I Got a Fake Job at the Academy Chapter "586"

"So it was you! You were that man from back then!"

Verom shouted roughly as he swung his sword in a large arc.

Following the trajectory, high-density crimson energy erupted and swept through the surrounding area like a blizzard.

The range was so wide that the empty houses scattered around collapsed like they had been hit by a typhoon.

It was fortunate that Gabriel’s hideout was located in a remote area; otherwise, there would have been trendous casualties.

Rudger dove into that storm-like power and reached Verom's front without sustaining any wounds.

Seeing this, Verom's eyes narrowed behind his helt.

'What kind of movent was that?'

The unbelievable movent Rudger had just demonstrated delivered a great shock to Verom.

First Order [John Doe].

A First Order specialized in infiltration, disguise, assassination, and covert operations, and one who received the Zero Order's favor.

He never tried to befriend any of the other First Orders and had a nasty personality, so Verom didn't particularly feel any affinity towards him.

He rely thought that since he was favored and used by the Zero Order, he must be extrely useful.

But what was this display just now?

He was no ordinary mage.

Verom was firmly aware of this fact.

'But what was that movent just now? It doesn't seem like a mage. Even War Mages don't move like that.'

Even knights wouldn't be able to avoid his attack so easily.

Each of Rudger's movents was infused with countless experiences.

It was then that Verom's armor trembled.

"Hmm."

Verom calmly composed himself and swung his sword at Rudger, who had approached closely.

If he had approached, then all he had to do was fight accordingly.

-Clang!

The black sword and sword stick collided, sending sparks flying.

The shockwave spread, causing wind to swirl in all directions.

In the darkness that descended as all the gas lamps flew away, the shadow man wearing a crow mask and the black knight danced a sword dance.

-Clang clang clang clang!

Each ti their swords collided, light flashed, and their figures appeared quickly in the darkness before dispersing like afterimages.

From outward appearances, the fight seed evenly matched.

But if soone with discerning eyes had examined this scene more closely, they would have noticed that Verom was at a disadvantage.

Despite Verom's superior build and weapon size, the fight was equal.

It was strange from the start that Rudger, a mage, could create such a scene.

Verom knew this, so he calmly assessed the situation internally.

'To easily block my great sword with that thin sword stick. Even if it's not an ordinary weapon, is his body able to withstand it? Even with magical reinforcent, there should be limits.'

Moreover, the swordsmanship Rudger displayed was clearly not at a level that a mage could reach by rely observing.

It was swordsmanship that only soone who had held a sword for at least 30 years could achieve.

Rudger had already demonstrated more than five similar styles of swordsmanship.

When he saw the sixth style, Verom lanted inwardly.

'It feels like I'm fighting against different people one after another.'

Just when he started adapting to Rudger's movents, they would change.

And just when he adapted again, the movents would change once more, as if toying with him.

Rudger had experienced countless dreams induced by Nirva, and within those dreams, he had lived more than a thousand lives.

Although most of those experiences had evaporated and disappeared, intense mories and experiences still remained with Rudger.

And typically, what could be called intense mories were those of people who had special experiences.

Those who had undergone struggles and wars.

Rudger had acquired all their techniques and embodied them as his own.

There was no need to learn anything.

He simply beca able to do it.

The reason Verom could hold his ground against Rudger was because of the black sword he possessed and the armor he wore.

Judging that this wouldn't work, Verom twisted his upper body and spun like a top, swinging his sword.

-Whoosh!

Crimson slashes swirled outward from Verom like a vortex.

Rudger dove under the shadows and appeared in a distant location.

The place where the two had been fighting just monts ago was completely destroyed, as if it had been subjected to concentrated bombardnt.

"You're strong. As expected."

Verom readjusted his grip on his sword while looking at Rudger.

At that mont, he felt a stinging sensation on his shoulder.

Looking down at his left shoulder, he saw that the solid armor was split open.

'When did that happen?'

Could it be that he had taken a hit during that brief mont when he was preparing his big attack?

Verom stared at Rudger with an even calr gaze.

Rudger stood still, holding his sword stick at a slant.

Rather than feeling angry at that composed appearance, Verom felt a chill down his spine.

Behind that seemingly arrogant deanor was the confidence that he could win this fight.

In fact, he had been consistently pushed back and had even taken a hit.

'Moreover, the opponent's true power is as a mage. If he starts using magic in earnest...'

Verom quietly sighed at the gloomy future that ca to mind.

"While I didn't co here lightly, given the situation, I have no choice but to give it my all."

As soon as Verom muttered these words, his armor began to change.

-Crackle.

Red, worm-like tendrils erged from the split section of the shoulder plate.

The writhing tendrils quickly attached to the opposite side of the split and sealed the two parts together.

Rudger's eyes widened slightly at the sight.

'The armor regenerated?'

It wasn't as if ti had been reversed; rather, it moved and attached like a living organism.

"I thought it wasn't ordinary armor, but it's a more horrific item than I imagined."

"That's right. It's a truly horrific item."

Verom let out a low laugh, agreeing with the statent.

The emotion embedded in that laugh was close to self-mockery.

"It's not called a cursed relic for nothing. This is not sothing one can control."

"A living armor. Living armor."

Rudger realized the identity of the relic that had granted Verom such strong power.

It grants the wearer imnse power, but in return, binds them to an irrevocable curse, eternally shackling them to the armor.

Moreover, judging by Verom's reaction, he seed to have strong doubts about his situation.

"Was your deal with Nikolai to remove that armor?"

"......"

Verom didn't answer.

But as the saying goes, silence is often affirmation, and Rudger's guess was essentially the truth.

"Is there sothing wrong with a person struggling to break free from shackles?"

"No, there isn't. I would have made the sa choice."

Living armor is more like being worn by it rather than wearing it.

Once worn, it cannot be removed. One must wear the armor at all tis - while sleeping, eating, and even when attending to other bodily functions.

One might gain imnse power, but what good is that?

From small daily tasks to most normal activities, one can't perform them normally.

Moreover, as evident from his speech, the living armor even forces behavior and speech patterns completely different from one's own personality.

But what drives the wearer to madness the most is the fact that they must remain imprisoned in the armor until death.

"I don't think Nikolai knows how to remove the living armor."

"Still, I have to try. That half-doubtful information is all I have left now."

Why does a drowning person grasp at straws?

It's not because grabbing them will significantly improve the situation, but because it's unbearable not to try.

Verom was the sa.

Nikolai is suspicious, untrustworthy, and has a foul personality, making him an undesirable companion.

But this faint ray of hope, like a thin beam of light, suppressed all of Verom's feelings.

"So, if I point my sword at you here, please don't resent too much."

For Verom, it was an unavoidable choice.

If only he could escape this hellish armor, he was willing to cut down anyone, regardless of who they were.

This wasn't the will of the armor that desired struggle and battle, but his own will.

Not as First Order Verom.

But as Verom the human, trapped in the cursed living armor, with a thread of will.

-Boom!

Crimson energy gushed like groundwater from Verom's great sword.

He swung his sword with the sole thought of giving it his all.

The crimson trajectory that sliced through the air tore through space.

The sword, swung with such force that it seed as if it would cut the world itself, looked like it would slice through anything in its path.

But,

'It's not reaching.'

His sword did not reach Rudger.

Was John Doe always this strong?

Such questions were erased with the next sword strike.

Cutting, swinging, thrusting.

He unleashed energy filled with intense cursed vibrations and storm-like power.

But even in such a world, Rudger remained unscathed.

Dodging, blocking, deflecting.

Unlike Verom, who was giving it his all, Rudger's attitude carried the composure of a stronger opponent.

"Haaaa!"

Verom gritted his teeth and squeezed out his strength.

The living armor resonated with his will, tingling.

Red capillaries rose on the surface of the black armor, infusing the sword with strong energy.

The energy emanating from the black sword grew stronger.

But it didn't increase in size. Instead, it beca thinner and shorter, eventually compressing into the form of a long blade.

Verom seed to be holding a mass of light and heat.

-Hiss.

As Verom tilted his sword diagonally, nearby tal structures turned red-hot and lted, even though they weren't in direct contact.

"That's a bit dangerous."

Seeing the light of destruction, Rudger muttered softly and infused his sword stick with magical power.

The wind whirled, causing his shadow cloak to flutter, and Rudger spun a magical formula by drawing out threads of magic.

At that mont, Verom moved.

His body, kicking off the ground, disappeared hazily, leaving afterimages.

Shortly after, the spot where Verom had been standing exploded, unable to withstand the force.

Verom was nowhere to be seen.

His speed was so fast that it was difficult to track with the eyes. The only thing that could hint at his location was the heat source of the sword in his hand.

A bright red line was drawn along the trajectory of Verom's movent.

tals placed along the path of the line lted.

A light of destruction drawn in a straight line, the shortest path towards Rudger.

Just as the tip of the sword was about to touch Rudger's body, Rudger also moved, bursting blue magical power from the tip of his sword.

-Clang!

Rudger and Verom's bodies passed by each other, barely grazing.

Rudger slowly retrieved his sword and turned around.

Verom tried to do the sa, but he suddenly staggered and had to drop to one knee.

The energy concentrated in his sword also dispersed, returning to an ordinary black sword.

"How......"

To suffer such a defeat against a mage.

As the bewildered Verom's helm began to crack with a sharp sound.

The helt, with cracks spreading like a spider web, completely shattered and fell to the ground.

Verom's face, revealed for the first ti, was that of a man in his mid-30s with a rugged appearance.

He gave off the impression of a rcenary rather than a knight.

Verom slowly touched his face with trembling hands. The source of this content ɪs Novᴇl_Fire(.)net

The joy was montary. His expression set in a complicated grimace.

The living armor writhed and began to try to cover his face with a helt again, starting from the neck.

Even if the helt was broken, the regenerating armor continued to turn him into a black knight.

"So this won't work either."

As Verom sighed, Rudger moved.

From the looks of it, if the host, Verom, wasn't killed, there seed to be no end in sight.

If that was the case, there was no choice but to kill him.

As Rudger approached with his sword, like an executioner, a light of resignation shone in Verom's eyes.

"Wait a mont."

It was Cravat who intervened.

Having cleaned up all the experintal subjects, Cravat had been watching the two fight from a distance and had approached, taking advantage of the montary lull.

"Hmm. Oh? Hmm."

Cravat caressed Verom's armor with his hands, like a child examining an ant.

"What are you doing......"

"Shh."

When Verom tried to protest, Cravat gestured for him to be quiet, placing his index finger over his lips.

Verom, overwheld by the atmosphere, obediently stayed still.

After observing for a while, Cravat stood up from his crouched position.

"This, I think I can remove it."

Cravat was the head of the Black Magic School, which researched ancient curses and of course the living armor, which attaches itself to the wearer like a parasite, was his main specialty.