I Entered an Academy in a Ruined Game

Chapter 245 : Caligo (10)

In front, a wall of fire.

Behind, Execution Force members with bloodshot eyes in pursuit.

It was a desperate situation, but 'Asura' Seong Ji-cheol didn't panic and found what he needed to do.

"You first, I suppose."

Seong Ji-cheol, riding a carpet of bats, flew toward 'Flame Emperor' Seol Ji-yun who was floating in the air with the propulsive power of flames.

"I need to extinguish that annoying fire."

In his highest arms, he held a mace and a short spear.

Below that, a sword and an axe.

In his lowest two arms, a sickle and a chain.

All six weapons targeted Seol Ji-yun.

"I can't let that happen!"

'Fist King' Jin Seong-geun leaped up to block Seol Ji-yun's path.

"Get out of my way!"

While Jin Seong-geun's hands were occupied blocking the spear and mace extended by Seong Ji-cheol.

Slash!

An axe that had somehow flown in easily cut through Jin Seong-geun's rock-like abs.

"Kuk!"

Jin Seong-geun, his strength suddenly drained, was pathetically bounced to the ground.

"Damn it."

Jin Seong-geun clicked his tongue while tearing his clothes to stop the bleeding.

Compared to Jin Seong-geun who couldn't move freely in the air, Asura's movements on the bat carpet were much more liberated.

Moreover, this was an opponent that even 2nd Unit Captain Son Ji-gwang couldn't handle from the beginning.

'In this state, I can't even stall for time.'

The air was not his stage.

'But Captain Seol Ji-yun won't be easy either.'

"Hmph!"

Whoosh!

The fire shot by Seol Ji-yun was deflected by the wind pressure created by Asura's six weapons.

"Come closer if you dare."

Seol Ji-yun didn't act recklessly.

Fwoosh!

He simply covered Asura with endless ultra-high-temperature flames.

"Hmm. Truly hot and fearsome fire."

Asura admired his skin which was severely burned despite blocking with six weapons.

'This fire is quite different from Little Evil Demon's.'

Noh Hajun.

A child arrogant and disrespectful, intoxicated by his innate power.

'He was unsightly at times, but at least he was a comrade gathered for one purpose.'

Of course, that didn't mean he was sincerely grieving over Little Evil Demon's death.

"Indeed, I see the name Flame Emperor is no exaggeration."

However.

"But it's insufficient to burn away my karma."

"Does having more arms than others make your chuunibyou last longer too?"

Seol Ji-yun snorted.

"But you don't seem to have time to dawdle like this."

"Hmm?"

Far away.

'Divine Spear' Gong I-an was flying toward them, shaking off interfering Ma-in.

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Surrounded by Su-hyeon, Min Hae-na, and Kim Cheol-han, Ha Jin-su rolled his eyes busily before making a decision.

'You're the weakest!'

His intention was to break through and escape past Min Hae-na.

"This is a bit irritating."

Min Hae-na, who couldn't miss his intention, smiled slightly as she unleashed her maximum power.

'Imperial Dominion.'

Woong!

"Kuk!"

Ha Jin-su and the vampires following him felt their feet grow heavy and their bodies slow down.

'What's this?'

As if not giving him time to be surprised, several mana bullets fired from Min Hae-na's index finger flew at him simultaneously.

"Argh!"

Several vampires guarding his side writhed in pain after being hit by the bullets.

'The power isn't that great! I'll take it head-on!'

Ha Jin-su's choice was only half correct.

"Hup!"

His body flinched and stiffened from the definite stopping power of the mana bullets.

'Damn!'

Ha Jin-su gritted his teeth to block Min Hae-na's staff which was sharply aimed at that opening, when suddenly.

"!?"

Min Hae-na's body suddenly collapsed and disappeared from Ha Jin-su's sight.

'Such petty tricks!'

Instead of blocking the staff sweeping at his lower body, Ha Jin-su swung down his sword with enough force to cut her in half.

But Kim Cheol-han's palm, which had appeared suddenly, deflected his sword.

Bam!

Simultaneously, Min Hae-na's staff struck Ha Jin-su's shin, breaking his stance.

'So fucking annoying!'

But that wasn't the end.

Su-hyeon's presence behind him, appearing as his stance collapsed, sent chills down his spine.

'No way!'

Ha Jin-su, alarmed, hastily turned his body to block the attack.

'He's not there?!'

That was a feint.

Crack!

Ha Jin-su's body staggered as a staff struck the back of his head.

Swiish!

Su-hyeon, who had distracted Ha Jin-su by emitting killing intent from a distance his sword couldn't reach, landed a picture-perfect spinning kick on Ha Jin-su's jaw.

"Kughk!"

As Ha Jin-su flew away, Kim Cheol-han's palm flicked him up into the sky.

Whoosh!

The flames created by Seol Ji-yun in the distance stung Ha Jin-su's skin as they rode the wind.

"Fuck!"

The pain reawakened Ha Jin-su's mind.

'Their coordinated attack is skillful. Did they practice together?'

Ha Jin-su, who had received such a shock that he momentarily lost his vision, looked toward Su-hyeon who was running across the sky stepping on Mana Shields.

'He'll do that trick again!'

Swoosh!

Sensing Su-hyeon's presence appearing behind his back using Chukji, Ha Jin-su turned his body halfway in an awkward posture, on guard against Su-hyeon's deception.

'Got it! I'll stab him to death right now!'

Sure enough, as he felt Su-hyeon's presence appearing behind him, joy filled Ha Jin-su's face.

"You forgot something."

Ha Jin-su's eyes widened at Su-hyeon's posture, holding the Moonless Sword above his head with enough force to split anything.

"This bastard!"

Su-hyeon, who had used Chukji with the Mana Shield as ground, channeled that tremendous movement energy into his sword and swung.

Kaaaang!

Ha Jin-su's rusty sword was cut in half and rolled away.

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"Aaaaargh! Help me!"

"Trash! Abandoning allies like worn-out shoes and running away!"

Persistent pursuit.

A wall of fire nearly impossible to pass through safely.

And Execution Force members charging with desperate determination.

Seeing all these factors progressively worsening the situation, Hwang Won-jae closed his eyes.

"I have no choice."

[Comrades. I'm sorry, but I must shorten your lifespans a little.]

The first to respond to the telepathic message was Jang Su-il, who was struggling against the combined attacks of Ahn Byeong-jun and Ma Seunggeon.

"Just do it quickly!"

Aren't their lifespans much longer than humans anyway?

[Very well.]

The moment Hwang Won-jae's eyes emitted an ominous red light.

Thump!

The 'Demonic Nature Rampage' that he had once used to punish Ha Jin-su and Kwak Hyeok-jung, which had also made them stronger, manifested in all members of [Sword of Belphegor] at a lower intensity.

"Aaaaargh!"

"Aaaaah!"

The executives and combatants, achieving a momentary power-up by temporarily surrendering reason to instinct, shook off the Execution Force members marking them.

[Asura, Vampire Queen, Battle Maniac. Open the path.]

Kwaaang!

Asura, who repelled Gong I-an and sent Seol Ji-yun flying.

Whoooosh!

The Vampire Queen, who created a gap in the barrier by throwing a massive blood demon into the flames.

"Move!"

And Battle Maniac, who broke through between Ahn Byeong-jun and Ma Seunggeon with a reckless charge.

[Sword of Belphegor] rushed toward the escape route created by these three Ma-in.

"They're escaping! The barrier has been breached!"

Just as everyone's attention was focused on the front line.

[Akui. This is where we part ways.]

Hwang Won-jae looked at 'Akui' Kwon Sang-ik, who had collapsed unconscious in the rear.

Booooom!

The magical energy inside him caused a tremendous explosion, swallowing several nearby Execution Force members.

"Akui self-destructed!"

"This is insane! Impossible! He was completely subdued and unconscious!"

"What the hell happened?"

"I don't know!"

While the unexpected explosion in the rear briefly confused the Execution Force members, 'Asura' at the vanguard finally succeeded in breaking through the encirclement.

"Good! Let's keep going straight through!"

'Battle Maniac' followed with cheers.

'Ha Jin-su! Not yet?'

Hwang Won-jae looked toward Ha Jin-su, who couldn't break free from the three-person encirclement even with the temporary power-up.

"Aaaaargh!"

Ha Jin-su, in tatters, howled.

He had lost his left arm and suffered a chest wound in exchange for defeating Lee Cheong-myeong, injured his shin from Min Hae-na.

And lost his cherished sword and right pinky finger to Su-hyeon's sword.

Swinging his half-broken rusty sword, there was no longer any trace of the proud manner he had shown when he defeated Lee Cheong-myeong and laughed wildly.

'To make me look like this! Jeong Su-hyeon! You fucking bastard!'

However, the sword he swung while giving in to rage had savagery but no skill.

Crack!

"Ugh!"

Thus, it was impossible to break through Su-hyeon's defense with his Tachypsychia Mode activated.

"Huff! Huff!"

Ha Jin-su staggered after taking Su-hyeon's fist to his stomach.

'He's at his limit now.'

Su-hyeon deactivated [Liberation] and channeled all of his remaining mana, just a handful left, into his sword.

'Now I can cut through even your karma.'

"Unnngh! Jeong Su-hyeon, you bastard!"

Just as Ha Jin-su, sensing the final blow, exploded with rage through bloodshot eyes.

[Go. Go and die in their place.]

"Kuk?!"

A vampire warrior, momentarily controlled by Hwang Won-jae, pushed Ha Jin-su aside and threw himself in front of Su-hyeon's sword.

Clang!

"Aaack......"

The vampire's pale face flew through the air.

"This bastard!"

Seeing this, Min Hae-na and Instructor Kim Cheol-han hurriedly chased after Ha Jin-su.

"Run!"

Two vampires caught Ha Jin-su and transformed into bats while embracing him, then flew away.

"We must catch him!"

Su-hyeon, having used up all his remaining strength, cried out regretfully.

"Of course!"

Kim Cheol-han, who still had energy left, tried to chase after them.

However.

[Self-destruct.]

"Aaaaargh!"

Four vampires surrounding them self-destructed simultaneously.

'Damn it!'

Kim Cheol-han, abandoning the pursuit to shield Su-hyeon and Min Hae-na, deflected the explosion with his palm.

But even Kim Cheol-han had to endure a great impact from the sudden explosion.

'...Success.'

Confirming this, Hwang Won-jae finally threw himself toward the escape route opened by Asura.

'Noh Hajun died in vain, but Ha Jin-su must be rescued and brought back.'

Hwang Won-jae thought.

'I cannot lose any more chess pieces for Him.'

"Damn it! Those fucking bastards!"

Ha Jin-su, being evacuated in tatters, erupted with frustration.

In the final moment, he had seen certain death.

If the vampires hadn't intervened at that critical moment, his head would now be on the ground, growing cold.

'Me! Me, to such a brat!'

Ha Jin-su, furious at the humiliation, suddenly laughed like a deranged person.

"Hehe. Yes. But I survived this time too."

That's all that mattered.

'I can still become stronger. Next time I'll definitely kill that bastard.'

Despite achieving the victory he had so long desired against his former master Lee Cheong-myeong who had always looked down on him.

He couldn't laugh.

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The battlefield was mostly cleared three hours later.

The Execution Force members subdued the remnants abandoned by [Sword of Belphegor], separated the Ma-in corpses, and gathered and isolated the prisoners.

"...Phew."

"Su-hyeon, are you okay?"

Lee Yu-jin, who protected the injured Lee Cheong-myeong despite taking four sword wounds herself.

Seo Jun-seong, who exhausted himself helping the Captains move while unleashing area attacks and support.

And other cadets like Min Hae-na, Hwang Ji-su, and Hong In-hyeon, who had fought between life and death in their respective battlefields, were gathered among the wounded, watching the end of the massive battle.

"......"

Lee Yu-jin was looking at the sky with a tired face.

The defeat of her respected uncle, and the victory earned through the struggles of herself, Min Hae-na, and Kim Cheol-han.

Yet Ha Jin-su had barely escaped at the last moment.

'Her mind must be complicated.'

I felt the same way.

"......"

The joy of victory, the regret over the escaped enemy.

Looking at my companions who were too exhausted to express either feeling, I quietly thought.

'In the end, most of [Sword of Belphegor] managed to escape.'

Hwang Won-jae, of course, along with their top forces like Asura, Queen, Battle Maniac, and Rusty Sword all successfully escaped.

Of course, the price for that was the deaths of 'Akui' and 'Little Evil Demon,' along with many other combatants who met the same fate.

Above all.

The executives of Ma-in groups, violent organizations, and terrorist groups who had joined hands with [Sword of Belphegor] hoping to gain something—more than half of them were killed or captured, suffering devastating losses.

"...This will make their prestige fall to the ground."

Seo Jun-seong agreed with my words.

"With this, their dream of forming an alliance is gone, and [Sword of Belphegor] will have no choice but to fight alone again?"

"That's right."

I said.

"This is our great victory."