Chapter 18
Chapter 18
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Principal's Counsel
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"It's not something I can answer lightly. Let my advice sink deep into your heart."
"...Yes, sir."
"In my time as principal here, I've seen many talented cadets. Some with bright futures ahead, others already beyond what you'd call cadets with their incredible abilities. They all showed dazzling talent. But the brighter the talent, the more problems it brought. And too often, that brilliance led to self-destruction."
The principal had seen more superhumans than anyone in the Human Alliance.
Their pasts, their growth, their presents.
No one in the entire alliance knew more about superhumans than he did.
"Every time I saw them, it broke my heart. But out of all those people, I've never seen talent like yours, Cadet Leonard—or your companions'."
"Haha."
Putting me on the same level as them?
Nothing could surprise me more.
"You are all truly special. That's why I'm so worried."
The principal looked me straight in the eye as he spoke.
"Don't let your talent consume you. You might be treasures humanity will never see again."
That's too much praise.
For some reason, meeting the principal's gaze made my head feel heavy.
"The perverted old man's talked too much, huh? That's all I have to say."
"No, sir. I've never heard anything like this from you before. Isn't it too much expectation...?"
"It's not too much at all. Trust these eyes of mine. Oh, and finally, regarding the situation on Hurnshaya Planet this time—it's not much, but on behalf of the Human Alliance, allow me to express our gratitude. I hope Cadet Leonard's exploits continue."
With that, the principal flashed another grin.
"Now go on out. Before you do, spray some of that deodorizer by the door."
"Seriously, this old geezer to the end..."
"Be sure to give my regards to Miss Roze. Tell her I'm waiting with cookies. Heh heh."
Consistent to the end.
No wonder he never married at his age.
Anyway, that wrapped up my meeting with the principal.
I'd secured the connection for naturally approaching the CSPA Alliance's shelter.
The start of the original story.
'The protagonist's probably still a little kid.'
Thinking about the protagonist's current situation gave me a headache.
So much he had to do, and he was just a child who hadn't even fully grown yet.
Part of me wanted to make contact now, but I held back, worried it'd throw off all the flags I needed to plant.
'Guess I just have to wait.'
In the end, my biggest insurance was the Miracle Generation 5, the stars of this era.
I left the principal's office and headed to the lounge.
First things first, I needed to refuel before my guidance spar with Roze.
*
Ever since that incident, cadets' interest in Real Time Alien Tactics had skyrocketed.
Even those who couldn't handle the detailed horrors of the battlefield were starting to realize this wasn't just some class—it could determine life or death. They were making real efforts to adapt.
As a result, debate sessions were now held regularly.
Cadets studying the same sections would gather to discuss which tactics were most effective.
If they hit a wall, they'd even seek advice from higher-ranked commander-level cadets.
The academy was buzzing with more energy than at any point since the semester began.
"Cadet Leonard. Our 'General' group is holding a Real Time Alien Tactics debate tonight. Would you join us?"
"Hey. Can't you see I'm talking to him first?"
"Oh. Sorry, you're so short I didn't notice you."
The two girls were locked in a petty battle right in front of me.
They were both vying to recruit me—the top-ranked commander level among all first- and second-year cadets in Real Time Alien Tactics.
At first, it was fun.
Seeing those stiff types bend over backward to butter me up? Felt pretty good.
But only for a moment.
"Sorry, I don't have time tonight. Next time an opportunity comes up, I'll definitely attend."
"Really? That's a shame."
Popularity comes with annoyances.
On top of that, I was stretched thin trying to keep up with geniuses despite my limited talent. Time was always short.
I had to turn down most invitations.
'Keep rejecting them, and it'll die down eventually.'
Of course, right now I couldn't do much about it.
Interest was at its peak, and after that incident, I'd been posting top scores in Real Time Alien Tactics for two weeks straight. Even the cadets who'd dismissed it as luck were changing their minds.
"Lemon!"
I arrived at the meeting spot and saw Roze.
After some deliberation, I'd decided to team up with her today.
"Go now?"
"Yeah. Straight there."
The alien I'd requested had arrived.
It felt like getting a long-awaited package.
"But is it really okay if I tag along?"
"It's nothing special."
"Phew, good. I was dying of curiosity!"
My ability didn't show much from the outside.
I'd never seen it myself, but at most, it probably just looked like I was spacing out.
Either way, not much help visually.
Roze and I arrived at the restricted area together.
It was a new facility built at my request.
The caretaker verified our IDs and led us inside.
"You've left them completely unrestrained."
"Yes. Unlike last time, there's plenty of space now. The facilities are on another level too. And if you want, we can keep them alive for extended periods. Handle them however you like."
"That's great news. Thank you."
"I'm just the caretaker. Save your thanks for the principal."
The isolation chambers were made of transparent material, each holding an alien.
There were several chambers, each with a different type of alien.
Just as I'd specified: Grade 1 danger aliens, excluding Claws and breath worms.
"You've familiarized yourself with the facility protocols?"
"Yes."
"Then I'll take my leave. If an emergency arises, contact us via the panel."
The caretaker left.
Now it was just me, Roze, and a bunch of aliens inside.
Roze was probably experiencing this up-close alien observation for the first time. She was pressed against the transparent walls, peering intently inside.
"Amazing..."
"You don't get chances like this to see aliens up close, huh?"
"No, look at them. That head and neck. They look so vicious."
Oh, that kind of thing.
"Aliens have bodies perfectly structured for their purpose. Extreme, even by human standards."
I sidled up and struck up a conversation.
Roze nodded without taking her eyes off them.
That's why aliens are so terrifying.
Survival isn't their top priority.
Twisted lifeforms fueled by hatred for humanity.
They're 'designed' solely for combat and destruction.
"I want to take a closer look."
Roze said.
Just like when she'd inspected my body, she wanted to touch these new aliens too.
"Sure. Start with this one?"
Grade 1 danger: Helmeted Boar.
Among Grade 1s, it had the largest build, with protruding facial bones as its signature feature.
The name evoked the reckless charge of a wild boar, matching its appearance.
Groooar!
I entered the isolation chamber.
This one was free to move inside its enclosure, and it charged me immediately.
"Not today."
Roze blocked the Helmeted Boar's head-on assault.
She grabbed its stabbing horn mid-charge and spun her wrist. The massive body whirled through the air several times before crashing to the floor.
It didn't get up.
The key joints had shattered during the spin.
"Stay put."
Roze examined its body first.
Then, suddenly, she frowned.
"Is this thing really alive?"
She looked a bit shocked.
I realized why.
Helmeted Boars had no internal organs.
No eating, no digestion—no stomach, small intestine, or large intestine.
Just a single respiratory organ.
"This type is common among aliens."
Because Helmeted Boars were disposable.
Flesh shields, as they're nicknamed.
Their purpose: plow forward with that tough skull to disrupt human lines.
After that?
They die.
Success or failure doesn't matter—they drop dead on the spot, turning into new contamination sources.
"Like you said, it's extreme. Like they were made just to die."
"That's why they're impressive in short, decisive battles."
A single one could withstand platoon-level firepower.
To stop it, you'd lay mines in advance and lure it over, or call in fire support.
From a soldier's perspective, total nightmare.
"Wait a sec. Let me take a look."
I activated my ability after a long while.
Even amid my busy schedule, I'd practiced bit by bit, and the analysis time had sped up noticeably.
Helmeted Boar [890]
Compared to same-grade Claws, the data volume was vastly different.
As expected of a top-tier Grade 1.
I analyzed the info and sorted the applicable traits first.
Protruding Skull
-Density and thickness of the skull increase. Side effects: head enlarges and grows heavier.
Hyper-Reactive Nerves
-Nerves hyper-develop to compensate for the small brain. Maximizes reaction speed.
Deep Lungs
-Lungs elongate. Air storage capacity surges, processing efficiency improves.
These were the promising ones.
The structure was too simplistic relative to its size.
Most traits weren't suitable for human bodies anyway.
"Done?"
"Yeah."
I opened my eyes to find Roze staring right at me.
She had that look like she was seeing something fascinating.
"...What? Was it weird?"
"No, just..."
Roze gave a sheepish smile and brushed it off.
I watched her for a moment, then began explaining.
The Helmeted Boar's traits, body structure, and the properties of applicable ones.
Only possible because Roze knew my body and ability best—and I trusted her.
With her help, I planned to use my ability more efficiently.
"So each one has its own drawbacks?"
"Yep."
"Skip 'em all this time?"
"Nah, the last two without the skull look good. We can always discard if they don't work out, right?"
Performance-wise, skull reinforcement wasn't bad.
But it wasn't just tougher bones—the skull would pierce through skin and protrude.
I'd end up a bone monster. Bald too.
"The nervous system is one of the body's most sensitive parts."
For a martial artist, total control over one's body is crucial.
Hyper-Reactive Nerves could make control erratic.
A body moving on its own from external stimuli?
Hilarious.
"Even with mods or training, there's a development limit. Acquiring it outright is best."
"...You sure?"
"It's like the 'adaptation' process. Once you adjust, it'll be a huge boost."
I decided to trust her and push through the hardship.
"What about the lungs?"
"I can probably adjust those directly myself."
"Adjust?"
How do you adjust internal organs?
"...Yeah. I'd have to try to know. Can we talk after?"
Even Roze wasn't certain.
No harm in trying, so I agreed.
From the Helmeted Boar: two traits.
-Hyper-Reactive Nerves
-Deep Lungs.
Combined data size: [19].
About two-thirds of my largest so far, 'Sturdy Wrist'.
'One day for this?'
My body's adaptation rate was improving daily.
What used to take two days now took one.
Using the split-adaptation trick I'd learned filling Sturdy Wrist, I could minimize side effects without disrupting daily life.
But today, I planned to handle it all here.
"Starting now. Ready?"
"Yeah."
The alien factors began mixing into my body.
Rejection reactions flared across my body, temperature rising steadily.
Especially tough this time—messing with whole-body nerves made it harder than before.