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 to make myself stronger. The

should be the

at a certain

—Flip!

the next page.

anything in the novel that

ideal item would be one that would help me pass lie

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

an item that could

—Plap!

"Haa..."

minutes after, I closed the book and

what I had to do

the book, I had a general idea of my next course of action. Even though it would cause some trouble to some people in the future, I no

now all I wanted to do was get

—Ding!

that moment, my

to listen to

was Amanda. Her message was vague yet I

[Demon hunter? They agreed?]

[Yes]

[When?]

Since this was a formal meeting, I needed to prepare in full. Just one mistake and the deal could

day after

get everything

[Okay]

Since I knew her personality,

"Alright, this is good"

deal would take a load off

money system, but create a

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

investing in the magic

what

guess that's sorted for now… Also, there's

my wrist, I stared at the bracelet in my

the extra items I got from Immorra. With everything that had happened recently, I

something interesting mixed

it's time to

phone

Melissa, about the

arm still

...

time, inside a white

—Clank! —Clank!

fro resounded across the white laboratory space. Large metallic arms moved around the asphalt pavement carrying different-sized

—Booom!

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 whole

a red card held by two pincers was revealed. A

Mana lingering

the glass,

"Another failure"

the fact that the current magic circle installed in the card was a simple [Fireball], occasionally a couple of other psyons that were not flame psyons would enter the

what am

had just started there were a

to have only a 30%

the moment her efficiency loss was

a far cry

got

crisp voice called out for her from the other side of the room. A cheerful

would message me

her right hand on her white lab coat, Melissa took the phone. Instantly her

about the

"This bastard..."

clenched the side of

was already busy enough with the magic card concept and now he wanted him to make

Fuck that.

an advanced potion off

potion herself, so might as well just order one

"An advanced potion?"

"Yes"

"What about the quality?"

that, make it the

lowest quality potion. However, she suddenly realized that it would be

Hall, make such a low-quality

Impossible!