130 – Academy Competition_17
A tingling sensation that pierced the skin and even pierced the internal organs weighed down my entire body.
Every simple word pierced his lungs, making it difficult to even breathe.
Death was ahead.
If that death beckoned me so simply, my life would be crushed very easily.
Still, I spoke calmly.
“Your life.”
The opponent is a part of the S-class of the Holy Empire of America.
Even if it’s 12th in the hero rankings.
I was the one who had the upper hand in this situation.
“This old man’s life.”
A temporary negotiating room outside the forest.
An elderly paladin sitting across from me glared at me.
“Did you have a grudge with yourself? I have lived so long that my memory is fuzzy.”
I wondered if it was probably because I was trying to figure out who I was.
However, I couldn’t figure out who I was because I was wearing a robe on the mask and even a skill was activated.
In the first place, I am a human with no relation to Paladin.
Even if I went out bare-faced, Paladin would not have known who I was.
Of course, I couldn’t do that because some of the humans behind Paladin would realize if I went out with my bare face.
“Okay.”
“You didn’t want to tell me?”
“Will the villain blow my identity through my mouth?”
“So is he.”
-!
The intangible mana that spewed out at an invisible speed along with the paladin’s words became tangible in an instant, and then he grabbed my neck and lifted me up.
Typology of mana that has reached the stage.
As expected, it was so neat and fast, as if to prove that being ranked 12th in the S class was not a lie.
However, Paladin did not move an inch.
“I thought everyone was like that because they usually blow on it.”
It was a protest that threatened to kill me with just one gesture.
‘Looks like he’s in a hurry.’
Whether it was or not, I didn’t care.
The paladin’s attack was obviously fast, but it wasn’t enough to block it.
Still, did you mind that I was hurt on purpose?
There is always an escape from this.
“That is so stupid.”
“That’s right.”
When I replied without a single movement, the paladin meekly released the mana type and let me go.
It’s not that he knew my skills and let me go.
Because I know that if you kill me, the cadets in the forest will explode and stillborn.
In their situation, they also understood that I did not do the work alone, but as an organizational unit, and seeing the cadets explode in front of me more than 10 times, it was a natural reaction to know even if I didn’t want to know.
Of course, they didn’t die because they were all taking advantage of their relatives.
There was no way they knew that.
“You are quite aggressive.”
I was caught and pretended to loosen his stiff neck as I looked at the paladin.
“As I get older, I can’t stand seeing my time wasted on simple things.”
There was no change in Paladin’s expression.
It was because he was active even at the end of the war and had lived for a long time and had gone through all the hardships, so he couldn’t bring out a change in his emotions.
“What do you really want?”
However, it was enough to shake Albert Harbor, one of the two who stood behind Paladin in silence.
The words with so clear anger shook my ears.
Perhaps he thought I had something to do with his family’s misery in Beverly Hills.
“Yes, what do I really want?”
What I really want has been decided for a long time.
However, there was no reason to say that.
‘No, is this a lie?’
Anyway, it’s good.
The most important thing in negotiations is not to get excited and not let the other person know what you want.
I thoroughly followed those two principles.
“Stop talking nonsense.”
“I don’t know why you are so angry.”
“You…”
The man began to approach with strides.
That’s why I looked at Paladin.
However, the paladin did not move.
It meant that I was going to leave him like this.
“If you come any closer, something bad will happen. Are you okay?”
“That other nonsense…”
“Really?”
– BANG!!
A bomb exploded in the distance.
It happened just as Albert Harbor’s hand grabbed me by the collar.
“Even if one of the poor cadets died because of your anger?”
“You!!”
– BANG!!
“Noisy.”
– BANG!!
“Can you let me go? Even the rest of the cadets have to live. Or did you decide to abandon the cadets? Oh, actually, you want me to get rid of all the hostages and then raid?”
Haber’s anger did not subside even after hearing the sound of bombs three times.
Honestly, rather than being degraded as a political issue or the life of a cadet at stake, the revenge of his family would have come first for him.
“Governor Harbor. I understand the anger. But please. Please stop.”
Academy officials among the personnel behind Paladin urgently stopped Harbor.
Only then did the collar come loose.
Harbor lowered his head.
“Come to think of it, my daughter was really cute. She probably said she was Ellis? Saying where’s Dad…”
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“You are!!!!!”
He also made a small provocation for a moment, and then Haber charged again.
This time it was a blow to kill me, even loaded with mana.
However, his attacks did not reach me.
“Sorry.”
It was because the academy officials worked hard to block it.
“Good job.”
I gave them compliments.
But as if they didn’t like the compliment, they also glared at me.
“It’s sad that he looks like that even when he compliments me. Can the bomb explode one more time?”
“…Thank you.”
“I will definitely kill you. Certainly!!!”
It was hilarious to see him gritting his teeth, lowering his head, and dragging Harbor in anger.
After a series of disturbances, the negotiations between me and Paladin began again.
“So what do you want?”
“Do you think I have something you want?”
“Otherwise, there would be no way I would have agreed to this negotiation.”
“I heard and saw it. Um… what would be good?”
One of the goals of this negotiation is to take a look at the paladins and see if they can be defeated if they go according to plan.
[What do you think, Ines.]
[It is determined that it is possible.]
That’s why I asked Ines, who had been observing Paladins in the shadows, for his opinion.
You can make a judgment based on Natasha’s memory, but that knowledge is made up of quite old data, so it is incomplete, so it was to grasp the latest trend.
‘It’s possible…’
Since she had ordered not to tell lies, according to Ines’ words, it meant that it would be possible for her to subdue the paladins if everything went according to plan.
[What is the probability?]
However, the meaning of the word ‘possible’ is not 100%.
Because even 1% is possible.
So I asked again.
[…]
[Ines.]
[It’s about 3…]
[Really? Thank you.]
Even if it goes according to plan, it will be 30%.
All of the S-classes were like monsters.
Ines was like a monster, but Paladin was also a monster.
In that case, we have no choice but to increase our preparations here.
“Tell me anything.”
“Then how about $100,000 for two? I will also accept mana stones in kind.”
To make a deal.
Trading was my strength and the most comfortable way to increase my numbers.
“Is that enough?”
“Otherwise, a paladin’s neck would suffice.”
“That would be impossible. Still, $100,000 for two…”
The paladin gestured to one of the personnel behind him.
Then one of her men opened the large black bag she was holding on the desk.
In the bag was a mountain of $100 bills.
It seemed to be one of the items that were being prepared in advance as negotiation items.
“Just in time, I had ten million dollars in bills without any tracking device. I’m so glad Could this be it?”
By the way, the tracking device wasn’t running either.
Who doesn’t know that there are over 10 ways to track even simple bills?
There will be no idiot taking this.
‘Is it okay?’
But it didn’t matter.
The money received from the transaction was enough to be exchanged for points at the secret shop, so a large amount was enough.
“Not bad. But for this deal, I will only accept this much.”
I said holding only about $100,000 worth.
It was because continuous trading was better for gaining experience and earning time than one big deal.
Of course, it was a problem because cadets weren’t counted as items.
That could have been solved in a different way.
“Because I have a lot of fear. If you finish the deal in one go, you can’t run away, can you?”
“Do you think you can go?”
“Yes.”
“Is that so?”
“Right, more than that, since I accepted the deal, I’ll release one of the hostages.”
I made small gestures.
At that time, a tattered cadet came out of the forest, shivering.
“Take it.”
Academy officials jumped out and took over the cadets.
“That was a good deal.”
Then I tried to leave.
“Do you think you can go?”
Then Paladin’s eyes changed in an instant.
The body of a paladin flying beyond recognition.
“Sure.”
However, the paladin’s attack missed in vain.
A very fine droplet of blood that projected my image was scattered.
It was a technique that Ines had also suffered once, but it was possible to fool even a paladin once.
“Still, I don’t like this kind of behavior. So this is a little bit of an annoyance.”
Then he detonated the bomb to attract attention.
– BANG!!!
Then, a trading item called a cadet and written as a bomb flew around.
The paladin’s gaze wavered for a moment.
“Wouldn’t it be right to save me from there?”
I took advantage of that gap and got out of the negotiating room.
“Then see you on the next deal.”
There is still a lot of time.