A storm would come soon, and this was the last moment of peace.
I knew that, of course, because I would also be participating in the Academy's hotpot tournament—more precisely, the One Line team. Red Oval would stay neutral, but never mind that. The important thing was to get everything smoothly until then.
Sitting on a rooftop, I scattered pieces of bread for the black crows. They swarmed around me, covering my head, clothes, and face—there was no place left without their feathers.
Ruffling their feathers, I thought about the upcoming inter-academy tournament.
Basically, there were ten academies nationwide, ranked from 1 to 10. Besides that, there were smaller schools teaching culture and knowledge but no magic. Both ordinary citizens and nobles could register in all ten schools, and education and facilities had to be equal everywhere to prevent any academy from having an advantage that would draw students away.
Still, of course, the top schools were more popular, but most students chose the ones closer to home. Nobles sometimes needed to return to their estates, while commoners needed to work or go home during short breaks.
The inter-academy tournament would be held at one of the top schools, testing multiple categories and updating the top 10 ranking. Twilight Academy had held the top spot for five consecutive years, and they would likely continue if the main character helped—obviously.
But I didn't care about that. Right now, my attention was on the underworld.
The underworld—murder, lust, despair all surrounding, and people had to be truly desperate to reach there.
"Only two types of people work in the underworld: either those pursuing political schemes, power, wealth, or lust, or those in utter despair, willing to do the dirtiest things to survive. They are no longer ordinary citizens."
"Moreover, the underworld is run by those who manipulate the shadows. A noble appearing gentle might directly command ruthless killers. Now it's easy to see that many forces want to use the darkness to destroy the academies."
Project Black Hole, where secret forces helped each other achieve goals, turning the ten academies into "strange points" to be swallowed by the black hole that would engulf the nation.
And then, one of the largest events in the novel would occur afterward, stretching all the way to the segment I was currently writing.
"Nah."
I spoke, looking at a crow nibbling bread from my hand. It looked up at me, then back at the others eating.
"Everything is wonderful, right kid?" I reached out to stroke its head, but it jumped back and let out a loud caw.
The entire flock, gathered around me, scattered because of that single caw. I watched them fly away, feeling a bit sad, then stood and brushed off the crumbs left on my clothes.
"Crow!"
One flew back to me, seemingly never having left, and dropped a shiny object into my hand.
"Oh, little one…thanks for staying." I reached out to pet it and felt something hard in my palm.
"A…makeup mirror?"
I was surprised. The crow had delivered a silver-gilt compact, old and chipped.
"What a…wonderful gift. Thank you, kid." I immediately opened the mirror, stifling the smile growing on my face, and looked at my reflection.
"Still handsome, right kid?"
…
CRACK-CRACK~
The sound of paper cranes echoed, and we were standing before it, preparing for the cursed contraption we had to ride.
"I have to go back to the cathedral soon. I can only sneak out for a few hours a day, don't expect too much."
Lunas grumbled, handing over our daily supplies. I took the bag, put it into my spatial ring, and left, ignoring Lunas and Emma talking.
"...Haa~"
I sighed heavily at what was about to happen. A week passed quickly, and though I had played for a few days, it didn't ease the tension inside me.
Bop.
I slapped my own face. I had to be firm, confident, and ready for everything that would happen.
"…"
"…He's at it again, acting like a three-year-old," Emma and Lunas whispered, too embarrassed to look the Boss in the eye.
…
In a remote mountainous area covered in sand and stone, a storm rose, sweeping everything away. Lightning struck like the rage of gods, turning everything to ash in brilliant white.
Inside the storm stood a towering structure of stone and steel, riddled with holes as if bombed.
On the top, a sword slashed through the air and rain. A spinning blade warped space around it, sucking everything nearby into a whirlpool.
"GAHHH!"
A scream rang out, shaking the raindrops. A figure ran across the stone steps and leapt forward.
He raised his sword high into the sky. Lightning struck, illuminating the space with brilliant light.
"GRUUHHHH!"
From the sky appeared a long, serpentine form, its sides covered with fish-like scales. Its silver-gray pupils glimmered as it coiled toward the lightning-shrouded figure.
Boom!
A greater bolt struck both. Everything was bathed in white light. The young man plunged his sword into the mouth of the silver-blue serpent.
"Everything…is wonderful, right?" the figure said, thrusting through the creature, a smile spreading across his face.
"GRUUU!!"
The 'serpent' screamed in pain and twisted, trying to escape, but a figure had already appeared behind it.
White and golden light flashed, engulfing everything, forming the shape of a hand.
The palm opened as if to grasp everything, even the world itself—there was nothing it could not seize.
"Fascinating," said the black-haired young man in a hoarse, deep voice, raising his golden-white radiant hand toward the serpent, a hint of amusement in his tone.
And then, the storm… passed?