Chapter 110
Chapter 110
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 109
Chapter Title: Magic Sword Forte (11) - Acquired Killing Intent
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The young man, a swordsman by trade, had no precise grasp of its worth, but the spell the demon Divana had bestowed upon him was extraordinarily potent.
If battle-hardened mages were to name it, it would be "A Spell That Hides All Nearby Commotion."
If scholarly mages were to rank and classify it, a fifth-circle illusion incantation.
This spell "appropriately" managed every sort of noise the caster produced.
Not by smothering everything in dead silence, but by letting the sounds ring out as they would—while ensuring they never reached anyone else's ears.
The moment the incantation took hold, the caster could converse normally with allies and remain aware of ambient noises.
Given that typical sound-suppression spells blotted out all noise with static hush or deafened the caster to the world around them, this was a truly formidable and user-friendly incantation.
In other words...
"Uwaaaaaaaaah!!"
Udududududuk!
Even as the young man bellowed at the top of his lungs and barreled wildly down the dormitory hallway, no one stirred from their beds, wondering what the commotion was.
The perfect outcome for a thief... but pure nightmare fuel for anyone who'd ever cowered through a horror flick.
~♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫~
Even as the young man sprinted without pause, that sinister melody droned on relentlessly.
"Get off me!! Let go!!"
He tried desperately to hurl the sword from his grip, but it wouldn't budge.
His palm felt glued to the hilt.
Bad enough on its own—but the disheveled black-haired ghost(?) thudding after him from behind terrified him even more.
Of course, Pina couldn't stop either.
Was it a sense of duty to reclaim her stolen possession?
That played a part, but an even greater reason pulsed in her ears right now: the voice of "Milord Magic Sword," broadcasting live.
"Contractor, I feel a profound sense of responsibility. For the grave error in judgment I committed.""To be frank, I thought you were keeping up quite admirably. Maintaining your current state would suffice to reach our goal—no need for further meddling on my part.""That's why I said nothing when you spent your entire day off holed up in your room, rolling around like a slob. I deemed it a righteous and fitting rest.""But it seems my judgment was off the mark. To sleep so soundly you missed an intruder slipping through your door... What if their aim had been assassination rather than theft?""I've belabored the preamble. Straight to the point, then."
"From now on, every number I count turns one holiday into a weekday. One."
Kiyaaaaaaaa!
Pina screamed inwardly.
She didn't voice it aloud—couldn't spare the breath.
'Give it back!!'
Blood vessels bulged in Pina's eyes.
She was fundamentally an introvert.
But introversion didn't always equate to meekness.
A working stiff watching her hard-earned days off go up in flames burned fiercer than any pit bull—and Pina was no exception.
Dudududududuk!
With every furious crossing of her legs, the gap between her and the young man shrank dramatically.
Divana's eyes flickered with anxiety as she watched.
If the young man got caught here, things would spiral into chaos.
The plan was to sap her strength first, then cozy up during her vulnerable moment. Getting branded a thief now would torch every scrap of goodwill they'd built.
Divana grumbled irritably but channeled her power anyway. The shadows near Pina's feet suddenly gained physical weight, snaring her ankle.
Splat!
Pina pitched forward.
The demon, about to bark orders at the young man, spat a curse at the sight unfolding before her.
Pina, who had seemed to tumble, rolled forward in a somersault—then resumed the chase in a half-crouched stance.
Her reddened nose from the fall and eyes swollen with unspeakable fury radiated such raw intimidation that even Divana flinched involuntarily.
Blue mana rippled around Pina's body, and she surged ahead faster than before.
Dadadadadadot!
"Uwaaaaaaaaak!"
The young man's face drained to a sickly blue at the sound and presence he could sense without even looking.
Divana threw everything at her—slicking the ground, erecting shadow barriers, every trick in the book—but Pina barreled through falls and collisions without losing steam, doggedly pursuing.
Eventually, even getting back up felt like too much hassle; she switched to bounding on all fours.
That ferocious momentum made even Divana swallow hard without realizing it.
Just look at her face! She was the hunter, yet she wore the wild-eyed look of the hunted!
Clunk! Clunkclunkclunk!
"Open! Open up!!"
Panic-stricken, the young man veered toward the dormitory's main gate instead of his original plan—but it was locked tight.
And before he could improvise, Pina overtook him.
Thwack!
Her kick nailed the center of his back. His body bowed like a drawn bow and slammed into the door.
With a deafening crash, one side of the door ripped free. The young man and Pina tumbled out into the plaza fronting the dormitory.
Pina snatched Forte from his grasp and cried out.
"Milord Magic Sword!!"
A voice thick with desperation.
Forte grasped the implication lurking beneath her words and replied.
"Milord Magic Sword...?"
"Milord Magic Sword...!"
While the sword and the girl bantered like a comedy duo...
The young man lay sprawled on the ground, stock-still.
Not out of lingering terror...
Horror preyed on the mind far more than the body; the moment physical blows landed, his mentality had snapped back from victim to warrior.
But learning his pursuer wasn't some faceless specter didn't exactly brighten his outlook.
The scheme he and Divana hatched: steal Pina's sword, sidle up to her in her moment of despair, and bend her to their will.
Stealing it had failed spectacularly. Getting caught in the act was bad enough—they'd been captured outright.
No matter how gentle Pina's nature, she wouldn't hear him out in a mess like this.
Just one option remained.
Divana scratched her head irritably from within her bauble and spoke up.
"Understood."
The young man nodded in agreement.
Best case: sweet-talk Pina into shattering the seal herself. Failing that, the backup plan would have to do.
Besides, the academy sprawled vast compared to its headcount, and students roamed freely chasing personal quests rather than rigid schedules. One or two going missing wouldn't raise eyebrows.
Shring.
His calculations complete, the young man rose smoothly and drew his blade.
"A pity, Miss Pina. I had hoped for an amicable resolution."
As Divana's contractor, her mana cloaked his form.
Unlike Balzare, who'd survived on a single copied power, Divana wielded a versatile arsenal—balanced and broad.
His physical prowess surged. His sword aura, once mere reinforcement, now manifested physical force as sword beams. Even magical talents he'd lacked blossomed within him.
Above all, unlike Marik—the utter incompetent Balzare had bound—this youth, Divana's pick, had talent enough to pass the entrance exam on his own merits.
Pina faltered, facing the young man as he assumed a poised stance, his features alight with excellence and resolve.
Half unconsciously, he anticipated her words.
Shock at why he'd do such a thing? Betrayal at being used?
Whichever, they were understandable—so he held back any excuses.
He knew full well he was the villain here. He just had goals worth the sin.
"Um, excuse me."
"Yes, Miss Pina?"
"You've got a leaf in your hair."
"...?"
"And some dirt on your cheek too."
Pina pointed to the spot on her own face.
His hand trembled as he checked the same area—and found the leaf clinging there.
He pictured himself delivering that grim, resolute line mere moments ago, leaf and all.
Pure hell.
Seized by violent shame, he charged at Pina.
Pina panicked.
It was textbook self-defense territory, but she lacked the ruthlessness to swing at a former comrade—
—Whaaaam!
Forte, swung sheathed, smashed straight into the young man's face.