Volume 5 Chapter 35: Berserk

"Eh~ Even though it was such a good suggestion..."

The next day, when I looked at the notice letter sent down by the academy, I felt depressed.

Although it's true that I had another agenda of 'being able to obtain the unique treasures and skill books from the Eastern Continent' in mind when I suggested that, it still greatly benefits the development of this academy as well, right?

What's so good about having to fight and kill every single day? And the people who are currently able to fight are beginning to gain less EXP from each battle. There's no longer much of a point in fighting in this war.

That's right, although it's possible to obtain 10,000 EXP from fighting higher- leveled opponents, currently, I'm already LV 34, and other than the former

[Knight of the Blue Seas]leader who was LV 35, the other squad leaders' levels

are basically lower than mine...

Although I have yet to battle with Merun, the squad leader of[Sweeper]... I kind of feel that there's no point even if I win.

Well, that's not the main point.

The main point was the notice letter the academy just sent. "So, what do you guys think?"

The people in the room other than me were Lois, Pryn, Oyado, Dale, Bai Yueguang,

Hei Luoli, and Tai Shixi.

The people here were the names listed in the notice letter, and we were the ones who were selected for the exchange programme.

That's right, exchange students. In other words, we will be studying abroad while enjoying our time in a new environment.

It sounds pretty good, but... at the same time, the squad members left behind will have to continue participating in the academy war.

"The academy's suggestion is really filled with evil intentions, huh. Is this really alright?"

Dale said with a frown.

"I think it's fine, after all... We do not possess any special 'duty' to obtain victory in the academy war."

I emphasized on the word 'duty', and probably, Dale and the rest were able to understand I was pointing out to them that we did not receive any quests that needed us to obtain victory in the academy war.

Without a quest, there's totally no motivation to complete it at all. And, it's no longer effective to grind EXP this way either. So, looking at the current notice... It's still kind of acceptable.

But it really pisses me off!

"It really pisses me off though!!!"

Aliyah unhappily said as she slammed the table.

"This strange condition is obviously aimed at us! Just hearing about it again pisses me off. Why don't we simply exterminate the other three Knight squads and get this over and done with!"

"But there's no point in that, right? It's just an academy war, after all. If an actual war breaks out within the Western Continent because of the academy war, wouldn't it be troublesome in the future?"

"Then what plans do we have?" Bai Yueguang asked.

"Hei Luoli, Tai Shixi and I came from the Eastern Continent, so we don't really mind. And we personally do not have any particular interest in the academy war."

"Bad taste."

Tai Shixi sure is concise with her words. "Hei Luoli doesn't really mind~"

These three people sure fit each other pretty well...

"Of course, I did make contact with our sponsors, the people from Witt Empire and Ice Empire, about this issue. We will just leave it to them after this. I hate things like arguing and debating with people after all."

"You sure are lazy..."

Dale looked at me with a disdainful look.

I laughed, and then turned back to look at them.

"So, in other words, no one has a strong objection over this notice?"

Looking at everyone's indifferent expressions, I guess that could be considered as their answer.

"Alright, then we will leave it at that. If there's any sudden changes, I will inform you guys..."

Ding! [Sweeper]Merun challenges[NEET Tea Party]Fir to a duel.

Suddenly, the battle notification rang.

Seeing this notification, I was slightly startled.

"I didn't expect that their squad leader would take the initiative." Aliyah revealed a shocked expression.

"That's right..."

[Sweeper]Squad leader Merun, other than the opening ceremony on the first day, I have not seen her figure anywhere.

In the past weeks, the people dispatched for battles by[Sweeper]had always been mere members, and Merun had never stepped into battle at all.

"Is our opponent desperate? She's actually attacking us directly." Dale pushed up his glasses.

"No matter the case, there's a need to take the challenge. Dale, investigate what

she has been doing up till now. Oyado..." "Big brother, what is it!"

Hearing my call, like a whirlwind, Oyado immediately appeared before me.

"Kuh... Umm... Do you mind checking out the situation at[Sweeper]'s base? Once you find anything strange, immediately report to Dale. Then, he will have a way to contact me directly."

"I will go with her." Aliyah suddenly said.

"Like this, it will be more convenient."

"Alright, then I will have to trouble both of you."

I nodded, and then, quickly left the meeting room. I then sprinted to the venue my opponent had selected.

The moment I reached the duel venue, I was shocked by the scene in front of me.

Five warriors, wearing heavy armor, were currently standing upright by the side of the passageway. Merun, whose height was similar to theirs, with her giant sword behind her back, was currently standing in the center, and seemed to be conversing with them.

But...

The aura emitted by their bodies seemed to be causing the nearby students, and even the average knights, to avoid them.

Even I, who despise looking at others simply by their outward appearance, was able to feel the killing intent being emitted from their bodies... Did they just return from a battlefield or something?

And when I examined Merun's level, I could not help but feel psyched!

Merun Olivis

LV 34 Broadsword Wielder

[Neutral] [Cruel] [Elite] [Eraser] [Squad Leader of the Oudo Empire Anti- Beastmen 3rd Squad] [Bloody Knight] [Sweeper] [Blood Sword]

She actually leveled up!

In other words, her current level is the same as mine, which also means I will be able to obtain 10,000 EXP from beating her!

Girl, wield your weapon! I want to have a duel with you!

"Oh, you're here! And here I thought you would make me wait for a long time." Seeing my appearance, she actually looked really happy, and greeted me.

"I heard that people who study magic were very long-winded, I didn't expect you would arrive this fast. This is great. Although my superiors were the ones who ordered me to duel you, I still have another mission to complete! Let's hurry and end this game of playing house."

"... You sure have a lot of confidence in yourself, huh?" Hearing her words, I could not help but rub my temple.

"You do know the current difference in points between our squads, right?"

"Hmph! Something like that basically doesn't have any meaning!" She said with disdain.

"You have to know that you only have one life on the battlefield, so what's the point in this make-shift game of house!? If my country hadn't requested me to appear in this war, why would I have been willing to participate in this..."

"Farce, right?" I laughed.

"Indeed. Even if you're defeated here, you would only lose points, while you have killed countless of enemies on an actual battlefield... Are you proud of that?"

"Eh?"

"I'm asking you! Do you feel proud from taking so many human lives!?" "... Yes!"

Her expression instantly turned fierce.

With her outburst of killing intent, her green short hair slowly began to flutter.

.Unlike Arnus' black aura, the aura emitted by her was actually red in color. And that aggressive aura of hers even caused her surrounding companions to

unconsciously take a step back.

"I fight for my country, and my people! Even if I have to take many lives, it doesn't matter! As long as I'm able to protect the things that I deem important!"

"... Very well!"

I turned and looked towards the teacher at the side.

"For this battle, can we not deploy the[Battle Barrier]? "That's..."

The teacher was shocked by my words. "The school's rules..."

"Hahaha! I didn't expect that you would actually dare to bet your life on this

battle! Very well! Throw the rules down to the deep pits of hell! I will take full responsibility for this!"

After saying that, her figure suddenly disappeared in the air.

An attack warning flashed on my right. I immediately condensed an[Ice Imperial Garden]and released it to my right. Her sword instantly pierced into the block of

ice, and with a single twist, the ice shield was cracked open in half! "Your reaction speed isn't bad."

Merun leapt back and raised her sword. Then, she once again looked towards me.

An instant later, she frowned.

"You're actually not even moving a single step. Are you underestimating me?" "Why would I dare? My opponent is a warrior who has hundred times more battle

experience than I do, while I'm simply a jack-of-all-trades, a student who basically doesn't have a single specialization. Facing an opponent like you, it wouldn't be wise to take you head on."

And I'm unable to use[Freezer of the Hell's Kitchen], because her endurance is evidently several times more than mine. If she realize the attack method and do a

reversal on me, I would basically be digging my own grave.

Because, even though she's wearing an armor, some of her battle scars could still be seen.

Although I learnt the skill[Skybreak]that's capable of slicing through the Freezer from Bai Yueguang,

"But do you think simply by relying on your magical defenses, you will be capable of blocking me!? You're too naive! Slaughter Mode! Activate!"

The instant she said those words, a red ring of aura suddenly erupted from her body!

I hurriedly summoned an ice shield, but the moment the red ring struck my shield, it began to crack open!

When the red aura dissipated, the ice shield in my hand shattered at the same time, and the pieces of ice fell onto the ground.

This atmosphere, sure is frightening!

The teacher in-charge had already disappeared, it seemed like he had already went to report about this.

But there shouldn't be a need to worry, as Oyado should have struck him down by now. How could I possibly have someone interfere in this battle?

Her hair instantly turned red as well, and immediately after, her figure disappeared from her original position.

......

[Shadow Sneak]!

I was not trying to boast when I did not want to battle in the Battle Barrier, rather, I realized the position of the Battle Barrier was in the middle of an open space!

Are you kidding me? There's completely no shadows there, how am I supposed to fight like that?

I flashed right under a building in an instant, and a loud bang sounded in my ears. A large hole was smashed open in my original position by her broadsword!

Her broadsword was stabbed into the ground, and like a certain berserk

prototype machine, Merun was squatting on top of the sword handle, and her pair of scarlet red eyes stared at me.

Slaughter mode?

She has simply gone berserk, right?

But there's completely no change in her name or titles at all. Is this another sort of advanced skill?

Or is this...

Simply her own strength?

Immediately after, she leaped down from the broadsword. With a single kick onto the broadsword, like a flying dagger, the broadsword came thrusting towards me!

I hurriedly rolled and avoided the attack.

But, in the next second, I was grabbed by someone from the back, and I was flung towards the sky!

She actually rushed towards me the same time she attacked with her broadsword?

When I looked downwards, after Merun threw me into the air, she speedily charged towards her broadsword, grabbed onto its handle and jumped high in the air...

Eh?

I slowly shifted my line of sight upwards, and then, after crossing the horizon, I looked directly upwards.

"Aaaaaaaaah!!!"

Her sword-wielding figure had already appeared in mid-air, and she was spouting something incomprehensible.

It's probably the incantation to use the skill or something. However, in the state she's currently in, she probably isn't able to speak properly either.

She sure is pitiful. Even when someone demonifies or ghostifies, that person can actually still speak properly.

You're basically outperforming yourself!!

"Arcane - Unlimited - Millennium Frozen River!!!"

Although I had yet to try this out while targeting an opponent in mid-air, I can only choose to use this at a time like this...

A white frozen stream instantly drowned her figure, a gigantic iceberg with the size of a football field appeared in the air, while I spread out my white wing at the same time and left the area.

The moment I landed on the ground, I heaved a sigh of relief. Although being able to fly is a good thing, it still feels better to stand on firm ground.

But, seeing the scene in the next second, the corner of my lips twitched.

With a single bang, a crack line appeared on the gigantic iceberg enveloping Merun in the air.

And after another bang sounded, a hole was actually broken through in the gigantic iceberg.

Like a monster, Merun crawled out from the hole, and once again disappeared.

Damn it! This girl's jumping strength is so frightening, even if I'm able to fly, it will be hard to avoid her.

And with such fearsome speed, I'm basically incapable of catching the sight of her name. I'm only able to occasionally see her red figure flashing from point to point!

Calm down! How can I defeat her!?

A broadsword wielder who possesses high speed movements, is simply too frightening.

Broadsword wielders are usually slow due to the heavy weapons they're using, but this girl had completely eliminated that weakness!

Looks like I have no choice, but to try out Lanya's new potion, I guess...?

"I just have to be the guinea pig every single time... Geez, one has to always pay the price when using cheap drugs, huh."

Part 4 - Time to Move On