An Angel Lives in the Academy
Chapter 175: The Angel Who Raids a Dungeon (13)

The plan was perfect.

Use the low-ranking Dragonkin to pinpoint the heroes’ location.

Gather all the floor bosses in one place to prevent being picked off one by one.

Eliminate the assassin cat first, the one with the most threatening abilities.

Even if the heroes found him, use a clone to exploit their carelessness.

And lastly, use the dark karma that fills this dungeon to turn the half-dragon Yumari into a Fallen Hero.

Each and every one of these strategies posed a major threat to Leffrey.

The Dragonkin trying to find the hero party’s location was the least of Leffrey’s worries. It was just reconnaissance, after all.

However, if any of the other plans succeeded…

‘If we didn’t know the strategy, the four of us wouldn’t have been able to defeat those ten-plus mid-bosses. Should I call it Lanchester’s Law? Or perhaps the saying ‘There’s strength in numbers’? Anyway, we were overwhelmingly outnumbered.’

(TL Note: Lanchester’s laws are mathematical formulas for calculating the relative strengths of military forces.)

The hero party would have been completely wiped out.

If Hongwol had been caught by Ormantor and the mid-bosses’ pursuit, if Yumari had awakened as a dragon and betrayed the hero party, and if they had used all their strength against Ormantor, unaware that it was just a clone…

Even in that situation, the hero party would have been annihilated.

But that didn’t happen.

They had not been annihilated yet.

And Ormantor couldn’t understand this situation.

‘The floor guardians are being defeated, the Dragonkin legion’s formation is completely broken by that black mage girl’s bombardment, and I’m still recovering from almost having my marman struck. How did it come to this?’

How could all of his meticulously crafted strategies possibly be countered like this?

‘My plans were flawless…’

How did they know all the attack patterns of each floor guardian, how did that Mooncat Tribe hero manage to avoid him and the floor guardians’ pursuit for so long, and most importantly, how did Yumari, who awakened as a dragon, not betray the heroes and instead side with humans?

While Ormantor couldn’t understand any of it, he was particularly shocked by the last part.

For a dragon to overcome its desires.

It was something that shouldn’t even be possible.

No, wanting what you want, ruling what you want to rule, controlling what you want to control - that's exactly what a dragon is supposed to be.

Unlike the human world where desires had to be suppressed because of all sorts of false morals, rules, and laws, in the other world ruled by the Demon King, any desire could be fulfilled.

Yet despite this, an awakened dragon is siding with humans?

‘Just what, what could she possibly desire so much?’

Ormantor suppressed his confusion and looked at the young dragon who was glaring at him with eyes full of killing intent.

‘Just what does she want so badly to have that look in her eyes?’

The dragon’s thoughts raced quickly.

Yumari is a dragon. And a dragon cannot defy their own desires. They merely hide their fangs until they can get close to what they desire.

‘I see. So that’s why she sided with the heroes.’

Ormantor realized.

‘This little girl desires that angel. So strongly that no other desire matters at all.’

His odds of victory, completely overturned.

Then to regain the upper hand…

‘I'll have to target that angel before the other heroes.’

The way he’s standing back from the battle. The heroes' positioning as if protecting the angel. And the unbelievable buff and healing abilities he had shown earlier.

Moreover, the way he flinched in this battlefield, it was clear he wasn’t a natural-born warrior. The pathetic appearance of someone neither born as a warrior nor raised as a soldier.

Seeing this, Ormantor was now certain.

‘I need to gamble everything on this attack’

Ormantor had suffered serious internal injuries. The damage his clone had suffered when his marman was struck was transferred to him, nearly pushing him to the brink of death.

He had barely managed to recover, thanks to the sacrifices he had received.

‘I’ll have to use my Ultimate Skill.’

On top of an already injured body,

He loaded an ultimate skill that would strain him even further.

‘If I subdue the angel and use him as a hostage to disable Yumari. And if I can use Yumari to keep one of the heroes occupied, I can handle the remaining hero myself.’

Then there would be a chance of victory.

Ormantor, having finalized his plan, gathered his strength.

Dragon Charge. One of Ormantor’s three Ultimate Skills. A simple charge towards the target at a speed exceeding Mach 2.

However, Ormantor was the size of a small town. The supersonic charge of such a massive being could tear apart a weak superhuman with just the shockwave alone.

If it hits,

It could even wipe out an entire country.

Then why did Ormantor not use his ultimate from the start?

It was because of the ambiguous speed of Mach 2.

If he used it against heroes, there’s a high chance they’d be able to dodge it with their reaction speed or teleportation. But the angel wouldn’t be able to dodge it.

‘Because right below the floor where he’s standing are the young sacrifices brought from all over the world.’

While other sacrifices were being offered at the altar, how were these precious sacrifices still alive?

‘According to the intel, the angel is said to be quite compassionate. And humans generally feel greater sympathy for children.’

Ormantor imbued strength into his writhing muscles.

‘And to prevent him from realizing that they’re bait, I made sure they’re all firstborns, and placed them right where the angel and the hero party would pass.’

Even if they tried to ignore and pass by, he made sure they would see those children no matter what.

‘All of that was for…’

And the angel or hero who knew of those children's existence would fall into a dilemma. They *could* avoid it. But *should* they?

In that moment the children's faces flashed in their mind. 0.1 seconds.

The misconception that it was just a charge, and their hesitation. 0.1 seconds.

All those split seconds and brief moments adding up…

‘This very instant.’

By the time they hesitated like that, the attack would have already reached. An ultimate attack capable of destroying even a nation upon impact.

Yes.

Ormantor was cunning.

As the Ormantor planned, Leffrey could not dodge it.

It was Ormantor’s nature to prepare and plan for every possible situation, even the impossible, such as the death of his floor guardians and his own severe injury.

And that attack…

“You’re too slow.”

The Dragon Charge, that wiped out hundreds of Dragonkin with just its sonic boom. However, that Dragon Charge was all too easily blocked by the seemingly delicate hands of the young boy.

*Rumble—*

Despite it being just the shockwave of his charge being stopped, massive cracks appeared throughout the space inhabited by Ormantor’s legion.

The craters that formed from it alone were over several meters wide.

But Leffrey, who received all that force, seemed completely unharmed.

“Not… a single scratch?”

Ormantor muttered in disbelief as Leffrey whispered to himself.

“Martial Arts of the Archangel who Tramples Dragons.”

And with restrained movements, Leffrey stroked Ormantor. Even though it was an attack that didn't seem to carry any fighting spirit, scales were pierced, muscles twisted, and bones shattered.

“Offer your blood!”

Ormantor’s empty cry echoed throughout the nest. However,

“Offer the sacrifices, offer your blood!”

There was no one left to obey his command anymore.

The floor guardians called mid-bosses were all annihilated.

The countless Dragonkin legions were also annihilated.

And all that remained was himself, injured, and those young heroes looking at him, unharmed.

“Young ones, shall we negotiate?”

Ormantor then spoke in a gentle voice as he transformed into his human form. The same appearance he had shown when they first entered the Dragon Lord's Nest.

“There, I have disarmed. You can feel that my strength is nearly gone, right? I am surrendering to you.”

The form of a handsome man with long black hair fluttering.

“Surrender? You’re saying that after all that? You’re surrendering?”

“KhIIIIsss. You, will definitely, die.” (TL Note: It’s a hiss, alright? I don’t know what the onomatopoeia for a cat’s hiss is.)

However, the heroes’ reactions were not favorable.

Soya frowned as she held up her magic wand, and Hongwol let out a hiss sound as she showed hostility.

The only one showing interest was Mari, who had been standing there expressionless the whole time.

“Surrender? Are you saying you will obediently become a prisoner?”

“Yes! As expected of a fellow dragon, you understand well.”

“Then you will need to show a few proofs.”

Mari took out a bead fragment from her bosom.

That bead was none other than a piece of Anathema of Lies. The white bead fragment known as the Evil Bead of Falsehood.

“Anathema of Lies.”

It was a well-known item from the other world that turned black when it heard a lie, and was said to be very expensive.

“Tell us about the demon king's weaknesses.”

“The demon king’s weaknesses? Of course, I can tell you.”

Ormantor began listing the Demon King's weaknesses as if it was nothing.

“The demon king is arrogant. He firmly believes that everything in the world goes according to his will and that he will one day become the master of this world. Young ones, you can sufficiently pierce that point.”

“Continue.”

“And he’s very weak against his own kind. He even earnestly begs the revived angel's corpse Iriel, who can barely be called an angel and is nothing more than Angel Dust, to come to his side.”

“Continue.”

“Uh, uhm. If there are other weaknesses, it would be that his body is small so he's vulnerable to martial arts due to reach difference, and his judgment becomes clouded from his extreme hatred of humans. What else is there…”

Hesitate—hesitate—

Ormantor looked at Yumari and asked in a small voice.

“Wouldn't it be better for you to take me to somewhere like a prison first? You could ask me anything anytime after imprisoning me. I hate pain so I can tell you anything right away.”

“…”

“It's embarrassing to say myself, but I’m quite a valuable asset. Truly.”

A moment of silence follows.

“You’ll spare my life, right?”

“Yes.”

“What are you saying, Yumari! Why are you deciding that! Do you know what that bastard has done!”

“Nyaaa! The witch is right! Are you crazy?”

Soya and Hongwol’s protests came from behind.

But Yumari ignored their protests with a smile.

“And just in case, let me ask…”

Then she simply asked.

“This isn’t a clone, is it?”

“…Heh. Little girl.”

Ormantor couldn't answer. Yumari spoke with a smile still on her face.

“Well, since your main body isn’t exactly in good shape either, we could probably track you down and kill you pretty easily. However, I intend to let you live.”

Shake shake- The bead fragment still hasn't turned black.

“Stop testing the waters and tell me the Demon King's real weakness. A weakness that would make it impossible for you to return to the demon army once revealed.”

The black-haired beautiful girl, still smiling,

Said to Ormantor with a gentle tone.

“If you don't tell me, I'll kill you.”

“Alright, I'll tell you.”

Silence flowed again after he said he would tell her. Ormantor’s body trembled as if he were afraid of something.

“Besides that… He doesn't really have any weaknesses.”

Of course, it wasn't the heroes in front of him that he feared. What he feared was none other than the Demon King.

“The demon king is weak against twilight.”

“Should I just kill you now?”

“I don't mean normal twilight, but the twilight the angels speak of. Between light and darkness, that ‘something’ that exists beyond.”

Upon hearing those words, Yumari approached Ormantor slowly, still with a smiling face.

“Now, I can no longer return to the demon army. So please, really, just spare my life.”

And without changing her expression at all,

She very casually crushed the Dragon Lord's heart.

“You…! You clearly said you'd spare me…!”

And Yumari threw the white bead fragment to the ground. As if it was trash.

“To think you'd be fooled by such a worthless bead fragment. You’ll have to give up on your nickname ‘cunning dragon’.”

And Yumari spoke with a serious expression,

as she walked away from the scattering Ormantor.