We snuck around the dark corners of the city and made our way to the estate that was the closest to the center.
It looked like a beautiful palace on the outside, but in reality, that place was none other than just a big ass training yard for the soldiers.
Though it did have one room in one of the towers.
Duke Elmont lived there.
But...
"Clementine... I'm getting a bad feeling about this. It's way too quiet."
She nodded at me.
"I felt that way too. I felt like someone was watching us when we were outside of the city. But when we entered, that feeling disappeared."
Oh?
So we're walking into a trap.
That doesn't sound very fun.
It didn't take long to arrive at the palace, and because of how open it was, we just entered through the main entrance and arrived at the massive training yard.
Across it was the staircase that led up to the top where Duke Elmont stayed.
But as I took a step forward, I suddenly noticed something.
The ground was slightly slippery.
Just then, I heard a whistle to the left.
I tilted my head out of instinct, and thankfully I did, as a sharp shard of ice flew past me and tore straight through the golden lion flag above me.
It froze my cheek too, but a little rub was all it took for me to wipe away the frost.
And when I glanced at the person who sent that attack, I was pleasantly surprised.
"You are the infamous Mikael and Evangeline duo, are you not?"
A haughty woman stepped forward.
That woman was none other than Isabella.
She glared at me as her killing intent flared.
I was more surprised by how much more powerful she had gotten, rather than her actually being here.
But if she was here, then so was Kevin.
And I was right.
A sword came flying out of the shadows.
Kevin was behind it, and he moved surprisingly fast.
But before his attack could hit me, Clementine took a step forward into Kevin's range.
Then, she effortlessly slapped him across the face, sending him hurtling across the training yard.
SLAP!
CRACK!
Although he held onto his sword, it sounded as though his jaw had been broken.
"That's a funny coincidence."
"Yep. I didn't think they'd be here."
At least, not today.
I recalled the events in the game.
Around this time, the Future Academy set up help requests around the continent, and the cadets could accept those requests.
It could be something as simple as a missing cat request, or something as difficult as slaying a dragon.
Though, every request must be approved by the headmaster first.
Still...
Why did they choose this aid request?
Couldn't they have just chosen the demon hunt like they did in the canon?
I definitely mentioned the 25 names in the encrypted message I gave to Evelyn.
Odd...
Anyhow, since our 'identities' were exposed, I quickly changed to my Mikael appearance.
Clementine followed my lead and did the same.
"I take it you haven't heard the rumors about us?"
A smirk appeared on Clementine's face.
"Because in case you're unaware, the two of you are nothing more than ants to us."
Kevin's brows furrowed.
"I can't let you take Duke Elmont's life."
"Are you not worried that we'll take your life instead?" I asked.
I wasn't sure where he was getting this confidence from.
But clearly, he had no intention to listen to me as he snapped his jaw back into place and entered a fighting stance.
Isabelle summoned a patch of ice above us.
Right as she was about to slam it down, I rolled my eyes and made lightning descend behind her.
As I teleported into my lightning, I was now behind her.
And yet, just as I was about to grab the back of her neck, Kevin intervened.
His sword quickly spun in an arc and threatened to cut my arm off.
But since I infused it with Telekinesis, he wasn't able to.
He suddenly extended his palm forward.
I felt like gravity increased by tens of times.
...So he activated his Gift.
Gravity Manipulation.
It was an overpowered Gift, but it wasn't Telekinesis.
And so, as I reinforced my body with Telekinesis, I managed to resist his Gravity Manipulation.
It seemed like that was what he was aiming for though.
Isabelle dashed toward Clementine and began fighting her instead.
Clementine held back greatly, only using her fists to block the attacks and shatter Isabelle's frost.
But Isabelle was one of the main heroines.
It would be a shame if that was all she could do.
Clementine's hand suddenly turned to ice, and as I glanced from the side, I realized that her blood vessels were freezing up too.
Isabelle was trying to kill Clementine's cells so she couldn't regenerate.
Though, Clementine didn't bat an eye as her obsidian eyes glowed for a split second.
In the next instant, Isabelle's whole body went limp.
Her frost also dissipated as she collapsed to the ground.
Clementine's second Gift, Charm, huh?
She just gave me a shrug from the distance and subtly dashed toward the tower.
Though she also looked completely bored.
But honestly, so was I.
All this time that I had been observing her fight, I was evading and counterattacking Kevin's attacks.
He had gotten significantly stronger.
I wouldn't be surprised if he was a Grade 12 by now, which was a major improvement compared to the canon.
But then again...
That's it?
"You're a swordsman, aren't you!? Show me your swordsmanship!"
Hm?
And risk him recognizing that I'm Amon just from my swordsmanship?
"Now why would I do that?"
Instead of replying, Kevin increased the gravity once more.
But he also enhanced his next strike with a fair bit of power as it managed to slightly cut my arm.
Five minutes were up by now.
His reinforcements, or whoever he was wasting time for, should've arrived by now.
So where were they...?
I felt a small pulse coming from above, and when I glanced up, I saw Clementine standing at the top of the tower where Duke Elmont resided.
She gave me a thumbs up.
That must mean she's already killed him.
And with that, I crossed off the first batch of names.
We were ready to leave.
Though, I can't help but feel disappointed by Kevin.
He was surviving because of plot armor.
If I was an enemy, him and Isabelle would've already been killed.
"..."
"Kevin, you are no longer a toddler with a Gift that doesn't just pull things down harder. Push the limits of your imagination. Think of your Gift as a domain."
I smiled slightly.
Then, with the twist of my forearm, I snapped his sword in two.
"Your Gift is a lot more than Gravity Manipulation. So I expect a great many things the next time I see you."
Kevin's eyes widened.
Yet the moment he opened his mouth, I was already behind him.
And with a quick jab to the back of his neck, I knocked him right out.
I let him fall face first to the ground, hoping that a good bonk on the head would ensure my words stuck.
Still, since I knew what's coming, I covered him and Isabelle in Telekinesis before abruptly tossing them out of the city.
Only when they landed near the forest did I exhale a relieved breath.
Afterwards, I glanced over at Clementine.
She was sitting on the ledge of the tower's roof and swinging her legs.
As the moonlight lit up her figure, I couldn't help but feel like I was staring at a beautiful goddess.
I turned my body into lightning and carefully made my way to the tower's roof.
The moment I reappeared, I reached in to embrace her.
But before I could, she pointed at the distance and met my gaze.
"The cavalry is here."