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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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The Berserk Potion.
This demonic potion was prevalent during the Great War seven years ago.
It granted immense power, growing stronger the more the user was injured and enraged, enough to overcome even the most overwhelming odds.
However, the Berserk Potion was ultimately classified as a forbidden potion that should be avoided by both friend and foe.
While it granted immense strength, its side effects were too severe.
One of the most prominent side effects was the loss of reason in proportion to the power gained. Eventually, the user would become no different from a zombie.
In particular, upon reaching stage 4, where ‘madness’ manifested, the user would consume their own life force and fight until death.
They would become a lunatic, attacking anyone and everyone, regardless of friend or foe.
“Brings back memories. A Berserk Potion, huh.”
Alerina, the 7th Legion Commander of the Empire.
A hero of the Great War, she knew more about the Berserk Potion than anyone.
She herself had been a ‘Madman Hunter,’ tasked with eliminating allies who had succumbed to the potion’s influence and descended into madness.
“…Shouldn’t we stop him now?”
Alerina’s long-time adjutant asked with a worried expression.
Both Max and Ed could be in danger if this continued.
“Don’t interfere. This is Gracia’s class. He’ll be offended if I step in.”
“……”
“Besides, as long as it doesn’t reach stage 4, it’ll be fine. Gracia will subdue him before then.”
Swordmaster Gracia.
When she mentioned that he was supervising the match, the adjutant nodded in understanding.
If one of the Empire’s Swordmasters was supervising, he would surely notice Max’s use of the Berserk Potion as soon as he reached stage 3, as the user’s changes became readily apparent from that point onward.
“Hey, hey! Look at that!”
At that moment, Alerina shook her adjutant out of his thoughts and pointed to the front.
The highlight of this match, the ‘suit equipping scene,’ was being displayed on the large screen.
[Fzzzt-!]
As all the students and observers in the classroom held their breath and focused on the screen, a yellow portable suit case emerged from a rift in the air.
Fix, transformed into a suit case, quickly rolled toward Ed and opened to reveal a set of sleek, metallic boots amidst a puff of white steam.
[Click!]
Ed stepped onto the boots and spread his arms.
The back of the boots closed and latched, and Fix’s mechanical arm began to attach parts to Ed’s knees, thighs, chest, back, shoulders, forearms, and wrists.
[Whirr-! Click! Whine-! Click! Clatter-! ]
The satisfying sounds of metallic components locking into place, the low hum of the electric drill, and the white steam venting from the activated engine parts – the process of Ed equipping the suit was like watching some sacred ritual.
It evoked an indescribable sense of catharsis.
With each piece of the suit locking into place on his body, Ed seemed to be transforming into something superhuman.
Moreover, with Max, fueled by the Berserk Potion, charging at him with murderous intent, Ed’s calm demeanor as he watched Max approach only amplified his aura of power.
[Click… Click… Whine…]
But Ed wasn’t being needlessly slow.
He had more than doubled the speed of equipping the suit. Knowing that he was most vulnerable during this process, he had made every effort to significantly reduce the time it took.
[Raaaaaaaaaaaagh!!!]
However, Max’s speed was also formidable.
He had already consumed the Berserk Potion.
Adrenaline coursed through his veins, and his mana circulation was accelerated.
The initial phase of the match was a race against time: would Ed finish equipping the suit first, or would Max reach him before he could?
“It doesn’t look good.”
Max’s speed was simply too fast.
At this rate, Ed could be overwhelmed before he could even finish equipping the suit.
As everyone watched with bated breath, a rift opened in the air, and a bracelet appeared. It was Ed’s Plasma Titanium Alloy Gauntlet.
“Oooooh!!”
“There it is!”
“It’s the gauntlet!”
“So cool!”
The students in the classroom erupted in cheers, their eyes sparkling with anticipation.
As the bracelet wrapped around Ed’s wrist and transformed into the gauntlet, they wore expressions of childlike wonder.
And Legion Commander Alerina was no exception.
“Holy shit. Hey, look at that. That’s fucking awesome.”
“……”
The adjutant shook his head at Alerina, but even he had to admit that the process of Ed equipping the suit was impressive.
Even he, a veteran soldier who had seen countless battles, had never witnessed anything like this.
He swallowed hard, his gaze fixed firmly on Ed.
[Keeeeeeeng–!]
On the large screen at the front, a high-pitched whine emanated from Ed’s now-completed gauntlet.
The charging plasma beam grew increasingly brighter.
[Whoosh!]
In a split second, a beam of light shot out.
But Ed didn’t stop there and fired several more plasma beams at the oncoming Max.
[Kee-eeng! Whoosh! Kee-eeng! Whoosh! Kee-eeng! Whoosh!]
Max’s charge faltered.
He rolled to the side, jumped, and blocked with his sword, his momentum visibly decreasing as he tried to avoid the plasma beams.
[Groan! ]
Deciding that he couldn’t win the speed race, Max charged again, this time in a straight line.
The easiest way to defeat Ed was before he finished equipping the suit, so he pushed forward, taking the plasma beam hits.
With his mana focused on defense, which was amplified by the Berserk Potion, he could withstand a few plasma blasts.
[Thud!]
A nail-biting race against time began.
Max leaped and aimed to plunge his sword into Ed.
It was a close call….it seemed Max’s sword might reach Ed first, but Ed’s suit also seemed close to completion.
[Victory is mine! ]
Max was certain of his victory.
Ed’s suit wasn’t complete yet.
His strike would undoubtedly reach Ed’s heart before the suit could fully form.
A wide grin spread across his face as he thrust Black Obsidian towards Ed’s heart.
[Woooong–!]
But at the same moment, the large mana stone embedded in Ed’s chest glowed brightly.
Just as Max’s Black Obsidian was about to pierce Ed’s heart, the ‘Plasma Mana Shield’ spell activated, and a large barrier expanded outwards from Ed’s body, encompassing a 2-meter radius.
[Kraaagh-!]
Max’s Black Obsidian, mere centimeters from Ed’s heart, was harmlessly bounced off the barrier.
The impact, combined with the burning touch of the plasma shield, sent Max flying backward with a scream.
[Groan!]
Max quickly recovered.
He reached out and retrieved Black Obsidian, which had flown some distance away.
[Whoosh! Whoosh!]
But Ed was also swift.
Having completed equipping the suit, he seized the opportunity and shot two streams of black liquid at Max’s feet.
[W-what the!? ]
Max’s movements were instantly restricted.
The black liquid fired from Ed’s modified web shooters was a special restraining weapon with strong elasticity and adhesive properties, designed to deal with swift opponents like Max.
[Whoosh!]
While Max was still disoriented, Ed fired another shot. The liquid struck Max in the face, completely blinding him.
[Aaaaagh!!! You son of a bitch!]
Max frantically swung Black Obsidian. Dark magic power, shaped like sharp spikes, erupted from the sword, stabbing in all directions.
“It’s over.”
But as Alerina had just muttered, Black Obsidian’s dark magic power posed no threat to Ed.
With his vision blocked and his movements restricted, even the powerful magic of Black Obsidian was no more menacing than a child’s tantrum.
It flailed wildly, unable to find its target.
[Keeeeeeeng!]
With an impassive expression, Ed charged his plasma beam, maximizing its power just as he had done in his first evaluation match.
[Shwooom!]
A flash of light erupted.
It struck Max in the abdomen, which sent him flying two meters backward before crashing to the ground.
Having confirmed the hit, Ed turned his back.
The entire classroom erupted in murmurs of awe.
“Wow… He just completely dominated him.”
“Max had no chance. Not even in his wildest dreams.”
“That was fucking awesome.”
Ed had only taken 10 seconds to repel Max with the plasma shield and subdue him.
It was a clean, precise, and decisive battle.
Three shots from the web shooters and a fully charged plasma beam – that was all it took.
“Kekeke… No, this is just the beginning.”
But Alerina knew that this wasn’t enough to finish off someone fueled by the Berserk Potion.
As if to prove her point, just before Gracia declared the winner, Max roared.
[Not yet—Aaaaagh!!!!! ]
Max’s thunderous roar echoed through the training ground.
Gracia turned towards him with a surprised expression.
[It’s… not… over… yet… ]
Max roared and stood up.
The grievous wound on his abdomen was completely healed.
Ed, who had turned his back, turned to face Max once more.
[Back on your feet? ]
But Ed was smiling.
The combat test dummy had gone down too quickly for him to properly assess the suit’s capabilities, so he was grateful that Max had gotten back up.
Ed beckoned with his hand and said,
[Come at me. ]
Ed smirked, his hand beckoning provocatively.
Max’s eyes bulged with rage, blood vessels prominent.
[Shwing!]
Max extended his hand, and Black Obsidian, which had been lying on the ground, flew into his grip.
Ed stretched, preparing the three-dimensional maneuver gear for action.
[Thud!]
Max, now in stage 2 of his berserk state, charged again.
A blue light emanated from Ed’s gauntlet as the plasma beam began to charge.
Alerina grinned from ear to ear.
‘That pretty boy… He’s fucking amazing!’
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