Chapter 47: The Academy Exchange Meet — Conclusion (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 47: The Academy Exchange Meet — Conclusion (5)
Roughly half a day had passed inside my Mindscape, the Lake of Swords, but in reality, barely two minutes had gone by.
In those two short minutes, the once-warm party hall had turned into a gathering of seasick fools.
A group of nobles was busy throwing up. These were people who would cling to their dignity even if a lump sprouted on their foreheads, yet now they were committing the very act that utterly destroyed it.
Episode. Gi■to■■a
"Bleaargh!"
The nobles trembled uncontrollably, Dante—the principal of Parsi Academy—looked thoroughly dazed, and Kang Geomma stared back with dark, sunken eyes, utterly impassive.
"In the future..."
The moment Kang Geomma opened his mouth, the retching instantly stopped. The nobles turned their creaking gazes toward him, completely focused.
"If any of you pull bullshit with the cadets again, don't expect it to end with just an illusion."
"..."
"I told you earlier, didn't I? The first time is 'a conversation,' but there won't be a second time. I'll jump straight to using force, so keep that in mind."
...That was a conversation...?
Every single one of them looked like they wanted to ask that. Of course, they had to swallow those words down. They had experienced Kang Geomma's power firsthand—or rather, a mere fragment of it.
'M-Monster.'
The Heavenly Sword had deployed his Mindscape. They didn't know if such a feat was even supposed to be possible. The only thing certain was that this was a divine power that only someone of Kang Geomma's caliber could manifest.
And he had done so without a single restriction. Not only that, he had dragged this massive crowd straight into his own world. How could anyone dare talk back to such a monster?
"I'm not letting you live out of mercy. In a way, this is far more cruel."
Kang Geomma warned them.
"Whenever you do something that pricks your conscience, you'll remember this. You'll think about how I'm going to execute you if you get caught."
"..."
Shiver.
"Answer me when I speak."
"...Understood..."
"Good."
Kang Geomma gave a nonchalant nod and turned his back. His long coat fanned out behind him in an elegant flutter.
Step, step.
And just like that, Kang Geomma vanished. The nobles let out their stifled breaths and went right back to painting the floor with their vomit.
Dante looked back and forth between them and the spot where Kang Geomma had stood, thinking to himself that this was the true utility of overwhelming force.
Corrupt or not, these nobles were still Heroes. They prioritized the logic of power above all else. When overwhelmingly crushed, they would ultimately tuck their tails.
'As civilized people, dialogue is a necessity, but...'
When words didn't work, you had to beat them. Human nature was like that, and for arrogant Heroes, a good thrashing was the best medicine. They lived lives intertwined with violence. Regardless of justification, rather than feeling anger toward a stronger being, they secretly harbored awe.
Even among these fools, there were surely a few who now saw the Heavenly Sword in a different light after what had just transpired.
The Heavenly Sword understood the nature of Heroes better than anyone. He knew how to tame these Heroes, who could easily degenerate into a gang of thugs if left unchecked.
'A sashimi faster than words.'
Through this incident, Dante felt like he had realized something fundamental.
"He gives even me a new enlightenment..."
The Academy Exchange Meet. It was a place for give-and-take among faculty as well as cadets.
Now it was Parsi's turn to return the favor.
Dante picked up the file folder Kang Geomma had left behind. He dusted off the cover and carefully read through the list.
"Kitty, so it was you."
The woman with red eyes. Someone from Auditore had requested the list from him. After brief consideration, Dante had handed over the shareholder list, and she was almost certainly the catalyst for this whole mess.
Furthermore, details of the nobles' personal corruption were also written down.
They had taken shares in Parsi Academy and attempted short selling. Since they even manipulated stock prices, they deserved nothing short of a social execution.
"As of this moment, all the money you illegally embezzled will be confiscated."
"...!"
"Naturally, this fact will be publicly announced the second the Exchange Meet comes to a close."
Dante opened his eyes coldly. The nobles wiped their mouths with the backs of their hands and protested.
"You're the principal of Parsi Academy! That's driving the academy off a cliff! Do you really think you can keep your position as principal after doing something like that?!"
"I'm saying it because I have no intention of keeping it, you stupid bastards!"
At Dante's ferocious shout, everyone was struck dumb, their mouths hanging open. His face twisted into something demonic as he continued to threaten them.
"The moment the Exchange Meet ends, I will step down as principal. The selection of my successor will be left entirely to the Hero Association. And the internal audit will be entrusted to the House of Order, Auditore."
"Are you saying you're going to invite those bloodthirsty, vulgar fools into the cradle of cadets?!"
"Joaquin Academy went through the exact same thing ten years ago. Looking at it that way, Auditore's intervention is simply a necessary growing pain for the academy."
"Dante, do you... do you think you'll walk away unscathed?"
Instead of answering, Dante snorted.
Since he bore a portion of the blame himself, he intended to donate all the money and assets to the GM Foundation.
Whether that served as absolution or not, it would at least offer him some peace of conscience.
The turmoil showed no signs of abating all night. The faculty and executive staff of Parsi were forced to greet the grand final day without having slept a wink.
* * *
That morning. It was only after entering the arena that we heard what the final event was.
For something kept strictly classified, the title was shockingly plain. I felt that what was bound to come had finally arrived.
"War."
Ryozo cocked her head and spoke.
"The final event is War... But surely it won't just be simple brawling. Hmm, or maybe not? What if they catch us off guard again with plot twist upon plot twist, and throw us into a real maze or something?"
On the way to the VIP seating, Ryozo was busy spinning one theory after another. Chain-reasoning like this was her specialty.
"We'll find out once we get there. Just wait a few minutes."
"I know, but... it feels strange. My gut's telling me something. Like something huge is about to blow up... I'm getting serious déjà vu."
I wrapped my arm around Ryozo's shoulders and rubbed her gently. The soothing warmth relaxed the tension between her brows.
"Right. With Geomma here, what do I have to worry about?"
Abel naturally linked her arm with mine. Ryozo's brow furrowed a bit more before she let out a sigh, adding, "Right, today's an even day."
"...Yeah. Let's just go root for our cadets."
"That's more like it. That's the Ryozo I know."
Like a true Korean, I am skilled at walking the tightrope.
"Are you still watching that Neotuber lately? What was it, Chapchapman?"
"I stopped watching him ages ago."
Bantering back and forth, we quickly reached the VIP box. As always, we sat down to take in the full view of the arena.
However.
"In the arena..."
There was nothing.
In the first event, 'Flag Capture Battle,' the floating island had inspired awe.
In the second event, 'Skoll and Hati,' ancient grandeur had taken center stage.
Each event had offered a different flavor of wonder. Perhaps because of that, the emptiness before us felt all the more stark.
We weren't the only ones flustered; the Parsi faculty members were running around in confusion. As the hosts, this empty spectacle must have rattled them even more.
"Where are the cadets?"
Ryozo pulled out her phone to ask, and an urgent voice answered from the other end. It was her secretary, Choi Seol-ah.
\- Actually, I was trying to report to you earlier, Principal...! Exactly an hour ago, the cadets arrived along with the chaperones via Subspace Warp.
"...What...?"
Ryozo went quiet for a moment before instantly flying into a fury.
"If something like that happened, you should've reported it to me immediately! Besides, whose order was it to recall the cadets to the academy?!"
\- P-Principal! Things here were completely out of control too! I'm so sorry! Th-The thing is, the cadets were forced to return, but they said it was unfair and took it upon themselves to move back to Parsi Academy!
Cold sweat broke out across my skin, as well as Ryozo's, Abel's, and Leon's. Even the sound of Choi Seol-ah swallowing her breath came through loud and clear.
\- And the one who ordered the cadets to return to Joaquin Academy was none other than...!
Just then, the floor of the arena opened up. A figure rose from a square aperture. Pure white clerical vestments and silver hair. It was Saintess Yoo Se-in.
Chaos erupted. Everything happened so abruptly. An international event watched by the United States and envied by Japan was ruined in an instant—and by someone nobody could have ever anticipated.
"Fuck, what the hell is going on?!"
"Wait, where are our cadets?! Where did our cadets go?!"
"Someone do something about this—!"
"Cut the broadcast! Cut the broadcast first! What will the world say if they see this...!"
The Parsi faculty shouted and raised an uproar. How could anyone fail to realize who was responsible for this unprecedented catastrophe?
They were already in a foul mood after getting crushed by me in the middle of the night.
And now, the Association and the Saintess had colluded behind their backs, stripping away even their chance at redemption without asking for consent.
'What on earth are you thinking, Yoo Se-in?'
I didn't show it, but no one was more shocked than me. This was a sudden act from Yoo Se-in, who had been spouting cryptic remarks all along. My heart throbbed with the sheer weight of my shock.
Naturally, my upper body leaned forward on its own.
In the next moment, I—the possessor—and Yoo Se-in—the reincarnator—coincidentally locked eyes across the open air.
As if to show off, Yoo Se-in gave me a deliberate nod and pointed her index finger toward the sky.
I snapped my head up like lightning and stared at the spot her finger pointed to. The sun. Looking closely, there was some sort of black spot on the sun.
"..."
Ah, the time has finally come.
Keeping my eyes fixed on Yoo Se-in, I asked Ryozo.
"Ryozo, that déjà vu you felt earlier... Didn't you feel that exact same way on the day of the 'Joaquin Disaster'?"
"U-Uh? Uh!"
Leaving behind Ryozo, who had just offered a flawless explanation with three 'uh's, I drew the sashimi sword from my waist. Perhaps because my hands were trembling, the blade's hum was uneven.
Sshhrrrng.
I placed my right foot on the railing, poising myself to leap out. Seeing my physical display of gravity, the Joaquin group turned pale. Skoll and Hati, who were hiding under Abel's legs, peeked their eyes out.
"Evacuate for now."
"What is going on—"
"I don't know either."
The hem of my black coat fluttered in the air. Lightning energy coursed across my skin, sparks slicing through the air around me.
At that, Skoll and Hati dashed out and suddenly expanded in size. As if guarding me from both sides, they threw back their muzzles and roared.
Awoooooooooo...!
Awoooooooooo...!
I read their intent to join me. Right, for a supernatural phenomenon like this, Demons suited the situation far better than Heroes.
I cranked up the output of [Lightning Magic] inherited from Lycan. Using [Blessing of Transfer], I implanted electricity into the bodies of Skoll and Hati. Their fur stood on end, and a bright yellow wild fire flared in their eye sockets.
By delivering electrical shocks, I amplified their physical capabilities. As their emanating momentum grew intense, the surrounding space-time warped.
I temporarily removed the limits on their power. Left unchecked, it would inflict fatal damage on the physical realm. Sharing [Lightning Magic] with Skoll and Hati acted as a sort of protective suit. It would have been nice if Lycan were by my side, though.
'Under the current circumstances, this is the best option.'
I mounted Skoll's back and spoke in a low voice.
"I'll go check it out with them."
Three wolves bolted like lightning, tails trailing behind as they sprinted toward the sun.