Chapter 264

After making an apple smoothie, I gave up on delicate magic control.

Red Magic is just so powerful that no matter how I try to control it, the apple ends up exploding.

Even when I reduce the intensity to a minimum, the apple skin remains untouched, while my handprints are all over the place.

Rod suggested that instead, I should just learn the skill to toughen my body.

“Isn’t lightning effective, though?”

“You can take a hit, right?”

“Ah.”

Thinking it over, I realized I might not need to learn counterattacks after all.

If worse comes to worst, I can just take hits. I’m already used to one of the notorious skills, lightning.

Of course, I can’t always rely on taking hits, so I decided to learn defensive techniques from Rod.

“But I’m a bit worried.”

“What about?”

“Is my regeneration more efficient, or would it be more efficient to learn self-defense techniques?”

There was indeed a part that worried me: Rod’s efficiency issue.

Rod mentioned that regardless of how excellent my regeneration is, he wasn’t sure how much magic it uses.

So far, I hadn’t really run out of magic. If I had to pinpoint, maybe during the bloodbath with Porori and Hector.

Moreover, since my body has changed since then, my magic supply has likely increased, so I don’t know how I stand now.

“The technique I’m going to teach you is self-defense. As the name suggests, it’s one of the techniques from the Eastern Empire. Rather than directly enhancing the body, it involves creating barriers around you to defend, similar to a magic shield.”

“How sturdy is it?”

“It depends on your skill level. The more magic you put in, the stronger it gets.”

Rod was deep in thought. While Luna is easy to teach, I seem to require a bit more consideration.

“Hmm… Ah! There’s a way.”

“What is it?”

“Just wait a moment. I need to go somewhere.”

With that, Rod left. That left just Luna and me sitting there.

Ellie went inside to brew some herbs for the exhausted people, which made the atmosphere a bit awkward.

“Where do you think he’s going?”

“Who knows.”

“So, what do we do?”

“Want to duel?”

“Maybe later.”

We decided to just chat until Rod returned. There’s no one else around to eavesdrop anyway.

Initially, we talked about how studying was going, what topics would come up in the exam, and so on. Eventually, the conversation shifted to the demon invasion.

“When do you think the demons will invade?”

“At the end of the year. On Gaia’s anniversary.”

Now that the time is drawing near, I could be straightforward about it. It’s not just anyone; it’s Luna.

After hearing that, Luna blinked and tilted her head, showing signs of confusion.

“They’re going to invade on an anniversary? Is that for real?”

“That’s my prediction. What’s wrong with that?”

“Wouldn’t that make the demons the center of attention? Just like when the hero defeated the demon king back in the day.”

I glanced at Luna, surprised. So she could think along these lines too.

As she said, if demons attacked on Gaia’s anniversary, all eyes would be on them.

But the last time demons really came out to play was hundreds of years ago. Now it’s just a legendary story.

It’s been far too long, and humanity’s civilization has advanced immensely since then. That’s the crux of the matter.

“No, I’m not worried about the demons.”

“What do you mean? You just said they were going to invade!”

“They’re not coming out themselves.”

The Academy’s collapse isn’t due to demons ‘directly’ invading. It’s more like backdoor dealings.

That’s why they’ve set up magic circles at the Academy until now. Those magic circles amplify magical effects and block communication.

If demons use magic during the raid, the Academy will turn into hell because of it.

“Focus more on fellow humans than on demons. That’s the real problem.”

“Fellow humans? Are you saying we’ll fight each other?”

“Yeah.”

Since ancient times, humanity has been known as a warrior tribe. They constantly fight over all sorts of justifications.

This holds true both on Earth and here. Especially on Earth, recent wars have caused a death toll of a hundred million.

For reasons like food, ideology, power, and greed, humanity engages in conflicts. It’s a very selfish nature.

“The Academy has a lot of people from various places. That’s what they’re aiming for.”

“Hmm…”

Luna looked skeptical. To be fair, she’s a commoner, far removed from these power plays.

Though she’s the protagonist of the story, she still has a lot to learn. Especially when it comes to picking up on what’s really going on.

That’s an issue I need to cover for her, so that mouth doesn’t bring about our doom later on.

‘Do I really have to trust her?’

I stared at Luna. Coincidentally, she was looking back at me too.

“….”

“….”

“What are you thinking?”

“What are you thinking?”

We both spoke simultaneously, even saying the exact same words. Luna’s eyes widened in surprise.

She seemed to have some thoughts, but I had a feeling it concerned me.

“Let’s hear your side first, Luna.”

“I just… feel like being with you is going to be a lot of hardship.”

“Oh. I’m feeling the same way.”

“…What did I do?”

Does she really not know? Luna grumbled with a scowl.

If I think about it, Luna has a problem with her mouth, and I have a problem with my body. We each create chaos in our own ways.

‘What a terrible combination!’

I know the future, so I ‘have no choice’ but to stir up trouble. But Luna doesn’t.

She’s causing trouble because she can’t control her mouth. You could say that’s a bit cheeky.

But I guess we’ll just have to manage together as fellow travelers.

Probably.

“…It should be fine.”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

I could have sworn I said something. I looked at Luna with suspicion.

Did she really not say anything? Luna was feigning disinterest. It seems pressing her won’t yield any results.

“I’m not sure if I’d be of much help.”

“You’re more than enough. You’re just like Sivar.”

“Being strong and teaching are two different issues…”

“Just share what you know. As you did with your students.”

Just then, I heard familiar voices in my ears. One was Rod, and the other was a woman’s voice.

Turning my head, I saw Rod walking alongside the Saint, Rize.

Given all the talk about similar types, it looks like Rize was designated as my personal instructor.

After all, I have divine power, so maybe that’s a good thing for me.

‘Come to think of it, I don’t know how to use divine power, do I?’

I’ve only ever received it, never used it. Maybe it’s just decoration for me.

Anyway, Rize greeted me dressed in her usual nun’s habit.

I momentarily found myself distracted by her rather ample… well, assets, but I quickly focused on her face.

“Hello, Brother Sivar. Have you been doing well?”

“Yeah. How about you, Rize?”

“I’ve been well, thanks. I’ve been busy ‘training’ Erica.”

“…..”

Is ‘training’ really the kind of training I’m thinking of? I doubt it.

I figure it’s probably something similar to the etiquette lessons Rod gives me. I wonder what she’s doing now.

“So, Rod, what should we teach Brother Sivar?”

“Given Sivar’s remarkable regeneration, it’s tough to gauge efficiency. Since you share a similar nature with Sivar, could you help identify what’s more effective?”

“Oh, I think I get what you mean. But…”

Rize trailed off as she turned to me. It felt like her gaze was beyond me rather than focusing on me.

Following that, Rize touched her right shoulder. Maybe she overdid it while exercising yesterday, as it seems to be sore.

“…It’s a tricky case for someone like Brother Sivar. His strength lies in aggression, but reducing that aggression would leave him with nothing.”

“Are you saying Sivar is like a beast?”

Luna chimed in. I got flustered for a moment, but Rize nodded, leaving me without a comeback.

Great, even Rize sees me as a beast. I feel a bit down. I’d prefer being treated like a demon instead.

“I don’t mean it in a bad way. It’s more about having physical capabilities and instincts closer to a beast. Add human reasoning to that, and that’s it.”

“…Reversal of roles?”

The idiom slipped out of my mouth without thinking. It perfectly describes the training method.

Humans are the top species in the food chain due to their intelligence. They covered their lack of physical ability with intellect.

Rize seemed at a loss for words about the idiom ‘reversal of roles’ and cracked a subtle smile. It seemed she found it ambiguous too.

“You’ve probably felt it before. When intense pain surged through your body, you acted on instinct. Remember?”

“….”

Oh, I remember. After getting my divine power shower from Erica, I nearly went berserk.

The pain was so intense it’s still fresh in my memory. I never want to feel that again.

“The difference between humans and beasts is evident in pain. Beasts may thrash around in agony, while humans tend to faint. Just think of a deer running around with its innards spilling out.”

“So what should I do?”

“Brother Sivar doesn’t need to learn separate techniques. It’s more efficient to just take hits.”

“….”

So, back to just taking hits, huh? I figured this would be the outcome.

As I pouted my lips, Rize said something that made me doubt my ears.

“Let’s start with your fingers. If regeneration doesn’t take place, I’ll stitch them back on immediately.”

“….Huh?”

“You’ll probably be able to regenerate fingers by now. I can guarantee it.”

“….”

What in the world is going on? There’s not a sane person around.

Oh, Chaos, please, could you talk some sense into this follower?

[Faith is rising!]

What the heck.