Freya Academy , Class A-3
The class was nearing its end.
Another ordinary day in the lives of Freya Academy's students was about to pass,yet today felt different. A peculiar excitement lingered in the air, as if everyone was waiting for something.
The students were livelier than usual.
And soon, the reason arrived.
"As you may already know, the New Year Festival will be held in one week. Make sure to prepare accordingly."
Anna's calm voice echoed through the classroom.
The New Year Festival, as its name suggests, is an event celebrated exclusively by first-year students. It gives them the opportunity to participate in competitions and performances without affecting their rankings, allowing them to enjoy themselves freely.
Only first-years are permitted to celebrate. Second- and third-year students follow far stricter schedules, focused solely on training and advancement.
During the festival, students can engage in friendly duels, singing, dancing, and various cultural events. The academy established this celebration to relieve the stress of newcomers still adjusting to academy life.
However,
This year's festival would be anything but ordinary.
It marked one of the earliest major events in the novel Rio had read in his previous life. An event that would send shockwaves through the human race and raise doubts about whether the prestigious Freya Academy truly deserved its reputation.
A Mind Demon would infiltrate the academy.
Disguised as an ordinary parent,taking advantage of the fact that families were invited during the festival,the demon would pass through a nearby portal and enter the academy with minimal suspicion.
The true reason for his success, however, was the academy's momentary lapse in security.
Under normal circumstances, even A-rank individuals couldn't enter Freya Academy without extensive checks.
The demon then manipulated the minds of several staff members, forcing them to install a high-rank mana bomb near the center of the celebration area.
The result was catastrophic.
Over 300 civilians and 50 academy students lost their lives. Many more were injured.
The celebration grounds were located in the open field behind the academy,where large events were traditionally held. Once triggered, the mana bomb destabilized the surrounding mana, causing violent, random mana explosions throughout the area.
In effect, it was no different from a missile strike back on Earth.
Except far more painful.
Mana bombs are forbidden throughout the human continent for this very reason. Anyone found carrying one is executed or imprisoned on sight.
They are classified into four ranks: Low, Intermediate, High, and Perfect.
Perfect Mana Bombs are believed to be extinct, existing only in legends. They are said to be ten times stronger than nuclear weapons, capable of injuring SS-rank beings and destroying entire continents.
Their most terrifying aspect lies in their aftermath.
They leave behind chaotic mana,a lethal toxin that corrodes living beings from the inside out.
The Maya Continent stands as proof.
Once home to the Dark Elves, it was annihilated by a Perfect Mana Bomb deployed by the demon race. Today, it is nothing more than a lifeless wasteland.
The Dark Elves are believed to be extinct.
Even their S-rank defenders perished.
Had they possessed an SS-rank individual, the damage might have been reduced,at the cost of that individual's life.
From this alone, the threat of mana bombs becomes obvious.
Fortunately, creating them is incredibly difficult. The modern demon race can no longer manufacture Perfect Mana Bombs. At most, they may still possess a few in reserve,kept as last-resort weapons.
Every race has its trump cards.
The elves have the World Tree.
The dragons wield Collision Breath.
The orcs possess the Hammer of Death.
And humans… control spatial teleportation.
Returning to the main point,
The protagonist, Fade, would sense something amiss due to his appraisal skill. He would report it to Ms. Anna, but before confirmation could be made, the bomb would already detonate.
Still, early suspicion reduced the overall damage. Otherwise, the casualties would have been far worse.
Now, you might ask,
Why didn't Fade stop the demon beforehand?
Simple.
Close your brain and think with your knees.
Cough.
This entire event existed to repair the protagonist's reputation.
Fade had been known as trash until now. Saving lives would elevate his standing,among classmates, teachers, and potential harem members.
Cough… friends.
The second reason was power.
Fade had only recently reached D-rank. He was nowhere near strong enough to confront a peak B-rank demon directly. Even a Son of Heaven cannot ignore an overwhelming gap in strength.
Luck has limits.
Fade's appraisal confirmed this, influencing his cautious decisions. While convenient, appraisal also breeds dependency,dulling instincts over time.
By the time Rio finished recalling all this, class had already ended.
Most students were gone.
Rio left as well, heading back to his dormitory to continue his daily training.
Yet he had overlooked one crucial detail,
The involvement of the heroine and the villainess.
In the original timeline, Fade became suspicious after seeing a man secretly contacting someone in a dark alleyway. Appraisal confirmed the man was dangerous.
Fade had been sent out by Kira to fetch items for their competition. At the time, Kira was dominating a history-based event, astonishing even the teachers.
Lia, the villainess, grew irritated,as usual,and began arguing with Kira.
To prevent trouble, Kira sent Fade away.
Lia was the daughter of an S-rank. Crossing her could endanger Fade's family.
But now,
Lia had changed.
She no longer argued with Kira. Instead, she spent her time staring at her phone,fixated on someone's photo.
She barely interacted with Kira anymore.
(Tell me in the comments,who do you think Lia is staring at?)
This deviation could alter everything.
Fade might never pass through the alley.
The demon might go unnoticed.
Uncertainty loomed.
Meanwhile, Rio,
Completely unaware of the brewing storm,was training like a madman.
Once uninterested in exercise, he had developed an obsession with pushing himself beyond his limits.
Maybe I'm addicted… to the feeling of becoming stronger.
Life was unpredictable.
No matter how much you planned, it could overturn everything in an instant,leaving only regret behind.
"Sigh… can't an extra live a smooth life?"
"Sigh~"