Chapter 59: I’ll Take That As A Win
"Haste."
As Lina’s voice rang out softly, a wave of energy surged through me. My body felt lighter, my breathing steadier. I stomped the ground once, testing the spell’s effect—my movements were sharp, effortless.
"Good," I murmured under my breath. "Feels lighter already."
Then came her next chant.
"Strength."
The magic sank deeper this time, pulsing through my muscles. My fingers tingled as power filled them, and I clenched my fist, feeling the tension hum beneath my skin.
Alright. Time to move.
I lifted my gaze. The terrorists were almost at the princess’s door now, the sound of their spells charging filling the hallway. The student council members were barely holding on.
No more hesitation.
I kicked off the ground and dashed forward, the air slicing past my ears.
"Who’s that?!" one of them shouted.
Their formation broke momentarily as they turned to face me, panic flashing across their faces. But I didn’t stop to answer. They weren’t my target.
I weaved between them, my enhanced speed letting me slip through their defenses like a shadow.
There—on the ground beside a fallen body—Ed’s sword.
I skidded to a stop, crouched, and snatched the weapon up with my gloved hand—the one made from the Dreamlike Orb.
The blade pulsed faintly, as if recognizing the surge of magic flowing through me.
Without wasting a second, I poured my mana into it.
Woong.
The sword responded immediately, vibrating with a deep hum that resonated in my bones. Power surged through my arm, raw and electric.
An exhilarating rush flooded my chest. The kind that made your heartbeat louder than the chaos around you.
I drew a sharp breath. Then, I swung.
"Lightning Slash!"
Crackle—!
Arcs of lightning burst from the blade, tracing wild, blinding lines through the air.
"—Get away!!"
The man in the suit—their leader, maybe—shouted frantically when he realized what I was about to unleash. But it was already too late.
BOOM!
The entire hallway exploded in a flash of white and thunder.
"ARGHHHH!!"
Beeeeeep—
A deafening explosion ripped through the air, followed by a sharp ringing in my ears. For a few seconds, everything was just noise and smoke.
When the dust finally began to settle, the sight before me was complete devastation. The entire area looked as if a bomb had gone off—cratered ground, shattered walls, and scorch marks stretching across the floor.
The gang members caught in the blast were scattered everywhere, groaning and writhing in pain.
"...Damn," I muttered under my breath, staring at the weapon in my hand. "That’s some serious power."
Edmund’s sword hummed faintly, faint blue light pulsing along its blade.
Early in the comic, this was his signature weapon—his favorite artifact. A sword gifted to him by his master when he first entered the academy. It had the unique ability to temporarily amplify its wielder’s magic power.
Later in the story, it got overshadowed by stronger artifacts and divine relics, but at this point in time... this thing was still top-tier.
My fingers tightened around the hilt. The surge of power I’d just felt—it was intoxicating.
"...This could be really useful," I murmured, unable to hide my grin.
But then reality kicked in.
I forced myself to exhale, shaking my head.
No. Bad idea.
Taking this sword for myself would be nothing but trouble. Edmund would notice it missing sooner or later, and if she found out...
’Yeah. Death sentence. Immediate. No save point.’
The original owner who gave Edmund this sword—just thinking about that crazy woman sent a chill crawling down my spine. I wasn’t suicidal enough to mess with her belongings.
With a quiet sigh, I let go of my greed and tightened my grip on the sword, ready to return it—
"...Cough!"
The sharp, wet sound made me flinch.
I turned quickly toward it, instincts kicking in.
Through the haze of smoke and dust, the man in the black suit—the one who had been leading the assault—was still standing. His suit was torn, blood dripping from his lip, but his eyes were sharp and focused, locked directly on me.
He planted his feet firmly, refusing to fall.
"...You’ve got to be kidding me," I whispered.
No way. He’d taken that blast head-on.
Then I noticed it—the shards of ice glittering faintly around him, fragments of a barrier that must’ve been conjured just before the explosion.
He’d managed to block part of my attack with magic..
"Who the hell are you...? Why are you interfering with me?"
The man in the black suit glared at me, his eyes burning with unrestrained fury.
There was something unhinged about his gaze—a sharp, twisted madness that made the air feel heavy. My instincts screamed at me to be cautious, and before I knew it, I’d taken half a step back.
Then, he began to walk toward me. Slowly. Purposefully.
His every step echoed across the shattered floor, his expression twisting into one of raw hatred.
"WHY!!!" he roared, voice cracking with resentment that sent chills down my spine.
It didn’t sound like the fury of a soldier losing a battle—it was personal. Desperate.
But now wasn’t the time to think about that.
I tightened my grip on the sword, readjusting my stance. The moment he came close enough, I was ready to strike again—
BOOM!
The wall beside us erupted with a deafening crash, showering the room in smoke and debris.
"Ugh—!" I coughed, covering my face. Through the haze, I caught sight of armored figures rushing in.
Finally.
The knights of the academy.
Heavily armed and carrying the crest of the royal guard, they poured into the room like a steel tide.
For the first time that night, my shoulders loosened.
’Took you long enough...’
With the knights here, the battle was as good as over. The terrorists who’d tried to kidnap the princess were done for—they’d be captured, interrogated, and punished for their crimes.
I let out a slow breath and began to lower my sword.
And then—
"Blood Fog."
"—!!"
Crimson mist exploded outward, flooding the corridor in an instant.
The thick metallic scent of blood filled my lungs, stinging my throat as visibility dropped to nothing.
I could barely see a meter ahead.
Through the dense fog, a silhouette emerged—slender, poised, and unmistakable.
Lina.
So she’d finally decided to move.
"Cough! Cough! I can’t see anything!" one of the knights shouted, stumbling blindly through the red haze.
"This fog—what is this magic?!" another yelled.
My heart sank.
This was bad.
With the knights disoriented and the terrorists backed into a corner, this crimson shroud was all they needed to vanish.
’Damn it, Lina... what are you planning?’
Just as I was bracing myself for another attack, a low, venomous voice cut through the haze.
"You."
"...?"
My head snapped toward the sound, and through the thick, blood-red fog, I saw him—his figure barely visible, his eyes burning with murderous rage.
"I will definitely kill you."
...Me?
A chill ran down my spine. I could feel cold sweat trickling down my temple as I met his glare.
’Why me? What did I do this time?’
Sure, I might’ve had something to do with his plan falling apart—but it’s not like I asked him to launch such a pathetic attempt in the first place. Honestly, if you’re going to execute a grand scheme, maybe don’t lose to a random academy student halfway through?
I opened my mouth to retort, but before I could say anything, he turned sharply and disappeared into the fog, his voice echoing faintly behind him.
"Tch... dramatic much?"
By the time the red mist finally thinned and the battlefield came back into focus, there was no sign of him—or his comrades.
They were gone.
Completely vanished, as if the whole encounter had been nothing but a fever dream.
I let out a long breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.
"...Guess I’ll take that as a win."