Why Did I Have to Enroll

Unfortunately for Ortima, his situational judgment was faster than Dokgo Yeon's movement to take his neck.

"—Face me properly! Are you going to let me die?"

Sensing danger from the death Dokgo Yeon had summoned, Lucien Ortima clutched his empty right shoulder and screamed desperately.

The moment those words fell, a certain 'mystery' that had been combined with Ortima was released, drastically changing the atmosphere of the entire dungeon.

'Could this be the Constellation directly... tch!'

Feeling the force strongly constricting her, Dokgo Yeon clicked her tongue and stepped back.

While she couldn't dodge all the magic flames flying from all 360 degrees, she managed to block them with the protective energy barrier she quickly wrapped around herself.

"Ha."

Terrible flames of heat rushing in from everywhere.

Dokgo Yeon landed safely after neutralizing them with the aura of death she swept out with her sleeve, then caught her breath and sneered.

"How laughable that after all that arrogance, you end up begging the Constellation for help. You truly can't do anything without borrowing someone else's power."

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!"

Fortunately, she cut off his right arm before the interference could begin, she thought leisurely as she wrapped it in cloth and tucked it away.

Having barely shaken off the fear of death with the Constellation's help, Ortima was glaring at her with murderous intent.

"How dare you, how dare you take my arm...! I'll tear both your arms off. You won't even be able to eat properly unless you bow down and beg me!"

"They say a frightened dog barks louder, and that's exactly what you are."

"You dare treat me like a dog?!"

The more they exchanged words, the more pathetic he seemed, making her sigh involuntarily.

Even though Ban Yu-won had infinitely less power, even when he tucked his tail and ran from the strong just the same, he always maintained his dignity and composure.

Ah, now she understood why she was drawn to Ban Yu-won.

It was because of how he had impressed her on the first day of school, avoiding the match with Erecto without being servile, while promising for next time.

It's rare to find someone who gives you confidence that they will become stronger.

—That spirit is truly admirable.

Just then, as she was reminiscing about recent events while facing an enemy she couldn't kill immediately, a voice of high status rang in her ear.

Naturally, it was the Constellation who had attacked her with flames.

After attacking with killing intent, now shamelessly offering praise.

—If you agree to join Exodus, I'll let you kill that man.

Boldly making such a proposal in a voice only she could hear.

Dokgo Yeon couldn't help but laugh at those words.

If he hadn't interfered, she would have cleanly killed Ortima, yet here he was making offers while taking credit for preventing that very thing?

This is why she despised beings like Constellations.

"Both of you are so self-centered. If you want to make a proposal, you should at least burn one of his eyes first."

"What...?"

Ortima's expression greatly soured as he raised his head after barely stopping the bleeding with his manifestation of control.

"Could it be the Lantern of the Wandering Night?"

—Is the negotiation a failure then.

"Constellation, what is this? You agreed to help me, yet you made an offer to that woman? Explain yourself properly."

—No need to worry, child of Ortima. Weren't you planning to take that child in anyway.

"That's right, she's mine! She's not a woman you can touch!"

—How interesting. Where was this pride when you were begging for my help?

A minor conflict arose.

If it had been Ban Yu-won, he would have looked for ways to maximize their conflict here.

But Dokgo Yeon didn't have the kind of personality to set them against each other and slip away.

If there were two people she wanted to beat, she needed to beat them both to death herself to be satisfied.

She was only permitted to move forward; there was no path of retreat.

That was her pride.

"So how long are you going to keep talking? Do I look like a fish you've already caught?"

Death gathered around the short sword Dokgo Yeon drew, forming an ominous blade of energy.

Seeing this, Ortima flinched and stretched out his only remaining hand.

Dokgo Yeon reflexively shot out a sword energy, but a barrier of flames that bloomed in mid-air blocked it.

'How long can this go on, how much is possible?'

Her eyebrow twitched.

Five streams of sword energy extended at once, but again, they were blocked by flames and frustrated.

—It would be too wasteful to clip wings like these...

While Dokgo Yeon was occupied responding to the divine being that had infiltrated the space and couldn't check Ortima, he achieved his goal.

It seemed he had tried to do this earlier too, but now it was certain.

He had been trying to access his inventory.

Dokgo Yeon gave a small laugh seeing dozens of tiny beads that popped out from within.

"Since you can't touch me directly, you're going to use objects instead? —Come all of you. I'll kill you."

"As I said, I'll take both your arms. I won't touch your face, be grateful!"

In the pain of losing his arm, Ortima was not in his right mind.

Twenty-four spherical artifacts containing all his control power concentrated, the Astraea.

—Swoosh

Each bead containing terrible power was made from metal harvested from meteorites—stellar iron, and because they had contained his energy for many years, they moved at the speed of his thoughts. 𐍂Å₦ó𐌱Èṥ

"Break, kneel down. That is the proper position for you."

—Can't be helped. I have many children to look after... This will hurt a bit.

The twenty-four metal beads alone were formidable enough, but the Constellation's flames that she couldn't even trace when trying to attack the main body kept blooming in the air, suppressing her.

But of course, Dokgo Yeon neither fled nor retreated.

"No one can make me kneel!"

Sword energy containing death bloomed in layers like flower petals in the air.

She cut down and killed all the indiscriminately rushing dozens of metal beads and the irrationally burning divine flames.

With transcendent senses, she perceived everything coming at her, striking down and breaking them all in sequence.

No, that wasn't all.

"Kugh?!"

The death she unleashed spreads.

The aura of death that penetrated the beads cut by her sword energy affected even Ortima himself who controlled them.

The same was true for the Constellation whose flames she had cut.

―How... how is this possible? I can feel my influence waning.

"Don't retreat, Constellation. Remember that my trust in Exodus has already been cut by more than half!"

―Little Ortima, you greedy child. It seems we too will suffer losses thanks to you.

Fearing her sword energy might touch his body, Ortima kept backing away while only controlling the Astraea to attack her.

The Constellation, Lantern of the Wandering Night, bound by promises that must be fulfilled, frowned at the slight influence that pierced through the distant and high walls of providence to affect him directly, yet summoned even greater flames to envelop her.

"How can you want me as your woman when you fear me so much!"

The death surrounding Dokgo Yeon roared.

The central bead of the Astraea, containing the strongest power—the First Star, lost its power and fell to the ground.

The remaining twenty-three metal beads and crimson flames scattered in all directions.

Some of them grazed Ortima's cheek, drawing blood.

"Kugh―?!"

Lucein Ortima was enraged by the fact that he had been wounded again, despite borrowing the power of a Constellation to push back against a single person.

"Dokgo Yeon......! Dokgo Yeon. Dokgo Yeon, Dokgo Yeon!"

"Don't carelessly call my name, you trash!"

Dokgo Yeon's entire body turned black.

The sharply exploding death pierced through one of Ortima's eyes.

Since he dared to covet death, wasn't it only natural that he pay the price!

"Kuhk."

At that moment, Dokgo Yeon coughed up black dead blood.

This was because even she couldn't fully control the dense death she had summoned.

Seeing this, Ortima's eyes widened.

He finally realized that Dokgo Yeon had been bluffing, that she had actually reached her limit!

"How cute, Dokgo Yeon. Even that side of you, raising your tail straight like a cat... I like it...!"

―Instead of wasting time talking, you should subdue her, young Ortima. My limit is approaching!

"Ha."

By now, even the flower ornament that had been protecting her had shattered.

But Dokgo Yeon's eyes were far from showing emotions like despair or resignation.

After all, she had known about the dangers inherent in her martial arts since the moment she 'chose her path'.

"How laughable that you speak as if you already possess me. I'm to your liking...? I've heard many lies from those pretending to be bold men, but you're particularly disgusting among them...!"

Black energy surged greatly around Dokgo Yeon's body.

Quite ironically, the moment she stepped slightly closer to death, the energy she wielded was being amplified.

But the next clash would likely be the last where she could maintain her sanity.

'Just a little... if he comes just a little closer.'

The next moment after the crosses hanging in her eyes flashed intensely.

"As promised, I'll take your arms first!"

―This is my last, you'll have to handle the rest yourself.

"You vermin... come and take them!"

A shower of countless meteors created from the combination of fierce flames and twenty-three metal beads rains down!

This was the moment she had been waiting for, as she raised her sword to prepare for the perfect counterattack―.

"No!"

Suddenly grabbed by someone who appeared behind her, she was thrown beyond the dungeon wall.

"What, what?!"

―Th-this... dungeon!

And at that exact timing, the dungeon was finally conquered, making it impossible for the Constellation to influence this space any longer.

"No! Lantern of the Wandering Night, complete the contract!"

―Little Ortima, I did my best, so you too must pay a heavy price. If you had offered more from the start, I could have used more power too. How foolish...!

The Constellation's presence vanished emptily after saying what it wanted.

Ortima gritted his teeth watching Dokgo Yeon, who was caught by the unexpected intruder, leave his 'domain' and tried to shoot the Astraea―.

"Ah."

But it was already too late.

The dungeon collapses and disappears.

The boundaries of space-time vanished, and everyone inside the dungeon was thrown outside.

"I will, you, Dokgo Yeon...!"

―Kwaddeuk

Ortima's hand, reaching out toward the distancing Dokgo Yeon.

Was caught and stopped by several layers of thorny vines that bloomed in mid-air.

"Keu, haah...?"

"Lucein Rounpalomer Equinas Ortima."

A chilling voice that seemed to embody what it would be like if killing intent could be put into words wrapped around Ortima's entire body.

There weren't many individuals who could immobilize a powerful person like Lucein Ortima with just the presence of their magic power.

"You've lost an arm. It seems you'll need treatment. I'll send you to a safe place."

"Professor Yumina..."

"Be careful not to omit honorifics. Minus 20 points."

Yumina smiled.

With an expression that seemed deeply regretful that she couldn't kill him right here and now, she said.

"I hear you jumped into the dungeon yourself to rescue our children while I was away. I'm so touched I could cry. I will never forget this favor."

Never.

With those words and a gentle smile, Yumina activated spatial transfer magic and sent him to the medical center in Tolmon Imperial Palace.

Lucein Ortima had prepared excuses for every situation and even plans to turn the tables on Class 11's group, but...

He sensed that whatever he did, death would be his ultimate price, and fell silent.

It was thanks to the death that Dokgo Yeon had breathed into him serving as a warning, though he hadn't realized it yet.

*

"Dokgo Yeon!"

"......Ah."

Meanwhile, having been interrupted in her final clash due to being grabbed by someone else and thrown out of the dungeon, Dokgo Yeon couldn't help but smirk when she saw Ban Yu-won rushing straight toward her upon discovering her.

"Why are you in such a state... no, why are you with Aneri! I knew that woman!"

"Ah, no! I know this looks suspicious, but I'm really not an enemy! I saved Lady Dokgo Yeon!"

Upon hearing Ban Yu-won's flustered voice, she turned around and could see Aneri Dedota firmly gripping her shoulder.

Though she had been thinking that maybe she wasn't an enemy based on her actions just before entering the dungeon... she clicked her tongue.

"If you had left me alone, I could have perfectly lured them in and killed them, you fool."

"If you had really killed him there, it would have led to irreparable consequences. Besides, your life was truly in danger, wasn't it? He was too valuable an opponent to stake your life against."

"I had preparations for... hah, never mind now."

Dokgo Yeon shook off Aneri and, smirking at Ban Yu-won who was approaching as if to support her instead, said:

"Ban Yu-won, you don't need to make such a serious face either."

Dokgo Yeon took out the candy she had been preciously keeping and tossed it into her mouth, biting down.

She could feel the immense vitality contained within instantly spreading throughout her body, suppressing and eliminating the death that had dared to violate its master's body and soul.

Though she had internally expected this outcome knowing the efficacy of the fruit used as an ingredient, the effect exceeded her expectations.

Not only did it cleanly suppress the aftereffects of her martial arts, but it even soothed her energy and advanced its properties.

"...Are you alright now?"

"Thanks to you. Ah, this is a gift."

Dokgo Yeon handed two gifts to Ban Yu-won, who was still looking at her with worried eyes (how long had it been since she'd received such a look from anyone?), mixing in a little gratitude, a little embarrassment, and a little mischief.

"What is this!"

"Quickly absorb it before anyone sees."

"I already... what's this metal bead? Just what concept is contained in this..."

"I said it's a gift."

She had brought it thinking it would be helpful to him, even in the midst of all the chaos.

"Who gives someone's arm as a gift... thanks."

"I really like how honest you are."

"You're becoming more and more like my mom... no, never mind."

As expected, Ban Yu-won seemed quite satisfied with Ortima's arm and the first-rank Astraea that she had brought.

Dokgo Yeon smiled contentedly, thinking that her gift-choosing sense wasn't too bad after all.

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