Survival 120

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Despite fundamentally flawed attitudes, he was a crown prince of a nation. Moreover, the academy itself was a place densely populated by nobles. Given that it was his coming-of-age ceremony,

‘Normally, security would be so tight that infiltration would be unthinkable.’

But Kerzo pulled it off.

Some disguised as workers.

Others as experts,

Not just one or two, but a total of a hundred madmen successfully infiltrated, according to reports.

I couldn’t help but admire it myself.

‘If it weren’t for the unbelievers who refused to carry out the terror attack, perhaps the numbers would have been even higher.’

“Hohoho, how about that, O Vessel of Calamity? I may be old, but isn’t I quite useful?”

The leading contributor,Fortune teller, proudly clutched her staff next to me.

“Yes. I heard about it from my calamity, but seeing it with my own eyes was something else. Truly a ‘fortune teller’s’ fitting ability.”

Of course, the academy was meticulously prepared.

However,

No matter how well the system works, while there are those who faithfully perform their duties,

-Stop! Only authorized personnel allowed!

-Hehe, I have an item that I must deliver to the young master under the master’s orders.

-Deliver it after the event is over.

-But, you know… You’re busy with security here… Here’s a little something for your trouble.

-Hmm. Just this once then.

There were many whose personal greed came first.

Fortune Teller pinpointed their locations and sent people to them appropriately.

As if foreseeing the future.

‘Still, it seems she couldn’t see her own future.’

No shaman can truly see their own future, as they say.

Indeed, the wisdom of the ancestors seems applicable here too.

“Thanks to you, the operation became easier to execute. I should reward you later. Maybe even grant you a private audience with the calamity?”

“…Ah! That would be an excessively generous reward!”

As Fortune teller continuously bowed, I looked around at the other executives.

“Where’s Tamer?”

“Absent. The sandworm he was breeding caused some trouble, so he had to check on it.”

The excuse.

He just didn’t trust me enough to get involved.

I tilted my head lazily and added another comment.

“Rewards for contributions, punishments for mistakes, isn’t that how the world works? Our Tamer needs to learn that lesson well, it seems…”

The wooden puppet twisted bizarrely, as if displaying its master’s emotions.

“Don’t worry. Even though replacing oneself with a puppet on such a significant day is certainly rude, there are worse offenders, so let it pass.”

“Thanks for the consideration.”

That voice sounded forcibly squeezed out.

Puppeteer also did not fully trust me,

‘Both have good instincts.’

Unfortunately.

Well, there are ways to command even those without faith.

A naturally arising loyalty?

Blind faith?

I don’t need them either.

Managing people doesn’t necessarily require that.

“Ah, Tamer who did not participate in today’s grand plan will be held accountable by me personally.”

“…Gulp.”

Why else would the term ‘politics of fear’ exist?

If they dislike it, they’ll just be forced to comply.

-Bathory, could you track his pet?

-Hmm. Well, leave it to me. Griffins aren’t common monsters, and since it remembers the scent of my blood, it shouldn’t take long to find.

-Feel free to torment it. There will be plenty of monsters, and you can take as much blood as you want, until that little one is crying and begging for mercy!

Of course, it’s Bathory who would deliver that divine punishment, not me.

“Shall we begin then?”

“All the disciples are ready.”

-Kwaang!

As Fortune teller finished speaking, a loud explosion sounded from afar.

Not everyone can be controlled.

Apparently, a few impatient ones had already started the terror.

“Lady Elizabetha, you may release the protagonist now.”

I whispered quietly into the small communication stone in her ear.

Today, when everyone’s attention is gathered.

The crown prince’s coming-of-age ceremony?

The day he becomes a glorious adult?

No.

“Disciples of the Calamity, prove your loyalty! Cause chaos with your lives!”

Today’s main event belongs to the Disaster Cult.

And against it, the fiery righteousness of Luciana.

“Puppeteer, take care of the golem.”

“The one controlled by the academy’s principal? That’s an absurdly difficult request.”

“Don’t make a fuss. The principal isn’t here anyway.”

The rule of terror.

The strongest leader tends to be absent due to their own circumstances.

It was the same in games, and today was no exception.

Of course, the principal had left some magical power behind so the golems would patrol automatically.

“Isn’t that a good opportunity? When else would you get a chance to understand these things’ structure?”

“…Huh?”

“Move beyond wooden puppets, steel, diamond, magic stones… The more durable the puppet, the longer you can use it.”

I persuaded Puppeteer with sweet words.

It wasn’t for nothing that I entrusted this to her.

Her wooden puppets and the principal’s golems operated similarly.

So to speak, compatibility.

Being an expert on puppets, she would likely perform better against the golems than even the Sword Demon.

“Sword Demon.”

“Ah, give your orders, compatriot.”

The one in our organization with whom I’ve had the longest connection stood in front of me, fiddling with his longsword.

“Can you handle the crown prince’s escort?”

“Uhahaha, the highest guard in the country? Probably just some noble weaklings. Think a flower nurtured in a greenhouse can stand against my swordsmanship, honed in the underworld for decades?”

“Good. I’ll leave it to you.”

Though he looks like a casual old man, he’s a sword expert.

As a master of fighting multiple opponents, he was the best choice for taking on the royal elite guards.

“And what will our compatriot do?”

“Keke. Since I’ve been made a high priest, my role is clear, isn’t it?”

This terror, too, serves that purpose.

To spread the name of the Disaster Cult, Kerzo.

“Shall we do it in the underworld style? Going for the head.”

“…Uhahaha! Crazy guy. You’re leaving the underlings to us?”

“It has symbolic value. It’ll be more entertaining, even for the spectators and wandering poets.”

With that, I immediately spurred on my legs.

The leap, powered by aura, took me over the confused band, straight to the front.

“Sto-, stop! Who are you?”

A knight in golden armor, seemingly part of the escort.

Though startled, he promptly drew his sword, proving quite capable.

‘I remember seeing him at the banquet.’

Judging by his outfit, he appears to be from the royal guard.

He adjusted his stance, trying somehow to block me, but…

“…What?!”

The trajectory of his sword was so predictable it almost made me yawn.

I dodged with a relaxed step, effortlessly passing by him.

Using a knife meant for slaughtering cattle to catch a chicken? Let him play with my subordinates first, if he can even manage that.

“…Who are you?”

Finally at the forefront, amidst our terrorists and soldiers tangled together, rolling as corpses.

The eyes of our lead protagonist flared fiercely.

“Ha, it seems the rumors are true about the royal blood mixed with that of a mighty dragon.”

Even at a glance, his pupils, which were slit vertically, held an expensive-looking precious sword.

“I won’t ask twice. Who are you?”

“Asking the obvious, aren’t you? Haven’t you guessed already?”

Spreading my arms, I slowly approached him as if to embrace.

“The phantom thief talked about in public, and the high priest of this Disaster Cult, Kerzo.”

“…”

“Frost Mane, I’ve come to steal something precious from the Crown Prince.”

Your coming-of-age ceremony, which should have been blessed, has been replaced as nourishment for our religion’s propagation!

[The infamy of the ‘Kerzo Cult’ has sharply increased!]

[The royal relationship status has changed to ‘hostile’…]

[Your disciples are impressed by the chaos you spread!]

[The faith of your disciples…]

A flurry of translucent status windows.

However, that wasn’t the most important content.

It was evident just by the color, most crucially distinguished by its bluish glow.

[The infamous Frost Mane is now publicly known as the prime suspect in the terror attack at the Crown Prince’s coming-of-age ceremony!]

[The actions of the Kerzo Cult’s high priest are now synchronized with Frost Mane.]

Just as it was with Bathory’s case involving demons,

This time was no different.

‘…What a splendidly notorious act. To think it could be done with just a few words.’

Indeed, it’s natural given the symbolism of following a calamity.

I smirked bitterly and dismissed the message with a gesture.

That wasn’t important right now.

The very man who brought downfall to Luciana, who had left an indelible scar on her just days ago.

A perfect opportunity to assassinate Prince Garon Manhett.

Of course.

As much as I need to prevent the world’s destruction, I can’t really kill one of the prominent tool characters like the prince.

But even if I spare his life.

‘He ought to be humiliated.’

A sweet thrill pooled under my tongue.

This is divine punishment.

A severe penalty imposed for insulting Luciana, the goddess.

“Nonsense.”

From the sword dripping with blood whose owner was unknown, a brilliant rainbow aura burst forth.

Though overshadowed by Luciana, he was also a swordsman second to none.

-Clang!

The longsword that darted towards a vital spot was immediately blocked.

Yet, with a heavy momentum, he pushed forward, grinding against the golden dagger.

“As expected of the representatives of insignificant beings, possessing merely a rat’s tail of an aura. Pay the price for ruining a good day.”

The voice of the prince, mocking me as I clearly struggled in this contest of strength, reached my ears.

‘Indeed, a leading male protagonist candidate. It’s no fluke he was fourth in school admission scores.’

Pushed to the brink, I forcibly disengaged his sword and created some distance.

“Ha ha, very sharp of you. But remember, in real combat, size is just one factor. It’s not everything.”

If I wanted to win with honesty, I would have become a knight.

Though called a thief, my intentions—

Rushing towards the prince with the golden dagger, I stabbed and then, seizing an opening, swung another dagger with a sly smile.

Blue hair, cut before he could dodge, fluttered through the air.

“I’m just a thief.”

-Clang! Clang!

As time passed,

“Oh dear, it seems you still lack practice to accuse me of any crime.”

“Kuh!”

His composure gradually waned.

Like the rainbow aura being whittled away each time our swords clashed.

Naturally, he had the upper hand in strength.

And as a prince, his aura was well-maintained, overwhelmingly superior.

But despite the initial disparity, he was clearly at a disadvantage.

“…What kind of trick are you playing?”

He wouldn’t know.

He might never know in his lifetime.

[Garon Manhett]

[Status Abnormality: Marked for Assassination is active.]

The unbreakable shackles above my head were surprisingly powerful, thanks to Hatsan’s artifact set.

“Ha, huh…”

The more the fight dragged on, the rougher his breathing became.

With cumulative ‘critical hits,’ amid corpses strewn across the battlefield.

The aura alone was overpowering for a rookie swordsman, too rough a place for him to handle.

“Ha ha, Your Highness the Crown Prince resembles a cheetah from the south.”

“…What?”

“Though you appear fierce like a wild beast, in reality, you lack the fundamentals and often lose to other wild animals, much like yourself.”

I mocked him in return as he gritted his teeth, drained of strength.

“…You bastard!”

Finally, casting aside his dignity, he roared and swung his sword back in a large motion.

Apparently, it was his special move.

But that very fact provided me an opportunity.

“As with any grand technique, the bigger the move, the clearer the vulnerability.”

Stepping on corpses for unstable footing,

Having seen it in games too often, his sword path was all too clear to me.

-Screech

It was too easy.

Perfect for my specialty, a counterattack.

-Swooosh!

A rainbow, carrying tremendous momentum, flew toward me.

The force compressed and crammed in, feeling as mountainous as Mount Tai, that sword…

Struck by Hatsan’s will at its tip.

The golden dagger immediately shattered the rainbow aura and even the core that held it.

I saw the Crown Prince’s undignified shock.

“This is unbelievable…!”

“Tsk, even a special aura is useless with the wrong master. They say the tool is as good as its handler, and you, Your Highness, have proven that perfectly.”

I curled my lips in disdain.

Once, I had recruited him as an ally to defeat the Demon King.

I knew all too well about him. Whether it was his swordsmanship or his current level of skill.

And even why he despised Luciana.

“It’s so bland that it makes me yawn. This year’s academy freshmen are called the ‘golden cohort,’ but it’s truly a hollow title. …Ah, if only that sharp aura had ended up in Luciana’s hands… it might have made for a more interesting contest.”

You heard about the expert, right? Though our status and lineage are less than a roadside insect, such talent would really be treated preciously, I murmured, whispering softly.

Shiver—

Perhaps because I had pierced through his hidden sense of inferiority, Garon immediately reacted.

His hand, holding the broken hilt of his sword, trembled violently.

“How dare you! A mere terrorist! Are you saying you see this nonexistent Luciana at my coming-of-age ceremony!”

With eyes flipped in anger, the crown prince charged at me once again.

Though the sword in his hand was shattered, the sharpness of the fragments still remaining at the broken site was not dead.

“You should rush in if you’re going to. It’s as if running away isn’t enough for you.”

However,

His trajectory, clearly visible as he was consumed by emotion.

An attack without a weapon to hold the aura.

It couldn’t possibly hit.

I sighed and kicked my legs straight up.

“Aaargh!”

Dressed in a finely tailored frock coat with golden embroidery, the kick that drove through the space between his legs.

The crown prince paid the price for his arrogance.

It was truly, a beautiful melody.

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