’Guess I was right... but why does the spell only trigger after death? That’s suspicious.’ Dapper mused, sheathing his saber.
"H-How could you kill someone so easily like that?" Shinro asked, still shaken. The vomit and stench were fading, but the image lingered in his mind.
"Huh... the same way you kill monsters. Blood spills either way," Dapper answered calmly.
"B-But monsters are different! They’re not like us. And the way you fought—it wasn’t normal. Please... I want you to teach me," Shinro said, bowing deeply.
Dapper tilted his head, slightly confused.
"To me, those guys were no different from monsters. If you can kill a monster, you can kill a human. Saying otherwise is like claiming it’s okay to kill a Beastkin but not a human. That’s peak hypocrisy. Besides, I still have a lot to learn too—that’s why I came to this academy. If you want to stick around as my friend... then catch up to me, Shinro," Dapper said, patting him lightly on the shoulder.
"Hello, Mister... T-Thank you for saving me," the red-haired girl said with a deep bow, interrupting Dapper and Shinro.
"Oh, well... To be honest, I didn’t want to interfere at first. The whole fight was pointless anyway. Those guys already revived," Dapper said, shaking his head.
"N-No! You really saved me! Even if people can get revived here, that won’t bring back my dignity or virginity if I had been raped!" the red-haired girl argued, her expression filled with gratitude.
"You mean... you are a virgin?" Dapper asked, tilting his head slightly to get a better look at her.
"Stupid! Why would you ask a woman that?!" Shinro shouted, slapping Dapper lightly on the head.
"She literally said it herself though!" Dapper protested, rubbing the spot where Shinro hit him.
"Alright, what’s your name?" Dapper asked, shifting the conversation.
"My name is Riley," the red-haired girl replied.
"Riley, huh... I’ll remember that. You’re a pretty skilled Mage, but I noticed your only real weakness is being limited to that staff when casting spells, right?" Dapper asked.
"A-Ahem... that’s kind of a personal issue," Riley said in a soft voice.
’Must be a system limitation or some kind of condition,’ Dapper thought, glancing back at the Ice Shards she had created. The scene instantly reminded him of Elena, someone his age who could cast powerful spells without even draining her Mana pool.
Inside a large, office-like room, Deegan sat with several others, their eyes glued to multiple holographic screens suspended before them.
Deegan was laughing hysterically, overflowing with excitement.
"None of them could even stand under my Mana pressure, yet they’re the most entertaining bunch of applicants I’ve ever seen. Brutal, ruthless, strategic... Just the kind of soldiers the Empire needs!" he grinned maniacally, his eyes locked on one particular screen.
Beside him, a woman let out a quiet sigh. Seeing Deegan meant his interest had been fully piqued—and particularly in one boy.
"Dora, what do you think about that boy?" another man in the room asked, glancing at her.
"Mmm... I don’t see much in him beyond his dirty little tricks—pulling out a Mana gun from his space ring to catch an enemy off-guard. He’s ruthless, no doubt, since he didn’t hesitate to kill. But potential? I don’t really see it. I think Deegan likes him for his cunning or some other reason. My interest is more on that red-haired girl. Huge Mana pool, but limited by that ugly staff—probably due to her system. Now imagine what she could do with something much smaller," Dora said, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"I see... I’ve got my eyes on someone else. That boy," the man said, pointing at a screen showing a white-haired boy. "He’s hiding his true power," he added with a knowing smile.
"I’m more interested in this one," came another voice, gesturing toward a different screen showing a bulky participant tearing apart Kobolds with his bare hands—and also beating up other applicants.
"Uhh, no pretty boys here. Such a bummer..." Jack muttered as he punched a boy square in the face, lifting him clean off the ground. He spat on the boy’s face and casually tossed him aside like garbage.
Wearing a wide grin, Jack turned his attention to the group of Kobolds charging toward him, armed with crude weapons of all kinds.
With both hands still in his pockets, Jack strolled toward them, stopping right in front of the group. The oppressive aura leaking from his body made the Kobolds freeze, their weapons clattering to the ground as they pissed themselves in terror.
Then, without warning, Jack began grabbing them one by one—ripping them apart with nothing but brute force. Purple blood gushed everywhere, soaking his skin and clothes as he tore through them like paper.
"Sigh... still no handsome faces. But I know I saw plenty during the earlier gathering," Jack muttered with a frown. Just then, he perked up as faint voices echoed from deeper in the tunnel.
"Humans..." he whispered, his grin stretching wider as he began walking toward the sound.
Jack, having been sold as a slave and brutally abused by aristocrats during his childhood, developed a twisted hatred for them—especially for attractive men, who reminded him of his former master. It was that same man who carved the scar across Jack’s face. Since then, Jack became a psychopath who preyed on nobles and good-looking guys alike, his violent tendencies worsening by the day.
Within minutes, he stumbled upon the source of the noise—a small group heading his way. His eyes gleamed the moment he saw them.
"Dapper, long time no see. I thought I wouldn’t ever run into you again after graduation, but looks like lady luck finally smiled on me," Jack said, baring his jagged teeth in a wicked grin.
"Fuck! Run!" Dapper shouted, leaping back instantly. He turned and bolted in the opposite direction, panic written all over his face. He knew damn well—there was nothing in his arsenal that could take on Jack. That monster was raw strength incarnate.
Seeing Dapper run like hell, Riley and Shinro didn’t hesitate. They followed right behind him, sensing the looming danger without needing an explanation. Riley cast a thick ice wall behind them in desperation, but Jack punched straight through it without slowing down, his hands still tucked into his pockets. Even though he appeared to be casually walking, he somehow kept up with their full-speed sprint.