Ch.9Chapter 9: Development and the Beginning of the Climax

As I hurriedly made my way toward the training ground,

I anxiously scanned my surroundings.

A blood-red pentagram floated eerily in the air.

I turned my head to see how people watching the platform would react, since apart from me—who had frozen in place at the sight—no one seemed to show any particular response.

And despite having only looked around for a brief moment.

I easily realized that this strange phenomenon was only visible to me.

Despite how clearly I could see that ominous sign of malice hovering there,

It seemed no one else could perceive the blood-red pentagram floating above Dan Augustine’s head.

‘If they could see it, there would be chaos right now.’

The Bloody Pentagram is a symbol of malice.

This ominous mark signifies either someone who has endlessly pursued power until they’ve been corrupted by demonic impurity and fallen to become a demon,

Or that they’ve received the blessing of a demon god—a privilege granted only to the most exceptional chosen ones among the already elite ranks of demons born with demonic nature.

Bearing that crest is a kind of guarantee.

It means that, at minimum, they’re on the same level as what I became in my second life—a monster who was reborn to set the world ablaze.

Yet here it was, brazenly floating in the air within this cradle that nurtures heroes who serve as humanity’s bulwark.

Surprisingly, it seemed invisible to everyone’s eyes except mine.

The spectators in the distant stands—students and officials waiting for the upcoming final match—showed no reaction whatsoever.

Even Shizu, who was closest to the platform, was casually responding to the crowd’s cheers as she headed toward the training ground.

And most tellingly, even Professor Maximilian—who, despite being from a now-erased future timeline, had fiercely fought against beings bearing that blood-red pentagram to protect humanity from the hands of evil—showed no reaction as he watched Dan slowly making his way toward the training ground.

‘Why?’

Despite how clearly that symbol of malice hovered above Dan’s head, casting an unmistakable presence,

Why couldn’t anyone else see it?

My mind was filled with doubt and anxiety as I ran toward the training ground.

‘Still, I have to keep going.’

After steeling my resolve, I accelerated my pace toward the training ground.

Though it seemed close, the distance from the stands to the training ground was farther than I’d thought.

And because I’d carelessly overused my battle energy earlier due to the exhilaration of channeling it without pain for the first time, I didn’t have time to draw more energy through breathing techniques to strengthen my body.

I slightly regretted not having managed it better, but it was too late now.

My legs carried me forward, running relentlessly toward Professor Maximilian who stood in the center of the training ground.

I made this decision because I didn’t believe Shizu—who had awakened formidable abilities but still lacked the mindset of a hero to fully utilize her power—could win unscathed against a being bearing the blood-red pentagram.

‘The only one who can stop this here and now is Professor Maximilian.’

Maximilian Chronos.

The most senior professor at the Cradle and assistant to Belphaeus, the academy’s dean and director.

A young sage and master of flame magic who had comprehended the principles of fire to the extent that he could produce any fire-related phenomenon with a mere gesture, without complex incantations.

Since he was the only one in this arena capable of stopping any kind of unexpected situation,

I ran with all my might.

I knew that as soon as the two combatants entered the training ground, an absolute barrier would be deployed, preventing any outside interference.

My plan was to enter the training ground before that happened, stop the match, and then alert Professor Maximilian to the danger.

Fortunately, despite not being able to use body strengthening techniques, my hurried movements allowed me to enter the training ground before both Shizu and Dan.

*Murmuring*

Perhaps because I—an unscheduled participant—had entered the training ground,

Voices of confusion rose from the spectator stands.

“…?”

Shizu, who was about to step into the training ground, gave me a look that mixed welcome with puzzlement.

“What’s the matter, Cadet Cal Ranos?”

Despite what must have been a surprising entrance, Professor Maximilian addressed me in a calm voice, quite different from his previously enthusiastic tone, attempting to assess the situation.

“Professor, right now…”

As I tried to speak to resolve the situation quickly,

“Caaaaal!”

Shizu, having recognized me and shed her puzzled expression, quickly stepped into the training ground, embraced me, and covered my mouth.

*Tap tap tap*

Dan Augustine also frowned upon seeing Shizu rush into the training ground, then displayed incredibly swift movement as he entered as well.

“Bloody…”

After breaking free from Shizu’s embrace, I desperately tried to alert Professor Maximilian about the Bloody Pentagram’s presence, but,

*Snap*

The mouth I was desperately trying to open was silenced by a clear sound made by two fingers snapping together behind my back.

Silence fell.

The commotion in the arena caused by my intrusion,

Was replaced by stillness the moment Dan snapped his fingers.

Though it was quiet, this was an unnatural, unsettling silence where even the sound of breathing—which should be audible if one listened carefully in a crowded place—couldn’t be heard.

Everything had stopped unnaturally, unable to continue whatever action had been in progress.

The murmuring spectators were frozen in place, unable to move a muscle.

Excel, who had been staring in disbelief as I rushed away, was petrified like a statue.

Even Professor Maximilian, who had been about to listen to what I was trying to say, was frozen in place.

While they appeared to be under a petrification spell given their complete immobility, the life in their expressions and eyes remained unchanged.

This made it easy for me to recognize this as the effect of “Frozen Time”—the ultimate technique of space-time control magic.

I turned my head to survey the entire arena.

Though I’d intended to check how far the time-stopping spell had reached, I quickly realized:

I wasn’t sure how far beyond the arena the effect extended,

But without a doubt, time throughout the entire arena where the tournament was being held,

Had completely stopped.

And in this frozen time, the only ones unaffected were:

“Cal…”

Shizu, who had calmed her earlier excitement and was now coldly assessing the surroundings, preparing for any contingency, and me, standing in front of her, ready to counter any threat that might come her way.

And,

“Hmm…”

Dan Augustine—or whatever entity he might be—looking at Shizu and me with strange gleaming eyes, as if he’d found something interesting.

Just us two people and one being whose humanity was questionable.

#

In the arena enveloped in complete silence due to the stopped time.

After briefly surveying the surroundings with a composed expression,

Shizu, unable to hide her confusion at the situation beyond her comprehension, asked:

“Cal, what… what’s happening?”

Her voice couldn’t conceal her bewilderment.

While I couldn’t precisely explain what was happening either,

There was at least one thing I knew for certain:

“I’m not entirely sure… but it seems like that guy has stopped time.”

After giving this adequate response, I raised my right index finger to point at the culprit behind this incident.

“Am I right?”

In response to my question, Dan merely shrugged his shoulders lightly, then began slowly walking toward where Shizu and I stood.

One step.

Though it was a very leisurely, unhurried step, the Bloody Pentagram floating above Dan’s head as he took that step emitted a formidable presence that could fill the entire arena.

As if Dan’s body were merely a shell, and all his actions were controlled by the blood-red pentagram.

“…!!”

I flinched momentarily at the overwhelming pressure, comparable to the aura that had emanated from Professor Grace’s body when she had tried to detain me out of curiosity just a few dozen minutes ago.

Two steps.

The imposing aura of the pentagram weakened slightly as he took his second step.

“Strange. The Frozen Time created by drawing on this child’s potential should be perfect, yet why doesn’t it affect not just one, but two people?”

Incomprehensible words flowed from Dan’s mouth.

“What is that guy saying?”

This was strange.

The voice matched Dan Augustine’s as I remembered it.

But while the voice itself was identical, everything else—the tone, speech patterns, and all—was different.

As I began to feel unsettled by the scene, as if some invisible entity was merely borrowing Dan’s voice to speak its own words,

*Snap*

Taking his third step, Dan snapped his fingers in the same manner as when he had activated the time-stop earlier.

“That should do it now…?”

Dan continued his monologue, wearing an expression as if he’d unilaterally done something and resolved it.

“Why is he acting like that?”

Even Shizu was perplexed, looking at me with a questioning gaze.

I was equally baffled, so,

“Hey.”

I called out to Dan in a loud voice.

“…What?!”

This time, his expression showed shock beyond mere surprise.

“This can’t be happening…?”

I didn’t know what he meant by that, but Dan, who had gaped in astonishment, finally closed his mouth and composed his expression.

“Well… I forced my way through the cracks of time on orders to eliminate the Invincible Radiance before it grows further, but this isn’t fun at all.”

As I tried to make sense of his words—of which only “Invincible Radiance” was comprehensible—

Four steps.

Unlike the leisurely first movement, Dan’s fourth step instantly closed the distance between us and Shizu.

“…?!”

Despite not taking my eyes off Dan, the instigator of this unusual situation, I couldn’t properly track his movement, and Shizu’s expression showed she was equally startled.

Dan stroked his chin with his right hand and, with an expression mixing strange disappointment and doubt, said:

“To think that right now, she’s such a weakling who shows this kind of reaction even to crude movements made by forcibly drawing out potential through someone else’s body.”

His voice carried an eerie tone.

“Get away!”

Instinctively sensing danger from that voice, I screamed at Shizu to dodge, then leaped toward her, pushing her away as she stood frozen in shock.

*Thwack*

My right shoulder was pierced through by his right hand, which had thrust forward with the sharpness of a blade.

“…!!”

A moment of intense pain reverberated throughout my body, but only briefly.

The super-regeneration ability I had just awakened could apparently heal a penetrating wound effortlessly, and the intense pain quickly subsided.

“Oh…?”

As he looked at my body with an expression suggesting he’d realized something, making exclamations of admiration,

I quickly kicked at him to create distance between us.

The entity possessing Dan’s body easily avoided my kick and withdrew the right hand that had pierced my shoulder.

“My, my~ Doesn’t that hurt? If I had raised my hand just a little higher, your right arm would have been severed.”

No sooner had his sinister words ended than the wound in my shoulder, which his right hand had pierced, was instantly restored.

“Cal…!!”

Shizu, who had been shocked at seeing my shoulder pierced, was even more surprised to see my wound regenerate, but I had no time to respond to her astonishment.

“The situation doesn’t look good, so don’t let your guard down. It’s really dangerous right now.”

I threw out these adequate words while,

‘I’ll buy time, so prepare your strongest technique.’

I simultaneously signaled with my eyes.

After a moment of confusion, Shizu quickly understood the look I gave her.

“Y-Yes!”

While exaggeratedly pretending to be frightened, a cold determination had already returned to her eyes.

“You servants of the demon gods talk too much.”

That’s why I was able to buy time.

It was a profitable exchange—one shoulder wound, quickly healed, for the time Shizu needed to draw her holy sword.

The unnervingly silent space was soon filled with the pleasant resonating sound produced by the radiance of the holy sword.