Chapter 84
Chapter 84
Episode 84
EP22 - District 4 Discipline Department (3)
I hated people who tried to wield power.
I've never thought well of people who use their high and secure positions to trample others.
But,
I am a problem solver.
Even if I was young, I was undoubtedly a scholar and a researcher.
Perhaps that's why I loved games. Games are, after all, a process of continuously solving given problems within a set of rules.
I don't discriminate against tools if they can solve the problem. Be it a pen or a pencil. Power is the same. If it's the only way to solve the problem, I was willing to wield all the power I could.
"Ugh..."
The first problem was Gray's survival. But as I solved it, the problem changed. To eliminating the threat inherent in Hiaka.
It felt like a small wooden splinter stuck in my foot. Trivial. Nothing significant. But it was something I couldn't leave be.
And as I solved that second problem, I ended up here.
"Kuh, ugh..."
In my opinion, old, stagnant people rot. Usually, people change after they die. But old, stagnant people are different. They don't change even when death is imminent. It only adds justification to their decay.
"Ugh ugh..."
Therefore, this man must die here.
"I'll help you. If you can't do it, I'll open it for you. Let you open the Rift with your own hands."
I bent down and grabbed the Discipline Officer's wrist. Then I pulled him towards the Rift.
"Ugh! S-stop...! I-I was wrong...!!"
"Why are you resisting? You should extend it."
"S-stop...!! N-no...!!"
Now, I too had high stats from repeated training and boss battles. Even if he resisted with all his might, I could still pull.
"Where in the world are there people who take responsibility with mere words? You have to prove it. With your own hands. Don't you agree? Huh?"
The muscles in my forearm bulged, and veins protruded. The Discipline Officer's trembling hand had no chance of resisting. His bent arm slowly straightened.
"Aaaargh...! P-please! P-please...!!"
He thrashed as if it were the jaws of a venomous snake. The subordinates beside him were horrified but didn't try to stop me. At the end. It was when his hand finally covered the Rift.
"I would appreciate it if you stopped there."
A dozen figures clad in full metal armor appeared beside me, bathed in light.
It was the headquarters' emergency response team.
"Ah, ah... Here! Here!"
The Discipline Officer, who had been pretending to apologize until now, exclaimed with joy, as if he had met an Angel.
They were 1st-tier Discipline Department members from the emergency response team, the [Nameless]. They were not human. Ancient combat dolls created with [Stigmata†] and [Alchemy].
"Hey! This guy is trying to kill me! Th-this guy...! Drag him away at once...!!"
Joy was etched on the Discipline Officer's face. It was the joy of anticipating being subdued and dragged away by them. Even if a Professor had authority, they couldn't do anything to the Hiaka Academy headquarters' emergency response team.
It was a complete misunderstanding.
I had also contacted headquarters.
And my contact was guaranteed to reach Ezekiel.
And Ezekiel was a Department Head with more than enough authority to mobilize the Discipline Department.
As a result,
"What are you doing?! Nameless! Hurry and capture that madman...!"
While he was babbling excitedly.
The Nameless bowed their heads before me.
"...W-what are you..."
The Discipline Officer's voice began to tremble, as if surprised.
However, the Nameless paid no attention to him and spoke to me cautiously.
"You must not kill members of the Discipline Department. Professor."
"..."
I decided to admit it.
That I was late.
"There are many Rifts, let's deal with those first."
"Understood."
Even at this point, the subordinates and the Discipline Officer here didn't understand the conversation, but that didn't matter.
I let go of the Discipline Officer's hand and stood up.
⋮
What followed was swift.
The [Rift] was real. They were all on the verge of dissolution, and fortunately, they were all eliminated.
An inspection was indeed ordered for the District 4 Discipline Department.
I later heard that the Discipline Officer, as the person in charge, received a severe disciplinary action of dismissal.
It was a shame, as he seemed to have some connections.
It should have been expulsion.
It was just a minor incident.
* * *
Discipline Officer Dennis.
No, Dennis, who was no longer a Discipline Officer, was dismissed after disciplinary action. For days afterward, he was consumed by anger and distress.
It was all because of that guy.
Senior Professor Dante Hiacapo.
Afterward, Discipline Officer Dennis attempted to inquire about Dante Hiacapo's identity through the [System Society⧉]. However, the cost was high, so he couldn't ask much and decided to only look into his past. Because if you know someone's past, you know the person.
To his surprise, he was told that there was not much of a past. Apparently, according to what was officially recognized by [Systematicity⧉], he had no significant past or identity.
He had expected him to have a strong backing, but it seemed something had gone seriously wrong. To think that things had come to this point by listening to the words of such a person.
Conversely, Dennis felt hope. The thought that he might be able to get revenge on Dante Hiacapo. The very person who ruined his peaceful and happy life. His life, too, had to be ruined.
So, he decided to mobilize all his connections.
He called him a 'Senior Professor,' didn't he? He was probably a [Master]-level martial artist, and likely ranked in the four digits.
What could he do? He had connections of that caliber too.
First, he called someone from the White Path.
"Hello."
-
Ah. It's been a while. Discipline Officer Dennis.
It seemed the news of his dismissal from a peripheral district hadn't reached District 0 yet. He didn't mention that he was no longer a Discipline Officer. There was no need to make things difficult.
"Could I possibly request an assassination commission just once?"
-
An assassination commission? Hmm. That's difficult. I don't usually kill people because I'm from the White Path...
"He gave me an unparalleled humiliation. I desperately want revenge, but there's absolutely no way I can..."
-
...
The benevolent Senior Professor hesitated, then asked what had happened. Seeing his chance, Discipline Officer Dennis decided to fabricate events to spite him.
-
Is that true? What a devilish fellow.
"Yes. It is absolutely true. Please, help me..."
-
Alright. It goes a bit against my principles, but I'll do something, even if it's not an assassination.
To that, the Senior Professor who answered the call asked.
-
What is his name?
His name was,
The renowned Senior Professor of Assassination Defense Studies from the White Path.
'Leo Bardo.'
"Dante Hiacapo!"
But then.
What could have happened?
Suddenly, the voice on the other end of the line went dead.
"H-hey... Professor Leo?"
-
...
"Professor Leo? Are you listening? I said Dante Hiacapo!"
-
...
What was going on? Why wasn't he answering? As Dennis frowned, a surprisingly cold voice returned.
-
I will pretend I never heard this.
His heart sank.
The voice was that sharp.
"W-why..."
-
It's a bit unpleasant. Discipline Officer Dennis. You should handle your own affairs.
Click.
The call ended.
Dennis blinked.
What was that?
It was an incomprehensible reaction. Why would the famously righteous and gentle Senior Professor Leo...?
However, when he called again, it wasn't answered, and Dennis gritted his teeth.
Leo was probably scared.
Because Dante was likely from the Black Path.
Perhaps fearing conflict between the Black and White Paths.
Tsk! How utterly powerless and incompetent are the White Path folks of Hiaka! They choose to ignore it when that wicked Black Path group runs rampant?
But the Black Path would be different.
Dennis remembered a student who had come for Discipline Department support, a student who was incredibly talented and righteous, unlike typical Black Path members.
"Hello?"
-
Yes. Discipline Officer.
After exchanging pleasantries like "It's been a while. How have you been?", he got to the point.
"I'm sorry, but can you take on a commission?"
-
A commission?
"Yes. An assassination commission. Just kill one person."
-
Why are you, a Discipline Officer, asking me for an assassination commission?
This time too, he vaguely explained the situation, and this exceptionally benevolent Black Path genius student nodded.
-
He's a truly terrible bastard. Alright. I'll kill him for you.
"Thank you so much...!"
-
So, what is his name?
"Uh. He's a Senior Professor. His name is..."
The student's name was, the son of the Dark Star Constellation⚉, the heir of the Nibelung Family, and a genius assassin of the Black Path.
'Balmung Nibelung.'
"Dante Hiacapo. Doesn't his name sound like trash?"
After that, Dennis became triumphant.
Now it was settled.
He was confident that there would be no problems this time. This student was from the Hidden Dragon Society, and it was known that he rejected almost all professors.
But then.
-
...What the hell, you bastard?
An unimaginable string of curses erupted.
Dennis's heart sank.
"W-what...?"
-
Dante Hiacapo? Did you just say Dante Hiacapo?
"..."
-
You're saying that person unjustly destroyed the Administration Bureau? Bullshit, you son of a bitch. Are you treating me like an idiot? Where do you think you're selling your lies, you bastard?
"Student! Wh-what is all this...!"
-
Stop lying, you piece of shit. If the Professor destroyed the Administration Bureau, it's because you did something to deserve it. How dare you try to slander the Professor, you subhuman bastard?
An incomprehensible reaction. Not knowing what to say. Balmung's rage continued.
-
Hey!! How many people have you called with this kind of contact? Huh? Speak. How many have you contacted!
-
You're not answering, you son of a bitch?
-
Ah, forget it. Where are you now! Is it the District 4 Administration Bureau? I'm coming. Wash your neck and wait. Got it—?!
His heart pounding, he hung up the phone.
Click!
At the last moment, he faintly heard, "...Let's see if you say the same thing to my face..." before it cut off.
His fingertips trembled.
Fortunately, he wasn't in District 4, nor was he at the Administration Bureau. But he couldn't help his heart from pounding.
'Why is this crazy Black Path bastard acting like this?'
He remembered Balmung.
Despite his prickly appearance, he was a good person.
He was a student who volunteered for the Discipline Department, despite being from the Black Path, a very benevolent and steadfast young man.
And that person suddenly turned into a more extreme Black Path member than any other Black Path member.
'The White Path is strange, and the Black Path is strange...'
At this point, it felt like the whole world was conspiring to mess with him.
Who the hell is Dante Hiacapo? What is he?
'...'
He felt he couldn't stop here.
However, he didn't have the nerve to call the Senior Professors. The probability of being ignored was high.
If so, the last person he could possibly call would be someone who was neither Black Path nor White Path...
[Neutral Senior Professor Collider]
"..."
This man, who described himself as an excellent elite Senior Professor, and indeed seemed to be one.
If he wasn't White Path or Black Path, he was Neutral, and Collider looked older, so perhaps...
"..."
However, after the two previous calls, Dennis felt something was off, and for some reason, Collider seemed less influential than Dante.
He had a feeling it wouldn't work even if he called.
"..."
Thus, Dennis gave up on revenge.
His spirit was completely broken.
-
[Missed Calls: Balmung Nibelung 4]
However, for the next few days, he lived in fear.
-
[Missed Calls: Balmung Nibelung 38]
Because of the continuous calls.
What's more, when he blocked the number, they called from a different one.
-
[Missed Calls: ??? 1]
-
[Missed Calls: ??? 35]
-
[Missed Calls: ??? 127]
⋮
Immediately after a nightmare where a mad dog lunged at him.
"Haaack!!"
Dennis clutched his blanket in bed, trembling in terror.
'S-stop calling...!!'
Hair loss! Insomnia! Nervous breakdown!
< Message from ??? : I will find you. >
< Message from ??? : And I will kill you. >
Kiiiiiiieeeeeeek...!!
After trembling with anxiety for three days straight, he finally decided to leave the Academy...
EP22
District 4 Discipline Department
END