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.

the least amount of attention. The reason why I needed a good view of what

another incident like the one with

I had the mysterious book with me. With it, I could more or less tell if something outside of the norm

from the plotline happened, it was my job

recover from the wounds that I had

couldn't heal all my injuries that quickly. Especially since my

needed a full day

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 if I was in top condition for

needed to sort

state of mind to be put through

...I just couldn't.

tremble uncontrollably. I was not ready mentally to go

end, I had already decided that for tomorrow I would use [Monarch's indifference] throughout

killing for the first time yesterday did I realize how many flaws I had, both

I was too emotional.

to get over the fact that I had killed someone, the thought of what future lay ahead of me and how many more lives I

right? Was everything that I was doing really okay? Was killing the correct

my mind as I tried

the end, I still had a long way to go before being able to confidently stand up against

all my distracting thoughts, I quickly headed to my room and started preparing for

be the longest two

...

-Bang! -Bang! -Bang!

"Huff...huff..huff"

dummies, an extremely handsome individual

in sweat, and his eyes were

-Gulp!

quickly dashed

"Die! Die! Die!"

-Bang! -Bang! -Bang!

out of air, small shockwaves spread throughout the room

young individual laid on the

clenched his jaw hard

what am I

mission was assigned, Jin couldn't help but feel a

that he couldn't climb was standing before

in, he couldn't find any way to bridge

that much more talented than

accept the fact that

"Damm it..."

-Bang!

Jin

access to the best resources and facilities! This should be enough

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

He couldn't accept it.

was no way he

-Gulp!

Jin immediately downed another

will surpass you no

-Bang!

of the training dummies he once again started training until he

his fists were both

after passing out from overworking himself

...

old wooden tables and boards,

two stunning girls that had short creamy brown

you notice something strange happening these past few

at Emma, Amanda frowned for a second

"No"

"Really?"

a bit,

"Maybe it's just me..."

of discomfort. She constantly felt

sort of unsettling...but in the end, she could only think of it as