Chapter 155 — It Doesn’t Make Sense Logically

1

Thinking back to school days, it was unthinkable for a first-year student to challenge a second-year.

Just a single grade apart.

Maybe even less than a year’s difference in age.

Looking back, it might have seemed like petty squabbles between kids, but back then, it was genuinely terrifying.

It was the same at Mythos Academy.

If anything, it was even worse than what Manus remembered from his own experience.

This wasn’t an ordinary world without any powers; it was a fantasy world with mana and supernatural abilities.

“Enough with the useless chatter. Get ready for the match.”

Had Assistant Chesthip not intervened, Manus might have thrown the first punch.

His provocation had worked beautifully.

He was the tyrant.

A troublemaker who showed no mercy, whether dealing with seniors or juniors.

Assistant Chesthip sighed quietly to himself.

He had deliberately drawn things out, but those fools had failed to seize the opportunity.

Sigh—

After checking the barrier and safety devices, he picked up the whistle.

‘All they did was make him angrier. And yet…’

He could feel the overwhelming mana building up.

He knew.

Manus’s current power was real.

It wasn’t the result of any drugs or forbidden techniques, but purely from talent and hard work.

For some reason, a sense of unease began to creep in.

Every time he met those blue eyes, he felt like everything was being exposed, and it was deeply unsettling.

This feeling likely stemmed from a deep-seated anxiety.

“Begin the match!”

Peeeeeep—

The whistle blew, loudly announcing the start of the match, as if to dispel his unease.

Three matches were lined up back-to-back.

They said that doing well here could raise your rank, right?

Chesthip crossed his arms and watched the match.

Would he really go all out with illegal drug suspicions hanging over him?

Wouldn’t that just invite more distrust and suspicion?

Simple thoughts lead to simple actions.

He didn’t understand Manus at all.

“What the—?! This crazy—?!”

As soon as the match started, Manus lunged forward.

Before Elena or Aden could stop him, Manus charged ahead.

It was his opponents who were caught off guard.

A mage rushing forward?

And without casting a single spell?

Their surprise was brief as a student from the Eagle Class, who had been grinding his teeth, raised his sword.

“You’ve lost your mind, haven’t you?”

He planned to use Manus’s momentum against him.

A professor’s lesson vividly replayed in his mind: a swordsman must always be ready to counter an approaching enemy.

So he swung his sword.

Gripping the hilt with both hands, he planted his feet firmly to maintain his balance.

By utilizing his waist and shoulders, he would execute a powerful slash in perfect form.

With added mana, his opponent wouldn’t even know what hit him before he died instantly.

“Hyaaah—!”

His opponent was Manus!

He struck with enough mana to retire that arrogant brat in one blow.

But as he completed his movement, what he saw was the terrifyingly cold, blazing blue eyes of Manus.

Eyes that had dodged his sword and now stared at him with a chilling expression.

Boom—!

Suddenly, his vision turned black.

What just happened?

Before his eyes, an array of dazzling colors danced like a dream, leaving him in a daze.

“…up! …up, damn it!”

What…?

Now that I think about it, I’m sure—

“Ugh?!”

“Are you okay? How can you call yourself a warrior and get knocked out with one hit?”

“Knocked out… I was knocked out?”

His consciousness surged back suddenly, like breaking the surface after being submerged underwater.

When he came to, he found himself lying outside the arena.

What the hell happened?

“What kind of warrior gets taken down with one blow? Look over there.”

Boom!

He turned his head toward the source of the explosion.

There, he saw his teammates being utterly destroyed.

Manus was simultaneously casting defensive spells and launching attacks with his fists.

He nullified magic and retaliated with double-casting.

On top of that, he was battering the guardian’s shield with exceptional martial skills.

Is this something an ordinary mage could do?

What was happening defied all logic.

“…Monster.”

“I knew he was amazing, but…”

The muttered words of the assistant barely reached the ears of the Eagle Class student.

Watching with serious eyes, it was clear that the assistant was genuinely impressed.

The student, who had been knocked out with one hit, scrambled to his feet and protested to the assistant.

“This doesn’t make sense! He must have taken some additional drugs!”

“Quiet. It’s not up to us to make that judgment.”

If that were the case, the professors would take care of it.

Hearing the assistant’s words, the student had to suppress his frustration.

One hit?

A third-year like me?

‘It’s wrong, something’s definitely wrong.’

He looked at Manus with eyes filled with awe.

A mage who wielded overwhelming violence.

A perfect mage who freely combined physical combat and magic.

Manus single-handedly took down three third-year students.

And that wasn’t all.

He even cast healing spells within the limits of the safety device.

A truly tyrannical display of cruelty.

“S-stop, stop! I yield—”

“Don’t say that; it means I can’t hit you anymore. Shut up.”

“…Shouldn’t we stop him?”

Aden asked, but Elena snorted.

“Leave him be. They asked for it, didn’t they? They deserve to be beaten.”

The match wouldn’t be stopped unless they declared surrender.

Manus took full advantage of that fact, relentlessly assaulting the two third-year students.

If this had taken place outside the arena, their lives would have likely been forfeit by now.

They should be grateful for the safety devices.

And that this was Mythos Academy.

And that the professors and assistants were watching.

Otherwise, they would never have stood up again.

“Enough! The match is over—! Everyone stop!”

Finally, Assistant Chesthip couldn’t take it any longer and entered the barrier to stop the match.

Manus, who had grabbed the guardian by the collar and raised his fist, tossed him aside like a rag doll.

“A mage being so brutish… No, let’s just get ready for the next match.”

“-Fine.”

Manus quietly turned and walked out of the arena.

The two remaining students briefly stared at the wrecked arena.

They exchanged glances and spoke.

“He was definitely angry, right?”

“Looks like it.”

“…Let’s just get down.”

“Yeah.”

All Elena and Aden could do was avoid provoking Manus any further.

2

While the matches were in full swing, in the Caeser Duchy.

Wei Zhan, the one who assisted in filtering and making decisions about the affairs of the duchy, received a letter.

Given the academy’s seal on it, it must be related to Young Master Manus.

She was curious about its contents, but she couldn’t read it herself.

Anything regarding the young master had to be read by the Duke first.

He had just finished his meal and was strolling through the garden, spreading his mana.

A truly mysterious way of training with mana.

‘It’s always a fascinating sight.’

The flowers in the garden began to bloom in full, then withered again.

How many people could control the life cycle of living things like this?

His mana revived the wilted flowers and plants.

The Duke of Caeser.

Only Labeth, the master of magic, could perform such training.

After completing this process, Labeth turned his head to look at Wei.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“It’s nothing. I wouldn’t dare interrupt your training.”

“What’s the matter?”

“A letter arrived from the academy. It seems to be about Young Master Manus.”

Labeth extended his hand.

The letter in Wei’s hand floated over to him.

The letter hovered in the air as Labeth quietly read it.

Fwoosh—

The letter ignited in a burst of mana, and Labeth turned around.

His expression remained calm, but the surrounding mana began to ripple.

“…Bring my daughter here.”

“Understood, Your Grace.”

Wei noticed it.

Labeth’s usually emotionless mana was now fluctuating.

This must mean something had happened at the academy.

Could it be that Young Master Manus caused trouble again?

But that couldn’t be.

So why was the Duke so upset?

She had been by his side for quite a long time.

‘What in the world happened?’

Curiosity filled her mind, but she had a task to complete.

The Duke’s orders were absolute.

According to his command, she needed to fetch the Lady, who was likely at the Magic Tower.

The Duke’s mana had never been so twisted before.

If he was calling for the Lady, this must be something important.

It was Invidea, who had just graduated from the academy not long ago.

“Since she graduated recently, she should know the academy well.”

Her pace quickened.

The Magic Tower was bustling as always.

It seemed the investigation into the Dire Order had gained momentum, as the number of busy people had increased.

Those who recognized Wei bowed their heads, and she quickly returned their greetings as she hurried on.

Finally, she reached the 55th floor of the tower.

“…It seems rather quiet.”

“Yes. We still can’t get a lead.”

“If we can’t find anything with our information network… Ah, Wei. What brings you here?”

Invidea, who had been in the middle of a discussion, paused when she saw Wei.

Her presence meant that her father was calling for her.

Wei bowed and apologized for the interruption.

The mages, filled with curiosity, exchanged glances as they observed the two women.

“Sorry to interrupt the meeting, but His Grace has summoned you urgently.”

“I see. I’ll be right there.”

“I’ll wait for you outside.”

After a while, Invidea finished tidying up and stood before Wei.

They walked side by side, speaking in hushed tones.

“What’s going on? For Father to summon me urgently?”

“It seems something happened at the academy.”

“At the academy?”

Did Manus…?

She suddenly wondered if that boy had caused trouble again.

But then she reminded herself that things had changed and asked again.

Had someone been bothering Manus?

“Has Manus gotten into trouble with another noble family?”

“Haha, no way. You’ve seen how much he’s changed.”

“That’s true. Let’s hurry.”

Their pace naturally quickened.

It wasn’t far to where Duke Labeth was, and Wei knocked on the ornately decorated door.

“Your Grace, I’ve brought the Lady.”

“Enter.”

A calm yet firm voice, infused with deep mana, called out.

Something was definitely going on.

As they entered, they saw Labeth, his expression serene.

However, the atmosphere around him was distinctly different.

Invidea cautiously stepped forward.

Labeth smiled warmly at his daughter.

“It seems Manus is being falsely accused. There’s a suspicion that he used Black Rum.”

“-What?!”

Seeing Invidea’s shock, the Duke of Caeser smiled faintly.

He slowly explained why he had called for her.

“Go to the academy and serve as his advocate. Clear your brother’s name and find out who dared to slight the Caesers.”

“Of course. Leave it to me.”

She had said before that she would raise Manus to be the strongest mage.

She knew he would grow strong on his own, but she hadn’t expected a situation to arise so quickly.

Invidea smiled.

Now, it was time to keep her promise.

–TL Notes–
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