The Only Male Student in the Academy

022. Follower (3)

“Alex Falto, why are you here?”

As soon as he saw that face, his head hurt.

I came to the Bletar Dungeon avoiding the eyes of the students, but how did this guy know about it?

“I asked the dormitory supervisor.”

“…That person, his mouth is so light.”

A sigh escaped his lips.

I can’t help being caught. I never thought I could keep it a secret forever.

But it is too fast.

“I thought why did you come to such an unpopular dungeon, but you were having a tryst?”

Alex asks, glancing at his Marie.

I clicked my tongue and threw the bag I was holding.

“Are your eyes gnarled? I came after raiding a dungeon.”

The bag rolls at Alex’s feet and the contents spill out.

Several trophies spilled out. Herbs that can only be obtained in the Blatta Dungeon, parts of the body of kobolds, and various miscellaneous miscellaneous things.

Seeing the spilled items, Alex nods his head.

“…You must have really hunted in a dungeon. Then why are you with Miss Ruhelif?”

“We met by chance in a dungeon.”

“A coincidence? It doesn’t look like it.”

Alex makes a suspicious expression.

This is a situation where you want to let out a sigh. I think it would be very annoying if rumors spread that he was secretly dating Marie….

“So you just came here to ask that?”

Slowly thinking about how to get it off, I decided to check Alex’s purpose for now.

Alex frowned at my arrogant attitude.

“I’m here to compete with you.”

“It’s tenacious. It would have been a loss to fight against someone like you.”

“That’s why I came here.”

Alex said that with a serious face, then pointed to a place.

“While I was waiting for you, I noticed something. I want you to move because I don’t know if other people will notice you.”

“…While you say that, are you actually thinking of trapping me?”

“What are you sending me to, Ariel Beheritt? Do you think I’m going to do dirty tricks like you?”

“……Hmm.”

Probably not.

What should I do? I always feel that this guy is clumsy somewhere.

He is neither thorough nor logical like Claire.

Because of that, they are somehow underestimated. It just makes me feel like an idiot full of ambition.

An extra among extras.

To be honest, I don’t even feel worth being vigilant about.

“I have no intention of following you. If you have something to say, follow me.”

You can’t just send it back anyway. She was seen with Marie.

You need to talk to this guy in order to get him off. …… Very annoying though

So I pointed towards the Blatta Dungeon.

There is no better place than a dungeon to talk about it while avoiding people’s eyes.

“Okay. I’ll follow you.”

“And Marie…, no, Marie Ruhelif, you go.”

Conscious of Alex’s gaze, I said that to Marie.

Then, unexpectedly, Marie shook her head.

“I don’t like it… It’s because I’m worried…”

“What?”

“If you’re going to confront him, I’ll be the second, I’ll be the observer… P, you need it…?”

He looks scared, but he still says that with determination.

…… No, I haven’t decided that I’m going to face Alex.

‘… I don’t care.’

Alex seems to be up to something, and if so, it might be better for me to have Marie with me.

“Okay. Do as you please.”

Claire Entirus.

Her If we were to define her in one word, would the word ‘hedonistic’ fit?

If the expression ‘hedonist’ sounds misleading, then ‘stimulant’ would be accurate.

Claire always crave stimulation.

Her dull life is her poison that eats her up, and her peace is the word she hates the most.

It is her goal to get new stimulation with each repeated day.

However, Claire’s greatest weakness is that her method is overly sadistic.

“This should be enough.”

The 1st floor of the Blatta Dungeon has returned. Among them, we moved our feet to the cove.

The structure of the Blatta Dungeon is already in my head.

Which areas are relatively safe, which points are easy for people to miss, and where you can have a conversation.

Combining those three elements, I came to the outskirts of the Blatta Dungeon.

After checking the surrounding situation several times, I faced Alex.

I started talking with as much distance as possible.

“So, what is a story to avoid from the eyes of others?”

“This is it.”

Alex suddenly took a runway and lunged at me.

Comes swinging a sword.

I struck the sword.

“…What are you doing?”

“I should have told you, Ariel Beheritt. We’re having a showdown.”

“It’s not even funny.”

He dismissed it as not even funny, but the impact on his arm was never pleasant.

The remote dealer allowed the enemy to approach.

That fact alone is embarrassing, but Alex is pushing my sword away.

I am being pushed back in a power struggle.

There is a difference in the strength stat. After all, I am an alchemist, and my opponent is a warrior.

I took out an item while clicking my tongue.

No, I tried to take it out.

“.”

The ice spear flies one step ahead of me taking out the item.

It was an obvious attack. An attack that intentionally flies at your feet to make it easier to dodge.

Alex instantly leaps backwards and dodges .

“Ms. Ruhelif, we’re dueling. I don’t want a third party involved?”

“…I don’t think it’s a duel. This is a surprise attack…”

Marie stood in the way of Alex.

“Eh, Ariel just came out of the dungeon… Ah, she’s already used up a lot of items, and her body is tired… Well, a surprise attack without warning isn’t a duel…”

“Then let’s do this.”

Alex suddenly threw off his boots.

It’s not just boots.

The gauntlet he had on his hand, the shoulder armor…… He threw off all his armor.

“Is this fair enough?”

“He said he had no intention of accepting a fair fight or anything. I had no merit.”

“That’s why I asked to go somewhere inconspicuous.”

Alex looks around.

“The duel is held in secret from the students. No matter what the outcome of the match, your reputation will not be tarnished.”

“What do you know? If I lose, I have to leave the academy, but if I win…”

“Life.”

“What?”

Alex interrupted me and pointed at his neck.

“I will risk everything, including my life. Would this be enough?”

“…….”

A clear expression of will…… It was madness beyond the limits.

I don’t understand. I don’t know why you want to duel like this.

I can’t understand it at all.

‘… Let’s calmly think for a moment.’

I thought for a moment.

First of all, this duel is being held in secret.

That said, the fact that Alex and I had a duel would not be revealed to other students.

Of course, if Alex spreads rumors around the neighborhood after the duel, the story will change, but the possibility of that is probably low.

It would be ugly for a loser to tell others that he lost the duel.

Alex does not spread rumors even for the honor of Claire, whom he serves.

In other words.

As long as I beat Alex, there will be no rumors.

It’s a duel with nothing to lose.

“Shall I check one thing?”

After organizing my thoughts, I ask.

“I said I would give you everything if I won.”

“Yes.”

“If I told you to betray Claire, would you?”

“That, that’s…”

Alex hesitated as if he was perplexed.

Well, no matter what.

I threw the bomb at Alex.

“Keugh?!”

Alex, who was slow to react, was caught in an intense explosion.

His body floats in the air, but he takes a momentary fall and takes a stance.

I was running towards Alex.

Take out a fireball with your left hand and throw it at Alex.

Alex swung his sword and slashed my fireballs.

Meanwhile, I swung my sword, closing my distance from Alex.

Alex’s shoulder is cut and his blood splatters.

“Rain, coward…”

“Are you cowardly? I just did the same thing you did earlier.”

I trip over Alex’s leg and knock him over.

I tried to land the finishing blow as it was, but it wasn’t that simple.

Like a b-boy, he puts his arms on the ground and swings his legs. Windmill attack.

I didn’t care and tried to slash my leg, but Alex, who didn’t mind hurting my leg, kicked my sword away.

After the sword flew, I widened the distance.

Alex raised his body as if he were tumbling.

From the corner of my field of vision, the figure of Marie, unable to do this or that, enters.

“Eh, Ariel…”

“Marie, you’re out of it.”

“Guy, are you going to duel…? Really…?”

I nodded and made a chin gesture.

Look at the net.

When she said that with a look in her eyes, Marie nodded her head heavily and walked away.

“…As expected, it was a lie that we met by chance in a dungeon.”

“It must have been the same for both of us who lied.”

I said as I took out a fireball from my bag.

“You’re going to risk everything, including your life? Then shouldn’t you risk your loyalty to Claire as well?”

“…….”

“Well, no matter what. Whoever wins will take everything to himself.”

I threw a fireball.

However, it is not direct purchase. It’s a curveball

The ball curves and flies towards Alex.

“What is this…”

Alex is embarrassed by the curveball.

It’s hard to react because it’s a skill he’s never seen before, but Alex has already suffered injuries to his shoulder and leg.

Giving up the sword strike, Alex dashed forward and dodged the ball.

Runs towards me.

As a warrior, Alex has no other way to attack me.

But that momentum is already dead.

Due to a wound on his leg, his movement speed was not properly displayed.

‘Still, close combat would be dangerous.’

You can’t face Alex in a situation where you lose your sword. It’s because the strength stat is still behind this side.

In that case, we must launch an offensive to prevent Alex from approaching.

I threw a bomb.

– Boom!!!

An explosion occurs almost right in front of Alex, smoke obscuring his vision.

But I can hear it. The sound of footsteps in the dust.

Shortly after, Alex jumps out of the smoke of the explosion.

His whole body is full of scratches, but his eyes are staring at me.

.

It is a warrior’s skill. A skill that temporarily increases defense by becoming temporarily immune to crowd control.

Since the judgment time is very short, it is a skill that requires good timing.

Could it be because the bomb was thrown so easily? Sensibly, Alex seems to have timed it right.

Ignoring the knockback effect of the explosion, Alex breaks through.

I saw him and clicked his tongue.

“.”

After saying the skill name, Alex’s movement speed instantly exploded. It was using a plunger.

Alex knows that too. He knew he could win if he brought him into close combat.

That’s why he’s trying to shorten the distance with me, even if it’s overdoing it.

I don’t intend to let it come, though.

—–

[Smoke Bomb]

Crafting Rating: 5

Quality: Good

: A bomb that produces a large amount of smoke. It’s quite spicy, so be careful when using it.

—–

Detonates a smoke bomb, dyeing the air in the room white.

Acridity that stings the eyes and nose.

Tears are flowing, but is it better than the hwasaengbang I received in my previous life?

On the other hand, it seems that it was unbearable acridness for Alex.

Coughing coughs are heard from beyond.

This is an opportunity.

I held one item in each hand.

I knew Alex’s location precisely from the coughing sound I had just heard, and Alex couldn’t see me because of the smoke.

I swung both arms.

“.”

Throws a fireball held in the right hand. This time it’s direct.

Since he threw it with utmost attention to his stance, the power must be considerable.

However, it is unknown what the final destination of the ball will be. It’s just getting sucked into the smoke.

– Tak!

A dull sound is heard.

I intuitively noticed. Alex bounced the ball.

“Honestly, I was looking down on my heart. Since I even got paid, I guess I’m just an idiot.”

The footsteps are getting closer.

I must have activated Again to increase my movement speed.

“It was great. Unfortunately, this smoke screen doesn’t work for me.”

Through the smoke, Alex’s eyes met.

Alex was swinging his sword wide.

The blade is dyed red, and an indescribable energy is felt.

A skill that is no different from Alex’s special move. .

A slashing attack that unconditionally generates a critical hit in response to armor penetration damage.

I know.

I know what kind of skill Alex has.

Because I’ve faced many times in the Unknown Saga.

“It’s over, Ariel Beheritt!”

Alex wields a sword.

Taking one possibility at a time, I prepared to activate the Ring of Life, but as expected, I didn’t have to.

Alex falls.

As if being sucked into the ground, the body fell into the ground.

“What is this…”

Embarrassed Alex.

He swung his sword as it fell into the ground, but of course it didn’t reach this far.

I roughly threw the empty potion bottle I was holding in my left hand.

“It’s an item called ‘Swamp Potion.’ It’s a potion that turns it into a swamp when you spray it on the ground.”

Tapping the potion bottle rolling at my feet, I explained.

I knew that the smoke screen didn’t work for Alex.

Alex has a search skill. A skill called That checks the location of nearby enemies.

So it was quite predictable that he would accurately determine my location even in the smoke and rush straight ahead to close the distance.

In that case, I just use it backwards.

Anyway, all Alex can know is my location.

Anyway, Alex’s vision is obscured by the smoke screen, so he can’t see the terrain change with the naked eye.

So, cover the swamp with a smoke screen.

All you have to do is throw a ball and lure it there.

“What did he say? Did he say he would risk everything, including his life?”

I said that and looked down at Alex.

He was still drowning in the swamp.

“Then you should listen to me now, right?”