Chapter 83: Chapter 83

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Translator: Vine

Chapter Title: A Third-Rate Villain to Buy Time

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After I'd thoroughly dealt with Professor Barkio.

I simply walked out of his office.

Professor Barkio and I were the worst possible match.

Especially, I was an elemental mage's worst nightmare, particularly for those who wielded multiple elements.

'After all, my body had become impervious to most magic.'

If Barkio hadn't clung to his past and had diligently focused on his magical research.

I wouldn't have dared to face off against him.

But Barkio had dimmed his own light.

Intoxicated by past glories, he'd grown complacent, failing to hone his magic.

As a result, his magical prowess had actually deteriorated compared to before.

'Perhaps he clung to the Magic Tower even more because he wasn't unaware of this himself.'

He had merely tried to ignore it.

Such was the ugliness that remained of a twisted dream.

'That's why he ended up losing to Lucas, too.'

Of course, Lucas couldn't defeat Barkio as easily as I had.

I exploited Barkio's arrogance and complacency, a man far removed from practical combat due to his long tenure as a professor, and landed successive attacks.

Lucas, on the other hand, only managed to defeat him after a grueling fight.

Despite being a professor, he was still a formidable foe, one Lucas had struggled to defeat.

'Though, to be fair, I essentially exploited our matchup.'

The resistance stats that had steadily accumulated in my body.

Even if those stats weren't visible to the eye, they had certainly built up within me.

Among them, my resistances were the most prominent.

Physical resistance, flame resistance, electrical resistance, cold resistance.

Perhaps because I'd put my body through so much, I'd built up resistance to almost everything imaginable.

'Especially when it came to cold...'

As I covered my right eye, I felt the flow of cold. It was the remnant of the Ancient Dragon, which had forcibly nullified Barkio's ice magic the moment he cast it.

It seemed to be annoyed that someone dared to use ice magic against it. Thanks to this, I was practically immune to all lower-tier ice magic.

'It's a bit quieter now.'

Sharin had called me an 'ice bomb.' So, I always had to keep in mind the possibility of the Ancient Dragon's remnant running wild.

Since something like what happened today could occur again, I'd need to be even more careful in the future.

KABOOM!

Meanwhile, another loud bang echoed from the direction of the student council office.

The student council members alone wouldn't be able to break through the boycott. So, it was time for other individuals, distinct from the student council, to make their appearance.

Originally, it would have been Lucas's group, but this time, Isabel would probably take their place...

"Gyaaaah!"

At that moment, below the window, I saw the boycott members being swept away in an instant.

'Huh.'

This was too fast, much faster than I'd anticipated. I saw the boycott members rolling across the ground and quickly leaned out the window.

The moment I saw the sight reflected in my eyes, I inadvertently gaped.

The individuals currently breaking through the boycott members. It was because they comprised a force far greater than I'd imagined.

Leading the charge was the lazy genius, Ban.

Every time his sword moved, glinting under the moonlight, the boycott members were swept away without even being able to resist. There weren't many students who could stand against Ban's blade, which wielded sword aura.

Even among the boycott members I had carefully chosen, none could face Ban head-on.

The genius among geniuses, Sharin Sazaris.

Every time she moved the tip of her staff, starlight bullets shot out, sending students flying. These were bullets with an output so high that even I, with my high resistances, would struggle to withstand them.

There was no way the boycott members could endure that.

These two, the top powers of the Martial Arts Department and the Magic Department, were like a disaster for the students.

The problem was, it wasn't just the two of them.

There was Beakiring Monem, a second-year Special Studies student who had contracted with a top-tier spirit, though she was still outmatched by Foara's Spirit Lord.

Pasen Xaviros, the first son of the Holy Knight Commander and a hulking man who wielded a heavy greatsword.

And Isabel's friend, Rina, among others.

All these famous names from Jerion Academy were gathered there.

In the face of their advance, the boycott members were like autumn leaves before a gale. These were the most formidable forces the school had to offer.

Naturally, there was no way they could resist.

And at the center stood Isabel Luna. She fought freely like a butterfly, not being pushed back even among such formidable individuals.

'What on earth, how did she manage to bring together such an elite squad?'

Even I, a veteran of the 'Flame Butterfly' chapter, couldn't gather such members at this point, no matter how intensely I played the game.

It was clearly Isabel's capability alone that had brought them together.

'Just like the main heroine she was.'

She had a knack for drawing people in.

'What now?'

Even so, the boycott shouldn't be suppressed this quickly.

The greater the commotion, the more deeply imprinted the fact of the boycott would be. Furthermore, the boycott members still searching the professor's office and student council office needed a bit more time.

I thought for a moment, then stood atop the window ledge.

I tightened the Shrouding Bandages. Sharin was down there, so it was a double disguise.

There was no other way.

I was already a third-rate villain who had made his exit, but I had no choice but to play that card one more time.

A third-rate villain to buy time.

Kicking off the window sill, I leaped.

My robe flapped around me as I soared through the air.

CRASH!

Immediately after, I landed directly in front of those who were breaking through the boycott members. The impact reverberated through me, as I had leaped a considerable distance, but I quickly regained my posture.

I slowly raised my head.

Immediately, the gazes of Isabel's party were fixed squarely on me. I had suddenly appeared, seemingly tearing through the dark night sky.

What's more, I possessed an appearance that couldn't help but stand out. It was only natural for all eyes to be on me.

"Look, that's Senior Vikamon."

Seeing me appear amidst the moonlight, Isabel's friend, Rina, reacted. She gazed at my face and murmured, "Still handsome."

"Senior Vikamon, we're in a hurry. Would you mind stepping aside?"

Pasen, the Holy Knight, politely asked even me, who had been expelled. It was typical knightly etiquette.

However.

"Sorry, but this area is restricted to authorized personnel only."

I slowly raised my arm through the folds of my robe, firmly blocking their path.

At the same time, I quickly scanned the individuals gathered there.

As soon as Sharin saw me, she stared at me with her languid eyes. It was Sharin, who possessed Mirinae.

She must have seen right through who I was. But I was also wearing the Shrouding Bandages in this form.

So Sharin would only think I was disguised as Vikamon. She wouldn't have guessed that I was the *true* Vikamon.

She definitely noticed that I was Hanun, though.

Ban, on the other hand, showed interest. He would have estimated my skill from my movements just now.

Ban had recently found joy in swinging his sword again. I could see his interest in a new opponent radiating from him.

And finally, Isabel.

For some reason, she smiled faintly.

Isabel was naturally prone to smiling. But she wasn't the type to smile even in a situation like this.

Moreover, that smile was one she'd formed the moment she saw me.

"How does one become authorized personnel?"

Why was her smile subtly sly? Isabel had definitely changed a bit.

"Not happening."

I cut her off sharply and stomped my foot, which bore a magic engraving, onto the ground.

STOMP!

At that moment, the vibration from my foot spread throughout the entire ground.

RUMBLE!

The combination of Arcane Glyphs and Mysticism. The glyphs created by this were amplified in their effect.

"It's magic!"

Rina shouted and leaped off the ground. The others followed suit, leaping as well.

They reacted immediately, knowing their stances would collapse if caught in the vibration.

But being airborne also meant their stance was broken.

BANG!

The moment I kicked off the ground, the arcane glyphs etched onto my body caused a series of explosions.

The moment I flew forward with the explosive leap, the hulking Holy Knight blocked my path. Pasen twisted his body in mid-air, attempting to intercept me.

His greatsword swung towards me.

However, swinging a sword at me was practically the worst decision he could make.

CLANG!

My hand and the greatsword collided.

'Because I had something charged up earlier.'

The Lightning Caller, hidden by the Shrouding Bandages. It was the Lightning Caller that had stored Barkio's lightning magic just a moment ago.

"He's sturdy enough; he won't die."

Barkio's lightning magic, which spread from my hand, enveloped the greatsword.

ZAP! CRACKLE! BOOM!

The black lightning that erupted without a moment's notice charred Pasen black.

THUD!

Pasen fell, emitting black smoke from his mouth. Even a sturdy Holy Knight couldn't withstand Barkio's lightning magic, especially from a master of lightning-based spells.

Everyone stared at me with wide eyes as I landed on the ground.

"That's high-tier magic. How is that possible without a staff?"

Beakiring, an elemental student with a deep understanding of magicology, frowned.

"Senior Vikamon could only handle low-tier magic, surely."

Rina also seemed surprised, apparently knowing Vikamon's original skill level.

Thanks to the Arcane Glyphs and Barkio's lightning magic, I instantly became a high-tier mage.

Not bad. If they misunderstood me as a mage, they would be even more cautious when fighting me.

'Just like this.'

That's what I thought, just as I was about to control the narrative.

A chill!

With the sudden chill I felt, I immediately tilted my head back. At that moment, a blade extended from the darkness, narrowly grazing my chin.

As I lowered my gaze, Ban was standing there. While everyone else was surprised, Ban alone had closed the distance.

SWISH! WHOOSH!

I hurriedly dodged the sword he swung.

Ban, that punk. His skill had soared far beyond last time.

My physical combat skills had also improved significantly since before. Yet, dodging him was more difficult than during our mock battle.

'Just how much had he been honing his skills?'

His growth was commendable, but it was maddening that his sword was aimed at me.

Moreover, I was now perceived as a mage. I couldn't block it with my body.

'Guess I have no choice.'

The moment I was about to use Barkio's remaining lightning magic again to create an opening, Ban's sword, which had been in front of me, suddenly curved and extended towards my chest.

Illusionary swordsmanship, utilizing sword aura.

Had he reached such a level now? I'd fallen for Ban's trick.

I reluctantly moved my arm. It would be hidden from others' sight.

In this gap, I'd endure with my Iron Body.

CLANG!

And then, both Ban's eyes and mine widened simultaneously.

Between me and Ban. An axe was blocking the way.

The one holding the axe was a small-statured woman with fluttering red hair. The girl, who inexplicably wore a mask on her face, had her forehead, visible above the mask, glinting in the moonlight.

"I-I'll take you on!"

Seron Parmia.

She had suddenly appeared.