Academy’s Genius Swordmaster

[Translator – Peptobismol]

Chapter 247: With the Dragon (4)

“Puhahaha… Please deliver this to Miss Iril.”

“…You better keep that mouth shut.”

Shullifen clenched his fist. His normally pale face turned as red as a ripe tomato.

Ronan was tearing a strip from his own clothing to wrap around Shullifen’s thigh to staunch the bleeding. All the while, he mimicked Shullifen’s serious tone, snickering as he did so.

“Hehehehe, ‘Since it’s covered in blood, wipe it off before you give it to her’… Really, take care of your own ass first.”

“You bastard!”

Shullifen, unable to bear it any longer, gripped his sword hilt. Ronan, quick to react, forcibly pushed him back into the chair. Even on a good day, Ronan was stronger, and with Shullifen injured, resistance was futile.

“Keuuk…”

“Calm down, Rising Star of the Empire. If you move now, you’ll only make the wound worse.”

Shullifen sighed deeply. He had never imagined that his solemn last words would become the subject of mockery. He felt such intense shame that he thought it might have been better to die in battle.

Before long, Ronan finished tying the bandage and stood up. The mischievous expression on his face was gone. He patted Shullifen on the shoulder and said,

“You were impressive back there. Really.”

“…Hmph.”

Shullifen turned his gaze away. Seeing this, Ronan chuckled. Though he had teased him earlier, Ronan was genuinely impressed by Shullifen’s actions.

Ronan understood the nobility of sacrifice better than anyone. Despite being hailed as the “Rising Star of the Empire,” Shullifen was still just a young man with a lot of life ahead of him and many dreams to fulfill.

To throw himself into danger for his comrades was truly commendable. A moment of silence passed between them before Ronan spoke again.

“How’s your leg?”

“Much better.”

“Can you fight? You don’t have to push yourself.”

“I know I have to fight.”

Shullifen replied in his usual calm voice, as if wondering why Ronan would even ask such a thing.

After applying a healing potion he found in the lair and considering that the wound wasn’t too deep, it seemed he would be fine as long as he didn’t overexert himself.

“Then let’s get going.”

“Hmm.”

They exchanged a brief smile before heading towards the floor below, where the fighting was still ongoing.

Boom! One of the remaining doors burst open, revealing a familiar figure. Seeing him, Ronan waved.

“Oh, Orsay.”

【So here you were, you brat.】

Orsay growled. Covered in blood, he looked more like a demon crawling out of hell than a dragon. His hair, soaked and matted, resembled seaweed from the deep ocean.

The horns sprouting from his head made Orsay look even more ferocious. Aselle dangled from his grip, held by the nape of his neck.

“Ah! Please, let me go!”

Despite Aselle’s pleas, Orsay remained silent. It was unclear how this bizarre scene had come to be, but it seemed that Orsay had carried the exhausted Aselle here.

In Orsay’s other hand was a giant horn. Ronan immediately recognized it as belonging to the Blue Dragon woman they had encountered downstairs.

Damn, he didn’t just break it—he ripped it out whole. Orsay spoke.

【Say it again. Clean up?】

His left hand tightened, and with a crack, the horn shattered into pieces.

“Oh, what a waste.”

Ronan sighed involuntarily. A dragon’s horn was a material any craftsman would dream of. Aselle, still in Orsay’s grip, turned pale.

“Ahhhh! Save me!”

Aselle’s struggle grew more frantic. Orsay finally released his grip.

“Ouch!”

Thud! Aselle fell to the ground, crawling behind Ronan and Shullifen. Ronan asked,

“Did you finish up down there?”

“Kyaa! It’s hell… It was hell down there. They were all torn apart…”

Aselle was trembling like someone just pulled from ice water. Orsay must have handled things quite dramatically.

Ronan decided not to ask for more details, fearing it would spoil his mood. He turned his gaze back to Orsay, who looked like he might breathe fire at any moment.

“Calm down. I said that because the situation was urgent.”

【Your friend’s skill saved your life. There won’t be a second act of mercy.】

Orsay muttered darkly. By “friend,” he likely meant Aselle. Ronan nodded.

“Right. I’m grateful for the mercy.”

【…Hmph.】

There was no need to provoke the legendary Dark Dragon. Orsay took a deep breath with his eyes closed.

Ronan’s compliant attitude seemed to have somewhat calmed his anger. It appeared Orsay still had a reason to keep them alive.

Sure enough, Orsay soon opened his eyes and asked a question.

【Explain those white-clad bastards. Why didn’t my attacks work on them?】

“Right. They’re from Nebula Clazier, a bunch of crazy bastards…”

Ronan had expected this question. He briefly explained about Nebula Clazier, their insane goals, their alliance with the Dragon King, and their powers called “blessings,” which included the Protection of the Stars that defied natural laws. Orsay, with an incredulous look, asked,

【So, no one but you can break through that barrier?】

“For now, yes. The barrier will eventually disappear, but they’ll try to kill you before that happens.”

【Disgusting.】

Orsay punched the wall in frustration. A slight tap left a deep dent, showcasing his immense strength. Ronan spoke.

“Whether we like it or not, we have to go to the top together. I need your strength too.”

【Damn it.】

Orsay neither confirmed nor denied, but he muttered curses repeatedly, clearly feeling humiliated. Shullifen, who had been watching in a daze, caught Ronan’s attention.

“Oh, you two haven’t met. This is Orsay, the Dark Dragon.”

“I gathered that from the conversation. Nothing surprises me anymore.”

Shullifen shook his head as if exasperated. After witnessing the two-headed Dragon King and his secret rituals, nothing seemed surprising anymore. Though, encountering a giant might be a different story. Shullifen spoke.

“However, if the goal is to destroy the magic circle at the top, we should hurry.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“I overheard something while we were separated. They are deploying additional troops to the top.”

Shullifen had overheard a conversation between Nebula Clazier officials during the battle. Despite knowing Orsay was wreaking havoc in Adren, they were focused solely on the security of the Sky Tower’s top.

[Translator – Peptobismol]

‘…What are they up to?’

Ronan furrowed his brow. He had a bad feeling. The increased external security and the absence of the Dragon King indicated something suspicious was happening.

But how could they hurry? Even with Shullifen joining, there were too many enemies. Cutting through them all would take forever, and going outside would mean facing dozens of dragons.

What should they do? As Ronan pondered, a sudden idea struck him like lightning. He turned to the others and said,

“Hey, what about this?”

“Hmm?”

Ronan began explaining his plan. The others’ eyes widened at his bold suggestion. Aselle stammered,

“There’s no way that’s possible…”

“You’ve seen it done before. Don’t you remember?”

It sounded far-fetched, but considering Orsay’s strength, Aselle’s magic, and Shullifen’s Aura, it wasn’t impossible.

If any magical interference occurred, Ronan would handle it himself. After some thought, Shullifen nodded.

“It might actually work. It’s worth a try.”

“E-even you Shullifen…?”

Aselle took a deep breath, reluctantly nodding as he mulled over the plan.

Now, their eyes naturally turned to the last remaining member, who was arguably the most crucial to their plan. Orsay frowned.

【Don’t be ridiculous. Why should I do something like that?】

“Come on, just this once. Please?”

【I just spared you a moment ago, and you haven’t learned a thing. Should I take this as a desire to die?】

“Even that woman, Naransonia, managed to do it. Are you scared you won’t be able to?”

Ronan played his gamble, hoping Orsay’s pride in his dragon heritage and strength was higher than average.

Orsay didn’t respond immediately, instead furrowing his brow. After a long silence, he spoke through gritted teeth.

【There is a limit to insolence.】

His voice was a mix of various emotions. For a moment, the atmosphere grew heavy. Orsay’s body began to swell.

****

“Ugh… Keuuk…”

Naransonia opened her eyes. Her head felt dizzy, as if she had just woken up from a long sleep.

She was lying in the middle of a large bed that could easily accommodate five people. Only her eyes moved as she looked around. Naransonia muttered softly.

“…The lair?”

This was undoubtedly her lair on the 31st floor of the Sky Tower. Several maids were bustling around. The air in the room was a mixture of food, medicine, and the metallic scent of blood.

What the hell happened? Just as she tried to sit up,

“Argh…!”

A sudden burning pain washed over Naransonia. Looking down, she saw her upper body wrapped in bandages, a reddish stain running from her left collarbone to just below her right navel.

She realized she had been slashed by a blade. The maid standing by her bedside flinched.

“Ah, you’re awake…!”

“…Yes.”

“You must rest even if it’s uncomfortable. The wound was very deep.”

The maid spoke nervously, avoiding eye contact and fidgeting. Naransonia, recalling everything, spoke.

“Yes… I lost.”

“Well, that… um…”

“Don’t worry, just do your job as usual. This happened because of my own weakness.”

She gestured to indicate she was fine. Of course, she wasn’t, but she couldn’t take out her frustrations on innocent servants. The hesitant maid nodded.

“Y-Yes… I’ll bring you some food, so please lie back down.”

“Okay.”

The maid bowed respectfully and left. Naransonia leaned back against the headboard instead of lying down. She clenched her chest as she remembered the moment she was cut down.

“…Damn it.”

She could still vividly recall the sensation of the blade piercing her body. It was unbelievable, even in hindsight. His swordsmanship was almost divine.

‘Is he really human?’

His name was Ronan, she remembered. He had slashed through hundreds of steel spikes in one go and eventually defeated her too.

The pain from the wound was nothing compared to the anguish of not being able to perceive his movements. Lost in thought, she hugged her knees and buried her face in them.

How long had she been like that? She suddenly noticed the sound of the door opening, followed by an eerie silence. The bustling footsteps of the maids were no longer heard.

“Hmm…?”

Finding the sudden quietness strange, Naransonia lifted her head. She froze in place. Everyone was dead. All six maids lay on the floor, headless.

The blood splattered everywhere looked like the work of a deranged painter. She felt something at her feet and looked down. Six severed heads were staring up at her.

“What the…!”

Naransonia gasped. The maids’ faces looked peaceful, as if they didn’t even realize they had been killed. At that moment, a voice spoke beside her.

“Naransonia, right?”

It was a young voice. Naransonia drew a blade from her hand and turned her head. A boy with white hair stood there.

Naransonia’s eyes widened. He was unmistakably one of the Nebula Clazier emissaries who had come to see the Dragon King. His large sword, dripping with blood, rested on his shoulder. Catching her breath, she spoke.

【Did you do this?】

“Looks like I found the right person.”

The boy disappeared from her sight as soon as he spoke. Sensing the threat, she instinctively rolled to the side. Crash! The large sword struck exactly where she had been leaning.

“Oh.”

【Grr…!】

She rolled off the bed and quickly got to her feet. The boy nonchalantly pulled the sword from the wall. He muttered in admiration.

“Quick reflexes. No wonder you got the order for elimination.”

【Why are you doing this? Aren’t you supposed to be working with His Majesty?】

“We were. But in a few hours, none of that will matter. My job is to remove any potential risks.”

The boy chuckled. It didn’t make sense to her, but that wasn’t important right now.

Naransonia seized the moment and flicked her fingers. Shuaak! A steel spike shot down from the ceiling toward the boy’s head.

The casting speed and timing were perfect, but the spike didn’t reach him. Crash! It shattered in mid-air.

【What…!】

“Whoa, that was close.”

The boy sighed in relief. Naransonia’s brow furrowed. A shimmering barrier surrounded his body, blocking the spike.

She moved her fingers again. Crash! Spikes from three different directions met the same fate, shattering against the barrier. The boy snickered.

“Don’t waste your strength. This isn’t something you can break just by being strong.”

【Impossible.】

Despair finally crept into Naransonia’s face. The boy adjusted his grip on his sword and continued.

“And dying here by my hand would be a mercy. The world is ending soon anyway.”

He advanced like a predator closing in on its prey. Naransonia backed away, unable to figure out how to deal with him.

“It’s time to die.”

A sinister smile spread across the boy’s face. Just as his figure blurred—Boom! A massive explosion came from the lair’s floor. A gigantic form burst through the barrier, sending the boy flying through the ceiling.

【Wh-what?!】

Naransonia shouted. Dust and debris filled the lair.

She almost collapsed as her legs gave out. A massive neck covered in black scales rose before her. It was as thick as five large trees bound together, a colossal dragon’s neck.

The neck was covered in a white, armor-like ice. She couldn’t grasp what was happening. Then she heard familiar voices from below the hole where the neck had emerged.

“Hey, why’d you stop suddenly! Ugh… my head.”

“I feel like I’m going insane… I’m losing my mind…”

Naransonia froze. Those were definitely the voices of the intruders she had fought earlier. Then a voice came from the direction where the boy had been flung through the ceiling.

【I bumped into something.】

“What? Bumped into something?”

Suddenly, there was a rustling sound. Within seconds, a young human male appeared from the hole below.

He climbed up the black neck like it was a tree and landed on the floor. Naransonia’s eyes widened. Ronan looked at her and raised his eyebrows.

“What, you’re still alive?”

[Translator – Peptobismol]