Clash with the Dying Knight
Earning the midterm scores went exactly as planned—smooth sailing. Our party was just me and Noah, a measly two-person team, but…
'Noah handled most of it on her own.'
And I learned something pretty surprising: Noah was the vice-top of the knight department. That meant she had the second-highest combat prowess after the protagonist, Luel. In hindsight, our overwhelming firepower was probably inevitable. Noah bolstered by my support? That was basically the magic department's top student teaming up with the knight department's runner-up.
"Hoo… I'm seriously about to drop dead from exhaustion now."
"Yeah? Then let's take a break. We've got enough points anyway."
We'd focused on the south and cleared the east boss too. Not just me—Noah's score was solidly in the top ranks as well.
"You're not heading north, right?"
"Nope. Clearing three is enough for perfect scores anyway."
In truth, just the south and east should suffice. Grabbing a single boss was practically a perfect score already.
'But if we're at it, might as well snag as many as possible.'
The academy offered chairman's discretionary rewards to students who exceeded perfect scores on exams. In other words, a shot at some real opportunities if luck was on your side. No reason not to grind a little harder.
'Wonder if it's started yet?'
I lounged under a tree, taking it easy while gazing north at a leisurely pace.
The Act 1 final boss, the Dying Knight, appeared once two of the exam bosses were down. Even without touching the north boss, it had spawned since I'd taken out two myself. North was probably a wasteland by now.
One of the 92 demons like Lilia—the vengeful spirit of fallen knights. The Dying Knight, Morbellum, must have shown up.
"Master."
"What?"
"…Looks like a demon appeared."
Even stripped of its rank and mana, a demon was still a demon. Lilia's eyes sharpened.
"I know."
"…Pardon?"
The Dying Knight was a boss with combat power way beyond Act 1 standards. As a high-ranking demon by rights, no mere student could take it down per the lore…
"But it doesn't matter. It'll handle itself."
Matchups weren't a gimmick in this game for nothing. And it wasn't even fully summoned in its prime form.
"Alright, time to move."
"Y-Yes!"
I stretched as I stood, shaking out the kinks. The remaining boss was the west's Reaper. Unlike the previous two, I could solo that one easy.
'Opposite direction, so it'll take a bit.'
I yawned, turning west—
Insight detects a threat.
—before a blue window popped up before I could even sense it.
"Dan—Dante!!!"
A frantic voice calling my name. The owner was a black-haired woman.
And trailing her—
A skeletal knight over three meters tall, spewing black mist. It was the Act 1 final boss I'd faced countless times.
The Dying Knight.
"Belloa…?"
What the hell? Why was Belloa Lamier here? With Morbellum in tow, no less.
"Support me!!"
I didn't get it, but my body moved on instinct. No way was I just gonna watch someone die right in front of me.
Claaaang!!!!
Morbellum's black blade crashed into my mana barrier. Even with dense mana reinforcement, the overwhelming mass pushed it back slightly—a glimpse of the skeletal heap's raw power.
"Hoo… Thanks."
"No problem. What is that thing?"
"No idea. Looks like Professor Barhen summoned it. I was fighting it north, but it chased me, so I ran."
"……Why'd you run to me?"
Canonically, Belloa got cornered by the Dying Knight and fled—right to Luel. Then Luel slayed it with her holy sword and stigmata…
"I just… ended up heading this way for some reason."
"Luel…?"
"Luel? No clue. You popped into my head… Sorry."
A thought flashed through my mind in an instant.
Belloa fixated on Luel because the newbie had landed a hit on her during freshman evals. Desperate, she'd fled toward that familiar figure.
And that eval.
'Ah. Fuck, I won that.'
I'd been careless. Never thought it'd bite me like this.
"Master… You gonna be okay?"
"Don't ask. It's driving me nuts."
Morbellum was no monster for a regular student. Even incomplete, it was one of the 92 demons. Luel only won thanks to her holy sword.
And I didn't have one.
"Belloa."
"…Yeah."
"Fall back."
"But that leaves us short on firepower…!"
"It's fine. You'll just get in the way trying to help in your state. Noah, instead—"
I turned to Noah, trembling in the back.
"…I'll, I'll do my best."
"No need for best. Just hand over that greatsword."
Noah had been useful before. But scared shitless? She'd just drag us down.
Drag.
Morbellum dragged its blade across the ground, slowly closing in.
"Master… Even for you, that's dangerous!"
"I know."
But what now? We couldn't outrun it. Waiting for Luel? We'd be dead by then.
Insight maximizes your senses.
Heavenly Martial Body assists your physique.
Mana Affinity synchronizes with your circles.
Miracle's Manifestation bestows its blessing upon you.
"Lilia. Back me up too."
"………Got it."
With her reply, I gripped the greatsword tight in my right hand.
One breath. Maximizing the circle's focus effect, I dropped the barrier and leaped.
Whoooosh.
The knight's blade swung straight down from above. Blocking was suicide—I couldn't anyway.
"Fucking hell."
I deflected the blade, slashing hard at its bony wrist. Not a scratch.
'Chain Lightning.'
A max 4th-circle attack spell. Crimson lightning chained into its elbow.
Greatsword in right, magic from left. Solo play that was theoretically possible in-game only…
'No damage is bullshit, even for a game.'
I dodged again, creating distance. First probe confirmed it.
I couldn't win.
"…Can you handle it?"
Lilia eyed me worriedly after that exchange. Yeah. Zero hope.
'No hiding my hand here.'
The gap was insane. An immature human me versus an incarnated demon, incomplete or not. Losing was par for the course.
Time to shed the human skin, just for a bit.
Vmmm!! Vrrrrrr!!!
I slammed mana into my heart's circle, forcing overload.
Demon (Inactive) → Active state.
Temporarily altering species (Human → Demihuman).
Seal of Original Sin activates.
The day I subjugated Lilia—no, Lilishbea—and broke the curse, I became something not quite human. Half-demon, half-human. A demihuman from myth.
'Can't hold it long.'
Staying human meant limits. Max 10 minutes—but that'd do.
"How's this? Eye level now?"
I kicked off the ground sans barrier, leaping high. One-legged jump matched Morbellum's height.
"How dares a mere human wield our—!"
What? This guy talks?
"You can speak, huh?"
Before its sword reached, I smashed a fist into its jaw.
"…!!"
Stunned by my speed, it faltered. I swung the mana-and-demon-qi-wreathed greatsword, severing its left arm.
"Insolent…"
Its words regenerated the limb. Bullshit recovery, faster blade swings.
This is why I hate demons. Total bullshit.
"Fine. Let's see who drops first."
Recovery? Rip it apart till it can't.
While Dante battled Morbellum fiercely,
Luel, catching her breath after slaying the west boss, turned at the central rumble.
"…Monster over there? Been hearing it for a while."
First time seeing Arcadia Academy's midterm practical. Luel had one thought:
'Gotta prove it. All that training from Dante wasn't for nothing.'
Her role model and mentor, Dante. To earn his nod.
Luel bolted toward the central noise.
"Just hold on a sec."