Chapter 34 - Students Exploration
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Today marked the initiation of the Students Exploration, and the first-years, including us, eagerly entered the Otherworld Portal at the lead instructor's permission.
As we crossed the threshold, a blinding light momentarily disoriented us before revealing an unfamiliar landscape.
The place we arrived at was a vast expanse of white wasteland with grass of a gloomy ash-gray hue. The desolate beauty of the surroundings was a candy in the eyes...only to be ruined by the presence of monsters looming in the distance. Shucks...
"I see... so this is what Sora will get, huh..." I mused.
A biome rich in materials, as well as the counterpart to the Ebonland biome—The Ghost White Tundra, served as the backdrop for our exploration. While its dangers were evident, its potential rewards were equally substantial. In the game's story mode, this biome played a crucial role in obtaining the material necessary for the 『Shell』 I had mentioned before.
"Hm? Did you say something, Sai?" Seia inquired.
"Nothing, I just think this place looks beautiful."
"Right? I also thought so, if there were no monsters that is..." Lily replied, irony laced in her words.
As students, each clad in the Academy's uniform and armed, began to materialize through the portal, along with several instructors.
"Man..." I couldn't help but observe the lack of caution in their exploration. Even with a handful of instructors dispersed to watch over the students, their apparent carelessness struck me as risky.
Even I—a veteran in this game, oftentimes get killed in this place when I'm too careless. No one is taking this place too seriously... this is bad, isn't it?
"Man, they're getting careless..." I remarked.
"Well, we have instructors with us. Also, almost every student here was already clad in platinum set, so there's probably not much of a problem," Lily explained.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but even if the platinum gear is the strongest surface metal, it's still weak compared to what those monsters far ahead can do to us," I cautioned. "Be vigilant, everyone."
In our team, only Luna possessed armor, and the rest of us wore thick coats, which, I knew, wouldn't be enough against these literal monsters.
"W-well... if you say so," Lily said hesitantly.
"Heh, I thought you'd be stubborn about it?" I replied.
"We already saw how you operate on these things, so it's actually kind of convincing," Lily admitted.
"Is that so?" If that was their perception of me, then that made things easier.
The Protagonist was likely on his way to acquire that crucial thing. If that's the case, I'll focused on gathering rich materials, while assisting my team. I know how to get one.
"Everyone! Let's go that way," I pointed to a hill with a large cavity at its center. "But be careful because it's about to get dangerous from now on."
"Eh? Isn't that too far, Master? Won't that be dangerous?" Luna expressed concern.
"Didn't you just say earlier to be careful?" Lily retorted.
"I-I don't think we should head there..." Seia added timidly.
Doubt filled their expressions, but I wouldn't recommend such a plan without a strategy. "Trust me, everyone. I won't recommend such a thing if I don't have a plan," I assured, starting to walk.
The three exchanged glances, nodded, and followed suit. Their swift decision surprised me. Did they truly trust me this much? How touching.
Is what I thought, but when I took a glance back, cloud of doubt was visible to their expressions. Ah, I guess I had no choice. Guess I'll just have to call another person they can also relied to.
"Miss Sherry!" I called out.
I waved my hands at the instructor, whose pink hair was easily recognizable even in the crowded place. Miss Sherry, our magic instructor, turned her head towards me.
"What is it, Sai Crimsonheart?" Miss Sherry replied.
"The thing is, there's a place we want to explore, and we thought having an instructor with us would be a good idea. Would you accompany us, just in case?"
"Is there something special about that place you want to explore? It's dangerous, you know?" Miss Sherry responded, her curiosity evident.
"Yes, we don't mind. The girls here are all very capable, so there won't be a problem," I assured her. "Plus, we might find something you can use for your research. You still haven't got any research you need to pass by your deadline, right?"
"Y-you...! How did you know about that?" Miss Sherry widened her eyes.
"Who knows? But if you help and accompany us, perhaps we can find something you can use as a basis for your research. I also intend to assist you, ma'am, so please rest assured."
"Well, if you think about it, you're right..." Miss Sherry admitted, squirming in thought.
Oh my god the "Gap Moe!" So, Miss Sherry has a cute side behind that strict personality of hers. Miss Sherry is so cute while squirming that I unintentionally let out a smile in adoration. My cheeks are also probably pink right now.
Hm? Why am I feeling like someone looking daggers at me behind? Was that the other students...
"I-I'll accept. Please take care of me," Miss Sherry said formally.
"O-okay..." I responded, perplexed by her sudden formality. I'm just a student, you know? Is she embarrassed because I knew about her circumstance? Reassuring her, I added, "Don't worry, Miss Sherry. I won't tell anyone, okay?"
"Yes..." She replied, her demeanor suggesting a mixture of embarrassment and gratitude.
* * *
The five of us ventured into the cavity of the hill, far from where the portal was located. Similar to a cave, we headed inside as if descending a staircase, navigating through zigzagging passages until we reached the expansive chamber of the cave. The interior was stunning, adorned with the unusual white-colored stones characteristic of the cave. It's beautiful, albeit a bit terrifying, however.
The reason being, below us, we observed an alien-like giant worms with nasty fangs, burrowing through the underground—the 'Aether Worms', as well as a jelly-like monsters that leapt around under the cave, or what the game calls, the 'Essence Killers'.
This place, on the other hand, boasted a wealth of White Ore, the 『Clement Ore』, as well as numbers of otherworldly objects known as the 『Clement Orbs』. The materials were just as juicy as how perilous this place is. Equivalent exchange if I may say.
"Lily," I called.
"Understood," I assigned Lily the task of sniping the monsters below us. As their numbers dwindled, I meticulously mined the underground, gradually creating a stair that reached the ground. Doing so, both Seia and Miss Sherry observed me with perplexed expressions.
"You came prepared, huh." Miss Sherry remarked. "Even bringing a peculiar pickaxe on a Student Exploration, how unusual."
"Yes," I replied with a wry smile.
Miss Sherry sighed in disbelief. I mean, in the game, the Pickaxe and Axe were the most necessary tools for progressing, you know?
"Moreover, it's true that you guys were pretty capable, huh." Miss Sherry commented. "I was pretty surprise how Lily can snipe those terrifying monsters with amazing precision,"
"That's great to know. I'm actually confident to suggest to higher your standards, Ma'am. You'll be surprised," I assured her.
A substantial amount of 『Clement Ores』 adorned the walls and scattered on the ground. Previous attempts to mine this ore seemed to have failed, likely as their pickaxe can't mine it, abandoning it by the other explorers in the end. If that's the case, I'll be taking it all way. Sweet!
I instructed Luna, Lily, and Seia to fend off any monsters approaching us while I mined the 『Clement Ore』. Simultaneously, I explained the intricacies of the metal to Miss Sherry, whose eyes sparkled with excitement as I elaborated on the myriad wonders found in this cave. This aspect of her personality, unknown to most students, surfaced like that of an intrigued child, making her unexpectedly adorable.
"You're not thinking of anything rude, are you?" Miss Sherry frowned.
"No, Ma'am," I assured.
Girls' intuition really is scary...
* * *
The work progressed more smoothly than anticipated. What I thought would take an hour was accomplished much faster and more efficiently, thanks to the assistance of the three.
At this moment, they were likely aiding Sora in his predicament. In the game, Sora would confront a trial Mech, an experimental creation that unexpectedly attacked them. This event would draw the attention of the entire council. With this opportunity, I'll take this advantage and maximize our time and clean up the area. The trial Mech after all was malfunctioning, thus is weak. Sora and his team would be able to handle it without issue.
"Sai Crimsonheart, it's already passed an hour, so I suggest returning to our base. You've most likely completed your mining tasks, and there's no need for us to linger here any longer, correct?" Miss Sherry encouraged.
"Um, we're still not done yet, unfortunately." I replied. "But don't worry, Miss Sherry. Our activities won't attract attention since there'll be someone else drawing more focus, so please rest assured,"
"And how do you know something like that?" Miss Sherry voiced her skepticism.
"Eh? Ah well... Ah! It's because that guy tends to attract trouble to himself all the time," I explained nervously. While it may have sounded like an excuse, it was the truth. That guy had a knack for getting into all sorts of trouble. Must be his aspect of being a Protagonist. How unlucky.
"Even if that's true, why do you believe it will happen this time?" Miss Sherry raised an eyebrow.
"Er, gut feelings?" I shot her a confident smile. "Besides, I still have additional insights about this place. Would it be acceptable for you to miss out on such vital research information?"
"T-that's manipulative...!" Miss Sherry hesitated.
"It's not manipulation. I'm simply presenting the facts," I insisted convincingly. "Wouldn't you prefer to have access to valuable research information?"
"Master..."
""...""
The three of them regarded me with a sense of disappointment. Come on, don't look at me as if I'm the villain here! This bargain benefits all of you as well.
"So? What's your decision, Miss Sherry?"
"I... I'll let it slide for now... But be prepared to shoulder the consequences if it affects my work," Miss Sherry asserted.
"No problem. Let's get going," I replied. Honestly, I wasn't sure what she meant by me taking responsibility. After all, I doubted a student like me could do much if she were to lose her job. Not that it would happen, though.
In any case, it seemed we needed to hurry back to assess our harvest.
* * *
The cavernous chamber stretched out before us, its vast expanse almost devouring the feeble light our torches emitted. Despite our efforts to illuminate the surroundings, the darkness clung to the edges, obscuring what lay ahead. Leading the group, I relied on my in-game knowledge to guide us through the labyrinthine space. After a considerable trek, we finally reached our destination.
"This is," Before us loomed an immense white wall, halting our progress. Yet, the obstruction wasn't the cause for the abrupt halt; instead, our collective gaze fixated on the center of the Chamber.
As our gaze shifted upward, we were met with a mesmerizing yet unsettling sight—a colossal heart, pulsating at a sluggish pace. Its rhythmic beats were connected by the four arteries that extended, linking to Orbs on the ground, preventing it from functioning normally. Seeing this, a sense of terror gripped all of us.
"...I-Is that a heart?" Miss Sherry uttered timidly.
"Sai...! What is this..." Lily questioned, her voice betraying a mix of fear and bewilderment.
"Master..."
"..."
Their reactions mirrored the shock and unease that even I, with my knowledge of the game, couldn't entirely shake. Nonetheless, drawing on my familiarity with the game, I approached the White Orbs. The four girls observed me anxiously as I neared the objects that, by their instincts, should not ever be touched.
Now, what to do?
"S-Sai, what are you doing?" Tension filled the air, and beads of sweat adorned each of their cheeks as Lily questioned me, while I, unsheathed my Kusanagi from my waist. "Don't tell me...you—"
"Ey!" However, before Lily manage to complete her words, I delivered a decisive slash to one of the 『Clement Orbs』.
"W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING, SAI CRIMSONHEART?!" Miss Sherry exclaimed, her voice fraught with fright.