Surviving as a Villain at the Academy chapter 118

118 – The End of the Test. And…

It’s over. I dropped the sword from my hand. At the moment of striking the guy’s neck, it felt like all the strength drained from my body. My vision also faded into the distance. It was because I squeezed out every last bit of powerless strength that my limits allowed.

However, it was a satisfying feeling of exhilaration.

I did it. I defeated the guy who seemed unbeatable. I have taken a step further.

When I opened my eyes, I saw the view of the bedroom. It had become so familiar, almost like a home.

-That stubborn guy.

The Shadow Caster’s sword spoke to me. At the end of the long test, the evaluation he gave me was “a stubborn one.”

I nodded willingly at his words. Being stubborn also implies not giving up easily. After a whopping 1630 attempts, what could the Shadow Caster be thinking, looking at me, who completed the goal?

-You, you’re truly amazing. How could a human maintain their sanity after experiencing 1629 deaths?

“Because there were things I had to do. And… it was quite enjoyable. Facing and surpassing my limits. That’s what I mean.”

-Hmm?

“If it’s the 1630th challenge, it’s much less than what I initially expected.”

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“Crazy.”

“The skill I showed in the future was that shocking. But I was confident. I had the conviction that I could do it. After all, the future me is still me. If that guy did it, there’s no reason why I can’t. Especially considering that the guy in the scene I witnessed clearly didn’t do what he was supposed to do. It’s absurd to end up losing to such a loser.”

“Amazing. This is sincere. Umbra, you too. I’ve never seen anyone as amazing as you. If it were an ordinary person, the moment they passed the test, they would have taken me and left… But you didn’t.”

“Yeah. It was just my stubbornness.”

“Did you get what you wanted?”

“I did.”

“In reality, you won’t be able to fully utilize what you’ve gained. As I mentioned before, this place is a space where your mental strength is your power. But reality will be different. You won’t have the transcendent power you had here, and you’ll feel a great sense of disappointment. As a creature, it’s hard to easily forget what you’ve once experienced… You’ll feel disappointed because you won’t feel the omnipotence you felt here.”

“I know that too. But… even so, the enlightenment I gained won’t disappear. The path I found won’t disappear either. I came to you and Umbra in the first place to become stronger.”

“I see. Now I understand. What kind of person you are.”

“What do I seem like to you?”

“A guide who continues to act for a purpose. And I really like those kinds of people. I don’t know if it’s the influence of the ghosts that have entered me.”

That would make sense. Among the ghosts bound to the restraint’s blade, there would not be a single one who hasn’t undergone arduous trials for their purpose. Whether that person is good or bad is beside the point.

Because it’s the blade of such a restraint, it’s possible it prepared this trial. Ultimately, what practitioners encounter is themselves.

“You have the qualification to be my master, Frah. Take me and return to reality.”

“But there’s something I need to do before that.”

“Something?”

“Yeah. A name.”

“Ah.”

Surely, there was a promise made when I met the restraint’s blade.

If I passed the test and became the rightful master, I had decided to give it a name.

It was the moment to keep that promise.

– It was definitely like that. Do you have any name in mind, something that comes to you? Or are you thinking of coming up with one now?

“I do have something in mind.”

– You have something in mind… I can look forward to it?

“Well, I’m not sure if it’ll appeal to you, but… I think it might be the most fitting for you.”

Certainly, Umbra had said something. The one who draws the sword of the captive, the one who will save the world. She mentioned such words when she forged this sword.

I don’t know who uttered those words, but perhaps the original purpose of the captive’s sword was ‘salvation.’ It would mean saving the world that would become a ruin due to the battle between angels and demons.

Since then, I had decided on a name for the captive’s sword. If I pass the test, I must name it this, with a feeling like that.

Exactly, Salus.

It was Latin, meaning salvation.

“Salus. It’s a word that means salvation.”

– Salus…

“How about it, do you like it?”

– Do you think that’s a name that suits me?

“Yeah. Umbra mentioned it. The person who possesses you will end up saving the world. So, you are a being that calls forth salvation. Therefore, there can be nothing more symbolic of you than that name.”

– If what you say is true, what will I be saving?

“The human realm. So… this world. As you’ve seen, soon angels and demons will be fighting in the human realm. My goal is to stop them.”

– It’s grandiose beyond belief.

“So, do you like it or not?”

– I like it. I was an extraordinary sword from the very beginning of my existence.

“Alright, Selus. From now on, I am your master. Any objections?”

-Yes, Frah Ransel. My master. Your will shall be mine from now on, and I will be your companion, walking together on the path you choose.

Upon hearing those words, I grasped Salus, the sword of restraint… no, Selus, in my hand.

And then, the scenery before me changed. After a brief moment, I once again felt the sensation of my soul separating from my body, realizing that I was now standing in front of Umbra.

-…It worked.

Umbra, in a smile so bright it was hard to believe given her usually cool demeanor, showed a joyous expression. It was a smile tinged with some kind of ecstasy, as if she had reached the end of something long-awaited.

-Yes.

-The release of the sword of restraint means, in turn, my liberation. I am now free.

-Were you bound somewhere as well?

-Yes. The sword of restraint. The restraint spoken of by that sword referred to all the spirits, including me. We, who could not reach the land of rest in this world for a long time… now, what bound us is gone.

-By unsheathing that sword, did you become bound to this land?

-You could see it that way. Of course, being bound to this land was not solely because of that sword. There were countless lingering attachments that kept us bound to this land, but we gradually forgot about them. Just… the sword was the only remaining attachment. But now that this attachment is gone, we don’t need to be bound to this land anymore.

-Then, will the spirits, including you, disappear?

-Not all of them will disappear. Only those who have shed the lingering attachments for a long time will vanish. Of course, the land of torment haunted by spirits that tormented you will disappear now. Because the one with the greatest lingering attachment, myself, will be gone.

-…Is that so?

-Regretful?

-If I said it’s not regretful, that would be a lie. Considering that you showed me unconditional kindness, it’s not easy to see someone like you just vanish. It’s not something I wouldn’t regret.

Upon hearing this, she smiled faintly.

-There’s no need to be too regretful.

-Why not?

-Anyway, I will watch over your journey.

-…What? Didn’t you just say you were heading to the Land of Rest?

-Yes. Part of me will go to the Land of Rest… So, I will join your journey as an entity that has inherited all my memories and experiences.

-An entity that has inherited memories and experiences?

-Salus.

I felt as if a lightning bolt struck my mind. I had never mentioned the name Salus in front of her. In that moment, a thought popped into my head.

-You forged the Sword of Restraint. And you captured spirits within the sword. So, could it be…?

-You’ve caught on quickly, you have good instincts. Yes. The entity that I first captured within the Sword of Restraint… is none other than a part of myself.

-Why?

-Because I had conflicting desires. The desire to rest and the desire to witness the journey of the one who wields the Sword of Restraint. The desire for rest has been with me since I became a spirit. Umbra, the Ghost Queen. The form you are currently seeing is the embodiment of my desire for rest.

-So, Salus is the embodiment of your desire to witness my journey?

-Yes. So, this physical form you see now will disappear. This physical form is the embodiment of my desire for rest. But now that this desire has been fulfilled, my physical form will disappear, but as an existence, I will be by your side as Salus.

-I still don’t understand what you’re saying…

-There’s no need to complicate things. Salus is soon to be me, and I am soon to be Salus. Well, my manner of speaking will change, though.

At that moment, her body began to blur. Then, as if dissolving, her form gradually scattered.

Some parts of her scattered off to a distant place, while others were absorbed by Salus.

Finally, when the whole process was over, Salus’s voice was heard.

-Finally, it’s over. The wait was so long. I always waited for this moment to come. Not because I wanted rest, but because I wanted to be with my master on this journey.

And that voice, astonishingly, became remarkably similar to Umbra’s voice. No, it wasn’t just the voice that became similar.

Vwoong-

The Salus I held in my hand suddenly began to glow, floating in the air. The light gradually took shape, transforming into the figure of a human.

As time passed, the radiant light emanating from the human form subsided, revealing the figure of… a young girl. Originally Umbra was a mature woman, but now she felt considerably younger.

And as I witnessed this, I couldn’t help but squint my eyes.

Because she had suddenly become a person in black.

She took my hand and said,

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“Let’s go. To the place where people are waiting for you.”