Ch.397397 – Preparations

<397 – Preparations>

The student council has a subordinate organization called the Leave of Absence Student Control Bureau.

Mandela Castella, a student council member who previously beat up senior students on leave who were also foundation scholarship recipients when they tried to raid the third-year exclusive zone.

Just seeing her appearance makes it clear.

The student council is serious about preventing students on leave from invading active student areas.

Conversely, active students shouldn’t enter areas for students on leave either.

Because you never know what crimes students on leave might commit against active students in their pursuit of points.

‘I understand, but that’s why I need to hurry!’

There’s no guarantee that Charlotte will safely escape from the leave-of-absence exclusive zone next year.

Literally, no one knows what might happen in there.

If something bad has happened, I need to go in and check, and if it’s not too late, I need to figure out how to pull her out.

Why?

It’s obvious.

‘Charlotte is an essential character for Alice’s route!’

Sometimes there are understanding levels that neither NPCs nor the characters themselves know about.

An identity not yet unlocked!

Like understanding levels that won’t open unless you complete the NPC’s unique story or side story.

Difficult-to-unlock understanding levels come with powerful achievements in return.

If even the basic understanding level with Alice offers substantial rewards, the unlocked understanding level must provide even more powerful benefits.

‘This is the real reward, not those common treasures hidden all over the academy!’

If I just keep accepting various connections from Alice while nodding along, Charlotte might end up dying a horrible death in the leave-of-absence exclusive zone—the very Charlotte who could provide even greater rewards.

A typical structure designed to blind you with small connections so you miss the big ones!

That structure triggered my veteran player connection-detection sensor.

I anticipated that the connection I could gain after saving Charlotte would be even greater.

For the sake of Jona’s and my smooth academy life, I need to start pushing the foundation events aside.

“So I’m going to use a loophole!”

“You’re trying to enter the leave-of-absence exclusive zone while avoiding the student council?”

“Yes. There’s something even the student council can’t stop. A professor’s practical training!”

If I pretend there’s an accident during a lecture and naturally enter the zone, how could the student council stop that?

Fortunately, there’s a suitable lecture.

━━━

[Naval Combat ①]

-Saturday 9AM~1PM

-Professor: El Draco

-Adventure Department, General Education

━━━

The Naval Combat lecture I’m taking with Zigoku.

There’s a naval combat practice this week.

During practice, I’ll pretend to be shipwrecked by tearing through the barrier with cannon fire and infiltrate the leave-of-absence exclusive zone—mission accomplished!

Of course, it won’t be easy.

The professor will be watching the lecture.

The instructors will also be trying to prevent accidents.

I need to cause an unexpected situation that neither the professor nor the instructors can anticipate.

That’s why I decided to prepare in advance.

“Let’s kidnap a baby Kraken!”

I’ll kidnap a baby Kraken that can summon its parent Kraken, a sea monster that will turn the naval battle into chaos.

From where?

From the senior students’ laboratory!

* * *

Friday morning.

Professor Warerd, who had gone to the lecture hall to teach “Nature’s Wrath,” manipulated the panel on his magic clock.

He was checking the system where students’ attendance is automatically transmitted to the magic clock when they attend, which then collects the information and records names in the attendance book.

“Oknodie? Student Oknodie is absent without notice?”

But something strange happened today.

Oknodie, a model student among model students, skipped the lecture.

Could she be held up in a previous lecture?

Did she collapse on the road from fatigue?

Or was she kidnapped by seniors because her usual behavior finally caused trouble?

“Student Dorothy. Did you happen to see student Oknodie collapsed on the grass?”

“No? I definitely saw her jogging with the Dolphin Pants sisters until dawn.”

“Student Rozini. Is student Oknodie perhaps passed out in her room after skipping breakfast?”

“I don’t know because I skipped breakfast, but that genius kid always eats new menu items. I heard they served terrible fried croaker this morning that wasn’t even descaled, so she probably ate breakfast.”

“Is there anyone else who’s close to student Oknodie?”

All the students shook their heads, saying they had no idea.

* * *

Take the baby Kraken trapped in the laboratory and put it in seawater where the parent Kraken can detect it.

In the original game, this is what a criminal organization trying to terrorize the academy would do, but this time I decided to do it before they could.

Moreover, they failed, but I’ll succeed, making me the superior criminal.

‘Oh right! I decided to be a good person!’

Then I’ll be bad just for today and be good starting tomorrow!

Even if I commit crimes, I can repent and live as a good person just by praying, right?

As I was heading to the senior exclusive zone’s laboratory to execute my plan, someone called out to me.

“Oknodie! What are you doing in a place like this?”

“Huh? What are you doing here, Dobby?”

“It’s only natural for a Production Department aspirant to attend Production Department lectures, isn’t it?”

Ah, I see.

Then I might as well make use of Dobby too.

Time to explain the veteran player’s secret technique!

“Won’t doing something like this bring the end of the world closer…?”

“Think of it the other way around. The end of the world will come later if I do what I want!”

“I see… Indeed, your efforts to prevent the apocalypse are beyond the understanding of ordinary people. Please scold my weak self for doubting you even for a moment!”

“Scold you?”

“More, please shout louder so the guilt in my heart resonates! Hurry!”

“Umm. You shall be severely scolded!!”

When I screamed “Blaaargh,” Dobby finally looked satisfied with an ecstatic expression.

“Are you satisfied now?”

“Of course. I feel like my weakness has been washed away by your severe scolding. As a form of atonement, I offer my meager power to assist you, Oknodie.”

“What club did you join?”

“As expected, the savior who will save everyone from the apocalypse is different. You’ve already noticed the club I just founded, <Apocalypse Cult>, haven’t you?”

“Huh?”

“Don’t tell me you didn’t know?”

“O-of course I knew!”

What is that?

Seriously, what is it?

“An organization established to prevent catastrophes that could lead to the apocalypse at the academy. Our Apocalypse Cult is an organization of people who have gathered to help you, Oknodie.”

“I-I see.”

“Ah, to think you would come looking for us right after we formed the organization! Indeed, a true hero who stands against the apocalypse has insight that reaches even the deepest darkness of the academy!”

“I think I can do this alone, so would you like to go back?”

“Absolutely not! How can a tool whose purpose is to be used exist if it cannot be used by its master! If cult members are lacking, at least let me help!”

As Dobby prostrated himself and bowed, students passing through the corridor began to stir.

“That’s her, right? The Dark Princess of the Foundation.”

“Looks like she’s already receiving loyalty oaths.”

“To be a first-year at the academy, she must have been somewhat accomplished outside, but to bow her head without any pride like that. How cruelly must she have been treated to make that possible?”

“Shh. Your voice is too loud. She might make eye contact with us.”

“Scary. Let’s go quickly.”

The students disappeared with a swish-swish sound, walking three times faster without even making eye contact.

With growing embarrassment, I finally forcefully lifted Dobby up.

“Fine. You can come with me. Get up quickly!”

“Thank you for using my humble life!”

When students started pressing their cheeks against the classroom windows to watch, my embarrassment increased by 3000%.

With a red face, I forcibly dragged Dobby through the corridor while seniors looked at us with expressions that said “how cute.”

Even the professor in the middle of a lecture went “Ho ho, young people these days,” which really made me want to severely scold someone!

“Hmph. It was Dobby who offered to help, not me, so just follow me on your own inside the laboratory.”

“Don’t worry. Having witnessed the moment of apocalypse, I’ve deeply realized my own inadequacies, so I’ve already been visiting Professor Platton for protein soup and haven’t neglected physical training for growth.”

This is real madness.

As they say, a madman recognizes another madman—the madness I sensed from Dobby was truly extraordinary.

But he was just a weakling until recently.

He was even getting beaten up by baby spirits.

Let’s see if he can handle the senior laboratory as I took him inside.

<Intruder Alert Magic>

<Mass Summon Magic>

<Forced Lock Magic>

Security that traps intruders who recklessly enter without deactivating the alarm system in the proper way, binding their feet with summons while lab assistants who receive the alert arrive!

“Professor Millione is an old maid!”

Of course, the alert magic was automatically disabled before a veteran player who knew the security phrase.

However, while I could freely walk the laboratory corridors, entering the containment cells where monsters were kept for experiments was another matter.

Moreover, high-grade monsters were under double security with patrol summons constantly making rounds to prevent security breaches, so this could only be overcome by force.

†Summon #3 (Gigatron/Crusher/Noel Spirit Division)

†Summon #4 (Gigatron/Destroyer/Noel Spirit Division)

Unlike golems that grow by attaching similar rocks or metals to their bodies, Trons are predatory mineral life forms that eat and digest other creatures’ metals to grow their bodies.

Gigatrons are even more powerful than Megatrons, which are evolved Trons that have reached a certain size.

The appearance of these monsters would strip unprepared intruders of all their metal equipment, leaving them naked, but I easily evaded the Gigatrons using <Stealth>.

‘Let’s see you get taught a lesson!’

All aggro was pulled to Dobby who was following behind.

I was planning to help only after he cried and begged for assistance, but Dobby didn’t panic at all and shouted with power in his voice, his eyes full of madness.

“A master-servant contract is established by pledging loyalty for a set period and receiving the energy to maintain existence and materials to build strength. But with the world’s end approaching, that contract will soon expire!!”

“Keeek?”

“Keekeeek?”

“As the world’s end approaches, why do you covet small prey and face destruction together? Those who fear the end, flee now!!”

<Synchronization Magic>

<Apocalypse Prophecy>

An incredible magic operation that connects to the opponent’s mind by filling it with fear of apocalyptic disaster!

Shocked by this, the Gigatrons broke their contracts and opened dimensional gates to escape to the mineral realm.

I couldn’t hide my astonishment.

“A newbie created a new meta…?”