A statement left behind as if he were a phantom thief.
Scott Professor’s hand, holding it, trembled uncontrollably.
As a Swordmaster of the Empire and a war hero, he had witnessed every imaginable atrocity.
But even he found himself unable to control his emotions in the face of this situation.
‘Could a person wearing the guise of humanity truly commit such acts?’
If one took pride in being the master of all creation, at the very least, such barbarity should have been refrained from.
The deeds of Riyan alone made this fact clear.
Helping those in distress was his hobby, slaying demons to save the world was his routine, and, occasionally, he even rescued entire races or nations.
A true hero who dedicated himself to making the world a better place.
Yet, instead of honoring and respecting such a self-sacrificing individual, they kidnapped him? The line had been crossed—no, utterly obliterated.
But the important thing was that this wasn’t the end.
It wasn’t just about committing a crime; their actions were heinously vile.
‘This statement of crime was distributed by Riyan himself?’
The investigation into Riyan’s disappearance began immediately.
According to testimonies, this statement was hurriedly distributed in the streets by a man with white hair and golden eyes, handing money to people and asking them to spread it.
‘Was it meant to mock by imitating Riyan? Or had they used the professor’s benevolence to coerce him as a hostage?’
Either way, it was unforgivable.
‘If they truly intend to abandon all human decency…’
Then, treating them as humans would no longer be an option.
A hand holding a sword cannot embrace someone, but without it, it cannot protect anyone precious either.
A murderous intent stirred within.
Reading threats like tearing Riyan limb from limb or cutting him into cubes for steak made his rationality gradually fade.
‘The foolish cannot be enlightened with words. The weight of their sins must be engraved onto their bodies.’
The Black Crow Society would pay the price for their folly, and the price would not be light.
***
On the day of the Imperial Academy Festival, everyone searched for Riyan—students, friends, seniors, benefactors.
There was no need to gather an army.
By now, no one could stop them.
‘I’m not that foolish.’
With experience comes learning.
Naturally, I had a sense of what was about to unfold.
‘There’s no way the people around me would stay idle, right?’
***
The Black Crow Society wasn’t weak, but they weren’t strong enough to withstand the connections I’d built.
An organization that took advantage of the vacuum left by the collapse of the Lamb’s Silence.
They might be capable, but this side’s power was beyond reason.
With primordial dragons, Swordmasters, and holy empires involved, a mere mafia couldn’t possibly stand against a nation-level force.
Their destruction was inevitable.
An enormous crowd would sweep through, crush the Black Crow Society in an instant, and rescue me.
I’d then be placed under even stricter protection, making escape impossible.
Even with my eyes closed, I could vividly picture such a future.
And indeed, that’s how things were unfolding.
But, as I said, I learn.
I didn’t instigate this without countermeasures.
So when the rescue team burst in, I wasn’t startled by their overwhelming power—far too much for rescuing a mere novice professor.
I cast a sharp glance to the side.
Nodding as a signal to execute the plan.
The completely subdued boss of the Black Crow Society, who now obeyed like a trained dog, reluctantly joined the act.
With the most villainous expression he could muster, the boss spoke:
“I will not allow any further approach.”
He pressed a knife against my throat, playing the part of a kidnapper.
The rescue team had likely anticipated this far, but what followed was my true plan.
Everyone present was confident in their own abilities, skilled individuals.
As they observed their opponent’s strength, waiting for the right moment to subdue them in an instant, the boss spoke according to the script.
“Killing me is your choice, but are you sure about that? You’ll never find the antidote if you do.”
The boss smirked wickedly.
All the effort spent training him for this role had paid off.
The reaction was just as I expected—everyone clenched their teeth in anger at the horrific crime.
But despite their fury, there was little they could do.
The organization had cruelly taken hostage the children from the beastfolk orphanage I supported.
They poisoned me and hid the antidote somewhere. ‘What else could they do?’
Chaos ensued.
The Saintess and the extremists argued for torturing the criminals to extract the antidote, while the moderates insisted on avoiding conflict until safety could be ensured.
Then, as planned, the boss proposed a compromise.
He explained that they had kidnapped me because I interfered with their grand plans.
‘If I no longer interfered, they would let me live.’
‘He offered to erase my memory and power, sever my energy core, and exile me permanently as an ordinary person.’
‘This was the culmination of my wish—to leave the academy.’
Or so I thought.
Something about the situation was strange.
The rescue team didn’t argue or clash with each other.
As soon as they heard that I’d been poisoned, they all knelt in silence as if on cue.
They knelt and began to weep.
The primordial dragon spoke to me, saying, “You are the one who gave me a reason to live. Before you, I lived each day meaninglessly, existing just because I was born.”
The Emperor of the Empire spoke, saying, “You are the one who returned my world to me. As a puppet controlled by demons, I even harmed my own daughter. You gave me back my family.”
The beastfolk warrior, holding his sword, spoke, saying, “You are the one who made me human. As someone’s possession and slave, I lived a wretched life. You freed us from those chains.”
Finally, my students spoke, saying, “We still have too many debts to repay. You’ve saved us countless times, taught us endlessly, and bestowed so much grace upon us. We can’t let it end like this.”
Everyone was willing to risk their lives for me, even offering to sacrifice themselves to save me.
My head spun.
Yet, even as I felt dizzy, my mouth moved on its own.
“The poison… I’ve already neutralized it myself. And I’ve incapacitated everyone here, so don’t worry.”
No one controlled me.
No strange artifact had taken hold of me.
Still, I spoke those words to them.
The crowd cheered and smiled in relief, their faces bright with joy.
I smiled back, my lips curling upward.
But I couldn’t share in their happiness.
Because I knew.
This was a horrific mistake—an act that should never have been committed.
I had no strength to protect my own life.
Relying on improvisation and luck to survive could only go so far.
‘If I got caught up in the original storyline, I would undoubtedly die.’
‘But… could I truly sever these bonds?’
Even if unintentionally, I had formed connections.
‘Could I really abandon those who cared for me?’
‘Even if I escaped, could I leave with peace of mind while others were left in peril?’
The question I had avoided for so long now loomed before me.
But I wasn’t ready to answer.
And so, once again, I deferred my decision.
Feeling lost, unsure where I was heading, I stumbled forward, barely moving my feet.
“For now… let’s go back.”
After all, the protagonist is still only a freshman.
There’s plenty of time left before the ending.
Surely, everything will be fine.
It has to be.
***
A grotesque sound echoed.
The horrific noise of flesh being devoured filled the air.
Mutual slaughter.
Bael, the First Seat, was now consuming his kin.
Yet, there were no screams or resistance.
All of this was done with the cooperation of his kin.
Leaving a variable unchecked had been a mistake.
That small variable had shaken the world.
He grew in strength and power, threatening them all.
And no further mistakes could be allowed.
They couldn’t afford to delay.
The threat had to be eliminated immediately.
No matter the cost, no matter the sacrifice.
The demon gazed at the man in the distance.
His crimson eyes brimmed with murderous intent.
…The brief reprieve was over.
It was time for the final showdown.