Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Part 27. Demise (End), The Ball Where Death Dances (3)
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A chilly winter night.
The airship, Guardian, was flying over Japan's territorial waters.
Displacement: 24,500 tons. Length: 95 meters. Width: 37 meters.
On the vast deck stood cadets with tense expressions, lined up in perfect formation.
There were 800 cadets aboard, 87 of them from Azure Dragon House.
In addition, there were Lair officials, guardians from the International Superhuman Alliance, superhumans from Japan's Hunter Management Bureau, and media personnel from various countries. The total number of passengers exceeded 1,400.
For a single event at a military academy, it was the largest scale in the world—a demonstration of Lair's grandeur.
"Combat experience comes first."
Principal Ha Seok-mu began his press conference with those words.
"However, what must be prioritized even more is safety."
"It's been less than 20 years since the winds of war passed us by. Because of it, we lost family, siblings, friends, and loved ones."
Ha Seok-mu read from his prepared script.
In an era still teeming with monsters, where localized battles with demons never ceased.
Words like safety and peace were mere facades.
Yet Ha Seok-mu hoped they could become reality.
"We hope such tragedies never repeat in our era of peace. After careful deliberation, we've made every preparation for a strategy grounded in safety..."
Ha Seok-mu's voice trembled as he read the script.
"...and we have done so."
He knew something dangerous would happen here.
The event had to be canceled.
Even now, with the microphone at his lips, if he made a bombshell statement, it would be canceled. The media was watching.
"...So parents who have sent your precious sons, daughters, and disciples here, please do not worry."
But as a figurehead principal set up by the Alliance, he had only one option.
To read the script.
"The event will conclude without incident."
The strategy began.
BM and Ri-hwa joined the strategy team on Minamoto Ai's recommendation.
Yoo Ji-tae and Bom joined as BM's assistants.
"Hey. Yoo Ji-tae."
"......"
"Nervous? Why's your face so stiff."
"......"
"...We assistants should at least talk. Sorry."
Bom looked tense.
Pretending not to be by cracking jokes like that.
Once the strategy started, they had to separate. Yoo Ji-tae would act alone, and Bom would stay with Ri-hwa.
Under the combat formation, Ri-hwa was assigned to Izel Halifa. The old woman chuckled. "It's fate, it's fate."
"Bom."
"Yes."
"If things go south, run."
"Yes."
"Teleport memorized?"
"Yes."
"If you think you're hurt, don't look back."
"Yes."
Bom would never get hurt. Even certain of that, Yoo Ji-tae didn't hold back his warnings.
"Kill demons as cleanly as possible."
Yoo Ji-tae looked into Bom's eyes.
What was she seeing to say that?
"...Got it."
"Don't kill if you don't have to."
"Got it."
"Save the innocent if you can."
"Got it."
"Don't get hurt. I'll butt in and carry you out."
"No."
"Hmm......"
"See you later."
Bom nodded.
Her eyes drooped slightly, anxious.
Meanwhile, his clone had pinpointed Izel Halifa and Noah mixed among the demons. Their faces were altered with 'Inpi Face Masks,' but sensing their demonic energy made it easy.
'These two.'
OK.
'Then I'll carry out your orders.'
There were seven strategy routes, so seven teams formed. Each route had 50 to 200 cadets, with an average of 40 guardians per team.
For the cadets, it was their first massive-scale strategy.
Their young faces showed clear tension.
As expected, Izel, Wei Lian, and Noah were assigned to different teams.
Presumably, their roles were as follows:
Izel Halifa: First entry into the boss room 'Melishia's Chamber.' Immediately hunt Melishia and use her core to activate the 'altar.'
Wei Lian: Lead Azure Dragon House cadets to Melishia's Chamber a beat faster.
Noah: Protect Wei Lian and oversee the situation.
And one more.
"......"
A non-human puppet was mixed among the staff.
It seemed to stay at the dungeon entrance.
Not just that. Human-like puppets stood throughout the dungeon.
One among the staff. One among the reporters and media. At least two per team in the seven groups.
The strategy was already playing into the demons' hands.
Azure Dragon House was Team 5, moving with Wei Lian and Noah. They would likely ignore strategy rules and head straight to the boss room.
By rule, guardians went with Team 5 too. Yoo Ji-tae asked Minamoto to join them.
"Ah, from the Japanese royal family."
And there was Wei Lian.
After greeting Team 5's guardian rep, he turned and scanned the guardians.
A gaze checking for troublemakers.
Then his eyes met Yoo Ji-tae's. Wei Lian's eyes twitched, recognizing him.
"Ah, what a honor. You've graced us."
Yoo Ji-tae hadn't used Temporary Metamorphosis (A). No need to hide his face.
"That's the royal badge... People were curious about Yoo Ji-tae's affiliation."
So Wei Lian misunderstood.
"Being from the Japanese royal family, it's no wonder no one knew."
"I'm not that impressive."
"Oh, but you are. No one in the academy doesn't know the Yoo family."
"Is that so."
Wei Lian's smiling gaze flicked to the floor for a split second.
No. It scanned him from top to bottom.
"Professor Wei Lian. Meeting time."
Then Noah, disguised as a young man, called from afar.
"Anyway. Welcome."
Wei Lian turned with a light smile.
"All routes, enter!"
At the overall commander's order, all strategy teams entered the 'rifts' into the 'rooms.'
Like old-school RPGs. Moving via portals (rifts) between maps (rooms).
Team 5's first room was the 'Sewers.' A massive cylindrical dungeon. The filthy stench hit immediately upon entry.
This was the start of the shortest route to the boss room.
Tzzzzzt...
Splat...
"Front! 15 sewer rats!"
At the operator's call, Azure Dragon House cadets prepared without a word.
Sewer rats, sewer lizards, and such monsters appeared.
Human-sized, but the cadets felled them in seconds.
"They're well-trained..."
"We might not be needed?"
The professional adult superhumans in the guardians were astonished at the cadets' strength.
"But... are they all tense?"
One guardian eyed the cadets curiously.
"Huh? You think so too? Their faces are so stiff."
"Kinda weird..."
Azure Dragon House cadets' expressions were uniformly rigid, movements unnatural.
Still, they fought well and followed orders.
"They must've been trained to stay tense on purpose."
"Yeah. Not a bad thing."
So the guardians thought nothing of it.
Up to here, it was a normal strategy.
But when the first day's strategy ended and night fell in the dungeon.
The anomaly occurred.
Temporary command post in a massive tent.
Including Yoo Ji-tae, three guardian reps and three strategy commanders sat with Wei Lian.
Noah was absent.
"Then let's end the meeting."
As the long meeting and debrief wrapped up, participants sighed in relief.
A guardian raised an objection.
"Um, I have questions about the strategy speed."
Sharp glares from the command superhumans.
Guardians had no command authority.
"Questions, you say?"
The guardian glanced around cautiously before speaking.
"From 09:00 to 24:00. 15 hours, 9 rooms cleared. That's 4 more than planned, right?"
"Hm... Is that a problem?"
"It feels too fast."
"If cadets are excellent and command is superior, it's possible."
"No sense of fatigue. By cadets' stamina standards, half a day rest won't recover combat power."
"Azure Dragon House's training emphasizes stamina—"
"Bullshit, you're pushing too hard!"
A harsher remark from another guardian. A burly black man who'd grumbled about speed all day.
Wei Lian turned to him with a faint smile.
"Pushing?"
"What if our team surges ahead like this?"
"Mind your words."
"Stamina this, that. You're dodging. Fine, say stamina's great. Other teams lag, we arrive first and twiddle thumbs?"
This was the core issue.
Azure Dragon House cadets had to reach the boss room first. To become demons.
And that violated strategy rules.
"Please, mind your words again."
"Dodging. No cameras here."
"Pardon?"
"Pushing ahead for PR? Our shitty Azure Dragon House arrives first?"
"Haha... Refrain from overstepping. I'm the commander."
Bang!
The guardian slammed the table, standing.
"Then we're decorations? Vases? Can't raise concerns when cadets' lives are at stake?"
Other guardians nodded.
Yoo Ji-tae watched amused, arms crossed.
Wei Lian's composure cracked, pupils shaking.
"Keep this up, I won't hold back. Could court-martial you."
"See? Dodging again. The eloquent Professor Wei Lian? Oh, no cameras?"
Yoo Ji-tae saw demonic energy flickering at Wei Lian's eyes and mouth.
"Enough, please... Don't forget your guardian role."
It quivered, ready to burst. Like a catfish in a net.
Then one from command stood.
"How rude!"
"What?"
"Can't read the room?"
"Not funny. You're command, yet you didn't stop it first. You're the most incompetent!"
"Overstepping. You'll get hurt."
"Am I wrong? Kids'll die, you idiots!"
"How dare you!"
Shring—
The impatient commander drew his sword, slamming the table. It split in half.
"You crazy bastard...!"
Shring!
Guardians drew too.
Wei Lian's radio buzzed then.
EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY!
Major rift shaking at dungeon entrance!
"Ah." "Huh!" Sighs escaped.
Yoo Ji-tae rubbed his lips with his thumb.
They were closing the entrance to 'Melishia's Ballroom.'
The radio was a signal flare for demons.
All demons in the dungeon would move now.
"Kugh!"
"Wh-what...! Aaagh!"
Simultaneously, screams tore from outside the tent. Bang bang bang! Mana gun noise and small explosions.
Noah had started killing the nuisances.
"What! What's happening outside!"
As shocked guardians moved—
Plop—
A burly guardian's head exploded.
"Ah!"
"......!"
All froze instantly.
Next moment, startled guardians spread out, clueless commanders backed away.
Yoo Ji-tae stayed seated.
Gazes turned to Wei Lian.
He held a mana gun.
"Whichfuckingbastarddares,darestalkshitbeforewhom,infrontwhomdoesheflapthatjaw,arrogant human scum."
Eyes rolled back, Wei Lian muttered.
Guardians were horrified.
Run-on speech. A demon telltale.
And his gun: Level 3 artifact. Peace Bringer. One of the known invisible treasures.
"Fuckinghell,thinkIcan'tkill?Can'tcurse?Triedniceandfriendlybutyoufuckingwontlisten......"
As the guardian gauged and tried to retreat—
Wei Lian smiled normally.
"Ah, halt. Anyone moving now, head explodes?"
"Fuck...!"
Startled guardians moved together.
"I said."
Plop—!
"Don't."
Plop—!
"Move!"
Bang, plop!
Their heads exploded one after another.
All guardians dead.
Commanders panicked too. Stood awkwardly, staring at Wei Lian.
"Pr-Professor Wei Lian... What... are you......"
"Do humans only listen when terrified? Lowly things... Always like this, so I'm used to it."
"......You're not human?"
"Surprise. I'm a demon. The one who ate your sons, daughters, friends. Oh, not a joke. Meow. Your wife tasted like pork. Well-fed? So greasy."
"......!!"
"Now, snap out of it. Got this gun as a gift. Great output. So obey nicely..."
As laughing Wei Lian muttered—
His gaze hit the opposite table: Yoo Ji-tae.
"...What're you doing?"
Yoo Ji-tae held his watch toward Wei Lian.
Display on. Clearly recording video.
No need for pretense now. Wei Lian growled louder.
"What're you doing, Yoo Ji-tae!"
No tension from Yoo Ji-tae.
"Why. Cameras are rolling."
"What?"
He slowly zoomed the display. Wei Lian's face filled it.
"Smile."