Ch.2020. Class (3)

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To be honest, Talion was in a state where he surprised even himself.

Was the emotion of murderous intent formed this easily?

‘That bastard…!’

He gritted his teeth and looked around with bloodshot eyes.

In reality, the noble part of Talion’s mind somewhat understood the current situation. If someone could toy with him this much, they clearly possessed skills far superior to his own.

He should apologize for being so meddlesome.

“…”

Marquis Riverback would be disappointed if he saw this.

Talion gave a bitter smile as he recalled the name of his family’s patron who had helped him in various ways to enter the academy.

If the person who had generously supported him, saying he had the potential to surpass the hero candidate Elia, were to see this unsightly appearance, he would surely click his tongue in disapproval.

Of course, that didn’t mean he could tolerate being provoked 25 times without striking back at least once.

“Talion?”

That’s what he had been thinking.

Until he heard the voice in front of him.

“…Elia?”

Talion tilted his head as he saw Elia approaching with a grin.

Why would this person suddenly appear here?

“It’s been a while. First time since the last monster subjugation, right?”

Talion hesitated.

Both he and Elia had participated as apprentices in a joint monster subjugation under the Border Count Kendrid due to their recognized abilities. So she could certainly say that.

‘…She remembered.’

Talion inwardly smiled slightly at that thought.

‘I thought she wouldn’t remember after being so thoroughly defeated.’

Similar age group, similar level of skill. It would be stranger if people around them didn’t try to pit them against each other somehow.

Of course, the result had been Talion’s miserable defeat.

No matter how much others claimed that Elia had only a “slight” advantage over him, Talion knew better than anyone that this slight difference was an insurmountable wall.

It was an honor that someone with such brilliant talent even remembered him.

“Yeah, Elia. It’s been a while.”

“What were you doing here?”

“…No, I was just looking for someone.”

He cleared his throat and evaded the question.

After all, Elia was the driving force that had motivated him to train since they first met.

He didn’t particularly want to reveal that he had been chasing someone in an unsightly manner with his eyes rolled back in anger.

“Really? Who were you looking for?”

“Oh, just… someone annoying…”

“What were you planning to do once you found them?”

“…”

It was probably around then that he began to sense something strange.

Elia’s face was still smiling, but there was a chilling level of coldness in her words.

‘Was this… her image?’

It wasn’t.

Certainly, when they met before, she had some aggressive tendencies, but she was undoubtedly an exemplary person walking the righteous path.

Not at all like what she was showing now, how should he put it?

There wasn’t even a hint of this ‘sinister’ feeling before.

It wasn’t simply anger, but a clear sense of hostility directed at him.

“Tell me. What were you planning to do once you found them?”

“…”

“Were you going to hit them?”

Elia took one step forward.

Still grinning.

“…!”

But her eyes weren’t smiling at all.

Rather, they were filled with such hostility that it felt like his skin would tear just from facing her.

Realizing this, Talion unconsciously took a step back.

The other person was clearly speaking with a bright smile, but every sentence, every word felt like it was strangling him.

It was like the pressure of facing a huge monster trying to devour him.

“Were you going to hurt them? The teacher?”

Another step.

Talion stepped back again.

“Ah, no, Elia. Wait…”

As Talion was about to speak, his eyes caught Elia’s hand gripping her sword handle. And before he could react, her sword was slightly drawn.

Killing intent poured out in streams, creating the illusion that the air was burning.

“…!”

The spear in his hand thrusting forward was almost an instinctive response.

The tip of the spear lunged fiercely. It was a strike with such sincerity that even Talion himself was startled.

‘At this rate, it’s dangerous…!’

But.

Before he could even blink.

-!

-!!

His spear was shattered and scattered in all directions.

‘What…!’

He gaped at his spear falling to the ground in pieces.

He hadn’t seen anything.

She must have swung her sword multiple times, but he couldn’t see it at all.

As someone who had trained in weaponry to Talion’s level, he knew exactly what this meant.

He was at least several moves behind his opponent.

He attacked first, yet couldn’t even see the movements of the person who counterattacked?

‘Even more than before…!’

Previously, he could at least hold his own weapon against hers.

And since then, he had undergone grueling training. To the point where he had gained fame as unparalleled even among the students of the prestigious Elphante.

But this difference now.

Probably even three Talion Armands rushing at once would be enough for Elia to slaughter them all in just a few seconds.

The gap had widened to that level in less than a year.

‘This can’t be.’

Talent.

An overwhelming gap in talent.

He had heard that she wasn’t just strong enough to be a hero candidate, but possessed talent said to reach the heavens.

But to this extent…!

“You know.”

And after displaying such skill without changing her expression, Elia sheathed her sword and spoke.

“Who are you to care about who I make friends with? I want to be close to that person, so who are you to interfere?”

“…”

“It’s annoying. People who meddle in others’ affairs as if they’re something special. I’ve never seen anyone who genuinely acts with pure intentions for my sake…”

Elia paused for a moment. Her expression changed as if recalling something, then she changed her words.

“…I’ve only seen it once. Other than that, they were all just looking out for their own interests, you know?”

“Elia, I, I…”

As Talion was about to continue, Elia snapped her fingers in front of him.

Then the already fragmented spear completely shattered into powder.

This time, he couldn’t even tell what technique she had used.

“I don’t really want to hear excuses. Understand?”

Talion swallowed hard.

Only a fool wouldn’t understand.

Don’t mess with Darwood Campbell. Don’t even approach him.

If you don’t want to suffer.

“Good. Since you seem to understand, don’t do it again.”

“Um.”

“You still have something to say?”

Though his body trembled slightly at the sight of Elia’s chilling smile, Talion was determined to ask this question.

He was dying of curiosity.

“What exactly is the identity of this Darwood Campbell?”

What could make someone with such talent act to the point of completely changing their personality?

What exactly was the identity of this Darwood Campbell?

To that question, Elia chuckled and answered.

“Someone fa-ar better skilled than me. I got knocked out with one hit from him.”

“…Wasn’t that a trick?”

“The teacher isn’t someone who would do such things. If you slander him like that one more time, I’ll really kill you, okay?”

“…”

Despite the savage warning that followed, he was too dumbfounded to respond.

Is it true that this hero candidate was actually destroyed with a single blow?

‘…What kind of monster is he?’

Unlike Elia, whom he could at least gauge, the other one was completely beyond comprehension.

To the point where it’s incomprehensible why he isn’t more well-known.

“…I’m lucky I didn’t die, aren’t I?”

“Yes. Seems like you understand now. If anything, I saved you, right?”

Talion shuddered at the sight of Elia running her hand through her hair as she answered.

Had he, without knowing any better, picked a fight with such a monster?

“What’s your relationship with him? How did you get to know him?”

By this point, he simply couldn’t hold back this question either.

But unlike the previous question, Elia’s expression suddenly turned serious instead of answering immediately.

Then, hmm, she pondered for quite a while.

“No, just purely friends, I guess? From his side… Yes. That’s probably right.”

“…What?”

“Probably, for now. Uh. That’s exactly… is it? I’m not sure, from my side it’s more than…”

“…What did you say?”

“Ah, I don’t know! Anyway, right now we’re just friends!”

The way she exploded with anger was exactly like the Elia he had known before.

Perhaps the person hadn’t completely changed after all.

‘…What does “just friends right now” mean?’

Though his curiosity remained completely unsatisfied.

●

“I apologize. I won’t approach him again in the future.”

I’m dumbfounded watching Talion apologize with his head bowed.

And doubly so seeing Elia next to him, grinning and nodding in agreement.

‘…What exactly did she do to make him so docile?’

As expected of a hero candidate. Her disciplinary skills are extraordinary.

After Talion disappeared, and as we were heading to get the items we’d collected evaluated, Trisha approached me with a serious expression.

“Um, Darwood.”

“Yes?”

“…Please be good to Elia. No, actually, don’t be too good to her either.”

“…”

What’s she suddenly talking about?

As I stared at her with wide eyes, Trisha continued, trembling slightly.

“She probably doesn’t realize it herself, and I didn’t know until now either… but Elia shows some concerning signs. If things go wrong.”

“…If things go wrong, what?”

“From what I saw, even when she was fighting with Armand’s eldest son just now, she was right on the edge. To the point where one side could have been seriously injured. The usual Elia would have just reasoned with him and sent him away. Not drawing her sword first.”

“…”

“I’m certain now that whenever Darwood is mentioned, she gets unusually black… I mean, she gets angry without any sense of proportion. Like her discernment completely disappears?”

“…”

“It could get worse in the future. If things go wrong, you might not be able to escape from her at all. From her.”

Thanks for the truly ominous warning.

‘…Why are there so many dangerous things happening lately?’

That thought naturally comes to mind as I watch Trisha disappear with hurried steps.

Lately, it really feels like the whole world is revolving with malice toward me.

I sigh and turn my gaze.

For now, I decided to check the rewards that had popped up earlier.

▼ Elia Krisanax

[ Interest Level 1 ] >>> [ Interest Level 2 ]

[ Rewards available! ]

[ Negative Imprint 1 stack ]

[ Rewards available! ]

[ Her personality has partially changed due to your influence! ]

[ This is an important character. Special events will occur if multiple stacks accumulate! ]

[ You can use Evil Domination 1 time! ]

▼ Talion Armand

[ Negative Imprint 1 stack ]

[ Rewards available! ]

[ He has a history of losing his reason due to your influence! ]

[ You can use Evil Domination 1 time! ]

“…”

Somehow it never fails to disappoint me every time I open it.

The Negative Imprint is probably created due to the Near Evil Gift, but while Talion is understandable, the problem is why it’s also on Elia.

Sighing, I tap through the window.

[ Receiving gift reward from ‘Elia’. ]

[ Receiving 500pt. ][ Current points: 2,500pt ]

[ Receiving 1 ‘Seed of Evil’. ]

[ Receiving gift reward from ‘Talion’. ]

[ Receiving 1 ‘Seed of Evil’. ]

Seed of Evil?

What’s this now?

[ Seed of Evil ]

[ Currency: Special ]

[ Can be exchanged for special skills in the point shop. ]

[ Available skills in the shop have been updated! ]

My eyes widen.

‘Special skills?’

Special skills are skills that can be purchased from the shop and used once, regardless of job class.

Since they’re “purchased and used,” they’re essentially items.

However, the name “special” isn’t given for nothing; in certain situations, their efficiency far exceeds any item.

‘Let’s see, point shop…’

After seeing the message, I quickly open the point shop.

Indeed, there were various new items that weren’t there before.

All of them boasting powerful effects.

‘…I should think about how to collect more Seeds of Evil later.’

Given the nature of the Negative Imprint system, it’s both morally and practically difficult to get it from just anyone.

I’ll need to find suitable candidates who wouldn’t mind.

Like Talion who might fall to corruption later, or those who, despite having a good alignment, are worse than those with evil alignments. A loophole in the system, you could say.

With that thought, I came out carrying an armful of materials.

Conrad was sprawled on the ground, drenched in sweat.

“…”

What is this person doing?

“…What are you doing?”

“Hey, what’s with all those materials you’re carrying…”

A drawling response flowed from him.

“How did you end up like this?”

“This damn student council president kept insisting he needed to enter the forest too, so I told him if he wanted to enter, he’d have to take me down first.”

“…”

I have a suspicion, but…

“So he attacked you?”

“He did.”

This is truly a deranged school.

The student council president and the dean fighting each other.

Judging by the craters scattered around as if multiple bombs had exploded, these must be the aftermath of their fight. Traces of two monsters fighting, you could say.

“So I subdued him, knocked him out, and escorted him to the student council. That guy, his skills have improved a bit…”

He’s saying this with pride.

Think about disciplinary action.

‘…But it seems he can still be subdued by the dean.’

Even as the final boss, he’s still developing. Seems he hasn’t even reached half of his peak power yet.

“What about the evaluation?”

When I asked with a bitter smile, Conrad glanced inside the sack I had brought.

“Perfect score. Just looking at the quantity, you’re first place.”

“…”

He’s really being casual about this.

As I was thinking that, Conrad snorted and said:

“You’ve picked only high-grade materials. Almost like sending a professional to collect them.”

“…Well, yes.”

This is all because I was provoking Talion, but it’s true that they’re all high-grade materials.

“Take those straight to Percy. He’ll be pleased.”

“What?”

“You already have a wish token with him anyway. Earn some points in advance for when you need to ask him for something.”

Conrad said with a smirk.

“…Can I earn points with these?”

“He was just grumbling to me that he’s missing most of what you’ve brought. From his perspective, you’ll probably look like a savior if you bring those.”

Hmm.

Is that so?

“Then while earning points, can I ask for something a bit difficult with the wish token?”

“What is it? He’ll probably do almost anything for you.”

“Well, you see…”

I organize the content in my mind for a moment.

Among the various conditions needed for the ‘Purifier’ strategy, the first thing that comes to mind is…

“I’d like to ask him to make a bomb powerful enough to blow up the entire academy.”

“…”

Conrad immediately shut his mouth.

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