I Became the Academy’s Munchkin Sniper

[Such powerful strength… It’s overflowing through my entire body….]

Luin smiled with exhilaration rising from his core. 

Compared to his insignificant human self, his current power felt limitless—endless mana, boundless stamina. Every wound he sustained healed instantly, nearly omnipotent.

The professors and students of the Mage Tower who looked down on him as a commoner, even the genius Ciel—he felt he could now erase them with a mere gesture. 

There were countless beings in this world who would tremble and kneel at his words. 

He understood now why the demon who granted his wish was so arrogant. 

A demon with rank possessed power that rivaled a god. 

If such strength could come from a mere demon ruling over human desires, how much stronger would the Seven Deadly Sins be? 

They were all waiting for the Demon King, or so he’d heard.

But there was something more urgent on his mind.

[You…]

His blood-red vision settled on a figure in the distance, a boy aiming a sniper rifle at him.

[What are you…? Why don’t you fear me?]

His voice echoed through the arena like a chorus of wailing spirits, reflecting the souls of the countless sacrifices he had made. Yet Kyle stood his ground and his blue eyes glinted brightly in the crimson-tinted world.

“Because I know everything about you is nothing but false power.”

[False power? Do you not realize the strength I’ve gained?]

“I know. You’ve become a demon.”

[Yet you’re still so composed. Your courage is admirable, though it’ll mean nothing soon.]

Luin looked around, noting the dark red barrier separating the arena from the audience.

[You’re going to die here. Brutally.]

Kyle and Luin were about to fight a life-and-death battle. The barrier wouldn’t break until the purpose was fulfilled. 

The phrase ‘life-and-death’ was almost a joke—Luin anticipated nothing but a one-sided slaughter.

He gathered his corrupted mana into his hand, summoning hundreds of magic circles to fill the air.

[Do you have any last words? I’ll hear them.]

With hell about to be unleashed, Kyle calmly looked at the demon, loaded his bullet, and activated his concealment.

He disappeared in an instant, leaving Luin squinting in disbelief, his voice echoing from nowhere.

“You’re the one who should be worried.”

Bang—

A faint gunshot pierced Luin’s ear. It wasn’t just a sound—his ear had actually been shot through.

Luin touched his ear. The wound wasn’t healing.

[How is this… possible….]

A disturbing realization settled into Luin’s mind. 

Demonic regeneration was supposed to be unmatched; even a priest could barely suppress it. Yet this felt as if the pure light element itself had struck him.

[W-what are you…?]

Now he realized he couldn’t sense Kyle’s presence at all. This was more than simple invisibility. 

Luin spread his demonic energy around.

Boom—

His powerful interference only stirred the air, as if nothing were there.

And yet, Kyle’s voice echoed.

“You still don’t understand.”

Bang—

Another bullet struck Luin, this time in his abdomen, exposing a cold, gaping wound. A chilling breeze whispered in his ear.

“You’re the prey here.”

[I-Impossible! How dare you—!]

Luin swiped at the air beside him, but his claws cut through nothing.

He couldn’t comprehend the situation. This was Kyle, the lowest-ranking student in the academy.

How could he be losing to him?

Unless… Kyle had been hiding his true identity all along.

Realizing this, Luin trembled as he spoke.

[W-what are you?]

There was no answer.

Instead, Kyle delivered a simple warning.

“My next shot will pierce your heart.”

A promise of silent death.

Fear gripped Luin. He understood now that he was being hunted. A transcendent being was about to tear him apart. 

No, he wasn’t even prey; Kyle had intended to devour him from the start.

Realizing Kyle’s calm defiance even in the face of his power, Luin took out his last resort.

[Am I really going to die like this!!]

Luin conjured multiple layers of shields and prepared to obliterate the entire arena. His plan was to detonate hundreds of spells simultaneously, destroying everything in the vicinity. His magic circles glowed ominously.

[Hahaha! There’s no way you’ll escape this!]

Surely, this would kill Kyle. Regardless of his concealment, he couldn’t survive an explosion of this magnitude. 

Luin was certain that his final attack would finish him off.

The ground trembled as everything became blindingly bright.

Boom!

An explosion erupted, shattering the ground as flames engulfed everything in sight. 

A piercing ring echoed in Luin’s ears as the firestorm raged in front of his shield.

Beep—

In this slow-motion world, a flash of light cut through the flames, extinguishing all magic in its path.

At the end of this line of destruction stood Kyle, one eye fixed on Luin through his blue optical scope.

“Let’s end this.”

The sound of a gunshot, like something gnawing through the very fabric of space, echoed.

A red bullet shattered all of Luin’s shields and struck his heart.

Watching everything unfold, Luin was helpless.

Crack!

[Aaargh!]

He felt his soul fragmenting, his infinite power, mana, and stamina draining away in an instant. 

Kyle kicked him, sending him crashing to the ground.

“Luin, answer me. When does this barrier break?”

Kyle looked down at him, and Luin, now too weak to move, answered.

[The moment I die….]

“I see. You told me to make my final words. You should say yours. You’re dying here. I don’t leave demons alive.”

[Heh….]

Luin laughed in response. He reflected on his life, a life marked by failure. His talent in mana capacity and sensitivity was so low it was rated as F. He had no regrets.

[I… only wanted to be strong….]

“That’s all? You’re like any other disposable antagonist.”

But hearing Kyle dismiss his life so easily filled Luin with rage.

[And you… Don’t you have any desires?! You only dismiss me because you’re powerful… You don’t know how desperate some people are for power!]

He vented his long-held resentment.

Everyone has desires, he thought. 

But Kyle only shook his head.

“Who doesn’t have desires? Even living a simple life, I’d love to have more money. But you’re consumed by it.”

[What do you mean…?]

“Now that your mind is clear, think about it. Do you still want that overwhelming power?”

[That’s…]

Luin couldn’t answer.

After all, those who make pacts with demons are usually not in their right minds. They are consumed by their own despair, driven by an obsession to gain something at any cost.

Demons understand this human weakness all too well.

Even if you only wish to rise from rank 350 to 349, once you reach 349, your desires shift, and you are further drawn into the demon’s trap. 

Having attained your goal without effort, you find yourself trapped, lacking any purpose beyond what the demon offers.

Such people are bound to their demons and live as demons’ thralls.

Luin was just another one of them.

Luin hadn’t started out this way. It was just one use of demonic power, a single time. After that, borrowing more power became all too easy.

He shook his head.

[No, that’s not it… I just wanted to enter Artena Academy, to make it past the threshold….]

“Right. Well, at least you realized it now. Look behind you.”

Hundreds of souls clung to his back—the sacrifices he’d offered to the demon. They had become tangible and manifested as vengeful spirits.

Kyle didn’t feel much sympathy for him. It was almost laughable that he was even bothering to talk to this villain.

“This is the result of your own actions.”

[Yes, I’ll accept it… I guess I’ll be with them forever.]

“You might, or maybe not.”

Kyle didn’t know what awaited anyone in the afterlife.

Luin was gradually disintegrating into dust. Once he died, the barrier would vanish, so Kyle prepared himself.

“Luin, I have one last request.”

[What is it…?]

“Make sure it looks like I took a beating.”

[Ha… You’re hiding your strength even now. You really are something.]

From Luin’s perspective, Kyle was already in bad shape. Though he had cut through the blast, his back was bloodied. Still, because Kyle had been the one to awaken him to the truth, Luin used the last of his energy to summon one final spell.

Kyle’s body was slashed by fiery claws—just enough to knock him out without killing him.

“You… insane…”

Kyle lost consciousness and collapsed, while Luin awaited his end.

As he faded, his mind replayed the battle.

[It was light, wasn’t it…?]

Kyle’s bullets had carried the element of light. It was an impossible feat. A long-range attack with the light attribute and his declaration to never spar a demon…

A memory surfaced in Luin’s mind.

The mysterious figure who’d killed every demon sent by the another demon, during the academy entrance exams, the initiation ceremony, and the monster combat training.

[So… It was you.]

He hadn’t expected this. That this figure would be hiding in Artena Academy…

[Haha…]

With his final words, Luin disappeared.

[Beware… Of the demon of ‘desire’….]

Finally, the resilient barrier shattered into pieces.