Chapter 82
Chapter 82
Episode 82
EP22 - Discipline Department of Sector 4 (1)
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Imperial Public Security Investigation Log: Gray Habanero Assault Incident
First Occurrence of Attack 01 - Attack Classification: Unknown Multiple Monster Outbreak / Location: Near Hiaka Sector 4 Airport
…….
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After sending Chief Cain to the Imperial Professors, I moved quickly. I had a lot to do with the Assassination Daily filming tomorrow.
The airport is in Sector 4's 'Hub District.' It's a bit removed from the Academy. Almost all logistics and crowds connect to the outside through here.
So, the Hub District has a large 'Gate.' A place to verify people's identities and purposes.
Originally, only the airport needed checks, but identity management has become much stricter due to the Kreutz incident. That's why I had to stand in line at the Gate.
While blankly waiting for my turn in line at the Gate, I suddenly heard a shout.
"Hey, you son of a bitch! Hey!! What did I do wrong? Why can't I go!?"
Some man was yelling. It seemed there was a problem during the identity verification process. A few staff members came to try and calm him down, but that only seemed to fuel his anger. "Let go! Let go! What did I do wrong, you bastard!" With his flailing, a female employee was pushed back and fell.
"Stop resisting and comply!"
"Why should I, you punk? Get the person in charge out here! The person in charge!"
Even up to that point, the situation felt strange, but when the staff members drew their stun guns from their waists, things started to get even weirder. The man began to enlarge his body using his Superpower. It was 『Gigantification』.
KWAANG!!
Then he kicked a kiosk-like facility, and it shattered with a crunch. As if that weren't enough, he started charging at the staff, causing civilians to scream in surprise, and the area descended into chaos.
"I'll kill you all, huh!?"
This was when I stepped in. Subduing him wasn't difficult. All I had to do was draw and grip the 「Colossus Soldier's Sword○」.
It's an Ignition Weapon, but [Ignition] is the process of a giant hand drawing a giant sword. Even without [Ignition], just holding the sword allows the 'Invisible Hand' to move.
"Ugh!! Wh-what?!"
With that, I grabbed the man, who was about 4 meters tall. Then, I slammed him headfirst into the ground.
KUWOONG!!
To others, it would have looked like the man suddenly tripped and fell.
It was a minor incident.
However, it was puzzling. The Discipline Department didn't show up, and the airport security staff resolved the situation on their own.
"Why didn't the Discipline Department come?"
"Yes? Ah... well, they seem to be quite busy people..."
The airport staff gave an awkward smile.
"Thank you, Professor...!"
After receiving their thanks and rejoining the line, a Student approached, wagging her tail gently with her whole body.
"Professor!"
It was Elise.
Beside her was a friend just like her. A dog-like impression with pigtails. I'd seen her a few times, a Student from the White Path, her name was Mewmew, wasn't it?
"Hello." I greeted them, and they smiled, saying "Hello!" They said they were playing in Sector 4 and heading home.
Elise and her friend Mewmew stayed by my side the entire time I was in line. They told me about their day. I nodded along appropriately.
But at some point, Elise asked me something.
"Professor, did something happen today?"
"That's right, that's right."
"Why?"
"Um, your expression has been really bad since a while ago."
"You seem very angry."
Even though I told them I always looked like this, they insisted I was different today, adding that I looked like Elise who had her bone taken away.
Is that so? I don't know what my expression is like. I raised my head and looked at the metal wall. My reflection within that rough wall was also invisible.
"It's fine." I just said that and left it at that.
"Shall we stay with you?"
A dog that loves humans couldn't easily overlook something like this. I told them it was okay and sent them off.
*
After passing through the Gate.
The airport was surprisingly quiet. I thought it would be crowded with tourists because of the 'Cain Tree,' but then I remembered that the Royal Family had built a new airport in Sector 9.
Most people using the Sector 4 airport were locals residing in the Academy.
"Let's go on a trip."
"Wow!"
At the airport, there were families, couples, and friends. Like Elise and her friend Mewmew. But in this place filled with laughter and chatter, I alone seemed sullen.
Then, why did I come here?
I accurately remember the investigation log within the fabricated Time of the 'scouting star'.
There were two crises aimed at Gray.
The first was here, at the airport. According to the investigation log, on the dawn of his departure, monsters surged out like mad, causing flight delays.
The situation was handled by Chief Professor Wilhelm, who accompanied Gray, and the Discipline Department. The problem was that Wilhelm's Mana Reservoir was depleted.
Assassins discharge their power explosively in a short time, like with missiles, and then become drained. Wilhelm was like that.
Chief Professor Wilhelm had to accompany them due to his Imperial connections, and by expending his power here, he couldn't properly cast protective magic upon arriving in the Empire.
'I must prevent it beforehand.'
The surge of monsters meant there was a [Rift]. So, I am currently searching for Rifts using the [Minimap]. However, the [Minimap] only shows X and Z axes, so it won't be easy to find.
If a Rift were to suddenly appear in the middle of the airport, it would likely be hidden somewhere deep underground or high in the sky, making it difficult to find...
Oh.
I found it.
'What is this?'
It was closer than I thought, right where people were, a Rift was simply drawn. A passing couple said,
"Honey. This building wall is cracked."
"It is. It's probably just the paint chipping."
As they said, at first glance, it looked like a building crack. If I hadn't had the minimap, I would have overlooked it too. However, anyone who had come with exploration equipment even once should have recognized this as a [Rift]. That was puzzling.
Why is it out in the open?
I checked a few more places. Moving around the airport. Indeed, most were hidden, but there were 3 places, like the one I just saw, that were openly visible.
"......"
Suddenly, irritation surged through me.
It's like the frustration one feels towards administrative agencies when they realize a predator has been unleashed on a crowded street and it's been ignored. There were more than one or two such predators here.
What on earth was the Discipline Department doing?
I thought about it. When did the Rifts appear? When the 'Peacefulness☮' barrier covering the Academy broke. That is... when Kreutz's 『Meteor』 fell, already a month ago.
"Hoo?"
It was then. A baby in cute clothes approached and looked up at me. It was wobbling, having just learned to walk.
The child, making squeaky shoe sounds, walked away and then suddenly approached the Rift.
Wasn't it about to fall while wobbling like that?
No. It was right over the [Rift].
"Oh, oh!?"
"Taylor!"
As the parents gasped in horror.
Vines that sprouted from the ground wrapped around the child and lifted it up.
⋮
『 World Fabrication: Shape Fabrication [Vines] 』
⋮
"Thank you, Mage. Oh, Taylor..."
After sending off the baby and its parents, I realized I had been more shaken than the parents. Some Rifts are extremely sensitive to stimuli.
So, I touched it, and it wasn't like that.
But what was different?
How could this have been left unattended for a month? And in a place where people walk.
"......"
I headed straight for the airport's Discipline Department. I needed to ask about the past month, and this was not a scale I could handle alone. There were too many Rifts.
When I arrived at the management office, a bald-looking officer was sitting there.
"......"
He looked up at me.
The interior was empty. It was already 7 PM, as if they had already left for the day.
"...What is it?"
He didn't recognize the Senior Professor badge. It was exclusive to the Assassination Department.
"I came to inquire about something."
"Please register any incidents on the right."
"It's not an incident, I found a Rift."
"Ah, we don't accept anything that isn't an incident."
He waved his hand dismissively, as if annoyed, and from here, I felt that something was terribly wrong.
"Officer, I said it's a Rift."
"A Rift inside the Academy? Do it when it's light. The emergency standby team doesn't accept anything that isn't an incident."
"Tomorrow will be too late, and we need to talk now."
"Yes, yes."
"......"
Swish He waved his hand.
What was absurd was that it seemed natural.
As if it had always been this way.
I paused for a moment. I couldn't figure out how to start the conversation. But I had to say something.
"...Officer, when was the last morning patrol?"
His indifferent expression changed at the word 'patrol.' It became slightly sharp.
"Why are you asking that?"
"Do you even patrol?"
"Why, did something happen?"
"Not yet... As I said, there are Rifts. And the Discipline Department has an obligation to cooperate regarding the residents' unease."
"We'd appreciate it if you found your obligations during the day. You can leave now."
"......"
The conversation hit a wall.
After that, I tried talking a bit more to gain cooperation, but the officer remained unyielding.
He even started to get annoyed.
"Why do you keep repeating the same thing? I told you, it's not possible."
"......"
"Ah, I said leave."
I closed my mouth.
It was astonishing. A response so irresponsible and insincere that it almost elicited admiration.
So, I looked around the office. I saw a poster boasting the lowest crime rate among the 10 sectors.
Naturally. With a small population and an airport district where everyone just passes through, who would commit crimes?
"Mister. Aren't you leaving?"
"......"
"Kirion!"
- Why?
"Come out for a second. There's some old man blocking the way!"
Suddenly, what overlapped in my mind were the airport Discipline Department security guards. I recalled their faces, who had been sweating profusely, struggling to move the large man earlier.
Next, the Discipline Department officers from Sector 2 flashed through my mind. Their backs as they silently endured Balmung's irritation and went to catch a Ghoul, dragging their injured legs.
Then, Gray from the Time of the 'scouting star' overlapped. That burned face. The furrowed brow and trembling voice.
I had assumed there would be a reasonable cause if Gray was injured to that extent.
I thought it had to make sense.
What if I saw a future where Gray became a vegetable after slipping on a discarded banana peel? Wouldn't that be absurd?
That's how it felt to me now.
Solely because of the lack of sincerity from those officers, Wilhelm lost his Mana in battle, and as a consequence, Gray returned as a critical patient. It felt no different from a banana peel.
"Come on, Professor. We're working people too, you see? Let's not make things difficult."
"......"
"We're busy enough with Sector 9 of Hiaka as it is, so don't bother the officers and come back during the day. Alright?"
The Discipline Department officers, who had now increased to three, approached me.
Their bodies pushed forward as if to usher me out.
Amidst that, a word squeezed through my lips, half on impulse.
"Where is the duty Discipline Officer here?"
The sudden use of informal speech.
All three officers froze.
They frowned, exchanged glances, and then said,
"...What are you trying to do, now?"
"Professor, why are you speaking informally?"
I checked the [Minimap] once more and said,
"I asked where the duty Discipline Officer is. Why isn't the on-duty personnel visible during working hours?"
Then one of them laughed. "Huh."
"This is ridiculous. Who do you think you are?"
"......"
The man strode towards me.
He was as tall as me.
"How dare you, in the management office, speak down to a Discipline Department officer. Regardless of whether the Discipline Officer is here or not, what business is it of yours? Huh?"
"You guys are doing your jobs terribly."
He tilted his chin up, trying to look down at me.
"Then what are you going to do?"
I met his gaze silently.
"Hey, arrest this guy."
"Ah, yes."
Then, the officers next to him began to take out handcuffs, but I realized this situation couldn't be resolved through conversation.
Or perhaps I lost my mind. Before I knew it, I had drawn the 「Colossus Soldier's Sword○」 from my [Inventory].
"Huh?!"
"A sword? Is this guy crazy...! Put your weapon down!!"
"You'll die if you draw that! Do you know that?!"
They jumped back in alarm at a weapon. In this world, all weapons are treated similarly to guns. Because they don't know what kind of weapon it might be.
"Put it down, you bastard!!"
I found it a little amusing. Contrasting with my calm demeanor when faced with the Rifts. Monsters are a hundred times more dangerous than weapons.
"What are you laughing at! Put the weapon down!!"
"Hey, you crazy bastard, do you think public authority is a joke?! Do you want a hole in your head!?"
The man's words were true. Even the most audacious criminal avoids the Discipline Department. If you take down an officer, a superior appears; if you take down a superior, a higher-ranking officer appears; a system where more and more officers emerge, leaving an individual powerless.
But I was different.
"I'm telling you to cooperate while I'm still speaking. Bring the Discipline Officer here immediately."
"Shut up! Put the sword down, you bastard! If you don't put it down by the count of three, you'll die!"
Click Three hastily drawn gun barrels were aimed at me. Kiiing! Mana overheated. The magic bullets were increasing their output to kill me.
But I did not reply. The moment I saw the neglected Rifts, I sensed the situation would turn out this way.
"Three!"
At this moment, my gaze fell upon the reception desk. I couldn't find a reason for a reception desk that didn't accept registrations. Also, there was a [Rift] on the management office side, so the reception desk, which was quite a distance away, was suitable for an attack.
"Two!!"
I moved the fingers of the Colossus Soldier. What was high in the sky far away began to fall towards the reception desk.
"One-"
It was merely the impact of a single finger. But its power was not so simple.
KWAAAAAAAHHHHHH ────── !!
The management office exploded.
It was something invisible. It shattered the building's ceiling, crushed the reception desk, and then, breaking through the floor and ground, caused the building's foundation to sink deeply. A powerful shockwave erupted.
That single blow turned the office into a mess. All the glass windows shattered, everything on the tables spilled out, and even the men holding guns were all knocked to the floor.
Dust swirled thickly. But it didn't last long. After half a beat, as the shock subsided, the three looked up. But no one was screaming in agony.
Now they were ready to talk.