A Glimmer of Hope in the Sports Festival's Despair
Meanwhile, the Sports Festival was a scene of utter tragedy.
“Hic... M-Mom...”
“We can’t win this...”
The White Team lay sprawled on the ground, tears streaming down their faces. In stark contrast, the Blue Team stood behind them, arms raised in triumphant cheers—like light and shadow personified.
The momentum hadn’t shifted once. Even in the match that had just ended, the White Team had crumbled helplessly under the Blue Team’s overwhelming momentum, unable to mount any resistance.
And besides...
“This victory isn’t mine. It’s ours—the Blue Team’s victory.”
The voice came from the front of the Blue Team’s booth. An nameless girl from the White Team stretched out her arm to prop herself up on the ground, forcing her drooping head to lift.
There, at the forefront of the enemy lines. Beautiful silver hair whipping in the wind, a sword at her waist. Her gym uniform swayed over her shoulders. She stood with the dignified poise of a general surveying the battlefield—truly awe-inspiring.
That woman, who seemed almost holy, had to be the Blue Team’s representative and the ‘Knight of Light’ Lumen Ribens, no doubt about it.
“We can’t possibly win...”
The Knight of Light, Lumen Ribens. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that right here, right now, she commanded far more attention than Prince Lutelus of the Empire, the distinguished guest who had come for the Sports Festival.
It was only natural. Prince Lutelus merely scowled down at them from the stage, muttering something like these pathetic losers before dismissing them.
The nameless White Team girl had completely lost her will to fight. At this rate, they’d go down in Salenium history as a disgrace.
That’s when it happened.
“Oh? Really? You found a way to counter it?”
“Yes. It was ridiculously simple.”
“Ahaha... Actually, I noticed it too.”
“It was such an obvious ploy, wasn’t it, Nero?”
> [Meow.]
The White Team girl saw them. Four figures passing by her side, where she lay face-down in the mud, heading toward the bright light ahead.
She stared at them in a daze.
“Oh? Do you have a problem with that, Ebnis?”
“I’d rather see that damn guy flustered even once than get any praise. Hmph, nothing more to it.”
“Oh, you tsundere. Praise feels way better, you know?”
“Ahaha... Anyway, he said he’d be watching us.”
“Yes, we—we have to repay him!”
The nameless girl felt it. Those walking with gym uniforms billowing had a shining goal.
No, it wasn’t just any goal. Their steps embodied an unbreakable will that pressed forward through trials without faltering or yielding.
And that will of theirs...
“Can I... do it too?”
“Yeah, let’s give it one more shot.”
“We’ll definitely take down the Blue Team’s neck.”
...ignited a boiling aspiration in the hearts of the White Team, who had been listlessly sprawled like corpses, souls abandoned.
One by one, those who had been lying like the dead began to rise behind the four leading the way. The fainted ones. Those who had rolled on the ground, caking themselves in dirt. Those whose spirits had broken from repeated defeats.
All of them now moved as one with shared desire. It was nothing short of a miracle. Their bold strides were carving a single ray of miracle into this despair-shrouded arena.
Alright! Now for the final event of Day 1: Color Board Flip!
The Salenium Sports Festival. The grand arena where White Team clashed with Blue Team, youth with aspiration.
Day 1, Part 2’s final event. Event name: Color Board Flip.
It was about to kick off hot and heavy when...
What? What’s going on? Someone’s suddenly intruded onto the field!
“Oh my.”
In the center of the field, someone had climbed onto the arena.
Black hair. A white ribbon tied in it. A massive greatsword slung on his back.
“...Erhan, junior?”
Reina von Wolfgang asked in bewilderment. He wasn’t participating in this event, but she’d seen him in the morning ones.
“What the hell! Get out of the way!”
“We just got our momentum back!”
Shouts erupted. But the boy didn’t budge.
“Junior, what are you doing? I’m asking nicely because Adrian cherishes you, but if you don’t move... I’ll have to send you flying.”
“This is bad.”
In the silence, the boy finally spoke heavily.
He said,
“Adrian-senpai has been kidnapped.”
At those words.
Snap.
Drip.
Drip.
Screech.
Only the four heads there swiveled precisely toward Erhan. Erhan swallowed a rising wave of terror at the eerie sight.
“I didn’t want to interrupt the match. But right before my eyes, Adrian-senpai was...”
“Tell us.”
Erhan’s eyes widened. The only thing emanating from that calm face was pure killing intent. Then, a rain of pitch-black petals bloomed behind her, as if to devour him.
“Now.”
Gulp.
Erhan felt a fear like he’d be crushed to death any second.
* * *
“...Who the hell are you?”
“...”
Silence.
I locked eyes with Pavela. The half-mask covering her face had shattered and fallen away. One of my hands gripped her shoulder, the other clutched a dagger pressed to her throat.
One twitch, and my blade would plunge straight through her neck.
“Ahaha... Ahahahahaha!”
Facing death head-on, the puppet witch laughed maniacally.
“My mistake. Who else could it be but you?”
The puppet Pavela stared into my eyes and continued.
“You know, after the ‘Tyrant’ abandoned his executive position in ‘Darkness’ and vanished, I—the one who served you—earned the moniker ‘Puppetmaster’ and became the new executive.”
“...”
“You ignored me back then, but now you’re interested? Planning to return, unify, and dominate ‘Darkness’ completely?”
“No such plans.”
I tightened my grip on the hilt, pricking her throat just enough to draw blood.
“...Then why? With that power, you’re just going to do nothing?”
From her words, I could infer this:
Apparently, the ‘Adrian’ before my possession was a Salenium student and an executive in ‘Darkness’ known as the ‘Tyrant.’
Whether due to lack of talent or disinterest, he hadn’t attended properly. No magic studies, no classes, no training—just nothing.
Well, with his trash base stats, he’d probably despaired early, realizing no amount of effort could catch up to others.
Admission was a given thanks to his family, talent or not.
Of course, none of this was in the setting docs. Pure speculation on my part. In the original story, Adrian was barely mentioned—a prologue villain exiled, wandering off, stabbed, and fading into obscurity.
But my possession changed everything. His garbage stats became mine, and my 10,000 hours of game knowledge and experience became my unique edge in this world.
Thus, the ‘original’ Adrian no longer existed. I was Adrian now.
And I had zero intention of playing tyrant or hanging with her ilk.
“You don’t seem inclined to answer. Then just kill me already.”
Pavela grabbed my wrist, pressing the blade tighter to her throat.
“I’m useless now. The plan failed, I lost to the ‘Tyrant’—I’ll be ousted from ‘Darkness,’ and you’ll kill me anyway. Ah... I wanted to see more minds break.”
She closed her eyes, as if inviting death.
Kill you? Why the hell would I?
“...Not gonna kill me?”
“Why do you think I’d kill you?”
“Ha, so you’re taking me back like in your ‘Tyrant’ days? Dream on—don’t forget I could attack you again.”
“If you can, try it.”
Pavela glared, then shook her head.
“...No, you read me like an open book, mysteriously. The instant I strike, my head hits the floor first.”
The reason I was sparing her? She was part of my ‘plan’—too valuable to kill.
‘Darkness’ ran deep. Some treated it as youthful rebellion, but others dove into irredeemable crimes. Knowing capture meant expulsion, banishment, or execution, the worst hid deeper, never surfacing.
“Help me, Pavela.”
That’s why I needed her. To ferret out those irredeemable scum through her.
And capture them. As someone already in ‘Darkness,’ she’d expose every last one—even those hidden for decades.
Crucial for giving Princess Lijelilias the decisive justification for her ‘Imperial Throne Race’ bid.
Of course, I knew full well: She was unforgivable trash. A psycho who got off on twisting minds.
But not yet. I wasn’t some rigid apostle of justice.
Swallow ‘Darkness’ whole? Not wrong, but not like you think.
“From now on, you’ll be my informant on ‘Darkness’—my spy working for me.”
“...Ha, what’s in it for me?”
“Isn’t demanding gains from your defeat the height of luxury?”
“...”
At that, she reluctantly nodded.
But without guarantees, she wouldn’t obey. That’s ‘Darkness’ for you.
“But I’ll guarantee one thing.”
“What?”
“You can shatter the minds of ‘Darkness’ members—those guilty of empire-level capital crimes.”
“...And if I refuse?”
“You die here. But I know you can’t, Pavela. Because...”
With a knowing smile, I leaned to her ear and whispered, brushing her long black hair behind it.
“You haven’t had your revenge yet, have you? The Black Auction’s chairman, one of ‘Darkness’s’ top executives—the ‘Half-Demon Scion,’ Martin Jibelek. The girl who lost her parents to his ‘deeds’ and fell here alone: ‘Parvel.’ No... Pavela. The man you must destroy still lurks in ‘Darkness.’”
“...H-How do you...”
Yeah, how indeed. Think hard about it.
I watched her frozen face.
“Follow me, and I promise—as your ‘master,’ I’ll aid your revenge. I won’t meddle in the details. Jibelek’s neck and mind are yours. Guaranteed.”
I met her trembling eyes steadily.
Finally.
“I submit. My master, I’ll obey you.”
Pavela knelt, pledging loyalty. The contract was sealed.
“But keep your promise on the revenge.”
“Likewise. Disobey once, and leave the rest to your imagination.”
“Understood.”
You have cleared Act 2's boss, Puppetmaster Pavela, using only Adrian's unique method!
Settling with rewards changed from the original!
Clear Act 2 with Adrian’s unique method, huh.
“Then hand it over.”
“Wh-what? D-Do you mean my life?”
What nonsense. I peeled the pitch-black badge from her clothes and pocketed it.
“That’s...”
“The executive pass for the ‘Black Auction Underground.’ I’ll take it back. No objections, right? It was mine from the start anyway.”
“A-Ah... Yes...”
She looked like she had objections but bowed her head silently.
“First mission: Break the minds of ‘Philip’ and ‘Henderson.’ Send them via ‘Eyes of Malice’ to Arena 3 by 6 PM tomorrow. Don’t mess up the time.”
“Ph-Philip and Henderson...”
“‘The fiends who murdered three Salenium classmates in a row 16 years ago and dumped the bodies. Feel free to mush their minds moderately.’”
“U-Understood.”
Good. That wraps this up.
That’s when it happened.
“...But, master. Don’t you hear something?”
“Hear what?”
And then.
“Adriaaaaaaan!”
Boom!
“Kyaaah?!”
Before my eyes, Reina von Wolfgang burst through the hut’s roof, leaped off the ground, and her flying side kick slammed into Pavela’s waist, hurling her through the wall. A deafening crash.
After blasting Pavela away with the kick, Reina spun lightly in place, dusted her skirt, looked at me, and gripped my shoulder hard.
“You okay? Adrian? No injuries? I came to save you!”
Ow. Ugh, my shoulder hurts. Don’t grip so hard.
A rush of footsteps followed. Familiar faces trailed behind her.
“Hmph, getting kidnapped like a pathetic fool. Shame to share blood with you.”
“Lord Adrian, are you alright?”
“S-Senpaiiii...”
Hm. Uh...
I scanned the crowd swarming around me, chattering away, then froze.
In the back, a familiar guy with a greatsword on his back was running up. His face pale as a ghost, he lit up upon seeing me and waved vigorously.
“Ah! You’re safe! I-I mean it! Really glad! Thought you were dead! So glad, senpai!”
Wait. Why the hell is Erhan here?
I glanced aside—no sign of Pavela, who’d been flung through the wall. She’d probably slipped away cleverly.
“Erhan told us you were kidnapped, so we came to rescue you!”
For real? No, you saw the kidnapping? Wait, more importantly, you were there?
“Adrian? You’re really okay, right?”
“I’m fine. Totally f—”
That moment, my legs buckled—probably from overexerting my stamina.
Instantly, four of them (everyone but one) rushed in to support me.
“Hmph, you look like you’re pushing yourself—don’t act tough. I’m not helping. Walk on your own.”
...And why the hell is Ebnis here?
“S-Senpai, this way. I’ll support you.”
“Lord Adrian, lean on me.”
“Adrian? You can rely on me anytime.”
“S-Senpai! I’m confident in supporting too! Back in Mershu Village, I carried lots of uncles mauled by boars... Mmph.”
Erhan, catching the others’ glances, clamped his mouth shut and stepped back quietly.
What’s his deal? Whatever.
“...Haha.”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
This is rich. What darkness? What tyrant? What unifying Darkness?
The real me was right here.