Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Aftermath (8)
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"Damn it...!"
Crash!
The student council room at Solaris Hero Academy.
Ivan, who had just arrived, hurled objects around, venting his rage.
"Shit! Shit! Shiiiit...!"
The display case filled with trophies, medals, and plaques toppled over with a deafening crash.
Even that wasn't enough to quell his fury, so he ransacked the documents on the desk before finally calming down.
"P-President!"
Meanwhile, the vice president rushed into the room at the sound of the commotion inside and was shocked by Ivan's state.
"W-What the hell is going on...!"
"Those damn councilors...!"
They'd clung to him when it suited them, but the moment things turned slightly against them, they betrayed him without hesitation!
'Fucking losers without a hero's pride!'
Cowards who bowed to the council president's power and wanted to be ruled by him!
He never should have made plans with trash like that!
"Argh! Our school's trophies...!"
The vice president exploded in anger at the sight of the cherished trophies scattered mercilessly across the floor and confronted Ivan.
"What the hell happened, President?! Why take it out on innocent stuff?!"
"The impeachment of the council president failed."
"Just over that... What?! For real?!"
At the same time, the trophy the vice president had picked up crashed back to the floor.
"Kyaaah...!"
The vice president screamed belatedly upon realizing it, and Ivan continued his explanation.
"All the councilors who promised to back us beforehand turned tail. The goal was to pressure the president and push through a vote of no confidence, but we didn't hit the majority, so it fell through."
No, they couldn't even proceed with the vote in the first place.
What could they do when the man in question, the council president himself, wasn't even there?
'He definitely knew and bailed on purpose.'
At the time, he'd been too overwhelmed by the guy's presence to stop him from leaving, but in hindsight, he should have done anything to keep him there.
That way, at least they could have dragged him to the stand and held the vote.
'Votes are conducted anonymously. No need to worry about external pressure, so even councilors who'd flipped once would have calmed down and changed their minds.'
The whole point of calling the hearing was to leverage the delegate assembly's voting system to challenge his position.
If the vote had gone through, the councilors they'd bought off beforehand would have secured the majority. But he blocked the attempt entirely—there was no way around it.
In the end, the president leaving the meeting early had been the decisive blow.
"Uh, so our next plan's scrapped too? We already roped in those student groups protesting the gate incident."
"...Put it on hold for now."
"You were the one popping champagne early, saying it'd definitely work."
"I underestimated him. He was beyond anything I imagined."
He hadn't looked down on him originally, but the council president had exceeded even Ivan's expectations—he was no pushover.
As things unfolded this way, the vice president grumbled at Ivan.
"Ugh! That's why I said we should drop trying to pull down the council president! We're already on the elite track—there was no need to covet his seat too."
"Shut up! What if the pinnacle of reserve heroes turns that position into a dictatorship?! I just wanted to steer Academy City back to its original course! A student council for students only! Made up solely of current students! That's what the total student council should be—!"
The vice president couldn't easily respond to Ivan's heated outburst.
He knew it too.
The total student council executives were all graduates, not current students.
Though the subordinates below were current students, the top brass being entirely alumni was undeniably abnormal.
"...But there's no helping it. The council president's seat is decided by force. Unless he steps down voluntarily, the only way to take it is by force."
"I know. I know, damn it!"
Ivan thought back to what the council president had said.
The Agora Martial Tournament.
The president received challenge requests constantly in normal times, but naturally, he had the right to refuse.
Thus, he could decline any match he didn't want. The Agora Martial Tournament was what overrode that veto and forced a fight.
'The tournament winner gets the right to challenge the council president.'
And once challenged, the president had to face off right there in front of countless spectators.
'The tournament's champion deserves to fight the council president... or something like that.'
It was the speech from the supervising director last year while watching the tournament.
Probably meant that whoever held the council president's seat should be strong enough to beat the tournament winner.
Unlike the tournament, which only pitted participants against each other, the president was truly the pinnacle of all students.
It was to show the public the difference in caliber.
"So, what now? Are we really going with raw power like the president said?"
"Don't talk nonsense!"
Ivan bellowed at the vice president's question.
"The opponent's that council president! The monster who's held the seat for eight whole years!"
"But there's no other way besides a head-on fight?"
"Urgh..."
Ivan couldn't answer easily.
He knew it all too well.
The council president who'd defended the top spot for eight years.
How idiotic it would be to challenge him purely on strength.
'He said if we have complaints, fight him ourselves... What a joke!'
Right before leaving the meeting hall, that's what the president had said.
And Ivan was painfully realizing just how absurd that statement was.
"Fight and win? Ha! Forget Academy City—even scouring every active hero, there's hardly anyone better than him. How the hell are we supposed to beat that?!"
He'd rather face a veteran active hero than him!
Ivan was certain.
That guy was stronger than veterans with decades of experience.
And ironically, credible media backed that up...
"True, Monthly Hero ranked him second overall. Number two among actives? Not even a joke."
The Martial Emperor succeeding the Spirit King.
He was at the absolute peak of all active heroes, and rumors even swirled that his power surpassed the Spirit King's.
"Me against him? That'd be a pretty novel suicide attempt!"
"...So what do we do? We really have no options."
At the vice president's words, Ivan took slow breaths.
Calming his anger as he sat in his chair, he muttered shortly.
"The Solaris Lab was working on something."
"The Artificial Holy Sword project?"
"Yeah. We'll use that."
"Wait! That's still full of defects! It's called a holy sword, but the risks are no different from a demon sword...!"
"It's fine. The Agora tournament is still months away anyway. We just need to finish it by then."
The Agora Martial Tournament was held in autumn.
March now meant at least half a year left, by the calendar.
But even Ivan's words didn't ease the vice president's expression.
"Half a year? We've been developing it for years already—there's no way we finish in half..."
"Don't worry. Make the artificial holy sword top priority, and we'll manage somehow."
Despite it being impossible by any common sense in such a short time, Ivan, lost in his thoughts, didn't notice.
"Yeon Je-seong, I'll crush you and set Academy City on the right path."
He'd squash him head-on, just as the guy wanted.
'Of course, the holy sword alone might not cut it...'
There was one ultimate technique unique to holy swords.
'If worst comes to worst, I'll stake my life on it!'
He'd drag that bastard down from the council president's seat no matter what!
───
Meanwhile, at that very moment, in the total student council room.
Yeon Je-seong, buried in mountains of documents, glanced at the clock.
"Hm."
He paused his work and addressed the executives immersed in their tasks.
"It's about time. Get ready."
"Ah..."
"Already?"
"Right away."
They quickly wrapped up and sprang into motion.
Yu Seon-hwa led the way, thick binder under her arm, followed by Yeon Je-seong.
Tatiana and Sena exited after him, and Alice, the chief secretary, promptly took the lead as if waiting.
"This way."
"......"
Several minutes of silent descent following Alice brought them to the building's largest conference room.
『Total Conference Room』
The simple placard clearly indicated its purpose.
"Let's go in."
True to form, the room held a colorful array of individuals seated at the table.
Alice opened the door, closed it carefully behind them, and vanished, prompting the executives to take their seats naturally.
"We've been waiting, President."
A stern-faced middle-aged man rumbled deeply.
In a fine suit, with swept-back dull blond hair, he removed his sunglasses and directed his gaze at Yeon Je-seong.
His placard read 『Planning Finance Department』.
"Hm. Still swamped with work, I see."
Then, the black-haired handsome man beside him spoke up.
In a pure white uniform with a sword at his waist, he was the room's only armed attendee.
His placard read 『Inspection Committee』.
"Hmph! The president's not like you slackers?"
Meanwhile, Lu Karna across from him growled at the man.
"......"
Ignoring their banter, Yeon Je-seong sat and calmly opened his mouth.
"Then let's begin this month's department head meeting."
All the total student council department heads turned their eyes to him.