I Became The Novel's Biggest Antagonist

Chapter 65 [Demon Subjugation Exam] [3]

"Are you kidding me..." Ivan muttered under his breath with mild irritation as his gaze lingered on the glowing score on his arm bracer.

Rank 1: Leon Cromwell

517 Points.

It had been several hours since the exam began, and up until now, Ivan had comfortably dominated the first position.

Any other student might have been ecstatic at securing the top spot, basking in the adoration and envy of their peers. Ivan, however, saw it as an inconvenience—one he'd rather do without. To the average observer, his lack of enthusiasm for such an achievement would be baffling, even maddening.

But it wasn't his objective to get into the spotlight. In fact, Ivan had gone out of his way to avoid it, hoping to blend into the crowd. Yet, despite his best efforts, here he was—center stage, with every pair of eyes in the room glued to his name at the top of the leaderboard.

It wasn't just the other students. The academy's staff, monitoring the examination through an array of surveillance cameras, would undoubtedly be paying close attention to him now. That was the last thing he wanted right now.

The irony of the situation wasn't lost on him. Ivan hadn't even intended to perform well. He had purposefully taken his time navigating the exam, dispatching any Demonic Entities he encountered like a model student of Ocryphia. At times, he even feigned difficulty, occasionally resorting to flashy, mana-draining techniques to make it seem as though he were struggling.

What he hadn't accounted for, however, was the sheer disparity in strength between himself and the Demonic Entities. The difference in difficulty between weaker and stronger foes was negligible to someone like him. Whether the creature was a minor pest or a high-ranking Artificial Demon, he dispatched them all with the same effortless way.

Unwittingly, his casual approach had backfired spectacularly. The higher-ranked demons he defeated had yielded substantial points, propelling him far beyond the other examinees—many of whom were esteemed prodigies of Ocryphia Academy.

Now, Ivan found himself trapped. The more attention he attracted, the harder it would be to move discreetly toward his true goal. Every action he took from this point on would be scrutinized by the academy's instructors and students alike.

Obviously he started regretting. If only he hadn't taken the childish exam even a little seriously....

If things continued at this pace, Ivan would end up with a record-breaking score by the end of the exam—an astronomical number never before achieved in Ocryphia's history. That would undoubtedly bother him a lot.

The logical move would be to stop engaging the Demonic Entities entirely, but withdrawing too suddenly might make him even more suspicious in the eyes of the academy staff.

"Where the hell are they?" Ivan muttered under his breath, closing his eyes.

His irritation wasn't without reason. He was searching for the Possessed—the agents of the Devil's Organization of Gehenna. They were expected to infiltrate the examination, targeting influential students like Lucas Whiteford, Ludivine Richmont, and Cattleya Starlight.

Ivan didn't have some omniscient knowledge about their exact location in the sprawling forest, but his unique circumstances gave him an edge. Housing a Devil within himself had heightened his sensitivity to demonic presences, and it didn't take him long to pinpoint their whereabouts.

"They're here," he murmured, a faint smile curling at the edges of his lips.

Now, it was only a matter of waiting for the perfect moment to intervene. The success of his plans depended on precise timing. The first step toward gaining access to the hidden Vault of Ocryphia was within reach, but there was one irritating complication: Mordred.

Mordred was bound to involve himself in some heroic spectacle. It was all too predictable—he would undoubtedly swoop in to rescue one of the female leads in their class, either Theresa or Ludivine.

Still, as long as Mordred didn't interfere with Ivan's plans, there wouldn't be an issue. But if he did... Ivan's expression darkened briefly. Well, he'd just have to handle it.

For now, though, there was still time. The best course of action to avoid further inflating his score was to lie low. Continue your story on empire

"I'll just 'rest' for now," Ivan decided, slinging his bow over his shoulder and selecting a secluded spot away from prying eyes.

402 Points.

Rank 4: Travis Rivers

425 Points.

Rank 3: Cattleya Starlight

444 Points.

Rank 2: Erion Mistral

450 Points.

Ludivine's brows furrowed as she took in the familiar standings. The top five were tightly packed, their scores mere steps apart.

And yet, nothing had changed.

Erion Mistral, widely acknowledged as the strongest student in their class, still held second place. Which meant...

She scrolled further.

Rank 1: Leon Cromwell

517 Points.

Her breath caught briefly as her eyes fell on the name. It was the same one she had seen earlier, though this time, she wasn't as shocked. Or so she told herself.

Still, the sheer margin between him and Erion and the rest of the top five was a bit shocking.

Ludivine didn't know Leon well. In truth, she barely knew anything about him. When they had crossed paths, she hadn't pegged him as someone capable of outclassing prodigies like Erion, Cattleya, or Travis. And yet, there his name was, standing far above them all.

"...!"

Her thoughts scattered as a sudden surge of malevolent mana prickled at her senses. Reacting instinctively, Ludivine leapt onto a nearby tree branch. Bow in hand, she nocked an arrow onto the string, pulling it taut.

The Demonic Entity came into view. With perfect control, she infused the arrow with Wind Affinity before releasing it.

The arrow sliced through the air and struck the Artificial Demon with deadly precision. A headshot. The creature disintegrated into nothingness, and a notification blinked on her display: +7 Points.

Ludivine allowed herself a small smile of satisfaction. But it froze the moment she lowered her gaze.

From her vantage point in the tree, she spotted someone leaning casually against a tree trunk below. A lone figure, completely at ease, as if he had no care in the world.

Leon Cromwell.