Ch.424424 – Fourth-Year Senior

# 424 – Senior Year

One of the junior year seniors set up “Under Construction” signs around the open area to block underclassmen from approaching.

They even added warning messages about potential exposure to magical waste, concerned that approaching out of curiosity and casting spells might only increase the types of magic the thorn grass could use.

“That’s quite a clever idea. We were just going to put up signs and leave it at that.”

“If it gets any stronger here, it might develop such vicious combos that even senior year students wouldn’t stand a chance. At that point, we’d really have no choice but to go to the professors or student council…”

That was an outcome none of us wanted.

“Please take Department Head Orcatch to the infirmary. And make sure he keeps quiet about this!”

“Got it.”

Another senior took charge of handling the injured Senior Orcatch.

In the practice-oriented Gift Academy, injuries weren’t particularly rare, so keeping people quiet was essentially the main task.

“What should I do?”

The last remaining junior year senior from the Plant Club asked.

His task was already decided.

“Please come with me to the senior year area!”

“I got stuck with the most dreadful job…”

The senior complained but didn’t refuse.

Knowing how dangerous senior year students could be, he wouldn’t send a freshman alone.

Despite being annoyed at how they bullied Ddidda, I appreciated that he showed restraint and made excuses not to send me alone—he wasn’t as bad a senior as I’d thought.

“Be careful. The department head said senior year students facing graduation projects are extremely dangerous. Getting involved with them could result in sudden astral projection or being thrown into another dimension—apparently that’s just everyday stuff for them.”

“Yes. By the way, senior, don’t step on those stairs ahead! They’ll teleport you to the abyss if you step on them!”

“Why didn’t you say that earlier?! You nearly gave me a heart attack!!”

The junior year senior clutched his chest after narrowly avoiding the forced teleportation magic circle disguised as stairs.

Seeing a well-endowed female senior doing that, I strangely felt more annoyed than aroused.

I wonder why?

“So which senior are you planning to visit? There aren’t many senior year students. Especially those who are willing to negotiate rather than just taking what they want from underclassmen by force.”

The Plant Club senior was smarter and more knowledgeable than he appeared.

“The skilled ones have joined the student council. They might demand hush money using fines as leverage, but they won’t make deals.”

“I know that much already!”

“Conversely, avoid seniors who are too skilled. They might try to extort you without worrying about the student council.”

“That’s obvious!”

“Well, there are Wiheomhae Foundation scholarship students hiding among the senior year too, but that’s probably not news to you.”

Come to think of it, the Foundation is kind of annoying.

Veterans accumulate knowledge through trial and error over many iterations, but Foundation connections just hand it all to you—isn’t that basically cheating?

“Ugh. The pressure is incredible just from one floor difference.”

Masters carry vast amounts of mana.

The density of their domains can be so high that even stepping into them can make novices faint.

People in the world call this charisma, pressure, or presence.

‘It’s crushing like suffocating under mana, so that makes sense.’

The fourth floor of the Production Department’s building, where senior year Production Department students with more raw mana than even the Knight or Magic Departments gathered, was a mana-congested area where unconsciously expanded domains collided.

Just from the mana waves emanating from the unconscious collision of domains, the junior year senior’s expression darkened.

His labored breathing and trembling legs resembled a wild animal instinctively recognizing the power difference and backing away.

“What now? Are you planning to find some senior lounging around in the fourth floor break room?”

“First, I need to buy information from the fourth floor instructor!”

“Will the instructor come just because you call?”

“Not if I just call verbally.”

After crossing the no-entry sign and entering the fourth floor, I placed my hand on the door of the <Homunculus Cultivation Room> which had an additional warning sign. Suddenly, a person slid out from the wall.

It was the kind of reaction you’d expect from a parent seeing a baby charging toward an electrical outlet with chopsticks.

“Step away. That door must not be opened.”

“Yes!”

“I heard the 981st class was extraordinary, but I didn’t expect it to include this level of madness. That is not an area you can casually enter. Go back.”

“I’ll go if you grant me one favor!”

“You’re asking for a favor in exchange for your own safety? Are you in your right mind?”

“Negligent management is your responsibility as an instructor, isn’t it?”

As an instructor guarding the entrance to prevent fearless students who ventured to the fourth floor from entering the cultivation room, this was something he couldn’t ignore.

“Sigh. I hope your request doesn’t cross the line.”

“Please give me a list of names and locations of senior year Production Department students who have free time right now!”

“Do I look like I have enough free time to run around collecting the whereabouts of senior year students?”

“You can gather information from other instructors using your magic watch!”

“Perhaps I should just use force to send you back to the first floor?”

“I’ll give you points!”

“How much were you thinking of offering, customer?”

I generously gave 10,000 points.

In this urgent situation, I needed to give enough for the senior to gather information by distributing points here and there.

Thanks to that, the information was quickly collected.

━━━

[List of Available Production Department Senior Year Students]

*Manato Uyu

-Heir to Uyu Workshop, one of the Seven Great Continental Workshops

-Developing equipment to subjugate the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Lord’s Army as graduation project

-Planning to join the subjugation team for bonus points

-Can be found at his exclusive workshop in the Workshop District

-Currently experiencing material gathering issues due to the Dragon Principal’s weekly event causing a 2.5-degree continental temperature increase and plant monsterization

*Reinheardt

-Youngest Vice-Captain of the White Silver Star Knight Order

-Developing equipment to subjugate the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Lord’s Army as graduation project

-Not only creating Flying Swords imbued with arcane swordsmanship but also planning to personally join the subjugation team

-Can be found at the Mana Forge

-Currently experiencing shortages of legendary swords for Flying Sword production, causing delays in subjugation preparations

*Grimreaper

-Special assassin of the Killing Gate

-Developing Death’s Scythe as graduation project

-Challenging the achievement of Reaper Slaying

-Can be found at his exclusive workshop in the Workshop District

-Suffering from not having committed murder for several days

━━━

“Phew. Fortunately, there are two seniors who seem somewhat normal.”

“Let’s go see Senior Grimreaper!”

“You’re choosing to visit the most dangerous-looking senior without hesitation?! Why not reconsider?!”

The Plant Club senior complained fearfully.

I guess even third-year students don’t know everything about the world.

“Senior, think about it. The Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Lord’s Army have survived despite all the crazy graduates each year. How strong must they be?”

“Um… stronger than graduates, I suppose?”

“Now you see how insane these seniors must be to attempt subjugating them?”

“Y-yes, I see your point.”

The senior reluctantly nodded.

The fourth-year instructor listening nearby seemed satisfied with my reasoning.

“Then let’s go to Senior Grimreaper’s workshop!”

The Workshop District was a hidden spot accessible by crossing the special barrier of the fourth floor main building.

It was more accessible than the library, but entry conditions were the issue.

━━━

[Those seeking entry to the Workshop District must prove their worthiness by creating or possessing a masterpiece.]

━━━

The verification method was simple.

Stand on the inspection platform and show an artifact of Relic grade (+10 enhancement) or higher.

Of course, with my Backpack Backpack, this was an easy check to pass.

━━━

[Qualification verified.]

[Unqualified companions shall be cursed with silence and untouchability.]

━━━

Those who couldn’t create or possess a single relic couldn’t enter the Workshop District, and even if they tried to enter as companions, they couldn’t speak or touch anything inside.

It was a practical special barrier reflecting the artisans’ unwillingness to let their time be wasted by those of inferior skill.

‘Then why did you bring me along?’

The Plant Club senior expressed his indignation through his eyes.

Well, I did have my reasons.

Sometimes the barrier conditions change, demanding things like “lock your guarantor in a cage before entering.”

After what the seniors did to Ddidda, I wouldn’t have felt any guilt locking him in a cage.

You’re lucky you didn’t end up in a cage, senior!

“Oh, an unusual customer this time. A freshman who already bought a relic possession permit? Oknodie from the 981st class. You must have a lot of points.”

“Who are you, senior?”

“The dedicated instructor for the Workshop District. I handle customer reception on behalf of the artisans. What product are you looking for? Or do you have a commission?”

“I came to meet Senior Grimreaper!”

“Oh…”

The instructor smiled and took out candy from his pocket.

“Take this candy and carefully reconsider. Think about whether what you’re seeking really requires meeting Grimreaper. You have your whole life ahead of you—do you really need to make such a foolish choice?”

The Plant Club senior’s eyes narrowed into triangles, giving me a sharp look.

His instincts were right—that senior’s name sounds ominous from the start.

But that won’t stop me!

“I’ve thought it through thoroughly. For us, it has to be Senior Grimreaper!”

“Sigh. I warned you clearly. Any unfortunate incidents that occur from meeting Grimreaper are the customer’s responsibility, not mine, understood?”

Dragging along the senior who was reluctant to follow, I arrived at Grimreaper’s exclusive workshop.

What kind of senior is this person?

The discount notice at the entrance made it obvious.

━━━

[Product Discount List]

10% discount for those bringing Rare grade or higher crafting materials

15% discount for those commissioning both crafting and assassination

20% discount for those who have taken Professor Dominator’s class

25% discount for those who have taken Professor Sadaco’s class

━━━

This senior has taken Professor Sadaco’s class.