Chapter 174: Identity Revealed? (4)

“Did I?”

“Yeah.”

“I think it was some seniors…… Anyway, that’s not what’s important. So what about you, Ivan?”

“What do you mean, what about me? What all of a sudden?”

“Do you really not feel anything strange about Senior Gerard at all? You’ve gone on off-campus activities with the senior often.”

That was true.

I touched my chin.

To be honest, it wasn’t that there was nothing at all.

Because there was just one similarity.

─‘Lion Slash isn’t a vision where you simply bend your waist back and then strike down hard with the sword. Watch carefully.’

I couldn’t remember the exact date, but I think it was about two months ago.

It was a day when the three of us, Gerard, Yuria and I, were training together.

That day, Gerard had taught the two of us a secret move.

Kwaang!

─‘Did you see?’

─‘Yes. You rotated the sword half a turn before pulling it back behind your head.’

─‘As expected, you noticed right away, Ivan. You’re right. That’s how you increase its destructive power.’

It was the Lion Slash.

A one-hit-kill swordsmanship technique where you pull a two-handed sword back behind your head and then explosively release your aura in an instant to powerfully slash the space in front of you.

It was the vision most often chosen by cadets who had learned Royal Swordsmanship to make up for their lack of a finishing move.

─‘It’s a similar principle to how the impact force increases the more you pull back the rubber band when shooting a slingshot. This is a little trick I’m teaching only you two, so don’t tell anyone, okay?’

Gerard had definitely said that that day.

That it wasn’t covered in the secret tome but could increase the power of the Lion Slash.

A special secret move that he was only telling Yuria and me.

But that very secret move.

I had seen it in a different place, from someone other than Gerard.

That day, the swordsmanship that had leaped into the sky, split the Skeleton Lord’s tough jawbone in half, and put an end to the War of Villains, was the Lion Slash.

No.

Its name was.

─‘Wait a moment, Senior.’

─‘Why, Yuria?’

─‘Then that’s not Lion Slash. It’s a completely different vision.’

─‘Is that so? Well, the base form has the framework of Lion Slash, but if you add the move I taught you, it becomes a different technique from the sword path to the result. Then what should we do? Should we call it something different among ourselves?’

─‘Yes!’

─‘What should we call it?’

─‘Hmm. Half-Moon Slash?’

─‘Oh! That’s good, Yuria. Let’s call it that.’

Its name, she had said, was Half-Moon Slash.

Gerard had liked it, and Yuria was happy too.

I smiled along with them.

A sword that drew a perfect arc, like a crescent moon hanging in the night sky, leaving both beauty and horror in the hearts of those who saw it.

I thought it was a fitting name.

Of course, I clearly remembered the form of that swordsmanship from that time.

So the moment I saw it from Skull Mask, I couldn’t help but be extremely surprised and confused.

I must have seen it wrong.

Or, the technique that Gerard said only he knew was actually known by a few other people.

And Skull Mask was one of them.

So, a coincidence.

In this way, I had been trying my best to ignore the similarity I had found between Skull Mask and Gerard.

“You. There is something, isn’t there?”

But I had an underlying sense of unease, and it must have shown on my face.

Guillaume, who had been quietly observing my face and reaction from the side, asked insinuatingly with a glint in his eye.

“…….”

I hesitated for a moment.

In any case, the story about the technique was information shared only by me, Yuria and Gerard.

Even though Guillaume was my best friend, I was a bit reluctant to tell him everything.

“What is there? There’s nothing.”

So I gave a faint smile and shook my head.

“……Really?”

“Yeah. It’s just, I have a bad feeling.”

Guillaume looked at me with suspicious eyes, but I continued to speak nonchalantly.

“The rumor that Senior Gerard and Skull Mask are the same person. I don’t know who started it, but I think it’s more important to see through the hidden intention behind the rumor than to determine its truth.”

“Intention?”

“Yeah. Isn’t it strange, Guillaume? At this very moment, when Skull Mask has revealed himself in earnest and become the center of attention, a photo of Senior Gerard was posted all over the campus. The timing is just too perfect.”

“……Is that so?”

“I’m speculating that this is all a grand scheme orchestrated by someone. And that someone is highly likely to be the Beltus Cult. To them, Senior Gerard who stopped the Academy terror, and Skull Mask who stopped the Skeleton Lord. Both are clear enemies and targets for elimination.”

This was literally a guess based on the preceding circumstances.

However, I thought it was a highly plausible inference.

“But I heard the Cult and Skull Mask are on the same side.”

“It seems they had a falling out for some reason. This will become clear if we watch what happens next. Anyway, with these unprecedented events happening one after another, what we need to do is prepare ourselves thoroughly. The chaos will continue, and the Academy will be at the center of it.”

I still hadn’t forgotten the tragedy of the Entrance Festival.

How could I forget?

The time when everything collapsed, and also when everything began.

“The Academy is going to continue to be in an uproar. We can’t get swept up in it.”

Guillaume, who had been listening quietly, also nodded his head vigorously.

“You’re right. That’s why I wish even more that Senior Gerard would sort out his position as soon as possi…… Huh? It’s Yuria.”

“Yuria……?”

“Yeah. Over there.”

It was true.

The tree next to the main gate of the male dormitory that Guillaume was pointing to.

In the deep shade cast beneath it, Yuria was sitting on a bench, staring endlessly into the male dormitory.

She looked as if she was waiting for someone.

And I could easily guess who that someone was without much thought.

“What are you doing here, Yuria?”

However, I walked over to the bench where she was sitting and purposefully asked her objective.

“Ah, Ivan. I’m waiting for Senior Gerard.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. To have lunch together. What about you guys?”

Yuria’s black eyes took in me and Guillaume standing next to me.

“We just finished training and were on our way back…….”

“Is Senior Gerard coming out now?”

Just then, Guillaume cut me off and asked.

I looked at Guillaume with a puzzled expression, but Guillaume, unfazed, fixed his gaze on Yuria.

“He should be out soon. Why do you ask?”

“Ah. Then can I wait with you? I had something to ask him anyway.”

“To the senior?”

“Yeah.”

“What is it you want to ask?”

I had a feeling, and that feeling turned out to be exactly right.

At Yuria’s question, Guillaume’s mouth opened without a hint of hesitation.

“What else? Of course, it’s about Skull Mask. What’s Senior Gerard doing? Why hasn’t he said anything yet?”

“Hey, Guillaume.”

I hurriedly tried to stop him, but Guillaume retorted back at me instead.

“Why? You’re curious too, aren’t you, Ivan? That’s why we were talking about this all the way here.”

“No.”

Flustered, I looked ahead.

But the milk was already spilt.

Yuria’s gaze, fixed on us, had grown chillingly cold.

“……Haa.”

I swept a hand over my forehead and let out a deep sigh.

Right. We did come here talking about Gerard and Skull Mask.

But, isn’t there a right time for everything?

It was only a few hours ago that Yuria, angered by the gossip about Gerard, had smashed a training machine and left.

So what could possibly be gained by seeking her out and provoking her by bringing this up?

But Guillaume, whether he was unaware of these circumstances or pretending not to be, continued to speak.

“Ah-ah. Don’t get me wrong, Yuria. We were just curious why Senior Gerard is staying quiet without making a statement. We just came to ask that.”

“The senior is not Skull Mask. So there’s nothing to make a statement about.”

“Hmm? Hey. That’s not right.”

Guillaume continued.

“There are a lot of questionable points just like the rumors say, and on top of that, a photo was taken. Then he should at least say something. I think that’s a courtesy to us juniors who believed in Senior Gerard, and to the professors and for the Academy.”

“……The senior probably has a lot on his mind. Of course, he’ll need time to sort it out. He’ll take care of it on his own without you guys stirring things up like this.”

“Ah, so. When exactly is he going to take care of it?”

Was it because Guillaume’s voice got louder?

Crack. For the first time, a crack appeared on Yuria’s ice-doll-like expression.

“Don’t cross the line, Guillaume.”

The atmosphere instantly turned icy.

Thinking something might happen again, I hurriedly mediated between the two.

“What’s wrong? Both of you, stop it. Hey, Guillaume? Let’s do as Yuria says. Senior Gerard must have his reasons.”

Guillaume shook his head.

“Wait a second. Hey, Yuria. What are you going to do if Senior Gerard really is Skull Mask? The trouble you caused at the training hall and the mistake you’re making with me now, we can let that slide. But can you handle it yourself? I’m asking this out of genuine concern. That you might collapse from the sense of betrayal.”

“No, Guillaume. Let’s stop there and go…….”

Just then.

“I don’t care.”

At her completely unexpected answer, I turned my head and looked at Yuria.

Don’t care?

About what?

I wanted to confirm what she really meant, but I had to drop the question because of a sudden commotion.

It was the professors.

Led by the Vice-Dean, there was Department Head Allen and Department Head Pirion.

And Student Affairs Officer Baron and Personnel Officer Rodrig.

Cadets were following behind them.

I knew the reason at once.

Gerard.

So when the professors passed through the main gate of the male dormitory, Yuria shot up from the bench and followed them.

“What are you doing, Ivan?”

“Huh?”

“Let’s follow them too.”

“Ah, okay.”

Watching Yuria’s back and thinking about her previous answer, I came to my senses at Guillaume’s words and started walking.

***

There was a knock, so I opened the door.

The dormitory supervisor, Rubinus, was standing there.

“Cadet Gerard.”

“Yes. I know. I’ll be right out.”

“…….”

It’s been incredibly noisy outside for a while now.

If I open the curtains, dozens of pairs of eyes filled with curiosity, anticipation, and excitement are staring at my room.

They are people demanding the truth.

And I left the dormitory to give them an answer to that demand.

Step, step.

The dormitory courtyard.

The person who greeted me at the very front was the Vice-Dean.

“You were inside, Gerard.”

“Of course.”

“You know full well why we have come here, don’t you?”

Of course I do.

You came to confirm whether I’m Skull Mask or not.

“I should have gone to you first. I’m sorry.”

You all went to the great trouble of dragging your esteemed selves all the way here because you were afraid I’d run away if you called me over the broadcast.

As I feigned an apologetic expression and scratched my head, the professors’ eyes glinted sharply.

Especially Allen Desico.

That geezer had been staring at me as if he wanted to eat me alive from the start and my leisurely attitude must have been an eyesore because it looked like he was about to breathe fire at any moment.

“Then I’ll ask.”

Whatever, I ignored his gaze and looked at the Vice-Dean.

“Cadet Gerard, what is your relationship with Skull Mask?”

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