Mesugaki Tank Enters The Academy

Chapter 256

The sword quietly observed Lucy, who moved leisurely ahead.

The current battle was a fight of many against one.

The opponent was a group of monsters with a certain structure.

Since they were both in the position of attacking the dungeon together, Kal should have stood by Lucy's side, but he did not.

Lucy, his master, had commanded him to guard the rear.

Kal felt no anxiety in his eyes as he watched the battle. He knew that Lucy would not be defeated by such a group.

His expectations were not wrong.

It took less than a minute for Lucy to eliminate the monsters.

She easily deflected the attack from a skeleton wielding a massive double-headed axe, disrupting the skeleton's center.

With a swift kick, she knocked it down, hindering the movements of the waiting enemies.

Running past the sprawled skeletons, she dealt with the mage at the back.

Kal nodded as he watched Lucy take down the ones who struggled to rise.

Indeed, our lady is much better than those inexperienced knights who can't relax their shoulders.

Those guys could swing their weapons decently but would fumble when the battle continued.

However, Lady Lucy was different.

Before rushing in, she assessed the enemy's strength, devised a strategy for the battle, and then acted accordingly, responding optimally to the variables that arose—she was truly at the level of a seasoned warrior.

Who would think of her as someone who has only a year of battle experience?

Just as Kal continued to praise Lucy in his mind, darkness suddenly surged beneath her.

Since he was out of the fight, Kal was able to perceive it immediately and unconsciously tried to dash forward.

“Stupid fool. How many times do I have to tell you to stay still?”

The voice that blocked Kal came from within his mind.

It was the fox that Lucy had always carried with her, the guardian of a forest, scolding Kal.

When he heard that condescending tone, Kal paused.

Lucy immediately dealt with the aura beneath her feet.

Gathering her divinity at her toes, she crushed the unclean energy. Thus, the sudden threat vanished.

“Did you think your master would get hurt from something like that?”

“I know that.”

“Then why are you moving?”

“…”

“Tsk.”

At the sound of the tongue clicking as if to say “Listen,” Kal let out an awkward laugh.

He knew. Lucy would not be in danger here.

He had been by Lucy's side since she first entered the dungeon.

When he assisted Lucy during knight training, when she entered the academy's dungeon, and when they thoroughly cleared out the dungeons near the academy for some unknown reason, and even when they rapidly traversed toward Menestail.

Always.

Always by Lucy's side.

Kal knew better than anyone the abilities Lucy possessed. He knew that Lucy Alrn was nearly omnipotent when it came to dungeons.

Thus, when Lucy said she would lead the charge, Kal had no particular worries.

He knew that his lady was not someone who would act recklessly. She would say what was possible was possible and that what was impossible was impossible.

So, when she said to lead the front and just follow, it was because she believed that was the most efficient course of action.

Kal understood all of this rationally, but his body did not cooperate.

Whenever Lucy was in danger, the scene from Menestail involuntarily flashed before his eyes.

His pathetic self, who could not even serve as a meat shield. The dagger that stopped just in front of Lucy's face. The trembling hands visible beneath his pale face.

When trying to sleep, Kal would often face that scene again.

The only difference from reality was that miracles did not exist in his dreams.

Perhaps because he had seen such sights countless times, whenever Lucy seemed in danger, Kal would move his body before he could even think.

“Being unable to even do what you were told, you're just a stupid fool. Because of you, I have to stay on your disgusting shoulders instead of leaving this fragrant and soft hair behind.”

Snapping out of his thoughts due to the grumbling voice, Kal looked at the fox's face, which gazed at him as if genuinely annoyed, and tightened his lips.

This elegant-looking fox was indeed formidable and a helpful presence to Lucy.

Kal owed his life to her assistance in the past. How could he deny that fact?

Still, whenever he heard the words of the forest’s lord, he couldn’t help but wonder if it was okay to keep someone like her by his lady's side.

Despite the fox's status, it was clear that she was a pervert he didn't even want to associate with.

“Who’s the pervert? The one who filled his desires under the pretense of tricking the one behind him.”

“Th-That wasn’t an excuse!”

Even though Kal knew that Lucy would not issue baseless orders, his disobedience was only to deceive Luca.

He fervently argued that there was no ill intent in this, but the fox did not believe him at all.

“Oh, really?”

“Yes! That's right!”

“Can you swear you weren’t even a little happy when you were treated like a dog?”

Kal couldn’t bring himself to answer that. Outside of being with Lucy, he was the very embodiment of a stubborn knight who could not speak a lie.

“I… think I need to focus on what my lady commanded!”

So, Kal hastily changed the subject.

Lady Lucy had said that once Luca had been consumed by darkness, there was a high chance he would be swallowed by darkness again.

Thus, his role was to prevent that worthless junior from committing a sin. He would not worry about anything else!

It was a clear enough appearance for anyone to see, but the fox only looked at Kal with disdain and did not press further, as if to say there was no point in questioning something so obvious.

While one person and one fox were having this conversation, Lucy boldly advanced forward.

The path was entirely different from the one they had come before, but neither Kal nor Luca doubted Lucy's steps.

They both knew too well that she could not get lost in the dungeon.

About thirty or forty minutes later, a door leading outside the dungeon appeared.

However, it was not just the door that existed there.

In front of it stood a gatekeeper guarding the entrance.

“Good to see you again.”

A long gray-white sword.

The aura of a martial artist emanating from his demeanor.

A clean and solemn voice that did not fit a skeleton.

Kal knew the identity of that skeleton.

He was not foolish enough to forget that it hadn’t been an hour.

Garard.

A fragment of the hero who saved the world.

One of the names of knights Kal admired.

“What’s this? A dog bone? Are you going to give me a sword on top of the shield?”

“I would love to, but it’s impossible right now. Embarrassingly, I’m being controlled.”

“Wow. That’s really pathetic. And you call yourself a hero?”

“Well, what can I do? Reality is like this.”

As Garard raised his sword, Kal hurriedly drew his weapon.

I’m not yet an opponent my lady can face.

This is an enemy that we three would barely be able to handle if we put forth all our strength.

“Put forth all your strength.”

The moment Garard swung his sword down from above, darkness filled everywhere except around Lucy. As a result, Kal and Luca were swallowed by the black fog.

Damn it. My lady!

As Kal rushed to escape the fog, the surrounding scenery changed.

The scorching air that choked him.

The scattered Alsaint in the distance.

The sight of his lady, who looked terrified, a few steps ahead.

A dagger thrusting toward her neck.

Kal, who stared blankly at that scene, soon shut his eyes.

It wasn’t because he didn’t want to see the horrific sight he had seen countless times in his dreams. He just needed to be certain that this was not reality.

Isn’t that obvious?

His lady is someone who receives the love of the gods. She is a person blessed by the great deity.

There’s no way someone like her could be in such a wretched state.

The fact that no miracle occurred meant this was not reality.

Do not trust your sight.

Do not trust your touch.

Do not trust your sense of smell.

Do not trust your hearing.

The only thing a knight should believe in is his own intuition.

With closed eyelids.

The scorching air.

The unpleasant smell of a volcano mixed with the scent of blood.

The sound of a person’s doll collapsing heavily.

Kal leaped over all of that and felt the killing intent heading somewhere.

That’s why he swung his sword, following his instincts.

Clang!

With the sound of iron clashing against iron, the scenery around him changed.

Black mist.

The struggle between the past hero and the one becoming a hero beyond it.

The cowardly dagger aiming for the girl’s back.

And the sword that blocked it—his own.

Kal smiled refreshingly as he saw Luca's eyes, which had flown away from reason.

Indeed, it is my lady. She anticipated all of this.

Then, what I need to do is simple. I just have to subdue this foolish junior as instructed by my lady.

“Buy some time. I’ll bring him back to his senses.”

After a few exchanges of blows, the fox spoke, but Kal rejected the suggestion.

“There’s no need for that. We have our own way.”

“Our own way?”

“Yes. The knights of the Alrn family, you see. When someone loses their senses, we beat them until they come back to their senses. It’s a shame to have a weak spirit, right?”

This time, Kal intended to follow the traditions of the Alrn family. Not to mention to show the junior the dignity of his seniors.

Upon hearing that, the fox sighed as if in disbelief and leaped down from Kal's shoulder.

“Do as you like.”

“Yes!”

Alright! Useless junior! I’ll let you feel the greatness of the Alrn family!

It’ll be a glorious experience, so be grateful!

The sound of metal clashing can be heard from beyond the fog.

As I expected, Luca was consumed by darkness, and Kal must have blocked him.

I don’t know how the situation is progressing, but if it’s Kal, he’ll be able to hold out until the foolish fox brings him back to his senses.

“Is there any chance to divert your attention?”

A sword thrust aimed at my shoulder. I parried it with my shield.

In ordinary circumstances, it would be natural for a gap to appear, but not now.

There was no way a skeleton would allow such a gap.

Before I even attempted to attack, the skeleton withdrew its sword and threatened me again with another swing.

Attack. Attack. And attack.

A complaint about how it moved just as it pleased slipped out, but I did not attempt to attack.

If I rushed in awkwardly, I would surely be toyed with among numerous swords.

“Where did that previous confidence go? Hiding behind your shield and not daring to come out is just like a bug hiding in the shadows.”

The skeleton continued its one-sided attacks while throwing insults.

This insane skeleton.

It must have kept the words I said during the trial in mind.

How could a hero be so petty?

He should know how to generously overlook when a girl is playing around.

But this one truly couldn’t provoke me.

Perhaps it’s because of his emphasis on chivalry?

“Puhaha!? Harassing a little girl and chuckling like that!? So, you’re a hero with such tastes!? No wonder!? They say that those who are polished on the outside are strange on the inside, and it’s true!?”

“I wouldn’t fall for such tricks…”

“But it’s a bit curious!? How can a skeleton, with nothing, be a pervert?? Ah!? You must be soothing your emptiness with perversion after losing everything!? How pathetic~? No matter how much you flap your lips, your emptiness will only grow~?”

“…”

“Excuse me? May I ask you something?? Doesn’t it make you feel guilty to pretend to attack because of the Evil God and soothe your desires?? Huh??”

The skeleton, with its mouth shut, swung its sword once more.

There was definitely a stronger force behind that sword than before.