Chapter 22: Each person’s preparation

– Clunk!

“Ugh! Seriously……”

‘It’s broken again…’

‘Why is it doing this?’

After trying to turn the unyielding doorknob this way and that, I gave up and stood before the window.

My faint reflection in the glass was shrouded in a familiar black robe.

Right, tonight’s the night.

Finally, the time has come to move while clad in this gloomy attire.

I don’t need to reveal myself openly like last time.

All I have to do is a bit of cleanup.

– Screeeech!!!

– S-Someone, please help here!!!

The deed is already done.

The incident occurred as planned, and the Academy Head, who should be protecting the academy, is nowhere to be seen.

Monsters that suddenly appeared are roaming the streets, hunting for prey, and the screams of terrified people can be heard from all over.

Amidst the pandemonium, I spotted a few locations where strong light was emanating.

‘Perhaps people from the church or the Hero have begun to lend their strength.’

‘To conceal my presence, I must move quietly where their hands cannot reach.’

– Boom!

I ignored the distant explosion and leaped out of the window.

****

– Swish!

A clean white streak was drawn, and the monster’s head fell off.

” ” ” Wooow!!! ” ” ”

The shouts of exhilaration came belatedly.

Students who witnessed the colossal monster collapsing in a single blow felt a thrill.

The one who actually severed the monster’s neck, the Hero Hestia, casually flicked her holy sword clean with an indifferent expression.

“Everyone, please evacuate to a safe place.”

After quickly dealing with the surrounding monsters, she left the scene, leaving the students’ thanks behind.

Although Hestia maintained a calm, expressionless demeanor despite the urgent situation of the academy being attacked, somehow her steps seemed more hurried than usual.

‘This doesn’t seem to be it either…’

Hestia bit her lip slightly and moved to another location.

As she relentlessly cut down monsters that suddenly appeared throughout the academy, her eyes seemed to be urgently searching for someone.

“Hestia!”

“……?!”

Just as she was about to clear the area and move to another spot, someone called her name and rushed over.

Hestia knew well that only two people in the academy would call her name so freely, so she turned around with a slightly excited heart.

“……Ah, Elisha. What brings you here?”

“…What’s with that reaction? It’s like you’re disappointed I’m not the person you were waiting for.”

“Th-That’s a misconception.”

Hestia, flustered by the sharp question, waved her hand dismissively.

Elisha wore a dissatisfied expression at this, but she didn’t press further and changed the subject.

“Anyway, you’re not hurt anywhere, are you?”

“No. I don’t know where these monsters suddenly appeared from, but……”

“I have a rough idea.”

“…Pardon?”

“So let’s go together. I need your strength.”

The conversation progressed rapidly, before her mind could even comprehend it.

Hestia’s bewildered expression lasted only a moment before she belatedly checked Elisha’s condition and immediately understood.

Elisha clearly bore the marks of battle, with torn clothing edges and monster blood splattered in places.

‘It seems she’s dealt with more monsters than I have.’

It was the moment she became convinced that Elisha knew more about this situation than she, who was completely unaware.

Hestia thought it was right to follow Elisha to resolve this matter quickly, but she couldn’t answer easily.

“Well……”

“Why, do you have something urgent to do?”

“…Considering the safety of the other students, I’d like to check the surroundings a bit more.”

“Oh, come on, most people would be asleep by now. Don’t worry about any other students who might be outside. The professors will provide support soon.”

“Are you sure?”

“Probably…? Anyway, you’re coming with me, right?”

She hesitated for a moment because Elisha couldn’t give a definite answer, but…

‘Indeed, he said before that he tends to fall asleep quickly…’

Recalling a conversation she had with him while dining together before, and her thoughts leaning towards not needing to worry, she immediately spoke.

“Are we leaving right away?”

“Yes. There’s no need to waste time, is there?”

“I’ll go with you.”

The Hero and the Regressor began to approach the heart of the situation to resolve it.

****

At that moment, in a building outside, close to the academy’s barrier.

It was a place the Myers family had recently acquired, claiming it was necessary for their business.

A building that was always kept meticulously clean under orders to maintain it perfectly in case the owner arrived, finally had a visitor.

“Ugh……”

Strictly speaking, a man closer to the position of the owner than a guest, Kal Myers…

He clutched his bleeding shoulder, letting out a pained groan.

A moment ago, at the end of his engagement with the Academy Head, he had barely succeeded in temporarily sealing her, but Kal’s condition was also dire.

Savina’s final attack had accurately pierced his shoulder, and the sensation of it still lingered.

“Academy Head… What in the world did she do?”

Although he hadn’t reached transcendence, it was an undeniable fact that he had somewhat surpassed mortals…

If it were an ordinary external injury, he would have recovered long ago.

However, the wound left by the Academy Head could not be easily healed even with Kal’s superhuman recovery ability.

It was clear she had done something.

To focus on healing, he had no choice but to rest.

“Damn it……”

Kal cursed and began to stabilize his body.

He was worried about being completely defenseless for a while, but there was no other option.

He composed himself, recalling the recent events.

Academy Head Savina.

The battle with her ended surprisingly quickly, but for Kal Myers, it became an opportunity to once again feel the gap between them.

Savina’s specialty was barriers.

Since it was an ability that emphasized preparatory work, he had thought that even if she was a transcendent, he might have a chance if she was unprepared.

However, Savina, even in an overwhelmingly disadvantageous situation with all sorts of curses and restrictions, and an incomplete body, pushed him back with sheer raw power.

As expected, the strength of a transcendent…

If it weren’t for the extra curses and sealing formations he had prepared just in case, it would have been him, not the Academy Head, who was subdued.

‘Somehow, I’ve avoided the worst-case scenario. I was lucky…’

No, rather, since only greater sins await, is it bad luck instead…?

Such a thought suddenly occurred to him, but Kal Myers shook his head.

He had already come too far to stop now.

Because he had nowhere left to retreat.

‘Just a little longer……’

If he safely finishes this, he can change many things.

If he absorbs the academy’s special magic and reaches transcendence, he might find a clue to free the Myers family from the curses that have plagued them.

Perhaps it would even be possible to restore the declining Myers family.

The Academy Head’s wrath and the aftermath would be difficult to handle, but if he becomes a transcendent, she wouldn’t dare touch him.

‘Therefore… by any means necessary, I must reach transcendence.’

That alone is the future of the family, that alone is the way to survive…

Kal Myers closed his eyes to recover.

****

In the pitch-black darkness, Savina was struggling desperately.

“H-Hmph…!”

A strong wind buffeted her ears.

Her arms and legs wouldn’t move as she wished, and no part of her body touched the ground.

Savina was falling.

With several senses, including sight, sealed, she was endlessly falling into some deep abyss.

‘Nothing… I can’t feel anything…’

Her transcendent senses were restricted.

She had only experienced this kind of sensation once before.

When ‘that being’ invaded the academy…

Savina recalled that time when everything was nullified, and she could do nothing.

The fear and powerlessness she felt back then were once again trying to seize her by the throat.

“Ugh, hmph…!”

Savina, struggling in the invisible darkness, felt a constricting pain in her heart.

It was as if she was trapped alone in the vacuum of space, where even the light of stars had vanished.

She gasped for breath, flailing with all her might to shake off the fear.

Yet the fall continued endlessly, and it was just as she was about to descend into full panic.

“Oh, Academy Head? What are you doing here?”

“……?!”

Along with an unfamiliar voice, someone carefully supported her.

A startled Savina flinched and trembled, but he nonchalantly lifted her into his arms.

“Hmph, haah haah……”

The speed of her fall gradually decreased, and the sound of wind whistling past her ears began to subside.

She still couldn’t see anything ahead, and her senses were still restricted, but she knew she had safely landed on the ground.

Savina barely managed to calm her wildly beating heart, and slowly parted her trembling lips.

“Wh-Who is it……?”

“I am a student taught by the Academy Head.”

The man who replied thus carefully set Savina down on the ground.

In an atmosphere where he seemed like he would vanish if she let go, she reflexively clutched his collar even tighter.

“W-Wait a moment……”

“Please rest here for a while.”

He led Savina to a place where she could sit and helped her sit down.

Being too tense to do anything, she simply moved her body blankly according to his touch.

His actions were natural, as if he had done this many times before.

Savina fumbled for his arm right next to her.

Along with the surging relief, somehow her heart rate began to quicken slightly.

She felt gratitude towards him who saved her from fear.

She felt thankful to him who saved her from the swamp of powerlessness.

She felt something special for him who supported her, a transcendent, allowing her to lean on him even for a moment.

Emotions she had barely felt since becoming a transcendent violently stirred within her.

Savina bowed her head deeply and spoke hesitantly.

“Tha…nk you.”

“No need for thanks, Academy Head. Well then, I’m busy, so I’ll be going now.”

“H-Huh? Wait…!”

She hastily grabbed the arm of the man who seemed like he would vanish if she let her guard down for even a moment, and cautiously asked him.

“What’s… your name…? I’ll definitely remember it…”

“……”

No less, Savina, a transcendent, personally expressed her intention to remember him.

It was an opportunity of a lifetime that countless people would wish for, yet he said nothing.

As Savina, growing anxious in the brief silence, internally flustered…

The man gave an answer she had not expected at all.

“You can call me whatever you wish.”

“…? Wh-What do you mean by that……”

“Because my name isn’t very important.”

Savina, who had a mountain of things she wanted to say, tried to grab him again, but the sensation in her hand had already left her.

The being who appeared like a mirage vanished, leaving Savina alone in the darkness once more.

She no longer felt fear or dread, but for some reason, her heart was beating even faster than when she was falling from the sky.