Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Growth-Type Protagonist
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“Delphine, what's got you so upset?”
“...”
Delphine kept her mouth shut with a stiff expression, lost in thought.
“...Professor Alberto.”
“Yeah.”
“Do you really think it's right to leave this bizarre phenomenon to the students?”
“Well... Delphine.”
Professor Alberto scratched his head awkwardly.
“Don't try to understand the Dean... I mean, the 'Dragon.' Common sense doesn't apply to her from the start.”
“But that doesn't mean we should dump everything on the students...”
“'Dump' is the wrong word, Delphine.”
“...”
“To be precise, we're entrusting it to them. That means we trust them that much.”
“...What's the difference?”
“Sigh... You really haven't changed a bit since your student days.”
“...Why bring up my school days all of a sudden?”
“Dead last in grades, but as stubborn as anyone.”
Professor Alberto extended his hand over the magic circle.
“What a world, when a woman like that becomes a professor.”
Lines connecting to lines, mana linking to mana.
“Get ready, Delphine.”
With the structure completed along the fabric of space.
“It'll open soon.”
The sub-space unfolded.
***
《Star / Highest-Grade Magic》
「Strike of the Celestial Spheres」
Thousands of stars floated up, exploding in unison.
─────────!!!
But the Blood Hound casually reflected every single attack.
The scattered stars flew east, west, south, and north—including toward Serros and Lev.
《Star / Advanced Magic》
「Curtain of the Star Realm」
A curtain of starlight unfurled, destroying the deflected stars.
‘...Brutal.’
Using highest-grade magic like it's nothing... Our president is seriously terrifying.
“...Reflection.”
Not only that, but she seemed to have figured out that the Blood Hound was reflecting magic.
‘...Is this the gap in talent?’
When I first fought the Blood Hound, it took dying a few times just to figure out the reflection.
Stubbornly refusing to look up a guide and powering through... Yeah.
“Hyaah!!”
Then Klaus channeled mana into his sword and slashed at the Blood Hound's leg.
“Huh...?”
The leg severed more easily than expected.
‘Oh.’
This is bad.
- Whoosh!
I shot out a mana thread, grabbing Klaus's body and yanking him back.
At that moment, the blood flowing from the Blood Hound vibrated...
- Pababak!!
And thorns erupted in all directions.
“Magic gets reflected... but it's weak to physical attacks...”
“President... then what do we do?”
“Sorry, but... all I can do is defend...”
Carnel clenched her fist so hard her knuckles bled.
[Klaus]
...Right now, only Klaus and Carnel could move properly.
The rest were still pinned down by the crimson beast's pressure.
“Uh...”
[Sorry, but you'll have to take the lead.]
...I could step up too.
If I manifested Leviathan, I might end it in one go.
But... I still couldn't fully control 【Leviathan】's power right now.
That power might end up sweeping up everyone around instead.
‘Yeah... maybe not.’
Maybe. I might be able to control it perfectly and wipe out just the Blood Hound.
...But if not?
This mere illusion that I could drag everyone into danger... it's just my selfishness in the end.
“Ha, no need to apologize, Adel.”
And yet Klaus smiled.
“Protecting someone is just what you do.”
The protagonist stood before my eyes.
“What's there to be sorry about?”
He turned his back to me.
‘...’
[President.]
“...What.”
[You'll protect me, right?]
“...Of course.”
Of course, huh.
That's pretty touching.
‘How's it going on Serros's side...’
Oh boy.
- Kraaaah!!
There was trouble there too.
Blue beasts resembling ants swarmed, surrounding Serros and Lev.
‘...No problem there.’
Serros and Lev would be fine.
Especially with Lev there... at least they wouldn't die.
‘Then... all that's left is the Blood Hound.’
That giant puppy.
[Klaus]
“Yeah.”
[I'll back you up.]
“Got it.”
I'm just a 'player.' The player controlling the protagonist.
Of course, the Blood Hound wouldn't move exactly like in the game. But if it was similar, I could handle it.
‘I vaguely remember the patterns.’
What skills it used, what stance it took when unleashing them.
So...
“Focus...”
That was meant for me. Did it slip out?
Or was it just unconscious muttering?
“...Adel? Did you just say...”
I couldn't hear anything. Only the pounding of my heart echoed in my ears.
“Cough...”
Ignore the blood rising in my throat. Don't mind the screams from my organs.
‘...Pain comes later.’
If I falter now... Klaus dies.
[Incoming.]
“...!”
- Kraaaaaah!!
A piercing shriek. The Blood Hound let out a beastly roar as it moved.
Blood surged from its body, turning into thorns that shot skyward and scattered everywhere.
- Pabababak!
Carnel blocked the thorns flying at me.
And in that gap.
- Whoosh!
I extended a mana thread. In this chaotic mess thick with the stench of blood, I tuned the mana.
Adding my control to Klaus's body... to his movements.
- Pik.
The mana was disrupted.
‘Doesn't matter.’
Natural mana is infinite. There is no such thing as depletion.
- Kraaaaaah!!
Just as Klaus swung his sword.
The Blood Hound unleashed its sharp claws.
- Whoosh!
I forcibly twisted Klaus's body. The claws sliced through empty air, but...
───────!!
...The might of a crimson beast wasn't to be underestimated. Even the mere wind pressure shattered Klaus's balance.
His stance crumbled... back to square one.
But there was no time to hesitate.
- Pik!
I tuned the mana again, adjusting Klaus's body.
Fine-tuning the sword, slipping through the gap. The wrist gripped by mana followed the guided trajectory, slashing the Blood Hound.
- Kraaaaaah!!
The swift strike severed the Blood Hound's front leg clean in two.
At the same time.
───────!!
Blood poured out.
‘Oh, shit.’
- Pababababak!!
The blood soaked the ground and spread rapidly, instantly rising as thorns.
- Whoosh!
I immediately bound Klaus with a mana thread and pulled him back.
‘Just one try so far...’
Just one attempt...
But that one showed the gap clearly.
***
How many times had it repeated?
Klaus slashed the Blood Hound, and it regenerated.
An endless loop of sword strikes and infinite regeneration.
But there was change. The Blood Hound was shrinking. Little by little, very slightly, but definitely.
Proof it was dying. And yet, I couldn't relax.
‘There is no answer.’
Because Klaus was tiring too.
‘...Have I overestimated him?’
Klaus was... weaker than expected. The protagonist I knew should've finished the Blood Hound by now.
‘...Then.’
What now?
Klaus was wearing down more and more, and my fatigue was building.
At this rate, both of us were done.
‘Should we borrow someone else's power?’
Who?
Among the students here, who could make a real dent against the Blood Hound...
Serros?
Rejected. Spears were too inefficient against the Blood Hound. Good directionally, but not for a finishing blow.
‘Then... Lev?’
The thought made me swallow hard.
Lev's power. It could definitely work. But...
‘...Is that right?’
That power was what Lev hated most.
How much had Lev struggled to escape it... And I'd use Lev for my own greed?
Sacrifice Lev so I could live?
‘Ah... I don't know.’
My reason clashed with my raging emotions.
But the decision was instant.
I had no time to think. Klaus wouldn't hold out like this.
...Then I'd make an opening.
‘Hilarious.’
Something I'd never do normally.
Sacrificing for someone else.
That's the furthest thing from who I am.
‘Wait... calling it sacrifice feels weird...’
No, it sounds like I'm going to die.
‘Anyway.’
Only one reason I'm going this far.
If Klaus dies... I'm next.
No, the moment the protagonist Klaus dies, it's all over.
So... there is no choice.
[President.]
“...You're really doing it?”
[Yes.]
“...I won't take responsibility if you die.”
Won't take responsibility, huh.
That's kinda hurtful.
“...If you die, I won't forgive you.”
I heard Carnel's quiet mutter.
I gave a light smile.
- Pzzt.
I drew 【Leviathan】.
Then Carnel reached out, wielding her mana.
《Wind / Low-Grade Magic》
「Breath of the Wind」
My body floated lightly.
At the same time, I activated 【Silent Step】.
My presence slipped away soundlessly.
- Whoosh.
Mana enveloped me, and as I turned direction, I rocketed forward at an explosive speed.
- Paat!!
Toward the Blood Hound.
I gripped 【Leviathan】 tighter.
And the tip of that blade...
- Puk!
I drove it straight into the Blood Hound's eye. The squishy sensation pierced through shell into flesh.
‘【Leviathan】's unique skill... impossible.’
Of course it was possible.
I could manifest Leviathan and erase this damn beast in one shot.
But I couldn't.
Really, truly, I had no confidence in fully controlling that power here.
One mistake, and it'd be the students around getting erased, not the Blood Hound.
- Kraaaaaaaa!!!
A roar echoed, blood spraying wildly.
My vision quickly turned red.
- Sizzle...
‘The Blood Hound's blood is poison...’
Flesh rots on contact.
Even so, I didn't stop.
Even if my body rotted, one more time.
- Puk!
Gripping 【Leviathan】, this time horizontally, with all my strength, I slashed.
‘Its vision's gone.’
One problem left.
Regeneration.
The Blood Hound revived through its own blood.
The moment that blood returned to its body the damage healed.
‘That's the regeneration mechanism.’
But what if I could prevent the blood from returning?
If I eliminated the blood?
- Tok.
I touched the damn mask covering my face.
My fingers traced to my lips, praying for myself.
“Burn it.”
- Roar!!
Whatever it was—blood, flesh, existence itself.
I'd incinerate it all with hellfire.
“Adel?!”
Klaus leaped forward in shock.
No wonder.
Daring to use 'fire' on a beast that reflects magic.
‘Oh, wrong move?’
...Whatever, it was suicidal anyway.
But.
‘It doesn't matter.’
Hellfire doesn't end if it is reflected. Even reflected, it'll burn everything around it.
‘Including myself.’
No worries about death, unfortunately. Our saintess—RLev—is right there.
Even if i was Half-dead or my soul was nearly snuffed out, I'd be up like new in days.
So, I had no hesitation.
‘Keep burning.’
- Kraaaaaah!!!
The Blood Hound's body gushed dark red blood. But on touching the hellfire, it ignited, severing the regeneration mechanism itself.
“Adel...! Move!!”
It was Klaus's shout.
I instantly tuned mana to pull my body back.
“Ah, Adel!”
Someone caught me.
“Ah, Adel! Haa... You're way too reckless...!”
It was Carnel.
《Time / Advanced Magic》
「Rewind」
She urgently rewound the world's causality.
“Hold on... You have to hold on.”
My consciousness was rapidly fading. But I kept my eyes open to the end.
‘...’
With eyes wide open.
[ ! ]
[ Entity 'Klaus''s unique trait 【Growth-Type Protagonist】 reacts. ]
I gazed at the protagonist.
[ ! ]
[ Anomaly detected. ]
[ Entity 'Klaus' develops 'admiration' emotion toward you. ]
[ Entity 'Klaus' acquires unique skill 【Meteor Light Dance】. ]
✦━━━━━━━━━━━━✦
[ Klaus ]
Attribute
: 「Light」
Skills / Traits
: 【...】
Unique Skill
: 【Meteor Light Dance】
: 【...】
Unique Trait
: 【Growth-Type Protagonist】
: 【...】
Stats
: Vitality : 19 (C)
: Strength : 18 (C)
: Intellect : 17 (C)
: Willpower : 12 (D)
: Mana : 11 (D)
Talent
: 【All talents grow due to 「Growth-Type Protagonist」.】
✦━━━━━━━━━━━━✦
‘There we go.’
Now he finally resembled the 'Klaus' I knew.
A figure closer to 'hero' than anyone. The radiant protagonist from 'Aka Calamity,' that unquenchable spark amid despair.
“Hyaah...!!”
✦━━━━━━━━━━━━✦
【Meteor Light Dance】
Like a meteor crashing down, your sword dances brilliantly.
: Deals absolute damage to 'evil' along the light's trajectory.
Light will surely dispel the shadows.
✦━━━━━━━━━━━━✦
Klaus's sword traced a path of light, cleaving the night sky.
- Kraaaaaah!!
The Blood Hound screamed in agony, but even that faded quickly.
The being woven of blood, flesh, and darkness simply melted away futilely before the brilliant glow.
The Blood Hound vanished completely, not even a scrap of flesh or drop of blood left.
Even after it all ended, the lingering light scattered in the air.
Like the deepest darkness pushed back before dawn.
‘Insane.’
A crimson beast.
Even if the Blood Hound was vulnerable to physical attacks, its color was still crimson.
It was unthinkable for a freshman to take down a crimson beast, let alone one-shot it.
Even if I'd severed its regeneration... to end a crimson beast in one strike...
‘...Ha.’
Yeah...
Talent, background, starting point—it was all a mess... but he was more qualified than anyone to reach the end.
‘Finally... he is protagonist-like...’
With my last thread of consciousness, I thought that and surrendered to the darkness.