Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Hey Hey!! Don't Freak Out and Shut Up!!! This is Why Bitches Don't Suit Being Heroes!
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⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ We are announcing an emergency matter to all students. Due to the explosive surge in Ark's gate values, we are declaring a state of emergency curfew. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ All external activities and mana usage are strictly prohibited. Students, please return to your dormitories immediately. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ We will announce it once more... Sirens blared across the entirety of Ark, accompanied by the recorded voice.
The second- and third-years, who had experience with curfews, immediately followed the instructions.
But for the first-years, this was an unfamiliar situation.
"What the hell is this?"
"Isn't the broadcast glitched or something?"
"Let's go grab some ice cream."
A surge in gate values was the precursor to a large-scale dungeon phenomenon.
It was a frequent disaster on Ark Island, like earthquakes in Japan, but to kids from the cities, it was a threat that didn't feel real.
"You kids! Didn't you hear the announcement?! Get back now!!"
Professors and the student council stepped in to control the children.
Skeletons presumed to be summoned by Seol Ha-jeong assisted with guidance all over the school.
I, too, was on my way back to the dorm after parting ways with Seol Ha-jeong.
Of course, I had no intention of just heading back like that.
"Hey! Elder Sow!"
"!"
Shin Hye-won came rushing over, finger to her lips.
"I told you not to call me that outside!"
"Kukuku. Sis, then is it okay to call you sow when we're alone?"
"I-I hate that too, but... if you really wanna call me something..."
"Hah? It was a joke, duh?"
"......"
"You done with what I told you to do?"
"Yeah."
The vice head slipped an ID badge around my neck.
"If you stick with me, you can move freely even under curfew."
Ark's faculty and student council would patrol to suppress the dungeon phenomenon early.
I'd been assigned to a patrol squad under the vice head's authority.
"You got badges for the sows too?"
"Sorry, but even including you—one student outside the student council—is a burden for the patrol squads."
"Hah?"
Twing!
I flicked the sow name tag pinned to her chest with my finger.
"Eut...!"
She straightened her back, tensing up rigidly.
"Let it slide just this once?"
"Th-thanks..."
And so, I ended up patrolling with the vice head.
"Kim Taeyang. You seem pretty calm even in this sudden situation..."
"Isn't that obvious? What's the big deal about some gate values going up? Why's everyone freaking out?"
High values don't mean a 100% chance of a dungeon phenomenon.
It's just a possibility, but ignoring it could lead to massive casualties, so that's why they make a fuss.
But right now, the student council had deliberately jacked up the values.
Probably using mana engineering tools.
They'd fine-tune it to prevent an actual phenomenon.
In the original story, this was a trap to flush out infiltrating villains.
The villains would bite the bait, trigger the dungeon, and the student council plus player would take them down—a standard plot.
Of course, that was for noob players.
For veterans, villains didn't matter.
The dungeon triggered by villains.
The real treasure was hidden inside it.
'But right now, there are no villains.'
Villains don't infiltrate until the second semester.
Meaning no reason for a dungeon to spawn now.
So, I needed to tweak the situation a bit myself.
'Time to make a villain!!!!'
If there's no teeth, chew with gums—it'll do.
Luckily, there was one dreamer in the ranch aspiring to be a villain.
*
"As expected of God of Thugs Kim Taeyang!! He's finally showing his true colors!!!"
On the dorm rooftop.
Rebel Nam and the thug crew were gathered.
It violated curfew, but they didn't care.
"Today is when Ark is at its most vulnerable! Taeyang was waiting for this moment!"
"He's trying to topple Ark with this one shot!"
"What a truly insane, evil plan!! That guy's definitely a demon!! Kukuku...!"
This time, it wasn't empty words.
Proof: they were emitting mana.
Pzzt-
Sparks flew from the pooled mana.
Massive mana stimulates gate values.
Fluctuations increase the odds of a dungeon phenomenon.
One of the thugs emitting mana flinched at the sparks.
"...This is kinda dangerous."
"Yeah! This is seriously risky!! Kukuku."
"No, not like that... Hang-nam. Think about it. Is this really the right thing to do?"
"What? What kinda goody-two-shoes crap is that? Isn't this the big incident we've been waiting for?!"
"What if a dungeon really spawns? What if someone gets hurt because of us?"
Rebel Nam and the thugs.
They were twisted kids.
Until enrolling in Ark, they were true thugs armed with the criminal spirit to beat down goody-goodies and extort cash anytime.
However.
"Hurting others is wrong, right? It violates the code of conduct too."
"Y-yeah... Even among delinquents, there are good ones and bad ones. If we have to pick, we're closer to the good side..."
Their minds had been brainwashed from hanging with Kim Taeyang...!
All that remained of their thug spirit was the name...!
"Yamero!"
"?"
Rebel Nam bellowed.
It was kitten-like compared to Kim Taeyang's, but it drew attention anyway.
"Hey, you idiots. You messing around? Good delinquents? Hah. Unbelievable..."
"You know it too, Hang-nam! Taeyang's not a bad delinquent—he's a good one! We're just trying to be good delinquents like him!!"
The thugs thought Rebel Nam was finally getting serious.
He was a thug among thugs, after all.
But reality was different.
"You morons!! Don't you trust Taeyang?!!"
"?"
"Taeyang—the good delinquent—really intends to trigger a dungeon phenomenon to make Ark even stronger!!"
What set Rebel Nam apart from the other thugs.
Faith.
"Right here! His real plan is written on this paper!"
"......!"
Only the sound of gulps for a moment.
Then weird laughter bubbled up, spreading sideways.
"Ha, haha! S-so that's it?!"
"As expected...! Good Delinquent Kim Taeyang!!"
"I believed in you! So what's the plan?!"
"It's classified for security. So shut up and emit mana!"
"Okey dokey!"
And so the mana emission resumed.
Rebel Nam, clutching the paper, was trembling slightly.
Because it wasn't a plan written on it.
When Kim Taeyang handed him the note, he'd said:
-If you get suspicious, open it.
The note read:
-Hey hey!!! You dare doubt me?!!! If you don't do it right, I'll beat you to death?!!!! Huh?!!!!!
'He said it'd make me feel hurt and scared...!'
Rebel Nam was just spooked.
No one knew the real plan.
*
Seol Ha-jeong and Lena were patrolling too.
They weren't particularly tense.
The student council had everything under perfect control.
"Is the surveillance going well?"
"Student council forces are thoroughly watching Kim Taeyang and his livestock, so no need to worry."
"While curfew's in effect, we need to oust Kim Taeyang or at least dismantle the ranch. Once it's safe, the school will pressure us to lift it, so let's wrap this up quick."
"Got it."
Even as student council president, declaring curfew over these gate values was a bit excessive.
The school knew, so they mobilized all faculty to lift it fast.
'Normally, I wouldn't push this hard, but Taeyang crossed the line.'
Seol Ha-jeong admitted it.
She was responding emotionally.
'This is all because of you.'
And she'd use that emotion as a pyre to burn Kim Taeyang.
"Let's hurry."
At that moment, as they moved.
A burly thug appeared from the hallway corner.
"Hey! President Sow!! Fancy running into you at night, huh?!"
"Taeyang? How did you..."
She pieced it together seeing Shin Hye-won behind him.
"The vice head's doing, I see."
"Got a problem?"
"Of course not. As fellow patrol members, I just hope you stay safe."
As they tried to pass.
Kim Taeyang roughly grabbed Seol Ha-jeong's arm.
"Dictator Sow. You really pulled off this bullshit, huh? When it all blows up, you might have to shove a naked dodgeball up your ass in front of the whole school? Kukuku."
"No idea what you're talking about."
"Hah? You think I don't know you set this up?!!"
"If you insult me more, I might not stay quiet."
She hid her expression, but it wouldn't be a lie to say she wasn't scared.
Provoking Kim Taeyang on purpose was definitely an emotional mistake.
"What if casualties happen because of this?! Huh?!! You can't protect the students' safety and instead threaten their lives—you're done as president, you bitch!!!"
"The gate surge is a disaster situation, sure. But if we handle it right, nothing'll happen. So Taeyang, drop the baseless delusions and do your patrol duty."
"If a dungeon phenomenon breaks out, it's all on you!! Got it?!! Apologize with a naked dodgeball in front of the students and quit on the spot!!!"
Seol Ha-jeong let out a faint sigh and smiled.
"I bear no responsibility for this. And the dungeon phenomenon absolutely won't hap—?"
That instant.
The hairs on her body stood on end.
A hero's instinctive crisis sense.
The vice head reacted first.
"Dungeon phenomenon!! Everyone fall back!!!"
"?!"
Shhhk-!
Mana sparks erupted from spots in the hallway.
Everyone retreated to safety.
They immediately went on alert, bracing for gates or monsters.
But the man whose brain was pickled in pride.
Kim Taeyang stood firm and said this.
"Hah? You pussies backing up is fucking hilarious!!"
"K-Kim Taeyang! Be careful!! A gate...?!"
A gate like a demon's maw formed right next to where Kim Taeyang stood.
"Hey hey!! Don't freak out and shut up!!! This is why bitches don't suit being heroes!"
"It's a variant gate!! We don't know what dungeon it is, so hurry—"
That moment.
Crunch-
The sharp-toothed gate swallowed Kim Taeyang in one bite.
"......?"
It happened in a flash.
Kim Taeyang got sucked into the dungeon right before their eyes.
Even in that brief moment, Seol Ha-jeong's mind raced.
'Why did the dungeon phenomenon happen...? No, that's not important now.'
She hadn't intended to actually trigger one.
Just set the stage for curfew.
'Casualties on duty are unacceptable!'
She did want Kim Taeyang gone.
But not like this.
If it was a situation outside her full control, his disappearance or death would be a huge scandal as president.
And Lena read Seol Ha-jeong's thoughts perfectly.
As Seol Ha-jeong moved to throw herself into the gate.
"Sorry, President."
"Ugh...?!"
Lena shoved Seol Ha-jeong aside and leaped into the gate.
It closed instantly, vanishing before their eyes.
"Lena...?"
Seol Ha-jeong's pupils shook violently.
The vice head beside her was the same.
"Ah, I haven't gotten my free PT yet...?"
*
"Woo-hoo~ Got myself a leisurely vacation on a deserted island with no one around~☆ No more boring academy life for a while!!"
This hidden dungeon's gimmick: Survive on an uninhabited island!
Just last 30 days, and you're done!
For newbies, it was daunting.
Waste your daily action points, and you'd starve to death.
But I knew all the ways to get food, water, hidden items—plenty.
It was basically a vacation.
Plus this uninhabited island's scenery.
Seeing it for real? Insane!
The water's crystal clear!! No way, for real?!!
"Hey hey!! Is this island a bitch or what?!! The view's making me horny as fuck?!! Kukukuku!!"
I'd been needing some alone time lately—perfect...!
-Or so I thought, for all of 10 seconds.
Splash!
"Hah?"
A woman dropped onto the beach.
Lena Erandel.
"Hey hey!!! What the fuck are you doing following me?!!!!"
"Here to save your ass, asshole."
"I don't need help from a bitch like you!!!! Don't ruin my vacation!!!!!!!"
Lena brushed off the sand and stood.
She pulled a tri-color ballpoint pen from her chest pocket.
It extended long, then clicked and transformed.
Into something like a gatling gun.
"Guess I gotta believe in fate. Not only do we meet again, but I get this shot at revenge too."
"What bullshit are you spouting, bitch?!!!"
Lena aimed the gatling at me.
Looking ready to fire any second.
"You really don't remember? The girl you called European sow...!"
"?"
The only European sow I know is Spanish frozen pork belly...?
Whatever, I'd hear the details later.
First, deal with that ridiculous pen machine gun.
"Hey."
I approached Lena.
She flinched, aiming at my heart.
"Don't move and answer! I'll shoot!"
"Shoot."
"......!"
Hecate's gatling form is undeniably powerful.
Pull the trigger, and my body's drenched in cursed ink, collapsing under debuffs.
But this is inside a dungeon.
Dungeons have rules.
This island absorbs mana.
Even constellation mana—no exceptions. Use a stigmata, and you're exhausted.
"You said shoot."
Lena smirked.
Vrrrrm-
The gatling barrels started spinning.
"Worried I still like you...?!"
Like me?
So she was dating Kim Taeyang?
Whatever...
Thinking calmly, this situation's perfect.
I alone know where to find food, water, essentials.
Lena'll starve soon,
And her constellation Hecate will run dry on mana.
Only I can fix that.
'Woo-hoo~ Gonna snag an SSS-rank constellation with sticky, ink-juicy tits!'
-My mouth itched to yell it quick!!!