Chapter 46
"This batch is said to be the golden generation... It wasn't just lip service."
Though he didn't engage in conversation with them.
He only happened to overhear while collecting information hidden in the shadows.
There were some insults about him among them, but he wasn't particularly bothered.
After all, emotions were not allowed for him.
He faithfully executed his orders.
That was his role and reason for existence as the 'Rat of the Empire'.
"Fire Rain!"
Boom, boom, boom, bang!
Dozens of ants were pierced by the rain of fire.
The ants, unable to exert their strength due to being pierced all over.
The children of the Yuridia faction rushed to deal with them.
"As expected of Lady Yuridia! Ha ha! Nothing is a big deal when the Yuridia faction unites!"
"Alfonso! I'll leave this area to you!"
"Eh? Then where is Lady Yuridia..."
"I'm off to save children in danger!"
"Lady Yuridia, it's dangerous!"
Alfonso reached out his hand.
But that was as far as he went. He didn't follow Yuridia.
He was afraid. The ants were still pouring out even now.
"Daike, keep those filthy things away from me."
"Yes, understood."
Teron pulled out a handkerchief and covered his nose.
Because of the indescribable smell coming from the monsters.
At the same time, Daike began to swing his sword in earnest.
Snap! Crack!
One ant at a time.
He steadily eliminated the ants.
Though his targets were only those coming near Teron.
Watching this, Caron thought.
'Such a diverse bunch of humans.'
People trying to save others.
People who only care about their own lives.
People who prioritize their hygiene over the safety of others.
People who faithfully follow orders.
But Caron didn't want to blame anyone.
'Because there's no right answer.'
Yuridia, who cares for others, is remarkable, but it's not necessarily the right thing to do.
It's a judgment that can put her life and those of her followers in danger.
Crack!
Caron smashed an ant's face and was about to move again.
"Zero! Where are you!"
A girl's voice pierced his ears.
Now a familiar voice.
Luna.
'Is she alone? And why is she wandering around?'
In this situation, being under an instructor's protection is the best option.
And forming a mutual defense with other students is the next best.
But to still be wandering alone is very dangerous.
Squeak!
Reality was just as Caron expected.
An ant blocked Luna's path.
"What are you! Get lost!!"
Crack!
Luna decapitated the ant with a single strike.
To behead it in one strike without the family's secret swordsmanship.
Impressive skill.
Well, getting covered in blood was a minus.
'Has she improved that much already. Impressive.'
Caron felt a sense of pride without realizing it.
As soon as this place was cleaned up, he planned to reward her with a point.
"Zero... where are you..."
Luna's muttering reached Caron's ears.
She seemed completely unconcerned about her own state.
Seeing this, Caron called out.
"Tch, Ron, are you there?"
"Did you call for me?"
"Keep an eye on that girl."
"Eh?"
"She's on the verge of significant growth. However, she seems to be swayed by her emotions. Assist her if she's in danger."
"Yes, understood!"
Ron, a bit of a goofball but among the top three instructors, could protect Luna while dealing with the monsters.
Caron secured Luna's safety and surveyed the surroundings.
'Now that I think about it... That guy's missing.'
The mysterious child, Zero.
He was nowhere to be seen.
'Strange. I didn't think he was the type to run away without a fight.'
If he had died somewhere, at least a corpse would have been left behind.
But there was no sign of him.
In the end, Caron decided to use a desperate measure.
"I have no choice but to use that."
The tracking scent he developed through a combination of special chemicals.
After clearing his nose with the chemicals, he focused on tracking.
The tracking was easy.
He had already marked Zero with the tracking scent.
Soon, Caron started to move, following the smell.
'How dare he leave Luna alone? Ah... no, that's not it.'
Caron shook his head, organizing his thoughts.
It was impossible for him to be angry because of Luna.
Yes, what angered him was entirely.
'How dare he desert the battlefield. That bastard Zero. If I catch him, he'll receive a penalty of 5 points.'
Caron soon reached where Zero had been.
The wall was filled with the scent of the tracking fragrance. No, not just that.
'...The scent continues behind the wall?'
There must be a space behind the wall.
Caron put his hand into his pocket and when he pulled it out, a dagger with a sharp blade was nestled between his fingers.
Tatatang!
He threw four daggers, but only three sounds were heard.
One had disappeared. Exactly.
'This is the spot.'
Pushing his hand where the dagger had disappeared, half of his fingers vanished into thin air.
An illusion magic. Precisely, an illusion magic circle.
'...I wasn't informed about this.'
He moved forward, slightly crouched.
Pitch darkness.
But to Caron's eyes, the structure was clearly visible.
Darkness was his main stage.
With just a small light, he could see through its structure.
'The fact that light is coming from somewhere means...'
There's a gap somewhere.
And it's very likely leading somewhere.
Caron's well-trained senses were telling him this.
'No traps... Odd, isn't it?'
Setting up an illusion magic circle is never an easy task.
Money, materials, time, physical disguise, and even a high-ranking magician.
It was an illusion magic circle that even he failed to notice, so it must have been quite a struggle to set up.
'But not even a simple trap in sight?'
But that wasn't the only oddity.
A space not only absent from the maps but also unnoticed by him, who had traversed this area countless times.
Zero had found this place and even concealed himself here?
'There's a smell.'
A bad smell was wafting through the air.
Finding Zero wasn't difficult.
Since there was only one path and he stood right in the middle of the exit.
Well, it's also because the path ahead was a cliff.
Zero was looking at the opposite cliff.
Countless black lines drawn across the cliff.
Interestingly, these lines were moving slightly.
As if they were alive.
"..."
No, wait. Those aren't black lines.
'Ant-shaped monsters...!'
Caron couldn't help but widen his eyes.
The black lines. On closer inspection, each one was an ant.
The number was so great they felt like lines.
'If all these creatures swarm here...!'
Caron and the instructors might survive.
But the safety of the students couldn't be guaranteed.
'Zero isn't the priority anymore.'
How he found this place and why he came here is irrelevant.
What matters now is immediate evacuation, sealing the entrance, and calling for reinforcements.
'I must drag him out immediately!'
Just as Caron was about to grab Zero by the scruff of his neck.
Zero, his hand on the sword hilt, spread his feet wide.
Then, he slightly bent forward at the waist.
'That stance is...?'
The distinctive ready stance of the Lester family.
Suddenly, Caron remembered the entrance exam.
Zero imitating Luna's 'One Flash' to break through Raymon's defense.
'But why would he act like this here?'
Before Caron could finish his thought.
Zero moved.
His left knee slightly bent, aligning the sheath of his sword at a right angle.
The explosive rotation in his ankles and wrists visible only to the eyes of the skilled.
His waist bending further down.
And then.
A massive streak of light, engulfing the surrounding light, flying forth.
Yes, that was exactly.
The first secret technique of the Lester family style.
'One Flash...!!'
Caron had to widen his eyes.
Not because the opposite cliff was collapsing.
It was the sight of the Lester family, whom he deeply respected and admired.
There it was, right in front of him.
'Renia...?'
The head of the Lester family and Luna's mother.
Renia de Lester.
The images of Renia and Zero from behind overlapped in his mind.
They were completely different.
Yet...
The proud swordsmanship and that confident figure from behind.
'You... what exactly are you?'
How could he perfectly use the secret technique of the Lester family?
The most plausible explanation would be.
'Could it be an illegitimate child of the Lester family?'
But the proud Lester family would never hide the existence of an illegitimate child.
Rather, they would publicly announce it, maybe even boast about it.
'Especially Renia.'
Of course, he couldn't jump to conclusions. They're human after all.
If Zero is indeed an illegitimate child, it would explain why Luna trusts him.
They would be half-siblings.
"..."
But what if that's not the case?
What if he's someone planted by 'them.'
If he's plotting another scheme using the Lester family.
'I'll deal with him here.'
Caron slowly approached. Behind his wrist.
A sharp dagger was hidden.
* * *
A single flash of lightning.
But the aftermath it created was anything but small.
Boom!
A deafening explosion.
The cliff was shaking as if it was about to collapse.
The opposite cliff was filled with dust.
At the same time, the screams of the ants filled the space between the two cliffs.
[You have met the quest conditions.]
[Monster Kill (100/100)]
[You have cleared Main Quest #3, 'Kill the Monsters!']
[Reward: 10 gold, 1 'Skill Grade Up Point']
'Incredible...'
Seeing the information window, I couldn't help but be amazed.
My level is now 25. That's a 10-level increase.
My pt also jumped to 130.
'Earning that many pts for the potential stat gamble in one go.'
The shock was more about the 10 levels at once.
The highest record for leveling up among the pros was 6 levels.
I've just broken that record. And by 4 levels higher.
The dust started to settle.
The power of 'One Flash' was clearly marked on the opposite cliff.
Although I aimed for the top of the cliff for safety, the entire top part of the cliff had disappeared.
'Clearly, I can't use this on people.'
But it can be used on monsters as much as I want.
I sheathed my sword again and took my stance.
Potential gamble? That can wait.
What's more important now is this sweet opportunity.
The opportunity, a sweet honey, needed to be savored to the fullest.
'I'll scrape every last bit off the bottom.'
In the game, no matter how much I unleash skills, the ants don't cross over to this side.
They were presumed to be separate spaces, not connected.
'That's why there could be two queen ants.'
It was the same now.
They were just panicking, guarding and recovering, not moving towards this side.
The path was definitely not connected.
I was about to use 'One Flash' again.
"Zero! What are you doing here right now!"
A sudden shout from behind.
I couldn't help but be startled.
Not just by the loud shout, but the owner of the voice was none other than.
'Caron? Why is he here?'
All sorts of actions like breaking the terrain, dancing, singing, jumping off cliffs.
No one had ever come here despite everything.
Yes, this is.
'A new hidden piece.'
--TL Notes--
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