Ch.413413 – It’s Still Too Early to Give Up

<413 – It’s Too Early to Give Up>

While Irene, Dorothy, and Rockpell entered the safe zone where a senior who craved human organs while wearing a child’s disguise was located, elsewhere Giselle, Isabelle, and Son Ocheon gathered information before searching for Oknodie.

“Let’s exchange information. If you provide us with details about the inside of the leave of absence student zone, we’ll tell you what you want to know about the outside world.”

Giselle approached the situation cleverly instead of recklessly asking about Oknodie’s whereabouts.

“This is taking too long. Bookworm, are you sure you’re doing this right?”

“Even the seniors of the Esonia Adventure Guild would first gather information from locals before acting rashly in unfamiliar territory. I think Giselle is doing well.”

Indeed, Giselle had acquired substantial information.

“There are over twenty magical disasters in the safe zone, varying in danger levels. The limit for first-year advanced class students is level 2 magical disasters.”

“How are these levels determined?”

“They’re measured by the depth of will contained in the magical disaster and the danger of monsters or spirits drawn to it. I’ve also secured a map.”

The goal of the students on leave was to obtain the “Treasure” located at the end of the shelter. There were two paths leading to the Treasure.

One: Break through the level 1 magical disaster “Dust Cloud,” overcome the level 3 “Sheer Cliff Wall,” cross the level 5 “Lava Zone,” and challenge the Treasure via the shortest route.

Two: Avoid the Dust Cloud and Sheer Cliff Wall, and instead challenge the “Complex Disaster Zone” where more than ten level 1 and 2 magical disasters appear consecutively or simultaneously.

“The former has fewer challengers while the latter has more. Students who fail to obtain the Treasure often go for the latter route to collect ‘Lost Items’ left behind by failed students.”

“Oknodie said even in the Library Expedition that shortcuts are dangerous. That child would definitely have taken the longer route.”

“Wait, are you saying that little mouse is after the Treasure?”

Giselle sighed heavily.

“He caused a huge commotion during class to break into this restricted area. Whatever his goal is, it’s certainly something he wants to achieve right now.”

“Why did it have to be now? With Oknodie’s skills, he could have grown normally and challenged the Treasure more easily later.”

“In my personal opinion, I don’t think he’s aiming to retrieve the Treasure.”

“Why not?”

“I hear that retrieving the Treasure is impossible even for average seniors. Apparently, the Treasure is comparable to a double-numbered artifact.”

“Numbered?”

“When you become second-years, you’ll learn that the Academy’s treasury contains numerous special artifacts.”

The Numbering Artifacts rank all artifacts in the world from 1st to 9,999th place.

Single Numbers: single-digit rankings.

Double Numbers: double-digit rankings.

Triple Numbers: triple-digit rankings.

Quadruple Numbers: four-digit rankings.

Possessing a ranked artifact is something coveted by adventurers, knights, and nobles alike.

“I know about Numbering Artifacts. The Esonia Adventure Guild owns several. Any named adventure guild would have at least one.”

Son Ocheon scratched his head while standing blankly.

“So what’s the point?”

“In the outside world, possessing a double-numbered artifact is only possible for someone like a king of a nation or a champion of a race.”

“What?! So getting this Treasure is practically the same as becoming a king?”

“One Treasure alone won’t get you a country, but you can obtain that level of symbolism and power. It represents the highest achievement possible for students on leave.”

Retrieving the Treasure was something even ordinary seniors couldn’t attempt.

This was too much even for Oknodie.

“But there are three students on leave who are seriously challenging the Treasure. The murderer Urgas, who has single-handedly claimed lost items equivalent to a hundred; the sword thief Zeto, who aims for the strongest lost item deep within the Sheer Cliff Wall; and the recluse Ian, who has been in seclusion for over ten years.”

“…Is this a student zone or lawless territory?”

“It’s not strange that such powerful individuals would gather for an artifact worthy of being called a Treasure. In the outside world, this would be something you could only obtain by infiltrating a royal palace and being prepared to make an entire nation your enemy.”

The more Isabelle heard, the darker her expression became.

“Oknodie may be a collector, but he’s not one to take unnecessary risks. This must be… an order from the Foundation, right?”

“It might have been better if he were chasing the Treasure. During my inquiries, I learned from a student who encountered Oknodie that he was pursuing a person, not the Treasure.”

“A person?”

“Charlotte. 978th batch student. Third-year advanced class student on leave.”

“Advanced class student on leave?!”

“Rumor has it that she could have advanced but intentionally delayed her promotion to enter the leave of absence zone. Most likely she’s challenging the Treasure.”

This was certainly not good news for Isabelle.

“If Charlotte is challenging the Treasure, then Oknodie who’s following her…”

“Yes. He’ll likely follow her quite deep. In the process, he might clash with other Treasure challengers who won’t tolerate competitors.”

Such battles between monsters were beyond the capabilities of first-year advanced class students.

“The deadline is within 48 hours. If we fail to rescue Oknodie within two days, he’ll enter the territory of the Treasure challengers, and we might have to prepare for the worst.”

The faces of the three hardened.

* * *

Three Treasure challengers.

The murderer Urgas. The sword thief Zeto. The recluse Ian.

Irene, Dorothy, and Rockpell, who had directly encountered the recluse Ian, were so tense they couldn’t even wipe away their sweat.

“I don’t need help.”

“Is that so? That’s a shame. Let me know if you change your mind. One can never collect enough mana hearts from talented students.”

The tense atmosphere was broken by Zhang, who conversed with Ian as casually as if he weren’t a first-year.

“Feel free to stay in the safe zone as long as you like. I’ll be in Room 1 if you need anything.”

After the senior disappeared into Room 1, the three people standing awkwardly in the common area all sighed in unison.

“What a scary senior.”

“Phew. I really thought I was going to die. I even held my breath.”

“Are you stupid? Only the monsters in our forest get angry at the sound of breathing.”

“Hehe. Is that so?”

“…”

Irene decided to let the strange ecology of the Monster Forest slide. She was beginning to feel that caring about it would only hurt herself.

“Zhang. What are you going to do?”

“I have to go back. I followed because I didn’t want to lose track of Oknodie, but I’ve lost him anyway.”

“Do you think the professor would help if we asked?”

“It won’t work. If they could enter themselves, they would have done so already.”

The weak cannot challenge the Treasure, but the too-strong cannot even enter.

As if the Dragon Principal had decreed that those who aren’t on leave cannot obtain the Treasure from this place.

“Let’s go back…”

Dorothy’s trudging steps toward the entrance suddenly stopped.

It was because of a faint sound coming from beyond the door.

Haha!

Ha-haha!

Aaah-hahaha!

With such a distinctive laugh, there was only one person who came to mind.

“Mandela Castella?!”

“Correct!”

*Slam!*

“Eek!”

“What a girlish scream. That misconception that such an adorable scream will make you look cute, I, Mandela Castella, don’t dislike it!”

“W-what? Why is Senior Mandela here?!”

Appearing with an imposing presence, her eyes twinkling like stars, she proudly declared:

“Professor El Draco has promised that if you succeed in rescuing Oknodie, he will overlook the outrageous act of attacking first-years and impose no future disadvantages!”

For those who had merely been swept up in the hail caused by a kraken’s tentacles at the coastline, this was bewildering news, but the situation itself wasn’t bad.

The second-year top student Mandela Castella would help rescue Oknodie!

There was a sense of expectation that the stalled search for Oknodie would make significant progress.

Of course, expectation was just expectation.

The harsh reality remained unchanged.

The fact that the situation was not favorable remained constant.

“Senior, you might be able to go ahead, but this is our limit. Please find Oknodie for us.”

“Hahaha! You all underestimate yourselves too much. It’s too early to give up. Everyone, please take out your protective charms.”

“I have it, but why?”

“What did Professor Redmountain say when he gave you the protective charms?”

“Um… he definitely said we could go as far as the entrance of a magical disaster with this… but we’ve already passed the entrance.”

Mandela Castella laughed confidently.

The three suffering from the ear-piercing laughter right in their faces could only grab their ears as they rang, tears forming in their eyes.

“Haven’t you realized yet? That charm sets the limit at the ‘entrance’ assuming you ‘do nothing’ when entering.”

“Do nothing…?”

“Do you understand? You’ve reached the middle of the magical disaster without even using your protective charms!”

“!!”

That’s right.

They could still advance.

Beyond this point, toward where Oknodie was.

Their training had not been in vain.

There was still a chance to follow Oknodie’s trail.