<826 – Unknown Bullshitter (1)>
Those who have mastered the Mana Flow Technique don’t even need to sleep at night.
They can replicate the sleep therapy process that cleanses the waste from the brain and calms the nerves of a strained body using the Mana Flow Technique.
Pang pang
But Ishtar, who was patting the bedding, pointed to the empty space next to her, saying that such achievements in the technique didn’t matter.
“Come quickly. It’s cold.”
“Hmph. If I sleep, my growth rate will drop.”
“You’ve already become strong enough. Take a break and enjoy yourself.”
Due to the rapidly changing global situation in every round, the overwhelming impact of the weekly events, and the ongoing local events and the misdeeds of local bosses, Ishtar had been rolling in a frenzy.
Seeing Ishtar utter “enjoy” felt utterly surreal.
Pababap
Like an excited puppy, she dove into the bedding, and I was hit by her heavy Warrior’s pouch on my back.
“Ugh, it’s heavy!”
“Right? I’ve been working hard on strength training.”
Ishtar, who was proud of her strength like a warrior obsessed with muscle, gave an answer that pleased me as a fellow strength lover, so I couldn’t really fault her.
It felt familiar to embrace a small child, tightening around comfortably and playfully until it became a little suffocating, listening to the whiny sounds.
When I played during the time of the [Marine who Specializes in Strength All-in], many feared it, and the relationship with NPCs hit rock bottom, but Ishtar was different.
She was the origin of the all-in build, fixating on just one stat across all rounds.
She was the prototype, the manual, and the mentor of all all-in series beyond just strength fixation.
Naturally, there was no way I could harbor any hatred towards someone like that, and whenever our main stats overlapped, Ishtar was always my closest NPC.
– Strength all-in. Can we win?
– That was the aim of hundreds of rounds.
– You sound like a magician. Always saying incomprehensible things, yet somehow it reassures me.
– A strength-focused spellcaster is a trash character. Don’t do that.
– Why?
– Shut up. When I say don’t, don’t.
Despite the harsh words, Ishtar chuckled and slapped my back, asking what was so funny.
Then, suddenly, as the campfire’s light turned dim under the encroaching darkness, dark mana began to swirl near the barrier of the Holy Sword, corrupting everything in its path.
I felt a gentle sensation around my waist, followed by hands resting on my back.
– Want to?
– …
The warrior’s hands were trembling.
After countless failures, the player, finally on the brink of defeating the Demon King, understood the warrior’s trembling.
Everyone has an end.
Today’s challenge could be the last.
The trusted comrade who has walked with you on this journey might never face you again.
Such fear.
Such terror.
You lean on and rely on your partner beside you to overcome it.
– No.
– Why not?
– Because you’ll get debuffed.
However, unfortunate as it was, this game has the [Death Flag].
It’s not impossible to enjoy 19+ content, but the moment you get caught up in 19+ content before graduating from the academy, all outcomes twist in the direction of an atrocious 0.1% bad luck.
I hadn’t experienced it myself, but I knew from the攻略 sites that veterans had.
The image of 0.1% bad luck hammering down was as pitiful as Nepher-tem equipped with the Rune of Misfortune.
– Lies. You just don’t like me because I don’t look like a girl.
But sometimes, even when you know, you still end up doing it.
Ishtar, unable to hide her disappointment, looked away.
Tears wetting my back.
I snapped back to reality.
There was no need for lengthy words to show my true feelings.
I turned my body, grabbed Ishtar’s chin with one hand, and caught her waist as she panicked and tried to run away.
In that moment, looking down at her cheeks flushed redder than fire and her eyes flitting with anxiety.
The feeling of that moment.
The gentle touch.
Even the sound of the campfire crackling faded away, replaced by the beating of heart as the moment of kiss passed.
– We can handle the rest when we get back.
– …
That day, the shy nodding of her head is still vividly engraved in my memory even after many rounds have passed.
“Ugh.”
“What is it?”
“Just feels annoying.”
I remember everything.
But Ishtar remembers nothing.
That constant disappointment everyone carries.
Feeling that way, I pinched her side.
Ishtar flexed her stomach muscles and blocked it.
Thump
Like a baby lion gnawing at a lioness’s forearm, I put her flesh into my mouth, making Ishtar burst out laughing.
A promise now only I remember.
A promise that can never be kept forever.
It has become a task without compensation, but the quest board in my heart will never clear the request for the Demon King’s subjugation.
Countless times, I’ve already succeeded in defeating it countless times, but it has now become something that simply must be done.
‘Next year, I really want to go with Ishtar and Irene!’
I diligently gathered the Demon Realm Cooking Handbook, collected plenty of medicinal herbs only found in the Northern Region, expanded human activity zones, prepared for dimensional invasion defense, and after all that is done…
I would return to the praised gourmet spots of the countryside that someone bragged about, eat one of every dish from around the world, fulfill promises to create review collections, smash the principal’s statue, and build colossal sculptures…
One day, the day will come when I can fulfill the promises and compensations that only I remember.
‘Let’s do our best tomorrow. Fighting…!’
In Ishtar’s embrace, I steeled my resolve and indulged in happy fantasies, slowly unable to fight off sleep, my eyes began to close.
Then suddenly, I was abducted along with my bedding by the [Forced Designation Summoning Magic Circle] that appeared beneath me.
Flash!
Crash bang clang.
“Ouch!”
“An ambush?!”
“Who are you!!”
As I dangled like a shield from Ishtar’s left arm, I frantically looked around, seeing several faces displaying unease behind students who showed signs of shock or caution.
Standing tall like the majestic peaks of a mountain, was a group of formidable figures.
They were the esteemed professors of the Gift Academy.
“Professors. What is the meaning of this?”
“Haha. No need to be so tense. You have all been selected as exceptional students, proving to be above your peers through your qualities and efforts during your studies.”
“What exactly have we been selected for?”
At Ishtar’s wary question, the people dragged into this space also gasped at the sight of Ishtar in her pajamas and me, in my bear pajama set hanging from her arm.
“What’s that outfit? It’s so cute.”
“Pfft. Can’t you sleep if you don’t wear pajamas? Aren’t you just a kid?”
“Tito, Oknodie is indeed younger than you…”
“Uh oh, that’s right!”
Titosso, embarrassed and realizing from Isabel’s jab that they had displayed a proud sense of being an adult not wearing pajamas, and the second years came to terms with reality.
“Not a tiger pajama but a bear pajama? How pathetic!”
“What are you saying to a kid?”
“Let’s beat up that idiot first.”
The upperclassman and fourth years, who were making nonsensical comments, were suddenly pummeled by their peers.
“What is this? Why does it feel off?”
“For starters, don’t stray from my side.”
With tensions rising so much that past grudges were forgotten, the third-year Four Kings huddled closely together, leaning on one another.
In an attempt to calm the bewildered students, Myung So unleashed his magic.
An enforced meditative state gripped everyone, their faces easing into calmness as they formed a harmonious shape before the professors.
“You are the exemplary students who have demonstrated exceptional talent and growth at the academy. Thus, we, the professors of Gift Academy, are pleased to announce the establishment of a special class for exceptional individuals commencing today.”
Even I, who usually rejoiced at any new events with an excited face, could not suppress the ominous feeling with the creation of a class that had never existed in any round before.
“Can I just go back?”
“Actually, we have already contacted your guardians and sponsors, and received their consent. They were all delighted to hear about the establishment and promotion to the special class.”
“I don’t have a dad!”
“Professor Jonnas and Professor Reap signed on behalf of Oknodie’s guardians.”
It comes.
Something terribly dreadful is coming…!
Noticing my urge to escape, Ishtar swiftly stepped in.
“Um, Professors. I’m sorry to interrupt you during busy times, but we’re unable to attend the special class lectures due to a large-scale project that the student council is pursuing.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. You are not summoned here in your physical bodies, but as spirit bodies.”
“Huh?”
Professor Lilith, the Dream Magic professor, smiled sweetly, looking adorably young.
“At night, you will automatically fall asleep and be transported to the special lecture room in your dreams. Since it’s your spirit bodies, even if we hold a high-intensity lecture that would normally be fatal, as long as you rest well for one night, you can attend the next lecture. In other words, your regular class lectures and special class lectures will be conducted in parallel on a day and night track.”
“Oh my gosh.”
Despairing sighs echoed from the students.
