Chapter 145: The Angel Who Meets His Junior (2)

Episode 145: The Angel Who Meets His Junior (2)

One day, when green grass replaced the white snow, when the mountains were adorned with flowers, a cult called the New Truth Church was destroyed.

Who did it? Who dispelled the deception of the New Truth Church and judged the false prophet? And who saved its believers?

Those who believe in true faith remember. Those who believe in the New Angel Church, the true faith, they remember the angel from that day.

The angel who saved them, the angel who defeated a Demon King’s Four Heavenly Kings.

‘That girl, where have I seen her before?’

But Leffrey couldn’t immediately recognize the girl.

Her brown hair shimmered faintly in the morning sunlight, but with a veil, something you’d only see on a nun, covering her head, her face wasn’t fully visible

White wings spread out behind her. Those who saw those wings couldn’t help but think of the word ‘angel’, though they didn’t dare say it aloud.

And even the girl’s beauty was just like that. She possessed a beauty that was worthy of being called an angel.

But those eyes.

Those brown eyes, although they shone brightly with determination, there was something unsettling about them.

‘Hexi…?’

Something about those eyes reminded Leffrey of Hexi, and his unease grew little by little. And then came the reporters’ voices.

“Isn’t that girl the saint of the New Angel Church?”

“Right, I’ve heard of her. The saint of the New Angel Church, the bird beast folk, Sori.”

“Saint? How many people has that monster killed?”

“She’s a monster who can wield both divine power and magic. Hmm, but a saint from a cult arriving first at the entrance exam site.”

Sori, the bird beast folk.

Leffrey’s jaw dropped in disbelief.

‘Right. I met a girl named Sori at the New Truth Church. So, she was that Sori.’

But hasn’t her appearance changed too much? The Sori he knew was so pure and innocent that it made you want to say ‘Sori knows nothing’. She was the kind of beast folk girl who thought everything in this world would turn out well and readily trusted in the kindness of others.

Then what was with this?

This aura of killing intent and madness?

And then the moment arrived.

The moment when their eyes met, Leffrey, flinching and taking a step back, and those eyes, filled with a messy, sticky emotions, staring at him.

“Ah, Angel-nim.”

Flap flap flap—Sori’s white wings flapped, as if unable to contain her joy.

“Please wait for me.”

The reporters dismissed her, saying, ‘As expected of a saint from a cult, spouting nonsense,’ ignored her, but Leffrey, the Baby Angel, was a little frightened of those eyes.

“H-Huh?”

He quickly racked his brains.

Did I do something to offend her? Did I act disrespectfully? Or is there some kind of misunderstanding? Just why is that girl looking at me with those eyes, saying ‘Please wait for me’?

Leffrey had no idea.

And a few hours later, another girl arrived at the entrance exam site.

He immediately recognized this one.

The girl who had given him a somewhat bitter, but genuinely helpful, advice at the Superhuman Registration Office, a part of the Superhuman Management Bureau.

She had been wearing worn-out, cheap clothes and a baseball cap with a slightly torn brim back then.

And that girl had said these words to him,

‘At this level, in a life as low as this, the only choice we have is what color chains to wear. And I think the black chains are heavier.’

Cruel, but,

It was undeniably kind words.

Of course, Leffrey didn’t listen to her advice and awakened as a Villain Angel, completely destroyed the Superhuman Registration Office.

‘Oh no…’

The important part now was that the girl had been there when he turned the Superhuman Registration Office upside down. She witnessed Leffrey crushing that corrupted guild master and the Terror Suppression Team.

“Another girl.”

“Can’t see her face well because of that baseball cap.”

“Hey, don’t you know the Wolf of Old Seoul? Isn’t she the head of that violent group that’s been leading the superhuman gangs in Old Seoul these days?”

“No way, a thug like that managed to… ”

As one reporter said this, another immediately covered his mouth.

“Hey, are you crazy? Be careful with what you say.”

As the reporters went silent, the girl called the wolf, carefully observed Leffrey.

“As expected, you’re here.”

The girl smiled meaningfully, then,

Entered the entrance exam site.

And then, one by one, the other examinees arrived.

People who were discharged from Mariana Camp now challenging the entrance exam to enter the Central Academy, children from various superhuman families and magic nobles. And the top talents belonging to guilds.

Those young superhumans, who represented the future of humanity, were all entering the entrance exam site one after another.

‘This is a bit surprising…’

As the deadline approached,

Leffrey was a little surprised.

‘I know almost all of them, if only through a few connections.’

Most of the examinees who had come to take the exam were connected to the many students Leffrey had befriended during his year at the academy.

From close family members to distant relatives.

Or even comrades and subordinates.

‘I was just trying to gain Angelic Power by helping people, but I ended up building so many connections.’

There wasn’t much reason for other students to dislike Leffrey, a boy who was always fluttering around and helping others.

Besides, he was an incredibly handsome (Beautiful) boy. People tend to love beautiful things, not hate them.

So, if you were to judge him by his popularity, Leffrey could even become the idol of the Central Academy.

Of course, Leffrey wasn’t really aware of this fact.

Anyway, among those who he had some connections with, a cat beast folk girl with pink hair stood out.

He could tell without even asking. It was clearly Hongwol’s younger sibling.

Although their height was shorter than Hongwol, even shorter than Soya, and their… development… was virtually nonexistent,

“Hiss…”

However, Hongwol’s sibling, for some reason, is displeased, glaring at Leffrey with their hair and tail standing on end.

Thus, time passed.

The sun, drawing a gentle curve towards the west, was demonstrating its power to shorten the day with each passing moment…

A boy, panting, arrived at the entrance exam site just in time. An ordinary-looking boy with black hair and black eyes. Just another examinee.

“Phew, I almost missed the deadline.”

The examinee, wiping away sweat, took out his application form.

The reporters, watching, shook their heads at each other. They recognized that the boy was just another ordinary examinee with no backing.

No information meant no powerful backer. No achievements. And his appearance was even ordinary. So there was absolutely nothing for the reporters to write about.

He even looked like a teenager. Having no information up to his teens meant that he had a very high chance of failing.

“Who is that boy?”

“Ah, I heard he awakened this year and came to take the exam. They say he used to be a doorman at some large hotel or something.”

“…He’ll probably fail.”

The reporters lost interest in the boy and began packing their things, preparing to return to their companies.

Leffrey was the only one who watched as the boy had his application reviewed and entered the exam site.

‘Could it be…’

Leffrey, hiding his unease,

…Stealthily infiltrated the exam site.

* * *

Lusa was in charge of the entrance exam last time, but this time it was Klein. It meant that a more systematic and thorough exam had been prepared.

Compared to Lusa, who created the exam haphazardly with no real plan, Klein was the type who preferred to move meticulously according to plans.

In other words, it meant that an even more difficult and harsh exam had been prepared.

“Leffrey?”

“Ah, yes.”

Klein immediately caught the sneaking Leffrey, and spoke in a kind yet aristocratic tone,

“I heard from Vice Principal Park Jin-ho. That you’re here to prevent casualties during the entrance exam.”

“Yes, I just felt that the exam was a bit too harsh, so…”

Klein made a strange expression,

Then he sighed and said,

“Harsh, you say. I don’t know how many years it’s been since I heard such a test being called harsh.”

“So, is it impossible?”

“No. You are my prized disciple. Just like all the examinees here, you have the right to participate in this exam.”

Klein continued,

“If you want to prevent casualties, Leffrey, then do so. That’s your right as my successor.”

“S-successor?”

Klein, pretending not to hear Leffrey’s mumble, greeted him casually and returned to his seat.

Then, a massive curtain began to rise.

And revealed behind it was a swimming pool that was even larger than the curtain. The pool was so deep that he couldn’t even see the bottom properly, and the dim lighting didn’t help.

Leffrey, seeing that, immediately realized what kind of test this was.

‘Water that doesn’t smell like water. And I don’t smell any disinfectant either. Then…’

What was prepared as the very first test was mana diving.

Mana dive. It is common to often use the word ‘flow’ when describing mana. So, mana, in many ways, has properties similar to that of a liquid.

Then, mana that has been densely concentrated and gained physical form, could be collected in a massive pool like this, just like water.

‘A mana dive is usually evaluated by making the examinees retrieve something from the bottom of the pool.’

It was a simple test, at least in theory. But if it were that simple, it wouldn’t be part of the Central Superhuman Academy entrance exam.

‘Mana poisoning is dangerous, but the most dangerous thing is…’

Mana is a power that distorts reality.

And with such a power, densely concentrated in one place, what would happen in its depths?

Some might see their fantasy and be intoxicated by their deepest desires, forgetting to even breathe, and others might be terrified by a horrifying nightmare, giving up on even trying to escape or breathe.

And that wasn’t all. Even if they tried to escape, they wouldn’t be able to see the outside. All sorts of bizarre phenomena would grab the examinees’ ankles. Or something that resembled their goal might lead them to a completely different world.

Truly,

A brutal test.

A systematic, meticulous, and therefore cruel test that made even the trials Lusa had prepared seem trivial.

‘There will be many casualties. If I can’t stop this test.’

But as Leffrey was about to say something to Klein…

“This is a necessary test. Trials are the hammer, and challenges the anvil. One can only become stronger by being hammered.”

…He said those words, looking at Leffrey.

Leffrey sighed.

‘…I already knew I couldn’t persuade the professors.’

On that day when he couldn’t hide his tears and ended up crying in Soya’s arms. Leffrey finally decided to accept that fact.

How could he expect the professors to show mercy when even *he* didn’t have faith, when he can’t spread his wings?

If even he is this close to darkness, this gray, what right does he have to say anything while looking at the professors?

Leffrey slowly opened his mouth,

“No, I’m not going to make you stop the exam.”

“Then?”

“Begin the exam. I’ll save those kids in my own way. There won’t be a single casualty.”

Klein made an intrigued expression. No casualties in a mana dive?

‘That’s impossible. There’s no way to do that.’

Even back when he was training at the UN Magic Research Institute, countless of his classmates had died.

‘Why? Why am I thinking about them now? After all these years?’

Thump thump—Klein hadn’t felt his heart beat this fast in a long time.

Klein skillfully put on a poker face,

And made his usual enigmatic smile.

Then he opened his mouth.

“Welcome, examinees. My name is Klein, the Magical Studies professor who will be overseeing this entrance exam.”

After waiting for the applause to die down,

Klein said confidently,

“Then let the Central Superhuman Academy entrance exam begin!”