Ch.408408 – Reserved for Students on Leave

<408 – Dropout-Only Zone>

[You have successfully escaped from the exam site during the professor’s test.]

[Evasion Experience +30]

[Swift Movement Experience +10]

[Psychological Prediction Experience +10]

[You survived the rampage of the deep sea monster Kraken without the professor’s protective barrier.]

[Evasion Experience +30]

[Crying Sound Experience +10]

[Behavior Prediction Experience +10]

[Not only did you easily overcome the seniors’ attack, but you also planted an unforgettable nightmare in their minds.]

[Evasion Experience +30]

[Fear Induction Experience +10]

[Perfection Experience +3]

Heheh. Deceiving the watchful eyes of skilled professors wasn’t difficult for an experienced player like me.

All I had to do was disable the professor’s barrier and deploy my own instead.

While I might lack in mana quantity compared to the professor’s protective barrier, I certainly don’t fall behind in output power.

‘Thanks to mama Kraken being furious about baby Kraken, I easily slipped away!’

Hihi. The operation was a huge success.

The Kraken completely absorbed the attention and power of the professors and instructors, allowing me to conceal my presence and dash to the shore in one go.

Even if I get caught later, I’ve got the perfect excuse ready: “I was shipwrecked by the Kraken and got lost.”

For some reason, the second and third-year students loitering nearby and even the first-year friends gathered at the shore got swept up in it too, but the professors will protect them!

[Dropout-Only Zone]

The magical boundaries had long been damaged by the Kraken’s deep-sea wavelengths.

Barriers were being restored here and there, but I easily passed through by identifying gaps with <Mana Technique> and leaping over them with <Acrobatics>!

The moment I crossed the transparent membrane, I reached the interior of the magically protected expanded space.

━━━

A Sanctuary for Those Who Failed to Achieve Their Dreams

━━━

Hmm.

So this playthrough’s Dropout-Only Zone concept is a sanctuary.

Like the Random Papa events, the Dropout-Only Zone has several possible concepts determined randomly:

<Gambling Arena for Point Refugees>

<Entrance to the Solitude Jar>

<Wanderers’ Maze>

Each concept is very distinct.

The Solitude Jar, which you can’t escape unless you defeat a set number of living beings.

The Gambling Arena, where becoming champion in point-wagering duels can earn you a fortune.

The Maze, where you must pay points to use shortcuts avoiding dangers, but overcoming those dangers rewards you with treasure chests containing points.

The Sanctuary, which has the most brutal environment but doesn’t allow you to stay in safe zones without points.

In short, I got the highest difficulty concept—the Sanctuary!

“Uwah. At this rate, death is a real possibility.”

Sorry to Second Mad Hatter and Alice, but Charlotte has a high chance of being found as a corpse.

If she were weaker, she might be more cautious, but Charlotte was a key talent from her class that the Foundation deliberately supported.

Now that such talent has failed to advance, the Foundation will devalue Charlotte and start issuing <Orders> to recoup their investment.

If it’s Papa I saw with my own eyes during summer vacation, he’d definitely do that and more!

Therefore, Charlotte is likely attempting a dangerous order and experiencing severe hardship.

[Green Zone]

[10 points – 10 days rest available, facilities usable]

[Size: 100 pyeong, lodging, bathroom, drink bar, etc. available]

[Usable times: 100 (13 remaining)]

[Available capacity: 100 people]

[Additional entry condition authority: Set according to the first entrant among current users]

[Additional entry condition: Entry only possible through invitation from existing users]

[Yellow Zone]

[25 points – 25 hours rest available, separate charges for facilities]

[Size: 25 pyeong, lodging, bathroom, mana recovery formation, etc. available]

[Usable times: 25 (7 remaining)]

[Additional entry condition authority: Changes according to majority vote of users]

[Additional entry condition: Must pay additional usage fee to existing entrants and receive majority approval for entry. If denied, points paid will not be refunded.]

[Red Zone]

[50 points – 5 minutes rest available, one-time facility use possible]

[Size: 5 pyeong, emergency recovery formation available]

[Usable times: 5 (4 remaining)]

[Additional entry condition authority: Last user]

[Additional entry condition: Pay 50,000 additional points to the last user]

The mana panel instructions near the entrance describing the rest zones have quite fierce content.

It seems the dropouts failed to reach a democratic agreement to share facilities peacefully, as even facilities that should be available for fixed points now have strict additional entry conditions.

The cheapest Green Zone can only be entered through invitation from existing users.

The decent Yellow Zone will cost you points without entry if you don’t get approval from existing users.

The poor-condition Red Zone requires an enormous additional payment of points for entry even in emergencies.

This means if you can’t use political skills to join the Green or Yellow Zones, you can’t even rest comfortably.

“Hey, kid. This Green Zone is occupied by the Knight Department. Anyone without the sword emblem can scram.”

“If you want to enter the Yellow Zone, show us your sincerity. It won’t be easy to satisfy us Production Department dropouts. Hohoho.”

Senior dropouts with fair complexions poke their heads out from buildings in the safe zone, either making threats or casting greedy looks at a new target for exploitation.

“Ah, that’s okay. I’m not staying long, just here to meet someone.”

“Meet someone…? Wait. You, why don’t you have a badge on your collar? Don’t tell me… you’re a first-year?!”

“Hohoho! How amusing. How did a first-year get into the Dropout-Only Zone? Even with just a point loan, almost everyone can advance to second year. Listen, dear, let sister give you some good advice. Leave here immediately.”

The seniors who were hostile or greedy toward fellow dropouts show quite a gentle side toward a first-year.

What’s this?

They’re not the type to empathize or feel guilty seeing a weak first-year just because they’re weak themselves and staying near the entrance.

During my <All-In-On-Strength-One-Hit-Character-Is-Good Marine> days, didn’t they get serious and come running with swords or staffs?

Anyway, it’s good for me if the seniors are being kind.

“Why?”

“Sigh, you. Don’t you know anything? Long ago, a senior hid an incredible hidden treasure here. The search for it caused so many casualties from fierce fighting that magical disasters now cycle through this entire area.”

“I hate to agree with the Knight Department gorillas, but it’s all true. If you don’t use the safe zones, you’re directly exposed to disasters and quickly lose health, mana, food, and equipment. Some weaklings or stubborn types train in the disaster or eat weeds while saving on lodging fees, but that’s too harsh a lifestyle for someone so young.”

“Who are you calling gorillas, you misers.”

“Hohoho. The Knight Department, who only have strength and use it to restrict Green Zone access, is gossiping about others? Even a rookie freshman would scoff at such talk.”

“You want to go at it?!”

“You think I’m scared? Hohoho.”

Despite aggressively showing their teeth to each other, they don’t throw the first punch, proving these seniors are indeed quite docile, befitting people who stay near the entrance.

They’re almost like non-aggressive herbivore monsters.

It feels heartwarming, like watching territorial disputes between squirrels and hedgehogs.

Still, I shouldn’t waste too much time.

I’m in a hurry, so let me get to the point.

“Do you know where a senior named Charlotte might be?”

It was just a simple inquiry, but the seniors stopped their nervous standoff and turned to me with serious expressions.

“Charlotte from the 978th class advanced group?”

“Little one. What’s your relationship with Charlotte the Flash?”

Yeah.

What is our relationship?

“She’s my sister with the same guardian!”

After thinking hard about my answer, the seniors’ expressions grew even more serious.

“Same guardian… so you’re a junior from the same school?”

“Wow. An extremely dangerous kid has arrived.”

“I don’t want to get involved anymore. You deal with this.”

The Knight Department male senior frowned with a grim face and closed the window.

The Production Department female senior reluctantly pointed to a giant dust cloud rising in the distance.

“Charlotte went into the center of the magical disaster. She said she would find the hidden treasure no matter what. Said she would prove her usefulness again.”

“Ah, so she’s gone for the hidden treasure route!”

“If you share the same guardian, are you here for the same reason? To find the hidden treasure?”

“Well, it would be nice to have it, but I don’t really need it. I have enough points to use the treasure vault!”

“That’s fortunate, but… give up on finding Charlotte. You’ll end up in danger either way. Forcing your way in will only increase the <Lost Items>. The disaster area is littered with lost items from students who went searching for the hidden treasure and either died or barely escaped with their lives. I make my living selling supplies to such fools. Hohoho.”

“Still, I need to go in. I have so many questions I want to ask Charlotte!”

The female senior looked at me with pity.

“She was a close sister to you? How foolish. Blinded by affection and willingly facing danger. Still, I don’t dislike such fools. Here, take this.”

The senior handed over supplies containing a compass, map, food, and water.

“With this, you should be able to survive in the magical disaster for about a week. You can check the disaster’s movement path on the map. The compass will point to the nearest safe zone for reference. I usually sell these for money, but I’m making a special exception because I feel sorry for our freshman.”

“Huh? I don’t need those. Look, I brought all the necessary supplies!”

I took out a self-made complete map from my backpack and showed her a magical compass that never malfunctions or breaks down even in high magical disaster concentrations, unlike regular compasses. The senior was greatly surprised.

“You… where did a freshman get such items…? Even upper-year students couldn’t prepare these without knowing in advance.”

“Ah, well…”

“Don’t tell me… you’re not here to save Charlotte but were dispatched with some other purpose by your guardian?”

[The senior thinks you are an assassin dispatched on orders from an ‘organization’.]

[Fear Induction Experience +1]

After the function activated on its own, the senior backed away with a serious expression and slammed the window shut.

“?”

I intended not to cause worry, but unintentionally only instilled fear.

The detection spell emanating from beyond the window clearly showed the intent to attack if I approached the safe zone even slightly.

Like villagers fearing the approach of a monster.

…Well, at least their worries are lessened!

I packed up my scattered belongings into my backpack and shouldered it.

Ignoring the cold gaze from behind the tightly closed window, I moved on.

My target is the center of the disaster.

Passing through the entrance of the Dropout-Only Zone, I plunge into the disaster’s edge, toward the thick cloud of sand dust!