Chapter 129
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 129
Chapter Title: Prepare for the Red Moon
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'But focusing only on orders and missing the entry point? Minus five points.'
The cadets caught their breath after dealing with the monsters and began heading deeper into the path.
That was when it happened. A prickling sense of rejection surged across my skin.
Ah. Can't let them go in there.
I'd been watching Princess Elena leading the way from up in the tree. Hooking my legs over a branch, I spun around and dropped down right in front of them.
"Halt."
"Eekyaaah!?!?"
She yelped in a ridiculous scream, forgetting her usual icy demeanor, and collapsed to the ground in shock at my sudden appearance.
Oh, this is kinda fun.
Not just her—the other team members following the princess recoiled in fright as well.
Me showing up out of nowhere in dark clothes, spinning from a tree branch in the shadowy forest? Yeah, they'd be startled.
"What insolence toward Her Highness the Princess!"
"There's a limit to rudeness!"
Yeah, they're right. Even in the academy, a princess's status is untouchable. No one—not cadets, not even the faculty—dares speak casually to Princess Elena.
But whatever.
I'm not the type to care about that.
Fledglings are fledglings. Especially ones carrying poison they can't handle.
She forced herself to regain composure and looked up at me.
"Don't go any further. It's dangerous."
"There wasn't a single sign until just now... It must be an artifact, right?"
She muttered the last part so quietly it was barely audible, but I ignored it even though I heard everything.
She sprang to her feet, brushed the dirt off her clothes, and cleared her throat.
"Ahem... That's hardly refined behavior, Instructor. And everyone else, calm down. I'm here as an academy cadet, not as a princess."
Her words silenced the others, and they backed off.
"Sorry for startling you. But no entry."
"What do you mean? We need to hunt the monsters and gather materials inside to follow our plan."
"It's dangerous."
"Is that an official directive?"
"No."
"Then we'll go in. It's not right to obstruct us so arbitrarily when there's no central command order. The academy permitted this area. We've reviewed it thoroughly and judged it feasible, so we're challenging it."
Ah, this is boring.
"Does Her Highness not know the word 'danger'?"
I squinted at her.
A chuckle escaped at the fledgling's chirping.
In the Demon Realm, unusual air currents mean no one knows what might happen.
As a family that's managed the Demon Realm for generations, do you think I wouldn't sense the danger?
How many knights and soldiers have died in incidents like this?
Sorry, but if the Demon Realm's danger erupts to that level, artifacts or not, total annihilation is on the table.
Luna seems aware of my stance, but Professor Rommel and the academy administration are too dismissive.
"No real battle is without danger. That's why we have protective artifacts, isn't it?"
"Looks like you really don't know the word 'danger'."
This is awkward to explain.
"I can't accept that. We've invested a lot of time tracking the monsters in there. If we turn back now, what about our lost points?"
Monsters don't pop up just because you want them to.
But that won't save your life.
"Points aren't worth more than lives, Your Highness."
"With artifacts, there's no way our lives would be threatened here, right? Clear the path. We can do this."
"This damn safety blindness."
"Hey! Even as an instructor, that's no way to speak to Her Highness!"
She demanded without backing down, and neither did I.
Born of royal blood, she probably wasn't used to anyone defying her or even meeting her eyes. She seemed a bit flustered.
"You're really going to block us no matter what?"
"It's a safety measure. The best protection is preventing incidents, not reacting after they happen. I said it again: beyond here is dangerous."
She let out a short sigh and sat on a nearby tree stump.
"Fine. Got it. If you're blocking us that firmly, we'll back off for now."
"Your Highness?!"
"Everyone, rest here and revise the plan."
Thankfully, they listened and gave up entering.
-Leon, strange air currents detected nearby... Shall I check it out?
"Got i..."
Just as Professor Rommel's radio came in.
Zzt!
One of the scattered wraiths collided with something.
None of the monsters here should detect wraiths moving through shadows first.
Obvious. Variables emerged from the periodic rifts.
Looked like something had been stirring for a long time, and now with a bunch of humans barging through the forest in this ominous vibe? Bound to happen.
....
This is why the Demon Realm is dangerous. What's the point of calling it safe a thousand times? You never know what'll erupt.
[Prepare for the Red Moon]
[Prepare for the Red Moon]
[Prepare for the Red Moon]
Half-broken oracle text floated before my eyes, and the sky stained red. The Red Moon phenomenon, visible only to me.
It'd been a while since it last happened in the Demon Realm.
But this time, no fleeting prophetic vision flashed in my mind.
Good thing—nothing major seemed wrong behind me yet.
On the other hand, where the wraith shadows evaporated, undead tore apart one after another, like flames spreading from that spot.
I glanced at the princess's group, then turned without hesitation.
Something dangerous popped out deeper in the Demon Realm? Gotta handle that first.
I raced through the forest in an instant, radioing Luna and Lady Isna.
"Leon here. Lady Isna, Luna—do not approach Alpha Sector under any circumstances. And Professor Rommel, I forgot to mention: never hold exams in the Demon Realm again."
-Leon?
"The Demon Realm isn't a playground for fledglings."
I accelerated instantly.
The distance was considerable, but no issue.
I locked onto one of the undead wraiths in the troubled area and shadow-shifted right there.
The surroundings changed in a blink.
Beyond the dark forest, grotesquely twisted human shapes began to appear.
Tattered rag of a dress. Long, disheveled hair dragging on the ground.
Pale skin shriveled unnaturally.
Empty eye sockets oozing black liquid, blood dripping from the mouth.
Someone might think it was a wounded person, but no.
That thing was over 2.5 meters tall.
And the ground around its feet was rapidly rotting.
Undead.
One of the most dangerous naturally spawned varieties.
The woman-shaped undead finally noticed me and turned, but I'd drawn my demonic sword Electra long ago.
Normal undead could be dominated, but this was something else wearing undead skin.
Aftermath of the Red Moon, clearly.
Rip!!!
A sickening tear of flesh, and its head flew off.
Then the shadows lingering along my path rippled, morphing into multiple black spears that flew in.
Kwajik!!
The first black spear pierced the center of the severed head's forehead, embedding it in a tree.
Kwajik!! Kwajik kwajik!!!
Succeeding spears stabbed the monster's body en masse, making it shake like it was dancing.
The headless undead twitched on the ground a few times before going still.
"Just this one?"
No way. With the Red Moon up, it wouldn't end here.
As if waiting, identical undead emerged slowly from all directions.
Those are just the women.
Without removing the cause, this won't end.
-Leon, evacuating most cadets. But many are still left.
"How's Lady Isna?"
-......
Unlike Luna, no reply from Isna. An ominous feeling welled up.
Reminded me of the last Red Moon.
If I'd been even a bit later, Melissa would've been devoured by the Void Gluttony.
No precognitive flash this time, but the Red Moon was still an unknown—had to stay cautious.
"Professor Rommel."
-Already en route! Cadet safety is priority...
"I'll evacuate as I see them."
-Be careful...
The oracle had warned me before.
The first Red Moon ended with slaying the Void Gluttony, but the next ones likely wouldn't.
Somewhere, the cause of this mess lurked.
No need to hunt its location.
It periodically revealed itself somewhere in this forest.
But the sensation was strange.
Unfamiliar, like nothing I'd felt before.
Just wipe everything with Thanatos? But to do that safely, everyone here needs to evac first.
Escape flares shot up wildly from all sides.
Bang!!! Piiiing!! Bang!!
A forest with just goblin-level trash mobs suddenly swarming with grotesque high-tier undead? Predictable panic.
"Fuck, no Thanatos now."
"Hah... Hah!"
"Run faster!!"
Cadets covered in big and small wounds fled through the dark forest, faces pale with terror.
A burly boy carried an injured girl in his arms at the lead, the rest panting raggedly behind.
And hunting them like prey, grotesque woman-shaped undead shrieked from the darkness, pursuing madly.
"Uwaaaah!! They're almost on us!!"
"Damn it! This the right spot?! We sent the rescue signal just now! Where the hell are they?!"
"Can't you see?! They're all dead!"
The situation was dire.
"Fuck, these proctors are useless!"
They vented unsparing fury at the supervisors who hadn't saved them.
Cornered in extremity, naturally.
"Don't expect shit! Didn't you see them use magic tools?! Anyone relying on artifacts ain't a real fighter!"
"Uwaaak!! They're almost here!!"