Episode 160: The Approaching Decisive Battle! What Are the Scholar’s Ambitions!?
“What are these numbers? It’s impossible…!”
The Scholar had left the underground theater and was heading towards the tourist district.
Behind her were many students who had already been brainwashed. Individually, they might not have been much as combatants, but their true value lay in being hostages.
The Scholar had two objectives.
To retrieve the clone of Reiko Hyououdou.
And to gather data from actual combat with an S Rank.
Indeed, for the Scholar, this was nothing more than a task.
Having already secured an S Rank within her grasp, she should have had no enemies.
“Such magical depth. And that waveform pattern…!”
The Scholar immediately understood upon seeing the various values displayed on the window before her eyes.
“So Solciera is here! Will you challenge me, someone like me?”
This was an irregularity recognized as S Rank but not present in the Bright Star Project. A reaper whose origins and motives were completely unknown, and the arbiter of stars.
In short, the Scholar’s most feared opponent.
(Taking on Solciera is premature. Facing her is dangerous…!)
The Scholar’s strength, honed through long years hidden within the Kroma Music Academy, lay in her intellect and her will to survive even if it meant drinking muddy water.
Unlike the Professor who sought to make herself known to the world or Kanon who got involved with Solciera due to trivial personal feelings, the Scholar remained focused solely on realizing her ideals.
And creating a world where she would be at the pinnacle.
The Scholar quickened her pace.
“Gathering data against S Ranks is secondary. The priority is retrieving the clone.”
Only someone who had survived for so long in the underworld could understand.
The vast amount of magic measured served as a warning to herself.
(Theoretically, it’s possible. She can interfere with all the space constructing this academy right now.)
The Dungeon Core constructing the academy was protected by robust defenses and numerous magical circuits.
Still, seeing this amount of power made her realize that defense would be impossible.
“Where did the plan leak from… No, that’s not it. That’s what I need to consider.”
Once calm, the Scholar donned gloves on both arms.
What appeared to be mechanical gauntlets with exposed wiring took on a bizarre form.
With a snap of her fingers, the temperature around her dropped rapidly.
Simultaneously, white frost spread endlessly from her center.
“Truly impressive, this power. It makes sense that it can manipulate weather.”
Behind the satisfied Scholar, several brainwashed students collapsed. Without looking back, the Scholar glanced at the window that had appeared.
“Thirteen. From using my abilities just now.”
That number represented the students who had paid the price in her stead for using her powers.
(Using explorers as proxies for computation… interesting ideas, Commander.)
An S Rank was the ultimate existence perfected through the meticulous cultivation plan of the Board of Directors.
Thus, as an explorer far from such caliber, the Scholar had to pay a heavy price when wielding such power.
And the solution to that problem was a system forming a massive entity through bracelets.
“The Cloud System… quite an ingenious creation.”
Smiling, the Scholar snapped her fingers again.
Somewhere in Kroma, another person fell.
As the weather changed and unseasonal snow began to fall, paying the cost,
“Carry them. Those who have fallen will serve as bio-batteries for a long time. Treat them well.”
At her words, her subordinates began collecting the fallen explorers and tourists.
The falling snow and frost covering everything made it clear that the Scholar was undoubtedly the queen of this icy realm.
“…Hahaha! So easy! Grasping supremacy is!”
It was a wonderful sense of omnipotence.
After laughing heartily for a while, the Scholar closed her eyes and exhaled softly, knowing that moving while intoxicated by her abilities was amateurish.
“I’m different from the Professor, or some rotten kid pretending to be a doctor.”
As a biting cold enveloped the area, the Scholar closed her eyes.
Then,
“…There, that’s where you are.”
Her lips twisted.
S Rank Reiko Hyououdou possessed the ability to locate opponents through changes in temperature.
Now that she had turned the entire tourist district of Kroma into a frozen wasteland, there was no way to escape her.
“Fusing with the surroundings. Clever, but ultimately, you’re still a child.”
The Scholar walked along the frozen road.
The flowers blooming on asphalt, the little birds perched on rooftops, the cats trying to flee—all were frozen, transforming peace into a world of death.
There was no doubt about the authority of the ruler.
However, her expression…
“Always the challenger, am I…”
The detection technique using cold air aimed at Baltius summoned by Ryuko had another purpose.
It was to probe Solciera’s movements.
Was Solciera’s target her?
Exactly what was that magical power being used for?
“Doesn’t falter, even for a second!”
Solciera’s magical power continued to be emitted without any sign of wavering; in fact, it was increasing.
“…Enough, stop concerning myself with her.”
The Scholar moved forward with a face akin to having bitten into a bitter bug.
Of course, the reason was the star-reading girl.
(A strategy needs to be devised urgently. To bring down that accursed star…)
What came to her mind wasn’t the upcoming battle but the one after that.
The decisive battle with Solciera.
■
Isn’t it snowing outside?
A White Christmas kind of feel, turning into a White Mysterious?
“Hey, isn’t it snowing?”
“Huh? Oh, it really is.”
Thanks to the external viewing magical formula deployed by the Star Reader’s Staff, I was recording while watching over Ryuko-chan and the others.
While watching them happily chatting with sweets arranged on Baltius’ back, snow suddenly started mixing into the scene.
Alright, my line next.
“Your shoulders are trembling. Do you find it so pleasant to have your ear breathed on? …Pervert.”
“This is… Is this Rey’s ability?”
“Hmm… Snow, indeed.”
“Do you have something on your mind?”
“This makes me think we could have a limited event where we get ‘【SR】Holy Night Blessing Solciera.'”
“That’s pointless.”
It felt somewhat profound, but I was merely imagining Solciera being implemented in a mobile game event.
Don’t implement it. Besides, by the looks of it, I’d probably be the free SR.
“Let’s go with SS-Rank Santa Cosplay Zero Number.”
“Why are you taking the lead role?”
“When she started saying she wanted to understand people—what caught Zero’s interest was Santa Claus!? Watching her distribute Christmas presents, Solciera gazes worriedly. What will become of their Christmas?”
An event story was born.
Is the Star Reader’s Staff also influenced by mobile games?
Though this side seems more focused on characters and stories rather than gameplay.
“The final battle of the event will feature Mini Skirt Santa Solciera. By the way, it won’t be implemented. It’ll be depicted elsewhere instead. I won’t say what, but it will be depicted.”
Star Reader’s Staff is as harsh as ever.
Personally, I prefer a touching story development, so a swimsuit Solciera event would be ideal.
Showing her fragile body—”How can such a thin girl fight alone…!”—I want to mess up players’ brains like that.
…Ah, it’s almost the end of the recording.
“I’ll countdown for you to fall asleep. Focus on your right ear. 10, 9, 8—”
“Don’t sleep yet. Let’s enjoy more before sleeping. Absolutely don’t sleep.”
Even though I was fooling around internally, the recording was perfect.
With that countdown, Part 1 concludes.
Part 2 features the strict S Luciela punishing explorers who couldn’t sleep and the gentle Luciela praising those who managed to hold out.
In other words, ear teasing and ear soothing will start next time.
“……..Phew”
We look at each other and nod.
It’s done. The first recording is complete.
“You had a great voice, partner. Perfect.”
“Hehe, thank you.”
I coolly smile.
Just as I was about to stand up…
“Uh, what’s wrong?”
My body won’t obey me!?
Moreover, for some reason, my waist feels powerless…
“What’s wrong, partner!?”
“N-nothing…”
I wobble to my feet, masking it with a smile.
“Could it be… because you were in an extreme state of concentration, you didn’t notice? Perhaps you’re sensitive to the ears!?”
Don’t use your computational abilities for such reasoning.
“Can’t be. I don’t have such a trivial weakness—phhff”.
The Star Reader’s Staff blew into the dummy head microphone.
Just that caused me to collapse onto the floor.
“Wait, wait, stop that!”
“Hmm.”
“Hya!”
“Hmm.”
“Hyyu, stop! Wait, don’t go further, that crosses the line!”
“….Hmm, you’re right.”
The Star Reader’s Staff stopped easily after saying that, helped me up, and smiled warmly.
“It’s good that we’ve discovered your weakness! Don’t forget about ASMR recordings… After all, we hold your life in our hands.”
Seeing the Star Reader’s Staff hug me, I couldn’t help but scream.
Trouble, I gave him a reason to exploit my weakness…
“This… This means Solciera might not be suitable for all-age releases anymore!”
“Look forward to it.”
My body trembled at the X-day that was surely coming.
Being tormented by the Star Reader’s Staff on my ears…
“…But thinking about it, that’s not bad either. We can see beautiful girls losing control without direct actions. Good idea, let’s record the Star Reader’s Staff too. With a偷拍-like angle.”
Attacking beautiful girls is content-rich!
“If it’s content-rich, I’ll gladly offer myself for the sake of praise… That’s what a Samurai does.”
“Probably not.”
Guess a guy who doesn’t know about Bushido is hopeless.
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