Chapter 122
Chapter 122
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 122 – The Student Council Bullies Gather in the Shadow World2024-05-22 Author: Poor Xixi
The early morning sky was still painted in bluish-gray, with a few lonely stars clinging to the fading curtain of night, reluctant to leave.
The entire Ikerite Academy remained in slumber, wrapped in silence.
Today the mist was heavy, the air damp yet fresh.
The three members of the “Model of Civility Squad” had already gathered as promised. After finishing breakfast, they strolled along the academy’s wide, twilight-shrouded avenues as if taking a leisurely walk.
“This time, the three of us are gonna crush everything in sight.”
“...You two crush everything, I’ll just cheer for you.”
“Huperion, you must protect me, you know! Frey won’t care about me at all!”
The three of them didn’t seem to mind the tranquility of the academy at five in the morning, nor the freshness in the air.
Over the past month, the newcomer Frey had already meshed well with Lan Qi and Huperion, becoming a trusted companion.
On days when they had classes at the Sage’s Institute, Lan Qi and Huperion often spent more time together, but as long as they stopped by the Student Council room afterward, they would usually run into Frey.
Sometimes Frey sat on the sofa reading newspapers, sometimes he played chess with the president, and other times he simply vanished without a trace.
Lan Qi often joked that their little team had finally completed the iron triangle of warrior–mage–healer.
But Huperion thought they looked more like a rogue–hunter–shaman setup.
She herself had already fallen into the role of a stealth-based utility rogue.
Frey’s combat class wasn’t tank-warrior or burst-assassin at all—he turned out to be a trap-style hunter.
As for Lan Qi... that inhuman bastard just summoned a bunch of disgusting aura-based creatures and stood there like a shaman.
To this day, Huperion still couldn’t figure out how the three of them actually managed to fight Shadow Worlds together.
As for handling school affairs, whenever President Monaster sent them to deal with something, Huperion would step forward like a polite bank clerk, carefully explaining the Student Council’s intentions.
At that point, most underclassmen—seeing Lan Qi and Frey looming not far away—would immediately cooperate without much fuss.
For those few individualistic students who still refused...
Huperion would politely step back and let Lan Qi and Frey “communicate.”
So far, not a single complaint or negative report had been filed against their work.
Even the president said they were perfectly reliable.
And yet... somehow rumors had begun circulating through the academy about a so-called “Capital’s Three Bullies Squad.”
Two months since enrollment had quietly slipped by, and it was already November.
The late autumn mornings carried a sharp chill, as though all warmth had been frozen by winter’s advancing scouts.
Although today was Friday—a normal school day—the early hour meant the campus was still mostly empty.
Now and then they spotted a janitor or two, or the occasional strange student hauling party or camping equipment toward Gerald Memorial Square.
The three exchanged confused glances.
Soon, they arrived at the very heart of Ikerite Academy—
Even at dawn, the cubic, deep-blue iron fortress sealing the Void Gate was layered with powerful barrier arrays, exuding the aura of a heavily restricted zone. Royal Palace Knights patrolled with vigilance, ever on guard.
At the first security checkpoint, the three used their student wristbands and registered Challenger Licenses to enter through the only official gate, and then passed through several more layers of inspection.
“In just two days, Yaloran Academy’s academic delegation will arrive for a two-week exchange visit.”
Lan Qi spoke softly in the corridor, his voice echoing solemnly in the vast chamber.
“Not sure how long we’ll be stuck in the Shadow World this time...”
His eyes betrayed a faint guilt, as though he regretted not being able to contribute during the coming exchange.
Though the president told them to focus on conquering the Shadow World without worrying about Student Council affairs, Lan Qi’s heart still clung to the academy’s peace and order.
While they were away, the Student Council would at least ensure three others were on duty; the secretary would even work overtime.
The president and secretary, as Alchemy Institute staffers, didn’t need to challenge Shadow Worlds. The vice president, Asuna, was a formidable mental-type mage, but her rank was too far below to join the freshmen trio’s party.
She admitted herself that even if she closed the gap to within two tiers, she wasn’t suited for their tempo. She preferred working in tandem with the president.
At Lan Qi’s sigh, Frey nodded.
“If it’s a short Shadow World like last time—done in a day—we can rest afterward and then come back to help the president.”
He spoke calmly, even with a faint smile, as though he too wanted to be of help.
The length of a Shadow World was never predictable.
While generally tied to its rank, the fluctuation range was enormous.
“Chances are we’ll be back soon. You two don’t need to worry.”
Huperion, hearing the two of them talk, had intended to remain silent—but in the end, she sighed helplessly.
In truth, she hoped the Shadow World would last longer.
Lan Qi and Frey—these two disaster twins—absolutely could not represent either Hedon Kingdom or Ikerite Academy’s average or normal standard.
If they returned to act as Council officers and handled official matters with the Yaloran delegation, Huperion feared it would give their international guests a very wrong impression of Hedon’s national character.
And worst of all, she herself—despite always being the most normal of the three—kept getting dragged down with them! Her reputation, already hanging by a thread, was now plummeting into “inhuman menace” territory!
Their shadows stretched long under the lamps along the silent corridor until finally, they reached the inner sanctum.
Ahead, the giant portal to another Shadow World shimmered with shifting, star-like lights across its mirror-like surface.
“Frey, you’ve got the ‘Model of Civility Squad’ party card with you, right?”
Lan Qi looked ahead at the final checkpoint and the empty hall, turning to ask their newest member.
To proceed, they needed to register their Challenger Licenses and have the staff check their [Shadow World Record Program] gear.
If using the [Shadow World Sync Program] for a team challenge, they’d also need to register party info.
“No problem.”
Frey produced the party card, a confident grin curling his lips.
Though this was his first real Shadow World challenge, his bearing was anything but that of a rookie.
The three handed over their licenses and two sets of tool-magic cards for inspection, waiting patiently as the South Continent Shadow World Management Association staff processed their registration.
Since teamwork fostered trust and synergy, a coordinated group was far stronger than random individuals. But correspondingly, the difficulty also scaled up with party size.
“Alright, once you’re back, let me read your [Shadow World Record Programs] again and you can reclaim your licenses.”
The young female staffer smiled, returning their tool-cards. The gate in front of them slid open.
They thanked her, retrieved their cards, and walked toward the Void Gate.
About a hundred paces away, they chatted casually, until they stood before the abyss.
The Void Gate resembled a bottomless black hole. Even standing before it, they could feel an invisible pull, as though it wanted to drag every nearby lifeform into its endless unknown.
“Comrades, ready?”
Lan Qi stretched lazily, raising his hand toward Huperion and Frey.
“With you here, I’m not afraid.”
Huperion smiled, no longer harboring the hidden fear or hesitation she’d once felt when first entering a Shadow World.
“I’ve been waiting for this.”
For Frey, the Void Gate seemed as exhilarating as the entrance to Ikerite’s Crown Casino.
With those words, they stepped through the watery surface of the Void Gate.
At once—total darkness. Sight, sound, even their own heartbeat vanished.
It felt as though countless gears meshed and turned, their roaring grind echoing across the void.
[Blood Moon Calamity – Node 2/4 ‘Beginning of the Sacred Rite’ history projection has been resolved.]