Chapter 84
“……What the hell are you?”
Gula, an executive of the Heaven God Cult, had been thrilled at the prospect of devouring a top-grade ingredient like a half-dragon, but the sudden appearance of the masked man put him on edge.
That guy…… no presence at all.
He might look dull and stupid with all that blubber, but Gula had earned his executive position through sheer ability. Blessed by the cult leader with the authority of gluttony, he possessed an endless appetite and the power to steal a portion of his prey's strength. This granted him the ability to absorb any attack. His already thick layer of fat served as an even better cushion, and as he siphoned strength from others, his body grew harder—impervious to strikes while doubling as a devastating weapon.
No matter how strong a half-dragon's power was, it was useless against someone who absorbed every impact, reducing them to a mouse before a cat. Victory had seemed effortless.
Something's off…… I can't gauge his power even though he's right in front of me. It's like…… the sub-cult leader.
Among the foes he'd faced, only the sub-cult leader had been impossible to measure. This masked man exuded the same oppressive aura, yet he made no move to attack, standing motionless. As Gula pondered why, he remembered the girl named Delphine he'd taken hostage and calculated it could be a useful card.
“Buhehe~! What’s that mask? What, you that old and still playing hero, apostle of justice or some crap?”
“…….”
He tried provoking a reaction, but the man didn't budge. Gula suspected some hidden trick but forced himself to calm down and keep talking.
“Looks like you're here to save this bitch. Buhi! Think you can do it alone? We've got numbers on our side~?”
At his words, the subordinates waiting behind drew their weapons and crept toward the masked man.
“N-No…… don't!”
Prazia, writhing in pain, warned the man who seemed to have come to rescue her to run, but he just calmly watched the thugs charging at him.
Individually weak but with excellent teamwork, they lunged at the unassuming masked man, swords raised—
Slash.
Thud. Plop.
Clang—clang—!
“!!”
“What the—?!”
Dozens attacked, but what hit the ground were the thugs' wrists holding their swords.
I was watching…… I definitely saw it…… but I couldn't follow!
He hadn't even blinked. It was as if the process had been erased, leaving only the result—no change in him, just the cleanly severed wrists. The blood spurting out only now proved his skill was so overwhelming it outpaced their bodies' reactions.
Will my power work on a monster like that?
Gula knew his near-invincibility wasn't absolute. Realizing his defenses weren't at peak after recent "digestion," he abandoned gambling on a direct clash and devised a plan that would work perfectly here.
“Buhi……! I don't know what you are, but…… come closer and these girls die!”
The masked man halted mid-step as Gula grabbed Prazia and Delphine, one in each hand, and shouted.
“Buhehehe! I know your type……! Filthy hypocrites gripped by pointless justice, saving jack shit!”
“…….”
“See…… buhi! Just abandon these sluts, but your pathetic pride makes you blow your chance!”
Mocking the frozen masked man, Gula grew arrogant, convinced he held the upper hand. He could regroup his men and strike again, securing easy victory—
Whoosh!
Crack—!
“……!”
“……! G-Guaaaaaah!!!”
A blade flew at Gula's throat in an instant. It failed to sever his neck, shattering against his defenses instead, but left a 2-3 cm gash.
“Grooooar!!! Gwaaaaaah!! It hurts! It huuuuuurts!!!”
Addicted to his body's toughness, Gula had forgotten pain. The sharp jolt racing through him brought tears as he wailed.
In that moment, the masked man scooped up the two girls he'd dropped and swiftly retreated, widening the gap.
“G-Gula, sir!”
“Are you okay?!”
His subordinates, unable to imagine him hurt, panicked as they staunched his bleeding throat.
“Guh…… you! You bastard!”
“Gula, sir! We need to retreat first!”
“Shut up!! I won't rest till that fucker's dead!!”
“But we've made too much noise! The hostages are with him now—if he's reported to the higher-ups……”
“Tch!!”
Finally cooling down and grasping the situation, Gula glared murderously at the masked man, pulled out a paper, and tore it. Mist poured from the shreds, enveloping them.
“You…… I'll eat you alive, head to toe…… savor every bit……!”
Spitting curses in a rasping voice, Gula vanished into the fog. Soon, only the quiet rush of water echoed through the underground aqueduct.
With Gula gone, Prazia was carried by the masked man out of the underground aqueduct.
He ran diligently through the waterways, one girl tucked under each arm, showing no strain as he headed for the exit.
“Who…… are you……?”
“…….”
Prazia tried to identify him, but the mask was firmly fixed, hiding his face. With one arm broken—agony flaring at the slightest movement—and the other pinned, she gave up.
Emerging aboveground, the campus was eerily empty, everyone at the finals of the weaponless tournament.
Tap—tap!
He moved naturally into the campus, navigating twists and turns like he knew the academy well, soon reaching the infirmary.
Setting the girls down, he pounded roughly on the door and turned to leave.
“W-Wait—!”
Thud!
“Eek!”
He'd even pressure-pointed them to stay unconscious. Prazia reached out too late; hating exposure, he'd fled like the wind.
“Who is it~? I was sleeping so goo—kyaa! W-What? You girls?!”
The infirmary teacher, drool mark on her cheek from napping on the job, yelped at the collapsed students and hurriedly moved them to beds.
Noticing their uniforms from another academy, she gave quick first aid then rushed out to alert the staff.
“……Who was that?”
The man who'd lightly wounded an opponent immune to her strikes. He'd retreated, deeming further fight unnecessary with the girls safe, but Prazia was certain he'd win in a fair one-on-one.
“I want to know who…… it felt like……”
As consciousness faded, she memorized his movements, scent, build, voice—then slipped into deep sleep.
The academy erupted in chaos afterward.
Unknown thugs infiltrating the underground aqueduct to kidnap rival academy students? It was enough to spark fury and alarm at a prestigious school.
The girls' testimonies pointed to the Heaven God Cult stirring up the empire lately, drawing criticism of security.
Calls to halt the tournament clashed with fears of seeming weak, leaving its continuation in debate.
“It probably…… won't be canceled.”
“Really? Why's that?”
“They've sunk huge sums into this already, and ending it now would advertise fear to the enemy. That's the worry for the academy and empire.”
“I see.”
Makes sense. Fights start with initiative. Showing early fear is defeat to stubborn elders—utter humiliation.
“And the headmaster assured us the finals tomorrow are no issue.”
“Some reason for that confidence? Sounds like he's hiding something.”
“Dunno…… didn't hear that far……”
They wouldn't strike again soon, but attempting kidnapping at Amor Academy's tournament took guts bordering on insanity.
If I'd been too caught up in the festivities and missed the faint underworld stench, those girls might never have been seen again.
“……More importantly, Mars, don't you have bigger worries?”
“Ah.”
I awkwardly approached the figure who'd turned her back fully, cheeks puffed out like a pufferfish on steroids.
“L-Lady Astraia……?”
“……Hmph!”
“Oh boy.”
First things first: placate the seriously pissed-off princess.