Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: -27
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 027
Chapter Title: Dormitory Ghost Incident (3)
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Mana is swayed by strong will.
And a mage with a strong will can dominate the surrounding mana.
So, how much anguish must those utterly feeble first-years have endured for their wishes to seize control of the mana and come true?
They didn't want to give up, but Jefrin Academy was ultimately a training ground for the finest talents—someone had to wash out eventually.
Those weak, fragile hearts had banded together, commanding the ambient mana to form a single desperate wish.
'I want to graduate.'
'I want to keep going to school.'
'I don't want to give up.'
The grudges of those already eliminated. I'd felt so many emotions while playing through Act 1.
Kelters, roommate in the dorm who dropped out anyway, yet swore to grip his sword and charge toward the future.
Eve, who raised the flag of rebellion against the former student council president's outrages, ascended to president—only to learn her first case as such was this ghost commotion, born from freshmen fears made manifest. She could do nothing.
Kelters, with his measly Status 15, accomplished what Eve at 22 couldn't, through sheer force of heart. Eve realized in the end that stats weren't everything and grew into a slightly bigger person.
That touching 1-1 storyline...
Of all the bad luck, a grad student happened to be lurking near the first-year dorm and synced with that mana, twisting it into something utterly horrific.
"Ugh, shit."
The freshmen's fury had long faded; now the mana brimmed entirely with the grad student's hatred and rage, stalking the hall.
"'Can the tears of raw recruits who got early discharge really outmatch the sobs of a spike-helmed sergeant?' Something like that, huh."
I nodded at the ghost—or rather, the black mana coiling around Zolf as he wandered unconscious.
The first-years' sorrow and hatred, layered no matter how thick, amounted to just freshman gripes. But now? A whole different monster. I wanted no part of it.
"If that thing showed up in Act 1, I'd have quit the game."
But talk is cheap. This was reality—no bailing with 'Ah, buggy trash game. I'm out. Devs, quit coding and go unload trucks.'
In the end, Nefti and Eve would confront that grad student. Just a vengeful spirit wailing about graduation and theses? Possession? Whatever. Face shrouded in writhing black mana, tentacles of oozy darkness squirming behind. Killer visuals on a scrawny scholar's frame crawling with maggoty black sludge. Glossy black, no less. Oh shit.
Black. Terrifying. Horrific. Grotesque.
Worried how Nefti and Eve would handle it? Sure. But Guardian Knight and Light of the Student Council—they'd manage somehow.
As for me? I'd decided my course.
Stamina 2 Wolfram? Just watch!
Go for it!
Wishing Eve and Nefti victory in my heart, the main cast took the stage one by one.
Footsteps descending the stairs.
The freshmen waiting in the hall... no, the grad student's grudging spirit.
[Wh-what is that thing?]
[...Nngh. That's the ghost's true form. Nefti! Prepare for battle. We defend the academy here!]
Oh.
Eve's "We defend the academy!" line—she always led with it entering boss fights on her route. Her nickname? The Stalwart Guardian of Jefrin. Hearing it live.
[Graduation... Graaaaduaaaation!!]
And so.
The spirit howled, and the fight began.
"...Graaaaduaaaation!!"
Five horrific tendrils of darkness hurtled forth.
Nefti knew her duty instantly, blocking Eve faster than the black vines.
"I'll hold them! 【Guardian Formation: Circular Response】"
【Guardian Formation: Circular Response】
[Defensive array deployed]
"No need."
"Huh?"
Eve von Loengrin's magic hue was light.
Light magic has many traits—strong against demons, easy to vary—but in combat, two stand out.
Fast casting.
And wide range.
【Light Spear: Burst: Counterfire】
【Light Spear: Burst: Counterfire】
[Five precise shots]
A mere finger snap manifested spells faster than even Aila Trista.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Never seen anything like it. Rinder if you even needed me."
Exactly five. Light clashed with dark tendrils. Nefti was impressed.
【Light Spear: Single: Piercing Reinforcement】
【Light Spear: Single: Piercing Reinforcement】
[Power surge / Piercing / No cooldown]
Another snap. A power-packed light spear spawned behind, launching before the black mass could react.
Reaction came post-launch. It tried its best to block—but fell short.
Crunch. Crunch. Craaaunch.
Shattering layered black mana, the spear pressed on relentlessly.
Just like Eve von Loengrin's path. No hesitation crushing the corrupt.
The black silhouette lurched. Darkness cloaking its face crumbled.
"G-grrrrrraaah!"
It wailed in agony, but Eve advanced without pity to ID the foe.
"Let's see the shameless face that invaded the dorms first. Who are you?"
A human face emerged from the collapsing dark.
Haggard, dark circles under eyes, yet somehow kind, decent, pitiful.
Eve knew this face.
No frequent chats, but she'd seen it around the grad dorms.
Ninth-year super-senior pursuing his PhD under Grace.
Academy's most pitiable soul.
Quick-Master Zolf. Him.
"Zolf... Senpai?!"
"Ugh, uwaaaaaah!! WAAAAAAGH!!!"
As Eve faltered, the darkness erupted, swatting her.
"Lady Eve! 【Guardian Formation: Self-Sacrifice】!"
【Guardian Formation: Self-Sacrifice】
[Target protected / Counter damage]
"Kyaaah?!"
"...Hmm. What now."
I watched the fight quietly from behind.
Eve ID'd Zolf, hesitated a beat, and got swatted.
Separate from her overwhelming mana, she was just sixteen now. Real combat experience? Barely any.
"Thought since it wasn't a first-year grudge, she'd clean it up easy. But second-year's second-year. Accurate to canon, sorta."
In the original D/Z SAGA, Kelters' eventual party members had grade-specific traits.
Higher years meant smarter combat AI.
First-years spam status ailments instead of DPS buffs, but that crap drops off sharply with levels.
Without it, no reason to recruit old-timers. Just cheap out first-years, grind to ending.
Anyway, balance or canon—take your pick.
First-year Kelters: reckless.
Second-year Eve: straightforward.
Third-year Aila: no gaps.
Nefti: iron wall.
Rudika: specialist.
Eve hesitated spotting Zolf, ate a surprise hit. Nefti tanked with Self-Sacrifice, but a hair too slow.
"Eve's knocked out, Nefti's defense-focused after late guard."
That thud? Eve flying, stunned.
Her Stamina's around 12—no lethal knockback into wall, but this world's real, not game.
One hit in stun? Could be fatal.
That's why Nefti as support, but it went down too fast—guard lagged, defense sloppy.
Look. She's just desperately hacking darkness now.
Snap.
[...Aaaah. Longsword's broken. Ngh... Should've bought a pricier one. Tch. 【Iron Fist Guard: Steel Harden】!]
【Iron Fist Guard: Steel Harden】
[Fists fortified]
......No.
Nefti's longsword just snapped in half. Protecting Eve's looking tough now. Target-guard like Guardian Formation outclasses general defense like Iron Fist Guard.
"This is a real pickle."
Step up?
And do what? Tank 2 seconds, die gloriously?
Pondering briefly.
[...That's far enough!]
A redhead boy's roar shook the hall.
This voice.
How could I forget.
Hero of Light. Jefrin's greatest sword.
"...Kelters?"
The protagonist's first appearance before me.
Redheaded boy Kelters.
Always smiling bright, inspiring courage—a true hero.
Seemed sidelined among first-years after Aila crushed him, ignored by top heroine Eve. Kinda pitiful. But finally witnessing the Hero of Light firsthand.
Longsword at hip, eyes blazing hope at the foe.
No hesitation in his blade. Core extrovert. Party staple—rare refusals. Insta-join master.
Now facing off a darkness-soaked, hate-fueled grad student, longsword drawn in one hand.
"Not a sight I wanted."
Gap so stark, Zolf looked pitiful enough to cry.
[...Kulphis underclassman! Fall back!]
[...Kelters here, senpai. Anyway, I'll hold here—hurry and escort the president out!]
"Heroic to a fault. Hero of Light, Kelters."
If Light Warrior topples the grad student and awakens? Fine by me.
Yeah. Finish it. Slay him!
[Come at me, monster! On my honor as top freshman Kelters, I stand against you!]
[......Top... freshman?]
[Yeah. No matter what you are, I'll defend our class's honor to the end.]
[...Kid. Brat.]
[......What?]
[...You damn greenhorn whelp!! How DARE you! Ink not even dry on the ledger, you!!]
[Wha—uwaaaah?!]
Then I saw the grad student's black aura form a massive fist, smashing Kelters.
The cocky underclassman who'd stepped up before Nefti? Instant Eve Mk. II—smacked out cold.
Nefti's burden just skyrocketed.
[Argh, seriously. What's with this underclassman?! Nghaa. Hraaah!! 【Iron Fist Guard: Steel Harden: Area Expand】!]
【Iron Fist Guard: Steel Harden: Area Expand】
[Expanded defense / AoE]
"Did that dimwit just flex freshman top-dog in front of a grad student seething with envy and hate?"
Clutching my pounding head, I sighed deeply.
This? Truly hopeless.
Wolfram von Loengrin. Resolved to live for himself—but steps up when needed.
Even if death in 2 seconds. Beg for life on free donut grounds... Eve wakes, Mana 22 Eve spears it.
Legs shaking, sweaty fists... still.
Creeeak.
I opened the clear room door unflinching, addressed it.
"Zolf."
"Uh?"
"Lord Wolfram?!"
"Nefti, explanations later. Zolf. Remember me?"
No explaining now—might turn its gaze, instant death to convenience store.
"Zolf. Answer."
"Wh-who... Ngh? Wol...fram, Lord?"
"Yes. The Wolfram von Loengrin you visited every dawn for fish soup, swapped life stories with, encouraged each other through the day, shared donuts."
So no preemptive strike, right? Don't. We pinky-swore no bad deeds. Break it, hand flies off.
"...A-ah. Aaaah... W-Wolfram, Lord. I-I... A- ugh."
"Yes. Wolfram."
Whew. Zolf wasn't lunging instantly.
Now, what to say.
How negotiate with this boss?
That instant.
Oh.
Right.
I had this skill.
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