A Saber’s Resolve
The atmosphere outside the gate grew feverish as the heat within intensified. But among all the spectators, two men burned with unmatched passion.
“As expected of Zien! He subdued that unruly tomboy in one go! Het het het!”
It was none other than Arcana Academy’s principal, Selphis, and...
“Kell kell kell! It’s thanks to our Lucia and Kua succeeding in their quest. Without support, what could they have done but endure?”
“Hm, I see it differently. If our dear Isabel hadn’t been there, that blue-haired kid might’ve ended up as monster chow. And!”
Selphis spat as he launched into a speech aimed at Raymond.
“The quest assigned to our Zien was on a whole different level! They stuck that useless tomboy to his side and threatened penalties if he didn’t protect her. Who else but Zien could’ve pulled it off? Het het het!”
Selphis stroked his mustache with a laugh. Raymond sneered back at him.
“Yeah, yeah. Speaking of penalties, that reminds me. That pink-haired girl with the mana seal.”
“......Ahem.”
“Kell kell kell! I never knew Arcana was raising villains! As expected of a prestigious school—full of unique flair!”
“No, that was just... part of the quest progression.”
The two principals traded barbs, flipping between offense and defense in their heated student bragging match.
Stella and Camille watched the scene with embarrassment, the principals insisting they were the superior ones.
“Wow, the principals...”
“Enough. Show some respect, Stella.”
“I didn’t say anything?”
Stella protested.
At that moment, a student dispatched from Celia Academy chimed in awkwardly.
“Haha... Both principals really love their students, don’t they?”
Camille politely entertained the student’s attempt to smooth things over.
“Indeed. It’s rare to see principals who cherish their students so much.”
“Right, right!”
The students jumped in to defend their principals. It was an ironic sight, impossible to tell who were the adults and who were the kids.
On the 7th floor of the auction house, the VIP auction was supposed to take place. Or rather, it should have. The terrorist attack had scattered the buyers and guests, leaving only the vault and auction items behind.
“This way.”
Seizing the chaos, Chris and Demona began their theft. Using his Truth Eye, Chris had mapped the building. The surest path to the vault was through the ceiling pipes.
“I’ll go first. Follow me.”
Chris in his sleek agent suit and Demona in her black bodysuit. They’d hoped for a stylish spy operation just moments ago, but reality was brutal. Crawling turtle-like through the ceiling pipes was anything but cool.
“Ugh, my arms are numb! Can we rest a sec?”
As Chris paused his crawl,
Demona jabbed him hard with her finger.
“Gah! You! Where do you think you’re poking?!”
Chris turned to complain, but Demona’s expressionless face pointed forward with her chin. It was a clear signal: move it.
“Argh... seriously.”
He griped but crawled on, sweat pouring down. After smashing through three spiderwebs, they finally reached the end of the pipe.
“It won’t have the wrong password, right?”
Ahead of Chris was a digital vault the size of a room. Hands shaking, he input the full 17-digit code without error.
Ding~.
With a surprisingly cute sound unlike its size, the vault door swung open.
“Heh.”
Still using Truth Eye, Chris bypassed the piles of goods and snatched the hidden red orb.
“This is... the Blood Jade?”
At that instant, the quests assigned to Chris and Demona updated.
Protect the Blood Jade.
Details - Rebellion will use every means to seize the Blood Jade. Protect it from them.
No explanation of what the Blood Jade was or why Rebellion wanted it, but one thing was clear.
“Just protect this, no questions asked, huh?”
Chris glanced back.
The main entrance to the 7th floor. A hulking man was approaching the vault.
“What the—? Who the hell is that guy?!”
Chris couldn’t believe his eyes.
The giant smashed through the password-locked door with his fist and kept coming.
“Demona, back to the pipes—now!”
Demona must have sensed the mana too; she darted into the pipe. Chris slammed the vault door shut and dove after her.
“......Now we just sneak out quietly. Once through the pipes, we can shake him.”
Demona nodded at Chris’s advice, then crouched low and crept forward cat-like. As she took the lead, Chris whipped his head around.
The moment flustered Chris averted his gaze, the giant—Bruno—assumed a stance. He poured all his power into his fist and thrust it toward the ceiling pipes.
“What!? You maniac!”
Boom!
The ceiling collapsed, pipes shattered, and Chris, Demona, and Bruno locked eyes. Bruno bellowed a hearty laugh at them.
“Hahaha! You look like cornered rats! Normally, I’d let you scurry off, but...”
Bruno clenched his fist, gathering power. It was the activation of a hunter’s Trait. Chris cried out at the unnatural mana surge.
“Demona! Jump—now!”
A massive rock boulder slammed into their pipe, missing by a hair.
“Kuhaha! Quick on the uptake.”
But Bruno’s assault didn’t stop. He grabbed Chris’s leg mid-air and slammed him into the ground.
Crash!
“Gahk!”
The overwhelming power of a 5th-rank hunter.
Chris spat blood from the impact, while Demona drew her halberd and attacked Bruno.
Thud!
It did nothing. Bruno was a top-tier 5th-rank hunter in combat prowess. He caught her strike barehanded.
“That bulk with this power! Kuhaha! Too good just for thieving.”
Whoosh!
Bruno’s fist rocketed toward Demona’s face. Chris read it and threw himself in the way, blocking the punch.
“Nngh! What are you doing? Get your head in the game!”
But Demona was already stiff with fear. Her first real fight against a powerhouse was an alien experience.
Bruno burst into mocking laughter at her.
“Pfft, what a pitiful sight...”
Bruno was a villain, but he’d joined Rebellion for his own reasons. Aggressive, yes—but no mindless killer.
“I don’t wanna kill kids like you. I’ll spare your lives. Hand over the Blood Jade in your pocket, kid. We need it.”
Chris hesitated at Bruno’s persuasion.
That guy’s a monster.
Bruno from Rebellion was beyond what a terrified Demona or he could handle. But if they just gave up the Blood Jade, they could fight another day.
“Demona.”
Chris called to her.
Demona steadied her trembling hands and looked at him. Chris reached out and flicked her forehead.
Smack!
A crisp flick echoed. Demona yelped in confusion.
“Didn’t I say before? I wanted to try this once?”
Chris handed her the Blood Jade amid her bewilderment.
“Take it and run. I’ll hold him off.”
In that brief instant,
Chris’s and Demona’s eyes met. A saber always chose the optimal path. Demona instantly understood. Fighting Bruno was impossible, so Chris was baiting him. Her usually stoic eyes quivered.
“Don’t get touched. I’m only giving it to you ‘cause I can’t run—my leg’s busted.”
At Chris’s words, Demona whispered softly.
“......Don’t die.”
Chris snickered at her first-ever voice.
“What, you can talk? Don’t worry—run. I’ll survive somehow.”
As Demona bolted,
Bruno grinned wickedly.
“Touching... and arrogant. How long do you think you’ll last against me?”
Chris flipped him the bird in response—a Zone 1 insult.
“Eat this. You think I’d care? Asshole.”
“Time to teach some manners.”
To buy Demona time, Chris deliberately provoked Bruno. Bruno cracked his knuckles menacingly at Chris. Chris stayed ice-cold.
No arrogant thoughts of winning.
His goal was solely Demona’s escape. Even if it meant,
dying to hold him back.
Demona fleeing for her life.
Chris staking his all.
In the solemn tension, Celia’s principal Raymond spoke to Selphis with uncharacteristic seriousness.
“Impressive.”
No empty praise. As a saber himself, Raymond was deeply moved by Chris’s actions.
“A true saber.”
Long silence.
Both Raymond and Selphis fell into thought, saying nothing. After reminiscing for a while, Raymond continued.
“As expected of my rival. Your student is a real saber, Selphis. Chris, was it? I’ll remember that name.”
On the screen, Chris was battered to hell. His arm snapped under Bruno’s fist, yet he charged with the other. A hopelessly low-level fight against a superior foe. The violence was so raw that spectators looked away, but Selphis didn’t flinch.
“Indeed.”
He etched Chris’s battle into his eyes.
“You’re right.”
Selphis didn’t brush off Raymond’s praise. Sure, it was a virtual gate—no lives at stake. But Chris’s resolute will and sharp judgment pierced the screen, reaching both principals clearly.
“I’m curious how this gate raid ends, Raymond.”
“Agreed, Selphis.”
Seven sabers. Three villains.
And one gate. The story raced toward its climax, like a precarious relay race where dropping the baton meant defeat.