Graduation Photo: The Cruelty of Humanity
Humans are cruel. They cry out for goodwill and justice, pretending to be noble on the surface, but when faced with the absolute terror of death, that facade peels away all too easily. They'll trample, devour, and sacrifice others for their own safety. That is humanity's true nature—the ugly underbelly called survival instinct.
And Cassius was now confronting that ugliness head-on.
"What are you doing!" Cassius's shout echoed through the classroom. Sword dripping with blood in hand, he pointed at Valt writhing in agony. "If you don't want to die, cut up that bastard's body and pile it on the scale! We don't have time!"
Not an order from a holy knight, but a devil's whisper. Yet to the others, it sounded like a lifeline.
"……!"
The two remaining male holy knights exchanged uneasy glances. Their hesitation didn't last long.
"Sorry, Valt! You're done for anyway!"
"I have no choice if I want to wash away my sins!"
They lunged like beasts, piling onto Valt.
"Gaaahhh! Brothers! Please! Spare me!"
Valt's desperate screams filled the classroom. But no one listened. The holy knights drew daggers and carved chunks from his flesh. They dismantled the body of what was once a comrade.
Thud. Plop. Sliced flesh piled onto the scale. The wobbling balances steadied one by one.
"Hah… hah… We survived."
The blood-soaked holy knights sighed in relief and slumped to the floor. Their hands and faces were stained red with Valt's blood. No trace of a holy knight's nobility remained. Only the relief of survival gleamed—and the madness of sacrificing another.
Cassius gazed down at the scene coldly. Guilt? Of course it was there. But greater still was relief. Relief that he had survived. And conviction that his judgment was right.
Valt had already lost all fighting strength. No way he was making it out alive.
So wasn't sacrificing for the remaining comrades an honorable end? Cassius rationalized it to himself. A leader's ruthless decision to save his men.
Then he spotted Rael trembling in the corner.
"……."
Rael stared blankly at the horror. Nausea surged up. Was this how those who served God behaved? No—was this humanity?
She hasn't accepted reality yet.
Cassius approached her, holding one of Valt's remaining legs.
"Take it."
He tossed the leg indifferently.
"What's done is done. Survive for now."
Rael looked down at the leg with trembling eyes. Slowly, she met Cassius's gaze. Not a shred of guilt in them. Only justification for survival.
Rael understood. The meaning of this dungeon. Morality? Conscience? No. It was a place that dragged out the darkest depths of humanity, forcing them to become monsters themselves.
With shaking hands, she picked up the leg. She wanted to live. Even if it meant becoming a monster, she wanted out of this hell.
Thud. The scale balanced.
"Ding-dong-dang! All correct! Oh, one missed out, sadly."
The teacher clapped in satisfaction. With the sound, the chalkboard writing erased and new words appeared.
Ding—dong—dang—dong— The bell signaling the end of class rang out.
The holy knights stared at each other in a daze. Valt's corpse had vanished without a trace, as if it never existed. All that remained was the sticky blood on their hands.
"Let's go."
Cassius stood first. His voice was dry.
It couldn't be helped.
He repeated it inwardly. It was a choice for survival. He was the leader. He had a duty to guide his men out of this hell. Ruthless decisions were necessary—even if they were demonic.
I must survive.
His eyes sharpened. He had to live, return, rejoin the holy knight order, reclaim his honor. For that noble goal, one Valt… no, even more sacrifices were acceptable.
Creak— They opened the classroom door and stepped into the hall. Still dim, humid air. Rain poured outside the windows.
"Hah… hah… This is insane."
One holy knight following behind panted roughly. Gawain. Whether from guilt or fear, his eyes shook violently.
"We gotta… get out of here fast."
Gawain muttered, quickening his pace. The stairs to the second floor loomed ahead. He just wanted to escape this hellish first floor.
"Don't rush!"
Cassius warned. But Gawain didn't hear. As if possessed, he broke into a run.
Thud-thud-thud— Noisy footsteps echoed down the hall.
Cassius clicked his tongue.
Idiot.
This was a dungeon. A place ruled by rules. Haste meant death.
He sensed danger instinctively and halted.
Whoosh— Black smoke rose from cracks in the worn wooden floor beneath Gawain's feet. It morphed into dozens of black hands, snatching his ankles.
"Wha……?"
His body pitched forward. Gawain slammed face-first into the floor, screaming.
"Argh! What is this! Let go! Let me go!"
The more he struggled, the tighter the hands gripped. Nails dug into flesh; bones cracked.
"Gaaahhh! Help! Brother Cassius!"
He reached out desperately. Gawain's eyes pleaded. The look of a fellow accomplice who had just devoured Valt with him. We're in this together—save me.
But Cassius didn't move. He stared coldly down the hall. A disciplinary committee member approached from the shadows.
Can't save him.
No—shouldn't. Saving him risked getting dragged in too. Cassius finished his calculation.
Sorry.
He turned away. The disciplinary member stopped before the writhing Gawain and spoke emotionlessly.
"School rule: Quiet walking is mandatory in hallways. Running is strictly prohibited."
"I-I'm sorry! I won't run again! Please!"
Begging did no good.
"Students who run don't need legs."
Slash—
"……!"
Rael clamped her mouth shut. The disciplinary member hadn't just cut Gawain's ankle?
"Hnnngh……."
Gawain's pained whimper. But that was it. The member severed only the ankle, nothing more. He'd at least survived.
"Look after Gawain."
Cassius's indifferent voice. Not out of care. Just in case Gawain became the next sacrifice, like Valt.
And that foresight proved right.
2nd Year Class 4.
"Today’s lesson is 'Human Anatomy.' Did everyone bring their textbooks?"
A human model teacher appeared.
* * *
The horrific biology lesson in 2nd Year Class 4 ended. Gawain went mad seeing his organs displayed on the desk and bled out from massive hemorrhaging. Now only three remained.
They ascended to the third floor in stunned silence.
Finally, the third floor. At the hall's end, a classroom plaque read [3rd Year - Senior Class].
Creak— Opening the door revealed surprisingly bright lights. In the center stood an old camera on a tripod; empty frames lined the walls. The blackboard read:
"Graduation… photo?"
Rael murmured blankly.
Then a photographer in black cloth emerged from behind the camera.
"Congratulations, everyone. You've made it this far."
The photographer's voice was dry.
"But regrettably… our school's yearbook lacks space. This year's graduating class will feature only the most human one."
"One……?"
Cassius's heart sank. His surviving comrades. But only one could leave. The answer was clear.
"The other two will serve as props to honor the school. Forever."
The photographer snapped his fingers. The countless frames on the walls rattled.
"Discuss among yourselves. Decide who graduates and who becomes a prop."
He flipped an hourglass.
"Five minutes. Fail to decide, and everyone repeats the year."
"……."
Silence. All froze. But one moved first.
Cassius. He slowly drew his sword. His grip tightened. The other two's eyes wavered. They still hesitated.
Weaklings.
This was a place where the hesitant died.
"Sorry. I need to live."
One holy knight finally grasped the situation and reached for his sword—but Cassius was faster.
Slash—
The knight's head flew. Blood sprayed like a fountain, soaking Cassius's face. Hot and fishy. But not revolting. It felt vividly alive.
"Aaaahhh!"
Rael screamed, backing away. Cassius advanced, bloody sword in hand. She cowered in the corner, trembling.
"Rael, you understand, right? We're holy knights."
Cassius tried to persuade her. No—himself.
"I need to survive, expose this hell, lead the order back to purify it. That's justice. Your sacrifice won't be in vain."
Plausible rationale. Reasons Cassius himself must live overflowed. He was the leader, strongest, most level-headed. What could a weak girl like Rael accomplish?
"Stay back… please……."
Tears streamed down Rael's face as she gripped her sword. But the tip shook powerlessly. The senior she respected, the comrade she trusted—all crumbled.
Yes, that expression.
Cassius smirked bitterly, raising his sword. Remove the final obstacle, and freedom awaited.
"Stay still. I'll make it painless."
As his sword arced toward her neck—
Flash—
A blinding light exploded. Cassius reflexively shut his eyes, then opened them.
"Perfect! What an ideal expression!"
The photographer applauded in admiration.
"……?"
Confusion all around. Cassius especially couldn't comprehend. He hadn't killed Rael yet?
He looked around.
Huh?
Rael was fine. So was he. But his body wouldn't move.
Wh-what……!
"I said we pick the most human. Not the survivor."
The photographer lifted the frame trapping Cassius.
"Greed, betrayal, madness… Truly human. You'll make a fine school prop."
He hung the frame on the wall.
"……!"
Cassius wanted to scream, but no voice came. He thrashed, but not a finger twitched. He was just… a being trapped in the frame.
The photographer bowed politely to Rael.
"Congratulations, student. You showed sorrow, fear, and pity. Frail, yes… but human."
Creeeak— The back door opened, light flooding in. Graduation.
"Farewell. May it remain a fond memory."
Rael ran toward the light without looking back. Her figure faded.
Cassius wailed from the frame.
No! Don't go! Get me out! I have to go! I'm the protagonist!
But his cries went unheard. Cassius would remain forever in this school, a prop displaying his ugly desires.