Ch.160160. Academy’s Downfall

Gilbert let out a sigh of relief as he saw the professors who had boarded their Goliath Armors and joined the battle.

Having received news of the Resistance’s attack just before the practical evaluation Monster Wave was about to begin, he had immediately boarded his Goliath Armor and rushed back to the academy.

Since Demeia Academy encompassed a vast estate, it took considerable time to reach the central area even while piloting a Goliath Armor.

Despite moving out immediately after receiving word of the attack, by the time Gilbert arrived, the academy was already half collapsed.

The once magnificent main building of the academy was partially destroyed, and the bodies of faculty members and students were scattered everywhere.

Between the blood-soaked floors, he could see arms and legs protruding from beneath the collapsed outer walls, likely belonging to those who couldn’t escape the falling debris.

This scene was familiar to Gilbert, both in reality and in the game.

In reality, it resembled the urban streets he had once seen ravaged by war, and from a gaming perspective, it matched the aftermath of failing to prevent the Academy Raid incident from the main scenario.

Witnessing this horrific scene, Gilbert unconsciously clenched his molars. He could hear his teeth grinding, but he was too shocked to even register it.

The devastating feeling of cleaning up a battlefield after combat washed over him. He had worked so passionately to prevent the Academy Raid incident to avoid feeling this way again, yet it had happened anyway.

Was this what people called the world’s inevitable force?

Gilbert was seething with anger, but he tried his best to control his emotions. There would be time for rage after wiping out the Resistance scum.

“I need authorization to use my personal artificial spirit.”

[Permission granted, Cadet Gilbert.]

Since only academy-issued equipment was allowed during practical evaluations, he requested permission to use CT-777. Fortunately, due to the severity of the situation and his rank as a Grade 5 Knight, approval came immediately.

Gilbert took out CT-777’s core from near his cross guard and promptly replaced the standard artificial spirit with it.

[CT-777 activation complete. Gilbert, mission parameters required.]

“Complete extermination of the Resistance and rescue of allies. Priority is rescuing allies.”

[Mission parameters set. Multiple allied signals and enemy Goliath Armor signals detected 500 meters ahead near the hangar. Allies confirmed as faculty members.]

CT-777 seemed to have gathered information about the surroundings on the way here, as it immediately briefed Gilbert with necessary information once the mission was set. CT-777, which could synchronize with the minimap, marked allied signals in green.

“They’re planning to board Goliath Armors to stop the enemy.”

[Probability exceeds 80%.]

“Let’s rendezvous with the professors first.”

[Confirmed. Will provide support.]

Gilbert pulled the control lever of his Goliath Armor with all his might and headed toward the hangar. There were about a dozen Goliath Armors there, and he could see professors rushing toward the hangar amid the commotion.

Realizing in an instant that the professors were risking their lives to reach the hangar, Gilbert momentarily increased the output of his mana booster.

The pressure from the rapid acceleration enveloped the cockpit, but Gilbert’s body, which had stepped into the realm of superhuman, dispelled the pressure with a single breath.

He kicked away the first Goliath Armor that reached for a professor. There wasn’t enough time to draw his iron sword, and he judged that deploying magical armaments might endanger the professors.

The experienced professors, while wary of his sudden appearance, didn’t stop moving toward the hangar. Despite their surprise, they hadn’t forgotten what they needed to do.

This was truly befitting of the professors of Demeia Academy, renowned as the finest in the Empire. After confirming that the professors had safely entered the hangar, Gilbert drew his iron sword and drove back the Resistance forces guarding the hangar.

Perhaps due to his recently increased mana stats, his piloting skills seemed more fluid than before. The previously jerky movements were gone. Though the difference was subtle, for a knight like Gilbert who had reached the pinnacle of piloting skill, it was significant.

He wielded the iron sword, which shimmered with golden mana, as freely as if it were an extension of his own body.

Each time he executed a Winter Sword technique learned from Briana, another Goliath Armor fell. Moreover, his suppressive magical armaments, coupled with CT-777’s computational abilities, hit their targets without a single stray shot, successfully destroying all the Resistance’s Goliath Armors before the professors could bring out their own.

[Who are you?]

A professor who had belatedly emerged with a Goliath Armor asked for his identity as soon as the magical communication channel opened. Before he could answer, a visual magic connection was established, so he simply showed his face instead of responding.

[Cadet Gilbert!]

“I just arrived. Do you know the current situation?”

Given the circumstances, he asked about the most pressing information. Fortunately, it seemed the professor had been receiving updates while heading to the hangar, as he immediately briefed Gilbert.

[Currently, attackers presumed to be from the Resistance have appeared throughout the academy. Professors who quickly boarded Goliath Armors have engaged in suppression, but we’ve already suffered significant casualties. We’re about to join them as well.]

“Where are Professor Briana and Professor Alexander?”

[We can’t pinpoint Professor Briana’s current location. However, Professor Alexander seems to have evacuated the students and joined the battlefield.]

The most formidable forces at the academy right now were the Sword Saint Briana and the retired but once-feared Imperial Fang, General Alexander. While Briana’s whereabouts were unknown, knowing Alexander’s location was a significant help.

Though his injury would make prolonged piloting of a Goliath Armor physically taxing, this kind of raid was unlikely to last long.

The fact that the enemy had committed such a large force suggested they were looking for a decisive battle. The Resistance had likely invaded with a short-term decisive battle in mind.

After quickly considering various possibilities, Gilbert spoke.

“I’ll search for Professor Briana while conducting rescue operations. Please support Professor Alexander.”

[I wish you good luck.]

The professors, seemingly sharing Gilbert’s thoughts, led their Goliath Armors toward Professor Alexander. After watching them leave, Gilbert asked CT-777, which had been gathering information about the surroundings.

“CT, can you locate Professor Briana?”

[Currently searching. Location not yet specified.]

“Then, where should I deploy immediately?”

[Where Cadet Ian is. I’ll mark the location.]

Checking the minimap, he saw signals of students who hadn’t boarded Goliath Armors around Ian’s marker. While he couldn’t determine the exact situation from the minimap, seeing that the number of Goliath Armors surrounding Ian exceeded double digits, Gilbert set his course in that direction.

Even with Fresia by his side, it would be difficult for Ian to handle that many opponents. Even for Gilbert, facing so many Goliath Armors would be challenging.

Moreover, Ian was fighting while protecting other students, which would inevitably restrict his movements. Deciding that helping them was the right course of action, Gilbert increased the output of his mana booster further.

[Gil, you need to change Goliath Armors. At this rate, you have less than 10 minutes until operational shutdown.]

“That’s enough.”

Despite CT’s warning, Gilbert’s eyes blazed with determination. In his current state of peak concentration, nothing seemed impossible to him.

***

Ian slashed down an approaching Resistance Goliath Armor and took a rough breath. With Fresia’s support, he was managing to handle the incoming Goliath Armors, but he couldn’t move freely due to the students behind him.

The cunning Resistance fighters, realizing there were students who hadn’t evacuated behind him, were persistently pressing their attack. This was already the third time they had deliberately directed magical bombardment toward where the students were.

“Damn bastards!”

Ian, who had barely blocked the barrage of artillery magic with a barrier, cursed under his breath while panting. The battle was progressing so rapidly that fatigue was setting in just as quickly.

Despite gaining practical experience through Monster Wave and monster subjugation missions, Ian wasn’t accustomed to such high-speed combat against Goliath Armors.

The pressure of facing more Goliath Armors than during the previous comprehensive evaluation while simultaneously protecting students was mentally pushing him to the edge. Fresia was filling in the gaps, but there were limits.

[Ian, focus!]

“I am!”

As his nerves became increasingly frayed, small mistakes began to appear. Though the battle hadn’t been going on for long, the psychological pressure was intense.

How long has it been since the battle started?

Ian tried to gauge the time while forcibly steadying his rough breathing.

It felt like he had been fighting for an hour, but in reality, not even 30 minutes had passed. This indicated how high Ian’s mental fatigue had risen. Fresia had also assessed Ian’s condition, but she was too busy fending off the incoming Goliath Armors to tend to him.

[Sword to the left diagonal!]

– Clang!

It was clear that if she paused her situation briefing to care for Ian, the precariously maintained balance would collapse. Ian was barely keeping up with the briefings, and a situation where even that would become difficult was approaching.

I need to do something…!

Fresia felt frustration and helplessness.

There was nothing she could do at present. Objectively speaking, Ian had reached his limit. Even for Fresia, who could provide perfect support, there was a clear limitation if the knight piloting the Goliath Armor couldn’t keep up.

But she couldn’t just give up. If Ian stopped because he had reached his limit, the situation would become irreversible.

To save Ian, she sought ways to break through the current situation. She filtered out impractical options and focused on what was possible.

But even these came with conditions, essentially relying on luck.

“Ugh!”

[Ian!]

Of the three iron swords that came down simultaneously, he blocked two but failed to stop one. Fortunately, it didn’t hit the cockpit, but the damage to the leg area was severe, causing him to lose mobility.

He hastily deployed a mana barrier, but it didn’t seem like it would withstand the renewed concentrated fire for long. Fresia anxiously called out Ian’s name, but that didn’t conjure up any solutions.

Seconds passed as the mana barrier was being chipped away.

The moment of true limit seemed to have arrived.

“Damn it! Damn it!”

Ian continuously shouted as death approached. His hands trembled, and his mind went blank.

[The mana barrier is at its limit!]

“Shit!”

Ian, who rarely used such vulgar language, cursed and tightly closed his eyes. He felt as if the Goliath Armor’s screen turning red and the sound of explosions were coming from far away.

It was at that moment that both Ian and Fresia were about to give up.

[I’ll provide support.]

A gruff voice came through the connection without delay.

Ian’s eyes snapped open, and Fresia realized that the best option she had been hoping for had appeared.

[Gilbert!]

A voice filled with undisguised joy.

Ian could see Gilbert cutting through the Resistance’s Goliath Armor formation.

And simultaneously, a question arose in his mind.

Why isn’t Fresia calling Gilbert a scoundrel?

Ian’s expression crumpled.