Chapter 53
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Lesson 12. Monster Wave - 3
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Union Academy, riding atop a hemispherical barrier shield like a flying ship, had "observed" all ten battlefields in the Gellas Dimension where massive clashes between humans and monsters were unfolding.
Perhaps because Xenon had already finished his explanations earlier, the professors wasted no time upon arriving at each battlefield. They dove straight into action, focusing on clearing out the monsters.
"All of you, crumble!"
―Kwa-ga-ga-gak!
Among them, the most impressive display came from Professor Ryu Cheol-myeong of Aura Combat Studies.
True to his reputation as unmatched in the academy when it came to handling cold weapons, he wielded a greatsword the size of a house with effortless skill. But the real astonishment was the devastation wrought by the pure, concentrated magical power—or Aura—gathered at its tip.
"Seeing how twisted that man's Martial Arts are, his mindset must be equally formidable. It's a Hegemonic Path that cunningly warps the principles of the world. Frustrating as it is, I have no way to match him with my current achievements."
That was Dokgo Yeon's impression after watching Ryu Cheol-myeong swing his greatsword, unleashing a crimson Aura that swept away tens of thousands of monsters in one go.
But Ban Yu-won couldn't detect anything in the overwhelming energy radiating from his sword except raw, domineering force. He tilted his head.
"Twisted? It just looks like he's crushing everything as it is."
"That's why it doesn't make sense. How can a man whose realm hasn't touched the heavens crush everything under the sky? That's a technique that distorts principles and blinds the eyes of heaven."
"Ugh... I don't get it."
"It's fine. You'll naturally start reading it before long."
Most of the Martial Arts Ban Yu-won handled pursued a single concept to its extreme, like Pierce or Reversal. That's why he couldn't read the hidden meaning beneath Ryu Cheol-myeong's Hegemonic Path.
If he could someday infuse additional concepts into his own Martial Arts, he might uncover the true intent behind Ryu Cheol-myeong's actions.
"Hey, Ban. You're learning magic too, right? If you get strong enough, you can pull off miracles like Professor Yumina, yeah?"
Meanwhile, Light was entranced by Yumina's prowess as she single-handedly cleared half the battlefield.
She grew thorny vines across a vast area to halt the movements of hundreds of thousands of monsters, then absorbed their magical power in an instant, withering them to death with terrifying magic.
Ban Yu-won could barely make out a few concepts that constituted the plants and the concept of Absorption, but he had no idea how they combined to produce such horrifying results.
"You're still a long way from that kind of power, Light. Besides, Professor Yumina's main magic isn't something you can attain through training."
"Yeah, I guess..."
Yumina's plant magic was undoubtedly her innate unique magic, stemming from her very nature.
No one else could dare learn it, and the spells she actually taught were merely what could be called common magic.
It was the same principle as how Ban Yu-won, through the Babylonia Code, could wield all languages and their concepts.
That's why Ban Yu-won was more focused on someone else than Yumina.
Namely, Professor Campanella from the Artifact Creation Department.
'I've been curious what artificial artifacts made by someone other than me would feel like.'
To sum it up, Campanella's artifacts were on a whole different level from those Ban Yu-won created.
While Ban Yu-won reborn existing objects or machines by attaching or combining language concepts unique to him (which left others even more shocked by his abilities), Campanella researched so-called natural artifacts—said to be bestowed by gods—and gathered every mystery she could to recreate them as closely as possible.
Different starting points and goals naturally led to different results.
'Strong. Even stronger than natural artifacts, which are products of chance.'
Ban Yu-won, having acquired natural artifacts before, knew this well.
Unlike natural artifacts whose birth depended purely on chance, artificial ones infused with human will were sharper in purpose and more efficient.
Honestly, it made him seriously consider majoring in Artifact Creation.
'It suits my abilities perfectly.'
After all, the end goal was creating an object, so someone who freely wielded the power of language concepts would have plenty of room to shine.
Even if not a major, auditing her lectures might not be a bad idea.
Lucelle, noticing Ban Yu-won staring at Campanella, tugged tightly at his sleeve and asked.
"Is that kind of woman your type, Yu-won...?"
"Don't say that in front of others—it'll cause misunderstandings. And no, she's not my type."
Xenon's power had been so enigmatic that it was hard to feel its reality even after seeing it. But the displays from the other eight full professors and the rest of the faculty were viscerally terrifying in their realism.
Straightforward enough to grasp at a glance, yet profound enough to make one doubt if they could ever reach such overwhelming heights.
Even that insufferable Kanto Nejo inspired awe as he crushed thousands of monsters simultaneously with telekinesis on a transcendent scale!
―Moving to the next site.
"Meteor!"
"A full professor's summoning magic at full power!"
"That's awesome, Professor!"
The battlefield tour continued.
The professors rampaged freely, sweeping away millions of monsters, while the students observed and let out endless exclamations of admiration.
"W-We survived."
"We're alive! Reinforcements are here!"
"Union... Union saved us...!"
"We're alive... Damn it, we survived!"
The soldiers who had come to the battlefields ready to die collapsed in tears of joy at the sight of them.
Despite being separated by just a single barrier, the disparity felt profound.
Ban Yu-won felt a bit nauseous inside.
―Today's group activity ends here. Reflect on what you've seen today and seek enlightenment for body and mind.
Union Academy, having conquered all the major battlefields in the Gellas Dimension in less than half a day, performed another spatial transfer and returned to the capital square of the Tolmon Empire, where they had first arrived via dimension line.
They had likely already heard the news from each battlefield, as high-ranking officials rushed out barefoot to greet the group.
"We've been waiting!"
"Salute to the dimension's saviors!"
They groveled like they wanted to lick the professors' shoes.
In truth, the professors' actions today had essentially ended the Gellas Dimension's monster wave, so their attitudes were understandable.
It was harder to stomach the other students strutting around in the professors' stead, having done nothing themselves.
"Enough."
Xenon stepped forward, raising one hand to halt the flood of applause and cheers, and spoke nobly.
"The accommodations are prepared, I assume?"
"We'll escort you all to places where you can rest comfortably."
"Good. All classes, form up by group!"
"Yes, sir!"
While most cities in dimensions facing massive monster waves lay in ruins, Tolmon Empire's capital was relatively intact. That was why Union Academy had chosen to stay here.
They were given a massive annex attached to the imperial palace.
Floors were divided by grade, areas by class. Whether due to Yumina's influence or not, Class 11 got a prime spot.
"I'm here to assist you during your stay."
"Looking forward to it!"
They even had three guides assigned.
Breathtaking beauties for Ban Yu-won and Light, and oozing-with-charm hunks for Dokgo Yeon and Lucelle.
Yumina's guide was the most ordinary.
At this point, Ban Yu-won dropped any notion that Yumina had influenced the room assignments.
These guys are obviously spies!
Honey traps and hunk traps—too textbook, it made him slap his forehead.
"Just let me know if you need anything, anytime. I'll help with whatever I can."
"Haha, you're too kind."
Ban Yu-won gave an awkward smile at his guide's overtly seductive glances.
Pretending not to know their true nature, he quickly exchanged looks with Dokgo Yeon.
'So the scheming starts here.'
All the guides wore military uniforms, but by reading their internal concepts "to some extent," Ban Yu-won realized they were hiding their identities.
Chasing them off as suspicious would just advertise that he'd caught on. For now, playing along and sleeping with the enemy was best.
―These guys are surprisingly strong. Tell Light to stay alert too.
Thinking the same thing, perhaps.
Ban Yu-won nodded silently at Dokgo Yeon's telepathic message.
It suddenly occurred to him: couldn't he communicate with her the same way?
The key lay in the magic he'd recently begun learning. Specifically...
'Language magic might work.'
Having mastered magical language, Ban Yu-won could now wield his unique path of magic: language magic.
Draw a magical language imbued with specific intent, infuse it with mana, and manifest that intent in reality. That was the essence.
It felt familiar to him because language magic was essentially no different from unleashing the power of language concepts.
'The difference is... concept liberation only applies to the language concepts I possess, while language magic lets me artificially create and manifest specific ones.'
The magical languages he'd acquired numbered 100 in depth, vast in quantity and profound in meaning—enough to produce nearly any phenomenon without exaggeration.
Like all magic, however, greater effects demanded immense mana, so it wasn't truly omnipotent. Purely in efficiency, concept liberation was superior.
'But for transmitting sound...'
Having seen Dokgo Yeon use telepathy, he roughly grasped the principle.
Resolved, Ban Yu-won immediately circulated his internal energy, creating and combining two magical languages.
He realized how simple it was to infuse his will as sound and transmit it to another.
―These guides don't seem native to this dimension. Probably prepared directly by Ortima's side.
―Did you steal and learn telepathy from me already?
Dokgo Yeon responded calmly to his telepathic message, unsurprised.
―As if. I'm just mimicking it another way.
―Impressive.
―Teach me properly, and I'll learn gladly. Anyway, let's both watch these guys.
―You watch out, Ban Yu-won. If anyone's falling for the honey trap, it's you.
―That's harsh. I didn't even glance twice at beauties like you girls.
―Your flattery is so blatant it's painful.
The guides naturally didn't notice their wordless exchange, but Lucelle sensed it with her animal instincts and narrowed her eyes sharply.
"This is your room. Feel free to relax until dinner."
"Call us if you need anything."
Fortunately, the group's rooms were adjacent.
Separating them would have been too unnatural. Seemed they didn't plan on causing a scene right at the lodging—small mercy.
"Then, rest well, everyone."
"Yes, Professor."
Even as they entered their assigned rooms with their guides, the group acted oblivious.
But the moment Ban Yu-won and Light's guides tried to follow them inside, it all fell apart.
"Hey, why are you coming in?"
"I thought I'd attend to you until dinner..."
The guide replied nonchalantly, subtly emphasizing her chest for Ban Yu-won and Light alone.
But it had zero effect on Light, and Ban Yu-won had no time to react.
Because.
"Grrr..."
"Eek?!"
Before he could respond, Lucelle let out a ferocious beastly growl and seized the guide's arm.
Ban Yu-won was shocked to see rage and affection both surge over 50 in her, completing a 100-depth Heart Flame.
This was the first time her Heart Flame had maxed out so instantly!
―Thud!
With half her hair turned black, Lucelle slammed the guide against the wall before she could react, shoving her face close and snarling lowly.
"Don't... mess... with Yu-won...!"
"Y-Yes! Sorry!"
Ban Yu-won could've sworn two pointed ears sprouted atop Lucelle's head in that instant.
Shoved off forcefully, the guide collapsed in a daze, leaving an indescribably awkward atmosphere.
"What a spring breeze we have. See you at dinner."
Yumina's casual remark as she shut her door was utterly heartless.
Meanwhile, Lucelle snapped back to reality, panicked at her actions, and hid behind Dokgo Yeon. Suddenly a shield, Dokgo Yeon scoffed incredulously, grabbed Lucelle by the collar with one hand, and entered her room.
"......"
"......"
Left behind were the three abandoned guides, Light, and Ban Yu-won.
Ban Yu-won eyed the trembling guide cowed by Lucelle's feral intimidation, the other guides with their indescribable expressions, racked his brain for words, but ended up dragging Light into the room and slamming the door without a word.
Everything's ruined.
An excruciatingly awkward time passed until dinner finally arrived.
Guided by the still-shivering guide who hadn't fled, Ban Yu-won arrived at the banquet hall and noticed every student from other classes had their own 1-on-1 dedicated guides. Reading some of their internal concepts made his face harden.
He honestly didn't want to read them.
"This place is so hard to get used to..."
"If they can please higher-dimensional humans even like that, they've secured their future, no?"
Dokgo Yeon sneered, as if reading what Ban Yu-won had discerned and thought.
"Think about it. They're Union Academy students, said to have the top potential across dimensions. From their perspective, why hesitate to offer their bodies for even a slim connection?"
"Grrr..."
Stung by Dokgo Yeon's words, perhaps, Lucelle pressed tight against Ban Yu-won and bared her teeth, glaring around warily.
She'd apparently grown slowly from suppressing her wild nature, but since this special activity began, he'd already seen it rise by over 5.
"Eek."
"...!"
The female guide, hit by Lucelle's fierce gaze, flinched away from Ban Yu-won toward Light—but sadly, that side had even less chance.
But since Light looked comically burdened, he decided to let it slide for now.
―I hope dinner is to your liking.
Xenon's voice echoed simultaneously in every student's mind, souring Ban Yu-won's appetite.
―I'll briefly outline tomorrow's schedule. Starting tomorrow, classes will engage in direct monster wave response under professors' guidance. In the afternoon, groups will have free time to tour the Tolmon capital.
"Not a training camp—a school trip."
"Ban Yu-won, what's a school trip?"
"It's a thing. You get swept up in the mood, make a bunch of cringey memories, and come back regretting it."
Why do humans always get hyped on trips for no reason?
And those idiot things they do stick in memory forever.
Like thinking his language skills were enough to hit on foreign beauties...
Recalling how he'd been called "Reflex Nova" throughout his entire second semester of second year after that school trip, he shook his head. Dokgo Yeon eyed him with interest.
"Oh? You seduced a girl."
"Yeah, red hair, green eyes, super pretty... Have I been talking out loud this whole time?"
"Yes."
Unable to bear Dokgo Yeon's grinning face, Ban Yu-won turned away—right as Lucelle caught his gaze. She clenched her fist with a resolute expression.
"I won't lose either."
To whom?
The redhead beauty?
"Your world's stories get more fascinating the more I hear. At first, given your level, it didn't seem that harsh an environment. But your talents aside, mobility must be advanced enough to travel abroad freely, and you handle machines similar to those in the top dimensions."
"Come visit sometime."
"...Me? To your world?"
Dokgo Yeon sounded genuinely surprised.
Ban Yu-won shrugged. They all gathered at Union anyway—what was stopping them from visiting Earth with friends?
"If possible."
"You tell the funniest stories... No, boring ones."
Dokgo Yeon laughed.
She played it cool, but a chill she couldn't hide seeped through.
That was when he first thought maybe Dokgo Yeon had circumstances of her own.
She averted her gaze and replied.
"Pretend I didn't hear that."
"I'll go, anytime."
Lucelle declared firmly.
"I have to... say hello."
To whom?
Our parents?!
"Everyone, lovers' quarrels are fine, but remember the announcement properly. Tomorrow morning: class activity. Afternoon: group activity. Got it?"
Yumina's carefree voice shattered the subtle atmosphere brewing among the group.
Ban Yu-won grabbed the lifeline she tossed and replied.
"Of course we remember. You'll be with us all day tomorrow too, right Professor?"
"Naturally."
Yumina beamed back.
Both the questioner and the answerer roughly knew.
If foul play was coming, it'd be tomorrow.
Especially the afternoon group free time, easy to avoid prying eyes.
'They'll try to separate Yumina from us somehow.'
The moment they lost her protection would be the most dangerous.
And when the 'plan' began.
Ban Yu-won subtly checked his Inventory, narrowing his eyes.
Preparations were as thorough as they could be.
Now, just wait for the showdown.
"Hm?"
...For a moment, something in his Inventory seemed to twitch, but it must be his imagination.
After all, clichés like something hatching from an egg to save him at the brink of crisis don't happen in reality!