‘It was a long stretch of humiliation and persecution.’
Batalion seethed with inner rage.
Ever since the tree of that non-existent professor, Chief Cain, had sprouted, his standing in Kreutz had collapsed.
He had to cough up countless penalty fees, was cursed at from every corner of the world, and in the end, had to resign from his professorship.
‘Hiaka. Those worm-like bastards.’
He despised Hiaka. That ruined country that had shackled him and kept torturing him long after. He hated them so much he dreamt of being strangled by Kreutz citizens in his sleep.
‘Did you really think I’d fall like this?’
Even if public reputation crumbles, skill doesn't go anywhere. As a Rank 400-class assassin, he had joined the assassination group Bohemian and began to regain recognition in the assassin world.
In the end, his accomplishments earned him the privilege [N O V E L I G H T] of borrowing Kreutz’s national treasure No.11, “Hawk That Catches Blades.”
‘Finally, the opportunity has come......’
And then—Cain was revealed to be attending the Soltia Conference, his invitation magically engraved. If he could capture or kill Cain here, he’d have a shot at becoming a hero of Kreutz once more.
Cain was nowhere to be found (and judging by the communications, the other squads had come up empty too), but the one called Dante still held comparable name value.
‘And you’re no match for me.’
Batalion laughed internally. No young assassin could ever match him.
“Die.”
Batalion shot an arrow into the sky.
Thoom—
An invisible arrow burst through the air, radiating concentric shockwaves. Wings extended, propelling it higher and higher before its trajectory turned—locking onto Dante Hiakapo.
Dante, who had been nothing more than a rookie professor a year ago, evaded it with a shockingly agile motion.
His head lifted.
“Batalion.”
The same man who used to bow his head respectfully before him a year ago now looked down with disinterested eyes.
“Seems you've had a rough time living after abandoning your country.”
That line grated straight through Batalion’s insides.
“I’ve no words to waste on a brat like you.”
“What does it feel like to shoot arrows at your own people for money?”
“Shut it. I said I’ve nothing to say to your kind!”
He raised his bow. The real terror of “Hawk That Catches Blades” was just beginning. The missed arrow flared its wings again, shifting trajectory midair to aim for Dante.
Thoom—
Thoom—
Batalion added a few more arrows. Though blocked by invisible barriers around Dante, the deflected projectiles smashed into the train.
Then Batalion quickly leapt into the air—Dante’s 『Dominion of Blades』 was now locked on him.
‘No wonder he made senior professor in just a year. That kid wields a damn near top-tier Level 8 ability...’
But still—
‘Not enough.’
A dozen blades came flying. He dodged with ease. For someone like him, a [Sniper-Type], the sky was the perfect battleground.
He held the ultimate positional advantage against most ability types.
According to known intel, Dante’s weapon was “Giant Soldier’s Sword○,” and his specialties were either [Illusion-Type] or [Combat-Type].
‘If it’s either of those, then there’s no way he has counter advantage over me—’
But as he was nocking another arrow—
─
─
─
From all directions, thin lines stretched toward him—dozens of them.
It didn’t take long for him to realize: they were all sniper barrels.
‘What!!’
What the hell was this?!
That guy’s ability wasn’t 『Dominion of Blades』?!
Tutu-tutu-tututoom—!
A coordinated barrage. Fire, lightning, and blackened bullets rained from every direction.
Each shot held enough force to pierce through high-grade armor.
Batalion flinched, barely dodging—
‘What kind of moron is he? What’s he even aiming a—’
Oh no.
His personal airship.
KWA-KWA-KWA-KWAAANG!!
Dozens of sniper rounds shredded his personal mini airship to pieces in seconds.
It was a disaster. Maintaining airborne abilities cost a fortune in mana.
‘Damn it! How can this be! How the hell did that brat reach this level...!!’
What followed was a desperate resistance. But for every arrow he loosed, twenty shots came back.
All he could do was dodge.
“Falcon!!”
He raised his bow hand toward the sky, throwing his body into the wings extended from the transparent bow.
< Batalion: What about the woman? Is she dead yet? >
< Hessian†: Not... yet... >
Even the voice on the other end sounded off. That guy always yelled. Now he sounded faint.
Still, Batalion remembered a glimpse of the woman’s age. Late teens, maybe early thirties at best. No way she was strong.
‘If I can just buy some time—’
And at that moment—
Screeeeeeeeeeeeek—THUNK
A round tore through his forearm.
“Ghk!!”
He dropped his bow. Hastily summoned it back via inventory.
He tried to flee by falling—only to be grabbed mid-air by a massive hand and dragged back toward the train.
But from Batalion’s body erupted blue chains of iron, binding that hand in return. It was a Level 8 [Summon-Taming] ability: 『Bind』.
Thus, he stood face-to-face with Dante on the gaping rooftop of the train.
Only then did reality hit.
He couldn’t win.
What a fucking mess.
The guy’s level was approaching [Challenger]. A full 200 ranks above him.
He needed to stall until backup arrived.
With that in mind, Batalion opened his mouth.
“Hey, Dante Hiakapo. You asked me what it felt like to snipe my own people?”
“......”
“Regretfully, it doesn’t feel good. It’s not like I left Hiaka because I wanted to.”
“You really live clinging to that kind of self-brainwashing?”
Dante tilted his head, as if genuinely curious.
“It’s not brainwashing! And it’s not like I want to see Hiaka embarrassed either.”
“What are you talking about now?”
“Take my advice. Go back to Hiaka with Chief Cain. If you go to the Soltia Conference, you’re only going to humiliate yourselves.”
“......?”
“You know what kind of research and papers the top illusionists of Kreutz are preparing? You’re an illusionist too, right? You’ll be shocked when you hear it.”
“And what might that be?”
“Acting all confident, but it seems your intel doesn’t reach that far.”
“......”
Dante Hiakapo looked genuinely unaware.
Seeing that, Batalion straightened his back.
From here, it was half a stalling tactic—and half a craving to see the bastard’s face twist in despair.
Because right now, the research Kreutz had been cooking up... was insane.
“We’ve recovered Abraxas’s 『Spacetime Forgery』.”
A shiver.
Even as he spoke it, Batalion shuddered.
It was a Level 9 [Illusion-Type] ability—the only one that could eventually reach Abraxas’s forbidden technique, 『World Forgery』.
“Now that Agion, who hoarded all the knowledge, is dead, Kreutz is the only one in this world to have reclaimed the power of the great Abraxas.”
“......”
But then—what was this?
Dante Hiakapo’s expression was... blank.
Was he so stunned that he’d gone speechless?
Well, that would make sense. When the news had first broken, even Kreutz’s most renowned illusionists had reacted the same way—dumbfounded, assuming it was nonsense.
“...Is that why Chief Cain told us not to attend the Soltia Conference?”
“Correct. You’d only disgrace yourselves. Even the Elders of Soltia already know.”
Batalion clicked his tongue in feigned pity.
“Also, I’ve been keeping track of your recent moves. You’re quite the gentleman, aren’t you. Better to return home than show up with some half-assed illusion spell and humiliate yourself. We’ll be satisfied even if we don’t catch Chief Cain.”
“...How generous of you.”
...Something felt off in that reaction.
“Batalion. I have a proposal for you as well.”
“What?”
“The Director of Hiaka Academy said that if you returned to Hiaka now, he’d offer you 5 billion Hika.”
Batalion’s eyes narrowed.
“What? That human Hedwig?”
A completely unexpected response.
“Yes. But of course, the condition is that you bring back internal documents—and the illusionists, including Gloomy.”
“Why the hell....”
“As you know, with Agion dead, the importance of illusion has only grown. And you—you’re not exactly living comfortably in Kreutz, are you?”
“...What the hell do you know?”
“Hiaka knows everything. You can still come home.”
“...Tch. What a pathetic thing to say.”
“Just think about it. What if this was all a grand stage play? That you were a double agent sent by Hiaka? Frame it that way, and public opinion flips in an instant. You become a hero of Hiaka.”
“......”
Batalion’s heart faltered.
That bastard had a point.
In Kreutz, he was ridiculed no matter where he went. He couldn’t even eat at a diner near his house without side-eyes.
His wife and kids suffered the same fate.
Their lives had been branded.
And now they were offering him a real chance?
“...Are you serious?”
“Read the room.”
It was plausible. Politically sound. Especially for someone like him—an elite with access to Kreutz’s confidential material. It wouldn’t be strange for Hiaka to want him back.
“...Put me through to Hedwig.”
He said it, voice trembling. But Dante just smirked.
“Why would I?”
......?
“I made that up.”
What... what did he just say??
His mind went completely blank.
And in that instant—
KWA-KANG!!
A cargo car detached from the train.
<Shit!! Bail!!> Hessian’s voice rang out.
<What’s going on?!> he yelled back. Hessian shouted, <All I can do is stall her! She’s too strong!>
Sure enough, those two were in emergency retreat.
Still stunned, Batalion felt something slam into his chest. Dante Hiakapo had kicked him.
“HEY! YOU BASTARD!!”
Batalion finally realized what was happening as he plummeted through the air.
The bastard had been toying with him.
“I’LL CURSE YOU TO HELLLLL!!!”
***
The train car detached and fell.
I pulled out the flight artifact “Flying Nimbus” from the armory and leapt onto the front car—while Eve and the other assassins went down with the rear cars.
‘Eve’ll find her way back to the Empire on her own.’
She’d been trained for fall scenarios, and I’d embedded a tracker in her hood. I could pick her up later.
After shaking off the assassination attempt, the train exited the Illusory Forest in no time.
Though unfortunately, the delay set us back a couple of hours.
While the station chief and staff scrambled to clean up the mess, I used 『World Forgery』 to act like nothing had happened.
“All right. Time to go.”
“Y-yes....”
After that, I summoned Chief Cain in child form, patted his head, and applied mana-disrupting lotion all over his face.
“Uugh....” Cain squirmed in misery.
“Okay. Are you mentally prepared?”
“Ugh, y-yes....”
“What’s the title of the paper again?”
“Proposal for a long-term, supernatural-sensory, generalized, irreversible, and permanent decomposition formula... for the termination... of illusions....”
“Not bad. But you’re way too nervous. Relax. Deep breath.”
“Deep breath.... But what if I mess up...?”
“It’s fine. I’m sitting next to you.”
“O-okay....”
And with that, we headed for the Soltia Conference.
Meanwhile, Batalion had called me a gentleman and claimed I’d be humiliated at the conference.
And sure, under normal circumstances, he’d have been right. I usually prefer to act with caution.
But not today. Today, the only thing that mattered... was impact.
To that end, Galois had given me all kinds of advice. And what kind of advice, you ask...?
***
At that moment—
Chief Professor of Illusionary Magic at Kreutz Academy, Aviola, smiled faintly and spoke to the presiding official, Tirangstein, of the Peaceful Constellation☮.
“Hiaka is running late.”
This wasn’t a typical academic conference. It was a gathering of elite scholars from each nation. Thirty senior professors and elders had already taken their seats.
Only the two seats marked with Hiaka’s flag remained vacant.
“......”
The elder remained silent, but the other Kreutz scholars chimed in.
“They’re way too late.”
“Tch, what kind of manners is this at such a crucial conference?”
“Since when have they ever had manners?”
Kreutz’s delegation was especially vocal. And understandably so.
Of the 33 seats, Hiaka had only been allotted two.
Kreutz had five.
And right now, the Kreutz researchers were brimming with confidence.
‘Can’t wait to shake the world.’
In Kreutz, illusion was a national industry. They’d recently succeeded in mass-producing [Household Illusion Artifacts]—the first in recorded history—and had just won a patent dispute with the Empire.
'Household illusion artifacts!'
Their prototype, codenamed “Dreamweaver,” was a helmet that transported users into a dream realm.
In there, anyone could fulfill their desires—be loved by the most beautiful person alive, become a war hero, indulge every secret craving they’d ever buried.
Sure, the cost of the artifact and mana stones was still high. But once mass production ramped up, prices would fall in a flash.
And behind this glorious invention was none other than the universal and permanent analysis of 『Spacetime Forgery』— something even Abraxas had never accomplished.
(...Though rumor had it he just didn’t bother.)
In any case, the fact remained: Kreutz had done it first.
And their first presentation of it would be held here—at the 5th Soltia Conference.
“It’s about time we began. At this point, it seems they won’t be showing up.”
After yet another Kreutz prompt, the presiding official Tirangstein could only nod.
“Very well. Then let us begin the Soltia Confere—”
But before he could finish,
Clack, clack—
The main door rattled—
BANG!!
Someone kicked the conference hall doors wide open.
“......?”
“......??”
Who the hell—?
As scholars reeled in shock, the one who had kicked the door in turned out to be none other than—
Professor Dante Hiakapo.
The recent headline-stealing professor making waves across the continent. A rumored hidden assassin of the Radiant Constellation⁺₊⋆. A formidable wildcard.
“What is the meaning of this?”
One elder asked.
And Professor Dante bowed his head.
“My apologies for the tardiness. We were ambushed en route.”
The Kreutz delegation’s eyes twitched.
“Not that. You should’ve entered with proper decorum. Who kicks open the doors of a scholarly conference?”
Sure enough, the hinges were wrecked—the door hanging off.
“They wouldn’t open, so I forced it. I apologize for that as well.”
“Tch. Enter.”
“Yes.”
But was he alone?
Just as everyone began wondering about Hiaka’s “true lead”— a child poked their head out from behind Dante’s legs.
“Come now, enter. Chief.”
“Y-yes, okay...”
??? Chief??
Question marks lit up inside everyone’s heads.
Under the weight of their stares, the trembling child clutched Dante’s hand and timidly entered the hall.
“Go ahead. Introduce yourself.”
“O-okay....”
The child bowed at a perfect right angle.
“H-Hello... I’m Chief Professor Cain....”
It was simultaneous.
The entire hall exploded in shock.
“WHAT???”