Chapter 81

Thwack──! Crack─ Bam─ Bam─ Bam─ Boooom!

Soon, along with a massive barrage of consecutive strikes, Kaina’s hammer swung wildly.

It was so fast that Pierbo was beaten in midair before he could even fall to the ground.

After beating him for a long time, only then did Kaina stop her hammer as if her anger was appeased.

Naturally, Pierbo had become a bloody mess, just like when he was carried into the healing class.

The sound of Kaina murmuring was exceptionally loud.

“Whew, you worthless trash. ……Next is Beleck.”

— Eh? Eeeeh?!!

A startled holy knight cried out.

When Kaina turned around, there stood two dumbfounded holy knights and dazed students.

“……Oops! What did I just say? I meant you all have Professor Beleck’s class tomorrow!”

Kaina tried to cover it up belatedly.

However, the atmosphere among the students was already chilly.

Furthermore, a few students were even sniffling and crying.

Kaina broke into a cold sweat and tried to divert the students’ attention.

“By the way, I forgot to explain~ You saw what I did, right? When dealing with bad black mages, this is how you do it~”

Kaina tried to manage the situation belatedly.

Demona raised her hand and asked.

“……So we just have to keep beating them up with a hammer?”

“It’s similar~ Anyway, the important thing is that you mustn’t give the black mage room to gather their senses! You all must have heard it earlier. The way the black mage’s wicked tongue tried to toy with us!”

— …….

Kaina spoke passionately, but for some reason, the class atmosphere seemed to plunge deeper into a quagmire.

Meanwhile, the two holy knights whispered to each other.

— We should go call Professor Atoga.

— I hate saving that bastard who deserves to be torn to pieces, but we have no choice since it’s the headmaster’s order.

It was likely a familiar routine.

Harden’s intention in utilizing such a wicked black mage as a teaching aid was to help the students shake off their fear of black mages.

……Though it was counterproductive, since it not only shook off their fear but even made them feel pity.

At moment, Roan stepped forward, raising his hand.

For whose benefit should Pierbo receive Professor Atoga’s clean treatment?

Although it was hard to take revenge openly, Pierbo deserved to suffer more.

“You don’t need to do that.”

— What? Still, isn’t it a bit too harsh to just let someone die?

— I understand Student Darc’s feelings, but…….

‘I haven’t even said anything yet…….’

Roan clicked his tongue inwardly but calmly explained the reason.

“I can treat him. I did so earlier as well, although I had the assistant’s help.”

— Really? We wondered how he returned in one piece, and it was Student Darc who treated him?

Since he put it that way, the holy knights did not stop Roan any further.

Roan nodded his head and walked toward Pierbo.

Curiously, the reaction erupted from the other students in the back.

— D-Darc is going to treat the black mage again!

— There’s no need for that! You don’t have to endure the pain!

— It’s all because we haven’t properly mastered healing holy arts, damn it…….

Their voices were filled with deep regret and frustration.

As for Roan, it was absurd.

In any case, Roan set the broken bones just as the assistant had done, and began the treatment utilizing curse magic.

Even amidst the excruciating pain, Pierbo soon regained consciousness.

“Ugh…… I am still alive.”

“Have you come to your senses?”

“Yes……. I owe you my life again.”

However, it was a bit too early for Pierbo to be completely relieved.

Confirming that he had woken up, Kaina shouted.

“If you are awake, stand up immediately!”

“……Does a guy like you end up like that too after graduating from this school?”

Pierbo’s appearance as he staggered up and approached Kaina was fitting for the miserable end of a criminal who had slaughtered civilians.

However, this time, the holy knights and students desperately tried to dissuade Professor Kaina.

— If you beat him like earlier, he will really die! No matter how much it’s a hammer of non-killing, if his strength runs out, he will die of exhaustion!

— Professor, we are fine with theoretical lessons now!

At that, Kaina said with a baffled look.

“What are you talking about? This time, I was going to show you how to defend against a black mage’s attack.”

— Yes? You won’t beat him up with the hammer or use torture holy arts this time?

“……In the first place, this class was defense against black magic!”

Though that did not explain her earlier behavior, Kaina simply brushed aside the suspicion.

“The best defense is, naturally, suppression! Now, I will show you what to do in the unlikely event that you cannot do so~”

After that, the class proceeded in an unexpectedly normal manner.

If the black mage launched a simple offensive black magic spell, Kaina would activate a neutralizing holy art or teach them how to deflect it by infusing holy power into a weapon.

But did that mean Pierbo could comfortably just cast black magic?

Of course not.

“Now, holy power and black mana basically repel each other, so they deflect well!”

Clang─

“After deflecting it lightly like this…….”

Boom─!

“Argh!”

“Suppress the enemy immediately!”

Pierbo, using the most basic attack magic, Black Arrow, and getting hit a few times by the hammer of non-killing!

“Of course, evading is also possible!”

Swish-sh-sh─ Boom!

“After that, suppress the enemy immediately just like earlier!”

“Groan…….”

Kaina, claiming she would show how to evade, didn’t block and instead used advanced movement skills to beat him!

‘But didn’t she say she wouldn’t beat him up earlier?’

Roan felt a slight doubt but decided to let it go.

“Humans have unavoidable blind spots, here!”

Bam─

“Here!”

Booom─

“Here!”

Crack─!

Pierbo getting beaten relentlessly from blind spots, not even knowing where the hammer was coming from!

……For some reason, the situation was gradually becoming similar to the beginning.

Demona, who was watching with interest, asked Roan.

“But Roan, is it possible for us to move like that?”

“……No.”

Roan shook his head.

If one possessed skill like Kaina’s, there was actually no need to target blind spots like that.

And if one lacked such skill, targeting blind spots was extremely difficult.

Thus, combat was bound to be always difficult.

In truth, it was safe to say that Kaina had simply found a legal reason to beat him more out of her hatred for Pierbo.

Additionally, it was also Harden’s will that such wicked scoundrels should suffer more by being utilized as teaching aids in Akerandir rather than being executed comfortably.

Although it would still be impossible to put it into practice, Roan faithfully wrote down Kaina’s lecture content.

‘……The diagonal directions behind both sides are blind spots. Moreover, anticipate the direction the opponent unconsciously turns back to, and move in the opposite direction. In the game, there was only a simple back-attack decision, but I learned something good.’

While Gulba taught combat techniques in a simple and ignorant manner, Kaina’s class had elements added that were quite useful.

Though the premise that one must have the ability to use them was necessary.

Regardless, it was quite beneficial content even for Roan, a black mage.

‘If push comes to shove, Kaina or Gulba’s blind spots…… is that a bit too much? In the first place, those people probably have no limits to their senses…….’

Kaina continued the class, completely unaware that Roan was assuming her as an imaginary enemy.

“Now, most black magic has a weakness at the bottom! Even a fairly strong one, like this!”

Pow─!

“If you strike from below and rush in!”

Booom─!

“Ack! S-stop…….”

“Simple, right?”

‘It seems I need to strengthen the bottom mana a bit more…….’

At some point, Roan had lost all reluctance to use a black mage as a teaching aid.

After beating Pierbo for a while, Kaina wiped the sweat from her forehead and asked the students.

“Whew~ By now, everyone has understood the principle to some extent, right?”

— ……Did you get it?

— Doesn’t it just mean you get close and beat them up well?

Of course, the students were watching it as if they were viewing Kaina’s highlight reel, so the effect was not very good.

“Hmm…….”

Perhaps displeased with such reactions, Kaina frowned slightly and brought her index finger to her lips.

“It seems that since only I am demonstrating, it might not be easy to get a feel for it. It would be good for you all to practice in person.”

— ???

The students were startled by the sudden mention of practice.

The same went for the holy knights who were naturally observing the class because of Pierbo.

— Professor, then should we go to the teaching aid storage…….

Although the term ‘teaching aid storage’ sounded terrifying, that was a secondary matter for now.

Professor Kaina shook her head with a smile.

“No! If we do that, class time will definitely run over~ Let’s just have one person represent us!”

At that moment, Roan felt an instinctive anxiety.

‘Given the flow of things, this seems…….’

Right then, Kaina looked straight at Roan and smiled brightly.

“Student Darc! Can you show us a demonstration as our representative?”

And Roan’s anxiety became reality.

Roan bit his lower lip in frustration.

He had thought that he would have to show his skills in Professor Kaina’s class at least once eventually.

‘I never expected it to be so soon, and alone at that!’

However, both the timing and the method were close to the worst.

Although his head knew that Professor Kaina would not be able to see through his false divinity.

But how could life work out just by logic?

The hammer of non-killing that had rushed at his face in his dream just last night was still vivid, so he could not help but be afraid.

However, the students were already in a frenzy.

— Darc! Darc! Darc!

— Whistle! Darc! Teach that ungrateful black mage a lesson!

‘These bastards, just because it’s not their business…….’

The very guys who would tuck their tails and run if told to practice themselves were making a fuss now that Roan was pointed out.

Demona patted Roan on the shoulder and said.

“Go easy, Roan~ Don’t kill him like someone did~”

“……You are still alive, aren’t you?”

Roan spoke while glaring at Demona as if he wanted to kill her.

Demona was startled by his implication that if he were to kill anyone, she would be the first.

“Hieeeek!”

Kaina called Roan again.

“Darc. You can come forward without worrying! Don’t worry, since I and the holy knights are here~ And I know that more than anyone, Student Darc wants to practice the most~”

In other words, from Professor Kaina’s perspective, specifically targeting Roan for this practice was a form of consideration.

Since he had treated Pierbo twice, how teeth-grindingly humiliating must it have been for the descendant of the Darc family, which was annihilated by black mages?

She had thoughtfully provided an opportunity for revenge, so make full use of it!

‘……What consideration.’

Of course, it was not consideration at all for Roan.

Still, since things had turned out this way, he had to at least pretend to practice.

‘Like a typical freshman, I’ll just exchange a few hits moderately and step back.’

However, Kaina did not give Roan room to hesitate.

“Now, the goal of this practice is for Roan to directly deflect that son of a bitch’s attack and launch a counterattack! Can you use strike holy arts?”

Kaina was determined to have him attack Pierbo.

She even looked ready to lend him her own hammer if Roan said he couldn’t use strike holy arts.

Roan nodded reluctantly.

“I can use them.”

“Great! Then—”

“But, Professor Kaina.”

“Yes?”

Kaina, perhaps not expecting Roan to call her at this point, opened her eyes wide and tilted her head.

Roan pointed at Pierbo with a sour expression.

“The condition of the teaching aid……”

“…….”

The two of them fell silent at the same time.

In the spot Roan’s finger pointed, Pierbo lay stretched out on the floor again, having already become a battered mess.