Chapter 2

A father’s only daughter was murdered.

The murderer fled, but was eventually caught by the police.

However, on the day the murderer was released from jail,

the father of the daughter went to confront him and killed him with a knife, just like his daughter.

After losing his daughter, the father told the police,

“I have lived only to kill that bastard until today.”

He tried to commit suicide multiple times out of sadness and despair over losing his only daughter,

but each time he remembered the face of the murderer who killed her and couldn’t go through with it.

He thought that if he died like this, he wouldn’t have the face to see his daughter.

So instead of dying, he decided to kill the murderer.

Thus, driven solely by the desire for vengeance,

he survived for ten years without dying.

Many people tell him to forget his anger and resentment

because fury and hate can ruin a life.

They mean he should forget and live his own life.

But sometimes, anger

can also be a driving force for extending one’s life.

“Cancel that.”

Right now, the girl in front of me is like that.

Just a moment ago, her eyes were dull and showed no will to live.

But now, her eyes shone brightly, filled with rage.

“Take back what you said about Lucas.”

Just a short while ago, we were all clapping for the introduction of a transfer student.

But lo and behold,

the entire situation flipped because of a bombshell statement made by the transfer student.

And of course,

the one who dropped that bombshell was me.

All the kids’ eyes were now fixed on me and Isabel.

As they watched her suddenly explode with fury,

the kids were taken aback.

They had never seen Isabel express such deep anger in the past year.

Even those who were close friends with Isabel couldn’t muster a word now.

That’s how intense Isabel’s anger was.

“Lucas?”

Meanwhile, what was I doing?

“Who’s that?”

I tilted my head innocently.

And that action was perfectly tailored to provoke Isabel’s anger.

“That team leader you just mentioned!”

Grind—

Isabel gritted her teeth.

“That team leader is my childhood friend, Lucas.”

She informed me kindly, as if extending a final courtesy.

If this was a mistake, she’d let it slide this time.

So she urged me to apologize.

Her eyes pressed me for it.

“Oh.”

I exclaimed.

It looked like I had finally realized my mistake.

The moment the other kids sighed in relief at my reaction—

“I don’t want to.”

I dropped another bombshell.

“You!”

“Isabel, that’s enough. Hanon, you too.”

As Isabel yelled and tried to attack, it was Professor Veganon who intervened.

She stood between us, sighed, and gestured impatiently with her chin.

“Hanon, don’t cause a scene as soon as you get here. Go sit down in an empty seat.”

“Yes.”

I promptly answered and climbed the classroom stairs to sit in a suitably empty spot.

Naturally, Isabel was glaring daggers at me the entire time.

Her face was so full of rage; it looked like she didn’t know what to do with herself.

‘This is scary.’

Honestly, I felt a bit intimidated watching that.

I had rarely faced such one-sided wrath in my life.

Moreover, Isabel was someone I liked quite a bit, as she was the main heroine of the story.

Of course, I couldn’t help but have affection for her.

It also hurt me to be on the receiving end of her disdain.

But for now, it was necessary.

Like a sentence written after a bad ending.

The moment she chose to take her life, this world would truly end.

‘Just hang in there. Me.’

Everything was for the sake of living in the post-bad ending world.

With that firm resolve, I felt another gaze on me.

When I turned to follow the gaze, there was a woman with black hair like mine.

She had an appearance that could easily elicit admiration just by looking at her.

With elegantly raised eyes reminiscent of a refined cat and a high nose,

even her cute lips spoke volumes.

The final villain.

3rd Princess Iris Haishirion.

She was looking at me.

‘Did I attract too much attention?’

Knowing her backstory, I avoided her gaze.

She could very well be seen as the final boss in the game.

‘It’s not the time to get tangled up with her yet.’

As I turned my eyes away, Iris also diverted her gaze.

She had only glanced at me due to my sudden action.

It didn’t seem to be a significant interest.

Of course, Isabel’s glare was still relentless.

‘My heart’s racing.’

I wondered if I could manage well moving forward.

I had already made a ridiculous first impression.

***

In the world of Magung Academy Slayer, there are a total of six academies.

The shared goal of these six academies is simple.

It is to nurture “students” who can thwart the world’s threat sealed within the underground magung.

They are to combat the “Evil Zone.”

‘The reason for nurturing students is simple.’

No one can enter the underground magung after turning 19.

This is due to the curse of the Evil Zone, the master of the magung.

‘Now that I think of it, the Evil Zone seems like a pitiful being targeting teenagers.’

Nonetheless, there’s a significant reason behind this setting.

The Evil Zone emits its power beyond the seals of the underground magung to create “Apostles.”

Apostles are pathetically weak when freshly born,

but they gradually grow stronger through transformations in the underground magung’s environment.

Once they have fully matured to the point of being able to exit the underground magung,

they become absurdly powerful monsters capable of killing even renowned heroes.

It takes exactly 20 years for an Apostle to fully mature.

Apostles are greedy beings.

Even after reaching full maturity, they cannot remain as they are due to their greed for the Evil Zone’s powers.

Upon completing those 20 years, they are immediately expelled to the surface by the rules of the magung.

This is a mechanism meant to ensure that Apostles are desperately trying to break the Evil Zone’s seal in order to survive by obtaining more power from it again.

This rule applies to humans as well.

Humans also cannot enter the magung after turning twenty, per its rules.

As mentioned before, Apostles are at their weakest immediately after their birth.

To ultimately preemptively stop Apostles,

the decision was made to send teenagers into the underground magung.

Thus, the six academies were established.

To nurture students who would be sent to the underground magung for three years, from ages 17 to 19.

Families of students who excelled in the magung would receive immense glory.

Not only would the countries praise them as families of heroes born,

but the families of heroes would also receive full support from their nations.

Consequently, the proportion of nobles at the academies was generally high.

Many noble students flocked to impress their families.

For the glory of their houses.

And to protect the world.

Many students are seeking to learn at the academies.

“That’s all for today’s class.”

Professor Veganon, who had been teaching martial arts theory, yawned and turned away.

From her expression, it seemed she was headed out for a drink again.

“Oh, remember that there will be a mock battle soon, as usual.”

Having added her last note, Veganon walked out of the classroom.

Bang!

At that moment, a loud noise came from the desks below.

Students who had predicted this situation exchanged glances nervously.

The source of the commotion was Isabel Luna.

Lucas’s childhood friend, Isabel.

Her face looked like that of a demon.

She had been waiting for class to end, clutching her theory book against her waist as she walked.

The direction of her steps was, of course, towards me.

‘This is intense.’

Should I run away?

Honestly, I felt like fleeing due to the menacing aura radiating from Isabel.

But I couldn’t run away now.

I had to become her sworn enemy.

At least until I graduated from the academy.

She needed to hang on to her life.

Not to mention, I simply hoped Isabel would be alive.

Having played “Flame Butterfly” countless times, I had grown quite fond of Isabel.

She is the main heroine of the Flame Butterfly arc.

It hurt my heart to think of her dying.

“Hanon Irey.”

Isabel’s voice rang out.

In this world, calling someone by both their first and last name emphasizes the person.

I glanced at Isabel and pulled my chair back to rise.

“What do you want?”

“It’s a repetition of what I just said. Apologize for insulting Lucas and his friends right now.”

All eyes were on me.

The kids who had never seen Isabel express rage looked worried,

while some showed curiosity.

The new transfer student had dropped a bomb upon entering.

They were eager to see how this student would respond.

I scanned the students’ curious glances as I faced Isabel.

“Again, I’m saying.”

I replied blankly.

“I refuse.”

Isabel’s eyes widened.

She was shaking in fury.

“Lucas and the others faced Apostles bravely! What wrong did they do?”

“I already said that they tarnished the reputation of Jerion Academy.”

“Just for that!”

“Just for that?”

I started to close in on Isabel, frowning.

Perhaps I was more forceful than I intended.

Isabel flinched for a moment.

There wasn’t much height difference between us.

If anything, she was slightly taller.

But the presence emanating from me rendered the height difference meaningless.

I had practiced for this moment several times.

If I faltered now, Isabel would die.

I wouldn’t lose my presence.

“Do you really not know how Jerion Academy’s reputation was built?”

I stepped closer, narrowing my eyes.

“The world is under threat from the magung.

And that threat primarily targets commoners rather than us nobles.”

If Isabel was emotional, I had to be logical.

I needed to argue with reasoning.

“If commoners feel uneasy, the seeds of their anxiety will eventually reach the nobility, shaking the foundation of the country and world.

Our goal as nobles is to encourage a life where those commoners can live without anxiety,

and the six academies symbolize that assurance for them.

Moreover, Jerion Academy stands at the top among them.”

In the past 20 years,

there hasn’t been a single first-year death at Jerion Academy.

This means that such an incident is incredibly unusual.

“Not just any academy, but at Jerion Academy, where only the best students gather, such a calamity happened.

Do you understand what that implies, and are you saying it knowingly?”

The risks presented by the magung have increased compared to the past.

Perhaps the students might no longer be able to halt the magung.

The world is in danger.

People could interpret it this way.

Of course, this is an exaggerated story.

Yet, the unease subtly rises in the hearts of citizens who read the newspapers.

Unease is an unpredictable spark.

Though it may be a small ember, if it catches on straw, it could become a raging fire.

Therefore, Jerion Academy must always remain invincible and true.

It must never show signs of weakness.

“The Lucas and those kids made a huge mistake.”

Isabel was staring at me with dazed eyes.

And the deep-seated hatred in her eyes became apparent.

“…A person has died.”

Isabel bit her lip fiercely.

Tears had welled up in her eyes.

“My friend has died.”

Her childhood friend, who she had grown up with.

To have such a friend die,

it must have felt like half the world crumbling.

“Yet you dare call it a mistake?”

Tears started streaming down Isabel’s face.

“I cannot allow a world like that. Lucas did not make a mistake. He stood up with all his strength and downed the Apostle.”

As she said this, Isabel stepped closer to me as well.

Thanks to that, we were now staring each other down, face to face.

“I will make sure you recognize Lucas and apologize to him.”

“Sorry, but that will never happen in my lifetime.”

With our opinions colliding, Isabel spun on her heel and stormed out of the classroom.

As she left, the previously tense atmosphere started to ease.

“Isabel was scarier than I expected.”

“She was capable of being that furious.”

As the kids muttered,

a few girls quickly got up and rushed out to follow Isabel.

“Isabel, wait for us!”

“Trash.”

“Is that even a human?”

As they passed, they sent me glares full of disdain.

It seemed I gained plenty of hatred from that side, too.

I could tell they’d go on to speak harshly about me.

‘It’s okay. I’m used to being hated.’

Of course, that’s a load of nonsense.

How could a person be accustomed to being hated?

This was simply the limit of my intellect.

At least I put a bandage on the situation with Isabel.

Now, the next thing I needed to do.

‘3rd Year Vice President, Disaster Dragon Maiden.’

This is the first semester of the second year.

It’s time to meet one of the final bosses of Act 3 and one of the worst bad endings.

A woman with the bad ending known as “Great Dragon.”