ocean-life Chapter 11: First Event [1]
Chapter 11: First Event [1]
Last night, I tossed and turned again.
My mind was too cluttered to focus on reading magical texts, and when I tried to sleep, I dreamt of Seo Yerin chasing me with a spear. Unable to do either, I spent the night aimlessly.
Though exhausted, thanks to "Bluffing," I didn't outwardly show my fatigue. This allowed me to carry on with my work as if nothing was wrong, even though I was drained inside.
'...Wow, so this is how people die from overwork.'
I thought this as I wrote the lecture script with sleepy eyes.
At this rate, I might actually die from overwork.
Every night, I feel like sleeping is a waste of time, so I cut back on sleep to study and master magical texts. My body has reached its limit.
Until now, I've been holding on with sheer willpower, but I'm starting to feel the limits.
It's getting a bit dangerous.
'After two more days, I'll rest properly.'
Tonight, most professors are leaving for the academic conference.
The remaining professors will also leave within two days, citing external schedules or preparation for evaluations. The perfect conditions for an attack on the academy are falling into place.
-"Did you see the news about the casualties in the
-"Yeah, I heard there was an accident in an A-rank dungeon. They said there were no survivors."
-"I heard from someone involved that it was actually done by humans."
-"What, really? I thought the accident happened in a dungeon owned by the
-"I'm not sure about that, but from the traces, it seems they were hunted by a 'mage hunter.'"
I looked up to gauge the atmosphere in the lab.
Unlike usual, the assistants seemed brighter. The fact that they were even engaging in small talk suggested they were all looking forward to attending the magical conference.
How would they react if they knew the academy would be attacked the day after tomorrow?
'Would they give up the conference they've been looking forward to and stay to defend the academy? Or would they leave for the conference, not believing the warning?'
The thought crossed my mind, but it wasn't worth dwelling on.
They would follow Nam Hwa-yeon to the conference anyway. With all the professors and most assistants gone, the first-year students would be left exposed to danger.
Thinking about it, it's truly irresponsible.
Even if the professors have external commitments, taking most of the assistants with them?
No one seems to consider that the academy might be attacked while they're away.
Is this the well-founded confidence of an academy ranked among the top five in the world? Or is it recklessness born from a sense of invincibility?
Either way, they're better off than me.
'At least they don't know the future, but I have some idea.'
The image of the laughing and chatting students still lingers in my mind.
The thought of that scene being stained with blood gives me a headache. I opened a drawer to look for painkillers.
──Rustle.
The drawer was filled with all kinds of medication.
From vitamins to digestive aids, it looked like a mini pharmacy. My health hasn't been great, so the drawer was packed with various pills.
Let's see. The painkillers were definitely red.
There are so many pills that even though I bought them, I often forget where I put them.
As I fumbled through the rustling packaging, I quickly found the painkillers.
─Rustle, rustle.
I tore open the packaging and took out two red pills.
I was about to swallow them with water when...
"...?"
The pills on my hand disappeared.
Did I drop them? I looked around.
They didn't seem to be on the floor. Maybe they're on the desk?
The headache was narrowing my vision and clouding my judgment.
But the pills weren't on the desk either. As I turned my head, I saw an assistant with a startled expression.
What? Are they freaking out just because I looked at them?
"Headache pills? It's only been two hours since you started work, and you already have a headache?"
"...Professor."
A clear voice came from behind.
I turned my head and saw Nam Hwa-yeon staring intently at the red pills.
She wasn't holding them in her hand but was observing them floating in mid-air.
The pills hung in the air as if fixed in place.
I'd seen a similar technique in the first research lab before, but after studying telekinesis, it looked different. The level of control was on a whole other level compared to the「Pyrokinesis」I'd learned.
Is this what makes a professor different?
As I marveled at Nam Hwa-yeon's telekinesis, she seemed to finish analyzing the pills.
The pills gently landed back on my hand.
I swallowed them with water, and Nam Hwa-yeon's gaze turned to me.
Why is she looking at me like that? Is she going to give me more work?
'I hope not....'
Initially, the tasks she assigned me weren't too demanding.
I followed her requirements, wrote the script, and added some parts of my own.
But for some reason, the demands have been getting more complex over time.
Some tasks even required me to read specialized research papers.
Reading and writing scripts based on them helped organize my thoughts, but it was exhausting.
"Did you finish the script I asked for?"
"...The basic script is done. It'll take about two more hours to polish it."
"Good, you've worked hard."
Nam Hwa-yeon praised me, which was unexpected.
Just as I was taken aback, she took a step toward me. The sweet floral scent that filled my nose was momentarily startling, but then she placed her hand on my forehead.
It was cold. Does she have poor circulation?
How can someone's hand be this cold?
"Oh my, you have a high fever."
"...Isn't it just that your hand is cold?"
"My body temperature is on the lower side, but it's within the normal range."
After hearing her words, I checked my own body temperature and realized I was indeed running a fever.
Did I catch something? I didn't feel chills, though.
I didn't think much of my condition.
But Nam Hwa-yeon seemed concerned, stroking my forehead and speaking in a worried tone.@@@@
"You must have been working too hard. Why don't you take half a day off and rest?"
Clunk!
The sound of the cabinet opening revealed an array of colorful snacks.
All premium snacks, not available at convenience stores or regular markets.
Naturally, their prices were astronomical.
But with so many, surely one wouldn't be missed.
The guard took out a luxurious cookie. A butter cookie that would pair well with his hot coffee.
As he unwrapped it, he suddenly remembered he hadn't been watching the CCTV.
"Eh, it's just one minute. Nothing's going to happen."
Who would be bold enough to break into Seven Stars Academy?
Occasionally, students get caught trying to sneak out by climbing the walls, but there's never been a case of someone breaking in.
Just as the guard was about to take a bite of the cookie.
He dropped it on the floor.
"Ah, ahhh!!"
Not just the cookie, but his right hand holding it also fell.
The burning sensation of his severed wrist.
The clean cut left him momentarily stunned. The guard, who had been screaming, soon collapsed to the floor.
He tried to grab his right arm with his still intact left hand.
──Squelch!
With a sound like cutting meat at a butcher's, his left hand was also severed.
The indescribable pain. It was so intense that no sound came from his mouth.
Just then.
A man who had cut through the security room door with a sword entered.
As soon as he entered, he scanned the academy through the CCTV.
After checking a few feeds, a crescent moon-shaped smile appeared on his face.
"Wow, there really isn't a single professor in the academy?"
Just as that horned guy said.
Not a single professor was present. Not even that magic-obsessed woman or the old monster.
The perfect conditions for an attack were in place.
The man laughed heartily and kicked the guard's body.
He had seen the guard trying to press the emergency button with his leg. The man grabbed the guard's hair and lifted his head.
A face filled with pain and despair.
What an amazing expression.
"By the way, Seven Stars is indeed Seven Stars. Even when a high-ranking demon self-destructs, the barrier doesn't break. It's not easy."
The guard couldn't understand the man's mutterings.
All he could see were the images on the CCTV. Giant demons were using their bodies as bombs to destroy the academy's outer barriers.
The sturdy barrier held against the massive explosions.
It was a barrier worthy of Seven Stars Academy, but cracks began to form as the explosions continued.
Moreover, they were targeting the weaker parts of the barrier.
Rumble───!!
Finally, the barrier collapsed, and a horde of demons appeared from beyond. The absolute fortress that had never allowed foreign invasion in decades had fallen.
They spread out in all directions as soon as they arrived at the academy.
The guard, who had been watching helplessly, was kicked away by the man.
The impact shook his insides. The kick had broken his ribs and punctured his organs.
"T-This is no time to be lying around...."
But the shock helped him regain his senses.
This was no time to be lying around. The guard crawled to a corner with his broken legs.
Emergency communication devices were placed throughout the security room for such situations.
Using his teeth instead of his severed hands, the guard pressed the button. The connected communication network linked to the entire academy grounds.
Suppressing the blood flowing from his torn lungs, he spoke.
─"D-Danger! Demons have invaded the academy! A-All combat-capable personnel, prepare for battle... Ahhh!!"
He struggled to continue.
But his words ended in a scream like a pig being slaughtered.
The mysterious man had stabbed the guard's back with a sword.
The man kicked the dead guard and marveled.
Most people would have died from the shock.
Is this what professional dedication looks like?
"What a bothersome guy."
He had already known the guard would make the emergency broadcast.
But he couldn't stop it.
No matter how much he peered into the future, that guy always found a way to broadcast.
Even if he tore off his limbs or cut off his head, the guard would use magic to move his body and send Morse code. What kind of person is he?
"Thanks to him, a sneak attack is impossible."
To ensure the guard was dead, he targeted his back the moment he started broadcasting. He broke his spine and aimed for his organs to make sure he couldn't move.
Because of that, a covert attack was impossible.
"But it's fine."
Without the professors, there's no one in the academy who can stop him.
The man, already confident in his success, began thinking about how to spend his reward.
The dying students were not his concern.
After all, he came here to kill them all.
***
Just then, a status window appeared in the vision of Seung-woo.
[Sub Quest: Awakening]
[Description: The foreseen event has arrived. The protagonist will awaken, and the freshmen will be faced with a life-threatening situation, naturally separating the weak from the strong. Survive until dawn breaks and prove your worth.]
[Reward: Survival, 3 points]
***
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