章 6: Chapter 6: Is She A Villain?
"What, what's this?"
"Is that Han Cheoljin? Why has he collapsed?"
Students crowded around from all directions.
Some were taking photos with their phones or filming the scene.
"Han Seojin won? Are you serious?"
"No matter how you look at it, he must have undergone a second awakening, right? That would explain it."
"A second awakening? Aren't there fewer than five people worldwide who have achieved that?"
They murmured in disbelief.
Han Cheoljin is a child of the Iron-Blood Sword Clan.
Though he did not inherit the family head's bloodline, he held his own in a family where skill was everything. This meant that ordinary students stood no chance against him. It was a testament of his strength.
"Ugh…"
Han Cheoljin clutched his abdomen.
He felt a cold chill from where he placed his hand.
'What's this?'
His body shivered. It was cold, but it wasn't as simple as that. The coldness was freezing the blood vessels throughout his body, where the source is his dantian.
Han Cheoljin had never heard of or seen such a thing.
'Magic?'
It seemed like magic.
'No, is it really magic?'
It was the first time he had experienced this kind of phenomenon. The Iron-Blood Sword Clan trains their family members to be familiar with magic at a very young age.
But Cheoljin had never heard of this magic before.
Ordinary magic typically works by creating a structure and then using that structure to create something new. If a projectile was launched, that was usually the end of it. Of course, this was the case in Cheoljin's circles, and it was the magic Han Cheoljin learned.
What Seojin conjured was similar, but that's where the similarities ended. The phenomenon created by Seojin's magic was beyond anyone's common sense.
'The qi of my dantian is being drained.'
The permeating coldness was absorbing the qi of his broken dantian. Every movement sent a piercing chill through his body, causing pain. Han Seojin approached Han Cheoljin with a smile.
"Glacial Heavenly Moon, more like, Life-Controlling Ice Seal."
It's a seal that grasps life. If he wished, it could continue to tightly grasp Han Cheoljin's life.
"It will keep devouring the qi in your dantian."
"Wha, what do you want?"
Han Cheoljin asked with a trembling voice.
'If he's going this far, he must want something from me.'
"First, information."
Han Seojin needed information about the Iron-Blood Sword Clan—the members of the clan that almost discarded his body. Their objectives, how they will act, and in what manner they will move—. He needed information about that.
'Or perhaps they might send an assassin.'
As long as he provides information, that would be enough. Of course, there are a few traps here. If they were as cold-blooded as the literal meaning of 'iron blood,' they would abandon this man. His dantian would be completely frozen by then, leading to his death.
'Though, that's none of my business.'
Han Seojin smiled faintly.
After he defeated this guy, some memories started to flow back.
「You have the blood of the main family, yet is this all you can do?」
「Because of that, I only…」
「Surely our Young Master of the main family can do this, right?」
This guy persistently tormented Han Seojin from behind, spreading all sorts of malicious rumors about him.
Using the power of the Iron-Blood Sword Clan, he raped someone and tormented someone else. He spread such rumors.
Han Cheoljin was not born into the main family. However, the guy was connected to other relations of the main family, and he regarded Han Seojin as a thorn in his side.
His low desire and the desire to look good in front of his rival showed, pushing Han Seojin slowly toward the cliff.
If one pushes another's life towards a cliff, they should be prepared to fall off it themselves.
'Ridiculous fools.'
Han Seojin smiled inwardly.
He slowly pushed me back, ignoring the reputation of the Iron-Blood Sword Clan.
It's a good method, but do they really need to go that far against someone not blessed with the system and mana?While trashing the family's reputation to the ground? Seeing one means understanding ten. This family is quite a mess.
'I think it's probably the family head doing it.'
Han Seojin smiled.
'We'll find out soon enough.'
'If they don't want to lose their lives, that is.'
Glacial Heavenly Moon.
It's magic. The magic that moves at my will seeped into his dantian.
'It's over.'
It's over for him, both as a warrior and a person.
Due to the magic of the Glacial Heavenly Moon, the magic seeped into his dantian will torment him whenever he moves.
Most students recorded it on their phones, so it won't be long before the people of the Iron-Blood Sword Clan find out.
'What should I do?'
I was curious about how they would act.
Would they try to take me down like fools, or would they hold onto a sliver of possibility and embrace me?
There were various reasons why I specifically destroyed his dantian.
'First, I need to recover my memories.'
After reincarnating in this body, I received new memories. Maybe that's why I had a different personality in each of my past lives.
In my second life, I had a personality that would smile while stabbing with a knife.
In my third life, I had a personality that would destroy anything I didn't like.
I never tried to change my personality.
Because those memories were also mine.
'Precisely, it's a method to preserve my mind.'
I had to separate my life from 'me'.
Otherwise, my personality could be buried in the life of a past incarnation.
Sssk.
I heard the pleasant sound of a cola can being opened, a sound always nice to hear.
'How would they act?'
I wish they'd move quickly.
I fiddled with my phone in anticipation.
"Hey."
A woman grabbed me.
She had a bob cut.
Her outfit was casual, consisting of a coat over a crop top paired with tight black jeans.
'Who is she?'
She's quite the beauty. The kind of beauty that would compel anyone to turn around if they passed her on the street. Yet, her eyes were sharp.
"Who?"
"…What are you?"
Digging through the memories within Han Seojin's body, a name surfaces.
Sword Monster, Nam Hyerin.
She is a first-year student at the academy and has defeated the second-ranked among the so-called golden generation of third-years.
Currently, she stands as the most notable woman at the academy and is under the watchful eyes of all heroes.
"Hyerin."
"…Sorry, my bad. I was too surprised."
The woman named Nam Hyerin apologized for her abrupt interruption.
Beside Nam Hyerin, a man approached soon after.
"Sorry. This one here isn't really good with words." he said, his laughter light and refreshing.
When I caught sight of the man's face, a memory flashed before me.
The Chosen One. A memory of a man akin to the protagonist of this academy, adept in both magic and swordsmanship resurfaced.
"Seo, Seon Woohyeon and Nam Hyerin?"
"Those two took an interest in someone?"
Whispers emanated from all around.
Seon Woohyeon paid them no mind. His gaze was fixed solely on me.
"I'm Seon Woohyeon. And this is Nam Hyerin."
"Why are you introducing yourselves to me?"
"It was very impressive."
Seon Woohyeon stated, his smile warm and gentle.
"Cheoljin was subdued by you in a single move, yet he's considered an expert."
An expert. That thing?
I nearly scoffed but restrained myself. Does the standard here drop the more visible and convenient one's powers are?
"The magic you wielded earlier was very impressive."
This guy has quite the discerning eye.
"I'm not sure how you constructed the spell, but it appeared novel. Did you invent it?"
"Why do you ask?"
"It was intriguing. The magic circle is of low grade, but the magic's manifestation is remarkably free. And yet, it possesses a variety of effects."
Seon Woohyeon spoke while still looking at me.
"It seems you have no interest in the academy."
With that, he pulled a piece of paper from his pocket.
"Here's my business card. I will start a guild once our first academy year ends."
"Guild?"
"Yes. It's made up of people with notable names or outstanding potential. From Nam Hyerin here, to Yoo Eunchae, the alchemist Kim Gibeom… We'll start modestly with an initial group of 7." so said Seon Woohyeon.
His eyes were shining. I've seen those eyes a lot.
Ambition.
Eyes that see everyone else as ignorant, thinking only they are truly human.
And eyes that regarded someone as an equal while viewing everything around them as mere plants.
'What an unpleasant guy.'
Such people are dangerous. They don't care about others and prefer making sacrifices over enduring hardship.
"I'll just take it for now."
Seon Woohyeon smiled brightly at my words.
Of course, I have no intention of joining.
Sssk.
I opened a can of cola. This sound is always pleasant, no matter when I hear it.
In my previous life, I hadn't seen the neon signs that now emit colorful lights, illuminating the cityscape. I was blankly staring at that scene.
'It feels somewhat different looking at it like this.'
I gulped down the cola.
In my first life, I lived in the modern world.
From my second life, I was a person from the barbaric medieval times. Even those who claimed to be cultured were fundamentally from a barbaric era. The nobles were somewhat better, but those who valued cleanliness were rare among them. It was an era that seriously believed bathing meant washing away one's luck.
'That's why I liked the Duke of Extermination.'
Perhaps because the Duke of Extermination is an elf.
The Duke of Extermination often bathes, maybe owing to the fact that they're not human. They think they're fortunate that the first person they met values cleanliness.
As I sipped on the cola, I felt someone approaching.
"Ah, isn't that Seojin?"
The voice was bright and cheerful.
Turning my head, I spotted a woman. Her eyes shimmered with the twilight hues of sunset, and her hair cascaded down to her waist. She was clad in a white blouse, draped with a black coat, and a black H-line skirt below. The woman seemed puzzled as she looked at me.
"But, are you allowed to be here? You suddenly stopped showing up at the academy recently."
"…The academy."
I can't recall this woman. With such distinctive features, one would think she'd be memorable, but there's no trace of her in my memories.
Typically, there's only one explanation for this.
'Could it be that a more traumatic memory has overshadowed her?'
What in the world happened with this person?
Perhaps.
It appears there's something about my recent absence from the academy that she mentioned.
I pondered for a moment. Usually, even if they're fragmented, memories from my past lives surface without issue, but this is a first. It can't be helped.
Putting on a bold face, I addressed Yoo Eunchae.
"Who are you?"
"….Do you not remember me?"
"Sorry, I've been a bit out of sorts lately."
So, who are you? My gaze implored her to tell me.
"…Huh."
She looked at me, disbelief etched across her face. …What did this guy do?
"Even if something happened, to feign ignorance so blatantly."
Her incredulous gaze bore into me. It was as if she was reacting to a sudden coldness from someone of the opposite sex for whom she had a certain affection.
But what can I do? I don't remember her.
Under her scrutinizing gaze, the woman soon wore an expression of anger and turned away.
"Fine. You have no idea how hard it was for me to gather this information."
With that, the woman departed.
And a little while later.
Boom!
A massive explosion echoed.
Now that I think about it, this world is known to have villains.
They aim to dismantle the laws established by heroes and the elite to safeguard the citizens, thereby creating zones of lawlessness.
'… Could it be that I provoked a villain?'
A perfectly reasonable suspicion.
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