Ch.6157 – Reversed Fate

Our mission was to go to the west gate of the academy as the branch director had explained earlier, and draw as many soldiers’ attention as possible.

That was just our official mission. For security reasons, the branch director and Daniel went around personally explaining the detailed tasks to each team.

The branch director made sense, but Daniel was unexpected. Had those two known each other for a long time?

Then in Adella’s room, the branch director revealed a completely different plan from what he’d told us in the lobby.

“Forest Guardian of Arsheria. I had to say that earlier because there were too many eyes watching, but in this operation, you, NoName, are the key. If you weren’t participating, we wouldn’t have attempted this operation at all. So Adella, you need to focus just this once.”

When I asked why, the branch director sighed regretfully and explained.

That there were likely spies hidden within ‘Abyss’ itself.

Fair enough. Unlike the Imperial Guard who could use mana oaths, a hastily assembled organization was bound to have vulnerabilities.

But the branch director wasn’t foolish.

“In District 15, the only people I can truly trust are Daniel here, Alperion, Ciciella, and you.”

“What about me?”

“Yes… you too, Adella.”

“Hmph. Bleh-“

On the surface, Alperion and Ciciella were supposed to steal the Laurel, meet up with Daniel, and hand it over to him. But the branch director added a twist to the plan.

“If the diversion works, NoName and Adella will immediately circle around the academy perimeter and wait at the north gate. Alperion and Ciciella will hand the Laurel to NoName there, then escape through the east gate.”

While those who leaked the information would be frantically trying to catch Alperion’s group, the real Laurel would be smuggled out through the north gate, which had the least security.

It might not be as dangerous as their mission, but it felt like the difficulty of our task had suddenly doubled.

If they discovered that Alperion’s Laurel was fake, they’d immediately start tracking us.

“This is easy! Get ready for a show, Gestalt!”

Adella stood up, slamming her hands on the desk.

“Show more respect to the branch director, Adella.”

Despite Daniel’s scolding, Adella purred with satisfaction, clearly excited.

“They’ll probably anticipate a diversion tactic. But to crush even that suspicion, the Forest Guardian’s role is crucial.”

Daniel spread out a map.

His instruction was to create absolute chaos in the capital city to prevent anyone from even suspecting a diversion.

“Remnant Academy appears to be just one building in the center of the capital, but there are actually several facilities outside. The observatory to the south, the guard barracks to the east, and the materials warehouse and admissions office to the west.”

All of these had close communication networks with the academy.

Even if they successfully stole the Laurel, there was a risk of being surrounded and captured.

“Among those, you need to properly hit three locations in the south and west.”

To draw all forces to the southwest.

Meanwhile, Alperion and Ciciella would infiltrate the academy to retrieve the Laurel, and we would do our best to escape.

If the academy realized it was a diversion, we’d meet them at the north gate—blocked by a large mountain range—receive the Laurel, and escape beyond the mountains outside the city.

“I almost said something terrible about a bald man being stupid.”

“…”

This plan would definitely work. It was clever enough to fool even the Kaizen Central Academy from my past life.

Branch Director Gestalt had traded his hair for intelligence.

* * *

“Yawn. How much longer do we have to wait meow.”

Adella was now picking at her ears after having picked her nose.

Due to our stakeout mission, she couldn’t even stretch freely.

Our first target was naturally the observatory.

It had the fewest personnel at night and was perfect for drawing out an appropriate number of forces.

The enthusiastic Adella from earlier was gone, replaced by a bored cat-girl sighing with tedium.

“Aren’t you bored too meow?”

“Not really.”

“Tell me some stories about your past. It’s not often I get to meet an elf.”

“I don’t know much about my own kind.”

Because I’m a player, after all.

I don’t even know who this body belonged to before.

“That’s so unfair.”

Adella turned her head away sharply.

But soon, perhaps feeling awkward, she spoke again.

“Do you know why I joined Abyss meow?”

A story I’d never heard before.

She hadn’t achieved any high level of skill, and she was constantly disrespected in Abyss.

I wondered why Branch Director Gestalt trusted her.

“I hate the academy. I hate everyone in it enough to despise them.”

“That’s random. What does that have to do with anything?”

“It has everything to do with it. I was the last person to be rejected from the academy entrance exam.”

“Entrance exam?”

“Ha, you really don’t know anything, do you?”

If I had gone through the normal route of taking the Remnant Academy entrance exam, this would be common knowledge, but I lacked that information.

Adella explained without minding.

“The final test of the academy entrance exam uses a score elimination system. If you maintain a rank within the top 100 until the time limit, you pass.”

Two years ago, Adella had barely managed to secure the 100th place.

Although she wasn’t blessed with natural talent, her experience of surviving countless life-threatening situations in the slums had guided her through the competition with hundreds-to-one odds.

“I grew up without a home, money, or parents, but I passed the entrance exam to the academy that only accepts the continent’s best talents. I thought my damn father would finally acknowledge me.”

“Father?”

“Apparently a famous professor at the academy.”

Adella came from humble origins.

She was nothing more than the result of a one-night pleasure.

Her father would never recognize her as his child, and even her mother, a woman from a brothel, had abandoned her callously.

In the darkest, filthiest corners of the empire, she dreamed of the most noble and brilliant future, just like her name “Adella.”

She stole valuable goods from passersby to survive.

She stole shiny jewels from merchants to survive.

It wasn’t an honorable life, but she promised herself she would live differently if she could just get into the academy.

“But that bastard manipulated the rankings. He clearly didn’t want me to pass.”

Just when she was experiencing the happiest days of her life after the joy of passing, she received a rejection notice the day before the entrance ceremony.

‘Special admission for a Hero Candidate’

Her spot was taken by some unknown person who had appeared out of nowhere, and naturally, Adella, who had been ranked 100th, was evicted from the academy dormitory.

It took less than a day to go from a warm, cozy bed to being thrown out onto the cold stone floor.

Adella gritted her teeth.

Although it happened two years ago, she couldn’t contain her anger as if it had happened just yesterday.

“They could have given up just one more spot…! Why give something only to take it away! How is this fair?!”

A bird that falls from the highest place never flies again.

“I’ve waited two years for a chance at revenge. I’m going to kill them all.”

Adella decided that if she couldn’t fly, she would break the wings of others.

Her bloodshot eyes were clearly not those of a normal person.

The operation time had arrived.

Just then, thick clouds covered the bright full moon, making visibility appropriately dim.

“This is the first time Uncle Gestalt has given me a proper mission. I can’t disappoint him if I want to repay his kindness.”

“Was the branch director the one who accepted you into Abyss?”

“…”

In the distance, the bell of the imperial clock tower rang.

Adella’s body sprang forward first among the group.

“Try not to die keeping up! I won’t wait for you!”

She disappeared like a dot into the narrow path in an instant.

I couldn’t help but laugh at the irony.

Who was warning whom to be careful?

I’d be lucky if she didn’t end up as cat soup.

* * *

-Is that Hero Candidate the student council president?

-Suddenly feeling really bad for her

-Let’s cherish our Delkitty!

-Looking again, she’s actually kind of pretty?

-Want to pet this wounded cat so badly

-Why do the Monthly Ara Gallery people call her Evil-della?

-This is enough redemption for me

People experiencing the Nightmare difficulty for the first time were saying:

Maybe Adella could be considered a heroine with a tragic backstory.

A character unique to Nightmare difficulty who never appears in Normal mode.

She has excellent looks and a past that tugs at people’s heartstrings.

They had already been captivated by her pouty expression, teary cat eyes, and the tail that occasionally slapped the floor depending on her mood.

But “SaveMeFromGradSchool,” the vice master of the “Korea” clan who knew the full story, sneered with the contempt of someone with experience.

[‘SaveMeFromGradSchool’ donated 1,000 won!]

-The Evil-della hate stack is just beginning

“NYAAAAAAAAAAH! Forest Guardian, save meeeee!”

Adella came running back down the path, screaming indescribably strange noises.

A sudden quest window appeared for me:

[Remnant Observatory Guards (0/20)]

Nightmare difficulty is not kind.

Like meeting bandits in the mountains and dying without knowing why.

It doesn’t tell you what to do or how to do it.

No information about enemies, no weaknesses.

They were all just obsessed with killing players.

The dark path.

Ominous crow calls.

The clanking sound of mirror-polished armor echoes.

When the steady footsteps coming down the mountain reached us,

they all drew their weapons at once.

“Intruders will be eliminated.”

-20 of them?????????

-Weren’t there supposed to be just 2?

-No, I only had 1 in my game?

-Look at those fierce eyes, they’re ready to kill

-LOL they came to kill us anyway

-Nightmare mode with max infamy means suffering from the first battle LMAO

-20 isn’t that bad, right? Later there’ll be battalion-sized groups

-Look at their body size

“NoName, please…! I don’t want to die heeeeere!”

The soldier at the front grabbed Adella by the ankle as she tripped over a tree root, lifting her upside down.

Her short skirt slid down, revealing black garter belt underwear.

-Damn they’re huge

-They must all be at least 2m tall

-Look at those bulging muscles, their armor’s about to burst

-Is Nightmare Infamy 10 a world of alpha males only?

-160cm players crying right now lol

-Seriously, these guys look like royal guard captains, why are they working as observatory security?

-Ohhh?

-Ahhh could it be????

-This is it..!!!!

-LMAOOOOO

-Goddammit… I was counting on you, guard bros!!!

-Total wipeout incoming lol

-Black pan… panties…

-Is anyone actually focusing on the game? lol