Chapter 45: Incoming Hunt Preparation
If Cillian were to think about the friends he had back on Earth, then there were still many people he could remember, though only vividly.
But if talking about those he would call best friends, then there was no one.
If he had, it would have already been ages ago that his professional hater persona was exposed on the most popular web novel site on the internet.
Best friends do that even if they meant no harm by it.
That’s why Cillian was genuinely surprised that the author had tracked and killed him while he was making sure he had kept that identity hidden.
This made Cillian consciously touch his abdomen, where he was stabbed four times, the mental pain still vivid as if it just happened a few minutes ago.
’When I’m talking about that author, I’m really feeling deep hatred in my heart. Ugh, that stab is a much worse experience than actually being near-death experience on that illusory torture world.’
"You’re thinking a lot."
Freya suddenly called out while munching on a fish from her mouth with rice after dipping it into a sweet sauce.
They were at the cafeteria having lunch, as Cillian had offered to treat her. Once they sat down, he told her everything he knew.
Of course, he had to lie.
Aiden’s existence had to remain hidden, especially the fact that he was temporarily using his club room as some sort of dormitory.
Aside from any mention of Aiden and what actually happened in the room, Cillian knew he had done a good job.
If he was right, Vin and Phillip would also likely experience short-term memory loss, just like what Aiden had done to Caspin.
He just had to align his statements, and he knew he was in the clear.
Now, they are just eating with their own meals that Cillian bought.
Picking up a water since he almost choked from the relentless thinking while eating down food, Cillian coughed once before asking.
"Your brother, Clove. What’s your relationship with him?"
Freya happily munched the roasted fish and savored its taste in her mouth before answering in a delighted tone.
"That’s random. But we’re fine. Why?"
’Well, that look he gave me when we were talking in the room earlier is enough to tell that it’s not fine at all. It almost felt like he would immediately pounce on me if there were no people around.’
Cillian mused inwardly before saying.
"Just curious, that’s all. All the time you are in my classroom, you two never talk or even greet each other. If you’re fine, then that’s it. I’m not trying to pry or anything."
Freya seemed to choke, letting out a few soft coughs. Cillian handed her a glass of water so she could swallow her food down without any hiccups.
Then, after wiping her lips, Freya let out a cough with an embarrassed face before answering Cillian’s question.
"It’s a tough sister’s love. Hmm, how do I explain this? Ah right. You can look at it as a way to make him an independent individual. You see, when we’re kids, he sticks up for me most of the time. I think that destroyed some of his growth from being alone. The only time we have broken off is the time I entered this academy."
Freya grabbed another bite and then added.
"That’s really just it. We don’t talk or greet each other, but we don’t have any problem with each other."
’Dang, I thought it was one of those cliché styles where Clove is angry with Freya because her talent is far greater than his, but it was a pretty wholesome relationship, albeit a slightly strict teaching from an older sister side.’
This made him think again of the look Clove had given him in the homeroom, confirming something in his mind after hearing the background story.
’Yep, he’s a siscon.’
If Clove, with his siscon tendencies, saw Freya talking to someone else, especially one of his classmates, and it’s Cillian, he would definitely glare in the same way.
This made him smile.
’I’m going to tease the shit out of him when we get back to homeroom. Watch out, your sister is monitoring me most of the time~ I’ll make you super jelly-jelly.’
Cillian’s smile turned nasty upon thinking about devilish thoughts.
This made Freya, who was watching, frown and ready to smash her hands at his face if he ever made a perverted move.
’Have I judged him too nicely?’
Freya mused inwardly while taking yet another bite from her roasted fish.
’So yummy!’
Freya’s thoughts calmed as she savored the taste of the flavored roasted fish yet again.
...
"Hahh..."
Cillian felt his mana pool empty, but thanks to the mana potions he bought beforehand, replenishing them wasn’t so hard.
Right now, Cillian is inside the training ground, one of the things he received from completing the deal with Iska Befot.
Cillian had already come after class yesterday, and today he continued his training as usual.
He was alone since Freya’s monitoring session had ended. There was no one to disturb him or watch him, and he could speak freely here.
"Fireball is a low-tier one spell. The force is slightly strong, but it’s definitely not weak."
He had been practicing his Fireball spell, and he was confident that it was steadily improving. However, he knew how unreliable it was in actual combat, as its offensive power was still weak.
The fireball itself wasn’t weak. Cillian was simply not adept at conjuring spells because of his lack of knowledge about sorcery, and that made the spell weak.
Cillian chuckled while breathing raggedly.
"At this point, I’ll have to convince my opponents to stand up and let my Fireball hit them to inflict heavy damage. I can conjure the spells, but they lack firepower and control."
Not just Fireball, he can also conjure Stone Ball, Gale, and Water Wall.
That doesn’t mean these four elements are his elemental acquisition. He also doesn’t have time to know which is which. That’s why learning these basic spells from each element was enough.
Even without considering his Ruiner power, Cillian might still be a decent sorcerer among his peers because of how balanced his kit was.
’Fireball and Stone Ball for attack. Gale for movement. Water Wall for defense.’
Cillian thought inwardly before drinking yet another potion while letting his mana pool recharge.
"Fireball is the only thing I can mass-produce, as long as I don’t run out of mana, that is. Stone Ball is too unreliable, but it can still be used in certain situations if done right. Gale made me sometimes fall over my head, but it’s good for moving around. Water Wall is not exactly a ’wall’ that can stop attacks for now, but anyway."
This struggle and the hard training made Cillian glad.
This was the kind of feeling he had never experienced in his previous world, where everything had always seemed easy for him.
Now learning an entirely different concept with zero start made learning things interesting for Cillian and got him excited in the days ahead.
’And doing this makes me stronger as well. Really a fantasy world.’
"Haha!"
Cillian laughed while lying down on the ground.
"I’ll get stronger for sure."
He never felt so alive.
[Death Flag]
Adding the fact of the [Death Flag] screen on his side, the current possibility flag he possessed, made Cillian even more expectant.
He was nervous and excited at the same time, to the point that he didn’t know whether to laugh, cry, or be afraid.
"It’s tomorrow, huh."
Aster’s Hunt will begin tomorrow.
Cillian didn’t know how tomorrow would turn out, especially how it might affect him, but he had already set a few goals on this hunt.
"First, not dying."
This was his main priority.
He had felt death once. He also encountered a lot of deaths when he was under the illusion of Aiden’s power and almost from the power itself.
He couldn’t allow himself to die now.
If doing the other goals he set would make his death come to him, then he knew that he had to abandon the other goals he had planned.
But if they weren’t...
"Second, information about the Target Organization."
Cillian is painfully aware of how weak he is currently compared to the organization that tried to use Fergus and probe Aster’s strength.
His kit might be higher than the rest of his peers, but when it comes to these people who didn’t hesitate to use the son of the Viola Family speaks to how dangerous these guys are.
That’s why gathering information is a must for the operation of the hunt.
"Hehe, third. If there’s a chance to mess with these people, screw the second goal. Make these people suffer first."
Screwing people is Cillian’s specialty. Which method he used is entirely up to him.
With these goals set, Cillian stood up and resumed his training as he couldn’t lag behind now that the approaching hunt was coming.
After training, Cillian began setting his plan in motion.
