Chapter 427: Trust and tests (6)

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I didn’t explain the ‘special condition’ regarding Ahn Dain, but all the student association members didn’t question further.

They might not be aware of exactly what it is, but since all of them are excellent players, they must have an idea of why I asked Ahn Dain to be away.

The air around her seemed different.

People who don’t spend much time with Ahn Dain might think it’s because of her influence, charisma, or energy waves.

However, her aura is certainly of a protagonist and heroine, and her physical constitution is unique.

‘We’ll be safe with Ahn Dain here. Maybe we’d feel the poison more if we’re away from her.’

I don’t know about the Dragon Clan descendant Yeom Junyeol and the self-healer Kwak Gyungu, but Ji Myungsoo should be especially careful.

‘…And Yoo Sanghoon too.’

As if he sensed my worry, Yeom Junyeol responded eagerly.

“Alright, we’ll be careful. It’s been a long time since you’ve last suggested something, so I won’t let you down. Is there anything we more we should be mindful of?”

I was relieved to tell my student of more things to be cautious of.

After speaking with the student association members, I reunited with Yoo Sanghoon.

He was wearing the crow mask and protective gear that I gave him, and his appearance was quite unfamiliar to me.

He suddenly said something that tells me that he might’ve been listening to us all this time.

“You have a similar power to our class president.”

I see Yoo Sanghoon also realized things about the special condition with Ahn Dain.

This guy must’ve been like this all this time — thinking about everything deeply without saying a word.

His keen gaze dug deep into me again.

“You covered your face with a mask and some protective gear, but I feel like I’ve seen you before…”

Was it a mistake to choose a person who Yoo Sanghoon knows?

But this character is the best choice since I’m already using Ahn Dain’s power through the Fate of the Unknown.

Sensing that I had no intention to answer, Yoo Sanghoon urged us.

“Let’s go.”

“Okay.”

The quick-witted Yoo Sanghoon didn’t ask any further.

Inside TC Research Institute, it was completely silent after Do Wonwoo overpowered the whole place.

It was a silence that made us hold our breath.

“…It’s cold.”

After a while when we started heading underground, Yoo Sanghoon spoke again.

Ahn Dain’s Peculiar Constitution can counter poison, but it can’t drive away the cold.

I spoke to Yoo Sanghoon with the hopes of him retreating now.

“You can go back now.”

“No.”

As expected, he didn’t fall for it.

Yoo Sanghoon grumbled, pulling his protective gear closer and shutting his mouth.

The conversation resumed when I stopped walking for a moment.

We stood in front of an opaque door that had an “Authorized Personnel Only” sign.

It didn’t look operational at first glance because the electricity was off, but I saw an energy wave input panel disguised as a part of the wall.

“Is this the entrance?”

“According to the map, yeah.”

“What are you going to do?”

Based on the information sent by Cheon Dongha, this door opens when it senses certain energy waves.

The student association members and I don’t have access here of course, so it won’t open even if we let off energy waves.

So I’m going to use my powers to solve this.

“…A UR Item card!”

Yoo Sanghoon was flabbergasted when he saw the color of the item card that I took out.

This weapon is one of the strongest that I have.

Fwaaa!

After releasing energy waves, a nine-pronged pitchfork appeared.

Different from when I first held it, the black teeth of the Sangbosimgeumpa were shining.

As if it knew where I’m going to use it.

“Stay back.”

As soon as Yoo Sanghoon took a step back behind me, I launched energy waves.

My Use Objects skill level is 6.

It was time to show what that looks like.

Kwaa! Kwaaang!

A branch of the Sangbosimgeumpa penetrated the door and shook the closed hallway.

The sound felt more intense because we were in a closed area.

As the debris and dust clouds subsided, I saw what was beyond the door.

‘Using Sangbosimgeumpa after my light skill and Fate of the Unknown card… my energy wave is exhausted.’

It feels like the teeth of the Sangbosimgeumpa directly scratched at my energy waves.

Jogangryeob naturally came to mind.

He already lost his weapon, but his energy wave and presence cannot be ignored.

He’s the enemy of heaven so we could expect that much.

‘I can’t show my weakness.’

I put back the Sangbosimgeumpa as I pretended to be calm, and Yoo Sanghoon soon approached and exclaimed.

“Wow, that’s amazing. I think your skill level is higher than when you battled Bang Yoonseob.”

Yoo Sanghoon seemed to be closely monitoring me.

“We’re gonna head down now? I can’t see anything though.”

I couldn’t see well too, but it won’t be a problem.

I don’t have the leisure to use Cheon Dongha’s light skill, but I remember the map that he sent.

And I have an eye that I can borrow from the tigers.

Fwaaa!

When energy waves reached my eyes, I saw what was first not visible.

Compared to when using the glare skill in well-lit places, it feels like my vision got wider.

I pointed somewhere buried in the wreckage of the broken door.

“This way.”

“…You got everything.”

Yoo Sanghoon said something close to a compliment.

A few moments after heading underground…

Kwaaang!

We heard an energy wave explosion from a distance.

It wasn’t in the direction where the student association members were.

“Do Wonwoo…!”

Being somewhat of a childhood friend of Do Wonwoo, Yoo Sanghoon recognized his strong energy waves.

It seemed like he was in a situation where he was forced to use his light skill Iron Chains.

Based on the direction of the energy waves, it seems like Do Wonwoo moved a different route from what I expected.

‘Do Wonwoo wants to destroy the Superior Being Artificial Descent Project right away!’

There are several reasons why Do Wonwoo came here.

However, considering the timing of events, I’m sure he would head straight to the laboratory.

‘…Don’t tell me he didn’t figure it out?’

There were certain variables, but what needed to be done doesn’t change.

Maybe the student association members would come to Do Wonwoo after sensing his energy waves.

“…What’s going on?”

We followed Do Wonwoo’s energy waves and ended up in an underground place decorated like a botanical garden.

Seeing the scene, Yoo Sanghoon frowned.

Plants that bloom vividly in a cold place that can harden one’s fingertips are not normal.

The purple plants seemed to emit a more powerful energy poison when they sensed intruders.

And aside from that poison, we have enemies to worry about.

Screeech!

Yoo Sanghoon clenched his fists and stifled his presence.

It wasn’t enemies that we should be worried about.

‘The student association members will take care of those enemies. All that we have to do is…’

At a distance, we saw Do Wonwoo speaking with someone who seemed to be dressed in a robe.

As if he had no intention to run away in this desperate crisis, DO Wonwoo stared straight ahead and prepared for contact.

He already consumed most of his energy waves, and his supporter is already fainter than usual.

His fingertips were shaking.

I couldn’t watch any further so I jumped in.

Hwik!

Yoo Sanghoon and I intervened, making the robed royal lineage jump back.

Do Wonwoo seemed taken aback by the sudden entrance of an unidentified man in a crow mask, but he seemed to recognize Yoo Sanghoon.

Yoo Sanghoon spoke to him.

“…We’re not the only ones here.”

The student association members arrived on cue.

Bang! Bang bang!

Keeee!

Fwaaa!

Enemies flew into the air as they were overpowered by Ji Myungsoo’s light skill, Kwak Gyungu’s dual swords, and Ahn Dain’s energy gun.

And it wasn’t just enemies.

The underground botanical garden full of poisonous plants was purified by the flames of Hongryong and Ahn Dain’s Peculiar Constitution

.

“…”

Did Do Wonwoo really plan to solve everything on his own?

He stared at us as if he was looking at a mirage.

“I see the TC young master’s friends are here.”

It looked like the robed royal lineage was still at ease.

He was confident that his authority is still unquestioned.

There were purple seeds of energy wave floating around him, and considering its shape and the quality of the energy wave around them, the seeds were surely Seeds of Curse.

‘Those seeds… It’s clear that this demon is related to Avaritia’s Priest.’

He’s not a demon high-ranking enough to receive Avaritia’s mark on his robe, but he was entrusted by the priest to hold Seeds of Curse.

I stared at the demon over my mask.

After a short thought, the demon aimed seeds at Do Wonwoo.

“I’d better reduce the number first. There could be survivors, but well, I’ll deal with the weak ones first.”

…He ignored the crow mask and aimed for Do Wonwoo?

The test I put out ended with an unexpected result.

‘He doesn’t know that I can use Spiritual Word?’

During the sports exchange match, the one who defeated Avaritia’s priest was a man in a crow mask.

Avaritia’s priest would’ve delivered what he saw through the altar.

‘Is someone withholding information among their ranks?’

A non-demon who’s working for this lab.

But I have no clues.

If this demon before us has no information, then there’s no need to drag more time.

“…Why aren’t you affected by poison?”

The demon must’ve been waiting for us to be poisoned by the seeds and plants while he talked o us.

While the demon was confused, I decided to activate my skill.

The character I chose with my Player Identity skill was Jegal.

Fwaaa…!

“Impossible…!”

“…Professor Jegal?”

I heard shocked voices from Yoo Sanghoon and Do Wonwoo.

The demon’s eyes widened, but I was already writing letters in the air through Jegal’s power.

With each letter that I wrote, the demon’s body became bound tighter and tighter.

As he struggled, the demon took out what seemed to be an order sheet hidden in his hand.

He tore the sheet faster than I could write the next letter.

Fwaaaat!

Three lines were engraved on the sheet.

Energy waves shot out from the three like sharp arrows.

“From here on, an otherworld will open!”

As soon as the demon finished his words, alarms from our devices began to sound.

— Beep!

It was an otherworld alert from the Player SAT-K.

It detected the three frozen-type otherworlds that the Demon Race placed around the TC Research Institute.

However…

“And we’ll attack those otherworlds soon.”

The variables are all set in the table.

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