Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: What Happened at Arcana (4)
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"If I help you, can you really destroy this city?"
It was a statement that didn't suit a hunter trainee destined to protect the peace of the future world in the slightest.
"Haven't you already heard the answer to that from the Society?"
"I want to hear it straight from you. You're diligent and humane, unlike the other monstrosities."
I had no idea why Kang Chang-su thought so highly of me, but I nodded anyway.
"I'll vouch for that. But it's not just Academy City—lots of people will die. The future the Society envisions is one where humanity is reduced to 1/1000th of its current size."
"I see."
"You're awfully calm about it. They wouldn't have told you that part."
Kang Chang-su's expression was utterly nonchalant.
It felt like he was thinking it was better than sacrificing the few for the many.
"Academy City is done for anyway, inside or out. I have no place to live. So it doesn't really matter to me."
He spouted terrorist-level nonsense without batting an eye. No wonder he was the leader of a terrorism group like Irregular.
"How'd you know I'm a monstrosity?"
"Felt it during the subjugation program. Sure, physical abilities spike when psykers awaken, but your movements were on another level. So when I met those Secret Society bastards, my gut screamed it."
"Good instincts."
"Is Yubyeol-ha on your side? You two seemed pretty chummy."
If Yubyeol-ha were here right now, she'd lose her mind. What kind of backtalk is this from a hunter who's supposed to hunt the 21st Century Secret Society?
I shook my head.
"It'd be great if she joined us, but alas."
"Making the woman with the title of Academy City's strongest join your side isn't easy."
As my words ended, Kang Chang-su quietly smiled.
"Still, it's a relief to know there's someone like you in the Society."
"We've only known each other a week, haven't we?"
The future Kang Chang-su wanted wouldn't come.
In the original story, his wish came true after he died, but this time, I'd make sure to twist it instead of letting Kim Si-hu handle it.
As someone who planned to thoroughly ruin everything he desired going forward, hearing him call me a good person felt strangely ironic.
"I think people who do their best even in uncomfortable situations are good people."
He patted my shoulder. Considering Kang Chang-su's past, it somehow made sense.
He left the classroom. As I watched him go, I recalled his end in the original story.
"No one likes me anymore. No one hates me anymore. All that's left is this shell of a body and an unbearable emptiness... I'm sick of fulfilling my duty just because I'm a psyker with strong powers."
Kang Chang-su's body twisted. With the sound of joints shattering, it began transforming into a monster. Kim Si-hu and Yubyeol-ha knew it well—it was the same dimensional beast transformation that had happened to Rolling.
Sorry, but I won't let you die as a convenient villain like in the original.
To stand against the 21st Century Secret Society, I needed as many allies as possible.
After Kang Chang-su left, I packed my things and left the classroom too.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 💬 Messages — Mimir Got a minute? It had been about two weeks since I arrived at Arcana when I got a message from Mimir.
It was unexpected for her to contact me first. I'd openly declared myself her enemy back then.
The juvenile hall riot was due any day now, but curiosity outweighed caution.
Why had Mimir reached out to me?
— Baek Do-hyun Meet at that abandoned building rooftop like before. By the time the sun had set and darkness fell, I arrived at the abandoned building's rooftop.
The night sky over Academy City was clear.
Unlike the smog-choked cities of advanced nations, even with all the concrete high-rises, the stars and moon shone vividly.
It felt like stargazing from a countryside observatory with pristine air.
"Hydra..."
Mimir suddenly said that as I looked up at the sky.
She'd arrived before me and seemed to be admiring the stars.
"A beautiful constellation you can find in the southern spring sky."
Looking where her finger pointed, bright stars stretched out long and sinuous, evoking a slender serpent.
"Sea serpent—Hydra, right?"
"Yeah. The beast slain by Hercules during his Twelve Labors, turned into a constellation... Of course, constellations in reality weren't born from stuff like that..."
Mimir gazed wistfully at the sky.
"Dracula."
"Yes."
"Academy City is already done for. Give it up. You can still make it out okay now. I haven't leaked any info about you to the other Society members..."
Mimir pulled her witch hat low, hiding her expression.
Then she began earnestly trying to persuade me. It felt like our roles from last time had reversed.
She scolded me in a voice like she was chastising a child.
"I don't know why you've decided to become the Society's enemy... but you know it's reckless."
"I hate people dying too. I've lived among them a lot. I'm a witch who's spent far more years than you, Dracula, in human society..."
"I like people too. But this world has inevitable things. If humanity doesn't thin out, the world will be destroyed by the waves in just ten years."
"I don't even think Zero One's ideology is fundamentally wrong. Even without dimensional beasts, pollution, nuclear war, rising sea levels... Humans are developing self-destructively and ruining the planet."
"Even if it's not by monstrous hands, humanity's reduction might be inevitable..."
"What you're doing now is pointless... Even if that insane plan to enter the rifts and seal them works, how do you stop the Society that's already spread through human society...?"
"This isn't child's play. I..."
Mimir let out a groan.
The way she trembled slightly and took deep breaths was proof of how sincerely she was trying to convince me.
I closed my eyes. I didn't think Mimir was completely wrong.
But just as she didn't fully agree with Zero One's ideology, I couldn't fully agree with her either.
"I think 'it can't be helped' is a great phrase in many ways. There's nothing more foolish than trying to fix something beyond your power."
"......"
"It's better to quickly give up on hard things and spend that time on something else to enrich your life. I always back off and quit in unavoidable situations."
I wasn't omnipotent. If anything, I saw myself as pretty ordinary.
Things like reviving the dead Kim Si-hu or turning Kang Chang-su's hatred for Academy City around were impossible right now.
I couldn't think of any way to end the Irregular incident without blowing up the juvenile hall or causing casualties.
If Seo-ah were here instead of me, maybe she'd get a fairy-tale ending.
But.
"I just believe stopping the Society isn't entirely impossible. And that sealing the rifts to preserve this world is fully achievable."
"Arrogant. So incredibly arrogant..."
Mimir bit her lip and glared at me.
In her eyes, I must have looked like a fool trying to shatter a rock with an egg.
But that didn't matter.
I planned to prove it with results anyway.
"Isn't it a bit early to judge? Whether I'm a fraud or not will reveal itself soon enough."
"......"
I always challenge the impossible and turn it possible.
A famous quote from Pablo Picasso.
My personal take on it.
"Even a single line, a single color, a single dot—when they come together and build up in the artist's hands, a masterpiece is born."
That's why I didn't see following the Society as 'inevitable.'
That should be answer enough.
Mimir turned her back. She'd given up on persuading me.
Still, for a traitor like me, to come try convincing me at the end... That was surprising.
She really was softer than I thought.
"Convincing a fool bent on dying... is impossible for me."
Mimir turned her head, giving me a cold stare.
"Next time we meet, we're enemies..."
She vanished with the wind. I looked at my smartphone.
— Goat The riot's probably in three days... Btw, I get to escape too, right Dracula bro? Having more cards to play was always better.
It'd need some explaining to Yubyeol-ha and Cheryl, but that could wait until tonight.
I told Goat to handle things on his end. I also messaged the others. The recipients were, of course, the ones I'd earmarked for AOD membership.
— Han Cheong-ah Meet up now??? — Lee Gyeo-ul This punk's ordering adults around. Who's else coming besides me and Cheong-ah? Sis has a lot of secrets, so big crowds are tricky... ^^ — Yubyeol-ha In training... ok — Cheryl Bloomingrose It's been ages since we last met. If you're contacting me now, it's probably about the 'Irregulars.' On my way. Among them, Lee Gyeo-ul and Han Cheong-ah were already AOD members.
Somehow, aside from me, it was all women.
Not intentional, but it felt kinda weird.
Even if Aria officially joined later and Mimir came aboard, I'd still be the lone guy.
Anyway, it was time to bend fate.