<762 - Like a Hero (8)>
Dragon Principal Omoshiroi.
Even though he’s lazily settled in the Academy now, fundamentally, he’s got a filthy temperament that earns him the title of Evil Dragon.
[After patiently finishing months of theoretical studies for the students, planning to jump straight into practicals and get grades in the final exam? Reject this ludicrous syllabus!]
“What’s wrong with my syllabus?!”
[It’s boring!!]
“Whhaaaaat?!”
[When will the students suffer? Where will they feel pain? Find the weaknesses. Pounce on the weaknesses. If they don’t fix their weaknesses and grow stronger, they won’t be able to cut it! That’s the kind of lecture you should provide!]
Even the lectures are like this.
Thus, if one doesn’t want to get smashed during theory class, students were left with no choice but to get ahead on their own and dive right into practicals at the Gift Academy.
Naturally, students, wanting to avoid rolling around like crazy, started studying hard for survival, leading to a growth acceleration that exceeded two or three times compared to other academies.
“Ah, we didn’t realize the great intentions of the principal!”
“Students can learn more on their own if they dive into practicals first rather than being shackled by theoretical studies!”
“Then, if we can casually mix in topics from the next academic year into practical trials, wouldn’t those who can pass early become stronger faster?”
The origin of Gift Academy’s tough education style came from the principal’s syllabus guideline, which Professor Mahabharata understands well.
Even if the results are good, what he really desires is to see students groaning and clutching their legs, unable to walk properly to the cafeteria, crying like babies on the benches as they suffer and struggle!
How glorious it would be to watch those with guaranteed futures from royal bloodlines or noble families, heirs of renowned families, disciples of masters, and prodigious kids who lived comfortably suddenly rolling around like the rest!
…is what the principal will probably think.
Given such a principal, Professor Bronze thought it wouldn’t be surprising if the Maid Jang, who was brought in by escaping from Goblin World, lost her head right in front of him.
“Principal. I hope you spare the Maid Jang.”
[The Gift Academy’s fundamental policy about the Wahyhiemhai Foundation is zero tolerance. Why should I do that?]
“The current Fourth Years are far from the Fourth Years you hoped for.”
[Oh… Did you notice?]
“I can tell from the way they loiter around the Fourth Years every year, looking terribly bored. I can also sense what you truly desire.”
[The pure-hearted Destroyer from that seed thief is indeed a different level of awareness.]
Professor Mahabharata, who had just heard something shocking from the principal, and Maid Jang were stunned.
However, the professor, who was the matter of discussion, seemed unfazed, as if realizing it was something easily readable.
[So, do you think this lad could be the tool that fulfills my desires?]
“Anyway, weren’t you in need of fresh strength due to turnover in faculty?”
[That’s true.]
The principal was easily convinced.
On the contrary, this time Maid Jang felt scared.
“That you have a goal strong enough to use the word ‘wish’… what on earth are you after? Are you plotting dimensional conquest? Or perhaps…”
Maid Jang thought of an astounding goal.
Going beyond mere collection, creating a class of its own as an outcome.
It would be a next level that someone like the supremely powerful principal, who already resembled a god, could reach.
“To truly establish a domain worthy of divinity, ruling over a dimension…?”
Divinization.
For a principal, it wouldn’t be strange to rise to any realm.
The principal’s
Even if he becomes the deity of education, the Middle Realm would gladly recognize him and accept him as a god.
The principal’s
Even if he becomes the god of mischief, the Middle Realm would deeply mourn and recognize him.
However, upon hearing Maid Jang’s flustering excitement, the Dragon Principal responded with an indifferent expression, as if he were tired to death of her chatter.
[What’s so good about being a god? Just making the conscious realm bigger so that the middle realm can’t hold on, so I end up unable to establish here and just have to play around as an immortal being?]
“Is that so?”
[Yes, that’s exactly it. Weaklings or those from cramped dimensional realms might be thrilled to ascend divinely, but what would I, being nearly a god, be short of that I would desire division?]
Maid Jang thought that the Dragon Principal had every right to say such arrogant things, yet at the same time she grew more curious about what aspirations this overconfident principal had.
[Anyway, enough of that. I’ll let you live. If you have the guts to say such nonsense to me, you’ll probably do well as a professor. I’ve even considered appointing a Maid Professor part-time.]
Relieved by the security of survival, Maid Jang felt at ease, but the actual reason she risked her life to visit the principal was to warn him about the Foundation’s plans.
“Principal. I have something to tell you.”
[I know.]
“What? I haven’t said a word yet…”
[What could a direct subordinate of the Foundation who’s betrayed the Foundation have to say besides a report against them? Considering your position, it must be about the director’s secret operation.]
“!!”
[The clandestine plans of the Foundation set in motion all over the world have already been thwarted. Your ‘Agassi’s’ tip-off was just a step faster.]
Maid Jang was honestly impressed that Oknodie had moved first.
The upper-tier Assassin Maid Reap had often praised Oknodie to the higher-ups, but she had been skeptical, thinking the reports were exaggerated.
– She picks up weapons and showcases master-level skill, suddenly skyrocketing her growth.
– Trying to ask for extra allowances, huh? I admire the effort; give her a little something.
– She has completed all mid-level poison resistance training aimed at you and is now asking for extra funds to purchase high-tier poisons.
– Is she secretly growing poison? She couldn’t possibly gain such resistance that quickly. Unless she deciphered and counteracted the poison’s actions. That support should be rejected.
Maid Jang, having thought it was unbelievable that the child had done it, came to realize that all that boasting was true.
[Assassin Maids will be spared. You just need to watch which of your new master and the old master is stronger. That’s the whole story.]
*
As the influence of each branch of the Foundation shook and the Foundation’s long-term plans twisted all over, dozens of ships flocked to a massive branch called the [Kaisland Sea Region].
“We’ve swept all the warships of the Kingdom of Florence. I can assure you, it’s plenty enough to draw a giant magic circle at sea.”
“Amazing, Arcadia.”
“What’s truly amazing is Jezel. To borrow a fleet while providing this much money to the royal family, no mercenary in the world could pull off such brilliance.”
It wasn’t just Arcadia who was impressed by Jezel’s wealth.
“With Assistant Director Isabel here, the Esornia Expedition Team has finally become complete!”
“Could it be that our Expedition Team, which used to only accept commissions from the Foundation, is now bought over at three times the price and brought along…”
It wasn’t only Isabel who had deep ties with the Expedition Team.
She bought vampire guards and protected Vladimir from the vampire clan’s infighting using money.
She held an investment briefing gathering the lords of the city-state alliance, which had been thrown into chaos due to the destruction of Frill, ensuring their interests were secured and preventing student dropout rates.
Some problems can’t be solved with money.
As long as you don’t bring even more money!
Showcasing the answer to that, Jezel, using her golden wealth, managed to solidify an anti-Foundation alliance that made one think that if there was a king of gold, it would certainly be Jezel.
“Did you always have this much money?”
“Haha. It’s embarrassing to say, but I didn’t have this much when I entered the Academy.”
“Then how did you end up with so much?”
“Didn’t I learn a thing or two? Our little lady has figured out how points are gathered. I applied that method outside, and voilà!”
“…What the heck did you do?”
Recently, in various cities, there were suspicious systems like gachapon booths stocked with a variety of weapon lottery tickets or VIP membership discounts at stores, or gifts provided when collecting numbers to play bingo, and so on.
No matter how you think about it, it seemed like a series of systems that looked quite fishy and could only have been introduced by Jezel.
“Now’s the time. Fire at will across the entire military region!”
Mobilizing the forces accumulated through such systems, they unleashed a relentless bombardment on the coast while deploying elite units on every ship to counter the aerial forces trying to intercept.
Meanwhile, while the enemy forces were drawn out, elite combat units, including Ishtar, infiltrated the islands, so the Foundation’s infamy hardly mattered, and the assault on the massive branch progressed smoothly.
Right then, an anomaly occurred in the skies above the vast branch where the Foundation and the Academy’s main forces had gathered.
“That, that non-fair flight output… It’s not your typical non-fair flight! It’s the World Boss level flying magic directly piloted by the Foundation’s director…”
Dimensional leap.
A powerful flight skill that bridges multiple worlds, bringing along a mana storm from another dimension.
As the non-fair flight settled along the middle realm, the approaching mana storm crashed down violently, bringing all fighting on the ground to an abrupt halt.
“The mana shells aren’t being fired!”
“Magic artillery is offline!”
“The magicians are struggling to control their rampage!”
It wasn’t the Academy.
What the director was targeting wasn’t the Gift Academy.
It was the archipelago where the Academy’s students had gathered.
“I’ve thought long and hard, but I realized I don’t need to personally take down the principal. If the students sent to him end up being slaughtered, no one will want to send their students to the Academy anymore, right? Haha!”
The director’s retort bypassed the principal’s movements to take advantage of the Academy’s vulnerabilities.
*
The Dragon Principal flew around, raining down dragon breath to decimate the ground while pondering.
– Doesn’t he realize that breaking such petty tricks is meaningless if he can’t lay a hand on the director?
– Of course, he knows! The tough events were merely insurance!
– Then do you have a solid strategy to oppose that “Papa” of yours?
That rodent with bad habits had indeed said something absurd.
– If I drop a nuclear bomb, I can just open a dimensional gate to counterstrike, and after the nuclear bomb, using something even more dangerous will guarantee my victory!
– How do you know what that is?
– There’s a finishing move called Marine who Specializes in Strength All-in, you know?
He says he’ll summon one of the most vicious humans from the ground and that his daughter will find out and stop it.
With the principal recalling the previous sign of foreign news being noticed and the event being dismissed, he felt immense interest in the impending foreign news summoning and dismissing duel between father and daughter.
[It would be such a shame to graduate that kid. Should I catch her and make her stay a graduate student for life…?]
Oknodie, who unwittingly put herself in great peril while trying to do a good deed.
