Chapter 144 — Preparing to Break Down the Wall

1

The group led by Manus swiftly advanced to the 4th floor.

They meticulously defeated every Demon they encountered, gathering magic stones and artifacts along the way.

Nia, who would be in her final year next year, had to focus on her grades.

Guillermo, too, needed to keep his academic performance in mind.

They were always thirsty for more strength.

Manus was no different.

Already, countless variables had emerged, and the bosses had begun to unleash unexpected patterns.

‘While it’s good to be strong alone… we need to grow together.’

As the game progressed, there were moments when a specific character became absolutely essential.

Characters needed to be sufficiently developed, or they risked dying before even reaching certain areas.

Moreover, the game’s cruel reality was that a complete death meant permanent removal of the character.

In that case, the save file became unusable.

Once players became aware of this, they began to focus on developing all characters equally.

“Ugh, I’m so tired. How much farther are we going today?”

“We’re out of time.”

“Yeah, I guess we should stop here.”

Manus nodded.

They were running low on mana, and they had completely exhausted their potions.

If they weren’t the children of nobles, they wouldn’t have even had those resources.

And they had to conserve enough energy to make it back, so unless they planned on taking down a guardian, it was better to stop here.

“Let’s adjust to this place during the week, and then we’ll head out to hunt the guardian.”

“Sounds good. In the meantime, let’s absorb as many magic stones as possible.”

There was much to prepare.

The first guardian of the second area wouldn’t be an easy foe.

They would need to become even stronger.

The battles with the Demons would serve as invaluable experience.

2

Throughout the week, the League was in full swing.

Today again, Manus continued his streak of victories with Elena and Aiden.

They were the only team maintaining a perfect record, something even Santo Leo’s group had not achieved.

The matches themselves were overwhelmingly one-sided.

Manus, who skillfully combined Matuak and elemental magic, appeared invincible.

His cooperation with Aiden, in particular, was nothing short of brilliant.

Even though Aiden didn’t have any special abilities on his own, everything changed when he teamed up with Manus.

“Whoa—! Isn’t this a bit too much?!”

“Dieee—!”

Aiden deflected the attack with his shield, letting out a wry smile.

Yeah, he’d be really pissed off too if he were in their shoes.

But saying “die” was a bit much, wasn’t it? They were classmates, after all.

“Saying you want me dead is a bit harsh, don’t you think?”

Crack—!

He parried the sword with his shield and then charged forward.

Manus seized the opening and unleashed a dazzling roundhouse kick.

Wham—!

With a sickening crack, the opponent’s helmet flew off.

A third-year student foamed at the mouth and was forcibly removed from the field by the barrier.

The giant mana-powered foot had struck the temple with such force that a concussion wouldn’t be surprising.

The remaining guardian tried to retreat in haste.

[Necto]

“Where do you think you’re going?”

His ankle was caught tight.

With his stance compromised, Aiden’s shield came crashing down on him.

In the end, the opposing guardian couldn’t do anything.

While Elena toyed with the enemy mage, Manus provided covering fire.

[Fulgetra]

It was a lightning spell known for being the fastest in one-on-one combat.

The lightning bolt struck the mage’s chest, spreading out horizontally.

“Gahhhh—!”

“Oh, that one must’ve hurt.”

Elena was impressed.

It was indeed a devastating attack.

The protective barrier was among the sturdier ones.

In a real battle, their opponents would have even more formidable defenses.

Manus had pierced through the safety mechanism designed for real combat with ease.

Even if it was a 3rd-Class spell, the power was overwhelming.

Professor Cael observed Manus’s magic closely.

‘Indeed, the power is extraordinary.’

“Hey, is he alright?”

“Ugh… Yes, he’s alive.”

Fortunately, it didn’t seem like there were any serious injuries.

The match ended then and there.

With no options left, the last remaining guardian raised his hands in surrender.

Professor Cael declared the match over, and D-Team continued to accumulate victory points.

The assistant watching all of this turned pale.

The flash of lightning they had just witnessed—.

There was no way that was a 3rd-Class spell.

“Professor.”

“Yes? What is it?”

“That last spell… it seemed like it crossed the line.”

Professor Cael scratched her chin thoughtfully.

Indeed, the power had been remarkable.

“It looked like 3rd-Class to me. It’s just that the kid’s mana control is exceptional.”

“Hmm… I see.”

The assistant backed down.

But he had gained a hint from the professor’s words.

A clue on how to chip away at the towering wall that was Manus’s overwhelming skill.

Caesar Manus.

There had to be those who couldn’t stand the sight of such a monstrous talent without a single weakness.

A prestigious family?

Even better.

The more luxurious and high-quality an item, the more its value plummeted with just a single scratch.

‘I really can’t stand that arrogance.’

There’s always someone like that.

Someone who gets envious when others do well.

Someone who won’t be satisfied until they find a way to mar that flawless image.

Perhaps he wasn’t always like this.

But the events of the past few months had mentally worn him down.

It was a time when everything looked bleak.

“You’ve all done well today. That’s it for today’s class. Assistant, did you finish the arrangements?”

“Yes, everything’s done.”

“Then take it to my office.”

As the professor wrapped up the class, she walked over to Manus.

It had only been a day, but she was certain that he had read it by now.

So she subtly inquired.

“Manus. How’s it going with that?”

“I’m still reading it.”

“Hoho, take your time. I’m in no rush.”

Manus nodded slightly and then moved on to his next class.

The assistant watched from a distance, biting his lip as he turned away.

The world is unfair.

He knew that all too well.

But he was the assistant favored by the professor.

Professor Cael used him like a slave, not as someone she cherished.

‘That second-year brat…’

Seeing her attempt to pass on her knowledge to a still-green upstart filled him with disgust.

He had rightfully earned his position as her assistant.

He couldn’t let someone unworthy steal it from him.

To do that, he needed to draw Professor Cael’s attention back to him.

The first step was to tarnish Caesar’s reputation.

How should he go about it?

‘Yes, maybe I should visit that girl.’

There had been a scandal not long ago.

How had that girl managed to smuggle in prohibited substances?

If he started from there, he might be able to bring his plan to fruition.

The assistant quickened his pace.

There was much to be done.

And with so much to prepare, there was no time to waste.

His hurried steps became even more discreet.

“Just wait and see.”

How many people held a grudge against the great Caesar?

He hoped there were many.

So many that they would thoroughly demolish that wall.

So thoroughly that Caesar would never shine again in this academy.

3

Livy had been enjoying a rather peaceful life lately.

After enduring an unbearable ordeal she’d rather not think about, she had spent the last month trying to forget it.

Now, she was living a quiet life, fulfilling Melanie’s requests.

It wasn’t a bad way to spend her days.

Though she was still stuck in Class B, her talent was undeniable.

However, there were times when some clueless commoners would bother her.

She had gotten involved with them somehow, so it was her problem to deal with.

“Is Livy here?”

“I’m Livy.”

The assistant who approached her after the League match was over.

She had never seen him before.

If it weren’t for the assistant band on his arm, she wouldn’t have known who he was.

He was that ordinary, the type who seemed like he’d just keep to himself.

The assistant confirmed her identity and handed her something.

A small bottle.

It was nothing more than an energy drink, something to help with fatigue.

“Oh… thank you.”

“I’d like to have a chat with you, in a quieter place… Do you have time?”

“Yes, I suppose I do…”

“Then, this way.”

Livy was curious why the assistant had suddenly sought her out.

There shouldn’t have been any reason for him to.

Suppressing her curiosity, she followed him to his office.

“Please, have a seat.”

“…Alright.”

While she sat quietly, the assistant took care of various tasks.

It took less than three minutes for him to handle the tasks assigned by Professor Cael and take a seat.

During that time, Livy was getting a new experience, taking in the neatly arranged assistant’s office.

So this is the kind of room assistants use.

In a place like this, I could sit alone and study quietly.

If I graduate with high marks, the professor will personally choose me, right?

And I’ll inherit their knowledge…

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“Oh, it’s fine.”

The assistant’s voice, which snapped her out of her thoughts, was gentle.

Livy felt at ease as she listened to him.

But it took less than 10 seconds for that sense of comfort to shatter.

“I’d like to talk about the substance you retrieved during the incident involving Melanie.”

“Huh… What?”

She must have heard wrong.

The calm feeling she had instantly plummeted.

How much had she lost because of that one mistake?

She had sworn never to do anything so reckless again.

No, she couldn’t even do it anymore, even if she wanted to.

Her heart, which had been beating calmly, suddenly began to race uncontrollably.

Why?

Why was an assistant bringing up her past mistake?

“W-what do you mean?”

“I know that you brought in a prohibited substance. The professors may have let it slide, but… I have my own reasons.”

“…”

If this got out, she and everyone connected to the incident would be finished.

Disgraceful expulsion.

The fastest way to ruin her future was right in front of her.

Livy bit her lip.

Her mind was in turmoil.

Dark thoughts swirled through her head.

The assistant continued to speak, seemingly trying to reassure her with his soft, kind tone.

“Oh, don’t worry. I’m not here to harm you, Livy. I just want to know where it came from.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. If a first-year could obtain it, it means there’s little risk of exposure, and no connections to worry about.”

“You’re really not going to do anything to me?”

The assistant nodded repeatedly.

It wasn’t difficult to share the information.

But what did he plan to do with it?

Suppressing her curiosity, she spoke.

“If I tell you… then you and I will be strangers from now on.”

“Of course. Oh, there’s one more thing I’m curious about—.”

Their conversation grew bolder.

The assistant hid his true intentions, and Livy simply passed on the information.

They spoke calmly and amicably.

But their true motives were far from innocent.

–TL Notes–
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