episode_0004

The masked man stood out from the very beginning.

“What’s with that guy?”

It started with a professor’s words. The principal hadn’t even started his speech yet. A professor, during a lull, was checking if the auditorium was showing well on the monitor screen when his eyes caught sight of the masked man.

“What’s going on?”

“Oh, it’s just that there’s a strange fellow.”

At the professor’s words about a strange fellow, the other professors nearby also looked at the monitor screen. And indeed, there was a truly strange fellow.

“A mask?”

“What’s with that lunatic?”

“Coming to an entrance ceremony like that…”

And the commotion grew louder as Lucas began talking with the masked man. Though no sound was audible, Lucas conversed with the masked man, laughing as if enjoying the conversation.

“What kind of conversation is His Highness the Crown Prince having with a guy like that?”

“Talking to the Crown Prince like that, he can’t be normal.”

“Isn’t it obvious he’s not normal just by looking at him?”

Before anyone knew it, all the professors were staring at the masked man and Lucas. To think there’s such a strange fellow among the newly admitted students this time.

“Ahahaahahahahaha! Do you see those nobles over there? They’re trying to talk to His Highness the Crown Prince, but they can’t even get close because that kind of guy is next to him! It serves those nobles right!”

And watching the female professor cackle with laughter, everyone had the same thought.

‘Ah, right, there was a strange one among the professors too.’

“You’re a noble too, Idra.”

“Heheh, Professor-nim, I should be called Professor Idra now, not just Idra. Repeat after me. I-dra Pro-fes-sor.”

Idra had many eccentricities. She was born into a Marquis family and possessed many talents, but due to her innocent and free-spirited personality, the Marquis and his wife often had headaches.

In fact, she graduated at the top of her class from the academy and immediately left the capital to become an adventurer. Although she became an S-rank adventurer, the Marquis and his wife suggested she become a professor to settle her down in the capital.

‘So, those Professor-nims will call me Professor?’

Idra said this and actually became the youngest professor at the academy. As a result, the professors who had taught Idra experienced the strange phenomenon of meeting her as a fellow professor.

Even so, there wasn’t a single professor who truly disliked Idra.

Even when Idra was a student, her bizarre behavior gave the professors headaches, but she also did many admirable things, such as disciplining nobles who bullied commoners, so the professors liked her despite finding her a bit off-putting.

“I like that student. What’s that student’s name?”

The professors felt sorry for the masked student, who had caught Idra’s attention, but at the same time, a contradictory thought crossed their minds: since his attire suggested he was strange anyway, perhaps it didn’t matter?

A professor, older than Idra but with less experience, tried to find the masked student’s name, but a voice that spoke up made it unnecessary.

“Loki.”

Everyone turned to look at the person who had spoken from behind. Platinum blonde hair, blue eyes. It was Johanna Freya, the Academy’s Disciplinary Committee Head.

“Johanna! When did you get here?”

Seeing Johanna, Idra ran and hugged her. Although Idra was older, Johanna was taller, making her look like the older sister.

No one expressed curiosity about why Johanna, a student, was here. In fact, representatives from famous clubs were also present besides her.

“Anyway, Loki? Do you know him?”

“On the way here.”

“You met him on the way? Is he strong?”

At Idra’s question, Johanna recalled Loki.

‘I’m rather happy that you told me about my unique magic. If I accept that advice, I can become stronger.’

“He’s strong.”

“Really~? How strong? How str—”

“Be quiet, Idra. It’s the Principal-nim’s speech.”

“I told you to call me Professor Idra! Anyway, it’s been a while since the Principal-nim’s speech. Other academies’ Principal-nims’ speeches take about 30 minutes, but I like that our Principal-nim’s speech is short.”

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.

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[Show your worth.]

With the principal’s speech concluded, monsters surrounded the students.

Many students were caught by the monsters, while some students repelled them.

While most professors and club representatives focused on the Spirit Master, the Isar Tribe, Lucas, and Clara, and talked about them.

Only two people, Idra and Johanna, paid attention to Loki.

They didn’t even look at the other students, silently staring only at Loki.

Perhaps because the usually noisy Idra was quiet, the professors looked at Idra and couldn’t help but be surprised. She, who was always smiling, was watching with a serious expression, chin propped on her hand, incredibly focused.

“Professor Idra?”

The surprised professors’ eyes followed Idra’s gaze, and when their gazes finally landed on a screen of the monitor, all the professors were aghast.

There, the masked man, Loki, was slaughtering monsters.

Indeed, there was no other word to describe the scene besides ‘slaughter’.

There were no grand attacks like those of the other students the professors were watching.

He simply swung his staff as he passed by. But that alone caused countless monsters to split in half.

That wasn’t the only unusual thing.

If other students wielding weapons fought by keeping their distance from others, mindful of not hitting them, Loki sprinted through the gaps between other students.

He sprinted through the tangles of students, like a tangled ball of yarn, swinging his staff.

“He’s going to collide with other students if he does that!”

However, contrary to the professors’ worries, he never collided with other students, nor did his weapon strike any of them.

Like oil and water that do not mix. He sprinted through the students like that, swinging his staff, and as a result, the monster blood on his staff never had a chance to dry.

Some students weren’t even aware that Loki had passed by their side.

Even the professors, mesmerized by his magnificent and dazzling movements, couldn’t tear their eyes away from Loki.

“It’s as if he’s in a different dimension.”

“His speed is getting faster and faster.”

Loki’s speed grew faster and faster, but there was no hesitation or unnaturalness in his movements.

It was as if he knew exactly where the monsters were; he would slash one monster and immediately move to slash another.

Before they knew it, even the professors who were supposed to be grading were just marveling at Loki’s movements.

“He definitely collided with another monster.”

An old swordsmanship professor spoke up. He was a veteran with over 20 years of teaching experience.

“His staff even missed its target once.”

His name was Gedra, the Empire’s former Knight Commander.

“But the result was different. He didn’t collide with other monsters, and his attacks reached the monsters.”

The monsters clearly succeeded in their attacks.

But he wasn’t hit.

His attacks didn’t reach the monsters.

Yet the monsters were split.

If Professor Gedra hadn’t said this, no one would have believed it.

“The other students are finally noticing too.”

As the number of monsters decreased, the students seemed to have a little more breathing room and looked around. All of them whispered amongst themselves as they saw Loki.

Although the sound inside the auditorium wasn’t audible to the professors, they could tell what the students were chattering about.

“Jena.”

Johanna, who hadn’t uttered a single word since the monsters appeared, finally spoke.

Jena, her close friend and a member of the Disciplinary Committee, answered belatedly.

“…Huh?”

“I want to have Loki join the Disciplinary Committee.”

Jena was startled to hear that. It was the first time Johanna had ever expressed a desire for something until now.

The representatives from other clubs felt a little disappointed but also thought it might be for the best. They also thought Loki, having caught Professor Idra’s attention, would be difficult to handle, and if the Disciplinary Committee took Loki, they could more easily recruit other promising students.

“That won’t do.”

It was a chillingly cold voice. Everyone searched for the owner of the voice, and there stood a man who seemed to embody ice itself.

If Johanna Freya was the top-ranked student in the second year, then this man was the top-ranked student in the third year.

The Academy’s Student Council President. Joden Adelien.

“What do you mean?”

It was a voice filled with irritation, unlike Johanna.

“Because I was planning to scout that man for the student council too.”

Joden’s voice was also as cold as ice.

Under Johanna and Joden’s intimidating aura, the other club representatives found it difficult to even breathe.

“Hahaha, the enthusiasm is good, but the test isn’t over yet.”

As the principal appeared, both Johanna and Joden withdrew their auras.

Before they knew it, all the monsters in the auditorium had disappeared. Thus, the club representatives couldn’t understand the principal’s words. The test isn’t over?

“Professors, quickly prepare ‘that’.”

“Principal-nim, are you really bringing ‘that’ out?”

“Since a strong individual like student Loki has also appeared, if things go well, he might even be able to capture ‘it’.”

“Hahaha, what is everyone talking about? Since more strong individuals have appeared than expected, increase ‘that’ to two.”

“””What?”””

“If you increase ‘that’ to two, the students could be severely injured!”

“Well, I believe in them. What’s the use of being a teacher if you can’t trust your students?”

One club representative, unable to follow the situation, cautiously asked Joden.

“Student Council President-nim, what is ‘that’?”

“…You’ll see.”

The club representatives looked at the monitor screen and were horrified.

There were two giant golems, over 10 meters tall, and dozens of new monsters had appeared, threatening the students.

All the students in the auditorium were aghast and began to stumble backward.

“Principal-nim, two golems are too much! It might even instill despair in the students!”

“Hahaha, I don’t think so. Look there, there are three students who aren’t despairing.”

As the principal said, while everyone else stumbled backward, only three stepped forward.

A boy walking forward with a spear, Lucas Leonhart, the Empire’s Crown Prince.

A girl holding a staff and chanting spells, Clara Adelien, the only disciple of the Magic Tower Lord.

A boy holding a staff and emerging with his cape fluttering, Loki the Clown.

These three, as if not at all afraid of the golems, confidently prepared to fight them.