I Became the Savior of the Academy’s Villains

Chapter 191

-That's all for today.

"Huff, huff."

With the words of Luca Traverse, Luca opened his eyes. His entire body was drenched in sweat.

He only seemed to be sitting still, meditating, yet he looked exhausted, as if he had undergone hours of intense training.

'This is insane. Training in the mindscape.'

Training in the mindscape, where there's no clock or sun.

Since there's no way to physically get tired, it was possible to freely use powerful and difficult techniques in the mindscape—making the combats incredibly intense.

'But why doesn't this madman, Luca Traverse, ever take a break?'

Above all, the most horrifying thing was that the guy named Luca Traverse never rested.

Luca Traverse was one to keep swinging his sword until his body collapsed from exhaustion.

It was obvious just how extreme his training would be in a place where his body never grew weary.

'No wonder he grew so quickly in such a short time.'

Unlike Luca, who had to deal with physiological needs and other mundane tasks, Luca Traverse did nothing but swing his sword day and night in the mindscape.

The gap in swordsmanship between Luca and Luca Traverse was, in a sense, only natural.

'Damn, this is a nightmare. It hurts, but not being able to feel the pain is its own kind of hell.'

One of the monstrous parts of training in the mindscape was that even if you got hurt, it wasn't really an injury.

Even if Luca Traverse cut Luca apart, a blink of an eye would heal the wound.

Of course, just because the wound healed didn't mean it didn't hurt.

It hurt enough to feel like dying, but it healed quickly.

That's why Luca also had to fight with the resolve to kill Luca Traverse.

'Normal training is nothing compared to this—it's literally a different dimension.'

In ordinary training, they'd go a bit easier to avoid serious injuries, but with Luca Traverse, there was none of that, making it all the more taxing.

After finishing training, it was no surprise Luca was a sweating, mentally exhausted mess.

'But I can definitely feel it—I'm getting stronger.'

The effect, however, was unmistakable.

He'd thought his swordsmanship had become fairly advanced, but the difference compared to the sword techniques Luca Traverse used was overwhelming.

Even so, through this training, he could tangibly feel his understanding of swordsmanship growing by the day.

"Impressive, Luca. Your swordsmanship is improving every day! I can tell you're taking into account what I mentioned last time—your determination is truly fierce!"

Kryphi, who sometimes watched over his swordsmanship, was amazed by how complete it had become.

'So this is the Pioneer's Sword. It really is impressive.'

The formless sword, created by Kryphi, blended with the basics Luca Traverse had honed over years, combined with tactics Luca himself had learned from fighting strong opponents, even if only briefly—this formed the Pioneer's Sword.

'If it's with this, even Isella...!'

Hope was finally beginning to appear.

[Hint Auto Fragment Collection complete.]

Suddenly, an alert popped up.

'Ha... damn.'

On the way back from training, hints would sometimes be completed automatically thanks to the auto fragment collection.

At first, he liked it, but as more trivial fragments kept being collected, it became tedious.

Especially when he was deadly tired like now and the fragment collection alert popped up, he just wanted to ignore it.

'... Thinking like that, I ended up filling all three slots.'

When one slot was filled, he'd just ignore it.

But as the second and then third slot filled, he couldn't brush it off any longer.

'This is killing me.'

As if struggling enough to keep up with harder classes wasn't bad enough, trying to finish the hints made through fragment collection on top of training felt like dying.

'But once the duel with Isella is over...'

Once the duel with Isella was finished, his training in the mindscape with Luca Traverse would end.

From then on, things would be more relaxed, so Luca tried to endure a little longer, sighing as he moved to complete the hint from fragment collection.

"Master. You really seem to be struggling these days. Are you feeling okay physically?"

Bella looked at him with a worried expression.

Luca replied flatly.

"Don't worry. My body's fine."

"Is that so? But you really look tired... Even if just for the weekend, what do you think about getting some rest?"

Luca was even busier on weekends than weekdays.

He'd use the weekends to finish up hints he couldn't complete during the week, plus the extra training with Luca Traverse meant his fatigue piled up even more.

"I plan to rest the day before the duel for condition management, so don't worry."

"That's not really the issue... I know you'll manage since you're master, but even so, this Bella can't help being worried."

Seeing Bella's concerned face, Luca let out a slight smile.

"Don't worry. I'm fine."

Even after that, Luca pushed himself even harder to prepare for the duel with Isella.

And then, on the day of the duel—

"Master? It's about time to get ready. Haven't you gotten up yet?"

Luca failed to wake up at his usual time. Bella, looking puzzled, entered his room.

"Sss... hoo..."

"Oh, master. Sleeping like an angel, as always."

Luca was sleeping as if nothing in the world could disturb him. Bella smiled contentedly as she tried to shake him awake.

"Master? It's time to wake up now! Please get up~."

"Sss..."

"... Master?"

Normally, this would be enough for Luca to wake up. Sensing something was wrong, Bella shook him again.

"Sss..."

"M-master?!"

She could hear him breathing, so he wasn't dead, but still, he wouldn't wake up.

Alarmed, Bella was about to try slapping his cheek when—

"... Tsk."

"?!"

Suddenly, Luca's eyes snapped open.

But something was off about the mood. The tongue-click was darker and more unpleasant than usual.

Seeing Luca like that, Bella murmured with an odd look.

"... Is this previous master?"

* * *

"Hoo..."

Isella gazed at her sword with a tense expression.

The secret duel between Luca and Isella. She had arrived ahead of time at the duel site and was waiting.

"Fighting~ Isella~."

"Mmm... It's about time he arrived... Why isn't he here...?"

Of course, the spectators were Ottbo and Milia.

Milia was cheering her on, and Ottbo was confused as to why Luca hadn't shown up yet.

'Luca isn't the type to be late for a duel...'

Luca was a little late compared to what Isella expected, but she didn't mind.

She knew he wasn't a man to run away.

If anything, she was grateful he was coming late. She was nervous too, after all.

'I did something out of character. But I don't regret it.'

Isella looked at her own face reflected in the blade.

Unlike usual, she could sense something one could call 'emotion' on her face.

'Right now, I'm not Lysel Pandriga, but Isella. Not a member of the Night who's devoted herself to the empire, but a young lady's maid and a student of the academy. I'll savor this freedom I can only have now!'

She was half-following orders, but she could feel it herself.

She was feeling something for Luca. She didn't know how these feelings would change her, but she wanted to experience it.

Creeeak!

At that moment, the door opened.

Isella glared in that direction.

'Come, Luca Traverse! I'll overcome this trial and seek a new life...!'

Tssss—

But the person coming through the door gave off a strange aura. Fierce, violent, intense.

Incredibly threatening.

"Prepare yourself, Isella. My sword will not be as soft as before."

The one standing there was Luca Traverse.

* * *

― How about you finally get up?

"!"

With Luca Traverse's whisper, Luca opened his eyes.

He felt like he'd finally slept deeply after a long time.

'My head feels so clear!'

The last few weeks had been so tough, yet now his body felt as light as a feather.

'Indeed, getting a good night's sleep was the right call. People need sleep.'

Even though he'd been told his body didn't need to sleep, he was still growing.

Plenty of rest was good for the body. And above all, his mental fatigue had been rough.

Sleep didn't just recover the body—it refreshed the spirit as well.

Luca, who'd suffered so much, had instinctively fallen into a deep sleep.

So deeply he couldn't wake up at all.

'Heh, still... For Luca Traverse to wake me, I'm surprised.'

― Quit the nonsense and look ahead.

'?'

Prompted by the inner Luca Traverse, Luca finally looked ahead.

"Hmm?"

He pulled a wry face. Right in front of him was—

"... Impressive, Luca Traverse. I concede my defeat."

Isella, bleeding, giving a wry smile.

"???"

Luca stared in shock at his own hand. His sword was stained with blood.

"Isella! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I lost strength just before his attack could land."

"?!"

Milia rushed over with a worried look.

Isella calmly reassured her, and Luca still couldn't process the situation.

"Luca! That was incredible! You reached such a level training alone?!"

Ottbo appeared next to him, making a shocked face.

Luca looked at him with a reluctant expression, then turned back to Isella.

Isella smiled faintly, as if she had given up.

"To reach the verge of Grandmaster at your age... Luca Traverse, you're indeed someone the young lady should keep an eye on."

"Well, that's... um..."

Finally, Luca started to understand the situation. It was Luca Traverse who had fought Isella.

'D-don't tell me I just didn't wake up?'

― Well... Just apologize for now. Half of this was my fault anyway.

Luca Traverse had stepped in for Luca, who couldn't wake up—that was the only reason.

He'd known Luca was overexerting himself and still kept training with him.

Luca had seemed to be holding up well, so he thought it was fine.

But when Luca finally relaxed at the end, his mind collapsed in the mindscape and wouldn't move.

― Is this... dangerous...?

Seeing Luca sleeping, unmoving in the mindscape, Luca Traverse panicked.

Even as Bella was trying to wake him from outside, Luca didn't move, so Luca Traverse finally intervened.

― Let's just say we're both at fault, since I won for you.

He hadn't taken the duel with Isella lightly, either—he'd fought with his all.

He felt he'd atoned for his part.

'So this is... hmm...'

Having grasped the situation, Luca let out a long sigh.

Then, looking at Isella, who seemed resigned, he spoke in a flat tone.

"This is my defeat. Therefore, I will make you my partner for the Harvest Festival."

"Huh? Why?"

"Luca. Will you be alright?"

Milia made a dubious face, and Ottbo looked even more concerned.

"Weren't you planning to participate in the Harvest Festival with Senior Pasmo?"

Ottbo had gone with them all the way to the Lamata Empire to rescue Pasmo, so he knew what Pasmo meant to Luca.

That's why he was a little worried about his decision. Even so, Luca was unperturbed.

"It's my loss, fair and square. You should know, Isella, since we crossed swords."

"My loss...?"

Isella seemed not to fully grasp what he was saying, looking a little puzzled—then paused, and made an odd expression.

"My... defeat... I see..."

As if she finally understood. Luca clicked his tongue, watching her.

"Come dressed properly tomorrow."

At his words, Isella hesitated, then spoke.

"... Can I... refuse?"

"?"

Luca replied with a look of disbelief.

"After all this? Do you really want to bet your life against mine in a real fight?"

"N-no... it's just..."

She stammered for a moment, then muttered with her head lowered,

"Now that it's really happening, I feel... shy..."

"... Milia. Watch her, please."

With that, Luca turned away.

Behind him, Milia's angry voice and Isella's miserable one overlapped.

Hearing that, Luca chuckled.

"But are you really alright with this?"

Ottbo came up beside him, worried.

Luca shrugged.

"What's done is done. Pasmo said she's okay with it, so it should be fine."

"I've heard that when a girl says she's fine, it's never okay..."

"Well... that's true..."

Ottbo's sharp insight left Luca momentarily speechless, before he let out a laugh.

"This kind of comedy is fun once in a while."

Luca was enjoying life at the academy more than ever.

* * *

Somewhere on the continent.

A place where even God's grace was burned by sulfur and fire.

The space where the devil's followers conducted profane rituals.

Demonz headquarters.

A few gathered there.

"The church is making strange moves."

"Our agents in both empires are being dealt with one by one. Isn't it getting dangerous?"

"Eltima Cross and Invincible Sword Zeritz—those two are running wild in other empires. How long are we going to let them?"

They spoke with grave faces.

"The seeds we planted after looking into the future are being pulled out before they even sprout. This way, even years from now, we can't revive the great ones!"

"Even those we sent to the front are being moved elsewhere, except for the bare minimum collecting life force. Almost everyone else is gone. Seriously, can this go on?"

Things were not good for Demonz.

The plan to control Hernan Empire by first seizing the academy had failed, and even the hidden devil idols were all being destroyed.

Only the scheme to control mages was progressing at all.

They'd thought they had Lamata Empire under control, but suddenly Eltima and Zeritz captured Odrima, ruining their plans.

It was truly a dead-end situation.

"I'd hoped we could lay low a bit longer, build up our strength—but at this point, Eltima Cross and Zeritz finding this place is just a matter of time."

"We must concentrate our force to stop them."

"Eltima Cross and Zeritz are an issue, but Ben Dwight, that man, is a nuisance as well."

While most of them were discussing the people from Heaven's Door, a figure sitting at the very end of the table spoke indifferently.

"They're a concern, but isn't the boy with the power of the sky the real problem?"

"That's..."

Those who'd been speaking heatedly fell silent. They looked at each other nervously.

'The power of the sky... it's too dangerous...'

The power of the sky displayed the strongest effect against devilish power.

Capturing Luca, the one who wielded that power, should be top priority—but none of them had the confidence.

So they'd deliberately avoided mentioning him.

"Capturing him will be difficult with just our own power."

"Are you saying...?"

The person sitting deepest at the table answered coolly,

"Contact Marquis Kisen. It's time he repaid the debt of borrowing the Devil of Wisdom."