Chapter 168: The Secret Weapon

Kael got up the next day completely unaware of the dangers brewing both inside and outside the academy.

As usual, he began his morning ritual. He washed his face, brushed his teeth, took a shower, and changed into his academy uniform. However, when he finally looked toward the clock, he realized that he was already late for class.

Kael stared at the time for several seconds.

He was silent.

Then he shrugged.

There was no point rushing anymore.

"Well, I’m already late anyway," Kael muttered calmly.

Instead of panicking, Kael took his time finishing his preparations. After all, running through the academy at full speed wouldn’t change the fact that he had already missed the beginning of class.

Once he was ready, Kael stepped out of his room.

He immediately stopped.

His eyes landed on the enormous portrait of Xavier hanging in the living room.

Kael’s expression instantly darkened.

"This always makes my day worse."

He walked past the portrait without giving it another glance before stepping outside his dormitory.

However, just as he reached the doorway, another door opened.

Kael stopped.

Auriella stepped out of her room.

She was his other neighbor, and the moment her eyes landed on Kael, her normally emotionless expression immediately changed.

Her eyebrows lowered.

Her eyes narrowed.

Her entire expression seemed to become colder.

Kael stared at her for a moment.

For some reason, he felt as though he had just seen a mirror.

Apparently, he had the same effect on Auriella that Xavier’s portrait had on him.

"Well, that’s new," Kael said curiously. "Is there any reason why you’re coming out late?"

Auriella immediately frowned.

"It’s obviously your fault, so why are you still asking the obvious?"

Kael paused.

He stared at her.

"But we didn’t spar yesterday. I only sparred with Cairo."

Auriella’s expression became even more threatening.

"Are you purposely trying to get on my nerves?"

Kael immediately felt a sense of danger.

Before Auriella could say anything else, however, she suddenly stopped.

"Oh. Sorry about that. It was my mistake."

She walked past Kael.

Kael remained frozen for a moment.

Then his eyes widened.

"Wait a minute."

He quickly turned around and followed after her.

"Don’t tell me you fought the simulated version of myself."

Auriella’s pace immediately increased.

"Leave me alone already. I already apologized for the misunderstanding. What more do you want from me?"

Kael continued following her.

"Come on. What exactly are you hiding?"

Auriella ignored him.

Kael smiled.

"Don’t tell me you lost to me."

Auriella suddenly stopped.

Kael, who had been following closely behind her, stopped as well.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Auriella’s back remained toward Kael.

Kael looked at her carefully.

He decided that continuing his teasing might not be the wisest decision.

I better stop before she decides to take my head off.

Finally, Auriella spoke.

"Kael."

Her voice was unusually serious.

"Tell me honestly. How did you do it?"

Kael blinked.

"Do what?"

"Defeat the simulated versions of the students."

Kael understood immediately.

"You tried my training method."

Auriella remained silent.

"I don’t expect you to be able to replicate what I did," Kael continued. "You can’t expect the same result for yourself."

Auriella turned slightly.

"It is not like I have the Eyes of Ruin, and I’m not asking you how you obtained them."

Kael paused.

"Sorry. That came out wrong."

He scratched the back of his head.

"But I hope you understand my point."

Auriella sighed.

"Your ability allows you to copy techniques."

"Yeah."

"You actually copied the effect of my eyes."

Kael’s eyes immediately brightened.

"Just the surface level."

He looked genuinely curious.

"I didn’t really reach the essence of your ability. I couldn’t see the exact number of times I could kill someone."

Kael paused.

"Actually, I’m curious."

Auriella looked at him.

"How many chances are there to kill me?"

Auriella stared at him silently.

Kael’s curiosity only grew.

"Come on. I’m serious. How many?"

Auriella turned away and continued walking toward class.

"We are already late, and we’ve wasted enough time here."

Kael hurried after her.

"Come on, Auriella. You can’t be that stingy. I just want to know the number."

She ignored him.

"It could be more accurate than what my system is telling me."

Auriella continued walking without looking at him.

"Then I guess you should believe your system."

Kael frowned.

"That’s not an answer."

Auriella said nothing.

However, internally, she was far more troubled than she allowed herself to show.

He has already entered double digits.

Her eyes narrowed.

Although the number is still fluctuating.

She couldn’t understand it.

How does someone grow this fast within the span of a few months?

Eventually, the two reached the classroom at almost exactly the same time.

Auriella calmly entered first.

Kael followed behind her.

The moment Lyra spotted him, her expression immediately changed.

"Kael."

Kael stopped.

"Yes?"

"Why the heck would you challenge Auriella to a spar this early in the morning?"

Kael’s mouth opened slightly.

"What?"

"I know the tournament is right around the corner, but you shouldn’t just forget about your studies. And now you’ve even dragged your fellow classmate down with you."

Lyra pointed toward Auriella.

"Look at her. She’s already coming late because of what you did."

Kael stood completely dumbfounded.

"This must be a sad joke, right?"

He looked around the classroom.

"Why would you immediately think I’m at fault?"

No one answered.

Kael turned toward his classmates.

"And you guys? You don’t believe that, right?"

Almost as if they had rehearsed it beforehand, the entire class turned their gazes away.

Kael froze.

"What have I done to receive this treatment?"

He suddenly remembered something.

"Wait a minute."

Kael pointed toward Auriella.

"Why are you not trying to defend me? We both know the truth. I even stepped out of my room before you."

Lyra immediately placed a hand against her chest.

"So you ambushed her early in the morning to ensure that she came late for class with you?"

The entire classroom suddenly became silent.

Kael’s eyes widened.

"What?!"

One student whispered, "I didn’t know he was like that."

Another student shook his head.

"I always knew there was something strange about that guy, but I didn’t think he would stalk Auriella, wait for her to leave her room, and attack her before she could even react."

A third student looked at him.

"Wow. You’re narrating it like you were there."

"Of course. I was actually there. I witnessed it."

Kael stared at him in disbelief.

Where are all these made-up stories coming from?

Didn’t I just talk to Auriella this morning?

He slowly lowered his head.

So this is what it means to have a bad reputation.

Auriella didn’t even bother correcting them.

She simply walked to her seat and sat down, maintaining her usual stoic expression as she stared toward the board.

Kael’s heart sank.

Even Auriella wasn’t going to help him.

"Alright, I think we’ve had enough discussion for one class," Lyra said.

She glanced toward Kael.

"But you guys should be careful from now on. You don’t know who his next victim might be."

Lyra paused dramatically.

"He might even target the entire class out of spite."

Kael’s expression became empty.

He didn’t even have the strength to defend himself anymore.

He simply walked toward his chair.

Before he could reach it, however, the classroom door opened.

Verdia entered.

It was the first time Kael had seen her since the semester had started.

"Sorry, I’m just arriving at the academy," Verdia muttered.

She turned toward the classroom.

Her eyes landed on Kael.

Don’t tell me he’s also coming now.

She frowned.

His tardiness seems to have gotten worse this semester.

Lyra immediately pointed toward Verdia.

"You see? Another victim of Kael’s early-morning ambush."

Verdia froze.

Kael is ambushing students now?

She looked at Kael with a complicated expression.

How much worse has he gotten over the holidays?

Kael had already completely given up.

He dragged himself toward his seat.

One student suddenly spoke.

"So even his previous fiancée, who he had a huge crush on, is also a victim?"

He shook his head.

"Anyone can be his victim. He’s going full psycho."

Several students nodded.

Even Lyra joined in.

Kael sat down with a hollow expression.

He had officially lost the battle against his own reputation.

The early-morning fiasco eventually came to an end, and classes commenced as usual.

However, the lessons this semester were noticeably different.

The teachers began teaching the first years much more about demons.

Their weaknesses.

Their abilities.

Their methods of combat.

And, most importantly, how to kill them.

The reason was simple.

The first years had now been given the option to take missions and raid dungeons.

That meant demons emerging from dungeons were no longer an impossible scenario.

A dungeon break could happen at any time.

The teachers didn’t want their students walking into a dungeon completely unaware of what they could encounter.

Of course, knowing how to kill a demon didn’t guarantee survival.

But at the very least, it gave the students a chance.

After classes ended, Kael immediately walked toward Charlotte.

She looked up the moment she noticed him approaching.

"I’m not sure you should be here with me."

Kael stopped.

"What exactly do you mean by that?"

Charlotte stared at him seriously.

"For starters, you have the reputation of an early-morning ambusher."

Kael’s expression darkened.

"And Felix even witnessed you ambushing Auriella this morning."

Kael suddenly smiled.

"Wait."

His eyes narrowed.

"So Felix is the witness."

Charlotte sighed.

"Is that the only thing you got out of my entire statement?"

Kael ignored her.

"So Felix started all of this."

Charlotte shook her head.

"I think you should keep your distance before you rub your bad reputation onto me."

Kael immediately looked offended.

"So you’re abandoning me?"

Charlotte looked away.

"After everything I’ve done for you, I’m going to scream."

Kael raised his head dramatically.

Before he could actually scream, Charlotte quickly covered his mouth.

"That is a new low even for you."

Kael looked at her with a grin.

"I knew you wouldn’t abandon me."

Charlotte glared at him before sitting back down.

"So why exactly have you come to see me?"

She folded her arms.

"Although it isn’t usual for you to come looking for me, you’d better make it quick. I need to continue with my training."

Kael smiled.

"I need you to escort me back to Class D."

Charlotte blinked.

"Class D?"

"There’s someone I want to recruit."

Charlotte immediately became curious.

"So who are we recruiting?"

Kael’s smile widened.

"Our secret weapon for the Inter-High Tournament."