I’m the Slit-Eyed Character at the Academy, but I’m not the Mastermind – Chapter 283

A child with eyes so small they were almost invisible—Zero.

That was how Dwener met Zero.

Despite his ominous appearance, which could be called the epitome of a bad impression, Dwener was not one to judge people by their looks.

Besides,

‘I enjoyed having a proper conversation after so long.’

Perhaps because he was an appointed principal, parachuted in, no one—be it students, teachers, instructors, or employees—would engage with him.

The same went for the new students. They mingled with him only until they learned about his lack of power, after which they ignored him.

But perhaps Zero had no one to inform him of such things.

“The great 18th principal of Annwood Academy, isn’t it!”

Zero looked at him with eyes full of respect, and Dwener had a meaningful conversation for the first time in a while.

Not only that, but Zero even provided great help to him.

The then-controversial ‘Missing Child, Luterus, and the Demon’s Shard incident.

By chance, Dwener got a clue to solve the case through a conversation with Zero.

‘Facing dishonor is true honor…’

It didn’t violate Duke Aziz’s instructions, so he publicized Luterus’s story and erected a statue.

The result? He received an award. An award directly bestowed by the emperor.

It was the first recognition and the first role assigned to him.

Dwener naturally came to cherish Zero.

Feeling that one is relied upon, given a role.

It was truly a joyous thing.

‘Well, it might be just this once.’

The joy that seemed to make him soar soon turned into despair.

He thought Zero would soon learn about him and stop visiting.

But that wasn’t the case. Zero continued to visit the pond and talk with him.

He treated him as a person, not just as a principal.

From then on, only good things followed, and Dwener managed to revive his almost-extinguished self-esteem.

Although it was just from a matchstick to a torch, it was enough self-esteem to carry on to the next day.

To Dwener, Zero was practically a savior.

“…”

Perhaps that was why he came to a place he originally shouldn’t have.

A battlefield, where he had to fight demons.

“Principal! What are you doing right now?”

“Get back immediately! It’s dangerous!”

The children’s warnings brought Dwener back to his senses.

“…Filthy human.”

Yes, deep in thought, he found himself standing in front of the demon.

“Haha…”

The words he said to Luna—that she could leave it to him.

Of course, it was a lie. A lie to reassure Luna.

Yet here he was, standing before the demon.

Dwener himself couldn’t understand it.

“Coming here on your own to die. Humans are incomprehensible.”

Every word, every breath from the demon emitted a sinister energy, enough to fill Dwener with terror.

Dwener’s body trembled.

He was not strong. He had wielded a spear only briefly in his youth, when his father taught him some techniques.

But.

“Come, come at me!”

Dwener thrust his spear forward threateningly.

“Don’t you dare touch my students, you filthy demon!”

“…”

Crash!

In an instant, the ground hit Dwener’s body.

“Cough…!”

Sprawled on the ground, coughing blood, Dwener realized it wasn’t the ground that hit him.

The demon’s attack had thrown him to the ground.

‘This might be the end…’

It wasn’t a joke. He felt like he was truly going to die.

He shouldn’t have stepped forward. Someone with no power, someone who had abandoned his pride, shouldn’t have stood against a demon.

‘If I just stay down… I might survive?’

Yes, just stay still.

That’s who he was. An incompetent person, one who had abandoned his pride.

Someone with no assigned role in this world, a useless person.

Just as Dwener was about to give up and close his eyes.

“Look, he’s fighting.”

“Is it true? Who is that?”

“Must be some crazy people. Well, us being here isn’t much different.”

From the hill, voices were heard.

These were children who hadn’t managed to escape immediately after Benius appeared and had been hiding nearby.

Waiting for the demon to pass, they realized someone was fighting and came over.

“Alex, Yuridia, Victoria, and Zero.”

“Rodelin is there too.”

“Wait, look over there. Isn’t that the principal?”

Dwener’s body twitched.

Not out of embarrassment, but because of the children’s foolish actions.

‘They should have run while they had the chance!’

But the children had no choice. The area was all grasslands.

Running blindly would likely get them caught by the demon, so they intended to decide after assessing the battle.

It was a sound decision, typical of Annwood Academy students.

The problem was that there were more of them than expected.

“Humans… so many like insects.”

White lightning crackled around Benius’s body.

Anyone could tell he was ready to attack. Dwener stood up and swung his spear.

Thunk.

The spear he swung with all his might was easily caught.

Trembling, Dwener shouted.

“I’m your opponent!”

Whoosh-!

Crash!!

Dwener’s body was slammed to the ground. Benius had driven the spear into the ground, and Dwener, gripping the spear tightly, was naturally slammed down.

“Cough!”

The pain made it feel like death would be a relief, but Dwener did not let go of the spear.

He got up again, staggered forward, and thrust the spear.

Benius stood still. The attack was too weak to penetrate his skin.

“Your bravery is commendable. I will spare you. Weaklings like you are more useful alive.”

Benius began to walk towards the children on the hill.

“The demon is coming this way!”

“Kyah!”

“Run, everyone!”

But Benius had to stop. Something clung to his leg.

Surprisingly, it was Dwener.

He was holding onto Benius’s leg with his entire body.

“Run away, everyone! I’ll hold this demon back!”

Dwener’s desperate shout echoed across the battlefield.

Why go to such lengths?

Demons are terrifying. Pain is dreadful.

Combining those two, getting beaten by a demon was naturally something to avoid.

As proof, tears streamed down Dwener’s face.

But Dwener chose to continue fighting.

Because.

“I am… I am the principal.”

A principal in name only, having abandoned his pride.

But even so.

He wouldn’t avoid his duties and responsibilities as a principal.

That’s who Dwener was.

“As long as I’m here, you won’t lay a finger on my students!”

Dwener’s body no longer trembled.

It was truly strange.

“…Very well, then. I will kill you first. I detest noisy bugs.”

As Benius reached out his hand.

Thwack-!

A stone hit Benius.

Thwack! Thwack-!

And there were more and more stones.

Raising his head, Dwener saw countless stones flying from the hill.

“Don’t touch our principal!”

“Principal, hang in there!”

“Run away! Let’s run together!”

Seeing Dwener fighting with all his might against the demon for their sake.

It was touching enough to boost the children’s morale.

Dwener looked up at the sky in a daze.

How long had it been since he received such support?

No, even saying ‘how long’ was strange.

Being expected by everyone. It was the first time for Dwener.

‘Maybe this is my purpose.’

To die for the children might be the reason he was born.

It didn’t matter if he died. Just.

“I will take you with me to the afterlife!”

Exchanging his worthless life for a high-ranking demon’s.

Honestly, it was a profitable trade.

Dwener took a throwing stance. To use the final secret technique passed down in the family.

Grandfather, father, and himself.

The long-lost secret technique that no one had succeeded in.

But he must do it. To save the children!

Seigan family’s ultimate technique.

“Spiral Flash Grand Wheel Fury Scythe Strike!”

Shoo-.

Thunk-.

Dwener’s old spear touched Benius and fell helplessly.

‘Did it fail…’

He thought he might succeed if he gave it his all, but reality was harsh.

Well, it was strange to think someone who didn’t put in the effort could use the ultimate technique.

Just as Dwener was about to order the children to retreat.

Boom-!

Where the spear touched Benius, a tremendous roar erupted.

Accompanied by golden lightning.

---

When Dwener, hit by the demon, stood up, I was so surprised I nearly fell.

Dwener had exhausted all his invincibility counts from [Trash’s Tenacity].

His HP was 1, and despite being hit by the demon, he didn’t die. There was only one explanation.

‘Story event?’

It was our turn now.

Even though it wasn’t Benius’s turn to attack, he attacked Dwener. It had to be a story event.

[Dwener has awakened the skill ‘Heroic Presence’.]

[All skill cooldowns and uses are reset.]

A holographic window appeared as if to confirm my thoughts.

A skill that resets all skill cooldowns and uses.

That meant the [Trash’s Tenacity] skill, which allowed survival three times, was reset.

Dwener wouldn’t die this turn.

‘…So that’s it.’

Pieces of the puzzle started falling into place in my mind.

Conquering Benius using [Absolute Defense] was impossible.

5 turns. Even excluding Benius’s final turn, considering the scene when he first appeared, [Absolute Defense] had to be used five times.

Requiring a magic stat of 500 was impossible in the early stage of the second chapter.

So the true strategy for Benius was.

‘Using Dwener as a shield.’

Using [Trash’s Tenacity] to block all Benius’s attacks and then awakening.

Designed for Dwener to endure all 5 turns alone.

In other words, Dwener was the shield. And naturally, my role was…

‘The spear.’

The spear attacking from behind a sturdy shield.

A very powerful spear equipped with ‘Adonis’s Spear’.

“As long as I’m here, you won’t lay a finger on my students!”

Dwener was a damn incompetent principal. I couldn’t even count how many times I suffered in the game because I trusted Dwener.

But this time, I had to acknowledge it.

The current Dwener, the 18th principal of Annwood Academy.

Was the most competent person there.

Woah-!

The children on the hill started throwing stones.

I checked Benius’s info window and was astonished.

[7%]

2% was reduced.

7%. This was enough.

Thud-.

A carrot rolled to my feet.

It was Rezé’s carrot.

‘…As expected, she left the battlefield.’

[Coward]

If targeted in combat, she leaves the battlefield. Instead, she leaves carrots for her comrades.

It was Rezé’s title. Since she was targeted by the full-area [Heavenly Lightning], she had no choice but to run.

‘Well, as long as she’s safe.’

Perhaps because Luna was severely injured, I felt relieved despite her escape.

Crunch.

[You have eaten a well-grown organic carrot.]

[You feel invigorated.]

[Movement range increases by 3 tiles for one turn.]

A buff perfect for the current situation.

I pulled out a cloak from the pocket dimension and put it on. It was the ‘Cloak of Silent Storm’ with the [Stealth] feature.

Attacking from [Stealth] mode significantly increases critical hit chance.

‘And it also avoids the children’s eyes.’

Although all eyes on the battlefield were on Dwener and Benius, I had to prepare for the unexpected.

I climbed the highest rock nearby.

‘That skill’ becomes more powerful the higher the altitude when used.

Activating the [Darkness] skill, black flames began to rise along the spear.

Crackle-!

Lightning and black flames began to intertwine as if devouring each other.

Although [Darkness] was an S-rank skill, it couldn’t completely engulf the lightning from Adonis’s spear.

Dwener took a throwing stance and shouted.

“Seigan family’s ultimate technique!!”

Alex, Raymon, Yuridia, Victoria, Rodelin, Luna, Rezé, and Dwener.

Everyone had created this precious opportunity.

I couldn’t afford to miss it.

“Spiral Flash Grand Wheel Fury Scythe Strike!!”

The moment Dwener threw his spear, I jumped from the rock and used the secret technique I had mimicked with [Divine Imitation].

It wasn’t from the Lucid family, the Lester family, or the Vyuern family.

The technique I was using was from another family.

The reason [Divine Imitation] is considered one of the top cheat skills in this game.

‘Even if you see only part of a technique, it’s possible to imitate it.’

Even if it’s just a second. No, even if it’s 0.005 seconds. If I see it, the option appears.

‘Would you like to imitate it?’ along with that phrase.

Yes, for example.

The skill used to pierce Benius’s body with Adonis’s spear.

As my body reached the maximum height from the jump, my waist arched like a bow.

With my chest wide open and my right arm pulled back, I felt a taut tension.

The small rotation starting from the latissimus dorsi reached the trapezius, deltoid, and biceps.

When the rotation reached my wrist, Adonis’s spear left my hand.

Emitting lightning and black flames.

Adonis’s third original technique.

Gáe Bolg.

–TL Notes–
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