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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: 4. Aftermath
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Paradoxically, people seem unable to muster a proper reaction when something is just too shocking.
Even as Eliya Chrisanax was carted off by the emergency medics after slamming into the wall, the entire building was cloaked in a silence so heavy that a single slightly deep breath would echo through it.
Everyone's stares felt utterly devoid of soul.
"Victory, Dawood Campbell."
But the moment the referee made that announcement in a dazed tone.
"...What the hell was that just now?!"
"What the fuck is that guy?!"
Ear-shattering roars erupted from every direction.
Who the hell is Dawood Campbell? What's the deal with Campbell Barony—no, screw that, we need to dig up everything on that guy right now...
Amid the world exploding into frenzy around me, I stood there alone, blankly gazing up at the sky.
Myself.
All stats F.
Bottom-tier freshman whose entire spec consisted of two unidentified skills.
Academy enrollment day one.
Kicked off school life by one-shotting the protagonist.
"...Ah, fuck."
How the hell do I clean this mess up.
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The Imperial Academy Elpante is one of the top institutions across the continent's educational landscape. Places that could rival it might be the Holy Kingdom's [Grand Cathedral] or the Tribal Alliance's [Crucible of Strife], at best.
And in an institution of that caliber, the faculty is naturally stacked with dazzling talent.
"..."
"..."
So the current situation felt utterly out of place.
Even they couldn't hide their bewilderment.
The mana crystal embedded in the center of the table was currently replaying the footage of Eliya Chrisanax getting floored by a single punch.
"As for the first possibility."
The Knight Faculty Dean opened his mouth in a grave voice.
"This Dawood kid seems like an exceptional con artist."
"...That's a pretty harsh assessment all of a sudden, Konrad?"
"Point is, it doesn't add up."
In response to the headmaster's amused reply, the middle-aged man with a cross-shaped scar on his face ran a hand through his hair.
"Anyone with a shred of insight would spot it immediately. This Dawood Campbell was a complete nobody right up until the duel started. No combat skills whatsoever, not even a trace of any innate ability in his body. But..."
He manipulated the footage, zooming in on the moment Eliya took the hit.
"This one strike? Undeniably the 'real deal.'"
"'Real deal' meaning?"
"No one in this academy could tank that head-on. Myself included, for starters."
His words deepened the silence hanging in the room even further.
The man saying it was the pinnacle of all continental knights, a former Imperial Guard. Coming from him, it hardly sounded like praise one would lavish on a mere student.
Especially considering the room was filled with the continent's top-tier faculty.
"Illegal drugs, undisclosed magic artifacts... whatever 'means' he used to spike his power temporarily. That's the most likely scenario. Probably what everyone's thinking."
Because.
If not, then this Dawood Campbell's existence becomes a far bigger headache.
"And the other possibility."
He paused, letting out a wry chuckle.
As if even he found the notion absurd coming from his own mouth.
"He's a genius monster. Top-tier, even by historical standards."
No exaggeration there.
No one would've bet on Dawood Campbell winning—not even a one-in-ten-thousand chance.
His opponent was that Eliya Chrisanax. The imperial family's closely watched next [Hero] candidate.
Combat prowess in a realm no ordinary person could touch even after a lifetime of struggle, mana reserves vast as the ocean, unyielding mental fortitude that never broke no matter the situation.
Talents Dawood utterly lacked. At least on paper, the guy was bug-tier.
"..."
The problem? That catastrophic gap got bridged by a single punch.
By someone whose method was utterly unknowable—someone you could only call 'talent' itself.
And if it really was genuine.
Not a con, but the real embodiment of talent.
'A storm's eye.'
He'd become an entity that stirs up massive upheaval.
Konrad Baltador thought as much while stroking his chin.
"But even so, it's hard to just accept that student's victory outright. The Kendrid Margrave won't stay quiet about it."
Konrad nodded at the headmaster's softly voiced concern.
Kendrid Margrave. One of the empire's storied noble houses, infamous for its bad blood with the Tristan Ducal House.
As Eliya Chrisanax's zealous patron, the margrave clearly had no intention of letting a scratch mar his protégé's 'market value.'
"..."
Konrad's expression hardened.
When did a place founded to teach students turn into somewhere he had to worry about politics?
When you spot a talented student, you give them the treatment they deserve—that should be the rule.
"But letting a standout student slip away would be a huge loss for the academy too. Whether he's a con or not will come to light soon enough anyway, so let's watch and see."
As if reading Konrad's mind, the headmaster continued with a light smile.
Music to Konrad's ears.
"Watch and see, you say?"
"We've got a particularly entertaining batch of freshmen this year. Plenty with personalities strong enough to warrant special oversight."
Her tone remained casual.
"But if even the dean calls this student that outstanding... surely there's a role we can assign him. For their sake."
Undeniably loaded with implication.
●
So.
I'd given some thought to cleaning up after flattening the protagonist.
Turns out, that's future me's problem.
"..."
Actually, yeah, it is.
Even now, crowds were howling outside my dorm for just one chance to see me, but what could I possibly do about it right now?
Thanks to pulling off that spectacle in front of a massive audience, my notoriety had skyrocketed beyond belief.
[ Kendrid Margrave's Rising Star Suffers Shocking Defeat on Enrollment Day?! ]
[ Special Feature: Dawood Campbell, the Man of the Hour. Who Is He? ]
One annoyingly realistic detail.
Tabloids are the same whether in my old world or this game world.
Skimming the rags churning out bullshit about me after just one day, I let out a wry smile.
I'm the hidden bastard child of the Imperial Knights' Commander, they say. Actually, the academy's secretly raised ultimate super soldier, they claim.
Give me a break.
Well, even amid the trash media, there's salvageable stuff.
Holed up in my room all day gathering intel on the situation, one thing stands out big time.
[ Kendrid Margrave House Officially Demands Truth from Elpante Academy— ]
[ Experts Claim Duel Was Perfectly Staged Farce— ]
Backlash to my surging fame, apparently. Public opinion isn't all rosy.
Eliya was the 'supernova' hyped with mountains of feats even before enrolling. Solid fanbase, you could say.
Hard to get folks clapping when some random extra A drops him in one hit out of nowhere.
'Whatever, can't be helped.'
Don't care what they yap about me. My sole goal is surviving straight to the ending.
Any butterfly effects from punching the protagonist on day one? Future me will handle it.
Ways to get strong in this world, ways to navigate crises—I could rattle them off blindfolded. Just tailor solutions to the situation.
More importantly.
[Gift Related Person Alert]
▼ Elnor Erinarije la Tristan
[ Trust Stage 1 ] >>> [ Trust Stage 2 ]
[ Rewards available for collection! ]
[ Related event in D-1 ]
▼ Armut Baron
[ Curiosity Stage 2 ]
[ Rewards available for collection! ]
▼ Lupen Viscount
[ Curiosity Stage 1 ]
[ Rewards available for collection! ]
▼ Gront Viscount
[ Interest Stage 3 ]
.
.
.
Yeah.
Looking at the slew of names scrolling in the Gift-related persons window brings a smile to my face.
Probably partly thanks to [Fatal Charm], but apparently blowing Eliya away left quite the impression—tons of names popping up.
Sorting through the entries with their varying labels.
Curiosity → Interest → Trust. That's how affinity stages progress, seems like. Higher stages exist up top, but nothing there yet.
Five substages per state, looks like.
Highest is Elnor, at Trust Stage 2.
'Bit weird, though.'
Story's major villains definitely saw me too, but none of their names show. Just extra-tier folks.
Reasons aplenty.
Some too full of themselves to care about others. Some so batshit their worldview's warped.
The issue.
Why does the final boss—who should give zero fucks about me—have the highest affinity?
While others top out at curiosity to interest, she's sitting pretty at Trust Stage 2.
The hell?
"..."
Dunno exactly.
But Elnor's event is tomorrow anyway. No reason to turn down rewards.
One of the two skills from her last reward let me flatten the protagonist. Wonder what this one's gonna be.
[ Collecting 'Elnor' Gift reward. ]
[ Acquired trait: Tristan-style Swordsmanship! ]
[Mastery Info]
[ Trait: Tristan-style Swordsmanship ] [ Grade: Basic ]
[ Sword style of the famed Tristan Ducal House. ]
[ ■ Delivers consistent power regardless of weapon used. ]
[ Raise trait grade for more benefits! ]
"...Well, damn."
Jackpot.
Final boss rewards don't mess around. Dropped a skill that jumps straight to EX, now hands over a high-spec trait in one go.
Tristan Ducal House is top of the empire's swordsmanship nobility. Power's a given.
"..."
Issue is, abilities tied to that house mostly link to demons.
Even if it's just swordsmanship now, the Tristans are a hotbed of creepy rumors the deeper you dig.
Mastering derived abilities might bite me in the ass later, one way or another.
Eh, whatever.
'Fuck it.'
They gave it, so I'll use it.
Not in a position to be picky, and performance is already proven.
Cleanup's on future me.
With that, I collect the rest.
[ Collecting 'Armut Baron' Gift reward. ]
[ Acquired 100pt! ]
[ Collecting 'Lupen Viscount' Gift reward. ]
[ Acquired 50pt! ]
.
.
.
By the way.
Everyone else's Gift rewards are just straight currency points.
What's the deal?
[ Points can be used in the Currency Shop! ]
Ah, got it.
Extras get lumped into bulk compensation, huh.
Currency Shop's familiar—buy consumables and buffs to smooth gameplay, that kind of helper system.
[ Current Points: 3,500pt ]
Isn't this way too much?
3,500's a number you hit way later in the original.
Even accounting for Fatal Charm, how many villains did I imprint on?
"...Good's good."
Shrug and scroll down.
No point overthinking freebies.
Still, amassing this much is huge. Means way more options for tomorrow's event.
About to close the window when something weird flashes in my peripheral.
Black text etched at the very bottom.
[Gift Related Person Alert]
▼ Eliya Chrisanax
[ Curiosity Stage 4 ]
[ Reward collection not yet available! ]
"..."
Why the fuck are you here?
"Hmm."
Stroking my chin, I ponder for a bit.
As far as I know, Gift-related persons only list 'villains' who have 'affinity' for me.
"...Hmmm."
No, seriously—why the hell are you here?
You match neither condition.
Lost in bewildered thoughts, a sudden knock echoes at my door.
"Ah, is this Dawood Campbell's room?"
"..."
Voice sounds familiar.
"It's Eliya Chrisanax. Mind if I come in?"
"..."
I drag a hand down my face and sigh.
Guess this guy's no gentleman after all.
No clue why she's here out of the blue, but maybe if I stay quiet, she'll leave? Fingers crossed.
"Hey, teacher. I know you're in there, right? No answer and I'll break it down?"
This psycho bitch.
"...Teacher? What fucking teacher."
"Oh, so you are in there."
But my gruff reply gets only a bright, cheerful voice in return from the other side.
"Mind opening up? Got something to talk about."
"...What about."
"Mm, just wanna learn a bit more about each other?"
"..."
Migraine hits like a truck.
Groaning with all the 'I'm dying' vibes I can muster, I clutch my head.
Dawood Campbell. Academy enrollment day two.
The original protagonist's glomming on.
We're fucked.
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