Chapter 399

In any case, because Gulba’s exams had a randomized aspect, it was true that even Roan didn’t know well for now.

Though it would become clear once he saw the setup before the exam.

Still, it wasn’t that there was absolutely nothing Roan could tell them.

“But he won’t conduct the exam the way you’re worried about.”

“Th-then?”

Rafia and Riel asked with somewhat anxious eyes.

Even putting the other students aside, Gulba’s class was more important for paladin aspirants like them.

Since it was one of the few certified paladin classes among the freshman courses.

Roan turned his gaze toward the training ground starting to appear in the distance and spoke.

“It will be more practical than that. It will probably be of help to you.”

*Chiiill—*

At the words ‘practical’ and ‘help,’ the students became extremely gloomy.

“What is it?”

“No, just…”

“Impossible.”

There had never been a time when things went easily after such words came out of Roan’s mouth.

While it would certainly help their future and growth, couldn’t a practical exam also be conducted in a fun and beneficial way?

…Though safety was actually the most important thing.

Roan let out a smirk, seeing that it was only natural for them to worry like that.

And he called Demona.

“Demona, where are you going?”

“U-uh?!”

Demona, who had been trying to sneak off to the side to escape, startled and answered.

“A-ah, no, just… I think I left something behind in the dormitory.”

“You’d need to carry things around in the first place for that to happen.”

“How mean!”

“And who escapes while flashing light like that?”

Just as Roan said, Demona was flashing light for some reason that was completely incomprehensible.

After he went to the trouble of having her awaken her holy power and teaching her how to use it, she was using it in such a manner.

Even the black mage Roan felt lamentable about it, so how frustrated must Harden be?

But Demona spoke with a shocked expression.

“I used my brain in my own way, though…!”

Then, she began to babble nonsense, arguing that if she covered their eyes with light, they wouldn’t know who she was, and even if she escaped, they would think it was Banjjak who ran away.

“Hmm? Heretic, were you trying to run away?”

“I had no idea?”

“Typical of foolish Demona.”

“You guys! You only realized thanks to Roan!”

“Of course. I’m telling you, I didn’t know you were trying to run away in the first place.”

The friends had thought, ‘Surely she wouldn’t try to escape while making such a noisy light.’

In any case, Demona, captured (?) right before her escape, was helplessly trapped.

“Heeing, I think it’s really dangerous this time…”

With a crying face, she passed through the gates of the training ground.

Hearing Demona’s worried voice, her friends felt relieved.

“Seeing that the Heretic thinks it’s dangerous, we should be able to get through it easily.”

“Yeah, what a relief.”

“Listen to me for once!”

Demona did occasionally say the right thing, but that was strictly on very rare occasions.

For the most part, doing the exact opposite was correct.

However, Roan suddenly wore a serious expression and spoke.

“Demona, if you ever have a reason to run away.”

“???”

“Just cover your body roughly and stay still.”

“Why?”

“That seems like it would be the most effective for you.”

*Chiiill—*

‘Just what on earth is happening that we even have to run away…?’

The friends exchanged worried glances, but they didn’t have time to ponder over it for long.

Because a massive uproar was already taking place in the training ground.

Was it because the exam had started? No, it wasn’t that.

*Rumble-snore—!!!!!!*

A violent vibration shook the training ground itself, accompanied by a roar that sounded like a landslide.

“Ugh! What is this?!”

[M-Master! It seems the world is coming to an end!]

Not only his friends but even Bel, who had been sleeping quietly inside the bag, startled awake and caused a fuss.

Since there happened to be a large mountain in front of the training ground, they couldn’t help but worry even more.

The students examined the surroundings, unable to steady their bodies due to the vibration.

─ T-the mountain seems fine for now, though?

─ Then what on earth is about to happen?

─ Is a Demon King being summoned?

If a truly serious incident were occurring, Harden and the other professors would have already mobilized.

Thus, paradoxically, if an incomprehensible situation occurred in Acherandir, one didn’t really need to worry.

Because if it were truly dangerous, someone would have explicitly warned them!

However, if such a roar and vibration were occurring in Gulba’s training ground,

“Look over there.”

Roan pointed toward the middle of the training ground.

His friends wobbled as they looked in that direction.

“Ro-Roan! Save meee!”

Demona was already fallen, rolling around here and there.

In any case, in the spot Roan pointed to:

*Rumble-snore—!!!!*

a house-sized man was lying flat on his back, snoring vigorously.

Naturally, the only person who would be in such a place was Gulba.

“……This is because of snoring?”

The friends looked at Gulba with shocked expressions.

No, they all knew his physical condition was superior, but how on earth could snoring cause this kind of event!

And in that state, it was hard to even endure until class started.

Demona, who was bouncing up and down on the shaking ground, shouted.

“I-is this the pop quiz?!”

“How could it be.”

“Then what is it?!”

“He is just taking a nap. It seems he ate a good lunch.”

“Did he eat a special Gukbap or something?!”

The friends’ complexions turned pale, as if they were starting to get motion sickness.

─ We have to wake the professor!

─ But who?!

─ T-Trian! Can’t you do something about it?

The students called for Trian, who was relatively popular and capable.

However, Trian, who had a heavier body than others as a hippo beastman,

*Crash— Thud—*

“Ugh! This kind of environment is poison to me!”

was already in a worse state than the other students, and was in no condition to go wake anyone up.

─ Darc! Call Darc!!!

─ Yes, Darc is the only one who can resolve this situation!

Only when they felt a threat to their lives did they start looking for Roan, truly righteous and generous students of Acherandir!

Roan spoke with an expression that looked genuinely concerned for the students.

“Why should I?”

─ …….

The students were lost for words, not expecting him to refuse so flatly.

─ Boo, turning a blind eye to people in crisis!

There was someone who habitually tried to criticize him like this, but—

“Therefore, I ask: why should I?”

When Roan asked for the reason again, even that critic shut up.

─ W-well, indeed…

─ We don’t really have the right to complain to Darc.

The students who had been calling Roan a ‘useless guy’ just moments ago blushed in shame.

─ Ah, Mother, Father! Your unfilial son departs first!

─ Butler, I’m sorry for always being mean to you!

And only then did they resign themselves and begin to reflect on the regrets of their respective lives.

‘…If they had apologized to me in that time instead, I would have helped them.’

Roan clicked his tongue, watching the students whose hostility toward him remained unresolved until the very end.

Actually, unlike the other students, Roan was quite at ease.

First of all, due to his absurd growth, various resistances had already established a clear gap, and—

‘Tainted Balancer.’

he was already using a black magic spell that was useful in this situation.

. (Wait, in raw: ` .` -> `Furthermore, since Tainted Balancer was an area-of-effect spell, Roan’s friends were also receiving a bit of its influence.`)

Furthermore, since Tainted Balancer was an area-of-effect spell, Roan’s friends were also receiving a bit of its influence.

“Ack! How are you guys standing so well?!”

“Ugh! Do you do balance training normally?!”

“Kyaaa! Hector, don’t throw up!”

“Horrible!”

“…Riel, no matter what, I cannot tolerate you calling Eongeongi and Silsil-ie horrible!”

“Uh… Hector, Riel was talking to you.”

“!!!!”

…Though Demona and Hector were subtly excluded from that range.

‘To think they don’t even realize they’re openly affected by the magic. It was indeed worth mastering the Void.’

Roan felt secretly proud of his friends, who were completely unaware of the black magic’s existence, let alone what effect they were under.

Since mastering the Void, black magic of other attributes had also become extremely stealthy.

Since even those who were promising prospects were at that level, he felt he could rest a bit easy now.

*Rumble—!!!*

It’s not that mastering the Void was worth it; it’s that gaining me was worth it! You ungrateful brat!

There seemed to be someone feeling highly wronged in Roan’s lower abdomen, but he didn’t pay much attention to it.

[Hmm, why is everyone causing such a fuss.]

*Krrr—*

‘…You guys are flying, so you should be fine.’

Roan looked pathetically at Bel and Charlotte, who were fluttering their wings and flying around nearby.

If they were floating in the air, they would only have to endure the roar, so it would be bearable.

Just then, the students who saw the two beasts shouted in revelation.

─ Th-those who can fly, fly!

─ Ah, I was a hawk beastman, wasn’t I?

─ …Why on earth were you rolling around, then?

In Acherandir where all sorts of races gathered, there were naturally some flying beastmen who could fly.

Soon, a few students fluttered and flew up here and there.

The students who had no choice but to watch from the ground due to structural limitations of their bodies shouted with yearning.

─ You guys wake Professor Gulba!

─ Dive-bomb him!

─ Clobber him!

─ Hey, he’s the professor, after all…

─ The professor is clobbering us too!

Although it seemed like a slightly more violent intention than just waking him up,

the students who flew up soared high to rescue their friends, then dove toward Gulba!

*Whoosh—!*

─ Go!

─ Acherandir Aces!

The attempt was good, but it was by no means a wise choice.

The students who were plunging toward Gulba with fierce momentum—

*Whack— Whack—!*

*Crash—!*

─ Argh!

─ I-I’m dead!

were blown far away in a time so short they couldn’t even see what had happened.

Was it a relief that they were only blown away?

They were in such a sorry state that one wondered if they had broken a bone somewhere.

Gulba, who retained his wild instincts, could perform basic defense even while sleeping deeply!

─ Hmm…

─ Hey, why are you suddenly lying face down?

─ Since we can’t wake him anyway, I might as well lie down comfortably.

The students quickly gave up on waking Gulba and decided to just accept this situation.

The reason Roan didn’t bother stepping forward was partly because the students were obnoxious, but—

‘Anyone who could wake Gulba wouldn’t be in a place like this in the first place.’

because waking a soundly sleeping Gulba was practically impossible at a freshman’s level.

“Just wait a little longer.”

“Why? Will the professor wake up on his own?”

“No, someone who will wake him will arrive soon.”

“…?”

Besides, minor events like this would resolve themselves anyway.

The students, who had resigned themselves to giving up everything, cheered upon hearing Roan’s words.

─ The savior is coming soon!

─ Wow!!!

But that ‘savior’ at least did not arrive in the form the students imagined.

*Sparkle—!*

“Huh? Roan, something sparkled in the sky.”

“Oh, good catch.”

“Hehe, oh stop it.”

Demona pointed to the sky even while bouncing around—having adapted quite well by now—and,

the moment Roan nodded,

*KRA-BOOM—!!!!!*

─ Arghhhhh!!!!

The students had to endure an impact that was incomparable to Gulba’s snoring.

“Aaaah! Whenever I come here, I get blown away~~~”

Naturally, Demona fluttered and flew out of the training ground.

Who was the savior that dropped down with the roar?

‘There is only one person in the school who would openly use the Descent of Iderbon.’

“Even though it is class time… to think you are still sleeping…”

*Chiiill—*

It was none other than Kaina, who revealed herself from within the dust cloud, exuding an extraordinary aura.

Seeing that, one student asked in a hesitant voice.

─ Y-you said a savior?