Chapter 46
Chapter 46
Episode 46
Poor [Mingling Cat] Lucia Punisher had been swayed by Eleanor. Yes, things had unfolded just like in the game.
Despite being a soldier, she had become excessively friendly with Eleanor.
“Prince Oz, we’d appreciate it if you wouldn't interfere with our affairs.”
Don't interfere?
No, quite the opposite. She was pleading with me.
Begging me to somehow turn this messed-up situation around.
She must have been frustrated.
The fact that she couldn't act as a member of her organization made her anxious.
That’s why she resorted to such a risky move.
“Don't make me laugh.”
At my response, Lucia flashed a faint smile.
It disappeared so quickly that I was probably the only one who saw it.
Interfering with the [Death King] was impossible, and I was perceived as a dangerous entity, regardless of the truth.
There was only one thing Tenebris could do directly.
But Eleanor was different. She had no power, no connections.
What Lucia wanted from me was to somehow change Eleanor’s precarious situation.
“I refuse.”
BANG!
Another shot rang out, aimed at me.
Intermediate Magic
[Pharma Shield]
“Ha…!”
Did they interpret my refusal as hostility?
Judging by Lucia’s bewildered expression, it seemed like another impulsive act.
Did they think I would attack Lucia?
Someone must have been panicking.
Since the shot came from the same direction as before, it was probably the same person. Like Lucia, they might be a beastman.
Beastmen, with their heightened senses, would perceive me as quite threatening with [Contemplation] activated.
“This works out well.”
“What…?”
I had originally planned to strategize slowly, but since they’d attacked first…
Even if I subdued Lucia by force, she couldn't complain. They were so worried about her that they even resorted to sniping; that was enough leverage for negotiations.
“If it’s hostility you want.”
“No, this is…!”
Lucia, realizing my intent to attack, hurriedly tried to explain.
But I wasn’t listening.
I wasn't going to miss this opportunity.
Intermediate Magic
[Physical Enhancement]
“Ugh?!”
Bang!
Lucia, realizing I was serious, pulled the trigger, firing blue magic bullets.
I could sense the bewilderment of the Tenebris members who had been observing us from afar.
They hadn’t expected me to charge at her from this distance?
How naive.
[Spatial Barrier Lv. 1]
Six shots in total. The number of times [Spatial Barrier] withstood the hastily created magic bullets.
It held up pretty well for a makeshift shield.
“Did you think close combat was just a temporary measure?”
I’d already demonstrated close-quarters combat several times.
Tenebris would know that, but they probably dismissed it as a last resort.
That's why they didn't expect me to charge at them.
Marksmen generally had the advantage in close combat against mages.
But the situation was a little different.
At this distance, they couldn't even provide sniper support.
And that wasn't all.
“I have plenty of time, you see.”
I never neglected my training.
Even when I was exhausted, I would still grind daily quests in Broken Sky.
I simply couldn’t stand doing nothing.
Moreover, I knew the fate that awaited Oz.
Not only did I not have time to spare, but my life was also in danger.
Magic practice?
That was a given, but when I ran out of mana, I couldn't help but train my physical skills.
I was surprisingly obsessive.
“Keeping your distance against a mage…are you that confident?”
“…?!”
Lucia stumbled backward, overwhelmed by the relentless barrage of attacks.
It was an unavoidable habit of a marksman.
Whether marksman or mage, close combat wasn't their forte.
Sure, they had an advantage over mages in terms of basic physical abilities, but Lucia was accustomed to fighting from a distance.
“In the end, composure is key.”
She lost her composure.
It must have felt like a fatal mistake.
If it weren’t for the pressure from [Contemplation], Lucia wouldn't have retreated.
Her heightened senses as a beastman led to a misjudgment.
In combat, controlling your opponent’s psychology was crucial.
Intermediate Magic
[Stone Wall]
I created a barrier to prevent Tenebris from intervening.
An earth-attribute defensive magic that created a wall of rock.
Earth magic was effective against physical attacks.
I had already confirmed this this morning when I collapsed my dorm, along with the training grounds.
Moreover, Lucia wasn't a particularly powerful attacker for a marksman.
“Having trouble without anyone to back you up?”
SR-rank.
It might be an ambiguous rank in other games, but in Broken Sky, where the party cost was low, it was considered a core rank.
And Lucia was quite skilled, even among SR-rank characters.
This was because of her utility, which allowed her to fit into any party composition.
That's why she struggled in a 1v1 fight like this.
Intermediate Magic
[Stalagmite]
A simple phenomenon magic that made stalagmites sprout from the earth.
But it was even more effective when combined with [Stone Wall], which created a barrier in front of her.
Not only could it create spikes on the barrier to deter close-range opponents, but with a little modification, it could also be launched forward.
The combination of these two spells was so common that it was practically considered basic knowledge.
“What…?”
Yes, it was common knowledge.
So, it was only natural that Lucia would try to move away from the front of [Stone Wall].
Since stalagmites could erupt from the ground or from the wall itself, she had only one choice.
She leaped into the air, then looked down to see where the magic was being cast, and gasped.
“Trapped by your own prejudice.”
Exploiting my opponent's preconceived notions was my specialty.
I always fought with the understanding that I couldn’t subdue my opponents with obvious tactics.
The stalagmite formed right beneath my feet.
Normally, a sharp spear would have shot upwards, but I’d dulled the tip with a slight adjustment.
And like a spring, I launched myself towards Lucia, closing the distance between us.
“How…?”
Lucia’s face was filled with bewilderment. She must have felt like her mind had gone blank.
I had the advantage now that the distance had been closed.
There wasn't much difference between us in close combat.
So, my creating distance must have seemed like a trick.
I’d even thrown in some taunts to make it seem that way.
But I closed the distance again.
“Gotcha.”
“Ugh?!”
Taking advantage of her momentary confusion, I grabbed Lucia’s wrist, disarmed her, and landed on the ground.
She was pinned face down, completely subdued.
More importantly, I had sealed her greatest weapon.
“Oof!”
Lucia, who had been momentarily stunned, came to her senses and tried to draw her second pistol with her free hand.
Of course, I had anticipated that.
“Huh…?”
Lucia, fumbling for the holster strapped to her thigh under her skirt, was once again bewildered.
“Looking for this?”
Unfortunately for her, I’d already confiscated her second pistol while she was distracted.
I didn't know how to use it, since it fired magic bullets, but I pointed it at the back of her head.
The situation had completely reversed.
“O-Oz, even if that’s the case, isn’t it ungentlemanly to search under a lady’s skirt?”
Lucia, who had been fighting fiercely just moments ago, suddenly blushed.
“…Isn’t it a bit cowardly to say that now?”
It had been a fair duel, and yet she was trying to make me look like the bad guy?
Someone with a conscience wouldn’t act like this.
Besides, there were watchful eyes observing us from afar.
“Ugh!”
I twisted her wrist a bit more to shift the mood.
Fortunately, Lucia seemed to regain her composure, her expression turning to one of frustration.
I focused more intently, activating [Contemplation] to its fullest extent.
My gaze grew colder and sharper.
I pressed the cold muzzle of the gun against her neck, as if I were about to fire.
Even Lucia, who was watching me from the corner of her eye, was sweating, unsure if my actions were genuine.
Now, what would Tenebris, watching from afar, do?
Would they abandon Lucia?
No, they might if they needed to keep their identities hidden, but it was different now that I knew about them.
They wouldn’t want to lose a valuable informant over something like this.
As expected, [Contemplation] detected several figures stealthily approaching.
“One, two, three…no, four?”
“Five.”
The voice came from behind me. I’d missed their approach.
Even with [Contemplation], I hadn't detected them. I was reminded once again that [Contemplation] wasn't all-powerful.
I hadn't been able to confirm Parade's presence when they appeared because they were too far away, and I couldn't detect Alexios approaching during the midterm exams.
It was because I was still inexperienced.
My mental strength wasn't enough to fully utilize the power of [Contemplation].
I could draw out more power, but if I couldn't even control my body due to dizziness, it would defeat the purpose.
My mental strength increased along with the [Erosion Rate], but I wasn’t willing to take that gamble.
“This is surprising…”
I was genuinely surprised.
But I maintained my composure as much as possible.
Showing weakness was the end.
My weakness stemmed from the preconceived notions my opponents had about me.
If they exploited my perceived lack of magical prowess, I would be in danger.
“The surprise is mutual. As expected of the Successor of the Mage King. I thought I had you figured out, but it seems I was mistaken.”
“Smooth talker.”
There was no need to turn around.
Even though [Contemplation] couldn’t detect them, I could feel a blade against my neck.
It was so subtle that if I’d looked away for even a moment, I wouldn’t have noticed my head being severed.
I couldn’t mistake this level of skill within Tenebris.
[SSR Infiltrating Shadow]
Discreet Punisher
The leader of Tenebris had personally appeared. Honestly, I hadn't expected him to show up this early.
Even though the current situation was drastically different from the original Broken Sky, I still hadn't anticipated his presence.
“…It seems the Headmaster’s recruitment of instructors was faster than I thought.”
Discreet Punisher was the instructor for basic combat skills, replacing Gerard.
He might be an assassin, but his character class was classified as Warrior.
Well, it didn't matter that he appeared early.
Like Lucia, he couldn't openly interfere with Scientia.
No, his restrictions were even stricter than Lucia’s.
“…As Agent Lucia said, your information network is truly impressive.”
“Agent… Isn't that a bit formal for family?”
Reminding myself once again that he couldn’t kill me here, I mustered the courage to turn around.
A cat beastman with black hair and ominous red eyes stood there, as if emerging from the shadows.
His tone was gentle, but his gaze was ice-cold.
“I don’t want to hear that from you, Successor of the Mage King.”
Lucia’s older brother and the leader of Tenebris, Discreet Punisher, was an SSR-rank Warrior character.
He had entered Scientia openly. Yes, openly.
He even got Tia’s permission to gather information within the academy.
Tia, baffled by Discreet’s blatant reveal of his identity, offered him a teaching position in exchange for allowing him to investigate.
“Would you release our agent?”
“That doesn’t sound like a request.”
“Oh dear, did it come across that way?”
Discreet shrugged and pulled the black blade still pressed against my neck a little closer.
“I presume you don't wish to die here?”
Blood trickled down my neck.
It hurt, but I didn't flinch.
“As I said before, can you even kill me here?”
“But the same applies to you, doesn’t it? You don’t intend to stay in Scientia forever, do you?”
“Are you confident you can face a prepared me?”
“…”
Discreet’s vertical pupils scanned me, assessing the situation.
Scientia was essentially a four-year academy.
Graduation? Of course, I had to graduate.
Even if I wanted to work at Scientia, I would still have to leave eventually.
To put it simply, I still had more than three and a half years.
“I guarantee that by then, you won’t be able to stop me.”
Discreet and I were the same rank.
Of course, in Broken Sky, Discreet was stronger.
He was practically a cheat character in PvP.
But most characters' power levels followed the story's progression.
“You haven’t forgotten who I am, have you?”
“…”
[Successor of the Mage King]
That title carried more weight than one might think.
There were mages stronger than me in both the game and the story.
They existed. Naturally.
But I was the only one qualified to become the next Mage King.
That wasn’t based on my current abilities, but on my potential.
“I don’t even need three years until graduation. Two years will be enough.”
It was a bluff, but Discreet couldn’t help but consider it.
I was a diamond in the rough, while he was a polished expert.
Our positions were completely different.
Oz, with both talent and effort, and a promising future, versus an expert who had caught up with talent through sheer effort and experience.
Experts were methodical, not reckless.
“…We surrender. May I ask what you desire?”
As the leader of an organization, having gone through countless experiences, he couldn’t afford to gamble.
It was unavoidable for someone entangled in worldly affairs.
Of course, as someone who used to be a working adult, I also understood the harsh realities of the world.
I wouldn’t make unreasonable demands.
“First, I’d like to borrow a place to stay for the night.”
“…?”
Yes, the most important thing in worldly affairs was a roof over your head.
Sleeping in the rain was miserable.