Invincible
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#115
🕑 Added 2024-09-26 02:46:04 +0000 UTCThe Second Gate (1)
The arrival was much faster than the time it took to leave.
Given that the main characters now had real weapons in their hands, it was an expected result.
As I entered the main hall, I surveyed the traces of the battle that had taken place here.
The magic division seemed exhausted, likely from repeatedly casting spells without their staffs, and all the surrounding chairs were shattered.
It seemed that the knights had used them as makeshift weapons.
"Looks like they attacked while we were away?"
When I asked this, the group slumped their shoulders.
“Ugh... I’m totally drained.”
"I've got a gift for you all."
Aslay lay down his backpack.
The others, after keeping only their own weapons, distributed the rest to all the first-years.
Now, even if we leave, they’ll be able to protect themselves.
With that, the first gate had been perfectly cleared.
"At least we still have plenty of food. Let’s take a breather and move on."
Stretching out, I approached the table filled with food.
The first thing the returning students reached for was the drinks.
Ricks gulped down water and, like a desert wanderer who had found an oasis, let out a sigh of relief.
“Phew. Ah, now I feel alive.”
Thanks to wrapping up our task quickly, we had more time to rest.
After quenching their thirst, they ate to regain their strength.
By the time their food had settled, Bellman spoke up.
“We now have the means to fight. But I still have no clue what we’re supposed to do next.”
Ricks lowered the cup he had glued to his mouth.
“He did say it was a game. There might be some clues hidden about what to do next."
“That’s true. A game can’t exist without shared rules. Without them, it’s just playing by oneself.”
While they debated, I quietly stepped back and checked the wall clock.
Two hours and five minutes left.
Soon enough, the answer to the question they were discussing would appear.
With nothing else to do for the moment, I stared absentmindedly at the ground.
At my feet was a plate of fish.
When I was picking food earlier, I had set aside some for the cat.
Swooosh—
As expected, smoke began to swirl, and the cat formed, eagerly devouring the fish.
Chomp chomp.
Watching this scene, I started thinking about the next scenario.
Soon, the Wraiths would break through the walls.
Wraiths were ghosts created by Felia, and there were three types: a librarian, a chef, and a professor.
There were three in total.
They weren’t enemies to be hunted.
You could think of them as something like game masters.
The task for the main characters from here on was to find the treasure.
The Wraiths would only guide them to where the clues were hidden.
To get to Luon, they needed to break the barrier on the ninth-floor staircase, and the key to opening it was finding an emergency key.
After that, they just had to defeat the three sub-bosses, and the first-act boss battle would begin.
However, the invitation in my possession...
The location was the dining hall of Adele Hall, a place unrelated to the scenario, and I had to enter it alone.
This worried me greatly.
With the added complication of Erucel, I wouldn’t even be able to check if the main characters successfully subdued Luon.
What exactly was waiting for me in the dining hall made me more concerned about my own safety than theirs.
There were too many uncertainties.
The only comfort was the cat eating at my feet.
That was all.
I petted the cat’s back.
Meow.
When it finished eating, I spoke softly.
“It’s about time I received your help.”
The cat, which had closed its eyes, opened them again.
Then it turned into smoke and wrapped around my left wrist.
A black band appeared on my arm, like a tattoo I’d never gotten.
This was my bodyguard and a one-time trump card.
It would be my lifeline.
As I felt reassured by this, a commotion arose in the main hall.
“W-wait! Look at the wall!"
“Good heavens, are those ghosts?”
The transparent Wraiths, wearing flowing robes, revealed themselves as they floated in the air.
The Wraiths explained the game to the main characters in a mournful voice, then beckoned them to follow.
The group glanced nervously at me, so I gave them a nod.
At that moment, one of the students from the Schlaphe Hall approached and asked,
“Hey, Hersel. Don’t you need to go too?”
“Why? Do you want to take my place? That’d be fine by me. Less work for me.”
The student, fearing I might really pass the invitation to them, fled in a panic.
I’ll go when I’m ready.
Don’t push me off a cliff, you little brats.
***
In the professor's building, Rockefeller was pressing Hamedal hard.
"How many times do I have to tell you that’s not the way?"
Hamedal, being possessed by an undead, had his mind elsewhere, but that didn’t mean he was unable to communicate.
Other professors had combined various spells—such as a voice transmission spell, a visualization spell to see in the dark, and a mirror spell to share what Hamedal was seeing, among others.
With all these spells in place, Hamedal was equipped with several functions.
"Grughrrr."
When Hamedal rolled his eyes and let out a wailing sound, Rockefeller turned to the professor beside him and asked,
"Has his intelligence dropped to an undead level as well?"
The professor pointed at the mirror.
Undead creatures were swarming around Hamedal.
"I think he might be pretending. If he spoke like a human, he’d be found out."
"That means he’s listening."
Rockefeller shook Hamedal's shoulder and said,
"Your job is to find Sir Bellen. Don’t get sidetracked and head to the club floors immediately!"
Normally, they would have thought of Arkandric first, but if he were in good condition, none of this would have happened in the first place.
Something had clearly gone wrong.
Thus, the only alternative was Sir Bellen, who had skills comparable to his.
"But what about Hersel Ben Tenest? He should be in the main hall by now. Shouldn’t we check on that too?"
At the professor’s question, Rockefeller clicked his tongue.
"Tch, if we keep relying on that guy, the academy will be ruined."
Recently, they had given him a famous sword as a reward from the treasure vault.
His already high expectations had only grown.
If they kept offering rare treasures as compensation every time something happened, they wouldn’t be able to manage it in the future.
"We need to handle him more cautiously. Unless it’s absolutely necessary, we should avoid dealing with him. I hope you’ll remember that."
Rockefeller gave Gomon a sharp look as he issued the warning.
"If anyone dares to offer rewards to Hersel Ben Tenest without authorization, I will hold them personally accountable."
"Uh... Professor Rockefeller, wasn’t that all in the past, anyway? Haha..."
"Silence, Gomon."
Gomon shrank back and slunk into a corner.
The professor watching the mirror asked,
"But what if the club floor where Sir Bellen is located is also blocked by a barrier?"
"That’s possible. But there’s no need to worry. With her skills, the one they call the Empress will handle any barrier with ease."
As they waited, Hamedal finally reached the club floors.
As expected, the entrance was blocked by a barrier.
Hamedal squeezed between the nearby undead and pressed his forehead against the barrier.
Two students standing on the other side pointed at him and laughed.
"Hey, hey. Doesn’t that look like Rockefeller?"
"Yeah, he’s got that same nasty look. If there wasn’t a barrier, I’d totally bash his head in."
The professors gasped in shock.
Rockefeller glared at the two students in the mirror with hollow eyes.
"Bring those two students to my office as soon as they’re done."
"Y-yes...."
As one professor searched the student roster, Rockefeller spoke to Hamedal.
"Hamedal, tell those two fools to bring Sir Bellen here right now."
"Grughrrrr."
Hamedal knocked on the barrier door.
Knock knock.
Then he whispered clearly, in a low voice,
"Excuse me, is Sir Bellen inside?"
***
The exclusive dining hall of Adele Hall was on the 6th floor.
Undead filled not only the hallways but also the staircases.
As soon as I appeared, they rushed at me.
Grughhhrrr!
Yet, I didn’t even draw my sword.
I simply waved my hand casually.
"Move."
Grugh?
The undead flinched, then slowly retreated.
Donatan, clearly puzzled by the scene, asked,
"W-what’s going on here?"
I tapped the black line tattooed on my wrist.
"They saw the cat and got scared off."
This creature had been brought by a grand magician from deep within the demon realm.
It was a being that lived in an abyss full of terrifying monsters, far superior to mere undead.
Even though they were decayed, the undead instinctively recognized it as a predator.
'Well, at least it makes things easier for us, don’t you think?'
'Hmm... I did sense a bit of ease from you, and now I know why.'
Thanks to that, I was able to climb the stairs without any battle.
Everywhere we went, undead fled in panic as we made our way down the hallway.
Then, in the distance, I saw some figures fighting. They were Bellman, Leana, and Silla, who had business on the sixth floor like me.
“Bellman, with these constant attacks, we can’t find any clues. Can’t you just block them with a barrier?”
“Just hold on a little longer. I haven’t fully recovered my mana yet.”
“Silla, take Bellman to the library. I’ll block the entrance.”
They were doing their best in their own way. Not wanting to interfere, I averted my gaze and continued walking toward the dining hall.
The door to the dining hall was wide open.
Not a single undead was in sight.
The cleanliness of the room was intact, illuminated by a soft light, and the fragrant smell of food filled the air. It looked as though the place could start serving customers right away, just like on any other day.
Tock tock tock.
As I stepped inside, I looked at the long table.
At the head of the table, in the VIP seat I once used, sat Felia, possessing the body of a professor.
She was savoring a glass of wine.
“The food and wine these days are pretty good. I’d say they have a very clean taste, and the aroma is quite nice, too.”
A question immediately escaped my lips.
“Why did you summon me here?”
“Oh, first, have a seat. Is there anything you’d like to eat? Just say the word, and it’ll be prepared in no time. None of the servants here were harmed.”
She’s the disciple of a grand magician.
There’s a chance she might know about the cat.
I carefully sat down, being mindful to conceal the tattoo on my left wrist by adjusting my sleeve.
“I’m not hungry.”
“Really? Well, I suppose you’ve already had your fill. Something about a victory feast, right? Hah, back in my day, we didn’t have such luxuries.”
I casually covered my left hand under the table and propped my chin up with my right hand to draw attention away from it.
That should be enough to avoid detection.
Since Felia was using a human body as a host, she wouldn’t have the sharp senses of a monster or the spiritual awareness of an undead.
“It seems you want to talk to me,” I said cautiously, testing her.
Felia nodded.
“That’s right. I’m simply curious about what kind of person you are. You could say it’s personal curiosity.”
Ah, so she’s open to conversation.
“Is there something you want to ask me? How about this: we take turns answering each other’s questions.”
This situation was an anomaly far removed from the norm.
In the absence of any other information, it seemed wise to gather intel from Felia.
If she tried anything suspicious, I could just kill her, regardless of the scenario.
“Q&A, with me?”
She scoffed, locking eyes with me.
'Felia, the obsessed,’ had the ability to read memories.
She probably found it amusing that I suggested such a thing, but that wouldn’t last long.
If I recalled correctly, those with mental resistance traits were immune to her powers.
And I possessed the trait, ‘Noble Blood Ember.’
“Uh…”
As expected, Felia’s eyes twitched.
I smirked slightly, finding her reaction laughable.
“If you don’t want to, forget it.”
I threw out the words with a biting tone, and Felia huffed in frustration.
***
The seventh-floor hallway was quickly cleared.
Thanks to Aslay’s brute strength, all the undead had been reduced to mush.
With a moment to breathe, Ricks followed the wraith dressed as a chef and said,
“I guess there’s a clue here.”
The chef wraith entered the food storage room.
As it stepped inside, the wraith spoke in a ghostly, buzzing voice,
“In the old days, I used to hum and ponder what to cook here, always thinking of home. Oh, how I miss it. Frostheart was so far from my homeland.”
Aslay squinted his eyes at the long-winded explanation.
“I don’t understand what you’re saying. Make it short.”
“Ahem, anyway, I often thought of my beloved wife, whom I left behind. I used to send money home, but I’m sure she was sad without me.”
The wraith glanced wistfully at Ricks and the others.
“So, here’s your riddle. Guess the name of my beloved wife, and that’s the puzzle I’m giving you.”
Ricks tilted his head and asked,
“If we solve the riddle, do we get a clue?”
“Of course, just take a look at that supply shelf. My lover’s name is oddly enough the same as one of the ingredients.”
The wraith pointed to the shelves filled with rows of items, so many that it seemed impossible to go through each one individually.
Ricks gulped and stared at the wraith.
But the wraith scratched its head.
“Well, actually, Lady Felia told me to come up with this riddle, but I’m not really good at these things… I’m not sure if you’ll enjoy it.”
“There are too many ingredients here. How are we supposed to figure out the name?”
Ricks grumbled, and the wraith grinned.
“All right, I’ll give you another hint. I’m a chef from the western region of Velta. It’s famous for its spices, and the sunlight there is just perfect for growing crops. Wherever you go, you’ll find the fresh scent of…”
Though the wraith claimed it was a hint, it only seemed to make things more confusing.
It might have been a cheap trick to stall for time.
As Ricks was about to vent his frustration, Aslay asked,
“Ricks, can’t you just use magic to get rid of this annoying thing?”
“…Shall I give it a try?”
Just as Ricks was about to wave his staff, Limberton spoke up casually,
“Rosemary?”
He held up a sprig of green rosemary in his hand, though no one noticed when he had grabbed it.
The wraith’s eyes widened.
“What?”
Limberton scratched his head and repeated,
“I said rosemary… Is that the correct answer?”
“But how? I haven’t even given you all the hints yet.”
“You said you were from the west, right? I remember reading an essay by a famous Casanova from the west. There was a line that stuck with me: ‘She was a woman whose scent matched the name Rosemary.’”
Ricks, impressed, said, “I guess even those kinds of books can be helpful.”
“Well, the sweet words aside, it was actually about an affair.”
Limberton propped his chin with his hand, as if trying to recall something, and mumbled,
“What was it… Rosemary… Rosemary… Ah, I think it was Rosemary Eldrus.”
The moment Limberton mentioned the last name, the wraith reacted in shock.
“Rosemary Eldrus? Did you say Eldrus?”
The wraith’s expression was one of betrayal and shock, as if it had lost all composure. Limberton cautiously asked,
“...Wait, is your last name Eldrus?”
A few seconds later, the wraith sadly dissolved into bubbles, making a sound that seemed full of sorrow.
Pop pop.
Limberton watched its final moments with a look of pity.
“I guess I was right after all...”
Ricks and Aslay also solemnly watched the wraith pass on in silence.
Ricks, Limberton, and Aslay then proceeded toward the left staircase. There weren’t many undead along the way, only a few that they encountered.
Crash!
Aslay quickly took care of them, and before they knew it, they had arrived at the entrance to the ninth-floor stairs.
In front of them was a blue barrier blocking the way.
“It’s blocked here, huh? Limberton, can you hand me that metal plate we found earlier?”
Limberton passed him the metal plate, and Ricks held it up to the barrier.
Shhhh—
The barrier dissipated, and they stepped into the ninth-floor hallway.
Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps and a woman’s scream echoed through the corridor.
“Kyaaaah!”
At the end of the hallway, a woman was running toward them, her face pale with fear.
Limberton narrowed his eyes and said,
“That’s… Senior Brandel from the second-year Adele Hall. She’s from the Magic Division.”
Ricks seemed perplexed.
“Huh, that’s impressive, but it’s kind of creepy how you know these things sometimes.”
“Well, I’ve been holding back because of what Hersel said recently, but this is who I really am. Didn’t you know?”
“I guess, but… never mind. We don’t have time for this right now. We need to help her.”
Ricks immediately ran toward the senior, and Aslay followed behind him. Meanwhile, Limberton swiftly prepared his bow.
Something unknown had peeked its head out from the classroom door.
‘What is that? Something looks off.’
With only its upper body visible, it was hard to make out exactly what it was. Judging by the color, it didn’t seem to be undead, but it wasn’t quite human either—its shape was too amorphous.
Just as Limberton was about to classify it as a monster, he hesitated because its face looked human, making it difficult to shoot.
As he examined it more closely, Limberton’s eyes widened.
“Arsys...”
That face—it was unmistakably Arsys, an executive of Lethe.
“What? They are already here? Damn, I haven’t even had any fun yet.”
As Arsys fully emerged into the hallway, Ricks gasped in shock.
“What the… what is that…?”
Arsys’s lower body resembled that of a snake. A massive snake, at that, with an immense thickness and length.
“How do I look? After taking the drug that Luon gave me, I ended up like this. But it’s no big deal—the effects will wear off eventually, and I’ll be back to normal.”
Arsys grinned and slithered his tail back into the classroom.
“Well, since it’s all a game, I’ll play along. Now, let’s see…”
As he pulled his tail back out, a man’s corpse, neck twisted and lifeless, dangled from it.
“How should I kill you?”
