Chapter 65: How to Survive in a World of Absurdity (3)

“Revenge.”

“Revenge?”

“Yeah. I want you to kill the person who killed my brother in my stead.”

I was dumbfounded.

And rightly so—Darkness is the assassin faction of the Beltus Cult.

For an assassin to request another assassination from a thief? Anyone would find that absurd.

Moreover, the Rachel I knew was the boss of Chapter 5.

Not a mid-tier boss like Gerard, but the final boss who closes out that chapter.

‘Of course, it seems her powers haven’t awakened yet…’

Still, she’s skilled enough to handle most targets on her own.

“I know it sounds strange,” she continued. “But once you hear who the target is, you’ll understand.”

“Who is it?”

“Lutus.”

In Frey, there was only one Lutus I knew.

“Are you talking about the Bishop of Darkness?”

She smiled.

A strangely melancholic smile.

“You got it. That Lutus. He’s the scum who killed my brother. And… he’s also my foster father.”

I felt my face stiffen behind the mask.

Lutus, the Bishop’s adopted daughter, Rachel.

That was news to me.

“I’d rather not bore you with the long, complicated backstory. So, what do you say? Can you do it?”

My brow furrowed instinctively.

This wasn’t about how much money was on the table.

If it’s Bishop Lutus, even going all out, I couldn’t be sure of victory.

Naturally, Rachel wouldn’t stand a chance either, even if she came back from the dead.

‘But thinking about it differently, he’s an enemy I’ll have to deal with eventually.’

Just like Narsi.

‘What should I do?’

I was mulling it over when—

“Hahaha!”

Rachel suddenly clutched her stomach and burst out laughing.

‘What the hell? Why’s she cracking up all of a sudden?’

I tilted my head, wondering if I’d accidentally applied a hallucinogen instead of a hemostatic agent.

I checked the clothes.

The medicine was applied correctly.

“Pfft… It’s a joke, a joke! Did you really think I’d ask you to kill Lutus right now?”

“What?”

“Ha, that’s hilarious. Why so serious?”

She was wiping tears from her eyes now.

The topic was heavy, so of course I was serious.

Was she missing a screw in her head or what?

“I’m definitely after the Bishop, but not yet. I need to be sure, you know?”

I immediately understood what she meant by “sure.”

“You’re saying you want to test me?”

“Exactly. If I entrust this to you and you fail, I’m screwed. I can’t waste a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity like that. When I’m certain of you, then I’ll make the request.”

“…”

“The reason I’m telling you now is so you don’t misunderstand my intentions.”

As she spoke, she suddenly brought her face close to my skull mask.

The fresh scent of grass and the sound of her heartbeat filled the air.

In that narrow alley where we hid, bathed in moonlight, time seemed to stop.

Thump, thump…

The silence, which felt like it would last forever, was broken by the sound of her heartbeat in my ears.

It was unusually loud.

And it grew louder still.

Until she pulled away from me.

As she stepped back, she wore a faintly sad smile.

“…As expected, it doesn’t work.”

I replied calmly.

“I’m completely immune to seduction.”

Wearing the Star’s Blessing, I’m in a perpetual state of sage-like clarity, 24/7, 365 days a year.

No ordinary temptation could sway me.

“So, was that part of your test too?”

“Nope. I already tried that when we first met. During the Ged rescue mission. I had my eye on you back then. This time, I just did it for fun.”

Rachel stood up abruptly.

“I’ll be watching you. Prove yourself to me.”

“What if I use this to blackmail you instead?”

“Heh. Then I misjudged you.”

That answer was enough.

“Oh, and the info I have? It’s top-tier stuff. Stuff you definitely don’t know. I guarantee you won’t regret it.”

With that, she added, “I’ll come back to see you.”

Without hesitation, Rachel kicked off the ground and vanished into the moonlight.

The lingering scent remained in the alley.

I stared blankly at the sky where she disappeared, muttering under my breath.

“So that’s why you helped me.”

Her inexplicable actions up until now finally made sense.

But that didn’t mean I trusted her words at face value.

It was just… curiosity.

“Top-tier info, huh?”

If she’s that confident, there must be something to it.

I pondered how to use her, then shook my head with a wry smile.

“Forget it. She’s doomed anyway.”

Rachel.

In the near future, she’d cause the Nightmare, with the seed of the demon Lilith sleeping within her.

* * *

If you ask people what the Obelisk is, most would point to the guardian pillar floating in the sky.

But the Obelisk isn’t a single entity—it’s the name of a network comprising two facilities: the guardian pillar in the sky and the control room that operates it.

Thus, there are two ways to neutralize the Obelisk:

1. Destroy the guardian pillar directly by firing a Protector at the site of a Mana Freeze.

2. Destroy the control system in the control room that operates the guardian pillar.

I chose the second option.

The reason was simple.

“It’s easier.”

The guardian pillar is currently floating high in the sky.

Sure, with enough determination, there are ways to reach it, but being up in the open sky leaves you vulnerable.

The control room, on the other hand, is in the Research Wing of the Academy.

Yes, the Research Wing.

The place I’ve already infiltrated twice.

To me, it’s as familiar as the back of my hand.

Even Dayle was allowed to infiltrate it, so for someone like me who prioritizes safety, infiltrating the control room was obviously the easier strategy compared to the guardian pillar.

And so, I arrived at the Research Wing.

Perched atop a tree, I gazed at the research buildings beyond the stone wall.

Several buildings stood like stacked bricks.

Despite the late hour, more were lit than dark.

Some were even operational at this early hour, glowing with light.

To my right was the Magitech Research Institute, and to my left, the Artifact Research Institute.

I moved to the right.

“As expected of the Academy.”

I could feel the tightened security.

Even at a glance, scanners made of magical resonance were being cast around the stone wall every 10 seconds.

The system was designed to sound an alarm if any physical or magical attempt was detected.

So, I drew my dagger.

“The Academy isn’t the only thing that’s been upgraded.”

The days of sneaking through a doggy door while dodging the guards’ eyes were long gone.

After confirming with Detection that no one was beyond the wall, I threw my dagger over the stone wall, timing it perfectly as the scanner faded.

Using Telekinesis, I manipulated the dagger, which had been flying straight, to suddenly turn at a right angle and plunge into the ground.

Thud!

The sound of the dagger embedding into the ground echoed.

I used Dagger Shift.

The entire process took just two seconds.

The magical resonance scanner was impressive security tech, but my skills were a cut above.

I deliberately crossed the stone wall behind the Magitech Research Institute.

As I looked up, the back entrance to the research institute was right in front of me.

Perhaps because someone was inside, the door was unlocked.

…*Click!*

Inside the research institute, it was even darker than outside, but the darker it was, the freer I felt.

I moved through the corridors without a sound.

The control room was on the top floor, the sixth.

As I climbed the stairs, the faint vibrations I’d felt grew stronger.

Hummm—

Occasionally, snippets of conversation reached my ears.

Researchers, perhaps.

Or maybe guards stationed on the same floor.

Finally, I reached the sixth floor.

At the end of the corridor was the control room.

But guarding it was an Engineering Puppet patrolling back and forth.

The puppet assumed an attack stance upon spotting me, but my dagger, already slicing through the air, shattered its Mana Stone.

Crack!

Not stopping there, I raised Raven to the side.

A guard, who had rushed toward me with his sword drawn, was already swinging at me.

Clang!

“Damn it! Intruder—!”

The guard, attempting to shout after his surprise attack failed, was knocked out cold by my fist.

A standard guard unit consists of one leader and two members.

He was the leader.

One member was behind me, and the other was running toward the control room.

“You bastard! How dare you attack the leader!”

I easily dodged and swung Raven.

Not as a sword, but as a staff.

Thwack!

A blow to the head knocked him out.

At the same time, I shifted to the dagger I’d thrown at the Engineering Puppet.

Now, the remaining guard running toward the control room was right in front of me.

He looked at me as if he’d seen a ghost.

“…Why are you here?”

My fist answered for me.

Thud!

As I dealt with them all and turned the control room’s doorknob—

Weeeeng—!

The alarm system went off.

The researchers inside must have heard the commotion and triggered it.

“Hm. I tried to keep things quiet.”

No matter.

I always have a Plan B ready.

Nonchalantly, I grabbed the doorknob.

It was locked, so I drew Raven and swung with both hands.

From top to bottom.

A simple but devastating strike from the Lion Sword technique cleaved the thick iron door in half.

“Eek!”

“The door…?”

Two researchers stared at me, eyes filled with fear.

“Relax. Just a thief.”

“A t-thief!”

“I said relax.”

I left the fleeing researchers alone and walked forward confidently.

The control room was filled with incomprehensible devices, but among them were some painted in bright, conspicuous colors.

They looked important—large, colorful, and heavily connected.

I pulled a scroll from my pocket and attached it to one.

As I infused it with mana, the scroll began to glow a vivid red.

Then, I bolted.

I made it out of the research institute.

Waiting for me was a cordon of guards.

The lead guard drew his sword and shouted.

“Don’t resist and surren—”

He didn’t finish.

BOOM!

A deafening explosion sent flames surging in all directions.

As debris rained down, the guards instinctively stepped back.

“Don’t panic! Hold your positions!”

Sure, hold your positions.

I’m out.

Phase Shift

The blaring noise and acrid smell vanished instantly.

Silence, the scent of grass, and the occasional chirping of crickets.

I’d moved to a rest area not far from the research institute.

“Phew.”

I quickly unsummoned Sylph, who was likely surrounded by the guards in my place, and removed my mask.

I changed back into my Academy uniform and headed for the dorms.

‘Another job done.’

I could see the Obelisk floating above the main building losing its glow.

And the dormitory area looked unusually chaotic.

“Hm?”

I stopped in my tracks.

For some reason, cadets who’d just woken up were all outside.

‘What’s going on?’

The atmosphere felt tense.

It could be due to the commotion at the Research Wing, but too many cadets were out for that to be the only reason.

This was a first.

The bigger problem was that they were blocking the entrance to the dormitory I needed to enter.

‘No way I’m getting in that way.’

Looks like I’d have to rely on Sylph again.

‘First, I need to assess the situation.’

I sharpened my hearing.

“For real?”

“I’m telling you! I saw it! They definitely went to Building B. A thief!”

What’s that about?

A thief?

Thinking I misheard, I heightened my senses further.

“But isn’t the thief at the Research Wing right now?”

“Like a thief works alone? They’ve got accomplices, you idiot! Anyway, let’s split up and search!”

“Alright! Let’s protect the dorms!”

“What are you waiting for? They went to Building B! Tell the dorm supervisor too!”

I was stunned.

A thief?

‘I’m right here.’

Another guy like Dayle? No way.

But the situation was clearly unusual.

I quickly summoned Sylph to transport me to my room and used Phase Shift again.

The familiar sight of my room.

Or not.

Click! Click!

This was not familiar.

Bang! Bang!

Someone was trying to get into my room.

Knocking on the door, frantically turning the doorknob.

My mind instantly recalled the cadets’ conversation.

‘Is the guy out there the thief they saw?’

I prepared for anything.

No matter who was outside or what kind of ambush awaited, I was ready to handle it without flinching.

In a way, this was an opportunity.

I could catch this thief myself.

With everything perfectly in place, I opened the door.

Bang!

And I was absolutely shocked.

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