I Became the Savior of the Academy’s Villains

Chapter 201

Hello.

I'm Agreas, the Devil of Wisdom.

Not the devil of knowledge or magic, but the devil of wisdom.

Do you know the difference between knowledge and wisdom?

Knowledge is just simple information, but wisdom is the ability to use it correctly according to your needs.

But to be exact, I'm not really the devil of wisdom.

Wisdom is a very abstract concept, you know.

There are no set answers in this world, and even if you solve something wisely, that doesn't mean it's a perfect answer.

So, in fact, complete wisdom does not and cannot exist.

I'm merely someone who can think a great many thoughts in a very short period of time.

Rather than 'wisdom', my true nature is closer to 'transcendent spirit' or being able to perform 'foresight-like analysis.'

But isn't that all a bit too messy?

That's why I'm simply called the Devil of Wisdom.

Why am I explaining all this?

It's a bad habit of mine.

Enjoying moments in the blink of an eye.

In this fleeting instant before the sword of that beloved boy reaches me, I'm going to have a lot of thoughts.

And since I've never properly introduced myself to you, I'll use one of those thoughts to tell you my story.

You may be insignificant, but for now, thanks to the Great Soul's aid, you and I are together inside the realm of the transcendent spirit, crossing time.

Hehe.

But you're quite cruel yourself.

Is it because of things you did in the past?

Those lingering memories of the past in your little head, and the warrior's memories you got from the battlefield.

You sacrificed them to enter this domain.

Ah.

That's not meant as mockery—it's a compliment.

I truly didn't expect it.

Honestly, I'm a bit grateful.

Should I say that, thanks to you, things have gone smoothly?

By the way, it's been a really long time since a human entered this realm.

A very long time ago,

Back in the old days, quite a few humans used to come here.

Those times were really fun.

When my friends and I first arrived on this continent,

Just like in any world, we quickly conquered and tried to extract as much vitality as we could from this world before leaving.

But this place was a bit different.

This world's level was higher than I'd anticipated.

And the god protecting it was quite special, too.

We fought for a long time, and we almost won in the end.

But we failed.

It was our first taste of defeat, so my friends and I were all flustered.

But we didn't give up.

The mere fact that we failed only made things more enjoyable for us.

We ran away so we could eventually conquer this world.

The Devil of Power hid deep underground to make himself even stronger, and the Devil of Life hid among humans to gather more vitality.

I created a group called Demonz for those guys.

Ah.

Of course it wasn't called that at first, but let's just say it was, for convenience.

Anyway, based on Demonz, I devised countless schemes.

It's been a very long time.

Because of our war, the continent became extremely desolate.

So much so that not even enough vitality could be gathered to resurrect us.

So I focused on developing the continent and creating an environment for strong humans to be born.

Because of that, now there are a lot of humans with powerful vitality on this continent.

Now, most of my schemes are about to bear fruit.

Just a little more.

Just a step forward was all it would have taken.

But then, something interfered.

It was an event that shouldn't have been possible, based on my calculations.

That's when I understood.

Once again, the god has intervened.

Although gods can't display their full power in the human realm, they have a subtle ability to alter fate.

Actually, that's my ultimate goal.

To win against that annoying god that keeps interfering with my plans.

To stand above that guy's head and mock him.

And that has led to this very moment.

By the way, did you know this?

After the devils failed to invade in the past and fled, each of them was placed under major restrictions.

Especially, the three great devils—myself, the Devil of Power, and the Devil of Life—are under special restrictions.

Do you know what restriction I'm under?

This body.

This pitifully immature body.

I'm trapped in this insignificant human body and can't even properly wield the power of the transcendent spirit.

This body is far too weak to endure that power.

Do you know how I can escape from here?

By dying.

To be precise, getting to the verge of death.

Of course, I can't bring myself to that state by my own hand.

I can't accomplish it with a scheme I devised, either.

That would also be by my own hand, after all.

At the very moment I'm about to die from some external factor I never imagined, the girl's body will eject me from within to protect herself.

That's when I'll be liberated, for a very brief moment.

Do you understand what I'm saying right now?

Ah.

Time's up.

Well then.

Goodbye.

* * *

Strange characters appeared in Agreas' eyes.

Facing Agreas was Ravinia.

She was currently in the transcendent realm, burning up the 'memories' from the White Noise incident and the 'wills' of warriors she obtained from the battlefield.

But since she hadn't reached that state by her own power, she was still immature.

It was not much different from a child's mind piloting an adult's body.

'I... have to stop the angel...!'

That's why, when Agreas reached out to her mind, all she could do was listen.

She could hear, but in that state, it was impossible for her to move her body to stop Luca.

Because Agreas was speaking to her from the transcendent realm.

'Please...!'

Even so, Ravinia did her best.

She squeezed out every bit of strength even a nursing child would and managed to open her mouth.

And she was able to say just one phrase.

"Angel... please stop...!"

Crackkkkk!

But it was already too late.

Luca's lightning struck Agreas.

Though there was no sky, lightning fired through the celestial wings was no different from lightning pouring down from the heavens.

'This is the end!'

Excited by the hope of defeating the Devil of Wisdom, Luca couldn't hear Ravinia's voice.

'With this, I'll have killed one of the three great devils...?'

As he prepared to swing his sword again, Luca realized his body was not moving.

But there was no sense of being restrained.

More precisely, his body was moving so slowly that it only seemed like he couldn't move.

'Wha... t...?'

While Luca was having these thoughts, his eyes met Agreas.

"!"

Agreas' eyelids were stained with darkness.

Crack!

"?!"

At the same time, her head spun around once like an owl.

With a creepy sound, her head was torn off, exposing her throat.

And from inside...

Splat!

A devil burst forth.

― An owl's wings and a serpent's lower body.

― And an upper torso where the traits of both animals were strangely mixed.

― But none of that mattered.

― More important than the appearance

― Were those bizarre eyes that could break your will just by looking at them.

A depiction that came to mind at a glance:

Agreas, in her true Devil of Wisdom form, emerged.

And in the instant their eyes met—

"Aghk...!"

Luca felt as if his eyes were burning.

He resisted with all his will, but maintaining eye contact with her was impossible.

"Haa... truly... it's been so long..."

Agreas, having emerged from the girl's body, didn't attack immediately.

Instead, she simply lingered, wearing an enraptured expression, as if savoring the moment of liberation.

― Master! That's really bad!

Whistle screamed from inside his body.

He'd thought something might be possible back when she still looked like a girl, but the moment he faced the "real Devil of Wisdom", his courage evaporated.

― We have to run... somehow, just run...!

Ignoring the agitated Whistle, Luca, restored by Waypoint's power, spoke impassively.

"So you were hiding an ace up your sleeve."

"Hehe... hehehe..."

Agreas did not answer at once and instead let out a soft laugh.

Then she looked at Luca.

"I didn't hide it. It's just that you lot fought better than I'd expected. Normally, you would have died among the things already prepared."

"Hah, is that sarcasm?"

"It's pure praise. Thanks to you... I've reclaimed this body after so long."

Agreas trembled with delight, unable to suppress her bliss.

How many years had she been trapped inside that girl's body?

Hundreds? Thousands? Tens of thousands?

She didn't even remember anymore.

No, it had been so long she didn't even want to remember.

"I feel so good I never want to go back."

As Agreas indulged in that indescribable bliss, Luca pondered.

'It's impossible to kill her here. But if I run, will there even be another chance?'

Luca believed that Agreas was now fully liberated.

He didn't know the exact conditions, but since she was freed, if he didn't kill her here, she would surely return in some horrific form later on.

― Master. But you can't do anything to her here.

'... Right now, I could use harmonization indefinitely. Would it still be too hard?'

― It's not a matter of difficulty. It's impossible.

Whistle spoke with certainty.

If he went that far, it must be true.

Regardless of denial, the deed was already done.

'But if I escape here... no, can I even escape?'

As Luca pondered, Whistle hesitated and then spoke.

― If someone... sacrifices themselves.

"......"

A situation where it was impossible to get through without any sacrifice.

As Luca bit his lip, Ravinia, now wreathed in a semi-transparent white light, charged at Agreas.

Thud!

"!"

Her way was blocked by an incredibly complex magic circle that appeared in front of Agreas.

Agreas chuckled.

"You can't stop me. No matter if you used transcendence, you're still not qualified."

"Angel! Get away! Leave this to me!"

Ravinia knew it as well.

That she could not kill Agreas.

But she believed that she could at least buy time.

"If it's you, angel... And with your other friends, you'll definitely be able to defeat this devil!"

Ravinia turned to look at Luca.

Luca bit his lip.

"But..."

"Angel."

Ravinia called out to Luca then smiled faintly.

"This moment is my chance to atone."

― Atoning for what you did as you live.

Ravinia had committed countless sins.

So many that the excuse "it was because of White Noise" couldn't be forgiven.

That's why Luca had told her:

Atonement has to be made as you live.

She now believed this was the moment to atone.

"If I can give you a chance to win, then it's enough—even if I have to give up the life you enabled me to have."

With those words, Ravinia faced forward once more.

More tentacle-like semi-transparent white lights surged from her body.

Seeing this, Agreas smiled serenely.

"Let's call this even for freeing me, shall we?"

Shuk! Shuk! Shuk!

Agreas, who had politely waited for their melodrama to end, instantly created a black spear and stabbed Ravinia's body.

"Ravinia!"

"Get away! Angel!"

Shuk! Shuk! Shuk!

"Hurry!"

The spears continuously pierced her body.

The wounds healed instantly, but the healed areas were slowly turning black.

An infection from devilish power.

An ordinary human could not bear such pain.

Even so, Ravinia endured.

― Master!

"......"

Just as even Whistle was urging him on, Luca bit his lip and shut his eyes.

'There's no other way.'

Buzz!

"?"

Right then, a deep blue magic circle formed at his feet.

And from behind, Herote, who had been sitting helplessly, slowly rose to her feet.

Her eyes gleamed with a deep blue light.

"Finally... I've figured it out."

"Herote...?"

At Luca's call, Herote replied with her usual confident smile and shouted.

"The ideal existence! I finally understand what the transcendent being is!"

― The Magic of Ideals