episode_0027

Surrounding the Arcana Academy, hailed as the Empire’s finest academy, are barriers crafted by the archmages.

Of course, as is often the case in fictional academies, the barriers of the Arcana Academy are breached constantly. Nevertheless, they provide a certain level of protection against monsters.

“…Might as well make the underground a bit more like this.”

The issue lies in the fact that the barriers are only present above ground. While there are various surveillance methods in place underground, they couldn’t prevent the infiltration of low-level monsters like slimes and goblins.

It was akin to how modern radars struggle to detect small fishing boats or canoes. The magical energy emitted by low-level monsters is too minimal, making detection quite challenging.

“Well, at least it makes things easier for me.”

Muttering to myself, I retrieved the sewer key given to me by the guild.

With a clink, the iron door, installed to block students’ entry, creaked open with a loud metallic sound resonating through the air.

Screeeech—instinctively repulsed by the sound, reminiscent of chalk scratching on a blackboard, I furrowed my brow and slowly stepped inside.

“Ugh…!”

A pungent sewage odor assaulted me as soon as I opened the door. Various filthy substances congealed into a slimy greenish gel, making my stomach churn just looking at it. I drew my sword while averting my gaze from the repulsive sight.

“…I can never get used to this smell.”

Around the age of fourteen, during the adventurer promotion assessment, I received a quest to deal with the sewers’ crocodiles.

Since then, I had to undertake many quests in such filthy places. No one wanted to entrust a young girl who had just reached the novice rank with a quest.

While most would have given up on the quest by now, I grumbled but continued to move forward slowly.

“Brr… It’s chilly…”

Instead of my school uniform, I wore a thin cotton top and tight-fitting denim-like pants, along with a cloak that completely covered my body.

The smell didn’t easily dissipate after spending time in the sewer. With only one school uniform, I had no choice but to buy the cheapest clothes available at the market.

Thinking I should finish quickly and leave, I swung my sword towards the approaching footsteps from around the corner.

“Eek?!”

The mournful cry of a goblin echoed through the sewer. Simultaneously, my sword sliced through the air like lightning.

Following the silvery trail etched in the air, the bodies of the goblins rushing towards me shattered. Blood sprayed in all directions as I raised my arm wrapped in the cloak.

Lowering the cloak and adjusting my grip on the sword, I continued with three swift strikes.

“Squeak—”

A precise and honed thrust cut through the three goblins. Their pitiful cries dispersed into the air, and their bodies collapsed like marionettes with their strings cut.

Casually sheathing my sword, I surveyed my surroundings slowly. As I ventured deeper into the sewer, the magical stone lamps embedded in the ceiling dimmed gradually.

The level of goblins encountered increased slightly as I delved further. If the goblin that greeted me at the entrance was level 5, the ones appearing now were at least level 15.

Something was definitely amiss.

This “[Subterranean Monster Extermination] quest was designed for newbies who had just started the game. It served as an early gold source, nothing more, nothing less.

Typically, beginner players hovered around level 10. Therefore, monsters above level 10 shouldn’t naturally appear in this area.

“…It’s getting too dark.”

As I delved deeper, the light from the lantern grew increasingly dim. Magic stones inherently emit light and will continue to shine permanently as long as their magic doesn’t deplete.

Monsters growing stronger as I ventured further in. Magic stones being drained of their magic. And the concentration of magic thickening.

Anxious, I instinctively gripped my sword. My adventurer’s intuition was screaming that there was something ahead. That it could be dangerous to proceed.

“…”

This is not something I can handle alone.

No matter how much practical experience I have, I am ultimately a student. Resolving anomalies in the sewer system is the role of the academy teachers.

This is not a world made up of just 0s and 1s like in a game.

Characters may respond beyond the choices given, and enemies’ attacks may differ from in-game patterns.

Relying solely on in-game knowledge is truly foolish. It’s a lesson I learned narrowly escaping death at the hands of an ancient lich.

Therefore, without hesitation, I turned back.

The status window, silent for a while, suddenly appeared before my eyes.

[World Quest – Chapter.???]

[Eliminate monsters in the underground canal district]

-Reward: #%&@

-Failure: @&%$#

“…?”

The quest window of the Arcana Academy always presents clear objectives, rewards, and consequences of failure.

Never before has such a strange status window appeared, even during events. Perplexed, I muttered while touching the status window.

“What are you trying to say-”

Simultaneously, a powerful surge of magic was felt behind me. Honed by my life as an adventurer, my instincts shouted to dodge or face death.

“Oh no, darn…!”

The birthmark hidden beneath my glove shimmered brightly. The surroundings blurred, and the speed of thought accelerated. Strange sensations accompanied by swirling black particles, and my body flickered several meters backward.

Thud!

Simultaneously, the wall of the underground canal burst open. Emerging from beyond the wall was a dark knight clad in black armor from head to toe.

“A Dark Knight?”

A minimum level 45 mob. There shouldn’t be anyone like this here. What in the world is happening here-

Before I could contemplate, the Dark Knight raised his sword again. Sinister magic gathered at the blade’s edge.

Swish!

I deflected the Dark Knight’s strike by lifting my sword diagonally. With a chilling metallic sound, our blades clashed, pushing his sword to the left, disrupting his stance.

The veteran adventurer didn’t miss the opportunity. As the birthmark gleamed once more, space folded. I materialized behind him, raising my sword.

Caught off guard with a broken stance, the Dark Knight had no defense. I thrust my sword towards the joint of his armor.

“Ugh!!!”

With a dull thud, the Dark Knight’s body, towering over 2 meters, stiffened. Slowly withdrawing my sword, his body collapsed.

However, I had no time to catch my breath.

As I wiped my sweaty forehead after retrieving my sword, the low moans of monsters echoed through the pierced hole.

“…What a mess.”

Grimacing, I raised my sword.

Breathing heavily, I slowly sheathed my sword.

Clearing away the bodies of the Dark Knight, Alligators, and Hellhounds—average level 35 demons—I sat down and muttered.

“Status Window”

[Player ID: Cyan]

[Lv: 47]

[Strength: D+]

[Agility: C+]

[Endurance: C-]

[Mental Strength: B]

[Magic Amount: D-]

“…I’ve leveled up by one in the meantime.”

If you are level 47, no matter how many monsters you kill in the early stages, your experience points won’t increase much. However, after fighting for just 30 minutes in the early hunting ground, I leveled up by one. It seems that the monsters here are not in a normal state.

Perhaps even an ordinary academy student would have been clueless if they had come here.

[Mon■ter ■■ Comp■etion through Trans■ation]

-Rew■rd: #%&*@

-Fai■ure: @&%$#=

The quest window was already half stale. The situation was too strange to pass off as a difference between the game and reality.

No, it’s strange from the start that there are creatures like this underground in the academy. If it were lower-level monsters like goblins, that would be one thing, but if it’s dark knights, they should have been caught in the surveillance net, right?

“…”

With a light gesture into the air, I closed the quest window.

Beyond the disappearing quest window turned into blue particles, a small passage barely passable by a person could be seen.

“Well, I’ll find out once I go in myself.”

Entrance guarded by level 35 monsters risking their lives.

And a place that had never appeared within the [Arcana Academy].

After drawing my sword with a clank, I slowly moved forward. Honestly, I wanted to turn around and run away immediately. At least I wanted to bring Regina along.

Now that all the guards at the door had been swept away, it was already spilled milk. If I run away from here, next time I come back, there might be nothing left.

The original has been disrupted.

If I can’t figure out why it’s disrupted and fix it, all the future knowledge I have may become useless.

With vague unease, I prepared to activate my abilities at any moment and slowly moved forward.