Chapter 73
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: 25. Wilderness Festival
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Crunch!
"Arghhh!"
"Hiiik!"
The sound of sharp claws ripping through flesh and pulverizing bone reverberated down the corridor.
Unlike the festive fervor raging above ground, the entrance to the relic vault deep beneath the academy reeked of thick blood.
The guards, who normally boasted ironclad security...
...were utterly helpless against the sudden ambush of monsters bursting from the shadows.
With the screams echoing as background noise, Professor Aria strode forward calmly, the click of his polished shoes marking each step.
"To think it'd be breached this easily. They're too lax."
He muttered as he indifferently nudged the corpse of a guard rolling at his feet.
These were relics that absolutely could not be allowed to leak out.
He had repeatedly warned that security in the underground needed bolstering, but the headmaster had always brushed it off.
'Which saved me the trouble.'
He knew full well the old man would never listen.
Recalling the headmaster's flustered face, sweating and making excuses about the budget...
...a sly sneer crept across his lips, hidden behind his usual benevolent mask.
"Well then, shall we take a look?"
He raised his staff, pointing it at the firmly sealed iron door.
It was sealed with intricate magic circles, but to him, it was little more than rusted scrap metal.
Flash!
A crimson gleam erupted from the tip of his staff, slicing through the air. The elaborate magic circles shredded apart,
and the massive iron door let out a grotesque screech as it bent inward.
Screeech!
A chill wind gusted out from beyond the opened door.
Professor Aria licked his lips in satisfaction and stepped inside.
In the center of the vast cavern stood a massive stone altar, etched with the clear marks of ages past.
And hovering above it, a single black sphere steeped in darkness.
The artifact—an ancient civilization's legacy that Eldain Academy had desperately hidden.
It was finally before his eyes.
"At last... I've found it."
Professor Aria's eyes gleamed with greed.
How many years had he waited?
With this in hand, he could finally resume the plan that had stalled for so long.
His trembling hands carefully enveloped the sphere.
A cold, heavy sensation spread through his palms.
A torrent of emotions surged within him.
All those boring years spent infiltrating the academy as a professor to learn this relic's location...
They flashed before him like a montage.
"It's over now."
It felt as if those years of wearing ill-fitting clothes and pandering to others were melting away like snow.
"Retrieval complete. Time to head back."
Then, a eerie voice like scraping metal echoed from the darkness.
His brow furrowed slightly, pulled from his reverie.
Turning around, he saw a man in a deep black robe staring at him.
His face was expressionless, like a corpse, but the aura he exuded was far from ordinary.
...He had wanted to savor the thrill of victory a bit longer.
"Very well. They'll sense the disturbance and come swarming soon enough."
Aria nodded and quickened his pace.
Even if these were elite fighters, taking on the academy's entire faculty was impossible.
He had achieved his goal; there was no need to take unnecessary risks.
'And above all...'
He glanced back casually.
Another figure trailed silently behind him, hood pulled low enough to obscure any identifying features.
Evan Dreadnote.
One of the Dark Grimoire's masters was now in their grasp.
How delighted their lord would be to learn this. The mere thought sent shivers down his spine.
'Perfect. Everything's going according to plan.'
It was going so smoothly, he almost wondered if this was reality.
With the relic secured, Aria exited the underground corridor with light steps.
His mood soared to the heavens.
He had the long-awaited relic and even the grimoire's master—unparalleled success.
"Hold. Someone's coming."
One of his companions ahead halted and warned him.
"Coming this way? If not, we just pass by."
"No. We'll run into them soon. Moving fast."
Tch. What a hassle.
"It's just guards anyway, right? Let's deal with them quick and go."
Professor Aria waved it off dismissively.
They had already taken out most of the underground guards.
Any stragglers would only buy time at best.
Thud. Thud.
Footsteps echoed from the darkness.
One, two, three... more than expected.
"...Where from?"
'Were there that many guards left?'
He doubted it, but as he raised his staff in puzzlement...
The figures rounding the corner weren't guards, contrary to his expectations.
Covered in blood and dirt, looking utterly battered...
...it was Iris and the rest of S-Class.
"Eh?"
"Teacher?"
The moment their eyes met, both sides froze.
Staring at each other, wondering why they were here, what was going on...
...an awkward silence hung heavy.
The first to speak was the hulking barbarian, Barkan.
"Teacher! What are you doing in a place like this? The surface is chaos with monsters everywhere!"
And what are you lot doing here?
Aria considered asking, lips parting a few times, but shook his head.
No need.
What irked him was that his good mood from moments ago was slightly ruined.
"Haa."
A short sigh escaped his lips.
Of all the timing.
Good luck? Or bad?
"Bad timing, everyone."
He scratched his cheek awkwardly, flashing an embarrassed smile.
His usual kindly grin, but...
...his eyes were chillingly cold.
"Professor?"
Iris called out uneasily.
Quick on the uptake, she instantly sensed this wasn't her usual professor.
Especially the ominous aura from the black-robed figures around him—suspicious to anyone.
And in the midst of a monster attack, even more so.
...No way.
She refused to believe it, but...
Instinctively gripping her sword, she asked calmly.
"Professor. Who are they?"
"Who knows. No need for students to know."
They're going to die anyway.
So why bother telling them?
"More importantly, you must've had a rough time getting here. Admirable courage, but..."
He paused, gazing at the baffled students as if they were incomprehensible.
...he quietly raised his staff.
"...you've got rotten luck today."
With those words, the faint smile vanished coldly.
Flash!
No incantation. No warning whatsoever.
Dozens of magic circles bloomed in the air simultaneously,
unleashing a barrage of mana bullets laced with killing intent.
"Dodge!"
Iris reacted first, as expected.
She had kept her guard up at the professor's unnatural vibe.
The instant the bullets appeared, her animalistic instincts sent her leaping away with a shout.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The mana bullets swept through where the students had stood.
Floors and walls shattered, dust billowing thickly.
Fortunately, no one seemed hit.
Thanks to Iris's warning, Barkan had swatted them aside with his axe.
"...Teacher! What is this?!"
Barkan bellowed in disbelief.
His respected mentor unleashing merciless attacks on his students?
Utterly incomprehensible to him.
"Think of it as an extension of class. Nothing beats real combat for training."
Grind.
"What nonsense is that?! Teacher!"
"Watch your mouth. That's why barbarians are barbarians."
As if done talking,
Professor Aria smirked viciously and swung his staff.
This time, not bullets, but flaming spears hurtled toward them.
"...Tch."
Biting her lip out of habit,
Iris's mind raced.
Alone, she could dodge the professor's spells easily.
Yes, alone.
The problem was she wasn't.
She trusted her classmates' skills, but the opponent was a professor.
And not alone, making it even riskier.
Block? Or evade?
She didn't deliberate long.
Before she could even move to shield them with her body...
Boom!
"Don't worry about us, Liel!"
Celine's shout accompanied her barrier spell blocking the flames.
Iris snapped to attention and nodded.
With a magic prodigy like her, no worries there.
Unhesitating now, she spun toward Aria and charged.
Clang!
Teacher and student—an unfair matchup, perhaps.
But now wasn't the time for such thoughts.
Clang!
Even with her fluid movements,
he casually raised his staff as if anticipating it, parrying her strike.
A dull clash of steel and wood rang out.
"Swinging a sword at your teacher? No manners."
"...And you're the one hurling spells at your students? Are you sane?"
Iris pushed harder on her blade without retreating.
A blue aura enveloped the sword, blazing fiercely.
Not backing down an inch.
'Knew I didn't like you from the start.'
Arrogant bitch, acting all high and mighty.
"Sane...? Well, I've always been perfectly sane!"
Boom!
A storm of mana waves hurled Iris back.
"You okay?!"
Kaien rushed over, supporting her.
No major injuries, thankfully. Iris gritted her teeth and stood.
"I'm fine. Everyone, be careful. He's for real."
As she said.
No trace of mercy toward his students in Professor Aria's eyes.
Only pure killing intent for the obstacles before him.
"We know."
They readjusted their grips, auras flaring with hostility.
He had attacked to kill from the start. No choice but to treat him as an enemy now.
"Hey. Enough games. Let's hurry."
"Games? Don't underestimate my students' strength."
"...Then we'll join in."
"Music to my ears."
Scowling at Aria's exaggerated gratitude,
they all sprang into action at once, turning the passage into a melee frenzy.
"You're no warriors, just trash! And warriors don't lose to trash!"
Whoosh!
Boom!
"...Damn barbarian."
Barkan swung his massive axe to break their tight encirclement, but every time,
they scattered like smoke, evading.
Instead, sharp daggers exploited his openings, threatening his huge frame.
"Urk!"
Cuts large and small began appearing on his body.
Even a sturdy barbarian warrior struggled against multiple skilled foes.
"Spirits, become blades of wind!"
Elicia summoned spirits to support her frontline comrades with wind blades, but...
"Impressive, the duke of Arden's daughter. Elf-like mastery of spirits."
"Impressive? Just a novice. No one's dumb enough to take a straight hit."
As if mocking her,
the black-robed foes dodged fluidly with minimal movement.
"No way...!"
"Flames that devour foes, pierce the enemy before you!"
"Th-this is my combo... Argh!"
Before Elicia's despairing words finished,
Celine and Hye-ra fired support spells and alchemical bombs, but it fell short.
This way, they'd be wiped out for sure.
Iris sensed it instinctively.
These weren't ordinary thugs.
One was an academy professor—an elite S-Class instructor, no less.
Common sense said fledgling students couldn't handle them.
"...What now."
But retreat wasn't an option.
They wouldn't let them go easily,
and her instincts screamed not to let them escape.
'If only he were here right now.'
Even as she swung at Aria,
her thoughts drifted to the man who had suddenly vanished.
His notoriety belied occasional goofball moments, but
his skill outshone everyone.
'Where the hell did you go... you...!'
"Tsk. Daydreaming against me? Is that what I taught you?"
Roar!
Iris barely dodged the flames, a red gash searing her cheek.
Burning pain aside, she gritted her teeth and reset her stance.
'Focus, Iris. Not the time for distractions.'
She resented his absence now of all times, but
she had to focus on the enemy at hand.
"...Daydreaming? No time for that against a monster like you."
Iris feigned nonchalance, readjusting her grip.
But her subtly trembling blade tip betrayed her tension.
"Heh. That's more like it. Makes killing you all the sweeter."
Professor Aria chuckled gleefully, swinging his staff again.
Boom!
Under the relentless magical onslaught like a tempest, Iris was steadily cornered, no room to breathe.
'...Strong.'
Not just raw mana or power.
Objectively, Aria's mana matched Iris and Celine's.
The gap was experience.
Pinpoint accuracy targeting vitals, preempting moves with veteran savvy.
Overwhelming in every way.
"Gah...!"
Finally, a mana bullet exploited her opening, slamming her gut and sending her tumbling.
Blood filled her mouth, choking her.
"Iris!"
Kaien slashed his foe and rushed to support her, drenched in blood, but...
"...Huff! Huff!"
The battle was already lost.
Barkan panted bloodied; the others fared no better.
'It's over...'
In this desperate scene, Professor Aria approached slowly.
His face beamed with victorious ecstasy, smile reaching his ears.
"Impressive, truly. Beyond expectations."
He scanned the fallen students in admiration.
"For fledglings to hold out this long... honestly surprised."
His gaze lingered on Iris.
"Especially you, Liel. Terrifying. Even commanding spirits."
Casual words, but no laughing matter.
Iris had thrown everything at him: swordplay, magic, spirits, even bizarre techniques.
All of it.
And Aria, facing her, was more than surprised—he was shocked.
The longer the fight dragged, the faster her skills grew.
Without stamina and injuries holding her back,
with just a bit more time, she would've been the danger—to him.
He had to admit it.
Iris possessed terrifying talent.
'Such a pity.'
Under his tutelage, she could've achieved greatness in any path.
For a fleeting moment, regret tinged his gaze.
'That's why she ends here.'
Left alone, she'd grow into a tree blocking their path.
"Talent's there, but pruning buds early is the gardener's duty too."
Muttering to himself, he raised his staff.
Crimson mana condensed menacingly at the tip.
"No...!"
Celine's despairing cry scattered into the air.
As all held their breath awaiting the end...
"Shall we head back now?"
A grating, toneless, altered voice shattered the silence.