Just as our breath was beginning to cloud in the morning chill, we left the Royal Capital behind and gathered at the edge of the forest.
By "we," I don’t mean my usual entourage.
How should I put it? It was the school’s elite—the high achievers, the honor students.
I see. So that’s how it is.
Standing at the front of the group were Princess Eliana and several instructors from the Arcana Academy.
"I shall now explain the intent behind today’s event," Eliana said. After a deliberate pause, she continued. "Today, we will hold a Monster Hunting Competition. You are to subjugate the magic beasts inhabiting this forest and compete based on your results."
The students erupted into a low buzz of excitement and nerves.
I, however, remained unfazed.
I remember this. This event definitely happened in the game.
In the original Arcana Academia, this was the stage where the protagonist, Hero Leon, would rapidly rack up experience points. He would tear through the forest, slaughtering magic beasts to build his reputation and solidify his standing as the Hero. It was essentially a showcase event for him.
By making a name for himself here, he would build the necessary momentum for his official debut as the Hero later on. At least, that was how the story was supposed to go.
But the words that followed from Eliana’s lips completely betrayed my expectations.
"The individual who performs most distinguishedly in this competition shall be designated as the 'Key' for the upcoming Demon King Subjugation."
...Wait, what?
She’s deciding the Key already?
Wait, wait, wait! In the original game, this event was nothing more than a warm-up act! Now we’re jumping straight to selecting the "Key" for the final battle? That’s way too fast! Why are we skipping the midterms and diving straight into the final exams?!
A different kind of agitation spread through the students.
The Demon King has been resurrected—?
It was a natural reaction. Until now, that fact had been kept strictly under wraps. It seemed Eliana had decided to go public with the information. Well, it was the truth; the Demon King really had returned. In fact, she was right there at the edge of my peripheral vision—the self-proclaimed Demon King Aristia. Lately, she and I had been spending all our time together researching magic.
Even though these were the top students in the Academy, the weight of a "Demon King Subjugation" was more than most could handle. Their eyes darted around, searching for someone more qualified than themselves to take on the burden.
Most of those gazes eventually settled on Hero Leon.
It made sense. Ever since he had successfully hunted the Thunder Beast, Leon had been held in high regard at the Academy. Add to that the fact that the famous Saint Seraphina was practically glued to his side, and it was impossible for him not to stand out.
The man himself seemed entirely indifferent to the attention, staring blankly ahead. If this had been the old Leon, he would have at least offered a polite smile. Now, that cheerful, friendly warmth was nowhere to be found.
Still, the expectations were inevitable.
I was far too busy preparing for my encounter with Verdict, so I really needed Leon to step up as the central figure, just as he did in the original story.
Eliana continued with the minor details of the event. When she finished, she held up a small magic tool—a flat, palm-sized plate that looked like it could fit in a pocket.
"This magic tool is designed to automatically record every magic beast you defeat. It will track your scores fairly, so there is no need for you to keep count yourselves."
Well, that’s handy.
"The tools are in the crates at the front. Ensure you collect one before entering the forest. Additionally, this competition is an individual event. Cooperation in teams is strictly prohibited; you must enter the forest alone. However, if you see a fellow student in mortal danger, you are expected to take the initiative to rescue them. If you become unable to continue, return here or contact one of the instructors stationed within the forest."
With the explanation over, the competition was finally ready to begin.
During the brief lull that followed, Eliana stepped away from the staff and approached me quietly.
"The moment of decision has finally arrived, hasn't it?"
"...You have Leon, don't you? What are you expecting from me?"
"Have you already forgotten our deal?"
"I haven't forgotten. But there’s no reason the Key has to be me, is there?"
In response to my bluntness, Eliana gave me a radiant, slightly terrifying smile.
"I granted you access to the Royal Family's Forbidden Library. I expect a return on that investment. I'm asking you to take this seriously, Albert-san."
Ugh. I knew she was going to say that.
She’d said something similar back during the summer camp. Do I really look like I have that little motivation?
"Albert-san, I believe in your strength. I believe you possess the power to stand against a Demon King at full strength."
...Which is ironic, considering I'm currently developing magic with a Demon King.
If I actually told her that, it would cause absolute chaos. Eliana looks like she might have a mental breakdown and fall into darkness if I spilled the beans, so I’d better keep my mouth shut for now.
"You're overestimating me... but I'll keep my end of the bargain."
Good grief. I really should be more careful about who I borrow favors from. They always end up being expensive.
But a promise was a promise. I might as well live up to her expectations.
Finally, the moment arrived.
"Now, please begin!"
At Eliana’s signal, the students scattered into the forest all at once.
Some dashed ahead to get a head start, while others moved cautiously, scanning their surroundings.
I took my first step forward.
As instructed, I was acting alone. Luna, Silvia, and Kaname all disappeared in different directions. Since Milia wasn't a student, she was on standby back at the Academy. Incidentally, Saint Seraphina, who usually hovered over Leon, was also nowhere to be seen.
The damp earth felt soft beneath my boots as I crushed the grass underfoot. Overhead, the canopy was so thick that the interior of the forest was dim. Dappled sunlight flickered across the ground, and the air turned suddenly chilly.
It was a forest teeming with magic beasts, but—
Man, what a great change of pace! It felt like I was on a picnic. The air was fresh and crisp. Long live the negative ions!
I had been cooped up with Aristia researching magic for so long that I’d started to feel depressed. She was usually a downer with no drive, but when it came to magic, she had this terrifying, almost obsessive momentum. She’d put me through the wringer. I couldn't count how many times she’d made me perform experiments that would have leveled the school if I’d slipped up... Scary stuff.
Thanks to that, I’d managed to complete a prototype—an alpha version, or a pilot version, or whatever you want to call it.
If I fired it off here and failed, at least the collateral damage would be minimal. I was looking forward to testing it.
In truth, I was actually pretty excited. After all, its effect was "The Strongest Attack Magic, the Opponent Dies." Aside from the fact that it sounded like a name a primary schooler would come up with, it was perfect.
As I strolled through the woods with the excitement of a child who had just gotten a new toy, something rustled in the bushes ahead.
Oho? Test Subject Number One?
Three goblins leaped out into the path. They shrieked and hollered, brandishing rusted weapons at me.
...Come on. For the grand debut of my Super Great Gorgeous Special Magic, goblins are a bit of a letdown.
A crimson blade forged from blood manifested in my right hand.
"Begone, small fry."
I cut the goblins down in a single instant.
Orcs and Iron Claw Bears appeared after that, but I slaughtered them all just as quickly. I continued deeper into the forest, making steady progress. Good grief, it was nothing but trash mobs. No challenge at all. I wondered if there was anyone here who could actually make me break a sweat.
In the original game, this area was balanced for an un-leveled Leon to grind for experience. For me, having grown as strong as I have, it didn't even qualify as a warm-up.
I assumed the "current Leon" probably felt the same way.
Still, even if they were just trash, numbers were numbers. I’d have to see just how much stronger the Hero had become.
At roughly the same time, another group entered the forest from a completely different point.
They had already mapped the movements within the woods and confirmed that the students of the Arcana Academy had arrived.
The leader of the group was a lean, spindly man standing in the center. His pupils were golden slits, like a serpent's, and he stared intently toward the forest entrance.
This was Zalgan, one of the Two Great Generals serving the Demon King Aristia.
A dozen or so demons surrounded him—elite combatants he had personally hand-picked.
"Listen well. The targets are the Princess and the Hero. These two must be crushed. I will handle the Princess myself. If you find the Hero, surround him and kill him immediately."
"What about the other students?" one of his subordinates asked. "Do we leave them be?"
"The trash can be ignored. There is no need to waste effort on them now. However, if you find any strong individuals who might pose a threat to our Lord, kill them on the spot."
The subordinates nodded silently and vanished into the trees one by one.
Once they were gone, Zalgan began to move with an eerie composure.
(Do these human brats truly believe they are the ones doing the hunting? Heh... what utter fools.)
I wonder if they will beg for their lives once they realize they are the prey? The mere thought caused Zalgan’s lips to twist into a cruel, delighted sneer.