The Academy’s Ankle Reaper

A group of people broke into the Special Arena built right next to the regular arena.

Their ages varied, and some even belonged to different races, but they all shared one clear commonality.

They were all students from the Academy.

“Are we ready?”

“Yes, senior..!!”

Though they wore school uniforms, perhaps to avoid being recognized, they had masks on their faces and had removed all their brooches.

Everyone had heavy bags dangling from their waists, making a clattering noise with each movement, indicating how loaded they were.

They were the students who had bet on Edgar Lemnos during the last duel with Atlas and ended up losing everything.

“It’s not allowed to bet on that kid once you’re on the Lemnos line. The outcome of tomorrow’s duel is something we create ourselves…!”

The words of a senior from the Department of Magical Engineering who had spent all his student loans betting.

No one among them thought to simply ‘not bet’ if they believed Lemnos would lose but couldn’t wager against Atlas.

If they were capable of that kind of judgment, they wouldn’t have ended up in this predicament in the first place.

“Our target is the Control Room of the Special Arena. We can change the settings of the arena from there. With the duel happening tomorrow, everything will be random. If we can manipulate that, victory is ours.”

This was also the arena used during the Graduation Exam.

Once you enter the special examination site, you get trapped in a unique Other Space and start wandering around.

In the Control Room, it’s possible to control everything within that Other Space.

You can throw someone into a hell filled with flames, or turn it into a blizzard-ridden Snow Country where visibility is impossible.

“Senior… but the principal is the referee for tomorrow’s duel. Is that okay…?”

“If you’re scared, then back off. I have to drop out if Lemnos can’t win tomorrow anyway.”

With the resolute words of the senior, the atmosphere among the other students became solemn.

“Hey, I’m not saying that just to scare you. I’ve often assisted in exams, so I’ve manipulated the Special Arena a few times. Just trust me and follow my lead.”

“Besides, we have no place to retreat now… Let’s go!”

They all entered the dome-shaped Special Arena, saying they would win tomorrow.

Outside the arena was a sign that read “No Entry, Under Adjustment…” but right below it, someone had whimsically scrawled with a brush, “Entering may cost you your life,” but they ignored it.

———————————–

The students from the Department of Magical Engineering, who often helped adjust the Special Arena as teaching assistants, were well-versed in all the security facilities.

“It’s opened…!”

The Graduation Exam doesn’t set the arena randomly like this; it must create an environment suitable for the professors’ intentions.

So, to him, who had been staying up all night to adjust the Control Room before exams, this operation didn’t feel like anything out of the ordinary.

It felt like just another usual task.

“Alright… do you all remember your orders?”

“Yes, just leave it to us.”

“We’re well-prepared.”

“I remember.”

The other students who followed checked the bags hanging at their waists as the fourth-year student spoke.

Inside the bags were replicas of the Master Key that could disable the security of the Special Arena and some talismans.

The reason multiple people showed up was that the Control Rooms regulating the Other Space were not just one, but several.

There was only one Central Control Room, but there were a total of four facilities inside the arena that generated the Other Space based on its commands… Generally, they just operate according to the Central’s settings.

However, when things are set to random like now, if you only tweak the Central Control Room, the other four will also go randomly, so you can’t guarantee what results you’ll get.

But if they could send even a small directional signal to all five locations, including the Central, then the Other Space would form based on that common signal.

“So, we’ll head back to the Central after finishing our tasks.”

The five of them scattered.

The first Magical Engineering undergraduate to enter the Central Control Room skillfully opened the door and stepped inside.

Inside the dimly lit Control Room, a hologram glowing green was floating; it was the special environment that would be used tomorrow.

If he attaches the talisman to the black box where the hologram is being created, it would establish a definitive ‘signal’ in the randomly set Space Pocket.

Based on this signal, the Other Space would be reformed, and if that space was tailored to be unfavorable for Atlas, even if he is a Sword Expert at the highest level, it would be tough for him to win.

After all, it’s possible to cast a ‘Curse’ on someone with specific conditions inside.

As the undergraduate approached to attach the talisman while looking at the hologram, he noticed something unusual.

Another talisman was already attached where he intended to place his.

“There was a previous customer?”

He instinctively felt he wasn’t the only one thinking this way.

Surely, there must be quite a few people who would be in trouble if Lemnos lost the duel.

Curious about what had been set up, he got closer only to find that it was not a spell, but a line of text.

“Look up…?”

A single line instructing him to look up.

Curiosity piqued, the undergraduate looked up.

“I finally caught your eye.”

And he locked eyes with Atlas, who was hanging from the ceiling.

“AAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!”

The scream of a person echoed throughout the dark Control Room.

————————–

“People in the arena!!!”

As morning broke, those who arrived at the Special Arena screamed.

They discovered people in the Control Room covered in blood, groaning, and collapsed.

Given their disheveled state, it would be odd if they weren’t dead already, yet miraculously, they were breathing fine.

They were all rushed to the hospital.

The students, who looked like trash bags full of food waste, were transferred to the hospital while the staff diligently wiped down the bloodstains.

While cleaning up the bloodstains, they made a call and checked the Control Room again, confirming it was fine before returning to mop up the mess.

It seems like they are planning to start just like this.

“If we were just capturing students, we would have moved them to another arena.”

In an ordinary duel, if over ten students were beaten to near death, they would have been relocated to another arena.

Last night, a total of fifteen people attempted to break into the arena, organized into three groups.

After a lengthy discussion, it turned out the first group came because of gambling, while the other two consisted of a madman who simply didn’t like him and a few who were trying to catch the eyes of some influential people.

The absurd part was that none of those with backing actually showed up.

Assuming there would be no difficulty for those who had done it several times before when it came to manipulating the Special Arena.

‘They say it’s also used for exams, but why is the security so weak?’

There’s a foul smell.

Seeing the blood-soaked trash being cleaned up, he stretched with all his might.

“Ugh, how bothersome… Now that the people have come in, I guess I should head out.”

The sun was up, and surely no one else would be entering now.

Now, with people coming and going for the duel that would take place today, it would be hard for anyone to try anything funny.

Though the chaos of trash made noise, it seemed the Academy side was far noisier.

“Did you really come to see your son’s duel? That’s impressive.”

Edward Lemnos, the current head of the Lemnos family, had arrived at the Academy early in the morning by regular ship.

———————————–

He quickly arrived at the crowded port to find River and Amy already watching.

“Did Atlas really stay up all night? It’s the duel today, is he okay?”

“This much is fine.”

Amy pulled out a bottle of coffee from the basket.

“Would you like some coffee?”

“I’ll drink it.”

It seemed she bought it from a café.

There was a superstition from his previous life that coffee stunted growth, so he had avoided it in this life too, but he didn’t want to decline her goodwill, so he accepted it.

At this point, staying up all night wouldn’t greatly affect his condition, but it was nice of them to worry.

“What’s so great about the show that so many people are gathered here?”

“Curiosity about the head of the Lemnos family, of course.”

“I’m curious too.”

Both were interested in Edward simply because he was the head of the Lemnos family.

Without TV or internet, seeing someone from another region is indeed a rare occurrence.

Though his picture might appear in newspapers, it’s just black and white; seeing him in person feels completely different.

Photos can’t capture a person’s aura.

If they were to ask if he had seen Edward Lemnos, he’d say yes, he has.

The Royal Knight Order is based in the Imperial Palace, and he has encountered nearly every prominent noble at least once.

Although they wouldn’t remember him from passing by.

In his memory, Edward Lemnos was always a man with a frown.

A middle-aged man whose thick build seemed like it could burst its clothing at any moment, with flaming red hair that looked as if it were burning.

In hindsight, he wasn’t just a grumpy person—he simply didn’t like the Royal Knight Order.

With Edward Lemnos confidently entering the port, he had only the minimum number of retainers with him.

Walking with just two retainers, Edward Lemnos’s muscles looked as if they might burst his clothing, creating a mirage as if heat waves were rising from his back.

The aura emanating from him could easily be mistaken for the shimmer of heat.

“Wow… I thought Edgar was big, but this guy is even bigger.”

“His thighs are like tree trunks…”

Unlike other nobles who would showcase their influence by the number of retainers, Edward Lemnos demonstrated his family’s power simply through his own might as an expert at the highest level.

Usually, all high-ranking members of the Royal Knight Order are experts at the highest level, so perception might be dulled, but the level below Master is Expert at the highest level.

Considering there are fewer than ten Masters in the entire world, being ranked number one among experts means he is one of the top ten strongest globally.

With a perpetually furrowed brow, Lemnos continued scanning the surroundings.

He seemed to be searching for someone.

If he had come here because of the Commander, it looked like he was currently seeking where the Commander might be.

“If I beat Edgar in a duel, would that person come to kill me?”

“I don’t know about killing, but he might hate you…?”

If he wins, he earns the wrath of Marquis Lemnos, but if he loses, he faces death from the Commander.

‘Why is it that beating me yields no benefit at all in a duel?’

Where did it all go wrong?

But still, it’s only natural that he has to win.

If the Commander were to come after him, that would be a problem, but he could at least obliterate someone like Marquis Lemnos.

So better to think positively.

Since he has already allowed a little desertion, he ought to do this much for him.

He felt a strange pity for Marquis Lemnos, who likely has no idea who his son is fighting against.