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Chapter 211
Kingdom of Panisys, Aquiline Academy, 2nd Year.
There was a student named Odle Orilan.
He was a fairly outstanding student and had made a name for himself in martial studies.
He was expected to become the next Baron Orilan.
A boy with aspirations to one day accomplish great feats and make the name of House Orilan known across the world.
Thus, when his father ordered him to pursue Prince Maron, he obeyed without hesitation.
Prince Maron was, frankly, a useless king.
The noble faction wanted to dethrone him and establish a new monarchy.
If Maron became king as things stood, only a handful of nobles behind him would benefit.
Nobles excluded from that circle couldn’t accept such a fate.
If they captured Prince Maron, the noble faction would win.
And whoever captured him would go down in Panisys history as a hero.
Odle wanted desperately to be that hero.
And so, with that dream of glory, he willingly entered the magic palace.
It didn’t take long for that dream to be shattered.
“What… what the hell is that?”
Odle stood dumbfounded at the sight before him.
Only two individuals had stood in their way as they pursued the prince.
One was a blond delinquent-looking guy.
The other was a man so striking in appearance that the girls accompanying Odle hesitated in awe.
But an enemy was still an enemy.
The students from Panisys charged in, eager to defeat him and become heroes.
They were all killed in an instant.
Truly, in a blink.
Blinded by their hero complex, the students realized only too late how close death was.
As they faltered, unfamiliar figures began to move.
At first, watching them hold their own reignited their fighting spirit.
But the moment a bolt of lightning struck from the sky, everything changed.
Another assassin was flung into the air, turned to pulp.
And then—amidst the assassins, a beast rampaged wildly.
Everything he touched was crushed, electrocuted, shattered.
The assassins didn’t stand a chance.
A wolf among rabbits.
The rabbits' weapons couldn’t even scratch the wolf.
An overwhelming biological disparity.
A gap that simply couldn’t be bridged.
So Odle had to ask: What in the world is that thing?
The assassins kept dying.
Some of them, surprisingly, could use aura, and even managed to land some blows.
But that only seemed to enrage the beast further—those aura users were destroyed even more brutally.
None of the students could move.
In fact, it was incredible that anyone could move after seeing what they had just witnessed.
A massacre.
This was a one-sided slaughter—
A predator consuming its prey.
All the prey could do was pray the predator wouldn’t sink its fangs into them next.
Thud!
At last, the predator had hunted every last prey.
In front of him was his comrade, stabbed multiple times by the assassins’ daggers.
Barely hanging on, gasping for breath.
He had fought well, but facing that many professional killers alone had been too much.
The electricity coursing through the predator’s body began to fade.
But the fire in his eyes blazed only brighter.
“A-Aah, I-I can’t—I don’t know anymore!”
One of the students, making eye contact with him, panicked and fled.
One by one, the rest of the students followed suit.
Terrified of becoming the predator’s next prey, they ran.
And none of them could be blamed for doing so.
The overwhelming gap in power shown just moments ago—
No one among them could stand against it.
If anything, they were grateful to the first student who ran.
Thanks to them, the rest now knew they wouldn’t be scorned for escaping.
Soon, every student had fled.
None had the will left to face the predator.
As the parade of escapees continued, the predator let out a long breath.
Then, without a word, he picked up his wounded comrade and carved a hole in the ice wall, vanishing into the distance.
In the space he left behind,
All the remaining students could do was stand and stare, stunned.
* * *
Breathing was hard.
The aftereffects of using the Heavenly Dragon Form had taken more of a toll than expected.
‘I was in worse shape than I thought.’
Indeed, fighting continuously since the leaping Apostle without rest had pushed my limits.
Originally, I had planned to hold out on the first floor until the Panisys students retreated.
But I couldn’t maintain the threat any longer, so I had to retreat to the second floor.
‘No one's following me.’
That meant the intimidation worked.
Not even the boldest fool would dare chase me.
“Card, you bastard... if you said you'd be fine, you should’ve been fine.”
I muttered to Card, slung over my back, exhaling deeply.
During the fierce battle when I activated the Heavenly Dragon Form,
Card had clung to me desperately, making sure no aura users could approach.
Without Card’s help, I would have received several more wounds.
But because of that, Card's body ended up a complete wreck.
His legs were trembling.
The faint trickle of blood from his side made me frown.
A final strike from an assassin wielding aura, putting his life on the line.
He was a madman who kept swinging his sword even as he died.
And that sword wasn’t just any ordinary weapon.
It was imbued with mystery, possibly borrowed from some emerging arcane faction.
A mystery that could cut through anything.
Combined with aura, it was powerful enough to even slash through my body in the midst of using Heavenly Dragon Transformation.
Good thing I realized it mid-way—if it had gone any deeper, my intestines would have been torn apart.
Even though I hadn't let my guard down for a moment, the desperate struggle of someone fighting with their life on the line was intense.
And perhaps because of the clash of mysteries, I could feel my steel-like body wasn't holding up properly.
It felt like a feverish reaction—like white blood cells attacking an invading virus.
Mysteries can clash if their affinities are incompatible.
The steel body and the mystery that can cut anything—those were complete opposites.
‘Did they prepare specifically for me?’
The persona I had taken on—Hannon—was already widely known for possessing a steel body.
So, bringing that kind of mystery wasn’t a coincidence.
The continuous bleeding was making my mind hazy.
I never thought I'd feel this drained.
Once I get back, I need to train more with Aisha.
‘At least now, I don't need to worry about being chased.’
I gently laid down Card, who I had been carrying.
Card was barely breathing.
Judging by how he couldn't even respond, he was likely on the verge of losing consciousness.
First, I pulled the bracelet Seron gave me.
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Healing energy seeped from it, closing the wounds and stopping the bleeding.
Looking at the bracelet reminded me of Seron.
By now, she must’ve escaped safely.
I really need to go back and see that dumb face of hers.
I searched my pocket and found a broken potion vial.
Considering how violently I moved while using the Heavenly Dragon Transformation, it was inevitable.
The assassins didn’t back down even when I used that power—they fought to the bitter end.
It was only natural for the potion to shatter in the chaos.
This one’s useless now.
In haste, I searched Card’s clothes and thankfully found some powdered medicine ingredients.
He must’ve anticipated getting injured.
I recognized the kind of medicine it was.
“This is going to hurt like hell.”
But its effectiveness was undeniable.
I poured the powder into Card’s mouth.
Then, I froze the air, melted the ice with ash flames, and fed him water.
I sprinkled the remaining powder on his worst wounds.
Card’s face turned even paler than when he was injured, but I had no other choice.
I swallowed some of the leftover powder myself.
Then I understood why Card made that face.
My body felt significantly better.
But it still burned all over.
That meant the clash of mysteries hadn’t ended.
Even with the bracelet and medicine, the mystery’s power couldn’t be fully neutralized.
This wasn’t good.
At the very least, I had to endure until I regrouped with the others.
“No time to rest, let’s go.”
I carried Card again and started walking.
We passed the second floor and reached the third.
From here on, the size of the Demon Dungeon expands significantly.
Because of that, I had to walk for a long time with Card on my back.
Monsters appeared along the way.
But most of them took one look at me and fled in fear.
Probably because the remnants of the ancient dragon within me bared its fangs.
It wasn’t out of concern for my safety.
They were likely just waiting for a chance to devour me now that I was weakened.
From now on, the influence of the ancient dragon’s remnants on my body would only grow stronger.
“Yeah, just keep growling until we’re out of the Demon Dungeon.”
I had no way to deal with it now.
Maybe it was the constant walking without rest.
My condition had worsened.
The heat still showed no sign of subsiding.
I thought I had grown used to heat thanks to the ash flames—but this was something entirely different.
Card showed no signs of waking yet.
His wounds were mostly healed, but it seemed he needed more time to recover mentally.
I filled my stomach with jerky and water and resumed walking with Card on my back.
At last, we reached the fourth floor.
But I didn’t see the children who had gone ahead.
Which meant—they’d safely made it to Zerion Academy.
That was a relief.
It was getting harder to walk.
Maybe I had pushed myself too much trying to avoid falling asleep.
Sleeping without a watch in the Demon Dungeon was the most dangerous thing one could do.
So I couldn’t afford to fall asleep now.
Card probably knew that too—that’s why he chose to stay with me.
Of course, he probably didn’t expect to lose consciousness.
But we’d soon reach the fifth floor.
After that, it was all uphill, and there was even a secret passage.
If I used that, I could somehow make it back to the surface.
Thud—
As long as an Apostle didn’t show up, that is.
“…Damn it.”
They say that if you're unlucky in life, you're unlucky till the end.
I bit my lip as I stared at the Apostle that appeared before me.
Apostles are, by nature, creatures that head underground.
However, occasionally, like on the 8th floor, there are Apostles who remain on the surface by their own will.
Such ones are usually classified as “Named” and are called Dangerous Types.
And now, one such Named Apostle stood in front of me.
It had a massive eye on its head.
Arms longer than its legs and a hunched back.
Its violet-glowing skin gave off an unsettling aura.
It clacked the jaws located just below its eye, making a grotesque noise.
It sounded like the excited breath of a predator who found weakened prey.
I casually tossed aside Card.
I had more or less recovered—death wasn't likely.
But my body of steel wasn’t in optimal condition.
The remnants of the ancient dragon still lurked, waiting to strike.
All I could rely on now was the Flame of Ash.
I quietly condensed the Flame of Ash within my body.
Just one shot.
I had to end it in one blow.
A silent standoff began between the Named Apostle and me.
At last, the one who moved first was the Apostle.
It lunged at me with terrifying speed.
It slammed into the ground and swung its long arms at me.
Its reach was long.
But I’d faced many with reach like this before.
With minimal movement, I slipped into its guard.
Its arm brushed just above my head.
I summoned the Flame of Ash, concentrating it in the edge of my hand.
I was just about to pierce its solar plexus in a single strike.
But then I realized where its swinging hand was really aiming.
The claws extended from its fingers flew not at me, but at Card.
This cunning bastard.
It hadn’t been aiming for me—it was going after Card from the beginning.
The moment I saw that, I twisted my strike and drove my hand through the Apostle’s arm.
Crack!
The Named Apostle screamed, its jaws wide open.
Its long arm was severed cleanly.
The Flame of Ash on my hand began to flicker out.
I gritted my teeth and forced the flame back into strength as I caught my breath.
"You have an enemy in front of you—where do you think you’re looking?"
I had wasted the Flame of Ash I condensed to end this.
I couldn't be sure if I could summon it again.
Still, I calmly thrust my hand forward.
To show that I wouldn’t yield even a little to this Named Apostle.
Whether it knew that or not, I couldn’t tell.
One thing was clear—this thing wasn’t about to give up just because it lost an arm.
It’s coming.
The moment I sensed it, the Apostle charged at me.
It knew I was weakened.
It was coming to kill me fast.
My hand, clad in the Flame of Ash, moved.
I stretched out my arm to counter its charge—
Slip—
My leg gave out, and my body tilted forward.
It was clearly the aftereffect of overwork.
The worst timing.
I forced power into my body to recover my posture, but it was too late—a gap had opened.
And into that gap, the Apostle’s claws came plunging.
I'm going to be pierced.
But even if I get pierced—I’ll take off its head.
Clench!
Grinding my teeth, I drove my hand forward toward the Apostle.
If I get impaled this time, will I make it back alive?
I didn’t know—but there was no other way.
The Apostle’s claws and my hand crossed paths.
At the very instant both our lives were about to end—
CRACK!
The Apostle’s claws shattered and scattered in pieces.
Amid the fragments of its broken claws, strands of silver hair flew.
My eyes widened as I realized who it was.
"Nikita."
The moment I called her name, her sword drove in and shattered the Apostle’s head.
She then kicked its body away effortlessly.
It was a demonstration of what it meant to be the former top fighter of 3rd-year martial arts.
Nikita turned her face toward me.
Without hesitation, she ran forward and embraced me tightly.
“Instructor, I came to get you.”
Her warm voice whispered in my ear.
I didn’t know how she ended up here.
But one thing was certain—her embrace was so warm, I closed my eyes without realizing it.
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