Chapter 23 - 23. True Survival Training (2)
The building lay half-destroyed, engulfed in flames. From high above, Gamigin, the Fourth Demon, looked down on the scene with an amused smile.
The Imperial Academy, the target of his attack, lay eerily empty, almost as if it was mocking him.
"There shouldn't have been any way for the plan to leak."
This was a place guarded by the mighty progenitor dragon. No matter how well-hidden, any large-scale magical formation would never evade her perception. Thus, he had opted for a more primitive method.
Instead of magic, he used science.
Explosives had been concealed all around the Academy, set to detonate simultaneously at a specific time. The Academy's security was notoriously weak against internal threats.
With students who had already contracted with demons, setting up the bombs turned out to be surprisingly easy.
"It's unlikely any of them leaked information… They were disposed of as soon as they served their purpose, erased from existence."
By using weapons powered by scientific principles rather than detectable magical energy, he'd assumed that no one would discover his plan.
But the result had been a failure. The outcome was so unthinkably strange that his curiosity was piqued.
However, it wasn't a question of how they'd anticipated the attack, but rather, who had thwarted it.
That answer was all too obvious.
"This is definitely the work of that mysterious new professor."
It was that man alone who had seen through Amon, despite his mastery of concealment that even the progenitor dragon hadn't pierced.
And it was that man who had effortlessly vanquished Marbas, the demon whose illusions could enthrall even the Imperial family.
Who else could manage such feats but the one who had bested the Seventh and Fifth-ranked demons?
"Either he didn't forget those students I erased, or he has some ability to see the future."
Either scenario was equally horrifying. It meant this person was at least capable of accessing the Akashic records or held the power of prophecy.
Considering the overwhelming magic he had unleashed when he killed Marbas, it was baffling to think of where such a monster could have come from.
Yet, what he felt wasn't fear but excitement.
To bring about a destined destruction — such an endlessly tedious task had suddenly gained an unpredictable twist.
After all, isn't it the unexpected developments that make a story compelling? As a hedonist, Gamigin found himself eager to welcome this new disruptor with open arms.
"I wonder, is that professor as arrogant as they say, or does he tread with caution? What beliefs drive him to stand against us?"
The thought alone brought a smile to his face. Not that he'd forgotten his mission.
He'd satisfy his curiosity and fulfill his purpose.
The child of prophecy, the girl who held the only possible chance of averting the ruin — he'd make sure she was eliminated.
"I should request Malphas's assistance."
A simple-minded battle maniac. Though his mind was dominated by thoughts of combat, his senses were sharp, almost animalistic — enough to be trustworthy.
Finding the students and holding them until Gamigin arrived should be well within the capabilities of the Thirty-ninth ranked demon.
And with that decision, Gamigin spread his wings.
Today, it seemed, would be an enjoyable day.
My mind was spinning from the sudden turn of events.
This world just loves to throw curveballs at me. I'd accounted for the possibility of complications, but this was excessive.
Yet, I didn't have the luxury of complaining.
Once again, my reputation had soared beyond reach.
People stared at me in shock the moment they heard the Academy had been bombed, but more important matters demanded my attention.
"Where are Professor Scott and Sion right now?"
I asked the head of security urgently.
Still catching his breath, he assured me there was nothing to worry about.
"I've already alerted them. They've headed straight to the Academy, so the situation should be under control soon."
Whoever the attackers were, there should be no problem with those two on the scene. The security officer seemed intent on reassuring everyone.
But I couldn't feel at ease.
There was a confidential detail I'd been given when I was hired as a professor.
Deep beneath the Academy lay something unknown, something that would one day determine the Empire's fate.
Sion and Professor Scott, knowing this, would have assumed that the enemy's target was the Academy.
They would leave the students in the care of myself and the other professors, focusing their efforts on protecting that hidden chamber.
But I alone knew the truth.
This was a story world.
The center of this world wasn't the mighty progenitor dragon, nor the demon king Getia, but rather the suspiciously angelic boy in my own class.
The world revolved around that boy, so no matter what lay hidden beneath the Academy, nothing could hold more value than that student of mine.
Thus, their target wasn't the Academy, but rather…
[To think they would evacuate the students all the way to this deserted island. Even I struggled to track you down.]
…the protagonist of this world.
Therefore, it was inevitable that the demons would come here.
I had hoped I was wrong, but of course, my worst fears proved true. With a thunderous roar, the demon sliced through the air and appeared before us.
He looked directly at me, a smile of gleeful challenge spreading across his face.
There were professors and students all around, yet he singled me out, staring with a predatory grin.
This world certainly had a way of testing me. But no amount of complaints would change anything, so I steeled myself, meeting his gaze head-on.
Was this fortunate or unfortunate? One idea for a plan came to mind.
"You seem quite uncomfortable. I suppose even a demon can't completely ignore the progenitor dragon's barrier."
I walked confidently toward him, throwing out the bait.
Despite her tight schedule, Sion had set up a temporary safeguard for the students. Her barrier was sapping the intruder's power.
[…How distasteful. Do you mean to provoke me?]
Just as I'd expected, he took the bait.
But provoking him wasn't my only intention.
"I'm merely disappointed. It's a shame to face such a worthy opponent, only to find he can't fight at full strength. There's no satisfaction in conquering a weakened foe."
With a smug, defiant expression, I paused and tossed him a pill.
The students around me looked at me in utter shock, as though I'd lost my mind — which, to them, I had.
"It's a pill that will release you from the barrier's effects. It's a spare I kept after distributing the rest to the students. Take it."
This pill not only countered the barrier but also healed any critical injuries.
Since all the students had already taken it for their safety during the survival training, it would only seem insane for me to hand it to the enemy.
Even the other professors stared at me in horror, shouting if I'd lost my mind, or worse, if I was actually a spy for the demons.
But there was no taking back what was done.
The pill was now in his hands.
The demon looked at me and burst out laughing, as if he'd never encountered anyone so deranged.
[They say the new professor is insufferably arrogant. I expected an unusual person, but I never imagined someone this unhinged.]
With a mind this twisted, not even he could have manipulated it. Now he understood why Marbas had fallen.
Still grinning, the demon popped the pill into his mouth.
And with that, my plan was complete.
Not exactly as I'd initially hoped, but I'd secured my dismissal.
The foolhardy professor who'd given aid to his enemy, only to run away when the enemy unleashed his full power, abandoning his students.
With such an extreme act of sabotage, no one would be able to defend me this time. The demon would be dealt with by the remaining professors and students; I didn't need to worry.
All together, they should be able to handle it somehow.
Sure, there'd be casualties, but that wasn't my problem.
I turned my back and started running… or at least, I made it look like I would.
"As much as I'd love to get myself fired…"
But even I have some sense of time and place.
I'm not a mindless sociopath, and I wasn't about to sacrifice everyone just to save myself.
The demon who had swallowed the pill turned pale, his face contorting with pain. He stumbled, clutching his stomach.
Unable to bear it, he vomited blood, a gurgling sound accompanying the red spray. He wobbled before finally collapsing to his knees before me.
The disbelief on his face — that a renowned professor could do something so low — was priceless.
I looked down at him, smiling wickedly.
"It wasn't a pill, fool. It was poison."