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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Class (3)
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Honestly speaking, Talion was a bit surprised with himself.
Killing intent could form this easily?
'That bastard...!'
He ground his teeth, his bloodshot eyes scanning the surroundings.
Truth be told, the noble part of Talion's mind understood the situation to some degree. If someone was toying with him this badly, they had to be far superior in skill.
He should apologize for sticking his nose where it didn't belong.
"..."
The Marquis of Riverback would be disappointed if he saw this.
Talion gave a wry smile as he recalled the name of his family's patron, the man who had supported him in every way to get him into the academy.
The grateful lord who had spared no support, insisting Talion had the qualities to surpass the hero candidate Eliya, would surely click his tongue at such an ugly sight.
Of course, that didn't mean he could let the 25 provocations slide without striking back once.
"Talion?"
He was thinking that.
Until he heard the voice right in front of him.
"...Eliya?"
Talion tilted his head at the sight of Eliya approaching with a bright smile.
Why had this girl suddenly popped up here?
"Long time no see. Since the last magical beast subjugation, right?"
Talion froze.
Both he and Eliya had been recognized for their skills and participated as apprentices in the joint magical beast subjugation under Margrave Kendrid. She had reason to say that.
'...You remembered.'
Talion smiled faintly to himself.
'I thought you'd forgotten after crushing me so badly back then.'
They were around the same age with similar skill levels. It would be weirder if people didn't try to pit them against each other.
Of course, the result had been Talion's crushing defeat.
Even if others said Eliya only had a 'slight' edge, Talion knew better than anyone that slight gap was an insurmountable wall.
For someone with such radiant talent to even remember him was an honor.
"Yeah, Eliya. Long time no see."
"What are you doing here?"
"...Oh, just looking for someone."
He cleared his throat and brushed it off.
Anyway, Eliya had been his motivation from the first time they met, the reason he trained so hard.
He didn't want to admit he was blindly chasing someone in a rage.
"Really? Who were you looking for?"
"Uh, just... this annoying guy..."
"What were you gonna do if you found him?"
"..."
That's when he started sensing something off.
Eliya's face was still smiling, but her words carried a chilling coldness.
'Was she always like this?'
No.
Back when they met, she had a bit of a fierce side, but she was undeniably a model person walking the righteous path.
Not like this.
What was the word for it?
'Sinister' didn't fit at all.
It wasn't just anger; her clear hostility toward him was palpable.
"Tell me. What were you gonna do if you found him?"
"..."
"Beat him up?"
Eliya took a step forward.
Still smiling brightly.
"...!"
But her eyes weren't smiling at all.
Instead, they brimmed with hostility so sharp it felt like it could tear skin just by meeting her gaze.
Realizing that, Talion instinctively stepped back.
She was smiling and talking, yet every word, every syllable squeezed him tight.
It felt like facing a massive monster about to devour him.
"Were you gonna hurt him? The teacher?"
Another step.
Talion backpedaled again.
"N-No, Eliya. Wait a sec..."
As Talion opened his mouth, his eyes caught Eliya's hand gripping the black hilt of her sword. Before he could react, she drew it slightly.
Killing intent poured out like the air itself was igniting.
"...!"
His spear thrust forward almost on instinct.
The tip shot out sharply—a strike with real intent, even surprising himself.
'This is dangerous...!'
But.
Before he could even blink.
-!
-!!
His spear shattered, fragments scattering everywhere.
'Wha...!'
He gaped at the spear clattering to the ground in pieces.
He hadn't seen it at all.
She must have swung her sword multiple times at least.
Anyone who had trained spear arts to Talion's level knew what that meant.
He was at least several moves behind her.
He'd attacked first, yet hadn't even seen her counter?
'Even stronger than before...!'
Previously, they could at least lock weapons and push.
And he'd trained bloody hard since then, gaining fame as a standout among Elpante's elite students.
But this gap now.
Even three Talion Armands charging at once would be slaughtered by Eliya in seconds.
Less than a year, and the gap had widened this much.
'Impossible.'
Talent.
An overwhelming talent gap.
He'd heard she wasn't just strong enough for hero candidate status—she had heaven-touching genius.
But this much...!
"Hey."
Eliya sheathed her sword, her expression unchanged after that display, and spoke.
"Who are you to care who I hang out with? If I wanna get close to him, who are you to interfere?"
"..."
"Annoying. People who act like they own the place and meddle. I've never seen one doing it purely for my sake..."
Eliya paused. Her expression shifted as if recalling something, then she changed tack.
"...Except once. Everyone else was just out for themselves."
"Eliya, I, I'm..."
As Talion tried to continue, Eliya snapped her fingers.
The already shattered spear crumbled to dust.
He couldn't even tell what technique she'd used this time.
"I'm not big on excuses. Got it?"
Talion swallowed dryly.
Only an idiot wouldn't understand.
Don't touch Dawood Campbell. Don't even approach.
Unless you want a bad end.
"Yeah. Seems you get it, so don't do it again."
"Um."
"Still got something to say?"
Her chilling smile made his body tremble again, but Talion steeled himself to ask this one question.
He was dying to know.
"That Dawood Campbell guy... what's his deal?"
Why would someone with this talent change her personality completely for him?
What was Dawood Campbell's identity to make her act like this?
Eliya smirked at the question.
"Someone way stronger than me. He knocked me out with one hit."
"...That wasn't a bluff?"
"Teacher wouldn't do that. Accuse him again like that, and I'll really kill you."
"..."
The brutal warning continued, but he was too stunned to respond.
This hero candidate, taken down in one strike? For real?
'What kind of monster is he?'
Unlike Eliya, whom he could gauge, this guy was beyond comprehension.
No wonder his reputation wasn't high.
"...Aren't you lucky to be alive?"
"Yeah. Guess I saved you, huh?"
Talion shuddered at Eliya brushing back her hair with that reply.
He'd picked a fight with that monster without knowing?
"What's your deal with him? How do you know him?"
He couldn't hold back this question either.
But unlike before, Eliya's face turned serious.
She hummed, pondering deeply.
"Nah, just pure friends, right? From his side... yeah. Probably."
"...What?"
"Maybe now. Uh. About that level... or is it? From my side, it's more than..."
"...What?"
"Argh, whatever! We're friends for now!"
Her frustrated outburst was just like the Eliya he knew.
So she hadn't changed completely.
'Friends for now? What does that mean?'
His curiosity wasn't satisfied at all.
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"Sorry. I won't approach him again."
Watching Talion bow his head in apology left me dumbfounded.
Seeing Eliya grinning beside him, nodding approvingly, doubled it.
'...What the hell did he do to make her this obedient.'
Hero candidate indeed. Her ability to deliver a proper thrashing was no joke.
With Talion gone and me heading to turn in the gathered items, Trisha approached with a grave look.
"Hey, Dawood."
"Yeah?"
"...Be good to Eliya. But, uh, not too good."
"..."
What was this out of nowhere?
Staring blankly at her, Trisha continued, trembling slightly.
"She probably doesn't realize it yet, and I didn't notice till now either... but Eliya's got a dangerous vibe. If you're not careful."
"...Dangerous how?"
"When she was about to fight Armande's eldest just now, she was right on the edge. Like, someone was gonna get seriously hurt. Normal Eliya would've just scolded him and sent him off. Not draw her sword first."
"..."
"I'm sure now. Anytime your name comes up, she goes full black mode... no self-control at all. Like she loses all reason."
"..."
"It might get worse. You might not be able to escape her if you're not careful."
Thanks for the super ominous warning.
'...Why are so many dangerous things happening lately.'
Watching Trisha hurry off made me think that.
It really felt like the whole world was conspiring against me.
I sighed and looked away.
Time to check the rewards that popped up earlier.
▼ Eliya Chrisanax
[Interest Level 1] >>> [Interest Level 2]
[Claimable rewards available!]
[Negative Imprint 1 stack]
[Claimable rewards available!]
[Personality partially changed due to your influence!]
[Important person. Multiple stacks may trigger special events!]
[Malice Dominion usable 1 time!]
▼ Talion Armand
[Negative Imprint 1 stack]
[Claimable rewards available!]
[Lost rationality due to your influence!]
[Malice Dominion usable 1 time!]
"..."
It never fails to disappoint when I check.
Negative Imprints are probably from the Root of Darkness gift, but fine for Talion—why's it on Eliya too?
Sighing, I tapped to claim.
[Claiming 'Eliya's gift rewards.]
[Received 500pt.][Current points: 2,500pt]
[Received 1 'Seed of Malice.']
[Claiming 'Talion's gift rewards.]
[Received 1 'Seed of Malice.']
Seed of Malice?
What now.
[Seed of Malice]
[Resource: Special]
[Exchange for special skills in Point Shop.]
[Shop skills updated! Available for purchase!]
My eyes widened.
'Special skills?'
Special skills are one-use commons buyable from the shop, regardless of class.
Essentially items since you 'buy and use' them.
But 'special' isn't for show—they outperform items in specific situations.
'Let's see, Point Shop...'
I quickly opened the shop from the prompt.
Sure enough, new powerful items had appeared.
All boasting insane effects.
'...Maybe stock up on more Seeds of Malice later.'
Negative Imprints aren't easy to farm ethically or practically from just anyone.
I'd need suitable targets who won't mind.
Like Talion, who might fall later, or even 'good' types worse than evils—system loopholes.
As I gathered the materials in a bundle,
Konrad was sprawled on the ground, drenched in sweat.
"..."
What was this guy doing.
"...What happened?"
"Man, you hauled back so much stuff..."
A limp response came from him.
"How'd it come to this."
"That damn Student Council President kept picking fights, saying he had to go into the forest too. Told him to take me down first."
"..."
No way.
"So you two went at it?"
"He came at me."
This school was insane.
Student Council President brawling the Dean.
Craters everywhere like bombs had gone off—traces of two monsters clashing.
"Knocked him out and dragged him to the Student Council. Guy's improved since last time..."
Why was he bragging.
He was supposed to discipline him.
'...Still gets taken down by the Dean, though.'
Final boss or not, growth type. Not at peak power yet.
"Grading?"
Smiling wryly, I asked. Konrad peeked into my bundle.
"Perfect score. Quantity alone makes you first."
"..."
So casual.
As I thought that, Konrad snorted.
"Picked all high-grade stuff. Like from a pro harvest."
"...Yeah, well."
All thanks to baiting Talion, but yeah, all premium.
"Take that straight to Persy. She'll love it."
"Huh?"
"You've got that wish ticket for her anyway. Rack up points before asking favors."
Konrad smirked.
"...Can I get points with this?"
"She was griping to me that most of what you brought is stuff she lacks. You'll be her savior."
Hm.
Maybe.
"Then, while earning points, can I use the wish for something tough?"
"Like what. She'll do most anything."
"Well..."
I sorted my thoughts.
For the 'Purifier' strategy, various conditions, but top one...
"Could you make me a bomb that could blow up the whole academy?"
"..."
Konrad shut his mouth instantly.
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