Chapter 108
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 108
Chapter Title: Scene 108: Minotaur
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Professor Ralph! Have you contacted President Mondri?
Yes. He said hed return on the fastest train available.
Do you know about when hell arrive at the station?
Even at best, itll be tomorrow morning.
Damn it. If only the president would get here sooner, we could do something! Is the barrier to cover this barrier complete?
The professors just finished it moments ago.
Good. Thats a relief. Now then.
The area in front of the barrier was chaotic with professors handling the cleanup.
As I appeared among them, the atmosphere froze solid.
Ch-Chairman.
What about the injured students?
Ah, they all seem to have just bruises, so we sent them to the infirmary.
Scars might remain. Send any student who wants treatment to the university hospital. Ill cover the costs.
Y-Yes, sir. If youre covering it, the students will be so grateful.
I ignored the bowing professors and approached the people sitting in a dim corner by the barrier.
Count.
Helga, who had been slumped on the ground, jumped to her feet.
I gave her instructions.
Helga. Go to the Ruelverta Foundations university hospital right now and bring back the healers.
Pardon? The healers?
Yes. Mention my name, and theyll give you as many as possible. Bring them all here.
Uh. Yes. Understood, Count.
Seeing my serious expression, Helga seemed to sense something was off and immediately left the arena.
Once Helga had stepped away without suspicion, I let out a sigh of relief. She definitely would have tried to stop what I was about to do.
I glanced beside the spot where Helga had been sitting. There was a woman slumped over with an ice pack on her head.
I slowly opened my mouth.
Professor Ariel.
Ch-Chairman.
The ice pack was removed, and Ariel lifted her head.
She had poured everything into trying to dispel the barrier just moments ago. Her face was pale from expending a massive amount of mana in such a short time.
Ariel must be feeling more responsible than anyone right now. An accident had happened during the practical exam she was overseeing, so she was desperate to resolve it.
Im sorry. Just give me a little more time, and Ill figure something out.
No need.
Pardon?
Ariel furrowed her brow.
I explained calmly to her.
Create a gap in the barrier, even if just for a moment.
A gap you say?
Yes. Then, in the moment you dispel it, Ill enter the barrier.
The ice pack slipped from Ariels hand and fell to the ground.
Youre saying youll go inside the barrier right now?
Thats right.
Heres the plan.
Ariel creates a single gap in the barrier, and Myohail, whos hiding, delays its repair. Meanwhile, I slip inside.
As a sage, Myohail couldnt step forward openly. Though reluctant, I had no choice but to push Ariel from behind.
And as expected, the prodded Ariel reacted with distrust toward my instructions.
Do you realize how absurd what you just said is, Chairman? We havent even fully identified the nature of that ritual formula yet, and you want to go inside?
Yes. Exactly as you said.
Ha. Im sorry, but Im not in the mood for jokes right now.
This isnt a joke. The only human who can pass through the barrier is a freak like me.
Freak? Oh? Ahh.
Only then did Ariel seem to catch on to my intent.
I see. There was a method like that. But Im still against it.
Why?
Because its too reckless. You could get caught in the barriers gap and actually die. Please wait until President Mondri arrives. Thats the only thing you can do right now, Chairman.
The barrier had already sealed, and too much time had passed.
I couldnt afford any more delays.
I took a moment to steady my breath and spoke.
What you just said is wrong, Professor Ariel.
Pardon?
Waiting is the same as doing nothing. Im simply trying to do the one thing I can.
I picked up the fallen ice pack from the ground and handed it back to Ariel as I said,
Do you want to save the students?
Of course.
Then follow my orders.
I stared straight at the seated Ariel.
She was one of the characters with deep resentment toward the Ruelverta family. I couldnt resolve that resentment right now.
So, I decided to go forceful.
The longer you drag this out, the less chance those trapped students have of survival.
Drag this out? How much have I
Youre a responsible and excellent professor. No one here can match you when it comes to dispelling rituals. If even you refuse to help me, theyll die because of you.
No. What did you say?!
Ariel shot to her feet in outrage.
Are you threatening me right now?
Im not threatening you. Im just giving you a chance. To save the students or not.
If thats not a threat, then what is!
Do you really want to see me actually threaten you?
She fell silent.
I revealed a hint of Wrath.
My Wrath toward Ariel gripped her heart. Not excessively. But unmistakably.
It was important to let her know I could crush someone like her anytime.
Dont make me unable to do anything. If you block me from saving my students, Ill have no choice but to threaten you. So cooperate with me, Professor Ariel. Youre the only one who can help me right now.
Even under my threat, Ariel remarkably didnt avert her gaze.
Her resentment must run that deep.
But that was the end of it.
Whatever happens to you, Chairman, it wont be my responsibility.
Ill take responsibility. You just open the door.
Understood.
Ariel replied obediently.
It was a harsh method, but the students safety mattered to her too. In the end, she had no choice but to follow my orders.
I dont have much mana left. We probably get only one shot.
Ariel stretched and picked up her staff.
But youre really going inside the barrier? Not knowing if you can come back. And if I make even a single mistake, theres no undoing it.
I wont regret my choice. And your skills are more than enough to entrust my life to.
Is that so.
Ariel elegantly swung her staff through the air.
Then I hope your judgment is correct, Chairman.
The ritual inscribed on the barrier began to writhe.
The first to hear that ominous sound was Hanna, a female student who had been dozing off for a bit.
?
At first, she thought shed misheard the rain.
But the sound was anything but rain.
Crack. Crunch.
It was the eerie sound of something breaking no, hard bones being crushed.
The students under the tent hadnt heard it yet and were sleeping soundly.
The moment Hanna cautiously peeked out from the tent.
Hiss!?
What she saw was a massive back.
Even sitting, the monster looked at least three meters tall, gnawing on something near the tent.
Crunch.
Though it was facing away, she could see two horns protruding from its head. There was only one monster that came to mind.
M-Minotaur?!
It was no pushover to face alone.
Fortunately, it hadnt noticed them yet and was focused on devouring the monster corpse.
We can take it down together.
Hanna carefully woke the students sleeping beside her.
The students, understanding the situation, quickly prepared to face the minotaur.
One was missingprobably resting somewherebut it didnt matter.
Four of them could handle a mere minotaur.
Exiting the tent, they faced each other and nodded.
Now!
Rituals flashed in the air, and sharp ice shards pierced the minotaurs back.
The follow-up ice shards struck without fail, embedding in the monsters back.
Their teamwork was perfect. The ambush succeeded. But something was off.
Crack. Crunch.
Huh?
The minotaur, which should have taken fatal wounds, continued eating just as before.
It was inexplicable.
What? Why no reaction?
Crunch.
The minotaurs back, as it tore into the monster corpse, looked somehow sinister.
Only then did the students realize something was wrong.
Grurrrr.
Finishing its meal, the minotaur slowly turned to face them.
The moment they saw its face, Hanna couldnt help but scream.
Kyaaah!!
Z-Zombie?!
It was the rotten, decayed face of a minotaur.
Undead monsters were tricky opponents.
Tenacious vitality and relentless pursuit of prey.
Moreover, a minotaur-level monster as a zombie meant its power was on another level from a regular one.
Groooar!
The minotaur, having become a zombie by devouring other monsters corpses, roared.
Flesh sloughed from its rotting mawa grotesque sight.
Spotting the students, the minotaur grinned.
Or it seemed to grin.
Exposed jawbone from torn flesh made it look like a smile.
It was unmistakably the face of one whod found fresh prey.
As the students instinctively backed away at the sight.
?!
A bright light arrow struck the minotaur zombies head.
Cough! R-Run away!
The one shouting was a ragged-looking girl, Wendy.
She hadnt rested properly while they didher clothes were melted in spots, giving her a pitiful appearance.
Hurry! Cough!
Coughing, Wendy swung her staff relentlessly.
Light arrows from her rituals pierced the minotaurs body one after another.
!
The sudden attack made it stagger.
But it only looked that way.
Groooar!
The minotaur swatted the arrows away with its decayed arm.
Then its opposite fist flew straight at Wendy.
?!
Wendys small body smashed into a tree. From the massive impact, blood gushed from her mouth.
Wendy clutched her stomach in agony and collapsed.
Groooar!
The minotaur roared in fury.
Its attention was fully on her now.
Only then did the male student realize this was their chance to escape and yelled.
Fuck! Run!
Huh? Huh?!
Hurry! Run!
Run!
The students turned and bolted from the monster without looking back.
Groooar!
The minotaurs roar echoed behind, but they ignored it and kept running.
The pouring rain felt hot.
The high acidity burned their skin like fire.
But right now, prioritizing distance from that monster came first.
They couldnt die to something like that in a place like this.
They sprinted across the filthy mud.
Huff. Huff!
How long had they run?
By now, the roar sounded distant.
Only then did Hanna and the others catch their breath in relief.
Ha. This is insane. A minotaur zombie, of all things.
Th-Think shes okay?
Hanna couldnt help worrying.
Wendys figure, stepping up to save them, lingered in her mind.
At Hannas question, the other female student replied.
Shes fine. Shell be fine. Huff. Didnt you see? She took down monsters all by herself. Someone that strong wont have any issues.
Right?
Yeah. Shes probably escaped by now too. Dont worry.
If so, thats a relief, but.
Hanna sighed in relief.
Maybe it was just overthinking.
She was an outstanding student, unlike them, after all.
A heavy silence fell.
Even as top students, leaving behind a younger girl alone was hard to shake off guilt-wise.
To lighten the gloomy mood, the male student spoke heavily.
We wait here until rescue arrives. Conserve as much mana as possible until then.
No. Rescue isnt coming.
What? Who?!
A chill ran down their spines at the sudden low voice.
An unfamiliar shadow had appeared before them at some point.
Eek?!
The moment Hanna saw the mans face, she fell on her butt in shock.
The pattering rain. Amid it, the mans gaze fixed on them was chillingly cold.