A surge of heat rose from below my belly button, and the power and speed transmitted through the sword exceeded my expectations.
Serk!
The mana-infused sword sliced through the Knight's throat as if cutting through air.
'Awakening.'
It was truly a breathtaking timing.
Perhaps the daily sparring sessions with Nickel after his evolution had been helpful.
I kicked away the collapsing Knight, pulled out the sword embedded in my shoulder, and stood up.
Undead creatures continued to swarm relentlessly.
Thud!
Using the last handful of mana, I shattered the Warrior's jaw.
Luckily, breaking through the combat frenzy put out the urgent fire, but the awakened mana was pitifully scarce.
Even after dealing with the Warrior, the mana from the depleted combat frenzy rapidly lost its strength.
'But it's enough.'
The approaching undead suddenly stopped in their tracks.
And desperate cries for help filled the air.
"Please, spare !"
In the blink of an eye, Nickel, with the sword impaled through Firemon's neck, was waiting for .
Was Bloody Dan dead?
As I looked at the location where Nickel had fought, I saw the neatly severed neck of Bloody Dan's corpse, with blood spilling out.
Of course, I had anticipated his victory, but seeing it with my own eyes was impressive.
I approached Nickel, still holding the sword in one hand.
"How do you feel?"
"Sob. I made a mistake. Please spare ."
"Where is the ring?"
"It's there! At ho! Please, spare ."
Trembling, I forcibly lifted Nickel, who was clutching his severed arm, and made him stand.
Then, I led him towards the cabin.
"Quickly summon back the undead."
"Understood."
But why does he keep using informal speech?
With the sword pressed against his abdon, I asked, "Why? Why?"
"I... I'm sorry."
Inside the cabin, I found out the location of the ring from Nickel.
Fortunately, he hadn't lied.
"So, you had it all along. I thought you might have sold it."
"P-please spare ."
With the ring back on my finger, I instructed Nickel to drag Firemon outside.
Alongside Firemon, I brought Dan's corpse with .
While I was at it, I also took Dan's artifact, a mask he used to wear.
At first glance, the mask appeared ordinary, covering Dan's entire face. However, it had the ability to change the wearer's appearance.
"Ah, Lord Adrias? P-please spare . I will beco your servant. If you want to lick your feet, I will. If you want to bark like a dog, I will. Please show rcy..."
Swoosh!
"Ugh!"
I pierced Firemon's heart with Dan's sword, causing him to let out a final scream of injustice before his head slumped.
"There's no need to keep unnecessary elents."
Even if it weren't for those elents, I would have killed him anyway. I'm not the kind of person to forgive the one who attacked first without reason.
I made sure he was truly dead and then stood up from my position.
"Nickel, take care of the guards outside."
Nickel tilted his head and gestured towards himself, mimicking slitting his own throat.
When did he kill them? I never gave the order.
Seemingly reading my thoughts, Nickel pointed to a direction.
There, the bodies of the guards who had intruded into the cetery were sprawled on the ground.
Well, it's understandable that they would co to check after all the commotion.
"Bring those bodies as well."
While Nickel retrieved the bodies, I took a potion.
A fiery pain surged from my left shoulder, which had been severely damaged.
'I've done enough, and in the end, I won.'
Thanks to that, I even awakened the Dual Core.
I hadn't co here for this purpose in the first place, but Firemon's sudden rampage turned things in my favor.
By doing so, I prevented the large-scale war caused by Dan.
Even if the future changed, I had decided to avoid war at all costs.
'In the ga, I died dozens of tis because of war. If I can prevent a war, I will do so without hesitation.'
As Nickel brought the guards' bodies, I carefully placed them considering angles and directions.
And with Dan's sword, I created wounds on the bodies of the guards.
I did the sa with Firemon's corpse.
I shattered Dan's shoulder with the skeleton warrior's mace and placed the Knight's sword next to Dan's body.
Finally, I positioned the Poison Zombie beside them.
Perhaps they would naturally beco poisoned over ti.
'This should help cover it up.'
Although I don't know if it will fool anyone, at least it will buy so ti.
.
.
.
.
The training grounds of the Knight Academy's combat division were quiet as the sun began to set.
Partly due to it being the weekend, but mainly because no one trained in the training grounds when they had their own private practice rooms.
However, for so ti now, one student had been using the training grounds consistently.
"I thought they wouldn't last long, but they're impressive."
"Yeah, it's been about a month, right?"
"Yeah, it's been around that long."
"But why did they suddenly start using the training grounds?"
"It's not . Why don't you go and ask them?"
Vivianne Velocan didn't even blink at the voices coming from nearby.
No, she was so focused on her training that she hadn't even realized soone was watching her.
Swish!
She swung her sword at a pace almost three tis slower than usual.
She exerted every effort to feel every single movent of her muscles and continued her simulated battle against an imaginary opponent.
Both the imagined opponent and Vivianne, who faced them, were slower in their attacks and defenses than usual.
Because of the slower movents, she was able to read all of her opponent's attacks and defenses.
On the other hand, her own attacks and defenses were also easily seen through.
Thanks to this, a fierce ntal battle took place in her mind as her hands manipulated the sword with various changes, srizing her opponent.
"Not enough."
More! More!
Her talent was shining.
This is not the end, rely just this much.
Her wrists and fingertips showed movents that approached their limits.
And then, miraculously, her sword seed to dance as if it had escaped from her hand.
"It's here!"
"Wow, she's really amazing."
It was the Dance of the Specter.
As students passed by and witnessed her movents, they all referred to her swordsmanship as "Gimumu", which ans "Ghost Dance" in Korean.
"I wonder if we could train like her every day?"
"I can't even last a week. I'd bet all my belongings on it."
"Well, yeah. It was too much to only focus on training, excluding eating and sleeping."
At that mont, students from other divisions appeared from elsewhere and noticed Vivianne.
"Hey, that's impressive, amazing!"
"Is Vivianne going to be the champion of this year's tournant?"
"It's possible. How did she suddenly awaken like this?"
As they exchanged their opinions, they greeted the students who had co earlier to watch Vivianne with joy.
"Are you here to watch?"
"Yeah, we were just about to leave."
"Really? Oh, now that I see Vivianne, I rember sothing. The last ti I was in the sa group as Vivianne, we defeated a Dark Mage in the Magic Division. What was his na again?"
"I don't know his na. Why?"
"Well, he went to the private clinic in Alben Street. It just reminded when I saw Vivianne."
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, and soone intervened.
Their hair was a verdant green.
"Adrias Cromwell's in the clinic?"
Startled by Vivian's sudden movent, the students scattered in surprise.
Then, the person who spoke nodded and said,
"Uh, well, I'm not exactly sure, but it looks like he's injured sowhere."
Upon hearing those words, Vivianne fell into deep thought.
After the events in Bolrick Territory, she had been closely observing Adrian's Cromwell.
A voice, similar to the fairy she encountered in her dream.
However, he showed no interest in her whatsoever.
If it was indeed the fairy, then he should have shown so interest in her.
'Is it just a coincidence that our voices sound the sa?'
It bothered her that they happened to be in the sa place at the sa ti.
So, one day after all the classes were over, she went to find him.
Surely... surely, if he is the fairy, he can't ignore .
However, Adrian's Cromwell completely ignored her.
Instead, he seed clueless about why she was following him.
So she decided to let go of him and focus on her training.
For the sake of her shining talent, as the fairy had ntioned.
"...?"
Vivian, who had stopped her thoughts, suddenly realized that she was on a train.
"When did I get on?"
And naturally, her footsteps led her to get off at Alben Street and head to the clinic.
As if being drawn by sothing, she smoothly entered the clinic.
She approached a staff mber and asked,
"Adrian Cromwell."
"Yes? Ah, if you're a acquaintance of Adrian Cromwell, he's in the trauma treatnt room over there."
Following the staff mber's instructions, she headed towards the trauma treatnt room.
Standing in front of the door, she couldn't understand why she had co here.
"I should be training...."
At that mont, the door creaked open.
"Vivianne?"
It was the voice of the fairy.
.
.
.
The shoulder injury couldn't fully heal with just the healing potion because I had pushed myself too hard.
As soon as I returned to the academy by train, I headed straight to the clinic in Alben Street.
If it had been a weekday, I would have visited the clinic within the departnt, but it was closed on weekends.
"Huh?"
When I got off at Alben Street, a knight student looked at as if he knew .
Who is it? I don't recognize their face.
Ignoring the person, I went to the clinic.
Fortunately, there weren't many custors, so I was able to have surgery right away.
"Ugh, sigh. How did it co to this?"
"How it ca to this."
The bald therapist who saw my injury clicked his tongue.
Enduring the pain, I underwent his surgery without anesthesia.
"You, according to your personal information, you were a student in the Magic Departnt."
"Yes."
"Not only your body, but also the fact that you don't even make a sound of pain, you seem just like a knight student."
"I'll take it as a complint."
"Of course it's a complint! These days, those so-called wizards are weak and useless! I worry every day about what will happen if there's a war."
That war.
I stopped it.
I smiled and played along.
"Yes, of course. Absolutely."
After the surgery that lasted close to 30 minutes, he said,
"You endured quite a lot of pain. Be careful using your arm for at least a month, and pay the fee at the front desk."
"Yes, thank you."
I expressed my gratitude and walked outside as he instructed.
No, I tried to leave.
When I opened the door, I imdiately saw soone's forehead.
"Vivianne?"
Surprised by the unexpected presence, I called out her na.
As her na was called, she looked up at and suddenly delivered a body blow.
"Oof!"
Caught off guard by the unexpected attack, I doubled over, gasping for breath.
Wondering what on earth was going on, I looked at Vivianne, who was embracing and pressing her face against mine.
"Hehe. It feels good."
I couldn't bring myself to refute the therapist's words.
Because of the mories of young Vivianne flickering in my mind, I couldn't push her away and left her alone for a while.
.
.
.
.
"Sorry."
After so ti had passed, Vivianne stood up, surprised by her own actions.
I lightly waved my hand, indicating that it was alright, as she bowed her waist in apology.
Curiosity arose about why she ca here, regardless of what had happened.
"But why did you suddenly...? How did you know I was here?"
"I heard. From the others."
Her words reminded of the knight student I encountered when getting off the train.
So, he must have told her.
"So, did you co to see ?"
In response to my question, Vivianne tilted her head and then finally spoke.
"I don't know either."
"Who else would know if Vivianne doesn't?"
I wasn't familiar with Vivianne as I hadn't interacted with her as a colleague.
After all, she was originally a villain, just a target to defeat in the ga.
In such a twist of fate, I returned with her on the train.
"This stop is Rios Dormitory..."
Due to Vivianne getting off first from the train that arrived at the Knight Departnt's dormitory, we awkwardly shook hands with each other, not having exchanged a word during the journey.
"Please go ahead."
"Okay."
She nodded and waved her hand slightly.
As she got off and the train departed, she gradually disappeared from my sight.
'It must be because of the seal of sloth, right?'
It's probably why I'm suspicious, thinking I sound like the fairy.
Still, it's fortunate that she seems brighter than before.
I even started to think that maybe, unlike in the ga, she won't beco a villain.
'If that's the case, it's advantageous. I already know when the incidents that were supposed to happen would occur, so I should take a look.'
Assuming that I can survive without revealing my true identity until then, I had confidence in myself.
Surely, my actions have already changed the future significantly.
Moreover, unlike the ga's Adrias, I wasn't rely a puppet who only listened to Charon's words.
'I'll change the negative future as much as possible. Even if it ans losing the positive future along with it, it doesn't matter. What I want is to survive, not to use future information for a showdown.'
And if possible, I threw my gaze outside the train, dreaming of a small yet significant hope to live happily with my family.
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