Synopsis:
Paul begins to question if he stood out too much during the last mission. But with whispers, training, and an unexpected threat at the museum, one thing becomes clear—he won't stay in the background for long.
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Chapter 3: A Diamond In The Rough
Paul stood in the academy's training area, drenched in sweat, his chest rising and falling steadily.
"I hope I didn't stand out too much during that mission…" he muttered.
He grabbed a can of water, took a long sip, and exhaled, "Ahh… refreshing."
"That's enough for today. Time to head back."
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Meanwhile…
Mira sat in her room, eyes glued to the mission footage.
"How did he pull it off…? That speed… That reload timing… This isn't just luck," she thought, eyebrows furrowed.
Just then, her device pinged. A message from Louis Hall.
> Louis: What are you up to now?
Mira: Working.
Louis: Boring stuff again, huh?
Mira: I am the heir to the Mira Family Guild. I have to work and scout talents.
Louis: So… got any talents?
Mira: Maybe.
Louis: What about that sharpshooter kid?
Mira: He's decent. Ranked 930, though.
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Elsewhere, inside Grace Guild Headquarters…
Rose Andrey, the Guild Master of Grace, watched Saul Wayne's mission footage.
"This kid… he's good. Great swordsmanship for his age. We should recruit him before someone else does."
She tapped the screen, switching to the next video.
"A cadet with a gun…?"
Her assistant nodded. "He's been making waves. Shot 50 rounds during the mission. Didn't miss a single one."
Rose narrowed her eyes. "A diamond in the rough, maybe… If he's shining this brightly without support…" She crossed her arms. "And using a gun, too? Interesting."
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Tuesday: Personal Training Day
Training sessions were posted:
> Saul: 10–0
Rachel: 16–0
Paul blinked at the scoreboard. "Wait, why am I fighting an instructor?!"
Within moments, he was down 0–10.
"Okay, I'm done. I surrender!" Paul yelled, turning to flee.
"Oh no, you don't," the instructor snapped, dragging him back.
"You're not allowed to use your gun against cadets, so you fight me!"
Dodging wildly, Paul activated his stigma skill: Miles Eyes – granting enhanced perception and tracking. He moved just in time to avoid her strikes.
"This kid… he's dodging my attacks?" the instructor muttered in disbelief.
From the sidelines, a few cadets laughed.
"Look at him! Just hopping around!"
"I'm getting my ass handed to me, and they're laughing… shut up, punks," Paul thought.
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Later, Paul bought a drink. Mira passed by, giving him a cold glare.
Paul stared back, thinking, Why does she act like a villainess?
He approached, holding out a drink. "We're in the same group. Let's try to get along."
She ignored him.
Frustrated, Paul tossed the can lightly toward her. She caught it.
"What are you doing?" she snapped.
"We're teammates. No need to act like strangers."
"Don't talk to me like we're friends!" she stormed out.
Outside, she nearly threw the drink away but paused.
"…I guess I can't waste food."
Paul, watching from a distance, grinned.
"Everyone loves junk. My plan to get her attention is working… Yeah!"
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At Diamond Academy, cadets participated in various extracurriculars—from boxing to farming, crafting to gaming. The academy encouraged hobbies as social bonding tools.
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Later… at the Expedition Club
"Welcome, everyone!" said a tall cadet with blue hair. "I'm Damian Blue, club president. Today, we're headed through the portal to Bate, the capital of Belester! We'll visit the National Museum of Art and Weaponry."
During the trip, Paul asked, "Are we free to explore?"
"Yep," Damian replied. "Just don't get lost."
Lots were drawn for partners. Paul got Mira. She immediately walked off alone.
Sigh, Paul thought. Great partner I have…
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Inside the museum, Paul spotted Saul.
"Looking for a sword?" he asked.
Saul held up a large blade. "Yeah. This one—Sword Breaker."
Before Paul could introduce himself, Saul said, "You're the cadet who picked a gun, right?"
"So I'm famous now?" Paul smirked. "I'm Paul Wayne."
"Saul Mayne," he replied.
Paul thought, So this is Diamond Academy's number one…
"There's a gun collection over there," Saul offered.
"No time," Paul said—
—then the alarms blared.
"WARNING. MONSTER INVASION DETECTED."
Panic erupted. Cadets scattered. People screamed and fell over one another.
"Stay calm!" Lila, a class leader, shouted. She smashed a display case and pulled out a bow. The museum's emergency lockdown triggered.
Paul froze. A dark presence crept up behind them.
A Phantom—a person who had made a contract with a demon—emerged.
The Phantom lunged at Lila. Saul dashed in with his sword—but was knocked away like a toy.
Paul stood in shock. What just happened?
He rushed to Saul's side. Badly injured.
Lila ran to them. The Phantom attacked again. Lila fired six arrows—they hit, but the creature laughed.
Then it charged her.
Paul leaped in and kicked it back.
"I didn't need help," Lila growled.
"Well, you got it anyway!"
The Phantom attacked Paul, who dodged rapidly. But he slipped—just as the monster's claw swiped toward him—
CLANG!
Saul, barely conscious, blocked it with Sword Breaker.
Paul retreated behind a column. They can't beat him… Even together.
He clenched his fists. I have to do something…
He activated his Stigma, infusing his next bullet with light and lightning attributes.
"Saul, MOVE!"
BOOM!
He fired.
The bullet whistled through the air—
—and struck the Phantom head-on.
END
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📢 Author's Note
Thank you so much for reading Stigma: The Sharpshooter of Diamond! 🎯
We've just crossed 1.1k views with 524 unique readers—I'm honestly grateful for every one of you taking time to read this story.
If you're enjoying Paul's journey, please consider adding this novel to your collection/library—it helps a lot! 🙏
Your support keeps this story alive and growing.
🔥 Chapter 4 drops this Friday (May 30)
Something BIG is coming… a turning point that might just change the academy forever. Stay tuned!
Feel free to leave a comment, share your thoughts, or even suggest what you'd like to see next. Your feedback means the world.
Until then,
— The Author
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