[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero":3,"chapter-i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-21":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","I Became the Academy’s War Hero",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1531728,1990,"Chapter 21 : Do You Really Have to See Blood Like That? (6)","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-21",21,"\u003Cp>Chapter 21: Do You Really Have to See Blood Like That? (6)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could he possibly see me here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Mana detection? Invisibility detection? Clairvoyance? Or did he use an artifact?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless thoughts stormed through Jack’s head, but he had no choice but to shake them off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman who ran off had obviously gone to call for backup. Targeting her first to prevent that could’ve been a good move—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—but there was no way that Eugene Carter would just stand by and let it happen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would be smarter to kill him and leave the scene before any reinforcements arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the conclusion was made, there was no reason to hesitate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jack gritted his teeth and dropped from the rooftop in one swift motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He won’t even realize he’s dead…!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just before landing, he kicked the air to reduce the impact and instantly closed in from behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His right hand aimed for the heart, his left for the back of the head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His stealth would be broken the moment he attacked, but that would only last for a split second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless his target was already guarding those vital points, there was no way to block it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jack swung his weapon confidently, sure of victory—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—but contrary to his expectations, the blade didn’t even graze the opponent’s clothes, let alone his skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, Eugene’s left foot struck him squarely in the abdomen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Guh?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The unexpected counterattack almost made Jack drop his sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He slid back several meters in an instant, glaring up at his opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His subordinate, who had also lunged in for an attack, had been effortlessly flung aside and had retreated to Jack’s side, looking equally shaken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…How.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both assassins failed to hide their shock as confusion piled upon confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eugene Carter folded his arms and mocked them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’d better run while I’m still feeling generous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two quickly regained their poker faces, though the unease didn’t completely fade from their eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Captain, should we retreat?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At his subordinate’s cautious question, Jack firmly shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we go back empty-handed, we’re as good as dead. We have to at least bring back an arm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That way, we’ll have an excuse, he thought, narrowing his eyes at his opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I don’t know how he managed to react to a surprise attack like that…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But either way, there was no option but to press forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment they lost Bernhardt’s protection, the fate of wanted men like them was already sealed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what they did, death was inevitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Was the report about his mana control being restricted by a curse a lie?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jack signaled to his subordinate with a flick of his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A silent order—to attack from his blind spot once Jack created an opening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His subordinate gave a slight nod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jack focused the mana circulating through his body into his arms and legs, biting down hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two charged like lightning, and a faint smile curved on Eugene Carter’s lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s more like it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The midnight battle didn’t even last five minutes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Urgh…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jack glanced at his subordinate beside him and swallowed a groan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though he had seen it all with his own eyes, he couldn’t comprehend what had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His subordinate’s left ankle had been completely severed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bleeding was so severe that even trying to stop it was pointless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The terrified man desperately crawled away from Eugene, trying to get as far as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With every thrash, fresh blood smeared across the ground in uneven trails.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eugene Carter let out a small, incredulous laugh at the sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You really must’ve underestimated me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I didn’t, not exactly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jack Brown steadied his breath and forced a faint smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d known it was reckless, but he had no other choice—and that decision had been a fatal mistake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t expected the gap between them to be this vast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If this had been Eugene Carter in his prime… I would’ve lost my head in the first exchange.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, he had believed that if he risked his life, he could at least take the man down with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Eugene wasn’t in perfect condition, and Jack had heard that someone had already weakened him beforehand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, Jack had unleashed his family’s secret techniques in all directions, pressing Eugene with everything he had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It must have had some effect—during the fight, Eugene Carter had exposed three clear openings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The perfect opportunities created by his captain—his subordinate hadn’t missed a single one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the result had been disastrous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when they struck at what seemed like the perfect timing, Eugene had parried every attack flawlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The last counter had even sliced his subordinate’s ankle clean off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the attacks from dead angles—positions where physical counterattacks were impossible—had been met as if Eugene could see them coming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I can’t make sense of it… but that’s reality.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, they had been careless. Then, they had grown desperate. And finally, they had fought with their lives on the line—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—but the outcome hadn’t changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jack glanced sideways at his injured subordinate, biting his lip hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…I shouldn’t have answered the call of some servant.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From Bosnus to Kalte, to Hallard—the Brown family had once been known throughout history as one of the great houses of assassins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that was a thing of the past. By Jack’s generation, the family had completely collapsed, and he’d been forced to abandon their old base.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His escape had led him to the Ribenia Empire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There, on the brink of his own end, his team had been miraculously taken in by Bernhardt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What Bernhardt demanded from them was simple—to act as his tools.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment they failed in that role, their worth would vanish completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So instead of resisting or running, Jack chose to regret his rash decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was certain that, whatever he did, his fate wouldn’t change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if answering his resignation, Eugene Carter began walking toward them, step by step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He elegantly adjusted his wand and rotated his wrist once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sudden flame erupted near his subordinate’s left ankle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“AAAAAGH!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stench of burning flesh filled the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fire soon went out, but the man had already passed out from the pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The bleeding… stopped.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had another minute passed, he would’ve been as good as dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small question began to sprout amid the inevitable outcome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…No way.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was he planning to let us live?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But why?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, assassin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Jack failed to hide the unrest on his face, Eugene’s voice reached his ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll let you go. Just leave.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Words that he never could’ve imagined hearing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My words must’ve been quite a shock, because the assassin couldn’t even close his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After several seconds of silence, he finally managed to haul his wounded companion to his feet before asking,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Are you out of your mind?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You know who sent us, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bernhardt.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At my calm reply, his eyes widened even further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…And you’re still letting us go?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, of course he wouldn’t understand. Idiots who knew nothing never did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had no idea that I’d blocked all their attacks using the basic stances of Illusion Swordsmanship and enhancement magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assassin took out an artifact from his pocket and infused it with a small amount of mana.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tiny artifact, no bigger than a finger joint, instantly expanded into a large leather pouch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He struggled to stuff his companion’s body inside and tie it shut, after which the pouch shrank back to its original size.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tucked it away again and glared at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You’ll regret this, Eugene Carter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the last thing he said to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I watched him dart toward the rooftops and disappear, I snorted softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ever since MAGA started, my whole life’s been a regret, you bastard.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By then, the barrier surrounding the area had completely vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Must’ve been a soundproof or spatial distortion barrier.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nighttime Karbenna was so silent that not even the sound of insects could be heard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the battle had ended, Rubia finally returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sir Eugene! Quickly, your sword—ah?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The enemies! Where are they?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They ran.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean, they ran…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ignoring Rubia’s demand for an explanation, I quickened my pace toward the Mage Studies Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s talk as we walk. It’s not something to discuss out here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As we moved, I sorted through the possibilities one by one, ruling out the unlikely ones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I’d suspected, Michel’s involvement in this incident was now extremely improbable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she had been the one to hire the assassins, they would’ve been ten times stronger than this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Strong enough that I wouldn’t have been able to handle them in my current state.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It also seemed unlikely that any of Bernhardt’s direct line was personally involved—this operation had been far too sloppy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adding Walter’s earlier advice, the information I already had, and the assassins’ reactions… the conclusion became simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Someone affiliated with Bernhardt—but not actually Bernhardt himself.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An assassin hired by someone at that level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And within Karbenna, there was only one person who fit all those conditions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I brushed my lips with my thumb and let out a dry chuckle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Pretty bold for just a servant.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it was obvious he hadn’t planned this alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given his age, his tenure as a servant was likely long enough for him to have easy contact with assassins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he didn’t seem like the type with the guts to order an assassination all by himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He must’ve had collaborators—and someone backing him from behind the scenes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that they targeted me directly meant they had quite a bit of interest in the triangle between the Imperial Family, the Special Forces, and Karbenna.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, whether I lived or died probably didn’t matter to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What they wanted was simply to keep Michel Bernhardt in check.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A direct descendant who, more than anyone, resented the Imperial Family—yet whose position within Bernhardt was still unstable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…In other words, there’s only one person that could be.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fourth daughter of the Bernhardt family, Chloe Bernhardt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I didn’t think she’d stoop to something this petty…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if she really wanted to see blood, I had no reason to hold back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I entered the familiar front gate of the Mage Studies Hall and climbed the left-hand staircase toward the Department of Herbology.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rubia followed behind me, her face filled with a mess of emotions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Third floor—Professor Office No. 4 of the Herbology Department.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint light leaked through the crack beneath the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did I turn to face Rubia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sorry I couldn’t explain earlier.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s nothing to apologize for, but… why the Herbology Department?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s a rather serious matter. I thought it’d be best if we weren’t the only ones discussing it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying that, I pushed the door open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And inside—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whoa, what the—?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—was Walter Clark, fast asleep among a mess of bottles and glasses scattered across the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>",1826,"2026-06-06T06:11:51.613Z",1,"novelbin.me","1ef6edb926b987496c8d0097afaff7f860636e72d2e81df7be4980691825062d","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-22","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-20",163,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-cover.jpg"]