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Chapter 23: First Princess Assassination Attempt (2)

Commoners had to prove their worth,

and nobles had to temper themselves to demonstrate the legitimacy of their blue blood.

The Academy was well aware of the students’ hard work.

To help them unwind, they held a banquet exclusively for students after each exam period.

This particular banquet was even grander and more extravagant than usual, as it was attended by the Empire’s princesses, the Saintess, and the children of each Duke’s family.

The student council and teaching assistants were exhausted from the intense preparations for the banquet,

while the students excitedly stepped onto the fruits of their labor.

However, all their efforts and expectations were shattered as the banquet descended into chaos.

“T-Terrorists!!”

“Run!”

“Professors! Get the professors, quickly!!”

At the start of the banquet, the moment the bell tolled to announce 9:00 PM, assailants stormed in.

Students were thrown into disarray as they witnessed people being struck by arrows, blood splattering everywhere.

“Move!!”

“Quickly! Get out, quickly!!”

Panicked, some students rushed towards the exits, desperately trying to escape the hall.

They frantically grabbed the doorknobs, but…

-Clank, clank!

“Damn it! The doors are locked!!”

“Same here!”

“W-Wait! It’s not locked, a barrier’s been erected inside!!”

The banquet hall was already isolated from the outside, trapped by the assailants.

Despite the Academy building being fortified with multiple protective and detection spells,

the assailants’ unique magic, fueled by the blood of countless sacrifices, had managed to breach their defenses.

“Don’t push!”

“S-Step back a little!!”

The cheerful melodies that had filled the air moments ago vanished,

replaced by the screams of terrified students.

Most of them had already retreated from the center, huddled in corners.

A few students remained in their places, trying to maintain their composure, but even they couldn’t hide the look of despair on their faces.

Weapons were prohibited inside the banquet hall, leaving them with no means to resist.

However,

amidst the chaos, someone stood before the assailants.

A young man, his face hidden behind a pure white mask.

He wielded a sword that seemed to have appeared out of thin air.

-You know me…

-My name is…

Perhaps the empty space around them amplified their presence,

but the confrontation between the young man and the assailants felt like a scene from a play.

After exchanging a few inaudible words, they charged at each other.

Seven unidentified assailants.

And one equally unknown student.

Lucy von Lishite, the First Princess of the Empire, watched the scene unfold, her eyes wide with shock.

“Ra-iden…?”

Her voice trembled as she whispered his name.

***

Further conversation was unnecessary.

Or perhaps it was, but it didn’t matter now.

My vision was already clouded with burning rage.

“There’s no helping it. Don’t complain, you brought this upon yourself.”

Fortunately, time was of the essence for them as well.

The leader of the robed figures, his eyes devoid of emotion, muttered softly,

“Kill him.”

-Bang!!

The moment he spoke, one of the robes at the front kicked off the ground.

A jet-black afterimage flashed before my eyes.

The next instant, his outstretched palm erupted with blazing flames.

-KwaaAAAAAAA!!!

A deafening roar accompanied the searing heat that grazed my neck.

If I hadn’t ducked, my upper body would have been scorched.

They were determined to kill me without mercy.

Just like them.

I would have been disappointed if they had shown any hesitation.

“What? You dodged that?”

The fire mage, his brow furrowed in frustration, spat out the words as his surprise attack failed.

I took a step back, widening the distance between us as I parried his next attack.

“Just die already!”

He prepared to cast another spell, his face contorted with irritation.

I swiftly reached into my pocket and pulled out a scroll.

Before the robes could react, I tore it apart, activating the magic within.

-Riiiiip!!

The sharp sound of tearing paper reverberated through the hall.

The next moment, a hemispherical barrier enveloped a 20-meter radius around me.

-Transcendence of the Sixth Verse, Raymon-style Defensive Magic-

‘Absolute Domain’

A blue barrier, emanating from the glowing scroll, enclosed the surrounding area.

I found myself trapped within the magic’s domain along with the robed figures.

A vicious smirk crept across my lips as I savored the success of my second plan.

-Ding!

[Using High-Grade Scroll ‘Absolute Domain’.]

[A hemispherical barrier encompassing a 20-meter radius around the caster will be formed for 10 minutes.]

[Entry and exit will be prohibited until the barrier is destroyed or the duration expires.]

The banquet hall presented numerous variables.

It was teeming with potential hostages,

and even the slightest provocation could easily escalate into utter chaos.

The best way to prevent such a situation and confront the enemy head-on was to…

‘Isolate them in front of me.’

This scroll contained a unique magic crafted by the current Duke Phyler, known as the Shield of the Empire.

Its barrier was so resilient that ordinary mages couldn’t even scratch it.

Its distribution was currently prohibited due to its overwhelming power, making it incredibly difficult to obtain.

I had to spend a fortune to get my hands on it.

Of course, with a hefty price tag came a special feature:

“Wh-What…?”

Mana usage was restricted within the barrier’s domain.

The fire mage let out a dumbfounded sound as the magic he was channeling dissipated.

Without hesitation, I lunged forward, grabbed him by the collar,

and plunged my sword into his abdomen.

-Thud…!!

The blade smoothly pierced through his flesh.

A shiver ran down my spine as I felt the thrill in my fingertips.

As I stared at my blood-soaked sleeve,

a vivid memory from the past flashed before my eyes.

-Run, Raiden!!

-I’m sorry… my… ch-child…

The memory of that day, the day my life was shattered.

The image of a noblewoman, her graceful form juxtaposed with the gruesome death of a robed figure.

I couldn’t help but stab the fire mage again and again.

-Thud, thud!! Thunk!

Each time crimson blood splattered my sleeve,

a euphoric sense of fulfillment washed over me, as if my brain were melting.

Hot tears streamed down my cheeks.

“…Haha.”

This was strange.

Why was I doing this?

The pungent smell of blood and the sight of gore should have repulsed me.

A profound emptiness weighed upon me,

and a fleeting fear gripped my heart as I realized I had taken a life.

Yet, despite the shock,

this first experience of killing,

brought an intoxicating thrill.

“Haha… AHAHAHAHA!!”

A laugh of pure ecstasy erupted from my throat.

My lips, frozen in a grim line moments ago, stretched into a wide, unhinged grin.

What did I look like now?

It must be grotesque.

Ah, I didn’t care.

All I wanted was for this joy to last forever.

“Captain… what’s wrong with that guy?”

“Get a grip. He may be acting crazy, but he took down Max in one blow.”

“Damn it… ‘Absolute Domain,’ huh? This is going to be troublesome.”

I turned my gaze towards the remaining robed figures, who were whispering amongst themselves.

I dropped the mangled corpse in my hand to the floor,

and with a powerful kick, charged towards them.

“No time for distractions. Eliminate them quickly, take care of the target, and get out of here.”

““Yes, sir!!””

The robes, including their leader, drew their swords from their waists.

The sound of steel clashing against steel filled the hall,

and the bloody banquet resumed, accompanied by the gruesome symphony.

***

‘Absolute Domain,’ hailed as the strongest defensive magic scroll in history.

While its barrier was as impenetrable as an iron fortress, it wasn’t entirely flawless.

There were a few ways to circumvent its power.

The first was to brute-force it, tearing through the barrier with overwhelming magic or physical strength.

It was the simplest method, but also the most difficult.

The barrier created by the Phyler family was not to be underestimated.

Even the Seekers would find it challenging to shatter the magic itself.

Therefore, they opted for the second method.

Kill the scroll’s caster.

Scroll magic fundamentally responded to the user’s will.

‘Absolute Domain’ was no exception.

If the caster died, the barrier would immediately dissipate.

Genome, the leader of the operation, believed this approach was more feasible.

He issued an order to his subordinates.

Kill the boy.

Yes, that was their plan…

-Clank…!! Cling! Thud!!

“Cough…”

“AHAHAHAHA!!!”

What was going on?

Genome couldn’t comprehend the scene unfolding before his eyes.

The boy, consumed by madness, was butchering his comrades once more.

Three corpses lay scattered around him, including Max, the first to fall.

“He’s insane…!”

“H-Holy shit… what the hell is that?! What is he doing?!”

“Everyone, calm down!”

Genome tried to regain control of his panicking subordinates, but he was just as bewildered.

What was this boy?

After Max was slain, the entire squad had rushed the boy, aiming to take him down.

Even Genome, who usually avoided direct combat, had joined the fray.

He needed to ensure the mission’s success.

However, the boy had met their assault with a chilling grin, effortlessly pushing them back.

Despite being outnumbered, he steadily overcame the disadvantage.

He utilized the surrounding tables, chairs, and other objects to disrupt their formations and minimize the number of attackers he faced at any given moment.

Sometimes, he even threw liquor bottles from the floor to obscure their vision, creating blind spots to exploit.

But his opponents weren’t pushovers.

-Don’t be fooled by his tricks. Surround him first.

-Two of you take the bows, the rest follow me.

-Keep aiming for his blind spots.

Though the ‘Seekers’ primarily focused on magic,

they were elite magic assassins, carefully selected for their skills.

They possessed exceptional martial arts prowess, far surpassing that of ordinary individuals.

Genome and his squad maintained their composure, gradually tightening the noose around the boy.

However,

-Damn it…!! How is this possible?!

-Wait, Todd’s been caught…!

-Gah, ugh…

The boy, as if it were only natural, overwhelmed them all.

He deflected their attacks from all directions as smoothly as flowing water, without even looking.

Even the occasional arrows were either knocked away by his sword or effortlessly dodged.

It was as if he could calculate every detail of the space, time, and distance within the barrier.

“…Ha.”

Genome let out a hollow laugh in spite of himself.

The boy was staring at him, tears streaming down his face.

His lips were twisted into a grotesque, awkward smile, creating a truly unsettling sight.

Genome gripped his sword once more, muttering under his breath.

That boy…

No, that ‘thing’ was a monster.

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