The Villain is Too Good at Sniping

80. The Untold Story (2)

Arsene’s main office.

A sudden commotion broke out, and the situation room was filled with red light. The emergency system had been activated.

“Where is everyone in this situation?”

“There’s a concert today at the Mare Tower!”

“Why do these things always happen when we’re not around?”

“I don’t know! Maybe it’s just bad luck!”

The Arsene professors, who had gathered temporarily, were at a loss for what to do.

A staff member who was monitoring the situation in real-time let out a cry.

“Should we wake up the principal?”

“Are you kidding me? If something goes wrong, who will take responsibility?”

The staff member’s keyboard clacking grew more frantic, and a shadow fell on their desk.

It was Reina, one of the professors still remaining at Arsene, who was in charge of the school’s martial arts department.

Along with Instructor Sajjad, who was in charge of Arsene’s military department, she was almost always present at the school.

“What about the dormitory side?”

“I’ll check right now!”

The staff member’s operation caused several windows to pop up on the screen. There was not a single unscathed area from the first to third-year dormitories.

“The third-year side… seems to be almost done. A few small monsters escaped into the dormitory, so there’s a battle going on inside.”

“Then, is the second-year side already resolved?”

“Yes, yes! The second-year dormitory is safe.”

Reina operated the screen herself. The scenery of the second-year dormitory expanded.

A student was seen standing in the distance, smoking a cigarette. Reina frowned at the carelessness of the student tossing away the cigarette butt.

However, the second-year dormitory was relatively stable compared to other areas. It was just about to check on the first-year dormitory.

“The first-year side is…”

“…?”

There were only two people left there.

One was a student I had seen before.

It was the girl who had made it to the final three in the entrance exam with Siyon El’Heart, and her name was probably Airi. She was making a racket, looking like she had gotten herself into a mess.

And the person standing next to her was probably the teacher in charge.

“…I was wondering where you went, and it turns out you’re here.”

The screen was zoomed out again, and the areas where the battle was still ongoing were checked one by one.

Arsene’s students and armed guards were running around the campus, rescuing people and fighting off monsters. The number of injured people being reported in real-time was higher than expected, but there were no confirmed fatalities.

“What happened to the underground of the main building? The part connected to the grand hall?”

“That side… can’t be confirmed. Everyone has evacuated, so it’s impossible to check.”

“I guess we have to go down directly and take a look.”

Professor Leina grasped her sword.

On the screen, the video of the 1st-grade freshmen going down to the underground of the main building was repeatedly playing.

***

The grand hall of the underground main building.

Kyle Ivanstear was still wielding his sword. Unlike before, his swordsmanship was smooth and flawless, but the situation was not improving.

The number of defensive golems blocking his way was not decreasing, and instead, it seemed to be increasing. Kyle paused and looked straight ahead.

Somewhere, the broken and destroyed golems were combining into a new entity, with identical properties.

That’s not all. The magic circle in the sky was firing various magic attacks.

Since they had already been recognized as enemies, the output was adjusted accordingly.

If they got hit by a fireball, they would be burned to a crisp, and if they got hit by a lightning bolt, they would be electrocuted. Other magic attacks would have similar effects.

Right now, Kyle and Ellyn were barely holding on thanks to the support of their teammates behind them. Esil was taking the lead in dealing with the really dangerous attacks, and Lara’s barrier was blocking the ones they couldn’t defend against.

But if they continued like this, it would be endless. It would be a war of attrition.

The golems could be repaired even if they were destroyed, but Kyle and the other 1st-grade students were different. If they continued like this, they would eventually be exhausted.

“Edel senior, is it almost time?”

“Almost!”

Kyle looked at the time on his watch. They had already exceeded the 10-minute mark. Of course, Edel was doing her best, just like Kyle and his friends.

“What do we do…?”

They needed help.

The first name that came to mind was Serin Anet, the strongest 1st-grade student. If Serin’s help was available, it would be a huge boost in getting out of this situation.

However, Serin Anet was not in Arsen. Like the other students, she had received a request and was outside Arsen. So, the one they could ask for help was Gardener Meridian… or…

“Sion is…?”

But it was Sion Illeayonhart who had brought Kyle’s group to this place.

Sion was doing something somewhere, but it was clear that she couldn’t come to this place.

Just then, Kyle’s watch vibrated. He checked it and saw that he had received a message from the professors of Arsen.

“Is this Kyle Ivanstear?”

“…Professor Leina?”

“How many people are with you right now? I see four.”

“There are four of us: me, Ellyn, and Esil and Lara.”

A faint sound of sighing or gasping came from the other side of the watch.

“I’ll be there soon, so if you find a place to hide, please do so.”

Kyle shook his head.

“I don’t think that’s possible. If we leave now, it’ll be even more dangerous.”

They couldn’t protect everyone and leave at the same time. The attacks were scattered, and they were already dispersed.

If they tried to escape now, the magic circle in the sky would launch a simultaneous attack, and they wouldn’t be able to defend against it, no matter how hard they tried. It was difficult to escape once they had entered.

Especially, the defensive golems were a bigger problem.

The magic circle would only circle around the core area, so it wouldn’t leave Arsen, but if the earth golems that had risen from the ground went outside the underground grand hall?

The broken golems would attack the faculty and students indiscriminately, and the students and guards outside would be caught in a desperate situation, with enemies on all sides.

The gate had not fully closed yet. That’s why Kyle couldn’t back down.

“-Kyle Ivanstier… Can you hear my voice…?”

The communication was cut off. It was probably because Professor Raina had entered the underground and the security protocols had been triggered, interrupting the communication.

“…I’ll do something about it.”

Kyle muttered to himself, looking at the disconnected watch, and then picked up his sword again.

Eshil was complaining while carrying the unconscious Elly, and Lara Steelhaiden was struggling to deflect the incoming magic attacks while protecting the two.

In the end, the only one who could do something was Kyle himself.

Ku-gung…!

At that moment, the ground shook. Kyle took a defensive stance, holding his sword.

“What’s going on…?”

It wasn’t an earthquake, and it wasn’t a massive magic attack either. Kyle couldn’t close his mouth in shock at the sight unfolding before his eyes.

The earth golems suddenly collapsed and started to merge with each other, growing larger and larger until they reached the ceiling.

And so, a single massive golem was completed.

The remaining small fragments that hadn’t merged yet were sucked into the golem’s body like a vacuum cleaner.

As Kyle saw the golem approaching, he shouted.

“Eshil!”

“What is that…?!”

Eshil drew her bow. The golem’s arm stretched out, and she shot it.

Pasa-sak- The golem’s arm shattered. Its strength was similar to that of the previous golems.

However, even though its arm was gone, the golem was still intact. The shattered arm reattached itself to the golem’s body like a magnet.

Gu-gu-gung… Ku-ung!

The massive arm raised high was about to crush Kyle.

If he tried to block it carelessly, he would be crushed to death. As Eshil pulled Elly away, Kyle was separated from Lara.

The Edel on the screen shouted.

-It’s done! I’ve fixed it!

“Is it really done?!”

-Yeah! It must be done now!

However, it was too early to be relieved. The golem’s body was emitting a terrifying aura just by moving.

When it swung its arm, a strong gust of wind blew, and when it stomped its foot, the ground shook like an earthquake.

Ku-u-ung!

Kyle retreated. He looked at Edel on the watch again.

“What should I do, senior?”

-It’s certain. One of the core spells that make up the core was missing. Someone must have deliberately removed it. I don’t know who did it, but because of that, the defense spell is malfunctioning.

“…A core spell is missing? Who would do such a thing?”

-I don’t know. So I made a new one. It’s a temporary measure, but the spell you’re seeing now, can you see it? If you apply it to the core, it’ll work! Then the defense magic will stop!

The Edel on the screen showed off the magic spell. Kyle couldn’t read it, but there was someone else present who was more knowledgeable about magic than him.

Kyle approached Lara, narrowly avoiding the golem’s approaching arm.

“Can you see this?”

“What is this…?”

“This is one of the missing defense spells. If we apply it to the core, it’ll work.”

Rara Stillhaiden didn’t have any confidence in herself, but there was no one else who could do it.

“I’ll do it.”

“Alright.”

In the end, Rara nodded her head. Edel had shown her the technique, and she drew it in the air.

“Now, what’s left is…”

Blocking the magic circle’s attack and suppressing the golem so it couldn’t move.

However, the golem didn’t budge even with Esil’s sincere and powerful spiritual energy-infused arrow.

It would quickly recover from minor injuries. To deal significant damage, they needed to unleash an attack that the golem couldn’t easily recover from.

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However, Esil was busy taking care of the wounded and protecting Rara Stillhaiden. Rara was focused on stopping the core’s technique.

“I have to do it.”

Kai looked at the sword in his hand. The sword technique he had seen before flashed through his mind.

-Receive it.

The enchantment on the sword that Rian von Hildegarde had given him.

It was the same technique that had defeated the salamander, which couldn’t be harmed by ordinary attacks.

If he could recreate that explosion technique, he could deal significant damage to the golem.

…But how?

The enchanted sword had already been taken back by Rian. All Kai had left was the shape of the sword technique he had seen before and the faint sensation in his body.

“There’s no choice but to try.”

Kai gripped the sword with both hands. He recalled the sensation of wielding a sword long ago and raised his magic.

The flow of flames spreading in a fan shape, and the residual aura left behind.

Every reaction from the sword technique he had experienced with his entire body.

All of that was in the past, but it was etched in Kai’s body and mind.

From the start, Kai hadn’t learned proper swordsmanship. He only relied on his own senses and experience to execute sword techniques.

That’s why he was ridiculed for his unorthodox, trash-like swordsmanship. Nevertheless, he had confidently passed Arsen’s entrance exam. Even if it was an imitation technique, if he could make it work, it wouldn’t be meaningless.

Kai, who had drawn out his magic with his senses, finally opened his eyes. Flames wrapped around his sword.

He charged towards the golem, which was reaching out to him, and thrust his sword into its palm. With both hands gripping the hilt, he pushed the sword blade into the golem’s massive hand.

Pasa-sak……

A small crack appeared on the rough, earth-made palm, and it gradually grew, spreading up the golem’s arm and torso.

“What are you doing! If you don’t want to die, stop messing around and retreat!”

“Eh…!”

Just as the red light began to burst forth from the cracks on the golem’s body, Kai quickly dodged to the side.

Even so, the distance was too short, and Esil grabbed Kai’s collar and pulled him in a bit further.

Ku-kwa-ang……!

A loud, earth-shaking explosion echoed through the underground grand hall.

When the tremors subsided, Kai cautiously opened his eyes. The golem’s body, which had lost its upper half, was slowly crumbling.

A slightly weakened voice escaped Kai’s lips.

“It’s done…”

With those words, the earth golem finally collapsed and shattered on the ground.

***

At the same time, in Arsen’s student council room.

Rebecca, who had been lying on the rooftop, suddenly felt the rain pouring down. She carefully got up and looked at Arsen.

The distorted space was gradually closing in.

…At the same time, a slight sense of discomfort.

Rebecca saw a faint barrier covering Arsen.

The seal was activated, and the gate completely lost its power and began to collapse. As Rebecca watched the scene, she felt someone approaching from behind.

“Chairman Rebecca.”

Turning around, she saw Amelia, the secretary, standing there. Amelia, leaning on her cane, walked up to just in front of Shion. Then, she asked:

“Is Shion Esperanza… dead?”

“How could that be possible?”

Rebecca carefully lifted the outerwear covering Shion. Shion Esperanza, who had collapsed like a dead person, was clearly breathing.

“It’s magic exhaustion.”

“A student who has entered Arsen and is suffering from magic exhaustion?”

“…As you can see.”

Rebecca sat down carefully beside Shion and grasped Shion’s left hand, placing her hands on top of each other.

“If we infuse magic from the outside… the time it takes to regain consciousness will be shorter.”

“Is your magic okay, Rebecca?”

Rebecca shook her head.

“It’s insufficient, but it’s enough to sustain myself.”

Rebecca said this as if to reassure, but Amelia sensed a change in Rebecca’s atmosphere, different from before.

“Don’t lie. You’re already exhausted, aren’t you?”

“Y…es?”

“Did you think I wouldn’t know? You’ve been suppressing your magic with your willpower, haven’t you?”

Amelia’s eyes were firm.

“What happened during the operation with Shion Esperanza? Did you use a wide-area spell or infuse magic?”

“…When did you know?”

“That’s…”.

Amelia’s words were cut off by the sudden question. It was difficult to pinpoint exactly when she knew.

It was just that, at some point, Rebecca’s atmosphere changed, and her presence began to shift.

It was hard to explain the sensitive part in words.

“Anyway, I’m angry that you didn’t tell me. Why didn’t you tell me? If you had told me earlier, I would have helped too, as the student council secretary.”

In the end, Rebecca gave up. She had thought she could hide it from everyone, but it was eventually revealed to those closest to her.

“I’ve lost. To Amelia, the secretary, and Shion Esperanza as well…”

“Just a moment, just a moment, Chairman?”

Thud……

With her last words, Rebecca collapsed, falling asleep beside Shion Esperanza.

Amelia looked at Rebecca with a surprised expression, then gazed up at the sky, where the sun was shining through the clouds that had covered Arsen.