"So you're telling me that you played a 'game' which is exactly like this world and managed to clear the second most difficult mode?"
I decided to give him a brief overview of the game, carefully leaving out details about the novel. The novel, after all, was rather eccentric.
"Mhm."
I nodded, letting him process this new information.
"And now you're tasked with defeating this so-called 'Demon King'?"
"Precisely."
He stared at me, his face a picture of shock. I could see his entire perception of the world had been shattered. To him, the idea that the world could end in less than ten years seemed almost surreal. He had always thought the world was safe, too peaceful for such dire threats.
His expression shifted from shock to a mix of guilt and sorrow.
"You're tasked with saving a world even the strongest beings fear," he said gravely. "How strong is this 'Demon King'?"
No record existed of such a being on this continent.
The only known entities were the twelve Grand Demons, about whom the information was scant.
'How strong that dude is..?'
I wasn't sure of the Demon King's exact strength. I had never encountered him, but I could make an educated guess.
"Stronger than all twelve Grand demons combined."
His eyes widened, and the color drained from his face as the weight of my words hit him. The thought of an entity with such power left him visibly shaken.
In comparison, a demon is usually stronger than a human in every aspect. This includes Sage-leveled beings.
The same concept should be applied to the current strongest human and the Grand demons.
I've faced them at
One would need to form a team to fight against a demon on their rank. A four-to-one ratio.
And now with the world in hell mode, they all reached a prowess of minimum
…and I still have no clue how to break through to
The future looked even grimmer.
Xylaroth might even be nearing the
A cold shiver ran down my spine as the terrifying truth settled in. My breath caught in my throat, fear coiling tightly around my chest.
…if that demon had grown so powerful, what chance did I stand against the Demon King
I drifted into countless scenarios, and all of them were bad.
Meanwhile, the Professor, his face now stern, spoke up, clearly troubled by the gravity of the situation.
"How are you supposed to defeat an existence so close to being a God?"
I glanced out the window. Night had fallen again.
"I don't know," I replied, forcing a smile. "But it has to be possible. If it weren't, he wouldn't have told me."
The professor looked confused.
"Who is 'he'?"
I think it's safe to talk about him to the professor since he can't leak anything.
"The —"
The professor's brow furrowed as he absently rubbed his chin, lost in thought.
"I saw your mouth move, but I was struck with a wave of nausea and couldn't hear anything," he said, his voice serious. "It appears that being has restricted his existence from being known."
If the professor couldn't hear anything after I spoke, then I suppose he does have a restriction on him, given that he is way too weak to hear.
I didn't know that he would be this powerful.
Grand Demons often have [Laws] that prevent their true names from being spoken, a measure to protect their identity from lesser beings. If the professor couldn't even hear the name, it's clear the entity has powerful restrictions in place
'A similar restriction, huh.'
If he can't hear it after I clearly said it, then he indeed is being restricted from people knowing him.
"...Right. I suppose I can't disclose anything about 'him'. But could you tell me what happened after the attack?"
He nodded and began speaking a ton.
…
In summary, the Syndicate members were all arrested, everyone was being treated and all students made it back safely to Lumi.
It seems like my plan worked flawlessly.
The city was being restricted, and the Arena was closed down for a month until the city hall was repaired. The damage was only limited to the hotel and the hall itself.
And classes will resume in two days, the rest of the trip was out of the bag entirely.
"Professor. I think it's time for you to get going."
It was getting late.
He agreed and began walking out of the room until I stopped him.
"Professor."
"Yes?" he replied.
"Mind gifting me a sword? Preferably on a thinner side."
I hesitated, wondering if my request was too bold.
To my surprise, the professor didn't question it. With a flick of his wrist, a slender sword materialized in his hand. He handed it to me, his expression serious.
"This sword is special. Take good care of it."
I nodded and he left.
'Excellent.'
It was a slender blade, perfectly balanced for quick, precise movements. The hilt fits comfortably in my hand, designed for agility and speed, making it an ideal weapon for the fluid techniques of the Shinra Style.
Every detail of the sword seemed crafted with my fighting style in mind as if it was made for me.
I gleamed with a wide smile.
Then activated 'Apprsial'
[Whisper of Shadows]
Rank: S-
Durability: 3600/3600
"..ah fuck."
Did I just get myself into more debt again?
-
The hours blurred together as I drifted in and out of sleep, but finally, the pain subsided enough for me to stand. My muscles screamed in protest, stiff from the prolonged rest, but I forced myself up.
'So annoying,'
I thought as I tried to steady myself. Both legs wobbled, and with everyone busy spending their time off with friends or family, there was no one to assist me.
'Speaking of families, I wonder what kind of parents this body had,'
I mused. Being the last descendant of the Valenheart family was a curious revelation. I had never encountered such a noble family in the game or the novel.
'Probably just another noble added for flavor.'
I concluded.
Slowly, I made my way to the door and exited the room where I'd been confined for days.
'Goodbye, infirmary. I hope not to see you again, though fate can be cruel.'
I was dressed in simple, patient attire—a plain white gown. My skin remained pale, and as I glanced at my arms, I sighed.
"Haah..."
I trudged back inside, realizing I'd forgotten to change.
-
A few moments later, I had changed into casual clothes: a white t-shirt covered by a full black robe. I stepped out once more.
The area was eerily quiet. Students and adults usually avoided the Infirmary building unless necessary, preferring potions for minor ailments. Severe cases like mine required more time to recover. Reflecting on it, I was fortunate that the flower bomb had worked; otherwise, I might have been reduced to pieces.
'My luck is both terrible and amazing,' I thought.
Stepping outside, the concrete stretched out, illuminated by some distant lights under the dark sky. It was clear that everyone was either in their dorms or elsewhere.
I checked the time on my bracelet:
[1:21 AM]
It was late. I hurried to my room, 05001. Once inside, I took a quick, hot shower, dried off, and dressed.
At my desk, I sat down and pulled out a pencil from a drawer filled with various utensils. I began jotting down my plans for the remainder of the school year.
'There are only three months until summer break,' I noted.
In these three months, nothing as severe as the recent incident was expected, though minor events would occur.
"Hmmm."
The next event would involve uncovering the spy who leaked Alice's original contracted spirit. The attack had led Alice to question which professors might be working with the Syndicate. She had noted suspicious professors who had witnessed the attack and eventually identified one with the hero's help. The confrontation had ended poorly for him, revealing his treachery.
"But the hero is currently too weak to confront him. What a pain. He should've accepted me as his master."
…Should I just beat him into submission to make him accept me?
"It could work. It usually did in those novels I read, hehe"
I thought with a grin.
I took a sip of water, then got dressed in my robe once again.
'Seems like I love going out in the middle of the night.'
It was time to pay a visit to the Moonlit Guild.
---
"Sir."
A figure emerged from the shadows, bowing slightly to the man seated at the counter.
"Speak."
"The girl you requested to be monitored last week is making her way here now."
Kazok's eyes sparked with curiosity.
"Oh? That girl again. Let's make sure to greet her properly this time."
He reached out, accepting the papers his Shadow handed him, and then glanced over them:
***
[Alyssa Valenheart]
Fallen Nobility
…
Rank: 1st for the 1st half of Freshman Ranks in Lumi Academy
Current Rank: 37
…
Not much is known about her past, relationships, abilities, or origins, except for being the last surviving member of the Valenheart lineage.
***
His eyes narrowed as he re-read the last line. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips—this girl was proving more elusive than he'd anticipated.
"...The Valenhearts?"
He turned to his Shadow.
"Do we have any records on the Valenhearts?"
The Shadow responded swiftly.
"No, Sir. The only mention of the Valenhearts was in her academy registration form. Our investigations suggest their presence was near the old ruins of Eclipsia, but we have no concrete evidence."
Kazok leaned back, his intrigue deepening. A person whose origins even the Moonlit Guild couldn't trace?
"Interesting, very interesting."
With a wave of his hand, the Shadow vanished.
"Let's see just how much more we can uncover about her."
His lips curled into a sly smile.