It Was Like a Dream
It was like dreaming. A systematic strategy I had never even considered until now. Commands issued as if piercing straight through every variable were the perfect response and the ideal strategy for every situation.
“Now.”
“Yes!”
Before anyone realized it, Class C was faithfully obeying the man named Zeon’s every order. If he said wait, they waited. If he said attack, they attacked. If he said rest, they rested. Like loyal dogs following their master’s commands, he had become the undisputed ruler of Class C.
“I never expected them to be this obedient.”
The transformation was so drastic that even Libra, who had taught them until now, was stunned into silence.
What in the world are you?
Those who inherited the Sword God’s power were said to be extraordinary, but this went far beyond that. Zeon conquered the gate with the effortless skill of someone who had spent years commanding armies on the battlefield.
And that boy. He’s looking after every single one of them.
At every moment he applied new tactics, using the students evenly as if refusing to let even one of them become a spectator. His near-obsessive determination to use every card available was almost frightening.
I can’t stand seeing anyone sit idle.
In reality, the strategy had been born from a refusal to let anyone slack off in the rear while everyone else suffered. But Libra, unaware of this, simply saw it as thoughtful consideration to give every member of Class C real combat experience.
This kid is genuinely mature.
Anyone could harbor the desire to look after others. But to reveal that heart and actually take action to help them was something else entirely.
“A massive presence!”
“It’s different from everything we’ve faced so far! Goblin Warrior! Two-handed axe! It hasn’t spotted us yet!”
They had already passed the gate’s midpoint. The Goblin Warrior was the monster that marked that halfway point. Seeing the class reach this stage without a single mishap and conquer it flawlessly, Libra inwardly awarded everyone high marks.
“Everyone, stand by. I’ll take this one.”
“Huh? Captain?”
“I need to warm up too. Is that all right, Professor?”
“Of course! You’ve been standing still this whole time, so go ahead and stretch your legs!”
In truth, the more surprising fact was that Zeon had not hunted a single monster until now.
Yes. Up to this point, Zeon had not lifted a finger against any demonic beast. He had only given orders and left the hunting entirely to the students. The power he had displayed briefly at the entrance had been impressive, but how would it fare against a real monster?
The students watched Zeon with a strange mix of anticipation and curiosity.
“Hoo…”
With a short breath, black energy began condensing in Zeon’s hand.
Yes. That was the power of the Sword God.
Libra felt a faint shiver of fear as she watched the energy take shape. She had seen the power of other Sword God successors before, but none had ever inspired this level of dread. The aura felt like the presence of an absolute ruler that would crush and trample everything beneath it.
“But that technique…”
The method of attack seemed strangely familiar. The power itself belonged to the Sword God, yet the application was something Libra knew all too well.
That attack style was…
“Devour it, Halpas.”
Halpas Manifestation
Because it was the attack of a demon.
The power of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art that took form in my hand rose into the air as a single crow. The creature understood my command instantly and flapped toward the Goblin Warrior.
—It’s slightly different from a normal summoned beast.
—The name too. Did you name it that on purpose?
Obviously. I looked at the bird created through the Heavenly Demon Divine Art specifically to fight the Goblin Warrior. Also known as Halpas.
“Halpas. Scream.”
“Kwaaaaaak!!!!”
“Uwaht?!”
“Ugh!”
The children’s faces turned deathly pale at Halpas’s thunderous cry. The sudden distortion in the flow of mana must have hit them hard.
Good. It’s handling perfectly.
What I had created was a recreation of Halpas—one of the seventy-two demons of the demon world—using the power of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art. Of course it lacked the original’s personality and was nothing more than an empty shell, but the power contained within was identical.
—I never imagined you could command demons.
—Shouldn’t we call this creation rather than command?
Excluding the power drawn out through Getia, I had shaped the remaining energy with the Heavenly Demon Divine Art to manifest Halpas. I had borrowed the method demons used to summon their incarnations or avatars, and because I had inherited everything from Halpas, the process succeeded more easily than expected.
“Halpas. Rip him apart.”
“Kwaaak!”
The being I created had inherited Halpas’s name, power, and authority completely. It was still passive and only moved when I gave orders, of course.
Even if it took a small amount of my stats, Halpas was still one of the seventy-two demons. There was no way something like a Goblin Warrior could possibly defeat it.
In the blink of an eye, Halpas tore out the Goblin Warrior’s throat and returned to me, flapping its wings with vigor. Since this was the early stage, I had kept its body small, so it looked no different from an ordinary crow.
“Wow, is that a summoned beast?”
“Black energy is scattering everywhere. So cool.”
“Grr?”
The creature perched on my shoulder tilted its head cutely, despite the gruesome scene it had just created. The other students stared at Halpas with open fascination.
Yongyong, still wrapped around my neck, narrowed its eyes at the sudden newcomer. Its gaze seemed to say, What the hell is this crow bastard?
“Grrrr.”
“Kwaak!”
Halpas noticed Yongyong as well and spread its wings in a clear threat. The fact that it accidentally smacked itself in the face with its own wing during the display remained a secret.
“Zeon?”
“Yes, Professor.”
Libra, who had been quietly observing from behind until now, approached with a face drained of all color. I already had a good idea why. In a trembling voice, she asked,
“The way you summoned that crow… where exactly did you learn it?”
“I saw it in the library.”
“What?”
Library. For a moment Libra’s face went completely blank. Learning demon summoning techniques from the library—what a cheap joke. But before she could say anything else, I pulled a book from my pocket and handed it to her.
Anyone Can Learn Easily: Comprehensive Summoning Manual
“Here.”
“Anyone Can Learn Easily. Comprehensive Summoning Manual?”
“Yes. It was in there.”
Libra snatched the book and began flipping through it rapidly, eyes darting across the pages. Then her hands and gaze suddenly froze on one section.
Tremble. Tremble.
“Which bastard left this… this kind of…”
It was unmistakably the tremor of pure rage. The Class C students had never seen her this furious before, so they all widened their eyes and kept their mouths shut.
“How dare they leave a book on demon summoning rituals in the academy?”
Well, knowing about it didn’t mean just anyone could use it. To even establish the conditions, one first needed to contract with a demon and contain its power. In my case, I had an excellent sample called Halpas, so I could wield the power without a formal contract. And by using the Heavenly Demon Divine Art in the middle, no traces of the demon remained except for the summoning ritual itself.
In other words, a perfect crime.
It was so flawless that I couldn’t help but wear the satisfied expression of a student who had just successfully carried out an elaborate scheme.
“Kwaak! Kwaak!”
“Grrrrrr.”
Still, Halpas and Yongyong really didn’t seem to get along. The way they kept threatening each other was so vicious that it felt like they would go for each other’s throats the moment I looked away.
“Halpas. That’s enough. Return.”
“Kwaak?!”
“Grr. Pfft.”
Deciding this couldn’t continue, I canceled the summon and sent Halpas back. As it disappeared, Halpas hung its head with a shocked expression while Yongyong openly mocked it.
“Amazing.”
“What kind of summoned beast is that? I never knew a crow could be that strong.”
“Hey, do you have a summoned beast that powerful too?”
“As if. That thing’s clearly outside the norm.”
With this, I had definitely left a deep impression regarding combat ability. Since I had only been giving orders the whole time, the initial strong impression might have started to fade. Stepping forward myself had apparently been the correct decision.
“We move immediately. Everyone stay alert and perform your roles perfectly.”
Now then, let’s finish the rest of the conquest quickly.
Rumble rumble.
While Zeon was busy leading Class C and issuing commands, the situation in Class A was unfolding in a completely different direction, delivering a massive shock.
“Oh my god.”
“That’s really Class C?”
“What the hell is this…”
The Class A students stood with their mouths agape, staring blankly at the scene before them and at the person who had created it. Their faces were filled with the shock of encountering an unexpected dark horse.
“Hah.”
“That attack just now…”
“……”
Among them were the current top three of Class A: Kena, Leglia, and Mir. Their reactions were even more intense than the others’.
They said Class C had some strong students, but!
No one had imagined they would be this strong. The gruesome scene that looked as if it had torn space itself apart caused cold sweat to break out instinctively. The attack range was enormous, and the destructive power was nothing to scoff at, but what was even more shocking was how little risk the attack seemed to carry.
It’s gotten stronger than I remember…
Mir broke into a cold sweat at Karne’s unexpected preemptive strike. If she already possessed this level of strength, just how much stronger would she become later?
Mir recalled a memory she had seen in a dream—the monstrous talent that had twisted the surrounding space and turned the entire Arbaana family into ruins.
…Should I deal with her in advance?
As Mir stared at Karne’s back, her eyes gleamed with a chilling light.