Chapter 103: The Angel Goes to Sea (2)

Episode 103: The Angel Goes to Sea (2)

There’s a culture among superhumans called the Monster Carnival. When too many Gates and dungeons appear in one area, a “backflow” phenomenon occurs, where monsters march toward reality in hordes.

In such situations, superhumans from nearby areas, even from afar, must gather to stop the backflow. But hunting those monsters and obtaining their loot is a privilege of the local superhumans, and if they don’t give up that privilege, there’s no way reinforcements would come, right?

So the superhumans decided.

The moment a backflow occurs, they would declare a Monster Carnival, temporarily relinquishing the authority of the local superhumans.

Therefore, the Monster Carnival was an event where protectors of humanity would come together, crushing the monster army, and then fairly share the items obtained…

A sort of festival?

“Well, to be honest, it’s more like a funeral… but whatever.”

Then why was a Monster Carnival being declared at Mariana Camp? There was only one reason.

Because the demon army was marching from the Dark Abyss, the worst Gate located in the Mariana Trench.

“So they need the help of the students.”

Leffrey swallowed.

The demon army’s invasion had accelerated. It was something that wouldn’t happen for several years if they followed the original flow of history.

‘Don’t tell me it’s because I defeated two of the Demon King’s Four Heavenly Kings?’

Maybe…

Maybe the demon king was enraged by the huge losses Leffrey inflicted on the demon army, so he decided to launch an attack.

Or…

[The Silver Shoes have detected something.]

[The Silver Shoes are tracking the flow of karma.]

A message suddenly appeared.

Leffrey tilted his head.

‘The flow of karma? Is it referring to the flow of Angelic Power?’

Leffrey now knew that karma and Angelic Power were the same. Leffrey, whose eyes sparkled at the mere mention of Angelic Power, immediately focused on his Silver Shoes.

‘Angelic Power…!’

But he couldn’t sense anything else. He just vaguely felt an echo from afar. The echo sounded like a whale’s sonar, or the groan of a massive creature, wounded.

[The Silver Shoes have detected a wave of karma.]

“What?”

Deflated, Leffrey grumbled and looked back at the academy announcement.

“Anyway, I’ll use this Monster Carnival to…”

…improve the teamwork of the heroes. For his own wealth, fame, and comfort… no, ahem, for the sake of this world, of course.

Leffrey, the Greed Angel, grinned, then composed his expression and lay on the bed.

Thinking about the days he would spend at the Mariana Camp, starting next week.

* * *

“Haah, this is why cheap cigars are…”

A muscular man with brown skin, a cigar in his mouth, muttered those words while looking out at the distant sea.

The man wore a slightly worn-out military uniform, and tattoos peeked out from his sleeves and collar… making him look truly intimidating.

“And this is why islands around here suck. The humidity and the damn bugs…”

“No, but Captain, you’re in an office with the air conditioner cranked up. What’s there to complain about?”

Hahaha-

The superhumans in the office start laughing at those words.

“You little…”

The man, called Captain, shouted in annoyance.

“I just hate everything! Fucking hate everything! And I really hate that damned Central Academy!”

“Well, we feel the same way, but…”

And he threw a document on his desk. The document had the official seal of the Central Academy’s headmaster.

“Captain, there’s no helping it. Last time, if it weren’t for the Central Academy professors, we would have been wiped out, along with the island.”

“…Does that make it right?”

The man, after putting out his cigar roughly, shouted at his adjutant,

“Sending those snot-nosed brats, who don’t even know how to fight, to our Mariana Camp.”

The other superhumans, hearing that, stopped laughing.

Their faces serious, they shouted,

“That’s unacceptable!”

“Right, it’s unacceptable. So…”

The man continued,

“Let’s teach these little brats…”

Jeb Arcada, The captain of the Mariana garrison, declared,

“A proper education.”

Jeb laughed.

* * *

Mariana Camp.

An artificial island, built east of the Northern Mariana Islands. It was an incredibly massive base, a quarter the size of Jeju Island. (TL Note: Jeju Island is a real place btw.)

Since it was such a large island, they say it even had many places that didn’t seem like a military base. Forests, beaches, recreational facilities for the families of the stationed troops…

“And they even have a movie theater!”

Soya, riding the plane, chattered about the many things she had learned about Mariana Camp. It seemed…

‘Soya is excited.’

She’s trying to act indifferent, but Soya was super excited.

Just from the mere fact that this was her first time on a plane.

“S-Soya.”

“Huh? Is there anything else you’re curious about? I researched it all…”

“You… seem a little too excited. Calm down a bit.”

At that, Soya’s face turned red, she quickly covered her face with her witch’s hat.

“I’m not excited at all! What do you think I am, a little kid?!”

“Miss Soya, quiet.”

Soya instantly shut her mouth at Hexi’s cold words. If it had been Yumari, she would have laughed it off, and Hongwol would have mocked her sarcastically.

But Soya was obedient when it came to Hexi.

Of course, it wasn’t out of respect for the professor. It was just because she was a scaredy-cat.

‘It’s a good thing.’

From Leffrey’s perspective, who had to create a hero’s party, Soya being obedient to the professor’s words was a good thing.

As always, the problem was…

‘Hongwol and Mari…’

Leffrey, comforting Soya, who was quietly sulking, thought about Mariana Camp, where he would spend the next week.

Mariana Camp. Humanity’s frontline and the last bastion defending the human world.

All major countries, organizations, and families from all over the world had a duty to send superhumans to defend Mariana Camp… and the superhumans dispatched here had to forget about their own nation and their original affiliation and think only of humanity.

Therefore, superhumans sent here were mostly elites representing the prestige of their respective factions, but not the absolutely crucial talents that the faction could never let go…

Then where are the crucial talents sent to?

Naturally,

‘To the Central Superhuman Academy.’

So the young superhumans sent to Mariana Camp couldn’t help but think this way. Some were chosen as their faction’s most crucial talents, sent to study for three years… but even though they’re also elites of the same faction, they have to serve here.

‘I’d hate it too, no matter how important it was to protect humanity…’

So, it was natural for Mariana Camp to… dislike the Central Superhuman Academy. Most were unaware of this fact, though.

But Leffrey knew.

“W-Wow, I can feel it going down.”

Soya muttered, amazed. Leffrey was more amazed by Soya. Even if this plane were to be shot down… not a single student here would die.

‘Would there even be any injuries? The only ones with a high chance of being injured are those healers from the Theology Department, but… They’d heal themselves right away.’

Even injuries were questionable. But Soya is reacting this way to a mere plane ride?

‘That’s what’s so cute about her.’

Leffrey looked out the window. An artificial coastline with straight edges filled his vision. Just as Soya had said, the plane was now preparing for landing, and the ground was now clearly visible.

“Huh?”

And Leffrey saw something strange. Some kind of welcoming crowd had gathered at Mariana Camp’s airport.

‘People at Mariana Camp are… welcoming us?’

It was really strange.

Really.

‘Could it be?’

Leffrey, the Cheating Angel, used his knowledge of the now-gone future to recall what had happened when the Central Superhuman Academy students visited Mariana Camp’s airport.

Back then…

* * *

Mariana Camp’s airport was quiet.

In the first place, Mariana Camp was a military base, and it was impossible for an airport built for a military base to be bustling.

The only things that signified this place was somewhere in the far south sea were the palm trees and the faint sound of waves.

But there were a few people there. Those people were gathered to welcome the students of the Central Superhuman Academy.

“Wow, that’s pathetic.”

One of the students scoffed, looking at the crowd. An arrogant laugh, befitting a Central Academy student.

“We’ve come all the way from Korea to the southern end to help… and this is the welcome we get?”

The Central Superhuman Academy students, who were used to being treated like royalty, were unimpressed by the welcoming crowd.

Most thought it was only natural, and some even muttered that it wasn’t enough.

“Welcome to Mariana Camp, cadets of the Central Academy!”

In the center of that crowd, a tall, muscular, handsome man with tanned skin—Jeb—stood on a platform, welcoming the students.

“Before we begin the Monster Festival, take this time to rest from your long flight. I’ll see you in the evening. But before that…”

Clap- Jeb clapped his hands, and women in uniform handed out glasses to the students. The glasses contained champagne, with bubbles rising.

The professors smiled, seemingly amused by the sight. They showed no intention of stopping them.

‘They say lions throw their cubs off a cliff to make them strong. But throwing them off a cliff once or twice should be enough, shouldn’t it? Professors!’

Leffrey quickly said to Soya, Hongwol, and Mari,

“Don’t drink it.”

“Why?”

“I just have a bad feeling about it.”

And Leffrey, with Flabellum attached to his waist and his Sanctus on, whispered,

“Trust me for now.”

Leffrey looked at Jeb again.

“Then, let’s toast to a successful Monster Carnival! Cheers!”

The students, without a single doubt, drank the champagne. Some were even surprised that Mariana Camp, a military base, was serving expensive champagne.

‘Is expensive champagne even important right now? Who even cares? If they do, then they’re definitely from the Connoisseur’s Club.’

Jeb, seeing the students empty their glasses, smiled mischievously, revealing his white teeth.

“Kukukuk, this is what happens when you lack practical experience, little brats.”

Kuguugugugung-

With that, enraged spirits emerged from the ground. The spirits were furious at the humans who had just consumed their essence.

“What? Are the spirits going crazy?”

“What? What is this?”

“Hey, what the hell are you doing?! You Mariana bastards!”

The students panicked. They had never seen so many spirits before. Not even at Naiad’s Lake.

“How pathetic. There’s no comparing them to our troops.”

But this was Mariana Camp, the epicenter where this world and the other world collide, where its laws were closer to the other world than this world.

“Welcome to Mariana, you little brats.”

Looking at the students, surrounded by raging spirits, Jeb, the captain of Mariana Camp, said,

“The spirits will give you your initiation ceremony. And the professors don’t seem to have any intention of stopping it. As expected—just a bunch of pampered kids.”

“Wait, Captain.”

“What?”

“One of the brats is… approaching us.”

And there was one boy, walking toward them, far from incurring the wrath of the spirits, but rather was being respected by them, creating a path as he walked.

With an angelic smile on his face, the boy made his way through by giving the essence contained in the champagne to the spirits.

“Ha, don’t tell me…”

And so, Leffrey naturally stood before Jeb. The executives of Mariana Camp and the students of the Central Academy all looked at Leffrey, who was standing alone before Jeb.

Leffrey spoke,

“Captain, isn’t this prank a little too much?”

“…So, there’s more to them than just being brats? This is getting interesting.”

Jeb, seeing that, laughed.