Chapter 0: Prologue
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 0: Prologue
Rain lashed down as if the heavens themselves had been torn asunder.
The roar of the deluge sounded like the death knell of the world.
Shaaaaaaa—
Where the Academy once stood, only skeletal ruins remained, choked by swirling dust. The vibrant laughter of students had been replaced by the hollow, echoing screams of despair.
Perched atop the rubble of the fallen Academy, a demon let out a roar of triumph.
"Hahahaha! The Empire's pride, the Academy, falls by my hand!"
♬♪♬—
Suddenly, a melody drifted through the air—a tune utterly discordant with the carnage.
It was bright, upbeat music. The demon stiffened, turning toward the source of the sound.
"Who goes there?!"
A man stood amidst the wreckage.
Despite the billowing ash and grime, not a single speck of dust marred his attire. A crimson cloak billowed behind him with every step he took.
But it was his face that drew the eye—or rather, the mask covering it.
A stark white mask completely concealed his features, lending him an aura of mystery, yet the exaggerated smile painted across its eyes and mouth made him look like nothing more than a ridiculous clown.
"I have been called many things, but for now, I am exactly what you see—just an ordinary clown."
As he spoke, the clown made an exaggerated gesture, bowing like an actor on a grand stage.
"A survivor? Die!"
Without hesitation, the demon lunged, his sword whistling through the air. The clown, seemingly unable to react, was sliced clean in half.
"Hahaha. Now, everyone is truly dea—"
"My, how boorish. Swinging a blade before even offering a greeting."
The clown, who should have been a bifurcated corpse, was suddenly standing behind the demon.
The demon spun around, snarling as he swung his sword again. Once more, the clown was cleaved in two.
"This time, you're definitely—"
"Interrupting a performer mid-monologue... it seems this member of the audience lacks any semblance of patience."
The demon hacked the clown down several more times, but each time, the clown returned unscathed, his voice dripping with mock disappointment.
"Aaaargh!! Who the hell are you?!"
"I have already told you, yet you ask again. It seems our guest is not only violent but also a bit slow-witted."
"It doesn't matter how many times you come back! Nothing changes! The Academy has already been destroyed by my hand!"
The clown tilted his masked head, pretending to ponder the demon's words. When he spoke again, his voice was laced with dark amusement.
"The stage was so convincing that it seems our guest has fallen prey to a slight delusion."
Snap.
With a theatrical flourish, the clown snapped his fingers.
In an instant, the world transformed.
The torrential rain vanished, replaced by a sun shining brilliantly in a clear blue sky.
The Academy buildings stood exactly where they belonged, pristine and perfectly intact.
"Who... what are you?"
The demon’s voice was no longer filled with rage. It was hollow, trembling with the weight of total defeat.
The clown gave a deep, sweeping bow, like an actor taking his final curtain call before an enthralled crowd.
"I have told you many times already. I am merely an ordinary clown."