The Academy's Terminally Ill Side Character

This one looked like something straight out of a king's armory. The shaft was black and silver, laced with veins of glowing azure energy. The head of the spear shimmered with a strange, liquid-like light, sharp enough to split air.

It was… beautiful.

Even Leo — calm, logical, "we-need-to-be-smart-about-resources" Leo — was staring at it with a kind of wonder I'd never seen on his face before.

I couldn't help but grin.

"See?" I whispered. "Told you the bombs were worth it."

The room was quiet—too quiet, really—but not the heavy, suffocating silence of tension. This was different. This was reverence.

Even the air felt still, like the dungeon itself was holding its breath as we all stood there, staring at the spear.

No one moved.

No one spoke.

Not even Mira.

Which, frankly, might've been the most unbelievable part of the entire day.

The glow from the weapon pulsed slowly, like a heartbeat. Pale-blue mana shimmered across the shaft, curling upward in tendrils before disappearing into the spearhead. The floor beneath it was marked with a circular formation—one we didn't recognize, but clearly not random.

A pedestal, a weapon, and runes that practically sang with mana.

This wasn't just a rare drop.

This was something else.

Something important.

Leo took a cautious step forward.

"Wait," Violet said, her hand shooting out to grab his arm.

He froze mid-step and turned to her, brows knitting together.

"What?"

Violet hesitated for just a second. Then, quietly but firmly, she said,

"You promised him first pick after we cleared the dungeon."

I blinked.

Did… did Violet just say that?

Out of all people?

Honestly, I hadn't expected her to speak up—especially for me. Violet was Leo's second shadow. Loyal, sharp, and always on his side. If that spear had ended up in Leo's hands, I would've assumed she was the one who put it there.

But this?

This meant something.

If Leo had taken the spear now, it wouldn't just be a broken promise.

It would make him a liar.

A dishonorable one—and that wasn't a title you brushed off in our world.

That's why Violet stopped him.

She wasn't doing it for me.

She was doing it for him.

To protect his name.

A flicker of realization crossed Leo's face. He looked from Violet… to the spear… then to me.

I didn't say anything. Just stood there, trying not to look too smug—or too surprised.

He let out a small breath and stepped back.

"You're right," he said. "I did promise."

That single sentence carried weight. Not just an apology—an acknowledgment. Of the fight. Of the deal. Of what it meant to stand by your word, even when something glittered like destiny right in front of you.

Violet nodded once, letting go of his arm.

Leo turned to me and gestured toward the glowing spear in the center of the room.

"It's yours."

I didn't move at first.

Everyone was watching—silent, tense, waiting to see what I'd do.

Honestly?

I didn't even want that weapon.

I wasn't here for some flashy artifact.

I was here for something bigger.

I stepped forward, feeling every pair of eyes on me. Then I glanced at Leo and said evenly,

"As promised, I get first pick in the reward room."

Leo didn't say anything. He just gave a small nod.

I caught the flicker of hesitation in his expression and couldn't help but chuckle.

He really wanted that weapon.

The Drakevolt Spear—a hero-grade artifact forged with the essence of thunder and storm. Electricity curled along its sleek, silver shaft like it was alive. But the real threat wasn't just the lightning—it was the weapon's special ability: Drakeform Surge. Once per day, the spear transformed into a bolt of lightning, allowing the wielder to strike with devastating precision. In the hands of a skilled user, even a single throw could end a battle.

The others probably didn't know that.

But even without that knowledge, anyone could see it was perfect for Leo.

"Alright, time to choose," I said, stepping forward.

But I didn't go for the spear.

Instead, I stopped in front of a much less impressive item—something that looked like it had been collecting dust.

A black iron bracelet, dull and weathered, etched with faint monkey paw prints and swirling clouds.

"I'll take this."

Silence.

The others stared like I'd lost my mind.

"That?" someone whispered, baffled.

Leo narrowed his eyes. "...Rin Evans."

"What? You're not backing out now, are you?" I raised an eyebrow, grinning.

Leo exhaled through his nose and looked at me, his brows furrowed.

"...Sigh. Look, if you're not picking that spear because of me, then don't. Even if you can't use it, you could sell it for a hefty price on the market."

I smiled and shook my head.

"It's really not like that."

And I meant it.

Leo Taylor—greedy, loud, always the first to grab whatever he wanted without asking. That was who he used to be.

But now? He was standing there, holding back.

Letting me choose first.

Respecting the promise.

Honestly, it was... surprising.

But I appreciated it.

Still, the Drakevolt Lance wasn't what I came here for.

What I wanted was far less flashy. A black iron bracelet—dull, almost forgotten in the corner of the room—etched with monkey paw prints and swirling clouds. The others probably thought I'd lost my mind.

But this wasn't just any trinket.

This was a weapon.

A dangerous one.

The same weapon used by a villain from a certain organization to overpower not one, but both protagonists multiple times.

A half-divine artifact known as —the Soul-Tamed Staff.

Or at least, a replica of the original.

Everyone knew the name of the real thing:

Ruyi Jingu Bang.

Sun Wukong's legendary weapon.

This replica? Forged by Huò Xian, a martial sage who once glimpsed the Ruyi in a dream. They say he was the first to ever imitate it—half hero, half madman. Banished from the heavens for mocking the gods and stealing divine iron to forge his own version.

The Soul-Tamed Staff was his legacy.

In its sealed form, it appeared as nothing more than a bracelet.

But I knew how to unlock it.

And I knew just how powerful it could be.

So yeah, I wasn't trading that for some lightning spear.

Now, the real question—why was a half-divine artifact sitting in a dungeon like this?

Good question.

I remember asking the author about it back when this was still just a story. My friend just shrugged and said,

"It is what it is. Don't think too hard."

So yeah, I'm not going to.

I don't care why it's here.

I only care that I got it before that villain did.

The Soul-Tamed Staff was exactly what I needed. It covered my current weaknesses perfectly.

At my level, this was the strongest, most compatible weapon I could get my hands on.

I turned to the others and raised the bracelet. "I've made my choice, as promised. The rest is up to the party leader. What? Why are you all staring at me like that?"

Everyone—including Leo and Violet—was staring at me with wide-eyed, almost impressed expressions.

Honestly, I was aiming for that reaction. But this? This was a little much.

Leo cleared his throat and stepped forward. "...As the party leader, I'll take the spear. But I won't claim any other rewards. Any objections?"

Of course, no one said anything. They just shook their heads.

"Alright. Then I'll take this."

Leo slowly approached the Drakevolt Spear, cautious, respectful.

Hero-grade artifacts and above had their own will. Sometimes, they chose their wielders.

But I wasn't worried about this one.

This spear didn't care about ideals or morality.

It wanted war.

It wanted a user who would throw it into battle, again and again.

It didn't resist the villain who originally wielded it in the story.

Why would it resist Leo?

As long as he kept fighting, the spear would follow him.

And just like that, the room quieted.

Leo reached out and wrapped his hand around the shaft of the Drakevolt Spear.

The moment his fingers touched the metal, the spear came alive.

Crackle.

Electric arcs flared outward in thin blue streams, dancing across the floor like excited snakes. Violet instinctively took a step back. The air around us thickened, buzzing with static as Leo held the spear aloft.

And yet, he didn't flinch.

He didn't get shocked.

The spear accepted him.

Just as expected.

I smirked quietly to myself.

Even without knowing it, Leo was the kind of fighter that spear liked. He wasn't disciplined—but he was relentless. Tireless in a fight. Always hungry for the next clash.

It was a perfect match.

Leo grinned as he gave the weapon a quick twirl, the lightning condensing around its tip like it was eager to be used. "Heh. I think it likes me."

"Told you," I said, folding my arms.

He turned toward me, the smirk lingering. "Still don't get why you passed this up, though."

"I told you already," I said, lifting my wrist to show the bracelet, "this is what I needed."

He narrowed his eyes at it. "Looks like junk."

"Exactly," I replied, smiling. "That's the fun part."

Before he could press further, Violet stepped in.

"Alright," she said, voice steady but curious, "Now can we search for other rewards for rest of us?"

Leo looked at me and then back to Violet before saying.

"Sure."

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Author Note :

Thanks for reading. Sorry, I can't upload two chapters at the moment, I'm quite busy. I'll start updating with 2 chapters when I will be free.