The Villian Who Broke The Story

Kael sat up slowly as he turned toward Xavier.

It had been a week since his Suicide Solo Dungeon raid.

A week since he had entered the mysterious dungeon, fought through all five floors, pushed his body beyond what he thought was possible, and eventually collapsed.

His recovery had been surprisingly fast.

That was to be expected.

[Infinite Adaptation] had played a major role in his recovery.

His demonic form had also accelerated the process.

Kael could still remember the strange sensation of his body repairing itself. Injuries that should have taken weeks to recover from had healed far faster than normal.

His ribs were no longer broken.

His muscles had recovered.

Even the damage caused by the Celestial Moon Style had disappeared.

Of course, Kael wasn’t completely convinced that being nearly killed was a good way to train.

He stretched his arms before reaching into his pocket.

His fingers touched his ring.

For a moment, Kael stared at it.

He had removed it after entering the dungeon because Xavier had insisted that he stop limiting his demonic power. Now that he was returning to the academy, however, there was no reason to walk around displaying that side of himself.

Kael slipped the ring onto his finger.

The moment it settled into place, the demonic markings around his eyes disappeared.

His crimson pupils returned.

The strange pressure surrounding his body faded.

He looked like himself again.

Kael glanced down.

”Let’s see.”

His status appeared before him.

[Name: Kael Draven]

[Race: Human ???]

[Class: None]

[Potential: ???]

[Rank: B+]

[Strength: B+]

[Agility: B]

[Stamina: B+]

[Mana: B+]

Kael stared at his stats.

A small smile appeared on his face.

His Rank had increased.

His strength and stamina had also reached B+.

His mana had followed.

Only his agility remained at B.

Considering where he had been before entering the dungeon, the growth wasn’t bad at all.

In fact, it was better than he had expected.

”Well, my growth hasn’t been that bad.”

Kael closed the status window.

Then his expression immediately became bored.

”But fighting monsters all day long still just makes theChapters boring.”

He leaned backward.

The dungeon had certainly made him stronger.

There was no denying that.

But spending days fighting monsters wasn’t exactly what he considered an enjoyable holiday.

He had hoped to have some peace.

Instead, he had spent his time being beaten half to death by monsters while Xavier watched from somewhere nearby.

Kael sighed.

”Next time I’m taking a vacation.”

”You’re not getting one.”

Kael nearly jumped.

Xavier had appeared beside him without making a sound.

Kael turned slowly.

”When did you get there?”

Xavier ignored the question.

”You should be getting ready.”

”Getting ready for what?”

”You’ll be returning today.”

Kael blinked.

”Already?”

”It’s been a week.”

Kael looked toward the mountain.

He had completely lost track of time.

Xavier turned around and started walking down the mountain.

”I’m just wondering whether the academy knows that I’m the one who kidnapped you.”

Kael stared at him.

Then he pointed accusingly at Xavier.

”So you are actually admitting to kidnapping me?”

Xavier stopped.

He looked over his shoulder.

”Come on.”

He waved his hand dismissively.

”Ignore the minor details and let’s get going. Your academy awaits.”

Kael stared at his back.

Minor details?

He had literally abducted him in the middle of the night.

Kael stood.

His body felt considerably better than it had a few days ago.

He looked toward the dungeon entrance one last time.

There was no sign of the strange gate.

It had disappeared after he completed it.

Whatever that place was, Kael had a feeling he hadn’t seen the last of it.

But he wasn’t going to worry about it now.

He had an academy to return to.

And judging from everything Xavier had said, he was probably going to have some explaining to do.

Kael followed Xavier down the mountain.

Meanwhile, at the academy, Charlotte was having a completely different kind of problem.

”Again!”

Charlotte could be seen fidgeting on the ground as her body spasmed.

Her hair was disheveled.

Her breathing was uneven.

Her muscles twitched uncontrollably.

Yet despite the state of her body, she had a huge smile on her face.

She was currently inside the academy’s Virtual Simulation Room.

Unlike most students who had left during the holidays, Charlotte had remained at the academy.

She had spent the entire holiday training.

And she hadn’t trained alone.

She had been training under Miss Stella.

Stella stepped into the room and stared at Charlotte.

For several seconds, she simply watched.

Charlotte’s body continued twitching.

The grin on her face somehow became even wider.

Stella sighed.

”How many times have I warned you?”

Charlotte looked up.

”Warned me about what?”

”Overusing Mana Emphasization like that could lead to your death.”

Charlotte blinked.

”And your defeat.”

Charlotte’s grin returned.

”But I defeated him.”

Stella’s eyebrow twitched.

”I defeated Zion!”

Charlotte suddenly sat up.

”I defeated Zion at that moment where I pushed my Mana Emphasization to the limit!”

Her eyes sparkled.

”I was faster!”

She slapped the floor.

”I was faster than him!”

Another twitch ran through her body.

”I was faster than Zion!”

Stella stared at her.

Charlotte was practically vibrating with excitement.

Stella slowly rubbed her forehead.

”It’s obvious that she’s high.”

Charlotte’s grin didn’t disappear.

”This must be the aftereffect of her Mana Emphasization, it’s almost like she’s on some seriously hard drugs.”

A voice came from behind them.

”That’s a Lightning users for you.”

Stella turned.

Professor Raphael was walking past the entrance.

He had clearly heard the conversation.

”Although rare, each has their own quirky personality.”

He glanced at Charlotte.

”But for Charlotte to be able to use Mana Emphasization at this stage...”

Raphael paused.

”...she might really have the potential to become a Warlock.”

Stella looked at him.

”Yeah.”

She glanced back at Charlotte.

”But at this rate, she might kill herself before reaching her full potential.”

She face-palmed.

Charlotte ignored them.

She was still smiling.

”Faster...”

She whispered.

”I need to get faster.”

Stella looked at her.

”See?”

Raphael smiled slightly.

”She’s really trying to catch up to Kael.”

Stella’s expression changed.

That was exactly what worried her.

Kael had changed the way Charlotte viewed strength.

Before, Charlotte had been talented.

Now, she was obsessed with improving.

Ever since the tournament and the holiday began, she had been training herself relentlessly.

Raphael watched Charlotte carefully.

”This might be the strongest generation of students we’ve had since Xavier’s generation.”

Stella crossed her arms.

”Yeah, but ever since Kael started abusing Mana Emphasization, pulling it out of his arsenal like it’s a regular skill, and now Charlotte is attempting the same thing.”

She shook her head.

”I don’t really know why Kael is able to utilize Mana Emphasization like it’s a regular skill.”

Stella looked toward Charlotte.

”Even experienced Magic Knights don’t abuse it the same way he did.”

She paused.

”It’s like his body adapts to it.”

Stella sighed.

”But that’s to be expected.”

Raphael raised an eyebrow.

”Why?”

”Because that boy has never been normal.”

She folded her arms.

”I’ve watched plenty of students use Mana Emphasization. The backlash is obvious. The body wasn’t designed to maintain that level of output repeatedly.”

Her gaze shifted toward the medics who had arrived.

Charlotte was finally being helped off the floor.

”And yet Kael keeps doing it.”

Stella shook her head.

”He pushes it harder every time.”

Raphael smiled.

”Perhaps that’s why he’s grown so quickly.”

”Or perhaps he’s just an idiot.”

Raphael chuckled.

”Those aren’t mutually exclusive.”

Stella looked at him.

”You’re starting to sound like you’re defending him.”

”I’m not.”

Raphael shrugged.

”But you can’t deny his results.”

Stella remained silent.

She couldn’t.

Kael’s results were impossible to ignore.

In only a few months, he had gone from being an ordinary first-year student to someone capable of standing above most of his peers.

And now Charlotte was following the same path.

The difference was that Charlotte didn’t have Kael’s strange ability to adapt to everything he threw at himself.

Stella sighed.

”I only wish she knew that she is not Kael.”

She rubbed her brows.

”Just telling her that doesn’t seem to do it.”

Raphael watched Charlotte being carried away.

”I guess you could say that.”

He paused.

”But she has drive.”

Stella glanced at him.

”That could count for something.”

”Are you trying to defend her?”

Raphael shook his head.

”Nope. Not really.”

He looked toward the training room.

”But with this amount of growth...”

His expression became more serious.

”I think our academy might stand a chance in this year’s Inter-High Tournament.”

Stella’s expression hardened.

”The Inter-High?”

”Yes.”

Raphael nodded.

”Things are different this year.”

He glanced toward the academy grounds.

”Among the first years of the other academies, someone of Royal blood just entered.”

Stella’s eyes narrowed.

She already understood what that meant.

Royal blood wasn’t something that appeared often.

And when someone possessing it entered an academy, their talent was rarely ordinary.

Raphael continued.

”That means the other academies won’t be sitting still.”

Stella sighed.

”I don’t really care about high school shenanigans.”

She crossed her arms.

”I don’t want my student dying before battling actual demons.”

Raphael looked at her.

For once, he didn’t immediately disagree.

”I guess that’s a valid point.”

He glanced toward the direction Charlotte had been taken.

”But I’m not sure Charlotte seems like someone that’ll remain beneath us forever.”

Stella raised an eyebrow.

Raphael continued.

”If she truly taps into her potential and achieves the title of Warlock...”

He smiled faintly.

”She might surpass both of us.”

Stella’s expression became serious.

”She has already awakened her class.”

Raphael nodded.

”And that’s rare even among nobles.”

The two professors fell silent.

The academy had changed.

The students were changing even faster.

Kael.

Charlotte.

Zion.

Auriella.

And now a new generation of students from the other academies was beginning to emerge.

For the first time in years, the Inter-High Tournament might actually become unpredictable.

And somewhere beyond the academy walls, Kael was already making his way back.

Neither Stella nor Raphael knew it yet.

But the student they had been discussing was about to return.

And with him, the academy’s peaceful holiday was about to end.