“Abel, you look tired nowadays.”
Ian was carefully cleaning his sword with a blank cloth. He asked after seeing that Abel was yawning for a long time since a while ago.
“Oh, I’m just learning a new spell recently…….”
Abel had dark circles around his eyes that showed his fatigue.
Recently, Abel was going his way to reduce even sleep in order to learn the 2nd volume of the Book of Thrandriel. He had already mastered the magic spells in the 1st volume.
Why he wasn’t using the room of spirit and time?
That was because he had found a fatal flaw.
He realized after looking through the mirror. He now had more time than others, but he was getting older faster as well…….
The moment he noticed that, the room of spirit and time was no longer meaningful. This was just like loaning money, but with time.
He already looked 2 years older than his colleagues.
Thanks to that, he had stopped training inside the room of spirit and time.
“Anyway… you’re going to challenge her again?”
Abel asked Ian who was cleaning his sword.
He was cleaning his sword as though it was his precious treasure.
“Yes. This is the 300th time already. I need to win against her at least once before graduation.”
Until now, Ian had challenged Reina, the top ranker in the swordsmanship department of the academy, 299 times. His willpower must be acknowledged.
“Is Reina that strong?”
Abel had never seen Reina using the sword before.
“Don’t even start. The academy professors said that she was the 2nd greatest talent since the founding of the academy.”
“2nd? Who’s first?”
“Idunno, they didn’t tell us. Apparently, he was expelled after causing an accident.”
“Really?”
They wouldn’t tell, huh…. Now he was more curious about it.
“Then I’ll be off then.”
Ian stopped cleaning his sword and stood up. He looked dead serious.
“Do your best! There will be a day you’ll win if you keep challenging h… oh! Should I cast a spell on you?”
Abel secretively offered Ian something since he found him pitiful that he was going to lose for the 300th time.
Gulp.
Ian’s saliva ran down his throat as though the offer was tempting.
“…It’s fine. It will be fair and square!”
A man had his pride… there was no way he was going to cheat against a lady…….
Ian stood in front of the mirror in order to go to the chamber of secrets, their meeting place. He took a deep breath.
“Fuu…… I’ll be back soon.”
Crunch.
As though nervous, Ian stretched out his neck muscles. Then…….
“Ah! This won’t do. Just cast me something good. Also, keep it a secret from Reina, okay?”
“Haha okay then. …Asurabalbalta haste!”
Abel cast a haste magic that would allow Ian to move faster. To raise the effects, he even chanted before the spell as a bonus.
Ian felt as though he had shaken off some sandbags off his body. He felt very light and nimble.
“I’ll definitely win this time. I’ll treat you to one if it goes well! Wow, I look as handsome as ever!”
Fwoosh.
Well, then. Would he be able to win this time…….
Abel had received many special favors after publishing 4 papers. Although there was 2 years until he was in the graduating cla.s.s, he was able to receive entry for Paraminu library. Though, he actually wanted something else…….
Abel could never hold back his curiosity. The incidents surrounding the swordsmanship department’s expulsion event was very curious to him.
Abel had a look at the various history records on the shelf.
“Let’s see… The academy record should be around here… found it!”
Seeing as how the professors aren’t even telling the students about it, it was definitely a top-cla.s.s secret. If that was the case, it was probably in Paraminu library. And just as he had expected… he was right.
Abel took out the book that contained cla.s.sified information of the recent 50 years. And then he started looking through from the first page.
“Here it is!”
At the time, Anhel claimed the right to self-defense, saying that Tamof was not in his sane state, but it was not accepted at first.
Although an imperial court order was going to take place, the headmaster at that time justified in his stead and the incident was finished with his expulsion. The headmaster of that time had abdicated from his position, taking responsibility.
Meanwhile, this incident worsened the relationship between Hela empire and Kreuz empire, and is known to be one of the important causes of the Rose War. After this incident, the headmaster…>
Huh?
“Why is there a page missing?”
He was having fun reading, but his bubble popped. It was as though someone ripped some pages of the book.
He felt stuffy as though a very good scene in a comic book was missing.
“Kekeke.”
Cain was feeling very good recently. Delightful! Fun!
The speed at which he gathered mana was almost doubled. Moreover, there were all sorts of strong spells in his Suprenomicon. At this rate, it would be a matter of time until he caught up with Abel.
However, there was no need to wait, was there? There was an even better method!
Kill your enemies with your enemies! An enemy of an enemy is a friend!
“With this spell…….”
Cain muttered while looking at one spell that was in the Suprenomicon.
The spell was named ‘Brutalist’. It allowed one to consume their mana, life force, and rage to become a strong warrior.
Using the brutalist spell would cut off one’s reason first. And they would start attacking indiscriminately according to their rage. Even while they consumed their own life force….
Of course, Cain didn’t have the slightest intention to use this magic on himself. His life force was precious after all.
‘In this academy, the only one that resents Abel other than me, is Goel.’
Abel seemed to be very sociable and Cain was only able to find one. And he was about to use that one, Goel.
Although he was unsure whether the might of this magic was able to kill Abel or not, but according to the magic book, it would allow the infected person to confront 300 people of the same level.
‘That should be enough to take care of Abel.’
Even if he failed, it would be a profit. There was no worry of being found out since he wasn’t doing it himself, and if he failed, he would only find out that Abel was much above his expectations.
‘It will be tonight!’
Like the sociopath he is, he prepared very meticulously. The safety of others didn’t matter to him at all.
However, the mana that Cain was collecting… the mana that he mistook as grey mana, was eating away at his psyche little by little. Without him feeling it…….
“Haa. I’m really curious now.”
Abel seemed to be disappointed as he couldn’t satisfy is intellectual(?) curiosity, and sighed.
“About what?”
Loki asked.
Normally, Ian would be the one to ask,
but he had been beaten up badly and didn’t speak a word. The drooping shoulders subconsciously brought out sympathy from people.
“Anhel… I think I heard that name somewhere… but I can’t remember…….”
It was as though there was an eraser in his head, and his memories were very blurry.
“Anhel? That sounds like a person’s name.”
“Apparently, he was the greatest talent in all of history of the swordsmanship department, but was expelled after killing a colleague around 30 years ago. Ian told me about this so I went to look for records in Paraminu, but someone ripped the pages off and I couldn’t find out about it.”
“Did you check the projector artifact?”
Loki, who was very knowledgeable, asked again.
“The projector artifact?”
What was that again? … Oh!
“If it was an important incident, there should be video records of it…. It should be in the bas.e.m.e.nt depository in Paraminu library.”
“I didn’t think about that! Loki, you’re so smart. Then you guys can go back first! I’ll check right now and join you la…. Huh?”
Abel patted Loki’s hair. When he turned around the corner of the building, he saw a familiar figure and was surprised a little.
A black shadow blocked the way Abel and the others were walking in. Since they had taken a shortcut that not many people used, there was no one around. Moreover, the faint moonlight shining between the clouds was the only source of light here. So he wasn’t able to tell who it was.
“Goel?”
Seeing the figure closing in, Abel could tell who it was. It was Goel, who was in the same club as him.
But Goel looked slightly strange.
His muscles were bulging as though he had taken steroids. The fast rush of blood in his blood vessels made his skin look very red. Moreover, the capillaries in his eyes seemed to have burst open as his eyes didn’t look white, but red. It was very creepy.
“Grrr….”
Goel was drooling like a hunting dog that had starved for 3 days. It was as though he was a zombie.
Ttta.
As soon as he saw Abel, Goel rushed to him as though delivery had just arrived at his door. However, the speed was not something an ordinary person could run at.
“Uh!”
Abel panicked seeing Goel rush towards him. He didn’t even have the time to chant a spell in the confusion.
Fwoosh.
Goel, who approached, swung his right arm widely towards him. The swinging speed was immense and a sonic boom could be heard.
Srrrr, clang!
Ian instinctively used the draw-sword technique to block Goel’s attack. However, the strength behind the swing was so strong that Ian’s palms split apart.
Due to that, Ian ended up letting go of his sword. His palms were bleeding a lot.
“Grrr.”
Not liking the fact that his attacks were blocked, Goel did a palm strike to Ian’s abdomen.
Poof!
“Kergh!”
Fwoosh.
Hit on the stomach, Ian flew for 10 meters before falling into the gra.s.s.
He vomited blackish-red blood due to the internal wounds. Then he lost consciousness. He looked to be in a very serious state….
“Ian!”
Seeing that, Abel was both worried and enraged. His friend was injured while he was hesitating.
Fwoosh.
Goel swung his fist again towards Abel.
However, Abel didn’t stay still this time.
“…Backstab!”
Abel switched the s.p.a.ce of where Goel’s fist was heading to.
Poof!
Goel’s hand did a boxing hook towards Abel, but the fist hit his own left cheek instead.
“Khaaak!”
Crunch.
The immense shock broke three of his teeth. Three teeth with one punch! Though, it was a self-punch.
“Loki! I’ll take care of this, so take Ian to the infirmary quickly!”
Abel shouted in a serious expression. Loki also ran towards Ian as soon as he heard that.
Goel didn’t seem to be interested in anyone other than Abel and swung his fist towards him again.
Fwoosh.
“…Backstab.”
Poof.
“Kyak!”
This time, the fist came from the back of his own head.
Seiing as how Goel’s eyes were flipped over, he didn’t look sane. Perhaps his intellectual capabilities were gone as well?
Fwoosh.
“…Backstab.”
Poof.
“Khaak!”
Fwoosh.
Poof!
“Khaaaaak!”
He was being beaten up by himself.