Chapter 23 – Something No One Could Have Predicted

“….”

Dawn. A time when everyone should be sound asleep.

Luciel was still wide awake, unable to sleep.

“Senior.”

Turning her head, she sees Nefertiti approaching, twirling her fan.

“Shouldn’t you try to get some rest? You’ve been like this for three hours now.”

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not. You’re the squad leader of the dispatch unit, and the best sword we have. If someone like you has even a slight weakness due to physical exhaustion, it will be a disaster for everyone.”

While the ability itself might be invincible, the wielder of that ability is not.

Because they are human. Someone who will eventually break down if they don’t eat, rest, or sleep. Because that’s what people are.

“Perhaps it’s because of a sense of responsibility? Because it seems like this whole thing is happening because of you.”

No answer came. Nefertiti, expecting as much, unfurled her fan.

“I heard the news. This strange phenomenon isn’t limited to the Cradle anymore. Just as you suspected, the Sealstone’s breakage is indeed where it all began. But, that doesn’t mean it’s all your fault, Senior.”

“…”

“So, let go of the guilt, the responsibility. Wouldn’t finding a way to overcome it be more fitting?”

Luciel, who had been staring blankly at her junior, offers a faint smile.

And then starts, “That’s why I like the President so much.”

“Looking at you two, it’s the President who seems like the senior.”

“Ohohhot! Well, the President’s position isn’t something just any student can do! Ohohohhot!!”

That… President. It’s all good, but keep your voice down a little. You’ll wake everyone.

“Ah! Forgive me! It just slipped out!”

“More importantly… have any of the returning teachers come back yet?”

“No, not a single one.”

“…It’s just, the subjugation is a little delayed, right?”

“Surely. The teachers of the Cradle aren’t just anyone.”

Far superior to Luciel, and with dozens of times more field experience.

That’s what the Cradle’s instructors are. They may have stepped back from the front lines, but they’re still as good as active duty.

Nothing bad could have happened. Just that something got a little tangled.

That’s the only reason it’s taking longer than usual.

That’s what Luciel and Nefertiti decided to believe.

“Student Luciel!”

“Ah, Teacher Smith?”

“Immediately rouse the entire dispatch squad!”

At those words, a feeling of ‘could it be’ sparks on the faces of Luciel and Nefertiti.

“A Gate manifestation. Thankfully, it’s a low-risk grade, and smaller than the previous ones.”

“On standby? Or…”

“We’re initially planning to enter, but since none of the other teachers have returned… we might need to assess the situation a bit more before deciding whether to remain on standby or proceed.”

Nodding, the two female students immediately began preparing the dispatch squad.

Though their experience may be lacking compared to the teachers, their zeal and sense of duty are second to none.

Above all, in terms of special abilities, they’re talents even those teachers acknowledged!

“It would appear to be that over there.”

Arriving at the scene, a Gate far smaller than the others was indeed manifested.

At this level, the students of the Cradle would be more than capable of covering it.

“It truly is a low-risk grade, just as the teacher said.”

“What are your orders? At this level, it would be fine for the dispatch squad to enter.”

“Wait here for a moment. I’ll double-check the situation.”

Teacher Smith approached the Gate. It certainly didn’t seem very threatening.

Based on experience, the most that would come out of a Gate like this would be small-sized monsters.

For that reason… just as the thought of authorizing the dispatch squad’s entry crossed her mind.

―…Beeeep!!

The grading device in her hand suddenly spiked vertically.

From low-risk, past intermediate, instantly to a high-risk grade.

Not content with that, it wailed as if to pierce right through the limits!

“Th-this!”

Mr. Smith spun around, calling out to the dispatched students.

“Fall back! Quickly! As far back from here as—”

Immediately after, a tremendous roar shook the Cradle.

—KWA-THoooM!!

*

“…Are you alright?”

Mr. Hunter spoke with concern to the woman sitting beside him, looking utterly drained.

In response, the drooping golden retriever—no, Tiamat—shook her head slowly.

“No… I’m starving to death…”

If he’d known it would be like this, he should have packed something.

The danger rating was low, he’d thought it would be over quickly.

“I should have brought emergency rations… *sniffle*. Even just some jerky…”

“We’ll be sure to next time.”

Though whether we’ll be out doing field work like this then, he couldn’t say.

Mr. Hunter, wearing a wry smile, fidgeted with his sunglasses.

He still couldn’t make heads or tails of what was going on.

They’d come in to destroy the gate, to subdue the monsters.

And for the first hour, everything had proceeded without a hitch.

‘The change… came after that.’

Monsters always charging at humans, drooling thick slime.

But this time it was different. At some point, they’d started avoiding them.

Had they decided they couldn’t win? Were these things even sentient?

No. No matter how he looked at it, these weren’t the high-risk types that possessed that level of intelligence.

Even if they did have some awareness, they had to know.

That the only way past this was to get rid of them.

So why were they just running away and dragging this out?

Sensing something was off, the two teachers decided to turn back.

But it was too late. A thick fog had rolled in, stealing their sense of direction.

The gate had turned into a complex labyrinth, holding them captive and refusing to let go.

“Mr. Hunter, this… however you look at it. It feels like they’re trying to stall us, right?”

“So it seems to you too, Ms. Tiamat.”

“I’ve never seen anything like it. Nothing like this has ever happened before.”

Nodding, she checked the watch on her wrist.

Hours had already passed. Outside, it would be past midnight, almost dawn.

“If things continue like this… the Cradle will deem this situation dangerous and group even more teachers together.”

“Yes. And while they wouldn’t normally enter, the Cradle’s social standing means that they can’t allow monsters to roam free, so they’ll ultimately send that large group of teachers through the gate.”

Exchanging thoughts, they seemed to have a decent grasp of the current situation.

The Cradle’s forces would be temporarily, if not completely, tied up inside the gate.

There were no significant casualties, but the return time would be twice as long as usual.

‘If a real enemy were to slip through that final gate in this situation…’

Hunter-sensei, and Tiamat. Both were thinking the same thing.

And following that, the identical conclusion caused both of them to betray a hint of unease.

“Support will come from the outside, right?”

“Of course it will. They value the Cradle too much to abandon it.”

Yes. But, why? Why did she have the feeling that it might not?

*

“Cough, cough!”

Her head throbbed. A terrible headache followed.

She couldn’t properly support herself. She just wanted to lie there.

But she couldn’t allow herself to. Because she wasn’t an ordinary person.

“Huuuh…”

Letting out a groan of pain, Nefertiti surveyed her surroundings.

The vice president, Kasar, was the first she saw, stirring awake and groaning similarly.

However, blood was flowing from his head, so he was definitely not okay.

With injuries like that, a concussion was the least of their worries.

‘What about the others…’

Two of the dispatched team members were still unconscious. The top student from the second year and a fourth-year senior.

They seemed to have been thrown further by the aftershock earlier, sustaining greater injuries.

Then, what about the remaining members of the dispatch team? Where were they?

―Kwaaang!!

Something brushed past Nefertiti’s side. And with a deafening roar, it slammed into the ground.

She turned her head, and, by the heavens. It was definitely the top student from the fourth year. The vice commander of the dispatch team!

“S-Senior!”

“Kuh… I, I’m alright…! Hurry and provide combat support!!”

Support? She looked towards where the fourth-year top student had indicated.

“Senior! Be careful!”

“Luciel student! I’ll handle the front, so back up the other students first!”

“Understood!!”

A bloody battle was unfolding. Smith-sensei, Luciel, and the other dispatched team members.

They were all gritting their teeth and engaged in combat. Their desperate will was palpable.

And before them, there was a massive monster she’d never seen before.

“Resist more. More. More! Only then will this be a battle befitting the position of this vanguard leader!”

The monster spoke. She wasn’t mistaken. It was definitely speaking.

A monster that speaks the human language!? She’d never heard of such a thing before?!

While her reason questioned the situation, her instincts drew her to the battlefield.

―Chwaak!

Nefertiti’s fan unfurled, and a whirlwind of wind rushed forth from it.

Soon the monster was aiming for Smith-sensei. No, it knocked away the monster’s arm to the side.

It wasn’t quite a push, more like a downward cleaving strike, to be exact.

‘Not good…!’

Even if Mr. Smith was defense-oriented, suited to close-quarters combat.

It was known his body was under considerable strain from their activities thus far.

He already looked like he was struggling just to hold his ground out there.

The dispatch team, with Luciel at the fore, was doing their utmost.

But their opponent was no ordinary monster. They were landing hardly any effective hits.

At best, each flash of that light sword left a new wound.

“Chairman! Focus your support on Luciel-sunbae! The other members and I will try to draw that thing’s attention as much as possible!”

“Ah! Yes! Understood!”

Selection and focus. Here, Luciel was the sharpest blade they possessed.

The others would distract it as much as they could, and Nefertiti would lend her wind acceleration.

In that time, Luciel would prepare her finest strike, hoping to turn the tide of battle in one fell swoop.

But they overlooked something. No, they hadn’t even considered it.

“Hoh.”

Their opponent wasn’t the typical ‘monster’ they were used to dealing with.

“I thought they were just grunts. Not bad!”

A black spear materialized in the giant monster’s hand.

This wasn’t one of the crude weapons used by those few monsters who wielded tools.

The edge was properly sharpened. More than anything, it was filled with an ominous energy.

One knew instinctively, the moment they saw it: a direct hit meant certain death!

—KWAANG!

—KWANG!

“Keuh-heok!”

Mr. Smith, who had been holding the line at the front, finally collapsed.

If Nefertiti hadn’t used her wind to shift him, he would have been crushed outright.

With the vanguard fallen, the other dispatch members were soon reaching their limits.

Their abilities were certainly outstanding, but their experience was still lacking.

Adding to that, facing such an enemy for the first time instilled a psychological fear.

Nefertiti’s wind, Luciel’s light. Neither of them could land a decisive blow.

Conversely, the monster swung its spear, accompanied by a chilling laugh.

‘Support is out of the question. There aren’t any more teachers left back at the Cradle…! What on earth can we do…!’

Ah. A sigh escaped Nefertiti’s lips.

How foolish, to be thinking of other things at such a crucial moment.

Seeing the massive spear shaft approaching within arm’s reach, Nefertiti swung her fan.

—KWAJIK!!

“Keo-heok…!”

Even though, at the last moment, she had summoned a gust of wind to alter its trajectory.

Nefertiti cried out in agony, feeling as if her entire body was being pulverized.

Her body spun and flew. Her mind flew with it.

She couldn’t simply plummet to the ground like this. She had to react, somehow.

Biting her lip, she tried to unleash her Gift, but control eluded her.

Impossible in this state, her senses reeling from the pain and the impact.

In desperation, Nefertiti tried to at least shield her neck.

—Thwack!

“…?”

Instead of the hard, unforgiving ground, she felt something warm and sturdy.