Chapter 36 - Ged's Rescue Operation in Crisis (3)
Tuk, something fell to the floor.
It was a cat mask, split into two pieces.
Above it, golden hair, shimmering in the light, fell onto the mask.
She stood there, trembling, eyes wide open.
It was a close call.
If the dagger I threw hadn’t struck the spear and altered its course, it wouldn’t have been the mask that split—it would’ve been her forehead.
Thanks to that, I could see the face hidden behind the mask.
As expected. The face I had anticipated.
Rachel.
“Th-thank you…”
Rachel, snapping back to her senses, looked at me, but my next words forced her to dive to the side in a hurry.
“Get out of the way!”
Cha-cha-chang!
A barrage of spears shot up in succession.
From the ceiling, the floor—no, from all directions, spears surged irregularly.
At the same time, the entire building shook violently.
The trap had triggered the building’s lockdown system.
Kurrr…
The entire corridor was bathed in a crimson glow.
A deafening alarm blared, pounding against my eardrums.
Wiiiiing──!
Right in front of us was the exit.
A reinforced door, visibly thick, was descending, sealing off the escape route.
So, I shouted quickly.
“Everyone, run!”
The two clerics, dodging the onslaught of spears, frantically sprinted toward me.
Confirming their approach, I slid under the descending reinforced door.
I had to hold it up.
I needed to buy time until the two clerics could make it through.
Triggering the trap was part of the plan to alert the guards to our presence.
We couldn’t get trapped here.
They all had to survive until the final act.
Tuk!
But the moment I propped up the reinforced door, I realized something was terribly, terribly wrong.
No joke, why is this thing so heavy?
This wasn’t part of the plan.
“Damn… Shit!”
With a burst of effort, I heaved the reinforced door upward.
Then, something flew toward me and embedded itself in the floor at my feet.
It was the Black Sword.
I glanced toward the direction it came from and saw Rachel looking at me, urgently mouthing something.
“Use it to jam…!”
The alarm was so loud I couldn’t hear her clearly.
But a fleeting exchange of glances was enough to convey her meaning.
I yanked the Black Sword out and drove it forcefully into the gap between the reinforced door and the wall.
Kwajik!
The descending door caught on the sword’s hilt, screeching to a halt.
Kiiii──
I quickly reached toward the stairs.
“Now!”
I grabbed someone’s hand.
With a strong pull, I threw them outside the door.
I repeated this three times.
What happened after that, I don’t quite know.
All I remember is running like crazy.
When I came to, we had somehow reached the research institute’s back courtyard, our initial entry point.
“Haa! Haa!”
Everyone was panting heavily.
Even the stoic wolf-masked figure was no exception.
But there was no time to rest.
Kwa-kwa-kwa!
A red glow shot up from the building.
Weeeeeng!
The alarm signaling intruders echoed.
Guards were converging from all directions.
This was all part of my plan.
But I feigned urgency, speaking as desperately as I could.
“Well, things have come to this.”
“…”
“There’s no time to rest. We need to head to the escape route I told you about—now.”
We immediately dove into the darkness.
* * *
Light erupted across the Academy grounds, shrouded in darkness.
It wasn’t the actual sunrise.
It was merely the effect of the fires and lights rising from all directions.
That’s how many lights had gathered, all converging on one place.
Right here, the Research Wing.
Tadak!
Everywhere I looked, there was light.
The lights were shouting.
“Find them at all costs!”
“They might be trapped inside the research institute! Search every inch!”
And I shouted too.
“I found them! Over here! Inside the research institute!”
The nearby guards hurriedly gathered toward me.
“Who are you?”
“I’m Rayner from Team 3. Right now, Captain Kelvin is engaging the intruders!”
“Captain 3? Damn! Where?”
“First-floor corridor!”
“We’ll head there immediately! You…”
I cut them off.
“I’ll spread the word to the other teams!”
“Good! That’s a plan! Hurry!”
“Yes, sir!”
The guards rushed toward the location I indicated.
Once they were completely out of sight, I gestured behind me.
The shadow of a tree rippled once, then spat out three figures.
Rachel’s eyes sparkled as she looked at me.
“That kind of acting could land you a role as an actor.”
She pointed at my face.
“When did you even prepare that face mask and Academy guard armor?”
Where else? Our master of disguise, Luis, made them.
Of course, that’s classified.
“You don’t need to know.”
Her lips pouted at my curt reply.
Ignoring her, I pulled a thin piece of cloth from my pocket and handed it to her.
“…?”
“A mask. Isn’t it inconvenient to go around like that?”
Having lost her cat mask, she was still bare-faced.
“Ah…”
Rachel stared at me for a moment, then silently covered her nose and mouth with the mask.
“This area’s safe for now. Let’s move.”
We passed through the Research Wing and reached the outer wall outpost we had initially infiltrated.
This time, it was a frontal assault.
There was no time to wait for the shift change.
I spoke to the two clerics following me.
“Don’t kill them. Just knock them out.”
At my command, the wolf-masked figure stopped walking.
They stared at me, tilting their head slightly.
“Why? Killing them all is the fastest and cleanest way.”
The question, delivered with unnerving innocence, left me momentarily speechless.
At the same time, a chill ran down my spine.
This bastard, seriously?
But I suppressed the feeling and answered.
“The third code of conduct. What was it?”
The wolf-masked figure’s eyes rolled back and forth.
Under the light, their eyes gleamed like glass marbles.
Like a corpse, they lacked the emotions one would expect from a human.
Their gaze withdrew.
The wolf-masked figure turned away.
Whether that was agreement or defiance, I couldn’t tell.
I got my answer soon enough.
Rachel and the wolf-masked figure stormed into the outpost.
The fight ended quickly, with only a few muffled groans.
Sensing something off, I immediately entered the outpost.
What I saw was—
Three pairs of eyes, heads severed, staring straight at me.
The floor was drenched in blood.
The headless bodies were strewn carelessly around.
“I clearly said to subdue them, not kill them.”
My teeth ground together involuntarily.
I looked up, and Rachel turned her face away, avoiding my gaze.
The wolf-masked figure… was licking the blood off their fingers.
Feeling my stare, they looked back at me.
With those same hollow eyes.
Then, with a childlike expression, they tilted their head.
“…Aren’t we going? You said we’re short on time.”
Strangely, seeing that doused the rage boiling inside me.
And I felt a sense of relief.
Thank you.
For confirming you’re nothing more than a vile villain, no different from a beast.
You’re someone I can kill without a shred of guilt.
But later.
Not now. The time hasn’t come yet.
I have a clear goal, and for that goal, this bastard needs to stay alive for now.
Killing them is a task for the cadet, for Gerard.
And that moment isn’t far off.
I led them toward the eastern gate area.
No matter what, the eastern outer forest was the shortest route to Icata.
But this area was also under heightened alert due to the recent Swamp Orc disturbances.
If a situation arose, the standby forces would enter combat mode and block the path to Icata.
And right now, that situation was unfolding.
In other words, continuing like this meant we’d inevitably clash with the guards at least once.
This was why I used [Telekinesis] to trigger the trap.
By now, we should be running into them.
Just as I thought that—
“Stop right there!”
A threatening shout came from ahead.
As if I’d been waiting for it, I halted my run.
The two clerics trailing close behind stopped as well.
Ahead, two figures hidden in the forest’s shadows raised their weapons toward us.
The guards I’d been expecting—
“Looks like waiting here paid off.”
…Or not?
Their silhouettes felt oddly familiar.
Now that I thought about it, the woman’s voice that first warned us to stop sounded eerily like her.
“We meet again, huh?”
A set of pearly white teeth emerged from the shadows, curving into a smile.
As the clouds parted, moonlight illuminated the clearing.
Jebuk, jebuk.
Seeing the two figures revealed in the moonlight, I couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh.
Ha. Now I’m just…
Speechless.
“And you… you’re a thief?”
The name of the woman crossing her arms with a haughty expression was Karina Zain.
No matter how I thought about it, she and I were bound by some cruel twist of fate.
“Hmph! Don’t even think about denying it. Those creepy eyes, that skull mask, and the crow-headed staff on your back—I remember them clearly.”
I’d ditched the guard armor as soon as we escaped the Research Wing because it was cumbersome.
If I’d known this would happen, I should’ve kept it on.
“I can’t believe it. To think you were a thief…”
Gwyn muttered, his face full of shock.
No doubt, the two of them had teamed up again to catch the Vault thief.
“Stop wallowing in sentiment, Gwyn. That’s their true face. A villain. The enemy we have to fight.”
“You’re right, Karina.”
Nodding, Gwyn raised his greatsword, his eyes burning with resolve.
“Drop your weapons and surrender quietly. Otherwise, we’ll use force.”
I sighed inwardly.
They weren’t the guards I’d planned for, but it didn’t matter much.
Their appearance wouldn’t derail the plan.
It just…
“Who are they? People you know?”
Made things a bit more annoying.
“No. Just someone I crossed paths with during a job.”
“They’re first-year cadets.”
At Rachel’s words, the wolf-masked figure’s eyes gleamed like a panther spotting prey.
“Then let’s kill them quick!”
No way.
I shook my head firmly and said.
“No. I’ll handle this. You two take Ged and get out. That’s your final task.”
At that moment, the wolf-masked figure suddenly leaned in close to my face.
The thick smell of blood hit me.
“What are you scheming?
“What?”
“You’re weird. Something’s off. You said your combat skills were mediocre, didn’t you?”
“I can at least distract them. The problem isn’t them—it’s what comes next. Their presence here means the area’s already being surrounded. We need to escape before it’s too late.”
“A encirclement?”
“Exactly. That’s why I’ll act as bait. Use that chance to get Ged out. It’s the only way.”
For a moment, the wolf-masked figure’s eyes darted back and forth.
They were clearly weighing the word “encirclement.”
Meanwhile, Karina and Gwyn watched the tension between us unfold.
Either way, the longer this dragged on, the worse it was for us.
“Hurry! If the encirclement fully forms, it’ll be too late. The mission could fail!”
At the mention of mission failure, the wolf-masked figure reluctantly nodded.
“Mission failure? No way. That can’t happen.”
“Count to three in your head, then run full speed ahead. I’ll clear the way.”
Immediately, I dashed forward.
Karina and Gwyn braced themselves as they saw us coming.
“Get ready, Karina! Stay behind me!”
“Got it!”
They seemed to have a strategy of their own.
They didn’t panic, quickly forming a formation.
When I reached them, a sudden wave of heat crashed down from above.
Karina’s specialty, a fireball.
I veered sharply, dodging its range.
Kwaaang!
An explosion roared, and acrid smoke clouded the view ahead.
I quickly activated [Detection] to track Gwyn’s movements.
His presence was right in front of me.
Surprisingly, Gwyn wasn’t targeting the wolf-masked figure carrying Ged—he was coming for me.
“Haaap!”
A massive greatsword sliced through the smoke toward me.
I dodged with a [Backstep] and assessed their strategy.
There was no way these two would just let Ged and the clerics escape.
As expected, Karina’s magic didn’t follow, meaning this was a feint.
With my conclusion made, I drew a dagger and threw it toward where I guessed Karina was.
Shwaaak!
The dagger cut through the dust and struck Karina’s staff just as she was about to complete her spell.
Clang! The spell array shattered into pieces.
“Ah… Damn it…!”
In the end, the two could only watch helplessly as Ged and the clerics slipped away.
“You… you dare interfere again.”
Karina glared at me, her eyes burning with fury.
“Interfere again”?
She couldn’t possibly be talking about when I saved her from the Ghost Knight’s sword.
“I haven't liked you ever since you stole my Ghost Knight!”
I was right.
I knew she was shameless, but…
This was on the level of a beast.
Anyway, with things scattered like this, all that was left was the final act of the plan.
Use [Phase Shift] to escape this place, then block their path as the cadet, Gerard.
The real goal of my plan was to “find” the escaped Ged and claim the credit.
The thief, Gerard’s role, ended here.
Oh, but first…
“I need to turn the beast in front of me into a human.”
“…Beast? Are you talking about me!?”
“A beast that speaks human words.”
“You… Argh!”
Furious, Karina stomped her foot and raised her staff.
Of course, I’m not kind enough to wait for her spell to complete.
I spotted the dagger I’d thrown earlier, stuck in the ground behind her.
“Watch out, Karina! Don’t let your guard down!”
“I know! I’m already prepared for this guy’s skills…”
Sorry, but even if you’re prepared, you can’t stop it.
I activated [Dagger Shift].
In an instant, I was staring at the back of Karina’s head.
“Huh? Where’d he—!”
“Behind you, Karina!”
Too late.
I drove my fist straight into her unprotected side.
Baaak!
A liver shot.
It must’ve been her first time feeling such pain.
Karina doubled over, her mouth agape.
“Guhhh…”
I crouched in front of her, unable to breathe properly.
Her face, streaming with tears and drool, was quite a sight.
I almost wanted to take a picture to keep it forever.
Then she grabbed at my pants, so I hit her again.
“…Hurk.”
“You monster!”
I easily dodged Gwyn’s greatsword, swung too late.
I’d already drawn Raven.
In an instant, I completed a wind-based spell, [Gust], stirring up a fierce dust storm around us.
“Tch, damn it!”
Leaving Gwyn floundering in the dust, I gathered mana again and cast the next spell.
I sensed Sylph’s presence nearby.
Focusing on that bond, I activated [Phase Shift].
Saaa──
The sound of rustling grass brushed my ears.
I was standing in a familiar clearing.
This was a spot not far from the Herbology lecture hall.
I sat on a rock and checked the time on my pocket watch.
“Less than a minute.”
Smirking, I removed the skull mask and slipped my fingers under my chin.
The face mask, its chemical duration nearly expired, came off easily.
I stripped off the leather suit and pulled new clothes from [Subspace].
A silk shirt and a tailored jacket bearing the Academy’s emblem.
Finally, I swapped Raven for a longsword.
From the thief, Shadow’s master.
To the Academy cadet, Gerard.
Having changed identities, I faced three figures emerging from the forest.
Ged, Rachel, and the wolf-masked figure.
I stood from the rock, gripping the sword’s hilt.
Srung, the blade, drawn smoothly, gleamed in the moonlight.
After a long wait, the final act of the stage was about to unfold.