This was clearly an assassination attempt targeting a Festa champion. Though it was unclear which academy had orchestrated it, the most likely culprits were Jie Long, Arlequint, or Rewolf.
Asterisk wouldn't target its own champion. As for Queenvail, Sylvia hadn't heard any rumors about such operations as student council president—and the voice was distinctly male. Queenvail's intelligence division, Luminous Star, didn't have a single male member either. Saint Galahadworth valued its reputation too much, especially under current student council president Ernest's leadership—they'd never stoop to assassinating students from other academies.
So, was it Jie Long, Rewolf, or Arlequint?
Judging by their modus operandi, Jie Long seemed unlikely. The academy was currently under the control of the Banyuu Tenra, whose straightforward approach meant she'd confront any issues with champions head-on rather than resort to assassination.
Arlequint was a mess of factions—like a body with multiple brains. If it were human, it'd be textbook schizophrenia. Any action was possible from them.
Rewolf was the most probable. The academy had committed hundreds, if not thousands, of dirty deeds—making it the most crime-ridden and corrupt among the six schools.
Sylvia stepped aside as these thoughts raced through her mind.
Normally, she wouldn't hesitate to intervene in such situations. But since Roy had declined her help, she saw no reason to meddle.
Besides, he still had leverage over her. While she didn't wish for his death, Sylvia wouldn't mind seeing him suffer a bit after everything he'd put her through.
Yet...
Her gaze lingered on Roy, a trace of concern flickering in her eyes.
"He looks exhausted. Will he really be okay?"
At full strength, assassinating a Festa champion wouldn't be easy. But in his current drained state...
That was likely why the assassin seemed so arrogant—he was attacking when Roy was vulnerable.
"My, what generosity!"
A figure emerged from the shadows between buildings.
He was a man in his early twenties with short, pale blond hair. His face bore an expression of profound drowsiness, giving him an excessively languid air despite his handsome features.
Strangely, there wasn't a hint of tension about him—as if victory was assured. The sheer arrogance was staggering.
"Your name?" Roy's voice turned icy as he studied the man.
"Sorry, that's classified." The blond man waved him off with a disinterested laugh, resting his hand on the holster at his waist.
Remarkably, the custom-made holster had an extraordinary number of Orga Lux activation pouches—enough to form a complete circle around his waist.
From one pouch, he drew an activation unit. Channeling prana into it, the device transformed into an ornate sword engraved with goddess motifs.
Roy wasted no more words upon seeing this. He drew the Sword of the Black Furnace from the sheath at his waist, and a blade of pure white light wreathed in hellfire erupted from the activation unit.
"Still resisting?"
The blond man scratched the back of his head with his free hand as if troubled, heaving a heavy sigh full of reluctance.
"I really don't want to do unnecessary work. You're already so exhausted—how do you plan to fight me? Why not drop your weapon and surrender? I'll give you a quick death, how about that?"
"Is that what your eyes are telling you?"
Roy's lips curled into a grin, his mouth stretching wide.
"Then my acting must be pretty good!"
In an instant, Roy took a step forward.
His figure abruptly vanished from the blond man's sight.
When he reappeared, the blond man saw him already in front of himself, swinging his sword toward his neck!
This strike held no mercy—its speed was beyond his ability to track, its power so great that the air itself screamed. If it landed, not even steel would withstand it; even manadite might be cleaved in two!
"He was faking it!"
The blond man's mouth opened slightly in disbelief.
Yet not a trace of panic showed on his face.
Vzzzt—
Just as Roy's blade was about to reach the blond man's neck, a strange hum suddenly emitted from the short sword in his hand.
In that moment, Roy felt an immense resistance against his swinging arm—a force no weaker than his own, forcing his arm back uncontrollably and sending his entire body flying backward in the blink of an eye.
"This power... is that an Orga Lux?!"
Roy skidded to a stop where he'd begun, eyeing the blond man warily from a distance.
A power-manipulation ability?
Or perhaps... force reflection?
"That's the 'Sword of the Guardian Goddess'!"
At that moment, Sylvia's voice suddenly rang out from behind.
"Its ability is to reverse the direction of force!"
"That Orga Lux has always been under Raivel's control—so you really are one of their assassins!"
The Orga Lux known as the Sword of the Guardian Goddess was a weapon capable of reversing the direction of force within a certain range. It could turn any force directed at its wielder into one pushing away, making it one of the most formidable defensive weapons.
Currently, the ownership of all Orga Luxes in Asterisk was clearly documented—which school possessed which Orga Lux was practically common knowledge. As the student council president of Queenvail, Sylvia was intimately familiar with the distribution of all Orga Luxes.
The Sword of the Guardian Goddess belonged to Raivel—there was no mistake about that.
"Exposed, huh?"
The blond man scratched irritably at his short hair.
If that meddling songstress hadn't been here, his identity wouldn't have been revealed. The ownership of Orga Luxes wasn't information just anyone could access across the academies.
"In that case, you must be a member of Raivel's special operations unit 'Cat.' What exactly is Dirk trying to accomplish?"
"You think I'd kindly tell you that?"
The blond man spread his hands in exaggerated resignation, then switched the short sword to his left hand. With his right, he drew a second activation unit from its sheath, which transformed into a classic rifle-style Orga Lux upon activation.
Without bothering to aim, the man simply pulled the trigger. Dark projectiles erupted from the barrel, scattering through the air like a swarm of angry bees.
The total number of bullets was six.
They traced sharp arcs through the air, hurtling toward Roy in a crisscrossing barrage!
Roy instantly expanded his perception to its limits. His eyes, like a high-speed flickering camera, captured all six incoming bullets in his vision.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward. The Sword of the Black Furnace flashed as he swiftly cleaved through the three bullets coming straight at him. Then, pivoting on his foot, he spun with a sweeping slash. With a subtle twist of his wrist, the blade carved an arc, shattering the bullets attacking from both sides. Finally, without even glancing backward, he thrust the tip of his sword behind him, obliterating the last bullet into fragments.
"No way...?"
The blond man's jaw dropped. It was the first time he'd seen someone shatter all six bullets without retreating a single step—even advancing forward instead.
"Is that... the Kid's Shotgun?"
Sylvia's disbelieving voice came from behind.
"A second Orga Lux?! How is that possible? You can wield two Orga Luxes simultaneously?!"