A fierce battle erupted between one hundred and one. It wasn't hard to tell the likely outcome. The side with just one had the advantage.

Nicholas's longsword, specialized in slashing, was lengthy and covered a wide angle. It was a weapon specialized for facing weaker multitudes, a type of Qi Arts suited for such. Should I say it was typical of a Chief Instructor whose job was to teach students?

However, the forest was filled with thick trees untouched by human hands. Occasionally, he cut down trees in his path, but his strength was steadily being depleted.

Moreover…

Peeep!

“Re! Lux!”

“Pascal!”

The children, moving in perfect unison upon my command, proved to be more troublesome opponents than Nicholas had anticipated.

When the whistle sounded, Standard Magic bombarded Nicholas in unison. Light and wind. The Arcane, once mysterious but now dissected and demystified by the Military State, was shot at Nicholas.

“These rascals!”

Nicholas took a step forward and roared. Complex vines, grown over a long stretch of time and labor, were severed in an instant.

Simultaneously, the children who had blocked him with a log screamed as they were knocked away.

Yet, Nicholas was not satisfied. Whether it was the log used as a shield or the children lined up in a single file, all should have been split in one strike, but his blade's effectiveness decreased due to a sticky substance.

“How is it? The log we launched earlier was soaked rosin from boiled ivy. Rosin clings more to pure Qi, so it won’t be easy to remove with Qi Arts.”

It was a trivial trap. Prepared just in case he managed to cut through everything in one go.

Originally, I intended to weaken his whole body with rosin, but it ended up only on the blade. Quite disappointing, but it can’t be helped.

I intervened as Nicholas was about to finish off the remaining collapsed. The moment my dagger targeted him, the longsword, entangled by the rosin, shone.

Aiming towards me.

“Haha! Just as expected, you have no plans of dying yourself, huh? That’s only natural!”

His intention drew a trajectory. It was a blow aimed at splitting my waist. It couldn't be blocked, but I didn’t plan to let him get close in the first place. With a slight grin, I withdrew my leg that I had feigned stepping forward with, distancing myself.

The sword's tip narrowly missed my waist. However, knowing it wouldn't reach, I felt no fear.

A brief standoff ensued. During this, the children who had been in danger quickly escaped. The situation had reset to the beginning.

“...Quite impressive, Huey. The more I see you, the more of a pity it is. Why make such a foolish choice?

Nicholas clicked his tongue without blinking as he watched me dodge the attacks. His lament was partly sincere.

After all, the ability to break his rhythm and intervene at just the right moment was, in his view, a skill only someone who understood combat could possess.

To be honest though, all I had done was read his thoughts and continuously target the gaps he inevitably showed.

Well, anyway. If he thought of me as a threat, that was fine by me.

“Ahahaha! You already know well, don’t you! I learn everything well, but I can’t go beyond that! In other words, I’ve already reached the peak that I can reach in my life!”

“That’s right! That’s why, if you miss this chance, you’ll forever remain at that level! Forever in a position where you have to flee from a Colonel like me, who wasn’t even able to become a general officer!”

It was said that an undecorated soldier often fell ill. Of course, many people diligently did their job, but Nicholas felt his limits more acutely than anyone, thus resulting in him clinging to talent all the more.

From his perspective, he might see me as a fool who, despite having outstanding talent, squandered the opportunity given.

“It’s not too late! Just accept it now! If you agree, everything will be resolved! If we both keep our mouths shut, this Anathema will be as if nothing had happened!”

That was indeed true. I was the strongest among the one hundred and forty present. If I were not here, these children, who were barely hanging on, would fall apart like a ragtag bunch.

In fact, some even glanced at me, worrying I might betray them.

But...

“Nicholas. If you are going to do something like this anyway, why don’t you challenge yourself for once! Why is it always you who tests? Why is it always you who issues hardships? Why is it always us who must perform the impossible by risking our lives?”

His longsword was long and wide-ranged, but that very feature limited its trajectory.

No matter how much he wrapped it in sharp Qi, a tree that had protected itself from wild beasts wouldn’t easily expose its annual rings.

As such, if it became embedded into a tree, his longsword would get caught all the same.

In case the longsword might target me, I dodged to a position that would trouble him the most and shouted loudly.

“Fight against an insurmountable ordeal just like them! Isn’t that what’s truly real? If you just give orders without risking your own life in overcoming difficulties! How is that any different from being a boomer?”

“You continue to be foolish to the end!”

Nicholas tore himself away from my direction and ran towards the side filled with the other students. As planned, several quickly escaped, but two who were slow to react were torn apart.

It wasn't the sharp edge that did it; it was a brutal slash ripping through the body. The rosin stuck to the blade provided a rare insight as it journeyed from plant to human body.

A nearby child screamed, too young to move past a friend's death so simply.

In the moment Nicholas aimed to slash at another screaming throat, I charged at his back.

“I promise you, Nicholas! If you truly wish to feed them all to me! Then overcome this obstacle! Rid yourself of my interference! Kill everyone else and make me drunk on their blood! If you achieve that feat, then perhaps I might make a more ‘rational’ judgment!”

If you surpass all these hardships and feed me their blood… If you shape me into a greater talent with your unwavering will…

Then, well, at that point, I would have no choice but to accept.

Yet, as if he had been waiting for a gap, Nicholas quickly lunged at me with his sword, his blade filled with clear killing intent.

And this meant only one thing.

“Hahaha! Of course, this is what you choose! After all, you yourself don’t want to overcome hardships!”

Laughing wildly, I parried his blade; it was heavy, pushing me backward.

Nicholas clicked his tongue in response.

“...I will not negotiate with dissidents and reactionaries.”

“Your excuses are feeble. The audacity to say such things when you draw lines before even trying. Is that your limit?”

After regaining my nearly lost balance, I swept my hair back from my forehead and muttered under my breath.

“Aha. I understand now. Instead of with actions, you only claim with words that you would sacrifice your life for the Military State. In truth, you have no will or passion to achieve anything. You simply sit above and demand that those below meet your expectations.”

As our swords clashed, I fully grasped his mindset.

His hopes and expectations were lofty, his resignations and abandonments swift; it reflected a management approach that focused on cost-efficiency.

He was the very ideal of a Military State educator. There was not a single ounce of hesitation in sacrificing others.

But in actuality, he lacked the courage to risk his own life. He didn’t have the confidence to put himself through hardship.

“Ahhh, how dull. How boring. To think you are ready to gamble with the lives of 161, but not your own.”

“...Do you really think I would fall for such a provocation?”

“It is not a provocation but an objective assessment. Phew, I did well fighting you face to face. Boring tales need a bit of a twist, after all. Mhm.”

My comment about boredom seemed to hit a nerve.

Nicholas's veins bulged as if they would burst.

Infuriated, he raised his longsword over his head and charged at me.

“You should have just accepted what I willed! Even if it was just for the sake of your survival!”

“You once said I was a talent that could illuminate the Military State, didn’t you? But you’ve completely fallen for such a simple provocation, huh.”

I put the whistle in my mouth once again and gave a command.

The longsword targeted me. I spun around a tree, using it as a shield. The sword, thrust like a spear, shattered the bark and emerged at an angle, but I simply tilted my head to dodge it.

It was difficult to catch me, who read his thoughts and every intention. Nicholas was growing desperate as he missed several decisive strikes.

Magic, spears, stones, nooses, and snares rained down on Nicholas from behind.

The greatest way to inspire courage in humans was to ensure their safety. If there were iron bars between them and a beast, they gained the courage to approach. If there was a shield in front of them, they found it in themselves to advance.

And the same applied to these children.

While armed with nooses, snares, magic, ropes, logs, and spears, they pressured Nicholas from a distance he couldn't reach.

Those who were once melee combatants like Shiati and the Mage Officer aspirant Kerapald, played especially significant roles.

“T-These rascals…!”

The space was too cramped for effective use of a longsword, but he couldn't simply discard his weapon. As long as he couldn't fully shield himself with Qi Arts, even he could get hurt if stabbed with a blade. After all, all these kids have at least learned the basics of Qi Arts at a secondary military school. If they charged and hacked at him with their blades, even Nicholas would be in danger.

In a moment of oversight, Nicholas stepped into a pit filled with rosin, losing his balance as a noose flew towards him. Nicholas thrashed wildly, but this hunt for a human became increasingly relentless and tenacious.

That’s right, just like when they hunted the giant deer.

“These rascals!”

Ultimately, instead of catching me, an elusive target, he decided to deal with the annoying obstructors first. He kicked off a tree and was about to run. In that moment when I read his thoughts, I grabbed two daggers in a reverse grip and slashed at his ankles. The blades barely touched his skin, yet they briefly turned dark red as if stained with blood.

Blood spattered. His sleeves were torn and blood flowed out.

Though the quantity wasn't sufficient for prolonged use, I could infuse some Qi Arts into it for a short while.

“Eukkk! Huey, you…!”

It was too great a loss to change his stance now. Nevertheless, he chose to take the loss and launched himself at the most troublesome opponents, the spear wielders led by Shiati.

They were the healthiest and bravest kids, slightly capable of using Qi Arts and therefore a threat. They had received some training and responded accordingly.

But in the face of a Colonel, they were mere puppies. One boy, forgetting the instruction to roll on the ground, tried to block with a hastily made wooden spear. A massive cleave fell upon the spear.

“You idiot! It’s dangerous!”

Shiati, who had dodged faster than anyone, was startled and pushed him away. But it was too late. No, it wasn’t just late, but also a move that brought greater loss.

After all, not only was his body ripped apart, but Shiati's right arm was severed as well.

Her right arm, caught in the trajectory of the longsword, snapped off and soared into the sky. Beyond the severed arm, the eyes of the boy, split from shoulder to shoulder, slowly dimmed.

“KYAAAAAAAAAAH!”

Whether it was the scream of her friend's death or the pain from her right arm was unclear.

Clutching where her elbow had been, Shiati knelt down.

Even though Nicholas could have finished Shiati there and then, he chose instead to be ready to strike backward, still keeping his guard solely on me.

Essentially, this situation was bait to lure me in.

Deliberately making noise, I slowly approached. Nicholas's brow twitched.

｢...How cold-hearted and imperturbed. As expected, you are in a completely different league from the others. If you are going to approach so cautiously, then going after the others will-｣

“Ah, is that so?”

It was clear Nicholas had no intention of sparing me. Now, the students and I were tied by fate, a situation crafted by Nicholas himself.

If that was what he expected, then I had to oblige. I called out Shiati's name, bursting out as if my prior calm was just a facade.

“In the end, even you are still… young.”

I read Nicholas's thoughts. The regret he felt for me was diluted through the fight, leaving only exhaustion, irritation, and resentment towards me.

He thought if I had listened to him, I wouldn't have to die. And in his mind, Nicholas envisioned a trajectory.

From his sword handle, a dark, gloomy slash was imagined, ending with me caught in its path—a surprise attack from behind.

But, seriously? Wasn’t he underestimating me too much? He was planning to swing so blatantly? Without any tricks or schemes?

“I’m still the top student, you know?!”

I dragged forth all my Qi at once. The effect of the Gluttony might have made it murkier, but a rough light circled my daggers. Was it because it was a strength gained from death itself? It was tinged with a faint crimson.

But as long as it was in my body, it was my power to use. For now, I poured it out. I caught the massive longsword aimed to split me in two with both daggers in my hands.

Claaaang. A heavy sound.

My arms trembled, and the dagger axes twisted. It felt as though my bones were screaming.

But still, I did well in applying the rosin. Thanks to that, the blade slid off and I avoided being split.

Grasping my creaking arm, I grinned triumphantly.

“Historia and Lankart were both beneath me, you know? Didn’t you feel a wall when facing those two, Chief Instructor? And yet, you thought I would be easy to face? In case you have forgotten, I was in the upper ranks for both written exams and practical exercises, you know.”

“...What meaning does any of that have?”

Nicholas tensed his waist and swung his arms even more fiercely.

“After all, the thing you lack the most is also the most important! Strength!”

It was pure force. He intended to crush my defenses by sheer strength. It felt as if I was being pushed by the edges of a windmill. My misaligned daggers cried out in protest.

His attack was too strong to withstand. As such, I prepared another tactic to overcome this situation.

“Set, Re. Fahrenheit.”

I scratched the rosin with my fingernails. A flame shot up, fed by the dried glue-like grass. His longsword was engulfed in flames—a large, intimidating torch but a disadvantage for Nicholas more than for me.

The flame obstructed his vision and the melting rosin clung to his longsword. Now, it would be difficult for him to rely on its sharpness.

Seizing the opportunity, I scraped the burning rosin with my dagger and flicked it straight at Nicholas's eyes.

“Petty tricks!”

As expected of a seasoned soldier, Nicholas didn't close his eyes. However, the constant barrage of burning rosin was a burden even for him.

In the midst of dodging, Nicholas retreated backward while retrieving his long sword, ensuring not to give any advantage in distance.

I shouted loudly.

“I WON’T LET YOU ESCAPEEEE! FIGHT, NICHOLASSSSSS!”

I continued to occupy a corner of his vision, bellowing to keep drumming at his eardrums. My left hand, having thrown away the ruined dagger, now drew up mana and launched magic after magic.

As I exhausted all my resources attacking, Nicholas was pushed back by the momentum. A moment's retreat became two steps, and two steps impulsively became three.

But no more than that.

“Everything you are capable of is nothing more than petty tricks, I see…! That is your limit! No matter what you face in the future, you will quickly hit that ceiling…! Though, that doesn’t matter! Since you have no future now!”

Both the swinging daggers and magic that was shot seemed trivial. Only my piercing dagger with finely wrought Qi posed any danger.

While focusing on analyzing my attack, he realized none of my methods were particularly powerful. He regained his posture and was about to forcefully push through with pure strength.

However…

“You’ve retreated back too far, Nicholas.”

Pwuuuk.

Three spears pierced his back, thigh, and waist. Then, ropes used for making rafts quickly entwined his limbs, restraining him in a moment’s notice.

In that gap, a voice that seemed to be on the verge of breaking could be heard.

“You… die….”

A sharp dagger plunged into Nicholas's shoulder—it was Shiati. Even having lost an arm, she charged in a frenzy with her dagger.

These children, all having received some military training, seized the opportunity expertly. After all, they had the talent and Qi capacity for it.

“These…losers and failures! DARE!!”

Despite the ropes binding his limbs and blades cutting into his flesh, Nicholas desperately resisted. With one hand, he grabbed the ropes and anchored his feet to the ground using Qi, trying to break free from all restraints.

But he couldn't move at all.

There were more than a hundred students. However, since there was a limit to how many could fight at once, the ones not involved in the fight held the ropes from a distance. Once the trap or noose team had secured Nicholas, groups of twenty pulled with all their might.

It was a tug-of-war—a battle of numbers and weight. No matter how he twisted his body or pulled the earth towards him using Geon and Gon, he couldn't overcome this difference.

“Keuk…!”

There was only one way out. The sword, dulled and sticky from the scorched rosin, needed to cut through each bond.

But even in the midst of such thoughts, the blade continuously gouged into his flesh. As such, it was an almost impossible task.

A realistic realization of the impossible. As this thought crossed his mind, panic set in for Nicholas.

｢Wait. I’m… going to… die?｣

At last. Damn, it took a while. But finally, Nicholas envisioned his own death. In this life-threatening crisis, he recalled his predicament as if being chased.

It was a dire situation; a crisis he had believed would never come to him, but now his heart raced with urgency.

But it was too late.

“Goodbye, Chief Instructor Nicholas. We have used what you taught well. If that wasn’t enough, to think you would even make yourself a form of educational material at the end.”

“Hu-Huey! Wait! If you kill me here!”

Without a care of whether he spoke or not, I just stood there, murmuring quietly.

“You revered those more outstanding than you, yet despised the less capable. And the place that would satisfy such vanity of yours was Hamelin. A perfect situation for you, Nicholas, who adored the position of Chief Instructor because it allowed you to guide students more talented than yourself. I wonder. How must it have felt to see the talents you scorned achieve such greatness together? Perhaps this is the most fitting end for you, after all.”

“If you kill me, it is an act of rebellion! Mutiny! And it’s not just that. Instead of embracing the Anathema and keeping your mouth shut about it, the fact that you attacked me…! Will only make the military authorities dig deeper! Killing me means crossing a point of no return!”

You should have said that before crossing the point of no return. Just look at your situation. How futile must your words be that even the children who stabbed you aren’t shaken?

At any rate…

“However, I shall fulfill your desire. Let’s do it. Gluttony.”

Though initially unsure of what I implied, Nicholas's eyes widened as I pushed the bio-receptor forward.

The Arch-Avatar was a kind of self that followed the body, capable of visualizing anything on it. Though it was usually used for clothing packets… what he had passed to me was a packet-type tattoo.

The blood spilled in battle so far has resonated with that tattoo.

Blood from various parts of the ground climbed up my legs and burrowed into my bio-receptor.

The Military State really did do some fascinating things, huh.

“With this gift of yours… I will devour all your memories, Qi, and experiences. Just as you so desperately wished.”

“N-No! I still have things to do…!”

“Then, do you think others have nothing to do besides getting consumed? Why does one get devoured? There’s not much to it. It just… happens.”

Now, you understand. This is merely the consequence of your actions. If you impose outcomes, you should at least accept them when they manifest.

“N-...!”

To make sure he avoided showing a disgraceful self, I drove a finishing blow into his defenseless neck. A firm period in his life.

As if to sever his thoughts in his final moments… of not wanting to be devoured to Gluttony, if he had to die anyway.

His thoughts ceased. The cut in his neck was the full stop that ended his words, thoughts, life, and existence itself. Chief Instructor Nicholas's life concluded with this.

What his lifelong career in education left behind was…

A hundred children filled with hatred and…

My ever so slight increase in Qi.

That was all.