Chapter 131: Midterms Exams [IX]

’…A Secret Class?’

Gray raised an eyebrow in surprise as he tapped on it.

The moment his finger touched it, everything around him darkened. The noise, the ruined arena, the scattered bodies, all of it vanished into nothing but silence and shadow.

And then, a voice echoed inside his mind.

[——𖤐 Secret Class: Villain 𖤐——]

The air trembled, and the shadow beneath Gray’s feet stretched, curling upward like ribbons, swirling around him like smoke.

For a moment, Gray stared at the name in silence.

His lips twitched lightly, and a faint grin spread across his face.

“Fitting,” he muttered.

He scrolled down, reading the class details. Unlike the usual classes, this one didn’t have any flashy skills or combat techniques.

Instead, there were only a few passive abilities… simple, but terrifying.

[Villain’s Presence] – Your killing intent and aura grow stronger the more fear and hatred are directed toward you. The weaker the opponent’s resolve, the stronger your power becomes.

[Cruel Instinct] – In battle, your body moves on its own toward the most painful and effective strikes. Hesitation is erased.

[Shadow of Sin] – Every kill leaves a trace of darkness that strengthens your body and sharpens your senses. The more you fight, the more terrifying your presence becomes.

Gray stared at the list, his reflection shining faintly on the floating screen.

“…All passive, huh?”

He looked at the class for a moment, but he still didn’t accept it. After all, the skill [Shadow of Sin] bothered him.

Gray doesn’t know what kind of “trace” it is, but if it appears every time he kills someone and someone recognizes that the “trace” comes for him, that could bring him unnecessary trouble.

[…It doesn’t.]

’Huh?’

Gray froze.

He blinked, staring at the floating text.

The words had appeared without him doing anything.

’…The Akashic Records is talking…?’ He frowned deeply.

[Yes.]

’So you can speak.’ Gray’s eyes narrowed slightly.

[You are special enough for me to talk with you. And more importantly, you’re the first person I’ve ever granted a Class to directly.]

[Normally, Secret Classes appear as part of the selection process. But this one, this Villain Class, is different. It doesn’t belong to the normal system. There was no one worthy of it, except you.]

’Is that why you’re letting me see the skills and details before even choosing? If I remember correctly, the other Gray only saw the name of each class.’

[Indeed. He was lucky enough to have Jasmine; if not, he wouldn’t have probably chosen such an overwhelmingly powerful class.]

’Mhm… it doesn’t leave traces, it’s alright for me.’

He crossed his arms and looked at the class window again, his black eyes reflecting the faint purplish glow.

’However, if I may ask, why are there only passive skills?’

[Because you don’t need any active skills. Your Sword Art is already ranked as a Semi-God Grade technique. And you’ve nearly mastered a God-Grade movement skill. What more could you possibly require?]

Listening to its words, Gray thought about it for a moment.

’…A skill that lets me increase my soul power through the cultivation of the mind.’

[Oh? So even when you switch with the other Gray, you want your own soul to grow stronger.]

’Yes, honestly, I was going to let him take over my body when we fused, but from what I’ve seen so far… he doesn’t deserve it.’

Gray’s eyes turned cold.

[Interesting. Very well, then.]

[New Passive Skill Granted: “Sinful Mind”]

Gray’s eyes flicked upward as another window opened.

[Sinful Mind] – Your soul strengthens through thought and awareness. The more you learn, experience, and understand, the denser your spiritual power becomes. You can increase your soul power by meditating.

“…Not bad,” he muttered under his breath.

[Good. Then I’ll take my leave. Have a pleasant day, Gray.]

’…Thanks?’ he replied flatly, unsure how to respond to the strange familiarity in the Akashic Records’ tone.

Then, just as the light from the window faded, another soft chime rang.

[Ding!]

[Secret Class “Villain” successfully accepted.]

A faint wave of dark energy rippled from his body as another panel, but with all the information of his class inside it, appeared.

[——𖤐 Class Acquired: Villain 𖤐——]

[Grade: Secret | Path Level: Novice]

[Class Type: Evil]

[Trait: Loved By Evil Creatures]

[Specialty: Manipulation & Destruction]

[Core Skill Unlocked — 『Sinful Mind』]

Your soul strengthens through thought and awareness.

The more you learn, experience, and understand, the denser your soul power becomes.

You can increase your soul power by meditating.

[First Passive Skill: Villain’s Presence]

Your killing intent and aura grow stronger the more fear and hatred are directed toward you.

The weaker the opponent’s resolve, the stronger your power becomes.

[Second Passive Skill: Cruel Instinct]

In battle, your body moves on its own toward the most painful and effective strikes.

Hesitation is erased.

[Third Passive Skill: Shadow of Sin]

Every kill leaves a trace of darkness that strengthens your body and sharpens your senses.

The more you fight, the more terrifying your presence becomes.

——+——+——+——

“Mhm… perfect,” Gray nodded lightly.

[Ding! It’s detected that the user has already performed countless actions that were those of a Villain!]

[The Class Proficiency is rising…]

[Congratulations! Your Class has reached the Intermediate Path Level!]

[All skills have been strengthened!]

[Congratulations! Your Class has reached the High Path Level!]

[All skills have been strengthened!]

[Congratulations! Your Class has reached the Master Path Level!]

[All skills have been strengthened!]

[Congratulations! Your Class has reached the GrandMaster Path Level!]

[All skills have been strengthened!]

[Ding! The remaining villainous actions bumped the proficiency to 72%!]

Instantly, the dark aura rippling through Gray’s body increased significantly. And it was finally at that moment that Gloria’s bored expression dissipated.

She licked her lips as she looked deeply at Gray’s body, which seemed much more different than before.

“Fuu…”

Gray finally turned to the remaining students in the arena. Somehow, they were dumb enough not to attack him when he was on cloud nine.

His teammates wouldn’t attack him, obviously, but Maelis’s group had completely wasted such a perfect chance.

“Ha… let’s finish this already. I don’t want to waste time on this meaningless exam.”

He rolled his shoulders, stretching lightly before walking toward Maelis’s group.

In response, Maelis stepped forward to meet him, her black hair swaying softly as she turned her head toward her teammates.

“Deal with those… pests,” her eyes turned cold at the last word.

Then, her lips curled up into a faint smile as she finally noticed that Gray’s attention was on her, and no one else.

“Big brother~,” she purred, leaning forward slightly, her voice smooth and playful. “What was that surge of power? You’ve become so… different.”

“A small breakthrough,” he replied flatly.

Then, before she could say another word, he slowly reached out his hand.

“Huh?” Maelis blinked, surprised when his fingers brushed through her long, silky black hair.

Brush, brush~

That mada Maelis’s brain circuit froze as her eyes widened, feeling Gray’s gentle palm brush against her luscious black hair.

Rustle…

Then his hand moved lower, tracing down the side of her face. His fingers slid under her chin, lifting her head slightly until her gaze met his.

“My dear little sister…” he murmured, his voice was so gentle that it almost sounded affectionate.

He pinched her jaw lightly, thumb brushing against her lower lip before pressing past it, slipping inside her mouth.

“Ah—” she let out a short sound, surprised, a faint blush coloring her cheeks as her breath trembled.

Her tongue brushed his thumb unconsciously, and her eyes widened as realization hit.

Her face turned red, her heart skipping a beat. But before she could move, speak, or even react…

THUD!

Gray’s fist slammed into her stomach.

The impact was so sudden that the air exploded out of her lungs. Her body bent forward violently as pain spread through her torso.

“Guh—!”

She coughed, a small spray of spit and blood escaping her lips as she stumbled backward.

Gray straightened his wrist calmly, his expression completely void of the affectionate persona just a few seconds ago.

“Don’t flirt with me during a fight,” he said flatly.

Maelis’s body trembled as she clutched her stomach, her once playful grin completely gone.

“Ugh…” She bit her lower lip lightly, a faint tremor passing through her body.

For a moment, it almost looked like she would yield, but then, that familiar spark of pride lit up in her green eyes.

She straightened, brushing the blood off her lips before smiling faintly.

“If that’s what you want, big brother… …then let’s fight!”

She flicked her wrist, and her staff appeared in her hand in a flash of violet light.

The smooth black shaft was topped with a glowing orb, a perfect-grade mana stone, pulsing with deep purple energy that distorted the air around it.

Thruum!

The ground trembled softly beneath her feet as the orb hummed.

“Finally taking it seriously, huh?” Gray tilted his head slightly.

’…A fight with her should be enough for me to test the [Cruel Instinct] skill,’ he thought inwardly.

Maelis didn’t answer.

She raised her staff high, and the air around Gray suddenly tightened.

CRACK—CRACK—!

The floor beneath him split apart, the force of gravity spiking several times over in an instant. Gray’s boots dug into the stone, his knees bending slightly from the sudden pressure.

“…Weak.”

He twisted his sword upward, his blade humming with a dark aura, and then…

SWOOOOSH!

He vanished.

Maelis’s eyes widened, instinct kicking in as she waved her staff sideways, sending a gravity wave in a sweeping arc.

The air bent and rippled as an invisible force slammed outward.

BOOM!

Gray’s body reappeared just to her left, sliding across the ground from the sudden shift.

He used the momentum to spin his sword, twisting the hilt sharply and forcing her to stumble a step back as her staff met his blade with a loud clang.

“Too slow.”

Clang!

Fwip!

Each strike from Gray came faster than the last, his dark aura leaving faint trails of black mist in the air.

Maelis blocked the first two swings, but the third cut straight through her barrier, grazing her arm.

She hissed sharply.

“Tch… You always were brutal!”

She slammed her staff into the ground, and the entire arena shook.

BOOOOOOM!

The gravity around them warped instantly.

The debris, the sand, even the loose stones lifted from the ground and started spinning violently around her. The pressure was so strong that the air twisted like a storm.

Gray narrowed his eyes and took a step forward, only for his legs to suddenly feel ten times heavier.

His boots cracked the floor as he forced his body to move, muscles tightening from the strain.

“Cute trick,” he muttered, raising his sword again.

FWOOM!

He vanished once more, his outline blurring.

Maelis’s eyes snapped to the left, but it was too late.

A dark shape appeared behind her.

CLANG!

She barely turned her staff in time to block, sparks flying as the blades met. The force of the hit sent her sliding backward, her feet carving two deep trails in the stone.

“Damn it!” she growled, lifting her staff again and sending out another gravity pulse.

Gray ducked low this time, rolling to the side before spinning on one foot and bringing his sword down in a precise, diagonal cut.

The blow slammed against her shoulder guard, the pressure cracking her armor slightly.

She gritted her teeth, swinging her staff up in retaliation.

THOOM!

A sudden burst of gravity exploded from the tip, point-blank.

Gray crossed his arms in front of his chest, sliding backward across the arena floor, boots screeching against the cracked ground.

He lifted his gaze, dark aura flickering faintly around his shoulders again.

“…Not bad,” he said quietly.

Maelis was panting, her hands trembling slightly from the strain, but her eyes still burned fiercely.

“You’re not beating me that easily!” She pointed her staff forward again.

Gray rolled his eyes at her words before vanishing once again.

Fwoop!

In an instant, he crossed the space between them, his sword slashing down faster than her eyes could follow.

Maelis tried to counter, her staff glowing as she bent the gravity field toward him again,

But Gray twisted his wrist, changing the direction mid-swing.

His blade slid along the staff’s edge and slammed into her ribs with the flat side, knocking the air out of her lungs.

“Guh—!”

Her body flew backward, crashing into the cracked floor. The impact sent a shockwave rippling across the arena, scattering dust and shards of stone into the air.

Gray stepped forward slowly, his sword resting against his shoulder.

Maelis tried to rise, but the pressure of his aura pinned her down.

Her breath came in short gasps, but even then, she smirked weakly.

“Still… as cruel as ever…”

Gray looked down at her in silence for a moment.

’…The skill is quite interesting… It’s telling me the other people’s weak points while adjusting my movements to make it so they would suffer more pain.’

’Now…’

His eyes turned slighly colder.

’Should I torture her a bit?’

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