I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City-Chapter 151: The End of the Second Day

Rohan, wearing a gas mask, held his sword and pistol.

The brilliantly glowing blade revealed its presence clearly in the green smoke.

Rohan’s movements, swinging the sword as he charged, were as fierce as a wild beast.

Instructor Ed quickly drew the hand axe hanging from his waist.

If Noah's giant axe was like a greatsword, Instructor Ed’s axe was like a dagger. It was small in size, but the performance of a weapon can vary greatly depending on who wields it.

Clang! Clash!

Every time the outer edge of the axe clashed with the blade, sparks flew.

Even the incoming bullets were split apart by the axe, as though chopping firewood.

Instructor Ed’s atmosphere was ominous. The usual relaxed demeanor was completely gone.

The speed of his axe swings was visibly fast, clearly showing how much experience he had with that motion.

It was a clue about how much time Instructor Ed had spent honing his skills with the axe.

‘The weapon reach is in my favor, but the conditions aren’t favorable enough.’

It was time to stop circling and engage directly. He had to press forward. Only by pushing into that deadly ferocity could a way forward be found.

Rohan took a large step forward, causing sparks to fly like waves.

[Second Sword - Dawn’s Falling Sun (黎明落日)]

Flare! His mana transformed into flames, swelling and rippling with heat.

Instructor Ed’s outer-edge axe flashed violently as it sliced through the hot wave. freewēbnoveℓ.com

Still, the distance between them had been effectively reduced.

Rohan’s brilliance and Instructor Ed’s hand axe continued to clash with a screeching, metallic sound as they fought for dominance.

“Instructor, I still haven’t heard the last part of the explanation.”

“···.”

“Aren’t you going to tell me?”

“···.”

Rohan spoke through his gas mask, and Instructor Ed’s expression became complex.

While continuing the physical confrontation, Rohan continued his thoughts.

‘Trying to provoke a conversation? Could it be a transdermal poison seeping in? If it’s San Gong Toxic, the possibility increases... These kids are really scary these days.’

San Gong Toxic, which disrupts mana flow, is best countered with time as the antidote.

San Gong Toxic doesn’t have lethal properties. Its true effect is seen in the user’s actions afterward.

‘If it’s San Gong Toxic, there’s no need to worry about the cadets around me.’

However, Rohan kept his answer to himself. Instructor Ed had already inhaled the green smoke and was holding his breath.

It wasn’t that his reaction was delayed. It was simply the instructor’s fate to breathe it in at this moment.

Now, Rohan was waiting to see whether the poison’s effects would manifest.

If this smoke was as toxic as it appeared, Rohan would need to release his mana and deal with it carefully to avoid harm to the other cadets.

‘Mana is moving well... It’s still quiet. San Gong Toxic is slow, but this seems a bit too much...’

Instructor Ed focused on the sensations in his body and continued swinging the axe.

Clang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Even when Rohan tried to step back, he didn’t hesitate to draw up mana, and he relentlessly followed Ed’s movements.

The trajectory was bothersome.

“Phew.”

As time passed, Instructor Ed was the first to create distance and resume his breathing.

He had made his judgment.

“It wasn’t poison. It was a colored smoke grenade. I overreacted... I showed the movement and wasted mana for no reason.”

Instructor Ed said with certainty.

“I thought you’d notice it faster.”

Rohan roughly threw off the now useless gas mask.

He kicked the falling mask, sending it flying toward Instructor Ed. The mask was sliced in half by the axe and skidded across the floor.

“You can’t judge a situation so rashly as an instructor.”

Instructor Ed’s eyes, previously filled with boredom, began to show signs of life.

Click!

Rohan detached the empty magazine from his pistol and swapped it for a special round-filled magazine, immediately grabbing his sword.

Instructor Ed watched Rohan and couldn’t help but smirk.

‘Crazy kid.’

It wasn’t something an instructor would typically say, but it was a genuine compliment.

It was hard to believe that a cadet was this much of a challenge for him.

“Rohan, right now, the instructor is feeling a mix of confusion and excitement.”

“I thought you’d hate nuisances.”

“Yeah, I do hate nuisances. But planning for a fight is much more enjoyable.”

Instructor Ed tightened his grip on the hand axe.

He kept his eyes on the direction of the blade and the gun barrel.

‘These first-year cadets have already surpassed second years by a huge margin.’

Their average abilities are already high, and the standout talents among them shine brightly.

All the instructors recognize the talent in this first-year class.

‘And this Rohan... he’s certainly unique.’

Unlike geniuses like Ichinose Yui and Noah Frozenheart, who are receiving excellent education and support, Rohan is different in a way that’s hard to explain.

He’s definitely different, but it’s hard to put into words.

── Is this smoke really okay?

── Let’s just stay away, just in case...

── They’re fighting inside, right?

The cadets who were startled by the green smoke Rohan had released had already moved further away.

The loud sound of metal clashing and gunfire echoed from inside.

Flashes of flames flickered intermittently.

The situation inside was full of questions.

As the strong winds blew, the smoke began to dissipate, and two figures emerged from the mist.

The chaos was still ongoing.

Clang! Rohan, blocking the descending axe, was covered in sweat.

“Instructor, do you know about ricochet?”

“Not that ‘do you know about the way’...”

Of course, Ed knew. He couldn’t help but focus on the magazine Rohan had just swapped.

The pistol, which had been fired recklessly earlier, was now eerily silent.

In that brief moment, Rohan twisted the blade and stabbed.

Both stepped back, and Ed saw Rohan’s condition clearly.

‘···I’ve gotten too excited over a cadet.’

Of course, there were no serious injuries. But blood was dripping from Rohan’s body in several places.

This was still within the acceptable range for a practical exam, but it made Ed feel uneasy.

“I have an amazing ricochet calculation. I can tell exactly where a shot will bounce.”

“Are you an elf or something?”

“I’m just a genius.”

“Oh?”

A ricochet is when a bullet, after hitting something, bounces off and changes its trajectory.

In the world Rohan came from, it was considered a phenomenon with little practical application.

But in this world, combining special ammo, mana, and talent, some people could use ricochets dramatically.

“I’ll show you.”

Bang!

Rohan fired in an unexpected direction.

For a brief moment, Instructor Ed’s attention and focus wavered. Rohan seized the opening and unleashed his brilliance.

Screech!

Instructor Ed twisted his body and narrowly avoided Rohan's sword, just by the thickness of a sheet of paper.

The bullet that had left, of course, didn’t return.

"Actually, I can't use difficult things like ricochets," Rohan said.

"You're lying as soon as you open your mouth. Very impressive."

Even while conversing, Rohan quickly and persistently attacked.

He didn’t let his focus waver despite his words.

"Actually, I can do it."

There was no disappointment about the missed thrust.

Rohan kept the distance close and aimed his pistol at the ground, pulling the trigger again.

Bang!

The bullet only pierced the innocent floor.

Ed, who had momentarily focused on the ground, chuckled to himself.

Smiling, he skillfully avoided the sharp blade approaching.

‘I can’t believe I was deceived by a cadet.’

What Rohan showed in combat were moves that, despite knowing, couldn’t be ignored.

There was no option to disregard it when he spoke that way.

‘What should I do about this cadet?’

Normally, now would be the time to give out the bell. If I don’t give it now, no cadet will get one.

Even so, Instructor Ed wanted to see more of Rohan.

Fighting with Rohan felt oddly nostalgic.

It even reminded him of his life before the academy.

"Rohan, let’s continue."

With that, he kicked Rohan’s blade and chased after him.

The bullet, flying honestly toward him, was split by the axe. The sensation of it felt strange.

Boom! The bullet exploded. Instructor Ed covered his face with one hand to minimize the explosion.

The lingering smell of gunpowder made Ed wrinkle his face.

‘Mana explosion grenade... Did I really believe it could be split?’

If he had avoided it, it would’ve been a waste of mana for Rohan.

Yet, he still used it.

He had already read that the opponent, Instructor Ed, was the type to slice through bullets rather than avoid them.

‘No wonder it flew on a good path.’

Ed smirked and dug his feet into the ground, not stopping the fight with Rohan even when they were close.

He changed the way he used his axe, grabbing Rohan’s sword like a hook and forcing his body apart.

Ed’s foot sank deep into Rohan’s open abdomen.

Rohan, without spitting out bile, endured with bloodshot eyes.

Another kick came flying.

He immediately countered. Rohan swung his pistol like a bludgeon and slammed it into Ed’s knee.

The effect was no more than stopping his movement.

Instructor Ed rotated the axe, which had been entangled with the blade, and grabbed the weapon with his other hand.

Dodging a bullet that came toward his torso, he swung his axe.

Rohan’s body continued to accumulate injuries.

Still, Rohan’s reactions began to speed up.

At some point, the injuries stopped increasing.

‘He’s adapting to my movements quickly.’

Instructor Ed was excited by the growth of the cadet and the enjoyment he was feeling after so long, but he was still walking a fine line.

If he raised the intensity any further, the cadet would truly be in danger. It would mean the instructor’s disqualification.

‘Now, it’s time to give the bell.’

Feeling regret, Ed naturally pondered whether he should open up a gap to give it.

Just then, Rohan’s hand, discarding the pistol, pushed through ignoring the axe’s blade.

His hand was deeply cut, bleeding profusely, but ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ he pressed up close to Ed’s shoulder.

However, their movements were now restricted. They were entangled, colliding with brute force.

Instructor Ed’s axe and sword were stuck together. It would be hard to move unless one of them gave way.

"Are you trying to poke my eye with your finger?"

Why did he discard his previously well-used pistol?

Instructor Ed, intrigued by the unexpected turn, was now filled with curiosity, which quickly turned into astonishment.

“This is a gift for you, Instructor.”

A single bullet was in Rohan’s hand. It was a special round, one Instructor Ed was familiar with.

Rohan’s mana gathered into the bullet, as if showing it off. His intentions were clear. He was about to overload the bullet with mana and cause it to explode.

“You’re playing a dangerous game...!”

To unleash this much mana in such close proximity would have undesirable results for both parties.

There was even a chance that Rohan’s finger could be blown off.

‘It’s not the time to figure out whether this is a threat or not.’

To Instructor Ed, Rohan only seemed to act without hesitation.

He had to stop him.

Instructor Ed’s instinct, heightened by mana, caught another set of eyes in the distance.

‘Who is that?’

A mysterious figure, from the top of a distant building, seemed to be watching them. It didn’t exude malice, but the gaze was unsettling.

Rohan’s special round and the surge of mana had distracted him, and it took him a moment to notice.

To respond to this mysterious presence, Instructor Ed would need to remove his restrictions. He would have to push Rohan away by force.

If he released his mana limitations and forced the axe to move, it would tear through Rohan’s muscles.

But that was unlikely.

Instructor Ed’s profession didn’t offer many choices.

‘Ha, did he plan for this too?’

Ed chuckled at the strange situation he found himself in.

This was a rare experience.

Suddenly!

The attack came from a completely different direction.

A bullet severed the string on the bell at Ed’s waist, shooting the bell out of the air.

‘A ricochet from that distance?’

Instructor Ed stared blankly at Rohan.

As Rohan relaxed and sheathed his sword, Ed also loosened his stance.

Rohan picked up the bell that had fallen to the ground.

He bowed his head to thank Ed, placing the special round he had intended to explode back into his pocket.

“Instructor, don’t worry. I never intended to detonate it.”

“...”

“If it were before, I would have just detonated it... but I heard something, so now I’ll try to refrain from reckless actions.”

The second day of the exam ended.