103 - I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City

Title: "Becoming the Human Rights Hero of Academy City" Chapter 103 "Juyeon! It's an emergency!" Despite having radios, the knights flew all the way to the transport ship. Juyeon calmed the panicked members and listened to their reports with composure. "A large number of sea monsters are crawling onto the land...!" "So, that's what I've been sensing since earlier. What level are the monsters at?" Juyeon wasn't surprised by the report from the Paradise Knights. It was the observation of an anomaly. The persistent ominous feeling had finally hit its mark, leaving her calm. "Most of them exceed the cadets' level. They are not creatures that typically inhabit near uninhabited islands." "Is there anything else unusual?" "...The monsters are behaving strangely." "Please tell me everything you've observed." The members of the Paradise Knights are selected elites. They understand that time is an irreplaceable resource. Therefore, they began to give Juyeon a concise explanation of the situation. "First, all of the monsters have red eyes." Perhaps due to this, they exhibit abnormal aggression, ignoring pain. They ignore critical hits or strong impacts, requiring more effort to deal with them than usual. "And all electronic devices are down." As soon as Juyeon heard this, she picked up two radios. One was for communicating with the academy instructors, and the other included the Paradise Knights. "This is Juyeon on Transport Ship 1. Anyone hearing this, please respond." There was no answer. Even switching to the emergency channel, no voice was transmitted. The inter-transport radio beside her was also dead. 'A signal jammer? A skill with such a wide range of neutralization?' Whether it's one or the other, there's no need to panic. There’s no choice but to act calmly. 'They’re covert and thorough...' The silent disruption of devices and the strange behavior of the monsters might be due to someone's skill. If so, there must be a reason for the lack of detection despite the island being watched closely. Those daring to act knowing the presence of the academy instructors and the Paradise Knights must have made thorough preparations. "I sense a clear malice." At Juyeon's remark, the knights steeled themselves. Although not as skilled as their leader, they had experienced many battles to hone their instincts. "Juyeon, if you have a direction in mind, please let us know. We plan to fly around and relay the information directly." "Thank you. For the safety of the cadets, let’s conclude the practical exam here." "Understood!" Assessments can be made based on the current situation. If necessary, they can incorporate exams held internally at the academy to the scores. Complaints are inevitable, but safety is the academy's top priority. "First, I’d like the Paradise Knights to inform the instructors of the situation and gather the cadets in a safe place." "Yes!" "And one person should leave the island to measure the range of device neutralization. If you reach a place where the radio works, connect to the emergency channel to relay the situation to the academy." "I’ll do it!" A female knight volunteered confidently, suggesting she was confident in her speed. "I’ll move around the transport ships, asking to descend to the lowest possible location. After that, we’ll immediately ───." Juyeon quickly began delegating tasks. The absence of Lancelot, the leader of the Paradise Knights, means no help could be expected from him. Instead of feeling it a disadvantage, she recognized the enemy must have aimed for this gap. 'Who is being targeted? It's difficult to pin down a goal.' This uninhabited island holds many individuals valuable enough for criminals to target at any cost. The cadets themselves include many children of famous figures, and the Paradise Knights, being a notable military force in the Sefia Archipelago, must have punished numerous villains. The academy instructors too have impressive records. 'Perhaps.' Juyeon also considered that she herself might be the target among all these possibilities. "..." Her eyes burned fiercely. **** Swoosh! Rohan unsheathed his sword and instantly split the two dazed attacking Horn Birds in half. ─ Squawk! ─ Chirp! Hefty chunks of meat fell heavily to the ground. As their life strings were severed, their crimson eyes slowly dimmed. "Tsk." Rohan pondered deeply. 'I thought it would happen on the last day...' Thinking back, there was no specific date mentioned even in Abyss City. Rohan looked up at the transport ships positioned in the sky. 'The instructors must be aware of the situation by now.' Even if the situation had only just become clear, it was not too late. It was an expected consequence. The hex substance continues to be crafted in the form of skills due to its magical power. Once dissolved, it remains a mere weak potion, easily manipulated by even slight magic. The combination of Hex's skill, technology, and artifacts, to the point they are not lacking as a triumvirate, is such that even Juyeon with her extensive perceptive range hadn't noticed readily. Especially as she is now focusing on the cadets of the uninhabited island, this is even more the case. Moreover, hex had introduced even the weakest Gearrai-level monsters into the island and the sea by deploying 'Frenzy' status ailments and pheromones that lure sea monsters to land. 'Damn pests.' Rohan kicked the pieces of Horn Birds into the brush somewhere. The potion crafted by Hex's skill dissipates once the life string is severed. Though eating it would not cause any harm due to their attempts to destroy evidence, it was simply distasteful. '...' Rohan sheathed his longsword and closed his eyes. He searched. He pondered. He devised as best he could. 'The head of the Reverent Anarchy is coming.' An overwhelming evil, which he alone cannot handle, is approaching. Only Juyeon has the capacity to face that foe on this uninhabited island. 'In that case, she needs to be prepared.' Rohan swiftly opened his shop. Everything is for the sake of preparation; regretting inaction is something I want to avoid. 'Let's discard complacency.' Given the dire conditions described in the texts about monsters turning more vicious and uncontrollable, there are several concerns beyond just Omega. You can't afford to sit still when safety is at risk. [You have purchased high-capacity combat rations.] [You have purchased bottled water.] I bought four of each, filling my arms with supplies. 'I really do feel like a parent.' With the large supply prepared, I can allocate a fair portion to Noa, the big eater, to help her regain her strength. Ichinose and Corin will be able to eat their fill without becoming sluggish. -- Returning to the shelter, Rohan unloaded the combat rations and water without a change in his expression. The girls, who had been fussing with the campfire, widened their eyes in surprise. "Rohan, what on earth did you bring...?" "Combat rations, right? Is it food? And there's water!" Noa's tail waggled like a propeller, whipping the campfire around with a gust of wind. "This must be some supply we've found hidden on the uninhabited island. We got lucky. Let’s eat together." "Are you sure it's okay...?" Corin hesitated, seeming apologetic and cautious. Seeing this as a perfect opportunity to explain, Rohan sat down and began preparing the heat-up combat rations. "You need to eat. I noticed something strange earlier." "Strange?" He elaborated, explaining how the monsters' conditions were abnormal and excessively aggressive. Along with the Horn Birds, other monsters were behaving strangely as well. He urged Corin to eat freely, saying they need to maintain their condition just in case. Once the brief persuasion ended, Ichinose expressed her curiosity. "That's certainly unusual. It's a phenomenon I've never heard of." "You know how werewolves become fierce when a full moon rises? Could it be something like that?" Corin proposed, tilting her head in curiosity. Meanwhile, whether or not the two were engaged in a serious discussion, Noa was fixated on the combat rations Rohan was preparing, as if she could drill a hole through them with her gaze. "That's only certain monsters. I've never heard of cases involving Horn Birds or Iron Turtles." "Do you think the academy did something for the exam?" "Unlikely. If it’s related to safety, we would have been informed beforehand..." With Rohan silent, the cadets found no clear answer, even by putting their heads together. "For now, let's eat." Rohan brought out the prepared curry and mapo tofu. The girls, unable to resist, gulped in anticipation. Even Ichinose, who had shared a single pack of ramen with Corin, was no exception. -- After finishing a satisfying meal, Rohan left the girls in charge of the fire and surveyed the surroundings while gathering firewood. The worry persisted. 'Omega breached using Hex's ability... It happened at a coincidentally empty location, compelling the instructors to spread their magic.' Upon arriving at Abyss City, a grand battle had erupted. However, what mattered now was something else—the manner and location of that intrusion. The likelihood is high that the entrance and exit points are at different locations. 'Whatever it is, we must avoid that spot.' If cadets are situated at the projected point of Omega's appearance, they need to be driven away. Considering Omega’s brutal and spiteful nature, creating the same scenario in which Juyeon confronts him without hindrances remains the best course of action. "Hmm..." Rohan gathered firewood, rapidly checking to see if he had overlooked anything minor. As he loaded the satisfactory pile and turned to head back— The ground shook as if an earthquake rippled beneath them. "!!!" ───Rumble! The vibrations grew louder and more intense. Something was approaching, so powerful that it was difficult to maintain balance. Fwuaaaah!!! Breaking through the damp earth, a worm emerged. Its body, a mix of purple and pink, was at least 3 meters tall in the visible portion alone. 'Damn it!' Uninhabited islands are not the habitat for worms. But once it’s appeared before him, what else can he do? He must respond. Click! Rohan immediately tossed aside the firewood and drew his longsword. "Fuuu..." enN1WnIzcFhHMVJuR0JvdkNPc013MkZPR0g4Z1AyT3BJK1FXQ0RQUk5uZUtYaUFhdGRPNy9nY1dETTA2UzBaVw Rohan positioned himself, letting out a breath, but the worm did not show any sign of attacking, remaining stationary. 'Should I move?' He felt no relief from this pause, only a growing sense of unease. All he could think about was fleeing the area with his friends in the shelter. ─ Grrrk! The worm's thick body wobbled and quaked. ─ Gwaaaah! The worm with a massive trunk of a body spat out a human. The enormous figure landed with a thud. A face marred by scorch marks, a jaw clad in black machinery. The moment Rohan locked eyes with the figure, he froze. "An academy cadet, huh? Hahaha!!! This is exactly where I wanted to be." Among all conceivable scenarios, the worst had come to pass. Only one crude thought crossed Rohan’s mind: they're screwed. [You have encountered Omega, the Betrayer of Humanity. Achievement unlocked.] [You've gained 40P as an achievement reward.]