The first thing I saw when I arrived at Area 4 was Yuridia, her legs trembling.
‘She looks like a newborn fawn… Huh?’
I was taken aback by the sword Yuridia was gripping with both hands.
A sword emitting ominous demonic energy, crackling like electricity.
[Ragnarok Blade].
She had already drawn the [Ragnarok Blade], a skill usually used at the end of a battle.
‘Is this the aftermath of using Demon Slave in Area 2?’
[Ragnarok Blade] is a skill that uses health instead of mana.
It’s a powerful skill, capable of taking down bosses of a similar level in one or two hits.
Her judgment wasn’t bad. The problem was her opponent.
‘Mabelga is a demon with tricky gimmicks despite its low rank.’
In reality, Mabelga was infamous as a “newbie crusher,” making players visit game forums for the first time.
It was natural for Yuridia and the protagonists to struggle against Mabelga on their first encounter.
But.
What if we joined the fray?
Ze!
Lu!
Vic!
…Short for Zero, Luna, and Victoria.
“Can I bite it to death?”
Luna, calm down. We haven’t even introduced ourselves!
“Cough, cough! Blood, blood! Everyone be careful! That filthy demon must be using tricks!”
Victoria, that’s just your weird illness!
Of course, the minor issue was that everyone except me was abnormal.
Perhaps that’s why I missed Rezé, who, despite being timid, listened well.
‘Rezé… Are you happy there? You must be, free from the clutches of the fierce cat.’
I was paying my respects to Rezé when Luna spoke.
“Our Rezé isn’t dead yet, you know? Stop making up things.”
“Keke, I guess so.”
“Pretending not to know. Even while being dragged, you left rice balls for her, didn’t you?”
Luna was right.
Even as Victoria dragged me away, I placed two academy-special rice balls next to the sleeping Rezé.
‘Two of them!’
I desperately hoped she’d recover and join us, but who knows if it would work.
Probably not, given this game.
But.
‘I’m not giving up yet.’
That’s right. I hadn’t given up on defeating Mabelga.
Not only did I know that giving up meant the end of the game,
‘That’s what challenges are about.’
If I was going to crumble here, I wouldn’t have stayed as a veteran in this game.
A game where only those who never stop challenging survive.
That’s what this game, ‘Academy Heroes,’ is about.
Well, I also had a trump card, so it should be fine.
“Demon, I’m going to bite you to death!”
“Oh~ Hohoho! Demons must be sent back to hell.”
I slid down the hill with the two beasts(?).
“Zero! You’ve come to save me!”
“It’s been a while since we fought together. Let’s do our best again.”
Raymon and Alex waved from a distance when they saw us.
“There’s another one to bite to death.”
Luna turned toward Raymon, grinding her teeth.
I lifted her by her armpits and redirected her towards the water bugs.
Wanting to fight Raymon even in this situation, that’s so Luna.
“Such reliable reinforcements. Thanks for joining us in this difficult time.”
Rodelin welcomed us. Luna looked slightly surprised, but I wasn’t.
‘I knew it.’
The main cast fixed when playing as Alex.
Rodelin, Alex, Raymon, Yuridia and Victoria.
This first battle where the main characters gather is the ‘Area 4 Battle.’
‘I was worried because of the changes in the story, but thank goodness.’
With the kinder Teron, main characters valuing me, and Dwener turned into Don Quixote.
I entered Area 4 anxiously, hoping Rodelin was there.
And she was, perfectly maintaining the story as a perfectionist.
‘Rodelin, you beautiful thing!’
I thanked Rodelin with all my heart.
“Keke, senior, you’re as beautiful as always.”
“Wh-what are you saying! This is a real battle! Stay focused if you’re here to help!”
Hmm, maybe because Luna had insulted me so much, Rodelin’s cold attitude didn’t faze me at all.
“Keke, you’ve weakened.”
“…?”
“Such a mild rebuke can’t move me. You need to be harsher!”
“…I haven’t weakened. I think you’ve become more of a pervert.”
Me, a pervert? Impossible.
If I were a pervert, everyone else in this world would be worse than me!
Wait, does that mean I’m abnormal?
That’s a sharp point. Of course, I can’t accept it.
“You pervert! How can you talk to senior like that!”
Luna bit my arm.
Yes, this is the energy I needed.
Finally, a source of motivation(?).
Stop biting! I’m bleeding!
“Victoria, you’re joining too? Unexpected.”
“Oh~ Hohohohoho! Helping each other beyond political interests, that’s the grace of Victoria.”
Not grace, but you’re helping your country’s citizens.
Victoria might be of noble blood, but she was tied to the Holy Kingdom. Her political position was irrelevant to her now.
Moreover, the Lucid family was one of the eight pillars supporting the Empire, a family of blind loyalty to the Emperor.
For Victoria, aiming for the throne, gaining points with the Lucid family was crucial.
“I don’t want special treatment as someone from another country. The academy is the academy. Treat me as a junior.”
“A junior… I see. Then I’ll gladly accept your help.”
“Looking forward to it. Oh~ Hohoho!”
Because of that, Victoria made a big mistake.
The Lucid family wouldn’t follow Victoria just because she wanted them to.
“Why aren’t you healing Yuridia already!”
“…What?”
“This is wartime! Get to healing!”
“S-So forceful! Such violent soldiers will be punished!”
At Rodelin’s command, Victoria ran to Yuridia. There was no dignity in her actions.
That’s right. The Lucid family is a noble family.
Victoria couldn’t handle them just because she wanted to.
Among them, only a few could command Rodelin, who dreamt of being a great soldier.
Duke Luke, Lucia, and perhaps me.
Feeling my gaze, Rodelin crossed her arms and glared at me.
Why? I’m not a pervert.
“What are you doing? Go fight.”
She looked sassy, crossing her arms.
Was she begging to be tormented?
No? Then what? As long as I’m having fun… no, as long as we’re all having fun, it’s fine.
“Keke, facing death… memories with you, senior, come to mind.”
“Memories…?”
Wall-slamming, petting, shortening skirts, our private secrets.
As if reading my thoughts, Rodelin blushed.
“T-this is no time for jokes! Focus on the battle!”
Focus… There was someone to deal with.
Mabelga.
Not only the mid-point target of this episode, but also a crucial fight to continue a thrilling academy life.
[Turn 22]
I defeated Balmonga on turn 20, used turn 21 to move, so this was turn 22.
“Hyaah! One Flash… no, just a normal attack!”
Luna took down a water bug with [One Flash] and looked around.
Saying skill names aloud. She’s quite dramatic.
“Hmm…?”
Rodelin tilted her head, noticing Luna’s odd behavior.
“A normal swing. Hahaha!”
Anyone could tell her words and actions were off.
As Luna fumbled, Rodelin tilted her head more.
‘Luna can’t act…’
It seemed turn 22 had to be spent diverting Rodelin’s attention.
I sighed and extended my hand toward a water bug.
Activating a skill stored in [Divine Imitation], wind energy gathered around me.
Then.
Wind Spear.
Boom-boom-boom!!
A giant spear of wind pierced two water bugs.
Seeing this, Rodelin’s jaw dropped.
Alright, let’s begin.
The climax of the Carpathia Invasion.
“Hmm…”
Rezé, lying in the field, regained consciousness.
Looking around, she didn’t see Zero or Luna.
They must have gone to Area 4, where the last demon was.
A gentle breeze rustled Rezé’s hair.
A mild wind.
A slow wind, almost neglecting its duty, yet fulfilling it.
‘My favorite wind.’
As Rezé cooled her sweat in the breeze,
Sniff-sniff.
The smell of something savory made Rezé open her eyes.
She looked around and found the source of the smell.
‘Rice balls?’
But not just any rice balls.
Savory, bursting with filling, and shiny rice grains.
They looked delicious.
Gulp.
Rezé reached for the rice balls but hesitated.
‘It’s not a trap, is it?’
No, it must be a trap.
Like a snare catching a rabbit’s hind leg, she’d be knocked out by sleeping powder.
Waking up in the middle of the battlefield, thanks to Zero, that bad boy.
‘I-I must resist…’
But Rezé’s hand was already on the rice ball.
She quickly sensed the surrounding mana. No danger detected.
Rezé took a bite.
Savory sesame and salty seasoning.
Plentiful rice grains and filling, with diced carrots.
‘A perfect rice ball…’
Feeling full, her mind cleared.
Why she collapsed.
She sensed the demon’s power in Area 4.
Her stamina was drained from fear, causing her to faint.
“…”
Tears fell onto the rice ball.
Rezé’s tears.
“Waaa…”
She wanted to help her friends.
To protect, not just be protected.
To attend the academy with Luna.
‘It was impossible from the start.’
For someone weak like her, having friends was a luxury.
Luna, who reached out to a scared girl.
She wanted to help, but it was impossible.
‘Should I go back home…’
Then, the gentle breeze blew again.
A mild breeze, almost neglecting its duty, yet fulfilling it.
‘If only I, too, could be of help to someone…’
“…”
Chomp-chomp.
Rezé stuffed the rice ball into her mouth.
Tears made it hard to swallow.
But she managed to eat one rice ball.
Then,
Tap-tap-tap!
Rezé started running across the field.
Towards Area 4.
With each step, the demonic energy thickened.
She felt like she was running into hell.
Terrified, wanting to turn back.
She might faint again.
But for now,
‘I’ll do my best.’
Rezé started running. Facing her lifelong fear.
–TL Notes–
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