<530 - You might see the next one too!>
Jiang asked me as if he wanted to confirm something.
“Oknodie. You knew about this, right?”
“Of course, I knew!”
“As expected.”
Jiang is also a malicious NPC for now.
He might have realized the true value of the Sacrificial Humans.
The bonus experience points given to the person who delivers the final blow.
It’s no different for the Sacrificial Humans.
Even though the Sacrificial Humans push to exchange them for a hero, when their numbers become that large, it’s no different from killing a single hero.
In other words, each time you press the slaughter button to kill a Sacrificial Human, you gain experience similar to killing a hero.
Of course, it’s not exactly a full portion.
Just because the blood tank is pressed once doesn’t mean it fills up, right?
You’d have to press it a few times.
So, let’s say one-third or one-fourth?
In any case, pressing it three or four times would definitely accumulate hero-level experience points.
If you’re an assassin, the tempting chance to become stronger from just one button press without having to painstakingly assassinate anyone would be irresistible.
The high officials of the Empire easily grow stronger by passing this sweet mechanism around and pledge loyalty to the crown prince, which makes Masugaki’s isolation understandable, but that’s a separate story.
“Indeed, Jiang thinks the same, right?”
“Of course.”
There’s no way the Empire would allow precious experience points to be handed out recklessly to their researchers and revive heroes who would become enemies of the academy students in the future.
Just when I was about to boldly shout destruction and seize the experience for myself, Jiang declared in a cold voice.
“You’ve come all the way here to save these kids.”
“Huh?”
“All the girls’ clothes I prepared weren’t just for enhancement, but to dress the homunculi.”
“Huh??”
“Even the unnecessary cakes I ordered in bulk for enhancement were actually to provide food, right?”
“Did I…? I don’t know…”
“Stop. You don’t need to deny it anymore. I understand your feelings perfectly.”
Jiang’s memorization rushed in like a flood.
The researchers collapsed, skewered by Jiang’s memorization into vital points.
“Kill all the researchers and save the homunculi. We can definitely do it.”
“I found the mechanism. I will activate it.”
Katarina, the Head Maid, quietly approached the main device amidst the chaos.
“St-stop them!”
“Hmph, not a chance. Titos Beam!!”
“Gaaah!!”
Suddenly, the operation to rescue the Sacrificial Humans turned into chaos.
No… this is so unfair!
Wah wah.
I just need to click the button.
I could really easily gain experience points.
Yet, the atmosphere makes it impossible to press the slaughter button.
“Ugh! To think the infamous Dark Princess would throw a fit over such a trivial experiment. Is she trying to keep Prince Hwangtaeja in check? It can’t be helped. If that’s the case, we have to dispose of all the homunculi… cough!”
“Hmph, do you think I’ll let you click the button? You won’t ever approach this button!”
The experience points I can’t have, no one else will have either.
No one can press this button!
“Indeed. Oknodie was aware of the Foundation’s intelligence and dared to brave the darkness of the Imperial Family.”
Jiang’s admiration hit like a knot, marking it impossible to accidentally press the button amidst the battle.
Ugh.
It hurts inside.
To think I have to liberate all that experience points.
So regrettable.
I’ll have to have the researchers serve as a substitute for experience points!
“Please, die easily, oh experience points!”
“Kuhkuh… it’s already too late. Just in case, this facility has a mechanism that will automatically awaken heroes if the homunculi escape.”
The high official, who had been ambushed and was dying, wiggled on the ground and pulled out a remote control.
Beep.
When he pressed the button, the sound of the device activating echoed.
Thud thud thud thud.
The entire facility trembled as an overwhelming amount of mana gathered.
The low-level maids couldn’t even keep their bodies steady and stumbled or collapsed.
The legendary heroes sleeping in the capsules of the Forbidden Research Institute began to wake up one by one, consuming the blood from the blood tank, the medium for their resurrection.
“You’re all finished now!”
“The heroes will take our revenge!”
As the ambush came to a stop, the researchers, reorganized, shouted energetically.
Everyone who hadn’t died from a critical hit while they clicked at least once was gasping for breath and spewing curses and insults.
But why are they so excited?
Shouldn’t the resurrection of heroes be avoided from up close?
While watching that sight, a question suddenly popped into my head.
“Huh? But how were you planning to control them after resurrecting them?”
The high official, whose bleeding had finally stopped, stood up with a sinister grin.
“Through the Contract of Agreement, we will subjugate their minds and Prince Hwangtaeja will be the master of all heroes. The preliminary steps for mental suppression have already been laid out, so Prince Hwangtaeja can take them whenever he wants. That means you have to fight against the heroes from now on!”
Ah.
The triggering mechanism for this round is the Book of Mental Suppression, huh?
“Oknodie. I can feel an overwhelming amount of mana…!”
“It’s going to be tough. Should we fall back?”
Titosso and Jiang gathered next to me.
“It’s okay. I won’t die just from this!”
The Contract of Agreement.
Coincidentally, I have a similar book.
A book that induces forced mental judgment upon reading it.
A book often referred to as a forbidden tome in the world.
I’ve already used it in the academy.
━━━
Title: Class 981 Year 1 Strategy Guide
Author: Oknodie
Caution: Open at your own risk!
━━━
[The Hooked Ghost attempts to replicate a high-value substance that it cannot handle.]
[[Mental Defense] Target Value 500]
[[Curse Resistance] Target Value 350]
[[Mana Control] Target Value 350]
[All target values failed.]
[The Hooked Ghost fails to control the [Mental Defense], [Curse Resistance], [Mana Control] functions.]
The Hooked Ghost had opened it before, was suppressed, and ended up being handed over to Professor Sadako, who kept it as a copier of cursed items.
While only a few, the ones aware of this book were the mobs, Jaku, Dorothy, and maybe Jezel who received the information, but Jiang sensed the danger at a glance and stepped back behind me.
“Titosso. Close your eyes.”
“Huh? If I close my eyes, I can’t shoot Titos Beam…?”
“You don’t need to shoot it, it’s fine.”
[Class 981 Year 1 Strategy Guide]
The high official from Prince Hwangtaeja’s faction burst into laughter as he confidently held the book.
“What can you do with just one book? If you think the Book of Mental Suppression is an ordinary book, you’re mistaken. It’s like a magic circle containing the essence of dark magic and mental penetration, maximizing its control effect. How do you expect to compete with that?”
“Hmph. The strategy guide has a similar nature. It’s a record of history gained through experience, detailing the horrors of every bad ending and a pathway to destruction!”
“How cute. Are you trying to beg for mercy by showing me your diary? Of course, the diary is a dark historical record of your embarrassing past that you wouldn’t want to reveal. It’s undoubtedly a taboo. But it won’t satisfy the heroes.”
The high official pulled out a small bead.
“In comparison to the original [Book of Mental Suppression], this copied version is but a fraction, yet it’s enough to dominate the heroes. Ordinary humans won’t withstand the power of a book able to dominate the minds of just-resurrected heroes and will die instantly. What about the Princess?”
“Hmm~ If you’re so confident, let’s have a competition. I’ll show you my strategy guide too!”
“Hohoho! Sounds good. We’ll reveal them at the same time after counting to three.”
“Three!”
I opened the strategy guide immediately.
The high official frowned, then reluctantly opened a part of the copied Book of Mental Suppression just a moment too late.
“What nonsense! The strengthened mental power will not fall to a mere preemptive attack of a diary while carrying out the sacrificial ceremony for the Sacrificial Humans.”
“Heh! You really can endure a little!”
“Huh…?”
The horror from the strategy guide began to manifest as the Hooked Ghost twisted its body.
The high official’s eyes turned bloodshot, and veins bulged on the back of his hand.
With no response from a single finger or tongue, the official remained frozen.
Cold sweat poured down like rain.
There was enough to form a puddle at his feet.
And yet, he didn’t stop.
His skin turned pale and shriveled in real time, but he continued to sweat.
[The high official begins the mental judgment while reading the myth-level Book of Curses.]
[[Mental Defense] Target Value 500]
[[Curse Resistance] Target Value 350]
[[Mana Control] Target Value 350]
[All target values failed.]
[The high official fails to control the [Mental Defense], [Curse Resistance], [Mana Control] functions.]
Under normal circumstances, the statistics would be hard to pass.
Yet, a trap I had overlooked suddenly emerged.
[Class 981 Year 1 has nearly elapsed.]
[The curse’s effect is diminished.]
With the diminishing power, assessment resumes.
[Limited pass.]
[The high official passes the [Mental Defense], [Mana Control] functions’ mental judgment.]
[The high official fails the [Curse Resistance] function’s control.]
The curses of immobility and dehydration.
As the high official who was dying while standing suddenly drew upon a surge of mana, his body started to move again with a spark.
“Phew! Hah…! What the heck is this?”
“Wow! The power of clicking is truly impressive! You’ve accumulated a lot of experience points!”
Even with the assessment values diminished, it was impressive he could stack such high mental functions.
Well, the size of one’s heart is divided between good and evil, and while the official’s mind belongs to the evil side, still, isn’t having such high values something to admire?
“Ugh, Princess, are you not affected at all?”
“I’m completely fine, you know?”
Well, the functions themselves aren’t that great.
If I had to estimate in hundreds, it’d be something like this.
Mental Power 200.
Curse Resistance 200.
Mana Control 1000.
Mana Control is impressive, but Mental Power and Curse Resistance are insufficient to catch up.
However, the difference between the original and the copy, the grade difference in the books, and the reduction bonus for “understood” books fully consumed the penalties.
“If you’ve seen Year 1, you should see the next one too!”
“T-there’s a next one?!”
The result is right here.
[Class 981 Year 2 Strategy Guide]
[Class 981 Year 3 Strategy Guide]
[Class 981 Year 4 Strategy Guide]
The [Strategy Book] that gets mentally suppressed if you fail to read it.
Naturally, this book consists of four separate volumes, one for Year 1 through Year 4.
