The Villain's Survival Instruction Manual-Chapter 15: Banquet[4]

The Banquet was still lively even an hour after the announcement of the Student Council. Students and professors alike are talking, laughing and enjoying themselves.

Cassian was standing in one corner and observing while occasionally taking a sip from the glass of wine in his hand.

Among the students present there were a lot of the students who were a part of the main cast. But despite that, one person stood out the most.

It was none other than Sir Leopold, the third year who jumped in and saved Sinclair against the first year who called her a ’blankblood’

"What are you doing, hiding in a corner like this Cassian.?" Ronan asked as he walked towards Cassian with a glass in hand.

"Are you not going to drink?" Cassian said and pointed towards the full glass Ronan held.

"Yes, this is in my hand out of courtesy. I can’t be drinking right now when I’m close to breaking through."

Cassian nodded, a breakthrough was an important part for a knight as that was one step close to becoming a swordmaster.

"The Duke’s arrival was unexpected, and father like always showed him why he is the most loyal vassal and the most trusted confidant of the Duke." He sighed as his gaze moved towards the Duke, his daughter and his father sitting next to them.

The shadow unit I encountered outside means some events are happening earlier. I might be the anomaly due to which these are happening.’ Cassian thought and looked at Ronan.

The man had shoulder length black hair tied in a bun, golden eyes and a fresh looking scar on his cheek, he stood taller than Cassian who was already tall but in that moment his gaze was soft instead of his normal piercing gaze born from his time on the frontlines.

Was it because of Valeria? Maybe, but even so such a vulnerable state was not a good sign.

Ronan Morrigan...huh...the most crucial figure in the upcoming Northern civil war. You need to be focused on your training not being lovey dovey.

Ronan moved to where their father was as Cassian slowly changed the corner he was in. Apart from Sir Leopold, Luna, Eric, Roland, Sharron and Cassie were the ones who stood out and a few others.

As Cassian took mental notes on each of them, he felt the shadow under Eric move unnaturally.

Its shape twisted and it jumped onto the wall beside him and then climbed to the ceiling. It was retreating towards the balcony with the connected bridge going into another hall.

Cassian put his glass on one of the tables and quietly slipped through the banquet towards the bridge.

A man had emerged from the shadow, he wore completely black clothes so that he could hide in the night.

As he got on the wall to jump down and escape he stopped for a split second. The hair on his neck rose up as he flipped backwards and dodged two wind bullets.

Cassian did not give the man any time and charged in as he swung his sword. CLANG! The sword was blocked by a dagger as the man jumped away to create distance.

But as he landed on his feet, Cassian was in front of him again, he swung his sword to behead the man cleanly in one strike but he dodged and hit the side of the sword with the dagger covered in aura and a lighting spell.

Cassian’s body jolted as the lighting jumped onto his body via his sword. Even so his swings never stopped.

The man thought Cassian was done for and started to push, he threw daggers toward Cassian and then pulled out his sword and attacked from the left.

Cassian ducked under the sword and elbowed the man’s arm and pushed forward. He still had his sword in his hand, with which he cut the man’s side.

"Storm contained in mortal vein,

Descend

[Volt]"

A lighting bolt strikes the man from above, his body spasms but he neutralizes himself using his mana.

"Who are you?" He asked as he kept his distance to take a breath. But Cassian continued pushing.

No reply came from Cassian who continued his onslaught. Sword swing, spell and then all of it again. But the man was skilled enough to block, dodge and parry his attacks.

He needed to find an opening quickly and return to the Banquet hall as he didn’t want to get seen.

Cassian coated his sword in aura and then applied fire mana to it, the sword burned brightly as he swung towards the man. But the man finished casting his own spell.

"Flow, compressed

Pierce

[Aqua Lance]"

A spear of water shot towards the burning arcs left by the sword as the man made a run for the other.

Cassian ran behind him, threads formed around the fingers of his left hand which he threw forward. Unlike normal threads, these were threads made up of mana and reinforced with aura, they would bend and twist into any shape Cassian wanted.

The threads grabbed the man’s hand and Cassian pulled his own towards himself making the man stumble and fall.

Cassian raised his arm and pulled it back and threw his sword full speed at the man who was trying to get up but was restricted by the threads.

His sword cut through the man’s neck and came out the other side as his body fell down limp. It was the only thing Cassian could’ve done.

The man wouldn’t have said anything if captured, so he was of no use and he didn’t need to deal with additional matters regarding politics.

As Cassian kicked the corpse and took out his sword he ducked under three different spells which flew over his head and hit the wall, shaking the whole building.

Cassian turned around and saw three more men standing behind him, wearing the same clothes as the man he just killed.

Reinforcements perhaps but this was going to be tough, he had used a lot of his mana to manifest the mana threads and he was basically a low level soldier now.

This is annoying.

***

[Chapter 15 - Banquet(4)]