A Villain's Will to Survive novel Chapter 63

Chapter 63: Practice Run

On a dark night on the 23rd floor of the Mage Tower, Professor Louina sat in her office, still meticulously drafting methods to verify Deculein’s thesis.

Snap!

The fountain pen she had been pressing down on broke.

Drip. Drip—

Blood from her nose trickled onto the documents. Louina stared blankly at the stains, feeling lightheaded and her heart pounding fiercely. Strange emotions welled up from deep within her consciousness.

She glanced out the window. The moon was hidden by gray clouds, and the world outside was cloaked in darkness. Her reflection in the glass looked strange; her eyes were tinged with red. It must have been a nosebleed, but it looked like she was crying tears of blood.

Hissss...

Suddenly, a strange particle seemed to rise from her shoulder, like a suffocating cloud of ash. Louina quickly turned to look. Everything was normal. Nothing seemed out of place.

"Am I going mad...?" Louina muttered with a sigh.

She had endured so much recently—kidnapped by Deculein, nearly starved for a week, and forced into signing that humiliating contract. It was a wonder she was still in her right mind.

"Let’s rest at home," Louina murmured as she organized the documents and placed them in her bag.

She turned off the lights and closed the office door behind her.

Throb—

An inexplicable pulse seemed to resonate through the darkness as she stepped into the dim corridor.

***

At 2 p.m. on a Wednesday, Epherene was in a study room at the Mage Tower, working on a group project. Since most of the project was already finished, they were mostly chatting.

"One card!"

"Oh, come on! That's so unfair!"

Eurozan, Daine, and Jefel were playing cards, while Sylvia seemed to be engrossed in checking the assignment with her eyes closed. Epherene, meanwhile, was reading a letter.

To Epherene Luna,

Thank you for your letter. I believe in your talent, so you should have faith in it too. Walk your path with determination, avoiding arrogance. If you dedicate yourself and work hard, good results will surely follow.

"Wow, four lines," Epherene mused happily.

It was much shorter compared to the ten pages she had sent, but she was grateful for the reply nonetheless. Still, she couldn't help but feel that mentioning the Roahawk story—her resolve to become the greatest mage like them—had been unnecessary. Content with the letter, Epherene put it away.

"... Huh?!"

She suddenly exclaimed and pulled a handkerchief from her robe's inner pocket. It was the same high-quality handkerchief a gentleman had given her when she had cried uncontrollably during a performance of Portrait of a Sad Day at the university festival.

"Wait a minute."

The emblem embroidered on the handkerchief matched perfectly with the design in the corner of the letter.

"They're identical."

Her pupils reflected the pattern. It wasn’t a family crest but rather a high-end brand. This couldn’t be a coincidence.

"Oh, wait a minute..." Epherene muttered, clutching her head in thought.

Epherene struggled to remember the man's face from that day. She had been crying so much that she hadn't dared to look him in the eye.

"... Could it be?" _{fгeewebnovёl.com}

Oh, no way. Has he really been watching me all this time, actually keeping an eye on my talent?

"Hmm... if that's the case."

It was thrilling. Epherene felt a surge of excitement as she stroked her chin, attempting to stay composed.

At that moment, a sharp voice interrupted her thoughts.

"You’re too loud, arrogant Epherene," Sylvia snapped.

It was Sylvia, glaring at Epherene with annoyance. Her concentration had been broken.

"Sorry, sorry," Epherene said cheerfully and fell silent.

Sylvia closed her eyes, attempting to refocus on the assignment. Yet, her ears and eyelids twitched, and even the corners of her mouth moved slightly, as if she were trying to sense something else.

“Hey, have you guys heard the rumors about Rohakan?” Epherene asked the male friends.

The three guys playing cards abruptly changed the topic. Epherene straightened her back, feeling uneasy since she had been present during the incident.

"Rohakan? Yeah, but my dad wouldn’t tell me anything. He said it’s classified."

"I heard rumors that it was Head Professor Deculein who battled Rohakan."

"No way. Even if he's the head professor, Rohakan is in a league of his own."

Fortunately, the guys seemed completely unaware.

"Anyways, class is about to start. Let's go."

"Epherene, Sylvia, aren't you coming with us?"

The three guys glanced over, and Sylvia opened her eyes as well.

"Yeah, let’s go."

They placed the scroll in the study room’s safe and then left together, taking the elevator.

Sylvia whispered, "You know we have to keep what happened that day a secret, right?"

"Of course, it's a secret. Do you really think I'm that dumb?"

"Yes."

Ding—

They arrived on the third floor. Epherene was the last to step out of the elevator because a group of noble mages swarmed Sylvia, treating her like some kind of a celebrity.

"Miss Sylvia! We heard you broke through Rohakan’s barrier!”

"That’s incredible! Would you be able to give a lecture on it sometime—"

Yeah right. She didn’t break any barrier. She just mooched off my grilled fish, Epherene thought as she entered the A-Class lecture room.

"I wonder what today’s lesson will be?"

The scene inside was unusual. The university campus was replicated in detail, with cafes, gyms, lecture halls, gardens, alleys, shops, and restaurants, but the Mage Tower was absent.

"Oh... what?"

Epherene turned around and was startled. The door she had entered through had disappeared, leaving only an empty garden. A chill ran down her spine.

"Is this some kind of Halloween-themed class? What does this have to do with Pure Elements?"

She wondered if perhaps ghosts were also made of Pure Elements.

— Ah, can you hear me?

A voice echoed from above. It was Assistant Professor Allen.

— As it is now 3 o’clock, we will begin the class. Any Debutants who have not entered yet will be disqualified for tardiness.

Being even a second late meant disqualification. It was typical of Deculein's strict approach. Hearing this, Epherene pricked up her ears.

— Today’s class theme is Survival Tactics in Combat. Think of this as a virtual barrier. You are trapped within it, and your objective is to escape within three hours.

"Hmm, interesting."

— Scattered throughout the area are monsters generated by the barrier. Additionally, Head Professor Deculein is not your ally today. He will be patrolling the area, attempting to eliminate you.

"Deculein will be patrolling?!"

Epherene felt a thrill at the thought of legally challenging Deculein.

— Although several professors, including Head Professor Deculein, will be monitoring you, remember that you will be disqualified if you encounter severe danger. Your performance will impact your grades.

A-woooooo—!

The explanation was interrupted by a howl. Epherene looked around and saw a red-eyed wild dog, its mouth spewing ash.

— We expect each of you Debutants to demonstrate practical magic skills. Now, let the class commence!

The moment the assistant professor finished speaking, Epherene channeled mana into her bracelet.

Grrrr—!

The wild dog charged at her with its mouth wide open. Epherene cast her spell, combining the elements of water and wind.

Whoosh—

The water she cast condensed into a high-pressure crescent, speeding toward the dog at over 500 meters per second. Despite its short range, its destructive, slicing power rivaled that of any blade. It was a pure element spell called Water Moon, taught by Deculein.

Splurt...

The wild dog's body was sliced into four pieces.

"Hmph."

Just as Epherene shrugged, a scream echoed nearby.

"Ahhh—!"

"Where are you?!"

Epherene ran toward the sound, using the wind element to move faster and more quietly. However, when she arrived, it was too late. The area was empty, except for a single note.

Selly has been disqualified.

"Sorry. I should have gotten here sooner," Epherene muttered regretfully as she pocketed the note and moved on.

***

Forty minutes into the class, Sylvia moved gracefully among the scattered threats. She didn't hide or try to mask her presence, instead exuding a natural dignity. Enchanted creatures, drawn to her elegant aura, bared their fangs and opened their jaws, only to be scorched and disintegrated by the intense heat.

"Miss Sylvia?" someone called out. It was Lucia, Juperne, and Beck, the noble group that always hung around together, their voices mingling in the air.

“Would you like to escape the barrier with us?” Lucia asked.

Sylvia shook her head, declining their offer.

“Alright then, good luck,” Lucia said as she passed by, only to suddenly run in the opposite direction.

Sylvia quickly understood the reason. On the horizon, emanating an overwhelming and noble presence, was Head Professor Deculein. As an enemy, he was the most formidable opponent.

Under the pressure of his imposing aura, Sylvia closed her eyes and transformed the ground beneath her into water. She submerged herself and held her breath, listening to the sound of footsteps echoing above her.

“Ahhhhhhh!”

Soon after, a piercing scream split the air. Lucia's group must have been caught. Fools, Sylvia thought. Running could never evade the professor’s Wood Steel. She didn’t know the exact mechanism, but once on his radar, escaping required more than just running—it required vanishing underground, just as she had done.

Sylvia waited underground, listening intently. Then, a distinctly foolish-sounding voice broke through the silence. It sounded very foolish indeed.

“Ouch! Ow! Wait! No! Aaaaah!”

Rustle—

"Ah! Who's there?" Epherene cried out, startled by the sudden appearance of a figure from around the corner.

“Phew... Luckily, disqualification doesn’t mean death. Anyway, have a seat,” Epherene said, gesturing to the ground as she sat down.

"... Sigh. Anyway, to escape, we need to dismantle the barrier. But to do that—"

"Shh, it's Deculein," Epherene whispered.