Chapter 486
Huff! Huff! Huuuh!
Two students staggered, gasping for breath. Their legs trembled weakly as though all their strength had drained away.
A forest filled with red mist. The ground was littered with the corpses of monsters, and blood stained the fists of the students.
“Seriously.”
One of the students wiped away blood dripping down his forehead with the back of his hand and grumbled.
“This isn’t even a performance test, it’s just course registration. Isn’t this way too much?”
Inside this dense, mysterious fog, no magic circles could be deployed, nor could subspace be opened.
Only Magical Combat.
Against the endless flood of monsters, they had to fight with nothing but their own bodies. And only after surviving could they track down Hongpeng—if they wanted to take her class in Magical Combat.
“I can’t even get a sense of where Professor Hongpeng is.”
The muttering student heaved a heavy sigh. Of course, Hongpeng’s class was worth all this suffering—but that didn’t change how hard it was right now.
“Hey! Come here!”
His companion shouted.
“What is it?”
“Blood. Blood!”
“...You’ve finally lost it, huh? First time seeing blood? What about the stuff smeared on your hands earlier?”
“No, you idiot! Just come see this!”
Grumbling, “Fine, I’ll fall for it again”, the student trudged over.
And then—
“...!”
He could only gape, speechless.
It looked like a path of blood. The clearing was drenched in crimson, while monsters lay twisted in grotesque angles, piled up into small hills.
“...W-Who passed through here?”
* * *
At the same time.
Birds scattered into the sky, and monsters began to flee.
Two men were tearing through the monster-filled forest with the unstoppable force of war chariots.
“Been a while!”
Crack!
Simon shattered an orc’s jaw, then leapt up to spin-kick another mid-tier monster in the face.
“Since I last teamed up with you, Kazan!”
The monster, tossed by Simon’s kick, had its head split open by the next strike. Beyond it, eyes glinted sharply beneath gray hair whipping in the air.
“Not since we infiltrated Sillage’s lab.”
Kajan danced across monster shoulders like stepping stones. Wherever he passed, monsters collapsed, blood spraying from deep claw marks slashed into their throats.
His trademark footwork—like paper dolls fluttering in the wind—remained unchanged. He bent his joints into impossible angles, contorting freely.
Though his movements looked unnaturally light, each strike of his fist or claw was devastatingly powerful.
Wherever he passed, monsters burst apart.
‘Still a long way before I can catch up to Kajan with just Magical Combat.’
Simon marveled as he gathered Darkness into his right hand.
<Hongpeng’s Original – Impalement>
Simon slashed his arm, and trees and monsters were severed cleanly.
He sprang into the air, grabbing branches and swinging from tree to tree like a monkey, snapping monster necks with powerful kicks.
He didn’t fall behind Kajan one bit. It was a skill honed during his life in the Leshill Mountains.
“Yup!”
Landing on the ground, Simon dove into the melee again, pummeling monsters with his fists.
“But Kajan, you’re already a Magical Combat major. Why bother taking the general course with only martial skills?”
Kajan appeared at his side, tearing through monsters like paper. Competing, almost, as they rained destruction—their intensity made even the monsters falter.
“Professor Hongpeng suggested it. Said I’d need more free time on campus. If I take her course as a substitute, I can skip another one.”
“Ah!”
So Hongpeng must have suspected Kajan wasn’t just an ordinary student.
Typical of her—such considerate foresight.
“Then... does Professor Hongpeng know you’re part of the Thieves’ Guild?”
“Not that much.”
Just then Simon’s eyes widened.
A hulking orc monster, over two meters tall, stepped into view. Its tusks jutted grotesquely—it was an Orc Warlord, ranked Danger Level 5.
Simon quickly leapt into the trees to draw its gaze.
“Kajan! Big one incoming!”
Kraaaaaagh!
The Orc Warlord swung a monstrous battleaxe.
Simon hauled himself up a branch just in time, but the axe cleaved the tree apart with a sickening crack.
Rumble!
Falling, Simon grabbed a nearby vine and swung away. At the same moment, Kajan blitzed upward like lightning, smashing the Warlord’s jaw.
Grrrk!
Reeling from the blow, the monster roared furiously.
<Simon’s Original – Wind Snap>
BOOM!
Simon snapped his fingers, unleashing a shockwave into the Warlord’s forehead.
It whipped its gaze at Simon.
Shhhk!
Kajan slashed past, leaving long, bloody claw marks across its chest.
Enraged by consecutive strikes, the Orc Warlord bellowed.
“Take this, Simon.”
Kajan slid a sturdy vine toward him.
Simon grinned, snatched it up.
Thwip! Thwip!
Kajan tanked the Warlord head-on, dodging with subtle torso twists rather than big steps, the movements of a veteran.
Then Simon darted in behind and looped the vine around its throat, strangling it tight.
Guhhhk!
The Warlord struggled, choking, battleaxe flailing wildly but off-balance.
Kajan sprang forward to finish it.
Tap-tap-tap!
Bounding up its knee, stomach, and chest, he extended his claws and drove them straight through its throat and heart.
The Warlord convulsed, frothing blood, as the two men leapt back to safety.
Thud!
The monster’s massive body collapsed face-first.
“Fuuuuuh.”
Simon exhaled heavily, then raised a fist toward Kajan.
“Feels good to sync up again!”
Kajan bumped fists, then scratched the scar over his right eye.
“Neftis’ order still stands—to guard you against external threats. 5th Legion Commander Magnus continues to target you. If you need me, seek me out anytime.”
“Thanks, as always, Kajan.”
“And now, I’ll move alone.”
“Huh?”
“As a repeating major, helping you during a course-registration exam could look bad. Instead, I’ll give you information you’ll like.”
Simon’s eyes widened at his words.
* * *
The final stage of course registration
Now, nearly a third of the second-years were converging in the red-mist zone.
Those who had already secured their second and third classes were now all aiming for Hongpeng’s course.
But the difficulty—restricted to only Magical Combat—was extreme. Everywhere, barrier gauges dropped to 0%, forcing students into mandatory 30-minute rest periods, carrying a harsh penalty.
And here was another student, barely holding on.
“Haa... haa...”
A girl with sky-blue hair bent over, clutching her knees, gasping for breath.
Her remaining barrier gauge was only 8%.
Then, another monster leapt at her.
“Hyaaap!”
Kamibarez Ursula, her lavender hair streaming, appeared and struck the monster’s abdomen with her palm, sending it flying. It was her own original Magical Combat technique, specialized in repelling opponents.
She quickly turned her head back.
“Are you all right, Maelyn?”
“Ah, yeah! Thanks for the cover.”
Thunk!
The monster Kamibarez had sent flying collapsed as a crossbow bolt pierced its forehead.
“I’m running low on bolts.”
Clack!
Dick Hayword cracked open his crossbow and loaded the few remaining bolts. His barrier gauge was down to just 1%.
“Seriously.”
Maelyn Villene tied her hair tighter with a string, letting out a helpless laugh.
“It’s a miracle you survive every time with luck that bad.”
“Hey, it’s not luck—it’s skill!”
“Guys! More are coming!”
A wave of monsters charged. The three students each fell into their own unique combat stances.
“So this is~ the end, I guess~”
“Stop saying crap like that, you moron!”
“Ah!”
Just as Kamibarez spread her little palms to fight, she suddenly pointed forward.
“Look, over there!”
Tap!
Tap!
Tap!
A boy in school uniform dashed across tree branches, vaulting over the swarm of monsters. In a flash, he cut ahead and landed before the three.
Shhhk!
His shoes scraped the ground as he spun, and his right arm, shimmering with Darkness, carved a chilling arc.
<Hongpeng’s Original – Impalement>
Slaaaash!
But this was no ordinary Impalement. The sweeping slash expanded in a wide semicircle, severing every monster it touched.
‘Six at once!’
Dick’s eyes widened. The boy’s spin halted, sweat-darkened hair flying, his breath calm.
“Glad you’re all safe.”
“Ah!”
Faces lit up in relief and joy.
“Simon!!”
Simon turned back with a small wave to the student council members. As he tilted his head slightly, a monster’s spear sliced through the air where his skull had just been.
Thud! Slam!
Simon seized the monster’s wrist and arm, reversed the momentum, and slammed it to the ground.
More monsters rushed, weapons flailing, but Simon fought as though he were in a different genre of battle entirely. He brushed aside blows with light palm strikes, stuffed fists into solar plexuses, and toppled monsters effortlessly.
Spinning midair, he kicked three monsters in the head before landing—an unbelievable display.
“...That guy.”
Dick lowered his crossbow with a dumbfounded chuckle.
“His Magical Combat got way sharper than before break.”
Simon locked another monster’s neck with a joint hold, securing its arm. Before he could snap its neck, two more rushed from either side.
“Haaaah!”
With a sharp kiai, Maelyn soared in, her kick blasting the side monster away like a painting come to life. Simon snapped the first one’s neck, then trapped the next in an arm lock.
This one was an armored orc.
“Now, Maelyn!”
Landing from her kick, Maelyn drew back a fist swirling with Darkness.
<Hongpeng’s Original – Sky Calamity>
BOOM!
One of the rare piercing techniques in Magical Combat, Sky Calamity, hit square on. Her fist slammed into the center of its armor, sending the monster frothing and collapsing.
“Wow, you’ve really mastered Sky Calamity now.”
Simon grinned with praise.
“...”
Maelyn blushed furiously, clutching her fist in her other hand.
“What’s wrong?”
“Ah~ I knew Maelyn was acting weird today.”
Dick grabbed a monster’s arm, smashed its face with his knee, and tossed it toward Kamibarez, who finished it with a strike to its abdomen.
“Every time she uses Sky Calamity, she blushes like crazy.”
“I-I do not!!”
Maelyn shrieked, her face burning red.
“See? She’s blushing again.”
“You wanna die?! Why are you picking fights with me today?!”
Maelyn charged at him with fists raised, while Dick flailed dramatically, pointing to his nearly depleted barrier gauge. Simon chuckled quietly.
“Simon!”
Kamibarez came to his side, smiling brightly.
“How did registration go with Professor Jane and Professor Bahil?”
“Got both, just as planned.”
“That’s wonderful!”
Her wings fluttered excitedly.
“They’re not majors, but the four of us will get to take classes together again this year!”
“Yeah.”
Simon turned, watching Maelyn and Dick still bickering as they fought.
“Anyway, follow me. Kajan told me where Professor Hongpeng is.”
Dick, trapped and nearly getting his hair yanked out by Maelyn, thrust out his hand.
“Behind the waterfall pavilion, right?”
“That’s right. How’d you know?”
“See? Same intel as Kajan. I knew it... Ow ow ow! If you hit me more, I’ll be forced into 30-minute rest!”
“Shut uuup!!”
* * *
Shhhhhh!
Behind a picturesque waterfall sat a small pavilion. Inside, Professor Hongpeng, head of Magical Combat, sipped tea peacefully with her chief teaching assistant.
“Professor.”
“Yes?”
Clink—
The assistant set down his teacup.
“You’ve made registration unusually difficult this year. May I ask why?”
“Oh, that’s simple.”
Hongpeng smiled faintly.
“If it were too easy, the students I really want here might not bother to come.”
Superb.
When are we getting more free chapters?
Thanks for the new chapters