Traitor (2)
This time will be different.
This time, there was a way. A way to save the Academy, engulfed in ruin, and the people within it.
The card of lies existed.
Of course, even this wouldn't be a perfect solution.
Nevertheless, it remained the joker that could overcome disaster.
The plan was simple.
‘I need to ask.’
If the enemy aimed for my weaknesses, I just had to aim for theirs.
An underground passage undetectable even with detection magic.
Their task didn't end there.
To awaken the [Death], they needed to inject a suitable output.
It was a matter of breaking an ancient seal.
The cultists would undoubtedly use magic for this output.
In the original story, dozens of high-ranking officials participated in the terror attack.
That very moment.
‘An opening.’
In that instant, even in a space beyond causality, a unique presence would inevitably leak out.
I would aim for that fleeting moment.
With all my senses heightened, I would immediately track the signal as soon as it was caught.
While it felt somewhat inefficient, it was also the most certain solution.
The problem of distinguishing a single drop of ink in the ocean.
Fortunately, I had the eyes to catch even that ink.
Overwhelm them with ability.
“Therefore… I ask for your cooperation.”
With the Academy's existence at stake, I asked a few people for help in advance.
It's best to be as thorough as possible.
I looked at the girls before me.
Charlotte and Irene, who were waiting, nodded.
There wasn't a shred of hesitation.
“Yes. If it’s Judas’s request.”
“The day I'd be relied upon by you… I’m a little happy.”
Perhaps it was the reward of taming them.
I felt a slight sense of accomplishment.
The two were among the strongest in the Academy, more than enough to face this hardship together.
Seasoned in interpersonal combat, they would be excellent assets.
The fact that they wouldn't question or oppose the unusual things I did also played a part.
A relationship of complete trust.
‘Of course, the same goes for the others, but…’
Each had their vulnerabilities.
Regia's firepower was overwhelming, but she lacked the firepower to follow up.
Emilia was a well-rounded individual, but her lack of experience compared to the others held her back.
In Elize's case, she wasn't physically suited for combat in the first place.
Talents yet to fully bloom.
‘That's why…’
I couldn't involve them recklessly.
Disaster was not something to be taken lightly.
I intended to eliminate as much risk as possible.
The Fox and the Little Prince were enough help for this situation.
I organized the plan.
- We will be waiting at the church branch.
- Everything according to your will.
There was contact from headquarters offering support, but I declined.
They were to be deployed outside the Academy.
The cultist attack wasn't an event confined to the Academy.
If the resurrection of [Death] succeeded, evil would spread throughout the continent. Therefore, the forces needed to be evenly distributed.
Moving rashly would cause casualties.
‘Key locations that were attacked in the original story.’
The church branch, the remote barony, the northern snowfields, etc.
I sent members to selected locations.
I heard Neria was directly commanding them, so I could probably put aside any worries.
Furthermore, if I had a card to play, I would use it aggressively.
“It’s been a while.”
- {…I never thought I'd receive a call from you.}
The Lord.
Although he had faltered after his defeat, he was still an influential figure.
In terms of organization size, there was no force to compare.
This characteristic made him a versatile asset.
The old man replied with interest.
His voice came from beyond the crystal ball.
- {Another interesting request.}
“Cooperate.”
- {Of course.}
“Just act according to plan.”
- {A plan… Aren’t you expecting too much from a lawless individual?}
“If a mere puppet can’t even do this much, the master has no choice but to dispose of the defective product.”
- {Thank you for the advice.}
The usual exchange of pleasantries.
Although there was a bit of a nerve war, in the end, I was able to secure support troops easily.
I relayed the attack points along with the plan.
“Then, I’ll leave it to you.”
- {Chuckle… I wish you luck as well.}
The signal then cut off.
He wasn't a trustworthy individual, but there was no denying he was a capable asset.
I took a deep breath and ended the communication.
‘…Is this enough?’
The preparations were thorough.
I had planned for numerous scenarios, the output of lies was maintained at its maximum, and even the somewhat unstable troop issue had been neatly resolved.
The Snake sat still, organizing his thoughts.
‘There’s no need to worry… right?’
Just like always.
I just had to move within the board I had designed.
***
And then.
The day the disaster was scheduled.
- I can't believe the break is already over…
- I know, right? I'm already starting to miss it.
- Did you hear about the quiz in two days?
- Already? That's too soon!
- It's that crazy bald professor. He needs to pace himself.
- True… He's been pushing us incredibly hard since the first day of school.
The peaceful flow of everyday life.
On the surface, it was just another weekend at the Academy.
A time of brief respite, complaints, casual conversations with friends, and recharging for the upcoming studies… such peaceful times.
A scene that would soon shatter.
A fragile peace maintained in the face of an impending disaster.
That precariousness was like walking on thin ice.
“…”
The Snake quietly observed the scene.
The boy had all his senses on high alert.
To detect the disaster in time.
Beside him, the Fox was on guard, and the Princess, with her usual dazed expression, was also present.
A passing breeze caressed her golden hair.
The scent of winter permeated the air.
Just then.
Kooong—!
A roaring sound from somewhere echoed through the Academy streets.
It came from the direction of the main gate.
Dust billowed in the distance.
It seemed something had exploded.
- Wh-What was that?!
- Did something explode…?
- It sounded like it came from the main gate! Should we call the faculty?
- Wait… something's coming out of the hole?
A single explosion.
The ripple in the calm daily life quickly plunged the surroundings into chaos.
Students frozen in shock, faculty members heading towards the main gate to assess the situation, and unidentified shadows emerging from the opening.
The atmosphere quickly descended into pandemonium, but…
Even in this situation, the Snake simply closed his eyes.
His sharply honed senses pierced through the surrounding energy.
‘The main gate is a decoy.’
The previous explosion was a cheap trick.
An attempt to distract attention as much as possible.
Although low-ranking officials and chimeras had appeared, what he sought in this chaos weren't small fries.
The boy slowly expanded the lies he had scattered around.
Enough to cover the entire Academy.
- Ding!
[Remaining Output: 91.7%]
As the output was consumed, his senses sharpened further.
Amidst the relentlessly surging waves of information.
The sought-after target was…
A little deeper.
Deeper.
And even deeper…
Ah.
The next moment.
A chilling sensation ran down the boy's spine.
A bizarrely distorted chorus of mana.
The unique stench emanating from magic.
The direction the remnants led to was, as expected, deep beneath the Academy building.
He had found the location of the passage.
Found it.
Although concealed by a barrier, even the faintest presence couldn't deceive the Snake's eyes.
The boy wove the traces into a single thread.
Then.
A line stretched out in the air.
As if guiding the way to the passage, it extended in a certain direction.
The Snake tied the thread tightly to his fingertip and stood up.
His pupils now glowed white.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
“I’ll follow.”
The three kicked off the ground.
Following the path indicated by the black thread.
They cut straight through the heart of the Academy.
Perhaps due to the commotion at the main gate, the atmosphere was chaotic.
Professors already engaged in combat, chief assistants announcing the evacuation of students, and students complying with instructions despite their confusion.
They ran past all of these scenes.
“This way!”
They finally arrived at the annex.
Just before finding the passage connecting the Academy to the underground, guided by the thread…
A shadow blocked their path.
“Student Judas.”
“Master…?”
It was the Drunkard.
While helping students evacuate outside, she had seen the boy run off and followed him.
The woman extended her hand as if to tell him to come with her. Her crimson eyes, unusually, held a flicker of worry.
“There’s been an unidentified attack at the main gate.”
“I know.”
“The professors are handling it, but… since the situation is still unclear, you shouldn’t act on your own.”
“There’s a destination I must reach.”
“No.”
A firm voice.
Unlike her usual passive stance, this time, she seemed unwilling to allow it.
“I can’t condone you putting yourself in danger.”
The woman furrowed her brow as if handling a younger sibling. A crack appeared in her usually stoic expression.
While he was pleased by her reaction, the boy had no time to waste.
He snapped his fingers at his teacher, who showed no intention of moving aside.
Snap—!
“Ah…”
Her pupils lost focus.
The woman stumbled as if drunk, then lost consciousness and collapsed.
He had used a portion of his output to put her to sleep.
The boy gently laid her body on the floor.
Then, he turned his head.
“Let’s continue.”
They resumed their advance.
The children ran towards the passage connecting the Academy and the underground.
“…”
And then.
Near the woman left behind, a shadow watched everything.
A young man smiled ominously.
He muttered meaningfully.
“I didn’t expect things to turn out this way… Interesting.”
It was none other than…
Professor Kadel.
***
The underground was deeper than expected.
They finally found the entrance.
Only after breaking through layers of silence and barrier magic could they enter through the revealed doorway.
He now understood why he couldn't find the passage in the original story.
It was so elaborately concealed that even professors couldn't detect it; there was no way a student could have found it.
It was a legacy left by the [Ancient Star] for a reason.
They ran through the passage.
Tak tak tak tak—!
Thousands of layers of barriers shimmered around them, the maze-like interior disoriented their sense of direction, and the structure of the passage changed in real-time.
A labyrinth impossible to conquer by ordinary means.
A place designed to induce nausea just by walking through it.
But thanks to the guidance of lies, they were able to pass through the passage without any significant obstacles.
Thud-
The thread, having fulfilled its purpose, snapped as they reached the deepest part of the underground.
They had arrived.
A massive door stood before them.
From beyond the slab, engraved with ominous symbols of sacrifices, demons, and devils, a strong stench of blood and evil seeped out.
The Snake gathered shadows in his fingertips.
In his other hand, he gripped a sword honed to pitch black.
The Temple of Death.
There was no hesitation.
He kicked off the ground forcefully.
The barrier surrounding the room shattered, and the massive door crumbled into pieces.
As they stepped into their finally reached destination…
A voice echoed.
““Who is there?””
A scene filled with blood and corpses.
Were they in the middle of a human sacrifice?
Piles of blood-soaked lumps, stacked like mountains. Before the altar, dozens of shadows surrounded it.
Each one was cloaked in dark red robes.
The color symbolizing the cultists.
““Foolish sacrifices have sought out the disaster.””
Their gazes fixed on the intruders.
Their voices were indistinguishable, possessing similar tones.
Tears of blood streamed from their eyes.
The strange figures moved in perfect synchronization.
The flowing magic slowly seeped into the altar along with the sacrifices.
“Draw your swords.”
The Snake spoke, pointing his sword.
To the two beside him.
“We must stop this, no matter what.”
“Yes.”
“If that’s your wish.”
The girls drew their swords.
The young trio kicked off the ground towards the burgeoning darkness.
Then.
Kwaaaaaang—!!
A tremendous roar resounded from the depths of the underground temple.
[EP23. The Stirring of Evil]
- Seething blood and malice, the birth that cries out for death -
The game for the Academy's survival had begun.
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