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As I emerged from the cave, the sun was already setting.
The cries of monsters and the shouts of humans could be heard intermittently in the distance.
The sounds of battle from my academy classmates.
But I didn't have the physical strength to help them all.
In the first place, it was absurd to think I could help all the classmates scattered throughout this vast Northern Ice Field.
"Let's move south until the sun is completely down, then set up camp in a suitable place."
To camp in a slightly less cold place, Davian and his group headed south before the sun completely set.
Latia slowly approached Davian, who was walking ahead.
"The flame that burned the Gray Witch seemed to be above 7-star level. Just what are you?"
"The power of fire magic was amplified by the air flowing into the cave in wind form. You're supposed to be a magical genius. Don't you even know that?"
"I figured that much out too. Even so, you're too strong. Your mana affinity is lower than mine. How can you be so strong?"
"The world is wide, Latia. There are many things you don't know."
Latia sighed, hanging her head low.
"Haa... The thing I was worried about has finally happened. My cousins were right."
Davian turned his head to look at Latia.
The eldest daughter of the Meridiem Duchy, completely dispirited.
It was a sight he had never seen in his three academy lives.
Davian surpassed Latia in his second year of his third life.
That's how high the wall of the continent's greatest genius magic girl was.
But even then, Latia didn't react like this.
She would just repeat things like, 'If you think you've caught up to me just because you got one or two higher evaluation scores, you're sorely mistaken,' with an arrogant expression.
'But why is she like this now?'
Was it the shock of meeting a classmate who was so much better than her as soon as she entered? While he was thinking that, Latia spoke again.
"My cousins always said it. That I'm just a hothouse flower. That our parents and the elders of the family favor me just because I'm the eldest daughter of the direct line. That the talk about me being the continent's greatest genius is all made up by the adults. And they were right..."
The words her cousins said.
It was a blatant lie.
A kind of gaslighting to undermine Latia and lower her self-esteem.
Davian had to accumulate magic points for three lives to barely surpass Latia.
Except for Davian, no other magician of a similar age surpasses Latia.
Excessive expectations and favoritism from her parents and other family elders.
Amidst all that, the constant brainwashing by the collateral relatives since she was young to lower Latia's self-esteem.
The young Latia had been carrying these two burdens simultaneously while living her life in the family.
"The expectations of the adults weighed down on my heart, and the taunts of my cousins shattered my confidence. But I endured it. Because I had to live up to the family's expectations..."
Latia, who had gone through a time of endurance and come out into the wide world.
She probably realized that her cousins' words were lies only after entering Elton Academy.
Those words that kept dragging her self-esteem down to the bottom.
'You're a fake. You're not the best.'
A lie.
Latia was indeed the continent's greatest magic genius.
At least until Davian started his fourth life...
Latia met a magician who far surpassed her as soon as she entered Elton Academy.
And it was an academy classmate.
The moment the self-esteem she had struggled to hold onto crumbled.
The cousins' constant gaslighting was becoming a huge hammer trying to destroy everything Latia had built up.
Tears fell from Latia's large eyes.
"Will there... be more? Magicians as strong as you. There must be more beyond the continent, right?"
Davian watched as the most strong and haughty person collapsed.
He wasn't interested in anything other than graduating, but he couldn't help but feel a little sorry for her.
Besides, Davian himself had provided the opportunity for her to collapse like that.
"No. There aren't any magicians as strong as you."
Latia wiped away her tears and looked up at Davian.
"What do you mean there aren't? I saw it with my own two eyes today."
"The size of your magical power isn't everything. I've never seen anyone who can manipulate mana as meticulously as you. Besides, you have the best mana affinity. And..."
Davian stopped walking.
He now understood why Latia had been so easily caught by the lich's mind magic in her third year.
The memories of her childhood, marked by pressure and anxiety, had taken over the depths of her mind.
That was Latia's weakness.
But now that her weakness, which had been deeply rooted in her heart, had completely erupted.
Perhaps this experience would be an opportunity to strengthen Latia's mind even further.
"You're stronger than anyone. You're never weak. So don't collapse. No matter what the situation. At least until you catch up to me."
Latia stared blankly at Davian.
A moment later.
Latia took the first step.
Only after getting some distance away did she mutter to herself.
"Yeah. I won't lose. I'll never lose. My cousins were wrong. I'm strong. I'm Latia Meridiem."
Watching Latia's retreating figure, Davian also muttered to himself.
"I wonder if her mind will get a little stronger now. Enough to withstand the lich's mind magic... Or not. Then I'll just have to kill her."
Latia felt a chill run down her spine for a moment.
'It's just that the Northern Ice Field is cold.'
The next day, evening.
The faculty conference room.
Davian and the members of his group project were sitting in a row on one side of a large table.
Professors Sirims and Mateo were seated across from them.
Professor Sirims asked.
"Are you sure the person you saw was Teaching Assistant Rubens?"
Davian answered.
"He recognized us first, so we're sure."
"And Rubens was the one who awakened the Gray Witch?"
"Yes. He admitted it himself."
"Did all the other students hear it?"
This time, Latia answered.
"Yes. He clearly said that. He also said that we would all die now."
"All the first-year students who went to the Northern Ice Field?"
"Yes. That's what we heard."
"Hmm... I see. You may leave."
At Professor Sirims's instruction, Davian and his group got up and left the faculty conference room.
"What do you think, Mateo?"
"If what those students said is true, then Rubens was a spy from the beginning."
"I don't think the students are lying."
"Me neither. But I can't believe that those kids defeated Rubens and even took down the Gray Witch."
"Well, we'll find out when the investigation team we sent to the ice cave returns. More importantly, we need to figure out what Rubens was planning. Why did he awaken the Gray Witch on the day all the first-year students left for their practical assignment?"
"Could it really have been the intention he mentioned? Surely not..."
"To kill all the first-year students? Who in the world would order the killing of students who had just entered the academy, and for what purpose?"
"If someone really gave such an order, it's no ordinary matter."
Head of the Magic Department Sirims leaned back deeply into the sofa with a serious expression.
A moment later.
"Caretaker!"
At Professor Sirims's voice, the caretaker opened the door and came in.
"Summon Professor Stella."
"Yes, Professor."
"I think we need to hear the story from the Head of the Swordsmanship Department, who is currently in the capital."
'Point Breakdown'
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[Mana Points: 6,500]
Magic Power: 298,832
Inner Power: 5,542
Outer Power: 3,050
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Davian distributed all 6,500 points he obtained from defeating the Gray Witch to Inner Power.
=====
[Mana Points: 0]
Magic Power: 298,832
Inner Power: 12,042
Outer Power: 3,050
=====
He felt a hot energy flowing from his dantian.
'Skill Status'
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[Current Skills]
Passive Skills
Blessing of Hydra Lv.2
Eye of the Sword Path Lv.4
Active Skills
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As he poured all his points into Inner Power, the level of 'Eye of the Sword Path Skill' rose to 4.
Nubes asked.
"Davian, I'm going to evening training. Do you want to come with me?"
"I should go."
"Bonita and Bellum are coming too. They said let's do it in the gym today."
"The gym? Anywhere is fine. Let's go, Nubes."
As they entered the large gym, various students were training everywhere.
On one side, archery students were gathered, practicing their archery.
Davian's mouth opened as he stared silently at the flying arrow.
"8 points."
Thud.
The arrow hit the target.
The score was 8 points.
Nubes asked, surprised.
"Huh? Davian. How did you know?"
"It was a slowly shot arrow. Can't you see? When you see it flying, you can tell where it will land."
"What are you talking about? How can you see that? Did you just guess?"
"Yeah. I guessed."
The effect of the skill level increase seemed to be there.
Not only the sword path, but even the path of the arrow was clearly visible.
Of course, the level was still not very high, so he would not be able to read arrows shot with full force.
"Oh? Blockhead! Davian!"
Bellum raised his hand and waved it.
Next to him, Bonita was calmly wielding her sword.
Bonita, who only turned her head, saw Davian and nodded lightly.
Davian also nodded slightly.
Bonita immediately began wielding her sword again, and Davian's eyes followed the tip of Bonita's sword.
An hour later.
Davian was leaning against one wall of the gym, doing nothing and watching Bonita's swordsmanship training.
Eventually, Bellum, unable to hold back any longer, asked.
"Davian. What are you doing, not training? Did you fall for Bonita or something? You can't take your eyes off her?"
His roommate Nubes defended Davian.
"Didn't you overdo it too much in the Northern Ice Field yesterday? Davian, if you're tired, you should have just rested in your room today."
At that moment.
Swoosh!
Bonita, who had been practicing swordsmanship, stopped her movements, swinging her sword wide.
It was so fast and precise that the sound of the sword cutting through the air echoed throughout the gym.
"Davian. Can you stop peeping?"
"Ah, sorry, Bonita. Did I make you feel bad?"
"No. I'm curious. How much of my sword's movement do you see? How much of my sword path did you read just now?"
"I couldn't read it all."
"Then do it. As far as you saw. I deliberately showed it to you openly. You should show off your skills too, right?"
"That would be polite, wouldn't it?"
Davian took his back off the wall and slowly walked out.
Shling.
Davian's sword came out of its sheath.
Swish, swish.
Davian's sword dance began.
Nubes, who had been watching for a while, let his sword droop.
"Wh, what is it, Davian?"
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