CH 111

Chapter 111

The next morning.

Simon's new routine after the mission period…

"Everyone, have you been doing well?"

"Yes! Professor!"

He began with Jane's Beginner Dark Magic class, the first one in a while.

Simon sat at the same table with Rick, Meilyn, and Camibarez, listening to Jane. He exchanged greetings as he occasionally made eye contact with Cindy Vivace or Jamie Victoria, who he was acquainted with due to them sitting at a nearby table. He also met Toto’s eyes, who he had become closer with through the Mutant club activities.

"I have another announcement this week."

Said Jane.

As always, a big event in Kizen would follow those words. Everyone waited patiently.

"First of all, your midterm exam results are out."

Argh…

Sighs echoed from everywhere.

Rick banged his head on the table, Meilyn couldn't hide her anticipation and rhythmically drummed the table with her fingers, and Camibarez flapped her bat wings with her signature tensed face.

"Your midterm exam grades and rankings will all be out. Of course, the current rankings are measured only with the written scores. The performance assessment hasn't yet been counted."

The assistant teachers moved busily and called the names of students. Interestingly, the report cards were inside envelopes.

"Simon Polentia?"

"Yes!"

Simon politely received the envelope from the assistant teacher.

Before receiving the paper, he was able to push away the stress by knowing that he did his best and couldn’t ask for anything more. But that confidence all vanished the moment it entered his hands.

Simon gulped, opened the envelope, and took out a stiff piece of paper.

[Simon Polentia]

Curses: 63.00

Mechanics of Jet-Black: 65.00

Summoning: 87.00

Necromancy: 44.00

Hemomancy: 61.00

Poisonous Alchemy: 60.00

Combat Dark Magic: 73.00

Defense Against the Holy Arts: 70.00

Average: 65.375   [Rank: 458th]

'Woah!'

It turned out much better than Simon anticipated.

He scored an average of 37 on Jane's first test. But this time, he averaged 65.

That was a whopping increase of 30 points!

It was meaningful in of itself that he was able to settle in the mid-ranks on a written exam in Kizen, a place filled with geniuses.

Simon was on cloud nine because it felt like he had proved that his effort had paid off and that he had a fighting chance without having prior learning.

As soon as Simon raised his head, he saw Meilyn's determined expression.

She forced herself to smile and asked,

"What's your score for Summoning?"

"You tell me first."

"Hey, come on! I asked first!"

Meilyn grumbled, telling Simon to spill it quickly. In the next seat to Simon, Rick glanced at his report card and smirked before wiping the sweat off his forehead. Phew.

"Simon, you studied really hard! It won't be easy for you, Meilyn."

"So, what's your score!"

Simon replied with a bitter smile.

"87."

Meilyn's expression contained an odd mix of emotions.

It was like a mixture of joy, resentment, and relief?

Simon was the one asking impatiently this time.

"I said it, so spill yours already."

"Sigh."

She set her report card down on the table as if revealing a hand in poker.

"I lost. 85."

"Woah!"

Camibarez let out an enthusiastic cheer and gripped Simon's hand.

"Congratulations Simon!! You can continue to stay with us in Kizen now!"

"Th-Thank you, Cami."

Seeing Camibarez getting emotional, Meilyn laughed silently.

She had no intention of kicking Simon out of Kizen with a bet like this from the beginning.

And Meilyn scored 90s in all other subjects except for Summoning, which was her weakness. She once again got an average of 90.

However, her overall ranking was a bit surprising.

Average: 92.000   [Rank: 2nd]

Even after getting a ridiculous grade of 92, Meilyn wasn't ranked first in the entire school.

"Kizen is surely wide, huh?"

She let out a deep sigh. Simon said consolingly,

"Still, aren't you in the top 2 in the entirety of Kizen? It really is something awesome."

"Hey now… You're overreacting. Midterm grades don't mean a thing."

She waved her hand dismissively.

"In Kizen, actual performance is more important than papers. Things like the Duel Evaluation, performance assessments, and mission points. Since the distributions on these are huge, if the scores of the ‘monsters’ are added up, I'll be pushed out of the top 10 right away."

"B-But still, we've all entered the mansion, right? I bet we can also look forward to the score from Island Survival!"

Simon had reason to expect a big increase in the ranks, too.

He was always stronger in actual battles.

He had a score of 100 in the cyclops hunt, the best grade in Class A.

The written performance assessment that was taken before the midterm exam was also saved thanks to Meilyn's performance.

Since he also entered the mansion on the Island Survival, his total score was expected to be in the upper ranks.

He also perfectly cleared both his mission in Arnish and in Blue Harbor.

He was even undefeated in Duel Evaluation so far, belonging to the upper squad.

Simon's heart was racing with anticipation at how much his rank would rise by the end of this semester if all these practical scores were reflected.

"Attention."

The students, who had been chatting frantically and comparing their grades with each other, all shut their mouths at Jane's words.

"Now, you probably know where you stand. Well done for the high-ranked ones, but don't be complacent. Aim higher. For the lower-ranking ones, there’s still room to rebound, so please do your best."

She continued as she made eye contact with the students.

"After all, we're only halfway through the first semester."

"Yes, Professor!"

"This week overlapped with the mission period, so there are no major events. While preparing for the duel evaluation, as usual, I hope you'll use it as a time to supplement your weaknesses and maximize your capabilities."

The corners of her lips lifted slightly.

"That’s the only way you can survive the next performance assessment, after all."

At her weighty words, the room became tense. Jane glanced behind her.

"Assistant teacher, has the list for the Duel Evaluation been announced yet?"

"Yes! It has just been revealed, Professor."

Jane received a document. The students rose into a clamor and leaned closer.

The Duel Evaluation, where you had to fight one on one with another Kizen student, had always been the biggest subject of conversation among students.

"It's the first Duel Evaluation since the midterm exams, Island Survival, and the mission period."

Jane continued while waving the document.

"It'll be the real deal starting now, as half of the first semester has passed already. It's different from the first time when people were lost because they didn't know what dark magic to use in a person-to-person battle. Everyone would've established their own style, and the others would've grown more than you have."

Simon nodded at Jane's words.

The times where people were confused were long gone. No matter who one’ll go against, they'll all have a card up their sleeve, and the gap in skill must've narrowed considerably.

In particular, as Simon was in the upper squad, he had no choice but to fight against the strongest ones.

He wondered who he'd go against this time.

The assistant teachers handed out sheets with the opponents for the duel evaluation written on them. Simon accepted the handout, took a light breath, and checked his opponent's name.

It was someone he had met before. Rick turned his head to see Simon's list.

"Simon! Who're you agains— Ah."

Rick clicked his tongue. Meilyn also wore a complicated expression.

"Looks like it won't be easy this time."

[2nd Stadium 1st round, 6th match]

Class A Simon Polentia vs. Class M Malcolm Randolf

He was the violent Special Admission No.10 who had a little trouble at the mansion of Island Survival.

For the first time, Simon was assigned to fight a named student.

* * *

Reaper Scans

Translator - Ramen

Proofreader - Artethrax

* * *

That night, inside a dusty abandoned building.

Clang. Clang. Clang.

A silver rod was dragged on the hard floor of the building, sparks bouncing off of it.

"There's never a dull moment in this school."

A man with yellow hair walked forward, holding the rod as it dragged across the floor.

Although it was an abandoned building, curtains were drawn over the windows, and students from Class M nervously stood at attention. They were Malcolm's gang.

Malcolm lifted the rod and placed it on his shoulder as he sat down on the uneven hill.

Then, a painful groan was heard from below.

Truth was, it wasn't a hill, but Kizen students lying on the floor, covered in blood. Some even coughed out blood.

"I'm surprised you managed to make this. It's not even taught in Poisonous Alchemy."

Malcolm grabbed one of the potion bottles and shook it around.

"Potion of Memory Loss. A potion that corrupts the most painful recent memory when consumed."

He said as he put the potion on the floor.

"So you were planning to make me drink this, huh? Hey, say something."

In front of Malcolm was a student covered head to toe in blood, arms chained to an old blackboard as he lay limp.

Malcolm said with a smile.

"Say something, Haren Cork."

"…"

Blood dripped from his mouth and pooled on the floor, joined by a few missing teeth. To top it off, a few of his fingers were bent in inhuman directions.

Malcolm reached his rod out and hit him across the face.

"Did you do this out of fear of my retaliation? Hah, jeez."

The story was like this.

In Island Survival, Haren Cork couldn't properly carry out Serene's instructions, and he couldn't restore Bahil's trust, either.

Now, with no one protecting him, he was bound to pay the price for toying with Malcolm using Serene's feather.

So he devised a plan to get Malcolm before he was beaten up.

At that time, Malcolm was carrying out a merciless purge of his gang. Class M students who abandoned him when being harassed by Serene's feathers were treated like traitors and suppressed.

So Haren persuaded those traitors whose interests were aligned and purchased a potion of memory loss from the black market in Rochest.

They planned to put the potion in Malcolm's food and drink after luring out Malcolm from the restaurant he was going to. However…

“Malcolm! They were planning to feed you something strange!”

A traitor also appeared on their side.

Everything fell apart, and Malcolm, enraged, punished Haren and his squad mercilessly.

And that led to the current situation.

"You guys are so obvious."

Malcolm giggled and waved the potion bottle.

"You guys were planning to feed this to me and erase the memory of when I kneeled to Haren like a dog, right? No, no. I have no plans on forgetting this humiliation."

Cough! Cough!

Haren, coughing out blood while tied to the blackboard, looked at Malcolm in terror.

"P-Please have merc—"

"Bullshit."

Wham!

Malcolm struck Haren across the face with the rod again.

"If you wanted to live!"

Whack!

"You shouldn't have laid your hands on me!"

Crack!

"From the beginning!"

A stream of blood spurted out.

All the members of Malcolm's faction kept their heads down, but one of them plucked up the courage to speak.

"M-Malcolm, aren't you being a bit too harsh?"

"Yeah! Settling it like this, there are all sorts of troubles that'll—"

Malcolm glared at them menacingly.

"Then you guys do it instead."

At those words, everyone immediately shut up.

Malcolm came from a famous gangster group, one of the three major gangs operating throughout the Dark Alliance.

Malcolm inherited his father's cruel personality, and he had a very good understanding of how to terrify people and of the feeling of fear.

"Tie them up."

Ordered Malcolm.

His faction members hurriedly ran up, bound the traitors on the floor in chairs, and then tied their hands behind their backs with rope. They were also gagged with cloths.

"Roll up their shirts."

He made them expose the traitors’ stomachs. Malcolm trudged over and lifted an iron poker being heated in the fire.

The traitors, mouths clogged with cloth, howled and screamed.

"Since I'm in school, I wanted to live like a student. But why aren't you guys being cooperative with me?"

"Ooooffff! Oooooobbbbbfff!"

The traitors shook their heads frantically.

"Try crying to the professors after this, alright?"

Malcolm smiled and approached them.

"In that way, I can also let go of it and comfortably~ pull off this same business with your families as an ordinary person, don't you think?"

"Ooooooooffffff! Oooooooobbbbbbbffff!"

Malcolm's mouth twisted wide like a demon’s.

"Help me."

A terrible scream erupted.

"Help me so that I can live just as a student."

The work of instilling fear had begun. Malcolm looked behind him and smiled eerily.

"You'll be the last, Haren Cork."

Haren burst into a flood of tears and snot, terror etched into his face.

——