I think I understood why Leon tried to keep his distance from others.
I stared at the dripping blood with a bitter smile.
This was exactly why Leon had been afraid of forming connections. He must have been terrified of anyone discovering what he was truly like.
His tendency to self-harm—something so different from most people's experiences—wasn't just an act of rebellion. It was a cry for control over his emotions. But maybe, deep down, he had the same fears as anyone else. His odd tendencies, like those naked leash walks, did make me question that though.
But unlike Leon, I'm different. I'm sensible, more grounded. It's not self-harm. No, it's training. I'd been doing training all morning—correct, that's what it was. Just what any Academy student would do. And I had results to show for it.
By focusing on my wounds, I'd figured out how to control my abilities.
Leon's power—Super Regeneration—was mine now. The strange thing about it was that he could control the healing speed. He could intentionally slow it down or accelerate it at will. When I first activated the ability, I was disappointed by how quickly it healed. But now, I had learned to manipulate it.
After the nightmare cleanup yesterday, I decided to do my training in the bathroom. It was a little too much cleaning up blood for my taste, so I was careful not to make a mess this time.
It worked. The cleanup was quicker, and before I knew it, I was changing into my uniform and preparing for the Academy classes.
Growl
Oh right, I haven't eaten yet.
Considering how hungry I was yesterday, I should probably eat something. But... looking at the time, it was clear I'd be late if I didn't leave now.
Heh, well. Can't be helped.
I'll just call it a diet.
Growl
My stomach hurt, as if shrinking in on itself.
Hehe, this oddly feels good...
"Well, I'm off."
Although the room was empty, I said my goodbyes and opened the dormitory door.
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"The Blades of Eternity" revolves around a simple, basic premise...
Monsters from another world, known as the "Otherworldly Monsters," attack indiscriminately.
Since neither communication nor negotiation was proven to be possible with these monsters, humanity established the Academy as an effort to resist these beings.
Only individuals with supernatural abilities could fight these monsters.
Thus, all individuals with supernatural abilities were required to enroll in the Academy.
Since the Academy is still a school, it also taught regular subjects you'd learn in any normal school.
Basic language, mathematics, science, social studies, history... But the real focus wasn't on those things.
The main focus in the curriculum was "Combat."
Ultimately, what the Academy values most is "improving combat skills."
That's why most morning classes are combat training-oriented.
"Hey, no chatting. Can't you focus?"
Just like now.
The woman in a red tracksuit spoke firmly, pointing her wooden sword at the chatting students.
She was Angelina, the homeroom teacher of Class 1-A, to which I belonged.
The day before my possession was the entrance ceremony, so we only had simple introductions before class ended. When "I" possessed Leon, we only had theoretical classes, but today was different.
Today marked the official start of Academy life.
"Today is just a simple ability assessment, so don't be too nervous."
Angelina spoke as she chewed her cigarette like a piece of gum.
Since it was class time, it wasn't lit.
Though she didn't actually light it, she held it in her mouth because, as a chronic smoker, Angelina couldn't focus without a cigarette in her mouth.
She pressed the wooden sword to the ground.
Teaching students at the Academy also meant she had a supernatural ability.
Her power activated with just a simple, insignificant movement.
From the dirt, something emerged.
A large wolf sculpture made of soil and stone.
Angelina's ability was "Earth."
More precisely, she had "Domination over the Earth."
For someone like her, creating a wolf statue, or rather a wolf golem, was easier than drinking cold beer.
"What you have to do is simple. Destroy my golem. Since I'm assessing your basic combat skills, if you do it half-heartedly, I'll crack your heads open. Though I doubt anyone would have the leisure to go easy. Number one, step forward."
She was a teacher who cared deeply for her students despite her rough language, so there was no need to be scared.
But only I knew that here.
The other students were visibly tense.
Hmm, I wonder who's going to go first in this stiff atmosphere?
"Number one, Elsia."
It was her.
Elsia stepped forward confidently and stood before the wolf golem.
She held a sword in her right hand.
"I'll repeat, there's no need to be nervous. I don't expect much from you at this stage. Just show what you're capable of. Understand?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Angelina spoke while making eye contact with Elsia.
Elsia nodded slightly in response.
"Begin."
At her command, the golem, which had been still like a statue—well, it actually was a statue—began to move.
With a voiceless howl toward the sky, the wolf golem charged at Elsia.
Its speed wasn't very fast.
To ordinary people, it would've been a sufficient threat, but it was only that much.
Supernaturals, regardless of their unique abilities, inherently had physical abilities beyond that of ordinary humans.
For someone like Elsia, who was exceptional in her age group, it might have even seemed like it hadn't moved at all.
Swish.
There was no need for any flashy moves.
With a single precise slash, Elsia decapitated the wolf golem, her sword dyed red.
"You're fast."
Angelina's eyes sparkled with interest.
She seemed genuinely impressed by the strike.
I myself could hardly even see it.
The golem's head was already rolling on the ground before I realized.
The ability assessment didn't end with just one wolf golem.
If Elsia had struggled against a single wolf golem, it might have, but since she defeated it so easily, the test continued.
The next monster that appeared had the head of a lion, a serpent's tail, and wings on its back.
Oh, could it be a chimera?
From a wolf to a chimera?
Isn't that a big jump in difficulty, Miss Angelina?
Was it like this in the original?
I don't remember the unimportant details well.
Even then, I still remember that Angelina had a sharp eye for assessing students' abilities.
She likely roughly gauged Elsia's skills with that single strike and created a suitable opponent accordingly.
But it seemed that Elsia's abilities surpassed Angelina's expectations.
Without hesitation, Elsia rushed toward the chimera as it spread its wings to fly, cutting down the wings with a flash of her sword.
Without stopping, she ignited her blade midair, shifted direction, and severed its waist in one stroke.
Elsia broke the chimera golem in just two strikes, then calmly looked at Angelina.
Perhaps because it looked like she was asking what the next one was, Angelina summoned the next golem.
Three more chimeras.
After defeating those, there were five, including two gargoyles.
As the number gradually increased, Elsia eventually faced 13 golems.
But she didn't show any signs of struggle.
With controlled and disciplined movements, she conjured flames.
She infused her blade with heat, enhancing its cutting power, and created bursts of fire on parts of her body to freely change directions.
Elsia's ability was "pyrokinesis."
In other words, Flame Manipulation .
With firepower that ranks among the top in the Academy, coupled with excellent swordsmanship, Angelina's golems, which she intentionally weakened for the test, were no match. Eventually, the last golem shattered and returned to soil.
"Good. That's enough. Well done."
At Angelina's announcement, Elsia bowed her head and stepped back. She was slightly sweaty but didn't look particularly exhausted.
I looked at Elsia's sword, still tinged with red. A fire-infused sword, one that not only cuts but also burns from within due to the heat.
It wasn't the sword's innate ability, but a technique Elsia developed after much research.
If I were to be cut by that, it would hurt, wouldn't it?
Scary. A dreadful technique like that. It's already painful enough to get cut by a sword, but it even burns the wound from inside.
Burns... Burns, huh...
The sensation of a sword cut is hot and stinging, like burning, but what would it feel like to truly burn?
I remember hearing somewhere that burns are the most excruciating pain a person can experience. When the skin burns and nerves are damaged, the pain is so intense it's hard to even speak. That must mean it's extremely painful. It can't even compare to the likes of just cutting skin with a knife.
While Elsia shook off her sword and sheathed it, I found myself staring at it, mesmerized. It's unlikely, but I'd better be careful just in case. I don't want to get cut by Elsia's sword. Although it's unlikely that Elsia would swing her sword at me, you never know...
Gulp.
Ah, maybe going without food since yesterday was too much after all?
I should've had breakfast before coming.
Now I'm salivating.
I couldn't take my eyes off Elsia's sword until she returned to her seat.