player POV-Chapter 58: Before the test 5

The academy had recently been drowning in overwhelming chaos.

It was as if the place had turned into an open battlefield, devoid of any laws.

Students attacked one another everywhere, unable to distinguish between a corridor and a room, until nearly every corner became a permanent stage for conflict.

There was no longer any peace to be found. While some set up carefully crafted traps in secret, violent clashes erupted in the bathrooms, dorm rooms, and even the open gardens.

Even the training hall was not spared; every section of it witnessed repeated confrontations that ended only to begin again.

The only place that remained untouched by the fighting was the cafeteria, where the administration imposed a strict ban on combat, supposedly to ensure students’ safety while eating.

But it wasn’t really for the students’ safety in particular—it was simply so the cafeteria itself wouldn’t be reduced to rubble.

The injuries were severe.

Nearly half the students suffered serious wounds, and some even lost their sanity after enduring horrific shocks...

For example, one student’s room was blown up while he was inside it. He nearly lost his life, leaving an indelible trauma in the memory of everyone who witnessed the incident.

The chaos wasn’t limited to physical injuries alone; it extended to the psyche as well.

Fear and confusion began to appear on the students’ faces, and anyone who witnessed this violence lived in a constant state of anxiety, as if every moment might bring a new shock.

As for me, I didn’t escape this chaos either.

I was attacked more than once. The first time, I wasn’t vigilant enough, and I sustained serious injuries. They weren’t fatal, but they left a clear mark on both my body and my mind.

And the worst part was that the first day wasn’t even over yet, as the academy had turned into a complete field of madness.

Students were fighting to survive, and every passing moment only intensified the violence and confusion.

No one trusted anyone anymore, and there were no friends left to rely on amid this turmoil...

The conflicts continued without pause, like violent waves that left behind pain and fear, reminding everyone that peace here was nothing more than a temporary illusion...

The academy was doing all of this to prepare the students psychologically for war against demons.

It was creating an environment filled with chaos and violence so they would gradually adapt to the pressures of war and become capable of facing any shock or threat they might encounter later in real battles...

Damn it... what does any of this have to do with me in the first place?

I looked at the injuries on my shoulder and waist, where pain gnawed fiercely at my body, until I felt anger rising in my chest.

Only then did a single, clear thought slip into my mind

I had to take revenge on those who caused me all of this.

I slowly raised my head toward them.

They were suspended in midair, their bodies tightly bound within Altaria threads, woven firmly around their limbs and chests—preventing them from falling, and just as surely preventing them from escaping.

Every attempt to move was met with a faint tremor in the threads, followed by a muffled groan, as if their own bodies were protesting their struggles.

I kept my gaze on them for a while, silent, watching them tremble as they dangled before me, before letting out a tired sigh.

"You know... a whole day has passed without me sleeping."

No one answered.

They simply stared at me with tense eyes, their breaths uneven, as if waiting for something worse.

I continued in a calm voice, laced with irritation

"I was exhausted. Truly exhausted... and all I wanted was a little rest."

I lifted my eyes to them again.

"But you decided to attack me. Again... and worse than that, you injured me."

I paused for a moment.

"That really hurts."

Their eyes darted between one another—looks filled with confusion and disbelief, as if asking: When did we ever attack you before? This is the first time we’ve attacked you.

They silently wondered whether I was mocking them or speaking seriously.

Well, you didn’t attack me before,

but I needed someone to vent the anger I’d been suppressing... because of my lack of sleep.

So please, forgive me for what I’m about to do to you.

I smiled faintly as I read their thoughts with ease.

I stared at them for a few more seconds, then suddenly said, as if the idea had just occurred to me

"Alright... how about we make this simple?"

I tilted my head slightly and continued in an almost friendly tone

"Should I cut off your legs... or your arms? You can choose."

Their eyes widened, their bodies stiffened, and any trace of surprise vanished, replaced by pure, naked fear that couldn’t be hidden.

They began to beg—not with words, but with trembling gazes, tear-filled eyes, and lips quivering in silence.

I watched their pleas coldly.

I felt nothing.

I said indifferently

"Don’t look at me like that... if you had just let me rest, we wouldn’t be here."

Then I added in a firmer tone

"Choose. Now."

I paused, then continued

"Or I’ll cut off both."

It took them less than a second.

They frantically pointed to their legs, as if afraid I’d retract the offer if they hesitated.

I stared at them... then burst out laughing.

"Hahahaha!"

I wiped an imaginary tear from the corner of my eye and said mockingly

"You’re so naive... I was just joking."

Relief slowly returned to their faces, their breathing steadied, and some color returned to their features.

But before that feeling could fully settle, I took a single step closer, leaned in slightly, and said with a cheerful smile

"Did you really think I was that evil?"

One of them almost laughed from sheer tension.

Then I continued, as if changing my mind suddenly

"Don’t worry..."

And I added in a completely joking ton

"I’ll only cut off... one leg and one arm."

I didn’t give them time to process the words.

I moved in that very instant.

The Altaria threads shook violently, and a sharp scream tore through the space—a scream that burst from all of them at once, filled with pain and terror.

I stepped closer and said, as if explaining something obvious

"Do you know what the problem is? You didn’t leave me any other choice."

Then I added, in a calm voice devoid of any remorse

"I just wanted to sleep."

I slowly turned my back on them, while the Altaria threads still kept them suspended in place, and said without looking back

"Don’t worry... I won’t be gone long. I’ll just inform the academy that you were injured."

I paused for a moment.

"If you need anything, you can get it yourselves. Consider the place your home... I’ll be back soon."

Silence fell.