Chapter 221
0O4ca9gThe wind blew.NwggR
zY5ISWater splashed.Jot2
xHCGn9Aint danced in the midst of it. It wasn’t a dance out of desire, but because he wanted to live and couldn’t allow Professor Aria or Professor Nania to get hurt.zCq
7yiYMjfIt was the dance of escape.dKIwM
58NGdH7─!Iyn6MU6
2aR9IFThe power of the spirits and aura clashed.m415
tc2pA massive explosion opened a brief moment of respite.9bqV
d5Jp7Even so, the magic circle imprisoning them remained intact.b7ie
Eb83o“Huff, huff…!”sJYGupx
lSzAint was breathing heavily.sFN9V8E
kWMxIt was hard. Not so much because of the battle itself, but because he had to fight while considering the situation of those he was facing.tQS5i
uVniCI“…Is there no way out?”wnikW
kuXCzDHThrough the window, the large magic circle could be seen.dFGc
PZFEtProfessor Dominique was right—the eyes he had planted worked, and the circle had been corrupted.lXXn5
pyJ56The Saintbird, symbol of the Empire, turned into the demonic peacock, and the degenerated circle began to crack, eventually summoning a demon.X34
k2nJv— It’s demon number 65, Andrealphus! That damned bird has descended on the Academy!9XY
lvfdg— We have to get out before it destroys everything! And we don’t know what Dantalion is doing! Hurry up, Aint!tubTYp
BjO2kLAWhether they could defeat it or not was a problem for later. The important thing was that, in a battle against a demon, the difference between Aint being present or not was immense.LxGae
XMT3t‘If we fight alongside senior Luina, and with Jace, Verian, and the professors, we can do it!’KzuyN
fTUxIt wasn’t impossible to stop it.BRKY4N
Jvdc1RThe professors of the Academy weren’t Royal Knights or Archmages, but they were just one step below.pgnq
RWzljGFBut that was the problem—the opponents Aint faced were also professors.ndP7Diq
ejyW8“Professor Nania, please, wake up!”dTSu
LjIjBThe answer was a high-ranking water spirit launching itself at him.IOsk
Jd8jBBdWater whips turned into a net trying to entangle him.wiSolT
peN6mAint barely managed to break them, when the wind took advantage of the gaps.CTXnt
oGfHe reinforced his body with aura and punched where Aria had been. But she was no longer there—only a wind blade remained.qXy
7F09His body was already full of wounds, and still he couldn’t find a clear solution.CIJ
yk3c0— Aint, it’s time to decide.IioN
4RsPa“But…!”Z0qSJh
YEdCeGardner kept pressing him.93YTA6
PHSe— If you keep this up, you’ll die! Since when did you think you could restrain a professor without inflicting serious injuries? That’s true arrogance!JRw9
doIjpS— Don’t forget! Even if you’ve grown strong enough to be recognized anywhere on the continent, you’re still a student!0p6
R9TzHFsIt was true that Aint had reached a fearsome level for his age.Qmjf68
mAqBut the same applied to the professors of the Academy.7Z14wdj
Zuc9jYAnd even if they were under mind control, unable to use their full strength, having Aria on their side balanced that disadvantage.nm8ax
BIc— If you continue like this, you’ll die, and the Academy will be destroyed by two demons.qFqGVp
SRQmtg— Are you going to let that happen?ERa
a64— Aint! Didn’t you say you wanted to be a hero?hLmtqt
x6bvfwP“But becoming a hero by killing my comrades…!”Oj5Z69
e2xMREQ— Don’t be a child with a demon in front of you!ot98N
PJdN— Besides, it’s not about killing them! Just injure them enough to knock them out and give them a potion afterward!M7VIDsG
stRGardner was right.7QmP
t0lwfWanting to save Professor Nania and Aria from getting hurt wasn’t a mistake in itself, but that will was cornering him. And what he was doing now wasn’t the best option.UCFkX
13iQ“…I’m sorry, professors. Aria. I’ll give you a superior potion afterward.”mjly
tppVCHYAint made up his mind.X5aGb
PFwVbvtHe would bring them down and escape from there as fast as possible.pHOao
x0nDpgAt that moment—T2UnWsV
m0iiCr─!onppD
5ZDThe magic circle shook. Not from within, but from outside.mLj
8843ASomeone was hitting it from the outside with aura.sjSKq
791gkBoom!SS1vtN
kZqktsThud!RyD
CEZJkThe door trembled endlessly. The circle vibrated.by8EcO
7rqv2NnCrack—rp4dk
DtKA crack formed.eFerZc
UwawAThat magic circle, so strong that Aint couldn’t break it without first taking down the two elves, was breaking.aJNziq
l42“…Someone outside?”OKGf
CRyHope lit up in Aint.dEV
yXQY— Yes! Someone is breaking the circle from outside! Shout, call for help, maybe they can hear you through the crack!D887fA
nkkULhu— Some demonic circles were like that—impossible to break from inside but fragile from the outside. This is your chance!aXbub
DOX“I don’t know who you are, but help me…! Break this…!”T7GXC1
6K2RfXBBut then.JLcePb
JxocS“Sorry, but shortcuts aren’t allowed.”k2yPIew
EfS5QProfessor Dominique’s voice rang out, and the pounding stopped.oAvXb
nqXHope crumbled in an instant.g5Au
cVA“…Eh?”uol
KdrZ— Damn it! Then there’s only one option left!skMLU4
PXmOThe hope that had emerged after so much struggle turned to despair.QOodrt
pA0rpkpAint clenched his teeth and made a decision.uGW
wPHwVB3“Professor Nania, Aria… I’m sorry.”0w8PcP
PRDrQMYou’re professors, and yet you let yourselves be manipulated by the corrupt, allowing them to attack your own students. Right?htEsRjZ
QYGWith that thought to support him.3uOpO
m4QO5W─!sSG
YoFFhHe unleashed all his strength and swung his sword.lBVWD
R27ud3***dm1Oznm
N9yPPZbThe darkened sky.LqNgV
YyT1AThe summoned demon.Kk1ok5h
SjAYVerian felt a déjà vu.V9HY
dikpJm“Andromalius…”6HBOGj
6DUesZThe appearance and presence were different, but there was one common factor—it was a demon.qMrc6
0ILIts name and type didn’t matter. What mattered was that it had descended and had to be stopped.cifE
sDdzjaYAnd to do that—LKTN9M
70KB“Aint…”eXiXaf
ircGWThey needed to find him. Fernan had said it—Aint was the only true natural adversary of the demons.WO5
l9CSThat’s why, in any problem related to the corrupt or demons, they had to look for him.GsS2KCQ
axSRooooar—U4yF
KVHLfpq“Out of my way!”GvPmU
tKl2K7AVerian pierced through the chest of a rank 8 monster—a Krikter.cY4J
vIHktThey were repulsive insects that moved in swarms, and there were dozens more behind it.Gc1rTg
4CSvBut they were only rank 8.IMDIVv
aeFhDUnable to stop Verian, who had grown tremendously by following Fernan and Aint.NGB5nYC
EokfX6LAfter sweeping them aside, he exited the training field and heard screams from all directions.
But he ignored them and ran toward the research building.xy7bMLx
qHSMMYThe key point was the demon. And only Aint could face it.L12yh
EY8XHEKWasting time saving a person in front of him meant condemning hundreds on the island.AvJ
3PLydP“Verian?”8eQ
Quw“Senior Gismond?”8u8Mu
bpVHThey both understood each other’s intentions in an instant: the direction and urgency were the same.cnKc
F1tia“Looking for Aint?”XjnHPFL
FJO“You too?”tBzHeF
Owq8“He’s probably in Professor Ladina’s lab.”qZPZQ
A6lB“I saw it in the paper a few days ago. I’m heading there.”sbF2
gxJURWf“Let’s go together.”xuah
WwhT1Ny“Alright.”dkQr
IcWi4Together, they moved faster.nubx
JtdThe monsters couldn’t significantly hinder them.CivuJ0
3wti“He’s not here…”Oy6Pgl
7yIiDbI“It’s empty. Where did everyone go?”Plho
4bxA bad sign.NmJZU
wfM‘No Aint? Then how are we going to stop the demon? We can’t even escape through the circle?’SJ1P
98EgThe protagonist was missing at the worst moment.gu9
jKVGismond hesitated, unsure what to do.2aQ4T
k478GfZThen they felt a strange energy. It was demonic magic, but different from the one permeating the Academy due to the demon.r4Oe
0X99PvH“…You feel that?”SYVu
nylxC7“Upstairs.”xmyJ9
euPThey hurried up.0EyT
wVM6UdPThere they saw it—a closed door, vibrating walls covered in magic circles.wxNv
y03uL8The demonic magic was coming from there.yfDHUL
yxd“A seal?”cZ5V4f
hBH“What is this…?”b7oTIGl
Iv7EThey knew immediately it was a prison for Aint.DwkBt
HzahzpuThey both struck with their swords at the same time. Aura pounded the circle again and again.U87zXR
IskpKiz─!z5QnY
r8uThe rebound was stronger than expected.Hi8AGI
FozzzGismond clenched his teeth. Could they break it?HeZnL
3KfBut seeing Verian persist without stopping, he couldn’t give up either.tLroh
Hxg9ExPAfter several strikes, finally a crack sounded.ss8
mrPZo“We can break it!”GYj
4qA8“Is someone in there?”qh2ca
KDIrm“I don’t know who you are, but help me…! Break this…!”vybGM
k15guIt was Aint’s voice. They had found him.Il7Jb
wHtQRyoGismond felt elated.JscO
YbG0u6But at that moment—kAHEf
pt7“Sorry, shortcuts aren’t allowed.”jTx
zbKA figure appeared and just by brushing the circle, the cracks closed as if nothing had happened.FtHXi7B
rEavWHZ“Professor Dominique?”0jh
JqTS“A pleasure, Verian. Gismond. I’m sorry to say you can’t come in. I prepared this place especially for Aint.”gVBXl
NE0“What?”yUbh1
PkCy41“No way.”SomHPbo
MlAVbNThey weren’t naive enough to miss the truth.hYOAw9G
TB4Professor Dominique was one of the corrupt. The shock turned into horror.TYY0cr
TUQP“You deceived us all this time…!”X9c
58YzX“Humans often say, the fool is the one who lets himself be deceived.”bC2yb
hMf“Wanna play now?”qvi
kB0082“But not with me.”oT5EC
WAKuBefore they could respond, Dominique vanished like a shadow.6jHYc8
OGgS5RzAnd in his place, someone else appeared.kxNX1p
kxn“…Senior Carlo?”veFz1Iu
ijbT3“Carlo Deneb?”mi3rO
ehjThe winner of the Magic Tournament, Carlo Deneb.qYam
Apzu“Why are you here…?”vWC
dQi4jlN“Watch out!”Z0VAGrl
GfmV0noVerian pushed Gismond and rolled forward.ta3VD
PZ8p─!t7aCp
MEdThe place where Gismond had been was destroyed in a single strike. Electric bolts spread out.td4h
U3D“Shit, what is this…!”FwI
Rf8“His eyes are gone! I’ve seen it before—he’s under hypnosis!”ouwMja
wzqdHW“What did you say?”m3ln5
psaCarlo, with a vacant expression, raised his staff.19ukI
W10i“Looks like we won’t be able to free Aint without defeating him.”R7llae
ali“Damn it—and we have to beat the champion of the Magic Tournament? While a demon is destroying the Academy outside?!”L5iu
iCbbJIXGismond and Verian clenched their teeth.XHNJqa
2bWeH***91A
vyeUwOO“Professor! Something terrible is happening! Outside right now…!”sKVc
g6crpjjPieto Felice, assistant in Professor Valmon Atra’s lab in the Department of Magic, responsible for the subject “Beasts and Monsters Studies,” opened the office door urgently.7k03g
HUil“A demon has descended, and yet…”3Vm
mMyzcHe wasn’t there.zGDwgda
M6eSjThe one who was always in his office, in his lab, in the faculty dorms or the classrooms, wasn’t in any of those places.mUrsic2
wcAuiHe even checked behind the towering stacks of magic books just in case, but nothing.Qmev
MnBWhere had he gone?PvyjxDd
SdhoeSThinking he might be meeting with other professors, he checked the offices and labs of the others.TF9jOJ9
R7k1SemAnd then he realized—not only was Professor Valmon Atra missing.KcObFl
rhDT“Professor Valmon is gone too? Mine is as well! Professor Ladina! Where is she?”cgR9
kcJyProfessor Ladina Brancheff, responsible for “Basic Magical Alchemy” and “Enchantments and Attributes.”9Kr
PqvNvyw“Professor Nania!”wLbl
KCWAfProfessor Nania Veris, of Introduction to Elementalism.5yWgnK
4XyV8Jj“Professor Farmion! Where has he gone?”UM0
wpR1FgEven the newest one, professor of “Naval Combat Studies.”rLg8r8
HQSH“Professor Gert!”5TK
9Yf“Professor Eliair! Where the hell are they?”swp
e3za“A demon has descended!”luUvl
vmj1VzEven the professors from the Department of Knights.JalZ
FlyoNot a single one remained.gwO
aluAll of the Academy’s professors had vanished.ickZBMQ
pH4All, except one—Professor Grad Xanth from the Department of Knights.AKsJaCK
IKV3k6Only he was fighting the demon.4jKMx
SUY“We have to find the professors!”VKWXxf7
9AJ7N“Surely there’s been some accident!”0dM
rv13R4sThe assistants joined forces to search the entire Academy.MkU
pC2mgThey searched both the Department of Magic and the Knights’, the research building, the faculty building, and the dormitories.5FP
pXwj5“Did we… find them…?”YjS7P
GP5J“The professors…!”NuSrd
cyeERRsBut they found them in an unexpected place.Kpyl
tInfa“…Holy heavens.”8bheva
DKYAXaH“Professor…!”4MBeBnb
ZyvTUInside the Ravidus Hall room, it was stained with blood.jsXPN
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