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Chapter 21 – Unexpected Situation (1)

Chapter 21 – Unexpected Situation (1)

All the Professors at the Cradle were veterans of their field. Not that they were old, but they were that good.

However, there was one thing even these Professors wanted to avoid.

“Ugh…”

“Mmm…”

-Nodding off

Despite their abilities and powers, they were still human.

In the afternoon, when the body was most weary, and particularly after lunch, drowsiness reached its peak. It was a commonly held belief that no skill could avert this inevitable wave of sleepiness.

“Hmm.”

Mr. Smith, standing at the podium, muttered to himself and scratched his head.

Of all times. It had to be the time of day that Cradle Professors wanted to avoid the most.

And it was the notoriously boring and tedious Monster Behavioral Studies class.

Usually, some students would be distracted or doze off. But if it happened right after lunch like now, there was no hope.

“Alright, everyone!”

-Clap clap!

But what could he do? He was the Professor, and they were the students. The ones who teach and the ones who learn. Everything was for the future.

“I know you’re all sleepy! So is your Professor! Originally, there was supposed to be a P.E. class after lunch! But what can we do? Let’s all try our best and focus on the lesson! Go, go!”

Mr. Smith wasn’t struggling alone. After all, they were supposed to be the protectors of the empire. Everyone was fighting.

Some pinched their cheeks or thighs. Others gulped down cold water. A few had already succumbed to sleep and were slumped over.

Meanwhile, some maintained bright eyes as if this level of drowsiness was bearable.

“…”

Among them was Deus, sitting at the very back.

‘It’s all because they lack stamina.’

Tsk tsk. He couldn’t help but click his tongue. Were these really the protectors of the empire’s future?

If they couldn’t even overcome sleepiness, how could they fight monsters?

Wasn’t this something that could be conquered with sheer willpower?

He thought, despite having dozed off himself in the past. Shaking his head, Deus turned to the side.

“…”

There, he saw Yurishia struggling with sleepiness.

To be precise, she was on the verge of defeat. Her head kept nodding. Watching her for a moment, Deus reached out and tapped on the desk. As gently as possible, so as not to startle Yurishia.

-Tap tap!

Of course, that didn’t mean the sound was quiet.

“Huh?!”

Startled, Yurishia quickly raised her head. Then she looked around, probably thinking the Professor had given her a warning.

“Yurishia.”

Deus waved his hand slightly, lest she be further surprised. He was the one who woke her up, so there was no need to be alarmed.

“Ah…!”

At first, she was relieved it wasn’t the Professor.

Following that, gratitude to Deus for looking out for her. And finally, embarrassment at showing such a side of herself in front of him.

‘Ugh…’

Yurishia’s face instantly flushed as pink as her hair. If this were a cartoon, wouldn’t hot steam be coming out of her ears with a ‘Pshhh!’ sound?

“Next, we’ll look at the Dark-type monsters. These guys love dark places even more than other monsters. But they’re definitely not weak to light. In fact, many Luminance ability users have had a hard time with them. Their behavior is…”

Deus thought as he took notes on the lesson, realizing there were strategies to deal with monsters, not just brute force.

Well, that would explain the variety of abilities. There were strengths and weaknesses, and they needed to work in harmony to complement each other. If one side was too strong, the balance would be broken and eventually lead to a big problem.

‘There are quite a variety of monsters. Different behaviors too. They’re not just simple combat power gauges. Are these guys going to be the main villains?’

How could he adapt to this world more perfectly? Finding a way back was important, but it was too early. For now, he needed to find his place here and live.

First of all, this world wasn’t your average academy story. There were Gates and monsters, just like in the apocalypse stories he used to read. The only difference was that the atmosphere wasn’t as extremely gloomy as in [The Gate Opened on the First Day of the Mercenary Group].

‘In that story, monsters were the main threat at first, but then other villains and even stronger beings started appearing, I guess?’

Monsters were literally ‘monsters,’ so it was easy to recognize them as enemies. But with humans, it was hard to tell them apart unless you could read their minds. He was relieved that there didn’t seem to be such people in this world.

“Deus?”

No matter how much he thought about it, the best way to survive in this world was to be a person with special abilities.

The fact that he had trained like crazy due to a genre misunderstanding turned out to be a huge advantage.

If he could make a name for himself through that, he’d soon be able to shed this foreigner label!

“Deus…?”

Ah, it seems he let his imagination run a little too wild.

“Oh, Yurishia. Did you call me?”

“Yeah. Class is over, but… you were just staring blankly ahead.”

What? Was class already over? Wait, when did that happen?

He looked around in a daze, and it really was break time. He had been so lost in thought.

“D-Did something happen?”

“Something did happen. It’s just…”

[Attention, all Cradle students. Gate alert. Gate alert. This is not a drill. We repeat. Gate alert. Gate alert. This is…]

“Something did happen…”

He felt a bit wronged. What if something really did happen? And a Gate alert? Wasn’t that a big deal?

“Everyone, attention! Atteeeention!”

Mr. Smith, who had just left the classroom with a farewell, rushed back in. He slammed his hand on the desk and shouted, ‘Don’t panic, kids! Don’t panic!’ Let’s just forget that he seemed to be the most panicked one.

“This is a real situation! Not a drill! Everyone out of the building! You all know, right?! If a Gate is generated near the building, it could collapse and cause a big problem!”

“Even with the barrier protecting us?”

“If that were possible, Barrier users would be the top ability users! Everyone, out now! Quickly! Follow the instructions of your Professors, Cradle staff, and the student council!”

A Gate. Monsters. Ah, he suddenly became curious about what they looked like.

“Deus! L-Let’s go…!”

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s go.”

Following the tense Yurishia, Deus thought to himself.

***

It finally came. Mr. Hunter, the Professor pushed up his slipping sunglasses.

They said they were doing their best in the repair room. They also said they had some materials in stock. They said it would take about a week to repair and get it working again.

But as with all things in life, accidents always happen at the worst times. And it had to be during his shift.

‘I’m not really up for fieldwork anymore.’

The lifespan of ability users wasn’t very long. Not their actual lifespan, but the lifespan of their Special abilities.

Using Special abilities inevitably puts a strain on the body. Therefore, the time they could be active in the field was limited. Most were already set for retirement in their late 30s or early 40s.

Those who had been rougher on their bodies in the field struggled even in their early 30s.

“Ugh.”

He wasn’t completely washed up, but he wasn’t as spry as he was in his 20s either. So, just in case, he did some light stretches. A bad back could end a man’s life, right?

Fortunately, his body seemed to have returned to its prime. It moved well without any aches or creaks.

-Rumble!

Space distorted, and a pitch-black abyss opened its maw. The stench of death wafted from beyond, utterly repulsive.

Decades ago, this was called the end of the world.

Back then, the truth about abilities and the existence of ability users were unknown. At best, sword energy or magic was all that could resist it.

How many sacrifices were made before humanity was finally ready?

Because everyone remembers those times, the current ability users take their duties seriously. This was a right and a gift, but also a shackle and a destiny.

-Screech!!

The monsters that had harmed countless people in the past roared once again. In there, they were the masters, the sole beings, the strong. They were nightmares, eager to spread their malice into this world without restraint.

“Professor Hunter!”

“Ah, you’re here, Professor Tiamat. How’s the evacuation going?”

“It’s going well! I left it in their hands and came here!”

That was good news. The students weren’t ready yet.

It wasn’t that they didn’t trust their abilities. They needed a stronger resolve. This was a battle against monsters, and at the same time, a battle against themselves.

“How is it?”

“Hmm. Fortunately, it doesn’t seem to be a high-risk Gate.”

“That’s a relief! We don’t want the whole area to be damaged!”

“Let’s wrap this up quickly. I have a class after this.”

Even though they couldn’t display the same power as before.

They were still ability users. Guardians who protected the empire from disaster.

Even as their bodies weakened and they aged, that fact remained unchanged.

“Shall we have a contest?! Let’s see who can catch more!”

“Alright.”

Professor Hunter took off his sunglasses and quietly placed them aside.

His nickname, given by the students, was Deer Eyes. True to its name, his eyes were gentle.

But within them was a clear animosity towards the disaster.

“The loser buys dinner tonight.”

“I definitely want meat?! The most expensive kind!!”

“But in the end, it’s always pork belly and soju, isn’t it?”

“Sometimes we have somaek too?!”

“…Suit yourself.”

The two Professors of the Cradle ran straight towards the manifested Gate.

Completely unaware of what awaited them in the depths of the abyss.