent when he fought. He just destroyed everything he saw. Hey! If you knew it you shouldve told me earlier For my master to finally realize this. Now I feel more at ease. Ehm! Now, shall I enjoy the show? This damned incarnation. Then, Doom spoke up. What are you muttering on about? Eh? Its nothing. My actions were set. My heart became lighter, and with it, so did my body. Now, the real round 2. Shall we begin? Skill. The Ogres Fury. Strength exploded out into my veins in an instant. I hopped on the spot a few times and cracked my neck while I said, Doom Prime. ? Be careful of your chin. I kicked off the ground and charged toward Doom Prime. He still believed in his sword. The Sword of Brilliance was fully blooming with blinding light, as if he was going to st me away when I got close. However, I didnt dodge it. If you dont dodge, you might really die. Even with Dooms shallow warning, I didnt hesitate. My explosively expanding strength Was aimed at Doom. No. It was aimed at the Sword of Brilliance that Doom was swinging around. And these two forces met. Then [The effects of the Ring of Invulnerability are activating.] Kakakakang! Victory was mine. Undoubtedly mine. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Altein Stadium. It became deathly silent, as if it wasnt filled to the brim with thousands of spectators. The artifact Mirror of Malleroc could be used to show what someone was seeing to others. Through this artifact stationed in the middle of the stadium, everyone watched the end game of Battle Survival with bated breaths and in silence. There was only one ce that held their attention. It was the fight between Ruin Ardell and Doom Prime. From the start, this fight grabbed a lot of peoples attention. There were two main reasons for this. Even though they couldve fought him three vs one, hes going out of his way to fight it one on one? I think hes underestimating Doom too much. First, even though they were in a three vs one situation, he forced it to be a one vs one. And second, No. Didnt you see him before? Ruin Ardell is strong enough. Thats true. Hepletely and perfectly destroyed that 15-person group. Lets wait and see what happens. It was because of the fact that, even though he was up against Doom Prime, Ruin Ardell had shown something extraordinary, and this was heightened by this event being his first public appearance. Even with just these two factors, there was no denying that this was probably the Big Match of this event. However, this was Altein, the small nation within the Rynac Imperial Federation. This was practically no different to Dooms home ground. Its natural. Theres no way that some no-name could be Dooms match! Doom! Doom! Doom! Doom! As the direction of the match shifted towards Doom, the stadium was also filled with chants of Doom!. Looking at this, Ignit Magic Academy student Jason could only grind his teeth. Damn! Its so noisy. The fights not over yet. He was right. The fight was yet to end. He needs to win. He promised us Ruin had always turned danger into opportunity. And he had always kept his word. He had absolute faith in Ruin, who had removed the nickname of Acadummy from them and made the teame together as a whole. This resolute faith L-look at that! Wasnt betrayed. Just one scene. After that scene, the rising spirit of Altein stadium that was filled with chants and cheers became mute as everybody went silent. No one could believe what they saw. Wait Wh-what just Some rubbed their eyes while others started questioning if they were hallucinating. This wasnt the scene they were eagerly waiting for. When the unarmed Ruin Ardell charged towards Doom Prime who had his sword raised. When he didnt dodge the sword and faced it head-on. Everyone thought that the fight had ended like this. But The fight had ended for the opposite reason. Th-the Sword of Brilliance was destroyed? With a fist at that? When Ruins fist made contact with the Sword of Brilliance. Half of the de had shattered. Simultaneously, YEAAAAAAAAAAH! Everyone sitting down on Ignit Magic Academys bench stood up and cheered. They were hoping for another miracle. No. Ruin! Go finish it! They were certain. * * * Swords. Siege Weapons. Monsters. Even Dragonkind. There was nothing that World Ender Draka couldnt destroy. He destroyed everything that stood in his way. This was Drakas fighting style. I could understand now. I The effect of Ring of Invulnerability activates. The physical attack has been nullified. I struck head-on the Sword of Brilliance that looked like it would slice me in two. But the one that broke wasnt my fist. It was the sword. The de of the Sword of Brilliance broke with a ng and flew off, nicking Doom Primes shoulder. Sheok! And it got lodged in the tree behind him. Doom Prime was as surprised as I was. The expression as he looked at his de was as broken as his sword. When I saw his face, emotionless face This became a scene that I would never see again. H-how As he looked at his broken artifact with a pale and shocked face, he groaned, clutching his shoulder that was wounded by the piece of broken de. Ack How did you do it? I didnt answer him. Rather, I asked him something myself. You want to be called a magic swordsman, right? But if a magic swordsman doesnt have a sword is he still a magic swordsman? Doom tried to cast a spell, getting surprised at my question. However, there was no magic sword to keep the gap anymore. I fired like an arrow towards Doom and kicked his thigh. Crack! With the sound of something breaking, Doom flipped once in the air before plummeting to the ground. Then, I struck his chest and overpowered him so he couldnt move. Euk. Kack Doom Prime. You who have everything in the world, do you know what you are missing? My smile widened as I lifted my fist into the air. Attention is mine. Theres no match for me. I am the greatest under the heavens. The arrogance of certainty that these were true was your downfall. At my words, Doom furrowed his brow. To be able to hit this self-centered kid right in the jaw. How long had I waited for this day? I didnt hesitate as I mmed my fist into his jaw. Bang! A dust cloud burst up in an instant and a crack in space formed at the center of it. It was the forced teleportation gate. Ill see you at the banquet hall. Just as I finished speaking, Doom was forcibly teleported away. He was eliminated. * * * * * * I-Is it over? Seta Malkir let out a heavy sigh as he slumped to the ground. He muttered while wiping the sweat off his brow, Huah My heart. I was scared that you were going to lose. If you ended up losing, I wouldnt have stood a chance. I muttered while looking at the trace left by Doom Prime, I got really lucky. I nearly did lose. Yeah. I was lucky. If I couldnt obtain this Ring of Invulnerability from that Altein antique store. And if the ring didnt get hit directly by the de, forcing the ability to activate. Without a doubt, the one eliminated wouldve been me. I cant keep relying on being lucky. Ill need to practice facing against knights. Facing an opponent with a sword. I had felt an overpowering feeling of intense pressure that exceeded my expectations. I was fortunate that Doom Prime was a magician and thus couldnt handle the sword spirit. If I was facing a real knight There was a chance that I wouldve been defeated without being able to do anything. It was only my strength that was good. I stillcked training I shook my head and stood up from the ground. At that, Seta walked up to me. So Ruin. Hows your injury? Injury. Maybe it was because the Sword of Brilliance was shattered. But the Mark of Brilliance that was lodged in my shoulder and legs had disappeared. Since I had wrapped those ces with bandages, blood shouldnt be flowing out. I think Im fine. Yeah. Phew What a relief. I was worried about what wouldve happened if the blood didnt stop flowing. This wasnt the problem right now. I turned and looked toward Irene. She was looking at me with aplicated expression and I walked toward her. And first of all, I apologized to her. Im sorry for interfering in your fight. I had to. Winning in a duel against Doom Prime. This was a goal for Irene that was more precious than winning the Battle Survival. However, I had muddled her attempt. If I was to give you an excuse I couldnt just sit there and watch you get eliminated. Since Im the team leader. Y-yeah! Thats right. I said to go help, not Ruin. We promised each other wed survive till the end and fight to decide the 1st, 2nd and 3rd ce, right? Its not that far away, so it doesnt feel right to give up like this R-right? Seta vouched for me, And while we expected Irene to get mad at us, she looked at us nkly. Then Pft. Let out augh. Did anyone say anything? Why are you exining yourselves? Eh? Even though it was the fight I wanted, it really was also your fight too. The one who should apologize isnt you guys, but me. Irene stoppedughing and lowered her head. The team was put in danger because of my selfish desire. I apologize. Seta and I just looked at each other. Was that my expression too? Huh. I wasnt expecting that reaction. Irene faced me and lowered her head again. And, thank you. For helping me. To be honest I was a little scared. N-no worries. It was the obvious thing to do But what do we do now that you cant fulfill your goal for thispetition? At my question, Irene gave a cool smile. Dont worry about it. That goal disappeared just then. Yes? My goal changed. It''s not Doom Prime, but you. What was this woman? It would be pretty difficult toplete it in thispetition. However, Ill never give up. Even after thispetition, even after we return to our schools and graduate, Ill always chase after you, Ruin. The goal of bing the best among her peers. Was this the driving force that made her constantly strive forward? I talked to her with a humoured expression. Hm It wont be easy. Naturally. After seeing that fight just now, I already resolved myself, knowing that it wont be easy. You might end up chasing my back forever. If you approached me by some amount, Ill run forward by that much more. Im pretty good at running, dont you know? Pah! I wasughing. Why? Irene had definitely dered her challenge against me just now, but why was my heart beating so fast? Yes. Ill look forward to it. Do look forward, because someday, Ill definitely ovee you. Maybe it was because I felt that my rtionship with her wouldnt end after thispetition came to a close? I felt this not just for Irene, but for Seta too. Theres not much left for thispetition now. After this event finishes, itll be the finale. Thats right. I can see the end. We should start cleaning up the game so that us three can duke it out in the end, right? Seta-ssi, do you really think you are our match? Ah, Seta-ssi this, Seta-ssi that. Are we still strangers? Why do you keep trying to draw the line? Pft. I understand, Seta-nim. Keke Thats better. TL/N: -ssi and -nim are both honorifics with respect, but -ssi is a bit more distant. All this time, Irene had called Seta with -ssi but Ruin with -nim. We usually dont trante these because they dont fit the setting, but I couldnt express how close they are now without TLing it literally. We were already threerades in arms that shared life and death together. There was a sense of energy befitting this bond flowing around us. I truly felt that this bond wouldnt break easily. Ruin. After thispetition ends,e visit Oyota. I will. Oyota was famous for their martial arts. And I had felt that I needed more than basic punching and kicking. I needed a higher level of martial arts. There really was a possibility of meeting with Seta and visiting Oyota. I brushed myself off and stood up. Ok! If were done resting up, lets get going. Where to? I gestured to the center of the ind with a flick of my chin at Setas question. I was pointing towards the Central Vige. Dont you think we should start wrapping this event up? Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Doom Prime lost? The greatest magic school on the Frelian continent that produced the King of Magicians. As he was the representative of the Raynac Magic Soldier Training School, the news of Doom Primes elimination was quite shocking. On top of that, he wasnt even 2nd, but 9th. This unexpectedly low performance in the rankings by Doom Prime had nearly silenced the Altein Stadium with shock. However, this was only for the citizens of Raynac. The victor has been decided! Ruin! Its Ruin Ardell! After the great wall of Doom was broken down, a new magician of the generation had appeared. WOOOOOOOO! The Altein Stadium wasnt filled with silence, but cheers. Victory in the Battle Survival. This meant victory in the Individual Competition, and everyone weed the newly appearing genius. From here, one key factor that Ruin had that Doom didnt was shown clearly. It was his star quality. Have you heard about that student? Ruin Ardell? Yeah, I did. I heard that he used to be a failing student? Thats right. On top of that, hes from a countryside family that didnt have any connection to magic. Hoho. For a student like that to show these results Isnt Doom Prime from an elite family? Who cares so long as its entertaining, right? Haha! A dunce that appeared like aet after squeezing past the geniuses. A no-name magician that was originally a failing student and had no official experience inpetitions. A miraculous story that was yed out by this no-name magician. This was quite the charismatic story for the average tourist that went to the Grand Festival to have some fun. And the night after the Battle Survival, talks of who is Ruin Ardell? filled the streets. This wasnt that different among the participating students. I-if this keeps going like this, wont Ruin actually win? Hey. Shut up. That guy had a team. Doom Prime was alone. B-but he was definitely in a one on one situation when he fought Didnt I tell you to shut up? What dogshit are you saying in front of Doom? S-sorry. Even the students of Raynac Magic Soldier Training School, who had never doubted their victories, had talked about Ruin Ardell. Some students even started betting on who the winner of the Grand Festival would be. And surprisingly, Ruin Ardell was favoured quite highly. It seemed that the one on one fight between Doom and Ruin had made quite the impression. Alright! The genius magician that appeared from nowhere, Ruin Ardell! Were selling the seats to his next individual match! Everyone, remember, this is the magician that defeated Doom Prime! Hes a once-in-a-generation magician! Doom was leaning on the terrace of his inn while looking down on the Altein district stered with the name of Ruin Ardell instead of his. Doom, are you ok? Asked a worried student to him, but Doom didnt avert his gaze. He only looked at his sword broken in two, his Sword of Brilliance, with a dejected look in his eyes. On the inside, he was thinking, I let my guard down. He tried to pass it off as a simple loss of focus, But his pride wouldnt let that happen. He knew it himself. That this wasnt something he can pass off as just letting his guard down. Even knowing that Ruin Ardells strength was unnaturally powerful, To aim for my sword. The fact that he didnt aim at Doom, but rather the sword he was swinging and hit it head on was something that he had never expected. No. He furrowed his brows as he thought again to his fight against Ruin Ardell that he had meditated on for a few hundred times. I couldve dodged it. In that second that decided the fate of the battle. If he had noticed that Ruin was aiming for his sword and not himself, he couldve even saved the sword. But instead, he swung his sword without hesitation. Because which would break when a fist met a de was obvious. Because he had never anticipated that he could lose. However, I lost. Doom Prime lost. Twice on top of that. He lost when his magic sword, which represented his status as a magic swordsman, broke. Has the Fire King not called for me? No. Not yet And since he lost in front of the Fire King, it was the same as losing twice. D-dont worry too much. Im sure hes being kind and letting you rest up while I want to be alone now. Eh? Ah! O-ok. Sorry. Ill leave. C-call if you need anything. Doom Prime turned his gaze again to the streets of Altein. Everyone in this damned night was still noisy, and they looked to be having fun. * * * * * * The Battle Survival. The two elders that were looking at this the closest were both shocked. He actually won. One of the elders was Tirion Ignit. The one that called Ruin Ardell to this Grand Festival. If anyone had asked him about his predictions about Ruins performance in thispetition, he wouldve replied that he was confident Ruin would do well. But he wouldve hesitated if they asked if he thought Ruin would win. Tirion had also seen Doom Primes skills since he started learning magic from 10 years old, so he knew them pretty well. If, maybe, Ruins skills were the same as when he fought against Michael Galehill, he predicted that it wouldnt be enough against Doom Prime. However, he won. He actually won. Not just from the stance of a director, but from his seat as a judge, it was a situation where he could only marvel. Then, You can stop hiding it now. That joyous feeling. I can see it all over your face, so you dont have to keep hiding it. Here was the other elder, looking to be only around 30 years old, and who was also shocked. The Fire King Teron talked truthfully to Tirion Ignit. Congrattions. You won. Won? The festival hasnt ended yet. Im not talking about the Grand Festival. Im saying your methods of teaching won. Ruin Ardell and Doom Primes fight wasnt just a fight between those two. Tirions trust in the student method that he emphasized, and Terons method of educating someone by holding them in his control. It was also an unseen fight between these two. I also lost when Doom Prime lost. This is my first loss to you in about 50 years. First? I definitely remember that I was better than you until we were at least 13 years old. You remember some odd things. In any case, this Ruin Ardell A truly savage kid. Who couldve guessed that he would break a magic sword with his fist? I nearly fell off my seat from the shock. Hehe Well, I cant say anything about that either. When looking at objectivebat power levels, Doom Prime didnt lose to Ruin Ardell. It was more like he was at an overwhelming advantage. However, the moment of victory in their fight appeared in an instant. And Ruin Ardells tenacity and danger sense were much better. This was also the territory of talent. Since this couldnt be ounted for by hard work alone, from Terons perspective, it was hisplete loss. Teron muttered while shaking his head, Tsk Seems I couldnt save face, even though Im the host. I dont think I can look at that kid during the banquet. Indeed. The banquet ising up soon. The banquet. This was a huge feast open for all participants on the day before the Grand Festivalsst. Here, the six judges, including Fire King Teron, ate together with all the participants. It was also the ce where noble families would try and persuade some noteworthy students. And it was used to scout out magicians too. This was the ce that determined the paths of these students after their graduation. Even though Fire King Teron said he wouldnt be able to talk to Ruin, he was still looking forward to everyone meeting together in one ce. If Doom won, I wouldve been able to tell Ruin, Kid, you still have a long way to go directly to his face. Kekeke. And so, the Grand Festival was nearing its conclusion. * * * A few days had passed since the end of the Battle Survival. The events that happened afterwards were the three Group Competitions and the two Individual Competitions. The grouppetition record was two wins, one loss, and the individualpetition was total victory. From this, our grouppetition ranking of 4th was finalized. Ah! So close! The reason Jason was feeling down. It was because, if they hadnt lost in the final event, they couldve been tied 3rd with the Frelia Holy Magic School, headed by Dn Marken. However, they ended up losing, and the final score was five wins, two losses. And so they ended up in 4th. I poked Jason in his hip and joked with him. Dont you know I can see that youre super happy? Is it that obvious? Really obvious. Wahoo! 4th ce! Were 4th ce! Hurray! Yeah. 4th. This was a miraculous result considering we were called the Acadummy not too long ago. On top of that, werent the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd ce schools all superpetitive and under the support of the Empire? That was why this rank was priceless. It was the precious victory a small nation had gotten after squeezing past the strong nations. And, of course, Ruin, are you confident? We hadnt obtained real victory yet. There was still one more individual event left. After this one event was over Today After waiting for so long, they would decide the winner of thispetition. Of course. A triathlon. Running through the city of Atltein while oveing the obstacles that were set up before crossing the ocean. This was a track and field event where the 32 students all started at the same time, and the one who arrived at the goal first won. Of course, since this was apetition between magicians and not athletes, there were a few changes. You could summon and ride something to run. And others would use short-range teleport magic to weave through space-time. However, I was confident. I looked forward to this event and cracked my neck. This is my specialty. Running. Destroying. Oveing. For half a year, I had only trained my body. This was a game made for me. After cooly finishing this event, I made a promise with Doom Prime, to meet him at the banquet. I was nning to tten Dooms pride at tonights banquet. I started stretching while looking forward to thest event of the Grand Festival. Doom was looking at me from the other side. I smiled brightly for him. Wee. To my home ground. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 The triathlon. Athletics,bat, and swimming. An obstacle course that fused these three categories. Naturally, it wasnt a simple running contest. It was also a battle event where you could directly attack the backs of fellowpetitors while running. It was also aprehensive exam where you needed to ovee traps and monsters that blocked your path. There was even an ocean you had to cross. The method of determining the winner of this event was quite simple. Either get to the finish line first, or eliminate everyone else. It didnt matter which one. 19.5km. Representing the 195 years the Rynac Empire had stood strong, you constantly battled through this entire long course. I had awaited this day from the moment it was confirmed I would be participating in the Grand Festival. This was the event that I was most confident in. Ruin! Ruin! Ruin! And this was the event that most people were looking forward to for me. For the first time in this festival, I received thousands of cheers from the spectators as I stood at the starting line. To my side stood Seta Malkiri. Its finally thest event. It seems so. This was the longest half a month in my entire life. How is it? How do you feel? About what? Everyones shouting your name. How does it feel to be the main character of this festival? I dont know. I was overflowing with emotion and I wanted to enjoy this moment more than any moment ever before. I wanted to wave back in that instant and respond to the audience. However, I hid my emotions with an, I dont know. The reason was simple. I think Ill know after this event finishes. Because it wasnt toote to enjoy the celebration after confirming my victory. I smiled brightly at Seta. You know that today isnt a team game but individual, right? Of course! Why wouldnt I? I wont go easy on you, so stay out of my way. Kekek. Sure. Obviously I would try to avoid you. I readied myself in the starting position and looked at the sky. The Grand Festival started at the end of spring. However, today, with thest event of the Grand Festival, a fresh summer was starting. After Ipleted this 19.5km course, would my life have changed, just like the seasons? Would I be able to rid myself of nicknames like Acadummy and Failure? Everyone on your marks! I dont know. For now Go! Ill just start running. * * * Bam! As the host signalled the start with the re, Altein Stadium rumbled like it was going to copse. The 31 other magicians simultaneously cast their own spells. Woaaaaaah! Yeah. It was quite the spectacle. As many spells exploded out at once, the audience could only exim at the scene. Magicians that summoned a guardian to protect their back. Magicians that summoned something to ride on. Magicians that cast invisibility to disappear from sight. Magicians that used a short-range teleport to get past everyone else. Magicians that started fighting to stop others from getting past them, and so on. Everyone chose their own vour of magic. Naturally, there werent any students that were just running. Hoping for a reversal of fortune at the end of this event, every magician pulled out their own specialty. I was the same. What? Ruin? Arent you going? Yeah. You can go first. What? Are you going easy on me? Its nothing like that, so dont worry about me and go first. Youre being suspicious. Then, Ill be going first! Ok. Go. Go far away. After receiving a gaze full of suspicion from Seta Malkiri, I also pulled out my specialty that I was the best at. Yeah. My best ability that none of the others had and only I could use. My extraordinary stamina. And my immense strength. The greatest way to utilize these factors, Ill just run. Was to just run as hard as I could. However, there was no point if I was running ahead of everyone else. Regrettably, I became one of the people everyone looked out for, and was also known as a mighty melee magician. If I show my back toward an enemy chasing from far away, it would definitely be disadvantageous for me. To defeat these guys, I need to set the rules. Rather than ying by their game, I needed to pull them into my pace. And so, the strategy I selected to do this, Ill eliminate the stragglers from the back one by one. Was to be the apex predator that wouldnt show its back, eating them up one by one. That was why I waited patiently at the starting line. I waited for the initial battles to end and for the ranks to start organizing themselves. That Ruin Ardell Whats he doing? Why isnt he going? Is he going easy on the others? Hey, hey! Lets just shut up and see what he does! Hes the magician that beat Doom Prime! He must have a n. Everyone in the audience was looking at me, but I focused my attention to the front. The wait, Now. Wasnt too long. Boom! Doom had obliterated his surroundings in an instant and broke through, in front of everyone, while holding a different magic sword to the Sword of Brilliance. As Doom Prime became the front-runner, the fierce battle started to end and 2nd, 3rd, 4th Everyone started running in the order of their ranks. Now! Fwoosh! I kicked off the ground and broke through. The target, Back. Was the student that wasgging behind. It wasnt hard to catch up to him. Since strength affected my movement, this supported movement of mine wasnt ordinary at all. After striding forward to the 31st magician, I lightly tackled them with my shoulder. Bam! Ack! Since he thought he wasst ce, he was shocked by the shoulder charge that came out of nowhere and flew off far away, tumbling on the ground. Then, I elerated faster and targeted my next prey. Maybe because of the explosion sound he heard from his back, Hup! R-Ruin? The 30th student could recognise my form that approached him, and he stopped moving, as if he had seen a ghost. Then, he said with a pale face, Y-You can go first past me. But I just shook my head. Sorry. I dont like my back being in danger. ! In that instant, maybe he thought of what would happen to him. As I finished talking, he clenched his eyes shut, and I didnt hesitate as I threw a punch. Pang! Kuack! After being struck in the abdomen, the student couldnt do anything as he flew back and tumbled on the ground. And I looked towards the front again. In that ce, Damn it Ruin Ardell? Why are you here? Didnt you run past everyone? 29th, 28th, and 27th. All these students who were fighting overst ce were looking at me, and I charged towards them. Like a rhinoceros. And then, I crashed into them like a beast. The path is long. But I wasnt hurried at all. 19.5km Since it wasnt a distance that could be crossed in a short amount of time, I could slowly catch up. After all The front of the pack would still be fighting each other. * * * * * * At the front of the triathlon, a total of three magicians were having a fierce battle against each other. Doom Prime. Irene Prius. And Dn Marken. As all three were part of the 11 Children, they were the three people that received the most attention from the start of thispetition. Huah! Doom had summoned a Gray Spirit Horse that matched his attire and was riding forward. However, the summon duration of a Spirit Horse wasnt that long, And when the summon was released, Irene froze the ground with ice magic and shot forward, as if sliding. Dn waited patiently in 3rd for an opportunity to disrupt the other two and break past them, tenaciously pursuing them. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. While these ranks kept changing as they ran, they all stopped after finding something. Damn. So this is where we start getting dyed? Something was blocking the way of these three. Monsters. Chiaeek! There were about 30 kobolds that had blocked the course. Well need to take care of these kobolds first before going forward. Huu I guess. How about we work together for now before starting again? A temporary alliance, perhaps? Dn, you really like alliances. Haha. Why wouldnt I like a good thing? Well, I dont care too much Irene looked at Doom. It was an expression of wanting answers. Shwing! But Doom didnt even look at her and just pulled out his sword expressionlessly. Irene shrugged her shoulders. Seems he wants to go individually? Hm Ive seen Doom for 6 years now, but its still hard to be friends with him. Fine! Lets solve this our own ways then. And so, a fierce individual match had begun. Among the three people, the first one to move was Doom. Looking familiar withbat against monsters, he charged toward the kobolds. Crush! Chieaak! He calmly shed away at the kobolds with steady sword strikes that made it hard to believe that he was a magician. However, something was off about him. He looked as if he couldnt focus on the battle and he furrowed his brows once in a while, constantly looking behind him. His focus wasnt on the kobolds from the start. Why? Neither Irene, nor Dn was the target of his attention. There was another reason that his thoughts becameplicated. Why isnt he appearing? Right then, there was one person who grabbed his attention. Ruin Ardell. He was nowhere to be seen. Even if Ruin was held back in the middle somewhere, with his abilities, he wouldve already appeared some time ago. Even more so since he was wasting time here being dyed by the battle with the kobolds. However, Ruin Ardell, or anyone else for that matter, was nowhere to be seen. Is he already in front of me? No. There was no way. He was the first to run at the start. And the only others that were running at the start with him were these two. That meant that it was confirmed that Ruin was behind him. Why? But why couldnt he see Ruin Ardell? This difort slowly started to turn into a weird sense of uneasiness. Unbeknownst to himself, Doom had be too fixated on Ruin. As these thoughts led to more thoughts, the one who became impatient was Doom. Am I keeping tabs on someone else right now? An uneasiness that formed because of someone else. It was because he had recognised that he was experiencing this unfamiliar feeling for the first time in his life. This worrying feeling It persisted long after the horde of kobolds was gone. And it was amplified even more when he arrived at the trapzone, a ce riddled with hundreds of traps. Wheres Ruin? What? Ruin Ardell. Why isnt he appearing? I dont know. Even I dont know that much It was enough for Doom, who hadnt talked once this entire time, to ask Irene directly to her face. But then, Uh? After hearing this question, Irene also spoke, sensing something was wrong. Now that I think about it isnt it really odd? What is? The kobold horde and even this trapzone. These ate into our time while at the front. But why hasnt anyone else appeared? Yeah? Oh yeah. Dn Marken tilted his head too, finding this situation odd. 4th and 5th ce. It wouldve been enough time for them to catch up and overtake us by now. But why is there no one? It was true. Behind these three were just clouds of dust. Not a single person had shown themselves. Where is everyone? Did something happen behind us? While they were contemting this question Look over there! In that growing cloud of dust, the shadowy figure of a human could be seen. Who is it? Everyones gaze was locked on the middle of the dust cloud. The figure soon grewrger, and then a person was seen. As if he had busted through the dust cloud, the boy was just running like a madman. No summons. No guardians. Not even movement magic. Just with his own body. He was, Ruin? The man that Doom had been waiting for. It was Ruin Ardell. Having found the front-runners, he smiled while catching his breath. Huu I finally caught up. Seeing him appear alone, Irene asked in shock, Wheres everyone else? Chapter 56 Chapter 56 27th. 26th. 25th I stopped counting after that. Stomp! Stomp! Stomp! Stomp! Move! Get out of my way! Huack! Go away! Actually, most students did make way for me when I shouted move. I-I got out of your way! Sorry. I just wanted to say that. Bam! Boom! But I didnt care. I crashed into everyones backs. Kuack! Youre too much The students that collided with me flopped away like paper cutouts and either went out of the courses bounds or became so separated from me that they would never be able to catch up. There were no exceptions. Even if the target was someone who I became quite close with, such as Seta Malkiri. R-Ruin? He was running while riding on that guardian that I beat upst time. After seeing me run like crazy behind him into the mid-ranks, he asked me while terrified, You When did you catch up to me? I swear that you were thest to Seta. What? Why are you saying my name like that? Im getting nervous. You understand, right? Seta nodded his head, having understood my intentions, and made a determined expression. So it starts again. The fight that we never finished. Alright And then, he shouted while drawing in the reins around the neck of his guardian, Run, you stonehead! Its the end if we get caught! Grrrrrrr! Operation Name, Run like the wind away from here. As Seta attempted to drastically increase his speed and make distance from me, I just kicked the guardians butt with my feet. Bang! Uck! The guardian stumbled forward and hit its head into the ground pitifully with a bang, throwing its master off its back. Ruiiiiiiin! Sorry! And I heard Setas shout of resentment as I bolted past him. Well Seta, since I kicked you lightly, you should still be able to run. Of course, it would be pretty hard to ride that guardian now. I kept running. And then, after running for a while, Chi! Chiek! The scene of multiple students fighting off a goblin horde could be seen. But I didnt slow down. Rather, using the speed I had umted while running, I punched forward. Bang! Boom! Chiek? Th-that guy. Hes not human. Chiek! With one fist, I froze multiple goblins at once. With one stride, Iunched myself at the other students. Whether they be goblins or students, I threw punches equally at everything I saw and just ran forward. Nothing could stop me. And at some point, there was no one in front of me. Other than the front-runners, that was. Naturally, they were definitely running ahead of me. But as I ran faster than them, Found them. Like this, I was able to find them. * * * So you eliminated everyone else? Well, not all of them. A few of them should still be running and trying to catch up. Irene looked at me, baffled at my exnation, and I turned before smiling brightly at Doom, who was standing behind her, analyzing me with a cold gaze. Therell be no interruptions now. Taunt. This small taunt provoked Doom to react, and in an instant, he summoned a Spirit Horse, dark in colour like his outfit, and sat on its saddle. As he tugged on the reins, raring to go at any moment, Dn became flustered. Doom, were in the trapzone right now. Theres no way youre thinking of just blitzing through, right? The trapzone. This was a castle ruin built from heavy stone walls. The hundreds of permanent trapsid here to protect the treasures in the underground vault preyed on the intruders that entered the ruins. The treasures had all already been taken out, but the traps still remained. All contestants that set foot here couldnd themselves in an ice or take fatal damage from arrows that appeared out of nowhere. The reason that such a trapzone existed on the course of this runningpetition where every minute mattered This was a race between magicians. There were multitudes of methods that could be used to get past this trapzone, and there was also the safest method. Disable the traps. * * * * * * This was a test of a magicians danger sense and their knowledge. Because of this, time could be wasted here. The time taken to disable a trap was also part of the test. However, the method Doom had chosen was a little different. Ruin. You called? Ill see you at the end. Break through. Neigh! He forcefully tugged on the reins of his Gray Spirit Horse and rushed into the castle ruins. He deflected arrows using his sword and slow magic and overcames with horsemanship. He protected using mana barriers against traps he couldnt dodge and destroyed any traps he fell into. Magic, swordsmanship, horsemanship. Maybe this was a method that only Doom Prime could use, as he was proficient with all 3 of them. As I thought, hes impressive. Hoo. I cant waste my time here either. Looking at this, Dn shook his head and Irene immediately started disabling traps. Disable the traps. The only method of passing through the castle ruins trapzone. However, it had one fatal w. Disabling each trap takes too long. It was impossible to try and catch up to Doom Prime while disabling all the traps. Because of this, I chose another method. Simr to what Doom Prime had done A method that only I could use. Dont I have one too? Bing bing bing. As I lightly tapped the heavy walls, Straang asked me, Are you actually thinking of destroying the walls? I mean, this is Drakas method. Well, thats true, but this thickness is still too much for you. I know. Yeah. No matter how strong I was, trying to break this type of wall was still impossible. However, But this is a ruin. Oh ho Are you saying youll target the weakened points? Yeah. This was the ruin of a castle that was far older than the Raynac Imperial Federations history. A tree that wouldnt fall after ten hits can exist, but if that tree was rotten, it would fall after being hit by a lot less. Huhu. Youre not wrong. I used both the Minimap and yers Eye to analyze the surrounding walls. Found it. Seemingly having been destroyed by a siege weapon, there were traces and cracks on a particr part of the wall. From here on out, I couldnt afford to lose any more time. I clenched my fist hard, activated Ogres Fury, and pulled in all the strength I had before punching the wall. Bang! A sound that shook the earth echoed out from the hit, but the wall only shook a little and still stood strong. What? That guy What is he doing? Like hitting a rock with an egg, seeing me punch the wall with my bare fist baffled Dn and he muttered to himself, Is he thinking of breaking the wall? What nonsense. No matter how strong Ruin is, impossible things are still impossible. However, I didnt reply. The changing of impossible into possible. Hadnt I already witnessed this firsthand? I had already erased impossible from my dictionary long ago. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! I felt as if my fist would break before the wall, but I didnt stop. Looking at this, Irene spoke up. No. If its Ruin, he might be able to do it. Irene, I know youre closer with Ruin, but what hes doing is futile. How can a human break a castle wall with their bare fist Look over there. What, what the hell? Crack! Crush! D-did he really break it? With his fists? Eight punches. The crack had started to grow bigger. And finally, Done! Boom! With only nine punches, the sturdy outer wall fell away and a small hole, barelyrge enough to fit a single human, opened up. Huu Didnt I say itll be done in ten hits? Look at that. Wasnt I right? Th-thats insane! How is that possible?! As I climbed to the other side of the ruin, I smiled brightly toward Dn, whose face was frozen with shock. R-Ruin Ill also Dont even think about following me here. Im going to block it off right now. Then, Ill see youter. And then, I pummeled the wall from the other side. Crush! The rubble from the wall closed up the gap in an instant. Ruiiiiiiin! And Dn Markens cry of resentment soon filled the castle ruins. Hm. Seems like there were a lot of people calling my name today. Then, Straang jumped up and down on my shoulder. Wow! You destroyed a castle wall with only 2,400 strength?! It was pretty close. My fist nearly broke first. The Ring of Invulnerability. If it wasnt a ruined wall and just a normal castle wall, this wouldve never been possible. I guess finding the weak point of a wall is also a skill. How was I? In any case, Irene and Dn wouldnt be able to follow me through here. And so the front-runners were reduced to just me and Doom Prime. Doom was still struggling through the traps, and as he locked eyes with me, who had no injuries and was standing on the outside of the ruin, Giddy-up! Neigh! He hastened his Spirit Horse to run faster through the ruin. He looked too pressed for time, and as expected Shoop! ! He had let an arrow slip past and hit him in the shoulder. His face looked determined to not lose to me, even if he had to sustain some injuries. Alright Then should I go too? And I answered his determination by kicking off the ground again and rushing forward. I also Never want to lose to you. After running through the forest outside the castle ruins, I arrived at a paved path. But the path broke into three. Clop! Clop! From the direction of the ruins exit, Doom was riding toward me. We, who were taking two different paths, had converged onto one. Did you say you wanted to see me at the end? Seems we met a little earlier, Doom Prime. Hwat! Before I could even finish talking, we both started speeding up. As Doom was riding a horse, he quickly distanced himself from me at the front, but as the spell ran out, I caught up to him again. If we were just running without using magic, I was definitely faster. Doom Prime also knew this, and as soon as the distance between us started to widen Shwing He unsheathed his sword and aimed at my back. However, that wasnt even the Sword of Brilliance. He had also already taken some injuries from the arrows. As Doom lunged at me with his sword, I dodged by a des length and then grabbed him by his neck. And then, after lifting Doom into the air, Lets go together. ! I just flung my body with him. Towards the 3rd and final course. You dont have a fear of heights, right? Towards the bottom of the cliff. Chapter 58 Chapter 58 The boundary that indicated both the starting line and finish line. I crossed that yellow line that was marked on the ground. And then 21 minutes and 27 seconds! We have our 1st ce! Many things changed. As the event presented is the finale of the Grand Festival, the winner of the triathlon is Ignit Magic Academys Ruin! Its Ruin Ardell! WOAAAAAAAAH! Ruin! Ruin! Ruin! Ruin! Crowned twice in both the Battle Survival and the Triathlon. A wless victory within individual matches. 1st ce in thebined points too. These were all records that were created as soon as I crossed the Triathlons finish line. I received a standing ovation from the audience of Altein Stadium, and they cheered my name. They also attached a title in front of my name that wasnt Failure, but something else. Next-Generation Magician. The prodigy that would lead the next generation. Yeah. My life had changed overnight. Well, how can I say this I couldnt really exin how I felt at all. It was as if I heard a voice in the distance saying, Ruin. Youve been through a lot. Not just the duration of the Grand Festival. But that dark void I was wading through for thest 6 years. Yeah. A reward. It was the feeling of receiving a reward for my hard work for all that time. After having felt this feeling of reward, I also gained some desires. Ruin! Ruin! Ruin! Ruin! Those cheers that were pouring out onto me I didnt want to lose it. That was why, just as I told Seta before the race started. I smiled brightly and lifted my hand into the air. Thank you. This was my first response towards the cheers and apuse. And also, an open deration that the position of main character of the festival that Doom had monopolized was now taken by me. Yeah. A new next-generation magician. An unfamiliar name that lodged itself into the mind of every magician on the continent. Ruin Ardell. With this, the Grand Festival that opened this spring finally came to an end. If someone had asked me about my thoughts on this long and adventurouspetition, I wanted to say this. That it was just the beginning. This Grand Festival was just a foothold to my life that would unfold in the future. * * * The closing ceremony of the Grand Festival was also magnificent. It wasnt prepared by the schools, but by the Raynac Imperial Federation itself. It consisted of parades of the imperial soldiers military exercises, bay marching, and the performances of the Magic Towers magicians. After this series of ceremonies had ended, the awards ceremony was carried out. Never have I ever even dreamed of seeing our school si being hung at the very top. Yeah Im not dreaming, right? If I am, dont wake me up. It was just as Jason said. The incandescent lightning seal that represented our Ignit Magic Academy, and the protector of the night, the Moon Owl seal, which represented the Ardell house, was disyed at the highest point of the stadium. For reference, 2nd ce was Doom Prime. 3rd was Irene Prius. As night approached after the closing ceremony, the dark sky was lit up by hundreds of fireworks. The Alteinmercial district became crowded by a sea of people that were enjoying the Grand Festivalsst night of festivities. With this, the public events of the Grand Festival had all ended. But we still had one private event left. The Great Banquet. Damn. How many people is that? The street was filled with lines of carriages carrying nobles that came a long way from all over the continent to attend the banquet that was held on thest night of the Grand Festival. At first, we started counting the amazing carriages that were too mboyant to be seen in our own territories. But we soon gave up. It was because there were already tens of nobles, each apanied by multiple attendants, and soon, the number of people exceeded multiple hundreds. Well, thats a pretty big crowd, but I heard that this was a small selection. Yeah. I heard that not just any normal noble families were invited to this These nobles were still said to be a small selection of all the nobles on the continent. There were two main reasons the nobles sought this event. The first was to gain the attention of Fire King Teron. And the second All those people theyre all here to see Ruin. Thats obvious. Ruins the main character today. To make contact with talented magicians and win them over. With congratting me, the victor, and other students that showed great performances as a cover, their true intentions were to make connections with us early in our lives. These students would graduate in a matter of months. They would need to decide what they wanted to do in the future. Naturally But it seems like Ruin himself isnt interested in anyone. I didnt care about these things. As I shrugged my shoulders instead of replying, Jason asked me, feeling frustrated, Ruin! What are you wearing? Dont you have anything else? Nah, I dont. Hey! Who the hell wears this tattered cloth to thest nights banquet? You shouldve worn something clean. Tattered cloth? Ill have you know this clothing is prettyfortable. I flicked the beige shirt and ck cloth pants. Saying it was tattered. His tone was too harsh. However, in Jasons eyes, this wasnt good enough. Ruin. I know youre not the type to go partying, but on days like this, youre supposed to wear some ufortable clothes. I cant let this go. Take your clothes off. Ill take off mine and give them to you, so wear it. Jason was wearing a pretty good-looking purple tailcoat and he tried to take it off to give it to me. I declined this immediately. Its fine. Huh? Why? Why would I wear your clothes? Because no one will care about me, even if I dress up nicely! You need to look better than me anyway. The reason that I wasnt caring too much about it wasnt because I really didnt care about it. It was because I felt the need to weed out some people myself. Wait. Should it be Ruin that needs to look good to those people? Of course! Some of those people hold supreme power in their nations. If we look good for them, good things wille to us in the No. Shouldnt it be those people that need to look good for Ruin? * * * * * * Wait. I-is it like that? The banquet and the party. Beautiful dresses and tailcoats. Refined ssical music too. Some showed false affection to look good. Some ttered without meaning it. And some tried tough loudly to pull attention. My father was a noble too, but he was one who always distanced himself from this aspect of nobility And I was influenced by him. Yeah. Clothing shouldnt be a big deal. Imagine if I wore those dirty gym clothes. A shirt and pants. This much is enough. Yeah. My bad. It should be those nobles that should look good for you. But you should know that high society isnt simple like that. Those ces are filled with self-centered young masters that would think that youre disrespecting them because youre not dressed up properly. Thats enough. I get what youre trying to say, but lets end it at that. Ipletely stopped the talks about clothing from this point onward. Jason nodded his head in astonishment. Youre really one of a kind. Thats my charm. Why dont you just turn this banquet upside down if those nobles bother you? I might actually do it. Pft. Its scary because you actually would. We loudly exchanged jokes andughed as we stood from our seats. It was already time for my entrance. Then, Ruin, Ill see you inside. Alright. See you in a bit. The Great Banquet had a bit of an embarrassing tradition. It was that the winner of the Grand Festival enteredst, but I didnt know why they would even bother with such a thing. How should I say this? It felt as if the most valuable product was being disyedst. It didnt really feel great to bepared to a product. But I determined myself to enjoy this moment. Since, whatever happened Please enter. I was the main character today. Creak Thump! The two attendants opened the shy doors to the banquet and bright light shined through. Oh ho Hes finally here. Well, well! Lets wee our winner. Simultaneously, the voices of the people and the sound of music both stopped. It felt as if time itself had frozen. The moment where everyone was solely waiting for my entrance. I drew everyones gaze and confidently walked in. It was truly extravagant. This huge banquet hall that looked as if it could cater up to a thousand people was even big enough to have an artificial garden inside. Many tables filled this hall and the hundreds of people sitting at these tables were all focused on me. The funny thing was that all these people were wearing tailcoats or formal dresses. Except, for me. Looking at everyone here, I slightly nodded. Its Ruin Ardell. The winner of this year has arrived! With the shout of a noble, everyone pped at once. p p p p! Most people looked like they weed me on the outside. But I could feel the resistance from multiple nobles gazes. What is he wearing? Is he making fun of us? He has no manners. Just what family is he from? Seems hes from some backwater family. Tsk tsk. How uncouth. I could inly see what they were thinking, but I didnt pay it any mind. Kekek. He knew what he was doing. He came dressed like that to show everyone that he was the main person today. Hes saying that the ones who should be careful arent him, but us. Ill at leastmend him for his bravery. Well, he still lookscking in principle Thats that guys charm. Yeah. Well, I like him even more like that. Hes a pretty good item. Kekek. Real recognize real. Even the choice of purposefully selecting this outfit. Yeah. Right now, I was the most precious product in the world. They were presented with a treasure that couldnt easily be given a price. That was why the one who needed to look good wasnt me But them. I smiled brightly toward the nobles that would constantly value me more and more tonight.. Thank you for the warm wee. Well then. Lets enjoy this banquet. p! As I pped once, the music started to flow once again. The banquet had officially begun. Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Mightiest Melee Magician Music filled the hall. Desserts and alcohol filled the tables. All the participants freely moved between the tables and enjoyed the banquet. Yaha! Its finally over. I wanted toe to Altein so bad before thepetition, but now I just want to go back to school. Me too. The contestants that fiercelypeted during this spring were all enjoying themselves. They were talking with each other and rxing, looking as if a great burden had been lifted from them. Dn Marken. So, have you thought about it? Ah Lord Calphonse. If its about your offer from before, Im still thinking about it. I apologize. Is that so? No, dont worry about it. Rather, Im worried that Im putting too much pressure on you. Huhu But, if you end up getting an unexpected offer from somewhere else, please tell me. Our territory needs someone extraordinary like you. I understand. For the students who showed exceptional performances, the nobles that were aiming for them were always near. Some would openly ask the students about working in their territory. Others would ask about their path after graduation while thinly veiling their true intentions. Talented magicians were rare. Because of this, since all 32 of the student representatives that had gathered here were at least guaranteed to be aplished to some degree, everyone was trying to take at least one student. Of course, my case wasnt any different. Hmhm. When I appeared, the nobles who were standing around the lobby checked me out while dry coughing. Their gaze held their questions. That guy over there beat Doom Prime twice? The Ardell Family I havent heard of them before. Should I try talking to him? As if they were watching an exotic animal, they all showed signs of wonder. However, that was it. Even though everyone was observing and showing attention to me, no one dared to walk up to strike a conversation with me. It was as if there was an invisible barrier around me. No one could approach me. Is it because of the clothing? Uee I shouldve forced him to change. Muttered Jason to himself with pity. But I didnt give a damn. All this was done intentionally. The main character of this ce was me. I didnt want to be annoyed by indecisive goons while I tried to rest up for the first time in a while. And this prediction of mine was sessfully realized. Have you heard? Hm? About what? At some point, Irene, who was sitting next to me, whispered to me. The nobles that are gathered here. Some say that theyre all scared of you, Ruin. Scared of me? Yes. They all want to talk to you, but theyre only observing you right now. Your entrance was quite showy. You look like some stubborn and self-righteous person. Thats good. Greetings of formality, fakeughs. Im tired of all these things. So, is that why you chose to wear that? I fiddled with the shirt I was wearing. Is it that weird for you too, Irene? Then, Irene made a humoured expression. No. You look prettyfortable. Enough to make me want to change too. Pft. Irene Prius. She also filled out a beautiful white dress iid with daisies. I wore a dress because I had to but its really suffocating. Why dont you change now? I want to do that, but Im not you, Ruin. If I appeared like that, everyone would nder me. Who cares about nder? Its fine if yourefortable. Itd be so nice to be as carefree as you. Of course. Huhu We looked at each other and quietlyughed. Then, as if having thought of something, Irene spoke up. Ah! Theres another thing. What is it? Another reason why these powerful people that gathered here arent talking to you. Hm? A reason they wouldnt talk to me. It wasnt just because I made the image of holding the ultimate initiative in the conversation here. There was one more reason that I didnt know and hadnt seen. There was a rumour that someone had already picked you out. Me? Who? I dont know that either, but one thing is for certain. Just because that someone picked you out already all these people here hadnt dared to talk to you. Someone had already picked me out. Even though I myself didnt know who that person was. Seems theyre fussing over nothing by themselves. Do you think itll continue until the end of tonights banquet? Just who was it? Luckily, learning who or why this person of power had picked me out didnt take too long to figure out. The door opened and a servant entered and announced with a gentle voice, The dinner party will start now. The 32 student representatives, please follow me. The dinner event of the 32 student representatives with the Fire King Teron No. Ah So its finally time. With a warm dinner as a pretext, thepetition review had begun. This dinner was known as the Banquet on a Guillotine for the students who werecking in performance. The reason was simple. Ahah! I wanted to avoid this if possible. Look whos talking. Im the one whos rankedst for thispetition The assessment given by the King of Magicians today wouldnt change under normal circumstances. Because today, the winners would be remembered as winners. And the losers as losers. Naturally, Then, Ill be going. Ok. This wasnt a problem for me. I walked with Irene into the dinner hall. Then, as soon as we entered, we were both shocked. Is that our only table? Yes. How is it so I had never seen a table like this before. It was a gargantuan table that could fit more than 40 people at once, and on top of that, it was filled with so many different types of dishes that were hard to even count. Even if I didnt know anything, I knew that this dinner tonight would be fancier than any dinner an emperor could have. I tried to sit at the furthest seat away from the seat of honour, but the servants stopped me. Sir Ruin, your seat is not here, but over there. Are seats assigned? Yes. At least for Sir Ruin. I moved from my seat to the ce the servants indicated. It was the seat next to the seat of honour. The seat that was right next to Fire King Teron. Seemed like a type of special treatment for the winner. But this was quite ufortable. However Huh? But isnt this wrong? What is? Why are there two seats of honour? * * * * * * What? Yeah. At the head of the table, where Fire King Teron would be seated, there wasnt one seat of honour, but two. Huh. Yeah. Looking at this, Irene narrowed her eyes and muttered to herself, This hasnt ever happened before Perhaps, another judge might sit there? If it was like this, maybe it was Director Tirion. However, Irene shook her head. Probably not. This seat is for the Fire King alone. Then, who was it? The owner of the seat that was at the same level as the Fire Kings. As I was pondering this question for a moment, at some point, all 32 student representatives had taken their seats at the table and the servant standing outside entered. Theyreing. The Fire King wasing. With this one phrase, the noisy room instantly went silent. Step Step It was so silent, one could clearly hear the footsteps in the hallway outside. The sound of footsteps wasnt from one, but two. The door soon opened and Fire King Teron, looking quite joyous for some reason, entered. Everyones here. With his entrance, about 10 people all stood up and simultaneously bowed. Lord Fire King They were all from the 11 Children. But Lord Fire King? I was cringing all over. However, the Fire King ignored the greetings from the 11 children and walked directly up to me. Heh. Seems like I lost all face to see you. Yes? I told you this before, that I was curious about how the child I gave up on was different to the children I selected. Yes. You did. It was made clear today. I was wrong, and you were right. Im quite ashamed that I cant say anything. The Fire Kings gaze shifted toward Doom, who was keeping his head down. As Doom met the Fire Kings eyes, his eyes started shaking uncontrobly. And simultaneously, a sense of hostility that I couldnt pinpoint started to thinly flow out of him. The Fire King continued his speech. It was quite an impressivepetition. Without saying much else, your performance was truly extraordinary. Compared to the 11 children that I raised, you alone are much better. The higher the position you were in, the heavier your words weighed. This one phrase said by the Fire King Teron carried quite the weight as one said by the King of Magicians. Because this meant He wants everyone to hear it. That he was openly dering his intentions and rebuking the 11 Children that were gathered here. The effects instantly became apparent. This kind of performance Ill never show it to you again. Doom was grinding his teeth. For this Doom who was a Fire King Admirer, this event today was an unforgettably humiliating experience. However, the Fire King threw another humiliation to Doom, who had newly resolved himself. Amon mistake people make is that they believe a second chance exists. But know that it doesnt exist. When a second chance appears, we call that a miracle. I apologize. Everyone, stand up. A guest has arrived. His speech ended with that, and we all stood up from our seats. He said it was a guest. Yeah. In the doorframe of the room to the dining hall stood a man who was covering his face with quite the humorouslyrge hat. Please,e in. The Fire King himself showed respect towards that man. Who would dare to be worthy of the respect from the magician at the boundary of human limits? And on top of that, why would he respect someone who looked to be only in theirte 20s? Looking at this, everyone had the same question. Nah, no way Yeah. This was an impossible urrence unless that person was of Raynac Imperial Royalty. Then, this mysterious man fixed up his hat and rubbed the tip of his nose. This, well, I only intended toe and go quietly but I feel like Im just intruding on godfathers dinner. Keke. Isnt it great that we get to see each other like this? Yes. Well, I guess that excuse is good enough for me to be here. The man had called the Fire King his godfather. G-godfather? The doubts all changed to certainty. All the students from the different parts of the Raynac Imperial Federation all instantly lowered themselves to the ground and bowed. We greet the crown prince! What? Crown prince? At that, the man tossed aside his funny-looking hat. Yeah Well, looks like everyone figured it out already. Then, he looked directly at me. So, youre Ruin Ardell? Yes? Lets have tea sometime. The man who suggested drinking tea with me. The one and only crown prince of the Raynac Imperial Federation, a ce which governed over 13 different nations. Chaurmetan Raynac. On top of being the next in line to be the emperor, the person of power who had picked me out before. He looked quite amused as he looked at me. Ill refuse your refusal. I couldnt dare to refuse. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Chaurmetan Raynac. Even from the disadvantageous position of being the 3rd son, using his bright mind and outstanding political wit, he had sessfully kicked his brothers out to the corners of the empire and remained as the one and only crown prince. Teron, the magician at the boundary, was his godfather. And Kegen Altemian, the Moonlight Swordsman was his teacher. I knew this because he was rumoured to be proficient in both the literary and martial arts while also being a fickle perfectionist. And this person wanted to have a private meeting with me. Ill refuse your refusal. Why? The reason wasnt important. The important thing was that I was in no position to decline. Ok. As I replied, the crown prince smiled widely, enough to show his teeth, andughed. Godfather, my business is finished, so Ill just sit here silently. Alright. Then, lets start our dinner. Everyone, be seated. I wasnt the only one confused by the sudden appearance of the crown prince. As I looked around, the 31 other students who had gathered here all looked stunned. Especially among them Doom Prime, the next-generational magician that was the pride of the Rayanc Imperial Federation, was more shocked than anyone else. Doom didnt say anything, but you could tell by the look in his eyes. Why would the crown prince? A private conversation not with him, his own countryman, but with me, a foreigner. The meaning of this action was obvious. * * * The dinner proceeded a little awkwardly. As the name suggested, it was the ce where the performance in thepetition was reviewed. It was the ce where the winners and the losers would be clearly separated. Those who performed above expectations would be remembered by Teron. Those who were poor in skill would be fated to be ignored by Teron, something far more terrifying than being criticized. Based on the mood, most fit in thetter category. And Terons intentions were clearly shown. None of the Eleven were able to win against Ruin Ardell. So this is how big the gap is between them? I am disappointed. I am very disappointed. So much so that I dont think I can go around telling others that I nurtured you. The way that he kept mentioning my name whileparing me with the Eleven Children while berating and provoking them. This method was very effective. As this mood continued, the students continued to feel worse and worse. Tsk. The only thing that was proven in this grand festival was that the old proverb of rags to riches was not wrong. Rags to riches. Yeah. This dinner was solely for me. However, Its ufortable. I couldnt hide my difort either. In this moment when only I was praised. This ce which was prepared only for the winner. This was the moment that I was looking forward to so badly while preparing for the Grand Festival But why didnt it feel good? Why was I ufortable? It was because I felt difort in knowing that the efforts shown by the students could be disregarded by just a rank and a score. I too had a period of time when I was a failure of a student. I too had a moment in my life where I suffered under the wall called talent. So, Ruin Ardell, how do you feel about winning the Grand Festival? That was why I spurted out what I was thinking on the inside when Fire King Teron asked me about my thoughts on winning. Its ufortable. Ufortable? Yes. I am naturally proud of my achievements in this festival, but the fact that my results are being used to belittle and provoke the other students and their efforts is diforting to me. Ruin. Even though Irene Prius, who was sitting next to me, tried to hurriedly stop me, it was already toote. The atmosphere in the room had gone cold. However, my expression didnt change as I looked directly at Teron. He looked at me emotionlessly before saying, You say the same thing as your director. Its because hes someone I respect. Tirion Ignit. Hes a good man, as both a magician and as an educator. Thats why he was able to hold onto a magician with no future like you and didnt give up till the end. However The only ones remembered by the public are the victors. The others dont have the right to even be muttered. Terons eyes lit up for a moment. He talked with eloquence as if to indoctrinate and re-educate me. Did you say you didnt want your achievements to be used for provocation? Yes. However, you of all people would know the feeling of inferiority is one of the greatest motivators for growth dont you? He was right. Teron was speaking the truth. The feeling of inferiority. It pushed me to move. It presented me with a miracle. However Who knows? From what Im hearing, youre only trying to incite hostility towards me. What did you say? Helping someone by pointing out their weaknesses and making them put in effortpared to focusing on inferiority and pushing for hostility toward another. Arent these two very different things? This arrow of mine called effort wasnt fired to kill my opponents. It fired only at me to improve myself. These two things were definitely different. Oh, and one more thing. And I didnte from rags. * * * * * * ? My home territory of Ardell is a small but beautiful ce. The Ignit Magic Academy I attend is also not something that can be looked down on and called rags. A quiet stillness washed through the hall. For an instant, the newbie dared to talk back to the king of magicians. And explosively at that. It was a direct hit. Because of this, I had predicted that Terons sharp edge would be pointed at me. I thought that the dinner would not stop at just being a cold atmosphere but be thrown upside down. However, the thing that broke this tense atmosphere was Uh Uhahahahaha! Youre an absurd kid. You actually tried to argue with my godfather. Keke. What did I tell you? Didnt I say hes an interesting boy? ? Crown Prince Chaurmetan Raynac. Fire King Teron. It was theugh of these two men. Prince Chaurmetan especially, wiping the tears from his eyes and clutching his sidesughing. Uahahahaha! Oh my stomach This is so funny that tears areing out of my eyes. Just where did someone like hime from? I thought that he rose from rags, but he says that he came from the small but beautiful Ardell territory. The small but beautiful Ardell territory I think I want to go there sometime. Your advertisement was pretty good. I was confused at another unexpected response. What was this? It was funny? Naturally, I could tell why they wereughing while looking at me. So this was the reason why Godfather rmended him with confidence. Goodwill. The goodwill and interest they had toward me had covered my rebellious actions as cute. In any case, thanks to that, the frozen atmosphere in the hall started to loosen a little. Hu. Irene Prius loudly breathed out a sigh of relief and said, Ruin. Are you going to surprise us again? No. Well, any more than this would be too much for me as well. In any case, the two menughed about me for a while. Then, Fire King Teron spoke. That was a good speech you gave, but since that ideal story is something that Ive been hearing from your Director, Tirion, for a few decades now my thoughts probably wont change. From the beginning, I didnt kid myself into thinking I could change Terons mind. Because, for Teron, the magician at the boundary Results rather than effort. Never 2nd, only 1st. He was a magician with those resolutions. But since this was more refreshing than what Tirion said, I look forward to seeing what you can do in the future. There were many special privileges for winning the Grand Festival. The huge prize money. A precious artifact. A special mission that you can receive even though youre still a student and hadnt graduated yet. And the fame you would receive frompleting this mission. Teron used the phrase look forward to seeing when talking about my future. This probably meant that he would closely observe the secrets of my power. Of course, I had no intentions of avoiding it. I too look forward to seeing it. Alright. Teronughed while looking satisfied. He then stood from his seat. Then, lets end the dinner here. * * * Oh! Theyreing out! R-Ruin! How did it go? What did the King of Magicians say? As soon as I left the dining hall, I was greeted by Jason, Hankus, and all my peers from the academy, but I didnt have time to be held back by these guys. Sorry. Lets talkter. I need to meet someone right now. Meet someone? Who? Chaurmetan Raynac. He was wearing his absurdlyrge hat again while looking at me. Ill tell youter. Bye. R-Ruin! As I approached the crown prince, the two people standing behind him blocked my way. Then, one of them showed me a red bracelet without any markings on it. Put this on. What is this? Its an artifact that will suppress your mana circle. Its a safety precaution, so dont resist and put it on. Ah, it was that. A Ban Bracelet. To be precise, it wasnt really an artifact, but rather a magic tool mass-produced for a specific purpose. That specific purpose was to neutralize captured criminal magicians. I epted the ban bracelet and asked them, So, you cant trust me? Did you think youll be able to have a private talk with the crown prince without any measures taken? Then, the crown prince, who was silently observing us from behind them, raised his hand and spoke. Enough. That guy is trustworthy enough. But your majesty I said its fine. Do I have to repeat myself? Because of the crown princes firm stance, the expression of the man who looked to be a guard worsened. Well, I didnt like being treated like a criminal, but there was no reason to make this situation any moreplicated. Its ok. Ill put them on. I put on the ban bracelet on my right wrist. A weird tightening feeling was felt on my wrist. But that was it. What the? That was nothing. This bracelet had no effect on me. It was because, from the start, I didnt use a mana circle but a force circle to cast my spells. But there was no reason to tell them. I lifted my right arm. Is it fine now? Sure. Follow us. I walked after them. Chaurmetan Raynac, the crown prince, looked to be ted for some reason. Why was he so happy right now? Why did he ask to meet me? The answer to these questions were only revealed to me when we arrived at the most secret room in the banquet hall. Ruin Ardell. From now on, work with me. This was a request. No. Ill refuse your refusal. Was it an order? Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Talented magicians were rare. And if the power of authority was added on top of this talent, that talent would be more precious than anything else. This was why most magicians tried to hold onto the hands of authority. Some would go to a nobles territory. Others would be court magicians. And others would join the royal guards to protect the Emperor. Even the Magic Tower, where magicians spent their entire lives focusing on researching magic, was also a source of authority. That authority had reached out to me. After you return to the Radian Kingdom, Ill give you a month to take care of your affairs. Youll need to graduate school Ill make it so you can transfer to the Magic Soldier Training School, and Ill also prepare a ce for you to stay. Ah, and youll need to be a citizen too. Theres no reason for the crown princes ally to be a foreigner. It was from one of the most powerful sources of authority on the continent. I could only ask him one question. Why? ? Why did you select me? Crown Prince Chaurmetan Raynacs lips curled upwards. Ruin Ardell. When talking to me from now on, itll be good for you to remember this. Rather than a question, I prefer a simple yes as a reply. He had a talent for changing the mood with every sentence he spoke. He hadnt said anything special. He didnt try and threaten me either. However, I felt a chill run down my spine in that instant. Yeah. Hes a natural predator. He had the aura of someone who had reigned over others his entire life. And at the same time But Ill give you an answer. I said this before as well, but you have caught my fancy. He had enoughposure to melt this chilly mood with a small smile. Reason number one is because godfather personally rmended you to me. I had told him a few years ago to tell me if he saw any promising magicians but he hadnt rmended a single person. I couldnt understand it. Why? Hadnt the Raynac Empire already nurtured and raised many outstanding magicians? Even if they werent young magicians in my age group, among the adult magicians, the Raynac magicians were of a level above most other nations magicians. But why had he selected a student, ignoring all these other fully-fledged magicians? Even if the criteria was limited to a magician around my age group, I still couldnt easily ept it. Doesnt the Empire have Doom Prime? Born from a prestigious family with a long tradition in the Empire. One of the Eleven Children. And the one most loyal toward the Fire King. Whenparing these qualities, there was no reason to rmend a foreigner like me over Doom Prime. Even though I won both times, there was only a sliver of difference between my strength and Dooms. However, the crown prince nonchntly responded, Ah, that kid? In that moment, as the crown prince thought of Doom Prime and showed a small smile In the end, he lost to you. How dare I go for a loser? His expression was that of a kid who threw a tantrum because he got bored of his toy and then got excited to have a new one. Doom Prime. I had heard of him. He was one of the brilliant magicians that the Empire was anticipating but my godfather never rmended him to me. Why? He probably had his reasons. I dont really need to be curious as to why. Whatever my godfather says in regard to magic is the truth. Is that all? It was like that in the beginning. However, it changed a bit. Another reason came to light. Chaurmetan pulled out a small cigarette from his coat and bit it. Your fearlessness caught my attention. The courage to wear those rags while everyone else was trying their hardest to look good for others authority. Rags? He said the same thing as Jason. The fearlessness to confront my godfather head-on and state your opinions openly. Andstly That recklessness, where even though I certainly warned you, you continue to question me. Huu The smoke exhaled by the crown prince soon filled the room. Like this swaying smoke, my heart too became clouded. Sometimes in politics, you need someone like you nearby to say some funny things next to me. What do I need to do? Is that just advice? More questions. The crown prince put out the cigarette he was smoking by rubbing it on the table. Protect me. From what? From my damned brothers who couldnt ept their younger brother bing the crown prince. You dont have to be so nervous. There wont be anything too dangerous. I have some fearsome knights around me that could kill you in a single swing. Just There will be more opportunities like now where Ill need to take care of my boredom. If it was like this, I was just a pet. The things I did looked cute, and I was a smart cookie who could understand human speech. Something you would want to take with you. Something you would want to own. A pet like that. Maybe my expressions showed my thoughts. No, it shouldnt have been obvious. However, Chaurmetans insight was abnormal. Hepletely read what I was thinking. Seems you dont like it. Yes. Youre right. Thats why I said it first, that I would refuse your refusal. But if I still say I refuse, what will you do? * * * * * * The crown prince stared at me silently. After staring like he was going to pierce through me with his eyes, he asked something. Have you received an offer from someone other than me? No one had approached me today. Wasnt it something your majesty decreed to be done? Or is it patriotism to a weak country on the brink of its demise? Thats not particrly the case either. This isnt amon opportunity. Whats your reason? Well If anyone else had heard this, they wouldve epted it in a heartbeat. This was that precious of an opportunity. To be a close ally of the crown prince, who would soon be the emperor and would be the prominent center of authority on the entire continent. In some sense, I might think back to this moment and regret itter down the line. However I have a lot of things I want to do. This was my biggest reason. Not to be a magician of the crown prince But to be just a magician. This heart that wanted to keep the integrity of my individuality, maybe he found it funny. The crown prince let out a smallugh. I thought you would be the rational type, but youre unexpectedly an idealist? Maybe. I wouldnt know since I never tried to define myself with a single word. Youll regret this. This was an opportunity that wouldnte once in a lifetime for some people. Yes. Maybe so. Chaurmetan Raynac. He pulled out another cigarette and spoke. Lets say this conversation never happened. After he said that, I bowed my head to him and slowly turned. As I did, the crown prince talked to my back. Ruin Ardell. The people are calling you the brightest gemstone of this Grand Festival. My hobby is collecting gemstones. There was no gem that I wanted that I wasnt able to get. Do you know why? I turned around. The crown prince exhaled another big smoke cloud. Because the ones I couldnt get were destroyed by my hands. Was it a threat? However, I didnt give any reply and turned my back. Hisughs sometimes seemed savage. But sometimes, they seemed lonely. * * * What? Who did you meet? Hm? Its nothing. Huh? Youre suspicious. I returned to the banquet hall. My peers immediately tried to interrogate me to find out who I met with, but I didnt answer them. After all, as the crown prince said, it was something that never happened. Thanks to this, You No way Did you get a secret girlfriend! A huge misunderstanding arose. Im right, arent I?! Yeah! Its about time you be a real man. Hehe Who is she? You, no way Theres no way its Irene! Hm? What about me? Uat! You scared me! Irene Prius. She had approached us out of nowhere and Jasons face went red as he backpaddled. Youre here? Yes. So why were you talking about me? Ah, no. Its nothing like that. Hm youre suspicious. Irene narrowed her eyes as she looked at me. She knew that the crown prince had suggested that I meet him during thebined dinner. She could probably also guess the reason. She was probably just curious about the answer I gave him. Rather than giving her an answer, I lightly smiled. I probably did the right thing. Yeah. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity, like the crown prince said. However, as there was much to gain, there was also much to lose. Right? Isnt he suspicious? This Ruin bastard, hes super suspicious today. Hes not telling anyone anything. The Academy, and my teammates here with me. Not just them, but the biggest thing that I might have had to give up was Ruin Ardell. My life. And even my father and our territory. Yeah. I did the right thing. Rather than living as someone elses magician for the rest of my life I would choose my territory. Smiling lightheartedly, I rose from my seat. Then, I said to Jason and Irene, Arent you guys thirsty? Lets go get some drinks. Drinks? Oh! Maybe beer? No. I shook my head and pointed toward the drink corner of the banquet hall. Cocovani. * * * Looking at your expression, seems it didnt go well. Ah, godfather. Fire King Teron. He could guess the situation from seeing the darkened expression on the crown princes face. So, what did he say? He said he has a lot of things he wants to do. Hehe. Thats just like him. Dreams rather than gold. Adventure rather than security. Rebellion instead of authority. I didnt know such magicians still existed these days. I tried to lightly threaten him a little, but that didnt work either. They do exist asionally. Rather than bing someones magician, they want to be their own magician. I was curious as to how great he was since godfather rmended him to me, but I understand now. Hes great in a lot of different ways. So what are you thinking of doing now? I know I said this before, but hell definitely be a powerful individual. At the Fire Kings question, Chaurmetan could onlyugh at the ridiculousness. Didnt you predict that Ruin Ardell would reject me, and yet still rmended him to me? Hearing this, Teron narrowed his eyes with a yful expression. Was I too obvious? Godfather wouldnt have rmended him without predicting at least that much. Yes. Youre correct. I had already predicted that Ruin would decline your invitation. Then you predicted my reply too? Yes. I knew that you wouldnt give up easily either. Then, its settled. The crown prince. Chaurmetan Raynac. His hobby was collecting gemstones. In the end, hell be one of my people. Ive decided that right now. He needed to keep the gems he wanted next to him. If he couldnt get them, he would break them. Chapter 62 Chapter 62 The banquet continuedte through the night and into the dawn. The magicians sought greater sources of authority to grant them wings of power while the people of authority sought after talented magicians that they would pay a fortune for. We were in an age where power was authority. Maybe this ce where everyonepared and shared their powers with others was just a natural course of interaction. Well, I personally kicked away that pot of gold. Refreshing. Rather than try and bargain that deal of gold, I was standing alone on the terrace enjoying the early morning wind. Then, someone approached me. Ruin Ardell. Director. Tirion Ignit. Thest pride of the weak Radian Kingdom and also a reliable source of help. He was probably in a simr situation to me if how he looked was anything to go by. I was looking for a ce to cool off, but I wouldve never guessed I would find you here, Ruin. Seems the banquet isnt for you either, Director. I was trying my best to enjoy it, but I couldnt get into it while feeling like Ive be a parrot. A parrot? The Director answered my question jokingly. All the nobles asked me about you, maybe a hundred times. If Im only repeating the same thing over and over, how different am I from a parrot? We bothughed at this notion. Because the crown prince stopped them from approaching me, the nobles seemed to have tried to use the Director as a middleman. So, what did you say to them? I said to ask you directly. I dont have the slightest intent to interfere with your decisions. Thank you. I should be the one thanking you. The academy hasnt even done much for you but thank you for protecting our prestige. I thought back to the talk I had with the Director before the Grand Festival began. About 50 years ago, The greatest record in the Grand Festival was set by the Director when he was a student. Total victory in individualpetitions. Then the constant decrease in rank inter years I had promised to definitely revive our former rank. And now, I had fulfilled that promise with the Director. The academy has done many things for me. Hm? Professor Hydel and Director, both of you never gave up on me when I was hopeless. Moving me to the graduating ss and not expelling me, helping me behind the scenes. I knew about all of it. Memories may get distorted, but it''s natural that they be romanticized. If I was to look back to my academic life in the past 5 years, it was truly a nightmare. But the academy also gave me the strength to persevere through that nightmare. It wasnt a ce I could be particrly proud of, but it wasnt a ce I could easily abandon either. So, I just did what was expected of me as the representative of the Academy. Until the day I graduate, I will be a part of this academy. Hearing my speech, the Director took a deep breath of the clean morning air. Could I take that to mean you wont be transferring to another school? So you knew. The crown prince has a reputation for his bad habits. It wasnt too difficult to guess. Yes. He wanted me to transfer and naturalize into the Empire. He told me to graduate from the Raynac Magic Soldier Training School and be a citizen. The offer shouldve been pretty hard to decline. It was easy. I might regret thister, but regrets are for future me. Can I ask you why you declined? The reason I declined I didnt know that myself either. What did I truly want? I was still just a 16-year-old kid who hadnt properly experienced the world. However, I was certain of one thing. The world of my dreams that I saw on the 41st floor of the academy through the Eye of Malleroc. There was no crown prince and gold in that ce. It was just the beautiful view of the Ardell territory with the Throne of Terron. In this world that I unconsciously wanted to see. In that ce, my name of Ardell was there. I like my homnd. Afterall, the original reason I wanted to be a magician was because of my territory. I too love my homnd. This Ignit Magic Academy that has been passed down from my predecessors to me, this is my home. You even fight for your home. That is true. That is true for me too. My homnd that I hadnt been able to return to ever since I was 10. The Ardell Territory. When I left, I made a promise to the people of my territory. That I would be a brilliant magician and return. However, the young boy who was thought to be full of talent despaired from the Magic Evocation Disorder. He had never once returned in 6 years. However, if it was the me of now that had won the Grand Festival After everything finishes here, Im thinking of visiting my territory in the holidays. I could return. The vice-lord of the Ardell house could return home. The Director also had a reminiscent expression and smiled. Thats good. Its about time you first returned home. Also, you know that Im the type that likes to be free from orders. My life was mine alone, not anyone elses. Rather than conspiring with authority Thats why Ill live as I like. I would live a life where I was that authority. I still had a lot of things left to do to aplish that. I had been victorious in the Grand Festival, and to enjoy the privilege of being a victor, I wasnt being called to the Radian Kingdom, where my homndy. Its tomorrow Youll be taking a short journey. Yes. I had to go to the heart of the Raynac Empire. The capital, Ravirdyne. A short journey would start here. Ill await the day you return to school. I bowed my head toward the Director, Tirion Ignit, who had always trusted in me. Yes. Ill await that day too. * * * * * * The neutral country, Altein. It had found peace and quiet for the first time since the festival began. It had already been three days since the end of the festival. All the tourists had already left Altein by this time. Then, Ruin, Ill see you at Ravirdyne. Irene Prius. Doom Prime. Seta Malkiri. Others too. The students who had participated in thepetition had also all left Altein. And now, it was the Academys turn. When the mana train headed toward the Radian Kingdom arrived, Jason turned and hugged me tight. Ruin! Have a good trip! Hey, youre crushing me. Stay safe. Well wait for you at the school, you got it? Do you think Im going to die? This big brother of yours is worried about sending a child all alone when they dont know the ins and outs of the world. I should be there by your side teaching you this and that. Kek. 4th in grouppetitions. It was lower than my prediction, but it was definitely a miracle that no one had expected. Through that, our team bonds had deepened. Jasons farewell was a little cringe, but I didnt feel that bad about it. No, it was good. Wait for me at the academy. Ill return cooler than ever. You better! Ruin! Kuak! Ah, youre choking me! At my farewell speech, the others all ran to me, and I finished seeing everyone off like that. My peers all got on the mana train and headed toward the Radian Kingdom over the horizon, and after some time, they were just a distant speck. Hu Now Im alone. Then, we should be going too. Ah, sure. But what was your name? You can just call me Stray Cat. A guide had been attached to me when I started going to Ravirdyne. Name Stray Cat. I heard rumours that the magicians at the Magic Tower gave up their names and called each other weird nicknames, but it seemed to be true. In any case, he was a magician in histe 20s who was an official magician of the Tower. But, despite his age, he was a high-level magician that I couldnt even look at with my yers Eye. This meant that he was at least at the same level as the magic school professors or higher But this persons main characteristic But Im only 16 this year. Cant you just speak to me casually? This isfortable for me. He treated me with a very objective and professional attitude. Thanks to this, I didnt have to awkwardly think about small talk and could get on the mana train to Ravirdyne. [The train is departing.] Ravirdyne. The ce with the huge Magic Tower, it was like the capital of magicians. This was my first time traveling in a foreign country, but to be going from Altein straight to the heart of the Raynac Empire Seems my fate for this year is full of wanderlust. Then, Ill brief you on your schedule. Stray Cat started the brief as soon as we got on the train. As soon as you arrive at Ravirdyne, youll head straight to the Imperial Pce. However, you wont be meeting the emperor. The crown prince has been handling these things sincest year. The crown prince? Chaurmetan Raynac? That crown prince who said that, if he couldnt have me, hed destroy me? The start was a little ominous. The crown prince will personally congratte you on your victory. I dont know if you heard but the prize money for winning the Grand Festival was 10 thousand gold. What? 10 thousand gold. As soon as I heard this, my head started to spin with numbers. W-wait. How many meals is that? To buy one meal, it was about 10 silver Since 100 silver was 1 gold, 10 thousand gold was I couldnt grasp this number which I hadnt even considered before. Of course, for rich noble families and millionaires, this may not be that much money. But the Ardell territory was different. 10 thousand gold. If it was that much money, it would be more than the total yearly budget for the whole territory. Afterward, you will head toward the Magic Tower. From there, youll be selected by an artifact worthy of being given to a next-generational magician. Ill be selected? Yes. There is a small chance that you wont get anything at all. As I said, you will have to be selected by an artifact. I couldnt understand it. Im not the one selecting, but the one being selected? Are they sentient like Kingram, the piece of living history that lives in the Academy? There was no way of knowing. I could just ask for the detailster. Lastly, youll be assigned a mission. As you know, since students arent registered as official magicians, you cant receive missions but the winner is an exception. It was a type of debut that disyed how I was more impressive and fancy than other magicians. A signal that showed the world my emergence as a magician. There are five types of missions. Since their difficulties are all checked to match the level of the winner, you dont have to worry about that. Here. You can select the mission that you like the most from the list. Stray Cat handed me a piece of paper. On that paper was Search Subjugation Assassination Discovery Knowledge A total of five types of missions were listed. I started to slowly read each one. Then, Master. Straang, who was sitting on my shoulder this whole time, saw something and reacted. For your first mission, lets do that one. ? Please. Chapter 63 Chapter 63 The mana train had left the Altein region, passed by the many nations of the Imperial Federation, and tracked on swiftly toward the heart of the continent. Wended at our destination exactly three hours after we got on the train in Altein. Weve arrived. Please disembark here. Ravirdyne. The capital of the Raynac Empire and also the City of Magicians. My steps slowed to a halt as I looked around the view of the city. Its impressive. Exmations came out naturally. Known as an impregnable fortress, unless one approached and saw it themselves, they would never know the overpowering pressure exuded from its high walls. Even if those giants that existed in ancient times that were known to be huge, if they were toe here, the walls would stand indefinitely against their attacks. And what about the river that epassed the surroundings of the walls? While livening the beauty of the city, it also acted as a barrier that made it hard for any enemy to infiltrate it. Compared to the grand city walls, the insides atmosphere was quite different. Beautiful. As the ce nicknamed the City of Magicians, the ambience of it was filled with mystery and history. It looked cozy, but also refined. Overall, the mood of the city was bright. Compared to the quiet and peaceful Altein after the festival, this ce was filled with the boisterousness of life. As I sat in the carriage traveling toward the Imperial Castle, I asked Stray Cat, There are a lot of people here. Is there some festival going on? No. Rather, today is a rtively quiet day. This is? On the days the markets open, youll see about three times the people you see here. If I were to exaggerate a little, the number of people in the capital could probably bepared to the entire poption of the Radian Kingdom. I was a little worried that the fast carriage would hit someone because there were so many people here. But thankfully, the carriage safely took its assigned pathway, and the people walked around it naturally. Are we far from the pce? Were nearly there. Its that ce, right there. It was expansive. So expansive that it took 30 minutes from the drawbridge to even see the pce itself. Since it was covered by the roofs of the buildings, I couldnt see the pce initially, but as we entered the open za, I could see it directly. It wasnt too hard since it was the biggest and most refined building in the city. As soon as we cross this line, were on the emperorsnd, so well need to move on the footpath from here on out. We got off in the za, and after passing byyers of tightly guarding soldiers, we entered the interior of the pce. Even while moving toward the inner parts of the pce, I was still in awe of my surroundings. If the most refined building in this wide city was the pce Then that What was that building taller than any other here for? The building that caught my attention, this was definitely my first time seeing it, but I could instantly guess what that ce was. So that thats the Magic Tower. Yes. Youre correct. The dangerously tall building was erected in the corner of the pce gardens. With a unique exterior that narrowed the taller it reached, it was like a sharp drill. The sanctuary closest to the moon. The Magicians Tower. Between the many magic towers on the continent, this is the most prestigious tower. Even though this tower had the shortest history between the tens of magic towers on the Frelian continent, it was the most prestigious. Why? Because this was the ce where the king of magicians resided. As long as Fire King Teron lived as the magician at the boundary,Ravirdyne would continue to be the magicians capital. Weve arrived. After walking for a while inside the Imperial Pce, we arrived at a chamber. Even between the mostly simr looking pce buildings, this was the one that boasted the fanciest exterior. The Peony Pce. This is the pce of the crown prince. Everyone is waiting for you inside. This was the ce where the crown prince, who threatened to eat me up, resided. But wait a second. What did you just say? The Peony Pce. This is the pce of the crown prince. No, after that. You said that everyone is waiting for me? Yes. Everyone? Hes not waiting by himself? Who is? Then, Thump! The doors to the pce flung open and the inside was revealed. Nobles. No, even courtdies. About 100 people were lined up on both sides. It was as if they were waiting for me. Please enter. Yeah. They were waiting for me. And in the center of this weing crowd stood Crown Prince Chaurmetan Raynac in fancy formal clothing. Ruin Ardell, wee He smiled while looking at me. To my Empire. * * * Click. As soon as I set foot into the pce, the musicians started ying, A brilliant carpet wasid out on the floor and beautiful flower petals were sprinkled over it. As I walked past them, the courtdies bowed one by one and weed me. This was quite an impressive wee, to the point where I felt embarrassed to even walk between them. So, I had to ask, Was this all prepared for me? Seems you have a habit for asking questions. Yeah. Do you have any other questions? No. Well, how do I say this? I felt this wee was too much. Even if the Grand Festival was a hugepetition, it was still just apetition between students. I thought that this wee was too much for a winner of a studentpetition. But the crown prince only furrowed his brows, not understanding what I meant. Whats too much? This is honestly a smaller scale wee for the magician who won the Grand Festival. Sure. The crown prince, neither any of the people gathered here. None of them thought this was out of the ordinary. Everyone in the Empire does it like this. Maybe it was the scale of the Empire The difference between the world of the Ardell territory I lived in and the world of the Raynac Empire was too much. You have proven yourself worthy of being weed by me, so stop acting so countrified and ept it. Saying Im countrified. That was quite the harsh thing to say. In any case, as the grand wee event finished, the crown prince gestured with his finger. It meant for everyone to get out, and following his gesture, everyone in the pce quickly left us. Lets take a walk. Ok. As the crown prince walked in front, the doors opened automatically, and the garden in the interior of the Peony Pce was revealed. On the walls of the gardens, ivy vines blossomed their flowers to signal theing of summer. Seeing this, the crown prince spoke. Around this time in the pce, the ivy vines and gloxinia be prevalent. Rosemary in autumn and the scent of begonia takes over in winter. And when springes around again, deep-yellow peonies like these bloom again. Why was he suddenly talking about flowers? What did he mean by this? Peonies represents wealth. It means that, as I stand in this Peony Pce, I hold all the power and wealth of Ravirdyne. This must be your first time setting foot onto the maind of the Empire. How is it? Whats your impression of Ravirdyne? I think its a beautiful ce. Is that all? Was there something else I was supposed to say? As I hesitated to answer, the crown prince spoke up. What I meant is, have your thoughts changed aftering into the pce? Ah. * * * * * * Now I understood. Since he was talking about destroying me just a few days ago It was this topic again. Ill give you a chance to choose again. In this beautiful city, Ill promise a peony thatll never wither. Take my hand. If the person wasnt the crown prince. If they were a beautiful woman who I was engaged with, this wouldve been quite the sweet thing to hear. But knowing his inner thoughts, in reality, this was quite the dangerous phrase. Like this indoor garden that was artificially created for him. I would certainly be part of the crown princes collection. In any case, my answer was already set. I was only hesitating on how to reject him. To be honest, I have a flower allergy. So now youre telling those obvious lies. Was it too obvious? I apologize. Ill at least thankfully ept your goodwill. Chaurmetan Raynac. He gestured with his fingers, face soured. At that, a servant came in holding a box. 10 thousand gold. This is the reward bestowed upon the winner of thepetition. Ah, thank you. Ill ept it gratefully. If youre ever needing something, you cane to find me. As long as I remain in Ravirdyne, the Peony will always be in bloom. A threat. And now, was he trying to reconcile using money? I couldnt fully understand why the crown prince, who had everything in the world, would act like this toward me. If its this much, I think I can use it my entire life and still have some left over. The money was enough, so I would never have a reason to step foot in here again. Well, Do you really think so? Money is like water. After it starts spilling, it never stops. The crown prince seemed to have not given up on me yet. * * * Has your conversation concluded? Yes. Then, well take you to the Magic Tower. The tower master is waiting for you. As soon as the schedule with the crown prince ended, I was called straight to my next destination. The crown prince, then the king of magicians. These people that were hard to see even once in your life I was able to go see them both in the same day. I suddenly thought that my life had gone through quite a change. Seems all the people who live in the pce have good physiques. What do you mean by that? They have to move around this wide ce every day. I felt a little bit of respect toward them, these people who constantly ran around the pce. But Stray Cat was a man who didnt know what a joke was. Lets stop with the nonsense. Ok. Since it was forbidden to ride a horse in the Imperial Pce, we were still walking. As soon as we arrived directly in front of the Magicians Tower that looked tall from far away I cant see the top. I truly felt how tall it was as I couldnt even see the top. Yeah. I would be able to select an artifact from here. And also select the mission I would be undertaking. As Stray Cat was activating the mana gate that led into the magic tower, he asked me something. So, have you selected your mission? The mission. I had only checked the list of missions on the mana train. I hadnt answered his question about what mission I chose. However, I finished my selection. I thought back to the suggestion Straang gave me before. Yes. Ive selected one. What did you select? Its Search. Search? Search Search and reconnaissance on a region that hadnt been or couldnt be developed. Between the five types of missions on the list, the one that was unique in how it was the only mission to have a 5-star difficulty rating, Search. Stray Cats eyebrows flinched for an instant at my answer, and for the first time since we met, he asked me a rather personal question. Is there a reason that you selected the most difficult mission? Hm. Just because. It looked fun. Im getting curious. Just what would the tower master say to you? Yeah. I was also curious. The region I needed to search that was written on the list **Sky Mountain Summit** **Area Entry Forbidden** Sky Mountain Summit. This was the region that Draka lived in for 100 years, and also thend of the ancient ogres. The homnd of Kingram. Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Mightiest Melee Magician Wee. I am Delicious Boar. Please call me DeBoar for short. The magicians that were living in the Magicians Tower Were they all insane? Even if you were to throw away your name and make a new nickname, what kind of a name is Delicious Boar? At least Stray Cat was a serviceable name. Ill be guiding you to the top floor, where the tower master resides. Hey, can I ask you something? Yes. Please do. Just who made up that name? As soon as we enter the magic tower, the tower master gives us our new names. Fire King Teron. I had simply thought that his personality was a little odd, but it was more than that. To ruin someones life with just a name. However, this was only the beginning. The magicians I met on the way to the top of the tower were: Brilliant Nightingale Butter Eating Rat Fluttering Hen Piece of Poop Other simr names were also given. After seeing this, I thought to never approach the Magicians Tower ever again. This would go into effect right after I met the Fire King Teron on the highest floor of the tower. And now, I was sitting with him. How is it? Hows the experience ofing to the Magicians Tower? I dont know. The outside looks normal, but the inside is extremely bizarre. Is it because of the names of the magicians? Yes. Just why did you name everyone like that? These are magicians that never see the light of day and only focus on research. We need small forms of entertainment like this. Well, these are people who gave up their name and everything else toe into the magic tower You shouldve named them more seriously. I didnt know you had such an interest in the magic tower. Do you feel like working here now? Not even a little. I just thought of a name that would suit you perfectly. Im not interested. How about Super Skinny Ogre? The magician at the boundary. Fire King Teron. As the strongest magician in the world, he was the man who was face to face with the limits of humanitys capacity for magic But his naming sense was so shit. However, he chuckled to himself like he was proud of the names he thought up. Super Skinny Ogre It fits you perfectly. Ah. Was that so? Maybe because the name I received as soon as I entered the magic tower was too shocking, but I could only just start noticing the room interior. If the crown princes Peony Pce was the most fancy and decorated ce I saw The top floor of the Fire Kings magic tower was dimly lit and quite simple. In this dark room, there was only amp, a sofa, and a table. On the table were some alchemical instruments, but apart from those, there wasnt any other furniture you would usually expect to see. Of course, there was a valid reason for this. Since Altein , I wanted to have a private talk with you someday and it seems that day is today. What tea do you want? I have besmin and jinherb. Space seemed to distort for a second as a teapot, teacups, and other parts of a tea set appeared. Then Trickle Swish Swash. Without him even lifting a finger, the jinherb tea was poured out into two cups. It meant that there was no need to have unnecessary equipment take up space. This was the Magicians Tower, where one wouldnt be limited by physical space. Finding my expression amusing, Teron spoke to me. You look surprised. Yes, a little bit. Seems I cant help my countrified nature. Did the crown prince say that? Yes. Please be understanding. Hes like a child who needs to get what he wants to scratch his itch. It could look like a bad habit, but if you be a citizen of the Empire, hell be someone who you can depend on more than any other. I heard that you rmended me. I did. Why me? He leisurely took a sip of his tea, and then spoke. I wished for you to remain in Ravirdyne for a bit. I remembered the first time I met with Fire King Teron. From the very start, he openly and directly asked me about the secret of my power. Then, Director Tirion was there to stand for me, but now, the director was nowhere to be seen. But the Fire King was still curious about my power. Of course Well, unfortunately, I only wish to finish up my mission here quickly and return to my territory. I didnt have the intention of obediently telling him everything. Mission Yeah, mission. I heard from Stray Cat, but you chose Search? Yes. The easiest mission is Subjugation. You canplete it while being protected by the Imperial Army, and if you just took care of some bandits that appeared near Ceciliano, everyone would respect you. But Search Fire King Teron narrowed his eyes. Why do you want to go there? Its just a barren wastnd. * * * * * * The there we were talking about. The Sky Mountain Summit. Westward from Ravirdyne, it was a wastnd that was situated a fair distance north from the Radian Kingdom. It was told to be the area where the ancient ogres lived inmunities. But nowadays, there werent any ogres. It was because the ogres living in the Sky Mountain Summit all died out during the Great War. As for the survivors, the living artifact that existed in the Academy, Kingram, was the only one. But why was a Search mission assigned in this ce that didnt even have ogres? It was because of another famous story passed down in the continent. After all the ogres disappeared from here, a type of barrier that couldnt be dispelled by any source of magic was set up around the Sky Mountain Summit. An unknown barrier. This had severed the Sky Mountain Summit from the rest of the world. The theory was that the God of Ogres became enraged and had made the area a sanctuary. But as of today, nothing was proven. This was the limit of the information known by the public. The goal of the mission was to figure out the nature of the barrier that was set up there. This is a mission that no historian, no schr, and no great magician were able toplete. It was just a mission added to fill out the category, but you just had to select it. Whats your reasoning? Why do you want to go to the wastnd? He was right. For others, there really was no reason to go there. It was just a barren and lifeless wastnd. But I had a piece of information that even Fire King Teron didnt know. That this was thend that the World Ender Drakagonia lived in for 100 years. The reason I was seeking this ce? This one reason was enough. Even if it werent for the mission, I wouldve liked to go to this ce once anyway. However, there was no reason to tell him the whole truth. It had the highest difficulty. Thats why I chose it. Youre not expecting me to believe such a simple reason is all. You dont have to believe me But a special reason Do I really need one? If the only reason was because of its high difficulty and your desire to trump it, I suggest that you choose another mission. The reason it had five stars attached to it isnt that the area is dangerous or there are some active events there. In fact, the area around Sky Mountain Summit is quite safe since nothing is there. The difficulty is because of the mystery that no one was able to discover andplete. Thats why I want to do it even more. No one in the world was able to figure it out, but if a young 16-year-old magician was to figure it out, wouldnt it be that much more impressive? However, the Fire King only snorted. You may also be the only failure in the history of giving a mission to the winner of the Grand Festival. That may also be the impressive aplishment that you bring back. Well, that doesnt feel that bad. He didnt believe my words. Till the end, he didnt lift his suspicious eyes from me. He obsessed over trying to find the real reason I chose the Search mission to go to the Sky Mountain Summit. In a way, he maybe had figured out that this mission had something to do with my ability. However, Isnt mission selection my responsibility? Sure, it is your responsibility. In any case, it was a choice for me to make. And there was nothing to stop me. The one who had to concede wasnt me, Then, do what you want. But the Fire King. * * * The special mission was finalized. Search *Investigate the barrier at the Sky Mountain Summit and its vicinity. The time limit for missionpletion, with the time to return as part of it, was a total of one month. The reason the time limit was set generously to one month was because there werent any mana train stations around the vicinity of the Sky Mountain Summit. You had to move from the closest ancient castle, Tercian, on foot, but this alone took three days. The time that I could spend focusing on the mission alone was about 20 days. Well, I did end up selecting it I talked to Straang as Iy on the bed in the room prepared for my stay on the 34th floor of the Magicians Tower. Sky Mountain Summit Will I really be able to gain something from there? Why? Are you worried that you wont be able to get anything? When Straang suggested we go to Sky Mountain Summit, I genuinely agreed with her. In the first ce, this was somewhere I really wanted to visit at least once. However, what the Fire King said also held true. Well, rather than worry, since the ce had already been severed for about 100 years there should be something there I can find. It was a mission failed by people more aplished than me. Even though I was dissuaded, if I failed the difficult mission I selected on purpose, the risk was also high. I would be ridiculed quite a lot. However, my heart that faltered for a second was stabilized by Straang. Thats an extremely human way of thinking about it. Hm? Since humans tried to find it using their human ways, theyll never find it. But Im a human too? Youre different. You have power that exceeds that of a human. Power that exceeds humanity. And, You just need to change your extremely human way of thinking. Think about it. How would you enter a sacred ground of ogres? A totally different way of thinking. Using this, I would be able to reach the Sky Mountain Summit. A lot of different examples started popping up in my head. Use strength to break the barrier? Find the secret hidden door? These were probably all the human ways that were tested in previous missions. A totally different way that no one had even tried. What was there? As I was contemting this question Knock knock knock. Sir Ruin. Its me, DeBoar. With a knocking sound on my door, I could feel the presence of people. DeBoar? Whats that? As I hesitated, the voice spoke again. Im the magician that guided you to your room just a while ago. Its Delicious Boar. Ah. Ah! Yeah. Come in. I got stumped for a second. I still couldnt get used to the names of people in this magic tower. I hurriedly got up from my bed and opened the door. Both the magicians Delicious Boar and Stray Cat were standing there. This is just a zoo. Do you like your room? Ah, yes. But what reason Do you want to go now? To the artifact room? Ah, yeah. I still had one more reward left. The artifacts stored in the Magicians Tower. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Mightiest Melee Magician The Magicians Tower. This was Ravirdynes No. This was the tallest building across the entire Frelian continent. Compared to its dizzying height of 180 meters, it was very thin. However, as soon as you went inside, one wouldnt even feel that it was too narrow. It was because the entire magic tower had a permanent enchantment cast on it. When the enchantment and the mana that flowed through the entirety of the magic tower met, it allowed the tower to exceed its simple physical limitations. Like right now. Were here. I only opened one door, but behind it was an enormous hallway. This was fundamentally different to the artifact room I saw in the underground of the Academy before. It wasnt just a simple treasure vault, but rather a hallway that disyed these priceless weapons and tools. Just what was this for? Then, Stray Cat walked up to me. This area is separated into 4 subareas. Area C, Area B, Area A, and finally, Area X. The artifact room was divided into 4 subareas. They were obviously separated by the rarity of the artifact. Area C had the mostmon artifacts, and Area X had the rarest. However, I was told that the area I was allowed to look in was only up to Area A. So I cant even check out Area X? Yes. Unless a special event urs, no one is allowed ess to that room. Not even the Emperor. A special event? What did that entail? What did they hide in there that not even the Emperor could see? Well, understood. In any case, I looked around the areas I was permitted. Up first, Area C. Here, the walls were lined with instruments of war that werent particrly important for magicians. But even if it was the lowest-ranked area, Area C still looked more magnificent than most nobles collections. This Is this a magic sword? Yes. Youre correct. Weve only gathered and stored the items that were obtained from the Great War against the demons that were of serviceable quality. Not any random artifacts were disyed here. Magic swords that were only second to Doom Primes former Sword of Brilliance were hung in here. There was temail armour with a lightweight enchantment on it, and even a weird metal shoe that sprouted thorns by just imbuing a little bit of mana into it. Even I, who wasnt knowledgeable in the area of treasures, was impressed by these items. Area B was closer to a type of library, and the artifacts lined up here would be coveted by any magician. . I thought there werent any of these left. You recognise this book? Its already over 100 years old. I had a time in my life where I could do nothing but read books. Yes. This is a secret from the outside, but the grimoires that are forgotten by history or forbidden from being made public are mostly stored here in Area B. From precious historical documents to legendary grimoires. Can you read these books as you please if youre part of the Magicians Tower? Not as you please, but the tower master sometimes gives us permission to browse the books. Naturally, taking it to own is forbidden. Thats pretty interesting. The chance to read these grimoires that no one was allowed to own. To have the sole monopoly over information and be able to wield it as you wished was a powerful ability. This was one of the major strengths that only the Magicians Tower possessed. But So Ruin, are you interested in joining? Hm? No. Not in the slightest. I wasnt interested in it at all. I dont have the slightest intention of ever being called Super Skinny Ogre. Is that the name given to you by the tower master? It does suit you well. As expected, Tower Masters naming sense is Lets keep moving. Stray Cat started to crack jokes now and I was guided by him towards the final area, Area A. From handkerchiefs to chests, sses to rings, mirrors to nes, and more. There was a mountain of different types of essories. It felt a little weakerpared to the dangerous-looking instruments of war and the precious-looking magic books, but this was the real deal. This is Area A. Ill inform you about this ce a little. Sure. This is the ce where you will be selected. By those artifacts? Yes. Even though they cannot speak, they are still living beings that are, in their own ways, waiting for a master to appear. This is the main difference between the brilliant artifacts and the mass-produced magic tools. Stray Cat took a moment to breathe and spoke again. They will only respond to the owner they choose. Yeah. There were a lot of artifacts in the world, but not many of them were real. Most of them were some mass-produced magic tool that anyone could use. However, real recognises real. If an owner worthy of the artifact didnt appear, it was no different to a piece of scrap. But if someone appeared who knew and could utilize it to its full potential, it would be an irreceable treasure. That was an artifact. Then, should we start slowly looking around? Yes. I slowly walked in the direction that Stray Cat rmended. The first thing I approached was a ragged pack that looked like it was sewn together haphazardly with scraps and cloth. This was created by the evil god Helkarion. The pack can hold an unlimited amount of things, and it is said that theres nothing the pack cant hold. Yes. Wasnt there a story that Helkarion stored hundreds of living people in the pack? Youre quite knowledgable. I had a time with only books. I smiled a little and lifted the pack. No response was given. This guy wasnt it. Yeah, what use would I have with a body bag? Next, was a small handheld mirror. This is the Eye of Malleroc. It shows you your deepest desire when you look into it. Its also called the Mirror of Confession. Yes. Ive seen the same thing before. Our academy has one as well, although this ones much smaller. Is that so? Well, even a wicked demon wouldve had two eyes. This was also a pass. And afterwards I tried a handkerchief, a pair of sses, multiple rings, and multiple nes too. All the artifacts had different characteristics, and among these, the Iron Handkerchief that wouldnt be cut by anything was my favourite, But none of the artifacts reacted to me. * * * * * * I asked Stray Cat, Has there been a person who hadnt been selected by an artifact before? There have been cases but they are exceedingly rare. If youre a magician that is allowed to enter into Area A, you would have the ability to catch the attention of a few artifacts. Then what was I? If I was rejected by all of them This was a little depressing. Right then, Straang snorted while looking at the artifacts in Area A. Theres no need to be disappointed. These are trash. All of them. Hm? Of course, to humans, these would all be precious treasures, but the really precious things are hidden somewhere else. Straang lifted her finger. Over there. The ce Straang pointed to Area X. In there, if I took a guess there should be at least one artifact made by a dragon. A Dragon? Straang sniffed. Yeah. It has the unique pungent smell of a dragon who hadnt washed their scales in hundreds of years. So you could figure it out like that too? Well, whatever. Whether it be a dragon or a god, it would be incredibly precious to be ced in Area X. It was an area that I wasnt even allowed to look into, and it wasnt a ce I could forcefully demand to look in either. That was why I removed my gaze from Area X and tried to focus on the remaining artifacts. But then ? Shuaaaaaaa! For a moment, a strange light shined out from the direction of Area X, And this light started to wrap around the entirety of the artifact zone. I-it happennnnnned! Simultaneously, Delicious Boar, who had witnessed this, flung both his hands into the air and started screaming excitedly with a weird expression on his face. The special event just happened! The first time in over 56 years! As Stray Cat said, unless a special event happened, Area X was barred from entry for even the Emperor. In that ce, This, this I need to report to the tower master immediately. A special event just happened. Kunkhans Tooth woke up. * * * The highest floor of the Magicians Tower. The king of magicians, Fire King Teron, who was sitting on his throne leisurely sipping on his tea, felt his eyebrows stir a little. Kunkhans Tooth reacted? Yes. In front of him stood the magician Stray Cat. Having heard the report about the happenings in the artifact zone just a moment ago, Teron broke out intoughter at the absurdity. However, the weight of the words he spoke after thisughter was serious. Ruin Ardell Does it mean that hes talented enough to take my throne after me? The Throne of Teron that Teron was currently sitting in. It was the symbol of being the king of all magicians, and also the symbol for the owner of this tower. The reason Teron said this wasnt because of any simple conjecture. Area X. Here, among the thousands of items that were stored in this Magicians Tower, three items of a different powerlevel to all the other artifacts were kept here. Algals Staff. Morshis Scale. And finally, Kunkhans Tooth. First, for Algals staff, it was the staff used by the first human magician to walk thend. It increased ones magic power limitlessly, and it was also the symbol of the king of magicians. 56 years ago, when Fire King Teron was a student. The fact that he was selected by Algals Staff from Area X after winning the Grand Festival and that he was chosen to be the king of magicians. It wasnt a coincidence. The man chosen by Algals Staff would be greater than all others. However, since Algals Staff was in possession of the current Fire King Teron, it would be excluded. There were two artifacts left. Secondly, Morshis Scale was armour. No matter the attack, no matter the spell, it wouldnt be able to prate this ultimate armour. That was why, rather than selecting a magician, it would select a knight. Since it existed long before the Raynac Empire, it had multiple masters that used it before. It would once a century move to find an owner, and after the owner died, it would return back to the tower. Naturally, the legend that all the knights that were selected by this were revered as the guardian deity of the Empire didnt even need to be said. And so, this would also be excluded. Thest one left Kunkhans Tooth. This was the part that Fire King Teron found to be suspicious. Why now? Kunkhans Tooth, as the name suggested, was just a tooth. The first chieftain of the ogres that brought the ogres together to form the first n, Chieftan Kunkhan. It was simply a part of his mr. However, this was the most mysterious artifact. In the hundreds of years of history, it hadnt selected a single master before. No. Even if someone were to be selected, they wouldnt have been able to use it. Why? What did Ruin Ardell do with Kunkhans Tooth? He lifted it. Lifted it? Yes. And he made it look quite light while doing so. It was as if he was lifting a feather. This fist-sized piece of the tooth was so heavy that not even five fully grown men could lift it together. However, Ruin was able to lift it. The fact that Kunkhans Tooth selected him. What did this mean? Did it mean he was worthy of the throne? Ogre. An ogre, huh? Strength like an ogre. The special mission in Sky Mountain Summit. The tooth of the first chieftain, Kunkhan. Fire King Teron saw the connections with ogre in his mind and narrowed his eyes. Then, he spoke in a quiet voice. Call the Magician of Screams. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Mightiest Melee Magician In this extraordinary circumstance, an artifact from Area X had reacted to me. Kunkhans Tooth. This Isnt this that guys tooth? Eh? Do you know this item? Looking at this, Straang had a mischievous smile on her face. This is the mr of the Great Chieftain Kunkhan, the first one to create a tribe after rounding up all the ogres that were spread out over the continent under the Sky Summit banner. The chieftain of Sky Summit? Then, maybe Yeah. Remember the ancient ogre sleeping in the underground of your academy? This is Kingrams fathers. PR/n: Previously, we said that Kingram was part of the Sky Phoenix n, but we have decided that Sky Summit n is a more appropriate name for it. We have updated the previous chapters to reflect this change. Everything really was connected in a weird way. World Ender Draka and the 100 years he spent on Sky Mountain Summit with the Incarnation of Strength, Straang. He was epted as part of the family by an ogre, Chieftain Kunkhan. After receiving Kunkhans favour, Draka taught Kunkhans son, Kingram, magic and the humannguage. I knew this well because Kingram had told me this story before. I could only exim. Its a small world. The world really felt too small. Wherever I went, my connections with these ogres never ended. However, Straang refuted this notion. No, the world is big. It just feels small for you. What do you mean? Do you think all of this is just a coincidence? Coincidence No, it merely looked like a coincidence. In reality, it was just inevitable. Kunkhans Tooth was waiting for you this whole time. We can tell since it reacted and signaled cause it couldnt wait any longer for you when you werent even looking for it. Is this item that great? This is the symbol of ultimate strength. And it is also the representation of the Great Chieftans support for you. A fragment of a mr that was the size of my fist. It didnt look ordinary, but it didnt look particrly extraordinary either. However, This Youve really done it now! Kunkhans Tooth! For Kunkhans Tooth, that was quiet for hundreds of years, to wake up! This is Algals great blessing to you! Looking at the weird responses from Delicious Boar and other magicians, it seemed that I had done something serious. The part they were eximing and making a fuss about the most was the moment when I grabbed Kunkhans Tooth, which was emitting light and flying toward me, with one hand. Isnt it heavy? It has some weight, but I dont think its that heavy. Kunkhans Tooth is something not even five adult knights could lift together. To move it into Area X, we needed help from ten knights using a tool. This small item required ten knights. It seems that it found the right master. Yeah. Just like what Stray Cat said, the item found its rightful owner. The winner of the Grand Festival would be selected by an artifact. This selection was final. No one could stop me from owning Kunkhans Tooth. Even if Ill go report to the tower master now. That person was the king of magicians. * * * I took Kunkhans Tooth and came back to my room. With this, I received all the benefits of being the winner of the Grand Festival. An enormous sum of money, a legendary artifact, and even a special mission. After finishing the Search Mission starting tomorrow, all the things I needed to do here would be done. But before that, I contemted how to use Kunkhans Tooth effectively. What is this? The primordial source of strength. A symbol of ultimate might. The ogre that had inherited unbreakable will No, not those symbolic things. Im asking how I can use this artifact. I had heard the stories about the three artifacts that were stored in Area X. Along with the famous artifact of Algals Staff, which was used by Fire King Teron, there was Morshis Scales, a set of armour that the gold dragon Morshigonia crafted for humans using their own scales. In reality, the humans didnt know that this was a dragons item. Only Straang, who had lived her life with a dragon before, could determine the smell of the artifact. In any case, for these two, a staff and a set of armour, the usage was clear. However, Kunkhans Tooth wasnt like that. Its not a sword, and its not a shield either This weird bumpy spherical shape was the size of my fist. It was like an unrefined ore that hadnt been made into a weapon yet. After all, no one had handled this guy yet. It could be a weapon, but it was pretty hard to imagine what. Could it be a il? The size and shape were good enough to attach some chains and use as a il But a il? Really? There was no way. Then, Straang spoke. For now, just having it on you should be enough. Kunkhans Tooth should increase your strength considerably. It was true.Strength: 3,520 Just by having Kunkhans Tooth with me, my strength, which was barely over 2,500, had increased by 1,000. This wasnt all. Since its in its raw state, its value wont be as good, but there will be a chanceter down the line where you would turn this into a weapon. Then, the effects should increase. Like Algals Staff and Morshis Scale, if Kunkhans Tooth was able to be crafted into something, it too would gain a powerful ability. Of course, I was a bit worried What cksmith would be able to handle this one-of-a-kind material? Its not something that can be solved by thinking about it now. Thats true. Since this was currently out of my domain, I wouldnt worry about it. So, for now, Focus on the mission youll go on tomorrow instead. Lets try and cleanly finish the mission. * * * * * * The dawn of the next day. I was greeted in the morning by just Stray Cat, and quietly exited the Magicians Tower. Here. Its your mission allowance and the mana train ticket for Tercian. Other than that, your identification is also in there. The mission time limit is exactly one month. The ticket for returning to Ravirdyne is there too, so please dont miss the date. Ok. Allowance and identification. I also received the ticket for the roundtrip, and now, my business with Stray Cat had ended. However, for Stray Cat He looked at me with quite aplicated look in his eyes. As if he had something he wanted to say to me. So, I asked him. Is there something else you want to tell me? There is, but there also isnt. What does that Its not something I should say as a magician part of the magic tower, as we are forbidden from having personal opinions, but I do have something to say to you as your senior. Mr Stray Cat. He tried to keep an objective distance between us during conversation, but we both knew that we had gotten close enough to talk about personal things. The magicians that are here in Ravirdyne all look to be kind and friendly, but in truth, that is not the case. Yes? The magicians directly under them, and the magicians that are out of their control. The Tower separates magicians into these two distinct categories. You probably know that youre definitely in thetter category. The magician that refused to be under the Fire King Terons foot. The magician that refused the crown princes suggestion of naturalizing to the Empire, and couldnt be contained by him. Me. Be cautious. And doubt everything. In this ce, every smile hides a sharp dagger behind it. Stray Cat was telling me to be careful. To doubt every situation. That was the words of not Stray Cat, but Taylor Hapilburg. Please bear it in mind. And then, please forget it. The magician Stray Cat didnt say anything. Renegade Hapilburg. I had heard of him. He was a noble of the Radian Kingdom and a student of Ignit Magic Academy. But he gave up his name and everything to naturalize to the Raynac Empire. The eldest son of the Hapilburg house, Taylor Hapilburg. He had advised me, not as Stray Cat, but as a senior of the Academy. And I smiled toward that senior. I didnt hear anything, Mr Stray Cat. Then, Taylor Hapilburg No. Stray Cat also smiled at me and replied, Then, have a good trip. * * * The ancient castle of Tercian. At one point in history, it was called the shield of the Frelian continent. The ogre vige was the most threatening thing to humanity after the demons. This was the biggest city in the vicinity of Sky Mountain Summit. With the sole purpose of protecting the continent from an invasion by the ogres, this city was constructed with this n in mind, and with it, came its worth. Thanks to this, it had pretty tall castle walls and strong military might. It was an armed city with an iron-willed spirit. Well, at least before the ogres had all disappeared. However, It truly is deste. After the great ogre threat had disappeared, the Tercian of now was nothing but a ghost town. The outer walls of the castle were poorly kept, just like the ruined castle I saw in Altein. Rather than a strong military presence, the positions were filled with guards that were drinking in broad daylight. The courageous citizens of Tercian who believed that the old, the women, and the children, should all fight in the face of danger had all disappeared. Vagrants and delinquents filled the streets. It seemed that, after its purposethe ogreshad disappeared, the answer called Tercian had also crumbled into nothing. For that famous shield of the continent to be in this state The world within books and the real world truly were different I shook my head after seeing all this and straightened my steps. The ce I was headed to was the sole stable in Tercian. Kuah! Kuuooh! However, the stableman was sleeping after drinking all day, and I tapped him on his shoulder. At that, the owner of the establishment opened his eyes slowly. Then, he frowned. What? Whose kid is this? You dare wake me up from my sleep? Seems words wouldnt be effective. I pulled out a parchment from my pockets. My identification. The parchment had a phrase that said not to ask about my identity nor my objective in being here. Stamped under that were the seals of the Raynac Empire and the Magicians Tower. U-uhak! Having looked at the document, the stableman swallowed his breath and then copsed to the ground bowing, eyes wide. I-I apologize! I dared to I didnt know you were a m-magician Its fine. Could I get a horse? Yes? A h-horse? The stableman scratched his head and spoke while being a little flustered. S-so the thing is I dont actually have a horse that I can give to you. You dont have a horse? Yes. It somehow became like that. Are there no other stables around here? No, this is the only stable in Tercian. The stable didnt have a horse. What kind of predicament was this? As I became perplexed, the stableman started to talk and mutter. So the thing is, there were a total of three horses stored here, but they were all taken today. It was just flies here for thest few weeks but looks like the customers all came today. Haha But sir magician, dont worry too much. If you can wait just one day, I think Ill be able to get a horse What did you say right now? If you can wait just one day, I can try and get a horse No, before that. You said that there werent any travelers for thest few weeks, but they all came today and took the horses? Pardon? Right, yes. Thats the truth. But why is that? The people who would borrow horses in Tercian There were people other than me? This Was this really a coincidence? The words that Stray Cat had told me before suddenly appeared in my head. Doubt everything. But then, Did you feel that? Master, you only felt it now? Ive sensed it since the mana train. I could feel hidden gazes targeted at me. Yeah. I had some shadows trailing me. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Mightiest Melee Magician I had some shadows trailing me. If three horses were rented out today, it was usible that there were at least three people. However, I maintained myposure and acted natural. After all, even though I could still feel their persistent gazes as they followed me, I couldnt directly confirm who the people trailing me were. I asked the stableman, Is it fine if I return by tomorrow morning? Yes. Thatll be enough. Even if I look like this, all the horses around Tercian are worked on by me at least once. Ill prepare a horse for you to ride by tomorrow morning. Ok. Then, Ill leave it to you. Thank you. Please, take care. I had no choice but to stay a night in Tercian. That was why I went to the inn at the center of Tercian. I flinged five gold out of nowhere to the attendant and said, A room for one night, and one serving of your fastest meal. A meal was usually four silver, maybe five if it was expensive. Even if I were to take into ount the lodging fee, five gold was an excessive amount that exceeded more than ten times the price. The employee became shocked beyond belief and tried to hurriedly bow his head. But I stopped him. I dont need your greeting. Rather, I want something from you. Yes? S-something Ah, yes. Please tell me. Soon, someone wille and ask about me. How long Im staying here, what room Im in, and so on. When that happens, make something up ande and tell me how many people came for me, what they were wearing, and how long theyre staying. If you do, Ill pay you another five gold. F-five! Ill promise you, neither you nor this inn will suffer any harm. He was a normal inn employee, but since this inn was in the center of the city, it wouldve experienced a whole lot of different situations. The quick-witted employee understood my intentions immediately and nodded his head. P-please rest assured. Im an expert in this sort of thing. Just what did he mean by an expert? In any case, most be honest in front of money. I sat myself down at a decent looking table and ate the scrambled eggs the employee got for me, checking my surroundings inconspicuously. However, I couldnt feel those sticky and persistent gazes that I was feeling before at all. It seemed that they wanted to maintain a certain distance between us and hide. If that was the case, I should start moving. Thanks for the food. Ah! Is it to your liking? Its impressive. Ill go out for some sightseeing, so can you look after my belongings? As I gave him a look, he moved with recognition and lifted the baggage I brought. Ah, yes! Please leave it to me. Ill move these to your room. The employee, who was apparently an expert in this sort of thing, feigned innocence while moving my bags to the second floor. The stalkers that were trailing me were definitely watching me from afar. If they confirmed that I ostentatiously left my bags here and left the inn, they were sure toe here to question the employee about me. However, I was the one who cast the bait. Now, they just needed to bite. * * * Who was it? I wouldnt ask the sameme question twice. I knew the answer. The Raynac Empire. It was the obvious answer. They treated me with kindness on the outside, but they would definitely turn their backs on me as I wouldnt stay under their control. It was probably the king of magicians, who held intense curiosity about my powers. If not, it could be the crown prince with his peculiar tastes who sent someone to do a background check on me. In any case, I wouldnt want it to be either of them. I had to catch the stalkers. I needed to resolve this situation before the horse arrived and I left for Sky Mountain Summit. I couldnt let them follow me after knowing they were there. If I let them be, it would be problematic. I checked the time. It had already been an hour since I started aimlessly wandering around the uninteresting town of Tercian. They shouldve finished gathering information about me from the inn around now. That was why I turned back toward the inn. However, when I finally arrived there, the situation I was waiting for hadnt happened. No one came. What? I-its the truth. After you left, I was nervous about who woulde but no one came. He didnt look like he was lying. There was a chance that the employee couldve been paid off by the stalkers, but it wasnt that either. Because I could tell that there was a different reason. However, something odd did happen. What was that? For a span of about 3 minutes I have a gap in my memory. Its like that no matter how hard I try. While I was cleaning the tables, I fell unconscious, and when I came to be, I wasying down on the ground here. As I heard this, I could think of only one spell. Mind Control. * * * * * * Mind Control was a high-ranking 6th ss spell that could dominate a persons mind and control them. The controlled person lost all memories of being controlled, and the dominator could peek into the memories of the dominated. There was a high chance that they used this magic to learn all about the conversations I had with the employee. Yeah. They had confirmed that I knew I was being trailed. As soon as I confirmed that a more cautious and powerful magician was after me Alright. I had to find another n to capture my pursuer. What method would be the best? As I entered my room while contemting this question, something caught my eye. A neatly folded note was in the room. On the note, [I have no intention of bringing you harm, so dont waste your time searching for me and resume your mission.] Scrunch scrunch. I scrunched up the note in my hand. They secretly came into my room and now they dare to ask me to not care? The fact that they left this note in my room was a threat saying that, if they wanted to, they could bring as much harm onto me as they wanted. Alright. Go and try it. Rip rip. I ripped apart the crumpled note, took all my belongings, and walked outside the inn. Then, I just started running directly toward the ce with the most people. Straang asked me, What are you thinking of doing? Ill need to find them. How are you going to find them like this? Did you forget? I was 1st ce in the triathlon. I wont lose to anyone in running. The n was a little dumb. However, that was why I was that much more confident. Its the start of tag. Tag. For now, I was the one running from it, but that would change very soon. Why? Open the minimap. Youre thinking of charging them head-on. Of course. Because I had my two sturdy legs and a minimap. * * * Magician of Screams, sir. Ruin Ardell is currently running away. The three magicians were observing Ruin from a ways away. All of them had a crushed skull tattoo on the back of their necks. Crushed skull tattoos. They werent magicians that were officially members of the magic tower, but the tattoo symbolized them being a part of the wicked mage magician group that remained in the basement of the Magicians Tower and directly received the Fire Kings orders. Should we chase him? The man called the Magician of Screams, who was in the middle of the group of three, said with a tired tone as he closed his eyes, Since we know what that guys objective is, we dont have to strain ourselves. However if he wants us to y with him so much, itll be hard to decline. Also, Im a little curious about this little magician who won the Grand Festival. Then, what should we do? Chase him. But dont kill him. Understood. With the order from the Magician of Screams, the two magicians next to him both jumped down from the rooftop and started chasing after Ruin. However, Ruin was so fast, it was impossible to chase him without using teleportation magic. On top of that, since he was moving around the busiest part of Tercian, without using pursuit magic, it was nearly impossible to chase Ruins trail. Were about to lose him. Use pursuit magic. Well leave behind traces. Is that ok? Well, itll be more fun that way. Understood. They evidently had to use pursuit magic. The biggest downside of pursuit magic was the fact that the spells mana became imprinted in the area, so a magician like Ruin could use it to locate them. But there were no other options. If they went on like this, they would lose him. Trace Ball. A purple glowing mass appeared from the palm of the wicked mage, and this sphere started to follow Ruins tracks. The two wicked mages that were following after the sphere stopped immediately. It was because the sphere had suddenly stopped in ce. The trail has stopped. Looking at this, the Magician of Screams, who arrivedte, spoke. No, the trail didnt stop. What? The guy was waiting for us. This was the truth. ! Bang! Because, with the sound of something crumbling, Ruin had lept out from behind a wooden nk and ambushed one of the magicians. Crack! Uhk! One of the magicians had his chin before he realized what was going on, copsing then and there. Ruin then grabbed the copsing magicians arm and broke it while they were falling. Crunch! Uaaaack! With the sound of bones being shattered, Ruin shifted toward the next magician. Hup! The magician tried to protect their body by creating a protectiveyer, but the fistunched by Ruin broke that barrier immediately and struck them in the middle of their forehead. Crack! They were flown back spewing blood as soon as the fist made contact. After the two magicians were instantly dmissioned, only the Magician of Screams was left. Even though he lost both of his subordinates, he onlyughed, as if not feeling any danger from this situation. Hah Hahahah! So there was a reason the tower master told us to be cautious. I was curious as to what kind of person you were, so I yed along but arent you a total monster? Who are you guys? Why ask if you know already? The tower master sent us to protect our junior. After hearing the word protect, Ruins expression instantly worsened. I have no recollection of having seniors like you. And this wouldnt be protection, but rather surveince. Tomayto, tomahto. Same thing. So, what are you going to do now? I shouldplete my mission. As Ruin asked the question, the Magician of Screams pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and ripped it. Ill see youter. Then, he disappeared in a puff of purple smoke. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Mightiest Melee Magician That broken skull drawn on his neck Hes a Wicked Mage. Wicked Mage? Yeah. I dont know much more though. The one thing I do know is that theyre magicians of the Magic Tower who, officially, only do clean jobs, but what they really do are dirty jobs that they dont want to be public. Considering that theyre covered by a veil, they do some pretty ugly things. I agree. The words Wicked Mage was hard formoners to even hear, but between mages, their name was at least known. The majority of the high scorers in our academy graduates were scouted into a group called the Wicked Mages. However, other than the information about their tattoos and their group name What exactly they did, how strong their magicians were, or who their captain was The specifics werent very known. However, with the impression I got from my first encounter with them, I was sure of one thing about going against these Wicked Mages. Its doable. They were far below Doom Prime. No. Rather, I could be sure that the other 30 student representatives I met at the Grand Festival were stronger than them. In a sense, this may have been obvious. They may still be students, but the student representatives of the Grand Festivals were from 4th-ss Masters to 5th-ss Masters. They were geniuses that exceeded the average adult magician. Of course, there were always exceptions. We still havent been able to check the skills of one of them. Yeah. Just as Straang said, we still havent been able to confirm the strength of their leader. The man who looked like their leader. It was because, as soon as he finished talking, he used teleportation magic to instantly escape. I thought back to the sound of his unpleasantughter. That man. He wasnt thinking of fighting me from the beginning. He just appeared in front of me to satisfy his curiosity. So, what are you thinking of doing now? Yeah. The guys probably wouldnt appear in front of me again like they did today. They would continue to keep their distance and observe quietly from a safe ce behind me. If I approached them, they would probably run away using the same methods. Because that mans mission was to watch. On top of that, they knew what my destination was. So, all in all, it wasnt a good idea to waste time in Tercian like this. There was only one way to catch a magician that had their escape ns set. Ill need to make it so that they appear in front of me. * * * The next day, I went to the stable from before again. Is the horse ready? Oh! Sir Magician! I was waiting for you! The stableman pped his hands when he saw me and he brought a horse with a yellowish-brown mane from the stable. I acquired it in a hurry, but this ones a smartd. Its a horse that was ridden by a guard captain from a nearby town but since its a warhorse, itll be easy to tame. Alright, thank you. I wasnt too familiar with riding horses, but I knew the basics. This was because I had experience from a very young age, back when my feet wouldnt even touch the stirrup. I checked the horses horseshoes, pulled a saddle over its back, and got on, grabbing its reins. Neigh! The horse lifted its front legs in excitement at being able to run for the first time in a while. I looked westward from Tercian. Destination: Sky Mountain Summit. It was a long way to go. * * * I rode West from Tercian for three days. At least, until the second day, there were a few towns on the way toward the summit, but from the third day on, there was nothing. Forget towns. There werent even bases where I could let my horse rest for a bit. It was truly a wastnd. I rode relentlessly in this barrennd devoid of all life. Sky Mountain Ogre Appearances Approach Restricted Tercian At the end of this path was a road sign that was used a hundred years ago to dictate the direction of Sky Mountain. If this didnt exist, I may have questioned if I rode in the right direction. Over three days had passed, but I wasnt getting any closer to the Sky Mountain erected on the horizon. However, on the dawn of the fourth day since leaving Tercian Were nearly here. I could instinctively feel that I was getting closer to my destination. Just like how Straang, the Incarnation of Strength, reacted to Strength Bam bam bam bam! My force circle was shaking rapidly. Yeah. I could feel it. Rather than mana, there was a great reverberation of strength that filled the nearby area. It was responding so strongly that I might have mistaken the strengths for ones calling for me. However, in contrast to the great strengths that called for me, I couldnt approach any closer to the Sky Mountain. So this is it. The barrier A transparent barrier was blocking my way. Ting ting. When I got off the horse and lightly tapped on the barrier, Straang spoke. The beginning of Sky Mountain starts from here. Up there is thend of the Sky Summit tribe, Sky Mountain Summit. The ce where you and Draka stayed? Yeah. I lightly put my palm on the barrier and tried to put in some strength. However Huah! It really isnt budging. There was absolutely no change in the barrier. It was a boundary one couldnt ever physically cross. * * * * * * This was the ce that no one could pry the secrets from, the ce known as the ogres sanctuary. How do we get in? Finding the secret to this barrier was the reason I came here. I gave up on just destroying it with my strength and tried to find a different method. I thought back to the advice Straang gave me before. To lose the mindset of humans. That, if I could find a method humans couldnt think of, Id be able to reach the ogres sanctuary. However, just what was that mindset that wasnt like a human''s? Hmm Boof! I sat on the ground while resting my chin on my palm. From a humans point of view, I would definitely try to break this boundary, right? Probably. However, they couldnt break it. This means that this barrier isnt something a human could break in the first ce. Ok, then lets flip our thinking. If I wasnt a human, but an ogre, what would I do? Not as a human, but as an ogre. Wouldnt I call out to the ogre inside the barrier? To open the door? Like I was visiting a friends house, I would call out. Not using thenguage of humans, but thenguage of ogres. Hearing this, Straang became amused. Now were getting somewhere. Honestly, I was half-joking when I said it. Hmm. Now that I really think about it, it does make a little sense. Im able to talk to ogres. Yeah. Youre the only human thats capable of talking with ogres. Wait. If its like that If there is a living ogre in there, could they hear what Im saying? Naturally. But didnt they say that all the ogres on Sky Mountain Summit went extinct? That is also just a theory that humans made up. Yeah. The fact that all the ogres living in Sky Mountain Summit died was also made up by humans. There was no solid proof. Dont be blocked by weird bias. Always remember that your strength isnt there to adapt to the bias, but to break it. Rather, wasnt I feeling it instinctively? There are ogres in there. The great strengths which werepletely filling up the air around Sky Mountain. If those werent from ogres, there would be no way to exin these powers. I quickly stood from my spot. My heart was pounding. Even though I could still feel the tant gazes from the Wicked Mages observing me from behind, I ignored them and approached the barrier once more. This may be a to catch those pesky flies. Looking forward to it, I touched the barrier with my hand and spoke out loud. Can you hear me? Naturally, there wasnt any sort of response from inside the barrier. But this was still going as nned. I pulled out Kunkhans Tooth, which I had stored in my bag, and lifted it in my hand. Then, I spoke again. Here. I brought the tooth of your chieftain, Kunkhan, so if you can hear me, open the door. This was the key. And simultaneously, the unmoving barrier started to shift. * * * Nearly four days from Tercian to Sky Mountain Summit. The Magician of Screams, who tracked Ruin Ardell through day and night, was watching this scene unfold from a distance away. Since he was stationed a bit away to not enter Ruins attack range, he couldnt hear anything Ruin was saying. He saw Ruin tap and push the barrier, and felt relieved when nothing happened. Does he expect those methods to work? And when he saw Ruin finally copse on the ground and stare at the barrier, he snorted a bit too. The mission would be a failure. The mission that no schr or magician could solve for so long How could a 16-year-old everplete it? It was without a doubt a failure. He only had to observe Ruins defeat here and report back at Ravirdyne. However ? The thing that happened after that was so shocking that the Magician of Screams eyes nearly sprung out of his head. The barrier that wouldnt ever even budge suddenly melted away. H-he entered? And Ruin Ardell had gone inside. How could this happen? If his subordinates that were taken down by Ruin back at Tercian were here with him, he wouldve asked if he saw it wrong, but unfortunately, he was by himself. He rubbed his eyes to see if it was an illusion. I-its real. It was undoubtedly real. His mission was to observe Ruin Ardell. The mission was absolute, and to continue it, he had to follow behind into the barrier. Gulp. The Magician of Screams gulped out of shock from this unimaginable situation and carefully approached the barrier. And, just like how Ruin entered, he took a slow step to try and enter the barrier in the same way. However, Bang! The barrier was closed, just like before. Wh-what? Bang bang bang. No matter how hard he knocked, the barrier didnt open, and he tried to find another entrance, wandering around the barrier. Then Boom! Uck. A fist from out of nowhere flew toward the chin of the Magician of Screams, and he gotunched back, unable to resist. The owner of that fist Was Ruin Ardell. Ruin muttered with a sinister smile on his face, Got you. Youre it. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Mightiest Melee Magician Sky Mountain Summit. Thest ce the first ogres still lived in. And Human? His face is definitely a humans, but Sniff sniff. The smell isnt a human. He smells just like us. Sniff sniff. Human, how do you have Chieftains relic? Ruin Ardell. The first human to set foot in the ogres sanctuary. As soon as I stepped past the boundary, I thought that I had arrived in a different world. Ogres were wearing leather clothes and wielding blunt weapons while speaking like humans and talking to me It was a dizzying feeling. Haha I also have a lot I want to say. Iughed awkwardly and sneaked a peak behind me. The annoying fly known as a Wicked Mage was observing me the whole time and was approaching the barrier. What should I do with that? As I became distracted for a second, one of the ogres stomped up to me. Human. Answer me. How can you talk with us? And why do you have our first chieftains relic? Alright. Ill answer all your questions. However, not now. I have an annoying fly attached to me. Fly? I pointed behind me. That magician over there saw me enter here. If we let him be, hell go report to the Magicians Tower and report this ce to all the other magicians. Then, all the humans would swarm here like insects. But I dont want that. You guys probably dont want that either. So, please wait a second. I turned around. For a moment, my eyes seemed to meet the magicians, but it was just my imagination. Everything on the outside could be seen as clear as day from the inside, but from the outside, nothing could be seen on the inside. A one-way-ss cage. It truly was a different world. Should we finish our game of tag? This was the moment I was looking forward to since Tercian. Despite knowing it was dangerous. Despite knowing it could be a trap. It was the perfect situation where the persistent tracker had no choice but toe closer. A perfect. Got you. I clenched my fists at the boundary between the world I lived in and the world of the ogres before punching as I crossed the barrier. Youre it. My target? His chin. Crack! The punch hit him out of nowhere. With the sound of something cracking, the magician was flung back without even being able to scream. However, I didnt stop my assault. To make sure he didnt escape in the same way asst time, I struck the ground with my fist. Earthquake. Rumble! The arid wastnd cracked open as dust and dirt erupted from under him, covering him. Then, using the weight of the dirt Bam! I dunked him into the ground so that he couldnt move. Cough, cough! Y-you craven bastard As the magician tried to cast a spell and retaliate, I used Bend Time and darted forward, striking his chin once more with a spell in my hand. Frozen Tree. Crunch! Khuk! The magician coughed up blood and his eyes rolled back like he was going to faint. However, Shshshshut! The frozen tree that grew from the split earth hadpletely confined his body. Because of the constraining grasp, he couldnt even fall unconscious. That annoying game of tag ends here. Ooh, uh He could only mutter while hanging there drooling spit and blood through his destroyed chin. The and an unexpected ambush. Perfect domination. The magician who was hanging onto a thread of consciousness was questioning me with his eyes. How did he get in? Just whats in there? His gaze held a lot of curiosity I didnt know then. That this expression would be this magiciansst. Bam! ! A gigantic club that could turn bones to dust flew right by me into his face. Above my head was an enormous ogre that could block out the sun. Wh-what did you just do? At my question, the ogre nonchntly answered, Ive only killed an annoying fly, just as you said. Th-there was no reason to kill him. We couldve erased his memory, or we couldve locked him up until my work was done Too troublesome. I had overlooked something for a moment. These guys werent humans. Now that the distraction has disappeared Treating a human life like a fly. Having the mindset of a beast. Answer me, human. Who are you? These were ogres. * * * * * * Yeah. It wasnt like I hadnt thought about killing the magician that was trailing me. It was the cleanest method. The act of killing someone was also something I wouldve had to experience sometime in the future. However Everything happened too suddenly and too simply in this unexpected situation. Master. Bear in mind, the ones youre up against right now dont care about morals or ethics. I only searched for this ce out of simple childishness and curiosity. But after witnessing someone die right before my eyes, it felt like I instantly regained my senses. Just as Straang said, I needed to stay focused. The ce I was in now waspletely different to the world I knew before. The next one to be a corpse could be me. Follow me. I followed the ogres deeper into Sky Mountain. Sky Mountain was split into three major peaks. Small Summit, Middle Summit, and Sky Summit. Our destination between these three was the tallest peak, Sky Summit. The ce where the chieftain resided. After passing through the ogres vige on Small Summit, we climbed a near 90-degree incline and climbed to Middle Summit. Only after crawling up the rough rock face was I able to reach Sky Summit. However, it looked like there was a mountain on this mountain. Huh? I had definitely reached the peak of this mountain. Then, what was this imposing cliff-face in front of me right now? I lifted my chin and looked upwards. In that ce was a huge ogre that really looked like it reached the top of the sky. An ogre that I mightve mistaken for a mountain. Huhu. Would the giants that I heard of in legends and folktales my grandparents told me be as big as this? Well, since there was a dragon that could talk with ogres, it wasnt too far fetched for giants to exist. Then, the mountain rumbled. I am Harkhan. No, to be exact, it was the chieftain of the Sky Summit tribes voice that was roaring throughout the mountain. The voice of Harkhan. You have the relic of Kunkhan? Hmhm I hesitated for a second on whether I should speak freely or give him respect. But in the first ce, we werent in the world of humans. Since this didnt seem to be important, I just said what came to mind. Thats right. How did someone like you get it? Uhm I ended up getting it somehow. I dont want to make the decision to either wee you as a guest or squash you right here and toss you to the eagles, but Im getting closer and closer to deciding. That was quite the dangerous threat. But thats the truth. No. That right there isnt something a human can handle. But Im a human and Kunkhans Tooth selected me. This is an undeniable fact. I grabbed Kunkhans Tooth from my pocket and lifted it up. At that, after looking at Kunkhans Tooth for a bit, Harkhan spoke with amazement. You smell like one of us. Saying I smell like an ogre. Naturally, this didnt mean that I had that disgustingly pungent smell of an ogre that hadnt washed for hundreds of years. This was a scent we could smell from each other instinctively. The scent of strength. He was talking about that. I looked up at Harkhan. Youre right. Im pretty strong. Alright. Who are you? How should I introduce myself? Since Im doing it anyway, wouldnt it be best to leave an impact? Do you know about Drakagonia? Its the name of a dragon that lived here before the start of human history. ! As soon as I muttered the name Draka, the mood in Sky Summit shifted. You How do you know that name? It was a pure and unhidden surprise. The surprise of hearing the name of a dragon from a humans mouth. I put the hammer to that surprise and nailed it in. I heard it from Kingram. That Draka was weed in Sky Mountain for 100 years. K-Kingram? Is he still alive? Yeah. Hes alive in the form of an artifact at my academy. He could be considered one of my professors. A great wind blew through Sky Summit. This was from Harkhan exhaling through his nose. A great ogres nose wind as he shivered in surprise and excitement. Then, Ill introduce myself. I looked toward that Harkhan and spoke. The friend of former chief of Sky Summit tribe Kingram, the one selected by Kunkhans Tooth, and the human that has inherited the powers of World Ender Draka. And for thest part, I smiled brightly. Even with all this, will you still crush me and throw me to the eagles? Just as I finished speaking, the mountain shivered. No, Harkhan was shuddering. The human that has inherited Kunkhans will. What is your name? Ruin Ardell. You are wee, at least from me. That, is weing to hear. I let out a small breath that I held in for that second. Thankfully, I had avoided bing eagle food. However, I had to repeat what I just did once again. But it''s not enough with just my wee. Eh? Because this world wasnt the world of humans where words alone had enough power to repay even 10 thousand gold. You need to go to every ogre in Sky Mountain and show them your worth. Here in the wild, if you wanted to be weed, you needed to prove your power. Show them my worth How? The same way that Draka became weed by every ogre on Sky Mountain. With strength. The proof of strength. Yeah. This was a ce like that. Strength. With just this, all hierarchies were set and you would receive everyones respect. Harkhan shouted so loud the mountains shook. Prepare for arm wrestles! Chapter 70 Chapter 70 I initially doubted my hearing. An arm wrestle? Well, it was the simplest but most effective way of demonstrating my strength, so I thought it would be ok Is that really it? Then, do you need something else? Nah. Alright, arm wrestle. Lets do it. Compared to the bloodbath of gore and death I was expecting, this was too mellow. However, I had to concede that treating an arm wrestle between ogres as simply an arm wrestle was a mistake on my part. Because the opponents I would verse in this arm wrestle werent any simple ogres. Wait, am I versing you? Of course, human! I am the son of Ormerukhan, Ormerush! This. Something definitely went wrong. The average height of ogres was usually between 4m and 5m. However, the ogre Ormerush, who was selected to be my opponent, boasted the greatest height among all the ogres that gathered at Sky Mountain Small Summit. Naturally, his height wasntparable to the giant ogre that was their chieftain, but he was two heads taller than the average ogre and nearly double their build. I felt something was wrong because of his forearm. How is his forearm as big as me? I was exaggerating a little, but the width of Ormerushs forearm was as big as an average adult males height. On top of that, the size of his fist was a whole other matter. I was doubting if I could even hold onto that huge fist andpete in an arm wrestle at all. An adult and a child. No. The difference was too great for me to make a fairparison with anything else. However, the mood had already moved past me being allowed to make excuses for a handicap afterparing our sizes. Ormerush! Go obliterate that human! Destroy him! Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh! If I even attempted to avoid this battle, they were all prepared to instantly grab me and tenderize my body with the steel clubs they were all holding. Then Human! Step forth! Bam! One ogre hit my back forcefully, pushing me forward. The Small Summit was already filled with ogres that came to watch the arm wrestle between an ogre and a human. Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! And I was stuck in a situation where I became surrounded by a hundred excited ogres. The chieftain has given the order! Right now, the noble battle between Ormerush, son of Ormerukhan, and the human will begin! Kuaaaaahng! I gulped with nervousness and stood in front of a smooth stone that seemed to have been prepared just for arm wrestles. On the other side of the stone was Ormerush as he sat on the ground with his elbow on the stone. He gestured for me to get ready. I grabbed Ormerushs hand. It felt like I ced my hand on a rock, and using the phrase grabbing his hand nearly felt awkward in my head. Then, Ormerush spoke. This is the noble battle between ogres! I am Ormerush, son of Ormerukhan! I wont go easy on you just because youre a human! Yeah. The noble battle method that had been passed down through generations. To be weed by them, I needed to follow their traditions. As I emptied my mind, a sense of prideful determination started growing in my heart. Huu Alright, lets see if I die. As I also put strength into my grip, Ormerushs eyes widened a little in surprise. I knew you werent an ordinary human, but youve surprised this Ormerush. Were you surprised? Then, Ill surprise you even more. This Ormerush will fight his hardest. Ormerush and I. We exchanged signs that signaled both of us had finished preparing. Then, an ancient ogre with a long beard walked up and ced his hand on top of our sped hands. He then shouted as if trying to blow away the mountain itself. Ready Begin! * * * I was the first to strike. Uhkyakyakyakyakya! With the starting signal, I pooled all my strength into my arm and pushed as hard as possible. Holy shit. I put in so much strength that I nearly made a mess in my pants. ! When I put in all my strength as soon as we started, Ormerushs hesitant eyes instantly changed. It was the signal of him trying his hardest too. His fist immediately became heavier and the progress of the battle started to shift. My current strength was 3,500. This was the strength supported by having Kunkhans Tooth on me. However, I felt totally powerless. Crack! I put in so much strength that the blood vessels in my arms nearly burst, but my arm had already fallen halfway. I thought that there was no way to push this arm back. Even so, there was no way I would just sit here and take it. Huaaaaaaaaaah! I put strength into my legs and used the skill, Ogres Fury. When I did, my strength increased so fast that the dirt floor sank down. Even though it was only for a moment, Ormerushs arm moved and he lost his bnce. The ogres became excited and frenzied. Ormerush! Are you truly fighting with a noble will? Dont go easy just because its a human! Finish this now! Ormerush became surprised at the sudden counterattack. Or-me-ru-sh never loses! The outraged ogre roared and pushed with all his strength, and I wanted to endure and fight back. However, in the end Bam! The arm that fell was mine * * * * * * I, Ormerushs victory! Ormerush crushed that human! Crush! Crush! Crush! Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! As the ogres that covered Sky Mountain all shouted excitedly and cheered, I copsed onto the ground. Ah I lost. My wrist had lost all flow of blood and I couldnt feel anything there. My whole arm felt heavy, as if a weight was attached to the end. This was the hardest I pushed my strength in my life. However, I lost. With the taste of defeat I hadnt felt in a while, I was also ovee by sudden tiredness. A little unexpectedly I wanted to see my mom. Ormerush extended his hand to me. Human. Stand up. Only then did my senses return. I had to win this battle to be weed by these ogres But I lost. So what would happen to me? Would I be banished? Or, would they kill me? I grabbed Ormerushs hand and stood up. However,pared to my worries, the mood had shifted in apletely different way. This is my first time seeing a human like this. Human, what is your name? He held that long against Ormerush, the greatest warrior on Sky Mountain. Human, its only natural that you lost. Even that famous Draka took 17 years to beat the greatest warrior on Sky Mountain with only strength. They were friendly to me. I had definitely lost the arm wrestle, but they hadnt rejected me. Rather, they were weing me. As I made a confused expression, Ormerush approached me. Losers dont exist in the noble battle between ogres. Human fought well, so dont be sad. Uh? This Ormerush truly marveled at the monstrous strength that poured out of that skinny body. You are strong. You are worthy of respect. Then, he grabbed my arm and lifted me into the air and shouted, I, Ormerush, son of Ormerukhan! No! All the ogres on Sky Mountain wee you! A flood of cheers and shouts. And simultaneously, I saw the quest window that I hadnt seen in a while. Quest Foreigner of Sky Mountain The ogres of Sky Mountain revere strength. The strong climb higher. Draka took 17 years to be respected by the ogres with strength. Just as he did, you must bend the ogres to your strength. Then, you will gain their respect. Victory against Ormerush in arm wrestling: 0/1 Reward: Pride of the ogres of Sky Mountain A quest that told me that I must win. Draka took 17 years? Then, Ill finish this within a month. Thanks to the quest and the ogres weing me, mypetitive spirit was reignited. I smiled brightly. Ormerush. Lets battle againter. I won''t lose then. At that, Ormerush snorted and replied, Hnghnghng. Whenever, human. * * * As soon as the arm wrestle ended, a boisterous feast table was prepared on the Small Summit. Unlike the myriad of dishes I saw at the banquet after the Grand Festival, the food prepared here was just filled with barbeques made from spit-roasted pigs. For drinks, rather than high-ss wines and beers, there were only messy half-fermented alcohol and oils from the pig. Oh! Its delicious. But in a weird sense, I liked this better. It may be because of the sad reason that I was closer to an ogre than a human. How could I say this? Human. Eat up so you can fight meter. Ok. Thanks. Hnghnghng. Maybe it was because they werent looking at me with any prejudice. Strong human. This one thing was enough of a reason for them to wee me. It was the same for me. No! Stop! The back leg is mine! What? Do you actually not have eyes? Didnt you see I grabbed it first? Look at this idiot talking. Follow me. Lets decide the true owner of that leg. Hmph! Do you think Im scared? Alright. Lets go. Ill win todays arm wrestle. They were all hot-tempered and hasty, and rather than words, they preferred fights. But after I lost the prejudice that they were monsters, their lives werent that different to humans. Rather, looking at their lives that only aimed to continue to increase their strength,pared to the dirty humans, they felt more pure. I had a sudden thought. Why were they still living trapped in this sanctuary? Well, I would get a chance to ask themter. But for now, Lets enjoy this different world. I was thinking of just focusing on training and the quest. I originally looked for this ce because of my mission, but I had forgotten all about that right now. It was because, for some reason, I felt that something that was more important than the mission could be gained here. Yeah. My feeling wasnt wrong. So, human, what are you thinking of making with the tooth of our first chieftain? Eh? I havent really thought about that yet. If you want, I can make it for you. A weapon thats fit for only a human. Because it had already happened. Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Could you repeat that? I said I can use the chieftains tooth to make you a weapon. Making a weapon out of Kunkhans Tooth? Is that possible? Since the chieftains tooth is unusually heavy and hard, not anyone can forge it. However I, Ormerush, am the greatest warrior on Sky Mountain and also its greatest steel handler. Its possible. Steel handler. It meant the first ogre to handle the huge metal weapons that the ogres used. In the context of humans, they were a type of cksmiths. The will of the previous chieftain Kunkhan. I want to refine it. Wait. This was an unexpected gain. Is there a specific weight and shape you want? Wait. This is too much too fast. You can tell meter. After all, its something that cant be handled by anyone other than a steel handler from Sky Mountain. Because of the question about the shape, I pondered on it a little bit. Sword? Shield? Armour? Staff? However, no matter how much I thought about it, my answer was already set. I smiled brightly. Would it be possible if it wasn''t a weapon? * * * 15 days had already passed since I entered Sky Mountain. During that time, I stayed in a vacant mud hut on Small Summit, but even if it was called a mud hut, since it was built for an ogre, there was too much space for me alone. Thanks to this, I was able to get a space for myself, and I spent most of my days training my body here. I did the quests that I had neglected because of the busy schedule during the Grand Festival. Of course, even if I was staying here as a guest, I wasnt just ying around the whole time. Where are we going today? Were going over Senduma Pass to hunt. So its wolves. The ogres would wander around the entire region of Sky Mountain to hunt and store food. For certain hours of the day, I would follow along and help them. It would sometimes be rabbits, sometimes deer, and sometimes wolves. If necessary, we would sometimes also hunt for wild monsters that were hidden in parts of Sky Mountain. The surprising aspect of this was, unlike the savage randomly-hunting-everything-they-see I expected, the ogres would never hunt more than they needed. Even if Sky Mountain is endlessly wide, all of nature is finite. There are cases where leaving some forter would be better. After all, the natural life of Sky Mountain wasnt endless. This was a promise to not disturb the cycle of nature. Yeah. I had forgotten for a moment because thend was vast, but this ce was removed from the outside world by a barrier. As I stayed here, I naturally came to learn why this ce became a sanctuary for ogres. It was because the shamanistic practices of the ogres werepletely different to magic. Ormerush called this ritual. They even had a priest dedicated to these rituals on Sky Mountain. We will survive until the end, waiting for the day we can rebuild the tribe and move outside the sanctuary. I didnt know the specifics of the ritual, but it was something close to a mystical hope of regaining theirnd. Well, anyways Training and hunting. Other than these two things, I had one more thing that took up the rest of my time in the day. This was Hey, Ormerush. You came again, human. Come out. Lets fight. Youre persistent. Having an arm wrestle match against Ormerush. After I lost against Ormerush on the first day, I challenged him every day without exception. It wasnt just because of the quest. As I continued to challenge him, mypetitive spirit became stronger and stronger. I would go day after day until I won. However, the oue was the same. The results till now were 15 matches, 15 losses. In a sense, the oue was expected. I was a human who only became a yer a few months ago, and Ormerush was an ogre who trained himself for hundreds of years on Sky Mountain and became one of its greatest warriors. Ormerush never goes easy. Thats what Im expecting. Yeah. Bending this steel-like arm of an ogre that was multiple timesrger than me. It looked impossible at first. However, as time slowly passed No. As I continued to rue the experience of losing, I was learning. Human, if your strength is 100, you arent even using 50 of that strength. What does that mean? Use all the strength that you have. Dont unnecessarily waste your strength. Not wasting my strength. The right way of using my strength. The way to increase the density of my strength. I epted Ormerushs advice and made an endeavor. 10 seconds, then 20, then 30. The time I could endure increased bit by bit every day. After about 10 days, I could hold my ground for nearly a minute. This wasnt all. ! Even though it was just for a moment, I could even push Ormerushs arm over the halfway point. As time passed, Ormerush became genuinely impressed with me. Human. The pace your strength is increasing at is fast. Is it? But I havent been able to beat you yet. No. Youve gotten a bit of the feel of using your strength. Well, a little. How long until you leave Sky Mountain? About 3 days? You might be able to defeat me before then. * * * * * * Just as Ormerush said, the gap between our strengths was quickly decreasing. It wasnt simply because of an increase in my strength. It was proof that I was able to utilize my strength to its fullest. And then, on the afternoon two days before I nned to leave Sky Mountain Hey, Im here again. Lets start then. I faced him on that unchanging smooth rock and grabbed Ormerushs hand. But, for some reason, something felt different. You Are you nervous? What? Nevermind. Ormerush was strong as always, but I couldnt feel the hardness I first felt in our first match. It wasnt that Ormerush changed. It was because I changed. Maybe, theres a chance I can win. I put strength in my arm with this thought in mind. The strengths shed. However, it wasnt unmovable like the first time. It didnt feel like an unbreakable wall, and I didnt have any negative thoughts that dissuaded me into thinking it was impossible. Our strength was matched in a tight bnce, and it held in a shaky form at the center. Ooooooooah! And so, 3 minutes passed. As these 3 minutes that felt like an eternity passed, both of us started to sweat like we were sitting in the rain. It became so tense that the rock we were leaning on started shaking. As the arm wrestle started to get drawn out, it became a battle of endurance. Who was more desperate to win? Who couldnt afford to give up? The difference in these had crumbled the tense bnce. ! And, in an instant, the great weight on my arm became light. Crunch! Just like how an old tree is felled, apanying the dense feeling of falling, Ormerushs arm had copsed. Ah I won? I couldnt believe it. 17 battles. 16 losses. And now, 1 win. The taste of victory I havent felt in quite a while. It tasted sweet and also amazing. Quest Foreigner of Sky Mountain Victory against Ormerush in arm wrestling: 1/1 (Completed) You are awarded Pride of the ogres of Sky Mountain. You are now respected by all the ogres. Ormerush opened his mouth. I lost. Completely. Ruin Ardell, you surprise me at every turn. Ormerush didnt call me human like he used to, but referred to me by my name for the first time. His expression was filled with respect for me. It seems the preparations are now over. Preparations? What preparations? Then, I instinctively felt it. Wait, is it finished? Its been finished for a long time. I was just waiting for the right time to hand it to you. Kunkhans Tooth had been produced into my first weapon. * * * Ormerush. What was the reason that you didnt give me the weapon when it was done? Like I told you before, I was waiting. Waiting for the day you defeat me. What if I never beat you? I wasnt going to give it to you until you won. The will of the chieftain is an important object for us. This damned ogre. I nearly got robbed in broad daylight. But thankfully, I defeated Ormerush within the timeframe, and because of this, I could check out the weapon I hadmissioned. Come in. Ormerushs forge wasnt a simple hut, but a huge repurposed cave near the Middle Summit. I came to this ce every day for the arm wrestle, but this was my first time entering the forge itself. My first impression of the inside Hoo. was that it was incredibly hot. As soon as I passed through the entrance, the essence of heat washed over my face from the equipment. The second thing I felt Is that it? Yes. I had expected something grand to appear inside this sweltering smithy. But inside the forge, there were just three steel handlers other than Ormerush that were hitting something with metal hammers. The thing they were hitting with their hammers was the weapon that Imissioned. A pair of gloves. Come closer, here. As I approached, the steel handler ogre struck the glove again with his metal hammer. However ng! Even after being struck by the heavy metal hammer, there was no dent nor damage to the glove. Rather, the hammer had bounced back from how hard it was. This was because of the fragments of Kunkhans Tooth that were attached to the outside of the gloves. As you wished, Kunkhans Tooth was separated into 10 pieces. They had attached 5 of these 10 pieces to each glove. It was like a brass knuckle. These types of weapons werent widely used, and were usually wielded by back-alley thugs or monsters that plundered for a living. However, for me, whose main weapon was his fist, this form was worth more to me than any famous sword. I didnt have to think twice. The tooth is separated into 10 pieces, but the chieftains will is still there. No, it was amplified. Ormerush handed the knuckles to me. And I epted them. Simultaneously, a status window appeared. Knuckles of Kunkhans Will Creator: Ormerush < > The knuckles were created by attaching the tooth fragments of Sky Mountain ogres first chieftain. The 10 tooth fragments will not break from any physical force and will destroy anything and everything. Upon equipping, strength will increase by 2000. You have learned the unique skill, Chieftans Will. There is potential for growth. There is potential for growth. I asked Ormerush with a nk expression, How many ogre warriors are there on Sky Mountain? Hm? We have about 120. Why are you asking this suddenly? I didnt know for certain, but after equipping the knuckles I became overflowing with confidence for some unknown reason And I wanted to try it at least once. I smiled brightly and asked him one thing. Can you call them all? Chapter 72 Chapter 72 All the ogres in Sky Mountain gathered at the Small Summit. Excluding the young ogres and the elders, all the other ogres who could use their strength lined up single file behind the arm wrestle rock. And the sole person on the other side standing there facing them was me. 1 vs 100. At this unbelievable spectacle of one scrawny human facing a mob of 100 ogres, someone spoke up. What is Ruin trying to do now? Havent you heard? He announced that he would face all of us in arm wrestles. What? Even if he was able to defeat Ormerush hes going to fight all of us? Seems hes gotten over his head. Dont you dare lose. The pride of the ogres is at stake here. Thats fucked. I dont want to even think about it. Go win, ogre warriors! Crush the humans hubris! Right. It was my suggestion. 1 vs 100. Me versus all the ogres in arm wrestles. From the perspective of the ogres, maybe this was just an arrogant challenge, but the overall atmosphere wasnt that bad. You must win! Know that if you all lose in a row, there wont be dinner for you! Kekekek. Rather, they were excited by my spirit. The kids started cooking meat from the side and it became a festival to once again spectate our arm wrestles. Being satisfied with this atmosphere, Straang smiled. Kugh! This is nostalgic. Draka also did this once before. Really? Yeah. I think it was about 30 years after he came to Sky Mountain? He said he got pretty strong and defeated 17 ogres in a row. But master youre challenging 100 after only a month of training. A humans lifespan is iparably short. We should get things done quickly. Are you confident? 100 ogres. If I was the me of yesterday, I wouldve definitely thought that this would be impossible. However, Yeah. Im confident. The Knuckles of Kunkhans Will. The feeling I got after putting these gloves on was like I became the ruler of the world. An infinite and unending strength that wouldnt lose to anything. As if I had a spear that could shatter any shield. Through the arm wrestles on Sky Mountain, I had trained my ability to use my strength properly. The explosive strength that emanated from my knuckles was just raring to go. It was different to yesterday. Definitely. My strength hadnt just simply increased by 2000. I felt it solidify by more than double. I looked over at the ogres that were lined up and spoke to them. One, two, three, four Huu. There are too many of you. Since we need to finish this before the sun sets, lets get this started. What did you say?! You rat-like human bastard! Haha. Some ogres pretended to be enraged at my taunt, but that was also just a performance. The memories that I got from Sky Mountain always yed out in simr refreshing manners. Alright, lets start. I grabbed the hand of the first ogre, and with the start signal, I very easily pushed his arm down. Bang! It was enough for the arm wrestle rock to shake a little. Oh! As the ogre warrior was swiftly defeated, light exmations were heard all around. I looked back at the next ogre and brightly smiled. Alright, next. * * * Myst night on Sky Mountain was as rowdy as ever. For the great human warrior! For Ruin Ardell! Hey, Im not a warrior. Im a magician. Kekek. Can you really say that? Is a wolf in sheep''s clothing not a wolf? Well, whether I was a warrior or a magician, I actually seeded in defeating all 100 ogres in the arm wrestle. It started to get a little tough at the 80-ogre mark. But from that point on, I really was holding on with grit alone. The veins on my arms were tense like they were going to pop. I clenched down on my teeth so hard that I thought they were going to break. After I managed to fell the 100 ogres For the friend of Sky Mountain! For Ruin Ardells great journey! Blessings of strength for him! All the ogres on Sky Mountain called me the greatest human warrior. The event of 100 ogres being defeated by just 1 human. This could definitely be something that would be shameful for the ogres. But they didnt treat it like that. You stupid ogres! Can you still eat after you all were defeated by some human? Then what about you? Werent you the first to be defeated by him? Nah nah! I lost to Ruin when he was at his fullest strength! You were 98th and lost to him when his arms were tired like a noodle! Fuck off! Losing is still losing. Whats the difference? Yeah. Ruin was stronger than us, and we lost. That is enough. Hah! Rather, they were enjoying this situation. If I was to follow what Ormerush said, this was probably the most fun thing that happened in a century. This short month-long visit to this ce where nothing special happens Ruin. You have gifted us an excellent memory. It would be a fun memory for everyone here. Delicious meat, pig oil brew, and arm wrestling against us. If you ever miss these things, you cane back here any time. You will forever be weed by the ogres of Sky Mountain. Maybe that was why, for some reason, I became more attached to this ce. Here, I learnt about strength. Here, I received my first weapon. And here, I also learnt about how the ogres thought. However, when tomorrow came, I had to leave Sky Mountain to return to Ravirdyne. * * * * * * A Special Mission. At the Magicians Tower No. Fire King Teron himself would probably interrogate me in full about my time during the month and about the identities of the ogres. Would I truthfully say everything andplete the mission, or would I lie and fail it? I was in a position to decide between the two. But this too was set in stone from the beginning. Hey, Ormerush. I put my hand out in front of Ormerush. Seeing that, Ormerush asked me with a reluctant expression while looking at my hand, Are you challenging me again? Hmhm. I didnt know you had the tendency of bullying those weaker than you. Alright. Ill be yourst No. Im not saying we should arm wrestle. Hm? I held the hand of Ormerush that I grabbed countless times during thest month. Of course, unlike the other times, I didnt put any strength into it. Rather, I held onto it lightly and shook it up and down. This is called a handshake. Handshake? At Ormerushs question, the other ogres looked at our curious movement. I called out to these ogres. When we are happy to see someone, or separating with a friend, humans use this. A friend. Is that so? Yeah, friend. Ogres were one of the main enemies of humans, and the ogres of Sky Mountain were no exception. They treated the human who entered their barrier as an enemy. But we had passed through all that and became friends. So, this is a farewell. Farewell? No. That makes it seem like well never see each other again. Theres another meaning hidden in the handshake of humans. ? I smiled brightly toward my first ogre friend. See youter. Ille around sometime. * * * Ravirdyne. At the top of the tallest tower that was in the capital of the nation, Fire King Teron asked the magician Stray Cat, Any news? He had already asked this question three times in thest month. Considering his nature of never asking the same question twice in most cases, this was definitely unnatural for him. However, unfortunately for him, the words that came out of Stray Cat were the same as always. There is no news. News. This was about the Magician of Screams that was sent after Ruin Ardell. One month ago, three Wicked Mages left the Magicians Tower to chase after Ruin Ardell, who was headed toward Sky Mountain. However, two of them returned not a dayter back to Ravirdyne with fatal injuries all over them. It was because they were caught by Ruin Ardell and beaten up before their proper stalking could begin. The news the Fire King knew about was that the Magician of Screams had chased after Ruin alone. But what happened after that? Sess or failure? It wouldve been proper if either of these pieces of news had returned back to Ravirdyne. However, nothing had returned from the Magician of Screams. And so, the Fire King sent another tracking team to Sky Mountain. There were no traces of human activity around Sky Mountain, and there were also no signs of camping anywhere there. They did find traces of human blood on the ground, but as it had all dried up, they couldnt tell whose it was. Since it hade to this, there was no way he couldnt be curious. Just what happened to Ruin Ardell and the Magician of Screams? They wouldve had to either ascend toward the sky, or sink beneath the deep earth. It would be one of the two, but nothing made sense. What is the probability that Ruin Ardell went somewhere other than Sky Mountain? It isnt zero, but if he did, there wouldve been a report. Well, Ruin probably dealt with him. The probability is very slim. Since their lives are their first priority, they wouldnt have tried to enter Ruin Ardells magic range. On top of that, the Magician of Screams had quite a few long-range teleportation sigils on him. Stray Cats words were logical. No. Im confident. But the Fire King He was already confident that Ruin could overpower the Magician of Screams. However, he couldnt openly question Ruin about this. To ask Ruin about what he did, Teron would need to admit that he sent trackers after him. But to just brush this over as if nothing happened didnt sit well with Teron. In this situation Tower Master, I have something to report. A new report arrived. This was the news that the Fire King Teron was anticipating for so long. Ruin Ardell had just arrived in Ravirdyne a few minutes ago. One month after Ruin left Ravirdyne, there was news that Ruin had returned from his trip to Sky Mountain. However, What of the Magician of Screams? There is nothing. The pure source of information was missing. The Fire King rubbed his temples, looking a little stressed. Call him here. Chapter 73 Chapter 73 The Ravirdyne I returned to after a month was as magnificent as always, and the scenery around the Magicians Tower was also beautiful. But I couldnt enjoy the scenery like I did a month ago. A lot of things had changed during thest month. So, did you enjoy your mission? The Fire King was curious enough about my abilities to attach a tracker behind me, and this was done quite bluntly. Enough for me to recognise them as more of a dangerous individual rather than an ally. However, I chose to talk in a way where I wouldnt expose myself. Did I enjoy it? Damn it. You were right, Fire King. This mission that no one chose. There was a reason for it. Tell me more about it. The mission that no one hadpleted. I became tempted by the title of first to do it. However, that was truly a double-edged de. When I arrived at Sky Mountain, I truly felt that this mission was beyond myself. The boundary was definitely too sturdy, and I couldnt find a way to enter inside. Hearing what I said, the Fire King Teron narrowed his eyes. So what youre saying is that this mission was a failure? Yes. As you can see, this was a total failure. The first winner of the Grand Festival to fail their mission, Ive be that fool. I am so embarrassed, I have no excuses. Rather than talking about the ogres of Sky Mountain, I chose to fail the mission. However, Fire King Teron seemed to not like the way I spoke, furrowing his brows before gesturing to Stray Cat, who was standing behind me. It was a signal to get out, and Stray Cat left the room. The top of the Magic Tower. In the Fire Kings room, only the Fire King and I remained. As if looking through me, he stared at me with an unpleasant expression. You are pretty proficient in hiding your expression, but youre still a greenhorn when ites to lying. Seems we need to be a bit more honest with each other. Fire King Teron. He desired to receive my honest answer. You have the same strength as the ogres, and you were also selected by the first ogre chieftain Kunkhans tooth. And the mission you selected had to be going to explore the first gathering ce of the ogres. Dont you think these are too rted to be considered a coincidence? And so, I smiled brightly at him. Is that why you had surveince on me? Rather than surveince, lets say it was for your protection. Those magicians said the same thing. However, I would like to believe the magician at the boundary would know the differences between the dictionary definitions of surveince and protection. I was simply concerned for you. Concerned? Concerned that you may be a magician who opposes the Magic Tower. A magician who opposes the Magic Tower. What did this truly mean? Magicians that do not follow your will Are they all magicians who oppose the Magic Tower? Of course, they do differ a bit case by case But my life experience tells me this. They mostly do. That experience alone doesnt tell you everything. You bore me. Were starting to discuss some fleeting things. So, tell me honestly. What did you see in Sky Mountain? In that instant, the Fire Kings eyes lit up. In that ce Were the first ogres living there? It was a frightening stare, enough to make me fearful for a moment. It was obsession. It was madness. The dangerous side of the Fire King that Tirion Ignit had warned me about. As I looked at him, I slowly opened my mouth. I didnt see anything. I couldnt enter. It would be best for you to not lie a lie that can be uncovered. You seem to know about Millies Covenant better than I. Millies Covenant. The promise that, as long as one didnt lie, a magician had the right to protect their secrets. Of course, I knew this very well. I had predicted that he would try and trip me using this. If I put my mind to it, I could go through your memories right here right now. So youre threatening me now too. Only if necessary. Its not particrly hard to do. But I didnt surrender and didnt lie. Arent you incapable of doing it? What? I have told you I failed the mission, yet you will really dominate my mind and go through my memories to prove me wrong? The great King of Magicians will do that? Yeah. He wouldnt be able to do it from the start. No, I knew that he wouldnt do it. The famous King of Magicians acknowledging that they sent a tracker against a student during their mission to the whole world and then dominating that students mind and seeing into their memory? This was an impossibly difficult action for the Fire Kings ego to take. There was only one thing he could do. It was neither Millies Covenant nor mind domination. He could only threaten me to tell the truth. This was all. That was why I asked him again. I am only a student. Why do you have so many things you want to confirm about me? I already knew his answer. The artifact of Area X in the Magic Tower had selected me. This had proven that, the seat the Fire King was sitting in I was its next master. Of course, at the end of the day, this was still only a possibility. My current self was only a small thorn. An unimportant thorn that couldnt even pierce the foot of the giant known as the Fire King. However, no matter how small a thorn was, someday, it could topple a giant. The Fire King knew this too. This was why he was so wary of me. You dare bet against me I do not want to acknowledge that youre only a student. Alright, Ill ept it. With this, your first official mission has ended with a failure. You may now return to your academy. Just as it had happened before, he would continue to observe me in the future. * * * * * * Ravirdyne. That excitement I felt when I first visited this ce had all disappeared. It became a city that I just wanted to escape. Phew, I nearly spilled it. If the Fire King was a more absurd individual than I thought, I wouldnt have been able to do anything. I wouldve had to tell him everything. However, as I thought, he was someone wary about how hes perceived by the world. And he was only a man stuck in a position where he must follow the perceptions. This was why it only ended with a simple threat. I was able to deal with it like this today, but because I didnt want to stay in this ce any longer, I wanted to quickly leave the magic tower and walk straight toward the mana train station. But then Ruin. Irene? At the front entrance of the magic tower, a wee face was seen. Were you perhaps waiting for me? Yes. I heard that you finished your mission and arrived back at Ravirdyne. Ah, so that already spread. Then you mustve heard that I also failed. Yes. You truly wrote history. The first student to fail the mission after winning the Grand Festival. Ruin Ardell. This was a little embarrassing. However, since I knew that she had no intentions of mocking me, Iughed a bit. Well, isnt it great to be the first at anything? Fufu. Your uncaring attitude is the same as always. If it was me, I would be pretty devastated. Well, I just dont want to be disappointed by something small like this. So, whats up? At my question, Irene Prius looked a little flustered and shrugged. Nothing. What? Nothings up I just wanted to see you. We were a team once, so I thought we were pretty close Cant Ie to greet you? As Irene pouted her cheeks jokingly, I was the one who got flustered. Ah No. Of course you can. Seems Ive asked a stupid question. Its good that you know. We bothughed together and walked side by side through the Ravirdyne cityscape. There wasnt any particr destination, but we naturally headed toward the mana train station. Youre returning to your academy for the first time in a while. How do you feel? Hm How can I say this? Im looking forward to seeing my peers and also worried that they will pester me. Pester you? You know that not everyone likes me. I have some enemies. Ah. What was that knowing smile? Did I really look like I would have a hard time? Hmm Contrary to my question, Irene smiled andughed as if it was funny. After you return to your academy today, when will you visit Ravirdyne again? Here? I dont know. I dont particrly want toe back to this ce. Really? Everyone likes Ravirdyne though. How do I say this Its too fancy. I feel unwee here. It was fancy, and there was a coldness hiding behind it. I had seen both the faces of this city. The Fire Kings true face that was hidden behind a mask called kindness. The temptations of the Golden Pce that in the end contained a prince who only wanted a puppet. However, I didnt have a reason to talk about these to her right now. Next time, rather than Ravirdyne lets meet somewhere else. Somewhere else? Yes. Come visit my home territory sometimes. Compared to Ravirdyne, which is always bustling, its a small and quiet countryside territory But while youre staying there, Im sure that your heart will befortable. My hometown, the Ardell Territory. Having received my formal wee, Irene Prius looked ted as the tip of her mouth squirmed a little before opening into a wide smile. Really? Sure. When I do, you cant ask me why I visited. Not like today. Alright. I wont. At my reply, she let out a small breath she was holding and smiledfortably. The Ardell Territory Im looking forward to it. After walking together for a while, we ended up at the mana train station. The mana train I would take would be here at any moment. Suddenly, Irene reached her hand out toward me. Then, lets see each other again. Soon. It was a handshake. A totally soft handpared to the rough ogre hand of Ormerush from Sky Mountain. I grabbed Irenes hand and smiled. Yeah. Lets. At that moment, the mana train had swiftly entered the station. Yeah. It was finally time to return to the academy. Chapter 74 Chapter 74 The mana-train ride to Ignit Magic Academy was true tranquility itself. This was because magicians didnt have a particr reason to visit the Radian Kingdom. Most of them would head toward Ravirdyne. But still. How am I actually alone? It felt cold from how empty it was. I roamed around my empty cart and passed the time. Those times were quite boring at first, but that boredom was quickly reced by another feeling as soon as the train entered the Radian Kingdom. Its been a while. Excitement. The view I could see of the Radian Kingdom through the windows of the train definitely couldntpare to the view of Ravirdyne. But for some reason, my heart was fluttering. This thrill I was feeling As soon as the train stopped, I stepped outside. Bang! Something exploded in front of me just like the small fireworks with flowers in them. Ruin! Wee back! Yeeeaaah! A short cheer and bouquets of flowers were given to me by my underssmen. Behind them, [The pride of the Ignit Magic Academy! Ruin Ardell!] [Ruin! Congrats on your victory in the Grand Festival!] Posters were put up with simr phrases. Compared to the ceremony given to me by the crown prince, this was iparably small and cute. But naturally, this was more appealing to me. Ruin! Alright! Everyone lift him up! One, two, three! Jason and my peers hugged me, and then out of nowhere, lifted me into the air. Can you let me down? I was on the train for too long. I feel dizzy What?! Were just getting started! You bastaaaaaaards! And, Ruin. Youve done well. Professor Hydel and Director Tirion Ignit were standing a few steps back, smiling with pride for me. Yeah. No matter how fancy Ravirdyne might be, in the end, this was my true ce offort. * * * My weing ceremony continued into the academy. The Director gathered everyone for an assembly and then praised me for my achievements in front of everyone. I received rounds of apuse from the students. It was a little embarrassing, but I also said something. Yes uh Thank you, everyone, for supporting me. Just like that. Because of this, I did hear Jason shout out something like, What the hell dude? Say something cool, but there was no reason to needlessly drag this out. It had already been two months since the event, and the stories of my sess were already told by my peers to everyone. On top of that, wasnt I the one who publicly failed their mission? Of course, my peers didnt say a single thing about that. Yeah. This much congrattion without going too overboard was enough. The victor of the Grand Festival has returned! The spread of this story didnt stop within the academy. It went even to the Galehill family, famed for their magic, to other noble houses, and [With love and affection to the genius magician and true patriot to our country, Ruin Ardell] Whats this? Its a letter from the princes. Who? The first and second princes of our kingdom. I ended up receiving letters of love and affection from the princes that I hadnt even seen before. Why would they send a letter to me? I heard that you received an offer from the crown prince of the Raynac empire. From where? How can it be a secret? This happened in the grand banquet when all 32 were gathered together. How could I not hear about it? In any case, the princes became pretty happy after the rumour that you declined the crown prince started floating around. Why should they? They say because youre a true patriot. [With love and affection to the genius magician and true patriot to our country, Ruin Ardell First, we have profound gratitude for you attaining victory in such a great tournament as the Grand Festival and building the kingdoms honour (omitted) I heard that the crown prince wanted you. However, I was deeply moved by your patriotism that no amount of gold could test, and for declining the Empires offer, returning back to our kingdom. I, the first prince Radian Croster, want to meet with you immediately and talk seriously about the future of our kingdom. Which days are best for you? I await your response.] The letter was filled with talks about meeting up. The second princes letter wasnt too different. * * * * * * The first and second princes. Since the sessor hasnt been decided yet, these two were fighting each other day in and day out. It seemed that they were both aiming for me. However, Its so bothersome. Why? What did it say? A serious talk about the future of our kingdom I have no interest in that, but why was he talking about it like it was a done deal? Its nothing. I took the letter I received and folded it carefully in half before putting it into my drawer. Even if he was the prince of a nearly fallen kingdom, I couldnt rip up a princes letter. [I apologize. I only want to focus on my studies for now.] This much should be enough for a response, right? In any case, I returned to my daily life. Its really interesting. What is? Just like before ss is still tiring, right? Kek. Yeah. Looks like youre the same as me. I thought the best student would have a different opinion to me. Its the same. Im just holding it in. Taking the same sses. Eating the same lunches. Preparing for my next tests. Waking up a little earlier toplete my morning exercise and quest. It was my normal daily life. But of course, [The guardian that will lead the future of the Radian Kingdom. With love and affection for dear Ruin Ardell (omitted) I do not wish to interrupt your studies, but I do wish for you to understand that I want you this much. This is already the fourteenth letter. Since its at this point I can only hope for the day that you understand my intentionse faster. p.s. I spend the days amusing myself by nagging the pce deliverers about your letter. Then, I await your response.] the event of receiving a bothersome letter had been added. Your majesty, You should spend your time looking at state affairs instead of waiting for my reply, And why are you nagging those innocent postmen anyway? Did another onee? Yeah. Those princes are too persistent. If they looked after the country with the same passion as they have with sending letters to you, our country wouldve already be a superpower. Radian Empire! Think about it! Kekek. How does that even make sense? But in the end, it was still the same normal day. The Grand Festival, Ravirdyne, Sky Mountain ogres, the Fire King I really did have too much on my te. Now, it was time to rest. Because, in a little bit, Ruin, what are you doing this break? The break wasing up. * * * The academy I returned to after the events of the Grand Festival and the mission from the magic tower had already finished their final tests and were waiting for their break. Break. What a thrilling word. Everyone looked forward to it. Ah, I want to return to my territory and rest my head. Im tired from all these tests! Tired from the tests? Arent youst in the ss? Shut up! Do you thinkst ce doesnt get stressed from tests? A student that wanted to go home as fast as possible because they failed their exam. A student that wanted to go home as fast as possible because they did well in their exam. Their reasons didnt matter. Everyone was looking forward to the break for one reason or another, and they yearned for their homes. Well, this used to exclude me. Ruin, are you returning home this year? I need to go home. Really? Yeah. As I said that I needed to go home, Jason stood from his seat and started muttering, Ruin is returning to his territory? Damn I cant believe it. I thought you were a spirit haunting the academy. A spirit? Youre too much. Everyone else went home during the break, but I stayed at the academy for thest 5 years. Everyone knew the reason. After I discovered that my excellent talent was actually nothing, I found the thought of facing the people of my territory, including my father, difficult. The thought that, if I trained while everyone else was resting, I would be able to recover just a little bit, had bound me to the school. However, it was different this year. I need to go. Meet my dad again, meet my sister. I also miss my territory This time My father, my sister, and the people of my territory. I would be able to meet them with pride. Wait a second Since I was thinking about my territory Irene Prius. I did invite her to my territory but she wouldnt appear randomly during this break right? She should also be busy. So youre going home? Alright! Jason suddenly opened my wardrobe. Lets see This ones too dark, this ones too big Wait, what the hell is this? This is so childish that not even a seven year old would wear this What are you doing right now? What do you mean? Im looking for clothes you can wear. Why are you choosing what Im going to wear? Youre handsome and strong and smart but your fashion sense is terrible. The worst maybe. But youre in luck. Im pretty good in that department. So, take my advice and dress like it. Youre returning for the first time in over 6 years, so you should dress up nice, right? Ah, was that so? Jason started pulling out clothes from the wardrobe and had the air of a professional as he matched them on my body and thought about them with his hand on his chin. But in the end, he muttered, Theres nothing good to wear and started to go through his own wardrobe. Wait, what do you mean theres nothing good to wear? What about all these clothes? What a nonsensical statement. Done. This much should be enough. A fancy pink tailcoat and a tuxedo withces attached to the wrists coupled with a blindingly white pair of pants with obvious flower patterns on it. Jason had purposely picked clothes that were the direct opposite of my preferences, and I put them in my bag begrudgingly. I was thankful But sorry Jason. I think wearing these would be too much. But then, someone hurriedly knocked on our door. Ruin! Are you done yet? The person who entered was Hankus. He was part of the Michael Group, but after the Grand Festival, hepletely became my friend. Did you forget that the vacation speech is done by the student representative? You need to go now. Sure. Im done here. Ah, also, dont talk for too long, ok? Hankus asked me to keep the speech short, Obviously. and I shrugged my shoulders in understanding. Those vacation speeches that were long and boring werent my style either. Lets go. Said Jason as he tugged my arm after getting dressed. I also left the dorm room. Break Started now. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 The holiday oath. It was a type of pledge. Firstly, before were magicians, were students. We will not use magic outside of official promises. We will not use magic outside of official promises. The student representative announced the pledge and the other 800 students repeated this in unison. A promise that must be kept by the magicians that would soon go on break. The contents of this oath wereid out with pretty standard and obvious things, but the main point was that one shouldnt abuse their magic. Outside of promised asions, one could use magic if ones body and health would be threatened, another would be threatened, or if they would unluckily find themselves in confrontation with a monster. Abuse, dignity, restraint, regtions, honor, and the like should be considered. I stood at the podium and led the pledge, saying a total of seven things during the vacation ceremony before looking toward Director Tirion. The director smiled at me, showing me that I did good, and started talking. And so, the Directors preaching began. Students, it has already been half a year since the start of your school year. This is the perfect time to reflect upon your goals that you set for yourselves as magicians when you first knocked on the doors of the Ignit Academy. The great magician Frolian Ignit that first founded this very academy repeated this same phrase until his dying breath. There is no end. Even though he was the one who was the closest to the edge of magic, he couldnt feel the end of it. Dont bezy just because of the vacation and It was definitely a great story with noble intentions, but it was just boring to the students who were awaiting their break. There was no mercy. It was just like the great magician Frolian Ignit had said. There is no end to this boring preaching, even though we were thankful to the Director. He was a pretty good person But he didnt have any flexibility when it came to his preaching. Another 10 minutes passed until he finished talking. Up next, the student representative will talk about our attitude as we await our break. It finally came to my turn to end this ceremony. Subject: Our attitude as we await our break. My gaze dropped downward. The parchment on the podium held the story that I had prepared diligently overnight. But I turned that paper over. Then, I stepped forward, toward the students who were rubbing their eyes in tiredness, and spoke. I hope that you will have an enjoyable break without regrets. That is all. * * * Even thought it was the morning, the entrance of the academy was filled with a ton of people. Were here! Young Master! It was all because of the servants and carriages waiting to take the students back to their territories. However,pared to the amount of people gathered here, it was orderly. It was because the students, who were ready to leave the academy even a second earlier, left as soon as they got in their carriages. Jason was the same. The Daymond House insignia of the royal foxglove beer keg was on the side of his silver carriage, and he got on, flicking his finger at me. As I thought, Ruin I believed in you. About what? In the 6 years in the academy, Ive been through many vacation ceremonies, but a concise and tight farewell like you did today was a first. An enjoyable break without regrets. I like it. A long vacation following a short vacation ceremony. Thats right! I gleefully responded, and Jason shook my hand before leaving the academy. Then, Ill see you in two months! Ill see you in two months. It was the same boring thing he said every year, but there was a reason it somehow felt new. That was because I didnt have to remain alone at the academy and wallow in my pity. I can also go home I would be able to return to my hometown. However, unlike the houses of other students, the Ardell Familys servant carriage didnt arrive. The reason was simple. I hadnt sent a message that I would be returning this break. Since the Ardell territory, as one of the kingdoms most southward countryside towns, didnt have any magicians, we could onlymunicate through letters. Even after the letters arrived, it would take a few more days, totalling about a month, for the carriage to arrive at the academy. It was faster for me to just go by myself. Then, lets go. I suppressed my elevated heart and moved toward the stable at the back of the academy. Since all the horses here were owned by the academy, you couldnt use them unless for special asions, but I had already gotten permission from Professor Hydel. Are you going now? Professor. He brought the horse by the reins himself, as if waiting for me. His expression looked a little moreplicated than usual. Going back to your hometown Its great. Yeah. The Professors hometown was the same as mine, the Ardell Territory. He was ofmon birth at Ardell, and also an old friend of my father. Also Professor Arent you also going to the territory? For a reason different to mine, he hadnt returned to the territory in a while. Why? Why hadnt he returned for decades? I couldnt know for sure. But just like his veiled emotions, I could vaguely guess. Next time. It was guilt. When I am not ashamed of myself, then I may be able to return, just like you did. Maybe, it was closer to pity. Professor Hydel had experienced being cut down from his dreams because of his status as amoner. When he said that he was ashamed of himself, it mayve been from his disappointment toward his past anger he had of being born amoner. I wanted to tell him to not me himself. But I shut my mouth and instead chose to smile for him. Ill say hello to Father for you. Just like what Id experienced, there were a time and ce for everything, Alright. The professor smiled bitterly and bid me farewell. Have a safe trip. * * * * * * 10 days. I spent over ten sleepless days riding my horse. This was a path I hadnt traveled since I entered the academy when I was 10. Since I couldnt even remember the path, it didnt feel even somewhat nostalgic. But thanks to the fast horse, I could shorten the 15 day trip I wouldve had on the carriage to just 10 days. Passing Ong, the southernmost trade city in the Radian Kingdom, I trekked through a forest. Only after that could I smile brightly. Im finally here. From here on out was the Ardell territory that some people didnt even know existed. It was next to the ocean, but the territorys main job was farming, and this small countryside view was the same as it was 6 years ago. A lush path through the forest, and a small beach that could be seen between the trees. Before the beach was a field of crops, and next to them were small log cabins near a well. The ce was filled with the essence of food and people. Ardell. Clop Clop I slowed down and entered the town while enjoying the view. Huh? Looks like someonesing. Since this path was rare to most travellers and foreigners, my entrance into the vige created a smallmotion. Who is it? Since I was covered by my cloak that also acted as my sleeping bag and wore a wide brimmed hat, it was natural that no one could recognise me. Who are you? A well built man blocked my path, and I got off the horse, taking off my hat. Mr Pison? Your presence is still the same. H-huh? Its been a while. Have you been well? Y-Young Master?! Mr Pison. Since he had his first child when I left the territory Would the kid be 6 by now? Sure enough, a young girl who looked to be about 6 years old held onto Mr Pisons legs and stared at me with curiosity. I crouched down and smiled at her. How are you? The little kid hid behind Mr Pison, wary of me. How cute. When I left for the academy, my younger sister Ruina was about this young then Did she grow up well? I stood back up again. I-its the young master Muttered Mr Pison in shock, and after confirming my face again, he shouted for the whole vige to hear, Young Master has really returned! Whos here? What do you mean who?! Its the young master! Young Master Ruin! Huuuuh? Young Master Ruin is back? The difference of status between nobles and peasants did exist between us. But since the Ardell noble house didnt really feel like a noble house, I visited here many a time to share meals with them. Enough to remember the names and faces of the few people that made up this small vige. Just as I remembered them I apologise. I really did take too long, didnt I? Waaaaah! Young Master! They had not forgotten me. The olddies who took care of me in the stead of myte mother. The grandpas who would tell me fun stories once a while. The young children who I yed with, disregarding the difference in status. We were all close. Like a family. Young Master! Dont you know how worried we were when there wasnt any news from you? Thats right, thats right! Were really curious. Have you been healthy? Hows the magic academy? Are there really amazing magicians like in the rumours? Hut! What do you mean amazing? Our Young Master is amazing-er than all of them. His talent was so good that he was known in the capital when he was just 10 years old. Isnt that right? Of course! Thats right. Now now, since the young master has returned, shouldnt we have a festival of sorts? We must. Hah! We must! Before that, the young master needs to meet with the lord. Isnt that so, Young Master? Haha. Thats true. Nothing had changed. The brushmakers house here. Mr Pisons wheat fields on that hill. The alchemists workshop beyond that. I could walk through the Ardell territory with my eyes closed. The vigers walked with me. Then, I had finally arrived in front of my house. My Lord! Pleasee out! Look whos here! As all the people of the territory gathered here, Dellin Ardell, my father, the lord of Ardell territory, appeared before me. Ruin My fathers eyes were wide with astonishment at my appearance, And behind him Ruin? My younger sister, Ruina Ardell, jumped up and greeted me. Heh. That kids all grown up now. https://dsc.gg/reapeics Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Ruina. Only four years younger, she was my one and only little sister, and had just turned 12. Ruin? The Ruina in my memories was just a little kid who would follow me around wherever I went, but during these six long years, she had started to grow into a beautifuldy. She was on the terrace when she saw me, and after getting shocked by my appearance at the house, she ran downstairs and burst through the door. And then Ruin! She charged straight into my arms for a hug. I gently lifted her into the air and smiled. Ive been gone for too long. Sorry. She was a bit taller, but she was still that cute Ruina that I remembered. She still acted like a little kid. Then, Mr Pison threw out a joke after seeing Ruina. Young Lady, didnt you say you would kick the young masters shin when he returns? What? Haha. Looks like youre just happy to see him now that hes finally returned. W-wait, yeah! Ruina jumped back to the ground, having remembered something. She then jumped up and kicked my shin. You dummy! Why are you only here now?! You never even sent any letters! ! Crack! Naturally, I couldve dodged it if I wanted to, but I wanted to see just how much it would hurt if I got hit But that was a mistake. Why did it hurt so much? I clutched my leg, bouncing on the other, and Ruina, seemingly still unsatisfied, shouted at me. Dont you know how worried I was! Ugh, sorry. But Ruina, I think I think my bone is broken. Eh? R-really? Yeah. I dont think I can walk. Why did you hit me so hard? W-wait, let me see. Ruinas expression froze after hearing me say that my bone was broken, but I let go of my leg and jumped up high on the spot. Just kidding. Ruin! Ruina was furious as she ran at me, and I easily evaded her before running while smiling. Haha. Yeah. It was always fun to mess with Ruina like this. She was taller, but shes still just as gullible as before. I allowed myself to get caught by Ruina and received some punches to my back. While that happened, my father walked over to me. Ruin, you shouldve told us you wereing. I wanted toe back as fast as possible, and I also wanted to surprise you guys a little. Well, you seeded. My father smiled gently and gave me a gentle hug. Ruin, wee home. Yeah The nostalgic smell of my hometown. My heart had already lightened. * * * The Ardell Familys dinners were usually quite simple. But today was different. Unlike any other day, an abundant feast was prepared instead. A sweet pumpkin soup with a fresh corn sd. Salty bacon and ki trout, the specialty of the Ardell territory that could only be caught on the southern sea here. Of course, it wasnt by any means the grandest of dinner tables, but everything was cooked with love and care. Nom nom. Nanny Barnellys food is still amazing. The taste was also nostalgic. My nanny, Barnelly, who stepped in to take care of me when my mother passed away early, had always cooked me delicious food. We looked at each other and smiled. Are my dishes better than the meals you had at the academy? Of course. Its unfair topare the two. Fufu. It is hard to eat other food after trying mine, after all. Ruin, are you already finished eating? No, Im just getting started. Nanny, can you give me another serving? Fufu. Take as much as you like. And like that, I went on to finish another delicious te of food. Its amazing I still cant believe it. For my elder brother to return. Ruina sat next to me with a hand on her chin, contemting the amazing situation next to her. I heard youre learning swordsmanship. Uh How did you know? How can your older brother not know? Learning swordsmanship to protect your weak brother. Im touched. Weak. Now, it was a word that didnt fit me at all And I was very thankful for that. I-its nothing Ruinas face became red with embarrassment, and I asked her, Is it fun? Y-yeah. Wow. Then can you show me sometime? I-Ill think about it. Alright. Ill look forward to it. Ruina pouted, cheeks further reddening. There were a few female knights who went down the path of swordsmanship, but it was a matter of fact that there werent that many, and she seemed shy because of that. She was at the age where hair pins and beautiful dresses might be more fitting than heavy swords and armor. I finished eating and looked toward my father. My fathers expression showed that he wanted to say many things to me But for now, it looked like hed wait until I finished my meal. That was why I spoke first. Father. Yes? The story I told you when you came to visit the academy before Do you remember it? The story I told him. The story where I said I wouldnt make him wait any longer. That I would definitely produce results within the semester. My father had never forgotten. Of course. I have more things I want to tell you about that. The night is long and the tea is filled, so dont worry. The night might run out before then. That long? Then, Ruina hurriedly stood from her seat. Nanny! Im changing into my pajamas! Young Lady, right now? Yes! And get me my pillow and nket as well. Im sleeping next to my brother today! Hoo Haha Youre going to the living room, right? Dont you dare tell the story without me there, or Im really gonna p your back! She then hurriedly ran to her room. My father and I sat in our seats, chuckling with each other. Afterughing like that for a bit, my father pulled out a small letter from his coat. Is it perhaps rted to this? The letter was stamped with the Radian Kingdoms seal, and contained the words, The father of close friend Ruin Ardell, to Baron Dellin Ardell. Did you receive a letter from the prince? Thats right. Its my first time receiving a letter from the pce. From the looks of it, since Lord Radian Croster couldnt reach me, he went for my father instead. Since the territory was in the corner of the kingdom and there wasnt much foot traffic in this pce, it was only natural that he wasnt caught up with thetest news. That was why I wanted to be the first one to give him the good news But those damned princes. Theyre really not helpful at all. This wasnt all. Also, a lot of letters were delivered to our territory. There were more letters recently delivered than there were letters ever delivered here. * * * * * * The cupboard was filled with letters from noble houses who had gained interest in me. The goals of all those letters were the same. Ruin. Seems youve truly made a mess this time. Yes. I really did. For I, Ruin Ardell Smack! Someone pped my back and moved away. Ack! Didnt I tell you not to start? Ruina, did you just learn violence instead of swordsmanship? So what if I did? I told you clearly to not start without me! Im curious about what you did! Not even Dad would tell me! Haha. We didnt talk much, so dont fight and lets move to the living room. * * * In the living room, other than the three of us, there were the elders of the house and the representatives of the territorys subjects. My story. This was something everyone in the Ardell territory was curious about, and there was no reason to hide things now. The only exception being the secret to my power. I talked about all the things that happened during my past 6 years at the academy. Ruina stifled a bit when I was talking about the 5 years of living as a failure due to not being able to ovee my disability, but became resolute when I then began to talk about finding a new method of using magic and my training before bing the academys representative. And finally Y-you did? Did Young Master really win in such a big tournament? On top of that you even had a meeting with the crown prince of the Empire? Everyone was shocked and even baffled when I told them that I won the Grand Festival. What in the world? Our young master did? Father, Ruina, the elders, and the subjects of the territory. Everyone sat there and eximed in shock. Shock. Wonder. Relief. Lots of different emotions were present in this room. Stories that were so foreign to these people who had only lived a normal life this entire time. However, this wasnt the story of some wondrous adventurer, but of the young master of this territory. Thats why I returned. Because I finally had the right to see you guys again. My story where I didnt want to show them my failed appearance. My story where I wanted to only show the people near me my best performance. Young Master, you are admirable. Then, the elder and chief of governmental affairs, Baggins, who, in power, was second only to my father, said in shock, Lord, please tell the young master that Baggins, lets talk about thatter. Its right that you tell him now. Its rted to the young master, so its Baggins! My father raised his voice a little, and Baggins could only stay silent. What is it? As I asked my father, he shook his head, signaling that it wasnt anything I should concern myself with. It looked like he had a secret that he didnt want to tell me So, I asked him. If I hear something concerning me from someone other than you, I think I would be more upset. This is my problem. Its nothing you should concern yourself with. You just have to focus on your academic That academic achievement is in the end also for the good of the territory. Im also a member of the Ardell territory. My father red at Baggins with regret from him bringing up the topic, but he ended up caving. Alright. We have a small problem. A problem? As you know, weve recently received a lot of letters, all of them regarding you. Letters regarding me. Maybe about what my ns would be after I, the winner of the Grand Festival, would be doing after I graduate. Or Using you as their excuse, there were some who said would greatly invest in our territory. They would deal with the wolves that prowl on the outskirts of our territory and develop newnd, create bigger farms, and even construct a port so that they could grow the Ardell territory into a naval powerhouse in the South. A scheme to manipte my father, using promises sweet like honey. However Naturally, I declined all of them. How could a father sell off his own son? My father wasnt one to get done in by schemes like this. He was the one who taught me that my future was always in my hands. This wasnt the real problem. Even if we were to decline and get criticized by it, their influence wouldnt destabilize our territory in any meaningful way. The real problem was elsewhere. Vilcos Monzo. He is threatening us, using you as the reason. Threaten? Wait. If its Monzo The trade city Monzo? Thats right. As the only trade city in the vicinity of the Ardell territory, most of the produce in Ardell heads toward Monzo. This also meant that the small amount of money we gained from Monzo was keeping the Ardell territory alive. And this meant Ardells ki trout, barley, and potatoes are being forced to be sold at unbelievably low prices. Theres only one thing Vilcos Monzo wants. Its for you to be the guardian magician of Monzo. If we do, then they promised to raise our current low price to double the original topensate. We could only sit here while they messed with us using disgusting schemes. Have you taken other measures? There should be a problem with messing with the price of goods on purpose. Yeah. What you said is right. Were currently trying to do everything we can, so you dont have to worry about this and can leave this to me. Is it right to leave it to my father? Or should I handle this myself? Of course, I wouldnt solve this problem by bing their guardian magician. I had even declined the offer of the Raynac Empires crown prince These guys should know their ce. Then, there was only one method left. Father, I have a good idea. A good idea? Yes. Have you heard? I smiled and lifted my fist. The medicine for bad guys is getting hit. Chapter 77 Chapter 77 The medicine for bad guys is getting hit. What are you thinking of doing? If they want to see my face that much, I should go show it to them. No. Theres no need for you to go to them. Ill handle everything, so leave it to me. Considering my fathers personality, he wasnt someone who could make risky decisions. The most he would do was send a report to the pce and ask them to do something about this. However, they wouldnt pay much attention to the going-ons of territorial disputes that happened in the southernmost part of the kingdom. We didnt have power. We didnt have money. We were getting picked on because we didnt have the ability to handle and resolve these problems ourselves. But now, it was different. Ki trout, grain, and potatoes. These are our main specialties produced in our territory. However, the one who pays the price of these items being undersold isnt us, but our citizens. Thats why Ill go there myself. Three days will be enough for me to return. For now, I was just the young master of a territory that came back for their school holiday. But I would change all of this, no matter what. * * * My fathers silent approval was given to me in the afternoon of the next day. The chief of affairs, Baggins, had brought me a mare and a bag with beef jerky and water. I was scolded quite harshly yesterday from the Lord. Asking me why I would bring something like that up when Young Master had just returned. You only did what you needed to do, Baggins. Yes. Youre at the age where you should know everything that would concern you, Young Master. Of course, this is how I think, but it seems the Lord has a different opinion because youre still a student and shouldnt have your career impeded by such things. I was now past the age where I could live only watching and doing nice things. However, a father was also right to worry for their childs safety. As I smiled silently, Baggins looked at me for a second and then said, Yesterday, you were the one who said the ones who would pay the price as time went on would be the citizens, correct? Yes? That is not true. Most of the people of the territory dont know about the situation. The losses we incur at Monzo are all filled back up with the Lords own money. Right now, the only one who is losing is the Lord himself. My father Was burdening all the loss himself? So please do not misunderstand the Lord. Going there himself and asking, asking the pce for help with security and surveince Other than dering war, he really is trying everything he can. Is that so. I felt a little ashamed. I had never doubted my father before this, but underneath the words I said about fixing this problem that my father couldnt resolve Why are you just taking the loss? Why are you holding back? There were feelings like these where I was frustrated with my dads inaction. However, my father was doing all he could within his power, and the one who cared the most for the people wasnt me, but my father. I took out a small box from my bag. Can you deliver this to my dad in my stead? What is this? Ten thousand gold. What? Having epted a sum of money that he never could have expected, Baggins took the box, eyes wide in shock. H-how did Young Mastere across such a big Its the prize money for winning the Grand Festival. I hope it gets used where the territory needs it the most. By where the territory needs it the most? I know that you will spend it well since you know better than me but in my opinion, developing our territory to be self-sufficient so situations like this don''t arise again would be nice. Self-sufficient Could you give an example? The way a territory could be self-sufficient. Increasing the poption and open jobs was a must. But to do that, thend must also be wide. Money, people,nd. Only after these basic things were met, would money start to circte within the territory itself. To create an environment where these things could be made, an astronomical number of investments were needed, but there were small investments we could make right now. We need to resolve thend problem first. Thend? The reason Baggins was surprised was that, even though ten thousand gold was a staggering amount of gold, it wasnt even close to enough to buynd thatd expand our territorys influence. That will be hard. Trying to buy any acre ofnd around our territory wont be simple. They would naturally be expensive, but nobody would be willing to sell either. Of course, just as Baggins said, I wouldnt try to buynds with the normal method. We can take them. What? Are you perhaps talking about subjugation? * * * * * * Yes. The Wolfhills and the mudmens Red ins to the southeast of us that are thorns in the side for us. Well reim them. The Chief of Affairs made quite the troubled expression. It was understandable. Ifnd expansion using subjugation was so easy, why hadnt it already been done? Ontop of not having the military strength to subjugate thesends, the pce had no intentions of sending reinforcements either. This was the reason that, even though we were tormented for so long, we werent able to fix this problem. Why would he say that knowing this? This was the meaning behind Baggins gaze, but that was only for an instant. So do you have an idea? Not yet. As you know, Im still blind to the ways of the world. I dont even know how much this endeavor would cost. But, using the ten thousand gold, hire mercenaries for the subjugation, and with the help of the citizens, we could rebuild the area and lend them out to citizens of other territories under the market price and make even more money. Thats what Im thinking, at least. This was simply a method of using a small amount of money to fill up our missing personnel and make a greater sum of money. Investment, and then reinvestment. Oh ho Hearing my n, Baggins started to consider it, thinking deeply. And the conclusion he came to Its not a baseless n. No, if we can just hire mercenaries at a reasonable price, this is definitely within the realms of possibility. It was possible. I smiled brightly for Baggins. Please discuss the fine details between yourself and my father. For the subjugation will you participate, Young Master? Yes. Hmm Wouldnt the Lord object? No. I will be needed, I guarantee it. This was the overconfidence, no, the self-confidence of the next-generational magician that had won the Grand Festival. One effective magician had the power topete against a force of a few hundred. At my statement, Baggins genuinely nodded. Yes. It seems I was worried for no reason. Then, I will be on my way to Monzo. Ill leave the rest to you, Chief of Affairs. Yes. Ah, wait. The Lord told me to say this one thing. What is it? That you arent allowed to use excessive force. Uhm This This would be a hard promise to keep. I shrugged my shoulders. I hope so too. * * * Trade city Monzo. It was half a days travel from the Ardell territory. As thergest city in the southern part of the kingdom, most of the products in its vicinity end up here. That meant, whether you liked it or not, all goods had to pass through this ce in one way or another. However, the lord of the city, Vilcos Monzo, despite being a noble, used usury to increase his wealth and buy a title. He was an untrustworthy individual with such rumors about him floating around. His personality was theplete opposite of my fathers, and unfortunately, most of the nobles in the Radian Kingdom were like this. Meaning I can steel my heart as much as I need to. In a situation where violence was needed, I could use it without hesitation or regret. Of course, the break speech I gave as the student representative on the podium troubled me a little. However, I just had to not use magic, right? As soon as I entered Monzo, I headed to the biggest and most prestigious looking mansion I could find. Who are you? Offhandedly asked one of the four guards that blocked my path while looking bored and I replied, I am the young master of the Ardell house, Ruin Ardell. Is the lord of the territory inside? However, their answer was quite interesting. Hmm? Ardell? Again? I didnt even expect the lowest respect a noble should receive. Since this was the southern boonies, I could expect that they wouldnt know my name. However, they had shown disrespect after hearing the name of Ardell Father. I am sorry. I dont think Ill be able to abide by your order. I dismounted from the horse. I wont ask a second time. Whats your answer? Who knows? Ill need to check to know if the Lord is in or not Hey, new kid. Go in and check if hes here or not. What? The Lord is inside. Tsk! Stop talking and go ask. Another unwee guest came from the Ardells, although the person changed. Ah, ok Hearing how they spoke, it looked like my father hadnt visited this ce only once or twice, and I could reasonably guess that they showed this same disrespect to my father. The new kid went back inside, leaving three guards. Wait here for a bit. Ill open if we get a confirmation, but itll be good to not expect much. Boss doesnt like hearing the same thing twice. Hey! Its not Boss anymore. Now its Lord! Ah, yeah yeah. My bad. Im just used to it Hehe. They were picking their noses and acted with impudence. I could feel inexcusable levels of disgrace. The reason was simple. If I was just an academy student, I wouldnt have felt so bad, but I was here as the young master of the Ardell house. Right now, was there a reason to hold back against this disgrace I felt from the thugs of this area? There wasnt any. And on top of that If I let this go, our honor wouldnt hold up, now would it? Huh? What did you say? Its nothing. I held up my fist. Just, get hit a little. * * * Sirs! Sirs! The youngest guard who was sent in to check if the Lord would wee Ruin hastily ran back outside. Boss said to turn them away if its Lord Ardell and let him in quickly if its the young lord Ack! Aaah! As soon as he opened the door to the mansion, the young guard stumbled back in shock. Wh-what happened here? His seniors, the three other guards, had copsed on the ground, and one man was standing leisurely in the middle. The young master of the Ardell house, Ruin Ardell. Hemanded the guard, displeased, Your lord. Tell him to get out here. Chapter 78 Chapter 78 The lord of the trade city Monzo, wearing multiple ck suspenders and scratching his protruding belly, was Vilcos Monzo. He asked for you toe out personally. Hah? He asked for Boss to see him instead. He snorted after hearing that Ruin Ardell demanded the owner of the house to personally greet him outside. How dare a young Ardell from the boonies ask me to move? Heng! Its not even funny. However, he knew it too. So he wants to be treated like the winner of the Grand Festival? Heng heng. Even if he was the Lord of Monzo, having control of all themerce in the southern part of the Radian Kingdom His opponent was a magician who won the Grand Festival. No matter their status, no matter their age, they were to be treated with respect. Wasnt it a known secret that the princes had constantly been sending letters of friendship to him? In this situation, there was only one choice Vilcos Monzo could make. He stood up with a confident expression and gently twisted his jutting-out mustache. That Ardell punk. Where is he now? Hes waiting at the main gate of the mansion. Hengheng Then I should go and show him how scary real adults are. Vilcos Monzo dered that he would show him the scariness of an adult. Things he liked doing: Calcting profits and losses. Things he was good at: Oh my! How are you? The next-generational magician and the hero of the Radian Kingdom, who was victorious in the Grand Festival! Wee, Ruin Ardell! Being able to grovel at the feet of those more powerful than him. * * * The visage of Vilcos Monzo I first saw was truly the imprint of a greedy noble who only cared about money. Ego in his face. Greed in his belly fats. Obvious lies in his words. I naturally frowned. Are you Lord Vilcos Monzo? Yes. I am the ruler of this small city, Vilcos Monzo. Heheheng. Such an important person has seeked me out in this shabby ce I am so ashamed that I cannot lift my face. Then dont lift it. What? Since youve called me to this shabby ce, stay ashamed and dont lift your face. Monzo looked up at me with a sinister re that wanted to disgrace me. It was enough to make me interested in his past as a boss, but that was only for a moment. He returned to his subservient expression and talked. Yes. Heheng This Your refreshing personality is fitting of the hero of this generation Ive been hearing about. Hehe. Then Ill hold on my shame a little and lift my head. Sure. Do whatsfortable for you. Before that, I feel you need to re-educate your guards on manners. Did my boys somehow do you wrong? I dont know what they think about me, but they treated the Ardell house as some type of goblin tribe so I corrected them a little. That should be fine, right? Vilcos Monzos eyes quickly swiveled around. He was wondering where all the guards went. They had all copsed to the ground. His eyes definitely said, You dare touch my men? but he tried to not express it outwardly. Heheng No, thats alright. Please treat them like your subordinates and befortable with them. Ah, you sure? Crack! I didnt hesitate as I punched the youngest guard standing behind Vilcos Monzo right in his face. Kugha The guard made a weird noise and stumbled backward as Vilcos Monzos face scrunched up a little again. That one needed re-education as well. Its done now. ! He couldnt suppress his emotions this time and his heart started to churn uncontrobly. He wouldve never expected for someone toy a hand on his subordinate right in front of him. Of course, this course of action didnt fit a noble either. If a subordinate made a mistake, the one to correct them should be Vilcos, not me. However, the manners of nobles only applied to real nobles. They didnt need to apply to some neighborhood thugs. I smiled brightly. Are you going to keep me standing outside? Eh? Ah, no no I wouldnt dare. Heheng. Please,e inside. As I stepped into the mansion behind Vilcos Monzo, I shook my head. Ill lead you personally. This is my museum here. One of my hobbies is collecting works of art While collecting this and that, I ended up having enough to disy them to a guest. Heheng. Collecting works of art These werent any ordinary pieces of art. Rather, this was Vilcos vault of greed to satisfy himself. A full corpse of a goblin swinging a stone axe, or a severed orc head with a weird expression on it. They were all abnormal collections. It was enough for me to question Vilcos sanity after calling these things works of art. How are they? Arent they beautiful? I dont know. Just looking at them makes me sick. Art is a subjective medium, so I understand. Heheng. However, it seemed like he showed this to guests to enjoy their difort and horror. It was disgusting. Didnt I already know someone like him? The crown prince of the Empire. Chaurmetan Raynac. * * * * * * There definitely was a difference between the undying peony that he nted in his pce and this grotesque orc head. But the things they both wanted from me were the same. My loyalty. Naturally, this situation was magnitudes easier to deal with than the crown prince. Heres the living room. A crocodile-leather sofa. Deer antler coat hangers. A white cypress table. We walked into this unnecessarily decorated fancy living room. As I sat down, Vilcos Monzo received two cups of tea from his subordinate and handed one to me. Please drink. Its a quite valuable tea from the South called Perry-Mi. Im fine. Ah, do you perhaps not like tea? Should I get you a cool drink instead? Did he really not know, or was he acting like he didnt know? I said I dont need it. As I increased my volume a little, Vilcos Monzo shrugged and rather drank from the cup he was going to offer me. You act like Im a lowlife who would poison a cup of tea but thats not true. Heheng. See this. Isnt it fine? Ah, is that so? Thats quite the surprising revtion. It seems youre misunderstanding something here I do not want to be enemies with you. I only want to be good friends. If my wealth and your powerbine Can you see it? I might be able to give your back wings. Wealth? Yes. I boast the most money in the southern part of the Radian Kingdom. I wontpare badly to any nobles from the capital. As soon as money was mentioned, Vilcos went on to excitedly run his mouth. However Someone that I cannot disclose has promised me all the gold in the world Can you match that? All the gold in the world? Perhaps even more. Puah! I dont know who promised you that absurd story, but all the gold in the world? Unless its the crown prince of the Empire, its just foolish talk that no one would be able to follow up on. Heheng. But I only promise you things I am capable of doing. Ah, was that so? The one who promised me all the gold in the world was actually the crown prince Who was the one talking foolishly now? I could only regret not being able to tell him right then that it was the crown prince. Heheng. Then, we should officially start talking about my offer to you One more thing before that. What is it? Is it an offer, or a threat? Heheng A threat? Thats not true at all. I only made this offer in good faith, nothing else. The mood suddenly went cold Stopping all of Ardellsmerce by decreasing the prices as they pleased and draining the territory to force me to be the guardian magician of his city It wasnt a threat? My anger flowed out and filled the air. I looked directly into Vilcos Monzos eyes and asked him, Alright. Then if I decline your offer? He seemed to be quite proficient in negotiations like this, and continued to talk without getting shocked. Heheng That would truly be unfortunate. Even if I wanted to increase our friendship and then increase the prices, if you decline my friendship, theres nothing I can do. The one who flipped the deal would be you. The products of Ardell would continue to stay low. Like shit. Like shit. The produce that the citizens of my territory spent months cultivating with their blood and sweat Would be treated like shit. Itll be good if you set it back to how it was while Im being nice. Heng? While youre being nice? Who are you tomand me, this Vilcos Monzo? I knew. How many of these pig-like nobles did I see while I was at the academy? I endured this for 6 years. And I fought them head on. The lesson I learnt from that was to not expect repentance from bastards like this. I couldnt give them any leeway. If they saw an opening in me, they would immediately take off their masks and show their true pitch-ck hearts. I knew. Hey, you Ardell bumpkin who doesn''t even know anything. What? Dont look down on this deal. The one who should be groveling isnt me, but you, you punk! This teaching never betrayed me. Vilcos Monzo started shouting as if to repay all the humiliation he endured from me, Youre the winner of the Grand Festival? So what? Im sick of nobles like you and your father acting like they''re the only nobles and being haughty. Am I not a noble for buying into nobility? Why do I need to listen to a brat like you? Do you understand your position now? Start begging. Beg for me to save your territory. I screw my hands into fists. At that, Vilcos Monzo stepped back a little. You Arent you still a student? Isnt there an oath you take before your break at the academy? Yeah, I didnt forget. First oath. Before we are magicians, we are students. Heng, heheng. That means youre a magician that cant use magic. Whats that? A coffee without coffee grains? Yeah, but I dont need magic. Step step. As I walked toward him, Vilcos was filled with terror and started pointing widely toward me. Everyonee out, you bastards! At that, tens of guards who were hiding behind the door of the living room No. Thugs in the guise of guards filled the living room. Looking at them, I could only smile. Second oath. You may use magic when you feel your life is threatened. What? Oh my, just how many are here? One, two, three, four There really were too many. All these people were armed with sharp spears and swords while threatening me. This, really Im. So. Scared. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 If this was a situation that could be resolved with words, I wouldnt have had to even think of using my fists. From the beginning, what would I have chosen in this difficult situation where logical conversation was impossible? Yeah. Getting hit was their best medicine. The only thing left was to decide how I would punish this fish in a small pond thinking it was the best in the southern region. Fists were good. Magic was also good. To start with Come at me. Ill flick your heads one by one. A flick to their heads. I smacked the nearest guards forehead with my middle finger. Tack! Kugh! As I felt the hitnd, the guard was flung back and the formation broke as he flew into two other guards. The next was the same. None of the dark-clothed guards couldnd a blow on me. My movement, supported by strength, had also increased my kic perception. All their amateurish movements were easy to dodge with how slow they looked. One, two, right, left. As I started beating everyone up, Vilcos face turned red as he shouted, Kill! Kill him! I win if I grab his corpse and chuck him into my underground museum while feigning ignorance! What? Youll chuck me in a museum? This guy was more insane than I thought. However, there was no sense of fear like I felt with the crown princes possessiveness. This was just shallow insanity. I knew the end to a madness like this. Let me hit you. Block! Block him you idiots! They usually end in destion. I pushed away the guards in front of Vilcos and charged toward him. The guards behind him hurriedly tried to form a shield wall. Ching! Ching! Ching! A surge of spearheads pointed straight at me, and if I ran straight into it, I wouldve been impaled by them all and be a weird looking hedgehog But I wouldnt be defeated that easily. I concentrated my strength into the Knuckles of Kunkhans Will on my hands With this, I activated the unique skill Chieftain''s Will. Unique Skill Chieftains Will When you push your strength, the first chieftain of Sky Mountain, Kunkhan, will be there with you. Kunkhans spirit will appear over your head and move with you. Your attack range increases to Kunkhans reach. Kunkhans presence will oppress and instill fear in others. Cooldown: 1 hour. Behind my back, above my head to be precise, a cloud of red energy emerged. This smoke quickly flowed into a form, and the others could now recognise what this form was. A-an ogre? Why is an ogre here? An ogre had appeared out of thin air above my head. The presence of Kunkhan, an ogre who boasted a size greater than any normal ogre, exuded pressure. I-I need to get out of here Youll die if you stay! The guards, who couldnt handle this overpowering source of fear, took back their spears and started to scatter. Skill effect: Endless Fear. However, this wasnt all. Woosh! I swung my fists before they could even make contact with the spears, and Kunkhans spirit moved in the same way. Regretfully for them, Kunkhans reach was longer than their spears, and one punch from this fist sent dozens of them flying. Bang! Boom! Crash! Crack! Whenever I swung my fist in the air, Kunkhan crushed the guards as if they were mere leaves, and the guards flew left, right, and center into the walls of the living room. Woah. Looks like I can do some long distance attacks. Even if it was only the length of Kunkhans arm, this was the first time since I was forced to only use melee magic that I could hit someone a little further away. Of course, this arm could also be imbued with magic. As I started to cast, the Kunkhans fists also created the spell. Mana Burn Explosion. I cast a 5th-ss spell to blow away the entire roof of this disgusting mansion. The mana boiling around Kunkhans fists filled the whole room, and just before it exploded Vilcos Monzo screamed out, having noticed something disastrous would happen. N-no! Noooooooo! However, this scream of despair Bang! Boooooom! Was soon drowned out by the explosion that burnt even the air. * * * * * * Fwoosh! Fwook! The mansions living room was scorched ck, and the fire spread to the second floor. However, there were no fatalities. I had controlled the power of the explosion. After all, there was no reason to kill them all because of one mad lord. The innocent servants and maids survived and ran out from the burning building, and Vilcos guards ended up standing while opposing me as their legs shivered in shock. Compared to them, Vilcos Nooooooo! Those are my art pieces I took my lifetime to collect! He had be even more mad over his obsession. My two-thousand-gold portrait! My seventeen-hundred-gold orc head taxidermy! Since art was money, this was madness brought on by greed. Vilcos shouted at me while short on breath, I-I only wanted to ask you to be Monzos guardian magician You dare destroy my mansion?! Ask? Seems youve forgotten that you were holding my territory hostage, threatened me, and even endangered my life. You shouldve been ready to lose something when you started this first. You bastard! Who would believe you?! Really? Then do you want toe with me to the pce? Between the winner of the Grand Festival and some rotten noble like you, who do you think his majesty, Radian Croster, would believe? The power of authority. I didnt particrly like relying on it, but using it like this once in a while wasnt too bad. 1st prince Radian Croster. He would rather send me a letter every day rather than tend to his duties. P-prince? But to rotten nobles like him, his name was death itself. Since this was more threatening than anything else, it was pretty effective. Now, shut up. As soon as the princes name was mentioned, Vilcos did nothing but stare at me in anger. I walked up to him and raised my hand. Flinch. He narrowed his shoulders and took a defensive stance, and I very lightly struck his shoulder. Bang! However, Vilcos lost his bnce after my palmnded, and I looked on at his pathetic form. If you want it to end with this, itll be good for you to listen to me. You will return Ardells sales to normal, and youll repay the money you stole from us threefold. Th-threefold? Do you know how much money that Ack! Bang! I struck his shoulder again. I put a little more strength into this one and he lost his bnce, making him fall straight on his butt. Then fivefold. Its only fair for the suffering youve caused my father and my people. F-fivefold?! Why are you increasing it?! Same thing. Bang! I struck down again. Crack! Uaaaaaaack! Vilcos copsed and screamed as he clutched his right shoulder. His shoulder had been crushed this time. Sorry, I failed in controlling my strength. Then tenfold. And just so you know, I wont strike your shoulder next time. If youre curious where I will strike and how much Ill increase the repayment by, just talk again. I-I apologize. It was my mistake. I-Ill repay it tenfold and repent to everyone. His views changed as fast as usual. Tsk. I couldnt even feel the need to strike this vulgar man anymore. I already knew these tears of regret were fake and that his nature wouldnt change this easily. That was why I couldnt give him any time. Bring it here. Now. I needed to put the nail in the coffin while he was still afraid of me. Vilcos crawled back into the burning mansion and brought out a sack of gold from his vault. He made a fuss when his coat caught on fire as he wasing out. Uh Uuuhhh He couldnt let go of the bag either, as if giving it up was just as bad as dying. Lift. Flinch! ng! As I lifted my hand, he reflexively put down the sack of gold. In any case, the losses from my territory amounted to about 36 hundred gold, and the sack of gold contained exactly 10 times the amount, with 36 thousand gold. If you ever think of taking revenge on my territory because of this, itll be wise for you to forget it. I was merciful today, but there wont be a next time. If I see your face again, then youll truly face hell. Yes, yes! A magician. With the flick of their hand, they could tten or save an entire city. An incredible existence. As a parting gift, I walked up to the burning mansion and struck the ground with my fist. Frost. Crunch! A huge pir of ice erupted and froze over the burning building. Rather than losing everything to the fire, isnt it better that its frozen? Th-thank you I wont forget this kindness Yeah. But be careful when the ice melts. You might get flooded. Well, I had no way of knowing when that ice made out of magic would melt. Since it was in the middle of hot summer, maybe a week? Lets not see each other again. Its sickening. As I turned around and got on my horse, Uaaaaaaaack! Vilcos stifled screams of pain filled the city. However, in contrast to his screams Yeaaaaah! The citizens of Monzo, who had witnessed this whole ordeal, were cheering and pping for me. They seemed to have also suffered a lot under this guys rule. Magician! Magician! Magician! Since those guys didnt know the full story, they mightve thought a random magician appeared out of nowhere to enact justice in their city. Or, they mightve thought an unknown magician extorted the city lord. Hmm I only wanted to regain the honor of my family, but it seemed that this city was also in need of justice. In any case, I could definitely learn something from this encounter. I need to get stronger. If I didnt want to get done in like this again I needed to get stronger. Strong enough to defeat my enemies with the name Ardell alone. This break isnt gonna be long enough. I steered my horse toward Ardell while thinking I would spend this break quite efficiently. However, unexpectedly, Who did you say is here? A particr guest had arrived at Ardell. Chapter 80 Chapter 80 The Ardell territory was a quiet one where it would be hard to find a single traveler. But a guest had unexpectedly visited. No, maybe they were in a sense expected Irene? My guest. Irene Prius. She really came Mhm. You dont have to worry about getting here after me. I also only just arrived today. She smiled yfully while she sat next to my father and Ruina. Ruina exchanged looks with my father before pouting. Bro, care to exin this situation? My father also nodded, in hopes of receiving an answer. This was my first time seeing him with such an expression. Even when I told him I was victorious in the Grand Festival, he didnt have an expression like this. It was as if he was saying, This kids all grown up now. He had a gentle smile, like a grandfather who just saw his grandchildren. Father, just what were you thinking? Were just friends. * * * So what youre saying is youre just friends? Ruina sat next to me while pouting, like she was ufortable about something. Youre telling the truth, right? Youre not dating or anything like that, right? Her tone when talking about my rtionship with Irene was not unlike a detective interrogating a criminal. I was also getting ufortable here. Pft Yes. Thats right. Just friends. Irene couldnt hold in herughter at this situation. But Ruina couldnt let that go either. Miss, why are youughing? Am I funny? Ah, sorry. Pft. Youre just so cute. You know Im already 12 years old, so can you not say that? Ah, was that so? Lady Ruina, who was already 12 years old, dered proudly to not call me cute! while she had her hands on her hips. And Irene ended upughing again. Ah I want one as well A cute younger sister like that. I was thankful that she thought my sister was cute But I couldnt get used to this situation at all. My father was like the others, seeming to be enjoying it. Did you say you were Miss Prius? Ah, yes. My name is Irene Prius. Ruina isnt an ill-mannered child. She seems to feel that her brother, whom she hadnt been able to see in 6 years, is getting stolen by a friend but she should calm down soon. Yes. I understand. Its honestly great to see a family like this My father looked to be quite satisfied by Irenes polite demeanor andughed heartily. Then, Ruina, could you show Miss Prius around our territory? I have to talk to your brother about something. Me? Why? You dont want to? Then I guess theres no choice. Ill have to send Ruin to do it himself Uh? My brother, by himself? Oh ho. So there was a method like this. Ruina, after having fallen in my fathers trap, N-no! Ill do it. I will. She got up faster than I had seen her move before and she grabbed Irenes hand. Follow me. Ill guide you. Ah, thank you Young Lady Ruina? Miss, can you not call me that? It sounds like youre making fun of me. Sorry. Then what should I call you? Just Ruina is fine. Ruina. Fufu. Understood. Irene burst intoughter again as she wiped a tear from her eyes. It seemed that, unlike Ruinas intent to repulse Irene, Irene just ended up liking her even more. Then, Ill see you aroundter. And so Irene and Ruina left the reception room, and only my father and I were left. My father asked in a tone that suggested honesty in this man-to-man conversation, Is she really not your girlfriend? I already told you no. That is quite unfortunate. What was so unfortunate? In any case, our personal talk between father and son ended here. We had a lot to talk about regarding the 10 thousand gold I won and the 36 thousand gold we got back from Monzo, And for such things as these Baggins,e in. My father called out to Chief Baggins, who was standing outside the reception room. He was holding the box with the 10 thousand gold that I gave to him before, and after Father received this box, he gave it back to me. I cannot ept this money. * * * * * * Why? This is yours, Ruin. It is not the money of Ardell. This inflexibility of my father, and his coolness. I, who respected this part of him more than anyone else, could understand his intentions immediately, but at the same time, I was a little saddened. Am I not a part of Ardell? It felt as if it would take years before I would take part in running the Ardell territory. However, my father spoke more firmly. No matter what anyone says, none can deny that youre the heart of the Ardell family, Ruin. However, you still have a lot left to do outside of Ardell, dont you? No. My thoughts are different. Its my money, but its also Ardell''s money, so Ill spend it the way I want to, just like you did. Just as my father had. After hearing what I said, my father looked at Chief Baggins, and Baggins scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed. Haha It seems Ive made another slip. I had judged that the young master should know about what you did to maintain our territory with your own money, my lord. I apologize. Itll be good for you toe discuss with me before making a snap decision in the future. Yes, my lord. Ill keep it in mind. Even then, my father was still stubborn, not changing his will on this matter. Even if you think that, I wont allow it. I have no intention of putting the burden of the territory on you yet. He lifted the bag with the 36 thousand gold in it and smiled lightly. Dont I have the 36 hundred gold in this bag? It was rightly our money, but it feels great, like finding some emergency funds. Eh? 36 hundred gold? Not 36 thousand gold? Now that I thought about it, the size of the bag that was supposed to contain 36 thousand gold was quite small. What the hell was this? As I opened my box of gold, it had the 10 thousand gold, as well as an additional 32 thousand and 4 hundred gold. I wont ask how you were able to get 10 times the money we were owed from Vilcos Monzo. I can guess. I also wont tell you to return it to Vilcos, but that doesnt mean I can ept that money so easily. Its not the money of Ardell either. This unjust money that didnt coincide with his beliefs. He wouldnt ept it, no matter what. I looked at my father. If I was in his position, would I be able to turn it away, just like he did? I didnt know. It wasnt an easy question. However, one thing was for sure. We, Ardell, are not abundant, but we are notcking either. So use that money as you wish. As you want to. I respected my fathers wishes. I looked toward Chief Baggins and asked him, The thing we talked about before. Have you told my father? Subjugation and expanding our territory, And how to invest the 10 thousand gold into that. However, Baggins shook his head. No. As the lord didnt even ept the money, I couldnt bring up the topic. Is that so? This was fine. With the 10 thousand winning gold and the 32 thousand 4 hundred I got from Monzo I asked my father again, Father. You said that I can use this gold as I wished, right? Thats right. Alright. Ill do that. Without the help of my father, the Lord of the territory, or Baggins, the chief of office I would do it myself. As I wished. As the will of the young master of House Ardell. As Ruin Ardell wished. Yeah. I just had to do it directly. * * * I left the room and headed straight toward the terrace. If I was to pick the best thing about Ardell, I would choose this terrace that could see over the town at the base of the hill. I could see Irene and Ruina as they left the town and headed toward the mansion. I couldnt hear what they were talking about, but I could tell that their rtionship had changed quite a bit from before. Ruina would actively try and guide Irene, smiling with her. Her face would also sometimes go red with embarrassment, but I could tell soon enough what that was about. Please keep the boyfriend thing a secret from my brother. Boyfriend? Hiek! Ruin? Ruina got startled by me appearing out of nowhere and hid behind Irene. I narrowed my eyes and asked Ruina again, What the Ruina, you already have a boyfriend? N-no! M-me? A b-boyfriend? No way. Right, Irene? Looks like I was right. This brat. Already having a lover at such a young age. When I was your age, I hadnt even held hands with anyone. Well, kids these days do things too fast. Who is it? I need to see him to see what hes like. Now that itse to this, I want to see him directly I-its fine! Why are you eavesdropping on someone else? Hmph! Someone else Your brother is sad to hear that Irene, Ill leave my brother to you. Lets y together tomorrow too! Fufu. Sure. After beingpletely flustered, Ruina left Irene to take care of me and ran into the mansion. Talking about ying together tomorrow Were they that close already? Irenes eyes smiled as she looked on lovingly at Ruina. Dont you think Ruina is so cute? Em Yeah. She is cute, but she was cuter before. Recently, she became the violent type, hitting people on the back for no reason Violent? Didnt she start learning swordsmanship to protect her weak older brother? How admirable. Yes, thats true. I cant refute that. Irene inhaled the deep green of the Ardellian forest. Its quite different to Ravirdyne. Is it too ufortable for you? No. I like it here. Its beautiful and simple. I think I understand why you have pride for your hometown. Its nice to have a hometown you want to protect. Hometown But wait, what was it like at the Prius family? I had only realized just then that I had never heard anything about House Prius. But I also ended up missing the chance to ask Irene about it. Have you thought of your ns for this break? Yes. What are they? I need to protect my territory. Without the help of my father, there wouldnt be many things I would be able to do right now. With small steps, slowly but steadily The first thing I needed to do Get more money. Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Three days had already passed since Irene had arrived in the Ardell territory. I love this ce. Seemingly sick and tired of the bustling city, Irene announced her love for the quiet countryside of Ardell, enjoying her time reading books and taking short walks through the woods. Of course, Irene! Lets go to the alchemy hut today! Hmm Sure. Ruina was always next to her. I was starting to think that Ruina might like Irene more than me, her older brother She was so wary of her at the start. Was I a little jealous? In any case, other than in the morning, where I did the daily quest and body training, I spent most of my time in secret meetings with Chief Baggins. There was only one topic to discuss in these meetings. Young Master. What are you thinking of doing now? Ill need to look for things I can do by myself. The work that I may be able to do for the territory. 10 thousand gold in prize money, and 32 thousand 4 hundred gold from Monzo. We were discussing how to spend the total of 42 thousand 4 hundred gold for the betterment of the Ardell territory. My first idea of monster subjugation, the n of hiring mercenaries with the money and using them to subjugate and reim thends around the territory, felt reasonable. The monster subjugation method you talked about before will most likely not work due to needing the lords permission. Yes. Well leave that for now. But it would be difficult to carry out for now. It may be better to attempt this after I graduate from the academy and shed myself of this title of student. Then, what could I do right now? Something small that I could start during my break and wouldnt need a lot of time. Something eptable that wouldnt worry my father. The answers to these questions were found in an unexpected but close ce. Right in the middle of a conversation with Irene Prius. So, uh, Irene. Yes? I just got a little curious but how did you get to Ardell? It all started from a simple question. How could she arrive so fast to the countryside town of Ardell from the capital city of the Raynac empire? There were no mana train stations in the southern parts of the Radian kingdom. It took me 10 days from the academy on horseback to this corner of the world. How I got here? Yes. However, Irene answered this question nonchntly. It was closer than I expected. It only took me two days to get from Ravirdyne to here. Two days? I, who set off from within the nation, took 10 days, but Irene took only two from a foreign country? How? Did youe by boat? No? Ardell doesnt have a port. Thats true. Then what I took the mana train from Ravirdyne to Eight-Lake on the southernmost part of the Empire. And then Irene pointed toward the eastern mountain range that surrounded the Ardell territory like a picture. I went over that mountain range from Eight-Lake. And Ardell was right here. She walked over the pathless mountain range? Even though there were no roads there? Wait. What? Then did you cross the border illegally without notice? Hehe. Yeah. Wasnt she just an illegal alien? As I questioned her with narrowed eyes, Irene just shrugged her shoulders. I took a deep sigh before asking again, Were you always someone who moved without thinking of the consequences? Toe over the uninhabited national border Havent you thought about how dangerous that was? I thought I might finally be able to scold her. Compared to what you do, I felt it was pretty safe. But I could only keep silent against her counterattack. Hmm. If you say it like that, I really cant say anything. Fufu. This is how you make an exciting journey. Irene just sat there, smiling. I want some excitement in life. I could really see a reckless part of her. She even came here without a n just to see me. She also crossed the border illegally through a pathless mountain range to get here. What would she have done if she encountered thugs or monsters? Well, to be honest, there probably werent enough thugs in the world to even scratch her. In any case, just looking at her face, you would expect her to be calm like a beautiful flower on a pond, but I could definitely see some simrities between us. Well, at least she wasnt just a flower on the inside. While I was thinking, Irene returned her eyes back to her book and said something. Its nice and close but why wont they just make a road? * * * * * * Would there be a problem? I still dont understand all the problems that affect adults. It was just a random question for Irene, but to me, it felt like I was smacked on the back of my head. Smack! Like that. I guess. Why wont they? This mountain range that divided the southernmost free state of Raynac, Eight-Lake, and the southernmost town of Ardell. South Mountain. Since it didnt have any particr uses, it didnt have a name either. It was just used as the country border here in the South. Even though 60% of the mountain range was part of the Ardell territory, it was pretty dangerous, and cultivation of farnd was impossible. There werent even any natural metals that could be mined from the mountain, and since it was also crawling with monsters, there was no human presence on the mountain either. However There was a use for this mountain. Irene. How long did it take for you to get to Ardell from Eight-Lake? About a day and a half. But there were no roads, so I got a little lost. If there was stable infrastructure, it wouldnt have even taken half a day. Infrastructure. Well, to be more precise, theck of infrastructure. This ce was very close to Eight-Lake, the nexus of oceanic routes on the Frelian continent. This was the worth of the South Mountain Range. If utilized properly, Ardell maybe wouldnt even have to rely on and be threatened by Monzo. No. This would also be the sole pathway to the Raynac Empire in the South, so it wouldnt be too different to the territory gaining its own strength to stand up on. Ah Why couldnt I think of this before? As my brain processed my thoughts, a myriad of ideas started to unfold before me. Freedom from the trade city of Monzo. The sole pathway to the Empire from the South, Ardell. We can expand the territory with monster subjugations, and if we made a port to try andpete in the oceanic trades Ruin? Is something wrong? Your expression is Irene I unconsciously pulled Irene into a hug for providing me with this answer. But I regained myposure and grabbed both her hands. Thank you. Yes? I think I might have found a way. Irene tried to move her hands away from my excited grip. Startled by what I did, I let go. Ah! S-sorry. Ehem Its fine. But a way? Is this about the territory you told me before? Yes. I looked toward South Mountain as if it was art. Thanks to you, I found a way. * * * Eight-Lake. A gargantuan port city where eight differentkes converged and connected out to the sea. No, to be clearer about the scale, this city was a nation. As part of the Raynac Imperial Federation, we could consider it as a neutral state like Altein, the ce where the Grand Festival was held, but their characteristics werepletely different. Firstly, there was no king. Rather than a king, 8 different representatives ruled together. The 8 wealthiest merchants that held the continentsmerce in their hands gathered together to create this huge market, and they gained the protection of the Empire. They literally raked in money. I guess it could be called a type of mega-corporation. It was a truly difficult organization to maintain, but just by being a part of the Empire, they could nullify most of their problems. Money, gold, and food had the greatest worth in this ce. And this mountain was very close to a ce like this. Why did we have to live like this while being only a step away from thisnd of paradise? How is it? I conveyed my thoughts to my father and Chief Baggins, and my fathers expression went deep in thought. I naturally expected a good reaction from him But that didnt happen. Its impossible. What? We already tried it before. But all 8 of the representatives of Eight-Lake refused. It was a failure. It was something father had thought about before, and hed even attempted it. They refused? Why? The reason was simple. From their point of view, the returns from investing in Ardell arent good enough. I could feel my energy draining from my body. I thought this would be the surest n of all the ns I thought of until now. But it was already a failed endeavor And just because our returns wouldnt be good enough? Even though our hope was riding on this? That was why Young Master. The Lord also knows that this is a great opportunity for us. Howevermerce isnt something we can pick up just because we want to. Since all 8 representatives refused already, asking them again would just produce the same No. I couldnt give up like this. Itll be different from before. No, Ill make sure its different. Ruin. Ardell has already changed quite a bit from before. Its small steps, but were definitely moving. We changed. Unlike the past where we requested to trade without a single coin to our name, we currently had the huge sum of 40 thousand gold that I was investing. This was the ce where I would spend this money as I wished. Itll also be hard for the 8 representatives to decline my request. Didnt Ardell have a winner of the Grand Festival now? Im honestly more respected within the Empire than the Kingdom. I tried to smile while making the joke, but my father and Chief Baggins, along with everyone else, knew it already. That behind this joking smile was a steadfast truth stronger than anything else. Ill cross South Mountain, visit Eight-Lake tomorrow, receive their approval, and return. A break. I didnt expect to stay home all day and sleep But Im moving around more than I expected. I think I might have some adventurous tendencies. Chapter 82 Chapter 82 I took my fathers silence as his approval, and I didnt have to hesitate anymore. I immediately started to pack my bag to cross over South Mountain to Eight-Lake. Irene was leaning against a wall with her arms crossed when she asked me, Are you trying to be like me? Yes. Youre right. Ill be an illegal immigrant. Hmm Sure. Then Ill go with you. Im already illegally here, whats wrong with being double illegal? Crossing the national border, and her confidence in which she could disregard this act. We definitely had some things inmon. I smiled and nodded. I wont be bored thanks to you. The Eight-Lake expedition team had been formed. Members: 2 Supplies: 42 400 gold Goal: Making the deal The person to see us off was Ruina. Irene. Youll return, right? Of course. We still have a lot of days left of break. Yeah Alright. Be safe. Ruina leaned on the horse that Irene was riding on, teary eyed. It was as if she was in pain, like someone sending their family off to war. But contrary to that Ruina, arent you gonna ask your brother? Bro, please dont make a scene. I just got scolded. I can be jealous of this, right? Wheres father? I asked Chief Baggins, and he shrugged. He told me to tell you this if you were to ask about his whereabouts. Its hard for a father to send off a son whos confidently smuggling himself across the national border. Ahh It was understandable. He couldnt stop his son from doing it, but he couldnt encourage it either. Then, Ill be going. Ruin! Irene! Be safe! In any case, we left toward the eastern side of Ardell. Toward the border between Ardell and Eight-Lake. Toward South Mountain. * * * South Mountain. Since humans had no presence in this mountain for over 100 years, it naturally had no paved roads. Rather, we had to make our own roads by relying on the map andpass This wasnt easy in the slightest. It was hard enough for me to question how Irene managed to navigate over the mountain alone. However, there was a very simple answer to this. Trace. Humanoid tracking magic, Trace. It was a tracking spell that, without designating a target, would find the nearest humanoid. Since the closest town to South Mountain was Eight-Lake, this purplish light should lead us right over the mountain. The part I was surprised about was that Irene used this magic as if it was the most natural thing to do. Should you be doing this? Why shouldnt I be? Were still students. The oath for the break should be the same across the whole continent. Who cares? Were illegal immigrants anyway. Ah, was that so? Should I call her cool, or an ouw? Well, following Irenes logic on illegality, this wasnt the most severe offense. In any case, Trace started to lead us to the closest humanoid. We had some cases where we needed to follow it into a dark cave or over a bridgeless ridge Light. Should we use skiing magic for this? Irene used magic effectively to ovee them. I now understood. Irene was a pro. A natural born adventurer. However, there was still one thing that this confident adventurer had overlooked. Wait. The trace stopped. Eh? Oh, it did Thats strange. We should still be quite far from Eight-Lake Trace didnt only track humans. It didnt target deers, elk, rabbits, or other types of wild animals, but humanoids which walked on two legs were all fair game. Meaning I think we just willingly walked into a monsters den. It could theoretically lead us to a humanoid monstersir. The purple trace didnt move any more, and this meant that we had arrived at our destination. Yeah. This uneasy gut feeling was never wrong. Neigh! The horses, instinctively feeling danger, reared back and neighed. In that moment Flutter! A few hundred bats fluttered past our faces. Above us! In this narrow gorge, lots of shadows started to emerge. Werewolf It was the gray-furred werewolves. * * * * * * Werewolves. A type of wolf-human. As a humanoid monster that walked on two legs, their bodies were human, but their heads were a wolfs. These guys boasted a size 1.5 times greater than the average man. Growl And they didnt hesitate to expose their teeth and ws to prey which willingly walked into their territory. Just from a nce I could see dozens of them. Hah. Hahah Their teeth were bared and dripping with saliva. It seemed they were treating Irene and I as just some delicious dinner. However I guess we dont need to worry about the oath. Do you have any good ideas? Just go all out. Ill protect you. That sounds pretty good. We didnt climb this mountain just to be some random monsters dinner. Growl! A werewolf from the top of the gorge lept down toward Irene. Lightning Roof. Irenepleted her spell in an instant and created a loop around us out of lightning. Crackle! A few werewolves who charged us instantly got electrocuted and became burnt werewolf meat. Irene didnt slow down and continued her assault. Blizzard! This snow storm that covered this narrow gorge wouldve been quite the unexpected sight to these guys who had been living here for hundreds of years. Maybe that was why Kung! Kukuung! They started to panic, and the ones at the very front barked at us as they stepped back. However, this was only for a moment. Growl Looks like that guys the packleader. Between all the gray-furred werewolves was one silver-furred one that was bigger than the rest. The werewolves started to get back into formation. They didnt charge recklessly, forming a siege around us instead. They shed their teeth and barked more fiercely. Growlll ! They didnt leave a single opening, and they slowly started to close the distance. This Looks like weve enraged them even more. We were definitely in danger. If dozens of wolf-men charged us at one, it would be very hard for us to fully defend against it. However, even in this dangerous situation, Irene was calm. She was holding on to one thing. Me. Between werewolves, theres a tendency for a pack leader to rule them, right? Yes. At least in theory. Show them. Show that were not their prey. Yeah. Wasnt this all over if I just defeated their leader? I tightly gripped the Knuckles of Kunkhans Will and clenched my fists. Pang! A powerful wave reverberated in this narrow gorge, and this wave of strength was strong enough to frighten a few werewolves. Of course, this wasnt close to the strongest I could be. Do we still look like food to you? Skill: Chieftains Will The image of Kunkhan immediately formed above my head, and Irene muttered to herself at the spectacle, A-an ogre It was only natural since it was the first time she was seeing this. Because this wasnt magic. The werewolves were also shocked. Growl? An ogre. The apex predator of the monster world. Against the unexpected appearance of an ogre, the frightened ones started to back away while barking loudly. The werewolf leader became worried as he barked at his subordinates to attack. Kung! Kung! Kukukung! In an instant, werewolves from all sides lunged to attack me. North, South, East, West. Dodging them was impossible. That was why I faced them head on. Volcanic Hammer. Fwooosh! The fire that formed atop my fist created the form of a giant hammer before falling like a meteor, and it started to hit the ground around us. Bang! Boom! Bang! Keng! Kekeang! Like kneading dough, the fiery hammer turned the werewolves into mush. 1 vs many. This wasnt even a problem. They never stood a chance against me when I had an ogre behind my back. While I was holding their attention Now! Irene used Teleport to move out from the danger zone and atop the cliff face of the gorge. What is the scariest magician in the world? A magician who is out of reach and has the high ground. Irene started to cast a powerful spell, intending to kill everything in the gorge while standing above it. The mana was intense enough to split the sky and change the cloud formations. The pack leader saw this andmanded hisckeys to attack Irene. However Your opponent is me. Growl. I beat up all the werewolves that came for me and ran in, targeting the leaders back. Of course, it wasnt a leader for nothing. Woosh! Using its animalistic instincts, it jumped high into the air and dodged my fist,nding lightly on the ground before making its own attacks. Using its superior body as its weapon, it charged at me. Head. Stomach. Legs. Right hand, left hand. We exchanged multiple blows in an instant, but not a single attacknded true. Either my fist would destroy him, or his ws would gore me. One attack would spell death for both of us. While this was happening, a dozen of them started to climb out of the gorge to target Irene. I needed to finish this up quickly. Growl! The leader charged at me once again, and I used Teleport to disappear from his view. Then using Bend Time, I instantly charged into his blind spot. ! I feinted an attack at his legs and then immediately punched his head. Crack! My fist hit the leader straight in his jaw, and he flew up as his jaw crumbled. I didnt stop my assault and jumped out, kneeing his head. This blow was fatal, killing him instantly. Growl? As the pack leader fell dead, the werewolves climbing after Irene stopped in their tracks. The way they dispersed after their leader died was just like the werewolf characteristics I learnt of before. Confusion, then fear. Like dogs, they ran away and hid somewhere in the cavern. The fight was over. Fuu I could catch my breath a little. ThenYou have acquired Silver Werewolfs Mane. Maybe I got it when I twisted its head before, but in my hand was a clump of that silver fur And on this furball, a status window opened. Silver Werewolfs Mane Quest Item Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Irene stopped casting the devastating spell and came down the cliffside, into the gorge. She then said, That might have been dangerous. But why are you holding onto that silver mane? I dont know. Looks like it got ripped out before. I just brushed off the question and put it into my bag. Irene kept wondering why I was holding onto it, but I just focused on the quest. Silver Werewolfs Mane Quest Item The disaster of South Mountain. The fur of the silver werewolf, Mentos. Can be used as proof of Mentos death. Goal: Find someone who would like this fur. Reward: ??? Find someone who would like this fur This was the only thing in the quest description. Unlike my previous quests, which were clear in their goals and rewards, this was quite the unhelpful quest. Can be used as the proof of death? Did someone want Mentos dead? I could only stand there guessing. Then, Irene spoke up. So, Ruin. Yes? Theres been a weird rumor between the students in the Empire. What rumor? That the winner of the Grand Festival is a half-ogre. Calling someone a half-ogre. Wasnt that too much? No, did something like that even exist? Was the power of human reproduction that strong? Since Ive seen it myself, I obviously dont believe it But that form you showed before It makes me think that the rumor isnt baseless. The form of Kunkhan that appeared behind my back. Of course, I could understand why rumors like this were floating around. My strength had definitely surpassed that of an ordinary humans. However, I didnt need to make up any special excuses. Is it because of the artifact you got selected by at the Magic Tower? The story where I had acquired Kunkhans Tooth, a pretty extraordinary artifact, at the Magic Tower. This was known by most as an open secret. Yes. Thats right. Of course, I didnt say anything about how the ogres on Sky Mountain refined it for me. I brushed off this question again and got on my horse. Should we start going again? I think arriving at Eight-Lake beforeplete darkness would be better. Yes. Lets do that. Thankfully, Irene didnt inquire too deeply, and we used Trace again to start moving toward Eight-Lake. Luckily, we didnt run into any more humanoid monsters. * * * Eight-Lake was a city without a gate. The rumor that they would ept anyone, even pirates, if they had money wasnt baseless at all. Because of this, there was no need for identification or a namete when being active here. No, to be more precise, it was correct to say that no one cared for the identity of others. Multiple tens of thousands of people visited this ce every day, and since the visitorse from all over the continent, people didnt really care about the identities of them. This worked in our favor while we were illegal immigrants. For the border to be thisx Theres no need to increase security. Eight-Lake is under the protection of the Empire. Yes. I guess thats true. It just feels too empty. We arrived at Eight-Lake at about 10 in the night. Since we were entering illegally, we didnt have any ce we had booked before, so our feet naturally took us toward a local inn. An inn, huh? Naturally, it wasnt a ce two 16-year-olds were familiar with. We were obviously going to book two rooms, but we couldnt get ourselves to enter, and stood around awkwardly. Ehem. Then, should we go in? Ah, sure. I mustered my courage to go in first, and Irene followed behind me. The owner of the inn nced at us briefly before saying, One room with a big bed. 40 silver. How about breakfast in the morning? One room with a big bed. Hearing this, Irenes face went red as she looked straight down, and I hurriedly shook my head to deny this. Ah? No. No. Never. Please give us two rooms. Two rooms? Arent you married? Were not. Thisdy What was she talking about? And what were those eyes saying shed gossip about thister? Were still only 16. * * * * * * I woke up in the morning, and after cleaning myself off a little, I went down to the first floor. The dining hall on the first floor was empty, and it looked like Irene hadnte down yet. I took some rye bread and corn soup. I ordered salty bacon with a bean-based breakfast, and as my meal arrived, Irene came down to the hall. Ah. How was your rest? It was fine. What? What was this? It was so natural to see each other in our inns during the Grand Festival. Why was it so awkward now? Well, it was true that it was just us two right now. This was unbearably awkward. Ehem. I tried to break the awkwardness with a dry cough and started talking. Ill tell you about the n for today. Ah, yes. I heard that, every morning at 11, the 8 representatives gather in one ce to have a lunch-time meeting. The ce of their meeting is over there, the Halls of Gold. Even though we searched for this inn in the dark of the night, we didnt go into just any inn. The building in which the 8 representatives had their meeting every lunch, the great mansion built in the middle of the intersection of the eightkes. The Halls of Gold. We set up our base camp in a spot where we could see that building. As I officially started to go over the n, the awkwardness from before had disappeared and Irene focused up. Whats next? Well need to go look for them when they are all gathered together. Just barge in? Yes. Would they even meet us if we did that? Im pretty sure we need to make an appointment. Well just make that appointment now. This This was the end of my n. Irene narrowed her eyes at my nless n But she knew that my confidence wasnt baseless. I guess this is only possible because youre Ruin. The magician who garnered the attention of the crown prince of the Raynac Empire. Ruin Ardell. Saying it myself was a bit embarrassing, but exaggerating a little, most people wanted to meet me. This was the truth. Did you make an appointment? 11 in the morning. As ifpeting, 8 golden carriages all stopped in front of the building. and after confirming this, I left the inn and crossed theke. However, the city guards stopped and questioned me, and I replied honestly. I didnt make an appointment. If you didnt make one before, you cannot cross over this point. This is the private property of the 8 representatives of Eight-Lake. Yes, I know. Ill wait here. Instead, can you ry a message for me? If you want to officially make an appointment, you need to fill in a form at the capitol building, and after about a week of confirmation, you may receive a reply Ruin Ardell. ? Winner of the Grand Festival. You can just ry that Ruin Ardell hase to meet them. Winner of the Grand Festival. After hearing this, the guards became stunned. Even if one had no interest in magic, everyone knew about the Grand Festival. They would also know just what kind of treatment the winning magicians received. On top of that, if you were a state within the Raynac empire, you would have more than the average level of interest in magic. The expressions of the guards changed in an instant. Can you confirm this? Now, I was no longer an unwee guest, but rather a celebrity that needed their identity confirmed. I produced an identification that had Ardells owl insignia, and the attitude of the guards switched again. I-I apologize for not recognising you. Thats fine. More than that, can you do what I requested? The guards fell into a dilemma. Going inside to ry my message and disturbing them was probably not the best thing to do, but if they turned me away here, they might receive some bacshter. It wasnt any manner of clean problem for them to solve. Ehm I felt a little sorry for them. Whats going on here? Ah, captain. Just then, the captain of the guards came out and was filled in on the situation, and after confirming my name, he didnt take long toe to a conclusion. You bastards! You should know who to let in and who to turn away. Go in now and tell the butler that an important guest arrived. Y-yes! So should I wait here? No. Ill lead you to the lobby right now. Please, follow me. Alright. Ah, but As the captain started to move to guide me, he saw Irene standing behind me and stopped. Who is? Irene handed over her identification expressionlessly. I-Irene Prius After also confirming her name, the captains expression became grimmer. The next-generational magician who would lead the Raynac Empires future. There wasnt a citizen of the Empire who didnt know her name. Its an honor to meet you. For two incredible people to visit Today is quite an interesting day. The representatives will be surprised to meet you. Irene and I followed the captain into the Halls of Gold. Its very fancy It really is. This was probably the fanciest building I had ever seen with my own two eyes. If the crown princes Peony Pce was beautiful and harmonious, the Halls of Gold were, as the name suggested, fancy enough to overbear its visitors. It was as if it was asking if we had the right to be here. The hallways werent decorated with marble, but rather gold. Statues, pirs, and even the door handles were gold in color. It was enough to make my 42 thousand gold feel like nothing. The wait wasnt long. Sir magician. Yes? The representatives have made their decision. What did they say? They want you in immediately. Thats a relief. Yeah. It was a sess till here. The only thing left was to hear their definite answer. Please enter. Fancy was too poor a word to describe this golden gate as it opened to a wide room. In the center of this room was one round table, and around it sat 8 people. These people were the 8 representatives of Eight-Lake. They looked at me with curiosity, and I gave a light nod. Its nice to meet you. Im Ruin Ardell. There was no need to act weak, since I wasnt here to request something, but to confidently make an offer. Chapter 84 Chapter 84 The 8 representatives of the coastalmerce city Eight-Lake were truly diverse Men and women, some looking over 80 years old, while others not even 10. If I was to pick one attribute that wasmon amongst these people Looks like I was worried for nothing. Ive seen him before in Altein. Hes the actual winner. Magician of the next generation, what is your purpose for visiting us in this corner of the world? They were all unexpectedly curious about my sudden visit. Yeah. It was my turn now. I had to amplify their curiosity. I came to make a deal. A deal? Yes. I want to sell the products of Ardell in Eight-Lake. However, it seemed just my original purpose wasnt enough to increase their curiosity by much. This So you havent visited us as the next-generational magician but rather as the young master of House Ardell. Ardell? I feel like Ive heard of them before. No. 3, where was that? Its located in the southern part of the small nation of Radian, No. 6. Ah ha I remember now. Its that countryside territory that wanted to sell ki-trout and sweet potatoes. I think the lord of that territory had visited us before No. 8, did that deal go through that day? We declined. 8 to 0. Unanimous decision. The reason? It wasnt worth it. They only wanted to set up a stall. Is that so? Then I guess the talk ends here. Private and public matters. I could definitely feel their intentions to draw that line. Even though I held both the nickname of next-generational magician and the title of Young Master of House Ardell, even though there was no difference between them If the next-generational magician had visited Eight-Lake, we would have weed you with open arms What a shame. They werepletely looking at me as only the Young Master of House Ardell. As the young master of a poor countryside territory that only wanted to steal their money. It was a frightening dichotomy that was a little difficult for me to understand, but they seemed to understand it immediately. Were merchants always like this? I dont have any other goals but you didnt even hear out my proposal yet. Then lets hear it now. Lets see how amusing your proposal you brought to us is However, if it isnt much different to what we talked about just then, itll be good for you to not expect any favorable oue, even if you are the next-generational magician who had garnered the attention of the Crown Prince. I hope its at least amusing. I recollected my breath and started talking. I want to buy weapons. As many as possible. * * * Ki-trout, sweet potatoes, wheat. These high-quality products that Ardell was so proud of No one wouldve expected someone nicknamed the next-generational magician to do a sales pitch for them. No. They might have actually expected me to beg. However, the words that left my mouth Weapons? By weapons, could you be more specific? Swords, shields, spears, horse armor, siege engines, axes Anything is fine. I want to buy as much as possible. How much is your as much as possible? For now, about 30 thousand gold worth. If the deal goes through nicely, I have ns to buy them in the long term as well. This unexpected story was definitely enough to fill the curiosity of these scrupulous people. 30 thousand gold? Are you preparing for war? 30 thousand gold. It was about the same amount of gold as the average territory earned in a year. But using all this money just to buy weapons? Unless it was preparing for war or arge-scale monster subjugation, what did a little territory like Ardell need all these weapons for? However, I knew something. I felt it strongly during that incident with the trade city of Monzo. Power brings both wealth and peace. Weapons were always needed, and if possible, I wanted toy the groundwork with Eight-Lake through this deal. This time, I didnt just want a simple market. I wanted a deal. Between the 8 representatives, the one with thin eyes, No. 8, spoke up. I do not doubt the truth about your offer to us but does Ardell have the money? From what I know, Ardells current situation is quite unfavorable I took out three sacks of gold from my bag. Each with a hundred coins worth 100 gold each. A total of 30 thousand gold. As No.8 flicked his finger, one of the servants who was observing nearby came and opened the sacks to check, and afterward, the servant nodded. With that, the attitude of No. 8 changed instantly. A precious guest has visited us from Ardell. Young Master, please take a seat. Now, they were telling me to sit down. However, before I sat down, I asked them one thing. From what I know, the 8 representatives of Eight-Lake are all in charge of different areas so who''s the one in charge of weapons? Hearing my question, No. 8 pointed toward the woman seated at the head of the table. No. 1 is the one who has umted the most wealth in Eight-Lake. She deals with metals, weapons, multiple types of produce, and even ships. However, this was a bit unexpected. The woman called No.1 was just a kid. She looked as if she just turned 10-years-old, making her even younger than Ruina. However, she was far from the innocent and lively personality of Ruina. Im No.1, Cecilia Baltraze. I am in charge of weapons in Eight-Lake. I am Ruin Ardell. How could I exin this? It was quite odd. How could a 10-year-old child exude such seriousness with her gaze alone? When I was 10, all I had in mind was the innocent dream to be a great magician while holding onto my great talent. Compared to that, Cecilias gaze was deeper and more mature than most adults, and the aura she radiated was uncanny. * * *C * * *c What is it that you want to tell me? But for this 10-year-old to be the representative among representatives of Eight-Lake What life did Cecilia live till now? These simple curiosities came to mind, but it would be bad manners to ask now. I want to ask you how long it would take to procure all the weapons. Since its too sudden of an offer, there isnt enough to satisfy the amount currently. However, if you give us about 3 months, we can prepare enough to get all the weapons and transport them safely to the territory of Ardell. 3 months? Well, I would already be back at the academy by then. You can prepare it within 6 months. But I have one condition. A condition What is it? Please consider epting Ardells produce into Eight-Lake. As I revealed my true intentions, a few of the representatives started to show that they were thinking, so its like that. However, for now, the mood was leaning more toward eptance than denial. Everyone waited for No.1s decision, and Cecilia took a moment before speaking. Does that condition also apply to future weapon deals? It may, or it may not. What do you mean? Didnt you ask before if were preparing for war? Yes. We did. Youre correct. Were nning on subjugating the monsters in the vicinity of Ardell. Acquiring weapons is only the first step. I collected my breath again. Now we were in the real deal. Even if Ardells products wont bring great profit to Eight-Lake right now, I hope that you can see into the long term. After seeding in the subjugation and growingrger than now, and after our trust has bonded stronger An appeal to emotion. However, No. 1 wasnt like a normal child, her mercantile skills second to none. Were all merchants. We move with profit. However, youre telling us to gamble on an uncertain future? Yeah. These were merchants who only thought of the profits in the short term. However, these merchants failed to notice one thing. Is it really uncertain? The person they were negotiating with was the magician that would lead the next generation. This confidence, this overwhelming confidence, may look like arrogance. But was it truly just arrogance? At my words, Cecilia thought for a little and then nodded approvingly. Yes. The sess rate of your monster subjugation is very high since youre a great magician. However, to promise a long-term deal with Ardell, there is still one problem left. A problem? This may be the biggest problem here. Dont you know that there isnt a trade route connecting Eight-Lake and Ardell? The trade route to move the goods. Yeah. There wasnt a road between Eight-Lake and Ardell. However, wasnt there an unofficial road? You just need to travel over South Mountain. South Mountain. The mountain range Irene and I got over ourselves. If we made a base and road here, it was a problem that anyone could solve. However, something was off. Hm. Ehem Sir. Ill tell you what we call that mountain range here. It was as if I said a taboo word. As soon as the words South Mountain were said, the mood changed in a peculiar way. Everyone dodged the name South Mountain deliberately and rmended me to refrain from saying it. This was all because of Cecilia. Her expression had frozen and turned very pale. Was there a problem? Looks like Ive said something unwanted. I apologize. I hurriedly apologized to Cecilia, but she didnt speak. This silence went on for a while. She was definitely holding something back. A sadness. No. It was past a damning sadness It was closer to rage. After organizing her emotions, she slowly opened her mouth. Going over South Mountain? No. That is impossible. The devil lives there. The devil of South Mountain, and this uncharacteristic 10-year-old representative. An image started to draw itself in my mind Cecilia didnt hide her outright fury toward this devil. Last night, I traversed over that mountain range. Liar. No. Im not lying. I met someone on that mountain. That quest item that was stored in my bag the whole time.Silver Wolfs Mane I pulled it out and asked, Is this perhaps the devil youre talking about? ! Cecilias eyes shook as she saw the mane, and a status window appeared in front of my eyes.Questpleted. Chapter 85 Chapter 85 The eldest daughter of the Trade King of Eight-Lake, Bill Baltraze. Cecilia Baltraze. On the day she turned 7-years-old, during a time when she should''ve been running around having fun without a care in the world, a terrible reality approached her. A burden too heavy to bear by herself. The death of her father. The girl who smiled brighter than anyone else lost her smile, and she had to be strong in the seat of her absent father. Then, she cursed the disaster of South Mountain that stole away her fathers life. Quest has beenpleted. The respect from House Baltraze has been given as reward. And now, that disaster was no more. This wasnt enough topletely erase the young girls pains, but slowly and surely, as the wound closed with time, Her smile, befitting of a 10-year-old, would return. * * * Whats the n now? We can only keep waiting. Ehm. Its already been three days since they asked us for more time. Maybe they forgot about you? Irene asked me, unsure of the situation, but I replied confidently, No. They could never forget me. Three days. It had already been three days since I met the 8 representatives in the Halls of Gold and returned to my inn Unexpectedly, in the Halls of Gold,Silver Wolfs Mane I ended uppleting the quest and receiving the respect of House Baltraze, but that was it. I couldnt receive confirmation on my original objective of going to that ce. And so, it had already been three days since I waited without a reply. Its about time they sent me a message Just like Irene, I was beginning to get a little nervous. But then, some people came into the inn we were staying at. Sir Ruin Ardell. Ah. They were the people of House Baltraze, the No.1 of Eight-Lake. We apologize for making you wait for so long. Its fine. More importantly, is Miss Cecilia alright? Yes. Thanks to you, shes gotten much better. The reason our Ladys response was slow was because she took some time to honor the memories of the previous Lord. Is that so? I understand. Then As I slowed my talking, the man understood my intentions and nodded. Indeed. The Lady has made a decision regarding your offer. Really? Thats weing to hear. Then, I''ll grab my coat and go with you. As I moved to go up the stairs, the man stopped me. Theres no need for that. What? The Lady hase herself. A young girl slowly revealed herself from behind the knights of the Baltraze family. Cecilia Baltraze. I apologize for making a client wait so long. I hope you can forgive this rudeness. Cecilia came forward to give her sincere apology, but hearing such a perfectly formal apologye out of the mouth of a 10-year-old girl felt too unnatural. However, it was only as ufortable as wearing something that didnt fit your age, and there was none of the hostility or danger that I felt when I first met Cecilia. Her expression felt more rxed too. I smiled brightly for Cecilia. Didnt you have to wait 3 years to rest the father you loved? This would never be rude. I also went through something simr before. My mother. Now, it was a face that I couldnt remember if not for portraits. But I could still clearly remember the tragedy that urred 10 years ago, when I had just turned 6. Cecilias eyes widened with curiosity, but I saved my words. Instead, I asked, Would you like to take a seat? However, she wanted to move to another ce where there were less prying eyes on her, and so, we got on the golden carriage of House Baltraze. I thought we would naturally move to one of herpany houses, but the destination was quite unexpected. Its the mountain range. South Mountain. Cecilia was determined to face her trauma head on in thisnd, and sought out South Mountain, and she forbade herself enter. Thend that took away her fathers life. She hesitated for a moment while getting off the carriage. Fuu However, she steeled her heart and set her foot on the soil of South Mountain. And then, she asked me, Didnt you say you came over this range? Yes. Im technically an illegal immigrant because of this, but I hope you can keep that secret. It was a light-hearted joke, but Cecilia couldntugh. Maybe it was because she didnt have thefort tough at such jokes yet. After staring into South Mountain for a while, she opened her mouth. If we can make a path through South Mountain, we could make a trade route through the southern side of the Radian Kingdom via Ardell, and even toward the sand kingdom of Oyota to the West. It would be much more efficient than wasting time going around the center of the Empire like we are now. Yes. My thoughts exactly. Making the path through here We, House Baltraze, will help you. Yes? This was something I couldnt even dream of before. I naturally always thought that the endeavor of making the path would fall on me to aplish. However, I was nning on leaving that tillter, since we didnt have enough money right now. But if House Baltraze was to help, this would bepletely different. With that, could I take it as you epting my offer? All products produced in Ardell will be fine. We will import it into Eight-Lake at higher prices than the market average. Higher than the market price. This was a shocking answer, and in that moment when I struggled to give an answer, Cecilia talked again. Theres something my father, once known as the Trade King, told me before. That it was fine if others pointed fingers at us and mocked us for being cold hearted, that trade was always like this, and that rather than taking a loss, it would be better to not sell at all. However, Im different from my father. I want to repay the grace that was given to House Baltraze, I want to promise trust, and I want to look forward to its future. I came to this ce to tell my father that. 10 years old. This girl that became an adult faster than any other. No, that had to be an adult. Cecilia Baltraze. She shook hands with me. I look forward to working with you. * * * * * * Everyone goes through suffering. Just like how Cecilia Baltraze confronted her disaster today, I, too, had a time where I had to do that. The despicable nightmare that struck House Ardell on my 6th birthday. The mudmen that dominated the Red ins attacked in waves, and even entered the town. Many people died. And one of them was my mother. Against these lowly mudmen Was there a more shameful death? However, there wasnt enough time for me to mourn. On the day I lost my mother, there were so many other children who had lost their parents, and as the young master of Ardell, I had to put on a brave face as the representative of these children. That was the day I first promised myself I would be stronger. I would be a magician. I would never let the nightmare of that day hurt Ardell again. Its great that it worked out. Yeah. Now, I took my first steps. Wasnt the first step the most important for anything? After fitting in the first piece of the puzzle, we left Eight-Lake and returned straight to Ardell. Since we had traversed it before, even though we walked slowly, it only took us half a day. Yeah. Other opportunities were also within my reach now. So, can I expect a more lively Ardell in a few years? Yes. I want to build a portter on too, and also have a market that doesnt need to rely on Eight-Lake or other ces. Although, it would be a little difficult right now. Fufu. Im getting excited along with you. As I talked excitedly about the territorys future, Irene smiled warmly while looking at me. When I look at you, I can really see that you love thisnd. Isnt everyone like that? Everyone loves their hometown. No, not everyone. She spoke nonchntly, as if it was nothing important. I hate my hometown. But what was this? In that nonchnt tone, the pain behind that voice? I wanted to ask, but Irene spoke no further about it. I said something unnecessary. Could you tell me? I dont really know much about your story. Sure. But not now. Isnt today a joyous day? Lets return quickly and spread the news. Yeah. Maybe next time. When the opportunityes, I want to visit your hometown as well, Irene. Irene didnt confirm nor deny it, but I could somewhat guess. A day would definitelye where I would go seek out Prius. * * * For the first time in a while, House Ardells dinner table was bustling. Since the asion was quite momentous, all the people that led the territory of Ardell were gathered here, including Chief Baggins. Ahem. If everyone has finished their meals, should we listen to the young masters story? Everyones attention was on me, and I started to talk. The first part of my story naturally started in South Mountain. Everyone was shocked to hear about me encountering and defeating a werewolf before arriving in Eight-Lake, but the story proceeded smoothly. The problems happened afterward. What? You two stayed in the same inn? I said we used different rooms. Really? Bro, you Did you Ruina interrupted when the inn came up. Of course, everyone else chuckled at Ruinas unexpected outburst, but Ruina was staring at me with a serious gaze. What was this little kid even thinking about? After that, I had to stop my story multiple times. Did that cold-hearted representative from Baltraze really say that? That she would repay the grace shown by Ardell? Chief Baggins interrupted when I talked about how I finished making the deal with Eight-Lake. Is it really true that work to create a path through South Mountain will start this month? Yes. Its true. Just what magic did you do? It wasnt magic. I just built some trust with them. The elders eximed with surprise at the creation of a trade route through this deserted mountain range. If the trade route is created, the Oyotas from the west will also use it. Then Ardell will also be prosperous. Thats true. Its just as you say, Young Master. Ardell growing is now only a matter of time. Now, there was no reason to rely on Monzo, who held a monopoly onmerce on the southern side of the Radian Kingdom. Of course, arge sum of 30 thousand gold disappeared in an instant to purchase the weapons But it was fine if you thought of it as investing it in something more important. Then, what is the next step, Young Master? Asked Chief Baggins. Well prepare for subjugation. Subjugation. The conclusion of all ns was war. Of course, we need the permission of my father. Just as these words left my mouth, all eyes turned toward my father. Having been silent for so long, he finally spoke up. Youre all grown up. A lot of meaning was held in these words, mainly Thank you. For growing up brilliantly like this. Gratitude. And then They say a parent cant win against their child Now I cant hold you back. A sense of not being able to stop me. And finally, one more. I was afraid. Afraid of war. Just like that day 10 years ago That I might lose everything all over again. My fathers true feelings. Feelings that he had hidden away for the longest time. And the name my father spoke out I miss Meria today of all days. Meria. Her face was fading from my memory, but I could still clearly feel my mothers warmth. My father lifted his ss of wine with that name, and then swore, To avenge our loved ones. Vengeance. And, the glory of Ardell. Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Soon after I returned from Eight-Lake, a lot of things started to change in Ardell. The first thing that changed was the atmosphere. The once quiet and peaceful town had started to be energetic. Have you heard? Theres a subjugation decree! Theyre trying to reim the Red ins where the mudmen took over. What, you only heard of it now? Youre slow as always. Those rotten mudmen bastards. I was waiting for the day I could thrust my spear into their skulls That day has finallye. You were waiting? Haiya, you cant even hit a fly. Itll be a blessing if you dont get your own skull crushed by their stone axes. What did you say?! War. This was definitely a fearsome word But if one needed to protect a loved one, or if they were missing someone It could turn into a driving force that motivates one to act. The citizens of Ardell all remembered the nightmare of 10 years ago, and were all ready to act. Just like Cecilia Baltraze, they were ready to face their trauma head on. However, now wasnt the time. Thats why, if you dont want to die, gather in the Lords backyard. Everyones promised to do spearmanship training together. Since Ardell was quite small, there werent enough people to muster suitable military might to start the subjugation. That was why we needed to train all the ordinary citizens, from farmers to workers. Since I also needed to graduate and the weapons from Eight-Lake would take some months before arriving, we were doing some small preliminary preparations. This wasnt the only reason the territorys atmosphere was ame. Spearmanship? Does that mean the captain himself is going to train us? Of course. Who else in Ardell could teach us if not him? Oohoo, Sir sh Knight! Well see his skills for the first time in a while. But from what I heard, he only handles fishing rods these days It should be fine, right? Kekek. Does a tiger be a kitten because it ys with a ball of yarn for a bit? His shy skills should still be the same. Subjugation preparation. A great shift urred in the peaceful territory of Ardell, and the news started to slowly spread outside this tigers den. Yeah. A tiger lived in Ardell as well. Even though there were only 15 members, we had a knight order, and there was also a knight captain who led this order. The sh Knight, Sir Bolvar. He was already older than 50 and part of the veterans among the knights, but back in the days, he was famed for his brilliant spearmanship with which he earned the nickname of The sh Knight. He was also part of the Golden Light Knight Order that guarded the king. Of course, this was a story from a time before I was even born. The Sir Bolvar I knew was a kind neighborly uncle who used the fishing rod more than the spear. His main job amounted to taking me and Ruina for pics in and around the Ardell territory. However, our faith in Sir Bolvar was deeply rooted. 10 years ago, when the mudmen invaded our territory, if not for Sir Bolvar, we wouldve lost more people. The scene of him piercing right through 5 mudmen heads in a single blow was still stuck in my head. He was the most respected knight in Ardell. While the people of the territory were talking about this, Irene spoke up after having been quietly listening for a while. Ruin, whos the Tiger of Ardell? Ah, theyre talking about the knight captain of our territory, Sir Bolvar Patten. Who? Sir Bolvar Patten. Why? Irenes expression shifted. Her face was telling me that it was a name she had heard before. I feel like Ive heard of him before. Spear Saint Bolvar I probably heard it during my studies, but maybe only in passing because Im not certain. Studies? Do you learn something like that in the Empires magic schools? No. However, the Eleven Children learn about the Record of Knights. We need to know a lot about them since knights are the mostmon enemy one would face on the battlefield. So they learned something like that as well. The Eleven Children They still felt quite incredible. But she heard about Sir Bolvar in the Record of Knights? Eh, probably not. Didnt the Record of Knights record only the greatest knights of the continent? I brushed away the thought. I dont know that much about knighthood but thats probably not right. Its true that Sir Bolvar is strong, but in the Record of Knights? Its the first time Im hearing about this. Really? Yes. And his nickname is The sh Knight not Spear Saint. Youre probably thinking of someone else. Of course, I was talking without knowing everything either. The only thing I knew was that, for a knights name to be recorded in the Record of Knights, they wouldve needed to aplish an incredible deed or attain unbelievable strength. Knowing that, I hade to the conclusion that there was no chance such a great knight would exist in Ardell. Yeah. Preconceptions like this were always dangerous. Im pretty sure its right. What? That half-moon spear and swift spearmanship. Im certain. Spear Saint Bolvar Patten, the sole spear knight of the Radian Kingdom. At the young age of 30, he suddenly retired and vanished Her eyes lit up with confidence. A legend. A legend? The Bolvar that Irene deemed a legend Haha! Lets finish here for today. Now that Im old, even holding a spear is difficult. Back in the day, I wouldve swung this spear around like I would a spoon. He had a rxed smile and wiped off the sweat after finishing the first spearmanship lesson opened for the citizens of the territory. Huh Was it really true? * * * * * * Haha! Youve really done it this time, Young Master. I knew you would do something extraordinary since you had those greedy eyes from a young age, but to win the Grand Festival? And a subjugation now? Youre all grown up. Im proud of you. This old man is truly moved by your achievements. If it was like the old times, I wouldve wanted to put you on my shoulders and go on a hike but since youve also grown, wouldnt it be too much for you as well? I obviously knew that this kind and down-to-earth face of Sir Bolvar wasnt everything. I knew very well that behind his easy going and fun loving face was a fearsome level of skill. Alright. Lets say that Sir Bolvar Patten was a famous knight, famed enough to be in the Record of Knights, just like what Irene said. Then, why was he here? Why would he give up the honor of being the greatest spear knight of the kingdom and just sit in Ardell with a fishing rod in his hand? Then, Irene bowed her head to Sir Bolvar and said something that would solve my curiosity. My name is Irene Prius. I greet the Spear Saint Sir Bolvar Patten. Not The sh Knight that was known by our territory, but the spear amongst spears, the Spear Saint. As the words left her mouth, Sir Bolvars eyebrows shuddered a bit as he became a little flustered. Where did you hear about that? His expression was asking if someone who remembers that name still existed. Irene very politely replied, Ive heard about your stories in the Record of Knights. I couldnt confirm it before but I became certain after seeing your half-moon spear and swift spearmanship. The tale of you ying 10 high-ranking magicians from the rebel state of Perna is still legendary. Its an honor to be able to meet you here. He yed 10 high-ranking magicians? Our Sir Bolvar? I looked at Sir Bolvar, shocked out of my wits. Huhu However, Sir Bolvar just scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. Youre a smartss. You even remembered that small story in the corner of the Record of Knights. Well, even then, thats all in the past. Now, Im just an old man who struggles to even lift a spear. What? Was it all true? I asked him, Sir Bolvar, why did you hide it? Hide what? I didnt know. I couldnt even guess that you were someone famous like this. Ive never hidden anything, Young Master. Youve never asked me. Hmm Well, I couldnt say anything against that. But, what was this? Betrayal? No. How could I exin this feeling Im a little sad. I thought I knew Sir Bolvar pretty well. There was a hint of sadness and regret from ending up hearing more about the knight captain that Ive known for so long from someone else. However, Sir Bolvar just shrugged his shoulders. Young Master, you know more about me than anyone else. But Ive only just learnt that you were the Spear Saint, even though I was so close to you. But thats not everything about me, right? What? That is only a part of me. I love fishing, I live in the house at the base of this hill, and I like eating meat for breakfast. I treat Ardell and its lord like my brothers, and Ive spent time with the young master and the youngdy Thats Bolvar Patten. Isnt that enough? What I felt was hard to exin. It was like I was just struck in the back of the head. Yeah. Sir Bolvar was right. The fact that he was written in the Record of Knights,pleted a legendary deed, and was strong enough to be called the Spear Saint was but a part of him. Just because I didnt know this, does the Bolvar I know disappear? Ruin, since when were you so focused on fame? Young Master, youre staying here as the winner of the Grand Festival. Compared to that, whats odd about me living in Ardell? Haha! Yeah. There was now that said I, who was born in and inherited the blood of Ardell, was the only one who could love Ardell. Sir Bolvar wouldve been a foreigner in the beginning, but now, he was family. There was nothing odd. Nothing was different either. You are right, sir. I know more about you than anyone else. Thank you for understanding, Young Master. Sir Bolvar checked the time and became flustered. Oh, now Imte. I promised the youngdy I would help her with her swordsmanship. Ruina? Do you look after her swordsmanship personally? Normally, the lord would look after her, but when wooden spars are needed, I help her. Sparring? Sheesh. For the legendary spear knight Bolvar Patten of Radian to personally spar against the juvenile 12-year-old Ruina. Im looking forward to this. As Irene and I showed interest, Sir Bolvar Patten asked us, Will you join us, Young Master? In spectating? Of course I would. No, not spectating, but sparring. Sparring? Really? With me? Dont you remember? I helped you with sparring when you were about 9. I remembered. Of course I would remember. Even while I was tumbling in the dirt, I would smile as I sparred against Sir Bolvar. It was one of my most cherished childhood memories. Would you like to have a go for the first time in a while? Against the knight captain of Ardells knight order, Bolvar Patten. No. Against the legendary Spear Saint. Would this opportunitye to just anyone? Seeing Sir Bolvarspetitive spirit through his smile, I clenched my fists. Im not the little kid you remember. At that, Sir Bolvar jokingly responded, Yes, I know. Im not the knight you remember either. Now Im too old to even lift a spear. Liar. Dont you look too fired up to be retired? Chapter 87 Chapter 87 The lights in the training hall of Ardell didnt go out untilte into the night. There was only one reason. It was because of the swordsmanship training of the cutest in Ardell, Ruina. Sir Bolvar! Young Lady, am I toote? Ruina, who was standing in the center of the training hall by herself, replied while pouting, Youre 10 minuteste. Didnt you say you cant keep ady waiting? Haha. Forgive me. For beingte today, I think Ill only use my left hand. Hows that? Only your left hand? Ruinas gazended on me, and even onto Irene, who was standing behind me. Maybe because there was an audience today Alright. Dont regret it. She looked a little nervous. But she also showed a bit more confidence. It looked like she wanted to show us her winning against Sir Bolvar. Irene let out a littleughter at her cute actions, but I looked more seriously at her posture as she gripped her sword. I didnt know much about swordsmanship Looks like shes been learning well. Well, I guess I did learn some body arts and footwork from the knight Coulter Pirante in preparation for the Grand Festival. With that limited amount of education, I could tell that Ruinas sword was at perfect bnce, and her steps were uniform too. It was proof of her solid foundation. I was going to tease her about being a bratty 12-year-old knight, but Ruinas level had far exceeded what I expected. Woah Her attacks were good enough to elicit an exmation from Irene. She freely swung a swordrger than herself, and her body was bnced and steady as she moved in and out of attacks. Naturally, her body hadnt fully developed, so her muscle mass wascking, and there wasnt a moment where she could threaten the Spear Saint with her young swordsmanship. Do you see? Lady Ruinas swordsmanship has grown to this much already. If were only considering skills in swordsmanship, not even you would be able to defeat her, Young Master. But considering she was only 12-years-old, this was quite the brilliant growth. Choosing the sword rather than the dress to protect her weak older brother. Choosing the training hall rather than the banquet hall. Ruina was truly admirable. I wanted to give her an apuse. If she looked this talented through my novice eyes, how much more admirable would she look with Sir Bolvars eyes? Youre open here. Sir Bolvar lightly and easily parried Ruinas sword before tapping her side. Ruina fell back on the ground, but she didnt tarry and immediately got back up. She didnt pay Irene and I any mind from this point on. She only focused on how to attack Sir Bolvar, and Sir Bolvar focused only on training Ruina. Itsmon to say that the sword and spear should be an extension of your arm and you need to be skilled enough to swing it easily like any other limb, but that is wrong. Rather, its the opposite. You need to treat it carefully, more so than anyone else, just as if it was the first time you held the weapon. Ruinas determined stabs couldnt find purchase, and Sir Bolvar lightly twisted his body, deflecting Ruinas sword. Even if it is a wooden sword youve swung thousands of times, even if its a sword whose weight youve gotten used to, be mindful of every swing you make, just like the first time. And then Eit! After bing more frustrated, Ruina started to swing harder, and Sir Bolvar parried with ease. In a single sh, the tip of Sir Bolvars sword was ced at Ruinas neck. Be alert against the weakness that arises fromfort. p, p, p, p. Apuse came out automatically in front of the splendid performance. Well finish up here for today, Young Lady. Ruina looked a little mad about losing, but she didnt throw the sword to the ground or do anything disrespectful. It was more like she was trying to internalize the lesson from today as she looked upon the hand that she was swinging her sword with. Ah, what was this feeling? Was this what my father felt when he saw us? For my unruly and cute sister to already be this grown up. I wanted to hug her out of pride. Then, Sir Bolvar spoke to me. Now, Young Master, it is your turn. My turn. I loosely grabbed a wooden sword propped against the corner of the training hall and walked up. Rather than reminisce about how long it had been since I held a sword 9-years-old. The memory of 7 years ago, when I was sparring against Sir Bolvar saying that a magician needs to know about the sword to face knights, was the first that came to mind. You wouldnt use magic against this old fellow, would you? Of course not. That would break academy regtions. Haha. Alright. This will be very interesting, just like old times. Looks like Sir Bolvar was also remembering those times. The wooden sword felt so heavy when I was young Now, it was as light as a feather. I gripped the sword and swung it around a few times. Maybe it was because my strength had increased Swoosh Swoosh! The sword swished about with incredible speed as if it was going to cut the wind itself. Hoh oh Sir Bolvar was amazed. I heard that you were doing some body arts. It looks like that was true. Indeed. Swordsmanship isnt that different to body arts. Im looking forward to seeing how much youve grown. Sir Bolvar lifted his sword. Just like against Ruina, it was in his left hand. Well start like this for now. Is that ok? Yes. He said hed gotten old and frail, but I could sense that he was still a strong and greatly experienced knight. A tiger was still a tiger, no matter how weak. I lifted my sword, intending to do my best, and hoped to get at least one hit in. Of course, my posture and stance was quite badpared to my conviction. Then, lets start. A method to face an enemy wielding a sword. Hadnt I already learned this at the Grand Festival? Doom Prime, the most talented magic swordsman. I thought back to my experience facing Doom and charged at Sir Bolvar. However, the only thing that I saw Oh, your movement is quite good. ! The tip of Sir Bolvars de, unable to be tracked with my eyes, arrived at my neck. I was quite surprised at how much your movement had improved since 7 years ago. Should we go again? His skills were so great that I felt ashamed of my previously burning fighting spirit. I could tell he didnt even feel danger from that situation. Were all knights strong like this? I was now certain that the story of him killing 10 high-ranking magicians by himself wasnt just a legend. I felt beyond dejected, to the point where I was just lost. I could only lift the wooden sword again. We havent even started yet, Young Master. A beautiful fragment of a memory appeared in my head. Even though our duels were always filled with smiles They always ended with tears. * * * * * * One of the biggest reasons I was feeling lost Youre open here. Crack! Euk. Sir Bolvar was a spearman. He was this strong when he was using a wooden sword, and not his signature spear 9 times I was sent crashing to the floor. As I was holding this sword, it really just felt like I became an idiot. It was because my sword couldnt even nick the edge of his shirt. Fuu Its really frustrating that nothing works. No. Youre getting better. Getting better? But I feel like Ive stayed the same. Its just that you cant feel it yourself. Would you like to go again? I couldnt tell what he was talking about as he continued to say I was getting better. Was this just an appeal to hope? I wanted to smash this ufortable sword into the ground this instant and use my trained fists. Fuu Ill go again. But I remained with the sword. It wasnt because I had some desire to be better at swordsmanship. I was too fearless against the existence called knights for too long. So I wanted to use this chance to deepen my understanding of their movements. Yeah. It was a good opportunity. This frustration I was feeling right now would be a key motivator for self-growth. I couldnt deny this. I was at my limit. A smile naturally appeared on my face. Young Master, I like that expression you just made. Yes. Im at my limit right now and I just chose my goal. Goal? Ill make you use your right hand, Sir Bolvar. Before that, Im not giving up. Sir Bolvar seemed amused by my conviction and gripped his sword again. Come forth. There were no openings. I knew I could do it if I just threw away this useless sword and lifted my fists. That I would be able to defeat him. But I couldnt do that here. There was only one chance. I needed to make an attack that was impossible to block with his left hand. Im going. I charged toward Sir Bolvar again. The same path, an honest movement. A direct attack that relied on my strength. It hadnt worked every other time I tried because Sir Bolvar would deflect my strength without ever facing it head on. Then, how about this? I quickly twisted my body and changed the trajectory of the de to strike his left shoulder. Your attempt was good However, Sir Bolvar easily took one step back and dodged my sword. If you do this, your movement bes too big and produces an opening like this. ! After learning through my body that this was a chance for a knight to counterattack me, rather than attack again, I took a defensive stance to block the blow. Crack! Oh ho! Didnt I tell you? Youre indeed getting better. And I seeded in blocking Sir Bolvars attack for the first time. However, I couldnt waste this time celebrating. I had gotten the initiative to attack. I rapidly decreased the gap between Sir Bolvar and I, feinting a thrust, pushed my shoulders forward before changing directions. ! Lies beneath lies. From the point of view of the left-handed Sir Bolvar, he had figured that I was focusing on his left side, it being naturally harder to defend. However ! Sir Bolvar became surprised for a moment and took a step back. Crack! He deflected my de and flung it straight up. Thanks to this, my sword was embarrassingly thrown out of my hands andnded far away. A total defeat on my part. However I-I did it! The one that was celebrating was me. Sir Bolvar had at some point switched to his right hand. Young Master. Between the surprise and flustered expression, Sir Bolvar showed pride and admiration for me. An attack that is impossible for a right-handed knight to block with their left hand Did you n this? Or was it instinct? Who knows? I did think about it but it didnt go ording to my original n. Of course, the attack was a failure. My attacks couldnt even touch his shirt. I couldnt break that wooden sword either. And I ended up letting go of my sword. But the reason I could smile in this state You are very talented. I had predicted one of Sir Bolvars attacks and made him use his right hand. With this, I had attained my goal for today. Fuah I just fell t on my back. It felt as if the ground was sucking me in. A serenefort came over me and I felt like I could just fall asleep like this. But then, Sir Bolvar said something and turned his back. Ill see you the same time tomorrow. What? Wait. What did you just say? Chapter 88 Chapter 88 After that day, I spent most of my time in the break sparring against Sir Bolvar. The first sessful win I had against Sir Bolvar on the first day really seemed to have just been luck, and the same tactics didnt work again. Getting my form broken and being thrown to the ground became the norm. However, it wasnt like I didnt learn anything. In the end, the sword traces a straight line, not a curve. There is a limit to how you can attack, and if you can just predict the direction, you will be able to dodge the majority of strikes. Can you see it now? Shoulders, legs, eyes. I learned to study the changes in the knights body to predict my opponent''s movements, and now I could dodge one or two shes from Sir Bolvar. Just as Sir Bolvar said, I was beginning to see. And so, a week passed. When the break wasing to a close, Sir Bolvar started to use his right hand. For a magician like Young Master who needs to fight in meleebat You wouldnt be able to avoid confrontation against knights. Thats why you must focus more. The skill level of Sir Bolvar using his right hand was double the power of when he was using his left. No, it was at least 3 times faster and stronger. Now, rather than blocking the strikes, there were more cases where I was just hit on the sword But one thing I was certain of was that this sparring with wooden swords was a great help to my growth. After getting hit and defeated like that for a few more days, I started to get used to Sir Bolvars right hand And even if it wasughable, I was able to go multiple rounds against him. At this point, I could only be curious. What would Sir Bolvars ranking be as a knight? What rank am I? Haha. Who knows? It has been quite a while since I retired from the Golden Light Knight Order. I dont even know how strong the new knights are. There was no concreteparison that could be made. Wait. Ah, there was one. I know a knight. Who is it? Hes Sir Coulter Pirante, the knight captain of the Poldren territory They say that hes the only 6th-rank knight in Eastern Radian. Sir Coulter Pirante, the special professor who helped me with body arts before the Grand Festival. He told me to call him older brother, I think? I remember him being super powerful After hearing he was 6th-rank, Sir Bolvar went into thought while scratching his chin. Ehm. If its the Poldren Territory, its a direct defense-line for the capital But for the knight captain of that ce to only be 6th-rank For an instant, Sir Bolvars eyes were filled with humor. 20 years ago, when I left the knight order, I was a 7th-rank. It seems my sessors'' skills have deteriorated. Its quite unfortunate. He was 7th-rank 20 years ago? Holy moly. Didnt that mean he was the strongest in the kingdom? He was saying he wasnt But wasnt it possible that he reached the rank of sword master, 8th-rank? Was I getting taught swordsmanship from a man like that? A swordsmanship lesson from a 7th-rank knight Youre receiving a very precious experience, Ruin. Just as Irene said, this was truly a great blessing. Its an experience that even money would find hard to buy. Sir Bolvar was the only knight in the Radian Kingdom to be written in the Record of Knights. You do know that not even 100 knights throughout the continent have been recorded in there, right? This experience wasnt just good for my batting, but it could directly benefit my studies at the academy. Since the second semester of the graduating ss was right before we went out into the real world, most of the sses were regarding knights. Of course, the sses were with trainee knights who hadnt taken their knightly vows yet Alright. If youve rested enough should we go again? How greatly would todays experience help me in the future? I really ended up preparing for ss with a 7th-rank knight, someone that you couldnt even get with money. Yes. Lets keep going. Ill see the end today. Ehem. The end is a bit At least while I was staying in Ardell for the break, I needed to stick to Sir Bolvar as much as possible, enough to make him annoyed. Only then Ting! Sudden Quest The Ways to Fight a Knight After bing more experienced against knights through wooden sparring, you must train at a higher level. Block: 0/100 Dodge: 0/100 Counterattack: 0/100 Fatal Blow: 0/1 Reward: Skill Steel Destruction Would I be able to finish this quest that appeared before me? The remaining time wasTime Limit: 71:39:13 3 days. I must finish it in that time. * * * Ruin Ardell Incarnation of Draka, destroyer of worlds +++ Despite getting nearly 6000 strength by doing the daily quests and owning one of the greatest artifacts in the world, the Knuckles of Kunkhans Will Why? Are you tired? Hah, hak No. Im not tired yet. I am tired, though. How many hours have we been? Look over there. The sun has started to rise. Why did I be an idiot whenever I picked up this sword? Why couldnt I defeat Sir Bolvars sword? The quest with a time limit of 3 days Block: 100/100 Dodge: 100/100 Counterattack:100/100 Fatal Blow: 0/1 I was on the final part, Fatal Blow. I couldnt fulfill this one condition. For this to be all I could do, even after spending an entire night fighting Dealing a fatal blow against a 7th-rank knight Was this an impossible quest from the beginning?Time Limit: 00:28:52 * * * * * * A measly 30 minutes. Just as Sir Bolvar said, the sun was already rising What? Ruin, did you fight all night? And a bunch of people, including Ruina and Irene, had gathered to see what the noise was in the early morning, and they were watching me in the training hall. Why is the young master doing this so suddenly? I dont know either. Did you know he only slept for 2 hours the day before? Hes been going at Sir Bolvar like this for 3 days already. Most looked at me like I was weird But my father was also standing there with worry on his face. Young Master, you look quite tired. How about ending it here for today? Hes right. Youve pushed yourself too much these past few days. Too much training can also be harmful. Its good that youre training, but dont strain yourself Everyone tried to dissuade me, but 30 minutes, I just need 30 minutes. Hearing my earnest plea, Sir Bolvar looked at me for a moment before nodding. Alright. Yeah, I knew it was foolish to expect a miracle to happen in just these 30 minutes. It was obvious what the end result would be, even if we shed again. In thest 3 days, I had experienced it over a thousand times. The one thing I learned while getting crushed in these past few days was that the method I used against Doom Prime in the Grand Festival, the method of breaking my opponents sword, couldnt be used on everyone. High-ranking knights such as Sir Bolvar wouldnt face my strength head on and rather deflect or redirect it. Then, was there a way to not get my strength redirected? Shall we start? Just a moment, please. Contrary to Sir Bolvar, who silently lifted the sword off the ground, I put my wooden sword back down. Hm? What is the young master doing? Everyone was questioning my decision, but I spoke directly to Sir Bolvar. Im thinking of doing something a little different, since its thest time. Something a little different Are you perhaps using your fists instead of your sword? Yes. Yeah. How could I, who had only started learning swordsmanship for a few days, use swordsmanship to defeat a 7th-rank knight who had trained and perfected the sword over decades? After shing for multiple days, I had decently progressed in my goal of learning about knights. Now, I needed to use my specialty to face him. Only 30 minutes remained. Andpleting the quest had be far more important than anything else. As I moved the sword to the side and put on rugged leather gloves, Sir Bolvar narrowed his eyes and asked me, I did notice you were acting quite odd these past few days, enough to spend the night but you want something from me, dont you? Thats right. To use this old man like this Alright. 30 minutes. Do as you please. I drained my body of strength and started to warm up. Can I really do as I please? Are you nning on using magic? After a light stretch, I covered my chin with my fist and took up a guard. And what if I am? It was familiar. I had only removed the wooden sword from my hand But I could start to see a wave of movement. Sir Bolvars tiredness also disappeared, reced by joy and intrigue. Well, thats fine. I was also curious about your true power, Young Master Then Ill get a little more serious this time. Woosh! Sir Bolvar turned his wooden sword to the side and prepared to charge. Im going. I bounced on spot for a bit and then instantly closed the gap, charging in. Since I didnt have a sword in my hand, I needed to dive in a swords length further. But my body felt lighter, and my bodys bnce was perfect as I ran. There. ! If you approached this close to an opponents body Ho ho! So its like this? The sword gets stuck in a no-mansnd and just bes a useless stick. However, Sir Bolvar wasnt the greatest knight of the kingdom for nothing. He saw the distance between us and back stepped just a swords length away, and even matched my timing to counterattack, thrusting his sword. I predicted this too and dodged. And like that, getting close, then far, close, then far, we instantly shed 10 times. The n toe in close enough to make a sword useless Its a good method to use against a knight. However, the moment they see through your intentions, the choices you can make will decrease drastically. Your opponent will constantly try and keep a distance. He was right. All the ways I could strike were seen through. Then what should I do? I added a little more skill to my original n. It was Doing the same thing wont make a Light. ? 1st-circle nature magic, Light. A basic spell that produced a ball of light to illuminate an area, a spell that didnt have much practicalbat use. As I flicked my finger, a small ball of light was created. Shshshshshshs! ! This light, for an instant, distracted Sir Bolvar. Oh! Sir Bolvars eyes clenched shut for just a moment and the observers eximed. I didnt let this chance go, charging straight at him. His instinctual sword sh came close to hitting me, but I managed to narrowly dodge it. Thanks to this Huh? Got you. Swip! I could finally grab hold of the hem of his shirt that I missed for so long. Now, Im not letting you go. Yeah. After I grabbed on once, I would never let go. Sir Bolvar tried to make distance and step back But he was stuck in ce by my monstrous strength. Now, it was time for my counterattack. My final quest condition,Fatal Blow: 0/1 Since I couldnt just hit Sir Bolvar with my fists, I lifted him up by his clothes Swoosh! And threw him to the ground. Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Fatal Blow: 1/1 times (Complete) You havepleted the quest The Ways to Fight a Knight. You have gained the skill Steel Destruction as the reward. Steel Destruction Active Armor, helmet, sword, or spear. No matter what, if it is created using steel, destroy it in one strike. Cooldown: 3 minutes. The status window to notify me of my questpletion appeared, but I didnt have time to look at it. Sir Bolvar! I ran to Sir Bolvar, who fell on the ground. He just sat on the floor whileughing at the absurd state while brushing himself off. This I was waiting for some fearsome magic but for it to just be Light. Well, using non-lethal magic doesnt break the academys rules. I couldnt expect it. You really got me this time. Thanks to you, I learnt something as well, Young Master. I reached out my hand to Sir Bolvar, and he grabbed it, standing up. Then Smack! Someone pped me on my back. Ouch There was only one person in all of Ardell who would mercilessly p me on my back like this. Ruin! Have you no honor? How dare you use magic in this sacred duel! Ruina. Even though she was only 12 years old, she had awoken to the mindset of the knight and reprimanded me for using magic in a duel, and I epted it wholeheartedly. Yeah. It was dishonorable. However, so are you for smacking an unsuspecting person on the back. What? You wanna get hit again? Ehm, no. Ill pass. Stop running away! Iughed as the enraged Ruina chased after me. But still, she was right. Since I couldnt aplish it with a wooden sword, I had used all the tricks in my book. It definitely couldve been a dishonorable duel, just as Ruina said. However, Sir Bolvar defended my actions for me. Young Lady, the young master dueled me more honorably than anyone else. Really? B-But using magic during a knights duel Young master is not a knight, but a magician. But didnt he only use Light? Ruina couldnt refute and closed her mouth before Sir Bolvar gave me a slow thumbs up and jokingly cried, After being defeated by a magician who only used Light, Im too ashamed of myself to lift my head. Who cares about being The sh or Spear Saint? This old man will silently go back to fishing. He was obviously lying. If he had wielded his half-moon spear rather than the wooden sword. If he was at his peak condition and not matching my level, sparring for my growth. Would I really have been able to deal a fatal blow to him? I couldnt dare dismiss Sir Bolvars power just because of this. Anyway, are you done now? Eh? Ah, yes. I dont know what you gained from sparring against me, but now I can go take a warm bath. Ive taken too much of your time. Sorry. It was my pleasure to see your talent, Young Master. As Sir Bolvar and I shook hands Wooooo! The people of Ardell watching our duel cheered for us. No matter who won, no matter who lost. Werent we all part of Ardell? Everyone saw an exciting fight early in the morning, and it was an energizing sight to start the day. Well, for me, it was the end of the day. I wanted to fall over and sleep in my bed. I felt like I would fall asleep as soon as I sat down. * * * When I opened my eyes, a day had already passed. How did you sleep for 24 hours? Ruin, are you actually a bear? 24 hours. I couldnt believe it myself. I ended up being called a bear by Ruina and also missed out on my daily quest, but my condition had returned. While eating breakfast, I asked Ruina how Sir Bolvar was doing. However Sir Bolvar woke up yesterday evening to do his daily tasks, unlike you who fell dead like a corpse. He had only slept for 4 hours and went back to do all the things he needed to. He kept repeating that hes gone old, but wasnt he more energetic than a teen? There was also another thing that changed while I was out cold. People from Eight-Lake came by? Yeah. They said they were workers. 4 groups of 12 people. A total of about 50 people hade to Ardell to construct the trade route through South Mountain. As they were all paid by the 1st representative of Eight-Lakes House Baltraze, they told us that they were here to build a base in Ardell and start the construction project for the next few months. The fruits of mybor in the break had slowly started to bud. Through this route we would be supplied weapons by Eight-Lake, and after that, we would be able to start ourrge-scale subjugation. Thanks to that, the town is alive. This is the first time that we had so many foreigners in our territory. Mrs. Mary looks so happy. For Mrs. Mary, who ran a restaurant in Ardell, this may have been the most customers she had ever seen. It was great that she was happy. After I came out with Ruina to check, it was more alive than I expected. Oh my! You cane in. Its all been cleaned up perfectly! The Ardells only inn, The Solitary Southern Traveler, that was mostly used as a warehouse all year round had finished cleaning and preparations to meet their new customers. ng! ng! Mr. Pison, the cksmith that had only been able to make farming equipment and saddles, started to efficiently craft different types of construction equipment and was able to show off his skills for the first time in a while. Just looking at these scenes was enough to make me happier. And next to me Young Master, have you woken up? Ah, yes. My father, Chief Baggins, and Sir Bolvar. Ardells key personnel had gathered. * * * * * * Young Lady worried greatly about you not waking up, fearing that something happened to you. Ruina did? As I turned to look at Ruina, her face became red and turned away while muttering, I asked if you were a bear Everyone burst intoughter. Afterughing like that for a bit, Chief Baggins asked me, How do you feel? How do I feel? Yes. This has all happened because of you, Young Master. Im curious as to what youre feeling right now. It was happening because of me? No. It was all because of the help from my father and Irene, and because luck was on my side. However, it was true that I was feeling more than that. I pointed towards the busy people working in the territory. Look at their expressions. How are they? Everyone looks excited and happy. Yes. Everyone here loves the quiet and peaceful Ardell, but they may have also waited for an active and lively Ardell like this as well. That is true. Just because the number of people increases doesnt mean the town we love disappears somewhere else. It hadnt changed that much. Rather, it was a freer, somewhat stronger Ardell. Change starts now. The change in Ardell that happened in the mere 40 days I spent here. I was standing at the end of this change. Of course, the change was currently too small to expect anything huge But I wasnt rushed. Because tomorrow was waiting for me. Your break ising to an end soon, Young Master. It will be 6 months before we can see each other again once you return to the academy. Subjugation preparation, trade route construction Looks like well get to have a busy year thanks to you, Young Master. You can leave Ardell to me and the Lord and you can focus on graduating, Young Master. Yeah. That long yet short break was now over. Tomorrow, I would ride another 10 days North toward the Academy. Still longing for the hometown I hadnt seen in a while, I didnt want to return to the academy right away. But I still had things left to do there. Graduation. I would at least officially be a magician. I looked at my father. His expression was a weird mix of pride and awkwardness as he looked at me, and I handed him the remaining gold I had on me. Its 12 thousand gold. Please use it for Ardell. Ive taken out the 400 gold Ill use, so dont worry about it. My father hesitated on if he should ept this money or not. Are you going to refuse it again? Thank you, Ruin. But he didnt spend long. My father took the gold and grabbed my hand tight. I have no honor if I face you. Im always in debt to you. What did he mean debt? I was also undeniably part of Ardell. Rather than saying this, I gave my father a tight hug. Then, Ill be going. Be careful on the way. Alright. Since I did this much, I could say the break was quite unique, right? * * * Irene asked me, Arent you nervous? It was a question regarding the huge sum of 40 thousand gold all disappearing. But I just shrugged. Not at all. It was honestly too much money for me. After removing that load I feel quite free. The crown prince said that, after I wasted all my money, I woulde back to him But I didnt feel that at all. Rather than obtaining wealth, huge mansions, or other items of luxury, I spent all that money on things I wanted. And my heart had never felt lighter. From now on, I just need to earn that money with my own strength. Fufu Also, Im not totally out of money. I still saved 400 gold as emergency funds. 400 gold? Are you going to wage war somewhere? Irene mimicked the words of the 8 representatives of Eight-Lake as a joke, and I replied in kind. Yes. I must. I will prepare to go to war against graduation. Well, it wasnt like graduation took money. But since I didnt know when I would need it, it was good to just have a backup. I wasnt nning to live poorly in the future either. As Irene and I rode outside of Ardell, we stopped. So its here. Yeah. North of here would be the Academy. If you went East, it would be the Raynac Empire. A fork in the road. After we separated here, when would we meet again? I didnt know. However, unless she gave up on magic, we would be able to meet up sometime in the future, right? As I was going to say goodbye, Irene spoke to me. Ill help as well. What? The subjugation after graduation. Itll be a pretty hectic time for you. Will you be alright? I have no interest in those other things. The busiest times for most students waiting for graduation would probably be just after they graduate. After all, it was the time to select their future from a waterfall of offers. It was the same for Irene. She would obviously be receiving an absurd amount of offers, countless more than the average student. But toe volunteer for this during that important time period Im really sick and tired of Ravirdyne. This was probably part of the journey she talked about before. Of course, it was weing for me. Since Irene was undoubtedly a great magician, she would be of great help to thebat force. There was no reason to decline. Rather I shouldve asked her first. Well, thank you. You made the smart choice. Even if you declined, I was going toe to meet Ruina anyway. Ah, was that so. And we also need to see the end of it. End of what? Didnt I tell you before? Ill follow you until I can defeat you. Ah, that She hadnt forgotten. We couldnt work out a time because of how busy you were, but Ill definitely challenge you next time. Lady Prius was so pretty, but as I got to know her better, I saw she had some weird tendencies. Well, do as you wish. I cooly epted her challenge. Then, Ill see youter. And we said our goodbyes, going our different ways on our horses. Giddyup! My destination, the Academy. But For some reason, I ended up going down a different road. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 After about a week of travel North of Ardell, I crossed over the central territories of the kingdom and into the eastern ones. Compared to the southern territories, the roads were wider and better, and there were also more people. Yeah. There were a lot of people. But what was this? Say it again. L-let my sister go Hnng? I cant hear you, you fucking bitch. Stop crying and say it again. What did you say? I-Im a knight too I-if you dont want to get hurt, l-let my sister go! Kuahaha! Im a knight! If you dont want to get hurt, let my sister go! Hahaha! Ukahahahaha! In broad daylight. For an altercation to happen in the middle of this busy street No, was it a kidnapping? With just a nce, you could tell it was four men in their 30s holding onto a woman in her 20s, and in front of them was a young boy holding a real sword while shouting at the men, telling them to let his sister go. However, S-stop making fun of me! If you dont let my sister go Youre just a bitch! Ack! Say it again. Hmm? Whos a knight? Huh? Are you, you little shit? Bang! Pak! Pow! Tak! A one-sided pummeling that made the sword in his hand useless. I looked around the surroundings. Tch. One, two, three, four There were a little over ten people in the area who were watching this young boy get beaten up. But no one even thought to intervene. Some would call the guards of a nearby city to stop this, but in reality Kek. There were even some spectators who would snicker at the sight. Even if we lived in a world where minding our own business was a virtue Wasnt this too much? Even though I wasnt some knight of justice or a guardian angel, or even anything at all, I ended up getting off my horse, pushing past the spectators and involving myself in the situation. I dont know whats happened here, but itll be good to stop now. If you said this, there were some phrases you were bound to hear. One two three. What? Who the hell are Who am I? Yeah. I knew you would ask that. Its still the same no matter the time, isnt it?? Wasnt I an outcast at the Academy sometime before as well? I grew up fighting a lot in those times, and if I were to pick one thing I learnt It was that there was nothing different about people like Michael Galehill and these thugs right here. They were so simr that I got goosebumps just thinking about it. I helped the boy on the ground stand up before turning to the bbergasted thugs. You dont need to know who I am, and lets end it here. Whats the point of four adults ganging up on just one kid? What are you? A guard? No. Then what? This kids friend? No. This shit is messing with us! Then why are you here? Well, I had no response to that. But whatever! Why was that important? I already told you, you dont need to know who I am, and I even warned you to stop. But if you insist on continuing, I wont stand still either. Hah! The 16-year-old Ruin Ardell. Even though I was a magician who had experienced all manner of hardships, to these guys here, I was just a normal young boy. Pft! Puahahahaha! Ukakhahaha! Oh my, oh. What is this kid talking about? You dare say those things to us? You wont stand still? Hey, hey. Kid. Looks like you want to be a knight of justice or something but fuck off if you dont want to die. If you hesitate even after I warned you like this, I wont stand still either. Uahahahaha! It wasnt just the thugs. An old man who was watching the whole thing from behind me spoke up. Youngd, itll be good for you to listen to those fes. Go on your way and dont interfere. Youll be in big trouble if you mess with the Gnarled Tree gang around here. Thats right. You look like a noble from somewhere but those are evil guys who wont differentiate between nobles andmoners. The Gnarled Tree gang? What was that? A group of kids? Now that I looked at them, all four adults were wearing the same brown clothes, and on their backs was an image of a skull on a tree stump. They were probably a delinquent organization that was active in the area. I asked the old man standing behind me, Whats todays date? Wha? Its the 25th. The 25th. Since it takes about a day and a half to get to the academy from here, I guess I have about two days of free time? Alright. But what are you all doing here? Hmm? What do you mean? Youre not stopping them, and youre not trying to save the boy either. Are you just watching until they beat him to death? The expressions of the spectators turned sour. Their eyes were asking who I was to tell them off, but they couldnt bear saying it out loud. They knew they should be ashamed. Theyre all the same. When I was in the academy, the one I hated most werent the people like Michael Galehill who openly harassed me, but the ones who snickered on the sidelines. Its over now, so please be on your way. Shoo, shoo. Off you go. After turning away the spectators, I grabbed the boys arm. It was a signal for him to get out of there. I dont need your help, so you go too. This boy, eyes swollen from getting beaten up so much, didnt move an inch and stood upright while facing the thugs. Ah, right. This guy had a sister he needed to protect, didnt he? * * * * * * Let my sister go right now. Hah. You clingy bastard. Youre making us look like the bad guys again. Arent we doing this because your sister couldnt pay her debt? Th-that was money our dad borrowed! Why are you putting this on my sister? If your dad was capable of paying off his debt, would we do something like this? I-Ill do it! Ill pay off the debt! After I be a knight, I Puahahaha! A knight? A squirt like you is gonna be a knight? You, who cant even face the four of us, is going to be a knight and pay off the debt? Theres a limit to joking around. Why should I wait for you to grow up when this problem can be solved right now if I sell off your sister? I could get the general gist of the situation. Money. Money The start of all problems was always money. I-if you sell off my sister Im really going to kill you For a moment, I became curious about what this young boys life was. He looked to be around my age, but rather than a wooden sword, he was holding onto a real, steel sword. But he didnt look to be a noble, and seeing that he called himself a knight, he was probably a trainee knight from one of the territories in the vicinity But he looked far too weak for a trainee knight. Even now, the hands holding the steel sword were shaking terribly, and his legs looked as if they would copse at any second. However His eyes are fierce. His gaze was quite impressive. Even in the face of violence, he had the courage to stand, despite his fears. This wasnt an easy feat. He had eyes that shone to protect something he must, eyes that endlessly strived for strength. They were the eyes that I liked to see. For a moment, I wondered what the true worth of this boy was. To see this, I taunted him a little. Save her. What? Shes your sister. So stop talking and go save her yourself. The boys eyes ignited even more by what I said, However, that was it. The fear of violence that was holding him tight froze his feet solid. You cant do it? Well, its true that those who were hit find it hard to fight the fear of pain. If you really cant do it, should I help you? What are you? Why are you talking to You dont need to know that, but just so you know,pared to you, Im really strong. Shut up. I dont need your pity. Really? Then show me. That fear you feel. Is that important? More important than their taunting and you protecting your sister? Hed regret it if he ended up losing his sister, so Destroy it. If you destroy that wall, youll realise it was nothing at all. ! As the words left my mouth, the look in his eyes changed. And in that moment, he turned and charged at the thugs. * * * The boy had broken the wall. He had a good look in his eyes, and he showed courage befitting of them. But, unfortunately, his talent couldnt match his conviction. Were the trainee knights in Poldren all this puny? A weakling like this is gonna be a knight? Dont make meugh. If this guys a knight, then am I swordmaster? Uahahahaha! Stomp him! Stomp him so hard he wont ever crawl back again! The boy was thrust to the ground again, and his sister kept crying. There was one thing I was impressed by. That, even under the constant kicking, his eyes never faltered. I decided to help that young boy who told me he didnt need my help. Crack! I very easily punched the forehead of the closest thug. Kugh The man flew backward, spinning in the air. Didnt I tell you? I wont just stand still. Ting. I flicked my finger, and a merciless gust of wind hurled a thug. A m-magician? That was thest thing he said before being knocked out cold. Bang! He flew back from the immense wind pressure and hit his head on a tree, fainting. Th-this bastard! These guys who hadnt properly faced a magician before charged at me recklessly. I shouldve warned them. That when facing a magician, they should run. I flicked my fingers again, and one of the charging thugs was lifted into the air. Ugh. I gave him a good thrashing on his stomach, and he copsed, drooling from the mouth There was only one left. Hmm. D-donte any closer! He was captivated by fear and staggered back as if he had seen a ghost. It wasnt a good look. Rather You Who are you? I liked the wonder in the eyes of the young boy much more. I smiled brightly for the boy and replied, Ruin Ardell. R-Ruin Ardell? Hearing that, his expression changed. He had definitely recognised my name. And the answer to his question was already in in sight. Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Your name. Ive heard it before. I could already guess how and where this boy heard my name. I didnt even need to talk about winning the Grand Festival. After all, this boy was a trainee knight from Poldren. Didnt I know of a knight over there? You heard it from Sir Coulter Pirante, right? H-how did you know? As I said Sir Coulters name, his eyes widened. He mightve thought I was a fortune teller, and not a magician Hey, you got it all wrong. I heard you talking before, that you were a trainee knight in the Poldren Territory. I just thought that, if it was Sir Coulter, he wouldve talked about me before. Th-thats right. The captain told us that there was an extremely strong magician at the Academy. Well, enough about me. Shouldnt you rescue your sister now? Ah! I pointed toward the thug who ran away while letting his friends get beaten up. The boy regained his senses with an Ah! and stood up to run to his sister on the ground and remove her restraints. S-sister! Hansen! So his name was Hansen. Hansen and his sister hugged and cried while looking like they hadnt seen each other in a long time Their familial bond was beautiful to look at, but it was also a little embarrassing for me to watch, so I stepped back a bit. It was because they had reminded me of Ruina. I deliberated on if I should run after the Gnarled Oak gang and punish them so they never mess with these people again. But I felt it wasnt right to interfere even more into their matters, so I just shook my head. Yeah. A magician who jumps into battle against injustice. This much was enough. I got back on my saddle and held the reins lightly. It was then. W-wait! Hansens sister stopped me and, after wiping her tears from her face, spoke up. Th-thank you for helping us. I want to cook you something as thanks A meal. It was still quite a bit till I had to eat lunch I-if you arent too busy please let me. There wouldnt be a problem with getting to know this brother-sister pair a little more, right? * * * To bepletely urate, Hansens and his sisters house wasnt in Poldren. It was in a small town just outside the territory. But it was a truly remote ce, to the point where I wanted to ask why such a ce existed in the flourishing eastern territories. Its a little shabby, but pleasee in. Shabby? How could I put this? It honestly put me at ease, since it reminded me of Ardell. Then, please excuse me. I did my greetings and entered the house. Theres no one here. Our father would be out copsed in some bar around this time. Ah Ok. She said such an unnerving phrase like she was talking about her neighbor going on a walk. Should I call this innocence? I dont know. There was less room inside than expected, but I didntin and sat down. I-Ill prepare the meal soon, so please wait a moment! Im fine, so take your time. Hansens sister was really pressed for time for some reason and ran into the kitchen, and as I expected Shatter! The sound of broken tes could be heard. Its fine! Im fine, so dont worry! Was she really fine? I looked at Hansen, surprised, and Hansen just shook his head knowingly. Shes a bit clumsy sir. Sir? Why the sudden respect? A-anyway Thank you for helping me before sir. Just talkfortably. Why are you suddenly so respectful? B-but y-you are a noble and I How old are you? Im sixteen So am I. So just talk like you did before. But No buts. If youre that ufortable, can you not just attach sir at the end? Either do it properly or not at all. Did I push him too hard? Hansen looked dejected, his head hung low, and looked like he was going to start crying before swearing that he would be properly respectful But that wasnt the case. Aite. Then Im gonna talk casually, kay? No take backster. * * * * * * So this was how he normally spoke. I snorted a bit from the shock, and Hansen seemed a bit morefortable,ughing for the first time. It was the first time I saw hisughing face, but he didnt look too bad. He looked like hed be a bit popr with the girls. Im Hansen. No family name. Im a trainee knight in the Poldren Training Center, Ruin I can call you Ruin, right? Yeah. Ive heard about you a lot. Our captain talked about you nearly every day. What did he say? That there was an incredibly powerful magician at the Academy. He said you had the power to smack an ogre but were still weaker than him. Ah, was that so? I was pretty sure we settled our power levels with an arm wrestle before I started learning the body arts in the academy But he was talking about being stronger than me? Well, I guess there was no need for me to prove I was stronger right now. He talked about you a lot during thesest few months. If Ruin learnt swordsmanship, he would be stronger than you lot. Ruin wouldve done this instead of your trash swordsmanship. And so on Hoo damn That man I see he talked about me a lot. Ruin, are you really close with our captain? Well, a little. He told me to call him brother but hes too old to be my brother. Woah! Thats awesome! Calling the captain brother Hansens face was undoubtedly that of a young childs when I was talking about Sir Coulter. I want to get stronger faster and be a great knight like our captain! The sole 6th-rank knight in the eastern territories. Sir Coulter was the strongest knight Hansen knew, and also his idol. Sir Coulter was strong. That was why he was a good goal to aim for. Despite being weak right now. It was a little sad to say it, but Hansen was so weak that I wouldnt have known he was a trainee knight if he didnt say it himself. He was far from a 6th-rank knight. It was a mystery if he would even be able to graduate from the training center. To be honest, Im deadst at the training center. So Im made fun of everyday, people saying stuff about how amoner like me who doesnt even pay the fees shouldnt be staying at the training center with skills like mine Everyone made fun of me except the captain. He told me I had a talent that no one else there had. That even though I wasnt in the light now, if I persevered and trained hard, I could be stronger than anyone else. This was the reason he respected and idolized Sir Coulter Pirante. While listening to Hansens story, I suddenly thought back to my past experiences andughed loudly. Yeah. Effort wont betray you. Even if youreter than everyone else, if you persevere and hone yourself, a miracle will someday find you. Really? Will that really happen? Yeah. Cause I was like that before. You? Were you at the bottom like me, Ruin? I just nodded my head. Yeah. It was the same. Just as Professor Hydel and the Director believed in me, Sir Coulter believed in Hansen. If you didnt betray this belief and put in effort, a miracle would find you at a truly unexpected time. I dont know much about swordsmanship, but the look in your eyes is good. Captain told me the same thing. The way you measure someone is simr anyway, so dont ever give up and push through. Youll definitely be able to be strong. A drunkard for a father, and a clumsy but innocent and kind sister. Even though he was the youngest in this house, he was already the head of this family. Ok! Hansen looked like he gained some confidence and nodded while smiling. Its done! Sorry for the wait. Just on time, Hansens sister brought us food. Bread with corn soup and stir-fried mushrooms, and even a few small pieces of dried bacon that were brought out for special guests. It was a small but hearty meal. Thanks for the food. And I dly picked up my utensils to eat. I pulled a spoonful of corn soup into my mouth, and while I did that, Hansen leaned toward me and whispered, Sorry. Ipletely forgot to tell you before, but my sisters cooking is kinda bad. Ah, so nd. Why didnt you tell me sooner? However, Hansens sister asked me, How is it? Is it good? With an innocent face, and I could only smile awkwardly and nod. Y-yeah Its really good. Ah! Thats a relief. I was worried itd be too nd. However, my hand was already reaching for the pepper shaker Hansen secretly passed to me. Sorry. Honestly, it was too nd. * * * I finished the slightly awkward meal, and graciously epted the tea that Hansens sister handed to me. Thank you. This wouldnt also be nd, right? Ehem. It was good. In any case, after the meal ended, I could hear these twos story a bit more But the story of Hansens family was quite typical. The siblings had to shoulder the debt caused by their alcoholic father, and it just had to be the cutely named Gnarled Wood gang that was known tomit cruel and evil deeds that the father borrowed money from. The thugs who were stuck on how to get the man to repay his debts tried to sell Hansens sister into prostitution. And Hansen lifted his sword to protect her. After quietly listening to their story, I asked a question. The Gnarled Tree gang? What kind of group are they? Their name is kinda cute, but the things they do are horrible. Even if they sound like that, theyre a bunch of cruel bastards. If you get on their wrong side, they will tie you up to a gnarled tree stump and cut off your head. The gnarled tree in their name meant the stump used when executing people. Meaning, the gang name said they were the executioners. They were savages. And their leader, Nusel, has already in four with his sword. No one can touch them. Why is the Poldren territory letting them be? Their area of activity isnt in Poldren. Its only around the nearby small viges like ours. Dont you guys have guards too? No, we dont. Even if I say we do, theyre all in some bar somewhere. Those damned bastards dont give even half a shit about us. The Radian Kingdom. The weakest nation. There was a reason we were like that. Even when thugs and ruffians like this were out making trouble, we made no efforts to stop them. Originally, I intended to end my rtionship with the siblings at this point. I needed to return to the academy, and this wasnt something I needed to get involved with. However Should I deal with them? Since these guys were more wicked than I thought, I started to feel like I should punish them. But then Bang bang bang! Get out, you sons of bitches! Shh! Its the Gnarled Tree bastards. We had guests. No, we had been found by some unwee guests. Oh ho? And they came here on their own two feet. Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Guests. These unwee guests came to Hansens house without any warning, and after banging on the door for a bit, they even started kicking it. That fucking magician brat. Ill need to rip him limb from limb But for today, you two bitches will die instead. Die? We should sell them both. Well The boy doesnt look half-bad, so there should be some dickhead whod enjoy him, right? Keke. Thats obvious. They were talking about their disgusting ns without knowing how the future would turn out. Those gross bastards. I was thinking of visiting them on the way, but I guess they walked here on their own. I pulled on the Knuckles of Kunkhans Will and suddenly stood from my spot. Then, I-its dangerous! Hansen hurriedly grabbed my arm. However, I removed Hansens hand from my arm and just smiled. Yeah, it is dangerous. So you stay here and protect your sister. Wh-what are you gonna do? I lifted my fists and spoke light-heartedly. Ill need to repay the meal. B-but I can hear the gang leader of the Gnarled Tree Gang, Nusel. That guy is really dangerous. You wont be able to Didnt I tell you before? Im pretty strong. Then, another shout came from outside. I can hear you talking, so stop hiding and get out here! Hear that? They already know. We cant keep avoiding it. I handed a longsword to a shivering Hansen. Dont get scared this time. Do your best to protect the person precious to you. His precious sister. Hansens gazended on his sister, and he pushed back the momentary fear that gripped his mind, the look in his eyes changing. He lifted the sword and gave a slight nod. I-Ill try. Thats a good look in your eye, Hansen. Our preparations ended here And now, the only thing we had to do was go forward. I strolled up to the front door and swung it wide open. Heng! Now youe out. Theres no use in Were you looking for me? M-magician? Why are you? Seeing my unexpected face, some of the thugs took some steps back, and I asked them again with a chilling tone, What did you say you were going to do to me? Th-thats Rip me limb from limb? Really? With just a nce, there were over twenty of them With only this many? But it was a sorelycking number if they wanted to even attempt to hurt me. They werent knights who received proper training, nor were they magicians. D-dont get scared! Even if that punk is a magician, we have over twenty people on our side! Thats right! We just cant give him any casting time! Everyone, jump him! The sound of metal sliding against metal could be heard as the thugs pulled out their weapons. And I charged back at them without a moment of hesitation. In that moment Steel Destruction I aimed at the longsword of the closest thug. The new skill I got to learn this time, Steel Destruction, was tremendous. Kang! As soon as my fist met the sword, the swords steel de turned to dust, leaving only the copper handle behind. Wh-what just happened? W-wasnt that guy a magician?! Killing their morale. A sure-fire way to gain the upper hand in a battle. Seeing one of their swords turning to dust from a single punch, they didnt dare charge in again. After an atmosphere like this was created The next step was simple. Since the prep work was finished, the cooking could begin. I easily kicked forward off the ground andnded in the middle of the thugs. Then, I punched straight down at the ground. Creak! Crack! With my fist as the epicenter, the ground froze over and bound about ten peoples ankles before I flung my fists indiscriminately at the people frozen in ce. If I hit, it exploded. Chains of explosions burst forth from my fists, and screams could be heard as blood stained the sky. A 100% real battle without protection from mana barriers or armor. I only btedly realized that this was the first real battle where I used lethal magic against people. But I didnt stop. Ack! Uuuaaack! My arm! My aaaarrrrm! Breaking the oath? The director would definitely agree with me here. These people were trash that we shouldnt even feel sympathy or pity for. There was no mercy. The moment I hesitated, I would look weak, and these thugs would continue their cruel acts. I needed to make sure that they understood it here so that they would never bare their fangs again. Maybe this was a life lesson that I learnt to my core in the academy. Th-this insane An exploded arm, a burnt leg flying through the air The surroundings quickly devolved into chaos. Ten people had lost something precious from their bodies and were groaning while copsed on the ground, their eyes filled with an emotion beyond fear. It was destion. The eyes of those who gave up on everything. The same eyes as those left standing. ng! ng! M-magician, p-please please spare us I-I beg you, sir. P-please p-please The others dropped their weapons to the ground and kneeled. They had felt in their bones that they couldnt afford to go any further. Of course You fucking bastard! If you move even an inch, Ill kill thisss. Not everyone chose the same option. * * * * * * It was natural that, when five people were together, one would make a different choice. And usually, this would be the wrong choice. Everyone bears the consequences of their own choices. You shits! Stand up right now! The man who looked to be the leader of the Gnarled Tree gang had somehow gotten into the house and taken Hansens sister hostage. Holding a dagger to her neck, he shouted orders to his underlings who had lost all will to fight. You stupid bastards! Stand up right now and kill that magician! However, none of them could move. Their minds had already been dominated by fear. I walked a step closer to him and asked, Are you their leader? Thats right! I am the 3rd generation leader of the Gnarled Tree gang, Bloody Wind Nusel. If you understand, then dont you dare think of getting closer and kneel on the spot you little shit! I didnt know how strong he was But Hansen, who was protecting his sister, had already been stabbed in the stomach by Nusels dagger, leaving him copsed on the ground. I needed to solve this. I took one more step closer to him. However I told you to stop! Nusels sword lightly cut Hansens sisters neck as he held it tighter. Ack! ! A line of blood formed on her neck. As I stopped moving, Nuselughed loudly and shouted, Hah! You think I wont kill her? Youll see about that. If you move even a finger, Ill kill this girl on the spot! If you understand, then kneel right now, you bastard! A hostage Damn it. We hadnt learned how to deal with this at the academy. No matter how fast I could get there and smash Nusels head in, I wouldnt be able to stop Hansens sister from getting hurt. The Chieftains Will If I was to summon the visage of Kunkhan, I could use further range spells. But that was still difficult. After seeing the huge ogre, Nusel would be frightened and use his dagger first. Then, what could I do? My eyesnded on the copsed Hansen. If its from there If I was where Hansen was, I could run at Nusel before he could stab Hansens sister. However L-let my sister go. Hansen struggled to even sit up I needed to do this myself. There was only one method I could think of. I didnt know if he would fall for it or not But I would use an illusion to trick Nusel while simultaneously using Invisibility to get closer. This was the best I could do. Alright. Ill surrender, so let his sister go. I acted a little flustered before lifting both my hands into the air. Then, after slowly going on my knees, I cast an illusion. As the illusion of me kneeling was formed, I used Invisibility. Kekek! I dont know where you came from, magician, but you were so confident before. What a good sight. It was a sess. I had totally gotten his attention. However, there was no time. Since I didnt use a dummy and it was just a hallucinatory illusion, it couldnt talk, and if someone went to touch it, their hand would pass right through it. You dumb bastards! Get up right now and tie up that magician! Ill slowly torture him to death until he begs for it! After someone came up to me, it would be a race against time. I needed to finish it before that. I told you to stand up! What are you hesitating for?! Eh? Ah, yes. Thankfully, the underlings were dawdling after looking dazed for a second, letting me approach Nusel as quickly as possible while using Invisibility. One, two, three After getting closer to him in an instant, I readied myself to charge at him. However, ! Someone ambushed Nusel faster than me. It was Hansen. Hansen, who was copsed on the ground, moved fast as lightning and stabbed his longsword into Nusels neck. K-kueuk It had happened in an instant, too fast for even Nusel to understand what happened. Haah Haah Hansens face was in shock, as if he didnt understand what happened himself. But he regained his senses immediately, pulling his crying sister away and behind him. I-if you get any closer Ill kill you all like I did with your leader. What was this? This intense pressure. I could feel it instinctively. That, at the edge of that abyss, Hansen had grown a step stronger. And You still dare to fight?! That my gut feeling wasnt wrong. Hansen, who was shouting at the thugs while exuding this intangible force Had talent greater than anyone else. Chapter 93 Chapter 93 What choice would the thugs make after they lost their leader? Would they fight to the death to avenge Bloody Wind Nusel? No, definitely not. They didnt have the will, the mentality, nor the courage to fight. And they had fooled themselves into thinking the superiority they felt when moving in numbers reflected their true skills. R-run away! The only choice the remaining thugs could make was obviously to run away, and this was also the wisest choice. Neither me nor Hansen, who had grown to new heights through this experience, wouldnt have shown them any mercy. Fuu. Hansen panted as he stared at the enemies, and only after the eight remaining thugs had run out of sight did his legs give out, leaving him copsed on the ground. Then, he took deep breaths as he looked at the corpse of Bloody Wind Nusel with a nk look in his eyes. I I killed him. A moment so fast even he couldnt understand what was happening, Hansen had shown swordsmanship so precise and fast that even 3rd-rank knights would struggle to replicate it. H-how did I? If it was with Hansens normal skills, his attack wouldnt have seeded. No, he wouldnt have even been able to try it. Then, was this luck? No. Congrattions. Congrattions? Was it called Sword Perito? The stage where you can handle aura. Im pretty sure I saw some blueish aura from you before, so didnt you just reach 4th-rank? It was skill. In that desperate moment when he felt that he was going to lose everything, Hansen had found that intangible blueish energy of aura. Its appearance spoke for itself. 4th-rank. He had reached a rank higher than the other trainee knights. Of course, he still couldnt freely manipte aura yet, but no one could deny that he had shown a considerable level of growth. From now on, those guys wont be able to freely mess with you or your sister again, since they clearly saw your skills today. At the mention of sister, Hansen got startled, hurriedly turning around before running to his sister. Sister! Are you ok? Y-yeah Im fine. It was very scary to see fresh blood on her neck, but since it was only a light cut, it wasnt fatal. The problem was Hansen. A-are you also ok? His stomach, which had been stabbed by Nusels dagger before, continued to spill blood. The pain forgotten in the heat of the moment had returned, and Hansen gripped his wound, groaning. Iid Hansen on his back. Let me see. I checked the severity of the wound, and luckily, it didnt seem to be fatal. Youll be fine. Ill heal you. For an injury at this level, even if you werent a magician specialized in medical treatment, just a simple healing spell to close the wound should be enough if he rested up afterward. I put my hand on the wound and cast the healing spell. The bright white light emanating from my hand wrapped around the wound, and Hansen stopped groaning soon after, closing his eyes with an expression offort. Wh-what did you do? Asked his sister, getting startled when Hansen went quiet, and I replied while shrugging, I stopped the bleeding with healing magic and cast Sleep on him. He should wake up in about half a day. Ah What a relief. Could you prepare some clean cloth and disinfectants? Yes, ok! * * * What time is it? Are you awake? After the sun set and the day had turned to night, Hansen woke up. He woke up and winced for a moment from the burning pain. But maybe it wasnt as painful as he thought. He gently rubbed the wound covered by bandages and slowly stood up. Howre you feeling? Ehm Im fine. Ruin, did you heal me? Its nothing. Im truly thankful. Really. Yeah. You should be. Do you know how annoyed I was today? Eh? By the neighborhood guards, I mean. Someone died, over ten people were injured, and so on Theyre really annoying. Haah. It was as I said. Saying they had to deal with the incident, the guards came to me to probe me on what happened. Even though I clearly told them I was defending myself, they made a fuss about putting me under arrest because someone died. Of course, I didnt move a single inch. So, what happened? What do you mean what happened? We had a witness, and do you think those thugs only harassed one or two people in the town? And who do you think I am? Naturally, I was deemed innocent. W-well, yeah. Do you think that was the end of it? Cleaning the spilt blood on the floor, moving the broken furniture. Even cleaning up the house While you were out for the whole day, I worked my butt off. Pfft Hansenughed at my joking tantrum. Is it funny? Ehem. Sorry. No. If its funny,ugh. As I said that, I flopped back into my seat. Seeing that, Hansen let out another loudugh. He would pause betweenughs to groan, theugh stressing the wound in his stomach, but he continued tough again. This guy What was so funny? Then, after a short moment of silence, Hanse spoke in a serious tone. Ruin. Thank you so much. Really For what? If you werent here, the things that happened today wouldve never happened. I wouldnt have been able to save my sister and I wouldnt have gotten braver. Its all thanks to you. Hey, youre giving me goosebumps, so stop that. A-alright How could I say this? Hearing him express his gratitude like that made my whole body cringe. But still, it warmed a corner of my heart. What a relief. Everything from today worked out in the end. Can I stay here for the night? E-eh? Of course! You can stay as long as you want, be it a week or a month. Nah, I need to leave tomorrow morning. My holidays are ending, and I need to get back to the Academy. Ah Right. Dont you need to go to the training center as well? Yeah. Hansen had to return to the training center, and I had to return to the Academy. It mightve just been a short meeting, onlysting a day, but Maybe because we experienced life and death together, I felt a connection with him. In any case, I felt deep in my bones that my rtionship with these siblings wouldnt just end here. Since the second semester included many joint lessons with knights, it wasnt impossible for me to meet him again sometime then. It would always be weing to see Hansen and his sister again in the future. Except Foods ready! I really didnt want to eat his sisters nd cooking again. I instinctively reached for the salt and pepper and smiled brightly as if nothing was wrong. Thanks for the food. * * * * * * Im back. Before I left Ardell, I was wishing that the break would never end. But now that I actually returned, it felt refreshing. I guess I really did miss the Academy. Oh! Ruin! Its Ruin! Jason, who was running to me after noticing me from afar, Hangkus, who was aiming for my back to swiftly lift me into the air, and my peers. I mightve missed this rowdy atmosphere. Hey, grab him. Grab him. Can you let me go? Well, except for this meaningless parading. After the break ended, the Academy as a whole was a bit disorderly But it soon returned to its normal atmosphere. It was just the end of the holidays. The sses hadnt changed, and neither did our professors. We attended ss like normal and went about our days. If I was to nit-pick, something might have changed. What did you do on your break? I went to Ruteban Ind in the Majeross Ocean. It was for 16 days and 15 nights, so I really enjoyed myself there. Woah, thats nice. How about you, Jason? I just drank a lot. Ooh my stomach Looks like you drank some before getting here too. Im hungover from yesterday. I drank till morning. Hehe Was it the stories we were sharing about what we did in the holidays? I used to not even be able to join in on these conversations, but it was different this time. I had something I could confidently talk about. Ruin, what did you do? Me? What should I tell them? The story of how I destroyed the mansion in Monzo and got 30 thousand gold? The story of how I hung out with Irene Prius, who has the admiration of all students, for a whole month? Or should I tell them about how I fought and defeated a werewolf and crossed South Mountain? If not those, maybe the story of me defeating a group of thugs and saving a sibling duo? They all had their merits, but thinking about them now, they werent really something I needed to talk about here. I trained. Trained? Why would you of all people need to train? I trained swordsmanship. Swordsmanship. Hearing this word, Jason instantly frowned. You idiot. Traditionally, a break is a few months of time where you rest your tired mind and body. Doing things you havent been able to do, drinking some fine wine, going on trips to faraway ces. Am I right? Youre right. And we already learn swordsmanship in the joint lessons with the knights this semester. Why did you go out of your way to learn it in advance? Sometimes, I cant understand you, Ruin. Guys, studying before the semester starts is called being prepared. But I knew my words would onlynd on deaf ears, so I stayed silent. It was because I knew very well that Jasons y and have fun while you can mindset was impossible to reason with. This wont do. Ill need to use my staying out ticket this weekend. Why so suddenly? Ruin only knows training and studying. Ill need to show him what true youth is like. Hows that, everyone? Oh! Thats a great idea! Isnt it? On top of that, theres a few things one must do at this age Wouldnt it be too pitiful if you graduate before doing any of it? Wouldnt it be pitiful to miss out on the studying and training you have to do during your student days? This thought remained in my mind for a bit, but I didnt say it out loud. He wasnt someone you could reason with. Blind date! How about a blind date? Oh oh oh! Good idea! My cousin is in the Radian Royal Training Center. You know it, right? That the female knights there are all seriously hot and Drinking, gambling, blind dating As we were excitedly talking and exchanging our stories of the holidays, Ruin. someone approached me. Professor. It was Professor Hydel. Could I talk to you for a minute? Ah, yes. The professor who I hadnt seen for a while called me out to the hallways, and I followed him, joy in my voice as I said, I told my father about how you were doing, and he said that he wants to see you soon. He said that, if it was hard for you toe down to Ardell, he woulde up himself. Alright. Ill need to write him a letter saying Ille down. I do want to hear about it in more detail, but I dont think that nows the time. Professor Hydel pointed to the outside of the window. You have some guests. Guests? Yes. Guests as soon as the semester started again? And hearing guests, it wasnt just one person But who could they be? Chapter 94 Chapter 94 The guests who were looking for me. They were people who I had only conversed with a few times, and only through letters, but we were bound to meet some day. A group of knights and servants filled the garden outside the window. The gs the knights carried had the insignia of a golden sunbird. The meaning of this was clear. Its the prince. The golden g with the white sunbird pattern represented the national bird of the Radian Kingdom, and it was also the insignia that represented the royalty. Since the gs of the Silver Light Knight Order, protectors of the kings family, were also there, one could tell that the guest wasnt the king, but the prince. No. To be precise So its the princes Thats right. Why are they here? Isnt it obvious? Yes. Theyre quite persistent. Even though I clearly wrote my refusal in the letters, they still came to find me. The First Prince, Croster Radian, and the Second Prince, Foster Radian. They were twins born within a minute of each other, and since the sessor to the throne hadnt been decided, they were opposing each other by expanding their influence through the Kings Party and the New Party respectively. Why they were looking for me was too obvious. For these two who were stuck in their political battles and other petty fights toe find me Should I call this an honor or a bother? The more I thought about it, the truer thetter seemed. Do I have to see them? The choice is yours, but a lot of things will be difficult if you decline. I could be sure that Hydel was right. It cant be helped. Ill be back. I chose to tell them clearly in this meeting to never bother me again. It was quite the sight from the get go. As soon as I went down to the Spring Garden at the center of the academy, two attendants carrying rolled up carpets ran next to me. Then, they spread the carpet toward the direction of the princes and loudly shouted, The First Prince enters! The Second Prince enters! The funny thing was that there were two attendants and two carpets. On the floor was a scarlet red carpet and a dark blue carpet, and at the ends of these carpets stood the people who seemed to be the first and second princes. The attendants both pushed for me to walk on their own carpet. Please walk here. No, here. Please walk on this one. It was as if they were urging me to select between the two princes. Yeah. Which prince did the winner of the Grand Festival select? They had made another petty battle of pride with me as the pawn. I was stunned at the pettiness. Didnt I say there was a reason this kingdom was weak? Was there a reason to have a battle of pride over such a small thing? As I got upset at this, rather than choosing between the two, I walked up on the nice dirt path created between the two carpets. Th-th-that! Unbelievable Sounded out one of the knights standing behind me, but who cares? It wasnt difficult to find the princes, because if you walked to the ends of the carpets, you would find two people with identical appearances. I stood fairly in the middle of the two and greeted them with a nod. Its a pleasure to first meet you today. I am Ruin Ardell. Then, the knight who said something before shouted out in anger, You punk! You dare greet the princes like that?! Kneel right now! Have you not learnt royal etiquette yet?! Kneel immediately, kiss the backs of their hands, and bow your head! In an instant, the atmosphere went cold. Kiss the back of their hands? That was an action that signified loyalty. I, who wasnt a knight, nor an official worker, but just a magic school student? Not even Chaurmetan Raynac, the Crown Prince of the Empire, asked me for such an unreasonable request. Its as the saying goes. Empty vessels make the loudest noise Seems the proverbs of our ancestors were never wrong. I stood straight and turned to face the knight making the fuss. Brow furrowed, he shouted, L-look at those impudent eyes! You puuuunk! Do you know who I am?! I am the leading knight of the Silver Light Knight Order, and I have been stationed in the vital position of guarding the It was then. Silence. Huh? I told you to shut up and remain silent. B-but, your highness Stop ruining the mood. Kneel and bow your head. Do you not know how much I looked forward to meeting my kingdoms future? The man who made the enraged knight shut up and kneel was none other than the First Prince, Croster Radian. The one who had persistently sent me letters. Hes someone who even refused the offer of the Crown Prince of the Empire. This means that his loyalty to the kingdom was already proven. Do you get it now? If you understand, then stay kneeling until I tell you to. Raise your hands as well. At the First Princesmands, the knight lifted both his hands into the air while looking like he was about to burst into tears. Ill apologize in his stead. His excessive loyalty has turned poison. I know that the wise, next-generational magician would be understanding of this matter. What was this? Why did I feel like this serious atmosphere was hrious? * * * * * * At the First Princes serious tone, the Second also came forward to take my side, not wanting to lose out. Hear me, knights. Today, I will discuss with our next-generational magician the methods of lifting the darkened veil that is looming over our kingdom. If you dare to interrupt or interfere with this you know what will happen. Maybe because they were trying to look good in front of me, they both tried their absolute hardest to please me. Even while doing that, they didnt forget their original goal in visiting me here. Magician, you wouldve been quite surprised at my sudden visit. To ease that, Ive prepared a precious gift. If you give me a moment to talk in private with you No. The gift I prepared is far more precious. Rather than my older brother, give me the time to talk first. Oh ho. Theres an order to all things. Wouldnt it be right for me, the older brother, to go first? Is an older brother really older if it is by a minute? Concede this while Im still showing you respect, brother. Wasnt it I who arrived at the Academy first? And five minutes earlier at that. You little Are you challenging me? The scene of the two princes fighting over my love. As a member of this kingdom, I could only weep. Naturally, the tears werent from being deeply moved. How could I put this? It felt vain. In this situation where working together wouldnt be enough to ovee the kingdoms difficulties, they were here fighting over me Would we have to trust and follow someone like this as our king? Of course, it wasnt like I didnt know what they were thinking. To be proimed the Crown Prince, one needed strength, and I, who was victorious in the Grand Festival, would be a great asset if I was to take a side. However, I had no such ns. I have a good idea. A good idea? Hum. Ill let the wise, next-generational magician decide. Agreed. We will abide by the magicians decision. I smiled at both of the princes. Ill talk to the both of you at once. * * * Kehm! Ehum! Both together. As I didnt reply to the letters like they wanted, the two princes became impatient. They came to look for me as soon as the holidays ended, both wanting a one-to-one and private discussion with me. But what could they do when I suggested to talk with both of them at once? Do not even think about interfering with my rtionship with Sir Ruin. You will be punished greatly if you do. Hehehe. You should lower your expectations, brother. No matter what you try and do, Sir Ruin will choose me in the end. What? How can you be so certain? I can just see it. See it? Looks like youve learnt some astrology since west met. You are being foolish. Why would I need to learn such a thing? I could already tell. Please stop fighting. Were here now. Kehm! Ehum! I could already tell it would be difficult to turn the two of them away. The three of us went side by side into the sitting room, and the ominous feeling I felt came true. As soon as we entered, they started fighting again. You sit on the other side. Didnt I already sit here? Oh, but arent there many vacant seats over there? What you said is right. And since there are many seats, wouldnt it not be a problem to sit anywhere? Why are you vying for my seat in particr? That is because the seat next to Ruin must be mine, as I said before. Why is that your seat? Oh! You dare? Are you challenging me? The seat next to me. They were persistent in sitting next to me. Seeing no other way, I moved my seat, and these guys followed me. They were so childish What the hell? Were they kids? What were these people 14 years older than me trying to do? In the end, I was sitting in the middle and the two of them sat at either side. It was an oddly shaped formation leaving out the perfectly fine seats opposite me. This situation was hard to describe. They had an obsession. No. It was closer to madness. A smooth conversation wonte from this, so how about I sit by myself on the other side? K-kehm! You do that. Ehum! I understand. Because of my older brother, this You, you! It was closer to an iron wall. A powerful, defensive intent from the siblings to not concede a single point to the other. Please use this for the good of the kingdom instead. These words remained in my throat for a while, but I was still trying my hardest to show some respect. No matter howcking they were, they were still princes. Well, I was a little surprised that you came to find me so suddenly but thanks foring. I have some things I want to say as well. The two of them reacted greatly once again at this topic. Oh! You had something you wanted to tell me?! Please say it. Wait! Since it wont be good to miss anything you are saying, I should make a memo. Tsk, tsk. Stay put, older brother. I can see that he wants to say something to me Cant you tell? Is this that same seeing it thing from before? Indeed. Its obviously Please stop. Both of you. I tried to hold both of them back. Its something I want to tell both the princes. Hearing this, their eyes went wide. Both of us? Yes. Yeah, it was something I wanted to tell both of them. I have no intention of choosing either of you as my lord. I was telling them to stop bothering me in the most roundabout way possible. Ehem Hearing my direct tone, the two princes became shocked. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 However, looking at both of their reactions, it seemed like they were expecting me to refuse them. Ehem I did expect this, but hearing it directly hurts me quite a bit. I understand your feelings. Its normal for a truly precious treasure to know its worth. Isnt it known that even the legendary tactician Jagis declined the Founding Emperors proposal more than three times? Was it because they were already expecting it? They didnt give up easily. You will know as well, Sir Magician. Even Jagis epted the Emperors proposal in the end, and those twobined their strengths to make what is now known as the Raynac Empire. To pull out the story of the Empires Founding Emperor, Raynac, and the legendary tactician Jagis here There was no way he wasparing himself to the Founding Emperor, right? I want to think of our meeting today like the first meeting between the Founding Emperor and Jagis. Could it be a sort of seconding? Haha! He was. But, your royal highness, dont you know that the Raynac was a 9th-rank knight? Dont refuse me so hastily. On top of that, you havent even heard my offer yet. I dont want to agree with you, older brother, but you are right. Please listen to our offers before making your decision again. When I be king in the future, I could hand you the entire magic society of the Radian Kingdom Oh ho! Who are you saying will be king? And while our father is alive and well? How preposterous to say such a thing! Yes. After father, I am next. Who would be king if not I? You, brother? Hah. The power has already shifted towards my New Party. You should know this too I could feel a headacheing. To continue giving offers even though I made my refusal so clear Wouldnt our talk just go in circles at this point? Im sorry, but I dont need more offers. My decision is firm. Its already your second refusal. Then does that mean theres only one left? Looks like Ill need to think deeper on myst offer. No. Even if you offer a third, fourth, or fifth time, the answer will be the same. I am not the tactician Jagis, and I also have work left to do as Ruin Ardell. You have work left to do? Yes. Could I inquire about what that may be? However, I couldnt simply just be enemies with them. After all, I also was a citizen of this kingdom, and Ardell was also a part of the Radian Kingdom. In the end, one of these two would end up as king, and there mighte a day when I would need their help. What could I do? What was the method to not be their servant while maintaining their favor, not turning them into my enemies? Of course, I was the one who held all the cards in this negotiation. I was thinking of returning to my home town. Home town? By home you mean the Ardell territory? Yes. After hearing the word home, a weird, positive light returned to the princes faces. Could I hear that to mean that after you graduate, you wont be leaving the kingdom? Of course. This at least meant that I wouldnt leave the Kingdom, and neither would I go work under the Empires Crown Prince. On top of that I cannot be the servant of the princes. However, as a citizen of the Kingdom, if you require my help against a threat to the country, I am willing to be a power for the kingdom. Oh ho This is the first weing thing Ive heard! A neutral tone that, depending on what one listened for, could be heard as positive. What I said created an option for myself, and I was thinking of actively using it. The state of Ardell isnt that good. I hope that you understand that, as I am a member of that family, I wish to share the burden of my territory in more ways than just my sess. A neutral stance. A tone that hints at a possibility. And also, subtly leaking I had something I required. This method was my best choice. Your territory isnt doing well? Did something happen in Ardell? I cant allow the future of the Kingdom to be stressed over a small issue. Say what it is. I, the First Prince Croster Radian, will help you out to the best of my ability. No. Rather than my brother, tell me. Do you require money? Or do you require supplies? If you secretly tell me, I can help you greatly Oh ho! You dare interfere in my conversation with him? You are the one interfering, brother. Didnt I ask him first? One thing was clear. If given the choice between the two, I would never in my life choose either of them. Why? Because keeping thempeting with each other would bring me the greatest profit. At least until one of them became king. * * * * * * The princes failed to achieve their original goal in meeting me at the academy, but they could leave the meeting room with smiles on their faces. After all, they were at least able to gain one thing. That I, Ruin Ardell, wouldnt side with either of them. If I didnt side with one of them, wouldnt it be a doable fight if I didnt side with the other one either? On top of that, they were able to verify my loyalty to the Kingdom, as I gave them my word that I would help when the Kingdom needed it. Because they were able to achieve this, they could consider their visit a sess. It wasnt too strange for the princes steps to be lighter as they walked with smiles on their faces. I am nning to send you a great gift at your graduation, so I hope you dont reject that as well. But of course, my present will be greater than my brothers. You dont need to send me presents. Just, I hope you will take care of the things I requested. Requested? Dont say it like that. The growth of Ardell is the growth of the kingdom. Rather, I am apologetic that I wasnt able to pay attention to it sooner. Do not worry about it. Just focus on graduating. Yes. Thank you. My request. The approval of my ns for the many things that would soon be put into work in Ardell. I had also requested military reinforcements at the time of the subjugation. This was naturally approved. Since they both stepped up to help, it was approved easily. I was a little surprised. Was it really this easy? Even though all those requests that Ardell sent with care were ignored Now, just a word was enough. This was probably what the power of authority was like. You can put your hands down now. Eh? As I walked out to the garden with the princes, the knight was still there kneeling with his hands in the air. Put your hands down. Ah, yes! At themand of the First Prince, the knight stood up, looking exhausted, and he sent a slight re of resentment towards me. However, that was it. He stood there, unable to say anything. Sir Ruin Ardell here is the future of our Kingdom and our treasure. It is a bit unofficial, but I will be appointing him as the guardian of the royal family, so you knights must watch your tone. G-guardian! Being appointed the guardian The guardian would be a close aide to the royal family, and thus would receive special treatment, regardless of their status. Even if it was just within the Kingdoms borders, no one would be able to disrespect me. Also, excluding the royal family, no one would be able to order me around either. Of course, it was unofficial, but since the princes epted me, it wasnt that far from an official appointment. Well, then again, I didnt really care that much. P-please forgive the insolence Ive shown you previously. As the knight who berated me before apologized, I smiled brightly. Thats fine. Rather than that, since its be like this, could I ask you something? Me? Yes. Please ask me. I will answer to the best of my ability. The thing I was curious about, I know that Sir is the one leading the entirety of the Silver Light Knight Order but what is your rank? The Silver Light Knight Order. As the knight order that protected the royal bloodline, they represented the second strongest knight order in the kingdom. Then, how strong would the knight captain of such a knight order be? Or so I asked. After hearing my question, it looked as if his confidence returned a little. He widened his shoulders and stood tall, speaking in a confident voice. If I was to say so myself I am one of the top three knights in the kingdom. I am a great 6th-rank knight. 6th-rank? Yes. The knight captain of the Golden Light Knight Order is the sole 7th-rank in the Kingdom, and under him is me and the knight captain of Poldren, Coulter Pirante. Is that so. Looks like those positions needed to be decreased by one. After all, back in my hometown was the Tiger of Ardell, Sir Bolvar Patten, who was approaching 8th-rank already. Well, isnt the Radian Kingdom traditionally a kingdom of knights? As long as I am here, the royal family will be safe. Hahaha! The knightughed loudly as his confidence returned, but I bitterly shook my head. He was more disappointing than I initially thought. Well, I had always said that there was a reason we were a weak nation. For the knights that protect the royal family to only be at 6th-rank A weak nation like this was a kingdom of knights? Just how could one even say that out loud? Its important to protect the royal family, but I hope you also look after the virtuous citizens of our kingdom. Yes? During my break, I had met quite the evil thugs in the eastern territories. They killed the good people, and even sold them. Although, this shouldnt happen in a kingdom of knights, right? It was difficult to refute a smiling face. As I said all this with a smile, the knights expression scrunched up, and the princes came to my aid. Oh no. Did something like that happen? As the First Prince that drives this Kingdom forward, I cannot just stand still. Sir Montero, go look into this right now. Eh? Yes? Imand you as the Second Prince of the Kingdom. Sir Montero, take the entire Silver Light Knight Order down there and do a patrol across the entire nation. And just as Sir Ruin here said, go and capture every single evil doer you find. Sir Monteros got filled with befuddlement after suddenly being ordered to take a route around the entire nation with the Silver Light. But what could he do? If the prince ordered it, he must follow. Hows that? Is this enough? Sir Ruin, please remember that it was I who gave the order, not my brother. The two princes were so absorbed in getting good points from me, and for those princes, I smiled. Yes yes You princes are the best. So simple. Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Then, Ill soon look forward to the day where we can meet each other while smiling. The princes, having achieved their goals ining to the Academy, quickly left, but The twin princes attack! An Academy visit. The after effects of this storm were enough to make the Academys mood chaotic. Did you hear what the princes said? They were talking about instating Ruin as the guardian of the kingdom. The position of guardian has been monopolized by the Galehill family for so long. Looks like its gonna get rowdy again. In the middle of the academy garden where the entirety of the academic body could see us, the princes took my side. No. Rather than simply taking my side, they showed overwhelming support for me, and since they brought up the potentially very sensitive to someone topic of guardian, it was natural for the academy to be chaotic. That person was Shush! Michael ising. Michael Galehill. Michael Galehill, who was tried for expulsion after consuming an illegal drug during the mid-semester test, was given a 30 day suspension from school instead, somehow managing to avoid expulsion. However, in a sense, a lot of things went terribly wrong for him too. Hankus and the Michael Group, which couldve called themselves his followers, all turned their backs on Michael. Now, unlike his usual character of roving in groups to bully weaker students, every day he walked by himself. It was obvious that his pride had taken a massive hit. Are you talking about me right now? E-eh? Ah, n-nope But Michael continued to act brazenly as if it was him who avoided everyone and not the other way around. There was only one thing left for him to believe in. Thats quite baffling. Really Whos deciding what? Did you all forget? Im a Galehill. No matter what you do now, after you graduate, youll be working under me. And that was his House. House Galehill, the kingdoms magic family. This house didnt put importance on keeping a clean record, nor acting in good faith. No matter what happened, it was true that they had enjoyed enormous authority and power from time immemorial while monopolizing the position of guardian, and it was very likely for the next guardian to be from that family as well. But of course Really? But I dont think thats what the princes are thinking. That was before I showed up. Dammit Michaels gaze faltered greatly from a students rebuttal, and his unstable gaze turned toward me. Our eyes met, and I lifted my right hand, greeting Michael. Its been a while. You talentless bastard So you think you won now, huh? What? Well see about that. Ill be the oneughing in the end. However, Michael spat on the ground and turned his back, disappearing off somewhere. Jason, who was standing next to me, put a hand on my shoulder. Its because of jealousy. He thinks that you stole everything from him, Ruin. Jealousy. This was a truly dangerous emotion. If used properly, it could motivate ones self-improvement But if used wrongly, it could cloud ones vision. The emotion I saw in Michael wasnt a drive to improve himself, but more a bitter anger. I stole everything from you? No. You were just holding onto what was rightfully mine. You needed to see Michaels face when he heard that you won the Grand Festival. He was so shocked that he didnt even attend ss for a few days. Even though I dont know everything, I bet hes grinding his teeth right now, because if he ends up losing to you at the end of this semester too, itll really be over for him. He''ll do anything to try and win, so you need to be careful. Hes already an insane guy, so if you push him to his limits, we dont know what hell do. Michael was enraged by the prestige I obtained after the Grand Festival, and was objecting to the fact that the Academy seemed to be moving with me. It was telling that the twin princes visit had ignited his inferiorityplex. The affection of the royal family, being their guardian He wouldnt hesitate to do dirty things to get back what he had mistaken as his from me. Since he had already been suspended for 30 days, if he was to get punished again, he wouldnt be able to avoid being expelled. But maybe those things didnt even concern him now. Because this problem was directly concerned with the honor of the Galehill family. No, it was very usible that he was already scheming something. Howe this unnerving feeling I felt was always right? Galehill had already started moving. * * * * * * The 2nd-semester sses for the graduating ss were more practical than theory. There were the joint sses with the knights that I talked about before, and something else. Hey everyone. Wee. My name is Jakil Galehill. Im three years older than you and a past student at the academy. Im currently a court magician working at the pce to protect the capital The alumni of the Academy came to talk to us about their current work and gave us a lecture to help us on how to select our paths after graduation. The lectures themselves werent a problem. The real problem was that the alumni called back for these lectures were all magicians from the Galehill family. The reaction isnt good. When my seniors came to school when I was here, we greeted them and engaged in the lectures. Why are you guys like this? Jakil Galehill. He was Michaels older brother and the eldest son of the Galehill family, and he gestured with his chin toward me. Is it because of that guy? Everyones eyes were on me. What was this? This direct shot toward me? Youre that famous Ruin Ardell, right? Ive heard a lot about you recently Arent you that promising magician, and also the representative of the Academy? That is true. He looked at me and politely praised me. No. He acted as if he was. But even I did that much, I think. He belittled me, downying my achievements as ordinary and obviously showing that he was looking down on me. Well, that was expected. He wouldve used all kinds of underhanded tactics when he was at school to maintain his position. However, Jakil had idiotically ended up digging his own grave. Jason quickly raised his hands and asked a question as if he was waiting for this. Teacher! Sir! I have a question. A question? Well, sure. Ask me anything. Did you win at the Grand Festival as well, teacher? Idiocy. This was probably tradition in the Galehill family. Being hit in his weak spot, a vein popped on Jakil Galehills forehead, and his face lost itsposure. Seeing that he couldnt just shout at his juniors, he held it in and tried to smile. It wasnt on when I was in the graduating ss. It only happens once every eight years Did you ask because you didnt know? Ah. Then, how about the Magic Festivals run every year? You won them all, right? Jakils eyes instantly went cold. It was a signal to tell Jason to shut up, and recognising this, Jason continued to heckle him. Ah I guess you couldnt. Im sorry. I was curious because you said you were as good as Ruin. Pft. My peers couldnt hold in theirughs, one or two leaking through, and my senior, who had failed after initiating this battle against me, had definitely taken a huge blow to his ego. Fuu. Well, thats understandable. But he tried his best to pass it off as nothing andughed heartily. Sure. That Ruin guy is pretty impressive, right? Of course. Hes amazing. He was even able to get the attention of the Empires Crown Prince. Jakil talked with a sly smile. Is that so? But are we in the empire right now? Are we in the empire right now? There were a lot of meaningsyered under this one phrase One of them was definitely saying that, no matter how much I struggled in the kingdom, I wouldnt be able to make it anywhere. It was frighteningly simr to the way Michael thought. Then, should I start the lecture now? Jakil looked to be quite satisfied with what he said, and started his lecture. What I will be speaking to you about today is the magicians of the Galehill family and the court magicians that you dream about. Yeah, this was the real problem. It hadnt even been a year since Michael had revealed the corruption of the school, but the academy still couldnt escape the shadow of the Galehill house. Also Everyone knows, right? That among the 14 court magicians selectedst year, 11 were part of the Galehill family. The entire magic society of the pce boiled down to the Galehills. As an academic senior that graduated earlier than you guys, and also as your senior in life, Ill tell you the one thing that you need to know to seed. Everyone, remember this. Theres nothing you can do just because you are good. This was one of the reasons why I chose to go back to my hometown after graduation rather than be a court magician like Id dreamed about for so long. If you dont have a family that pulls you from the front and pushes you from the back then the oue wont be that good. You need to unite. Even more so if you are weak. This might sound a little snobbish right now, but as you guys are the graduating ss, you must think more about reality than ideals Everyone wants achievements greater than their themselves, right? Jakils eyesnded on me. Just because you support your current school representative, Ruin Ardell, here right now would your life afterward follow Ruin too? Would it? The mood of the ssroom started to shift a little. This speech was enough to trouble the hearts of the students, and being bolstered by this atmosphere, the look of sess could be seen in Jakils eyes. He also became more daring. Ruin Ardell, what do you think about this? A question directed at me. No, an obvious provocation. I took it head on as I stood up from my seat, and I dered loudly with aposed voice, Who knows? Just because ten pieces of trash are grouped together with determination, they still wont produce a masterpiece. They would just end up as a bigger pile of trash. The mood turned cold. Is that directed at me? Does it bother you? Sure, I heard it from my brother Michael quite a bit. That you are quite the rude bastard. Havent you heard anything else? That he also got beaten up bad by that rude bastard? You Ill need to scold you a little. It was clear. In the second semester, House Galehill would not hesitate to use any tricks up their sleeves against me. And that in this situation, one where the twin princes were showing favorability toward me, they wouldnt ever leave me alone. Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Most of the second semester sses were rted to practical applications, and our great seniors, who already graduated, were assigned as temporary teaching assistants and would observe our sses. Fresh experiences that could only be felt in the field, advice that could be used in real life. It was an excellent system that allowed the students to learn from the people who worked in the actual fields But how good it was would depend on who that person we were learning from was. Being jealous of those in authority and feeling inferior to the rich has happened since the beginning of time. The Galehill family was a family called the magician family ever since the birth of the Radian Kingdom, and we always reigned over everyone else. Thats why were quite used to things like that. Im saying its nothing new. Do you know what we think when we see an oddball like Ruin Ardell? What? We feel pity for him. Because it just looks like hes begging for others to pay attention to him. But does anything change just because he does that? No, of course not. In the end, the oue has already been decided. Just because he receives some attention now doesnt mean the world will change to fit Ruins will. The magicians with the closest rtionship with our kingdom is my Galehill, and itll be like that in the future as well. Ruin Ardell is a total loner, but we are one huge group. Hows that? Dont you guys want to walk with Galehill as well? Jakil Galehill. I didnt know just how great of a magician he was, nor what he was like when he was a student, but I could easily guess why he was the representative of the Galehills to visit the Academy. Would you ept me as well? My grades arent particrly good Why should grades matter? The person is more important. R-really? Of course. Its only right. Wow! How about me? Could I really work together with the Galehills as well? Jakil used his signature silver tongue to tempt the students. He targeted the students who felt inferior because of theircking grades, and his talent at manipting them was top notch. No matter how much you support Ruin, would he take care of you after graduating? However, Galehill is different. Using a method like this was effective, and the academys atmosphere, which had flowed around me, started to change a little from the bottom up. What did I say? Didnt I tell you itll be like this in the end? Sorry, Michael. I dont care. Get me some water. Im thirsty. O-okay! Because of this, the students started to regather around Michael Galehill, who had been roaming alone, and after receiving the support of his family, Michael had regained his old ego and shamelessness. The structure of the academy naturally started to split into two groups. You heard Sir Jakil, right? Dont you know that we can seed as well if we work for the Galehills? If you made up your mind about bing a magician, you need to at the very least be a court magician. What? Court magician? Youll just end up bing a tool that they abandonter. Look at your grades. While youre just good enough to not be the lowest in the grade, you talk of sess? Court magician? Is he really talking with you because the Galehills are looking out for your talent? Hes just saying it to pit us against each Really? Then if you keep on trusting in Ruin, will that bastard be looking out for your future as well? Do you befriend someone so you can leech off of them? Im friends with him because I want to be. Heh, friends? Theres only a few months left until graduation. Isnt everyonepeting in the end? Youll end up biting your thumb because you couldnt find a job after graduating if you let your emotions sway you. Id rather be biting my thumb. Dont you have any self-confidence? At least I wont be going under Michael Galehill, someone who hid his misbehavior for thest 5 years. Galehill and me. I didnt intend to be a leader of a group, but the atmosphere of the academy had somehow shifted like this. I at least received firm backings from the 30 high-ranking students and Jason, who had participated in the Grand Festival with me. But the low-ranking students who had never gotten good grades, praises, or even tried had mostly started to follow Galehill. What are you gonna do? About what? Senior Jakil No, hes no senior. The Galehill bastards are mocking you. Are you gonna just lie down and take it? I cant just run up and punch them. Thats true, but Ahh! That Jakil Galehill bastard is acting up aftering here as a Special Lecturer since he knows he wont ever sh with a student like you. I felt only one thing seeing the subtly changing atmosphere of the Academy. It was so childish. So childish for the Galehills toe and attack me with such a dirty method So childish for me to slowly but surely start to get angered by this provocation. Even the students who had split themselves into the two groups were childish. Yeah. It was a little childish, but it was natural for kids to have kid-like methods. Just wait a little. An opportunity should show itself. I only waited for the day I could tten their pride, believing that an opportunity would present itself to me. And that opportunity ended up appearing in a totally unexpected ce. * * * * * * The Director had called for me for an official reason. As the representative, I had the right to know the academys ns in the second semester, and the Director had the right to hear about the going ons of the academy through the mouth of the school representative. Director. Oh, please sit. What tea do you want? Ill take bill herb. I knew you would, so I already had it prepared. As I sat on the sofa, the director poured the hot water into the prepared tea cup and handed it to me. I nowpletely know your preferences for drinks. Is that so? Isnt bill herb the sweetest tea? The cocovani you enjoyed in Altein, and now bill herb Your preferences are still definitely a childs. Haha. The Directorughed as he enjoyed his conversation with me, and took a sip of his tea. And then, he changed the mood a little as he asked, Alright. Hows your academy life been recently? A normal question. It definitely was the easiest way to start a conversation, but I noticed his hidden intentions behind that question. Its been the same. The same Is that true? There is some small fry who has been stirring some trouble, but its not something to be worried about. Well, I think I know who youre talking about. The Director ced down his tea cup and groaned lightly. Galehill I dont particrly like them either. However, it cant be helped. All the magicians in the kingdom have some connection with them. The academy is no exception. Yes. I understand. However, we have changed the system fromst year. Were only assigning them to sses that wont directly impact your grades. But even so, isnt the academy a little noisy? Its my fault, probably. There are some ill feelings towards me. How is that your fault? Its the fault of those spoiled ones who cant be satisfied by their station. What kind of student was Jakil Galehill? After hearing my question, the director took another sip of his tea while wearing aplicated expression. He was a typical Galehill member. A typical Galehill member? Just what did he mean by that? Even if I didnt know the whole story, he was probably twice as bad as Michael Galehill. With his good face and smooth talking, he was very popr. From the outside, he seemed to have good personal rtions with others, and he also had good grades. However, that was only a front. A great snake was living inside him. Its desire for authority was insatiable, and its ambitions were deep. He did whatever it took to get what he wanted, and thanks to that, he became the youngest graduate magician in the kingdom, taking only 3 years. Someone who looked to be normal on the outside, but was rotten to the core. Someone who would use any underhanded method to get what they wanted. This was Galehill. If it was this much, it was reasonable for me to attack him. The problem was when and for what reason For this problem, it looked like the Director had an unusual idea. Ill end that story here The reason I called you here was to talk to you about the special lessons your cohort will be taking. Special lesions? So, do you remember how the n was to invite trainee knights to the academy to dobat training together? Yes? For the first time ever, I saw the Director speak with a joking tone. At that time, I was thinking about putting the alumni and the students into one team for the lessons A team with the alumni? Its sort of abined ss. Naturally, from the position of the already graduated students, they wont have much to learn, but being able to show the learnings of the graduated students and see them implement them would be quite useful for the students. Isnt this enough of a reason? To take a lesson with the graduated students who came as special lecturers as fellow students Did this mean that an official tform for me to fight against Jakil Galehill would be possible? What are your thoughts as the academy representative? Haha Well, if you decline because you dislike it, I wont press it further. The Director was still looking at me with a joking expression, but I could clearly see his hidden intentions. He was looking forward to it. To the day I tten the nose of the eldest son of that Galehill family. This was the most official way for me to take revenge, a way that only the Director could facilitate. Im fine with it, but would that side ept it? I already asked the representative of the graduates just in case. What did he say? He said hell think about it. However, the group mostly didnt like it, saying it wasnt right for them to take the same lessons as their juniors. That was understandable. If they did well, it would still be a loss. And if they did poorly, it would be a stain in their career that they would regret for a long time. However, the Director offered another point. So, what do you think about going and asking them yourself? Me? If a lovely junior like you goes and desperately asks the seniors to impart their knowledge onto you, how could they decline such a request? For the first time, I truly thought that the Director was a scary person. The request that the lovely junior Ruin Ardell would make would sound like a challenge to the senior Jakil Galehilll, and he would never be able to decline, lest it seemed that he feared a junior. Additionally, if it was at a ce with a lot of people, he might even try to provoke me openly. A calcted and borate n that was impervious to any disruptions since the beginning. How about it? Would you do that for me? I even thought that maybe he had intentionally brought a Galehill into the academy just for this. Since he had ced many expectations on me, I should respond in kind, as his student. I drank the now-cold bill herb tea in one swig. Yes. Ill go now and make the request. Where is senior Jakil Galehill right now? Chapter 98 Chapter 98 After hearing my question, the Director very lightly responded, He would probably be at the main hall. The main hall? He asked permission to use the main hall, saying that he had something to tell his juniors, so I let him. The main hall Except for the vacation and opening ceremonies or tests, times where arge number of people needed to be in the same ce at the same time, it wasnt a ce that was used often. But just how many students did he want to spread his bullshit to for him to borrow the main hall? I couldnt be certain, but that disgusting silver tongue of his was probably the best in the academy. Will you be going now? Yes. Alright. At my response, the Director muttered under his breath in a small voice, Now I feel it was good for me to let Jakil borrow the main hall. Good for you to let him borrow it? Well Since a lot of people were gathered in one ce, he wouldnt be able to decline so easily There was no way he calcted it up to this point, right? Go find him, before he goes somewhere else. Ah, yes. The Director is probably much scarier than I realize. The n this time wasnt any worse than what Fire King Teron wouldvee up with. Then, Ill be going. I look forward to some interesting news. I left the Directors office and headed directly toward the main hall, where Jakil would be. What was this? I felt that the hallways going toward the main hall were quite empty. It was probably because a lot of students had gathered inside the main hall. And this was proven true. Creak! As I opened the doors and stepped into the main hall, the students gathered inside all turned around to look at me Sheesh. Just how many people are here? Ruin? The number of students easily exceeded 50, and there was our alumni representative, who came all the way to the academy to fill the hearts of so many students with false hope. Jakil Galehill was at the podium as he silently looked at me. His gaze was momentarily filled with curiosity and displeasure. That gaze was asking, Why are you here? Yeah I had suddenly be an uninvited guest who spoiled the mood of this party where the future lord of Galehill and its future magicians came together to promise a bright future for thetter. But who cares? I smiled brightly and greeted Jakil. So you were here? Why do you ask? You came here knowing that. Yes, thats true. If not, why would Ie here? Your rotten stench could be smelled all the way from the main gate. Why did youe find me? I walked into the hall confidently, and stepped onto the tform before talking in a very proper manner toward Jakil Galehill. I came here to request something of you, senior. Request? Jakil frowned, looking as though he had never expected such a word to be uttered by my mouth. It was as if his expression was asking, What are you scheming now? Unlike Jakil Galehill, who was showing a cautious expression, Michael Galehill, standing next to him,ughed out loud. A request? Hah! Are you finally conceding? Yeah. I knew you would say that in the end. But how unfortunate. We, the Galehills, dont need someone like you. Maybe if you kneel before us, that may ch Dont kid yourself. It isnt a request like that. I didnt even look at Michael and talked straight to Jakil. I heard that you received a suggestion from the Director. That the alumni should attend the joint lesson with the knights next week alongside the students. And? Jakil Galehills brows shifted a little. It was a sign that he had guessed my intentions. However, would he be able to decline my request? Of course, the answer had been decided from the start. Please ept it. Thebined lesson with the graduating students and the graduated students. A cbined lesson? As soon as these words left my mouth, the audience started to mutter among themselves. We can take the same lessons with Jakil? Is that true? Then will we be able to see the skills of our seniors up close? Jakil was the youngest court magician in the kingdom! To be able to see the skills of such a person! Sheesh! Thats cool! An overall positive reaction came from the crowd. Of course, there were some groups that were worrying about unexpected things. Wait, then doesn''t that mean that Ruin might have a fight against our senior? Uh? I guess? Now, in this situation, how would Jakil react? * * * * * * He would obviously refuse. The first refusal would be light, like treading water. Why should I? ? Why do I have to take a lesson like that? Do you think we, the graduates, need such a lesson? Were already professionals who have multiple years of real world experience. On top of having no real reason to attend such a ss, its honestly a waste of time. Arent you underestimating us too much? Yeah. I kind of suspected that hed say that. As I said before, its a loss even if they win, and if they lose, it would be a stain. That was why the graduates must stand on the same stage as us. Because I needed to humiliate him. Because I needed to show everyone that the Galehill name was built upon nothing but underhanded tactics and unsavory deals. That was why I responded like I was baffled by his answer. Hearing that Its a bit unexpected. What? Wasnt the reason the seniors visited our academy to impart their knowledge and insights to us? Thats right. Thats why Im giving you guys special lectures. Isnt abined ss the perfect way for the teachers to disy their amazing skills to the juniors? But to call it a waste of time Of course, it would be an important ss for you guys, but to us, its not that helpful You were emphasizing so hard that the Galehills are a group, but in a situation where Im making a request for the sake of the students who gathered here, you refuse? Or is there maybe another reason you refused? As I looked toward the students in the main hall, fluster flickered through Jakils gaze as he looked around. The students had curious expressions directed at their respected senior, Jakil, as he declined the suggestion, and I muttered toward those students, Maybe youre scared This wasnt a request, but a taunt. It was a method for me to scrape at his ego as the youngest court magician of the kingdom. And this was quite effective. Scared? Who? Me? Of you? Hah, what nonsense. Jakil hid his shock and tried his best to talk nonchntly. But I could see a subtle shake in his eye. It was very effective. He started to babble on by himself. Kid, even if you won in the Grand Festival, youre still just a student whocks real world experience. Contrary to that, I am a magician who has sharpened and mastered his magic. A provocation from a punk who would cower in front of a real sword You Have you killed before? Goddamn, he talks a lot. I have stood in front of a real sword too many times, and I have even nearly killed. To measure a persons skill with such criteria Since it wasnt worth answering his question, I continued my initial statement. If youre not scared, please ept the request. Not for the seniors, but for your juniors. Hah, I hate going in circles. Why should we do something so bother Yes! I want to see the skills of our seniors! What? Hearing me say for your juniors, one of the students who was listening quietly the entire time shouted, Yeah! The skills sharpened and mastered in the real world! Im curious as well! Please show us! Jakils eyebrows shifted again. Then, the unaware younger brother standing next to him, Michael, dealt the final blow. Brother, why are you hesitating? Just ept. Hey, be quiet and dont Ah, why? Just destroy that guy in this time where everyone will be watching. What? Ruin, youll regret requesting that. Youre a fool if you think my brother is the same as me. Hes a really strong magician. Sure, sure. In this situation where everyone was wanting the same thing Would our respected senior be able to refuse? No, never. Fuu You brats Fine. Jakil looked to be in quite a tough spot, but he couldnt let that show on the outside. Wasnt this hall filled with dozens of lovely juniors who believed only in him? He needed to show to thesembs who their strong shepherd was, and he also needed to show the calm and rxed form of a senior. That was why the answer had been decided from the start. Fine. Its quite a bother but for the sake of my juniors, Ill ept. Really? Yeah. A joint lesson with the knights? They would probably be those trainee knights from Poldren, right? Yeah. Ive been facing real knights until now, so against trainee knights Youve heard about them too, right? The Silver Light Knight Order. The elite knights that protect the princes of the kingdom. Ive eaten them up like breakfast. Yeah, Ill show you what methods a magician has when facing knights. Ah, was that so? The Silver Light Knight Order I saw was filled with inept and idiotic knights. But there was no reason for me to disy my superiority here. Be as happy as you like in this moment. Woooaaah! Shouted out the students exploding with anticipation after hearing Jakils confident response, and Jakil enjoyed the reaction, acting confident till the end. Ruin, I was initially declining the offer because I knew I would decrease the students opportunities to show off in the lesson, but will you really be alright? At least for your grade If you want, I can make it so that this never happened What bullshit. No, please do it. I insist. Well, if you really want that, then I shall. He pushed out his hand while still acting like the magnanimous senior. Lets do well. It was a handshake. However, this handshake was Jakils worst decision. Why? I smiled brightly and gripped Jakils hand during the shake. In that moment, I put in a little bit of strength. ! Crack! Instantly, Jakils face turned pale, and he tried to let go. But I held onto him. Rather Then, Ill be in your care, Senior. Y-you I dragged him to my side and talked softly so that only he would be able to hear. Please look forward to it. Senior, yourughable skills wont work on me. Chapter 99 Chapter 99 At the stable in a corner of the Academy, an obscure ce where students normally dont even pass by, two shadowy figures shifted. Why did you do that? Hmm? What did I do? Why did you help with what Ruin said before? They were Jakil and Michael Galehill. Hearing Jakils question, Michael flinched a little. Th-that''s As you will know as well, brother, this is a good opportunity for you to destroy Ruin Why should I? E-eh? Dealing with Ruin Ardell isnt my job, but yours. Why should I take the risk of fighting him? Well, thats because youre strong, brother Didnt youe here to help me? What? Help you? Jakils gaze immediately turned hostile. Dont misunderstand. The reason I came to the academy wasn''t to do something like take petty revenge for you. Im here because I need to recover the honor of the Galehill name that my worthless brother kept disgracing. Do you understand? S-sorry Damn it If I somehow end up losing, just what will this situation be? It was obvious, but the difference in experience between real magicians and students who needed to restrain themselves and had bans ced on them was huge. However, this particr situation was different. You losing? Nah, no shot. Theres no way right? Youre the kingdoms youngest magician to Shut up. Youngest, did you forget who gave me that name? I-it was father. The brat who knows that takes the offer given by the one who won the Grand Festival? Haah Its more ridiculous the more I think about it. A bastard like you is my younger brother? Radian Kingdom, the weakest nation in the history of the continent. In this nation which was peaceful to a fault, just where could a magician get experience? If you were to look for ces, there would just be some expeditions or the capturing of monsters that popped up sometimes in the territories around the capital, but since there were knights, most just rxed and yed. The talk about how he dueled against the Silver Light Knight Order as if he was eating breakfast was also naturally a lie. The knights were too busy drinking and enjoying women during work hours, and it was hard to even see a knight in the sparring building. On top of that, just how long had it been since he really used magic? Appealing to nobles, bncing around the twin princes power struggles, and so on. Rather than magic, he focused more on his appearance to appeal to the noblewoman. Compared to him, Ruin was a genius amongst geniuses who won the Grand Festival. Since he wouldve rued a ton of experience through the Grand Festival, Jakil had no guarantee that he would win against Ruin. No. Ill lose, for sure. Just having felt the difference in strength when he shook hands on the podium, thoughts of losing had already filled his head. Damn it. I was thinking of just returning quietly after doing some lectures The thought of the shame from losing to a junior much younger than him was there, but now wasnt the time to wallow in that shame. Since he had already made a mess due to his ego, he needed to think on how he could clean it back up. And naturally, he felt a sense of hopelessness for the future. Tell me everything properly. Eh? What? I said tell me everything you know about Ruin Ardell! Ah! O-okay! * * * The most important part of the 2nd semester for the graduating ss was the joint sses with and sparring against knights. Before the lesson, a notice arrived saying that the trainee knights from the Poldren Knight Training Center had left for the Academy. 3 days after that, a couple dozen people arrived at the academy on horseback. Look there! They arrived! The trainee knights of Poldren. Held up by the g bearer was the lizard tail insignia that represented the Poldren Training Center, and behind him was about 40 trainee knights in formation with copper armor and swords at their sides. At the front was a knight who wore fancy te mail armor, but as he took off his helmet I saw a wee face that I knew very well. Sir Coulter! Oh, whats this? Sir Coulter Pirante. As the knight captain of the Poldren territory, he was the lead knight who managed all the lessons in the Poldren Training Center. Under only Sir Kegen, the 7th-rank knight of the Golden Light Knight Order, and the Knight Captain of the Silver Light Knight Order, the one I met before who guarded the twin princes, Sir Coulter was publicly ranked 3rd across all the knights in the kingdom. However, things like this weren''t important to me. You ogre-like punk Have you been well? I have. How about you, Sir Coulter? Ive been the same. More than that, didnt I tell you to call me bro? Hmm I still think thatll be hard. You punk. Just wait 10 years. Ill still look young. Haha. Without a care about the honor and authority of a knight, the person in front of me, with the personality of a popr neighborhood kid, was Sir Coulter Pirante. Since it wasnt an exaggeration to say that the footwork and body arts I learnt from Sir Coulter before I attended the Grand Festival was the reason I won it, he was a great teacher to me. I heard all about you through rumors. So you did some incredible things in the Grand Festival? Yes. Its all thanks to you, Sir Coulter. Thats right, so dont you ever forget it. When you be more famous, Ille and take my cut. Heh. Yes, I wont forget. The Director? Hell be here soon. As I pointed behind me, I could already see the Director and the professorsing from afar. The Director also greeted Sir Coulter with a weing expression. You must be tired aftering such a long way. What? Tired? Isnt this all for the future of the kingdom? If I was tired because of something like this, I would rather die in a ditch somewhere. Haha. Thank you for your words. Im sure that itll be a great learning experience for our students. Yes. Itll be great for my students to learn just how scary magicians are, since bing a knight isnt everything. Then, shall we leave the students to greet each other and go inside for a talk? Lets do that. The Director put a hand on my shoulder. Then, Ruin, Ill leave you to guide them. Ruin, Ill see youter. Ptf. Sure. The professors also moved to have a chat, leaving only the trainee knights and a few students. As the academy representative, I was given the task of guiding them, so I stepped forward. Its good to meet everyone. Im the representative of the academy, Ruin Ardell. Could I know who the representative of the trainee knights is? However, the mood between the knights was a little weird. Who knows. Our representative is a little busy right now. Eh? Rather than a representative stepping forward, not one of them seemed to be interested in this. Rather, their gazes all pointed to the back of the formation, and so did mine. In that ce You lowly peasant scum. Do you have to get hit to learn? Kekekek. Maltive, lets leave him. Hell die at this rate. No ones gonna care if someone like him dies anyway, so who cares? * * * * * * Bullying. No. Within the trainee knights, an assault was secretly taking ce. The trainee knight who was getting bullied was someone who I knew well. Hansen? He was the trainee knight from Poldren who I had saved with his sister from some thugs during the break, Hansen. R-Ruin He was surrounded by about three other trainee knights, and he clenched his eyes shut, seemingly ashamed that he was showing such a scene. What are you doing right now? As I asked that in a quiet voice, one of the three trainee knights that were bullying him stepped up. Ah ha. So youre that famous Ruin Ardell? I heard a lot about you. Im Maltive Kegen, the representative knight of the Poldren Training Center. Maltive Kegen. It was a memorable first impression. It was enough for me to fully understand what kind of person he was. You know them, right? The sole 7th-rank knight of the kingdom, and the man closest to bing a Sword Master. The Captain of the Golden Light Knight Order, Bengrass Kegen. Hes my father. Ah, was that so? Then I dont know why such an incredible person like yourself did not go into the Royal Training Center and is in the Poldren Training Center instead And did I ask? Why did you say your fathers name that I didnt even ask for when you were introducing yourself? My father is an incredible person, so grovel before me Well, was it something like that? Sure. But more than that, Id like it if you answered my question. Question? What question? What are you doing right now? As I pointed toward Hansen, Maltive replied with a tone that implied it wasnt a big deal. Ah, I was training this mutt, since thismoner punk hasn''t been listening to me for a while. Mutt? Yeah. Mutt. Is there a problem? He wasnt a beast or livestock, or even a ve. They were peers that shouldve had respect for each other. Even if one was amoner, to use a word for an animal against a person As my gaze became a little more intense, Maltive said in a more threatening tone, Ive already answered your question. Also, are you ignoring me right now? What? Werent we introducing ourselves? But why are you just focusing on thatmoner now? Do you two know each other? His gaze became openly hostile. So you do know each other. From what I heard before, it looks like you know each others names as well. What if were friends? What? Friends? Hah! Well, you know what they say. Birds of a feather flock together. Lowly things are bound to attract. What? Well, isnt the Ardell house also a rootless house not too different from amoners? For someone like you to be the academy representative I dont think I want to even talk to you anymore. What are you trying to do? The mood instantly became cold. Why was this guy, who I was seeing for the first time in my life, so openly hostile to me? I didnt have to guess for long. Huh? Jakil! Oh? Maltive! You came here as well? Why is a trainee knight of your level at this ce? Well, I came here to mess around. But why are you here? Hasnt it been a while since you graduated? Ah! I get it! You came to y around as well, right? Haha Well, its something like that. Jakil Galehill recognised Maltive Kegen, and all the puzzle pieces started toe together. Kegen for the sword, Galehill for magic. Just like he said, birds of a feather did indeed flock together. Even if I acted like I didnt know Hansen, I would definitely end up shing with him in the future. I heard that Michael lost his school representative position I feel sorry for the academy students, having a rootless person like him whos no different than amoner as their representative. Well, what can they do? Anyways, youd be tired after traveling for such a long time. We should get that heavy armor off of you. Follow me, Ill guide you personally to the academy instead of Ruin. Yes. Alright. Guys, lets go. Jakil Galehill and Maltive Kegen. They took their gangs and started to walk into the distance, and Hansen timidly walked up to me with a drained expression. R-Ruin Its good to see you, but I think itll be better if you dont act familiar with me Why? Because, n-no one likes me. Thats why,ter, when no one is looking No. We decided to be friends then, so dont be like that. B-but The one you said was bullying you back at the training center before, is it that guy? Yeah. I looked at Hansen. Im thinking of kicking that guy in a little bit What about you? Yeah, I was thinking of teaching that arrogant Maltive Kegen kid a lesson. Since he insulted me greatly, he should be ready to pay up. Well, thats good for me But to truly make him pay, wouldnt it be better for Hansen, who was being harassed for being amoner, to be the one to beat him? Are you gonna keep getting bullied like this, or do you want to beat him? The look in your eyes is gone. What happened to those eyes that lit up when you were protecting your sister? Hearing my words, Hansen lowered his head in shame. However, the light in his eyes wasntpletely defeated. There was still a hint of resistance. He wanted to make this situation right, but he was afraid. And after worrying over this for a bit, Hansens eyes shifted. Will I be able to win? Yeah. This was enough. Chapter 100 Chapter 100 [ Trantor Jreaming ] Chapter 100! Pog! [ Proofreader Artethrax ] 100! Woo! Please excuse the trantors cringe above. Why did Hansen get so scared when hearing the name Maltive Kegen? That was probably because Maltive is the best knight in the training center, having reached 4th-rankst year. Compared to him, I The suffering that had continued for a long time. Fear that only someone who got hurt could know. It was because of a poisonous terror that was felt when he was stuck in that inescapable hell all by himself, where his body now reacted before his mind. A way to defeat this could never be found by another. All the problems wereid in his heart. However, I knew You can win. M-me? Yeah. I knew how strong and brave Hansen could be in front of someone he needed to protect. Hold your head high and walk confidently. From my view, youre a much stronger person than those trash over there. Didnt you fearlessly draw your de to save your sister? Hearing my words, Hansen nodded his head very cautiously, and Maltive, who was walking in front of us, reacted. The more I hear you talk What did you just say? And what? Hansen can defeat me? Thatmoner bastard thats just eating into my tax? Maltive. Maltive? Hah. This is infuriating. Do I look the same as you now just because I go to the same training center as you? That was definitely a will of resistance. Yeah. I knew. Maltive Kegen 4th-rank knight Apprentice Sword Perito Potential: High Hansen 3rd-rank knight Potential: Very high Because the yers Eye told me so. I couldnt deny the fact that currently, Maltive was stronger than Hansen. Just because one killed a thug before, just because they were able to perform a feat that they didnt know they could do in a position of danger It didnt mean that the person had grown to be as strong as a 4th-rank. But didnt I see it with my own eyes? Hansen is strong. When he was killing the leader of the thugs with the shortsword, I saw the blue aura that signified being a Sword Perito wrapped around Hansens body. Hansen was already 4th-rank. No, if we considered his very high potential, he mightve even had skills beyond that. But he just didnt know how to handle them yet. This realization Kneel and call me Lord Maltive, you fucker! If he could defeat that fear that clenched his mind, shook his legs, and pushed down his shoulders. If he could just break down that wall, Hansen could win. That was why Hansen must fight. Even if to just break away this messy rtionship, Hansen needed to break down the wall himself. Hansen looked at me, and I could see a small hint of determination in his eyes. A sense of shame that he didnt ever want to show in front of his friend, humiliation from being denied his very existence, a sense of hopelessness, and the fear of never being able to retaliate. Between these emotions, a drop of courage formed that might win over the rest. The result from this drop of courage was quite big in reality. After staying silent for a while, Hansen N-no. What? I wont kneel to you! For the first time, he had expressed his own will. No. This rebellion that sneaked out from his shaky voice was enough to make Maltive, who had lived and indulged in authority all his life, severely enraged. What? What did you just say? Did I perhaps hear it wrong? No? No?! Y-yeah! I said no! You bastard. Youre making me mad. Schwing! Come here, you uselessmoner bastard. Ill kill you today. He pulled out his sword on his hip without hesitation and stomped toward Hansen. His sword? A trainee knight who protects chivalry pulled out his sword for such a small thing like this? ! After bing startled, Hansen took a few steps back and tried to hurriedly pull out his own sword, but I dissuaded Hansen. Dont pull it out. E-eh? Arent you different from that guy? Coming from a big family, that guy would be fine in the end. But if amoner like Hansen was to make a mistake, he might get kicked out of the training center. Even if not for this, he must not pull out his sword for something like this. Hansen, todays not the day to fight that guy. Pummel him good when the opportunityes. For today, just leave it to me. I pushed Hansen back and stepped forward with clenched fists. The reason I stepped up myself Damn it When Maltive Kegen pulled out his sword, it reminded me of old times. Wasnt this the same? That bastard who pulled out his sword to cut Hansen, and that insane bastard who sent a lighting bolt flying during ss to kill me The faces of those two started to weirdlybine. I had thought about repaying my debt to that guy who nearly killed me one day And that day was today. Move, you bitch! Instead of that guy who got expelled, I clenched my fist while aiming for Maltive as he ran toward Hansen behind me. Crack! Only three steps until he reached the range of my fists. However, I couldn''t attack. * * * * * * Ughk! No, rather than couldnt, it would be more urate to say I didnt need to. Smack! Before I could attack, a steel stick flew in from somewhere and struck Maltive in the head, causing him to fall backward and roll on the ground. It happened in an instant. Maltive shouted, fully enraged, Which punk dares! The steel stick was in actuality a scabbard, and everyones eyes turned to the person picking it back up. I dare! ng! The knight who was putting his sword back into his scabbard was The head knight of the Poldren Training Center, Sir Coulter Pirante. He was ring at Maltive with a serious face that I had never seen before, one so unlike the joking expression I had seen all this time. As Maltive realized the one who attacked him was the knight captain Coulter Pirante, he couldnt say another word. D-damn it. He could only re at us in fury. Toward him, Sir Coulter asked, Maltive Kegen, what are you doing? Th-those punks started it first. Maltive pointed his finger at Hansen, and Sir Coulter didnt even bother to look and asked again, And so you pulled out your sword? To swing at someone? You are still just a trainee knight who hadn''t taken the knightly vow yet. Have you forgotten? Just like how an academy student couldnt use magic as they wanted, it would be the same for a trainee knight. It was definitely grounds for punishmentpulling out ones sword in a situation like thiseven if no one was hurt. Sir Coulter spoke with an unwavering tone. Maltive Kegen, I am removing you from the position of Training Center representative. The position of representative will immediately be seeded by the vice-representative, and youll receive disciplinary action as soon as we return to the training center. What? B-but! Do you have any problems? I-if you remove me from my representative position My father wont stand for it. I-Ill make an officialint. Again and again. That father of his. It looked like that was the extent of his threats. But unfortunately for him I am baffled. Sir Coulter wasnt someone who would get scared by a child who always brought up their father. Yeah. Sir Bengrass Kegen wont stand for this. If he learns of the fact that his one and only son pulled out his sword to use against another person when he was visiting the Academy as a guest Hed faint. Or he would break that uwful sons legs. Maltive Kegen, have you forgotten why you were kicked out of the Royal Training Center and came to Poldren? It was a request from Sir Bengrass. To fix up his foolish son into a righteous man in whatever way possible. Maltives expression became icey. And Sir Coulter Pirante dealt the final blow. Dont forget. He asked me to make a righteous man, not a good knight. Meaning, if he kept disobeying his orders, Sir Coulter was threatening to forever expel him from the training center. I pped twice in my heart. This was a true threat! Not something weak like using your fathers name! Kugh Thanks to this, Maltives expression became pale. If he was expelled here and ended up never bing a knight, what would happen? The answer was already set in stone. I-I apologize. Surrender. After this, as if not wanting to look at Maltive any further, Sir Coulter Pirante turned his back. This is disappointing. There will be a report to Sir Bengrass for this incident. Im curious as to what he will say about you. Uuuuuaaaaah!! A soundless cry. Maltive Kegen kicked the meless ground and tensed his muscles, but he couldnt refute any of it. He was probably scared of his father that he was so proud of. Ruin. Sir Coulter immediately talked toward me and whispered something quietly so that Maltive wouldnt hear it. Im sorry. The kids arent that bad Hmm, I really cant bring myself to say it. Its not something you need to apologize for, Sir Coulter. No, its my responsibility for not managing them properly. Ill pay more attention so things like this won''t happen again in the Huh? Sir Coulter looked between me and Hansen a few times and asked again, But did you guys know each other? Hansen and I looked at each other and smiled, and I shrugged my shoulders. Were friends. Hoh, really? This is quite surprising. Yes. And hes also my joint lesson partner this time. Partner? The one who asked wasnt Sir Coulter, but Hansen. Hansen looked at me with a confused expression, but I nonchntly replied, Yeah. Partner. Well form a team together for the lessons. W-with me? B-but I wont be that helpful No, it has to be you. We have a mutual enemy. A mutual enemy? In the lessons for the second semester where we would spar and work together with knights, you chose your own partner. You learned how to work together and even hadpetitions against the other teams. Well, now that I had my ally chosen, who would be my enemies? Wasnt that already decided? My gaze turned to face Maltive, who was looking at me in rage, and Jakil, who was observing all this from a distance away. Yeah. A mutual enemy. Whether it be sword or magic, there were always influential people who only cared for themselves. It wasnt like I had a particr thing against all authority figures But if these authority figures kept acting like animals while the country was in this state, then that was a problem. In a situation like this, you needed to properly fix them up. Not just the heads of those rotten bastards But the entire system itself, and the rotten bastards own personal kingdoms in which they resided. Maybe he read these meanings from my eyes. Ruin Ardell, this wont be the end. He promised revenge against me. However, how could this be? I wasnt even a bit scared. Yeah. If I had to guess This second semester would be a total war. Chapter 101 Chapter 101 The next day. The 114 magicians of the Academy and the 48 trainee knights of the Poldren Training Center gathered in one ce. Maybe because of the incident that happened when they first met yesterday, This Everyones a bit awkward Rather than a sense of curiosity, there was a sense of hostility between the people gathered here. Competitiveness rather than intrigue was heavy in the atmosphere. As this intense mood dominated the sparring grounds Alright! Attention! The two professors who would oversee the main lesson stepped up. Since it was a joint lesson between the magicians and the knights, there were naturally two professors. Professor Hydel, the battle magic professor, and Sir Coulter Pirante, the captain of the Poldren knights. The ss officially started. Right. Before we start the proper lesson, choose your partner. You shouldve all heard, but there are 114 magicians and 48 knights. So well split the total 162 into two major groups and then create 54 three member sub groups. The first part of the lesson was the creation of the two teams and the three-member groups. The two major teams were for the teampetitionter, and the three-member groups were for the different sparring and training purposes. So first, well need to create the teams The graduate representative Jakil Galehill and the student representative Ruin Ardell will be the two team captains. Everyone, move to the group you want to join. As Jakil Galehill and I moved to the front, the students split themselves into the team they wanted to join. Two teams of 81 people. The academy who had been debating whos better and whos stronger actually ended up splitting perfectly in two. This will conclude the team distribution, and next is group formation. You will form 54 groups with two magicians per one knight. When a trainee knight steps forward, the students who wish to group with them will raise their hands. Next was the group formation. Two magicians and one knight. 54 groups of three people. It was supposed to be two magicians who would go and support a trainee knight, but the boasting of connections by Jakil and Maltive officially started from here. Bro, I really didnt want toe here. What joint lesson with magicians I have nothing I can learn from them. I came here pointlessly and just ended up getting told off by the knight captain. Me too. Its been so long since Ive graduated I really dont know why I must be here with my juniors. This is far too boring for me. Kekek. I would be bored too if I was you, bro. So how about we partner up now? Lets just end this quickly. Oh, sure we can. Lets get Michael as well and be a group with us three. Alright. The Galehill brothers and Maltive Kegen. These three decided to form a group for these lessons. Of course, this was honestly better for me, since I had rtions with all three of them. Then, Jason asked me, Ruin, who are you teaming up with? Do you have a trainee knight youve already picked out? Yeah. Oh, really? Who? Hell be here soon. Just as I finished speaking, it became Hansens turn. Next! Hansen! Y-yes! Hansen looked to be quite nervous as he walked forward with shaky eyes. I-Im Trainee Knight Hansen of Poldren Training Center. If someone wants to be in a group with me P-please raise your It was then. Pft! Isnt that ourmoner Hansen,st ce of the training center? If you go in the same group as him, I dont even have to wait to see your grade. Yeah. One. Hundred. Percent. Last. ce. Kekekek. Everyone, quiet! The trainee knights that looked to be Maltive Kegensckeys started to insult Hansen openly, and the mood became quite cold because of that. It was an act of bullying no matter how you saw it. Who would want to form a group with Hansen in a situation like this? Naturally, none of the magicians lifted their hand and Hansens shaky eyes lost their light. But then, I lifted my hand. Me. Ill do it. Ruin? The students who didnt see the incident yesterday reacted like my choice was unexpected, And even Jason, who was sitting next to me, grabbed my arm and asked, What? They say hesst ce at the training center. Are you really going to be in the same group as him? Yeah. Hes my friend. Friend? Yeah. I wont ask you to make the same choice as me, Jason. So you can do what you want now. Hey, Im disappointed that you think that If hes your friend, hes my friend too. Jason quickly also stood up and raised his hand. Me! Ill group as well! Alright. Ruin Ardell, Jason Damon, Hasen, you three are Group 31. Yes. After Jason and I chose him, the light in Hansens eyes came back a little. Then, he bowed his hand to the both of us. Thank you for ch-choosing me, Ruin Thank you. Its nothing. I did it because I wanted to. My name is Jason. If youre Ruins friend, youre my friend too, so lets talkfortably with each other, alright? Yes? Ah, yeah. The reason I chose Hansen to be in the same group as me wasnt just simply because of friendship. I wont deny that there was a sense of kinship and sympathy from seeing my past self in him But the real reason was because I trusted in Hansens great potential currently dormant inside him. The feeling I got when I first met Hansen wasnt wrong. Hansen had the highest potential amongst the trainee knights. If we could fix his weak personality, his skills would definitely flourish. If possible, I wanted to attach those wings onto him myself, because we had amon enemy we must defeat. Also, I kinda enjoyed the nd meal I received from his older sister. Our goal isnt simply getting a good grade. Then? Well crush Group 1. Group 1. Jakil, Michael, Maltive. The group that looked to be top dog by being made from these three powerful individuals. Jason found these words funny and pped like a seal. Oh! I like that! Hansen, are you confident? Eh? After going into a daze for a second from hearing that we would crush Group 1, Hansen regained the strength in his eyes. I-Ill try my best. Dont lose your wits. I wasnt bluffing when I said you are stronger than Maltive. Really? Yeah. Ruins eye for people is pretty good. Hes already proven it before by pulling our team, who was alwaysst ce, up to 4th ce in the Grand Festival. So, Hansen. You can believe whatever Ruin says, even if it doesnt make sense. O-ok. Alright. With this, our Group 31 was pretty set now. So what was next? Paying attention in ss. * * * * * * The first ss was battle training. Sir Coulter showed how to aim for the critical time of a magicians casting to suppress them, and Professor Hydel showed how to predict the movement of knights to effectively move out of their attack range. Alright, nows your turn. The separate groups took this lesson and started to train in the same methods. The magicians naturally couldnt use lethal magic, and only used nonlethal magic to defend themselves, and the knights used wooden swords rather than real ones. But for these guys who couldnt even control their own strengths, how could a magician and knight understand their own positions and train together? W-wait! Ouch! I got hit. Again. Ill try attacking again. Rabble like this couldnt be seen anywhere else in the world. This wasnt too different for our Group 31. Can I really attack you? Of course. Isnt this a ss? Attack like you normally would. Ill dodge all of them. A-alright. Then, Im starting. Hansen attacked and Jason defended. However, Jasons understanding of a knights movement was far toocking, and Hansen was too timid to make a proper attack. Ouch! Aaaooo That hurt. S-sorry! Are you ok? I started to tune the movements of Jason and Hansen. Jason. If you try to move after confirming a knight ising at you, then its toote. You need to predict their movement by observing their shoulders and feet. Like this? Thats much better. Hansen! You can never give him an opening. Its a wooden sword anyways, so dont hold back too much. Ok! Although it was really little by little, Jasons defensive form started to take shape. Hansen also seemed to be less nervous, and his true skills started to shine. About 10 minutes had passed, and among the 54 groups, only our group showed a decent level of attacking and defending. Haah, haah Ruin. Its your turn now. I switched in with Jason and faced Hansen. Are you sure you dont need to rest? Yeah. I feel a little warmed up now. Really? Alright. Lets go. I faced Hansen and took the casting position. A spar against a knight with a wooden sword. Hadnt I already done this a lot before? Against a knight stronger than Sir Bengrass Kegen, the sole 7th-rank knight of the kingdom. The secret best knight, the Tiger of Ardell, Sir Bolvar. Using what I learnt in my experience against him, I could calmly dodge Hasnens sword strikes. Hansen, move faster! Ught! Too slow. If you were aiming for my lower body, your movements were too big. You need to fool me. I could see it. If I was to exaggerate a little, it even felt a little too slow. I wasnt saying this because Hansens current level was too low. Hansen showed a learned movement unlike his title of the worst of the training center, and he was participating in the lesson quite well. It was just that, because I had sparred against Sir Bolvar a lot before, everything else felt slow. He was truly oppressive in his movement. Hansen finally looked to be getting used to the training, and his nervousness seemed to have dissipated. He even smiled with joy. Ruin, I feel like youre messing with me Should I go all out? Of course. Vwoong Hansens sword became fiercer. But naturally, he still had a long way to go. * * * Group 1. Jakil, Michael, and Maltive. These three were apathetic about the ss since the lesson started. Im so bored Lets just not do this. Havent we learnt this before anyways? Sure. They decided to not train at all and started to take a rest on the ground. There was also another reason for this. But why isnt Sir Jakil training? Are you stupid? Why would he need to train in something like this? Hes someone whos already experienced all this in real battles. Ah, yeah. Thats right. And it was that far too many people were observing them. Dammit. Am I an exhibit? Why is everyone so keen on watching me? The title of the youngest court magician he had obtained through the name of Galehill. If he was to disy his true skills which were far toocking for what his position entailed, their faith in the name of Galehill would crumble. That was why Jakil chose to not train at all. And as these guys took their rest Oh, look over there! ? The movements of Ruin caught their eyes. Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Mightiest Melee Magician [ Trantor - Jreaming ] [ Proofreader - Artethrax ] Jakil, Michael, and Maltive. It wasn''t just those three. ......What are they doing? Why is everyone making such a fuss? The members of the 53 groups all gathered around Group 31 and formed a circle. And every single one of them were in a daze as they saw how Group 31 trained. Wh-what? How is he dodging before the sword is even swung? Is he predicting the movements? I heard that Ruin sparred against knights during the break. Looks like its true! Woah! Thats amazing! He dodged again! The situation they were seeing was this. Hansen doubled down on his more impressive than expected attacks, but Ruin was able to very easily dodge all of them. This back and forth of attack and defense had continued tirelessly over a dozen times. But the two people didnt look tired at all, joyously focusing on only training. Seeing this dominating performance, Jakil couldnt help but be uneasy. That punk...... He was this skilled? It was true that Ruin was victorious in the Grand Festival against all the other geniuses of the Empire. Jakil knew that Ruin wasnt the average magician...... but he didnt expect Ruin to be this strong. Maltives reaction was the same. Hansen, that bastard...... Did something happen? The Hansen in front of him wasnt the weakling he knew before. He didnt know what happened during the break, but Hansen seemed to have grown at least two stages stronger. As Maltive looked at the two with nervousness, he quietly asked Jakil, Bro, shouldnt we train as well? ...... Jakil Galehill couldnt bear to say it out loud and shouted internally. Yeah! Training! I want to train as well! But the people who were watching only him were a problem. He boasted that he was good, but if he started to train after everyone saw Ruins movements? He would bepared openly. In a situation like this, he needed to just coolly let it pass. What? Training......? Dont get surprised with just that level of skill. Lets go get a drink. Oh! Incredible. He just called what Ruin did just that level of skill. Just how strong is our senior? ...... Even as he said those words, Jakil regretted it internally. It was a problem with his mouth. This boasting of his was probably a disease. * * * The ones who watched the spar between Ruin and Hansen werent just students. They couldnt openly watch them, but from a fair distance away, the first people to see the growth of Group 31 were none other than the professors. Hydel and Coulter Pirante. These two were conversing in a serious manner. ......Ruin. That monstrous kid. He got stronger in that short period of time. Yes. I heard that he did some wooden sword sparring against a knight in Ardell. A knight in Ardell? Who? I dont know. I dont think I know the name. Although Professor Hydels hometown was also Ardell, since he never came back to visit after 10 years old and since he was amoner, memorizing the names of knights was too much of an ask. Hearing his answer, Coulter narrowed his eyes. Hmm. Im getting very curious as to who that knight could be. Looking at it, they arent just an ordinary knight Yes. Thats what I think as well. To predict and dodge perfectly to that degree would be hard even for the trainee knights here. Thats right. Even if you were a master of the sword, you could not predict all the movements a de could make. However, Ruin right now Even when Sir Coulter was teaching Ruin body arts before he went to the Grand Festival, he could tell that Ruin was a rough gemstone that had talent in movement but wasnt fully polished yet. However, although there was only a period of three months between the end of the Grand Festival and the end of the break ......Hes showing a level of movement that most trainee knights cant. In that short period, his awareness hadpletely shifted. He wasnt a rough gemstone anymore. He was a perfected piece of work. The movement when dodging the de wasnt just predicting the trajectory, but it was like he was reading the entire movement. His habitualrge movements that could be read by his opponents were all fixed as well. Although he didnt know who Ruin learnt from, Coulter could tell that it wasnt a normal knight. Just who taught him? If it was one of the best knights within the Radian Kingdom, there was no way he wouldnt know. However, he had never heard of a knight of that caliber being in a backwater countryside like Ardell. Did he meet a retired master......? They also couldve been a hidden master who didnt reveal themselves to the public, but Coulter shook his head. Even that was too unlikely. ......Unless Sir Bolvar Patten was staying in Ardell or something. Sir Bolvar Patten. After retiring at a young age when he shouldve been the most active, now he was just a legendary spearman that one could check the heroics of in the Record of Knights. If he didnt retire and remained in the pce, the captain of the Golden Light Knight Order wouldnt be Bengrass Kegen, but Bolvar Patten. Just thinking of the name Bolvar made him energized. Coulter respected him that much. But he shook his head and gave up on this theory. That would be nice but why would someone like that be in Ardell? That didnt make sense at all. Then, who was it? In the end, only Ruin could answer that question. After observing Ruins movements for a while, Coulter Pirante concluded the discussion. That movement...... He definitely learnt it while holding a wooden sword. It makes me want to have him hold a sword for a little bit. Are you saying that he didnt simply learn to face a knight, but learnt swordsmanship? Yes. If you are fine with it, Professor, I want to check it personally Would that be ok? If Ruin is fine with it, I do not mind. Thank you. Coulter Pirante. A 6th-rank knight of the kingdom who was nearly second to none. But even he became uncharacteristically nervous when he was faced with a duel against Ruin. No way. Am I nervous? Why was he getting so nervous against a mere 16-year-old boy? It was probably because Ruin wasnt a knight, but a magician. * * * * * * Huak, huak...... Ruin...... L-lets r-rest a bit. Should we? The tired Hansen fell back onto the ground, and Jason brought him water. Ruin. You want a drink, too? Nah, Im good. Look at this guy. Are you not tired? ...... How could I exin this? Rather than being tired, I felt like my body had warmed up. Although I did train a lot on a daily basis, if I thought back to the three days and nights of training with Sir Bolvar, wasnt this just a warm up? Then, a familiar voice was heard through the crowd of students. If you arent tired yet, could you give me a bit of your time? ......Sir Coulter? He approached with jest in his expression. Ruin. I want to spar against you. Spar......? With me? Yes. I have something I want to check. Check? Although spars between students and professors happened during lessons sometimes This was different. Because Sir Coulter wasnt holding one wooden sword, but two. Flick! Tap! Sir Coulter lightly threw the wooden sword at me, and I caught it. From what Im seeing, it looks like you learnt swordsmanship from your mystery knight as well. Am I right? Uhm, yes. Then, use that sword to face me. ...... It wasnt a spar between a magician and a knight, but a knight versus a knight. What was this situation right now? I tried tough it off and tell him to stop joking around. No way. How can I win against you when Im not even a knight, Sir Coulter? And Ive only learnt it for about a week. Im not telling you to win. Then? Im asking you to teach the students here. There isnt a person who understands the positions of both a magician and a knight better than you here. C-Captain! ...... None better than me here. Although it was a statement that would definitely be displeasing for the trainee knights to hear, Sir Coulter didnt care. Show them the skills youve learnt during that week. ...... As I looked around, a hundred eyes were all looking, looking at me. Ruin learnt swordsmanship? He said hes only learnt for a week, but is he saying hes better than all the trainee knights here? Really? Nah, no way...... Curiosity and doubt. And hostility and envy from the trainee knights. It was as if they were saying to me, Hmph! Even if someone like him were to have learnt swordsmanship...... Lets see just how well you do. This was a problem. It looked like Sir Coulter wanted me to gain the hatred of all the trainee knights there. But, on the other hand, this was a good opportunity. Among the hundred eyes that were looking at me were Jakil Galehill and Maltive Kegen. Alright. Ill try. Ehm. Now that I was holding the wooden sword like this It was reminding me of my lessons with Sir Bolvar. I held up the wooden sword. Seeing my stance which was closer to a defensive one rather than offensive, a smile appeared on Sir Coulters face. Good posture. ......! As he finished speaking, Sir Coulter dashed toward me. A movement as fast as lighting. The swordsmanship of Sir Coulter that closed that distance was fast and fierce ck! I was able to block his strike by the skin of my teeth. H-he blocked the captains s-sword...... A few of the trainee knights eyes went wide with surprise. But it was still too early to be surprised by this. I used my strength to easily push back Sir Coulter and struck when the time was right. But Sir Coulter deflected this easily before shing horizontally. However D-did he just dodge it? The captains sword? I slightly turned my body and dodged the sword. The sword missed my left shoulder by a hairs breadth, but it wasnt a hit. Sir Coulter was more surprised than he expected and asked me, You Who did you learn swordsmanship from? ...... Who did I learn it from? The Tiger of Ardell. I really trained with my life on the line. However, rather than answering him, I smiled yfully and tried to strike him again. I surprised myself. I could see it. I could see the sword of a 6th-rank knight. Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Mightiest Melee Magician [ Trantor - Jreaming ] [ Proofreader - Artethrax ] It was normal for most knights to remain at the 4th or 5th-rank and retire. This wasnt too different for magicians either. If that was the case, what was a 6th-rank knight? Although there were arge number of 6th-rank knights in the Raynac Empire, the strongest nation on the continent, only 3 officially existed in the kingdom. It was the limit that an average person could reach. The world beyond that, of 7th-rank, was only achievable by the 0.1% who were born with talent and chosen by the world. And from 8th-rank onwards, it was beyond the human limit and was closing in on the boundary. Since only 50 7th and 8th-rank knights existed across the entire continent it wasnt really wrong to say that 6th-rank was the limit. But to be able to receive the attacks of one such 6th-rank knight? And ......Look at you, attacking back now too. The fact that I was able to have a decent spar against a 6th-rank knight, going back and forth in attack and defense, surprised even me. Maybe it was because I had already trained with such a strong knight like Sir Bolvar, but the sword of Sir Coulter seemed dodgeable. This growth speed was enough for Sir Coulter to show great interest in me. What happened during the break? Huh? Tell me. Who did you learn from? ...... Of course, that didnt mean I was saying I had the swordsmanship skills of a 6th-rank knight. Ignoring 6th, I wasnt even a 5th or 4th-rank knight either. I knew that, the instant Sir Coulter used Aura de or Sword Spirit, my wooden sword wouldnt be able to get anywhere close to him, instead getting torn to pieces. Right now, I was just bridging the gap a little with a faster movement and athleticism than the average trainee knight and with support from my overpowering strength. But for a moment, I wondered, If this wasnt a spar but a real fight, what would happen? If I let down my wooden sword to use magic, and Sir Coulter used a real sword and Sword Spirit Would I be able to defeat him? However, I needed to save this thought for another time. What are you thinking right now? ......Uat! I didnt have the luxury to be distracted by my thoughts while facing Sir Coulter. Swish! Sir Coulters wooden sword danced. Yeah. Just like a dance, Sir Coulters sword moved here and there and striked all my openings. Th-the de bent? How can a wooden sword bend like that? Its like hes using a rapier...... No, it just looks like that because its so fast. From the average persons perspective, his swordsmanship was so fast that it looked like a rapier moving in curves. However, I was able to dodge that des movement and even block a few attacks. Woah! He dodged again! And this was nothing short of amazing. This back and forth went on for another few rounds and as a distinct winner wasnt appearing, Sir Coulter shrugged his shoulders. Since Ive checked your skills enough, should we stop here? ......Shall we? As I let go of the wooden sword, a wave of ps burst forth from around me. However, Sir Coulter stopped their pping and talked. You punks. Why are you pping? You guys have no self respect...... ...... A magician who only trained for a month is able to be like this, but you guys who are proper trainee knights...... My swordsmanship didnt have form nor technique. Since I couldnt use aura, it didnt have a destructive force that could be used in a real fight either. Meaning, it was only for sparring. Sir Coulter knew this too, but at least in front of the trainee knights, he supported me. The reason? Because even if I had only learnt it for a month, my foundations were solid. Ruin. Where are you going? Pardon? Im going to get a drink. I feel like you keep dodging my question What question? I asked who you learnt swordsmanship from. Can you not say? ...... Gulp, gulp. I drank my water as I looked at Sir Coulter. That look in his eyes, how could I say this......? It was like the eyes of a child waiting for their birthday present. Although it really didnt fit his bear-like physique and appearance, hmm I felt like I should tell him. Sir Bolvar Pattens name isnt some big secret, and he wasnt really hiding in Ardell either I answered nonchntly, It was Sir Bolvar Patten. * * * * * * ...... This sentence exploded like a bomb from a siege engine. ......Wh-who? Bolvar Patten? That legendary spearman in the Record of Knights? Y-youre lying! I heard that Bolvar died! Theres no way. Bolvar Patten? He disappeared so long ago. The students of the academy were all clueless as to his identity. But between the trainee knights, since this was quite the legendary name, it was enough to rile everyone up. This was the same for Sir Coulter. Ah, this...... He asked again after failing to contain his excitement, Did you hear his name right? Is it the same Sir Bolvar Patten I know? I dont know what kind of person Sir Bolvar you know but if hes a spearman from the Golden Light Knight Order, then yes. Theyre probably the same. ...... Sir Coulters face became frozen solid. He had an odd expression, looking like someone who couldnt contain their heart after hearing shocking news. An expression of joy and respect. Curiosity and a weing smile, and all these other expressions were on his face right now. This It feels like Ive been hit on the head. If you can, could you tell me more? Sir Bolvar stayed in Ardell after retiring. Hes like family to me, and he took care of me since I was young I honestly didnt know he was such a famous person. I only recently learnt of his Spear Saint title. ......Sir Bolvar Patten is in Ardell right now? Yes. It was then. Stop lying! A cutting voice was heard from somewhere, and the person who shouted Maltive Kegen. You Stop lying. ......Lying? I didnt know why, but Maltive shouted again with an agitated expression. My father said that Bolvar Patten was dead! ......Dead? No. He just retired. If he retired and there isnt any news for decades, then hes dead! Can you call someone dead when theyre still living well? Its pretty rude. Can you prove it? Why do I need to prove it to you? ...... Why was he so agitated about this? The reason could be discovered quite easily. Maltive wasnt that smart of an individual. He ended up exposing his inferiorityplex that shouldve stayed hidden to everyone gathered here. ......Even if thats true, I dont care about that. Because...... my father is still the strongest in the kingdom. Yeah. The official strongest knight of the kingdom was Maltives father. He was the captain of the Golden Light Knight Order. This was an undeniable fact. However, if a legendary knight such as Sir Bolvar Patten, who was recorded even in the Record of Knights, was to be alive and well? I had no way to know of the skill level of Sir Bengrass, but the public ranking may change. This was what he feared. A star among stars that existed above the name hailed as the Sword Family of Kegen. It was very obvious to everyone that the position they unquestioningly held wouldnt be so steady anymore. Was it like how Im above the Galehills......? I smiled brightly toward that Maltive. Think what you want. ......What? The strongest in the kingdom or whatever, just think what you want about that. Do you know why Sir Bolvar retired? Because he didnt care about childish things like that. Childish things? Did you just say its childish? I think that treating the fame of your father as your fame and getting scared because of that is pretty childish. You bastard! Stop! As Maltive got agitated and moved his right hand towards his sword, Sir Coulter scolded him again. However, Maltive felt like he had been severely insulted and grinded his teeth while talking. To insult both me and my father...... Take up your sword. Duel me. ...... My goodness. A duel? Do you know what a duel is? I know that you need to put your life on the line. Duels are only valid for knights who have taken the oath. Im not even a knight, and you havent taken the oath yet as a trainee knight. Is that important right now?! Come at me! When I fight Uck! Crack! As Matlive rambled on, he suddenly had to close his mouth shut when a sudden strike hit him in the back. The one who struck his back was none other than Sir Coulter Pirante. You are only a trainee knight in title, yet to talk so much despite not even knowing what a duel is? Silence. You want to fight Ruin that bad? ......Yes. Fine. The group sparring lesson tomorrow will start with Group 1 against Group 31. Any objections? This wasnt even the diator pits, so what duel? Yeah. We were students, and this was a school. Wasnt there a good reason to hit others in the name of teaching a lesson? None. At my answer, Maltive followed suit while still grinding his teeth. You keep grinding my gears Ill destroy you properly tomorrow. Sure. Im looking forward to it. Group 1 vs Group 31. I didnt intend for it, but the desired oue had been determined. I looked past Maltive and at the Galehill brothers. ...... I could easily read the nervousness that was on Jakils face from here. It looked like he didnt expect our confrontation to happen so early. I walked up towards Jakil and said one thing. Its tomorrow, so have you prepared enough? Then, with his signature nonchnt expression, he spoke the things that I expected him to say without error. ......Prepare? Preparation before fighting a junior? Haha, I shouldnt try too hard. He even undeid a hidden meaning saying he should go easy on me. It was as perfect as I expected. I asked Jakil again, Youre not gonna do your best? Youre known as the youngest ever court magician...... You should properly show your skills to your juniors. ...... Its a huge mistake if you go easy because its only a lesson. Please do your best. Act as though your life''s on the line. Because if you dont...... And I finished with a light smile, Bling. Youll really be embarrassed. Chapter 104 Chapter 104 The joint lessons at the Academy this year received attention not just from within the Academy, but from the entire kingdom. The reason for this was inevitable. Sir Bengrass! Oh, Sir Josh, what brings you all the way to the pce? What brings me? Im here to ask you about someplicated problems Im having because of my children. The greatest sage of the kingdom is here to ask a moron like me who only knows how to wield a sword? That wont do. Huhu. Lets go inside first. It was because the children of the highest ranking member of the Radian Kingdoms Magic Tower, the guardian of the kingdom and head of the Galehill House, Josh Galehill, and the child of Bengrass Kegen, the Captain of the Golden Light Knight Order, were all at the academy. Jakil and Michael Galehill, and Maltive Kegen. Ive heard about Jakils story. So hes holding a special lecture as the representative among the graduates at the Academy? Yes. I suspected that the Galehills would bepletely barred from this years seminars, but Director Tirion Ignit unexpectedly invited us directly. Its a natural thing that shouldnt have been worried about. If not the Galehills, where would the Academy find a magician that is suited to take the special lecture? Its something even that strict director must ept. From what I see, as the guardian of the kingdom that has full control of the magic world of this nation, you are sometimes too humble. You overpraise me. Is Maltive doing well? Yes. But its a bit of a problem, since he makes so much trouble. I even ended up sending him to Sir Coulter in Poldren to fix up his character. Hmm...... He may be at the Academy at this point. Actually, I came to you because of that. By that you mean the Academy? Indeed. The capital of the Radian Kingdom. There, the two gathered at the most hidden garden, built deep within the pce. On one side, the sword. On the other, magic. It was a private meeting between the two absolutes that each held their share of the kingdom. It was also unusual for them to meet inside the pce and have a one-on-one talk. What was happening? Just how important was this matter that they needed to meet by themselves? However, if one saw what they were talking about, theyd find reason to beughably insignificant. Still, the two were unnecessarily serious about this. If its about the Academy Yes, I think I can roughly guess what it is. Its about that magician that is receiving the favor of both the princes, correct? Yes, thats correct. Looks like I dont need to exin too much. They talk so much about him, I can even remember his name. Ruin Ardell. That country bumpkin that was victorious in the Grand Festival and received the attention of the Empire. ......Yes. As Bengrass referred to Ruin Ardell as a country bumpkin, Josh smiled a little, liking the description. He felt that the talk would go smoothly. It just as he expected. Its natural that, once someone who never had anything obtains something, they would act more arrogant and impudent. I heard he was in the same graduating ss as Michael...... You must be quite worried. If my children disyed more outstanding talent, it wouldnt have been a problem...... But its true that Im in aplicated position. This isnt just Galehills problem, but the entire kingdoms. A random country bumpkin appeared and is trekking mud like a pig. Thank you for saying it like that. The two wanted to enforce each others positions and maintain their own, and they didnt like the idea of a third force appearing. This was why Bengrass was replying like he was speaking for Josh. Even the princes ended up falling for his schemes Just what will be of this kingdom? Tsk. Indeed. I have been worrying about the state of the country as well recently, and it has made me restless. Thats why I sought you out like this, Sir Bengrass. Oh, do you perhaps have a good idea? We need to stop him. Shouldnt we stop him from continuing to act up and deceiving the princes? I am saying this only as a loyal vassal of this country. Yes. What you say is correct. I even heard that Ruin was selected to be the next guardian of the kingdom If one was a true patriot of the country, they wouldnt ept such a sack as the guardian. So, I do have a good idea. ......A good idea? During the joint lessons with knights, isnt there a group battle subject? There is. I heard that, fortunately, my children and Maltive became a group and are battling Ruin Ardell. Hooh, is that so? But how did you get the news so quickly? Ive sent someone through the mana train and am receiving news through a crystal ball that is connected to the Academy. However, I have also heard some quite unusual news that you might be interested in. ......Unusual news? Yes. But I dont know where to start this story...... What type of story is it......? Josh changed his indifferent expression, and Bengrass hasilty insisted, I am too curious about this. Please, tell me. * * * * * * Bolvar Patten. You know that name well, right? ...... Hearing that unexpected name, Bengrass face froze like a statue. Wh-why do you bring out that name so suddenly? I hear hes still alive. And in Ardell at that. ......Pardon? How could he not know that name? Bolvar Patten. He was a peer in the Royal Training Center, and also worked in the Golden Light Knight Order. However, even if they were in the same grade, they werent of the same grade. Bolvar Patten was always a few levels above him. His marks at the training center were perfect, and he even aplished his achievements faster. No matter how hard Bengrass tried to stand out, Bolvar Patten was always in front of him, standing tall. Bengrass could only stand in Bolvars shadow until Bolvar retired and became lost in legend. Right now, after Bolvar Patten had disappeared, he was wielding and garnering all of Bolvars former glory and honor. But if Bengrass was to pick out the worst period of his life, he would definitely pick the time he spent with Bolvar. It was like a nightmare to him. Since you said he was dead, I too thought he was dead. I-I truly thought that he was dead...... Bengrass asked in a trembling tone as if he had seen a ghost, Wh-why is that guy in Ardell? Hes acting as the knight captain there. I dont know why such a promising gentleman like him is rotting away in the countryside, but do you know what the more pressing matter about this is? ...... Looks like Ruin Ardell has learned swordsmanship from Bolvar Patten. From what I hear, he is very talented, being able to receive and dodge strikes from Coulter Pirante...... Coulters sword? He handled the attacks of a 6th-rank knight? This problem was on a different dimension. And he also received training from Bolvar Patten? At first, he was only nning on matching Joshs rhythm, but as the situation progressed like this, he couldnt just match it anymore. He must stop Ruin. Getting impatient, Bengrass pressed, Just how are you nning to stop that guy? Whats the good idea you were talking about? From what I heard, you have an incredible artifact You mean my Amulet of Strength? Yes. The Amulet of Strength, battlegear in the shape of a neckless that increased the sharpness and solidity of a weapon. While carrying this amulet, it changed the internal structure of the wielders sword. Wood or bronze turned to steel. And steel was perfected, bing more sturdy so that it could absorb aura better. Meaning Give it to Maltive. Even if Maltive was to fight with a wooden sword, it would have the strength of a steel bat that could break bones from even a graze. ......Are you telling me to cheat? Is that important right now? We need to catch that muddy pig. If we waste anymore time, there mighte a day where the entire kingdom falls over to that brats scheme. Before we need to deal with it ourselves, we need to stop him. Its also a good chance for the children to take the favor of the princes away from him. ...... I know that you are a noble with more integrity than any other, but please think about the future of the kingdom. I have also already sent artifacts to Jakil and Michael. Begrass handed the ne around his neck to Josh. For our kingdom. The thoughts were short, and the choice was fast. * * * My ears were itchy. Was someone talking about me behind my back? Well, even just the guys in front of me probably cursed me a tonst night. But what was this ufortable feeling? Ruin. Have you prepared a lot? ...... Our graduated senior who pretended to be calm just yesterday Why did hee up to ask about me so unexpectedly? And with an expression that wasnt a false calm, but actual calmness. What is this? Are you worrying about me? Yeah. I feel like my junior is too full of worry I was going to go easy on you till yesterday, but my thoughts changed. Ah, so are you saying you will disy your real skills today? Yes. Thats right. So do be nervous. If you dont want to be humiliated like the frog in the well you are, that is. Hey, Ruin. So you dared to insult both me and my father? Prepare yourself properly. This wont end at just the spar. ...... I knew. If someone with the Galehill name was acting confident, that it meant that they were hiding something dirty. I could already smell the disgusting stench. Is everyone ready? Yes. And the reason that Jakil was being that calm, and the reason that Maltive Kegen was being so outspoken about his thoughts to such an absurd degree Begin! I could understand as soon as the spar started. Swish! Swish! Die! ...... Seeing that Maltive charged in with a sword that sounded too heavy for a simple wooden sword, and Jakil behind him was casting Binding at an impossible speed in attempts to catch me
Jakil Galehill 5th-ss Magician Potential: High Special Condition: In possession of 6 hidden artifacts.
......It was artifacts? The artifacts that were revealed through the yers Eye changed the guesses to reality, and my thoughts on going easy on them also changed. Having 6 of them Just how much did he want to win? It was utterly dumbfounding. Having 6 artifacts...... He probably pulled together all the artifacts he could use right now. So thats why he was carrying so many things Tch. Even if he did that, they were all artifact replicas that were only at the level of magic tools. The real artifact was here. I lifted both my fists and took a guard. Then, I threw my body toward the charging Maltive. Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Just yesterday, the first day of the joint lessons with the knights In a ce where all the students were gathered, Professor Hydel threw out a question. When against a 5th-rank or higher knight and put in the dire situation of not being able to put distance between the two of you...... what must a magician do? ...... However, not one person was able to confidently put their hand up and answer. And so, the professor chose someone and asked, Jakil Galehill, what is your answer? ...... Then, Jakil replied, Use teleport to make that distance, or use a binding spell with short casting time to stop their movement. After hearing his answer, the professor replied with a bored tone, Its quite the textbook answer. The answers to all questions are written in books. No. I am not expecting the obvious answer that is written in books. I was expecting an answer from a magician that had graduated from the academy and held real world experience. After all, as you would know, real life and books are quite different. ...... Those books are only made with the skills of the magician in mind, but not the knights. I gave the condition that it is against a knight of 5th-rank or higher. If you were to use an awkward binding magic against an expert knight, you wouldnt be able to bind their feet and would just be destroyed by the sword spirit flying at you. Does someone have another option? ...... Books and reality were different. Jakil, who had boasted about his real experiences, was shut down by the professors question and wasnt able to give another answer. Instead, the right to answer was given to another. Ruin Ardell, what is your answer? ...... It was given to me. The answer I gave to Professor Hydel was definitely not the right answer. However, I could be confident of it, at least. I will break it. ......Break it? Break what specifically? Itll be one of the two. Their sword or their chin. I will break at least one, or in some cases both. For me, this was the most correct answer. It didnt really make sense, but he seemed to like this answer. ......I have met many students during my time, but this outrageous answer is a first. But I can feel a sense of confidence from you that makes me feel it might be possible. Professor Hydel smiled with satisfaction, and the ss ended like that. And then, the day after The same situation as the question the Professor gave us before wasid out before us. ......Hansen! Alright! Hansen charged in toward Jakil, who was casting from the backlines. Ruin! Die! ...... And Maltive ran towards me as if trying to kill me and arrived in front of me to swing his wooden sword. The two knights each targeted a magician. There were two different answers to this one question. Just whose answer would be correct? * * * Jakils answer was deemed too textbook, but it wasnt a wrong answer. Fortunately for him, Hansen wasnt 5th-rank or higher, and with the six artifacts that Jakil currently possessed, he was boasting immense magical power. Are you just this much? Jakil used teleport to instantly create distance and freeze the ce he was standing in, sessfully binding Hansens movements. If this wasnt in Arena Hall, decreasing the force of magic by 99%, Hansens heart may have frozen as well. You were getting excited about a trainee knight with only this much skill, huh? Ruin? Answer me. ...... Jakil didnt have a n and was just relying on crushing his opponents with his artifacts. He froze Hansens movements with one wide-range binding spell, and he forced Jason away when Jason tried to dispel the ice. You were so confident yesterday, but where is that now, huh? ...... Andstly, he used Frozen Tree. The tree that erupted below my feet totally bound up my lower half and stopped my movement. With Jakils overpowering magic, the mood instantly shifted toward the Jakil group. Wow! Sheesh! Did you see that? His casting speed is insane! As expected of the youngest court magician! He used three different spells in a row! ...... This was a territory that was impossible with only the skills of a 5th-ss magician. He probably had an artifact equipped that had something rarer than double casting, which allowed one to cast two spells at once. Maltive! Go destroy that bastard right now! Totally bound by the icy tree vines, I was unable to move my legs, and Maltive didnt miss the chance, charging at me. However, I lifted my arms with confidence and took up a guard. The answer I gave Ill break it. * * * * * * The sword, or the chin. I was ready to break whatever came in contact with me. But what was this? Are you trying to break it? Try it, you bastard! If he had heard about me at least once, he would know that I would be able to easily break a wooden sword like that. But Maltive charged right at me as if he wanted me to break it. And then...... ng! Keke. You cant break it? ...... When my fist collided with Maltives wooden sword, when the thud of hitting a wooden sword was instead reced with the ng of metal I could understand why this guy charged directly at me. Your fists will probably break before you can break this. ...... This son of a bitch. He had brought a metal pole that looked like a sword. It definitely was a wooden sword up until the professor checked it before the spar began, so how did it turn into steel after this guy held it? I saw the ne he currently wore that he wasnt wearing yesterday. That was probably an artifact too. Uhah! Did your fist already break? As I clenched my numb fist, Maltive assumed that the bones in my hand had broken and lifted his wooden sword up high. Then take this you bastard! ...... My lower half was bound by ice, my right hand was broken, and I had nowhere to go. Looking at himugh maniacally, assuming that I had lost and he had won, a sudden idea came to my head. If I couldnt break his sword, Id break his chin. Vwooong! I lowered my stance and dodged the metal bat that struck down like it really was going to mercilessly crack my head open. With that, I used only my lower bodys strength to stomp away the icy tree vines before grasping the metal bat that moved past my shoulder and crushing it in my hands. Crack...... ......You, you...... How did you......? With the unnatural sound of steel being crushed, the skill Steel Destruction activated. Bang! In an instant, the wooden swords de turned to dust, and Maltives face became distorted. Th-the steel......! That expression. I like it. ......! I liked that baffled expression of his. I aimed my fist at Maltives chin and gave him a refreshing hit. Boom! If it hits, it explodes. As my fist hit the tip of his chin, Maltive was enshrouded in the explosions white smoke. Ping......! Flung like an arrow, he flew back and was struck into the wall of Arena Hall. Didnt I tell you? If what breaks is not your sword, it will be your chin. ......C-cough! He threw up blood from where hey, but he didnt seem to be unconscious. What a relief. After all, the one who needed to finish that guy off wasnt me. I ran forward and broke the ice shards binding Hansen. Seeing this, Jakilughed in bafflement. Damn...... Its real? Strength like an ogre. Its really just like I heard. Youre that strong? ...... But...... thats enough. Ting! As Jakil flicked his finger, an Ice Arrow as big as a spear flew straight toward me. I hurriedly used Mana Barrier to block it, but the magic that Jakil was sting Uhahahahaha! Open your eyes and witness the crumbling of Ruin Ardell! was simr to the madness he was showing. Ting! Ting! Ting ting! The abnormally powerful Ice Arrows were fired at me with such force that it was hard for the Mana Barrier to withstand it. Hansen tried to use this chance to attack Jakil, but Jakil used power beyond his natural abilities to double cast, keeping his distance as he continued to fire off spells. Uhah! Isnt this the best? I feel like Ive be Fire King Teron. Fire King Teron. The magician at the boundary that could kill someone with a re. He wasnt someone I personally liked, but he wasnt someone that Jakil could dare talk about in vain like this. Compared to the Fire King, Jakil was just a little punk that couldnt even dare meet his eyes. However, the six artifacts he held right now had increased that punks confidence. A total of six of them. They had forcefully empowered Jakils normally just pretty good talent. 6th-ss. No, he may have even looked like a magician who was at a higher level than that. Ruin, you have Mana Extension Inability Disorder, right? Youre a magician who cant use long-ranged attacks...... But what should I do? I have no intention of getting hit by that fist of yours. ...... It was dangerous like this. That was why I needed to make my decision, and that didnt take long. I looked at my palm. Hansen. Y-yeah? Leave him to me. You deal with Maltive. ......U-understood! The gloves on my hand Knuckles of Kunkhans Will. Yeah. I knew that a fake could never beat the real thing. No matter how much he used those replica artifacts to fight, he couldnt defeat me, someone who was an artifact. Swoosh! As I put strength into the knuckles, dark red smoke started to seep out and envelop me. Skill, Chieftains Will. ......! The dark red smoke continued to burn up behind my back, and it created the form of a giant ogre. An ogre had appeared out of nowhere in the center of the academy. Wh-what is that?! Run away! E-everyone, run! Its an ogre! An ogre! It was enough to make everyone fall into chaos. Student and professor alike were surprised by this. Schwing! Even Sir Coulter pulled out his sword on reflex. Wh-what is......? The reactions from the Galehills werent too different. You...... J-just what are you? Jakil took a few steps back, wide-eyed. The apex predator among all monsters. The ogre. The spirit exuded from this great body that was twice asrge as a normal ogre wasnt something that normal people could stand. An overwhelming sense of fear. They were asking me if I was really a magician If they did ask, I would answer that I am. Just that ......Im a magician who put their all into bing the mightiest in a melee. Chapter 106 Chapter 106 All eyes fell on me. Will it be fine? Will what? Im talking about the ogre. You will definitely hear some bad things about it in human society Will it be fine to reveal it to those guys like this? Look at your directors face. He ispletely shocked. ...... What Straang said held some truth. A spell like this didnt exist in the world. On top of that, an ogre? Werent the ogres truly the main enemies of humans? Maybe that was why the emotions muddled in between their gazes definitely contained doubt. There definitely would be some people who would frown upon my ability whenever I used it. However I cant just hide it forever. ......Thats true. The ones targeting me would continue to get stronger, and I wouldnt be able to conceal my abilities for long. I couldnt go into a fight with aid-back attitude. I needed to fight with my all every time. That was why Just what are you? I didnt feel a need to answer their questions. For now, I should leave it for after the fight. To Jakil, I said, ......I cant attack at range? As I clenched my fist, Kunkhan too clenched its fist behind my back. I took up a guard, and so did Kunkhan. As I started to cast, Kunkhan used its long reach to hit my opponent. Just like this Bang! Michael, standing around in a daze, took the full impact of the ogres punch and flew back. ......Haa, haa...... And Jakil, who was standing next to him, started to gasp. That wasn''t the end. As I clenched my fist hard, mes appeared above Kunkhans fist. ......! Jakil tried to cast Mana Barrier, but I was faster. Bang! Kugh. The fist appeared in front of Jakil, but thanks to the defensive power of his multiple artifacts, he was able to avoid taking a fatal blow. I readied my next attack to end this all, but Jakil tried to make distance between us. However, that was all useless. I didnt need to get close. Bang! As I stretched my fist in the air toward Jakil, Kunkhans arm struck true. It broke through his Mana Barrier that he just barely put up and flew straight into Jakil. Hit by a fist as big as his body, blood spurted out of Jakils nose as he was flung away. Simultaneously, I pped my hands and started casting my next spell. 5th-ss nature magic. Summon Angler Fish. Behind Jakil as he flew, a ripple appeared in the air and a huge angler fish appeared with its mouth wide open. Kuaaaaaaaaa! This angler fish opened its mouth wide open and swallowed Jakil whole. ...... ......I-is it finished? Silence. Aplete silence covered the whole arena. The thing that started to break this silence was the sound of awe. The magic power that Jakil had shown was definitely something above 5th-ss, and maybe even above the level of a 6th-ss magician. So how did he lose so overwhelmingly against a 5th-ss magician like me? I-it ended with two punches...... Yeah. The fight had ended in only two hits. I was able to defeat Jakil as he was trying to run away without moving from my spot. It was like a fight between an adult and a child. There was only one reason why it ended like this. It was because Jakil Galehillcked the real experience to utilize all six of his artifacts properly. Compared to the fancy exterior, his interior wascking. ......Pleasee out now. Fwooosh! I created a fireball on my palm and put it inside the mouth of the angler fish. Then, jets of red mes burst through the closed teeth of the fish, and after the mes became stronger and stronger, the fish exploded and disappeared. Uh, uhhhhh...... In the spot where the angler fish was, Jakil Galehill was rolled over on the floor while grasping his legs, shivering. To that Jakil, I said, Looks like six artifacts werent enough. ......What? The artifacts you brought in, Senior. Youre not trying to deny it, are you? Thats a bit disgraceful...... Wh-what are you talking about?! He started to recognise the gazes from the others and raised his voice. His expression said that he was very curious how I was able to find out, but I didnt care about that. Well, whether it be six or sixteen, it wouldnt have mattered. Of course, there were no rules that stated a graduated person couldnt use artifacts using ss. It was just that It would be a problem regarding the seniors image. I stepped toward Jakil. As I stepped toward him, he instinctively tried to move back, but he ended up copsing on the spot. D-damn it...... His body wasnt moving like he wanted. Being hit straight in the head, it would be hard for him to stand. His legs were still shaking. I move my hand toward Jakil''s face. Simultaneously, Kunkhan, who was behind me, also stretched out its hand. Hiek, hiek! Being drowned in the overpowering energy exuded by the ogres presence, Jakil clenched his eyes shut. He was so scared that even his face was trembling, but I didnt attack him. Rather, I reached for the ne on his neck and yanked it off. Ching! As the cord of the ne broke, debris fell on the ground, and I muttered while looking at it in my hand, ......Why do you have four nes? Do you perhaps collect them? * * * * * * Four nes. No, four artifacts. I also found a bracelet and ring, making a total of six artifacts, before chucking them to the ground. ng! And as the artifacts started to roll around the ground, the mood of my peers changed. What? Was he telling the truth? Senior Jakil used artifacts? And six at that? I-I did suspect something since his casting speed was insane...... but to use six artifacts against a junior...... ...... The students evaluation of him changed in an instant, and Jakil was too ashamed to even lift his head. He used six artifacts against a junior, and lost as well. Shame. As the representative of the graduated students, As the youngest court magician in history, As the eldest son of the Galehill family, He had tarnished all the honor he had. ......You bastard. Maybe he thought he had lost everything. Or maybe he wanted to recover a little bit of his shattered ego. Jakil scowled in a way that he had never shown in the Academy. How long do you think youll be able to go? Do you think the Galehills will leave you alone? Well send someone right now and kill...... His final words. Well, something like that. I squatted in front of him and asked, The Galehills wont leave me alone? Thats probably true now that I think about it. The Galehills are always in a fuss because they cant get me. First, it was third son Michael Galehill, then the eldest son Jakil Galehill. Then whos next? ...... Perhaps your family head, Josh Galehill? You disgusting lowlife! You dare speak his name like that?! ......Disgusting lowlife? The mood turned cold. For the words disgusting lowlife toe out of the mouth of the eldest son of the Galehill family that deceived others toe to his side, expressing the importance of people Wasnt that too elitist? Saying that, if you werent of a noble bloodline like him, you were just a disgusting lowlife? Maybe he felt the mood of the arena hall declining rapidly. Jakil looked around his surroundings and muttered, Ah, th-thats... What I mean is...... Well, that''s fine. Because Im really sick of the Galehills now. Hey! Are you ignoring what Im I turned my attention elsewhere. Michael was unconscious, and Jakil was out ofmission...... But the spar hadnt ended yet. Youre noisy, so please stay sleeping. ......What? I stretched my fingers wide, and after arming my middle finger like a bow, I aimed it at Jakils forehead. Flick. Having never experienced a flick from me, it was as if a question mark appeared above Jakils head. But my peers had seen it multiple times now, so they clicked their tongues and prayed for his soul. Its a flick. Tsk tsk. Looks like hes going to faint again. That honestly might be better. At least he wont feel the shame if hes knocked unconscious. W-wait...... Jakil Galehills mouth wiggled trying to say something, but I didnt wait. ck! My middle finger struck Jakils forehead at a merciless speed. Ugh And Jakil fell unconscious then and there with a blue bruise on his forehead. I stood up and turned around. The spar hadnt ended yet. ......Youmoner bastard. Are you actually trying to fight Cough cough! Maltive was over there, blood flowing down his broken chin. Huu...... Huu...... In front of him was Hansen, his shaky hands barely holding onto his wooden sword. Yeah. The fight between these two still hadnt ended. * * * On the first day I met Hansen at the Academy, Hansen made me a promise. That he would definitely face and fight the unrelenting fear that tormented him. That he would break away this chain of bad rtionships with his own two hands. And Hansens determination Get lost youmoner bastard! You dare raise your sword against Cough cough! ......! froze against the name of Maltive Kegen, a name that was like a nightmare to him. But he never wavered. Yeah. I-Ill fight you. What? I-Ill...... fight against you, and Ill win. ...... Hansen was ready to fight. Upon seeing Hansens spirit, the one who wavered was actually Maltive. Cough cough! You lowlymoner...... Didnt you see my sword break before? Youre trying to fight me when I dont have a sword? ming his broken sword. This wasnt even an actual fight, and it wasnt a good reason to dodge a fight either. Their peers at the Academy all chucked in their wooden swords one after the other into the Arena Hall for Hansen. Maltive Kegen had dozens of wooden swords in front of him as well. Hansen pointed at the wooden swords and spoke. P-pick it up...... Lets fight. ...... This was a dead end. The victory of Group 31 was practically set in stone. Group 1 had already lost. He couldntnd a single hit, and both his sword and chin had broken. This wouldve been enough to make him feel horrible, but themoner that he had treated like an insect all this time had challenged him to a fight. This disgustingmoner...... From the perspective of this honorable noble, it was an insult that couldnt be described in words. Maltive, who put importance on the honor of nobles more than anyone else, couldnt just let it slide. That was why he picked up a sword. It was an inevitable choice, because if he was to avoid this fight, it would be the same as him being scared of Hansen. Then, as you wish, Ill kill you. Maltive took up his sword and charged at Hansen. I didnt interfere in this fight. Why? Because I trusted Hansen. And as if he was repaying my trust in him, Hansen clenched his teeth tight, and L-look at that! Aura! Its aura! A sword perito! A blue aura bloomed from his wooden sword as he charged at Maltive. Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Sword Perito. It meant a knight was ready to handle aura, reaching 4th-rank. After reaching this level, depending on their skill, the color of their aura would change. Blue for 4th-rank. Red for 5th-rank. Close to purple starting from 6th-rank. And past that point, the color wasnt so limited. The color of the aura surrounding Hansens wooden sword was a deep blue, meaning
Hansen 4th-rank knight - Apprentice Sword Perito Potential: Very high
It was proof that Hansen had be a 4th-rank knight. ......H-Hansen can control aura? And this was enough to surprise the 40ish trainee knights watching the spar. N-no way...... How did a weakling like Hansen...... Even I cant control aura yet. The average trainee knight was 3rd-rank, meaning that even a lot of proper knights who had taken the knight oath were still not yet 4th-rank. As such, Hansens performance was Its a miracle. Its impossible...... ...... Yeah. It was close to a miracle, like they were saying. But I knew that this miracle didnt find him one day by coincidence. It was the result of Hansen building up the courage to take it for himself. Dont you ever lose, Hansen. And that Hansen would write another miracle for himself. ng......! Just as the words left my mouth, Maltives and Hansens wooden swords shed in the air. Although they were just wooden swords, the sh still created such a sound because of the auras wielded by the two. Just like Hansens blue aura, Maltives wooden sword also extruded a dense aura. Maltive was also surprised by this situation. Cough cough! This Thismoner bastard! What trickery is this? ......Euk. Trickery? You, wielding aura? Impossible. Is this a spell cast by Ruin? N-no, its not! Youre a real sword perito? A weakling punk like you is on the same level as me? ......Euk! Even though Hansens potential was higher, and he was showing a great increase in skill, Maltive was already a 4th-rank knight, and he was at a point where he could wield his aura quite proficiently. On top of that, his muscle mass was much greater than Hansens. Youmoner bastard...... You should know your ce. Who do you think youre daring to swing your sword at?! ng! The bnce crumbled between the two swords locked in battle. Maltive was able to recover his sword faster and knocked away Hansens strength as Hansen charged at him, bringing Hansen off bnce. Maltive didnt let that opportunity go and spun around, striking with his wooden sword. Crack! And stay down! ......Euk! Even if they were just wooden swords, aura was currently being used. That meant that each blow could be fatal. As the aura skimmed over Hansens shoulder, a real injury was formed. However, the inspiring part was that, even though Hansen had suffered a real sword wound, the light in his eyes only got brighter. What? What is that look in your eyes? ...... Years of violence and fear perpetuated by the continued bullying. The pressure of being in a situation where he was facing his bully. And the small amount of doubt that would shake his heart. Fuu...... Hansen let this all go with a deep breath. As he let go of hisst doubt, the look in his eyes instantly changed, a ferocity appearing within. This ferocity would create another miracle. Ruin is different from you. ......What? Ruin is a noble, just like you, but hes apletely different person. A person as egotistical as you is a noble? The son of the greatest knight of the kingdom? Dont make meugh. You were just lucky to be born into a good family. Youre only a defective child who only cares about himself! He started to face him head on. Wh-what? Did this bastard really go insane after getting hurt......? I wanted to say it the first time we came to the academy. Ruin doesnt have any roots after being friendly withmoners? No. From what I see, the person who keeps acting up while relying on their fathers powers is the one without roots. To me, Hansen said, Ruin, sorry for only stepping up now. I...... I was so scared. But Im not scared anymore. You were right. I am ashamed that I was afraid of someone like him. Thank you, Ruin. Hansen had defeated his own constricting feelings. I gave Hansen a thumbs up. Nice! Thats right! But maybe he took too much time Where are you looking? L-look out! Maltive didnt seem to have any intent to wait for Hansen to finish. His eyes were filled with wrath. He pulled forth all aura he could muster and charged at Hansen. Die, you bitch! ......! The wooden sword was aimed at Hansens neck. He really was thinking of killing him. ......This was dangerous. The scene of Maltives wooden sword being aimed at Hansens neck looked like it had been slowed in time. Nnnnnnnoooooooo! I hurriedly reached out with my hand to stop Maltive, and Sir Coulter simultaneously lept out to block Maltives sword. However This is the end. He was too slow. Schwing! Crrrrrack! Sir Coulter and I couldnt even respond as a great sword wind erupted from between them. The wind instantly whipped up all the sand and dust in the surrounding area, forming a cloud. H-Hansen! Schwaaaaa! I could only see one silhouette standing in the dust cloud. I ran through the dust, but what I saw was so shocking that I was forced to freeze. Hansen...... * * * * * * ...... I was surprised. The Hansen I was worrying about was standing fine. Yeah. The thing I feared didnte to be. ......Cough cough! Rather, the one who ran at Hansen with intent to kill, Maltive, was sprawled across the ground, a grave injury on his stomach. I asked, Hansen. Did you do this? Hansen just nodded. The one who created the sword wind that shook the entire Arena Hall wasnt Maltive, but Hansen. ......He was strong. In that instant, his sword was so fast that even I missed it. Compared to the Hansen who killed the leader of the thugs before, he had grown severalfold. The speed of his growth was immeasurably fast. End the spar! Sir Coulter Pirante hurriedly stopped the spar, and the medical magicians on standby moved into the sparring grounds. With that, the quiet sparring grounds became noisy. Wh-what was that? Hansen...... beat Maltive? Commoner Hansen? That guy...... Is he really the Hansen we know......? ...... But Hansen kept looking back and forth between Maltive groaning on the floor and his wooden sword, in disbelief. I walked up to Hansen. Are you ok? Then, Hansen replied, Ruin. Yeah? Look at this. Hansen pointed to the wooden sword in his hand. ...... Even if it was for just a moment, I could see a reddish aura flicker into existance before disappearing. * * * Jakil Galehill, the first-born son of the House of Magic, House Galehill. Maltive Kegen, the one and only son of Bengrass Kegen, the captain of the knight order protecting the king. The news of these twos shocking loss didnt simply stay within the academy walls, spreading out into the ears of the nobles in the capital. It was enough to make them panic. This was all simply because of politics. ......N-no. Then what will happen to us? Were we just wasting all our time? Thats obvious! Were doomed! Do you know how much I sent to Sir Bengrass for him to be favorable to my son? The trainee knight who stabbed Maltive in the stomach was amoner. He lost to amoner! Its the same with the Galehills! That eldest son of theirs, Jakil, lost to Ruin Ardell...... This is the end of the Galehill era! The reason that House Galehill was famed as the House of Magic and that Bengrass Kegen was hailed as the strongest knight of the kingdom was because the medium-sized nobles under them all lifted them up, hoping for a bit of power to trickle down. However, the situation right now wasnt good. Although the Galehills were said to be the best, when the children of nobles went out into the world in 10 years time, or even in 5 years time, there would be no guarantee that the Galehills would still be on top. The honor of magicians had already started to go over to Ardell, and as for swordsmanship, Maltive Kegen, who was called theirst hope after Coulter Pirante, had gone and lost to amoner, so his authority so low it scraped across the ground. In the midst of this, the news that themoner was part of Ruin Ardells group was spread. So the answer had already been decided. ......We need to jump ship right now. To Ardell. They would all give up on Galehill and Kegen. Turning to Ardells side as fast as possible would be the only way to guarantee their future. However, there was a fatal w to this n. Ardell? Wait. The family head of Ardell, Dellin Ardell, doesnt take money. Then how do we jump ship? The family head of Ardell was a fully upright man. Who could hate money? Its just that the countryside province of Ardell cant get any. Lets just keep giving him so much money that he cant return it all. There are people that hate money. And from what I heard, the financial situation of Ardell got pretty good recently Uhhuh! Why do you talk so much? Just shut up. Use thieves to put money into his vault, or just send carts of food every few years and force them into Ardell. Do whatever you can to make a strong impression! The twin princes also are taking Ruins side now...... The Galehills no longer have a future, alright! ......Are you talking about me right now? Eh? What in the world do you mean by talking about you? Were talking about the important matter of the fall of the Galehills H-hiek! S-S-S-Senator Josh! ...... With the sudden appearance of the Galehill family head, Josh Galehill, the other gathered nobles all froze in their seats. The fall of Galehill...... Thats quite interesting. Keep going. Ill listen. Ah, ha, ha...... Th-thats...... I-I didnt realize you were listening, Senator, so I identally Didnt know I was listening? Then, if I wasnt here, you wouldve talked about Galehill''s destruction till the break of dawn? ...... Everyone, listen carefully. After the Radian Kingdom was born in thisnd, was there ever a time the Galehills werent its owners? N-never. The glory of the Galehills had continued for centuries! Thats right. And history doesnt lie. This is the same now. The things you are worrying about wont evere to fruition, so dont talk about useless things and go to sleep. Understood? Y-yes! As the nobles tried to lower their heads and turn their backs, Josh Galehill opened his mouth. If I hear you talking about things like this again, then it wont simply end like how it did today. Understood? ...... Although this was an obvious threat, none of the nobles gathered here could retort him. The things the Galehills wanted, they would always get, and the ones that got in their way were always removed. Everyone knew this well. If they told you to crawl, you crawled. If they told you to jump, you asked how high. I-Ill keep it in mind. ...... Josh clenched his fists from the wave of humiliation he felt. Ruin Ardell. He wanted to make him a sacrifice to increase Jakils and Michaels reputation, but he ended up just digging himself a hole. He needed to make a move, now, even if that meant digging even deeper. Ruin must die. Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Three days had passed since the spar between groups 1 and 31. In that time, all the group-based spars were finished, and only the teampetition was left But the teampetition lesson couldnt proceed as nned. The reason was simple. Is Maltive noting today either? Yes, Captain. When I saw him in the morning, he said hes suffering a lot from the cold he got...... The day before it was hip pain, yesterday it was a headache, and now it''s a cold? Shameful. What excuse will he bring tomorrow? Th-thats, I dont...... The members of Group 1, Maltive, Michael, and Jakilpeople who could be said to be the backbone of their teamall skipped ss. Sir Coulter asked in frustration, Maltive has a cold...... then what about Michael and Jakil? Are these two sick as well? Michael says he has a headache, and senior Jakil wasnt in the dorms. From what I heard, he hasnt been seen sincest night They really arent pulling any stops. Are they taking turns to get sick? I should go right now and drag them out by the ear...... Just leave them be. Pardon? Professor Hydel, did I hear you right? If they choose to do this while knowing that itll reflect on their grades, it just means they have already given up. So just leave them be. Alright, understood. Goodness, these punks. To scheme like this to skip ss just because they lost a spar...... On top of that, Jakil Galehill was the leader of Team A, being the representative of the graduates Since the team leader was not here, the teampetition couldnt proceed as nned. The reason why they suddenly werenting into ss? Well, it wasnt hard to guess. The overwhelming defeat of Group 1. The people of power that should be leading the next generation of the kingdom had lost to a countryside noble and amoner...... They were too ashamed to even lift their heads in public. Having his pride shaken more than anyone, our lovely graduate, senior Jakil P-Professor Hydel! What is it? Its about senior Jakil. Hes not in his room. All his belongings have disappeared and it looks like he left the Academy at night. ...... had even packed up his bags and left during the night. But, Professor Hydel, whats with your expression? I swear your lips wiggled a little bit trying to hold backughter Theres no way I saw it wrong, right? R-really? Did Jakil really run away? Thats a lie, right? No, its true. I was suspicious too, so I asked the guard, but he said a Galehill carriage arrived at the Academy in the early morning. N-no way...... The few students who fully trusted in the Galehill name couldnt believe it and muttered in disbelief. Thanks to this, the ones in high spirits were Jason and the Ruin group. I knew this would happen. What did I tell you? Those Galehill guys only know how to bluff and act mighty. In reality, theyre weak and spineless. He ran away in shame. Who are you to talk after falling unconscious as soon as the spar started? Hey! Th-thats because I let my guard down just once...... Ehem. Anyway, dont try to start acting chummy with Ruin. We wont ever ept you. For Jakil to run away and leave behind his juniors that followed him wholeheartedly when he was the one to make the divide He was probably really ashamed. Well, he did talk a lot of shit yet ended up losing even after using six artifacts I could understand him a bit, but it still wasnt a mature response. Running away was his own choice, but because of that, problems were created for the joint lessons. I raised my hand and asked Sir Coulter, Team A doesn''t have their leader now, so what happens to the teampetition? We still need to do it. But with new team leaders. Ah, is that so? Yeah, but you can rest. ......Huh? Sir Coulter pointed behind me. The Director is calling for you. As I turned around, I could see the Director gesturing to me. Go. Also, if youre included, it wont be bnced. Its honestly better like this. Lets choose the Team B leader now as well. ...... Because of them, I also ended up missing out on a ss. * * * The reason the Director called for me This wasnt hard to guess either. Hadnt I revealed the Ogre behind my back to the entire world during the spar against Group 1? However, the whole time we were walking through the corridors, the Director didnt ask a single question about the ogre. He only started talking with a light-hearted joke. I wasnt sure if you could do it, but you really did go and defeat a graduate senior too. How was it, having defeated the youngest court magician in the history of the kingdom? You werent sure? Liar. Hm? The one who called senior Jakil Galehill to the academy was you, Director. Werent you expecting something like this from the start? Hearing my question, the edges of the Directors lips wiggled a bit and he smiled jokingly. ......Oh my, looks like Ive been found out. * * * * * * Fufu. I could tell from the start. Right, youre correct. I thought it would be a good experience for you. But I wanted the Galehills to learn something from this as well. Learn what? I wanted to teach the Galehills about humility. However, that didnt go how I wanted. They didnt seem to learn about humility at all and have just festered their vengeful thoughts. Vengeful thoughts? The Director took a pause and continued to talk. The news of this spar had already spread to the capital. Since you have defeated the eldest son of the Galehill family, the nobles have started to say that the Galehills have started to crumble. ......Is that so? I had predicted at least this much. But the problem came from the next part. Josh Galehill will use whatever means necessary to maintain his familys power. Its likely to put you in danger in the future as well. ...... By in danger, he implied that there would be assasination attempts. After all, Ruin Ardell had to disappear for the Galehills to continue reigning supreme. As I nodded in understanding, the Director removed his joking expression and talked in a serious manner. Since this situation arose because of my greed, I cant just leave you in danger. Its not your fault, Director. You only suggested it. The one that epted it was me. And I was the one who pummeled him. Its not your fault. I cant remove myself from responsibility just because of that. As the director, I cannot put my students in any situation that may bring them harm. So thats why we came here. Thats right. After walking through the corridors for a while, the Director and I stood at our destination. The ce we arrived at was the ce the Mana Guardian Spirits were protecting, the area where even approaching it was forbidden. The stairs that lead to the Academy Underground. What was under the academy? The living artifact Kingram. Kingram woke up from his hibernation a few days ago, and he said this as soon as he woke up. I smell my kin. Looks like its rted to you. ...... Go on down. Kingram will be waiting for you with a gift. I hadnt heard that name in a long time. The ancient ogre that I met right after I gained my abilities. The friend of Draka, Destroyer of Worlds. As soon as he gave me the one and only score of 100, he went into hibernation and slept for a long while. But he probably woke up because of me again. Because I smelled like his kin...... I asked the Director, Why didnt you ask me? About what? An ogre appeared behind me out of nowhere. An ogre from a human...... There isnt a spell like that in the world. Arent you curious? Of course I am curious. But at the same time, Im not that curious. What do you mean? In this world where an ogre who can speak the human tongue exists, wouldnt there be humans who call upon ogres as well? ...... Ah, was that so? However, I could understand the Directors intentions more than anyone else. Whether you appear with an ogre behind you, or you appear with a goblin head...... the Ruin Ardell I know is someone I can trust without a doubt. That is my reason. ......Thank you. The Director could trust mepletely. Go down quickly. Kingram is greatly looking forward to meeting you. Ok. I bowed my head and went down the stairs to the underground. * * * The Academy Underground. Kingram, who was sleeping in the Artifact Room, abruptly said something the moment he saw me, despite this being the first time I saw him in months. [Small Destroyer. Just what happened?] ...... As I hesitated to answer, he came outside his tinum statue and appeared as his real self. A deep smell of strength can be smelt from you. Youve be much stronger during the time I havent seen you. Unbelievably fast at that as well! Not even Draka could be this strong in such a short period of time. Its because Im a human. We dont have much time to spare. As such, I needed to get stronger faster. There are still many people who dont like me. Ehm, a full scent of strength and then, this? The smell of my home, Sky Mountain. And finally...... ...... My father. The smell of Chieftain Kunkhan. Kingrams eyesnded on my gloves, and he asked with a sparkle in his eyes, Where did you get that? I received it from the magic tower in the Empire. The tooth of the first chieftain Kunkhan. I then took it to Sky Mountain, and with the help of the ogres there, it was crafted into the shape of a glove. You went to Sky Mountain?! Asked Kingram, reacting to the name Sky Mountain. How was it? Is it still there? Although he was still alive as an artifact, he couldnt take a step outside of the Academy. As such, this was what he was most curious about. I replied with a bright smile, Yes. Its safe. Afterwards, I continued to talk about what happened on Sky Mountain. The story of how it was contained within a barrier and became a sanctuary that couldnt be reached by mankind. The story of the lives of the ogres that lived there. Even the story about how I arm wrestled over 100 ogres. As Kingram silently listened to the story, he would sometimes have a somber expression on his face. It looked like he was on the verge of tears. ......Dammit. Telling me to arm wrestle an ogre? Is that even possible for a human? The average one is 5 times my size. But what could I do? I needed to do it. Uhahahahahaha! And sometimes, heughed so greatly that he may have been the happiest one could be in the world. As my story came to an end, Kingram talked to me as he wiped at the tears gathered in his eyes. I thought I would live my entire life as an artifact, and then disappear from this world, but I never expected to hear such weing news of my home like this. Small Destroyer, you are my blessing and my savior. Its nothing. It was then. Ring! Apanying the sound, a status window appeared before my eyes.
You have attained an achievement. Your title Friend of the Ogre has been upgraded to Ogre Sovereign.
Kingram continued to talk to me. Ogres always repay their favors, even if they must suffer through pains greater than death. ...... I am indebted to you. I will give you a gift for telling me stories from my home. As soon as he finished talking Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! An incredible number of status windows appeared before me. Chapter 109 Chapter 109
Title Ogre Sovereign As a passive effect of the title, all the ogres of thend will follow you as family. As an active effect of the title, you can open a dimensional door. You may freely summon ogres that are part of your family through the dimensional door. It will stay open for 10 minutes, and after the duration, the summoned ogres will go back to where they came from. Using the active effect, you may instead summon Ogre Magician Kingram. The summon duration is 10 minutes, and after the duration, Kingram will return to his statue. You may only do this once. You have learned the skill Summon Dimensional Door. You have learned the skill Summon Kingram.
Ogre Sovereign. The unique authority to be able to freely summon all the ogres on thisnd and evenmand them. Something like this existed in the world? ......What is this? This is the ogres respect not even Draka was able to attain. As you inherit the authority of the Chieftain, it is a special right for you tomand all the ogres on thisnd. N-no. My question isnt that...... Why was this given to me? You are my savior, the seconding of Destroyer of Worlds Draka, and the chosen one who received the will of the first chieftain Kunkhan. On top of that, you are the sole human the ogres of Sky Mountain trust. You are more than qualified. No, if its not you, I cant imagine anyone else ever garnering our respect like this and bing the Sovereign. ...... Yeah, lets leave it at that for now. The problem was that that wasnt the end.
As a passive effect of Ogre Sovereign, your strength increases by 1000.
Since my original strength was 6490, with the passive effect of an additional 1000, my strength had surpassed 7000. /The Incarnation of Strength, Straang, is promoted to Rank 5. With the effect of the unique skill Apaniment, your strength has permanently increased by 500. Anthromorphosis is now possible./ And so, Straang finally reached Rank 5. With the additional 500 strength from this, my strength had increased by 1500 just today. I hurriedly checked my status window.
RuinArdell Incarnation of the Destroyer of Worlds, Draka Strength: 7990
...... My goodness. 7990? Then wouldnt I reach 8000 by tomorrow? What Straang said about my growth rate constantly elerating was true. I truly became so much stronger while I wasnt paying attention. Burp! Thanks for the food. ...... Straang smacked her full belly and lightly burped after having a feast for the first time in a while. And while scratching her belly, she talked as if nothing happened. Theres no point in getting surprised at me being Rank 5. Compared to when I was Rank 31 before, this is still nothing. But you still feel good, right? ......Well, I guess. I got here much faster than I expected. Hap! Straang jumped up from her spot, and as she put her hands together, she started to put strength into them, enough to make her cheeks go red. Do you know how bored I got of this teddy bear form? I was like this for too long What Straang was doing now was the human transformation that she wanted for so long. p! Red smoke started to seep out of her two hands, and soon, it surrounded her. The smoke continued to grow and grow, and soon after Boooommm! A surprisingly perfect human form appeared. ......Wh-what? As I took a few steps back in surprise, Straang put her hand on her hip and made a suggestive face. Hows this? Pretty good, right? I rubbed my eyes and questioned if I was seeing something wrong. I asked her with a surprised expression, Uh? N-no, before that...... you really are a girl? ......What did you think I was this whole time? A guy, obviously? How many times did I tell you I was a girl?! I thought you were lying. Pitch-ck hair contrasted by pale white skin. A small frame, only barelying up to my shoulders. A face so pretty that I couldnt believe this was the same teddy bear Straang I knew. Yeah, she was a girl. No, rather than a girl, was it better to say she was a female? In any case, I narrowed my eyes and repeated, I really cant believe it. Prove to me that youre the Straang I know. There''s a dot on your left butt cheek, and 3cm below that in your Stop. I get it, so stop. Dont mess with me. ...... It was confirmed. Hearing that perverted talk, it truly was Straang. However, I couldnt help it being a bit awkward. The Straang I knew was just a small teddy bear that slept on my shoulders when it wasnt eating. As I looked at her with an awkward expression, the edge of Straangs lips wiggled, finding it amusing. You Did you fall for me? Shut up. * * * * * * In my reunion with Kingram, I received an unbelievable gift. I can summon ogres? Inheriting the authority of the Chieftain, bing the Sovereign, I couldmand the ogres. I could also summon Kingram, who hadnt even once been able to step outside the Academy in this life. Even me forcibly summoning him to where I am was a privilege for him. When I left Kingram, he said this to me. Summon me when your life is in danger. Youll gain a reliable shield that will save your life. This wasnt all I had gained. Multiple sources had unnaturally increased my strength, and Straang had reached Rank 5. After bing Rank 5, Straang was able to transform into a human Mr. Ruin. Yes, Director? Who is that youngdy next to you? ......You can see her? Nod nod. ...... Oops I forgot that, as soon as Straang went through anthromorphosis, other people were able to see her. As I tried to hurriedly hide her behind my back, Straang opened her mouth in protest. You may not know me, but Ive seen you a lot, Academy Director Tirion Ignit. I am Straang. Its refreshing being able to talk to you like this face to Uep! Uep! This punk. Just what the hell were you saying? As I blocked Straangs mouth, the Director understandably looked surprised and asked me, ......I definitely saw only one person go underground, but for two people to emerge? Ill need an exnation for this, Ruin. ...... I nodded my head powerlessly. Aahh. Im doomed. * * * As we walked toward the Directors office, Straangs footsteps werepletely different to mine. Yeah! This is why you transform into a human! So worth it. ...... Being able to walk with ones own two feet. Unlike Straang, who was walking around while moving in a weird way and bouncing about happily through the corridors, my footsteps were heavy, as if I was being sent to my execution. Just how could I exin this? The Director was definitely a trustworthy person. Even then, I couldnt just reveal to him all the secrets of my ability. But contrary to the worries I had, the talk moved in a totally different direction. With my limited knowledge I could only guess that you are an elemental. Am I correct? Its simr. To be correct, Im an Incarnation. ......Is that so. Rather than question it, the Director chose to first ept it. So, Miss Straang cant ever leave Ruin? Thats correct. We are in a symbiotic rtionship. Ruin is my cook that prepares my food, and I am a supporter that helps him out in everything. Hey, youve been talking down on the Director for a I have lived for a long time, half an eternity, far longer than your director. Who needs to respect who? ...... So this happened. After turning into a human, Straang refused to go back to her teddy bear form and insisted that she would remain by my side in her human form. From the point of view of the Director, she wouldve been just a young girl that appeared out of nowhere and insisted that she had lived for thousands of years, talked down to him, and demanded that she remained in the Academy It was understandably a crazy and inconceivable situation. However, unlike my predictions, the Director wasnt someone who had a normal view of the world. Then, I just need to facilitate for you to stay at the academy? Finally, someone gets it. Thats right. Thats what I want. ......Pardon? P-please wait. The one who asked again in surprise was me. Just how are you going to let Straang stay at the Academy? No, before that, how do you believe this story? Of course, its true that this is a baffling and unbelievable story But its not like you would have hidden your girlfriend in the underground, right, Ruin? ......I-I guess? Then, theres only one option. That she is a precious individual you received through Kingram. On top of that, since shes a transcendental existence, I can only just ept it and help her. ...... His years of experience werent for nothing. Right now, he had understood this unbelievable situation and epted it in an instant. The Director stood up from his seat and wrote a few documents. Ill make it so that you are a transfer student to the Academy. However, since we cant say that you transferred from the underground artifact room, well need to adjust it a bit Itll be better the further away youe from. Ill say you came from across the Majeross Ocean. Will you use your real name? Theres no reason to hide my name. I am honorable. Understood. The name will be Straang, and the family name will be Ardell. Hows being Ruins cousin as a backstory? Incredible. Youre a smart human. ...... What just happened? Why did Straang suddenly be my cousin? Am I the only one not adjusting to this situation? The Director finished making the document with a serious expression on his face, and Straang stood next to him and checked it over. Straang Ardell Its a decent name. Can you make me younger than him by a year? I want to call him big bro since its like this anyway. Understood. Fufu. Im looking forward to it. ...... Straang was snickering as if she found something funny. However, I could only watch in a daze after suddenly getting a younger cousin added to my family tree. A 10-year-old-looking girlmanded a grandpa that was over 60 years old. This Is this a dream? This is a dream, right? Why is Straang attending the Academy?! I pinched my cheek, confirming that this was indeed reality. Lets forget the Director for now How do I exin this to my friends? What do I tell them? In front of this unsolvable question, I couldnt end up figuring out the answer. Ruin? Huh? Whos that next to you? ...... And I could only face reality head on. My name is Straang Ardell. A beautiful, young 15-year-old gir Uep! Uep! Straang tried to introduce herself near instinctively, and I had to block her mouth. Ah...... Ehem. So, the thing is...... Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Shes my younger cousin. ......What? Jasons eyes went wide as he looked back and forth between Straang and me. Then, he muttered as if thinking about something else, You had such a cute younger cousin? ...... What was it? What part of this was Jason surprised by? That I had a younger cousin, or that she was cute? Wait! Thats not the problem! It was fine if he just believed it. Sh-she transferred over today...... and same graduating ss as us. Same graduating ss? But you just said shes younger than you. ...... Huh? I guess thats true. This setting doesnt make sense. Haah, whatever. ......She skipped a grade. Shes a genius. Oh ho! A genius! Jasons eyes sparkled and he talked to Straang with a cheesy expression. Its good to see you. I am Ruins best friend and his roommate, Jason Damon. May I ask for your name? Shes called Straang. Straang Ardell. Ruin, did I ask you? Im talking to Ms. Straang here. ...... As I shut my mouth, Jason made a more provocative face and asked again, If you perhaps havent toured the Academy yet, let me show you around How about it? The baguette thats sold in our cafeteria is amazing. ...... Haha! No need to feel ufortable. Im not a fool. Just think of me as a cool older guy and treat me casually. A cool older guy? This guys off his rocker. Jason, that look in your eyes You might feel like its your best look, but it just looks super cringe. Id seen this face before. This was the expression he had when he saw Irene Prius. His face probably automatically turned into that whenever he saw a pretty girl Sorry Jason, but you and Straang are fated to never be together. Just a few hours ago, this kid here wasnt a pretty girl, but a female entity. But how could I firmly tell Jason that he could never be my cousin-inw? Even if I did, Straang would also need to deny it herself. In any case, wasnt pain the greatest teacher? I stayed silent and waited for Straang to answer him. And the answer I was waiting for appeared. ......Are you telling me to eat bread? Fuck off! Nice, Straang! Seeing him go over the line, Straang cursed him off, and I could see panic in Jasons eyes. With this expletive unbefitting such a cute face, I thought his interest in Straang would wither away...... But I was wrong. N-nice! Thats so good! I like that! What are you saying is good? Please befortable with me. You can curse at me all you like. This insane bastard. Thats good! Again! ...... Jason was more unusual than I initially thought. He was also pretty good at luring out girls. Then, what do you like better? Milk or herbal tea? ......Milk? Ah, so you like milk. The warm milk they sell at the cafeteria is quite sweet and creamy. How about it? Should we go drink it together? Yeah, nah. It wasnt a question asking between the two, but rather asking both milk and herbal tea at once so they would need to choose one. If he put this much effort into his studies, he wouldve been a 5th-ss magician already What a shame. That talent was truly being wasted. ......Ahem. Milk is a different story. Lets go. Alright! As Straang started to walk over after being enticed by the prospect of warm milk, Jason smiled brightly and struck me on my shoulder. Ruin, why are you only telling me now that you had such a cute younger cousin? I nearly missed out. ...... Ah, was that so? Why couldnt you miss out? Dont worry. Ill treat her as if shes my own younger sister and treat her super well. I got it, so just go. I slowly nodded my head, and Jason started to run after Straang, joy in his face. But, Ms. Straang, how do you know where the cafeteria is? Have you been to it before? Ive been there a lot, but this is the first time going with my own two feet. ......What? Its something like that. You wouldnt get it even if I exined it to you. Ah, haha! Youre good at joking. ...... Sorry Jason. I actually lied to you. Miss young cousin here isnt 15 years old, but over 3000. But I couldnt willingly break that smile off his face with my own two hands. ......My friend, be happy. * * * * * * The joint knight lessons that createdmotions around the Academy finally finished. The trainee knights of Poldren all went back to their training center, and everyone would start to walk their own paths. We would be magicians after graduating from the academy, and the trainee knights would be those who protect our kingdom after taking the knightly vow. For Hansen, who had shown the most explosive growth during this study period and was recognized for it, this separation was something he didnt want to happen. Ruin, will we be able to meet again? Of course. Ille visit you sometime. Obviously, not everyone felt the same. Maltive, for example, put on a helmet to cover his face and mounted his horse first. It practically screamed that he wanted to leave the Academy as fast as possible. I pointed toward Maltive and said to Hansen, After going back to the center, dont be bullied by someone like that. Youre stronger than him. You understand, right? ......Yeah. I suddenly thought back to the faint red aura that was enveloping Hansens wooden sword at the final moments of the spar. A red aura would mean that he was 5th-rank, but Hansen told me that after that he couldnt bring it out again. However, able to freely manipte blue aura, he was most certainly a true 4th-rank. If he continued to grow at this pace, I was sure that Hansen would soon reach 5th-rank. A 5th-rank knight in his teens It may be possible for him to be a legendary knight rivalling Sir Bolvar Patten. This is gonna be big. There might be amotion as the Golden Light Knight Order tries to take him in. In some cases, a bigger nation than Radian or the Empire might aim for Hansen as well. In any case, it would be good for Hansen, and for me for befriending him. As I was deep in thought Ruin. ......Yeah? I thought of this for thest few days...... but after I graduate from the training center and take my knightly vow, could Ie to Ardell? Ardell? Of course. You cane hang out any time. No, not to hang out... I want to just stay and live in Ardell with my sister...... Eh? I thought about what Hansen just said for a short moment. Are you saying you want to be a knight of Ardell? Y-yeah. Is that too much? No. Its not that but youll have better opportunities in the future. If you keep doing what youre doing now, the path to the Golden Light Knight Order or something even greater might open up for you in the future. Although that might happen I dont want that. ...... As you know, my sister and I dont have a hometown we can go back to. We moved around here and there without identity, not having the money to settle. But if I be a knight, I would wander here and there again. I dont want a life like that. I want to have a ce I wish to protect with my life. And I have the debt I need to pay you back as well. There are no debts between friends. I just helped you because I wanted to. Thats the same for me. I just want to help you. To protect the Ardell you want to protect. ...... So give me your approval. Hansen bing a knight of Ardell It was extremely touching just thinking about it. I was starting to really look forward to what would happen if Hansen were to get taught by Sir Bolvar. Although I was really happy in my heart, I was hesitating for a second, thinking about Hansens future. But Straang, who was listening to this from the side, spoke up. What are you doing? Just ept him. Huh? You know it too, right? That guy really is something. A tiger cub just rolled into your grasp. What is the future lord of Ardell hesitating for? Its already difficult to get good people onto your side normally. ...... So Straang thanks for the advice, but Could you say thatter in private? Im telling you because I think you forgot, but everyone can hear you now. Ah, right. Straang hurriedly shut up, and my eyes turned toward Jason, who was practically stuck next to Straang. But Jason just shrugged, not seeing anything wrong with her. Who cares if I hear? Shes right. Hansen is strong, so hell definitely be of help to you in the future. Thats true. So, on that topic, can I also go to Ardell after graduation? What? You too? For me, being weak, no one would be scouting for me so Ill follow you and Straang down to Ardell. I know what Im worth, so rather than being paid as a magician, I can help around with housework, cleaning, and whatever. Hows that? Did I say Id take you with me? Hey, Im asking pretty seriously here. ...... ...... Pfft. Jason pouted at my reply, and after a second, both of usughed. Taking my friends anding down to Ardell together? Even without thinking too deeply about it, it was a fun idea. But then, another thought popped into my head. It might actually be a good idea. Nobles gather talented magicians and knights for the future of their house and territory. Who said Ardell was too weak to do that too? Although Ardells current state wasnt that good, in the future, we would change a lot. Jakil Galehill said this when he was talking down to me. Do you think Ruin Ardell will take care of you guys after graduation? But what if news spread that Ruin Ardell was looking for allies to create a future together? Even if I didnt know how everything would pan out, it would definitely cause anothermotion in the academy. Yeah. Gathering talented people. This was an investment I definitely needed to make to grow my territory. And these talented people were all close to me. I stretched my hand toward Hansen. Wont you regret it? Ardell is only just now going under change, so its still just a country-side town. We dont have any good ces to eat or things to see. But Hansen replied without an ounce of hesitation, I wont regret it. Then, Ill be in your care in the future. As we shook hands, Jason jumped in with a stinging voice. How about me? Me! Are you two just gonna leave me out? Jason. There isnt any ce to get entertainment in Ardell, so for someone like you who likes to y around, itll be really boring. Also, I wont be able to pay you much. My house has a ton of money anyways so just give me what you easily can. If I dont get scouted by even one family after graduation, my father might really copse. Saying my son really was worthless and other things. Pfft. Everyoneughed at Jasons realistic imitation. How about making a group, since were talking about this? A group? Well, famous magician groups or mercenary troops have names. We should make one as well. How about Guardians of Ardell? Ugh, thats the worst. What? Why?! Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Then how about Ruin and the Boys? Jason. Hows that? Isnt it cool? I dont think you have a talent for naming things. Hows that? ......Ehem. Ok. Just a second. Jason was fully in team naming mode. The number of names he gave me was too high to even count. Guardians of Ardell, Ruin and the Boys. Friends of Ruin, Sixteen Magesbecause we were all 16-years-oldand so on. Urk. Im gonna throw up. ...... Although the names he gave me were so cringy that Straang was about to throw up, Jason didnt give up. He was writing notes and visiting the library for ideas about this, which made me question just how much better he would be as a student if he studied like this as well. And so, two days passed. Jason, who was walking around the academy grounds with eyes sunken from fatigue, suddenly pped his hands and shouted as an idea struck him. Ohoh! This one! This one is the one! What is it this time? The team name! How about Angra Agi Antis? Straang and I both furrowed our brows at the same time. ......What the heck is that? Its the name of that legendary three-headed dragon. The first head is Angra, the second Agi, and the third Antis. Angra Agi Antis. As the three-headed dragon, it was an evil dragon said to have ended the world. It literally was a dragon that appeared in a legend. Although nobody knew if it really existed or not, it was natural for people to be excited about these stories of legend. Jason talked excitedly. You, me, and Hansen. Us three! Hows that? Isnt it cool? I dont know. I dont think its that good. Why? Its the name of a legendary dragon! Although it being an evil dragon is a downside, its still pretty cool, right? For short, we can be Team Triple A! Triple A is fine. We can just change the meaning a bit. Change? To what? Triple A in the hopes that your remaining grades can all be As. How about it? Hey! Ruin! Pft. In any case, this was how the name was decided. Triple A. Full name, Apex Area Ardell. I guess, if I was to put meaning to it, it was that I wished for Ardell to climb being the apex of all areas. Currently, it was just Jason, Hansen, and me. However, although it was just the three of us, this was only the beginning. * * * Team Triple A? Whats that? Fufu. Its kinda like a military force with Ruin as the leader. ......Military force? What? Is Ruin gathering magicians after graduating? Its not just magicians, but knights as well. You saw it before, right? Themoner knight that defeated that famous trainee Maltive Kegen? That guy is also on this team. Oh? Thats amazing! The trainee knights of Poldren had left the Academy, and so had the alumni. The school grounds of the Academy that were once packed now looked quite empty, but if you looked closely inside, you could see that it was burning hot again. It was because of Triple A. Hansen and I are going to follow Ruin to Ardell after graduation. To Ardell? Why there? With my skills, going anywhere good is a lost cause so Im going to follow Ruin to Ardell to get a job. You know it too, right? Ruin is going to do something incredible in the future. It wasnt like he would receiverge sums of money, or that a famous archmage was there either. The Ardell of now didnt have the appeal for a magician to give up everything toe down to it. However, the one name of Ruin Ardell bloomed trust within the peers that this was worth betting their future on. Me too! I want to be part of this too! No. As you can tell by the name, Triple A is an elite group, so we cant ept just anyone. But my grades are better than yours, Jason. ......Ahem. Anyway, we cant ept just anyone. You need to do an interview with Ruin. The peers that normally trusted me and followed around hoped to go down to Ardell. The full-scale war against Galehill became the primer this time. They had seen with their own two eyes the reality of the youngest court magician. That it was just a facade created by the greed of those in power, and that these titles dont have any merit. On top of that, the rumor that the Director told me about also yed a part. At least Ruin wont try to use us or ignore us like the Galehills, right? Thats right. And my father has been saying this recently That the atmosphere around the capital is quite turbulent right now. You heard it too? My father said the same. He said I needed to get friendly with Ruin. That next year, when the next lord of House Ardell would be an adult, the Galehills would copse, and the Ardells would take everything. They say Ardells financial situation got a lot better recently. From what I hear, they got a trade deal with Eight-Lake. Themercial port city in the Empire? That Eight-Lake? Really? Yeah. Although its only rumors, they seem quite likely. My goodness Then Ardell is going to get bigger? That countryside town is? Probably. The twin princes also promised to support Ardell quite actively and on top of that You know how my father manages the ns for the soldiers in the capital? He said that theres a massive subjugation n in the South that will take 200 knights and 3000 soldiers. Why? What are they trying to subjugate? Theyre probably trying to expand Ardells territory. ......Woah. Holy crap. As the conclusive deal between Eight-Lake and Ardell, the massive southern subjugation ns, and other equally detailed ns started toe to light, the final blow was struck topletely swallow the Academy in a mood favoring Ardell. Ruin. ......Huh? Im sorry for calling you names and what not before Back then, I kind of just was following the herd Haha. You understand, right? Since youre kind. Get to the point. Ah, ok. So The Triple A youre making. Uhm, is there a spot for me too? ...... The negative gazes that poured out on me when I first became the academy representative, before I won, had all disappeared, and everyone tried to get on my good side. History was changing. It was a natural flow as the wave of authority shifted. However No. There is no spot for you. ...... I didnt n on epting just anyone. * * * * * * One of the important parts in the second semesters schedule was the capital field trip. The reason the magic academy students would take a field trip to the capital was because of none other than the magic tower and the court magicians. The magic tower was the core of the magicians of the nation, and being a court magician was a dream that every magician born into nobility had. Wearing the robe stamped with the kings seal and walking around the precious pce. Being a court magician was the symbol of having both wealth and authority. The field trip was a sort of workce visit that let these aspiring magicians have a glimpse of the life of a magician working in the magic tower or the pce. Yeah. The goal of the ss was good. However, the problem was that it was always only the goal that was good. The Director felt the same, also not seeing the trip favorably. Going to the capital really didnt teach much, and the students would only be immersed in the fancifulness of the magicians. However, as this ss was something that had been in ce long before even the Director was a student, he couldnt just get rid of it either. Oh, oh! So we can go inside the magic tower? A court magician! Sheesh, its going to be so cool! Because of Jakil Galehill, the honor held by a court magician did fall a bit recently, but the problem was that there were too many students who were looking forward to this ss. Of course, I also didnt like this ss that much. Josh Galehil? Well finally get to see that guys face. ......Yeah. Just like what Straang suggested, this was the same as going into enemy territory. He was the greatest member of the magic tower and was entrusted with all the authority to lead it by the king of magicians, Fire King Teron. He was also the guardian of the kingdom and held all the court magicians under his control. Taking the ss was just like serving myself to Josh on a silver tter. I got onto the mana train heading towards the capital and sat with Straang. What are you going to do? What can I do? I cant just go in recklessly and swing my fists or something. But you cant just sit still either. Yeah. So I need to be prepared. ......Prepared? Yeah. There will definitely be an ambush. Since he wouldnt be able to move against me directly, he would either use other magicians of the house to assassinate me or use other underhanded methods. Straang asked me, Why do you think that? This capital visit ss will be the only opportunity for Josh to get rid of me. The Academy was protected by mana guardians, and these werent just any ordinary guardians. Pledge, protect, and punish. Summoned with these three keywords, they were the ultimate shields that wouldnt be destroyed by any normal means. That meant it was impossible for him to aim to kill me while I was at the Academy. This also meant that he needed to target me while I was outside the Academy Then wasnt right now, before I graduated, the best chance for him? Straang scrunched her face uncharacteristically before taking two fingers to her chin and saying, Thats true. Is Josh Galehill strong? Who knows? The rumors say that hes a 7th-ss magician, just like the Director but I dont know for sure. I havent seen him yet. 7th-ss? Hmph! If I was like before, I couldve just killed him with the tap of a finger. Then what about now? ......Shut up. Although I didnt know for sure how strong Straang was when she was active with Draka, I knew that 7th-ss wasnt a small fry in the slightest. It was practically the boundary of human prowess. In the case of our Director, who was also 7th-ss
??? ???? ??? ??? You cannot view this yet.
I couldnt see any information regarding him through the yers Eye. It was telling of the difference between our levels. This was why I needed to prepare for the worst. What if Josh Galehill himself tries to kill me? If he didnt use hired hands or a subordinate, if Josh Galehill attacked me directly, my chance of winning plummeted. While I was thinking about this [Next stop is de Radian, the capital of the Radian Kingdom.] Were here! ...... We arrived at the capital. The de Radian that we saw aftering off the train was unnaturally fancy, enough to be called a mini Ravirdyne. It was incredibly fancy in a way unbefitting of Radians status of being a small and weak kingdom. This was my first ever visit to the capital, but my first impression of it wasnt good. But I couldnt afford to be immersed in these thoughts. Director. Its been a while. After all, at the station, there was a group of men waiting for us to arrive. Chapter 112 Chapter 112 I could easily tell who these people waiting for us were. It was Josh Galehill and the court magicians. Not expecting them to be waiting for us, the Director asked with a little hint of displeasure in his tone, ......What brings you here, Guardian Josh? The mans hair was a bright blonde mane, and it was paired with sharp, snake-like eyes. His skin was so pale he looked like he was made of white jade. Josh Galehill. He opened his mouth and, without shame, said, I heard that the sprouts who will lead this kingdoms future woulde to visit the capital, so how could I, as the guardian of this nation, just sit by and watch? Of course I shoulde out to meet them. Thats quite odd. For someone whos hard to even see normally You shouldve at least sent us a notice that you woulde out to see us. Director, you still make such trivial jokes. I dont think were in such a rtionship where we need to give notices to each other. And after that, he peered through the crowd and picked me out in an instant. Ok. So youre Ruin Ardell. ...... He looked me up and down, his gaze constricting me like the tongue of a snake wrapping around my body. Then, I looked him straight in the eyes. However ......? Something was off. /Josh Galehill 6th-ss magician ??? ??? You cannot view this yet./ It was because there was a huge difference between what yers Eye showed me and what was told to the world. Hes not a 7th-ss magician like the Director? Unlike the Director, who I couldnt even check the name of, Joshs information was rtively more essible. /Josh Galehill 6th-ss magician/ It had told me that he was a 6th-ss magician. Of course, 6th-ss was by no means weak, but it wasnt a level befitting the lord of House Galehill, who prided itself in being the house of magicians. Wasnt Professor Hydel also a 6th-ss magician? Also, how was he able to fool everyone? My eyes shifted toward his hand. Just like how Jakil showed up armed with 6 artifacts, Josh was the same, but even greater. ......This is insane. One, two, three, four Just how many were there? Yeah. Each and every one of them was an artifact. There were so many that it was faster to count how many fingers of his didnt have artifacts on them. He had been concealing his true power through those items. Tsk. Even then, not one person here knew that Josh Galehill was in fact a 6th-ss magician. No one would even think to doubt it No, he was someone you couldnt doubt. I was the only one who knew this fact. And ...... Only the Director seemed to have noticed this to some degree. No matter if it was the third son, their first son, their father Were the Galehills all the same? The corner of my lips naturally went up. Maybe he felt that I was snickering? Joshs eyebrows curved up as he asked, ......Is something funny? Ahem...... No, its nothing. Me waving it off, saying it was nothing while still smiling only made Josh more ufortable, and he insisted in a much colder tone than before, I asked whats funny. ...... The surrounding mood froze in an instant. No, it wasnt just the mood. A tiny stream of mana flowing out of him really was starting to freeze the surrounding air. All I did was give a small smile. Although this was just a very minor thing that couldve been ignored if it was from any other student, it looked like that wasnt the case for me. He was holding me to stricter standards than he would others. In this openly threatening environment, as I readied myself with a calm face and opened my mouth, the Director stepped forward. Guardian Josh, hes still just a student, please be reasonable. Director, do not interfere. You only hold your title when inside the Academy. As long as the students have stepped foot into the capital, the authority to manage them lies with me. If that authority you speak of is used to intimidate a student who has done nothing wrong, then I can never recognise it. Ill take the students and return to the Academy immediately. ......Hah! Youll return to the Academy? Hearing hed leave the capital, Josh Galehill snickered and started to make sarcastic remarks. Director Tirion, you are always so aloof like this. You say that only your educational principles are correct, and that our Galehill is the enemy of the world, something that must be resisted at all costs, right? Do you think I dont know what youre thinking? I know that my son being lured with the promises of being a special lecturer and being humiliated in front of the entire cohort was your n too. Ill ask you this one thing. Are you still so sickened that I was instated as the guardian and not you? Such jealousy is something to be ashamed of. The one who didnt care for authority more than anyone else was the Director. The Director was the one who didnt even blink an eye when the twin princes tried to bring him over to their side before. However, Josh had targeted this honor. Josh Galehill! ...... Suddenly, the Director shouted at Josh. Bang! Simultaneously, a great wave of mana that only a 7th-ss archmage could create spread through the surrounding area Fwoooosh! Eugh, what wind...... The force of the mana alone was enough to make ones robes flutter, and it was fierce enough to force people to take a few steps back. It was the skill of someone worthy of being called an archmage. However, Josh didnt even flinch, instead choosing to scoff. Hmph! To act so emotionally on such a good day. It doesnt look good in this educational context, does it? ......! Just as the enraged Director was about to say something, I stepped in front of the Director and said to Josh, It was amazement. ......What? The reason Iughed. Iughed because of amazement. * * * * * * ...... Suddenly having me interfere, Josh Galehill furrowed his brows and asked, What are you saying you were amazed by? I pointed to his hand and replied, Your rings. Its my first time seeing someone wearing so many rings. Even the nobles who like to dress up wouldntpare to you, Guardian. ...... As I pointed to the rings, Joshs eyes narrowed. ......Youughed after seeing my rings? Yes. Senior Jakil also seemed to like his essories. He wore two rings and four nes...... but it looks like the lord of the house also likes his essories. I just thought that rich people were really simr to each other. ......What? There was no one who didnt know that two rings and four nes Jakil Galehill had worn were artifacts. In this situation, creating this connection between Jakil and Josh was the same as openly asking if those rings were artifacts too. This was an obvious challenge. Killing intent instantly presented itself in Joshs eyes, but I bowed by head and said with an innocent look, Ah, I apologize. I didnt mean it that way. Theres no way the Guardian would walk around wearing so many artifacts at once. I only asked because I was curious if all rich people had simr tendencies. I apologize if you were offended by that. ...... However, there was no way Josh wouldnt know my true intentions. He definitely wouldve been able to notice that I was making fun of him with the smile on my face. He may have even been wondering if I was doubting him. If, maybe, I had already recognised that his skills and stories were inted. However, the reason he wasnt able to press any further even if he perfectly understood my intentions further was that, as long as he received my heartfelt apology, pressing even further in this position would increase this doubt of his skills. Josh Galehill isnt 7th-ss, but 6th. If this fact were to be known to the world, the Galehill name itself may be unstable. So rather than risk that, the correct approach was to let this slide past as quietly and as nonchntly as possible. I have heard that a lot. Its nothing special. The Galehills have this many and more essories to wear around. Ah, thats just what I thought. In any case, Director Tirion, do not interfere in the capital tour this time. As the authority given to me as the guardian of the kingdom, I will lead their education while they are here. Josh left this announcement and turned his back. I was looking at his back, so why did it feel like he was shivering? I didnt know everything going on inside his head, but he probably wanted to kill me right then and there. I smiled with satisfaction and went to move. But then, the Director grabbed my shoulder. Ruin. Yes? Why did you do that? Why did you aggravate him? As expected, I couldnt fool the Director. ......Was it that obvious? As the students started to walk up, the Director warned me, Josh is a dangerous man. If you think hes like any normal magician It felt terrible. Seeing him act like an archmage when he isnt. You You know it too, right? That Josh Galehill hasn''t reached 7th-ss yet. ......How do you know that? The Directors eyes went wide, and I nonchntly replied, Dont worry too much about it. I know I should be careful of him. On top of that, Im still properly holding onto the present youve given me. This present referred to everything I gained when I met Kingram again. I dont fight alone anymore. At that, Straang held onto my arm and smiled. Of course! Im here too. Yeah. The anthropomorphized Straang. I also had Kingram and the ogres if the situation got really dire. If I had this much, wasnt this a winnable fight? Of course, I should be aiming for nothing to happen in the first ce, but His eyes are going to pop out of his head. ...... Seeing Josh ring at me as he gave a subordinate some order, I knew that something would definitely happen. Lets see What would be the best time to attack me in this situation? When Im in the pce? No. It would be too suspicious, and if a fight broke out inside the pce, it could lead to something worse if not properly taken care of. Then the best time to attack would be my first day at the capital. At night, after all sses had ended. Inside our lodging, the inn. Meaning Hell strike tonight. Chapter 113 Chapter 113 That damned bastard dares make fun of me? After leaving the students and arriving at the pce, Josh Galehill disappeared somewhere. The ce he was headed was the meeting room hidden in the Magic Towers most secret ce. Seeing people in there, Josh said with a sigh, Is this it? Pardon? Th-thats...... Although the meeting room had a big enough table to easily seat at least twenty people, only four of the seats were upied. Just a few months ago, it wouldve beenughable if less than forty people came when Josh called the nobles for a meeting. No, forty was still too generous. The seats of the table wouldve been so full that not a hairs worth of space would be left empty. But now, only four were seated before him. I asked if this is it. Th-thats...... Everyone is trying to avoiding to the meeting...... I clearly remember telling everyone that Ruin Ardell wouldnt be breathing after today. Even after that, this is everyone? I-I definitely told everyone that as well. But the nobles have totally turned their backs...... Bang! Uwah! Josh mmed the table and grinded his teeth. Damn it...! Because of that damned bastard...... D-did something happen? Its fine. Did the thing I asked of you get dealt with properly? Y-yes! The capitals night watch are all ours. They wont react to anymotion, so you dont have to worry about a thing. Josh then turned and asked the Captain of the Golden Light Knight Order, Bengrass Kegen. What of the things I asked of you, Commander? I have received news that the five assassins arrived at Ardellst night. After midnight, the assassins will enter the mansion and eliminate Lord Dellin Ardell. The spears that Josh Galehill and Bengrass Kegen had prepared against Ardell were aimed perfectly. Tonight. Well, since the father and son are both dying on the same night, they wont be lonely. Theres a daughter as well. She may be a problemter on, so we probably need to kill everyone. Ive already given them thatmand. After tonight, there wont be a single person in the world with the blood of Ardell flowing through them. Good work. The assassins prepared by Josh would go to Ruin, the assassins prepared by Bengrass were sent to Lord Dellin Ardell and Ruina. And...... Bolvar Patten needs to disappear too. There can only be one sun in the sky. Yes. That guy wont see the sun rise tomorrow. The dangerous assassination plot to kill all the key individuals of Ardell. Even if the n seeded, the waters would still be dangerous. They knew that the fact that the five people gathered here had nned for the assasination woulde to light. But these people didnt fear that at all. If they could just kill Ruin Ardell If they could just kill him, the name of Galehill would regain its unopposable status from before. They could escape punishment. No, rather Make it known to all the nobles who didnt participate today. Galehill will definitely remember who they are. Guardian! Y-you must remember me as well! ...... Everyone would bow down before him, just like before. They would fear him more than they did before. And this was why the n had to seed. The worst case situation would be if the n failed. If it failed and Ruin survived, it was clear that the enraged Twin Princes wouldnt leave the Galehills alone. However, Josh was certain that the n would seed. His eyes turned towards the magicians standing in the corner of the meeting room. This n leaves no room for failure. You must kill him. ......We ept the orders of the Lord. Who were they? They werent greenhorns like Jakil Galehill. They were all high-ranking magicians that grew up on Galehills benefits, hand-picked from the best of the best of the talents Galehill fostered. They were all at least 6th-ss and were from the pce and the magic tower. The most elite of the elites. It was hard to see them all move at once unless the Kingdom itself was threatened in an act of war or something of that vein But they had gathered here today. All to kill Ruin Ardell. That was why failure was not a possibility. Josh clenched his fist hard enough for it to tremble as if it was about to crack. That smiling visage of yours dies today, Ruin Ardell. * * * * * * The capital tour was unlike a real tour and was not structured at all. Josh Galehill, who proimed that he would oversee all events rted to the tour, disappeared somewhere after arriving at the pce, and some really old magician was guiding us. However, contrary to the weak tour content, the mood wasnt that bad at all. Sheesh! This is a magic tower?! I may have had experience being inside the Magicians Towerthe best of the magic towers, situated in the capital of the Raynac Empire, Ravirdynebut for most students, this would be the first time they visited a magic tower. The main entrance door not having handles, the endlessly long hallways, being able to move to the top floor by using a mana gate instead of stairs! For the students, this was all very interesting. But for me, I couldnt feel as excited as they were feeling, instead justzily observing the surroundings from the back. After all, the thing that excited me came from apletely different source. ......You felt it too, right? It doesnt matter if I felt it or not. Hes been openly wary of me since the start. The old magician who was guiding us around. His eyes were wide open, and he was staring at me as though trying to see through me. Is there something on my face? ...... He didnt even answer the question I asked and just observed me like that for a bit more before slowly turning his head away. And then, not long after, I could feel a gaze on me. When I turned toward it, I saw that old magician staring at me once more. It was just like he was collecting all my actions. His big eyes, pointed lips, and unkempt ck mustache all came together to form an expression so weird it was eerie. Whats his problem? This sticky and unpleasant gaze remained for the entire day and continued even after we finished the tour and arrived at the inn. If I looked down from my room on the 2nd floor of the inn, I could see the old magician looking up toward me. Is someone outside? ...... Huh? Its that magician from before! But why is he staring at you? Asked Jason, who ended up sharing the room with me. Jason, Im sorry, but can I have this room by myself tonight? Eh? By yourself? Then where would I sleep? Hankuss room has an extra bed. Please sleep there. Hearing this, Jason thought for a moment before slowly narrowing his eyes and smiling wickedly. I see! You punk......! Who do you think youre trying to fool? You can fool a ghost, but you cant fool me. Eheheheh... I thought you were busy all day just training. When did you be a real man? ...... What was he thinking about now? I knew this day woulde. The day where you would ask me to do something like this. Fufu. Ill leave this ce just for you tonight. So good luck, and try your best. Just what did he mean by try your best? Jason kept having that wicked smile, and after tapping my shoulder, he opened the door to the room. And then, after seeing Straang standing outside the room, he muttered in shock, St-Straang? N-no......! Ruin is your cousin...... ......The hell you talking about? Move. Ack! Straang pushed Jason out of the way with ease, and Jason fell on the ground while continuing to mutter, N-no...... over and over. ...... Jason, its not what you think. Rx. After entering the room, Straang pointed to Jason and asked me, Whats that guy keep saying no for? Its nothing. Stupid punk. More than that, look over there. As I pointed outside the window, Straang poked her head out. Its that guy from before. Yeah. What is he doing standing there? Preparing an illusion. ......An illusion? I pointed outside the window. After looking over it carefully, Straang shook her head, not understanding. Ugh. My eyes hurt. What can you see? I dont know what youre pointing at. I can keep feeling a constant wave of tiny amounts of mana. Hes making an illusion around this ce. Although it still looked the same to normal people, if one paid close enough attention, they would be able to see that the ground was ever-so-slightly twisted. That scenery, and even the people walking past inside, was just an illusion. On top of that, a barrier was also set up topletely separate this world from its surroundings. Meaning, just as I expected, they were aiming for me tonight.
HaisenGalehill 6th-ss Magician ??? ??? You cannot view this yet.
A 6th-ss magician. If it was just one person, it wouldve been doable, but looking at the scale of this illusion spell, it was hard for only one 6th-ss magician to set up. There are at least two enemies. Two, maybe three. Maybe more. If the group was made up of only 6th-ss magicians, like that old man, Haisen, who was staring unpleasantly at me, then my chance of winning became slim. And on top of that, if Josh Galehill came out here personally......? This was dangerous. My eyes turned to one section of my skill list.
SummonKingram Active skill Use limit: 0/1 With the active effect of the title Ogre Sovereign, you can summon Ogre Magician Kingram once for 10 minutes. After the duration ends, Kingram will return to his statue.
Summon Kingram. I really was nning on saving it till the end, but the thought of maybe having to use it now came to mind. Then Where is he going? ...... The old man outside the window started to take a few steps back while still being wary of me. His actions seemed like Is he running away? No. Then what? Hes calling me outside. He was trying to lure me outside. I thought they would choose to ambush me, but unexpectedly, they didnt. After openly making the trap, they boldly called me out. No, maybe they were constantly sending me hints to make it obvious they were there. It would be advantageous for me if we fought in a cramped space like inside the inn, but I couldnt just bring harm to the students sleeping soundly in the next rooms. They also knew that there was only one choice I could make. I stood up from my seat. Ill need to go down. Tonight might be a long night. Chapter 114 Chapter 114 The quiet countryside territory of Ardell was undergoing some rapid changes. The trade route project going through South Mountain was already half-way done, and the first deal with Eight-Lake had been made. The main exports of Ardell were being sold at far higher than the market price thanks to the efforts of House Baltraze, the No.1 at Eight Lake. The profits made from this were nearly 80% higher than normal. On top of that, the number of visitorsing to Ardell had increased exponentially. The people of the nearby trade city Monzo came with their heads bowed, and many nobles from the capital also came down with carriages filled with gifts. As many people starteding to Ardell, the inns, restaurants, and shops that were just wasting away started toe back to life. I never expected to see such an active Ardell in my life. This is all thanks to the young master. Hes still so young, yet he has the greatness to do all these incredible things? Thats right! Also, the lord of the territory, who trusted the young master and let him do his work, is also outstanding. Haha! As the financial situation started to settle and even finally began to climb, the faces of the citizens of the territory started to brighten. However, the actual lord of the Ardell territory, Dellin Ardell, was more cautious of all these rapid transformations and took longer to ept them. Have you heard, milord? The young master won against the eldest son of the Galehill family. I have. Just like with the princes, the nobles of the capital are hoping to make connections with Ardell. Its a good opportunity to increase Ardells prestige. ...... As Chief of Affairs Baggins spoke, Dellin Ardell agreed silently, but he also shook his head, feeling like something wasnt right. ......Isnt it too peaceful? Is there something you are worried about? Galehill. The Josh Galehill I know isnt someone who would give up this much power when he was holding it so firmly in his grasp. ......That is true. Hearing Dellins words, Chief Baggins nodded. He is a dangerous person. Hes someone who wouldnt hesitate to kill to maintain his authority. Many Houses have been destroyed because they were an eyesore to Galehill. Yet it remains quiet. Were there any suspicious people among the guests that visited Ardell? Ill check again. And I will also inform Sir Bolvar. Thank you. * * * Baggins immediately went to Bolvar Patten to share the information. After receiving the will of the lord of the territory, he immediately increased the inspections into and out of the territory and rechecked everyone that wished toe to Ardell. While doing that, he found some suspicious individuals. Wandering merchants...... There were five merchants that were confirmed to havee into the territory, but there had been no sighting of them by any of the citizens. Aftering into the territory, they hadpletely disappeared. On top of that, as merchantry was a dangerous lifestyle, it wasmon for merchants to carry des to protect their goods from bandits. Meaning, disguising themselves as merchants was the easiest way for an assassin to enter into the territory without being suspected. ......Assassins. The Tiger of Ardell, a knight approaching the realms of 8th-rank, Bolvar Patten. His eyes turned ferocious. It was not the face of a man rounded with age and rest, but the face which he wore in his prime. The angry Bolvar Patten immediately ran to the mansion where the lord of the territory and the lords daughter resided. * * * The sun had already disappeared over the horizon, and there was only a single ray of moonlight to illuminate this dark night in the capital. Aftering out of the inn and stepping foot onto a road so dark that even thempposts refused to shine upon it, Iughed sarcastically. Youre incredible. Going this far just to catch me? There were no cases wherempposts enchanted with permanent light magic would turn just off. Yet every singlemppost on this road was out of order. That could only mean that even the capital guards were all connected to Galehill. Therefore, no matter what happened here, there was no one toe and help. Ruin Ardell. As I willingly entered the illusion field, the old magician from before clicked his tongue at me. As your senior in life five times over and also your senior in magic, Ill give you this advice. Sometimes, blending into the background and staying quiet is what is needed to ensure longevity. Ah, of course, you wont have the time to reflect on my advice. What senior? But it looks like another person came with you. Is she your fellow traveller to the afterlife? The fellow traveller he was talking about was Straang, who had stepped into the illusion field after me. I shrugged. Dont worry about that. I have no intention of dying here. I wouldnt roll over obediently and die. But unfortunately, the situation wasnt that much better than what I had expected. No intention of dying...... Although it might be good if everything in the world went as you wished...... after living for a long time, you learn that things dont always go your way. Even when climbing without limit, like you own the world, a single slip of the tongue, a sentence poorly said, can make you fall all the way down to the bottom. That is life. Right as the old man finished speaking, I could start to sense something behind him. There were seven or so shadows slowly approaching. Seeing as I could feel immense mana from each of them, they seemed to all be magicians. And they werent just any old magicians either. Three or four of them were 6th-ss. With their appearance, the old magician continued his sophistry. People call me the great prophet who can see into the future. My foolish junior, do you know why? ...... It is because I can see peoples futures. Then, I shall see what will happen to you in 10 seconds. The old man who called himself a prophet screwed his eyes shut before opening them wide andughing maniacally, revealing his yellow teeth. I see it! I see it! I can see your death! Bang! A light spell was shot into the air, and the once dark road immediately brightened. * * * * * * The eight total magicians that had been hiding in the darkness had all been casting their own spells aimed at me. Fire, water, air, lightning, earth, light. Different types of spells were being readied without concern for synergy. This had enough destructive power to easily blow away a city, and they were all unhesitatingly aimed at me. This much force was hard to dodge, and a mana barrier wouldnt stand a chance. If I was to get hit by that, there would be no corpse to bury. But I didnt go anywhere, standing straight in the path of it all. Leave it to me. Rather than having me move, Straang stepped in front. Bang! Babababang! Straang jumped up and spun twice in the air, crashing her head straight into the spells with form and destroying each and every one of them. As for the ones without form, she merely absorbed them until nothing remained. Seeing this, the old magician was too surprised and started to crudely swear. Th-th-that wicked bitch! How did she not die?! Because she cant die. Cant die?! What nonsense are you spouting! There are no immortals in this world! Even the great magician at the boundary will die with old age! Nah, there are existences like that. Yeah. She was the incarnation of strength. An unkible, indestructible incarnation. There was only one way to put her out ofmission. By killing me, the contractor. Then Straang would be sealed as a spirit stone again and fall into a deep slumber until another yer appeared. But this was close to impossible to aplish. Why? Because I didnt have any intentions of dying here. I smirked and said to the old magician, Hey, gramps. ...... Are you really a great prophet? Its already been 10 seconds. Y-you Die! Kill him! ......! The magicians started to cast again, but I wasnt going to give them the time. I used the skill ''Chieftain''s Will to call forth Kunkhan before charging through them. Ting! Using Bend Time, I instantly rushed behind a magician and struck him with a fist. Crack! ......Kugh! Red blood burst out of the magicians mouth. It was a fatal blow. I immediately went to charge toward another magician, but found that I couldnt. KekeGot you! ......! The magician that I hit was holding onto my leg, even as blood streamed out from his mouth. I tried to shake him off, but I couldnt free myself from his grasp. The magician wastched onto me like he wanted us to die together, and I could see a purplish smokeing out of his palm. I knew what this spell was. ......Seal of Myul. It was a type of ck magic, something seen as taboo by magicians. ck magic was strong, but if one became addicted to it, the magic would dominate their mind. The ones who used this ck magic were known as warlocks. Seal of Myul was a spell created by the first warlock, Myul. It was a powerful ck magic spell where the caster wouldnt let go of anything it had grabbed and would constantly drain the lifeforce of the target. As I muttered the spells name, the old magician spoke as if he was quite surprised. Oh, you know this spell? Youre pretty smart. Mustve studied a lot. He then abruptly moved in front of me and started to cast the same spell again. Seal of Myul. Including the old man, the eight other magicians held the purple light in their palms, and as if they were branding me, they grabbed my neck, arms, and legs. Fwoooosh! ......Since youve seen this spell, you must now die. Well, you were bound to die anyway. Kugh. Clench! As their palms touched my skin, I felt as though my skin was burning. I tried to struggle, but the energy of the Seal of Myul prated deep into my body, so I couldnt even move. Straang tried to pull the magicians off of me, but as only a Rank 5, it was impossible for her to suppress all of them. ck magic. Damn it...... I had it as a possibility, but I didnt expect them to do this much. They would know the consequences of using ck magic very well. Their minds would get torn to shreds, be exhausted, and shrivel up. They would forget everything and die as cripples, their life energiespletely consumed by evil. But theyughed while they grabbed me as if it was just another problem for the future. We got you. We got the next-generational magician. Lets kill him. How should we kill him? Lets put a bug in his head. Let it gnaw at him. Crunch, crunch. Kekek. ...... I held onto my fading consciousness and red at the old magician. The old manughed with an unpleasantugh, finding amusement in this situation. I am your senior in life, but you are my senior in the afterlife. Yeah. How does it feel to die? ...... Dont feel too down. The path you shall travel wont be lonely. ......What do you mean by that? About now, your father and sister should both be dead as well. Didnt you know? What? My father and Ruina? Ahah, of course you didnt know. Because if you did, you wouldnt be here. So why did you oppose the guardian so much? Did you think you could win just because you got a bit famous? ...... I felt my blood boil with rage. For the first time in my life, I felt the desire to kill. To guarantee the deaths of the bastards before my eyes. As if possessed, I reached out with my hand. ......Kugh! The Seal of Myul eating away at the life force in my right arm was destroyed. My hand sped onto the head of the old magician in front of me. And then, without hesitation Die. Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Bolvar Patten had remained in Ardell for a long time, wielding the fishing rod rather than the spear. That was why most of the people there expected his skills to have deteriorated over the ages. But that was a very big misunderstanding. He had reached 7th-rank. This meant he had seen the end of the martial way, and he had experienced the limits of a human. Just because he didnt polish his spearmanship, that didnt mean his skills had disappeared. And since attaining 8th-rank was a matter of enlightenment, he had let go of the spear on purpose. And today He who had protected House Ardell for so many years lifted his long-unused spear. ......Reveal yourselves. Bor Patten spoke in a low voice. The only thing in the corridor was deep darkness, but from there, five shadows stepped forth. What? How did he know? You Who are you? How did you know we were here? Wait, isnt that Bolvar Patten? Huh? It actually is. We need to kill that guy too anyway. It works out, I guess. Looks like this will be quick. Yeah. Assassins. These guys who had sneaked into Ardell were all at least 6th-rank veteran assassins and seemed to be quite adept at hiding their presences. It wasnt that easy to find experts like these in the Kingdom. That was why it didnt take long to figure out whether they were hired by foreign powers or not. I would ask you why youre here, but thats pretty obvious. Besides, you wouldnt tell me anything like who sent you even if I asked. Keke. What are you doing? Everyone here knows how this goes. Bolvar Patten gripped the spear he was holding. Come at me, then. Bolvar Patten, nicknamed the Spear Saint. I heard that you were quite out and lively before but how many decades has it been since then? Lets see whether that skill died out or not. The five assassins moved in a near-inescapable formation as they charged at Bolvar. There was oneing from above, below, left, right, and the front. These assassins,ing in from every side, were like trained hounds. There was no ce to dodge, block, nor escape. But Bolvar didnt even flinch, and just stared them down. You dare do this here? His rage burned with the ferocity of the hottest ofvas. Ten years ago, he had been struck by guilt after not being able to save thedy of the territory he swore to protect, the mother of Ruin Ardell, Meria Ardell. And this guilt swallowed him even now. Although he would never be able to redeem himself, if he wanted to alleviate even some of this guilt, he must have his revenge. Maybe that was why, but the tip of Bolvars spear carried no mercy. Wooosh! Fwoooosh! Slice! For just a moment, mes burst from the tip of his spear as he sliced off the heads of two of the assassins. Hot blood sttered across Bolvars face, but that wasnt enough to quell his furor. H-huak! One assassin, who had lost his wrist instead of his neck, fell into a state terror and instinctively took a few steps back. The monster in front of his eyes was beyond his imagination. A-arent you 7th-rank......? 7th! Although it differed person to person, a typical 7th-rank knight could easily face four 6th-rank knights. But this situation shouldnt have been the same. Why? Because they were the Shadowless Company, infamous no matter where you were on the continent. As they were professionals at fulfilling requests for assassinating high-ranking figures, they had already faced 7th-rank knights multiple times. They had killed more than ten in the Empire alone. Wasnt Bolvar Patten an old knight far past his prime? How was he able to kill two of them with a single strike, and with such ease, too? There was only one answer. The assassins face crumpled with fear. You...... You were 8th-rank? An 8th-rank knight. A knight who had already exceeded human limits. Just how could any assassin dare to attack a ce protected by an 8th-rank knight? Just which idiotmissioned them to kill an 8th-rank knight? The assassins started to reflexly curse. Bengrass you bastard! You hid information about the target! We wouldnt have epted this fucking request even if you doubled, no, tripled the pay! One of the assassins blurted out the name of their requester and deeply groaned, and Bolvar nodded, seemingly having understood the situation. ......Bengrass? Bengrass Kegen? So its that guy. ...... Theres nothing I need to hear from you guys now, so die. Although it wasnt known to the world yet, it had already been quite a while since Bolvar Patten had reached 8th-rank. It was just that there was no reason to make it known. Bolvar took another step forward and thrusted his spear. The whirlwind produced at the tip of his spear quietly raged on, massacring the assassins inplete silence However...... Uh- I- Oh- Uh...... Bolvar kept one assassin alive, the one whose wrist had been cut off. He had a message to give to Bengrass, the who had nned this whole assassination. Clench! Bolvar gripped the assassins head and said in a low voice, Go and tell this to Bengrass Kegen so its nice and clear. Uh...... Huah! Uuh Ill soon pay him a visit myself to repay todays debt. Nod nod. The assassin, consumed by fear, nodded as if trying to break his own neck. As Bolvar went to throw the assassin out of the mansion, he spoke with an expression that could create nothing but terror. Do not set foot anywhere even near Ardell ever again. * * * * * * Die. If my hand reached him, hed explode. The expression of the old man with their head caught in my hand became weird. Bang! And it exploded, just like that. ......Huak, haak! Blood spurted out of the now-headless body, and as if an old tree was felled, it slumped down to the ground. Seeing this, the other warlocks stepped back in shock. In that instant, my mind had gone nk. Kill them. Just like Destroyer of Worlds Draka did. Only the thought of destroying them remained in my head. Without a moment of nning or consideration, I used the skills that I had saved up, and a huge summoning gate the size of Kunkhan formed inside the illusion field. And from that gate ......O-ogre. The living artifact Kingram walked out, a giant iron axe in each hand. What did you call me for? Kill them all. Alright. As he finished speaking, Kingram moved with a speed unbefitting of hisrge size as he charged toward the magicians. Kuuuaaack! Aaaaaack! Vwoong! The iron axes started to tear the magicians into lifeless chunks of flesh, leaving no room for mercy. They were cut down one after the other like the leaves in autumn. From the des of Kingrams axes flew the heads of many, waiting not a moment for respite. I also didnt hesitate a single bit, unlike how I acted when facing the Wicked Mage in front of Sky Mountain. They had touched something they never should have. Father and Ruina. That was why they must die. I felt everything go nk for a moment. What was being destroyed by my flying fists? Who was being killed by the spells I used? I couldnt tell. The moment I acknowledged it, that someone was dying by my hands In the blink of an eye, I had in another. A bitter, Straang was the one to stop my seemingly possessed killing of warlocks. Stop. You can stop now. ...... As I looked around, all the warlocks had died in horrific ways. All but one. One warlock was alive, practically vomiting blood. C-cough! Keke...... This... Youre an insane bastard. Cough! Whats the difference between you and us? ...... As I instinctively went to punch that guy in the face, Straang grabbed my arm again. Let go. Its not time to kill him yet. We need to question him first. Theres nothing to ask. We can just kill them all and Why are you like this? Its not like anything happened in Ardell yet. Lets trust in Bolvar Patten. Hes much stronger than you think. ...... Wake up. If you go insane because of that strength, youll be like Draka. Dont you know what became of him? Draka, the Destroyer of Worlds. He went insane from his infinite power and destroyed his world. But I was different. ......Ok. I pushed aside the killing intent making my mind go nk and grabbed the warlock by his neck, lifting him off of the ground. Tell me everything you know. Tell me what happened in Ardell. C-cough......! Everything I know? Keke You won''t like what you hear, though. Speak. C-cough......! Have you heard of Shadow Company? Its an elite assassination group made up of veterans 6th-rank or higher. Five assassins have already arrived in Ardell. About now, your father and sister will be gone from this wor Kuack! ......! The reason I was surprised was because I wasnt the one who killed this warlock. A ck spear had flown in from somewhere and stabbed through the back of this warlock, killing him immediately. As I looked in the direction the spell came from I came here just in case, but...... Tsk. Useless bastards. For these things to be subordinates of Galehill. In that ce stood the mastermind behind everything here. Josh Galehill. You dare touch my father and sister......! I didnt hide my hostility toward him. But he stayed weirdly confident and rxed. Ruin Ardell, this is why it wouldve been better if you stayed quiet in the Academy. Wouldnt it have been better if you didnt get on our nerves? But you yed around too much. You got on my nerves. And so, all Ardells on the continent must die. You son of a bitch! I tried to charge at Josh, but maybe because I had let down my guard too much, or because the level of a 7th-ss magician replicated with artifacts was too great Fwoop! A small and fast arrow flew at me, and I didnt even notice it grazing my shoulder. Poison Arrow. This was another ck magic spell used by warlocks. Itll probably be hard for you to move for the next half a day. ...... The Poison Arrow started topletely dull my senses. My walking felt awkward, and strength couldnt be put into my fists. On top of that, I had already used up Kingrams 10-minute summon time. Crack. I grinded my teeth. I tried to use all my strength to move my body, so much so that it felt like Id cough up blood, but it didnt go as I wanted. Damn it. I wasnt able to do anything with that bastard right in front of me. Die, Ruin Ardell. ......! Purple smoke started to flow out of his palm before copsing into a spear of darkness, and soon. he flung toward me. I clenched my eyes shut. I thought this would be the end, but nothing happened. As I opened my eyes, I saw in front of me a Mana Barrier sorge that one would normally only see it in books, protecting me. And before me D-Director...... Thest pride of the Kingdom. Archmage Tirion Ignit. The Director was ring at Josh Galehilll, fury in his eyes. At his unexpected entrance, Josh also muttered in shock, ......Tirion Ignit? Why is the Director? The Director burned with a rage that I had never before seen on his face, and he lifted his staff. Josh Galehill! A tremendous storm formed, and the entire capital shook. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Illusion Field. A spell that created a type of false world. Since it also included a barrier to prevent normal civilians approaching it, no one could know what happened inside it. But its size couldnt be infinite, no matter how strong the magician was. Even when eight 6th-ss magicians came together, it only covered 30-odd meters. Also, it couldnt be perfectly hidden. An outstanding magician would be able to detect the unnatural flow of mana in the middle of the capital. This meant that they could find the Illusion Field and enter it, just like what the Director of the Academy, Tirion Ignit, just did. The most fatal weakness of this spell was that, when up against a higher-level spell than the caster, it was easily dispersed and broken. So, just like this Josh Galehiiiiill!!! ......! Crrrrrrrack! At the Directors thundering roar, the Illusion Field started to break down and disperse into nothingness. Simultaneously, a huge hurricane started to whirl around. Against the merciless magic force clearing up everything in the surroundings, Josh Galehill muttered in panic, U-Uwah......! Tirion! Are you trying to blow away the entire capital in an attempt to catch me?! It was as he said. BABABABABABABANG! The Illusion Field crumbled, and a hurricane reaching far above the clouds was rampaging in the middle of the capital. However, unfortunately for him Only you shall face its wrath, Josh Galehill. The destruction Josh Galehill spoke of was nowhere to be seen. Before Tirion brought forth the hurricane, he had set up a Protection Field, and this field protected the entirety of the capital. Unless one was a 7th-ss magician, they couldnt even try to do something like this. Shoooowoooo! The might of this storm focussed only on one thing. ......Not only did you dabble in that despicable ck magic, but you even touched my student. Josh Galehill. Enraged, Tirion reached his hand into the air and started to control the movement of the hurricane. And in an instant, Josh Galehill had been consumed by it. * * * BABABABANG! The hurricane that appeared from nowhere in the middle of the capital blew about with incredible power, threatening to destroy every living thing in the area. Kyaaaaaaa! R-run away! And because of this, civilians were running out of their homes, screaming. The capital became filled with people trying to escape, and the streets fell into chaos. But something was wrong. ......Wait, why is nothing happening? Nothing had happened. There were certain expectations for hurricanes. They were things that would blow away homes and raise the water in the river that goes through the capital into a flood. A great monster of nature that would eat up and destroy every living thing. But this hurricane felt like an illusion with how little damage it was doing. The people understood a stepter. A barrier? This is a barrier! I-its magic! Magic is protecting us! A thick protectiveyer created by a 7th-ss magician was protecting the entire capital. After the confirmation that they were safe, the civilians that had ran out stood in a daze as they witnessed the incredible spell. The hurricane,rger than one could possiblyprehend, was something the spectators could not take their eyes off of. But what are the guards doing right now? Eh? Oh yeah. Where did they all go? The guards that were supposed to be protecting the capital The guards that were supposed to be protecting them Not a single one of those guards were to be found. * * * * * * Where would be the best ce to see the hurricane that had appeared in the middle of the capital? Even if someone didnt know the answer, they mightve said the pce, as it was one of the tallest buildings in the capital. At that time, while the civilians were running away screaming, the First Prince Croster Radian shouted with frustration, You cant confirm what is going on out there? Just what do you mean by that? Th-thats...... There isnt a single soldier outside the pce... There isnt a soldier in the streets of the capital? What nonsense is that? I-I dont know the specifics of it either. Were currently checking up on them right now but the only thing found was that the guards assigned today were all part of Galehills Galehill? m! The First Prince mmed his fist into the table. So, the Galehills are scheming something again. The reason he was this angry wasnt because of something like a sense of justice or his responsibility as a prince. In his situation, where he was fighting against the Second Prince, Foster Radian, he needed the strength of the Galehills more than anyone else. However They are acting like they own this nation. This was rted to his honor as the prince. They had created a scene visible to all in the middle of the capital, a ce where the princes and the king himself could see it. And he was able to guess to a certain sense what they were up to. Croster, who was able to at least get an eye for things after his long political war, was able to work out the situation as soon as he heard the name of Galehill. Ruin Ardell is in danger. ......Wh-who? Send our most elite soldiers to that location at once! No! Ill go there myself. Y-your highness will go there himself? That wont do! Its too dangerous! We must check what the situation is first before we ...... The reason 1st prince Croster was moving himself was simple. They say that danger is often the road to opportunity. It was obvious that the person the Galehills were aiming for was Ruin Ardell, who had definitelye on a tour to the capital today. In this situation, by protecting Ruin who was in danger, he would be able to gain some points from him. And also The citizens of my kingdom are there. I, as the next king, must save them myself. If I dont, then who will? Aah! I couldnt see your grand picture, your highness! As the prince of this kingdom, gaining the respect and love of the terrified citizens by saving them was a bonus. And one more thing. Using this opportunity, Ill weaken the power of House Galehill and strengthen the royal family. What seemed like just two birds with one stone became three with how incredible of a n it was. I need to arrive before my younger brother. Hurry up. Yes sir! Of course, these were allpletely calcted in a political sense, No matter what he was thinking on the inside, it couldnt be denied that this was a tremendous responsibility that, as a prince, he must carry out. While the First Prince was preparing to go out while looking proud of himself Hmm? ......No. The Second Prince, Foster Radian, ran out while wearing a fancy looking armor, and the two faced each other in the corridor. The First Prince asked with a look of difort, Where are you running out sote in the night? Naturally, I am going to fulfill my duty as a prince of this kingdom. But where are you going? I am the same. The two were twins. Their thoughts were also pretty simr. It looks like youll be going to the same ce as me. But dont bother, go and rest. I alone am enough. Thats what I should be saying to you. I, Croster Radian, as the First Prince, must go and punish the Galehill scum that has sullied the honor of the royal family and endangered the capital. Do not try to send me back. I know you just want to look good in front of Ruin. ...... Are you not going? Then, Ill be going first. The two red at each other as they got on their horses. But, of course, they were headed the same way. * * * A fake cannot defeat the real thing. A fake 7th-ss magician, Josh Galehill, didnt even stand a chance against a real 7th-ss archmage, Director Tirion Ignit. D-Director? The students of the academy who had rushed out of the inn due to themotion couldnt help but stare in awe at the Directors real skill. I wasnt all that different. Its different. The feeling I got when I faced those 6th-ss magicians before as a 5th-ss. The feeling that, maybe, just maybe, I could even face a 7th-ss magician. It shattered. The shock I felt was simr to the one when I first experienced Sir Bolvar Pattens skills. I thought I was strong. I thought I had even be decently powerful. But I was still far off. The Director had such a terrifying skill behind that face that always thought of the students first and treated us warmly. That person Thats our Director, right? The Director that I know? I-I also want to know. Am I seeing this right? I dont know why the Director is fighting against Guardian Josh Galehill but how is he so overpowering? Werent they both 7th-ss? ...... The Director had perfectly suppressed Josh Galehill before restraining the now-fainted Josh with Mana Bind. Mana Bind restricts the flow of mana from the targets mana heart. This was practically the same as removing that heart. Seemingly not satisfied with this, the Director also used a high-ranking binding spell, Solid Rope, something impossible to dispel. This was because Josh Galehill had used ck magic. After tying him up like that, he walked toward me and asked, Ruin, are you ok? Ah, yes Thanks to you, Director. Didnt I warn you that it would be dangerous? ...... The Director kept his promise to not just watch me fall into danger. He did so even knowing that his direct intervention was dangerous for him, too. He put his hand on my shoulder. Something horrifying may have happened if I arrived anyter. Using cleansing magic, he removed the poison inside my body. It was then. The First Prince has arrived! The Second Price has arrived! Hundreds of soldiers approached us from the direction of the pce. Leading this group were two faces I was quite familiar with. S-Sir Ruin! ...... It was the twin princes. As soon as they arrived, they leapt off of their horses and ran up to me. They were in such a hurry that Ah! Ouch! the First Prince tripped on a rock and fell over. Using this opportunity, the Second Prince, Foster Radian, ran up to me and asked, Sir Ruin Ardell, are you alright? ......Yes, Im fine. My eyes started to darken on my way here, worried that something may have happened to you. Touch here. Do you feel it? My heavily beating heart? ...... The Second Prince snatched up my hand and put it on his heart. Not wanting to lose, the First Prince got up and ran next to my side before going to his knees and loudly reciting a prayer. Our Lord Frelia, thank you for protecting my most precious servant. ...... The prayer seemed quite off. In any case, themotion that happened in the early morning ended with that. The twin princes both went up to the bound and unconscious Josh Galehill and started to curse him out. You dare touch my precious Sir Ruin? And even cause an uproar in the middle of the capital......? You rotten bastard. This is a challenge to the royal family, and treason. I will go to my father right now to round up everyst Galehill. This is the first time we agree in a while, Brother. This is treason. And since it has been confirmed that he has learnt forbidden ck magics, we must detain every Galehill in the continent. ...... But there was one thing that hadnt been solved yet. I got up from where I sat with a dazed look. Sir Ruin, where are you going? ......I need to find out what happened in Ardell. Chapter [NaN] Chapter [NaN] Dear readers, As you all might have noticed, the release rate for this novel over thest few months has been irregr, for which I apologize and bring you this long-overdue project update. I, Artethraxthe proofreader of Mightiest Melee Magicianhave been struggling with the health issue of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) for thest few months and, as such, haven''t been able to maintain a clear schedule. (For those who dont know, RSI is basically damage to the muscles after excessive overuse.) But now, as my body slowly recovers, I am happy to announce that I should be able to start returning to consistent uploads. With my current condition, the n is to do 2-3 chapters per week going forward. I apologize again for failing tomunicate with you all earlier. Thank you for following the journey of Ruin Ardell for so long with all your love and support, and I wish you all a happy new year. Sincerely, Artethrax Chapter 117 Chapter 117 There wasnt a mana train to Ardell, nor a resident magician there. That was why, to get any news regarding Ardell from the capital, I needed to ask Ardells closest trade city, Monzo. The half a day where I waited to hear any news from Ardell was probably the longest half a day in my life. They say that theyre all fine. Lord Dellin Ardell had already increased overall vignce against potential assassins, and the Knight Captain of Ardell, Sir Bolvar Patten, was said to have dispatched of five assassins that had sneaked into the mansion. Oh! ...... What a relief. After hearing that everyone was fine, the strength in my legs gave out, and I sat on the floor. And he said that he knows who sent the assassins. The one who sent the assassins? Wasnt it obviously Josh Galehill?. Yes. However, he had aplices. The Knight Captain of the Golden Light Knight Order, Sir Bengrass Kegen. ......Sir Bengrass? Damn it. Theyre all rotten to the core. This moment would probably be recorded in the history of the Radian Kingdom. It was the moment where the two major powers of sword and spell that had supported the Kingdom crumbled away simultaneously. With my authority, Bengrass Kegen will immediately be removed from the position of Knight Captain of the Golden Light Knight Order, and Josh Galehills authority over the magic tower and his position as Guardian will also be stripped from him. We receive your orders. Your Highness, since the positions they held were all high ranking, if both of them be vacant at the same time, chaos may ensue. You must also appoint someone to take over their positions, even if only temporarily. The Knight Captain position will be given to the Vice-Captain for now, and Josh Galehills tower membership and Guardian authority...... The eyes of both the Twin Princesnded on the Director. Could the Director help us out for a bit? Your highness, Im just an old The Director shook his head with embarrassment Yes. We know better than anyone that you dont want anything to do with politics. However, as you can see, the situation isnt that great. Youre the only one I can trust, Director. For now, until a sessor can be established, I entrust this to you. but the princes used their eloquent speech to make him an offer he couldnt refuse. ...... After mulling it over for a while ......Just until a sessor is put in ce. The Director had no choice but to ept, and the princes silently shouted in delight, turning their heads so the Director couldnt see it. The stories about the effort the princes had put in to try and get the Director into the capital were known by almost everyone. But the Director believed that an educator doing politics was nonsense, and as such, had declined all their offers until now. However, the princes used this situations danger to create the opportunity they so desperately wanted. Even if I didnt know everything that would happen, I could guess that itd take at least a few years for a sessor to be found. So, with this, is the situation cleaned up for now? Josh Galehill had been taken to an underground prison, and Bengrass Kegen became a wanted man. Most of the supporters that once followed them had turned their backs. The Galehills were dismissed from all their high-ranking positions, and now needed to find a new way to live life. At this moment, as the powers that maintained the kingdom found their positions crumble from beneath them, the princesughed. Elder brother, dont you have something left to discuss with me? What something? The vacant Knight Captain position. I want a person from my side to fill it. Lets talk about that at another time. Positions of power werent things that would be empty. Not even for a moment. When one power crumbled, it was only natural for another one that had been hungrily eyeing that position to reveal themselves. History had repeated multiple times. The powers that were with the Galehills and Bengrass Kegen would be distributed to the Twin Princes. Of course, it wasnt that bad for me either. Although the princes were involved in politics, they at least werent rotten to their cores. They still had some pride left as the princes of the kingdom, and they wanted this kingdom to prosper and go down the right path. On top of that, werent the princes both on my side? Its a pity that, despite Sir Ruining to the capital like this, you had to endure some terrible things. I feel the same as my elder brother. If you want, I wish to let you forget these terrible memories and to share a drink with you with light hearts Wait, a drink? Isnt Sir Ruin still only 16? Didnt you drink when you were 16, elder brother? I do remember you being drunk and going over the castle walls in the early hours of the morning You brat. Silence. ...... Well, they were still quite noisy. * * * * * * The summit of fanciness in the heart of the Raynac Empires capital of Ravirdyne. The dwelling of the Crown Prince. The Peony Pce. There, a disheveled blonde-hairedd walked in. As soon as the man entered the pce, he bowed deep onto the ground and shouted, I-I greet His Highness the Crown Prince! ...... He banged his head into the ground as he prostrated, but paid it no mind as he stayed frozen in his position. This man was the eldest son of House Ghill, Jakil Galehill. He had fled from his wanted order and came this deep into the Empire. Jakil had to use all his might to open his quivering lips before saying, T-to be able to meet the Crown Prince. It is a great honor for the Gale Stop. The Crown Prince raised his hand, signaling that he didnt want to hear any more. The man whomanded unparalleled level of authority on his throne, Crown Prince Chaurmetan Raynac, asked him, Ok. So you requested asylum in the Empire? Y-yes! That''s right. Including this humble one, mycking brothers, and the magicians of my family, about 40 people wish to seek asylum in the The reason? T-to support Your Great Highness even a little bit and for the future of this glorious Boring. I-I apologize. As the man next in line for the title of Emperor, Chaurmetan Raynac was at the center of all powers. Naturally, he was already tired of this type of ttery poured on him every day. The things that would move him werent those that gave extreme praises, but those that would ignite his curiosity. Something like the young man who, even thought knew that he was talking to the Crown Prince, didnt even back down and said everything he wanted. Just like that Ruin Ardell kid. Seemingly having gotten bored, the Crown Prince picked his ears and then asked, already sounding tired of this, What sins did youmit? ......I beg your pardon? The Galehills boasted the greatest power in that small nation. Why did you leave your country and seek asylum in the Empire? I-it was because of an assassination attempt. An assassination attempt? Just that created the rift between the Royal Family and House Galehill? Did you perhaps try to assassinate the king himself? That Thats not it. As Jakil Galehill hesitated and didnt give an answer, the Crown Prince clicked his tongue. No matter how small a nation the Radian Kingdom is, its unjust for us to ept the Galehills, who fled aftermiting a crime. Rather, I think that just capturing you right here and right now before sending you to Radian would help my reputation even more. What do you think? ...... Jakil Galehill froze in an instant and was left unable to respond. An expected and normal reaction. It seems theres no reason for me to ept your request. The Crown Prince waved his hand with boredom. Go home. Although I cannot ept your request for asylum, I will not capture you either. A total rejection. At that, having no ce left to go, Jakil was barely able to open his heavy lips. R-Ruin It was Ruin Ardell. Hearing this, the crown prince regained his interest as his eyes lit up. Ruin? It was a totally unexpected name. And having heard this very curious name Are you talking about the Ruin Ardell that I know? Yes. That is correct. Jakil had seeded in grabbing the Crown Princes attention, and he was able to buy a little more time. Galehill attempted to assassinate Ruin Ardell and failed, and just that was enough to make Galehill''s authority crumble? Yes, yes. That is correct. Ruin Ardell is receiving the total favor of both the Twin Princes of the Kingdom The favor of the princes? Hearing Jakil Galehills answer, the Crown Prince narrowed his eyes. Crown Prince Chaurmetan Raynac had a bit of a hobby. He liked to collect jewels. And there was no jewel in the world that he couldnt obtain. This was because, if there was such a jewel, he would destroy it. His eyes, once filled with interest, had started to show traces of jealousy. So, in the end, hes someone I cant obtain. This jealousy he felt right now was that of a childs after getting their candy stolen. The Crown Prince muttered toward Jakil, who was still on the floor, ......Lets have some tea. * * * The capital tour that was shaky to begin with had talks of being canceled after the event at night. But in the end, it was decided that the rest of the tour would go as nned. Thanks to this, I was able to stay at the capital for a few more days. Have you heard? About what? During these few days, a weird rumor was going around. I heard that Michael Galehill is dropping out. Dropping out? Really? Yeah. I heard he finished all his paperwork, too. Theres no way. Hes dropping out when graduation is right around the corner? A rumor about how Michael Galehill, who hadnt been seen these days, was dropping out. Although it was a pity, since graduation wasnt that far away, it was an understandable decision. His father, Josh Galehill, was currently imprisoned in the underground prison, and the magicians of House Galehill that he trusted in and who followed him had all dispersed. On top of that, the eldest son of the Galehills, Jakil Galehill, who was supposed to lead the family in the future, had disappeared without a trace. I heard he joined the rebel nation of Perna. No, a little birdie told me that he was seen on a mana train. What are you talking about? I heard he was dead. My father said he reached the eastern port city of Majeross. Which ones the truth? Jakil had disappeared without a trace. Leaving to Perna, seeking asylum in the Empire, dead, and so on and so forth. There were only rumors, and nothing was confirmed. The one thing that was known was thatexcluding Josh Galehill, who was imprisonedall Galehills had left the Kingdom to hide. This rumor had spread across the entirety of the Kingdom. Have you heard? Galehill copsed. I heard that its now the world of Ardell. Galehills defeat. Ardells victory. This news started to spread from many ces in the capital, and not just among the nobles. The entire kingdom heard it. The important part was now. It was just as they said. The world of Ardell hade. And so, 3 months passed. Chapter 118 Chapter 118 Ruin. What? So are you really not going to the blind date? ...... This guy was too crazy for women. Theyre the super pretty Royal Training Center female knights! Hit me harder with your swords! Imagining it right now, isnt it Please, shut up. It had already been three months since wed returned to the Academy after the capital tour. During that time, the flow of power had shifted, the world had changed, and everything was flipped on its head. And yet he was going on about women this, and women that. It was nearly enough for me to respect him for it. The only change Jason went through thesest 3 months was his hair growing a bit longer. Jason. Graduation is literally around the corner. Its not time to be talking about girls. After taking the graduation test, the graduation ceremony would be right there. Graduation. Ah, what a word. These six years of academy life that felt both too long and too short were nowing to an end. Just thinking about the word graduation made me feel uneasy, but Jason just shrugged, seemingly not seeing the importance of it. The graduation test? In the end, thats just a ceremony to look good for the nobles. Im gonna be going down to Ardell with you anyways, so whats the point? I havent made the decision to take you with me yet. Ruin! Are you really gonna be like that? Kek. Thats why you should try a bit harder. You can definitely be much stronger if you just tried more. Well, what Jason said wasntpletely wrong. Although the graduation test changed a little year by year, the essence of it was the same. It was a stage inviting many nobles of the Kingdom to see the students show off their skills in front of them. After this test ended, the nobles would start to scout students, and the students would take their first steps into the world of true magicians. In a sense, rather than a test, it was more like a performance. And just like Jason, it didnt mean much to me, either. I had no intention of epting anyones offer. However, in another sense, it was an important test. The next-generational magician, Ruin Ardell. In this current age, where Galehill had copsed and the Director was aging, the graduation test was a stage to tell the entire world who Ardell, the magic house that would lead the next age, really was. Since the people of Ardell, Father included, would be visiting the Academy on this rare asion, it was true that I needed to give a memorable performance. Alright! Then Ill go get special training for the graduation test. Ill definitely get a good grade so you are forced to take me with you. Huhu. ...... Ah, is that so? But I dont really think something like that would happen. Then again, there was no reason to break my friends fantasy. I stifled myughter and smacked Jason on the shoulder. Do your best. Alright! The weather was starting to get cold. With the smell of graduation in the air, winter wasing. * * * Winter had arrived. And with it, a new year. As numerous as the white snow that fell in the cold winter, many nobles came to the Academy. Whether they be from the capital, or any of the surrounding territories, nobles from all over the Kingdom came to the Academy. They didnt alle for the same reason, either. Some wanted to find skilled magicians to work for their territory. Others Its him. The genius magician that the Galehills tried to assassinate. Aah. I should at least go and introduce myself. Dont bother. Even the princes feel the need to treat him with respect. They ever made a decree to never bother him. Ugh. It cant be helped. They came to see me. However, maybe because of the special decree by the princes to not bother me, I could ignore that reason and focus my entirety on the final reason. Father! To watch their sons and daughters take thest test in the Academy. It was the same for Ardell. I found the insignia of the owl that represented Ardell and waved. ......Father? Shh. Looks like its Lord Dellin Ardell. And the group of people that were now gathered at the Academys entrance grabbed my attention. The carriage that came through the main gates wasnt as fancy nor as sturdy as the carriages the other nobles rode in on. But that humble carriage brought in faces I was happier to see than any other in the world. Bro! Ruina! Already having grown quite a bit sincest time, Ruina leaned out of the carriage to wave her hands. As soon as the carriage stopped, she jumped off and ran up to me. Ruin! I hugged Ruina as she ran in toward me, and getting off the carriage a little awkwardly behind her was ......Father. Ruin. How have you been? I ran up to my father and hugged him. And then Oh my! Young Master, it has been but a moment since Ist saw you, but youve be much stronger already. Ehem. Ive alsoe. Thanks to the Young Master, Im able toe visit the Academy as well. Behind my father, I could see the spear knight that always protected my father, Sir Bolvar Patten, and also Chief of Affairs Baggins. I smiled and greeted them, but also apologized. Sorry. Its all because of me. The apology was for the assassins that came to Ardell. It was an undeniable fact that my actions had endangered my family. However, my father smiled lightly, brushing it off as nothing serious. Its fine. Rather, I am proud that you didntpromise your morals or go down the wrong path. ...... The words I am proud of you that I was able to hear from my father. Not even what I felt when I won the Grand Festival was anything close to this. An emotion burst forth from somewhere deep within my heart, but I barely suppressed it, and only found myself smiling. And Sir Bolvar. Thank you so much. Young Master, I only did what was expected of me. As we were having this conversation, Ruina asked me, But Ruin, whos this girl? ......Eh? * * * * * * As I turned my head, I saw Straang standing next to me. I couldnt even lie and tell my family that she was a cousin, so I just awkwardlyughed. But Ruina narrowed her eyes in doubt. Ruin. Just because big sis isnt here, you went and got a new girlfriend? What? How could you do this to Irene? I know youre Ruin, but this is a bit disappointing. Wh-what are you talking about? Shes just a friend, a friend! This little kid She already knows the secrets of the adult world. Right? ...... As I pinched Straangs elbow, she nodded against her will. But Ruina didnt seem to believe me, narrowing her eyes even further. Oh my goodness. Since Straang was always next to me, I didnt think too much about it, but how was Ruina able to question that right away? It seemed that Ruina was also impressive in multiple ways. Then, a dark shadow suddenly popped out from the side. Hello everyone! I have heard a lot about you, Mr. Ardell! Ah, but who are? I am Ruins best friend, Jason Damon. Its the Damon that youre thinking about, with the famous brewery. Haha! Jason. He, who was number one in the continent for sociability, was already calling my father Mr. Ardell and getting close to him. However So youre Ruins younger sister? Was your name Ruby? Its Ruina, not Ruby. Ahahah! Right, right. Ruina! Ruina Ardell! He looks like an idiot. ......Ruin, she really is your sister. It seemed he failed at getting Ruinas approval. In any case, just like how my family came to the Academy to see me, many other families of the students also came to see their children. The graduation test wasnt strict like the other, normal tests. It was something closer to a meeting to look back on the year and bring it to a sessful close. And in this meeting, I could see other familiar and wee faces that I hadnt expected. Ruin. Hello. Eh? Hansen? Why are you here? What about the training center? We already finished a week ago, so I came here to see you. Hansen and his sister, the one who prepared that nd food for me before, hade to see me at the Academy. Hansen had a si on his chest that signified that he hadpleted his knightly vow and be an official knight. As Iughed while pointing at it, Hansen scratched his head in his bashfulness. Then, Ill go watch you from the spectator seats. Good luck on your test. Yeah, Ill see youter. And it wasnt just Hansen that hade to the Academy. What? Seta Malkiri? Hey, hows it going? The rtionship I had forged in the Grand Festival. Although we didnt get off to a good start, we ended up bing good friends. Seta Malkiri of the Oyota National Magic Institute hade here. How did you get here? What do you mean how? I took the mana train. After all, Im not a student like you, but an official, graduated magician. You graduated? When? Hehe. About three days ago. But the friends from the Grand Festival didnt end with him. I didnte alone. Then? Irene Prius is also here. She was the one who told me about your graduation day. ......Eh? Irene Prius popped her neck out from behind Seta. Standing around like this, it reminds me of the old days. As one team in the Grand Festival, we Irene! You really came? Fufu. I told you I would. ......Are you guys listening? My goodness. Even Irene was here. My small circle of friends were all here. Im feeling a bit of pressure now. On top of this Sir Ruin! So you were here. Do you know how much I did toe find you as soon as I arrived at the Academy? I put in more effort than my elder brother. Please remember that. Red and blue. Just like always, without fail, the Twin Princes appeared with their fancy carpets. Oh, so you are? ......I greet the princes. Its Lord Dellin Ardell! Please, get up. Youre not someone who should kneel on this dirt floor. We need to go somewhere warm and have a long talk over some tea Where should we go? Aha! Would you like toe to my carriage? Itsfortable and wide enough to fit ten! Ahem! Younger Brother, am I not having a long talk with Lord Ardell right now? You are the one interfering with me, Elder Brother. Dont think you have the upperhand just because you were born a minute earlier than me. You dare? ...... It really was the Ruin-Ardell-knowers gathering. Just a little mistake here could turn me into aughing stock. Then, the fifth-year student representative announced in a loud voice, The graduation tests of the students will soon begin! The nobles that had gathered around the main gate started to file into Arena Hall, where the test would be held. Then, Ill see you guys in a bit. Ruin! If you mess up, Ill never let you hear the end of it, so straighten up! Y-yeah. This was a very unfamiliar and awkward situation for me, but I couldnt hide my strange tion, and a small smile appeared on my face. Yeah. It was the final test. There was no point getting nervous because everyone was watching, right? Lets just do it like how I always do. I was about to go into Arena Hall with a light heart, until ......Eh? I met eyes with someone. Two people were looking at me from a fair distance away, and although I definitely hadnt seen them before Why did they feel so familiar? One was a middle-aged man, and the other was a young man that looked 20-odd years younger. Just looking at the two, they seemed like father and son. No way. Yeah. They were also people I knew. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 The graduation test. Although this test had existed every year, the exact contents of it always changed year to year. Duels, subjugation, ry race, trap disarming, poison neutralization. They mixed a few of the categories and presented them as a single assessment. They usually did abination of about three categories, and there were two reasons for this. The first was to keep the contents of the test hidden from the students before it started. And the second was to test the overall ability of students to react. As this was how the graduation test was like, we would call it the Challenge. And the Challenge for this year had been announced. So its Istion, cier, and Destruction. Istion. All students would start in apletely sealed, cubic room. The first part of the Challenge would be to use magic to escape the Istion room. cier. The second part was to safely navigate through a dangerous cier field. And finally, Destruction. The test would end if you could use magic to destroy a sturdy stone wall that was resistant to most spells. All these tasks would need to bepleted within 15 minutes, and the 10 students taking the test together would start at the same time. The faster you finished, the higher your ranking, and the students who couldnt finish the test would receive the lowest marks. I looked at the final test in my life and nodded. Seems easy. The students who had experienced the Grand Festival, me included, would find these to be quite familiar challenges. As I was about to enter this test with rtively high spirits ......We need to do that? Most of the students who saw the challenges structure were shaking their heads. My father came all the way here to see me Itd be a relief if I could just not mess up in front of him. Same for me. You know that senior who graduatedst year, right? That student who pissed his pants in the final test in front of all those nobles and got made fun of? Of course. You also made fun of him a lot. I just thought of him, but this time feeling like Ill be in his position. ...... Just like every year, the test itself wasnt that hard. It was made with the average level of the graduating students in mind. Maybe that was why, in the middle of the testing grounds, a certain phrase started to make its rounds. Ruin will be the top student anyway. And most of the spectators were here to see that happen. Even those two men watching me while hidden amongst the crowd. ......Straang. Yeah? Those two men I gestured to the pair of them with my chin. I feel like I definitely know them. Hearing my words, Straang replied quite simply, Yeah, youre right. You do know them. Really? But how do you know that? I am an Incarnation, not constricted by shape or form. Do you think that kind of Disguise will work on me? Disguise? Disguise was a spell that could change a persons face, also called Change Face or False Identity. A high-ranking spell that even 6th-ss magicians found hard to cast. However, since it wasnt always perfect, a low-level caster would have some parts be unstable, and the spell wouldntst long, either. Also, if one could detect the casters mana, the spell was easily seen through. I heard that 7th-ss magicians were able to not just change their face, but their entire body, too. Who were those men who could use Disguise to near perfection? At that moment, a name entered my mind. ......Fire King Teron. Thats right. And next to him No way The Crown Prince? I could tell this by the feel of his gaze. In the second figures gaze, I could feel aplicated sense of jealousy. And I guessed correctly. Thats right. Its that perverted crown prince who treated you like a toy. Teron changed his face for him, but it looks like he cant hide that disgustingness radiating off of him. ...... Fire King Teron and Crown Prince Chaurmetan Raynac. Why were they here? If they had visited normally, this wouldve been an official event. But they used Disguise to hide their identities for some reason, meaning that their visit was for personal reasons. Only one reason came to mind. ......Is it for me? Obviously. Why else would they be here? Its already been half a year since the Grand Festival ended. They would be curious to see how much stronger youve be. Yeah. I was stronger. Across thest three or so months, although I missed a few, I tried my best toplete the quests every day. Thanks to this, my strength had at some point surpassed 9,900. But what did this have to do with them? Theyll definitely try and make the same offer to you. Toe under them. ...... The crooked desire of the Crown Prince veiled behind the promise of all the gold in the world. I made up my mind to give him a clear answer to his ominous possessiveness. As I looked towards the haughty Crown Prince, our eyes met. It felt like he was asking me, Have you been well? I tried to give an answer to this question, but I had to turn away after hearing The 510th graduation test of Ignit Academy will now begin! I will introduce the contents of this years challenges! YEEEEAAAAH! The graduation test had begun. * * * releases! * * * [Istion, cier, Destruction] A time-attack-style test where one needed toplete these three challenges as fast as possible. The Istion room tested the intellectual abilities of the magician. There were many ways to escape a room that was tightly bound in locks and chains. You could use Lock Cancel to open the lock, or Mana Gem to create a replica of the locks key and open it. Or you could do somethingpletely different. The method didnt matter. You just needed to get out of that room. 7 magicians from group 6 have escaped the room at nearly the same time! Around 7 of 10 in a group would usually escape in 5 minutes. However, after the cier fields in the next challenge, the number of remaining students would fall by half. How unfortunate! Another student has stepped on a trap! The cier fields are riddled with traps and hidden ice monsters. It is the most dangerous area! The cier fields instantly decreased your body temperature. To pass through it, you needed to maintain your temperature as you disarmed the traps hidden all over the ce and dealt with randomly appearing ice monsters. It tested the students abilities to deal with danger and unforeseen circumstances, so this was the area where the individual skills of the students became apparent. About 8 minutes in cier. Only 2 minutes remained. Onto the final area. Destruction would be the final test of the studentsbat ability. Using the strongest spell you could cast, you needed to break the sturdy stone wall. However, the ones who passed cier were nearly guaranteed to pass this challenge as well. Jason Damon! Destruction time of 55 seconds! He hase 1st in group 6! This is a miracle! Yahoo! Jason. You made so much fuss about making me take you with me. But it looks like youve made some preparations. As I watched my peers attempts from the sidelines, I could form a basic image in my head. So, on average, about 3 people pass, and all with less than a minute to spare. Even the students who achieved incredible results couldnt finish with more than 2 minutes remaining. Everyone had mostly used up the full 15 minutes. Since most of this was spent in cier, passing through the ice as fast as possible would be the key to winning. As fast as possible. As I was making ns Next up are the students of group 7! Pleasee forward! It was finally my turn. In this group, we have the pride of our academy, the next generational magician Ruin Ardell! Thats right. We know that a lot of people came here to see him, so I am excited to see what kind of performance he will have for us! As my name was announced, a wave of whispers passed through the spectator seats. Where is he?! There! Over there! In front of Room 1! The various nobles from the capital that came to see me, the Twin Princes, and Ruin! Young Master! Do your best! Ruin! Go destroy everything! My family and friends. And finally, there was Fire King Teron and the Crown Prince. ...... I received everyones shouts of support and gazes of curiosity before going inside the Istion room. nk! As soon as I entered, I could hear the lock fastening closed, and I was now truly trapped. Group 7 starts now! As soon as the challenge started, I knocked on the walls. The wall was so dense that it didnt even budge. Director, youve really prepared. Bang! I put in a little more strength and properly punched it. However, the wall still didnt move. It was specially designed to be unbreakable, even with my strength, in order to keep it fair for the other students. I thought for a second if I should unlock the lock like the other students, but then another method struck me. ...... Hadnt I learnt this at the Grand Festival? Nothing in the world was perfect. Even if the wall seemed unbreakable, there was bound to be a weakness if you looked close enough. My eyes fell on the hinge housing the lock. Compared to the sturdy walls, it was weak in construction. I sped my hand around the lock and pulled with all my might. [Steel Destruction] nk! Creak. The sound of the opening doorbined with the breaking of the lock was quite refreshing. * * * 13 13 seconds! The 1st room was opened in just 13 seconds! In that moment, everyone spectating the graduation test shot out of their seats. What? 13 seconds? Wh-what the hell? Thats impossible. The other magicians all took a whole 5 minutes! The faces of the spectators were filled with both surprise and bafflement. However, the faces of Ruins friends were different. As expected of Ruin. Whats everyone getting all antsy about? I already knew this would happen. [Ruin will be the top student anyway.] Just like the words muttered all around Arena Hall suggested, this was only natural. The two men hiding in the spectator seats with Disguise also found themselves feeling this way. Fire King Teron and Crown Prince Chaurmetan Raynac. ......Looks like he broke the lock. More specifically, he wouldve broken the hinge the lock was attached to. Hes still the same as always, right, godfather? ...... Even as the Fire King was agreeing with the Crown Princesment of same as always, he couldnt hide his displeasure. He asked the Crown Prince, Are your thoughts still the same, Your Highness? My thoughts? Your desire ining to this ce. Did you say it was your final foolishness? Yes, thats right. My final foolishness. Chaurmetans gaze was locked on Ruin. After escaping the 1st challenge, Istion, in just 13 seconds, Ruin charged toward cier without hesitation. Although he would be a great talent for you if you could take him in, he would bring great disaster to you in the future if you couldnt. Hearing Terons words, the Crown Prince muttered, unfazed, As always, if I cannot have it, I shall destroy it. Chapter 120 Chapter 120 If he cannot have it, he shall destroy it. At the Crown Princes stern reply, Fire King Terons diforted expression slowly mellowed. Yes, you must. Teron was still getting over his surprise over Ruins sess. He was the ultimate being, a one-of-a-kind entity who one would struggle to find an equal for. As the king of all magicians, no one had ever made him worry this much. He was always the best, the king. However, he was feeling wary of Ruin Ardell right now. Very wary. There was a reason for this. Kunkhans Tooth. An artifact that would only react to someone capable of bing the King of Magicians had reacted to Ruin. Therefore, Ruin had the potential to grow and challenge his position. He could be a threat to Teron sitting up on his throne. On top of that, his growth rate was unbelievably fast. What is he doing right now? Asked the Crown Prince, who wasnt quite as knowledgeable in magic, while pointing at Ruin Ardell. The Fire King answered, baffled, He is running while holding a Fireball. ......What? To be precise, hes not just holding it. His entire body is on fire. He looks like a maniac. ...... Yeah. It was an insane method that couldnt even be attempted by anyone but a highly skilled magician. I was running through cier fields cold enough to freeze the sweat on my brow while carrying a Fireball on my body. It was an insane situation where spectators could do nothing butugh out of confusion. Can that method work? ...... But the Fire King remained silent. Because, just like what the Crown Prince said, this was an impossible method. This battle prowess of facing the extreme cold with fire and dispatching the hidden traps instantly while shing the necks of the cier monsters that were appearing here and there Compared to him, Teron, an 8th-ss who had exceeded the limit of humanity and had entered into the realm of gods, Ruin was still but a small thorn in his side. However, even a small thorn can kill you if it pricks the right spot. Looking at Ruin Ardells growth rate At first it was curiosity. Second, it was favor and wonder. Third, it was wariness. He had reached a point where it felt wrong to just leave him be. R-Ruin Ardell has zed through cier! 2 2 minutes and 11 seconds! I cant even begin to describe this shocking oue! ...... It was hard to gauge how much Ruin Ardell would grow in the future. That was why I need to destroy him. He couldnt deceive the eyes of Fire King Teron. Ruin Ardell had arrived at the doorstep of 6th-ss at the age of 16. He had grown at a simr speed to Teron, who was also an extraordinary and unparalleled genius. * * * 5th-ss and 6th-ss. Although this was simply the difference of a single circle drawn around a magicians mana heart, creating this one circle was said to take 10, 20, or even 30 years. No. Bing 6th-ss was a level of achievement some people could never reach, even chasing after it their entire lives. Profound wisdom, ceaseless effort, endless research, and on top of all this, a level of enlightenment that not everyone could understand. Also, as it was sometimes referred to as the starting point of high-ranking magicians, most people who did end up reaching 6th-ss were at least in their 40s Well, in any case, a thought came to mind. ...... A form that I had only known in theory. I knew of the way the 6th-ss spells activated, but I had never been able to seed even once. A thought came into my mind that maybe I would be able to do it this time. Yeah. Although it was only a thought, Death Knell, which was called the first spell a 6th-ss could cast, was being drawn in my head and realized by my hands. Wh-what is that! Death Knell. The chiming of bells that signify death. As an invisible and formless spell, it created a sound wave that was so fast that most people would fail to notice it until they had already been ripped apart. After sting through cier, I faced the huge stone wall in front of me. There were many methods one could use to destroy that thing. But in front of everyone watching, I tried to cast Death Knell. As a symbol, maybe. I-I cant even believe my eyes! 6th-ss! Ruin Ardell has reached 6th-ss! At 16 years old! The youngest in the history of the Kingdom! Hes just like the magician at the boundary, Fire King Teron! To everyone who hade here to watch me. To all my friends who were cheering for me. And to even the Fire King and the Crown Prince, who were ring at me in difort. Ipletely controlled the formless Death Knell that was struggling to break free and approached the stone wall that was blocking my way. And then, I just gave it a light tap with a finger. Tap Dooooooonnnggg! A damning sound was heard from the tip of the finger and flowed outwards, reverberating through the stone wall and ravaging it. Crrrrack! The wall was split in an instant, and it had only taken 5 seconds for the entire thing to crumble into dust. ...... ...... Only silence filled the graduation tests grounds. Thementator that was casting the challenges was finally able to squeeze a few words out from his state of shock. ......2 minutes and 57 seconds. Even after he said it, he seemed to still be in a daze, as it took him a few seconds before he shouted, 2 minutes and 57 seconds! Ruin Ardell of group 7 has finished the challenges in only 2 minutes and 57 seconds! Huzzah! The future of the Kingdom! Three cheers for Sir Ruin! The one who shouted huzzah, breaking the silence, was none other than the First Prince. At this, not wanting to lose, the Second Prince also stood up and shouted as ifpeting, Huzzah! No, hurray! Huzzah to a miracle! Hurray, hurray, hurray! ...... Since the two princes were standing up and shouting like this with their arms iling in the air, what could the nobles who were sitting around them do but p p p p! but cheer as well while pping. Begin! The First Prince gave a signal to the musicians he had prepared beforehand, and as if announcing the arrival of a hero, a grand song started to y. He leaped down to the front row in a single go and started to talk to me. Sir Ruin! I truly congratte you on your graduation. Your Highness, getting musicians here is a bit Ahahaha! Dont worry. Its my small gift to congratte you on entering adulthood and to your new start for your new future. ...... Ah, was that so? But students other than me were still trying to finish their graduation tests. The Second Prince looked quite peeved and like he regretted not also thinking about getting musicians. Damn it! I didnt even think about it. How could I lose to my elder brother like this?! ...... What were you regretting?? In any case Ruin! Coming out after finishing the challenge, I waved at Ruina, who was waving back at me. And then, I went and looked for the Crown Prince and Fire King Teron, who were sitting in the spectator seats. However, they had already disappeared off to somewhere, and were nowhere to be seen. * * * * * * Ruin would be the top student anyway. The oue hadnt changed. As the student representative, and as the valedictorian, I would be the one to stand tallest on the graduation podium tomorrow. The attention that I received like this was still a bit too much for me, but I told myself that I would at least enjoy it for today. Ruin! When did you reach 6th-ss? My friend is already a high-ranking magician! ...... Well, who cares, right? Since this was the end. Yeah. With this, the graduation tests were done. Fuah The graduation ceremony is already tomorrow? I cant believe it. 6 years of my life flew by just like that. What did I even do the past 6 years? Sob sob. Hey, hey. Its toote to regret it now. As this test was the one that would determine ones path in the future after graduating, everyone tried harder than any test before it. However, everyone had started looking carefree, whether they scored high or low. Well I thought it would be super refreshing after I graduate, but why do I feel weird? Yeah Are you feeling it too? It was refreshing but bitter. Carefree but weirdly sad. And thisplicated emotion wasnt something only I was feeling. After all, just as this was the end, this was also the beginning. For a poor mood like this, alcohol would be the perfectpany. For the first time, I agreed with Jasons remark. A thought entered my mind that a cool ss of beer would be the best right now. Yeah. We needed alcohol. Everyone was wanting it, and the Director, who understood the students feelings better than anyone, had prepared a small banquet for us. Meaning Its a party! A graduation party. Lots of food and drink was prepared for the students that would soon be graduating and for the guests that had visited the Academy to see those students. More than that, there was a second reason the students were excited. Oh! Theres alcohol! Now that they were adults, drinks were also prepared for the graduating students. Of course, this would also be the ce students would receive offers from nobles. As everyone went to eat food and drink alcohol while strengthening their rtionships with people of note I quietly left the party hall and headed away from the princes and the nobles. The people I looked for were none other than the Director and Professor Hydel. Ruin? What is it? I wanted to say my farewells now. I think itll be pretty chaotic tomorrow. A farewell Thank you. Now, I dont think Ill be able to see you tomorrow even if I wanted to. Thank you for everything, Director, Professor. If I didnt have them If the Director and Professor Hydel didnt believe in me I probably wouldnt have been able to survive this long. The me of today may have never existed. I didnt know if he did or didnt know how emotional I was feeling right now, but the Director replied in a joking tone, I want to invite you to be next years special lecturer. Will you ept? Yes, of course. Just call me. I have received your confirmation. Professor Hydel here will be our witness. You cant ignore us just because you graduated. Pfft. Ok. I could confirm. He did indeed fully understand how I was feeling, and he made such a joke on purpose. * * * Ah, ah Maybe because I had a mug of beer, No, maybe because this time tomorrow, I would leave the Academy It was the exact same academy grounds I always walked, always saw. But why did it make me so emotional today? Wanting some time to myself, I walked outside in the bright moonlight into the Academys spring garden. The entrance ceremony took ce here. 6 years ago. This was the ce where my 10-year-old self entered the Academy on that bright, spring day. After indulging in my memories for a split second, I quickly turned and looked behind me. ...... I could instinctively tell that I wasnt alone in this spring garden. I could even be certain as to the identities of the people who came to find me. Behind me were the two men who had Disguised their true forms. Among them, the young man asked me, Ruin Ardell, right? ...... So I am right. I asked just in case, but your performance in the test before was quite memorable. The Crown Prince. However, he stillpletely hid his identity as he approached me. I am Raika. I operate a small shop in the east. I want to have a quick chat with you. A brightly smiling face. However, I could sense the difort in his eyes. I faced the Crown Prince head on and said, Do ask, Your Highness, Prince Chaurmetan Raynac. ......Uh? Seemingly not ever expecting me to answer like this, the Crown Prince quickly touched his face. I pressed forward, saying, Since I am not a citizen of the Empire, I cannot kneel for you. I ask for your understanding. ...... How did you know? The one who asked wasnt the Crown Prince, but the magician standing behind him. Fire King Teron. This question was insinuating that his magic was so close to perfection that it never shouldve been seen through. He wasnt wrong. I replied while shrugging, Even if you can hide your face, you cant seem to hide your character. I just guessed, since you had the same piercing eyes as the Crown Princes when he talks to me. But looks like my guess was right. ...... Then, the one who just spoke should be the Fire King. Its been a while. I smiled as I bowed my head. Then, the Crown Prince muttered in surprise, You recognised me just by my gaze? I cant do anything butugh at that. You are truly a masterpiece, Ruin Ardell. But his gaze quickly changed as he continued. Since I waited for you till your graduation, my patience has reached its limit. I will never give this offer again. Come with me to the Empire. ...... Ill refuse your refusal. My opponent was a person of immense power who refused refusals and needed everything to go ording as he wished to be satisfied. But I, too, was stubborn. I smiled softly and answered, I refuse. ...... Then, a shortugh escaped the Crown Princes mouth. Chapter 121 Chapter 121 After letting out a shortugh at my response, the Crown Prince said, I dont usually ask people their reasons, but this time, I will. Why? Is it because of patriotism, or a trust in the princes, or something like that? No. I just want to live my own life. Ruin Ardells life Sure, that is a reason. Youre at the age where you would be seeking adventure rather than stability, and chasing ideals rather than reason. However, the existence that you dream to be doesn''t exist on thesends. You will soone to know that the only thing waiting for you will be the uncaring reality. The Crown Prince had a point. I, too, once felt that dreams and ideals were something that were never achievable. I felt it for all my first five years in the Academy. However, at the end of that dark cave, I had seen a miracle. I even told my juniors to not settle down and to keep trying harder, so if I was topromise here, I would be too ashamed to hold my head up high. I do not wish to be the Crown Princes magician. I want to just be Ruin Ardell. ......My words dont seem to be reaching you. At my stern tone, the Crown Prince shook his head with disgust. Ive already given you a warning before. There isnt a jewel in the world that I cannot obtain. Yes. And you told me that jewels that you cant obtain are destroyed. I can destroy you right this instant. ...... My gaze moved toward the Fire King, who was standing behind the Crown Prince. It was said that the gaze of the magician at the boundary was enough to kill. And those killer eyes were looking directly at me. I simply nodded. You could do that. However, you wont. I wont? Why are you so confident? Because the Crown Prince that I know isnt someone so vulgar to use Disguise to hide himself and sneak in just so he couldmand the great magician at the boundary to kill a mere 16-year-old student. ......You think youre a mere 16-year-old student? I smiled brightly. Until the graduation ceremony tomorrow, yes ...... This was no different to saying that, if he attacked me, he was a vulgar person. Yes, this was a gamble. This might even worsen the situation. However, I hadnt just said this thoughtlessly. I at least had the certainty that the Crown Prince and Fire King I knew wouldnt choke me out with a method like this. And this was the answer. I dont know if you have guts or if youre good at guessing. The Crown Prince smirked as if intrigued, and then turned his back. Ill leave for now, but you can look forward to the next time well meet. For it shall be as enemies. ...... And then, he faded into the shadows with the Fire King and disappeared off to somewhere. * * * After getting past the Academy walls in an instant, Fire King Teron asked the Crown Prince as they walked eastward toward the Raynac Empire, Are you really thinking of leaving him alone? The Crown Prince replied with a joyous smile, Yes, Godfather. I do not want to kill him today. Although the rtionship between the Empire and this small nation isnt bad, if you leave him alone on the basis of fleeting emotions, he is a child that could very welle backter as a major obstacle in the future. Its good to uproot troublesome seeds before they Yes, he may trouble me in the future. Godfather, have you ever loved before? ......Do you love Ruin Ardell? Teron narrowed his eyes, and the Crown Princeughed at the notion. No, how could that be? You know me quite well, Godfather. I love girls. Pretty girls. ......Then why did you ask me that? Well, I feel my current emotion is simr to a first love that was never fulfilled. Its a bit bitter. ......So you loved him. No. Never. ...... I dont know why Im trying to justify myself to you. As the topic of conversation turned in a weird direction, the Crown Prince cleared his throat. In any case, for normal people, ones first love is said to be a faint memory that they could never forget. However its a little different for me. No longer did emotions like possessiveness and jealousy for Ruin Ardell cloud his eyes. That empty spot Its only a humiliating dark history that I want to erase from my memory. was filled to the brim with only the instinct to destroy. The history of rejection? It would be erased. After all, he was the perfect Crown Prince who couldnt allow even a single spec of imperfection. The Crown Prince Chaurmetan Raynac looked back at the Academy and smiled. Soon, a good justification for this will appear. But till then, Ill leave this as a distant memory of first love. Then, they shimmered once more and disappeared. * * * As soon as I returned to the graduation party area, a warm st of air hit my skin. And Ruuuiiin! Where were yew? ...... Facing Straang, who grabbed my shoulder while stinking of alcohol, wasnt the easiest task in the world. Did you go drinking? I drank a biiit. Why? Is it obvious? ...... She boasted about how she was the great Incarnation of Strength and whatever But she was a light drinker? Also, Im the one whos graduating. Why are you the one whos drunk? Just how much did you drink? Burp! ...... One cup. Ah, so just a single cup was enough to turn the great Incarnation of Strength into a fool like this? But as I noticed the bottle held in Straangs hand, I nodded knowingly. Damons Dragon Kiss. How much trouble was I in after drinking that in the Grand Festival? My body remembered it. It was a drink that I needed to get away from. Flop! ......Get some rest. I put a nket over Starang, who had already fallen limp, and then went back inside. * * * * * * The mood of the graduation party was already through the roof. Oh, oh, oh! Ruin! No, no! Sir Ruin! Heeeeey! Ruin! Why is the main character of the party here sote?! ...... Outside, I was toeing the edge of death, and yet, in here, everyone had be absolute idiots after drinking too much. Students and nobles were all huddled around the Twin Princes, and the one closest to the princes was none other than Jason. Do you know how much our princes were looking for you? Already addressing the princes so casually? This guys friend-making skills really were something. Jason was probably going to be a big yer in the future. Well, anyways Here, here! Come have a drink. I was pushed along by Jason and found myself standing right next to the princes, and in an instant, a mug of beer was pressed into my hands. Strong drinks, women, and pleasure! Ah, not that. Lukewarm beer, magician employment contracts, and the smell of ink. Thats what filled the room. Drink! But still, it wasnt bad at all. Taken away by the mood, I downed the beer in one go. Hmm, its been a while. This lukewarm beer with its bitter but grainy taste Why is it like this? Cough. It was strong. The heavy alcohol hit my throat and burned it the whole way down. Even after checking the mug again, it was definitely beer. But why did that drinks smelle from it? I opened my eyes wide and looked around. Father and Ruina were looking at me while covering their mouths and shaking their heads. Irene and Seta, who had already seen me drunk once before, put a hand on their foreheads and said while expecting something that would happen soon, Ah, its starting again. Yeah. Someone go and stop him. ...... What? What happened? And finally, I looked at Jason. Jason, wearing a perverted smile, pulled out the drink, Damons Dragon Kiss, from behind his back. Its tradition to make drinks better by mixing them. Dont you agree? Ah. God, please punish that alcoholic. My head hit the table in front of me right then and there. Bang! Ouch, my head. * * * Uhhhh How much time had passed? When I opened my eyes, it was early morning, before the sun fully rose. Are you awake now? Eh? Ah, yes. Most of the nobles had left the Academy, and the students had returned to their dorms by now. I was still resting my head on the same table. You have drooled on your Eh? Ssp. I wiped my face with my sleeve. Irene Prius was sitting next to me. But what was this squishy thing under my legs? What is this guy doing? ......You dont remember? As I lifted the table cloth, I could see Jason under the table snoring while grabbing onto my legs. Just what had happened here? As Irene tried to open her mouth, I quickly raised my hand. Ah, you dont have to tell me. I really wasnt interested in knowing what kind of dark event happened yesterday. I easily pushed away Jason, who was still grabbing onto my legs. Haah. He dared to poison my beer. To be precise, its not really poison. Its practically the same as poison for me. ......Thats true. But also, what was Irene doing here at this time? Irenes cheeks looked a little red from the drinks, and she took another sip of her beer. I heard that youll be returning with your friends to Ardell? Eh? How did you hear that? I heard it from Jason. He was boasting about it a lot. Team Triple A, or something. Ahem. Why did it feel a little embarrassing? In any case Thats right. Jason needs someone to take care of him. Really? From what I saw, it looked like Jason was the one taking care of you, Ruin. What? Just before, when you were drunk and making a scene, Jason was the one who tried to stop you by holding onto your legs. ...... So it was like that? Now I felt a little bad for shaking him off just a moment ago. I got up from my seat and got a nket to put over Jason. He was sleeping quite soundly. Then, Irene asked me, Should Ie down with you? Huh? To where? To Ardell. It was a pretty good cest time I went. ...... Irene was going toe as well? Itd be a cakewalk for her to be a top magician of the Empire. If she was going to reject all those good offers and choose Ardell I wanted to ask her why, but I stopped myself. I think I could guess a little what her reason was. Instead, I nodded and smiled lightly. Thank you. Its nothing. Im only going for myself. I need to get strong quickly to beat you in a fight. ...... Ah, was that the reason? I thought it was something else. Hmm. Itll be pretty hard to follow me. Im thinking of getting much stronger than my current self. More than now? Is someone chasing after you other than me? No. I need to chase someone. If youre chasing someone, then I dont think there are that many people in front of you Looking at her expression, she seemed to know who I was talking about. Yeah. Fire King Teron. Although I didnt need to face him now, I would definitely need to in the future. On top of that, to face the authority of the Crown Prince, I needed to get much stronger much faster. They were still very scary and fearsome entities. However, I wasnt going to psych myself out. After all Its getting quite cold now. Should we get going? Shall we? But will it be fine to leave Jason here? Its fine. This guy does this all the time. Hmya Why are you drinking by yourselves Me too Hmnya See? Pfft. Hes drinking even in his dreams. I also have many good friends. Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Wooooosh. The snow that had started to slowly settle had fiercened overnight. Theres a ton of snow. This is probably thest snowfall of the year. Yeah. Maybe it fell to congratte our graduation, or maybe Winter was grumbling because it didnt want to end. The fierce snowstorm that signaled the end of winter raged on through the night and packed the ground with snow. Thanks to this, the Graduation Ceremony, which was going to be held in the Spring Garden, was moved indoors. Oooh, its cold. ...... After thinking for a while, I came to the conclusion that the Academy wasnt something to mourn leaving. Although, on the final day, it felt pretty sad to go, I knew I couldnt just stay here forever. Dear graduating students, the pride of our academy. For you, who havepleted thebined magical studies here taught for thest six years and who are now going forth to be the protectors of thisnd...... As I sat here, listening to the Directors farewell speech, my heart that was restless until yesterday started to find peace. Yeah. Graduation might seem like the end, but in reality, it was only the beginning. I very slowly looked around at my surroundings. Ruin! Ruina and Father were waving at me from the very back of the auditorium. To the right were the 5th-year juniors, who would be the graduating ss next year. To the left were the professors, standing in a perfect line. Then finally, in the middle were the graduating students, my peers, all dressed in neat uniforms. And I Next up, the student representative and the valedictorian. Ruin Ardell will give a graduation speech. Ah, yes. I hurriedly walked up onto the stage. Even as I stood on this short tform, the many things I had experienced at the Academy shed before my eyes. Ruin. Its your turn. Ah, yes. Where do I begin? One year ago. When I was in 5th grade, listening to the flowery words of the student representative back then who had be a court magician, I had also thought that I wanted to one day say these cool things to my juniors But damn it. I had forgotten it all. So I just opened my mouth and said what came to mind. As everyone knows, I was victorious in the Grand Festival. It was a result I had obtained in just a single year. ...... My voice projected throughout the hall, and everyone fell silent. As everyone also knows, I had the Evocation Inability Disorder. For over 5 years at that. My eyes locked onto a 5th-grade junior that I still didnt know the name of. Whats your name? Ah, yes? Me? Yeah. I-Im Namon! Namon ador Yeah, Namon. You asked me before if I really enrolled into the school with the highest grade. The junior panicked, never having expected this question would return to him. I jokingly smiled. You also asked me why I was still attending the Academy. I wouldnt be able to be a magician anyway, and it wouldve been fine for me to give up, so why did I continue to attend the Academy while paying the school fees? Did you really do that? To senior Ruin? ......I-Im sorry. I really didnt know back then and No. I didnt say this to scold you. I gave aforting smile. Rather, I was thankful that someone still had an interest in me. Back then, my thoughts were saying stuff like, Ah, yeah. I was also at the top of my ss before. I once shined bright like those guys So why am I like this right now? But still, someone remembers the old me. Thanks. Well, something like that. Even if the reality was that I was made fun of by my juniors. My eyes turned towards the Director. The Director gave me a small thumbs up, and I was able to continue on with peace of mind. But I didnt want to give up. No, I couldnt give up. Because magic was my everything. It was a way to protect myself, a way to protect my territory, and a way to protect my friends and family. To protect the people close to me. So I refused to yield till the end, facing my problem head-on like, Oh, really? Then lets see if youll break first or Ill break first. Smallughs were heard from the students. And I asked the junior who I questioned before, Do you perhaps remember what I told you back on that day? Pardon? Uh, yes! Then, could you say it for me? You said that if you dont give up, miracles wille to you. Thats right. Thanks. Its all thanks to you that Im the student representative of grade 5! Its an incredible miracle for me, who always ced third! ......See what I mean? As I spoke to the audience, another round ofughs came from the students. Sheesh. So he was the student representative. It was the same for me. I smiled brighter than ever before, and my eyesnded on Straang, who was sitting amongst the graduating students. Just as a miracle found our junior here, one also found me. Fortunately, it was an incredibly big miracle. But miracles like thise to anyone. Even if you may be smaller than others, weaker than others, it will definitelye to you. The thing thats important here ...... is that the moment you give up, the miracle that wasing to you will be lost forever. I looked outside the window. The fierce snow storm had already stopped some time ago, and bright rays of sunlight were now shining into the auditorium. So, continue forth. When you fall down, get up. No one is giving you recognition? No. There will definitely be someone who does. Even if thats the you ten years down the line loving the effort you put in now. Thank you. Wooooooo! As I finished speaking, a rain of apuse poured over me. I wanted to finish my academy life by saying something cool, but I ended up just rambling on. They wouldnt talk bad about me behind my back, right? But it was a relief. I felt that more people liked it than I expected. It was the greatest graduation speech I had heard in a while. The Director lightly tapped my shoulder, and I felt sentimental about the graduation for the final time. Thank you for thest 6 years. And like that, my graduation ceremony was over. * * * * * * After passing the Training Centers tests and taking the knightly vow, the Knights Proper would receive a seal on their sword. The version of this for the magicians that had managed to graduate from the Academy was a card that would act as their identification as a proper magician. Ruina looked at and waved around the card with wonder. Ma-gi-cian. Ruin Ardell. Wow. My older brothers a magician. ......What did you think I was all this time? From what I heard from your friend, youre not a magician, but an ogre. My friend? Which one? Who do you think? That stupid guy over there who I dont even know the name of said it. ...... Ruina pointed at the carriage following closely behind us. Looking at it, the stupid guy Jason Uwaaaah My stomach is acting up. ck ck was suffering from still-digesting alcohol, having to sit next to the horseman in the fetal position. In that carriage wasnt just Jason, but also Hansen, Irene, and even Seta Malkiri. But why was Seta here anyway? Wasnt he just here to sightsee? A vague memory appeared in my head. Yesterday night. The conversation I had with Seta while I was drunk. You, be myrade. Or something like that. Ehm My heads suddenly hurting. Anyways. Right after graduating, we were all going down to Ardell together. Strictly speaking, I would be the employer, and they would be my employees. Ehm. Although the fact that everyone was on the same level was a w. Ruina still looked amazed as she muttered while holding herself out the carriage window, But theres a lot of them, really Those are all soldiers that will fight for us? Thats right.: The onesing down to Ardell werent just my friends. Behind our carriages, about 3000 soldiers walked in formation and were marching southward. They were the supporting military force for the southern expedition that I spoke of to the Twin Princes in our first meeting. The princes had kept their promise. Maybe because of therge number of soldiers I can fight as well. Ruina suddenly seemed more confident, and she pulled out the wooden sword tied to her hip. Hey, hey, Ruina. Were too packed together here for you to be holding a sword. Also, what are you talking about fighting as well? You cant. Why? Why are you asking if you already know? Youre 10 years too early, so no. You and I are only 4 years apart, so how am I 10 years too early? Still no. Tch. You small brat, still messing around like this. I opened the carriage window on my side. Although a cold spring wind was blowing into the carriage, this was the best to cool my head down after thinking too hard. Then, Ruina pulled a piece of jerky out from her bag and bit it. But, Ruin Yeah? When you finish that expedition youre going to do, are you going to keep staying at our territory? ...... After a short moment of thought, I shook my head. No. Father is still there. Then? After finishing up enough of it, I want to travel a bit. But I havent decided on the specifics yet. Aah...... Alright. Why? Do you want me to stay? I asked, expecting a certain answer, but Ruina replied with her round eyes, No. Then? Even though its good to see you, after spending so much time without you, I feel like Im morefortable when Im alone. I might like the brother-I-only-see-once-in-a-while better. What? As I shot up from my seat, Ruina let out a jokingugh. Pfft. Youre so stupid. Then, afterughing for a while with the jerky still in her mouth, she steadied herself. Its a joke. Just, Dad said something before. What was it? Although he is currently receiving help from you, he feels that hes putting you under too much pressure. That, although its good to live your life for Ardell, since you graduated, it would be better for you to live as you wished for a bit. ...... So he was thinking something like that. Traveling There was a time when I longed for a life like that. Wandering around the continent to help the weak and punish evil doers. The life of a heroic magician. Even though I couldnt be a magician like that, I probably could take a trip just for myself and go somewhere But where would I go? Going to Irenes homnd together would be good. Itd also be good to go to Oyota for their martial arts. Since I was pretty unfamiliar with this topic, I couldnt think of anything creative. And so, as I was going down to Ardell idling about, Eh? A notification appeared in front of my eyes.
Congrattions. You have attained 10,000 strength. You have met the minimum requirements. Legacy of The Destroyer of Worlds, Draka, is unlocked. yer ability Minimap is enhanced. The suspected area ofDrakas Legacy will be marked.
Drakas Legacy? Since Straang wasnt next to me right now, I couldnt know for sure what this was But after checking the enhanced minimap, I could make a rough guess. As I suddenly started to look around the air in front of me, Ruina recoiled back away from me, and asked with concern in her voice, Uhh, Ruin? What are you doing? Did you go insane? ...... My lovely sister. Even if it looks like this, how could you ask your own brother if hes gone insane? I narrowed my eyes, and said to Ruina, I found something to do. Chapter 123 Chapter 123
Mythic Rank Quest Legacy Fragment I of The Destroyer of Worlds, Draka *The following quest requires at least 10,000 strength. *You must gather the four fragments of Drakas Legacy that scattered when the Destroyer of Worlds fell to ruin. *When all four fragments arebined, Drakas Legacy will be reborn.
That was all the description I got. It was a different kind of quest to normal. There was no time limit, nor knownpletion reward. Seeing that it was a Mythic Rank quest, it was bound to be unique During the short stop for lunch, I immediately went to find Straang. Straang wasying on her back in an otherwise-empty carriage, but as soon as I entered, she sat up, rubbing her eyes. Are we here? No, not yet. Before that, do you know what Drakas Legacy is? ...... Hearing that, the look in Straangs eyes instantly changed, and she was now wide awake. Why are you asking me that now? I got a quest. I shared the details of the quest with Straang. But then, she muttered to herself with a weak voice, I havent heard that name in a long while. Of course I know it. Really? To be precise, its a holy relic. Right now, its scattered into four different fragments, but after getting them all back together, the holy relic will beplete. Those actually exist? Holy relics. Religious icons that had been instilled with the authority of a god. Normally, things like this would be found in religious establishments, like monasteries, but in reality, none of these holy relics could be proven to contain any authority of a god. They were just symbolic items used for religious belief and worship. However They do. Really. ...... The authority of gods did exist. Hearing this, I only had one question. I rubbed my chin as I asked, But why does no one know about this? No, they do know. Humans also believe that holy relics contain the authority of a god, even if most of them are just useless imitations. Does that mean that humans can use the powers of a god? Yes and no. What does that mean? The conditions are very tricky. Drakas Legacy requires a minimum strength of 10,000. You also need to be proficient in magic, since its fundamentals are quite simr to magic. So since you need to be extremely strong and knowledgeable in magic, most normal people cant even meet the requirements. Strength and magic? So it''s perfect for me. Thats right. Its an item for you and Draka. Thats why it hasnt appeared in the world yet. Because humans wouldnt know things like these even exist. So, if I get the four fragments and reform the relic, I can be stronger? Maybe But it might not be that simple. Why not? Even if you obtain unparalleled strength, you wouldnt be able to use it. Your body wont ever be able to handle it. What do you mean? Think about the power to use your strength to defy gravity and create an entirely new force. What? Hows that? Pretty hard to imagine, right? Thats Authority. I was left speechless. Defy gravity with strength? Was this a joke? Your expression says you cant believe it. Well, thats But the look in Straangs eyes told me this was the truth. She sometimes made impish jokes targeting me, but she never lied. However, havent I lived a life that also felt like a joke and a lie? There was no point in getting surprised at one more event like that. No, I believe you. Straang continued. Draka created the holy relic and obtained overwhelming power, enough to shake the very foundation of the world. However, being able to use this power as he wished was a different story. His body couldnt handle it, and in the end, he perished. Hundreds, no, thousands of years of a dragons life, the life of the greatest existence on the continent, still wasnt enough to handle this power. This power But for a human, who is weaker than an orc, to endure that? Maybe. I cant say anything for certain, but your weak body will most likely get torn to pieces. was something that a humans body would never be able to obtain. Yeah. I understood. However, Straang had one misconception. Wasnt my existence built upon impossibility? Straang. A humans body isnt that weak. In a sense, we might be stronger than any other species. Eh? Think about when you first met me. Did you think that I would be able to build up 10,000 strength in just one year? Not really. Or did you think I would sessfully arm wrestle 100 ogres? Of course not, but this isnt a problem of that level Yeah, I get it. Its extremely dangerous, but its the greatest strength, right? Thats right. A holy relic that only Draka and I could use. I already knew approximately where the first fragment was. The minimap got a Full Map update. It was an image showing a birds eye view of the entire continent. On this map, there was a marker that showed the likely location of a holy relic. And that ce was Seta Malkiris home country, the Kingdom of Sand. Oyota. A reason I couldnt go to this ce? Didnt exist. * * * * * * I smiled brightly. This is pretty cool. I decided where I would be going. Are you really going to go look for the holy relic fragment? Yeah. After finishing up the things I need to do in Ardell, that is. Of course, since I had something I needed to do right now, I would have to push this back a little. Nothing was more important to me than the expansion of Ardell. Haah. Hearing my answer, Straang shook her head with disgust. All human males get crazy about strength. Authority, physical strength, virility Then m! The door to the carriage was flung wide open, and Jason peeked his head in. What? I think I heard a very suspicious word from Straang right now. Did you say virility? ...... This guy How was that the only word you heard? At this point, you probably only go around listening for lewd words. Why does virilitye out in a talk between cousins? ...... As Straang and I both kept our mouths shut, Jason hurriedly covered his mouth with his hands and muttered, Huat! A-are you guys perhaps What are you talking about? She said mentality. Ah, really? Sorry, Jason. Anyways, what are you two doing being by yourselves for so long? Who knows? Nothing. What? Thats a bit suspicious. Whats suspicious about what? Moreover, why are you here? Eh? Thats right, why am I here? Jason spaced out a second before facepalming and saying, Ah, right, right. Hansen! Hansen? Yeah. Come quick. Theres an interesting scene happening. An interesting scene involving Hansen? What did he mean by that? * * * I was dragged out of the carriage by Jason. At this rtivelyte lunch, the people that were going down to Ardell werent just my friend group, but also the 3000 soldiers. This meant it took a long time for these people to have their food served and cleaned up. The knights were getting bored just waiting, so they asked to see Hansens skill. Really? The knights, who got bored of waiting, had called upon Hansen, who had justpleted his Knightly Vows, to show off? Ah! They already started! By the time Jason and I arrived at the scene, the sparring had already begun. Huak! Haah! Are you worn out already? N-not yet It was a spar between Hansen, who was breathing hard to regain his rhythm, and a young knight who faced him leisurely. Oi! Velcs! Go easy on him! Arent you trying too hard against a kid whos only just finished his Knightly Vows? I got it, I got it. I sat to the side and started to watch the entertaining spar. Then So you were here as well, Young Master. Huh? Youre also here, Sir Bolvar? Sir Bolvar Patten seemed to have watched the spar from the start, as he had a spark of joy in his eyes. Yes. You cant miss an entertaining scene like this. The youngdy is also watching from over there. Ruina is? It was real. The Rose Knight that protects Ardell. Ruina Ardell was serious in watching her senior knights spar. Her desire to learn the sword at least looked to be genuine. I asked Sir Bolvar, How do they look? Theyre both pretty good. How would it feel to be the great senior who was looking at the duel between two of his much younger juniors? No. I wanted to ask the opposite. If those knights knew that this Knight Captain of Ardell, wearing such a warm smile, was the legendary Spear Saint Bolvar Patten, how would they react? However, I unfortunately couldnt ask them such a question. Oh ho. Kling! ng! Hansen and the knight called Velcs had continued their duel. Aah, is this your limit? Hes pretty good for a new blood, but itll be difficult for him to defeat Velcs. A knight was a knight for a reason. The skill difference between the two was quite evident. Hansen was forced into the defensive, and Velcs was overpowering. However, Sir Bolvars attention was elsewhere. That young knight, was he your friend, Young Master? Yes, thats right. Hes Hansen. Hes quite talented to be able to do this much against a Golden Knight. A Golden Knight? Now that I saw it, the insignia on the knight called Velcss shoulder was indeed golden. He was a knight of the Golden Light Knight Order, the ones who protected the royal family. His level, from what I could see using the yers Eye, was 5th-rank. It wouldnt be wrong to call him the kingdoms elite, but Hansen was able to put up a good defense against a man like that. Although he doesnt seem to have much real experience, his adaptability is quite strong. If he hones his basics a little more, getting to 5th-rank will be no problem. As expected, Sir Bolvar was able topletely see through Hansens talent. I pointed at Hansen. Ah, I didnt tell you this before, Sir Bolvar, but Hansen will stay in Ardell from now on. As a knight of our territory. Is that so? The look in Sir Bolvars eyes immediately turned to one of interest. I pressed on. Will you perhaps be able to teach Hansen? ...... If Hansen was to get stronger, it would be a boon for me, for Hansen, and for the entirety of Ardell. However, rather than epting, Sir Bolvar said something else. For that, you shouldnt ask me, but that youngd. Pardon? Unlike when I was teaching you, I will be very strict with the knights. Very strict, unlike with me? I thought I was getting roughed up pretty hard. Then, well need to start getting ready to go. The road is still long. ...... Just how much harsher was he nning on teaching them? I was able to get the answer the moment I woke up early next morning. Th-that man is Sir Bolvar Patten? ...... The legendary Spear Saints, Sir Bolvar Pattens, special knight lessons. This rumor spread like wildfire among the knights that had joined the expedition. Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Really? From th-that Sir Bolvar Patten? Ruin! Is that true? Yeah. But he said to be prepared. Itll be really hard. I-I can do it! I can! I definitely will! Being able to learn swordsmanship from the legendary Bolvar Patten was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In the world of mages, it would be like if I was able to get one-on-one tutoring from Fire King Teron. And Hansen knew this better than anyone else. Y-yahoo! ...... He cheered without knowing what the future held for him. He never couldve guessed that his cheer of joy U-uwek...... Euk. would be the catalyst for making him witness what he ate for breakfast again. The special lessons started this morning as we continued to go down to Ardell. Are you tired? I-Im fine! Of course. Youre still young and spry, you cant get tired already. Hehe ...... Hansen had to get off thefortable carriage and march while carrying baggage from the provisions carriage, and sometimes even had to squat as he walked. Maybe he ate his fill of breakfast Eugh! but you wouldnt be able to know that now. it didnt take even an hour for Hansen to throw up everything inside of him. Hellish special training while being in the middle of an already tiring march. It was natural for this scene to draw the attention of some of the knights that satfortably on their horses. Whos that knight? Is he from Ardell? I-I dont know One thing Im certain of is that hes a devil. A knight just needs to wield his sword. Theres no need to put someone under useless training like that The news about Sir Bolvar hadnt fully spread among the knights yet. These knights wouldve seen this old Knight Captain of Ardell as someone who couldnt keep up with the times and subjected people to the physical and crude training methods of the old way. However, even while this was happening, the news continued to spread. Wait a second. I think I heard that the Knight Captain of Ardell is Sir Bolvar Patten. Who? The spearman Bolvar Patten? Yeah. I dont know if its for certain but my nephew who goes to the Poldren Training Center said that. Why is a retired knight in Ardell? Theres no way, right? Are you sure you heard it right? It might be true. It is usible. When Commander Bengrass sent the five elite assassins to Ardell, its said that a single knight from Ardell defeated all of them. And that person is said to be Bolvar Patten. Nah, no way The tiger that protects Ardell. Only some people knew that this person was Bolvar Patten, and for the knights who were getting restless, this topic was enough to pique their interest. And so, one of them asked Excuse me. Yes? Senior, could I ask you what your name is? ...... Sir Bolvar Patten, who didnt want useless attention, didnt answer them, Doesnt look like it. What did I say. Its just a random rumor. Hes just an old guy. Really? And so, the knights withdrew their attention. C-Captain Bolvar! Hek, hwak Im done! I-Ipleted ten sets of squat walking. 5 minute break. Th-thank you! That was until the young knight Hansen said his name. H-hey, kid. What did you just say? Whats his name? Sorry? Over there. That Ardellian knight whos training you. Whats his name? S-Sir Bolvar. Bolvar Patten. ...... That was the beginning. * * * Why are all those knights making a fuss together? Theres still a long way to go. Tsk. Thats what Im saying. Are they that bored? This was quite the unusual scene. The entirety of the Golden Light Knight Order, who were famed to be the most elite troops of the Kingdom, who were wearing their shining armor and unting their nobility Huek, gasp Uwek! got off their white horses, took up ration bags, and started to squat walk. U-uwak! This is my first time throwing up while breathing! Hek, hwek D-Dont make a fuss about it. W-we just need to do as Sir Bolvar says This is the training method he rmends, so dont think about it and just do it. Uraaaaaah! Aaaaaaah! ...... Looking at what was going on, I had a thought that influence was truly a terrifying thing. Excuse me, Sir Bolvar? Please speak, Young Master. That method, is it really useful? From what Im seeing, it looks a bit brutish. ...... Sir Bolvar smirked as he looked at the knights who were squat walking. Of course, since it improves your fitness and strengthens your legs, it definitely is helpful. But its not too good, since if your form is off, you might have some health problems. Then why did you tell them to do it? I never told them to do anything. They just willingly started doing it. No, I saw you making Hansen do that. Sir Bolvar let out a sinisterugh, living up to the reputation of being the devil that they called him. Ehehehehe. Well while going down to Ardell, since theres nothing special to do, I wanted to put some military discipline into the first junior I had in a while. ...... Ah, was that so? So just because a legendary knight told someone to do it, all these people were acting like this without knowing whether this was medicine or poison. Influence truly was terrifying. I considered giving them a hint, saying something like, Everyone, this training is useless. But in the end, I gave up. Ehehehehe. ...... After all, Sir Bolvar seemed to be enjoying this baffling situation. Th-this really is effective, right? Taking the ce of Bengrass Kegen, who was currently on the wanted list, was the newly appointed temporary Golden Light Knight Captain. What are you doing?! Even I, your captain, am doing it! Dont doubt and just receive Sir Bolvars teachings and Uwoook! He was a big fan of Sir Bolvar Patten, holding a blinded respect for him. He even stood at the front of all the knights as an example. As such, the peoples mood about going into battle wasnt too bad. Unity under Bolvar Patten! He had be the pivotal point thatbined all these soldiers into one unit. And this training F-finally A-Ardell continued until the morning we arrived in Ardell. I wanted to give a round of apuse to all these people whopleted this nonsensical training. p p p. You idiots. ...... Of course, I still fully agreed with Straangs words. * * * * * * The Ardell I returned to after half a year had undergone some major changes. Is this really the Ardell I know? I-Im wondering the same thing. This is quite shocking It was just as Irene said. Unlike the quiet countryside vige of Ardell I knew, this one had apletely different atmosphere. Although the number of citizens and the size of the vige was still on the small side, the nearby once-unused wastnd was now cultivated, and a new building had been erected there. The restaurants and inns that used to only serve flies now had many customers, and more than that, the faces of the people were bright and cheerful. I could start to feel the energy of the territory. And I wasnt the only one who was surprised. Hiek! Its the young master! The young master has returned! O-oh my! What is going on here? I, who had returned to Ardell after graduating, had brought over an unexpected army of over 3000 soldiers. At their entrance, the citizens could only be shocked. Old-man Pison, have you been well? Ah, Y-Young Master Just what is all this? The princes have sent us soldiers. T-the princes? If these simple countryside people heard the word princes, their mind would go to the highest point of authority they knew. W-why did those nobles send them for people like us? Of course, they didnt know how noisy and talkative the princes were. Because they had to. Because if they did this, they would obtain something much bigger. What? More than that, did you train diligently in your spearmanship? Ah, yes. I trained in the spear every single night But with all these soldiers, are we really needed? Of course. We need every hand we can get. These 3000 soldiers werent enough to be fully certain. The Red ins were an unassable fort that even my father and grandfather had failed to subjugate multiple times. Because of this, I needed all the help I could get, and the preparations needed to be more perfect. I needed to hire mercenaries from the trade city of Monzo. And until everyone got used to the weapons I purchased from Eight Lake, the citizens needed to continue to train. However, for now Should we rest up for a bit? Yes! Lets do that! It was only right to get everyone who wore themselves out with the long march and the stupid training to rest up. Obviously, since there wasnt enough room inside the territory for all 3000 soldiers to stay in, a camp was set up in a nearby forest. R-Ruin! What should I do? Asked Jason with an anxious look once I started to move around and busy myself. Ehm, Jason So what you need to do here is * * * Are you really going to make me clean? You said it yourself. Youll clean, wash the dishes, and help with housework. Thats just a figure of speech! Im still a high-quality, work-ready magician! No, until youre 4th-ss, youre not a magician. Get closer with the citizens of Ardell as you go around cleaning the territory. Tch. Jason pouted out of disappointment. Are you I dont think Ive seen you before Are you a magician? Ahaha! Yes, thats right. My name is Jason Damon, Ruins best friend. Oh, youre our young masters best friend? I wonder how strong you are. Ahem If I were to introduce myself I graduated 52nd from the academy and...... He soon used his friendliness to bond with the citizens. This could be said to be Jasons main task. And he wasnt the only one. All the friends that had followed me down here got assigned a task. Hansen. Yes. You can hold the sword like Like this? U-uwah! Its a real sword, so youll get hurt if you swing it around like that! Hehe. Sorry youngd. Im not used to something like this. ...... He went to teach basic swordsmanship to the citizens who had only ever held steel in the form of pickaxes and sickles. Seta Malkiri. I dont know why I came all the way here just to grill some meat. Why? Whats wrong with cooking meat? Isnt it a waste to not use those incredible cooking skills? Ruin. I think youre forgetting it just because I got beaten up by you a few times, but Im the most promising magician of Oyota. The Great Emperor has a lot of expectations for Ah, is that so? You damned bastard. He used his incredible cooking talent to cook meat for the citizens. Irene Prius. Irene! Ruina! Lets go y! ...... She did her best to y the part of Ruinas older sister. And so, as everyone did their best in their assigned roles and got used to Ardell What did I do? Are you ready, Straang? Always. I fixed up my shoces. Why? Because now, I would need to run until I kicked up clouds of dust. Chapter 125 Chapter 125 The Red ins. They were south of South Mountain. This meant it was the stretch ofnd at the southernmost region of Ardell, and it bordered the ocean. However, unlike its name, rather than a in, it was closer to a gorge. Three sides of it were blocked off by tall cliffs, and the only path in was connected to the ocean, so it was a natural fortress for the beasts. At one point, this was also a part of Ardells territory. But when the mudmen took over this ce long ago, the owner of thesends changed from human to mudman. They were the reason this ce started to be called the Red ins. Grrrrrrk Mudmen were a type of mud monster. They appeared frequently along coasts where the earth and sea met, and they were a humanoid monster, bearing two arms and two legs. Although individually they werent that scary, their main characteristic was their scary reproduction rate. They multiplied so fast that it was impossible to measure their exact numbers. I think I now know why a ce that isnt even a in is named Red ins. Because of this, when watching from afar, it looked like a reddish earth was swaying in the wind. This was the reason why this ce was named the Red ins. Straang and I finally arrived here after running for two hours from the vige walls. It was kind of like us scouting before we mobilized the 30003200, if you were to be more precisesoldiers. Theres a ton of them. Theres probably at least ten thousand mudmen, if not more. Yeah This is also my first time seeing something like this. The insane scene in front of me made the scouting practically useless. How are you thinking of attacking? Hmm At Straangs question, I scratched my chin and thought. Three sides were covered by tall cliffs, and the only way the 3000 troops could get in there at once was through the path from the ocean. However, for Ardellwho doesnt have a port, let alone a single boatit was impossible for Ardell tounch anding party. Using the minimap, I was able to locate a path that looked like it may have been in use a long time ago. The problem was the narrowness of the path. Do we need to push ahead and face them head on through there? No. Itll never work. The moment we made a single misstep in that narrow path where wed be forced to march in pairs walking shoulder to shoulder No. Fighting against the waves of mudmening down from the cliffs would be akin to hell. It was obvious that we would be wiped out, with no chance of retreat. Then what if Sir Bolvar Patten stood at the front? We can just keep marching if he kills everything at the front. Thats not gonna work, either. Theres too many of them. No matter how strong Sir Bolvar Patten was, it was impossible for him to eliminate the near-infinite flood of mudmen that would charge in. Mudmen dont die easily from normal attacks. You need to hit the core in their head with precision, and thats not an easy task. Ehm, is that so? Now I finally understood why the mudmen subjugations constantly failed. Since there wasnt a route that many troops could go into at once, it required a lot of sacrifice. They were the main enemy of Ardell, who used their tenacious survival instincts and ridiculous reproductive rates to hold Ardell in a clutch of terror. They were quite the tricky opponent. Then, is there no way? ...... I moved my gaze up. Those strange and bizarre cliff faces that surrounded the three sides of the gorge. There were practically no means to get on top of them. But if people were able to get on top of those cliffs? A way, huh? There might be I felt that a way might appear. * * * * * * It had already been a week since the soldiers had arrived at Ardell. In that time, the 200 mercenaries hired from Monzo had also gathered at Ardell, and after training the citizens that could fight, another 100 was added to the list. Including the 3200 soldiers from the capital, that made a fighting force of over 3500. Since most of the knights from the Golden Light Knight Order were also attending, it was enough to call this a military force. Although the subjugation preparations had continued smoothly like this, the expedition that everyone was waiting for was still on hold. It was because there was one problem. To put it simply, the strategy meeting on how to sweep up the mudmen hadnt ended. With this, the temporary operations station that had been created in the middle of the camp didnt go out even through the night. There were two opposing views on what should be done. And these were Theres only one method. A frontal breakthrough. How can we win if we hesitate to fight? Frontal breakthrough, backed by the captain of the Golden Light Knight Order and the suprememander of the troops from the capital, Sir Murrow. And Although what youre saying isnt wrong, the expected losses are too high. That it was necessary to n more critically, proposed by my father and the father of Ardell, Lord Dellin. These two werent able to make a clear decision in thesest few days. Sir Murrow, the suprememander of the capital troops, spoke with a frustrated tone. Lord Dellin, if the 3200 soldiers from the capital werent sponsored to you, you were nning on starting the subjugation with the 300 people made up of mercenaries and citizen soldiers, correct? Yes, thats right. You nned to fight with such small numbers before, so why are you hesitating now that you have over 3500 soldiers going into this battle? Its because this isnt a problem with numbers. The biggest problem is that we need to get through a narrow valley to clear out the mudmen. However, those things will never just allow us to pass through that valley. No matter if our numbers are 300, 3000, or 30 000, nothing will change. Hah. And so the conversationes all the way back around. Its not like you dont have a better method either, do you? Rather than us going to them, we need to drag them out. How will you do that? Im currently thinking of a method. Please wait a little longer. Lord Dellin, we dont have all the time in the world. Were not in a position to stay in Ardell for a long time. The supplied rations are also running low ...... You have a side that is too passive, Lord Dellin. How will you obtain victory like this? Sacrifice is necessary in war. In any case, themander on scene wont be you, but me. If you dont have a good n, Ill just go along as I will. As Commander Murrow tried to end the meeting, Sir Bolvar, who had been just silently observing the whole thing, spoke up. Commander, I also dont think your n is effective. S-Sir Bor Patten. Sir Bolvar Patten was currently the hot topic among the knights. The sole knight of the Kingdom to be recorded in the Record of Knights. The one who could be called the greatest spearman in the continent was still alive? On top of that, he would be fighting alongside them? It was an undeniable honor. Even Commander Murrow thought that way. After all, he held more respect for Sir Bolvar than anyone else. Do you perhaps have a good idea as well, Sir Bolvar? He looked at Sir Bolvar with eyes full of expectation. However, Sir Bolvar just shook his head. Regretfully, I do not. However, I can tell you this with certainty. Wh-what is it? Please tell me your thoughts. If you were to go for a frontal breakthrough, you would lose all our troops. ...... As Sir Bolvar, the one who he practically idolized, also advocated for a cautious path, Commander Murrow scratched his head and muttered with anguish, Uwaaah! Not this, not that, then what is right? Choosing the most simple n of a frontal breakthrough would be consigning ourselves to defeat in this situation. But there wasnt a clear alternative. This slow and fruitless strategy meeting continued on for a while and I was quietly listening in on this a little away from them. I also couldnt think of a good n in this situation. Since this regarded the lives of thousands of people, I wanted to leave this problem to the experienced adults. But. But Doesnt this sound good? A thought shed through my mind. And to share it, I could only intervene in this talk. Hearing me, Commander Murrow asked, Sound good? Do you have a good idea, Young Lord? The answer was already here. Yes. The answer was already said by my father. We wont go in there, but will drag them out. I also know that such a n is good. The problem is figuring out how we would drag those bastards out of the valley. We just need to attack from atop the cliffs. Hearing me, Commander Murrow narrowed his eyes as if he couldnt imagine it. The cliffs? You mean the things that are surrounding the valley? Thats right. Isnt that impossible to get to? The strange rock formation between South Mountain and the Red ins was impossible for humans to climb. There just wasnt anywhere to get a firm foothold. Theres no need for many people to go up there. Itll be enough with just one or two magicians. We just need to flush them out by bombarding them with magic from above. Oh ho. That is a good idea, but getting up there is still a problem. Can you perhaps use the spell Fly? No. Then, arent we back at the start? This is frustrating. I feel like the talks have only been going in circles. In this scenario where we didnt have a high ranking magician who could cast Fly, how would we get on top of that cliff? But there was a way. I pointed at Jason, who was sitting at the side and nkly eating corn off the cob. This guy can get up there. Hm? C-cough! What? Me? At that, Jason coughed up all the corn he had been chewing. Wh-what are you saying? How can I go up somewhere you cant? No, you can get there. I-I can? Yeah. From the perspective of Jason, who was cleaning the streets every day, garnering the love and friendship of all the citizens of the territory, and generally enjoying his time rxing while eating apples and corn and whatever, this statement waspletely out of the blue. However Having watched you for a while, I think youre underestimating your own talent too much. I have talent? How do you know about talent even I dont know of? Trust me, I know. Youre my friend whos braver than anyone else. Th-thats true, but Dont worry. You can get up there. I gave Jason a bright smile. Because Im going to throw you up there. Thats right. I would throw him. If I threw Jason up onto that cliff, he wouldnd safely at the top. Are you trying to kill me? Jasons face folded like origami, but I just smiled while shrugging my shoulders. You can do it. Though, I would need some preparation. Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Supplies, a nket, and a ton of different kinds of cotton wool. Uh Ruin? What? Jason. Not stopping at just covering himself with the nket, he even stuffed a ton of cotton into his clothes. Thinking about it, I have a fear of heights. I fell off the roof one time when I was young. I get nauseous and my legs start shaking when I get somewhere higher than the 3rd floor A condition he didnt even have before suddenly appeared as well. He seemed to be feeling a lot of pressure from this. I couldnt help but pout. Really? What a waste. You were going to be the core of todays operation The core? Yeah. This is the most important role. But if you say you cant, then it cant be helped. Well just need to get someone else. I might go ask Seta W-wait! Core, Important, Cool. Jason liked these words a lot, so he hesitated. W-wont it be scary? Its fine. You wont have the time to be scared cause youll arrive at the top before you can blink. ...... On top of that, youll be protected by a Mana Barrier. And even if something happens, Irene will help you from the bottom. The nket and padding will only make you look uncool, and it probably wont be necessary at all. ...... Are you still scared? No response. Jason nodded silently and continued to stuff his clothes with cotton. Im proud of you. At least he didnt seem to want to give up aftering all this way. The war march started. A-ten-hut! Step! Step! March! As Commander Murrow gave the order, the 3500 soldiers under hismand started to march south. At the front was Commander Murrow, the Golden Light Knight Order, my father, and Sir Bolvar Pattenwho was wearing armor for the first time in a while. And at the back of this formation I want to be cool while marching, too. marched me and my friends, including Jason, who had covered his entire body with nkets and cotton. I tapped Jason, who wanted to look cool, on his shoulder. Youre cool enough right now. Really? Look over there. Everyones looking at you. Where? I only see themughing at me. Yeah, thats what Im talking about. Ruuiin!! Pft. Kekek. Youre such a simpleton. But it wasnt a lie that Jason would be the core of todays operation. How effectively Jason drove out the mudmen would be the key to the operations sess or failure. I joked with Jason as we came out of Ardell, but as we started to approach the Red ins, our talking significantly decreased. The bleak mood of the battlefield started to surround us. I didnt think I would be able to experience realbat right after I became a magician. Yeah. Jason, Seta, and Hansen all possessed incredible talent, but their realbat experience wascking. Irene and I had a bit more experience, but a battlefield of this scale was a first for all of us, so it was natural for us to be nervous. And Halt! Neigh! As the Red ins started toe into view, the formation stopped for a minute to switch to a battle formation, and my friends and I moved to the very front. As I approached, Commander Murrow came to greet me. Sir Ruin. Come quick. Well be going over the n onest time. Then, we gathered the heads of this operation and went into a mission briefing. Firstly, Sir Ruin and our young magician here Its Jason. Jason Damon. Magician Jason Damon will move the mudmen out of the valley. This n is good. Next is the sh. Since its at the entrance of the valley, how about blocking it and using archers? A n based on shooting the mudmen as soon as they showed themselves in the narrow path of the valley. It was a fine idea proposed by Commander Murrow, which he had put together after a lot of thought. Although it wasnt a bad n, there was a fatal w. My father was the one to point it out. The mudmen wont die just because they get hit by an arrow. Then? You need to precisely hit the core in their heads, killing them instantly. If not, they will just get back up. I worry that the archers wont be able to do their role in a chaotic situation like this. Then, Lord Ardell, do you have a better idea? My father slowly nodded. Fire. Fire? The mudmens bodies are made of mud. If we attack them with high-temperature mes, they will dry up and harden. Hardening them up then shattering them. Thats pretty good. Yes. The problem is that simple ming arrows wont be enough to harden a mudman. To turn the mudmen into bricks, we would need a very fierce me Then, Seta put up his hand. Well, I can do that. Are you sure? I dont know if you know this, but fire spells are my specialty. Im the perfect person to ask to turn these mudmen into solid bricks. The n was settled. I would chuck Jason up. Jason would then use light magic to lure the mudmen outside. After that, Seta would bake the mudmen flowing out into bricks. Then finally, the force of 300 made of mercenaries and citizens would shatter the hardened mudmen. This much was a piece of cake. As their role suddenly disappeared, Commander Murrow asked, Then, what should my forces do? Themander should be the oneying out the ns. Why are you asking me? I pointed towards the path that leads to the ocean that I checked with the minimap when I came to scout before. Over there. If you go through that, youll find a path that leads to the beach in the valley. Hide near there, and as things fall into chaos after our n begins, use that road to enter the back of the valley. Why there? If the mudmen decide that the narrow path ispletely blocked, where will the mudmen try to escape to? The sea? Thats right. Theyll try to go back to the ce they came. Thats why you need topletely wipe them out. Ah, understood! It was decided. Hansen and I decided to support the force of 300, and Sir Bolvar Patten decided to help the force of 3200 that was expected to have a tougher fight. With this, the n was made. I cracked my knuckles. Then, shall we begin? * * * * * * E-easy does it, Ruin Gently, gently I got it. Gently! Throw me with more care Uwaaaaaack! Vwooosh! I gripped Jason tight and started to spin on the spot. Using the rotation, I threw Jason toward the target location. Uwaaaaack! I-Im flying! Im flying in the air! If this n failed, it would probably be because of Jasons screaming. Jason started to screem weird things as he soared through the air. Then, Irene, who was standing next to me, put a Mana Barrier around Jason and cast Frozen Tree precisely where Jason wouldnd in order to bind him. Fu! Fuwah! I! Am alive! Thanks to that, Jason ended up hanging upside-down on a branch. But it was a sess. Wow, you threw him pretty uratly. You too, Irene. Your skills are still amazing. Fufu, of course. Thats to be expected. Jason seeded innding on the target, the top of the semicirr cliff face. See? I told you wouldnt need the nkets. * * * Wh-whats that? Jason Damon. A 3rd-ss magician, average for a graduate. Although he had decent talent, he still loved ying around more than studying. And for the first time, he regretted not trying harder at the Academy. D-dammit Why arent my legs moving? Why! It was all good up to the point where hended on top of the cliff. But at the bottom of the cliff The scene that was shown to Jasonpletely turned him to stone. Grrrrrk Grrk! ...... Thousands. No, hundred of thousands. No. Over a million mudmen all packed together filled the middle of the valley. Wooosh! It looked like a Red in that shifted with the blowing wind. And it also looked horrifyingly like a pot of wriggling blood worms. His gaze turned downwards. Jason! Start now! ...... Even if it was just for those people who were looking up at him, waiting for him. If it was just for Ruin, who trusted hiscking self and brought him here I cant let them down! He needed to move. Now. Euh P-please move! Legs! He physically grabbed his legs and was able to barely move them a step. Eyes clenched shut, he muttered to himself, I-I can do it I can do it! I will do it! Then, he put his hands together and focused on his mana. The mana flowing out of his three circles immediately activated between his hands, and a red cloud formed above his head. The spell Jason was casting was a fire spell that boasted a decently wide area of attack. Rain of Fire. The 3rd-ss spell that literally rained fire on ones enemies. Since his level wasnt that high, the size of the cloud wasnt that big. But it was enough to scare the mudmen, who had just been enjoying the cool afternoon weather. Rumble! ck! Crash! Grrrk! Grrk! Fwooooosh! At the unexpected fiery rain, the mudmen started to hurriedly move as they burned. As they started to move, the ins fell into chaos, like a tower of blocks suddenly falling apart. U-uwack! So gross! Die! Die! Diiieee! Jason was so grossed out by their movement as they scurried around like bugs, he had to screw his eyes shut as he continued to focus on his spell. This was pretty effective. Grrk! Since a magician was casting a spell down at them from atop an unreachable cliff, this was practically a disaster for the ones stuck below. Grrk! Grrrrrk! Grrrk! The mudmen all turned their heads in a single direction. They were looking at the narrow path that led outside the valley. And so, they started to run toward the narrow path to avoid the spell * * * Good job, Jason! You punk. Whining like that when you were going to do good anyways Mr. Seta, you should get ready. Yeah, just trust me. But Irene, why is it still Mr. Seta? Why are you putting that line between us? Just call me Seta. Talkter. Tch. Seta Malkiri walked forward. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! The ground shook beneath us as a testament to the number of mudmen that were running out. But Seta didnt even blink. Rather Come at me, you muddy pests! I roast you all! He showed his teeth and his strong confidence. Yeah. Seta Malkiri was also a super-prodigy that would lead the future of Oyota. I knew his strength. And the Seta I met again after half a year Get bricked! ...... He had grown unbelievably stronger. Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Fire-based attacks. Thinking about the characteristics of this narrow valley, there probably wasnt a strategy better than this one. Grrk! Grrrrrk! The thousands of mudmen that were running in started to flow through the tight path that led away from the fiery rain. However, the paths exit was already tightly sealed by Seta Malkiri. He had summoned an impressivelyrge two-meter-tall Battle Guardian to plug the exit. The two mudmen at the forefront couldnt break through the Guardian, and Crunch! Their heads were crushed by the Guardians battleaxe. But the strength of ten thousand mudmen flowing in couldnt be blocked by a lone Guardian. Grrk! Grrrrk! ......! They were like a wave breaking on the shore, and the Battle Guardian started to falter. It seemed like it would copse any moment. However, this was enough to give Seta Malkiri the short time needed to prepare his next spell. Ill roast you all. He raised his hands above his head. Then, a fierce pir of fire exploded out of a giant skull with two burning eyes that appeared in his hands. Fire Breath. The skull spewed endless mes into the valley. Fwoooosh! The hundreds of mudmen that couldnt advance or retreat were baked by the mes and turned into hard bricks. Seeing this, Seta muttered, confident of victory, Ruin, do you smell that? The smell of blood? I think youre just smelling the cooked earth. Ruin, shut up. Of course, I replied with a joke, but still, Seta had be much stronger in our short time apart. Seta! Above! I already saw it. The mudmens survival instincts were tenacious. Grrrk! They started to step on their fellow mudmen who had turned to stone and began running across them. However, Seta used the same method to easily roast them again. If they climbed up, they were burned. After this cycle repeated a few times, the entrance to the valley looked to bepletely sealed with the solidified corpses of mudmen. Uahaha! Ruin! Hows that? ...... Although Seta cheered at having seeded in his mission, I couldnt cheer with him. Ruin! Over there. Yes, I saw it too. Putting it nicely, it was true to say that the entrance to the valley waspletely blocked. But on the other hand, the mudmen could use those baked statues to climb up the cliff. They had already started to use the corpses of other mudmen to step up and climb over. Damn it. Jason was put in danger now. Irene didnt hesitate and shouted at me, Ruin! Throw me up there as well! She didnt need a nket, cotton, or wool. I nodded and quickly lifted Irene. Then, I threw her with all my might above the cliff. * * * Wh-what! Jason, who had been standing on top of the cliff this whole time, fell onto his back upon seeing the frightening scene in front of him. Although the fire n seemed sessful Grrrrrk! Uwaah! The mudmen continued to climb atop their fallen, bricked bretheren and went toward him. Seeing this terrorfied him more than anything he had ever seen before. But Jason shook his head with force. I-I havent even gotten a girlfriend yet I cant die here Unlike the image of the real man that he held to tell Ruin to be a real man too He had never even held a girls hand before. I cant just die here without ever having dated! Someone, save me!!! He felt too ashamed to die here. Then, an angel descended from the sky. Wh-what! I-Irene! Ohohohoh! Why are you here sote?!! Having flown in at a time of danger, Irene Prius was like an angel, a savior, and a miracle for Jason. Of course Ah, so you havent dated someone before. ...... He panicked for a second at having this savior hear his secret that he never wanted her to hear. But in the end, the situation had be a lot safer. Please step back. Y-yes! Clink! Irene used her a single ice spell to instantly freeze over the mudmen that were trying to climb up. Looking at the wave of mudmen below, Irene said, This spot is pretty good. There werent many ways to catch a magician who had settled on the high ground. On top of that, if that magician was one of the geniuses that would define the next generation Lets sweep them all away. They would be untouchable. From here, Irenes bombardment began. * * * * * * The entrance had beenpletely sealed by a stone wall after the bombardment of the two magicians atop the cliff. So in this situation, what choice could the mudmen make? Th-theyre retreating! Shouted someone, and it became reality. Grrrrrk! Yeah. Their only choice was to run away. To give up the Red ins and return to the ocean that they lived in before. The mudmen that had struggled to escape the valley quickly turned around and started to retreat. I turned my gaze to the side. While we were distracting them like this, the 3200 soldiers from the capital wouldve passed through the beach and blocked off their escape. However Isnt there still too many of them? Theres no end to them no matter how many we kill. ...... Seta, Ill leave this ce to you. Alright. I got it, go! I moved to go support them. * * * The army of 3200 had all, as nned, hidden themselves near the road to the beach. Then, using the chaos created within the mudmen by Jasons magic, they moved themselves to the rear of the valley. Their mission was to block off the mudmens escape and to wipe them out. Shh! While they were maintaining their formation and staying hidden, waiting for the mudmen to appear, it was a sound that made them nervous. Th-the ground is rumbling. Boom! Boom! Vibrations could be felt through the earth as it shook slightly. Vwooooooaaaaaah The sight of the mudmen flowing out of the valley struck fear in their hearts. H-hiek! Theres too many of them This is impossible. The soldiers took a few steps back. Seeing this, Commander Murrow stepped forward, shouting out, You bastards! The next person to take a single step back will find their head flying off their body after a meeting with my de! ...... Separate from his excellent skills as a tactician, he was also a knight. A readied soldier sent to battle by themand of the royal family. The magicians will definitely support us from the back. We just need to hold the line! The weakest nation on the continent. Continued expedition failure. Everyone here desired to wash away those disgraces. In the eyes of Sir Murrow, there was a certainty that, in this battle, only victory would follow. Schwing! He unsheathed his sword from his hip and raised it high. At the edge of the Kings sword! Lies great victory! Step! The soldiers wielding pikes took a step forward, and readied themselves to turn the charging mudmen into skewers. Simultaneously, the shieldmen stood next to the ones holding the spears and protected their bodies. Behind them, the remaining soldiers prepared to fight. And at the very back Great victory! The archers arrows thundered down like a storm. Boom! Babababboom! With the final shout by Sir Murrow, the force of 3200 collided against the endless tide of mudmen. Crack! The formation threatened to break the instant they collided, but they moved with practiced grace and maintained their positions. However Damn it. Hold! Keep holding! It truly was toocking. Although an individual mudman was weak, their overwhelming numbers would lead to our defeat. It looked only destined that they would hold on for but a few minutes before being trampled underfoot. Yeah. Theoretically, that should be the case. There was no way for a force of 3 000 to defend against 500 000. However, there were existences that could flip this natural oue on its head. You dirty mudmen bastards! Lets make a bet to see who kills the most! Sure! One! Im already at three! With Commander Murrow at the forefront, the Golden Light Knight Order were real knights. Even inside the weakest nation, they were the few that had their talents acknowledged. A knight at the edge of 5th-rank was deadly, and the aura de these people emitted were enough to slice through dozens of mudmen at once. While these knights were holding the line, a few soldiers on horseback cleaved through the mudmen. Theirbat capabilities werent so easy to dismiss them as those of a weak country. Ten to one. No, even killing a hundred for each knight was easily doable. And the one who clearly stood out from among these knights Look at that! Its Sword Wind! Holy crap Ten thousand to one. No, even higher odds were possible for this old knight. The man who easily shot out both Sword Spirit and Sword Wind. Spear Saint Bolvar Patten. I-is that truly the martial arts of a human? Flick! With a swipe of his spear, dozens of mudmen were destroyed, and the spots he swept through were left devoid of life. The storm that brewed at the tip of his spear forbade the mudmen from even approaching. It truly was just a ughter. However Euk! Kugh! Everyone! Keep going! The expressions of the soldiers started to darken one by one. Dammit! Howe theres no end to them? No matter how incredible the Spear Saint was, it was still impossible for him to face them all by himself. Although the others wished to help him more, seeing the endless swarm of mudmen, a sense of futility started to set in. And unlike the mudmens numbers, their stamina wasnt endless. Keep holding! The sea is behind us! We cant fall back any further! The formation was being pushed back, and at some point, the sea water had startedpping at their feet. They were getting tired. A big change needed to happen. It was then. Vwoong A strong wind started to billow from behind the knights. Euk! Looking behind them, a ck-haired boy donned in leather armor moved like the wind. And the ce the boy ran was at the center of the mudmen. Not even giving them a chance to pick out the boys face, explosions began to burst forth. Bang! Boom! Baboom! The number of explosions continued to increase without limit, and holes started to form in the Red in of countless mudmen. Chapter 128 Chapter 128 I-is it Sir Ruin? Its the magicians! Theyre here to support us! Nows the time! Push them back! As if possessed, I jumped into the swarm and swung my fists. Bang! Booom! These emotionless, apathetic beasts only driven by instinct couldnt remember anything. But I could. I remembered it like it was yesterday. 10 years ago. In my territory. The time when My people, My mother, had died. It angered me even more that they couldnt remember. For her to die to these beasts that dont even have reason, but only move by instinct. We were weak. Misfortune only fell because of our weakness. This must not happen again. My pent-up anger finally exploded, and I swung my fists like a madman. Even as my body got covered in mud. Even as my movements slowed as the mud hardened on my skin. Even as my strength quickly dwindled. I did not stop. And the atmosphere instantly shifted. Their formation is broken! Everyone, charge! For the King! Thanks to Sir Bolvar and me, their formation broke at the waist. Once the soldiers that had been pushed into the ocean no longer needed our protection, the Golden Light Knight Order, centered around Sir Murrow, charged on their horses. And Protect the Lord and Young Master! Wraaaaaaaahhhh! The mercenaries and people of the territory that were stationed at the valley path joined the forces. Although there was no end to them no matter how many we killed This much is doable, dont you think? Think of it as training, and just hold on for two more hours. T-two more hours? You survived Sir Bolvars hellish training till now, so this much is...... Right? Is that how this works? We still had hope. * * * And after that, what I did was shout, You evil mudmen scum! I, the magician Jason Damon, pronounce your destruction! and after that No, wait. Maam, are you listening to me? Eh? Ah, hehe. I think I dozed off for a second. Please, tell me again. Please listen closely this time. This will be thest time. You evil mudmen scum! I, the magician Jason Damon! Never had a girlfriend. Never had a girlfr Eh?! He said he couldnt die here. Not without having dated yet. He even begged for someone to save him ...... Kekeke! Was it like that? Oh my. Howe a handsome youngd like you hasnt dated even once? Good at cleaning, good at washing the dishes. Whatscking? Itll be a shame if you die as a virgin ghost like this. Hehehehe. Maam, please stop talking. Youre making it worse. The subjugation of the Red ins was over. The battle that took over two hours ended with ourplete victory. Although more than 1500 people ended up injured, thankfully, there was not a single casualty. This was due to the fact that individual mudmen were weak. But also because of a miracle caused by the courage of the soldiers that never broke formation, and the desire of everyone to win this final battle. Thanks to this, a huge celebration took ce in Ardell. Everyone came together in small groups around a fire and enjoyed meat and drinks with each other, and through this period, all the feelings of vengeance that the people of the territory had held deep within were finally resolved. All of Ardell celebrated todays victory. And Young magician, you need to date before you die, dont you think? So dont sulk like this. How about meeting up with my daughter? Really? No, no. Meet my daughter first. That cksmiths daughter is still too young. How old is she? 10? Or was she 9? Hey! Thats too young! Im an adult now! How about your daughter, maam? Shes 43 this year. The perfect age to go get married. ...... The great magician Jason Damon became the number one prospective husband to all the olddies of the territory. Yeah. Since hepleted the core task of this expedition well and had a lot of achievements under his name, this much was only expected! I tapped Jason on the shoulder. Jason. Use this opportunity to be reborn as a man. ...... The always-confident Jason didnt say much today. * * * * * * It wasnt just the citizens of the territory who celebrated the victory. Oh! Young Master Ruin! Commander. The princes will be very pleased to hear the report of our victory. Commander Murrow and the Golden Light Knight Order, who had traveled a fair bit with their forces to Ardell, were also very pleased. After Bengrass Kegens order for capture was announced, I was ced as the temporary captain for the group. But using this opportunity, I think Ill be able to get some favors from the princes. I wish you well in bing the official captain of the Golden Light Knight Order. Thank you for helping us. Its all because of you, Young Master Ruin. Thank you. I nearly forgot to say that. These people would return to the capital the moment the injured all recovered. If we didnt have the help of the princes and the capital force, this fight wouldve been scales of magnitude more difficult. Thank you, everyone. Goodbyes always feel lonely. Although our meeting was brief, it wasnt just the Golden Light Knight Orderwhich I had grown a little fond ofwho I would have to say goodbye to. Hey, Ruin? Yeah? Im also going to return to Oyota tomorrow. Seta Malkiri. He didnt get paid for it. Nor did he gain fame. Just because I required his help, he suddenly came down to Ardell. But soon, he would return to his country. You might not believe it, but the Great Emperor looks for me a lot. Even if Im like this, Im still the most promising magician of Oyota. Yeah, I know. Youve gotten a lot stronger. Keke. You punk. I know that, too. So wait for me, okay? One day, Ill hit you back the same way you hit me. Yeah. But obviously, my rtionship with Seta wouldnt just end here. Ill be going to Oyota soon. Oh, really? After all, I also had something to do in Oyota I was certain that I would meet Seta again soon. Chief of Affairs, how is my father? The Lord is currently at the terrace. Its so cold What is he doing at the terrace? Hes taking some time alone. He looked to be deep in thought. Ah, thank you. It should be me thanking you, Young Master. The events of today that you helped create The people of this territory will forever remember this day, myself included. ...... Please go in. Maybe hes waiting for you, Young Master. I nodded and opened the door to the corridor that led to the terrace. Our victory today may have been a joyous asion, but not everyone was drinking and eating; smiling andughing. As the one who lost his lovely mother to the mudmen, I was definitely sad. But back then, it was my father who looked like he had lost everything in the world. Father My father, Lord Dellin Ardell, was definitely thinking back to that day 10 years ago after todays victory. ...... On the terrace, the cold spring winds still blew, and my father looked up at the night sky. Alone. In the sudden emptiness that follows the conclusion of revenge, he was thinking of my mother. I wanted to let my father have his time alone, so I went to close the door that I had cracked open. However Ruin? You noticed? Sorry, I didnt intend to disturb y Come in. My father called for me, and I slowly entered, closing the door behind me. Sitting on the terraces outside table was an empty wine ss. Will you drink? Yes. My father poured out a ss of wine for me, and the thought that this was the first time I was sharing a drink with my father surfaced in my mind. Then, my father lifted the wine bottle and spoke. This wine is 17 years old. Really? Although the wine is officially called Selburuc, Meria and I called it a different name. Meria. The name of my mother. We called this wine Amoroso Ruin. ...... We created this wine on the day of your birth and then promised each other that, when a day more joyous than any day before came, we would drink it together. It wasnt simply a bottle of wine. A joyous day, more joyous than ever before. The wine that was saved to drink with hearts full of happiness, hearts without worry or sadness. And the wine that was saved even when my younger sister Ruina was born It had been opened today. We couldnt keep our promise. Today isnt a day more joyous than any other, one without worry or sadness. But its still nice. Reminiscing the old times It also feels like I''m drinking together with Meria. I couldnt know the depth of that longing held in my fathers eyes. I was too young to understand the entirety of that emotion. Amoroso Ruin However, I could vaguely understand it after taking a sip of the wine. The happiness my mother and father felt on that day when they made the wine. And just how much she would love how I grew up. I could feel my heart slowly sinking inside my chest, and to get rid of this feeling, I took a deep breath. It tastes good. Really? Yes, although the aftertaste is a little bitter. Seeing how weak you are at drinking, you resemble Meria a lot. Her face would go red after just a single drink. Really? This was the first time I had heard about this. After all, I had never drunk with my father before. As we drank together and talked over the wine, I was able to hear stories about Mother that I hadnt heard before It was really refreshing. I was an adult now. Ruin. Yes? What are your ns now? We need to grow our territory even more. Since weve aplished Ardells long cherished dream of clearing the Red ins, we need to cultivate the valley I wish that you could live life for yourself a little more. Yes, I heard from Ruina. Meria always wanted for you to live your own life, and Im the same. I want you to live not Ruin Ardells life, but Ruins life. Although this seemed like a small difference, in reality, it was massive. The life I wanted? This was a truly difficult question. The Ruin Ardell that wanted to grow hisnd and city even further. The Ruin Ardell that wanted to gain a lot of experience and travel. They were both me. However, there really wasnt much I could do here right now. Working the fields, constructing buildings, gathering people, creating a newmunity center? All that would be solved in time. Then, what should I do during that time? After staying in the territory for a few days, Im thinking of going traveling. Travel. The decision I came to after mulling it over for a while, erasing the name of Ardell and just living a life of Ruin. Hearing my answer, my father faintly smiled. Thats a good decision. It wont be for long. Just a short while of wandering. Its fine if its for long. Live your life in a way that leaves you satisfied. Ardell will always be waiting for you. But youll be lonely if it takes too long, right? I was gone for six years in the Academy, but Im leaving so soon. A quiet mansion without my serious son? It was pretty good in some ways. Are you going to be like this, too, Father? Ahem. The edges of my fathers lips twitched as he held back hisughter. I knew he wasnt being serious. There was no way a mansion without me was better. Youre joking, right? Right? In any case Seeing my fathers smiling face, my heart became a lot lighter. Yeah. I had just ended arge chapter in Ardells history. Ill leave the world of adults to the adults for a bit Traveling, huh? Sounds fun. Chapter 129 Chapter 129 The Capitals force of 3200 left Ardell, and Seta returned to his home country of Oyota as well. But I didnt immediately leave Ardell like them. After all, I really did need a good rest. As I took a step back and rested, I watched Ardell change rapidly. Put more strength in! Huack Huaah! Tsk. Your stamina is terrible O-one thousand Huak I did a thousand. Three minutes rest! Th-thank you! Hansen, who had sworn to be a sword of Ardell, was receiving hellish training every day from Sir Bolvar. If someone who didnt know Sir Bolvar saw this, they would think he was a cruel and vicious person. But Hansen trained with a joyful heart. Not a hint of dissatisfaction was on his face. I asked Sir Bolvar in a half-joking tone, Arent you being too merciless? Hell copse if you keep going on like this. He should still be fine. I was also able to withstand this much when I was his age. Well, isnt that possible for you because you are you, Sir Bolvar? I really dont think normal people can survive this. At that, Sir Bolvar seemed amused as he replied, No, this child might be even greater than me. So hell definitely be able to handle this. Eh? On top of that, since hes the sword thatll bring you great help in the future, Young Master, I need to nurture him with utmost care. Hell be even greater than Sir Bolvar? Was Hansens talent that great? Although I did confirm that he was nearing the level of a 5th-rank Knight, I didnt expect Sir Bolvar to make such a statement. In any case, thanks to you, my final years as a knight have be much more enjoyable. I didnt even think of having a disciple, but it ended up like this. Haha Im d to hear that youre enjoying this. Everyone is. Since our youngest knight just turned 40st year its been a while since a new soldier entered our ranks. Of course, I cant know this for certain, but I am still certain that everyone sees Hansen in a favorable light. Hansen, Sir Bolvar, and even Sir Bordo, who had been the youngest despite turning 40 It was good for them all. Well have to regroup the guard squads, and might as well reorganize the knight order during this time. The knight order of Ardell consisting of only three people before Hansen came would be reorganized as well. We were overflowing with weapons, and our financial position had continued to improve. We could have a pretty decent knight order not too long into the future. No. Not could. I was certain. Weve already got more than 30 volunteers. Because the news that the Spear Saint Bolvar Patten was in Ardell had started to spread, knights would start to gather here like moths to a me. Deciding to go somewhere else, I headed outside the city borders. Old-man Paison! My goodness, Young Master! The Red ins. No Since the owners of thend had changed, we needed to call it by its old name again. The ce, once called The Red ins and now Ardell Valley, became newmunity center for the people of the territory. Hows the work going? Oh my, Young Master, you dont even have to ask. Theres no end to it no matter how much we dig. Isnt this a treasure trove? The mud created from the hardened forms of the thousands of mudmen became outstanding bricks, and houses and buildings were built with these as a base. Even after all that, there was still an overflowing number of them left, to the point where they could just be sold. After this quarrying was finished and thend of Ardell Valley was cultivated, the open sea could be used to our hearts content to revitalize the fishing industry here. And due to the recent boom in Ardells status, there were a lot of people who wanted to move here. Maybe Continuing like this, we might even want to build a port here. The cement is perfect. Yes, we should. A port might be created here not too far in the future. South Mountain to the east. Oyota to the west. The ocean to the south. The Ardell that had been cut off in three directions could open up a new avenue for business. If everything went as nned, the weaknesses we had struggled through all this time might transform into strengths. The Great Trade City, Ardell. An all new territory, but still the same name. I was happy just thinking about it. Ruin, I made up my mind. What? From now on, outside of cleaning hours, Im going to focus on training every day. Eh? Dont you need time to go on dates? Ruin! Im being serious right now. Keke. Alright, alright. Jason had also perfectly melded with the territory. With his charming charisma and excellent cleaning abilities, he received the nickname of magician of the street from the people of the territory. His skills in street cleaning were miraculous. But he didnt seem to want to stop with just that. The day you return, Ill already be a 4th-ss magician, so look forward to it. Oh, looks like youve resolved yourself? Yeah, so dont ever ck off. Yeah, I never intended to, either. Alright! My special training starts today! In any case, he seemed to have steeled himself to get stronger after the recent battle. Well, it was understandable, since he nearly died without having dated once. Whats that look in your eye? You made fun of me in your head, didnt you? Pft. Noooo Im sorry for making fun of you, Jason. Love you buddy. In any case, it wasnt just Jason who perfectly melded into the territory. Irene Prius. She had also finished gettingpletely used to the territory. Although she said it was fine, it was a bit of a shame. One of the strongest magicians in the continent, a genius who mastered 5th-ss magic at the age of 17 Here. Starlight is safe. Kyaaa! Thank you, miss! Hwaaah Starlight, are you ok? was using her magic to rescue a cat stuck in a tree, or helping with moving heavy objects. Of course, I wasnt saying that these things werent important. They were very important, and the territory and I were very thankful to her. But Shes Irene Prius. She was someone who could wield enormous amounts of power in the Empire, who could be on the blood-soaked battlefield splitting open orc heads in a single blow. Smack! But she was splitting open pumpkins instead. Do you want some? * * * * * * No. Im fine. Its tasty. Wasnt this a massive waste of military power? Wasnt I tying her down here just because of my own desires? As these thoughts filled my mind, I asked, Is it fine? Is what? Life in Ardell. Are you ufortable with anything? Not at all. I felt like this is what it feels like to have a family, and...... Are you really not eating? Irene pushed a split-open pumpkin toward me. Im fine. Its really tasty. But I dont think youre supposed to eat them raw. You might get sick if you do. Ah, really? Irenes expression said she had no idea as she summoned a fire and started to cook the pumpkin over it. Its fine now, right? Aah The amazing magician that should be leading the next generation had be a household magician instead. Maybe she didnt know how I was feeling, since she kept eating, but then she spoke. Im happy right now, so dont think about sending me away. S-sending you away? Im just thinking That girl thats always with you. That girl? Eh? Girl? Who was she talking about? Yes. Short, with long ck hair. Ah, you mean Straang? So her name is Straang Yes, that girl. You two hang out together a lot these days. What about Straang? She bluntly asked in an uninterested tone, Is she your girlfriend? Eh? She stared at me with narrowed eyes. Unlike her uninterested tone, her eyes and mouth were twitching a little. What? Was she nervous?? I hurriedly lifted my hands and said, Ah, haha, not at all. Were not able to have a rtionship like that in the first ce. However, Irene lunged at this opportunity as if she was expecting it and continued her questioning. What do you mean not able to have a rtionship like that? Eh? Ah, thats So Our rtionship isnt one where we can date and whatever. What kind of rtionship is it? How do I put this The rtionship between Straang and I is maybe that of partners? Maybe closer to symbiotic? Hearing my exnation, Irene looked absolutely appalled. Partners? Symbiotic? Its really not what you think. Those are very suspicious words. From what I hear, you guys travel together too? Thats because shes not a girl but a feminine entity. But how could I exin this all to her? Uwaaaaaaah! That stupid anthropomorphosis! Maybe she shouldve just stayed in her cute teddy bear form! Th-thats As I shut my mouth after not exining it properly, Irene seemed disappointed and pouted. Yeah. Im pathetic. What was my rtionship with Straang? If I didnt have any feelings toward Irene, I couldve just glossed over it and been done with it. But I didnt want to do that. Even though I already knew why Irene was asking me these questions, I was still avoiding answering her. I really did feel pathetic for not being able to give her a clear answer. Irene probably realized how I felt. The one who speaks so brazenly in front of the Crown Prince and the Fire King isnt able to say anything in front of me. Her expression still held a trace of that same yfulness from before. To her, I slowly and steadily started to talk. Ill make it clear now. Straang and I are most certainly not in the kind of rtionship youre thinking about, and we wont ever be in the future. You can trust me on that. Really? Yes. Really. So So? Ah, whats so difficult about this? I finally opened my mouth and spoke the words that threatened to run away. S-so...... wait for me. Uwah! You idiot! Was that all you could say after thinking that hard? Its obvious shed ask what she needs to wait for me for. But Irene, seemingly very satisfied with this answer, nodded lightly. Ok. Ill wait for you. Eh? I said Ill wait for you. And then, smiling yfully, she continued to say, Did you know? That the girls who continue to wait for someone start to expect more and more the longer they wait. Ill wait for an even cooler speech from you next time. And then, she went off by herself while muttering, I should learn how to cook pumpkins. I copsed down onto my chair and put my clenched hand over my heart. Why was it beating so fast? Then, a dark shadow appeared from under the table and spoke. Youre so stupid. Ruina? Why did you appear from there? No How long were you under there?! Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Although she was younger than me, Ruina was more experienced in dating, so she gave me some advice. What was that stupid S-so...... wait for me ? I didnt think I sounded that stupid. Was I really like that? You shouldve confessed like a man! Hahhh, so frustrating. Wait, before that Was this really advice? Wasnt this just a one-sided pummeling? The timing was also perfect. Irene was even waiting for it. Waiting for it? Why do you think Irene came all the way down here to Ardell? Do you think she did it for me? I did know. I could somewhat feel it. No, I was sure of it. But it was too sudden. Listen carefully to what I am about to say. The rose knightess that protects Ardell, and the master of dating. Miss Ruina Ardell gave me her final piece of advice. Now, shes going to be waiting for you every day until you go to her. Youre a really bad guy. Ruina let out a hmph, then left the kitchen Was this still advice? Wasnt it just a tantrum? How could I put this? After that day, I became more careful in my actions. Irene and I didnt particrly be awkward with each other or something. Except What? What is it? Uhm, nothing. I just want to put a little distance between us. Why are you acting like this now? When Straang went to attach herself to me, I instinctively looked around my surroundings and started to be wary. What, are you actually getting embarrassed because of me? No way. Right? Were so close that Ive even seen your butt Hey! Dont say things like that! Kekek. Ok, fine. This damned perverted incarnation. How was this a girl? This sly mass was just like a predatory male that hadnt had a rtionship in 300 years. Straang, have you thought of going back to that teddy bear form from before? Why would I? Its so much better now. I thought you were a bit cuter when you were a bear and I didnt have to worry about other people seeing you. Hmm, nah. Right now is the best. Im at Rank 10 right now, and Im gonna live like this until Rank 20. ...... So she was going to live like this forever. Yeah. There was no use ming Straang. She was innocent. This was all because of this stupid me who couldnt say all that I wanted to. More than that, are you really doing this? Doing what? Heading off to find Drakas Holy Relic fragments. The day that I decided to leave Ardell and explore the continent hade. It hadnt been that long since I had graduated, but for me to leave home again Looks like I really was born for adventure. My destination had also already been decided. I need to. Oyota.
Mythic Rank Quest Legacy Fragment I of The Destroyer of Worlds, Draka *The following quest requires at least 10,000 strength. *You must gather the four fragments of Drakas Legacy that scattered when the Destroyer of Worlds fell to ruin. *When all four fragments arebined, Drakas Legacy will be reborn.
I was nning on progressing with the quest there. The authority of a god, having the power to bend even gravity to my will Just how could I give this up? I told you its dangerous. Of course, Straang was wary of that strength till the end. I didnt know how long it would take to gather all four fragments of the Holy Relic, and there was a chance that I couldnt get it even if I spent my entire life looking for them. But there was no point in worrying about this before even trying it. Dont worry. Humans arent that weak. Excuses. * * * * * * The one who were most saddened by my sudden leave was surprisingly Jason. Uwaaaaaah! Straaaaaang! What is it now? Uwaak! Jason attempted to hug Straang after seeing an opening, but after she easily dodged to the side, he tripped and fell to the ground. After wiping the dirt off his sleeve, he seemed a little embarrassed. Ahem Have a good trip. Stay safe! Yeah. Dont get into trouble, and keep going strong in your training. Get into trouble? Am I a kid? You dont get into trouble either, bro. Ande back as soon as possible. Ruinas gaze turned to Irene. I also naturally turned toward Irene. But although our eyes didnt meet for that long, she quickly turned away. What? What is this weird feeling? You really are just a strong idiot. Ruina suddenly pulled my arm. To be honest, it wasnt like I would be dragged along by Ruina just because she pulled me. But I went along with it. Because of that, the distance between Irene and I had shortened. I bit her farewell with an awkward smile on my face. Then, Ill be going. But then, Irene let out a smallugh and replied, Yes. Ill be waiting. Oh? Whats this? Whats this scene right now? Jason made a fuss about it, but my eyes were fixed on Irene. She had only told me she would be waiting for me, so why was my heart fluttering like this? Unlike me, Irene still had her yful smile on her How do I say this She radiated the aura of someone who knew how to date. It felt as if I would get dragged along by her. Even during all this, Jason tactlessly continued to talk. What, what, what? Why does it feel like Im the only one not in the loop? What are you two doing? Is there something going on? Stupid bro, just shut up. You really dont know anything. Ruina. I fully remembered your name now. So can you forgive me? I dont want to. But it was cleanly taken care of by Ruinas words. He really got shut down. I got on the horse with Straang. In the far distance, atop a hill, I could see my father standing in the terrace of the Ardell mansion. I waved goodbye for all of these people here. Then, Ill be back soon. * * * Oyota. For us, it wasmonly known as the sand kingdom. As a people proud of their long history, they trained in the sword and body from a young age, and were at one point known as the strongest and toughest people on the continent. However, if we were being precise, they werent a kingdom. The Radian Kingdom was a monarchy with a king who ruled over them. But the one who ruled Oyota wasnt a king, but a Great Emperor. Straang asked, Great Emperor? Does that mean Oyota is thend of an empire? It was once an empire. Before the Raynac Empire took over the continent, there was a time when Oyota held the greatest power. Then, technically, arent they not an emperor? Although it seems like that to the outsiders, the citizens still call them Emperor. Maybe they dont want to forget their past glory or something The Oyota who had seized the continent with their outstanding martial arts had lost against the magical advancements of the Raynac Empire. However, due to their special militaristic culture, they were very much like thorns. In times of emergency, every person in Oyota became a soldier, whether they be young or old, man or woman. Is it that, from the perspective of the Empire, since theyll bite back when confronted, it isnt worth telling them off or caring whether or not they call their leader the Great Emperor? I dont know the specific politics of it, but thats the story I heard. As time passed, their cultural focus on martial arts had severely lessened, but their society still held their warlike beliefs. You could tell just by looking at Seta Malkiri. How much had he growled at me at first? One of the main reasons they were still militaristic was probably because their lives were based in sand. Its barren. Before my eyes, a wastnd extended out in every direction. And at the end of this wastnd existed a glimmering, mirage-like view of a sandy desert. Three days west of Ardell. The national border was so close to home. Although it was close, this was the first time I had personally went to the border like this. After all, there were no reason for Ardell to have traffic with Oyota. However, that would change in the future. Wait. Stop right there. The national checkpoint south of the Radian Kingdom and east of Oyota. In this ce, there were five soldiers of the Kingdom and five of Oyota that held the border between them. I approached these people. Please provide your identification. I pulled out the card I received right after I graduated from the Academy. So you were a magician. Where are youing from? Ardell. Ruin Ardell Yes. You may pass. The Radian soldiers checked that there was nothing wrong with my identification, and let me pass without a problem. Next, it was the soldiers from Oyota. A man with a scar over his eye walked up to me. Where are you going? Im going to Esperanaza. Esperanaza Itll take about ten days. Esperanaza. Thend of hope. Thend of abundance. It was built next to thergest oasis in Oyota, where water flowed plenty and thends were fertile. As such, it was the capital city of Oyota. It was the ce Seta Malkiri was staying in, and luckily, it was also my destination. It will be hard to travel by horse past this point. Go over there to the camel stable and leave your horse there in exchange for a camel. Thank you. A camel? Since it was my first time seeing one, it would be my first time riding one, too. Noticing my excitement, the man with the scar continued to talk. It looks like this is your first visit to Oyota, so Ill give you some advice. At the word advice, I remembered Ruina for a second, but I erased it from my head. Since his advice would be real. Trust no one. Trust no one This was rted to their warlike culture, and it also was a warning about the wildmen who lived off ughtering the beasts of the barren desert. Itll be wise not to ignore this. If youre visiting us with the illusion of the bountifulness of your kingdom, then you will suffer like never before. It wasnt just one tourist who had everyone around them ughtered, all their money stolen, and survived just by the skin of their teeth. Thank you for your advice. Oyota. In this ce, the barbarism that was long gone from my kingdom was still rampant. Just like the conditions Seta Malkiri grew up in, it was a world based in survival of the fittest. And it was a crime-ridden world where losing focus for even a moment could mean the end. Although they say the capital, Esperanaza, was a bit better, I needed to cross many more oases before I got there. I left my horse at the camel stable, and got two camels. Soon enough, my curiosity at seeing camels for the first time and my excitement at my first journey had all disappeared. So we need to get through here. The vast desert that stretched before me made my head feel dizzy. It was blindingly intense. Lets go, Straang. But that wasnt enough to make me hesitate, and took my first steps into the harsh desert. Do you know where youre going? In the desert, there was another horror, and thats not mentioning the vast difference in temperature between night and day. It was very easy to get lost if one was not careful. But I just shrugged my shoulders. I have the minimap. Days until arrival: 10. There was no time to rest. Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Having passed through the southern gateway of Ardell, it had been three days of moving west without rest. Every day, we were greeted with the same scenery. Hmm, I feel like we passed this point yesterday No, were going the right way. I guess so. The minimap doesnt lie. But look at that. I think Im gonna go insane. How do humans live in a ce like this? I agreed with Straang. The sand dunes all looked the same, confusing us to our location. Sand storms appeared once a while and swept up anyndmarks that could act as guiding lights for travelers. The heat emanating from the sand was so draining that I couldnt even think of doing the daily quest. Of course, I could endure it somehow. The path could be found using the minimap, and I could just get used to the heat and bear through it. However, there was one big problem we were facing right now. Were running out of water. I was trying to save it as much as possible, but it was starting to run out. Wetting my lips with the remaining water in the water bottle, I opened the minimap. I think well need to go to a town for a bit. Even in this great desert, there was still a road that people took. It was called Oasis Road. The problem was, since all paths were connected through Oasis Road, it was a very inefficient route. If we headed in a straight line from the southern gateway to Esperanaza, it would only take five days, but if we took the Oasis Road, it would take double that, ten days. That was why we opted to use the minimap and move straight across the desert instead of taking the established route. But it really might be impossible to not visit a single oasis when crossing through the desert. There is an oasising up just north of here. Lets rest there for today. A town? Alright! Straang and I changed our route and moved north. The closest oasis to us here was named Asilo. In the ancientnguage, it meant fugitives refuge. It was a small town of only seven buildings that surrounded a small puddle that was embarrassing to even call an oasis. The town atmosphere was as dreary as its name. Anyone here? Are there even people living here? It was empty. Not even a shadow of a person could be seen on the streets. But it wasnt totally deserted. How did I know? Looks like theyre all gathered over there. The minimap showed a lot of entities concentrated inside a single building. [Desert Saloon] They were in a bar with a name as nd as the streets were empty. Lets go. Straang and I approached the bar. Then Boof! Kugh! The door to the bar flung open as a woman wearing a shemagh and a man tumbled out. Their faces were full of bruises, seemingly having been beaten up. They then got on their knees and started to plead. P-please spare us! Well definitely pay the tax this month Shut up! Smack! A kick hit the pleading man straight across his head. Soon after, six burly guys ran out and started to beat up the man. What in the world was going on? T-traveler! Without having a moment to process the situation, the woman wearing the shemagh noticed me and ran up to me while crying. T-traveler! P-please help us! Eh? Please save my husband! Hell die if you dont! Wait. Please calm down first We run a store in Asilo, but we couldnt pay their unreasonable taxes so theyre Please save us! Asking me to save them out of nowhere. We just came here to look for water and a ce to sleep. Then Hm? Who are those kids? The man who looked to be their leader looked at me and the woman. Then, he spoke to me in a forceful tone. Hey, Mr. Traveler. Looking at your clothes, you dont seem to be from Oyota. Dont interfere in other peoples business and go on your way. As Straang and I didnt give an answer, the man stomped toward us with a frown. And give me that bitch. K-kiyaaa! The woman wearing the shemagh hid behind me with a frightened expression. But lets see Wasnt something off? Give her to me! P-please save me! This frightening situation where if I didnt hand over this woman, it could be a fight to the death felt really awkward. Unlike those 3rd-rank martial artists that were beating up the husband This woman who was clinging to my back
NadiaNuru 6th-rank Assassin Max-Level Martial Arts, Assassination Techniques, Throwing Techniques.
6th-rank? Why was she so strong? Yeah. This was an act put on as soon as a foreigner had appeared. I spoke to the frightened woman hiding behind me. So, the thing is Yes? Why are you hiding a dagger in your sleeve? ! The woman, who was deep in her act of being scared, tried to stab me with her dagger as soon as I finished talking. However, I moved like lightning to strike the dagger behind me. ng! Steel Destruction. The de of the dagger disappeared as if cut, and I grasped the woman by the scruff of her neck. Someone gave me a small bit of advice. Trust no one. You Who are you? I raised my hand toward the shaking woman. Looks like he was right. * * * * * * There were probably many different ways to do this. Rather than this, they couldve disguised themselves as a normal bar and put poison in the guests drinks Or they could kill the traveler while they slept. There were many different easy and simple ways. However, stories like this were already well known ghost stories among the foreigners who traveled to Oyota. Everyone would be cautious and make countermeasures beforehand against these obvious methods. Because of this I really nearly did get fooled. Her acting was quite good. They created a sense of danger by making you focus on the approaching man. But in reality, the assassin disguised as a weak woman would stab you while crying fake tears. However How did you notice? I have a distrusting personality. Their target was bad. I punched the woman straight in her jaw. However ? As soon as my fist made contact, the thing that was destroyed wasnt the assassins chin, but smoke. Yeah. As if she was an illusion to begin with, she disappeared from my hand in the blink of an eye. Then, she appeared a safe distance away. That wasnt magic, nor was it the aura of knights. But it wasnt hard to guess what it was. Looks like youve trained your martial arts for a long time. Is there anyone in Oyota who doesnt know martial arts? Thats not normal martial arts. Was it called chakra? Chakra. It was a special energy that was utilized by people who had trained their bodies to the limit. Although it was simr to the auras used by knights, unlike the pushing nature of aura, chakra had a pulling nature. As such, it was used differently. It was famous for being used by assassins. The elite forces of Oyota, Shadows of the Desert, were said to have at one point used chakra to establish their dominance across the continent. Of course, this was also my first time seeing it. As I correctly guessed her ability, the woman pulled out another small de from her sleeve and frowned. You know a lot for a brat. You should have as much on you, right? Damn, you guessed wrong. Im not that rich. Dont worry. Were not people who would go through peoples pockets for change Money isnt your objective? although we do go through their bodies. What, so it is money? A young boys body sells for quite a lot. I imagined for a second what they would do to my corpse, but I didnt have any intention of giving them a single cent. Swoop With the shifting of her shadow, the woman disappeared from sight. Simultaneously, the seven thugs, including the beat-up husband, charged in. But they werent a threat to me. Bang! An earthquake formed. Even with just this one strike at the ground, the rocks that flung up were enough to crack open skulls. D-dodged it! The men who were lucky to have dodged the rocks awaited even crueler fates. After all, they would be hit by a fist more sturdy than the rocks. I dashed into their formation without hesitation and threw out two punches Crack! One persons rib disintegrated, and anothers skull shattered. But the one I really needed to pay attention to werent these guys, but that woman. You Youre pretty good for a kid. She was hiding inside the shadows. Her skills in finding openings were excellent. It was enough that I wondered if all the wildmen of Oyota were as strong as her. If this was the average skill of the wildmen, wouldnt the civilized people live too tough of a life? You got time to rx? ! Vwoong! I didnt allow a single strike against me, but I was also too busy dodging to attack back, since if I tried to attack rashly, she would disappear again. But strangely, I didnt feel like I would lose. Compared to those people The warlocks of Galehill that oppressed me from beginning to end. Their master who was bent on my destruction, Josh Galehill. Fire King Teron, who could exude killing intent just through his eyes. Compared to them She was just one slippery eel, sure. But with my many real-world experiences, I had be much stronger without even realizing it. Without bing impatient, if I focused a bit and rxed my view I could see it. Got you. !! The wild beast that was aiming in the darkness for an opening against her prey ended up bing trapped by that very same prey. I lifted the assassin and mmed her to the ground. Can I rx now? The predator here isn''t you, but me. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!