Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: 1. I Didn't Know Back Then. (3)
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Silver rain falling from the sky.
The sight of objects shattering where the grains, glistening under the moonlight, began to fall around the gathered trainees was truly spectacular.
"R-Rock's smashed!"
"Save me!"
Pandemonium.
They say that silence is life for members of an evil organization.
This is exactly why chicks won't do.
Even with a sleeping dragon right in front of them, they should hold their breath and think about fleeing.
Panicking and making noise like this is what gets you treated like the set menu of villain #1, villain #2—no, "villains"—dying before the hero.
"Move and you're dead!"
Oh. Even in pandemonium, some stand out.
The guy who properly recognized the "umbrella" I gave him at first, and the one staring blankly at the sky, admiring the silver rain like it was a meteor shower.
The former knows magic, while the latter is either crazy or has that much composure.
Either way, they're good. Those types tend to survive pretty well.
Especially the latter. Whether crazy or composed, being able to act like that in this situation is promising.
How many of that type have there been so far among the kids? Those types are ridiculously good at surviving.
"Use the umbrella, use the umbrella!"
The guy who recognized the first spell shouted while holding up the umbrella I gave him.
"You crazy bitch, why's that an umbrella!"
One idiot picks a fight even in this mess. If you can't see it, at least trust people's words.
No, would trusting people without seeing make you a good mark?
"A crazy bitch is still better than a retard. You clean freak with purified water instead of brains in your skull. Listen up. If that was rain, humanity—no, all life—would die in the rainy season. It's the Imperial Bombardment Magic from the last great war, like that guy said earlier. And this is literally an umbrella. A defensive staff inscribed with anti-magic defense formulas."
That's right. When it rains, you use an umbrella. It's a special staff made to block that silver rain of death.
Honestly, they just didn't think of it. That magic bombardment is a tactic anyone can pull off.
Naturally, the great powers who were shocked when the Imperial Army first used it all copied it, and the Merdia Kingdom Army, which got wrecked by the bombardment, was no exception.
They copied it—eye for an eye—and ended up with most of their main magic unit wiped out.
Why hide it! My favorite proverb is "the axe you trust chops your own foot."
And borrowing that trust, my previous boss and I racked our brains to create a defensive tactic!
We definitely assumed the enemy would one day use that magic bombardment, thought hard about how to screw them over, and the result was that grand magic defense staff.
+1 point to the guy who figured it out. Collect 10 and you graduate early.
"But that's something only the Imperial Army can use!"
"If you don't know how, you die. Figure it out yourself."
This batch is pretty decent? Last batch had guys who noticed the staff too, but one heard me and charged out with it, nearly becoming my first training casualty.
My previous boss and I aren't idiots, so we accounted for it being stolen on the battlefield, leaked by a spy in our ranks, or sold to enemy nations at a high price like I did. We made it so the staff alone can't block that bombardment.
The bombardment works by pairing two mages, freezing moisture in the air directly—not ice magic—and accelerating it. Even if you defend with a mana barrier against the magic, the pure mass and velocity from high altitude smash the barrier—and the person—flat!
So unlike other staffs, this one has a different usage method. And that's a top Imperial secret.
No way these guys know it. That's the instructor's job, to teach them.
But someone said it: Don't give a man a fish; teach him how to fish.
So, no fish. Teach them how.
"Time to narrow it down."
"Narrow it down."
They say people unleash amazing strength when death looms.
Looking at the guys who still haven't found a solution, I decided to kindly provide one.
A solution they might die without.
"It's getting closer!"
"Everyone on the outskirts, retreat inside!"
"Damn it! They really mean to kill us all!"
Sounds of desperation. Humans improve faster the more they face death.
Their brains must be spinning at top speed right now. Let's pour some oil to make them spin faster.
"Mix in a few big ones."
"...They really won't die, right?"
"It's just for show. Fire from afar."
At my words, the comms mage hesitated, then signaled the aerial mages. Moments later, human-sized ice chunks cratered the ground.
Boom!
And the finishing touch.
A chunk about 50 meters wide punched past the holes into a crater, creating an eerie silence in the trainees' area.
"Ah, fuck. No way to block that."
In the quiet, the magic-talented guy who'd been coolest spat a curse, and even the calm ones started freaking out.
"Ah. Nice."
"This?!"
Guess he overheard my mutter.
The comms mage stared at me like I was a demon and stepped back. Must be my imagination.
Right?
"Isn't it good? An insurmountable trial. Most despair, give up, fight but fall. Heroes are born overcoming such trials."
Dragons are what small kingdoms stake their fate on to challenge. But old hero tales always include slaying dragons and demon kings as must-haves.
"We're not raising heroes here."
"Yes. The opposite. But when heroes and such show up, our organization's losses are too great."
Even looking like this, we're the Empire's biggest evil organization.
Hundreds of cocky hero-wannabes get buried yearly, but we still get fleeced by real ones a double-digit number of times a year.
"That's why we need a hero from the villain side."
Watching the pandemonium, I smiled faintly.
Ah. Grow. Grow big, my incentive!
But back then, I didn't know. That a real hero would be born here.
#3 Their Circumstances: The Future Hero's Circumstances
Raina Rel Swin.
Even looking like this, I'm the child of the Raina Archduke House, called the military pillar of the Karan Empire, the continent's strongest superpower.
The continent's strongest nation, and among them, the top nobility with imperial blood.
Sounds great, right?
But thanks to that, my imperial succession rank is 37th.
Succession rights sound nice. The top power in the continent's strongest nation—the Emperor!
But higher is better. 37th doesn't even make the rankings. Perfect setup for a untimely death.
Plus, the succession issue is already half—actually, basically—decided.
Two princes and one princess were in a three-way fight, then suddenly the princess dumped her faction on one prince.
She was already seen as someone who wouldn't have fought if born male.
The other two princes were on high alert, half-allied to check her. Now her power's all on one guy. Game over.
So the brothers eyeing a chance gave up succession early and aim for archduke seats.
Fine. Succession. Archduke!
Second only to emperor! Dream big if you're a man!
But I don't care. I just wanted to chill in my territory!
To "check" me, they gave the Raina Archduke's material a secret mission under bullshit like "for the Empire!" or "for His Majesty!"
Secret mission my ass. Infiltrate Howling, the evil org that's been around since the Empire's founding?
Crazy? If they love the Empire and Emperor so much, go themselves!
Still, as a member of the Rainer Archduke House—born purely to fight, traditional warriors—I trained hard, aced beginner training, got No. 1, and ended up in hell.
"Welcome, fresh-hatched chicks still sticky with eggshell. I'm Instructor Naruan, in charge of Training Group 1."
The man on the platform was Instructor Naruan, often mentioned by beginner instructors.
Said to be cursed by god, unable to sense or use mana.
Said to be blessed by demons, forcing even gods to kneel when he wields a demon magic weapon.
Said to be the org's top promotion path. Survive graduation, and you're deputy commander at least, later one of the 10 Council elites.
Said to be the org's top shredder. Grinds trash and humans alike.
But my impression was one.
'That's a demon. Not human!'
The instructor looks down coldly.
But I saw it. Faint, but the smile a child makes getting a new toy from parents!
"Other instructors start training today, but I. Am. Willing. To. Specially. Give you rest today. Head to barracks now for sweet repose."
Idiots cheering around me.
Ah, you fools! No one noticed? The meaning of "specially willing to give rest today"!
And training truly began tomorrow.
-Wheeeeeen!
-Rise and shine, troops!
Blaring siren. Instructor Naruan's voice.
"Crazy."
They said quick reveille. Brutal training. So rest well and sleep fast.
Most bedded by 10 PM. Late ones by 11.
But unlike those deep asleep, anxiety-filled me stayed awake, prepared.
At least until dawn.
Instinct said something sudden at dawn.
But reveille right at midnight!
And bombardment precursors outside!
"What the fuck!"
"Wake up, you crazies!"
Four to a room. Kicked sleeping guys, climbed out window to escape.
Did my roommate duty.
Picked first floor for safer evac. Success.
And the sight: Magic circles embroidering the night sky.
Spectacular, but knowing it targeted our barracks, I could only watch sweating.
"Oho, one awake."
Instructor Naruan watches the barracks half-collapse, amused.
Ah, God! What sin did I commit in a past life? Not enough to join evil org, but hand my fate to that demon instructor?!
In despair, soon Instructor Naruan's satisfied voice.
"49 awakened."
What training drops half before it starts!
"Beginner training must've been tough. I'm not that bad an instructor. Those needing sleep get full rest."
The 51 unrisen probably sleep eternally. Heard they go back to beginners, but fates are obvious.
A few skilled retry advanced, rest become meat shields?
"Now, first training."
Parchment thrown to me, up front.
"Hm, time 00:34. Good... Gather at map point by 03:00 leisurely."
Stared blankly at map point.
If beginner map-reading's same, even sprinting full-out takes over 2 hours.
His "leisure" time: 20 minutes. Plus over 2 hours sprint.
Humans need breaks after sprinting, or walk slow. Impossible.
"Oh, and if you can't make it, just give up. Return and sleep with the sleepers."
Sounds reassuring, but seeing Naruan's eerie smile, everyone thought the same.
-Fall behind, die.
And I saw human limits.
All survived.
Proof of how fear whips people, human potential.
But hell hadn't even started.
"Oooh. 49 survived first strike, 49 here too. Instructor's thrilled! You're the most promising batch—I'm so. So. Sooooo~ happy. Tears in my eyes."
Frivolous tone. Face still cold. More creepy.
"Ah. Teacher's grace like heavens, tears in teacher's eyes—so gods in heaven weep too."
Glancing skyward, madness in words.
My gaze naturally followed skyward.
Clear sky. Shining stars. No clouds, no rain ever. Chills.
Heard it.
Imperial Army, capital guard, slang has "rain."
"Yes. Heaven's tears about to fall as rain. Can't have dear pupils catch cold. So use umbrellas quick."
"Wait, this is?"
Staff tossed with his words. A trainee gasped.
Crazy!
Screamed inwardly, throat choked, no words out.
Imperial-developed magic bombardment gear. Royal-managed Class 2 tactical equipment, handling strict—why here?!
"Oho. Already spotted the umbrella. Simple then."
Grand magic defense staff. Capital guard calls it "umbrella." So all prior "rain" was one thing.
Confirming, Instructor Naruan said.
"Here, make it rain a bit."
With those words. Silver rain adorned the sky.