The Narrow-Eyed Villain of the Demon Academy

For a while, I stood there dazed, unable to grasp the sudden turn of events.

Only after seeing Kyle fidgeting did I manage a deep sigh.

“What in the world…”

“Ugh, what is this?”

We had been wandering around, unable to find our way, and decided to split up.

Then, out of nowhere, we heard a strange voice, and the next thing we knew, we were here.

‘It’s too early?’

And what was this about not being qualified?

One thing was clear: continuing our search seemed futile.

While using my Chaos ability crossed my mind, I wasn’t sure if it was worth the immense penalty.

Ultimately, I decided to discuss our next steps with Kyle.

When I mentioned the mysterious voice, Kyle frowned and spoke.

“There’s no other choice. We have to turn back.”

“What? But we came all this way. Isn’t it a shame to leave empty-handed?”

“Do we have another option? Besides, that voice didn’t sound hostile towards you. It’s just not the right time. We can return once we meet its so-called qualifications.”

“That sounds plausible, but the way it responded… It’s almost as if it’s just… too bothered to deal with us right now, don’t you think?”

“...Ha, don’t be ridiculous.”

Kyle averted his gaze under my sharp stare.

Scratching my head as I observed him, I couldn’t help but accept the situation.

While I sensed no hostility from the voice, its cryptic message about qualifications remained a frustrating puzzle.

It would have been helpful to receive some clarification, but the owner of the voice clearly felt otherwise.

With this development, returning to Bares’ mansion was our only option.

‘Tsk, it’s a shame to come all this way for nothing.’

Lost in my disappointment, I felt a strange sensation.

Thrum-

Thrum-

The crimson dagger, nestled against my chest, vibrated subtly, emitting a low hum.

I pulled it out, examining it with surprise.

The blade was now stained a deeper shade of crimson, as if it had absorbed the blood of all the humans it had slain.

‘What is this?’

Perplexed, I tried to deduce the cause of the dagger’s transformation.

Then, it dawned on me: the mysterious voice.

‘Did it awaken a new power within the crimson dagger?’

The voice had deemed me unqualified yet empowered the dagger—the reason eluded me, causing a dull ache in my head.

While I wasn’t complaining about the newfound power, a little explanation wouldn't have hurt.

Deciding to test the crimson dagger's enhanced abilities, I made a swift cut across my forearm.

“Are you crazy?!”

Kyle shrieked, horrified.

“Why are you suddenly hurting yourself? Hey, stop it! Don’t be so pessimistic even if we couldn't find anything!”

“Don’t worry. This isn’t about that,” I reassured him, cutting him off.

The crimson dagger’s power allowed me to manipulate blood as a medium, and I was eager to witness the effects of its amplified state.

What unfolded next left me utterly astonished.

‘The crimson dagger’s power has grown even stronger.’

Swoosh-

With a flick of my wrist, I sent a wave of sharpened blood towards the surrounding trees.

In an instant, they were reduced to splinters.

Kyle trembled, his eyes wide with terror.

“You almost got me killed!”

“My apologies. I mistook you for a fly.”

“You crazy bastard!”

I chuckled, enjoying his reaction.

This guy had witnessed me battling a Sword Saint, yet he was still fazed by this?

He needed to get used to these things.

Turning to him, I said, “It seems you need to get stronger, Kyle.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Well, not everyone with decent skills is dead yet.”

“...You’re talking about Bares, aren’t you?”

I nodded.

House Bares was teetering on the brink of collapse.

Most of their soldiers and retainers had perished in the war, leaving only Rene and me as their fighting force.

However, both of us had to depart for Sytan soon, which meant Bares needed new, capable individuals to protect them.

“So what are you suggesting? I can’t exactly wield a sword like you.”

“There’s a solution: you master magic.”

“What are you talking about? When it comes to magic, I’m-”

“I won’t be the one teaching you.”

“Then who will?”

“Isn’t it obvious? There’s someone around who excels at magic more than anyone I know.”

“...I have no idea who you’re close to, considering you dropped out of Sytan.”

“Just follow me, and you’ll see.”

I had a good idea how I would spend the remaining week.

I could finish the vacation homework in a day anyway. The rest of the time? Training Kyle.

Our destination wasn't too far from Bares' territory.

“Let’s go.”

I grinned at Kyle.

He shuddered, as if anticipating his impending doom.

“This feels ominous…”

* * *

“So,” Kyle began.

“Yes?”

“You’re saying we’re headed to the territory of someone who’s the most skilled magic user in the entire Demon Realm?”

“That’s right. Though, I’m not sure about the ‘most’ skilled part.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I mean, haven’t you heard of Sytan’s Headmaster? She’s a monster when it comes to magic. In terms of raw talent, I’m not sure if anyone can compare…”

“Hold on. You’re saying this person is on par with Sytan’s Headmaster? Are you serious?”

“Why not?”

Kyle bombarded me with questions throughout our journey.

While a tad bothersome, I answered them diligently.

‘You’re in for a world of pain, my friend! This is just the beginning!’

My patience was a mere prelude to the grueling training that awaited Kyle.

Closing my eyes, I recalled my own days of magical training.

‘...Thinking back, it was brutal.’

Pushing my mana to its limits to improve mana control? I had nearly exploded.

The mere memory sent shivers down my spine.

‘But hey, it wasn’t entirely useless.’

It had allowed me to overcome a significant hurdle in record time.

And solved that whole bloodlust issue.

So, this was all for Kyle’s own good. He should be thanking me.

Lost in thought, I heard Kyle’s puzzled voice.

“...Where exactly are we going? I thought that territory was wiped out.”

“Not yet.”

“But I heard the lord died, along with everyone else...”

“The lord and the high priest are still alive. It’s just the other residents who are gone.”

“That’s basically being wiped out.”

Well, he wasn’t wrong.

But pointing out the obvious seemed a bit harsh, didn’t it?

It was like calling an unattractive person ugly—mean. But calling an attractive person ugly? That could be funny.

“Fine, fine. Let’s say they’re not wiped out. But what makes you think their lord will help us?”

“There’s no guarantee.”

“What?!”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Why are you shouting? Did I steal your precious snacks or something?”

“How can you be so calm?! We barely survived the Sword Saint and the Lust Lord, and now you want to face another lord? Just because Crete treated you like a pushover doesn’t mean all the Seven Deadly Sins lords are the same!”

Kyle ranted, his voice laced with panic.

I simply shrugged.

“It’s not like we’re strangers. Our relationship is… complicated, to say the least.”

“That sounds even more dangerous!”

“You’ll see when we get there.”

I focused on the path ahead, a sense of anticipation building within me.

It had been a while since our last encounter. I wondered how much stronger he had become.

Knowing him, he had probably surpassed another wall by now.

With his innate talent for magic, it was more than likely.

As we finally approached our destination, I warned,

“Be careful.”

“...Of what?”

Rumble-

Rumble-

The ground trembled beneath our feet.

Kyle paled, and I couldn’t suppress a grin.

The gateway to our destination was opening.

Crack—Boom—!

The earth split open, swallowing us whole.

“Aaaaagh! Adel, you crazy bastard!”

Kyle screamed, his face contorted in terror.

Ignoring his cries, I glanced down as we plummeted.

A smile stretched across my lips.

Thrum-

I unsheathed Fang of Darkness, unleashing its deadly aura.

Black energy, sharp enough to cleave through space, erupted from the blade, shooting downwards.

Crack—Boom—CRASH!

Giant, ash-gray thorns erupted from the ground below, meeting my attack head-on.

Standing amidst the chaos was a boy with ash-gray hair.

“Well, if it isn’t the lowly bastard. It’s been a while.”

Samuel.

He grinned, his eyes gleaming with malice.

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