A Disaster-Level Assassin Has Been Freed

Chapter 131: Nadan Royal Academy (7)

“…….”

Andy Shepler couldn’t easily find words to continue.

I hadn’t seen it.

I couldn’t see it.

Until the moment my opponent picked up the knife from the table and threw it behind my barrier, I hadn’t noticed a thing. It was nothing short of shocking.

Yes.

If things had gone as they should, it would have ended there.

I should have expressed gratitude to the opponent who showed mercy and merely demonstrated the gap in our skills, begging them to forgive my past rudeness over and over again.

But I couldn’t.

Was it the slight buzz from the alcohol?

No, it was more because of my peers, the academy cadets, who were now sobering up and staring at me.

“……Hup!”

Woo-woo-woong—!

A grayish-white light flowed from Andy Shepler’s sword.

It was an Aura Sword.

Though it wasn’t as fully crystallized as a Graduate’s, the energy was refined to a level very close to it.

Harang nodded.

To display such an aura despite what must be considerable mental turmoil meant his mental fortitude was quite impressive.

“You bastard! How dare you take advantage of my moment of carelessness to use a hidden weapon… Such filthy tricks!”

‘Or maybe he’s just an idiot?’

Harang shook his head.

He had thought he’d clearly shown the difference in their skills, yet his opponent was still barking and snarling at him.

“Hm.”

Harang glanced at Sheratiya.

Her expression wasn’t great.

But it also seemed a bit more relaxed than before. It was a complex, subtle look that couldn’t be described in a single sentence.

He asked, “Lady Sheratiya.”

“What?”

“What should I do?”

“About what?”

“How much should I rough him up to make this the least tiring and least bothersome?”

“……Hm.”

“Hah.”

“Have you ever seen such a crazy guy?”

The knight cadets who overheard Harang’s words looked dumbfounded.

Who was his opponent?

The prodigy of the Shepler Family, who had never once lost the top spot at Nadan Royal Academy. A promising talent expected to grow into a knight representing Nadan, following in the footsteps of Ransel Grantz.

And yet, this guy, who looked even younger, dared to say such things?

“Andy, ugh, show him!”

“Yeah, huff, crush him completely!”

The knight cadets, their faces flushed from alcohol and spitting as they slandered Harang and cheered for Andy.

But Harang paid no mind to the surrounding clamor.

He looked at Sheratiya and asked again, “What should I do?”

“……Didn’t I say something before we came to this ball?”

Sheratiya was the same. Ignoring whatever was said around her, she continued speaking in a clear voice, saying what she wanted to say.

“Yes.”

“What did I say?”

“You said I shouldn’t look like an easy target.”

“Right. It’s something I’ve wanted to say for a while, but you need to show a bit of your strength.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Sheratiya nodded.

She genuinely believed that.

Of course, it was because Harang didn’t know his true worth that a fallen noble like her could associate with him, but he needed to realize how remarkable he was.

An Expert at the peak level in his twenties?

That was impressive, no doubt.

The second son of the influential Shepler Family in Nadan Kingdom?

That was impressive too.

But Harang was far greater. Far more extraordinary.

So much so that he didn’t need to get caught up in disputes like this.

And even if he did, he didn’t need to worry about the aftermath.

With that thought, Sheratiya continued in a confident voice, with clear pronunciation.

“A man who personally received a Special Gold Plate from the Mercenary King Austin.”

“……?”

“A great figure who reached the Graduate level at the age of twenty.”

“……!”

“Someone even the head of the Portville Family and the Jeten Swordsmanship Guild Leader can’t treat lightly… Truly, a genius among geniuses, unmatched not just in the southern continent but across the entire continent.”

“No, what are you……”

“What nonsense!”

Disbelieving reactions erupted from all around.

But Sheratiya didn’t care. In fact, she enjoyed their responses, reciting Harang’s achievements with the joy of someone boasting about their own accomplishments, before adding, “……Such a remarkable person needs to show off their greatness so that stray pups won’t dare to challenge them.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. So……”

Sheratiya Viyan looked at Andy Shepler.

Unlike his initially polished appearance, his forehead was now drenched in sweat, and his unfocused eyes seemed pitiful.

But there was no helping it.

This was the time to show the difference in power.

Nodding, Sheratiya spoke again.

“……Break him thoroughly. So he can’t make any excuses.”

“Understood.”

Shyook—

Boom!

Kwagagagang—!

“……!”

“……!”

“……!”

In an instant.

It was truly a blink of an eye.

Harang moved in front of Andy Shepler and kicked him in the abdomen. Andy, unable to resist, flew to the end of the room and crashed into the wall.

Thud, thud.

Thud-thud-thud—

That was the end.

In the deathly silent room, where the only sound was the dust falling from the wall, the knight cadets stared at Harang with stunned expressions.

“……Hm.”

Harang nodded.

The reactions were definitely different.

Those who had openly shown hostility when he hadn’t displayed his strength now looked up at him with trembling, fearful eyes.

It felt strange.

One thing was clear—it wasn’t a good feeling.

‘Well… nothing I can do about it.’

By nature, Harang wanted to maintain good relationships with many people, diverse people.

But he now knew that wasn’t possible with everyone in the world.

‘No, rather, someone who can do that is far rarer.’

Harang thought of the connections he’d made in Marzen.

People who looked at him and treated him with entirely different eyes, entirely different hearts.

He wanted to return to them soon.

“Shall we head back, then?”

“Sure. Oh, but before that… show it to them.”

“What?”

“The Special Gold Plate. They might not believe it otherwise.”

“Ah… would showing it make any difference?”

“Even if grudges form, they won’t dare act on them openly. They’ll hold it in or think twice.”

“And if they think twice but still can’t hold back, and they come at me again or try something sneaky?”

“There’s not much we can do about that… but you lose nothing by trying, right? Suppressing people with connections is the most effective way. Not using a connection like the Mercenary King Austin would be such a waste.”

“Hm, that makes sense… but I think there’s an even better way.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

“Uh, it’s hard to explain right now… Could you step outside for a bit?”

“Why?”

“I’m about to use that method, but it might be a bit uncomfortable if you’re here, Lady Sheratiya.”

“……Alright. I’ll wait at the ballroom on the first floor. Come find me when you’re done.”

Sheratiya nodded. Without another word, she left.

She had sensed something unusual.

Quick-witted as she was, she swiftly exited the room and descended the stairs. Confirming this, Harang looked at the knight cadets and muttered, “It’s been a while since I’ve done this.”

He closed his eyes.

And recalled the past.

The countless types of death he’d witnessed in the village.

Pain, despair, fear.

He infused those into his Presence.

He melted them into his Aura.

A Presence utterly unlike the immature, noble-like aura of the knight cadets—a force closest to death itself.

Spreading it thickly and heavily throughout the room, Harang said, “If you want to meet me again, you’ll have to feel this exact emotion… once more.”

Woo-woo-woo-woong—!

Dr-dr-dr-dr-druk!

The objects on the table trembled violently under the overwhelming Presence, and the knight cadets staring at Harang shook just as much. Even Andy Shepler, who had regained consciousness, nodded frantically, drooling.

And, unnoticed by anyone—

Woo-woo-woong—

The necklace in Harang’s pocket also vibrated faintly, as if savoring the Presence he was emitting.

***

Three days had passed since the ball ended.

Fortunately, no particular issues arose during that time. Whether it was thanks to the Special Gold Plate or the Presence he’d unleashed at the end, Andy Shepler and his group hadn’t spread word of that day’s events.

“They wouldn’t gain anything by spreading it, anyway. It’d just be admitting they got humiliated by one guy.”

“That’s true.”

“Still, it’s hard to shake this uneasy feeling. Let’s leave before something happens.”

“That’s what I want.”

Harang nodded vigorously.

He had no choice but to react that way, as he’d been constantly aware of the countless eyes watching him since the day of the ball.

‘I didn’t realize the young ladies’ obsession would be this intense…’

Of course, it wasn’t just them following him.

The problem stemmed from what he’d said while introducing himself to the ladies—that he was a ‘Gold Plate Mercenary.’ Some who heard it seemed to have sent people to verify if it was true.

“Hiding outright feels stifling, but it’s not like they’ve done any harm, so telling them to all go away feels weird… It’s a tough spot.”

“It’ll get worse as you become more famous. Get used to it now.”

“Then if I just keep a low profile like I do now…”

“Then weird guys like Andy Shepler will keep picking fights with you.”

“Hm, which is better…”

“It won’t just be you they target. They’ll go after those around you too. Is that okay?”

“Then I think becoming famous is the better option.”

Harang nodded.

The idea that threats could extend to those around him was harder to bear than threats to himself.

Thinking a bit more about it, Harang asked again, “But… how do I do that?”

“Hm? Do what?”

“You know… become famous? I can’t exactly go around shouting to everyone that I’m super strong, can I?”

Harang imagined himself yelling, “I’m incredibly strong!” as he walked around.

His expression twisted involuntarily. It didn’t seem like a flattering image.

Of course, Sheratiya wasn’t suggesting that method either.

She said, “You don’t have to worry about it.”

“Don’t worry about it?”

“Right. The fact that you’re a Gold Plate Mercenary is already spreading bit by bit in the capital, isn’t it?”

“That’s true.”

“Exactly. People will come to test your skills, and all you have to do is show them your strength then. After that… they’ll take care of the rest.”

“……People coming to test my skills.”

Harang repeated Sheratiya’s words.

He was curious. Intrigued.

Hoping that, if possible, many skilled people who could help improve his abilities would come, Harang started walking.

His destination was Nadan Royal Academy, Gabone Emans’s office.

Finally, the day had come when the translation of the Delkaro Kingdom’s Aura Cultivation Method would be completed.

***

At that moment, in the capital of Nadan Kingdom, rumors of ‘Special Gold Plate Mercenary Harang’ were spreading quietly but rapidly among the nobles.

It wasn’t just a topic in social circles.

The existence of Harang reached the ears of a young knight who devoted himself solely to daily training—Ransel Grantz.

“A black-haired young man?”