Chapter 96
Chapter 96
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: Making an Example
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Time passed, and the day of the contest arrived.
Waking up in the morning, we got dressed, left the professor's dormitory, and departed from the academy.
We were heading to Zwey Academy.
The venue for the contest was a massive training ground inside Zwey Academy.
The difference between it and the large training ground at Jeomineol Academy was that while Jeomineol’s had other, smaller training grounds within it, the massive training ground was, as the name suggested, just one truly enormous field.
A training ground large enough to host a world martial arts tournament was right here at Zwey Academy.
Honestly, it wasn't the kind of training ground students would normally use, so I had no idea why they’d built it. But since they were the ones who would be disappointed if the contest didn't happen, they probably built it for their own needs.
And so, we headed to Zwey Academy.
It was located on the complete opposite side of the empire from Jeomineol Academy.
"Ugh... We're both academies, so why are we located so far apart...?"
Yui, who was next to me, grumbled in annoyance.
I could understand her sentiment.
A classic shut-in gets exhausted just by taking a single step outside the house.
"Tell me about it. As if it would kill them to be a little closer."
It was as if someone was fanning the flames of their own inferiority complex, insisting on standing on the opposite end of the spectrum.
The reason their headmaster was so fiercely competitive was that there were only two academies in the entire empire.
With only two academies, if Jeomineol Academy always took first place, Zwey Academy was naturally relegated to the position of perpetual second.
The important thing to note here wasn't that they were in second place, but that there were only two academies in the empire.
Only two, and they were second?
That meant they were in last place. Perennially last.
'An academy that's always in second place...'
I could feel *his* energy from the opposing academy.
"I can see the other professors and students, too."
Naturally, along the way, we saw students in Jeomineol Academy uniforms and other professors.
Among them was Professor Acorn from the room next to ours. When our eyes happened to meet, I gave him a wide grin.
Professor Acorn flinched in surprise and immediately looked away.
"Luke, what are you doing?"
"Greeting him."
"...That was a greeting?"
***
Arriving at Zwey Academy, I looked at the building and thought it was truly remarkable.
I had honestly thought the architectural styles of this era were all more or less the same, but Zwey Academy’s design was so different it was as if a visionary had built it.
Its appearance screamed of a desire to differentiate itself from Jeomineol Academy in any way possible.
"What a fucking joke."
The end for those consumed by an inferiority complex was always pathetic.
Their headmaster was about to get a serious reality check today.
Lucia had come with her knives sharpened, after all.
In that case, I should respond in kind and crush them completely.
"Let's head inside for now."
"Yes."
"Okay~"
As I led the two of them into the academy, I saw two groups of people, one in white and one in brown.
The white was the Jeomineol Academy uniform, which I was very familiar with, having worn it for a long time.
The brown was the uniform of Zwey Academy, which was never even mentioned in the original story.
But...
"What is this atmosphere?"
"I guess it's not just the higher-ups who feel the rivalry."
The way the students were looking at each other was quite a spectacle.
There was almost no conversation, only communication through glares. If I were to roughly translate those looks:
-What's this? Aren't you the second-rate losers?
-This was our chance to crush you and take first place, but someone got scared and backed out, making it impossible.
-I know, right? It was a great opportunity to put them in their place. What a shame.
-It doesn't matter. The professors will win for us.
It wasn't exact, but that was the general feeling.
Surprisingly, it wasn't just the higher-ups who were burning with competitive spirit.
As the saying goes, a stream is only as clear as its source. If the headmaster was consumed by an inferiority complex, how could the students be any different?
Besides, second place is a position that inevitably breeds feelings of inferiority.
And this wasn't just any second place, but perpetual second place. It was only natural they'd feel this way, especially when their rivals constantly provoked them about being number one year after year.
"Isn't it funny? That these guys getting fired up over something so trivial are supposed to be adults."
Amazingly, according to the story's setting, everyone I was looking at right now was an adult over the age of 20.
Of course, the author had set it that way to include adult scenes.
But despite that setting, their behavior was so childish.
It was like watching elementary schoolers fight, shouting, "My mom is the best!"
"...You have a point."
"Let's just go to the waiting room."
-Thud.
"Oops~ My apolo..."
At that moment, someone shoulder-checked me.
No, to be precise, they *tried* to shoulder-check me as they passed.
That is, before they were the one who ended up falling over.
"Ugh!"
"What's with this guy?"
Normally, the person who gets hit should be the one pushed back, but I guess since he was weaker than me, he was the one who got knocked away.
The person who fell had yellow hair and a fierce expression. Seeing his brown uniform, I figured he must be a student at this academy.
"Are you out of your fucking mind?"
This bastard definitely tried to shoulder-check me on purpose, right?
For the person who initiated the contact to be the one to fall, he must have tensed his shoulder and tried to shove me.
"Hey, Luna. Do I look like a student to you?"
I asked out of genuine curiosity.
"Based on your face, you could pass for a student, but considering your clothes, not at all."
"Right?"
If I had been wearing a student uniform, it might have been a misunderstanding.
But looking at my attire, even if I wasn't a professor, I was clearly an outsider. On the day of the contest, anyone dressed like me would obviously be a professor from the opposing academy, wouldn't they?
Which means this guy knew who I was and still tried to shoulder-check me.
"He's completely lost his mind."
This is why schools need to teach manners.
He must think his rank is a free pass, acting so brazenly in the open.
"I may respect the professors at my own academy, but do I really need to respect those from another?"
Well, well, this one has no respect for his elders.
In reality, I'm not his elder, we're probably the same age, but isn't there something called a chain of command in society?
Even if it's a different academy and my position is temporary, I'm a professor, and he's a student. And he's still saying things like that?
What he's saying is that he'll only respect his own parents and not others, so he feels free to talk trash about anyone else's.
I'd met similar guys in my past life.
Punks who didn't know their place and challenged their teachers, only to get forcibly transferred or expelled.
What a pathetic existence.
'Why does it feel like I get into fights everywhere I go?'
I wonder how tragic the original Luke's fate was. I can't seem to go anywhere without something happening. This must be why reputation is so important.
A reputation is the fastest way to prove what kind of person you are.
Honestly, if it had been Lucia here instead of me, would that kid have even thought about trying to shoulder-check her?
On the contrary, if Lucia had looked like she was about to bump into him, he would have twisted his own arm 180 degrees to get out of the way.
Why? Because picking a fight with her could get him killed. Compared to that, losing an arm is nothing.
-Crack!
"Gah!"
He was so infuriating that I immediately taught him a proper lesson.
A true man speaks with his fists.
The punk, who I'd punched in the temple, collapsed sideways.
Then I immediately drew a sword from my inventory.
"You know, Luna. I was told not to kill students from my academy, but did anyone ever say not to kill students from *other* academies?"
"...No, you were never told that."
"Right?"
-Stab!
So I plunged the sword into the lying punk's heart.
"Gurg... gaaah...!!"
Gurgle. Blood surged up and spilled from the punk's mouth.
If I had slit his throat, he would have died instantly, but I stabbed his heart specifically to make it painful.
A stab to the heart isn't usually an instant kill, and for a superhuman who can use mana, he would last even longer.
Which meant he would suffer that much longer.
He could find peace by letting go of consciousness, but fainting here meant certain death.
He probably didn't want to die, so he was gritting his teeth and holding onto his consciousness, enduring the unimaginable pain.
Too bad for you, there's no one here who can save you now.
"So why did you have to act up?"
It's been a while since I last killed someone to make an example, and now every Tom, Dick, and Harry seems to think they can challenge me.
Did he think that with his family's backing and the professor-student relationship, I couldn't do anything to him?
Punks are always like that. They act tough in school, but once they're out in the real world, they're useless. Even kids with nothing to their name run wild, so it seems the ones here who have something to fall back on are even worse.
"Kyaaah?!"
"He-he really killed him!!"
The students who had been watching us from the sidelines started screaming.
You think if I kill someone, they die for pretend?
This is a medieval era; seeing someone die should be a fairly common sight.
Just how sheltered have you been to make such a fuss over one death?
"The Second Top Student is dead! Everyone, run!"
The students who had been watching me and the punk froze, then snapped out of it and started causing a commotion.
What, he was the Second Top Student?
He looked like a punk, but I guess he had some skill.
Then again, they don't pick the top students based on looks. As long as you're skilled, you can get the position.
But his personality was beyond rotten.
He makes Tia seem like a saint.
Hmm... no, that's probably not right.
"Ugh, look at them overreacting. Hey, I'll be generous."
As a special favor, I poured some leftover alcohol I had on his wound to make it hurt less.
I've never granted such a privilege to a dying person before, but they were making such a racket that I decided to disinfect it for him, hoping it would shut them up.
Disinfecting a wound with alcohol makes it better!
"Gack...! Gaaah... Gack...!"
He started convulsing even more violently.
Hmm. I guess you can't trust the internet.
This proves that disinfecting with alcohol is a lie. I'll make sure not to use it on myself.
"What is going on?!"
At that moment, a silver-haired woman burst through the crowd.
It was someone I had met before.
"Hey there. We meet again."
I grinned and greeted her, and Angela's pupils began to tremble.
"Wh-why are you here?"
"Why else? I came for the contest."
I told you we'd meet again.
With eyes that seemed unable to focus properly, she glanced back and forth between me and the punk bleeding from the sword in his chest.
Then she scrambled over, knelt in front of the punk, and began to heal him.
Normally, I would have guaranteed that his injuries were fatal.
But the Saintess's power was absurdly broken. The original story described her as being able to save anyone, as long as they weren't killed instantly.
She could leave behind after-effects depending on the severity of the injury, but even so, it was an ridiculously overpowered ability.
The only problem was that it had the wrong owner, so its full potential couldn't be realized.
You know, it reminds me of those stories where some idiot gets an incredibly overpowered ability but only uses it to do something stupid, like flicking snot.
She was exactly that type.
"Lucky bastard."
I crouched down and tapped the punk's cheek.
I had intended to kill him, but the one person in the world who could repair a stabbed heart just happened to be here.
It would have been more fun if she'd been just one minute later.
'Hmm...'
But just letting him live is no fun.
After a moment of thought, I...
"Boop."
...took a card out of my inventory, slid it into the gap in the wound, and planted it right in his heart.
"Keoheok...!"
"Wh-what are you doing?!"
Angela, who was healing him beside me, cried out in shock.
Hey, he's getting a new lease on life. Wouldn't it be boring to live the same life as everyone else?
It's a small thing, but now he can live the life of a hidden powerhouse with a mysterious past.
The panicked Angela immediately tried to pull the card out.
Of course she would, she had to treat him, but if she did, I would just put another one in.
"Gack, gaaah..."
"Stop it! He'll die if I don't treat him now!"
"No, just treat him."
Just heal him with the card still inside.
The more you try to pull it out, the more he suffers.
If you keep trying to remove the card, he'll die before you can even finish healing him.
Angela had no choice.
Either she could bicker with me here and let the punk in front of her die, or let him live with a card embedded in his heart.
Naturally, as someone who tries to save everyone, she chose saving his life over letting him die.
"...I'm sorry."
You don't have to apologize for healing a piece of trash.
If anything, he should be thanking you for saving him.
As Angela healed the wound, the card settled into place.
The card, now seated as if it had always been a part of him, gradually disappeared from view as the wound closed.
Afterward, Angela let out a sigh, and the punk passed out.
"Ah~ that was a good show. Luna, Yui, let's go."
"Where are we going next?"
"It's about time, so we need to get ready."
Ready to beat the crap out of the opposing professor.