060 A Rival in the Night

In most stories, undead monsters are basically treated like bottom-tier fodder. You know the ones—your classic Skeletons, Zombies, and Ghouls.

But here at Noblesse, things aren't quite so simple. It isn't just the usual suspects; any number of magical beasts can decay, have a wandering soul latch onto them, and rise again as a shambling nightmare.

The most annoying part? Every single one of them has the "Painless" attribute. Even if you land a hit that should be fatal, they’ll keep lunging at you with missing limbs or their faces blown halfway off until the "soul of magic"—their life force—is completely extinguished.

To make matters worse, their "magic core" isn't always where the heart is supposed to be. It’s like a deadly game of hide-and-seek where the prize is my life. Plus, with no moonlight tonight, I’m forced to fight in total pitch-blackness. I’m no exception to the rules; I have to flood my eyes with a constant stream of magic just to move around without tripping over my own feet.

And unlike the Survival Exam, we have to worry about the other underclassmen trying to crush us. Just a quick mental tally of the variables was enough to tell me how brutal this event was going to be.

Naturally, we all had to sign liability waivers. Not that any of these idiots were cowardly enough to withdraw, though—myself included.

“Kaka? Kakaka? Kakaka?”

The very second the Teleportation Magic dropped me off, a Skeleton was there to welcome me. If I remembered correctly, these guys were only supposed to spawn in the upper layers of the forest. The higher you went, the stronger the monsters became.

I’ve hit the jackpot. Just my luck.

A dry wind whistled through the clearing, making a sound like brittle bones grinding against one another. Skeletons were actually possessed by the souls of the departed, and they mimicked the movements they had used in life. The sword in its right hand was a formidable weapon forged from pure magic. Because it was imbued with mana, it hurt a hell of a lot more than a standard blade.

“Sorry, pal. You’ve got terrible taste in opponents.”

Skeletons have a pack mentality. If you find one, a second and third are usually lurking nearby. But I stayed calm. Honestly, I was more excited than anything else. I was dying to test my new gear.

After the tournament, I’d had a special sheath made for my back. I reached back and drew a strange weapon—it was nothing but a hilt. Etched into the surface were intricate magical crests. It was a vessel for both Darkness and light, a weapon built around a specific formula.

I funneled my power into it. Thanks to Olynn’s pointers, the blade was instantly shrouded in a Darkness far more potent than anything I could have conjured through self-study. It looked a bit like Cynthia’s Glass Sword, but the underlying nature was worlds apart.

This was my Eternal Dual Sword.

I’d left my Whip behind for this one. Tonight was a trial run for the Dual Sword, and besides, I’d recently discovered that Magic Turbulence (Enroute) doesn't work on magical beasts. Their internal formulas must be different.

“““Kaka? Kakaka? Kakaka?”””

They began to swarm, but I didn't care. If anything, I was grateful. I get to test this thing in a real fight so soon? This is great!

“The rings are the priority this time, so there’s no point in racking up a high body count. That means I can use you for all sorts of experiments, you bag of bones.”

I let a grin spill across my face and charged.

The Skeleton’s strike was fast, but I slipped past its guard and shattered it in a single blow. A second one immediately lunged with a counter, but I evaded it using an Unnatural wall and crushed it with a follow-up strike. I pulverized the final one with a head-on smash.

Bones shattered into dust as their magic dispersed. Usually, the souls would eventually reform, but because my sword possessed the property of light, the souls couldn't settle back into the physical world.

Hah. If I used this on a human, their magic would probably leak out like a sieve.

I didn't slow down, turning the remaining Skeletons into powder to test the blade's precision. It sliced through them like tofu. It was amazing to think I could suppress enemies with pure destructive power even without relying on Time Lapse.

In Noblesse, damage is amplified when you use an opposing attribute. Fire and water, earth and wind. Since light and Darkness are such rare elements, the advantage they provide is even more devastating.

After overrunning the trio without breaking a sweat, I spotted a ring hanging from a tree branch. Its placement was no accident. The higher the danger, the more rings you’d find.

And then—

“Kaka? Kakaka? Kakaka?” “Gugaegiaaa?” “Bigagarururu!”

How nice of them. My practice partners are coming to me.

This was the best. Well, for everyone else, it’s probably a living hell.

Several hours passed. I’d encountered an insane number of undead monsters, but I hadn't run into a single human.

Come to think of it, when it was time to warp me into the forest, Darius had insisted on doing it himself, swapping places with Chloe. That bastard... he must have sent me to the middle of nowhere just to keep me away from the other students.

Well, whatever. Thanks to his meddling, I’d already collected twelve rings. It was fewer than I’d hoped for, but the point value should be significant.

The Calamity had taught me the value of allies. Getting on the good side of powerhouses like Eva was essential for clearing this game. But I only had room for the "strong." It was the same back during the Flame Sphere incident; if there hadn't been any dead weight to protect, I wouldn't have had to push myself so hard.

That conviction was unshakable, no matter who stood in front of me. Whether it was Allen or Cynthia, I wouldn't hold back.

But then—

“Tch... Of all the people.”

Emerging from the shadows ahead of me was Lilith, her clothes stained with a spray of fresh blood.

Ever since I’d arrived in this world, she had been nothing but devoted. She’d mastered magic she was ill-suited for, enrolled in Nobless Academy, and stayed by my side even after I’d become Cynthia’s fiancé.

My resolve wavered for a split second, but I forced myself to tighten my grip on my sword. She was always serious when it came to me. I need to show her the same respect. I have to be ready.

“I’m not holding back—”

The moment I flooded my body with magic, Lilith vanished from sight.

I heard a sharp, dry whish—the sound of metal slicing the air. I dodged by a hair’s breadth, but the sheer speed and the weight of the magic behind the strike were off the charts.

I slowly leveled my blade at her.

“...No need for useless words, right?”

“Yeah.”

That was all that needed to be said. Lilith had already made up her mind. Hah. Looks like I was the naive one here.

I noticed three rings hanging at her waist. They were held by a specific spell so they wouldn't rattle or get in her way, but they were still up for grabs.

Come to think of it, this was our first serious match since our training sessions before entering the Academy. We circled each other, measuring the distance, waiting for an opening. I knew how capable she was, but—

“Haaah!”

She closed the gap using Silent Step.

I was floored. She was fast—way faster than the Lilith I remembered. Even though we were in a pitch-black forest where you couldn't see your own feet, she charged without a hint of hesitation. And despite the darkness, she wasn't even channeling magic into her eyes.

Even I was forced to use Dark Eye. Is she actually used to fighting at night?

“Phew... phew... Haaah!”

“Your speed is impressive! But your strike is too weak!”

“Kuh—!”

I caught her blade with a counter-swing, and in a single moment of impact, I snapped her sword in half. It seemed the Dual Sword had even more destructive power than I’d imagined.

Lilith leaped back, eyes wide with shock. With her primary weapon gone, my victory was all but guaranteed. I knew she carried hidden knives, but she couldn't block my strikes with toothpicks like those.

“It’s over.”

“...I will not lose.”

Lilith wasn't giving up. Her eyes reminded me of Allen’s—that look of pure, stubborn defiance when someone is trying to make the impossible happen.

God, you’re amazing.

Any ordinary student would have been broken by that last exchange. But I’d already made my choice.

Lilith Scarlet, even if I have to cut you down, I’m moving forward.