The Academy’s Guide to Useless Students – Chapter 16

16.

I don’t want to admit it.

Laura Freeze didn’t want to acknowledge that there was a beastly man deftly weaving through her comrades better than she could.

“If you can’t do anything without a prophecy—!”

Her sharp cry was swallowed by the darkness. The natural echoes that rang with every step suggested this was a cave-like place, where her voice dissipated without a trace.

‘So this is an Illusion Barrier, huh?’

She’d experienced the Land of Descend many times before. However, the owner varied each time, and the dungeon’s layout changed based on their unique traits, so complacency was a no-go.

If this was indeed an Illusion Barrier, she needed to swiftly devise a new strategy.

Although she wanted to quickly resolve the situation and monopolize the hidden piece, her hesitation stemmed from never having faced the formidable Nozai before.

‘The only key I have is ‘Nozai’.‘

Sadly, the lack of information about this place meant she had to tread cautiously. If she failed, the penalty from the descend would leak outside. That was one blunder she definitely had to avoid. She knew it was unreasonable, but she couldn’t just sit idly by while being left behind by a man named Yuto.

He was a snake-like man who easily charmed his comrades with a natural expression.

My comrade.

My comrade.

What was even more irritating was how her comrades’ behavior changed day by day under his influence.

What’s the deal with all this beaming?

What did they learn to feel so proud?

He only saved them from some shabby crisis.

They were merely seduced by an artifact……

“Yuto. That guy is the root of all evil.”

Because of that man, her comrades were turning into useless humans. There wouldn’t be any progress unless she stopped their corruption. Ellie, with her rigid stubbornness and narrow-mindedness, would have likely learned to handle a swordsman’s brute strength bluntly. Without the twists and turns of Cletta’s journey, she wouldn’t evolve into a great hero.

“I must—”

Guide my comrades onto the right path. She had to liberate them from the grasp of that dark-hearted prophet.

“First, let’s get out of here.”

There had to be a hole in the Illusion Barrier. The intense magical power infused into the barrier must have created a gap.

‘Found it.’

Finding a gap was a piece of cake. She hadn’t been wasting her time all this while.

Boom!

With a smash!

She struck the gap with the mace she had drawn.

With a heavy thud, the thin glassy barrier rapidly fell, and the dark space transformed.

An expansive field?

No, it was a neatly cultivated rice paddy and farmland.

The visible village in the back hinted at signs of life.

“This is ridiculous… Are there people living here?”

This was an illusionary space created by the owner of the descend. A realm where humans without magical power couldn’t even adapt.

So, was that just an act?

Did the owner of Nozai hold friendly feelings towards humans?

Nothing would change.

For the master, those entering the descend were no different from ‘raiders’.

She stepped along the path. It was a soundless street. Not even the sound of wind or insects broke the eerie silence, and she swallowed hard.

‘What is this discomforting feeling?’

Her feet stopped at the end of the road.

Her gaze shifted around at the unfamiliar structure before her.

An old, lightweight wooden structure.

But that low ceiling and the elongated ‘ㄷ’ shape were oddly peculiar.

It appeared to surround the yard in an unusual manner.

“Is this a house?”

Or maybe an annex?

On her way here, she had seen scenes fitting for lower-class citizens living together. If there was an annex, it would likely be a place where the ‘master’ resided.

She kept her tension high and hoisted her armament.

Who are you?

As expected, an unusual voice echoed.

This was an echo imbued with magic. The voice was being implanted in her mind.

Is that sword at your waist your ‘blade’? A form I’ve never seen before. Is it imbued with the essence of its blacksmith?… How interesting.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. This isn’t a sword; it’s a mace—a righteous hammer to strike down evil deities like you.”

Daikei? From my perspective, you are the ‘evil’ for barging in here without permission. Why do you consider me the evil god?

“I don’t have time to bicker with you.”

The deadline was almost up, and a penalty would be looming.

I had to swiftly take him down and grab the hidden piece.

Swish—

The master of the descend revealed himself.

A palette of light colors formed a vivid outline, like watercolor on white paper.

“I also have a duty to protect this place. Now, I shall match your strength to the fullest.”

A sword class, huh?…

He only had a single sword as his weapon.

Nozai’s attire was more underwhelming than she expected.

He wore simple cloth attire without any heavy armor.

‘He doesn’t look very strong, does he?’

Inside the descend, one must abide by the ‘rules’ set by the master, but it varied drastically based on their rank.

‘I can do this.’

Seeing Nozai gave her confidence.

Without hesitation, she gripped the mace and slammed it down. As she swung the heavy weapon, a fierce sound echoed, tearing through the air.

It felt like a brilliant strike, even to her.

“You seem to be slower than I thought.”

Nozai spoke in a relaxed tone as he held the hilt of his sword. He kept it sheathed, ready but not drawn.

‘Am I slow…? He didn’t even draw his sword in time to counter!’

Soon, her mace was poised to smash into Nozai’s torso.

Swoosh—

But instead, her mace shattered.

Nozai maintained his composure as if fulfilling his duty. Was it not an illusion but actual power? She couldn’t even see the moment when his sword entered its sheath.

“This is a horizontal strike. With just that one swing, I believe you would have realized the gap in our skills.”

Cutting through a mere moment.

Nozai’s movements were indeed fitting for that description. The gap was far beyond what she could cover with her current abilities.

But giving up was premature.

Because she was someone who turned the abnormal teachings into her unique perspective, she had her trump card.

“Holy Spirit’s Mace!”

A power derived from the absolute deities far above the evil gods. That belief was her authority, borrowed from the celestial zodiac. Although it was a mere shadow of her strength before reincarnation, it was the one and only chance to obliterate the evil before her.

Slam!

The mace enveloped in holy light struck Nozai’s head.

It had impact.

This had to decide the outcome.

“Did I take him down?”

As the radiant light faded, Nozai’s face became visible.

“What a shame. It was a splendid blow with all your might, but it had no effect in my world.”

Not a scratch.

Despite her desperate strike using every ounce of strength… As expected, the mace returned to its original state, void of the sacred light.

It was evident that continuing the battle with an irreparably damaged weapon was impossible.

A complete and utter defeat.

Not only would she die, but the penalties from the descend would naturally affect the Academy.

‘What should I do?’

Should she quickly escape this place and prepare for the penalty? Should she ask for help from someone? Who would that be…

Where could she find someone capable of holding back Nozai?

‘Yuto…’

Suddenly, Yuto’s face came to mind.

Could he perhaps…

Could that man overcome this crisis? She thought uncertainly.

It sounded ridiculous.

Sure, luck had favored them against the Undesirable Great Serpent, but the descend was on a different level.

This wasn’t something that could be solved with luck.

Unless he, too, was a uniquely chosen being in the world, it was futile for a seer with a mere hint of future information to solve it.

It was frustrating. If only the powers she had established in the future were freed just a little more…

Why must there be conditions?

Her lament was momentary.

She soon noticed the surrounding scenery twist again. All around, the ‘Wado’ Nozai had used was stuck in reverse.

“Are you already giving up? It’s early for you to abandon without even hearing my name. Now, draw your sword. Anything lying around will do. Use it to surpass me. My name is…”

“Shut it.”

“Heh, your gaze is commendable, girl.”

“Shut up!━━”

Snap.

Swish!

Swish!

Crash!

She grabbed a sword and swung it wildly.

With an unfamiliar weight, her clumsy attacks came in droves. Nozai didn’t feel the need to block, just folding his arms, easily evading. He sidestepped forward, backward, and sideways, effortlessly parrying her blows with the flat of his hand. Every time the sword broke, she pulled another one from the stock and continued to fight. Such futile exchanges didn’t last long.

Crack!

Nozai’s arm clamped around her neck.

It was humorous; she was now dangling helplessly from his grasp. Could it get any more pathetic than this?

“Gah… Let go of me…”

“I must have misjudged. You are a woeful girl, trapped in your own world while ignoring the crucial facts. If you are unable to utilize the opportunities given, you deserve to die.”

Nozai wrapped his remaining right arm with ‘sword aura.’ It was evident he intended to choke her out.

“Hmm? Who are you? More importantly, when did you arrive?”

There was no sign of anyone.

Because of that, Nozai’s expression showed clear surprise.

A man slowly approached, revealing himself.

“My name is Yuto. The seer.”

“Seer? What boldness! Are you suggesting you’re a substitute for the divine?”

“Absolutely. I have a prophecy that can guide the future down the correct path.”

“How brazen…”

Thud!

Nozai released his grip. Simultaneously, the blockage on her breathing cleared, allowing her lungs to fill.

“Cough!… Yuto…”

“Laura, hold on. I’ll finish this up shortly.”

“What..?”

His chilling tone carried an unusual weight, far different from what she ever knew.

“Foolish. Your sword can’t even scratch my body.”

“I know.”

“What did you say…?”

“I know who you really are. Tachibana Dosetsu. The legend that cut thunder with his blade, famous for being called ‘Nezai’.”

“How do you know me?”

A short breath escaped Yuto’s lips.

“I know Dosetsu, but due to time constraints, I’ll skip the details. You need to leave right now.”

Yuto walked forward without drawing his own sword. He seemed to look for something and stopped in front of a ‘Wado’ stuck in reverse.

“Wait! Just a moment!”

Nozai’s complexion began to pale.