Chapter 7

“Martial Arts.”

Literally, it’s the study of martial arts.

The philosophy of Martial Arts at Jerion Academy is quite simple.

“Kill your enemy before you die.”

Today, our hungover professor, Veganon Mercia, let out a big yawn in her ragged clothes.

“That’s the basic stance for dealing with the Apostles you’ll face in the underground academy.”

In the underground Magung.

That’s where the Evil Zone spawns its Apostles.

Stopping these guys before they escape to the surface is the role of the academy students.

“After the upcoming mock battle, you’ll form teams according to your level and enter the first Magung as 2nd years.”

There were casualties in the 1st year.

Still, someone has to march back into the Magung again.

If you can’t defeat an Apostle, the surface will be in danger.

A world where the responsibility for the world has shifted to the children.

That’s why the professors strive to help the kids grow strong enough to face the Apostles.

After all, they used to be students of the academy and have been to the Magung themselves.

“Just remember one thing.”

Veganon looked at her students and said,

“If you can’t kill them, run away.”

She glanced back at the drawing of an Apostle on the blackboard.

Apostles are strong.

Especially, the more twisted they are, the stronger they become.

“As long as you’re alive, there’s a next time.”

Many of the dead, including Lucas, belonged to the Martial Arts field.

Even if Veganon shows herself drowning in alcohol every day,

She’s still a professor raising her students.

She didn’t want her students to die.

It was so bad that on the day Lucas died,

She who was always hungover didn’t take a sip of alcohol and visited Lucas and his friends’ graves for a long time.

The students could feel her heart, making their faces slightly touched.

“That’s it for today’s class.”

She turned off the magic blackboard.

Then, yawning broadly, she turned away.

Her pants were so loose that you could see the strings of her panties, and she stuffed her hands into her pockets as she trudged out.

It’s almost unbelievable that she doesn’t get scolded for her outfit.

‘She probably gets scolded yet still walks around like this.’

As the class ended, I stood up from my seat.

The upcoming mock battle.

I had to achieve good results here.

‘I need to somehow get into the top tier group after the mock battle.’

I unintentionally grabbed a training opportunity with Aisha,

But it still feels insufficient.

This world is the aftermath of protagonist Lucas’s death, leading to a bad ending.

To progress the story without Lucas, I had to become a part of the narrative.

To do that, I must use whatever means necessary.

At that moment, I felt a gaze.

When I turned my head, there was Isabel glaring at me fiercely.

Instead of the shadows and gloom that had been hanging over her for a while,

Her eyes were filled with venom and anger.

Looks like things are going well.

Along with Isabel, the women defending her all looked very displeased with me.

It’s only the second day at the academy.

Gradually, I was getting used to receiving such looks.

‘They say humans are creatures of adaptation.’

The more hostile their gazes become, the higher Isabel’s chances of survival.

Thinking that way, my mind felt more at ease.

Let them keep looking at me like that.

‘I should get to work.’

It was lunchtime now.

I had to prepare for the upcoming mock battle.

Just then, as I was rising from my seat.

“Hey.”

Hearing someone call out to me, I turned my head.

Before I knew it, several girls had surrounded me.

They all looked very hostile, glaring at me.

I belatedly realized something.

These people are renowned students of the Martial Arts department at Jerion Academy.

Be it girls or boys,

Those who handle their bodies tend to be proud and hot-tempered.

In such a group, someone was slandered.

What kind of chaos was about to unfold?

“Wait, come with me.”

It’s a group lynching.

‘I’m screwed.’

Frankly, that was the only way to express it.

I might have exercised, but these guys have been training with their lives on the line.

No matter what, if I get lynched now, it’ll be a dogfight.

Click, click–

But I, too, am a student of martial arts at Jerion Academy.

They likely don’t underestimate my ability.

So,

“What do you want?”

Time to act tough.

During my training days, if I showed fear during a match, my opponent’s fist was sure to find its way to my face.

That’s why my former champion instructor made sure to punch my stomach hundreds of times under the pretense of “expression management.”

That nightmare still haunts me.

But for managing my expression, I had it down to an art.

Apparently, I was too nonchalant.

The girls furrowed their brows dangerously.

Contempt glared in their eyes.

“Go apologize to Isabel right now.”

The one standing at the center of the girls shot back at me.

After hearing her voice, I pressed my hand on the back of my neck to hide my cold sweat.

“Apologize for what?”

“For the harsh words you said to Isabel! Apologize for all of it!”

“Look at you pretending. It’s truly disgusting.”

“Makes me want to puke.”

The girls behind her echoed her as they shouted.

The atmosphere in the class quickly became hostile.

Some were watching with interest, but if they didn’t like me, they joined in the criticism.

Among them,

No one was on my side.

I had shot back at Isabel, who was the center of the class.

It was only natural.

“Why should I apologize for stating the obvious?”

“Wow, are you seriously out of your mind? I knew you were clueless, but this is next level.”

“What a piece of trash.”

“Is that even human?”

The slander was fierce.

However, when it came to a battle of wits.

“At least I can see if Isabel herself does, but I don’t quite understand why you’re demanding an apology from me.”

I wasn’t backing down.

If they were just coming to demand an apology, then I have the responsibility to save Isabel’s life.

Thus, I absolutely can’t back down in this battle of wits.

“Seriously, Isabel and I are friends! Of course, a friend must help when their buddy’s in trouble!”

“Look how rude you’re being.”

“You’ll probably never have a friend in your life.”

Who the hell was that?

I never expected to take such a critical hit all of a sudden.

How could such twisted slander even exist?

I managed my expression again.

That was close, my expression almost broke.

“Funny. You guys look like you can’t even take care of someone on the verge of dying.”

Somewhere along the line, my tone had become sharp.

What she said earlier about how a friend must help when their buddy’s in trouble struck a nerve with me.

In the end, none of them had helped Isabel, and she committed suicide.

“What?”

The girls looked shocked, not expecting me to say such a thing.

I stepped closer to the leader of the group who had been glaring at me.

“Isn’t that right? Isabel Luna, from what I see, she’s been dying for quite some time already.”

There were clear signs of suicide in Isabel.

Just looking at the shadows in her eyes and her body being much thinner than before,

It was obvious to anyone that Isabel wasn’t in a normal state.

This was evidence that death was tightening its grip around her neck.

With no will to live, she was gradually letting go of her life.

“Friends or not, you didn’t care about that.”

“Stop changing the subject! Isabel is struggling, so she needs her alone time…”

“What you gave her was not time, but abandonment.”

The leader flinched.

“If she was in that state, it was pretty clear she was going to follow that Lucas guy sooner rather than later.”

I, who just met Isabel for the first time, knew this fact.

Yet, her so-called friends couldn’t grasp it.

I was using this point to hit back at them.

If I had spoken vaguely, they might have protested a bit.

But I spoke with conviction.

My certainty left them speechless.

Isabel’s death was a foregone conclusion.

Thus, my conviction packed even more force.

“W-We took care of Isabel too!”

“Yeah, at first, you probably did. But when there was no sign of improvement, you got tired and just left her as she was!”

These girls were all defending Isabel, yet

In reality, Isabel had suffered alone and eventually took her own life.

Just like they shot glares at me, contempt glimmered in my eyes.

It had been months since Lucas died.

Yet, Isabel was still trapped in that moment.

Those who initially helped her grew weary as they saw no change in her.

So, on the surface, they continued to tend to her, but their hearts were nowhere to be found.

Honestly, they can’t be blamed for this.

Though absent from here, Isabel’s close friends are still taking care of her.

Those who left the classroom just moments ago were those kind of friends.

But still, Isabel couldn’t improve.

At this point, there’s no one to blame.

However, when it comes to those so-called friends,

It was hard to listen to those who just sat on the sidelines.

“If that’s the case, shouldn’t Isabel or you be thanking me instead?”

I looked at the awkward face of the leader and laughed.

“As long as you’re this angry, you probably won’t think about dying.”

The class fell silent.

At that moment, my words clearly crossed the line.

But if I wanted to be considered an enemy, I should not hold back.

I would make sure everyone here etched in their minds that I am Isabel’s enemy.

In that instant, the leader of the girls raised her hand.

My eyes instinctively followed her hand.

Whack-

Before I knew it, my wrist was blocking her hand’s trajectory.

It was pure reflex.

Clearly not expecting her wrist to be interfered with, the surprise widened her eyes.

“What the!”

As she swung her other hand in anger, I dodged by pulling my head back.

My movements were as quick as a squirrel.

‘Oh.’

Looks like I’ve still got some moves!

In any case, in this range, the direction of their attacks was limited.

I could dodge with just a glance at their movements.

“Ack!”

Having failed to land a second slap, she was seething with rage.

I knew that.

The previous one was a jab, and if she really attacked, I wouldn’t be able to evade forever.

After all, she was a student in the Martial Arts field at Jerion Academy.

But perhaps due to the pressure of so many eyes on her,

For someone who initiated violence, she seemed to hesitate to throw her fists again.

“You crazy bastard….”

The group leader, displaying a look as if she witnessed something horrific, turned away.

“Forget it. Don’t bother talking to someone like him.”

“Let’s go. You scared of some shit?”

“He’s just not worth my time.”

Their faces were twisted in disgust as they turned away,

Clearly showing that they didn’t want to exchange even a word with me.

Other kids felt the same.

Those who had looked on with interest now gazed at me with frozen eyes.

But among them,

The only one who gazed at me intently was the 3rd Princess, Iris Haishirion.

Her eyes were the scariest of all.

I quickly decided to leave the classroom.

‘How did I manage to escape the mob lynching.’

Today, I must have made such horrible remarks that they were too terrified to stay.

But there’s no guarantee it will always be like this.

I need to prepare myself too.

“Yo, Wang Non.”

Just then, I felt a weight on the back of my neck.

The source was the thick arm of the troublemaker, Card Velik.

It seems his Magic Arts class ended a bit early today, and he stopped by.

The nickname he called me had changed without me realizing.

Even as a guy, he was an easy-going man who readily recognized what he needed to.

“You’re already popular with the girls, huh? Guess being a prince has its perks.”

This guy is saying that even after watching all this unfold.

He’s something else.

I shrugged off his arm.

Card smacked his lips, looking unsatisfied.

“You think this looks like popularity to you?”

“If you think of it as such, it’s not a bad play.”

The playboy phenomenon is remarkable.

I guess you can enjoy being bullied in a different way like this.

“There’s no way I’d gain anything by hanging out with you.”

The Martial Arts kids were eyeing me along with Card.

In response, Card smiled cheerfully.

“It’s cool. The 2nd-year girls hate me anyway!”

Given Card’s notorious history with girls, that’s a familiar statement.

The problem is that despite that, victims of Card’s charm keep popping up.

What an incredible guy.

“And isn’t it okay to have at least one buddy to chill with?”

Card flashed a grin at me.

It seems he thought I took to heart what he had said yesterday.

I inadvertently gained Card’s favor.

It’s a misunderstanding, but seeing him made me feel a bit lighter.

“So, what about lunch?”

“Got stuff to do.”

I pulled out the sandwich I had prepared earlier in the morning.

As it turns out, I’m too busy for lunch with this dark-skinned guy across from me.

“Too bad. Let’s eat together next time.”

Card didn’t press any further.

It sounded like he just needed someone to share lunch with.

I then parted ways with Card and walked away.

And that’s when I realized.

Isabel had briefly returned to class.