Chapter 262: The Terror Live (1)
1wE4h0Speedweapon, the one who loves to explain things.8JzJ
sQp“……”TXS
YIHLyRight now, he’s on the brink of death.WSMsqc
sxl‘The atmosphere is freezing.’T3KXh
7itIt feels like a dagger is piercing his chest.o4s6f3X
yi3VSSpeedweapon had his lips pressed against a champagne glass (orange juice), moving only his eyes side to side.NVpK1
myb‘This is insane.’7jw6C
wBiHe had made it all the way to the ballroom—the highlight of the festival—only to end up stuck in silence, trapped in his own misery like a monk offering a silent prayer.Asi9
R9mWK‘I want to talk…’EmtlKw
JVPZ9mBut he had no choice. If he so much as coughed in there, he was sure this would happen.SOKD
1cxWho was that?PzAzDYI
7qjJTaWho dared cough?j8dp
o6PWho dared make that noise!?r9p8obd
REaV3And someone would stab him in the face.Fa9s8gB
UF3fJmCWho? The two girls over there with sparks flying from their eyes—Abel and Ryozo.OtwXtq
EsxKaAbel wore an elegant dress and soft makeup that made her glow. Rumor had it she had flown in her personal maid from Switzerland just for the ball.zgAA38
n5V‘That one next to Abel is the Nibelung family maid, Shail.’14V2b5
ebuUShail was a well-known heroine. Despite being a merit-based student, she became a senior hero at the youngest age on record. Many predicted she’d reach Warrior rank within five years. An absolute prodigy—especially considering she had no inherited blessing.z1cSst
3q2fTHA‘And that butler behind her…’Eq7w3bQ
d0xHKaron, the Rakshasa.WKqiNG
rRa00That kindly smiling middle-aged man was actually a legendary assassin-for-hire. His specialty? Heroes. In other words, he was a hero-hunter.Py3
Qx0RHe vanished for a while, then reappeared as the Nibelung family butler. The hero community demanded his arrest, but the Swordmaster declared he’d personally watch over him.NNBdu5
LQO2yx— A famous episode that stirred the hearts of many, full of nobility and valor.WJxTsNO
d3v63s0‘And now, Shail’s a makeup artist, and Karon serves juice. Amazing.’6PUMPD
MckksSpeedweapon shook his head and took a sip of his tangy drink, sneaking a glance at Abel.nQb7N
2R5YlAbel was already someone who stood out for her beauty, but today she seemed determined to cause an epidemic of heartbreak. More than half the male students couldn’t stop staring.qtLAtxp
xGDVbq‘Look at that one drooling juice like a waterfall.’pRMzG
k9AS60MBut whenever they met Karon’s gaze, they all looked away in terror.PGg4
546Speedweapon clicked his tongue at the pathetic sight and turned his head.k8Ga
6UNR7wSA traditional, refined Japanese kimono, hair elegantly tied up, calm expression. Her once stern face was softened with makeup, giving her a noble and serene air.q0wq
XLelJZ‘Saki Ryozo.’znQeOx
LThhShe was just as eye-catching. Normally, Abel would’ve gotten all the attention, but now it was evenly split.flaIq
f9CURr‘They say a girl’s transformation knows no bounds, but seriously—can a person change this much?’DG5F
3vBaThough, in part, he understood.xwJeZ
mFiVLzSpeedweapon had long known why both girls had gone to such lengths tonight.dSKO
16O‘Because they want to look good for the President.’yuIsOf
mkjTxHe was the only one in the Heavenly Class who had noticed their feelings. Not because he was particularly sharp, but because the others were terribly slow.CLh
Qt3HCChloe was born an assassin—no chance there. Rachel was all muscle and didn’t get romance.vRt9oy
YL0my‘And Horntail and Leon? They just don’t care about anyone.’pmE
UBTPThat’s why, as a normal guy, he could empathize with Abel and Ryozo.tWEXw
mbvaGranted, both girls had put superhuman effort into hiding their feelings. But that wasn’t enough to fool someone like him.5j61pTw
3GGvp1Honestly, it was way too obvious.A7emK
SLm‘And by now, they don’t even seem to want to hide it.’kbv67Q
hBgDSpeedweapon sighed. Suddenly feeling thirsty, he downed his juice in one gulp.BOF
UpnD0tS“What can you do, girls? You’ve fallen for guys with no common sense. Consider it karma.”SrS6
A3J2WSAfter the sweet sip, he muttered bitterly. After all, they were his friends. All he could do was silently support the clash of two rivals drawn into the same battlefield.t8XG
rysV“Now that I think about it, Leon’s not here.”75Z3yi
HWhwhIf he were, the atmosphere would’ve been even more charged.8N1qb
Hzi“Well, I guess he’s got other things to do.”moM1SY
83sB6XAttendance at the ball wasn’t mandatory. Unless you held a role like the President’s, it was just a suggestion.qtkR
rNfTpcSo many students simply didn’t attend. Some thought it was nonsense, others couldn’t afford the outfit and preparation.plS3n9
JlH6Hcn‘Between wardrobe and hair, it’s expensive.’oCK
057Speedweapon figured that someone as flashy as Leon would definitely show up, so he was surprised he hadn’t.NhFhzfw
7bOWhen he finished his drink, he got up to get a refill.utn2g4
ZfhBEThat’s when he frowned. He had noticed something strange.qaSUKj
eifA waiter, his back turned, was mixing a pink powder into one of the drinks. Since the table was in a corner, no one else saw.IAKkWE4
CMzL7KGrab.2opy6pQ
s979rk2Without a sound, Speedweapon approached and grabbed the man’s shoulder.Aqs
Rq5XWith firm eyes, he asked.TKM
9We“What are you doing?”1Wc
35KThe waiter jumped, stammering, unsure of what to say. Speedweapon pressed with authority.PNzbuw
5lRpLJL“Tell me. What’s that powder you’re putting in the drinks?”ACo9x51
EDOMPressed, the waiter shut his eyes tight. And suddenly, he pulled a dagger from inside his jacket and attacked.fFbZB
28OY“W-what—?”AubkXa
85cenuThe one who was shocked was the waiter himself—because Speedweapon caught the blade in his palm.yTqZ
r8CG0luIn noir films, characters get stabbed dozens of times and keep going. But that’s fiction.3m6
RUURqZIn reality, even a small cut can paralyze someone. The body contracts with the mind. Even if you can move, fear weakens you. You become easier to overpower.XSm
O1yziTfThat’s why the waiter—a self-proclaimed infiltration veteran—chose to attack outright, without excuses or words. If he could handle it quietly, he could cover it up afterward.aMzFaL
kneaThat was the plan to keep the day’s operation running smoothly.0EtSz
yDXBut—xyC
LowSBMvSpeedweapon only slightly furrowed his brow. Even with a knife in his hand, he didn’t scream or freeze. After all, he was used to dying again and again in the Heavenly Class. He had developed a tolerance for pain and fear.Kb7R0X
Oja3BBF“Hurts more than it does in subspace, though.”iQG
yWINGR9With the blade still through his palm, Speedweapon grabbed the waiter’s hand. Then, with his unharmed right hand, he landed a punch straight into the waiter’s jaw.2ax3QN
T5waMSThud!pGOf8y
d9YlFNThe waiter collapsed instantly. His hand still held the knife, which flew through the air.WWkzy
S87Speedweapon didn’t waste time pulling it out of his hand. First, he tried to shout to alert the ballroom. Everything had happened so fast that no one had noticed yet.ygI
3JgyxM“Huh, eh…”vSdTD
oZ2OhBut at that moment, his body gave out. Not by will. His vision blurred, darkness nibbling at him. His pupils dulled. A second later, his forehead struck the floor. Crack—his nasal bone broke.U52eUW
1ECQ6Corners are blind spots. No one pays much attention to them. A few glanced over, but thought he was just a drunk. After all, he wasn’t the only one slumped against a wall.tyn
vOC8W“P… pres…”yuOmf6L
bdcQhSpeedweapon mumbled with the little breath he had left. But his voice never reached the ballroom. Soon after, his breathing grew faint, and his eyelids fell.oTot
Qnihi***SEIykI
Fgs9Xib“Miss.”OFwak
d6T1imShail gently tapped Abel’s shoulder.9h5Sn
Yo4WAbel, who had been locked in a tense staring contest with Ryozo, turned toward her.X3HeVu
STdaR“Hmm? What is it?”AlxDaEk
5DNq7DwShail raised a finger and pointed toward a less crowded corner.xPBS2x
pUqyTk“I think your friend’s passed out over there.”ZnVLVf
g7qc142Abel squinted and looked in the direction she pointed. What she saw was Speedweapon’s head slumped on the floor.CESaBul
UtPlBB“…What is he doing?”2Rdc0O
K5gL5UiAt that moment, a middle-aged man holding a wine glass began to sway. Others around them were also shaking their heads in confusion or blinking heavily.ciY84qQ
abPW“What? I only had one drink, and I’m already dizzy…?”PLrixHY
t2PkOne by one, guests collapsed. Their knees buckled, and the glasses in their hands shattered against the stone floor.UswaDnf
nEVzv7In an instant, more than half the ballroom had fallen unconscious, their eyes rolled back.JYrD
7CIRNR4The situation unfolded so suddenly that no one reacted in time.8Kd5kTF
QxZD7oAmidst the chaos, the waiters pulled handkerchiefs over the lower halves of their faces. Then, they drew hidden daggers from their sleeves and began closing in.zHUjz
DvcFShail frowned. From the way they moved and concealed their presence, she knew they weren’t ordinary thugs. And there were many of them.6GKBrHC
I98dOQK‘Roughly forty.’B5aT6v9
v9gsKWorse still, the few who could fight had drunk alcohol.6az49
RyTThey were barely standing. Relying on them immediately would be difficult.DZaZ0z
USuTxWasting no time, Shail exchanged glances with Karon and asked.xuTUF7
FQ40S“Did you drink, Mr. Karon?”Ra3146
ESZgCG“A sip. But I can fight just fine.”Xud
TQtw8T“As if I’m worried about you. By the way, is the poison lethal?”dG5
tZWm“I don’t think so. From what I know, no poison kills with just a few drinks. Probably a strong sedative at most.”oRcgY
k86After confirming that, Shail looked to Abel, who had had her back to them until now.yDbkAh
kpNQAbel went pale for a moment, then stuck her fingers down her throat and forced herself to vomit.Tyc
h1V“Shit…”8YoSYq
VbbLiEShe wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and, without hesitation, grabbed the sword she had left leaning against the wall.hWBBKy
knvBw7Shail and Karon stared wide-eyed. Only a few seconds had passed before she regained her composure. It was an impressive reaction.hfneSBf
KHECzJ“Don’t tell me to run. I bet it’s even worse outside.”zEF
20wZRA firm declaration. At that, Shail and Karon smiled and turned toward the enemies.h3b
0ZoeIaE“The young lady’s grown quite a bit.”PRQm6
anUhqZ“Seems so. We might be out of a job soon.”zcu
p07m“Mr. Karon, you really should be thinking about retiring.”wLAd0
fehpLsShail drew a long stiletto from its sheath and pointed it at the approaching enemies.uEa
USmVH“But I plan to serve the Nibelung family to the end.”hhwyJF
Gpb“Well, I’ll stick around until the young lady and Heavenly Sword graduate from this academy.”QTb3ulh
kJ7K“Then I’ll keep serving until the young lady’s granddaughter.”rWUHE
XfDDAt that moment, the waiters lunged with their knives.WneKv
Q1mPKKaron calmly scanned them, unfazed by the charge.VGD
E5118GN“What kind of waiters are these, lacking the most basic skills?”a4iV
tjlHshYAs he put on a pair of gloves, he snapped his fingers.PlPY
fCC“Let me teach you the fundamentals.”hDg9A4c
ZcKqpoSuddenly, the attackers froze in their tracks, as if they’d slammed into something invisible.UJF
5SSTjXbSlash!97Nhx
tcIA spray of blood erupted into the air. Chunks of flesh and crimson liquid floated midair, tangled in fine silver threads like a spiderweb.33n2
qUKlxXW“Make good use of it in the afterlife.”6jE
WAIFAmong the scattered, silvery web, a monocle glinted. Beneath it, a fierce smile made the remaining waiters catch their breath.D1M
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Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaNothing but trouble ahead.
Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaGood one weapon.