Chapter 25
What appeared before them was one of the 72 Great Evils.
On the other hand, they were merely first-year Academy students.
Not only had they not even finished their first semester, but due to the demon's barrier, they couldn't expect any reinforcements. Even their professors could no longer protect them.
Yet despite the situation, not a single student lost their composure. If anything, that would have been stranger.
'After all, we've all learned under that professor.'
The protagonist of this world.
Ciel Rudbes showed a smile full of competitive spirit.
They knew he had single-handedly blocked the assault.
They knew he had seen through the demon's true identity.
They knew he had saved everyone multiple times.
And above all, they knew he was a true professor of this era who genuinely cared for his students.
'Professor Ryan making a mistake? Being careless enough in protecting us to allow a demon to approach?'
There are limits to what's believable.
Professor Ryan is the person who best embodies the word "perfection". This must surely be another situation he intended.
Thinking through the situation carefully, the answer became clear.
Using poison, a means he rarely employs, to deliberately weaken the enemy, and stopping at inflicting a mortal wound when he clearly could have ended the enemy's life.
And then allowing the weakened enemy to specifically target Class A students.
There could only be one possibility.
"To think our first assignment would be demon subjugation. I wonder what expectations Professor Ryan has for us. My shoulders already feel heavy."
Sylvia comments from beside her.
Ciel strongly agreed with that opinion.
Even in a weakened state, having mere students gather to kill one of the 72 Great Evils - searching through Academy history, there probably hadn't been such a difficult assignment.
The students, including Ciel, seemed a bit bewildered by this request that far exceeded common sense.
"However, if the professor has expectations for us, we should do our utmost to meet them."
Of course, being bewildered and giving up on the test were different matters.
While the professor's expectations were certainly heavy...
The gratitude far outweighed any burden.
'You can handle this much. My students will easily overcome this level of hardship.'
'I have no doubt you can succeed.'
It was as if the professor was whispering these words in their ears.
When the most reliable person in the world is pushing you forward, how could you not find courage? How could you not proudly draw your sword before the enemy?
"Let's go! We'll take down this demon with our own hands!"
Ciel shouted loud enough for everyone to hear.
At the same time, the Class A students assumed their combat formations.
Though the demon rambled on about something while watching this, there was no question what was more important between Professor Ryan's test and a demon's nonsense.
They easily ignored suggestions like trying to talk first, questioning if they were really first-years, or wondering why they were all using magic enhancement.
"Hoo..."
Taking a deep breath, she grips her sword tightly.
Magic insensitivity. Though her body couldn't properly sense or handle magic, by fate's jest, her innate magical capacity was second to none.
How to imbue magic into a blade.
How to shoot sword energy.
Though she knew none of these things, Ciel had claimed the top spot at the Imperial Academy with overwhelming grades.
"...Horizontal slash."
Simply swinging her sword with all her might had overwhelmed all the other examinees.
A strike of utmost simplicity. Yet a fierce slash that couldn't be countered because of that simplicity flies toward the demon. Seeing it, the creature leaps away in shock, kicking off the ground.
There was no option to meet that attack head-on.
Though it seemed to have realized this early and chosen to dodge... that reaction had been anticipated from the start.
"Now!"
She shouted to everyone. Poisoned and internally injured, then forced into a desperate dodge - even a demon's stance would crumble.
There would never be a better chance to attack.
The blasphemous enemy who had insulted their professor as a coward.
The students who had been waiting for revenge surround the demon as if by prior arrangement.
[Twenty against one? Have you no pride! Do you feel no shame using such underhanded tactics in sacred combat!]
There were students here from knight families that had maintained their honor for centuries. Though appealing to pride in a moment of crisis might have been more effective normally...
This time the demon had chosen its opponent too poorly.
Our professor had foreseen even this situation.
-It's not medicine, but poison, you fool.
A genius who had mastered the difficult spatial magic.
With Professor Ryan's skills, he surely could have overwhelmed the opponent without using underhanded means like poison.
The reason he deliberately used dirty tactics in front of everyone. There could only be one possibility.
'There's no need to respect demons. Don't fall for the enemy's cunning deceptions, but rather learn the wisdom to outmaneuver your opponent.'
Just how many moves ahead was he thinking?
Professor Ryan's foresight never failed to amaze.
There were no students here foolish enough to ignore the direct teachings he had given them. Therefore, there was also no one who would feel shame at the demon's words.
"The demon is trying to divide us! Stay together! Stay together and tear this demon's limbs apart!"
They continued their fierce assault surrounding the demon.
Everyone gathered with one mind to torture the demon.
Screams of agony rang out.
The students' bright smiles as they look at the blood-covered demon made it hard to tell who was the demon and who was human.
[You arrogant ones just like your professor! Know your place! Do you think you could stand against me if I were to fight with my life on the line!]
The demon shouted, backed into a corner.
As if making a final struggle, it burns even its own soul with a face full of murderous intent.
Even weakened, one of the 72 Great Evils was still one of the 72 Great Evils.
Ciel could tell that warning wasn't empty.
If he truly resolved to self-destruct and unleashed his full power, a few students being dragged along as companions in death would be unavoidable.
They should have stopped pressing their attack right then, but...
That's only if the opponent could use their full power.
"Unfortunately demon, your wishes will not be granted."
Black hair and blue eyes.
A girl with reverently clasped hands spoke thus.
The demon's body trembled all over. Surely it had instinctively realized what this woman was.
[A woman who should be in the Holy Empire, why are you here! Don't tell me you secretly enrolled in the Academy? And of all times, now?]
The demon cried out with an utterly wronged expression.
Though it wailed about how this could happen with mere first-years, the Saint paid no attention.
She showed a beautiful smile.
As always, it was a smile that seemed benevolent yet somehow eerily ominous.
"I'll give you one last chance for repentance."
The Saint recited a prayer while making the sign of the cross.
Chains of light flowed forth to bind the already tattered demon completely immobile.
With a flushed face as if excited, she licked the blood on her cheek and dragged an enormous morning star.
"Scream your song. So your voice may reach the Heavenly God and They may feel our devotion!"
Her usually half-closed eyes opened wide.
The Saint charged forward with an unpleasant laugh.
Tears rolled down Malphas's cheeks.
*****
A sudden, unprecedented situation.
I felt cold sweat running down my back.
A moment of carelessness. I overestimated the opponent as a simple-minded human and allowed him to ambush the students.
There's no time to waste. I immediately ran to the barrier the demon had erected and analyzed its structure to reverse-engineer it.
The barrier soon crumbled.
The acrid smell of blood and scattered internal organs. A scene too horrific to look at unfolds.
I could only feel despair at the sight...
"Professor Ryan!"
A voice called out from somewhere.
The protagonist ran over to me with a bright smile.
The demon's head with brain matter leaking out, casually skewered on a sword like some chicken skewer.
"This is our gift to you. We all caught it together!"
The students, decorated with entrails, smiled proudly.
Brain matter dropped with a plop from the presented head.
...I just gave up on thinking altogether.