Chapter 40

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‘Is he really a first-year student…?’

Si-ul was genuinely curious.

With just two attacks, he had nearly wiped out that many monsters.

Even veteran heroes would find that difficult, but a first-year student who had been at the academy for only a month had done it.

Of course, Si-ul knew that sometimes, there are individuals whose abilities defy conventional logic.

The captain of the second division of the Celestial Corps, whom she had requested support from, had been an elite who had been evaluated as being above even active-duty heroes during their academy days.

A monster who had single-handedly eradicated high-rank monsters while still a being student.

Given that, it was within the realm of understanding that Eugene’s strength was impressive too.

Moreover, Eugene was a highly regarded talent not just in Class A but across the entire first year.

It wasn’t surprising that such an exceptional feat had been achieved.

However…

‘This is a bit too much, isn’t it…?’

As the homeroom teacher of Class A, Si-ul had a rough understanding of the students’ abilities and limitations.

Eugene was undoubtedly exceptional, but not to this extent.

Even though his potential was limitless, he wasn’t at the level where he could turn dozens of monsters into charcoal with a single strike.

‘Did he hide his strength? Or has he really grown this much in such a short time?’

Supernatural abilities are heavily influenced by the mind.

Rapid growth is theoretically possible if one faces a crisis and grows mentally by overcoming it.

Even so, this felt a bit too much.

“Teacher Si-ul!”

With a red trail behind him, Eugene ran towards Si-ul.

Looking at her torn face, Eugene made a startled expression.

“…I’ll help as much as I can.”

“Ah…”

Si-ul hesitated for a moment. Should she tell Eugene to stay back like the other students?

She couldn’t let a student fight high-rank monsters.

It was dangerous, and more importantly, his skill level wasn’t sufficient. If he recklessly stepped in, it would only lead to unnecessary death.

But the power Eugene had just shown was enough to rival active-duty heroes.

With that kind of strength, he wouldn’t be lacking when facing high-rank monsters.

Si-ul’s hesitation quickly ended. The high-rank monsters weren’t going to wait around.

The monster screamed and charged, one of their legs limping, but their speed was still terrifying.

Si-ul released the spatial distortion that had been protecting Class A.

Most of the monsters had already been destroyed by Eugene’s attack, and the few remaining were weak enough for the students to handle.

“Be careful, just focus on support! Got it?”

“Yes, leave it to me!”

No longer wasting time defending, Si-ul joined the fight with appropriate backup.

She exhaled, her breath mixed with blood.

The situation had shifted.

There was no need to defend anymore.

◈

Amidst the thick bloodlust hanging in the air.

The growls filled with aggression.

The land was saturated with the sticky presence of heated power.

A dragon without wings.

Just by being there, an invisible vortex flowed.

His instinct screamed. This monster was a being beyond human comprehension.

It couldn’t be faced. It shouldn’t be faced.

Even veterans with countless battles under their belts would hesitate to confront this monster.

Normally, one would retreat to the rear and wait for support. If you wanted to avoid death, you had to be cautious and not rush to help.

‘…I see it.’

But something was wrong.

Why could he see it?

In Eugene’s pupils, the monster’s forepaw was reflected.

The trajectory of the swing is predictable. He could keep up with its speed. Eugene throws his body to the side, dodging the front paw.

Boom!

The ground explodes.

Debris scatters with dust.

“I can see it.”

The broken pieces bounce erratically.

The next move of the high-rank monster follows.

“Was it always… this slow?”

No, it’s not slow.

In fact, it was incredibly fast.

At this level, even Leo would have a hard time keeping up. It was fast enough that if he let his focus slip even for a moment, he’d miss it.

But why does it feel so slow?

Have I gotten faster? Or is it just that having seen something even faster makes it feel slower in comparison?

“That mask… the girl who called herself Astaroth was much faster. It was hard to even follow her with my eyes.”

Compared to the girl with the red fox mask, this high-rank monster is nothing.

Fighting such a monster classified ‘high-rank’ really brings it home.

The girl’s incredible power.

Someday, I’ll have to fight her again.

I don’t know when, but I’m sure it will happen.

When that time comes, I can’t let teacher Angelica and Lucia, no, everyone be caught up in danger.

The equator turns an even deeper red.

Having cast the Sun Sword twice, Eugene had already figured out the method.

He compressed the heat along the sword’s edge, making it spin. Then, he maximized the cutting power.

“Hah!”

A red meteor streaks across the ground.

With incredible elasticity, Eugene leaps forward, his new technique stretching long behind him, leaving a red trail in the air.

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■─────!!!!

A monstrous roar erupted as the high-rank monster charged forward.

But just before it collides with Eugene, Si-ul’s ambush, which defies the laws of physics, is even faster.

Scales break off, leaving long scars. Normally, after swinging a sword, you’d have to retrieve it, but Si-ul skipped that step.

She bent space, and the sword had already returned to her grasp. With a swing from below, the ground flipped, and the monster’s flesh was torn open.

The monster twisted its body in agony and opened its mouth wide.

Red heat gathered between its vicious teeth.

Just as it was about to shoot flames that would burn Si-ul’s upper body to ash—

Purrk!

The sword shattered the monster’s teeth and pierced through its mouth.

But it didn’t stop there. The flames gathering inside the mouth were twisted and wrapped around the equator, heating its intensity.

“Huff!”

Si-ul twisted her wrist, driving the sword upwards into the roof of the mouth.

In that instant, she had intended to pierce through and hit its brain, but the monster’s massive jaw strength stopped her plan.

The moment it closed its mouth, the incredible force of its bite gripped Eugene’s sword.

The monster gnashed its teeth, as though it intended to break the sword despite the intense heat.

Creeeek.

But focusing only on Eugene was a foolish move.

Si-ul lowered her body, slipping beneath the monster’s unstable leg. She had already severed half of it, and this time, she was sure to finish the job.

The high-rank monster leaned to one side.

It seemed to panic, or perhaps it was due to the pain, but its mouth slightly opened.

Eugene seized the opportunity to pull the sword free. Still crackling with fiery energy, he swung it down.

Creeeek!

Its scales were tough, like solid armor.

Even with Eugene’s increased cutting power, it didn’t slice through cleanly, making a scraping sound.

However, the monster’s entire body isn’t covered in those scales. Eugene thrust the blade into the monster’s right eye.

■■■■──!

A short scream echoed.

It wasn’t a language, but Eugene understood the meaning.

It wasn’t a mighty roar. It was a scream.

“I can do it.”

There’s no need to be intimidated by a high-rank monster.

We can win.

◈

I watched from a distance, observing the fierce battle ahead.

Flames were raging, debris scattered in every direction, and a series of thunderous explosions echoed through the air.

Yeah, it’s too much for me to jump in.

I wouldn’t die if I threw myself into the fray like a madman, but I didn’t want to make things harder than they already were.

Si-ul and Eugene were quickly cornering the high-rank monster.

Already fighting a high-rank monster, now what happens?

Look at that. Eugene already looked almost on par with Si-ul.

Although he lacked experience and wasn’t exactly equal to Si-ul, his rate of growth was terrifying.

Ah, forget it.

The plan I had so carefully laid out was falling apart.

The plan to replicate the story of the ‘original’ was now just a piece of scrap paper.

The knowledge I gained from reading the novel was no longer trustworthy, and the future was unknown.

But that didn’t mean I couldn’t still use some of the knowledge.

Right now, Eugene’s ultimate move was exactly as I had read, and Astaroth’s tendencies were just like I knew them to be.

So, maybe that lizard monster’s characteristics were still the same too?

I carefully observed the battle.

Having recovered somewhat, even Angelica joined the fray, quickly cornering the monster.

Though Angelica had only summoned a few knight golems, their impact was a death sentence for the monster already struggling against Si-ul and Eugene.

A stone spear pierced the monster’s body.

As the knight golems surrounded it and skewered the creature to block its movement, Si-ul struck the exposed neck of the defenseless monster.

Clang!

Among the tough scales, the neck’s scales were even harder, so Si-ul couldn’t sever it with a single strike.

However, it couldn’t withstand the consecutive attacks.

Eugene’s sword traced a crescent shape.

With Si-ul’s sword striking down with force, the scales finally shattered, and sticky blood and foam sprayed out.

Thud.

The large head fell to the ground.

The twitching body flailed its legs before finally collapsing.

This was the end.

The high-rank monster met its death.

Outwardly that is.

‘They thought it was dead in the novel too, and got careless.’

Just as those with supernatural abilities have special powers beyond their physical capabilities, monsters sometimes have extraordinary powers of their own.

In the case of that lizard monster, it had the ability to evade death, but only once.

Even if its head was severed and its body reduced to minced meat, it could avoid death by treating its previous body as a ‘shell’ and escaping into it.

Molting.

It was, in essence, a spare life.

In the novel, they had been fooled into thinking it was dead and had let their guard down. They nearly failed to stop the monster from escaping the research facility when it revived after shedding its skin.

If that feature remains the same, this monster will soon revive as well.

“Hmm…”

I smirked as I let out a sound between a hum and a sigh.

I stretched out my fingers with a loud crack.

An idea had come to me.

Should I put on a little show?

A literal one.

 

Author Note

Lucia wants to put on a little show.

I guess she wants to surprise her friends.

Translator Note

Only fear approaches whenever Lucia thinks of doing anything…

Oh yeah, no idea if it’s because of the raws or my sloppy skills, but the translations have been getting more erratic lately, so expect a bit of mistakes.