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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
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When they say happiness comes after hardship, just how much hardship is considered appropriate?
“GYAAAAAHHHHH!!!”
One thing was certain: if this level of suffering continued, people would cease to desire happiness altogether.
Five Death Meteors had fallen from the sky.
Four of them were mere distractions, meant to buy time while the real threat—
Carrying four high-rank demons—fell squarely onto the training grounds where the academy’s new sprouts were blooming.
The timing, 12:30 PM, when most students were having lunch and engaging in individual training, was no accident.
It highlighted the meticulous planning the demons had invested in this operation.
“Hmm, there’s a professor here? Weren’t we told there wouldn’t be any?”
“It’s just one, I’ll take care of him quickly.”
“No, I’ll kill him! I need to digest this rose sandwich!”
Pomber, licking rose petals from his lips, casually surveyed the surroundings.
Even extending his demonic senses, the only threat he detected was the single professor before him.
Even he only had a single sword at his hip, with no other noticeable armaments.
“I’ll handle him. The rest of you, begin the slaughter!”
“Don’t give us orders like you’re the leader, you prick.”
“Still, it’s a sound judgment, so we’ll follow it.”
“…”
The other three high-rank demons nodded at Pomber’s words and dispersed.
‘Damn it.’
Gainard watched helplessly as the high-rank demons spread out, drawing his sword.
Originally, the demons’ plan shouldn’t have included a strong presence like a professor at the meteor impact site. However, Woo Do-hyun’s concern had kept Gainard at the training grounds.
His worry about Woo Do-hyun’s potential homesickness had made him stay to observe, which led to this unexpected encounter.
While it could be considered fortunate, the situation was far from ideal.
‘I can’t expect immediate backup.’
From the moment he detected the demons descending, all external communication had been blocked. Some kind of magical interference was preventing him from contacting anyone outside the training grounds. It seemed the five meteor impact sites had been isolated.
‘My students are dying.’
For now, the high-rank demons weren’t actively slaughtering the students. They seemed to be savoring the moment, leisurely observing the chaos, but that was only temporary.
If they decided to begin the massacre in earnest, Gainard had no way to stop them.
‘If only I had brought my sword…’
He’d emphasized the importance of treating training like real combat, yet here he was, unprepared.
Regret washed over him, but the cold reality was that he wore simple casual clothes and carried only a training sword.
His opponents, on the other hand, radiated dark mana, fully armed and ready for battle.
The disparity in power was so stark that he hesitated to engage directly, choosing instead to assess the situation.
He needed to find an opening.
If he could lure one into a false sense of security and eliminate them quickly, the others would likely become wary and focus on him.
That way, he could minimize casualties. That was his plan.
“Why haven’t you moved? Just because we’re waiting doesn’t mean you can stand there idly…”
Pomber, unaware of Gainard’s intentions, mistook his stillness for fear, adopting a relaxed and condescending tone.
‘Now!’
Gainard seized the opportunity and lunged.
His sword flashed, a heavy, oppressive presence descending upon the training grounds.
One strike.
He wouldn’t hold back—he intended to kill swiftly and decisively to draw their attention.
Swish.
In less than a second, Pomber’s body was bisected before he could react, collapsing to the ground.
Thump.
Without hesitation, Gainard dismembered the corpse, ensuring there would be no unexpected revival.
He didn’t know what abilities the demon possessed, so he took no chances.
“Who’s next!”
He roared, drawing the attention of the other high-rank demons.
Crack.
And a student died.
A student, paralyzed by fear, had collapsed to the ground, legs giving way. He fell lifelessly, eyes still filled with hope.
“Oh, he’s dead.”
“Well, he was the weakest one here.”
Their indifference to their comrade’s death was chilling.
Gainard finally grasped the severity of the situation.
‘These demons have no sense of camaraderie.’
While they might share the common ground of being demons, there was no loyalty or fellowship among them.
This meant they wouldn’t become enraged or seek revenge if one of their own was killed. They would simply continue with their mission.
Even if it meant their comrades dying.
“KRAAAAAAHHH!”
The principle of “survival of the fittest” had never been more apparent.
The higher-ranked students managed to escape or defend themselves, while the lower-ranked ones died helplessly.
They knew they were outmatched and made their decisions accordingly.
“Fight me! What’s the point of tormenting the weak?!”
Gainard, revising his plan, charged at the nearest high-rank demon.
He was already exhausted from his previous attack and needed time to recover, but that was a luxury he couldn’t afford.
Every second he hesitated meant more casualties. He couldn’t prioritize his own well-being.
“Face me!”
“My, my, aren’t you persistent? I told you, I’m not interested. It was Pomber who provoked you, we’re not so easily defeated.”
A knowing smile spread across her face.
Roomlau, the female demon with elaborate head ornaments, effortlessly evaded Gainard’s attacks.
She dodged each strike, casually kicking nearby stones at the students, crushing their skulls one by one.
She believed this would drive the professor to distraction, creating an opening.
Smack!
“Ugh!”
Her prediction was correct.
Seeing his students die before his eyes, Gainard lost focus for a moment, and that lapse in concentration led to injury.
Roomlau’s fist connected with his unprotected abdomen, sending him flying. Even as he crashed into the wall, his thoughts remained with his students.
‘Just one… if only one person could…’
If he couldn’t lead them, then someone, anyone, needed to take charge.
If only someone could guide the students, create an escape route, and gather the scattered survivors…
Bang!
Ignoring the pain and dizziness, Gainard pushed himself up, his concern for his students overriding his own injuries.
“GYAAAAAHHH!”
“Please! Someone, please help me! Please!”
“There’s no spirit in these weaklings. I don’t understand why ‘He’ finds any meaning in killing them.”
“What do you mean there’s no meaning? We’re eliminating future threats! Don’t tell me you’re questioning ‘Him’?”
“Don’t twist my words.”
The training grounds, once a scene of cheerful practice, had transformed into a living hell.
Pleas for mercy became dying whispers, fading into the chaos.
Precious lives, nurtured and cherished, were trampled like brittle branches, sacrifices to a cruel command.
‘Please… someone, anyone…’
Gainard charged at Roomlau again, praying desperately.
Heroes were forged in times of crisis, and Mirinae Academy was filled with talented students.
He desperately hoped a leader would emerge, someone to guide them through this nightmare. He swung his sword with renewed determination.
“Please! I’ll give you anything! Anything you want!”
“What I want is your death, you insects. You’ve run far enough.”
Even if he managed to hold off one high-rank demon, two more remained on the training grounds.
And even if he defeated them all, they would simply scatter and continue their slaughter elsewhere.
He needed to find a solution, and quickly.
“My, my, aren’t you getting desperate?”
“…”
Desperation and anxiety gnawed at him, slowing his movements and shattering his focus.
The relentless barrage of attacks and the constant threat of death.
Roomlau’s mocking laughter echoed in his ears as the injuries piled up.
Gainard, specializing in heavy swordsmanship, was vulnerable to swift attacks if his focus wavered. Roomlau, a skilled martial artist, exploited this weakness, relentlessly pummeling him.
The disparity in power was so vast that it resembled a sparring session with a training dummy. Some students, witnessing this, gave up all hope and stopped running.
‘Please… just one…’
Clinging to his fading consciousness, Gainard desperately fought back, praying for a miracle.
And finally…
BANG!
As if answering his prayer, a brilliant light erupted in the center of the training grounds, accompanied by a booming voice that echoed through the sky.
“Attention all Mirinae Academy students on the training grounds! Gather at my location immediately!”
Lee Seok-hyun had arrived.
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