#terminally-ill genius dark knight

[calekinnieplus]

Terminally-Ill Genius Dark Knight #28

Didn't talk about This manhwa here, but the art was lovely in this episode as well. Like?? He looks so Majestic as he indiscriminately murders those bastards :>

[gozine-translate]

Terminally-ill Genius Dark Knight - 156

156: The Third Main Episode [1]

[Retrieving information about the player-bound artifact, 'Dragon Heart'.]

[Basic Info]

Name: Dragon Heart Type: Special Equipment (Bound) Grade: High Attributes: - Stats: All stats +1 Equip Requirements: [Genius of Mana Sensitivity] and Mana, Willpower stat of 10 or more.

Special Effects:

Increases the grade of magic auto-correction by 1.

Greatly improves proficiency with magic that uses Dfragon Language and significantly reduces magic calculation time.

------------------------------------

Shocking effects. The effects were so overwhelming that I nearly lost myself, but I managed to hold myself. Even though I'm lying in a hospital bed, if I didn’t feel proud of the rapid increase in my stats, I'd have to look back if I have qualification as a gamer.

I don’t know for sure, but if I looked in the mirror, my grin would probably be stretching to the ear.

But right now, that's not important.

"Let's take a look slowly"

The most straightforward displayed part is the stats.

All stats, excluding luck and charm, have increased by 1. You can say this is shocking.

Naturally, not all high-grade artifacts boast this kind of performance. Sometimes there are high-grade artifacts comparable to highest-grade artifacts, and it's safe to say that the [Dragon Heart] belongs in that category.

'A permanent increase in stats is something you can immediately feel, especially when it comes to physical strength and the replenishment of frequently used mana. Willpower is no different.'

Physical strength will contribute to swordsmanship, while magic will have a direct influence on both swordsmanship and magic. This will be a solid foundation for my future growth.

Since I’m already checking, I decided to review all my stats and the status screen.

With my thoughts organized, the status screen appeared in midair.

[Basic Info] Name: Nox von Reinhaver Gender: Male Age: 15 Race: Human Primary Element: Darkness Achievements: None

[Traits] Positive: [Genius of Swordsmanship and Combat] / [Genius of Mana Sensitivity] / [Insight] / [Master of Memorization] / [Iron Mentality] / [Genius of Acting] Neutral: [Manifestation of Darkness] Negative: [Terminal Illness] / [Prone to Minor Illnesses] / [Cold Limbs] / [Possession]

[Stats] Physical strength: 9.1 (+2) Mana: 14.3 (+2) Luck: 10 Willpower: 14.8 (+1) Charm: 27.1

[Skills] Active Skills: [Genius Time+] / [Advanced Dark Family Swordsmanship] / [Southern Swordsmanship] / [Ignition] / [Basic Arkheim Empire Swordsmanship] / [Material Transformation] / [Dark Spear] / [Limit Break] / [Mana Conversion] / [Basic Moonlight Sword] / [Light’s Step]

*Due to the [Terminal Illness] trait, the player’s remaining lifespan is 91 days.

------------------------------------

Seeing my steadily growing stats stirs up some emotions. Though my physical strength hasn’t surpassed 10 yet, the other stats are at a satisfying level. I can say that I’ve never grown this quickly in any previous playthrough.

"Especially mana and willpower are at absurd levels… Over 14 ? I’ve had to use my strength a lot recently, so my lifespan has shortened, but that’s inevitable… High risk, high reward. That's the Nox von Reinhaver I'm developing"

Anyway. Looking at my stats, which before I realize are getting closer to 15, my heart can’t help but race. One of the key turning points in base stats is when each stat reaches 15. Every time a stat hits increments of 5, the character experiences a period of rapid growth, and I’m just about to hit that. I look forward to my future growth.

"huu… Not bad."

Sure enough, acquiring good artifacts always brings joy to a gamer.

I shifted my gaze to the next screen. This time, it was the enhanced skill.

'Next is the improvement in magic proficiency using Dragon Language and the permanent rank-up in [Magic Auto-Correction].'

This is another absurd boost as well. I’ll have a chance to explain the improvement in magic proficiency with Dragon Language later, but even just the fact that I can properly learn Dragon Magic, I can say it's already perfect. However, there was an unexpected gain elsewhere.

"[Magic Auto-Correction] permanently ranked up by 1 grade… This is a special effect I’ve never seen in the game."

It’s a trait that turned out to be a good variable. I quickly called out the traits window.

[Displaying detailed info on the passive skill 'Magic Auto-Correction']

------------------------------------

[Passive Skill] Name: Magic Auto-Correction Grade: High Attribute: None Effect: Automatically boosts the power and effectiveness of all magic-related skills up to advanced level.

------------------------------------

Ranked up by 1 grade, the automatic adjustment, which only applied to intermediate and lower skills before, also works on advanced skills now. This fact is a very big deal.

Previously, it was more beneficial to use multiple intermediate skills, but now the efficiency of using advanced magic has greatly improved. In the long term, there will definitely be moments where intermediate magic alone won’t be enough to overcome the situation. When that happens, this skill will be a huge help.

"The main episode is coming soon too…"

Chapter 3. The main episode, where the future of the Merchants Faction will be decided, we have to win them to our side. I don’t know if it will go according to my plan, but just like always, thinking it over while organizing my mind will make the situation better, even if it’s just a little.

'I’m so screwed.'

In the end, the conclusion always circles back to this. Still, as expected. I think.

Well, I’ve got to figure it out somehow. What else can I do?

If I’ve got the Dragon Heart?

Then the next step is to master the Dragon’s Breathing Technique. The first step is opening the three pathways and raising my realm.

Astrid was standing in the academy’s secret training hall, staring straight at me.

Her usual lazy expression, but when it comes to magic, her ruthlessness is carved more clearly in my mind than ever.

Astrid looked at my body and said,

"You’re not dead, huh?" "Fortunately, yes."

I shrugged and calmly said. Astrid didn’t even take a glance at me and immediately prepared for the next step. Completely changing my breathing from the root.

"You know about the three magic organs, right? The pathways for circulating magic."

"Yes, I know."

"Spin them all at once. Try circulating them simultaneously."

"…Right now? I only just got the Dragon Heart yesterday. There’s no way I can do something like that this quickly."

I was so taken aback that I asked again. Even in the game, they didn’t throw the breathing technique lessons at you the very next day. Why do things never go the way I imagined…?

"Can’t do it? Then I won’t teach you."

At Astrid’s words, I quickly corrected myself.

"…I’ll do it. In return, please show me a demonstration, and I’ll follow along."

Learning comes first, no matter what. Astrid is more reckless than I expected, but I didn’t have a choice. I told her I’d do it, and asked her to show me how. No matter how you look at it, does it make sense to master a training method that's just a script, all by yourself?

Step, step.

Astrid von Kaliud dragged her feet and approached me as if it was tiresome. Then she extended her hand to me while slightly tilting her head. Next, she waved her hand once.

"What are you doing? Not gonna take it?"

"What do you mean?"

"You wanted a demonstration, right? This is the fastest way."

Still half dubious, I took Astrid’s hand. Then, suddenly, she pulled me into her chest and hugged me. I felt her warm, unique scent, mixed with the scent of baked madeleines. Maybe it was her fire attribute? I even found it comforting.

'I wondered if dragons smell like reptiles, but it seems not'

As I satisfy one of my curiosity, I focused on what she was doing.

A few minutes passed.

I quietly traced the flow of magic I could feel moving from her.

As I thought, she had a plan all along.

'Astrid pulled me close for this. The best way to feel magic circulation is through physical contact after all.'

Astrid’s method was right. The reason she told me to take off my shirt earlier, you can say it was for this as well. As expected from a dragon, her circulation technique was very unique.

'Basically, most dull or average mages can only circulate magic up to the upper dantian in the head. Next is the middle dantian, located in the heart area, which can only be controlled by mid-level mages or more'

Where’s the last one?

Naturally, it’s the lower dantian. Located about two fingers below the belly button.

When this opens, the door to the mental world will be open. This world is different depending on the individuality of knight or mage. If I follow her lessons properly, I should be able to open this lower dantian soon. It’ll also pave the way for a new path.

'Besides, I wonder what Nox’s mental world looks like?'

Condition to open the lower dantian. It's by moving to the mental world. A virtual space that manifests according to one’s will.

So, if the lower dantian opens in Nox’s current body? Will it be a manifestation of my will or an ignition of Nox’s talent as a character? This made me curious, but unfortunately, it wasn't possible to immediately solve it.

"You haven’t opened the lower dantian yet."

"… Who wouldn't? Have you ever seen anyone master the Dragon’s Breath technique in a day?"

"Nope."

"…"

To Astrid's confident reply, I let out a small sigh and stepped away from her embrace. Then, looking directly into her calm eyes, I said

"There’s a faint flow of magic in the lower dantian, though."

"Barely, like a rat’s tail."

"In any case, it’s just a matter of time."

I added with some emphasis,

"I’ll master the Dragon’s Breath, so please formally accept me as Astrid-nim disciple. There’s still a lot I want to learn from you."

"Emmmm… There's no other choice, Noah did ask me after all. It’s annoying, but I’ll help a little. In return, there’s one condition you have to keep it."

This time, Astrid looked at me with a serious expression. Her voice had a gloomy tone as she spoke. Somehow, I could sense a fraction of Astrid’s past from her words.

"Never lie to me. As long as you keep that promise, I’ll accept you as my disciple."

Why was she asking that. In fact I already know.

But I’ll save that explanation for later. There will definitely be a time to talk about it someday.

Therefore.

"Of course."

I just shrugged as I continued calmly

"I have no reason to lie to you."

------------------------------------

It’s been about a month since Astrid started teaching me. And as my lifespan steadily dwindled, finally the beginning of the main episode was approaching. It all started with Professor Fritzel from the [Joint Martial Arts] class.

“Eee… so, you’ll be participating in a martial arts practical session in a few days. Eee… safety is the top priority, and Eldain's also consider this event extremely important, so any rash actions or decisions will be forb… eee.. be careful of any rash actions or decisions."

"Oh my, it’s already that time, huh?"

Eleanor, sitting next to me, rested her chin on her hand as she spoke. I replied nonchalantly, "It seems so” but In fact, internally, my thoughts were completely different.

'The [Joint Martial Arts] practical session. Main Episode 3 is finally here. This one won’t be easy either.'

After surviving the Paimon episode, also known as the Newbie Crusher, and the Gambling House episode, we’ve now reached the third Merchant Group Collapse episode. To put it simply, it’s famous for its hellish difficulty.

The previous episodes weren’t easy, and this one won’t be either. Even so, we've had a lot of time to prepare, I guess you could say that's fortunate. It's true that there are plenty of variables to worry about, but it's fine if we manage them well. Maybe, things will go smoothly without any major incidents. Either way, hunting demons is the element you can't omit in Inner Lunatic, and should I call it luck that there are fewer concerns from relationship-building major points in this episode?

…Or so I thought, until about two hours after class ended. That hopeful expectation that I wouldn’t need to build any more relationships was quickly shattered. Thanks to none other than Eleanor, the main heroine of Chapter 3.

Eleanor De Rivalin. It was because she summoned me.

Some might ask,

No, if it's Eleanor's request, Wouldn't it be fine even if you don't go?

But I’d have to ask in return. Because…

'the one she summoned wasn’t me, but Shane.'

Shane. My alter ego, the one Eleanor de Rivalin bound to herself by giving him her mother’s keepsake. For some reason, Eleanor called for Shane. And the reason was…

"Please protect me during the [Joint Martial Arts] practical session."

She wanted me to protect her.

In the corner of a cafe run by the Rivalin Merchant Group. For a brief moment, I couldn’t help but look surprised.

Why? Eleanor shouldn’t know that there’s a force planning to attack her.

'That wasn’t in the original story. So why?'

Why What exactly tipped her off to the danger she’s in?

I need to review it quickly. before the apple mint tea on the table went cold. Inner Lunatic’s Chapter 3. The main episode’s upcoming flows and its plot.

[dspd]

It's official.

COVID ruined my public poker face.

I'm at the dentist & can't stop grinning while reading a really good arc in my manhwa.

[dysiver]

What manhwa you're reading right now?

terminally-ill genius dark knight

uwu

[thedcdunce]

Mister Freeze

“We all have one of these inside our heads, a symbol of death without which we cannot live. And if we use what's inside our heads, eventually we will live to conquer death.” - Mister Freeze

Real Name: Victor Fries

Aliases:

Mister Zero

Doctor Zero

Gender: Male

Height: 6′ 0″

Weight: 190 lbs (86 kg)

Eyes: Blue

Hair: Bald

Skin: White

Powers:

Unique Physiology

Abilities:

Genius Level Intellect

Science

Mechanical Engineering

Weaknesses:

Technological Reliability

Equipment:

Cryo-Suit

Mister Freeze's Cold Gun

Universe:

Earth-One

Earth-Two

New Earth

Base of Operations: Gotham City

Citizenship: American

Parents:

Charles Fries; father

Lorraine Fries; mother

Marital Status: Separated (Nora Fries; wife)

Occupation: 

Criminal

Cryogenicist

College teacher

First Appearance: Batman #121 (February, 1959)

Powers

Unique Physiology

Abilities

Genius Level Intellect: Victor is also a polymath who has studied many areas of physics and chemistry, as well as neurobiology and medicine.

Science: He's a gifted scientist, having built his Cryo-Suit, Cold Gun, and life support machine.

Cryogenics

Medical Science

Mechanical Engineering

Weaknesses

Technological Reliability: He relies on his cryo-suit to regulate his temperature at a frozen level.

Equipment

Cryo-Suit: Wears a suit that keeps his body temperature below freezing.

Mister Freeze's Cold Gun: He freezes areas around him using special weapons and equipment.

History

Victor Fries, primarily known as Mister Freeze and before that Mister Zero, is a scientist skilled in cryonics. With his Ice Gun, he is a recurring foe of Batman and his allies in Gotham City.

Earth-One

A scientist, whose name remains unknown, adopted the identity of the criminal Mister Zero after he suffered an unfortunate accident that changed his physiology, forcing him to live in environments below zero temperature. He was experimenting with a concentrated freezing solution in order to create an ice gun and he was accidentally exposed to the solution. In order to be able to go out to the normal environment, Zero created an air conditioned costume, which helped him remain in cold temperatures, even in hot climates. Using this equipment, Zero gathered a small gang and started a crime spree in Gotham City, stealing mainly diamonds and other precious jewels. Mr. Zero was eventually confronted by the local vigilantes, Batman and Robin, who were unable to stop Zero as they couldn't stand against his cold weapons. The Dynamic Duo were eventually captured by Zero and brought to his secret cold hideout, near the mountains. Trapped in blocks of ice, Batman and Robin learned Zero's plan to steal a large collection of gems and using their cages as weapons, Batman broke a steam pipe in Zero's hideout, causing steam to fill the entire place, melting the ice away and apparently curing Zero from his ailment. After this, Batman and Robin were able to capture the whole gang and brought Zero to the authorities.

After years of inactivity, Zero returned to crime, but this time, he changed his alias to Mister Freeze. Freeze's condition had apparently returned and he was forced to remain in cold temperatures once again. In this second exploit, Freeze redesigned his Cryo-Suit and also improved his cryothermal gun. With a new gang, he started a new series of crimes and stole valuable pieces of art. Similar to his first criminal activities, Freeze was eventually stopped by Batman and Robin.

Long after this, Freeze became part of a mock criminal trial, after which he changed his Cryo-Suit for one that allowed him more mobility. Freeze eventually fell in love with a woman called Hildy. In order to slow her aging process, Freeze set out to recreate the accident that transformed him. Using wealthy people in Gotham as test subjects, Freeze experimented on them, but all the efforts resulted in failure and the victims were turned into frozen zombies, who followed Freeze's command. His new crimes alerted the police and Batman, who confronted Freeze and was only able to defeat him when Hildy showed her true intentions and betrayed Freeze, only to be encased in solid ice when her plan backfired. Freeze's next plan consisted in freezing Gotham City by removing all the heat and transporting the energy to the neighboring city of Metropolis. Freeze was unable to accomplish his goal as he was stopped by Batman and Superman. During one last attempt to freeze Gotham entirely, Mr. Freeze created a large ice cannon. After robbing a bank, Freeze was confronted by Batman and the new Robin, who managed to defeat him with help from Vicki Vale and Julia Pennyworth, who Freeze had previously captured.

Origin

As a child, Victor Fries was fascinated by freezing animals as a hobby he developed to escape the pressures of his brutal, control-freak father. His parents, horrified by his 'hobby', sent him to a strict boarding school, where he was miserable, feeling detached from humanity. That winter, when the other children went home for the holidays, Victor discovered that his parents had disowned him. He was thought of as in embarrassment, a mistake to be filed away and forgotten, and he never saw them again. In college, he felt that he may never feel a warm touch, but then came Nora, a beautiful athlete, with whom he fell deeply in love with and ultimately married. He later got a job teaching cryogenics at the local college.

Nora later fell terminally ill with a rare cancer. Fries left teaching and took on a job working for a large drug company called GothCorp, run by the ruthless Ferris Boyle, so he could find a cure. Using his great intellect and passion for cryogenics, Fries discovered a way to put Nora into cryo-stasis using company equipment, hoping to sustain her until a cure could be found. Boyle found out about the experiment and canceled the funding, but Fries continued with the project, leaving Boyle in huge debt. Boyle attempted to have Nora brought out of stasis and overruled Fries' frantic objections, during which a struggle ensued. As a result, Fries became engulfed in his own cryogenic coolants and was left for dead. Fries survived, but the chemicals had altered his body chemistry and his body temperature was lowered dramatically; he could now only survive at sub-zero temperatures. Fries escaped, unnoticed with the frozen Nora. In hiding, he invented a special refrigeration suit to stay alive, and used cryonic technology to create a powerful gun which fired a beam that froze any target within its range.

With this technology, he became a criminal called Mr. Freeze with a taste for diamonds and revenge.

Criminal Activities

His first act as a costumed criminal is to take revenge upon Ferris Boyle, a plan with which Batman interferes. Mr. Freeze fired his freeze-gun at Batman, but he dodged, causing the beam to shatter Nora's capsule. Freeze blamed Batman, and swore to destroy whatever the Dark Knight holds dear. Mr. Freeze once joined a team of Gotham's "costumed freaks" lead by Two-Face. The group attempted to destroy the remnants of Carmine Falcone's Crime Family. During the Columbus' Day Massacre, Freeze was assigned to the removal of Edie Skeevers. Mr. Freeze and the others eventually fought Batman and Robin in the Batcave, after a botched assassination attempt on Two-Face by Hangman.

Initially locked in Arkham Asylum, Freeze was eventually transferred to the Gotham State Penitentiary, from where he escaped and attempted to steal technology from S.T.A.R. Labs until he was stopped and returned to prison by Batman.

After this series of encounters with Gotham's vigilantes, Freeze decided to hibernate inside a block of ice created with his own weapons. His frozen body was eventually found in the Gotham River, where the police pulled him out and took him to the morgue, assuming there was a corpse inside the ice. When the ice thawed, Freeze crawled out to the cold room, where he was stopped by Detective Montoya and Batman. Freeze was then arrested and taken away in an ambulance with the necessary equipment to keep him alive.

City of Crime

Freeze was eventually contacted by Penguin and he agreed to work for him as a "cleaner". However, Freeze's unstable mind caused him to go overboard and started killing Penguin's people. Freeze's mind was having a regression after his treatment at Arkham and he kidnapped a pregnant girl, believing that she was her late wife, Nora. Freeze was then attacked by The Ventriloquist's henchmen and Batman had to step in to save him. Freeze returned to his hideout to recover from the damage done, but the kidnapped girl tricked Freeze into hugging her, causing him to be paralyzed due to her warm body affecting his system. Batman arrived in time to rescue the girl and left Freeze to be taken by the authorities.

Under the Hood

When Black Mask became the new crime lord in Gotham, he approached Freeze and offered him to join his gang; an offer that Freeze accepted on the condition that he was given a new Cryo-Suit. The construction of a new cryo-suit was slow as Freeze kept killing the technicians that Black Mask provided him, but eventually Freeze was given a new and improved cryo-suit, sealing the deal. Once under Black Mask's command, Freeze was told to recover anything he could from the stolen shipment at the Gotham Harbor. However, Black Mask's plans were foiled by a new criminal called Red Hood, forcing the crime lord to send Freeze to kill Red Hood and recover the Kryptonite shipment for him. Freeze found Red Hood and a fight between them started until Batman and Nightwing showed up and stopped their fight. After this, Freeze used his cold gun to escape the place.

Once, in the hopes of reviving Nora, he allied himself with the Secret Society of Super Villains, fashioning for Nyssa Head a sub-zero machine in exchange for the use of her own Lazarus Pit. He attempts to restore Nora to life without waiting for the adjusting needed in the pool chemicals, however; she returns to life as the twisted Lazara, and escapes. She blamed her husband for her plight and estranged herself from him.

Heart of Hush

Freeze was eventually approached by Hush, who asked him to create a machine that could preserve a beating heart out of the body. Freeze created such machine and asked a large amount money in exchange.

Upon returning to Earth, Freeze started attacking Intergang, to take back the control of Gotham. For this purpose, he made an alliance with Killer Croc and together they attacked the members of Intergang at the Iceberg Lounge.

Battle for the Cowl

After Batman's death, most of the Arkham inmates were freed by a new Black Mask. Freeze was among them and he started working on a project called Ice-X Protocol when the GCPD tried to capture him. He stunned them with his gun and captured Gordon, taking him to his secret lair. Gordon managed to break free and defeat Freeze by causing an explosion that weakened Freeze. After his capture, Freeze was taken to Iron Heights prison.

Black Mask attempted to control Mr. Freeze by implanting a device in his head. He escaped Black Mask and tried to perform brain surgery on himself to remove the chip, but was captured and imprisoned by the Outsiders. The chip was eventually removed by Owlman.

Convergence

He robs a diamond store and is stopped by Nightwing. He later teams up with Penguin to attack Poison Ivy. It is clear that he has lost motivation due to his separation from Nora.

Fun Facts

Mister Zero had a counterpart on Earth-Two. It is unknown whether he ever adopted the Mister Freeze alias.

Mr. Freeze does not believe in heaven or hell or any sort of afterlife, making him an atheist.

[putris-et-mulier]

Those of you who want to start reading comics but don't know how to start

comixology is doing a BOGO sell on Marvel comics, specifically the most popular ones. Quick overview and recommendations for those who might be overwhelmed with the choices. But the word "Marvel" in your promotion code when you check out.

I'm going to try to just give you one sentence or a panel to recommend all the X-Men ones, because you know I'm recommending all of the X-Men ones. But I will let you know what's in it, vaguely.

I'll add more panel examples but I need to do something and the sale ends on the 13th

"Recent Jumping On Points!"  

Moon Knight Vol. 1: Lunatic – I love this series. Moon Knight is a lot like Deadpool and Legion in that they are all mentally ill characters that no one really seemed to know what to do with but Jeff Lemire got the series and he's been doing an amazing job. It will be confusing but it's confusing even if you have read the old comics, the whole thing is kind of his perception of reality so… If you like mentally ill Jewish male protagonists that need to be protected, you'll like this

Gwenpool, The Unbelievable Vol. 1: Believe It – she's a recent Deadpool spinoff I haven't really started to get but I will soon so if you do get this I'd like to hear your opinion

X-Men '92 Vol. 1: The World Is A V – this is a continuation of the 90s cartoon but it jumps ahead in the story so even people who have seen the cartoon know everything you and it's written with the expectation that you probably haven't seen the cartoon

and there is Jubilee

Spider-Man/Deadpool Vol. 1: Isn't It Bromantic – now everyone who says "I wanted to read that" can. It's as ridiculous as everyone says it is. More so, actually.

Deadpool: World's Greatest Vol. 1 – if you want to start reading the most recent Deadpool comics just start with this

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur Vol. 1: BFF – it's comic book about a little girl and a dinosaur, it's adorable

Wolverine: Old Man Logan Vol. 1: Berzerker – this is what the movie Logan is based off of

Spider-Gwen Vol. 1: Greater Power – what if Peter Parker died and Gwen became a superhero and was in a punk band with Peter's ex girlfriends: best premise ever

All-New Wolverine Vol. 1: The Four Sisters – you might also want to check this out if you like Logan, currently the Wolverine in "old Man Logan" is in the 616 but Laura has just become the official Wolverine

All-New X-Men: Inevitable Vol. 1 – okay, so the original X-Men (Cyclops, Marvel Girl Jean Gray, Archangel, Iceman, Beast) travel forward in time so right now in the 616 we have adult versions of those characters, the ones we've always had, and now the teenage version of those characters which are technically the same characters but taken out of time when they were teenagers and just formed the X-Men, before everyone died a bunch of times. The book isn't as confusing as the explanation but I think some of you might like it because when Iceman traveled to the future he outed his older self as being in the closet and in this book we see his teenage self, straight from the 70s (pun intended,) try to figure out how to live like a gay guy in this century.

Also, baby Cyclops

Extraordinary X-Men Vol. 1: X-Haven – this is about the school refugee children in the X-Men put in Hell (Limbo) because the Earth is too dangerous. Also a genius premise

Uncanny Avengers: Unity Vol. 1: Lost Future – I've talked about this one a ton, it's the one where Rouge, Deadpool, Cable, and Quicksilver (and Captin  America, and blah blah blah) are working as Avengers

"Recent #1's"

Death Of X (2016) Issue #1 – Cyclops died (yes, he will be back eventually and there is still the teenage Cyclops running around hating himself)

IvX (2016-2017) Issue #1 – a lot about X-Men is about bigotry and eugenics and this one is another angle on that. What if two nearly extinct races have to exterminate the other to live?

Deadpool: Back In Black (2016) Issue #1 – this is about Deadpool and Venom hooking up for a while

Jessica Jones (2016-) Issue #1 – if you haven't seen the Netflix show, you should and if you have seen it and liked it you need to read this. Jessica just got released from prison and is separated from Luke and hiding their child and you have to read a few issues before they start to tell you why she went to prison and all that other stuff

and look at her shirt

Civil War II: X-Men (2016) Issue #1 – skip it. It's not bad, it's just boring

"Popular Marvel Collections"

Avengers vs. X-Men – the X-Men find a way to save their race and the Avengers try to exterminate them again. This is the series I always mentioned when people say that Captain America isn't a racist

House of M – what of Scarlet Wtich cast a spell that mutants should disappear and then Magneto becomes king and everyone was happy, kind of

X-Men: Days of Future Past – this is what the movie was based on but it's good and they didn't give all the leading roles to Wolverine. I love this book, a friend and I would act it out when we were kids which was probably pretty alarming for the adults

Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe – I'm the only one who didn't like this series so based on statistics you will like it. Eh it wasn't that bad. You get to see an alternate universe Deadpool shoot an alternate universe Spider-Man in the head and this was before he did it those last two times in the 616

Astonishing X-Men Vol. 1: Gifted – Cyclops tries to make the X-Men good guys again… With Emma Frost. She was that chick that always dressed in white in Days of Future Past but, again, she's actually cool in the comics. I think some of you would really like her, her character is like "what if a girl had the dream of becoming a school teacher but she was born as such a marginalized and targeted race so she grew up to teach in a segregated community in a school for child refugees of your race" and tack on "what if a girl was so conventionally attractive that no one took her serious despite her being very intelligent so she learns how to use her sexuality and her passing privilege to manipulate people"

Ultimate X-Men Vol. 1 – no unless you have nothing else to read

X-Men: Second Coming – it's about Deadpool's ex-husband's daughter that Cable kept strapped to his chest 

X-Men: Battle of the Atom – read this after all new X-Men, at least the first one. Now a mutant group from the future travels back in time to take out the teenage versions because every future is a dystopia and everyone believes the only way to is to murder yourself in the past

and we get a bunch of new teen mutants and their parentage… Is very X-Men. Look how cute Shogo is meeting his mother's teenage past self 

Guess who this dude belongs to

If you ship Xavierine you have to read this

X-Men: the Complete Age Of Apocalypse Epic Book 1 – this is an alternate universe story so I'm not sure if you want to read it but the art isn't as bad as the cover makes it seem

Hawkeye Vol. 1: My Life As A Weapon – this the series in which they actually keep Hawkeye deaf and integrated wonderfully into the story

All-New X-Men Vol. 1: Yesterday's X-Men – the teenage X-Men travel to the current timeline and meet their older selves.  

Runaways Vol. 1: Pride and Joy – Runaways is always cute. It's about a group of kids who all had evil villains for parents and they ran away from their homes and tried to be heroes 

"Marvel Women of Power"

I think you guys know what you want in this category but the Spider Woman one is the one in which she tries to fight crime while she's pregnant. Thor is Jane Foster (she is the current Thor because Thor is in a timeout) while she's at the last stages of terminal cancer. She Hulk is a lawyer. Ms. Marvel is the girl that was in the news for taking over the legacy name AND being Muslim and it's actually made by Muslim women.

X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga – everyone has read this. Even people who have never read comics. Through osmosis. Don't be the last one…

X-Treme X-Men Vol. 5: God Loves, Man Kills – Also read this

X-Men: The Complete Onslaught Epic - Book One – if it sounds good read it but I don't think is very applicable to anything that's going on right now in the comics or movie

Wolverine: Weapon X – if you can stand looking at Wolverine any longer

X-Men: Inferno – This one is going to be pretty confusing to be one of the first things you read but if you know about Jean Gray and Madeline Prior in all that you'll enjoy it 

New Mutants Epic Collection: Renewal – remember in Deadpool that character Negasonic Teenage Warhead? She is a new mutant, they are the mutant students that graduated and are trying to be X-Men. There's going to be a TV show based on this but I'm not sure if it's going be based on anything specific. The first members are Karma who is a psychic lesbian who eventually becomes an amputee raising her younger siblings as a kind of single mother, Sunspot is a Brazilian guy that kind of explodes a lot in all senses of the word, Moonstar is a young woman from the Cheyenne nation who is eventually a VIP and gets a flying horse, Cannonball is an innocent country boy that is "pretty much invulnerable when Ah'm blastin" 

It is like One Tree Hill if one tree Hill was about racism and general bigotry… and blastin'

Keep in mind that this is the beginning so these characters are adults now and the New Mutant lineup changes (obviously they have to eventually graduate to X-Men)

Wolverine By Claremont & Miller – this is what the movie "The Wolverine" was kind of based on so if you like it when Wolverine pretends to be Japanese you should pick this up 

Uncanny X-Men Masterworks Vol. 1 – if you want to start from beginning but want the ease of reading the collections

the Max stuff is the 616 Marvel characters in an R-rated universe

Journey Into Mystery Vol. 1: Fear Itself – this is when Loki was a teenager and they don't usually read these books but I really got hooked because they were better than I thought they would be 

Substance"> Young Avengers Vol. 1: Style > Substance – remember the series about a teenage Avenger group and no one turned out to be straight? This is the beginning of that

no to all the Ultimate stuff

Read all the X Factor and X Force! Uncanny X Force is the one with Deadpool and it's my favorite Deadpool of all time. I've talked about X Factor little before, that's when Rictor and Shatterstar finally get together. If you saw Logan you saw the first appearance of Rictor who is going to be in new mutants

this is the kid that plays him, Jason Genao

he is the kid at the table and this is from a Law and Order because I thought maybe it would be more familiar to everyone. So since we are starting with him as a kid I really hope if/when we see Shatterstar they do a throwback to his old hair and make a kid wear an extremely long blonde mullet wig on

[gozine-translate]

Terminally-ill Genius Dark Knight - 150

150: Returning from the Mission and an Uncomfortable Break [1]

"Nox-kun? You’ve caused quite a bit of interesting trouble again this time too…! Thanks to you, I have so much work to do as the dean. I’m so thrilled! Hihi, seriously…?!"

I heard the voice of a woman whose eyes were mostly dead. I gulped and desperately avoided her gaze. I was certain that if I got caught, there wouldn’t even be bones left of me.

For reference, right now, I’m sitting in front of Noah von Trinity. To explain how I ended up here would take a while, but to put it simply:

First off, A few days passed after the incident wrapped up. The carriage safely returned to the academy. Just when I thought to get some rest, I was forcibly dragged into Noah’s office the moment I arrived at the academy. As the leader of the team, I had the frightening disgrace of being the first to stand in front of her.

I thought I’d be with my comrades, I never thought it would be just me and Noah's private meeting. Damn it, the problem is that this woman has awfully a lot of curiosities. Besides, I don’t know if she hates me or what, but calling me in alone like this was Noah's secret hobby

Though most of the time I don’t attend, ignoring her now that the mission is over isn’t favorable.

But I, Nox, an arrogant ruffian. I replied with a straight face:

"I’m not sure what you’re talking about. I don’t know what I could’ve done to make you say that, Dean."

"Oh really? So, you don’t need the academy’s reward? We prepared something quite nice this time! What a shame…?!"

"I’d be lying if I said I didn’t put in any effort."

I quickly tried to change my stance. Luckily, Noah seemed to let it slide, giggling.

"Hihi, Nox who is lying even though everything is obvious is kind of cute. Still, I’m the dean! so I need to make sure everything is clear."

"Yes…"

"So.."

Suddenly, I felt a cold chill and sensed that an ice barrier had spread throughout the office. Before I knew it, Noah, now looking like a mature woman, sat across from me and spoke.

“Kiddo, so what kind of demon did you face this time? I already know it was one of the 72 demons, so don’t even think about lying to me.”

As expected.

Noah already knew everything.

Of course, she shouldn't have known about the fact that there was a demon called Jagan in Casino. She just sensed the filthy stench lingering on my body.

She must’ve felt the sticky, powerful energy unique to a high-level demon.

I answered as calmly as possible.

"It was Jagan. He was infamous as an alchemist, so it was quite a tough battle. He was more prepared than I expected. At least, he would've been a difficult opponent as long they aren't sword emperors or sages"

I decided to be a bit honest. I had no other choice.

Honestly, lying in front of Noah is close to a dangerous gamble.

After all, considering that Noah could’ve easily killed me after Paimon, there must be a reason why she’s keeping me alive. Though I don’t know exactly what that reason is.

Noah gave a crooked smile.

“Well, That Paimon is dead, after all. Even if these demon bastards are like bugs, it’s only natural they’d try to prepare themselves a little. Not that it matters since we're going kill them anyway.”

That was a chilling statement. Sure, she’s on our side now, but what if she were an enemy? I didn’t even want to imagine it.

After a moment of silence. I heard a clinking sound. a clear sound of magic manifesting. Noah, who had somehow already unleashed her ice magic, created two ice glasses.

Clink!

A bottle of strong bourbon whiskey flew from the cupboard. In no time, a large round ice cube formed in the glass as a bonus.

"I've been particularly saving this… Drink up. It's a special gift from me"

"Aren’t you still on duty?"

I frowned, but Noah just laughed and continued.

"Is there anyone here who could hinder me? And do you think I’d get drunk from drinking alcohol? emm… Kiddo, you think too much."

"Well, of course, it’s not a problem for you, Dean. But I’m different. This would be against the rules, and Instructor Vernon might give me a demerit."

"If Vernon says anything, just tell him, ‘Dean Noah share me a few drinks.’ He might be so shocked that his hair grows back."

‘What a wicked woman'

Noah has been talking while even joking about Vernon's already long-gone hair. Considering how she’s talking to that point, it is certainly a fact.

I sighed lightly.

"…You’re as reckless as ever. Alcohol in the dean’s office, really ?"

"It's only natural. There's not many chances to drink with my student like this"

Trickle. The sound of bourbon whiskey being poured filled the glass. I mean, come on, isn’t that a bit much? At that amount, shouldn’t there be something mixed in? Though I don't understand it myself, something to dilute it, or fresh lemon juice? Why is she drinking it straight, without anything else?

'You crazy'

It seems she thinks everyone is the same kind as she is. Sure, she’s a monster, so she can handle it, but for me, it’s like setting my throat on fire, it's not desirable This woman clearly isn’t used to considering others.

“Alright, shall we toast? To congratulate the first freshman ever to complete a red mission and slay a filthy, one of 72 demons! Cheers!”

Clink.

I barely lifted my glass and took a sip. The undiluted whiskey is burning all the way down, as if scorched my throat, and making its presence known. It was so strong that I could feel exactly where the alcohol stay.

I don't really get the taste.

I’ve never really had alcohol before, not even in real life. Isn't it me who was addicted to Inner Lunatic even when I was dying?

I can't help but worry about the next day's hangover.

‘Crazy….’

It burned my throat more than I expected. If someone held a lighter to me, I’d probably need to gulp down a whole bunch of Erina's potions. Even if you call it healing potion, it's difficult to recover the dead organs.

'This has to be at least 50% alcohol… And she’s drinking it straight? Is she out of her mind?'

As I cursed Noah in my mind. A system notification suddenly popped up, ringing in my ears.

[You have consumed the rare item '50-Year-Old Black Dragon’s Tears'.]

[Your Magic stat increases by 1.]

[Your Physical Strength stat increases by 1.]

"…?"

While I was still processing what just happened. Noah crossed her legs and rested her chin on her hand.

Then, while she was watching me, Noah in her adult version, wore a seductive smile that was typical of the Ice Witch As if she had expected my reaction.

“Starting to feel it, aren’t you, little apprentice? Your body must be showing some signs by now. This isn’t just any ordinary alcohol. There’s a story that once, an ancient kingdom went to war over this stuff.”

“This is indeed… amazing.”

What an outrageous effect. The moment I saw that notification, that was exactly what I thought.

A consumable item that increases both Magic and Physical Strength stats by 1 just by drinking it?

Such a thing, I've seen 27 endings, but I never even heard a rumor about it.

“…. Now that I’ve tasted it, I can see it’s good alcohol. Not bad at all. Then one more glas..”

"I’m sorry but, after the first drink, there won’t be any more stat boosts. You can drink more, but that’s just how it works."

Without a moment’s hesitation, I responded to Noah’s words.

"I suddenly feel tipsy. It seems like I’m not very compatible with alcohol."

Even I thought that was a pretty shameless excuse. Noah just chuckled and messed up my hair. It felt a bit weird, like she was treating me like a kid, but I didn’t show it. After all, there’s a big enough age gap between us that it makes sense.

The reason I'm staying quiet? I don’t want to get trampled by Noah if I start acting up here.

Even if it's not like that, I still haven’t fully recovered from the internal injuries I got from fighting Jagan.

'My lifespan may have increased, but my body is still in the worst shape. And… though they didn't say it, the others probably guessed my condition too. I mean, I coughed up blood right there.'

Right now, I barely managed to brush it off as just the result of a fierce battle, but… It's fact that the situation isn’t looking good.

As I was organizing my thoughts, Noah suddenly fixed her gaze on me and spoke.

"The demons will start to become even more active."

"…"

"There might even be some that not even I can stop. That’s exactly the reason why I accepted this dean position. The students, I plan to develop talented ones among them, so they can stand against the demons."

She discards the useless ones. But to those with potential, she’s endlessly generous. That’s how Noah von Trinity was originally set up in the game.

However, it’s no secret that her behavior has recently changed. You can tell by the way she’s started paying attention, even to students who don’t have any particular talent.

Anyway, she’s begun to fulfill her role as the dean. That’s a fortunate thing in many ways.

But Noah still seemed dissatisfied with the current situation.

"No matter how much I help, the weak ones won’t just suddenly grow. You know that, right? Little kid from the Reinhaver family. And…"

Then Noah paused for a moment, chuckling before continuing.

"Lunatic's agent. Isn’t that right?"

Thump.

My heart pounded so hard it felt like it might stop for a moment. After dealing with Paimon, I thought she didn’t know anything since she hadn’t said a word. But it seems I was wrong. Noah von Trinity apparently already knew I was a member of Lunatic.

"Huhu… you’ve got quite a cute expression now, don’t you?"

Noah’s hand started reaching out towards me. Without noticing it, my heart kept pounding wildly.

What? I fought with my life and even took down one of the 72 demons, and now I’m going to die in absurd place like this?

---------------------------------------

‘As expected, this kid is interesting’

Noah von Trinity. She is one of the Four Sages, a picture of talent so awe-inspiring that no one could rival. As if not enough as one of the Seven Stars, she was a monster who had even taken on Paimon and begun to recover her strength while carrying out her duty as the dean of the prestigious Eldain. People across the continent were already talking about how she might have regained the strength and talent of her prime.

But there was one boy who had caught her attention.

Just fifteen years old, but possessing an extraordinary talent that could easily be called one of the greatest ever.

Nox von Reinhaver. He, of course, has a special origin of being a son of a noble family But his talent had little to do with the Reinhaver family’s power. His swordsmanship? That could be changed at any time. Sorry, Theo, but honestly, if he’s not going to inherit the family head position, I think it will be better to teach him another sword

And what about his magic ability? This is also generational talent, absolutely not inferior to Penelope and Leon.

Many exceptional people have dabbled in both magic and swordsmanship, managing to gain some proficiency in both areas.

But case of both becoming a weapon that unleashed the best destructive power ? That’s never happened before.

Nox von Reinhaver has done just that. Although the public hasn’t caught on yet, as more people become aware of his abilities, demons will start to target Nox and those around him, slowly trying to corrupt her disciple.

'I can’t let that happen.'

“Kiddo, let me tell you something in advance. First off, I don’t plan to kill you just because of your affiliation. Even if it’s Lunatic, a criminal organization, which is targeting the Arkheim Empire.”

Noah started with those words. Nox’s gaze that had been directed to her quickly darted around, trying to assess the situation.

He’s a sharp one, as expected.

But…

"You probably know this already, right? It doesn’t matter which organization you belong to. What matters is my judgment. I could take your life right now, but I’m not doing that."

"You're right"

"Don’t you think there’s a reason for that?"

"Please tell me, Dean Noah. What do you want?"

"You need to get stronger, kiddo."

Noah finally got to the point.

She was clearly dissatisfied with her disciple’s recent progress. Of course, Noah didn’t know that Nox had recently started learning the [Moonlight Sword], but it was true that Nox’s magical achievements were still lacking. So, Noah had her reasons for her assessment.

Nox couldn’t let his talent skew too much in one direction and go to waste. That was the conclusion Noah had reached.

After a moment of thought, Noah precariously uncrossed her legs and said.

"You need a better teacher, someone who has a talent to manage you. Your current instructor can’t bring your talent to the limit. Of course, building a solid foundation is important, so nothing wrong with that."

"…"

"I’ll introduce you to someone."

"Introduction, you said ?"

“Yes. Soon, someone will arrive at Eldain as a guest professor. Try to get noticed by her, and you’ll become much stronger than you are now.”

"No way… the person coming as a guest professor is…"

"Correct"

Noah refilled her glass and lightly bit her lip.

"One of the Four Sages, just like me, and the owner of the artifact you possess."

I immediately cracked a small smile. <Highest-grade orb of ???> The original owner of this artifact was none other than one of Noah von Trinity’s old friends. So, she was already aware that I had the artifact that had been sleeping in Eleanor’s vault. Moreover, that existence was an extraordinary being from birth, someone beyond ridiculous.

And now she was planning to introduce me to such a person.

Did she figure out my intentions? A smile spread across Noah’s face. Then, before I knew it, she was already back to her young version and said lightly,

"Well then! We should also check out the second reward I’m giving Nox-kun, right?"

Although Nox was still in shock from what he had just heard, he couldn’t miss out on a reward, so he nodded.

"Of course."

[gozine-translate]

Terminally-ill Genius Dark Knight - 149

149 - Mask [3]

A little later, inside the carriage heading back to the Academy.

You can hear a bunch of people bickering noisily.

"So, noble sir, your goal is to wipe out all the demons on the continent? You knew something was going to happen at the Avilat gambling house too?"

"Right."

Paracelsus tried to brush off my immediate response, but perhaps harbored some doubt, he asked again.

"And you dragged us along for that?"

"Naturally"

I answered Paracelsus' question confidently. As if it was absurd, he let out a laugh, albeit dejectedly.

He glared at me.

"You're completely crazy, aren't you?"

"Are you looking to get punished for insulting a noble? Either way, didn't you not fight directly anyway ?"

"In Eldain, everyone’s equal, you crazy noble. No matter how strong you are, do you think we could handle an upper-class demon with our current ability?"

Unexpectedly even if he had to put aside being brought along, he focused more on different matters, in other words, whether my comrades could actually win

Paracelsus. As much as I hate to admit it, he’s got a surprisingly kind side. 

Sure, he was a pain in the neck when I was playing the game, but he had his reasons, and once he joined the team, his crazy performance turned the public’s opinion around. 

In various ways, there's no doubt when it comes to performance

But my attitude never changes.

I crossed my arms and retorted as if it was natural.

"You and I are different. I survived that water prison because I’m not as weak as you. Besides, I succeeded, didn’t I?"

I strangely poked at him.

I get that he tried his best, but if someone annoys me, I have to snap back to feel satisfied. That’s one of the (admittedly sad) perks of being a ruffian, so I intend to make full use of it.

Either way, even If I do a good deed, I still get criticized.

So why should I bother doing good at all? 

That doubt suddenly surged up

"Sigh..."

"Young master... You’ve always been like that, but it's too dangerous. Even from a distance, it was clear that was an upper-class demon at a glance. I actually think Mr. Paracelsus's words have a point this time."

Zitri said. 

Of course, they don’t know the demon I fought was one of the 72 Demons. 

In the first place, the alchemy caused mana to go on a rampage, and other than me, who has an innate mana sensitivity, there was no one else who could properly sense it from a distance.

Leon, he was focused on controlling the undead, so he would have difficulty noticing it.

In a way, it’s a relief.

"It’s all in the past now. Nothing will change by dwelling on it."

"But sir, you should be careful who you fight. Otherwise, won’t your girlfriend, or should I say, girlfriends ? Anyway, they would be sad, wouldn't they ?"

"Commoner, do I really need to draw my sword here?"

"Try it if you can, noble sir. If you think you can beat me in your battered state."

"Please don't fight like that. We’re comrades who’ve been through life and death together after all."

Leon stepped in to stop us. His figure is like a pacifist. Anyway, Paracelsus… 

As expected, this guy isn't compatible with me. 

Thanks to him bringing up girls topic, the atmosphere is getting cold.

At worst, I might get the way of my last moment from Talia,

From Zitri, a bomb of nagging and reports to the family,

and a disdainful look from Eleanor.

If it reaches Princess Penelope’s ears?

No need for more explanation from there, it would be the worst scenario.

Paracelsus almost gave them a suitable topic for that motive.

There's no reason for me to not be angry.

After a moment.

Leon looked at me and hesitated, then spoke up as if it was dubious.

"By the way, who was that woman fighting with you? I caught a glimpse of her before Mr. Nox cut down the demon. She wielded a sword that shimmered like moonlight. She seemed at least on par with Dean Noah."

"I don't know either"

I lied confidently.

[The trait 'Genius of Acting' assists the player’s acting.]

At any rate, the only one who could see through this lie is Eleanor.

But she and I are in relations where we keep a lot of things from each other. 

Besides, with the recent beast materials case, she’s trying to stay on my good side. She probably wouldn’t rashly accuse me of lying.

So I could be even more confident.

"I am still concerned about how Professor Aleph mentioned that she was dangerous existence... But I am not sure why, I think we're going to get involved frequently"

Talia shivered, wrapping her arms around herself as if feeling a chill. It was an instinctive reaction as a knight.

"By the way, Zitri, are you feeling better now?"

I turned my head to Zitri and asked. Zitri.

It is because she was the most shaken up during this journey.

Especially during the underground auction. 

Even though Zitri lost her family's name and noble status, she still comes from a once-prosperous family, 

The Rovelia family. 

As someone raised as the precious daughter of a noble house, a shady place like a slave market must’ve been a huge psychological burden for her.

The other units at least trained to become knights or mages, so they’re somewhat used to this kind of thing, but Zitri isn’t.

'I'll have to take good care of her when we get back. She’ll probably be emotionally fragile for a while.'

I thought lightly about it, then looked out the carriage window, resting my chin on my hand.

Then, trying to sound as nonchalant and ruffian-like as possible, I said,

"Don’t worry about it. Just forget it."

"Thank you, Young master."

Zitri blushed a little. Talia, who had been watching closely, had a strange look on her face, making assumptions that reason to the bad direction. 

I quickly shifted my gaze away from her to the front.

"I am sorry for breaking the mood, but I’ve got one more question."

It was at that moment.

Suddenly, Paracelsus, getting serious, spoke up to me.

"That water prison, you said? How exactly did you get out of that place? I saw you break the water prison with a sword, so don’t even think about dodging the question."

‘Damn it.’

As expected of Paracelsus

Even from a distance, it seems he has seen me use the [Moonlight Sword]. 

To make things worse, Paracelsus casually added the following words.

"At the very least, that wasn’t Dark family swordsmanship. What was that? That sword that shattered like moonlight.."

"It looked like the one that woman who killed the demon was using."

Leon added.

After a brief moment of silence.

I came up with an answer to deceive my comrades.

Though it weighed on my conscience a little. I had no other choice.

"Well, as you said, it’s not a Dark family swordsmanship. It’s not something taught by my family either, You can say it's another Swordsman's style. Well, to be precise, Leon. it's just something I copied after seeing sword of the woman you mentioned"

"You copied her sword...?" 

Talia was surprised, but Paracelsus seemed even more surprised. 

You could tell by the way his pupil, visible through his monocle, rapidly dilated.

"A different swordsman’s style... But why? You shouldn't have a reason to learn such things. The Black Sword has already reached the pinnacle of all swordsmanship, hasn’t it?"

"I’ve heard the same. The ‘Supreme Black Sword’ is said to be the strongest sword..."

Talia perked up her ears and agreed with Paracelsus. 

As a swordsman, they must be deeply interested in swordsmanship

“I made up my mind not to learn a half-baked swordsmanship. You know, only one person inherits all the Reinhaver family’s techniques, and that’s the direct successor who will become the head of the family. Only one.”

The atmosphere grew solemn for a moment. 

I continued calmly.

"Though the sword of Dark family is impressive, I thought that I wouldn't achieve what I wanted with this sword. So I simply started learning a different sword."

"...Such circumstance is..."

As expected, a model of knight...

Talia mumbled, on the verge of tears. 

But wasn’t there some truth in what I said? 

Though it’s true that recently Theo has given me an unusual amount of interest and support. 

The rumor that he wants me to take the position of the next head of the family has spread so widely in the mansion that no one doubts it.

'Of course, I’m strongly refusing it.'

Besides, I needed to become an unrestrained, true knight, not a half-baked one. 

If I didn't master proper footwork and swordsmanship and carve my name into the highest ranks. 

The peak of the 72 demons. 

Defeating Baal is impossible.

Knowing this, I planned to learn the [Moonlight Sword] from the beginning.

From the moment I decided to join Lunatic—or rather, even before that, I aimed for this. 

I planned to learn sword from her, the three forms of the latter half, moving forward, and even mastering the tenth form that I haven’t seen yet.

That’s why I studied southern swordsmanship in Chaders and came here to Avilat to obtain the ancient dragon language scroll. 

To surpass my limits and elevate the character of Nox von Reinhaver to the pinnacle, this process was necessary.

"Anyway, I have no intention of relying solely on Dark Family’s swordsmanship. They’re limited. A sword that I can't master until the end. That’s not the level I’m aiming for."

I said arrogantly. 

While Leon rubbed his chin for a moment, he responded

“Garen..... I’ve heard that the authority of the eldest son of Reinhaver is strong, and I suppose that's why.”

I nodded at his words and crossed my arms lightly.

“Yeah. I believe he’ll become the head of the family. The elders' council and others all support him. In that situation, I thought it was better to build my influence steadily rather than engage in a bloody battle."

I paused briefly before continuing.

"And this is the result. A new sword. Of course, I don’t know the final form of this one either, so in the end, I’ll have to learn another sword, but it was suitable for overcoming the situation at the time. That’s why I used it. That’s all."

"I will ask one more thing, Sir. Are you really not related to that woman? No matter how you look at it, that sword was too sharp and shocking. I’ve never heard of such a sword. And you learned it just by seeing it once? That’s difficult even for me."

"I can do what you can’t. There's no need to explain everything from your standard"

“Why do you want to defeat the demon?”

Leon asked, but I ignored him this time too, and said, 

"I don’t have any reason to talk about my personal matters."

Quickly drawing a line, I made him step back. 

There was no need to talk about the Moonlight Sword and the demon here. 

As the world continues to build up and the story progresses, it will all become clear. 

Everyone will know soon enough. 

I won’t cause any more butterfly effects by revealing it to them now.

I only have a small hope that each of them find me annoying and grow faster.

While I was lost in thought, Paracelsus clicked his tongue and leaned back.

The guy lacing his fingers behind his neck and said.

“Haa, so many secrets. As expected from someone from Dark family.”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

I also crossed my arms and looked out of the rattling carriage. 

The desolate land was visible through the window. 

As I stared at it for a while, one thought crossed my mind.

Not anything else but the professor I met a little while ago.

‘Professor Aleph... Our encounter happened sooner than I expected. I must eliminate him as quickly as possible. Before the situation becomes more dangerous.’

My eyes calmed down. 

I might have to deal with him a little earlier than expected. 

Perhaps the timing of episode 3 might get pushed forward. 

While thought that, I forcefully closed my eyes despite not feeling sleepy.

Although I knew Zitri's persistent stare was still on my skin, I managed to endure it.

I felt thinking about the upcoming events made my head ache already.

[gozine-translate]

Terminally-ill Genius Dark Knight - 155

155. Dragon Heart

-----------------------------------

[Basic Information] Name: Astrid von Kaliud Gender: Female Age: ??? Race: Dragonkin Main Element: Flame Achievements: [The Four Sages] / [Descendant of Dragons] / [Survivor of the Canyon] / [Demon Slayer]

[Traits] Positive: [Genius of Mana Sensitivity] / [Master of Elemental Magic] / [Keen Insight] / [Fast Learner] / [Excellent Teacher] / [Tender Feelings] Neutral: [Meritocrat] Negative: [Sadistic] / [Lazy]

[Stats] Physical Strength: 21 Mana: 28 Luck: 7 Willpower: 26 Charm: 21

[Skills] Passive Skills: [Mana Affinity] / [Blessing of the Salamander] / [Dragon’s Scales]… Active Skills: [Prominence] / [Flames of Sin] / [Hellfire] / [Fire Enchant] / [Lie Detection]

-----------------------------------

Astrid von Kaliud One of the Four Sages and one of the strongest in the world. There are many titles to describe her.

For example, due to her specialty in flame magic, she's called [The Flame Mage] or [Master of Flame], etc. No one can rival her in manipulating mana, earning her the title of [Astrid the Magic God]. Of course, this title isn’t used negatively, you can say it confirms her talents and reputation.

I've met her several times already. To be honest, I’ve lost count of how many times I made her my master.

I feel there will be misunderstandings if I explain it like this, in the end, it was all just inside the game. Astrid, [The Flame Mage], is both a genius and an outstanding teacher. Unlike Noah von Trinity, who says vague things like, 'It just worked out for me?!', Astrid is a dedicated character who gives her best to ensure her students become the best.

Noah also teaches the player sincerely, but she’s on a different track from Astrid. Astrid is a character designed by the developers to be the perfect teacher.

'Of course, she might be a bit too obsessed with geniuses'

That's why I’ve been waiting for her to show up. I didn’t expect to meet Astrid this early, though. Noah had decided to help me to bloom my talent, so she brought her.

'She must’ve thought teaching me by herself was too difficult and uncertain how to make me stronger, so she called Astrid here'

In fact, before Noah, Astrid was once offered the position of dean at Eldain Academy. But she didn’t want to meddle with political battles. In the end, she became a character that help by occasionally giving lessons to talented individuals, just like now.

By the way, Professor Lars was trying to leave because he sensed the tense atmosphere, but he ended up stuck between me and the two of them. Professor Lars's mustache quivered slightly as he looked like he was about to cry.

'Serve you right.'

It’s a bit mean to say this since he is my instructor, but thinking about all the things he has put me through, such feelings have gone far away. Lars, You will understand too after experiencing a troublesome situation. So don't harass me anymore!

While I was standing, lost in thought, Astrid spoke to me.

"How did you know about me?"

"I figured it out myself."

"I see."

"Yes."

As if couldn’t grasp the situation, Lars kept looking back and forth between me and Astrid. Clearly not understand how a mere student like me could know her. He’ll definitely ask me about this later. Not that I’d give him an answer, anyway.

Then at that moment. Astrid’s faintly orange hair floated in the air, and her eyes glowed a brilliant color. One of Astrid's exclusive skills, [Lie Detection].

'A cheat skill that absolutely impossible to dodge… a different skill from the other four sages or three sword emperors. You can't even avoid it with acting skills'

That’s why I told the truth even in the situation where lying is fine. I really did figure out everything about Astrid on my own.

Anyway. Thanks to this skill, Astrid had wandered the continent, unable to find a disciple. Who could approach one of the Four Sages, reveal everything about themselves, and purely seek to learn magic? That’s almost close to an illusion.

By now, there may be people who have guessed what I'm getting at. Right. The first condition to learn magic from Astrid von Kaliud. You must earn her trust. No lies, and face her head-on. That’s the beginning and the end of it.

Astrid nodded, seemingly knowing that I wasn’t lying. That's fortunate for me. After all, I'm in a position where I need to become her disciple.

Well, nothing wrong with making a good impression

"I don’t want to talk too much, so just take it off."

I obediently took off my coat, just as she told me to. My body had trained nicely now, with lean muscles in the right places. Unfortunately, just as my strength has a limit, my muscle growth is limited too, so it's difficult to grow it to be bulky

'Still, I’ve worked hard to get this far, so I’m pretty satisfied.'

"Is this good enough?"

"Don’t ask when you already know. It’s annoying."

Astrid spoke with a yawn, full of tiresomeness. Then she lightly placed her hand on my chest, and blue mana began to form. Lars, seeing this, freaked out.

"Ah, Astrid-nim! Um, what exactly are you planning to do to student Nox? If I may ask for your intentions…?"

That guy… His voice was trembling slightly. It seemed like he was worried that I might die. Sometimes, he can be a nice guy.

Standing in front of two of the Four Sages and daring to ask about their intentions… that’s no small feat. Although, he probably just doesn’t want to lose his top student, who researched a thesis with him.

"To learn my magic, this is necessary. Move."

Astrid’s eyes, filled with indifference, stared down at Lars, who had somehow stepped in front of me. Unless Lars was truly terrified, he would not back down from this, and he’d definitely hold his ground…

"Ah! Yes, I understand. This is Astrid-nim's magic, one of the Four Sages, there's no way it could be dangerous! Haha!"

"No, He could actually die"

Astrid said that in a completely indifferent tone. Lars looked a bit worried but laughed it off.

"Haha, what a joke! While some knights might think mages are crazy, it’s not like anyone but dark mages would go out of their way to kill someone! Nox-kun, this is a great opportunity, so make the most of the dean’s kindness!"

…Coward. Lars quickly backed off, accepted it just like that. It seems his brain has made a compromise. This guy… I’m going to skip two of our research meetings later.

While I was plotting my small revenge, Astrid’s blue mana was slowly seeping into my body. Since Astrid was too lazy to explain, I pondered what I knew about Inner Lunatic’s magic, especially Dragon Magic which related to the Dragon language. What she’s doing now is the process of creating a Dragon Heart, the pinnacle of magic, the heart to use the highest skills in Inner Lunatic.

"Haa….."

A rough breath escaped me, and I unknowingly furrowed my brow. Even after I’ve adapted to this world, the feeling of mana squeezing my heart was unfamiliar. It’s not like there’s anything I can do about it, but still… I can't help but wonder can’t she be a bit gentler?

"Endure it. It’s annoying, so I’ll finish quickly."

"…Yes."

As expected, it seems all teachers in fiction are insane. I let out a sigh as I suddenly realized this truth again. A short, sharp sigh. Naturally, Astrid didn’t care at all.

-----------------------------------

Meanwhile, At the same time, Astrid herself was slightly surprised. It was because of Nox’s magical talent.

'He has way too much mana. This is going to take a long time to create the Dragon Heart…'

Annoying. It’s so annoying that I feel like I might die. But even so, why is it? Astrid had a fleeting thought that maybe, she might become a little interested in Nox if he managed to survive this ordeal. The reason was simple.

She thought to herself, with the amount of mana she was pouring into him? The chances of a mere 15-year-old, barely adult Nox surviving were less than 2%.

'If he really does survive, things might get interesting.'

Even with that thought, she just spoke in a flat tone.

"Endure it."

Dragons. They are the beginning and end of magic.

In normal fantasy novels, comics, or games, they are often described like this.

Inner Lunatic is somewhat similar. While dragons aren’t the originators of magic, they are still counted as one of the leading races in magic study.

'Furthermore, because they use a specialized language system called Dragon language, they handle magic with far more words than humans can express, making the magic stability high. That’s why in the later half of the game, using Dragon magic becomes a must.'

Basically, Dragon magic is unparalleled and inherently awe-inspiring.

Those who have transcended may occasionally wield magic comparable to that realm, but most mages can’t even come close, which proves just how extraordinary it is.

Also, there are several reasons why dragon magic is so powerful. but the biggest one is the Dragon Heart. In other words, the difference lies in the power engine that circulates mana within their bodies. Later, when you max out a mage build and grow your character close to the limit, you really start to feel it, but acquiring a Dragon Heart is a challenge that’s almost beyond imagination. But right now, it’s what I need most.

'Magic and Sword. The fact that I have genius traits for both is an overwhelming advantage over the others. If I can properly use magic while learning Luna’s Moonlight Sword…'

Naturally, I’ll be able to survive even when the first part of the game ends. If so, getting closer to the truth will be much easier.

That’s right. In the end, everything is about finding the answer.

My origin. Where is the truth hidden? Also, What is this strange possession leading me to, who am I…? For this, I have no choice but to grow stronger.

'…But heart isn't consumable goods, and there's no way you can just swap out it easily. In other words…'

"Argh!"

I felt a sharp pain shoot through my heart, and this time, I glared at Astrid, determined to quibble over this. Still, even if it's me, I'm not used to continuously enduring this level of pain. Just when I was about to speak.

An even greater wave of pain started constricting me.

If a moment ago, the mana flowing into me was just squeezing my heart, now it felt like a searing hot iron was carved something onto it. The shocking pain that I felt surged through my most vulnerable spot, sweeping me just like a tidal wave.

'At this rate… I think I will die…!'

Of course, I’ve never actually died after saying something like that. But I can't help but be frightened.

It feels almost like the time I collapsed while playing the game. The agony, spreading slowly like a deadly poison, reminded me of the pain I felt when I first got possessed in the game.

Haa… I took a few breaths, but even my breathing was shaking right now. Maybe it was too early to entrust my body to Astrid?

When a strong regret began to wash over me.

[The Dragon’s Inscription on player’s heart is beginning!]

Kohok--- Just as I coughed up blood and my vision started to blur. Though I couldn't quite hear the system message clearly, later, I’d realize why Astrid is considered the best teacher unit in Inner Lunatic.

The regret that had been tormenting me until then disappeared completely.

[The integrated item 'Dragon Heart' is being engraved to the player!] [Your ability to manage mana is greatly enhanced!] [Your Mana stat has permanently increased by 1!] [Your Physical Strength stat has permanently increased by 1!] [Your Willpower stat has permanently increased by 1!]

All stats increased by 1?

'This really is on another level.'

I realized it once again. … When it comes to magic, then from dragons.

As I reflected on that, I closed my eyes. I glanced over at Astrid for a moment, who was yawning, and watched Noah's cheerful expression and Lars's horrified face. Lars, I won’t let you off easy…!

Soon after, a deep sleep overcame me. I smiled faintly.

When I wake up, I’ll probably be quite different, no, very different from who I was before.

"Noah, it seems you picked up something useful."

I closed my eyes as I listened to Astrid's last words.

[gozine-translate]

Terminally-ill Genius Dark Knight - 154

154. Hell Party [2]

In the past, 72 high-ranking demons were sealed away by Solomon. Naturally, their infamous is well-known across various countries.

Calamity. Just the word itself is enough to remember them.

The tragic moments when the barrier between the human world and those demons was shattered. Although three sword emperors and four sages succeeded in stopping this, the impact those demons had across the continent was shocking.

Millions of humans were massacred. Followed by horrifying human experiments and the mass production of demons’ followers and servants, the demonic humans. Demons were truly a calamity on a whole different level.

So, surely what does Nox’s seemingly casual talk in front of his comrades mean?

-- I’m going to kill them. And for that, I need you all to be here.

His words made it impossible for anyone to stay calm. How can young master, known as a troublemaker from a noble family, be so confident about exterminating the 72 demons, which is considered the worst calamity? This is a feat not even the most shining heroes, whose names are remembered across the continent, have achieved. He’s barely an adult, a boy who hasn't fully developed his skills, clearly there are limits to what he can do. Yet, there was not a hint of hesitation in his determination.

His comrades couldn’t help but feel a sense of fear. How far is Nox seeing, and even though he has enough already, why is he throwing himself into such a dangerous endeavor?

It was natural for them to be suspicious of Nox’s true nature.

But among them, only Rona was different. If it was her, who had a connection with his past, she could guess what was going through Nox’s feelings right now and why he made such a decision

'Madam's death… That must have been what changed Young Master. There’s no doubt about it.'

It was the death of Nox’s mother, the mistress of the Reinhaver family. That tragic event must have shattered the once warm-hearted young master, planting within him a blind thirst for revenge against the demons. Therefore, this must have slowly broken him, leading to the person he is now.

'Young master'

Then, what should I do here?

Rona couldn’t help but think. What can she say to young master now to stop him? How can she let him know how futile and meaningless the desire for revenge is? Rona knew she was overstepping, but she couldn’t help but worry since she genuinely cared for him.

"Young master."

She grasped her skirt tightly and looked at Nox intently. In the past, and even now, he has shown warmth to everyone within his circle. But the current Nox clearly seemed unstable. As if he could slip away like sand through one’s fingers at any moment. From the beginning, he had always drawn a subtle line even with his comrades, not allowing anyone to cross it.

The current Nox was a stranger to her.

After a brief hesitation, Rona spoke with firm resolve, facing his lavender eyes.

"Young master, I’m sorry… but I’m against this. I know I don’t have the right to stop you, but…"

Another moment of silence. Although she was still conflicted, her intention was clear.

"Please, try to understand my feelings and the promise I made to the late Madam. I beg you, could you reconsider just one more time?"

"It’s already decided."

But Nox’s resolve was firm. Shaking his head, he said,

"It’s inevitable. It’s not for personal reasons, I announced the extermination of the 72 demons for external reasons, and you can't do anything about it"

Rona’s delicate brow furrowed as her head drooped. She had known from the start that he wouldn’t give her the answer she wanted. Still, she had clung to a tiny bit of hope. Relying on the young master’s warm heart is her own selfishness.

A moment later. She finally asked the last question she couldn't hold

"Even if…I were to leave your side?"

"I’d make sure you don’t get hurt. Of course, if you really wanted to leave me."

He spoke with such certainty, as if he was sure Rona couldn’t leave him. Unfortunately, even if he truly thought that, Rona couldn’t deny it.

After all, she couldn’t really leave young master.

They had spent too much time together, and she had to keep the promise she made to the late madam, who had taken her in when she was nothing.

'That’s not all, but… Anyway, I have to do what I can now.'

Before she knew it, out of nowhere, she had this thought, she wanted to understand why she had to stay by his side, no, why she wanted to.

To do that, she couldn't help but once again become the good (?) but slightly mischievous maid and look at him as she did before. Even if it meant putting on a persona.

After thinking it through, Rona lifted her head and smiled brightly.

"I'll follow you. There's no way I will give up such a good job as being a maid at the Reinhaver family!"

The moment Rona's cheerful voice echoed.

[A new character trait has been added to 'Rona de Nero.']

[Character Viewing System is automatically activated.]

["Blind Faith" and "Mediocre Acting" traits have been added to this character.]

"Well… I might not know about difficult things, but I'm on your side no matter what, husband!"

In the somewhat tense atmosphere, Erina interrupted with a cheerful grin. May also nodded firmly with a determined expression.

"My life was already doomed in Chaders. There's no way I wouldn't follow you now, young master. Besides… it makes me anxious to leave this friend behind."

May said this as she wrapped her arm around Erina’s shoulder, her tone implying as if she had no other choice, but her actions suggested otherwise. Erina's face quickly filled with tears, as if she was about to burst.

"May… you care about me that much?"

"Don’t think I said that because you're such a troublemaker, okay?"

May sighed as she pushed away Erina, who hugged her while rubbing her face against her. Anyway, the two had made their decision to follow Nox until death. Erina, who had become a prisoner of love(?) had no other choice, but May voluntarily chose to stay by Nox's side.

Before Nox could shift his gaze to the next person, a head of warm red hair moved toward him. Kushan Adrian. He also wanted to voice his opinion.

"Forgive me for saying this, but this is an extremely dangerous and absurd endeavor. Given that we’ve been manipulated by the 72 demons before, your decision sounds even more perilous, and I think that’s the reality"

Kushan paused briefly, seemingly finalizing his thoughts, before continuing.

"However, if you must go forward, if this endeavor has meaning in itself, if it doesn’t matter even if it all falls apart…"

Kushan's red eyes gleamed intensely.

"We from the East will follow you unconditionally, young master. As long as I’m alive, our dynasty will not forget the hope and grace you’ve given us. I was saved by you"

It was a rather burdensome stance. Naturally, Nox was likely screaming internally at this point. But whether it was due to the [Master of Acting] trait working properly, Nox accepted it with a calm smile.

It almost made the others feel like he had known all along that things would turn out this way. There was only one unable to adapt to this situation, the newly enslaved Prim

'…Are they crazy? Taking on the 72 demons? No matter how strong that guy is, it’s impossible… Could he really be an amazing person? It seems like I should be careful and resist moderately'

The option of not resisting wasn't even on the table. Unaware that Nox could read his thoughts completely, Prim made his decision on how to act.

Zitri, watching her young master’s decisions, also decided to respect Nox. Unlike Rona, from the beginning, she saw the Nox that was different from the rumor, so she calmly accepted and decided to follow him.

'Like everyone here, I’m the same. My life was abandoned, and if it's young master Nox who is the one who gave me a second chance… I have to trust and follow him.'

The moment Zitri made this resolve.

Nox suddenly looked at everyone and began to speak.

"Now, I’ll explain my plan. I won’t repeat myself, so listen carefully."

-------------------------------------

Quite a long time passed. After finished talking with my units. I’m lying quietly on the bed in the Sidus' Hall room. Sleep won’t come easily. The events I’ve gone through so far flash through my mind like a revolving lantern, piercing through my past. And then, a nagging thought heats up the sides of my temples.

'… Am I doing well now?'

Did I make the right choice?

After putting the people I've brought into my circle in danger. Is this the right choice? If it's not, am I just sacrificing them for my own safety?

No one knows that I’m Yoochan inside. Only I know that.

So, every time moments like this come, I wonder. What if I were truly Nox?

If I were, could I have formed deeper bonds with my comrades? Instead of forcing sacrifices, could I have entrusted them with my back and moved forward together?

Honestly, I don’t know.

'… No time to be sentimental. I know what I need to do now.'

Exterminating the demons. Reach the end of the story.

And maybe, the next story that something even I haven’t seen yet, Standing at the start and end of the second chapter.

Countless thoughts crash over me like waves, shaking the boat that is me. My secret that I can’t tell anyone.

The loneliness stemming from it sometimes drags me down into the mire.

"Well, nothing I can do about it."

I just chuckle bitterly and let it pass. The current situation, and the abnormal relationships I’ve built by deceiving others.

Then, suddenly, a thought intrudes into my mind.

"… At some point, it seems I’ve also been influenced by Nox."

Inner Lunatic.

I've been gradually getting used to being possessed in the body of the worst villain in the game I loved. The biggest proof of this is that I'm starting to see people as tools to be used.

But I can't give up on my goal of regaining my memories. I need to find out how this game is connected to me.

'I have to do whatever it takes to achieve that.'

This deep sense of urgency too, it probably because there's something out there that I don't know yet. So, right now, the only choice is to keep moving forward.

I stare out the window for a while before finally closing it.

I, who was once an outsider to this story. Now truly feel like I've become a part of this game world.

-------------------------------------

The next day. After finishing the basic academy classes, I met with a person I've been anticipating in the private training room. If you were playing the game, you wouldn't encounter this person at this point. True to her name, one of the strongest characters in Inner Lunatic is standing right in front of me.

"…."

A drop of cold sweat ran down my back before I knew it. Even though I anticipated this, encountering an unpredictable variable this early still makes me nervous. Bright orange hair that looks like it’s soaked in the sunset, and vertical pupils in her eyes, a woman with voluptuous body. She stares at me with interest while licking her lips.

Next to her is another one of the strongest characters in the world, Noah von Trinity. Behind them, Professor Lars standing there, dripping with sweat

"If you had told me in advance that someone so important was coming…"

Professor Lars stammers in surprise. But the woman continues to look at me with amusement and asks directly,

"I heard you have my orb."

Straightforward speech. As expected. If this is Astrid von Kaliud, one of the four sages I know, then this is exactly how she should be. No explanations, just pushing forward at her own pace. Despite the overwhelming pressure of her mana, I pretend to keep my composure, acting as Nox, and reply,

"Nice to meet you."

"I already know that you know who I am. No need to pretend otherwise."

"Hihi, didn’t I tell you? This is going to be interesting!"

Noah chimes in playfully from behind. Astrid gives a faint smile.

"I don't care about that. First, take off your clothes."

"…yes?"

Even I couldn't help but flinch at that. Sure, she was lazy and did things her own way in the game, but this suddenly?

Astrid looked at me with an unreadable expression, as if it was tiresome. The front of her outfit opens slightly. But her gaze stays fixed on the front, not moving at all. Astrid calmly places her hand on my jaw and says calmly

"You're going to learn it, no? Magic."

A faint orange glow lingers in Astrid's vertical pupils. I had no choice but to nod.

[gozine-translate]

Terminally-ill Genius Dark Knight - 153

153: Hell Party [1]

At Eldain Academy, countless students, and excellent ones at that, are admitted every year. But if you were to ask whether everyone graduates safely, I’d have to say definitely not.

Since the academy trains students to hunt demons, and the curriculum is extremely demanding, many end up dropping out due to the excessive pressure. Even if they can become honored knights or wizards praised by everyone, most of the entrants are nobles.

These students have lived their entire lives as rulers, lording over others, most of them treating commoners like slaves.

Now, they’re forced to study in the same space as commoners, breathe the same air, and even team up with them. It can't be helped that many of them drop out despite their desire for glory.

Is that all?

When facing demons, before they know it, they realize their own powerlessness. Whether they hit the limits of their own talents or feel frustrated by someone more talented, such situations occur frequently here. This is exactly what Eldain Academy is.

Thus, feeling worried or hurt after listening to a such circumstance, Seeing such a thing, it's only natural that students end up leaving, creating vacancies. Therefore, Eldain has a solution for this.

Every year when about 30% of the new students drop out, They fill those spots with qualified transfer students

Of course, mainly, most of these are noble recommendations, so commoners rarely get this opportunity.

But, the possibility is definitely there.

'Moreover, in this transfer, the academy's admission rule of allowing only three students per family has been completely abolished.'

And, I utilized this and successfully enrolled all my units into the Eldain Academy. There was no reason to hesitate since this would be of great help later on.

'Allen and Hats, the twins from the Reinhaver family, will probably enroll soon. The admission criteria for transfer students were relaxed only recently.'

Considering Priscilla's personality, who dotes on her children, it would be strange if they didn't come here.

I just hope that the academy’s reputation doesn’t suffer.

Anyway, they aren't my concern.

If there is one problem for me, it’s the rather excessive personalities of my units that sprawled out in front of me.

Each of them is insane, and I’m in a position who has to control them… So what can I do? I’ve trained my body for moments like this.

From the olden times, for those who don’t listen, a good beating is the answer.

Sitting in a secret cafe in the inner part of commercial district, I began speaking to them as they looked at me.

"First, I welcome you all here. But before we get to further discussion, keep one thing in mind"

I said in a clear voice.

"If you defy me, you will be dismissed."

As if exhaling a stream of cold, white air. A chill, cold as a winter wind, swept over the units in front of me. They must have sensed that a tough journey had begun.

But it cannot be helped.

Their fate was set in stone the moment they became my units.

----------------------------------------

Noah von Trinity. The dean of Eldain Academy, was currently troubled by a number of issues.

The first was the recent darkness that had infiltrated the academy, the demonkin (Majin) [see note below] and the interference of the royal family. Lately, the first prince, Louis von Arkheim has excessively changed the power balance with his interference.

The "Foolish Emperor" Esteban. Her former comrade from the past, the emperor had already become a fool. He collapsed along with his lost wife. And Noah seemed to know who was behind this.

'The royal family.. No, to be more precise, you can say the culprit is the demon who infiltrated Royal family and made Esteban a fool'

The once wise emperor’s downfall and corruption, the one that instigated this was definitely a demon.

'But what will happen if that child learns the whole truth?'

This wasn’t about Nox. But it was about someone just as important as him, Someone deeply connected to Esteban von Arkheim, who currently ends up as a puppet ruler.

As Noah thought this, she shook her head. There wasn’t time to worry about that now.

"The demons are expanding their influence. There is news of more lands being corrupted, and people losing their minds and going on rampages."

The incident at the Avilat gambling house was the same. If Nox hadn’t shown up, the tragedy would’ve been much worse.

Though it’s frustrating for Nox that wherever he goes, a major demon appears…

'Well, it’s his fate. But…'

Noah, crossing her legs, popped a stick of candy into her mouth.

Crunch—.

As she swallowed it, a thought crossed her mind.

'What if he is deliberately throwing himself into the midst of demons?'

The idea seemed far-fetched.

Even someone as talented as her hasn't been able to develop a tool to track demons. She had skilled alchemists working on it, but there had been no success. This was why she hadn’t been able to hunt down a demon currently disguised as a professor at Eldain. All Noah could do now was follow the stench.

So there was no way Nox had some ability to track demons. Of course, there’s never a 100% certainty, but…

The thought still seemed far-fetched.

Therefore, Noah decided to keep watching him a little longer.

If. If Nox got involved in another incident related to the 72 demons? She should consider that he may possess a radar to find a demon. She will ask Nox directly when that time comes.

With that in mind, Noah finished her candy and got up from her seat.

"Anyway, the priority is to help Nox improve his skills. That woman… she will teach him well, right?"

Though Noah was the dean, she was terrible at teaching, which is why she brought in her friend. She hoped she could help Nox.

Before she knew it, Noah was becoming a dean who was devoted to her role as a teacher. even if she didn’t think of herself that way.

----------------------------------------

"Seriously, young master, you don’t look happy to see me at all! How can you be so rough with my poor ‘pretty’ ears when it’s been so long since we last met?! And now I’m not even just a maid for the mansion. I’m your personal maid! You should treat me more preciously!"

As expected, Rona de Nero was loud when we reunited.

But seriously, weren't you volunteered to be my personal maid? Why are you blaming me?

Absurd. I answered dismissively

"You’re noisy. And if you don’t stop talking just like Christopher, I won’t let it slide. Got it?"

"Young master!"

Rona fumed, but it didn’t matter to me. After all, I’ve seen this behavior countless times, so it doesn’t faze me anymore. Such a situation can't even make a light scratch to me, who know Rona well since I've seen her in this world twentieth times

Clatter.

At the same time, I can see a man setting down a teacup. A young man with rare red hair, red eyes, and bronzed skin. Another familiar unit, Kushan Adrian.

"Haha. Today's just as lively and warm as ever. Our ancestors teach us that a good ruler attracts good people and I think that's definitely true. Serving young master, is the greatest fortune of my life"

‘What? Gross…'

I recoiled, startled.

Kushan gave a satisfied smile, apparently under the delusion that the atmosphere among the units was harmonious.

I'm dumbfounded.

Does this really look harmonious to you? There’s no way the eyes of the unit I carefully recruited are that blind, right?

For your reference. Zitri is busy assessing the current situation. Her eyes are darting around is the proof. I'm not sure. She’s probably trying to figure out where to start and how to manage this insane group of people, this chaotic bunch of units.

Besides, she’s dealing with a penalty right now.

Zitri, who can handle Christopher with ease, can't bring herself to criticize one particular member of this party.

Rona de Nero.

Of course, while I wonder if she is actually a garbage unit that should be scorned, Zitri doesn’t think the same. Surprisingly, Rona has a warm side to her.

She was the only one who reached out to Zitri when no one else believed in her. And she even helped Zitri get along with other maids within and outside the family. So, Zitri can’t treat Rona harshly or push her away.

For me, it's a bit a shame.

Suddenly a suspicion arose. How did such harsh words come out of such a small, delicate-looking girl? Even I, who’s cleared the Inner Lunatic 27 times, still can’t fully understand it.

'haa….'

A sigh slipped out of me before I realized it. My eyes briefly met Zitri's, and I could see the dark circles forming under her eyes. We’re probably both dealing with similar worries, but she’s likely also thinking of me as someone to keep an eye on, given how I’ve been sneaking out lately and getting into all sorts of dangerous situations.

She’s probably thinking, 'The young master isn’t a ruffian, but he’s still dangerous.'

'Of course, the others are much worse.'

I quietly took a good look around at the units. To sum it up, it was a complete mess.

"Noo… hiccup! Husband… I really hate studying… of all things, why did you bring me…Hiccup….to a school like this… hiccup"

"Erina! Here, this is hangover medicine! Take it quickly!"

"Don't want! I don’t wanna eat something bitter…! Mmph!"

"Noisy! open your mouth!"

May is doing her best on the front lines, so Erina should snap out of it and wake up soon. Thank goodness. I couldn’t help but sigh in relief. Zitri had the same reaction. She's a maid who connects very well with me.

Even so, it was impossible for May to control a unit she just met.

"As expected, isn't the whole 'young master from a noble family' thing a lie? How could you gather such a bunch of people like this if you're not a gangster?"

That last comment was from Prim, by the way.

Whack!

"Ow!"

I smacked him right on the head. This brat's secretly trying to take advantage of the chaos to get ahead.

My mind became overwhelmed in an instant, but I endured with grit and determination.

'If there is a good thing, is that no one outside this room will hear the conversations happening here.'

But even that's not perfect. I can sense a strange mana around. While it doesn’t seem hostile towards me, it’s clearly testing me.

"For now, everyone shut up."

Since they were being so noisy, I decided to speak up like the ruffian I am. All gazes were instantly concentrated on me. I kept going as if it was natural.

"First off, I want you all to know there’s a reason I’ve gathered you here at Eldain Academy. Each of you has a role to play here, and you’re going to support me."

"Support…"

May clenched her fists with a determined look on her face. She’s clearly eager to help me. As expected, she's the only normal unit in our party.

What would I do without Zitri and May?

'I don’t even want to imagine.'

From the olden times, thinking about the worst-case scenario gives you hope. I was relieved that the grim future without these two wouldn't come and calmly looked ahead.

"Your objective….. What exactly do you need us to do?"

Kushan raised his hand slightly as he asked. I slowly lowered my eyes and scanned him and the others as I spoke. My words were slow but precise.

"There’s a demonkin (Majin) hiding here at the academy. A demon, and not just any demon, but one who’s made a pact with one of the 72 demons. They’re hiding their true identity and spreading their evil influence."

The chatter among the units suddenly died down after my shocking revelation. Their gazes turned towards me, filled with thick fear and dread, and an intense hostility towards the demon.

"Young master, is that… really true?"

“Yeah.”

I answered Rona's question nonchalantly. Then, I clenched my fists and added with determination.

"I’m going to kill them. And for that, I need you all to be here."

Their gazes hardened. Now they finally understand who they got under. They knew what kind of ruffian they were serving.

This crazy hell party has a very simple goal.

'To wipe out all demons, I need to build my faction and strengthen my units. To do that, I have to start by taking over everything here at Eldain, the main stage where the events unfold.'

To put it simply, that’s it. I’m about to enjoy my medieval fantasy school life…

Making friends…no, subordinates, monopolizing the academy’s key episodes and hidden pieces. Well, stuff like that.

just like a trivial game-like stuff? …. it would be something like that…

Of course, it’s the worst game filled with tough demons and nerve-wracking battles, but still.

----------------------------------------

Eldain Academy has many facilities for students, but none are as popular as the cafe 'Afternoon Teatime.' It’s located right in the middle of the 4th Commercial District.

Just a moment ago, a woman with a voluptuous figure visited this place. Astrid von Kaliud. She’s a longtime friend of Noah von Trinity ['Witch of Ice'] and one of the last surviving dragonkin, those who inherited the blood of a dragon believed to have gone extinct. Existence that known as the last survivor.

Astrid, with her orange hair glowing faintly, was staring intently at one place. The boy she had followed into the cafe. It was Nox von Reinhaver, whom she was meant to look after.

And she knew.

Nox von Reinhaver.

The cheeky brat already knew she was watching him. He had already sensed her presence and figured out her magic.

‘This is going to be fun, isn’t it?’

Astrid smiled. Yes, she was just as crazy as Noah. That’s how it is with those known as the "Four Sages."

Meanwhile, Nox smirked.

'So, she’s finally here. One of the current Four Sages, [Flame Mage] Astrid von Kaliud, who’s going to become my master soon.'

Nox had already figured everything out. He knew Noah would assign her as his magic instructor.

'Things are about to get interesting.'

Nox smiled.

How much could he squeeze out of this time? With that thought, Nox felt like he wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight.

Like a child holding onto cotton candy, he was excited like a child who had a screw loose somewhere. As if he had long craved a twisted sense of power.

Just like Noah in the past.

----------------------------------------

Note/Question

Can anyone tell me what "majin" translates to in English? You know, like in Majin Buu, etc? I felt "demon" would fit, but it could be confusing since "majin" means "demon person" in a more literal sense. Whereas in the novel "demons/akuma" and "majin" are different entities

----------------------------------------

Main [마인] = Majin [魔人] = Manusia iblis. Ada yg tau bahasa inggrisnya manusia iblis? Kayaknya kalau 'demon person' kurang pas ini '_'

Thanks

[gozine-translate]

Terminally-ill Genius Dark Knight - 157

157: The Third Main Episode [2]

A few days ago. At the building of Rivalin Merchant Group in the 4th Commercial District. A group of prominent merchants gathered around a long rectangular table. At the head of the table sat Eleanor, owner of the group. Around her were the investors and Rick.

All of them had quite stiff expressions.

The proof was that they were not even touching the refreshments the maid had served and focused on Eleanor's words.

'Of course they would be, this is a matter that concerns their lives'

Rick thought to himself, hands clasped together.

In fact, the reaction of the nobles gathered here was extremely natural.

Because the topic of their conversation wasn’t just about profit, it was deeply intertwined with political issues.

Precisely, they were gathering opinions about the two people speculated to be the next emperor.

'[Esteban the fool]. The current emperor doesn’t have much time left. At this point, the choice is whether to support the first prince, Louis von Arkheim, or the first princess, Penelope von Arkheim. They’re all standing at a crossroads'

Rick mused with a slight grin.

‘But the power struggle isn’t just happening within the imperial family. Instead, the real maneuvering is happening outside.'

The competition for Arkheim's throne was limited to the imperial family? There's no way

Although they don't say it, forces like the radical factions led by the Dark family, and the resistance groups fueled by grievances over noble discrimination from time to time, had grown uncontrollably large.

Now, four major forces were baring their fangs and watching each other carefully. The current Arkheim was essentially on the brink of civil war.

'That’s why they’re all gathered here, these nobles who are desperate to protect their own interests'

Rick looked at the cautious nobles as if they were pathetic.

Their purpose for gathering here is only one.

House of Rivalin. To see who, the family that ranked 1 as the wealthiest, that not even nobles can act carelessly towards them, would support. To confirm whose side they're on.

The side with the most resources—food supplies, skilled knights, and powerful mages, naturally will win the war. Money was essential to secure all of those.

Right. The bottom line, the choice Eleanor and the many nobles here made could shift the balance of power across the continent. If we consider the size of capital at their disposal? What is certain is that when they support one faction, the other faction's power can be diminished.

Of course, the imperial family will impose a sanction, but there was no way they would be able to completely suppress them.

…..However that was only true if all the wealthy merchants could unite their opinions. From olden times, when large groups of people gather, it’s never easy to align their opinions.

Such was the case with Eleanor now.

"So, are you saying my judgment is wrong? This is the perfect time. If we want to expand the influence of the Rivalin family and pressure the imperial family, we must strengthen our position now!"

"But how can you say we should support neither the first prince nor the first princess? No matter how dire things may seem, aren't we citizens of the Arkheim Empire? I’m against this"

The one who speaking now was Goff, the head of the second-largest merchant group after Rivalin's.

She had thought he would side with her this time too due to his greediness. Eleanor was perplexed by it.

Why is this man, who has no loyalty whatsoever, suddenly bringing up the citizens and saying that someone from the imperial family should take over the throne?

Eleanor calmly continued as she spun her thoughts.

"Regardless of which side we choose, there’s nothing to gain. The fall of the imperial family is inevitable."

"Huh…!"

"How could you say that so easily?!"

"Who do you think is the reason we’ve been able to conduct our business so freely?"

Nobles fierce's protests continued.

It was obvious. At any rate, as Goff pointed out, they were still citizens of the imperial family. for them, Eleanor’s words were akin to dropping a bomb.

Not a kingdom, but predicting the fall of the empire, especially the Holy Arkheim Empire. This can be seen as a serious offense.

But Eleanor stood firm in her beliefs. She saw no potential in either the first prince or princess, nor did she see any real movement from them to expand their influence.

"It’s already a sinking ship. Emperor Esteban’s foolishness is impacting the entire continent. Do you still think centralization can hold in this situation?"

"Eleanor-nim"

At this moment, Rick, her attendant who usually kept quiet, spoke up while looking her directly in the eyes.

Her auburn hair and the gaze that scatters a subtle fragrance turn towards Rick.

"Don’t you think it’s a bit too early for such talk? Even though His Majesty is suffering from an incurable disease, there’s still time before he passes. And if we act rashly, we might end up losing everything we currently have"

"Rick!"

"Yes, my lady"

Eleanor's brow furrowed. It was very much unexpected situation.

Rick responded with a slight smile, though inwardly, his thoughts were far from that.

Eleanor's trait as a [Genius of Acting] quickly picked up on this.

'He's hiding something from me.'

She had sensed it before, but now she was certain. Rick had definitely been hiding something from her for a long time, though she didn’t know the details. It must have been something he had prepared for quite a while.

‘Could he have influenced the nobles' reactions too?’

The thought crossed Eleanor's mind. But now wasn’t the time to dwell on it. As the head of the merchant guild, she had to finish what she had started. Just as she straightened her neck and was about to speak.

"The accountant seems to have a sharper eye."

“That’s right! There are still too many risks to abandon the imperial family just yet. Please be aware of that."

"We’ll pretend we didn’t hear anything!"

The nobles abruptly stood up, left the meeting room, and each climbed into their carriages and disappeared.

Moments later, only Eleanor and Rick remained in the room.

Rick spoke, trying to console her.

"We don't have enough power yet to challenge the imperial family, so we had no choice…"

“When did I give my accountant permission to speak in an important meeting?”

There was a sharp edge to Eleanor's tone. Gripped by uncontrollable anger, she clenched the fabric of her skirt.

"You are my attendant. Instead of humiliating me in front of everyone, you should have explained why my opinion was valid."

"If your opinion was really valid, I would."

"What?"

Eleanor’s pupils constricted.

"But When I judged the situation, my opinion didn’t align with Miss's"

Rick adjusted his slightly askew newsboy cap with an innocent smile. Seeing this, Eleanor finally let out a cold, cutting remark.

"Return your position as an accountant and get out of this group."

Rick, a bit surprised, put his luggage down and left the meeting room just like the other nobles.

Eleanor was once again left alone, feeling like a trash she had experienced before. Her father and mother’s deaths, the humiliation she suffered at the social party by Nox von Reinhaver. All the shameful experiences she’d faced flashed through her mind.

"I need someone to protect me."

Lost in despair, Eleanor made a quick decision. She hadn't expected her remark to provoke such a displeased reaction from the nobles. For her, rejecting the direct lineage of the imperial family… This was a situation that revealed a critical weakness, threatening the existence of the merchant group itself. Maybe, there are many forces that will try to assassinate or attack her. In addition, gathering a large force to protect herself would be difficult. Anyway, it will be difficult to completely trust them.

In an irrational state, She placed her hand on the communication crystal. She had no choice but to call someone.

The one person who had saved her without asking for anything in return. Shane.

------------------------------

"Please protect me during the [Joint Martial Arts] practical session."

When I first heard those words from Eleanor’s lips, I thought to myself.

'Is this a dream? Is it because of dream that it felt so hazy?'

I couldn't help but think that way. Eleanor was someone who rarely showed her emotions. She was a natural-born merchant.

Even if millions of gold coins were coming and going right before her eyes, she wouldn't lose her composure and instead enjoyed the situation. That was the Eleanor I knew…

'There must be a certain variable?'

There must be a reason for her change. A crack began to form in her Golden Mask, which was called "Golden Fox". That was likely influenced by the butterfly effect I had triggered too.

I gently set my teacup down and asked cautiously.

"Is someone trying to harm young miss?"

I had no choice but to ask carefully.

After all, it was true that I had helped her several times recently, both inside and outside the academy. It was all done under the guise of Shane, completely concealing the use of [Supreme Black Sword], using only the [Moonlight Sword]. But was that enough for Eleanor to trust and rely on me in such a dangerous situation? That was another matter.

But, Eleanor calmly continued

"As you’ve probably noticed by now… Yes. In fact, it would be more accurate to say there are many. As merchants, once gold is involved, we can’t help but get our hands dirty."

Her words carried a sense of emptiness, and her tone was unlike her usual self. I couldn’t help but feel slightly confused.

'You aren't this kind of character, aren't you?'

"I can't see your attendant, Rick, as well.. It seems everyone is quite busy at the moment."

"I fired him. So please refrain from mentioning Rick."

What?

Did she just say she fired Rick at this point? To think this happened when chapter 3 of the story haven't even started.

My danger sense kept sending a signal.

'If what she says is true, Eleanor might really be in danger. No, actually, this episode is already dangerous, but the risk might be greater than I anticipated.'

This was a big issue. one that wouldn’t be easy to resolve no matter how much I thought about it. Even as I quickly thinking about it, Eleanor’s words kept flowing.

"You’re so strange."

"Yes? What do you mean by that?"

I was taken aback by Eleanor's sudden words, and before I knew it, I was stammering.

Eleanor remained calm as she continued.

"I've met countless people who lie to my face. Maybe that’s why I can tell when someone is lying to me. But you, you’ve never lied to me. How is that even possible?"

"That’s…"

It was because of Yoochan, in other words, Shane’s persona, influencing me. And because I knew that lying wouldn’t work in front of Eleanor. There was no point in lying in front of [Genius of Acting]. But to think that had won her favor.

I hadn't anticipated this kind of development coming.

"So, will you save me?"

Eleanor, as if become a little composed, asked in her usual elegant, foxy tone. In fact, I had no other option, so my answer was already decided.

"If I can be of help, I will."

"Alright, then let’s prepare a new contract…"

"No, that won’t be necessary. I’ve already promised to protect you, haven’t I?"

No, why so, Shane.

As I watched Shane take the conversation in his own direction again, I realized just how dangerous the persona, that wasn't not the ruffian personality of Nox. Don't say these noble-sounding words. Especially to someone who could see through lies! Please.

But Shane kept talking, unaware of my feelings.

"I’ll keep my promise. I’ll make sure nothing dangerous happens to you."

"…Alright."

It was a bit cringy, but I repeated to myself that it would all work out in the end. There was no other way. I’d have to protect her anyway. It's not absurd to be a little more open about helping her. She’s an important character to let die here. She hasn’t done anything wrong, and she’s changed quite a lot recently. And my personality wouldn’t easily allow me to just let her die.

… As I thought of that, the moment I was about to step outside to get ready..

"Can I ask you one thing?"

"…Of course."

"Is the reason you’re not wearing the necklace I gave you because you don’t trust me yet?"

I immediately turned around. It was the keepsake of her mother that she had given me. But I hadn’t used the artifact because it could reveal my location.

When I turned, I saw something in Eleanor that I’d never seen before. It was like she wanted to rely on me, but she couldn’t, as if forcibly enduring it. She looked like a weak girl in her mid-teens.

I froze, staring at her for a moment.

As if she already knew it all, she opened her small mouth and spoke to me.

"I knew it."

As she spoke that, she gave me a bitter, sad smile—an awkward, pained expression that left me unable to respond. I could only storm out and leave the room.

After all, I know all too well that I’m not the kind of person someone can rely on.

[gozine-translate]

Terminally-ill Genius Dark Knight - 152

152: [Side Story] The Weakest Sword Emperor

There is an existence who is known as the Weakest Sword Emperor on the continent of Inner Lunatic.

Luna.

At the age of 20, she is exceptional existence who become one of seven stars that illuminate the continent, three Sword Emperors, and four Sages. That was exactly Luna's identity, the leader of a criminal organization. However, there are always those who envy her. Due to that, despite her reaching unimaginable heights, people who don’t know her well dismissively call her like this

The Weakest Sword Emperor.

A title that makes her look weak.

An evaluation that doesn’t fit someone like Luna, who at the mere age of 20, has already reached a level that connects with the celestial beings.

However, this isn’t because she is weak or lacking in any way. While the title may mean nothing to an absolute powerhouse, Luna is still only 20. No other Sword Emperor reached her level at such a young age.

If the Sword Emperors and Sages of the past were brought to compete against her? The outcome would be clear.

No matter how much times have changed, the pursuit of strength and its fundamentals have not changed. Luna was an absolute powerhouse. No matter what anyone says, she is not prey, she is a predator.

…But.

The world is pulsating. The era is gradually changing, and new powerhouses are constantly emerging. For example, a boy who currently fills Luna’s thoughts Nox von Reinhaver.

"He’s a genius"

Luna's evaluation of Nox.

Marin and Duff sat on their knees on the ground, flanking her on either side. Though they hadn’t been able to assist Nox with his request this time due to different missions, they had heard everything that happened.

Marin couldn’t help but smirk as she replied.

"As you know, Captain, that’s just how he is. He’s a bit unruly and always a bit loose in discipline. Of course, despite that, he even succeeds in audacious plan. He’s a quite talented individual."

Of course Marin said that with genuine sincerity. The earlier part was more of a joke. Her relaxed expression was more or less proof of that.

Duff, with his massive build, added slowly.

"His talent was… clear from the….first time we met. I think…it’s necessary to give him…. a new rank to recognize his efforts…"

"What?! Uncle Duff! But isn’t that a bit early? It took me quite a while to become a second-rank member… If newcomer becomes a second-rank already, my dignity as a senior is.."

It seemed Marin wanted to enjoy her time as a senior a bit longer. Duff just scratched his head, cannot say anything, just thinking he might have made a mistake.

After troubled for a moment, Luna said,

"He broke a barrier that even I couldn’t guarantee I could easily destroy it."

Grand Duke Jagan's water prison. Nox von Reinhaver had broken out of it effortlessly.

"And… there’s one more thing I need to tell you both."

"…Yes?"

Marin blinked in surprise. Duff remained calm, as that was his usual demeanor. Looking at them, Luna then made a shocking revelation in a calm voice.

"I’ve decided to take him."

"…..?"

"….."

Even though Luna stumbled over her words slightly. she believed she had conveyed her intention clearly. However, the silence that followed made her rethink her statement, and she realized she had misspoken.

Marin stammered as she spoke.

"That, that's….huh? Its true that newcomer is quite handsome…? but…what exactly are you saying…?"

"Congra..tulations…"

Duff, to make things worse, bowed his head and offered his congratulations. Finally snapping back to her senses, Luna said.

"No, no! I misspoke! That's not what I mean, just… I’ve decided to take him as my only disciple!"

Luna was rarely flustered. Marin, naturally, wasn’t convinced.

"There’s no need to deny it, I understand completely. Taking him away from the princess could also be a great revenge for Lunatic…"

"Enough!"

Only when Luna vehemently denied it did Marin finally realize she was telling the truth. At first, when Luna said ‘take him,’ Marin thought Luna had fallen for Nox, or captivated by him after an embrace or something. But it's fortunate that's not the case.

Marin scratched her head and laughed awkwardly.

"Hehe, I was worried that Captain Luna might have gotten swept up in her emotions after being hugged by that guy. It's because captain is quite conservative when it comes to romance…"

For a very brief moment. A deep silence fell over the headquarters of Lunatic.

"Captain… already…."

Duff was the first to break the silence, and Marin spoke with a look of "there's no way".

"No way… right?"

After a moment of hesitation, Luna confidently nodded.

"Of course. After all, I was the one who hugged him!"

But what Luna said next was enough to leave the Lunatic members completely baffled.

What?

The captain, of all people, hugged the new recruit, Nox von Reinhaver? Did he really receive such a blessing?

Marin was inwardly shocked.

‘What in the world happened…?’

Luna quickly interrupted her thoughts.

"Well, there were some… circumstances."

"People in love… always…say things like that…"

Duff added. you can feel right away that he's not a tactful person. But Marin is in a situation where she can't even distinguish such a simple logic. Her dopamine levels were through the roof. She's very excited, and her eyes were practically sparking over an entertaining story

"Ahem… Anyway,"

Luna skillfully redirected the conversation. It was too long to explain everything, and she felt she would be cornered the more she talked.

"Just remember that I’ve accepted that brazen newcomer as my disciple."

"Um, Captain… How did that even happen?"

"Well…"

Luna gave them a brief summary of what had happened in Avilat.

The fight with Jagan. How Nox had copied her swordsmanship to break the water prison, everything. Both Duff and Marin can't help but be genuinely surprised as they listened.

‘The sword that Captain wields is the [Moonlight Sword], which requires mastery over the element of [Moonlight]. I knew the newcomer had talent, but to this extent?’

Marin couldn’t believe it. Wasn't Nox's at most only an intermediate, or upper-intermediate level of Black sword ? At least until when they fought Paimon in the past, he was at that level. So how had he been able to grasp even a fragment of Luna’s sword, which had reached the highest level? Is that even reasonable? It's difficult to understand

"It’s all true. That’s why I decided to teach him the sword. It’s too early for me to be taking on a disciple, but in this place, you never know when you might die,"

Luna calmly said.

She was also remembering the back of a disciple who had once pushed her in the past, someone who's weak, but had a broad back.

--------------------------------------------

There was once a girl with unparalleled talent, hailed as a genius of the sword. She was a noble child, abandoned at a very young age, but her talent transcended social class and reached beyond the heavens. People called her like this

The Sword Demon.

The blonde girl, from the age of seven when she first picked up a sword, could wield a wooden sword with ease. She naturally infused mana into the blade and drew it out as well. It was a talent from the heavens.

It was only natural that someone with her talent would attract an exceptional teacher. However, such stories aren't easily come out. Only found in old, outdated fairy tale books.

A hero who pulls out a holy sword like a miracle, grows stronger, and then defeats a demon. The stories of saving people magnificently. They aren't more than fabricated stories to give people hope. No one believed such things.

It was like Santa's story that children used to believe when Nox was still Yoochan. The idea that Santa would leave a gift while the child slept, with actually the parents carefully placing the gift without waking the child.

As one grows older, these fade like smoke, leaving behind only memories.

Heroes, in general were like that. Are often exaggerated and overly praised.

The young girl grew up with these thoughts as she wielded her sword, and the world was too harsh and chaotic to change her mind.

She joined the knight order from a small village. For her, taking the lives of enemies was nothing as long as she could receive even a dirt-stained piece of bread in return. After living like a wolf, and like a starving beast.

A woman came to her. By then, she was twelve years old and had no opponents left to face in the knight order. The woman revealed that the knight order was actually a group of bandits who had fled in the past and that she was there to bring them to justice. The order was wiped out in an instant, and the girl found herself utterly repulsed by the dirt-stained bread.

The girl spoke,

Please take me with you.

The woman looked at the small girl, who couldn't fully hide her pale complexion, and smiled softly. Genius talent. She saw the girl's strong desire for the sword, similar to her own, gushing through the faint smile.

Therefore, she accepted.

And said

The name of sword I will teach you girl is [Moonlight Sword]. This is my everything, and is it only passed down for a single disciple.

The young girl could not grasp the value of that sword, but she knew one thing for sure. She was captivated by her sword.

The woman said

I will erase your name and status. From now on, you're Luna. It means 'Moon'. There is no more suitable name to learn my sword

The girl nodded. And so, the girl learned all the sword the woman demonstrated. A splendid achievement for just twenty years old. However, what awaited in the end was disaster.

The small hope the girl had held in the past. The joy she felt while learning the sword became a little moth and crushed.

When she witnessed her master being brutally defeated by a demon right in front of her eyes. Luna couldn't help but think

Is this truly the end of this filthy world?

'It seems I've been lost in thought for too long'

Luna realized that she had dozed off for a moment, while talking about Nox, she had fallen asleep without noticing it. She gazed at the pure white moon that had risen and thought.

Glimmering Nox's swordsmanship.

A figure of him who had worked hard to emulate her technique even though it was still not perfect. and a figure of him who tried to save her, who's stronger than himself.

Everything was clear.

Luna thought to herself, My master's name is now forgotten.

But my name remains on this continent, and people praise me as the Sword Emperor.

Soon, the boy will also become a man.

Just as herself

'I only hope he does not fall into despair.'

Luna whispered a small prayer. Hoping her disciple would not follow the same path she did.

[gozine-translate]

Terminally-ill Genius Dark Knight - 148

148 - Mask [2]

'Not bad, huh?'

1.97 billion gold.

That was my total income from the Avilat Casino and Underground Auction House. It was an amount so large that I had to fill all ten of the spatial pouches I brought in advance, so honestly, I was a bit surprised.

Each pouch holds exactly 200 million gold, so excluding my equipment that worth 30 million gold and the knapsack, the rest was filled entirely with gold coins.

Suddenly it made me think that lots of dirty money flows through the casino and auction house. After all, nobles from various countries had come carrying heaps of gold, so it’s only natural.

But... my harvests didn't end there.

As if doing a charity, I handed over a little over 200 million gold, which I was troubled over how to dispose them since they couldn't fit into my spatial pouches, to Eleanor.

"Then, Eleanor. This settles my debt. I've even paid the interest, so check it."

"It's fine. You pay off the debt in just a few hours, If I behave that stingy, it will make Rivalin's merchant name cry. I'll send people to return the remaining amount later after we back"

"Do whatever you want."

Eleanor refused, waving her hand.

Well, it’s no loss for me, so it’s actually a good thing.

But, she didn’t lose out either.

Even in a tight situation, she makes sure to secure her share. should I say it is very merchant-like?

Indeed, the amount of 200 million is huge, it's only natural.

Others are currently digging through the ground, searching for gold coins.

The most active one is Leon, whose family finances have been unstable lately.

... and Talia.

In Talia's case, since she's still relying for Allowance on her father, Robert, it's probably even more so

Robert surprisingly has a proper sense of economics, even if it's for his beloved daughter, he doesn't just throw allowance excessively.

Instead, he sends her all sorts of gifts, from clothes to various exotic foods, through Emma.

Paracelsus, surprisingly, doesn’t seem greedy for money despite being a commoner. It seems he has something to rely on.

'That’s strange...'

Considering how much money that bastard lost at the casino, he should dig even bare ground.

Where does that relaxed attitude come from?

Unable to contain my curiosity, I asked.

"Hey, commoner, why aren’t you searching for gold coins with everyone else? If you’re going to talk about virtues as a knight, just drop it. From the beginning, you’re nothing like those who know such honor..."

But while Paracelsus looked at me pitifully like I was talking nonsense.

He is Shaking his head.

"My lord, think about it. We have decided to evenly distribute the remaining 20%, so why should I bother working hard for it?"

In simple terms, he’s saying he’ll just take his share once the others bring in the money. A ruffian befitting answer, just comparable to Nox

I was suddenly impressed and turned to look at Leon this time.

"Ah, please move that over here."

Using undead, he was persistently moving the surrounding gold coins.

Even Eleanor was shaking her head, seemingly fed up with it.

It was a scene worth seeing in many ways. Anyone who’s enjoyed Inner Lunatic would never have imagined this sight.

In the beginning, from Nox the villain was with them, it was already so, in addition, Paracelsus and Leon were initially in confrontational positions.

Is that all ?

Eleanor, the ‘Golden Fox’, and Talia weren’t on good terms either.

Thanks to my efforts in breaking dynamics of the original characters, their relationships have improved a bit.

If it wasn’t for me, Zitri would have already died.

I’m starting to realize just how significant the butterfly effect of my existence is.

'Especially considering the crazy demon has started preparing for human attacks, it can be said it’s even more so. Damn it'

Especially in Jagan's case. it was like that.

If it weren’t for my existence?

Jagan would never have prepared the cursed prison. He wouldn’t have shown the extreme of alchemy, nor would he have planned to bind us using a transmutation circle. But things have started to get complicated.

Unfortunately, It's a fact that I’m at the center of it all.

But what can I do?

I’m Nox, the villain, and I have to play this role.

Some might ask if I really need to be the villain, they can ask why I do such things, but..

At least for the main story to proceed correctly, to learn about the mysterious letter, my memories, and the truth related ...

You can say that I don't have a choice.

Anyway, for me to reach the end of story, in the end, my origin, in other words, I have to reveal where my starting point lies.

"huu..."

After sweeping up all the gold coins, I finally straightened my dented waist.

Soon, professors dispatched from the Academy will come to ask about what happened here. But since I've already coordinated with them, there shouldn't be any major issues.

I'll have to explain to my comrades why I'm subjugating a demon, but since I'd have to tell them eventually, it doesn't really matter.

Honestly, I don't know if they'll join my unit or stay in my circle. Especially with someone like Eleanor, who’s extremely calculative about her own benefits.

There's a good chance she won't trust me.

We're incompatible in the first place, and the only connection we have is money, so it can't be helped.

Well, anyway.

Setting aside stuff that gives me headaches, I started reviewing what I've gained and the new positives.

The first is my lifespan.

[Player's remaining lifespan is 272 days!]

'huuu... Thankfully, I've gained more than 150 days. If I keep this pace, things should a bit improve.'

Of course, my lifespan won't keep increasing.

If this damned [Terminal Illness] trait could be easily overcome, they wouldn’t have given the advantage of having two genius traits.

If anyone had already overcome it, they might have posted about it on the community forums.

But as far as I know, no one has fully conquered [Terminal Illness].

Although there are few discussions amongst users, the trait is so nasty that it’s hardly ever mentioned.

‘The people who tried to play with the "sickly" concept couldn’t even last two days had said it all'

I shake my head to clear my thoughts.

Next was the money.

‘I managed to stash away a lot of Imperial gold in this opportunity... No matter what kind of world comes, money is always right. That's an undeniable truth. Moreover, in Main Episode 3, the Rivalin family and merchant group arc, this will be a huge advantage.’

Main Episode 3 is a critical branching point where the Rivalin family decides whether to pledge loyalty to the Imperial family or side with the Dark family and Lunatic.

Here, the importance of capital can’t be overstated.

Although I have some funds secured from selling monster materials, it’s nowhere near enough. After all, the one I compete with these funds is first prince Louis

Truly an Imperial family

‘Anyway’

The last reward was the new swordsmanship I just learned.

‘The [Moonlight Sword]. Even if it’s just the beginner level, this is definitely the biggest gain. A sword that only be passed down to one person, and cannot be learned by ordinary route’

[Moonlight Sword]

I had been steadily building up to learn this from the beginning.

Learning the Southern Chaders swordsmanship, raising my stats, improving my proficiency level, those were that examples.

'From the beginning, I had planned to use the Dragon Language Scroll I got in here... Though I didn't expect to use it in such a dramatic way, well, it's still good'

The timing was perfect. At any rate, a good opportunity came at the critical moment, allowing me to learn the [Moonlight Sword] from Luna.

In the end, she even said that she acknowledged me as her disciple...

In fact, reaching the pinnacle of swordsmanship is now just a matter of time.

'Huuu... Even If think it myself, I’ve really been through a lot.'

Now that I have a moment to rest, suspicions start creeping in.

Why did Luna teach me the [Moonlight Sword]?

It was the worst critical moment

If it's Luna, the leader of a criminal organization. It should've been better if she abandoned someone like me

If we consider the value of the [Moonlight Sword] for her, it should've been better for her to just kill Jagan and abandon me.

But Luna didn’t do that.

I still don’t know the reason.

It’s been a long time since I realized how hollow it is to think you can fully understand someone’s heart. Everyone wears their own mask, hiding their feelings behind it.

‘Of course, there’s no need to overthink it. If someone helps me, I’ll repay the favor. The reverse is also the same. That's Nox von Reinhaver's way.’

As I calmly collected my thoughts and decided what stance to take next,

a voice suddenly broke through my thoughts.

"They’re coming."

Paracelsus said, pointing upwards.

After that, I sensed the footsteps of a few people quickly approaching

Even without seeing them, I knew who they were.

The faculty professors from Eldain Academy, assigned to clean up this mess.

Thud! Thud!

About ten professors leaped down from above, landing on the ruined Avilat grounds. Just from their formation alone, I knew they have a surprising level at a glance, which is a bit shocking

I guess this is what you’d expect from the knight order of a prestigious academy.

Each one of them was quite capable.

"Who’s that...?"

As Talia asked with a puzzled expression, Eleanor politely greeted while slightly lifting the hem of her skirts

"That's Professor Aleph von Dastein. He is one of the professors that lead the Academy's autonomous military and is a top graduate origin"

"You know me?"

"Of course. You’re very famous."

Eleanor didn’t flinch at Aleph’s stern tone.

Aleph von Dastein, the top graduate.

‘Naturally, I know him too.’

Aleph is a very important character.

As a man who became the core to the development of the later story, he had a deep connection to the main episode 3.

And he is a character that has ties with Eleanor as well.

That’s his identity.

Finally, Talia too seemed to remember as she clapped her hands.

"Oh...!! Perhaps you are the one who wrote all three volumes of Introduction to Elemental Studies...!!"

Despite his astonished student, Aleph remained unfazed.

He held a thick book in one hand, and his habit of carrying a book around everywhere made quite an impression.

Even in a fantasy game, this is a bit too much of a concept.

‘Not to mention, Leon fights with his own book too...’

I glanced at Leon, who tilted his head, looking at me.

I quickly returned my gaze forward.

Professor Aleph closed the book he had been reading.

For reference, the book was the third volume of Introduction to Elemental Studies, which he wrote himself and became a bestseller.

He spoke confidently.

"That's right. I’m Professor Aleph, the bestselling author who’s captured the public's attention. I’ll give you an autograph later, but first, I want to hear what happened here. Who’s the leader of this team?"

I stepped forward and said.

"Nox von Reinhaver."

"Explain the situation you're facing now and how it became without leaving anything out"

'How annoying...'

His overbearing tone made me unpleasant, but I still gave him a brief explanation of what had happened here.

Anyway, I told him that my comrades and I only managed to fend off the Chimera.

As for the demon, I said it was taken care of by a mysterious woman, in other words, Luna.

This alone is enough to showcase our achievement to the Academy.

There's no need to go forward any further.

‘Making more enemies is a lot riskier than you might think.’

That’s something I’ve recently come to realize.

After listening to the whole story, Professor Aleph stroked his chin in thought and then said.

"I see. I have an idea who that woman might be."

"Is that so ?"

"It's fine for students like you all to not know her identity"

He added that she’s a very dangerous person and advised us not to be concerned

Of course, I just let his words go in one ear and out the other.

'You know I need to meet with Luna regularly to learn swordsmanship ?. Do you have any idea how hard I worked to master the [Moonlight Sword]?'

I half-listened to what he was saying while distracted by something else.

How should I spend the money I got here after we get back?

How should I spend it to make sure people will rumors that I spent it well?

"...Then, I believe the Headmaster will separately reward you all for completing such a dangerous mission. Make sure to feel grateful"

"Understood."

I answered promptly, It was like a kind of reflex action.

For a gamer, the word "reward" is irresistible.

It was an instinctual response.

By the way, Noah von Trinity...

Honestly, I’m scared to meet her, but she's a woman who has a lot.

‘I wonder what she'll give me this time..’

I suddenly felt a sense of anticipation and jingled my heavy spatial pouch. The soft clink of gold coins echoed quietly, barely noticeable to anyone else.

[gozine-translate]

Terminally-ill Genius Dark Knight - 147

147 - Mask [1]

'Brazen newcomer. No, Nox von Reinhaver.'

How on earth did he master the Moonlight Sword?

This is Jagan's base

The ruins of the gambling and auction house.

Avilat, once a place of fierce battles, has long lost its initial grandeur.

A mountain of dazzling gold coins and chips. The green flag that once symbolized neutrality is now stained a deep red.

This is the result of the water prison Jagan unleashed.

Desolate.

There’s no other word that comes to mind for this bleak battlefield.

A pale mist rises where the bodies of the dead have been abandoned.

Luna clicked her tongue as she witnessed this.

Moonlit night.

A lonely silence and clear moonlight washed away the grim battle that had just taken place, pouring out pure white light.

But her expression remained unpleasant.

Thud.

"....!"

Luna, catching the falling Nox, couldn’t smooth out the frown on her delicate brow.

Why?

While looking at Nox, still weak in her arms, Luna made a self-deprecating face.

'I almost fail to protect again.'

For her, who cherished her comrades, such things were something she could never get used to.

A sense of helplessness wrapped around her once more.

Why did such painful things keep happening to her? Even if she had long since thrown the idea of whining like a child . .

No matter how much she thought about it, this was too much.

Sure, some people are born under unlucky stars, but this was excessive.

Should she worry about a companion's death all the time?

Something like this, she wanted to quit it right away.

Even though she leads, and takes charge as the leader of Lunatic, which is a fancy title. Her true goal was entirely personal.

Her birth. Revenge.

And, fulfilling the wish her master couldn’t achieve.

But if it meant losing so many lives . .

Is the path she walks on truly the right one?

It was her who assigned the mission to Nox this time.

She hadn’t anticipated such a big shot would be hiding in Avilat’s gambling house and only learned about it through communication devices when Nox was about to arrive.

[There is one of 72 demons nearby. I need your help, Captain.]

[What?]

It was an absurd story, but the newcomer's words had a strange persuasiveness.

Hadn’t he shown his capacities in the past battle with Paimon?

She judged it was worth listening to his story.

In fact, his words hit the mark, leaving her speechless.

‘Newcomer even saved Marin… He knew he might die, yet he did it. That’s no easy feat.’

"Cough! Cap…tain..."

"Newcomer!"

Nox, who briefly regained consciousness while coughing up blood, took a deep breath. His sorrowful violet eyes looked at her, shining transparently and radiating a calm light.

She wanted to say something but couldn't, there was a brief silence. It felt like a long moment.

There was a brief moment of silence where she wanted to say something but couldn’t. 

Unexpectedly, it was Nox who broke the silence.

Staring straight at Luna, he spoke.

"… I want… to get stronger. Please take me as your discip...""

His figure is somewhat awkward

Watching this, Luna couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle.

[This punk.. trying to fool me]

Nox is in pain right now, but it wasn’t as serious as he's making it seem. So why was he stubbornly pretending to be so hurt and giving this pitiful look?

The reason was clear.

Her swordsmanship is something handed down only to one disciple.

He was probably trying to take initiative before she could refuse to teach him.

'Honestly, he's not lovely at all, same as Marin'

Nox probably was putting on an act while knew everything

Just from seeing how he thought to learn Moonlight sword in a flash of moment, and acquired preliminary requirements like stances, etc in advance too.

Besides, the most surprising thing is . .

'He’s been hiding his strength.'

The [Moonlight Sword] can only be mastered by warriors who have reached at least advanced level of swordsmanship.

Moreover, it's only possible after you have unmatched skill in horizontal slashes and the ability to infuse each strike with energy

But all these conditions were already prepared from the start?

'There is no way'

"You’re already scheming, huh? Truly cheeky."

Now she understood.

Luna realized that the boy in front of her was merely wearing the mask of a ruffian.

But she didn’t show any displeasure, calmly brushing his blood-matted white hair.

Thud.

Still carried in her hands, Nox let his head droop 

It was his way of saying, "I’ve fainted."

'What an interesting kid... A disciple, huh?'

Luna briefly wondered if this was how her master felt when she took her in.

Luna sank in her thoughts,

But even it didn’t last long.

"Nox!""

"Young Master Nox! Where are you?!"

"Noble Sir!"

From a distance places, voices calling for Nox echoed.

They are probably his comrades.

She had heard that the perfect team was assembled for this mission, so it must be them. For someone from the dark family, he seemed to have earned considerable trust.

The fact of his past engagement to the princess, and his stricking appearance that outshone everyone..

'Maybe there's a reason that princess fell for him.'

A cheeky newcomer.

Luna pondered briefly about him.

Should she really teach him the [Moonlight Sword] that had been passed down from her master?

Not only did he inherit Theo von Reinhaver easygoing personality and brilliant talent that surpassed him, but he also upheld his own sense of justice.

In fact, the answer was clear from the start.

Luna stood up and gently laid Nox on the ground.

Either way his comrades would treat him, and unlike with Paimon, his internal injuries weren’t that severe. There was no need for too much concern, he was just exaggerating.

"I don’t know if becoming my disciple will be a blessing or a curse for you. But...""

Luna placed her hand on his chest, letting a part of her moonlight seep into him.

"I swear by the moonlight that I, Luna, the leader of Lunatic, that I will make you the best."

Not long after, a familiar system notification rang in Nox’s ears.

[The ‘Moonlight’ element has settled within you! Your natural healing and recovery abilities have greatly increased!]

[Random stat increased by 1!]

[Mana stat increased by 1!]

At that moment, Luna had already made up her mind.

She would place this frail boy and his sword on the path to becoming the next Sword Emperor. Even if it meant risking everything she had, she would make it happen.

'His sword has a clear will and purpose.'

Nox had already tried to sacrifice himself for her once.

Not only that, but he was also willing to do the same for others.

Nox had said it himself:

There are two ways to save everyone.

But in the first method, he wasn’t included.

Luna quickly realized why Nox had said that.

'He was willing to sacrifice himself to protect everyone.'

From olden times, a person’s true nature is revealed when they’re cornered to their limits.

That was the kind of person Nox von Reinhaver was.

Though he was called a troublemaker of Reinhaver family and was said to live a reckless life, In fact, that wasn’t the truth.

Nox was just trying to protect others even if it means sacrifice himself

"Interesting."

Her heart began beating faster.

A subtle tension filled the air between the two, now bound as master and disciple.

There was still so much they didn’t know about each other, therefore Luna felt that the time they would spend together would be incredibly valuable.

"Then, until we meet again, brazen newcomer. That time, as master and disciple."

rustle

With that, Luna disappeared into the thick darkness.

Her flawless movement and the way she vanished into the pitch-black night were the very essence of a Sword Emperor.

Her flawfless movement leaves no trace, and the figure of her vanished into the pitch-black night, even at a glance, is the nature of sword emperor itself

And so,

about five minutes later, Nox’s comrades found him lying on the ground.

They all sighed deeply and clicked their tongues in unison, looking at Nox.

'This man did it again, huh ?'

But even in such situation, it was only Zitri who cared for him unconditionally, she hurried over to him, her face pale, and shouted

"Young Master! Young Master, are you okay? Please wake up! Can you hear me? Young Mas—"

"Hey, you’re going to make us deaf. Your young master isn't dead, so calm down."

Paracelsus folded his arms, looking at Nox with a displeased gaze. Leon’s also had a somewhat doubtful gaze.

Is that all?

Even Talia, who's crazy about Nox, and Eleanor, who's cold but never jokes about matters of life and death.

They all looked displeased in silence.

"Huh?"

Zitri finally noticed that their gazes were a bit off.

The way they were looking at her young master, and the way Nox’s chest rose and fell. She felt something wasn’t quite right.

In that moment, even she realized.

"No way... Young Master, are you... awake?"

Crunch!

Zitri clenched her fists so tightly that the yellow canary mask she held was crumpled beyond recognition.

"You wouldn’t, would you?"

"Umm. Hey, Nox…? Zitri seems really angry. She’s smiling but… she’s not smiling.."

Even Talia couldn’t fall for such a lousy act.

That’s right.

At this exact moment, with one eye slightly open, Nox saw a notification about his [Genius of Acting] trait wavering.

Should I get up now?

But if he did, he'd die for sure...

For now, Nox lay on the ground, unbefitting of a noble, facing his comrades for a while.

He finally got up only when Zitri tried to perform CPR by pressing on his chest, but without actually breathing into him.

----------------------------

'Honestly, you really know how to cause trouble, don’t you?'

Eleanor thought that and frowned. 

Her arms crossed, glaring at Nox.

For reference, Nox, who had now woken up, was receiving Zitri's kind treatment (?)

"That's enough. aren't other people watching us ?"

Nox said sternly, but Zitri adamantly refused, thoroughly inspecting his body for any injuries.

Although a cloth was draped over him to cover his upper body, Nox was still bewildered.

"You're really lucky, don't you, sir? By the way, you’re going to have to explain everything properly, including what you meant by what you said before the demon attacked us."

"You lowly thing. Is this how you treat a patient?"

Nox snapped back, but Paracelsus ignored him.

Leon chuckled softly and replied.

“Still, Mr. Paracelsus did shout at the top of his lungs trying to find you, Mr. Nox. He really did his best. I was surprised. Mr. Paracelsus who seemed like someone who only cares about himself, to save someone ...”

"Shut up! If you’re going to compliment me, just do it, why add all that extra stuff ?!"

"Hmm? Ah, sorry if I made a mistake."

When Paracelsus growled, Leon scratched his head and closed his mouth.

Anyway, the situation is more or less settled.

Eleanor decided to review a few issues.

"As you requested, all the slaves have been sent to the carriages heading to the academy. Once their identities are confirmed, they’ll either be reunited with their families in their home regions or, as you mentioned, they’ll move and start new lives in Chaders"

Nox had already informed Eleanor regarding slaves.

‘As expected, she’s quick with her work. Even if her personality is awful, I have to keep her on my side.’

Nox rudely thought, standing up.

Now that Zitri’s thorough care was finished.

"Sigh... Young Master, can’t you be a little less reckless with your body?"

Zitri asked with a concerned look, but Nox didn’t reply.

As silence filled the air, even Talia sighed as she looked at Nox.

"Zitri, Cheer up! I know it's tough"

"Thank you..."

Since the two of them experienced the same problems, they have enough room to share this. 

After letting out a deep sigh, Nox glanced around.

Soon, this place would be swarmed with professors from Eldain.

Since the incident happened here, Nox planned to sync stories with his comrades and report that a mysterious woman, in other words, Luna, had handled the situation.

Of course, he had an intention to not say his own involvement.

'If things get too complicated, Dean Noah will start getting more suspicious. I might actually get killed...'

But before thinking about that. 

And before explaining things to his comrades, there was something else Nox had to do first.

Thud

Nox got up, and when he was staggering he walked, Talia and Zitri asked with suspicious gazes

"Nox? Where are you going?"

“Young Master? You should rest a bit more before you start moving...”

"No, I have to do this now."

But, Nox said firmly.

Paracelsus and Leon exchanged glances, gulping.

"Hey, sir, what’s the matter? If it’s serious, I can help..."

"I’ll help too."

The only one who still didn’t look pleased was Eleanor, It was because she already knew why Nox was moving.

"You all should move quickly too. If not now, there is no other chance."

"What chance... oh"

Leon hummed as if he realized. Nox quickly added.

"I will have 80% of what’s here. Since I took down the demon, there shouldn’t be any objections, right?"

That’s right.

Nox was after the gold coins scattered around the wrecked casino!

Eleanor sighed.

"I had a feeling. He did say he’d repay the 200 million in a day..."

Nox had a plan.

A perfect plan to multiply his assets several times over,

while also extending his lifespan.

'Huu... How much is this all worth?'

Jackpot.

With that thought, Nox opened his spatial inventory.

His comrades behind him could only watch in disbelief.

[gozine-translate]

Terminally-ill Genius Dark Knight - 146

146 - Moonlight Sword [2]

The first half of the Moonlight Sword.

That third super-form is [Moon Split]

It's a swordsmanship known for its ability to split the moon in the sky, scattering a bright white light. It possesses incredible destructive power and is specialized in breaking barriers. That's why I've decided to master it and use it to destroy this damn water prison.

But there's a process that must be followed.

Obviously, the first step is acquiring the Moonlight Sword.

The second step is having the innate talent and experience to instantly master the third super-form.

In addition, the third step is more essential.

It requires a level of precise control and immense focus that not even Luna, the current wielder of the Moonlight Sword, possesses.

'But it's not impossible. With the Dragon Language Scroll I recently acquired at the auction and the [Light Step] technique I learned from Vernon, it's possible.'

No matter how low the odds are, it's not impossible to get through this moment

If I prepare carefully and seize the opportunity in one shot, 

I might be able to not only overcome this situation but also significantly extend my pitiful lifespan.

'If I can intervene in the transmutation circle and destroy the core that forms the water prison from inside, the tide of battle will turn back in our favor, and I’ll be able to escape. I have to do it, no matter what.'

Some might ask,

If you’re going to use [Moon Split] anyway, wouldn’t it have been better if Luna was the one trapped in the water prison instead?

But there’s a reason I chose to be the one trapped instead of Luna.

It's because the Moonlight Sword that Luna uses, alone cannot destroy this water prison

The problem is her innate mana sensitivity, there is no other reason.

'Alchemy, after all, is a study that has more relation to magic than swordsmanship. So, if your mana sensitivity isn’t exceptional, it’s impossible to break or tear down that form'

Luna has the [Genius of Swordsmanship and Combat] trait.

But naturally, since she has one genius trait, she can’t have the second genius trait.

That's the absolute rule of Inner Lunatic I knew

'But I’m different.'

I’m the only one who has two [Genius] traits.

[Genius of Swordsmanship and Combat] and [Genius of Mana Sensitivity].

With these two [Genius] traits, once I acquire the Moonlight Sword and master the third super-form [Moon Split], I will be able to break this water prison.

From the start, I planned for this and chose to be trapped here.

Even knowing the odds were very low, I had no doubt that this was the best.

Luna also said to me

--- Get into position and get ready. I will explain assuming you already have everything needed.

--- Then let’s begin. [Moonlight Sword]. I’ll explain the basics of my sword, so listen carefully. You only have one chance.

Luna decided to trust me.

Why, I can’t really say.

Was it because I saved her?

I doubt that the leader of a criminal organization like Luna would be swayed by something like that, so this is completely dismissed

Then, was it because I saved Marin in the past?

There’s a bit more possibility there.

But it’s still hard to call it a clear answer.

Lastly...

It's because of my usefulness.

That's the most likely answer

I’m the youngest of the Reinhaver family, born with the best talent and a powerful family.

Is that all?

Swordsmanship is given, I even show prominence in magic. I am doing considerably well as a spy too. In various ways, isn't this all the reason why she keeps me?

Three reasons.

If I ask whether these are enough reasons for Luna to pass on the only thing her master left her, the Moonlight Sword, to me, I can’t say for sure, but . .

I quickly take out the Dragon Language Scroll from my inventory and tear it open.

This is a situation where I need to save even a little time

Then, I begin to activate the ancient dragon language that has long been forgotten.

'Every lost dragon language in the past had an activation spell. It was designed so that the artifact absolutely wouldn't operate without reciting it.'

'Of course, I’ve memorized the activation spell precisely.'

"rheodmldhkdrnr...dlalwotejalrkehoqjflswodkdrmthrrhrhglEjdhfmsms wlstlfdmf dbdlfgks wlstlfdmf."

A muffled voice echoes inside the water.

But contrary to that, the strange-sounding words linger clearly in my ears.

[The Hidden Piece is activated.]

[Using the artifact 'Ancient Dragon Language Scroll.']

[Upgrade assigned 'Swordsmanship' or 'Magic' class by one level]

[Please assign the relevant skill]

"I assign [Upper Intermediate Dark family Swordsmanship]."

I reply firmly.

Then as if the system responded to me, something beyond recognition, new knowledge began to fill my mind and sword

[You have successfully used the scroll!]

[Upper Intermediate Dark family Swordsmanship’ has been upgraded to 'Advanced Dark family Swordsmanship’. Upgraded by 1 level!]

The reason I used the scroll to upgrade my upper intermediate swordsmanship to advanced level was simple.

Moonlight Sword.

To learn this absurd legendary sword, a few prerequisites were necessary.

One of them is precisely

[having at least one swordsmanship skill at advanced level]

Since the highest level of swordsmanship I had was Upper intermediate of [Dark family Swordsmanship], I used the 'Ancient Dragon Language Scroll' to meet that minimum requirement.

'Not only that, I had to master Southern Chaders Swordsmanship too. Characteristic of Moonlight sword is it requires a slashing technique suitable for its name which is to split the moon. This is especially more crucial for using the third super-form.'

Memories of following the best sword build to learn the best sword started coming back to me. Back then, the sword I was trying to master was the Moonlight Sword.

I never imagined I’d get it this early, and in such an unexpected way.

But as expected, this is a surprise element of Inner Lunatic

No, the problem is that I can say this is the reality I'am facing right now?

I set aside my thoughts for a moment, quickly gathering magic throughout my body, gradually changing its form.

sssssss

It passed through its main element, darkness, and soon became a faintly shimmering white form.

This was absorbed into my body, then infused into Stormbringer, making it hum softly.

As expected, the element [Moonlight] doesn’t suit the sword of the Dark Family’s head.

What I just created was a special element called [Moonlight].

It’s one of the basics necessary to master Luna’s sword.

To get here, I had to put in a lot of effort to become skilled at manipulating magic.

'[Mana Substitution]. Transform the dark element into moonlight.'

Because I had thoroughly prepared to learn the Moonlight Sword, I had no trouble even in this urgent situation.

[Let’s begin.]

[First, you need to stabilize your body as much as possible by surrounding it with magic since you won’t be able to breathe. Then, infuse your sword with your sword energy.]

[Understood.]

'I knew that asking something like "How do I surround my sword with energy?" would be pointless at this moment.'

I just had to do it.

Even though I hadn’t learned it yet, that didn’t matter.

I had to figure it out instinctively somehow.

How did Luna and Theo do it?

Their breathing and sword techniques were different.

But there is one thing in common between these two powerhouses.

'Both of them synchronized their breathing with their sword. Even if it was just for a moment, every time that moment came their breathing and swordsmanship's timing were perfectly aligned, therefore their sword didn't waver'

[The player’s mental strength is being pushed to its limits!]

[You’ve entered a state of trance.]

I ignored all the system messages.

The only thing I heard  was Luna’s voice, while giving instructions, cutting through the chimera without any sign of being out of breath

Following Luna’s instructions, I felt my body become stable, and despite still being out of breath, a sense of calm began to settle in my heart.

Luna continued,

[Find the most comfortable position for mana breathing. Then... think of your worst moment. Helplessness, pressure, pain... anything. Just remember the saddest and most miserable moment of your life.]

The leader of Lunatic,

Luna’s sword is not just strong

When I first joined Lunatic.

why did I have to go through a test to resist the [Madness] status effect?

The reason was clear.

It was because of the nature of the leader’s sword that I had to experience up close.

The [Moonlight Sword] of Lunatic’s leader is a kind of swordsmanship that gradually devours player's consciousness, a form of ‘madness’ itself.

That’s why it’s several times harder to master.

The biggest problem with this swordsmanship is that it affects those around.

Because of this, Luna chose comrades who could withstand her sword’s influence. If someone had the mental strength to endure that, they wouldn’t die easily either.

Luna had no other choice.

So, we need to think a bit differently here.

It’s not just about enduring, but what’s required to actually master the Moonlight Sword?

'It requires far greater mental strength and resistance.'

That’s why Luna said to me.

To remember despair.

She was indirectly saying that in order to master the Moonlight Sword, I had to be able to hold the sword while recalling the most helpless moment of my life.

In this fleeting moment, I realized all of this.

I think it's not because I was a veteran in this game

Desperateness, suffering.

I’ve reflected countless times on my weaknesses.

I truly believe I’m ready to move forward.

[Think about it when your despair reaches its limit. Even if you can't shine on your own, tell yourself that there’s still something you can do. Don't be consumed by helplessness. Shout it out with all your heart]

Luna said to me, her voice even contains eagerness.

I no longer even heard the sound of flesh being sliced.

Just as Luna told me, I recalled the most difficult.

The most painful moments of my life.

Was it when the doctor first told me I had a terminal illness?

Or was it when I first got possessed inside Inner Lunatic?

Or was it when I realized, deep down, that I could only save the people I chose?

When was it, exactly, that I felt the most pain and tormented?

'Now I think I realized it'

I finally understood.

The most painful moment was when I deeply felt that I couldn’t shine on my own, when I realized that all I could do was hold in the light.

At that moment, a voice in my head made me smile.

[Player's trait 'Genius of Swordsmanship and Combat' rapidly increases player's understanding of the Moonlight Sword.]

[You have successfully acquired 'Beginner Moonlight Sword.']

Luna also took a deep breath and continued.

[There’s still one more step. The third super-form, ‘Moon Split.’ The way to master it is…]

[No, I think it will be fine even if you didn’t explain it]

[What?]

I said calmly, placing my hand on my sword hilt.

Next, inside of red blood water

My body, trapped in the water prison, stopped screaming.

[Activating the skill 'Genius's Time+.']

The entire view was painted red by the swirling currents of blood.

But I didn’t care.

I can do this.

'No, I have to.'

Nox von Reinhaver.

Even though this isn’t my own skill or talent, I know that I can improve alongside him.

Because I know this, I crave more.

It’s not just about seeing the end of my story.

The end of this story.

I will focus to my limit, to reach the end of the second part of Inner Lunatic, which has yet to be updated.

Then I visualize it.

With the first breath, the water that sprays up as it bursts,

With the second breath, the red current which became crimson,

With the third breath, I gaze at Grand Duke Jagan beyond the prison water

I found it.

With a faint smile, I let white light pour into my hand holding the sword.

And within no more than a few seconds.

"I can see it now. The core of transmutation circle"

In the middle of the raging current, I witness the geometric patterns and formulas I have to cut.

There’s no delay.

I put my strength, and cut it through perfectly.

[Moon Split]----

Luna's beautiful sounds, like a jade bead rolling. It's impossible for me to recreate it as of now, but that doesn't matter

Right now, this fleeting moment is. 

Set my stalled present in motion.

Swoosh!

With a rough noise, my sword splits the prison of blood in half, and red blood begins to pour down from the sky.

Alongside sword's whooshing sound, I precisely cleave the water prison in half.

At the same time,

Luna, watching me fall, began charging toward Zagan.

[This… This can’t be! It was supposed to be an unbreakable barrier...]

Jagan's panicked voice reaches me.

But he cannot afford to be like that

"Regret that you're messing with a member of Lunatic, Jagan"

Even though she's still the weakest, you shouldn’t take your eyes off in front of one of the three sword emperors.

Luna’s sword, glimmering in the moonlight, rushes toward Zagan.

A fountain of blood erupts as both of his arms and the newly grown horns, are cleanly severed.

Luna doesn’t stop, and the moment she is about to rush once more to finish him off, I quietly stop her as I arrive at her side.

[Light Step]. A technique that Vernon taught me a few days ago.

Using the first step [Flash], I instantly close the distance to Jagan, even nullifying the instability of my landing.

No matter how I think it, this is an astonishing talent.

even though it’s Nox's talent. it has become mine now.

And it makes me survive in this moment.

A proud, yet natural, voice escapes my lips.

"I am sorry, Captain, but that bastard is mine."

At that moment, I see a rare smile on Luna’s lips as she withdraws her sword.

For just a fleeting moment, as the beautiful time created by [Genius's Time+] hasn't faded yet, I raise my sword.

Then, once again,

I prepare myself with the same intensity that shattered the water prison.

And as the sword extends forward, I take a breath.

Third super-form of Moonlight Sword.

[Moon Split]

Swoosh!

The purple skin, covered in evil eyes [yogan], spewed out black liquid.

[This… No…!! Damn it, the Archduke... Baal will punish you all…!!]

"Tell him to come at me whenever he wants. Just don’t keep hiding behind others."

I spat out the words I’d been holding back along with a mouthful of blood.

The blood splashed onto the ground, and along with it, I heard the familiar and anticipated system notification in my ear.

[You have defeated one of the 72 demons, Grand Duke Jagan!]

[You have gained 150 days of life!]

[Your remaining lifespan is…]

Without listening to the rest of the message, I collapsed.

My fading consciousness caught on the moonlight.

Now bathed in pure, white moonlight, free of the red hue,

I looked at the moonlight that filled my vision and smiled for a moment.

It really is a fun game.

Even as I collapsed, I couldn’t help but think that.

Of course, I had no idea that my units were seeing some of this scene as wel