I Became the Savior of the Academy’s Villains

Chapter 134

A little after the start of the vacation, Eltima handed over full authority to Herote and was about to set off on a journey to destroy a devil idol.

"Since it's come to this, at least you should come with me for martial training!"

"Huh? I have lots to do!"

"Be quiet! You said you'd polish your disciple's swordsmanship! I'll help refine it, so come along!"

And then, Zeritz dragged Kryphi away.

"Zeritz. It's not that I doubt you, but isn't it a bit risky for him to fight a devil idol?"

"Ha ha! Don't worry. This fool may not know much else, but if it's surviving and killing, he's good at it."

"Is that a compliment?"

"It is. Most importantly, the will contained in your sword is 'killing intent'. People with such a fierce will are rare."

"......"

What dyed Kryphi's ether blade black was pure killing intent.

Kryphi, who had lived nearly his entire life on the battlefield, whose sole purpose was to kill others.

His sword blade seemed to represent that.

"I'm not teasing or mocking you. Having a pure will for something is difficult. Even my sword energy, compared to yours, is a muddied color."

"I know."

"Let's use this opportunity to fully forge your sword. Opportunities to fight a devil idol are rare."

To Zeritz's words, Kryphi replied curtly.

"Aren't you just trying to find an excuse to leave the academy while Eltima is gone? If I reach the same level as you, there's no reason for you to remain at the academy."

"Kryphi, you're always too quick on the uptake. If you get it, then hurry up and finish your sword!"

Thus, for a month, Kryphi joined Eltima, Zeritz, and several future members who would become 'Heaven's Door' to destroy a devil idol.

Kryphi played a significant role there.

"Oh, to think you have such power at that level...!"

"As expected from Zeritz's disciple. Impressive."

"To produce this level of power even with an ether blade not fully imbued with will!"

While everyone was marveling, Kryphi remained indifferent.

"It's dull—much less than when fighting a real devil."

Zeritz let out a smirk.

He thought Kryphi was just bluffing as usual.

"What are you talking about? Have you really fought a devil before?"

"Yes. I did get Luca's help back then."

"... Really?!"

Zeritz's face turned to one of surprise at Kryphi's reply.

"You know I don't bluff with things like this."

"That's why I'm asking! Where? How?"

Kryphi's bombshell announcement drew the focus of all the prospective Heaven's Door members.

Kryphi stroked his chin.

"That would have been an incident related to the fourth princess. My disciple befriended the fourth princess, who was hiding her identity."

"You're talking about Milia Fille, right?"

"Yes. The third prince's faction tried to kill Milia Fille, and Luca tried to stop it. That's when we fought the devil."

This was information even Eltima didn't know.

"So, the third prince... is involved with the power of the devil?"

Eltima regarded Kryphi with a grave expression.

"You didn't know?"

"... This is more serious than I thought. To think their power's already reached the royal family."

They knew that some mages had allied with Demonz.

But they hadn't realized that even the royal family had fallen under their influence.

"I thought their claws would have deeply infiltrated the Hernan Empire, but I didn't expect it to be to this extent."

"What... will you do?"

The Heaven's Door members asked with serious faces.

Eltima, after contemplating deeply, spoke resolutely.

"If what he says is true, we must immediately abandon cooperation with the Hernan Empire. Then, as we travel to other countries, we need to investigate if they have also colluded with devils, and after confirming those who haven't, solidify cooperation with them."

"Then, the devil idol and the sacred relics...?"

"We must split our forces. For that, Zeritz, you need to leave the academy."

Zeritz's eyes sparkled.

"You mean...!"

"Before the vacation ends, Kryphi must acquire enough strength to guard the academy. Can you do it?"

Zeritz looked at Kryphi with a self-satisfied grin at Eltima's words.

"You heard that, right? Can you do it?"

"Hm..."

Kryphi hesitated for a moment, then replied indifferently.

"Fine, let's do it."

* * *

Before vacation ended, Kryphi really broke through the wall.

Of course, his method was a bit extreme.

"I'm going to swing this sword with all intent to kill you. If you want to live, break through your own wall."

"Heh... fine, do as you wish."

Zeritz attacked with blows so powerful they could have killed him, thousands of times.

There were several moments where Kryphi nearly died.

But he overcame all of it.

'If I die here, I can't teach swordsmanship to Luca.'

With only the will to teach Luca.

'There was no meaning to my life.'

His life had no meaning.

On the battlefield, where he lived half a life, he lived just to not die.

Arriving at the academy, he tried to rise in status by flattering nobles, trying to change that life.

But that too went nowhere, and Kryphi's interest dwindled more and more.

It was a dull existence.

'Luca was hope for such a life.'

Then Luca appeared.

He was a fiery boy.

Hot, beautiful, and intense.

He scattered sparks that could burn all around him.

Because of him, the fire reignited in the heart of Kryphi, whose chest was like spent firewood.

'Until he surpasses his older brother, and until he surpasses me, I can never die.'

With those thoughts, a killing intent welled up in Kryphi's eyes.

'I'll kill any foe who stands in the way of that. Even if it's my master.'

Voom!

"!"

At that moment, Kryphi's sword turned so jet black, it looked as if it would swallow all the light.

Bang!

Kryphi's and Zeritz's swords clashed. A massive shockwave blasted the two of them backward.

Screee!

Landing while skidding across the ground, Zeritz looked at Kryphi and grinned.

"You did it—!"

Kryphi charged at him again.

His amber eyes stained with killing intent.

And his blade still dyed jet black.

'This lunatic...!'

Kryphi was now consumed by killing intent.

Zeritz, flustered, raised his sword again.

He thought it was over, but it wasn't, which left him open for a moment.

Shweik! Thunk!

"!"

At that moment, a feathered spear flew from somewhere and struck Kryphi's temple.

He was flung sideways, crashing into the ground.

"Eltima!"

Had she been watching? Eltima appeared just in time.

She looked slightly taller than before as she picked up the spear from the ground.

"Looks like there's a bit of a side effect from breaking through the wall so quickly."

"Yes... It seems so."

Zeritz looked at Kryphi with a bitter expression.

Normally, one's mind should have matured along with the body, maintaining balance, but it seemed there was a problem on the mental side.

"It seems that when his will—his 'killing intent'—is maximized, he exerts power on par with, or greater than, you, Zeritz. But it appears he cannot control it."

"Yes,"

The killing intent was so strong, even Zeritz was startled.

Both Zeritz and Kryphi could have been severely injured.

"There's still some time left, so please help him control it as best as possible."

"Understood!"

When Kryphi woke, Zeritz explained the situation and put him back to training.

With Eltima nearby to supervise, even if Kryphi went berserk, he could be subdued without major harm.

By the time there were two days left in the vacation, after repeated training—

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Even while wielding the perfectly black ether blade, Kryphi could maintain his sanity.

His swordsmanship was nearly equal to Zeritz's.

He had finally overcome the wall that he had failed to cross for years in such a short time.

"Phew! Looks like you've gotten used to it now!"

"Yes, well, more or less."

Kryphi gazed down at his sword with a dissatisfied expression.

Zeritz let out a hearty laugh.

"That's plenty! Then I leave the academy to you!"

"I was going to do that anyway, whether you said it or not..."

Kryphi replied with a curt expression.

"I haven't perfected the swordsmanship I want to give to Luca yet."

"Hey, isn't that already almost as polished as my own or even your swordsmanship?!"

Zeritz looked incredulous at Kryphi's words.

As Zeritz said, the swordsmanship Kryphi developed for Luca was already near perfect.

But Kryphi still felt unsatisfied.

"It's good swordsmanship, but... I wish I could modify it to fit Luca even better."

"Greedy, aren't you. So what? Want to spar once more?"

To Zeritz's suggestion, Kryphi glanced sideways at Eltima, who had been watching them.

"... Would you perhaps be willing to spar with me, lady Eltima?"

"You—! How dare you!"

Zeritz exploded in anger, but Kryphi remained unfazed.

"I think I need to fight someone with a softer touch."

"You're trying to perfect that swordsmanship for the boy, right?"

"Yes."

Eltima herself looked intrigued by the idea of developing a sword style for Luca.

"Eltima! Let me fight—"

"Zeritz, it's fine. I want to help create a sword style for that boy as well."

Flutter!

Eltima spoke as she tilted the feathered spear and stuck it into the floor, stepping up onto the platform.

A beautiful banner fluttered.

"Ho."

Impressed by her unusual stance, Kryphi gripped his sword.

His eyes began to fill with killing intent.

Eltima smiled sweetly at him.

"Then, let's begin."

Thump.

When Kryphi came to his senses, he was lying on the ground.

He stared up at the sky in a daze.

"... Ha."

"Kahahah! How about that? Lady Eltima's power! There's no way a brat like you could beat her in a lifetime! Know your pl—"

"Zeritz, please... stop..."

Zeritz teased him, but Kryphi didn't care.

Instead, he was pleased.

It felt like he'd found the final missing piece of a puzzle.

'I've done it...!'

Luca's swordsmanship was complete.

* * *

"Well, if it's master, he'll handle things on his own."

Just seeing that the hint had vanished meant Kryphi had become Luca's true ally.

Even without that, the emotions he felt from Kryphi were so warm that Luca didn't worry.

"His eyes were as curious as yours. Should I study him sometime?"

As Herote mentioned Kryphi, Luca scoffed.

"You have lots to research, don't you? Can you squeeze him in on top of this one?"

"... Me?"

At Luca's words, Ravinia looked flustered.

With a sweet smile, Herote snapped her fingers.

Snap!

"It's fine."

"I always—"

"I've been working on many things together after all."

As another Herote appeared and finished the sentence, Luca pursed his lips and turned away.

"So now we just have to wait for school to start again?"

"By the way, if you went on such an amazing journey, you didn't prepare at all, did you?"

"Prepare for what?"

Luca's expression was puzzled, and the merged Herote grinned slyly.

"Exam preparation."

"... What?"

There would be midterm exams right after the school term started again.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

Kryphi Mosto becoming a villain in the original timeline/story is, in my opinion, because the noble system failed him... Not that he didn't do anything wrong, it's just that he didn't find any purpose and he said, fuck it, let's burn it all.

Also, exams!

Lastly, Zeritz is a simp!

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】