<686 – Shock Confession (4)>
Alpha’s mouth was once again shut tight.
As if to resent Ni’alatotep, yet unable to speak freely of him, he held him in disdain.
“Is that why you’re keeping your mouth shut with another unfavorable topic coming up?”
“…”
“Hmph… I don’t really mind if you’re a coward. After all, there’s still plenty I want to know from Uncle Alpha. Like stories from Professor Destroyer’s active days!”
Anyway, there’s a special remedy for the seemingly deep-thinking Uncle Alpha who doesn’t seem very much like a warrior character.
“Since you were following under Darknodi, you can follow under me for a while!”
“Do you have some kind of plan?”
As if trying to score points instead ofmute Alpha, Guakjo the Evil Sage cautiously interjected.
“Well, it’s not a grand plan or anything. I’m just going to collect like I’ve been procrastinating on homework!”
“Collect…? Are you telling me that, even with a city full of collections, you still have more to gather?”
“Items? Well, they are items, but they’re people too!”
“???”
“If I acquired a +2 strength instrument, I need to fill the vacancy with musicians. Starting today, it’s Blood Band hunting!”
“…”
“And while I’m at it, I’ll also gather candidates for the Three Great Evils that Darknodi planned! But if I eat them, Darknodi would be furious, right? I just need to capture them alive without killing them!”
“Capturing those hard-to-kill guys will leave the modified army in shambles.”
Guakjo the Evil Sage cautiously watched my reaction and asked.
“Does Dark Princess have any special plans for capturing them?”
“Yep? Why would I need a plan? The modified army is this abundant.”
“…”
“Hehe. Just kidding. I need to save the Darknodi subordinates; otherwise, it’ll be my turn to be resented. I’d be mad too if Darknodi killed all my friends or subordinates at the Academy. We don’t need to worry about casualties!”
Phew.
Guakjo let out a sigh of relief.
“All we need to do is keep them alive, right?”
“……?”
That was an awfully premature sigh of relief.
*
I had some collection information on the positions of Blood Band executives.
━━━
[Exchange Request Information]
1. Information on the demon [Orde Taco] who will raid the Red Magic Tower.
2. The poor defensive status of the Red Magic Tower’s Vesuvius branch.
3. Why the Yellow Magic Tower is in disarray due to the Elders’ Council.
4. The Chief Scholarship Student Oknodie from the Foundation enjoys candy with status abnormalities.
━━━
━━━
[Exchange Information]
1. Location of Blood Band’s senior executive [Rosario].
2. No Value.
3. Location of new Blood Band executive [Arde].
4. Location of Blood Band’s second-in-command [Vampir].
━━━
Before starting the volcanic show I planned to show to Rosgini, I stayed at the Ghost Hotel and exchanged information with Senior Valefor Wasabi, who was one of the staff there!
Coincidentally, between the Empire’s northern and central regions, there was a new executive, Arde.
[Small and Medium Alliance Joint Administration Area]
[Empire Designated Gold Mines]
[Continental Seven Great Magical Territories – Isolation of the Spirit’s Magical Territory]
A gold mine famous for the Three Great Forests.
This area, being one of those gold mines, is the Continental Seven’s Magical Territory, which is at least as difficult as the Three Great Forests.
During the player era, it was a reliable facility used as a [High-Level Event Dungeon].
“Generally, a magical territory refers to a field completely isolated and altered from the surrounding space due to powerful mana disasters. The nature mana of a magical territory moves according to its own unique laws, separate from the outside. For this reason, information from advance teams, observers, and natives is crucial.”
“Wow, you’ve done your homework! Our newbie is gonna shine, gonna shine, gonna shine!”
Even clapping in excitement, Guakjo was filled with great elation.
“Cough. Darknodi must have laughed at the newbie for looking elsewhere instead of focusing on content that fits their level…! Dark Princess, you are much more merciful and generous than a clone! I truly apologize for thinking you would be the same as a clone!”
“Oh please, don’t mention it. Darknodi was quite stressed out; it’s understandable!”
The difference in my attitude towards Guakjo and Darknodi can be distinguished by whether one has the ability to care for a pet or not.
Of course, as my growth was much more ample than the stressed-out Darknodi, there was bound to be a difference in attitude.
“Haha. The Isolation of the Spirit’s Magical Territory is relatively more accessible than other magical territories in terms of information. It was created by the mana surge of high-tier merchants rather than a high-tier combat class.”
Just like the disaster zone in the Student Dormitory Zone, this place was also a region born from the battles or surges of high-tier strong individuals.
Only the rare high-tier merchant’s surge created this land, which is not typical.
“This magical territory automatically loses gold coins in proportion to the duration of stay. Inside, there are treasures born from the natural mana of merchants and equipment held by territory explorers, but being overly greedy might drain the gold coins and trigger [Forced Exaction].”
“Wow. You’ve truly come prepared!”
“Fortunately, our modified army has received support from Lord Seonhwang and has managed to secure ample gold coins by taking some of the Empire’s slush funds. However, considering that individual gold coins are consumed separately, entering with many people, especially the weak, would be reckless.”
Average weak players do need help to carry loads.
“It’s fine. I have a backpack!”
It poses no obstacle to veteran players whose inventory capacities have inflated!
“Then only bring the senior executives of the modified army!”
Following Evil Sage Guakjo and the now-matured Senior Velocasio, a large golem approached with a thud.
“Can I graduate from being a cargo?”
“Aha. So Darknodi made you into a cargo? That means the ride will be quite pleasant. Time to hop on!”
I jumped off the Guard Golem’s shoulder and landed on the Bio-type Golem Rosinante’s shoulder.
As the golem sulked and lowered its head, the last remaining executive caught my eye.
A pretty girl named Cruel, whose expression was as unreadable as early Jiang’s doll-like demeanor.
“Hello, Previous Agassi!”
“Fourth!”
“Did you get along well with Darknodi?”
A shimmer of transformation mana ignited at Cruel’s fingertips.
“I learned.”
“Whoa. Such a cheat technique? They wouldn’t have taught it easily!”
“I saw with my eyes.”
It seems that this girl is quite remarkable, perhaps comparable to a veteran in skill.
Even from the records of past Agassis found in Jonna’s Secret Laboratory, it stated that [The Third] possessed a strength and talent of a different level.
━━━
#Day 89 at the Academy.
*Due to Mandela Castera’s area-wide abilities, suggestions and brainwashing were forcibly lifted.
*Plans to expel students collectively have stalled.
*Long-term confinement in the Great Prison has been confirmed.
*Continued execution of the top priority goal [Survive at the Gift Academy] has become impossible.
*The butler is the one who provides answers.
*The one who granted a new life in an environment where survival was impossible.
*A face-to-face meeting with the butler is necessary for setting new goals.
*To escape the Academy before confinement, the manifestation of high-tier scholarship students’ forced surges using [Dark Mana] needs to occur separately from the suggestions and brainwashing.
*Ending the records of the Academy.
━━━
The original main ability was suggestion and brainwashing.
Mental magic of the mind control type.
As I looked and observed, I could see that most of the modified army members already had brainwashing in place.
While the high executives were not completely brainwashed, they had been suggested.
The suggestion I was making towards Cruel, without conscious awareness, was something I was fulfilling little by little so it wouldn’t be imposing.
[Calm]
[Meditation]
[Awakening]
As I consecutively activated the mental control functions, I felt the suggestion planted in me cleanly washed away.
‘I’m regretting leaving behind the Hat Senior to take care of the goo!’
If Senior Alice, the first Agassi, were here, perhaps a significant event could have happened by confronting the three great villain Agassis and interacting with them!
But what kind of interaction event would unfold if the past Agassis of Jonna met?
I am the true Agassi of Jonna.
The previous ones were damaged, so get out.
Would it be something like that?
Hehe. By this logic, as the fourth and final Agassi, I should have an absolute advantage.
“Fourth. Dark Princess Oknodie. I’ve heard about you from Darknodi.”
“What did Darknodi say?”
“He gets mad when you take his food, so collecting doesn’t get completed. He also gets mad if you take the insects he’s trying to collect right in front of him. If you charm NPCs to raise favorability first, his true nature will show.”
“…Why did Darknodi share such terrifying Forbidden Knowledge!”
“Because controlling emotions makes suggestions and brainwashing more effective.”
Aha.
It seems that Darknodi didn’t arbitrarily swap roles with me without any thought either. Knowing I was interested in Cruel, he had prepped Cruel in advance with a property education program, teaching her how to be wary and control me.
“So how do you want to spend time with me?”
“Share the time you spent with Jonna.”
“And after I share everything?”
“Let’s trade.”
“What kind of trade?”
“Mandela Castera. The leader of Class 980, who defeated me. I can tell you how to handle her. In exchange, let me meet Jonna. I believe you won’t be like Darknodi, who went off on her own to meet Jonna without me.”
“Mandela’s sonic wave attack can be solved by gathering the Blood Band and playing the special music, right? I’m already in the process of gathering countermeasures!”
“…”
“Anything else?”
“I know the names, main techniques, and weaknesses of the candidates for the next Student Council president. The Student Council is an organization that can influence both current students and graduates of the Gift Academy; the value of this information is significant.”
“Is that what you mean?”
While rummaging through my backpack, I pulled out a book.
[Student Council Tactics Guide]
“…”
“Is there anything else?”
Unlike a normal student who would remain silent or feel discouraged, Cruel was indeed no ordinary Agassi.
She also rummaged through a small pouch and pulled out a tiny diary.
[Jonna’s Photo Album]
“…!”
“I can lend you this.”
“I’ll forgive you for the suggestion! Let’s be friends from now on!”
Moving through the invisible mosquitoes, we shook hands.
Looks like I made a new friend!
