Chapter 45
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 45: Settlement Time
“Hmm.”
Blue windows shimmering in my vision.
Just from running one practice, I didn't know how many quests I had cleared.
‘Well... I dealt with two ruins at once after all.’
The first disaster, Pitch-black Night.
The event that originally should have been the main of this practice.
An unidentified barrier spreads, and numerous mutant monsters pop out.
*Ting—!*
[Cleared Main Quest!]
- Title: Pitch-black Night
- Content: Defeat the Boss Monster ‘The Red Knight’.
[You have stopped one of the Seven Ruins!]
- Content: Defeat the Boss Monster ‘The Red Knight’.
[You have stopped one of the Seven Ruins!]
- Special rewards are provided. Please check your inventory.
The Red Knight descending into such chaos.
The player teams up with the isolated students to oppose it.
Overcoming the first disaster like that is the original story.
‘Of course.’
I cleared it in a completely different way.
I drew another disaster on top of a disaster, setting the stage for them to collide.
*Ting—!*
[Cleared Emergency Quest!]
- Title: WelcomeToWonderland.
- Content: Stop the Nightmarization of ‘Alice’ currently running wild.
[Surprisingly, you completed the quest without killing the host!]
- Content: Stop the Nightmarization of ‘Alice’ currently running wild.
[Surprisingly, you completed the quest without killing the host!]
- Special rewards are provided. Please check your inventory.
The third disaster, Wonderland.
I played dead and slipped away from the spot as soon as Pitch-black Night began.
This was partly to clean up the surroundings, but ultimately to push the situation more dramatically.
Lanne and Alice left alone.
Even then, Lanne was injured and practically retired from the fight.
Realizing there was no way to escape, Alice gave up in resignation.
Taking advantage of that helplessness, the nightmare ran wild, and Wonderland manifested throughout the entire forest.
‘The Red Knight got swept up in it and was murdered...’
Even among disasters, there are ranks.
Alice's <Wonderland> is a concept belonging to the top tier even among disasters.
It was a destructive power that wouldn't fall short even when compared to the sixth or seventh disaster.
Why else would it be called a ruin?
‘I guess you could say killing two birds with one stone.’
Through Pitch-black Night, I summoned Wonderland, and through Wonderland, I ended Pitch-black Night.
‘Well... Wonderland has an exceptionally good affinity with me.’
In the case of Wonderland, I can wipe it out with a click of a bug.
On the other hand, the Red Knight is a type you have to honestly accumulate damage to catch.
Because there were no bugs that particularly worked, it was a tricky enemy for me in many ways.
So the idea was to summon <Wonderland> and make the two disasters collide.
The plan worked perfectly.
‘Not bad.’
I move my fingers.
Starting with the two quests displayed earlier, I check the rewards.
Rummaging through the inventory a few times, newly acquired items are picked up.
*Ting—!*
[Completed Main Quest ‘Pitch-black Night’.]
[Acquired Item ‘Fragment of Disaster (S)’.]
*Ting—!*
[Completed Emergency Quest ‘WelcomeToWonderland.’.]
[Acquired Item ‘Shattered Crown (A-)’.]
Immediately after, two items floating in the air.
The first thing that caught my eye was, of course, the fragment side.
Because it took the form of a heavy book, emitting an ominous energy.
*Ting—!*
[Fragment of Disaster]
- Classification: ???
- Grade: S
- Status: Incomplete (1/6)
- Description: A part of an unknown disaster. If you find other fragments and combine them, something terrible might happen.
- Grade: S
- Status: Incomplete (1/6)
- Description: A part of an unknown disaster. If you find other fragments and combine them, something terrible might happen.
Fragment of Disaster.
An item that must essentially be acquired in the story.
Every time each disaster is cleared, the corresponding fragment can be obtained.
If the six fragments are not completed, seeing a happy ending becomes impossible.
Because the world will unconditionally be destroyed in the seventh disaster.
‘I should keep it well.’
After storing the fragment back, I turned my eyes to the next item.
As the name suggests, it looked like a broken crown.
A black crown cracked and chipped here and there.
It was floating at my fingertips.
*Ting—!*
[Shattered Crown]
- Classification: Accessory
- Grade: A-
- Status: Destroyed
- Description: The crown worn by the ruler of nightmares, the ‘Black Queen’. It is currently destroyed and only her remnants remain. It can be worn for a maximum of 5 minutes a day. When worn, the skill ‘Nightmarization’ can be used.
- Grade: A-
- Status: Destroyed
- Description: The crown worn by the ruler of nightmares, the ‘Black Queen’. It is currently destroyed and only her remnants remain. It can be worn for a maximum of 5 minutes a day. When worn, the skill ‘Nightmarization’ can be used.
[Skill Name: Nightmarization]
- The user's body assimilates with a nightmare.
- While the skill is activated, the user receives an ‘invincible’ judgment.
- Unrestricted flight becomes possible, and you become free from all physical forces.
- While the skill is activated, the user receives an ‘invincible’ judgment.
- Unrestricted flight becomes possible, and you become free from all physical forces.
“Oh.”
As expected of an A-grade.
A fairly decent guy came out.
An accessory with invincibility and flight options attached for a whopping 5 minutes.
Besides, it wasn't a consumable; it could be used once a day.
‘I wasn't expecting much from this side...’
Strictly speaking, <Wonderland> was a disaster that hadn't been resolved yet.
All I did this time was stop the rampage according to the content of the emergency quest.
I couldn't kill the host, the [Black Queen].
Thus, it would have been acceptable even if a mediocre item had dropped...
‘I received something too good.’
The corners of my mouth automatically twitched.
Two quests that yielded a lucrative harvest.
Swallowing a hum, I checked the remaining quests as well.
*Ting—!*
[Completed Hidden Quest.]
- Title: Queen Slayer
- Content: Defeat the boss monsters reigning over Wonderland: ‘Heart Queen’, ‘Red Queen’, and ‘White Queen’.
[You massacred the Queens with an amazing performance!]
- Content: Defeat the boss monsters reigning over Wonderland: ‘Heart Queen’, ‘Red Queen’, and ‘White Queen’.
[You massacred the Queens with an amazing performance!]
- Special rewards are provided. Please check your status window.
*Ting—!*
[Cleared Sub Quest!]
- Title: If going to do it, should do it properly!
- Content: Take a rank of 3rd or higher in the practice.
[You took 1st place in the practice with an amazing performance!]
- Content: Take a rank of 3rd or higher in the practice.
[You took 1st place in the practice with an amazing performance!]
- In addition to the existing rewards, additional rewards are provided.
One hidden, one sub.
These were quests that I ended up breaking through regardless of my plans.
Should I say they are guys that naturally cleared while I was just completing my plans?
*Ting—!*
[Completed Hidden Quest ‘Queen Slayer’.]
[Acquired Title ‘Executioner’.]
[Executioner]
- Classification: Title
- Grade: A
- Description: You slaughtered the Queens of Nightmares indiscriminately. Courage towards the unknown dwells within you. When the title is set, damage dealt against Ghost-type enemies increases by 500%, and Critical chance increases by 500%.
- Grade: A
- Description: You slaughtered the Queens of Nightmares indiscriminately. Courage towards the unknown dwells within you. When the title is set, damage dealt against Ghost-type enemies increases by 500%, and Critical chance increases by 500%.
‘This is lucrative too...?’
The story that will unfold from now on.
The enemies I will face among them are as follows.
Heretics, the Vampire New Kingdom, and the remaining six disasters.
However, here, the ghost type accounts for a whopping 20% ratio of the total.
‘Especially if going to the heretics' side, a large number of ghost-type creatures appear.’
In other words, it means I can gain an unconditional advantage against 20% of the enemies appearing in the future.
It seemed I could just switch the title when needed.
Afterward, the next reward that quickly followed.
*Ting—!*
[Completed Sub Quest ‘If going to do it, should do it properly!’.]
[Acquired Item ‘Very Secret Tie (B)’.]
[Very Secret Tie]
- Classification: Accessory
- Grade: B
- Status: Neat
- Description: A tie said to have been treated as a treasure by a legendary petty thief in the past. It can be worn at all times, and when worn, the skill ‘Secretly, Greatly’ can be used. The skill has a cooldown of 72 hours.
- Grade: B
- Status: Neat
- Description: A tie said to have been treated as a treasure by a legendary petty thief in the past. It can be worn at all times, and when worn, the skill ‘Secretly, Greatly’ can be used. The skill has a cooldown of 72 hours.
[Skill Name: Secretly, Greatly]
- While the skill is activated, the user's presence disappears.
- The effect lasts for 1 hour, and the hidden presence cannot be read by anyone.
- All noise originating from the user (pulse, footsteps, breathing, etc.) is muted.
- The effect lasts for 1 hour, and the hidden presence cannot be read by anyone.
- All noise originating from the user (pulse, footsteps, breathing, etc.) is muted.
An item that looked perfectly useful for moving secretly came out.
The cooldown time was a bit long, but if used carefully, it seemed it would be useful.
‘This is the upgraded reward.’
The reward for finishing the practice in 1st place.
Originally, it was an item far inferior to this.
As if comparing it with what I got, I examine the contents that originally existed in the reward list.
[Reward: Consumable item ‘Very Secret Tie (B-)’]
Originally it was a consumable item.
Something to use once and throw away.
However, the upgraded reward had changed to be reusable.
‘Good, good.’
I immediately put on the tie.
Like that, after finishing checking up to the last reward.
To tidy up my own status, I brought up the overall status window.
[Status Window]
Name: Viktor
Title: The One Who Collects Derangements
Equipped Items: Mask of the Evil God, Robe of the Evil God, Very Secret Tie
Activated Set Effect: World Seen by ■■■.
.
.
Held Titles: The One Who Collects Derangements, Saint, Executioner
Title: The One Who Collects Derangements
Equipped Items: Mask of the Evil God, Robe of the Evil God, Very Secret Tie
Activated Set Effect: World Seen by ■■■.
.
.
Held Titles: The One Who Collects Derangements, Saint, Executioner
“Oh man, I'm full.”
A screen that made my stomach feel full just by looking at it.
Even though I had been empty-stomached since yesterday, I felt like my stomach was going to burst.
“Nice.”
It was a very profitable settlement time.
***
Next day.
Me and my team members were requested for help by the faculty members.
Asking us to explain in detail what happened during the practice two days ago.
‘Well.’
From the academy's perspective, it was understandably a major incident.
Even if there were no severely injured personnel, it was no different from allowing an external invasion.
Because the blow to their image was certainly scary, we received utmost hospitality while staying in the hospital room.
Setting aside Alice, whose mental strength had hit rock bottom, and Lanne, who was severely injured, they even forced me, who didn't have a single scratch, to rest in the infirmary.
‘The nurses were also at a loss...’
Considering their sincerity, I decided to cooperate.
The investigator assigned to me was, as expected, Javert.
In the spacious hospital room, the red-haired woman stands flipping through documents.
Sitting on the opposite bed, I just blankly stared at her green eyes.
“Currently, the student hunting ground has been closed. Faculty members have been deployed to each zone, and investigations are ongoing following the traces left at the scene...”
“Mmhmm, I see.”
Javert was delivering this and that part as if reporting.
Did they say that as the parties caught up in the incident, we had the right to know the situation?
There was no loss in listening, so I quietly paid attention.
Before long, Javert asked me a few words.
“According to the previously assembled information, an Apostle of the Evil God appeared inside the barrier. I heard it wreaked havoc for about 30 minutes, then suddenly disappeared as if hiding its tracks. Is that correct?”
“It was a giant wearing bright red armor. It seemed its height was about 10 meters.”
“It matches the testimonies of the two previous people. Confirmed.”
I had aligned the part about the Red Knight with Alice beforehand.
Since Lanne was unconscious at the time anyway, we only needed to align the story between ourselves.
That while driving us relentlessly, it suddenly evaporated for an unknown reason...
“It's strange. Disappearing suddenly.”
“We were lucky. Otherwise we would have all been murdered on the spot.”
“Yes... it is certainly fortunate. We will investigate that part further on our end.”
Javert nodding.
It was suspicious content, but there were no particular grounds to be interrogated on.
The woman turned a page of the document and leaned in as if moving to the next topic.
“Student Viktor.”
“Yes.”
“You are perfectly fine without a single injury. Differently from Student Lanne's earlier testimony.”
“Hmm?”
“According to Student Lanne's testimony, I heard Student Viktor was trampled by the Apostle's giant foot. She also added that she confirmed Student Viktor's corpse with her own two eyes. But for some reason, when she opened her eyes in the hospital room, she said Student Viktor was greeting her perfectly fine.”
“Indeed. That is very strange.”
Lanne's testimony.
I intentionally didn't align our story about this part.
No, rather, I told her to testify exactly as it was.
What I wanted to hide was only about Alice and the nightmare.
There was no need to deliberately omit elements that would make me suspicious.
‘Rather, I should slip them in little by little.’
I reacted nonchalantly.
“Do you have any idea about this part?”
“Well.”
“You don't?”
“Maybe Miss Lanne saw a hallucination. I was perfectly alive next to Miss Lanne the whole time. Don't they say exposure to dense demonic energy can cause hallucinations or auditory hallucinations? I wonder if it wasn't one of those phenomena.”
“A hallucination...”
Javert narrowing her eyes.
I smiled as if asking if there was any problem.
‘Javert Droit.’
The person who suspects me as the culprit of the unauthorized conquest of Purgatory's 70th floor.
Probably in her eyes, every single one of my actions like this gets caught.
Javert fell silent for a moment, then soon opened her mouth on another topic.
Her uniquely inorganic eyes blinked.
“Currently, the faculty side is suspecting the existence of an internal spy. A heterogeneous substance was discovered in Zone A of the student hunting ground, which became the center of the incident. It was buried in the thickly forested ground. Judging by the properties of the detected demonic energy, it was proven to be the energy source of the barrier formed over the entirety of Zone A.”
“Ho-oh.”
“The corresponding zone had been closed continuously since a few days ago. Because a practice was scheduled, entry itself was blocked. The fact that someone broke through such control and pulled strings. The person who could easily accomplish that process would surely be an insider.”
“I see.”
I asked refreshingly.
“And so?”
“......”
We suspect you as that insider.
Javert couldn't bring herself to spit out those words.
She just looked at me expressionlessly.
“......I simply informed you.”
However, from her position, she couldn't push me further.
Because I was clearly in the position of a victim.
An atmosphere of interrogation was not good.
If I were to get angry, it would be the academy's side that would be in trouble.
‘Of course.’
Javert wasn't someone who would care about such things.
The reason she backed down now was simply prioritizing the rules.
She was trying not to provoke the victim as written in the manual.
The woman was that kind of person.
Rules.
Someone who lives only under them.
Someone who cannot live otherwise.
“I think we can end the session here. Thank you for your cooperation today.”
“Don't mention it. I merely gave a small help.”
*Kkubeok—.*
Bowing her head once, Javert left the hospital room.
I stared at the receding back disappearing beyond the door.
Afterward, I leaned my body against the backrest.
Between my lips, I quietly chewed over the stories Javert had left behind.
“An internal spy...”
A traitor inside Grandia Academy.
It meant someone was communicating with the heretics.
I tapped my mask, but soon twisted the corners of my mouth fishily.
“I should start getting ready.”
I am sorry, professors.
It will be useless even if you try to find the spy.
*Ting—!*
[Sub Quest]
- Title: Make sure to finish it up!
- Content: Apprehend the spy hiding inside Grandia Academy.
- Penalty upon failure: None
- Reward: Clues about ■■■
- Content: Apprehend the spy hiding inside Grandia Academy.
- Penalty upon failure: None
- Reward: Clues about ■■■
[Time Limit: 23 hours 59 minutes 56 seconds]
“Because I'm going to catch that bastard first.”
3,640 words
203 views