“…Amazing.”
Rachel, who had been sweating so much that the wand in her hand became damp, muttered to herself.
After communication with the outside had been cut off, a suspicious stranger suddenly appeared.
The students rushed in immediately, but the strong man, who could take them down in an instant, was more than capable of wiping out all the students here by himself.
And Rosaria, who was facing this powerful man 1-on-1.
While the other students could barely withstand even one exchange, Rosaria had already fought several rounds with the man and was holding her ground without being pushed back.
“…I never thought I’d be this powerless…”
In that situation, Rachel felt disillusioned with herself for merely watching the fight.
Before this test started, when she heard that Felix’ professor’s younger sibling was supposed to be talented, she had been disappointed by the lack of impressive skills displayed. She now felt incredibly foolish.
The person she had looked down on, Rosaria, was the one leading the charge to protect the students, while she, who had acted so arrogantly, stood there doing nothing but watch. It made her grind her teeth.
It wasn’t exactly jealousy, but more like a feeling of disillusionment toward her own powerlessness.
But.
“Still, I can’t just stand here…!”
Rachel couldn’t stand by and do nothing while there was no certainty that Rosaria would win against the strange man. Her pride wouldn’t allow her to just watch.
“If I can find even the smallest opportunity… maybe I can help somehow…”
With that in mind, Rachel made up her mind to at least create a small opening for Rosaria.
She stood prepared to cast magic at any moment, not blinking as she observed the fight between Rosaria and the strange man.
“South Korea? Why is this bastard saying that name?”
At that moment, Rosaria, who was facing the sudden intruder, felt a huge sense of confusion when the word ‘South Korea’ came out of the stranger’s mouth.
“Seems like it. Looks like ‘that person’ was right after all.”
“Quit saying things that only someone like you would understand, you bastard!”
Whoosh—
As the stranger grinned at Rosaria’s confused expression, she immediately tightened her grip on her weapon and sent the man flying.
The man, who had been flying through the air, quickly spun mid-air and landed lightly on the ground.
“I don’t know what this ‘South Korea’ is, but I was ordered to speak about it.”
“You don’t know about South Korea?”
*What’s going on? Then, is he not possessed? But how does he know about South Korea? And an order? I don’t understand what’s happening at all!*
Rosaria became even more confused as the stranger continued speaking.
“Anyway, I was ordered to bring people from ‘South Korea,’ like you. If you’re curious, how about you come with me and hear about it?”
“Bring them here?”
“…Let’s organize this. The man in front of me is not a ‘possessed.’
If that’s the case, then the ‘person’ who told him about ‘South Korea’ might be like us, a ‘possessed.’
Also, being told to bring people from ‘South Korea’ seems like he was ordered to find others like us and bring them. But judging by his actions, it doesn’t seem like he’s doing it for good reasons…”
“Shit, my head is going to explode. Why is this so complicated?”
“Is there a need to think too hard? Just follow me. If you’re curious, you can figure it out later.”
“……”
“Honestly, with my current abilities, completely subduing that guy is beyond me. After testing him a bit, I can tell he’s exceptionally skilled.”
“If I keep opposing him here, things might escalate… Maybe I should just follow along for now? I’m also curious why ‘that person’ is seeking the possessed ones.”
“…It’s taking too long. No matter how much I think about it, I can’t come up with a proper answer.”
“…Let me ask you one thing.”
“Huh?”
After pondering for a while at the stranger’s words, Rosaria, as if having made a decision, looked at him and spoke.
“If I decide to follow you, what happens to the people here?”
“Ah~…”
The stranger seemed slightly troubled by Rosaria’s question, rolling his eyes.
“Well… I guess we’ll have to kill them all. There’s no need to keep anyone alive except the chosen one, after all.”
“It’s such a pity, but what can you do?”
The stranger answered Rosaria’s question with a tone full of sorrow.
But despite his words, the corners of his eyes were curved like a crescent moon, seemingly very amused.
“…Indeed, racking my brains isn’t my style. It’s easier to settle things simply.”
“Oh! Finally made a decision? Then let’s clean up…”
“I’m not going, you bastard.”
Click-
With that question, Rosaria took a deep breath and made her decision.
Her hands trembled slightly as she hurriedly loaded the last bullet into the chamber, but her gaze was steady.
“…I told you not to rack your brains, but I didn’t say to act like an idiot.”
“I don’t have the hobby of dining with dogs. You’re such a damn dog.”
No matter what, Rosaria, with the thick blood of Darian in her veins, was not one to yield and follow meekly in such a situation.
“…Well, there was no instruction to bring you back completely unharmed….Cutting off a limb or two wouldn’t hurt.”
“In fact, that might be more fun.”
The stranger’s face stiffened momentarily at Rosaria’s actions, but soon he grinned and brandished his sword.
Whoosh-
“What the!?”
At the same time, Rosaria quickly realized the stranger, who had just disappeared from his spot, was now swinging his sword at her left flank and hurriedly blocked it with her gun.
“But since we’re at it, why not make it fun for me?”
“Damn it, go do that with your mom!”
However, the stranger’s onslaught, which began immediately, was faster and fiercer than before, as if their earlier exchange was just a joke.
The stranger’s attacks were relentless and sharp.
Rosaria could barely parry or dodge, let alone counterattack, and the stranger’s blade gradually tightened around her throat.
‘Damn it…! I can’t aim like this…!’
Her gun was almost an overpowered weapon in this world.
With tremendous destructive power, penetration, speed, and even homing capabilities.
If a bullet were to be fired and then curved to chase the target, but was blocked or deflected before it could hit, embedding itself in a wall and losing its power, it would be the end for her.
If only she had more bullets, she could just spray and pray, overwhelming with sheer volume. But now, Rosaria only had one magic bullet, slightly better than standard anti-personnel rounds.
“Therefore, I had to aim and shoot as carefully as possible, but against an enemy closing in this fast, I couldn’t just pull the trigger recklessly.”
“Is this it? Kind of boring…”
“Kuh…!”
But as if he hadn’t yet revealed his full strength, the stranger’s slashes grew even faster, gradually making it impossible for her to block them completely.
Before she knew it, thin lines had been etched all over her body, and the red blood flowing from them began to soak her clothes.
‘Just one opening, just one little gap is all I need…!’
By the time she had lost about a cup’s worth of blood, Rosaria, trembling slightly as her body temperature dropped, desperately sought the moment to aim.
But the stranger stubbornly stayed close, not giving her any chance to create distance.
“First, I’ll take an arm.”
“…?! Oh no!”
As her gun slipped from her blood-soaked hands and she fumbled to regain her grip, the stranger’s blade flew toward Rosaria’s defenseless forearm. Her pupils dilated as she realized she couldn’t dodge in time.
At that moment.
“Light!!!”
Whoosh—
Just before the stranger’s blade reached Rosaria’s arm, a bright light burst forth from behind her.
It was Rachel, who had been holding her breath and waiting for an opportunity, finally seizing the chance to cast a spell.
The Light spell was merely meant to illuminate, with no offensive power, and the plaza was already bright enough.
“Ugh!?”
But Rachel had poured all her remaining mana into the spell, and it exploded like a flashbang, flooding the entire plaza with blinding white light. The stranger, unprepared for such a tactic, reflexively shut his eyes.
‘Danger!!’
At the same time, the stranger hastily retreated, putting distance between himself and Rosaria.
“Please… do it…”
“Damn it…! You’re dead!”
Rachel’s desperate spell, however, didn’t last long. Having used up nearly all her mana to cover the entire plaza, the light quickly faded, and the stranger, his vision restored, cursed under his breath, his brow furrowed in frustration.
Before collapsing, Rachel sent her final wish to Rosaria with all her might.
Though the spell had cost her the opportunity, the stranger was confident he wouldn’t fall for such a trick again. He resolved to disable Rosaria first and then personally slaughter every remaining student in the plaza.
Especially Rachel, who had blinded him he decided she wouldn’t die an easy death.
But.
“You’re the one who’s dead, you idiot.”
Click—
The moment the light erupted, Rosaria, who had her back to it, seized the “opening” she had been longing for. Without missing a beat, she took aim at the stranger, her gun already shouldered.
“…Huh?”
“Avada Kedavra, you bitch!”
Bang—
Of course, the stranger, who knew nothing about the gun aimed at him, froze momentarily. Rosaria, now grinning sharply, pulled the trigger without hesitation.