By Zephyria 
Polazhen’s professor’s office was spacious and comfortable. It was also used as a reception room, so there was a sofa and a long oval table prepared so that people could enjoy tea and desserts.
It was also impressive that the walls were filled with dark-toned wallpaper and bookshelves filled with old and ancient books, creating a classic atmosphere.
While I was lightly looking around, Polazhen pointed to the sofa, telling me to sit comfortably as he would prepare something to eat.
After waiting for a while, Polazhen, who had brought tea and cookies, sat on the sofa in the opposite seat. He seemed to take a deep breath while savoring the warm tea for a moment, then widened his eyes with a determined face.
“Let me check your Mana one more time.”
“…Is that what you wanted to interview me about?”
“It’s about checking your Mana again.”
I wondered what he wanted to say to call me out.
It was a more bland reason than I thought.
If that was the case, the conversation with Zeon might have been more nutritious.
I swallowed a small sigh and showed Polazhen my Magical Energy again as he wanted. However, I made it in the form of a small flame blooming on my palm.
Showing it with Magical Energy emitted through my whole body Energy Aperture was good because it had a big impact and could be checked at a glance, but it also consumed unnecessarily more Mana.
“Oh!”
Polazhen, who widened his eyes and pulled his upper body forward, looked closely at my Black Mana. Very closely.
“This highly pure black light… it’s truly beautiful.”
I felt burdened, so I turned off my Magical Energy. Then Polazhen, who looked at me with an exclamation of regret, cleared his throat.
The blank face that had been loosened disappeared, and when the cynical atmosphere and sharp eyes returned, it was the usual Polazhen.
“It may feel sudden, but I want to ask you. What is your ‘Goal’? Won’t you tell me the ambition you hold in your heart?”
Tell me my ambition…
I took a sip of the moderately cooled tea and said.
“World domination.”
Of course, it was a statement uttered with the certainty that it would be dismissed as a joke. As expected, Polazhen widened his eyes with a face that didn’t understand. Then he changed his expression as if he had distorted my true feelings as he pleased.
“Hmm! So you mean you want to be the best in the world? Haha! This guy, just as I expected! I like it very much.”
Well. ‘The best in the world’ isn’t entirely wrong either.
“Then… the Black Class is your primary goal?”
“Class?”
Come to think of it, there seemed to be a subject with that word in the first semester schedule I received this time.
“…Um? Don’t tell me you don’t know what a Class is?”
Polazhen was flustered with a face that had been caught off guard. When I remained silent with my arms crossed in a positive sense, he rested his chin on his hand with a slightly troubled expression.
“I have no choice then. It doesn’t seem like you’re joking. I don’t like explaining common sense one by one, but… I’ll make an exception. I’ll only explain it once, so listen carefully.”
I nodded. Polargehen continued.
“You know that Fiends exist in this world, right? Those who hunt them are… Hunters. And to become a formal Hunter, you need a Class Certificate.”
Hunter….
I knew about Fiends since they had existed on this land for about a thousand years, but Hunters were unheard of. Of course, I knew something similar.
It was the ‘Hero.’
In other words, humans who could only be defeated by Fiends, humans who only prayed for the Hero to save them, now volunteered to be hunters themselves and began to hunt Fiends in reverse…. I thought it was okay to understand it that way.
“Class Certificates can be obtained and renewed through exams, and the Class system is divided into three stages. From the lowest level… White Class 8, 7, 6. Red Class 5, 4, 3.”
Polargehen raised and shook his finger.
“And the highest Class is Black Class 2 and 1. Hunters belonging to the Black Class are only ‘8-Star’ experts or those of comparable skill, of which there are very few in this world.”
“Do you know the number of current Black Class Hunters?”
“It’s recorded as five.”
Five. I see.
It was truly a countable number.
However, compared to 500 years ago when Gilbert was the only 8-Star, that is, the same level of skill as me in my previous life, it was definitely a significant improvement.
I roughly grasped the current level of humans.
“Our academy’s curriculum requires students to obtain White Class 6 by the time they graduate. In particular, many Class A students also graduate with Red Class. Conversely, there are almost no Black Class graduates.”
Polargehen faced me with a serious expression.
“Only three graduates in the academy’s history have ever obtained a Black Class Certificate…. Three in the history of an academy that has been established for over 100 years. It won’t be easy. But I think you can be one of them.”
He was acknowledging my potential. What a discerning human. I couldn’t feel bad about being recognized. I smirked and raised the corners of my mouth.
“Interesting. Good. Now that I’m enrolled, I’ll aim to become a Black Class Hunter before I graduate.”
If I became a Black Class Hunter, I could more easily contact the five existing experts.
The opportunity to directly confirm the actual combat level of the strongest in this world was very good.
While I was thinking that….
‘Hmm?’
Suddenly, I felt an unusual sensation and glanced behind me. I didn’t feel anything through Mana Detection, but I had a strong feeling that someone was watching me.
It was an intuition close to instinct.
Kieeeing!
Gathering Mana at my fingertips as quickly as Zeon had done, I aimed precisely over my shoulder. The Mana mass that was fired hit the curtain.
Tchak!
A hole was torn, and pieces of the torn curtain fluttered.
There was nothing beyond it.
‘…Was I mistaken?’
But I still felt uneasy.
“Why are you suddenly doing that?”
When I turned around, Polargehen had a surprised look on his face.
If even he, a considerable expert, hadn’t felt any signs, it was likely that I was mistaken.
“I think I was wrong.”
Maybe I was just tired.
“I’m sorry about the curtain.”
“Ah. It’s okay. I can restore it to its original state.”
As Polargehen reached out towards the curtain, a Magic Circle quickly formed with Instant Cast. Soon, the curtain, which had been fluttering with the power of Magic, returned to its pre-torn state.
Restoration Magic, like Healing Magic of a similar Affinity, consumed a considerable amount of Mana, but Polargehen used it without any sign of exhaustion.
“By the way, it’s already this late.”
Polargehen checked the time and continued.
“You need to eat before class. Go now.”
“Yes. I should.”
I shook off my seat without hesitation. Polargehen, who had been watching me quietly, added a few more words.
“Raymond. You can rely on me as much as you need. I’ll help you as much as I can.”
“Hmm. What’s the reason?”
“I’m curious about how much change the power you have will bring in the future… and I feel sorry for you in many ways. So, think of it as an apology.”
I didn’t particularly remember what he had done wrong to me, but since he wanted to, there was no reason for me to refuse.
Thinking about the future, it would be good to have an information route within the academy.
“Then I’ll gratefully rely on you in the future.”
“Okay.”
I lightly bowed and left the professor’s office. I had taken more time than I thought. It seemed that I would have to go to the next class right after finishing my meal without having time to investigate other places.
☠
The sun set, darkening the night.
A man dressed in all black from head to toe passed through the quiet hallway and opened the door to the outer palace of the Imperial Palace.
Creak, the metallic sound echoed emptily, followed by the sound of footsteps.
The black man, shaking off his fluttering clothes, knelt on one knee and bowed his head towards the empty throne.
“I greet the honorable heavens.”
After a while, a dark and thick aura gathered on the throne where no one had been.
On the throne where the dark aura had receded, an elderly man who had suddenly appeared was sitting in his white pajamas.
“…Why did you come to me at this hour?”
The elderly man, sitting with his chin resting on his hand, looked down at the black man with drowsy golden eyes. Even though his silver hair was disheveled as if he had just woken up, he exuded considerable beauty and charisma.
The old man’s name was… Hohenheim Adam den Valhalla Kaiser Albinus. The modern Emperor of the Albinus Dynasty, which had continued its lineage in the Valhalla Empire for over 100 years.
The black man, bowing his head even deeper, told the Emperor what had happened today.
“There was a young man using Black Mana.”
The man who was telling the story was ‘the owner of the Heavenly Eye that could scan even places where sight could not reach.’ Raymond never knew, but the presence he felt was the gaze of the black man with the Heavenly Eye.
In an instant, a clear light flickered for the first time in the golden eyes that had been dull and lifeless. The pupils, which had been shaking slightly, soon folded into crescents and hid.
“Ah. Finally….”
The Emperor wore a meaningful smile on his lips. In the small muttering voice, immeasurable intense emotions were melted.
“…I found you. Mephisto.”