CHAPTER 27: CAUGHT AGAIN

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[Status Window]

Name: Amon Vale

Age: 17

Rank: Awakened

Class: Death Bearer

Element: Shadow, Darkness

Mana: 70

Strength: 26

Agility: 30

Speed: 31

Endurance: 14

Skills: [Basic Swordsmanship]

Spells: [Gloom Orb] [Shadow Clutch] [Mana Bullets] [Shadow Claw]

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Amon looked at the glowing blue screen in front of him and couldn’t help but smile.

The whispering forest at night was eerily quiet, save for the faint rustle of leaves and the distant howls of beasts.

Around him, the ground was littered with corpses—goblins with twisted green faces, kobolds with sharp claws, and horned rabbits whose blood still stained the soil.

For the past few days, Amon had been sneaking out of the academy every evening. Each night, he hunted monsters of rank 0 and some rank 1 , using every bit of strength and brain he had.

And in doing so, he had discovered something important.

His stats increased the more he killed.

But there was a problem.

They didn’t rise evenly. Sometimes his agility would increase. Other times his mana. But not all of them moved at the same time. They went up randomly, and sometimes, not at all.

Even though he had been working himself to the bone, slaughtering monster after monster for nearly five days in a row, his progress felt unbearably slow.

With a sigh, Amon closed the glowing status window.

"I really wish I had a system..." he muttered, shaking his head.

Raising his revolver, he aimed at a kobold hiding in the bushes. Bang! The creature collapsed instantly.

At least one thing was improving. His aim.

"It’s getting easier now," Amon said to himself, twirling the revolver once before holstering it. "Next time, I should look for more rank 1 monsters."

Satisfied with tonight’s hunt, he left the forest and strolled through the city streets for a while.

His thoughts wandered.

Seraphina’s been training me these last few days... and damn, it’s brutal.

She pushed him far beyond his limits, drilling him until his body was sore and his head dizzy. He could barely keep up with her, but deep down, he knew it was helping him.

She also guided him with meditation and mana control. Thanks to her, his mana stat had risen much faster than he expected.So the training also helps him to increased his stats.That literally shows killing monsters of rank 0 actually doesn’t have much effect on his stats.

While Amon was lost in thought, his gaze caught a suspicious figure in the distance.

A man in a hooded cloak.

The cloak couldn’t fully hide his Arcadia Academy uniform.

The man glanced around before slipping into an alleyway and vanishing from sight.

Amon frowned.

’Who’s that guy? He looked shady... He paused for a moment,’ then shook his head.

’Not my problem.’

Turning on his heel, Amon made his way to the academy’s backside and entered through the hidden passage he had been using.

He thought he had made it safely.

But the moment he stepped out of the passage and into the academy grounds, his heart sank.

There she was again.

The same woman with flowing silver hair and blood-red eyes.

Selena, the Student Council President.

"Oh, it’s you again." Her calm, cold voice cut through the night. "Come along. You already know where we’re going."

Amon’s face twitched. He cursed silently.

’Fuck my luck!’

Selena turned without waiting for his reply. The sharp clicking of her high heels echoed in the corridor as she walked, graceful yet commanding.

With no other choice, Amon followed obediently.

Inside the familiar student council office, Amon once again stood in front of Selena’s desk.

Beside him were other students who had also been caught sneaking out. They weren’t the same ones from before, but their nervous faces looked identical to the last group.

Selena’s scarlet eyes swept over them, finally stopping on Amon.

"In just two weeks, I’ve caught you twice, Amon Vale," she said coldly. "If I remember correctly, you declared very confidently last time that you would never sneak out again."

Amon stood straight, his face calm, but inside his heart was racing.

’Damn it, why does she remember me? I thought I was the kind of guy people forget easily...’

Still, with nerves of steel, Amon did what he always did.

He pleaded.

"I’m sorry, President. I made a mistake. I swear I won’t do it again. Just forgive me this once, please." His voice was guilty, his expression pitiful.

But Selena face didn’t change at all.

She remained cold. Indifferent.

Students often says that Seraphina is similar to Selena, but Amon knew the truth. They were nothing alike.

Seraphina might appear expressionless or cold, but deep inside, she was soft and kind. She simply didn’t know how to express herself socially in friendly way.

Selena, on the other hand... was known for being cold and ruthless.

Unmoved by his shameless begging, she spoke again.

"I won’t accept a simple sorry. You will be punished. For the other students here—since this is your first offense—you each lose twenty credits. As for you, Amon Vale, your punishment will be minus twenty credits, along with—"

"President Selena, please! Please forgive me just this once!" Amon interrupted quickly, bowing deeply. "Minus twenty credits is enough! I swear I won’t do it again. Please!"

His shameless persistence made even Selena pause.

The other students were dumbfounded.

Is he insane? Who talks to the president like this?

Yet Amon showed no hesitation. He begged brazenly, without shame, but somehow not disrespectfully.

Selena rubbed her temple, sighing softly.

"...Fine. This will be your last warning. I’ll leave it at minus twenty credits. But next time, if you’re caught again, you won’t get away with such a small punishment."

Amon’s eyes lit up. He quickly nodded.

"Thank you, President Selena! You’re so kind!" He grinned widely, his smile bright enough to annoy anyone else.Literally 180 degree change in attitude.

Selena’s lips curved ever so slightly—an almost invisible smile.

She had to admit... this junior was unique.

It wasn’t the first time someone had begged her for mercy, but Amon’s way of doing it was different. Normally, she found pleas pathetic. But with him, it was... amusing and fun.

His attitude changed so quickly, so colorfully, that she couldn’t help but be entertained.

Then Amon tilted his head curiously and asked, "By the way, President, if you already know about the passage where students sneak out... why haven’t you just closed it?"

The other students nearly fainted at his audacity.

Selena raised a brow. Normally, she wouldn’t bother answering such a question. But for some reason, she indulged him.

"If we close it, they’ll only find another way. It’s better to leave the passage open since we know about it. That way, it’s easier to catch them."

Her tone remained indifferent, but Amon nodded in understanding.

"I see! That makes sense. You really think ahead, President!"

Selena exhaled softly. "Enough. All of you, go. It’s late."

The other students quickly bowed and left.

Amon also bowed, his grin widening. "Thank you again, President! You’re the best senior ever! Bye~"

With that, he cheerfully walked out of the office.

Selena watched his back disappear through the door, her scarlet eyes lingering for a moment.

Despite herself, she sighed.

"...He’s weak, but not a bad junior."

For the first time in a while, the cold-hearted Student Council President allowed herself a faint smile.

Well women are women. Weak to genuine compliments.