Ch.6868. Academy Attack

A strange silence fell over the battlefield where Gilbert had intruded. Everyone was tense because of this unidentified expert who had sliced through the dense barrage of fire and incoming bombardment with a single sword strike.

Gulp.

All members of the Neo Resistance swallowed hard, cold sweat breaking out as they faced this suddenly appeared expert. None of their comrades present could perform the technique they had just witnessed.

It was an incredible feat—cutting through a meticulously coordinated barrage from 23 God-Machines with nothing but a steel sword. This was a supreme technique that couldn’t even be imitated by anyone below the rank of high-grade knight.

According to their intelligence, there weren’t many people at Demeia Academy capable of such an impossible feat. Only Academy Director Lucas, a few high-grade knight faculty members, Briana whom they had tried to kill with their barrage, and First Imperial Princess Seraphina.

After communicating with other teams carrying out sabotage operations, they confirmed that everyone except Briana was being engaged by other teams. Though they couldn’t get precise details due to the intense fighting, the God-Machine pilot before them was definitely someone not included in their prior intelligence.

But that wasn’t the only problem.

[That’s… definitely a God-Machine belonging to Team 1…?]

[Wh-what impossible thing is happening?]

[We’ve lost communication with Team 1!]

The Neo Resistance members fell into panic. The intruder was piloting not an academy standard God-Machine, but one of their own allied machines. Logically, no one should be able to use a God-Machine with a formal contract except its designated pilot—which meant there was a traitor among Team 1’s members.

When did this happen?

After the Old Resistance was annihilated by the Empire, their leader never gave up. With indomitable will, they rose again to guarantee the rights of commoners, establishing the Neo Resistance by learning from the failures of the Old Resistance.

Having painfully learned from their previous failure, the Neo Resistance absorbed the remaining members of the Old Resistance while intensively recruiting new members. They not only assessed basic skills but also devised methods to detect potential traitors.

The members admired their leader’s foresight in these preparations, which only strengthened their loyalty.

But now, a traitor had emerged from among the carefully vetted members. When a firmly held belief crumbles, people begin to doubt.

The members participating in the academy raid fell into this spiral of suspicion. They couldn’t tell if the comrade standing next to them was a hidden traitor or not.

[Get a hold of yourselves! Are you doubting your comrades now?!]

Atreos, the commander in charge of the academy raid, shouted at the wavering members. With a high-grade knight-level traitor before them, they couldn’t afford to fight amongst themselves.

Fortunately, thanks to the respected Atreos’s shout, the members stopped suspecting each other. They had all come to Demeia Academy for a noble purpose. Even if there was a traitor, they couldn’t abandon their mission.

Meanwhile, Gilbert, who had unleashed the Winter Sword’s secret technique, felt intense dizziness. It was the backlash from using a technique not yet permitted to him. Fortunately, the enemies didn’t attack, giving him time to collect himself.

I’ll need to be more careful next time.

Steeling himself, he glanced back slightly. In his field of vision, he saw Briana emerging from the hatch of the stopped God-Machine. Though he had pushed himself, it had been worth it.

“Gilbert.”

Though her voice was soft, he could hear it clearly thanks to the amplification magic.

Gilbert breathed a sigh of relief seeing that Briana was safe. It was another moment that reminded him this world wasn’t a game.

“You seem to have pushed yourself too hard.”

“I survived thanks to you. I express my gratitude.”

“I only did what was necessary. For now, I request that you evacuate the students.”

“Understood. But don’t overexert yourself. I’ll return to battle shortly.”

Gilbert couldn’t help but smile at Briana’s typical demeanor.

He watched until Briana disappeared, leading the students who hadn’t yet escaped. With a lighter heart, he pulled the control lever. Perhaps because his mind was more at ease, he felt the backlash from exceeding his limits dissipate.

[Gilbert. I will begin combat assistance.]

“Is that possible? There’s an artificial spirit with a formal contract here. My characteristic skill has the penalty of only being usable in that situation.”

[No problem. I’ve obtained access permissions to the currently installed artificial spirit.]

Is that even possible?

It was something he’d never seen in the game, but then again, obtaining CT-777 was also a first.

Originally, CT-777 had been slated for disposal after the completion of next-generation artificial spirits. A researcher had smuggled it out and sold it on the black market. It eventually fell into the hands of the Resistance and later appeared as an enemy in the main story.

Besides, this was his first time hijacking someone else’s machine, so seeing CT-777 interfere with another artificial spirit was also new.

But since CT-777 wouldn’t mention impossible things, he decided to take it as good news. Although his “Your Machine is Awesome” skill required using an artificial spirit with a formal contract, it would be painful not to receive combat support from CT-777, a next-generation artificial spirit based on the Colossus’s data.

With support now available, he had no reason to complain.

“CT. Additional mission setting.”

[Mission setting ready.]

“Complete annihilation of academy attackers.”

[Mission setting complete.]

“Then, commence combat.”

[CT-777. Entering combat assistance mode.]

Gilbert guided his God-Machine toward the academy attackers with CT-777’s combat support.

***

After helping the students evacuate safely, Briana sprinted toward the hangar as soon as their safety was secured. She was worried about Gilbert, who was facing 23 God-Machines in her place.

Of course, Briana knew Gilbert’s abilities better than anyone and understood he wouldn’t be easily defeated.

Even before becoming her disciple, Gilbert was already physically near-perfect and possessed innate talent for swordsmanship. With his talent—which even surprised Briana—and his consistent training without arrogance, he wouldn’t be easily overwhelmed even by superior numbers.

Moreover, if she wasn’t mistaken, what cut through the dense barrage was the Winter Sword’s secret technique, Winter Sky Slash. He had immediately applied in battle a technique she had demonstrated only once as an example of the next level he should aspire to.

But that was precisely the problem.

Briana narrowed her eyes sharply as she mounted her God-Machine. While Gilbert’s secret technique had saved her life, it could also endanger his. The Winter Sword’s secret techniques were still beyond his permitted realm—a wall that ordinary people could never cross no matter what methods they tried.

However, those with abundant talent like Gilbert occasionally stepped beyond their limits. This typically happened in life-or-death situations or comparable crises.

And therein lay the problem. Exceeding one’s limits without adequate preparation meant putting tremendous strain on the body. For Gilbert, who had to face 23 God-Machines, that strain could be fatal.

Briana closed the hatch, connected the mana path, and hurriedly left the hangar.

After all, he had transcended his limits to save her.

If anything happened to Gilbert because of that, Briana would never forgive herself.

Rushing out of the hangar, Briana calculated the shortest route to Gilbert and deployed her mana boosters at maximum, practically flying. She encountered attackers along the way, but no one could stop her at full strength.

After cutting down four or five God-Machines with single strikes, she finally reached Gilbert’s location.

[You’re a bit late, Master.]

[Gilbert…]

But her worries proved unfounded as Gilbert’s communication magic came through. His calm tone finally allowed Briana to feel relief.

It seemed her second-to-last disciple was even more monstrous than she had thought.

The only God-Machine standing where Briana arrived was Gilbert’s. All 23 God-Machines she had seen before leaving were now scattered on the ground, half-destroyed.

[Did you handle all of them?]

[Yes.]

[I see. I’m glad you’re safe. But…]

Now calmer, Briana finally realized that Gilbert’s God-Machine was the same as the attackers’. The madmen infiltrating Demeia Academy wouldn’t have come without formal contracts with artificial spirits, so it made no sense that he could pilot their God-Machine.

She was also puzzled, though relieved, that he showed no signs of strain despite exceeding his limits.

However, she buried her curiosity for now. This wasn’t the time for such minor questions.

[Gilbert. Any issues with continuing combat?]

[None.]

[Good. Then let’s proceed with eliminating the attackers.]

With that, Briana drove her God-Machine toward the attackers detected nearby. Gilbert followed closely behind.

The master and disciple proceeded to defeat the Neo Resistance members one after another, eventually joining the other professors of the academy. With these two additions—each capable of handling dozens of God-Machines alone—the elimination of the attackers progressed smoothly.

When Seraphina and Yanik joined the battle in their God-Machines, the tide turned decisively.

Finally, the last remaining attacker fell to Seraphina’s sword strike.

When CT-777 reported zero remaining attacker signals, Gilbert could finally release the tension he’d been holding. Though he didn’t know how many casualties this attack had caused, he had truly done his best.

The number of surviving students and citizens was certainly higher than in the original story.

And most importantly—

“Good work, Gilbert.”

“You too, Master.”

As Gilbert opened the hatch and emerged, he heard Briana’s voice acknowledging his efforts. She was slightly frowning, likely having been discussing the situation with the other professors, looking just like her usual self.

Only then did Gilbert fully realize that he had prevented the future where Professor Briana died.

As planned, Briana’s survival had minimized the damage from this attack. With her, one of the Empire’s strongest, participating at full strength, they had quickly suppressed the attackers.

During that time, they had evacuated the students and festival visitors, resulting in minimal casualties from an attack that would have caused numerous deaths.

All this was possible because Briana survived.

Gilbert secretly clenched his fist with a sense of achievement and fulfillment.

This world was definitely not the game world.

And he was very pleased about that.