Chapter 133
Chapter 133
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 133
Chapter Title: Reina's Intrusion
-----------------------------------------------------------------
In truth, Reina hadn't even considered stepping into the academy.
It wasn't because of the strict security manned by countless knights or the myriad defensive spells etched everywhere.
‘Those are easy enough to breach.’
With her abilities, such things were beneath notice.
Yet there was one reason she had avoided the academy.
‘Yorn Silas.’
As the patriarch of the Phantom Beast clan, he was a powerhouse even she couldn't take lightly.
Though he lacked the title of Guardian Duke, his prowess was no less formidable.
Of course, in a fight to the death, she could probably win somehow—but the cost would be devastating.
She'd have to brace for at least irreparable injuries.
And if the battle with Yorn dragged on, the Sword Sage from the Sky Tower might show up.
That would make things truly troublesome.
Reina wanted no part of that scenario.
‘But then...’
She sensed demonic energy inside the academy.
Powerful mana accompanied by the sweet, intoxicating scent of a corrupted soul.
She had come searching for traces of the new king, and stumbling upon such potent demonic energy—she couldn't just ignore it.
‘I’ll just observe and leave. Just observe.’
But she couldn't even keep that promise.
The face of the one battling the source of the demonic energy was far too familiar.
“Huuuuh—”
Without realizing it, she slipped behind Woojin and let out an excited breath.
“Reina?”
Hearing her name from Woojin's lips sent her excitement soaring to its peak.
“It's been a while. Have you been well?”
Her demonic energy, stained with madness and desire, began to dominate the surroundings.
* * *
His first thought was, *Fuck.*
‘How the hell did this lunatic get in here?’
Unless she was suicidal, no follower of the Demon King would dare enter the capital—let alone the academy.
‘Did she come to kidnap me?’
It was entirely plausible.
Reina had once abducted him even from within a grand duke's domain.
But he quickly shook his head.
On second thought, there was an even more obvious reason.
“…She came for that guy?”
Woojin glanced at Si-woo.
The fight had already ground to a halt.
Pienne was frozen stiff by Reina's demonic energy, and Si-woo just stared blankly in their direction.
“Yeah, that's right. A hero with demonic energy—Isn't it fascinating?”
Her tone was nothing like before.
“We shall meet again in the days to come; expect inevitability in the instant.”
Those had been her final words before her clone vanished.
Utterly aloof, noble, profound...
Now, she sounded as flippant as when they'd first met.
But the content of her words was anything but light.
‘…She figured it out.’
That demonic energy had taken root in Si-woo.
And she'd infiltrated the academy to take him away.
This was no small matter.
Breeeeep—!
Whistles blared from all directions, signaling an alert.
It seemed they'd detected Reina's demonic energy.
Boom—!
At the same time, a majestic aura descended.
Mana that felt like nature itself transplanted here.
‘Yorn!’
Woojin instinctively recognized it as the chancellor's presence—Yorn's.
“Tch, he got here fast.”
There was no way Reina hadn't noticed what Woojin had.
She clicked her tongue briefly and brushed past him.
A chill raced across his skin, his body shrinking back involuntarily.
The repulsive fear of her fangs sinking into his neck flashed through his mind.
“Don't worry. I didn't come for you today—it's that child I want.”
Reina flashed a grin and approached the still-dazed Si-woo.
“St-stop her...!”
Pienne, collapsed and rigid, glared wide-eyed at Woojin.
Her voice dripped with desperate urgency.
Si-woo must not fall into Reina's hands.
That's what she was pleading.
‘I know. I get it, but...’
He couldn't move easily.
Reina hadn't forgotten their last encounter; she feigned openings but never dropped her guard against him.
Rush in recklessly now, and his head would roll.
‘What do I do?’
Yorn's aura was closing in rapidly.
But Reina was even faster.
At this rate, they'd lose Si-woo.
“Damn it!”
Woojin spat a curse and activated his bracelet's skill.
‘Celestial Wing.’
Not at full power.
Just a twofold boost.
But Woojin was incomparably stronger now.
This should hold Reina off until Yorn arrived.
Kwaaaaang—!
His mana exploded the instant the skill activated.
“Hm?”
Reina whipped her head around.
Her startled expression burned into Woojin's eyes.
“You...?”
It hadn't been that long since their first meeting.
Barely over a month.
Yet Woojin now was on a whole other level—strong enough to call him a different person.
Reina couldn't help but be shocked at his growth rate.
Of course, it was a misunderstanding, born of ignorance about ‘Celestial Wing's’ effects.
Woojin gave her no time to think, launching himself forward.
Dark wings unfurled, propelling him at invisible speeds.
Claaaang—!
‘Rune Dea’ was blocked.
Reina had already extended her claws to defend.
‘Tch.’
He'd hoped to at least injure her, if not kill...
But her reaction was quicker than expected.
“You really have gotten stronger, haven't you?”
Her mouth split wide in a grotesque smile.
With that eerie grin came a torrent of horrific demonic energy hurtling toward Woojin.
“Incineration!”
He triggered the skill on reflex.
The same flames that had erased Reina's clone.
Empowered by Woojin's near-limitless mana, ‘Incineration’ surged forth with world-burning fury, devouring the red demonic energy.
‘Damn it all!’
But that was its limit.
This time, it seemed the real body—not a clone—had come.
Fwoosh—!
The wildly flickering black flames extinguished without a trace.
“Did you think I'd fall for it again?”
A mad vampire's mocking laughter echoed from behind.
‘Swift.’
He even used a skill to escape.
But...
Grab—!
Before he could take a single step, Reina's slender hand clamped his wrist.
Craaack—!
An immense pressure crushed his wrist bones with a sickening snap.
“Guh!”
A groan escaped at the sudden agony.
“Where do you think you're going?”
She yanked him with a cackle.
Even under ‘Celestial Wing,’ he couldn't resist her strength.
Dragged along, Woojin swung ‘Rune Dea’ with that momentum.
Or tried to.
‘Ah...’
But gazing into Reina's crimson eyes drained all strength from his body with a snap.
He didn't pass out like before, but he couldn't fend off the mental haze.
“You're intriguing too, so you'll come with—that child and all.”
Her thrilled voice rang out.
But she had overlooked something.
“You filthy spawn of evil dare tread where you do not belong.”
A single phrase that banished the mad demonic energy.
Yorn had arrived.
“…I apologize for being late.”
He bowed first to Woojin.
“And thank you.”
Had Woojin not intervened, Reina would have already whisked Si-woo away.
It was gratitude for preventing the loss of an SSS-grade hero.
Yorn glanced briefly at Si-woo before turning to Reina.
He seemed deliberately uninterested in the hero.
“Reina.”
The vampire's name spilled from Yorn's lips.
“It's been ages? How have you been?”
Reina greeted him like an old friend, but tension she couldn't hide laced her face.
“Have you lived so long you've lost all attachment to this world? Unless you crave death, you wouldn't dare set foot here.”
Yorn infused his emerald sword ‘Furna’ with aura.
The brilliantly glowing destructive energy emanated overwhelming power, oppressive even to behold.
“I plan to live a long, long time. I have to witness His descent, watch the world crumble in real time. I'm far too young to die in a place like this.”
Woojin canceled ‘Celestial Wing’ while eavesdropping.
Exhaustion crashed over him; he nearly collapsed.
‘I need to break free.’
Yorn wasn't attacking yet—likely because of Woojin.
Held in Reina's grasp, any rash move could endanger him.
Knowing that, Woojin had to find a way out fast.
“Don't move, dear. You might dislocate a shoulder?”
Crack—!
Another bone-snapping sound.
‘Ugh!’
Watching his super-evolved body snap like a twig confirmed it: Reina was on par with Gerald or the Night Dragon.
“Let... go!”
‘Aegis.’
It pained him to waste such a potent defense spell—one that could block even a dragon's breath—on this, but nothing else came to mind.
Absolute defense erupted from the ring, flinging Reina's arm away.
Thud—!
Reina's eyes widened in shock.
She'd thought escape impossible, yet he'd slipped free so easily.
“Where—!”
She lunged to recapture him, but Yorn was faster.
A blaze of green aura sliced between Woojin and Reina.
Craaaaaack—!
The training ground floor split like tofu.
The spirit energy within it spread, purifying the surroundings tainted by Reina's demonic energy.
“You...!”
Reina glared at Yorn with murderous eyes.
“You really want to do this?”
Fury over losing Woojin?
She could no longer hold back her rage.
Crunch— Craaunch—!
The air warped.
Unlike Gerald's ability.
The sheer pressure shattered space itself.
Woojin swallowed hard and dashed to Si-woo.
Annoying as the guy was, he couldn't just leave him.
“Hey! Grab my hand!”
Si-woo turned at Woojin's shout from his daze.
‘Ah, this is so damn irritating.’
Si-woo's eyes gleamed with killing intent, fully ensnared by demonic energy.
In that state, he'd be lucky not to attack Woojin instead of following...
That was when it happened.
Si-woo's mouth opened.
“Dark Thunder.”
Black lightning lanced out, belying the name.
The result of total demonic corruption.
The power within was immense—enough that even Woojin couldn't afford carelessness.
He swung ‘Rune Dea.’
Clang—!!!
Black lightning clashed with the blade, unleashing a savage shockwave.
Unable to withstand it, Woojin vomited blood and flew backward.