Kasia knows.
The so-called Gift Academy, hailed as the world’s premier educational institution and regarded as a representative of the advanced curriculum, actually acquired human subjects from the laboratory.
“Instructor, I want to go to the snack bar.”
“Denied. If you wish to engage in personal activities outside the curriculum, use the nighttime hours when students are not allowed to roam.”
“It’s just a snack bar.”
“Even at a mere snack bar, you possess the capability to electrocute and kill every student on this ground. You still lack trust.”
“…”
The dedicated instructor Alexo, who monitors every move she makes, is wrapped in electric resistance and counter-techniques, with defensive artifacts. He even possesses the right to enforce instant execution, certifying that if he were to kill her in an emergency, it wouldn’t be a law violation.
If she endured pain in the laboratory, she now suffers mental anguish at the academy, recognizing that she is different from the free students before her.
‘They’re no different from the lab. The methods of causing pain are just different.’
In other words, the Gift Academy, which everyone perceives as advanced, is never truly kind to her.
This shattered Kasia’s preconceived notions.
She assessed the contemporary warrior Ishtar chosen by the unique deity, Sofemia of the Sun, not by status but by actions.
‘An ally like me. A warrior who opposes the despised Oknodie.’
She understood that the condition for the warrior to torment subjects like in the laboratory or academy is Dark Mana.
So what is different?
She too suffers because of her unique Electric Attribute, just like everyone else.
Different attributes, different natures.
Such differences mean nothing.
The oppressed are all the same minorities.
Kasia saw her past self reflected in Oknodie’s image trapped in the Holy Mirror.
She remembered her childhood self, trapped against the cold walls of the laboratory, fidgeting with fear and curiosity mixed in her eyes as she touched the wall.
Realizing that those walls constantly emitted electricity, serving as tools of torment, it didn’t take long for her curiosity to flip into fear.
And Oknodie would feel the same.
“That’s troublesome.”
“You… should have been a safe person without Dark Mana?”
“Enemies are not distinguished by the possession of Dark Mana. If you torment Oknodie… you are my enemy.”
So she broke the mirror.
*
The warrior laughed.
As if unable to contain her laughter.
Like a person who has lost their mind.
“Truly amazing. How can you be so lucky? It’s almost admirable how many things keep appearing to obstruct me, again and again without getting tired of it.”
The warrior’s atmosphere felt ominous.
From just the atmosphere, it seemed she could unleash a Dark Mana rampage.
“Be careful, Kasia!”
“Is that what you should be saying?”
The warrior spoke.
“Oh, never mind. I’ll ignore it now.”
“…!”
“Whoever interferes or distracts will simply be wiped out.”
Ishtar’s Holy Sword burst forth with light again.
Its intensity was even greater than when activating the Holy Mirror.
[Death Strike – Tempest Blade]
[Death Strike – Seven Vortex]
[Death Strike – Horizon Demolisher]
Consecutively adding death strikes toward the mirror.
At the same time, the cuts previously charged against the mirror unleashed all at once.
Who said that a swordsman can’t perform ranged attacks?
The naive assumptions of newbies were shattered as a monstrous ranged assault began.
Kasia and I.
Both of us at once!
Can Kasia withstand this?
This time, Kasia is incredibly strong.
If Arcadia became versatile instead of just multi-talented, Kasia felt like her Electric Ability’s random variation gauge had peaked at the far-right end.
“Yahaa!”
[Barrier Creation]
[Steelification]
[Resistance]
[Multiple Barriers]
The overlapping defensive walls burst successively under the fierce onslaught of the Wind Strike.
Simultaneously, Nature Mana is dragged down, and the Holy Mirror absorbs it more powerfully than the wand can.
A warrior that first-years can never hope to defeat.
Now it’s obvious why veterans evaluate them that way.
“Ugh! My pride hurts!”
The swordsman Oknodie creates afterimages while skillfully and wildly stabbing around, and the magician Oknodie wanted to show the grand magician aura by bombarding magic like shelling.
Yet despite personal hopes, the relentless assault from the warrior left them scrambling even for defense, and now they lack enough Nature Mana to keep their barriers up.
BANG!
Yet somehow they wring out whatever mana they can to block the final Wind Strike.
“No relaxing. If the first wave is over, I’ll just follow it up with a second wave of onslaught.”
The Holy Mirror began to shine again, unleashing its attacks.
While struggling to hold back the Wind Strike, several mirrors that had previously exchanged hits raised the power of their death strikes on the surface.
Wow. I’ve had the worst awakening!
That technique, in the game, is used only during the summer vacation of the second year when fighting chapter bosses.
Specifically, it refers to the chapter boss from [Chapter 4: Tranquil Death, Silence Forest], Professor Sadako’s Howling Child Poppy.
It silences voices, trapping skill activations and spell completions, giving damage from poison and curses as you get closer, and adding random curses upon hit — a maddening tree.
In this chapter, magicians are to focus on silent casting while swordsmen take on the challenge with high proficiency to surpass activation restrictions, but the warrior transcends conventional wisdom.
The Holy Mirror.
Using the mirrors surrounding the spell at a distance, she pours strikes into the mirrors, which then unleash attacks from the mirrors nearby the boss.
If players tackle it together with the warrior, just by protecting the mirrors they can pull their weight in the warrior’s participation route!
Against the insane tree, covered in blood tears, it’s easy to empathize with Poppy’s (who hasn’t died yet) mournful feelings.
“Everyone, break the mirrors!”
But then the allies intervened to block the frustrating pattern.
Starting with Jezel’s shout, everyone unleashed their attack on the nearby mirrors.
[Shadow Blade Art]
Ziang elegantly sprays multiple daggers.
[Throwing Axe]
Hestia hurls an axe at a mirror to smash it.
[Throw]
[Throw]
Isabel, Son Ohchun, Dorothy, and others diligently pick up and throw stones, ice shards, and even dodgeballs.
“Ugh. Why don’t our attacks break the mirrors at once?”
“Because the defenses are up. If you attend the Developing Insight lecture, you’ll understand. You get a feel for cooking just by eyeballing it.”
“Is cooking relevant!? Plus, Hestia breaks them all in one go! And every time Ziang hits, they get all cracked!”
“What a cliche thing to say. We’re weaker compared to those with the sticky ball.”
Grumbling yet still contributing, the gathered mirrors dispersed their attacks.
“Yikes!”
“Ack!”
“Ugh.”
First-years screamed, being taken out left and right.
Upperclass students managed to hold on until the end, while those with potential but stuck in lower classes fell one after another.
Thanks to everyone’s sacrifice, the attacks directed at me thinned out, and now was my chance.
Huff. Anyway, all the Nature Mana near me has been taken by the mirrors, so you’re disregarding my counterattack, right?
The intentions were painfully predictable.
The warrior made a reasonable judgment.
But she didn’t make a wise one.
[Rampage]
If there’s no Nature Mana, then she would use her own unique mana.
Isn’t this common sense?
“I can’t afford to use both sword and magic here anymore.”
The warrior retaliated, rolling on the ground, grabbing Isabel’s longsword that had been tossed over by Son Ohchun before she fell.
Equipped with a sword in one hand and a wand in the other.
Decked out in full gear, her spirit was elevated.
It’s genuinely moving how the newbies willingly give up precious points to support me.
This is why I’ve repeated this game countless times.
Though misfortunes abound and luck runs deep, the pure-hearted nature of the NPCs living within it touches human hearts.
“This is enough to hold on.”
“No, not yet! I can’t fall this easily! Oknodie, who helped me with no conditions, is waiting for my help, I have to do something… UGH!”
In the chaos, Jaku sneakily faked blocking attacks and fell off the stage, while the diligent mob, testing his limits, got hit too many times, flipped his helmet backward, and fainted.
“Ugh, did Oknodie and Kasia endure such attacks all this time?”
“It doesn’t add up. If it was an assassination request, this kind of ridiculous difficulty would be worth falling into a trap.”
Even Hestia and Ziang were starting to feel overwhelmed by the assault.
But Ishtar’s expression was grim.
The mirrors were consuming resources faster than expected.
“…Seems there was someone secretly pulling strings.”
“Gah ha ha! Did you sense it too late?”
Focusing her spirit, Ishtar caught sight of the culprit.
Taking advantage of the chaos, the pirate Jigoku was secretly performing silent casting while shattering the mirrors!
With Jigoku’s fall, even the high-tier named characters were dropping one by one.
This was the scene of a warrior single-handedly obliterating the entire first-year class.
However, failing to clear them soon was Ishtar’s mistake.
Finally, Oknodie completed its Dark Mana rampage at a tolerable level.
“You wicked warrior, I will make you pay!”
A multi-colored three-tier rainbow ball transformed into a superior stage lethal ball.
A fourth-tier dodgeball displayed an inky black hue from Dark Mana and slowly advanced.
