Chapter 42. What is your identity?

“Half-wit. Let me ask you something.”

I initiated a conversation while holding Dawn in a reverse grip. But instead of an answer, the pervert just growled and spewed gray smoke. Just like someone from the Amirios clan, tsk tsk.

“Did the heat burn your brain too?”

“A dead man talks a lot.”

“I have no intention of dying, but isn’t it polite to answer all the questions a man has before he dies?”

“...Was there such a courtesy?”

The guy’s eyes darted around, as if he was flustered.

“There’s just no helping uneducated bastards.”

“Uneducated? How dare you say such a thing to me!”

“I dared to say such a thing to you. Did I say something I shouldn’t have?”

“I will not forgive you!”

The pervert wiggled his butt and charged towards me. He raised a crude-looking knife, bigger than Dawn, high above his head.

Kwoong!

The sound created by the wind pressure exploded like a bomb, sending the surrounding snow and tree branches flying far away.

“Hm?”

The guy, seeing me unharmed amidst the dust, furrowed his brow deeply.

“What? Did you think I’d croak from that one hit?”

Trying to cut a knight’s lifeline with a swing fit for slaughtering a cow, how pathetic.

“A small fellow, you’re quite something.”

“It’s not that the small fellow is quite something, it’s that you’re pathetic.”

“...!”

The guy ground his teeth and withdrew his knife.

Judging by his aura, I thought he would just push forward mindlessly, but he seems to be the type to read the situation and think, surprisingly.

“You’re different from what I’ve heard.”

The pervert said, coating his sword with red mana.

Different from what he’s heard… This was orchestrated by someone who knows a certain amount about Maxim. Considering he popped out in line with the exam question, the culprit must be inside the academy.

“I don’t know what you heard, but I think that’s enough compliments.”

“I never gave you any compliments.”

“Hey, I said just keep it to yourself.”

“...You seem to be slow-witted.”

“I’m not the sharpest, but I think I’m better than you, right? Well, that’s something we’ll find out as we go. Now! Who hired you for this job? Why don’t you answer?”

“You don’t need to know.”

“But I’d like to know. That way, you can blame that bastard, can’t you?”

Wrinkles formed around the pervert’s eyes. It seems he finds my words utterly ridiculous.

Whether it’s ridiculous or not is something he’ll find out through experience, I just wish he’d answer my question…

If that guy won’t tell me, I could find the person who gave the exam and ask politely, and something might come out. But I don’t want to cause problems inside the academy. There’s no need to attract attention by being noisy. For now, it’s better to move quietly.

“A person’s body is hot!”

The pervert uttered a statement of firm conviction and swung his knife.

Poong!

A pillar of fire shot up where I had been standing.

“You’re quick.”

“You don’t have to tell me that. I know it well.”

“No, you do not know. What fear is!”

The guy gripped the knife with both hands and swung with all his might, as if slitting a cow’s throat.

Kang!

Kagagagak!

The knife clad in red mana and Dawn, covered in blue mana, clashed. Red mana dripped from his knife like drops of blood.

Chiiik.

The fallen mana burned everything it touched, as if it were lava.

But Dawn showed no change. On the contrary, it lightly shed the red mana touching its blade and flashed its edge, seeking to dig into the guy’s knife.

“That’s no ordinary sword.”

“It is an ordinary sword.”

“Do not lie! There is no sword my Metzger cannot break!”

So he’s a guy who cherishes his weapon. To the point of giving it a name.

“Your knife’s name is Metzger? What does that mean?”

“……”

The guy’s eyes widened as he answered with murderous intent. He’s pointlessly consistent.

Still, it’s a knight’s duty to repay the sincerity he has shown.

“This one is called Dawn. Nice to meet you, isn’t it?”

“...You’re a madman.”

“More than you?”

I wonder who the guy wearing only leather panties in this weather is calling a madman.

The pervert scrunched his face and swelled the muscles in both arms. The red mana surged greatly. Then, the formless, fluid mana took shape along the sword.

‘Huh?’

The guy’s mana began to burn the blue mana enveloping Dawn.

‘So he’s around the 3rd Circle.’

A Circle holds the imprint of a god. As the class of the Circle increases, the clarity of the imprint deepens.

Mana circulates through such a Circle and changes its properties to match the imprint.

Naturally, the degree of change becomes clearer in line with the Circle’s class.

The Amirios also have mana Circles. But their Circles couldn't hold an imprint. It was because they were cursed by Ignia. Instead, their Circles hold fire. So they heat the mana contained in the Circle. Needless to say, the intensity increases as the Circle class rises.

‘At the 3rd Circle, you can burn mana with mana. At the 4th Circle, you burn your own body too.’

This is also the reason the Amirios clan cannot grow stronger. Because the more they train, the more they invite death.

‘Still, since they get stronger faster and more easily than others up to the 3rd Circle, it’s easy for them to act like the neighborhood boss.’

Of course, the level of the 3rd Circle they have reached is different from a normal 3rd Circle.

Because they have no imprint.

Pang!

Just before his sword reached, I detonated the gathered mana.

The guy let out a ‘Keuk!’ sound and was pushed back.

“Half-wit.”

A clan that cannot properly use Ignia’s power. A clan that can neither become strong nor let go of everything and yearn for peace. A clan that is treated as half-baked everywhere in the world.

“How dare you! How dare you spew such words at me!”

That’s why they get furious at the word ‘half-wit’.

“I think you said something similar earlier. Let’s just say that. I told you to answer my question, didn’t I? Who ordered you?”

“I’ll kill you. I’ll kill you!”

Every time the pervert stomped on the ground, the earth rumbled, Kung! Kung! The red mana burned with even greater intensity.

I slowly exhaled and stimulated my Mana Heart. The pure energy of mana spread throughout my body. My muscles became more defined, and my senses sharpened.

‘It tasted awful, but the effect is clear.’

The Mana Heart, which had become much stronger after enduring the Devil Bear’s heart, reached the 2nd Star.

Ka, Kang!

I cleanly blocked the guy’s two-hit combo aimed at my head and waist. In the past, I would have been pushed back by the weight or suffered from the heat, but not now.

“Keuk!”

The guy’s face crumpled, as this was not the situation he had expected. But he didn’t seem to have any intention of stopping his attack. He twisted his body to add speed to his sword.

The blade of Metzger, stained with red mana, became even redder.

“Chew it up and swallow!”

The pervert’s tacky shout followed. Metzger responded in kind, baring its hot teeth. The air buckled and the floating mana burned. Gray smoke intermittently rose, illustrating the momentum of the attack.

Kwaang!

With a huge explosion, reddish dust covered everything in sight. No, it burned everything.

“Different from what I heard. I’ll have to ask for more money.”

The pervert, confident of his victory, spat out leisurely words.

“Yeah. I don’t know who ‘he’ is, but tell him to give you more. While you’re at it, tell him to give you a hefty sum for your travel expenses to the afterlife.”

“N-no?”

I waved my hand, clearing away the reddish dust. Beyond the cleared vision, the pervert’s flustered face came into view. Until now, I had only seen his expressionless or angry face, but seeing him surprised made me snort with laughter.

“How…”

“What? Did you think I’d be dead? Or are you amazed, like you’ve seen a ghost?”

“Wh-what in the world are you?”

The pervert, as if he couldn’t believe I was standing there perfectly fine, pointed a finger at me and breathed heavily. It must have been the best sword strike he could muster.

“What’s with all the questions? Didn’t the guy who gave you the job explain anything?”

“What is your identity?”

“What do you mean, what? I’m Maximilian Caesar. The 5th Prince of Poinus. And the person who’s going to beat you to a pulp.”

“……”

“I enjoyed your little talent show until now. From now on, I’ll return the favor. So block with all your might. If you block sloppily, you’ll die. You’ll really die.”

I wiped the smile off my face.

The pervert, also sensing something was amiss, put on a tense expression and held his knife up high.

Tang!

With a sharp sound, the pervert’s arm distorted. He also let out a groan of pain, ‘Keoheok!’

The Metzger he boasted about dangled from his hand.

Tang!

As Dawn flashed a vivid purple, the pervert’s shoulder slumped.

“Hup!”

The guy, as if he hadn’t even seen the sword coming, opened his eyes wide and choked out his pain.

A pleasant sound. So I should let him hear it more excitingly.

Tang! Taang! Ppaak!

The pervert tried his best to block Dawn, but all he did was try.

Dawn honestly struck his head, shoulders, knees, feet, knees, feet, and then his head.

“Kkeueuk.”

The pervert foamed at the mouth and collapsed to the ground. The knife he had even named Metzger rolled on the ground.

“A guy who can’t even dodge that is putting strength in his eyes. I should just pluck them out.”

“……”

“What? Were you feeling smug because you’re a 3rd Circle? A half-wit 3rd Circle who can barely pass for a 2nd Circle level.”

“You, what in the world are you? What is your identity?”

The pervert asked, trembling all over. He said he would teach me what fear was since I didn’t know, but it seems he’s the one who has learned it well.

But why does this bastard keep asking questions without answering mine?

“Hey.”

At my call, the guy’s face hardened.

“You son of a bitch, you don’t even answer what I ask, so why do you keep asking me things?”

“...I cannot answer.”

“Really? Reeeally?”

I gripped Dawn with both hands and raised its blade. Until now, I had been hitting him with the flat of the sword to get information. That’s why I had him sitting there without breaking a single bone, but if he insists on holding out, I have no choice. I’ll have to take at least one arm.

“I-I really can’t. If I speak, my entire clan will die!”

The pervert cried out desperately, with eyes pleading for me to understand.

“So?”

“Th-what?”

“So what am I supposed to do about it? Did you show mercy and consider their circumstances when you killed people?”

The pervert bit his lip and trembled.

“Selfish bastard.”

“...What do you know? Do you know what it feels like to suffer under a curse without having committed any crime…”

The guy, who was spitting out words in a fit of rage, abruptly stopped. It was because the blade of Dawn had touched his neck.

“Who told you to talk?”

“……”

“I don’t care about your damn feelings. What I’m interested in is the guy who gave you the job.”

The guy just ground his teeth but didn’t answer. Seeing him keep his mouth shut even with his life on the line, it seems a lot of money was involved.

Anyway. Bastards like this talk about their own pain but don’t even think about the pain of others. They must have stabbed, cut, burned, and done all sorts of things.

“I’d rather.”

“What?”

“I’d rather die with you!”

Hot air erupted from the pervert’s pants.

This is dangerous.

In an instant, a pillar of fire shot up from the guy’s entire body. And the pillar of fire tried to swallow me.

“Damn it!”

In the sudden situation, there was no suitable place to escape.

I stabbed Dawn into the ground and hid my body.

***

Kugugung!

The ground shook. A pillar of fire shot up from deep within the forest.

Adellian, who was treating her fallen comrades, looked at the pillar of fire with anxious eyes.

“N-no.”

Michelle, who had been treated first, had an expression as if her soul was crumbling.

“Th-that’s wh-where Ma-Maxim is…”

Odekerkh hastily swallowed his words. To anyone’s eyes, the pillar of fire was ominous. And without needing to say it, everyone knew Maxim was there.

“Michelle!”

Before anyone could stop her, Michelle grabbed her bow and ran towards where Maxim was.

Adellian also stopped the treatment she was doing and started running after Michelle.

“What are you going to do?”

Piontek, who had been receiving treatment just a moment ago, asked Odekerkh.

“W-we have to go. O-our fr-friend is there, i-isn’t he?”

Odekerkh answered as if it were obvious and started running with a waddle.

Seeing this, Piontek frowned and let out a long sigh.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

Piontek also got up and started moving towards where Maxim was.