Surviving the Magic Academy With Just Intelligence Stats-Chapter 53: I’m The Person Who Will Kill You

The debris exploded outward as Sebastian rose from the wreckage, throwing splintered wood and carriage fragments aside like they weighed nothing. His transformed grey body seemed to absorb the fading sunlight as he turned to face his new opponent, red eyes narrowing with curiosity.

"Who are you?" Sebastian’s voice carried a mix of annoyance and genuine interest.

Marcus didn’t bother with a response. Instead, he activated [Blade Resonance](S), causing his sword to emit a soft blue glow as he closed the distance between them with practiced efficiency. Only when he was within striking range did he finally speak, his voice carrying deadly intent: "I’m the person who’s going to take your life."

His blade whistled through the air in a perfect arc, but Sebastian merely lifted his hand with casual disdain. The sword connected with his grey skin and bounced off as if striking reinforced steel, the impact sending Marcus skidding backward several feet.

"Take my life?" Sebastian’s laughter held genuine amusement. "With just this much skill?" The demonoid had expected a Rothschild knight, someone worthy of real concern. Instead, he found himself facing what appeared to be an amateur swordsman with more courage than technique.

From her position of relative safety, Adelaide watched with growing concern. Gone were the elaborate sword techniques she’d witnessed before, replaced by basic swings that seemed almost primitive. Where was the sophisticated swordplay she’d seen him display earlier? Was he playing the sheep to eat the tiger? Even Theodore, observing from nearby, seemed to share her assessment, nodding thoughtfully as if confirming his own theories about Marcus holding back.

Sebastian’s massive fist descended like a grey meteor, the air itself seeming to compress and flee from its path. Marcus could feel the raw power behind the blow – this opponent was definitely stronger than the Flame Serpent, but that was expected from someone who would become a major player in the future demon war. Still, this was the perfect opportunity to test his new methodology, to see if stripping away complexity in favor of pure fundamentals could work against a superior foe.

Marcus raised his sword, bracing the back of the blade with his free hand. When Sebastian’s blow connected, the impact sent tremors through his entire body. An average C-rank fighter would have been launched across the battlefield, but Marcus’s boots only slid back a few inches, leaving shallow trenches in the earth.

The look of surprise on Sebastian’s face was exactly what Marcus had been waiting for. In one fluid motion, he released his grip on his sword and activated [Bladeless Cut](B). His hands took on an ethereal blue glow as he thrust them forward, piercing straight through Sebastian’s massive arm. The demonoid’s scream of pain and surprise echoed across the battlefield as he yanked his injured limb back.

Without missing a beat, Marcus caught his falling sword and chained together [Blade Resonance](S), [Sword Force](A), and [Edge Perception](B). While releasing one’s weapon mid-battle was typically suicide for a swordsman, the gambit had created the opening he needed. He launched himself upward, sword aimed for Sebastian’s throat with lethal precision.

Sebastian barely managed to raise both hands in time to block, the blade cutting deep grooves into his grey flesh before pushing him back several feet. As he examined the slowly healing wounds on his hands, realization dawned – this opponent wasn’t using flashy techniques because he didn’t need them. Every move was calculated, targeting weak points with the efficiency of a veteran killer.

But even as Sebastian came to this understanding, Marcus had already closed the distance again, his blade seeking the demonoid’s heart. Sebastian leaped backward, but Marcus pressed forward, determined not to give his opponent any breathing room. In his single-minded pursuit, however, he failed to notice Sebastian’s subtle sidestep until it was too late. His momentum carried him past the demonoid, and as he turned his head, he caught sight of Sebastian’s triumphant grin.

The massive grey fist was already in motion, carrying enough force to shatter stone. Marcus could only watch its approach, time seeming to slow as he realized his error. "I’m cooked!" The thought flashed through his mind as the devastating blow drew ever closer.

…

Maximilian walked slowly through the ornate grounds toward his eldest son’s mansion, his footsteps heavy with purpose. He’d already visited Theodore’s residence, only to learn his youngest had gone to see Sebastian. Perhaps this is for the best, he thought. I can speak with them both at once.

Though he knew he was late – years late, if he was being honest with himself – Maximilian felt compelled to finally have a real conversation with his children. The image of Adelaide’s words haunted him: seeking protection from her own brothers, and worse, believing her father too useless to help. The fact that his daughter, always so calculating and precise in her decisions, had determined that pledging herself to the Rothschild heir was a better option than coming to her own father... it cut deeper than any business loss he’d ever suffered.

Adelaide had always been like him – practical, strategic, never making moves without careful consideration. For her to completely bypass him, to not even attempt a discussion about her fears... it spoke volumes about how she viewed his reliability as a father. And the worst part was, she was probably right. He likely would have just dismissed her concerns if she told him that she was afraid of her own brothers.

As he walked through the mansion’s corridors, memories of his children as young ones flooded back – their innocent smiles, their eagerness to please. Before their mother’s passing, before he’d buried himself in work to escape his grief, leaving them to raise themselves. They were such obedient children, he thought. Surely if I just talk to them now, help them understand... we can work this out as a family.

His pace quickened as he approached Sebastian’s quarters, hope building in his chest. All he needed was this one conversation. If he could just reach them, make them see reason...

The thought died unfinished as he pushed open the door. The sight that greeted him sent his world tilting on its axis. The stench hit him first – a sickly-sweet miasma of drugs that made his stomach turn. Then his eyes took in the scene: women sprawled across the floor like discarded dolls, their vacant expressions telling a story of intoxication or worse.

Visit freewebnoveℓ.com for the best novel reading exp𝒆rience.

"What the fuck?" The words escaped him in a horrified whisper, his hopes of a simple family reconciliation crumbling to ash before his eyes. This wasn’t the son he remembered. This wasn’t something that could be fixed with just a father-son talk.