Chapter 69: Shall We Call It a Draw?

It was a dim space.

There existed a round table.

Nine tables.

At that place, five flames were lit.

Flames of a purple hue.

All of them had the color of magic-infused flames.

Each possessed an enormous presence.

Han Yooju, kneeling towards the round table, trembled in fear.

'I made the right choice sticking to this place.'

Each presence could be considered on par with the heads of great families.

The Iron-Blood Sword Clan also boasted immense prestige, but not as much as these beings.

For they exist on several dimensions above.

The purple flames began to change.

As they started to take on human forms, the one wearing a mask inscribed with the character 'one' at the head seat lamented.

「All in one, it seems everyone has gathered. Even though it's a form of remote communication, to think only five have gathered.」

「We serve the Eight Demons. They are all depraved in nature and irredeemable trash, but they all move for the Demon King's manifestation in this world. 」

A kind voice of flame. A woman wearing a mask marked with the number three took up the conversation.

「When will the resurrection of the Insect Dragon King be possible?」

「He will be resurrected soon. Thanks to the ninth demon awakening another power, he lost the chance to fall into demonhood.」

「That's regrettable. Originally, the ninth demon should have been the one to manifest in this world.」

The conversation was between One and Three.

The Fifth joined in the conversation.

「Are you talking about the eldest son of the Iron-Blood Sword Clan? He may be called the Eternal Demon King, but isn't his strength 'fixed', making it meaningless?」

「Even so, the one who harbors the potential of the Demon King. Gathering the greatest strength from all times, that Demon King who can wield the power of time will obtain eternity, becoming the most powerful force.」

「Haha, that's absurd. Even by gathering their strength from all timelines, barely achieving transcendence, to say he could be stronger than an average demon.」

「Time and space. Those two attributes are so profound and rare. They are on a completely different dimension from others. Comparing them is meaningless to the extent.」

「What about the other demons who possess the attributes of dragons or immortality?」

「It's because eternity is the superior attribute to both immortality and dragons. That's why so much effort was put into it.」

「Eternity… That uniquely bizarre trait of time must have brought about other possibilities.」

The one wearing the 'one' character on their mask continued.

「If we move with determination, we might be able to capture her again, but that would be troublesome.」

「What, are you all scared? Just because of one girl?」

「The ninth has not been here long enough to know. The incident where three of the six apostles of demons, who set out to temporarily bind the Void Transcendent, ended up dead.」

「The earth's axis was bent through space itself, causing the world's stock market to crash.」

「What? That wasn't a natural phenomenon?」

「Do not underestimate the Void Transcendent She may be acting as the head of the academy, but she has awakened one of the three attributes of time, space, and creation, reaching transcendence. Even if she is said to be on the same level as other transcendent beings, what she can do is on a different dimension.」

「Let's end the idle talk here. Time is gold for us all. Let's move on to the next agenda.」

The first one spoke up to that point and then continued.

「The god of those despicable hypocrites. What happened to the plan to invade their country?」

「There are no issues with the incident related to America. The fox, White-Faced Golden Fur, is very cooperative.」

「Well, I suppose. Betrayed by trusted subordinates, settling in Japan only to be betrayed again.」

「The Demon of Pleasure also helped. She will burn herself completely to reach transcendence and turn America into chaos.」

「A fitting method for the land of hypocrites.」

「There were too many talents. They reached the level of transcendence, but ironically, they couldn't produce talents like the Void Transcendent. That's why they are bound there.」

That's why it was a possible method as well.

The first mask said with a chilling laugh.

「Proceed with the plan. Tell the fox, White-Faced Golden Fur, to create chaos. While their attention is diverted, let's plan for the revival of the Insect Dragon King, the progenitor of all insects.」

The flames flickered fiercely.

It was because they were exuding an enormous presence.

They were showing a will to execute the plan by any means.

「But, there are still risks involved. What about them?」

「We must gather and eliminate all the heroes of America who could threaten White-Faced Golden Fur.」

「How will we do that?」

「Donate the Mirror of Yata.」

「…!!」

The purple flames flickered intensely.

Mirror of Yata

It is considered a treasure even by the eight demons.

A mystical item that measures the 'karma' of its user and leads everyone to the spiritual world.

Its efficacy is simple.

It attracts the power known as one's prime to oneself.

And the prime of the fox, White-Faced Golden Fur, possessed enough power to devour even the transcendents easily.

「Then, the main framework of this invasion plan is set. Let's handle the minor details one by one.」

Slap.

After striking him, he shrugged his shoulders and said,

"Keuk, kill me!"

"What do you mean kill, you bastard."

Even if I lose my mind, I distinguish between those who should be killed and those who should not.

This kid has a bit of a temper, but he's not someone to kill.

"To give me such humiliation! Better to kill me and prove my innocence!!"

No, damn it.

'…Should I just close my eyes and kill him?'

I've engraved patience twice.

Thinking about it, it's quite regrettable. If I commit murder, I don't have to hold back three times.

While seriously contemplating whether to kill him or not, I heard the sound of a car from afar.

Could this place be inhabited by people?

There's someone capable of thought.

'Probably the most suffering position.'

I'm reminded of my time as an imperial mage during my second life.

Among the six other tower masters besides me, none were sane.

'Even the Duke of Extermination was strange at times.'

For instance, buying something utterly useless for more than a hundred times its value.

Or when I was attending school, pretending to be a student.

I really liked the Duke of Extermination, but…

No matter what, it was a bit much for an elf several hundred years old to come to school and want to date me there.

Drrrk.

While I was lost in thought, the bus came to a stop.

A woman got off there.

The aura she emitted was roughly… the early stages of the High Realm.

However, her uniform was splendid.

She must be a high rank unlike the Instructor Michael lying there.

"Professor Han Seojin, how are you?"

"Is this how America treats its guests?"

"…I'm sorry. Although it was Michael's unilateral decision, it's also our fault for not managing properly.

Bowing immediately makes it somewhat better.

I looked around.

After a bit of a commotion, the surroundings started to become visible.

The burly students of the Holy Empire Academy.

All of them were looking at me with eyes filled with fear and admiration simultaneously.

"Instructor Michael was defeated so easily."

"His body looks infinitely frail, but is it a form of compressed muscle?"

"Uh…but, I don't want a frail body like that."

'Good grief.'

Seeing them, I understand why it's called a barbaric country.

And Yoo Eunchae's words were easy to understand.

'The country that is easiest to corrupt yet hardest to corrupt.'

I understand.

The students of the Holy Empire Academy were innocently naive for their age.

The Academy could interact with other countries and was built on an artificial island, making it a transportation hub.

That must have brought a variety of people.

And those people would have used any means of getting in.

I don't think using status and connections is bad.

Because it allows one to exaggerate one's abilities.

But on the other hand, it meant that they lacked real skills.

But these people were different.

'A country where only those verified throughout the US can attend.'

While the Academy engaged in politicking, the Holy Empire distanced itself from such things.

Of course, there'd still be some degree of politics, but compared to the Academy, it would be almost playful.

The thoughts running through their minds were different.

'I will improve my skills in the meantime.'

'I will strive to beat others.'

Regrettably, their efforts were directed towards building muscle.

'No, maybe that's not it.'

The body was a vessel.

And mana or divine power was the water that fills it.

The water here was endlessly heavy and complete.

There will be a moment when it grows explosively.

'He's not just weak.'

I watched Instructor Michael getting up, groaning.

Because it's me, I can beat him like this, but it would be difficult for others.

Probably, he's among the stronger ones in his rank.

'But he's below the Sword Saint I faced before.'

In other words, excluding the Sword Saint, he seemed to be the strongest among those I've met so far.

"You, you're impressive. To think you had such strength hidden in that frail body."

"…"

Had this bastard not come to his senses even after being beaten?

No, this was just how this guy was.

This was something that wouldn't change even if he died and came back to life.

Instructor Michael looked at me with sparkling eyes, whether he knew what I was thinking or not.

"You, what kind of training do you undergo?"

"Training?"

"That body looks utterly frail, but I felt it. That your frail body has muscles even stronger than mine!"

Michael's words caused a stir around us.

"What, what did he say?!"

"Stronger muscles than Instructor Michael?!"

"…"

Did these bastards fill their heads with muscles instead of brains?

'I never imagined I'd miss the Academy again.'

Whether he knew what I was thinking, Yoo Eunchae approached me and whispered in my ear.

"Respected teacher, wouldn't giving those guys a good thrashing be okay?"

"…A thrashing?"

"Yes, it seems like they really want to emulate your strength, teacher."

"…!!"

My students looked at Yoo Eunchae with surprised expressions.

"Se, seriously, Yoo Eunchae… you're thinking of doing that?!"

"No, it's those barbarians who want it."

"…!!"

"Let's do it."

The students spoke in a meaningful tone.

"Hehe, it would be too unfair if only we… were to suffer at the hands of our teacher, right?"

"While it's unwelcome for the barbarians to become stronger…"

"Wouldn't it be okay since we become stronger in the process? The Han Seojin training method is even spreading around the academy."

"Come to think of it, I saw other first-year kids slowly crawling along the cliff too."

"So let's do it now. We can't be the only ones suffering…!"

"You…!"

And with each word Yoo Eunchae spoke, they began to burst into exclamations of amazement.

"Everyone, pay attention. You want muscles comparable to our evil…teacher, right?!"

Yoo Eunchae spoke English with incredibly fluent pronunciation.

"That Problem Child has such language skills… It's time to reassess her."

"It must be a trait. There's no way that dumb brain of his could speak a foreign language."

Shin Yura retorted to Abel's muttering.

Regardless, the American students were ecstatic about Yoo Eunchae's words.

"Could it be that you guys know?!"

"We do know. We are the elite students personally trained by him."

"…Indeed, you maintain bodies that seem like they would break with a mere touch."

"….Should I really kill these motherfuckers? A pretty body is much better than a stupidly bulky one, you know?"

"Huh? What did you say?"

"No, I will teach you a method."

Yoo Eunchae looked at the students with a smile.

And that smile was the kind I'd have when 'causing trouble.'

"Sa, save us! The devil with orange hair is trying to kill us!"

"Haha, people don't die from such things! Hey, you, with the slightly bent knees and uneven eyes! You get an additional weight of 10kg!"

"Hans! Hans has fallen!"

"Hans? When people die, they're not treated as people but as objects. And if you fall here, it means you died on a real battlefield! From now on, call that one Trash 1."

"Trash 1!!!!!!"

"…"

I didn't understand when Abel or others called Yoo Eunchae a troublemaker.

'She's not just a troublemaker.'

I looked at Seon Woohyeon.

It's not that Yoo Eunchae should call Seon Woohyeon a psychopath.

'Isn't she the real psychopath?'

There was someone similar to that woman.

If another guy showed potential and raised him, later surpassing the level of the one who raised him.

'Do you look good?'

He would pat the head of his master.

'We need to add some character education.'

Yoo Eunchae would never beat me, even if she came back to life.

But no matter how I thought about it, she needed some character education.