Chapter 59
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: The Event is Going Smoothly!
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Strangers—not monsters—are the enemies in Blaze Blood.
They are ordinary people who have been corrupted, or Hunters who have fallen.
What they all have in common is that they are cloaked in sinister, murky dark purple mana.
This mana exudes such an ominous aura that even ordinary people can sense its evil and chilling nature.
The first time you feel it, you immediately know: this is Stranger mana.
Or at least, the presence of something profoundly wicked.
"What the hell is going on, Rubelt?!"
Strangers are humanity's enemies, just like monsters.
No—since they roam freely outside dungeons, they must be treated with even greater caution and eliminated without mercy.
So it was only natural for Isihoon to be shocked.
Especially since I was suddenly emanating the aura of a Stranger he needed to take down.
And Isihoon, influenced by his blood, harbored especially strong wariness and hostility toward Strangers.
First things first—clear up the misunderstanding.
"Hey, calm down, Isihoon. It's just mimicking the vibe convincingly. Not the real deal."
"W-what?!"
"Yeah. Like this~."
I detached the orb attached to the sword's hilt.
"Huh?"
Just like that, the Stranger aura vanished completely, and Isihoon blinked at me in stunned silence.
"Wh-what? It... disappeared?"
"Told you. I mentioned a new development. This is it. Stranger Aura Mimic Device."
"Stranger... Aura Mimic Device?"
"Yep. A new tool developed by the Eldra family. Pour mana into it, and it replicates a Stranger's aura with uncanny accuracy."
It was an application of the technology we'd planned to integrate into weapons using Isihoon's blood.
"Pretty convincing, right?"
"Yeah... so you're not actually a Stranger, Rubelt?"
"Of course not. If I were, I'd have attacked you the second you froze up."
Isihoon let out a relieved sigh at my words.
"Phew... good. But why make something like this?"
"It's all for the Academy~."
"For the Academy...?"
"Yeah. They'll probably roll out classes using these soon. To train cadets not to flinch at Stranger auras and fight back right away."
"Ah."
Isihoon wasn't stupid.
He'd get the point from that alone.
Just like his reaction earlier, ordinary people—and even cadets—exposed to a Stranger aura for the first time might panic, freeze, or create an opening for attack.
Even without full panic, that split-second gap could be fatal.
In Blaze Blood, there was even a scene where an extra cadet, shocked by a Stranger's aura, took heavy damage—despite not being on the protagonist's team.
So if they got used to it beforehand with this device and could snap into combat stance immediately, we could reduce casualties compared to the original story.
"What's the principle behind it?"
"No idea. I didn't develop it."
Hubunkun—Furuta Yoichi—did that.
I just provided the idea.
"Anyway, let's get to it. I'm playing the Stranger. Come on, foolish Academy cadet Isihoon!"
Bzzz!
I even added a white mask with a voice changer function.
"Your life ends here!"
"What's that?!"
"Gotta make it immersive!"
Thwack!
This time, without explanation, I charged and swung my sword.
"Ngh!"
Clang!
Isihoon hurriedly raised his sword to block.
But...
"Is that all you've got?!"
I pressed harder with my sword, and Isihoon's arms began to buckle under the strain.
"Urgh...!"
He fought desperately to hold, but his arms were inching downward.
Stat difference overwhelming him—no helping it.
Realizing he couldn't win on strength, Isihoon tried to retreat.
But I'd let him escape that easily?
"Fireball!"
BOOM!
"M-magic?!"
Isihoon flung himself sideways, dodging the spell.
"R-Rubelt! Magic too?!"
"I'm not Rubelt! And what Stranger only uses a sword?! Die!"
"That's too much!"
Sorry, Isihoon.
It's all for your sake.
I'll grind you down until your super ultimate awakens.
"Hah! Hah!"
Twenty minutes into training with Rubelt.
Isihoon panted heavily as he dodged and blocked the onslaught rushing toward him.
Too intense...!
It was just training, so Rubelt was holding back appropriately—no lethal blows.
But the relentless assault, coupled with the Stranger aura, was draining Isihoon's stamina and mental fortitude.
I knew Rubelt was strong... but this much of a gap?
Isihoon was struck anew by the vast difference in their skills.
Part of him wanted to beg Rubelt to stop, just take a short break.
But alongside his guilt toward Rubelt—who was training him personally for once...
I don't wanna quit like this! Especially not against this Rubelt!
For some reason, a boiling excitement and unyielding impulse surged within him, keeping him going.
Furuta Yoichi's Stranger Aura Mimic Device replicated the aura flawlessly.
The constant emission kept stimulating and churning Isihoon's blood.
Stamina plummeting from the nonstop barrage, mental energy depleting.
Irrational state, fueled by unknown excitement and impulse.
Then, into that haze, came the distorted voice of Rubelt.
Clang! Clang! Claaang!
"Kuhahaha! Is that all?! In the end, you're just another weakling who falls to Strangers! It suits you perfectly!"
Lose...? Me, to a Stranger?
The word "lose" to a Stranger set his blood roiling even more.
"Once I crush you, I'll slaughter all your precious loved ones!"
Those words made Isihoon forget, for a moment, that the figure before him was Rubelt in disguise.
I... I won't... lose to some Stranger!!! I won't let them harm everyone!!!
His heart pounded wildly, and a technique flashed in Isihoon's mind.
A technique to defeat Strangers.
The power hidden in his blood, with devastating special effects against Strangers and monsters.
"Field... deploy!"
Vrrrrm!
Mana surged from Isihoon's blood, spreading through the surrounding space.
Rubelt pulled back just as the field deployed.
"Secret Art: Blaze...!"
Whoosh!
Vast mana enveloped his drawn straight sword, erupting into fierce flames.
Thud!
Gripping his flame-wreathed sword, Isihoon charged at Rubelt, maximizing the field-enhanced power.
"Impact!!!"
For the first time, he unleashed his super ultimate at Rubelt.
KABOOOM!
A massive explosion hurled Rubelt backward.
The field retracted the instant the super ultimate was spent.
"Hah! Hah! I won't lose to Strangers... Huh? Stranger?"
As the blood's frenzy subsided after expending everything, Isihoon regained his senses.
And remembered who he'd just blasted.
"Ah! R-Rubelt!"
What have I done...!
Losing control in excitement, he'd unleashed his super ultimate on the friend helping him.
He was no better than Denrai Chisaki.
Isihoon rushed toward Rubelt in panic.
"Rubelt! You okay...?"
Clap clap clap clap!
"Congrats, Isihoon! You pulled off a Secret Art!"
"Huh...?"
Piercing the explosion's dust, Rubelt greeted him—unscathed, mask off, smiling and applauding.
"R-Rubelt? You're fine? I definitely hit you with my Secret Art..."
"Yeah, you did. But I blocked it."
"B-blocked it?"
"Yep. Defensive spell when you fired it off. Just got knocked back."
"Y-you blocked a Secret Art... with a defense spell?"
"Isihoon, even a Secret Art... your first one, low proficiency? No way it'd faze me. I'm Rubelt Eldra."
"Guh...!"
Rubelt's confident smile washed away Isihoon's worry, replacing it with a spark of frustration and rivalry.
Isihoon had successfully unleashed his super ultimate.
It pained me to grind him for twenty minutes, but what a relief.
The power hidden in Isihoon's blood had special attack effects against Strangers and monsters.
The perfect counter to both—and it reacted strongly to them.
That's why, in Blaze Blood, Isihoon often served as the detector, sensing monsters or Strangers first in most story events.
Not the real thing, but the mimic aura kept him pressured into a corner while I taunted to awaken his blood power. Perfect success.
I was thrilled to witness Isihoon's first super ultimate live—not just as game cutscene.
In Blaze Blood, it ranked high in power among protagonist techniques.
Great range in-game—useful for mob clears and Stranger bosses.
Though right now, with his low stats, my defense spell handled it easily.
Anyway.
"Congrats on the real Secret Art, Isihoon!"
"Thanks! All thanks to your training, Rubelt!"
His frustrated expression melted into a grin at my praise.
Graciously accepting kindness—classic Isihoon strength.
Though protagonist-density made him oblivious to romance.
"Wanna try another Secret Art!"
"...Huh? Another?"
"One time won't build proficiency. Gotta practice more."
"Uh... Rubelt. I'm wiped. Just used it—mana's low too..."
Vrr!
"Here."
I pulled mana recovery potions and stamina potions from Hepai and handed them over.
"..."
"Potions galore~ Don't worry, use 'em freely!"
I stepped back, donned the mask again, and amped up the mana for a fiercer Stranger mimic aura.
"Come at meeee, cadet~ Isihoooon~ Stranger's right here~!"
Gulp gulp gulp!
Isihoon chugged the potions.
"Raaagh!!!"
Not blood impulse this time—pure desperation roar as he swung.
And so the training continued until he'd unleashed about twenty more super ultimates.