Proofreader: Me!

"Hah… I’m exhausted,” I almost fell backwards, but once again Serina caught me.

“I could not have said it better, commoner!” Julia exclaimed with a tired smile.

“Yeah, yeah, let’s not do ‘that’ now.”

“Hehe, alright.”

“Also, Serina can you stop touching me there?” Since they started supporting my body, I’ve felt less than savoury touches from her.

“I apologise.”

I guess it was a genuine mistake, after all, she didn’t seem socially capable.

“Hey Luke,” Julia called my attention.

“Yeah?”

“Are you okay?” Her eyes were directed at my neck.

“Even though it hurt, he didn't leave a mark. Despite his supposed anger and suspicion he still is a nice guy.”

“Nice?” Serina repeated as a question.

“Fen wanted to protect his blood ties, and I riled him up, while from Rodney’s perspective, it probably looked like I was insane, or hiding my true nature all along. Can you blame them?”

“Yes I can,” Julia looked at me with her pure brown eyes. Her cute pigtails moved in absolute confidence along with her body.

“Indeed, maybe you are the best of friends Julia,” I nodded remembering the Julia train I hopped on a while ago.

Ouch!

Serina pinched my arm out of the blue, her gaze particularly cold. I figured it was better to remain silent from here.

With the defeat of Rayas, all the students should’ve returned to normal as he was the one spreading deviliser. His mana had a special attribute of emission that was unmatched by all, those mana blades of his are completely unusual and created through pure talent.

The assumption seemed to be correct as areas which were previously damaged did not worsen. I guess that either meant that the affected students were saved, knocked out, or regained their consciousness.

“Is everything okay now?” Julia mumbled randomly.

I wanted to say yes, but my crew should be in the centre of a battlefield right now.

Especially with that ‘nerd’ in the middle of it all, it should-

‘It should be fine.’

“Kind of,” I replied shortly. “Also, I think I’m fine already.” I glanced to my left.

“Your health is important,” Serina ignored my plea, tightening her hold.

‘Gulp.’ I didn’t know how long I could last when my arm was sandwiched between her…

“Ah.”

“Your face is burning red?” Julia inched closer, “A fever?”

Placing her forehead on mine, beautiful blue eyes glistened before me. My heart raced even quicker.

“Like I said, I’m alright!” I broke free from both of their clutches.

Regeneration enhancement, by stacking it twofold, acted as a replacement for a potion. Albeit, my mana is sucked dry and my body heals a lot slower.

[Luke]

[Age: 15] [Race: Human]

[Attributes]

Vitality: Tier 0 (27%)

Agility: Tier 0 (20%)

Strength: Tier 0 (22%)

Mana: Tier 0 (15%)

My hands instinctively raised and clenched.

Thanks to fighting Rayas, all my attributes have improved by a big margin. These stats had become the average of an academy students', only after an enhancement, however.

Julia gave me an attacking glare, “I feel embarrassed knowing you sometimes.”

“…” Serina’s silence seemed to confirm that.

“That’s not true and you know it!” I laughed heartily.

Julia shook her head, dismissing my words. “Seeing as the exit is in front of us now, I wonder how Rodney and Uriel are doing.”

…

That’s a good question. I thought we would have all left together, to begin with.

“Shit.” I rushed ahead of the two.

I was met with the stench of blood, a sight of death. The ground was covered with monster corpses, yet mysteriously, it was all silent.

Rustle!

“Yo, how’re ya doing boss!”

Frennia arrived before me.

“Thank Gaia, I almost swung,” I sighed a relief.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

“You were a Humus believer?”

I shook my head, “Do I look like it?”

Considering there are three main factions of religions, I would rather stay neutral. Uriel’s part of the Order of Unity, is completely antagonistic towards the Humus. Needless to say, the Gaia or the Earth was the deity of the latter. In between them were the minor Valkyries of God, their origins in the game still fully undiscovered.

As of now, I plan to stay aligned with the Unity. Humus’ believers were too unpredictable, and the Valkyries of God were only females, so not like I had much of a choice either.

“Hey, who’s this?” Julia stood beside me.

“Luke! Is this your girlfriend?” Frennia hopped energetically.

Her face burned red, “Wha- what!?”

“Was I wrong?” Frennia touched her lips, pondering.

“Of course!” She haughtily raised her hand, “Me, with a commoner? Blasphemy!”

Finding it to be the right time, I teased her, “So that’s what you think of me.”

“I- I erm…”

She kept trying to justify herself, but it seemed there had been a short circuit up there.

Frennia pointed behind me. “Then, is ‘she’ your girlfriend?”

“…”

“So! Frennia, what happened?” I asked as nothing was just said.

She laughed awkwardly, “Good news, or bad news?”

I frowned. “Bad news first please.”

“Our defence is on the verge of being broken.”

Julia butt in, “Defence? Is there another battle happening?”

“The rest of the students are in ambush of monsters belonging to the forests, to the point even monsters ranked as high as A are participating.”

“Then, good news?” I asked expectantly.

“You’re all alive!” She smiled.

We’re fucked.

“Give me a brief rundown of the situation, I’m guessing that now Rodney and Uriel are there. Also, isn’t Percy, and some other student big shots there? Like Charles, Rosaria the leading saintess candidate for the Valkyries of God, and-“

“Calm down boss! I said we’re on the verge of breaking down, however, that changes now that you’re here,” She coughed, raising her arm and pointing at me. “You can save our professor and our elite forces from the commander’s onslaught on the side.”

This was worse than I thought. Shouldn’t Abel, or even Runalia have taken action by now?

Frennia answered my thoughts, “They’re outside the academy dealing with some other business.”

“How-“

“Luke, your face is very readable now and then,” Julia nodded at Frennia’s words.

Even then, they weren’t this busy in the game. I must’ve caused the butterfly effect, or it may be a side effect of the Hell’s Paradise difficulty mode.

“Hah… take us to where the commander should be. I have a vague idea of what we can do.”

“Gladly,” She led us through an obscure path in the forest.

In the distance, a large clearing had been divided into humans and monsters, a circle surrounded by waves of grotesque bodies. This was far worse than what I could have imagined.

“As you can see, it’s not exactly a pleasant situation.”

I felt a grimace take hold of my face.

“Serina, can you do me a favour and check how many potions we have left?”

She shook her head in response.

“Zero?”

I received a nod.

“Great!” Sarcastic frustration escaped my mouth. It was annoying, but there were a few strategies I could use if it was the monster I thought it was.

“The commander, it’s an Elder Basilisk am I right?” I turned toward our thief.

“How’d you know?”

“Intuition, there are some trees petrified in the distance after all.”

In truth, this boss was the same as the game.

“Ooo, I’m impressed!”

“Regardless, Julia, Serina, come here,” I gestured to huddle together.

“Let me join, guys!” Frennia tried to shove her way in.

“No, you go join Percy and the others, we have this covered.” I shooed her away without regard for her sad protests.

“Now first off, you Julia. You will play the biggest role.”

“Huh, why!?”

My body was still recovering from Rayas, meaning that while I could be bait, if I got hit I’d most likely die. Which is why, I couldn’t do anything risky.

The solution? Something pretty sneaky.

-x-

Not far from where our positions were, was a brutal battle between Professor Clarisse and some second-year students, against the commander.

“Remember the plan you two, we can’t rely on anyone else’s help right now. Let’s not die.”

“Got it,” Serina emotionlessly agreed.

“How are you both so nonchalant about it!” She exclaimed, pulling her hair out.

“As soon as Clarisse and the others fall back one more time, that’s our signal.”

That signal would come seconds later, as the monsters and commanded drove forward, ignorant of their surroundings.

‘Now!’

I dashed with all my enhancements on pure speed. A small piece of land launched past me, signalling Julia’s participation.

All I had to do, was gain their attention.

I garnered whatever mana I had left in me, forming only two magic missiles. Aiming at the two red circles behind the monster, I unleashed both at once.

[Critical Hit!] [Critical Hit!]

“Tssss! What human dares!?” The voice of a monster defiled our ears with its inhumane audio. It frantically shook its head, unable to see me.

Even though it was expected, I found it sad that I did no damage at all.

“Hah. You stupid beast, I’ll defeat you here!” I shouted with a false determination.

I raised my sword, on the verge of falling apart, toward it. I jumped towards its large body, imitating a full frontal assault.

“You think that you could- gah!”

A rock collided with the reverse scale, as in this world, they were sub hybrid of dragon and serpent. As a result, it stuck out slightly, letting us know its position.

“Hehehe!” I laughed maniacally. “Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.”

That’s right, its reverse scale was located on top of its forehead. A perfect cover as his eyes petrify all that stare at them. The serpent king became infuriated, with its body movements becoming erratic. I was barely dodging its tail and eyesight.

“Serina, now!”

A magic circle covered the sky, wide enough to be as large as the monster. From it, descended a blinding chain of light. Light element spells countered anything related to devils, and vice versa. This monster was under the command of the Demon Uprising.

“Luke!” Serina called.

This was it.

By this point, a red circle would have spawned on its true weakness.

“Tss! These filthy chains, I will destroy it and all of you!” Truly, cliché no matter what.

I climbed its trembling body and passed the trembling chains.

“Don’t you dare!”

I plunged my arms forward, my strength doubled through my two enhancements.

[Critical Hit!]

The large scale had been ripped right off. But, the wound I inflicted was too shallow.

“Haha! You stupid insect, even if I can’t see you, your death is certain!”

Its chains had dissipated already, leaving its mouth wide open for a breath of pure venom. My death was guaranteed, at least from his perspective.

“Can you stop laughing already, you’re embarrassing yourself,” I snickered at its ignorance.

While I and Serina kept its attention, where else would Julia be?

“Well, at least you tried.”

In the sky, stood Julia, atop a levitating boulder. The moment she fell, spelt the doom of the overconfident reptile. After all, its head was wide open for an attack after what I did.

CRASH!