Chapter 020: Dekan Wants to Subdue People with Virtue
Actually, the reason Baron Bachel was poisoned was quite simple.
When Dekan first entered the Cooking Classroom, he secretly placed three “Poisonous Ground Spike” cards into the pocket of the Demon Student.
Moreover, these were the latest versions, continuously improved by Dekan.
“Poisonous Ground Spike 2.4”
“Category: Spell Card”
“Rank: Blue Rare”
“Level: 2”
“Effect: Inflicts continuous effects of venom and bleeding. This spell can be triggered from a distance.”
“Note: Current version is 2.4, fixed a bug where the toxin could be removed by second-tier purification magic—Developer’s Diary”
When Dekan heard Baron Bachel’s opening remarks, “I sincerely invite you all to my banquet,”
He had a suspicion that the losers of this game would likely become Baron Bachel’s dinner.
After all, it was Baron Bachel’s banquet.
What did Bachel want to eat?
Clearly, it was the three little demons he saw with that look full of murderous intent in his eyes.
In that case, once Baron Bachel swallowed the Demon Student, there was a very good chance that the Poisonous Ground Spikes would successfully enter his stomach.
Using “Poisonous Ground Spike” to hunt large magical beasts was a method Dekan had consistently employed since his time in the Kulan Border Territory.
First, capture the small wild beasts that magical beasts like to eat.
Plant the “Poisonous Ground Spike” inside these small wild beasts.
Then drive them to areas close to where large magical beasts reside.
After confirming that the large magical beasts have captured and eaten the small wild beasts, summon the Ruined Bard from the shadows and trigger the Poisonous Ground Spikes.
As Dekan continuously supplied mana, the Poisonous Ground Spike would remain active indefinitely.
The key point was that Dekan had softened the Poisonous Ground Spike cards, strengthened their flexibility, and coated them with a specially formulated anti-corrosion paint.
Once the prey swallowed this card, the Poisonous Ground Spikes could continuously trigger inside its stomach.
It would kill the prey without leaving any trace.
The only downside was that retrieving the cards was a bit troublesome; these three cards in Bachel’s stomach were likely irretrievable.
However, that was not a major issue—it was time to research a new version.
“Cornelia, help me tie him up.”
Dekan commanded.
Cornelia nodded, put her hammer away, and took out another card Dekan had given her.
“Steel Wire Rope”
“Category: Equipment Card”
“Rank: White Common”
“Level: 1”
“Effect: None”
“Note: Can also be used as a weapon.”
This was created by Dekan, who maximized the mechanical properties and geometric structure, twisting steel wires into a helical shape according to the rules, combined with a rope core and lubricating grease.
Even though it was a first-tier white card, once tightly bound by the steel wire rope, even a fourth-tier warrior would be unable to break it by sheer force.
Cornelia quickly and securely bound the convulsing Baron Bachel, stepped on his back again to keep him from moving.
“Alright.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
Dekan slowly raised his right hand, and the Ruined Bard returned to a card, glowing and collecting at his fingertips.
Baron Bachel immediately felt as if he had been reborn.
The pain that had been eroding him drastically reduced in an instant, feeling as if a curse had been lifted.
After a while, his consciousness finally returned.
Although still in pain, compared to before, the air he breathed now seemed almost sweet.
“Do you have the mindset now to have a talk with me?”
Dekan slightly bent forward, looking down at Baron Bachel from above.
“Die!”
All Baron Bachel could think of was one thing: Get rid of this person quickly.
He was the root of all evil!
Baron Bachel’s eyes were filled with a bloodthirsty glow. He used all his strength to try to break free from the rope that didn’t look too thick, but found it extraordinarily sturdy.
There was no sense of magic on the rope! How could he not break it?!
Failing to break free from the rope, Baron Bachel suddenly stretched his neck again, trying to devour Dekan.
However, before he could even revert to his original form, Cornelia fiercely smashed his head into the ground with her hammer, even leaving a small indentation in the ground.
“Ahhh!!!”
Baron Bachel howled.
Getting hit with this hammer was excruciating!
Even though the injury wasn’t fatal, it was incredibly painful!
By now, Baron Bachel was extremely weakened and unable to resist Cornelia’s powerful attacks.
“Alas, it seems I need to leave an unforgettable impression on you.”
Dekan sighed, throwing the card and summoning the Ruined Bard.
“This darkness knows no hope, it allows no redemption, because this darkness is myself…”
With this horrifying chant, the brief peace ended instantly, and Baron Bachel was plunged back into excruciating pain. The agony from within his body surged again, with both his body and mind suffering greatly.
“Ughhhhrhrhr…”
Baron Bachel’s face had turned chalk-white, and he emitted uncontrollable, garbled sounds from his open mouth.
He had finally realized that this summoned creature enveloped in black fog was the source of his agony.
“Cornelia, don’t use too much force. Just a hit on his shoulder blade will do.”
Cornelia swung the mallet she held.
“Horrors War Hammer”
“Category: Equipment Card”
“Rank: Blue Rare”
“Level: 2”
“Attack Bonus: +200”
“Effect: When struck by this weapon, it doubles the pain.”
“Note: Here’s Cornelia!”
This was a specially made war hammer by Dekan for Cornelia, perfectly complementing his system.
Dekan couldn’t currently manufacture a longsword that could withstand Cornelia’s force, so he temporarily forged blunt instruments for her.
Blunt weapons were less likely to break compared to swords.
The size of this hammer was much larger than a normal tool hammer, with a handle about as long as the blade of the sword Cornelia had previously used.
Hence, Cornelia found it surprisingly convenient to wield.
When Baron Bachel was previously struck by the Horror War Hammer, the Ruined Bard wasn’t present, so only double the pain occurred.
However, with the Ruined Bard currently present, getting hit by Cornelia would mean twenty times the pain—a sensation completely beyond Baron Bachel’s experience.
Cornelia seemed to be carefully controlling her strength.
Then, it was like cracking a walnut; she gave a light tap on Baron Bachel’s shoulder.
“Aaaaaahhhh!!!”
An incredibly agonizing scream reverberated through the Cooking Classroom.
“How are you feeling?”
Dekan asked.
Baron Bachel appeared unable to speak, convulsing wildly on the ground.
Dekan: “Baron Bachel, do you know how it feels to pass out from pain and then wake up in pain?”
Baron Bachel: “Ughrrrrrrlrlr…”
Dekan: “Cornelia, when he regains a bit of consciousness, start knocking from his right hand, then the left hand, then the left leg.”
Cornelia: “What about the right leg?”
Dekan: “Leave it for him. I want him to feel uncomfortable because of his obsession.”
Cornelia nodded.
She didn’t have an obsession, but this refined Baron Bachel likely had a severe one, given that he arranged everything in the Cooking Classroom neatly and even cared deeply about the position of his tie.
