“This is troublesome,” Ludwig muttered under his breath, his voice low and tinged with unease. The weight of the situation pressed down on him, and he couldn’t help but feel a sense of foreboding.
“Indeed,” Danny agreed, his tone heavy with concern. “Handling a creature or a beast is easier—they’re predictable. But something like this… a human killer? That’s a different kind of danger entirely.”
Bron, ever the optimist, leaned back in his chair and shrugged. “Isn’t that better? People tend to make mistakes. We’ll eventually catch them.”
Minerva shot him a sharp look, her voice cutting through the room like a blade. “But how many will die before that happens? Our job is to capture the killer before they go too far. And let’s not forget how terrifying it is to know there’s a homicidal person walking around the school.”
Danny turned to Ludwig, his expression serious. “Ludwig, how about you join us? The council could use someone with your deductive abilities.”
Ludwig’s gaze flickered to the annoying quest window that kept flashing before his eyes. He sighed, realizing he didn’t have much of a choice. “Sure, fine, why not,” he said, his tone resigned.
[Student Council Quest Update!]
[Find out more about the killer by assisting the members of the student council!]
Part 1
“So, what are we thinking about the killer?” Danny asked, breaking the silence that had settled over the room.
Ludwig grabbed the picture of the deceased and studied it closely. “They’re strong,” he said finally. “Unimaginably so. I wouldn’t dare make assumptions, but perhaps someone of power and influence in the academy…”
Ravi snorted, his voice dripping with skepticism. “You mean a teacher could have done it?”
Ludwig didn’t flinch. “I didn’t confirm it, nor am I denying it. I’m only stating what’s in front of me. For a student to do this much damage, especially to Hubert, there should have been at least a sign of struggle. But why was his body discovered in the open without anyone having witnessed it? Perhaps someone with knowledge of arts or methods that make their killing… stealthy.”
He turned to Danny, his expression thoughtful. “Regardless, when I was in Rima, the investigator there did something to figure out the truth of what truly happened.”
Danny leaned forward, intrigued. “What do you mean?”
“I’m sure you already know what happened in Rima,” Ludwig said, his voice calm but firm.
Bron couldn’t resist interjecting. “I call bullshit on that. There’s no way your scrawny ass could have handled several Djinns and the perpetrator. It’s all inflated lies.”
Minerva, however, came to Ludwig’s defense. “I don’t know about that,” she said, planting both elbows on the table and cradling her head in her hands. “After all, he did defeat a boss-level Champion Lizard by himself, even though you tried to screw him over.”
Bron’s face flushed with anger. “Hah! I gave him the buff he needed to beat it. If it wasn’t for me, he’d be dead.”
Ludwig’s lip twitched as he fought back a retort. If you had listened to me and didn’t lit a fire, none of that would have happened. And a buff? Bitch, please. You set me aflame so the lizardman could only see me. But it’s fine. Your time has yet to come…
“That’s interesting,” one of the seniors in the room said. It was one of the girls who had been sitting quietly at the table. She stood up and walked over to Ludwig, her eyes narrowing as she studied him. “You defeated a Lizardman Champion while it was a boss type? I find that hard to believe.”
Ludwig stared down at her, his brow furrowing. Is this what they call a loli? he thought, noting her small stature. She barely reached above his waist, but her presence was anything but diminutive.
She placed her hands on her hips, her gaze piercing. “In terms of appearance, you get a pass. But I find it hard to believe that a freshman was able to beat a Lizardman. How about you show me?”
Ludwig raised an eyebrow. “Do I get anything for doing that?”
“You’ll obtain my approval,” she said as if that were something of great value.
Ludwig shook his head. “I don’t have time to waste with you.”
She smiled, her expression turning mischievous. “Not that I was asking!”
[You are in a hostile environment!]
The warning flashed before Ludwig’s eyes just as the girl lunged at him. He immediately jumped back, his enhanced agility and reaction speed allowing him to narrowly avoid her attack.
He retreated all the way to the entrance of the room, his eyes wide with surprise.
Because the girl didn’t even move from her place, he felt as if it was an illusion that she charged him, she had remained standing still in the same spot.
“Oh, will you look at that,” she said, her voice dripping with amusement. “You’re able to recognize intent and act accordingly. This is getting more interesting.” With a wave of her hand, she manifested a massive war axe. The weapon was at least twice her length and several times her weight, yet she wielded it with ease, holding it in one hand as if it were nothing.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Ludwig snapped, his voice sharp with irritation.
“It’s your welcoming ceremony,” she said, her tone light and playful. “Everyone here went through it, though they were all subpar. Show me, Ludwig. Show me how you managed to defeat a Champion Lizardman.”
Before Ludwig could respond, she flashed forward, her eyes wide and her mouth opening in hysterical laughter. The axe came down with terrifying speed, but Ludwig managed to dodge it, thanks to his improved reflexes. He leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding the blow.
“I’m not interested in fighting you!” Ludwig shouted, his voice tinged with frustration. “Also, you have no shame!”
“Shame? Why?” she laughed, swinging the axe horizontally. Ludwig dodged again, his movements swift and precise. The axe tore through furniture and walls, leaving destruction in its wake.
At the edge of his vision, Ludwig saw Danny facepalming, while Ravi and Bron leaned back in their chairs, snickering at the spectacle. Minerva wore an ugly scowl, but the last person at the table remained expressionless, watching the scene unfold with detached interest.
“You’re fighting an unarmed person!” Ludwig protested as he dodged another swing.
“True,” she said, stopping the axe mere centimeters from his face. “I heard you use magic and swordsmanship.”
“Yeah, and?” Ludwig replied, his voice tense.
“Why aren’t you using your magic, then?” she asked, tilting her head.
“Too destructive,” Ludwig explained, his eyes darting around the room for an escape route.
“The academy will fix everything, so don’t worry about it,” she said with a smile, raising the axe for another swing.
Before she could strike, a deep voice interrupted. “Here.”
Ludwig turned to see the silent figure at the table tossing a heavy, thick long sword in his direction. Ludwig caught it mid-air, his fingers wrapping around the hilt. He inspected the weapon, his eyes widening as he read its properties.
***
Name: Black Steel Heavy Long Sword – Named Weapon- [Baltak – The Last Stand]
Category: Weapon
Durability: 2500/2500
Tier: Unique
Damage: 400-600
Weight: 15Kg
[Abilities]
[Concussive Blow!]: Causes increased damage against armored opponents.
[Piercing Blow]: Eases the penetration of armor using this weapon.
[One Against Many!]: Passive – In the presence of multiple opponents, the damage of the weapon increases considerably (50% increase in damage of all basic attacks and abilities).
[Heft]: This weapon uses up twice the amount of stamina required to wield it, causing more damage but filling up exhaustion faster.
Lore:
This sword was once owned by a knight of great renown who used this weapon to fend off the charging forces of a hundred men. The owner managed to kill all hundred armored opponents, losing his life only due to exhaustion. Thus, it was named after its master, Baltak, the Last Man Standing.
***
Ludwig twirled the weapon in his hands, testing its weight and balance. “This is… pretty nice,” he said, glancing at the silent figure who had lent it to him. “You interested in selling this weapon?”
“No,” the figure replied, his voice calm but firm. “It’s a loan. So you don’t call this unfair. Show me what you’ve got.”
Before Ludwig could respond, the axe-wielding girl lunged at him again, her laughter echoing through the room. “Though you’re cute, I HATE BEING IGNORED!” she screamed, her axe swinging with deadly precision.
Ludwig gritted his teeth, gripping the sword tightly. ‘Aight, fine… let’s have it your way,’