Chapter 209
After sharing a promise with the Saintess, Austria, Kraush was moving forward.
Outside, numerous students were still actively promoting their groups, hoping to attract members.
Among them, there was one group that stood out the most.
The one with the largest gathering of people.
The White Lamb Order.
It was none other than the group of the 3rd Princess, Sigrid Ephania.
As if to prove that everything she had built up until now was not in vain.
Sigrid's reputation had reached its peak, leading a large number of people.
'What that person has been doing recently.'
She resolved the dispute between the students and the Associate Professor.
It seems she mended the emotional rift that occurred after the incident with Associate Professor Jenicalen.
Furthermore, during the incident involving the Magical Tool Manufacturer and Rona Imblize.
She appeared at the Theology Hall, albeit belatedly.
She assisted Taria, a servant of Crimson Garden, in her battle with Mirey Beakis.
Thanks to Sigrid, Mirey Beakis was safely dealt with while the professors were a step too late.
Additionally, Sigrid actively managed the chaos that erupted in the Theology Hall afterward.
It is said that she even personally carried injured students to ensure their safety.
The students of the Theology Hall were deeply moved by her rescue efforts.
'Ridiculous.'
Kraush momentarily covered his mouth, feeling nauseous.
Recently, Kraush had been engaging in frequent outdoor activities.
On the other hand, Sigrid, whose outdoor activities had decreased, was focusing on internal affairs.
This was because she knew it was a timely opportunity to absorb promising Second Year Students into her group.
Therefore, she deliberately stopped external activities and focused on internal ones.
Kraush clicked his tongue.
Anyway, this was something she was adept at doing.
While the White Lamb Order was busy recruiting Second Year Students.
The Lion Order, on the other hand, was not even visible at promotional events.
Yet, despite that, the Lion Order had no shortage of applicants.
The reason was simple.
Because Kraush was there with Charlotte.
Sigrid's reputation had undoubtedly risen.
However, even more than Sigrid's rising reputation, Kraush's name had soared.
His name naturally brought attention to the Lion Order he was part of.
As a result, the Lion Order also naturally attracted Second Year Students.
No matter what anyone said, Kraush was the centerpiece of the Second Year Students.
'What to do.'
Kraush didn't place much importance on the group itself.
After all, no matter how groups were divided.
As time passed, outstanding individuals would inevitably find their way into the Skyborne Generation.
However, being the centerpiece of the Skyborne Generation and leading the way was a different matter.
Even the Heavenly Pivot Star needed the touch of starlight to make its presence known; without starlight, it was meaningless.
'Especially those First Year Students who ended up in Sigrid's group—I really want to bring them over.'
It was at that moment when Kraush was stroking his chin.
Kraush saw something massive trudging along in front of the corridor.
Upon seeing it, Kraush naturally tilted his head upward.
That's because he had to tilt his head back to see the head of the approaching figure.
"Whoa! We meet again at last!"
At that moment, a loud voice echoed thunderously through the corridor.
Kraush immediately recognized who this man was.
Deep green pupils.
The distinctive tattoos drawn on his body.
The child of Freya and a future member of the Skyborne Generation.
The Fighting Emperor.
Arsolder Freya.
For some reason, the guy looked even bigger than before.
"Arsoldar."
After his battle with Kraush, he had gone into the mountains to train.
It seemed he had finished that and returned.
As soon as he saw Kraush, he flexed his muscles through his clothes and flashed a wide grin.
"Kraush, I've gotten stronger than before. Let's have another round."
Indeed, the energy emanating from him was stronger than before.
As he said, his training had paid off.
"Alright, then."
However, unfortunately, Kraush had grown far more than that since then.
At that moment, Kraush's figure blurred.
By the time Arsolder hurriedly chased after Kraush's figure, it was already too late.
Kraush's fist was right in front of his stomach.
"If you can withstand this."
In that instant, an intangible aura surged from within Kraush's body.
At that moment, the power of World Erosion was unified into an aura through the Four Seasons.
The intangible aura displayed output on a completely different level than ever before.
Thud!
And Arsolder's massive body was lifted into the air.
Despite Arsolder's enormous size, Kraush's punch sent him flying down the corridor.
Arsolder's eyes widened.
It wasn't just that Kraush's figure had disappeared; the punch he threw was on a completely different level than before.
Disaster Dragon Fall.
Second Form.
Strength.
It was the result of focusing the aura solely on strength.
Even in that situation, Arsolder twisted his body, trying to regain his posture.
However, Kraush's punch didn't end with just one strike.
Thud!
At that moment, the second strike hit Arsolder once again.
The second strike was far stronger than the first.
Inch Strength.
It was a secret technique Kraush frequently used.
"Gah!"
Arsolder let out a groan as the consecutive strikes landed.
He had barely endured the first strike, so naturally, the second was even worse.
Crash!
Arsolder tumbled heavily to the ground without even being able to land properly.
Was it because of his massive size?
A loud noise reverberated as he rolled.
But soon after, he sprang to his feet.
The madness of battle gleamed in his eyes.
"Ha, haha, I-I endured it."
And that was the end of it.
His pupils rolled back into his head, and he collapsed flat onto the ground.
Kraush lightly dusted off his hands.
If it had been someone else, he might have tried to persuade them with words, but his opponent was Arsholder.
Knowing that only fists would work on him, Kraush mercilessly smashed him.
That should keep him from being a nuisance for a while.
Thinking so, Kraush was about to take another step.
In front of the corridor Arsholder had just exited.
A man was standing there.
As soon as Kraush saw him, his gaze slowly sharpened.
Long blonde hair, like someone else.
However, unlike that someone, his androgynous appearance had a more feminine and peculiar face.
'Fake Arthur.'
He was the one who had deceived his way into Rahelrn Academy by pretending to be Arthur Gramalte.
And he was also clearly connected to the Red Witch, Abella.
Kraush and Arthur's eyes met for a moment.
In that brief encounter, many thoughts crossed Kraush's mind, but he soon smiled nonchalantly.
"Arthur Gramalte, was it? Arsholder ended up like that because he wanted it that way. Don't blame me for it."
Kraush and Fake Arthur had hardly ever spoken.
While Kraush had built connections with other members of the Special Class, Fake Arthur, despite being part of the Special Class, mostly acted alone.
All Kraush knew was that Fake Arthur had postponed joining the Lion Order.
So, as Kraush stared at Fake Arthur with maximum suspicion, he began to walk forward.
"You've grown much stronger compared to before."
It was a rather meaningful statement.
"Well, a lot has happened."
So Kraush responded in a similarly meaningful tone.
Because he knew there was a limit to the information he could get from Fake Arthur.
"But mentioning 'before'—weren't we never that close?"
Kraush smirked provocatively, as if to say, "What do you even know?"
"Yeah, we weren't close."
And Fake Arthur agreed without hesitation.
Before anyone realized it, Fake Arthur had reached Kraush.
Kraush and Fake Arthur's eyes met.
There was one thing Kraush could understand.
Even if he didn't know anything else, Fake Arthur was just as difficult to read as the real Arthur.
Arthur was a man full of secrets, after all.
"But it is fascinating. To think the day would come when you'd use Aura."
The moment he heard those words, Kraush instinctively stopped his body from reacting.
Kraush's face carried an expression that said, "What kind of nonsense is that?"
However, Fake Arthur's face remained unchanged.
"Well, the power of World Erosion alone wouldn't have been enough. Back then, or even now."
And the next words deeply pierced Kraush.
Kraush struggled to keep his expression from hardening.
Back then, or even now.
He didn't need to think too deeply about what those words meant.
Fake Arthur was essentially saying this:
In countless rounds, Kraush had mastered Extreme Blood Immersion Poison and wielded the power of World Erosion.
And with that power, Kraush had undoubtedly fought against the destruction of the world.
But the fact that Arthur had regressed meant.
That the Kraush in those rounds had ultimately failed to stop the destruction.
'Don't talk nonsense.'
However, Kraush's heart instantly denied that fact.
The Arthur Kraush had met in those rounds no longer existed in this world.
The Arthur who had lost regression due to the Black Hood had died in a destroyed world.
So the guy standing before him was merely testing him.
To see if Kraush was a regressor or not.
Using what he had heard from Abella to dig into Kraush's inner thoughts.
How ridiculous.
Fake Arthur was doing this deliberately to provoke Kraush's temper.
"Hey."
So Kraush decided to act in the way Abella knew his temper best.
"What kind of crap have you been spouting since earlier?"
Whoosh!
At that moment, Black Flame erupted from Kraush's body.
As a result of the Four Seasons replacing Aura with the power of World Erosion, the Black Flame emanating from his body now displayed even greater heat than before.
There was no Arthur in this world that Kraush knew.
That much, Kraush knew better than anyone.
"If you don't want to die, stop picking a fight and get lost. Otherwise, I'll make you end up just like that guy."
Kraush pointed at the collapsed Arsholder as he issued his warning.
It was his way of saying that someone like Fake Arthur shouldn't even think of challenging him.
Fake Arthur glanced at Arsholder and then calmly turned away.
There wasn't even a hint of fear on his face.
"See you later at the Lion Order."
And with those words, Fake Arthur left.
[ You've been through a lot. ]
As Crimson Garden's voice echoed, Kraush clicked his tongue once.
Because Fake Arthur had left, leaving only an unpleasant feeling behind.
[ What's your plan? ]
Crimson Garden's crow had landed on the open window at some point.
Kraush looked in that direction and spoke an unchanging truth.
"Extracting information isn't something only they can do."
The guy had said he would join the Lion Order.
That statement alone was already a kind of declaration of war.
Then come.
I'll completely strip you down and uncover whatever schemes Abella is plotting.
Kraush turned and began to walk down the corridor.
In the exact opposite direction from where Fake Arthur had gone.
Perhaps their paths had been diverging for a long time already.
And so, in the corridor where the two had left.
Only the unconscious Arsholder rolled around in the dust, forlornly.