I’m the Slit-Eyed Character at the Academy, but I’m not the Mastermind – Chapter 423

“Th-The Dark Beast Squad!?”

The kids fell into confusion.

Since the Dark Beast Squad’s appearance, there had been countless speculations about them.

An unidentified group, the Empire’s test subjects, senile old men, perverts (?)—all kinds of theories.

Speculation and rumors where no one could tell right from wrong. But there was one thing everyone agreed on.

‘They’re stronger than the instructors, right?’

‘Yeah. Probably couldn’t beat them even if we combined all the instructors.’

‘Is each one that skilled? Or all three combined?’

‘Must be all three combined, right? An individual being as skilled as Professor Caron—that doesn’t make sense.’

Caron’s reminder to call him or Lowell if they encountered the Dark Beast Squad.

It was enough to stimulate the kids’ imaginations.

“But there was no one like him in the intel.”

“Must be a new member. But it’s strange, isn’t it? After the snake, cat, and rabbit masks, now a simple mask? Why isn’t he wearing an animal mask?”

“He must be fake. He’s definitely trying to use their reputation to escape this situation!”

One kid’s claim that a knight was pretending to be part of the Dark Beast Squad.

Just as kids who found it plausible were supporting that claim—

CRACKLE—!!

Golden lightning struck around Adonis.

Only then did everyone shut their mouths.

To create thunder and lightning with mana—it far transcended the standards of the strong.

“A 9-star… knight?”

“…I’ve never seen one before.”

“Ha, to think our luck was this rotten.”

“I was going to confess to her after this fight ended!”

“Don’t raise death flags!”

The kids fell into confusion. The instructors and knights were the same, they just weren’t showing it.

Only Victoria wore an indifferent expression.

‘She must have noticed.’

Converting mana into thunder and lightning wasn’t something just anyone could do.

Especially if it was golden lightning.

“Ah, sorry about that. I lost my mask, you see. Could you call me the Squirrel Mask instead?”

…Squirrel?

Well, considering just his build, the squirrel did suit him well.

The problem was that it actually shot real lightning.

Luna pressed close to me and whispered.

“Know him?”

“Yes, well… I know him.”

“Hmph~ Introduce me next time. I need to establish the hierarchy.”

Well, if you underestimate the squirrel, you’ll get hurt badly, you know?

But why is that old geezer pulling such an eccentric stunt?

Did he actually get dementia?

“Ash, what do we do?”

“Both Professor Caron and Lady Lowell are down below. Requesting support is impossible.”

“Let’s retreat. We have to save the kids.”

“…Wait a moment. Excuse me! Squirrel Mask… sir?”

Ash tacked on honorifics at the end. Adonis tilted his head and responded.

“What?”

“Why did you come here?”

“To help.”

“…Which side?”

“We’re apostles of justice. So the side I should stand on seems clear.”

Color returned to Ash’s face. They received confirmation that he was on our side.

“You believe what he said?”

“Not 100%. But as long as he doesn’t antagonize us, that’s enough. His claim of being an apostle of justice has some credibility too.”

What happened during Dolores’s rescue hadn’t been shared with the instructors either.

But just the fact that Lowell, Rodelin, and Dolores had survived showed that the Dark Beast Squad weren’t bad people.

Of course, they were more likely just crazy people playing at justice.

“What about those guys?”

Ron pointed with his finger to one corner. It was Pjol, Bickerd, and Redington.

Their entrance had been impressive, but with the Squirrel Mask’s appearance, they’d become like decorative sacks of barley.

“Looks like they came to their senses late. Well, it’s already too late for regrets… but it’s not a bad situation for us.”

The enemy of my enemy is my ally, after all.

Having finished their thoughts, Ash shouted.

“I don’t know what’s going on… but don’t let either side approach! If they’re really on our side, they won’t try to approach us either!”

They wouldn’t want a knife in the back either.

Conversation could wait until after subduing the knights before us.

Once the situation was sorted out, the kids’ eyes gleamed. Meanwhile, the knights had fallen into great confusion.

First, their charging formation had collapsed.

“We’re surrounded!”

“Damn it!”

“Formation first! You five on the instructors, you four on those traitors, and for Squirrel Mask… damn it!”

Nine were already gone.

Even if the opponents were students, it was a platoon of over twenty.

Breaking through with only eight remaining would take too long. More than anything, Squirrel Mask was the problem.

“We break through the front! As for Squirrel Mask… deal with him as the situation demands!”

“The enemy is in disarray! Just hold on! When reinforcements arrive, victory is ours!”

WAAAAH—!!

With roars from both sides, battle commenced. The first to clash were three instructors and five knights.

“We need to finish this as quickly as possible!”

“You’re the ones getting finished!”

The remaining knights rushed past them. The instructors didn’t stop them.

They knew well that quickly eliminating the knights before them was actually the better way to protect the students.

“Everyone, stop! We’re knights! What good is killing kids!”

“Shut up! You traitors! We’ll kill you too!”

Four knights engaged Pjol, Bickerd, and Redington.

Eight knights remained. They were the ones facing us students.

Fwish-fwish-fwoom—!

BOOM!!

A rain of arrows followed by exploding flame magic.

But it only managed to take down one person.

“Tch! Even rotten knights are still knights!”

“Haaah!”

A knight with an arrow embedded in his forearm swung his sword at us.

A blade wrapped in aura. Not something I could handle while hiding my abilities. Luna definitely couldn’t either.

But it was fine. Because we had—

‘Him.’

“Keke, dear Raymon. Your turn.”

“Wh-what? What do you… kyaaa!”

I kicked Raymon’s rear.

Raymon sacrificing himself (?) for us. But there was nothing to worry about.

CLANG!

“Ugh, ughhh! My hands are numb…”

“…!! How did you block my aura!”

“I-I can use it a little too. J-just on the blade though.”

“With just that much, you couldn’t possibly block my aura…!”

CLANG! Clang-clang!

Sparks of aura flew in all directions. Most of it was Raymon’s aura.

But the sword didn’t break. No, the blade portion wasn’t damaged at all.

It was because of Raymon’s genius-level evasion ability.

“Th-this is impossible!”

“A-anyone can do this much. E-everyone except grandfather can!”

“I’m not a grandfather! I’m a handsome middle-aged man! Ugh…!”

Alex’s First Original Secret Technique.

Hungry Wolf.

Lester Family Style First Secret Technique.

One Flash.

“Kugh!”

Clean strikes from Alex and Luna.

The knight coughed up blood and collapsed.

“Keke, doesn’t look like he’s dead. His armor must be sturdy.”

“No need to kill them anyway. Zero! Behind you…!”

BOOM—!!

“KYAAAAH!”

The knight aiming for my back went flying into the distance. It was because of Rezé’s bombardment.

I almost died. Not from the knight, but from Rezé’s bombardment!

“Keke, was that intentional?”

“No way! Don’t let your guard down! Never leave my side!”

Luna pressed her back against mine. Then Raymon pushed in and leaned his back, and Alex leaned in as if he didn’t want to be left out either.

A position where we could react no matter where the enemy came from.

‘This is the power of numbers.’

There’s no defense against ganging up.

The other groups’ situations weren’t much different from ours.

Multiple students faced one knight. With rear support, they could hold their own even against aura-wrapped swords.

“Ah!”

“Look out!”

Of course, since the opponents were battle-hardened knights, they couldn’t defend perfectly.

A student who lost their weapon to aura fell, and someone tripped over them and tumbled on top.

“Die!”

With aura, cutting down two people was nothing.

The knight raised his sword.

A crisis. But there was no need to worry.

CLANG!!

“Ugh!”

The knight about to swing suddenly clutched his waist.

“Kugh… wh-what is this…”

Dented full plate mail. Something dropped from that spot with a thud.

“A rock…?”

A fist-sized rock. Golden lightning crackled from it.

That’s right. We had Adonis… no, Lightning Squirrel.

“It’s a rare opportunity to fight an opponent much stronger than yourself. These kids will grow tremendously.”

CLANG!!

“Guh!”

Another knight slumped down. He’d taken a rock to the thigh.

“I-is he really on our side?”

“Seems like it?”

“If a 9-star knight is on our side… we don’t need to be scared!”

WOOOOOH—!!

Perhaps because safety was secured, the kids actually began pressing the knights.

I pushed Raymon back toward a knight and assessed the numbers.

‘Either way, it’s proceeding according to the story.’

The real stage wasn’t here, but below.

And the condition for the next story to progress was ten knights falling, and pursuing Rodelin.

I confirmed Rodelin’s position with my eyes.

The distance was considerable, but it wasn’t difficult to know what situation they were in, what conversation they were having.

Because it was an event I’d experienced tens of thousands of times.

“For a knight to do such things! Have you no shame!”

“What does a brat like you know! Die!”

“Kugh…!”

Rodelin was being pushed back due to insufficient aura.

The knight’s sword gradually pushed into Rodelin’s blade, aiming for her neck, when—

CLANG!

“Guh!”

The knight collapsed. A dented helmet. A rock had taken its place.

Adonis stood atop the rock. Below him, Rodeline offered a solemn bow, lowering her head and bending at the waist.

“Thank you for your help.”

“You’re a well-mannered child. It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.”

“Where are your companions? Are they below?”

Rodelin’s eyes gleamed. Though they were an unidentified group, it was certain they’d helped both last time and this time.

The snake, cat, and rabbit masks. If they were down below, there was no need to worry about Lowell’s life.

Rodelin’s eyes full of hope.

But Adonis couldn’t answer. Because he didn’t know them at all.

“Could be, could not be. We’re a group that guarantees individual freedom, you see.”

“I see…”

Rodelin looked disappointed. Seeing that, Adonis smiled inwardly.

‘The youngest of the Lucid family… a talented individual. But what about her spirit?’

“I roughly understand your situation. You’re worried about your sister.”

“Since we’re family, isn’t that natural?”

“That’s right. But is that the right thing in the current situation?”

As Adonis turned his gaze to the distance, Rodelin’s eyes followed.

Bloody battles were unfolding everywhere, and many lay groaning after falling.

Having thrown a rock to save one student, Adonis spoke again.

“Life is a series of choices. And right now, you have two paths before you.”

Abandon your comrades and juniors to go save your family.

Or abandon your family to save your comrades.

Most people would probably choose family. Not only because that’s what family is, but also because there was a powerful ally here—Adonis.

Even without her, the comrades wouldn’t be in danger.

However—

“If you go down to save your family, I won’t save those kids anymore.”

“What?”

“I’m telling you to choose.”

Family or comrades in arms.

Thump!

Rodelin’s heart sank, and—

Adonis’s test began.

–TL Notes–
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