The Author's POV

"Is that him?"

"Did he really get injured over such a simple mission?"

"He really does look weak"

Aimlessly walking around the mansion, I ignored the whispers and stares coming from some of the students that I passed along the way.

Yesterday night, after completing the mission, I returned to the mansion all battered up. My whole arm was bleeding profusely and my clothes were all torn.

Though I didn't pass out, to the people who saw me return, it looked as if I had been through hell.

Because I had some notoriety, news of my battered state spread across all of the students...and soon I became the hot topic of the first years.

Because the missions that we got were not a secret from the other students, after a bit of digging, people immediately found out who my target was and news of me getting beat up by a ranked individual spread across the academy.

...in the end, this resulted in me becoming the butt of the jokes of the first years.

'Weakling'

'Loser'

'Trash'

Walking along the corridor, I was called all sorts of defamatory names by everyone that saw me.

On a normal day, I would've grumbled and cursed at the people talking crap about me, but today...

Staring at my hands, I recalled the moment when my sword reaped through the lives of multiple people at once.

'...I killed'

I didn't sleep throughout the whole night.

Right now to the people around me I probably looked like a lifeless corpse that was aimlessly wandering around the mansion.

My mind kept replaying the moments where I reaped through the lives of the four bodyguards.

...I could vividly recall Karl's pleading face as he begged for me to spare him.

"Fuuuuu..."

Letting out a long breath and staring at the ceiling of the corridor, I tried to calm my mind.

What had happened already happened.

...There was no going back.

I had killed and I needed to move on...

This wasn't going to be the only time, and it sure as heck wasn't going to be the last time.

This was the path that I had chosen for myself and thus had to take responsibility for my decisions.

Moreover, there was something more important I needed to worry about.

'The massacre of Hollberg'

The second big event in the first arc of the novel.

Tomorrow at 9:45 P.M, the last day of the trip, when everyone was sleeping, an organized attack will happen.

Though their primary targets were Kevin and the others, the other weaker students weren't spared from their pursuit.

...Meaning that I was also not safe.

Though I decided not to interfere, I needed to prepare myself for what was to come.

Placing my hand on my chin, I fell into deep thought.

First things first...I needed to memorize the whole building blueprint.

happening as well as attract the least amount of attention. The reason why I needed a good view of what

another incident like the one with Amanda to

had the mysterious book with me. With it, I could more or less

happened, it was my job to prevent it

quickly recover from the

they couldn't heal all my injuries that quickly. Especially since my whole shoulder had been pierced and my shoulder muscles had

day to completely heal my

whole of my right hand hurt like hell. Just the slightest movement and I would get an electrifying pain coursing through my body. Though I could tough it out, I'd still prefer

I needed to

in the right state of mind to be put through another scenario that required me to

...I just couldn't.

tremble uncontrollably. I was not

decided that for tomorrow I

I realize how many flaws I

I was too emotional.

someone, the thought of what future lay ahead of me and how many more lives I would take made me question my

was doing really okay?

mind as I tried

still had a long way to go before being able to confidently stand

ridding of all my distracting thoughts, I quickly headed to my

be the longest two days

...

-Bang! -Bang! -Bang!

"Huff...huff..huff"

training dummies, an extremely handsome individual

honed body was drenched in sweat, and

-Gulp!

young individual quickly dashed before one of the training dummies and punched it with all

"Die! Die! Die!"

-Bang! -Bang! -Bang!

and continuously punching the dummy until he ran out of air, small shockwaves spread throughout the room as the sound of the collision between his fists and the dummies reverberated

dummies, the young individual laid on the floor heavily

clenched his jaw hard and

am I

the mission was assigned,

if a wall that

much work he put in, he couldn't find any

Kevin that much more talented than

just accept the fact that Kevin

"Damm it..."

-Bang!

his fist hard, Jin punched the floor

Even if my talent is not as good as his, I have access to the best resources and facilities! This should be enough for me to be able to

who was an orphan and had nothing managed to surpass him who was born with

He couldn't accept it.

was no way he could accept

-Gulp!

immediately

surpass you no matter

-Bang!

he once again

continuously until his fists were both bloodied and

out from overworking himself did he stop

...

a small cozy cafe' decorated with beautiful plants and old wooden tables and boards,

on some hot mocha, one of the two stunning girls that had short

notice something strange happening

for

"No"

"Really?"

bit, Emma's

"Maybe it's just me..."

the past few days, Emma had this sense of discomfort. She

end, she could only