Chapter 60: Monolith (7)

Several hours had passed since Rohan and his companions were swept into the dungeon by the Monolith.

Back in the original world, it was just after lunchtime.

The Elysium Security Bureau had quickly detected the ominous Mana fluctuations within Academy City.

That’s why Juyeon, who should have been conducting classes at the Academy, was at the Bureau.

The Peacekeepers showed her a video.

After reviewing the data, Juyeon’s face hardened, and she carefully uttered a single word.

“Monolith…?”

“Yes. But as you can see, the situation is a bit different. If Monsters had appeared, we would have dispatched units to deal with them, but…”

As the Peacekeeper said, the situation was different.

The only action the Bureau could take was to restrict access to the area.

“It’s embarrassing to admit, but we Peacekeepers are clueless about this phenomenon. We have shared the situation with other countries and requested information, but we also wanted to hear your expert opinion, Commander.”

Juyeon was the most experienced person in Academy City when it came to facing the Dimensional Rifts and Monoliths that brought chaos and massive casualties to the world.

Unfortunately, the cadet caught in the incident was also a familiar face to the Peacekeepers.

He had recently been involved in dismantling a Human Trafficking organization and rescuing people, so his face had been exposed.

The Peacekeepers naturally knew that he was a cadet under Juyeon’s instruction.

“…Please show me the video again.”

“Yes!”

At Juyeon’s request, the Peacekeeper moved the mouse and replayed the video.

The footage was from a security CCTV in an alley.

There was no sound, but the situation was clear.

Juyeon had hoped she was wrong, but reality was cruel.

No matter how she looked at it, the Cadet in the video was definitely Rohan.

Presumably, he was just about to see off the woman who appeared to be an Elf.

Then the Monolith emerged, breaking the ground and emitting powerful Mana.

From here, an unexpected anomaly occurred.

Normally, Monsters should have poured out after this.

However, the three people vanished like smoke along with the Monolith. This was definitely different from any phenomenon caused by a Monolith before.

They even tried calling Rohan’s smartphone, thinking they might have simply been moved.

But the call wouldn’t connect.

Location tracking by the Bureau was impossible. The Peacekeepers searching on foot were also coming up empty.

“Sigh…”

Juyeon closed her eyes tightly and took deep breaths, trying to suppress her emotions and regain her composure.

She dismissed ominous assumptions. Nothing was confirmed yet.

For the Peacekeepers who were quietly waiting for her response, Juyeon retraced her past experiences, but as expected, no clear solutions or information came to mind.

“I don’t think I can be of help. This is the first time I’ve seen a situation like this.”

“Is that so? Perhaps the Monolith that appeared in Academy City is unique…”

The Peacekeepers reacted as if they had anticipated this.

The fear of the unknown. The atmosphere subtly grew heavy.

While watching the video again, Juyeon interrupted the bewildered Peacekeepers.

“I might be able to sense something from the residual Mana. May I go to the scene?”

“Of course! We’ll guide you right away.”

Regaining their composure at Juyeon’s request, the Peacekeepers quickly got up, put on their gear, grabbed their car keys, and hurried to prepare.

Rohan woke up after a long sleep.

As he opened his eyelids, a doll-like girl greeted him with a smile.

“Ah…! Oppa! Did you sleep well?”

“You’re awake?”

Shion’s approaching footsteps signaled the end of the vine-leaf fan’s duty.

Clara’s hand stopped, and warm air washed over Rohan’s hazy consciousness, reminding him that he was in a dungeon.

“Sorry. I’m fully recovered now.”

Rohan apologized and sat up.

He looked down to see his shoes removed and his clothes in disarray. He understood what the two had done for him.

No wonder I was so comfortable.

As he began to fasten his loose buttons and belt, Clara and Shion subtly turned their heads.

After he put on his shoes and stood up, Clara asked with worried eyes,

“Oppa, are you really okay?”

“I’m really okay now. I’m sorry.”

While reassuring Clara, he took out his smartphone from his pocket.

Rohan checked the timer that was running in real-time.

Then, silence.

…What?

He was so surprised by the timer that he almost did a somersault.

How many hours had he slept? He rubbed his eyes and looked again, but the numbers remained the same.

He had thought he’d only slept for a little while, but he had slept for over five hours.

“I judged that 10 minutes of rest wouldn’t be enough.”

Clara nodded vigorously in agreement with Shion’s words.

Rohan had nothing to say but apologize. It had already happened, so all he could do was make up for it in the future.

“Aren’t you all hungry? And your canteens must be empty.”

He wanted to resupply them first.

As Rohan moved his hand, Clara hurriedly spoke.

“Oppa…! Wait a minute!”

“Huh?”

After stopping Rohan’s actions, Clara exchanged glances with Shion.

Then they both nodded seriously. Rohan watched them, wondering what they were up to.

“Oppa, can I ask you something?”

“Rohan, it’s a sensitive question, but I need to ask for sake of the future.”

“Did something happen while I was sleeping?”

Clara shook her Twin Tail and said no.

After looking at Shion, Clara carefully opened her mouth.

“About the Skill you use to get water…”

“Yes.”

“…Did you collapse because of the price you have to pay for that Skill? Please be honest with us.”

Rohan understood what the two girls were trying to say.

So, without a lengthy explanation, he firmly asserted,

“No. That’s a separate issue. The Skill’s price isn’t like consuming my lifespan or anything.”

“…”

Shion and Clara closed their mouths at Rohan’s firm attitude.

Their expressions didn’t completely lose their concern, but they didn’t pry further about the price.

“Let’s eat and refill our water. Just wait a moment.”

Rohan moved his stiff body and went outside.

Marveling at the still-stinging sunlight, he checked the Shop.

He didn’t need to ponder or scroll down to find a suitable item. There it was.

The 5 Points rations he was purchasing for the first time.

The “large capacity” description seemed to mean it was large enough for one person. Still, it looked like enough for the three of them to stave off their hunger, even if it wasn’t a full meal.

Buying another one would probably fill them up, but he refrained.

It didn’t make sense to eat so much that they became sluggish when a battle could break out at any moment.

Self-heating meals? The calories are pretty high too.

The packaging had the instructions, ＜Just pull the string and wait 15 minutes!＞.

Fortunately, it didn’t require water or Fire. He remembered times both longed for and not missed at all, causing his eyes to tremble.

Finally, he added three bottles of Mineral Water, totaling an additional expenditure of 6 Points.

Rohan came back inside with the purchased items, distributed the Mineral Water, and sat down.

Clara was intrigued by the unfamiliar combat rations, while Shion, though familiar with combat rations in general, was interested in this particular type.

“Wait 15 minutes.”

He pulled the string attached to the box.

White steam flowed out, and Clara let out a sound of amazement.

Normally, Rohan would have smiled at her cuteness, but right now, his mind was busy sorting out his thoughts.

The man called the Head of the Household… what kind of household was it? And this body…

Borrowing someone else’s perspective was fine. It was an experience with no burdens and only benefits.

However, experiencing their emotions had distinct pros and cons.

While it greatly helped him understand the situation clearly, being forced to taste negative emotions not only drained his mental strength, but also created an instinct to constantly reaffirm his identity. The mental fatigue from this was immense.

Even so…

He couldn’t choose between learning and stopping his thoughts.

Rohan had been holding back because the path wasn’t clear, but he had always been curious.

What kind of life had this body lived before it was confirmed for Orion Academy admission and set foot in Academy City?

The smartphone’s contacts were empty. There wasn’t a single photo in the gallery.

This body, devoid of any relationships, was a mystery.

When I gain enough power, I’ll go to the Southern Region.

He felt like he had finally found a clue about this part.

Of course, he hadn’t discovered anything concrete or clear, but he had found a path to find out.

For now, he was satisfied. Content.

“Let’s eat!”

Rohan took out the paper lunch boxes and poured the hot sauce over the rice.

Curry and Mapo Tofu.

The girls gulped at the appetizing smell and their eyes sparkled.

“Wow…!”

“A proper meal in a place like this. What an extravagant luxury.”

Using the rough spoons, the girls began their meal.

Rohan was satisfied to see them eating well. At the same time, he was grateful. He regretted not being able to feed them a full meal.

“Let’s eat, sleep a little, and then move. I’ll stay awake this time.”

Looking at the time, shouldn’t Shion and Clara get some sleep too?

After eating and digesting their food, Rohan forced the girls, who insisted they were fine, to lie down. He fanned them as they slept.

Rohan and his companions, in surprisingly good condition considering the circumstances, headed towards their destination, which was becoming clearer than before.