I Became the Mastermind Who Betrays the Heroines-Chapter 109 - Red Sea (3)
[Translator - Peptobismol]
[Proofreader - Demon God]
Chapter 109 – Red Sea (3)
The Faculty Exhibition Match.
A regularly scheduled event at the academy—one of the top three most anticipated spectacles of the year.
After all, it was a rare opportunity to witness the true strength of the faculty firsthand.
For students, it served as motivation.
For outsiders, it was a display of the academy’s prestige.
Simply put, it was a stage where the most distinguished names proved their worth.
Perhaps because it was an event that commanded pride, discussions among the students burned hotter than ever.
After all, every single one of them had dedicated themselves to Gallimard.
Their blood ran hot with excitement.
—This year’s going to be good, isn’t it?
—The practical exams were brutal, but I held on just to watch this.
—A fight on an entirely different level. You won’t find another opportunity like this anywhere on the continent!
—Even just spectating is a learning experience.
—I wish they’d just start already!
—Speaking of which… did you hear? Some first-year caused a huge scene this time.
—That guy? Everyone’s talking about him lately.
This year, the excitement was even greater than usual.
A first-year top student had challenged a professor.
The bold confrontation had drawn all eyes to the match.
It was the only thing the students could talk about.
—You’re the challenger here.
The serpent had spoken.
Ever since that moment—
The academy had split into two camps.
One side found his audacity refreshing—a thrilling, reckless display of confidence.
The other side was outraged, calling it an act of pure arrogance.
Given the provocative nature of his words, backlash was inevitable.
—He acts like professors are beneath him.
—He’s about to get a reality check.
—Still, you have to respect his guts. Better to charge forward than to back down like a coward, don’t you think?
—If you love his guts so much, why don’t you bet on him?
—Come on, let’s not be ridiculous.
As for predictions—
The consensus was overwhelming.
Almost everyone was betting on the serpent’s defeat.
It was the obvious conclusion.
His previous clashes had been with fellow students.
But this time, his opponent was on an entirely different level.
Gallimard's faculty consisted of only the best of the best—
Figures who stood at the pinnacle of their respective fields.
No matter how talented a student was, defeating a professor was simply beyond reason.
In terms of sheer ability and experience, the gap was insurmountable.
—And his opponent is Professor Cadel Evans.
Cadel Evans.
A legend.
Once the youngest Tower Master in history—
A man who had abruptly abandoned his title, claiming he had grown bored,
And taken up a professorship instead.
Now, he stood as one of the most influential figures among the faculty.
—Of all the professors… how did he think challenging him was a good idea?
—Maybe he’ll manage to land a hit or two?
—Do you think being a professor is easy? One flick of his wrist, and he’ll be embedded in the ground.
—So his undefeated streak finally ends… honestly, I saw this coming. He’s been picking fights everywhere.
—Might be good for him to hit a wall.
—Honestly? He’s been surrounded by girls all the time—it’s about time he got knocked down a peg.
—Sounds like you’re just jealous.
Some took this as their chance to vent.
With the reputation he had built over the past few months, there were plenty of students who resented him.
Their voices mixed into the already frenzied atmosphere.
However—
Not all the attention was negative.
In fact, the naysayers were in the minority.
Most students were simply curious.
Because exceptional talent is something people can’t help but be drawn to.
Many had been captivated by his feats, and some had even begun rooting for him.
Their eyes shone with anticipation.
—At the very least, I don’t think he’ll get completely overwhelmed.
—Didn’t he destroy the second-year top student with just a flick of his wrist? He might not win, but he can probably hold his own.
—At this point, he’s already leagues beyond normal students.
—A little unhinged, sure, but damn entertaining.
—I’m betting on the top student this time. Put my entire monthly allowance on it.
—You lunatic.
Excited whispers filled the academy.
The practical exams had ended, but all eyes were now drawn to the next spectacle.
And then—
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《Let the match begin!》
With the weight of countless gazes upon them, the duel commenced.
From the very start, their magic clashed with explosive force.
On one side—
A blade of sharpened shadows.
On the other—
An arrow of water, compressed to its very limits.
A thunderous impact shook the arena, sending shockwaves rippling across the protective barrier.
BOOOOM—!
A clash that far exceeded the expected standard of a student’s duel.
The very air trembled.
The barrier surrounding the spectators quivered ominously.
The sheer intensity of the spectacle sent the crowd into a frenzy.
The duel pressed on relentlessly.
Contrary to expectations, the match remained evenly matched—
Each clash rang out, heavy with force.
CLANG! SCRAAAAPE…!
—Wait… he’s actually holding his own?
—Are you kidding? He’s not just holding his own—he’s going toe-to-toe with a professor!
—They’re moving too fast—I can’t keep up!
Gasps of awe spread throughout the stands.
Students were utterly mesmerized.
Amidst the rising heat of battle, a golden serpent danced through the storm of attacks—
Facing him, an elephant, its expression frozen in unmistakable shock.
*
SWISH—!
A sharp whistle cut through the air.
An instant later, an arrow streaked forward.
A perfectly aimed strike, fired at the gap in my stance.
But I remained unfazed.
With a flick of my wrist, I turned my blade in a smooth arc—
And met the attack head-on.
CLANG—!
The arrow skidded off the edge of my sword, its sharpened tip scraping past.
A heavy impact reverberated up my arm.
I flexed my fingers instinctively, shaking off the residual sting—
But before I could fully recover, another barrage of spikes rained down, giving me no room to breathe.
In response, I unfurled a veil of shadows above me.
Thudududud—!
The deafening sound echoed like heavy rain pounding against a roof.
But this wasn’t a summer storm.
It was neither cool nor soft.
This water was razor-sharp—carving through the air with the intent to slice anything it touched.
"Tsk… How troublesome."
Ten minutes had passed.
The duel was still at a standstill.
A relentless downpour of magic filled the sky—
Yet I navigated the battlefield with calm precision.
Idly, I examined my slightly chipped blade and let out a casual remark.
"Professor, don’t you think you’re being a little too ruthless?"
My gaze lifted.
Through the flickering veil of rain, I spotted Cadel Evans hovering above—
Standing effortlessly on compressed water platforms.
He was quite literally walking on air.
His brows furrowed slightly, as if something about the situation bothered him.
"…This is unexpected. I didn’t think you’d last this long."
"Shall I take that as a compliment?"
"By all means."
Even as he spoke, he fired another volley of arrows.
I twisted through the assault with a dancer’s grace, weaving between the attacks with fluid, effortless steps.
Each strike barely missed—
Until finally, I found an opening.
CLANG—!
My shadows clashed forcefully against his barrage, breaking apart his rhythm.
For the first time, the storm of arrows thinned.
And I didn’t miss my chance.
I fired.
A single, bullet of darkness shot through the sky—
And struck the professor square in the forehead.
THWACK!
"…Tch?!"
His head snapped back.
Perhaps he had been too confident—
His defenses had gone up a second too late.
Though the impact was softened at the last moment, he hadn’t avoided it completely.
A red mark bloomed starkly against his pale skin.
"Fufu… I imagine that woke you up?"
I smiled, voice light with amusement.
A subtle provocation, yet—
One that hit its mark.
Cadel’s expression darkened.
A prideful man.
Struggling against a student was frustrating enough—
But having to endure their mockery on top of it?
That was something else entirely.
"Consider it my way of keeping things interesting."
"Hah."
A hollow laugh escaped him.
A professor—struggling against a student?
That alone was infuriating.
But to be taunted on top of it?
That was something his pride wouldn’t allow.
Without hesitation—
His mana exploded outward.
"You insolent brat…!"
BOOOOOOM—!
The air shook.
A thunderous roar rang out as his magic surged with newfound intensity.
The real battle was about to begin.
I braced myself.
The force of his next spell crashed down—
And I barely managed to block it with the flat of my blade.
The duel’s balance—
Had begun to shift.
'As expected. He’s strong.'
A quiet thought flickered through my mind.
It made sense.
The strongest professor in the academy—
Of course, he was on a different level.
In fact—
He might even be on par with Rena.
Among the entire continent, he would be considered a true powerhouse.
A normal student wouldn’t have lasted three seconds against him.
…The thought briefly crossed my mind.
‘Should I try to recruit him into my organization?’
His overbearing personality had its drawbacks, but—
It was, at the very least, justified.
With a flick of his wrist, he batted away my encroaching shadows—
Then dusted off the blackened stains on his sleeve.
His eyes burned with irritation.
"Impressive… no, remarkable, even."
"Why, thank you."
"Let’s see if you can block this as well."
Cadel swept his arm outward.
Immediately, the entire battlefield trembled.
A wave of water surged forth, razor-sharp edges glinting under the light.
A roaring tide of destruction—
Hurtling straight toward me.
I reacted instantly.
Summoning a thin platform of shadows, I leapt onto it—
Riding the flow as if surfing along the waves.
"Now then—"
I whispered.
And pushed off.
A burst of speed.
I closed the distance in a blink.
If he was too high to hit—
Then I would simply rise to meet him.
I lunged.
SWOOSH—!
My blade cut a clean, direct trajectory—
A blackened arrow soaring through the sky.
Wind rushed past my ears.
The gap between us—
Was now only five hand spans apart.
Then—
Just as I swung my blade—
"Your attacks are too simple."
Cadel muttered.
His fingertips twitched.
A split-second later—
A torrent of water struck me from the side.
SMASH—!
"Khah…?!"
A brutal impact.
I was flung backward.
The force sent me spiraling down—
And crashing into the ground.
A cloud of dust billowed into the air.
Above me, Cadel let out a scoffing laugh.
His mana still burned at his fingertips.
"As if I’d fall for such a one-dimensional attack."
But—
"Is that so?"
His expression stiffened.
Because the one he had struck—
Hadn’t been me.
Just an illusion.
"Then what about this?"
"...?"
His pupils contracted.
The real me—
Was already behind him.
His eyes flicked down—
To find my palm pressed against his back.
He had fallen for it completely.
There was no escape.
I whispered softly—
"Break."
The magic in the air unraveled.
In a single blink—
Cadel’s defensive spells collapsed into nothing.
Even the platform he was standing on vanished.
He plummeted.
I gave him a gentle push.
"Time to head down, Professor."
"You little—!"
But his words never finished.
BOOOOOOOM—!
With a deafening crash, the professor slammed into the ground.
CRAAAAASH—!
Silence fell over the arena.
And I smiled.
"Goodbye."
It wasn’t just the force of gravity that had sent him plummeting.
A little Lie had been woven into the fall, amplifying the impact—
Enough to leave him sprawled across the arena floor, struggling to rise.
"Ugh… Kgh…!"
"Fufu."
The serpent landed gracefully.
His coat fluttered in the wind as he adjusted it with practiced ease.
Half-lidded eyes—sharp, unsettling—swept over the fallen professor.
Not a single scratch marred his figure as he asked, ever so casually—
"Do you wish to continue?"
The audience said nothing.
The shock in the air was palpable.
Not a single murmur, not a single cheer—
Just silent, wide-eyed disbelief.
The students could only stare, mouths slightly agape, at the battlefield before them.
[Translator - Peptobismol]
[Proofreader - Demon God]
