Let's Stir Up Some Chaos
The sight was truly astonishing.
With a single wave of his hand, the dean had teleported us. As expected of the dean himself.
‘Still, I can feel how far I’ve come.’
The first time I encountered the dean, I had felt an overwhelming wall standing before me. It wasn’t an insurmountable one, but I knew I still had a long way to go.
But not anymore.
Only a few days had passed, yet my growth had been nothing short of explosive.
Learning magic had been the key. Since the foundation of my swordsmanship relied on manipulating mana, the speed at which I absorbed new knowledge was frightening even to me.
“Where…?”
The scent of the forest filled my nose.
“Could this be the exam area?”
“Hmm. It does seem that way. But what exactly are we supposed to do?”
The exam was already ruined.
I had already removed Linea’s restraints.
And too much time had passed to gather any meaningful points. I figured the dean would overlook it.
‘The standards are pretty vague, though.’
In typical clichés like this, defeating a special boss usually granted bonus points. Something like, ‘How could a mere student defeat a boss that was strengthened for a specific reason?!’
But all I had done was get dragged into some weird temple and take down a golem. That golem could probably crush the skulls of most professors without breaking a sweat, but without any proof, it didn’t matter.
‘Well, points aren’t that important anyway.’
With that thought, I scanned the area for any signs of life.
I could sense biological responses. The exam was in its final stretch, but it wasn’t over yet.
Some students were still sprinting desperately toward the finish.
‘Wait a second…’
A final sprint?
A new possibility had just opened up.
I knew the contents of the special quest, but realistically, completing it was nearly impossible. However, if I went the route of stealing points instead…
I could flip the entire board.
There wasn’t much time left, but with my power, it would be ridiculously easy.
There was the issue with Linea’s restraints, but considering my circumstances, it should be more than enough for extenuating circumstances.
‘Shall I stir up some chaos?’
Even if points weren’t crucial, there was no reason to kick away an opportunity that had fallen into my lap. Especially when I could target the students I’d never particularly liked.
“Linea. How about we do something big together?”
“What kind of thing?”
“Something only the two of us can do.”
“I won’t misunderstand anymore. You’re going to say we need to convince a professor again or something, right?”
Linea spoke in a hollow tone. There wasn’t a shred of expectation on her face.
I had no idea what she was choosing not to misunderstand, but this wouldn’t do.
I firmly grabbed Linea by the shoulders.
“This is something I absolutely need you for.”
“W-wait a moment… You’re being serious…?”
“Yes. I’m serious. It has to be with you.”
It was a two-person team. Doing it alone would be awkward.
“Exactly what is it?”
I explained my plan to Linea. The more I spoke, the more her expression gradually soured.
‘Why?’
It was a perfect plan. Ah. Maybe she was exhausted from what happened in the temple.
Unlike me, who had received treatment from the saintess, Linea hadn’t been healed. There simply hadn’t been time.
“If you’re tired, I can do it alone. I can prepare a comfortable place for you to rest.”
“That’s not it… Haah.”
Linea let out a deep sigh.
“Me? With an idiot like you? With a mere commoner who ruined someone’s life?”
“Sorry, but I can hear you.”
“I said it so you would hear!”
“I knew that when I spoke.”
“You never lose a single argument! Not one!”
Linea stomped her feet in frustration.
“Anyway, if you’re tired, just say so.”
“I’m not tired, so just lead the way.”
“And stop with the venomous remarks.”
Venomous Linea was indeed terrifying.
“Venomous remarks, my ass!”
Linea grumbled as she stepped in front of me, blocking my path. What was she trying to do?
“What are you doing?”
“That’s what I want to ask.”
“Carry me. I’m tired.”
“Didn’t you just say ten seconds ago that you weren’t tired?”
“Hmph!”
Linea whipped her head away. She was clearly trying to avoid meeting my eyes.
Thwack!
“Hik?!”
Since when did a slave get to order her master around?
I gave the insolent Linea a sharp flick to the forehead.
“I’m the one who gives the orders.”
“…Understood.”
A pouty Linea trudged over to my side.
“What now?”
“I was going to stand next to you.”
“I only said I give the orders. I have no intention of rejecting your request. Come here.”
“Really…?”
“Would I lie?”
With a grunt, I supported her back and pulled her into my arms.
“Alright, Linea. Shall we go claim it?”
The throne of first place in the special practicum.
“!!!”
But Linea simply buried her face in my chest, her shoulders trembling slightly. She wasn’t accepting it.
Such a lack of sense.
“We’re moving out.”
Our first prey would be someone well-known in the Magic Department. In other words, someone who had likely gathered a lot of points.
I leaped from tree to tree, scanning the students below. Most of them hadn’t even noticed my presence.
There was no need to bother with those kinds. If they were flying around begging to be noticed and still couldn’t see me, it meant they were simply too weak.
The prey I wanted weren’t trash like that.
“Found them.”
In the distance, I spotted people worthy of being called prey. If I closed the distance recklessly, they would notice me.
I climbed even higher into the trees to observe the situation. I focused my eyes and ears to grasp the exact circumstances.
“Isana Sivtant. What will you do?”
“What else, Your Highness? We must punish the commoner who betrayed her team.”
Isana Sivtant and the prince were facing off. Beside the prince stood Rachel and an extra who appeared to be his loyal subordinate.
I had arrived late, so I couldn’t be certain, but it seemed Rachel had betrayed Isana and joined the prince’s side.
“I-I didn’t betray anyone… I was just too scared…”
Rachel stuttered, hiding behind the prince.
“In this body’s judgment, it is not that Rachel betrayed you, but rather that you, Isana, displayed behavior unfit for this practicum.”
“Have you lost your mind after fooling around with a commoner?”
When Isana sneered, the prince’s face twisted in fury.
“How dare you…! That loose tongue of yours, even as a duke’s daughter!”
The prince spread magic across both hands and roared. His subordinate quietly slipped to the side.
It wasn’t an attempt to flee. He was positioning himself for a surprise attack from a blind spot outside Isana’s line of sight. Even the trembling, frightened Rachel was emitting a clear mana response.
‘What a bunch of bastards.’
I didn’t particularly want to take Isana’s side, but the more I listened, the more disgusted I became.
“Linea.”
“…”
“Linea.”
“Ah, y-yes…”
“Take care of that one.”
I pointed at the extra.
“Just a moment. I can’t see clearly from here…”
Still firmly held in my arms, Linea carefully observed the extra’s movements.
“Understood.”
“You’re not going to ask why?”
“If you tell me to do it… I’ll just do it.”
A good mindset. A slave should obey when ordered.
“Should I set you down somewhere?”
“It’s fine. Getting down is simple enough.”
“Got it.”
Without hesitation, I kicked off the tree and leaped into the air. Thanks to the pseudo-flight, the refreshing wind felt vividly real.
I smirked as I looked down below.
“W-what the—?!”
The prince noticed the anomaly first. He looked up and reached out his hand, but—
It was too late. If anything, the target had come closer to him.
BOOM!
My kick slammed directly into the prince’s face. His neck bent at a grotesque angle as his head smashed into the ground.
“Guhhhk!”
With his head buried in the dirt, the prince let out a dying scream. Foam bubbled from his mouth as his body twitched violently.
I didn’t spare him another glance and simply dusted off my hands.
Next.
“H-hiiik?!”
You’re up. Let’s decide who the true king of commoners is.
I clenched my fist. I could have used my sword, but there was nothing quite like the satisfaction of punching someone directly.
“One. Two.”
I didn’t bother shouting three and simply charged forward. Rachel didn’t even attempt to fight back—she simply collapsed on the spot.
The last target had come to me. This one was even kind enough to stay perfectly still so I could hit it easily.
Without hesitation, I threw my punch.
THUD!
My fist spun as it drove into Rachel’s face. Even with her face as an obstacle, my punch didn’t stop.
I fully extended my arm.
“Kyaaaak!!”
Rachel let out a bizarre scream as she flew backward.
CRACK!
Her head slammed into a tree before she crumpled forward.
Just two strikes.
That was all it took to end the fight.
‘They’re too weak.’
Rachel was one thing, but wasn’t the prince supposed to be in first place? Even if Katrina had been holding back, this was pathetic for the top student of the entire Magic Department.
“Ugh… You bastard… Using such a dirty trick on this body…!”
Before he could even finish speaking, the prince staggered back to his feet. It was a hideous sight, completely at odds with his title as the Empire’s Sun.
His nose was shattered, most of his teeth were gone, and both eyes were swollen black.
“Cough! I will never forgive you! This Kalian Aurel Lomenheim shall—!”
“Y-you really are amazing, sir.”
Linea, who had instantly dealt with the extra, walked out from the other side.
“Go back down, please.”
Linea clapped her hands. With nothing more than a simple clap, the prince was slammed back into the ground.
‘Linea has definitely gotten stronger.’
Linea, who knew how to manage her mana efficiently, was practically a goddess. It was hard to believe she had only been mid-tier during her academy days—she handled magic with incredible freedom.
“W-what is this…?”
Isana Sivtant, who had witnessed the entire scene, stood with her mouth agape.
“What else could it be?”
“We came to rescue you, Lady Isana.”
Linea finished my sentence for me.
“Looks like you handled it well.”
“You too, Master. Wasn’t that too easy for a two-on-one fight?”
“What can I do when the opponents are so frail?”
“Still, that prince was the top student of the Magic Department.”
“Seems like the rankings were inflated.”
“I completely agree.”
Linea and I laughed at the same time.
“Why… Why do you two get along so well…”
Isana’s voice trailed off as she closed her mouth. Her eyes trembled violently, clearly in a state of confusion.
“Are you alright?”
I closed the distance and asked.
“…Why did you help me?”
“It’s simple.”
I extended my hand toward Isana.
“Did you come to save me because I was in danger…?”
“What are you talking about? Hand over your points.”
Who did she think I was, some kind of charity worker?
Just hand over the points already.