Chapter 468: Episode 468

A loud commotion erupted at the pier.

“Contact headquarters and check again! There’s no way not a single spot has opened up!”

“I’m sorry, sir, but we already checked at dawn. Not a single student has forfeited their spot.”

“Things could have changed since then! I told you to contact headquarters!”

The protester was a boy who had clearly failed the Kizen entrance exam, now being blocked by the servant checking admission certificates. The freshmen who had already passed watched the unfolding drama with great interest.

“They say this happens every year.”

“First on the waiting list means he was ranked 1,001st, right? Kinda pitiful.”

“Still, what can you do?”

’Hehehe!’

Hearing the laughter, the waitlisted candidate shot a cold glare at the freshmen. He had the eyes of a madman, ready to tear someone to shreds. The laughter died down.

“You pass trash like them but fail me, the heir of Ampherje? And at 1,001st place? Are you messing with me?”

“You can’t do this here. Please step back.”

“How dare a mere commoner!”

And then came the classic first-year move of flaunting his family name. The attendant, having done this job for years, knew that giving any leeway would only complicate things and give the student false hope. He responded with even greater coldness.

“Next,” the attendant said, looking past the boy. “Please come forward.”

In that instant, the candidate saw red.

’THWACK!’

Before anyone could stop him, the candidate brutally kicked the attendant’s leg. The attendant, never imagining someone would resort to actual violence, bit his lip and collapsed to the ground. Murmurs rippled through the crowd.

“You think you’re untouchable just because Kizen’s authority is behind you?” The candidate raised his arm. “There’s a limit to disrespecting a noble…!”

“That’s enough.”

The candidate’s wrist was seized in a powerful grip. When he turned, a boy with fiery red hair stood there, his expression hard as stone.

“Who the hell are you?”

“Arthur Bleman.” Arthur’s eyes flashed. “The Mercenary King.”

Arthur’s monstrous grip tightened on the candidate’s wrist. The boy screamed, dropping to his knees and writhing on the ground. The students who had come to watch murmured at the sight.

“The Mercenary King?”

“For real?”

“Why would a big shot like that come to a school?”

“Apologize to him,” Arthur said solemnly.

He applied more pressure. The candidate let out a pained cry.

“What the hell is this strength…!”

The prospective student writhed on the floor, his eyes bleeding to an inky black.

[Did you see this coming?]

With a sudden lunge, he seized Arthur’s wrist.

The student now had Arthur in his grip and began to squeeze. This time, it was Arthur’s expression that hardened. ’Ugh, what the—!’ Arthur, who was confident he couldn’t be outmatched in stamina or strength, was being overpowered in a direct contest of force. A sickening crunching sound echoed from his wrist.

A cold sweat beaded on Arthur’s brow. The student’s blackened eyes, the unstable jet-black energy pulsing from his body, and his monstrous strength—it was all wrong. ’This guy! He’s not in his right mind!’

The student released his grip and lashed out with a kick. Arthur barely managed to block it with his elbow, but the force sent him sliding backward.

[Are you really the Mercenary King? Why are you so pathetic?] the student sneered, glancing at the attendant who had collapsed to the ground. [Did you see that? Did you all get a good look? Me, with this much power, ranked 1,001st? Don’t you think that’s strange?]

Two attendants rushed over, helped their fallen colleague to her feet, and retreated.

[Tell anyone with the guts to step up!] His mouth stretched open like a monster’s. [I am stronger than anyone here!]

An alien jet-black energy erupted from his body, staining the sky a bruised, dark color. The terrified attendants threw their arms out.

“All students, get on the ship now!” one shouted.

“Fall back!” cried another.

The students fled while the attendants prepared to fight. The prospective student cracked his shoulders, his voice a low growl. [Still! You still can’t accept it? Fine, then I have no choice! I’ll break you all, one by one, until you recognize my power. After that, it’s those bastards who laughed at me.]

He sneered at the freshmen scrambling onto the ship. [If I just get rid of a few of them, you’ll have no choice but to admit me, right? Right?]

“You…!” Arthur shot to his feet. “You think I’ll let that happen?”

[Go ahead and try, Mercenary King,] the student taunted.

Arthur kicked off the ground and charged, his fist wreathed in jet-black energy. The prospective student just stood there, grinning as if daring him to strike.

Arthur’s fist stopped just inches from the student’s nose.

“Stop it, Arthur.”

A crushing pressure descended upon the area. A shudder ran through the air.

With his wrist caught, Arthur couldn’t move an inch. It was the second time today he’d been overpowered. His gaze shifted to see blue hair fluttering in the wind.

“S-Simon!” Arthur stammered.

“Mr. President!” the attendants yelled.

Hearing their cries, the corner of the prospective student’s mouth curled up. [So you’ve finally shown yourself!]

The attendants backed away, and the freshmen who had boarded the ship swarmed to the windows to watch.

“E-Excuse me, please let me through!” Princess Molly, forgetting her decorum, squeezed through a narrow gap and stuck her head out the window. She saw Simon holding Arthur’s wrist.

“Let me go, Simon!” Arthur shouted. “That guy is a real piece of—!”

“Stand down, Arthur,” Simon snapped, his voice cold as ice as he flung Arthur’s arm away.

Faced with a side of Simon he had never seen, Arthur hesitantly stepped back.

“You’re not an official Kizen student yet,” Simon continued. “If you assault the son of a noble, your admission could be revoked entirely.”

’Hahahahahaha!’ The prospective student roared with laughter. [Ah, finally! Someone in charge who talks some sense! You get it!]

“That’s why,” Simon said, his voice dropping.

Jaws dropped all around. Simon’s fist had mercilessly slammed into the prospective student’s face.

“Leave the rest to me.”

The student tumbled backward with a spray of blood from his nose, rolling pathetically on the ground. A fierce cheer erupted from all sides. Even a Kizen staff member who had been preparing a curse offered a quiet smile and lowered his hand.

Simon looked down at the prospective student, his expression unreadable.

[You bastard…!]

His nose was broken, and blood streamed down his face. A few teeth clattered to the ground.

“I am the Student Council President of Kizen,” Simon stated coldly. “I have a duty to protect the school’s people and property. And right now, you…” His gaze shifted to Arthur clutching his wrist and the attendant still on the ground. A deep anger laced his next words. “I don’t think anyone would have a problem if I legally beat you to a pulp.”

[You’re nothing but a low-ranking noble!] the student shrieked, scrambling to his feet. [I told you! I’m stronger than anyone here!]

A massive amount of jet-black energy, incomparable to before, erupted like a fountain. His body creaked as crack-like marks began to spiderweb across his skin.

“A black magic that grants immense power for a short time in exchange for destroying the body, isn’t it?” Simon sighed. “I don’t know if you can get into Kizen with something like that, but I guarantee you won’t last a few months. Life at Kizen is three years long.”

[Shut uuuuuup!] He raised his right arm, which had swollen to a grotesque size. With a sickening squelch, something like monster flesh began to protrude from it. [I’ll crush the Student Council President and prove my strength! I’ll make it so the Witch of Death has no choice but to admit me!]

He slammed the ground and charged, swinging his monstrous right arm, wreathed in jet-black.

Simon didn’t dodge. He simply took one hand out of his pocket and casually thrust it forward.

’Simon Original – Piercing Wave’

’BOOM!’

The two fists clashed mid-air. In terms of sheer size and power, the prospective student was the clear winner. Everyone watching expected Simon’s arm to snap.

But jet-black energy erupted from Simon’s fist, surging like a shockwave up the prospective student’s arm. With the sickening sound of twisting muscle, the student let out a horrific scream.

[Ghh! Gwaaaaaaah!] He clutched his ruined arm and stumbled backward. [Damn it all!]

His right arm shrank back to normal as his left arm began to swell. Gleaming claws sprouted from his fingertips, and he swung them at Simon, who remained perfectly still.

The attack didn’t even reach him. ’When did he—!’

An emerald rope was wrapped around the student’s right leg. When Simon pulled, his opponent was sent sprawling to the floor.

“You lack experience,” Simon said calmly. “Fights aren’t won with strength alone.”

[Grrr!]

The moment the humiliated student tried to push himself up, the sole of Simon’s shoe filled his vision, snapping his head back. Simon’s fist followed like lightning, leaving an afterimage as it connected with a sickening crunch.

Blows landed on his abdomen and chest, each one sending a tremor up his spine to rattle his brain. The student tried to swing his arm, but another tug on the Cloud sent him toppling to the floor again.

’Toying with me like this!’ The moment he pushed himself up, he saw Simon was already backing away. A large subspace had opened in the sky, and within it, blazing black fireballs were forming.

“Fire, mages,” Simon commanded.

’Dark Blaze’

With his legs immobilized, the prospective student was battered by a series of black fireballs and engulfed in the explosions. Simon calmly released the Cloud and gazed at the thick smoke. With a roar, the student blew the smoke away with a gust of wind, gritting his teeth as he unleashed his jet-black energy. It soared into the air and morphed into a volley of arrows.

[My turn!] Dozens of jet-black arrows rained down.

Once again, Simon stood his ground. ’Open Gate.’

Long, snake-like blades shot out from six directions, wrapping around Simon’s body like a closing flower bud, leaving no gaps. The jet-black arrows shattered against the rotating blades and vanished.

“Wow…!” a freshman gasped.

“He’s overwhelming him! He’s winning even though his opponent is using forbidden black magic!”

“Go, Mr. President!”

The freshmen, now captive spectators to Simon’s battle, were losing their minds with excitement.

[This bastard!]

The moment the Overlord blades retracted, Simon, who had been inside, vanished as if he had teleported.

No sooner had the student noticed the hole in the floor than Simon’s body burst through the deck from below, appearing right behind him.

’Sleep!’

Simon’s palm, inscribed with a magic circle, brushed past the student’s body. The student swung his arm wildly, forcing Simon back.

“What the… huh?”

Just like that, the mass of flesh rampaging across his body went slack. The immense power and explosive jet-black energy diminished significantly.

“What did you do?!”

“It’s simple.” Simon dusted off his palm. “I put the monster controlling your body to sleep.”

“There’s no way that’s possib—!”

Simon’s fist buried itself in his abdomen. With a choked gasp, he dropped to his knees. A follow-up kick sent him sprawling to the floor.

Simon brutally stomped on his face. He was helpless. The monster inside him didn’t respond. It was an utter, overwhelming defeat. He had never met such a powerful necromancer in his life.

’Wasn’t he just one year older than me?’

A dreadful fear made his entire body tremble, beyond his brain’s control. The student’s gaze lifted to meet the cold stare of the blue-haired demon, whose eyes seemed to glow.

“Lower your eyes,” Simon commanded.

There was no resisting such power.

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