Surviving as a Con Artist at the Academy

---

259th Chapter. Aligieri Academy (1)

I found myself holding Leviathan.

Even though this was the Illusory World, my usual habits kicked in, and it suddenly summoned itself.

It’s a bit fascinating, but for now, I need to focus on smashing the thing I’m holding.

Endless. Its goal was clearly to use my body as a vessel.

Since I’d turned the Zombie Evil God’s body into tatters, it seemed no longer useful, so it built this world to try to use me instead.

But that’s not gonna happen.

The originally intended vessel, the Zombie Evil God, had devolved, and so its power was now pitifully weak.

“If you don’t want another beating, get out of my body right now.”

– Hahaha! Do you really think it can be that easy?

“What?”

The thing casually stood back up and laughed.

Soon enough, I understood the meaning of its words.

“Ugh!”

All of a sudden, an immense pain flooded from my shoulder to the tips of my fingers.

The pain made me drop the fishing rod in an instant. My arm felt as though it had been completely severed and couldn’t move at all.

“Why suddenly…!”

– Did you forget? What you did to nullify the Evil God’s corpse.

“Ah….”

In arguing with it, I’d completely forgotten.

I had summoned Diora and shot that destructive beam, which exhausted all my mana.

Having used that, my body became one that couldn’t move for a day.

And there was another fact I had overlooked.

– That fishing rod. When you wield it, it becomes a pretty powerful weapon. Doesn’t it consume mana every time you use it?

“….”

Yeah, since I’ve been using it constantly, my proficiency had improved, so I hadn’t noticed.

This was once a weapon that greedily devoured my mana.

Currently, it only consumed a minuscule amount, but even that tiny bit was precious in my current state.

“Wait, I’m just fainting. But I can still consume mana?”

– Just like when you took out that fishing rod. You can demonstrate your skills here too. The mana depleting here also affects reality.

For an Illusory World, isn’t my freedom of action a bit too excessive?

But while it’s possible to bring Leviathan, why can’t I bring spirits?

The reason was very simple.

– With no mana, you can’t do anything now. You can’t swing a weapon or summon anything.

That’s right. It was impossible because I had lost all my mana and spirit power.

Furthermore, maybe because this is the Illusory World, I couldn’t even feel the energy of the spirits.

– And there are two desperate facts for you.

“What?”

– First, maintaining this Illusory World requires a tiny amount of mana from both sides. You might not be aware since you’re fainted, but your mana is gradually shrinking even now.

As you know, my mana is currently 0. If it decreases further, it’s obvious what will happen.

I’ll likely end up consuming insufficient mana at the cost of my life.

– Second, even if you manage to destroy the Zombie Evil God, it’s still too early to relax.

“What do you mean by that?”

– Look at this.

Where it gestured, a certain scene was reflected.

It was the situation of the women fighting against the Zombie Evil God, and I felt my complexion darken.

Unlike what I had expected, a bad situation was unfolding.

– The variables are not only present for you!

At that moment, its pitch-black body stretched like tentacles and grabbed me.

Its body looked like dripping black liquid, as if seeing some kind of gelatinous creature.

That octopus-like body wrapped around me and lifted me up. Then it slammed me down, causing immense pain.

– Choose. Will you be my vessel, or will you meet your end here?

I hadn’t noticed until now, but I could feel my strength gradually dwindling as time passed.

The energy necessary for life began to fly away from my body.

[Warning Please hurry and recover your mana.]

[Your life force is gradually decreasing due to excessive mana consumption.]

[90%]

[89%]

[88%]

[87%]

[86%]

A desperate situation had unfolded.

If I became its vessel like this, it would regain its full power.

My intact body was a much better match for the complete form than the broken Zombie Evil God.

If that complete being descended before Lyman, who currently possessed only 40% of his power, it would truly be a life-and-death situation.

“Eat shit.”

– Is that your answer?

Its tentacle-like body began to tighten around me further.

[85%]

[84%]

[83%]

Along with that, my life force continued to shrink.

Just as I was at a loss about what to do next,

[Your life force is running low. Check if there’s anything among the rewards obtained so far to overcome this crisis.]

[An automatically generated list of unused rewards appears.]

Even without using my hands, a helpful system window popped up.

There was something there I hadn’t even anticipated.

The moment I saw it, a smile etched itself onto my lips.

*

– Mirona, how dare you defy me…

“Haah!”

– Kraaak!!

The blade of the Holy Sword Rozaria sliced through the Evil God’s chest.

Jet-black blood spilled profusely from the wound.

Seeing the blood pouring from its own body, Makia was in a daze.

– How can you commit such an act of disloyalty? Do you want to fall into hell?!

Lashing out with curses, Makia released waves of mana from its mouth.

The blast sent fragments of the building flying, causing the entire village to tremble like a wave.

Yet, the blow was easily blocked by the suddenly appearing sacred magic circle.

“Hell is where you should be going, not us.”

“That’s what people usually call returning the favor, right?”

Angela and Nebia. The barrier created by the two saints was more than sufficient to counteract the Evil God’s power.

Accompanied by cold blue slashes of energy and the sharpest red slashes in the world, they swept in from both sides.

– Kurrgh!!

Makia, whose legs were ripped apart from that enormous slashing attack, could no longer move.

It trembled at the sight of Jenny and Luska, who exuded a ghostly chill.

– Save me…! I’m not someone who deserves this! No!!

Makia’s desperate struggle seemed absurd, but the women were not particularly surprised.

Mirona, his daughter, shared the same reaction.

Her father, Makia, had always been like this. He never accepted responsibility for the retribution that returned to him for his own wrongdoings.

He always believed he was virtuous and refused to acknowledge that he reaped what he had sown.

– Mironaaa!! Maya!! Are you planning to commit an act of filial impiety? Quickly save me!!

As always, he tried to shift the blame to the victim.

“I’ll bear all the sins.”

– What?

So, Mirona boldly spoke to her father.

“If you do something that makes others suffer for your own benefit… then you have to bear the responsibility for that.”

Stepping closer, Mirona lifted Rozaria.

The raised red blade sparkled fiercely as if ready to sever his neck at any moment.

However, it didn’t swing.

“Cough! Cough!”

Mirona suddenly coughed up blood and dropped the sword.

Neither Makia nor any of the others knew what had just happened.

There was a small needle embedded in Mirona’s thigh, which they quickly realized was a poison needle.

And from the direction the needle had come from, a group that looked like an army was approaching.

“That’s…!”

Among the leading group was a familiar face known to Mirona.

All of them were nobles who had intended to place her on the execution platform, a collective of those who were fiercely jealous of the Emperor’s position.

Lurking among them was Harkel, who had just fled moments ago.

“How did you…!”

The soldiers following behind them were surely the troops led by their families.

They all possessed violet eyes, as if possessed by someone.

Harkel also seemed to be under the influence of something as he opened his mouth.

“This person granted us power.”

Emerging from among them was a blonde elven elder.

It was the soul of the Destruction God that had stolen Grisha Highend’s body.

They were the instigators who had sought to summon the Destruction God to seize the Emperor’s position.

Thus, it was only natural they would make their appearance in this crucial moment.

“Those bastards!”

“It’s futile.”

With a gesture, Harkel laid a murky magic circle on the ground where they stood.

Then, their bodies began to sink gradually beneath the surface.

Even Luska and Jenny, who possessed the greatest physical prowess, couldn’t escape from that ground, and when Angela and Nebia tried to purify it with Divine Power, it had no effect whatsoever.

Even Mary, who wielded powerful mana, was in the same predicament.

“Cough!”

And the poisoned Mirona could only move helplessly.

– Kuuh…!

“Oh my, you’ve become a mess.”

– Who are you…?

“Quickly heal me.”

In response to Grisha’s words, a few sorcerers among the encroaching soldiers stepped forward.

They began to heal Makia’s severely damaged body.

The severed wrist reattached, and the wound on the chest closed up.

“The organs responsible for the circulation of mana within the body are all burnt out.”

“But if we invest time, we can heal even that.”

“Please.”

They were stunned to see their inflicted wounds healing.

They couldn’t afford to miss the opportunity created by Radon.

With all their might, they tried to break free from the magic circle holding their ankles.

“It’s useless. In front of that magic circle, your mana, spirit power, and Divine Power won’t work.”

Harkel said this as he slowly approached.

Seeing those who had just overwhelmed him now rendered powerless caused a wicked smile to form on his face.

“You were so preoccupied with this Evil God that you managed to deploy that magic circle without noticing.”

“Did you mean to do this from the outset…!”

“Hahahahaha! Everything aligns with the will of Endless!”

Pow!-

Harkel laughed heartily and punched Jenny in the face.

The once formidable Jenny was now bound and unable to move due to the magic circle.

Moreover, he pummeled her relentlessly to alleviate the built-up resentment toward Chain Silver.

Pain shot through her crown, solar plexus, and ribs.

Even so, Jenny spat the blood pooling in her mouth and glared at Harkel.

“You’re more impressive than I thought. My son Trabel screamed in pain after just one blow.”

“Does that mean you’re indirectly admitting I’m superior to your son?”

Even after being beaten, Jenny maintained her composure.

If anything, it was Harkel’s hand that throbbed with pain.

Suddenly, Jenny glanced back and forth between Makia, possessed by the Evil God, and Harkel.

And she spoke.

“You’re quite similar.”

“What?”

“Birds of a feather flock together. It means similar beings play well together.”

People who seek to harm others to evade their own responsibilities.

The Harkel in front of her, the Makia possessed by the Evil God, and even the Emperor Papias—all shared that trait.

Like the nauseating stench of filth gathering in a heap, they all stuck together.

“You’re having quite the fun, huh? Like a little brat who’s only grown in body.”

“Shut up!”

Irritated, Harkel finally drew his sword and thrust it into Jenny’s abdomen.

With a chilling sound piercing her skin, blood splattered onto her face.

The pleasure coursed through his fingertips, but Harkel was soon taken aback.

Luska, who stood by, intervened and pierced him through instead of Jenny.

“Gah…!”

“Luska, you…!”

Harkel’s expression turned to one of astonishment.

Though the magic circle should have hindered her movements, as a Divine Beast, she had mustered enough strength to act momentarily.

It was only a few meters, but that was enough for Luska to take the stab intended for Jenny.

Jenny stared in horror at the blood gushing from Luska’s abdomen.

“Why did you suddenly jump in!”

“Don’t underestimate me. Unlike you, I’m not going to die so easily over something like this.”

“You idiot! Isn’t that the problem right now?”

Being of the Yolo tribe with an extraordinary body, she wouldn’t die unless her brain or heart was destroyed.

But seeing her friend bleeding because of her made Jenny feel overwhelming guilt.

“What a tear-jerking scene. Now it’s your turn! Jenny Chain Silver!”

Shoving Luska aside, Harkel aimed to impale Jenny as well.

At that moment.

“Wait!”

It was Angela who stopped him.

Seeing her sister Luska wounded, an unusual energy filled her expression.

“I warn you, you’d better stay still.”

Angela’s threat drew laughter from Harkel.

What could someone immobile possibly do?

Yet, for some reason, the corners of Angela’s mouth began to rise.

Nebia, standing next to her, bore a similar expression.

“You were given a chance, yet you ignored it.”

“Fufufu… Do you think we’re simply bluffing as we dig our own graves?”

Harkel couldn’t understand the words from the two saints.

What could that possibly mean if it wasn’t some kind of bravado?

However, having finally glanced back at the situation, Grisha frowned.

“That’s…!”

Each saint wore a ring that glowed with unusual brilliance.

A magical device subtly transmitting their unique mana waves to someone.

I don’t know when the transmission started, but it seemed too late to stop it now.

Pak!-

Something flashed from the sky and a massive beam of light plummeted to the ground.

Shwaaa!-

The beam descended like a waterfall from a high place.

The shock sent Harkel sprawling, and within that beam’s glare, multiple figures emerged.

One of them stepped out and spoke.

“You’ve stained our student’s blood with that sword, Harkel.”

“…”

“Don’t even think about letting it slide.”

The Principal of the Aligieri Academy.

Kaiten Jodiatz appeared with a voice both courteous and ominous.

And the moment the beam cleared, numerous faculty members, including students from the academy, revealed themselves.