The atmosphere in the classroom was still tense after the duels. Professor Elara began her lesson by pointing to the mana crystals floating in the air in front of the blackboard. "Magic is not just drawing energy from the outside world," said Elara's authoritative voice. "It is blending that energy with your own nature. If your nature is not pure, the energy will burn you from within.
Kaiser glanced briefly at Ash beside him when the teacher used the word "nature." Ash had his chin resting in his hand, looking as if he were listening to the teacher, but in reality, he was staring absently at Kaiser's hand on the table.
Kaiser scanned the original story details he knew in his mind. Ash Lovbe... he thought to himself. Not just an outcast noble, he was a complete impossibility.
The most powerful and feared race on the continent was undoubtedly the Demons. Ash was born when the head of the Lovbe family pursued a forbidden desire and entered into a relationship with a Succubus. Normally, when human and demon blood combined, the resulting hybrids either were born without energy or died at a very young age because they couldn't carry both energies (humans' 'Mana' and demons' 'Demon Magic'). For this reason, hybrids were considered the "weakest and most despicable" type by both races.
However, Ash was an anomaly that occurred once in a million. He was a hybrid who possessed both energies simultaneously, harboring both the sacred light and the lust of hell within him.
Kaiser recalled that it was that character who helped the boss of Chapter 4 that appeared at the end of the first part. The fact that she is acting so soft towards me now, almost needy, stems solely from her irrepressible Succubus nature. Lust energy is like a magnet; it must be drawn to a powerful focus like my Destruction energy.
Kaiser knew that while he was looking into Ash's innocent-looking pink heart eyes, he was actually facing one of the most dangerous creatures in the world. Ash was acting friendly, but this was less about friendship and more about the uncontrollable hunger a hunter feels toward their most delicious prey.
At that moment, Professor Elara noticed Kaiser had zoned out and put the chalk down on the table. "Kaiser! If you know the theoretical foundations so well, could you explain the elements and the anomaly to us?"
Kaiser slowly stood up. The heavy, condescending atmosphere in the classroom had not yet dissipated, but he began to speak with a calmness as if he had been standing at these lecterns for centuries.
"Professor," said Kaiser, adjusting his voice so the entire class could hear. "The elements are built upon nature's four fundamental pillars: Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. However, there are situations that exist outside this order, bending or completely breaking the laws of the universe. We call these Anomalies."
The nobles in the class frowned at a "peasant" using such academic and high-level language. Even Leonhardt leaned back and began to listen.
"For an anomaly to occur, two opposing poles or an impossible combination must collide at the same point. Like light and darkness, life and destruction existing simultaneously. When a normal human core tries to contain these two opposing energies, the core shatters like glass, and the user dies. But an anomaly uses this conflict as a motor. For them, contradiction is the source of their power."
Kaiser continued: "Ultimately, it's difficult to measure an anomaly because they don't act according to the rules, but according to the gaps in the rules. My power or someone else's... It's not just a matter of capacity, it's a matter of how well we can manage that chaos."
When Kaiser sat down, there was a deathly silence in the classroom. Professor Elara adjusted her glasses, scribbling something in her notebook as she tried to hide her astonishment. "Impressive... Such a deep analysis from someone who hasn't had a noble education... Astonishing theoretical knowledge, Kaiser."
The nobles began whispering: "Is this boy really a peasant? Where did he get this knowledge?" "Did he steal it from the library? Or is someone giving him private lessons?"
When the lesson ended, Kaiser left the classroom, leaving behind the heavy silence that hung over the class, and stepped out into the corridor. However, he didn't get very far. The moment he turned into a secluded, dimly lit corridor of the building, his path was blocked by three people.
At the front stood Victor Malphas, who had just been humiliated. The black stain on his chest armor was still there, but this time he was accompanied by Leonhardt's other two loyal disciples. All of them were nobles from the A and B classes.
"It was easy to talk big from where you were sitting, nameless one," said Victor, scraping his new mace on the floor to produce sparks. "But there's no professor here, no rules. Just us and your nonsense about 'anomalies'."
Kaiser looked behind him and saw that the exit had been sealed off. Leonhardt was nowhere to be seen; clearly, he didn't want to get his hands dirty, so he had sent his dogs after Kaiser.
Victor and the two nobles beside him (Aron and Kael) pounced on Kaiser like a pack of wolves. Kaiser made his first move, relying on his B+ magic power; however, his opponents were no slouches either.
As Victor's mace sliced through the air, Kaiser rolled sideways at E-level speed at the last moment. However, when his back hit the wall, Kael's prepared "Fire Arrow" struck him squarely in the shoulder.
"Argh!"
Kaiser shook with pain. The blow nearly knocked the wind out of him due to his F+ endurance. As the smell of burning rose from his shoulder, Aron targeted his leg with the "Wind Blade." Kaiser tried to create a small barrier of ice, but his C+ magic energy wasn't enough to react that quickly. The wind blade shattered the barrier and sliced his leg clean through.
Kaiser knelt on the ground. Blood dripped onto the gray stone floor. Victor grinned, raising his mace into the air once more. "Are you done already, nameless one? Where is that pride of yours now?"
Kaiser felt his consciousness blurring. At that moment, a cold, ancient message echoed in his mind from the depths of his soul:
[PASSIVE ABILITY ACTIVATED: LAST RESISTANCE (A)]
Status: Health points dropped below 20%.
Effect: Pain sensation temporarily blocked. Magic power and reflexes increased by 50% until the body collapses!
Kaiser's eyes suddenly flashed. The burning pain he had just felt vanished instantly, replaced by an icy focus. As Victor swung his mace, Kaiser sidestepped at an impossible speed (thanks to the blessing) and struck Victor's exposed ribs with his palm.
But Kaiser didn't stop; this was his only chance to survive.
"Ice Bomb!"
Without pulling his hand back, Kaiser detonated the mana at the point of contact with his fist. Jet-black ice crystals seeped through the cracks in Victor's armor and expanded. The shockwave from the explosion hurled Victor against the wall like a ragdoll, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
But this move left Kaiser completely exposed. Seeing their leader fall, Aron and Kael behind him panicked and unleashed their most powerful spells simultaneously.
"Fire Arrow!" "Wind Slash!"
Kaiser knew he couldn't withstand these attacks with his F+ resilience. As the fire arrow struck his shoulder, scorching his skin, the wind blades cut deep into his leg. Kaiser collapsed to his knees in pain. Thanks to Last Resistance, he felt no pain, but he could see his body failing, his vision narrowing from blood loss.
"It's... not over yet," Kaiser growled.
He divided his last remaining mana between his two hands. As Aron and Kael approached to deliver the final blow, Kaiser stretched his hands forward.
"Ice Arrows!"
Two black ice arrows shot out of the darkness, tearing through the air. The arrows weren't lethal, but with the intensity of B+ magic power, they embedded themselves in Aron and Kael's shoulders, pinning them back against the wall.
Only the sound of heavy breathing and the faint tinkling of ice crystals falling to the floor remained in the corridor. Kaiser slumped against the wall and collapsed to the ground. The blessing's effect was wearing off. At that moment, he saw the blood seeping from his bandaged wounds reaching the stone floor at Ash's feet.
Ash emerged from behind the column where he had been hiding, taking heavy steps. As he looked at the wounded nobles on the floor, his face lacked its usual delicate expression; the hearts in his eyes had darkened, and a suffocating, purplish energy began to spread around him.
Just before losing consciousness, Kaiser felt Ash collapse beside him and his cold hands touch his cheek. Ash's voice was as dangerous as a demon's whisper but as tender as a lover's:
"I'm sorry I let them do this to you, Kaiser... But I had to see how beautifully you fought back. Now sleep. I'll take care of everything else."
When Kaiser opened his eyes, he was in his bed. He was professionally bandaged all over. Ash was sitting at the table, flipping through a spellbook. Upon noticing Kaiser had woken up, he immediately came over.
"Finally," said Ash, that innocent smile on his face again. "You lost a lot of blood, but your core... Since it's at the Intermediate Stage, it's repairing itself quickly. Don't worry, those nobles won't be able to 'talk' for a while."
Kaiser was now certain that this "hunting" situation would never end unless he dealt with Leonhardt and others like him. Although he couldn't quite pinpoint the timeline of the novel, the last few weeks had turned into a full-fledged "devil king" training regimen for him. Just as in isekai novels, where the devil king sends his subordinates to unintentionally strengthen the hero until the main character arrives, each group sent by the nobles had made Kaiser even tougher. Such development in such a short time would be impossible in the normal world, but this was a novel world, and the system accelerated everything.
Looking at his current status, his progress was immense:
Stamina: E Level (up from F+)
Defense: E Level (up from F+)
Core: Level 1 - High Stage (Reached the end of the stage, almost at Level 2)
Magic Development: Ice spells had sharpened, and his arsenal had expanded with "Ice Ground" and new techniques.
Just then, a major announcement was made at the academy: Forest Combat and Monster Hunting Training. This was no ordinary class; it was a massive event involving all upper-level classes, A and B classes. Monsters were classified according to their danger levels into classes such as B+++ A, A+,
Kaiser, spending hours in the library before the upcoming training and listening to whispers from Ash, clarified the vast map of the world he was in within his mind. This world was not just a school; it was a huge chessboard where peace hung by a thread and ancient races watched each other.
The world hierarchy was shaped as follows:
The Continent's Political Structure and Races
Human Realms: Five Great Human Kingdoms and a single Empire striving to establish authority over them all. Though humans were superior in numbers, they were rotting from within due to greed and class divisions.
Dwarf Kingdom: Deep within the mountains, the architects of rune magic and rune technology. The continent's most advanced weapons and structures belonged to them.
Monster Kingdom: The continent's most dangerous, uncontrolled, and "mindless" force. Wild lands where millions of monsters gathered, untouched by civilization.
Elves and Demons: Representing the other two ends of the balance with their own isolated and ancient powers.
Oh my, the Four Ages
When Kaiser examined the flow of history, he realized the irony of his current position:
The Age of Gods: The period when everything began, when divine powers walked the earth.
The Age of the Demon King: A bloody period when darkness enslaved the entire world.
The Age of Heroes: The era of heroism when the Demon King was sealed away and legendary warriors rose to prominence.
The Age of Peace (Present): The period when great wars ended but swords remained sharp in their sheaths, and intrigue became more dangerous than war.
Kaiser knew that this "Age of Peace" was actually the calm before the storm. In the original story of the novel, peace was always shattered by disaster.
"Kaiser," Ash said, touching his shoulder. "They say we're in a time of peace, but if they kill you in this forest, no one will ask questions. Especially with the 'Anomaly' and 'Peasant' labels on you."
Kaiser noticed the faint seep of that purplish aura that suited Ash's mixed nature. Ash had also made his own preparations for this forest.
Just then, a group of upperclassmen approached them. Leading them was an upperclassman known as the genius of the third year, even more arrogant than Leonhardt, who possessed S-Level Magic Power.
"So you're the famous peasant," said the upperclassman, pointing his rune-engraved sword at Kaiser. "You're lucky we're in a time of peace. Otherwise, I would have dealt with you right here, before you even entered the forest. But don't worry, we won't bother collecting your body when the monsters in the forest eat you."
Kaiser merely smiled. In his mind, he heard not the system's warning but the voice of his own will.
The moment Kaiser took his first step into the depths of the forest, the system's screen exploded in his mind with a blood-red color. This time, the text was shorter and much darker than usual.
-- SYSTEM EMERGENCY MISSION --
[MISSION]: SURVIVE!
Description: In forest training, not only monsters but also "human"-looking hunters are after you. Leonhardt and his allies will use this chaos to dig your grave.
Difficulty Level: Dynamic (Increases based on the strength and number of attackers).
Reward: ??? (To be determined based on the difficulty multiplier: Potential B++ Magic Power and Level 2 Core Lock).
The teacher gave the final instructions in a loud voice: "You will go to the designated coordinates in groups of three, retrieve the runic flags there, and return to this point before sunset. The group that fails to bring the flag will fail the class. Begin!"
As the groups dispersed at the teacher's command, Kaiser looked at the two people beside him. On one side was Ash, the mixed-race beauty who rubbed up against Kaiser at every opportunity, hearts shooting out of her eyes; on the other side was Joseph, a big, burly man who constantly snorted through his nose and, though not noble, came from a family of knights.
Joseph slammed the heavy axe in his hand onto his shoulder and spat out, "Listen to me, peasant! We're going to take the flag and return. If I incur Leonhardt's wrath because of you, I'll shove that flag up your ass. Ash, you get away from this kid too, you're making me sick."
Ash, as if he hadn't heard Joseph, slipped his arm around Kaiser's, pressing his chest against Kaiser's arm and whispering, "Joseph's so rude, isn't he, Kaiser? But don't worry, when it gets dark deep in the forest... I'll protect you. Maybe we'll warm up a little too, what do you say?"
Despite Joseph's crude threats and Ash's relentless harassment, Kaiser maintained his composure. As they ventured deeper into the forest, this group, seen at the bottom rung of the hierarchy, began hunting monsters with surprising efficiency.
Kaiser, with his B+ magic power and advanced ice techniques, rendered the B and A class monsters they encountered virtually useless by freezing them. He targeted the monsters' joints with his Ice Arrow, while Joseph finished them off with his heavy axe. Ash simply circled around Kaiser, occasionally incinerating the small creatures approaching with a purple energy wave.
"You know, Joseph..." Ash said, her voice as soft as silk. "Kaiser is very quiet. But you... You seem very powerful. Every move you make shows you carry the blood of a knight."
Joseph wanted to dismiss these words at first, but he was caught by the deepening pink light in Ash's eyes. The Succubus' greatest weapon, Enchantment, was tearing Joseph's will apart like paper.
"What do you mean, Lovbe?" Joseph growled, but his voice trembled. He stood up and took a step toward Ash.
"Kaiser is sleeping," said Ash, rising and touching Joseph's chest. "I need the warmth of a strong man. Come on, let's go behind the trees... Somewhere no one will see us."
They were only ten meters away from the camp, but the dense trees hid them. Ash stopped and slowly turned around. The flirtatious expression on his face vanished instantly, replaced by the icy coldness of an ancient demon.
"Stupid human," Ash said.
Before Joseph could comprehend what was happening, purple, semi-transparent energy wings (or tentacles) shot out from Ash's back. Joseph tried to scream, but Ash put his finger to his lips: "Shh... Kaiser is meditating, don't wake him."
Ash placed his hand on Joseph's chest. There was no physical contact between them, but all the mana and life essence in Joseph's body began to flow toward Ash's hand like a purple smoke. Within seconds, Joseph weakened, his muscles melted, and his eyes bulged out of their sockets. Ash was literally drinking his soul and energy.
Shortly after, Joseph's lifeless, withered body collapsed onto the leaves. Ash licked the last remnants of energy from his fingertips and stretched slightly. His power had increased.
When Kaiser emerged from his meditation, he immediately noticed the heavy, metallic smell in the air. Joseph's presence had vanished from the forest. Ash was curled up beside the campfire like an innocent cat, looking at Kaiser with that feigned fear in his eyes.
"Kaiser... Joseph," Ash said, his voice trembling. "While I was on watch, something burst out of the darkness. It dragged him into the trees. I couldn't stop it, it was too fast... I couldn't save him."
Kaiser pretended to believe Ash's obvious lie. But the truth was much colder: Kaiser knew Ash had killed Joseph.
However, Kaiser was not stupid. When he analyzed the current situation, he understood that remaining silent was the only logical course of action.
External Threat: Leonhardt and his fellow A-class nobles could ambush them at any moment. In the absence of brute force like Joseph's, Ash's dark and destructive power was Kaiser's greatest (and only) protection.
Gaining Time: To survive, the Kaiser needed to use Ash's obsessive "love" for him.
"I understand," said the Kaiser in an icy voice. "Joseph died because of his own arrogance. The forest does not forgive the weak."
Kaiser stood up, pretending to "believe" the lie that Joseph had been killed by monsters. But deep down, he knew that if he wanted to survive in this forest, he had to play this game until he became more dangerous than Ash.