Invincible
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#58
🕑 Added 2024-08-25 18:08:10 +0000 UTCThe Duo (4)
Of course, I'm not afraid of falling. At this point, I even consider it a kind of recreational activity, like bungee jumping. Yet, what truly terrifies me is Bidon's determination to cling to my body even while plummeting.
"Aaaah!"
I resisted his monstrous grasp, protecting myself from his clutches. Luckily, I had long limbs. Stretching out the hand that gripped his collar, his attempt to hug me only swiped through the air. But Bidon didn't give up and struggled even more fiercely.
"You persistent bastard, just give up already!"
"Even if I die, I will!"
With Bidon flailing like a live fish, our weight balance got tangled. Now, I was above, clutching his collar, while Bidon was beneath, facing the ground. The ground was already close. The relative positions no longer changed. Bidon's back slammed into the ground, and dust spread with a tremendous noise.
BOOM!
[Impact detected.]
[Trait activated.]
[1-second invincibility cooldown: 59 seconds]
***
Hersel fell off the wall, clutching Bidon's collar. Watching this, Athera, Aslay, and Ricks's group stood wide-eyed and gaping.
"D-double suicide...?"
Athera muttered in a dazed voice, and Ricks sweated nervously.
"We can't just stand here! We need to check if they're okay!!"
Ricks moved quickly, as if dancing on hot coals. The others, realizing the urgency, hurriedly followed.
At the bottom of the wall, only dust hung thick in the air. A breeze blew just then. Athera rubbed her eyes in disbelief. Bidon was embedded in the ground, unconscious. And on top of him, Hersel still clutched his collar, pressing down on his neck.
The clear distinction between the winner and the loser made Athera's eyes twitch.
'He grabbed his collar and fell, just to slam him into the ground?'
Dusting himself off nonchalantly, Hersel stood up, as if it was nothing. His dignified appearance made Athera gulp. The others seemed equally incredulous, expressing their admiration.
"How is he unscathed?"
"No, more importantly, with such a brute method..."
At that moment, Hersel looked up.
"Gulp."
Everyone swallowed nervously, and he shouted fiercely.
"When the investigation comes, tell them clearly! This was self-defense! Testify that it was an accident that occurred during that process! Understood?"
Athera felt a chill. If Hersel had beaten the duo one-sidedly from the start, it could have violated the school rules. So, he must have waited until they provoked him first. To ensure he could kill them without any repercussions...
'I must be careful with him.'
While marking him as a person of interest, Ricks's voice trembled.
"I-is he dead?"
Bidon wriggled in pain, showing he was alive. Hersel answered indifferently.
"He's still alive."
As expected of a third-year from the Adelle Hall. Thanks to covering himself with maximum aura, he didn't die. But judging by his condition, his bones seemed to have shattered...
Ricks turned with a sudden realization.
"Senior, we can't stay here. We need to deal with the other one ourselves."
"Oh? Oh..."
Athera, leading the way, rushed to subdue Makdal. Dragging the half-conscious Bidon along, they left him on a path professors frequented.
***
Cutting through the underbrush, I hid upon hearing Makdal's raving.
"In the Adelle Hall, every day is a competition. If you neglect training for even a day, you'll immediately fall behind. The same goes for mages. No matter how good you are at magic, without basic physical strength, you'll face many hardships."
His words were quite educational. If only he weren't grinning perversely at a girl soaked in sweat from doing push-ups, it might have felt genuine.
...But Limberton was grinning foolishly too.
Just then, Athera, Aslay, and Ricks's group passed by me. I discreetly called Aslay's name, beckoning him into the bushes.
"Aslay."
He quietly left the group, who were still focused on Makdal, not noticing his absence.
"Boss."
"We're just going to watch here."
To be clear, this isn't revenge for them selling me out. It's not because Aslay can't fully understand Imperial language. It's simply that the outcome would be too predictable with him involved.
The duo exists to make playable characters in Schlaphe Hall grow. They provide motivation for training for more than three months, and through combat, they offer valuable experience. It would be a waste to get rid of them without letting the characters benefit.
So, this isn't petty revenge, but a dedication to their growth.
"What are you guys..."
Makdal raised his staff. As expected, Athera and Ricks's group were pummeled by his magic.
"Wait! Where's that big brute?"
Athera's expression was priceless when she noticed Aslay's absence.
"Senior! This is no time to be distracted! Ugh!"
Ricks was struck in the abdomen by a pumpkin-sized water orb. The rest of the group was electrocuted by a mix of elemental and curse spells. Watching them, I inwardly cheered for Makdal.
Just like a lion throws its cubs off a cliff to make them stronger, so do I. They will train hard until their hands are calloused and their muscles sore, thanks to Makdal. It’s harsh, but inevitable. For the sake of clearing the scenario, I must be a heartless person.
- You're smiling happily even as your comrades are suffering.
'My heart is crying.'
Anyway, it would be too wasteful to let Makdal go now. Only by making the most of him will everyone grow and I will be satisfied. With a sudden idea, I snapped my fingers.
Hmm, this might turn out to be quite profitable.
***
A week passed. During that time, the rumor spread that I defeated Bidon. As for the duo’s fate, Bidon was sent to the punishment cell due to his severe injuries and the overwhelming evidence from the reporters. Meanwhile, Makdal was allowed to stay after a private conversation between me, Athera, and the Shulafe Hall representative.
- What are you going to do next? Are you planning to take down Makdal too?
- No, I’ll leave Makdal to Ricks’s group.
- What? You’ll leave him to them? Did you forget they were completely beaten up last time?
Despite some opposition, I managed to convince them by citing my reasons.
- I plan to train them. Makdal will be a suitable opponent. However, there’s a condition. If Makdal is defeated within a set period, you can send him to the punishment cell.
Originally, Bidon should also have been used for growth, but unfortunately, that's not possible now. Makdal will have to play the role of two people. It will be hellish enough for him to beg to be sent to the punishment cell.
I also reached an agreement with Makdal. After hearing the rumor that I defeated Bidon, his attitude changed drastically. He became much more humble.
- You want the coins I’ve collected?
- Just pay 10,000 coins as compensation for mental damage. It’s not a bad deal, considering I’ve kept you from being sent to the punishment cell.
The duo had accumulated roughly 60,000 coins. When the righteous Ricks wins, all those coins will return to their rightful owners. Before that, I’ll take my share.
- But 10,000 is a bit...
- If you don't like it, then fine. I heard many people are gunning for you. You’ll rot in the punishment cell with Bidon, penniless.
Makdal, seemingly moved by my generosity, paid the 10,000 coins willingly.
- By the way, you’ve lost a lot of weight in the past few days.
- Ricks and his gang keep attacking me. Of course, I’d lose weight. So, Hersel, could you please tell them to go easy on me? I might not survive otherwise...
- Isn’t this the training you were talking about? Keep it up.
Despite my words, Ricks’s group's attacks didn’t cease. Sometimes, he even stormed into the third-year showers, swinging his staff. His unwavering integrity and determination made him keep challenging until he succeeded.
- It seems like an obsessive madness, but as long as he grows, it’s fine.
***
Currently, I was filling out a form on my desk. The pen's writing quality was different, perhaps because it was a high-quality one.
"Indeed, expensive things have their reasons."
What I was writing was the application for after-school classes, now open to first-years as well. These weren't mandatory but could be chosen according to the student's will. The variety of subjects was wide, including combat techniques like hand-to-hand combat and crossbow for the knights, and aura meditation or various niche magics for the mages.
Since I am far from conventional magic, Limberton is only good with a bow, and Aslay only uses grappling attacks, these were essential subjects for us. The after-school classes, meant for supplementary learning, were an excellent opportunity for me, given my short learning period.
***
The next day.
I was on my way to the reception desk with my after-school class application. My chosen subjects were niche magic and mana meditation. Niche magic included the eccentric spells that Donatan often mentioned. Unregulated and non-systematic spells fell under this category, making it worthwhile to apply in hopes of finding magic compatible with my unique abilities. Mana meditation was to increase my already scarce mana even a little. Since there wouldn’t be a daily defensive battle, the benefits of Ricks's blessings were limited.
There was a long line at the reception desk. Familiar faces from Schlaphe Hall were nowhere to be seen. Most of them seemed to be from Burger Hall and a few from Adelle Hall, making me feel out of place.
"Hmm."
Perhaps the first-year Schlaphe Hall knights haven't finished their classes yet. Aslay and Limberton, who were supposed to meet me here, were nowhere in sight. Having nothing else to do, I decided to stand in line.
But then, someone blocked my way.
"I haven't seen you before. Where are you from?"
Three flashy-looking guys approached me. They scrutinized me intensely, and I responded bluntly.
"Schlaphe Hall."
The guy with a slicked-back hairstyle, who seemed to be their leader, smirked.
"...If you were a second or third-year, I'd know you. So, you must be a freshman."
He then shrugged and looked at the person behind him.
"If that’s the case, he might not know the rules. Right?"
"Hadal, let’s just explain it briefly and let it slide this time."
"Yeah. No need to establish dominance with someone we’ll use soon enough."
They pretended to care about me, but their smirks betrayed them. Hadal, the leader, spoke with a sneering tone.
"Ugh, it smells like a rag. Not only do we have to take combined classes with these bums, but also extra classes... Sorry, I have a weak stomach."
When I remained silent, Hadal waved me away.
"If you understand, get lost."
At this point, I was curious. Could this guy be from Adelle Hall?
"Where are you from?"
Hadal blinked, as if he had misheard me.
"You’re speaking rather informally."
The two guys behind him chuckled.
"Looks like he’s cocky because of that duo."
"Bidon, that perverted bastard, got beaten by a freshman and sent to the punishment cell, didn’t he? And Makdal looks like he’s caught a terminal illness lately."
I got it. These guys were from Burger Hall. Now that the duo was gone, these punks were strutting around.
Anyway, they weren't worth engaging with.
"If you're done, move aside."
Even though I spoke politely, they just stood there with playful expressions. As I was about to walk around them, a kick flew out of nowhere and hit Hadal's stomach.
WHACK!
"Ugh!"
Hadal clutched his stomach and fell to his knees. Turning around, I saw a man with black hair tinged with red looking down at him coldly. Behind him stood a professor in a black robe, who looked shocked.
"L-Luon Al Banas! What are you doing!"
Despite the professor's shout, the man didn't reply, just smiled faintly at me.
"How have you been, Hersel?"
This guy was a donation student. The current head of Lethe and the first-act boss of Frost Heart. His epithet was the Mad Aristocrat, Luon.
