Chapter 20: The First Assault
Crash! Thud! Boom!
Unlike the fierce battle unfolding in the central plaza, the annex courtyard was deathly silent.
Only one man stood before us, glaring, and we faced him in return. Nothing else moved.
While I had quickly adapted to the pressure exuded by the assassin as I mentally reviewed the plan, Ridipin and Reina were still trembling.
The assassin looked over us and spoke.
“Other than Reina Serenia, the rest of you leave this place. If you do, I won’t pursue you.”
I stepped forward, placing myself in front of the two who were still tense, and asked calmly.
“And what happens to Reina if we leave?”
“…Nothing drastic. If she’s survived this long, you must’ve figured it out. She’ll just be subdued and taken away.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at that.
“Seriously? With that voice, you’re still claiming to be a student?”
His voice was that of a considerably aged man.
“And spewing that murderous aura while saying she’ll be fine? That doesn’t really add up.”
Of course, everything I was saying could be denied. If he wanted, he could just attack us without saying a word.
But instead, the assassin drew his sword and pointed it directly at me.
The pale green longsword glinted under the moonlight, tinting the courtyard in its hue.
“Are you implying I intend to kill Reina Serenia?”
“…”
“But what difference does it make? Will you try to stop me with that trembling body?”
I thought I’d calmed down, but glancing at my hand, I saw it shaking.
I guess it’s impossible not to be scared.
But that doesn’t mean I can back down.
“I will stop you. No matter what. If Reina dies, I’ll be in a lot of trouble.”
At that, the assassin pointed toward Ridipin.
“And you?”
In the game, the assassin’s attack wasn’t treated as an event, so other characters never helped out.
So I had never seen Ridipin assist Reina in this situation before—but even so, I trusted her answer.
“If… If you’re trying to kill Reina… then I—I’ll stand in your way too!”
Timid and lacking confidence as she may be, Ridipin wasn’t someone who looked away from adversity.
I shrugged at the assassin, and he let out a deep sigh.
“You think someone of your level can stop me? Arrogant.”
He lowered his stance and raised his sword. I stepped back to align with the other two.
Then Reina spoke up.
“…Thanks, both of you. But you need to run. This isn’t someone we can deal with.”
“Because he’s after you, you want to act as bait so we can escape?”
Reina nodded without a word.
“You think you can be bait alone when even the three of us together can’t handle him?”
“…”
“Don’t go wrapping ‘I’ll die alone’ in pretty words. That’s just sad.”
“I don’t have a choice. Besides, this is my family’s matter. I can’t drag you into it.”
It seemed Reina knew a fair bit about the truth behind this incident.
Although the exact reason Lost Paradise wanted Reina dead was never fully explained, most players speculated it had to do with her family—the Serenia family.
A noble house destroyed for colluding with demons.
It was obvious such a house would have deep ties with Lost Paradise, and most players believed the assassin was sent to eliminate any lingering threats.
From what Reina was saying now, our guesses seemed accurate.
But—
“So what? Does that mean we shouldn’t protect you?”
“That’s…”
“And that whole bait plan is doomed to fail. If that guy kills you, he’ll kill us too to cover up the incident.”
“Ah…”
“And your premise is already off. Who said we can’t take him on together?”
“What?”
Sure, Reina’s judgment wasn’t wrong. If we’re just talking raw combat power, there’s no way we could win.
But that doesn’t mean she’s right. Victory in battle doesn’t hinge on strength alone.
Strategy, understanding your opponent, variables you can leverage… In that regard, our odds were better.
“I think he’s someone we can definitely beat together. Right, Ridipin?”
“Eh?! Ah, y-yes! I—I think so too!”
“Wait, no…”
“Ah, ah! That’s it. Majority rules. We’re not taking your vote.”
While Reina faltered, the assassin lunged toward us.
He closed the distance in a flash and aimed his sword at Reina.
She tried to react, but I was faster. I shoved her back and drew the Blessed Wind Sword from my coat, swinging it.
Clang!
Our swords clashed and were deflected, both of us stepping back.
“…!”
“…!”
“…!”
His strike wasn’t top-tier, but it was still a high-level blow. Yet I, a mage, blocked it—and everyone was stunned.
But for a veteran player like me, this was child’s play.
Smiling, I reassured the others.
“Don’t overthink it. Just fight like you would against second-years. Besides, it was three on one earlier—now it’s just one.”
Reina and Ridipin straightened up and readied their weapons.
“Let’s go!”
As I faced the assassin head-on, the others spread out to his flanks.
The assassin regained his focus and slashed at me.
His rapid strikes were far quicker than before.
[Equipment]
Name: Blessed Wind Sword
Rarity: Rare
Type: One-handed sword
Description: A sword blessed by the wind. Grants the user Lesser Wind’s Grace.
Name: Lesser Wind’s Grace
Type: Passive
Effect: Increases user’s movement and attack speed.
I used the passive to make up for my slower speed and blocked his attacks.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Our blades clashed viciously, and he started to push me back with overwhelming force.
His strength was far beyond mine—it was getting hard to endure.
Had I not trained under Reina in the Serenia style, my arm would’ve been wrecked already.
Still, I was barely maintaining balance… until he started mixing in feints.
I forgot—this isn’t a game. No enemy will just mindlessly repeat the same attacks.
I tried my best to adapt, but I got caught off guard. His blade shot for my neck.
But then, Reina charged in from the side.
[Serenia Style – Ignition]
Her sword flared like wildfire as it struck. But the assassin had been waiting—he deflected and aimed to slash her.
That’s when Ridipin twisted the path of his blade.
Screech!
While he was tangled up, Reina regained her footing and struck again.
Her Ignition was far more powerful than mine—it landed squarely.
Boom!
The strike created a shockwave, but the assassin didn’t bleed. Only his clothes were torn.
“Ugh! He’s using an aura armor?!”
Aura armor is a technique where you solidify energy over your skin.
Usually, it’s visible—but his was faint, meaning he hadn’t revealed his full power.
Still, it left a visible gash in his armor. It wasn’t a total miss.
Reina, however, had spent all her strength on that blow and couldn’t move.
The assassin rushed her again.
Ridipin tried to block, but he anticipated it, slipping past her.
I dashed in with Ignition and parried just in time.
Clang!
I hit him mid-motion while he was adjusting his grip, and he staggered.
The assassin growled at me.
“Flee now. If you forget what you’ve seen, you can live in peace.”
“No thanks.”
“Why? Weren’t you the empire’s infamous delinquent, living carefree? Why suddenly take on such a burdensome, pointless fight?”
I had many reasons.
One: I’m not the real Ban Astraea—I just possess his body. Two: My goal is to save Reina. And most importantly—
“Sure, it’s a pain. But it’s not pointless.”
If Reina lives and smiles, that’s more meaningful to me than almost anything.
He looked like he didn’t understand. Reina, meanwhile, was preparing another technique.
This time, I wrapped a long cloth around his arm and yanked hard.
“Don’t be picky—take your medicine.”
Before he could react, Reina’s Ignition shot forward and slammed straight into his stomach.
“Urgh!”
That strike was too much for thin aura armor to block.
Even so, the assassin endured the hit and hurled me to the ground.
“Agh!”
He broke free and tried to strike Reina down again.
But Ridipin once more jumped in and blocked.
Clang!
“Guh…!”
I distracted him up close, Reina dealt the main blows, and Ridipin covered the gaps.
The synergy we’d built over a week now shined.
We relentlessly pressed the assassin. Though his wounds weren’t severe, they were piling up.
His breathing became rough.
But he still hadn’t bled.
Reina, perhaps out of frustration, tried to land a deeper hit—but I yanked her back.
“Agh! What the—?!”
At that moment, the assassin unleashed his aura.
Boom!
A wild burst of energy whipped through the courtyard, buffeting us with fierce winds.
“Careful. The strongest enemies always hide their power. If you were hit by that up close, you’d have passed out.”
“…Thanks.”
We steadied ourselves and stared him down.
The swirling aura turned green and wrapped around his body, glowing like armor.
That was his Phase 2—Aura Mode.
From here, the difficulty skyrockets.
He now uses real sword techniques and augments all attacks with aura.
But that also means his attacks become more patterned.
The real threat is his aura armor—only high-level spells or techniques can pierce it.
I, at second-circle max, couldn’t break through it. Neither could Reina.
Originally, the plan was to break his pattern and strike when he weakened—but he’d already shown unpredictability earlier.
So I needed a variable.
Just then, Ridipin asked anxiously.
“D-Do you have a plan?”
“Sorry, but I need to ask something difficult of you.”
“M-Me…?”
I pulled out a bow and handed it to her.
A high-quality bow I bought from Cosmo Merchant Co.
She looked stunned as I placed it in her hands.
“W-Why are you giving me this…?”
“I told you—I know things about you.”
“…”
Her character event revealed that, with a bow, she could use aura even before enrollment.
That’s why I prepared one in advance. I had planned to give it to her once she overcame her trauma—but now was the time.
“Whether or not you use it is up to you. But it’s the only way.”
Ridipin stared at the bow.
I knew she hadn’t overcome her fear yet.
Just holding it didn’t mean she could fire it.
But if she could—this whole battle could turn.
I was about to convince her when Reina stepped in.
“Let’s be realistic. If Ridipin hasn’t gotten past her trauma, using the bow will only get in our way.”
At her firm words, Ridipin lowered her head.
“Even if she can use it, if one shot drains her completely, we’re better off without it.”
Reina wasn’t wrong. I was clinging to potential—she was facing reality.
But then, Reina let go of the bow.
“But even so—if you’re willing to try, Ban and I will do everything we can. If Ban’s this desperate, I believe in you too.”
Ridipin lifted her head, determined.
“I-I’ll… I’ll try!”
Her hands still trembled—but I trusted her will.
Just then, the assassin spoke again.
“Is your strategy meeting over?”
“Yeah, just finished.”
“…Last chance. Leave.”
“Didn’t you hear? We’re done strategizing. And this is our academy. If anyone’s leaving, it’s you.”
“Then… die!”
