The Author's POV

—Clank!

I slid the doors that led to the balcony.

"...how annoying"

After the match with Haris, I left immediatly. With everyone distracted by Kevin's match, I took the opportunity to slip out and go back to my dorm.

Like that, I avoided most reporters.

Furthermore, apart from electives, there were no other lectures today. Therefore, I was naturally free.

Regarding Kevin's match, he naturally won. I wasn't sure about how many times he go challenged, but it was probably more than five.

"Haaa...what should I do now?"

A lot of my plans had changed because of what had happened in the most recent days. My plans of laying low were pretty much scrapped.

"hmm..."

Were they?

Now that I thought about it, although I could no longer remain as hidden as before, nothing prevented me from building my forces secretly.

I guess you could say that I was now operating in both the light and the dark.

In a way this was good.

A lot of my plans would speed up as a result of this. I did not need to be as cautious as before and could be more brazen about it.

'...Should I create an alias?'

By creating an alias I could still operate more secretly. On one hand, I would be this 'talented' individual that studies in the Lock.

On the other hand, I would use my other alias to operate my mercenary group and company.

That would be ideal.

...but who knows. I needed more time to think about this.

After what had happened a couple of days ago, I found my confidence shatter into pieces.

Anytime I came up with a plan, I felt paranoid.

What if this happened? What if that happened? What if a meteorite suddenly fell from the sky and destroyed my company?

With my recent successes piling up, I had become arrogant and complacent. I needed to stop thinking that I had everything in my control.

Nothing was ever in my control.

Just like Everblood, there were things that I couldn't account for. I needed to knock this into my skull.

I was so sure that everything was going according to my plans before...and guess what, Everblood showed up.

Someone who I didn't properly account for.

"...there's that fucker too"

There was also Matthew...

I'd never have expected him to go public with the incident.

If I could have, I would've immediately have told Irene the truth. The truth about the fact that he was a villain.

Sadly, I couldn't.

With Matthew knowing that I had a way to cure the Mindbreaker curse, I knew that I couldn't touch him at the moment.

If such news were to be revealed to the world, not only would I become the number one target of the demons, I would also be targeted by other people who were desperate for the cure.

Fortunately, since I could reveal that he was contracted to a demon, he also couldn't reveal what he knew.

We were currently at a stalemate.

"...Damn it, I need to be stronger"

I clenched my teeth hard and glared at the scenery outside of the balcony.

I had to get stronger quicker.

"I can't let this go on..."

Taking out the diary that contained all of the information about the novel, I quickly flipped through its pages.

—Flip! —Flip!

"Where is it..."

stronger, I naturally had to see what I could do

be

a certain

—Flip!

the next

novel that could be

one that would

were a problem...if not for Irene being able to detect

could help

—Plap!

"Haa..."

minutes after, I

I had to

taking a proper look at the book, I had a general idea of my next course of action. Even though it would

now all I wanted to

—Ding!

my phone

to listen to

message was vague yet I instantly understood what

[Demon hunter? They agreed?]

[Yes]

[When?]

formal meeting, I needed to prepare in full. Just one mistake and the deal

day

understand, I'll get

[Okay]

Since I knew her personality,

"Alright, this is good"

take a load off of my

money system, but create a connection with the demon

today was because of this. The more talented I appeared the greater

magic card system, but in me

was what

guess that's sorted for

stared at the bracelet

everything that had

something interesting mixed in

time

my phone and quickly typed a

about the

still

...

time, inside

—Clank! —Clank!

laboratory space. Large metallic arms moved around the asphalt

—Booom!

explosion rang inside of the lab. Inside of a white confined room that could be seen through a rectangular glass, fire spread everywhere as it enveloped the

down and a red card held by two pincers was revealed. A cold and

#598 - Mana

to the glass, a beautiful girl

"Another failure"

quite synchronize the mana inputted in the card with the right pysons. Despite the fact that the current magic circle installed in the card was a simple [Fireball], occasionally a

what am

started there were

30% efficiency loss. Any more than that and there was no point

her efficiency loss was

far cry from

got a

other side of the room. A cheerful

would message me at

coat, Melissa took the

Melissa, about

"This bastard..."

the side of the

card concept and now he wanted

Fuck that.

order an advanced potion

to her assistant she quickly ordered. She couldn't be bothered to make a potion herself, so might as well just order one from the market and pretend that it

"An advanced potion?"

"Yes"

"What about the quality?"

the lowest..no scratch that, make it

was originally tempted to just give Ren the lowest quality

Melissa Hall, make

Impossible!