CHAPTER 66: THE MACHINE VERSUS THE MASTERPIECE (1)

"So..." Karma said slowly. "Why exactly did you call all the students here?"

Ravian, the one she was addressing, hid his face in his palm as though he were thinking, but in truth, he was panicking. ’Big bro, why the hell did you give me such a crazy mission?’ He peeked through the gap in his fingers. ’How the hell am I supposed to manage everyone here?’

Before Arthur had seen the corpse of the monster, he’d sent a simple message to Ravian.

"Someone might attack the students. Gather them in one place."

’That’s what he told me, but how am I supposed to control them?’

He exhaled and lifted his face, lowering his hand. "Big bro, I mean, Art told me to bring everyone together."

The crowd began to murmur, but no one attempted to leave.

Ren, the sharpest student in the second year, stepped out from the group and asked, "I get that you were just following Arthur Arcain’s orders, but everyone wants to know why he asked us to gather here."

Ravian stared at the boy with piercing blue eyes for a moment, then said, "Someone might attack. That’s all he said."

A bulky first-year, the same one who provoked Arthur during the entrance exam, scoffed. "That bastard is just abusing his authority now that he’s the head of the seventh generation."

Everyone fell silent, as if the reality of Arthur being their leader had just sunk in.

Ayla had pledged her loyalty to Arthur, and Ha-joon’s reign was effectively over. That left only one person who could take the position.

The sole male heir of the demonic dragon race and the younger brother of the female leader of the sixth generation:

Arthur Arcain.

Cale sat up from the tree branch he was perched on. "So what now?"

"We wait."

Everyone turned toward the speaker:

Ellie Reinhardt.

Normally, she couldn’t even speak up in gatherings like this, not because she was shy but because she risked being bullied.

But even those who had once picked on her averted their gazes in guilt. No one said a word.

She was the wife of their leader, after all.

And besides, something in her had changed.

Ellie walked toward the center of the area where the exam had started.

Behind her were Amelia and Cassie, with Eric, who had gone to fetch them, trailing behind.

Her steps were poised, unlike anything they’d seen from her before, and her gaze was empty.

To Eric, Cale, and Vicky, who had seen Nathira before, she looked identical to her.

No, she looked even more dangerous.

Ellie tied her loose hair into a ponytail. "Ha-joon will attack us."

Everyone’s expressions darkened. Some wanted to object, but no one did.

They were frozen by her very presence.

Ellie paused for a moment. "Saintess, when was the last time you saw Kim Ha-joon?"

The Saintess, standing with her group opposite Ellie, flinched at the question.

It wasn’t just that Ellie didn’t address him with respect, it was that the Saintess couldn’t even bring herself to argue.

Ha-joon had fallen from grace.

Cecilia took a moment before replying. "Since the start of the test. He left with Agrat."

Everyone fell silent immediately, even their earlier doubts vanished.

Amelia, standing behind Ellie, suddenly looked up at the sky. "Everyone..."

The moment she spoke, the crowd turned to her, bracing themselves.

She finished, "He’s coming."

------

(Inside the dungeon boss room)

Agrat spat blood onto the cave floor. "Cough... Damn bitch."

She looked at her bloodied palm and sighed. "Good thing I had that as backup."

When Seraph had appeared and was about to cut Agrat in two, she’d warned her that Kim Ha-joon had reached Master rank and was moments from killing her master.

It had been just a guess, but seeing such a beautiful, powerful woman serve a man without hesitation brought only one person to mind.

She managed a strained smile. "Arthur Arcain... how many monstrous women do you even have under you?"

Agrat slowly pushed herself up. Her body was battered from the brief skirmish with Seraph before the knight agreed to go save Arthur.

She looked up toward the boss room’s entrance high atop the cliff and whispered, "I’ll be back, Central Academy, not just to kill you all..." She licked her lips. "But to take my darling Arthur."

------

(Near the cliff Anna had fallen from)

’Good thing I sent that message to Ravian beforehand.’ Arthur blinked from tree to tree. ’Having a loyal brother-in-law is kind of convenient.’

It didn’t take long after Arthur had bitten himself to regain composure.

There were more important things in life than sulking like a coward.

Arthur glanced up at the sky as a glowing purple light streaked past him.

He felt something surge through his body. "A demonic dragon?"

He shook his head. ’No, I’m the only male demonic dragon, that’s means: an actual demon-dragon hybrid,’ he thought, halting mid-air. ’But how...’

At that moment, Arthur understood what was happening.

But the shock didn’t last long.

He grinned. "Idiot actually sold his soul to the devil."

His expression darkened. ’And it looks like the spirits are fleeing from him.’

Arthur summoned his stat window and examined the colors he had.

It usually increased at a steady rate, but now it had dropped. That meant only one thing.

"All the spirits are running to Amy."

He immediately enveloped himself in yellow color and began using Lysandra’s transmission spell in rapid succession.

’Gods, let them all be safe.’

------

Ha-joon, having flown past Arthur’s position, landed like a true superhuman among the gathered students.

His eyes blazed, and dragon scales covered almost his entire body, leaving only his face visible.

Two jagged horns protruded from the sides of his head, and a glowing red core had replaced his heart.

Everyone could tell at once:

The person standing before them was no longer human, and worse, he was Master rank.

Only a few could even move while the rest froze in fear.

Ha-joon slowly lifted a finger with an arrogant smile. "Now, which of you insects wants to die first?"

The weight of his words brought several students to their knees.

It was unmistakable—the legendary technique known only to ancient dragons.

The dragon tongue.

Yet one lone figure remained standing, completely unfazed.

She asked:

"So you’re the reason husband skipped our last lovers’ session?"

Everyone’s eyes turned simultaneously to the figure standing behind Ha-joon.

Her gaze was narrowed to slits, and a gentle smile curved her lips.

She wasn’t holding her usual wooden staff but a small combat wand crackling with electricity.

Ha-joon turned to her with desire glinting in his eyes and grinned. "Ellie..."

─── ✦ End of Chapter ✦ ───