Chapter 168: Chapter 169

At this point, there was only one way left.

The most primitive method, passed down since ancient times.

A barbaric method, but all the more effective because of it.

Sching.

“I wonder if you're as skilled in a fight as you are with your mouth,” Barter said as he drew his sword.

I also began to draw up my true ki. I'd saved it during the fights with the demons, but...

It would be hard to hold back against this one.

Though I’d been dismissive of him, Barter Goodspring was no slouch.

Even among skilled individuals, Barter stood out. Hector, Charon, Evan, and Sellen would all lose to him.

Even now, despite how much I had gotten under his skin, he remained calm.

Anyway...

I figured this was my chance to put Barter in his place.

Having two commanders in this crisis was the last thing we needed.

Confusion in the chain of command is a recipe for defeat.

The good news was that Barter knew that.

Now that he recognized me as someone he needed to crush, he wouldn't shy away from combat.

But at this moment, Headmaster Alderson broke his silence and made his presence known.

“I will not permit a duel here.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Sssss.

Perhaps Alderson’s inner turmoil had finally calmed, because the mana radiating from his body spread out like ripples and took control of the space.

It wasn't particularly threatening, but...

Its serene, gentle flow naturally drained the tension from the air. It felt like my burning fighting spirit was doused with ice-cold water.

I shook myself off and withdrew my true ki, and Barter lowered the sword he had drawn.

Of course, we both knew this was only a temporary truce.

We were probably thinking the same thing: We would settle this somewhere Alderson wasn’t.

Perhaps the headmaster realized this as well, because the next moment, he looked at us and slowly said, “However... I do understand that there are irreconcilable differences of opinion between the two of you. Let us do this: In twelve hours, you’ll duel, and we will proceed with the victor’s plan.”

In a cold voice, Barter said, “My opinion was that we should head to Building 13 as soon as possible.”

“You must understand that Lord Luan’s opinion has some validity, don’t you? Twenty-four hours is not a long time, but it’s not short either. We should rest first and then discuss the correct course of action.”

“...”

“I know it wasn’t easy to return here. You need to rest too,” Alderson continued. “I will officiate the duel. No mana will be allowed. This will be a contest of pure, brute strength. Understood?”

“...Huuu.” Barter let out a rather long sigh, then sheathed his sword. He glanced at me briefly before turning away without another word.

Marco and his subordinates, likely members of the special forces, followed behind him.

I clicked my tongue openly.

“Just look at that asshole. Walking away before the elder has finished speaking... Tsk, tsk. I’ll never grow up to be like that.”

“You should stop provoking him too.”

I nodded at the headmaster’s words. “Should I?”

Alderson suddenly began laughing like a madman.

“Watching you makes the despairing atmosphere feel faint. What kind of nerves do you have? Is it because you’re a Bednicker?”

“Who knows...”

“No, looking at Hector Bednicker, that is not it. Perhaps it’s just your nature...

“There's no reason to despair if there’s still a chance. If I’ve tried everything and nothing worked, then I’ll curse and complain.”

“What will you say?”

“Something like, ‘God, you bastard.’ ”

Alderson laughed heartily. “Be thankful that I am not a religious man.”

“If you were, I wouldn’t have said it.”

“Indeed.” Alder chuckled. “ ‘Never give up until the end.’ It’s something everyone knows in their heads, but the human heart is a peculiar thing. The more dire the situation, the harder it is to control.”

“...”

“One thing is clear: Your optimism will one day be a beacon for everyone.”

I wondered how peculiar I must be. It felt more burdensome than outright insulting when he praised me or placed his unsolicited expectations on me like that.

“...A beacon, huh?”

“You have not noticed how the young heroes look at you, have you? Regardless of what you think, you are already their leader.” Alderson chuckled lightly. “Take a walk with me.”

Did he still have more to say?

I followed behind Alderson, who had started walking immediately, without waiting for my response.

His steps were rather slow.

It wasn’t just because of his age. He was not quite fully recovered.

I reached out my hand to offer support, but he simply shook his head and continued struggling.

When the sounds of cadets’ sobbing and voices filled with despair faded into the distance...

Alderson said, “I feel responsible for this situation.”

“...”

“The academy... is a place of learning. We spared no effort to create the best possible environment for education. We deliberately encouraged ideological and philosophical clashes among the cadets in the hope that productive debates would arise, hoping they would become better people as a result.”

I had only seen the eccentric side of Headmaster Alderson.

He had built a ridiculous structure called the Tower of Training within the academy, seemingly enjoying the pain and suffering of the cadets climbing it...

He had also produced 250 combat golems out of admiration for the Platinum Knight Order.

Above all, Alderson was a mage.

People who would stop at nothing to achieve their goals.

And at the pinnacle of such individuals stood the archmages.

I had never been in awe of mages.

The more I’d learned of them throughout the years, the more I’d sensed the madness that only came from those who bet everything on their single chosen field.

“To teach without restrictions. To allow thoughts and ideologies to change freely. To let them explore their paths to their hearts' content. These are the privileges of youth. And we, the faculty... It was our responsibility to protect them until they went out into the world.”

That was why I found this side of Alderson a bit unexpected.

For the first time, I saw not the Archmage of Violet but the headmaster of Kartell Academy.

I felt like I finally understood why he was the headmaster.

I scratched the back of my head for a moment, trying to think of something to say... but nothing came to mind that would comfort an old man who had lived several times longer than me.

In the end, the words that came out were words anyone could have said: “I'm sorry to hear that.”

“The children are all still alive. As the princess said, their souls may be held hostage, suffering.”

“...”

“I will save every last one of them. Even if it costs me my life... I swear it here and now,” Headmaster Alderson said, his voice clear and resolute. “This bloody world will be swept away by my violet.”

The Archmage of Violet, Alderson Maveur.

Though it was only seen in the ranks of the dormitories, his words carried the weight of one who placed violet above even the imperial family’s crimson.

“You must like violet.”

Alderson smiled faintly. “Is it not the most mysterious color? That is why I like Bednicker too.”

For a moment, I wondered what he meant, but he had to be referring to the color of my eyes.

I chuckled softly and said, “Headmaster, you’re the most sane mage I’ve ever met.”

Alderson paused at my comment, then smiled in return. “Not all mages are like Sir Asad. He’s an eccentric, even among archmages.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Indeed.”

After a moment of silence, I looked to the headmaster and said, “Rest assured, Headmaster, I’ve come here to bring dawn to this world.”

Recalling the Martial God’s words, I looked at the dark, blood-red sky.

“The harder times are, the more certain it is that the sun must rise.”

* * * * *

* * * * *

After that brief conversation with Alderson...

I found a suitable room and shut the door. Then I began cultivating my energy.

The yang ki from the forcibly shattered mystic bead was still raging inside me.

“Huuu...”

I slowed my breathing, stabilized the energy, and absorbed it as smoothly as I could. A pleasant heat coursed through my body, relaxing my muscles.

As I did, my mind naturally drifted back to my conversation with the headmaster.

My optimism?

Was I really optimistic?

Honestly, I wasn’t sure I’d call myself that.

The way I approached life right now boiled down to one rule: I would do everything I could from wherever I stood.

I did not think it was a perfect answer because even if one did their best, there were bound to be regrets—I'd experienced that firsthand.

Like during that training camp, in the past that no longer existed.

So, to be honest... I didn’t want the Blessing of the Spirit Mountain to activate.

It was a great boon. Getting a second chance at life was undeniably incredible. But...

Somehow, it left me with a deep sense of emptiness.

It felt as though all my struggles, my efforts as a person, were reduced to scraps of paper to be thrown away.

Am I being too arrogant?

Suddenly, I remembered a conversation I’d had with the Lord of Blood and Iron.

—What must someone do to defeat a God while retaining their humanity?

—To achieve such a feat... one would need multiple opportunities.

—Spare lives, or a method to challenge your foe countless times. Or perhaps even—and this is the most absurd yet—the ability to rewind time.

It was true.

If I was going to face the absurd existence that was a demon lord, I too would need such absurd means.

I chuckled and rose from my seated position.

I was done cultivating.

I was done sooner than I’d expected, and I still had some time before my duel with Barter...

Intending to loosen up my stiff body, I opened the door and stepped out...

Thud.

The top of someone's head bumped right into the pit of my stomach.

Wondering who it was, I looked down and saw a blue head. “Hmm?”

“There you are!” said Mir Giant.

“Do you need something from me?” I asked.

“Yeah!”

“And that is?”

“Take me off the attack team!”

“Why?” I asked, staring at her without a change in expression.

Mir flinched slightly, but raised her voice even louder and said, “Th-there are many who are much stronger than me!”

I crossed my arms and asked, “Like who?”

“L-like, that blond knight... or your brother... or...”

“Wrong.”

“What, what?”

“You are stronger than them both.”

Mir's eyes widened, as if to ask, Really?

What’s this?

I thought she had completely gotten over the trauma from the training camp, but apparently not.

She’d stopped shrinking back at the sight of strong, overwhelming opponents, but it seemed her self-esteem had yet to fully recover.

If anything, I was the one caught off guard.

This kid had no clue about her potential.

“Perfect timing. Follow me.”

“Huh? Ack.”

I grabbed Mir by the nape of her neck and dragged her along while I looked for a suitable spot.

* * *

My search for an open area led me naturally to the dining hall on the first floor...

Which, of course, was still a mess.

I understood why nobody had cleaned it, but still...

Bang!

I kicked over and tossed aside a few fallen tables, pushing them into the corners to clear some space.

Then I looked at Mir, still standing there dumbfounded, and asked, “Want to warm up first, or should we just get started?”

“St-start what?”

“Fighting, of course.”

“So suddenly?”

“Most fights start unannounced,” I said, and promptly threw a chair at her.

She got startled and reflexively threw a punch straight at it.

Crack!

Wow.

The wooden chair shattered into a million splinters, leaving no trace of its original form.

“What are you doing?!” Mir shouted.

I ignored her words and lunged forward, throwing a punch.

Infused with a moderate amount of inner energy, my fist emitted a faint flame.

Mir gritted her teeth and thrust her hand forward to meet it.

Boooom!

All five of my punches were blocked, and my fist ached from the impacts.

It felt like I was slamming my fist against reinforced steel, not flesh and blood.

Which was only natural, really.

The giants were the strongest and toughest of the seven races when it came to pure physical prowess.

In a contest without mana, the strongest would surely be a giant.

Moreover, Mir wasn’t just any giant. She carried the blood of the legendary giant Ymir.

In terms of status, that put her on par with House Bednicker, the descendants of Dark Fairy Kuset.

“Ugh...”

But as I continued my attacks, Mir's responses became increasingly reluctant, and at one point, she hesitated and stumbled backward.

Thanks to her resilient body, she was unscathed...

However, the frustration was palpable.

“Why in the world are you so scared?”

“What...?”

“You were born with the strongest spear and shield. Don't you know how much of a blessing that is?”

She didn’t need to dodge or defend.

That alone allowed her to focus almost entirely on offense, which was a huge advantage...

If Mir were to charge at me right now and use her body to its full potential, even I would have to get serious.

Mir backed away, looking troubled.

Had I pushed her too hard?

“I... I...”

Her response was even weaker now.

The Martial God offered me his advice.

[Turn up the heat.]

Will that be okay?

[It should be. Breaking the shell is up to the child, but anyone can lend a bit of help.]

...Pecking together to hatch, huh?

It was as the Martial God said. It was up to the hatchling to break its egg, but the mother could peck a little too.

Fwoosh!

My flames flared up.

After my battle with Kajita, my flames had grown stronger and were now divided into three distinct stages.

Red flame, blue flame, and purple flame.

Naturally, with each change in color, the temperature would rise.

“Ughh, urghh...”

The moment my flame turned from red to blue...

Mir's expression changed. A rough grinding sound came from her small teeth, and her eyes gleamed with a chilling blue aura.

“AAAHHHHHHHH!”

It was an ear-splitting roar.

The kind you’d expect not from a kid-sized body but from a mountain-sized monster.

With that deafening noise, the windows shattered with a loud crash, and a burst of freezing energy erupted from Mir.

WHOOOSH!

I braced myself against the sudden blizzard, wrapping my body with blue flames.

It wasn't protective bodily ki, but it was enough to keep the cold from invading my flesh.

Just beyond my skin, the cold and heat clashed, producing a mist that rose like steam.

Boom!

From within the chaos, a small projectile flew out and struck me.

It was Mir's fist.

I crossed my arms to absorb the impact, but my body was flung across the room in a flash to slam into the far wall.

...?

I felt a sharp, freezing pain in my arm, and when I looked, I saw that icy frost had seeped into my arm...

Suddenly, something startling happened. For a moment, I felt both fire and ice surrounding me.

It was a strange sensation.

Fire and ice. The two most incompatible elements in the world.

[Remember this feeling.]

What?

His voice faded as quickly as it had come. Once again, he loved giving cryptic advice.

It was becoming his signature, to drop some awesome-sounding remark and poof, disappear.

Meanwhile, Mir was gasping for breath and staring down at her arm. “Hah... Heuk... Wh-what is this...?”

“That must be the power of the Frost Giant. You’ve awakened the strength of your ancestors. Congratulations.”

“Ah...”

“In terms of raw physical power, you’re already the strongest. And now you’ve got a special power. That’s reassuring.”

I bent my knees and crouched down slightly to meet the little giant’s eyes.

“In Building 13, the demon lord’s realm, anything can happen. Your blessings or mana may be sealed at any moment. When that happens, the only thing you will be able to rely on is your trained body.”

“...”

“Got it? I added you to the group because we need you.”

“But, I'm so small...”

“Small doesn't mean weak. Let me ask you a question, then: Why did you join the Bednicker training camp?”

“I...” Mir murmured hesitantly. “...Because I felt so pathetic. I wanted to change... I wanted to become a hero.”

“Good. Look at the situation now. The headmaster is injured, the special forces are up to who-knows-what, and the cadets—well, as you can see, they are all incapable. This unprecedented crisis... it’s the perfect moment for a hero to rise, don’t you think?”

“...”

“Lend us your strength. We need you.”

Mir hesitated for a moment, then slowly looked up at me. “...All right.” Mir nodded, clenching her fists tightly.

Something similar to my blue flame seemed to be burning in her blue eyes.

“I... I think... I can do it!”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah! It's a strange feeling! I feel like I can do anything...” Mir whipped her head to look at me. “You... you awakened me, Luan Bednicker! You taught me a lesson!”

“It’s not like I taught you anything. I just gave you a little nudge.”

“Do you mind if I call you ‘Master’?”

“No.”

“Master.”

“I said no,” I replied, shivering with a scrunched-up face.

Mir being Mir, however, stared up at me with sparkling eyes like she hadn’t heard a word I’d said. “Master!” she shouted.

I said no...

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