Relocation Exam (6): The Yellow Sky
I looked up at the sky and said, “We should probably divide the labor.”
“Divide the labor?”
Rustilla looked up as well. Even though the sun hung high overhead, the sky had taken on a faint yellowish tint.
“……Ah.”
A semi-ether barrier that sometimes forms when a monster appears. It makes the creature’s movements smoother. Destroying that barrier had to be our first priority.
Rustilla nodded. “What? Why are you two talking like you’re the only ones who know what’s going on?”
Seti suddenly wedged herself between us. I gave my sister a quick explanation. She looked skeptical at first, but when Rustilla backed me up, her face went blank.
“……A monster appeared?”
“Yeah.”
“Then aren’t we completely screwed?”
“Sis, let’s watch the language.”
“No, we’re seriously screwed!”
Seti’s shoulders shook. “I thought something huge was going to happen during the relocation exam. And now this again? Seriously, give it a rest!”
“Sis.”
“Ah, I get it. I know I need to keep my head on straight.”
That’s my sister for you. Nerves of steel.
“Seti, Eidel.” Rustilla spoke up. “I’ll go find the monster. You two spread the word to every friend you can reach.”
“What? That’s dangerous, sis!”
“It is dangerous.” Rustilla shrugged, then looked at me with complete calm. “When I fought those B-rank golems…… how did my skills look to you?”
“You could probably take on an A-rank without much trouble.”
A-rank is the highest level most ordinary swordsmen ever reach. Someone with average physical abilities like mine would probably top out there. But Rustilla is different. She received an abundant blessing from the stars, and her physical capabilities far surpass those of normal people. Individuals like her are called Irregulars. You can’t compare a genius’s body to an ordinary one. Rustilla had started at A-rank from the moment she was born.
“Rustilla.”
“Yeah.”
“Go.”
“……”
“Don’t get hurt. And don’t die.”
“I won’t die.”
Rustilla smiled brightly. Seti, on the other hand, nearly jumped out of her skin at my answer.
“Hey! Are you seriously sending Rustilla sis to her death?”
“Of course not.”
Truthfully, I wanted to stop her too. But this was the future Sword Saint we were talking about. Her potential was already proven; all she needed now was real combat experience. Her sword had already demonstrated its edge by cutting down dozens of B-rank golems.
I watched Rustilla disappear into the distance and spoke to Seti. “……Stopping her now would only get in her way.”
“In her way, my ass……!”
“Trust me, sis.”
She would distinguish herself through this incident. And if things went well, she might even resolve the problem of her parents’ interference that had been weighing on her. The odds were in her favor. Even if something unexpected happened, I would handle it.
“Let’s tell everyone.” I said to Seti.
Seti shook her head.
Announcement to all students in the examination grounds.
“Everyone’s going to find out anyway, right?”
The vice principal’s voice boomed across the mountain range.
An A-rank estimated monster has appeared in the relocation exam grounds. This is a real situation. Please evacuate safely under the guidance of nearby staff.
“……”
The favor Rustilla asked for had been taken care of without any effort on our part.
“Let’s change the plan.”
“To what?”
To what we originally intended. I pointed at the sky. “Let’s break that barrier.”
The teachers’ footsteps quickened. They had just received word from the supervisors on site that an unidentified monster was roaming the grounds. It hadn’t taken long to realize it was a beast released by an Outer God.
“Is an S-rank swordsman on the way?”
“We just heard back from the Ministry of Defense. They said they don’t know when arrival will be……”
“Damn it!”
Vice Principal Evan Lotus sighed as he slammed the receiver down. “How did things get this bad?”
“There might be a hole in the Ether Belt.” Colleague teacher Karlen Hubbleway answered, stroking her chin. She studied the map of the forested exam grounds and circled several areas. “We learned a painful lesson during the entrance exam. There are no safe zones in our universe. But don’t you think it’s strange that this academy keeps getting targeted?”
“Teacher Hubbleway, we don’t have time for regrets right now.”
“I know. That’s why I’m checking the monster’s location and everything else.”
Karlen taught social studies and history, but her true specialty was Outer God studies. She understood the general behavior patterns of monsters to some degree.
“There’s a low hill in the northwest. Based on the CCTV, it probably went that way.”
“Then let’s send the swordsmen in that direction.”
The academy had stationed swordsmen to prevent a repeat of the disaster during the practical exam. Most were well-trained B or A-rank. Since a C-rank had appeared last time, they had assumed this round would bring a B or A-level threat. That was why the broadcast had mentioned A-rank, the highest realistic possibility. In truth, they had no idea what rank it actually was. If it turned out to be C, that would be a relief. But after cross-referencing witness accounts with the creature visible on the monitors, the conclusion was clear: it was neither C nor B.
“What is that?”
“Its outer shell looks like steel.”
“Maxwell faction, or Darwin faction……”
The four categories of Outer Gods, named after the four great devils of scientific history. Each type produced monsters with distinct characteristics.
“If it’s wearing iron plating, it’s obviously Maxwell.”
Karlen answered the non-specialists who were heatedly debating Maxwell versus Descartes while staring at the live feed.
At that moment, a swordsman wearing a green armband entered the control room.
“We have a problem. A semi-ether barrier is blocking the way. We can’t get inside easily!”
“What?”
The swordsman continued his report. In short, even plasma weapons couldn’t penetrate the barrier erected around the interior.
“Damn it, this just got a lot more complicated.”
Soon after, another swordsman rushed in.
“The barrier has disappeared!”
— Successfully removed the barrier cast by the Maxwell-type Avatar.
— Received 3000 Fron as sub-quest completion reward!
Perfect. That felt good. Breaking it had been simple. One tap with the calipers and it came crashing down. The Outer God’s weapon really was overpowered.
“Seti, you should head back and rest.”
“No.”
Seti stuck right behind me. “I’m not going anywhere safe until I see that sis is okay.”
“Hey, if you keep throwing a fit like that……”
“What reason do I have to live without Rustilla sis around?”
“……”
I sighed. “Sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
Seti had grown up being ignored even by her own blood relatives. Rustilla, whom she treated like a real sister, was someone she valued enough to trade her life for. How could I have forgotten that?
“Let’s go together.”
Seti gave a small nod. Rustilla had headed northwest. If we moved quickly, we might run into her while she was confronting the monster. A weakling like me wouldn’t be much help, but with the calipers, I figured we could manage somehow.
We arrived at a wide clearing in the north.
About a dozen swordsmen were already there, facing off against a massive reptile-shaped chimera standing ten meters tall.
“Wh-what is that?”
Seti covered her mouth. Her yellow pupils trembled.
— The basic protection of the Descartes-type Outer God has activated.
— Due to the effect of ‘Mental Stability,’ you remain calm even when witnessing shocking subjects or scenes.
That thing looked like a nightmare to catch.
“Everyone, spread out!”
A woman wearing a blue armband was commanding the group. An A-rank swordsman. Her face was clearly filled with fear. It couldn’t be helped.
— S-rank Monster ‘Lenaniai’ Subjugation: (0/1)
Normally, a swordsman of the same rank could defeat a monster of equal or lower rank in a one-on-one fight. None of the people here could guarantee victory against that thing.
— ‘Lenaniai’ uses <Paralysis Poison Sting>.
A poison stinger launched from the monster’s tail at incredible speed. Seti and I dove behind a tree. A quick glance showed that everyone else had managed to dodge as well.
— ‘Lenaniai’ uses <Smash>.
Thud! The follow-up physical attack sent several B-rank swordsmen flying from the shockwave. One of them had a familiar face.
“Ah!”
“Mezlen!”
When Mezlen fell, Christine quickly pulled her to safety. A crater immediately formed where she had been lying.
“Ru, Rustilla sis……”
Seti’s trembling eyes searched for Rustilla. Fortunately, she was still standing, though her clothes were filthy and several cuts marked her face. She wasn’t the only one. Plenty of familiar faces filled the clearing. A large number of elite-class students had gathered here.
“Over here! Here!”
Despite the swordsmen’s warnings, they were doing everything they could to draw even a fraction of the monster’s attention. I made my decision. I had to join the fight.
I pulled out the calipers and started to rise—when someone came flying straight toward me from the side.