97 – Sepia Rebirth 7
The weapon Loki pulled out from the void looked like a staff, but if Loki desired, its end could sharpen into a sword at any moment, a swordstick.
“Everyone knows, right? Even though it looks like this, it’s a sword.”
“Of course. No more underestimating.”
“Let’s clearly show the difference between second and first years.”
Certainly, there was no one in the academy who didn’t know that the staff Loki carried was a sword.
Naturally, Dallun’s subordinates were also aware of the swordstick.
“Pfft! You won’t underestimate us anymore?”
A voice full of mockery reached Dallun’s subordinates, who were prepared for anything.
Looking in the direction of the sound, there was Loki, twirling the staff with one hand.
“If someone were to see, they might think the reason no one has hit me so far is because I was underestimating. hehehe.”
-Clang!
One of Dallun’s subordinates, provoked by Loki, fell forward, charging towards Loki with a sword enhanced by artifacts.
The speed, reinforced by the artifact, was on a completely different level from just a moment ago.
Dallun’s subordinate swung the greatsword towards Loki’s head.
Kaboom!!!!!!!!!
Contrary to the man’s thoughts that he could avoid it this time, Loki did not evade. Instead, he wielded his swordstick towards the greatsword aimed at his head.
A clash between the greatsword and Loki’s swordstick echoed through the academy courtyard.
“Sorry, but my strength far surpasses yours!!!!!!”
The man, with a raised smirk, attempted to push Loki with force in this state.
However, as he tried to exert strength, the raised smirk and the self-assured expression began to crumble unpredictably after a short time.
“I’m being pushed back with strength?”
Even after using artifacts, the man began to sweat as he was pushed by force.
Watching the opponent, who had been skillfully avoiding attacks until now, he had thought that he would definitely win in a physical confrontation.
“I didn’t hear you. Say it again. Who has the greater strength?”
Contrary to his attempt to grip the greatsword with both hands and push, the opponent held the swordstick with one hand and pushed the greatsword.
Pride, self-esteem, dignity, mentality—everything began to shatter.
He had even borrowed artifacts, sacrificing his self-esteem just to maintain his grades.
As the man’s confidence wavered, the greatsword also began to shake.
Loki seized the opportunity and deflected the greatsword.
-Thunk.
The greatsword fell to the ground, leaving the man vulnerable.
‘If he stays in this state, he’ll be stabbed!’
The swordstick pierced the flank, but it didn’t feel like being pierced by a blade. It was more like the sensation of being struck by a giant mace.
“Cough!”
Feeling the impact on his flank, the man hesitated and sat down.
“Ugh!”
“No matter what, you can’t swing a sword at a senior.”
While hesitating and vomiting. From above, a mocking voice echoed.
The Swordstick is much sturdier than most famous swords, and if Loki wishes, it becomes sharper than most famous swords.
But if Loki doesn’t wish for it, it doesn’t get sharp; it just becomes an incredibly sturdy staff.
“Since there’s a possibility of being attacked again in this state, ‘unavoidably,’ I have to subdue him.”
The man who felt an ominous feeling tried to surrender, but Loki was faster in swinging the staff than surrendering.
-Thud!
-Thud!
-Thud!
Loki began to swing the staff towards the hesitating man.
“Thunk!”
With each swing of the staff, screams escaped from the man’s mouth.
Loki’s hand stopped when there was no sound coming from the man’s mouth.
“It’s a bit painful to beat down a fallen senior, or rather, subdue him. hahahahaha!”
Watching Loki beating down his comrade, the man who had been waiting for an opportunity began to move.
‘Now is the time.’
The man holding two daggers concealed his appearance with an artifact.
And as quietly as possible, he approached behind Loki without making any footsteps.
This guy, still unaware, was muttering, poking his fallen comrade with the staff, wondering if he was still alive.
‘Finish it in this state.’
The man who caught up with Loki swung his dagger without hesitation.
– Swish.
Loki was no longer in the spot where he had just been, and the man’s dagger cut through the empty air.
‘When exactly? I didn’t sense any presence!’
A sinister voice echoed from beside the bewildered man.
“If you want to hide, you should hide somewhat convincingly. It’s harder to pretend not to know than to be noticed.”
Loki, who usually concealed himself with illusions more than anyone else, was revealing himself while being lectured by Professor Elysia.
Even without consciously acknowledging such a clumsy hiding, it was all felt.
Loki’s fist hitting the man’s face was faster than the man turning his head to the side.
“……………”
The man collapsed to the ground without even a scream.
“””………………..”””
Darun and his subordinates now realized that something had gone wrong.
They had all come together to intimidate during the deal. It was not enough.
To capture that guy, they should have brought several times more than this.
“No way! Perhaps! Really! I’m just curious, but you’re not chickening out after saying that just a moment ago, right?”
Afterwards, the man who was confident in his fist fell to Loki’s punch, and the woman who was confident in her bow fell as Loki summoned a bow from the void.
“Hmm. About half remaining now? Well, well! Everyone, do your best! Otherwise, you’ll be abandoned by the master, you know?”
In an instant, Loki, who had subdued more than half, surveyed the remaining individuals.
The woman who had just wielded the bow fell, and Deulun’s subordinates, who were with her, also realized.
“That guy is currently exploiting us while fighting in his confident field.”
When dealing with someone confident in strength, use strength; with someone confident in speed, use speed; with someone confident in sniping, use sniping.
It was like demonstrating the difference in skills.
He was breaking down all spirits with words and actions.
Deulun’s subordinates who had already fallen were tied to the rope in a pitiful state.
There was no longer any will to fight left in the remaining people.
The remaining emotions were only fear.
“Looting! Well, I didn’t intend to do that. It seems like a misunderstanding might make me cry.”
“I’m so sad,” Loki said.
“This is not looting; it’s an experiment.”
An experiment to test the rapidly growing body due to the mask.
Also, a way to relieve stress through experimentation.
Above all, Deulun, that guy, must be beaten.
“You could hit me, and I could hit you. Isn’t it beneficial for everyone?”
Despite Loki’s provocation, Deulun’s subordinates neither got agitated nor excited. It wasn’t because they were calm; it was because they lacked the courage to rush towards Loki.
“No matter what, magic might be difficult, right?”
“Yeah, that guy can’t use magic!”
Deulun’s subordinates, unknowingly to themselves, had trembling voices.
The thought of winning against them no longer existed in their minds.
Their goal shifted unnoticed, changed into something that didn’t fit with Loki.
“If you hold on as much as you can, I’ll, I’ll cast a spell.”
“You want me to stand against that guy?!”
“You’re the tank!”
“Ah, okay.”
A man with a different shield than before stepped forward as if pushed.
The shield looked good, but the man’s expression was not.
“Ugh~~ How long do I have to wait?”
When Loki was yawning as if bored, the woman closed her eyes and began to memorize an incantation.
“Water, gather in my hands…………..”
Though the woman’s voice trembled, the power and speed, thanks to the artifact, were much stronger and faster than before.
“It got faster than earlier, but still.”
Bang!
After finishing the incantation, the woman opened her eyes to see the man with the broken shield lying on the ground.
As the woman looked with trembling eyes, Loki also looked at the dozens of water arrows created by the woman.
“Hmm~ Ahahahaha! Thinking of Clara’s magic, it feels kind of cute.”
Trembling, the woman threw the water arrows at Loki.
However, Loki easily dodged all those water arrows.
During the practical exam, there were several fires created by Clara that he had avoided, and one of those fires alone was stronger than all those water arrows combined.
The woman’s mana was decreasing, but Loki didn’t even consider getting hit.
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“And surely I mentioned earlier, didn’t I? That I can’t use magic?”
Uneasiness crept into the woman’s mind upon hearing Loki’s words.
Could he possibly use magic here?
“Flames, arise.”
That lunatic had truly begun to conjure magic.
Flames gathered in his hands, growing larger.
Even the conjuring was much faster than his own, and the magic’s completion was impressive.
“Even with this, do you still believe I can’t use magic for real?”
“Water Shield!”
Desperately, the woman activated a defensive spell.
Water Shield.
Weak against physical attacks but effective against fire magic, especially with the support of an artifact. Now, she should be able to block almost any fire magic.
Loki threw the flames he held towards the woman.
Swoosh.
Seeing the incoming flames, the woman used more mana to strengthen the Water Shield. However, inexplicably, the mass of fire transformed into a swordstick just before touching the Water Shield.
“Cough!”
Unable to dodge the swordstick, the woman was hit and fainted.
“Ding dong dang! Correct! Actually, I can’t use magic at all.”
* * *
Sepia effortlessly subdued all of Dallun’s subordinates and looked at Loki approaching with vacant eyes.
Thump, thump.
“Why on earth are you going this far?!!!!”
Dodging Loki, Darun, still staggering backward, sat down hesitantly and shouted at Loki.
Sepia quietly listened, her ears perked.
This time, Sepia’s thoughts were exactly the same as Darun’s.
Seeing Darun act like this was satisfying,
But Loki had no reason to fight.
No, there were many reasons not to fight.
Fighting itself was a loss.
However, Loki turned his head without responding.
“……………….”
It couldn’t be because of the mask, but for some reason, Sepia felt like her eyes met Loki’s.
“Miss Sepia.”
“…Yes?”
“How do you feel right now?”
“…Good.”
The guy who continued to curse and mock, bringing the village tragedy to the surface, was shivering less.
It was natural to feel good.
“That’s enough then.”
Loki said that and started walking back towards Darun.
“…………………..”
It wasn’t that the sunlight was strong. Nor was it because of sweating. It wasn’t exhaustion either. The fire spirit wasn’t nearby.
Yet, her face felt scorching, as if it would burst.
Even though she fanned herself with her hands, her face remained hot.
“This is just because it’s satisfying to see that jerk get what he deserves. Yeah. That’s it. Definitely not anything else.”
Sephia began mumbling an excuse, not even sure who she was talking to.
“What? Sephia, what did you say?”
“Oh, it’s nothing!”
Ignoring Sephia’s words, Loki shrugged his shoulders, walked up to the shivering Da-run, and stopped right in front of him.
“Wait………”
-Thud!
Before Da-run could say anything to Loki, Loki swiftly brought his staff down on Da-run’s head, faster than any words could escape.
“Ah! You should’ve spoken a bit faster. My hand just went out on its own when I saw that disgusting face.”
Loki kicked the fallen Da-run while scratching his head.
With such a commotion, the student council is undoubtedly on its way.
Thinking of the student council’s arrival, a famous Korean saying came to mind for anyone living in Korea.
“Crabs are on the side of crabs, and the student council president is on my side.”
‘Self-defense’ successful 😂