#30. Come At Me

“I’ve been researching it for a while now, but I can’t figure anything out.”

“Nothing at all?”

Back in the lab, Professor Rachel and I were studying the ‘unidentified stone.’

“Analytical magic doesn’t work, there’s no reaction… It just looks like a blue stone.”

“That can’t be…”

“That’s what’s so strange, you see.”

Even Akasha doesn’t know what it is. We don’t even know if it’s dangerous or not.

Would it be safer to just dispose of it?

“Since it’s made of your mana, wouldn’t you be able to tell if you touched it?”

Professor Rachel handed the stone back to me.

My mana…

Well, that’s true. It was something I made messing around on my own.

It’s still surprising that just two mana particles could exert that much power.

“I’ll give it a try.”

I took the stone. Clenched it tightly in my fist, closed my eyes, and focused.

What do I feel?

“This is…”

A cold, small stone.

Just a cold, small stone.

“I don’t know.”

What the heck is it?

Is it really just nothing?

[ That can’t be it. ]

Akasha butted in.

[ The ‘messing around’ you did was mana fusion. Normally, the Academy itself would have been annihilated on the spot—a dangerous phenomenon. ]

‘I’m that powerful…?’

[ Are you kidding? It was pure coincidence. You succeeded with something like a one in ten million chance. What makes you think you can do something even the gods struggle with? ]

Her sharp voice hurt my ears.

I wonder if there’s a mute function on this thing.

[ Anyway, it’s definitely not just a stone. Would something not even found in the library just be a rock? ]

‘What’s this library you speak of?’

[ It’s the place where the past, present, and future of all things in the world are recorded. I am its owner and librarian. ]

She’s a much more important existence than I thought.

[ How about it, has your opinion of me changed even a little? ]

‘A high-performance ChatGPT.’

“That little…!”

Akasha went ballistic.

I quickly covered my ears, but the voice echoed inside my head, so it didn’t matter. It was like it resonated directly within my skull.

“What’s wrong all of a sudden?”

“I heard a mosquito.”

“A mosquito? A mosquito?! Don’t you dare compare me to something so repulsive!”

Damn it.

It’s disgustingly loud.

I decided to ignore her with all my might.

“I’ll keep this for now, then.”

“Are you sure? It looks dangerous.”

“It’s my mana. I’ll try to decipher it whenever I have time.”

“Alright, let’s do that then.”

“Yes, thank you for your hard work. You should go and rest.”

“I should. Ugh, I think I could fall asleep the moment I lie down.”

And with that, the research concluded.

“Oh, right, Rain student.”

“Yes?”

“You know about the Academy Tournament next semester, right?”

“If you’re talking about participating… I won’t.”

“Oh, come on, please do it.”

“I won’t.”

A new argument was brewing, it seemed.

“I’d be really happy if you participated, Rain student.”

“Too bad for you then.”

“Ah.”

Thump.

“Fine, then I’ll set some—”

Thump.

“…Hold on, what’s that sound?”

And.

Thump.

The attack began.

CRACKLE CRACKLE CRACKLE—!!

*

“What is life?”

Record: Imperial Year 127, June 10th.

“Life is living.”

An unidentified group appeared above the Academy.

The center of the group appears to be an old man wearing a white mask.

Furthermore, traces of large-scale spatial magic were discovered. This too, was determined to have been activated by the ‘Elder.’

Subsequently, the masked group began calculating meteor magic. Professor ‘Peliana Mirreon,’ discovering the scene, activated the Academy’s defense system.

“For what do you live?”

Simultaneously, the calculation of the meteor magic succeeded. A colossal meteor plummeted toward the barrier.

This act was repeated numerous times.

“We live for the resurrection of the Demon Lord.”

The Academy’s barrier crumbled. Through the cracks, the invasion of hundreds of demons was permitted.

“Foolish humans of the Empire. Revere, and tremble.”

Battle commenced.

“We have arrived.”

*

While conversing in the laboratory, a sudden roaring sound echoed.

Alongside Professor Rachel, I hastily made my way outside.

What greeted me was the Academy’s shattered barrier.

It was immediately clear that the situation was far from ordinary.

“This cursed Academy never has a quiet day…”

Professor Rachel, utilizing flight magic, immediately set out to grasp the situation.

I attempted to return to the laboratory to retrieve my equipment, but…

[ Halt. ]

“I suppose I should.”

The laboratory was already filled with other ‘someones.’

‘Akasha, just who are these fellows?’

Numerous figures clad in black, and a hulking one wearing a white mask.

[ Judging by the masks, it seems to be ‘The Solar Society.’ The most dangerous demonic group on the continent. Be careful. ]

‘What business do they have here?’

[ Hold on, I’m searching now. ]

A sound, akin to the rustling of pages, was heard.

Before long, Akasha spoke once more.

[…What? ]

Her voice held bewilderment.

‘What is it?’

[ These fellows, they’ve come to find me. ]

‘…You?’

[ They know I belong to you? ]

‘Is that even possible?’

[ Impossible! My existence is not something mere humans can comprehend. What in the world is happening…? ]

‘If you don’t know, who will?’

When you think about it, Akasha only doesn’t know things that are truly necessary.

In this regard, she’s almost like that Chat-GPT thing.

Regardless, it’s clear that this situation is incredibly abnormal.

“Akasha, prepare the calculations.”

I design the circuit. The magic to be used is fire magic.

A grand inferno isn’t needed. A tiny spark will suffice.

Following that, I design a stealth circuit. With Akasha’s help, I decipher the circuit, and activate it first.

Stealth magic, as the name suggests, is ‘stealth’ itself, even reducing the sound of footsteps.

I slip past the Mines undetected, and move to the place where the minerals are stacked.

It should be around here.

Ah, found it.

[ I see what you’re planning. ]

Originally, I wanted to take the equipment right away.

The problem is, the Mines are especially numerous only in the place where my equipment is located.

So, what should I do?

The answer is simple.

Lure them all away, then take it.

[ Sulphur Coal. A dangerous thing that explodes if it touches fire. ]

From among the minerals, I picked up an orange-colored stone. I reverse-engineered and dispelled the ‘safety magic’ Rachel had placed on it, then threw it toward the Mines.

“Wait, what is that…”

One of the masked figures noticed, but it was already too late.

“Akasha.”

[ Circuit deciphering complete. ]

[ Magic to be used is fire. Aim well. ]

My fingertips point towards the Sulphur Coal. Forming a shape like a pistol, a small spark shoots out and hits its target.

“Now!”

I design the last circuit.

[ Circuit deciphering complete. ]

[ Crouch down! ]

This time, it’s defensive magic.

The explosion instantly spread throughout the laboratory. I crouched down in time, and was unharmed thanks to the barrier.

“Ugh, my head hurts…”

[ You think you’re having a hard time? What about me? ]

“Me.”

[ … ]

The smoke was slowly beginning to dissipate.

The air was sure to still be hot, so I didn’t dispel the barrier and instead designed wind magic.

“…Akasha.”

[ Yeah, I see. ]

Using the wind magic, I sent all the lingering smoke and hot air outside.

Most of the Mines were collapsed, but there was one Mine that was perfectly fine.

[ That one’s probably a little different. ]

“I can see that.”

A hulking mass. Judging by the scorch marks on the mask, it hadn’t escaped the blast unscathed.

So… it withstood that with bare skin?

“What is it with all these damn monsters…”

There was a sensation prickling on his skin.

This thing was a monster beyond even ‘Lien Flint.’

Was this tension? He could feel cold sweat beading on his brow.

Damn it, his equipment hadn’t been retrieved yet.

“Akasha, reinforce the barrier.”

[…No, evade!!]

He clearly heard the warning to evade. He even managed to twist his body.

It was simply that the brute was overwhelmingly faster.

Crack.

The barrier shattered into fragments.

A massive fist slammed into his face.

Consciousness snapped off.

[Hey, Rain.]

[Wake up.]

A total blackout, the last vision he saw.

[Hey, hey!!]

And so, Rain fell.

“…Had the Record, they said? Just trash.”

In the Solar Syndicate, ‘Mask’ signified an executive.

Lien Flint was also an executive, but still hadn’t been granted a mask.

“Well, thanks to her, we know the Record’s location anyway…”

Lien’s original mission was to retrieve Rachel.

But due to the unintended contact with Rain Ortiz, the Solar Syndicate discovered the Record’s location.

Meteo didn’t know the specifics of how they found out.

That was the creepy old man’s secret.

Regardless, taking this one would mean accomplishing one of their objectives.

Meteo approached Rain.

“Hm?”

Did he just imagine that?

It looked like it twitched just now…

“Ah… shit….”

It wasn’t his imagination.

Rain Ortiz slowly pushed himself upright.

“Damn Rain. Can’t even evade when I tell you to.”

No, was that really ‘Rain Ortiz’?

“Why do I have to get involved…”

Meteo swallowed hard.

Something opened its eyes.

“Hey, you son of a b*tch, hurry up and attack already.”