Chapter 17
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Preparation
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Ranking battles were over.
Just for me, that is.
"I surrender."
"We just started, though?"
Iaido Technique could only be used once a day, so there was no way to keep going with the ranking matches.
That left me with some free time again.
Starting from first-years, then second, and all the way to third-years, the ranking battles took quite a while.
'Wonder what the third-year matches are like.'
If I had time to kill, I might as well go watch.
If you leave a Gate alone for too long, monsters start spilling out. Leave it even longer, and the entire Gate comes through.
In simple terms, a tower, dungeon, or labyrinth suddenly appears where the Gate was.
These are called "Fields," and they exist all over the world.
From ones so dangerous they're sealed off, to ones even civilians can enter.
Korea has its share of Fields, too.
Demon Liu Ang.
A Chinese Demon.
I planned to clean out every last one of his secret stashes.
His face was plastered everywhere as a wanted man, and after getting caught stealing from the Demons' boss, he was an outcast even among them.
Stepping into the overmana zone made my body feel heavy.
Low depth, so it was tolerable enough.
I climbed Black River Mountain.
Black River Mountain had turned into a dungeon.
Once it Fields, there's no going back.
The "Laws" make destruction impossible, so it spits out monsters forever.
That's why clearing Gates on time is so crucial.
I headed not to the entrance, but the opposite side.
Then I stopped at a spot that looked perfectly natural.
Tap. Tap.
A few touches to the wall, and the concealment magic unraveled, revealing an entrance.
Not the dungeon entrance—this was where Liu Ang kept his entire fortune.
Stepping inside led to a maze of paths.
Pretty damn complicated. Perfect for hiding all his treasures.
"Fucking narrow."
Luckily, I had the route memorized, so I made it through easy.
Walked for a good while.
Glancing at my watch: about two hours.
Totally a bitch of a maze.
Rumble—
Finally arrived and opened the door...
-Tseeet!!!
Some monster pup was there.
No joke—a literal baby monster.
"A pet?"
First time seeing one of these.
No claws or teeth, so it looked pretty versatile.
-Tseeet!!!
Based on looks and cry, it was a Holdien pup. Seventh-grade monster.
I headed straight for Liu Ang's piled-up treasure trove.
[7th Grade Relic: Mana Pill]
[6th Grade Relic: Mana Circulation Ring]
[6th Grade Relic: Black Dagger]
[Subspace Ring]
These were the worthwhile relics. The rest was ninth-grade junk.
I picked up the Subspace Ring.
'Packed full.'
The Subspace Ring was already stuffed with magistones.
I unzipped my bag and swept in as much of the leftovers as I could.
A bit heavy, but nothing I couldn't carry with a grin.
-Tseeeeeet!!!!!!
Heading out, the Holdien pup started screeching like mad.
Sudden unease hit me.
"What the hell's with you?"
-Tsst!
I drew the Black Dagger and stabbed its head.
Its eyes turned black, it shed bloody tears, and dropped dead.
Back at the dorm, the sun was already setting.
Felt like a productive day. Good mood.
I opened my bag and pulled out the Mana Circulation Ring.
Slipped it on right away. A cool sensation flowed through my body, making me feel lighter.
Quick status check.
I pulled out the Mana Pill, too.
A small, blue bead of a pill.
Looked delicious.
[Consumed 7th Grade Relic: Mana Pill.]
[Mana increased by 1.]
The Black Dagger? I'd hold onto it and sell later.
[Entering the Space of Prayer.]
"?"
I'd been sleeping, but suddenly I was in some unfamiliar space.
Black everywhere—up, down, left, right.
"What the fuck."
Why here again?
I scanned around and pulled a mask from my pocket.
[6th Grade Relic: Demon Mask (Red)]
Demonification on.
Mask on, and vitality surged through my body. Physical abilities exploded upward.
Step, step.
Then footsteps echoed.
Turned toward the sound. A bald old man with a bushy beard stood there.
Wearing a white robe accented in red—priest garb.
A woman followed behind him.
Eyes wild with madness, red hair.
Same robe as the old man.
I recognized her instantly.
'The Puppeteer.'
"Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you, heh heh."
The old man and woman spoke at once.
"We're acquainted, aren't we?"
This time, just the woman.
"..."
My whole body trembled.
She felt like a completely different kind of being—not human.
In this eerily silent place, she shone the brightest.
Seen her once before, but still couldn't get used to it.
That was the Puppeteer's true body.
"Hello."
Forced the words out.
"Are you scared?"
Her lips curled slightly.
"No need to worry. That's why I left that monster alive."
A person stepped out from behind her.
"Take this. Next time, mind your attire."
A white robe with red accents, and a necklace.
"..."
Came to in the morning.
My hands held the robe and necklace.
[Light Priesthood Robe: Flame Resistance +15]
[Golden Necklace: Mana +5]
Necklace aside, no way I'd wear the robe.
Looked like total cult shit.
The necklace had a huge pendant—bad for the neck, for sure.
Tossed them in the closet.
"As you all know, midterms are coming up."
Normally, midterms make students groan or freak out.
Not at Orbis Academy.
Everyone was buzzing with excitement, barely hiding their anticipation.
The academy's crown jewel: the uninhabited island exam.
Orbis midterms took place on an uninhabited island.
'Fuck!'
I couldn't smile.
[Survive the Midterms]
🎁 Reward: 2500 A Coins, 5 Stats
Status alert chimed.
Name alone wasn't easy.
The test was simple.
On Orbis's artificial island, hunt artificial monsters for points.
Like practicals, but you could steal points from other students.
'Fucking bullshit.'
Lots more prep ahead.
Chinese Demon Liu Ang.
He was in a great mood right now.
He'd made an offering, and the demon he contracted with granted him a new power.
"Heh heh, feeling good."
He moved with practiced stealth.
World-class wanted man, shunned by fellow Demons—he was a master of concealment.
Through the long maze, he entered his cozy hideout... and faced a horrific sight.
He collapsed right there, tearing at his hair.
"Fuck!!!!!"
Some psycho old bastard had stolen all his hard-earned relics and magistones, and killed his pet monster—his all-purpose "poof."
"Which fucking asshole!"
This rage ranked second to getting his sweet potato chips swiped at that elementary school snack party, landing him in social exile.
Blades shot from the rings on his fingers.
[4th Grade Relic: Wound-Eating Ten Claws (Bound)]
"Malphas!"
Liu Ang shouted, and smoke coiled from thin air, forming a crow.
"I offer my right eye. Tell me who raided this place!"
-Fine.
Words barely out, his eyeball popped into the void.
Even in that horror, Liu Ang didn't scream.
Crunch!
A new eyeball began forming in the socket.
He cautiously closed one eye.
The new eye reflected a man's face.
'Knew it was that fucker.'
A familiar face.
Not anymore, but once close enough to watch each other's backs.
Among psycho Demons, the one guy he could talk to.
Things soured after Liu Ang stole based on Malphas's prophecy, but this man had helped him escape.
'Can't trust anyone.'
The Demon world was cold.
Liu Ang sighed and walked off.
Demon Malphas.
His epithet: "Archfiend of Fraud."
Loved lies most of all.
Tricked contractors into offerings, and this time was no different. Success.
No clue why, but humans believed demons never lied about contracts.
-Stupid bastards, heh heh...
Some demons stuck strictly to deals, but Malphas thought them idiots.
Most who became Demons lacked skill or talent.
A few made you wonder why they bothered, but they were the exception.
Bottom-feeders, mostly.
Desperation was theirs, not the demons'.
-Caw!
Malphas thought that and flew off somewhere.
His other contractors had been quiet lately—boring. Good thing something fun popped up.