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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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‘Three chances.’
I quickly formulated a plan to defeat Sergei. I had three opportunities to take him down. If I missed them, I’d lose. I didn’t need to worry about hurting him. Even with my full power, I’d be lucky to scratch him.
“Huu…”
I took a deep breath and activated my internal circuits. Magical energy surged through my body, converging in my right hand. I converted the generated mana into magical energy and channeled it into my right hand as well.
Magical energy overflowed, leaking from my body. A searing pain shot through my arm, threatening to melt it.
“Hmph…”
Now.
I swung my right arm forward, drawing Vafe. A blinding flash erupted, reaching the ceiling of the barrier, then arced downwards.
I could have formed a sharper, more focused blade, but I intentionally kept it wide to increase my chances of hitting the agile Sergei.
BOOM!
“Whoa?!”
A wave of blue light crashed down on Sergei, but he sidestepped it effortlessly. I swung horizontally, but he dropped to the ground, avoiding it completely.
My first chance was gone.
“You’re playing with fire!”
Sergei’s eyes narrowed, and he charged. He’d sensed the danger. I shortened Vafe as I ran towards him. The massive wave of light retracted, forming a longsword.
‘Selection and Concentration. Three seconds on Agility.’
Sergei’s eyes widened.
I could see his every move, every twitch of his muscles. I was faster than him. For three seconds.
“Damn it!”
I couldn’t hesitate. I lunged, unleashing a flurry of attacks. Sergei retreated, narrowly avoiding my blade.
‘Damn it!’
He was even exploiting the gaps in my attacks. I was faster, and I had a sword, yet he was overwhelming me.
My second chance was gone.
I had to defend. His hand clamped around my right wrist, neutralizing Vafe, and his fist flew towards my face.
“Ugh!”
Wham!
I tilted my head, and his fist grazed my ear, the sonic boom rupturing my eardrum. My three seconds were up. His fist retracted, aiming for my gut.
“It’s over, Schlus.”
My right hand was trapped. I couldn’t attack with Vafe, and even with Selection and Concentration on Agility, I couldn’t escape.
I had one last chance.
‘Selection and Concentration. One second on Toughness.’
A blur. A blow to my solar plexus.
BOOM!
“…”
I couldn’t breathe. My organs felt like they were being rearranged. But I’d endured it. I hadn’t been thrown back, my ribs hadn’t broken, and my internal organs hadn’t ruptured. My turn.
My last chance to take down Sergei.
“Huh?”
Sergei’s gaze dropped, his face contorted in surprise. He’d seen my left index finger aimed at his solar plexus.
Payback time.
‘Selection and Concentration. One second on Magic Power.’
Magic power surged through me as I cast a Mana Emission spell. I fired without hesitation.
KABOOM…!
A deafening roar. A blast of wind. Magical exhaustion hit me, and my vision went dark.
When I could see again, there was a gaping hole in the wall of the training hall.
“Oops! Did I interrupt the exam?”
“…”
A cheerful voice.
Alexia stood some distance away, holding Sergei by the scruff of his neck, laughing. She must have mistaken the exam for a real fight.
“Headmaster. Of all times…”
My legs gave way, and I collapsed. Sergei would have blocked it anyway. The damage meter read zero. All that effort, and I hadn’t even touched him… I laughed in disbelief.
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“Is the exam over?”
“It is, but just in case—”
“May I leave?”
“You may, but you might have sustained serious injuries. Let the medical staff—”
“I’ll be going now.”
“…”
Schlus stood up, brushing off his knees, and stumbled out of the exam hall. Sergei examined his right fist.
‘It felt like hitting a block of steel.’
He hadn’t intended to use his full strength against a student. He’d planned to stop his fist just short of Schlus’s face and declare him “dead.” But fighting Schlus had changed his mind.
He’d felt a genuine sense of danger, the need to fight seriously to win. Schlus had unleashed a wide-range attack and then assaulted him with a sword at blinding speed. He could win if he could neutralize that light sword.
He’d grabbed Schlus’s right arm, intending to finish him with a punch, but Schlus had endured it. He’d allowed Schlus a counterattack as a reward for his resilience.
“Headmaster.”
“Hee hee! Sorry! I was just taking a stroll around campus after returning, and I saw this intense fight!”
“…”
“Professor. You would have died if you hadn’t dodged that.”
Alexia whispered in his ear. Sergei shuddered.
He’d thought the same thing. Even his “steel body” wouldn’t have survived a Mana Emission spell of that magnitude. He glanced at the hole in the wall, a chill running down his spine.
He’d assumed Schlus had exhausted his mana with the light sword and his internal circuits, but he’d been hiding this much power.
“Hee hee hee! Well, I’ll be going now!”
“…”
Alexia vanished.
He was grateful she’d saved his life, but he now had a serious problem. Schlus’s score was zero due to outside interference.
How was he supposed to handle this?
Sergei sighed and rubbed his temples. He made a mental note.
‘When fighting Schlus, aim for an instant kill.’
Never give him a chance to counterattack. Aim for the head, not the body. He’d learned that lesson the hard way.
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“Ugh…”
I pretended to be fine, but I was in agony. My internal organs felt like they were tangled and writhing. Even if they weren’t ruptured, I’d probably pulled a few muscles.
[Minor Healing Potion x1 purchased.]
I bought a healing potion and downed it. The large bruise on my stomach faded.
‘I almost died.’
Even with Selection and Concentration on Toughness, the pain had been paralyzing. Without it, my body would have shattered.
I’d learned that Toughness wasn’t invincible. It had seemed that way against weaker opponents. But it was useless against Sergei or a Majin. I’d have to be careful.
‘Zero points…’
I regretted my strategy. I shouldn’t have used my full power. If I’d held back, Sergei might have let me land a few hits. Alexia wouldn’t have intervened.
My determination to end the fight in five seconds had resulted in zero damage. If Ainz also scored zero, I could still be first. And if a few of the high-ranking nobles also scored zero…
‘No. I’m screwed.’
That many zeros was unlikely. My chances of topping combat magic were gone. There was no use dwelling on it. Erwin’s situation was more urgent.
I needed to check on her.
– Why don’t you just confess? You’ve been selling information to Schlus Hainkel, haven’t you?
– No! I was trying to become his… lover… to be a more effective spy…
– Don’t make me laugh! Schlus Hainkel wouldn’t take someone who looks like a man as his lover! Just tell us the truth. You were planning to use Schlus’s influence to escape the cult. If you confess, we’ll spare your siblings.
Were they insane? Erwin looked like a man?
These fantasy extras, with their above-average looks, were spouting nonsense. I’d located her.
She wasn’t far. They were threatening her with a knife. I had to hurry.
I could see them now.
“Erwin! What are you doing?”
“Oh! I was… giving them directions!”
“Tch…”
I waved and approached them. They clicked their tongues, shoved their hands in their pockets, and turned away.
Should I kill them all? No. If they weren’t infused with a Majin’s power, I’d be murdering innocent students or staff. But I couldn’t just let them go. They suspected Erwin of betrayal.
Her siblings were in danger. Erwin looked distraught, unsure what to do. There was only one way to resolve this. I had to make her claim true.
“I-Isn’t it time for the exam?”
“I finished early. Pucker up.”
“W-What?”
“Just do it.”
“Mmm?!”
I grabbed the back of Erwin’s neck and kissed her. Not a peck. A deep, passionate kiss. The men watching looked bewildered, then walked away.
This would be proof that Erwin was my lover, extracting information. But I couldn’t risk them suspecting anything. I didn’t release Erwin until they were out of sight.
I tasted blood, she’d bitten her tongue. I didn’t care.
“Mmph…!”
“They’re gone.”
Slap!
I released her, and my head snapped back. My cheek stung. Erwin glared at me, her chest heaving.
‘I’m screwed.’
I’d placed a spell on her heart, enslaved her, and now I’d assaulted her… I’d made a lifelong enemy.
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Wow MC wasn’t thinking when he did that huh. The pain must’ve gotten to him.