Power in the Shadows 21-30

Her red eyes are darting every which way.

“…… What say you we continue this relationship for just a little while longer?”

The girl was finally able to say it all, albeit in a slightly quieter voice.

The boy flashes her a bright smile.

“I refuse.”


So he replies while sticking up a middle finger.

Immediately, the schiing of a sword being unsheathed rings out.

◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

Later in the day, another student came up to this rooftop, and discovered a huge bloodstain on the ground.

However, despite the large amount of blood, there was no corpse nearby. The students and school faculty investigated extensively, but there were zero reports of anyone being severely wounded or missing. Thus it became a cold case.

Aterwards, this became known as the ‘Corpseless Murder Incident,’ and entered the ranks of the school’s Seven Mysteries.

[SID TAKES AN ATTACK THAT LEAVES THIS AFTERMATH WITH NO LASTING EFFECTS (LIKELY DUE TO HIS HEALING FACTOR)]
- CHAPTER 21
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Naturally, being the mob that I am, I have zero intention of joining something like that and gathering attention to myself. It’s absolutely unthinkable.

“I wo-……”

“I helped you submit an application already, so thank m-……!!”

For some reason, Hyoro is suddenly clutching his stomach and fainting away.

“H-, Hyoro-kun! What is wrong all of a sudden!”

It was a extremely fast body blow. The kind that anyone other than me would overlook.

“Oi, oi, Hyoro. Why are you falling over like you just received a left hook that was aimed straight at your stomach?”

So I ask while unclenching my left fist.

"T-, that was strangely specific, Sid-kun.”

“This is no good, he’s completely lost all consciousness. I’m going to carry him to the infirmary, so lend me a hand. Oh right, do you know if it’s possible to cancel my entry to the tournament?”

“No idea. Ah, Hyoro is spewing bubbles.”

After reporting to the teacher that Hyoro had fainted due to a sudden fit, we got permission to leave class to go to the infirmary.
[SID BLITZING A DUDE SO FAST IT SEEMS LIKE HE DIDN'T MOVE AT ALL]
- CHAPTER 22
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I am deeply touched, my very heart quivering with delight. Thus I cross my legs, prop my chin with my right hand, and raise my left hand. Then I gather violet-colored magic into my left hand, and release it into the air.

“Receive your reward……”

The magic explodes into a rain of light.

When the rain touches the kneeling women, their bodies flash violet for a brief moment.

Well, to be honest, the effects of this light is merely something like alleviating fatigue, improving magic flow, healing very minor injuries, things to that level only.

[CAN LIGHTLY BUFF PEOPLE WITH HIS MAGIC]
- CHAPTER 24
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In a short while, a cart laden with gold coins is pushed in.

A whole mountain of it.

There is more than I’ve seen in my entire life, just glittering away on that cart.

This is easily more than a hundred billion Zeny.

“This…… is a bit……”

Even I’m not shameless enough to borrow this much without paying it back.

“!? Is it too little? I’ll immediately have them bring more……”

“No, it’s fine.”

I interrupt Gamma and reach towards the gold coins.

With an exaggerated motion, I stab my left arm into the pile of coins.

The coins clink noisily.

The point here is to gather all their attention on my left hand.

I concentrate with every last one of my nerves.

And then.

“Hmph.”

I grab about 15 coins with my left hand, then make a show of putting it into my left pocket.

That is 1.5 million Zeny.

The moment they had all focused on my left hand, I had exercised the very limit of my right hand’s hand speed to also grab some coins and pocket them without anyone noticing.

Alpha and Delta would be one thing. There’s no way Gamma would have caught that.

[FTE STEALING WHILE MAKING HIMSELF THE CENTRE OF ATTENTION]
- CHAPTER 24
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Suddenly.

“Hey, did you guys hear that?”

“No, what was it?”

So discusses Hyoro and Jaga while running ahead.

It seems the two of them did not hear it clearly, but I caught it nice and clear.

It is the sound of sword against sword.

Far away, a fight is taking place.

[HEARS SOUNDS OF BATTLE THAT NORMAL PEOPLE CAN'T]
- CHAPTER 25
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The place of fighting turns out to be deep within a dark alleyway.

There are two magic swordsmen fighting.

One is wearing a familiar-looking uniform and short skirt – it is undoubtedly Alexia.

However, the other is a man wearing all black and a mask.

What is this strange situation? I would understand if Alexia is the one wearing black and pretending to be Shadow Garden, but their positions are reversed.

I climb to the rooftop of a nearby building, erase my presence, and watch their fight.

[SID ERASING HIS PRESENCE]
- CHAPTER 26
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Alexia takes out a red lozenge from the chest pocket of her uniform. It is a drug that she had secretly pocketed even before the arson incident.

It is against her will to brandish such a terrible sword, but it’s still better than dying.

She brings the drug to her lips.

While reassuring herself by telling herself ‘I’m the type that does well even without prior practice,’ she makes to swallow the drug.

But at that moment.

Jet black descends from the skies.

Without a single sound, as if like a crow that flies through the night.

In the same motion, a jet black blade bisects one of the men, causing a vivid red flower to bloom in the night.

A cloying scent of blood fills the alleyway.

The man in jet black…… Shadow swings his sword to get the blood off. With a splash, a horizontal red line is drawn onto a nearby wall.

[STEALTH KILLS SOMEONE WITH THEIR GUARD UP AS THEY'RE IN ACTIVE COMBAT]
- CHAPTER 26
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For a while, the only sound echoing in the alleyway is that of their breathing.

But suddenly.

Katsu.

A new sound rings out from the depths of the alleyway.

The two men swiftly turn around, trying to peer into the depths of the shadows.

Within the darkness, something is drawing near.

Katsu. Katsu.

That is the sound of boots on the stone pavement.

The two men in black bring up their guard and ready their swords. But in that instant.

A jet black sword sprouts from one of the men’s head.

Without any herald, in complete suddenness, the man was pierced through.

“Ah, h-…… agah……!”

The jet black sword is withdrawn, leaving the man to writhe on the ground spraying bodily fluids while releasing a death rattle.

“……!”

When the remaining man quickly backs off in a fluster, the figure of a man materializes from the shadows.

[SEEMINGLY STEALTH KILLS SOMEONE FROM THE SHADOWS WHEN THEY'RE ACTIVELY LOOKING AT HIM]
- CHAPTER 27
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