Chapter 20
This time, the incident that was about to unfold—
the so-called “Academy Assault”—
had two major objectives to accomplish.
First: stop the demons’ assassination plot.
Second: create the starting point where my heroes would begin to shine as true heroes.
It wasn’t just the students they were targeting.
The staff working at the academy could also be in danger.
But the faculty members here weren’t ordinary people.
Some may have entered through connections or noble status,
but the rest were admitted through sheer ability.
Take Instructor Ludwig, for example—
a man whose battlefield experience spoke louder than any diploma.
So, for now, I could afford not to worry about the staff.
It would be enough to focus on protecting the students alone.
And among them, one—Uriel—was already under my protection.
“Don’t overthink it. Just do what I know I can do.”
Even back when this world was just a game,
my role had always been the same:
To protect my students.
To guide them so they could turn crisis into opportunity.
And I had no intention of straying from that role.
Not when even the slightest mistake could invite disaster.
“Um, Instructor,” Uriel said nervously from behind me.
“Are you sure it’s okay to let those students go on their own?”
She was right to worry—
sending students ahead during a potential attack sounded insane.
“They’re only heading for the Central Training Yard,” I replied calmly.
“It’s just nearby. They’ll be fine.”
“I hope so…” she murmured.
Of course, they would be.
The demons had no reason to target those particular students.
After inspecting them closely, I found that only Uriel and Erich bore the marks—
the targets of demonic interest.
The rest? Not worth the effort.
That meant the real danger lay with the two walking beside me.
And indeed, several faint presences trailed us at a distance—
so subtle even Uriel and Erich hadn’t sensed them.
It was clear the demons had prepared thoroughly.
They were itching to strike,
but the only thing holding them back was me.
They knew who I was.
They knew what I was.
And because I happened to be walking right beside their assassination targets,
they were caught in a dilemma.
“They won’t give up, though.”
They’d seen Uriel and Erich’s potential—
a threat that needed to be crushed before it could bloom.
If allowed to grow, either one could become another me.
And then, it happened.
The auras that had been keeping their distance suddenly shifted.
A group of black-clad figures stepped out onto the path ahead.
“Instructor! There’s fighting up front!” Uriel shouted.
“Damn! They’re trying to stall us!” Erich yelled.
I almost laughed. Stalling us?
If only.
It wasn’t a delay—they wanted to divide us.
To make us think someone needed help so we’d split our forces.
A clever illusion of urgency.
Originally, my plan was to fight alongside Uriel—
to let her gain experience while I handled the harder parts.
But Uriel, for all her grit, was still too green.
Even a minor demon could kill her if I wasn’t careful.
Then again…
there was Erich.
“Erich.”
“Yes, Instructor!”
“…Watch Uriel’s back.”
He grinned like a knight blessed by the gods.
“Leave it to me! We’ll not just endure—we’ll triumph!”
“Don’t get cocky. Uriel.”
“Yes, sir?”
“Remember what I told you. That’s all you need.”
With that, I turned away from them—
but not toward the front, as they expected.
Because I already knew the demons’ real plan.
The moment I left those two behind, the hidden assassins would strike.
They wanted me gone.
And then they’d pounce.
Too bad for them.
“That’s not going to happen.”
I swung my axe and crushed the skull of the first demon before he even realized I’d found him.
One blow.
Seven left.
They’d prepared this many just to kill two students.
Impressive.
“Damn it! It really is him—the Butcher!”
“You bastards actually stationed the Butcher here?!”
I couldn’t help but smirk.
So, the nobility’s attempt to bury my name had an unexpected benefit—
the demons hadn’t been sure I was really here until now.
Too late to regret it.
“Gaaahhh!!”
“Khuk!”
The familiar weight of flesh and bone splintering against my axe felt almost comforting.
Yet my body no longer moved the way it once did.
Years of abuse had worn it down.
Still—compared to the battlefields of old, this was almost easy.
Lightly armed assassins, not armored soldiers.
One by one, I cut them down.
No survivors. No messengers.
The last one tried to run.
The axe buried itself between his shoulder blades before he took three steps.
For a moment, I considered questioning him—
but instinct took over.
A second blow crushed his head before I realized what I’d done.
Old habits die hard.
Years on the front lines had turned caution into reflex.
Always confirm the kill.
I sighed, shaking blood from my weapon.
Then I moved on.
Uriel and Erich would be fine now—
only two demons had managed to reach them.
A perfect training opportunity.
The noise ahead grew louder.
When I arrived, I found several trembling students—
and one standing boldly in front of them, holding a door as a makeshift shield.
“If you wish to harm them, you’ll have to go through me first!”
Of course.
Linne Gurdeshield.
Chronic hero syndrome, full-blown and incurable.
I almost laughed when she shouted, “You’ll have to defeat me first!”
because, ironically, she was the target.
The demons didn’t hesitate—
why would they, when their prey had stepped forward willingly?
If Linne were alone, she might have held her ground.
But with the students behind her,
she was forced to fight recklessly to protect them.
“I shall endure this trial!”
Even as blood trickled down her arm, she shouted like a saint.
Definitely incurable.
I adjusted my grip on the axe.
The weapon whistled through the air—
and buried itself in the back of a demon aiming for her ribs.
“Wha—?!”
The rest of them finally noticed me.
“Kill him!”
They didn’t even waste breath on the classic ‘When did he get here?!’ line.
Smart.
Half charged me, half went for Linne.
Unfortunately for them, I didn’t need the axe.
If they weren’t war-lords or their lieutenants… then bare hands were enough.
I caught one by the throat.
Another lunged—his knife too short to reach me.
I used the first demon’s body as a shield,
letting the others stab him instead.
Perfectly efficient.
“Krgh!”
“Your blades are too short,” I muttered. “And so are your lives.”
Then came the crunch of bone, the rip of teeth.
Yes—teeth.
A bite to the neck, quick and brutal.
Fear spread faster than fire.
Terror freezes the body and clouds the mind.
Even demons weren’t immune to that law.
This was how you won uneven fights—
not with numbers, but with momentum and fear.
I made a note to teach Uriel that later.
Still, I cursed inwardly.
Killing came far too easily now.
I couldn’t even manage to capture one alive.
Every time I aimed to subdue, they just… stopped breathing.
When the noise settled, I looked toward Linne.
She was still standing—barely.
Two demons left.
But they were the ones struggling, not her.
Their comrades’ screams still echoed around them,
thick with the stench of their own blood.
Linne, meanwhile, was blazing with that delusional, radiant conviction of hers.
“With this trial, I shall protect them all!”
The demons faltered.
And she struck.
“Take this! A hero never retreats!”
BAM!
She slammed one demon through a wall—
or what used to be a classroom door, anyway.
The impact alone would leave him unconscious.
Perfect.
That one could still be useful.
The other lunged at her while she caught her breath.
I sighed and threw my reclaimed axe.
Thunk.
It dropped him instantly.
When the dust cleared, I approached Linne.
[Character Data: Linne Gurdeshield (Rank C)]
Traits: Aspiring Hero, Instinctive Motion, Mountain, Unshakable Shield
Growth Potential: Only when she truly believes she is a hero
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
To grow stronger, she literally had to believe she was a hero.
Not an act—her entire existence demanded it.
“You all right?” I asked, half expecting a lecture.
After all, I’d interfered. She might complain it wasn’t a “fair fight.”
“Instructor!” she gasped, eyes shining.
“Thank you! Because of you, I was able to save my friends! You were magnificent—just like a true hero!”
So much for my worries.
For Linne, it wasn’t about her own life being saved.
It was that she could save others.
Perfect. A seed well planted.
But then—
“Still, Instructor,” she said brightly,
“a hero should wield something more noble than an axe, don’t you think?”
“…”
I sighed.
Of course, it wouldn’t be that easy.
