The Worst Spot Imaginable
“Instructor Juyeon! We have an emergency!”
Even with radios available, knights had flown all the way to the transport ship.
Juyeon calmed the urgent knights and received their report with composure.
“A massive horde of sea monsters is crawling onto land...!”
“So that's what I've been sensing since earlier. What's the monsters' level?”
Juyeon wasn't surprised by the Paradise Knights' report.
Observation of anomalies.
It was just the confirmation of a foreboding unease that had been flickering all along, so she remained calm.
“Most of them surpass the cadets' capabilities. They aren't native to habitats near this uninhabited island to begin with.”
“Any other peculiarities?”
“...The monsters' conditions are off.”
“Tell me everything you've observed.”
The Paradise Knights were elite selectees.
They knew time was a resource that couldn't be replaced.
Thus, they compressed the information and began a concise briefing for Juyeon.
“First, every monster's eyes are uniformly red.”
Whether due to that or not, they displayed abnormal aggression, ignoring pain.
Even stabbing vitals or delivering heavy blows—they shrugged it off.
They charged like cornered beasts until death, making them take far more effort to dispatch than usual.
“And all electronic devices are completely dead.”
Juyeon immediately grabbed two radios.
One for communicating with the academy instructors, the other including the Paradise Knights.
“This is Transport Ship 1, Juyeon. Responding personnel, reply.”
No answer. Even switching to the emergency channel, no voices came through.
The inter-ship radio hanging nearby was also dead.
Signal jammer? Given the neutralization range, some kind of skill in that vein?
Either way, no need to panic.
There was nothing but to act calmly.
Stealthy and thorough...
Making machines fail without a mouse or bird noticing was one thing.
If the monsters' abnormal states were also some skill, there had to be a reason they hadn't detected it despite watching the uninhabited island.
They knew academy instructors and Paradise Knights were present, yet still reached out—meaning they'd prepared thoroughly.
“I sense clear malice.”
At Juyeon's words, the knights steeled themselves.
They'd fought through countless battlefields since joining the Paradise Knights, even if not on the level of the general before them.
Their seasoned bones had sharpened their instincts.
“Instructor Juyeon. If you have a plan, please instruct us. We'll fly around and relay it.”
“Thank you. For the cadets' safety, we'll end the practical exam here.”
“Understood!”
Grading could still be done based on events so far.
Worst case, switch to an internal academy exam and combine scores.
Complaints or not, it couldn't be helped.
For the academy, cadet safety was always priority one.
“First, Paradise Knights, relay the situation to the instructors and assemble the cadets in a safe location.”
“Yes!”
“And one of you, leave the uninhabited island and measure the range of the device neutralization. Once you reach where the radio works, access the emergency channel and inform the academy.”
“I'll do it!”
A female knight spoke up, confident in her speed.
“I'll go around the transport ship and request it descend to the lowest possible altitude. Then immediately—.”
Juyeon quickly began delegating tasks.
Paradise Knights Captain Lancelot was absent. No help there.
Not a time for regret—the enemy had surely targeted that gap.
Who are they after? Hard to pin down the target.
This uninhabited island had plenty worth criminals sacrificing for.
Cadets alone included children of celebrities, and as a famed Sepia Archipelago force, the Paradise Knights had punished countless villains.
Academy instructors were also veterans with hefty records.
Or perhaps.
Pushing aside all those possibilities, maybe they were targeting her—Juyeon herself, having that very thought.
She was aware.
“...”
Flames blazed fiercely in Juyeon's eyes.
Shing!
Rohan drew his sword and cleaved two mindless Honebirds in half.
—Kkibek!
—Salkpi!
Heavy chunks of meat thudded onto the dirt.
With their lifelines severed, the reddened eyes slowly faded.
“Tch.”
His worries deepened.
I figured it'd hit on the last day, naturally...
Thinking back, even in Abyss City, no specific date was mentioned.
Rohan looked up at the transport ship in the sky.
Instructor must have grasped the situation by now.
Even realizing it just now wasn't too late.
It was the expected outcome.
Hex's factors held mana, repeatedly manufactured in skill form.
But releasing the mana turned them into mere drugs swayed by faint mana.
Hex's skills, techniques, and artifacts.
Three elements in perfect harmony—even Juyeon, with her vast perception, couldn't easily detect it.
Especially now, focused on the island's cadets.
Hex had also mixed in weak crab-eyed grade monsters into the island and sea.
Spreading the abnormal status Rage and pheromones luring sea monsters onto land.
Annoying bastards.
Rohan kicked the Honebird chunks into the brush.
Hex's drug-skills evaporated upon death.
Evidence destruction meant safe to eat, but it felt gross, so no thanks.
“...”
Sheathing his longsword, Rohan closed his eyes.
Mulling it over. Pondering. Considering every angle.
The Reverse Praise Society's brains are coming.
An overwhelming evil beyond my current power.
No one on this island could match it but Juyeon.
Then I need to prepare.
Rohan opened the Shop immediately.
Everything for contingencies—he hated regretting inaction.
No complacency.
Remembering the text about rampaging monsters.
Beyond Omega, there were plenty of unsettling factors at play. I couldn't just sit still and wait for safety.
Large-Capacity Combat Rations
Bottled Water
Four each.
His inventory brimmed.
Feels like I'm a real dad now.
Portioned for big-eater Noah, she'd regain full strength.
Ichinose and Corin could eat till satisfied without sluggishness.
·
·
Returning to camp, Rohan unpacked rations and water without a change in expression.
The girls wrestling the fire gaped wide-eyed.
“Rohan, what on earth did you scrounge up...?”
“Combat rations—food, right? And water too!”
Noah's tail whirred like a propeller.
Strong winds from it made the fire flicker wildly.
“Hidden supply cache on the island, I guess. Lucky find. Let's eat.”
“I-Is that okay...?”
Corin glanced nervously, looking guilty.
Perfect timing to explain, Rohan thought, sitting to prep the self-heating rations.
“We gotta eat. Saw something weird earlier.”
“Weird?”
Monsters' states abnormal. Overly aggressive.
Not just Honebirds—others too, he embellished.
Just in case, maintain condition, he urged Corin to eat freely.
Light convincing done.
Ichinose voiced doubt first.
“Definitely odd. Never heard of this.”
“Werewolves go berserk under full moons, right? Like that?”
Ichinose tilted her head at Corin's idea.
Noah ignored their serious talk, laser-focused on Rohan's prepping rations.
“That's specific monsters. Never heard of Honebirds or Iron Turtles doing it.”
“Academy messing with the exam?”
“Dunno. Safety-related, they'd have warned us ahead...”
With Rohan silent.
No clear answers from cadet head-scratching.
“Food first.”
Rohan pulled out finished curry and mapo tofu.
Girls gulped, unable to hold back.
Even Ichinose, sharing ramen with Corin, no exception.
·
·
Satisfied meal over.
Rohan asked the girls to tend the fire, gathered firewood while scouting surroundings.
Worries didn't stop.
Omega invaded via Hex's power. Empty spot by chance, so flared mana to call instructor.
In Abyss City, grand battle right on arrival.
But now, key difference.
What was the invasion method? Location?
Entry and exit likely different spots.
Whatever, avoid that position.
If cadets near Omega's spawn, chase them off.
Given the bastard's vicious nature, vacate like in the game—let him face Juyeon. Best flow.
“Hmm...”
Gathering firewood, Rohan checked for oversights.
Not thrilled with the haul, turning back—
Ground shook like an earthquake.
“!!!”
——Kugugugugu!!! Growing rumble.
Something coming this way. Shaking so hard, hard to keep balance.
Fwhoosh!!!
Worm burst through damp soil.
Purple-pink body, exposed part ~3m.
Not small.
Shit!
Uninhabited island no worm habitat.
But here it was. Had to deal.
Clank!
Rohan dropped firewood, drew longsword.
“Huuu...”
Exhaling, he took stance—but
Worm halted, no attack sign.
Can I move?
No relief. Just unease.
Only thought: flee to camp friends.
—Guluk!
Thick body writhed.
—Guweeeek!
Burly worm vomited a human.
Huge man thudded down.
Burn-scarred face, jaw plated in black machinery.
Rohan froze, locking eyes.
“Academy cadet, eh. Hahaha!!! Found you proper.”
Worst of all conceivable scenarios.
Rohan's mind blanked to one vulgar thought: fucked.
Encountered the Human Traitor Omega.
Acquired 40P