I Became The Academy’s Joker Character

Chapter 27

—–CROW—– 

Bang!

Lucia fired, following my instructions without a single wasted movement.  Action followed instruction instantaneously. 

Despite being from the intelligence agency, she was, first and foremost, an excellent soldier.  

Moreover, even with her keen eyesight, in a situation like this, having my broader perspective to assist her made the hunt much easier.  

More than that, perhaps because she was an SR-rank marksman, her attack power was astounding.  

Considering only attack power, she was probably on par with Alexios, the [Fist King]. Of course, the base coefficients of their skills were different, so the comparison was meaningless.

“Wow…”

A short while later, as the [Mirage Fog] dispersed, Eleanor let out a small gasp as she looked around. I, however, could only frown.

“Close…”

The area was filled with fallen enemies. Yes, *had been* filled.  With the surrounding environment distorted, it should have been near impossible for them to approach me.  The fog constantly twisted their senses, making it unlikely they could find their way towards me.  A sharp-eyed marksman might have managed it, but Lucia had already taken care of those early on.

“…Where’s the vagrant?”

The vagrant Lucia had initially shot was nowhere to be seen.

“He was a marksman, in that state, huh?”

It was my mistake not to have grasped his class beforehand. The scattered corpses each had two or three bullets lodged in them. Considering Lucia’s skill, she wouldn’t have hit the same target repeatedly.  The vagrant had used the bodies as shields.  Even with [Observation], he was no longer visible. Instead of approaching, he had chosen to distract me by throwing corpses in my direction, then escaped.

“Can’t be helped.”

Missing one was bothersome, but it was better to be satisfied with the fact that he had chosen to retreat.

“Prince Oz…”

Just then, Lucia spoke with a bewildered tone.  Her pale expression and the cold sweat trickling down her cheeks suggested it wasn’t a trivial matter.

“What do you see?”

I followed her gaze, but saw nothing. I could see broadly and clearly, but not far.  I could sense the unnatural premonition of the sky breaking, but this was different.  My senses, on high alert, continued to send warnings, but I couldn’t see what was there.  I had no choice but to wait for Lucia to speak again.

“Clowns… wearing masks…”

My face contorted the moment I heard those words.  I didn’t need to hear the rest to understand.  It was . They were wearing their true faces, having cast off the masks of ordinary people.

“…They’re… devouring… the vagrant who ran away…”

Even for a soldier like her, it wouldn’t have been an easy sight to bear. Especially for Lucia, a beast-person with superior eyesight.  The gruesome scene would have been all the more vivid for her.  I quickly covered her eyes.

“Ah…”

“It’s alright.”

“Our eyes met…”

“It’s okay. Calm down.”

I was trying to soothe Lucia, but I was quite disturbed myself. were lunatics, but they didn’t attack without a purpose.  The fact that they had met Lucia’s gaze was likely because we were looking at them.  So, what was their purpose?  Was it related to the vagrant? No, that seemed unlikely.  Unless it was related to someone *connected* to the vagrant.

“Damn it…”

And in this situation, the person connected to that vagrant was me.  They had saved me. …But the entity I suspected of killing Oz in the original story was undoubtedly the leader of .  I couldn’t fathom their purpose.

“Noah, take Lucia back with Baekyang. Go on ahead.”

“Will you be alright? What if you get attacked again like just now? You said you’re popular, so you need to be careful, right?”

“It’s fine. Just go.”

“Mmm… But still…”

“It’s really okay. You can go.”

“Yes, Master. But please be careful. I have a bad feeling.”

“Alright.”

The assassins were no longer the problem.  If were focusing on me, any other assassins would have been eliminated by now.

“Phew…”

After sending Eleanor away, I moved locations several times to confirm, but the chilling sensation on the back of my neck didn’t subside.

“Damn it.”

I had to admit it.  was watching me, keeping a certain distance.  Fortunately, they seemed content to observe and had no intention of attacking, but it was undeniably unnerving.

“Just who the hell was this Oz guy originally?”

There was too much backstory. Dealing with Salem, the [Mage King], was already a headache, and now was involved. It was enough to make me sigh.  Was Oz a member of or something?

“No…”

The moment that thought crossed my mind, I recalled the dream I had last night. The chilling dream where my reflection in the mirror wore a mask.

“That can’t be true, can it?”

I shook my head. I couldn’t be certain that had killed Oz, but I could be sure they weren’t on good terms.

“Did I just waste my time?”

After wandering around trying to ascertain ’s movements, I headed back towards Scientia.  Thankfully, they didn’t seem inclined to approach the [Dragon Emperor]’s territory.  Even those lunatics would understand how dangerous the [Dragon Emperor] was.  After all, she was undeniably the strongest being in this world.  They hadn’t acted until after Tia’s death in the original story, so it was only natural.

“Noah.”

I called out Eleanor’s alias as soon as I entered Scientia. She was hiding near the school gate, likely planning some mischief.

“You kept your promise this time.”

“Were you waiting just to check that?”

“Huh? Of course I was waiting because I was worried about you, Master. The promise thing was just something I was going to check on the side.”

“It’s an obvious lie, but thanks anyway.”

“Haha, I can’t fool Master. I’m pretty confident in my acting, you know.”

“That’s because you’re acting on top of another act.”

“Huh…?”

“Nothing.”

I spoke too much.  I knew she wore a cheerful mask, but I shouldn’t have acknowledged it. I ruffled Eleanor’s hair, pretending to pat her head, to gloss over my slip-up.  She was at a convenient height, so it was easy to keep my arm raised.

“Eugh!”

“…That reaction hurts my feelings, you know.”

Eleanor really hated it.  Seeing her stick out her tongue and pretend to gag as if she’d experienced something disgusting almost brought tears to my eyes. We’re friends, aren’t we? Can’t you show a little leniency?

“…Like I said before, it’s obvious that you’re just relying on your good looks, Master. It’s a bit off-putting. Why don’t you try cultivating your inner self a little?”

“I don’t believe inner beauty is important. People ultimately judge by appearances.”

“Uh…”

If the outside was appealing, the inside was nothing more than an added bonus.  The proof was right here. A person whose exterior had been upgraded while their interior remained the same was standing right here.

“M-Master, you’re being delusional. I think it’s just deception.  More than that, I wonder why you can assert that so confidently. You’re the one benefiting the most from your looks.”

She was right.  I felt a surge of pride every morning when I looked in the mirror. That’s why I disliked the notion that inner beauty was important.

“Let’s go back. I’ll walk you back; it’s dangerous.”

“That narcissistic side of you that thinks you’re cool is a bit disgusting, but I appreciate the concern.”

Her words… stung…  Eleanor seemed to be in a particularly bad mood today.  Should I have talked to her when I saw her this morning? Yes, I should have checked on Eleanor then, even if it ruined the mood.

“At this rate, you might never get a girlfriend.”

Really? Was I that bad?

“So, it would be best if you refrained from such strange behavior and lines in the future.”

“Do I really have to go that far?”

“If you want to do something, have me check it first. I’ll evaluate it for you.  The things I disapprove of are the things you shouldn’t do. Got it?”

“…Okay.”

I led Eleanor, who was wearing a mischievous grin like a little rascal, towards her dormitory.  Because of the earlier incident, it was hard to initiate conversation. I was afraid of what kind of sharp words she might use to stab me with if I spoke carelessly.

“We’re here. 20 points.”

“I didn’t do anything, though?”

“On a dark night like this, you should have started a casual conversation to reassure me.”

“…I’ll try to do that in the future.”

It was surprisingly sound advice, so I couldn’t help but nod.  Her barbs had gained credibility.

“…No, wait. I’ve changed my mind. I don’t think that’s a good idea.  If you casually talk to anyone other than me like that, they might think you’re a bothersome man, so be careful.”

“That’s a pretty strict standard.”

I knew.  I knew her words were lies.  I could tell she had actually enjoyed it quite a bit.  It was only natural.

[Observation – Activated]

I had activated it in advance, just in case I was subjected to further persecution.  I was more fragile than I appeared.

* * *

Tuesday’s Daily Dungeon, 12th Floor.

The exams were approaching, as was the [Hades King]’s invasion.  While other students were busy studying for the upcoming exams, I was an exception.  The basic combat skills class had been postponed since Gerard didn’t have a substitute, and I could ace intermediate magic theory even while half-asleep.  The practical combat exams, conducted in parties, were after the written exams, so there was no need to worry about them now.  In fact, if I suggested practicing, everyone would have given me strange looks.  Cramming for the written exams wouldn’t do them any good; they were truly pitiful.  Of course, when it came to magic theory, I was the best.

“…This is getting tough.”

So, today, I skipped class and delved into the Daily Dungeon. I wanted to level up [Mana Dominator] before the exams started, so I was pushing myself a bit.  As expected of the 12th floor, there were no cute monsters like fire lizards here.

*Clatter*— *Clatter*—

After walking for a bit, I saw flaming boulders rolling towards me.  As they got closer, the boulders began to clump together, forming a vaguely humanoid shape.  A [Flame Golem].

“Uoooooh—!!”

“That’s 32.”

Intermediate Magic

[Water Fall]

Without panicking, I intercepted the [Flame Golem] charging at me with a guttural roar using a water-attribute intermediate spell. While the fire-attribute intermediate spell, [Fire Wall], created a rising wall of flames, the water-attribute spell created a cascading waterfall. It seemed simple, but there was a clear difference.

“Uoo…”

“…Don’t make such pitiful whimpering noises, you’re a golem.”

Being made of water with actual mass, [Water Fall] had better stopping power than [Fire Wall]. I cast another spell towards the [Flame Golem] struggling against the torrent.

Intermediate Magic

[Hail Strike]

*Crack!*

I cast a water-attribute spell, or rather, a cold-attribute spell, towards the cascading water. In that instant, the flailing [Flame Golem]’s body began to shatter. [Hail Strike] was a simple spell that created hail, but combined with [Water Fall], it unleashed unimaginable destructive power.

“Just one left…”

[Mana Dominator Lv. 1]

Exp: 199/200

[Spatial Barrier Lv. 1]

Exp: 1/300

I guessed that wouldn’t drop until I defeated the boss.  Considering my luck so far, that was the bare minimum.  Killing any more regular mobs wouldn’t yield anything. I believed in Oz, the embodiment of misfortune.

It was annoying, but there was nothing I could do.  Here, I had no choice but to defeat the 12th-floor boss.  Fortunately, I had already pinpointed its location.  Based on my experience so far, I knew there were fewer than five golems left on the 12th floor. If I killed them all, the boss would come looking for me, and I wouldn’t have to worry about being surrounded by stragglers.  But my mana was running low.

“This isn’t a good feeling.”

This was the first time I had experienced my mana being depleted. It was all because of spamming [Mana Dominator].  Just using water-attribute intermediate magic would have been enough to clear the monsters, but the monotony of the task made it hard to resist the temptation.  I couldn’t help but feel a thrill every time a new spell appeared.  This was why I was nothing but a mindless gamer.

“Hmm…”

I used [Observation] to locate the remaining [Flame Golems].  Fortunately, they were some distance from the boss’s location. This would work.

Upon reaching the boss’s location, I saw a small rocky mountain. The boss monster, a [Giant Flame Golem].  That’s right, it was just a larger [Flame Golem].  But I knew that its simplicity was its strength.

“Kuooooooooh—!”

“Are you asleep?”

Because of its size, the [Giant Flame Golem] hadn’t noticed me yet. Normally, the moment it detected me, the boulders should have combined to form the giant golem. Considering my usual bad luck, this was a rare opportunity.

[Mana Dominator Lv. 1]

I carefully placed my hand between the still-unconscious golem’s boulders. Now was the time. It was time for a powerful, close-range, one-shot, flashy finish with an advanced spell.

[Light Impact]

“Figures. Damn it, I didn’t really expect it anyway.”

The moment the crude spell struck the boss’s core and emitted light, the golem awoke.

“Kuooooooooh—!!!!”

* * *

“Phew…”

I let out a small sigh after defeating the boss monster by rolling and dodging. Because of its size, [Water Fall] couldn’t stop it, and [Hail Strike] didn’t deal any damage.  I had to use [Physical Enhancement] and fight it practically bare-handed. I needed to learn advanced magic, but unlike intermediate magic, advanced magic didn’t have a set framework, so it was proving more difficult than I thought.

In any case, I finally obtained the last fragment.  I would decide what to do with the extra two after seeing what [Mana Dominator] would become.  Well, I would probably use them on [Spatial Barrier].

“I believe… Do I really believe? I believe in the game developers. Our game is a god-tier game, right?”

I prayed to the empty air, as tense as if I were about to read the character balance patch notes. Then, I held the in my hand and channeled mana into it. The resonated with my mana, sublimating from a solid form into pure flame and seeping into my body.

[Mana Dominator Lv. 1 → Lv. 2]

Finally. Finally!

The time had come for this damn skill to get a power-up. What had changed?  Honestly, even if it just increased the probability of higher-tier magic appearing, that would be good.  It would be even better if it stopped producing basic magic altogether.

“Did it work?”

[The skill has been partially modified.]

There was even a helpful explanation.  They had never been this considerate before; it was touching.  I covered my eyes with my hand and read the updated description of [Mana Dominator] through the gaps between my fingers.

[Mana Dominator Lv. 2]

Exp: 0/500

First, the required experience had increased significantly.  As expected.

[Mana capacity increases.]

This was good. Increased resource capacity was always welcome.

Now, the important part.  How had the skill’s inherent properties changed?

I checked the last entry.

[0/100 until guaranteed SSR-rank magic]

“What the…”

Strange. I thought I saw a string of characters that seemed familiar, yet impossible, something that shouldn’t exist. In gacha games, there was a safety net for players who couldn’t pull specific characters. A guarantee that within a certain number of pulls, you would definitely get an SSR-rank character. But I had never seen or heard of a game that had such a safety net for skills, let alone character or equipment items.  So, to briefly summarize that safety net…

“Pity…?”

An unfamiliar ceiling.

“Haha, what the fuck…”

Calm down and assess the situation.  Don’t panic. I needed to objectively and accurately understand why things had turned out this way.  Every technique in this world was based on some form of energy source. So, let’s think. [Mana Dominator] consumed my mana every time I used a skill.  So, what about creating the skill itself?  Creating a new spell required consuming vast amounts of mana through trial and error.  So, wouldn’t creating the [Mana Dominator] skill also require mana?

Who created this skill?

I wasn’t sure, but I called them the developers.  So, how should I interpret the current state of this incomplete, seemingly flawed skill?

“Maybe the developers… ran out of M?”

Yes, the developers must have run out of mana (M) while creating the skill and couldn’t complete it. The skill became incomplete due to a lack of mana (M).  Then, there was nothing I could do.  I had to understand, right?  It wasn’t like I could complain.

“Those M-less bastards.”

Yeah, there was nothing I could do if they didn’t have any.

You sons of bitches.

—–CROW—– 

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