[Translator - Helga ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
Chapter 57
As expected, at the end of the path illuminated by the beam of light stood an abandoned school—waiting for us in silence.
It was an old, decrepit building, seemingly abandoned for decades.
"This place is also the reason why Sector M was sealed off."
Originally, Sector M had been a specialized zone created to educate only the most elite students within the Masterclass.
A facility designed to gather only the topmost talent—this building was once called Grandclass...
"And, of course, the amount of funding and resources poured into it was at a level that ordinary schools could never even dream of."
But perhaps their ambition grew as boundless as their talent.
To push their students' overwhelming potential to its absolute limit, the school resorted to any ans necessary—even thods they never should have dared to touch.
A forbidden technique known as Abyssal Synchronization.
It was a process where a fragnt of a student's soul was sent deep into the Abyss to synchronize with the trendous power that resided there.
"An act of unparalleled arrogance. No one even truly understands what the Abyss is."
Ever since Seo Gyeong-deok first discovered the existence of the Abyss, humanity had spent centuries researching it—yet, even now, they had uncovered less than 1% of its secrets.
A bottomless pit of unknown horrors.
"And yet, they dared to send souls into that abyss—just to gain power? Absolute madness."
But the Masterclass at the ti truly had lost its mind. The relentless pressure to produce even a single super-elite soldier had driven them to insanity.
And so, because of their reckless gamble, the students' souls spiraled out of control.
The resulting Abyssal Wave that erupted in Sector M unleashed an unspeakable catastrophe.
"Every student and professor present at the ti was driven insane by the Abyssal Wave. In the end, the Military Association had no choice but to exterminate them all."
This horrific incident beca known as The Tragedy of M.
In its aftermath, the academy sealed off Sector M, forbidding anyone from entering.
Even now, faint remnants of the Abyssal Wave still lingered—enough that anyone who stayed here too long might go mad, just like before.
"...So what you’re saying is, staying here for too long is a really bad idea, huh?"
Okamoto muttered, staring up at the abandoned school with deep regret.
Before he could start whining again, I cut him off.
"Relax. A day or two won’t turn you into a lunatic—as long as you ca prepared."
"Prepared…? Oh, you an this?"
Okamoto opened the tal case he had been carrying.
Inside, rows of flasks were neatly arranged.
Among them, one in the center stood out— its contents had an aged amber hue, like an old beer.
The pungent sll of ferntation filled the air as Okamoto wrinkled his nose and pulled it out.
"This is the Special Gas Potion. A masterpiece infused with the secrets of the Three-Star Alchemy Departnt."
Hastily brewed on Professor Do’s orders.
A potion that converts carbon dioxide in the air into a concentrated chemical gas.
When ignited, it drastically amplifies the power of wide-area fire attacks.
Okamoto continued grumbling about how much effort it took to make, but I tuned him out.
"The effect is guaranteed, right?"
"Obviously. I made it. But... why do we need this? With this much gas, if a fire breaks out, the entire academy could burn to the ground."
"You’ll understand soon enough. Just keep it safe for now."
Okamoto looked like he wanted answers, but I had no intention of explaining anything yet.
'No way I’m letting him puff up with pride over this.'
Because this potion was the key to this quest.
Without it, not only would I fail—I’d be the one who ends up dead.
At the hands of the creature lurking in this abandoned school.
The so-called Divine Beast.
* * *
Okamoto and I cautiously advanced through the dark, abandoned school, scanning our surroundings.
Perhaps because this was the site of the infamous Tragedy of M, an unshakable sense of dread hung thick in the air.
"Uh...? I see a light over there."
Okamoto pointed toward the annex building.
A single, unusually bright light stood out amidst the surrounding darkness.
In a place where power had been cut off ages ago, this light was completely out of place.
"It's coming from a classroom on the first floor of the annex. Let's check it out."
"Uh, Professor... there's no chance this place is, you know, haunted, right?"
"That's not sothing you need to worry about. In fact, once we get there, you'll probably like what you see."
Okamoto looked curious, but I picked up the pace.
Truthfully, my earlier reassurance about the Abyssal Wave had been a bluff.
* * *
Ding—!
[ENP has increased to 11/180.]
[ENP has increased to 12/180.]
[ENP has increased to 13/180...]
Just breathing in Sector M, especially in this abandoned school, accumulates ENP.
If ENP reaches its limit and one's ntal strength is weakened, then—
‘Losing consciousness would be the least of my worries.’
If Okamoto found out, he'd drop everything and run—reward be damned.
I needed to finish this before he caught on.
* * *
Ding—!
[A side quest has arrived.]
[Offering of the Abandoned School]: Rumors say the Divine Beast "Mak" resides in the abandoned school of Sector M. Make an offering and receive your reward.
[Reward: Increased exam score.]
As we neared the lit classroom, a quest notification popped up.
It confird what I already knew.
‘Looks like we're in the right place.’
Inside this classroom lurked the Divine Beast, Mak.
I swung the door open.
"Whoa... What is this?"
Okamoto's jaw dropped as he took in the scene.
Not because there was anything extraordinary inside.
It was just... a completely normal classroom.
But unlike the rest of this dilapidated, decaying school, the desks, chairs, and equipnt inside were spotless and brand-new.
Almost like this room existed in another world entirely.
"How is this possible? Why is this classroom untouched?"
"It ans this place is prepared—a perfect setting for an event to unfold."
I glanced around.
Hanging above the chalkboard was a motto written: Excess is just as bad as deficiency.
A common phrase seen in classrooms—yet for so reason, this one stood out.
And below it, scrawled in white chalk, was an even stranger ssage:
—Those who offer blood in darkness shall receive their desires.
"Blood... in darkness? What the hell does that an?"
Okamoto frowned, staring at the writing.
Just then—
SLAM-!
One of the classroom windows flung itself open.
A gust of cold wind swept through the room.
Outside the window, there was only darkness—nothing else.
Even though the classroom lights were on, the outside world was pitch black.
"So, ‘darkness’ must an that window. If we offer blood there, the Divine Beast will appear."
"Got it... So what kind of blood—"
Okamoto trailed off, his expression shifting to uneasy realization.
Then, cautiously, he glanced at .
I said nothing—just looked at him.
"...Ugh."
With a miserable expression, Okamoto sighed and pulled out a small knife.
Then, wincing dramatically, he lightly sliced his fingertip.
"Ugh...! AARRRGH!"
It was barely a scratch—just a few drops of blood.
Yet, he scread as if he'd lost a whole hand.
Watching him, I couldn't help but wonder—
How the hell has this guy survived at this academy for so long?
"You... You have to help if sothing happens! Promise !"
Okamoto, on the verge of tears, begged for assurance of his safety.
I gave a small nod. Only then did he squeeze his eyes shut, stretch his bleeding hand toward the window, and hold it out into the darkness.
...
...
...
A minute passed.
Nothing.
No movent. No response from beyond the pitch-black window.
Okamoto glanced at —his expression a mix of confusion and relief.
"Nothing’s happening. Guess it really was just so dumb rumor."
But just as he was about to pull his hand back—
Sothing clamped down on it.
"AAAH! AAAAAARGH!"
Okamoto scread, trying to yank his hand free, but it was no use.
Sothing in the darkness had latched onto him—tight—and refused to let go.
‘So that’s Mak—the entity said to lurk in this abandoned school?’
I’d only ever heard rumors about it from other players.
This was my first ti seeing it.
No—not even seeing it.
Just feeling its presence—a massive shape stirring within the darkness.
"Haa... Haa...!"
At last, Okamoto managed to wrench his hand free and collapsed onto the floor, panting.
Cold sweat drenched his entire body, but the wound on his right hand—the one that had been bleeding—was now completely healed.
"How do you feel? Anything different?"
"I... I don’t know. I feel... maybe a little tired?"
Okamoto checked himself over, visibly relieved to find no obvious changes.
But I could tell.
Even if he hadn’t noticed it himself—part of his life force was gone.
* * *
BWOOOM—
A low wailing sound echoed from the darkness beyond the window.
Then, sothing huge erged from the shadows—a faint outline of an elephant’s trunk.
The massive trunk lowered itself into the classroom, releasing a single sheet of paper, before silently retreating back into the abyss.
"...What is this?"
Okamoto picked up the paper—his eyes widening in shock as he read it.
"This is... the exam answers! Tomorrow’s Alchemy Departnt test answers!"
His disbelief turned into a shout.
So, the rumors were true.
Mak accepted blood as an offering—and in return, it revealed exam answers to students.
"But... how is this even possible?! The academy locks up the test papers so securely—there’s no way for them to leak!"
"You don’t always need a leak to know the answers."
"Huh? What do you an by that?"
"We don’t have ti for this conversation. More importantly—get the potion you brought."
"The potion..."
Okamoto reached for his potion case—but hesitated.
His hand froze mid-air.
A deep, serious conflict flickered in his eyes.
I didn’t like that look.
It felt like he was about to make a very bad decision.
I gave him a warning, hoping—just maybe—he wouldn’t be that stupid.
"Daichi. Stop whatever you're thinking. Ask yourself—why is this classroom's motto ‘Excess is just as bad as deficiency’?"
"...Professor. But we’ve already co this far... Wouldn't it be a waste to leave with just one answer?"
Click.
He punched in the code to his potion case and imdiately grabbed a bottle.
But the potion he pulled out—
Wasn’t the special gas potion I had told him to bring.
The one in his hand—a clear liquid—reeked not of chemicals, but of sothing else.
Sothing intoxicating.
A substance that clouded the mind.
"Professor... I’m really sorry!"
If you're sorry, then don’t do it.
THWACK!
He threw the potion at .
The mont it shattered, the mysterious liquid evaporated into mist—engulfing in a thick haze.
‘This is... a sleeping potion?’
This was a potion favored by alchemists from the Alchemy Departnt on the battlefield.
Having been on the receiving end of it far too many tis, I instinctively covered my nose and mouth with my sleeve to avoid inhaling the fus.
That should be enough to keep from losing consciousness...
"...Huh?"
...or so I thought.
I was wrong.
This wasn’t just a sleeping potion.
I realized it too late—only when I felt my clothes hardening around .
Ding-!
[Your clothes have transford into tal armor.]
[Defense has increased temporarily, but movent is significantly restricted.]
"Well? What do you think of my last sester’s project—Elixir of Orichalcum Armor?"
Okamoto grinned.
"I originally designed it as a quick ergency potion—to turn regular fabric into armor in critical situations. But, turns out, it has a few... side effects."
It was a clever idea—instantly reinforcing ordinary clothes into armor.
But since the tal also covered the joints, making movent impossible, the potion never earned full marks.
Okamoto recounted this bitterly, but I was less annoyed and more genuinely impressed.
‘I can’t believe he actually transmuted regular cloth into orichalcum… I’ve never seen anything like this before.’
Even after 139 loops, I had never encountered a potion like this.
Guess he didn’t reach Masterclass Rank #4 for nothing.
‘Which makes it even harder to understand…’
With that kind of intellect, why did he have to be such an insufferable brat?
"You really think you’ll walk away from this unscathed?"
"Oh, co on, don’t be so mad! I just wanted to peek at a few exam answers ahead of ti. In the Masterclass, isn’t that just part of the ga? Don’t you agree?"
His eyes were already gone—distant, unfocused.
He pulled out a small knife, but this ti, instead of cutting a finger, he slashed his entire palm and thrust his bleeding hand toward the window.
"Divine Beast! Take my blood! I’ll offer as much as you want—just give more answers!"
"Snap out of it! Can’t you see?! This is just draining your life away."
"Life? What life?! You think I’m scared of so stupid superstition?"
Okamoto, completely deranged, desperately called out to the darkness, his blood dripping as he pleaded.
All this... for an exam answer.
This quest was dangerous for a reason.
BWOOOOOM—
Mak’s eerie wail echoed through the night once more.
And then—erging from the void—the massive elephant trunk appeared again, and this ti, it latched onto Okamoto’s hand.
"Ohh... Yes! Take as much as you want! As long as you keep spitting out those answer sheets, I don’t care how much—!"
His blood was sucked in instantly, and sure enough—the trunk regurgitated another sheet of paper.
Thud, thud, thud…
More and more exam answers fell to the ground.
Ecstatic, Okamoto offered up even more blood.
"Daichi! Stop! You’ll die at this rate!"
"Haa... Haa... Just a little... just a little more…!"
His mind was gone.
He was too far gone to even realize what was happening to his own body.
But I could tell.
As a blood demon, I could feel it—his life force was being drained at an alarming rate.
And then—when his life force had nearly hit rock bottom—
"...Huh?"
Okamoto let out a shaky breath as he tried to pull his hand back.
It was only then that he realized—
The trunk wasn’t letting go.
"N-No... Stop! Let go of !"
He struggled, thrashed, kicked—but he was too weak.
With his strength almost completely drained, even flailing was a challenge.
Slowly, the trunk began to wrap around his body—
And then, in one swift motion, it yanked him out the window.
"P-Professor! HELP ! P-Professor...!"
His final scream echoed into the darkness—
And then—
Silence.
The window slamd shut on its own.
No trace of Okamoto remained.
"...Idiot."
Greed always leads to ruin.
There’s a reason why this classroom’s motto is ‘Excess is just as bad as deficiency.’
Everyone who had entered this room was consud by their own insatiable greed.
"...Still."
Despite Okamoto’s disappearance, I didn’t feel particularly sad or troubled.
After all, he left behind the most important thing.
Right there on the classroom floor—
Okamoto Daichi’s prized possession.
His custom potion case.
[Translator - Helga ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
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