Volume 11 - CH 3

Chapter 3: The Black Robes in the Dorm

Location: Atlantis  Time: 6:50 AM

An ill-fated encounter…

It was all just an ill-fated encounter!

Why is it that I still have to run back to the school early in the morning when I’m already on winter vacation and had returned home!?

It was all because of that inexplicable female ghost. Even the gum-selling Little Red Riding Hood, who didn’t do anything to me, had actually started haunting me for real; just what did I do to deserve this?

After crashing into the train early in the morning, I arrived at the school.

I stood at the entrance looking at the school. I don’t know if it’s my misconception or something, but I kept feeling that the school seemed a little weird. It looked somewhat different, and yet also seemed like nothing had changed.

The surroundings were quiet, and not even a bit of wind could be heard.

This situation suddenly made me feel a little creeped out. It felt as if something would happen to me if I entered the school right now.

“Chu Ming Yang!”

“Waah!” All of a sudden, someone silently patted my shoulder from behind, and after being scared out of my skin, I jumped to the side.

Turning my head, I saw a pile of black hair.

“It’s already winter break. Why did you run back to the school?” That pile of black hair…correction, the glasses-wearing black cactus, who for some reason appeared behind me, withdrew his hand, smiling eerily. It really felt as if something had appeared behind you, and was even holding a kitchen knife as it smiled at you.

“I, I came back to get my phone. I forgot it in the dorm, so I wanted to quickly come back and get it.” I swallowed, and slightly took a few steps back.

Although Julian and the five-colored rooster head are brothers produced from the same factory, he always gave me a creepy feeling every time, like a laugh in the middle of the night coming from the uninhabited house next door, causing me to feel a bit scared.

Coldly laughing twice, his glasses that were worn in front of his hair faced me, “It’s a good thing you came back now. If you came after we started reconstructing the barrier, there would be no need for you to get your phone back.” Saying that, he took the lead in heading toward the school, and I hurriedly followed behind him.

To be honest, the school currently gave me a strange feeling. Having one weird person walking with me is still much better than not even having half a weird person walking with me.

“Isn’t Mr. Julian part of the medical team? Why did you also run back to the school?” Because I didn’t know how to address this person, and at the very least, I couldn’t just copy what the five-colored rooster head calls him, so I used Yido’s form of address for him.

I remember that he doesn’t seem to be a member of the health care center at the school, and instead belonged to the medical unit outside of school.

“Hehehehehe…Since I’m a black robe, the school invited me to come help with the reconstruction of the dorm’s barrier.”

Black, black robe?

“You’re not part of the medical team?” I was stunned for a moment, and directly asked about my doubt.

Julian turned his head, and his shiny glasses faced me, “Prince Icy Flane didn’t tell you?” He curved into a strange cold smile, “I’m a double robe level.”

Wait a minute! A double robe level?

Among the people I know, there’s only one guy who I know is also a double robe level. That person is Andellar, the Ghost King’s first expert.

I was shocked as I looked at this person in front of me, who hasn’t worn even a single robe before.

“Following the foremost former leader of the medical team, Andellar, I am the second double robe level. Not bad, huh?” Clearly very satisfied with my astonishment, Julian revealed a big smile.

“But, but isn’t the medical team only for the Phoenix Clan…” I was already starting to ramble a little.

Double robe level…The five-colored rooster head’s older brother was actually a double robe level!

How is it possible?

Which means that the five-colored rooster isn’t a multicolored chicken but a Phoenix?

“Ziray and I are born from different mothers. My mother is a member of the Phoenix Clan.” He continued to smile strangely, then explained to me in simple terms, “At that time, when I was taking the exam for black robes, the medical team just happened to be recruiting people. Because the Phoenix Clan didn’t have a lot of people and there were vacancies, after the Guild coordinated, they made an exception and gave me double robe level status. Very interesting, right?”

He is half Phoenix?

I suddenly thought of Andellar; could it be that the face-changing person actually has half Phoenix blood too?

“But I heard that the Phoenix Clan doesn’t have any records of that double robe level named Andellar. Clearly he’s not a member of the Phoenix Clan. I don’t know where he came from. At the beginning, the medical team wasn’t as strict as it is now, only accepting members of the Phoenix Clan. Instead, all you needed to have was good healing techniques and that’ll be all.” Julian shrugged and glanced at me, “Looks like you’re very interested in this. If you want to know more, go ask Prince Icy Flame. He’ll definitely have more information than me.”

How would I dare to go ask Senior? I’ll definitely be K-ed till my head is full of lumps.

“In fact, if Prince Icy Flame was interested, he could also get a double robe level. There’s probably no one in the intelligence team who knows more than him.”

Intelligence team…If Senior goes and gets a red robe, he’d probably die from overwork, I guess? Because seeing how he’s often working as a black robe, he barely has any time to rest already.

Speaking of which, would someone like Senior really die just from overwork?

He gave me the sense of having an even stronger vitality than a cockroach.

After walking for not long, the Black Dorm appeared before our eyes.

To be honest, it’s not often that I stand at the entrance sizing up the Black Dorm. Coming back this time, I stood in front of it. After carefully looking for a while, the Black Dorm only gave me one conclusion—

Sure enough, it really does resemble a haunted house.

After entering the Black Dorm through the entrance, I first froze.

Then the people inside froze too.

There were several people standing or sitting inside. Most of them can be considered people I know. A couple are familiar faces, such as Senior, senior Randall and Restua.

“Chu?” Senior, who was sitting on the sofa flipping through a book, suddenly stood up as if surprised at seeing me appear here all of a sudden, “Why did you run back here?”

The several people who were originally in the hall also turned their heads to look at me.

“That…I forgot my phone in my room, so I came back to get it.” Being simultaneously stared at by several black robes made my hair stand, “Aih…I didn’t disturb you guys, right?”

“No, but if you came a bit later, you really would have disturbed us.” Randall smiled very arrogantly, but unlike usually, I actually didn’t see that butler by his side today, “We’ll start removing the old barrier at eight.”

I glanced at my watch. It was only seven o’clock, thankfully.

“However, there’s nothing particularly special about it. It’s just ordinary reconstruction and won’t impact anything.” Another black robe that I didn’t recognize shrugged. He looks a bit older, with short brown hair and blue eyes, about twenty years old. He’s probably also an administrative staff or something, right?

Speaking of the administrative staff, how come I didn’t see Andy?

“Andy went to help with the reconstruction of the school barrier and was assigned to another group.” Senior told me, then put the book in his hands on the nearby table, “Chu, since you’re already here, do you want to watch and learn about a large-scale barrier reconstruction along the way? This sort of opportunity is very hard to come by.”

Me, me?

“The average student wouldn’t have the opportunity to witness one.” Standing behind me, Julian smiled eerily, immediately causing me to completely break out in goosebumps as I jumped aside.

“There’s, there’s no need for that…Haha…I just came to get my cellphone.” Once I get it, I’ll go home. Really, I’ll definitely go home at once without staying even for a second.

Senior glanced at me, “Just now when you came through the entrance, you didn’t feel anything strange at all?”

His question suddenly wandered off to the horizon.

Something strange about the entrance? I did notice that…But when I walked in with Julian, I didn’t feel that there was anything wrong with it, so I didn’t reflect on it.

“Because we’ll start removing the old barrier today, after the old barrier is removed, we must wait a day before reconstructing the barrier. Therefore a defense network has been set up at the outer layer of the campus. Generally, if you’re not affiliated with this, you shouldn’t be able to enter and leave the campus area.” Standing nearby, Restua kindly explained to me.

So that’s how it is…Wait a minute, there’s a defense network set up outside?

Then may I ask how I got in!?

I immediately turned my head, and saw an invisible arrow flashing as it pointed to the glasses-wearing black cactus’s head.

Turns out he’s the culprit!

To actually not tell me this!

“Then, then after I get my phone, I’ll leave right away. That way, there shouldn’t be any problems, right…” Aren’t they starting at eight? I still have time to rush upstairs, run back down, and escape!

“Such a pity, you really don’t want to stay behind and watch?” That unfamiliar black robe told me.

I do really want to watch, but I keep feeling that that wouldn’t be too good.

“Dallow, stop forcing him.” Senior Randall glanced at his companion and said.

“Chu Míng Yang, if you want to stay and watch, you have to stay here for three days or so. You should consider whether you want to.” Walking past me, Julian sat down on the armrest next to the sofa.

That…Is it really alright for me to watch?

Since it’s said to be a very hard-to-come-by scene, of course I would want to watch it, but I’m also afraid that my bad luck will once again make an ordinary task more complicated.

That’s right, and I still need to tell Senior about the female ghost!

“What female ghost?” Senior narrowed his eyes, his red eyes looking straight at me.

“It’s, it’s just that when I returned home yesterday…” Under the bright, wide eyes of a group of black robes, I timidly gave a rough description of the matter with the female ghost.

Right after I finished speaking, the scene became deathly silent as if some murder case had occurred.

One second…

Two seconds…

Three seconds…

“Pfft!”

“Hahahahahahahahahahaha!”

Sure enough, it was exactly as I expected; after three seconds, the entire room of black robes were laughing. Even Restua had turned his face to the other side, and his shoulders were even suspiciously shaking!

It, it’s just that I don’t know how to handle that kind of thing!

“Proposal one: destroy her.” Senior Randall gave a very unrealistic answer.

“Proposal two: find her corpse and study why she would hate that person so much, especially since we can still get information from the corpse…” I automatically omitted the glasses-wearing black cactus’s nonsense about the corpse.

“Proposal three: ask her to rest in peace.” If I could do that, then I would’ve done it already, unfamiliar black robe Dallow dude!

“Proposal four: knock yourself out and forget about it.”

Raising my head, I saw Senior’s cold smile. Woo…I just really don’t know how to handle it…

“So I want to ask Senior to help me think of an idea. Otherwise I’ll be in big trouble if she really does go to my house.” And I also don’t want to actually blast someone’s spirit into pieces. That feels very weird, really very weird.

“Oh? Is it commissioned work?” Red eyes looked over, a bit lazily, causing me to get a bad feeling right away, “How much money are you offering?”

I saw two words on Senior’s face—sky-high price.

…I understand, I shouldn’t have come with the intention of asking Senior for help, but, but is there any room for me to bargain?

“Icy Flame, stop teasing him. This sort of situation doesn’t even reach the charging standards.” The unfamiliar black robe, brother Dallow righteously said.

It actually doesn’t even reach your charging standards…I just don’t have a way to handle this!

Senior shrugged, turning around to look at, “If you want me to help you, you’ll have to wait three days. Starting from now till the barrier reconstruction is complete, I won’t be able to leave this place.”

Then that means I really do have to stay in the dorm for three days?

I suddenly heard the sound of the life of my peaceful winter vacation shattering into pieces.

“We’ll start stabilizing the barrier three days before that. After it’s fully fixed, it’ll take about half a month. During that time, the black robes only need to take turns to come over and inspect the situation each day.” Restua smilingly told me, “So the most you’ll have to wait is three days.”

“Nn, I understand.” I nodded. In short, I still need to wait three days if I want to seek Senior’s help.

“You can just watch the reconstruction for three days to pass the time here.” The unfamiliar black robe, brother Dallow turned his head, and very kindly told me.

Since it’s already been decided, then first I have something I must do, or else I’d be beaten to death.

I have to call home first!

“You better scram back home before we go on vacation!”

Above, is what my sister said through the phone.

After hanging up, as soon as I raised my head, I saw that Senior was already standing in the doorway of my room.

“That…Do I need to help out right now?” After thinking back and forth, I had no idea what I should say, and could only randomly pick a conversation topic. Then I realized what I asked was very rotten, because someone like me can only make things worse by helping.

“You can do whatever you want.” Senior threw a sentence over.

“Oh.”

I know what I should do, and that is to do nothing and just obediently wait.

“Give me it.” Senior stretched his hand toward me.

“Give what? I’m sorry, I don’t have that power to hear other people’s thoughts.

Red eyes glared at me, “Gasai’s talisman. If you could even bump into something like a female ghost, then that means it’s not good enough. I’ll help you strengthen it first.”

“Ah hahahaha…” Should I say that it was actually because I forgot to bring it along that the female ghost was able to haunt me?

…I’m done for! I forgot that Senior can eavesdrop again!

Before I could even dodge, with a “pa,” the back of my head was smacked hard enough to turn my vision black.

“That, that, Senior…Mr. Julian is also a double robe level?” In order to not let him continue setting the score, I hastily changed the subject.

“Julian? He told you?” Senior turned his head and coldly snorted.

“Oh, just now he told me.” In fact, he only mentioned that he was a double robe level and didn’t say anything else.

“That’s right, he is a double robe, due to his bloodline.” Senior leaned against the door and lazily told me, “He’s different from Andellar. At that time, it was because the Guild’s system was incomplete, and because his medical skills stood out among the black robes that Andellar was able to take over the medical team and become a double robe level.”

Aih? Turns out the past robe levels were still incomplete.

But I still don’t really understand. The face-changing person clearly had such a high position, so why would he still go to help and dedicate his life to the Ghost King?

“Sometimes position doesn’t mean everything. Until it’s confirmed, we have no way of guessing why he would do so either.” Senior’s voice was rather low, as if he was talking to himself, and also as if he was saying this for me to hear.

I still don’t really get it.

Why would the face-changing person want to do something so dangerous?

I guess I’d probably never know. Unless someday he’s in a good mood and is willing to tell me this himself, but that sort of thing shouldn’t be so likely to happen.

“Then…”

Just when Senior seemed like he was about to say something, a shout suddenly came from the staircase outside.

“Icy Flame! It’s time!”

I glanced at my watch. It just happened to be eight o’clock.

“Alright.” Senior turned his head and left my room.

Then, then where am I supposed to go?

Looking around, I keep feeling that I might not be allowed to stay in my room, so I also ran out after him.

Reaching the hall, pretty much everyone from just now were already present. The tables, chairs, decorations and whatnot in the hall had all been moved away. It was so empty that even the carpet was gone. Underneath was just a white marble floor.

“Chu Ming Yang, your spot is over there. Don’t move around.” Before I could walk downstairs, Julian immediately told me to stand still, “Later we’re drawing an array below.”

I instantly stood at attention at the same place and didn’t dare to move.

“Here.” Randall tossed a bright object for Senior to catch.

Looking over from the direction where I stood, I saw something that looked like a crystal in Senior’s hand, a black crystal, but I felt like that wasn’t it either. It was a little see-through with a slightly golden-black light.

Holding that thing, Senior began to draw an array on the huge white floor.

Just like what I had seen before, it was neat and beautiful as if it was drawn by a machine; it was round, without even a corner or line out of place. Incantation patterns were continuously stacked up on it, slowly covering the entire floor of the hall.

He drew quickly, as if he was just copying it. It didn’t take long before he drew an array design on the whole floor.

“Catch.” After adding the last word on it, Senior stood up and threw the black crystal that didn’t shrink at all back to Randall, “The large elemental counterbalance array, everyone should stand according to your own position and not move around.”

“We know already, Icy Flame XiaoDi*.” Julian fanned himself and walked over to one of the corner figures.

[T/N: Little brother, dude, someone younger than you]

I looked at the four empty spots. They probably need four people to stand there. Julian stood in one of the spots and stayed there without moving.

After the four black robes stood at their four respective positions, Restua slowly walked to the center of the large array.

The black array on the floor suddenly emitted faint golden lights. Bit by bit, they floated up like fireflies. Several light specks passed by me and flew straight to the ceiling. The entire hall was illuminated until everything was shining.

Restua stretched out a hand. A totem that I couldn’t understand was drawn on his palm, but it felt as if it was in the same group as the array on the ground, because they were somewhat similar.

“The element of water’s position, Julian Rogeria; the element of fire’s position, Icy Flame; the element of wind’s position, Dallow Shirey; the element of earth’s position, Misia D. Randall, and the inversion of darkness, Restua Laurin, will reconstruct the Black Dorm’s barrier. I call upon the keys to fall into place and split apart, banning outsiders from entering.”

Then, an intense black light came from the array.

That light.

I found that I’ve seen that mystical light a lot lately.

After that light disappeared, I gasped, because the entire Black Dorm’s floor was gone. Below was an endless black abyss, and everyone had stepped onto the array. It looked a little frightening, as if they could fall off at any time.

This reminded me of the competition last time, when I seemed to have stepped on something similar, and it actually collapsed.

Senior took the lead to stretch his hand out, “The key of war fire in the Black Dorm, please temporarily reside in my hand.” From the bottom that was darkness, darkness, and still darkness, an unknown thing suddenly leaped up. At the same time that it appeared on the ground, a flame followed, then whirled, slowly turning into a round object that fell in Senior’s hand.

“The key of earth defense in the Black Dorm, please temporarily reside in my hand.” Randall followed suit as he stretched out his hand, and likewise, a black, round, shiny object popped out from the bottom, and slowly stopped on his hand.

The other two each called scythe wind and royal water, two bright round orbs, to their hands as well.

The black array floating in the air slowly rotated.

To be honest, just by standing above and watching, I’m starting to have a feeling of…motion sickness.

I regret it now. In fact, I should have sat on the stairs first and slowly watch. Currently standing straight gave me a feeling that was very similar to motion sickness and being about to fall down the stairs. Hastily grabbing the handrail next to me, I gulped. If I fall down now, even if I don’t die, I’ll probably be half dead.

If I’m lucky, I’ll fall to the ground without dying, but I’d still be beaten half dead by Senior.

Restua stood at the same place. A slightly silver thing landed in his hand.

Then his voice and language changed. I couldn’t understand it, but it sounds like he should be chanting some kind of spell. It didn’t take long till it immediately made me feel drowsy and want to sleep.

“Don’t fall asleep oh. You’ll die if you sleep.”

A kind-hearted person beside me shook me awake.

“Oh, oh, thank you.” I hurriedly opened my eyes. Thank goodness I didn’t fall asleep.

…

That’s not right, I remember that I was the only one on the stairs…

Turning my head, I almost screamed.

At some point, the screaming portrait had been “sitting” beside me, and with a “kuang,” she straightforwardly used the corner of her frame to smack my head, causing my scream to turn into a silent whimper on the spot. My head that was hit was aching all over, and I suspect that it was definitely swollen.

In addition to that painting, I also saw many things that shouldn’t be on the stairs appear on the stairs watching the show.

This is an illusion…These are all an illusion.

In fact, just now I was blinded by the array’s light until I was seeing things. As loon as I don’t look back, I won’t see those weird illusions.

Nn, I’ve decided that humans should look forward and not look back.

So I turned my head, very focused as I continued to look at the hall ahead.

Standing in the center of the array, Restua suddenly put his hand down.

I saw the floor quickly restoring to its original state. The only thing left was the black array, as it slowly rotated until it stopped.

Is that all?

Just when I completely couldn’t understand what happened, all the black robes standing on the four sides abruptly fell to the ground on one knee with a knocking sound. The sound was so loud, echoing throughout the entire hall, that there was a suspicion of their knees being broken.

Wait a minute, that’s not the problem here.

Without even thinking, I directly rushed downstairs, “Are you guys alright?” The second my foot touched the floor, I almost cried out, before pulling my foot back.

The floor is burning hot!

The hell! Why is the floor hot!?

“Chu! Don’t come down yet!” Senior shouted from a distance, and I immediately took another two steps back.

Is there really no problem?

Looking at those four black robes, I was a bit worried.

After who knows how long later, the array on the floor slowly faded away.  The few people who were originally kneeling on the ground unsteadily stood up.

Standing in the middle, Restua was the first to step away, quickly running to the side to support Senior who seemed like he was about to collapse again, then turning his head toward me to say: “Student Chu, please help the others too.”

I saw that Nile had already appeared by Randall’s side supporting him up at some point, and Julian was leaning against the wall on the side. So, I directly ran down the stairs to help Dallow, who was about to fall down.

The floor wasn’t hot anymore. However, the moment I touched Dallow, I was stunned. The temperature transmitted to my palm was very low. He was breathing rapidly and looked very uncomfortable.

“Please help everyone return to their own rooms to rest first.” Restua told me. Of everyone here, he seemed to be the only one who hadn’t been affected at all, “

“The four elemental keys of the Black Dorm’s barrier base are now residing in their bodies. Because the keys’ power are rather strong, it can cause severe discomfort for a short time. Let them quietly rest for a while and they’ll be alright.”

I looked at Senior, who was leaning on Restua. He didn’t look that good, and could only be supported by Restua up the stairs.

Dallow, who was being supported by me, didn’t look that good either. After asking him the direction of his room, I dragged the person up a few steps, stopped, and turned my head to look at Julian, who was still standing at his original spot.

“Lend me your room to rest for a while.” Julian smiled at me, leaning against the wall as he let out a sigh, “I don’t live in the Black Dorm, so I don’t have any place to lie down at.”

“Okay.” Glancing at Dallow, I nodded, “I’ll come later to bring you up.”

Julian nodded and didn’t say anything.

I helped Dallow walk up one step at a time, suddenly realizing that black robes are actually very strong. But for just a dorm barrier, they have to suffer so much…

The dorm’s defense and the school’s defense are all enormous, that I already know.

But I never saw how those defenses were formed and maintained, to be able to protect so much students.

What I’ve seen now is just a small corner of it, and there are still other dorms. The barriers of all the major places on the campus have to be maintained on time, and there are even more people that I don’t know putting in so much effort just to help us have a safe environment.

I suddenly deeply felt that our school is very, very diligent.

And also all the people who protect us…