Magic Tower City (5)

Moonlight illuminated the dust in the training grounds. Water from the ice pack soaked the floor.

Serena’s breathing grew fainter. Limp limbs, bruised cheeks, several broken ribs.

In that state, she wouldn’t even be able to move.

I looked down at the writhing Serena and organized my thoughts. There was only one way to handle her twisted bloodlust.

“Then, why don’t you aim to kill me?”

Serena’s eyes wavered. Her blood-soaked face shone white in the moonlight.

“…Pardon?”

“Killing just anyone isn’t fun, is it? What you really want is the ultimate prey.”

“But…”

Serena looked at her broken limbs.

“With this kind of skill, I can’t beat Teacher-nim.”

I let out a blood-tinged laugh.

“Isn’t that even better?”

I took another step closer. Anticipation and doubt crossed Serena’s face.

“What you really want isn’t just killing anyone. You were looking for the ultimate prey. That’s why you chose me.”

Serena’s lips trembled. I guess I was right.

“Thugs would have been boring. Students too. That’s not what you’re looking for. You were looking for true art, weren’t you? The challenge of beating me, the thrill you feel in the process…”

Serena’s eyes widened. I could see something blooming within the madness.

I stared straight at her. The moonlight illuminated her pale face.

“Let’s stop wearing the mask now. You’re a born killer. Yeah, admit it. But how about focusing that bloodlust in one place?”

Serena’s smile became clearer. The madness was still there, but a new light dwelled within it.

“Challenge the ultimate prey. And do it for the rest of your life. A hunt that’s not easy to obtain, a hunt that you have to risk your life to challenge. Isn’t that the aesthetic you’ve been looking for?”

“Ah…”

A small exclamation escaped Serena’s lips. Her eyes shone ecstatically.

“That’s an interesting proposal…”

She murmured, like a child who had discovered a new world.

“Hunting Teacher-nim… as a lifelong goal…”

Serena’s eyes changed. Not a vague madness, but a sharp light.

“But there’s a condition.”

I continued.

“Don’t touch anyone else. I’m jealous. I have to be your only prey.”

Serena staggered and raised her upper body. The sight of her barely standing, dragging her broken limbs, looked pathetic.

Now, only her choice remained. Whether to accept the hunt that would become her lifelong goal, or to end it here and now.

“An unattainable height… a goal to pursue forever…”

A smile spread across her lips. This time, it was filled with genuine enjoyment, not madness.

Murderous intent surged from her.

But this time it was different. Not a vague bloodlust, but a sharp murderous intent aimed at a single goal.

Cold reason was returning. Her eyes deepened as if calculating something.

“Every night, I’ll imagine killing Teacher-nim. How I can get rid of you more beautifully… planning each one, practicing… Ah, my heart is already pounding.”

“Yeah. That’s exactly what you were looking for.”

A chilling yet genuine smile. It was Serena’s real face, the first time she had taken off her mask.

“Then let’s promise.”

“I understand. If I have Teacher-nim… I don’t think I need anything else. From now on, I… will only target Teacher-nim. For life, only one person. From now on, you are… my only prey.”

For the first time, she made a promise with sincerity. Even if it was a murderer’s oath, it was a true heart.

“Please wait for me. No, be prepared. I will definitely… take Teacher-nim’s life.”

She whispered as she walked with difficulty.

“Until then… you absolutely can’t die to anyone else? Because Teacher-nim is mine.”

Her lips curved beautifully under the moonlight.

Our bizarre contract was established.

‘Is this okay…’

I sighed. I had created a troublesome situation, but this was the best I could do.

You can’t get rid of madness. But you can gather it in one place. And if that target becomes me…

At least I can prevent innocent sacrifices.

“Okay, let’s get you treated first.”

I checked Serena’s broken arm.

“Train hard from now on.”

“Yes! This is the first time I’ve felt this excited. As expected, Teacher-nim is… special.”

The way she licked her lips resembled a wolf. The eyes of a predator who had found its prey.

“I’m happy, thank you, Teacher-nim. For giving me a goal to pursue for the rest of my life…”

So this is how you appease a killer. Of all the students, I had to meet one with this kind of hobby.

But what can I do? I’ve already started it, so I have to take responsibility until the end.

***

The morning training grounds were still dewy. It was a time when the cool air of dawn had not yet dissipated.

It was time for our special training to begin.

“Teacher-nim, please take care of me again today.”

Serena was standing there in perfect condition. Not a single ribbon on her school uniform was out of place, and her neat ponytail fluttered in the morning breeze.

She looked no different from usual.

But when she raised her head, her eyes had changed. The mask of a model student was gone.

“I will definitely kill Teacher-nim today.”

A morning greeting thrown with a pure white smile. It would have been a chilling statement under normal circumstances, but now it was rather reassuring.

“Yeah, what kind of murder plan did you come up with today?”

Serena’s eyes sparkled at my words.

“Hoo…”

She raised her wooden sword and took a deep breath. Her posture changed completely.

“I stayed up all night researching. The most beautiful angle to pierce Teacher-nim’s heart…”

The sword cut through the air. Her feet moved with a sharp whistling sound.

“Oh, your stance has improved a lot.”

“Of course. My head is full of nothing but Teacher-nim.”

Murderous words thrown with a polite greeting. It was strangely fitting.

“How about yesterday’s injuries?”

“They’ve completely recovered.”

Serena rotated her arm. Yesterday’s fracture had disappeared as if it were a lie.

“You knew healing magic too?”

“Yes, now I don’t have to be obsessed with swordsmanship. If it’s for Teacher-nim, I have to use magic or whatever else I can.”

Her eyes flashed with murderous intent. It would have been a frightening look under normal circumstances, but now it was rather welcome.

“What method should we try today?”

Serena swung her sword. A perfect angle, a fatal trajectory.

Her posture changed. Her usual neat appearance disappeared, and only pure murderous intent remained.

The blade cut through the air. A sharper movement than yesterday.

The murderous intent embedded in her swordsmanship became clearer.

The fact that she no longer needed to wear a mask in front of me, did that raise Serena’s mental state by one level?

Serena’s body was surrounded by magic power. The Altereon family’s secret technique seemed to be flowing through her veins.

“You’ve gotten better. You’ve combined acceleration magic with swordsmanship?”

I flicked her sword with my finger. Serena’s body staggered.

“Your magic control is still incomplete. If you put too much magic into your swordsmanship…”

Before I could finish speaking, Serena’s second attack followed. This time, it was a blow imbued with the energy of ice.

“Well, it’s not bad.”

A series of consecutive blows followed. Magic and swordsmanship worked in perfect harmony to aim for my life.

I lightly twisted my body to avoid the attacks. Serena’s blade grazed the air.

“But you’re still far off.”

I tapped her with my wooden sword. Shoulder, waist, knee. Vital points that could have been fatal.

“Keuheuk…”

“It seems like I’ve finally gotten a proper student.”

“You flatter me. I’m still far off. I’ll continue to practice while imagining killing Teacher-nim…”

Serena smiled. It was her usual polite smile, but the meaning behind it was completely different.

“Every day, every moment is new. My sword, my magic, directed at Teacher-nim…”

Murderous intent was embedded in each of her movements. A smile that was a mixture of murderous intent and pleasure, but strangely pure.

What was contained within it was an artistry that transcended madness.

“I think I’ve finally found my true self.”

At that moment, the training ground door opened. When the other students entered, Serena’s expression changed in an instant.

“Senior, you’re working hard again today!”

“As expected, Serena-sunbae is different.”

“You seem to get along well with Teacher-nim.”

To them, it would be a peaceful scene of a diligent student practicing swordsmanship with her teacher.

Serena smiled brightly and greeted the students. As if yesterday’s madness had never happened.

“Yes, Teacher-nim is giving me special instruction.”

The murderous intent hidden beneath the mask flashed coldly.

“Wow, I’m jealous!”

“I want to learn swordsmanship from Teacher-nim too…”

The students’ envious gazes poured out.

They didn’t know. They didn’t know what kind of monster their class president, the model student they admired so much, really was.

“I’m sorry, I’m busy right now…”

Serena politely declined. While wearing her usual kind smile.

But I could see her fingertips trembling slightly. It seemed difficult for her to hold back from the other prey.

“Shall we continue?”

When the students left, Serena’s expression changed again. Madness bloomed as if the mask had been removed.

“Worthless things…”

A cold whisper leaked out.

“I don’t even notice them anymore. Because I have Teacher-nim.”

Her sword moved even more sharply. A murderous blow cut through the air sharply.

“Good, keep going like that.”

I nodded.

A peaceful morning training. But the truth that only we know.

This wasn’t just a simple training, but a killer’s hunting practice.

‘Is this really okay…’

Serena’s sword grazed my neck.

“Okay, that’s enough for today.”

I lightly grabbed her wrist and subdued her.

“Haa… it’s not easy after all.”

Serena sighed. But her eyes shone even more clearly.

With the eyes of a hunter chasing an unattainable goal.

‘Tsk, this kid…’

I laughed. Strangely, this felt more natural than usual.

A pure encounter with no more lies or masks.

A face-to-face meeting between prey and hunter, without hiding anything.

Another day, started like this.