Academy’s Pure Love Dark Knight - Chapter 25

WeTried Translations

Translator: Botanica

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Academy’s Pure Love Dark Knight

Chapter 25

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Episode 25. The Purple Phoenix and the Vampire Saintess.

It was morning, and Dennis's class had already begun.

When the man in the Black Knight's helmet, who would normally always be there, was nowhere to be seen,

"Licht, he didn't come?"

The Glass Knight questioned the red-haired mage.

"Huh...? Oh, you're right, Kai. Haven't seen Helmet guy?"

"He ran out somewhere since dawn, so I thought he'd forgotten something in the classroom..."

Kainel frowned, expressing unease. Because he wasn't someone who would disappear without a word.

"...Maybe he'll come during Drake's lecture?"

"Where on earth did he go? Helmet guy..."

Ariel looked around for Licht, but Mardol was now the only one wearing a knight's helmet in the classroom.

"...Strange."

Licht's sudden unauthorized absence.

The white-haired woman instinctively noticed something. Her wolf ears moved slightly inside the helmet.

***

The Heroic Cult.

To explain briefly, it's a cult that still believes in four heroes summoned in the past.

Why a cult? Because all those bastards have now fallen and become Demon Kings.

As expected, the namer definitely has chuunibyou. If so, they should at least change the name to the Demon King Cult.

Because of that, there was a great war, and <Knight Heart> and <Black Heart> are often mentioned.

'It was the current Ten Greats who ended the war.'

Nex and I left the Academy and stopped at a certain place.

A massive rock, just touching the Academy's barrier as seen in the game, acting out of place.

It was a suspicious place to anyone. Had they cast some perception-hindering magic? I thought as I looked at the magic circle drawn on the rock.

"It's here."

Being someone magic doesn't work well on comes in handy at times like this.

"There's just nothing here, isn't there? Only a big rock... Huh?"

"We have to break this rock."

I knocked on a house-sized rock. Originally, this part would be blown away to reveal stairs.

"It's true. Something strange appears when junior touches it."

The secret club where the sun sets.

Like the proverb that it's darkest directly under the lamp, an instance dungeon hidden right underground.

Because there was a long explanation that there were traces of the Heroic Cult, or marks with their emblem of four holy swords, and even fragments of white cultist robes appeared.

Additionally, its name is 'The secret club where the sun sets'.

If someone disappears from the Academy overnight, this is the most likely place.

"This... should I break it? Melt it with fire?"

"I'll do it."

The spirit is still weak to exert physical force. No matter how powerful that phoenix is, it's not an adult.

"Chirp..."

Furthermore, perhaps due to his concern for Chartiness, he seems to lack much energy. While it might be possible normally, it's highly unlikely now.

"In the end, I'll have to use everything I've learned."

I drew my sword.

The cracks everywhere caused a scraping sound as it came out of the scabbard. This should be fine. I should be able to launch Void Slash once or twice more.

'For now, I'll use Reverse Scale Pierce.'

Finding the most reliable method, I immediately adjusted my stance towards the target. The ground was scraped by my foot.

Drake Style, Second Form.

The last remaining blank among the three basic sword art movements: thrusting, slashing, and parrying.

A combo technique that stabs the dragon's weak point. A second stratagem created to easily pierce even the hardest parts.

Every object has a weak point.

I had to focus on speed. The sensations at my fingertips sharpened. I held my breath for a moment.

If you touch reverse scale of the dragon, it gets angry and enraged by having its reverse scale touched, tries to bite the attacker to death, and instead thrusting a sword strike into it.

A rock like this could easily be shattered. Originally, it penetrates even tough dragon scales by digging into the crevices.

"Please step back."

"...Understood, junior."

I calmly told Nex. I can't flow mana through my body. I have to push with physical strength, so I need maximum concentration.

-Claang!

To protect the Nameless Saintess, I tried my best. I couldn't fail here.

The sound of metal and rock colliding echoed. The rock crumbled with a thudding sound. Time was of the essence. I had to slash it down a little faster.

-Clank!

A little more, faster.

Mixing it with Shadow Slash, the blowing winds scattered the broken stone pieces as widely as possible. I poured in combo attacks. I couldn't worry about the sword's durability now.

"Junior, what kind of sword art is this?! It's not even explosion magic!"

Just a little more.

I was sick and tired of someone meeting a bad end.

-Ka-ga-ga-ga-gack!!

The rock began to shatter into pieces and grind away, as if being dug up by an excavator. The tearing sound of iron and stone vibrated the ground like construction noise.

"...It's done."

I gasped for breath from the tingling sensation in my hand. It was tough but manageable. During training with my master, I'd spent several nights on even bigger ones.

"Wow... all of this...? Junior, you really are Drake's disciple, aren't you?"

"Have you lived your life by being deceived?"

"Yeah, honestly, there are a lot of impersonators."

Not even a few minutes passed. I shattered all the massive, cornerstone-like rocks and sent them flying to one side. I'll have to catch the Demon King later anyway, so this is nothing.

What appeared was a single staircase, exuding an eerie atmosphere.

As if its very presence declared it a forbidden place, a chill emanated from it, raising goosebumps.

"...But junior, how do you know this, not being a Sage's disciple?"

"It's suspicious, isn't it? Who would put such a rock in the Academy, which is flat?"

"Is that so..."

Did I manage to fudge it? No, actually, I think I was caught. Nex couldn't possibly not know, given his sharp senses. His purple eyes repeatedly flickered between the stairs and me, showing his suspicion.

"Well, it doesn't matter now. This is the right place, isn't it?"

"Yes. It is."

But soon, he seemed to drop his suspicions. A resolute and serious expression, firm with determination, landed on me.

'Does he trust me even though he knows I'm lying?'

Calling for people might mean not knowing what comes out from inside, and waiting for the guards would be too late.

'Status window... since it's not appearing now, there's still a chance.'

The percentage that had been dropping since morning was 47%, and now it was no longer visible before my eyes. This probably meant it was a branching point of choice. There was no more time to delay.

"Even if we run into trouble, the Ten Greats would probably come looking for us."

"No time to deliberate. Let's go down quickly."

"Understood, senior."

The two men dashed down into the gloomy underground, where not a single ray of sunlight reached.

A party of a knight and a spirit user entered the instance dungeon.

"It's chilling, junior."

"Still, it's a bit better with the phoenix."

"Chirp."

A purple flame flickering and shining like a lantern even in the darkness. Thanks to it, I could vaguely see ahead.

In the game, lighting magic like Merak's was essential for dungeon clear. But I couldn't use it now, could I?

I remembered what happened the day before yesterday. I knew I could use magic if there was a medium or someone else used it as a circuit, but why did I learn that through the Crown Prince route?

My head throbbed. How great would it be if the Saintess route was confirmed and her name appeared on the status window? So much was still unknown.

This dungeon, too, is a bit different from the structure I know.

"This path is too rough."

"It certainly looks that way."

A winding passage like an ant's nest, and the path ahead would surely be a maze to navigate.

Originally, after going in circles and then emerging in a straight line, the boss room would be at the end of the clearing.

'The starting structure is more vicious than the original work.'

I fell into thought. Unlike my previous life, this time it was a matter of human lives. I had to find a way, somehow.

Ah, there is a way.

"Nex senior."

"What is it, Licht junior?"

Even if it was a game, this world was reality. I had momentarily forgotten that fact.

Structures aren't invincible.

Normally, destroying the dungeon structure itself would be impossible, but this place would be different.

"Let's go by breaking through the walls."

"...What did you say?"

"There's no time. The path ahead is a maze anyway. Just like the path we've come through so far."

I drew my sword again. I ran my palm over the cave wall. Fortunately, this part was relatively soft. Instead, had they put up a magic barrier here, like with the rock?

"I will make a path."

"What...? Is that even possible? The spell formulas are different at each path? High-level defensive magic..."

"It's possible."

It might be regrettable for those Heroic Cult bastards, but it won't work on me.

Unless it's the same magic. I can't even coat my blade with mana. That's why my sword is all chipped like this.

"Hold your breath."

I launched Void Slash straight ahead. With a 'To-kwaaang!' sound, several layers of rock crumbled.

"...What? This is His Majesty the Emperor's... no, it's Void Slash...?"

Like someone had detonated a bomb, the maze blocking the path turned to dust with a 'Pang!', creating a long, traversable route.

"...Chirp."

Nex's face turned pale. The sparrow was also trembling, looking at me. Why was it doing that? Without this, there was no point in learning Drake Style.

This much wouldn't even touch a Demon King.

"If you had something like this, why didn't you use it sooner, junior...?"

"Its durability is lacking. I considered carrying a spare sword to use this, but it wears down together from the wind pressure."

It would have been good if I had the sword I used in the game back then, but it's probably not here.

"...How does Drake use it then?"

"It's a sword made from a dragon's tooth; how can mass-produced items compare?"

Honestly, at times like this, I envied my master a little. Give me hidden pieces or cheat items too. Or at least a holy sword... Oh right, I'm not a Hero by profession.

"You can go forward now."

"Right."

The wall went thud-thud-thud. A large space appeared as it crumbled. Wind blew in, ventilating the narrow passage.

"This seems to be the right path, junior."

"Let's go quickly."

Unlike before, the exit was visible with light, as if there was illumination.

But something was strange. With every step forward, a strong sensation stung my nose.

"Ugh, what is this smell...?"

"Rotting corpses... Ha, these damned bastards."

As we walked inside, a stench emanated. The smell of decaying flesh. The lingering, metallic scent of blood. All of this meant one thing.

A coliseum-like area enclosed by iron fences appeared.

"...."

Nex and I fell silent at the sight before us.

Two piles of white-clad people, split and stacked on either side, forming mountains.

Hands and feet protruded from the piles, interwoven to form a single mass.

"Crazy..."

"I expected it, but it's just absurd."

Beneath them, blood still flowed, gradually soaking the ground. Merely shifting our feet created bloodstains from being trodden upon.

Looking at the coliseum-like place, we moved forward. Nex, seemingly flustered, spoke to me.

"...Corpses? But why are Heroic Cult members killing each other? It's not human sacrifice, is it...?"

"They stabbed each other to death."

I knew this happened in the sequel, but here they're not just skeletons.

My face contorted. My breath hitched. My head spun.

"Because it's a common method of punishment."

"So this... wasn't by their own will?"

"If you're branded a heretic, this is what happens."

I'd seen it often in the game, after all. No need for long explanations when describing villains.

"It's a mistake like calling a hero a Demon King."

Heroic Cult? But why is the Demon King appearing? At that moment, a scene like this is shown in a flashback.

<Black Heart>... I saw it properly there. Something about tying up loose ends.

Anyway, they're truly fond of cruelty. It was just glossed over in the original.

As I completed quests involving those guys, there were many sad stories. I sighed with a heavy heart.

"They're driven into an arena... a dogfight where they kill each other."

"...And they're fine with that? Why on earth?"

They're completely insane. In exchange for reviving the dead, granting wealth and honor, telling the future, or bestowing immense power...

"They won't even let you join unless it's that extreme."

A cult that forces absolute belief befitting that.

Nex, perhaps wondering why I knew so much about the Heroic Cult, began to ask questions.

"...I heard rumors about them reviving the dead. But is that true?"

"It's just another person who looks the same on the outside."

"The future?"

"If you wish to go insane, I recommend it."

"...I'll pass, junior."

In reality, it's all just an illusion. Because it's the power of a Demon King, not a hero. There's no way it would be applied correctly to the world.

"They're just trash bastards..."

"You understand now why the Ten Greats aren't moving, don't you?"

"So they really were truly vicious bastards. That means, perhaps, the moment we're distracted here..."

"They're strong enough to attack the Academy while the heroes are absent."

The purple-haired man nodded slightly.

He said he understood why the Ten Greats refused, even after he ran around so much begging them to save Char.

"It was indeed right for just the two of us to come."

"My stomach feels like it's turning right now... How are you so calm, junior?"

"I've also lived a rather harsh life."

Even Nex, a descendant of the Ten Greats, had lost his composure and was dry heaving.

My judgment not to bring Kainel and Ariel was correct. They would have struggled to maintain their sanity.

Looking at it this way, calling the Crown Prince as a companion was also a misjudgment.

'Demon King, now that I think about it, they're all alive here.'

A happy ending in a world like this? My wish must have been a bit excessive.

"You also suffered at the hands of the Heroic Cult."

"...Something similar."

It wasn't a lie. After transmigrating, I'd stood at the brink of death, like the experience of being surrounded by a pack of wolves,

and I'd seen countless bad endings where the Nameless Saintess died even if I captured the Demon King of Truth. My chest felt as heavy as lead.

"Let's go, Chartiness senior must be up ahead."

"She's alive, right... she must be..."

"Probably so. Given her personality."

I bit my lower lip. He's a human obsessed with numbers of lives. He doesn't kill people without calculation.

Rather, he's thorough in the opposite sense. The status window still isn't reacting. If I had failed, a notification would have popped up immediately.

"Chirp... Chiiirp...!"

Nex's phoenix was nervously flapping its wings. At this point, did it have information heard from the head of the family? The spirit showed an excessive reaction.

"...Is the Demon King up ahead?"

"No, if that were the case, we wouldn't have even found this place."

"...What did you say?"

"At most, it's probably just one Apostle."

That's an undeniable fact. He probably deployed his subordinates and is observing from afar.

I raised my head and looked ahead. A single red-painted door was visible.

That must be the boss room.

If my memory wasn't wrong, the traces of the boss remaining in the dungeon were of an Apostle, not a Demon King.

He's not one to act directly, as he prefers to protect himself.

"..."

Why would I think that, when other Demon Kings could also be involved?

Laplace, the librarian among the Ten Greats who manages the library commonly called the Akashic Records.