Chapter 72
9P4The most important thing for a successful bet is to wager on a sure winner.e9f5U
ItiuIn that sense, Fernan had more chances of being right than anyone else. Thanks to the prophecy, he knew who would rise and who would fall.bJ3L
jUab5oZExcept for one person—Aint Armian.xGmqNfI
lWLuVI‘Aint in the prophecy and Aint now are very different.’Ie3uQg
ztaMany things had changed since he first met him.FtseWKI
H7gIn that process, Aint had strayed quite a bit from the path he was originally supposed to follow.fxgBO
csLLjIiThe problem was that he couldn’t know whether that was good or bad. Therefore, he couldn’t have full confidence that Aint would end up in the same position the prophecy dictated.gLHnS
1VVf‘In the prophecy, Aint made it to the semifinals.’hCeBBJ
lgVAnd he fell before Luina.Rj8WaY
rbuuzIt was understandable.kYmv
ybUnAint was strong, of course, and he had defeated Andromalius, but that was only possible because the swordsmanship of the Armian Family was particularly effective against demons.ahOH
JOfnCIf speaking purely of sword skill, he still couldn’t defeat Luina.gknXV
BxWX0GxThough that wouldn’t last long, given how quickly he was advancing.IFBo
ct1cNRwAt least in this joust, it was not yet his time.KKDvKG
wTnAhBut since the past had already changed, Fernan couldn’t be sure the result would be the same.Dvvhmx9
6egj‘Should I probe Aint? Ask him if he can defeat Luina…’TCui7rE
RWEs6qThough, that wouldn’t guarantee a clear answer either.Ioxww
TrI‘Thinking about this won’t get me anywhere. Better to observe how he reaches the semifinals and decide then.’lD0s2py
XRyuAfter organizing his thoughts, Fernan left the dormitory heading to the guild. Between the festival and the betting house, he had a mountain of work.LfTWhHa
bTRFPXGAt that moment, he saw Aint sitting on a bench.CbYG
D5HS“Aint Armian?”nmD
4OnSh6When Fernan called him, Aint, who had been looking at the sky, finally focused his gaze.ge0z
Atvo41“Ah, Senior Fernan.”hTGDyVq
UcPLrE“What are you doing here so absentminded?”W13
NYxsQ“Ah, that…”6TfXyCH
NsQd3He was trying to stabilize the power absorbed from Andromalius. The demonic energy was extremely unstable, and if he didn’t manage to fully absorb it, it could spiral out of control at any moment.4nS4
RzgBut he couldn’t say it outright.6Kj
7nu— Say that you’re mentally reviewing the fight with the demon.oWFZ4
7BD“I was thinking about the corrupted.”DbwI
rvjIeRf“The corrupted?”SaUZNz
RNWsG“After we defeated Andromalius, I thought they might be plotting something else. I don’t think they’ll sit idly by.”5G8qj
BUeKUdL“A second plan, huh?”284An
xPGBQaFernan tapped his knee with his fingers. It wasn’t an unreasonable possibility.RMVn1
6d3cPeople often let their guard down right after completing a mission.4dZTz
CLCxAAfter Andromalius’s death and the purge of the corrupted infiltrators, the academy was at its most vulnerable point.7hkt
hAch4T8“Certainly, the Foundation Day Festival would be the ideal stage to cause chaos.”aroH
cOoEverything was already set. If they wanted to make a scene, there would be no more perfect moment.TwYJ
ujEFCb4However, Fernan knew that wouldn’t happen.fXaqxB
kGtCbx“Don’t worry. At least until the festival ends, nothing will happen.”eRo
STOcJ03“How can you be so sure?”pUhgWt
mVRQHe couldn’t answer “because I already read it.”Zf1ylUF
nqqh“In the ritual to summon Andromalius, a corrupted branch of the World Tree was used. Getting something similar in such a short time is impossible.”clN
bbj“Well, that’s true…”Khg
qauXtI“And besides, most of the infiltrators have already been eliminated. What could they do now?”y93K
eSBQNGNothing.I7YRB9
b0fntpiEven without the prophecy, it was a logical conclusion.dLI1B
ituMuZUnless they acted like desperate lunatics, there wasn’t much room to maneuver.QrFqDfG
ff2cu8VAnd it didn’t seem like the rector was that careless.pdPSphC
kjPLv“Now that I think about it, yes. Although I must admit I was worried.”R3GXlX1
GXRrKm“Worried about what?”P6qs
Jv2DJVn“There will be many important figures of the Empire at the academy. If something happened here, the entire capital would be affected. I imagined a scenario where the corrupted released monsters and provoked a war…”nUAO
W50“War? You went too far.”bergHR
nrDThough of course, in the future there would indeed be a large-scale war for the fate of the world—but not yet.ZnJF
ao8“Ugh…”6cmEqr
5Ec2oAt that moment.eJ1aucf
FwzXi1cBOOM!83P
3azA thunderous roar shook his mind.aVRDLz
vnYC7Fernan felt a stabbing pain as if his skull were about to explode.hyWuM
lfGHis vision blurred, and in that black space a new scene appeared.EEXhsZ
snBfTA vision of the prophecy, more vivid and darker than usual. The sky was dyed blood red.cvd
JwXJust as it happened when he read about the summoning of Andromalius. Just as when the demon appeared.CvdlB
dxqWIY‘Another demon…?’mNLAJ3
hJN4cMAtop a wall, Aint stood with his back to the town.BZKON
NYaYLuina approached him.VghEy
2myG“…Aint.”FS4NJ
thKb8D“Senior, the truth is that I’m afraid. But I remember what you told me last time—that a knight is the sword that defeats his lord’s enemies and the shield that protects him.”FFPvc
TIgdA knight does not flee nor die after his lord.ckI8O
m30FQ9k“…You didn’t need to remember that.”TgV3
Z1F“No. Thanks to that, I feel calmer.”EvX
9G9BSShing, Aint unsheathed his sword. The blade radiated a faint light.E7b
upv“I’ll only tell you this—I want to raise my family again.”O1P
Hds8He wanted to restore the Armian Family and return it to its former glory.f2Py
8tmd“You…”3IHcc
7hY0X7“Someone once said that the emperor is the knight of the Empire.”Mauahvj
2FUThat was why he couldn’t afford to run from his country.7HYaX
vVKETime advanced quickly.tnoLh
ou21LThe wall was already filled with soldiers.m9hOvG
oIem4Aint, Luina, and other first-year students watched intently at the vast open field.1zNqM
f4MroWnAnd there they were.jICy6O
ZJkGRRRROAAAAR.LRiNY
96Ls0CKRRRRRRR.NF5
k87JZgJA massive horde of monsters and demonic beasts raising a cloud of dust in their wake.vBN7AvR
MFqZAnd at the very end of it all.NwBVk
8l9V9YYHim.Ox5Jn3G
9pRdC5s“…A demon? This… this makes no sense…”C5s
xC45“A demon!?”25gj
YAbb“A real demon! Hahaha, we’re all going to die!”vTHP
L3k“We have to run!”M4OUxrF
dcpR7cS“And can we?”KxN
1CMThe power and presence of the demon were so overwhelming that everyone was terrified.
Fernan felt a chill. That demon was nothing like Andromalius.LW8
U8CNRHe was not alone.RFigfH6
ipGx6He led an army of thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of monsters.jhs05
5DJLv1LHe tried to get a better look at the demon, but he was too far away.qkKQTUT
hpT31tJ“Fighting is pointless? Accept your death. That is your destiny.”e1ggQH
p9tXK3“No!”HptA
fI3“I don’t want to die…!”HBJ2kgd
iM1l7JThe demon’s soft voice filled everyone with terror.5R5
nk79PThen Aint raised his sword. The light that radiated from his blade spread across the entire wall, dispelling the miasma of the demon’s voice.XfbM
nSL“Come to your senses!”ewRlg9
NAgsV“Are you really going to stand there trembling in fear just because it’s a demon?”DrIp4r
85qadW“Are you going to die like this, without doing anything?”DoCbd
QjJza“No. There is no reason to surrender, no need to do so.”7FLdp
H65WbSV“A thousand years ago, the first emperor defeated all the demons and saved the world. They are not invincible.”nVmg
UqhorAint’s words were not particularly brilliant. But his light restored courage to their hearts.oWPEP
zfGSkTAnd the harsh reality—that if they did not fight, they would die—gave them determination.cja
YKX8hKdAint Armian. His mere presence brought hope.5wqm
WhO“Yes! Better to die standing than to die on our knees!”dtrg
bGaalS“We have Aint Armian!”UKWNkpn
KAs51qC“The natural enemy of demons!”R08hZ6
1HgqVTShouts full of courage and rage filled the air.5J9i
v4r1YAnd then.zEfg
Wty1The war horn sounded.97X
NLQUD1lThe beginning of battle.EuAF1e
B9aaP3AThe monsters advanced, roaring.yo9Dy
0yg3tJThe field was covered in dust.hdGf
zrMYyJL“Prepare for battle!”hRPrL9l
wtcrU“Everyone to your positions!”5Ur4WVe
tq96The knights lined up at the front. The mages began chanting.CQpnQkC
a7MYThe first rains of spells fell upon the enemy. Screams of pain and fury filled the air.8A3D9
7EPWhen at last the monsters reached the wall—QmU3MH
eHWDA0“Long live the Dark Wolf Company!”K1yRkS8
MpuoPHF“Knights of the Iron Cross, to the front!”9IGpMo
xo4m9O“Soldiers! Defend the kingdom!”wj2
rIt“Long live the Armian Empire!”50Ab3A2
jfWXG“Long live the Armian Empire!”etRz
D75fm9R“Long live the Armian Empire!”aQoQy
eeVctbwThe vision ended.SQw
wFXEE“…”7J09H3
yBqHtFernan inhaled sharply. His eyes were bloodshot, veins bulging, his body trembling.ugkG
FRlLwa“Haa… haa…!”BbqYLeD
TKSe3uPHe had never felt such a terrifying miasma.BT5P
YalHis head throbbed violently, and his hands wouldn’t stop shaking.u6y2
0Lp“Senior? You’re sweating… Are you alright?”0cXdcFN
xguUB7“…Yes. I’m fine.”NjmtL2d
IgeEHe was not fine. He had never felt anything so horrible.rlncq
CFy‘Who the hell was that?’SHwAWk
YpL9vVWFernan stood up abruptly.U7jeYW
24RV1nn“Senior?”ZymG9
MWk6Q4d“I remembered a quote. We’ll talk later.”730
qUnyUL“Senior!”NJB
fnimPFernan disappeared immediately. Aint could only watch his figure leaving, confused.74h0
RriX“What was that?”L07xR
7uEW9— It’s similar to last time. For a second he lost perception.BJxgRL
TTb“I didn’t notice anything strange.”irBHH4
BSRE— Neither did I. Who knows what it was.9m2oXy
rPVoN4B— Could it be an illness?lYA
e9i“Maybe… he looked like he was in terrible pain. Not even all the money could save him.”jfvHHT
D1j— Anyway, since we already calmed the miasma, let’s return to the dormitory and finish absorbing it.IXb
eiT8l“Understood.”pjme6
uAeohs4Aint returned to his room.x3nGm5T
6zcbos***mts0hq
zHXo“A demon, a demon…!”N13xIKH
ONlThe place Fernan arrived at was the library.IK0d
ZoztzAmong the few books about demons, the one he grabbed was The King Colomo and the 72 Demons.xxhs
l0nThough it didn’t give much detail, the book offered a basic description of the characteristics and appearances of some demons.UTE7KB
NPWiJ8“No, not this one…”1gjq4
5yhkHe flipped through the pages quickly.uxXyy
cOuy9HhAlthough he had only seen it from afar and not clearly, he remembered the features that stood out strongly.TA4mrom
rSkAnd finally…oPr
Lffe“…I found it.”rMSOp
9rsBFernan had found the demon he saw in the prophecy book.hgL5ndx
Nw6“Demon number 64: Flauros.bZhgNl
61AA demon with the appearance of a leopard. Can transform into human form, and when he does, he appears with the head and skin of a leopard covering him.”yhY
f7iNWXgAlthough he took on a human form, his face was that of a leopard, and he wore its skin. There was no doubt. It was him.qOSj
j3U0pY“…Demon number 64, Flauros?”7gQIo
RqAOr9Fernan clenched the book tightly.AlwbkLL
TtRWhy had number 64 appeared right after 72? What about the others?ZLMiyh
hu3i‘No… calm down. The number isn’t an indicator of power or hierarchy. It’s just a number.’TfVJpZ
5spTThat’s what it said at the beginning of The King Colomo and the 72 Demons.bmwh
hz7So there shouldn’t be an abysmal difference between 72 and 64 in terms of power.2gyb
BBFuL‘…Then, what was that mana?’pi8w
LJ2kIt seemed to be on a completely different level from Andromalius.x1iYzU
GtzBaTFernan, drenched in cold sweat, reread the book as best he could.rjq
Oznjo7dThere was something more in Flauros’s description.rqB
HzJnf3“Flauros is an exceptional warrior. His red eyes are always aflame, and he can control fire through his authority.”zgxDpf
dlUGWsA leopard warrior who uses fire.eAR
CgG“Hahaha.”UdznKr6
8rUehHe had thought this prophecy was simple, and that he could easily make money without risk.RuJb4
aW7bj“I’m screwed.”bNs
YMWQThe descent of a monster from a dimension completely different from Andromalius was foretold.FuoyMcn
A6tAnd as if that weren’t enough, he would descend at the head of a great army, worthy of the title “commander of the legions of hell.”NEeUO8
AeWeDamn it. How was he supposed to stop that?HGtRy
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