How to Survive as the Academy’s Villain

Chapter 24

“……”

Chelsea’s unexpected question left me momentarily speechless.

“If you’re really serious and not just messing around, shouldn’t you be using the thing you’re best at, your greatest ability, to move forward? But you haven’t used magic at all so far…”

Zooooom!

Thunk!

We quickly dodged the tentacle of ‘Virgas’ flying in our direction. Chelsea continued speaking simultaneously.

“The only way to interpret that is that you’re doing it on purpose, right?”

She twisted her lips into a sarcastic smirk and continued in a sharp tone.

“Kamon Vade is just having fun, playing around and mocking everyone. Isn’t that right? Or is this someone else’s fault too?”

“……”

I couldn’t say anything in response. Magic, that damn magic!

‘Why am I going through all this hell right now…!’

Clatter!

Thunk!

“You’ve always been like that, Kamon. That’s why I…”

“Fine, I can’t use magic!”

“What?”

Zooooom!

Thunk!

“That magic, I can’t use it. Even if I want to, I can’t right now!”

“……”

Chelsea stared at me, mouth agape, shocked by my sudden declaration.

Eventually,

“Don’t make me laugh.”

“What?”

“No one will believe such a lie now.”

No, damn it!

It’s true. I’m not lying.

I really can’t use magic. Even if I want to, I can’t!

“And I’ve already seen you use magic.”

“I…I did? When?”

When exactly?

“Yeah. When we were escaping the Werewolf. You used Blink magic to move from the bridge to the cliff.”

“What? No, that was…”

At that moment.

Zooooom!

As if annoyed by us dodging its tentacle attacks, ‘Virgas’ let out a massive screech and unleashed a sonic attack.

“Gah!”

“…Damn it!”

Without any time to explain further, we both kneeled under the sudden sonic assault.

* * *

‘Can’t use magic?’

Now it was beyond absurd.

Seeing Kamon freeze after She mentioned seeing him use magic…

‘Figures.’

Instead of getting angrier, Chelsea’s mind grew colder.

‘Enough, I don’t need to talk to him anymore. That guy is hopeless anyway…’

Zooooom!

Thunk!

Chelsea, losing her balance due to ‘Virgas’’ sonic attack, fell to the ground.

At the same time,

Shwoosh!

She saw the tentacle coming towards her.

‘Ah…’

Instinctively, she knew she couldn’t dodge the attack.

‘That’s it, let’s just end it here.’

She made a quick, cold decision about the current situation.

The dungeon raid was impossible now, and she didn’t want to be in the same place as that damned Kamon any longer.

Of course, being eliminated like this would mean losing not only the highest score for the Dungeon Studies final exam.

‘And also the top rank for the year…’

Oddly, she felt a sense of relief.

So,

‘Let’s just end this.’

With that thought, she closed her eyes.

Thinking of the impending pain and the regret of being eliminated.

‘It’s okay, Chelsea. You still did your best…’

Shwoosh! Clatter! Thunk!

“Gah!”

Suddenly, a loud impact from in front of her made Chelsea open her eyes.

Then,

“Ugh!”

“Hey, you…!”

Kamon Vade, who had blocked the tentacle attack with his body, was lying in front of her.

“Damn it! Fucking hurts so much.”

With a pale face from pain, Kamon Vade gritted his teeth and shouted.

“Damn it, listen to me for once!”

He then glared at Chelsea and continued.

“Damn it, that wasn’t magic, it was a scroll. If you want, I can show you the receipt later.”

“What?”

“So, I really can’t use magic!”

* * *

‘I really feel like I’m going to die. Maybe dying would be better?’

The pain from blocking ‘Virgas’’ attack was unimaginable.

It wasn’t just external bruises, but an agonizing pain that seemed to shake my bones and organs.

Why did it have to feel so real…?

“Damn, it hurts so much.”

Lying on the ground, I muttered and glared at Chelsea.

Why the hell was she acting up now…?

Even though I resented her actions deeply, there was no point in blaming Chelsea now. Without her, defeating this final boss would be impossible. That’s why I blocked the tentacles aimed at her with my body.

“For once, just believe me. Can’t you just pretend to be fooled for a moment?!”

I shouted with such desperation that it felt like a plea.

“…Then what should I do?”

“What?”

“You told me to listen to you. So, what should I do?”

For some reason, Chelsea’s demeanor seemed to have changed, and she asked earnestly. I quickly tried to respond.

“Well, um…”

Zooooom!

Shwoosh!

Just then, ‘Virgas’ launched another tentacle attack, and Chelsea swiftly lifted me and dodged to the side.

Thud!

“Chelsea, you…”

“Quickly, tell me before I change my mind!”

“Alright, alright!”

Shwoosh!

Once again, a tentacle barely missed her shoulder.

“First, put me down.”

Clatter!

Thunk!

Without hesitation, she dropped me to the ground.

“Ah, seriously…”

“You told me to put you down.”

“Fine. Chelsea, listen to me carefully.”

There was indeed a way to defeat ‘Virgas’ without any items or equipment. Of course,

‘I really didn’t want to do this…’

It was my last resort, something I absolutely didn’t want to choose.

“From now on, stay close behind me and approach the monster’s eye. The paralysis will affect me, so when we get close enough, stab that eye with your sword.”

“What?”

“If you destroy that eye, it’s just another monster.”

It was a simple yet effective plan. Exposure to ‘Virgas’’ gaze would paralyze the body, but if Chelsea followed me closely and avoided eye contact, she would be unaffected.

The problem was,

‘It’s not just going to hurt a bit; it’s going to hurt a lot, like hell.’

I had already felt its impact once, and taking multiple hits in a row could knock me out like the others.

But there was no other option.

“So just stick close behind me and follow.”

“…”

“Hey, Chelsea. Did you understand?”

“Yes, I got it.”

“Then stay close behind me and follow. Don’t look at its eye.”

“I’ll take care of that. Just don’t fall behind.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

With that, Chelsea and I started running towards ‘Virgas’ eye.

Clatter, clank.

Thud, thud, thud!

Seeing us approach, the monster flailed its dozens of tentacles wildly.

“Watch out!”

Shwoosh!

“Don’t look ahead, just follow me!”

Dodging a tentacle narrowly, I shouted to Chelsea behind me.

“Then you dodge properly! That was close.”

“I saw everything.”

“Yeah, right.”

At that moment, a tentacle came from my blind spot aimed at my head.

“Hey, duck!”

Shwoosh!

Barely avoiding the tentacle with Chelsea’s urgent warning, I turned my head.

“Did you really see everything?”

“Oh, shut up and trust me. Don’t look ahead!”

Clatter! Clank!

Thud, thud, thud!

We kept bickering as we approached ‘Virgas’ eye.

But as we got closer,

“Don’t slow down. You’re dragging your feet…!”

“My body’s stiffening… Damn it!”

“Use a paralysis release spell… No, I’ll push you. Hang in there!”

Chelsea began to push my paralyzed body from behind. But as a result, I could no longer dodge the tentacles.

‘Damn, I’ll have to tank this….’

Shwoosh, thwack!

“Argh!!”

It hurt, it hurt like hell.

Why did I agree to this?

“Hey, are you alright…?”

“Ugh. Shut up and just keep pushing!”

I had to endure it somehow. Being expelled from the academy was worse than this pain… no, no it wasn’t. This pain was so much worse. Maybe leaving the academy would be better than enduring this.

So maybe I should just…

“Uh.”

What, my tongue is paralyzed too?

Damn, I can’t even speak!

‘Damn it, I shouldn’t have agreed to this.’

Regretting my choice, I swallowed back tears.

‘Why did I… I’ll never do this again, even if I die!’

But before I could finish that thought, the searing pain came again.

Shwoosh, thwack!

“Aaagh!”

Shwoosh, crack!

“Gah!”

The pain made me feel faint, and my vision started to go dark.

“…Kamon!”

Huh?

Tap, clatter!

What, did I pass out?

…Wow, I’m still conscious?

If it wasn’t for Chelsea’s voice, I might have lost consciousness for real.

When I came back to my senses, I realized we were now very close to ‘Virgas’.

“Hey, Chel…sea. This… close enough, right?”

Swish.

Even though my tongue was paralyzed, Chelsea seemed to understand me and drew her sword.

“Yeah, this is close enough.”

“Al…right, just do… it.”

Suddenly,

Tap, tap!

Chelsea placed her hand on my shoulder for the first time.

“…?”

What’s this all of a sudden?

Then she spoke again.

“Here I go.”

Alright, just please make sure it works, okay?

If we don’t get the highest score after all this, I’ll seriously die of frustration!

So please!

“Hey, Chel…sea!”

“…?”

“Make sure… to succeed. I can’t do… this twice…!”

“What? Hah.”

She let out a small laugh before shaking her head and replying briefly.

“I can’t do this twice either.”

Thud, thud, thud!

And then,

It was as if time slowed down, Chelsea and ‘Virgas’ both moving sluggishly.

Shooook!

Chelsea’s sword aimed straight for the enormous, disgusting eye of ‘Virgas’ just a short distance ahead…

Zooooom!

And ‘Virgas,’ reaching out with its tentacles to stop her, using me as a shield.

But,

Swoosh!

Chelsea’s sharp sword pierced the eye first.

Splat!

Kraaaaaaaagh!

As time seemed to resume its normal pace, Chelsea’s sword drove straight through the giant eye.

“……”

Clatter, thud!

And with that, I completely lost consciousness.