Surviving as a Con Artist at the Academy

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56th Episode. The Conclusion and Class Change

No one could have imagined it.

That demon, the creature that has severed the limbs of King Talema… is a student of this academy.

Too strong to be just a demon and too foreign to be a Demon King. It felt as if I were looking at a being standing in a completely different dimension.

The chilling sensation was akin to observing an unknown entity rising amidst the dark sea and clouds.

Fear.

Only someone at the level of a department head could move a little. Their will to protect even the injured students raised them to their feet before that being.

Step by step—

The demon finally began to move.

The demon lord approaches. A great calamity that no one can stop is drawing near.

In its hand was a frail twig.

It lightly swung an object lacking any killing power. Yet with just that, it made one of Talema’s arms, belonging to the Empire’s best knight, incapacitated.

Even someone with dull perception could gauge that power. No principal could face it, and any resistance would be futile.

“How dare…!”

Talema, having lost an arm, gritted his teeth. Pain surged along with frustration. Returning to the capital in such a state would certainly turn him into a laughingstock among the people.

It did not matter who the opponent was. Talema drew his sword with his remaining arm to salvage his dignity at any cost.

“Ah, no!”

Principal Keiten tried to stop him. But Talema was already charging forward at an astonishing speed.

However, Keiten and the department heads found his actions strange. Talema is a high-ranking expert beyond them. He isn’t someone who reached the throne of a military nation through mediocre skill and experience.

There was no doubt about Talema’s power in that position.

Yet how could Talema recklessly engage the demon without sensing its strength? They themselves were paralyzed by the vast difference in power.

“This is odd. It’s impossible that only Lord Talema feels nothing.”

Keiten thought as he surveyed the surroundings.

The only people who could not move due to pressure, just like himself, were the academic council members. Those around were merely paralyzed by simple fear.

The inspectors and other students were in the same boat.

In other words, the only ones the demon had intentionally frozen were himself and the council members.

Why had they alone been prevented from moving? Was it because they were extraordinary strong? But that should apply to Talema as well.

Yet why had it allowed only him to move?

‘While we are gripped by fear, for some reason only Lord Talema… Could it be!’

By the time that thought formed, Talema’s sword was already sweeping through the air. It was a seasoned strike filled with the prowess of a military ruler crushing everything with power.

Even swinging a sword with just one arm left Keiten, the combat department head, astonished.

The aura surrounding him was so dense that the sword appeared to be a mass of energy. This was proof that Talema was a swordsman of at least 7 stars.

With a single stroke, his sword made a sweeping arc capable of cleaving hundreds of monsters. The speed was unavoidable, and the only fate awaiting his opponent was death.

“How…!”

Talema’s face twitched. An attack filled with the utmost aura was held back by just one hand.

Even the twig he was wielding made no movement. His sword was gripped by the demon’s hand, unable to escape.

Then Talema felt something too late.

“Uh…?”

Fear.

Only that single word echoed in his mind. The demon’s power was finally being assessed.

‘This guy, did he deceive me while hiding his power? No, if that were the case, those petty creatures wouldn’t just sit still!’

Talema, like the council members, was completely stiff with fear. But why was he the only one experiencing this realization late?

Thinking back, he had charged blindly without grasping the demon’s power. The only explanation is that the demon had hidden its strength solely from him.

That kind of mastery checked with such overwhelming power.

‘Could it be…!’

By the time he realized it, it was already too late.

Crack!

With a swift kick, the demon shattered one of Talema’s legs. Hellish pain was about to spill out as a scream from his throat.

Before Talema could even open his mouth, the demon struck his chest with a blow. Its hand precisely targeted his vital organs, damaging Talema’s blood vessels.

Only then was he sent flying away.

“Your Majesty!”

Papias’s soldiers looked on in shock at their fallen king. And then the demon turned its gaze toward them.

“Ah…”

“Yikes…! Run away!”

Fear itself crashed upon them.

Thinking it was now their turn, they turned to flee, but… it was already too late.

The demon had already severed their arms and legs one by one with its twig-like sword.

“Uaaahhk!!”

“Please, spare me!!”

The soldiers shrieked with their dying breaths.

With one limb lost, they had also suffered great damage to their dantian. The only fortunate thing was… they were still alive.

“…!”

Luska was left in a daze at the overwhelming scene. The demon that had slain the soldiers was right before his eyes. He feared it was his turn next, but the demon simply turned away.

Perhaps it deemed the others unworthy of death.

The demon leaped with the force to penetrate clouds.

And then vanished.

What had they just witnessed? Everyone present trembled, lost in thought.

Except for me.

“What did we just see?”

“Did it run away?”

As everyone pondered, Talema lay sprawled out, unable to even stop the bleeding. One arm had been severed, and one leg was permanently incapacitated.

With his blood vessels damaged, he would be unable to use mana until his death. The same went for the knights as well.

‘Our protagonist really got beaten up.’

Leaving only a clone behind, Lyman exited the academy to investigate the Nine-Tailed Fox experiment.

There, he learned about the experiences Angela and Luska had undergone and felt a sense of pity. It was like looking back at his former self.

“When luck is bad, even barking dogs don’t bark. How ironic that it should happen to Lyman.”

With the due turn of events, Lyman would go on to commit similar acts as before. Anyone who caught his eye could expect no more than a glimpse of hope.

Villains seemed more miserable than the protagonists who face trials throughout their growth. This was the unique charm of the game, “Devil Arc.”

I had witnessed Lyman face off numerous times. I had direct experience manipulating him over a hundred times.

There was only one thing I didn’t know about him—how long he sat in the restroom and other petty matters.

I knew everything else, so I couldn’t help but feel more afraid than anyone.

A meticulous protag that doesn’t follow the clichés of royal stories.

The slightest misstep in front of him could lead anyone to end up like Enviel, Talema, or Travel.

At this moment, I was truly grateful that I had become friends with Jenny and Mary.

Lyman would never kill his opponents. He views death as rest.

Rest is salvation. It wouldn’t be appropriate to bestow such tranquility upon villains. Thus, instead of killing, he leaves them incapacitated.

To make them feel the same hell as he had, being unable to die for a lifetime.

When losing something precious and suffering, there is no deeper hell than reminiscing about a blissful past.

*

The epilogue has now reached its final stage. The concluding story always plays the role of tidying up the remnants of previous tales.

The first remnants of Chapter 2 that come to mind are the treatment of Luska and Angela. Simultaneously, there’s the treatment of Prince Totema.

The Nine-Tailed Fox that had destroyed the village turned out to be Angela. At that point, there was no way she could avoid sitting on the defendant’s bench. Luska had to join as well due to her ties with Enviel.

The trial seemed to flow in a heavy direction, but behind that was the efforts of a lawyer hired from the Delaware Upper House.

[Luska Mad Eye – One Week of School Service]

[Angela Whitegreen – One Month of Church Service]

Ultimately, a light punishment was the outcome, but their defense had been pretty straightforward.

First, with Enviel revealing their identity and the sensitive experimental materials from the Enviel incident being leaked by someone.

‘It was amusing that no one realized that someone was Lyman.’

Thanks to that revelation, the two sisters effectively avoided heavy sentences, as it turned out they had been manipulated by Enviel.

Angela was evidently a victim rather than a defendant, having been turned into a Nine-Tailed Fox under the influence of Enviel’s brainwashing.

Moreover, Angela healed everyone she had wounded during her transformation into a Nine-Tailed Fox. Even injuries that required surgery were completely healed.

-If that child’s power is so great…!

Professor Stella had her eye on Angela’s healing abilities.

It was bound to spark her interest, as it bore a similar wavelength to the divine power wielded by clerics. It was the true power of a divine beast, free of all weapons.

To uncover that mysterious power, Professor Stella brought Angela along to the sect. Perfectly justified by her church service.

This would soon lead to the birth of a new saint.

[Totema End Hall Papias – Expulsion and Removal of Royal Status]

However, the trial outcome for Prince Totema was less favorable compared to theirs.

He too had been used, but unlike them, there was no documentation stating how he had been used.

Furthermore, his honest testimony further solidified his sentence. He himself wished for the kingdom’s downfall.

How great must the feeling of losing something grand be? But unexpectedly, Prince Totema… no, Totema only laughed.

“Thank you,” “I truly appreciate it!”, “I will never forget this kindness.”

Rather than despair, he was overwhelmed with gratitude. It was as if he had grabbed the rope dropped from the sky after living in the abyss for over a decade.

Those who did not understand the meaning of his reaction tilted their heads, but in the end, all the defendants faced a happy conclusion.

*

Chapter 2 has been completely wrapped up.

There was plenty gained from this chapter. The greatest was the awakening of the spirit power thanks to the talisman acquired from Teaching Assistant Adela.

From that point, I was able to absorb Muto through the appearance of class change routes.

Simultaneously, consuming Enviel had significantly boosted all abilities, including spirit power.

However, no matter how much of a great archmage he was at the 8th circle, I hadn’t fully absorbed his power. Simply put, I had absorbed only his memories and physical traits.

There was no need to feel regret.

[Magic Skill List]

-Mana Eye Lv1

The singular physical trait that originally belonged to Enviel had shifted to me.

—————–

-Mana Eye Lv1

Acquires legendary vision capable of peering into the abyss. Once activated, it can reveal everything in the surroundings, even discern the hidden intentions of others as proficiency increases. Even without activation, it will trigger automatically upon detecting a threatening presence.

* It doesn’t require mana as it’s a part of the body skill.

—————–

With this, I could see through any disguise my opponent might wear. Even the notorious Lyman would avoid this Mana Eye, leaving only a clone to slip away.

If I could read my opponent’s intentions… it would be easier to deceive them.

Currently, this was a useful and needed skill in my stock of “Scamming.”

“Well then, shall we slowly begin?”

The day after the incident. At 9 PM.

I strolled along the grim night road, arriving at a place thick with silence. The Aligieri Tower, which had been part of the final evaluation course.

Coming in the morning would hardly evoke its horror, but upon arrival at night, one would feel why it was considered a horror spot.

A sign saying [No Entry]. Although it piqued curiosity even more, everyone stayed away due to the eeriness.

I disregarded that aura and climbed over the fence. Once I entered the garden surrounding the tower, all kinds of presences were felt.

Because this place was where spirits wandered the moment night fell.

Though invisible to others, they were visible to my enhanced perception.

The sight of spirits clinging with bitter resentment was always eerie.

“If Jenny had seen this, she would have fainted.”

But with Muto at my side, those spirits would not dare to approach. The reason I came to this tedious place was ‘to class change.’

[Clear Conditions]

– Achieve Spirit Power Gauge of 20+ (Achieved!)

– Reach Curse Aura maximum level of 5 (Achieved!)

– Have at least one spirit contracted (Achieved!)

– Perform in an area filled with spirits of curses (Achieved!)

[All conditions for changing class from ‘Scammer’ to ‘Outlaw’ have been met.]

[Would you like to proceed with the class change?]

YES / NO

The answer was, of course, YES!

[Proceeding with class change.]

“Ugh!”

My heartbeat thudded heavily like a drum. The approaching spirits halted and began to show respect.

The energy of curses mixed in with the ground and air formed into black mist and absorbed into me.

The pounding heart, which felt like it would burst, stopped. And then restarted.

Only after that overwhelming sensation, which I thought would be the end, faded could I confirm the result.

[Class change completed!]

[You have changed class from ‘Scammer’ to ‘Outlaw.’]

[Contract Spirit Slot 1 has been added.]

[Contract Spirit Slot 2 has been added.]

[Radon Crawler(16)]

Race: Human

Grade: 1

Job: Outlaw (Experience: 50/1000%)

– Health: 29

– Strength: 27

– Intelligence: 30

– Perseverance: 31

– Mana: 44/44

– Spirit Power: 30/30

Finally, the class change succeeded. The changes were reflected in the system window.

With the modification of the job, the maximum experience shot up from 100% to 1000%.

‘Leveled up, but it got harder!’

From now on, raising a stat by 1 would require a significant effort. Quite the extraordinary balance patch.

Then the shadows began to writhe, morphing into a snake shape before appearing before my eyes. It was Muto.

As it looked me up and down, I reciprocated the gesture.

“What? Are we having a staring contest?”

At that moment, it let out a snicker and spoke.

『Heh heh! You look like puppy vomit.』

[The affinity needed for the contract is insufficient.]

That was the voice of a spirit I heard for the first time.

Surviving as an academy scammer.