Chapter 159: Chapter 160

There was a phrase: as plain as day.

It meant that a situation was so clear and simple that it could be understood at a glance.

There were thirteen people in the room. Five of them were big and healthy.

The other seven looked like they'd been starving for weeks. If not for their cadet uniforms, they could be mistaken for bums.

“So you also take matters of manner seriously?

“Huh?”

“Me too. That’s what separates humans from beasts—whether or not you know your manners.”

I wondered if this ignorant-looking cadet even understood what I was saying.

I got my answer in the next moment.

He immediately swung his fist.

At least he still acted human—getting mad at being insulted.

Had being stuck in such a closed space increased his violent tendencies?

Or had he always been this way?

Not that I really cared.

SMACK!

“Gaaahh!”

With a loud scream, he dropped to the ground, clutching his face in agony.

Most people like him were like this. They knew how to inflict pain but rarely had any tolerance for it themselves. Shitty, I know, but it was the bitter truth.

Three of the remaining four scrambled to their feet, but one remained seated, watching me.

The look on his face pissed me off.

Pat.

I closed the distance to that shit-face cadet with my sun shadow steps.

The moment the smug cadet's mouth dropped open, I snatched him by the collar of his uniform.

“...!”

I saw his hands flail in the air. It was a pathetic response, but I was surprised he reacted at all.

He might be about equal to the lowest rank of young heroes.

In other words, about the same level as Skull or Hans.

Bam.

His eyes bulged as my fist sank deep into his gut.

I clicked my tongue. “Don’t be so dramatic.”

His reaction was too much. I had held back.

“Russo!” some cadets screamed.

So this guy’s name was Russo.

I grabbed the so-called Russo by the shoulders and hurled him toward the cadets who had just shouted.

Crash.

They fell over trying to catch him.

“...”

“...”

The two still standing back flinched but didn’t make a move, merely glaring at me in disbelief.

I’d expected as much.

They were just like a pack of hyenas.

The group simply crumbled the moment it lost its leader.

The way their eyes darted around made me sick—like they couldn’t decide whether to run, fight, or piss themselves.

Maybe... if these guys weren't cadets, and if they'd crossed the line just a little bit more, I might’ve just—

[Inheritor].

The Martial God’s low, brusque voice echoed in my mind.

Ehm.

I shook my head, forcing down the rising urge to kill.

I didn’t show it, but I was a little taken aback.

I could be impulsive, sure, but I wasn’t the type to casually consider killing someone.

[It’s because this is a demon lord’s domain. Keep your wits about you. Don't let the madness consume you.]

Could these guys also be affected?

[Perhaps. They are no saints, but they would not normally be this evil.]

...

So in a way, they were victims too. That fact made the pent-up steam inside me disappear.

I said tersely, “Go share some food with the seniors. And you, Russo, why don't you come over here.”

“Cough... Cough...”

“Stop overreacting and get your ass over here. Unless you want another,” I said, subtly bringing my fist up.

Russo shot to his feet and hurried over to stand in front of me.

Luckily, he wasn’t completely clueless.

“Explain what's going on.”

“Wh-what, explain what...?”

“Everything. From beginning to end. Everything you know.”

“Uh...”

I glared at him as he hesitated, and he began spilling everything he knew like a man with a blade to his throat.

I listened quietly, but he didn’t have much new information. Most of it overlapped with what Arin had said.

But then a cadet munching on an energy bar suddenly blurted out, “Th-there was an underground—cough—staircase!”

He was in such a rush to speak that he started choking on the bar.

I calmly waited for the cadet to finish drinking his water before asking, “An underground staircase?”

“Y-yes. I was too scared to go down there, but... it was kind of hot down there, and just... unsettling.”

“...”

The way out of the building was said to be the roof... The basement wasn’t exactly known as an escape route.

However...

This was a demon lord’s realm, a place unbound by common sense.

I stood up.

I was curious about these “underground stairs,” but there was something I had to do first. “Wait here for a moment,” I said.

Startled, Arin hurriedly asked, “Wh-where are you going?”

She glanced in Russo's direction, seemingly worried that if I disappeared, they would revert to their previous ways.

“Don't worry, I'll be back soon enough.”

Which was true.

No matter how brainless they were, even they would not repeat their garbage behavior just hours after a rough beating.

It would take at least a day, maybe even two or three.

If I was not back by then, they would slowly resume their despicable antics again.

Luckily, my task shouldn’t take that long.

Drrr.

I took a deep breath after closing the door behind me, then... I activated my serpent’s eye.

“——”

Thankfully, I could make out the building's structure to an extent.

Damn this huge place.

The once shabby research building was now much larger than several of the Academy's main buildings combined.

Even the floors had doubled from two to four stories.

Beyond the ceiling that separated floor from floor, I could see clusters of heat moving frantically.

Those were the cadets who were still alive.

There was no time to waste, so I immediately began a rescue operation.

I found five on the first floor, three on the second, three more on the third, and one on the fourth.

A total of eleven cadets.

“Th-thank you... Thank you so much...”

“It was terrifying...”

“...I thought I was done for.”

The cadets all expressed their gratitude.

Some cadets were as terrified as Arin, while others were surprisingly calm.

The cadet who had been alone on the fourth floor was one of the latter.

Judging by the color of his tie, he was in the highest grade.

He was a dignified-looking young man whose name was Jidon.

“Thank you for saving me. Your martial arts are remarkable...”

This guy was also quite skilled.

As Arin had said, the dolls on the fourth floor were strong. They were ball-jointed dolls rather than stuffed.

Their movements were grotesque and creaky, but despite their twisted forms, they moved surprisingly fast.

Jidon seemed to have held out against those dolls for quite a while.

“The path to the rooftop was treacherous... We should probably leave this building to call for help.”

“Senior, I'm sorry, but could you head down to the first floor?”

“Hm?”

I explained the situation to Jidon: the cadets being held captive and Russo’s group throwing their weight around.

Jidon's face immediately scrunched up.

“...What a dreadful situation. As a future knight, I cannot condone this. Very well, I will handle this Russo fellow.”

“Thanks.”

“By the way, I have yet to ask for my savior’s name.”

“It’s Luan. Currently a transfer student.”

“A transfer student? Ah! A future hero, then.”

Jidon grinned and squeezed my hand warmly.

“I, too, dreamed of joining Heroes before I decided to become a knight... I think they are the true heroes of the continent.”

“...”

“Haha. I just want to say that if it’s you, I’m relieved. You seem very dependable.”

The people here in the capital seemed especially envious of Heroes.

Just as those from the South were envious of the capital.

I found that attitude a little strange.

Anyway, I followed Jidon to the first floor, and then sent the rescued cadets to the dining hall.

Then, after making sure Russo’s face turned pale, I headed for the basement stairs.

* * * * *

* * * * *

It didn't take long.

At the very end of the right-side wing was a staircase leading down to the basement.

“Mmm.”

A gust of hot air hit me. It felt a bit different from the heat of the sun.

There was something else in the air besides heat.

The Martial God offered me a quiet warning.

[Inheritor, I sense unusual demonic energy.]

I nodded, then cautiously stepped down.

Though not a single ray of light entered, it wasn’t dark. Hot flames were emanating light from below.

The air was getting hotter too.

Even though I was accustomed to heat, beads of sweat broke out on my forehead.

Finally, the staircase ended.

This place is...

[It looks like a prison.]

He was right. The sight before me was undoubtedly an underground prison.

Except there were no prisoners.

Beyond the iron bars, I saw no signs of life—nor even traces of past inhabitants.

With no plan in mind, I just walked around.

I passed by quite a few cells, keeping my guard up the whole time.

It was exactly the kind of place where those tiny doll creatures could hide and make an ambush.

Those things emitted zero presence as living beings, nor did they contain internal energy or mana, so I had to rely entirely on my senses to deal with them.

Fortunately, I passed by several cells without being ambushed...

Eventually, I spotted a prisoner.

“...”

Headmaster Alderson.

Two layers of chains were bound around each limb, and a blood-red dagger was embedded near his chest.

It was said that mages controlled their mana with their heart. The dagger's purpose was likely to seal the archmage's magic.

The real Headmaster Alderson.

Not a puppet. The real headmaster of Kartell Academy.

But I could not act recklessly.

Because standing before the chained-up Alderson was the source of the heat.

“...”

Whoosh...!

It was a demon.

It certainly seemed that way, at least.

However, the heat radiating from it was so intense that it even blurred the presence of its sinister demonic energy.

The figure resembled a black knight in full armor.

But it wore no helmet, and where its head should have been, flames flickered.

The bright red flames seeped out from the seams, unable to be completely contained by its armor.

I imagined a monster whose body was made of flames, covered in black armor.

The Martial God spoke in a heavy voice.

[It’s dangerous.]

He did not speak of danger easily.

He had never shown much alarm except when High Priest Juan used ghost path to escape, but I heard a hint of unease in his voice now.

[With that much demonic energy and such an overwhelming presence, that is undoubtedly one of the demon lord’s direct legion commanders.]

A legion commander? Are they strong?

[They are not like other ordinary demons. They are either of the demon lord’s bloodline or former rulers who once claimed parts of Hell as their territory.]

Even the low-ranking demons and beasts summoned during the training camp had been troublesome enemies, as had their leader, a grim reaper.

But standing before me now was a legion commander.

The title alone made it a monster that no lesser demon could compare to.

[It is an incomplete manifestation... but even so, its great energy is unnerving.]

It was as he said.

That heat and that demonic energy... I was no match for them currently.

This was a monster that made even a high priest look like a child in comparison.

And yet, why?

...

Why did the image of the black knight draped in flames leave such a deep impression on me?

Despite its armor, it had no weapon in sight.

My gaze shifted to the demon's hand.

Black gauntlets.

I was sure crimson flame writhed beneath them, I couldn’t help but feel—was I losing my mind?

From the armored demon with a body of fire, I felt the dignified aura of a grand martial artist.

For a moment, it reminded me of my fourth senior brother. In fact, that stood out more than the demonic energy or the heat

...

A thirst for challenge stirred within me.

Since returning to the past, I'd never felt such a strong desire for battle.

Perhaps it was hubris, but I felt like this fight might actually be winnable.

The foundation of my identity as a martial artist lay in the Strongest Fire Technique, a breathing technique particularly resistant to heat.

If that demon, given its appearance, harnessed heat and used martial arts of extreme yang, I might barely have the upper hand.

But...

I should not act rashly.

I knew all too well how vile demons were, how despicable.

That meant the aura it was exuding could very well be nothing but a deception.

I glanced at Headmaster Alderson.

He might be the most important figure in the upcoming battle against the demon lord.

If I could rescue him, he could provide invaluable information and, even more importantly, become a powerful ally.

After a moment of thinking, I came to a conclusion.

It was worth the risk.

“Martial God,” I said, intentionally speaking with a raised voice.

I wanted to show my determination.

[Speak].

“I’m going to have to fight.”

“All alone? That’s gonna be tough.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

I instinctively lashed out at the sound of a sudden playful voice.

My extended fist was a simple, basic punch, but it carried more than enough internal energy.

Which meant that it naturally unleashed the first technique of the White Sun Form, scorching heat.

Thud.

It was easily blocked.

A gentle palm not only stopped my punch but also subdued the raging energy surging within it.

“Shh.”

I felt a finger press against my lips.

Playful, mischievous red eyes looked into mine.

“Hello, Luan Bednicker.”

“...”

I couldn't hide my surprise.

Here, of all places—no, no matter where we might meet, I would never get used to this unfamiliar figure smiling at me.

Leone whispered, “I came to help.”

____