Mesugaki Tank Enters The Academy

[Agra is watching you.]

This phrase, which I had seen countless times since borrowing Lucy's body, had always threatened my life.

It left me with numerous traumas.

If it had been another time, I would have bitten my lips upon seeing it.

I would have desperately racked my brain, blaming the incompetent deity for my situation.

I would have been contemplating how to fight for survival.

But not now. I felt confident that no matter what variables arose, I would remain unscathed, allowing me to confront Karia’s emotionless gaze.

Hey, you petty evil deity. Were you in a rush?

This party would return to full strength, and you attempted to ambush us because you felt you couldn’t win.

Right?

You set up this situation, hoping to take us down somehow?

But what do you think will happen now?

With such minor variables, you won’t be able to topple this party!

Ha! But then again, being sealed away by that incompetent deity must have made you feel like a total failure, huh?

“Long time no see! Karia! How have you been?!”

Despite Benedict’s booming voice echoing through the corridor, Karia did not respond.

She merely glared at me with her cold eyes.

Her intent was clear.

She was not aiming for victory. Her goal was to capture and kill me, the Apostle of Armadi.

Ah, so since you couldn’t win, you thought you’d at least get some satisfaction by tormenting that incompetent deity, huh?

Tch. This is just pathetic enough to be laughable.

Why are all these deities so utterly useless?

If you’re going to bear the title of a god, shouldn’t you at least show something impressive?

Not that it’s possible, of course. How foolish.

“Let’s proceed as planned.”

It was Johann who announced the start of the battle.

The moment he placed his hands on the cross, a massive wave of divinity spread through the corridor, threatening to engulf it.

The warmth of Armadi’s divinity replaced the heat of Menestale, creating a sanctified area.

A place where the divine dwells.

One of the highest forms of divine magic—a field that debuffs evil beings while buffing our party simultaneously.

Seeing this, Karia seemed to sense something strange and hurriedly attempted to retreat, but it was already too late.

During that time, Count Georg had cast his magic.

Like a conductor standing in the center of an orchestra, his hand moved, summoning dozens of magical circles around him.

Different shapes, different colors, and different flows of magical energy.

To someone unfamiliar with magic, even one of these would be beyond their control—high-level spells.

Haha. Just like those moments when users couldn’t help but curse.

The beginning was a prison made of magic.

Walls appeared without warning, enclosing Karia.

However, they couldn’t withstand her power.

In less than a second, Karia shattered the wall with her dagger.

But Count Georg’s magic didn’t end there.

The ground, boiling like lava, suddenly froze, capturing Karia’s feet.

Unfazed, she broke the ice and leaped upwards, but by then, another spell from Count Georg had already reached her.

Ropes that drained her magical energy.

Vines that grew endlessly, pursuing her.

Cursed fog.

As Karia assessed him with her gaze, she subtly lowered her dagger.

With that, her divine form disappeared.

If she couldn’t parry it, she would evade.

Simultaneously, she would launch her own attack.

A choice only possible for someone with Karia’s incredible speed.

However, the figure blocking my path, Benedict, was not someone to be underestimated.

As Benedict thrust his fist into the air, Karia appeared before it as if it were timed perfectly.

In an instant, Karia, struck by Benedict, flew like a bullet and crashed into the wall made of divinity.

Though it looked like an ordinary wall, its essence was extremely compressed divinity itself.

To the Apostle of an evil deity, it was like the flames of hell.

“Guh!”

As Karia hit the wall, smoke billowed from her body.

Desperately trying to escape the pain, she gripped her dagger with a reverse hold.

Her gaze was directed behind me.

To where Johann, now chanting a purification prayer, stood.

Excuse me. Boss, could you not draw aggro right now?

“Are you finally looking up after being unable to deal with that old maid? ♡ Oh, but there’s an old man up there, too. No way he would notice someone like you! ♡”

Your target is only me, you know?

That would make it easier to predict her movements.

As Karia’s divine form faded, an iron wall announced the danger.

However, I did not move.

Before me, Benedict’s hand moved first.

As he spread his palm, Karia’s face seemed to be sucked in as if she were being forced into it.

“You’ve been slacking on your training! You’ve slowed down!”

As Benedict exerted pressure with his hand, a sound erupted that should never have been heard from a human body.

That was when it happened.

Flames erupted from the center of Karia’s chest, transforming her body into fire.

One of the powers held by the evil deity of fire.

The moment Karia, who had become something you couldn’t hold with your hands, slipped from Benedict’s grasp, the vines that had been lying on the ground ensnared her legs as if they were waiting for that moment.

Normally, a plant like a vine would turn to ash upon encountering Karia, but it grew at a speed faster than it burned, preventing her movement.

Following that, the rope made of magical energy bound her arms and neck, immobilizing her.

And before her stood Benedict, charging his fist.

“Bite down hard. So you don’t die.”

The magical energy flowing within Benedict converged in his fist.

It wasn’t his full power.

But even if it was merely a portion of that colossal magical energy, would it be insignificant?

As Benedict swung his fist, the magic exploded, declaring its presence.

With a deafening roar that rang in my ears, the entire dungeon trembled.

‘...Grandpa. Karia will be okay, right?’

<It’s your strategy, isn’t it? What are you worried about? >

As the old man said, it was I who devised this strategy.

The moment I met Karia, I trapped her in the place where the divine dwells.

Then captured her with the Count’s magic.

And subdued her with Benedict’s physical strength.

If Karia’s pattern was simply a reinforced version from the game, I thought this would be the best approach, so I distributed roles and instructed them on how to respond to her movements.

As a result, we successfully subdued Karia with ease, but...

‘No matter how resilient Karia is, I don’t think she can withstand that punch.’

Benedict’s strength was far greater than I had anticipated.

It seemed like she was still alive...

I hope she’s okay? I hope it’s not one of those vegetable endings.

Even in the world of Soul Academy, there would be ways to deal with such situations.

<Instead of worrying about him, focus on the divine magic that the bishop is unfolding. You’ll learn enough from that man’s abilities. >

‘Got it.’

“The deity still loves those who have strayed. Divine grace will surely touch you.”

As Bishop Johann finished his prayer, the divinity he had spread to unfold “the place where the divine dwells” gathered around Karia.

This was different from the purification prayer Faybi had invoked.

Instead of gently governing the dead, it was a magic that erased corruption.

“Grrraaaah!”

As black smoke rose from Karia’s body, a scream erupted.

The voice carried such pain that I could feel goosebumps rising just by hearing it.

The purification in reality was different from that in the game.

It was only natural.

Erasing corruption could not be something that passed lightly, as if it were just a cutscene.

I need to snap back to reality. I can’t just sit here.

While Johann purifies her, I need to prepare for the conclusion.

To completely eliminate the influence of the evil deity from her body.

[Agra is watching you.] [Agra is glaring at the cursed Apostle of the deity.] [Agra wishes for your death.]

...Huh?

<What?>

As the old man’s sudden exclamation sounded, the ground trembled.

This was different from the shock caused by Benedict’s fist just moments ago.

It felt as if something massive was stirring beneath the earth.

“Lucy!”

Was it instinct that warned him of danger?

Benedict rushed in and embraced me.

Johann had somehow stopped the purification prayer and was casting divine magic for protection,

While Count Georg was preparing dozens of magical circles to respond to any unforeseen events.

That was when it happened.

Follow current novℯls on ƒгeewёbnovel.com.

The ground split open, and heat surged from between the cracks.

This was not something that could be simply described as warm or hot.

The overwhelming flames seemed capable of turning my entire body to ash the moment I touched them.

No one had to tell me; I knew what those flames were.

I couldn’t help but know.

There were only two entities in this world that could command such flames.

If we were in this dungeon, there would only be one.

{You, who are loved by Armadi, deserving of death! How long did you think this Bahda would remain asleep?!}

With a voice echoing throughout the dungeon, the ground crumbled beneath us.

As I fell, still cradled in Benedict’s arms, I looked down.

From the slightly cracked red wall, white flames seeped out.

Even if it wasn’t perfect, the presence was dominating the space.

The sticky, unpleasant smile directed at me.

The empty black eyes.

Bahda.

The evil deity of fire.

He had broken his seal and partially manifested.

Thinking back, it made sense.

Agra may be petty, but he doesn’t hide himself.

Whenever he intends to do something, he always announces his name.

As if to encourage others to blame him.

Yet in this dungeon, he had always remained quiet. Still, I had experienced several things.

In the past, I thought that Agra had changed his method, but that was not the case.

It was a simple story.

The entity targeting me had changed, so the method had changed as well.

I understood.

Why that incompetent deity mentioned Menestale before the first semester had even ended.

Why he had brought up this matter now, even though there was still more time left.

The one attacking the seal in this place was Karia.

Since she had become stronger, it was only natural that the seal would break faster than it did in the game.

Armadi was genuinely in a hurry to call me to this place.

Ha. Damn it. You pathetic deity.

You should explain things properly. Damn it.

You, who could talk so smoothly when mocking me, why do you choose to be tight-lipped in situations like this?!

Isn’t it supposed to be the opposite?! Huh?!