ISBER 32

Chapter : 32

I’ll Save You in the Bad Ending Route

The Great Demon King of the Training Grounds

‘, , …’

These were all magic spells that dealt sharp, cutting damage to the opponent. In the game, they were mostly used by characters with thorny personalities.

‘Then they’re no good for me. I don’t think my personality is sharp enough for that kind of magic.’

With my quill pressed to my lips, I tried to recall other wind-element characters I knew.

‘Which character in this game was the most like me?’

I remembered a personality quiz I once took online:
“Which Sun of Time – Loas Academy character resembles you the most?”

‘It said Cynthia-—the fire-attribute strategist.’

So I was similar to a strategist character. Cynthia mostly used debuff-type magic based on her exceptional intel-gathering ability.

‘Skills that deal damage after finding the enemy’s weak point… yes, that’s it!’

I thought magic like that would match my soul and be something I could master.

‘I’ll develop information-based magic! I’ve got 9999 Intel—there should be tons of skills I can use!’

But only one week remained before the exam. Learning a new skill required accumulating skill experience. The fastest way to gain it was to go out and hunt monsters…

But I was only a 2-star mage, so direct monster hunting wasn’t permitted.

Which left only one option…

‘Training at the training grounds.’

That was the only method left—but it took forever.

Only one option, and it’s slow?

Then… then… among the characters I knew, someone who could teach well in a short time… Sparta-style training…

My gaze drifted toward Aaron. I looked at Aaron’s profile as he studied beside me and let out a short sigh. Then I squeezed out every last drop of courage I didn’t have. I really didn’t want to ask him—but there was no other way.

“Umm… Lord Aaron…”

“Mm?”

He answered half-heartedly.

“…Could you train me?”

Aaron blinked in surprise, then slowly curled his lips into a smug smile.
And so, I ended up receiving one-on-one tutoring from Aaron—the Great Demon King of the Training Grounds.

* * *

That evening, I stuffed myself like it was my last supper. The chicken—possibly my final meal—tasted divine.

To learn new skills, I had to build skill experience. Gain enough, and depending on how I trained, I could acquire new skills. But time was tight, and the fastest way was to get trained by someone who excelled at training.

And since I chose Aaron for that role, I trudged toward the training grounds prepared to die.

All the way there, I could already predict how things were going to go.
Of course I could—my protagonist had trained under Aaron dozens of times in the game.

Not me personally, of course. The protagonist I controlled.
But watching those scenes, I used to think:

“Wow, if that were me, I’d never survive that training. Poor protagonist…”

Those mocking memories now flashed through my mind like a death montage.

Aaron-style training was like this:

Praise?

None.

Comfort? Encouragement?

Throw it to the dogs.

Scolding?

Like a demon unleashed.

No matter what you did, Aaron would get mad, point out flaws, criticize mercilessly.
He didn’t get the nickname “Aaron the Razor Tongue” for nothing.

‘You call that a sword grip? Planning to dance on the battlefield? Grab it again!’

‘Giving arrows to the enemy? Planning to send a love letter with them? Include the bill for your funeral while you’re at it.’

‘Strutting already? Your head’s still screwed wrong. Grip it again!’

And mind you—this was Aaron at 80 affection points.
That’s “very close friends” level.

Even with high affection, he trained like that.

Pure verbal carnage.
Perfect for shattering your mental health.
Any scraps of self-esteem would be pulverized before he sent you home.

‘As Airan, how high can my affection possibly be? Sure, he’s been nicer lately, but still…’

Yes, he’d visibly softened a bit…
But Aaron-style training? I didn’t trust it.

‘The only time Aaron ever said something warm was at the very end, in his happy ending route…’

And yet, I still chose Aaron.

‘Because nothing raises your ability faster than training with him.’

I stood at the entrance of the training ground, ready to surrender my body and mind for the next few hours.
I took a deep breath and prepared to die on the inside.

I carefully opened the door.
Inside, Aaron was swinging a sword with one hand.

Sweat trickled down the always-cold, stoic Aaron’s forehead.

I stared, startled.

‘Why is he here earlier practicing? And—sleeves rolled up?’

Aaron avoided exposure at all costs.
In summer, he wore ice-enchanted clothing.
At the beach, he didn’t even swim. Just read in the beach house.
That was the Aaron I knew from the game.

So seeing him with his sleeves rolled up, swinging a sword alone—it felt unfamiliar.
The toned muscles I’d only guessed at beneath his neat clothes were clearly visible now.
When he swung, his veins flexed.

My heart stuttered for a moment—but I shook it off.

‘Standing before me is not some princely handsome guy. It’s Aaron, the Great Demon King of the Training Grounds.’

I mentally replayed all the terrible things he’d done before.

Then I walked confidently toward him—though I was terrified inside.

‘Rock hauling? Belly crawl? Fighting 50 monsters at once?
Come at me.’

When I stepped forward, Aaron paused mid-swing and looked at me.

“When did you arrive? You should have said something.”

“Just now.”

He walked over to the bench and wiped his forehead with a towel.
His dark hair was damp and subtly glimmering. I stared, unable to resist asking:

“Why were you practicing alone?”

Aaron replied calmly.

“To check my own form.”

He sheathed his sword. The gloves on his hands were worn through.

“Before teaching someone else, I need to ensure my stance is flawless.”

His words reflected his teaching philosophy.
Honestly, being trained by someone this serious was kind of an honor—

If only he’d talk nicely.

“Now then, let’s begin.”

Aaron spoke curtly like a drill sergeant.
I straightened instinctively.

He removed his school jacket and neatly adjusted the sleeves of his shirt.
His well-toned muscles beneath the crisp fabric sent my thoughts wandering, and I had to vigorously shake my head.

“Stop acting like an owl and put your hand on the Soul Magic Stone.”

…He called me an owl.

I placed my hand on the Soul Magic Stone, which displayed my stat window.

“What skill do you want to learn? Which stat is the highest?”

Since he couldn’t see my panel, I had to answer.

Highest stat…?

“…Intelligence.”

“How high? Over 300?”

“Yes.”

Not a lie. It was 9999.

“Quite high. Then let’s set the arena and monsters for intel-based skills.”

He removed my hand and placed his own on the stone.
A selection window popped up, and he quickly adjusted settings with practiced motions.

He chose Shadow Forest.
Monsters: Shadow Wraiths.

When he hit CONFIRM, pitch-black shadows spread from the stone like roots, covering the training hall and transforming the space.

This training hall’s feature:

Pick a location,
and illusion magic recreates it exactly.

It’s an illusion, but every sense works normally.
You don’t die, but everything short of that feels real—including pain.

‘My first real training here.’

This was nothing like sparring with Freya or Rowen.
Having the whole setting configured like this—of course I was nervous.

Soon, we stood in a gloomy, ominous forest with nothing but dead trees—Shadow Forest.

‘A late-game dungeon. Once you enter, you never escape.’

Way too advanced for my current level.
But Aaron chose it anyway—because he knew I needed skill EXP fast.

Aaron surveyed the dead forest, raised two fingers, and explained:

“There are two best ways to unlock new skills. One, steady practice.
Two, awakening under desperation. I’ll have you do both. The exam is soon. Agree?”

As if I’d disagree.
I nodded fiercely.

“Of course.”

“Good attitude. Then answer this: why are you trying so hard?”

“Huh?”

His voice was interrogative.

“New magic comes to the desperate. So—are you desperate? Is it just because you’re weak? Or something else?”

“…”

It felt like he was weighing me on a scale.
I realized that a month ago, I wouldn’t have felt this desperate.

Originally, the Orion exam was just a goal for early graduation—a personal challenge.
But now it was heavier.

‘I have to break Jeremy’s nose.’

Damian’s half-brother Jeremy—a top-tier villain NPC.
A year from now, he becomes second-in-command to the final mastermind.

I couldn’t half-commit.
This was my chance to crush him early.