A few weeks whisked by since Lucifer's resounding victory over Drake, propelling him to the role of the swordsmanship club's captain. My training regimen intensified, and I eagerly joined the club, eschewing Rachel's invitation to the book club. Her pout was almost regret-inducing, but my focus on strength prevailed.
This period marked a crucial juncture for me—the impending virtual reality war between the first and second years. While I harbored no fear of the outcome, I was mindful not to push Lucifer into revealing his full power for two significant reasons.
Firstly, I recognised the potential in Kali—a prospective
Yes, Kali possessed a sophisticated
The conditions were intriguing: being Gift-less and below
I wouldn't be directly ingesting the pill, instead, I would be consuming it alongside a -rank elixir.
So, I reached out to Count Chase, my affluent sponsor, requesting two -rank elixirs. Reluctantly, he provided them, with a reminder that no more favors would be granted until I achieved another noteworthy feat.
Ah, the perks of having wealthy sponsors indeed made life remarkably uncomplicated.
As the impending virtual reality war loomed, Kali's potential threat to Lucifer remained a concern. Even without the mysterious pill, Kali wouldn't match Lucifer, especially if he refrained from using his trump card. The lackluster strategy employed by the first years in the previous encounters against the second years prompted me to take action.
Being the weaker member of Class 1-A without a formidable background, I seized the opportunity to connect with fellow first-year students. My aim was clear—to secure the role of strategy head and ensure the first years could triumph over the second years without requiring Lucifer's full power. Yet, I knew it might not be sufficient.
Kali might use it in the virtual reality (VR) battles, potentially giving her an edge over our year. However, the pill activated in real life when used in VR, making it imperative to prevent her from taking it and then find a way to acquire it in reality.
The prospect of assassinating her before she ingested the pill loomed, adding another layer to the challenge. However, obtaining the pill was crucial to meet one of the three conditions required to surpass Lucifer—equal mana rank, equal weapon art mastery, and equal Gift.
Diligent training aimed at mastering weapon arts was already in progress, and a strategy to confront Lucifer's Gift was brewing, scheduled for execution during the winter break. The pivotal factor, however, remained the mana rank. Lucifer's purer and higher mana posed a significant gap that needed closing. My target was to reach [White]-rank by year-end, with the ambitious aim of hitting [High Silver]-rank during the winter break—granting me the strength needed to challenge Lucifer's Gift.
Yet, the success of this plan hinged on whether I could acquire the elusive pill from Kali, an endeavor that promised to be challenging at best.
My training session with Seraphina revealed the stark truth—I had been utterly mistaken when I thought I bested her in our previous sparring session. Turns out, Seraphina was nothing short of a monster. Currently delving into three Grade 5 arts and a Grade 6 art, she showcased a formidable prowess.
What made her even more terrifying was the interconnected nature of Mount Hua arts. Mastery in one naturally elevated mastery in others, providing Seraphina with a diverse skill set. That day when she defeated me? She was using her weakest sword art, and since then, her weakest had evolved into what Nero had imparted to her just last month.
"You're making progress," she commented, effortlessly evading my sword thrusts amidst a cascade of plum blossoms—a testament to Mount Hua's dangerous principles.
My fire aura struggled to incinerate the plum blossoms entirely, allowing Seraphina to dominate with relative ease. My mastery over the Grade 5 art was abysmally low, currently hovering around 1 or 2%, with expectations of improvement only by year-end.
"Good fight," Seraphina acknowledged, her crystalline eyes betraying no emotion.
"You're too strong, Sera," I admitted, accepting her extended hand to get back on my feet.
Despite her undeniable strength, Seraphina's ranking didn't reflect her true prowess initially. However, that changed when she added an ice-type 4-circle spell to her repertoire. Now, she surpassed even Cecilia in strength.
'I seriously need to level up,' I pondered silently.
Seraphina, with her keen gaze, caught onto my contemplative mood. "What's on your mind?" she inquired, studying me.
"The upcoming mock war," I replied, fully aware that Seraphina wouldn't let me evade the conversation.
"Why the concern?" She tilted her head curiously. "We have Lucifer."
I sighed, "The second years aren't pushovers. Plus, with a hundred students on each side, relying solely on Lucifer doesn't guarantee victory."
In reality, Lucifer's overpowering abilities did make our victory likely, but my focus wasn't solely on winning the war. I needed to secure the mysterious pill from Kali—one whose true value she wasn't aware of.
And if things didn't go according to plan? No, I was determined to ensure they did.
Thinking about the future beyond Volume 7, where the world faces imminent collapse, fueled my determination to obtain that elusive pill.
As I glanced at Seraphina walking alongside me, an idea formed.
'Can I use her?' I wondered.
Seraphina's recent behavior was peculiar. She stuck close to me without an apparent reason. In the novel, she favored Lucifer due to his overwhelming strength, so her sudden interest in me raised suspicions.
"Hey, Sera," I spoke up as we entered the lavish restaurant designated for first years.
She turned to face me, her light blue eyes meeting mine.
"What's on your mind, Arthur?" she inquired, a hint of emotion seeping into her voice.
"Do you mind doing me a favor?" I asked.
After explaining the favor to Seraphina, we walked into the restaurant where our classmates had already gathered.
Lucifer, Rachel, and Ian occupied a table together; the other three were notably absent. Jin and Ren were indifferent to such events, and fortunately, Cecilia had prior commitments.
We exchanged greetings before taking our seats.
"Hey, Lucifer," I greeted, locking eyes with his verdant gaze.
"What's up, Arthur?" he responded, offering me a bright smile.
"Can I be the head strategist for the upcoming mock war?" I asked. Lucifer, being the de facto leader of the first years, holds the authority to decide.
"Hmm," Lucifer pondered, "I don't think anyone else wants to be the strategist, so having someone take it up would be great."
"Honestly," I admitted, "Because of you, we're likely to win against the second years. However, we don't know the specifics of the mock war or the situation we'll face. I believe I'd be the best fit for the head strategist role."
"You can have it, Arthur," Lucifer agreed, raising his hands, "Besides, this impacts our mid-semester grades, so losing is not an option."
"Thanks, man," I said, smiling.
"I thought you'd want to cut through some seniors with all the training you're putting in," Ian joked.
"Being a strategist doesn't mean I can't fight," I quipped.
Suddenly, Ren approached our table and pointed at an empty seat. "Can I take this seat?"
"Sorry, man," Ian replied, "Seat's not for sore losers."
Ren shot him an angry look. "Why are you so happy about it?! It's not like you can beat me."
The two started arguing, and Rachel sighed as she was forced to mediate.
"You beat him again?" I asked Lucifer, who simply nodded.
Finally, Rachel successfully diffused the argument, and Ren took a seat next to Seraphina.
"Good job," I complimented, winking playfully. "You look quite young for a mother of two, though." She responded with a giggle, while Ian and Ren shot me annoyed glares.
Surviving in this world required strength, but enjoying time with friends and being surrounded by people you care about was equally crucial.
After all, that's the difference between merely existing and truly living.
"Is Jin never going to join us?" Ian grumbled, prompting unanimous head shakes from everyone. Even Seraphina, who didn't know him well, recognized Jin as the lone wolf who wouldn't attend such gatherings.
But well, he would also be another tool I needed. Jin and Kali, both dark mages, almost as if destiny was guiding them to become my shadows.
Of course, I had no intention of mistreating them.
They were going to be my two valuable assets.
The responsibility was significant, but...
This mock war was shaping up to be quite interesting.